Shaws Bay Training Wall (Ballina)

Shaws Bay is the tidal lagoon in East Ballina, held off the Richmond River by a long rock training wall that runs downstream from the North Creek mouth toward the North Wall. The upstream end of that wall, beside the holiday park, is where you can fish the lagoon on one side and the river on the other. The lagoon is landlocked but tidal, and it holds big tailor, luderick, bream and even mangrove jack; the North Creek mouth just upstream is a whiting spot. It is the calm-water option for when the river mouth is too rough, and it is popular for exactly that reason.

Floating lightly weighted prawns along the wall at dusk is the local method for bream, tailor and the odd jack. Luderick are worked with cabbage or green weed under a float along the stones on the run-in. For whiting, fish worms, yabbies or peeled prawn on a light running rig near the North Creek mouth. Flathead come to soft plastics hopped along the sandy drop-offs on the river side. Keep it light — the lagoon water is clear and the fish see heavy line.

Bream are the year-round fish (25 cm, bag of 10 shared with tarwhine), with luderick through autumn and winter (27 cm, bag 10) and tailor in the cooler months (30 cm, bag 10). Sand whiting work the sand near the North Creek mouth from spring to autumn (27 cm, bag 20 shared across whiting), and dusky flathead hold on the river-side drop-offs (36–70 cm slot, bag 5). Mangrove jack turn up at dusk in the warm months; they have no size limit and a bag of five.

Shaws Bay is a swimming and snorkelling spot first — the holiday park sits on its shore — so fish early and late and keep casts away from swimmers. Nets other than dip, scoop and landing nets are banned in the lagoon (Shaws Bay, also called Saltwater Lagoon, is one of Ballina's artificial lakes closed to nets), and traps other than bait traps are banned in the lower river; line fishing is unaffected. Floating prawns at dusk is the method that earns its reputation here. If you try the North Creek mouth, fish from the bank — not from the Missingham Bridge road deck.

Park in East Ballina near the Shaws Bay holiday park and Missingham Bridge, and walk onto the wall from its upstream end. The inner end is an easy walk from the parks and foreshore, which makes it a good spot for kids; the wall stones themselves are uneven. The grassed foreshore around the lagoon gives flat, easy access for anyone who would rather fish from the bank. Shops and cafes are a few minutes away in town.

Sheltered from ocean swell by the North Wall and the river mouth, the wall fishes in weather that shuts the entrance. Strong southerlies blow straight up the river and make the river side choppy, and the lagoon side is the calmer choice then. The run-in tide at dusk is the window for bream, tailor and jacks; clean water suits the luderick and whiting. Heavy rain browns the river side and slows the whiting.

This is a calm estuary wall, so the risks are small but real: the stones are slippery when wet and the oyster growth will cut hands and shins, so wear grippy shoes. The river side has strong tidal current and drops away quickly — keep kids on the lagoon side and off the lower stones. Watch for swimmers and snorkellers in the lagoon before every cast. A lifejacket is a sensible precaution for kids on the wall.

Yes, with a line. Shaws Bay is a tidal lagoon where line fishing is allowed, but nets other than dip, scoop and landing nets are banned in it and traps other than bait traps are banned in the lower Richmond. It is also a popular swimming and snorkelling spot, so fish early or late and keep clear of swimmers.

Bream, tailor, luderick and even mangrove jack in the lagoon and along the training wall, with whiting near the North Creek mouth and dusky flathead on the river side. Floating prawns at dusk is the local method for bream, tailor and jacks.

Yes. The wall's inner end and the grassed foreshore are an easy walk from the parks, and bream and whiting come to small baits. Keep kids on the lagoon side, off the lower stones and away from the river-side current.

There's no licence as such, but you must pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee and carry the receipt to fish anywhere in NSW, salt or fresh. It's $7 for three days, $14 for a month, $35 for a year or $85 for three years. Some people are exempt, including anglers under 18 and certain concession holders.