Snug Cove Wharves (Eden)

Snug Cove is Eden's working harbour, tucked into the northern shore of Twofold Bay, where the fishing fleet, charter boats and cruise ships tie up a short walk below the town. Visitors are welcome to wander the wharf and drop in a line, and a small hook off the Snug Cove wharves yields plenty of yellowtail, slimy mackerel and trevally. Twofold Bay is deep and sheltered, so the wharves fish in conditions that close the open coast. It is a classic spot to put kids onto fish and to catch live bait for bigger things.

Most anglers fish small hooks and light line straight down beside the wharf piles with a little bread or pilchard berley, which brings yellowtail scad, slimy mackerel and silver trevally up into the light. Those small baitfish are also the best live bait in town for anyone chasing bigger fish elsewhere. Salmon and tailor come into the cove in the cooler months and take metal lures cast from the wharf. Leatherjackets hang around the piles all year and take small baits on the bottom.

Silver trevally are the regular target at 30 cm and a bag of 10 shared across the trevallies. Yellowtail scad and slimy mackerel are the bread-and-butter bait fish. Australian salmon have no minimum size and a bag of 5, and tailor are 30 cm with a bag of 10. Leatherjackets have no minimum size and a bag of 20 in total across the species.

This is a working port, so fish where the public is clearly welcome, keep off any fenced or signed berths, and move when a vessel is coming alongside or unloading. The Break Water Wharf is a fenced commercial berth used by fishing and supply vessels. Use small hooks (No. 10–12) and tiny baits for the bait fish; they are shy of big hooks. The NSW tide tables put Eden's tides at the same time as Fort Denison's. Cruise ship days bring crowds to the waterfront.

Snug Cove sits below the Eden town centre, with parking along the waterfront and near the wharves. The Snug Cove welcome centre is on the waterfront, and cafes and fish and chips are a short walk away. The wharves are level concrete and timber, which makes them accessible for families. Expect the waterfront to be busy on summer days and when cruise ships are in.

Snug Cove opens to the south-west across Twofold Bay and is sheltered from northerly and easterly winds, making it a reliable spot when the open coast is rough. A strong southerly or south-westerly blows straight in and makes light-line fishing harder. Clean water from the bay suits the bait fish, and dawn and dusk bring the salmon and tailor in closer.

The wharves are working commercial structures: forklifts, trucks and vessels move around them and lines are not welcome near unloading boats. The edges are high above deep water, and some sections have no rails — watch children closely. Keep clear of any fenced berths and obey port signage. Fish hooks and slimy decks are a hazard on busy days.

Yes. Visitors are welcome to wander along the Snug Cove wharf and drop in a line. It is a working port, so keep clear of fenced berths and vessels unloading, and obey port signage.

Yellowtail scad, slimy mackerel and silver trevally are the regular catches off the wharves, with salmon and tailor in the cooler months and leatherjackets all year.

The NSW tide tables show Eden (Twofold Bay) with no time difference from Fort Denison for high or low water.