The magic of Merimbula on the Sapphire Coast by Brent Hodges

The Far South Coast of New South Wales, also known as the 'Sapphire Coast,' covers an area from Bermagui in the north through to the Victorian border in the south. The township of Merimbula is the main hub and every year the population swells at Christmas and Easter when this sleepy seaside village becomes a busy tourist centre. Outside of peak periods, however, it is pure bliss. Situated approximately seven hours (580km) northeast of Melbourne and six hours (525km) south of Sydney, Merimbula is just far enough away from the major cities to avoid large weekend crowds.
Indeed, my wife and I fell in love with Merimbula during our first visit around 15 years ago. We've been regularly returning ever since, sometimes 2-3 times a year, mostly during school holiday periods and nowadays with young children in tow. Our girls aged four and six, often reminisce our family trips to Merimbula. They've already learnt so much observing various marine creatures within the crystal clear lake system or collecting crabs, yabbies and shells on sand flats at low tide.
Yep, Merimbula might just be the perfect southern family holiday destination. Indeed, it offers something for everyone, from active water sports such as surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking or canoeing, to more passive pursuits like sightseeing, sipping lattes or sampling the local wine, cheese and divine seafood, especially the oysters!
There are scenic walking paths and cycling trails, golf courses, national parks and spectacular secluded beaches to explore. Many visitors are of course keen anglers and, while there are some sensational offshore options, pitching lures and soft plastics on light spin outfits within the more tranquil tidal estuaries is how my time is spent when holidaying in this region.
TARGET SPECIES
Dusky flathead and bream are undoubtedly the major drawcards year round, however you can also expect to encounter season runs of yellowfin whiting, silver trevally, tailor, Australian salmon, luderick, juvenile snapper and school mulloway. Remarkably, even the odd stray kingfish have been known to find their way into the estuaries at both Merimbula and the nearby Pambula River. For those keen to do some exploring, a few neighbouring systems also produce estuary perch and Australian bass.
WHERE TO START
With so many options, where do we start? Which species should we target? What are the best lures? Should we concentrate on the deeper sections of the lake or the shallower margins, in amongst the oyster leases or perhaps the faster moving waters of the entrance channel? What about time of day? And don't forget to factor in the all-important changes of tide.