3 Pirates Bay, Tasman Peninsula and Pedra Branca

The continental shelf is quite close to shore here, and with a vast topographic underwater terrain the game fishing can be nothing short of sensational. Very deep water is common close to shore and a lot of game fishers troll virtually along the bottom of the many spectacular cliffs in search of game fish. Water depths of over 100 metres are common close inshore.

For gamefishers, southern bluefin tuna are the most prized species, and it is no surprise when you consider there are around 8 world records from this area. Southern bluefin are usually caught between the months of April to late June.
You will need a decent sized boat to tackle southern bluefin tuna. Big seas with short swells and sharp chop can pound this area. When a calm day does come along, it might be pleasant, but it is not always productive as the rougher it is, the more the tuna seem to bite. The most productive areas are the Hippolyte Rocks to the east of Fortescue Bay, Tasman Island to the south and Pedra Branca 26 kilometres of the south east tip of Tasmania. Most trips to Pedra Branca and made from Southport, which is the closest launching ramp.
Bottle fish (over 100 lb) although not common are still taken, while fish to 25 kg are more common. A world record southern bluefin of 108 kg was taken on 15 kg line. The best way to target these fish is with one of the professional charter boat operators. They operate larger safe vessels and if the fish are around they offer the best chance of which suits smaller stretching your arms.
There is a good launching ramp at Pirates Bay, which gives access to the ocean side of the peninsula. It is the northern most ramp and is around 15 kilometres by sea from Hippolyte Rocks and 30 kilometres to Tasman Island. Closer to Hippolyte Rocks via an 11 kilometre gravel road is the Fortescue Bay ramp and although more difficult to access by bigger trailer boats it allows a shorter run of around 5 kilometres to Hippolyte Rocks boats.