Fishing Report 22 August 2024

Australian bass closed season all Queensland tidal waters from 1 June to 31 August.

Murray cod and Mary River cod closed season from 1 August to 31 October in all Queensland waters in the Murray-Darling Drainage Division.   Some additional restrictions on use of fishing lines also apply; there are exceptions to restrictions in some stocked impoundments (see Fisheries Queensland website).  

Hervey Bay / Fraser Island

Snapper in strong numbers, taken close in, within the area of Simpson Reef to Moon Point to Burrum 8 Mile Reef. Plenty of whiting around Waddy Point, along the beaches and right on the point (anglers bagging out). Plenty of good sized flathead inshore including the beaches and up and down the straights. Plenty of good sized grunter.

At Fraser Island, the chopper tailor are running the whole front of beach from Indian Head all the way to Waddy Point (please note the Green Zone). Indian Head to Red Canyon also strong.

Seeing record numbers of whales in very close, including down the Sandy Straights from Moon Point down to Kingfisher Bay resort.

Fishos Tackleworld  Ph (07) 4128 1022 | www.fishostackleworld.com.au

Rainbow Beach Offshore

Report pending.

Rainbow Beach Reef Fishing Charters  Ph 0439 775 070 | www.rainbowbeachfishing.com.au

Tin Can Bay

There’s been some great whiting around this week, particularly near the front of Timbers. Freshly pumped yabbies and beach worms, available at Chandlery Bait and Tackle, have been their go-to bait. The average size has been impressive, ranging from 35 to 38 cm. However, expect some bycatch, including toadfish and the occasional grinner. 

Flathead fishing has also been productive over the past couple of weeks. A hot spot has been in front of the Snack Shack during the last few hours of the run-out tide. Additionally, the flat area near Norman Point has been yielding good catches of bream, whiting, golden trevally, and flathead. This area can produce good fish at any tide, thanks to the deeper sections on either side that attract predatory fish, though the run-in tide is particularly effective. 

For those trolling, the mouth of the creeks at Teebah, Kauri, and Snapper Creek has been productive for schools of tailor using 60 to 80mm hard bodies. There have also been some impressive Spanish mackerel caught up around Inskip, near the new sinkhole. One angler reported a 155cm mackerel to the fork. Trolling with 20-foot divers is recommended due to the murky water, as it helps to get the lure down deep. The sinkhole area is also producing good bream and tailor, with strips of mullet, peeled prawns, little micro jigs, and small plastics being effective. 

In the bay near the Inskip end of the inlet, mac tuna have been caught, with 20 to 30-gram slugs working best. Blue salmon have been active in Seabar Creek and Carry Creek. Interestingly, a few jewfish have been spotted down this end, which is uncommon. These fish, ranging from 60 to 80 cm, have been found in deeper holes near rocky ledges, with some good spots around Poverty Point. Vibes have been particularly effective in targeting the jewfish. 

The Chandlery Bait & Tackle  Ph (07) 5486 4744 | www.tcbchandlery.com.au

Noosa

Noosa heads generally fishing better than Tewantin reaches, with a lot of bream and whiting being boated, a few solid flathead, and some trevally and sooty grunter. Fishing better than the crabbing, with mud crabs hard to find.

O Boat Hire & Bait Supply   Ph (07) 5449 7513 | www.oboathire.com

Anglers have caught some great flathead in the woods and at the river mouth. Gympie Terrace is holding nice whiting on all the sand flats, while the Frying Pan is teeming with tailor, bream, and more flathead. 

Noosa River Fishing Safaris  Ph 0429 030 823 | www.noosariverfishing.com

Snapper, pearl perch, and cobia have been the main attractions up around Double Island and Sunshine Beach, with some coral trout making a welcome appearance as well. Bottom bashing with pilchards and squid has been the preferred method, yielding the best results for these species.

Noosa Bluewater Charters  Ph (07) 5449 9355 | www.noosabluefishing.com.au

Fishing out of Noosa has been remarkable this week. Reports indicate big pearl perch (reaching upto 70cm long and 4/5kgs), snapper, tuskfish, Moses perch, Maori cod, cobia, amberjack, yellowtail kingfish, goldband snapper, red emperor, and scarlet perch being caught in the 50-70 meter marks. The Barwon Banks, Hards, and Double Island Point have all produced excellent results on full-day 

Deep Sea Fishing Co Noosa  Ph 0411 222 749 | www.deepseafishingco.com.au

Maroochydore

There are plenty of bream throughout the entire river following the recent rain. Flathead are still being caught upstream from the Cod hole, while golden trevally are active in the middle reaches. Whiting are concentrated near the river mouth, and there have been reports of jewfish lurking under the motorway bridge. 

Swan Boat Hire   Ph 0403 601 452 |www.swanboathire.com.au

Mooloolaba

Quality snapper to 80cm at Caloundra 12 Mile, and at Currimundi and at Murphy’s Reef . Grassy sweetlip at the Inner Gneerings. Along the Kawana stretch of the beaches from Currrimundi to Buddina there has been tailor and dart. In the Mooloolaba River, plenty of bream around La Balsa Park. Flathead in the upper reaches of Mooloolaba and Maroochy systems.

Tackleworld Kawana   Ph (07) 5444 0714 | www.tackleworldkawanafishingstore.com.au

Cobia, yellowtail kingfish, and amberjack have been active at Caloundra Wide, with live bait proving to be effective in landing these species. 

Smithys Fishing Charters  Ph 0407 574 868 | www.smithysfishingcharters.com.au

Caloundra

Offshore Snapper fishing has been exceptional lately, particularly around the inshore reefs near Caloundra. Anglers are catching great numbers of snapper and squire, including many high-quality saffron squire. The variety of methods used, including trolling, floating pillies, anchoring, and berleying, has proven effective, with success reported across different techniques. Winter longtail tuna have also been showing up, and while some are caught while targeting snapper with soft plastics, live bait has been especially effective. Additionally, a few tuskfish, pearl perch, and cobia have been reported. 

The passage is still productive, with bream, whiting, and flathead expected to increase as flathead spawn. Tailor have made a notable comeback, with good numbers being caught along the main beach, Wurtulla, Kawana Beach, Happy Valley, and in the Bribie Passage. There have also been reports of chopper tailor at Donnybrook. Mud crabs are beginning to move in the creeks, which is a promising sign as they tend to become more active when whiting fishing improves, though it’s still a bit early due to cooler temperatures. 

Caloundra Fishing World   Ph (07) 5491 4566 | www.caloundrafishingworld.com.au

Donnybrook

Report pending.

Donnybrook Takeaway, Bait & Tackle   Ph (07) 5498 8247 | www.facebook.com/Donnybrook-Takeaway-Bait-Tackle

Bribie Island

Fishing well. Tailor in the passage at Bellara and Banksia Beach. Mud crabs in Ningi Creek. Sand crabs in Pumicestone Passage at Bongaree . Flathead at the jetty and whiting at Red Beach.

Gateway Bribie Adventures  Ph (07) 5497 5253 | https://www.facebook.com/gatewaybaitandtackle/

Northern Moreton Bay

With the snapper closure lifted, many anglers are getting some good snapper catches. Pearl perch have been on the quieter side, though there have been a few around. Spanish mackerel have also been spotted, with fewer numbers but decent sizes among those that are being caught. 

In the bay, the snapper fishing has been strong. The rough weather prior to the season reopening stirred up the water, driving snapper into a feeding frenzy. Notable catches have been reported in areas like Pearl Channel, Woody Point, and Scarborough. 

In the rivers, the recent rain has flushed out a lot of bait, leading to an influx of jewfish in the Pine and Caboolture Rivers. While the jewfish aren’t particularly large, averaging around 60-70cm, they’re still providing good sport. There have also been a few threadfin salmon caught, and it’s expected that their activity will increase now that the waters have been stirred up. The threadfins caught have been in the same size range as the jewfish. 

Flathead fishing has been excellent, particularly in the deeper holes of the Pine and Brisbane Rivers around the mouth. Many of the larger flathead, some cracking over the 80cm mark, have been caught as bycatch while targeting jewfish and threadfin, which has been a pleasant surprise for anglers. 

As the weather warms up, the mangrove jack season is starting to kick off. Anglers have been using lightly weighted soft plastics and prawn imitations, with the Caboolture River being a particularly productive spot. Jacks can also be found in the Pumicestone Passage. 

Tackleworld Lawnton    Ph (07) 3205 7475 | www.facebook.com/tackleworldlawnton

Sandgate

An abundance of Snapper in Moreton Bay, in front of Redcliffe. Some whiting back at Margate Beach. Sand crabs in the Northern Bay.

Tackle Land   Ph (07) 3269 5060 | www.tackleland.com.au

Brisbane River – Northern Moreton Bay

Diver whiting are being caught around Fisherman’s Island and Darcy Light. Snapper,
school mackerel, and tailor have been active on both the eastern and western sides of
Mud Island. Mackerel are also being found off Wellington Point, the eastern side of
Green Island towards Hope Banks, and in Rainbow Channel near Amity. In the lower
reaches of the Brisbane River and along the port rock wall, anglers are reporting good
catches of snapper, jewfish, bream, and flathead.

Mr Bait   Ph 0431 222 721 | www.facebook.com/Mr-Bait-182344678957765

Moreton Bay Offshore

There have been reports of large numbers of large pearl perch being caught off the Cathedrals. Anglers have also had success with large snapper at the Square Patch, though some have experienced lost catches with big sharks offshore in Moreton Bay. 

Morton Island Fishing Charters   Ph 0413128056 | https://moretonislandfishingcharters.com.au/

Redcliffe Peninsula

Bream, whiting, and flathead are being caught in Hayes, the Pine, and Bramble Bay. There have been a few diver whiting found in Deception Bay and off Scarborough. The Eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshore areas are producing good bream, tailor, and snapper, with tailor also active off Woody Point Jetty, in Bramble Bay, and on the inshores. 

Scarborough Reef is seeing catches of snapper, bream, flathead, and tailor. In Bramble Bay, along the eastern foreshores, and on the inshores, anglers are reporting bonito, mackerel tuna, and the occasional longtail tuna. Squid are being caught off the jetties, rocky points, and on the inshore reefs. School jew and grunter are also showing up on the inshores. Sand crabs are still present in Bramble Bay and off the eastern foreshores. 

Hornibrook Bait & Tackle  Ph 0483 846 966 www.facebook.com/HornibrookBT

Moreton Bay / Brisbane River

The fishing scene has been lively with excellent numbers of tailor around Manly Harbour and the rock wall. Green Island is also seeing good tailor activity, along with some squire and snapper around King Island, Green Island, and Wellington Point.  Mackerel are also making an appearance around One Mile, Rainbow Beach, and near Green Island. 

Water Tower Bait & Tackle Ph (07) 3396 1833

North Stradbroke Island

Good tailor are being caught on the ocean side of the beach, with plenty of whiting in the mix as well. Stradbroke Island’s beaches are offering solid bread-and-butter fishing, including bream and flathead all along the shoreline. Amity Point continues to be a hotspot, especially for kids, with a great number of bream making for some exciting catches. 

Point Lookout Bait & Fresh Fish   Ph (07) 3409 8724

Redland Bay

School mackerel in Rainbow Channel, some good jewfish in the southern Bay; some good snapper around the Artificial Reefs. Whiting in Rous and Little Ships Channels and Blue Hole. Good tailor off North Stradbroke Island.

Mossops Tackle Store Cleveland   Ph (07) 3821 1240 | www.mossopsfishing.com.au

Jumpinpin

Tailor activity has been slow, but the bream are making up for it with plenty of action. Anglers have reported catching some large bream, with sizes easily reaching into the 40 cm range. 

Gem Bait & Tackle  Ph (07) 3287 3868 | www.facebook.com/gembait

With the winter months coming to an end, tailor have been easing off the bite, along with jewfish. Coming into the warmer months also means whiting season picking up, but most notably the flathead season is beginning, with consistently oversized fish being caught all around. Squid have also been on the bite with both species, tiger and pencil, hanging around. Preparation wise, there is no better bait than worms for whiting, with yabbies coming a close second. Flathead have not been too picky, being caught on everything from pilchards and live bait to hard bodies and soft plastics.

Jacobs Well Boat Hire  Ph (07) 5546 2608 | www.jacobswellboathire.com.au

South Stradbroke Island

The windy conditions this week have limited fishing opportunities, but those who managed to find a break in the weather were rewarded. Nice flathead were caught around Carter’s Bank, whiting were found along the shallows on the western side of Wavebreak Island, and some big bream were landed in the southern arm of the Coomera River. 

Gold Coast Boat Hire   Ph 0432 710 892 | www.goldcoastboathire.com.au

Gold Coast Broadwater

Great fishing at the moment after a bit of rain. Flathead continue to be increasing in numbers with great catches being reported throughout the Broadwater. Winter whiting are prolific out the front of runaway bay. Drifting the channel in front of the marina will produce great numbers. Winter whiting have faint black spots on their sides and no size limit with a possession limit of 50. Yabbies, worms even small strips of squid on a size 4-6 hook will work a treat. They also are a fantastic live bait for trophy size flathead. Be sure to use circle hooks when targeting big flathead for easy release. I was wrong about the beach gutters last week as they held their shape and provided excellent fishing. Bream were everywhere with a fish a cast in the shallows on beach worms and pippies. Squid continue to be caught especially on the bigger tides with dawn and dusk being the peak times. The seaway has produced well with bouncing vibes in the deeper sections between 4-8m. 

Good luck and send through your pics to info@coastwatch.com.au

David McDonald  Private Fisherman | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Fishing at the 42 and 50 fathom marks has been productive with good catches of snapper, amberjack, and kingfish. Live baiting and deep jigging have proven to be the most effective techniques.  

At the 36 and 24 fathom reefs, snapper are abundant, with a few pearl perch and parrot fish also being caught. The 18 fathom reefs are yielding cobia, longtail tuna, and some snapper, with live bait and soft plastics being the preferred methods. 

On the beaches, tailor are still present, and whole pilchards or metal lures are recommended for targeting them.  

Inside the Broadwater, trevally and school jewfish are active around the Jumpin Pin entrance and the Seaway entrance. Flathead are plentiful on the sand beds within the Broadwater, with both light and heavy tackle proving effective. Whiting and bream are also present. In the rivers, there are plenty of bream and some threadfin, while trevally and tarpon are showing up on the run-out tide at night around the bridges. 

Gold Coast Fishing Tackle   Ph (07) 5679 0840 | www.goldcoastfishingtackle.com.au

Tweed Coast

Fishing on the 24 and 30 fathom reefs last week and over the weekend yielded a great collection of fish such as snapper, cobia, kingfish, Venus tuskfish, and pearl perch were among the species brought in. The 24s are at a depth of 48 meters, while the 30s reach down to 60 meters, both proving productive for anglers. 

Addict Tackle  Ph (07) 5523 3535 | www.addicttackle.com.au

Brunswick Heads

This week’s fishing report is fairly quiet due to challenging conditions. The deep sea has been rough and windy, with only a few of the bigger boats venturing out to the closer reefs. Those who did managed to catch some Spanish mackerel, longtail tuna, and a few snapper. 

On the beaches and around the rock walls, there have been good catches of bream and dart, along with a few tailor and mac tuna mixed in.  In the river, bream, flathead, and a few blackfish have been showing up as the dirty water begins to clear up. 

Bruns Beach Bait & Tackle Ph 0432 394 869

Ballina

There has been some good numbers of snapper being caught on the close reefs, on plastics and baits. Riordans and Lennox Head have both been popular choices. Out wider the current has still been fairly slow, which has meant some boats could fish the shelf and chase deep water species such as bar cod and bass grouper. There has been a few leatherjackets show up on the 32’s of late. Make sure you pack extra hooks, sinkers and leader before heading out on your next trip. Back in the river the clear water has started to push back into the mouth of the river. Good numbers of bream are still being caught in the lower reaches using baits prawns, mullet and squid. The flathead have been a little quiet, but a few fish have been caught using bright colored plastics or soft vibes. The luderick have been showing interest in yabbies in the discolored water. The beach have been difficult to fish due to the wind and swell, but this weekend is looking pretty good, so it will be worth trying Angels, Patch’s or Seven Mile beaches for some bream, flathead, dart, salmon or tailor.

Ballina Bait and Tackle  Ph (02) 6686 2527 | https://www.facebook.com/p/Ballina-Bait-and-Tackle-100063582669959/

Evans Head

Try along Airforce and Main Beach for bream and school jew; and around the rock walls at the mouth of the river for bream and luderick. In the Evans River try for bream, flathead and whiting and a few mud crabs. Offshore , there have been plenty of snapper, teraglin (trag) and pearl perch on the close reefs.

Evans Head Sports & Marine   Ph (02) 6682 4536 | www.facebook.com/EvansheadSportsMarine

FRESHWATER FISHING

Ewan Maddock

Bass along the edges of the Lilly pads.

Tackleworld Kawana  Ph (07) 5444 0714 | www.tackleworldkawanafishingstore.com.au

Lake Kurwongbar

Bass fishing here has been quite sporadic due to recent weather changes. Anglers have struggled to find consistent success. However, with the warmer weather, bass are expected to move back to the edges. Using spinnerbaits and crankbaits along these edges should improve your chances. 

Tackleworld Lawnton    Ph (07) 3205 7475 | www.facebook.com/tackleworldlawnton

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam has seen some good action recently, with saratoga being caught right up against the bank in the western arm. Bass fishing has also been strong, with metal jigs and soft vibes over the deep points yielding the best results. 

Charltons Fishing    Ph (07) 3818 1677 | www.charltonsfishing.com.au

North Pine Dam

North Pine Dam has seen inconsistent bass fishing recently. The changing weather conditions have made it challenging to locate the fish. As temperatures rise, bass are likely to start hunting along the edges again. Try targeting these areas with spinnerbaits and crankbaits for better results. 

Tackleworld Lawnton  Ph (07) 3205 7475 | www.facebook.com/tackleworldlawnton

Wivenhoe Dam

Competition on this weekend so not advised to fish there this week due to how busy it may be.

Maroon Dam

Maroon Dam is also producing well, especially along the edges. Small metal blades in darker colors, like black or dark blue, are effective here. Skirted jigs are worth trying too, especially as the weather warms up. Focus on the tree lines and slowly jig the skirted jigs up and down around the trees to entice a bass strike. Crankbaits are another solid choice, especially those with a diving depth of around 2 to 3 meters. Cast them up to the trees on the edges and slow roll them past the timber; this method is likely to draw bass out.  

Moogerah Dam

Moogerah Dam has been fishing exceptionally well lately, with many anglers finding success near the spit by the dam wall. Targeting fish here is best done using 20 to 30-gram metal spoons or 3-inch soft plastics with a heavy jig head (around 5/8 oz). A slow roll on the bottom works wonders, especially with soft plastic paddle tails in natural colors like white and boney shades. If you don’t have much luck near the dam wall, head up into the timbered areas and try the same techniques with metal spoons or soft plastics—these should yield good results.  

Somerset Dam

Competition on this weekend so not advised to fish there this week due to how busy it may be.

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam, down on the Gold Coast, has also been producing great catches. Recent reports indicate that big fish are being caught in good numbers, particularly in the main basin near the dam wall. Effective techniques include using crankbaits, metal spoons, and soft plastics on a heavy jig head, slow rolled along the bottom. Lipless crankbaits, such as Jackall TN60s, have been particularly successful. For those who prefer bait fishing, live shrimp is an excellent choice—dropping them down near the dam wall gives you a good chance of hooking into a solid bass. The western and eastern arms are also productive, but the main basin is where the action is hottest right now. 

Charltons Fishing    Ph (07) 3818 1677 | www.charltonsfishing.com.au

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY