Fishing Report 22 January

Fishing Thu 22 Jan 2026

Hervey Bay / Fraser Island

At Urangan Pier, the bait has thinned out compared to last week, with herring smaller and not as thick. Pencil squid are still present at Urangan, and in water deeper than nine metres, but not in huge numbers ; that could change over the next week with the smaller tides and cleaner water.

Local beaches have produced grunter on the low tide, with queenfish and whiting active on the high. Inshore reefs have been holding coral trout, grassy sweetlip and cod, along with sharks in the deeper water. There have been school mackerel and broadies mixed in, but numbers are modest.

Offshore reports have been limited due to weather, with most activity restricted to trolling when conditions allow. In Hervey Bay, small numbers of spotted mackerel have been around, mostly smaller fish, with mack tuna and the odd longtail tuna mixed in. The FADs are back in, and should be seeing dolphin fish, wahoo and tuna. No solid fishing reports from Fraser Island this week.

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

With good run in the tides this weekend there should be a few pelagic’s getting around so try trolling a few hardbodies or a couple of gar around. Big Mick towards the bar, to Hook Point and back down to Elbow Point should yield a mackerel or a couple of tuna.

Crabs continue to be on the move, so make sure to get the pots in and give them a good soak with big fresh baits being key. Mangrove jack and cod continue in the local creeks with a mix of lures and baits doing the job – try the afternoon run out tide this weekend.

Land based anglers have been catching some nice whiting and flathead off of Norman Point, with the whiting taking live yabbies and beach worm. Flathead are falling victim to a well presented bait but a on lures my pick for this week would be the 127mm Samaki Live Shrimp given the numbers of prawn in the system at the moment.

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

Noosa

Fishing has been steady through the estuary, with a couple of good trevally taken at Woods Bay, pushing around the kilo mark. Bream have been consistent throughout the Noosaville stretches, to Tewantin. Flathead at Makepeace Island on the sandbars, and seeing grunter bream at the front of Lake Coroibah. Prawns and sandworms continue to be the go‑to baits, which matches the natural food available in the river and off the beach.

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

A few brassy trevally on the sand flats. Flathead at the mouth. Whiting in Lake Coroibah and a few mangrove jacks up Weyba Creek.

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

Fishing has mainly focused on North Reef this week, with half‑day trips still producing good results, with cobia, pearl perch and a few Spanish mackerel making up most of the catch, along with a mixed bag of other reef species. Boats have mostly stayed close, with no recent trips up to Double Island Point.

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

Cobia, pearl perch, tusk fish and mackerel on North Reef, with big sharks around. The swells have dropped, and it’s looking like a good weekend ahead on the water.

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

Maroochydore

Some good fishing this week, with good whiting in the lower reaches and quality flathead and golden trevally coming from Eudlo Creek mouth and around Bli Bli. Mangrove jack are still being caught in the creeks and around rock bars. Mud crabs have been a standout, with strong numbers taken from the middle reaches of the river and throughout the canals, despite very little freshwater flow.

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

Mooloolaba

Weather has limited time on the water, but when conditions have allowed there have been Spanish mackerel taken around the 12 Mile, at Currimundi and the Gneerings. Snapper and pearl perch have been consistent on the Barwon Banks and the Hards. Very little feedback from the rivers this week but anticipating more action over the coming week.

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

Caloundra

Fishing on the Caloundra 12 Mile last week produced a good mixed bag of reef fish, all taken on bottom basher rigs using cut mullet and squid. Sharks have been a real problem in shallow water, making it necessary to keep moving to land fish. Fewer sharks have been encountered past 80 metres, which has helped. The catch has included snapper, parrot fish, pearl perch, rosy jobfish, hussar, hogfish and goldband snapper.

Salty Fishing Charters
Ph 0459 636 798 | https://saltyfishingcharters.com.au/

Spanish mackerel are being caught on the Caloundra 3, 7 and 12 Mile. Sweetlip have been taken on the 3 Mile and 5 Mile reefs, with snapper reported at Caloundra Wide. In the estuaries, there are whiting at the mouths of Bells and Coochin Creeks, with flathead near the bar mouth, and trevally and mangrove jack are active through the canals.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

With better weather approaching, offshore fishing should start to improve. Dolphin fish are beginning to show around the FADs off Moreton and schooling up around South Stradbroke, and marlin have been caught in the trench, with a tournament running this weekend.

School mackerel in the northern bay, with fewer reports from the southern bay. Snapper are being taken early morning around Redcliffe, Woody Point and Scarborough, and grunter mainly in 3–5 metres. A few flathead are holding near Pine and Caboolture river mouths, particularly on the run‑out.

Up the rivers, there are heaps of bream around the mangroves, with surface lures and lightly weighted soft plastics producing well. There have also been a couple of reports of threadfin salmon and jewfish around the mouth of the Brisbane River.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Fishing out wide has been very good when the current allows, with plenty of snapper, rosy jobfish and pearl perch on the chew. Dolphin fish have also been around, and there have been some extra‑large trag jewfish taken as well.

High Calibre Charters
Ph 0421 922 713 | https://highcalibrefishingcharters.com.au/

Report pending.

Moreton Island Fishing Charters
Ph 0413 128 056 | https://moretonislandfishingcharters.com.au/

Redcliffe Peninsula

Whiting, flathead and grunter are being caught around Hayes Inlet, the Pine River and Bramble Bay, with yellowfin whiting also active in these areas and a few off the beaches. The Eastern beaches are producing snapper, and they can also be found off the jetties, rocky points and inshore reefs.

Scarborough Reef has been holding snapper, bream, flathead and grunter, with school jew and grunter on the inshores. Snapper are also being taken on the artificial reefs in the bay. School mackerel have been caught on the northern bay beacons, and mud crabs are being taken in the rivers and creeks.

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

Sandgate/Shorncliffe Pier

Bream, tarwhlne, whiting, and some good flounder.

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

Brisbane River

Bream & flathead at Pinkenba rock wall , with a few jewfish and threadfin salmon in the lower reaches – incetec to the Port the best. Mud crabs in the lower reaches and mangrove areas north of Wynnum Creek and Fisherman’s Island.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

Mackerel have been around Harry Atkinson’s Reef, the beacons and Shark Spit. Whiting have been caught in the vicinity of the Maroon Hole. Reports have been limited this week.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle
Ph (07) 3396 1833 | https://watertowerbaitandtackle.com.au

Moreton Bay / Jumpinpin

Report pending.

Capn’s Charters
Ph 0410 590 049 | Capns Charters – Lure & Soft Plastic Fishing Charter

Jumpinpin

Fishing has been mixed this week, but there are still a few worthwhile options around the system. Whiting have been showing around the Council Chambers stretch of the Nerang River and nearby shallows, with bream holding around the northern side of Crab Island where bait has been present.

Flathead have been worth targeting around Cobby Cobby Island and along the edges of Crusoe Island, particularly on the sandy drop‑offs. The water remains warm, but there is still enough bait around to keep fish feeding.There have also been some mud crabs taken, mainly around the mouths of the system and surrounding

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

Report pending.

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

South Stradbroke Island

Big whiting in Coombabah Creek and the southern branch of the Coomera River. A few nice muddies too. GTs under the Sovereign Island bridge and the canals around Paradise Point. Some large javelin fish at the Aldershots and around Rat Island.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

Looks fantastic this long weekend — and hot. It will be an extremely busy few days on the water. If you’re out celebrating Australia Day around Wavebreak, you could take a rod and fish for a whiting as they have been caught on the banks south. Yabbies have been the best with no or little weight. If you prefer chasing whiting with less crowds, night time up the Nerang on the run in tide and just after the turn has been best. Jacks have been on fire with a lot of anglers catching them. The school kids have been doing really well with plastics in the canals and pontoons around Runaway Bay. We will keep our fingers crossed that the prawns will start showing up; this time of the year is usually the start of the season. Mud crabs were caught in the Coomera and Pimpama Rivers and towards the measured mile in the shallows.

David McDonald
Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Report pending.

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters
Ph 0414 293 034 | https://bksfishing.com.au/

Offshore has been fishing well when conditions allow, particularly in 60 to 90 metres, where there are good schools of bait holding. This has brought in a few mackerel, some marlin, good numbers of dolphin fish and the odd nice wahoo. Bottom fishing in these depths is still producing good snapper and pearl perch when the current is manageable.

Better numbers of snapper, including some big fish, have been coming from the 24s and 36s, with pearl perch and parrot fish mixed in. Spanish mackerel are also starting to show in these areas. In closer, around the 18s, there have been some nice cobia, more Spanish mackerel and the odd dolphinfish, with a few marlin working around the slimy mackerel schools.

On the beaches, there have been tarwhine and good summer whiting in the low‑tide gutters, with the occasional tailor still being taken after dark. Inside the Broadwater, summer whiting have been plentiful, along with good numbers of mud crabs and sand crabs. Flathead remain widespread and jewfish at the Jumpinpin bar. In the rivers, mangrove jack, trevally and tarpon have been active at night, along with solid numbers of mud crabs further upstream.

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

Tweed Coast

Report pending.

Cushy Fishing Charters
Ph 0418 631 076 | www.cushyfishingcharters.com.au

Offshore there’s been plenty of Spanish mackerel — at 9 mile and the inshore reefs. Finding snapper at 36s and 24s. Kingfish are still plentiful. In the rivers, plenty of whiting and mainly getting them on yabbies and topwater lures. Flathead in good sizes if not huge numbers throughout. GTs further up the system including a 103cm specimen.

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

Ballina

The offshore conditions have once again been less than ideal during the week, but appear to be improving for the long weekend. With the warm weather increasing the water temperature, you would expect to see some pelagic species out around the 32’s and beyond. The wave rider and FAD will be definite locations to check out for a mahi mahi, with some skirted lures, live baits or even lightly weighted pilchards. If marlin are your target species try throwing the lures out anywhere from the 32’s, or try heading a little wider than that during the day as some of the better quality fish have been out wider. Mackerel is the word on the tip of everyone’s tongue at this time of the year, but we have only seen a few fish to this point. The warm weather may help. It could be worth checking out some of the close reefs before heading out wider over the next few days. Good tides this weekend should see plenty of action from the mud crabs — with creeks and the main river being productive further upstream in each system.

Mangrove jacks will be loving this warm weather, and with a low tide in the late afternoon, this week is shaping up to produce some good numbers of fish on both lures and live baits. Plenty of flathead have been landed in the lower reaches of the river, with some smaller soft plastics, and baits such prawns or pilchards working well. The mulloway have been a little slow apart from some school sized fish up river. The change of tide at night has been the best time to target them with either live baits or soft plastics. The better number of bream have been haunting the rock walls up river, with Wardell and Broadwater holding some good quality fish. Small hard body lures, and prawns or squid have been the pick of the options for chasing them during the larger run in tides. The beaches have been fairly disappointing with only a handful of tailor and a few bonito popping up around the place.

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

Brunswick Heads

Deep sea has been slow as there has been lots of wind and swell; but for those that have gone out, there have been reports of mackerel, snapper and dolphin fish.

The beach has also been much the same, with a lot of wind, sweep and swell. A few bream, whiting and dart. Rock walls have produced some quality jewfish and a few trevally and tailor. The river is holding bream, whiting, flathead, trevally and lots of good sized mangrove jacks. A few scattered mud crabs.

Bruns Beach Bait & Tackle | Ph 0432 394 869

Evans Head

Tailor have been active along Airforce Beach and Main Beach, along with some school jew and the odd bream. Around the rock walls at the river mouth, there have been jewfish, tailor, bream and luderick.

Inside the river, bream and whiting have been caught, with mud crabs also being taken. When conditions allow, anglers can try around the headlands for Spanish mackerel and jewfish. As the weather settles on the north shore and close reefs, there have been reports of snapper, tusk fish, spotted mackerel and Spanish mackerel.

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

Yamba

Report pending.

Yamba Bait and Tackle
Ph (02) 6646 1514 | https://www.facebook.com/yambabaitandtackle/

FRESHWATER FISHING

Maroon Dam

Maroon has been fishing very well. Bass are being caught directly across from the main boat ramp, as well as in the bay on the opposite side near the ski ramp. Plastics have been the standout, with jigheads in the 1/16 to 1/8 oz range.

Three‑inch plastics in motor oil colours have been working well, along with natural colours such as wakasagi. Keitech Easy Shiners in the three‑inch size and small paddle‑tail plastics like Swim Swims in the 2.5‑inch size have been producing consistent results. In the timbered sections, early morning and late afternoon surface fishing has been effective using frogs and cicada‑style lures. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits have also worked well in the timber during the day.

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

Moogerah Dam

Moogerah continues to fish consistently, with the western bank producing fish throughout the day. Crankbaits and metal spoons around the 20‑gram mark have been working well, with fish responding best to lighter colours such as white, along with bright colours like chartreuse and yellow.

In the timbered sections, spinnerbaits in similar light and bright colours have been effective. Letting the spinnerbait sink down through the trees and then slowly retrieving it back has been key.

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

Hinze Dam

At Hinze, both arms have been fishing reasonably well. Heading toward the arm near the dam wall, metal spoons and heavier plastics have been effective, particularly when fish are located on the sounder. In the eastern arm, fish have been taken along the edges using shallow‑diving jerkbaits around the two‑metre range. Gold has been a standout colour, along with darker colours like purple and black. A few saratoga have also been caught in the eastern arms. Surface fishing has worked best for saratoga in shaded areas, with fish also holding around timber toward the middle and back of the dam. These fish are being targeted by fishing deeper during the day with the appropriate lures.

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

Bass fishing has been consistent, with surface fishing effective early morning using cicada-style lures, flies and other topwater presentations. As the sun gets higher, fish are responding better to soft plastics and metal blades or jigs worked around points. Saratoga have been a bit quieter overall, but are still around, particularly early and late in the day.

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

Lake Wivenhoe

At Wivenhoe, fish have again been found around the buoy line at Billy’s Bay. Bass are being taken on spoons and chatterbaits, with spoons in the 15 to 30 gram range most common, though some anglers are going up to 40 grams. Fish are holding along the creek beds but coming up to feed, with many found around the 15‑metre mark.

Early morning and late afternoon has also seen fish taken on jerkbaits along the edges. Smaller jerkbaits around 60 to 70 mm have been best, with natural colours working well, along with darker colours like purple and black. These fish are being found from Billy’s Bay north along the eastern bank up to the rock walls, where crankbaits and jerkbaits that dive a little deeper have been effective.

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

Somerset Dam

Somerset has been fishing well, with bass being found out the front of Pelican Point and in Cormorant Bay. Fish are being taken on metal spoons in the 10 to 30 gram range, with lighter colours working best at the moment, particularly whites, along with purples. There are also plenty of saratoga up in the timbered areas. Brightly coloured spinnerbaits have been working well for them, along with shallow‑diving crankbaits around the 60 to 80 mm size. The water is fairly clear with little recent rain, which suits the summer bite.

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

North Pine Dam / Kurwongbah dam

Kurwongbah is starting to fish well with saratoga and bass off the points. North Pine Dam, bass have been schooling, while saratoga have also been taken in the permit-only areas on swimbaits.

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