Fishing Report 29 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

Weather not great offshore, however the pelagic scene has been excellent, east and north of Fraser Island; blue marlin to 700lb caught. Sailfish are also due in these waters. Substantial variety and numbers for deep-dropping from snapper, pearl perch, alfonsino, bar cod – caught in 200 to 500 m. The shoals have been fishing well for mixed reef fish: venus tuskfish leading the charge, but green job fish, red emperor, Maori cod, coronation trout all present. Among the pelagics, there have been GTs, wahoo and Spanish Mackerel still hanging around the shallower offshore waters. Plenty of snapper and grassy sweetlip at the gutters. A few mack tuna in Platypus Bay and a few Spanish Mackerel also, larger but not in great numbers. There has been a run of snapper on the inshore reefs, particularly Platypus Bay . Nice grunter inshore. Some school and spanish mackerel scattered throughout the shipping channels. Golden trevally around inshore wrecks and Bay islands.

Urangan pier quite exciting for land based fishos. Plenty of whiting on the bigger tides from the first section of the pier. A few flathead and plenty of school mackerel off the pier also. A few mack tuna and Queenfish in the shallows — so it is all happening!.. Whiting and flathead in the local creeks.

The rains have resulted in dirty water in the rivers but the Sandy straights are still relatively clean, with queenfish and blue salmon on the flats. A few Barra in the creeks. The bream, whiting and flathead fishing on the flats on the Western side of Fraser Island has been particularly good. In the Mary River, the water is quite fresh, but some threadfin salmon around the mouth along with tailor, mackerblue salmon.

Fraser Island has been outstanding. The headlands are still closed. but whiting, bream, tar whine and dart and some of the best tailor fishing in over a decade. Longtail tuna around Hook Point and Inskip Point. A few mud crabs getting caught in creeks now the water has gone dirtier. Keep your eyes out as lots of whales still around!

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

Report pending.

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

Noosa

A bit quieter this week, however still abundant bream, flathead and whiting in the Noosa Woods area. Trevally a bit quiet. Mud and sand crabs around Tewantin.

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

Some nice flathead at the mouth of the Noosa River on the ebb tides. A few whiting up Weyba Creek. Some trevally and soapies (Jewfish under 75cm) through the ski runs.

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

Catching a steady number of pearl perch and snapper, amberjack and cobia — mainly at North Reef, the Coffees and Sunshine Reef.

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

Reporting plenty of action: snapper, pearl perch, cod, amberjack, moses perch, red emperor, sweetlip and a variety of others — at the Barwon Banks, the Hards and Double Island Point. Cobia, longtail tuna, snapper and pearl perch are on at the North Reef and Chardons Reef. Predicting continued good fishing in the week ahead.

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

Maroochydore

A lot of golden and giant trevally in the middle reaches of the Maroochy River, around the motorway bridge; significant numbers of flathead in middle to upper reaches. Bream throughout the River from the mouth, to Bli Bli. The tailor are almost gone, and no sign of the mangrove jack just yet. Still some whiting in the lower reaches towards the river mouth. Crabs have been quiet, but for a few big muddies in the middle reaches.

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

Mooloolaba

Caloundra 12 Mile Reef and Murphy’s Reef both producing snapper and cobia. Caloundra wide seeing pearl perch. Tailor off the beach along the Kawana stretch tailor, while in the Mooloolah River, trevally are being caught around the trawlers, and bream around La Balsa Park. Flathead have been throughout the canals and in the broader Mooloolah system.

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

Snapper and pearl perch at the Hards; kingfish, amberjack and cobia at Caloundra wide.

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

Caloundra

Whiting and flathead from Bells Creek to Coochin Creek. Trevally and tailor near Bribie Bar. Snapper and sweetlip on the close reefs. School mackerel at the 5 mile. Pearl perch and amberjack on Caloundra wide.

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

Vastly improved weather has turned on some good fishing. Tuna at Red Beach, Woorim. Flathead at Bellara; mud crabs in Ninigi Creek, whiting at Red Beach and Bongaree. Some big Snapper have been taken at Scarborough Reef.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Plenty of good snapper since the season has opened up, around Redcliffe, Woody Point and Scarborough. Mud Island has been very good for snapper also. The mouth of the Brisbane River is seeing plenty of Jewfish caught. The Bribie Passage is yielding good tailor at the top of the tide around the Bribie Bridge. Plenty of summer whiting at the mouth of Coochin Creek and Hussey Creek. And abundant flathead at the mouths of the creeks in the Pine and Caboolture Rivers.

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

Sandgate

Northerlies and N/Westerlies have made it difficult this week. Whiting and a few sand crabs being caught. Plenty of snapper before the northerlies.

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

Brisbane River – Northern Moreton Bay

Not a bad week locally –the Bay has been steady with snapper, sweetlip and mackerel at Mud Island, on the eastern and western sides. A few mackerel on the eastern side of Green Island to Ormiston — on the 9m contour line . A few whiting on the eastern side of Fisherman Islands. Mud crabs, bream, snapper and flathead in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River, with the rock walls fishing very well for bream. If the weather settles, there might be some more mackerel and snapper to be had. With the warmer weather, can expect to see the jewfish and threadfin salmon come back into the river.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Report Pending.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

Bream, whiting, flathead, tailor in Hays Inlet, the Pine River and Bramble Bay. Some cobia in Bramble Bay. A few diver whiting in Deception Bay and off Scarborough. Yellowfin whiting in Hays, the Pine, and a few off the beaches. Good bream, tailor and snapper off the eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshore Reefs. Tailor of Woody Point jetty, in Bramble Bay and on the inshore reefs. Snapper, bream, flathead and tailor on Scarborough Reef. Bonito, mackerel, tuna and the odd longtail in Bramble Bay, along the eastern foreshores and on the inshores. Squid off the jetties, rocky points and on the inshore reefs. School jewfish and grunter also on the inshore Reefs. Sand crabs in Bramble Bay and off the eastern foreshores.

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

Moreton Bay / Brisbane River

Mackerel around Wellington Point and Green Island. Whiting in Tingalpa Creek. Snapper at Green Island. Tailor at King Island.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle Ph (07) 3396 1833

North Stradbroke Island

Report pending.

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

Redland Bay

Pretty good fishing with school mackerel in the Bay, mostly around the Rainbow Channel. Trolling paravanes working; quite a few also taking good fresh baits; fleshy baits like mullet fillet outshining others. Lots of good tailor off the points and the beaches at Straddle. Artificial Reefs are producing some big snapper. Flathead captures remain strong in the southern Bay.

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

Jumpinpin

Reports of tailor at the bar in the morning. Flathead at Kalinga Bank and Tipplers Passage. Bream at Cobby Passage Rocks; and whiting at Fishermans Channel. Reports of some doing really well on the whiting.

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

Residents on the surf-side of South Stradbroke have taken some very large tailor. A few sand crabs around Crab Island and near Currigee. Arrow squid in deeper channels. Some thumper sized bream in the southern branch of the Coomera River, as well as the occasional flathead.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

Stunning weather has seen a lot of people heading out for a fish with quite a lot heading straight outside in search of snapper and cobia. For those staying inside there’s one fish on everyone’s mind: flathead. Great numbers are being caught along South Stradbroke, Crab Island, the Coomera and Pimpama River mouths, Neverfail Island and Jacobs Well channel — to name a few. Some great fish being caught this week with many 70cm+ and a couple of 80cm models as well. Plastics are obviously the main choice for flathead with paddle tails being the most effective, but trolling tango shads or smaller profile hard bodies has been outstanding over the last week. Target the weed and channel edges. Whiting have been caught in the Nerang river from the council chambers up. Coomera river is also holding a few. Tailor schools have been between the northern and southern arms of the Coomera river. There are a lot of smaller fish amongst them with the occasional larger one. With this warmer weather it’s well worth putting out a couple of crab pots for sand crabs while you have a fish. Target deeper water along the channel edges and make sure you have enough rope or they will drift. The beaches are still fishing well with the main daytime catches of bream, dart and whiting.

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

David McDonald  Private Fisherman | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Some big flathead in the Broadwater on the shallow banks; a few whiting remain on the flats. Offshore some good snapper are being caught on the inshore reefs. The heat wave over the last week stirred the interest of a few mangrove jacks up the Coomera and Nerang Rivers, which is encouraging. Not a lot of tailor action on the beaches to report.

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

Tweed Coast

Estuaries are firing with flathead and bream; Use the bigger lures to nab the bigger flatheads — 4 and 5 inch (up to 6) plastics or jigging with vibes in the deeper holes in the better water. A lot of jewfish around also, fishing closer to the bar with the fresher water. The Jewfish are feeding on very small fry; try smaller baits if you want to target the soapies. Up the Tweed River, bass are turning up in numbers. Whiting are also turning up, both in size and numbers. Huge numbers of snapper offshore, on the inshore reefs at 5 Mile all the way out to the 36s. Plenty of longtail tuna and the spanish mackerel are still around. Hotter weather is dispersing the tailor — a downturn to cooler conditions may see them turn back up.

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

Brunswick Heads

Wide reefs are still seeing plenty of snapper, and kingfish. The inshore reefs have been quieter, with some catches of snapper and jewfish. The beaches have been full of baitfish, with tailor, mack tuna, bonito and even a few longtail tuna amongst them. The River and the rock walls are seeing bream, flathead and blackfish, and a few mud crabs are still about.

Bruns Beach Bait & Tackle Ph 0432 394 869

Ballina

Snapper laid on, offshore, on the inshore 32 fathom Reefs, with many bagging out on the Saturday and Sunday. Some anglers targeting pearl perch couldn’t get through the Snapper. A bit of current running but conditions look to be remaining calmer over the next week. The odd Mangrove Jack starting to show up in the River with the warmer conditions, around the Wardell area. Bass can also be caught and kept as of 1 September (note bag limit of 2). Whiting at Pimlico area. Some luderick at top side of ferry and the walls. Since floods, fishing the rock walls and platforms best for targeting the weed they feed on (must wear a lifejacket if fishing the platforms). Bream, dart, whiting on the beaches. A few tailor still around off the rock platforms and walls, caught with chrome slugs .

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 good bream and school jewfish. Around the walls at the mouth of the river there have been good bream, the odd tailor, and luderick. In the Evans River, bream, flathead and whiting. Try the upper reaches for mud crabs. Offshore, plenty of snapper, trag and pearl perch on the inshore reefs.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Ewan Maddock

Nothing to report.

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

Lake Kurwongbar

Fishing very well, on the edges for bass and saratoga.

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

Wivenhoe Dam

Fishing solidly. Getting throughout Billys Bay towards buoy line. Schooling at Platypus Cliffs — need to look at side scan to find. Deep and heavy plastics in 3 to 4 inch; chatter-baits, 20 to 40 gram spoons or metal lures working well.

Maroon Dam

Fishing very well with duckweed and weed beds coming back. 2 to 3 inch soft plastics in motor-oil colour working well. A lot of bass up the top in timber, in the shallows on 1 to 3m mark.

Moogerah Dam

Has gone quieter after being fished heavily.

Somerset Dam

Starting to fire from the Spit boat ramp to Kirklee. Present at Pelican Point, from late morning through to afternoon. Most are using spoons or deep crank baits. Chatterbaits are also worth a try from now.

Hinze Dam

Will start schooling around the dam wall at this time of year. Bottom of the eastern arm will see fish on edges. Some bigger fish around top of Western arm. Heavy plastics and spoons for the schooling bass, while jigs will work for those on the edges.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY