Fishing Report for 1st May 2025

New lifejacket laws came into effect on December 1, visit MSQ website for details. 

Hervey Bay / Fraser Island

The last week has seen some great fishing. In Hervey Bay, around Fraser Island, there are plenty of school and Spanish mackerel; lots of long tail tuna and mack tuna. The longtail tuna have also pushed down to the Kingfisher Bay jetty. The southern gutters and northern gutters are fishing well for red emperor and coral trout. The Reef Fishing has been exceptional over the last week in general, with red emperor, coral trout and sweetlip abundant.

There are strong reports from those fishing further north at 1770, with lots of coral trout, red throat emperor, and red emperor. The beaches have been a bit quieter with fewer reports, while the Mary River remains quite dirty after the rains. There are plenty of mud crabs on offer and worth going for though. The local scene with the smaller barramundi has been quiet, having lost a large population of fish with the recent rains.

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

Tin Can Bay

With strong winds expected this weekend, it’ll be creek fishing only for those still keen to wet a line—but that’s not a bad thing. The creeks have been producing solid catches, with bream starting to fire up thanks to a recent drop in water temperature. Peeled prawns and mullet strips have been the go-to baits. Mangrove jack are still turning up around the snags at low tide, with small live baits and strips of fresh mullet doing well, along with slow-rolled 60–80mm jerkbaits.

Flathead have also been in good numbers, mostly in the low to mid-50cm range—ideal for a feed. Soft plastics like 3–4” curly tails (Biwaa Grubs, Squidgy Riglers) and 7g metal vibes like the ZeroFG Prawn have been producing the most fish, especially in the last couple of hours of the run-out and into the start of the flood tide.

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

Maroochydore

Bream and trevally have been active throughout the river, with jewfish being caught around the Cod Hole. There are also plenty of mud crabs showing up in the middle to upper reaches.

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

Noosa

Plenty of action off Noosa again this week, with North Reef and Sunshine Reef delivering good numbers of the usual species including coral trout, sweetlip, and both Spanish and spotted mackerel. The wider reefs have also been fishing well with goldband snapper, Moses perch, Maori cod, tuskfish, pearl perch, knobby snapper, amberjack, and even the odd marlin. Offshore conditions were calm earlier in the week with a steady current pushing in from the south.

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

A few small diamond trevally have been caught around the Sound. Good numbers of whiting are being caught on the flats near the mouth, and flathead are still about in strong numbers, with most fish being legal size.

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

It’s been a great week of fishing with plenty of Spanish and spotted mackerel showing up on North Reef and up at Double Island Point. Goldband snapper and largemouth nannygai have also been caught in good numbers. Over on Sunshine Reef, coral trout and grassy sweetlip have been consistent as well.

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

Fishing has been good again this week, with good bream, whiting and trevally around the Tewantin and Makepeace Island area. Some good mud crabs around the lower parts of Tewantin and around the marina, and also in the Gympie Terrace and Noosaville areas, around the Boat House. Around Noosa Woods and Noosa Bay, there are good bream, flathead and whiting. At the back of Noosa Sound there has been good bream, whiting, trevally, flathead and more mud crabs. Prawns have generally been working better than worms.

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

Mooloolaba

At 12 mile Reef there has been good snapper and tuskfish. Good snapper at Caloundra Wide. On top of the Barwon Banks there has been some red throat emperor, and tuskfish together with spanish mackerel. At the outer Mary Reefs there has been good quality Spanish mackerel while at Coolum and Murphy’s Reef there has been good grassy sweetlip. Along the beaches there has been good dart and whiting in the gutters. Great catches of mud crabs throughout the estuaries in the deeper holes. Good trevally around the trawler docks and good bream in La Balsa park.

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

Pearl perch and goldband snapper have been caught at the Hards, while Spanish mackerel and wahoo have been active around the Barwon Banks. Grass sweetlip and squire are being caught around the headlands in the dirty water on dead bait, and Spanish mackerel and tuna have been showing up across the Currimundi and Caloundra reefs.

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

Caloundra

Plenty of fish around in spite of the variable weather. In the estuaries, there are reports of whiting and flathead in good numbers. Bream are starting to turn up in better numbers and better size (this usually starts to ramp up in May). On most of the beaches, there are big whiting, tarwhine and some dart. It is a bit early for tailor in this area, and they are typically flighty when they are present. Inshore, snapper and sweetlip have been very good — particularly around Caloundra, Canungra and the Inner Gneerings. There are tuskfish, hussar and pearl perch on the inshore reefs. Good numbers of spanish mackerel are present — still awaiting the larger specimens that typically arrive in winter. There are a few longtail tuna, but these have been more sporadic.

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

Donnybrook

Whiting at the top of Lime Pocket. Mud crabs in the deeper waters in the main channel. Tarwhine and sooty grunter popping up at the 112s.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Lots of snapper around Hutchies Reef of Moreton Island, and at the North Moreton Artificial Reef. Curtain artificial on the inside of Moreton Island, and around Scarborough and Woody Point, early morning and late afternoon has been very good for snapper. There are also lots of tailor around Redcliffe. In Northern Moreton Bay, there have been plenty of longtail tuna and mack tuna, and lots of school mackerel around the Beacons and Shipping Channel. In the estuaries around the Hornibrook and Bribie Bridge, there has been abundant tailor; and flathead on the outgoing tide at the mouth of the Pine and Caboolture Rivers. There are also plenty of Summer whiting still being taken in the Pumicestone Passage. There have also been good catches of winter whiting around the cockle banks between Scarborough and Bribie — now that it has started to cool down. Lots of mud crabs through the creeks through the passage, more towards the mouth. The outlook is presently looking a bit windy for offshore fishing this weekend.

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

Sandgate/Shorncliffe Pier

Shorncliffe Pier is still fishing well, with cobia, mack tuna, and mackerel being caught. Hornibrook Bridge is also producing mac tuna and tailor. A 87cm mac tuna was landed on soft plastic and light gear from the bridge, while a solid cobia came off the pier over the weekend. Brighton Foreshore has seen some quality flathead and tailor, and Cabbage Tree Creek is now producing whiting on prawns and preserved beach worms.

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

Brisbane River

Threadfin and jewfish have been showing up in better numbers this week around the Port of Brisbane, with plenty of bait around, including banana prawns. A few snapper, tailor, bream, and flathead have been caught from the Gateway Bridge through to the rock wall at the mouth. Sand crabs, mud crabs, and winter whiting are also in improved numbers near the river mouth.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

There’s been great fishing in 70 metres of water east of Moreton, with plenty of snapper, pearl perch, and venus tuskfish being caught.

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

Snapper are starting to come through, with some bigger fish already being caught out at the 100s, suggesting a promising winter ahead. Solid gold spot and some pan-sized snapper have been taken off Roberts Shoal, and a kingfish was landed on the last drop of the day at Shallow Tempest.

Moreton island fishing charters   Ph 0413128056 | https://moretonislandfishingcharters.com.au/

Redcliffe Peninsula

Bream, whiting, flathead, grunter, and school jew are being caught throughout Hayes Inlet, the Pine River, and Bramble Bay. Yellowfin whiting are showing up in good numbers in Hayes, the Pine, and along the eastern foreshores. A few scattered winter whiting have also started to appear. Snapper, grunter, and some tailor are being caught off the eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshore areas. Tailor, school mackerel, mac tuna, longtail tuna, and the occasional cobia are showing up in Bramble Bay and around the Woody Point and Shorncliffe jetties, as well as near the Bay’s beacons. Sand crabs have been active off the eastern foreshore and around the northern end of Scarborough.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

Flathead and bream along the Wynnum Manly waterfront. Tailor and trevally along the inside of Stradbroke Island. Squire, flathead and bream at Harry Atkinsons. Whiting around Darcy Light.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle   Ph(07) 3396 1833

The very serious damage to the beaches given the wild weather has made access to beach fishing challenging. There is some dart along the southern beach and you can count on bream and whiting being present also with chopper tailor present year round. Flinders beach is fishable but the water has advanced a long way. Fishing has of late been limited to the bottom end of the island and the jetty. The serious wind and swell will again impact fishing this weekend — but there is always a fish to be caught!

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

Redland Bay

Good whiting off the beaches. Flathead showing up in the southern bay. Good captures of snapper on artificial reefs in the Bay. Some good tailor starting to show up also.

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

Moreton Bay/ Jumpinpin

Report pending.

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

Jumpinpin

Report Pending.

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

This week’s Pirtek Challenge saw good numbers of whiting caught around the Pin, particularly near the bar and along the main channel banks. Live yabbies and bloodworms on size 2 to 6 hooks worked best. While there weren’t many standout fish, the average size was solid. Tailor are starting to come through as expected, with a few better fish in the mix but mostly choppers for now. Jewfish have also been about in varying sizes, from small soapies to quality legal specimens.

South Stradbroke Island

The mud crabs are on in big, rusty numbers, with ideal conditions thanks to the massive evening tides—perfect for letting pots soak overnight. Fresh mullet combined with chicken frames is proving an effective bait. Productive spots include Coombabah Creek, the north arm of the Coomera River, Pimpama River, and the mangrove islands around Jacobs Well and Jumpinpin. Prawns are running around the Saltworks and the Well, while good-sized flathead have been found near the weed banks north of Crab Island. Whiting are being caught around the southern side of Carter’s Bank and along the western side of Wave Break Island. With strong southerlies forecast from Friday through the weekend, sticking to the estuaries and creeks will be the better option. Water clarity isn’t ideal but is noticeably better around the Seaway compared to the northern Broadwater.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

Strong SE winds for the weekend so if you’re heading out look for a place to hide out of the wind. Flathead are increasing in numbers with most fishers getting good numbers. Crab island and along South Stradbroke have been the pick of the spots but drifting the channel edges are accounting for a few. The odd school of tailor is showing up so keep an eye out for any birds near the seaway. Whiting continue to be caught in the middle sections or the creeks and rivers. This works out well with the wind forecast. The north arm of the Coomera is fishing well as is the Nerang river at night across the bigger high tide. Sand crabs are out the front of Runaway Bay and up towards the mouth of the Coomera. Also try up towards the Aldershots and along South Stradbroke. Prawns are still being caught up north and worth the trip up. 

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

It’s been an awesome run of fishing over the past five days, with Spanish mackerel and cobia being the main attraction on the 24-fathom reefs. Tweed bait pillies and live baits have been doing the trick.

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

Not much happening outside in the weekend, inside the seaway and Jumpinpin Bar there should be some big tailor worth going for. There have been some nice school and larger size jewfish around. Around Jumpinpin you might even get a Spanish mackerel inside the bar. Flathead have continued to be strong, and there have been surprisingly good catches of threadfin salmon in the Logan River, as they move down the coast. Some excellent whiting on the shallow banks with yabbies and worms the way to go. Crabs have been ok with sandies and muddies being taken in the rivers.

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

Tweed Coast

Snapper, Moses perch, venus tuskfish, pearl perch on the 24s, NE of the Tweed Entrance.

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

Report Pending.

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

Brunswick Heads

Over the weekend, the weather was stunning despite a heavy swell. Offshore, a few mackerel are still lingering in the clearer water, and snapper and kingfish are being caught in good numbers. Along the beaches and rock walls, dart are around in force, with tailor, bream, and trevally also turning up. In the rivers, anglers have been finding mangrove jack, bream, flathead, blackfish, trevally, and whiting.

Bruns Beach, Bait & Tackle   https://www.instagram.com/brunsbeachbaitntackle/

Ballina

The rain and wind are predicted to move in on the Northern Rivers from Wednesday afternoon, but should ease to some degree as we get to the weekend. The big tides at the moment have been pushing some cleaner water into the river, which has encouraged some of the fish to move further up river. North Creek has produced some flathead, bream and a few whiting this week. The main river from the mouth to the ferry has had the better numbers of flathead, with prawns or pilchards being the best baits. The big tides have also produced some good numbers of crabs in the last week. The better quality crabs have been caught at night on the larger run in tides. The beaches have had a mixed bag, with bream, tarwhine, flathead and a few whiting all showing up. The beaches south of the river have fished a little better this week. The rock platforms should be worth trying late in the week for a mullloway. At this stage it is looking like it will be the middle of next week before the boaties can get offshore. Tight lines and happy times. 

Ballina Bait and Tackle   Ph 0266862527 | https://www.facebook.com/p/Ballina-Bait-and-Tackle-100063582669959/

Evans Head

Report Pending.

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

Yamba

Not much to report this week, with the run-off of dirty water pushing through having a significant impact both on the Clarence River and offshore. There are still some bream around the ocean rocks, rock walls and headlands ; and catfish, who relish the dirty water, are in prolific numbers. Otherwise, activity has been limited.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Somerset Dam

Fishing well up towards the start of the timbers and throughout. The bass are being caught at the start of the timbers on deep diving crank baits, chatter baits, half-ounce weighted soft plastics (3/4″) – purples and whites performing well. Heading further up there are still saratoga getting caught with bright coloured spinner baits and topwater lures (stickbaits).

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

Wivenhoe Dam

Heading into Billy’s Bay, there are smaller bass schools inside the Bay that are easier to find and they are being caught on a wide range of gear including chatter baits and metal spoons. Heading north along the “horse flats” out of Billy’s Bay in 7 to 10 m, side scanning will also find fish on the edge of the creek beds.

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

Moogerah Dam

Still fishing pretty well despite being heavily fished and post the rains. Deep diving crank baits in the timber section and 10 to 14 gm metal spoons (particularly as it gets cooler) are working well and yielding some good fish.

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

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam continues to fish ok, it will just be a question of finding somewhere more sheltered out of the breeze.

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

Not many reports due to the Dam being a bit dirty down the bottom end; however the best places are the Eastern arm around the back of the Bay, fishing jerk baits, crank baits and spinner baits.

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

Kurwongbah

Kurwongbar has been fishing reasonably well — with most action on the surface — for bass and saratoga, primarily in the early morning and late afternoon.

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

Borumba Dam

The dam has not been easy to fish, with the run-out of the water. The saratoga are sitting at the lilly pads but are difficult to land, while the bass have been very difficult to find.

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

Lake Lenthalls – Lake Monduran

Lake Monduran is still fishing well, with plenty of larger fish being taken. The latest craze is the live scope technique targeting single fish — which is working well for many — but equally the smaller jerk baits and soft plastics are consistently performing. There has also been some exciting topwater fishing action.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY

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Deep Sea Fishing Co

Noosa Bluewater Charters

Smithys Fishing Charters

High Calibre Charters  

Moreton Island Fishing Charters  

Bruns Beach, Bait & Tackle  

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters

Tackle Land


Mr Bait

The Chandlery Bait and Tackle