Fishing Report for 8 May 2025

Fishing Report Thu 08 May 2025

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

Hervey Bay / Fraser Island

There have been tailor on the Fraser beaches being caught from Indian Head to Waddy Point, with nice sized flathead and some dart in the mix also. Inside of Fraser, there has been plenty of spanish mackerel getting caught, from six mile to past Breaksea. Out wider — from 25 fathom hole to six mile — there’s been an abundance of mack tuna. Larger longtail tuna have thinned out in the Bay, however there are still larger specimens up to 20 kgs at Rooney’s Point, Platypus Bay, down to Moon Point, and through the Straits also. Out at the gutters to 25 Fathom Hole, there has been plenty of reef species getting caught. There are good numbers of coral trout up to 80cm. Sharks are present also.

All of the estuary systems through the straights, from Burrum Heads to River Heads, have started to clean up substantially, with two of the bigger tides that came through. Water quality has vastly improved. In the Burrum system, barramundi and grunter have been taken, and while sand crabs are limited, mud crabs continue to be getting caught in very good numbers. At River Heads, threadfin salmon and barra have been getting caught; and The Great Sandy Straits have also seen whiting, grunter and queenfish.

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

Tin Can Bay

Throw the pots in this weekend because the crabs are on the march. Teebar Creek has been fishing very well, as has Kauri creek and the flats around Carlo Point. While the water remains very dirty, the flathead are very much on the chew. You could find a patch of flathead on the flats around the Snack Shack or Seary’s Ledge or Jubb Point — try this location 2 hrs of the run out tide or the first hour of the making tide on 120mm squidgie wriggler lure. Trolling zerek tango shad lures or samaki redic MS50s have also been going well in the weedier areas. Reef fish on the ledges including cod, tuskfish, nannygai. There have been some nice grassy sweetlip being caught in the 40 foot hole at Norman Point with strip bait. Micro-baiting in the estuaries like Snapper Creek for smaller pelagic species like GTS & tarpon are going very well using little metal 10gm jigs.

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

Maroochydore

Primarily smaller catches throughout the Maroochy River, with bream in significant numbers. There are large numbers of flathead in the middle reaches of the river. Good sized sand whiting at the mouth. Trevally and jew at the cod hole, while mud crabs have gone a bit quieter after a few big weeks.

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

Noosa

Weather has been challenging, with rough conditions offshore. A couple of trips to the Sunshine and North Reefs produced cod, trout, sweetlip and mackerel. No boat got out to the wider reefs this week.

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

A lot of flathead around the River mouth. Flathead along the sand bars at Noosaville. Good run of queenfish in Woods Bay together with diamond trevally. Whiting in the frying pan.

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

Offshore fishing has been sporadic with wind and weather, but the local reefs continue to produce strongly. Spotted mackerel were lively with lots of thick, healthy fish being caught; with some being larger than some of the Spanish mackerel being taken. Pearl perch, sweetlip and Moses perch in good numbers also.

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

Pretty good fishing through the lower Noosa River reaches, with good bream, trevally and whiting at the River mouth. There are still good mud crabs towards Noosa Sound, as well as out the front of the Boat House restaurant. Towards Noosa Marina and Tewantin, there are some good sized bream, whiting and sooty grunter. While there has been a mix of smaller bream, sooty grunter, flathead and crabs around Makepeace Island.

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

Mooloolaba

Golden trevally in the Mooloolah River. Mud crabs throughout the Maroochy and Mooloolah Rivers. Good bream around la Blasa Park and the motorway bridges. No reports from offshore, however there have been snapper being caught off the rock walls at Mooloolaba.

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

No Report this week due to poor weather.

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

Caloundra

Plenty of Spanish mackerel being caught when you can get offshore. Snapper and sweetlip on coffee rock, with school mackerel on 5 Mile Reef. Still a large number of mud crabs in Pumicestone Passage. Some good bream starting to come in, whiting in passage, and some squire have even been getting caught off military jetty, with the changing dynamics of the new breakthrough and recent tides. The ingredients are there for a strong snapper season.

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

Donnybrook

Some very large flathead being caught (and released, due to size), with occasional whiting and a huge number of crabs being taken, with many pots having to be emptied . Jewfish and snapper are present also.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Very windy outlook which may limit things offshore, so the focus will be the inshore areas. In the Bay, there have been lots of winter whiting off the cockle banks and off Scarborough. Still plenty of snapper around the Redcliffe foreshore — early morning and late afternoon. Lots of tailor in similar areas as well as the Pine River and around the Bribie Bridge. Big Jewfish caught at the mouth of the Brisbane River at night, as well as some big tailor. The mouth of the Pine River and Caboolture River has seen good flathead on the outgoing tide. Summer whiting being caught throughout the Pumicestone Passage, especially at Coochin Creek. Some really good mud crabs in the lower reaches of the estuaries — at the Pine and Caboolture Rivers.

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

Sandgate/Shorncliffe Pier

Moreton Bay is giving up a bounty of mack tuna and mackerel. Shorncliffe Pier has been the best producing location, with 2 to 3 mack tuna taken per day, and mackerel ranging from “throw backs” to PBs, with some novices getting on to a few. While not as intense, Woody Point has also seen some action. Blue bait, hardyheads, small soft plastics (in pearl or white) are reportedly doing best, as are most small, shiny slugs. Tailor have been around for a while and despite chewing through a lot of tackle and lures, there have still been an ample number legal size. Fishing has been at its prime early morning and late evening, so many have been claiming their spot from 4am onwards.

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

Brisbane River

A slower week, but the River continues to fish very well for threadfin salmon and jewfish in the lower reaches — anywhere from the Gateway Bridge to the mouth. The thread fish and the jew like live baits, herring and banana prawns. Smaller fish will take dead baits (like herring, potty mullet and banana prawns). There are lots of little tailor in the same areas. Mud and Green Islands are still fishing well for squire and sweetlip — it has just been a case of watching the winds; early morning with the favourable tides has been optimal. Squid and mullet fillets working well. Sandcrabs and mud crabs in the lower River reaches and all through the mangroves from Wynnum Creek north to Fisherman Island.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Nothing to report due to poor weather. Hopeful for a turnaround.

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

No report this week.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

Report pending.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

The Wynnum Manly foreshore is fishing quite well, with tailor at the rock wall and jetty. Flathead and bream are present on the waterfront, as well as squid on the high tide. There are cuttlefish at Green Island and squire around the Bay Islands.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle
Ph (07) 3396 1833

Report pending.

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

Redland Bay

Limited reports back due to poor weather — on the days without wind and rain there have been reports of snapper and tailor in the Bay.

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

Moreton Bay/ Jumpinpin

Jumpinpin

The jumpinpin region is starting to clean up nicely after all the rain that we’ve had this year, and fishing is returning strongly. Good numbers and good sized flathead are being caught on both the high and low tides. Areas to focus on would be around the mouth on the high tide, and any drainage point or bank that holds weed edges as that water starts to drain off on the run out tide.

The bream should be starting to spawn soon with this cooler weather. Using light jig heads and small soft plastics along deep drop off ledges should begin to produce some good quality bream over the next few weeks. Good numbers of trevalley and school jewfish are being found and caught around the Jacobs Well channel region, fishing drop-offs and ledges.

Moreton Bay

Moreton Bay is fishing well at the moment, in spite of the weather and the wind. A lot of bait is holding in the northern Bay anywhere from Redcliffe down to the Port of Brisbane and Harry Atkinson‘s reef. A lot of tuna and good size snapper are being caught on Scarborough Reef at the moment. The Southern Bay is also fishing quite well, with good schools of throwing salmon and jewfish turning up, chasing the prawns that have been flushed out of the system. There have been some really good quality tailor caught over the 60 cm mark bracket chasing these bait schools as well.

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

Jumpinpin

No report this week.

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

No report this week.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

Just like last week, the SE winds are ramping up right in time for the weekend. This means the same approach with fishing in the creeks and rivers to hide out of that wind. The increasing tides and full moon will help with whiting. They were a bit slow on the smaller tides up the rivers but that should change with a bit more run. High tide in the morning will be a great time to target them. Flathead are being caught along South Stradbroke, Crab island and the surrounding banks. If you fish tight along Stradbroke you may be sheltered from that south easterly. Put the pots out up the creek as mud crabs are still being caught in great numbers and the big high tides will see them moving around. This week they have been caught in the Pimpama river, the north arm of the Coomera River, and a couple near Sanctuary Cove. If you’re fishing the seaway, there have been catches of trevally, tailor, squire, morwong, bream and flathead. It’s fishing great at the moment it’s just a shame the winds aren’t helping.

David Macdonald
Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

No report this week.

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

Offshore there have been good catches of mackerel and snapper, however conditions may prevent access over the next week. Inshore, there have been threadfin salmon around Jacobs Well and Logan River, with jewfish around Rudy Mars. There have been plenty of prawns around Jumpinpin with some good flathead lurking around the flats, with good catches of bream and whiting around the rock walls.

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

Tweed Coast

Nothing to report this week due to weather.

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

Snapper and pearl perch are coming in thick on the 24s offshore — mainly float lining pilchards and Baku baku jig lures. Mackerel and wahoo are still around, fewer in number but bigger in size. Kingfish are at Windarra banks, jigging and live baiting . Longtail tuna are being caught spinning hard body lures or trolling. There are tailor at the Fingal and other rock walls, throwing pillies on gang hooks and metal slugs. The River is fishing very well for big bream, with blue nose bream moving in, with soft plastic lures and bait. Flathead are showing up in numbers (not big in size). Trevally have been around all year and continue to fish well. There are some great jewfish from the rock walls all the way to Evans Head and Yamba — there are big fish up to 30kg being taken on hard body lures. Freshwater wise, in the upper reaches of the Tweed River, the bass are still fishing well and the are great numbers of giant herring that have shown up unexplained. Mangrove Jacks are still on too.

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

Brunswick Heads

Report pending.

Bruns Beach, Bait & Tackle
Ph: 0482 846 760 | https://www.instagram.com/brunsbeachbaitntackle/

Ballina

Strong winds, large swell and rain are predicted right through the weekend. This is going to rule out offshore or beach fishing this weekend. The full moon early next week will mean some larger tides over the next few days, which will help the fishing and crabbing. Even though the weather has started to cool down, there has still been some good numbers of crabs in the main river and both of the creeks. The cooler conditions have moved some of the flathead into shallower areas, as they make their way up river for the winter. Suspending hard body lures and pilchards have had the best success this week. The better numbers of bream are further up river at present, but if the cool conditions persist we will see them start to move toward the mouth in preparation for their breeding season. The rough conditions this week should produce some mulloway from the break walls and rock platforms, with the northern side of these areas being the best bet. As usual it will be worth trying some large soft plastics, hard body lures or squid and mullet. The rainy weather has also encouraged the bass seek out some frog imitations on the surface, with the section from Woodburn to Coraki producing some good sessions. Tight lines and happy times.

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

Evans Head

Along airforce beach, some good jewfish. Odd tailor . Along north and south wall has seen . Up stream the odd mud crab . Finally got offshore for the first time. Few drag. Longtail tuna.

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

Yamba

River is still much the same in terms of being very dirtied with fresh water which has impacted the fishing very significantly. There have been a few Spanish mackerel and longtail tuna caught off Illuka wall, with a 37kg Spanish mackerel weighed. A few boats went offshore for the first time in some time this week, with some solid snapper caught, one going 60cm. There were also parrot fish and Moses perch taken.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Wivenhoe Dam

Smaller fish from 35 to 40cm in schools in Billy’s Bay and you can try pretty much everything. Fish are being caught on jackals, soft plastic spoons and spinnerbaits are still catching them. Out the front of Billy’s Bay, heading towards Hayes Point and up further to the rock walls, you’ll find schools pretty much all the way along the banks. Fish the deeper banks in 6 to 8 metres. Because the dam is so full, six to eight metres is right up on the edge now and they are well worth trying. Again, Jackal 10N60s and metal spoons are always going to work this time of year, as well as chatterbaits.

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

Moogerah Dam

The timbered section is fishing well on two to three metre diving jerk baits. Most are casting and retrieving them rather than trolling them, although trolling would also seem to work, and you should also get them on 15 to 30 gram metal spoons. The wider spoons seem to be working better with their slower fall on the drop seeming to be what the fish want at the moment. The chatterbait through the timber is always a good bait out there.

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

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam has come back this week and is fishing much better, with bigger schools being found near the dam wall. Metal spoons anywhere from 15 to 40 gram are working, depending on how deep they are. Look for the points up towards the dam wall and you should be able to find a school. They are also being taken on heavy-weighted half ounce jig head on a 3 to 4 inch soft plastic. White colours are working very well.

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

Kurwongbah

Early morning and late afternoon has been good for surface fishing for Saratoga. Some bass are being taken on hard body lures.

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

Borumba Dam

Report pending.

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

Lake Monduran

With Lake Lenthalls is still in flood, Lake Monduran is still fishing reasonably well. The jackal 79 flat has been a standout lure over the last week, with fish taken over the 1m mark. The most prolific location being South B.

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