Fishing Report for 1 August 2024

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

Snapper and Pearl Perch closed all season all Queensland tidal waters from 15 July to 15 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

Urangan Pier has been active with school mackerel, small tailor, whiting, squid, flathead, and bream. Great sized whiting are also being caught throughout the local creeks, and down near the lower Burrum River system.

In the Great Sandy Straits, you can find whiting, flathead, grunter, bream, queenfish, and blue salmon. Fraser Island, particularly around Woody Point, is yielding good-sized tailor, while dart and whiting are being reported just south of Woody Point near the island’s southern tip. Platypus Bay up to Wathumba Creek has seen mack tuna activity.

Hot Tip: Head to the flats around the fisheries for excellent catches of flathead, whiting and bream. Small soft plastics, shallow-diving hardbody lures, and topwater lures are your best best for attracting these fish.

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

Rainbow Beach Offshore

Fishing just 10 to 12 miles off the bar, heading northeast, has been very rewarding. Anglers are landing a fantastic mix of species, including scarlets, cobia, tuskfish, and cod. Tasty hussar and vibrant gold spot wrasse are also making an appearance. This spot is delivering a diverse range of catches, making it a hot location for those seeking a variety of fish.

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

Tin Can Bay

Squid are starting to show up around the entrance to Pelican Bay. Try using Yamashita 2.2 and 2.5 squid jigs for the best results. Also, consider targeting whiting in the same area. Bream are biting around Lee’s Fishery in Snapper Creek, happily taking strips of mullet and peeled prawns. For a bit of variety, try small prawn-style plastics on a 1/8 jig head or fish the surface bite during the twilight hours for some prime action.

Golden trevally, small GTs, and bigeye trevally are going after small micro jigs around moored boats in Snapper Creek. The Miniature Dax in 10g, color H98, is my go-to for this hot bite. Flathead are best targeted on the afternoon low tides. Fish the drains using prawn lures like the 70mm Samaki Live Shrimp and 3.5 Molix RT Shad for some solid results. Mack tuna are running from the mouth of Teebar Creek up to Browns Gutter. Use 20-30g slugs to match the hatch and reel in these speedy fighters.

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

Noosa

At high tide, the water has finally cleared up, marking the first time since November last year. In the lower reaches of the river mouth to Tewantin, anglers have been landing some impressive bream. 

Flathead over 50cm have been caught and released around the Woods Bay area. Additionally, grunter bream are being reported near the front of Lake Weyba.

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

There’s some great action at the river mouth with tailor and tea leaf trevally making an appearance. In Woods Bays, nice flathead and bream are keeping anglers busy. Over in Lake Cooroibah, small mulloway and flathead are adding to the excitement.

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

Sunshine and North Reefs have been producing a variety of catches, including grassy emperor, goldspot cod, and cobia. Longtail tuna are also in abundance in the area.

Hot Tips: slugs and floater rigs are proving effective for targeting longtail tuna.

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

There’s been a bounty of longtail tuna being caught up and down all the local reefs on the Sunshine Coast lately. Alongside these, anglers are reeling in sweetlip, moses perch, maori cod, tuskfish, silver jew, and cobia. Tuna have a preference for live yakkas but will also eagerly go for a floating pilchard if presented to them.

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

Maroochydore

Fishing has been a bit slow this week, but there’s still some action to be found. Bream are scattered throughout the middle to upper reaches, while trevally are biting at the “cod hole” (ring for location). Down at the river mouth, whiting are providing some excitement. A few flathead are also being caught in the middle reaches near Eudlo Creek.

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

Mooloolaba

There’s been some very decent flathead caught through the Pumicestone Passage and around the mouth and flats of the Maroochydore River. Jewfish have been landed off Kawana Beach and further north off Marcoola Beach as well. The beaches are buzzing with plenty of dart, accompanied by bream and tarwhine.

Tailor have been making sporadic appearances around Marcoola and Picnic Point, keeping anglers on their toes. Offshore, large grassy sweetlip are in abundance on the reefs, offering fantastic catches. Tuna have been busting up from Caloundra to Currimundi, providing thrilling action for those heading out to sea.

A hot lure at the moment has been the Malosi Lures little atom poppers and micro echos. These lures are making a splash and driving the fish wild!

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

Cobia and amberjack are being caught at Caloundra Wide and the Barwon Banks, offering good opportunities for offshore fishing. Additionally, winter spanish mackerel have been reported in a few locations. These sightings suggest a promising season for those targeting these species.

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

If heading out, it’s best to stay close to shore for protection. Consider fishing just outside the western part of the bar, or around Raper Shoal and Mudjimba Island to shelter from the mainland.

Barry’s hot tip: Avoid heading out on north-westerly winds, as they can make fishing conditions unfavourable.

Barry McDade Fishing Services  Ph 0409 644 946

Caloundra

Good catches of tailor are being reported at Happy Valley within the surf. Tailor and trevally are also active in the passage between Bells Creek and the bar. There are plenty of bream and whiting at Military Jetty and extending up to the bar, with flathead also being pulled from these areas. Longtail tuna have been seen busting up just offshore, so if conditions allow, it’s worth heading out to target them.

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

Donnybrook

No report this week. 

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

Bribie Island

There have been lots of sand crabs in the Pumicestone Passage at Bongaree. Tailor are being caught in the passage at Bellara, and big flathead are being hooked at the jetty. Whiting are plentiful at Red Beach, while mud crabs are still abundant up Mindy Creek.

Up near Toorbul, an impressive monster flathead was caught and safely released, marking an exciting highlight for anglers in the area.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

School jewfish have been consistent around Upper Caboolture and the Pine Rivers, with the Pine River being particularly productive at night near artificial lights. Tailor are active at the mouth of the Pine River, Bramble Bay, and Deception Bay. The passage around Sandstone Point is also seeing good numbers of flathead moving towards Toorbul and Donnybrook.

On Bribie Island, there have been reports of whiting and tailor along the beach. Bream are focusing around Caloundra and the mouth of the Pine River due to their spawning activity. The Brisbane River has seen a steady presence of threadfin and jewfish this week while at Redcliffe, anglers are catching good quantities of squid along with a few tailor.

Offshore, the Bribie Channel around the shipping channel has produced some grassy sweetlip. Cape Morton continues to offer large Spanish mackerel.

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

Sandgate

Good-sized squid, both tiger and arrow, are being caught from Shorncliffe to Scarborough, particularly in the late afternoon and evening. Tailor are also making a strong showing, with good numbers being reported from the Ted Smout Fishing Platform, Margate, Woody Point Jetty, Brighton Groins, and Shorncliffe Pier. Winter whiting are being caught in great sizes and numbers across most areas, though you might need to search a bit to find their active feeding spots.

A hot tip for targeting tailor: Tackle Land has some great in-house gangs with stingers to match blue baits and a selection of Yamashita squid jigs for those fussy Tailors

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

Brisbane River – Northern Moreton Bay

The river has been really good in between the breaks in the weather. Bream, flathead, and the odd tailor have been found in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River. Whiting are plentiful at the mouth of the river and on the eastern side of Fisherman’s Island. 

Jewfish and threadfin salmon have been consistently landing in boats this week in the Brisbane River.  School Mackerel have been running up at North Stradbroke Island in the Rainbow Channel, as well as around Bird and Goat Island. 

Franks’ bait recommendations: For threadfin salmon, use live or fresh herring. For Jewfish, small potty mullet is your best bet.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Fishing off the Cape has been productive, with plenty of good-sized goldspot trevally being caught. Anglers have reported these strong fighters providing plenty of action. In addition, the northern 29s have yielded a few large samson fish, adding to the excitement. These areas are currently producing well, making it a great time to head out and try your luck for some quality catches.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

Bream, Whiting, and Flathead are plentiful in Hayes Inlet, the Pine River, and Bramble Bay. Diver whiting can be found in Deception Bay and off Scarborough.

The eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshore areas are yielding good catches of bream and tailor, with tailor also being reported off Woody Point Jetty and nearby inshore areas. Scarborough Reef is producing bream, flathead, and tailor.

Squid are active off the jetties, rocky points, and inshore reefs. School jewfish are being caught in the inshore waters, while sand crabs are in Bramble Bay and along the eastern foreshores.

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

North Stradbroke Island

Currently, the seas are massive.  The local recommendation is to exercise extreme caution.  If possible, wait for better weather forecasts next week. However, if you need to venture out, try to find an alcove on the inside, sheltered from the wind. You might still be able to catch some tailor, as they have been around. Bream and flathead are also making regular appearances.

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

Redland Bay

Jewfish are being caught at West Peel Artificial Reef, while tailor are active at Cleveland Point, particularly at the top of the tide. Fisherman’s Gutter is seeing good numbers of whiting and tarwhine.

Main Beach on Stradbroke Island is providing some excellent tailor action. In the Birkdale canals, bream are plentiful if you stay close to shore. For larger flathead, head to the southern Moreton Bay area.

Fishing Gear favourite of the Week: The Shimano LT2500 Ocean Gigger is a standout. Give the shop a call and ask for Pete—he’s always happy to help find exactly what you need.

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

Jumpinpin

Mud crabs have been a bit hit-and-miss lately, but they’re still worth a shot. Whiting are showing up predominantly around sunrise. Tailor fishing has been productive, with good numbers making it easy to bag out.

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

Tailor are making a strong showing on the eastern surf beaches, with anglers having success using pilchards and metal slugs. For those targeting flathead, Gold Bank is a reliable spot, while Jacobs Well channel is producing flounder.

Offshore, the fishing scene is lively with longtail tuna actively feeding, and dolphin fish making appearances around the FADs (fish aggregation devices). These areas are providing exciting opportunities for those venturing out to sea.

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

South Stradbroke Island

With the water temperature rising slightly, fishing conditions have improved. Tailor are being caught in the North Channel near Carter’s Bank. Sand crabs and flathead are active around Crab Island, while good-sized whiting are being found in the upper reaches of Coombabah Creek. Additionally, sand crabs are plentiful around the Neverfail Islands.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

There are many options this time of year on the Broadwater. Flathead are increasing in numbers with plenty of fish up to 50cm. Although it’s fished regularly, the banks around Crab Island continue to produce good numbers of fish. Target sand edges along the weed beds or rock walls for best results. If you’re a bream fisher, this time of year is perfect. With the big tides this weekend just after dusk, big bream will move up into the shallows around the mangrove islands and foreshores. Using a 1/0 gang of 2 hooks and a strip of mullet with no weight or a pea sinker should yield results. Squid are plentiful out the front of Runaway Bay, along South Stradbroke and in the channels between the gold coast bridge and Sea World. Although it’s winter, the whiting are still an option, especially with the strong wind forecast this Saturday. This time of year they are found right up the creeks and rivers. Drift around to find where they are feeding to produce better numbers with less bycatch. Tailor are in full swing with plenty coming off the beaches, but will be difficult to target with the large swell. 

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

David McDonald  Private Fisherman | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

The 50 Fathoms reefs are producing good catches of kingfish and amberjack. Live bait and micro jigs are working well at the 36 Fathoms mark. At 18 and 24 Fathoms, longtail tuna, silver jewfish, and tailor are being caught in good numbers.

On the beaches from the border up to the lookout, tailor are plentiful.

Inside the Broadwater, target big flathead by fishing the shallow banks and deeper areas with small trolling hard bodies and soft plastics.

Crab cages have been less productive this week. However, there are good numbers of whiting near the Council Chambers and in the upper reaches of the Pimpama River.

Hot tackle: Locally made pig lures have been popular with the flathead.

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

Tweed Coast

Flathead in the Tweed River with school jewfish along rock walls and the upper reaches; big jew in the mouth of the river. The recent bream tournament yielded some great specimens. The occasional squid on the weed banks. Conditions not safe for going offshore, so it is advised anglers stick to the river.

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

Brunswick Heads

The river at Brunswick Heads has been very plentiful, with lots of good catches of bream, luderick, and flathead. There are also some nice whiting and grunter in the upper reaches towards Mullum. Jewfish, tailor, bream, and luderick have been caught on the rock walls at the entrance to the bar.

Before the current swell, outside fishing was excellent, with plenty of snapper, teraglin, pearl perch, and kingfish on the wider reefs. The closer in Local reef and Black Rock are still producing school mackerel, snapper, jewfish, and other reef fish. However, due to the current large swell, fishing in these areas is not recommended for the next three days or so.

Brunswick Beach Bait & Tackle Ph 0432 394 869

Ballina

There has been no offshore or beach fishing this week due to strong winds and large, powerful swells. Bar conditions have also been extremely dangerous. However, the forecast predicts the wind and swell will drop late into the weekend or early next week.

In the meantime, good numbers of bream and luderick are being caught between the mouth of the river and the Burns Point ferry. The run-in tide has been slightly more productive, with baits such as mullet, pilchards, and prawns. Small curl-tail soft plastics and metal blades in natural colors have also enjoyed success.

The break walls have produced several mulloway this week. Large paddle-tail soft plastics have worked well during the day, and a few fish have been landed using mullet fillets or live baits at night. Flathead have been hard to tempt due to the cool weather and windy conditions. Slow trolling hard-body lures has produced a few fish in the main river from Pimlico Island to Broadwater. Most fish have been in fairly shallow water, so look to target them in less than two meters over the next month.

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

Evans Head

Airforce Beach is best fished for tailor in the early morning and late evening, with flathead, bream, and the occasional whiting more active during the day.

In the river’s lower reaches near the mouth, you can find luderick, trevally, bream, and flathead.  Offshore at Chaos Reef, expect to catch snapper and teraglin. At the FADs, kingfish and pearl perch are also active.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Lake Kurwongbar

At Kurwongbah Dam, the bass bite has been relatively subdued, though they’re starting to form schools. Begin your fishing with jerk baits around the edges in the early morning. As the day moves on, shift to deeper waters and use vibes to enhance your chances of success.

To mix things up, consider trolling with deep-diving lures designed for depths between 1 and 8 meters. This method allows you to explore various water layers and improves your ability to find bass.

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

Hinze Dam

At Hinze Dam, bass are responding well to deep diving lures and heavy metal jigs over schooling fish.

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

Always start with metal spoons around the 20-gram range for bass. They usually sit deep in the timber along the points, at depths ranging from 30 to 50 feet. Cast into the trees and slow roll them out.

If you’re hunting for saratoga, head to the back of the bay from noon onwards. Use small topwater lures or surface lures for the best results.

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

Ewen Maddock Dam 

Bass are being found around the edges of Ewen Maddock Dam. For the best results, consider using silent kayaks to avoid disturbing the water. This approach allows for a stealthy presentation and can increase your chances of landing these elusive fish.

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

North Pine Dam

At North Pine Dam and Kurwongbah Dam, the bass bite has been somewhat timid but they are beginning to school. For the best results, start with jerk baits early in the morning along the edges. As the day progresses, move to deeper waters and use vibes to increase your chances.

For variety, try trolling with deep-diving lures in the 1m to 8m depth range. This approach can help you cover different water columns and locate the bass more effectively.

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

Wivenhoe Dam

No report this week.

Maroon Dam

Fishing is still productive in the early mornings along the edges, with small crank baits and topwater lures being effective for catching bass.

As the morning progresses, move up into the creek and use metal blades and heavier soft plastics along the edges near the timbered areas.

Your next spot should be around the campground along the banks, using crank baits. Additionally, try targeting weed beds for a potentially great fight.

Moogerah Dam

Head to the spit near the dam wall, where the fish are sitting around 30 to 40 feet deep. Test the waters with soft plastics on heavy jig heads along the bottom, or try metal spoons or blades to see what’s biting best.

If you’re not having much luck at the spit, head over to the banks near the caravan park. Use crank baits, soft plastics, or tail spinners to increase your chances of a catch.

Somerset Dam

Fishing remains challenging along the edges, but using lipless crank baits like the Jackall TN60 can be effective. Check out the points, as the bass might be schooling up there, although our hunch is they are still on the edges. Look for fish around the 10 to 20-foot mark, rolling lipless crank baits slowly off the edges. This approach should help you catch the yellow belly and bass you’re after.

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