Fishing Report for 12 September 2024

Hervey Bay & Fraser Island

At Urangan Pier, anglers have been landing nice whiting in the shallows, as well as school, Spanish, and broad-barred mackerel. Queenfish, the occasional golden trevally, and flathead are also being caught off the pier. The other jetties along the beach, like Garnet and Torquay, have been productive for flathead and mackerel too.

In the northern bay gutters, there have been reports of coral trout, grassy emperor, red emperor, snapper, and tusk fish. Offshore fishing was strong last week due to favorable weather, with pearl perch and snapper found in deeper waters around the 200m mark. There’s also been a good mix of species offshore, including large blue Maori wrasse, red emperor, and big venus tusk fish. Spanish mackerel have been spotted around Reunion Point, with  mac tuna and school mackerel closer to shore. In the Sandy Straits, grunter and bream are being caught in the creeks, while mangrove jack and barramundi have started to bite in the Burrum River system, with some good flathead in the lower reaches.

On Fraser Island, anglers are landing plenty of tailor, dart, and whiting down the southern end. Spanish mackerel have been successfully caught live-baiting tailor in the area.

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

Tin Can Bay

Small tides have created excellent conditions for targeting mangrove jack, cod, and the occasional barramundi. Several jacks have already been caught in T Bar Creek and Carry Creek, with strips of mullet proving effective. Small potty mullet and live baits are working well, but for those who prefer lures, suspending jerkbaits and plastics cast into shady areas are worth trying. The Molix RT Shad in 4.5 inches is particularly effective, as are lures that skip along the surface in the early mornings.

With water temperatures around 23°C, crabs have been making a slow appearance, so it’s worth setting a trap up the rivers. The sinkholes at Inskip Point have produced good catches of bream and tailor, with lightly weighted fishing baits, small soft plastics, vibes, or small metals (7 to 14 grams) being effective.

This week’s weather forecast suggests heading up the creeks to target flathead, which tend to bite most frequently in the last hour of the run-out tide. Look for areas connected to drain lines on the flats; these are great places to start.

The bay has seen a good mix of Spanish, spotted, and school mackerel, stretching all the way down to Poverty Point. The 120 Halco lures have been particularly effective, especially during the last hour of the run-in tide and the first hour of the run-out tide.

Snapper have been elusive as temperatures rise, but dolphin fish are still being caught at the FADs, and some small black marlin have been hooked by accident. The wrecks are holding grassy emperor, spangled emperor, tailor, and some big amberjack. Metal lures generally work well for these species.

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

Noosa

Snapper, pearl perch, yellowtail kingfish, amberjack in good numbers on the Barwon Banks and the Hards. Snapper, jewfish, and cod, on the inshore reefs — with the odd longtail tuna still around.

Off The Charts Fishing Charters  Ph 0434 238 301 |  www.offthechartsfishing.com.au

A few whiting in good numbers and sizes (30 to 40cm) from Noosa River mouth to Noosaville; a few flathead on the drift in the lower reaches of Noosaville. At the front of Lake Coroibah (first lake) a variety of species including bream and grunter bream.

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

Flathead have been consistently caught throughout the entire river system, providing great action for anglers. There have also been some nice Golden Trevally spotted in the Woods area, along with big bream. Lake Cooroibah has produced a few mulloway as well, making it a spot worth checking out for those chasing larger fish.

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

Fishing at Sunshine Reef has yielded excellent results, with good catches of snapper, pearl perch, and some impressive Venus tusk fish. At Chardons Reef, Spanish mackerel have been making an appearance.

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

Noosa is still fishing well, with tuna, snapper, pearl perch, cobia, scarlet perch, goldband snapper, mulloway, coral trout, red emperor, and tuskfish all making their way into the boats. The water temperature has risen slightly to around 23 degrees, with currents mostly coming from the north throughout the week.

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

Maroochydore

No signs of mud crabs yet after the rain on Tuesday, but there are still a few fish around. Bream have been spread throughout the river, and trevally are being caught at the Cod Hole. Mangrove jack are starting to show up, especially in the upper reaches past Bli Bli. Down at the river mouth, whiting are being caught. There’s also plenty of bait fish off the jetties for those with cast nets looking to stock up.

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

Mooloolaba

At Caloundra Wide, there have been good numbers of snapper and pearl perch in the 60 to 80-meter depths. The Bowen Banks on the western side have been productive for tusk fish. Murphy’s Reef and the Inner Gneering have seen some excellent cobia catches. The beaches are yielding whiting, and the Basin at the Mooloolaba River is also fishing well for them. Additionally, the Maroochy River is producing great catches of flathead as well.

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

There’s been solid action offshore with cobia and amberjack being caught at Caloundra Wide and the Hards. Snapper and pearl perch are also biting well at the Hards and Barwon Banks if you are able to get out there with the weather.

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

Report pending.

Barry McDade Fishing Services  Ph 0409 644 946

Caloundra

In the Passage, there are good numbers of whiting, flathead, school jewfish, and grunter being caught from Bells Creek to Coochin Creek. Along the beaches, dart, bream, and tarwhine are keeping anglers busy. The shallow reefs are producing snapper and sweetlip, while school mackerel are being landed out on the Caloundra 5 Mile.

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

Donnybrook

Whiting are being caught around Coochin Creek, Hussy Creek, and at the front of Lime Pocket campgrounds. Flathead and bream are showing up in Elimbah Creek. Jewfish and tailor are around the 112s, while bream, flathead, and whiting can be found at the bottom of Little Goat Island. Grunter are being caught around Poverty Creek.

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

Bribie Island

Whiting are being caught at Red Beach, jewfish are active at the bridge, and mud crabs are plentiful in Ningi Creek. Sand crabs are being found at Bellara, while flathead are biting at Banksia Beach. A few tailor are still around at Warrum.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Plenty of bream are being caught off Redcliffe, especially following a recent tournament where various lures proved successful. Golden trevally are also making their presence known out of Redcliffe. The Caboolture and Pine Rivers are currently full of grunter, with the Brisbane River mouth producing some jewfish and threadfin. While threadfin reports from Caboolture River have been quieter, school jewfish are still active there.

Mud crabs are being found in both the Caboolture and Pine Rivers. Whiting are plentiful at the mouth of the Pine River, and a few tailor are being caught at Bongaree and the Pine River mouth during low-light periods around the lights. Snapper continue to be caught from Woody Point to Redcliffe and on the Scarborough reefs, with some grassy emperor and sweetlip also reported at Redcliffe.

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

Sandgate

Good-sized mac tuna were caught at both Shorncliffe Pier and Woody Point Jetty, using the new Tackle Tactics 20g Silver Slug and Ocean’s Legacy Sling Shots.

There’s also been plenty of good-sized whiting coming in, with Cabbage Tree Creek, Hayes Inlet, Dohles Rocks, and Margate being the prime spots. Fresh live bloodworms and preserved beach worms have been particularly effective, and using light gear with Komu #6 long shank bait holders, #1 ball sinkers, and Reaction 6lb leader has proven to be a winning setup.

Flathead action on the flats between the Pool and 15th Ave at Brighton has been strong as well, with half blue baits, MMD soft prawns, and 2.5cm Slim Swimz lures landing some great catches. Tailor were also seen chasing herring at the end of Shorncliffe Pier.

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

Brisbane River – Northern Moreton Bay

In the river, bream, whiting, and flathead have been steady from Hamilton to the mouth. For snapper and jewfish, focus on the rock walls and deeper spots in the lower reaches of the river. Fisherman’s Island has been a good spot for whiting, sand crabs, and mud crabs.

Within the bay, sweetlip and squire are being caught around Mud Island and the eastern side of Green Island. School mackerel and tailor are showing up on the eastern side of Green Island, as well as off Ormiston and Wellington Point.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Some good-sized dolphin fish have been landed out at the FADs, continuing to offer solid action for offshore anglers. Over at the Cape on Saturday, there was a notable catch of large snapper, with plenty of quality fish hitting the decks.

Moreton Island Fishing Charters   Ph 0413128056 | www.moretonislandfishingcharters.com.au

The great snapper bite continues whenever the weather cooperates, with plenty of quality-sized fish being landed. Alongside the snapper, anglers are also seeing good numbers of Venus tuskfish and pearl perch. The current has been moderate, so heavier sinkers have been necessary to stay on the fish.

High Calibre Charters  Ph 0421 922 713 | www.highcalibrefishingcharters.com.au

 Redcliffe Peninsula

Report pending.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

Whiting can be found at Fisherman’s Gutter while tailor are active at Green Island. Snapper are being landed around Blaksley’s camp ground at Stradbroke Island, with some quality fish coming in. At Wellington Point, anglers are reporting catches of Snapper, Sweetlip, and Tailor, providing a diverse range of options. Squid are all along the Manly Rockwall, and School Mackerel are schooling between Green and King Islands

Water Tower Bait & Tackle  Ph(07) 3396 1833

Report pending.

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

Redland Bay

Patches of Tailor are still present in the southern Bay, particularly between Peel Island, Ormiston, and the West Peel Artificial. School Mackerel are active in the Rainbow Channel and Ralph Channel. Snapper continue to be caught in good numbers, with banana prawns, pilchards, and local squid proving effective baits. The southern Bay, around Russell Island and Pelican Island, is seeing a good number of Flathead. Winter and Diver Whiting are abundant around Hope Banks, Chain Banks, and the Rous Channel, offering a variety of fishing opportunities.

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

Jumpinpin

Report pending.

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

In the Pin this past week, there have been plenty of jewfish, whiting, flathead, bream, and a few mangrove jacks caught. While most of the jewfish have been schoolies, there have been some bigger ones around the 80cm mark. The SE and NE winds have limited access for many, but the morning period before about 1 o’clock has been ideal for getting out on the water.

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

Windy conditions are expected this weekend, with Saturday looking to be the better day. Whiting have finally moved down the rivers and creeks, ready to spawn over the September full moon. Good catches have been reported from the Sundale Bridge to the Smith Street boat ramp. I thought the squid might be tapering off, but they were thick out front of Runaway Bay last weekend, with excellent catches reported. The best way to get numbers was by drifting between the isolated danger markers in front of Runaway Bay to the top of Crab Island on an incoming tide. This weekend’s tides will work best in the afternoon, with high tide around 6pm. Flathead are plentiful, with great numbers throughout the Broadwater, and some very large fish were caught in the Pin Bar area last week. Jewfish are also in the same area at the Pin Bar, and the Seaway North Wall has been holding a few, as well as Diamond Reef just offshore. The beaches won’t be pleasant due to the strong southeasterly winds this weekend, so it’s best to stick to the Broadwater.

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Offshore fishing has seen a few snapper hitting the decks, with the closer inshore reefs also contributing to a good catch of snapper and a handful of cobia. As the flathead competition approaches, there have been some impressive catches reported along the flats. Anglers targeting these flathead have found significant success with four-inch paddle tail soft plastics, particularly in white or pink colors. 

Despite the strong fishing action, crabbing has been somewhat slow this week, with fewer reports of crabs compared to previous weeks.

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

Around the 18-26 fathom range, snapper are being caught consistently, with quality fish early in the morning and pan-sized snapper throughout the day. A few cobia and jewfish are also being hooked on live baits. Longtail Tuna remain active in good numbers. There were good catches of trag fish early in the week, but have slowed toward the weekend. Tuskfish and flathead have been filling in the gaps during the day. 

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

 Tweed Coast

Fishing has been productive this week, with snapper being the prime target for many anglers at this time of year. Alongside the snapper, there have been solid catches of trag, Venus tuskfish, and pearl perch. On the surface, mac tuna and Australian bonito are also showing up in good numbers. A small black marlin was caught earlier in the week while targeting snapper on the closer grounds.

Hopefully, there won’t be too much rain runoff this season, allowing the ocean to stay clear which encourages the baitfish to school up more frequently, which could attract more game fish to the area.

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

People are catching some impressive snapper this time of year, with many fish consistently over 70 cm. These good-sized snapper are being found quite close to shore. Jewfish are actively hunting near current lines and eddies, and flathead are being caught frequently. Mangrove jack have become more prevalent in the rivers, adding to the excitement. Bream and whiting are still available, providing a solid catch for a decent-sized plate.

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

 Brunswick Heads

Starting with the deep sea action out on the wider reefs, which continues to fish well with solid catches of snapper, kingfish, and pearl perch. On the closer reefs, it’s been a bit hit or miss, but there have been some reports of snapper, tuna, and bonito being caught. 

Beach and rock fishing has been decent, with dart, bream, and salmon keeping anglers busy. Meanwhile, river fishing is going steady, with catches of whiting, bream, and flathead making for a good day on the water.

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

Ballina

The small tides this week have led to slower fishing, and the weather forecast for the weekend doesn’t look promising. However, there have been decent numbers of flathead in North Creek and the main river. Larger fish have been tempted by live baits, but the best results have come from pilchards and mullet. Bright-colored soft plastics with curly tails have also been effective from the ferry to Wardell. School-sized mulloway have been caught between the ferry and Broadwater, with live baits and mullet working well. The warmer weather has brought a few trevally into the same area.

Earlier in the week, the beaches produced some good-quality whiting, as well as a few bream and flathead. Worms, pippies, and mullet were the most successful baits. Offshore, the 32-fathom line has seen good numbers of snapper, along with some mulloway and flathead. Soft plastics, mullet, and squid have worked best. Amberjack and pearl perch have been caught on jigs and live baits at the 48-fathom mark. With rough conditions expected this weekend, it will likely be late next week before bar conditions are suitable for offshore fishing again.

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

Evans Head

At Airforce Beach, a few jewfish have been caught in the evening, while plenty of bream, flathead, and whiting are being landed during the day. Around the North and South Walls, anglers are finding bream, flathead, and the occasional luderick. Upstream in the river, mud crabs have started to appear and are becoming more active. At Chaos Reef, there have been a few snapper, trag fish, and the occasional pearl perch.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Lake Kurwongbar

No report this week.

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

Hinze Dam

No report this week.

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

Ewen Maddock Dam 

At Ewen Maddock Dam, with the season now open, bass are responding well to chatterbaits, showing promising results for those targeting them.

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

North Pine Dam

North Pine Dam has been a bit slow recently, with bass being caught along the edges using soft plastics. Saratoga have been more active, hitting frog lures most frequently.

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

Lake Kurwongbah 

Lake Kurwongbah is starting to fish well from the bank as the cooler months end. Fish are schooling up off the points, making metal jigs or spoons in the 20 to 30 gram range effective. Long casts and slow rolling on the bottom are key. Lake Samsonvale has also seen Saratoga catches along the edges. Light-colored spinnerbaits, particularly in white, are working well for these fish.

Maroon Dam

Maroon Dam is producing good catches with skirted jigs, chatterbaits, and any lures that mimic red claw. While lipless crankbaits and other lures are still catching fish, the majority of the successful catches are coming from skirted jigs and chatterbaits. Dark-colored lures tend to work better than lighter colors in Maroon Dam, so cast them close to the trees for the best results.

Moogerah Dam

Bass are hitting the edges more frequently. Lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and normal crankbaits that dive to about 3 to 4 meters are performing well. There are still some fish being caught along the spit, where heavy soft plastics and metal spoons are effective. 

Hinze Dam

At Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast, Saratoga are beginning to show up more frequently. To target them, try using small topwater lures or subsurface spinnerbaits. Early mornings and late afternoons are the prime times for Saratoga. Focus on the eastern and western arms of the dam, particularly in the backs of the bays where these fish are feeding well. Bass are being caught along the edges of timber with small soft plastics and lipless crankbaits such as the Jackal TN 60s. Vibration lures are also effective for these bass, which are found in the same areas as the Saratoga.

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

Lake Monduran

This weekend, there’s some major fishing competition happening at Lake Monduran, and another one at Woodgate, which should bring some exciting action to both areas.

Lake Lenthalls has been productive, with plenty of bass and barramundi being caught. The barramundi are mostly around the 60 to 70 cm range, while the bass are quite sizable, with many over 40 cm.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY