Fishing Report for 13th February 2025

Queensland east coast: Spanish mackerel closed seasons dates: 1st of February to 21st February. Please see https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/closures/tidal/seasons

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

Hervey Bay/ Fraser Island

Fraser Island’s outside beaches, around Happy Valley, have been slow, with just the odd whiting. No tailor around this time of year, but the inside of Fraser—stretching from Wathumba down to Coongul Creek—has been producing good numbers of dart, whiting, and flathead.

In the bay, school mackerel and mac tuna have started to move in, along with longtail tuna from Six Mile up past Wathumba to Rooney Point. Reef fishing inshore has been steady, with coral trout, cod, flathead, grunter, whiting, and bream caught out from Burrum Heads area through to the straits. Big Woody has been holding grassy emperor, though sharks continue to be an issue.

Prawns have started running, with catches reported from River Heads up to Burrum Heads. The water is clearing quickly after recent rain, with the Mary and Burrum systems clearing up well. Mud crabs and sand crabs have been quiet overall this week though.

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

Tin Can Bay

Mangrove jack are firing, with mullet strips or 80mm jerkbaits working well around low tide. Barramundi are showing up in similar areas to the jacks. Whiting have been quiet, but bream are on the bite, with some quality fish over 40cm being landed. Lightly weighted prawns on the high tide have been producing good results. Norman Point has seen whiting, garfish, and flathead at the top of the tide. Crabs are everywhere, so it’s worth throwing the pots up any creek.

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

Noosa

Out on the wide reefs, there’s been some solid action with gold band, big pearl perch, amberjack, moses perch, mouri cod, yellowtail kings, and cobia all making appearances. There have also been some small marlin around the floaters. Closer in on the reefs, it’s been a bit more challenging with big sharks, lots of Spanish mackerel being released, moses perch, tuskies, and cobia still being caught.

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

Moses perch and bream have been caught in Woods Bays, while golden trevally are biting along the sand flats of Gympie Terrace during the early morning. Flathead are being caught in Tewantin, and grunter are showing up in Lake Cooroibah.

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

At Double Island Point, quality snapper, plenty of pearl perch, and goldband snapper have been coming in. Closer to home on Sunshine Reef, anglers have been landing cobia, sweetlip, goldspot cod, and the occasional nannygai.

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

Grunter, also known as javelin fish, have been active from the Tewantin area up to the first lake, while golden trevally have been showing up in Woods Bay. Whiting are biting at the river mouth, with worms being the preferred bait, and the Frying Pan area has also been a reliable spot for them. Mud crabs are on the move throughout the Noosa River, and prawns are running heavily as they head out through the mouth. The best time to target them is the day before, the day of, and the day after the full moon. Bream are in good numbers throughout the Noosa River, extending up to the first lake.

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

Maroochydore

Mangrove jack, jewfish, and cod have been caught from the rock bars of the middle river. At the cod hole, anglers are catching mangrove jack, bream, and trevally. Whiting and grunter are being found on the sandbanks of the middle and lower river, while mud crabs are present in the middle and upper reaches. Flathead are biting at the creek mouths, and bream and flathead are showing up around North Shore.

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

Mooloolaba

Dolphin fish are holding around the FADs, while wahoo have been caught at the 18-mile mark and the Barwon Banks. Grassy sweetlip are active on the inner reefs. In the Mooloolah River, trevally are around the trawler boats, and mangrove jack are being caught near the bridges. Mud crabs are also showing up in the Mooloolah River. Over in the Maroochy River, mangrove jack are being caught north of the Bli Bli bridges, and whiting are fishing well around Chambers Island.

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

Marlin and wahoo are being caught near the FADS off Mooloolaba, as well as around the shelf off the Noosa Canyons and Cape Moreton Canyons. Amberjack and cobia can be found halfway to the Barwon Banks, while hussar and tuskfish are biting on the Barwon Banks.

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

Caloundra

It’s been a bit quiet lately with the Spanish mackerel closure, and the 1.5m easterly swells offshore haven’t helped much. However, Saturday could present a brief opportunity, with sweetlip and squire being a solid option on the inshore reefs—3 Mile, 5 Mile, and 7 Mile. Cobia were also around those reefs recently, so they should still be in the area. Remember, any Spanish mackerel caught during the closure must be released.

In the passage, flathead and whiting are still around, and mangrove jack are starting to show up now that the water’s cleared in the canals. There’s also the occasional barramundi and jewfish making an appearance. Bull sharks are definitely around in the canals and throughout the main basin of the passage. Crab bait sales are picking up, which usually means mud crabs are being caught.

On the beaches, whiting and dart are present, although conditions have made it tricky. As the swell drops, expect the usual summer run of dart and whiting to pick up. A few legal-size jewfish have also been caught in the calmer areas along the beaches from Wurtulla down to Moffat Headland.

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

Bribie Island

Mud crabs and sand crabs have been caught throughout Pumicestone Passage, Toorbul, and Ningi Creek. Cobia have been reported around Cape Moreton, along with last week’s 1.5m blue marlin, which you can check out in the gallery. Ballara Jetty has produced flathead, while Ningi Creek has been fishing well for good-sized bream and grunter.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Offshore, the weather looks good for Saturday. School mackerel are still in good numbers in the northern Bay, while a few longtail tuna have been caught off the Sunshine Coast and Bribie. Wahoo and dolphin fish are around the top of Moreton between Hutchinson and Flinders, as well as near the FADs.

Inshore, plenty of snapper and grunter are being caught along the Redcliffe foreshore, and there are some quality flathead at the mouths of the Pine and Caboolture rivers. Mangrove jack are showing up in the creeks throughout the Pumicestone Passage, while good numbers of summer whiting have been caught around the mouth of Coochin Creek. Mud crabs and prawns are also active in the area, with most of the prawns coming from the Pine and Caboolture rivers.

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

Sandgate

Been a good week for flathead around the waters from Nudgee Beach to Scarborough. Some big girls have been caught using blue bait, white bait, and plastics. Blue and white bait presented on unweighted Kumho gangs have landed some great fish this week. Rapala Imposter plastics in yabbie color also brought home some very nice flathead. Whiting in good sizes are still being caught on the flats. Remember, you don’t have to cast out a mile to find these quality fish; they are normally in pretty close to the edge.

The flathead pictured was taken on 6lb braid, No1 Kumho gangs, 12lb J-Thread fluoro, and a Gary Howard 1-4kg spin stick. Ian got nailed by a stonker flathead, but when it came to the surface, this toothy long tom was not happy (picture below).

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Good quality snapper, pearl perch, and venus tuskfish are being caught in 70 meters of water, particularly when the current allows for better fishing conditions.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

Report pending

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

Redland Bay

Outside, there have been plenty of diver whiting around the Hope and Chain Banks. School mackerel and spottie mackerel are active from Hope Banks up to the southern end of Tangalooma. Black spot tuskfish are starting to show up in good numbers, with crabs working well around Peel, the Rous, and Rainbow Channels.

Snapper are still being caught in the bay, mostly in the 40 to 60 cm range, along with plenty of grassy emperor between Cleveland, Ormiston, and Peel. Mud crabs remain active after the recent rain, especially around creek mouths in the southern bay. If you’re after banana prawns, they are on, particularly around Macleay Island and Lamb Island.

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

Brisbane River – Northern Moreton Bay

The Brisbane River has been fishing well, with threadfin salmon, jewfish, and some nice snapper being caught throughout the lower reaches, from Breakfast Creek and Hamilton down to the river mouth. Flathead and whiting are showing up on the eastern flats of Fisherman’s Island. Mud crabs have been reasonable around the moon phase, though sand crabs have been quieter. The best results for mud crabs have come from the mangrove lines north of Wynnum Creek and into Fisherman’s Island.

Out in Moreton Bay, school mackerel have been active around Hope Banks and further north and south, from Harry Atkinson Reef down to Peel Island. Snapper and sweetlip have been coming from the reefs around Mud and Green Islands. Prawns are starting to move, with most reports coming from the southern bay. Saltworks and Tingalpa Creek have been fishing particularly well, while the northside has been hit or miss. Nudgee has seen some action, but the prawns seem to be there one day and gone the next. It won’t be long before they show up in better numbers.

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

Moreton Bay/ Jumpinpin

Jumpin-pin waters are still a little dirty, but they’re slowly clearing, and the fishing is improving. The prawns are starting to run, particularly in the southern bay, from Macleay Island down through Jacobs Well. If you can find the prawns, you’ll likely find squire, school jewfish, and the odd threadfin salmon sitting among them, making it well worth a look. Flathead fishing has been a bit tough over the past week, but some quality fish are still being caught on the shallow flats during the high tides. With the recent big tides, it’s definitely worth fishing the yabby banks, sandy areas, and weed patches. Around Jacobs Well, good numbers of flathead and trevally have been showing up, with trevally feeding actively in the shallows. While casting for bream and flathead, anglers have been picking up quite a few trevally as well. Prawns are starting to appear between Jacobs Well and Cabbage Tree Point, and hopefully, the fish will stack up there soon.

Moreton Bay continues to fish well, with plenty of action on the shallow reefs from Peel Island up to Mud Island and into the Brisbane River. Some solid snapper in the 50–60cm range have been caught, and sweetlip are really starting to fire up as the water temperature remains warm. Lightly weighted soft plastics cast around the edges of shallow reefs have been producing good results. Offshore, reports of tuna and mackerel are coming in from just outside North Stradbroke Island, but they haven’t pushed into the bay in significant numbers yet. Hopefully, they won’t be far off. For now, focus on spots like the Wrecks, Peel artificial reefs, and Harry Atkinson’s, as well as the shallow reefs around Peel Island, Dunwich, Mud Island, and into the Brisbane River. Despite the dirty water, the Brisbane River is still fishing quite well.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

Sweetlip have been biting at Green Island on the outgoing tide. Whiting are around Fishermans Island and the Chain Banks, while mackerel have been showing up at the Hope Banks. Squid are active in the Small Boat Channel.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle   Ph(07) 3396 1833

Jumpinpin

Good numbers of whiting and flathead have been coming from Kalinga Bank and the southern end of North Stradbroke Island. Bream and squire are being caught around Rocky Point, Cobby Rocks, and the Five Ways, while tailor have been active in the mornings from the bar to Crusoe Island.

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

This week around the Pin, schools of threadfin salmon have been biting consistently, with good schools of prawns in the area that they’re chasing. Dead prawns and live mullet have been the most effective baits for threadfin, along with vibes and paddle tail lures.

South Stradbroke Island

Plenty of sand crabs are being found around Crab Island and along the foreshore of Runaway Bay. Mud crabs are also abundant, particularly with the high tides along the mangrove-lined creeks and estuaries. Decent-sized leatherjackets are being caught under the Jabiru Island bridge on the Boykambil side, with good whiting also at The Junction off Jabiru Island. Pippis are thick along the surf side of South Stradbroke Island, especially between high and half tide, making it a great spot to pack your trusty Alvey and trek across the island to target some dart. Saw a few prawns skipping along the surface near Browns Inlet today, so it’s worth bringing a castnet along. Big banana prawns are already at Jacob’s Well—chat to Brett from Jacob’s Well Boat Hire for the hot spots in his home turf and surf!

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

Not much to report this week with many anglers struggling to find fish. The exception to this was sand crabs with most people catching a feed. With the bigger tides this weekend we should see things improve. Whiting were caught in the lower areas last week but with a bit more run on the morning tides. In the Nerang river try the council chambers and banks up to Monaco st bridge. Try drifting the areas to work out where they are feeding. In the Coomera river the green markers opposite Paradise point boat ramp or further up on the banks before sanctuary cove.

In the Pimpama river try the first big sandbank near the mouth or the bank opposite Diamond head. Long light fluorocarbon trace is a must and will increase your catch and size of whiting. Mud crabs are still around in numbers just the legal ones are hard to find. Targeting the pontoons should be another great option this weekend with good water colour at the moment. 

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Mahi mahi numbers and size have been solid this week, with anglers finding success using livies and skirted lures. Striped tuna are also turning up as bycatch while trolling for mahi, wahoo, and marlin.

Mackerel are still few and far between, and reef and bottom fishing on the close grounds has been quiet. Pelagic fishing in the 24-36 fathom areas is proving to be the most reliable target at the moment.

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

There’s been plenty of blue marlin out in the canyons, with striped marlin also showing up, particularly on the 50-fathom line. Wahoo are still about, pushing all the way into 24 fathoms, and there are good numbers of dolphin fish on all the FADs. Over the border in NSW, Tweed is producing solid Spanish mackerel, with no closures on them down that way.

Closer in, some quality snapper, including a few big fish, are still being caught, along with nice cobia and silver jewfish. On the beaches, there’s been a small run of chopper tailor, while whiting and dart continue to be the mainstay in the shallow gutters. In the Broadwater, school jew and mangrove jack are active in the seaway, with much bigger jewfish coming from around the Jumpinpin Bar. There’s also been a bit of a re-emergence of squid in the Broadwater. Further up the rivers, mangrove jack, trevally, and estuary cod have been fishing well. Blue swimmer crabs are being caught in the Broadwater itself, while mud crabs are more abundant further upriver.

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

Tweed Coast

The Tweed River is fishing well for trevally, with GTs in abundance and at least four different species getting around from the bar up towards Murwillumbah. Flathead haven’t been in big numbers, but there are some quality fish if you can find them. Whiting are fishing well across the flats and in the deeper holes after the rain, while bream are everywhere, hitting topwater lures and taking vibes and Cranka Crabs along the rock walls. Mangrove jack are firing, with early mornings producing on topwater, while weighted soft plastics are doing the trick during the day.

Offshore, wahoo are widespread, with good catches at Nine Mile and the Mud Hole. Spanish mackerel aren’t as thick but are still around, while black marlin are being caught from the 36-fathom mark and beyond. Mahi mahi are still fishing well at the FADs. Further south of Tweed, yellowfin tuna are showing up, with plenty of smaller fish in the 6-10kg range. Reef species haven’t been firing as much, with the focus mainly on pelagics.

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

Brunswick Heads

This weeks report is very similar to last weeks. You will find offshore fishing has seen a few solid kingfish and snapper caught, particularly off Byron. The inshore reefs are producing a handful of mackerel along with a mix of reef species. On the beaches and around the rock walls, the bite has picked up, with good numbers of tailor, bream, trevally, dart, mangrove jack, and jewfish. The rivers are still fishing well, holding plenty of mangrove jack, bream, whiting, blackfish, flathead, and trevally. Mud crabs are about, but you’ll need to sort through the smaller ones to find a keeper or two

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

Ballina

The wind and swell are expected to stay up for the next week, keeping offshore fishing off the cards until conditions ease. Beach and rock fishing will also be challenging, though a few better-quality mulloway and tailor have been showing up around the break walls. In the river, flathead have been spread from the mouth to Wardell Bridge, with live baits landing the larger fish, while prawns, mullet, and 3-inch plastics have been effective for smaller ones. Bream have been more concentrated upriver from the ferry along the rock walls, where cut baits and small hard-body lures have been producing well, especially on the incoming tide. Mud crabs have slowed a little, with the main river being the best bet this week. The hot weather has kept the mangrove jacks active, with mullet and live baits working well in the late afternoon and into the night. Bass have been inconsistent, but both hard-body lures and spinnerbaits have produced fish from Woodburn to Coraki, particularly on the run-in and run-out tides.

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

Evans Head

Airforce Beach and Main Beach have produced a few bream, tailor, and the occasional school jew. Around the rock walls at the mouth, anglers have been catching bream, tailor, and luderick. In the Evans Head River, bream, flathead, and whiting have been active, while the upper reaches are the go-to spots for mud crabs and mangrove jacks. Offshore conditions have been rough, but when fishable, the coastal reefs have been producing snapper, trag, and pearl perch.

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

Yamba

Pelagics offshore have been firing this week, with spottie and Spanish mackerel, as well as some yellowfin tuna. Dolphin fish, cobia, wahoo, and a few little black marlin have also been around, both in the northern and southern grounds. Snapper and pearl perch are still being targeted, with some anglers getting a few, but the pelagics have been dominating the action.

In the river, bream, flathead, and whiting are still fishing well—your typical bread-and-butter species. Now that the holiday crowds have eased, keen anglers are back out targeting mangrove jacks. There have been good numbers of trevally, with some solid catches reported, along with grunter as well. As for crabs, there haven’t been many reports. It’s unclear whether they’ve moved upriver, but those targeting them have found it quiet.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Hinze Dam

At Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast, the pattern has stayed pretty similar, with plenty of bass being caught around the deeper trees and main basin points. Spinnerbaits, metal spoons, soft plastics, and chatterbaits have been producing well. Saratoga are still actively feeding, particularly in the back sections of the dam, including both the western and eastern arms. Target them with surface lures like poppers and small stickbaits, or opt for spinnerbaits. Let the lure sink for a few seconds before retrieving quickly to trigger reaction strikes. Natural baitfish colors, light whites, and patterns with a bit of chartreuse will improve your chances.

Moogerah Dam

Moogerah Dam has remained one of the most consistent dams over the past few years and continues to fish well. Bass are starting to push up the creeks, making chatterbaits and spinnerbaits effective in the trees, along with lipless crankbaits, metal spoons, and soft plastics. Some fish are still being caught in the main basin, particularly around the spillway and the six-knot zone in the open timber, but submerged timber remains the best option for targeting them.

Wivenhoe Dam

At Wivenhoe Dam, bass and yellowbelly are still being caught around the main basin. Rocky points, Platypus Cliffs, and the bay next to Platypus Cliffs, all the way down towards the buoy line, have been productive. Yellowbelly and bass are being caught in good numbers, with TN60s and chatterbaits being the go-to lures at the moment. Lipless crankbaits and diving crankbaits that reach the 3–4m depth range are also working well. On the other side of the dam, around Billies Bay and heading north and south, fish are holding in good numbers. North of the dam at Hamon Cove, the edges and rocky points have been productive, offering good opportunities for yellowbelly and larger bass.

Maroon Dam

At Maroon Dam, the fishing has picked up again after a brief lull. Fish are holding in slightly deeper water, with small blades, lipless crankbaits, and chatterbaits producing results. Soft plastics in the 2.5–3 inch size, particularly in natural colors, have also been effective.

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

Kurwongbah

At Kurwongbah Dam, plenty of Saratoga are being caught, particularly near the kayak launch point, with surface lures doing the trick.

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

Hinze Dam

In the dams, fishing the rising barometer has been key, with bass and Saratoga fishing well in both the western and eastern arms of Hinze Dam.

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

Lake Lenthalls – Lake Monduran

The Fresh water dams are still fishing well, with good barra at Lenthalls and Monduran, though Monduran has been a bit slower. The main basin has been productive depending on wind direction—fishing the points and bays that align with the prevailing winds has been the key.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY

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Gateway Bribie Adventures

The Chandlery Bait & Tackle  

Deep Sea Fishing Co

Noosa Bluewater Charters

Capn’s Charters

High Calibre Charters  

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters

Tackle Land


Smithys Fishing Charters