Fishing Report for 2 April 2026

Hervey Bay / Fraser Island

There are steady options inshore and through the straits, while offshore opportunities remain dictated by weather windows. School mackerel are present in Platypus Bay and along the channels, and Spanish mackerel are holding through the bay system, with longtail tuna remaining highly mobile and turning up in strong numbers on some days.

Inshore reefs are producing well, led by grassy sweetlip, with cod, coral trout and mixed reef species also featuring when conditions allow. The straits and lower river reaches are among the more consistent areas, with threadfin salmon, blue salmon, grunter and the odd jewfish coming from deeper channels and current lines. Mud crabbing remains excellent across creeks and flats. Overall, the better results are coming from focusing on structure, channel edges and tide changes, with adaptability remaining the key to success over the coming weeks.

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

Tin Can Bay

The Easter long weekend is shaping up to deliver the usual mix of wind and showers, so the creeks and estuaries will be the best options for keen anglers. Mud crabs have been on the move, making it a good time to get the pots in. Creek mouths should also be worth targeting on the run‑out tide, with pelagic species such as queenfish and trevally showing. Small surface lures and micro‑jigs are proving effective for these fish.

Mangrove jack are active and are being caught in good numbers on both baits and lures. Quality whiting are also on the chew, with live yabbies and beach worms producing the better fish. Anglers should keep an eye out for schools of blue salmon moving through the systems as well. Happy Easter!

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

Noosa

Still fishing best downriver, and still a bit dirty after the rain. Catches of bream throughout, from the Noosaville reaches to Tewantin. Flathead at the River mouth. Some reasonable whiting at Noosaville. Prawns are a solid bait, but pumping live yabbies will always yield the best results.

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

Flathead are thick, with large numbers in the 50cm range throughout the system. Bream coming into the mouth of the river on the flood tide. Slack water and the afternoon fishing has been harder work.

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

Limited fishing, however, have taken dolphin fish, tuna, mackerel. Mackerel numbers are strong in Laguna Bay, and the Bay is generally fishing well. Pearl perch at North Reef.

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

Sweetlip, jewfish, cobia on Sunshine Reef. Still many sharks present and weather has not been conducive to much offshore fishing.

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

Maroochydore

Flathead middle to upper reaches; mangrove jack up towards Coolum Creek. Whiting down near Cotton Tree. Plenty of mud crabs around Eudlo Creek and Petrie Creek.

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

Mooloolaba

Big numbers of longtail tuna between Mooloolaba and Coolum. Spanish mackerel at the blinker. Wahoo and Spanish mackerel at the banks. Coral trout at Murphy’s Reef.

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

Caloundra

Inshore charters amongst the bad weather, with fishing very difficult in large swells. Fresh pillies and mullet fillet found a feed at 12 Mile. No great run of mackerel this season, but it’s not over yet.

Salty Fishing Charters Ph 0459 636 798  | https://saltyfishingcharters.com.au/

Longtail tuna and Spanish Mackerel out the front if you can get out. Whiting, bream, tarwhine, and flathead from the Caloundra bar to Bells Creek. Trevally, queenfish and mangrove jack in the canals. Mud crabs in the creeks.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Fishing lifted last week, particularly across the northern bay. Longtail and mac tuna have been active, with school mackerel spread around the Four Beacons and through the Spitfire Channel. Spanish mackerel have also been reported around Hutchies. Snapper are being caught on the northern artificial reefs, as well as on the inside of Moreton Island around Curtin and Bulwer.

Closer in, the Redcliffe Peninsula, including Scarborough and Woody Point, has produced snapper, grunter and the odd jewfish on soft plastics. Flathead are consistent at the mouth of the Pine River on the outgoing tide, while summer whiting are still coming from Hayes Inlet. Mud crabs are active through the mid‑reaches of the Pine and Caboolture Rivers, and prawns are plentiful in both systems and across Deception Bay.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

No report this week.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

Bream, whiting, flathead and some queenfish in Hayes Inlet & the Pine River. Mangrove jacks and school jew in the Pine River. Snapper and a few dart off the Eastern beaches, jetties & rocky points. School jew, grunter and a few grassy sweetlip off Woody Point jetty, in Bramble Bay, off the beaches and on the inshore reefs. Tailor off the northern end of the Peninsula.  Mangrove Jack in the canals. Jacks and the odd threadfin in the rivers and creeks.

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

Brisbane

There was a brief bay window earlier in the week, which produced school mackerel behind Green Island, north of Mud Island and towards the Banks. Squire and grassy sweetlip were also taken in close around Mud, Green and Peel Islands during that period.

River fishing remains the more reliable option. Some good Jewfish have been caught in the lower reaches, with snapper, flathead and bream coming off the rock walls. Threadfin salmon have been quieter this week. Crabbing has been strong around the current moon phase, with mud crabs consistent and an uptick in sand crab reports compared to recent weeks.

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

Wynnum / Manly

Fishing activity has been stop‑start again this week, but there are still a few consistent options available. Prawns and mud crabs are present through Tingalpa Creek and surrounding systems, providing reliable returns for those focusing on crabbing and prawning.

Green Island has been producing a mixed bag including grassy sweetlip, snapper, squid and school mackerel. There are flathead at the Wynnum /Manly foreshore and the rock walls have been holding tailor.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle    Ph (07) 3396 1833 | https://watertowerbaitandtackle.com.au

Moreton Bay / Jumpinpin

Moreton Bay

The bay is still Fishing pretty well at the moment however one thing we found with the bigger tides recently is that the water did become a little bit dirty, so finding patches of clean and water holding bait was vital to success. We still focused on the Reef edges around Cleveland, Peel Island, Goat Island and got plenty of good size squire and snapper as well as a few good sweet lip.

The prawns are running down around the southern Morton Bay Islands and the fish are turning up with it. Big schools of big tailor, jewfish and threadfin salmon have been around however they are moving extremely quickly and hard to stay on top of. If you see any birds working or diving or any form of surface action in an around the southern Bay Islands it’s definitely worth a cast as you usually do hook up.

Still plenty of throwing salmon around in smaller numbers holding on the drop-off edges and current lines in and around the Southern Bay Islands as well. We haven’t found too many fish around McLeay Island at the moment but as that water starts to cool down they should start to turn up.

Jumpinpin

Over the last week we’ve had some pretty good flathead captures with plenty of fish over that 60 cm mark. Focusing on areas in and around Jacobs Well and cabbage tree point has been effective especially on the lower tides flicking up into drains and creek mouths. The secret has been finding bait flicking around on the surface or on the weed edges and the flathead haven’t been too far away.

The brim should be starting to move out in preparation for the spawn over the next month or two. The water is slowly getting cooler so they should be heading out to the deeper holes around the jumping pin bar Crusoe Island Kalinga bank and those sorts of areas over the next couple of months to spawn. There’s been some pretty good Taylor schools coming through as well, especially on the top of the high tide.

With the bigger tides we found that the threadfin salmon have been a little bit harder to come by especially on that high tide as they push right up into the shallows. Focusing on areas around Jacob as well channel and cabbage tree point have been an effective way to find Fish, especially if you can locate those schools of prawns pushing through. The flathead haven’t been too far away as well, we’ve had a few few sessions where we found prawns holding on the bottom and we teabag through them with soft vibes resulting in some pretty good flathead catches.

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

Jumpinpin

Banana prawns are patchy, but there are still full buckets to be had if you put the work in. Some good threadfin salmon around, in strong numbers in the deeper holes. They can be harder to nab on live baits. Chopper tailor in the rivers among the catfish. Plenty of mud crabs still around. Bread and butter species have been quieter.

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

Some jew are moving around this week, with legal size fish caught as far up as Jacobs Well. Tailor have fired up with the westerly winds, with reports of good numbers out the front of the Jumpinpin bar. Late season mangrove jacks have been caught off the Jacobs Well jetty. Prawns are picking up at the southern Moreton Bay Islands and the Logan River. Some monster threadfin have been around, in good numbers. The threadfin are taking vibes, plastics, and live baits.

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

South Stradbroke Island

Report pending.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

The Easter long weekend is looking a bit windy with a few showers to dodge. Mid morning high tides with an afternoon run out tide. It will be best to keep out of the wind as the main channel areas will be bumpy on the run out tide. It’s going to be a bit challenging over the next few weeks with the change of season, with the water temperatures slowly dropping. Still a few fish and crabs around at the moment, so worth the effort. Flathead are being caught in the Coomera and Pimpama rivers, Crab Island, Jacobs Well Channel, and further north towards the Jumpinpin Bar. Some great fish up to 60cm have been caught. Whiting have been best slightly up the rivers, especially on the run in and first of the run out tide. Nerang, Coomera, and Pimpama rivers have all produced fish over the last week and will be a great option to fish over the weekend with the wind forecast. Bream, trevally, and the odd jack have been caught in the canals, especially in the early morning hours. Sand crabs picked up in numbers this week, with a few people getting half a dozen good size crabs for their efforts. Prawns have been hit and miss but worth the drive up north to the salt works or Logan River. If you check multiple spots on the way, you will find yourself a feed for Easter.

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Very quiet bookings and weather keeping us inshore this week. Flathead were having a chew, with a 90cm PB for Kaleb and a “boat PB” overall being the absolute catch of the week! Easter weekend weather is looking windy, so it looks like the flatties will get a few more visits from our inshore estuary charters.

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

Offshore fishing is set to be largely off the cards for the coming days, with swell keeping boats inside. There were some recent mackerel and snapper caught closer in, but that activity is expected to shut down temporarily. Most anglers are now focusing on the estuaries and protected water.

Around the rock walls, big tailor are active, taking poppers and stickbaits thrown into the wash, with a few mangrove jack also being picked up on live baits along both the north and south walls. Inside the Broadwater there are strong numbers of whiting and garfish, along with plenty of flathead. Trevally have been active around areas with stronger tidal flow such as the Sundale Bridge. In the rivers, including Pimpama, Coomera and Nerang, whiting have been fishing well at night on the run‑out tide using worms. Mud crabs have been excellent, and remain the better option over sand crabs.

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

Tweed Coast

Tuna being taken trolling. Maori cod, moses perch, tuskfish and snapper around the local reefs.

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

The flathead are coming on but they are sitting in deeper water. In the upper reaches of the Tweed, trevally are active and mangrove jack remain in very good numbers. Closer to the bar, tailor have started to move through on the high tide as clearer water pushes in.

Jewfish have been fishing very well along the rocks, with PHD-style lures producing consistent results. Offshore, mackerel are still biting, including spotted mackerel all the way down to Black Rock, though shark activity is heavy and continues to impact returns. Further south, land‑based anglers from Hastings down towards Yamba have reported longtail tuna and mackerel taken on live baits.

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

Ballina

No report this week.

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

Evans Head

Try Airforce and Main Beach for bream, tailor and jewfish. The rock walls at the mouth are seeing tailor, bream, jewfish and luderick. Bream, flathead and whiting in the Evans River. Jewfish around the bridge. Mud crabs in the upper reaches. Plenty of snapper, trag, spotted and Spanish mackerel offshore and on inshore reefs.

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

Brunswick Heads

Deep sea fishing has yielded snapper, mackerel, mack tuna and longtail tuna.  The beaches have seen dart, bream and flathead (no tailor yet!). Rock walls are seeing some good catches of big bream jewfish and trevally.  The River is still seeing mangrove jack together with big bream and an abundance of mud crabs which should continue through April. 

Bruns Beach Bait and Tackle Ph 0432 394 869 |

Yamba

Quiet at the Yamba end, but Maclean and Lawrence has been fishing well. Flathead are upstream in the Clarence river, along with good numbers of school jewfish. Most of the jew are undersized but are providing sport. The Oyster Channel Bridge remains a reliable fallback for bream, whiting, flathead and school jew.

Offshore activity has slowed, with baitfish numbers dropping noticeably over the past fortnight impacting mackerel numbers. A few tuna around. Some of the wider boats heading well offshore are still finding fish, mainly bigeye bar cod and other deep‑water species. Overall, upriver options are offering the most consistent fishing, while offshore remains patchy.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Maroon Dam

Maroon is producing plenty of bass, mostly in the 25–35 cm range, with a few better fish mixed in. Small-profile lures are the key this week. Dark 2.7–3 inch soft plastics slow‑rolled around the lily‑pad edges are working well, along with small blades. The Rapala Suspect in baitfish colour, and Keitech in electric-shad are working very well. Keeping lures small is important, resulting in more consistent bites.

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

Moogerah Dam

Moogerah Dam has seen a notable shift in fish location over the past week, with bass now stacking on the spit in deeper water. Fish are holding in roughly 30–40 feet, and the most consistent approach has been metal spoons in the 20–30 gram range, along with three‑inch paddle‑tail soft plastics on half‑ounce jigheads slow‑rolled along the bottom. Additional fish are still scattered around the timbered edges and near Caravan Point, where spinnerbaits and shallow‑running lures have picked up bass.

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

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam fished well last week, with bass taken around structure on metal spoons, chatterbaits and soft plastics. Both the western and eastern arms are holding fish, with some bass sitting closer to the dam wall in shallower water around the 20‑foot mark. Rolling crankbaits and chatterbaits through these areas has been effective.

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

Hinze Dam is worth a look while sheltered, though falling barometric pressure may slow the bite; live shrimp fished with a light sinker are suggested as the best approach.

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

Lake Kurwongbah

Lake Kurwongbah continues to produce good bass, with fish taken both trolling in around 20 feet and casting chatterbaits along weed edges. Small metal blades are proving effective in the deeper basin where fish are beginning to congregate.

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

North Pine Dam (Lake Samsonvale)

At North Pine Dam, bass remain spread along the edges, with spinnerbaits and early‑morning surface lures producing fish. As temperatures cool, anglers are encouraged to begin working deeper points with 20–30 gram metal spoons as bass start to school more predictably.

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

Fishing well with surface lures on the edges early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Trolling hard bodies has been the best option during the day.

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