Fishing Report for 27th February 2025

Queensland east coast: Spanish mackerel closed seasons dates: 1st of March to 21st March. 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

With strong southeasterly winds persisting, fishing activity has been limited over the past week, with few reports coming in. Most anglers have turned to the dams, with Lake Monduran still producing barramundi, though specific reports have been scarce. The upper reaches of the Burnett and Mary Rivers have seen some action, with mangrove jack, grunter, and the odd threadfin salmon being caught as well as whiting.

Those venturing out have mostly been seeking shelter from the wind down the rivers, but offshore reports have been nonexistent due to the rough conditions. Longtail tuna had been making an appearance before the blow, and they should return in good numbers once the weather settles. Overall, it’s been a quiet week, but hopefully, conditions improve soon.

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

Tin Can Bay

With wind and rain picking up this weekend, along with the making tides, the creeks will be the best option. Mangrove jacks and cod can be targeted in the snags using locally caught and filleted yellowfin mullet. Grunter are also moving through the creeks on the run-out tide. Dropping the pots in could be worthwhile for a feed of mud crabs. For those staying off the water, it might be a good time for some trailer maintenance.

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

Noosa

No report this week due to inclement weather

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

It’s been a little slow on the fishing front this week, with small trevally being caught in the woods and some decent flathead around Munna Point. A couple of nice mangrove jacks have been landed, and there have been plenty of grunter in Cooroibah.

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

Due to the weather there hasn’t been any fishing this week, but just before the bad weather hit, some nice pearl perch and school mackerel were caught at North Reef.

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

Bream, whiting, and trevally are active around Makepeace Island and Tewantin. Mud crabs are being caught near Makepeace Island, Gympie Terrace, and in front of the Boathouse. The top end of Noosa, particularly around the mangroves and the Sound, is also producing good numbers of mud crabs. Prawns have gone quiet the last few weeks unfortunately.

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

Maroochydore

It’s been a quiet week, with bream being caught throughout the area and whiting around the river mouth.

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

Mooloolaba

Plenty of mangrove jack are active throughout the Mooloolah system and Currimundi, with trevally also showing up around the trawler docks and McKenzie Bridge, though they’re widespread in most of the surrounding creeks. Mud crabs are being caught in good numbers through Pumicestone Passage, Mooloolaba, and Currimundi. Unfortunately, there’s no offshore news this week due to the weather.

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

No report this week due to inclement weather

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

Caloundra

Crabs and prawns are the standouts this week, along with plenty of mud crabs throughout Pumicestone Passage, particularly around Coochin Creek and Bells Creek. The southern end of the passage is also holding good numbers of prawns. A few whiting are being caught around the mouth of Bells Creek, and mangrove jack are still biting frequently in the canals. Unfortunately, there’s nothing to report offshore due to the weather.

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

Bribie Island

Mud crabs are being found in Ningi Creek and the Banksia Canals. Flathead are still biting at White Patch, while mackerel are being caught at the Bird Cage. Bream are coming in off the jetty.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Plenty of prawns are still being caught in the Caboolture and Pine Rivers, particularly near the mouth late at night, with good numbers also reported around the Pine River highway bridge. Small jewfish are still active at night, mainly near the mouth of the Pine, while the drop-off at Bribie has produced some good jewfish and the occasional barramundi.

Flathead are fishing well in the Caboolture and Pine Rivers, with anglers finding success when timing the tides right despite the less-than-ideal weather. Grunter are biting at Redcliffe, though conditions have a big impact on their activity. Squid are starting to show up in the southern bay, particularly around Peel Island, Macleay, and the Sandhills at Moreton. Schools of mackerel have been spotted, but catches remain sporadic, with some longtail tuna seen among them, though no confirmed hook-ups.

Bream are very active with the abundance of prawns, showing up in all river systems and responding well to whitebait and lures. Mud crabs are being caught throughout the Pumicestone Passage and around the creek mouths.

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

Sandgate

Flathead are being caught in good numbers throughout Clontarf, Brighton Foreshore, Cabbage Tree Creek, and the Pine, with plenty of keepers among them. Victoria Point saw some activity, though catches were limited. Long Toms have been making appearances, while bream have been active, with smaller fish dominating the bite and larger ones staying close to structure. Baitfish are abundant in the area, which should attract larger predators around local piers and jetties.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

No report this week due to inclement weather

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

No report this week due to inclement weather

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

Bream, whiting, flathead, grunter, and school jew are being caught in Hayes, the Pine, and Bramble Bay. Yellowfin whiting have been active in Hayes, the Pine, and along the Eastern foreshores. Snapper, grassy sweetlip, grunter, and some tailor are coming from the Eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshores. Bramble Bay has seen some small cobia and queenfish, while grunter are being caught both inshore and land-based. Mud crabs are moving through the rivers and creeks, with sand crabs showing up in Bramble Bay and off Margate Beach.

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

Redland Bay

Banana prawns are everywhere at the moment, with many anglers using fresh prawns to target threadfin salmon and jewfish in the southern bay and rivers. Flathead, bream, and whiting have also been fishing well in these areas. Sand crabs are in good numbers around Cleveland, Amity, and Peel Island.

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

Moreton Bay/ Jumpinpin

Jumpinpin has been limited by the recent weather, but anglers have managed a few trips in the bay and around the Pin. The low tide in the Jumpinpin region has been fishing well, with good numbers of flathead and other bread-and-butter species, particularly around the last hour of the run-out and the first couple of hours of the run-in tide. The Tiger Mullet Channel, Jacobs Well, and nearby mud flats have been the most productive areas, especially where there’s bait and water flow draining off the flats. A few school jewfish and threadfin salmon have also been caught, though they’re constantly moving, so finding the bait on the sounder is key.

Moreton Bay reports have been similar. With the recent winds, its been recommended to stick to shallow reef fishing rather than heading out into open waters. Peel Island, Goat Island, and the top of Macleay Island have been producing squire and sweetlip, while the rubble and gravel patches around Mud Island have also fished well, particularly when bait is present, with some good sized sweetlip coming into the boats.

The Brisbane River is fishing well, with good numbers of jewfish being caught. The rock wall at the river mouth has been holding squire, even in dirtier water, while the shallow reefs inside the river are worth fishing on the bigger tides, as they push the bait and fish in. Flathead, squire, and jewfish are all in the mix.

Prawns have been running thick, particularly from Coochie Island south down to Jacobs Well. Plenty of boats have been casting nets, and the numbers have been solid. With an added bonus if you locate the prawns, chances are you’ll also find threadfin salmon and jewfish nearby.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

No report this week due to inclement weather

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

No report this week due to inclement weather

Water Tower Bait & Tackle   Ph(07) 3396 1833

Jumpinpin

Flathead are being caught in good numbers along Kalinga Bank, East Crusoe Island, Pandanus, and the bottom of Kangaroo Island. A few tailor are also coming through the Pin, most of them in the morning, hitting metal lures and whitebait. Bream are being found in the deeper waters off the bottom of North Straddie, around the dead trees. Whiting are active along Gold Bank and Slipping Sands.

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

This week around the Pin, threadfin salmon fishing has remained the standout. Live mullet, 3-5″ paddle tails, and larger dead prawns have been the go-to baits. Whiting fishing has also been solid, with plenty of quality fish caught on live worms and yabbies

South Stradbroke Island

Despite plenty of fish likely being in the area, fishing has been tough lately, with no fish landed by hirers over the past three days. However, a rumour has been circulating that someone caught a barra upstream of the M1 bridge in the Coomera River last week. On a positive note, large banana prawns are still being found at the Saltworks.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

Conditions will be tough this weekend with fairly strong SE winds and showers. Big morning high tides will be good for whiting—try up the Nerang, which is perfect for staying out of the wind across the top of the tide and into the first of the run-out. Some good catches have come from up there, with an average size of 30cm.

Targeting pontoons, bridges, or any structure in the canals will be another option in windy conditions. Throwing splash prawns or similar surface lures close to structure will catch fish. If they’re a bit timid, try small subsurface lures like SX40s or smaller plastics. Don’t ignore the deeper areas and eddies—just switch up your lures to reach the strike zone.

Those who ventured up to Jacobs Well and beyond last weekend in search of prawns found a few, as they were around in decent numbers.

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

For the one day the weather allowed us to get out this week—right in the “open” week during the six-week southern Spanish mackerel closure—we landed a mixed bag of Mermaid Reef summer suspects. Spanish mackerel, cobia, reef sharks, and tuna were all on the chew, taking metal slugs, trolled hardbodies, and unweighted baits. This time of year, the weather is often rough, keeping more boats on land than at sea.

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

There was one brief report of good-sized dolphinfish offshore, but the weather quickly shut things down. Trevally are being caught in good numbers around the Seaway and the Coomera River, with some solid jewfish also showing up in the Seaway, likely stirred up by the recent rain. The Coomera River is fishing well for flathead and bream, while the Logan River has produced some threadfin salmon, with anglers using prawns before hooking into them. The prawns have moved on for now, with no recent reports of good numbers for now.

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

Tweed Coast

Good jewfish and tailor are being caught along the rock walls, while the southern Gold Coast down to Fingal Head has seen solid numbers of whiting, tailor, and jewfish in the beaches gutters. Mangrove jacks are still biting well but are expected to slow down soon. Mud crabs are starting to thin out but can still be found.

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

Brunswick Heads

Deep sea fishing has been tough with strong easterly winds and solid swell keeping most boats in. A few of the larger boats managed to get out, landing some good mackerel in close, but conditions have been too rough to head wide. Beaches and rock walls are producing solid catches of dart and bream, with a few tailor and trevally mixed in. In the rivers, mangrove jacks are still firing, with most being released. There are also good numbers of whiting, bream, blackfish, and flathead. Mud crabs have been active, but there are plenty of small ones being thrown back, with only a few keepers in the mix.

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

Ballina

Offshore anglers have finally had a couple of days late in the week to head out. A few mackerel have been showing up on the close reefs, with live baits producing most of the fish. However, some have also been taken on diving hard-body lures trolled between 5-9 knots. The current is still running fairly strong on the 32’s, but mahi mahi have been spotted around the FAD, and smaller snapper and flathead have been caught on pilchards and squid on the bottom.

Back in the river, the larger tides have helped with some quality mud crabs coming from both creeks and the main river. Bream are spread out along the rock walls, from the river mouth to Broadwater, with prawns, mullet, and squid being the best baits. The flathead bite has been a little slow, but some better-quality fish are showing up above the ferry on vibes, blades, and live baits.

There have been good numbers of mangrove jacks along the walls up the river as far as Wardell. Both live baits and mullet have worked well, with a few fish also taking 4-inch plastics in darker colors. With the wind and swell expected to pick up for the weekend, the break walls will be worth trying for mulloway using large plastics or hard-body lures.

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

Evans Head

Before the weather change, there were good numbers of snapper and crag on the close-in reefs offshore. If conditions improve, it’s worth checking out Airforce Beach and Main Beach for bream, tailor, and school jewfish. The rock walls are holding bream and luderick, while the Evans River is still producing bream, flathead, and whiting. The upper reaches are also worth a try for mud crabs.

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

Yamba

With the tourist season winding down, reports have been scarce. Mackerel numbers have definitely slowed, though a few are still being caught offshore. Overall, fishing has quietened, including in the river, where recent rainfall has dirtied the water again. The cleaner water on the top of the tides has been producing bream and flathead, but the run-out tide is pushing out a dirtier flow, making fishing tougher. Crab reports remain scarce, with no significant catches to note.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam on the Gold Coast continues to fish well, with plenty of Saratoga caught in the backs of bays in both the western and eastern arms. Small spinnerbaits, surface lures, and creature baits like frogs have been working well. Bass are holding in the same areas around trees, responding to crankbaits and chatterbaits, while deeper in the main basin, small crankbaits and metal spoons around submerged timber have been effective.

Moogerah Dam

Moogerah Dam is still fishing well, with large weed beds around the edges. Target these areas with chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and small soft plastics rolled off the edges, as bass are holding close to the structure. The weed beds extend throughout the dam, including up the left-hand side into the creek from the day-use ramp. Around the timber, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits have been most effective, with darker colors working best in overcast conditions and lighter colors like white and gold producing well in clearer weather.

Wivenhoe Dam

Wivenhoe Dam has been fishing well, with big bass and yellowbelly caught around Platypus Cliffs over the weekend. Rocky points are holding good fish, and lipless crankbaits, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and deep-diving crankbaits down to three metres have been effective. Billy’s Bay is also producing, along with the rocky banks around Hayes Inlet and further up towards Hamon Cove.

Lake Kurwongbah

Lake Kurwongbah has also been fishing well, particularly for kayakers, with plenty of weed beds providing good structure. Chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, and small crankbaits worked along the edges have been producing, while blades and small metal lures fished in deeper water are picking up fish that move in and out of the weed beds in search of food.

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

Kurwongbah and North Pine Dam

Saratoga reports are solid, with smaller fish at Lake Kurwongbah and larger ones in North Pine Dam, though they’ve been finicky. Bass are also biting well on the troll in both locations.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY

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Capn’s Charters

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters

Tackle Land


Gold Coast Boat Hire

Noosa River Fishing Safaris

Noosa Bluewater Charters