Fishing Report for 28th August 2025

Hervey Bay / Fraser Island

Urangan Pier has finally got some bait back, with reports of mackerel, jewfish, flathead, queenfish, and trevally, along with a few grunter. The local beaches haven’t produced any solid reports yet. Inshore reefs are giving sweetlip, queenfish, trout, with the occasional cobia and giant herring.

The gutters at Roonys have been producing grassy sweetlip and red emperor, with fewer sharks than usual. Offshore, there’s been plenty of activity. Around the shoals, GTs and Spanish mackerel have been caught, along with herring on the inshore grounds. From the shoals and the Spit, GTs and Spanish mackerel have been active. In deeper water, bar cod, flame-tail snapper, ruby snapper, and a few blue-eye trevalla have been caught along the 500-metre line. The 100-metre grounds are producing plenty of snapper and pearl perch, as expected for this time of year.

Bay pelagic activity has been mixed. A few Spanish mackerel are around, noticeably larger than average, with many between 15 and 20kg. School mackerel have been scarce, which is unusual for this time of the season.

In the Great Sandy Straits, summer whiting, flathead, small jewfish, and tailor have been active at Kingfisher, with tailor reaching up to 60cm. Grunter have been active around Picnic and Duck Islands, and whales are moving along the front of the creeks just outside Toogoom.

Fraser Island has produced smaller Spanish mackerel, GTs, and tailor. Tailor numbers have been strong, with fish between 35 and 50cm, caught from the beach and out to 400 metres. At the Cathedrals, 36 tailor were landed two hours before high tide, with the bite dropping off sharply after the tide turned.

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

Tin Can Bay

In the Bay, tailor are being caught in good numbers by trolling small diving hardbodies on the making tide. Casting slugs off the beach has also been effective for a feed. Flathead remain active, with soft plastic prawns and grub-tail plastics producing well. The last of the run-out tide and drains off the flats are the best areas to focus on. Summer whiting are in strong numbers around Ida Island and Cockatoo Island. Live yabbies and local beach worms are the preferred baits. Mangrove jacks are starting to fire up with the rising water temperatures, so now is the time to gear up and target them.

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

Noosa

Goldband, pearl perch, snapper, yellowtail kingfish, and other species are being caught off the Hards and Barwon Banks. On the North Reef, school mackerel, pearl perch, and snapper are active. Coastal bars are running heavy at the moment, so caution is advised, especially around low tide.

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

Fishing has slowed with the warmer weather, but there have still been some good catches. Flathead are coming out of the Woods, with a few bream showing up there as well. The Frying Pan has produced a couple of nice whiting, and javelin fish have been taken around Tewantin.

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

North Reef has produced some excellent pearl perch and snapper, along with Moses perch, cobia, sweetlip and tuskfish. A large queenfish was also landed. Double Island Point is seeing good numbers of snapper and large pearl perch, with the occasional big spangled emperor reported.

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

Fishing has been a bit slow overall. Up the river near Makepeace Island, mud crabs are active. Down toward Tewantin, bream and whiting are present, and trolling across the river mouth has produced some good flathead. Near the Noosa Boathouse, whiting are good, though trevally and bream remain limited. Noosa Woods Bay is producing tailor and whiting, with a few mud crabs also reported.

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

Maroochydore

Bream and whiting have been active throughout the river this week. Trevally are being caught up at the Cod Hole, and a few mud crabs are starting to appear in Petrie and Eudlo Creek

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

Mooloolaba

The Caloundra wide areas are producing snapper and pearl perch. Murphy’s and the outer Gnerring Reef have been giving quality snapper and cobia. Up at Coolum, coral trout and grassy sweetlip are being caught, with some Spanish mackerel around Old Woman’s Island. In the Maroochy and Mooloolah rivers, garfish are still active, and flathead are coming from the river mouths. Bream are holding well around the trawler docks and along the rock wall at La Balsa Park and over at the Currimundi Lake mouth, good tailor have been caught at night.

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

Caloundra

Off Caloundra wide, in 50 to 60 metres of water, snapper and pearl perch have been caught using both bottom-bash and float-line rigs. Fresh pilchards floated down and fresh mullet fillets on the bottom have been producing good results, with two legal red emperor also landed.

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

Within the passages, flathead fishing has been picking up with good numbers of whiting. Worms, yabbies and soldier crabs are all working well. Flathead are being caught using the usual methods, including trolling lures, casting soft plastics, and live bait where available. Bream are showing intermittently, mangrove jack are starting to appear, and the occasional barramundi have been reported.

Beaches are producing well, with tailor a bit patchy, but bream, dart, flathead and whiting remain active when conditions allow.

Offshore, snapper, sweetlip, school mackerel and cobia are being caught on the local inshore reefs, while pearl perch, tuskfish and snapper are being taken slightly further out. Overall the week has been inconsistent due to changing conditions, though recent days have produced some good catches, including a few flatties over 80cm that were released.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

Offshore has been fishing well with plenty of snapper and pearl perch still being caught off Cape Moreton, out past Hutchies Reef, and around Shallow Tempest. Snapper are also coming from the North Moreton Artificial and the Wide Banks Artificial reefs.

Back in the Bay, snapper have been taken around Mud Island and Scarborough in the shallows on lightly weighted soft plastics. Some really great grunter have also shown up at the front of Scarborough and redcliff. Winter whiting are a good option around the Cockle Banks, and also off Scarborough earlier in the day in 6 to 8 metres of water.

In the creeks near the Hornibrook Bridge and the Highway Bridge in the Pine River, the night-time bite has produced tailor, flathead, and school jew on the incoming tide. The mouth of the Pine and the Caboolture River has given up some quality flathead at the start of the outgoing tide, with trolling hard bodies and working soft plastics along the drop-offs proving effective.

In the Passage, summer whiting have been caught around the mouths of Elimbah Creek and Coochin Creek. The rain has stirred up the lower reaches, and it’s also been producing some good mud crabs in the creeks and rivers.

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

Sandgate/Shorncliffe Pier

Shorncliffe Pier is fishing well at the moment. Flathead are active with fish to 65cm being landed, alongside tailor around 36cm. Bream have also been caught, with sizes up to 33cm. Brighton, Cabbage Tree Creek and the Pine River are also producing quality fish and should continue to improve over the coming months.

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

Brisbane River

Whiting are active around Darcy Light and the eastern side of Fisherman’s Island. The lower reaches of the Brisbane River are producing flathead, bream and squire, particularly around the rock walls.

School mackerel have been seen northeast of Mud Island, around the back of Green Island, Wellington Point, Amity Point and down the Rainbow Channel. Apart from that, there’s little else showing. A few small jewfish around 60cm have been reported, though nothing remarkable. With the recent warmer weather, threadfin salmon may start appearing.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Quality snapper are still being caught in 70 to 75 metres off Moreton Island. With spring just around the corner, the start of the dolphin fish season should be coming soon and should be seeing some big schools moving in around the FADs 

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

Big fish are still holding in close off Moreton Island, particularly around Shallow Tempest. Further out, the 35s and the Square Patch are producing solid pearl perch and eskys full of snapper.

Moreton Island Fishing Charters   Ph 0413128056 | https://moretonislandfishingcharters.com.au/

Redcliffe Peninsula

Hayes, the Pine, Bramble Bay, and Woody Point Jetty have produced snapper, tailor, bream, whiting, flathead, and school jewfish. Yellowfin whiting have been active in Hayes, around some structure in Bramble Bay, and along Margate Beach.

North of Scarborough, Deception Bay, and Bramble Bay, anglers are catching snapper, flathead, tailor, and school jewfish. The eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshore areas are producing snapper, tailor, flathead, bream, and school jewfish. Some grunter are starting to appear on the northern inshore reefs.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

Around Wynnum and the Darcy Light, whiting are being caught. Tailor and squire are active off Green Island. School mackerel are around Mud Island and the back of Green Island.

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

There’s been some good tailor off the beaches at North Stradbroke Island. Bream are biting well through the Raby Bay canals, and squid have been active around the Ormiston foreshore, Victoria Point, Wellington Point, and Manly boat harbour. Snapper and mulloway are coming from the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef. Offshore, the 24 and 36 fathom lines have produced plenty of snapper and pearl perch.

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

Moreton Bay/ Jumpinpin

Around Peel Island, especially the southern side, there’s been plenty of bait holding and good numbers of squire. No standout fish, but solid numbers on the reef edges. The northern and eastern sides of Macleay Island have also been fishing well.

Flathead are going strong across the Bay, with good size and numbers coming from Garden Island and Lamb Island. Look for areas with bait and water flow off the banks. Jew fish are holding near the salt works at the southern end of Macleay Island, and there are still some threadfin salmon showing around Russell and Macleay Islands.

Jumpinpin continues to fish well, with clean water and plenty of bait. The northern Bay around Cabbage Tree Point has dirtied up after last week’s rain, so the better fishing is in the southern sections from Jacobs Well through to Sovereign Islands, Tipplers and down toward South Stradbroke. Plenty of tailor around, mostly 30–40cm fish. Find the birds and you’ll find the tailor.

Bream have dropped off with the season finished, but flathead are now thick in the deeper sections as they move out to spawn. Good areas include Jumpinpin Bar, Cobby Passage, Crusoe Island and the drop-offs along Crusoe. Incoming tide has been best at Jumpinpin, while the outgoing has produced fish around Bedrooms, Tipplers, Kalinga Bank and Swan Bay Channel. If you’re chasing bigger flathead, fish 4–5 inch plastics to match the larger baitfish they’re on. For numbers, stick with 3 inch plastics and you’ll stay busy.

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

Jumpinpin

Plenty of good flathead have been caught around Kalinga Bank, the deep areas off Swan Bay, the Stockyards, and Pandanus Island. Some good whiting are coming from Fisherman’s Channel and the Pig Styes. Bream are active at Tabby Tabby Island and Kalinga Bank. It looks set to be a great long weekend on the water for the Gold Coast Show.

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

With warmer weather pushing in, summer species are starting to move through. Whiting are fishing well with solid catches on live bloodworms and yabbies. Tailor are still around in smaller numbers as the season winds down. Schools of jewfish are present, though not in the same sizes seen in recent weeks. Westerlies and cooler winter temperatures are fading, with higher UV, rising temperatures, and southeast winds expected in the days ahead.

South Stradbroke Island

Coombabah Creek is producing plenty of good-sized whiting. Mud crabs are active following recent rain, with the larger bucks found in deeper holes rather than the shallows near the mangroves. Tailor are still being caught, and arrow squid are abundant around Labrador. Big flathead have been taken around Crab Island and the Alder Shots

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

A stunning weekend ahead with winds perfect for Gold Coast show day. Saturday a bit breezy but offshore so plenty of spots to hide out of it. There has been heaps of bait this week around Runaway bay. The squid have been thick with best areas from SeaWorld to the Sundale bridge, out the front of Bayview towers and Runaway bay channel from the marina south. Flathead have been found around Crab, the Aldershots, Tipplers channel, the measured mile and into Jacobs well channel. Great numbers of 40-50cm fish have been caught last week with the odd bigger one mixed in.

Tailor have been caught around the ends of the seaway walls and with the swell slowly dying off the beaches Saturday afternoon/Sunday morning should be a great option. Whiting have been caught in the Nerang, Coomera and Pimpama rivers from the middle sections to the mouth. Crabs have been caught with decent numbers of sand crabs being caught from the mouth of the Coomera to Currigee. Mud crabs were also found up in the shallows last week. The tides aren’t as good this weekend but worth a try.

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

No report this week

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

On the 42 and 50 fathom reefs, huge kingfish and amberjack have been taken using big live baits, which have proven the most successful. Snapper have been full-on since the opening, with the 36, 24, and 50 fathom lines producing medium to large fish, along with pearl perch and some cobia.

The 18 fathom line is still producing the odd longtail tuna and good numbers of silver jewfish. On the beaches, chopper tailor and summer whiting are starting to show, with some nice flathead taken in the low-tide gutters. In the Broadwater, squid are abundant, garfish are active, and luderick are still hitting for float-line anglers. Flathead have been good around Jumpin Pin, with reports also from the Alder Shots and Tipplers. Rivers are producing plenty of bream, along with good flathead and the occasional mud crab.

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

Tweed Coast

No report this week

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

The bream season is wrapping up with plenty taken during recent competitions, particularly in the Tweed River. Tailor are active off the headlands, with spinning and floated pilchards also turning up the occasional longtail tuna in the mix. Snapper are being caught in close on the 18 and 36 fathom lines. In the river, a few mangrove jack have started to show along with flathead. The latest reports also mention some mud crabs starting to appear in the upper reaches.

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

Brunswick Heads

Strong wind and swell have made conditions difficult for boaters, so there’s no deep-sea report this week. Beaches have been affected as well, with keen anglers catching dart and bream. Rock walls are producing a few jewfish on lures and plastics. Rivers are running high, with quality bream, whiting, flathead, blackfish, and trevally being caught, along with the occasional mud crab.

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

Ballina

Pending

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

Evans Head

Along Airforce and Main Beach, bream and the occasional school jew are being caught. On the rock walls, there are some bream and luderick. In the river, bream and whiting are active, with mud crabs present further downstream. Offshore fishing has been limited due to rough conditions at the bar and increasing winds, so no offshore reports are expected for the next few days.

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

Yamba

The rivers are still running dirty, with mainly catfish being caught. The main rock wall has been much more reliable, with good numbers of bream, plenty of small tailor, and the odd longtail tuna still showing off the end. The water colour hasn’t put the fish off, and there’s been an abundance sitting along the wall and on the surf side.

Crabbing hasn’t produced much lately. Offshore conditions haven’t been the best, but there have been a few snapper and pearl perch reported, though nothing in big numbers. One downside of the dirty water is the increase in sharks hanging around the end of the wall, which has made things difficult for those chasing jewfish.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Wivenhoe Dam

At Wivenhoe, bass are moving upstream from the main bason toward Hammond Cove and further north. Deeper water has been producing best, with metal spoons and soft plastics in the 30–40g range effective. Half-ounce soft plastics slow-rolled along the bottom are catching good bass. Fish are also present in the main basin. Chatterbaits along the edges and spinnerbaits on rocky points are working well for yellowbelly.

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

Moogerah Dam

Moogera Dam continues to produce summer bass. Metal spoons in the 20–30g range, paddle-tail plastics and slider grubs on half-ounce jigheads slow-rolled along the bottom are catching fish. Crankbaits that reach around 4m depth are also effective.

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

Hinze Dam

At Hinze Dam, bait anglers using shrimp under a float have been catching strong numbers, with a few yellowbelly and saratoga also landed. Spring conditions are starting to fire up, making overall fishing very productive.

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

North Pine Dam/ Lake Kurwongbah

Lake Kurwongbah on the north side of town has good bass on the weed beds. Small blades, chatterbaits, soft plastics and spinnerbaits along the edges are producing bass and a few Saratoga. North Pine Dam is fishing well for bass in the basin. Small paddle-tail plastics on heavier jigheads slow-rolled through schools, and 20g metal spoons fluttered through the schools are working. Edges are producing bass early in the morning using spinnerbaits, small soft plastics and metal spoons cast out and slow-rolled back in.

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

Maroon Dam

Maroon Dam is fishing well, particularly up the back of the creek. Warmer weather has improved activity. Chatterbaits, skirted jigs, spinnerbaits and small lipless crankbaits along edges early in the morning are producing fish. Small paddle-tail plastics on 1/4oz jigheads are also catching bass along weed edges.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY

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Fishos Tackleworld

The Chandlery Bait & Tackle

O Boat Hire & Bait Supply

Deep Sea Fishing Co

Noosa Bluewater Charters

Salty Fishing Charters

Noosa River Fishing Safaris

Capn’s Charters

High Calibre Charters

Moreton Island Fishing Charters

Tackleworld Lawnton 


Tackle Land

Gold Coast Boat Hire