Fishing Report for 2nd January 2025
Queensland east coast: Barramundi closed season – no-take species between 1 November and 31 January each year. (some exceptions apply — check the Queensland Fisheries website).
New lifejacket laws came into effect on December 1, visit msq.qld.gov.au for details.
Hervey Bay/ Fraser Island
Spotted mackerel have been absent, and the rivers remain dirty due to minor flooding. Threadfin and blue salmon are active at the mouth of the Mary River system. Inshore reefs are producing grunter, grassy sweetlip, and coral trout, while school mackerel are being caught closer to shore.
The dirty water extends to the outer banks, but beyond that, school mackerel, mack tuna, and trevally of various species are still active. Fishing around Fraser Island has been quiet, largely due to unfavorable wind and weather conditions.
Whiting and grunter are being caught along the beaches, while sand crabs are active in the bay and mud crabs are moving around the mouths of the creeks.
| Fishos Tackleworld Ph (07) 4128 1022 | www.fishostackleworld.com.au |
Tin Can Bay
Recent rain has prompted crabs to move closer to the mouth and into deeper holes, making for excellent crabbing conditions with great tides ahead. Mangrove jack are still active, particularly with live bait at the top of the tide and the start of the runout. Cod and blue salmon can be found in the creeks. At the 10 Mile, pearl perch and tuskfish are biting on squid, pillies, and lightly weighted soft plastics.
Inskip Bar is producing barred tuna, longtail tuna, and Spanish mackerel, with 20 to 50-gram slugs working well. At Norman Point, gar and whiting are biting, particularly on freshly pumped yabbies and worms (which you can get from the chandlery), with golden trevally also mixed in.
| The Chandlery Bait & Tackle Ph (07) 5486 4744 | www.tcbchandlery.com.au |
Noosa
The local reefs off Noosa have seen a surge in cobia numbers as 2024 wraps up. Alongside cobia, anglers are catching Spanish mackerel, amberjack, pearl perch, coral trout, sweetlip, Moses perch, and tuna, making it a prime spot for a variety of species.
| Deep Sea Fishing Co Noosa Ph 0411 222 749 | www.deepseafishingco.com.au |
Fishing has been productive in Woods Bays with a few nice flathead and golden trevally being caught. In Weyba, anglers are reporting good catches of whiting and Moses perch. Over in Cooroibah, there’s been action with mulloway, flathead, and mangrove jack.
| Noosa River Fishing Safaris Ph 0429 030 823 | www.noosariverfishing.com |
Flathead and whiting are being caught around the river mouths and up toward the lakes, with trevally and grunter also showing up in the mix. Mud crabs are active along the stretch of Gympie Terrace.
| O Boat Hire & Bait Supply Ph (07) 5449 7513 | www.oboathire.com |
Daily outings have yielded consistent catches, including cobia, pearl perch, snapper, mahi mahi, sweetlip, tuskfish, rosy and green jobfish, and Spanish mackerel.
| Noosa Bluewater Charters Ph (07) 5449 9355 | www.noosabluefishing.com.au |
Maroochydore
Trevally are showing up throughout the river, and whiting are lively in the lower river, around the 35cm mark. Bream are active across the river, particularly at the creek mouths and in Cod Hole. With the water clearing up, the top of the tide has seen solid catches of flathead and bream in the Maroochy River. Crabs have been on the smaller side recently, but there have still been some decent catches. If you’re crabbing, try cruising through the river, with decent results near Bli Bli and the northern side around Chambers Island.
| Swan Boat Hire Ph 0403 601 452 |www.swanboathire.com.au |
Mooloolaba
Mud crabs are active throughout the Mooloolah River, with flathead found near the bridges in the lower reaches. Bream are being caught by the fish troller boats, and more flathead have been landed along Kawana Beach. Spanish mackerel are showing up around the Outer Gneerings and Coolum, while mack tuna are in Mooloolah Bay.
Grassy sweetlip are biting well on the close reefs off Mooloolaba, with snapper and pearl perch taken at The Hards. The 8 Mile FADs are producing dolphin fish, alongside some small black marlin.
| Tackleworld Kawana Ph (07) 5444 0714 | www.tackleworldkawanafishingstore.com.au |
Spotted mackerel have been showing up sporadically, with anglers casting slugs, trolling pillies, or small lures to catch them. Spanish mackerel are widespread, but shark activity has been a concern on some reefs. Black marlin are being reported from Caloundra to Cape Moreton, with sailfish mixed in. Blue and striped marlin are active on the shelf. On the Barwon Banks, hussar and tuskfish are biting, while gold band snapper and amberjack are being caught at the Hards.
| Smithys Fishing Charters Ph 0407 574 868 | www.smithysfishingcharters.com.au |
Caloundra
Spanish and spotted mackerel are being caught around the 3 Mile, 5 Mile, and Currimundi Reefs, including an impressive 40kg Spanish mackerel measuring 1.6m—though a tiger shark managed to take a massive bite out of it before it was landed. Cobia numbers have also been strong, with sweetlip, snapper, tuskfish, red throat emperor, and spangled emperor biting well on the same reefs.
On the beaches, whiting and dart are being caught, but recent windy conditions have made fishing a bit challenging, with calmer weather expected this week.
In the rivers, mangrove jack are active again, along with consistent catches of whiting and flathead. Mud crabs are moving well in Bells Creek, Coochin Creek, and the upper parts of the Pumicestone Passage beyond Bells Creek.
| Caloundra Fishing World Ph (07) 5491 4566 | www.caloundrafishingworld.com.au |
Bribie Island
Mud crabs are abundant in Ningi Creek. Spotted mackerel and dart are being caught along Woorim Beach, while flathead and bream remain active around Banksia Beach.
| Gateway Bribie Adventures Ph (07) 5497 5253 | https://www.facebook.com/gatewaybaitandtackle/ |
Northern Moreton Bay
Fishing at the mouth of the Pine and Caboolture Rivers has been productive, with flathead, trevally, and bream being caught. The bite is expected to improve as the water clears. Flathead are also being caught off Redcliffe, with early morning and late afternoon providing the best bite times. Snapper are still present around Redcliffe, along with grassy sweetlip in the shallower spots. For these fish, slow-presented floating baits are proving effective, this tactic has also been working around the local artificial reefs as well.
On the pelagic side, a few spotted mackerel have been showing up in the bay, with reports from around the Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef and the Channel Beacons, although their presence has been inconsistent.
Mud crab reports have been mixed, but targeting the Pine and Caboolture Rivers, especially near their mouths, is still worth considering.
| Tackleworld Lawnton
Ph (07) 3205 7475 | www.facebook.com/tackleworldlawnton |
Moreton Bay Offshore
Fishing offshore off Moretan island has been excellent recently, with light currents making for productive outings. Snapper, pearl perch, and dolphin fish have all been caught in good numbers.
| High Calibre Charters Ph 0421 922 713 | https://highcalibrefishingcharters.com.au/ |
Redcliffe Peninsula
Bream, whiting, and flathead are being caught in Hayes, the Pine, and Bramble Bay, with yellowfin whiting also active in these areas and along the Eastern foreshores. Snapper, grassy sweetlip, and grunter are being found off the Eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshore areas, with some grunter also being caught from land-based locations. Mud crabs are moving through the rivers and creeks, while sand crabs are being caught in Bramble Bay and off Margate Beach.
| Hornibrook Bait & Tackle Ph 0483 846 966 www.facebook.com/HornibrookBT |
Redland Bay
Spotted mackerel have been active in the northern bay and Rainbow Channel, while grassy sweetlip are being caught around Peel Island. Snapper are holding at Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef, with Spanish mackerel found near the rock groupings off Stradbroke Island. Bream are biting well throughout the Raby Bay canals, and the recent rains have brought out mud crabs in the local creeks.
| Mossops Tackle Store Cleveland Ph (07) 3821 1240 | www.mossopsfishing.com.au |
Nth Stradbroke Island
Whiting of decent size and in good numbers have been reported at the Chain Banks. Grassy sweetlip are biting well southwest of Green Island.
| Water Tower Bait & Tackle Ph(07) 3396 1833 |
Whiting are being caught along all the beaches, with bream, flathead, and chopper tailor reported on Main Beach. Banana prawns are showing up around Canaipa Passage, Russell Island, and Karragarra Island.
| Point Lookout Bait & Fresh Fish Ph (07) 3409 8724 |
Jumpinpin
Tailor are being caught around the bar early in the morning, with pillies, whitebait, and metal lures proving effective. Flathead are active at Tabby Tabby and Kalinga Bank. Whiting are biting in the Pig Styes and Fisherman’s Channel, while bream are being found in the deeper waters of Swan Bay.
| Gem Bait & Tackle Ph (07) 3287 3868 | www.facebook.com/gembait |
The Pin is seeing clearer water flowing through, and the whiting bite has picked up. The best results have come from using live baits such as worms (beach or bloodworms) and yabbies. Mangrove jacks are still active, with solid catches reported. Flesh baits like mullet or soft plastics in the 3-6″ range have been particularly effective. Mud crabs are on the move as well; setting pots baited with whole mullet or searching the mangroves is proving productive.
| Jacobs Well Boat Hire Ph (07) 5546 2608 | www.jacobswellboathire.com.au |
South Stradbroke Island
Spinner sharks have been spotted outside the entrance to Couran Cove, while mangrove jack are biting under Ephraim Island Bridge. Yellowfin bream are active at the mouth of the Southern Arm of the Coomera River, and garfish can be found at The Timbers, at the southern end of South Stradbroke Island.
| Gold Coast Boat Hire
Ph 0432 710 892 | www.goldcoastboathire.com.au |
Gold Coast Broadwater
Sunday looks like the better day for fishing this weekend. There’s an abundance of bait around Runaway Bay, with giant schools of herring. Land-based anglers should try the foreshore walls and drains with lightly weighted plastics. The Nerang River is fishing well, with mangrove jacks being caught along the rock walls, bridge pylons, and pontoons. A top spot is where the trees grow over the water near Isle of Capri. Whiting have been caught from the sandbank near Monaco Street Bridge, stretching down to the council chambers and the Sundale Bridge. The Coomera River is still holding plenty of whiting in both arms, along with mud crabs—though it can be challenging to find a spot without five pots already there. For sand crabs, it’s worth putting the pots out as there have been good numbers, and the smaller tides should give them a better chance to get into the pots. With recent big tides, many pots have been drifting, so ensure yours has enough rope and weight for the location. The extra bait in the area and the smaller tides make the seaway and Wavebreak walls worth a try around tide changes.
| David McDonald Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina |
Southport
The ocean’s blue, warm waters are teeming with bait schools, creating ideal conditions despite strong afternoon currents. Surface activity has been vibrant, with small mack tuna and mackerel chasing whitebait. Palm Beach Reef continues to produce good mackerel action, while the 26s are offering a nice bonus of pearlies. A standout catch from New Year’s Day was a 115cm mahi mahi on the 18s (Photo below)
| BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters Ph 0414 293 034 | https://bksfishing.com.au/ |
Offshore, blue, black, and striped marlin have been encountered near the 36s, with Spanish mackerel also appearing in the area. Snapper activity has been quieter over the past week.
Inshore, flathead, bream, and whiting are biting consistently, offering reliable catches. Mud crabs and sand crabs are active, particularly around the left arm of the Coomera River.
| Gold Coast Fishing Tackle Ph (07) 5679 0840 | www.goldcoastfishingtackle.com.au |
Tweed Coast
The 24s and 30-fathom grounds off the Tweed are producing tuskfish, snapper, pearl perch, and flathead. Mackerel have been active around the Nines, while the pelagic action heats up with mahi mahi, black marlin, and wahoo on the prowl for baitfish.
| Cushy Fishing Charters Ph 0418 631 076 | www.cushyfishingcharters.com.au |
Recent rain has freshened up the rivers, but mud crabs remain active in the creeks and mangroves. Mangrove jack are being caught around rock walls and bridge pylons, while school jewfish are showing up in good numbers along rock walls and beachfronts.
Spotted and Spanish mackerel have been patchy but are still being caught in smaller numbers. Offshore, snapper are biting on the 36s, and little black marlin have been reported near the bait grounds along the 17-18m lines and around nearby reefs.
| Addict Tackle Ph (07) 5523 3535 | https://www.addicttackle.com.au/ |
Brunswick Heads
Deep sea fishing has been productive with mackerel, kingfish, and snapper on all reefs. On the beaches and rock walls, anglers are catching tailor, dart, bream, whiting, mangrove jacks, and a few jewfish. In the rivers, bream, mangrove jacks, flathead, whiting, blackfish, and mud crabs are all being reported.
| Bruns Beach, Bait & Tackle https://www.instagram.com/brunsbeachbaitntackle/ |
Evans Head
Airforce Beach and Main Beach are fishing well with bream, flathead, whiting, and school jewfish on the bite. The rock walls at the mouth are producing bream, tailor, and luderick, while Evans River offers bream, flathead, and whiting, along with mud crabs in the upper reaches. Offshore, snapper and trag are being caught around the reefs.
A particularly impressive catch was a 3kg+ mangrove jack from the upper reaches of Evans River, taken on a lure. (See photo below.)
| Evans Head Sports & Marine Ph (02) 6682 4536 | www.facebook.com/EvansheadSportsMarine |
Yamba
The river has been fishing well for a variety of species, with reports of bream, blackfish, tailor, jewfish, whiting, flathead, and even mangrove jacks. Pumping yabbies has been the most consistent method for catching fish this week. Offshore, mackerel action has been solid, with spotted mackerel showing up more frequently than Spanish mackerel. Snapper and pearl perch are still being caught, with a 20kg Sampson fish and a 20kg jewfish landed near the northern grounds just off Evans Head. Mud crabs are being reported around Maclean, particularly as the water clears. Blue swimmer crabs are active at the bottom end of the river.
| Yamba Bait and Tackle Ph (02) 6646 1514 | https://www.facebook.com/yambabaitandtackle/ |
FRESHWATER FISHING
Hinze Dam
Hinze Dam continues to produce, with Saratoga active on small surface baits and crankbaits around the trees. In the main basin, bass are biting on crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and metal spoons, especially near the timber. Brown dog-colored Jackall TN60 lures have been particularly productive, with good-sized bass caught along the rocky points and near the buoy line exclusion zone by the dam wall.
Maroon Dam
At Maroon Dam, early mornings are ideal for surface lures like small frogs, while crankbaits around the timber perform well as the sun rises. Small plastics with tail spinners and hopped blades are also effective for targeting bass near the trees.
Moogerah Dam
At Moogerah Dam, bass have been sitting at depths of 10 to 15 feet, with crankbaits such as the Jackall TN60 and dark-colored chatterbaits like the Jackall Chara Blade proving highly effective. One angler reported catching 20 fish in 20 casts using a dark Chara Blade. The bass have been scattered, with catches reported near the dam wall, on the spit, in the timber of the six-knot zone, and along the banks. Focus on depths of 12 to 20 feet, and use crankbaits or lipless crankbaits for consistent results.
| Charltons Fishing Ph (07) 3818 1677 | www.charltonsfishing.com.au |
Kurwongbah Dam
At Kurwongbah Dam, the water clarity has improved, and bass fishing is picking up. Topwater lures and baits like worms are proving effective, especially during the early mornings and late afternoons. Saratoga have also been active in these conditions.
| Tackleworld Lawnton
Ph (07) 3205 7475 | www.facebook.com/tackleworldlawnton |
THIS WEEK’S GALLERY
Deep Sea Fishing Co
High Calibre Charters
Noosa Bluewater Charters
Noosa River fishing Safari
Evans Head Sports & Marine
Charltons Fishing
Smithy’s Fishing Charters
BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters
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