Fishing Report for 30th January 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

At Urangan Pier, queenfish and school mackerel have been active among plenty of bait, though trevally has been scarce this week. A 2-metre crocodile was spotted at River Heads, and another was seen at Coona Beach.

Inshore reefs are producing coral trout and grassy sweetlip, though the water remains a bit green. At the Gutters near Rooney’s, fish have been everywhere, but sharks are taking many before they reach the boat. Platypus Bay hasn’t seen much bait or mac tuna, but there are good numbers of queenfish, Spanish mackerel, and spotties.

The Straits have been holding grunter and threadfin, while the Mary and Burrum River systems have been quiet due to dirty water. On Fraser Island’s surf side, a plague of horse flies has kept many anglers away.

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

Tin Can Bay

Crabs have been fishing well, particularly at the top of Snapper Creek, while good numbers of sand crabs are coming from White Creek, Stoney Creek, and Coochin Creek—well worth setting some pots. In the creeks, mangrove jack are feeding aggressively, with solid estuary cod and big bream appearing as bycatch. Big queenfish, many over a metre, have been showing up unexpectedly on the run-in tide near the creek mouths. In deeper water, the rubble beds are holding squire, bream, grass emperor, small nannygai, and the occasional cod. Night fishing around the lights in Snapper Creek has been productive for squid, while out at Bar Reef, Spanish mackerel are around—though getting them past the sharks is the challenge.

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

Noosa

Off Noosa, local reefs are producing Spanish mackerel, gold band snapper, Moses perch, sweetlip, pearl perch, cobia, and tuna. At Double Island Point, red emperor, snapper, pearl perch, amberjack, and cod are being caught. Conditions are good, but it’s hot on the water.

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

A few small golden trevally have been spotted in the Woods Bays, while nice flathead are coming from the Frying Pan. In Weyba Creek, flathead and Moses perch are being caught. Cooroibah is producing plenty of grunter and tailor.

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

Fishing has been a bit slow, with bream and trevally reported at the back of the canals around Noosa Parade. The river mouth area is producing bream, whiting, and flathead. Good numbers of mud crabs are being found at Gympie Terrace and Tewantin. Further south, Makepeace is fishing well for grunter, flathead, bream, and whiting.

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

Spanish mackerel and cobia have been caught at Sunshine Reef, while jewfish, snapper, and goldband snapper are being landed up at Double Island Point. At the Barwon Banks, Wahoo, snapper, and rosy jobfish have been the main catches.

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

Maroochydore

Bream and flathead are being caught throughout the river, with mangrove jack reported up past Bli Bli. Whiting are being found on the northern side of the river mouth.

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

Mooloolaba

Spanish mackerel are still thick on the close-in reefs and around the Barwon Banks, but it’s important to note that the upcoming closure runs from February 1st to the 21st.

At Coolum Reef, grassy sweetlip have been biting well, while Caloundra Wide has produced pearl perch and squire. Goldband snapper have been reported out at the Hards.

In the Mooloolah River system, trevally have been active early in the morning on surface poppers, while good numbers of mangrove jack are holding around the Minyama bridges. The Currimundi Lake system has also produced some quality mud crabs.

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

Black marlin, wahoo, and sailfish have been reported off Flinders Reef, with black marlin and wahoo also being active at the Hards. Spanish mackerel are still around the Barwon Banks, but with only a couple of days left before the closure on February 1st, anglers should make the most of the opportunity. Tuskfish and hussar are biting on the Barwon Banks, and amberjack are being caught at the Hards on jigs.

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

Caloundra

In the Passage, whiting are still active, especially at the mouth of Bells Creek and Coochin Creek, where a few mud crabs are also being found. There have been good-sized queenfish and trevally caught around the Pelican Waters Canal. Sweetlip and school jew have been reported in the surf at Moffat Beach. Out on the 5 Mile, school mackerel are still around, and grassy sweetlip and squire are active in the shipping channel.

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

Donnybrook

No report this week

Donnybrook Takeaway, Bait & Tackle   Ph (07) 5498 8247 | www.facebook.com/Donnybrook-Takeaway-Bait-Tackle

Bribie Island

It’s been a busy week out on the water, with mackerel biting well at the Birdcage at Woorim. There are still plenty of whiting at Red Beach, and mud crabs and sand crabs are both on the go. Mud crabs have been reported in Ningi Creek, Toorbul, and Donnybrook, while sand crabs are active along the passage at Bongaree. There have also been some solid jewfish caught off the bridge, and good-sized flathead have been landed at Banksia Beach.

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

Northern Moreton Bay

The creeks at the top end are fishing well for bass, with good activity in the North Pine and South Pine rivers, as well as around Dayboro. In Moreton Bay, spotted and school mackerel have been reported near the Four Beacons, though not in large numbers. A few have also appeared in the southern bay, but sightings have been limited. Snapper and grunter are in good numbers off Redcliffe, Bribie, and close offshore. Flathead are widespread, with solid catches coming from the mouths of the Pine and Caboolture rivers, as well as the Brisbane River mouth. As expected in summer, bream are starting to push back up the rivers, with good numbers spread throughout the system. Early mornings have been productive, while jewfish have been landed near the Bribie Bridge and Bongaree, particularly along the ledge. The better-sized fish have been biting late at night. Offshore reports have been limited, but mahi mahi are still being caught, and wahoo are turning up around the FADs.

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

Sandgate

Great numbers of flathead are being caught along the Brighton waterfront and even out in the bay. One angler had a successful trip to Mud Island on Monday, landing nice grassies, tuskfish, and a bonus cracker flathead. Whiting are still being caught, though it requires some searching, but once found, you can quickly land a feed. Shorncliffe Pier is still producing good catches, with beginners managing to take home a great feed.

A tip for those fishing the pier: try dropping a bait without using a sinker. While some may doubt this method, those who try it have been successful. It’s crucial to feed out a couple of rod lengths of extra line to allow the bait to drop slowly to the bottom for the best results.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

There’s a good bite of snapper, Moses perch, and tuskfish in very shallow water, though it’s been tough trying to avoid the strong current.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

In Hayes, the Pine, and Bramble Bay, bream, whiting, flathead, grunter, and school jew are being caught, with yellowfin whiting also reported in these areas. Snapper, grassy sweetlip, grunter, and some tailor are being caught off the eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshores. There are small cobia and queenfish in Bramble Bay, with grunter also present on the inshores and a few caught land-based. Mud crabs are being found in the rivers and creeks, while sand crabs are showing up 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 around Harry Atkinson Reef and in the northern bay, while Spanish mackerel are showing up around the group of Stradbroke Island. Sweetlip have been biting well off Cleveland Point, and summer whiting are being caught around the mouth of Tingalpa Creek. Mud crabs are on the move in the local creeks, and diver whiting have been reported at Fisherman’s Gutters.

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

Moreton Bay/ Jumpinpin

Jumpinpin remains quite dirty, particularly on the low tide, though threadfin salmon are coming through in good numbers, with many fish over a metre and some reaching 1.1m. Cleaner water is pushing in on the high tide, making the bar and mouth areas the best spots to target. The lagoons on the northern end of South Stradbroke have been fishing well for flathead, with the low tide producing around runoff areas and drop-offs, especially near the Measured Mile, Jacobs Well, and Tiger Mullet Channel. Finding bait is key, with good schools of trevally also in the mix, making it worthwhile to cast for both flathead and other bread-and-butter species. While conditions at Jumpinpin have remained steady, up to 300mm of forecasted rain over the next week could bring significant changes.

Moreton Bay has been fishing well, particularly on stronger current days. The shallow reefs are producing solid numbers of sweetlip and snapper, with Green Island, Mud Island, and Peel Island all delivering good catches. Reports of mackerel and tuna have been sparse, though they’re likely still present. Those targeting them should focus on Harry Atkinson Reef, off Moreton, and the South Passage entrance. Tuskfish are beginning to show up in the warmer waters, not in large numbers yet, but becoming more consistent in the same areas as snapper and sweetlip.

The Brisbane River continues to produce, though the water remains murky, and further rainfall could worsen conditions. Snapper are still being caught, while night fishing has been productive for jewfish, particularly around the Port of Brisbane. During the day, the rock walls at the river entrance remain a good option.

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

Nth Stradbroke Island

Mackerel have been active around the deep channel near Goat Island and Hope Banks. Whiting are being caught at Chain Banks, Fisherman’s Gutter, and Amity Banks. Sweetlip have been reported around Green Island. Crab activity has been quieter this week, with fewer reports of crabs being caught.

Water Tower Bait & Tackle   Ph(07) 3396 1833

Whiting have remained a consistent presence around the Pin, with live worms and yabbies still proving to be the most effective baits, particularly on size 2-6 long shank hooks. Prawn schools have been found intermittently, with some good threadfin in tow. Mangrove jacks have also been active, with some unusually large specimens over the 60 cm mark caught recently.

South Stradbroke Island

Jewfish are being caught in the Seaway and around Jacob’s Well, with greenback tailor also in the Seaway. Coombabah Creek is producing 40+ cm whiting, while sand crabs are being found in the shallows along Runaway Bay. The water temp is a warm 28°C, which should encourage mangrove jacks to be active.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

The mackerel grounds have been hit or miss lately, with northerlies, green water, and sediment making conditions challenging. However, there’s been some excellent blue water and current lines just outside the 24s and beyond the 36s. The FADs have been productive for mahi mahi, and trolling bait schools has been the tactic for targeting wahoo and marlin. Striped tuna schools are eagerly hitting small skirted and metal lures, keeping anglers engaged while they wait for those special catches to show up.

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

Out wide in 200 to 400 metres of water, there are plenty of small blue marlin. Closer in on the 50-fathom line, good numbers of kingfish, black marlin, dolphin fish, and wahoo have been caught, with trolling orange lures proving most effective.

On the 36-fathom line, dolphin fish are still holding around the FADs, along with marlin, wahoo, and a few small tuna. Moving in closer, the 24- and 18-fathom reefs are still producing reasonable numbers of snapper, while Spanish and spotted mackerel have been active around Palm Beach Reef, Mermaid Reef, and just off the Seaway.

Inside the Broadwater, mangrove jack and mulloway are holding on the north wall, and fishing has been strong overall. Flathead are still in good numbers, whiting are widespread, and sand crabs are being caught in depths of 3 to 10 metres. Further up the rivers, mangrove jack, estuary cod, and trevally are biting well on both lures and live bait.

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

Tweed Coast

Pearl perch, Maori cod, and sweetlip are being caught on the locals with the current running at 2.5 knots in close and 3.8 knots out wide. Mac tuna, Spanish mackerel, and wahoo are active on the surface, with trolling lures proving successful.

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

Starting with the Tweed River, whiting and flathead are fishing well, especially in the upper reaches, while school jew are active toward the mouth. The occasional sand and mud crabs are still being caught.

Further south, the headlands around Cabarita have been producing tailor, school jew, whiting, and a few good Dart. The beaches and nearby headlands have been much the same, with school jew featuring in the reports.

Offshore, the snapper run is still going strong. Mackerel have slowed a little with the moon phase, but things should pick up again over the weekend. Spotty and Spanish mackerel, along with the odd yellowfin tuna, have been showing up, and Nine Mile Reef has been holding small black marlin in close, particularly along the 18 to 24-fathom line.

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

Brunswick Heads

Wide reefs have been producing good catches of kingfish and wahoo, while closer reefs are yielding mackerel and some pan-sized reef fish. On the beaches and rock walls, plenty of tailor and dart are being caught. In the river, there are good catches of mangrove jacks, along with flathead, bream, whiting, and blackfish. Mud crabs are still around, though most are on the smaller side.

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

Ballina

Big tides this week have brought in good numbers of mud crabs from both creeks and the main river. Whiting and flathead have been caught in North Creek and the main river, with worms and yabbies being the most effective baits for the whiting. The large tides have also seen some fish up river around Pimlico Island. Bream have been spread from the ferry to Broadwater, with mullet, pilchards, and squid working best, especially during the oncoming tides.

The warm weather continues to encourage mangrove jacks, with quality fish up to 50 cm being landed this week. The rock walls from the mouth to Wardell have all produced fish, with some of the better catches coming from live baits used at night.

Offshore, mackerel have been inconsistent, though a few have been caught from the close reefs. There have also been one or two snapper from closer in, but better numbers have been found further out. Quality mahi mahi have been reported around the FAD, and snapper, pearl perch, and a few kingfish have been caught from the 48-fathom line. Flathead, whiting, and dart have been landed on the beaches, with pilchards and worms being the most successful baits.

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

Evans Head

Off Airforce Beach, tailor have been showing up in the evenings, with the odd jewfish in the mornings. Bream and whiting are also being caught, and there have been some luderick at both the North and South Walls. Luderick fishing was particularly good earlier in the week, along with solid bream and flathead catches.

The Black Hole is still producing good mud crabs, and there has been some solid mangrove jacks reported from the area.

Offshore around Chaos Reef, snapper and trag are being caught. Down at the southern reef, there have been occasional catches of Spanish mackerel, spotties, and barred mackerel. Kingfish and a few cobia have been showing up around the FADs.

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

Yamba

The Brisbane River is fishing exceptionally well, with a wide range of species being caught, including bream, flathead, whiting, tailor, mangrove jack, jewfish, and trevally. One angler even landed an 85cm jewfish, only to have a two-metre cod swim up and take it. The water at the lower end of the river has cleared significantly, allowing fish to move back up towards McLean, spreading out once again.

Offshore, spotted and Spanish mackerel are still going strong, particularly in the northern grounds around Woody Bay. There haven’t been many reports of mackerel further south yet, but they should be moving in soon. Large schools of mullet have already appeared along the beaches—much earlier than usual, as this migration typically starts in April. With mullet moving up the coast, the big jewfish that follow them won’t be far behind.

Snapper and pearl perch are fishing well, with some anglers having success in deeper water. One report from an angler who ventured out to 100 metres found better results on snapper and pearl perch than in the shallows, a depth not commonly fished in the area.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

Hinze Dam

Hinze Dam has been fishing well for the past couple of months, with bass and saratoga active in both the western and eastern arms. Saratoga are still being found, particularly in the upper reaches of the western arm, with topwater lures like small poppers and insect imitations working well. Spinnerbaits and small swimbaits have also been effective. Bass are widespread from the dam wall to the back of both arms, with metal spoons, soft plastics, lipless crankbaits, and traditional crankbaits all producing good results.

Moogerah Dam

Moogerah Dam continues to fish well, with anglers over the weekend reporting catches of 50-plus bass each. These fish are being taken on crankbaits, chatterbaits, soft plastics, and metal spoons. The bass are moving throughout the dam, from the wall to the back of the creeks.

Wivenhoe Dam

Wivenhoe Dam is still fishing well, with bass being caught in the main basin, Billy’s Bay, and all the way up to the junction. These fish are holding along the edges and deeper drop-offs, responding well to lipless crankbaits, traditional crankbaits, and chatterbaits. Following the old riverbed has been a reliable strategy.

Maroon Dam

Maroon Dam is starting to improve, which is promising with a competition scheduled in about a month. Bass are being caught on metal blades, small soft plastics, lipless crankbaits, and chatterbaits, with chatterbaits performing particularly well.

Leslie Dam

Leslie Dam has been performing well, with good numbers of yellowbelly and Murray river cod being caught. Metal blades, swimbaits, and trolling hard-bodied lures have been working effectively. The dam is a great spot for a family trip, with camping available right next to the water, just a couple of hours from Brisbane.

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

Hinze Dam

At Hinze Dam, early mornings are the best time for topwater fishing, with poppers and insect-style lures working well. As the day progresses, switch to soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and metal jigs to target fish holding deeper.

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

Kurwongbah / North Pine Dam

In the freshwater dams, there’s not much news from Lake Kurwongbah, but North Pine Dam has been fishing well for bass, particularly early morning and late afternoon. Locating the schooling fish will be key to success.

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

Ewen Maddock Dam

At Lake Ewen Maddock, bass up to 45cm have been caught, with chatterbaits working effectively.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY

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Deep Sea Fishing Co

Noosa Bluewater Charters

Capn’s Charters

BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charters

Smithys Fishing Charters  

Tackleland

High Calibre Charters