Fishing Report for 5th December 2024

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).

Hervey Bay/ Fraser Island

In the Mary and Susan River systems, mud crabs are being caught in good numbers, though about half of them are currently empty. This is expected to improve as conditions stabilize. At Urangan Pier, school and broad-barred mackerel are being caught, along with queenfish and golden trevally adding variety to the catches. In the Straits, threadfin salmon are appearing, with fewer fish than last year but impressive sizes ranging from 80cm to 110cm. Offshore near Fraser Island, yellowfin tuna are active, with currents pushing them closer to shore. Wahoo and dolphinfish have also been reported over the past two weeks. Spotted mackerel are beginning to move into the area, hinting at increasing activity. Black marlin catches remain sporadic, with a handful of smaller fish caught over the bar. Larger specimens were seen during the recent marlin competition, but strong winds appear to have pushed them further offshore.

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

Tin Can Bay

Crabs are on the move across the region, with good catches reported from Tbar Creek, Snapper Creek, and Mullens Creek. However, anglers should stay close to their pots as some have gone missing. Flats around the powerlines are also producing crabs. Up the creeks, jack fishing has been strong, with fish in the high 30s to early 40s. Baitfishers are having success using salted mullet on high tide and during the early run-out, while lure fishers are seeing good results with surface bites, using frogs or poppers, and jerk baits.

Offshore, snapper, pearl perch, tusk fish, lippys, and the occasional cobia are being caught anywhere from the Bar Reef around the 10 to 20 mile range, as well as the nursery reefs and Christmas Tree Reef (between the Bar and Double Island). Squid and pilchards are the baits of choice, with slow-blast jigging working well. Inshore, small but consistent snapper are being caught in the straights at 5 to 7 meters using light gear (8-pound line and 12-pound leader) with 3-inch grubs proving effective. Norman Point has been fishing well for land-based anglers. Finally, spotted and Spanish mackerel are active around Inskip Point and Big Mick, with 120g jigs working well in these areas.

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

Noosa

At North Reef and Sunshine Reef, anglers are finding dolphin fish, Spanish mackerel, and tuna around schools of bait, with grass sweetlip and pearlies still in decent numbers. Further out, around Double Island and the Barwon Banks, there have been good catches of snapper, pearlies, amberjack, and big tuskfish, with the occasional red emperor making an appearance.

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

Sunshine Reef has been producing solid catches recently, with Spanish mackerel, coral trout, sweetlip, tuskfish, and snapper among the highlights. Marlin and cobia have also been landed, making it a versatile spot for anglers targeting a mix of pelagic and reef species

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

Fishing has been relatively quiet, with a few notable catches. There have been some good-sized flathead at the river mouth, providing a reliable target for anglers. A few trevally have been found in the Tewantin area, while small jewfish have been showing up in Cooroibah. While the conditions are still challenging, these species are offering some action for those out fishing.

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

At the Noosa River mouth, good-sized flathead and bream have been caught along the rock wall. Schools of whiting and trevally are active around Noosa Sound, with mud crabs reported near the back of Gympie Terrace, though sand crabs have been quiet.
Makepeace Island has produced bream, trevally, whiting, and flathead, making it a productive spot for anglers this week.

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

Maroochydore

It’s been a quiet week, with bream and flathead throughout the system and whiting at the river mouth. Unfortunately, that’s been about it, with the water conditions being quite poor.

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

Mooloolaba

There have been plenty of wahoo at the Barwon Banks, with catches coming in on trolled metal jig heads. Closer to shore, grassy sweetlip are being caught at the Currimundi Reef, while a massive amount of whiting is showing up at the mouth of the Maroochy River. Dart and flathead are active along the Kawana stretch, particularly in the gutters on the beach, with most anglers using worms as their go-to bait. In the Mooloolah River, reports indicate that mud crabs are being found in the deeper holes following the recent rain, although fishing overall has been tough in the area.

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

Cobia, cod, jewfish, and amberjack are being caught halfway out to the Barwon Banks on live bait and jigs. Black marlin, wahoo, and mahi mahi are now widespread between 20-100 meters deep, from Cape Moreton to Noosa. Blue marlin and striped marlin are being found on the shelf.

Smithy’s Fishing Charters   Ph 0407 574 868 | www.smithysfishingcharters.com.au

Caloundra

Whiting are being caught from the Bar Mouth to Bells Creek, while grunter have been showing up around the mouths of Bells Creek and Coochin Creek. Flathead are active near the bar mouth, providing consistent action for anglers. Mangrove jack have been reported in the Pelican Waters canals, particularly near structure, and grassy sweetlip are being caught around the coffee rock. Offshore, school and spotted mackerel are biting well at Caloundra 5 Mile, with wahoo and small black marlin also making an appearance around the 50-meter line.

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

Donnybrook

Bream are holding in the deeper holes, while grunter are being caught throughout the main passage. Whiting are still around the mouth of Elimbah Creek and up near Mission Point, despite the water remaining a bit dirty. Glass Mountain Creek has seen a few mangrove jack making an appearance, and there are reports of jewfish near Poverty Creek and the 112s. Mud crabs are being found in the deeper waters, with sand crabs showing up around Little Goat Island and the Toorbul area.

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

Bribie Island

Pending

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

Northern Moreton Bay

With murky water lingering after recent rain, the mouths of creeks are a solid choice for anglers. Both the Caboolture and Pine Rivers are delivering bream and flathead, making them prime spots to target in these conditions. Crab activity has picked up as well, with mud crabs and sand crabs being reported. Be sure to keep an eye on your pots, as movement has been noted in popular areas.

Offshore, there have been strong reports of wahoo and dolphinfish around Hutchies, with trolling lures and baits proving effective. School mackerel are active near the northern beacons of Moreton Bay, while snapper and the occasional jewfish are being landed off Redcliffe and Scarborough Reef. Looking ahead, prawns are expected to start showing up soon, so it might be worth getting ready for their arrival.

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

Moreton Bay Offshore

Pending

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

The fishing has been dominated by good-quality dolphin fish and Spanish mackerel, which are being caught while trolling. However, the current has been too strong for effective reef fishing, making it more difficult to target other species.

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

Sandgate

It’s been a good week on the water, with some great bream and flathead coming in from the Pine River. Top baits have been whitebait, half blue baits, and bream bites, while Double Clutches and Imposters in yabbie colours are proving effective. There’s also been a run of stonker garfish from Scarborough to Shorncliffe, providing great fun for the kids this holiday season. Plenty of whiting are still around throughout the local area, keeping anglers busy.

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

Brisbane River – Northern Moreton Bay

School mackerel have been active along the eastern side of Hope Banks, stretching south towards Peel Island and Hanlon Light. The measured mile off Tangalooma and Shark Spit are producing the thickest schools, with scattered reports also coming in from Bribie. These areas have been consistent hotspots, making them worth a visit if you’re chasing mackerel.

In the Brisbane River, bream, snapper, and the odd jewfish and threadfin have been the main catches, particularly at night and in the lower reaches of the river. Snapper have also been found regularly around the river mouth, especially near the rock walls.

For crabbing, sand crabs and mud crabs are being caught around the front of Wynnum and the boat passage, with reports extending to Green Island and Wellington Point. These areas are well worth setting your pots, as crabbing has been productive despite the unsettled conditions.

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

Redcliffe Peninsula

In Hayes, the Pine, and Bramble Bay, bream, whiting, and flathead are being caught, with yellowfin whiting also active in these areas. Off the eastern beaches, jetties, rocky points, and inshores, snapper, grassy sweetlip, grunter, and a few tailor are being landed. School jew are present on the inshores, with some caught land-based as well. Mud crabs are being found in the rivers and creeks, and sandies are being reported in Bramble Bay.

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

Redland Bay

Despite the windy conditions, there have been some solid reports coming in. School mackerel and spotties are showing up in good numbers in the Rainbow Channel and Rous Channel, as well as just inside the South Passage Bar. Trolling spoons and casting metal slugs have delivered the best catch rates. Around Peel Island, snapper are still being caught in the basin, and grassy sweetlip are being landed near West Peel, although catfish have also been a nuisance due to recent rain.

Offshore, yellowtail kingfish and Spanish mackerel are making appearances near the headlands at Point Lookout and Stradbroke Island. Snapper and pearl perch have also been reported offshore, with decent catches for those who can work around the weather windows.

In the southern bay, whiting are in good numbers, with worms, squid, and prawns being the go-to baits. Prawns are also beginning to show up in the rivers, signaling the start of a promising season for those targeting them.

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

Jumpinpin

The recent rain and hot weather have made fishing challenging for most species, but mangrove jack fishing has been an exception. Large jack models, with some reaching up to 65cm(Photo below), have been reported, signaling the start of the jack season. Live finger mullet or mullet fillet are proving to be the most effective baits, while medium-sized glidebaits and topwater lures are also seeing success.

Tailor are active around the Bar, particularly early in the morning, with pillies, whitebait, and metal lures all proving effective. Flathead are being caught at Tabby Tabby and Kalinga Bank. For whiting, the Pig Styes and Fisherman’s Channel are productive areas, while bream can be found in the deeper waters of Swan Bay.

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

South Stradbroke Island

Other than the odd bream and mud crabs, there hasn’t been much happening on the fishing front this week due to the murky, dirty water. It’s recommended to use bait over lures for the added scent benefits. However, if you’re strictly a lure angler, try using one with a rattle or other attractant features to help draw the fish in.

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

Gold Coast Broadwater

David McDonald  Private Angler | Runaway Bay Marina

Southport

Out at the 42- and 50-fathom marks, very large kingfish continue to be a highlight, with anglers having success on strip baits, live baits, and jigs. The 24- and 36-fathom reefs remain productive for snapper, along with good-sized parrotfish and pearl perch, offering a great mix for reef fishers. Closer in, around the 18-fathom reefs, large cobia are still active, with the added bonus of spottie mackerel starting to appear in small numbers. There have even been reports of longtail tuna making an early showing, adding to the offshore excitement.

On the beaches, dart and summer whiting are providing consistent catches, especially on beach worms, which continue to be the bait of choice. In the Seaway, school jewfish and mangrove jack are actively taking live baits. The recent influx of fresh water seems to have pushed the jacks from the rivers into the deeper waters of the Seaway, where they’ve been feeding steadily. Up in the rivers, mud crabs are everywhere, with strong reports of good numbers being caught. The extra fresh water has also concentrated whiting around the river mouths and the Broadwater, where they are actively feeding. Beach worms and yabbies are proving highly effective for these sand-dwellers.

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

Fishing this week started strong, with reports of a 120cm kingfish caught on live bait at the 18-fathom mark. Cobia and a range of mixed reef fish were also caught between the 18s and 26s. After a weekend of heavy rain, strong winds, and large swell, the fishing conditions improved as the weather cleared. The rain runoff and easterly current saw snapper on the chew, with good catches of table-sized fish being reported. In addition to snapper, anglers have been landing quality trag and blue spot flathead.

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

Tweed Coast

The murky water has seen jewfish activity increase, with good catches reported. Spotted mackerel are showing up around Palmy Reef, and decent cobia have been on the inshore reefs.

Mangrove jacks have been hit-and-miss due to the conditions, but sharks are thriving in these waters, taking full advantage. Whiting and mud crabs are moving all throughout the river systems and lastly trevally have been reported in Cobaki Creek.

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

Brunswick Heads

The weather has been quite challenging with over 200mm of rain in the past week, so unfortunately, no fishing report this time. However, the river has seen a few good catches of mud crabs, with all the fresh water around providing an opportunity for those targeting them.

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

Ballina

The river has been heavily discolored due to last weekend’s rain. Clear water is pushing back into the river during the larger run-up tides, which has improved fishing conditions in some areas. The Burns Point ferry to the mouth of the river has seen the best catches of flathead and bream, with oily or smelly baits like mullet gut, mullet fillets, and pilchards proving effective in the murky water. Mulloway have also been reported from the breakwalls, with anglers landing a mix of sizes on various lures. Mud crabs have been more active in the main river and north creek, particularly around the larger morning tides. On the beaches, anglers have been catching quality bream, along with flathead, whiting, and dart. While the tailor that were present a couple of weeks ago have thinned out, it’s still worth trying metal spinners early morning or late afternoon, or soaking bait at night.

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

Evans Head

Bream, whiting, and jewfish are being caught along Airforce Beach. At the river mouth, the walls are producing good numbers of bream, jewfish, and luderick.

In the Evans Head River, bream, whiting, and flathead are active, while mud crabs are being found in the upper reaches. Offshore action has been quiet this week.

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

Yamba

The river is currently very dirty due to recent rain, making fishing conditions challenging. Flathead and bream are being caught near the river mouth, while jewfish are holding in the dirty water around the mouth and along the walls, as they tend to favor these conditions. Further upstream, the flowing streams have seen some good reports of bass. Offshore reports are sparse, though slightly north of the bar, near Woody Bay, some clean water has provided opportunities for spotted and Spanish mackerel.

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

FRESHWATER FISHING

**Some dams have been closed this week, potentially due to water quality concerns or maintenance following recent rain. While others remain open, it’s advisable to check online for updates before heading out.**

Kurwongbah Dam

Lake Kurwongbah has seen some Saratoga caught, particularly towards the back of the dam. Surface lures have been effective, offering exciting topwater action.

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

North Pine Dam

North Pine Dam has also been fishing consistently, with good-sized bass being landed from both kayaks and shorelines. The recent water inflows have pushed fish towards the edges, providing excellent opportunities for anglers. Saratoga are also active here, particularly in the dam’s upper reaches. Topwater lures, shallow-diving crankbaits, and spinnerbaits worked just below the surface have all been successful. Soft plastics with added flash—such as spinner attachments or small blades are proving particularly enticing for Saratoga in this system.

Hinze Dam

At Hinze Dam, Saratoga have been particularly active in the backwaters, feeding on surface insects. Topwater lures like cicada imitations or spinnerbaits in chartreuse or white are proving effective. For spinnerbaits, a quick retrieve after a brief pause on the cast can trigger strikes. Bass are also on the bite, especially around deeper points and submerged timber. Yellow, gold, and purple soft plastics and 20–30g metal spoons have been productive. In the main basin, bass are responding well to crankbaits diving 2–2.5 meters, especially when worked close to structure.

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

Hinze Dam

The rising water levels have pushed fish like bass and saratoga into the shallows to feed along the new inundated ground. Targeting these fish requires precise casting along the shoreline, retrieving lures such as soft plastics and spinnerbaits back from the edges for the best results.

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

THIS WEEK’S GALLERY

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Jacobs Well Boat Hire

Deep Sea Fishing Co

BK’s fishing Charters

Noosa Bluewater Charters

The Chandlery Bait & Tackle 

High Calibre Charters