The entire area surrounding the Gold Coast is a dream fishing location for any angling enthusiast. With over 70km of beautiful coastline, sandy beaches, reefs, and rocky shorelines, there are plenty of fantastic fishing locations to choose from, but finding the top fishing spots on the Gold Coast isn’t always easy when you’re new to the area.
As the second largest city in Queensland, the Gold Coast is a popular holiday and tourist destination, with millions of visitors flocking to this sunny coastal city every year. Part of the excitement for anglers is the variety of truly great fishing environments, with beaches, bays, rivers, canals, and estuaries, along with offshore fishing opportunities providing some fantastic angling.
In the following guide to the top 10 fishing spots on the Gold Coast, we’ll cover:
If you’re looking to take your Australian fishing trips or adventures to the next level, be sure to check out Your Complete Guide to Fishing in Tasmania, Australia, where we cover everything you’ll need to know about fishing in Tasmania.
Catching any fish on the Gold Coast can be a real challenge. Still, thanks to the Fishbox App, a premium Fishing Forecasting App, you’ll have access to advanced technology, including the best time to go fishing on the Gold Coast and when you’re better off relaxing at home.
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The Top 10 Fishing Spots on the Gold Coast
In this section, we’ll check out some of the top fishing spots on the Gold Coast.
The Broadwater Parklands
Beginning just behind Surfers Paradise, the Broadwater Parklands stretches for kilometers, running all the way from Labrador to Runaway Bay near Paradise Port. Boasting plenty of calm water, this estuary location is home to Flathead, Bream, Tailor, Whiting, and the many more popular estuary species. Great for family fishing or just casting soft plastics, light tackle is recommended in this area.
Coombabah Creek
Coombabah Creek is a hidden gem located in the northern area of the Gold Coast, with a small pier and plenty of access for kayak fishing enthusiasts. The two most commonly caught species in this area are Flathead and Bream, with early morning and late evening being the most productive fishing times of the day.
The Spit, Gold Coast Seaway
Located between the Southport Spit and South Stradbroke Island, the Gold Coast Spit on the Seaway is a channel that connects the Nerang River to the Pacific Ocean, making it a prime fishing area, much like an underwater highway. It’s an extremely popular fishing location thanks to plenty of access, and some of the popular fish species you can catch include Whiting, Flathead, Bream, Mangrove Jack, and even large Kingfish prowling the area. The tidal currents can be strong around the rocky shore, so be sure to check the tides before you go fishing, with the change of tide a prime fishing time.
Nerang River
The Nerang River flows straight through the heart of the Gold Coast and offers anglers some fantastic estuary fishing opportunities. While you can fish anywhere along the riverbank, the prime fishing location used by many anglers is the Nerang fishing platform, which is found under the M1 and close to the Nerang River Parklands. Some of the most commonly caught fish species in the Nerang River include Flathead, Bream, Mangrove Jack, Trevally, Whiting, and even small Sharks. If you’re lucky and want to try your hand at crab fishing, you may even find a delicious Mud Crab.
Tallebudgera Creek
Tally Creek, as the locals refer to Tallebudgera Creek, meets the ocean close to Burleigh Head National Park, and the river mouth is a prime fishing spot for Flathead. Close to the bridge is especially deep, so larger fish species can often be found lurking in this area. Some of the commonly caught species include Flathead, Bream, Whiting, Mangrove Jack, and Luderick.
Jacobs Well
Jacobs Well can be found on the northern stretch of the Gold Coast and is just a 10-minute drive off the Pacific Highway. Close to the Moreton Bay Marine Park, easily one of the biggest estuaries in Australia, there truly is some fantastic fishing available at Jacobs Well year-round. The beautiful and crystal clear water around Jacobs Well is teaming with Bream, Flathead, Whiting, Yabbies, and Crabs. While you can fish from the shore, a small kayak is the best way to explore everything this pristine fishing area offers.
The Gold Coast Canals
Over 400 km of canals wind their way around and through the Gold Coast and offer anglers unique fishing experiences. There are jetties, rock walls, and boardwalks, which all offer excellent fishing opportunities for young anglers or experienced anglers on light tackle. There are a lot of spots, including the Canal Reserve, Runaway Bay, Platter Park, Sickle Park, and Mermaid Waters, all of which are popular spots with local anglers. Some of the fish you can expect to catch include Bream, Trevally, Mangrove Jack, and Flathead.
Wave Break Island
The northern wall of Wave Break Island is one of the best fishing spots available on the island, and the depths here range from 3 to 15 meters. In this island area, you can expect to find large Giant Trevally, Bigeye, Yellowtail Kingfish, Flathead, Tailor, and Queenfish. The bottom here is primarily sandy, but some larger rocks are close to the shore, so be careful if you’re fishing along the rocky edge.
Burleigh Heads
If you’re chasing a large Tailor on the Gold Coast, the waters surrounding Burleigh Heads are one of the best places to do it. The Tallebudgera Bridge is a bit of a local hot spot with large Bream, Trevally, and Tailor cruising through the area, particularly late in the evening. It can be a little bit of a walk, but well worth it.
Pine Lake
For new anglers or experienced anglers just looking for a relaxing day of fishing not too far from home, then Pine Lake should be at the top of your list. It’s a relaxing spot for some great fishing, with the lake being fed by Currumbin Creek. Some of the fish species you’ll commonly catch here include Whiting, Flathead, Bream, Mangrove Jack, and Mullet.
Types of Fish You Can Catch on the Gold Coast
For the purpose of our top Gold Coast fishing spots article, we’ll be focussing more on inshore fishing locations and fish species as they’re more accessible. Some of the common coastal fish species you’ll encounter on a fishing trip to the Gold Coast include:
Bream – Bream can be caught year-round on the Gold Coast, but the best time to catch them is spring and autumn. They can be found in rivers, bays, and estuaries, typically close to structures. One of the great things about Bream is that you can catch them in various ways, including soft plastics, lures, and bait. Tidal changes using light tackle is the best way to catch them and also the most fun.
Flathead – Flathead are another fantastic coastal fish species, which have the added advantage of tasting delicious, but be careful when handling them as they have poisonous spines on their gills and head. Mid-year is a great time to target larger Flathead feeding in the rivers and estuaries around the Gold Coast. Flathead can be caught on light to medium tackle using bait, lures, and soft plastics. Early morning and late afternoon into the evening are your best times to target large Flathead.
Whiting – Whiting may taste delicious, with firm, sweet white flesh, but they’ll take a little bit more time and attention to land compared to more voracious feeders like Flathead. The most common size is around the 35-45cm range, but some Whiting have been known to get as big as 70cm. Spring, though summer, is the best time to target Whiting, using small baits such as minnows, crabs, and sandworms, with light tackle fishing at the bottom.
Mangrove Jack – An extremely aggressive feeder and ferocious fighter, the Mangrove Jack loves to hunt structures around coastal mangrove areas and bays. You’ll need to fish extremely close to snags and structure but be prepared for the strike as Mangrove Jack hits hard and fights even harder.
Tailor – If you’re planning on fishing for Tailor, ensure you have a strong metal or heavy nylon tracer, as these hard-hitting fish have razor-sharp teeth and will quickly cut you off. Silver slices and lures fished around rocky outcrops are ideal target locations. Bait fishing from surf beaches along coastal areas in the morning can also be very productive.
Trevally – Estuary Trevally likes to congregate around small jetties, wharves, and piers and can be found in large schools. Smaller Trevally is great for beginners just learning to fish, while larger fish can put up quite a fight on light tackle. You’ll need a light fishing line and tackle, along with small hooks and baits.
Essential Tips for Fishing on the Gold Coast
Gear Recommendations
For most inshore fishing opportunities on the Gold Coast, light to medium tackle will be perfect as most of the commonly caught inshore species such as Flathead, Bream, Flounder, Whiting, Trevally, and Tailor only grow to around 1-2kg (2-4lbs) range.
If you’re planning on heading offshore, targeting larger species such as Tuna or Marlin, you’ll need to utilize much larger game fishing equipment.
Best Fishing Seasons and Weather Tips
Like most locations, summer is always the peak fishing season on the Gold Coast, but with summer comes stronger offshore winds, which may limit some fishing opportunities. Fortunately, with very mild winters, the fishing on the Gold Coast is great in winter, too.
The best tip for planning a fishing trip to the Gold Coast or holiday is to plan around your target species. Pick a peak month for your target species, then plan your trip accordingly.
Pros and Cons of Land-Based Fishing Vs. Boat Fishing
While having both fishing options from the shore or boat is ideal, not all anglers have this advantage.
The most significant advantage of shore-based fishing is that it’s cheap and accessible. You don’t need to invest in a boat or a lot of fuel, and you still have access to some top fishing spots on the Gold Coast, especially if you’re willing to try out-of-the-way spots that aren’t easy to access. You’re also less affected by bad weather, with inshore fishing locations not as heavily affected by the wind.
The biggest disadvantage of shore-based fishing is that you’re limited to the shore and areas you can access either by car or on foot. When you have access to a boat, either a small inshore boat or a larger offshore boat, you have many more locations to choose from, with less fishing pressure and larger offshore fish species. However, a boat is a big financial investment, especially offshore boats, and when the weather conditions aren’t favorable, you’ll be limited to coastal fishing locations.
Gold Coast Fishing Licences and Regulations
Saltwater fishing on the Gold Coast requires no fishing licenses, and all saltwater recreational angling is 100% free. However, some inland waters and impoundments do require a license. To learn more about fishing licenses and regulations on the Gold Coast, you can visit the Qld.Gov Website here.
While you don’t need a fishing license for any saltwater recreational angling, there are size, season, and bag limits that you need to be aware of. For a complete list of size, season, and bag limits, you can visit the Qld.Gov Website here.
Queensland also offers recreational anglers a convenient fishing app that contains useful information anglers will need if fishing across this beautiful state. You can download the app here.
Top 10 Fishing Spots on the Gold Coast: The Ultimate Guide | Conclusion
There you go! Here are some of our top fishing spots on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, for your next Gold Coast fishing adventure. Fantastic weather, beautiful blue water, and plenty of fish make the Gold Coast one of Australia’s top fishing destinations, with great year-round fishing opportunities for anglers.
Finding the top fishing spots on the Gold Coast, Australia, is never accessible, but thanks to the information above, you’ll be out on the water catching a feed of fish or having some great fun in no time.
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When you do go fishing, you need all the advantages. The best bait, the top spots, and the premium fish forecasting application Fishbox App. Fishbox App will put you in the perfect position to catch some great fish by analyzing local weather and water conditions along with input from local anglers. The Fishbox App utilizes accurate weather, tide, and fishing conditions to predict the best time to get out on the water to catch your target species.
Have you spent a lot of time fishing on the Gold Coast, and do you have some top spots you’d like to recommend? Drop a comment below!
