Sunshine Coast Fishing Report | Thursday 14 December 2023

With school holidays in full swing, Sunshine Coast waterways are bustling with activity, with plenty of good catches reported. The upcoming week looks to be very hot, with this weekend shaping up to be a scorcher. For offshore enthusiasts, early next week offers the best conditions.

Offshore Fishing

Spotted and Spanish Mackerel have been reported from the Blinker to Sunshine Beach. Around the FADs, Mahi Mahi are abundant, with some impressive-sized bulls taking live baits. The Hards continue to deliver Snapper, Pearl Perch, and Tuskfish. Additionally, Jewfish, Cobia, Snapper, Moses Perch, Tuskfish, Pearl Perch, and Gold Spot Cod are being caught off the reefs. For game fishers, Marlin and Sawfish are making appearances out wide.

Freshwater

Freshwater fishing continues to be consistent, with Saratoga activity increasing due to higher water temperatures. Bass and Sooty Grunter are also becoming more active. Frogs and small soft plastics are the lures of choice for these conditions.

Jett with a his first Mangrove Jack caught on a Lure. The trusty Pro Lure Clone Prawn got the job done @jettsflickin_

Maroochy River

Mangrove Jacks are still in prime form, with live bait around structures such as bridge pylons and submerged trees proving effective. Soapies (small Jewfish) are also active, responding well to live baits and smaller profile plastics. Larger Flathead are biting, with large paddle tails or swimbaits being effective, along with White bait as a classic bait choice. Bream up to 40cm have been caught in the Bli Bli stretch to the cod hole on 2” grubs and cranks, while cubed Pilchard, and Slimy Mackerel being successful baits. Whiting have been reported on the flats from the river mouth up to Bli Bli, with Sugapen Splash and MMD 70mm Splash Prawns a great option to target them off the top, while bait fishos have had success with live beach worms and live yabbies.

Levi with a nice 40cm Mangrove Jack @levifishinngg

Levi with a nice 40cm Mangrove Jack @levifishingg

Noosa

In Noosa, the fishing is varied, with catches of Flathead, Bream, and Whiting around the river mouth. Woods Bay is yielding Flathead, Bream, and Trevally. Setting pots for Mud Crabs could be worthwhile, especially with rain predicted this weekend. Flathead and Estuary Cod continue to be reported along the Tewantin reach, while Sand Whiting and Grunter Bream are still delivering in Lake Cooroibah.

Caloundra

The beaches near Caloundra have been fruitful, with good sized Flathead caught this week. We’ve had reports of some Barramundi caught on live bait at Pelican Waters this week.

Beach

Beaches from Caloundra to Noosa have been fishing well when the weather permits. Dart have been plentiful, with Whiting, Flathead and Tailor also making a significant presence. You can’t go wrong with a Halco Twisty metal slug, while bait fishos should try live beach worms and ganged pilchards.

Jack with a nice Giant Herring caught at Noosa @jack.robo06

Crabbing

With predicted falls of around 5-10mm on Saturday and 1-5mm on Sunday, the weekend looks to be the perfect time to get the pots in. Remember to have your pots correctly tagged and labelled, and remember the limit of four pots per person. For enticing those big bucks, whole mullet and fish frames are the way to go. Drop by our store for all your crabbing essentials, including whole mullet and mullet frames, bait bags, pot tags, floats, and more. And keep an eye out for our metal bait cages restocking next week.

As we approach the festive season, there's no shortage of fishing excitement on the Sunshine Coast. There's something for everyone, from offshore anglers to river fishing enthusiasts. Get out and enjoy what our region has to offer! We’ve had a big restock in store and have all the gear you need to make your holiday a success! Whether it's live beach worms, local fishing advice or some new gear, we’ve got you covered.

Tight lines,

Trent & Corinne
Bait Master Fishing and Tackle

Cover Photo: Archie with a nice 35cm Tarpon @fishing_with_ab