Love to fish? The Gold Coast is home to numerous beach and offshore fishing spots for seasoned anglers and eager beginners looking to get that big catch. Located just a few miles away from Queensland State Capital, the Gold Coast is one of Australia’s most underrated destinations. It's not only known for its long, sandy and pristine beaches, but also for its elaborate and complex system of canals and waterways that give the city its unique and charming appeal.Despite it being one of the busiest maritime waterways in the country, the Gold Coast is still one of the prime fishing locations in all of Eastern Australia. It features various spots and beaches up and down the city that host different types of fish. Whether you’re chartering for bream or you’re up for some mahi mahi fishing charters, the Gold Coast has no shortage of experienced fishing charters and fishing spots for the novice and expert angler.
Broadbeach
One of Gold Coast’s more popular beaches for both beach goers and beach fishing, Broadbeach has many beach gutters, which are home to various fish, like bream, tailor, dart and whiting all along the coastline. Broadbeach is also a great place to just hang out and relax, making it popular for team trips and corporate outings.
Currumbin Beach
Currumbin Beach has a ton of rocks that make it a good fishing spot for bream and tailor fish during the winter months, with rising tides being the best time for fishing, particularly in the river’s mouth. The mulloway or jewfish can also be spotted in this area during winter nights, especially during a rising tide.
Palm Beach
With its large and deep gutters, Palm Beach is a good spot for bream, mulloway and tailor, especially during the winter. Palm Beach is particularly rich with tailor, thanks to its location near the river’s mouth. It's best fished in during winter.
Offshore Fishing
The Gold Coast is particularly known for being a great offshore fishing spot, thanks to the area’s several reefs, gravel grounds and other offshore structures that make it home to schools of different fish. A few nautical miles off of Broadwater, the sea is particularly rich with mulloway, tuna, tailor, and even small kingfish and trevally. Over at the reefs, larger fish like tuna, dolphin fish, wahoo, marlin, and kingfish abound, along with some pearl perch, snapper, mackerel and cobia. Bear in mind, however, that the offshore fish in the Gold Coast is seasonal, as schools come and go as the water’s temperature changes.
Fishing Tips for the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is a great winter fishing spot, with numerous schools of bream, mulloway, dart and tailor being caught in its gutters and offshore spots during colder months. Springtime, on the other hand, bring in schools of flathead, particularly in the gutters and the various river mouths of the coast. Whiting is available to be fished year-round, but they’re usually more abundant during the summer hanging out around shallow gutters. When fishing at the beaches of the Gold Coast, it’s best to look for gutters, especially in deeper waters where waves break on outer banks. It’s also best to fish during dawn or dusk. It’s also good to pay attention when large swells appear, as these cause deep butters along the beaches where anglers can find fish.
