Expect to Catch

There is plenty on offer when fishing the estuarine system of the Gold Coast Broadwater.

Bream

Yellowfin Bream
  • strong spines in the first dorsal, anal and pelvic fins
  • moderate-sized scales
  • found in coastal and estuarine waters
  • coastal fish are silver while those in estuaries are darker
  • found along the east coast of Australia from north Queensland to Victoria
  • Yellowfin Bream grow to 65 cm in length and about 4 kg in weight

Whiting

Sand Whiting
  • Whiting are found in estuaries and beyond the breakers off surf beaches
  • known from north Queensland to Tasmania
  • silver-grey above, white below, ventral and anal fins are yellow with a dusky spot on the pectoral fin
  • grow to 50cm in length
  • short-based spiny dorsal fin and a long-based soft dorsal fin.

Flathead

Sand Flathead
  • recognised by its sandy colour and scattered blue spots
  • series of elongated dark blotches on the tail
  • species grows to 68 cm in length
  • found from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria
  • habitats sandy bottoms from shallow coastal bays and estuaries to well offshore

Trevally

Golden Trevally
  • silvery to blue-green above and silver below
  • black spot on the upper operculum and a long pectoral fin that reaches to the straight portion of the lateral line
  • the species grows to 60 cm in length
  • found from tropical waters of the central coast of Western Australia, around the north of the country, and south to northern New South Wales

Mangrove Jack

Mangrove Jack
  • greenish brown to reddish
  • juveniles have pale bars on the sides of the body and one or two blue lines on the cheeks
  • occurs in tropical and some warm temperate marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific
  • in Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to New South Wales.
  • juveniles usually live in mangrove estuaries and freshwater streams
  • adults live on deeper offshore reefs down to depths of at least 100 m

Jewfish

Silver Jewfish
  • silvery with a faint series of oblique stripes along scale rows
  • dorsal fin has a dark margin on soft part
  • pectoral and pelvic fins have a yellow tinge
  • 40 cm common length, 60 cm maximum standard length

    • Tailor

    Tailor
  • greenish-blue back
  • belly and sides silvery
  • dorsal fins, anal fin pale green tinged with yellow
  • pectoral fins are bluish at base
  • caudal fin is dull greenish tinged with yellow
  • teeth - prominent, sharp, compressed in a single series
  • 40 cm common length, 110 cm maximum total length

    • For more information regarding fish species caught within Queensland waters, please visit the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries) and Australian Museum websites. The above species information and images have been taken from the Fisheries section of the DPI and Australian Museum websites.

    Gold Coast Fishing Charters supports responsible fishing practices. Please revise the 'Recreational Fishing Size and Bag Limits for Queensland' before you next head out.