Fishing QLD
Recreational fishing is allowed on all conservation parks and resources
reserves and 56 national parks in Queensland. Permits are not needed
to fish.
In some national parks, fishing is restricted to particular areas.
Areas might also be temporarily closed to fishing for management
or visitor safety reasons. Check with the Ranger before you visit
if you are unsure.
QLD National park boundaries usually extend only to high water
mark, so it is legal to fish from the beach even if the park is
not open to fishing.
Some QLD national parks are surrounded by marine parks where zoning
prohibits fishing in particular areas. Marine park zoning restrictions
must be observed.
When you go fishing in a QLD national park, all normal park rules
apply. You must not bring dogs or other pets onto a protected area,
and fires are often only prmitted in designated barbecue areas.
Check with a Ranger for details before you visit.
Minimise your impact
If you wish to fish on a national park, it is your responsibility
to ensure fishing is allowed first. Parks where fishing is allowed
are listed in the Nature Conservation Regulation.
The provisions of the Fisheries Regulation apply in relation to
the species able to be taken, size and bag limits, closures, and
methods of fishing. These provisions must be followed when fishing
in a national park or other protected area.
Live bait cannot be taken onto any national park unless it is caught
immediately adjacent to the park. Only invertebrate bait such as
worms, shrimps and yabbies may be taken. Frogs and freshwater spiny
crayfish cannot be used as bait. You are also able to fish for mud
crabs, subject to conditions outlined in Fisheries Regulations.
When fishing, protect the park and leave no trace of your activities.
Follow the code of conduct developed by the Queensland Parks and
Wildlife Service and SUNFISH which is listed below.
Fisheries
The Department is protecting and conserving fisheries resources while
maintaining profitable commercial and enjoyable recreational fishing
sectors. The Department is also the lead agency in developing the
policy framework for the management of Queensland's fisheries resources
and the development of a profitable fisheries industry.
The best ten: Queenslands (QLD) top ten angling fish
Australian bass
Australian bass is, along with the barramundi, one of Queensland's
(QLD) most sought-after freshwater recreational species. Australian
bass are found in fresh water and brackish waters where they spawn
in autumn. They are a prized sportfish due to their tenacious fighting
qualities and their willingness to take flies and lures. Devotees
of Australian bass fishing are a secretive lot, guarding 'their' fishing
spots jealously and being reluctant to share them with anyone, even
their best mates!! Freshwater dams and weirs have been stocked with
Australian bass and they form the basis of a growing recreational
fishery in these areas. They are a good table fish, although they
are generally released when taken from the wild, due to their decline
in some areas.
Barramundi
One of QLDs most sought-after sportfish, the barramundi (Lates calcarifer)
provides spectacular angling, often leaping clear of the water to
avoid capture. Barramundi can be caught from Maryborough in the south
of the State through to the Gulf of Carpentaria, but are found mostly
in the northern half of the State. Barramundi are taken on a wide
variety of baits but are more commonly caught on live fish such as
mullet or on lures, either cast or trolled. Barramundi can be caught
in the estuaries and in impoundments such as Tinaroo Dam on the Atherton
Tableland and Eungella Dam near Mackay. They are most active in the
warmer months of the year.
Bream
Bream (Acanthopagrus australis) are common throughout the State but
are caught mostly in the area from the Queensland (QLD)-New South
Wales border north to Fraser Island. Bream are mainly targeted in
estuaries and along the ocean beaches, inhabiting the rocky headlands
and surf gutters. Popular baits are pipis, flesh baits and saltwater
yabbies, although they can be caught on small lures and flies. They
are most active in the cooler months from late April through to September.
Coral trout
Several species of coral trout (Plectropomus species) are found in
the offshore reef areas in Queensland from the Barwon banks off Mooloolaba
to the waters of the Great Barrier Reef along the northern coastline.
Coral trout live in both shallow reef areas and deeper waters along
the edges of reefs and coral bomboras ("bommies"). Generally
taken with flesh baits on handlines, coral trout are an enthusiastic
taker of trolled or cast lures and exhibit great determination to
avoid capture, often burying themselves in crevices in the coral.
They are an excellent table fish with white firm flesh that freezes
well.
Crabs
Mud crabs (Scylla serrata) are found along the length of the Queensland
(QLD) coast, inhabiting estuaries, tidal flats and mangrove-fringed
areas. They live in burrows in the mud, giving rise to their distinctive
name. They grow to over 25 cm in breadth and specimens have been
recorded at over 2.4 kg!! They are taken in crab pots and dillies
using fish frames as bait. Mud crabs are prized for their eating
qualities and are keenly sought by recreational anglers.
Blue swimmer (Portunus pelagicus) or sand crabs inhabit the whole
of the Australian coast. In Queensland (QLD) they are most commonly
caught in the southern half of the State. They inhabit sandy areas
and are taken using crab pots and dillies, generally with fish frames
as bait. Blue swimmer crabs grow to about 19 cm across the shell
with a body weight of less than 1 kg. They have a more delicate
taste than mud crabs and are best targeted in the warmer months.
Flathead
There are several species of flathead (Platycephalus species) of interest
to recreational fishers. They generally inhabit similar areas in the
coastal estuaries throughout the State. They are masters of concealment
and ambush, burying themselves in the sand or mud bottom and pouncing
on their prey, either small live fish or crustaceans such as yabbies
or soldier crabs. They are an ideal target for lures that bounce along
the bottom and they can be found along the edges of mudflats and sandflats
on the falling tide. They are a good eating fish, although the flesh
of larger specimens tends to be coarse and dry. Most large flathead
are females and they are best released carefully to ensure their survival.
Golden perch
Found only in fresh water, golden perch (Macquaria species) are the
staple angling species in the west of the State. Often called yellowbelly,
they are occur naturally in the rivers west of the Great Dividing
Range, where they are taken using freshwater crayfish or small live
fish as bait. They are also targeted by anglers using diving lures
around structures such as rocks or submerged trees. They are stocked
in many of the State's freshwater dams and weirs, along with Australian
bass. As a table fish they are best eaten when caught from running
water, as they often taste muddy or weedy when they are taken in dams
or weirs.
Snapper
Snapper (Pagrus auratus) in Queensland (QLD) are caught in the south-eastern
waters of the State, although occasionally as far north as Mackay.
They inhabit the reef and rubble patches along the QLD coast and are
also caught in shallow waters such as off Peel Island in Moreton Bay.
They are generally more prolific in the cooler months when they move
into the reefs and wireweed patches to spawn. Another excellent table
fish, snapper grow to 19 kg, although the main captures are more commonly
in the 1 kg range.
Whiting
Although there are several species of whiting found in Queensland
(QLD), the two main species of interest to recreational anglers
are summer whiting (Sillago ciliata) and winter whiting or trumpeter
whiting (Sillago maculata spp.)
Summer whiting are found all year round on sandflats and adjoining
weed beds, where they take worms, yabbies and soldier crabs. They
are best targeted using light lines and can be caught in large numbers
when schools are located. They grow to approximately 1.25 kg and
there have been specimens recorded at 50 cm. They are an excellent
angling species and fight hard when hooked.
Winter or trumpeter whiting are more commonly caught in the cooler
months, although they can be found all year round. Catches of 100-150
fish are not uncommon when the fish are on, and they are caught
using worms or squid for bait. They are a smaller species than the
summer whiting, with an average size around 20 cm. Both species
are excellent table fish and are keenly sought by recreational fishers.
Tailor
Tailor (Pomatomus saltatrix) are caught in southern QLD coastal
waters from estuaries, surf beaches and rocky headlands. They are
targeted by fishers who generally use pilchards or garfish rigged
on flights of ganged or joined hooks. They are voracious feeders
generally found in large schools. They have a mouth full of sharp
teeth that gave them their name as they resembled tailors' shears
of the time. They can be held in one place by a group of anglers
by casting to the school, enticing the fish with the scraps of fish
that fall from the baits. Tailor, when eaten fresh, are a good table
fish, although they do not freeze well due to their soft flesh and
high oil content. They are best targeted during the cooler months,
although larger specimens often appear in September. They are most
prolific on the surf beaches and have been recorded to 14 kg on
Queensland (QLD) beaches. However, the average fish is well below
this figure. |
