With John from Go Fishing

The Gold Coast offers a huge variety of off-shore, on-shore and inland fishing opportunities. Here’s just a few to start with.

Anywhere from the Gold Coast Seaway entrance all the way to the upper Nerang River (as far asthe Nerang Pacific Highway bridge) you can fish for bream, whiting and flathead. Between that stretch you’ll find better fishing at certain locations, for example, for whiting take your boat off Chevron Island or the Sovereign Islands. The Ross Street Bridge is another great location.

Limited to land-based fishing? There’s plenty of places to cast your line including the Nerang River which runs behind the Gold Coast Council Chambers (Bundall). Look for the most easterly point within the park area, and you’ll find it’s great for catching whiting, bream, flathead and all sorts of other fish.

If you’re mainly after flathead, head to locations around the main entrance to the Broadwater. We are at the end of breeding season now, so the flathead will start making their way back up the Nerang River. Every tide they will change locations but certain locations do hold them all the time. It’s a bit of a guessing game so throw in your line and see what happens!

For wild bass and some yellow belly, fish the upper reaches of the Nerang River, from the bottom of the Hinze Dam wall all the way to the brackish water. Use prawns and pilchards for your bait - although prawns are better.

There are many parks located along Coomera River system from which you can fish. Check out

Paradise Point for your ‘bread n butter’ fish, that is your bream, whiting and flathead, which are all found there.

On Stradbroke Island you will need walk the beaches to find good gutters to fish. Often the better fish are found in the shallow gutters - you will just need to cast your line and find out where they are. For bait, use beach worms, pippies, pilchards and whitebait and for live bait, you can use any whiting that is at least 25 cm long.

For more local expert advice and the right fishing gear, come in and see us at Go Fishing