The top 10 places to fish on the Gold Coast as voted by readers
AS VOTED BY YOU THE WINNERS ARE...
THE SEAWAY
This vote could only go one way – the Seaway.
Any angler will reel off this spot as the catch of the Coast, with the lure of a yearround haul enough to hook every fisherman worth his bait.
While you cod find plenty of other fish in the sea elsewhere, the Seaway is breaming with variety – yellowtail, kingfish, jewfish, whitehead, flathead … the line is endless.
Gold Coast resident fishing expert Herb Sechner, who gives a weekly briefing to the Richard, Bridge and Spida show on 92.5FM, says the Seaway is undoubtedly a standout.
“It’s just a fish magnet,” Herb says.
“It’s where fish go to breed, where they go to clean themselves, it’s their playground.
“It can be a hard place to fish because it has such strong tidal movements but once you master it, it’s almost always rewarding.”
Herb says while most fishermen are secretive about their favourite spots, the Seaway is somewhere they all share.
He says different breeds can be caught depending on the season, but there’s always plenty to go around.
“What I love about the Gold Coast is there is such great fish diversity. You’ve got spanish mackerel, wahoo that you find in summer offshore; then as winter turns into spring like right now we start to see flathead go into breeding, we’re seeing bream again, tailor are in abundance. All year there’s something to chase.
“I’ve been fishing there for 16 years and it’s always different every time you go.”
Herb has some tips for those who haven’t sampled the Seaway. He says with the right conditions it’s a great spot to teach the kids how to drop a line.
“I’d recommend using drifting live baits if you’re after jewfish; the best spots for yellowtail or kingfish is on the northern wall, the pipeline and around the beacons,” he says.
“Flicking laser lures around the beacons and also poppers work well on trevally and kingfish.
“You can even use your bread-and-butter standard sinker with a size one or two hook and some flesh bait to catch flathead and whiting, that’s a simple one for the kids.
“On the rocks where the tower is, that’s a good spot to fish with floaters, there’s an abundance of luderick and blackfish there.
“I’ve been fishing here since I was a kid, I’ve watched the Gold Coast change and develop but it’s still got so much in the way of natural attractions.
“It’s a great place to teach your kids how to fish – there’s just so much out there.”
Herb says the peace and solitude he finds in fishing are what lures him to keep coming back for more.
“It’s a great way to get away from the missus,” he laughs. “That’s a joke.
“But I really do live, eat, breathe fishing. I love it.
“It’s a place to let your mind drift from suburban life, to forget about everything.
“When I’m fishing, all I’m worried about is how I’m presenting the bait to the fish. That’s it.
“You have to think like a fish – and that’s a pretty chilled out lifestyle.”
TWEED RIVER
TWEED
From the Tweed hospital to the wharf, Herb says expect similar conditions to the Seaway. “You’ll see much the same species of fish – jewfish, kingfish, bream and flathead. It’s just a handier spot if you live down south.” When it comes to the upper reaches of the Tweed River, Herb says mangrove jack can be found around the bridges and rock walls, while there’s excellent flathead fishing on the banks and weeded areas.
JUMPINPIN NORTH/SOUTH STRADDIE
When it comes to Jumpinpin, Herb says the bigger the bait, the bigger the fish. “This is an awesome fishing spot, with a really heavy tidal flow. You’ll find big jewfish, giant trevally, oversized flathead – everything’s bigger at Jumpinpin. Just make sure you use really big bait.”
SAND PUMPING JETTY
THE SEAWAY
This spot is on fire all year round for the seasoned fisherman. Resident expert Herb says to try and aim for tailor fish throughout the winter, while the lead-up to summer is a great time for nice flathead, dart, bream, whiting and even the odd big jewfish. “It’s a great spot to fish right now actually, especially with the early spring weather. It’s a lovely spot to spend the day even if you don’t catch a thing – not that that’s an option.”
DEEP HOLE
THE BROADWATER
Whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, this top fishing spot on the Broadwater has something to offer you. “Deep hole is awesome for early morning high-tide flicking for tailor,” Herb tells Coast Weekend. “But it’s also tops at night for bream. You can even catch the odd trevally school on laser lures.”
BROADWATER JETTY
The new jetty out the front of Southport has already become an old favourite. “If you use live bait it can produce massive big shovel-nose rays up to six feet. You can also spot lots of trevally,” Herb muses. “At night there are plenty of squid and tailor as well.”
PARADISE POINT FORESHORE PARADISE POINT
Herb says Paradise Point fishing spots are perfect for kids: “This is where I would start when teaching the little ones how to wet a line.”
PINE LAKE
ELANORA
Herb says timing is everything at Elanora. “Get there on the run-up to full tide and it should produce yellowtail, kingfish, bream, trevally and flathead,” he says. Pay close attention to what you put on your hook as well. “When it comes to bait use the small stuff. Plastics are good.”
CRUSOE ISLAND NEAR JACOB’S WELL
It’s a top spot for bream and expertHerb says that flathead are just suckers for plastics if you’re trawling around the trees.
TIPPLER’S PASSAGE
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND
Right now is peak season at Tippler’s Passage for flathead. “From June through to November, this is an awesome place to trawl around small hard body pig lures,” he says. Other times are great for bream and whiting caught on yabbies.