Where to catch big fish in Queensland

They breed them big up north, and off the coastline of Karumba (in the Gulf of Carpentaria) you’ll find some incredible fishing spots where you can reel in prize-worthy fish including jewfish, barramundi and king salmon.

No boat? No problem. Fishing charters are available, but shore-based fishing is also great in Karumba with local spots along the Norman River Bank or at Karumba Point.

Fishing Competition: Karumba Anglers Classic at Outback by the Sea

Date: 27 June – 2 July 2022

With a variety of ‘catch and release’ fishing categories for seniors and juniors, the Karumba Anglers Classic is an action-packed long weekend of non-stop fun for the whole family where you’re sure to reel in some bounty.

This volunteer-managed event raises funds to support the ongoing efforts for barramundi restocking in the Gulf rivers. With entertainment and novelty land-based activities to complement the fishing, it’s an event for the whole family. Prizes are available for the non-fishers, too.

Boyne Island / Tannum Sands, Gladstone Region

Travel 25km south of Gladstone and you’ll find Boyne Island and its twin city, Tannum Sands.

Both destinations are picturesque coastal communities offering more than just great ocean views. In fact, the area is a popular fishing hub and one of the best fishing spots in Queensland, where anglers of all skill levels fish the Boyne River and other great local spots.

Boyne Island also grants easy access to the south of Facing Island where reef fishing is most popular.

The waters around Gladstone are a transitional zone where warm water from the north meets the cool water from the south. As a result, the area offers a variety of big fish and species can vary from sweetlip, coral trout and tuna to trevally, grunter and queenfish.

Gladstone also offers plenty of inland fishing opportunities worth exploring.

Fishing Competition: Boyne Tannum HookUp

Date: 29 April – 3 May 2022

Celebrating its 25th year, the annual Boyne Tannum HookUp is a family-friendly fishing competition offering entertainment, stalls and novelty events hosted over three days.

With a prize pool worth over $320,000, it’s no wonder why the event attracts up to 4,000 competitors and 3000 visitors. Categories are divided amongst Juniors and Seniors and include Spanish mackerel, cobia, salmon and large mouth nannygai.

Bundaberg

Home to Bundaberg Rum and the beautiful Mon Repos Conservation Park, Bundaberg is also a top fishing destination for passionate anglers.

Although there are land-based options, off-shore fishing is favoured and trolling is a very successful method to catch big fish like giant trevally, mackerel, tuna and billfish.

You’ll definitely need to run a wire trace to keep these big fish from snapping your lines.

When trolling or casting, keep an eye out for feeding birds around bait pools and you’ll most likely pull up big fish beneath the pelagics at the surface. Head further out and you can even chase marlin in the deeper waters.

Fishing Competition: Volunteer Marine Rescue Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic

Date: TBC for 2022

Take part in the VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic and you’ll do more than just have a great time. The event is a major fundraiser for Marine Rescue Bundaberg. 

Three of the most popular categories in this competition are mackerel, red emperor and coral trout. And there’s plenty for spectators to do, with food vans and a licensed bar.

Yeppoon, Capricorn Region

Venture 38km north of Rockhampton and you’ll find the coastal township of Yeppoon. It’s a tropical haven that grants easy access to the Keppel Island Group and some amazing fishing.

Yeppoon falls neatly within the newly created Net Free Fishing Zone which recreational fishermen can now enjoy.

From flatheads and snapper to mackerel and cobia, the fish are biting in Yeppoon and along the Capricorn Coast.

Bowen, The Whitsundays

The Big Mango isn’t the only ‘big thing’ in Bowen. Avid fishermen can pull in big fish species, too. We’re talking giant trevally, Spanish mackerel, mangrove jack and red emperor.

Located at the top of The Whitsundays, Bowen has untouched beaches, beautiful bays and pristine fishing conditions, making it one of the best fishing spots in Queensland. But it also has many creek systems which hold healthy numbers of bream, mangrove jack and whiting.

Try your luck fishing along the Adelaide and Duck creeks in south Bowen or try the Bob Moses and Boat and Meatwork Creeks in the north. When you’re fishing in Bowen, please be aware there are Great Barrier Reef Zones in place.

Fishing Competition: Bowen Family Fishing Classic and Wet Weekend

Date: TBC for 2022

Now in its 28th year, the Bowen Family Fishing Classic and Wet Weekend offers fishing families the opportunity to engage in some friendly off-shore fishing competition.

On-shore, families can be entertained by the line-up of performances and novelty events, including net-casting competitions and crawchie racing. The event has been known to attract over 3000 people on opening night.

Or, from 29 April – 1 May 2022, BIG4 Whitsundays Tropical Eco Resort is hosting its very first Annual Fishing Competition in the Whitsundays, the Rippa Rods Family Fishing Competition.

Keen to fish a little longer? Check out the best secret fishing spots in Mackay.

Rockhampton, Capricorn Region

Rockhampton is Australia’s beef capital, but it’s slowly becoming the barra capital as well. Since the Net Free Fishing Zone was introduced, the Fitzroy River has started to grow into a barra hot spot for local and interstate fishermen, and is quickly becoming one of the best fishing spots in Queensland for barramundi.

In fact, anglers are pulling in large barramundi right in the heart of the city, just five minutes from the Quay Street boat ramp.

Please note, the barramundi season on the Queensland east coast closes from midday 1 November – midday 1 February. And, the best time to fish for barramundi along the Fitzroy River is in spring when the river is full of barra and king threadfin.

You’ll also find the estuaries are steaming with flathead, whiting, grunter and blue salmon.

Fishing Competition: WTF Women That Fish Barra Classic

Date: TBC for 2022

The WTF Women That Fish Barra Classic is hosted on the Fitzroy River, celebrating female anglers.

Open to women over 18 years of age, this unique event began in 2012 and aims to empower women and get more women involved in the world of angling.

The event attracts all types of anglers, from beginners to more experienced, and has a strong focus on safety and environmental sustainability, including catch and release philosophies.

Fishing Competition: Rocky Barra Bounty

Date: TBC for 2022

And they haven’t forgotten the boys. The Rocky Barra Bounty, which is also hosted on the Fitzroy River, is the perfect event for skillful fishermen to test themselves.

It’s a tag-and-release event and was one of the first to introduce photographing and releasing fish instead of weighing in. Categories include barramundi, king threadfin, blue threadfin and black jewfish.

Proceeds from the competition go to enhancing recreational fishing in the Fitzroy River.

Fishing competition: Fitzroy River Barra Bash

Date: TBC for 2022

In its third year, the tournament invites keen anglers to lure fish, including barramundi and threadfin salmon, with over $20,000 in cash and prizes to be won, including a boat giveaway.

Fishing competition: Fishing The Fitzroy's $10K Thready Competition

Date: Until 31 January 2022

Rockhampton may be best known as the Barra Capital but the Fitzroy River (Tunuba) is also home to some impressive king threadfin, making Rocky the perfect destination for keen anglers to get in on Fishing The Fitzroy's $10K Thready Comp.

Fishing The Fitzroy's $10K Thready Competition is an annual comp open to anglers of all skill levels, from novices to experts with a $10,000 cash prize up for grabs to the first person to catch a tagged king threadfin in the Fitzroy River.

Ready to throw a line in on your Queensland holiday? Check out fishing charters or read up on on our biggest catch of all: the black marlin.