Reel ’em in: the best places to go marlin fishing in Queensland

List

By Ben Brayley

There's fish, and then there's marlin.

These graceful giants are the holy grail of fishing, and you'll find them here in Queensland waters.

Strap in, because this is more of a battle than just casting a line. In fact, in some cases you literally have to strap yourself onto the boat so you don’t end up waterskiing behind the huge catch.

Up for a challenge? Here are the best places to go marlin fishing in Queensland.

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

Marlin fishing near Cairns Queensland — Photo by @cherrygifted

If you're looking for black marlin fishing mecca, look no further than Lizard Island. This Great Barrier Reef island is renowned as the best place on the planet to catch a “grander” marlin; a marlin that weighs over 1000 pounds.

For every one grander caught in the rest of the world, two are caught between Lizard Island and Cairns. 70% of all granders are caught right here. So if you're aiming high, head this way.

When to go: From September to December

How to catch them: Be prepared, as these fish can take hours to reel in. Your best shot at catching a grander is to let the experts guide you and join a fishing charter.

Nomad Sportfishing Adventures offers a game boat option, leaving from Port Douglas (one hour north of Cairns).

Townsville

Prefer to start a little smaller before you work up to reeling in a grander?

Head to Townsville, where juvenile marlin make their home. It’s the perfect place to wet your beak in the crazy world of marlin fishing.

Juveniles range from 10-30kgs, but while they're smaller, they're still marlin: so get ready for a struggle when you meet their speed and strength.

During peak times you can catch up to 35 blue or black marlin in a day in these waters.

When to go: August to September is peak time, and you can use this as a warm-up before heading to Cairns for grander season. However, you can fish for juvenile marlin in Townsville as early as April.

How to catch them: KEKOA Charters operates out of Townsville from August to September to catch a juvenile black marlin. With 28 years worth of experience they are as close to a sure thing as you can get in the fishing world.

If you want to try it on your own, Cape Bowling Green is a short high-horse powered blast away. The Burdekin River empties out into the bay here, which means there's lots of nutrients for shoal fish (a marlin's favourite snack). Just troll your lures around any kind of surface action and hold on tight.

Sunshine Coast

A 60kg fish that jumps out of the water and takes hundreds of metres of line in a single run on light tackle is something every fisherman has to experience.

And it's an experience you can have all year round on the Sunshine Coast. This region's warm sea currents mean marlin and sailfish are here all year long, and the blue and black marlin can range from 10-60kg.

When to go: All day, every day.

How to catch them: Launch your boat at Mooloolaba and head 10-20 nautical miles offshore. Then it’s up to you to troll your lures for as long as it takes. If you don't have your own set-up, book a trip with Deep End Fishing Charters instead.

You want the water to be around 50-60m in depth and a water temperature of between 22-26C (important because these temperatures affect the shoals of baitfish which attract the marlin).

If you see any birds or frothing water then make a b-line right towards it and troll your lures around the edges of the school. If you’re lucky you’ll hook a tuna, a mackerel, and if you are really lucky you’ll hear a screaming reel, which means it's time to fight.

After all your hard work you might end up with one of the world’s most sought-after fish.