Cast your line at these top fishing spots in Mackay
List
By Danielle Reckless
Whether you’re an expert angler, or your fishing mantra leans more toward ‘have a drink and see if you get a nibble’; any fisherman can agree that your location (and your casting arm) is everything. And if you’re looking for a new spot to reel them in, we’ve got the details on the top fishing spots in Mackay.
This region might just be Queensland’s fishing Mecca. Within 45 minutes from town you can be throwing your line in the reef, a rainforest stream, rocky headlands, creeks and beaches.
Here are the top fishing spots in Mackay for your next trip.
Kinchant Dam
First time visitor? Start with Kinchant Dam. It lies 41 kilometres west of Mackay in the Pioneer Valley, but this is the easiest spot to catch barramundi. Be patient, and you’ll eventually hook a monster.
Prospect Creek
If you’re looking to bag saratoga and sooty grunter, the freshwaters of Prospect Creek is another top fishing spot in Mackay. This is the place to try your hand at fly fishing.
Cattle Creek
Make tracks to Cattle Creek near Finch Hatton. While the area is known for its waterfalls and even scuba diving in the rainforest; it’s here you’ll find your pick of sooty grunter, especially in the shallows. Keep your eyes peeled for good holes: this is where you’ll find the bigger fish.
Sandy Creek
Keen to lure salmon or barramundi? Head 20 minutes’ drive south of Mackay to Sandy Creek. If you’ve got time, throw in a crab pot and you might just catch some mud crabs too. Dinner sorted.
Constants Creek
We’ll let you in on a secret: some of the best fishing in Mackay (and local’s would tell you it’s the best in all of Queensland) is at Constants Creek near subtropical haven Seaforth. The waters here are well-known for dishing up barramundi, mangrove jack and fingermark. If you’re lucky, you may even snag salmon near the deeper bends at the mouth of the creek.
When to go
While July to November is the best time to snag a juicy Spanish mackerel, you’re pretty much guaranteed a good fishing experience all year long in Mackay. But if you want to ignite your competitive streak, head to the region from 3 September 2022 for the inaugural Mackay Isaac’s Lucky Catch & Snap. The 30-day fishing competition is open to anglers of every age and stage and will see keen fishers net daily cash prizes and merchandise. To compete, you’ll need to capture your catch through an app, measuring it’s size, location and species. May the best catch win!
Don't have a boat? No worries, check out this guide to Mackay's best land-based fishing.
