Fishing, Yabbie Pumping and Crabbing on the Gold Coast

Enjoy Gold Coast’s fresh seafood even more after catching your dinner with your bare hands!

Australia’s Gold Coast is a haven of wildlife and a firm favourite for keen fishermen. The sprawling landscape and many different waterways make it the perfect spot to try your hand at fishing for crabs, yabbies, and other marine species.

Fishing on the Gold Coast

Fishing is a popular sport on the Gold Coast thanks to its excellent beachside setting. This means there are plenty of spots along the coast to cast your rod into, regardless of whether you’re an amateur fishermen or someone with slightly more experience.

• Deep Sea Fishing

  There are plenty of opportunities to go deep sea fishing along the Gold Coast. Expect to catch species from offshore reefs, like parrot fish, snapper, and black kingfish. Though fishing in this part of Australia is do-able year-round, if you head out in winter you might catch a glimpse of the migrating humpback whales.

• Beach Fishing

  If you’d rather stay on dry land, you can try your hand at fishing from the beach. Via this method, you can catch things like snapper, bream, and flathead species, particularly during the winter months. This is also a great vantage point for some extraordinary sights, with many doing this activity during the sunset for a truley unforgettable experience!

• Platform Fishing

  This popular pastime gives you the chance to fish on rivers and estuaries, exposing you to unique species like trevally, mangrove jack, and even mud crabs. The type of fishing is exactly as the name would suggest, as you simply sit upon a floating device attached to the river bank or boat, letting you float on the water as you slowly drift around the water, guaranteeing you more of a chance for a bite!

• Freshwater Fishing

  The Hinze Dam is the best spot for freshwater fishing along the Gold Coast. Here, you can catch species like Australian bass, Mary River cod, and silver perch. To fish here, though, you need to have a fishing permit.

Yabbie Pumping on the Gold Coast

Yabbie refers to two different kinds of Australian crustacean: the crayfish and ghost shrimp. In many parts of the Gold Coast you can join in the fun activity of pumping for these creatures, especially along the sprawling beaches.

Crabbing on the Gold Coast

Boasting a landscape filled with mangrove islands and mud banks, the Gold Coast Hinterland has plenty of clean waterways that make perfect habitats for numerous crab species. The most popular crabbing spots lie between Cabbage Tree Point and the Pin Bar, but you can pretty much catch crabs from anywhere on the many rivers, creeks, canals, and waterways.

Expect to catch species like blue swimmer crabs, mud crabs, coral crabs, and spanner crabs amongst others by setting pots in mangrove creeks or deep holes in main channels.

Fishing, crabbing, and yabbie pumping are great ways to get involved in the local fishing culture of the Gold Coast, plus you’ll be able to catch some delicious treats for dinner as you go.

Related article: The Crustaceans of the Gold Coast