The Gold Coast’s fresh seafood is even more enjoyable catching it 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. When visiting, 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. Regardless of whether you’re an amateur fisherman or someone with slightly more experience, why not give it a go?
– Deep Sea Fishing
A popular spot amongst locals is Southport. Once you set off from the port, you only have to travel around 30 minutes to begin deep sea fishing. Some fish found here include Mahi Mahi, Tuna and Samson Fish.
Fishing in this part of Australia is do-able year-round. However, if you head out in winter you might catch a glimpse of the migrating humpback whales!
There are plenty of opportunities to go deep sea fishing along the Gold Coast. If you do so, you can expect to catch species from offshore reefs. These include parrot fish, snapper and black kingfish.
– Beach Fishing
A great place to give beach fishing a try is in the Gold Coast Canals. There are grid-like canals that offer fantastic fishing spots just a stone’s throw away. In fact, many locals will walk right to the shore from their back door. You may choose to do this activity during the sunset for a truly unforgettable experience!
If you’d rather stay on dry land, you can try your hand at fishing from the beach. With this method, you can catch things like snapper, bream and flathead species. The fish here are particularly abundant during the winter months.
– Platform Fishing
The type of fishing is exactly as the name would suggest. You simply sit upon a floating device attached to the river bank or boat. This allows you to float on the water as you slowly drift around, guaranteeing you more of a chance for a bite!
The popular pastime of platform fishing gives you the chance to fish on rivers and estuaries. It exposes you to unique species like trevally, mangrove jack and even mud crabs.
– Freshwater Fishing
The Nerang River is a prominent body of water that cuts through the Gold Coast. Many locals love this location for its abundance of Bream and Flathead. Since the river is located in the city, you don’t have to travel far to reach it.
Another great place for freshwater fishing is the Hinze Dam. This location holds a diverse variety of freshwater fish. Because this is a protected area, you need to be sure to obtain a fishing permit before casting your lines here.
When freshwater fishing, you can catch species like Australian bass, Mary River cod and silver perch. There are a couple of noteworthy places to check out.
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.
If you’re new to the concept of yabbie pumping, the concept is fairly simple. There is a long tool called a Yabbie pump. It is essentially a vacuum sealed pump created from a steel tube. Once you obtain one, you can stick it into the sand before pulling on the handle. This will create a vacuum and suck up the sand and water, and hopefully some yabbies.
Crabbing on the Gold Coast
The Gold Coast Hinterland boasts a landscape filled with mangrove islands and mud banks. This means it 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. However, you can pretty much catch crabs from any of the many rivers, creeks and waterways.
When crabbing, you can expect to catch species like blue swimmer crabs, mud crabs, coral crabs and spanner crabs.
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
Other activity: Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk