Where to go fishing near Murphy’s Reef?

• Inner Barwon Reef Approximately 55m deep. The reef bottom of Barwon reef holds red Emperor, Snapper, Jewfish and sweetlip. Trolling is also possible for pelagics like mackerel. Dolphinfish and Marlin are also trolled for along the reef
• Mooloolaba Marlin Offshore trolling for marlin begins around these areas. Approximatey 55m deep.
• Twelve Mile Twelve Mile is a fishing spot in about 48-50m of water, known to attract fish.
• Raper Shoal Raper shoal is a reef shoal in about 6-10m of water. Waves break here in large swells. Snapper in Winter and Mackerel in Summer.
• Murphys North Murphy's North, reef in about 36m of water.
• Currimundi Lake Popular amongst kayak and land based anglers, Currimundi Lake is best fished early morning or late afternoon into the night. The water here is generally clearer than that of Lake Kawana. There is also a bit more natural structure and some deeper holes. Bream, Flathead and Whiting are the main catch, however Mangrove Jack and Trevally are also caught mostly in Summer and night. Big Trevally are often found lurking the bridges or working the rocky shorelines for bait fish. The trevally will happily take a surface lure when they are feeding.
• Lake Currimundi Weir The weir lets water in and out of the lakes. Can be an interesting place to fish when the water is flowing between the lakes. Bream, Mangrove Jack, Flathead and Trevally have all been caught around here. Please release the fish for other anglers to enjoy.
• Lake Kawana Lake Kawana can be a fun land based fishing area mainly at night. The weir separating the lakes lets water in and out with rain or the tide when the small inlet is open, this can be an interesting spot to fish. The main species in here are Bream, Flathead and Trevally. During the warmer months Trevally can be take on surface lures. The odd Mangrove Jack is also caught using live bait at night around structure.
• Kawana Beach Fishing Fishing the gutters along the beach on an incoming tide can be productive for Bream, Dart and Tarwhine all year round. From Winter to Spring is a good time to target Tailor and Mulloway early morning, late afternoon and during the night on live or strip mullet baits. The incoming tide is the best time to fish the beaches.
• 50M deep wreck Wreck in about 50m of water, fishes well for Snapper and Pearl Perch in winter. Big cobia and amberjack throughout the year.
• USS Pike Wreck off Mooloolaba about 13nm offshore in about 46m of water. Fishes well for Cobia and reef fish.
• Outer Gneerings Shoal Approximately 8km offshore, the outer Gneerings Shoals have many options for reef fishing. The waters produce Pink Snapper, Cobia, Emperor, Kingfish and summer pelagics.
• Inner Gneerings Shoal Approximately 6km offshore from Mooloolaba, the Inner Gneerings Shoals range from 5m deep with drop offs into 30m deep waters. There are good bottom fishing spots around here in Winter for Snapper. Throughout the year Cobia, Mulloway, Fusiler, Tuskies and reef fish are all caught. Over summer Pelagics like Mackerel are caught on the troll.
• Arkwright Shoal The shoal has water as shallow as 10m surrounded by deeper water up to 25m. Approximately 14km from Mooloolaba and 2.5km off the coast line. Good Snapper and Mulloway fishing over Winter. During summer the early mornings and late afternoons produce good Mackerel fishing.
• Mudjimba Island Mudjimba Island or old woman island has good for Pelagic fishing over summer for Mackerel and Tuna. During winter Mulloway and Snapper can be caught on the reefy patches.
• Mooloolah River Bass Australian bass throughout the Mooloolah River freshwater / brackish water reaches. Small hard body and surface lures work very well. Cast around structure and back eddies. 2wd access via Rainforest Drive, there are a few walking tracks along the creek where anglers have fished before, watch out for snakes.
• Parrearra Weir South A drain allows water to flow in and out of the lake back into the Mooloolah River. Many anglers try their luck around the drain with baits. It is a very snaggy area but the odd Mangrove Jack is caught here during Summer.
• Mid System All the Mooloolah River creek bends have deeper water and generally have Bream around. Last of the run out and low tide seems to produce good catches in the deeper holes. Flathead are caught on a run out tide, fishing the flats into deeper water with plastics produces results. On the incoming tide the flats also fish well for Bream.
• Parrearra Lake The water levels in the lake are controlled by a weir, once fish are in the lake they are possibly there forever. The lake is a good land spot for casting small lures at the jetties for Bream. A finesse approach with lightly weighted soft plastics or small suspending hardbody lures is the key to success on Bream. The odd Flathead, Trevally and Mangrove jack are also caught throughout the lake.
• Parrearra Channel The channel offers some good land based fishing. Walking the path and casting soft plastic lures at the jetties is a great way to land some Yellowfin Bream. Over summer Trevally, Mangrove Jack and bigger estuary Cod are also around there waters.
• Mountain Creek Lakes These small lakes are known to produce Bream and Tarpon. The odd Mangrove Jacks are also caught here, it is important to release them back for other anglers to enjoy.
• Mountain Creek Fairly shallow and muddy waters in Mountain Creek. There are good depth changes, feeder creeks and drop offs which makes this a good place to fish for Flathead. Live baiting for Jacks around the bridges during Summer is also popular here when.
• Feeder Creeks Fish around the mouth of the creek on the run out tide for Flathead. Red or pink soft plastic lures work well here. Most of the small feeder creeks and flats run offs on an outgoing tide fish well for Flathead.
• Nicklin Way Bridge Good deep water here surrounded by lots of rocky structure. Many boat anglers live bait here during the night in Summer for Mangrove Jack. It is also worthwhile casting soft plastics early morning for Grunter, Bream and small Trevally. The shallow waters near the boat ramp are an okay place for fishing with the family.
• Mooloolah Island Bridge Best fished from Spring to Summer, live bait for Mangrove Jack early morning and afternoon into the night.
• Mayes Canal Mouth Deeper water here holds good Flathead on the run out tide. There is also a shallow sand bar behind area near the channel marker that also holds flathead at the start of the run out tide. On an incoming tide there are whiting around the sand bar.
• Mooloolaba Wharf Heavy structure and shade in around 2.5-3m of water, not much current flow here. The heavy structure holds some Big Bream, Cod and the odd Mangrove Jack. Cast slow sinking soft plastics to target Bream. Plastics are also good for Mangrove Jack here as they sink to the bottom beside a pylon.
• Minyama Bridge Good place to fish with baits over summer for Mangrove Jack. Trevally are also around mostly during Spring.
• Buddina Canals Fishing the pontoons and structure in deep water early morning and late afternoons is the best way to catch good Bream on lures in the canals. The odd Grunter is caught in the canals also. Mangrove Jack are best targeted around structure in deep waters at night during summer on live baits. First of the run out tide seems to produce the best results.
• Mooloolah River Mouth Rock walls along side the river mouth, fishes okay for Bream and the odd pelagic fish during summer. The western rock wall and to the south holds the odd jewfish during the cooler months. Bream sometimes spawn close to the rock walls on the inside of the river during winter. Baits work best here however soft plastics and vibes also work well during small tides.
• Point Cartwright Kawana The southern side of Point Cartwright rocks often has a deep channel running along the rocks. This can be a good spot during the NNE winds during Spring into Summer. Jewfish on strip mullet and live baits at night. Tailor on metal slugs early morning and late afternoon. Bream and dart throughout the year.
• Point Cartwright Good rock fishing platform and it is a bit more protected from the swell. Check conditions before going fishing here. Deeper waters to the east. Live baiting or using strip mullet baits from winter to late spring can produce Jewfish at night. Tailor have also been caught here. The odd pelagic in summer on metal slugs. Bream is the main catch for most of the year.
• Kawana Island Lakes Yellowfin bream at night, cast small suspending hard body minnow lures out onto the shallow banks. A long pause is necessary, and very very slow lure retrieval will land you a bream. Further north fish around the jetty's. Bay areas sometimes hold Trevally, best at night.
• Mooloolah Drain Two small storm drains along the river bank sometimes hold bream and cod, dropping soft plastics to sink down can be effective. Further upstream cast around the jettys for Bream and the occasional cod.
• La balsa park A long stretch of river that is fairly deep. The shallow bay to the north has Bream on the incoming tide, best fished with bait. To the south the deeper waters are a good spot to live bait for Jewies in Winter. Turn of the tide is the best time to target the jewieis here. Tailor, Trevally and bream are also caught in the deeper waters. Bait is the best option during tidal movements.
• Mooloolah River Bass Follow google maps trail to get to this access point. Walk along the creek fishing the deep pools with small hard body lures for Australian Bass.
• Mooloolah River Lake Blocked from the main Mooloolah River, however it does let water in and out. Walk the path cast lightly weight soft plastics at the pontoons for Bream. Also produces Trevally and Flathead, Trevally best targeted early morning or at night, target them on almost anything, poppers work well during the warmer months.
• Mooloolaba Harbour Big bream hang out around the jetty pylons, try trolling deep diving hard body minnows. Good numbers of Trevally also turn up in Spring. Cannot access the jetty's land based as it is private, however the jetty's behind the Fish Market have public access.
• Mooloolah River Trawler Jetty’s Bream and the old flathead throughout the year. During Spring some large Trevally turn up - 40-60cm. Land based fisher man walk to the end of the jetty through the gates near the car park.
• Mooloolah River Rocks Fish along the rock structure and towards the eastern bend. Access the bend by land, best fished in a boat. The odd Mangrove Jack during summer.