Fishing on the Sunshine Coast isn’t just a hobby; it’s a part of the lifestyle.  We have some of the best fresh and saltwater spots to drop a line this side of the equator. Fishermen who visit the coast have the opportunity to tangle with freshwater bass right through to big game black marlin and everything in between. So whatever kind of scaly, aquatic prey you’re after, you’ll find it here on the Sunshine Coast.

The freshwater impoundments of the hinterland ranges that flank our coastline are stocked with feisty Australian bass (Macquaria Novemaculeata), Golden Perch or Yellow-belly (Macquaria Ambigua) and one of the best freshwater sport fishing targets, the Southern Saratoga (Scleropages Leichardti). The upper reaches of the coastal river systems (Maroochy, Mooloolah and Noosa Rivers) also offer great wild bass opportunities. Throw the chance of a Mangrove Jack (Lutjanus Argentimaculatus) into the mix, and drifting the upper reaches of our magnificent rivers can deliver a great day of angling for amateurs and pros alike.

The Sunshine Coast is blessed with a number of major rivers that flow down from the hinterland ranges right through to our magnificent coastline and each river offers a new and exciting challenge to enjoy.

The Mooloolah River is one of our main rivers, and whilst there is a lot of commercial activity along the river there’s a great number of great spots for fishing too. For those who seek it, whiting and bream are notorious catches in this area with the right lures. The Maroochy River, alternately, is a very shallow body with a number of fantastic deep fishing ‘holes’ famous for the cod. As for the rest of the river system, it is the perfect place to pick yourself some Dusky Flathead.

Likewise reef fishing off the Sunshine Coast is also a fantastic choice. In general, our reefs produce abundant catches of Snapper (Pagrus Auratus) in the winter and Spanish, Spotty and school Mackerel (Scomberomorus Spp.) in the summer months. Other species commonly caught regularly include Pearl Perch (Glaucosoma Scapulare), Spangled Emperor (Lethrinus Nebulosus), Grass Sweetlip (Lethrinus Fletus), Cobia (Rachycentron Canadus) and Parrot or Tuskfish (Choerodon Venustus). If reef fishing isn’t quite your speed, and you’re looking for something with a little more adrenaline to it, then we have some fantastic Black Marlin fishing spots as well so you can wrestle with the best the big deep ocean has to offer right here, off the Sunshine Coast.

Of course, these areas are just a small sample of our finest fishing spots that the Sunshine Coast has to offer, so there is so much more to experience. I urge you, those that would call yourselves fishermen, to take the time to explore these, and discover what a fishing paradise our little slice of coastal heaven truly can be.