Beach fishing along the northern NSW and southern Queensland coastline is popular for good reason. This region has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country, most are accessible, and they are often productive. Generally, surf conditions are favourable while the water temperature is rarely too cold for bare feet.
Unlike many forms of fishing, beach anglers can keep it simple. A backpack and two outfits will cover most options and you can gather bait on-site when the tide permits.
In season, bream, tailor, jewfish, flathead, tarwhine, whiting and dart are common along this part of the coast. Most of these species are strong fighters on appropriately sized gear and good to eat.
Adapting to the shorelines near the NSW Queensland border is easy. As for beaches everywhere, the key is to recognise areas fish congregate in. Tides also play an important role and if you catch on one part of the tide today you can often repeat this pattern on subsequent days. In this article we discuss the beaches you will encounter, how to identify fish holding structure, how to rig, and the seasonal variations that shape a year’s fishing.
BEACH VARIETY
The coastline from Ballina to the Gold Coast is dominated by long stretches of surf and sand often with holes and gutters alternating for their entire length. These are fully exposed to the ocean and are usually bordered by rocky headlands.
Some beaches have hard structure such as reef or bommies or a creek mouth. Manmade structure like break walls and
