Lake Lenthall, north-west of Maryborough on the headwaters of the Burrum River, is stocked with barramundi, bass, golden and silver perch.

In 2017/18 alone, more than 14,000 Australian bass and 14,000 barramundi were stocked.

Since stocking began, 144,000 barramundi, 413,000 bass, 61,000 golden perch and 1000 silver perch have been put in the dam, all funded by permit sales.

The dam was built in 1984, and the catchment includes Isis, Cherwell and Gregory Rivers, and is the town water supply for Hervey Bay and surrounding areas. .

The impoundment is small at 766ha, with an average depth of 5m.

With its large catchment and small lake area, it takes only moderate rain events to fill Lake Lenthall.

The turn off for the dam is 6.6km south of Torbanlea off the Bruce Highway.

Some camping is available at the dam but pre-booking is essential.

There is a 6-knot speed limit for this dam and only 4-stroke motors and direct-injection 2-stroke outboards to 60hp are allowed.

Picnic tables, toilets, walking tracks and a fishing platform are provided.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for freshwater fishing, including within stocked dams.

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QLD fishing regulations
QLD stocked waters
QLD dam levels

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Queensland’s Mary River marks the barramundi’s southern limit on the East Coast, with regular catches in the river and occasional fish from the labyrinth of channels, flats and tidal creeks that make up the Great Sandy Strait into which the river flows.

Though the Mary River flows through Maryborough, fishing access is generally done from Beaver Rocks ramp or River Head at the mouth, 35km from Maryborough.

Barramundi prefer the turbid water of the river than the clearer water found in sandy creeks of the strait.

There is a chance of catching a trophy saltwater barramundi or threadfin salmon in the Mary River, along with hordes of blue salmon, bream, prawns and crabs.

Though barramundi are present, the main saltwater catch is whiting (summer, tin can and diver species), flathead, southern and pikey bream, tailor, blue and threadfin salmon, mangrove jacks , northern and southern jewfish, perch (which look like a small jewfish), cod, mud and blue swimmer crabs, and prawns.

There are many drying banks in the upper river and fishermen who explore on a falling tide may become landlocked in creeks or stuck on a sandbank, so explore first on a rising tide.

The river between Beaver Rocks and River Head consists of flats and channels that provide plenty of fishing opportunity.

Beaver Rocks, near the ramp at Beaver Rocks Road, is a popular area about 11km upstream of River Head, near the rivers Crab Islands. The rocks are at approx 25 29.718S 152 51.063E.

There is a boat ramp 2km downstream from Beaver Rocks.

Beaver Rocks has deep water that fishes well, along with nearby flats around the Crab Islands.

A strong current flows through the channels, especially on the runout tide. Fish the turn or rising tide for best results.

flathead are found at the mouths of small creeks and gutters, as well as over tidal flats, especially near channels.

Whiting and flathead move over the flats on incoming tides.

Jewfish, bream and cod are found in the deep holes, and tailor chase bait in the deeper areas of the estuary.

On big tides, try fishing for barramundi with lures or livebait at the mouths of the larger draining mud gutters.

Barramundi should be targeted in warm weather. Being large fish, diligent use of a good sounder can help locate barramundi.

Prawns are best from around January.

Further upstream, a rocky area to watch for is Leslie Rocks at approx 25 30.596S 152 45.928E. More foul ground exists upstream towards Dundathu at approx 25 28.814S 152 44.677E. Look for warning and channel markers.

Bass are stocked in the freshwater section of the Mary River.

Some impoundments associated with the Mary River catchment are stocked. There are two impoundments on the river, being Gympie weir and the Mungar barrage, with several dams on tributaries, being Borumba Dam on Yabba Creek, Baroon Pocket Dam on Obi Obi Creek, Six Mile Creek Dam on Six Mile Creek, Cedar Pocket Dam on Deep Creek, weirs Talegalla and Teddington and a barrage on Tinana Creek.

Freshwater barramundi can be caught at nearby Lake Lenthall, on the headwaters of the Burrum River, and at Lake Monduran.

Note that the Mary River has saltwater crocodiles.

Also note that Australia’s Northern Territory also has a Mary River, a famous barramundi fishing area.

Outside the Mary River mouth, the Great Sandy Strait includes a vast labyrinth of drying areas and channels and should be navigated on a rising tide with plenty of spare fuel.

The strait is famous for its flathead, whiting and bream, but there are many other species.

Reef fish are caught around most deep lumps and bumps, with the flats and associated channel edges providing mostly flathead, whiting and bream.

Channels are marked through the strait.

To the east, Fraser Island is famous for its annual tailor run, with sharks and jewfish also taken.

Hervey Bay’s long Urangan Pier is a very popular landbased spot that produces big fish.

Occasional bonefish and permit occur in this area, with bonefish sometimes caught in deep water off Fraser island’s Rooney Point, but golden trevally and queenfish are the more likely catch for those chasing sportfish in the shallows.

Slatey bream (blackall), pink snapper, coral trout, cod and sweetlip are caught on local reefs.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for the north.

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Maryborough tides
River Heads tides
QLD fishing regulations
QLD marine parks
GBRMPA marine parks
QLD stocked waters
QLD dam levels
Return to Qld Fishing Map

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Baffle Creek is between Bundaberg and the town of 1770, about 440km north of Brisbane.

The tidal section is a wide, mostly shallow waterway, with a mix of drying flats, rockbars, holes and mangroves edges.

Baffle Creek is known for its mangrove jacks, but bream, whiting, flathead, tailor, tropical salmon, cod and grunter can all be caught in a day, along with mud crabs and prawns.

There are also queenfish, barramundi, trevally, tuskfish, flounder and tarpon, and occasional mulloway.

Fishing is seasonal, with barramundi and mangrove jacks best in warm weather and bream, flathead and trevally better in winter.

However most species can be caught all year.

The creek is generally quite clear and big tides (new and full moons) tend to make the fish more aggressive in their feeding.

Small tides can see the fishing become harder and requires using light tackle and fresh or live bait, or fishing at night.

The river is very shallow at low tide and newbie trips should be done on a rising tide to prevent stranding.

Great care is required to not hit rock patches in the upper tidal river.

A cartopper or yak is ideal for fishing the upper river, but keep in mind that big crocodiles may be present, although they are not commonly reported.

Heavy rain pushes marine fish and mud crabs downstream, while extended dry periods see them move back upstream.

The creek mouth usually has many fishable snags, which shift with rough weather and/or floods.

In from the mouth, the south bank between Boaga and Winfield has deep holes where bigger fish are caught.

Upstream of Boaga, the channel divides into three.

The northern channel has mangrove edges, rockbars, submerged trees and weedbeds which are worth fishing. There is a picnic area, a boat ramp and sailing club adjacent to the rockbars.

The middle channel has rockbars, weedbeds and mangroves. This channel runs along the north bank of Mackay Island, and is a good area to target mangrove jacks .

The southern channel is divided by a sandbar, with the Winfield boat ramp nearby.

There is a ramp at the Ferry Crossing, below the local school.

Bait, including prawns, herring and pike, is usually plentiful in the creek and ideal for using as livebait for barramundi, tropical salmon and jacks.

Nippers and soldier crabs are found on drying flats and are ideal bait for smaller species such as whiting and bream.

Jacks will respond to lures but on small tides livebait may be required.

Access through the sea mouth is best done on a high tide, with great care.

In suitable weather reef can be fished out from the mouth from about 2km from the sea entrance. Some of the reef is quite close to the beach, with mackerel caught from shore at times .

Fingers Reef is a known spot that produces reef fish, trevally and mackerel.

Note that a Green Zone starts 5km from the sea entrance to the north-east.

Also note that the dual mouth of Broadwater, Mitchell and Blackwater Creek lies 10.6km to the north-west, and this is also a good fishing area.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for the north.

Book your fishing stay early at Booking.com

Baffle Creek tides
QLD fishing regulations
QLD marine parks
GBRMPA marine parks
Mouth of Baffle Creek National Park

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