Tinaroo put barramundi impoundment fishing on the map in the late 1990s with the capture of massive fish, long before other impoundments gained popularity.

Sooty grunter exceeding 5kg and barramundi over 30kg have been caught here, and there’s even a chance of hooking monstrous mangrove jacks in this location.

The lake was created in 1958 with the construction of a dam wall on the Barron River.

Spanning 3360 hectares with an average depth of 13m, the lake extends about 15km from the dam wall.

Fish species include barramundi, mangrove jacks, mouth almighty, saratoga, archerfish, bony bream, eel-tailed catfish, sleepy cod, silver perch, gar, sooty grunter, tilapia, and redclaw crayfish.

Stocking practices shifted when large barramundi began preying on newly stocked smaller ones. To address this, approximately 3000 larger barramundi fingerlings were introduced in 2010 to reduce predation.

Fishing in Lake Tinaroo requires a permit.

The area has family-friendly amenities, including van parks, camping sites, barbecues, and a restaurant.

How to fish Tinaroo

Targeting big barramundi
– Fish during early morning or late evening when baitfish are active.
– The best barramundi fishing typically occurs from November to March, during warm weather and between the first and last moon quarter.
– The bite window can be brief, sometimes only 30 minutes at sunrise or sunset—timing is crucial.

Key fishing spots
– Focus on shallow weed beds, inflowing creeks, and submerged timber for casting and trolling.
– Use robust tackle suitable for large fish: 15kg–25kg braid and 40kg fluorocarbon leaders.

Fishing for sooty grunter
– Sooty grunter can be caught throughout the day, with morning and evening being most productive.
– Opt for small lures and fish near timber, but be prepared to lose lures when these strong fish dive for cover.

Redclaw crayfish
– Numbers can vary, so patience is key.

For those interested in competitive fishing, visit the official site to sign up for the local **Tinaroo Barra Bash** competition here.

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

QLD Dam Water Levels |
QLD Stocked Dam Permits |
QLD Fishing Regulations |
Return to QLD Fishing Map

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Gladstone has some excellent landbased fishing locations for a range of species.

Local tides are quite large, exceeding 5m, so landbased fishing is mostly done around high tide.

Expect to catch a mix of tropical and sub-tropical species.

Big barramundi and threadfin salmon are realistic targets, with whiting, flathead and bream also popular among local fishos.

Mangrove jacks, cod, queenfish and trevally can all be taken by landbased fishos.

When fishing from land around Gladstone, keep in mind that saltwater crocodiles exist here and they can show up almost anywhere.

Rock walls are arguably the best landbased fishing spots around Gladstone, with the broadest range of species, but local beaches also produce fish.

Here are some local landbased spots to get you started.

Power station hot water outlet – fishos target warmth-loving barramundi in winter in the warm water outflow. This is a big-fish location so use heavy gear. Follow Hanson Road towards the NRG Power Station and turn left before the bridge.

The marina – coral trout are caught here, along with many other species, including mangrove jacks , barramundi and trevally.

Auckland Creek – this tidal inlet has several jetties, wharves and other structures. Barramundi, blue salmon, queenfish, mangrove jacks , cod, trevally and barramundi. Use cast net catch local sardines, mullet and prawns for bait.

Lilleys Beach – this beach has summer and winter whiting, blue salmon, queenfish, flathead, bream and mackerel. A permit is needed to drive on this beach.

​Benaraby Bridge – barramundi, blue salmon, queenfish, flathead, bream, trevally, mangrove jacks on the downstream side. Upstream has mainly mangrove jacks and tarpon. There is a free camping ground on the south bank of the Boyne River. Access off Gladstone Benaraby Road and after the Caltex Service Station.

The Narrows – better fished by boat, but barramundi, salmon and bream can be caught here from the shore on the upper tide.

Turkey Beach – this community is south of Gladstone. There is fishing to be had off the sheltered beach around high tide for most local species, but a boat is a better option. Jenny Lind Creek is to the east and is a superb whiting fishery.

Gladstone has a popular annual fishing competition called the Boyne Tannum Hookup.

Gladstone fishing is tropical, with barramundi activity best in warm weather, keeping in mind the Queensland closed season that applies to tidal waters.

Jacks, mud crabs and golden snapper (fingermark) are also best in summer.

Grunter and bream are caught all year.

Blue salmon are also caught all year, usually on the rising tide. They show up almost everywhere, sometimes in numbers.

When Lake Awoonga floods the big barra escape and make their way down the Boyne River, and the fishing goes silly, with landbased fishos getting a share of the big fish.

Eventually the fish disperse throughout the harbour.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for the north.

Gladstone tides
Lake Awoonga
QLD dam levels
QLD stocked waters
QLD fishing regulations
QLD marine parks
GBRMPA marine parks
Return to Queensland Fishing Map

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The South Alligator River lies within Kakadu National Park, on the Top End’s Arnhem Highway.

The river has a sealed boat ramp next to the highway into tidal water.

The ramp is subject to strong currents and at times can have a mudbar that restricts access.

Barramundi are by far the main target and almost all barramundi fishing in the tidal river is done during and just after the wet season when floodplain run-off is flowing.

Boaters go upstream or downstream from the ramp depending on flood conditions.

In the dry season the river forms waterholes in the upper section around Cooinda, many of which can be reached by track and have camping areas.

Cartopper dinghies are generally used in the waterholes, with limited landbased fishing available, keeping in mind large crocodiles are common in all Kakadu waterways.

Yellow Water is one of the better known freshwater locations.

Downstream, outside the river mouth, there is shallow reef around Field Island with large golden snapper and jewfish.

Fishing the South Alligator River is quite complex because of huge tides and sandbars, and the best fishing spots are in a few small areas.

There are detailed fishing spot maps for this river with rockbar micro-charts in the North Australian FISH FINDER book.

Every year the river’s wetlands fill with monsoonal floodwaters and fish life becomes supercharged through the bait cycle.

The wet season and shortly after is the best time to fish the tidal waters, concentrating efforts where bait has collected, especially where clear or green floodwater is flowing into the turbid tidal water.

The freshwater locations are fishable only in the dry season when tracks have dried out.

Wet season fishing requires a boat, although there is a good chance of catching barramundi by casting around flooded culverts, however crocodiles are common and extreme caution is required when fishing from land as saltwaters crocodiles will attack people.

Accommodation near Kakadu is at Corroboree Park Tavern on the Arnhem Highway.

Darwin also has a range of accommodation options.

South Alligator River mouth tides
East Alligator River mouth tides
Note that the river mouth high tides occur almost three hours earlier than at the upstream ramps
East Alligator Cahills Crossing tides
NT tidal variations
Latest Kakadu access report
Kakadu fishing rules
Recent NT rainfall – important for run-off fishing
NT Million Dollar Fish promotion
NT fishing regulations
North Australian FISH FINDER fishing map book

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