Fishing Southport Broadwater

Southport Broadwater, also called Gold Coast Broadwater, is a shallow expanse of mostly sandy tidal estuary immediately inside the South Stradbroke Island seaway and The Spit on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

The Nerang River flows into the southern Broadwater, with the lower tidal river formed into a labyrinth of residential canal estates.

The seaway is a permanent sea entrance to the Broadwater, with the north side of the seaway being South Stradbroke Island.

The seaway entrance is stabilised with manmade rock walls, and a wave-breaking island is maintained inside the seaway to de-energise incoming ocean swells.

The Broadwater is known for its flathead and whiting fishing, but it also produces bream, mulloway, tailor, mangrove jacks , tarwhine, luderick, grunter, tarpon, trevally, dart, squid, mud crabs and more.

Though the bottom is mostly sand, boaters can find spots that will on occasion produce nannygai, pink snapper, tuskfish, slatey bream, sweetlip and cod. Reefs located just outside the seaway also produce these fish, as well as cobia and mackerel.

South Stradbroke Artificial Reef is located just 3km north-east of the seaway.

While a boat or yak provides the most fishing opportunities, the Broadwater is well served by fishing parks and reserves which give easy access to foreshores for landbased fishing.

The Broadwater is known for its big flathead and sand whiting. The big flathead are usually caught in spring and summer, while the best whiting are caught on fresh or live bait fished on light tackle, often at night or during the week when boating traffic drops off.

Drift fishing in a boat or walking a foreshore and casting are proven ways to find flathead.

Bream are generally found around structure or over rough bottom and along rock walls, especially in the canals, as are mangrove jacks and cod.

A big rain event will usually produce good fishing in the Broadwater after the weather has settled.

Prolonged dry spells sees marine fish move up the rivers and canals, and clearer water in the Broadwater can make fish harder to catch.

The Broadwater and its associated tidal canals tend to fish best on bigger tides.

To the north of the Broadwater is the Coomera River, another great fishing location.

Southport Broadwater landbased fishing spots

Doug Jennings Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaworld Drive, Main Beach – this park is the premium landbased fishing location on the Broadwater. There is a long manmade rock foreshore with associated footpath, with nearby parking, toilets and taps. The park is inside the seaway entrance on the south side, and the seaway rock walls and sand-pumping jetty are nearby. The full range of fish can be caught in this area, including big flathead, bream, tailor, luderick, cod, trevally, queenfish, tuskfish, snapper and mulloway. Those willing to tackle the big rocks and strong currents of the seaway walls with appropriate gear can hook almost anything. The sand-pumping jetty is unusual in that it is a pier facing open ocean – it is a mulloway and tailor hotspot but you’ll need the right gear to land big fish from the high deck, and the same applies to the seaway’s huge wave-washed rocks. Found out more about the facilities at this park here.

Moondarewa Beach, Gold Coast Broadwater, The Spit Access Road, Main Beach – this beach is located immediately south of Doug Jennings Park. If walking and casting for flathead is your thing, this is a prime spot. Can be fished on most tides by walking out towards the channel. There is nearby parking, and a long sandy beach. Great spot to catch a variety of fish if you don’t want to fish off the rocks to the north.

Mitchell Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, Marine Parade, Southport – A good fishing spot during the week and at night when boating traffic is less. Most species can be caught here, including mulloway. There is nearby parking, a manmade rock foreshore onto sand, jetty, boat ramps, barbecues, playground, near shops and transport.

Centenary Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, Centenary Drive, Hollywell – this has nearby parking, a grassed area with manmade rock foreshore going to sand, boat ramps, and toilets. Mainly whiting and flathead are caught on the upper tide.

James Cook Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, James Cook Esplanade, Hollywell – nearby parking, sandy foreshore. Great place to walk along the foreshore on a rising tide casting lures for flathead.

Esplanade South Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, 15 The Esplanade, Paradise Point – nearby parking, sandy foreshore, near amenities. Great place to walk along the foreshore on a rising tide casting lures for flathead, can also wade out at low tide to fish the channel drop-off.

Esplanade North Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, The Esplanade, Paradise Point – nearby parking, sandy foreshore with adjacent walking path, barbecues, playground, toilets. Walking path gives access to some good foreshore at high tide. Walk and cast lures for flathead and bream or bait fish for whiting. Also mangrove jacks and grunter caught here.

Paradise Point Reserve, Gold Coast Broadwater, The Esplanade, Paradise Point – nearby parking, sandy foreshore with adjacent walking path, barbecues, playground, toilets. Walking path gives access to good foreshore to fish at high tide. Walk and cast lures for flathead and bream or bait fish for whiting.

Labrador Fishing Platforms, Gold Coast Broadwater, Imperial and Marine Parades, Labrador – nearby parking, manmade rock foreshore with fishing platforms, near shops and transport. Most species show up here, best at night and during the week when boating traffic is reduced. mulloway on livebait at night.

GR Thompson Park, Gold Coast Broadwater, 95 Marine Parade, Southport – paid parking, sandy foreshore, toilets and taps. Shallow area has whiting on big high tides, best at night.

Hill Parade Park, Hill Parade, Main Beach – nearby parking, sand and manmade rock foreshore, nearby jetty pylons. Fish the pylons and the bottle-necked area around the bridge on big tides for a range of species.

Shearwater Park, Shearwater Esplanade, Runaway Bay – nearby parking, sandy foreshore, nearby amenities. This shallow area produces some good flathead and whiting. Great place to throw shallow lures and soft plastic lures on a big rising tide.

Broadview Park, Constance Esplanade, Runaway Bay – nearby parking, concrete wall and sand foreshore, boat ramp, near amenities. This shallow sandy area has mostly flathead and whiting, with some bream.

Pacific Street Reserve, 2 Pacific Street, Main Beach – nearby parking, sand and rock foreshore. Handy bream spot right in the middle of the Gold Coast. Big tides best.

Here is a list of recommended tackle for SEQ waters.

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