The Tweed River, Fingal Head and coastal reefs near Cook Island are the focal points for fishing in this region.
The town of Tweed Heads at the Tweed River mouth marks the NSW/Queensland border.
Let’s start in Queensland at the Gold Coast’s Burleigh Heads and move south.
Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks are suitable for casting from a canoe or cartopper. Expect whiting, flathead, bream, mangrove jacks and trevally.
The Kirra and Palm Beach inshore reefs fish well for mackerel and baitfish in season.
The Tweed River is a more serious venue.
The main arm of the river is about 60km long, tidal to a weir 2km upstream of Murwillumbah.
Significant Tweed tributaries are Cobaki Broadwater, Terranora Broadwater, Terranora Creek, Bilambil Creek, Rous River and Bilambil Creek.
The Tweed River mouth rock walls have deep water, with quality bream, tailor, luderick, mulloway, mangrove jacks , flathead and whiting.
Strong currents make fishing tricky, plan to fish hard at the turn of the tide.
Mulloway are best during flooding when baitfish are pushed downriver, but mulloway can show up at any time.
Large flathead appear in the river in spring, as do queenfish.
In summer, spotted mackerel, sweetlip, cod, mangrove jacks , flathead, grunter, whiting and small mulloway are caught.
Squid are about all year.
Within the river, prawns are best in March-April just after the full moon, with mud crabs best in summer.
Winter sees big bream biting hard in the river’s lower reaches, as well as mulloway, luderick, tailor and hairtail.
A similar spot to the Tweed River mouth is the Gold Coast Seaway, 30km to the north, which has rock walls bordering a deep sea entrance.
For rockhoppers, Fingal Head produces good fish, including big mulloway.
Further south Kingscliff, Norries Head (Cabarita), Hastings Point and Pottsville all have good rock and surf fishing.
The small tidal creeks in this region are also worth fishing, mainly for flathead and whiting.
The surf beaches produce tailor, bream, dart, whiting and mulloway, with tailor best from July to February.
Vehicles are not allowed on beaches in the Tweed Shire, but there are nearby access points along the coastal roads.
For boaters fishing out of Tweed Heads, there are three major reefs to explore within 9.25km south-east of the river mouth.
Of these, the Nine Mile Reef, east of Cook Island, is most popular, as well as nearby South Reef.
The Nine Mile is about 7.4km out, with strong currents usually hitting the steep north face.
This reef rises to about 8m but averages 12m to 24m.
The rubble bottom lies at 40m.
Nearby Fido Reef also fishes well at times.
Further south are Windarra Bank and Black Rocks reefs.
Micro charts of these reefs have been made and published in the Australian FISH FINDER book.
Wahoo, cobia, kingfish and dolphin fish are popular targets on these reefs.
Cobia of more than 40kg have been landed.
Mack tuna, longtail and yellowfin tuna are all caught.
Reefs in this area can break, so take care when boating.
The Tweed region has wider grounds called The Canyons, as well as reef areas named after their respective depths.
July is usually the best weather for boating, with light westerly winds, but summer brings the gamefish.
In winter striped marlin and yellowfin tuna are taken on the wide grounds, with reef fish such as pink snapper, teraglin, mulloway, pearl perch and tuskfish closer in.
The best action is usually early morning and late afternoon.
From July-Sept, yellowtail kingfish frequent the Nine Mile, with fish over 14kg common.
September usually brings the biggest kingfish, to 30kg.
Samson fish and amberjacks are generally caught all year.
Trolling and livebaiting around bait schools works well.
Black marlin inhabit the inshore reefs from January to April.
At the Nine Mile, wahoo appear any time from January to September, but March to June is best.
Cobia are all year, but best in spring/summer.
Spanish mackerel are best on the Nine Mile from Feb to May.
Mackerel tuna are thick all year, with occasional striped tuna, and small yellowfin in autumn/winter.
The presence of bait is often associated with heavy rain in the Tweed River.
Access through the Tweed River mouth is usually good in suitable conditions, but as with all bar crossings pick your weather and avoid the runout tide.
Tweed Heads tides
Tweed coastline
Tweed bar crossing web cam
NSW fishing regulations
NSW marine parks
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