TideLine

Currumbin Creek

Species & gear

Curated rod, reel, bait & rig for each target at Currumbin Creek.

Bream

Acanthopagrus australis

25cm QLD

Best on tide changes. Fish structure — pylons, rock walls, snags.

Bait: Live nippers, Mullet strips, Hardyheads, Peeled prawn
Best tide: falling / low / rising
Rod: 7ft 2-4kg graphite spin rod
Reel: 2500 size spin reel
Line: 6lb braid + 8lb fluorocarbon leader
Rig: Running sinker to swivel, 50cm fluoro leader, #2 baitholder hook

Flathead

Platycephalus fuscus

40-75cm slot, QLD

Drift the sandy edges of channels on the run-out. Slow hop the plastic.

Bait: Live poddy mullet, Soft plastic 4" paddle tail, Whitebait
Best tide: falling / low
Rod: 7ft 2-5kg spin rod
Reel: 2500-3000 size spin reel
Line: 10lb braid + 15lb fluoro leader
Rig: Lightly weighted jighead 1/8oz, or running sinker rig

Whiting

Sillago ciliata

23cm QLD

Sand flats on rising tide. Surface poppers at dawn produce.

Bait: Live nippers (yabbies), Bloodworms, Pipis
Best tide: rising / high
Rod: 7ft light 1-3kg spin rod
Reel: 1000-2500 size
Line: 4lb braid + 6lb fluoro leader
Rig: Long shank #4 hook, small ball sinker running to hook

Mangrove Jack

Lutjanus argentimaculatus

35cm QLD

Hit hard around snags — lock up drag. Best summer evenings, overcast.

Bait: Live herring, Live mullet, 5" soft plastic shads
Best tide: high / falling
Rod: 7ft 6-10kg baitcast or spin
Reel: 4000-5000 spin or 200 baitcast
Line: 30lb braid + 40lb fluoro leader
Rig: Heavy jighead or live bait on 6/0 circle hook

Tailor

30cm QLD

Dawn and dusk smash bait schools at the mouth. Use wire if biteoffs.

Bait: Pilchard on gang hooks, Metal slugs 20-40g
Best tide: falling / low
Rod: 8-9ft medium spin rod
Reel: 4000 size
Line: 15lb braid + 30lb mono leader
Rig: 4x 4/0 ganged hooks, no leader needed for chrome

Mulloway

75cm QLD

Night sessions around the rock wall on big tides, especially around the full moon.

Bait: Live mullet, Squid heads, Large soft vibes 100mm
Best tide: rising / high
Rod: 9ft 6-10kg
Reel: 5000-6000 spin
Line: 30lb braid + 40lb leader
Rig: Running sinker to swivel, 80cm 40lb leader, 6/0 circle

Mud Crab

Scylla serrata

Males 15cm carapace, no females

Set pots in mangrove channels overnight. Summer best. Males 15cm+ only.

Bait: Mullet frames, Chicken carcass
Best tide: high / falling
Line: Float line with bottle
Rig: Collapsible crab pot, 4 pots max per person QLD

Blue Swimmer Crab

Portunus armatus

11.5cm carapace, no berried females

Seagrass flats in summer. Quick soak — check pots every 30-60min.

Bait: Mullet pieces, Pilchards
Best tide: high / falling
Line: Float line
Rig: Witches hat or collapsible pot on the flats