Noosa River Mouth (Noosa Spit)
Summary for 26 Oct 2026
Bite Compass is showing a high fish activity bite score on 26 Oct 2026. Wind is around NW at 20 km/h. Solunar feeding windows are listed below.
Noosa River Mouth fishing times this week Noosa River Mouth tide times
Feeding Windows
Local Knowledge
The Noosa Spit is the sandy point at the end of Hastings Street, where the Noosa River meets the sea beside a rock groyne. The river beach on the inside of the spit is a long sand edge with whiting and flathead, and the mouth itself brings trevally, tailor and mulloway in on the tide. It is the busiest fishing spot in Noosa, shared with walkers, dogs on the river beach, kayakers and boats crossing the bar. Golden trevally sometimes cruise the shallows in summer, which is enough to make anyone carry a spare rod.
On the river side, cast yabbies or worms on light running-sinker rigs along the sand for whiting, and hop soft plastics along the drop-off for flathead. From the groyne, cast pilchards on ganged hooks or metal slugs into the current for tailor and trevally. Surface lures at dawn draw trevally on the flats. At night, a live bait fished deep in the mouth is the mulloway option.
Sand whiting are 23 cm (possession 30) and bream 25 cm (combined 30). Dusky flathead must be 40–75 cm (5), tailor 35 cm (20), and mulloway 75 cm (2). Trevally, including golden trevally and GTs, have no size limit and a combined possession limit of 20.
A lifejacket is strongly recommended on the groyne (AS 4758 level 50S or higher for adults). Upstream, the Noosa River is a declared Fish Habitat Area, where a hand pump is the only digging tool allowed. The banks and channels at the mouth move after big swells and floods. Fish the run-in tide for clean water and whiting, and the run-out for flathead.
Access & Conditions
Park at the Noosa Spit car parks at the end of Hastings Street, which have toilets and picnic areas. The groyne and the river beach are a short walk across the sand. The river beach is flat and good for families.
The river side of the spit is sheltered from southerly winds, and the groyne faces the open bay to the north. A northerly blows straight into the mouth. Clean water on the run-in tide is best for whiting and bream. After heavy rain the river runs dark, and the flathead and mulloway move down to the mouth.
The channel at the mouth runs hard on big tides and the bar is dangerous — don't try to wade or swim across to the north shore. Bull sharks use the Noosa River, so avoid wading at dawn or dusk. Watch for boats, jet skis and kayaks crossing the mouth. Stingrays are common on the flats, so shuffle your feet. Shark control nets or drumlines operate off Noosa Main Beach — stay more than 20 m from them; it is an offence to be inside the 20 m zone.
Gear & Rigs
For whiting, a light 2–3 kg rod with a 1000–2500 reel, 4–6 lb line and size 6–4 hooks. For flathead and trevally, a 2–4 kg spin rod with 10–15 lb leader and 1/8–1/4 oz jigheads or small poppers. A heavier rod with 20–30 lb leader for tailor from the groyne.
Seasons
Whiting are best from spring through summer, and bream and tailor in winter. Flathead peak from late winter to early summer. Golden trevally and GTs are mostly warm-season fish, and mulloway are best from autumn into spring.
If This Spot's Blown Out
Frequently Asked
The river beach on the inside of the Noosa Spit is good for whiting and flathead, and the groyne at the mouth is best for tailor and trevally. Mulloway are taken at the mouth at night.
Yes. Upstream, the Noosa River is a declared Fish Habitat Area, where a hand pump is the only digging tool allowed. Yabbies have no possession limit.
Bull sharks use the Noosa River. Avoid wading or swimming at dawn and dusk, and don't clean fish at the water's edge.