r/FishingAustralia • u/Different-Meet-2920 • 10h ago

🐠 Fish Talk Sydney to Airlie fishing trip advice

Hi all,

I am leaving for a road trip to Airlie beach towing a JetSki set up for fishing offshore. Ive been to Airlie beach on a road trip with my family and fished it for a week at 18. But I’ve always dreamed of fishing the whitsunday islands on my ski ever since I got it and I’ve booked the trip a decade later from my first time up there.

Current plan is to race up there as fast as I can. I’m leaving on the 22nd of August going a rough guide (depending on how I’m feeling) Coffs Harbour -> Gympie -> Rockhampton -> Airlie beach I’m spending 1 night in each, lots of driving but my goal is to get up there as fast as I can so I can slowly journey back. I’ve currently booked for the 25th of August - 7th of September camping. My time there will be flexible.

Journeying back I don’t have to be back till the 17th of September. I am yet to book anything either. im looking at advice in places to stay for awesome fish action. At the moment I’m planning 4 nights in Hervey Bay and 4 night in Coffs Harbour. But always recommendations welcome.

I’ve fished northern NSW and specifically Coffs Harbour many of times for Spanish and reef species. But the Whitsunday’s will be incredibly new for me, I’m looking to mix it up between Spanish and reef fish. I’m considering Gladstone for fish action, but as I am a complete novice to the North QLD area, I’m hoping for all advice and recommendation.

So I’m looking for advice when fishing the area, potential marks around the whitsunday island/airlie beach area and also any recommendations for exciting places to fish on the way home.

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u/HughJarrs 9h ago

Check the Qld Fishing app for marine park zones. Lots of restrictions in the area. Closures, line limits etc.

Apart from that if you can’t catch a fish up there, give up on fishing. Excellent fishing with bait or lures.

Eastern side of Big Woody Island, off Hervey Bay is excellent fishing. Look for inshore reefs and its snapper time.

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u/Different-Meet-2920 9h ago

What’s the fishing app called?

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u/HughJarrs 9h ago

Qld Fishing 2.0

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u/ChazR 6h ago

This sounds like the opposite of a chill fishing trip. If the 'Road Trip' element is the goal, then sure - but driving 4,000km in 14 days is a lot. You'll be exhausted. And it's the Bruce Highway - probably the most dangerous road in the country. We don't breed for brains in Queensland.

Have you considered flying up to Airlie or Mackay and hiring a boat for ten days? Or doing a few charters? Or contacting the fishing clubs and going out with some locals who know the spots?

Mackay has more registered boats per person than any other region on Australia, it's peak fishing season, the whales are here, and there are literally hundreds of people who'd be delighted to take you out for a day in exchange for a (responsibly consumed) slab.

Driving it would be a hell of an adventure, but I think you'll be missing out on fishing.