Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay fishing spots

A maze of sand banks, mangrove islands and creeks between K'gari and the mainland, ending at Tin Can Inlet and the Wide Bay Bar. Whiting, flathead, bream and sand crabs on the banks; mud crabs, jacks, grunter and the odd barra in the creeks; tuna and tailor at Inskip Point. The 2024 zoning added green zones through the strait and Tin Can Inlet, and seasonal shorebird closures apply on some points.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

5 spots here, all fished from land, plus 6 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our Wide Bay & Bundaberg species list for Queensland. Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.

Under each spot, "Forecast for this spot" opens the app's forecast worked out for that spot: Go, Marginal or No-go for each day of the week ahead, with the best times, wind, waves and tide. Open the forecast.

Spots at a glance

5 spots: Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Kingfisher Bay jetty (K'gari)	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	Great Sandy Marine Park
2. Tin Can Inlet	Estuary	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Great Sandy Marine Park; no-take zone nearby
3. Carlo Point (Rainbow Beach)	Beach	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	Great Sandy Marine Park
4. Inskip Point	Beach	Land-based and boat	Ocean coast	Great Sandy Marine Park
5. Poona Point	Channel	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	Great Sandy Marine Park

1. Kingfisher Bay jetty (K'gari)

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Resort jetty on K'gari's west coast; reached by passenger or vehicle ferry from River Heads. Pin is the seaward end.
What's good here: Peak in October: whiting, dusky flathead, trevally and queenfish. Also in season: yellowfin bream. Out of season now: tiger squid.
Best tide: Run-in and around high tide.
Best wind: Sheltered from south-easterlies; westerlies blow onto it. Faces NW.
Note: Small but productive jetty with gear hire at the resort: bream and trevally around the pylons, whiting and flathead on the sand, squid at night.
Safety: Dingoes: keep bait and catch close to you, don't drag fish up the sand, strip and stow bait when you stop, and never feed them. Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Ferry berth: keep clear of arriving and departing vessels.
Zone: Jetty is beside a conservation park (yellow) zone: limited line fishing (2 lines, 2 hooks per person); green zones lie about 3.4 km north. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
Map: -25.38847, 153.02705 · Open in Google Maps (position: Jetty (unnamed in dataset), Built features - Queensland series (Marine infrastructure lines))
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Tin Can Inlet

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Ramps at Tin Can Bay (Snapper Point) and Carlo Point; foreshore access at Tin Can Bay.
What's good here: Peak in October: whiting, dusky flathead, mangrove jack, trevally and estuary cod. Also in season: yellowfin bream, mud crab and blue swimmer crab.
Best tide: Run-in for whiting; run-out for flathead on the bank edges.
Best wind: Sheltered in most winds.
Note: Mangrove-lined inlet and declared fish habitat area: whiting and flathead on the banks, bream and cod on structure, jacks and mud crabs up the creeks. Green zones now cover parts of the inlet.
Safety: Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Outside the usual crocodile range, but rare sightings happen: stay croc-aware at creek and river edges. Sandflies and midges are fierce at dusk.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. Inlet is a conservation park (yellow) zone: limited line fishing (2 lines, 2 hooks per person). Green zones (no fishing) lie about 2.4 km west (Griffen Creek, near the Snapper Point ramp), 3 km south and 3.7 km north (Myers Creek): check the map. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
Map: -25.89970, 153.03310 · Open in Google Maps (position: Tin Can Inlet, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Carlo Point (Rainbow Beach)

Type: Beach · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. Short drive north of Rainbow Beach; ramp, boat and houseboat hire, bait and ice.
What's good here: Peak in October: whiting, dusky flathead, trevally, tailor and mangrove jack. Also in season: yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Run-in on the sand; run-out along the channel edge.
Best wind: Sheltered from south-easterlies; westerlies blow in. Faces W.
Note: Sandy point on Tin Can Inlet and a departure point for charters. Cast along the channel edge for flathead and whiting.
Safety: Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Heavy sandflies; busy ramp traffic.
Zone: Adjacent waters are yellow; the nearest green zone is about 2.2 km north. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
Map: -25.88670, 153.05810 · Open in Google Maps (position: Carlo Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Inskip Point

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based and boat. 4WD camping areas on Inskip Peninsula (permits needed); barge to K'gari leaves from the point.
What's good here: Peak in October: tailor, trevally, dusky flathead, whiting and queenfish. Also in season: longtail tuna and yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Run-in at the point; the first of the run-out along the channel.
Best wind: Light winds; strong south-easterlies and swell make the bar side dangerous. Faces ESE.
Note: Deep channel at the strait's southern entrance: longtail tuna and trevally chase bait past the point, with tailor, flathead and whiting along the beaches.
Safety: Nearshore landslides can open deep holes in the beach without warning: stay back from the waterline and sand cliffs. Wide Bay Bar is a hazardous ocean bar: get current local crossing advice and only cross in suitable conditions. Dingoes: keep bait and catch close to you, don't drag fish up the sand, strip and stow bait when you stop, and never feed them. Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade.
Zone: Point is in a conservation park (yellow) zone: limited line fishing (2 lines, 2 hooks per person); a general use zone lies just east. The nearest green zone (Myers Creek, in Tin Can Inlet) is about 5 km south-south-west. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
Map: -25.81110, 153.07280 · Open in Google Maps (position: Inskip Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Poona Point

Type: Channel · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. Poona township with a ramp on Poona Creek; sandbanks, channels and rocky foreshore within walking distance.
What's good here: Peak in October: whiting, dusky flathead, mangrove jack, javelin / grunter and estuary cod. Also in season: yellowfin bream, blue swimmer crab and mud crab.
Best tide: Run-in on the sand banks; run-out at creek mouths.
Best wind: Light winds; wind against tide chops up the strait.
Note: Launch point for the inside of K'gari: whiting, flathead, bream and sand crabs in the strait, and mud crabs, cod, grunter, salmon and jacks in the mangrove creeks.
Safety: Marine stingers are less common this far south but can turn up in summer; cover up if you wade. Outside the usual crocodile range, but rare sightings happen: stay croc-aware at creek and river edges. Big tides here: the water comes in fast over the flats, so keep an exit route.
Zone: Point is in a conservation park (yellow) zone: limited line fishing (2 lines, 2 hooks per person) inside a turtle and dugong go-slow area; no green zone within 5 km. Guide only, not for navigation: check parks.qld.gov.au.
Map: -25.71030, 152.92220 · Open in Google Maps (position: Poona Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

6 public boat ramps are listed for Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay, with positions from Built features - Queensland series (Marine infrastructure lines). Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.

Boat ramps: Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay
Ramp	Notes	Position
Tin Can Bay boat ramp (Snapper Point)	Two-lane ramp at Snapper Point, Tin Can Bay (two adjoining lines in the dataset). A green zone (Griffen Creek) lies about 500 m west: check the map before fishing nearby.	-25.90145, 153.01355 Google Maps
Carlo Point boat ramp	Ramp at Carlo Point near Rainbow Beach; boat hire and bait nearby.	-25.89799, 153.05736 Google Maps
Poona boat ramp	One-lane ramp on Poona Creek. Launches into a turtle and dugong go-slow area; use the marked Poona Creek transit lane.	-25.72285, 152.91370 Google Maps
Maaroom boat ramp	Two-lane tidal ramp on Maaroom Creek. The Maaroom seasonal shorebird closure area is about 300 m away (no access 1 Sep-31 Oct and 1 Mar-30 Apr).	-25.61290, 152.87555 Google Maps
Boonooroo boat ramp	One-lane tidal ramp at Boonooroo. Launches into a turtle and dugong go-slow area; the Boonooroo seasonal shorebird closure area is about 700 m away.	-25.66262, 152.90372 Google Maps
Tinnanbar boat ramp	One-lane ramp at Tinnanbar. Launches into a turtle and dugong go-slow area; use the marked Tinnanbar transit lane.	-25.75762, 152.95538 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay in October: whiting, dusky flathead, trevally, mangrove jack and 10 more. Of the 33 species our Wide Bay & Bundaberg list has for this part of the coast, 14 peak in October 2026 and 13 more are in season.

Peak in October: whiting, dusky flathead, trevally, mangrove jack, estuary cod, tailor, queenfish, javelin / grunter, barramundi, Spanish mackerel, coral trout, grass sweetlip, tuskfish and marlin and sailfish.

Also in season: yellowfin bream, mud crab, blue swimmer crab, longtail tuna, king threadfin, blue threadfin, cobia, school mackerel, spotted mackerel, red emperor, spangled emperor, redthroat emperor and snapper.

Closing soon: barramundi (closes 1 Nov; closed 1 November to 31 January).

Closed now in part of the area: mud crab in Eurimbula Creek (near Agnes Water): no take of mud crabs (all year); Spanish mackerel in Platypus Bay (K'gari, Hervey Bay): no take by recreational fishers (all year).

Out of season in October: tiger squid (best Jun–Jul and Dec–Feb); winter whiting (best May–Aug); banana prawns (best Feb–May).

Seen now and then, so not rated: black jewfish, grey mackerel and nannygai.

Seasons are closure-aware: a species is never listed as in season, for the area or at a spot, while it is closed there; a closure for part of the area says where. Species links go to our South East Queensland species guides, with Queensland's limits: Queensland's own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

No licence or fee for recreational fishing in Queensland tidal waters, including the Gulf and Torres Strait (as at 9 Oct 2026). Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Queensland's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay

Great Sandy Marine Park zoning (2024): new green zones in the strait and Tin Can Inlet are no fishing; much of the strait is yellow (limited lines and hooks). Check the zoning map.
Seasonal shorebird closure areas at Maaroom, Boonooroo and Cooloola: no public access 1 Sep-31 Oct and 1 Mar-30 Apr.
Go-slow areas for turtles and dugongs cover much of the strait: no planing and no more than 6 knots. The rules don't apply in marked channels or the transit lanes at Poona, Kauri Creek and Tinnanbar.
Snapper closed 15 Jul-15 Aug; no fishing 400 m either side of the Mary River and Tinana Creek barrages.

Marine parks and no-take zones

The zone notes here name Great Sandy Marine Park. A no-take zone starts close to Tin Can Inlet: its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay

Sand banks dry and shift: navigate the strait on a rising tide with an up-to-date chart.
Wide Bay Bar is a hazardous ocean bar: get local advice and the latest crossing information before going out.
Dingoes on K'gari and Inskip: never feed them and keep bait and catch secured.

Queensland: official links

Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: Qld coastal and local waters forecast map and current warnings.

Boating: Queensland boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Must wear: crossing a designated bar in an open boat or open area (any length); open boat <4.8m underway alone or at night; children 1-11 in open boat/area underway. AS 4758 only.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ). Until MRQ is fully operational, log on with your local marine rescue unit by boat radio or by phoning the unit. Channels and hours differ by unit.

Marine parks and closed areas: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Commonwealth) - GBRMPA zoning maps, GBRMPA - interpreting zones, Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park (State) and all Qld state marine parks, Moreton Bay Marine Park - app and maps, Great Sandy Marine Park - app and maps and Australian Marine Parks (Commonwealth waters, e.g. Coral Sea).

Help on the water (non-emergency): MRQ unit pages list 131 MRQ (131 677). More.

Queensland's official rules: size and bag limits and closed seasons and areas (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Emergency: 000 (112 from mobiles) · VHF channel 16 for distress.

Nearby fishing areas

Hervey Bay (about 47 km north)
K'gari (Fraser Island) east coast (about 62 km north-east)
Bundaberg and Burnett Heads (about 112 km north-west)
Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy (about 195 km north-west)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in Queensland · all fishing spot guides.

Sources and checked dates

Spot and ramp positions: Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and the state and territory naming authorities), CC BY 4.0, ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) (Australian Bureau of Statistics), CC BY 4.0 and Built features - Queensland series (Marine infrastructure lines) (State of Queensland), CC BY 4.0; gazetteer and ABS positions through our place index. Guide only, not for navigation.
Spot research checked 9 Oct 2026 and fact-checked 9 Oct 2026; species seasons and rules checked 9 Oct 2026; safety links checked 9 Oct 2026. Text in our own words.
Research sources: queensland.com (Kingfisher Bay jetty fishing and gear hire); boatgoldcoast.com.au (Great Sandy Strait and Tin Can Bay species: whiting, flathead, bream, cod, jacks, mackerel, tailor); business.qld.gov.au (Tin Can Inlet declared fish habitat area); weekendnotes.com (Carlo Point access, boat hire, bait, charters, sandflies); coastwatch.com.au (Longtail tuna at Inskip Point; Tin Can Bay flathead on the ebb, whiting on the making tide); poonacommunity.com.au (Poona land-based options and strait/creek species); parks.qld.gov.au (Inskip Peninsula nearshore landslides (retrogressive breach flow slides) and the coastal buffer zone); parks.qld.gov.au (Inskip camping permits); parks.qld.gov.au (Great Sandy Marine Park 2024 zoning maps; zones checked against the Qld spatial layers); parks.qld.gov.au (Seasonal shorebird closure areas and dates; go-slow areas); dpi.qld.gov.au (Mary River and Tinana Creek barrage closures); data.qld.gov.au (Kingfisher Bay jetty and boat ramp positions (Marine infrastructure lines, CC BY 4.0)).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.