Fishing spots at Sandgate, Shorncliffe and Bramble Bay
7 places to fish around Bramble Bay, the Pine River and Sandgate: 4 you can fish from land and 3 public boat ramps. Each has its marine park zone, the winds it is sheltered from, its tide place and what is in season in October.
Updated
Species seasons here follow our Western Moreton Bay guide, which covers Redcliffe Peninsula (Scarborough-Woody Point), Hays Inlet, Pine River, Bramble Bay, Sandgate/Shorncliffe. Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.
See this week's fishing forecast for Sandgate: the app rates each day for shore, small-boat and kayak fishing, with the best time of day, wind, tide and what to target.
Spots at a glance
| Spot | Type | Access | Sheltered in | Zone | Tide place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Shorncliffe Pier | Jetty | Land-based | S, SW, W | Yellow zone CPZ06: 2 lines; green zone nearby | Shorncliffe |
| 2. Cabbage Tree Creek mouth (Cabbage Tree Head) | Shore | Land-based and kayak | SW, W, NW | Yellow zone CPZ06: 2 lines; green zone nearby | Cabbage Tree Creek (Mouth) |
| 3. Nudgee Beach | Beach | Land-based and kayak | S, SW, W | Dark blue zone HPZ10; green zone nearby | Nudgee Beach |
| 4. Dohles Rocks (Pine River mouth) | Shore | Land-based and kayak | S, SW, W | Dark blue zone HPZ08 | Deep Water Bend |
| 5. Dohles Rocks ramp (Pine River) | Boat ramp | Boat (ramp here) and kayak | – | Dark blue zone HPZ08 | Deep Water Bend |
| 6. Shorncliffe – Jetty St ramp (Cabbage Tree Ck) | Boat ramp | Boat (ramp here) and kayak | – | Not in a marine park; green zone nearby | Cabbage Tree Creek (Mouth) |
| 7. Nudgee Beach – Nudgee Rd ramp (Kedron Brook) | Boat ramp | Boat (ramp here) and kayak | – | Not in a marine park | Nudgee Beach |
1. Shorncliffe Pier
Green zone MNP13 (Bramble Bay) about 330 m away: no fishing, crabbing or bait gathering inside it; stow gear when you cross it.
- Type
- Jetty
- Access
- Land-based
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- Sheltered in S, SW and W winds; exposed to N, NE and E (faces NE)
- Zone
- Conservation Park Zone (yellow) CPZ06 Hays Inlet–Bramble Bay: max 2 lines and 2 hooks in total per angler (a lure with up to 3 hooks, a ganged set of up to 6 hooks, or a squid or bait jig counts as one hook), max 4 crab pots, no netting except bait nets.
- Note
- Heritage pier into Bramble Bay; whiting, bream, flathead, crabs. Access: Park Pde, Shorncliffe.
- Map
- -27.32181, 153.08578 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Shorncliffe (MSQ predictions)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
2. Cabbage Tree Creek mouth (Cabbage Tree Head)
Green zone MNP13 (Bramble Bay) about 180 m away: no fishing, crabbing or bait gathering inside it; stow gear when you cross it.
- Type
- Shore
- Access
- Land-based and kayak
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- Sheltered in SW, W and NW winds; exposed to NE, E and SE (faces ESE)
- Zone
- Conservation Park Zone (yellow) CPZ06 Hays Inlet–Bramble Bay: max 2 lines and 2 hooks in total per angler (a lure with up to 3 hooks, a ganged set of up to 6 hooks, or a squid or bait jig counts as one hook), max 4 crab pots, no netting except bait nets. For the water about 50 m out from here: there is no zone on the land itself.
- Note
- Creek mouth and rock wall at Shorncliffe; flathead, bream and whiting on the tide changes. Access: Allpass Pde / Jetty St, Shorncliffe.
- Map
- -27.32861, 153.08778 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Cabbage Tree Creek (Mouth) (MSQ local times, from Brisbane Bar)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
3. Nudgee Beach
Green zone MNP13 (Bramble Bay) about 150 m away: no fishing, crabbing or bait gathering inside it; stow gear when you cross it.
- Type
- Beach
- Access
- Land-based and kayak
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- Sheltered in S, SW and W winds; exposed to N, NE and E (faces NNE)
- Zone
- Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ10 West Banks: normal line fishing, trolling, crabbing and bait gathering (up to 3 lines and 6 hooks per person); no trawling.
- Note
- Shallow mangrove-fringed beach; whiting and flathead on the flats at high tide. Access: Nudgee Beach Rd.
- Map
- -27.34417, 153.10278 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Nudgee Beach (MSQ local times, from Brisbane Bar)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
4. Dohles Rocks (Pine River mouth)
- Type
- Shore
- Access
- Land-based and kayak
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- Sheltered in S, SW and W winds; exposed to N, NE and E (faces NNE, estimated)
- Zone
- Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ08 Pine River: normal line fishing, trolling, crabbing and bait gathering (up to 3 lines and 6 hooks per person); no trawling.
- Note
- Pine River mouth foreshore at Griffin; flathead, bream, whiting; mud crabs in the river. Access: Dohles Rocks Rd foreshore.
- Map
- -27.27833, 153.03917 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Deep Water Bend (MSQ predictions)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
5. Dohles Rocks ramp (Pine River)
- Type
- Boat ramp
- Access
- Boat (ramp here) and kayak
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- No facing direction recorded for this spot
- Zone
- Habitat Protection Zone (dark blue) HPZ08 Pine River: normal line fishing, trolling, crabbing and bait gathering (up to 3 lines and 6 hooks per person); no trawling.
- Note
- Pine River mouth ramp into Bramble Bay.
- Map
- -27.27784, 153.04149 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Deep Water Bend (MSQ predictions)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
6. Shorncliffe – Jetty St ramp (Cabbage Tree Ck)
Green zone MNP13 (Bramble Bay) about 90 m away: no fishing, crabbing or bait gathering inside it; stow gear when you cross it.
- Type
- Boat ramp
- Access
- Boat (ramp here) and kayak
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- No facing direction recorded for this spot
- Zone
- Not in a marine park (Fisheries rules still apply)
- Note
- Cabbage Tree Creek ramp into Bramble Bay.
- Map
- -27.32979, 153.08631 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Cabbage Tree Creek (Mouth) (MSQ local times, from Brisbane Bar)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
7. Nudgee Beach – Nudgee Rd ramp (Kedron Brook)
- Type
- Boat ramp
- Access
- Boat (ramp here) and kayak
- What's good here
- Peak in October: Dusky flathead, Summer whiting, Snapper and Javelin / grunter (12 more in season).
- Best tide
- Run-out for dusky flathead; early run-in for summer whiting; change of tide for snapper; any tide for javelin / grunter
- Best wind
- No facing direction recorded for this spot
- Zone
- Not in a marine park (Fisheries rules still apply)
- Note
- 4-lane ramp on the Kedron Brook floodway into Bramble Bay. Green zone MNP13 Bramble Bay (~930 m) nearby.
- Map
- -27.36264, 153.10291 · Open in Google Maps
- Tide times here
- Nudgee Beach (MSQ local times, from Brisbane Bar)
- Forecast
- Open in the forecast
Boat ramps around Bramble Bay, the Pine River and Sandgate
3 public boat ramps, all launching into smooth water. None of these ramps is the launch point for a reef or offshore mark that we list: they are for the water close by.
| Ramp | Bar crossing | Reach from here |
|---|---|---|
| Dohles Rocks ramp (Pine River) | No trips listed | – |
| Shorncliffe – Jetty St ramp (Cabbage Tree Ck) | No trips listed | – |
| Nudgee Beach – Nudgee Rd ramp (Kedron Brook) | No trips listed | – |
"Reach from here" lists the reefs and marks whose usual launch is this ramp, with the trip length out and back that we allow for when checking the bar and the open water. Tide places and marine rescue units for each ramp are on the boat ramps page.
What's biting here in October?
In peak season around Bramble Bay, the Pine River and Sandgate in October: dusky flathead, summer whiting, snapper, javelin / grunter and 3 more. Of the 20 species in our Western Moreton Bay guide that these spots reach, 7 peak in October 2026 and 9 more are in season.
Also in season: Mulloway, Flounder, Australian bonito, Yellowfin bream, Tailor, Grass sweetlip, Mac tuna, Blue swimmer crab, School mackerel, Longtail tuna, Cobia and King threadfin.
Out of season in October: Diver whiting (best May–Aug); Tiger squid (best May–Aug); Estuary cod (best Jan–Mar); Banana prawns (best Feb–Apr).
Seen now and then here, so not rated: Spotted mackerel, Tuskfish and Moses perch.
Every species and its size and bag limits: species guides. Seasons are closure-aware: a species in its closed season is never listed as in season, and its best months leave out any month with a closed day.
Species photos are used under Creative Commons or public-domain terms; see photo credits for each photographer and licence.
Can you fish here? Rules, green zones and safety
You don't need a licence to fish Queensland's tidal waters (licence rules), but size and possession limits and closed seasons apply. None of the 7 spots on this page is in a green zone. A green zone starts close to Shorncliffe Pier, Cabbage Tree Creek mouth (Cabbage Tree Head), Nudgee Beach and Shorncliffe – Jetty St ramp (Cabbage Tree Ck): each one's warning says where.
Size and bag limits: Queensland tidal size and possession limits (our species guides were checked 8 Oct 2026). Fishing rules for South East Queensland.
Marine rescue
Log on and off with MRQ Sandgate (ask the unit for log-on details). Emergency: 000 (112 from mobiles) · VHF 16 for distress (checked 8 Oct 2026).
Weather and zones
Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: Moreton Bay coastal waters forecast and Current warnings. Marine park zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official zoning maps and app.
Other rules in parts of South East Queensland
Each rule's text says where it applies.
- White spot disease movement area (Caloundra to the NSW border, 100 m off Bribie, Moreton and Stradbroke, inland to Ipswich): prawns, saltwater yabbies, marine worms and other crustaceans must not leave it unless cooked; decontaminate gear and boats when leaving. Exempt: spanner, three-spotted, blue swimmer and mud crabs, bugs, lobsters, red claw. Never use raw supermarket prawns as bait. Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
- Prawn-farm channels: Biosecurity Area 2 near Logan-area prawn farms (e.g. Jacobs Well, Pimpama, Steiglitz, Woongoolba, Southern Moreton Bay Islands): no line fishing in farm intake/drainage channels or within 100 m of them; crab pots, cast nets and yabby pumps are allowed. Follow the signs. Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
- Bivalves: pipis only: Bivalves and gastropods are no take in Moreton Bay and all tidal waters flowing into it, except pipis (30). Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
- Coombabah Lake and Creek: Coombabah Lake and the tidal waters of Coombabah Creek upstream of the lake (Gold Coast): all fishing prohibited. Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
- Spearfishing: No spearfishing within 100 m of any public jetty from the Noosa River south; also banned in Lake Weyba/lower Noosa River, the lower Maroochy (incl. the Cod Hole), the Mooloolah below Nicklin Way, parts of Pumicestone Passage, Jumpinpin and the Southport Broadwater/Seaway (south of 27°42′S), Tallebudgera Creek and the artificial reef off Cowan Cowan. Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
- Lota–Wynnum worm digging: No worm digging on the Wynnum foreshore (Lota Creek to the Wynnum North Esplanade groyne); hand pumps only in Fish Habitat Areas. Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
- NSW waters: South of Point Danger (Tweed, Kingscliff, Cook Island) is NSW: NSW rules apply and a NSW recreational fishing licence is required (not covered here). Official page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
Nearby fishing areas
- Redcliffe Peninsula (about 12 km north)
- Brisbane River (about 14 km south)
- Wynnum, Manly and Wellington Point (about 19 km south-east)
- Bribie Island (about 30 km north)
Distances are between the middle of each area's spots.
Sources and checked dates
- Spot positions: Queensland topographic data (QTopo), © State of Queensland (Department of Resources), CC BY 4.0
- Place names and positions: Queensland place names gazetteer, © State of Queensland (Department of Resources), CC BY 4.0
- Parks and boat ramps: Brisbane City Council open data, CC BY 4.0
- Boat ramps: Moreton Bay City Council open data, CC BY 4.0
- Marine park zones: Moreton Bay Marine Park zoning, © State of Queensland (Department of Environment and Science) 2021, CC BY 4.0, simplified; guide only, not for navigation (zones checked 8 Oct 2026).
- Spot data checked 8 Oct 2026; area details checked 8 Oct 2026; bars checked 8 Oct 2026; marine rescue units checked 8 Oct 2026.
- Species seasons: our South East Queensland guide (Western Moreton Bay), rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Tide places name the Maritime Safety Queensland predictions each spot uses (CC BY 4.0).
- Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.