Flounder
Flounder in South East Queensland: no size limit, 20 per person, no closed season. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: June to October.
Updated
Pictured: large-toothed flounder, Pseudorhombus arsius. Names this guide covers: large-toothed flounder.
| Species pictured | Large-toothed flounder (Pseudorhombus arsius) |
|---|---|
| Names covered | large-toothed flounder |
| Minimum size | None |
| Bag (possession) limit | 20 per person |
| Closed season in SEQ | None |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | Jun–Oct |
| Also in season | Jan, Apr–May and Nov |
| Best tide | Run-out (falling tide) |
| Best light | Daytime |
| Habitats | Estuaries and creeks; the open bay and passages; surf beaches |
Flounder size and bag limit in QLD
Flounder (all species) are not listed: no size limit and the general possession limit of 20 applies.
Checked 8 Oct 2026 against the Queensland Government pages: size and possession limits and closed seasons.
Limits are possession limits: they count everything you hold, including any at home in the freezer. In yellow (conservation park) zones: max 2 lines and 2 hooks in total per angler. Green zones: no fishing. All QLD fishing rules
When to catch flounder in South East Queensland
October 2026: Flounder is in its peak season across South East Queensland.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEQ-wide | January: in season | February: off season | March: off season | April: in season | May: in season | June: peak season | July: peak season | August: peak season | September: peak season | October: peak season | November: in season | December: off season |
- peak season
- in season
- off season
- closed season for at least part of the month
Time of day: Daytime.
Weather: not fussy about wind; rain makes little difference.
Seasons partly come from Coastwatch report mentions, not catch numbers.
| Area | How common | Best | Also in season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumicestone Passage & Bribie | Also caught | Jun–Oct | Jan, Apr–May and Nov |
| Western Moreton Bay | Also caught | Jun–Oct | Jan, Apr–May and Nov |
| Southern Moreton Bay | Also caught | Jun–Oct | Jan, Apr–May and Nov |
| Straddie & Jumpinpin | Main area | Jun–Oct | Jan, Apr–May and Nov |
| Gold Coast | Also caught | Jun–Oct | Jan, Apr–May and Nov |
Not in our guide for Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Northern Moreton Bay, Brisbane River, Moreton Island, Offshore Sunshine Coast, Offshore Moreton and Offshore Gold Coast.
Where to catch flounder in SEQ
Sand and weed banks with drop-offs: Crab Island and the Jacobs Well channel (Broadwater/South Stradbroke), the Cockle Banks (Bribie), Raby Bay canals to Wellington Point, Shorncliffe pier; also beach gutters.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate flounder: Caloundra & northern Pumicestone Passage, Bribie Island & southern Pumicestone Passage, Bramble Bay, Pine River & Sandgate, Wynnum, Manly & Wellington Point, Cleveland, Peel & Straddie west, Victoria Point, Redland Bay & bay islands, Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well & Pimpama, Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway & Nerang River, Burleigh to Point Danger, Ocean side of Straddie & Moreton.
| Spot | Area | Tide times |
|---|---|---|
| Kalinga Bank | Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well and Pimpama | Brisbane Bar |
| Cylinder Beach | Ocean side of Straddie and Moreton | Brisbane Bar |
| Bulcock Beach (Pumicestone Passage mouth) | Caloundra and northern Pumicestone Passage | Brisbane Bar |
| Bongaree Jetty | Bribie Island and southern Pumicestone Passage | Bongaree |
| Shorncliffe Pier | Bramble Bay, Pine River and Sandgate | Shorncliffe |
| Wynnum Jetty (Pandanus Beach) | Wynnum, Manly and Wellington Point | Manly |
| Cleveland Point | Cleveland, Peel and Straddie west | Cleveland Point |
| Victoria Point jetty | Victoria Point, Redland Bay and bay islands | Victoria Point |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits flounder (our habitat match), not from catch reports. Each spot links to its place on the area page; tide times are for the place our forecast reads for that spot.
How to catch flounder: best baits, lures and rig
Baits
- Small live baits (herring, whitebait)
- Prawns and yabbies
Lures
- Small soft plastics hopped on the bottom (by-catch when flathead fishing)
Flounder rig
As for flathead, lighter: small running sinker to a size 1-2/0 hook.
Good to know about flounder
Mostly a by-catch with flathead; Coastwatch mentions cluster Jun-Oct around the southern Broadwater.
Open in the forecast
See flounder in the Catch Signal app: seasons for the area you fish, closed-season warnings and the best days this week.
Sources
- Queensland Government: size and possession limits for tidal waters (last updated 25 Sep 2026; checked 8 Oct 2026)
- Queensland Government fish species guide (entries updated Mar-May 2026)
- Coastwatch weekly reports (seasons from report mentions, not catch numbers; we use the facts only)
Rules are short, dated summaries: always check the official pages before you keep a fish. Species notes are in our own words from the sources listed.