Luderick (blackfish)
Luderick in South East Queensland: minimum 30 cm, 10 per person, no closed season. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: May, June, July and August.
Updated
Scientific name: Girella tricuspidata. Also called blackfish and black bream.
| Scientific name | Girella tricuspidata |
|---|---|
| Other names | blackfish, black bream |
| Minimum size | 30 cm |
| Bag (possession) limit | 10 per person |
| Closed season in SEQ | None |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | May–Aug |
| Also in season | Apr and Sep–Oct |
| Best tide | No clear tide preference |
| Best light | Daytime |
| Habitats | Rocks, walls and bar entrances; estuaries and creeks |
Luderick size and bag limit in QLD
Min 30 cm. 10 per person. No closed season.
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 luderick in South East Queensland
October 2026: Luderick is in season across South East Queensland, though not at its peak.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEQ-wide | January: off season | February: off season | March: off season | April: in season | May: peak season | June: peak season | July: peak season | August: peak season | September: in season | October: in season | November: off season | December: off season |
- peak season
- in season
- off season
- closed season for at least part of the month
Tide: Weed-fishers usually want moving water over the weed.
Time of day: Daytime (they graze weed).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunshine Coast | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Northern Moreton Bay | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Gold Coast | Main area | May–Aug | Apr and Sep–Oct |
Not in our guide for Noosa, Pumicestone Passage & Bribie, Western Moreton Bay, Brisbane River, Southern Moreton Bay, Moreton Island, Straddie & Jumpinpin, Offshore Sunshine Coast, Offshore Moreton and Offshore Gold Coast.
Where to catch luderick in SEQ
A southern fish in SEQ: the Gold Coast Seaway walls (and the Wave Break Island north wall), Tweed walls just over the border (NSW rules), the Maroochy River Cod Hole, and other rock walls and bridge pylons with weed growth. Scarce north of the Sunshine Coast.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate luderick: Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway & Nerang River, Burleigh to Point Danger.
| Spot | Area | Tide times |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast Seaway – south wall (The Spit) | Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway and Nerang River | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Burleigh Head | Burleigh to Point Danger | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Gold Coast Seaway – north wall (South Stradbroke) | Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway and Nerang River | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Tallebudgera Creek training wall | Burleigh to Point Danger | Gold Coast Seaway |
| The Spit – Broadwater shore (Moondarewa Spit) | Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway and Nerang River | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Kirra groyne | Burleigh to Point Danger | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Wave Break Island | Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway and Nerang River | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Snapper Rocks | Burleigh to Point Danger | Gold Coast Seaway |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits luderick (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 luderick: the rig
Long float rod (12-16 ft), 3-4 kg mono, a correctly weighted stem float and a small size 8-10 hook (general practice, from New South Wales guides).
Good to know about luderick
Reports cluster in May-Aug at the Seaway. All marine plants, including marine algae alive or dead, are protected in Queensland (Fisheries Act 1994); we haven’t confirmed whether picking weed for bait is allowed, so check with Fisheries Queensland (13 25 23) or buy bait weed.
Open in the forecast
See luderick 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.