Marlin (tag and release)
Marlin in South East Queensland: no size limit, 20 per person, no closed season. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: December, January and February.
Updated
Pictured: blue marlin, Makaira nigricans. Names this guide covers: black marlin, blue marlin, striped marlin, billfish and sailfish.
| Species pictured | Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) |
|---|---|
| Names covered | black marlin, blue marlin, striped marlin, billfish, sailfish |
| Minimum size | None |
| Bag (possession) limit | 20 per person |
| Closed season in SEQ | None |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | Dec–Feb |
| Also in season | Mar–May and Nov |
| Best tide | No clear tide preference |
| Best light | Daytime |
| Habitats | Bluewater (FADs and the shelf) |
| Access | Mostly a boat fishery |
Marlin size and bag limit in QLD
Black, blue and striped marlin and sailfish are not listed: no size limit and the general possession limit of 20 applies. Almost all are tagged and released (NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program). Tag and release is recommended.
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 marlin in South East Queensland
October 2026: off season for marlin across South East Queensland; the best months are December, January and February.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEQ-wide | January: peak season | February: peak season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: off season | July: off season | August: off season | September: off season | October: off season | November: in season | December: peak season |
- peak season
- in season
- off season
- closed season for at least part of the month
Tide: Not tide-driven; follow bait and warm current.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offshore Sunshine Coast | Main area | Dec–Feb | Mar–May and Nov |
| Offshore Moreton | Also caught | Dec–Feb | Mar–May and Nov |
| Offshore Gold Coast | Main area | Dec–Feb | Mar–May and Nov |
Not in our guide for Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Pumicestone Passage & Bribie, Northern Moreton Bay, Western Moreton Bay, Brisbane River, Southern Moreton Bay, Moreton Island, Straddie & Jumpinpin and Gold Coast.
Where to catch marlin in SEQ
Small black marlin inshore on the bait grounds in 50-90 m (Gold Coast 24s-50s, off Mooloolaba and Noosa, Cape Moreton); blue and striped marlin on the shelf and canyons (Gold Coast, Cape Moreton and Noosa canyons). Sailfish occasionally on the Sunshine Coast bait grounds.
Marlin is mostly a boat fishery in South East Queensland.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate marlin: Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra, Offshore: Cape Moreton & Point Lookout, Offshore: Gold Coast.
| Spot | Area | Tide times |
|---|---|---|
| FAD 7 Mooloolaba 10 nm | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| FAD 1 Gold Coast 24s | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
| FAD 6 Bribie offshore | Offshore: Cape Moreton and Point Lookout | Brisbane Bar |
| FAD 8 Mooloolaba east | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| FAD 12 Gold Coast 36s | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
| FAD 17 Cape Moreton offshore | Offshore: Cape Moreton and Point Lookout | Brisbane Bar |
| FAD 18 Wide Caloundra | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| FAD 3 Gold Coast 36s | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits marlin (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 marlin: best baits, lures and rig
Baits
- Skip-rigged or swimming garfish and bonito
- Live slimy mackerel and bonito
Lures
- Skirted pusher lures trolled at 7-9 knots
Marlin rig
Circle hooks on live and dead baits; 15-24 kg for juvenile blacks, heavy tackle on the shelf.
Good to know about marlin
The juvenile black marlin run follows the East Australian Current: SE Queensland in late spring-summer (Gold Coast from about December to April), stronger in La Niña years. Coastwatch mentions peak Dec-Feb.
Open in the forecast
See marlin 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)
- NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program reports and The Conversation (2015) on black marlin habitat
- 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.