Spanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel in South East Queensland: minimum 75 cm, 1 per person, closed 1 February to 21 February and 1 March to 21 March each year. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: April, May, December and January.
Updated
Scientific name: Scomberomorus commerson. Also called Spanish, spaniard and narrow-barred mackerel.
| Scientific name | Scomberomorus commerson |
|---|---|
| Other names | Spanish, spaniard, narrow-barred mackerel |
| Minimum size | 75 cm |
| Bag (possession) limit | 1 per person |
| Closed season in SEQ | 1 February to 21 February and 1 March to 21 March every year |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | Apr–May and Dec–Jan (outside the closed season) |
| Also in season | Jun–Aug and Nov |
| Best tide | No clear tide preference |
| Best light | Dawn and dusk |
| Habitats | Offshore reefs; bluewater (FADs and the shelf) |
| Access | Mostly a boat fishery |
Spanish mackerel size and bag limit in QLD
Min 75 cm. 1 per person, or 4 per boat with 4 or more aboard (from 1 Jan 2026). Closed 1-21 February and 1-21 March every year south of 22°S (all of SEQ).
Closed season in South East Queensland: 1 February to 21 February and 1 March to 21 March every year. Spanish mackerel caught on a closed day must be released.
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 Spanish mackerel in South East Queensland
October 2026: off season for Spanish mackerel across South East Queensland; the best months are April, May, December and January.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEQ-wide | January: peak season | February: closed season 21 days, otherwise in season | March: closed season 21 days, otherwise in season | April: peak season | May: peak season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in 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
The closed season (1 February to 21 February and 1 March to 21 March) cuts into February and March: those months show as closed in the table, and Spanish mackerel cannot be kept on any closed day.
Time of day: First light is classic; they bite through the day around bait.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Moreton Bay | Also caught | Apr–May and Dec–Jan | Jun–Aug and Nov |
| Southern Moreton Bay | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Straddie & Jumpinpin | Also caught | Apr–May and Dec–Jan | Jun–Aug and Nov |
| Gold Coast | Also caught | Apr–May and Dec–Jan | Jun–Aug and Nov |
| Offshore Sunshine Coast | Main area | Jan and Apr–Jun (local season) | Jul–Aug and Nov–Dec |
| Offshore Moreton | Also caught | Jul–Oct (local season) | Jan and Apr |
| Offshore Gold Coast | Main area | Jan and Apr–May (local season) | Jun and Dec |
Not in our guide for Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Pumicestone Passage & Bribie, Western Moreton Bay, Brisbane River and Moreton Island.
Where to catch Spanish mackerel in SEQ
Close offshore reefs and pinnacles: Noosa North and Sunshine reefs, Coolum Reef, Inner Gneerings and Murphys, Caloundra 5-12 Mile, the Barwon Banks pinnacles, Point Arkwright; Hutchinson Shoal and Cape Moreton; Point Lookout and the "Group" off Straddie; Gold Coast Palm Beach, Diamond and Mermaid reefs and the 12s-24s. Occasionally inside the bay and the Seaway.
Spanish mackerel is mostly a boat fishery in South East Queensland.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate Spanish mackerel: Central bay & Moreton Island west, Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well & Pimpama, Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway & Nerang River, Burleigh to Point Danger, Ocean side of Straddie & Moreton, Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra, Offshore: Cape Moreton & Point Lookout, Offshore: Gold Coast.
| Spot | Area | Tide times |
|---|---|---|
| Mudjimba (Old Woman) Island | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| Narrowneck Reef | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Wild Banks Artificial Reef | Central bay and Moreton Island west | Mooloolaba |
| North Stradbroke Artificial Reef | Ocean side of Straddie and Moreton | Brisbane Bar |
| Hutchison Shoal | Offshore: Cape Moreton and Point Lookout | Brisbane Bar |
| Gneering Shoals | Offshore: Mooloolaba to Caloundra | Mooloolaba |
| South Stradbroke Artificial Reef | Offshore: Gold Coast | Gold Coast Seaway |
| North Moreton Artificial Reef | Central bay and Moreton Island west | Mooloolaba |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits Spanish mackerel (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 Spanish mackerel: best baits, lures and rig
Baits
- Trolled garfish, bonito, slimy mackerel or tailor (dead or skip-rigged)
- Live baits slow-trolled
Lures
- Deep-diving minnows trolled at 6-8 knots
- Stickbaits and metal slugs cast at surface schools
Spanish mackerel rig
Short single-strand wire trace (40-60 lb), ganged or two-hook rigs on trolled baits.
Good to know about Spanish mackerel
SEQ season roughly Dec-Jul; the two closures fall in the middle of it, so reports dip in Feb-Mar. Sunshine Coast and Noosa fish run Apr-Jun with larger fish into winter; Gold Coast peaks Jan and Apr-May; Hutchinson Shoal and Cape Moreton produce into Jul-Oct. Do not confuse with wahoo (75 cm, 2).
Open in the forecast
See Spanish mackerel 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)
- Fisheries Queensland: closed seasons in 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.