Tiger squid
Tiger squid in South East Queensland: no size limit, 20 per person, no closed season. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: May, June, July and August.
Updated
Scientific name: Sepioteuthis lessoniana. Names this guide covers: squid, southern calamari and pencil squid.
| Scientific name | Sepioteuthis lessoniana |
|---|---|
| Names covered | squid, southern calamari, pencil squid |
| Minimum size | None |
| Bag (possession) limit | 20 per person |
| Closed season in SEQ | None |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | May–Aug |
| Also in season | Apr and Sep |
| Best tide | High tide |
| Best light | Night |
| Habitats | The open bay and passages; estuaries and creeks |
Tiger squid size and bag limit in QLD
Tiger squid: no size limit, 20 per person. Other squid and cuttlefish: 50. 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 tiger squid in South East Queensland
October 2026: off season for tiger squid across South East Queensland; the best months are May, June, July and August.
| 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: off season | November: off season | December: off season |
- peak season
- in season
- off season
- closed season for at least part of the month
Tide: Around high tide, when clean water floods the weed beds.
Time of day: Night under lights and dawn; calm clear nights are best.
Weather: calm or offshore wind and clear water suit them; rain and dirty water put them off.
Seasons partly come from Coastwatch report mentions, not catch numbers.
| Area | How common | Best | Also in season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noosa | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Sunshine Coast | Also caught | May–Aug | Apr and Sep |
| Pumicestone Passage & Bribie | Also caught | May–Aug | Apr and Sep |
| Northern Moreton Bay | Also caught | May–Aug | Apr and Sep |
| Western Moreton Bay | Main area | May–Aug | Apr and Sep |
| Brisbane River | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Southern Moreton Bay | Main area | Mar–Jun and Sep (local season) | Jul–Aug |
| Straddie & Jumpinpin | Main area | May–Aug | Apr and Sep |
| Gold Coast | Main area | May–Sep (local season) | Apr |
Not in our guide for Moreton Island, Offshore Sunshine Coast, Offshore Moreton and Offshore Gold Coast.
Around Scarborough and the Redcliffe Peninsula
Our local Redcliffe Peninsula notes come from local fishing columns and reports, and for tiger squid they differ from the South East Queensland picture. Around Scarborough the best months are June, July and August, with May and September also worth a try.
| Where | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarborough | January: off season | February: off season | March: off season | April: off season | May: in season | June: peak season | July: peak season | August: peak season | September: in season | October: off season | November: off season | December: off season |
| 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: off season | November: off season | December: off season |
Lit areas in Scarborough Harbour, the Redcliffe and Woody Point jetties, rocky foreshores and nearby inshore reefs; seagrass beds and shallow rocky reef.
Tide around Scarborough: High tide, which brings in clean water and opens up shallow feeding areas.
When: Night under lights; calm, clear nights are best.
Spots in our local notes: Scarborough Boat Harbour walls, Redcliffe Jetty, Woody Point Jetty, Reef Point / North Reef.
Where to catch tiger squid in SEQ
Clear-water weed beds, rubble and lit structure: the Gold Coast Broadwater (SeaWorld channel, Runaway Bay, Crab Island, Wave Break Island, Grand Hotel), Green Island, Manly rock wall, Wellington and Victoria points, Mud and Coochiemudlo islands, Dunwich and Amity, Redcliffe and Woody Point jetties, Shorncliffe pier, Hornibrook Bridge and the Bribie Bridge.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate tiger squid: Maroochy, Mooloolaba & Coolum, Caloundra & northern Pumicestone Passage, Bribie Island & southern Pumicestone Passage, Redcliffe Peninsula & Deception Bay, Bramble Bay, Pine River & Sandgate, Central bay & Moreton Island west, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Scarborough Boat Harbour walls | Redcliffe Peninsula and Deception Bay | Scarborough |
| 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 |
| Kalinga Bank | Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well and Pimpama | Brisbane Bar |
| 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 |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits tiger squid (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 tiger squid: best baits, lures and rig
Baits
- Mostly jigged; a whole garfish or pilchard on a squid spike under a float also works
Lures
- Squid jigs size 1.8-3.0; smaller in the shallows, heavier in current; change colours often
Tiger squid rig
Light rod, loose drag, 10-15 lb leader; let the jig sink near the bottom then 2-3 sharp lifts; most hits come on the drop.
Good to know about tiger squid
Tiger squid live under 200 days and grow fast. Local squid prefer about 2.5-10 lux of underwater light. Clear water is essential.
Open in the forecast
See tiger squid 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)
- Moreton Daily, Ask Dr Dazza: Tiger squid
- Coastwatch weekly reports (seasons from report mentions, not catch numbers; we use the facts only)
- Catch Signal’s own Redcliffe Peninsula notes (from local fishing columns and reports)
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.