Tarwhine
Tarwhine in South East Queensland: minimum 25 cm; 30 per person, combined with yellowfin bream and pikey bream; no closed season. Rules checked 8 Oct 2026. Best months SEQ-wide: April to August.
Updated
Scientific name: Rhabdosargus sarba. Also called silver bream.
| Scientific name | Rhabdosargus sarba |
|---|---|
| Other names | silver bream |
| Minimum size | 25 cm |
| Bag (possession) limit | 30 per person, combined with yellowfin bream and pikey bream |
| Closed season in SEQ | None |
| Best months (SEQ-wide) | Apr–Aug |
| Also in season | Jan–Mar and Sep–Nov |
| Best tide | No clear tide preference |
| Best light | Daytime |
| Habitats | Surf beaches; rocks, walls and bar entrances; estuaries and creeks |
Tarwhine size and bag limit in QLD
Min 25 cm. 30 in total of tarwhine, yellowfin bream and pikey bream combined. 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 tarwhine in South East Queensland
October 2026: Tarwhine 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: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: peak season | May: peak season | June: peak season | July: peak season | August: peak season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: off season |
- peak season
- in season
- off season
- closed season for at least part of the month
Tide: Fish them as for bream.
Time of day: Daytime in the surf; dawn and dusk around rocks.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noosa | Also caught | Apr–Aug | Jan–Mar and Sep–Nov |
| Sunshine Coast | Also caught | Apr–Aug | Jan–Mar and Sep–Nov |
| Pumicestone Passage & Bribie | Main area | Apr–Aug | Jan–Mar and Sep–Nov |
| Southern Moreton Bay | Occasional | No season given | – |
| Straddie & Jumpinpin | Also caught | Apr–Aug | Jan–Mar and Sep–Nov |
| Gold Coast | Main area | Apr–Aug | Jan–Mar and Sep–Nov |
Not in our guide for Northern Moreton Bay, Western Moreton Bay, Brisbane River, Moreton Island, Offshore Sunshine Coast, Offshore Moreton and Offshore Gold Coast.
Where to catch tarwhine in SEQ
Surf gutters and rocky edges: Caloundra beaches (Moffat, Currimundi), Gold Coast beaches and the Broadwater, inside the Jumpinpin bar, Noosa (Weyba Creek, the Frying Pan, Woods Bay), Fisherman’s Gutter (southern bay). Usually a by-catch when chasing bream and dart.
Catch Signal forecast areas that rate tarwhine: Noosa River & Noosa Heads, Laguna Bay & Noosa offshore, Maroochy, Mooloolaba & Coolum, Caloundra & northern Pumicestone Passage, Bribie Island & southern Pumicestone Passage, Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well & Pimpama, Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway & Nerang River, Burleigh to Point Danger, Ocean side of Straddie & Moreton.
| Spot | Area | Tide times |
|---|---|---|
| Bulcock Beach (Pumicestone Passage mouth) | Caloundra and northern Pumicestone Passage | Brisbane Bar |
| Bongaree Jetty | Bribie Island and southern Pumicestone Passage | Bongaree |
| Gold Coast Seaway – south wall (The Spit) | Gold Coast Broadwater, Seaway and Nerang River | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Main Beach | Burleigh to Point Danger | Gold Coast Seaway |
| Noosa River mouth groyne | Noosa River and Noosa Heads | Noosa River mouth |
| Cotton Tree – Maroochy River mouth | Maroochy, Mooloolaba and Coolum | Mooloolaba |
| Kalinga Bank | Jumpinpin, Jacobs Well and Pimpama | Brisbane Bar |
| Point Lookout headland | Ocean side of Straddie and Moreton | Brisbane Bar |
Picked because the water each spot reaches suits tarwhine (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 tarwhine: best baits, lures and rig
Baits
- Yabbies
- Pipis
- Worms
- Peeled prawn
Lures
- Small soft plastics (by-catch on bream lures)
Tarwhine rig
As for bream or dart: light line, small running sinker, size 4-1 hook.
Good to know about tarwhine
Look for the convex head profile and the golden lines along the scales to tell them from bream. Coastwatch mentions peak Apr-May.
Open in the forecast
See tarwhine 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.