Set sail on a fun-filled and thrilling sea adventure with the top fishing charters on the Gold Coast
Fishing has always been one the most popular hobbies on the Gold Coast due to the city’s abundant sea and rivers teeming with life. It’s even a custom for many families, like mine, to go river fishing in hopes of catching some cod or bream.
I still remember the struggles of hauling the fish from the watery depths—it really puts a strain on your back!
If you intend to visit the city and experience its local delicacies firsthand, it’s best to find a fishing charter to guide your voyage.
To make your planning easier, here’s a roundup of the best fishing charters on the Gold Coast, along with tips and tricks for the ultimate fishing experience.
Great fishing charters for your sea adventure on the Gold Coast
The first step in voyaging is picking the vessel suited to your needs and preferences. The same applies to hiring a fishing charter.
Whether it’s a leisure voyage near the coast or a deep-sea adventure you want, the Gold Coast offers fun and exciting ways to explore its aquatic treasure.
Gold Coast Fishing Charters
– Media credit: Gold Coast Fishing Charters
Location: Muriel Henchman Dr, Main Beach
Contact: [email protected], +61 7 5529 9658
Hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Customers are guaranteed a smooth voyage despite the Gold Coast’s rough seas with the Gold Coast Fishing Charters.
For one, the fishing vessels are made with fiberglass mono-hull and a 6-cylinder Cummins engine to brave big waves without issue.
Passengers won’t complain about any discomfort throughout the journey either.
The fishing charters have a full-cover roof deck, a functioning toilet, and complete safety gear compliant with seafaring standards.
The high-quality service also extends to its crew, which prioritizes the passenger’s safety first before daring to venture into the open sea. It’s no wonder the charter allows children as young as 8 aboard.
Focusing on the actual service, the charter is open to both experienced and amateur fishers.
The crew delights in introducing new people to the thrill of open and deep-sea fishing. This also means the GCFC will provide all necessary equipment and fishing gear to make the journey more comfortable.
Pro tip:
While fish can be caught all year round on the Gold Coast, it’s better to schedule your fishing trips between late fall and early spring for better chances.
The route they pass through is one of the most affected fishing areas during downtime, where people sometimes catch only a single fish for the whole day.
Top Gear Fishing Charters
– Media credit: Top Gear Fishing Charters
Location: Mariner’s Cove Marina, 60/70 Seaworld Drive Berth D8, Main Beach
Contact: [email protected], +61 404 115 535
Hours: Everyday: 5:30 AM – 6:00 PM
With over 45 years of experience navigating Australian waters, Top Gear Fishing Charters has extensive knowledge of the Gold Coast water routes.
For just $160 per head, the whole family can enjoy half a day at sea birdwatching and catching tropical fish at the reefs off Seaway.
The company will also provide the necessary fishing gear, electronics, and assistance to make the voyage simple and convenient.
Of course, you can still bring your equipment. However, Top Gear assures that all equipment provided follows industry-standard quality, so you can trust their gear to perform just as well, if not better.
Customers can bring pretty much everything except for bananas. Yes, bananas.
Many fishing vessel services like Top Gear still follow sailors’ traditions of avoiding bananas on board or risk a bad day of no catch, bad weather, or engine failure.
Pro tip:
If you’re booking the private charter package, it’s best to begin your journey before daybreak to cover more areas and arrive at the final fishing spot at noon.
The GCFC usually returns to shore by late afternoon to ensure passengers’ safety, avoiding night trips with lower visibility.
Discovery Fishing Charters
– Media credit: discoveryfishinggoldcoast
Location: Harley Park, Marine Parade, Labrador
Contact: [email protected], 0410 403 020
Hours: Everyday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
More than just a fishing charter, Discovery Fishing Charters offers customers an aquatic adventure across the Gold Coast.
People can choose the standard $160 per head fishing route, exploring the open sea for up to nine hours.
Children aged 12 and up are allowed aboard, as the experienced crew will keep an eye on them and even teach them proper ways to fish.
If you come around June to November, the trip also serves as an up-close whale-watching tour for the migrating humpbacks escaping Antarctica’s frigid waters to feed and reproduce.
If deep-sea fishing isn’t to your taste, try booking the Summer Salt and Fun Boat packages. It offers a leisure cruise with 40 other passengers along Wave Break Island and the nearby Stradbroke Island.
The party cruise package includes a full catering service and alcoholic beverages for celebrations and corporate events. Guests can also start a barbecue fire or hire a DJ on board to get the festive mood going.
Pro tip:
It’s best to bring separate fishing gear when going with Discovery Fishing, as most of the provided equipment shows aging and exhaustion.
While the equipment still works as intended, newer and more stable fishing gear ensures greater safety when hauling huge catches.
Wild Thing Fishing Charters
– Media credit: wtfchartersgc
Location: Marine Parade, Southport
Contact: [email protected], 043 509 9156
Hours: Everyday: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Boasting an impressive 3100 Kevlacat, the Wild Thing Fishing Charters can provide a smooth and easy voyage amid the deep sea’s “wild” currents.
More than its vessel, the Wild Things is particularly popular for its high rates of catching cobia, marlin, and snappers with its $168 5-hour Skipper experience.
If that’s not enough, customers can opt for the 7-hour voyage for $232 or the $2,847 private charter to indulge in the Pacific’s bountiful waters for 9 hours straight.
Children aged 10 and up will also enjoy their time with the Wild Things learning about proper fishing techniques and handling freshly caught fish.
The boat has safety equipment, including floating devices and flares, to ensure speedy response if someone falls overboard.
Pro tip:
The $160 package is a shared charter, meaning you might share your voyage with other customers trying to snag a catch. This increases the chance of the fishing lines getting tangled together.
To avoid such problems, it’s better to book a private charter to allow more space above board and underwater.
Must-try fishing experiences on the Gold Coast
If you’re still confused, we broke down the different types of fishing experiences on the Gold Coast.
From beginner-friendly estuary fishing to an open water adventure with deep-sea fishing, enthusiasts and hobbyists can enjoy their time regardless of skills and experience.
Deep-sea fishing
As its name suggests, deep-sea fishing usually takes fishers into the deep open sea to try hauling huge catches.
The most popular catches on the Gold Coast include snappers, marlins, tunas, mulloways, and mahi-mahis.
If they’re lucky, fishers can haul some of the city’s prized catches like pearl perch, cobia, wahoo, and even large barracudas.
Deep-sea fishing is often reserved for experienced catchers only due to the long voyage. Some fishing charters, however, have started offering shorter trips for beginners to take part in the thrill too.
Inshore and estuary fishing
Opposite to deep-sea fishing, inshore and estuary fishing is a leisure tour across shallow waters to catch local marine life.
As such, the activity is the most popular among less experienced fishers. It also serves as a form of training to prepare for the long voyage into the deep open sea.
Although fishers won’t haul huge catches like tunas and marlins, the Gold Coast’s estuary and channels still offer a bountiful harvest for beginners. Plus, your success rate is higher inshore.
The usual hauls include bream, flathead, whiting, tailor, and many more.
Reef fishing
Reef fishing is often considered the step before the long voyage to the deep sea. This is when fishers are first introduced to the open waters without the risks involved in deep-sea fishing.
Plus, reef fishing often yields more, albeit smaller, catches. The most common hauls include venus tuskfish, cod, and occasional pearl perch.
Red snappers remain the most prized catch in reef fishing for their elusive nature and feeding spots amid coral reefs and rocky crevices.
Picking the best fishing charter for you
Before heading into the sea, here are some things you might want to consider when picking the fishing charter.
Charter route
Despite going to the same destination, not all fishing charters go through the same route. Some take their time touring the coastal lines while others make a hasty trip to the deep sea.
Charter trips with multiple stops are often catered to tourists looking to capture the cityscape.
Leisure routes also usually travel inshore to avoid staying in open waters when night arrives.
On the other hand, open sea voyages depart before dawn straight to the sea to maximize people’s time catching deep-sea fish.
Amenities and facilities
People usually check the available amenities and facilities offered before booking any charter.
The kitchen and comfort rooms are among the top priorities for long voyages. Others also look for bunkers to allow some sleep while traveling.
First aid kits and medicine cabinets are a must for fast emergency response and to provide medication for seasickness, drowsiness, and other common seafaring ailments.
Some charters even provide rentable fishing and diving gear, so check those too.
Pricing
Fishing charters usually offer various trip packages depending on the customer’s budget.
If you’re new to fishing, it’s better to pick short two-hour trips to familiarize yourself first. Try to find packages with additional amenities or special discounts to make your trip worth the expense.
Flexibility
Are you planning to see the Gold Coast’s beauty while fishing? Then, try to hire fishing charters that allow customized routes and stops.
These services are often found in leisure tour packages around the Gold Coast canals, popular reefs, and the Southport seaway.
And if you have the money, you can also book a whole-day sea adventure for a tour across the South Stradbroke Island channel and to the open sea.
Reputation
Fishing in the open sea means putting your safety into the crew’s and the captain’s hands. As such, learn more about each charter’s reputation before availing of their service.
Specifically, inquire about the businesses’ professionalism, promptness, and risk assessment from previous customers to better prepare for the voyage. Or, better yet, why not start from the top and read our comprehensive guide again?