Townsville Reef Access fishing forecast
Townsville Reef Access is a saltwater fishing spot in North Queensland, Australia. Anglers here target Black Marlin, Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Mahi-Mahi, Wahoo. The most productive months are typically September, October, November, December, January.
Today’s verdict
Trending down — 6 points below this spot’s 7-day average
Score confidence ±4 points, from 8 live signals
The statistical model disagrees with the physics model here today — treat this score with extra caution.
Current conditions
Live conditions are temporarily unavailable for this spot (last data Oct 16, 2026). Seasonal and regulation info below is unaffected.
What the score means at Townsville Reef Access
Townsville Reef Access currently scores 54 out of 100 (Good). Water temperature is 26.5 °C. 8 forecast signals are active in this score.
- Water temperature +25.0
- how close the water is to this species mix’s comfort band
- Chlorophyll +12.6
- plankton density — the base of the food chain
- Current +10.2
- moving water concentrates bait
- Waves +9.0
- swell energy stirring the water column
- Wind +3.6
- surface chop, oxygen and bait drift
- Barometric pressure +3.3
- falling pressure often triggers feeding
What’s biting now
The model expects today: sailfish, mahi-mahi, wahoo, spotted-mackerel, redthroat-emperor, grass-emperor, school-mackerel, king-threadfin
Bite windows
Best months for Townsville Reef Access:
Score history at this spot
30 days tracked at this exact location
Best recent day: 2026-08-16, 72/100
1 day(s) at 70+ in the tracked period
6 points below the same day last week
About this spot
Open coastal saltwater — conditions and safety depend heavily on the live wind, wave, and tide forecast, so check them before you head out.
Access & shore
Fishable from shore · offshore ground
What you can catch
-
Istiompax indica
-
Istiophorus platypterus
-
Coryphaena hippurus
-
Acanthocybium solandri
Best months by species at Townsville Reef Access
| Black MarlinIstiompax indica | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indo-Pacific SailfishIstiophorus platypterus | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-MahiCoryphaena hippurus | ||||||||||||
| WahooAcanthocybium solandri |
Typical months; local seasons and closures apply.
Local regulations
| Species | Bag limit | Min size | Open season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black MarlinOfficial source | 1/day | — | — |
| CORRECTED 2026-08-06. NSW allows one black marlin per angler per day (the limit is one of EACH of striped, black and blue marlin) with no minimum length; for marlin the NSW possession limit equals the bag limit. Queensland publishes no marlin-specific size or possession limit in its tidal limits table. Tag-and-release is the overwhelming norm in Australian game fishing and most tournaments require it, but it is a convention, not the law in NSW. Other states were not verified in this round. | |||
Licensing:
- saltwater-recreational — residents Licensing is state-level, not federal. NSW: the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee covers salt and fresh water. VIC: Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence. QLD: no general recreational licence for most saltwater fishing. WA, SA, TAS, NT: state-specific licences and permits. Bag, size and possession limits always come from the state you are fishing in., non-residents The same state rules apply to visitors, and a short-term licence can normally be bought online from the state authority before you fish.
- freshwater-recreational — residents Inland fishing usually needs a state recreational licence (NSW, VIC) or an angler permit (NT, parts of QLD). Freshwater closed seasons are separate from tidal ones — Queensland, for example, closes barramundi in fresh water and in tidal water on the same dates but publishes them on different pages., non-residents Visiting anglers must hold the relevant state licence or permit.
Some rules may have changed since our last verification — always confirm with the authority before you fish.
FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. Australian fishing rules are set by each state and vary by zone, and this national pack shows the strictest figure we have verified rather than your state's own. Always verify with the relevant state authority (NSW DPIRD, QLD DPI, VFA, WA DPIRD, SA PIRSA, NRE Tasmania, NT Fisheries) before fishing.
Check Townsville Reef Access before you go
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Nearby spots
Explore 10 more fishing spots within 1585 km of Townsville Reef Access.
-
Broken River Eungella QLD
Cairns Great Barrier Reef
GBR Cairns Edge
Lizard Island
Weipa Gulf of Carpentaria
Fraser Island
Noosa Queensland
Gold Coast Seaway
Port Macquarie NSW
Port Stephens Gamefish
Frequently asked questions
What fish can you catch at Townsville Reef Access?
Anglers at Townsville Reef Access target Black Marlin, Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Mahi-Mahi and Wahoo.
When is the best time to fish Townsville Reef Access?
The most productive months at Townsville Reef Access are typically September, October, November, December, January.
What is the fishing forecast for Townsville Reef Access right now?
Townsville Reef Access currently scores 54 out of 100, based on live ocean and weather conditions — see the full breakdown on this page.
Is the thermocline set up at Townsville Reef Access right now?
Not strongly right now — the water column is fairly mixed, so fish are less depth-locked.
Fishing guides for this spot
- How to Catch Mahi-Mahi / Dorado: Chasing the Electric-Green Ghosts of the BluewaterHow to Catch Wahoo: Chasing the Ocean's Fastest SprinterHow to Read Tides for Fishing
Forecasts, not guarantees — check local rules before you fish.