Few fish capture the excitement of Queensland’s inshore fishing quite like the queenfish. With their streamlined bodies, forked tails and mirror-bright flanks, queenfish are built for speed – and they use it well. Found throughout coastal Queensland, they usually appear in Moreton Bay in numbers on the larger tides in summer and autumn.
Queenfish are aggressive predators, often hunting baitfish on the surface. When feeding, they announce their presence with explosive boils, nervous bait schools and spectacular aerial displays once hooked. It’s not uncommon to see a hooked queenfish launch itself clear of the water multiple times in a single run. They respond well to a wide range of hard-bodied lures, soft plastics, flies and live baits.
Eating Quality and Angling Appeal
I rate Queenfish around 3.5 stars for eating quality – best enjoyed when bled and iced immediately – and they really shine when prepared creatively, such as smoked, lightly fried with a tasty sauce, or used in curries and other spiced dishes.
Whether you’re casting from a boat or spinning from the shore, a Queensland queenfish encounter is fast, visual and unforgettable.
Read more stories from the Chermside Guide’s print magazine here:
- Chermside Connect: Updates from the Community
- What’s Hot Around Town
- Podcast Review: Pop Culture Parenting
- The French Film Festival Brisbane
- Organic Gardening in March
- Free, Cheap and Local!
- Happitat Brings High-Altitude Thrills to Gold Coast Hinterland
- Bee Prepared: Learn Backyard Stingless Beekeeping Tips
- Take a Bite Out of Saturday Night at VEND
- Cunning Plans Unfold as Blackadder II Storms Northside
- Vintage Treasure Hunt at Carseldine Markets
- Fashique Runway Celebrates Culture, Couture and Community
- Starlight Over Aspley: A Drive-In Icon
- Jack Pool Honoured With Community Tribute
- Stafford Families Celebrate Keith Payne VC Park Upgrade
- Aussie Icon Brings Unfiltered Comedy to Chermside
- Unspoken Debt (aka Kedrons Quiet Hero)
- Silent Disco Lets the Music Do the Talking
- New Clubhouse Secures Netball’s Future
