Fishing Lake Cootharaba (Boreen Point)
Tidal flows are highly active through this upper lake system, with water levels dictated by the incoming ocean currents pushing from the Noosa River mouth. Seasonal shifts bring a diverse range of target species, with winter welcoming outstanding yellowfin bream, tailor, and flathead, while summer triggers explosive mangrove jack, giant trevally, and sand whiting action. Dusky flathead remain highly consistent year-round residents, shifting their feeding positions along the shallow drop-offs in response to changing tide cycles.
Land-based anglers are well catered for with extensive parklands, boardwalks, and public beaches along Boreen Point. Wading the shallow flats on a falling tide is a highly productive way to target trophy whiting and flathead on light tackle. Anglers must exercise extreme caution when walking the banks, as the muddy substrate can be unstable and deep current gutters exist near the creek inflows.
For boat and kayak anglers, the deep current lanes, reed margins, and rocky structures provide endless tactical options. Navigating the channel runs and current seams requires a high-quality fishfinder to locate the baitfish schools pushed up against the timber. The deep-water gutters drop to over five meters, holding schooling flathead that feed aggressively during the brief early morning hours.
Top 10 Species
Landbased
- Boreen Point Beach: Cast unweighted live yabbies on a size four long-shank hook into the shallow ripples. Retrieve with a slow, continuous twitch to target active sand whiting on a flooding tide. Use a six to eight-pound fluorocarbon leader to maximize your bite rate in the clear water.
- Elanda Point Shoreline: Slow-roll three-inch paddle tail soft plastics along the muddy drop-off transitions during the run-out tide. Let the jig head bump the bottom to kick up puff clouds of silt that mimic fleeing prawns. Focus your casts around the isolated weed clumps where flathead wait in ambush.
- Fig Tree Point: Fish fresh strip baits of mullet or whole prawns on a light running sinker rig during high water. Cast directly into the deeper current seams running parallel to the mangrove edges. Use a small size two bait-holder hook to secure quality yellowfin bream late in the afternoon.
- Mill Point Tracks: Lob unweighted baits of local prawns tightly against the submerged timber and log snags. Allow the current to sweep the bait naturally into the deeper undercut banks where estuary cod hide. Run a minimum of fifteen-pound leader to pull hooked cod out of the woodwork.
- Cooloothin Creek Mouth: Wading the sandy edges of the creek mouth on an incoming tide is productive. Cast soft plastic grubs parallel to the reed and mangrove edges. Focus on the small sand ridges where baitfish gather.
Offshore
- Lake Center Channel: Drift the deep navigation channel casting three-inch soft vibes on light quarter-ounce jig heads. Lift and drop the lure with sharp rod sweeps to imitate a wounded baitfish. Keep your sounder active to locate schooling flathead holding in the deeper sandy depressions.
- Kinaba Channel: Position your kayak near where the river enters the lake at Kinaba and cast surface walkers tightly against the reed lines. Walk the dog with an erratic retrieve to trigger strikes from tailor and trevally pushing in from the river. Target the first two hours of the run-in tide when bait is pushed upstream.
- Elanda Bay Gutter: Set up a slow drift with the wind, dragging live herring close to the bottom. Keep your reel in free-spool with your finger on the line to detect subtle flathead taps. Run a twenty-pound fluorocarbon leader to withstand the raspy teeth of trophy-sized females.
- Boreen Point Gutter: Anchor your vessel just outside the main current seam and cast down-current into the deep water. Deploy fresh squid baits on a running sinker rig using a size two-zero bait-holder hook. Use just enough weight to keep the bait pinned securely along the channel floor.
- Kin Kin Creek Mouth: Troll deep-diving hardbody minnow lures parallel to the mangrove-lined channel edges at three knots. Select lures that dive to three meters to bounce along the muddy bottom transition. This is a highly effective tactic for targeting active summer mangrove jack.
Hot Spots
- Boreen Point Beach: Sandy beach flats offering productive wading access for sand whiting.
- Elanda Point Shoreline: Quiet grassy point offering land-based casting for flathead.
- Fig Tree Point: Shoreline at the northern end of the lake holding yellowfin bream on light rigs.
- Kin Kin Creek Mouth: Creek mouth at the top of the lake holding mangrove jack and estuary cod.
- Lake Center Channel: Deep central current gutter holding schooling dusky flathead.
Local Bait Tips
- Yabbies: Pumped using a stainless steel yabby pump on the sand flats near Boreen Point at low tide. Hook them through the tail and up the body for whiting.
- Poddy Mullet: Cast-netted or caught on an ultra-light rod and reel using tiny hooks baited with bread dough. Never use traps in tidal waters as it is strictly illegal.
- Live Herring: Cast-netted around the deeper channels near Boreen Point on high tide. Pin them through the nose to keep them swimming naturally in the current.
Boat Ramps
- Orchard Avenue Boat Launch, Boreen Point:
Located at Orchard Avenue in Boreen Point, this concrete boat ramp provides excellent upper reach canoe and light boat launch access.
- Elanda Point Canoe Launch:
Located at Habitat Noosa on Lake Flat Road, this premium 2WD-accessible unsealed sand launch is dedicated to canoes, kayaks, and light hire boats. It provides direct entry to the upper Noosa River and the Everglades, though operators should note that the shallow waters of Lake Cootharaba can become extremely choppy on windy days.
Bait and Tackle
- DAVO'S TACKLE WORLD NOOSA: Shop 5, Cnr Mary & Thomas St, Noosaville QLD 4566 | Phone: (07) 5449 8166
Basecamp & Accom
- Boreen Point Campground: Esplanade, Boreen Point QLD 4565 | Phone: (07) 5485 3244
Emergency & Safety
- Marine Rescue Noosa (QF5): Munna Point, Noosaville QLD 4566 | Radio: VHF 16, 67 | Phone: (07) 5474 3695
