The Gold Coast Seaway is one of the most productive yet frustrating fishing locations in Southeast Queensland. If you’ve spent any time at the North Wall, you know the “Pipe” is a legendary fish magnet. However, for most anglers, it’s just a graveyard for expensive tackle. If you want to learn how to catch Mulloway consistently in this high-pressure environment, you have to stop fishing like everyone else and start understanding the structure.
In this guide, I’m breaking down the exact methods I’ve used for years to pull “schoolie” Jewfish out of the heavy structure. From reading your sounder to mastering the “bounce back” technique, here is your masterclass on conquering the Pipe.
1. The Sounder Secret: The Pipe isn’t on the Bottom
The biggest mistake people make when learning how to catch Mulloway on the Pipe is looking in the wrong place. Most fishos scan the sea floor looking for a big hump or a log.
Surprisingly, the Pipe is actually suspended a few meters off the bottom. On your sounder, you aren’t looking for a solid mass on the sand; you are looking for a distinct “triangle” or “diamond” shape sitting 2 metres off the bottom. Usually, this structure will be absolutely covered in baitfish, Big Eye Trevally, and GT’s. The Mulloway generally sit just underneath this chaos, waiting for an easy meal to drop.
2. Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gunfight: Heavy Gear is Essential
Mulloway, or Jewfish, are incredibly powerful. When you hook one near the Pipe, their first instinct is to run directly under that structure. If they get under it, the barnacles will cheese-wire your line in seconds.
To win this battle, you need to fish heavy. I recommend a 15kg to 24kg (30lb to 50lb) overhead outfit. While you can use spin gear, an overhead like a Shimano Torium or Talica gives you the winching power to “put the hurt” on the fish and keep their head turned away from the Pipe. My go-to is 50lb braid with an 80lb leader. It might sound like overkill for a 90cm fish, but you aren’t just fighting the fish—you’re fighting the structure and the current.
3. The “Silver Bullet” Bait: Live Pike
While Jewfish will eat squid, mullet, and yakkas, the Longfin Pike is the undisputed king of baits in the Seaway. If you are serious about how to catch Mulloway, you need to spend the time catching live Pike first.
I rig these using a simple running sinker rig:
- The Lead: A number 8 ball sinker (depending on the current).
- The Trace: A short 60lb to 80lb fluorocarbon leader.
- The Hooks: Snelled 6/0 to 8/0 hooks to suit the length of the Pike.
4. Master the “Bounce Back” Technique
Positioning is everything. You want to anchor or spot-lock approximately 10 to 15 meters up-current of the Pipe. Drop your bait to the bottom, then put the reel in gear. As the current lifts your bait, you want to free-spool and let it “bounce” back toward the structure.
This mimics a wounded baitfish being swept into the Jewfish’s strike zone. You’ll know you’ve hit the “money zone” when you either get a massive strike or start feeling small fish (like bream or tailor) picking at your bait. If you don’t get a hit, wind up and repeat. This active style of bait fishing is the most effective way to learn how to catch Mulloway in heavy current.
I usually like the last of a run in tide to fish the seaway.
5. Fishing the Slack Water with Soft Plastic
If you prefer lure fishing, the tide change is your window. As the water slows down, work the Pipe with 5 to 7-inch soft plastics. Paddle tails and curl tails are best because they have built-in action.
Use a 1/2 oz jig head with a strong 5/0 or 6/0 hook. Cast up-current and let the plastic sink alongside the Pipe. Remember, Jewfish are lazy predators; they want the lure to come to them. If you feel a “thump,” don’t wait—strike hard and get that fish moving away from the barnacles immediately.
Mastering the Pipe takes time and a few lost rigs, but once you dial in these secrets, you’ll see why it’s the most consistent spot in the Seaway.
More Mulloway Fishing Guides
Read the full mulloway fishing guide