Updated 15 October 2026 · Compiled by Tackle World Australia from the fishing reports and social posts of 12 Tackle World stores.
Quick answer: Prawn soft plastics are the hottest lure in Queensland right now. In early October 2026, Tackle World stores from Cooktown to Bundaberg reported mangrove jack, barramundi, threadfin, fingermark, sooty grunter and mulloway on prawn imitations. The standouts are the Daiwa Bait Junkie 4" Prawn, Berkley PowerBait CullShrimp, Molix Twin Tail Prawn and Irukandji Mega Prawn, rigged weedless on an EWG hook and fished slowly around snags.
Why Are Prawn Lures Working So Well Right Now?
As the water warms through October, prawns get active in the creeks and estuaries, and everything with a mouth starts eating them. It's also the start of mangrove jack season. Tackle World Bundaberg put it simply: "With the weather warming up this is a must have for the upcoming jack season."
The anglers landing the fish say the same thing. One Tully local, shared by Tackle World Tully:
"Prawns have been my go to lure at the moment never really gotten into using them until recently they are definitely proving a point."
What Are the Best Prawn Lures for Mangrove Jack, Barra and Threadfin?
These are the prawn lures our stores and their regulars caught the most fish on between 1 and 15 October 2026.
| Prawn lure | Best for | Stores reporting fish |
|---|---|---|
| Daiwa Bait Junkie 4" Prawn | Jacks, threadfin, mulloway | Tully, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Lawnton |
| Berkley PowerBait CullShrimp | Barra, jacks, threadfin | Townsville, Gladstone |
| Molix Twin Tail Prawn | Jacks, barra, fingermark | Lawnton, Kawana, Gladstone |
| Irukandji Mega Prawn | Barra, threadfin | Bundaberg |
| Mintoss Skip Prawn | Sooty grunter, barra | Cairns, Cooktown |
| Samaki Live Shrimp | Fingermark, jungle perch | Tully |
| Wilson Wild Shrimp | Barra | Cairns, Coolalinga |
1. Daiwa Bait Junkie 4" Prawn
The most-caught-on prawn in our stores' feeds this fortnight, by a distance.
- Tully: a 46cm mangrove jack ("red dog") on the 4 inch prawn.
- Bundaberg: "Another 40s jack falling for the Bait Junkie 4 inch prawn", plus a 76cm mulloway off the rocks at first light on a high tide.
- Hervey Bay (Fisho's): threadfin salmon, with the angler calling it an "incredibly lifelike prawn fished on a variety of techniques".
- Lawnton: one of three standout lures on a Baffle Creek trip that produced 54 jacks, 4 barra and 4 fingermark.
- Airlie Beach now has a wall of them.
Tackle World Tully's tip is to go UV: "Who else is a big believer in UV? We sure are!"
Shop the Daiwa Bait Junkie Prawn 4 inch →
2. Berkley PowerBait CullShrimp
New this month and already getting eaten. Tackle World Townsville:
"The new Berkley CullShrimp just landed and we're already seeing barra, jacks and threadies lining up for a taste. With PowerBait scent and a lifelike action, these prawns are made for North Queensland waters."
Tackle World Gladstone is stocking all three sizes (3.5", 4" and 5") in every colour. The line runs through the body, so the lure can slide up the leader during the fight instead of giving the fish leverage to throw the hook.
Shop the Berkley PowerBait CullShrimp →
3. Molix Twin Tail Prawn
The release a lot of stores were waiting for. Tackle World Lawnton: "If you know, YOU KNOW!!!!" It landed this month at Lawnton, Kawana and Gladstone (in the 5" size), in six colours, and it was the third standout lure on Lawnton's Baffle Creek trip.
In store at Lawnton, Kawana and Gladstone.
4. Irukandji Mega Prawn
Bundaberg's go-to for barra and threadies. One local went out chasing a first threadfin "mainly using the 3in megaprawn in brownsnake" and landed a thready inside the first hour, then a barra at the next spot. Another regular lands salties on the 5" "as normal", and a last-cast barra came on the 5" Mega Prawn right at the boat.
Tackle World Bundaberg has just added the 3" in four colours and rates it for "barra and jacks to flathead and bream".
In store at Bundaberg.
5. Mintoss Skip Prawn
The sooty grunter lure of choice around Cairns. One local walked 20km of creek for a 46cm sooty on the 2.5" and 4" Skip Prawn, rigged on a weedless, weightless 3/0 hook. The Lure Shop Cooktown has restocked the Mintoss prawns and frogs ahead of the Cooktown Barra Comp (23 to 25 October).
In store at Cairns and Cooktown.
6. Samaki Live Shrimp
Tully anglers are doing damage on the bigger Samaki prawn: a 49cm fingermark first cast, and jungle perch on the logic that "big prawn = big perch, only way to do it here in FNQ".
Shop the Samaki Live Shrimp 127 →
7. Wilson Wild Shrimp
A big-profile prawn for barra. A Cairns angler had a "salty mundi frothing" on one, and Tackle World Coolalinga says it's "back and bigger, now in 6 and 7 inch with weedless or jig head options".
Shop the Wild Shrimp Weedless → or Wild Shrimp Exposed
What Prawn Lures Work for Bream, Whiting, Flathead and Bass?
Go smaller as the fish get smaller.
- Squidgies Prawn Wriggler 65mm: finally got a Lawnton angler the tarpon that kept beating them, on 6lb braid and an 8lb leader.
- Jackson Ebi Panic: a Tackle World exclusive that Tackle World Moruya rates for whiting, bream, estuary perch and bass on the surface as the water warms on the NSW South Coast. For a sinking option, see our guide to the Jackson Puri Ebi.
- MMD Pop Prawn 75mm: an 82cm PB flathead in Bundaberg on a 12lb leader.
How Should You Rig a Prawn Soft Plastic?
Weedless for snags. Most of this month's fish came out of timber, rock bars and mangroves, so the locals rig prawns on EWG hooks that come back through the structure. One Cairns sooty setup: a 4" Skip Prawn on a 4/0 weighted EWG with a 1/6oz weight. Fisho's Hervey Bay pairs the Bait Junkie Prawn with Daiwa's EWG hooks for "one seriously deadly weedless setup".
Light jigheads in open water. A Lawnton angler's 60cm golden trevally came on a 62mm prawn and a 1/6oz Bait Junkie jighead on 10lb braid and leader.
Match your leader to the fish:
| Target species | Leader our anglers are using |
|---|---|
| Sooty grunter | 16lb fluorocarbon |
| Mangrove jack | 20 to 30lb fluorocarbon |
| Barramundi (saltwater) | 40 to 50lb |
| Bream, whiting, golden trevally | 6 to 10lb |
Colour. Go natural first, then change it up. One Tully angler "took all day to work out what colour they wanted and turns out they wanted the pink prawn". UV is a favourite at Tackle World Tully.
Slow down. A prawn that sits, twitches and falls looks like a prawn. Ripping it back looks like a lure.
Can You Fish for Barramundi in November in Queensland?
Not on the east coast. From 1 November to 31 January, barramundi are in closed season in Queensland east coast waters, and that includes targeting them for catch and release. Gulf of Carpentaria waters closed on 7 October. Some stocked impoundments are exempt. Check the official lists before you go: tidal waters and freshwaters.
Jacks, threadies, fingermark and sooties stay open, so the prawns keep working right through summer. Check size and bag limits with Queensland Fisheries before you keep a fish.
Prawn Lure FAQs
What is the best prawn lure for mangrove jack?
In October 2026, Tackle World stores saw the most jacks on the Daiwa Bait Junkie 4" Prawn. The Molix Twin Tail Prawn and Shads Prawn also stood out on a 54-jack trip at Baffle Creek. Rig it weedless and fish it tight to snags.
What size prawn lure should I use?
Use around 3 to 4 inches for jacks, threadfin and estuary barra, and 5 inches or more for bigger barra. Drop to 2 to 3 inches (around 65mm) for bream, whiting, flathead and bass.
Should I rig a prawn soft plastic weedless or on a jighead?
Rig it weedless on an EWG hook around timber, rocks and mangroves, where most jacks, barra and sooties live. Use a light jighead (around 1/6oz) over open flats and sand when you want the lure to get down and hop along the bottom.
Do prawn soft plastics need scent?
They catch fish without it, but several of our anglers add scent. The Berkley PowerBait CullShrimp has scent built in.
Gear From This Story
- Daiwa Bait Junkie Prawn 4 inch
- Berkley PowerBait CullShrimp
- Samaki Live Shrimp 127
- Wilson Wild Shrimp Weedless
- Squidgies Prawn Wriggler 65mm
- Jackson Ebi Panic
- Bait Junkie EWG Jigheads
- Browse all soft plastic lures
Molix Twin Tail Prawns, Irukandji Mega Prawns and Mintoss Skip Prawns are in store at the locations above.
Ask a Local
Every tip in this story came from a Tackle World store or one of their regulars. Drop in and ask what's working on your water this week:
Tully · Cooktown (The Lure Shop) · Cairns · Townsville · Airlie Beach · Gladstone · Bundaberg · Hervey Bay (Fisho's) · Kawana · Lawnton · Coolalinga · Moruya
Or find your nearest Tackle World, and catch up on what's biting in the weekly fishing report.
