On Friday morning, a man reported seeing what he believed to be human remains of a man in his 20s with dark hair while surfing on the southern Gold Coast.

This sparked a large-scale search of the waters near Palm Beach.

The search involving boats, jet skis, a helicopter and the assistance of surf life savers did not locate a body.

Gold Coast Water Police Senior Sergeant Gavin Peachey said the surfer made the discovery while swimming back to his board after riding a wave at Palm Beach.

"As he's swimming back to recover his surfboard, in the waves he felt something on his leg," Senior Sergeant Peachey said.

"(He) reached down, grabbed it, pulled it to the surface and it was a human head. That's what he believes - there's nothing to confirm that at the moment."

"He's immediately let go of it, obviously got a fright, and swum into the shore."

Police discovered a white shirt and orange hat believed to belong to the missing person on rocks nearby, but a man has since come forward to claim them.

No missing person reports of anyone fitting the description given by the surfer had been filed, police said.

Police called off the search about 3pm on Saturday.

"All we can ask for is if anybody notices that a friend or a family member hasn't made an appointment, or hasn't shown up, if they are the sort of person to have gone for an early morning swim or a late-night swim [on Friday night], please ring the police," Senior Sergeant Peachey said.

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au.