Your Fishing Photos
If you want to see yourself or your kids feature in our weekly state-wide Fishing Reports, send your best fishing photos and a description to bronte@recfishwest.org.au
Metro Catches
Picture: As you may have been following the news, the second 4 storey high metro artificial reef tower was successfully deployed over the weekend. The first reports of fish caught from the towers have already came in with samson fish and southern bluefin tuna amongst the mix attracted to the massive structures. Find the coordinates here (Photo courtesy of Dave Breglia).
Mulloway enthusiasts have been lining up shoulder to shoulder at the back of the E-Shed this past week to target their prized species. On average, two mulloway in the 10kg to 20kg range are being caught from the harbour location a night. Masses of scaly mackerel and other baitfish, which have moved into the harbour and surrounding areas, are believed to be the food source for the mulloway. Considering the activity in the extreme lower reaches of the river, Blackwall Reach and Mosman Bay would also be worth trying for mulloway.
Tailor have been a little hit and miss along the metropolitan beaches with some mornings and evenings producing fish to 60cm. South Beach, Cottesloe Groyne, Grant Street, Floreat Groyne and Trigg Point were among the spots where tailor were caught together with a few herring. The beaches north of Hillarys extending to Yanchep have also been providing tailor catches recently, however the weed movement along this part of the coast has been making the surf fishing difficult.
Pink snapper continue to be caught between Garden Island and Five Fathom Bank in good numbers. There have been some nice King George whiting coming from the 20m to 30m depths south of Parker Point. Schools of small southern bluefin tuna have been turning up west of Five Fathom while longtail tuna have been appearing within Cockburn Sound. The better catches of dhufish have been coming from the waters out from Rockingham and north-west of Rottnest. Samson fish can still be found at The Barges off West End. The Swan and Canning Rivers are producing good hauls of blue swimmer crabs.
Picture: The second Artificial Reef Tower has been deployed. Click here for the coordinates.
Mandurah & Surrounds
Picture: Good Pink snapper have been caught on the Five Fathom Bank at Mandurah (Photo courtesy of Peter Branch).
MANDURAH
Along the southern beaches most catches have been made after the sea breeze comes in. Mulloway have been taken from these beaches and are generally being taken after dark. Most fishers have been catching some good tailor, flathead, herring and sweep. Several small salmon have also been taken from a couple of locations. Those headed out to the five fathom bank have had some reportedly good fishing for pink snapper.
People fishing in the estuary, report that tailor are wide spread and are mixed with a few salmon and skippy. The Dawesville Cut is still producing some good fishing for herring and King George whiting along with an occasional skippy and tarwhine. On the beaches to the north of Mandurah there are still a lot of small sharks being taken after dark. Most fishers are taking mixed bags of herring, whiting and tailor. Small mulloway are being taken from the beaches at Golden Bay and Secret Harbour. Mulloway up to 15 kg have been caught from the beaches at Singleton and Madora. Bream are still active in the rivers with an occasional larger fish keeping fishers interested. Blue swimmer crabs are around but finding enough sized crabs is taking considerable effort for both dabbers and netters.
SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / WARNBRO / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY
Long Point, Kwinana and Warnbro beaches have all continued to produce a few good tailor during the last week. There have been some herring and a few garfish and skippy. The jetties are turning on herring early in the morning, along with squid and blue mackerel. There have been a few bonito reported by people fishing from the jetties.
Penguin Island sandbar is still a good spot to fish for flathead along the drop off into deeper water. The beaches around this region continue to produce good fishing for tailor. Better times to fish are either very early morning or later afternoon through to dark.
South West Catches
Picture: A few good Dhufish have been caught offshore inside Geographe Bay and the west side of Cape Naturaliste the past week (Photo courtesy of Michael and James Neubauer).
Big pink snapper continue to be caught within Geographe Bay while dhufish have mostly been coming from the ground in 20m to 40m of water off the west coast. We have received reports that there are plenty of juvenile dhufish around, which is exciting. As we know, dhufish suffer from barotrauma, and their survival is limited when released in depth of greater than 30m. If you find yourself catching multiple juveniles in the same spot, move on to a new spot to try and limit the impact you may have on undersized fish.
Squid are still being picked up along the seagrass beds located off Quindalup and blue swimmer crabs can be sought in similar areas. Salmon were caught at Bunker Bay last week and tailor have been regularly caught at Mitchells. Herring are about in good numbers along both sides of the cape.
Did you know? We have FREE loan life jackets available in Dunsborough, Margaret River and Augusta. If you’re going rock fishing this weekend do yourself a favour, go hire a life jacket and return home safe!
Click for Locations:
Dunsborough Outdoor Sports
Down South Camping & Outdoors
Augusta X-treme Outdoor Sports
Yesterday was the extremely popular Annual Mandalay Family Fishing Competition in Busselton. It was fantastic to see over 500 people enjoying their fishing and spending time with their families. Congratulations to the Mandalay Resort for another excellent day. Read more about this event in our upcoming Broadcast.
Albany Catches
Picture: One surprised spear fisher couldn’t believe his luck when he scored this spanish mackeral near Two Peoples Bay, Albany (Photo courtesy of KV Evans).
Perhaps the most interesting capture this week was that of a 91cm spanish mackerel (pictured) that was taken by a spear fisher at Two Peoples Bay. Spanish mackerel are mostly found in waters north of the Abrolhos Islands however, they do travel further south with warmer water temperatures. This particular fish could have potentially made its way to the Southern Ocean with the assistance of the Leeuwin Current. Considering the strength of the current in recent years, it would not be surprising if other warmer water species are caught during the next few months.
Boat fishers who hit the coral lumps, when the weather allowed, scored pink snapper to 10kg, plenty of small dhufish, breaksea cod and samson fish. Red snapper and hapuka were picked up at the edge of the shelf and beyond while the few blue eye trevalla that were caught came from about 400m of water. A 25kg southern bluefin tuna was landed last week. Most of the bluefin have been in the 8kg to 10kg, which is a reasonable fish for WA waters.
King George whiting have been a little harder to find and fish have been smaller than previous weeks. Sand whiting are still plentiful and there are fair numbers of flathead, skippy and herring about. Herring stocks appear healthier along the beaches with bag limits being quickly achieved at spots that include Bremer Bay, Sand Patch, Cables, Nanarup and Mutton Bird. Salmon were also caught at Bremer recently while tarwhine, skippy and the odd tailor have been coming from the local beaches. Bent minnow and poppers have been working on the bigger black bream in the King and Kalgan Rivers.
Did you know? We have FREE loan life jacket locations in Albany. If you’re going rock fishing this weekend do yourself a favour, go hire a life jacket and return home safe!
Click for Locations:
Albany Rods and Tackle
Trailblazers Albany
BCF Albany
Little Grove General Store
Albany Migrant Resource Centre
If you’re in Denmark over the weekend, make sure you enter the Rainbow Coast Angling Competition! Fun for all ages and everyone has a chance to win prizes.
Esperance Catches
Picture: Beautiful Queen snapper have been reportedly abundant on the South Coast in the past few weeks (Photo courtesy of Fishes of Australia).
Surf fishers searching for salmon schools along the local beaches, including Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach, have been catching up to a dozen fish a session. Mulloway have also been caught at Fourths together with plenty of big herring. Stockyards has mature and juvenile salmon on offer as well as big herring and a few flathead. Skippy and herring are the main species being taken at Dunns together with the odd salmon.
Thomas River has mulloway to 85cm while Whale Beach has been providing the odd bigger mulloway and skippy. The Taylor Street Jetty remains a good spot to try for herring, King George whiting and squid. Herring and smaller King George can be sought at the Bandy Creek Boat Harbour. The boats working the inshore waters have been catching up to a dozen squid in less 30 minutes of effort. Schools of small southern bluefin tuna have been encountered relatively close to shore. The ground out wide has fished well for nannygai to 60cm, harlequin fish, breaksea cod, queen snapper and samson fish.
Did you know? We have FREE loan life jacket locations in Esperance. If you’re going rock fishing this weekend do yourself a favour, go hire a life jacket and return home safe!
Click for Locations:
Tateys Bait n Tackle
Southern Sports and Tackle
Esperance Diving and Fishing
Dempster Sporting and Tackle
Download iPhone or Android
Geraldton Catches
Picture: Beach fishers had some very good sessions on nice size tailor around Greenough last week (Photo courtesy of Terry Oh).
The first and second points at Greenough have been fishing exceptionally well during the past fortnight. Several mulloway to 20kg, tailor in the 40cm to 60cm range, plenty of herring and big numbers of pike were among the fish caught at both points. Surf fishers who have been visiting the areas south of Greenough have been catching tailor to 2kg, small mulloway and whiting.
Southgates has been producing some nice size tailor in the mornings while afternoons there are worth trying for mulloway. The seaweed has been making things difficult along the beaches north of Drummonds, however those who put in the effort picked up tailor, herring and small mulloway.
Kalbarri Catches
Picture: Red emperor have been a nice addition to the suite of bottom fish caught out from Kalbarri recently.
Dean Robins, of Kalbarri Sports and Dive, caught rankin cod and baldchin groper while targeting reef fish last Saturday then followed up with two nice spanish mackerel, of about 15kg, on Sunday. A 13kg red emperor was reportedly caught in waters northwest of town. It also seems that the northern waters are fishing better for pink snapper at the moment.
A 1.3m mulloway was landed at one of the local beaches on Wednesday. Tailor are appearing at all of the usual spots including Red Bluff, Wittecarra, Siphons and Chinamans in the mornings and evenings. Yellowfin whiting are thick along the sand flats in the Murchison and there have also been some nice catches picked up within Jakes Bay. Herring have been turning up in the lower reaches of the river.
Did you know? We have FREE loan life jackets in Kalbarri or for those heading further north to Carnarvon, Quobba and Steep Point we have you covered. If you’re going rock fishing this weekend do yourself a favour, go hire a life jacket and return home safe!
Click for Locations:
Kalbarri Sports and Dive
Carnarvon Tackle and Marine
Tel-O-Mac Carnarvon
Quobba Station
Steep Point Rangers Station
Exmouth Catches
Picture: Game fishing for billfish has been action packed with the warm summer currents moving past Exmouth. Sailfish have been amongst the most frequent catches offshore and around the gulf.
Billfish enthusiasts have been raising up to a dozen marlin and sailfish a day with increasing numbers of black marlin appearing in depths starting at 50m. Deb Witcombe raised 10 billfish while working the open water on Sunday. At one stage, Deb and the two other fishers onboard, had a triple hook up of fish estimated to be more than 100kg.
Young fisher, William Roche, has been doing well on mangrove jack and queenfish from the shore. Big schools of garfish have been keeping other youngsters armed with light gear entertained. Six-year-old Tahlia Mossman landed a stunning sailfish recently with the assistance of Steve and Hayden Michaels. Fly fishers have continued to catch permit and queenfish in the gulf waters.
Broome Catches
Picture: Broome fishers have enjoyed some barramundi excitement from some of the most accessible locations around town the last week (Photo courtesy of Wade Kelly).
Barramundi have been turning up in some rather odd places with fish to a metre caught at Gantheaume Point during the past fortnight and several others taken from the shore at Town Beach. Considering these recent captures, Cable Beach, which sometimes produces barra catches at this time of the season, would also be trying for the popular species.
Queenfish and an assortment of trevally have been caught on metals, stick baits and poppers at Entrance Point. The boats that managed to head offshore did well on fingermark bream, bluebone and mulloway within Roebuck Bay. Cherabin can be sought in the Fitzroy River.
For those interested in what is being caught in Kununurra, keep an eye out for Matt Cox’s report next week.
