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South West Catches
Picture: This nice Salmon caught by Dan around the Eagle Bay area in Dunsborough will be one of many caught as the annual migration heats up (Photo courtesy of Salmon School Tracker 2017).
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Inshore
Salmon numbers are increasing along the coast between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste with fish between 3kg and 7kg consistently being caught at Hamelin Bay and Contos Beach during the week. Injidup and Mitchells also produced a few salmon and there were schools turning up at Smiths Beach and north of Yallingup. Along the Geographe Bay side of Cape Naturaliste, schools have been appearing at Bunker Bay, Eagle Bay, Meelup and Quindalup. Herring numbers have increased along both sides of the cape while a few tailor in the 35cm to 65cm range continue to be caught. Squid are yet to show in big numbers along the seagrass meadows. There are still a few blue swimmer crabs being caught by drop netters however, scoop netters have had little to show for their efforts.
Offshore
The boats that worked the 30m to 40m depths off Canal Rocks and Gracetown picked up plenty of baldchin groper last week as well as dhufish to 20kg, breaksea cod, skippy and pink snapper.
Recfishwest’s Forecast
With a bit of wet weather and wind expected in the south-west the next week, conditions might be rough for fishing. A big spike in swell over Sunday and Monday should keep fishers wary of fishing the west coast. Some of the inland streams might be worth a try for redfin perch as the waterways should have cleared up following last month’s flood waters. The high tide just after sunset and a new moon could provide the right ingredients for a beach mulloway before and after the swelly conditions set in.
Mandurah & Surrounds
Picture: Fishing for black bream in the Murray River is on the up after the rains and provides a safe location to spend the day with the family (Photo courtesy Tony Tropiano).
MANDURAH
There are still a few tailor being caught along the Tim’s Thicket to Preston Beach stretch but catches are slowing down. Reports of salmon being seen in the area continue with small schools of larger fish also being reported. White Hills has had moderate numbers of tailor, herring and a few small mulloway throughout the week. The beaches between Halls Head and The Cut are providing a feed of herring and tailor. The Cut is still fishing well with herring, a few tailor and some tarwhine being taken. Small juvenile salmon known as ‘salmon trout’ are being taken regularly. The traffic bridges are also worth a try for herring and bream. There are reports of fishers catching mulloway in the canals.
Bream fishing in the Murray and Serpentine rivers continues to be productive with good sized fish being caught. Crabs are still being taken in good numbers but in some locations, you may have to work for a feed. Some crabbers are still getting their bag limit. Beaches to the north of Mandurah are still producing some good mulloway and tailor as well as herring, skippy, whiting and tarwhine. Singleton Beach and other beaches in the area have had some nice mulloway landed in the evenings along with tailor and herring most nights.
SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / WARNBRO / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY
People fishing the jetties early morning have been doing well. Palm Beach Jetty seems to be the pick. Bonito have been also taken from these platforms reasonably regularly. People fishing in the early morning have been catching some big bull herring. There are also reports indicating that there are plenty of squid around at the moment from the jetties. This area has been consistently producing some excellent fishing for spanish mackerel, from both shore based ballooning and from dinghies trolling lures just offshore. Several fish over 15kg have been taken over the last few weeks. Long Point and Warnbro beaches have been producing tailor and herring. Tarwhine have been taken in good numbers this week. Penguin Island sandbar has been producing some nice flathead and sand whiting.
Recfishwest’s Forecast
Similar to the Perth forecast there is a good chance for those who brave the windy afternoons that some beach fishing action may fire up with a high tide on sunset and a new moon lining up conditions for a mulloway. Pink snapper are also a chance from the beach Monday morning after the Sunday peak in swell has died down. Expect salmon to arrive in good numbers in the next few weeks.
Metro Catches
Picture: Today Tonight reporter Belinda Wilkinson with her pink snapper after her fishing trip with Karl Langdon. Watch the full story here (Photo courtesy of @belwilkinson).
Inshore
The seagrass beds off Fremantle are holding plenty of squid and a few small cuttlefish. Pink snapper were found in relatively shallow water following the recent storm and there were a few fish landed at some of the land-based spots including North Mole. Salmon catches have continued along the metropolitan coast with small schools appearing at the Ammo Jetty, South Mole, North Mole and Cottesloe during the week.
Tailor are about the metro waters, however the 35cm to 60cm fish are mostly turning up well after dark. Herring remain in good numbers right along the coast and inshore waters with catches improving when burley is introduced. There is still the odd mulloway being caught from behind the E-Shed and Mosman Bay. Blue swimmer crabs have returned to the lower and middle reaches of the Swan River.
Boat and kayak fishers trolling bibbed minnows and floating whole baits within Cockburn Sound have been catching spanish mackerel to 18kg. Kwinana Beach Jetty has been holding good numbers of herring and garfish. King George whiting are being taken in numbers between Garden and Carnac Islands at the moment. Skippy have also been reported from the same area.
Offshore
Mackerel have been coming from Five Fathom Bank, Rottnest Island’s West End and along the western edge of Three Mile Reef. Crews who ventured to the FADs scored some nice dolphin fish to 6kg and plenty of striped and small southern bluefin tuna. Reef fishing enthusiasts have been catching good numbers of 10kg to 20kg dhufish in 20m to 40m of water off Rockingham.
Recfishwest’s Forecast
A moderately windy week ahead, the mornings are looking the best bet with strong winds almost ruling Sunday out for coastal fishers. A peak in swell Sunday might lend itself to a shore based pink snapper when the swell has returned to safe conditions Monday morning. A high tide right on and just after sunset should produce some good sunset fishing, especially for those braving the wind from the beach with a chance of mulloway on the new moon. Schools of salmon should start passing through in the next few weeks.
Recfishwest’s Tip of the Week
If you are struggling to find the fish then sometimes it pays to bring the fish to you with berley. Whether anchored up or perched on a beach or rock wall berley can be the difference between having fish around or not. Berley will usually attract an array of baitfish from the area within 30 minutes and larger fish won’t be far behind.
Types of berley can include cubed oily fish such as pilchards, fish oil, premixed powdered berley or pellets. Chook pellets are another option generally, these are readily available in the supermarket, produce or tackle store. Soak them for a short while in a bucket with some seawater and then when a little soggy, use small handfuls and spread it on the surface.
A good tip when fishing for herring and garfish is to use a wire berley cage with premix powdered berley or a mix of pollard and fish oil. Add a touch of flour and water to the mix to make it slightly doughy but still crumbly. It will hold in the berley cage better so it stays in on the cast and disperse slowly refilling every 3 or 4 casts ideally.
