Keep your eyes peeled for Recfishwest’s Tip of the week, see below!
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 isaac@recfishwest.org.au
Recfishwest’s Tip of the Week
Braided Line
Technical Rating: Novice
Whether casting lures to salmon from the beach, into tuna feeding frenzies from the boat, or simply launching a bait from shore this Easter weekend, if you haven’t already caught up with the times, braided fishing line is all the go at the moment.
Multiple strands of braided polyethylene (PE) fibres make up the material of the line commonly referred to as “braid”. The fibres are ultra strong and offer a much greater breaking strain for their diameter than traditional nylon monofilament line. With no stretch, braided lines gives greater bite detection and sensitivity especially when paired with a stiff graphite rod. They are also extremely flexible and supple retaining no “memory” which makes them excellent for casting. The fine delicate diameters mean a lot more line can fit onto a spool for a given breaking strain and little surface area for current to catch in deep water but the drawback is that they offer very little in the form of abrasion resistance. For this reason a length of monofilament leader line is always recommended as a shock leader on the terminal end of the line.
A number of knots are useful in attaching braided main line to a mono leader but a favourite would have to be the FG knot. A moderately difficult knot to tie, it offers a slimline knot that wont interfere with a cast and has excellent strength retention without the need to double the main line. Initially expensive when they first hit the market, braided lines are now available in a massive range from very affordable to top end. If youre after that extra, seamless casting distance or any of the other benefits, braided lines are worth a look.
Check out our I Love Fishing article on all your different line types and scenarios for more info. Read it here.
South West Catches
Picture: Salmon schools are moving through the south west beaches in numbers just in time for Easter. If you’re unsure over the break, stay safe and keep the sand between your toes! (Photo courtesy of Casey O’Connor)
Boats
Reef fishing enthusiasts who took advantage of the pleasant conditions, when they presented, picked up good catches of dhufish, pink snapper and breaksea cod in depths leading up to 50m off Hamelin Bay, Cowaramup Bay and Canal Rocks. Mostly pink snapper have been caught along the Four Mile and Eight Mile, however some bigger skippy seem to be moving into these areas. Squid catches are starting to improve along the seagrass meadows off Quindalup. Plenty of salmon are being caught on trolled lures off Eagle Bay and Bunker Bay.
Shore-based
Salmon have turned up in schools right in time for the Easter long weekend. Schools ranging from a dozen fish to several tonnes have been appearing along the west coast bays and beaches. Spots that have consistently been producing salmon have included Hamelin Bay, Boranup, Redgate, Injidup, Smiths and Rabbits. In Geographe Bay, Bunker Bay, Eagle Bay and Meelup Bay have been providing entertaining sessions on salmon most days. Herring are also being caught along both sides of the cape.
Recfishwest Forecast
Patchy weather with strong southerlies and moderate swell aren’t the best conditions for fishing the west coast. Bunker Bay and Eagle Bay would be the pick to target some salmon over easter as well as herring. Expect quite a sight of people spread along the whole length of the bays trying their luck in this popular time of year for the south west. Those with access to a boat should have some fun sessions on demersals with a nice rising tide on dawn up to a late morning high tide.
Mandurah & Surrounds
Picture: Fishers are finding herring along the Mandurah beaches providing a quick, easy meal, and some entertainment whilst waiting for salmon schools to pass by.
MANDURAH:
Tim’s Thicket to Preston has seen some small to medium sized salmon taken earlier in the week, along with some good sized tailor. Bigger salmon are still moving north and are a little further offshore with boat anglers taking a few fish. The Dawesville Cut is still producing some good fishing. There are a few tailor being taken, as well as an occasional small salmon from the ocean end. Garfish are still in numbers off Avalon and Roberts Point. There are herring and tarwhine along with a few small chopper tailor in and around The Cut.
All around the Canals, Marina and Bridges there are herring, small tailor, whiting and tarwhine in the estuary. Black bream and small mulloway have been reported in both the Murray and Serpentine rivers. Along the beaches to the north of Mandurah there have been good catches of herring, whiting and tarwhine. There are regular reports of reasonable sized mulloway being taken just after dusk along this stretch of beach.
SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / WARNBRO / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY:
Herring have been widespread but not in any great numbers. A few small salmon have made an appearance at Coventry Reef with anglers taking some nice fish up to 4 kg. The Sisters have been producing some good catches of tailor in the morning on the reefs to the west of the islands. Whiting are still on the sand patches to the east and some decent sizes have been seen at the boat ramps. Salmon have been taken from many of the beaches and jetties around this section of coastline and anglers report that sizes have varied from just over legal length to some around 80 cm, which in my estimation would put them at around 4 kg. There have been good garfish around Long Point, Penguin Island, Point Peron and Rockingham Beach as well as whiting and squid. Anglers fishing the jetties at night have taken some large mulloway during the past week. Whiting have been taken in good numbers out in the bay along the weed beds and also from shore in the mornings. The stretch between the two boat ramps is probably the better spot to fish. Tailor catches are still being reported from the beaches near Long Point and further south to Secret Harbour. Sizes and numbers have generally been down but you can still get a feed.
COCKBURN SOUND:
The Causeway has also been producing herring and skippy. The Bent Pin and the Southern Flats have been the spots for King George whiting, with some reports of fish reaching nearly a kilo. Mangles Bay and Sulphur Bay are producing plenty of squid. Whiting numbers are starting to pick up again in the same areas. There are still reports of a few boat anglers taking mulloway in the Sound. They are usually being taken from the deeper sections of the Sound over the coral / gravel patches. The fish have been around the 15 – 18 kg mark. There are also reports of good King George whiting being taken from over the gravel beds in the Sound. Anglers fishing throughout the Sound have reported taking some good salmon with fish up to 3 kg. Many have been taken trolling lures and others have taken un-weighted mulies cast and left to drift looking for snapper or mulloway.
Recfishwest Forecast
A bit of cloudy weather and moderate southerlies might make for choppy and overcast conditions difficult for spotting those salmon on their migration toward Perth waters. Mornings usually provide calmer conditions and a better option for fishing, and the rising tide in the morning might turn on some other fishing action such as skippy, tailor, whiting, herring and a chance of mulloway around dawn. Those heading out in boats will have a chance of snapper and dhufish on the same morning high tide.
Metro Catches
Picture: Some nice salmon have started to hit the Perth metro area with plenty of reports coming through of good fish. Even if you don’t get away for the long weekend you can still enjoy some safe and sustainable sport fishing action close to home. another great catch on the Limited Edition Recfishwest Halco Lure – Only available for Members! Become a member and get yours.
Boats
Big schools of salmon hanging around The Mewstone and Stragglers are responding well to a variety of lures including bibbed minnows and soft plastics. Early morning and dusk are the optimum time to target the big pink snapper along the eastern edge of Five Fathom Bank and the western side of Three Mile Reef off Hillarys. Some nice catches of dhufish have been coming from 50m of water off Rockingham as well as in 30m to 40m northwest of Rottnest Island. Yellowtail kingfish can be targeted at West End while The Barges wide of there are still holding big samson fish. Squid catches are improving along the seagrass off Fremantle and within Cockburn Sound.
Shore-based
A big school of salmon turned up inside Fremantle Harbour on Sunday and went as far up river as the Old Traffic Bridge. Dozens of fish were caught from the school during a hot one-hour session. More salmon were caught from the beaches in Cockburn Sound and at South and North Mole. The Ammo Jetty also had schools turn up most days this past week. A consistent stream of burley will almost guarantee a feed of herring from the southern and northern rock walls and jetties. Dave Thomson caught some nice tailor on soft plastics at Swanbourne Drain on Sunday.
Recfishwest Forecast
Salmon! thats what the Easter long weekend signifies for many and you can rest assured many will be out lining the popular beaches, jetties and rock walls over the weekend trying their luck. Friday morning looks the best bet mor nice weather with the wind picking up quite a bit as the weekend and following week progresses. Some overcast and choppy weather will make salmon schools hard to spot and a vantage point with the wind behind you will help with the southerly winds from Saturday onward. All the usual reef species for boat fishers bottom bouncing should be on the bite in the morning from dawn and towards the late morning high tide.
