Metro Catches
Pictured: Wahoo
Those who have been out to managed to find some big samson fish and often in reasonably shallow water. There has also been reports of shark mackerel and spanish mackerel as well as small bluefin tuna being caught offshore between Hillarys and Two Rocks. There are reports of dolphinfish around the FADs, though they are proving hard to tempt. Wahoo have started to show up, with fish to 1.8m long caught.
Reasonable sized tuna are still being regularly encountered offshore. Yellowtail kingfish up to 15 kilos have been taking dead squid along the reefs off Hillarys, while bonito will be starting to show up and are worth targeting from the usual land-based platforms, including the North Mole. Herring are along the metro coast, it is a similar story with tailor, with fish to 70cm caught along the northern reefs, and a lot of fish around 45cm. At times, the choppers have been prolific around Hillarys Marina. There have been good numbers of school mulloway caught along the north metro beaches as well. In the rivers, the Swan and Canning are holding plenty of blue swimmer crabs and flathead are worth chasing. Some big yellowfin whiting have turned up in the lower reaches of the Swan. There have been some reports of giant herring harassing schools of mullet.
COCKBURN SOUND
Garden Island Causeway has fished well for herring and whiting during the week, along with a few tailor and squid. In deeper water there are reports of some good snapper and herring. There are plenty of rock lobster throughout the area, with divers around Point Peron and Penguin Island getting their limit. Boat anglers have also been doing well behind Garden Island, around The Sisters and along the Five Fathom Bank. Boat anglers chasing a feed of squid are still doing quite well in waters out from Sulphur Bay on Garden Island and in Mangles Bay as well.
KWINANA / WOODMAN POINT
Tailor, herring and blue mackerel are being caught from the beaches at Coogee and the Ammunition Jetty is also a spot worth trying for tailor, herring, blue mackerel and squid. There are still a number of small sharks and stingrays being taken after dark. With plenty of bait fish around there should also be a few mulloway and gummy sharks.
Mandurah and Surrounds
Pictured: Tailor
MANDURAH
The Dawesville Cut is still producing good results for anglers most of the day. There are yellow-fin whiting, tailor and herring biting freely during the day and tailor and herring after dark. There are also some skippy and tarwhine to be had from either end of the Cut. Crabs in the estuary are plentiful. You can get a feed fairly quickly in some locations and have to work hard in others. Make sure that you check the size of each as some are not quite legal. In some locations the water is still a bit murky so try waters that are a little clearer for better results.
It shouldn’t be too long before big mulloway start to appear more regularly on the southern metropolitan beaches. The beaches at Golden Bay, San Remo, Singleton and Madora are all worth a closer look if you are seeking these larger fish. The Golden Bay area has been producing some good catches of tailor, herring and whiting. One of these used as a fresh bait is perfect for a big mulloway. South of Mandurah, Tim’s Thicket and White Hills have been consistently producing good tailor earlier in the week with some fish better than 50 cm being caught. Due to the recent fires in the areas to the south of here I would strongly recommend that angler stay away from the area and allow access to fire fighters and emergency services. It will also help keep roads clear for their emergency vehicles.
SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY
The jetties are turning on herring early in the morning, along with squid and blue mackerel. Many of the jetties are producing herring and tailor. Shoalwater and Kwinana jetties are still producing some good catches of both yellow-fin whiting and an occasional King George whiting. There have also been some good catches of tarwhine and skippy taken as well in the incoming tide. The surf beaches at Long Point, and Warnbro have all been producing reasonable tailor during the last week. There has been some excellent fishing for yellow-fin whiting, with good reports of herring, tailor and plenty of crabs out in the deep water.
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South West Catches
Pictured: Dhufish
There are a few salmon still taking live baits about around Dunsborough, while dhufish have been fishing very well north of Bunbury. Boats heading out in most areas in Geographe Bay have been recording good catches of breaksea cod, dhufish, bluefin tuna and the odd queen snapper.The beaches have been fishing very well for tailor, and there have been good yellowfin whiting. A few mulloway have also been taken to around six kilos, with rumours of some bigger fish.
The crabbing has been good in the estuary and there are still good yellowfin whiting on offer. Some nice bream have come from the Collie River, and there are crabs are in there as well. On the freshwater side of things, Wellington Dam has been absolutely firing for redfin perch to nearly a kilo.
Geraldton Catches
Pictured: Baldchin groper
A few tailor have been appearing at the town beaches as well as those along the southern and northern stretches, but certainly not in the numbers they were a few weeks ago. Some nice sand whiting have been picked up at the back of the breakwater along with herring and a few pike. Expect the African Reef area to be holding dhufish, baldchin groper and coral trout. The occasional mulloway is turning up and breaksea cod to 45cm are commonplace. Dolphinfish sightings have been on the increase in recent weeks.
The offshore action for spanish mackerel has been promising, keep in mind that the back of Pensioners would be worth trolling minnow-style lures for Spanish mackerel and tuna when conditions allow. Fishers have also been finding plenty of fish across a wide area, with yellowfin tuna to 15 kilos, turning up as well.
Kalbarri Catches
Pictured: Coral trout
Spanish mackerel have been hard to predict. At times they have been about in good numbers, at others they have been hard to find. The Sand Patch is the best bet, and Bluff Point, near Wagoe, is also worth a try.There have been a few pink snapper offshore and some coral trout to six kilos south along the cliffs. Mulloway fishing from shore has been quiet, but tailor are generally fishing well, with some good hauls at dawn and dusk. There are also a lot of big dart in the shallows.
There are plenty of mud crabs and blue swimmers in the river at the moment. Mangrove jack are being caught on soft plastics under the jetties. Estuary cod to 70cm are also being taken, but not as often. Good sized black bream are being taken upstream past Castle Rock, and there are reports of some nice whiting in the shallows, including on the other side of the river near Oyster Reef. Giant herring have been taking soft plastics and hard-bodies around the jetties at night.
