Metro Catches
Pictured: Salmon (photo courtesy of Salmon School Tracker 2016)
While there are still plenty of salmon being caught from the southern rock walls, the big news coming from the stones this week is the number of pink snapper and mulloway caught. Pinks ranging from 4 to 8kg and mulloway to 20kg were landed at several spots that included Coogee Marina and North Mole. As previously mentioned, salmon continue to be caught from the southern rock platforms, but perhaps not in the same numbers the 3 to 6kg fish were being picked up in before the rough weather hit. Salmon have also been caught along the beaches, especially at the reef areas between Cables Beach and Swanbourne Drain.
A black bream enthusiast had an entertaining session while intending to target bream at Mosman Bay earlier this week catching and releasing two dozen salmon. Salmon schools have remained at the near shore reefs and islands between Garden Island and Bickley Point. Pink snapper have been burleyed along Five Fathom Bank and there are some big skippy to 1.5kg starting to show up there. Squid numbers are increasing along the seagrass beds off Fremantle and within Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds. The seagrass areas off Leighton Beach and Cottesloe would also be worth trying for squid while the sand holes out from there usually hold plump sand whiting at this time of the season. Expect black bream to start making their way to the lower reaches of the Swan and Canning systems following the recent rain.
Remember if you are going to fish from the rocks, please wear a life jacket. See locations of FREE loan life jackets at the bottom of the report.
Mandurah and Surrounds
Pictured: Garfish
MANDURAH
The black bream have gone mad in the Murray and the Serpentine Rivers. The recent rain seems to have triggered a lot of activity. Prawns are also starting to move so pull on the winter woollies and thermal underwear and go and do a spot of dabbing. It’s a great family night out, is entertaining and there is nothing better than a fresh bread and warm prawn sandwich. The traffic bridges have been providing fishers with a feed of herring and yellowtail. A few small tailor have been caught but they are close to minimum legal size. Crabs are still making their presence felt in the estuary and the better places to set your nets are in the in the deeper channels of the estuary.
The rain during this last week seems to have fired up the fish. There have been tarwhine, tailor, herring, whiting, garfish and skippy caught from the beaches south of Mandurah and also from the beaches around the Cut at Dawesville. There are also good sized salmon being caught here as well. The Cut has been producing some nice salmon from the Ocean end, and fishers using unweighted mulies have been having a lot of success. Tailor numbers in the area are down a little on previous weeks, but there are enough being caught to keep fishers interested. Herring and salmon along with a few tailor have been caught along the beaches south of Mandurah. Small mulloway are also being taken, along with an occasional larger fish. Action along the beaches north of Mandurah has eased off a bit, but fishers are still able to take home a reasonable feed. If you wish to fish on after dark for a while there is still every chance of a good mulloway.
SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY
The Rockingham jetties are still producing plenty of herring, salmon, garfish and squid and fishers fishing out from Safety Bay are reported to be catching some good king george whiting and snook. Trollers are still catching an odd tailor or two on the north side of the causeway. Several beach fishers report taking good bags of tailor and lots of herring from the beaches between Shoalwater and Long Point in the last week. As an alternative to bait, try working a lure, particularly during the early morning or late afternoon just as the sun is rising or setting.
Mulloway are still being taken from the jetties around the area. The weed beds out from the local boat ramps have also been producing good numbers of herring and whiting. Berley is still the key to bringing the fish in. The Sisters have been producing some good tailor, salmon and king george whiting. Larger tailor have been taken from the reefs in the area. Coventry Reef fired up last week but not with big numbers of fish.
South West Catches
Pictured: Dhufish (photo courtesy of Bryan Johns)
Salmon remain in good numbers along the west coast and throughout Geographe Bay. Injidup, Mitchells, Bunker Bay and Old Dunsborough were where many of the 3 to 7kg were caught this past week. Boat fishers are picking up fair catches of pink snapper in waters leading up to the Four Mile.
Dhufish and breaksea cod catches have been more consistent off the west coast while Naturaliste Reef has been producing a few yellowtail kingfish. Herring are thick along the coast between the capes and also in the bay. Squid are around in good numbers along the weed beds off Quindalup while the sandy areas nearby are holding some nice king george whiting. Larger than normal sized pink snapper have been caught and observed on underwater footage on the artificial reefs. For more on reefs click here.
Albany Catches
Pictured: Squid (photo courtesy of Albany Boating and Offshore Fishing Club)
There have been some very impressive salmon sessions experienced along the coast. A customer of Albany Rods and Tackle caught and released 28 salmon during a single outing while another fisher enjoyed releasing 21 salmon that he landed within a couple of hours. While just about any patch of water is likely to produce salmon at the moment, Sand Patch, Cables, Nanarup, Shelleys and Lowlands have been among the better performing haunts.
Plenty of herring have also been picked up along the beaches while some nice size skippy have been coming from Bluff Creek, Cheynes Beach and Sand Patch. There are still unusually big numbers of yellowtail kingfish being caught from the local rock platforms. The 15 to 25kg kingies have been coming from West Cape Howe, Cables and the stones at Cheynes. A few mulloway have been landed at Middleton Beach during the past fortnight. Plenty of leatherjacket have been caught at the marina together with squid and black bream. Mostly small black bream have been coming from the two local river systems. Mulloway to a metre, but most around the 50cm mark, have been found in the Kalgan.
The better catches of king george whiting have been coming from the ground near the islands and out from Limestone Head, however in saying that, there have still been some nice hauls had in the sound and both harbours. Squid catches have been better during an incoming tide. The boats have been doing reasonably well on dhufish, pink snapper, red snapper, samson fish and breaksea cod along the coral in 60 to 85m of water. Hapuka and blue eye trevalla are occasionally being caught at the shelf and beyond.
Remember if you are going to fish from the rocks, please wear a life jacket. See locations of FREE loan life jackets at the bottom of the report.
Esperance Catches
Pictured: Harlequin
A good mix of bread and butter species including herring, garfish, king george whiting and squid can be sought at the Taylor Street Jetty while Bandy Creek Boat Harbour is providing some nice king george at times. Salmon continue to be about in excellent numbers right along the coast with Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach, Roses and Stockyards among the better performing local spots. Alexander Bay and Thomas River are worth the drive for gummy shark, big skippy and salmon.
Flathead to 70cm have been picked up at Wylie Bay. The small boats are still doing well on squid and whiting. Southern bluefin tuna to 10kg have been appearing within a couple miles of the coast. Nannygai have been found in dense schools, but the 2 to 3kg fish have been fussy at times. Fair catches of queen snapper, big breaksea cod, samson fish and harlequin fish have been coming from the ground out wide. There has recently been a spate of tagged red snapper recaptures. These fish are being tagged as part of important research to track the movement and growth of these iconic south coast species. Please keep an eye out for tagged red snapper, if caught, you may keep the fish, but please call the number on the tag and provide information on the fish.
Geraldton Catches
Pictured: Coral trout (photo courtesy of Ben Nardi)
An estimated 9kg dhufish was caught behind the S-Bend last Saturday evening. Mulloway to 18kg and the occasional bigger fish of more than 20kg have been coming from along the beach stretch south of Flat Rocks. Early mornings have been good for tailor to 60cm at West Bank and Southgates while soapie mulloway have been caught in reasonable numbers at both spots in the evenings. Kayak and small boat fishers have been bagging some nice hauls of squid along the seagrass out from the lighthouse.
Spanish mackerel, mostly between 5 and 8kg, and small southern bluefin tuna are being encountered along the back of Pensioners and out from Drummonds. The African Reef area has been good for dhufish, coral trout and baldchin groper. The charter boats operating at the Abrolhos Islands have been landing at least one or two red emperor between 50 and 70cm an outing. Coral trout are about in excellent numbers through the depths leading up to 12m near the islands while the bigger pink snapper are about in deeper waters. Spanish mackerel are in better numbers near the islands than the mainland. Quite a few big cobia in the 20 to 30kg range have been encountered recently while yellowfin tuna to 30kg have been appearing in a range of areas.
Kalbarri Catches
Pictured: Spanish mackerel (photo courtesy of Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club Inc.)
Perhaps one of the more unusual catches this week was a blue groper caught from one of the cliff platforms. Some nice size pink snapper and coral trout have also been picked up at the local cliffs recently. Tristan Newman landed an 80cm pink snapper and a similar size coral trout from the stones last week. Tailor and small mulloway have been common along the northern and southern beaches early morning and evening.
Threadfin salmon have also been appearing along the coastal stretches. A couple of good size pink snapper were caught from the beaches north of the river mouth. A customer of Kalbarri Sports and Dive caught two spanish mackerel and a red emperor during a recent session. Mangrove jack continue to be caught at the jetties and pens while black bream and estuary cod have been in better numbers up river. Surf fishers at Wagoe have been doing well on mulloway and pink snapper.
Remember if you are going to fish from the rocks, please wear a life jacket. See locations of FREE loan life jackets in the footer of the website.
Exmouth Catches
Pictured: Yellowfin whiting
Sport fishers aboard On Strike Charters hooked up to three dozen spanish mackerel on Sunday. The mackerel that were around the 8 to 12kg mark were mostly caught on stick baits. Big poppers and stick baits have also been accounting for some nice size giant trevally behind the west coast reefs and near the Muiron Islands.
Billfish enthusiasts have been getting among good numbers of black marlin and sailfish as well as plenty of dolphin fish. Queenfish and giant herring can be sought in the lower areas of the gulf. Squid and yellowfin whiting numbers are increasing through the near shore waters.
Broome Catches
Pictured: Sailfish (photo courtesy of Broome Fishing Club)
Sailfish are being encountered in better numbers south of town, however the waters west and northwest of town are expected to be frequented by more sails when water temperatures decrease. Reef fishing has been productive in Roebuck Bay with better numbers of coral trout, snapper, rankin cod and estuary cod about.
Queenfish to a metre and giant trevally are being found near Disaster Rock. Big schools of longtail tuna have been appearing off Entrance Point and Gantheaume Point. Live garfish and stick baits have been working well on spanish mackerel to around the 1.2m mark at the rocky headlands. Threadfin salmon continue to be caught in Roebuck Bay while shore-based fishers along there have been picking up some plump yellowfin whiting and good size bluenose salmon.
