Download the Free Recfishwest Fishing App Today
Recfishwest recently launched the first Smartphone Fishing App in WA, conveniently delivering the fishing rules to you at the touch of a button.
The Recfishwest App is free to download and will give all WA fishers the latest fishing rules in their pocket, even when they find themselves well outside of phone and internet reception.
To download for Android on Google Play click here or to download on Apple iTunes store click here, or simply search ‘Recfishwest’ to find the App. If you’re downloading the App on your iPad, make sure to change your settings to iPhone.
Metro Catches
(Picture: Luke Van Lathum with A Pink Snapper caught on a Halco 3″ Paddle Prawn in Blood Red. Courtesy: Halco Tackle Instagram)
Good numbers of pink snapper to an impressive 9kg were landed at the northern and southern rock walls during, and just following, the recent storms. Salmon were also caught from the rock walls with North Mole and South Mole among the platforms that produced better catches of the 3 to 7kg fish. Big schools of salmon also appeared near Palm Beach Jetty on Sunday and Monday. Beach fishing has been challenging due to the big swells and weed movement, however expect there to still to be salmon turning up along the metropolitan beaches.
Hillarys Marina has been fishing well for herring, especially when burley has been used. Squid are plentiful along the weed beds between South Mole and Carnac Island as well as the seagrass within Cockburn Sound and west of Hillarys. Cuttlefish of varying sizes are also being mixed in with the squid catches. A few who have been braving the cold mornings and hitting the western edge of Five Fathom Bank before sunrise have been experiencing some good pink snapper fishing. Anchoring and burleying has been the key to getting the pinkies around the boat.
The Canning River has been fishing well for black bream while there are still a few flathead turning up along the shallows of the lower reaches of the Swan. Some nice hauls of prawns are being had at East Fremantle and Rocky Bay following the recent rain.
Mandurah and Surrounds
(Picture: A Herring caught by the young fella during a recent Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club Recfishwest Fishing Clinic)
Salmon can still be found terrorizing herring and bait fish in the Dawesville Cut this week, along with the rogue tailor or two. Good catches of whiting and herring are coming from the Mandurah and Rockingham beaches, with the odd Mulloway being taken at night, mainly at Secret Harbour.
Fishers willing to put the time and effort in for land based pink snapper have been rewarded with some great photos doing the rounds on social media of 60cm – 90cm fish being caught.
Rockingham Jetty has returned catches of quality salmon and pink snapper with the storms bringing the fish within casting distance. The odd herring is also coming up from the Jetty.
Squid fishers in Cockburn Sound may need to turn their attention elsewhere until this cold front moves on as the waters are pretty murky, turning off the squid for the time being, which is unfortunate as they were firing in the sea grass of the Sound.
South West Catches
(Picture: James looking good in his Crewsaver Life Jacket showing us his Dhufish)
The seasonal salmon migration has shown no signs of slowing down following reports of good catches along the west coast and Geographe beaches during the past week when the weather allowed. Herring are also plentiful along the west coast beaches and 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.
The boats are picking up a few pink snapper in waters leading up to Four Mile Reef. Dhufish catches have been more consistent off the west coast while Naturaliste Reef has been producing the occasional yellowtail kingfish.
Geraldton Catches
(Picture: Justin showing off his early morning Tailor)
Mulloway continue to be caught at the new marina with live baits working well on the fish that have mostly been in the 10 to 15kg range. A few skippy to 30cm, herring and yellowtail are being picked up behind The Lives along with a few chopper tailor, which have been turning up in the evenings.
The Nine Mile to Greenough River mouth stretch has been producing tailor between 35 and 50cm, small mulloway and sharks. Dhufish are occasionally being caught from the shore along this stretch, however the weed movement has been making it quite difficult to target the highly prized shore catch as well as many other species.
Early mornings and evenings have been the better times to target tailor and pike at the first and second points at Greenough. The boats have been doing reasonably well on dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper near African Reef and the lumps off Coronation.
Kalbarri Catches
(Picture: Brodie with a nice size Mulloway)
Surf fishers have been doing well on mulloway at Wittecarra, Frustrations and Chinamans. An 80cm tailor was caught at Chinamans last week and there have been fair catches of 35 to 50cm fish at Red Bluff, Siphons and Oysters early morning and around dusk. Wayne Dewar, of Kalbarri Sports and Dive, set out to target milkfish that were spotted by several anglers in the Murchison during the past month. Wayne did not manage to find the milkies but did end up coming home with a dozen diamond scale mullet.
Small mulloway have been caught in the middle and lower reaches of the system. Mud crabs have been picked up in good numbers near Dance Floor. Expect pink snapper and baldchin groper to be in close to the cliffs following the recent rough weather. It may take a while for conditions to settle before the Spanish mackerel and tuna show up in the 15 to 25m depths again.
