Metro Catches
Picture: Now is the time to catch some land based pink snapper (photo courtesy of @fishin_hard)
Several pink snapper were landed near Garden Island, the surrounds of Carnac Island and at the back of Stragglers and within Cockburn Sound during the week. Expect some nice snapper to be caught from the northern and southern rock walls during and just following the upcoming stormy period. Remember if you are going to fish from the rocks, particularly in stormy weather make sure you are safe, aware of the dangers around you and always wear a life jacket.
Samson fish continue to be caught along Five Fathom Bank, Champion Rock and behind Mewstone. Smaller sambos have been turning up close to shore at times. Herring are prolific along the inshore waters and good catches are being had along the beaches.
There are some plump sand whiting being caught in the sand holes south of Rottnest and out from Cottesloe and City Beach. Emilio and Giuseppe Orifici caught dozens of sand whiting off Fremantle on Wednesday. Squid are still abundant along the seagrass meadows off Fremantle Sailing Club and within Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds. A few salmon have been appearing along the metropolitan beaches together with tailor and herring. More consistent catches of salmon have been coming from the Rockingham and Kwinana beaches. Black bream enthusiasts have been using soft plastics to catch fish to 38cm between Shelley Bridge and Mount Henry Bridge. There are still a few blue swimmer crabs being caught from the deeper areas of the Swan.
Jetty, Set, Go! – Success Hill Reserve Jetty
Today we’ll shine the spotlight on Success Hill Reserve Jetty. Very accessible, playgrounds, public toilets, open parks and great fishing!
Read more about Success Hill Reserve Jetty and near by facilities here.
Mandurah and Surrounds
Picture: A lesser known winter catch, but royal tasting yellowfin whiting.
MANDURAH
Tim’s Thicket and White Hills have been fishing quite well with plenty of garfish and a few herring being reported, and mid week a few tailor up to 2 kg. There are still plenty of fish in The Cut at the moment with some good skippy, King George and yellowfin whiting being taken. There are some good-sized crabs about with the inlets the better spots to try. The estuary bridges are starting to turn on a few prawns.
The Murray River is producing some bream as well as some good-sized tailor, while the beaches around Mandurah and to the north have been producing some good skippy, big King George whiting, plenty of sand whiting and a few big herring. There are plenty of pilch (yellow-eyed mullet) being caught along the beaches around Madora and Golden Bay. There are still a few salmon being taken from the beaches, particularly south of the town.
SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY / WARNBRO SOUND
There are still reports of salmon being caught in the metro area, with most reports coming from the southern metropolitan beaches. Point Peron is the spot to try for pilch, a few herring, tarwhine and some tailor. Penguin Island has produced good numbers of sand whiting and a few flathead along with some reasonable tailor and an odd salmon.
South West Catches
Picture: Dhufish, the West Australian hero (photo courtesy of @abrolhostackle.com.au & @zacmankelow)
Schools of samson fish have been encountered in a range of depths and areas off the west coast and in the bay. Some nice dhufish to 17kg were caught in 30 to 50m of water off Cape Naturaliste last week and there have been several more in the 8 to 15kg range caught off Hamelin Bay and Cowaramup Bay recently.
Squid have been caught in better numbers along the seagrass beds off Quindalup when the water has been clearer. Some nice catches of King George whiting have been picked up in the sand holes off Eagle Bay and Quindalup. Schooling and resident salmon have continued to be caught from the popular beaches including Hamelin Bay, Injidup, Mitchells, Smiths Beach, Bunker Bay and Meelup Bay. A consistent stream of burley would almost guarantee a feed of herring at any of the bays or headlands.
The boats that targeted reef fish in Geographe Bay surprisingly scored queen snapper at the artificial reef, why is this surprising? To date, artificial reef monitoring done by local fishers in the area, have uncovered 65 different species on the reefs, but not Queenies. This demonstrates the importance of fishers assisting with research even if it’s only reporting what you catch! For more on artificial reefs click here.
Geraldton Catches
Picture: A nice baldy, don’t forget to use release weights with demersal fish to increase their chances of survival.
Dhufish to 10kg are occasionally being caught from the Flat Rocks to Greenough River mouth stretch. The odd dhuie has also been caught from shore at the reef spots north of Drummonds. Plenty of pike, herring, a few tailor and the odd small mulloway have also been coming from the first and second points at Greenough while a few school-size mulloway are being caught at the river mouth.
A few tailor have been turning up in the mornings and evenings at Flat Rocks along with the odd soapie mulloway. Southgates is producing bigger tailor at times as well as some nice whiting and herring. Point Moore and Pages have been fishing fairly well for tailor and yellowfin whiting. Dhufish between 5 and 10kg have been caught near African Reef and along the lumps north of Coronation together with pink snapper and baldchin groper. There are still some nice squid, herring, skippy and chopper being caught along the seagrass beds within the reef line.
Kalbarri Catches
Picture: Robbie’s most unusual catch to date, a lionfish! (photo courtesy of @robbieleck_fishing)
Surf fishers have been using poppers and stick baits to catch tailor between 50 and 70cm and the odd bigger fish at Blue Holes. Both lure types have also been working well on fish of similar size at the river mouth. Storm garfish have returned to Red Bluff and their presence ought to bring about big tailor to the area. A customer of Kalbarri Sports and Dive landed a spanish mackerel on a balloon rig at the coastal gorges last week. Remember, if you are going to fish form the rocks make sure you are wearing a life jacket. Please see FREE loan life jacket locations below.
Dinghy and small boat fishers have also been getting among mackerel and tuna within a couple of miles of the coast. The local charter operators have been putting their clients onto plenty of coral trout, dhufish and pink snapper. Metal and soft plastic jigs have been outperforming baits on the reef fish at times. Robbie Leck picked up an interesting creature on a jig last week – a perfectly decorated lionfish (see above). Mulloway have been caught in the middle and lower reaches of the Murchison while black bream between 30 and 40cm have mostly been coming from near structure.
