Welcome to Recfishwest’s weekly fishing report, brought to you by Recfishwest’s fishing expert Joachim Azzopardi, Stewart King for the latest in freshwater fishing and thanks to John Curtis for his Mandurah & Surrounds report.

Keep your eyes peeled for Recfishwest’s Tip of the week, see below!

Picture: Shout out to Luke Kain who caught this beautiful squid in Coral Bay a week after losing his beloved drone to the depths of the ocean (Photo courtesy of Squid Hunters Western Australia).

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 bronte@recfishwest.org.au

Broome Catches

Picture: If you’re fishing for blue lined emperor, try using some fresh squid, rock crabs or prawns as bait and use a simple running sinker to circle hook, it should do the trick.

Boats

The 218 sailfish and 36 black marlin that were caught and released during the recent Billfish Classic has been encouraging crews to target both varieties of billfish. Areas where sails and marlin were encountered this past week included waters wide of Barred Creek, near The Peanut and out from James Price Point. Reef fishing has been productive with plenty of big blue lined emperor and some nice coral trout and estuary cod being caught in depths ranging from 15m to 30m. Spanish mackerel have been responding well to rigged garfish and bibbed minnows 10 to 15 nautical miles offshore. Schools of longtail and mack tuna have been turning up near the shoals of baitfish. Tripletail are being caught near the moorings located in Roebuck bay.

Shore based

Small barramundi are being caught in big numbers in Dampier Creek and the lower reaches of the Fitzroy River. Bluenose and a few threadfin salmon have also been coming from the local creeks and their adjacent shorelines. Quandong and Menari have been fishing well for a variety of species including whiting, bream, queenfish, blue lined emperor and trevally. Willie Creek and Crab Creek are providing some nice mud crabs.

Exmouth Catches

Picture: Town Beach and various patches between the Marina and Learmonth have been fishing extremely well for yellowfin whiting.

Boats

Reef fishing enthusiasts have been finding red emperor, rankin cod and coral trout in shallower waters, which is quite common during this time of the year when the water temperatures are cooler in closer. The cooler water temperatures seem to have turned the spanish mackerel on behind the west coast reef and in the upper areas of the gulf following reports of good mackerel catches on trolled bibbed minnows and suspended whole baits. Cobia are worth targeting on poppers and stick baits near the Muiron Islands.

Shore based

Town Beach and various patches of coast between the marina and Learmonth have been fishing exceptionally well for yellowfin whiting, especially during the hour or so leading up to high tide. Old Bundegi is being frequented by queenfish, giant herring and small giant trevally while bigger GTs are a chance at Oysters late afternoon and evening. Try the accesses near the lighthouse for spangled emperor and bluebone.

Esperance Catches

Picture: Esperance beaches are fantastic for land based fishing. Fishers are able to target species such as salmon, herring, skippy and mulloway.

Boats

Dinghy and small boat fishers continue to do extremely well on whiting and squid through the inshore areas and less than 100m from the coast at times. Nannygai to half a kilo have been common in 70m of water. Some boats also managed pink snapper, breaksea cod, queen snapper and samson fish.

Shore based

Mixed catches of King George whiting, herring, squid and garfish can be caught at the Taylor Street Jetty while the Bandy Creek structure has herring, black bream and juvenile salmon. Salmon continue to be caught at Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach, Nine Mile and Fourteen Mile. Stockyards also has salmon as well as herring, skippy to half a kilo and flathead. Gummy sharks and small mulloway are on offer at Alexander Bay, which also produced skippy to 2kg for one lucky group last week.

Albany Catches

Picture: The King and Kalgan rivers are once again producing good numbers of black bream with Brock Keymer sending in this ripper of a photo (fish caught in the Kalgan).

Boats

Squid have been picked up in reasonable numbers through the inshore areas, which are also producing mixed catches of King George and sand whiting, skippy, herring and flathead. There were seldom reports of boats heading out beyond the protected inshore waters, but expect the usual mix of reef fish including queen, red and pink snapper, breaksea cod and skippy. Black bream enthusiasts have been catching fish between 28cm and 34cm as well as the very odd fish of more than 40cm in the King and Kalgan rivers. Soft plastics have been working well on the bigger fish.

Shore based

It has been a challenging week for shore-based and boat fishers alike due to the terrible conditions, however, some encouraging news has come from the local beaches which have seen an increase in the number of salmon. Surf fishers who picked up a break in the weather and soaked mulies or spun lures at Sand Patch, Shelleys, Bornholm and Cheyne Beach caught up to half a dozen salmon a session. Bigger salmon schools have also been turning up along the Bremer Bay stretch. Plenty of herring have also been coming from the beaches along with some nice skippy, the odd tarwhine and a few flathead. Perhaps one of the more interesting recent catches was that of several arrow squid caught from one of the local jetties and at Goode Beach.

Kalbarri Catches

Picture: Fishers in Kalbarri have been getting good catches of pinkies, coral trout and baldchin groper (Photo courtesy of Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club’s, Sue Malton).

Boats

Spanish mackerel have turned up offshore in numbers that are not usually experienced at this time of the year. Boat fishers have been trolling a variety of diving lures north and south of the river mouth to catch the 10kg to 20kg mackerel as well as other pelagics including yellowfin and longtail tuna. Soft plastic and metal jigs worked near the cliffs have been producing catches of coral trout, pink snapper and baldchin groper.

Shore based

Storm garfish are expected to appear at Red Bluff and Jakes Bay in numbers as the bigger of the garfish varieties tend to do following a period of rough conditions. Herring are plentiful at both locations and there have been a few tailor caught up and down the coast when the swell has allowed surf fishers to get a line out. Some nice mulloway were caught at Wagoe last week and there are rumours of big fish caught north of the river mouth. A 70cm estuary cod was caught at Bird Rock last week and there are black bream in the middle and lower reaches of the Murchison being picked up.

Geraldton Catches

Picture: Peter from Geraldton & Districts Offshore Fishing club with an impressive dhuie.

Boats

The African Reef area has been producing mixed catches of dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper. More snapper have been coming from the edge of the shipping channel as well as along the lumps approximately 12 nautical miles west northwest of the marina. The waters north of Coronation may be worth trying for spanish mackerel and other pelagics considering the recent catches of both species near Kalbarri. Dinghy and small boat fishers have continued to do well on squid, herring and pike along the seagrass meadows.

Shore based

Tailor and some mulloway have been caught along the Flat Rocks to Greenough River stretch, however, the weed that has built up following the recent rough conditions has made surf fishing along there challenging. Some nice whiting have been caught at Separation Point, Pages and Drummonds Cove. The back of The Lives is producing mixed catches of whiting, skippy, chopper tailor and the odd bigger mulloway.

South West Catches

Picture: When the weather allows it, try your luck at the Busselton Jetty for some pink snapper (Photo courtesy of amandabhslater).

Boats

There were few opportunities to head offshore during the past week, however, those who jumped on the chance when the calmer conditions presented and headed to the Four Mile Reef and Eight Mile Reef did well on pink snapper in the 5kg to 10kg range. Anchoring and burleying has once again proved to be among the effective methods in attracting the snapper. Some nice King George whiting were picked up in waters leading up to 15m within Geographe Bay. Squid catches should improve once the water clarity increases.

Shore based

Several pink snapper in the 7kg to 9kg range were caught at Monaghan’s Corner and the Busselton Jetty during, and just following, the recent period of rough weather. There are still some nice skippy coming from the headlands extending along the west coast and Geographe Bay beaches. Tailor are turning up at spots including Mitchells and Elmore Road some mornings and evenings. Try the deep gutters formed along Hamelin Bay and Boranup Beach as a result of the recent blow for mulloway, jumbo tailor and pink snapper.

South West Freshwater

Picture: Don’t miss out on Perth’s biggest family freshwater event. The day includes trout stocking and a fishing clinic – a whole lot of fun for all ages!

Families Wanted for Freshwater Fishing Fun!

WATFAA, as the main trout and freshwater fishing club in the Perth and South West region, is teaming up with Recfishwest to run Perth’s biggest family freshwater event.

The day will include:

• Trout Stocking

• Freshwater Fishing Clinic

• Fly Casting

• Freshwater Tackle & Rigging Information.

We feel this is a great idea and can only help promote freshwater fishing in the South West. The club has put together a team that is full of enthusiasm, excited to share their skills and will try and answer any fishing questions put to them.

Event details:

Saturday 2nd of September 2017
Starts at 10.00 am to 1.30 pm
Drakesbrook Weir, Waroona.

View the event flyer, here.

If you would like any further information, please email recfish@recfishwest.org.au

So why not head down and be a part of something special? Hope to see you there!

Mandurah & Surrounds

Picture: The Cut is offering up some good opportunities for fishers to catch tailor and tarwhine (Photo courtesy of Dylan Picken).

Mandurah

Herring, skippy. and sand whiting have formed the bulk of the catch for fishers in this area. Tailor have been turning up at dawn and dusk in The Cut. Good sized King George whiting have been caught as well, generally around the jetty near the Jolly Frog. Other fishers report that after dark, tarwhine have come on the bite at the inner end of The Cut, along with herring and skippy.

Almost all of the beaches around Mandurah have been producing fish. Most of the fish have been the smaller varieties such as herring, whiting and pilch. Weed has choked some areas along the beaches in the area however several fishers have reported big tailor being caught from the beaches between The Cut and White Hills. Anglers fishing the Traffic Bridges report catching herring, tarwhine and sand whiting. There are still a few smaller tailor along the northern beaches along with tarwhine, whiting and herring.

Secret Harbour/ Port Kennedy/ Warnbro/ Rockingham/ Safety Bay

When the weather has allowed fishers to get out they have found mixed bags. Weed has piled up on some beaches and has meant that some spots have been difficult to fish. Point Peron has been producing tarwhine, herring and some nice sized tailor on occasions. Most spots around Rockingham are producing the usual run of herring, pilch, whiting and skippy. Herring are being taken from all of the beaches in the area as well as some good sand whiting around Becher Point. Anglers fishing from the Palm Beach Jetty report good catches of herring and skippy and squid. After dark the area is producing some mulloway.

Metro Catches

Picture: It is the exciting time of the year where people are chasing that shore based pinky. The good news is they are around! Check out Woodman Point, Cottesloe Groyne (pictured) and Hillarys Marina (Photo courtesy of Al Garcia and Perth & WA Fishing Reports).

Boats

Crews who have been working the Five Fathom Bank and Garden Island to Stragglers area have continued to find big numbers of solid skippy. Pink snapper and small dhufish have also been caught in these waters together with the odd samson fish ranging from 5kg rats to 30kg brutes. The boats anchoring and burleying near Three Mile Reef off Hillarys have also picked up some nice catches of snapper. The squid being caught along the seagrass beds off Fremantle and within Cockburn Sound are a lot bigger.

Shore based

Alex Carter landed half a dozen pink snapper from South Mole during the past fortnight and there have been many others who managed to pick up a snapper, or two, from the moles during this recent week of rough weather. Other places where pink snapper were caught this past week included Woodman Point, Cottesloe Groyne and Hillarys Marina rock wall. The deep gutters formed at Swanbourne Drain and along the Floreat to Trigg Point stretch sometimes produce snapper and mulloway after a strong blow. Herring are still relatively easy to catch from the jetties and rock walls, especially when burley is used. It may be worth waiting for the water clarity to improve before targeting squid from the Fremantle rock walls. Mark Allenby has been doing well on black bream between 30cm and 35cm near Shelley Bridge.