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

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

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Kununurra Catches

Picture: Good news for fishers in Kununurra with the Lower Ord fishing well and Lake Kununurra is starting to fire up! (Photo courtesy of Curt Mccartney).

Ord River

Some of the freshwater holes in the Lower Ord have really started to fire over the last couple of weeks. We’re finding lots of fish aggregating on rock bars and around the current lines and back eddies. Classic Barra hard bodies have been the most popular. The Saltwater Crocs are becoming more active as the weather warms up so take caution as usual.

Lake Kununurra

Generally speaking the fishing in Lake Kununurra is on the improve as water temps rise. No massive catches to report this week, however, there are consistent reports of people heading out to their favourite spots and landing 2-3 70+cm barra for the afternoon. Both hard bodies and big paddle tail soft plastics seem to be doing the trick. Bring on the Build Up!!

Broome Catches

Picture: Fishers at James Price Point have been having success with spanish mackerel to 25kg caught on trolled bibbed minnows (Photo courtesy Ash Amozig).

Boats

A customer of Tackle World Broome landed three black marlin and several sailfish on spinning gear on Monday. Other crews who have been working the waters wide of Broome and James Price Point have been picking up spanish mackerel to 25kg on trolled bibbed minnows and rigged garfish. Longtail and mack tuna are starting to show up offshore and better numbers of both species are expected as the wet season progresses.

Shore based

Barramundi catches have improved in the upper Fitzroy River and the local creeks following an increase in water temperatures. An assortment of lures have been used to snare the barra in these waters. Threadfin salmon ranging from 60cm to 95cm have been common in Dampier and Crab Creek as well as through Roebuck Bay. There are still a few tripletail being found near the moorings and other flotsam scattered in the bay. Try Coconut Wells for whiting, queenfish and varieties of trevally.

Exmouth Catches

Picture: Brassy trevally have been caught on lure and fly in middle and lower areas of the gulf this past week.

Boats

Big schools of baitfish and clear waters have made for some entertaining sessions within the gulf. Queenfish, brassy trevally and giant herring were among the species to be caught on lure and fly in middle and lower areas of the gulf this past week. Peter Gates, Ross Lawrence and Kevin Durbano caught several rankin cod on a variety of jigs near the islands that are situated within the gulf waters. More rankin have been coming from the 30m to 90m depths off the west coast together with red and spangled emperor. Spanish mackerel continue to be caught on bibbed minnows trolled between the 15m and 30m depths off the west coast reef. Small black marlin and sailfish have been encountered out wide while the latter billfish species are expected to start appearing in the upper areas of the gulf in numbers during the coming weeks.

Shore based

Giant trevally are a chance on big poppers and stick baits at Oysters late afternoon and evening. Smaller varieties of trevally have been turning up in the lower areas of the gulf together with queenfish, yellowfin bream and the odd mangrove jack. Squid are in the gulf and there are a few being caught from the Tantabiddi boat launching facility at times.

Esperance Catches

Picture: Schools of samson fish to 25kg have been found in waters leading up to, and beyond, the islands.

Boats

Dinghy and small boat fishers encountered snook together with their common catches of whiting and squid. Schools of samson fish to 25kg have been found in waters leading up to, and beyond, the islands. Nannygai to 2kg, breaksea cod and queen snapper were among the reef fish picked up on baits and jigs along the 50m to 80m depths.

Shore based

An assortment of bread and butter species including skippy to half a kilo, herring and squid have been picked up at the Taylor Street Jetty while Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has King George whiting on offer as well as herring and black bream. Salmon and tailor have been providing entertainment at Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach and Fourteen Mile. Skippy and herring have also been caught at the popular surf beaches. Stockyards has been producing equal numbers of mature and juvenile salmon, mulloway, herring and skippy.

Albany Catches

Picture: Yellowtail kingfish were caught in good numbers at Maud Reef and Vancouver Reef last week.

Boats

King George whiting sizes have been smaller recently, but numbers have been better through the inshore waters of Two Peoples Bay, Cosy Corner and Cheynes Beach. Squid catches have been improving and there are loads of sand whiting, herring and skippy near Michaelmas and Breaksea islands, Gull Rock and Frenchmans. Yellowtail kingfish between 5kg and 8kg were caught in good numbers at Maud Reef and Vancouver Reef last week as well as skippy and sambos to 30kg. The coral scattered along the 60m to 90m depths have been fishing reasonably well for pink, red and queen snapper as well as breaksea cod of mixed sizes and dhufish. The bigger boats that managed to head to the edge of the shelf, and beyond, scored grey-banded cod, bass groper and hapuka.

Shore based

Surf fishers have been somewhat surprised by the number of salmon still appearing along the coast. Big schools of salmon have been regularly turning up at Salmon Holes, however, the 3kg to 7kg fish have only momentarily been within casting range. Shelleys has also been producing salmon as well as plenty of mixed size herring. Cables had the odd salmon school appear through the week and there were a few tailor mixed in with the salmon at Nanarup. There have been whispers of recent mulloway catches from the King and Kalgan rivers. Both systems are fishing fairly well for black bream, juvenile salmon and the odd herring.

Kalbarri Catches

Picture: Coral trout have been responding well to soft plastic and metal jigs along the 10m to 15m depths out from the southern cliffs.

Boats

Reef fishing enthusiasts have been doing well on dhufish in 20m to 40m of water northwest and southwest of the river mouth. Pink snapper, coral trout and baldchin groper have been responding well to soft plastic and metal jigs along the 10m to 15m depths out from the southern cliffs. Spanish mackerel have been scarce, however bigger numbers of yellowfin and longtail tuna seem to be around.

Shore based

Kalbarri Sports and Dive’s Wayne Dewar landed 10 mulloway between 60cm and 80cm, of which eight were released, near Lucky Bay during one recent evening. During the day, he caught dart, and trevally from the gutter he pulled the mulloway from. More mulloway have been coming Chinamans, Frustrations and Wittecarra Creek. Small numbers of big tailor are evident along the local beaches. Kalbarri Land Based Fishing Tour’s Rob Tang has been putting his clients onto mulloway to 20kg and pink snapper north of the river mouth. Some nice pink snapper have also been landed at the cliffs recently. Plenty of black bream between 28cm and 36cm are being caught in the lower and middle reaches of the Murchison River. Estuary cod are thought to be responsible for several bust offs near the jetties and pens.

Geraldton Catches

Picture: Baldies are being found in approximately 35m of water west and southwest of the marina (Photo courtesy of Brody Ogle).

Boats

Swarms of big sweetlip, fish to 50cm, are being found in approximately 35m of water west and southwest of the marina together with pink snapper and baldchin groper. The sweetlip seem to get bigger the farther south and wider the boats have been travelling. Dhufish were also caught this past week, however, there was no single area or depth that produced the catches.

Shore based

A customer of Geraldton Sports has been using 9.5cm Duo Beach Walkers in the pilchard pattern and 30g Twisties to catch big tailor along the western coast of the Abrolhos Island’s Southern Group. He also managed to catch a 6kg coral trout using this same method. Surf fishing has improved with Flat Rocks and Lucys producing tailor between 35cm to 60cm most mornings and evenings as well as mulloway to a metre. The occasional mulloway has been landed at Southgates while choppers have been coming from the harbour rock walls. Big herring, yellowfin whiting between 25cm and 35cm and choppers to 35cm are common at the bay at Drummonds.

South West Catches

Picture: Blue swimmer crabs are starting to be caught in better numbers by the drop netters in the last week.

Boats

Reef fishing enthusiasts have been picking fair catches of dhufish, breaksea cod and pink snapper in depths starting at 30m off Hamelin Bay, Canal Rocks and wide of Cape Naturaliste. More pink snapper have also been coming from the Four Mile and Eight Mile reef systems together with skippy and the odd samson fish. Squid catches should improve again along the seagrass beds off Quindalup once the water clarity in Geographe Bay increases. Blue swimmer crabs are starting to be caught in better numbers by the drop netters.

Shore based

Early morning lure spinners have been picking up some nice tailor to 60cm and the odd bigger fish at Injidup and Mitchells. Tailor efforts have mostly been concentrated at these two spots, however, it would not be surprising if the northern end of Boranup Beach, the Contos area and Honeycombs are also fishing well for the popular surf species. Herring and skippy have been responding well to burley and a variety of baits along both sides of the cape.

South West Freshwater Catches

Picture: Now is the time to go fish for trout, with reports coming out that several waterways are fishing well.

Fishing the South West waters for trout at the moment can be rewarding as several waterways seem to be fishing well. Harvey, Logue Brook, Drakesbrook and the Collie Gorge are amongst the closest to Perth that are producing good fish.

Further afield the Lefroy and the Warren in and around the Pemberton area have good water levels and are producing some fine perch as well as trout. On these rivers, both the fly fishing and the spinning fraternities are having success with small flies and small bladed spinners respectively. As the weather warms up snakes will become more active, many have already been seen along the waterways so please keep an eye out and enjoy your fishing!

Mandurah & Surrounds

Picture: The beaches between Tim’s Thicket and Preston have been producing some tailor (Photo courtesy of @jakesfishstagram).

Bream anglers fishing the Murray and Serpentine rivers continue to catch, and often release, good numbers of black bream. Beach anglers fishing the beaches between Tim’s Thicket and Preston have been catching herring and some tailor and there have been reports of a few small mulloway up to 50cm. The bigger fish are yet to turn up regularly, but it is only a matter of time.

The Cut is still producing good fishing. Herring are still the main catch but bags have also included a few tailor, sand whiting, King George whiting and an occasional big skippy. Around the river mouth, you can catch a mixed bag of tarwhine, herring and whiting. Good catches of herring, sand whiting and skippy are being taken from the local jetties.

Metro Catches

Picture: Dhufish have been found in the relatively shallow depths of 30m off Rockingham, Fremantle, Hillarys and Two Rocks (Photo courtesy of Andrew Gilbert).

Boats

Deep dropping fanatics brought up blue eye trevalla and bass groper from depths greater than 300m when the weather allowed them to venture this far out in their equipped crafts. Dhufish have been found in the relatively shallow depths of 30m off Rockingham, Fremantle, Hillarys and Two Rocks. Pink snapper are still being gathered near Garden Island, Rottnest Island and along the western edge of Three Mile Reef with the assistance of burley. Samson fish between 15kg and 30kg have been caught on jigs and baits at The Barges located between 90m and 100m west and west-southwest of Rottnest. Squid catches have decreased along the seagrass meadows off Fremantle and within Cockburn Sound.

Shore based

Early morning lure spinners at Grant Street, Swanbourne and the northern reefs between Mindarie and Yanchep have been picking up some nice tailor to 60cm. Tailor have been coming from similar areas in the evening together with a few herring, tarwhine and the odd mulloway. Chopper tailor are in the lower reaches of the Swan River in numbers. Flathead are starting to appear along the shallower areas located at Chidley Point, Point Walter and Applecross. The deeper parts of the river near The Narrows, Mosman Bay and Blackwall Reach are worth trying for mulloway.