From spangled emperor near Exmouth to dhufish off Binningup there's plenty to read in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 28 May 2021 🎣

Billfish enthusiasts have continued to enjoy some entertaining sessions on sailfish in waters off Barred Creek and near The Peanut. Spanish mackerel are about in very good numbers offshore and there are plenty of longtail and mack tuna near shoals of baitfish. Reef fishers have been doing well on red emperor, saddletail seaperch, blue-lined emperor and Rankin cod in 30m to 50m of water. Fingermark bream, bluebone and threadfin salmon are among the species being caught within Roebuck Bay.

Dolphinfish are gathering in big numbers at the fish aggregating devices (FADs) off Exmouth, while yellowfin tuna, striped tuna and wahoo are evident in nearby waters.

There are still a few blue marlin being raised out wide, while smaller black marlin and sailfish have been in shallower waters. Patrick Telford caught several grey-banded cod and ruby snapper in about 300m of water during a recent session aboard Peak Sportfishing Adventures. Trent Ritchie, pictured below, and Nicole Harvey were among those to get into the ruby action out wide. "I had a awesome deep dropping session off Exmouth last week during amazing conditions," Trent said. "It was my first ever attempt at catching ruby snapper and I'm hooked on deep dropping now." Helby Bank has been providing a mix of species including coronation trout, tomato cod and spangled emperor. Spanish mackerel can be targeted on bibbed minnows and rigged garfish along the back of the reef line and near the Muiron Islands.


Trent Ritche is hooked on deep dropping after his first session off Exmouth resulted in big ruby snapper!

Spangled emperor have been caught on baits and lures along the beaches north of Tantabiddi, while bluebone are a chance near Mildura Wreck and the lighthouse. Many of the accesses have been providing catches of queenfish, golden trevally, dart and small threadfin salmon. Exmouth Marina has mangrove jack, trevally and queenfish on offer. Squid can also be picked up at the marina, as well as at Learmonth and Bundegi jetties.

Spanish mackerel, which have appeared in very big numbers offshore, are responding well to bibbed minnows and rigged garfish trolled north and south of the river mouth. Schools of yellowfin tuna have been encountered in a range of depths and areas and there plenty of wahoo also around. Reef fishers have been picking up red emperor, dhufish, Rankin cod and spangled emperor in about 50m of water north-west of Kalbarri. Coral trout, pink snapper and baldchin groper can be targeted near the cliffs extending to Wagoe Beach.

Tailor have been appearing some mornings and evenings at Red Bluff, Wittecarra Creek and Chinaman's. Garfish and herring have been common at Red Bluff while dart have been turning up right along the coast. Balloon fishers at Wagoe Beach have been catching Spanish mackerel when the wind has been blowing from the east. Mulloway are sometimes being caught in the lower reaches of the Murchison River. There have been some nice black bream and estuary cod caught near the jetties and pens well as other areas up river.

Western rock lobster have been picked up in good numbers by those diving recently. If you want see how to easily shell a cray below:

Reef fishers have been picking up a variety of species including dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper near African Reef and South West Bank. The lumps off Coronation and Horrocks have been producing lots of snapper and red throat emperor. Dinghy and kayak fishers have been doing well on squid, herring and skippy within the inshore reefs. Yellowfin tuna in the 10kg to 12kg, and the odd fish in the 25kg to 30kg category, have been landed near the Abrolhos Islands. Garfish have been appearing in big numbers at the anchorages situated close to the islands. Spanish mackerel have been caught at the islands as well as behind Pensioners Bank.

Mulloway to 1m have been appearing in very good numbers along the coast. A customer at Geraldton Sports Centre caught four mulloway between 6kg and 9kg at the marina this week. Similar size mulloway have been caught at Tarcoola and the beaches south of Greenough, while some of the spots north of Drummond's Cove have also been producing a few. School mackerel have been caught from the northern side of the Batavia Marina where squid have also been picked up at night. Surf fishers targeting tailor at the first point at Greenough have been hooking a few Spanish mackerel.

Small boats should be staying within the bay this weekend, with consistent swells forecast to about 4m expected to make the passage to open ocean unsafe. Cuttlefish numbers have started to increase in the 20m to 30m depths. Samson fish have been in strong numbers on the inshore reef systems, while better demersal fishing has been out in the 45m to 70m depths. Fishers have been getting good mixed bags consisting mainly of dhufish and baldchin groper. Dinghy fishers have been finding it easy to get a feed within the bay with plenty of herring, skippy, snook, squid and a few King George whiting.

Last Saturday night proved to be a great night for Chris Hartanto, who caught this terrific silver ghost!

Tailor and herring have been caught from sunset into the evening under the full moon along beaches near Lancelin. Whiting were the most reliable species to target from shore with some good size fish to 25cm. Pink snapper and mulloway, have been taking larger baits. Lancelin's jetty has produced plenty of sand whiting by day and a few skippy and tailor, with the usual big schools of herring, after dark. Baitfish have been moving in under the jetty overnight, attracting the attention of resident Samson fish.

Dinghy and small boat fishers have been doing well on sand whiting, herring and squid within they bay.  There have been some enjoyable sessions had on yellowtail kingfish and Samson fish near the islands. Those who travelled wide during the week scored nannygai, breaksea cod and harlequin fish.

The Taylor Street Jetty has lots of herring, garfish and squid on offer while barracuda, herring, garfish, squid and the odd bonito have been caught from the Tanker Jetty. King George whiting averaging 30cm, herring and squid have been picked up at Bandy Creek boat harbour. Salmon have been appearing at Salmon Beach, West Beach, Fourth Beach and Roses. Skippy to 2kg, tailor and herring have also been common at Roses. Big schools of salmon have been regularly turning up at Wharton Beach together with lots of herring. Thomas River has been producing mixed catches of gummy sharks, salmon, skippy to 3kg and herring.

Wading the flats near Albany, David Bennett scored plenty of brute black bream! 📸 Dixon's Fishing

Reef fishers who travelled to the ground off Walplole, Peaceful Bay, Parrys and Cheynes Beach picked up bigger catches of snapper, breaksea cod and dhufish than the boats that focused on the lumps out from the marina. King George whiting have been picked up in bigger numbers and sizes within the sound as opposed to Albany's harbours. Squid catches have been increasing inshore and there are lots of sand whiting and small skippy around. A troll inshore will likely produce mature and juvenile salmon, bonito and small southern bluefin tuna. Yellowtail kingfish and Samson fish have been found in numbers offshore.

Salmon are still evident along the Great Southern coast, with dozens of 3kg to 6kg fish caught at Nanarup, Little Beach, Normans, Shelley Beach, Lowlands, Bornholm and Sand Patch this week. Herring are still about in very good numbers right along the coast, while tarwhine are almost in plague proportions between Sand Patch and Denmark. Black bream have been caught within the harbours and the King and Kalgan rivers. There are herring and juvenile salmon in the lower reaches of both systems. Bigger black bream seem to be getting caught more often in the systems west of Albany.

Plump herring, tailor and salmon are coming from the southern beaches. Dawesville Cut has remained productive, with salmon caught at the ocean end alongside tailor. There have also been reports of King George whiting found there as well. Mandurah Estuary is producing bream, with the species active at the moment amid the recent run of prawns. For those who have headed out wide off Mandurah in the boat, dhufish and pink snapper have been on offer. Samson fish and skippy have also kept fishers entertained.

The metro fish aggregating devices (FADs) are set to be retrieved in the first weather window after this weekend. It was great to see many awesome catches at the devices this season! If you've got a fishing photo to share of your catch from the FADs this season, email Recfishwest Operations Officer Mike Minutillo. Mulloway are continuing to be caught in very good numbers in depths of 10m to 20m within Cockburn Sound. The mulloway, which have ranged from about 8kg to 16kg, have been responding to a variety of soft plastic lures. Big schools of skippy have gathered along Five Fathom Bank. Reef fishers have been finding plenty of pink snapper in 30m to 70m of water south of Rottnest Island. Dhufish to 12kg, Samson fish and amberjack have also been picked up in these depths. There are King George whiting near The Windmills, north-east of Bathurst Point and off City Beach. Sand whiting can be targeted in the sand holes in 20m to 30m. Squid catches are improving along the seagrass beds off Fremantle.


Fishing fanatic Alex Carter was more than happy with this pinkie off Mindarie last week! Nice work, Alex.