Land-based pink snapper from South West beaches plus plenty more to read AND see in Recfishwest's NEW-LOOK State-wide Fishing Report 2 July 2021 🎣

This is the closest you'll get to finding a feed of Macca's fast-food off Denham! Tim Mitchell was stoked!

Billfish enthusiasts competing in Broome Fishing Club's Billfish Classic this weekend will be pleased with reports of sailfish being encountered off Barred Creek, near The Peanut and in waters farther north towards the tip of Dampier Peninsular. Spanish mackerel are about in very good numbers off Entrance Point, as well as in waters north and south of Broome. Pete Nielsen enjoyed an entertaining session on threadfin salmon near The Fingers and Crab Creek last week, catching half a dozen fish. Reef fishing enthusiasts who have been prepared to travel very wide in search of quality demersal fish have generally been doing well on red emperor, saddletail seaperch, blue lined emperor and coral trout.

Queenfish and trevally varieties are giving the baitfish at Entrance Point a hard time, especially around the change in tide. More queenies and trevs are being caught along Cable Beach and Roebuck Bay, in addition to threadfin and bluenose salmon. There are barramundi occasionally being caught within the local creeks and the river. Some nice catches of mud crabs are being picked up close to town.

Spanish mackerel have been caught in very good numbers in many areas this week including the western edge of the reef line near Tantabiddi, around the Muiron Islands, King Reef and Cooper Shoal.

A decrease in billfish activity off the west coast is thought to be due to the local marlin and sailfish populations being driven into hiding by passing schools of killer whales. Reef fishers have generally been doing well on red emperor, Rankin cod and pearl perch in 50m to 70m of water. Goldband jobfish can be targeted in about 90m while ruby snapper are in 200m and deeper.

There have been lots of spangled emperor caught along the west coast this week. Most of the spangos were caught in areas of sand and reef between Tantabiddi and Five Mile. Queenfish have been a little quiet, which is perhaps because of cooler inshore water temperatures. Nice GTs are being caught at VLF Bay and Bundegi Beach. Smaller trevally varieties are common at the marina, which has been good for squid at night.

Reef fishers did well on dhufish, pink snapper, spangled emperor and coral trout last Thursday. More snapper, as well as a few baldchin groper, have been caught on metal and soft plastic jigs near the cliffs. Spanish mackerel have been caught on lures and baits trolled north and south of the river mouth. Varieties of tuna, including yellowfin and longtail, have also been caught alongside the mackerel.

A 95cm tailor caught on a popper at the river mouth was one of the more remarkable Kalbarri catches this week. Smaller tailor have been appearing early morning and evening at the Back Beach, as well as at Red Bluff and Wittecarra Creek. Storm garfish have reappeared in numbers at Red Bluff with up to two dozen of the thick bread-and-butter species being caught some mornings. Dart are present at many of the beaches and there are lots of skippy also around. The lower reaches of the Murchison River are still producing a few mulloway, while estuary cod and black bream can be found in the upper parts of the system.

Dinghy and kayak fishers have been catching squid, herring, skippy and pike through the inshore waters out from St Georges and Explosives. There seems to be a lot of pink snapper around a little farther offshore while dhufish, baldchin groper and red throat emperor have been common at African Reef and South West Bank. Mulloway are sometimes being found in schools south-west of the marina. Spanish mackerel have mostly been caught in waters north of Geraldton and near the Abrolhos Islands. Spearfishers have been doing well on coral trout, baldchin groper and mackerel at the islands.


WA Undersea Club's trip to the Abrolhos was a success. Check this trout that Tim Stockbridge speared.

Strong winds, big swells and a seaweed-strewn coast made for some challenging fishing conditions along Geraldton's beaches. Those who have persisted caught several mulloway at Southgates last Friday evening. Tailor between 35cm and 45cm have sometimes been caught at Southgates, as well as at the back of The Lives and Separation Point. Whiting have been coming from the beach at Explosives and Pages. Try for mulloway and winter tailor at Southgates, north of Drummond's Cove and the northern end of Port Gregory once the weather clears.

Small boats have done well fishing the inshore reefs this week for mixed bags of dhufish, pink snapper and big Samson fish. Squid have been caught in good numbers about the bay and the near shore weed banks. Dinghy fishers have been enjoying a bounty of plump sand whiting only a few hundred meters from shore in 5m to 6m depths north of the bay.

Mulloway to 15kg have been caught from beaches north of Lancelin and south of Ledge Point this week. Lancelin's jetty has been fishing well for tailor and herring early in the evening. Reports regarding surf fishing for tailor has been quiet this week, however, the gutters formed along the coast to the north and south of town are always worth trying.

Herring, sand whiting and squid are also in numbers in the bay for dinghy fishers and small boat owners. Crews who travelled wide scored nannygai to 45cm, breaksea cod, queen snapper, samson fish and yellowtail kingfish. If you've got a fishing photo to share from Esperance, be sure to tag #recfishwest on social media!

Esperance Jetty has herring, skippy, big squid and, in the evenings, garfish on offer. Samson fish in the 8kg to 10kg range have sometimes been turning up at the structure. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has been producing the occasional nice King George whiting, as well as black bream and flounder. Salmon can be found at many of the local beaches as well as those farther out from town. Fourth Beach, Salmon Beach, Eleven Mile, Roses, Dunn Rock, Alexander Bay and Duke of Orleans Bay were among the spots where salmon were caught this week. Poison Creek has been good for tailor and bronze whaler sharks, while Dunns has been producing skippy to 4kg. Surf fishers who travelled to Thomas River scored mulloway and gummy sharks.

King George whiting are being found in bigger numbers and sizes in the relatively deeper waters off Michaelmas Island, Breaksea Island and Limestone Head. Squid can be targeted along the seagrass beds inshore while herring, juvenile salmon and bonito are a chance off the region's headlands. There have been lots of pink snapper caught in close near Albany. Better catches of quality reef fish, including dhufish, breaksea cod and harlequin fish, have been coming from the ground off Walpole, Denmark and Cheynes Beach.


"Winter mornings are for prospering not sleeping in," Callum Dowell said after landing this 47cm bream.

Surf fishers are still catching a few salmon at spots that included Salmon Holes, Shelley Beach, Lowlands, Bornholm, Nanarup, Mutton Bird and Bluff Creek. Herring remain in very good numbers right along the coast and there are nice skippy being caught near the reefs and in the deeper channels. Cable Beach has been producing lots of big sand whiting as well as salmon and herring. Pink snapper exiting Wilson Inlet have been caught from the nearby rocks in numbers. Try the lower reaches of the King and Kalgan rivers for black bream, juvenile salmon and herring.

Pink snapper have been caught in depths ranging of 6m to 15m off Dunsborough, Busselton, Bunbury and Binningup. Dhufish have sometimes been found among the snapper in these areas, as have skippy and small Samson fish. King George whiting have been picked up within Geographe Bay, namely off Busselton, while squid have been a little challenging when the water has been murky following the recent rains. Fishers who have ventured out to 45m and beyond off Bunbury have caught dhufish and breaksea cod.

Surf fishers have continued to catch pink snapper and mulloway near Abbey Beach and Forrest Beach when the wind and swell has been high. Pinkies and mulloway were also caught from the Busselton Jetty this week after dark, while drone fishers near Bunbury have also enjoyed snapper success. Stickbaits and poppers have been working well on tailor at Honeycombs, Injidup and the northern end of Smiths Beach. Juvenile salmon and herring have been appearing along both sides of Cape Naturaliste. Squid can be targeted at Quindalup Jetty and Busselton Jetty.

Before the Peel region went into lockdown due to COVID-19, the south of Mandurah was fishing for herring, tailor and whiting. Dawesville Cut is one location where you can hide from the breeze and still have a reasonable chance of catching herring, skippy, King George whiting, sand whiting and the occasional tailor. The area around the jetty is the preferred spot for anglers at the Cut seeking King George whiting, while tailor have been found at the ocean end in the evening. The Murray River is still producing a few black bream as well as good tailor. However, the tailor seem to prefer being a bit further downstream and are being taken from locations closer to the bridge.

Coventry Reef has been fishing well for small Samson fish, tailor and skippy. Big King George whiting have been caught out on Five Fathom Bank along with plenty of pink snapper of varying sizes, including some fish measuring 70cm or more. Point Peron is worth a try for herring, tarwhine and tailor

There’s just one year left in the three-year State-wide fish aggregating devices (FADs) trial program, which has unlocked new sportfishing opportunities across WA from Broome to Albany. Click here to see our review of the trial's first two years. There have been some interesting catches being picked up in the deeper waters west of Rottnest Island recently. A small swordfish recently caught in about 400m of water was perhaps one of the more remarkable catches. It comes as grey-banded cod, hapuka and the odd blue eye trevalla were also picked up in 300m to 400m. Good catches of dhufish and queen snapper have been caught in 30m to 90m of water off West End. Similar depths south-west of Rottnest have been fishing well for pink snapper, while baldchin groper seem to be getting caught more regularly in waters off Hillarys and Mindarie. King George whiting can be targeted near The Windmills and along the broken ground off City Beach and Cottesloe. Squid have been found in good numbers along the seagrass meadows off Fremantle Sailing Club.

Pink snapper were landed at the northern and southern rock walls including Woodman Point, South Mole, North Mole, Hillarys Marina and Mindarie Marina following the recent storms. Snapper are also a chance at the local beaches following the windy conditions, especially those beaches which feature rock and reef. Tailor have been appearing in good numbers some mornings and evening at Cottesloe, Grant Street, Floreat Drain and Trigg Point. Herring are reliable at the metro rock walls and jetties, while nice garfish staring to turn up. Squid have been caught in numbers at both moles in the evening. Black bream are being pushed downstream in the Swan and Canning river systems after recent rainfall.