See what's biting across WA in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 22 October 2021 🎣

Billfish enthusiasts are still encountering black marlin when the weather has permitted to travel to these far offshore grounds of 80 nautical miles and beyond. Sailfish are rarely being caught in waters closer to shore, however, lots of Spanish mackerel have recently appeared in Roebuck Bay. A Tackle World Broome customer caught five mackerel while casting stickbaits during a session within Roebuck Bay last week. Reef fishers have been picking up reasonable catches of blue lined emperor, saddletail seaperch, coral trout and the odd red emperor in 30m to 40m of water. Threadfin salmon have been found in good numbers near The Fingers. Lures have been working well for barramundi in the Fitzroy River, as well as Dampier Creek.

Barramundi have been caught on soft plastic and hardbody lures along the banks of the local creeks and the Fitzroy River. Want to know why the Fitzroy River is so important to Kimberley fishers? Watch the YouTube video below.

Threadfin salmon have also been caught in the river and the entrances of the local creeks where bluenose salmon, estuary cod and the odd mangrove jack have also been landed. Yellowfin whiting can be targeted along Cable Beach and Coconut Wells. The jetty has queenfish and small golden trevally turning up around the tide change.

The sailfish action has continued in the upper areas of Exmouth Gulf, where large concentrations of baitfish appear to be attracting increasing numbers of the aerobatic sportfish. More sailfish were found off the west-side in depths of 50m to 200m of water, while the odd blue marlin has been raised out wide. The FADs off Exmouth have delivered plenty of dolphinfish over the past week, including the specimen pictured below. Spanish mackerel have been caught on trolled bibbed minnows and by retrieving stickbaits behind the reef line and near the Muiron Islands. Reef fishing has been productive in 50m to 70m of water where red emperor, Rankin cod and spangled emperor have been found in reasonable quantities. Goldband jobfish were caught in 110m, and deeper, while depths of 200m to 300m have been providing ruby snapper.  

It has been fantastic to see photos of awesome fish caught at the Exmouth FADs. 📸 Peak Sportfishing

Mack tuna and striped tuna have been found near baitfish schooling offshore. However, it will likely take a several more weeks before water temperatures increase to the point where mackerel and yellowfin tuna will show up. With the West Coast Bioregion demersal closure in effect, fishers have been targeting yellowfin whiting not too far out from Red Bluff. Mulloway have also been caught in the lower reaches of the Murchison River. If you're heading to Kalbarri to fish and want hints and tips, visit our 'I Love Fishing' website.

Surf fishers enjoyed an increase in tailor activity along many parts of the coast including Lucky Bay, Wagoe, Red Bluff, Wittecarra Creek, Chinamans and Frustrations. Big herring were sometimes picked up alongside the tailor together with the odd mulloway in the 10kg to 20kg range. Yellowfin and school whiting can be targeted at Red Bluff as well as the sand flats located in the lower parts of the Murchison River. Black bream can be found near the jetties and pens as well as other rock and woody structure in the system.

Seaweed deposited along many of the beaches and big swells have made surf fishing challenging over the past seven days. Tailor and the odd mulloway have been caught along the Flat Rocks to Greenough River mouth stretch. The first and second points at Greenough have been producing good numbers of herring and pike, in addition to tailor. Bigger mulloway are sometimes being landed at Tarcoola, where herring and whiting can be sought. More whiting can be targeted along any area that is reasonably clear of seaweed at the beaches close to town. The northern side of the marina has squid, whiting, chopper tailor and herring on offer. Drummond's Cove and Coronation are worth a try for tailor and mulloway early morning and evening.

Sand whiting and blue-spotted flathead have been caught along the sandy areas in the 18m to 22m depths off Lancelin this week. There is still a good mix of tuna species in schools mainly outwards from the 28m depths. Bay fishers have been catching herring, snook and King George whiting. Just to the north of the bay, sand patches in 6m of water have been productive to find some larger sand whiting. Lobster fishers have been getting very good catches along the near shore reefs.

Beach fishers have found the fishing tough over the past seven days, with westerly winds bringing floating sargassum seaweed into the wash. As a result, it has been difficult to get the fish to bite. For those who have persisted with the less than favourable conditions, tailor have been found. Despite the lack of beach fishing opportunities to the north and south of Lancelin  this week, the town's jetty has been a great back-up option. The jetty has produced sand whiting throughout the day alongside herring, while tailor have been caught during the evenings. 

Haven't fished Esperance before? Visit our 'I Love Fishing' website for fishing hints and tips along the south coast. Earlier this week, a school of yellowtail kingfish — which appeared to be in the fun-size 50cm to 60cm range — were spotted cruising up and down the Esperance Jetty. In addition to smaller Samson fish, squid and herring have been caught from the refurbished structure this week. Squid, herring and the occasional skippy have been caught at the Taylor Street Jetty this week, while flathead were also reportedly caught. King George whiting have been caught at Wylie Bay and Bandy Creek Boat Harbour. Salmon were found in schools of various sizes right along the coast stretching from Israelite Bay to Roses Beach. Dozens of mulloway were recently caught near Israelite. Big skippy, some fish reportedly to 5kg, can be targeted on baits and soft plastics at Dunns. Thomas River and Alexander Bay have been producing good numbers of gummy sharks.

King George whiting catches appear to have improved with many achieving their limits of fish in the 30cm to 45cm range this week. Areas where the bigger KGs were found included Michaelmas and Breaksea islands, Goode Beach and Limestone. The harbours produced fewer catches and smaller KG, however, the fishing in these waters has been improving as the water clarity increases. Squid catches also improved and there are lots of herring and the odd juvenile salmon being picked up in the sound and both harbours. Crews who managed to head offshore seemed to have done well on nannygai near the edge of the shelf. Many had pink snapper to show for their efforts while those who hit the waters out west scored dhufish.

Herring, skippy and sand whiting have been caught at beaches including Cables, Little Beach, Normans and Cosy Corner by surf fishers this week. Salmon are being found at Foster Beach, while the odd fish continues to add to the catches of those who have been reluctant to travel too far from Albany. Tarwhine are still thick in areas close to Walpole and Denmark. The rock spots near West Cape Howe and Bremer Bay would be worth trying for yellowtail kingfish, blue groper, breaksea cod and harlequin fish, when conditions are suitable. Read more about safe fishing here. The water clarity in the King and Kalgan rivers is slowly improving, which has resulted in bigger catches of black bream on vibe-style lures and soft plastics.

King George whiting enthusiasts have been picking up fair catches of 30cm to 45cm fish in 4m to 10m of water off Eagle Bay, Quindalup and Siesta Park. Similar size KGs have been coming from 10m to 20m off Busselton and Bunbury. Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish have been caught on baits and jigs off Canal Rocks, Bunker Bay and Busselton. Some nice hauls of rock lobster have been picked up off Cowaramup Bay, Canal Rocks and Bunbury. Samson fish, some measuring more than 1m, have been found in as little as 10m of water near reef off Binningup this week.


Alanah Marriott joined Trudy Morehouse off Busselton in search for squid and caught a kraken. 🦑

Boat fishers off Mandurah have worked hard to find King George whiting this week. If you're heading out in search of King George over the weekend, be sure to read hints and tips for chasing the sought-after species on our 'I Love Fishing' website. Land-based fishers have enjoyed good sessions catching tailor at beaches south of Mandurah, when conditions have permitted, this week. Mulloway are still being caught spasmodically, however, there hasn't been too many big specimens landed with most fish in the 6kg to 8kg range. The estuary end of the Dawesville Cut is fishing well skippy and whiting species from both boats and the shore, in addition to tailor and small mulloway. Yellowfin whiting catches in the Peel-Harvey Estuary are expected to increase as the weather continues to warm leading into summer.

Warnbro Sound has produced squid for small boat fishers drifting over the seaweed beds this week, while King George whiting have been found farther out. Samson fish have also been prevalent off Rockingham, with skippy responding well to burley. For those fishing from the beaches, Point Peron has been producing tarwhine and herring. The beaches near Port Kennedy and Secret Harbour have been producing tailor in the morning and evening. This stretch of coastline also has small mulloway on offer, with reports of ‘soapies’ between 3kg and 6kg. 

Samson fish have been caught on a variety of metal and soft plastic jigs at The Barges, and other structures, located in 90m to 110m of water west of Rottnest Island. More Sambos have also been caught on surface lures, including stickbaits, near the inshore reefs off Fremantle and Hillarys. Yellowtail kingfish have been appearing in small packs off Parker Point and West End. Tailor have also been providing some entertaining sessions near The Stragglers, Mewstone and the north metro artificial reef. King George whiting continue to be caught in good numbers near The Windmills and in 10m to 20m of water off Cottesloe and City Beach. Sand whiting can be found in big numbers and sizes in about 20m near the shipping channel and in 30m to 40m of water west of Five Fathom Bank and the Three Mile. Squid were picked up in fair numbers along the inshore seagrass meadows, however, the recent rough weather may result in fewer catches until the water returns to being reasonably clear.


Cracking kraken! Young gun Tom Corrie scored this solid squid off Perth last weekend. 😎🦑

The early mornings have produced terrific tailor action at Cottesloe Groyne, Grant Street, Swanbourne Drain, Trigg Beach and Yanchep Lagoon this week. Herring can still be sought at many of the rock walls and jetties located along the coast including both moles, Cottesloe Groyne, North Beach Jetty and Hillarys marina rock wall. King George whiting are a chance along the rock wall located along Capo D’Orlando Drive, while juvenile salmon to 1.5kg have occasionally been showing up at Woodman Point. Flathead catches are increasing through the shallower areas of the Swan and Canning rivers including at Chidley Point, Point Walter, Point Resolution, Applecross, Mount Henry Bridge and the Como flats. Narrows Bridge and Blackwall Reach have been producing the odd mulloway in the 10kg to 16kg range. Black bream enthusiasts have been doing well on fish, mostly in the 28cm to 35cm range, around Shelley, Rossmoyne and near the Nedlands and Crawley yacht clubs.