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See what's biting across WA in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 4 February 2022 🎣

| By Seamus on 2/3/2022 8:47:38 PM | Views (780)

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Recfishwest
Fishing Report

04/02/22

Picture: Tackle West

Our contributors

Sedin Hasanovic

Jade Relph

Peter Fullarton

John Curtis

G'day <>,

I thought I'd try something different last weekend and work soft plastics for black bream at various land-based locations around the Maylands area.

Although the fishing was relatively slow, probably because of my bream inexperience, it was great to come across a couple of nice black bream.

A couple of talented bream anglers, Dave Eccleston and Lewis Duffy, are pictured in this week's report with very respectable metropolitan catches.

Is there a species that you haven't fish much for, but you'd like to focus more time on trying to catch?

For anyone wanting to contribute to the weekly fishing report, photos reflecting Recfishwest's responsible fish handling practices will be given preference.

If you know someone who loves fishing and would like to receive the weekly State-wide Fishing Report and our other exclusive communications, let them know they can become a Recfishwest member for just $10 a year.

Tight lines and safe fishing!

Zach Relph

RECFISHWEST FISHING REPORT EDITOR

Catch of the Week!

"I've finally got the Swan River 40cm monkey off my back," Dave Eccleston exclaimed, after landing this solid 40cm black bream from the Swan at the weekend. Nice stuff, Dave! 😎👑🙌

Your fishing photos

If you want to be included in our weekly State-wide Fishing Reports, send your best fishing photos and a description to zach@recfishwest.org.au to potentially be featured.

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Shhhhh, secret spot

Barra guru Brad Pasfield with a lovely East Kimberley specimen from one of his secret spots! 👀👀

Broome catches

Boats and shore-based

It has been bucketing down! You've probably seen the widespread rain which has fallen on Broome over the past seven days or so, writes local fisher Jade Relph, especially last weekend and earlier this week. The strong winds and massive rains resulted in rather comical photos of people ironically wetting a line in the flooded streets from the front of their house. Sadly, the weather has meant the fishing in Broome this past week has been very limited, if not non-existent! For many, it has been a great time to clean-up their tackle boxes and service their reels!

Exmouth catches

The On Strike Charters crew got this client onto a fantastic pearl perch last week. What a catch! 😎

Boats

Spearfishers are reporting good catches of bluebone and coral trout around the shoals in the Exmouth Gulf. Spanish mackerel have been caught by those trolling lures and casting stickbaits near the Murion Islands, while the back of the reef on the west side has also produced the toothy predator. Big golden trevally have been seen at King Reef, however, fishers are having a tough time landing the brute fighters around the structure! Want to fish King Reef and potentially take on one of these big goldens? Find the coordinates here.

Shore-based

The lower parts of the Exmouth Gulf are continuing to provide great wilderness fishing experiences for conventional spin and fly fishers this week. Fly fishers have been tempting permit, like the one pictured below, and plenty of queenfish and trevally varieties. For those fishing the cape, spangled emperor are continuing to be found from the lighthouse to VLF Bay, with stickbaits working the best. Be sure to try for squid from the Exmouth Marina on an incoming tide.

The team at Ningaloo Fly Fishing have been tempting a few nice permit in the Exmouth Gulf this week.

FAD-tastic entries into Richter and Madfish FADs photo comp

Here it is - the photo of David Hastie at the metro FADs which netted him a host of Richter and Madfish prizes in the opening round of the 2021-22 FADs Photo Comp. Well done on the win, David. 📸👏

This photo of David Hastie at the metro FADs above was judged the winner of the opening round for the 2021-22 FADs Photo Comp, sponsored by our FADs partners Richter Lures and Madfish Gear. It shows the sensational fishing opportunities provided by the State-wide FADs trial program and, as a result, David has bagged the host of Richter and Madfish prizes pictured below. Congratulations, David! When David ducked beneath the surface at the metro FADs last month, in front of him was a massive school of big dolphinfish, many of ‘em more than 1m. “I was immediately on a school of more than 100 fish – it was unreal,” he told Recfishwest. “The FADs has been great so far this season, it's so good having them off Perth.” We are now in the third and final year of the three-year trial, so a big collection of photos of great fishing at the FADs will help highlight their value and help secure their future. So get out there and send your FADs fishing photos to Zach Relph to take part for a chance to win more monthly Richter and Madfish prizes!

These Richter and Madfish products are some of the prizes up for grabs in the photo comp. 🙌🙌

Kalbarri catches

Boats

Boat fishers off Kalbarri are reporting good catches of both demersal and pelagic species, with pink snapper being caught near the cliffs. Fishers trolling for Spanish mackerel in the 15m to 24m depths are enjoying some success. However, it’s important to note, the mackie action can be slow if the water is dirty. If this is the case while you’re fishing for Spaniards, try heading farther offshore into 30m-plus depths.

Shore-based

Red Bluff, Wittecarra and Chinaman’s Beach are fishing well for tailor, with land-based fishers casting metal slices and poppers for the larger sized models near the river mouth. The sand spit has been producing great whiting for fishers to catch, particularly kids. If the conditions are good, Red Bluff has also been producing whiting. Chopper tailor have also been offering plenty of fun for young fishers throughout the Murchison River, particularly near the boat pens.

Geraldton catches

Boats

North of town, Spanish mackerel — between 10kg and 14kg — have been caught at spots including Horrocks. A dinghy fisher was one the fishers who were lucky enough to catch a mackie off Geraldton recently, achieving the feat after launching from Lucky Bay. Demersal fishers have been catching various sizes of pink snapper and baldchin groper.

Shore-based

Geraldton’s shore-based fishing has been hit-and-miss this week due to the seaweed. However, fishers who came across areas free of seaweed found tailor, dart and herring. From Flat Rocks to the Greenough River mouth, solid tailor have been found near the reefy areas. Herring numbers have increased with some catches measuring more than 30cm. Blue swimmer crabs are continuing to be caught in the Greenough River, with the bigger crabs caught farther upsteam. There’ve been reports of giant herring in the Chapman River recently.

Lancelin catches

Boats

Wind and swell have limited the boating opportunities of Lancelin this week. Pink snapper were caught within the shelter of the Lancelin bay’s fringing reef, while baldchin groper have been caught drifting through depths greater than 25m. Water temperatures have been near 24C, which is usually prime for Spanish mackerel this time of year. However, floating seaweed has made trolling for mackies next to impossible. Dinghy fishers have been catching herring within the bay and there are still a few King George whiting to be caught. The seaweed beds are holding plenty of squid.

Shore-based

Recent swells have scoured depth into some of the gutters at the beaches north of town. These deep gutters are holding tailor, which have been on the bite at sunset and rise. While the average size is not overly impressive, there have been plenty of herring biting the pilchard baits as well. Keeping the hook size down has been resulting in quality mixed bags. The jetty has fished very well for herring and tailor most days this week, particularly after sunset.

Scott’s Species – tailor, tough predators with razor teeth

Recfishwest's Sedin Hasanovic with a chunky Perth tailor, caught last July, from a north metro beach.

From beaches, to rivers and estuaries, tailor are a special species that many WA fishers value dearly, especially for those based along the State’s west coast. Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan has written about the favourite near-shore species with razor teeth. Take a look back at this popular edition of Scott's Species to learn more about tailor.

Check this out!

Lizz McCallum, pictured, is among fishers who love chasing barra in Lake Kununurra. 😁😁

A stocking program keeping Lake Kununurra brimming with barra

The ongoing Lake Kununurra barramundi stocking program has seen more than one million barra fingerlings stocked into the waterway since 2013. Now local and visiting fishers are reaping the rewards with the chance to wet a line in a world-class sportfishery. Brimming with barra, safe and accessible with no saltwater crocs, as well as being free of big tidal movements typical of Kimberley rivers, it’s easy to see why Lake Kununurra is a must-visit fishing location for anglers. All million fish released into the lake have been hatched and reared at North Regional TAFE’s (NRT) Broome Aquaculture Centre, with its aquaculture experts influential in the program’s success. In this video, NRT’s team walk us through the process as to how them keep Lake Kununurra brimming with barra! Find out more about the program here.

Great Southern catches

Boats

King George whiting catches have been good for those fishing the inshore waters off Albany, while good numbers of sand whiting, as well as the odd flathead, are also being found inshore. Squid numbers are improving along the seagrass beds near King George Sound and Princess Royal Harbour. Very strong easterlies have kept most boats on land, with very few fishers able to head out to chase demersal species offshore.

Shore-based

The protected waters of Frenchman Bay and Cosy Corner are good spots to try for King George whiting. Mulloway have continued to be caught in the Kalgan River this week. Both the Kalgan and the King rivers are fishing well for black bream. The odd salmon continue to be encountered along the usual beaches across the Great Southern, however, these fish are not part of the annual salmon migration, but rather resident fish.

South West catches

Don’t be fooled by the party in the back – Beau Kernutt was all business when he landed his first ever dhufish while fishing with Charlie Morehouse off Busselton last week. 📷 Squid Queen WA

Boats

Dunsborough and Busselton are both fishing well for dhufish and pink snapper in the 25m to 35m depths. Off Cape Naturaliste, boat fishers are reporting dhufish and blue groper on jigs and big paddle tail soft plastics, while yellowtail kingfish have taken jigs worked mid-water in the 10m to 12m depths. Bunbury fishers are reporting plump King George whiting and bluespotted flathead on the sandy areas adjacent to the shipping channel, while Samson fish have been patrolling the Bunbury artificial reef alongside hordes of skippy. If you're fishing the South West, find coordinates to the Bunbury and Dunsborough artificial reefs here.

Shore-based

Myalup has been fishing well for bread-and-butter species, including herring and whiting, this week. Interestingly enough, small mulloway have been caught-and-released from the gutters at Myalup in the mid-afternoon recently. The coast between Binningup to Belvedere is similarly fishing just as well as Myalup, with tailor coming on the chew in the late afternoon. Parts of the Collie River, namely near Eaton and Australind, are producing the occasional black bream for those putting in the time. The Busselton Jetty has remained a great spot to target squid at night, with reports of cephalopods boasting 35cm hoods caught. Farther south, tailor have been found at beaches on either side of Cape Naturaliste.

Mandurah and surrounds

Mandurah

Those jigging for Samson fish off Mandurah have hooked-up to big specimens this week, with reports of fish in the 15kg to 22kg range caught. Breaksea cod and pink snapper have also been caught by fishers in the 30m to 40m depths. For land-based fishers, the beaches near Golden Bay have been producing good tailor, herring and whiting. The Dawesville Cut is producing similiar species, in addition to tarwhine and skippy. Anglers fishing near the traffic bridge are catching solid skippy. Tims Thicket has tailor and mulloway on offer.

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

The FADs off Rockingham are holding plenty of baitfish, attracting good-sized dolphinfish and different tuna varieties. If you want to fish the FADs, find the coordinates here. Warnbro, Kwinana, Long Point, Port Kennedy and Secret Harbour beaches are producing tailor for beach fishers. The region's jetties are offering herring early in the morning, along with squid. Land-based anglers have been trying for Spanish mackerel at various spots near Kwinana.

Perth catches

Shore jigging for flatties in the Swan River has resulted in a couple of solid catches for Han Yeoh. 😁

Boats

Strong winds have made boat fishing opportunities off Perth limited for much of this week. However, for those who've managed to pick a gap in the weather window, King George whiting to an impressive 50cm are still being caught off Hillarys and Two Rocks. The 15m to 20m depths with areas of broken reef habitat and sandy patches are a great place to start looking for King George. Click here for more helpful King George fishing tips. The safe and accessible waters of Cockburn Sound have provided a place for small boat owners and kayak fishers to stay out of the wind this week, catching squid and bread-and-butter species such as herring.

YouTube: See why Cockburn Sound is so important here

Pink snapper and breaksea cod have been found behind Rottnest Island by those fishing baits and jigs. As expected, the chit-chat regarding sought-after pelagic species — namely wahoo and Spanish mackerel — has really slowed this week, with fishers in the know likely keeping their cards close to their chest! However, the pelagic sportfishing action at the FADs will still be firing once conditions improve and allow boat fishers to venture to the devices. Want the coordinates to the FADs deployed as part of the State-wide FADs program? Click here.

Shore-based

The weather conditions for tomorrow’s third day of the metro abalone season are forecast to be good, with a “medium to low” risk, according to Surf Life Saving WA’s Hazardous Surf Assessment Model. There will be a moderate rising tide of 0.5m during the 7am to 8am fishing session, with a moderate primary swell of 0.75m to 1.25m. Winds are low at 8 knots, gusting to 13 knots, tending offshore. Remember to wear appropriate clothing, bring a snorkel and assess the conditions — if you’re not confident, simply don’t go in the water. Click here to read more about staying safe while gathering abalone.

Lewis Duffy tempted this respectable Canning River bream with one of Callum Dowell's Mussel Vibes!

Tailor have been found along most of the usual haunts, including at Swanbourne Drain and near Yanchep Lagoon. Majority of the fish caught have been between 35cm and 45cm, with those casting stickbaits and metal slices in the morning finding the most success. The Maylands area of the Swan River is fishing well for black bream, while they've also taken lures and small plastics at Causeway Bridge and Canning Bridge. The flats near Bicton and also Dalkeith are among the better performing flathead spots at the moment, with bartails reportedly taking a range of lures along the flats. Read more about how to best target bartail flathead here.

Young gun Dom had an epic time fishing from the coast near Perth during his school holidays. 😁😁

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Recfishwest · 3/45 Northside Drive Hillarys · Perth, WA 6025 · Australia

Catch Information

Species:
Australasian Snapper

Barramundi

Black Bream

Bluefish

Breaksea Cod

Coral Trout

Dhufish

Dusky Flathead

Flathead Catfish

Golden Trevally

Mahi-mahi

Mulloway

Queenfish

Samson Fish

Scaled Sardine

Spangled Emperor

Spanish Mackerel

Wahoo

Whiting

This Fishing Report was submitted on 2/3/2022 8:47:38 PM by Seamus and last updated on 2/6/2022 7:27:10 PM.

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Hillarys, WA AU

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