Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 24 January 2025 🎣

Mulloway to 110cm and big gummy sharks have been caught at Israelite Bay, while Poison Creek and Seal Creek have held 15-18kg gummy sharks. Thomas River has produced skippy up to 70cm, while big schools of salmon have been active at Tagon Beach. Alexander Bay has fished well for gummy sharks to 10kg, while small school mulloway and gummy sharks have been at Roses Beach and Warrenup. Near town, big King George whiting have been caught at the port viewing area, while large sand whiting have been abundant at Blue Haven Beach. Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach have yielded salmon, while big herring have been caught from the Taylor Street rock wall.  The Town Jetty has produced squid and garfish at night, while Bandy Creek Boat harbour has fished well for King George whiting and flathead.
    
Hats off to the very knowledgeable team at Southern Sports & Tackle for their tips! These guys love their fishing as well, so make sure you swing by their store for the best gear and advice before wetting a line around Esperance. 

Squid have continued to be the main species targeted and although catches have been hit or miss, plenty of nice models have been landed. Fishers can boost their chances by fishing in the early mornings and at night. Good squid catches have come from Whalers Cove, Frenchman Bay, Emu Point and the town marina. Frenchman Bay has also held herring and small King George whiting, the marina has offered small skippy and herring and Emu Point has produced herring, sand whiting and King George whiting. In Princess Royal Harbour some good feeds of blue swimmer crabs have been scooped at times and crabs should also be active in Oyster Harbour. Bream have been plentiful in the King and Kalgan rivers, while the Sand Patch has held herring, resident salmon, tarwhine and flathead. Bremer Bay and Cheynes Beach have also produced a few resident salmon, along with herring and skippy. At Broke Inlet skippy, sand whiting, herring and small salmon have been caught.    

Cheers to the Trailblazers Albany crew for their tips this week! Swing by their store if you're after some top gear and advice ahead of your next fishing trip. Remember, you'll also catch just as many fish off the beaches than the rocks and it is always much safer to go with this option on the south coast. 

Hats off to this little legend for her PB 51cm metro flathead right in front of the city skyline in South Perth. A great snap from @tonys.fishing.adventures. 

Tailor catches have been good around Leighton, Cottesloe and Port beaches in the afternoons with good fish around the 50cm mark landed on mulies. Floreat has fished best in the mornings, but only the odd tailor has been caught with herring making up the bulk of the catches.  The Fremantle Moles have been very quiet, offering a few chopper tailor, snook and herring. The northern beaches have offered tailor and sand whiting, with Trigg, Quinns Beach and Pinnaroo Point fishing well, while at the far-north metro beaches both drone fishers and casters have caught pink snapper. Fremantle Harbour has fished quite well for herring, garfish, skippy and tarwhine. Scaly mackerel have been plentiful there too, but nothing seems to be chasing them. The rock walls around South Fremantle have offered herring, tailor and skippy but only a few squid were caught this week. Catherine Point at South Beach has fished very well for tailor to 50cm in the evenings. Good blue swimmer crabs have been picked by those swimming out from the South Beach or the nearby dog beach. In the Swan River those scooping blue swimmer crabs have fared best at Alfred Cove, Applecross, Point Walter and Claremont. Tailor have been taken mainly downstream from the Narrows, where they have often been active under the lights, and at most jetties and drop-offs around Applecross, Canning Bridge, Claremont, Mosman and East and North Fremantle. Up past the Causeway an angler chasing giant herring hooked and lost at tailor estimated at 70cm early this week. The Redcliffe to Guildford stretch has been the main area targeted by giant herring chasers and several good ones have been landed. Be sure to keep an eye out for bull sharks which have been active in this part of the river, so avoid wading out too deep. Bream chasers in the Swan have been doing best fishing around structure, although the hot weather may tempt a couple on to the flats. Structure anywhere from the Narrows up to Guildford has produced good bream, along with a few soapy mulloway and the odd big flathead, but don’t ignore the lower reaches such as the pens and yacht clubs at Nedlands, Claremont, Mosman Bay and East Fremantle which hold resident fish. The East Fremantle area has continued to fish well for yellowfin whiting late at night, but with the warmer weather a few good sessions have been enjoyed on the flats in the daytime by fishers using vibes. Unfortunately, the warmer weather has does little to fire up flathead and flounder activity in the lower reaches with both numbers and sizes well down. Around Saturday on midday looks to be the easiest land-based fishing window over the coming days although you may have the breeze in your face if casting off the beach.