Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 31 January 2025 🎣

Mulloway to 110cm have been caught at Israelite Bay, while Seal Creek and Cape Arid have yielded big flathead. Thomas River has been a hotspot for gummy sharks and big skippy, while Dunns Beach has held good numbers of mulloway to 80cm. Salmon, big skippy and gummy sharks have been abundant at Warrenup and Roses Beach, while the first stretch of Wylie Bay has produced big sand whiting in the mornings. Decent King George whiting have been taken from the town foreshore, while Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has offered King George whiting and smallish skippy. The Taylor Street and Town jetties have fished well for squid and big herring in the afternoons, while Salmon Beach has held big herring and salmon. 
    
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 been the best bet for shore fishers this week with catches consistent at the town marina, Emu Point, at Middleton at night, Frenchman Bay and Whalers Cove. Small King George whiting and big herring have shown up at Emu Point and Frenchman Bay, while the marina has held lots of herring as well. Scoop netters chasing blue swimmer crabs in Oyster and Princess Royal harbours have not exactly been cleaning up, but have managed to get a few across most days in the early mornings and evenings. Most of the local beaches have been holding herring, skippy and some big tarwhine. A few salmon have been taken at Bremer Bay. Bream fishing has been quiet in the King and Kalgan rivers, but a nice mulloway around a metre was taken on a whole trumpeter bait at the Lower King Bridge late last week.

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. 

Plenty of scaly mackerel have taken up residence in Fremantle Harbour, so a big mulloway could be on the cards for those prepared to put in the hours. It’s been very quiet at the Fremantle Moles with just a few herring and the odd tailor in the evening. Better tailor have been taken from the rock walls at South Fremantle and at Catherine Point. The marinas along Mews Road have held herring, skippy, sand whiting and also small Samsonfish, which have been caught on micro jigs, while divers have been swimming out and getting blue swimmer crabs at South Beach and the dog beach. Tailor action has been quieter around Port and Cottesloe beaches, while City Beach and Floreat have offered mainly herring, with just the odd tailor and a few skippy. Trigg has produced good tailor and some even bigger specimens have been taken on lures at beaches around Quinns and Two Rocks, with Halco C-Gars, Dr Hook Long Toms and CID GT Ice Creams all being smashed in hot sessions. Mulies have produced plenty of tailor north of the river as well, while the far northern beaches have held a few small pink snapper. Land-based fishers found the going slow in the Swan River this week. Blue swimmer crabs seem to be holding in deeper water, making it tough for scoopers, although divers have been getting a few. Tailor fishing has been best at Point Resolution, the Narrows under the lights at night, Claremont, Blackwall Reach, Mosman Bay and Canning Bridge. Flathead have been around Claremont, East Fremantle, Point Walter and Bicton but most have been small, while flounder have been very quiet. Bigger flathead have been caught in the upper reaches. Bream and soapy mulloway action has tapered off, but fishing structure up river from the Causeway to Guildford should produce results. Night-time yellowfin whiting catches have eased and the tings have shown little interest in lures during the day. A couple of giant herring have been caught at night in the middle reaches, but most people have been targeting the speedsters around Maylands.