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Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
10 October, 2025
Pic of the Week goes to Daniel Middleton with this 27kg Spanish mackie off the sand in Shark Bay, caught on the trusty 140mm shallow diving Rapala Xrap SXR14. Daniel and his wife Grace are from QLD travelling around WA and this will be one of the most memorable moments from the trip!
Message a snap of your capture to our Instagram page @recfishwest or the Recfishwest Facebook page and don’t forget to include where and how you caught it!
For your photos to be featured, make sure they follow our responsible fish handling and photography guidelines (fish held horizontally, minimal blood, one hand under the belly and the other around the tail, no fingers in gills, water or beach in background etc). Spearfishing snaps are also welcome. Stay safe, have fun and keep sharing your awesome catches!
Missed out on Waroona Troutfest? The opportunity to roll up your sleeves and help us release hundreds more radiant rainbow and brown trout into Pemberton’s picturesque Big Brook Dam returns this Sunday at the Southern Forests Trout Festival!
This family-friendly, free event held kicks off from 9:00am – 1:00pm and the trout release will start around 10am. Old clothes or bathers are encouraged – you will get wet!
Reminder – you can cast your line without the need for a freshwater fishing licence between 4-12th October, something Recfishwest advocated for to make freshwater fishing more accessible for everyone between the two Trout Festival events.
Don't miss the opportunity to also learn from the freshwater fishing experts at this event to enhance your fly fishing skills!
We’ll see you at Big Brook Dam Foreshore and Picnic Area on Sunday! Click here to see location on Google Maps.
A lovely 1.07m barra courtesy of @birchys_fishing_tours out east this week!
Strong north-westerlies have confined fishing to Roebuck Bay, where most crews have been targeting the creeks. Crab and Dampier Creeks have been fishing well with Dampier producing barramundi around the 85cm mark. Threadfin salmon have been in both systems, but Crab Creek has been better for them. Good numbers of mud crabs have been in all the creeks, and while the Fingers has held barramundi and threadfin salmon, it has not been as consistent as the town creeks. The westerly winds over the next few days should be relatively calm around midday if you can manage to launch early.
Queenfish and trevally have been caught at the mouth of Willie Creek which has offered shelter from the strong winds. Town Beach Jetty has produced the same species, as did Entrance Point where the sizes have been better. In the Fitzroy River, Langi Crossing and Telegraph Pool have been the pick of the barramundi spots. Barred Creek has held a few mud crabs, the odd queenfish at its mouth, and small barramundi at low tide. A few mangrove jack have been pulled from the holes at Port Smith during low tide.
Big thanks to the crew from Tackle World Broome for their tips! Make sure you pay them a visit for the best gear and advice for your next fishing trip.
Heading away? Visit wildtrak.com.au and use our code ‘recfish1025’ at checkout for 10% off all online orders of Wildtrak’s awesome outdoor gear. Discount code works even if the item is already on sale, so take advantage before your next trip!
@salty.ju.spearfishing living the dream on Serrurier Island - doesn’t get much better than a fresh crayfish over the fire.
Late last week an excellent weather window opened up on the west side and crews who targeted the deeper regions found ruby snapper, pearl perch, hapuka and eight-bar cod in 300m, while in 80-120m red emperor, goldband snapper and jobfish were prolific. Black marlin, sailfish and wahoo were active in 40m out from Lighthouse Bay and Tantabiddi. There has also been squid in close in as well at Tantabiddi along with spangled emperor. At the Muirons, Spanish mackerel, Rankin cod and coral trout have been taken, while crews that pushed north into deeper water found better Rankin cod and a few red emperor. Spanish mackerel chasers have been doing well using the Reaper Rigs attachment on garfish baits laced with treble hooks. Sailfish still haven’t entered Exmouth Gulf in any prolific numbers, but Spanish mackerel, school mackerel and the odd cobia have been about. On the Shoals, blue-lined emperor, golden trevally, coral trout and cod species have been the main catches, while squid have been in good numbers close in. Fly-fishers in the Gulf have sighted some very big cobia and managed to land large giant herring and the odd bonefish. The best time to duck out this weekend is very early on both mornings before the southerly winds gain strength from around 9am on the west side, although the Gulf will likely see more consistent southerly winds and slightly choppy conditions all week.
Shore fishers around Exmouth have been doing very well on the west side, finding spangled emperor, dart, trevally and queenfish from Yardie Creek all the way up to Mildura Wreck. In VLF Bay anglers throwing stickbaits have caught school mackerel, trevally, spangled emperor and even the odd Spanish mackerel. Soft plastics have accounted for a few spangled emperor as well. The town marina has produced bream and mangrove jack, while squid have been caught from the outside rock wall. Squid also have been in reasonable numbers at Learmonth Jetty, where some nice whiting have been taken, while Wapet Creek has produced decent flathead.
These great tips were courtesy of the friendly team at Tackle World Exmouth. Swing by their store for the best advice and gear ahead of your next trip!
Plenty of pink snapper have rewarded boaties on both sides of town, while those who headed further north picked up sizeable dhufish. Crayfishing has been good and crews heading south along the cliffs picked up Rankin cod as well as pink snapper. Both mornings this weekend should allow an early duck out based on the forecast before the stronger southerlies start to kick in from around 9am.
Mulloway action has picked up in the Murchison River with a few lost at the river mouth and couple around 80cm landed. Mulloway have also been taken further up river. The mouth has offered tailor to 70cm, as did Chinamans, Blue Holes and Back Beach. Red Bluff has yielded chopper and big herring, while the gorges have produced bigger tailor, skippy and pink snapper. Last week’s school holiday whiting competition produced a mix of species on the foreshore and around the Sand Spit. As well as sizeable yellowfin whiting, flounder, herring, chopper tailor, cod and juvenile spangled emperor were landed. Bream and cod have been taken at the marina and further up river, while crabbing has been steady for both blue swimmers and muddies.
Shout out to Kalbarri Sports and Dive for their tips! Feel free to venture into the store and ask for advice if you're wetting a line around Kalbarri.
Strong southerlies and big swells made fishing very difficult for most of the past week and there’s been little appetite to chase inshore species such as squid and whiting. Only larger boats are expected to duck out this weekend with a 2m swell accompanied by 18+ knot south-easterly winds.
It’s been a good start to the tailor season with well-conditioned 40-60cm fish landed at Drummond Cove and Coronation, though weed has been a problem at times along with fork-tailed catfish. The tailor bite has been early and not much has happened after 8pm. A 23.5kg mulloway was landed near Coronation and herring have been about after dark. School mackerel have been taken from the reef at Southgates along with decent tailor and big herring. Standard-sized tailor have been caught at Tarcoola Beach. Whiting have been a challenge, but a few reasonable-sized ones have been caught in the bay at Drummond. Whiting have been caught at the mouth of Greenough River and bream have been taken further up. A nice pink snapper was caught at night from the eastern breakwater this week.
Thanks to the team at Geraldton Sports Centre for their tips! They will happily provide you with great gear and the solid advice for your next fishing trip.
The demersal season looks set to finish on a good note with some decent weather on the cards. Reports from boat fishers suggest the bite has been tough, with many putting in long hours to find the fish. Interestingly, some of the better dhufish in the 8–10kg range have come from surprisingly shallow water inside the White Bank, around 10–12m. With the demersal season wrapping up, tuna and bonito have started making an appearance, so make sure you have a troll whenever you move around. Large skippy have been schooling over the inshore lumps, while the Bay has produced solid numbers of King George whiting in the sand holes, along with herring, skippy, and the occasional snook at the usual haunts. It should be accessible to launch on both mornings this weekend given the relatively low swell although there will likely be some chop on the water given the moderate southerly winds expected.
A combination of lingering swell and some very low tides has stirred up the nearshore waters, making it tricky to pinpoint where the fish are holding. Tailor have been testing the patience of fishers, with most anglers landing just one or two per session. The consolation is the quality of the fish, with most tailor pushing past the 50cm mark and looking healthy. Drone fishers have reported mixed success, with few pink snapper seen along the coast in recent days.
Big thanks to Peter Fullarton for his tips on what's biting around Lancelin each week! If you want Peter to put you on to the fish directly, make sure you check out his Tailored Treks Tours page. Peter knows the best spots around Lancelin like the back of his hand.
@lachy_warren with a solid gummy shark caught off the beach this week, arguably one of the best eating sharks in the sea.
Plenty of pink snapper have been landed at Observatory Island, while yellowtail kingfish and Samsonfish have been in good numbers at Figure of Eight and Boxer Islands. Nannygai and breaksea cod have been thick at Leg of Lamb, while sand whiting and King George whiting have been plentiful in Wylie Bay. Squid have been in good numbers at Lovers Cove and in Esperance Bay. Saturday through to Tuesday morning should be manageable for all boats to duck out and the swell will be decreasing from now until midday on Monday.
The strong run of gummy sharks has continued with Dunns Beach and Thomas River the hotspots, while Roses Beach has held sizeable mulloway. The sand is very soft at Roses, so fishers will need to deflate their tyres considerably. Big schools of salmon have been cruising through 14-Mile Beach, while salmon have been firing first thing in the morning at Fourth Beach. King George whiting have been active on the town foreshore, while Wylie Bay has held sand whiting, flathead and big herring. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has fished well for King George whiting and skippy, while squid and herring numbers have been good at Town and Taylor Street jetties after dark.
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 fishing has been good in 4-8m off Goode Beach and Mistaken Island, while King George whiting catches have been strong in the same areas with plenty of solid fish over 40cm. Big KG’s have come from Michaelmas Reef as well, while small tuna have been active around the islands along with Bald Head and Vancouver Rock. Early on Sunday morning could hold some decent boating weather with a gentle north-easterly wind and swell under 2m.
Bream have been keeping kids happy over the school holidays with the King, Kalgan and Hay rivers holding good numbers. Prawn has been the best bait for them. Beach fishing has improved too, with Sand Patch and Salmon Holes worth a crack on the incoming tide for herring and the odd salmon. Squid fishing has been good at Frenchman Bay, Whalers Cove and Mistaken Island, with herring and respectable King George whiting also being caught. Squid have been in good numbers in the town marina, where herring, skippy and leatherjacket have also been caught.
If you’re inexperienced at rock fishing or not a strong swimmer, we strongly recommend you keep the sand between your toes and fish from the beach instead. If you are thinking about fishing off the rocks, there are several things you need to consider before you even set foot on them – remember your lifejacket is your last line of defence and does not guarantee your safety.
Watch Gido’s latest video on safer rock fishing tips and how to manually inflate a lifejacket. As a Recfishwest Fish & Survive Ambassador, Gido never fishes off the rocks without one, so make sure you do the same.
Click here to see where you can loan a lifejacket for free. Cheers to the Trailblazers Albany crew for their fishing 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.
@squidqueen.wa Trudy Morehouse had a proper arm workout this week off Busso when several Sambo’s hit the deck!
Pink snapper continued to be the main demersal species caught on both sides of Bunbury and in Geographe Bay, starting from 10m, while deeper waters have produced better numbers of dhufish and a few baldchin groper. Tuna schools have been sighted straight out from Bunbury in 12-15m, so it is worthwhile to have a rod rigged with a small stickbait or metal slice in case you come upon a bust-up. Trolling at 4-5 knots with a deeper diving lure also works a treat. On the Four-Mile Reef, Samsonfish have been stretching arms with plenty of 15kg+ fish reported. Squid fishing has been very good south of Bunbury, while out from Busselton kayak fishers have been finding them in better numbers as well. King George whiting have been hit or miss in Geographe Bay. This weekend is primed for some really good boating weather so get out there.
Tailor have been the main species targeted from the beaches and catches of 40-50cm fish have been steady. Buffalo Beach, Myalup and Preston have been consistent spots for them, while a few pink snapper have been landed at Preston, mainly by drone fishers. Busselton Jetty has fished well for squid, while in the Collie River soapy mulloway and bream have been caught. In the Leschenault Estuary yellowfin whiting have been landed by anglers wading the flats on warmer days. Most of the yellowfin have been taken on vibes, but a few have fallen to surface lures. King George whiting and skippy have been caught in Augusta at the mouth of the Blackwood River.
Big cheers to Whitey's Tackle & Camping for their top fishing tips as always! If you're in Australind or Bunbury and are keen to wet a line throughout our South-West make sure you ask their very friendly team who love their fishing for advice and stock up on gear at their store. If you're in Busselton, the 2 Oceans Tackle team are also incredibly helpful.
@alex__vermeulen with a big rainbow broody in Pemberton this week - you will have the chance to help us release loads of these bigger trout into Big Brook Dam on Sunday from 10am!
As the flow in the South-West has started to slow, redfin perch fishing has picked up with the Collie townsite, the Donnelly River and around Pemberton producing some good fish. The dams have continued to throw up good redfin too, with Harvey and Wellington producing fish to 45cm on a wide range of lures. Trout fishing has been quieter, but Honeymoon Pool on the Collie River has rewarded anglers using spinners with a few nice rainbows. Plenty of rainbow trout have been rising early in the mornings on warmer days at Drakesbrook Weir, where redfin have been caught throughout the day.
If you’re coming along to the Southern Forests Trout Festival this Sunday, make sure you arrive before 10am at Big Brook Dam Foreshore and Picnic Area so you don’t miss out on the fish! There will be hundreds of brown and rainbow trout ready to be put in buckets for release, so make sure you wear your bathers as you will get wet!
If you’re thinking of going out for a fish off Mandurah, make sure you consider dropping some pots at the moment because there is a lot of bugs around! Tackle World Miami’s Ash Ramm is making the most of it.
Crayfish were going well in the lead-up to the full moon, while pink snapper chasers have been doing well on the Five-Fathom Bank and at James Service Reef. Big sand whiting and decent King George whiting have been in good numbers at the back of the Five, but more in line with Mandurah rather than Dawesville. Dhufish chasers have found the going hard inshore, but the rough ground in 40m at the back of Bouvard Reef has yielded some good ones. Plenty of solid skippy have been on the inshore pink snapper grounds. Tuna schools were abundant on the 35m lines last week, but tapered off this week with the inconsistent weather. Inshore waters have become much clearer and squid fishing is expected to improve. In the Peel-Harvey Estuary a few more chopper tailor and herring have been about, while some of King George whiting taken near the Dawesville Cut have been nudging 35cm. Saturday and Sunday are both looking decent on the forecast for a fish.
Drone fishers have been getting pink snapper down White Hills way, but casters have missed out. Tailor fishing has picked up along the Melros to Florida stretch and they have been mixed in with lots of soapy mulloway. Herring and sand whiting have been in good numbers on most beaches. The Dawesville Cut has fished best early in the mornings for herring and a few King George whiting at the estuary end. Yellowfin whiting chasers are hoping warmer days next week will fire their quarry up on the flats, while bream fishers have been targeting the Murray and Serpentine rivers.
Thinking of wetting a line around Mandurah? These great tips were courtesy of the super friendly and helpful team at Tackle World Miami so make sure you swing by their store for the best tips and gear before your next fishing trip!
Pink snapper catches been very good in a range of depths behind Garden and Carnac islands and towards the Five-Fathom Bank. Reasonable numbers of dhufish have been about too, with the 20m depths fishing well. Vexed Bottom Meats have improved the catch rates on both pinkies and dhuies. There have also been reports of a few big mulloway being pulled out of the shipping channel, while Samsonfish have been widespread. Tuna schools have been sighted towards the Five, so trolling around here would be a good tactic. Squid fishing has been slow, but sand whiting and a few King George whiting have been caught in Mangles Bay, behind Penguin Island and on Parmelia Bank. Skippy have been caught over broken ground. Both Saturday and Sunday is looking good on the forecast at this stage so make the most of it.
Good pink snapper have been landed in the Secret Harbour area by both drone fishers and casters, while tailor fishing has picked up at most beaches with Long Point one of the better spots. Those targeting tailor on lures have been doing well on Yakamito H-Core poppers. Herring and sand whiting catches have picked up along the beaches, with a few small King George whiting in the mix at the Penguin Island spit along with Safety Bay and Warnbro. It’s been worth taking a squid jig to Woodman Point, Ammo Jetty and the Palm Beach and Rockingham jetties, which have also held sand whiting and a few herring. Point Peron has produced squid as times also.
These great fishing tips were provided by the friendly team at Compleat Angler & Camping World in Rockingham, so make sure you chat to their experienced crew in store and stock up before heading out!
@edwardd.bradfield_ with this cracker of a squid caught in the Perth Canyon, now you know what the swordfish are preying on down deep!
Demersal fishing has been good off Rottnest Island and in waters off the northern suburbs with pink snapper, dhufish and baldchin groper caught in 40-50m, while skippy, pink snapper, yellowtail kingfish and Samsonfish have been landed in 30-40m. Tuna have been at Rottnest’s West End and also on Direction Bank, while a few surprise Spanish mackerel were apparently taken off Mindarie. Inshore waters off Fremantle and Cottesloe have held good numbers of sand whiting and a few decent King George whiting, but squid fishing has been slow. There should be decent conditions out on the water around midday on both Saturday and Sunday once the wind drops right off, but most boats are expected to launch early on both days before the southerlies kick in around 1pm.
The Fremantle Moles have been quiet, mainly offering herring. Tailor fishing has moved down from the north metro beaches with better fish now being caught along the stretch between Trigg and Hillarys. Herring have been keeping them company and even the odd salmon has been caught. Herring have also been thick at Grant Street, while City Beach has held tailor and small mulloway. The Swan River is starting to stir. Bream have been active from Ascot through to the Narrows, while mulloway have been caught downstream from the Narrows. There has been a heap of bait in the river and this has led to improved tailor fishing in the middle and lower reaches. Small flathead have been caught in the Swan’s middle reaches and as far up as Belmont and reports have started to filter in about good flathead catches in the East Fremantle area. There was a great turnout for Fremantle Amateur Angling Club’s event at Port Gregory, with scores of tailor, mulloway, pink snapper even a nice shark landed despite the less than ideal conditions! Both mornings this weekend should see nice land-based fishing conditions with a low swell and gentle easterly winds expected.
A big thanks to Compleat Angler Nedlands for their great metro tips! These guys are all avid fishers, know the best spots for every particular species and have provided great support to Recfishwest and metro fishers for many years. Make sure you ask their super friendly team for advice at their store just off Stirling Highway and stock up before wetting a line off the land or boat!
Our Fishing Report is compiled by West Australian writer and keen angler William Bennett, with contributions from a rotating team of fishers each week.
Recfishwest’s fishing report contributors: Jarrad Lawford (editor and images), Sam Bock, Sedin Hasanovic, Sam Russell, Levi De Boni and Eligh Quigley.
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This Fishing Report was submitted on 10/9/2025 11:23:25 PM by Seamus and last updated on 10/11/2025 9:03:45 PM.
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