Download the mobile app!
Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
13 February, 2026
Pic of the Week goes to Kieran down in Bunbury for landing this bowmouth guitarfish or shark ray! Rarely seen and usually found much further north, this fish was gently released to fight another day.
Tag #recfishwest in your posts or send them via DM to our Instagram @recfishwest—don’t forget to include where and how you caught it!
For your photos to be featured, make sure they follow our responsible handling and photography guidelines, which means fish held horizontally and not vertically by the gills, no blood, one hand under the belly and the other holding the tail, preferably water in the background etc). Stay safe, have fun, and keep sharing your awesome catches!
It was fantastic to see the love shown by the cast of thousands for Saturday’s Snapper Guardians 2026 community fish stocking event in Cockburn Sound!
The unique event has grown to become one of the largest of its kind in Australia thanks to hundreds of mums, dads and kids who roll up their sleeves to help us release thousands of juvenile pink snapper! 🐟
It’s another great demonstration of how much these fish mean to the fishing community and how recreational fishers want to play their part in putting something back into the fishery.
A big shout-out to DPIRD's team for hatching and rearing these 111-day old fish, our stocking partners Daiwa, and the hundreds of families who came down to show their support.
It’s been tough going this week due to the weather but mud crabs are turning up still in Crab Creek and in the Peninsula creeks. Photo: @evan_.daley.
Stormfronts and falling barometers have made it hard for fishers. When small weather windows have arisen a few Spanish mackerel have been taken in Roebuck Bay and the odd bluebone has been pulled up from the bommies before a shark can get to it. Tripletail have been around the moorings at times and blue salmon have been widespread in the bay. The creeks have been very quiet with just the odd small barra in Crab and Dampier creeks and mud crabs being caught in Crab Creek and in the peninsula creeks. With the Fitzroy River in flood a few boaties have been trying to find salty pockets in the eddies to target barramundi but have had little success. Thankfully there will be low winds this weekend albeit with a touch of rain before some more lightning and stronger winds arrives early on Monday to continue into next week.
Shore-Based
Little has been happening from the shore with just one or two small queenfish and trevally landed at Town Beach Jetty and around Entrance Point. Gantheaume and James Price Point have been targeted at times and have offered small trevally and a few coral trout but little else. Thankfully this weekend should be a little more accomodating for land-based fishos. 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.
Conditions have flattened out in the aftermath of cyclone Mitchell, but crews have been struggling to find patches of clear water. Trolling will likely remain extremely difficult over the next week or so until it cleans up, but into the weekend the back of reef on the west side could be worth a crack for Spanish mackerel as they do often spice up a bit after storms with everything stirred up. Given there is lower south-westerly winds expected on Saturday morning, the top of Exmouth Gulf towards the Muirons might be the go for Spaniards and bottom species. Otherwise Sunday morning off the tip of the Cape or towards the Muirons could also work. Wednesday onwards should see calmer conditions return.
With the big clean-up going on after cyclone Mitchell, very little fishing has taken place. A few people got up to the tip of the Cape and picked up spangled emperor, but conditions were challenging. This weekend should be a little more accomodating for land-based fishos going for spangos. On a positive note, plenty of whiting schools have been sighted along the beaches in Exmouth Gulf. In the town marina, however, the water is very dirty.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!
Pelagic action has been very good with tuna rather than Spanish mackerel dominating. Straight in front of town several chunky yellowfin tuna up to 30kg have been landed along with lots of longtail tuna. A marlin, believed to be a black around 50kg, was raised on Monday at the Three-Mile Reef. Spanish mackerel have been taken, but not in great numbers or sizes just yet. Saturday morning is looking best at this stage before the southerly winds and swell start to pick up between Sunday and Wednesday.
The Murchison River has been going well, but bear in mind dirty water could start to flow down and change the dynamic. Some of the better catches this week have been a 69cm mangrove jack caught by a young angler from the marina jetty and several mulloway just shy of a metre. Giant herring have been active up river too, often swimming with sizeable tailor. Both species were taken on topwater lures, while sand whiting have been caught around the river mouth. Cod catches have been good and mud crabs, blue swimmer crabs and bream have been in reasonable numbers. The ocean has been going alright too with school mackerel and a couple of Spanish mackerel caught by fishers spinning metals at Red Bluff and off the cliffs. Pink snapper have been landed from the stones as well, while Wittecarra has produced tailor.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.
With conditions generally too rough to troll for pelagics there has been little activity apart from crayfishers dropping pots, which has still seen considerable results. If checking pots, make sure you wait for calmer windows for your own safety and try to even out the weight on your boat when pulling them up. There might be a very brief window tomorrow morning although the swell and stronger southerly winds this coming week will make it tough for the boaties.
Seaweed, surge and swell made things difficult this week, but when the beaches have been clean tailor to 50cm and herring have been caught north of the Chapman River. The herring have dropped off in size but herring in better sizes have been taken behind the Lives, along with a few whiting. Geraldton Sports has had a run on drop net purchases and blue swimmer crab catches have been reported from Fishing Boat Harbour, the platform in front of the Sail Inn and in the Batavia Coast Marina. Murky water has shut down most squid activity. Down at Dongara, Port Denison Marina has offered several species of cod, decent tarwhine, one or two just-sized pink snapper and soapy mulloway. North of the marina mulloway and tailor have been targeted from the rocks and small whiting have been caught.
Thanks to the team at Geraldton Sports Centre for their tips! They will happily provide you with great gear and solid advice for your next fishing trip.
Denny had a cracker of a session on the land-based Sambo’s alongside Peter Fullarton on one of his Tailored Trek’s missions this week!
A warm current pushing down the coast has fired up the pelagic action, with tuna and bonito spreading across a wide range of depths. Crews willing to put in the trolling hours have been rewarded with the odd Spanish mackerel. With a good forecast for Saturday, plenty of boats will be heading west toward the FADs as Lancelin Angling & Aquatic Club (LAAC) hosts its game fishing comp. The 20‑metre line continues to produce reliably, turning up some solid sand whiting. Inside the Bay, schools of large herring have been busy, and squid numbers remained healthy, offering quality table feeds for those drifting jigs. If ducking out early on Saturday to take advantage of the light easterlies try to get back before the wind arrives by midday.
Evening high tides fishing the deeper gutters have been the trick for mulloway, with most fish falling in the 65–75 cm range, along with steady tailor activity. While mornings haven’t delivered big numbers, the quality has made up for it with whaler sharks, snapper, and Samsonfish all taken from well placed baits cast from the beach. Drone fishers are seeing the most consistency on pink snapper, with fish around the 70cm mark coming from drops in the 200–300m zone near reef.
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.
A lovely harlequin fish for @jesse.smithson while exploring around the islands.
Big nannygai have been active in the 50-60m depths, while large harlequin fish have been landed in the shallows at Mondrain Island. Yellowtail kingfish and Samsonfish have been caught at Giant Rocks, while sizeable tuna have been taken between Sunk Rocks and Figure of Eight Island. Observatory Beach has held big sand whiting, and King George whiting have been on the chew at Lovers Cove. There have been plenty of herring, squid and snook in Esperance Bay. The light to moderate easterly winds should allow brief windows early on both mornings this weekend. The next best windows after that are looking like Wednesday and Thursday.
Thomas River has held mulloway to a metre, while skippy to 4kg and gummy sharks to 10kg have been active at Tagon Beach. Mulloway and gummy sharks have been caught in Alexander Bay. Big gummy sharks and sizeable salmon have been taken at Roses Beach. Salmon schools have been at 14-Mile and Fourth beaches and the first stretch at Wylie Bay has yielded bull herring, King George whiting and sand whiting. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has held King George whiting and flathead. In the afternoon into the night both Town and Taylor Street jetties have offered herring and squid. Bream fishers have been doing well at Woody Lake.
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.
A proper South Coast kingie for @jamie.thompson this week! This species fights dirty, so try to keep them up away from the reef with all your strength to prevent your line getting pinged. .
The glamour conditions forecast for last weekend didn’t pan out as expected, but despite the wind coming in early crews fishing in close found King George whiting towards Seal and Michaelmas Island and out from Gull Rock. Jigging around lumps has seen some impressive yellowtail kingfish all along the South Coast this week. At Two Peoples Bay generous use of burley has been working well on sand whiting and a few squid were about in close as well. At the FADs divers saw small dolphinfish, but they were very skittish. Drop netting for crabs has been going well in Oyster Harbour and the Kalgan River. In the Kalgan dinghy and kayak fishers trolling Halco Twistys have also picked up chopper tailor, juvenile salmon and herring. Early on Sunday morning might hold a decent window with a drop in the easterly winds expected. Wednesday and Thursday could also be inviting.
Bream have been fishing well in the King, Kalgan, Frankland and Hay Rivers, but not so much the Denmark River. Anglers targeting bream using the Pro Lure Hybrid Shrimp have been doing very well. Crabbing has been going strong for scoop netters in Princess Royal and Oyster Harbour, while squid chasers have had success at Whalers Cove, Frenchman Bay, Mistaken Island and after dark at Emu Point. Emu Point has yielded King George whiting from the rocks near the channel, while the town marina has offered bream and small skippy. Cheynes Beach and Bluff Creek have been going well for herring, skippy and the odd salmon, while Ocean Beach has held juvenile salmon and tarwhine.
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, Trailblazers Albany have loan lifejackets available if you wish to fish off the rocks, but keeping the sand between your toes is always a safer option.
A lovely little eagle ray for one of the youngsters who participated in the Mandalay fishing competition this week! This ray swam off safely back into the waters of Geographe Bay after a solid battle and quick photo.
Fishers trolling in Koombana Bay have sighted tuna along with snook, with both species caught in good numbers. Drop netters in the Leschenault Estuary have had little trouble getting their bag limits of blue swimmer crabs and they have also been catching chopper tailor and herring when trolling between pot pulls. Blue swimmer crabs have also been in decent numbers in the Collie River, while squid and reasonable King George whiting have been caught in Geographe Bay where tuna schools have also been sighted. Good blue swimmer crabs have been caught around Busselton. Saturday morning is looking like the best window until at least Wednesday morning.
Beach fishing has been going well either side of Bunbury, although tailor numbers have waned and herring have started to dominate. Yellowfin whiting have been caught in the mornings at Preston Beach, while drone fishers have been getting pink snapper from Dalyellup through to Dunsborough. A few nice flounder have been caught at Dalyellup. In the Collie River soapy mulloway and small tailor have been caught, while squid have been the main quarry at Busselton Jetty. Scoop netters have been doing well on blue swimmer crabs throughout the Leschenault Estuary, while beaches towards Dunsborough have been producing herring and yellowfin whiting.
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.
Redfin perch catches have been good at Harvey and Wellington dams with some sizeable fish pulled from the deeper depths by kayak fishers and land-based anglers fishing near steep drop-offs. Worms and soft plastics have been doing most of the damage. Small rainbow trout have been hitting the surface at dawn and dusk smashing insects at Harvey Dam and one or two have been taken from the feeder creeks in the Harvey area during the day. On very hot days, most of the trout have been caught a little deeper where the water is slightly cooler.
There were a few shark mackerel getting around this week not far off the Mandurah coast! This species has a strong smell of ammonia at times and while they don’t taste as good as their Spanish cousins, they still taste decent on the chew and work nicely in a fish curry. Photo: Tackle World Miami.
Boats
Wahoo and small dolphinfish have been hanging around the FADs while tuna species have been active in 27-25m. Sambos have been landed out wide, but King George whiting have gone quiet. Sand whiting have been prolific inside of James Service Reef and towards Five-Fathom Bank, where some nice flathead have been landed. Squid have been caught in the estuary and also in the ocean on the close-in weed banks either side of the Dawesville Cut. Divers have been getting good numbers of crayfish in 20-25m while dab netters in the Dawesville Cut have doing well on prawns at night. In the Peel-Harvey Estuary, tailor, herring, juvenile salmon and skippy have been caught, while drop netters have found blue swimmer crabs nicely-sized and widespread. Saturday morning should be lovely and flat with hot conditions expected, so the pelagic fishing should produce the goods.
The beaches have been fishing well for tailor between 35cm and 45cm and herring have been thick. North of town mulloway have been active with a 1.2m model landed at San Remo. South of town soapies and a few school mulloway have been caught. Yellowfin whiting have been taken in the mornings at Falcon Bay, but the blowies have been bad and lures performed better than using bait.Tailor have pushed into the estuary as well and have been caught from the drop offs at the old bridge and the new bridge channels near Boundary Island. They have also been caught at the Dawesville Cut at night, along with squid. Herring have been active at the Cut during the day, while skippy have been taken on soft plastics and Ocean’s Legacy Roven micro jigs near the Seba’s Song Giant at Wannanup. Marinas in the estuary have been holding bream and the Dolphin Key marina was producing good squid. The Serpentine River has held bream around Lake Geogrup, while bream along with mulloway to 60cm have been active around Ravenswood in the Murray River. Scooping for blue swimmer crabs has been well worthwhile in the estuary and dab natters have found a few prawns at night. Yellowfin whiting continued to be inconsistent on the flats, but some hot sessions have been enjoyed on fish up to 30cm. Spots to consider include the flats near the old bridge on the old carnival foreshore, the new bridge near the canal entrances, and North and South Yunderup.
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!
Elwin Chand muscled in this beauty of a 1.27m Sambo on the western side of Garden Island on Sunday, with Five Fathom Bank a good place to start if you wish to target this species. Live baits work best!
A few big King George whiting have been caught in the 30-40cm range but many fishers have instead opted to target sand whiting in Mangles Bay, on Parmelia Bank and behind Penguin Island. Tuna schools have shown up towards Five-Fathom Bank, but they have been hit and miss. Skippy have been caught in close on broken ground, while out deeper Samsonfish have been taken. Crews have started to target mulloway in the shipping channel, while in Cockburn Sound drop netters have had little trouble getting a feed of blue swimmer crabs. Kayak fishers in Shoalwater Bay have been picking up good numbers of herring. Saturday morning is looking peachy on the forecast.
The beaches have continued to throw up some good tailor, but numbers have thinned at some of the more popular spots and it has paid to move around. Herring have been plentiful and sand whiting have shown up among the bycatch. Big mulloway were active along the beaches and a good one was caught in Safety Bay. Pink snapper have been about as well with a couple landed at Rockingham Jetty and Palm Beach Jetty. The local jetties have held scaly mackerel, a few herring and chopper tailor, as well as the odd squid after dark.
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!
The pelagic fishing was on fire again this week off Perth! @max_out_fishing, @samsmith1225 and @c.operc muscled in two yellowfin tuna with the biggest going 25kg and the other 18kg, while @tom_schuiling landed a solid mackie on his barra combo!
Crews have been gearing up for the Compleat Angler Nedlands Marlin Cup from February 14-15th with catches expected to come steaming in. Sizeable yellowfin tuna have been taken at the Rottnest Trench and the Fish Towers, while Rottnest Island has yielded yellowtail kingfish and smaller tuna. Shark mackerel and bonito have been widespread between Two Rocks and Fremantle, while Spanish mackerel have been sighted by divers. The bays at Rottnest have offered King George whiting and squid. In the Swan River blue swimmer crab catches have been steady, but not spectacular. They have pushed up as far as Bassendean but the better catches have come from around Applecross and the old Swan brewery. Crabbing has been hard going in the Canning River. Some nice tailor have been taken in the middle reaches of the Swan River on the troll and a big mulloway was landed in Mosman Bay this week. Saturday morning is looking glorious on the forecast until around midday when the sea breeze arrives with gusto. The next best window after that is looking like Wednesday morning.
A few bonito have been caught at North Mole, Trigg, the northern beaches and the Mindarie rock wall, while sizeable tailor have been pulled from gutters along the northern beaches. A solid school mackerel was also landed off Ammo Jetty this week. Herring have been in good numbers around Floreat and Cottesloe in the mornings and a few herring have been caught at North Mole. Fishing has tapered off in the Swan River. Tailor catches have been slow, while up past the Causeway a few decent mulloway have pulled the hooks. Flathead and flounder catches have waned, although a few 50cm-plus models have been taken. Canning Bridge, Point Walter and Burswood have been slightly more consistent for flathead, but stringy weed has been a problem at many locations. Giant herring schools have been widespread with the speedsters turning up randomly, while the best bream fishing has been on bait between Maylands and Guildford. Topwater lure casters have picked up yellowfin whiting at times around Alfred Cove, Como and into the Canning River. The Swan’s middle and lower reaches have held a few tarwhine.
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, who contacts tackle stores directly around WA - love your work William!
Recfishwest’s fishing report contributors: Jarrad Lawford (editor and images), Sam Bock, Sedin Hasanovic, Sam Russell, Levi De Boni and Mason McHutchison.
Not a member yet? Join for free today and get exclusive weekly fishing reports, ‘Members First’ updates, and special member-only deals
Stay up to date with news, events and clinics across WA by following us on socials.
Our mailing address is:
First floor, Suite 3, 45 Northside Drive, Hillarys
Perth, WA 6025, Australia
You are receiving this email because you signed up to our newsletter. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe
Copyright © 2026 Recfishwest, All rights reserved.
This Fishing Report was submitted on 2/13/2026 2:45:32 AM by Seamus and last updated on 2/13/2026 6:29:03 PM.
Including GPX (Universal GPS Format), KML (Google Earth), and XLS (Excel) files.
Gives You Access To:
Download GPS files of fishing spots. Create Custom Maps of fishing spots. Fishing predictions w/ future date & location. Featured Listings for your fishing business.
$7 month or $49 year