A heads up to all fishers in our South-West and along our South Coast this long weekend!

Another Hazardous Fishing Alert has come through for all South-West and South Coast fishers planning to fish over this long weekend from Saturday to Tuesday.

This Hazardous Fishing Alert is part of our partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology to help notify fishers of dangerous forecasts. With a significant swell and elevated wave heights moving along our coastline during this time, it is important to put your safety first.

INFO:

• South-westerly waves with swell heights to around 3.5-4.5m from Saturday evening, with a nasty swell period of 13-17 seconds.

• Significant wave heights peak above 5m between early Sunday morning and afternoon.

• Swell heights peak around 5m early Sunday morning, before slowly easing below 3m for most places by Monday morning.

• Between Cape Leeuwin and Albany, swell eases slower, returning below 3m by late Monday and early Tuesday morning.

• Offshore swells may be elevated around the Gascoyne and Esperance coasts on Sunday, but are unlikely to reach inshore.

No fish is worth your life, so put your safety first and if anyone you know is thinking of going fishing in these areas during this time, let them know of this alert.

In the meantime, make sure you download the Bureau of Meteorology's app to keep track of forecasts and warnings in real-time, even when out of range. For tips on how to stay safe while fishing, visit our website.

A soft plastic proved too tempting for this flathead, with Shimano ambassador @nickihuntfishing enjoying a great session on the camouflage masters this week.

Boats

It’s not shaping up as a dream long weekend for the boat fishers, with wind and swell expected to hang around through to late next week. The ocean clearly didn’t get the memo about public holidays! Those who managed to sneak out midweek were rewarded with much kinder conditions. Spanish mackerel have been encountered north of town in the 12–15m depths, providing some welcome action while the weather allowed it. Inside the Bay, water clarity has taken a hit thanks to seaweed stain, making things a little patchy. The better option has been to venture just north or south of the Bay into 5–6m of clearer water, with catches of sand whiting, tailor, skippy, squid and blue spot flathead.

Shore-Based

Recent swell and wind have stirred things up along the beaches, spreading seaweed far and wide. The best stretches have been closer to town on the northern side which is convenient, as the beaches further north are currently steep, soft and narrow, making access difficult. The back beach around Fence Reef has been a standout, offering good access along a firm, flat stretch of sand. Evening high tides have produced small whaler sharks, school-sized mulloway and tailor. Mornings have been quieter on the tailor front, but are still worth a cast for the reliable bread and butter species. Skippy, herring and sand whiting were also keeping anglers entertained.

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.

One of the finest eating species commonly found off the South Coast for @wa_fishing, with this lovely harlequin fish providing a delicious feed.

Boats

Pink snapper have been in good numbers towards Boxer Island, while most lumps deeper than 40m have held lots of nannygai. Big Samsonfish have been landed at Mondrain Island and sizeable queen snapper have been caught at Lion Island. Charley and Cull Islands have held good numbers of harlequin fish, blue groper and breaksea cod. Squid, herring and snook have been caught in Esperance Bay. Early on Saturday morning looks best, although the early mornings between Monday and Thursday in close might also hold some windows. The Southerner’s Sporting Club’s Annual Fishing Comp in Hopetoun has shifted to the 28th of February and 1st of March due to the weather forecast, while the long-range forecast is looking promising for the Esperance Deep Sea Angling Club’s Classic being held in Esperance the following weekend (7th & 8th of March). Fingers crossed!

Shore-Based

Christies Beach, Munglinup Beach and Whale Beach have fished well for gummy sharks, while big skippy, mulloway and gummy sharks have been landed at Munroe Point and Warrenup. Roses Beach and Thomas River have held salmon and gummy sharks. Stockyards has produced mixed bags of tarwhine, whiting, salmon and flathead along with small gummy sharks. Salmon catches have been good at Fourth and Salmon beaches first thing in the morning. The Taylor Street rock wall has fished well for King George whiting and garfish in the afternoons. Squid and herring have been at the Town Jetty. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has yielded flathead and King George whiting. Bream fishers have continued to do well at Woody Lake. Windy conditions may make for challenging fishing during the Esperance Land Based Fishing Club’s long weekend venue, with the better conditions being immediately following the briefing on Saturday and in the morning before weigh-in on Monday.

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.

With salmon season set to kick off in autumn, Recfishwest Fish & Survive ambassador Gideon Mettam from @gidos_fishing_adventures says “You're always a lot safer chasing salmon off the beach, not to mention they are a lot easier to spot, chase and reel in off the sand than the rocks.” Click on the video above for his safety tips ahead of the highly anticipated salmon season.

Boats

Conditions were good early in the week and crews that fished Seal Island and Mistaken Island near the mussel farm found King George whiting in the 35-40cm range. Griffith Street fished well also. At Two Peoples Bay sand whiting have been plentiful and the squid have been big, but not in great numbers. Elsewhere, squidding has been hit and miss. Tuna have been going well for crews trolling skirts and minnow lures in waters with big drop-offs such as Vancouver Rock, Eclipse Island and Maude Reef. Yellowtail kingfish have been among their catches as well. Drop netters have been doing well on blue swimmer crabs at Princess Royal and Oyster Harbours. The Wilson Inlet and the Irwin Inlet near Peaceful Bay also saw good catches but in Albany itself the sizes have slipped. Today is looking manageable to duck out but between Saturday and Tuesday will see a dangerous swell size, strength and direction arriving, so put your safety first.

Shore-Based

Salmon catches have been consistent east of Albany with Bremer Bay and Fosters the standouts. Cheynes has been slightly less reliable and a few have turned up at Salmon Holes. Make sure you chase salmon off the beaches in these areas over the coming days as the rocks will be far too dangerous. Denmark’s Ocean Beach has held herring, tarwhine and juvenile salmon, while Sandpatch has offered herring and tarwhine. Frenchman Bay has fished well for herring, skippy, flathead and squid. At Emu Point the water has been very clear and has yielded good catches of herring, garfish, small King George whiting and bream. Bream, herring and small skippy have been caught at the town marina with a few squid active after dark. Bream fishing has been going very well in the King, Kalgan, Hay and Denmark rivers. Blue swimmer crabs have been thick in Oyster and Princess Royal Harbours.

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 rather rimpressive 60cm bonito off the Busso Jetty for @stephen.hansen.7 on Sunday night!

Boats

Plenty of tuna schools have been sighted off Bunbury and in Geographe Bay but catches have been inconsistent. The inshore lumps off Bunbury have yielded plenty of skippy, while big King George whiting continue to be caught in depths starting from 30m. Divers have been doing well on crayfish from 15m outwards but those dropping pots have struggled. In Geographe Bay squid have been active in 10m and kayak fishers have found a few closer in off Siesta Park. Herring and King George whiting of modest sizes have been active in Geographe Bay. In the Leschenault Estuary trollers have been picking up herring and chopper tailor while drop netters have been doing well on blue swimmer crabs. Very early on Sunday morning looks best at this stage if you fish north of Geographe Bay where it is more sheltered, but bear in mind the dangerous swell warning from Cape Naturaliste headed south between Saturday and Tuesday.

Shore-Based

The beaches have continued to fish well, especially north of Bunbury where tailor, herring and yellowfin whiting have been caught, along with the odd mulloway up to a metre. Drone fishers have been doing well on pink snapper, but casters have usually missed out. Back Beach has offered mainly herring and a few small chopper tailor, as has the Bunbury Cut where an 80cm mulloway was also landed on a soft plastic this week. Scoopers have been going okay for blue swimmer crabs around Australind and to the north of the Leschenault Estuary, while those wading the flats for yellowfin whiting have had to pick their days. When conditions have been warm and calm they have found whiting in the 25-30cm range were widespread. Bream and soapy mulloway have been the main catches in the Collie River, while the Busselton Jetty has fished steadily for squid and a few rat yellowtail kingfish have turned up at times. With drone fishers picking up good numbers of pink snapper around Bunbury, throwing in plenty of burley off the end of Busselton Jetty could bring a few in. Herring, sand whiting and yellowfin whiting have been caught in the shallows between Busselton and Dunsborough, while a school of salmon made a lightning raid on Bunker Bay this week with several landed. The reefs around Yallingup have offered a few decent tailor. If you plan on fishing off the land this long weekend between Cape Naturaliste and Albany, make sure you avoid the rocks and stick to the beaches as the swell direction, size and strength hitting the coast is looking dangerous until at least Tuesday.

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.

Once again redfin perch have dominated catches, especially at Harvey and Wellington dams, where a few big models have come from the deeper depths. At first light good numbers of 20-30cm perch have been caught around structure closer to shore. Soft plastics in chartreuse colours (vibrant cross between green and yellow) have worked well. Streams in the Pemberton area have yielded small rainbow trout with spinners working well.

Boats

Spanish mackerel have been rewarding spearfishers out from Dawesville and just off the Five-Fathom bank but those trolling have had little luck. Tuna have been about on the 30-40m contours and bonito have been seen jumping in 20m where there has been plenty of seabird action. The inshore lumps have fished well for Samsonfish. King George whiting have been hard to find but fat sand whiting have been plentiful inside the Five and at James Service Reef with 5-8m the sweet spot. A few squid have been caught inshore. In the Peel Harvey Estuary tailor and herring have been firing along the drop-offs with trollers doing well on them mid-morning. Tailor sizes have tapered off a little though. Drop netters have had very little trouble getting a feed of blue swimmer crabs throughout the system. The weather isn’t looking ideal with strong winds this week, but the mornings from Sunday onwards look best.

Shore-Based

Metre-plus mulloway have been caught between Madora Bay and Silver Sands, while tailor and herring catches have been steady at other beaches. Falcon, Seacapes and Tims Thicket have held a good mix of sand whiting and yellowfin whiting. The Dawesville Cut has offered good numbers of herring throughout the day and tailor at the estuary end in the afternoons. The Mandurah bridges have produced herring, tailor and the odd good skippy. Canals and marinas in the Peel-Harvey Estuary have held juvenile pink snapper, bream, tarwhine and soapy mulloway. Bream fishing in the Murray and Serpentine rivers has been quiet with both systems producing soapy mulloway in better numbers and the Murray offering a few tarwhine. Yellowfin whiting chasers have been finding fish on the flats in the mornings between Bouvard and Dawesville with small vibes and Ocean’s Legacy Roven micro jigs working well. The whiting have often shown a preference for green colours. Blue swimmer crab numbers and sizes have improved for scoop netters in the same area.

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!

Boats

Pelagics were going mental earlier this week with heaps of bonito kicking around in Cockburn Sound. Wahoo and dolphinfish were out at the FADs in great numbers, along with cracking yellowfin tuna around 35kg. Shark mackerel and Spanish mackerel have been much scarcer, but Samsonfish have been in good numbers on the lumps. The warmer water that has fired up the pelagics has unfortunately made it much harder for squid chasers, with most now trying their luck in 15m where the water is cooler towards the weed beds down below. Big King George whiting have been active behind Carnac and Garden Islands and towards the Five-Fathom Bank, while smaller models have been mixed in with sand whiting inside of Garden Island, off Woodman Point, behind Penguin Island, in Mangles Bay and towards the Five. Herring have been widespread close in as were skippy on the broken ground. Exposed reefs behind Penguin and Garden Island have produced decent tailor for those throwing lures and mulies into the white water. Cockburn Sound has continued to fish well for blue swimmer crabs. The mornings from Sunday onwards are looking best for the boaties this week although expect some chop out on the water.

Shore-Based

Tailor catches were consistent at local beaches with Secret Harbour and Port Kennedy yielding fish up to 60cm. A few mulloway have turned up as well. Drone fishers have caught the odd pink snapper south of Secret Harbour. Herring and sand whiting have been widespread and most beaches have thrown up a few skippy. Safety Bay and Warnbro’s beaches have fished well for yellowfin whiting, while the Penguin Island spit has produced mixed bags of herring, chopper tailor, flathead, flounder, skippy and sand whiting. Woodman Point and the Ammo Jetty have produced bonito, while the local jetties have offered herring, scaly mackerel and a few chopper tailor. The jetties have been producing blue swimmer crabs for drop netters and those swimming out from the Rockingham foreshore have been getting a feed as well. Point Peron has yielded herring, sand whiting, skippy and the odd squid.

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!

A metro double up this week! The @westcoastfishingco (top) had a belter of a yellowfin tuna session aboard The Eliminator west of Rottnest, with three YFT’s up to 30kg. The water temperature of 22.6 degrees was the sweet spot! The metre-plus mulloway (bottom) caught at Canning Bridge from @dansfishin_southwest shows what’s possible for those with a combination of determination and patience.

Boats

Weather curtailed game fishing activity out wide this week, but Rottnest Island’s waters proved reliable for several tuna species and yellowtail kingfish. Far west of Rottnest towards the trenches saw some fantastic yellowfin tuna sessions for those willing to put in the distance and looking for birds has been the key. The metro FADs were also producing decent numbers of dolphinfish for spearfishers during the calmer days. Sand whiting numbers were good off Cottesloe and City Beach, while King George whiting were in reasonable numbers at Rottnest and out from Fremantle. Bonito have been widespread with kayakers and dinghy fishers getting their fair share. Bonito are eaten at their best when treated properly and work well smoked or preserved in olive oil. In the Swan River the odd solid mulloway has been caught downstream from the Narrows to Mosman Bay, with Canning Bridge also seeing a few good catches this week. Trolling for tailor has been slow, but drop netters have been getting crabs down river from Perth Water and into the Canning River. The crab numbers have declined, but sizes have been up. The weather isn’t looking nice for the boaties this weekend with persistent strong winds. Monday morning and later next week might hold better windows.

Shore-Based

Shore fishers haven’t been missing out on the late-summer bonito run with the Coogee rock wall, both Freo Moles and the northern rock walls producing fish. Herring and the odd skippy have also been caught at the Moles. Cottesloe Beach has offered chopper tailor, herring, skippy and soapy mulloway when the swells have been low. Herring have been plentiful on the northern beaches, where tailor numbers have dropped off but sizes have improved. Drone fishers on the northern beaches have picked up the odd pink snapper and a few Samsonfish. Anglers fishing the shore either side of the Moles up to Leighton and down to South Beach have picked up a few mulloway on large soft plastics. Giant herring have been widespread in the Swan River from Ardross to Maylands, but sizes have been down. Flathead and flounder have been caught mostly in ones and twos in the lower Swan, while those wading the flats casting surface lures have picked up yellowfin whiting on the warmer days. The Fremantle Traffic Bridge area has produced decent Samsonfish at times. Mulloway have been caught from shore between the Narrows and Bayswater, with Canning Bridge also worth a crack. Tailor catches have been slow and bream have been barely interested in lures. Smaller bream have been taking baits from the Causeway up river to Guildford. If you are heading to our South-West or South Coast this long weekend bear in mind the large swell warning, which means avoiding the rocks and keeping the sand between your toes if you wish to have a fish.

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!