Get revved up to send it for this year’s Clash in the Canyon!

It’s back! Perth’s epic four-and-a-half month long gamefishing competition, the Compleat Angler Nedlands Clash in the Canyon kicks off from next Wednesday 1 July with the briefing night on Saturday evening at Fremantle Sailing Club. Supported by Recfishwest and a heap of other big name fishing sponsors, there is a veritable spread of prizes up for grabs. Run jointly by the Perth Game Fishing Club, Fremantle Sailing Club, Jurien Bay Anglers Fishing Club and Ocean Reef Sea Sports Club the competition gives anglers every opportunity to make the most of the weather windows and get amongst the action.

Click here to find out more and to enter

KALBARRI

Mulloway the day - Boden Bosworth caught this nice schoolie off a beach near Kalbarri.

GERALDTON

For some land-based fishos, a beach-caught dhuie is the holy grail. Judging by James Ancell’s expression, this was just another day “at the office”. I think secretly he was pretty stoked to land this pearler of a dhu south of Gero.

LANCELIN

Yummy gummy for De Boni. Recfishwest Operations Officer Levi De Boni looks pleased as punch with this hefty gummy shark taken off a beach north of Lancelin. You can bet his family was even more pleased when he delivered them some delicious gummy fillets!

Boats

It seems many boaties missed the memo when the swell and wind finally dropped away, with very few trailers to be seen on the beach last weekend despite the exceptional conditions. Those who did make the most of the weather were rewarded with water temperatures sitting around 21°C and plenty of fish activity offshore. Large schools of anchovies have been holding around the 30m depth range, attracting a variety of pelagic species. Some very impressive yellowfin tuna have been encountered amongst the bait schools, providing exciting opportunities for anglers prepared to spend some time searching around the bait. Closer to shore, dinghy fishers have been making the most of the calm conditions and crystal-clear water. Squid fishing has been particularly productive, while lure fishers have enjoyed excellent sight-fishing opportunities across the shallows. Herring, snook, King George whiting and some quality sand whiting have all been caught in good numbers. Unfortunately, this weekend looks like a classic case of “should have while you could have,” with the forecast suggesting boating conditions will be largely unfishable for the foreseeable future.

Shore-Based

With the weather turning, the jetty could be the standout option this week. Schools of baitfish continue to congregate around the structure, drawing in hard-fighting Samson fish that have been providing plenty of excitement for anglers. During daylight hours, squid and sand whiting have been regular captures, while the evening sessions have produced consistent catches of herring, skippy and tailor. The surf beaches have also fired up this week, producing some excellent tailor fishing. Well conditioned fish have been moving along the coast, with several anglers reporting excellent lure casting with those memorable “fish-a-cast” sessions that every beach fisher hopes for. For those prepared to put in the time, it is also well worth soaking a few fresh baits along the beaches. Reports of some quality mulloway have filtered through, with several large fish landed and others lost, reminding anglers that winter is one of the prime times to target these iconic surf predators.

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.

ESPERANCE

Gido of Gido’s Fishing Adventures can “harley” believe it - cracking his PB harlequin with this 64cm cracker off the stones somewhere near Esperance.

Boats

Esperance Bay has held good numbers of squid and herring, while Samsonfish and nannygai have been active around the inshore islands. Out wide nannygai to 45cm have been in good numbers along with Samson fish pushing 40kg, lots of breaksea cod and good numbers of queen snapper and yellowtail kingfish. Dinghy fishers in Alexander Bay have been cleaning up on big squid, some with 40cm hoods.

Shore-Based

The Town Jetty has held lots of squid, many with 35cm-plus hoods, and plenty of herring and garfish at night, while Taylor Street Jetty has produced the same species, along with King George whiting. Stockyards has offered small skippy, herring, small mulloway and salmon, while schools of salmon up to 6kg and hordes of herring have been at Fourth and Salmon beaches with Fourth Beach also holding nice flathead. Alexander Bay has yielded good numbers of skippy to 2kg, salmon and bronze whaler sharks, while Thomas River has held skippy to 4kg, salmon, small mulloway and bronze whalers. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has offered King George whiting, small skippy and herring.

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.

Tad_bit_of_fishin was stoked with this Rambo of a sambo caught on the jig off Albany

Boats

Last weekend’s Southern Squid Spectacular was a major success with 199 registered fishers taking part. They landed in total 194kg of squid after a slow start, with sizes pretty good. In all, 57 boats and four kayaks went out, while 14 anglers fished from the shore. Crews chasing King George whiting did OK as well, finding them at Gull Rock, Seal Rock and Gio Batta Patch. Crews also cleaned up on reef species in the deeper depths with plenty of nannygai and breaksea cod out from Albany and the same species plus dhufish and pink snapper out from Cheynes, while hapuka were in good numbers out at the shelf for those who launched from town, Hartmans and Cheynes. Big Samson fish were also out wide, while in a little closer small yellowtail kingfish were on the chew.

Shore-Based

Just enough salmon have been kicking about to keep things interesting with most of the action east of town at Cable Beach, Cheynes (where accessible) and Normans. Fishers driving on the beach will need to keep an eye for sections washed away by the recent big swells. Rock platforms either side of Albany should come into play again when the weather improves. Before the weather turned nasty they had fished well for pink snapper, harlequin fish and blue groper. Squid chasers should go all right in Frenchman Bay, and at Whalers Cove and Quaranup which should also produce herring, skippy and small King George whiting. Bream chasers found the rivers too dirty and fast-flowing this week but bait fishers should go all right at Emu Point. Bream are also likely to be in the town marina, where skippy should be hanging around the pylons as well. Denmark River had been fishing well for bream, which by now could have been flushed into Wilson Inlet, where a few flathead had been about.

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 drone-double-demersal-delight for Josh Bastiaans with this dhuie/pinkie combo off a Sou’ West beach.

Boats

Geographe Bay has fired for squid some days but has been barren on others. They’ve been the main species targeted with King George whiting hard to come by for many anglers. Herring and skippy have been abundant for those throwing in burley in Geographe Bay and also close in off Bunbury, where Samson fish have been holding on the lumps. Small schools of salmon were active in Eagle Bay late last week.

Shore-Based

Pink snapper continue to be the main game in this neck of the woods with drone fishers and casters reaping rewards from Preston Beach right through to Dunsborough and Yallingup. The Preston Beach to Buffalo Beach stretch has been especially productive, with winter tailor between 50cm and 60cm being picked up in ones and twos there as well. Most beaches have held plenty of herring, while pink snapper and the odd stray salmon have been caught from Busselton Jetty, which has been fishing well for squid. The Bunbury Cut and Back Beach have offered herring, sand whiting and the odd yellowfin whiting, while Dalyellup has yielded these species and also yellow-eye mullet. Anglers using soft plastics have been doing well on bream in the Collie River, which has also thrown up a few soapy mulloway, while schools of salmon came within casting range in Eagle Bay late last week.

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.

FRESHWATER

Red alert! livinginsalt_ found some decent redfin on this Sou’ West brook

Trout activity continues to be slow, even in the Pemberton area, but redfin have saved the day in the Collie and Capel rivers and also at Wellington, Harvey and Glen Mervyn dams. Soft plastics have once again worked well.

Boats

Plenty of skippy have been caught on the inshore lumps and at the Five-Fathom Bank, while 20-40m depths out from Dawesville have held sizeable King George whiting and gummy sharks. Sand whiting have been caught in 20-40m too but more so at the Five and James Service Reef. Out wider, the 30-40m contours have yielded bluefin tuna.  Boaties have landed Samsonfish almost within casting distance of the shore, while the weed patches around Melros and Falcon have produced squid. In the Peel-Harvey Estuary herring have been thick and chopper tailor have been in good numbers, while a few blue swimmer crabs have been pulled up near the exits to the ocean.

Shore-Based

Pink snapper have been rewarding anglers prepared to brave the cold fronts with good fish landed from beaches both sides of town and also at the Dawesville Cut.  Beach-fishing droners have fared best on the pinks and one of them landed a dhufish south of town this week. At Tim’s Thicket a solid Samson fish was taken with a drone. Squid have been caught in the Dawesville Cut which has held lots of herring, some chopper tailor and a few garfish and flounder. Flounder have also been caught from the town bridges, along with small tarwhine. The Murray River has held decent bream, while soapy mulloway have been caught in the Serpentine River.

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

Small packs of salmon have been marauding around Coventry Reef and the Sisters, often swimming with decent tailor, while the inshore lumps have produced skippy in good numbers. Samson fish have been caught behind Garden Island, along with big King George whiting in the 40m depths, and towards the Five-Fathom Bank, while squid have been plentiful in Mangles Bay, on Parmelia Bank, off Woodman Point and inside of Garden Island. Getting a feed of sand or King George whiting has been hard work this week but herring have been plentiful.

Shore-Based

Plenty of pink snapper have hit the sand from Kwinana all the way down to Singleton and Golden Bay, while the rocks at Woodman Point have thrown up a couple as well. Tailor numbers have thinned but a few good ones have been picked up along reefy sections of coast. Herring have been plentiful along the beaches and garfish, skippy and yellow-eye mullet have turned up at times. Rockingham and Palm Beach jetties have held herring, skippy, chopper tailor and, sometimes, scaly mackerel, and it has been worthwhile putting out a big rod for pink snapper. Squid fishers have found little action on the jetties but Point Peron and the Henderson cliffs have been worth a crack.

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 9to5_ers crew have been undeterred by the cold weather and getting onto some decent fish including this solid offshore silver ghost. Good work, laddo!

Boats

Spanish mackerel around the 20kg mark have been caught off the northern suburbs and just south of Rottnest Island, while fish towers have produced yellowtail kingfish. Squid have been consistent and in good sizes out from Fremantle, Cottesloe and Hillarys, while sand and King George whiting have been caught along this stretch in reasonable numbers and skippy have been in even better numbers at these locations. The odd salmon have been swimming with tailor around Mewstones

Shore-Based

Pink snapper have continued  to run strongly, mainly from the northern beaches and rock walls at Hillarys, Two Rocks, Mindarie and Ocean Reef with things a bit quieter down Fremantle way. A salmon was a surprise catch for a tailor fisher at Two Rocks late last week, while anglers at Alkimos have been getting plenty of plump sand whiting when conditions have been calm. Smaller species have been sporadic at the Fremantle rock walls but herring, slimy mackerel, garfish and skippy have turned up with herring the most consistent species. In Fremantle Harbour yellowtail have been in good numbers. Some nice tailor have been caught on surface lures at Trigg and beaches further north with reef structure. Herring have been caught at most beaches when the weed has cleared. In the Swan River bream have continued to still well up past the Causeway but the latest rain should bring them down from Ascot and Bayswater. Mulloway have been in these areas also, while the middle reaches have continued to produce a few good tailor from the drop-offs. One or two flathead have been caught in the lower reaches.

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!