From land-based pinkies in the South West to metro 1m mulloway there's plenty to read in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 7 May 2021 🎣

Curt McCartney had an "epic few days" camping in WA's remote East Kimberley and caught a "few big fish in super fat condition", including this barramundi! If you've got a photo to share, tag #recfishwest!

Sailfish have been encountered off Barred Creek and in waters farther north during the neap tide periods. Spanish mackerel have been found in and around the sailfish grounds, as well as in areas off Entrance Point and Gantheaume Point. Reef fishers have been doing reasonably well on red emperor, saddletail seaperch and blue lined emperor in 30m to 40m of water. Threadfin salmon and the occasional barramundi have been caught on baits and lures within Crab Creek and The Fingers.


This barra put Brodie Topham through his paces while he was exploring an area north of Broome!

Billfish enthusiasts have encountered small black marlin and sailfish within the 200m contour this week. There are still a few bigger blue marlin being raised beyond the 400m line where many dolphinfish and larger yellowfin tuna have been found. There seems to be more wahoo being caught on skirted lures and rigged baits intended for marlin. Spanish mackerel have been responding to bibbed minnows trolled in 20m to 30m of water behind the west coast reef and near the Muiron Islands. Ruby snapper to an impressive 15kg have been caught in 200m to 300m of water. About 100m seems to be starting depths for goldband snapper at the moment. Red emperor are in slightly shallower waters, while lots of big coral trout have been caught in a range of depths and areas this week.

Brody Woodward tempted this bonefish while fly fishing near Exmouth at the weekend. Excellent! 👏

Squid have been caught in very good numbers near Bundegi boat ramp, Exmouth Marina and Learmonth Jetty, especially in the evening and during an incoming tide. Mangrove jack have been caught at the marina alongside estuary cod, queenfish and small trevally species. Bluebone are a chance near Mildura Wreck and the other beaches featuring reef south of the lighthouse. Spangled emperor have been caught on baits and lures near Tantabiddi.

Spanish mackerel were caught on bibbed minnows and rigged garfish trolled north and south of the river mouth this week. Most of the mackerel were in the 10kg to 15kg range with the odd bigger fish to 20kg landed, including one that was speared by a diver within Jakes Bay. Reef fishers have been doing well on pink snapper near the Sand Patch. Those who managed to travel farther out in 30m to 50m of water scored red emperor, dhufish, Rankin cod and baldchin groper.

Visiting tradespeople who are conducting works to repair the damage caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Seroja have been fishing baits near the sand spit and river mouth in the afternoons. It has resulted in good mulloway and a few tailor catches this week. More mulloway have been landed at the jetty together with black bream and estuary cod. Yellowfin whiting have returned to the sand flats located in the lower reaches of the Murchison River.

Dinghy and kayak fishers have been catching squid along the seagrass beds situated between Southgates and St Georges. Pink snapper are being caught in very good numbers offshore, while dhufish are in fair quantities in some areas. Crews who fished the 50m to 80m depths south of the Abrolhos Islands did well on grey-banded cod, dhufish, coral trout, Robinson sea bream and Rankin cod. Spanish mackerel to 25kg and yellowfin tuna have been caught close to the islands.


Todd Williams scored this hard-fighting mackerel off the Mid West recently. We love your work, Todd! ✔

Mulloway to 1.2m have been landed by surf fishers along the Flat Rocks to Greenough River mouth stretch this week. Tailor have also been appearing some mornings and evenings along the beaches, while pike are in abundance. School whiting and sand whiting are being caught in very good numbers at the first and second points at Greenough. The local rock walls have been producing plenty of squid and herring.

Peter Fullarton, of Tailored Treks, reports pink snapper and dhufish were found inside White Bank in the 10m to 15m depths this week. Otherwise, fishing was difficult until vessels ventured beyond the 35m contour. Lancelin's bay has been fishing fantastic with for skippy, herring, tarwhine and snook. Some areas have also been producing King George whiting. Samson fish have been patrolling the inshore reefs and bay at times.

Sharks and rays have been very active along the surf beaches. Several mulloway were landed in the 10kg to 20kg range this week. Tarwhine and flathead have been a nice surprise for fishers along the beaches, while the northern gutters have been holding dart. Tailor have been exceedingly difficult to tempt to take baits or lures, hopefully they will improve feeding behaviour over the new moon period. Bread-and-butter species including herring and sand whiting have been very reliable catches. 

If you've been fishing off Esperance, be sure to share your photos with Recfishwest on social media via #recfishwest. Dinghy and small boat fishers have caught King George whiting, herring and squid within the bay this week. Mixed catches of breaksea cod, queen snapper and sweep have also been caught near the islands. Crews who ventured wide this week got among some nice dhufish, nannygai to 60cm, bigger breaksea cod and harlequin fish. Yellowtail kingfish and Samson fish have been caught on surface lures and heavy jigs.

The new Esperance Tanker Jetty and Taylor Street Jetty have lots of squid, big herring, garfish, squid and the odd bonito on offer. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has mostly been producing King George whiting, flounder and black bream this week. Bigger black bream, up to 43cm, have been caught in the local lakes. Salmon are being caught in their ones and twos at Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach. Skippy, flathead to 50cm and lots of herring have also been coming from the local beaches. There are mulloway, salmon and skippy to 2kg at Fourteen Mile. Alexander Bay has been fishing well for gummy and bronze whaler sharks, as well as skippy and herring. Poison Creek seems to be where most of the bigger schools of salmon have been turning up.

How're the colours on this harlequin fish Recfishwest Safety Ambassador and experienced rock fisher Aron Dixon caught from the stones near Albany last week. Read more about safe fishing here! 

King George whiting are being caught in very good numbers inshore, with some boats managing to pick up their limits of 35cm to 45cm fish within a one to two hour period. Sand whiting are also starting to be caught in bigger numbers inshore and there seems to be a lot more squid around. Reef fishing has again been a lot more productive in waters to the east and west of Albany. In saying that, there are rumours of a 20kg dhufish caught this week near shore of Albany. The coral off West Cape Howe and Denmark have been producing fair catches of red, queen and pink snapper, as well as breaksea cod and harlequin fish. Bigger red snapper were caught at the canyon off Two Peoples Bay.


Jigging off Albany at the weekend, Todd Jefferis didn't complain with this 9kg pink snapper!

Salmon have continued to pass along the southern beaches in very good numbers. Shelley Beach has been fishing well for salmon as has Lowlands, Little Bay, Bluff Creek and Cheynes Beach. Rock fishers have been landing yellowtail kingfish and Samson fish from the stones at West Cape Howe. There are plenty of herring right along the coast and skippy in deeper waters. There are still lots of small black bream of less than 30cm in the King and Kalgan rivers. The lower reaches of both systems are sometimes producing herring, juvenile salmon and skippy.

What a trout! Young gun Eli Blake caught this brown trout from Waroona Dam recently. Well done, Eli!

Young gun Deegan Kearney-Frost had an amazing day on the water off Rockingham with Non-Stop Fillets recently, catching plenty of species including King George whiting, flathead and this pinkie!

The black bream have gone mad in the Murray River and Serpentine River this week, writes Peel region fishing guru John Curtis. The recent rain seems to have triggered a lot of activity. Blue swimmer crabs are still making their presence felt in the Peel-Harvey Estuary, with the deeper areas producing the best. Tarwhine, tailor, herring, whiting, and skippy caught from the beaches south of Mandurah. Dawesville Cut has been producing salmon this week, with anglers using unweighted mulies for the most success. Salmon, alongside a few tailor, have been caught at the beaches south of Mandurah. Action along the beaches north of Mandurah has eased off a bit, but fishers are still able to take home a reasonable feed. If you wish to fish on after dark for a while there is still every chance of a good mulloway.

Steph Knight and Kyle Poole, aka the Salty Horse, have been getting among a few tuna off Perth!

The metro fish aggregating devices (FADs) are continuing to produce dolphinfish, while wahoo have also been speared by spearfishers this week. Schools of striped tuna can be found near the FADs and it would be of little surprise, considering the activity out wide, if billfish are lurking nearby. Pink snapper in the 50cm to 70cm range have been found in 200m of water together with the occasional grey-banded cod. Mulloway and Samson fish are sometimes being pulled in from 100m. More snapper have been coming from the 30m to 100m depths south and south-west of Rottnest. A school of salmon showed up for clients aboard Jazz Charters one day last week. Baldchin groper are being caught off Hillarys and Mindarie. King George whiting can be targeted in 8m to 20m of water off City Beach and Cottesloe. Squid catches are improving along the seagrass beds off Fremantle.

Shaun Wieffering, of Fishin' Wishin' Life, with a nice dhufish off Hillarys at the weekend!  🤞🤞🤞