See what's biting across WA in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 12 November 2021 🎣

Metro salmon in November!? They weren't monsters, but a school of salmon kept Jarvis Banfield entertained at a Perth beach this week. Have you had any surprise or obscure catches recently? 🤯🤯

Barramundi are sometimes being caught at Cable Beach and near Entrance Point as well as from the banks of the Fitzroy River and Dampier Creek. Prawn baits have been enticing threadfin and bluenose salmon to strike within the lower reaches of the creeks and parts of Roebuck Bay. The jetty has been reliable for queenfish and small golden and giant trevally. Bluebone are occasionally being caught from the structure at times as well as from some of the rocky areas north of town including Gantheaume Point. Cable Beach and Coconut Wells are good areas to try for whiting and bream.

Competitors who took part in the Billfish Bonanza at the weekend encountered dozens of marlin and sailfish. Jess Clapton achieved a grand slam comprising a blue marlin, striped marlin and sailfish on the first day of the three-day event. Many of the sailfish were raised, and landed, in the upper parts of Exmouth Gulf, while marlin were caught in a range of depths and areas off the west side. Spanish mackerel have continued to be caught on minnows trolled along the back of the reef line in 15m to 30m of water as well as by swimming stickbaits closer to the edge of the reef and near the Muiron Islands. Red emperor and Rankin cod were caught on jigs and baits in about 80m, while goldband and jobfish have been found in 110m and deeper. Blue lined emperor and coral trout have been responding to soft plastics worked near reef in 8m to 20m within the Gulf. The seagrass areas off Learmonth, Exmouth Marina and Bundegi have been producing good catches of squid.

Unfortunately, most western rock lobster were found to be bearing berries or displaying tar spot this week. There were many reports of crays having to be returned due to the crustaceans featuring tar spot, which is a dark spot displayed on the underside of female lobsters shortly after being fertilised. Some boats have reported finding less fertilised lobster in waters farther north. The recent dredging works near the river mouth is thought to have caused an increase in mulloway catches in the extreme lower reaches of the Murchison River. Tailor have also been caught in good numbers on anchor near the river mouth. 

Surf fishers have been pleased with the recent numbers of tailor they have been picking up along the coast. The tailor, which have ranged in size from 40cm to 80cm, have been caught from as far as Wagoe Beach in the south and to just past Frustrations in the north. Good sessions were experienced on tailor at Red Bluff and Chinamans last Friday morning. Poppers worked well on bigger tailor at Chinaman's Beach during most of the week, while choppers appeared near the sand spit and the jetties. A 17kg mulloway was landed at Lucky Bay where golden trevally have sometimes been turning up. There were reports of six mulloway hooked, but lost at the rocks, at Chinaman's late last week. Frustrations has also been producing the odd mulloway. Yellowfin whiting can be targeted along the shallows located in the lower reaches of the river whereas black bream have mostly been caught in the upper parts.

Tailor have been consistently appearing right along the coast for the past month. The average size of the tailor has been a respectable 40cm to 60cm and this has been the case from Flat Rocks to Port Gregory. Mulloway are often also being caught along this stretch with the better of the catches coming from Lucys, Coronation Beach, Horrocks, Bowes River and Hutt River. Any of the sand areas between patches of reef, which are free from seaweed, seem to be holding fair numbers of whiting. Herring have appeared in good numbers just this past week with Drummond's Cove, Seal Rock, Pages and Coronation among the spots producing bigger catches of fish to 30cm.

Tuna schools have been traveling through the mid-20m depths this week. For those who have been out on the boat, these schools have been reported to be most active early in the morning. Their feeding has tended to considerably slow from mid-morning. Blue mackerel remain in numbers along the 18m to 22m depths. Inside the bay, dinghy and kayak fishers have been catching snook, pike, herring, squid and King George whiting.

Surf fishing has been a lot easier with low swells settling the seaweed, so it is not tangling fisher's lines. Tailor have been a hit-or-miss option, with numbers down on what would normally occur this time of year. The occasional larger tailor to 60cm have been caught by fishers casting lures at reef breaks and along the gutters. The Lancelin jetty's run of very well condition herring has continued this week. 

Blue groper of more than 50cm were, surprisingly, caught at Taylor Street Jetty alongside herring, squid and King George whiting. The Esperance Jetty has also been fishing well for herring and squid, while garfish have been appearing at the structure at night. Most of the KGs recently caught at Bandy Creek Boat Harbour have required a tape measure and, often, been just undersize, with fishers releasing them to catch another day. Salmon were found in their bigger concentrations at Alexander Bay and Fourth Beach. Catching a feed of herring has not been difficult at the local beaches. Roses Beach has been producing skippy to 1kg and the occasional gummy shark.

Deepwater enthusiasts who travelled to the shelf scored red snapper, hapuka, blue eye trevalla and grey-banded cod. The 60m to 90m depths to the east and west of Albany have again been producing bigger catches of queen snapper, pink snapper, breaksea cod and dhufish. Bag limits of King George whiting can be achieved within the sound and both harbours with a little effort, however, sand whiting remain rather scarce inshore. Squid catches dwindled this past week but are expected to increase again once the waters inshore clear.


Fishing from his dinghy off Albany, Brody Ogle flexed his muscles to land this mighty Sambo. 🤩🤩

Rock fishers have been using soft plastics, jigs and baits to catch an assortment of reef species from their favourite platforms located close to, and a little out of, Albany. Pink snapper, breaksea cod, queen snapper and dhufish were among the species landed from the stones this week. If you're planning to fish from the rocks, read about safe fishing here. Yellowtail kingfish are sometimes appearing close to rocks, while salmon are also chance at the remote spots. Herring have dominated catches along the beaches, while tarwhine remain in good supply between West Cape Howe and Denmark. Skippy have been better at Nanarup and farther east. King George whiting are a chance at Frenchman Bay and Cosy Corner. The water in the King and Kalgan rivers have cleared quite considerably and has resulted in better catches of black bream. Vibes and hardbody lures have been effective on fish in the 30cm to 35cm range. There are rumours of mulloway being caught in both systems. The lower reaches of both local rivers and the systems to the east of Albany have been producing herring and juvenile salmon.

The upper reaches of the Peel-Harvey Estuary is producing reasonable whiting and herring catches. There has also been reports of tailor to 40cm, herring and whiting near the Bypass Bridge. Dawesville Cut is still the most reliable place to get a feed of fish, with herring, tailor, skippy and whiting biting. Along the northern beaches, there are soapy mulloway, skippy, herring and tailor. Beaches south of Mandurah are starting to produce a nice tailor along with the occasional soapy mulloway. Anglers have been achieving solid black bream, some to 40cm, from spots in the Murray and Serpentine rivers.

Herring are providing plenty of entertainment along the region's beaches, especially in the morning. Tailor have also been caught from the same areas in the evening. At the region's various jetties, herring and squid have been common catches, while mulloway have been landed late at night. There have been whiting along the sand flats between the mainland and Penguin Island, as well as the occasional flathead. For boat fishers, Five Fathom Bank is producing big King George whiting, tailor and the occasional skippy. Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish have also been found around structure by sportfishers looking to flex their muscles. 

Samson fish have been prolific at the Perth Fish Towers this week, with reports of specimen up to 25kg caught at the structure at the weekend. Baits trolled at less than two knots has been effective in catching yellowtail kingfish near Rottnest Island and Three Mile Reef. King George whiting of an impressive 50cm to 60cm have been found in 30m to 40m depths off Hillarys and Ocean Reef. Samson fish have sometimes been snatching baits intended for KGs in these areas.


King! Max Sampson battled with this solid yellowtail kingfish off Perth on Thursday morning. 👑👑👑

Michelle Antonovich and Joanna Day were hassled by Samson fish to 10kg while targeting Geordies in waters off the northern suburbs at the weekend. Tailor in the 50cm to 70cm range have been caught on poppers and stickbaits along the western edge of Three Mile Reef out from Sorrento, while the same method has been working on schools of tailor close to the white water near Stragglers and Mewstone. Squid have generally been caught in good numbers around the seagrass near Little Island and out from Fremantle.


"Catching Sambos in super shallow water is serious work and I somehow I won this battle," Jack Rush said. "The best part was seeing the beast swim away."

In case you missed it, the 2021-22 abalone fishing dates have been announced! Many abalone aficionados, especially those based in Perth, will be pleased to hear DPIRD on Monday revealed the upcoming West Coast Zone abalone fishing sessions. This summer, licensed abalone recfishers will be able to gather abalone in the zone, from Guilderton to Busselton, between 7am and 8am on the following days:
 

Melbourne Cup Day traditionally marks the unofficial start of the tailor run along the metropolitan beaches. Surf fishers enjoyed some good sessions on 35cm to 45cm fish at Cottesloe Groyne, Grant Street Reef, Swanbourne Drain, Floreat Drain and Brighton Beach. Woodman Point and the rock walls near Fremantle and at Hillarys Marina have been producing mixed catches of herring, sand whiting and squid. More herring have been caught early to midmorning at Grant Street and City Beach Groyne. Small metal lures have been working well on chopper tailor at Bicton Baths. Blackwall Reach and Mosman Bay have been among the areas where mulloway have recently been landed, while there have been whispers of croakers being caught upstream of the Causeway towards Burswood and Rivervale. Early mornings seem to be the better time for black bream near Shelley and Mount Henry. Flathead are likely to become more active around the shallower parts of the Swan River following the upcoming spell of warmer conditions.


This Swan River flathead took State-wide Fishing Report editor Zach Relph's lure on Saturday.