See what's biting across WA in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 18 March 2022 🎣

In case you missed it: Catch up with this awesome video produced by the Lake Kununurra Barramundi Stocking Group about how a well-managed stocking program keeps the lake brimming with barra!

I jumped in the dinghy on Saturday and thought I'd just see what was happening in Roebuck Bay, reports local fisher Jade Relph. Although I wasn't expecting anything amazing given it was a spur-of-the-moment trip, I quickly found myself in the middle of a great tripletail session. Keep it simple if you're targeting them and just cast small soft plastics, or flys, near flotsam and you'll hopefully hook-up! Offshore fishers are still seeing many schools of mack tuna when they're travelling out to their demersal spots. For those who are targeting bottom species, red emperor and saddletail are being caught in 100m-plus. Fishers hugging the coast and fishing near structure in about 10m to 15m of water are reporting bluebone. Last Sunday, spearos enjoyed clear water amid minimal tidal movement. Chaz Kennedy and Shannan Sharp did well in 20m of water, ducking beneath the surface for trout and bluebone.

Barramundi enthusiasts putting in the hard yards along certain parts of the Fitzroy River are landing respectable barramundi to 1m. Baits seem to be outperforming lures at the moment. Queenfish and small trevally species are keeping land-based fishers entertained at Entrance Point. The new town jetty is also fishing well for small trevally species, while there've also been reports of small barramundi caught at the structure. Stretches of Cable Beach have bluenose salmon on offer.

Today marks the start of the Exmouth Game Fishing Club's 54th GAMEX! Recfishwest researchers will be in attendance as part of our Fishing For Science program to gather more data on important recreational fishing species with the help of competing fishers. Fishing for Science provides an opportunity to collect fish samples from fishers at the weigh station. There's been great reports of blue marlin and black marlin in the lead-up to this year's GAMEX. If you're taking part, tag #recfishwest in your fishing photos! Simon McDonnell is among fishers to have caught red emperor in about 80m and beyond this week, while ruby snapper have been caught in 250m-plus. 

The excellent wilderness fishing experiences offered in the Exmouth Gulf are seeing fly fishers land permit and giant herring this week. Majority of the west coast accesses are still producing spangled emperor, while queenfish and small golden trevally have taken lures at Pilgramunna. Queenfish are among the common catch along the shores of VLF Bay, while the coast near the lighthouse has also been offering queenies and smaller trevally. If you're wanting to stay close to town, the marina rock wall has squid on offer especially during the incoming tide.


There's something about permit on fly in the Gulf, as John Jardine knows! 📸 Ningaloo Fly Fishing 

The Greenough River mouth and the reefs along Geraldton's northern beaches are among the spots fishing well for tailor at the moment. However, fishers have had to dodge plenty of seaweed deposited along the coast, something which has made beach fishing difficult at times. A few local fishers have joked the salmon run has reached as far north as Geraldton, with reports of impressive herring — herring so plump they could be mistaken for salmon trout. Many of these herring are being found near the Greenough River mouth. Tarcoola has been among the better performing mulloway locations, especially after dark, while dart have been targeted along most of the beaches free of the pesky seaweed. The Batavia Marina and harbour rock walls have been producing good numbers of squid, herring and chopper tailor. Tailor, pike, and herring have been landed at Drummond’s Cove.

Squid have been a common catch along the Esperance Jetty this week, especially after dark. Bright yellow or white-coloured jigs have been working the best along the seagrass beds once the sun goes down. Fishers competing in the FREE Salmon Slam fishing competition are reporting schools along many of the beaches close to town. If you're wanting to join Recfishwest on the run and chase salmon this autumn, be sure to keep an eye out for schools at Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach, Fourteen Mile, Stockyards or Roses.

CAUTION: BoM is forecasting dangerous rock fishing conditions this weekend, with a 3m to 3.5 swell from Cape Naturaliste to Israelite Bay. Read more about safe fishing practices here.

Plenty of salmon schools have been encountered along the beaches either side of Albany this week, with fishers taking part in the 2022 Salmon Slam making the most of the action. Herring, bream and squid have been caught at the jetties in town, while the Kalgan River has been fishing well for black bream. While bream numbers have been down, the fish caught are bigger that what were being encountered over the summer months.

CAUTION: BoM has forecast dangerous rock fishing conditions with a weak cold front set to lead to 3m-plus swells. Avoid fishing from the rocks and keep the sand between your toes while fishing this weekend. Read more about safe fishing practices here.

Jeremy Mole, pictured above, has been among demersal fishers to land sought-after species across the South West this week. The 30m to 50m depths off Margaret River and Gracetown have both produced dhufish to about 8kg and breaksea cod, while similar depths off Stratham, Bunbury and Binningup featuring reef have also yielded good results. Boat angler Dean was fishing off Bunbury in 30m of water this week and landed an interesting catch — a deepwater flathead (Platycephalus conatus). Usually found in 70m and beyond, the specimen isn't one you'd find that close to shore off Bunbury too often. Samson fish and skippy have been common catches at the Dunsborough artificial reef, while pink snapper have been caught in 8m to 15m of water off Busselton.

CAUTION: BoM is forecasting a 3m to 3.5 swell from Cape Naturaliste to Israelite Bay this weekend. Read more about safe fishing practices here.

Keeping in-line with obscure catches across the South West this week, a dart was landed from the Busselton Jetty on Wednesday evening. How far south have you seen a dart before? A not so obscure catch off the Busselton Jetty has been squid this week, with the cephalopods caught fairly regularly from the iconic structure in the evening this week. Tailor are being caught at sunset and sunrise on either side of Cape Naturaliste, while Bunbury's BP beach has skippy and herring on offer from the rock groyne. Soapy mulloway are still being caught in the Collie River, between Australind and Eaton. While, interestingly enough, juvenile giant herring have also been caught between this stretch.


Another odd South West catch this week was a dart from the Busselton Jetty on Wednesday!? 🤯

Bouvard Reef has breaksea cod and pink snapper on offer, while fun-sized Sambos have also been terrorizing the area and providing fishers plenty of fun. Boat fishers have also been reporting dhufish in 40m-plus, while tuna schools have been found in similar depths. For shore-based anglers, Dawesville Cut is still producing plenty of herring in addition to skippy. The occasional larger tailor has been caught at the ocean-end of the Cut, while there are also plenty of yellowfin whiting around. The beaches to the north of Mandurah are fishing well for tailor and mulloway, while San Remo, Singleton and Madora are producing good all-round fishing at dawn and dusk.

Dolphinfish and smaller tuna species are being landed fairly regularly at the Mangles Bay Fishing Club's FADs, when conditions are suitable. Spanish mackerel are being found in waters off Kwinana and Rockingham, as shown by Beau Suladra below. Land-based anglers fishing the Port Kennedy and Secret Harbour beaches, and farther south, are still catching very good tailor, particularly during the late afternoon. This stretch of coast is also producing skippy and tarwhine, along with an occasional small mulloway.


Beau Suladra was buzzing with his first metro mackie of the season yesterday morning. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Schools of scaly mackerel throughout Cockburn Sound are likely to see Spanish mackerel and shark mackerel being found in the area. There've been plenty of reports of Spaniards in the metropolitan region over the past month, with Mark Jenkins and his mate Marc — pictured above — among those to get into the pelagic action recently. Spots near Rottnest Island and the western edge of Three Mile Reef have seen Spanish mackerel, while shark mackerel have been caught off the southern side of Rottnest. The FADs deployed off Perth as part of the State-wide FADs program are also holding plenty of bait, with dolphinfish to 1m patrolling nearby. For demersal fishers, dhufish and pink snapper have been caught near reef on the southern side of Rottnest. Hillarys and Mindarie are both fishing well for baldchin groper. Small boat fishers and kayakers are reporting squid in Cockburn Sound's safe and accessible waters. 

CAUTION: BoM is forecasting a 3m swell off the metropolitan coast this weekend, amid a series of weak cold fronts. Read more about safe fishing practices here.

Port Beach, Leighton Beach, Grant Street, Floreat Drain and Trigg have been among the well-known metropolitan haunts producing tailor this week for beach fishers. In welcome news for tailor enthusiasts, impressive metropolitan tailor beyond 50cm have been landed to the north and the south of the CBD, as shown by Ismail Isa at the top of this week's report. Chopper tailor are also being consistently caught throughout the Swan River on metal slices. Flathead catches along the flats near Point Walter and Applecross seem to be slowing compared to what was being experienced in the summer months, however, mulloway have been reported at Mosman Bay and near Narrows Bridge. The upper reaches of the Swan are seeing good black bream caught, especially near Maylands and Ascot.


Young gun Lukasz Klis had an epic black bream session in the Swan River early this week. 🙌👏