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Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 10 March 2023 🎣

| By Seamus on 3/10/2023 5:19:25 AM | Views (256)

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Recfishwest
Fishing Report

10/03/23

Coral trout are usually the groundskeepers around reef bombies from the Mid-West right up to the northern regions of the WA coastline. If you manage to spot a bombie from the shore, off the boat or on your sounder, flick a soft plastic, stickbait or jig next to it to lure them out for a great strike (and potential delicious feed).

Our contributors

Sam Russell

John Dempsey

Peter Fullarton

Sedin Hasanovic

G'day <>,

A lot of great catches rolled in over the long weekend! Don't forget that our Salmon Slam competition and FADs photo competition are both underway for the next two months with some cracking prizes up for grabs that are very easy to win. If you want to get involved or find more info on either comp, click on the links below!

CLICK HERE FOR SALMON SLAM 2023 INFO

CLICK HERE FOR FADS PHOTO COMP INFO

If you've got a cracking fish photo you want to send in remember to keep sending us your catches by tagging #recfishwest in your online posts! You can also follow and private message your catches to our Instagram page @recfishwest and make sure you let us know where and how you caught it!

Keep up to date with events, clinics, news and amazing catches across WA by following our Instagram page @recfishwest and give our Recfishwest Facebook page a like!

For your photos to appear in the weekly fishing report, please make sure they reflect Recfishwest's responsible fish handling practices (fish held horizontally, no blood, hand under the belly, no fingers in gills, etc) just like the images below.

If you're planning to head out this week, stay safe, take plenty of photos and have fun!

Jarrad Lawford

RECFISHWEST FISHING REPORT EDITOR

Pic of the Week!

Leon Blechynden and his son had a ripper of a freshwater session down south recently, with the youngster pulling in multiple 40cm+ redfin perch. One great (and very relaxing) way of targeting them is by investing in a kayak to sneak up on the deeper snags and drop soft plastics down into spots that are inaccessible from the land.

Your fishing photos

If you want to be included in our weekly State-wide Fishing Reports, send your best fishing photos and a description to jarrad@recfishwest.org.au to potentially be featured.

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If so, please e-mail our Membership Officer, your new details and mention your name, old email and new email address in order to keep receiving the State-wide Fishing Report.

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CATCHES ROLLING IN FOR SALMON SLAM!

Not only are salmon catches increasing off our South West and southern coastline right now, they are very easy to catch and we're seeing more fishers like Jas Gibbs land their first ever salmon in the 2023 Salmon Slam!

We're already receiving some of your salmon catches for the 2023 Salmon Slam – and just by submitting a salmon catch into the 2023 Salmon Slam app, you are automatically in the draw to win the top $3,000 prize pack of Shimano fishing goodies below!

This FREE to enter, app-based competition runs from 1 March until 1 May and there's more than $10,000 in prizes up for grabs simply by catching a salmon, taking a snap of it next to a ruler with the tournament code '#SS2023' visible and entering it via our Salmon Slam 2023 app into the competition.

Remember, fish images entered into the app must reflect our responsible fish handling practices. So no blood or cut throats, fish still alive, fish supported well and held horizontally, no fingers in gills, etc.

To enter the comp and have a crack for some great prizes, simply download the Salmon Slam app via the App Store or Google Play!

CHECK OUT THE SLAM COMPETITION PHASES, INFO AND PRIZES UP FOR GRABS HERE

A huge Recfishwest thanks to our supporters and sponsors in Shimano, Western Angler Magazine, Richter Lures, Halco Tackle, Assassin Tackle Australia, Anglers Fishing World and Compleat Angler Nedlands for their donations of prizes!

Broome catches

The acrobatic fighting display of barramundi never gets old and is highly addictive once you experience it for the first time. Thankfully a few barra are turning up in more numbers from the Fitzroy when access and conditions line up nicely, although your best odds are still Dampier and Crab Creek.

Boats

Spring tides have forced a change of tactics, with boaties concentrating on the high tides in the creeks and around Roebuck Bay. With the wind still a factor, anglers have been finding weather windows to fish Roebuck Bay, but are still staying close in. Bluebone have been targeted around the bombies and there have been reports of northern mulloway around 15kg being caught on live baits around structure, although sharks have been a problem in some areas. With the bigger tidal flow, larger pieces of debris such as mangroves are drifting about the bay, providing perfect cover for the elusive tripletail. Anglers targeting tripletail have had success on small baits and vibes and fish have been landed around the 50cm mark. Threadfin salmon are also being caught in the bay but the relatively sheltered Crab and Dampier creeks are a better bet. The creeks are holding a few barramundi but threadfin are dominating the catches with some fish up to 70cm. Among with the threadfin salmon are quite a few bluenose salmon, with the smaller fish swimming in schools and bigger models of 40-50cm cruising alone. Most anglers are fishing towards the top of the tide and using live baits or fillets, although both species of salmon will hit soft plastics, hard-bodied lures and even flies. Trolling hard-bodied lures is also an option and more likely to produce a barramundi. Mud crabs are also a chance in the creeks and some low winds should make the conditions ideal this weekend.

Shore-based

Poor road conditions have ruled out a lot of spots outside of town with fishers mainly concentrating on the Port and Town jetties. The Town Jetty is only a high tide option now, but a good spot to throw metal slices for trevally and queenfish. Sizes have varied from 30-40cm to bigger models nudging one metre. Jigs bounced across the bottom or wound in flat out has been productive, while a floating mulie or garfish bait off the end of the jetty could get hit by a bigger queenfish or maybe even a Spanish mackerel. Port Jetty and its rocky surrounds are producing the same species but with bluebone thrown into the mix. At low tide it’s possible to wade far out and fish among the snags, but be prepared to lose some gear! If all else fails, a small bait fished beside the pilons of either jetty should at least produce a yellowfin bream. Should be nice for land-based fishing this weekend with lower winds. For the best tips and gear for your fishing expedition, make sure you visit the helpful pros at Tackle World Broome for advice and they will provide details on spots with the best access for a flick.

Exmouth catches

Hats off to these fellas for spearing a 26.5kg mackie! This PB specimen was landed by bo_davies07 and dan__davies close to Exmouth and we can see why both of you were needed to hold it for the snap!

Boats

Unfortunately, the sharks have returned to the Gulf, but those who have managed to get away from the taxman have managed some good feeds. The weather has mostly been restricting fishing to windows in the mornings and afternoons. King Reef is back to its sharkie worst, but they don’t seem to be there every day and fishing a little back off the reef is often better. When the sharks are not around, Rankin cod have been plentiful in the 40-50cm range with mulies or 4-5-inch white soft plastics catching the most, while cobia around 15kg are hitting lures and jigs in the mid-depths. There are plenty of bait balls in the Gulf attracting not only cobia but also mack tuna averaging 3kg. Trolled deep divers that can get down to 6-9m depths are effective and if the bait balls are staying put, the mack tuna have been caught on small soft plastics and saltwater flies. The shoals and Eva Island are rewarding spearfishers with coral trout to 3kg. The bait balls have generally moved more to the tip of the Gulf, but are retreating when the weather is rough. Fishing is a bit harder on the western side, but Spanish mackerel are a a real chance, along with wahoo and yellowfin tuna to 15kg. One crew had a bumper day trolling Richter skirts along the contour lines and returned with 60kg blue marlin, a 10kg wahoo and a 15kg Spanish mackerel. This weekend should see a spike in the southerly winds but Monday through to Thursday is looking great at this stage, hopefully it stays that way for GAMEX kicking off next weekend!

Shore-based

Plenty of micro-bait is concentrated at the mouth of the marina with queenfish up to 80cm having a feeding frenzy and hitting small stickbaits and slices in the early mornings and evenings. The marina is also fishing well for squid, as is the ever-reliable Learmonth Jetty. Darker-coloured squid jigs seem to work be working best on cloudy days. At Bundegi, catches of small trevally and queenfish have been boosted by flathead in the 40-50cm range. Bundegi is also holding plenty of whiting, which are being caught on prawn baits and seem to be schooling at the end of the spits and points, rather than in the sand holes. The Lighthouse is worth a crack for spangled emperor either with stickbaits or mulies, while at Mildura Wreck bluebone are being caught despite octopuses proving a nuisance by grabbing baits and lures! Wapet Creek has been quiet, but the fishing is starting to improve with mangrove jack, estuary cod and bream worth targeting. Big thanks to the crew from Tackle World Exmouth for their tips and brace for some stronger southerlies this weekend before they drop off by Monday.

Kalbarri catches

Boats

Yellowfin tuna to 25kg and Spanish mackerel around 10kg are rewarding boaties heading out in the early-morning weather windows. The Three-Mile Reef is one of the better spots. Halco Laser Pros and small skirted billfish lures trolled in 35m depths are working well, but those pesky sharks are still a problem and wahoo have all but disappeared. Smaller yellowfin tuna and Spanish mackerel are being caught nearer to shore in 15-25m depths where there is a bit of structure around. The pelagic action is on both sides of town though and many boats are doing well even just heading straight out. Drop-netters in small boats are still catching blue swimmer crabs in the Murchison River, while mud crabs are about in greater numbers as well further up. Mornings are your best bet this week before the wind spikes around midday.

Shore-based

Balloon and drone fishers have been getting amongst the pelagic action too, with Spanish mackerel landed at Red Bluff and Wagoe. Red Bluff has also fished well for mulloway around the 15kg mark. Down at Pot Alley, drone fishers have landed small but legal-size pink snapper. In the Murchison River the marina jetty is still fishing very well for bream in the day and chopper tailor in the evenings. School-sized mulloway are also around the jetty and bigger mulloway have been blamed for several bust-offs. Estuary cod numbers are also improving in the river with 50cm-plus fish being landed a fair way upstream. Yellowfin whiting fishing is patchy along the foreshore and the spit, but fishers who have access to a kayak or surf ski have paddled across the river and caught bigger whiting in the lagoon in front of Oyster Reef. Wittecarra had plenty of tailor and dart, while bigger 2-3kg tailor have been caught at Frustrations and Oyster Reef on garfish baits or surface lures, especially Halco Roosta poppers. Big thanks to Dean from Kalbarri Sports and Dive for his tips as always and the mornings should see the lighter southerly winds over this weekend.

Geraldton catches

Boats

Bit of a quiet week for the boaties this week but a few catches are trickling through. Trolling for mackerel has generally been very quiet unfortunately. A customer of Geraldton Sports Centre spent six hours trolling and saw a few fish on the sounder and the odd bust-up, but for no result. Boaties fishing in close are faring better on big squid which are prolific around Separation Point. Pages Beach has also been a popular spot for squid and the occasional whiting. The sheltered waters around Town Beach and near the entrance of the fishing boat harbour have produced a few blue swimmer crabs. Tailor are still popping up when trolling in close to shore over good structure and via flicking lures into the back of the whitewash. Moderate southerlies are sticking around this week and picking up from Monday through to Thursday.

Shore-based

There are plenty of tailor north of Dongara and some big yellowfin whiting and sand whiting among them. Mulloway to 15kg have also been caught there. The point at Greenough River mouth has a few small tailor and striped sea pike. At Southgates it’s a similar story, with dart thrown into the mix. Some of the yellowfin whiting around Southgates have been very big and most are a bycatch of tailor fishing, so they could be worth targeting. The Lighthouse to Pages stretch in town had a few tailor and the odd striped sea pike. At the Breakwater there are lots of school whiting and a few chopper tailor, while the Batavia Marina is a good spot for squid. At Drummonds Cove tailor and striped sea pike are the main catches and on the southern side, the reef in Autumn Bay is one of the few spots around town holding herring. Big thanks to Geraldton Sports Centre for their report and Saturday morning is looking best for a land-based flick before the southerlies pick up over the coming days.

Lancelin catches

Lancelin once again produced the goods for decent tailor from the beaches this week, with John Scully landing this nice 50cm specimen along with a legal pink snapper from the surf.

Boats

There have been schools of skippy along the White Bank and inshore reefs taking a mix of pilchards and squid on bait. Sand whiting have also been landed in better numbers this week along the 18-22m depths, with small strips of squid tentacles on smaller whiting hooks working nicely. The bay’s water has greatly improved throughout the week now, with crystal clear water now replacing the brown and murky water of recent weeks. With the low swell coming through, it's a great time to lure fish from the kayak or small tinny and both forms of fishing have been very effective at targeting species like flathead, herring, squid, tailor, snook and skippy. There are good-sized sand whiting in close too, with plenty to be found in the sand holes around the 5-6m depths north of the bay. Lobster fishers are finding a bumper haul of reds from the shallows, with pots dropped in close to the reefs usually picking up some larger specimens. We haven't heard too much on the success rates for trolling out wider for pelagics such as tuna and mackerel, but both mornings over the weekend should see calm winds and flat conditions, perfect for having a crack!

Shore-based

It was a busy long weekend in Lancelin, with loads of cars parked up on the beaches and plenty of rods wetting a line. Mullet schools have started moving north along the beaches, which seems to have attracted sharks to the near shore and resulted in more landings mostly in the mornings and evenings. Tailor have been widespread along the beaches, though a much larger class fish have been caught north of town and there have been some pink snapper and guitarfish caught around the same areas generally in the mornings. North of town is also producing dart and yellowfin whiting, while south of town is more likely to find a few big herring around the 30cm mark. I managed to have a fish over the long weekend with Lancelin's fishing guru Peter Fullarton from Tailored Treks and as always, he put us on to some great spots with at least thirty tailor between the 30-45cm mark landed and smaller snapper slightly south of town. From hundreds of casts, the best spots were always where reef or weed banks were present or clear gutters containing deeper water. The heavier surface stickbaits and metal slices that can be launched a mile from the beach make the job a lot easier and quickly ripping these lures over or next to the darker patches offshore saw great strike rates for both herring and tailor. Both Saturday and Sunday morning are looking great for land-based fishing (especially Saturday).

Esperance catches

Boats

The Esperance Deep Sea Angling Club Classic is on Sunday with a field of 90 boats taking part. Watching the fleet set off from Esperance Bay promises to be a spectacular sight, with James Street and the Tanker Jetty the best spots to watch from. Conditions look magnificent with a light northerly, which should encourage many boats to head out wide. Weigh-in is at 4pm and is sure to feature some fine catches. One species being targeted will be Samson fish as they are still around in big numbers with many fish around the 25kg mark. Mondrain Island is a hotspot for them and so is Figure of Eight Island, which also had lots of nannygai this week. Nannygai are also plentiful at Boxer and Observatory islands. Closer in, Wylie Bay had very big sand whiting along with some respectable King George whiting on the weed edges in 7m depths. There are lots of herring around and just about any sheltered bay holds squid. As for surface action, tuna are about in big numbers usually in the 5kg range, with purple Black Magic Jetsetter skirts trolled at 6-8 knots an effective method and the back of Cull Island being very productive. Should be great boating weather for the next week!

Shore-based

One of better spots for salmon is Alexander Bay with anglers there also using strip baits at night to target gummy sharks. The gutter at the third carpark of Fourth Beach has also produced a few salmon, some around 5kg and many skipjack to 40cm have been caught there. In town in front the Thai restaurant, King George whiting to 40cm are mooching about the weed beds. The Esperance Jetty also had lots of herring and squid are in good numbers, with jigs in shades of red working best. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has been an excellent spot for flounder. Anglers are targeting them with light bottom rigs and pieces of mulie for bait. Plenty of flathead are present with the flounder. Much bigger flathead to 70cm have come from Israelite Bay. Wheatfields Lake is firing for bream in the afternoons but surface lures are a must because there is a lot of weed about. A magnificent mulloway of more than 1.5m was caught and successfully released east of town, while Back Beach, Rossiters and Dunns are also worth a try for school-sized mulloway. Big thanks to the pros from Southern Sports and Tackle for their tips as always and enjoy these peachy land-based fishing conditions this week!

Great Southern catches

You don't want to get anywhere near the chompers on snook this size! Ben Kelly was surprised to land this 97cm beast off the yak after launching at Haetmans Beach on Sunday.

Boats

King George whiting of 30-40cm are right throughout King George Sound in a range of depths, with the odd bigger fish among them taking small strips of squid tentacles on paternoster rigs. Squid are also abundant in the sound taking a wide range of different coloured jigs, while herring are appearing in big numbers when burley is being used. Boats fishing the reefs on the way out to the coral ground have caught pink snapper, queen snapper and breaksea cod in 60m depths. Bonito around the 2kg mark have been caught by boaties trolling lures close to the costal headlands. Saturday morning looks decent, along with Sunday arvo through to Monday morning, but be cautious from Monday arvo through to Tuesday with the swell picking up despite the calm weather conditions - see the warning below.

Shore-based

Bremer Bay has been firing for salmon, but closer to town it’s hit-and-miss with reports of bumper sessions at Cheynes Beach and Lowlands one day and nothing the next. Around town herring and skipjack are the main catches. A few flathead are about and Middleton Beach has been a good spot to fish for them with soft plastics. The King and Kalgan rivers are producing bream on hard-bodied lures and a few school-sized mulloway are still around. Emu Point had the usual bread-and-butter species plus a few squid, while Ledge Beach near Gull Rock has fished well for flathead. Out Denmark way, big skipjack have been caught at McGeary’s Rock along with decent herring. Big thanks to the crew from Trailblazers in Albany for their tips and Saturday morning along with Sunday and Monday morning but but be cautious if fishing off the stones from Monday arvo through to Tuesday with the swell picking up despite the calm weather conditions - see the dangerous rock fishing warning below.

DANGEROUS ROCK FISHING WARNING

As part of our new dangerous rock fishing conditions alerts initiative we are running in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology, the Bureau has issued the following warning:

A cold front moving south of the State is expected to produce swell heights between 2.5m and 3.5m inshore late Monday and into Tuesday. South westerly swell increasing to 3m to 3.5m inshore between Cape Naturaliste and Albany from Monday evening and reaching 4m offshore. Swell of 2.5m to 3.m inshore extends to Israelite bay before sunrise on Tuesday morning. Swell period of 14-15 seconds. Swell eases during Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Fishing off rock platforms in heavy swell comes with potentially lethal risks and if you’re not an experienced rock fisher, we recommend keeping the sand between your toes and fishing from one of WA’s spectacular beaches. No fish is worth risking your life for.

If you choose to go rock fishing, we recommend you prepare thoroughly and use the right gear – click here to check out our tips on rock fishing safety.

South West catches

If monster squid are lurking around Busselton, you can be sure most of them will end up on the end of Trudy Morehouse's line @squidqueen.wa. The squid master landed 15 in an hour on Monday all from 9m depths.

Boats

King George whiting around the 50cm are biting well on squid and mulies across a range of depths, while Samson fish are out in force for anglers who anchor near a reefy hole and throw out some burley. Small tuna are being caught in the shipping channel by boaties trolling stickbaits and diving lures. Divers have also been doing well on crays, but those dropping pots are finding it tougher. Those that have reported good results have done well in 15-25m depths. Squidding action has slowed in Geographe Bay, but in 8-15m depths there are sand whiting and a few King George doing the rounds. Herring are plentiful pretty much anywhere once you get a few handfulls of burley in the drink. The estauries continue to produce yellowfin whiting and tailor around the small islands although their numbers are starting to drop off a touch. The mornings over the next week are looking nice for a boating session though so good luck!

Shore-based

Binningup Beach fished well for sand and yellowfin whiting, while at night 15-25kg mulloway have been caught on live and strip baits fished in the gutters on rising tides. Back Beach had plenty of herring, while around town drone fishers have managed a few small pink snapper. Blue swimmer crab and yellowfin whiting numbers have tapered off in the estuary and perhaps the most reliable spot around town is the Cut which produced herring and juvenile salmon. The Collie River had plenty of bream and soapy mulloway and upstream from the bridge is the best area to target them on bait or soft plastics. A holidaymaker at Siesta Park also had a good week fishing the beaches for yellowfin whiting, big herring and a few juvenile salmon. He then took a short trip south to Elmore Road and was rewarded with a feed of chopper tailor. Busselton Jetty had the usual herring and squid but the surprise catch there this week was a 20cm dhufish. Big thanks to Whitey's Tackle for their tips and your best windows for land-based fishing over the next week is the mornings with calmer winds coming through.

Freshwater

Another day, another beautiful rainbow trout for @southerforests_angler from Lefroy Brook on the fly!

Wellington Dam had plenty of redfin perch, mostly around 20cm which are a pain to fillet given their size, but worth it for the delicious meat unless you cook them whole on the BBQ! Soft plastics in natural colours are working well for them, along with Mepps spinners. Rainbow trout around 30cm are also being caught there. Fly-fishers are doing particularly well, but Mepps spinners and soft plastics retrieved on a slow roll have been more effective. Waroona Dam had a few rainbows and Drakesbrook Weir has been consistent for both species. Good catches of rainbow trout have come from Logue Brook Dam, although try moving away from the loud commotion and boats to where it's calm for better odds. Closer to Perth, the Murray River around Nanga Brook is fishing well for redfin perch along with brown and rainbow trout. Mepps spinners are catching trout and soft plastics in earthy brown colours are working well on the redfin. Further south, the Warren River also produced some stonker redfin perch over 40cm, mostly in the river systems where good structure was present looming in the deeper pockets. If you catch any great trout or redfin, make sure you message us a snap of the catch to our Instagram page @recfishwest.

Mandurah and surrounds

Mandurah

Various tuna species have still been active offshore and the 45m depths seem to be the hot spots. Trolled deep-diving lures are producing the best results, with Nomad DTX Minnows in the 120mm and 150mm sizes working particularly well. Scuba divers continue to see Spanish mackerel south of the Five-Fathom Bank, but they have shown no interest in lures. Divers are still doing well on crays but those with pots are having to work harder, with the reefs just outside the Cut holding a few. Boaties are finding plenty of squid anywhere there’s a weed bank, while the reefy holes have lots of skippy to 30cm. Sand whiting are very plentiful and boaties are having no trouble getting a feed, while reefy country in the 15m depths produced Samson fish when skippers released burley with cubed mulies. In the estuary crabs are still sluggish, but should become more active during this moon phase. The best crab catches have been after dark. Yellowfin whiting are still skittish in the estuary and the Melros and Falcon beaches early in the mornings are a better option. Anglers wading out to the drop-offs in the estuary and casting small vibes and stickbaits are catching herring, tailor, skippy and the odd juvenile salmon. At the Cut tailor and herring are about as well, along with schools of small Samson fish around the kilo mark. Trolling in the Cut or the estuary has been effective for tailor from 30-40cm. The gutters at San Remo and Singleton beaches are fishing well for tailor and school mulloway in the evenings, along with sand whiting in the mornings. Bigger mulloway have been caught at both spots after dark. Preston is still the pick of the beaches south of town for tailor, producing good results in the mornings and evenings. Tim’s Thicket and White Hills also had tailor and mulloway and a few pink snapper around 60cm have been caught there by drone fishers. Big thanks to Tackle World Miami for their tips as always and the mornings are looking best over the next week for fishing.

SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY / WARNBRO SOUND

The Rockingham FADs have been quieter, although a Spanish mackerel was taken there earlier in the week. There are plenty of various tuna species just behind the Five-Fathom Bank, with yellowfin tuna to 10kg among them. Big King George whiting have also come from the Five-Fathom Bank. Tailor around the 50cm mark are plentiful in the white-water around Coventry Reef and Three Sisters, usually being caught on shallow-diving stickbaits or floating mulies. There are plenty of squid in Cockburn and Warnbro Sound along with good numbers of sand whiting. A bit of burley will bring around herring and skipjack just about anywhere.

For land-based fishers in the Rockingham area, big mulloway are being caught in the gutters at Secret Harbour at night on the rising tide and there are plenty of tailor about in the evenings. Port Kennedy is another good spot for tailor and also for big flathead. Long Point is fishing well for small tailor, herring and whiting and for drone fishers pink snapper are also a chance there. The Penguin Island spit had plenty of sand whiting and the odd King George whiting. Palm Beach and Rockingham jetties produced herring and a few squid, along with plenty of barely-size chopper tailor. Small whitebait gangs work well on the choppers as do 10g Halco Twistys, Bassday Sugar Pens and Smilin Jacks. Big thanks to Compleat Angler Rockingham for their great tips and the mornings over the next week look ideal for fishing.

Perth catches

Giant herring have been going wild along the sand flats in the river this week and Recfishwest's Eligh Quigley (pictured right) @equigz managed to get on the action around the Maylands area. If you manage to hook one, they love to perform wild aerial acrobatics and will often spit the hooks when they do as the line will go slack.Try and quickly move your rod tip down to the water level when they jump to keep the pressure on the line.

Boats

At the FADs dolphinfish and various tuna species are the mainstays. The tuna are in big schools with some feeding and other schools rather shy. Boats trolling the contour line in 100-200m depths have done well using skirts and extra-deep-diving lures such as Nomads, Halcos and Rapalas that can get down to 8m depths. Earlier this week a wahoo was caught in the Rotto Trench, while closer to the island itself anglers jigging for Samson fish in 80m have had good luck and also landed a few amberjack to just under one metre. In 35-80m depths south of Rottnest, tuna are plentiful but on the small side. Marmion and Windmills are firing for King George whiting up to 40cm in 30m depths, along with plenty of big sand whiting. A bit of burley will produce a feed of herring in quick time around Garden Island. In the Swan River, boaties are doing well trolling for tailor but the many fish being landed are undersized. Drop netters are still going well on crabs in 10-15m depths. The mornings right up until Wednesday are looking nice for a boating session off Perth thankfully!

Send us pics of your FADs catches for some great prizes!

To celebrate the great fishing opportunities at FADs currently between Cape Naturaliste and Two Rocks (more to come at other locations soon), we're giving away some quality prizes thanks to Richter Lures and Madfish Gear simply for catching a fish at any of the devices between 1 March - 1 May and sending in a snap of your fish!

PRIZES:
Best photo: An XL Madfish Fishing Bag (to keep your catches frosty) with 10x Richter skirt lures inside.
2nd best photo: A medium-sized Madfish Fishing Bag with 10x Richter skirt lures inside.
3rd best photo: A medium-sized Madfish Fishing Bag with 5x Richter skirt lures inside.
4th-10th place: Each receive a handful of Richter skirts and lures!

HOW YOU CAN WIN:
1) Visit any of the FADs;
2) Catch a pelagic sportfish and take a photo of your catch that reflects our responsible fish handling practices (still alive, no blood, no fingers in gills, supporting fish horizontally etc), with the FAD clearly visible in the photo (hint hint - just like the photo of Joel Borgas with his dolphinfish above);
3) Message a photo of your catch to our Facebook or Instagram page detailing where and when you caught it;
4) Keep an eye on our socials when we announce the winners after May 1!

Good luck! Get all your FADs locations here

Shore-based

In the Swan River some big yellowfin whiting are being taken around East and South Fremantle, but overall numbers are down. Flathead are still about with plenty of chunky 40-50cm fish around. Big flounder to 40cm are also being caught with the best spots for the flatfish around the Applecross, Claremont and even Guildford area a fair way up river. The better spots for chopper tailor are Point Walter jetty and north of the Leeuwin boat ramp. Up river bream are biting well with good fish taken around the Mt Henty Bridge in the Canning River and in the Swan from Garrett Road Bridge up to Guildford. Squid are plentiful at South Mole, while around the E-Shed black bream, tarwhine and just-legal pink snapper are being caught on squid baits. The groyne at CY O’Connor Beach has been good for chopper tailor and big sand whiting are being taken on calmer mornings along the rock walls near Port Beach. North of the river tailor around the one kilo mark have been caught in the mornings from the reefs between Burns Beach and Mindarie. Big thanks to Anglers Fishing World in Fremantle and Hillarys Boat & Tackle for their great tips and the mornings should be best for land-based fishing over the next week.

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Catch Information

Species:
Barramundi

Black Bream

Blue Marlin

Breaksea Cod

Cobia

Coral Trout

Dhufish

Flounder

Gummy Shark

Mulloway

Nannygai

Pike

Queen Snapper

Queenfish

Rainbow Trout

Redfin Perch

Samson Fish

Snook

Spangled Emperor

This Fishing Report was submitted on 3/10/2023 5:19:25 AM by Seamus and last updated on 3/13/2023 4:55:37 PM.

Location

3/45 Northside Drive
Hillarys, WA AU

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