Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 15 December 2023 🎣

Warmer and clearer water and plenty of baitfish have fired up tuna on both sides of town. A decent tuna was taken further out at Baldface but there have also been quite a few tuna on the Three-Mile Reef. Crayfishing has been slow going around town but crays have been plentiful at Horrocks. The wind is a bit all over the place for the re-opening of the demersal season kicking off tomorrow but some good windows should appear over the mornings this week. 

Thomas River held lots of 4kg mulloway which have been active right on high tide and taking fresh squid baits. Alexander Bay was good for gummy sharks and salmon, while Dunns Beach offered big skippy and salmon. Mulloway around 70cm have been on the chew bang on high tide at 14-Mile Beach, while the beach on the commercial side of Bandy Creek Boat Harbour held good numbers of King George whiting which have favoured coral prawns. Squid have been active at the Town Jetty, mainly early in the mornings and garfish have shown up there too. Fourth Beach produced tailor and salmon and the Taylor Street Jetty rock wall was good for herring, especially when the grain ships are being loaded and free burley is being spread across the bay. Bream up to 43cm are taking lures and baits at Woody Lake and Stokes Inlet.  

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. 

When the swells have been down rock fishers who have found a bit of shelter have caught skippy, harlequin fish, breaksea cod and sweep. Squid have been caught at Emu Point, Frenchman Bay, the town marina and from the rocks at Whale World. The town marina also held a few herring and small skippy, while herring and juvenile salmon have been caught at Emu Point and the odd small King George whiting has been landed at Frenchman Bay. Bream were landed in the King and Kalgan rivers and a decent mulloway was landed at the Lower King Bridge earlier this week. King George whiting and herring have been caught from beaches close to Denmark, while the Denmark River has produced a few bream.

Kudos to the Trailblazers Albany crew for their tips this week! Swing by their store if you're after some top gear and advice ahead of your next fishing trip. 

King George whiting have been at Rottnest, the Windmills and also the Three-Mile Reef. Big schools of decent-sized tuna have been active in 40m depths south of Rottnest and plenty of dolphinfish have been spotted at the southern FADs in 70m, but they have been reluctant to bite. Several have been landed on poppers though, which seems to be razzing them up. Around the wrecks near Rottnest in 100m depths there were Samson fish lurking about 20m under the boats with some bigger ones that have proved unstoppable. Sand whiting catches have been good inshore and herring have been in big numbers. Good skippy were taken from the Gage Roads channel on Jigpara and Palms micro jigs. Tailor numbers around Mewstones and Stragglers have tapered off a little, but heaps of herring have turned up instead. Waters between Gage Roads and the Fremantle Sailing Club fished well for squid in the 9m depths. In the lower and middle reaches of the Swan River trolling for chopper tailor has been worthwhile, while drop netters have done well on blue swimmer crabs at Blackwall Reach, Mosman Bay, the channel near the old Swan Brewery and at Deep Water Point in the Canning River. Best of luck if you're heading out for a demersal fish this wekeend! Both mornings should be relatively flat but expect the southerly winds to swing in by midday. Remember to be courteous to others at the ramps and the FADs are also firing nicely on the water. For the best stewardship tips when fishing for demersals this weekend, check out our latest video here with great advice from Recfishwest's Matt Gillett.