Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 15 March 2024 🎣

It was slim pickings this week as water temperatures are reportedly five degrees cooler than those recorded in December. This coupled with prevailing winds and a tedious swell essentially shut down the fish activity as well as limiting fishability. Despite this, the odd tuna was still caught, especially when trolling deeper diving lures that can muscle their way down underneath the choppy conditions to 4-5m depths. Both Saturday and Sunday morning are thankfully looking okay for the boaties but the rough weather from a potential cyclone up north will creep down from Sunday onwards and make it rough until at least Wednesday. 

Esperance locals have experienced a ripper of a start to the gummy shark season, with many being caught at 12-15kg and numerous others crossing the magical 20kg mark. Most of the success was reported at Dunns Beach on the incoming tide. Poison Creek and Thomas River have been holding some sizeable mulloway around the metre mark along with skippy pushing 3kg. The salmon season is certainly developing before our eyes as western areas including Roses beach and Warrenup have seen large numbers, which is a good starting point if you want to set yourself up for some great prizes in this year's Salmon Slam competition. More locally, the Esperance Jetty has been the epicentre for some great squid fishing at night, with King George whiting and flounder also active. If the Tanker jetty isn’t on the cards, Bandy Creek Boat Harbour also produced great King George whiting and flounder. 
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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. 

The salmon action is definitely getting rather spicy, with reports of big schools to the east of Albany at places like Bremer Bay and Cape Riche. The salmon action around town has also been good – Cable Beach and Salmon Holes from the sand have been productive at times, while Sand Patch has seen salmon everywhere if you’re up for a workout up and down the stairs! The sighting of salmon schooling last week at Lights Beach in Denmark has progressed into reports of salmon anywhere and everywhere, and they have reportedly been smashing pretty much anything flicked their way. Squid fishers have continued to do well at the town marina and Frenchman Bay. The town marina also held herring and decent skippy, while the latter has produced the odd KG. The jetty at the Emu Point Boat Harbour is always a good option for bream, while up into the King and Kalgan has seen bigger models and the odd small mulloway. Emu Point also saw a few Samsonfish mixed in with the usual fare of herring, whiting and squid – just hope you don’t hook a Rambo of a Sambo on your whiting combo because your reel is in for a mighty sizzle. Saturday and Sunday are looking great for a land-based flick at most locations, while later into next week might require a bit of planning to find shelter from the prevailing easterly wind.

Cheers 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. Remember, you'll also catch just as many fish off the beaches than the rocks and it is always much safer to go with this option on the south coast. 

The Swan River has still been a reliable spot to catch tailor right up to 50cm. Han Yeoh @hanyeoh13 decided to change things up and put his Zipbaits 85 MDS to good use at sunset, resulting in some impressive aerial tailor displays.