From 1m barra in the Pilbara to more metro mulloway there's plenty to read in Recfishwest's State-wide Fishing Report 14 May 2021 🎣

Sailfish have continued to be encountered in waters off Barred Creek and near Peanut. Spanish mackerel have been found among the sails and there are plenty of mack tuna and longtail tuna around. Reef fishing has been productive in 30m to 50m of water where red emperor, saddletail seaperch and blue lined emperor have been located. Bluebone have been picked up within Roebuck Bay, together with threadfin salmon and bluenose salmon.

Billfish enthusiasts have found wahoo in their pursuits for billfish. The wahoo were reported in their biggest concentrations around the 60m contour, which is also where many of the sailfish and black marlin have recently been landed. There is still the occasional bigger blue marlin being caught out wide, while dolphin fish can be found near Exmouth's fish aggregating devices (FADs). Big giant trevally have been responding well to poppers and stickbaits near Muiron Islands and Peak Island. Reef fishers have been finding red emperor and Rankin cod in 50m to 70m of water. Goldband snapper were mostly picked up in 80m to 110m, while ruby snapper were located in excess of 250m.

Hardy heads have appeared in big numbers along parts of the west coast, with the presence attracting a variety of predators including spangled emperor in the 50cm to 60cm range, queenfish, golden trevally, GTs and brassy trevally. More queenfish have been appearing along the Exmouth Gulf beaches. Squid are being caught during and incoming tide and at night from the Exmouth Marina rock wall, as well as from near Bundegi and Learmonth Jetty.

With Kalbarri now reopen to visitors post-cyclone, locals and visiting anglers alike have this week targeted the quality pelagic and reef species this part of the Mid West has to offer. Spanish mackerel were caught on bibbed minnows trolled near the Sand Patch, as well as in 10m to 20m of water south of the river mouth. Reef fishing has been productive in 30m to 50m north-west of town where red emperor, dhufish, Rankin cod and spangled emperor were caught. Soft plastic and metal jigs have been working well on baldchin groper, pink snapper and coral trout near the cliffs.

Tailor have been caught in the mornings and evenings at Wittecarra Creek, Red Bluff, Siphon and Chinaman's Beach this week together with herring and dart. Mulloway are sometimes being caught at these locations, as well as around the lower reaches of the Murchison River. The cliffs are worth trying for pink snapper, baldchin groper and tailor when the weather permits. Yellowfin whiting have returned to the sand flats in the river, while black bream and estuary cod can be found near the jetties and pens.

Dinghy and kayak fishers have been catching a variety of bread-and-butter species including herring, small skippy, pike and squid through the inshore areas between Separation Point and St Georges. Mixed catches of dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper have been caught near African Reef and South West Bank. Spanish mackerel in the 10kg to 20kg range have been landed near Whales Bay, alongside the odd yellowfin tuna to 45kg.

The Greenough River mouth has been fishing well for yellowfin whiting to 30cm, black bream between 30cm and 35cm and the odd flathead. More whiting have been caught at Separation Point alongside flathead and cobbler. Batavia Marina has skippy to 35cm, chopper tailor, herring, pike and squid. Surf fishers have been picking up tailor of about 50cm and mulloway to 1.2m at Port Gregory.

This swell has been up and down this past week, resulting in the Lancelin Angling and Aquatic Club postponing last Saturday's fishing competition. Fishers who managed to launch their vessels amid slender windows with reduced swell, were rewarded with pink snapper catches without needing to head far out of the bay. Squid have been in great numbers inside the bay, while herring and skippy have been quick to turn up in a burley trail.

Jetty fishers have been catching sand whiting by day, while sunset has resulted in herring, skippy and tarwhine. Chopper tailor were caught some evenings in this week by those casting unweighted pilchards off the north end. However, tailor have been very hit-and-miss along the beaches near Lancelin and bite times unpredictable. A couple of mulloway were reportedly caught earlier in the week from coast north of town. 

Dinghy and small boat fishers have been doing well on herring, sand whiting and squid within the bay. Yellowtail kingfish and Samson fish have been caught on baits and lures near the islands. Those who travelled wide off Esperance scored nannygai to 65cm, harlequin fish, breaksea cod and dhufish. Check out this how-to fishing video from the Recfishwest YouTube archives of how to catch a feed of herring.

The Esperance Jetty and Taylor Street Jetty have both been producing herring, garfish, snook, bonito, King George whiting and squid. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour is worth a visit for King George, herring and garfish. Salmon have sometimes been appearing at the local beaches including Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach. An estimated 20kg gummy shark was recently landed at Munglinup, while smaller gummies and the occasional mulloway have been caught at Fourteen Mile. Most beaches are producing herring, skippy and flathead. Bigger numbers of salmon seem to be appearing at some of the eastern beaches including Poison Creek and Wharton.

This yellowtail kingfish pulled plenty of line when battling with Ryan Trenaman on the stones close to Albany. Read more about keeping safe while fishing on the rocks here! 📸 Dixon's Fishing

Crews who ventured to the 60m to 80m depths in search of quality reef fish did reasonably well on snapper, breaksea cod and dhufish this week. Catches of all mentioned species have been better the farther east and west fishers have been prepared to go. Hapuka, grey-banded cod and blue eye trevalla have been a little hard to come by in the deeper depths of 200m to 400m of water. King George whiting are still being caught in very good numbers inshore, while squid catches seem to be improving along the seagrass areas.

Surf fishers caught up to 30 salmon a session from a beach near Albany this week. It comes as smaller numbers of salmon were caught at spots including Bluff Creek, Cheynes Beach, Little Beach, Lowlands, Bornholm, Sand Patch and Cables. Herring are still about in very good numbers right along the coast and there are big skippy and tarwhine at some of the reef and rock areas. Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish were among the species recently landed from the rocks near West Cape Howe. Small black bream of less than 30cm remain dominant in the King and Kalgan rivers. There were reports of mulloway caught in the local systems this week, however, details of these catches have been scant.

Trying his luck in skinny waterways somewhere in the South West, Giordano Gervasi was chuffed with this wild brown trout. If you've got a fishing photo to share, tag #recfishwest on social media!😁

Jigging off Mandurah recently, Lachie Ramm caught this pink snapper. Fantastic photo, Lachie! 😎😎

Bottom bouncing along areas featuring reef off Mandurah has returned pink snapper, Samson fish, skippy and the occasional solid dhufish this week. King George whiting have also been found, however, they have been few and far between for many boat fishers. Herring and salmon have been caught from beaches both north and south of Mandurah at all times of the day. The ocean-end of Dawesville Cut has tarwhine and herring on offer, in addition to the occasional salmon school cruising by on the incoming tide. Tailor have also been caught in the same area. At the estuary end of the Cut, herring, whiting and an occasional salmon have been caught. Black bream activity has remained upbeat in both the Murray and Serpentine rivers this week. Prawn movements are also increasing in both systems.

On Tuesday night, Max Sampson made the most of the mulloway action while fishing off Perth. 👏👏

The metro fish aggregating devices (FADs) still have plenty of dolphinfish and tuna varieties on offer. Watch Kurt Wilson's latest YouTube video discussing how the metro FADs have performed very well this season. Mulloway have appeared in Cockburn Sound in big numbers, with dozens of fish being caught within the protected waters some evenings. Big schools of skippy have been found along Five Fathom Bank. The 30m to 50m depths west of Five Fathom have been producing lots of pink snapper in the 4kg to 8kg range, alongside breaksea cod and the occasional dhufish. More dhuies have been caught off Hillarys, Mindarie and Two Rocks where baldchin groper have been common. King George whiting can be targeted near  Windmills and in 10m to 18m of water off City Beach and Cottesloe. Squid catches are improving along the seagrass beds off Fremantle.

Click the photo above to watch our latest YouTube video on yesterday's release!

• YouTube: Rocking fish stocking — new Fisheries Minister hands on for latest metro kingfish release!