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Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
17 April, 2026
Pic of the Week goes to @markwoodley74 and @thekimberley for this 112cm beast of a barra in the middle of a Kimberley paradise. This is the spot where Malcolm Douglas hooked one of his biggest barra’s to conclude his iconic film ‘In search of the big Barra’ - can see why!
Tag #recfishwest in your posts or send them via DM to our Instagram @recfishwest—don’t forget to include where and how you caught it!
For your photos to be featured, make sure they follow our responsible handling and photography guidelines, which means fish held horizontally and not vertically by the gills, no blood, one hand under the belly and the other holding the tail, preferably water in the background etc). Stay safe, have fun, and keep sharing your awesome catches!
Recfishwest is pushing back on the proposed City of Stirling fishing bans in 16 lakes and wetlands across the area, and is encouraging fishers to have their say with public consultation now open.
The proposal follows reports of fisher interactions with birdlife, with councillors voting to seek feedback on changes to local laws that would prohibit all forms of fishing at these sites.
Recfishwest opposes the proposed blanket ban and believes recreational fishing should be managed under State fisheries legislation, not through local government laws.
Most fishers do the right thing and are respectful to the environment. Anyone acting irresponsibly and outside the law should be dealt with using existing compliance options to address any illegal behavior, rather than by implementing blanket bans that penalise everyone.
Public spaces should be safe and accessible for everyone, and responsible fishers should continue to enjoy the social, physical and wellbeing benefits of fishing these local lakes.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND TO HAVE YOUR SAY.
A Hazardous Fishing Alert has come through for all fishers between Shark Bay and Esperance, with large swells and elevated wave heights moving across a large portion of WA between Saturday and Wednesday.
This Hazardous Fishing Alert is part of our partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology to help notify fishers of dangerous forecasts. It is important you put your safety first if you plan to fish in these areas during this time and notify anyone thinking of wetting a line.
If you're thinking of chasing salmon in our Southern and South-West regions, we strongly recommend you stick to the beaches and avoid the rocks during this time.
INFO:
West to South-Westerly waves with significant wave heights to around 3-4m between Cape Naturaliste and Albany from Saturday afternoon with swell period of 13-14 seconds.
Wave heights increasing to 4-5m between Geraldton and Albany on Monday morning.
By Tuesday morning, wave heights of 3.5-5m expected between Shark Bay and Esperance and swells could remain elevated throughout the area until Friday.
No fish is worth your life, so put your safety first.
In the meantime, make sure you download the Bureau of Meteorology's app to keep track of forecasts and warnings in real-time, even when out of range.
For tips on how to stay safe while fishing, click here.
A cracking action shot of the 112cm barra from pic of the week and the first metrey barra for Mark, who slept for two hours afterwards following the adrenaline rush. It’s always a nervous moment when they jump!
Creek fishing has fired up for barramundi and threadfin salmon with a 90cm model picked up in Crab Creek on a Jackall Squirrel hard body this week. Crab and Dampier creeks have also held plenty of mud crabs, while the Fingers has been fishing well for threadfin salmon. Tuna and Spanish mackerel have been caught off Gantheaume Point and Cable Beach where a couple of early-season sailfish have also turned up. Bluebone and coral trout have been caught on the inshore lumps. Conditions are once again looking inviting for the weekend with Sunday looking best at this stage.
Shore-Based
Town Beach Jetty has held bream, trevally and queenfish, while Entrance Point has produced trevally and some good queenfish. Willie Creek should be worth a shot for mangrove jack, while wind conditions should be favourable for those targeting trevally and queenfish at James Price and Gantheaume Points. Town Beach is a good starting point for whiting chasers, while Cable Beach and Coconut Wells could hold a few as well, and possibly some threadfin salmon. Barramundi activity has picked up in the Fitzroy River around Telegraph Pool and Langi Crossing with live baits and lures both producing good fish.Big thanks to the crew from Tackle World Broome for their tips! Make sure you pay them a visit for the best gear and advice for your next fishing trip.
It’s been awesome to see some thumping coral trout turning up this week around Exmouth, with @onstrikecharters producing the goods for many lucky clients.
With Tantabiddi the only boat ramp in use most of the action has been on the west side, where finding clear water has still been a challenge. Fortunately, the lagoons from Tantabiddi south have been fishing well for spangled emperor, red-throat emperor and Chinaman cod, while the weed beds have been firing for big squid. The lumps on the west side have also been producing some nice coral trout. Bigger boats have been picking up black marlin and sailfish from 100m onwards and the 300m depths have yielded ruby snapper. A crew that went way out north to Long Island did well on red emperor and Rankin cod last weekend. Spanish mackerel have been active for those trolling closer in at the back of the reef. A few boats have beach-launched on the Exmouth Gulf side, but aside from the odd mangrove jack on the Shoals catches have been poor. Conditions look manageable over the coming days with around 1.5m swells and light to moderate southerlies.
Land-based fishing has been very limited with access to Bundegi, Learmonth, VLF Bay and Wapet Creek restricted. Lighthouse Bay and the Mildura Wreck have held decent spanged emperor and lure casters there have been landing Spanish mackerel. The town marina has been reliable for bream, trevally, small queenfish and mangrove jack, while casting into the lagoons at Tantabiddi and in the national park has produced spangled emperor and dart.
These great tips were courtesy of the friendly team at Exmouth Tackle & Camping. Swing by their store for advice and gear ahead of your next trip!
There have been a lot of mulloway caught around Kalbarri and north of town this week, with @tnttietjens enjoying a great Mid-West session one evening. Make sure you handle these great fish with care.
Wahoo and yellowfin tuna catches have been prominent on both sides of town and while Spanish mackerel numbers have been down a little, sizes have been great, usually around 20kg. Trolling garfish and tailor baits along the cliffs has produced some nice ones in 20m or so, with 4-5 knot trolling speed the sweet spot. Lure draggers have been doing well on the mackies using purple and orange Halco Laser Pros. Conditions are lining up nicely for both mornings this weekend so make the most of it.
Spawning mulloway have been schooling in big numbers in the flooded Murchison River with dozens being caught over the past week. While most locals have been sensible and released most of their catches, unfortunately some anglers have been maxing out on bag limits for the larger specimens. It’s always a good idea to consider only taking what you need. While not denying anglers the fish of a lifetime, the excessive pressure of big hauls of schooled-up fish on a daily basis at such a vulnerable time has concerned locals and can put the species at risk, so take a quick snap and let the big beauties go. Elsewhere, although dirty, the river has fished well for bream and cod, while mud crabs have been in reasonable numbers. Kalbarri’s beaches have been fishing exceptionally well with ballooners getting on to Spanish mackerel at Red Bluff, with decent tailor and golden trevally being caught at Wittecarra. Snapper chasers have pulled good pinkies up the cliff faces as well as nice tailor and a few baldchin groper. Wagoe and Lucky Bay have had weed problems, but ballooners at Wagoe have been rewarded with Spanish mackerel, while good tailor and pink snapper have also been caught. Lucky Bay has been full of mullet schools and has yielded decent tailor and yellowtail kingfish.Shout out to Kalbarri Sports and Dive for their tips! Feel free to venture into the store and ask for advice if you're wetting a line around Kalbarri.
Spanish mackerel from just size up to 16kg have been caught out from Coronation and Bowes River, along with a few good tuna. Floating weed has been a nuisance, but both lures and Reaper rigs have accounted for decent fish. For bait fishers, just-size tailor have trolled better than garfish and accounted for some big fish this week. Both Sunday and Monday morning currently look best on the forecast.
Whiting and herring have been reliable and widespread. Weed has been an issue for beach fishers as well, but it has been intermittent with clear patches at Separation Point, Greys Beach, Point Moore and Drummond all yielding fish. Most of the action was coming after the high tide. Tailor have been caught at sunrise and in the afternoons at the Greenough River mouth rocks, with the bite best from mid-afternoon to about 5pm. Pike to 40cm have been in good numbers at the second point. At Separation Point and Point Moore tailor have been having a hot half-an-hour run just after sunset, while those who have waded there have picked up fish to 70cm. The reefs off Chapman Road near the Batavia Coast Marina have produced big tailor too. At the back of the Lives towards the western end herring and whiting catches have been inconsistent right throughout the day but when they’ve been there the action has been red hot. In the evenings the odd tailor has been caught. Plenty of squid ink has been on the rocks at the Batavia Coast Marina, where sizes have been decent. Herring and sand whiting have been caught at the Esplanade along with a few tailor near Seal Rocks. North of Sunset Beach, mulloway ranging from soapies to over a metre have been caught, with four or five landed on some evenings, while the Buller River has held whiting most mornings.
Thanks to the team at Geraldton Sports Centre for their tips! They will happily provide you with great gear and solid advice for your next fishing trip.
The trusty Lancelin jetty produced the goods for @smilin_tongue_fishing this week, who muscled in this Sambo. An ever reliable spot for tailor, herring, skippy, squid and the occasional beast.
Boats
School holiday fishers have been finding dinghy fishing in the Bay great entertainment for the kids. Schools of herring and skippy have been providing plenty of action, and with a little extra effort fishers have also been picking up a few squid and King George whiting. Offshore, there has been an abundance of small baitfish schools in 20–30m of water, with yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna actively harassing the bait. Mackerel have been more active in the shallower depths, with both Spanish and school mackerel reported in 10–15m. Sunday is looking like a perfect day for a launch.
Schools of mullet have been passing regularly close to shore. Some impressive mulloway in the 12–20kg range have been landed, mostly during the early evening from sessions north and south of town. Tailor catches have slowed, with most sessions producing only a few fish, however the quality has certainly improved. Fish over 50cm are now showing up in the reef breaks and deeper gutters. Anglers downsizing their rigs to half pilchards on 3/0 hooks have been rewarded with some solid mixed bags from the beach, including skippy, herring, snapper, tailor, flathead and tarwhine. Drone fishers had the edge over beach casters this week, with the very calm and clear conditions keeping fish holding slightly wider in deeper water. Lancelin Jetty has also been fishing well for the school holidays in the evenings, with steady catches of herring, tailor, skippy and Sambo’s on occasions as pictured above.
Big thanks to Peter Fullarton for his tips on what's biting around Lancelin each week! If you want Peter to put you on to the fish directly, make sure you check out his Tailored Treks Tours page. Peter knows the best spots around Lancelin like the back of his hand.
Herring squid and King George whiting have been in Esperance Bay, while the close-in islands have produced sweep, queen snapper and breaksea cod. Out wide nannygai to 60cm have been in good numbers and lots of yellowtail kingfish and some solid Samsonfish up to 30kg have been landed, along with harlequin fish, queen snapper and breaksea cod. The good run of inshore gummy sharks has continued. Early on Sunday and Monday mornings are looking decent on the forecast.
Both jetties have held plenty of squid, skippy and bull herring. Town Jetty has yielded good skippy, while decent King George whiting have been caught at Taylor Street Jetty. Bandy Creek has held small King George whiting and skippy, plus flathead and flounder. Small pockets of salmon have been at Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach along with bull herring and skippy. Salmon schools have been active along Roses Beach, menaced by bronze whalers, along with skippy and a few tailor. Herring, flathead and the odd small mulloway have been caught in Wylie Bay, while Alexander Bay has held skippy to 2kg, gummy sharks, salmon and herring.
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.
84cm of chunky tailor! It’s certainly one of the fattest tailor we’ve seen off the South Coast for Declan Mills near Yeagarup Beach, which also produced some nice pinkies this week.
King George Sound has held King George whiting in good numbers off Griffiths Street and at Seal and Mistaken islands, although the sizes have tapered off a little. Squid numbers have picked up and they have been of decent size. Fat sand whiting have been caught at Two Peoples Bay, while Cape Riche has held big sandies and King George whiting. At Bald Head and Maude Reef salmon have been swimming with bluefin tuna schools, while bigger yellowfin tuna and a few yellowtail kingfish have been about for those dragging lures. Bigger boats that got out to the shelf got stuck into hapuka off Peaceful Bay, Cheynes and Albany, while nannygai were plentiful in 70m or so. Dhufish, pink snapper, queen snapper and breaksea cod were also in good numbers on the coral ground. Wilson Inlet has been producing flathead and the odd pink snapper, while blue swimmer crabs have come back strong in both Albany harbours. King George whiting have been caught in good numbers in the inlet at Walpole on prawn and cockle baits. Both Sunday and most of Monday are looking okay on the forecast but be wary of the 3m+ swell offshore.
Salmon action has been sporadic but some of the better spots have been Nanarup, Salmon Holes and Back Beach at Cheynes, with the main beach there being thick with herring. There was concerning footage of fishers almost being swept off the rocks at Salmon Holes this week which could’ve easily become their last fishing trip, so stick to the beaches if you want to maximise your safety as it’s not worth dying over a fish. Salmon have come from Sandpatch but Lowlands and Shelley Beach have been inconsistent. Good salmon sessions have also been enjoyed at Malimup Beach, which has also thrown up the odd big tailor. Denmark’s McGeary’s Rock has yielded some and Parrys Beach also had its moments. Ocean’s Legacy Sling Shots have been the favoured lure. Herring have been in good numbers at most places, while decent skippy have been landed at Gull Rock and Ledge Beach. Local rock platforms have produced pink snapper and Samsonfish, but few salmon. Holidaymakers have been doing well on herring, skippy, squid and cuttlefish at the town marina, while Emu Point has offered bream, herring, leatherjacket and squid at night and early in the morning. Blue swimmer crabs have been in good numbers for scoop netters in Princess Royal and Oyster Harbours, while bream have been taking baits in the Hay, King and Kalgan rivers. Frenchman Bay has been worth a shot for squid.
Cheers to the Trailblazers Albany crew for their fishing tips this week! Swing by their store if you're after some top gear and advice ahead of your next fishing trip. Remember, Trailblazers Albany have loan lifejackets available if you wish to fish off the rocks, but keeping the sand between your toes is always a safer option.
A delicious feed of calamari that is easily accessible and simple to catch off Busselton - and a happy Flynn! A great snap from @good_dhu_dhu who is enjoying his time down south.
Bunker and Eagle Bay have rewarded salmon chasers and Geographe Bay has produced King George whiting and squid in good numbers. Tuna schools have been about as well. Bunbury waters have fished well for squid, while tuna schools have been encountered 2km or so out from the ramps. South of Bunbury big King George whiting have been caught in 25m. Samsonfish have been active on the offshore lumps and inshore waters have held herring and skippy. In the Leschenault Estuary herring and a few chopper tailor have been about, but blue swimmer crab numbers have declined. Saturday arvo and most of Sunday look best on the forecast for this week.
Salmon have been the main game and schools have moved up from the Capes and into Bunbury waters with Peppermint Grove Beach, Belvedere Beach, Back Beach and the Bunbury Cut producing fish along with Preston and Myalup. Herring fishers have also been hassled by salmon at Dalyellup. Whitey’s has restocked with long-casting Ocean’s Legacy Sling Shots, which have been working brilliantly on salmon this year and Whitey’s staff are also big fans of Smilin’ Jacks. Salmon have remained in good numbers along the Capes with Injinup, Bunker Bay, Eagle Bay, Torpedo Rocks, Smiths Beach, Yallingup, Hamelin Bay, Point Picquet and Gas Bay the more consistent spots, although fishing off the beaches is recommended for safety and easier landings. If you are going to fish off the rocks, always wear a lifejacket and fish with a mate. Bunbury beaches have been producing better than average tailor, especially Preston, and lots of herring. Drone fishers have picked up pink snapper at Preston and down at Dunsborough, where nice tailor and big mulloway have been caught. Smiths Beach and Yallingup saw tailor to 80cm plucked out of the salmon schools. Yellowfin whiting action and blue swimmer crab scooping has died out in the Leschenault Estuary but those targeting bream and whiting on soft plastics along the harbour rock walls have picked up some nice flathead. The Bunbury Cut has also held small chopper tailor and herring, while bream and soapy mulloway should be worth a crack in the Collie River. Busselton Jetty has been quiet for species other than squid, but they have been in good numbers and there’s always a chance of a salmon school passing by.
Big cheers to Whitey's Tackle & Camping for their top fishing tips as always! If you're in Australind or Bunbury and are keen to wet a line throughout our South-West make sure you ask their very friendly team who love their fishing for advice and stock up on gear at their store. If you're in Busselton, the 2 Oceans Tackle team are also incredibly helpful.
It’s been very quiet this week with many South-West fly-fishers opting to target salmon in the salt. Small rainbow trout have been holding around Potters Gorge and Honeymoon Pool, while a few reports of rainbow trout have come from the Preston River. Feeder streams into Waroona and Logue Brook dams and Drakesbrook Weir have turned up reasonable brown trout for fly-fishers. Big perch have been in the waterways throughout Pemberton with smaller ones at Harvey and Wellington dams and close to the Collie townsite.
Tuna action has picked up offshore and shark mackerel have turned up as well towards the Bouvards. One angler fishing 1km out from Halls Head picked up a decent Spaniard. Mid-morning sessions on the Five-Fathom Bank have also been productive with small yellowtail kingfish joining decent-sized skippy in the burley trails. Recent pleasant conditions have also drawn out whiting and squid chasers with KGs off Dawesville. Sand whiting were at James Service Reef and inside the Five, while squid were off Falcon, Melros and into the Peel-Harvey Estuary. Drop netters have been doing well for this deep into April with most getting a feed of blue swimmer crabs. Herring, skippy, yellowfin whiting and tailor have been active along the estuary drop-offs. Pot droppers have been getting crayfish in 8-15m and divers have been picking them up a tad deeper. Saturday arvo and all of Sunday are expected to be very flat out on the water.
Beaches both sides of town have been fishing well for tailor, herring. Mulloway either side of a metre were landed, with drone fishers picking up the odd pink snapper around White Hills, which has also yielded the odd salmon. Small schools have been active at the ocean end of the Dawesville Cut first thing in the morning. Further along the Cut holidaymakers have enjoyed good fishing for herring, tailor, skippy and squid. Nice mixed bags have also come from the Peel-Harvey Estuary’s canals and marinas, including some decent skippy, while soapy mulloway and a few bream have been in the Murray and Serpentine rivers. Scoop netters have found blue swimmer crabs scarce with the better catches coming after dark. A few yellowfin whiting have been caught on the estuary flats and tailor and herring have been active along the drop-offs.
Thinking of wetting a line around Mandurah? These great tips were courtesy of the super friendly and helpful team at Tackle World Miami so make sure you swing by their store for the best tips and gear before your next fishing trip!
Things have started to get interesting with tailor to 65cm were being taken on stickbaits from reefy ground behind Garden and Penguin islands and there have been whispers of salmon schools. Shark mackerel and the odd Spanish have been reported in Cockburn Sound, plus a few Spaniards have been picked up out wide behind Garden Island. King George and sand whiting numbers have improved in Mangles Bay, behind Penguin Island, inside of Garden Island and on Parmelia Bank, while squid have been going well. Good-sized skippy and herring have been picked up by those burleying up close in and the strong run of blue swimmer crabs has continued in Cockburn Sound. Sunday is looking like a glorious day out on the water.
Tailor and mulloway have continued to fish well at Long Point, Port Kennedy, Warnbro, Secret Harbour and Golden Bay, which has been a hotspot for metre-plus mulloway in recent weeks. Southern beaches have yielded pink snapper for drone fishers, while herring have been plentiful at most beaches. Whispers of salmon have come from Woodman Point, while the Ammo Jetty and Palm Beach and Rockingham jetties have offered herring, chopper tailor and the odd squid. Rockingham and Palm Beach jetties have also thrown up pink snapper to 60cm. Divers have still been getting blue swimmer crabs, so dropping nets off the local jetties could yield some as well. Squid fishing has improved at Point Peron and at the Penguin Island spit jetty.
These great fishing tips were provided by the friendly team at Compleat Angler & Camping World in Rockingham, so make sure you chat to their experienced crew in store and stock up before heading out!
There are still decent flounder doing the rounds in the Swan’s lower reaches, with @hunter__hebb landing this horse on a Vexed Buckabou jig!
Spanish and shark mackerel were reported south of Rottnest and off the northern suburbs late last week, but their numbers have dropped off over the past few days. Yellowtail kingfish and Samsonfish have been caught out from the northern suburbs and also at the artificial reefs. Squid have been fishing well out from Fremantle, Swanbourne, Ocean Reef, Hillarys, in the bays at Rottnest Island and near Carnac Island. Sizes have been good with many having 35-40cm hoods. Sand whiting have been plentiful out from Windmills with herring and small flathead mixed in. Only a few salmon have been caught around the metro and most catches were near Mewstones. Hot weather last week lured a few big Swan River blue swimmer crabs into shallower water where they were caught in 3-4m around Crawley, while trolling for chopper tailor in the river’s middle reaches has been good fun at times. There is a window on Saturday arvo opening up but Sunday is looking like the best day out on the water. Wednesday is also looking the goods.
Tailor up to 73cm have been taken on lures from the northern beaches where mulloway around the 80cm mark have been in reasonable numbers as well. North and south metro beaches have held good numbers of herring. 35-45cm tailor have been picked up on overcast mornings at Floreat, Swanbourne and Cottesloe, with CID Shiversticks a go-to lure for these choppers. There’s been little action at the Fremantle Moles apart from herring and the odd small tailor, while at the E-Shed many mulloway chasers have caught little else but rays. The odd flathead is still turning up between Maylands and East Fremantle, while a few chopper tailor have been caught from the drop-offs at Claremont, Point Resolution, Chidley Point, Point Walter and Applecross. A few squid have entered the lower Swan. Bream fishing in the system has been quiet, but the odd mulloway is still being caught, mostly up river from the Narrows.
A big thanks to Compleat Angler Nedlands for their great metro tips! These guys are all avid fishers, know the best spots for every particular species and have provided great support to Recfishwest and metro fishers for many years. Make sure you ask their super friendly team for advice at their store just off Stirling Highway and stock up before wetting a line off the land or boat!
Our Fishing Report is compiled by West Australian writer and keen angler William Bennett, who contacts tackle stores directly around WA - love your work William!
Recfishwest’s fishing report contributors: Jarrad Lawford (editor), Sam Bock, Sedin Hasanovic, Sam Russell, Levi De Boni and Mason McHutchison.
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This Fishing Report was submitted on 4/17/2026 1:20:54 AM by Seamus and last updated on 4/24/2026 11:09:04 PM.
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