Download the mobile app!
Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
15 May, 2026
Pic of the Week goes to Chance Francis for joining the $1 club - and some! - with this cracker of a mungie off the stones
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!
Two new initiatives have been announced by the State Government as part of its ongoing demersal fisheries reform package, including new demersal rules outside the West Coast Bioregion from 1 June and a new $50 tackle rebate scheme for boat fishing licence holders.
Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said the new rules were balanced, sensible and broadly reflect the feedback we’ve been hearing from fishers we’ve been talking to across the State.
Importantly, the new rules support the sustainability of key species outside the west coast closure, such as red emperor in the Pilbara and pink snapper on the South Coast, and are a direct response to ensure these fisheries remain healthy for the long-term, Andrew said.
Recfishwest also welcomes the tackle rebate initiative, recognising the impact recent demersal changes had on WA fishers and local tackle stores.
This is a fair and practical step from the Government in recognising that many boat fishing licence holders have paid for access to a demersal fishery they can’t currently use, Andrew said.
It’s the first time we’ve seen this kind of response, and it’s a sensible way to acknowledge that impact in a way that supports both fishers and local tackle businesses.
Click here to read the full story.
@celestemcdonald found a couple of quality bluebone during the week not far from Broome.
Afternoon glass-offs have allowed crews to get stuck into Spanish mackerel and tuna out from Willie Creek, while sailfish have been in good numbers off Barred Creek. Crews that went out wide got red emperor, blue-lined emperor and coral trout, while closer in, bluebone were on the lumps off Gantheaume Point. The Fingers has fished well for threadfin salmon, while Dampier and Crab creeks have produced the odd small barramundi. Big giant trevally have been harassing bait schools out from Barn Hill, where queenfish and Spanish flag have also made their way into bags.
Shore-Based
Javelin fish and some decent-sized queenfish have been caught from Town Beach Jetty, while crews throwing slices at Entrance Point have picked up queenfish and trevally, with the odd mangrove jack and bluebone being taken on baits. Cable Beach, north of the rocks, has produced threadfin salmon, while Coconut Wells has been the pick of the whiting spots. James Price and Gantheaume points could be worth a visit for lure casters with queenfish about and Spanish mackerel and tuna always a chance. The flat rock at Willie Creek has offered mangrove jack and blue-nosed salmon. Reports of good threadfin salmon catches have come from 80-Mile Beach, while the Cuttings and Telegraph Pool in the Fitzroy River have fished well for barramundi.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.
Josh and Lex from @remote76_ landed this beauty of an Exmouth sailfish on a jig at Helby Bank
Strong winds and swells limited activity for the smaller boats for much of the week with conditions not conducive for trolling and ruling out most billfishing. When weather windows arose, goldband snapper catches were steady out west in 100m, while charters fishing towards the Muirons found red emperor, coral trout and Spanish mackerel in good numbers. Spanish mackerel have been active at the back of the reef, while dinghy fishers at Pilgramunna have done well on Spanish mackerel, spangled emperor and coral trout in 30m or so. The water is still heavily stained in Exmouth Gulf but clearer patches on the eastern side have produced the odd blue-lined emperor and coral trout.
Land-based fishers have been having a hard time of it lately, but some good fish have come from the west side and at the tip of the cape. A fly-fisher had a great day at Sandy Bay on the weekend, landing six 60cm-plus spangled emperor, while in Lighthouse Bay and at Mildura Wreck spangled emperor, the odd bluebone and golden and goldspot trevally have been landed. Tantabiddi has also been worth a look for spangled emperor. In Exmouth’s town marina, bream, mangrove jack, queenfish and trevally have been keeping schoolkids entertained.
These great tips were courtesy of the friendly team at Tackle World Exmouth. Swing by their store for advice and gear ahead of your next trip!
@nickihuntfishing using the trusty-as-ever Twisty to get a bite our of this ripper Kalbarri longtail
Despite calm conditions and heaps of baitfish about, pelagic action around Kalbarri has been very quiet. Just a few small Spanish mackerel have been landed quite a way north of town on trolled baits, but it’s been a different story off Wagoe where hungry Spaniards have been joined by longtail tuna and amberjack. Unsuccessful mackie trollers around town have instead been catching their own bait, making the most of the huge schools of yellowtail and slimy mackerel. They’ve also been getting some good squid in Jakes Bay. Meanwhile, crayfishers say their quarry has been running hot and cold lately.
Shore fishers haven’t been missing out on the pelagic action, getting Spanish mackerel to 20kg, tuna and amberjack at Wagoe, along with solid tailor and pink snapper. Lucky Bay is thick with mullet schools and good tailor and the odd decent mulloway has been caught there, along with nice mixed bags of whiting, flathead and flounder. Wittecarra and Red Bluff have been quiet, despite ideal morning conditions for tailor chasers. It’s been the same at the river mouth. Cliff fishers have fared better, getting good tailor, pink snapper and a few baldchin groper. The normally reliable Murchison River has also been slow. Bream, whiting and mangrove jack have shut down but cod have been in good numbers. A young local lad has landed a few mulloway around 90cm but little else has been about, though a few blue swimmer crabs have returned to the lower reaches of the river.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.
@ricky_fender_beachfishing_wa up to his usual tricks with yet another solid mully from a Mid-West beach
Few crews bothered to target pelagics this week, but dinghy fishers drifting on the weedbeds just out from the harbour at the weekend returned with plenty of ink on their boats and themselves – which suggests Point Moore, Separation Point and the weed banks north of the Batavia Coast Marina could also be worth a crack.
Tailor and herring catches have dropped off but 25-30cm school whiting have been in good numbers at Southgates and Tarcoola when the water has been clean, and also between the Pages Beach groyne and the Lives. The platform at the Batavia Coast Marina and the nearby rocks have fished well for squid, with most anglers picking off three or four of average size each session. From Sunset Beach to Glenfield mulloway from 65cm to a metre and herring and whiting have been caught when the weed allows, while mulloway to 1.2m have been caught north of Drummond Cove and near the Buller River. They have also been the main catch north of Coronation, around Jacksons Hole.
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.
@tailoredtreksfishing have been finding some quality King George in the Bay
Boats
Sensational conditions this week saw the biggest run west by boat fishers we’ve seen in quite some time, with the offshore fleet making the most of the light winds and manageable swell. Fishers heading out wide were dropping jigs around the Key Biscayne wreck, tangling with some hard-fighting Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish. Squid have easily been one of the stand-out targets again this week, with excellent numbers reported both inside the bay and out deeper for those willing to venture a little further. Late afternoon through to sunset continues to be the prime bite window, particularly over the cleaner weed beds. The bay itself has also been fishing very consistently, with good numbers of snook, herring and skippy keeping dinghy and small boat fleet entertained. Those putting in a bit more time poking around have also managed the odd quality King George whiting mixed in amongst the pickers. The swell is expected to be up a little over the weekend and combined with a large morning tide the beach launch could become quite surgy despite the forecast light winds. Conditions may still be manageable for experienced crews, though patience at the ramp and timing the sets will be important. Launching and retrieving around the afternoon low tide could prove to be the safer and easier option. As always, don’t chance it there will be plenty of fish there tomorrow if the beach looks ugly or if not sure don’t go.
Mulloway fishers who have been willing to put in the hard yards after dark have continued to be rewarded, with several quality fish in the 12–20kg range reported this week. Reports have filtered in from Wilbinga right through to Grey and Cervantes, with fresh baits and persistence proving the key ingredients. Plenty of anglers are doing long hours for only a bite or two, but when that reel finally screams it has certainly been worth the effort. Tailor activity increased noticeably this week with more fish showing along the beaches and around the gutters. There have been some good bags for those throwing poppers and stickbaits at first light, while bait fishers soaking mulies in the deeper holes have also been finding success. Snapper have also really fired up with the increase in swell late this week. Both casters and drone fishers have been getting amongst quality fish, and encouragingly they haven’t needed massive distances, with many fish coming from only 150–200m out. With the new moon approaching and a bit of white water around, conditions are shaping up very nicely for the coming week. If the swell holds and the water stays clean enough, there should be plenty more reports of pinkies hitting the sand.
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.
Nannygai have been plentiful at Figure of Eight and Boxer islands, while Long Island has produced big queen snapper. A few pink snapper have been at Baynes Reef and there’s been lots of bonito between Charley and Cull islands, often keeping company with bluefin tuna. A 10kg bluefin was reportedly caught on a jig for one crew fishing out wide for kingfish. Snook and squid have been prolific in Esperance Bay, while Flat Rocks has yielded sizeable King George whiting.
Gummy sharks, mulloway and big skippy have been caught at Thomas River, while Dunns Bech has offered salmon and gummy sharks. Stockyards Beach has produced decent-sized mulloway, big tarwhine and lots of salmon. Salmon and Fourth beaches have held big salmon and skippy. Solid sand whiting have been taken at Twilight Beach, while King George whiting have been in good numbers at the town foreshore and in Bandy Creek Boat Harbour. Taylor Street and Town jetties have yielded squid and garfish after dark, while Woody Lake has continued to fish well for bream.
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.
Mitch from from @saltydestinations with a solid gummy taken from a beach near Peaceful Bay.
King George whiting have been going strong at Michaelmas Island, Griffiths Street and Mistaken Island, with these locations and Limestone Head also holding decent squid. Two Peoples Bay has produced squid as well along with lots of fat sand whiting, while trollers around Bald Head and Breaksea Island have picked up salmon and tuna. Blue swimmer crabs have continued to be caught in Princess Royal and Oyster harbours.
Salmon catches east of town have improved greatly with Cheynes, Bluff Creek, Normans Beach and Salmon Holes all producing. Tuna have been mixed in with salmon at Cable Beach and West Cape Howe, which has also produced good pink snapper. In Denmark, salmon have landed at Lights Beach and Parry Beach. At Emu Point there have been heaps of pesky trumpeter mixed in with bream and whiting, and the odd squid at first and last light, while bream fishing has steady in the Kalgan, King and Hay rivers. At the town marina, squid, cuttlefish, small skippy and leatherjacket have been caught, while scoopers have been finding crabs in Princess Royal Harbour. Good squid have been landed in Frenchman Bay. In the Broke and Wilson inlets, dab netters have been getting prawns.
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.
Sweet dhuie on a Sou West sunset off the stones for @jamie_stubbs_
King George whiting continue to be caught in 15-20m depths out from Bunbury with skippy, Samsonfish and flathead also in the mix. Squid have been caught on the weed beds just north of Bunbury and they have been fishing well in Geographe Bay, where King George whiting have been in reasonable numbers. Fewer salmon schools have been sighted off Bunbury but they have been mixed in with small tuna off Buffalo Beach. Crews have done better on salmon in Bunker and Eagle bays. Herring have been thick in the Leschenault Estuary which has continued to produce blue swimmer crabs but in fewer numbers.
Good numbers of pink snapper have been taken, mostly by drone fishers, at Binningup, Buffalo Beach, Dalyellup and Dunsborough. A few salmon have been landed at Binningup and Buffalo Beach, and they have been firing in Eagle Bay, at Point Picquet, Bunker Bay, Injidup, Yallingup and Smiths Beach. At Deepdene, big tailor have been among the salmon schools, while a salmon fisher’s unweighted mulie accounted for a decent dhufish at Smiths Beach. Tailor have gone quiet on beaches around Bunbury but herring have been thick. Good mulloway have been caught from Forrest Beach down to Dunsborough, mostly in Geographe Bay, but a few have also come from Busselton Jetty, which has also produced pink snapper, Samsonfish, good numbers of squid and the odd salmon. The Bunbury Cut and Back Beach have also yielded a few salmon, while in the Collie River, bream catches have been steady but soapy mulloway have thinned out. Down at Yeagarup, salmon have been thick at times
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.
Freshwater fishers are starting to see conditions improve across the South-West following some decent early rainfall. Water levels in many of the Southern Forests rivers and brooks are beginning to rise, flows are strengthening and cooler water temperatures should help spur trout into becoming more active over the coming weeks.
Around Pemberton, anglers have reported a few rainbow trout coming from the local streams, with the fresh flow expected to improve fishing as the season progresses. Deeper sections of Big Brook Dam could also be worth a look, particularly early morning and late afternoon when trout are likely to be on the chew.
Redfin perch have continued to be the main target in the South-West impoundments, with Harvey and Wellington dams producing a few solid fish for anglers willing to put in the effort. Kayak fishers working deeper water with soft plastics and small vibes have generally had the better results, while shore-based anglers have needed to stay mobile and cover ground to locate schools, with dawn and dusk being the most successful.
Calm conditions and the removal of the FADs have slowed pelagic activity and the salmon schools seem to have disappeared. Meanwhile, King George whiting chasers off Dawesville and around the Five-Fathom Bank have been frustrated by hordes of skippy beating the KGs to baits. Crews closer in and at the James Service Reef have been doing better on sand whiting. Crayfish catches have been good for those dropping pots on the inshore reefs, while a few squid have entered the Peel Harvey Estuary – but bigger squid have been taken out from Dawesville. Trollers in the estuary have found a few tailor and plenty of herring, while drop netting for blue swimmer crabs has become a bit harder.
Pink snapper have been landed at beaches south of town, mostly by droners, while beaches north of town have produced a few good mulloway. A few tailor and herring have been caught along the local beaches, while the Dawesville Cut has been a hotspot for herring and has also produced a few squid. Bream have been in the Peel-Harvey Estuary’s marinas and canals, while the Serpentine and Murray rivers have offered soapy mulloway. Yellowfin whiting chasers in the estuary will be hoping for more water movement over the flats and this weekend they are likely to have more success on vibes rather than surface lures.
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!
Luke Deguara from @westcoastfishingco went for a prospect at Woodies Point and and got stuck into a school of metro Salmon
Crews have started to do a bit better on salmon with fish being caught either side of the Five-Fathom Bank and behind Garden and Carnac islands. Quite a few tuna schools have been about as well along with the odd rat yellowtail kingfish and Samsonfish on the lumps. Skippy have been in good numbers on the broken ground, herring and sand whiting have been going well in close and better King George whiting have been caught in the deeper depths. Squid fishing has been going well in Mangles Bay, off Woodman Point, inside of Garden Island and in Warnbro Sound, while a few blue swimmer crabs have been kicking around in the deeper parts of Cockburn Sound.
Pink snapper catches have been going well with Port Kennedy, Secret Harbour and Golden Bay among the better spots. Salmon chasers have found a few at Port Kennedy and Secret Harbour and they often have been mixed in with solid winter tailor. The Ammo Jetty is usually a reliable spot for salmon when they are out in force but this year it has been very quiet. Most beaches have been thick with herring and the odd school mulloway has turned up at times. The jetties have been a bit quiet, offering mostly small numbers of herring and scaly mackerel, but Palm Beach and Rockingham jetties have produced a few soapy mulloway and some school-sized fish at night, and salmon schools were reported between both jetties late this week. Squid fishing has improved at Point Peron and at the jetty near the Penguin Island spit.
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!
Hasn’t just been the Mid West on fire for the mullys these last few weeks, as this cracker of a croacker taken in the metro by Recfishwest’s own @levideboni shows!
Squid numbers have improved greatly with good hauls coming from inshore from Fremantle, the Windmills, off Cottesloe and in the bays at Rottnest Island, while sand whiting, King George whiting, herring and skippy have been in good numbers from Fremantle up to Mindarie. Northern suburbs inshore waters have also held good numbers of garfish for those throwing in burley in 3-4m. Herring and tailor have been thick at Mewstones but no salmon reports have come from there recently, though at Rottnest Island a few schools have been sighted. Out at the Fish Towers yellowtail kingfish and Samsonfish have been reported. In the Swan River, a few chopper tailor have been picked up on the troll and the river’s deeper pockets have continued to hold a few crabs.
The Fremantle Moles have held plenty of herring and the odd pink snapper. South Mole, the walls along Mews Road and the rock walls at Cottesloe have also been worth a crack for squid. The northern beaches have offered decent tailor, mulloway and the odd dhufish and pink snapper for drone fishers, and reports of night-time mulloway around a metre have come from Hillarys marina. Herring have been thick from Fremantle to Yanchep, while a salmon was caught on light gear at Alkimos Beach at the weekend. Salmon schools were also sighted at Two Rocks. Stray salmon have also been reported at the moles and from Port Beach through to Trigg, while herring, skippy and sand whiting have been caught at Cottesloe and Floreat. A few flathead and flounder have been kicking around in the middle and lower reaches of the Swan River, where bream have been widespread but mulloway catches have slowed. Anglers fishing from the drop-offs have caught some decent tailor.
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: Sam Bock, Sam Russell, Sedin Hasanovic, Levi De Boni, Mason McHutchison and Logan Hellmrich.
Not a member yet? Join for free today and get exclusive weekly fishing reports, ‘Members First’ updates, and special member-only deals
Stay up to date with news, events and clinics across WA by following us on socials.
Our mailing address is:
First floor, Suite 3, 45 Northside Drive, Hillarys
Perth, WA 6025, Australia
You are receiving this email because you signed up to our newsletter. You can update your preferences or unsubscribe
Copyright © 2026 Recfishwest, All rights reserved.
This Fishing Report was submitted on 5/15/2026 6:01:28 AM by Seamus and last updated on 6/2/2026 6:49:11 PM.
Including GPX (Universal GPS Format), KML (Google Earth), and XLS (Excel) files.
Gives You Access To:
Download GPS files of fishing spots. Create Custom Maps of fishing spots. Fishing predictions w/ future date & location. Featured Listings for your fishing business.
$7 month or $49 year