A Hazardous Fishing Alert has come through for all fishers between Cape Naturaliste and Shark Bay over Friday and Saturday, with large swells and elevated wave heights moving across a large portion of WA.

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.

INFO:

• Swell wave heights above 3m with significant wave heights around 5m due to the passage of a cold front.

• South-westerly waves with swell heights around 3.5-4m and swell periods around 12-13 seconds from Friday morning, peaking around midday with swell heights near 4.5m around Cape Leeuwin.

• Swell heights begin easing from Friday evening, dropping below 3m around mid-morning on Saturday.

• Some patches of 3-3.5m swell may extend north to the Shark Bay west coast from midnight Friday, easing below 3m by early afternoon Saturday.

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, visit our website.

Crab rule changes: update

DPIRD’s survey on proposed changes to recreational blue swimmer crab rules on the West Coast has officially closed.

Recfishwest has made our submission following consultation with the crabbing community across the West Coast.

Click here to read our full submission.

In summary, we support the 10 crab bag limit as it is simple, consistent, sustainable and helps keep the fishery in good shape while making the rules easier to follow.

However, we don’t support pushing the whole recreational season back to January.

This would unnecessarily take away December crabbing opportunities, especially when many fishers are already getting good catches of legal crabs in places like the Swan River, Cockburn Sound and Peel-Harvey when using drop nets. Plus, many families love to get a feed of crabs for Christmas.

“Crabbing is one of WA’s great family fishing experiences enjoyed by a huge amount of WA’s recreational fishers, so getting these settings right really matters,” said Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland.

“We will keep the fishing community updated on any changes. This is your fishery and we have put forward a pratcial middle ground that protects undersize crabs and quality crabbing experiences.”

Click here for more info.

Boats

The swell and tide have been up over the past week, discouraging larger boats from attempting the beach launch, with many opting to sit it out rather than risk a tough retrieve. Those running smaller dinghies have been able to sneak in and out with far less trouble and have been well rewarded for the effort. The Bay has been fishing extremely well, producing consistent action across a range of species. There have been plenty of skippy getting around in solid numbers, providing great sport on light tackle, while herring and tarwhine have been reliable for those fishing baits or small lures. Snook have also been active, especially for those trolling or casting metals, and have added a bit of variety to sessions. King George whiting numbers remain steady, with patient fishers finding quality fish over the sand patches, while squid catches have shown a noticeable improvement around the weed beds during the change of light. Looking ahead, conditions are set to improve significantly. With the swell forecast to drop below two metres and light winds expected from Sunday onwards and into next week, it shapes up as an ideal window to get back out there. It could be the perfect chance to dust off the bigger boats and blow a few cobwebs out of the outboards, with plenty of fish still on offer for those willing to make the most of the calmer weather.

Shore-Based

As we move further into the seasonal change, tailor numbers have begun to taper off compared to previous weeks, but there have still been some quality fish showing up, with larger specimens making up for the drop in overall numbers. The standout from the beaches has been the mulloway, with some impressive fish landed right along the coast. Reports of fish pushing close to the 1.5m mark have certainly added some excitement, and there’s a real buzz among anglers putting in the time during the night sessions. With the conditions starting to settle, this bite could continue to fire on. Bread-and-butter species have been keeping rods bent during the day, with sand whiting, herring and skippy all providing consistent action. There have also been some cracking blue spot flathead taken, rewarding those covering ground and working their baits or lures through likely areas. The Lancelin jetty is also showing signs of improvement, with cleaner water moving in and bringing better fishing with it. Mixed bags have been common, including skippy, herring, squid, tailor and King George whiting. Adding to the interest, a few Samsonfish in the more manageable 60–70cm range have been turning up, giving anglers a bit of extra excitement and something a little more powerful to test their gear.

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.

Boats

Nannygai to 3kg have been prolific at Figure of Eight Island, while big queen snapper and breaksea cod have been landed at Lion Island. Samsonfish have been abundant at Black Island and there have been plenty of tuna between Flat Rocks and Charley and Cull Islands. Squid have been active in 14m at Cook Rocks, while big King George whiting have been caught at Lovers Cove. Esperance Bay has held big herring and squid. Sizeable sand whiting has been landed in Wylie Bay. Monday arvo through to Wednesday evening could shape up nicely for the boaties but this weekend is looking wet and windy.

Shore-Based

Alexander Bay has been going well for gummy sharks and mulloway, while Dunns Bach has held big gummy sharks and plenty of salmon. Small mulloway, salmon and big skippy have been occupying the nice gutters formed at Stockyards. Roses Beach has yielded gummy sharks, bronze whalers and lots of salmon. There’s been a hot bite on salmon early in the mornings at Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach, while Blue Haven has held lots of big King George whiting. King George whiting and big flathead have been landed along the town foreshore. Bandy Creek has offered King George whiting and skippy. Taylor Street and Town jetties have fished well at night for herring, garfish and lots of squid. Bream chasers have done best at Woody Lake.

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.

It was a pink snapper per cast for @andrew_ward_3 on the South Coast recently, with the skilled fisher having one of the best sessions of his life. As soon as the baits went down, he was on to some big specimens. Make sure you always fish with a friend and wear a lifejacket if fishing off the stones.

Boats

Crews enjoyed excellent conditions over the long weekend with the bigger boats finding plenty of hapuka and good numbers of saddleback cod on the shelf out from Peaceful Bay, Cheynes and Albany around the bommies. Nannygai were plentiful on the edge of the shelf and on the coral out from Cheynes, Hartman and Peaceful Bay. The closer-in lumps offered pink and queen snapper and breaksea cod. King George whiting were in good numbers throughout King George Sound, while large squid were snatching jigs at Cape Riche, towards Limestone Head, off Gull Rock, in Two Peoples Bay and at Seal Island. Two Peoples Bay had a nice mix of sand whiting and KGs and Cape Riche held plenty of big sandies. Salmon have been scarce, but trollers have picked up a few at Bald Head and Vancouver Rock. At Walpole, nice King George whiting have been caught in the inlet, while at the ocean end, salmon schools have shown up and surprised herring fishers. Princess Royal Harbor has gone a little better than Oyster Harbour for drop netters chasing blue swimmer crabs. Sunday through to Tuesday arvo might open up with a better weather window expected.

Shore-Based

Salmon chasers have done well at Cheynes. Nanarup and Normans have had good days and Salmon Holes has been very consistent off the beach. Denmark’s Lights Beach has produced a few stragglers. Salmon have been swimming with tuna at Cable Beach, while Bluff Creek, Cable Beach and Gull Rock have produced nice skippy. Reports of monster 90cm to 1m pink snapper have come from the hard-to-reach rock platforms either side of town but make sure you wear a lifejacket and fish with a friend if attempting this. Herring have been widespread and plentiful, while sizeable squid have been caught at Whalers Cove and in Frenchman Bay. The town marina has produced cuttlefish, squid, herring and bream, while Emu Point has offered squid at night from the jetties and bream and herring in the channel. Scoop netters have been getting blue swimmer crabs in Princess Royal Harbour, while the King River and Kalgan River have produced good bream, along with herring and juvenile salmon near its mouth.

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.

Skilled photographer @mat.kleczkowski.photography has done it again in our South-West this week, snapping another epic salmon school amongst some surfers. The kind of sight that fishers always want to catch a glimpse of.

Boats

Bunbury’s inshore waters have held plenty of herring and skippy, while further out there have been tuna schools and Samsonfish on the lumps. In Geographe Bay, Four-Mile Reef has held good King George whiting, while squid have been going well close in. Eagle Bay and Bunker Bay have been worth a crack for salmon although the schools have been smaller than in recent weeks. Blue swimmer crabs seem to have moved out from the Leschenault Estuary, but they have been caught in reasonable numbers in the harbour. Saturday through to Tuesday should be inviting on the water.

Shore-Based

There’s been a good run of pink snapper either side of Bunbury but because of the heavy weed, drone fishers have been faring better than casters. Mulloway have also appeared with good fish being caught at Myalup, Preston and Forrest beaches along with the Bunbury Cut. Tailor fishing has gone quiet, but herring have been about in good numbers for those who can get past the weed. Busselton Jetty has been going well for squid and pink snapper and mulloway were caught off the end between the cold fronts. In the Collie River bream fishing has continued to improve and soapy mulloway have been in the mix as well. The recent weather fronts seem to have dispersed the salmon schools that were active around Buffalo and Belvedere beaches. Between the Capes at Eagle Bay, Castle Rock, Bunker Bay, Injidup, Point Picquet, Smiths Beach and Yallingup have all produced fish at times, while catches have been consistent at Yeagerup and Warren beaches. A few good tailor and the odd school mulloway have been caught by salmon chasers at Yallingup and Smiths.

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.

Redfin perch dominated catches this week. All of the deeper waterways around the Pemberton region has produced them in good sizes, while smaller ones have been in good numbers and were taking soft plastics in the Collie River, Drakesbrook Weir and at Harvey, Wellington and Glen Mervyn dams. A few small rainbow trout have been hanging around Honeymoon Pool, but they have been hard to tempt and fishers need to be quite gentle and stealthy with their movements.

Just Rhys made the most of the FADs before they were retrieved! He’s also won himself a $50 Tackle World Miami voucher for sending in this snap. To see the deployment status of the FADs, visit our dedicated FADs webpage.

Boats

James Service Reef fished well over the weekend with strong sand whiting reports. Skippy and herring were about for those anchoring and using burley. Squid were also in good numbers on the weed banks. Tailor and yellowtail kingfish to 80cm have been caught at Horseshoe Reef, while off Dawesville and towards Five-Fathom Bank large King George whiting have been landed in ones or twos. Drop netters have continued to pick up blue swimmer crabs in the Peel-Harvey Estuary which has held loads of herring, but tailor catches have dwindled. Sunday right through to Thursday is looking best on the forecast.

Shore-Based

A couple of pink snapper were landed at the Dawesville Cut this week, which has also produced herring, small tailor, the odd skippy near the Seba’s Song Giant and a few squid. The Peel-Harvey Estuary’s marinas have held bream and soapy mulloway, while yellowfin whiting, which are no longer schooling, have been picked up in ones and twos on the flats. Scoop netters have been getting blue swimmer crabs but have had to work a harder, while the Serpentine River has produced bream and soapy mulloway. Mandurah’s beaches have fished well with sizeable mulloway caught at White Hills and north of town at San Remo and Madora Bay. Herring have been plentiful at most beaches and chopper tailor have been going okay. The odd stray salmon has been landed on bait at White Hills.

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!

Boats

Dolphinfish have been in good numbers at the FADs but they have been very skittish and just a few have been landed. A heads up that all FADs in the West Coast zone will be out of the water soon, so make the most of it and check the Recfishwest FADs page to see their deployment status. A few tuna and some big Samsonfish have been caught out that way, while closer in fishers have been finding plenty of skippy and herring. Squid sizes and numbers have been improving inside of Garden Island and off Woodman Point, while sand whiting have been widespread and in reasonable numbers. Mulloway have been caught at night in the shipping lanes and a few blue swimmer crabs have been sticking around in the deeper sections of Cockburn Sound. This coming week is looking inviting on the forecast for the boaties.

Shore-Based

Mulloway have been caught at Secret Harbour and Golden Bay, while Port Kennedy, Long Point and Secret Harbour have yielded pink snapper for drone fishers and casters. Tailor catches have slowed on the beaches, but herring have been in good numbers. Scaly mackerel have been around the local jetties which have also produced small tailor, herring and the odd squid. These species and one or two small King George whiting have been caught at Woodman Point, while squid fishing has been steady at Point Peron.

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!

@anguswillis_ and Recfishwest’s Mason McHutchison took advantage of last weekend’s great metro conditions to come home with a feed of calamari.

Boats

The cold fronts seem to have shut down the pelagic activity. There had been Spanish mackerel reports off Two Rocks with loads of herring being spotted as well. Samsonfish, amberjack, yellowtail kingfish and the odd tuna had been caught at the Fish Towers with jigs worked fast producing the goods. The latter two species were also landed off the West End of Rottnest Island on trolled lures. Sand whiting have been in good numbers from Mindarie right through to Windmills, where they have been mixed in with King George whiting. Squid have been at Windmills, off South Beach and in the bays at Rottnest. Herring and skippy have been in good numbers, especially off Marmion and Hillarys, where they have been swimming with a few King George whiting. Salmon chasers trolling at Mewstones and Stragglers have had to settle for tailor and big herring. Trolling for tailor has been worthwhile in the Swan River too, which has also thrown up a few big blue swimmer crabs in its deeper pockets. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are shaping up beautifully on the forecast but Saturday will be a bit choppy.

Shore-Based

Pink snapper catches picked up as the cold fronts rolled in with the Fremantle Moles producing some good ones. Half-herring or whiting baits fished on a paternoster rig worked well, while the northern rock walls also threw up one or two. A stray salmon was caught from Ocean Reef rock wall late last week and a big mulloway was landed on light gear from the beach at Hillarys. South Mole has fished well for skippy, herring and squid, while the rock walls along Mews Road have offered skippy and squid. Drone fishers have been getting pink snapper and the odd mulloway from the northern beaches, while casters there have found some good tailor. Before the rain fronts brought in weed, beaches around Floreat were producing herring and chopper tailor and even a few lip-hooked mullet, which had been in big schools. The recent rain could well produce mulloway action in Fremantle Harbour and in the Swan River around the Narrows and Canning Bridge. A few flathead have been holding in the river’s lower reaches and between the Causeway and Maylands, while bream chasers have started targeting their quarry around structure in Freshwater Bay. Some good tailor have been caught from the drop-offs in the Swan’s middle reaches and surprisingly as far up river as Redcliffe.

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!