Fishing Lure

Recfishwest Newsletter

View this email in your browser

Recfishwest
Fishing Report

13/09/24

Picture: Matt Bielecki

Our contributors

Sam Bock

Sam Russell

Jarrad Lawford

Sedin Hasanovic

Want to know the best tips for taking great fish photos and also on how to handle fish out of the water? We've got you covered with our r esponsible fish handling and photography tips page. The page gives a perfect explanation on the types of images we love to use in our weekly Fishing Report and why.

If you've got a cracking fish photo you want to send in, remember to keep sending us your catches by tagging #recfishwest in your online posts! You can also follow and private message your catches to our Instagram page @recfishwest and make sure you let us know where and how you caught it!

Keep up to date with events, clinics, news and amazing catches across WA by following our Instagram page @recfishwest and give our Recfishwest Facebook page a like!

For your photos to appear in the weekly fishing report, please make sure they reflect our responsible fish handling practices (so fish held horizontally, no blood, hand under the belly, no fingers in gills, etc), just like the images below.

If you're planning to head out this week, stay safe, take plenty of photos and have fun!

William Bennett

RECFISHWEST FISHING REPORT WRITER

Pic of the Week!

Dylan Picken from @nuisance_sportfishing tamed this 104.7kg broadbill swordfish west of Rottnest last week, its awesome to see a new fishery opening up right on our doorstep!

Your fishing photos

If you want to be included in our weekly State-wide Fishing Reports, message your best fishing photos and a description to our Instagram page @recfishwest.

Send photos

Changed your email?

If so, please e-mail our Membership Officer your new details and mention your name, old email and new email address in order to keep receiving the State-wide Fishing Report.

Change e-mail

Troutfest 2024 Recap

This weekend’s bumper Troutfest showcased the love for trout and freshwater fishing in WA!

Hundreds of smiling mums, dads and kids got hands on by releasing trout into their new Drakesbrook Weir home and wet a line for the chance to catch radiant rainbows and beautiful browns

This much-loved event continues to be a fantastic celebration of our South-West freshwater fishery and the trout stocking program that supports it.

Look out for Pemberton Trout Festival returning to Big Brook Dam Foreshore & Picnic Area on Sunday, 13 October, with another chance for you and your family to hand-release hundreds more stunning trout!

Catch our full Troutfest 2024 recap here

Broome catches

"I ain't never seen a barra jump like this one" - Jack from Good Dhu Dhu Fishing Australia

The fishing up north has been great, as showcased by this mid 90s barramundi being landed. Not the landbased metery you were hoping for mate but keep trying!

Boats

In the lead-up to this weekend’s Broome Marlin Cup, black marlin have been a bit harder to find with most fish hooked out past the FADs. The big tides have put a lot of bottom fishers off but conditions for reef species are expected to improve into next week. With clearer water in Roebuck Bay tripletail catches have improved around the moorings, while broad-barred Spanish mackerel have been active at times near the port. Crab Creek and the Fingers have offered threadfin salmon and a few small barramundi, with both locations also producing mud crabs. Dampier Creek has held mainly blue-nosed salmon and a few small cod.

Shore-based

Town Beach Jetty and the Port Jetty have fished reasonably well for small trevally and queenfish, with both species also caught at Entrance Point. Willie Creek has offered a few mangrove jack and the odd small barramundi, while Quandong has produced a few bluebone when it hasn’t been too windy. Whiting catches have been slow around town. In the Fitzroy River barramundi fishing has been good at Langi Crossing and Telegraph Pool.

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.

Exmouth catches

On Strike Charters saw some great pelagic action this past with this MEGA longtail tuna in the gulf smashing even the biggest Madscad lure. Great work guys!

Boats

Billfishing has been steady on the west side of the cape with decent numbers of black marlin and sailfish in depths from 50-400m, and wahoo and the odd Spanish mackerel landed in 30m-plus depths. Those targeting bottom species have found good numbers of Rankin cod in 40m and goldband snapper from 80m-plus but sharks have been a problem. They have also been particularly active close in on the fringe reefs, taking a tax payment on plenty of hooked Spanish mackerel and spangled emperor. Sharks have also been a problem at the Muirons but crews who moved around found red emperor, Rankin cod and coral trout, along with Spanish mackerel, shark mackerel and wahoo in 25m depths. Some of the bigger Spanish mackerel have been caught on stickbaits cast at baitballs rather than on the troll. In the gulf school mackerel, shark mackerel and Spanish mackerel have been caught around the shoals and even close in by tinnie anglers just off Town Beach, with school mackerel the most prominent. Good coral trout have been picked up on lures trolled over broken ground, while a few cobia have been hanging around the 20m depths. Blue-lined emperor and spangled emperor have been caught in 20-30m while closer in squid have been in abundance. Fly-fishers fishing the offshore flats in the eastern gulf have had to work quickly to prevent their queenfish catches falling to sharks.

The Exmouth King of the Reef competition wraps up at midnight on September 30th, so time is running out to get your share of the $15,000 in prizes!

The major prize of a Surge Orion fishing kayak worth over $2,000 (pictured above) for the most species caught on King Reef is still right up for grabs, with the current leader on 10 species. Remember, there's no restriction on the type of fish that count for your total species tally in this section, with anything from baitfish to billfish eligible, so get out to King Reef in Exmouth Gulf and rack up as many weird and wonderful species as you can to win! Find more details on the competition and fishing tips for King Reef here!

Shore-based

Whiting have been the main game with big schools visible and excellent catches coming from Learmonth, Bundegi and at the mouth of Wapet Creek. Learmonth Jetty has offered squid and mangrove jack, while Bundegi has held lots of small brassy and golden trevally. Big squid have been caught inside the town marina as well as from the marina’s outside rock wall, which has also offered school mackerel at times. The inside of the marina has held its usual fare of bream, cod and small trevally and queenfish. Spangled emperor have been in good numbers from Oyster Reef around to Lighthouse Bay. Bait has worked best on them but again sharks have been a problem. Tantabiddi has held spangled emperor as well, along with whiting.

These great tips were courtesy of the friendly team at Tackle World Exmouth. Swing by their store for the best advice and gear ahead of your next trip!

Take a mate fishing and ask R U OK?

Pictured: Recfishwest Communications Lead Ben, with his mate Recfishwest Operations Officer Levi.

R U OK? is an important initiative encouraging us all to check in with those around us, and have regular, meaningful chats to support our mates and loved ones. Not just on R U OK Day, but any day!

We all know the proven mental health benefits of fishing - so what better way to check in with your mate and ask if they're OK by taking them fishing?

Any day is the day to reach out, drop a line and check in with our mates and loved ones. After all, a conversation can change a life!

Taken a mate fishing? Tag us in your snaps, we’d love to see 🎣

Kalbarri catches

Carla managed to head up north with her partner Mat Svenson for a fish at Shark Bay. This resulted in an awesome tuna capture and a fair few other fish caught throughout the trip. Great work!

Boats

Most crews seem to be biding their time for when the demersal ban is lifted on Monday. A couple of boats have fished in close near Red Bluff, mainly targeting squid and whiting, while others have fished just off the reef at Frustrations for decent tailor and the odd mulloway. Crayfishing activity has been quiet.

Shore-based

Swells have eased which has led to some excellent early morning catches of sizeable tailor at Red Bluff and Wittecarra. Nice dart have been mixed in as well, while Red Bluff has also produced garfish and herring. Big tailor have also been caught at Back Beach and the river mouth and a 92cm tailor was reportedly caught and released south of Kalbarri. At Lucky Bay big tailor and dart to 60cm have been caught, while a couple of decent mulloway were lost there this week. In the Murchison River mulloway action has slowed down but the odd decent fish is still being caught from the sand spit and the marina jetty. Dirty water has also slowed yellowfin whiting catches at the sand spit and the sizes have been down. Bream to 35cm have been caught from the marina and the rocky outcrops up river, along with a few cod to 45cm, while a few chopper tailor have shown up at the marina jetty in the evenings. Good numbers of blue swimmer crabs have been caught in the river, from the mouth to up past the marina jetty with a few mud crabs mixed in with them.

Shout out to Dean from Kalbarri Sports and Dive for his tips! Feel free to venture into his store to ask for advice if you're wetting a line around Kalbarri!

Geraldton catches

Boats

Most crews have been cooling their heels waiting for the demersal ban to lift on Monday but a few have managed to find squid in clear water in the stretch from Pages Beach to Separation Point. As the weather warms these waters should start to produce herring, pike, skippy, tailor and whiting.

Shore-based

The Drummond Cove to Coronation stretch has offered good tailor averaging 40cm, while a couple of 60cm models were landed just north of Drummonds. Nice whiting have been caught there too and a 65cm pink snapper was also landed. Just south of Drummonds skippy catches have been good. Around town the eastern breakwater has offered a few tailor, skippy and pike, while the back of the main breakwater has yielded school whiting, herring and just-sized tailor. Pages Beach has held a few whiting too. South of Greenough a 60cm tailor was caught on a lure, while at Dongara tailor have been caught of the rock wall. Inside the Fishermen’s Wharf bream, flathead and cod have been caught, with these species also caught in lesser numbers back in Geraldton at the Batavia Coast Marina.

Thanks to the team at Geraldton Sports Centre for their tips! They will happily provide you with great gear and the solid advice for your next fishing trip.

Lancelin catches

Dean managed to get out for a cast on a morning earlier this week landing a few good tailor.

Boats

Finally the swell has dropped out and boats have been able to venture out of the bay. Reports of tuna schools out from 25m depths while skippy and samson fish have been caught along the white bank and yellowtail kingfish around the legal size mark have been schooled up on some of the bays reef breaks. Crayfish catches are going nicely along the nearshore reefs. Squid and herring have been prominent in the bay's crystal waters.

Shore-based

There was a number of reports coming through about mulloway being caught through the new moon period, a couple of catches nearing the 20kg mark. Drone fishers are taking advantage that pinkies are still lurking close the shore after the long period of big swells and there has been an excessive amount of wobbygong sharks along the inshore reefs too! Larger tailor around the 60cm mark are taking a mix of ganged baits and a combination of lures in the gutters and within the whitewash closer to reef breaks. The same surfy areas have also seen solid herring, while reef structure saw decent catches of tarwhine and skippy. The town jetty has had some fish a cast tailor sessions at sunset and herring have been schooling around the jetty after dark.

A big Recfishwest 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. Always a great time and Peter knows the best spots around Lancelin like the back of his hand.

Esperance catches

Boats

There has been an abundance of sand whiting in 8-12m at West Beach and Wylie Bay with most crews easily bagging out, while Esperance Bay has held big squid which have been holding deeper in 6-7m. Decent harlequin fish have been caught at Rabbit Island, while big blue groper have been landed at Observatory Island. Those who beach-launched at Lucky Bay this week came across good numbers of nannygai.

Shore-based

The western end of Roses Beach has been a hotspot for salmon to 5kg, while Warrenup has fished well for gummy sharks and salmon. Thumping skippy and smaller tailor have been caught at Fourth Beach, while at Wylie Bay sand whiting, flathead and King George whiting have been landed. There has been heaps of herring at Observatory Beach, while skippy have been thick at Bandy Creek Boat Harbour, along with a few King George whiting. The Town Jetty and Taylor Street Jetty have produced squid and garfish at night.

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.

Great Southern catches

Chris Dixon and Daniel Dimech managed to get out for a bream bash down south and landed these solid fish on the shallow minnows. Check out Chris Dixon's post here for some more details on the gear rundown.

Boats

Another quiet week although a few boats got out to the coral ground late in the week and did well on pink snapper, breaksea cod and dhufish. Crews finding shelter in King George Sound found a few modest-sized King George whiting however, the squid catches were slow. In the Wilson Inlet pink snapper have been caught in the channel.

Shore-based

As usual the town marina and Emu Point have been the best options for squid, small whiting, herring and skippy but there have been plenty of pickers making life difficult. Late in the week conditions improved around Frenchman Bay and Whalers Cove, which produced a few squid and small King George whiting. Bream have been in better numbers in the King and Kalgan rivers since the water cleared a little. Beach fishing has been slow but sheltered areas have offered a few herring. A big pink snapper was landed from the shore in Wilson Inlet this week.

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.

South-West catches

Trudy Morehouse aka the Squid Queen got her much needed dose of Vitamin "sea" yesterday along with plenty of squid in Geographe Bay on the chew!

Boats

Not a lot has been happening in the lead-up to the lifting of the demersal ban on Monday but a couple of decent Samsonfish have been taken from the lumps in 20m plus out from Bunbury, while a few small King George whiting, sand whiting, herring and skippy have been caught inshore, especially with the help of burley. Squid fishing has been very hard work around Bunbury as the water has been murky, while Geographe Bay seem to be the better area. The bay has also produced herring, skippy and small King George whiting.

Shore-based

Strong easterlies have started to clear weed from beaches north of Bunbury but fishing is still slow. One or two pink snapper have been landed by drone fishers around Preston and Myalup, while the beaches both sides of Bunbury have offered herring and a few whiting. Back Beach has produced herring, sand whiting and the odd chopper tailor, while the Bunbury Cut has held similar species. Fishing at Busselton Jetty has been slow but squid catches have improved and herring have been in reasonable numbers.

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.

Clearer water at Harvey Dam has made redfin perch more eager to take soft plastics and worm baits, with Force Tackle’s bright red Spitfire grubs working well. Also at Harvey a young lad fishing with a spinner managed to land a couple of just-sized brown trout, while at Drakesbrook Weir ex-broodstock brown and rainbows in the 40-45cm range have been landed. Kayakers have fared best among the perch chasers at Wellington Dam, managing to a find a few in the deeper pockets. Around Pemberton Lefroy Brook has produced a few brown trout for fly-fishers, while fishers using hard-bodied lures and soft plastics found brown and rainbow trout to 45cm in Big Brook Dam. Redfin catches have been reasonable throughout the Pemberton area.

Wanting to know where 66,500 rainbow and brown trout are going to be stocked over the next year? Click here to see the number of trout being stocked in all the dams, rivers and brooks!

Mandurah and surrounds

Kris Vigar decided to chase some solid bream and got what he wanted as shown by this solid blue lip capture!

Mandurah

Boats: Clean water has been hard to find in the estuary because of the low tidal movement which pretty much shut down activity this week, but once conditions improve; herring, tailor and juvenile salmon could be an option. At the estuary end of the Dawesville Cut a few King George whiting have been caught. Earlier in the week a boatie fishing in 8m out from White Hills did well on plump sand whiting and sizable King George whiting, while out from Dawesville crews have caught Samsonfish on the lumps in 30-50m and picked up tuna when trolling on the way out and back.

Land-based: Pink snapper have hit the sand at White Hills and Tim Thicket, caught mainly by drone fishers, while herring and whiting have been caught in the mornings at Pyramid Beach. An angler targeting tailor from the north side rock wall of the Dawesville Cut this week instead caught heaps of herring, juvenile salmon and some adult salmon. Further up the cut, near the bridge, herring have been caught, while at the estuary end the odd small King George whiting has been landed. Bream chasers have been doing better in the Murray and Serpentine rivers this week as dirty water has shut down the marinas and canals.

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!

SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY / WARNBRO SOUND

Boats: The dirty water is starting to clear and crews who are prepared to move around have caught sand whiting and King George whiting in reasonable numbers, and when using burley have found lots of herring and some good skippy. Some of the better spots have been Mangles Bay, where kayakers have been doing well, and right throughout Cockburn Sound. In clearer patches of water, reasonable numbers of squid have been taken at these locations. Samsonfish have been caught near the bridge on the Garden Island causeway and at the back of Garden Island, while exposed reefs around Garden Island have produced some good tailor.

Land-based: The beaches have been weedy and hard to fish but those who persevered got on to tailor in the 40-50cm range, along with a few herring and the odd school mulloway, with Secret Harbour, Port Kennedy and Long Point among the better spots. Rockingham and Palm Beach jetties have produced good-sized squid, some herring and chopper tailor in the evenings. The Ammo Jetty, Woodman Point and the rocks at Kwinana have produced squid as well, along with whiting and herring. Point Peron has fished OK for squid and has held reasonable numbers of herring, while the moorings in Mangles Bay have produced squid for those casting into weed between boats, as well as some good sand whiting.

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!

Perth catches

Matty Ma managed to get out for a kingie fish, competing in the inaugural Fremantle Sailing Club Yellowtail Kingfish Competition. Congratulations on winning the Champion Boat, Champion Angler and Runner Up Angler awards!

Boats

King George whiting catches have been good this week with plenty found inshore at Rottnest, Carnac Island, Fremantle at the Windmills and out from Ocean Reef. The Three-Mile Reef has held skippy and Samsonfish. Squid have been in reasonable numbers but mostly holding in deep water with 5m-plus depths and size 3.5 jigs often the go. Sand whiting have also been in good numbers in 10-15m off Cottesloe and South Fremantle and also at the Windmills and inshore off Hillarys and Mindarie. Herring have been plentiful inshore, along with skippy, especially when burley is used. Rottnest’s West End has produced a few tuna and yellowtail kingfish, while tailor have been caught at Mewstones and Stragglers, along with herring and skippy. In the Swan River chopper tailor have been caught around North Fremantle by tinnie fishers trolling lures and mulies, while reports of big mulloway have come from Claremont, Mosman Bay and Blackwall Reach.

Shore-based

North Mole has been very quiet with just one or two pink snapper landed over the past week. It has produced reasonable numbers of herring and skippy though with the odd sand whiting and chopper tailor thrown in. Squid fishing has been quiet at both North and South moles and the other rock walls around Fremantle. Decent tailor have come from reefs around Cottesloe and also at the Cottesloe Groyne. With the morning breezes starting to become predominantly easterly it’s a good time to be baitcasting mulies or throwing surface lures around reefy country or from beaches with good gutters such as Trigg, Brighton Road near Scarborough, Two Rocks, Yanchep Lagoon, Quinns and the northern beaches. Most of the northern rock walls have been holding herring as have rock walls from South Fremantle to Coogee. The southern structures have also produced a few skippy. A few bream have been reported from Fishing Boat Harbour, while Fremantle Harbour has held herring and plenty of yellowtail. One or two tarwhine have turned up around the Fremantle bridges. Bream continue to be widespread in the Swan River system but catches have been patchy. Fishing structure still seems to be the best bet and locations that produced fish this past week have included the Narrows, the Causeway, Canning Bridge, Mt Henry Bridge, Optus Stadium and Garvey Park. One or two school mulloway have been caught in the Claremont area while Canning Bridge, the Narrows, Claremont and areas further down river have produced tailor for those casting lures over the drop-offs

A big thanks to Anglers Fishing World in Fremantle for their great tips! These guys love their fishing just as much as we all do, so make sure you ask their super friendly team for advice and stock up before wetting a line off the land or boat!

Recfishwest

3/45 Northside Drive Hillarys

Perth, WA 6025

Australia

This email was sent to <>
why did I get this? unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
Recfishwest · 3/45 Northside Drive Hillarys · Perth, WA 6025 · Australia

Only registered users may download. Registration is free.

Map Location