5 September, 2025
Pic of the Week goes to 10-year old Zaiden Whittaker for setting a new tailor PB with this 70cm beauty off Mindarie! Even grown adults would be chuffed with that one Zaiden! Cheers to his dad Joseph for sending in this great snap.
Message a snap of your capture to our Instagram page @recfishwest or the Recfishwest Facebook page and don’t forget to include where and how you caught it!
For your photos to be featured, make sure they follow our responsible fish handling and photography guidelines (fish held horizontally, minimal blood, one hand under the belly and the other around the tail, no fingers in gills, water or beach in background etc). Spearfishing snaps are also welcome. Stay safe, have fun and keep sharing your awesome catches!
Our Recfishwest crew and Pilbara fishers have been kept busy up north recently, with the cherished Dampier Classic and MACK10k comps seeing some incredible catches.
To see video highlights from the MACK10k along with a behind the scenes look at our Fishing for Science team assisting DPIRD in collecting 133 Spanish mackerel otoliths and genetic samples, click here or on the above image.
To see video highlights from the Dampier Classic including our buzzing Healthway Kids Fishing Clinic, click here!
A special thankyou to all fishers for donating samples to our Fishing for Science program at these great events, you are directly helping us better understand fish stocks and improving your fishing experiences.
Heading away? Visit wildtrak.com.au and use our code ‘recfish1025’ at checkout for 10% off all online orders of Wildtrak’s awesome outdoor gear. Discount code works even if the item is already on sale, so take advantage before your next trip!
A cracking Kimberley cobia for @jamesnjacqdriftin!
Billfish have been scattered over a wide area, but catches have been inconsistent. Black marlin have been around the FADs and reasonable numbers of sailfish and the odd black marlin have been raised off Port Smith at times. Those targeting reef species have found blue-lined emperor and coral trout on the gravel lumps, while Spanish mackerel have been active from a few kilometres out to 10km. Crab Creek has been the most consistent location for barramundi fishers with the change of the tide usually yielding one or two, supplemented by a handful of threadfin salmon. The Fingers has produced threadfin salmon also, while mud crabs have been active in most creek systems. It doesn’t look too bad on the forecast this weekend with mostly light South-Westerly winds. Tuesday onwards will see stronger South-Easterly winds that will make it choppy out on the water.
With low water levels, the Fitzroy River has been hit and miss on the barramundi front. A lot have been sighted at Telegraph Pool, which has been the most consistent location. Town Beach Jetty has been fishing steadily for bream, flathead, javelinfish and small queenfish and trevally. Barred Creek has been inconsistent, but it has produced a few trevally and queenfish, as did Entrance Point. Bream, queenfish, trevally and mangrove jack have been pulled out of Willie Creek, while whiting chasers have found them in good numbers at Barn Hill and Middle Lagoon. Threadfin salmon have been caught at 80 Mile Beach.
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.
A first African pompano for @mildcliff off Exmouth! Smashed a jig and fought incredibly hard in 30m of water.
On the west side billfishing has been quiet, but goldband snapper have proven reliable for bottom bashers in their usual 80-100m haunts. Red emperor, coral trout and Rankin cod showed up in good numbers in 40-70m, while the back of the reef produced good numbers of Spanish mackerel and the deeper waters offered wahoo. A couple of spangled emperor were taken in the lagoons at Tantabiddi, while on the weed beds there squid were in decent numbers. Few reports came in from the Muirons this week where conditions were less than ideal. In Exmouth Gulf, Spanish mackerel have been active off Bundegi, while golden trevally and school mackerel have been taken on the Shoals, along with a few coral trout and small Rankin cod. Squid catches were reasonable. Saturday through to Tuesday doesn’t look great on the forecast for the boaties with that swell up above 2.5m along with the wind, so at least the surfers at Dunes will be happy. Thursday next week looks promising for the boats.
In Exmouth Gulf a spangled emperor over 50cm was landed in the town marina, which also fished well for bream, small queenfish and the odd mangrove jack. Whiting have been quiet along the Gulf coast, but Town Beach and Learmonth have yielded a few. A few small trevally and bream have been at Learmonth Jetty, along with the odd squid. At the top of the Cape spangled emperor have been in good numbers and mixed in were a few golden trevally and the odd giant trevally.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!
A mulloway/trevally double for @wadefennell_ up in Shark Bay! You can catch all this great fishing action on 2 Ocean’s Tackle’s latest YouTube video by clicking here.
Off Red Bluff and in Jakes Bay yellowfin whiting have been targeted and the shallows out that way have held quiet a few flathead. Yellowfin whiting have been caught off Frustrations, along with a few school mulloway. Most crews found little joy on the pelagic front apart from the odd amberjack, Samsonfish and golden trevally although waters north of Red Bluff are believed to be holding a few Spanish mackerel. This weekend’s forecast doesn’t look inviting, but Tuesday onwards looks better.
The coastal cliffs have been going well for pink snapper with fish to 75cm landed and a couple of bigger ones lost at the cliff face. Goats Gulch has been one of the better spots. Drone fishers have been getting nice mixed bags of pink snapper, cod, baldchin groper and golden trevally from the cliffs. On the nicer days fishers wetting an early line have been getting a handful of chopper tailor at Red Bluff and Wittecarra, while tailor to 55cm have been caught at Siphons and Back Beach. Pink snapper and mulloway have been pulled out of the gutters at Murchison Station. In the Murchison River, yellowfin whiting have been cruising the foreshore flats and a few nice cod have been caught in the marina, including one around 3kg. Small bream have been caught from the Sand Spit, but blowies have been a problem. A few blue swimmer crabs have been pulled up near the river mouth, while mud crabs have been in better numbers at the marina. 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.
Geraldton has been a hotspot for tailor over the past few weeks and Ben Luff @northern_addicts has been on fire.
Striped tuna were seen off the back of the reef at Point Moore this week but inshore squid chasers have found very little to smile about, despite reasonable conditions earlier in the week. The weather looks very daunting this week with high swells and winds so boats won’t be hitting the water until potentially next weekend unfortunately.
Whiting have been the best bet this week. They’ve not been in big numbers, but have been widespread around the traps with Pages Beach and Drummond Cove the most reliable locations. Whiting turned up at Flat Rocks as well, where they were kept company by a few dart. South of Greenough a crew had a hot session on tailor to 60cm, with the odd school mulloway mixed in. Big Samsonfish had reels screaming inside the Batavia Coast Marina, but so far none are believed to have been landed.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.
One of Peter Fullarton’s favourite lures for tailor is the Richter Sickbait, which can be launched a mile and has a great action just below the surface.
The weather was spectacular for the boats throughout this week (good timing considering what is about to hit), with most electing to stay in the Bay. The fishing has been great with a host of species on offer. Most targeted king George whiting and squid with some solid catches. Sand patches just to the north of the Bay were producing very chunky sand whiting. Fishers were spoilt for choice with herring, skippy, garfish and snook in decent numbers. Boats heading offshore found schools of tuna around the 30m depths. While the weather looks a write off this weekend, it looks like the seas will quickly calm into next week for some more great fishing opportunities.
The beaches were turning it on this week with beautiful clean water, providing fantastic conditions perfectly suited to casting lures for tailor. Drone fishers took advantage of some light winds and were sending out baits, though most were reporting little fish activity in the crystal clear water. The tides have been very flat and mulloway action slowed in the gutters. The weather will prevent beach casting this weekend, though as the seas subside early next week it will be perfect to cast baits to deep nearshore gutters scoured by the storm for some full moon mulloway. This weekend might best be spent fishing from the jetty.
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 and pink snapper have been in good numbers towards Mondrain Island, while gummy sharks have been thick at Charley and Cull Islands. Harlequin fish and good-sized queen snapper have been landed at Lion Island, while Cooper Reef has held lots of skippy. Herring, flathead and big numbers of sand whiting have been caught in Wylie Bay, while squid have been prolific in 15m at Cook Rocks and in Esperance Bay. Forget about boat fishing until at least Wednesday at this point with rough weather settling in.
Good numbers of gummy sharks and mulloway have been landed at Thomas River, while gummy sharks and salmon have been active at Roses Beach. Lots of salmon have been caught at Fourth Beach and 10-Mile Lagoon, while skippy and sand whiting have been the main catches at Blue Haven. Herring and garfish have been going well at Taylor Street Jetty, while squid have been plentiful at the Tanker Jetty. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour has held King George whiting.
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.
With offshore conditions not as good as forecast many crews found the going hard last weekend. It was lumpy out on the shelf, but a few cod and hapuka were landed. Nannygai were plentiful on the edge of the shelf, while on the coral ground only some crews got among breaksea cod, dhufish, pink snapper and queen snapper with many others missing out. Catches were more consistent out from Frenchman Bay where respectable King George whiting were eager to bite, while squid fishing in King George Sound continued to improve. She’s looking horrible on the forecast, but Wednesday onwards should clear up.
Mulloway have been running hot in the Kalgan River. Most fishers have been targeting them on bait, but a few have been taken on soft plastics and hard-bodies. Bream fishing has been slow in the local systems. Middleton, Emu Point and the town marina, as well as many local beaches have been plagued with dirty water, but it’s been clearer at Frenchman Bay and Whalers Cove where herring, skippy, squid and small King George whiting have been worth targeting. 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, 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.
@fyshlur_au had a night he’ll never forget off the Busso jetty this week, reeling in this hard-fighting slab of chrome. Fought just as hard as a shark according to the avid fisher.
With the calm conditions this week spotting tuna schools either side of Bunbury and in Geographe Bay was much easier. Waters north of Bunbury offered good King George whiting, while some large ones were caught in 15m in Geographe Bay. Squid have been going fairly well off Bunbury, but they have been in better numbers in Geographe Bay. Skippy have been thick at Bunbury’s artificial reef and at the Lena Wreck. Plenty of Samsonfish have been about too with many being targeted on stickbaits. Boats will likely stay off the water until at least Tuesday.
Squid with hoods up to 40cm have been caught off Busselton Jetty, including the odd arrow squid. The jetty has also yielded skippy to 40cm, while a few Samsonfish around the metre mark were landed, along with some bigger models that couldn’t be stopped. A couple of night-time mulloway in the 1-1.5m metre range also hit the timber, but herring were surprisingly quiet. Drone fishers from Preston down to Dunsborough did much better than casters on pink snapper this week, with many of the beaches sanded out. Herring were quiet on Bunbury beaches, as were tailor. Belvedere and Minningup were a couple of the better beaches to fish for mixed bags of bread-and-butter species. So was the Bunbury Cut, where juvenile salmon, small tailor and the odd herring were about. Soapy mulloway and bream have been active near the mouth off the Collie River, while bream have also been in the inlet and throughout the estuary. 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.
Kate Goodlich had a beauty of a freshwater session recently on the banks of the Donnelly River, landing this stunning 40cm wild rainbow. A very healthy fish that hopefully sets a precedent of the freshwater season that is now kicking off!
Want to know the trout stocking numbers and locations for more than 65,000 rainbow and brown trout making a splash in our South-West? Click here to read our latest article with all the inside goss from DPIRD!
Nice brown and rainbow trout have been caught in Harvey Dam and Drakesbrook Weir, while Waroona Dam offered sizeable rainbows for kayak fishers. A few small rainbows have been caught in the Honeymoon Pool area, while Logue Brook Dam has been fishing well for brown and rainbow trout. Around Pemberton, Big Brook Dam has been one of the better spots for trout with the local rivers flowing very fast and proving difficult to fish. A couple of Bibbulmun Track bushwalkers spotted small trout feeding on insects on dusk in the stiller waters of the Donnelly River this week. The Collie and Capel Rivers have been holding redfin perch in reasonable numbers, as did Harvey Dam, Wellington Dam and Drakesbrook Weir. Collie townsite near the suspension bridge has also fished well for perch when the river is not flowing too fast. Don’t forget - we have our annual family friendly trout stocking events coming up! Waroona Troutfest kicks off at Drakesbrook Weir on Saturday 4 October and Southern Forests Trout Festival will return to Big Brook Dam in Pemberton on Sunday, 12 October. Come down from 9am at both events and help us release some radiant rainbow and brown trout!
Some serious Sambo fun on the light gear for @hunter__hebb this week!
Crews did very well on King George whiting this week, with the 30m lines around the Bouvards throwing up some 50cm-plus models, while solid skippy have been on the chew at the Five-Fathom Bank and on the Bouvards. Big fat sand whiting have favoured the deeper depths this week with the 24-28m ground north of the artificial reef and towards James Service Reef offering big numbers of thumpers over 30cm. Clearer inshore weed patches towards the Bouvards produced a few good squid as well. North-West of town saw 20kg-plus Samsonfish snaffling whole herring baits and stretching arms, while on the lumps closer in 8-9kg models have been prolific. Tuna were active in 30m in the clearer patches off James Service Reef, but the current line was dragging plenty of weed and debris which made fishing for them a challenge. Tuna were also reported in clear water further north towards Rockingham. In the Peel-Harvey Estuary catches of King George whiting have slowed and sizes have dwindled. Pickers have been a nuisance too. Boating is off the cards until at least Tuesday due to the weather.
Last weekend’s storm front produced only modest pink snapper catches with the White Hills area one of the better spots, but only for drone fishers. South of town saw tailor to 50cm taken, but tailor have been much quieter on beaches north of town, as were herring at most locations. The Dawesville Cut fished at first light has been the most consistent spot for herring fishers this week, while the estuary end of the Cut has also offered a few just-sized King George whiting. Marinas and canals in the Peel-Harvey Estuary have been producing soapy mulloway, bream, tarwhine and skippy, while the Serpentine and Murray Rivers have held bream and bigger mulloway.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!
It’s been a superb week for squid and whiting chasers. Inside of Garden Island, Mangles Bay, Parmelia Bank, off Woodman Point, behind Penguin Island and off the Garden Island causeway produced excellent bags of plump sand whiting and nice King George whiting, with the odd kidney slapper KG turning up in 15-30m. Solid skippy have been supplementing whiting bags as well. Squid fishers have been having a ball with the 2-8m depths turning it on. White, orange and natural-coloured Yakamito jigs in the 2.5 and 3.0 sizes have been producing the goods on the tasty cephalopods although that water will likely turn very dirty after this storm front. The waters behind Garden Island, towards the Five-Fathom Bank and at the D9, have rewarded those chasing Samsonfish. Tuesday onwards should see the next inviting boating window after the storms.
Last weekend’s cold front produced a few good pink snapper with Secret Harbour and Long Point the better spots. The local beaches offered fewer tailor this week and herring were also quiet, but skippy were caught at the Penguin Island jetty, along the shore at Safety Bay and at the Henderson cliffs. The Ammo Jetty and Woodman Point have offered small tailor, a few squid and the odd herring. Palm Beach Jetty and Rockingham Jetty have held the same species with night-time fishers there also reporting a couple of mulloway runs, so it might be worthwhile to cast a big bait out. When conditions improve after this weekend’s blow an afternoon session at Woodman Point is likely to produce a few squid, with sand whiting, chopper tailor and herring a chance also.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!
Windmills has long been a reliable spot for decent King George whiting off Perth and avid young fisher Isaac Pierson set a new PB with this 48cm beauty on a Vexed Micro Meat. A beautiful eating fish, but make sure you have a good grip because these guys are slimy!
Jazz Charters put fishers on to good numbers of yellowtail kingfish south of Rottnest this week and King George whiting chasers also did well, finding some decent KG’s mixed in with sand whiting at the Windmills, off South Beach, City Beach, Swanbourne, Hillarys and at the Three-Mile Reef. The water out from Guilderton is full of tannins since the Moore River bar has been broken and visibility is extremely limited from Two Rocks headed north. Earlier in the week squid were kicking around at Hillarys and off Cottesloe, South Fremantle and in the bays at Rottnest. Solid skippy have been on the inshore lumps as well, but tailor fishing has been quieter along the reefs. The wider parts of the Swan River’s middle reaches have produced a few tailor around the 50cm mark. Once again, it’s a case of the weather being nice during the working week then turning diabolical during the weekend unfortunately! Strong winds, swell and rain will see fishers having to deploy some patience until at least Tuesday.
Pink snapper chasers returned only modest results during last weekend’s cold front, but they’ll be hoping this time around will produce the goods, especially as it could be the last big blow before summer. Good pinkies were landed in ones and twos from rock walls north and south of the river and from beaches in the far north. Herring catches were down, while the best tailor fishing has been from the northern beaches around Quinns and Alkimos, with fish around the 40cm mark and the odd jumbo pushing 70cm mixed in. Most metro marinas and rock walls have held reasonable numbers of skippy and silver bream. Fishing in the Swan River hasn’t been easy with all the freshwater in the system. The best bet for bream chasers would be downstream from Nedlands. Structure around the yacht clubs in the lower reaches and perhaps at Canning Bridge should produce a few, and they are likely to be feeding low down in the water column. If still nights arise after the blow the lower Swan River may offer a few squid. As for the fish kill this week in the Swan River, it was mainly scaly mackerel being reported around Point Walter, Bicton, Mosman Park, Dalkeith and North Fremantle. It is likely that an influx of freshwater into the system was the main cause, although if you see more fish washing up dead, please report it to DPIRD’s FishWatch hotline by calling 1800 815 507. 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, with contributions from a rotating team of fishers each week.
Recfishwest’s fishing report contributors: Jarrad Lawford (editor and images), Sam Bock, Sedin Hasanovic, Sam Russell, Levi De Boni and Eligh Quigley.
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