10 July, 2026
This happy camper was seeing red, with this cracker bass taken on a Nomad Madscad on board with the On Strike Charters crew.
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Have you got what it takes to be crowned King of the Reef?
Record catches kick off third year of King of the Reef comp!Exmouth's King of the Reef competition has kicked off in record-breaking fashion, with 132 catches entered in the first month of the four-month competition.
That’s 53 more than the first month of the inaugural event!
Running from 1 June to 30 September, the app-based competition is hosted by the Exmouth Game Fishing Club in partnership with Recfishwest and Woodside Energy, inviting anglers of all ages to fish around the King Reef artificial reef and contribute valuable catch data via the Track My Fish app.
If you're in Exmouth already or on your way there, there's still plenty of time to enter, wet a line for species like red emperor, Spanish mackerel and spangled emperor, and be in the running for some fantastic prizes.
Find out more information and to register for the competition, click here.
@Elliott.b1 was dancing a jig after jigging up this beauty of a red on a @halcotackle Karcass slow-pitch-jig
Offshore fishing has been very good with crews out wide doing well on red emperor, Rankin cod and coral trout, while closer in bluebone and Spanish flag have been taken on the lumps. Plenty of good Spanish mackerel have been landed off James Price and Gantheaume points, with longtail and mack-tuna also active. Sailfish have been caught between Willie and Barred creeks. In Roebuck Bay tripletail have made a welcome return to the moorings, while Crab Creek has been the best of the local creeks offering threadfin, blue-nosed salmon and good numbers of mud crabs, with the same species active at the Fingers.
Shore-Based
Bream, javelin fish, queenfish and small trevally have been in good numbers at Town Beach Jetty, while bigger queenfish and trevally have been landed at Entrance Point. Whiting chasers have done well at Town Beach and Cable Beach, with Cable Beach also producing blue-nosed salmon. Trevally and queenfish have been worth a crack at James Price and Gantheaume points, while threadfin salmon have been caught at 80-Mile Beach. Barn Hill has produced a few bluebone. Most of the barramundi action in the Fitzroy River has been around Derby.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.
Silver dream - this dazzling pennant fish fell to yet another happy crew member aboard On Strike Charters crew
Holiday-makers have been having a great run, with clear water, pleasant conditions and plenty of fish. The west side has been producing red emperor, Rankin cod, coral trout and goldband snapper in 30-100m, while black marlin and sailfish have been active in similar depths. Wahoo, good numbers of dolphinfish and a few yellowfin tuna to 20kg have been the main bycatch. Spanish mackerel have also been plentiful on the west side with Tackle World staff member Tom getting amongst them at the back of the reef in 10-30m when slow-trolling garfish baits on Reaper Rigs. Further south in 40-50m wahoo have been caught. Squid, spangled emperor and golden trevally have been the main catches close in at Tantabiddi. At the Muirons, Halco twistys and locally made Black Ledge lures accounted for small queenfish, big barracuda and giant trevally when worked in 3-10m near Round Island, while spearfishers there bagged green jobfish, coral trout and bluebone. In Exmouth Gulf, squid have been active close in and blue-lined emperor, coral trout, small Rankin cod and a few red emperor have been caught along with the odd broad-barred Spanish mackerel.
Fishing has been good at the tip of the cape all the way down to Yardie Creek with good catches of spangled emperor, brassy, goldspot and golden trevally. At Tantabiddi dart and blue-nosed salmon have been caught and squid have been taken near the Tantabiddi boat ramp and also at the top of the cape near Mildura Wreck. Whiting have returned in good numbers to Exmouth Gulf, while mangrove jack have been in the creeks and in the marina. The marina has also offered plenty of blue-nosed salmon, nice queenfish, and trevally, with decent squid landed from the outside rock wall. Near the still-closed Learmonth Jetty, squid, bream, whiting and trevally species have been caught.
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!
At Bernier Island coral trout, blue-lined emperor and (outside the exclusion zone) pink snapper catches have been good, while good numbers of Spanish mackerel and tuna have been encountered. Blue-lined emperor have been caught off Bush Bay along with good numbers of squid.
In town, bream catches have been good at Prawning jetty and at the mouth of the Gascoyne River, while tailor and mulloway in a mix of sizes have been taken at both spots. Whiting have been in good numbers just outside the river mouth and also at the Fascine. At Quobba balloon fishers have tangled with Spanish mackerel and tuna, while those targeting bottom species found spangled emperor in abundance.Shout out to Telomac Tackle and Camping for their tips! Feel free to venture into the store and ask for advice if you're wetting a line around Carnarvon.
Nothing much has been happening on the boating front. Pelagic catches have died off and crayfishing has been very slow. A couple of crews that went over to Red Bluff and Jakes Bay this week, chasing whiting, couldn’t get past the hordes of north-west blowies.
Shore catches have been good with Wittecarra and Red Bluff producing chopper tailor for those baitcasting mulies in the mornings, while those fishing the cliffs have pulled up pink snapper and bigger tailor. A few squid have been caught off the beach at Chinamans, while a young whiting fisher did well to land a legal-sized pink snapper on a flick rod there late last week. In the Murchison River bream fishing has been good and mangrove jack in the 30-40cm range have been in reasonable numbers, while blue swimmer and mud crab catches have been steady.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.
Once again there’s been very little action on the boating front around town with crayfishers even giving it a miss, which is understandable due to the poor conditions as of late. It’s been more promising for those who got out to the Abrolhos Islands where abundant bait schools have been smashed by various species of tuna and Spanish mackerel, with other mackerel species near the Wallabi Group.
Drone fishers south of Greenough had the best of it this week, picking up dhufish between 60-80cm in ones and twos most sessions. With the Greenough and Chapman rivers flowing out to sea, the waters around Southgates and Drummond Cove have been murky and unproductive. However, the Greenough River should be going OK for bream. Towards Dongara, the Irwin River is yet to break through, although there have been some excellent night sessions on tailor after 10pm with fish ranging from 45-50cm. Around town it has been quiet, but decent whiting have been caught at Pages Beach and the Lives but sizes were more varied here.
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.
Caught on the old cuttlefish dhufish lollypop, Kirk Dewar with @Peter Fullarton Fishing, was able to land a sweet-as 80cm dhuie.
Boats
Not many boats went out this week, with the larger swells creating plenty of surge on the beach and making launching difficult. With the demersal ban still in place, there hasn't been much incentive for the larger boats to venture offshore. Instead, most of the action has come from the smaller boats making the most of the bay's sheltered waters. Skippy, herring, King George whiting, squid and the occasional snook have all been keeping anglers entertained. The forecast is looking much more promising this weekend, with the swell easing and conditions shaping up for a far more comfortable beach launch.
Beach fishers had a more productive week, although it still took a bit of searching to find a weed free stretch. The recent run of larger swells has carved out some quality gutters, and they're already producing results, with several big tailor and school mulloway finding their way onto the sand. Drone fishers have continued to enjoy consistent action following the recent storms. While most pink snapper have been in the 55–60cm range, there have also been captures of dhufish from the beach a species that traditionally becomes more common at this time of year. The jetty has been extremely popular over the school holidays and has continued to produce a reliable feed of herring, skippy and tailor. A handful of samson fish have also turned up, adding plenty of excitement for anglers lucky enough to hook one.
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.
Sucker punch! This crackin’ kraken made the running in Southern Sports_and Tackle's Chase the Kraken comp - there's still three weeks left, so if you want to get into the prizes you best get kraken lacking!
The 50-60m marks have yielded plenty of nannygai up to 60cm, while big breaksea cod have been landed at Giant Rocks. Sizeable Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish have been caught at Dart Reef, while big queen snapper and blue groper have come from Charley and Cull islands. Big sand whiting have been plentiful in Wylie Bay and off West Beach, while good King George whiting have been caught at Flat Rocks. Cooper Reef has held lots of big skippy, while herring, squid and snook have been plentiful in Esperance Bay.
Dunns Beach has been going well for mulloway and gummy sharks, while Stockyards has also yielded good gummy sharks and big salmon, however, caution is urged as the beach is very chewed up. At Roses Beach, gummy sharks, mulloway, and skippy have been caught, while soapy mulloway and big skippy have been landed at 14-Mile Beach. Early morning salmon chasers have been rewarded at Fourth and Salmon beaches, while Blue Haven has been firing for some big sand whiting. Good flathead and King George whiting have been caught at the port viewing area, while the Town and Taylor Street jetties have offered squid, herring and skippy. King George whiting have been active in Bandy Creek Boat Harbour.
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.
Exmouth? Guess again – this 4.2m blue marlin washed up at Cheynes Beach this week! Shows the power of the Leeuwin Current and what you might find offshore even as far South as Cheynes! One of the reasons we love fishing – you just never know what will turn up out there.
Dinghy fishers have been doing well on 35-45cm King George whiting at Seal Island, Mistaken Island, out from Gull Rock, and at Michaelmas Island. Squid have been going strong inshore, with jigs flying out of the store at Trailblazers, the staff being big fans of the Ocean’s Legacy EGI Seeker in sizes 3 or 3.5, in white or green. In the Wilson Inlet, dinghy fishers have been landing pink snapper and King George whiting, while the inlet at Walpole has also fished well for KGs.
The back run of salmon is still producing good fish for both lure and bait fishers with Cheynes, Bluff Creek, Reef Beach, Normans and Salmon Holes among the better spots. Good salmon sessions have also been enjoyed at the Bellanger Beach near Walpole and Dillon Beach in Bremer Bay. Bream fishers using bait have been getting just-sized fish in the Hay, King and Kalgan rivers, while the Prawn Rock Channel in Wilson Inlet has offered pink snapper and a few King George whiting. Clear water at the town marina makes it a much better bet than Emu Point, with the marina producing plenty of yellowtail, leatherjacket, bream, small skippy, and squid. Misery Beach, Whalers Cove and Frenchman Bay have rewarded land-based squid chasers.
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.
Nice bay for it. It’s a great time of the year to target squid off the iconic Busselton Jetty. Picture: thetidaltale
It’s been rather quiet despite some reasonable conditions. A few big King George whiting have been landed out from Bunbury in 15-20m, along with a couple of Samson fish on the lumps, and a little closer in, smaller KGs, sand whiting, skippy, and herring have been responding to burley. Squid have been going well in Geographe Bay, which has also produced herring, skippy and a few King George whiting.
The pink snapper run slowed this week, with drone fishers getting the lion’s share of the action, but still a few around to keep casters interested. Some good pinks were landed around Dunsborough, with Preston and Buffalo beaches producing them as well. Apart from herring, it has been quiet for other species, although a few tailor nudging 70cm snaffled baits meant for pink snapper around Preston. At the Bunbury Cut and Back Beach herring and the odd small chopper tailor have been the mainstays, while the Busselton Jetty produced modest numbers of pink snapper, quite a few herring, some small skippy and reasonable numbers of good-sized squid. A few stray salmon surprised herring fishers off the rocks at Old Dunsborough, while a pink snapper chaser in that area landed a big mulloway.
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.
harry.fisho says he caught this brace of trout ‘somewhere over the rainbow’. Wherever that is it there appears to be some good fly-fishing to be had there.
Trout catches have improved with trolled Tasmanian Devil lures in brown trout and pink fluoro patterns picking up some nice rainbows in Drakesbrook Weir, Logue Brook and Harvey dams. Harvey Dam has continued to produce redfin perch in a range of sizes, and consistently better-sized redfin have been caught in the Collie River and in the Warren River near Pemberton.
The ‘wayward right whale’ stayed in the Peel-Harvey Estuary this week, drawing plenty of admirers, but the exclusion zone around it and an influx of dirty water have slowed things down in the system. Herring numbers have thinned and the best option this week has been anchoring and scooping for prawns at night on the outgoing tide. When clear water is accessible on the incoming tide it has been worth a crack for squid near the Seba’s Song Giant. Big swells cancelled most boating activity early in the week but when weather windows arise squid should be active close in off Seascapes and Melros beaches. Skippy had been plentiful on the Five-Fathom Bank and when a burley trail was set up Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish were in the mix. Some good King George whiting came from the Five and sand whiting should be in good numbers inside the Five, while tuna are always a chance this time of year on the 30m lines.
Drone fishers have been going well on pink snapper around White Hills, while the northern beaches have been holding big schools of mullet and producing decent tailor. Surprisingly, herring numbers have dwindled. The Peel-Harvey Estuary has held a few mulloway, washed out of the Murray and Serpentine rivers, but bream have remained in both rivers in good numbers. The Dawesville Cut has offered just the odd herring and a few squid at night, while night-time dab netters on the rock walls and jetties in the estuary have been doing well for prawns.
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!
Once again, boat fishing has been interesting with the inshore reefs offering a few salmon and good numbers of small yellowtail kingfish, with the odd decent tailor thrown in. Samson fish have been active on the lumps, while 20m depths behind Garden Island have offered sizeable King George whiting. Inshore faves such as Mangles Bay and Parmelia Bank have fired for herring, skippy, small King Geoge whiting and sand whiting. Squid fishing has been steady and plenty of solid skippy have been taken on the lumps around the Garden Island causeway, especially if burley is thrown in.
There has been no shortage of pink snapper with good fish landed by drone fishers and casters from Kwinana Beach all the way down to Golden Bay. Herring have been thick on all the local beaches along with a few chopper tailor and sand whiting. Woodman Point and the Rockingham and Palm Beach jetties have offered plenty of holiday fun, holding scaly mackerel, slimy mackerel, herring, the odd chopper tailor, a few skippy and at times garfish. A few squid have been landed at these locations but better numbers have come from Point Peron, the Penguin Island spit and Henderson cliffs.
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!
Saltfix’s heart was skipping a beat as he and his fishing mate boated this nice pair of skippy. As usual at this time of year there are plenty of skippy to be caught on the nearshore reefs.
The odd stray Spanish mackerel was hanging around waters south of Rottnest and out from Two Rocks late last week, while yellowtail kingfish were at the fish towers. Metro squid fishing has been exceptionally good, certainly the best season in recent years, with good numbers being taken off Fremantle, Cottesloe, City Beach and Hillarys. Cottesloe and City Beach have also fired for sand whiting in 15m, while skippy have been plentiful around 4m out from Hillarys, along with a few King George whiting. Good King George whiting, squid and skippy have been caught inshore at Rottnest Island. Offshore from Rottnest, the first broadbill swordfish has been caught in the Compleat Angler Nedlands Clash in the Canyons competition.
Despite the calmer weather, pink snapper have been caught from the rock walls and beaches, with a nice one landed at Alkimos this week. Some sizeable tailor have been taken from the beaches at night but only in ones and twos and smaller models have been around the reefs in the daytime. The northern rock walls have also offered herring and skippy, while rock walls around Fremantle have held herring, skippy and garfish. At Rottnest Island some chunky skippy were landed in Geordie Bay and from the Natural Jetty. The highlight of Swan River fishing this week was a young angler’s catch of a 67cm pink snapper in the lower reaches. Bream have been the main game on the river scene, with East Perth the most consistent area for them this week.
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: Ben Carlish, Sam Bock, Sam Russell, Sedin Hasanovic, Levi De Boni, Mason McHutchison and Logan Hellmrich.
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