Vic & his son Zane landed this bucket list sambo on an Enitce Ringer Jig onboard Saltwater Charters this week.

 

With the conclusion of the demersal ban at midnight we will be able to go and target these tasty critters that inhabit the depths of our coastline again. Granted it may not be this weekend with the less then average weather forecasted but when the opportunity presents itself the lucky ones will be out there making the most of what really is great fishing considering it is off a metropolitan coastline.
 
Customers and staff alike have been chomping at the bit to get dhuies, snapper, baldies and the likes back on the menu. So if you are going to be targeting dhuies the 30 -40m mark would probably be a good place to start considering the number of crays in this depth at the moment. Pinkies will be cruising up and down the lines of thousands of craypots out on the water but if you fish the pots be careful and notify the pot owner by tying a knot, rag, etc into their line if you lose you gear to their pot.
 
Fishos chasing crays have been coming up trumps in the 25 to 30m mark as they follow the whites on their march to the continental shelf. The divers are still catching plenty of reds in shallow and some have been huge.
 
Zane & Dan experienceing the best of the West Australian cray fishery has to offer on board saltwater charters

The surrounds of Rottnest Island and the inshore reefs are yielding reports of plenty of small yellowtail kingfish. Although not big in size they provide plenty of fight on light tackle and there are always much bigger models in same area as well. There is a good chance of coming across samson fish and even amberjack when targeting kings, as well as shark macs and eventually Spanish macs will also begin showing up. The barges off West End are holding schools of large samson fish but as has become the norm, sharks are proving to be a headache. Anglers fishing schools in the 40m mark have been landing plenty of fish with minimal dramas caused by the “taxmen”.  Southern bluefin tuna have also been making regular appearances all over the place so it would be crazy to go out without a light casting rod to make the most of it if you come across them.
 
Big squid have been caught in Cockburn Sound and people are still reaching their bag limits of tasty calamari. It is worthwhile dropping smaller fresh baits in the same area for a feed of King George whiting as you drift over the sandy holes in between the weed beds.
 
Whiting are plentiful in Mandurah but the wind is proving to be a problem. At times depending on the tide the flats are also full of chopper tailor and massive herring, given away by showering schools of tiny bait fleeing for their lives. Crabs are showing up on the flats too but covering ground has been important in catching bags of size and numbers.
 
Land based there have been plenty of chopper tailor along beaches but fish to 60cms have been landed north of Two Rocks. The wind has held a lot of people back unfortunately but those who have fished however have caught. Herring have been abundant and so have sand whiting for those trying to catch a feed. With the coming moon phase and atrocious weather, the chance of a snapper or mulloway is going to be crossing a lot of anglers’ minds.
 
The demersal ban concludes after today, but with the weather forecast being what it is this weekend, the Swan river would be a better option to wet a line, at least for the next few days. Lots of glass shrimp have been invading the shallows around the Burswood area so the bream, grunter and tailor are having a feast. There are still plenty of tailor throughout the Swan and the sizes are better than they were 4 weeks ago. The shoreline and flats in the Nedlands stretch and near the Canning Bridge have produced good numbers of flathead and there is always a chance of hooking into a giant herring. Schools of bony herring further upstream are being hammered which suggests that there are some mulloway lurking below. Crabs in the river are becoming more abundant in the usual deeper holes.


Even bream of this size are thrilling to catch when it is on topwater as staff member Pete knows all too well


Staff member Ando was also shocked to come across this lamprey in the Swan this week
 
If you have any information or photos that you would like to include in our weekly fishing report, please email customerservice@bluewater.net.au.