Bull sharks in the Murray/Serpentine?
Submitted by tadpole on Thu, 2018-11-01 07:47
Having moved to Pinjarra recently, my interest in catching a small bull shark has been rekindled. Just wondering if its worth the effort pulling a couple of all nighters on the Murray or Serpentine rivers? Every google search I've tried directs me towards the Swan river. Not after a big shark (I don't have the gear for anything too big) but just good eating size. Cheers
jighead
Posts: 726
Date Joined: 03/02/12
I hope not
I don't mind the odd swim in the murray.
luke george
Posts: 554
Date Joined: 13/04/07
They're definately in there
They're definitely in there as they're in the estuary, I've seen plenty of bream and tailor in the rivers with big bite marks. Also seen what I think was a 6-7ft bull shark crashing mullet off the surface in the serpentine.
luke george
Posts: 554
Date Joined: 13/04/07
Double
.
collin g wood
Posts: 313
Date Joined: 18/04/11
.
Definitely seen them in the estuary, don’t let the dogs swim off the back of the boat anymore, saw one jump 10m behind the boat as one of the dogs was climbing back in.
collin g wood
Posts: 313
Date Joined: 18/04/11
.
Double
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Would it be still too early
Would it be still too early to chase them or do they come up into rivers year round?
luke george
Posts: 554
Date Joined: 13/04/07
Always a chance mate but at a
Always a chance mate but at a guess I'd say mid to late summer would be best as the salt water will have pushed right up the river
Pierre59
Posts: 6
Date Joined: 31/08/18
Blackwood River
Anyone heard about bull sharks in the Blackwood near Augusta? It is certainly deep enough.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18069
Date Joined: 11/03/08
def a chance. i have seen a
def a chance. i have seen a decent size one near the ravenswood tavern. and have heard of others being around the same area
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
You better believe there in the Mandurah estuary
I have seen a small (21/2 to 3 ft) one a few years back whilst chasing mullet with a net just south of the murry Serpy entrance one night when I saw my net getting all pear shaped walked out to check the net a a small bull shark was just cruising along side the net and helping it's self to the mullet in the net without a care in the world that was the end of the netting that night and a lot of hole mending was the order of the day. The next day.
If they are in the Swan and Canning you can bet your last zak they are in the Mandurah estuary system, best time to target them watch for reports coming from the swan and canning rivers.
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Am heading out to about
Am heading out to about where you had your encounter to try and get some mullet for bait this arvo. Then myself and a mate from work are fishing sunrise and high tide in the Serpentine River near the Pinjarra Road bridge. Hopefully I have a win. Haven't got a backup plan should I not catch bait yet
luke george
Posts: 554
Date Joined: 13/04/07
Good luck, fished that
Good luck, fished that bridge a few hours ago for bream. No luck but plenty of bait around and a bit of surface commotion
Anyfishwilldo (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Defantly in the mandurah
Defantly in the mandurah estuary so I cant see why not. I was charged by a big one a few years back, I was chasing mullet at the time I just so happened to be on the right side of the net.
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Spent around 3 hours fishing
Spent around 3 hours fishing the Pinjarra Road bridge on the Serpentine RIver on Saturday morning from 5:30am without a sniff. Used mullet fillets for a while, then threw out a small live trumpeter I got on my bream gear.
Tuesday night had another go, this time in South Yunderup not far from the Murray River mouth and gave it a 4 hour go this time. But the abundance of juvenile crabs made it tough. Changed my rig to a paternoster for the last hour or so and baits seemed to last a bit longer, but still no sharks. Tried a trumpeter fillet this time as well, seemed a bit tougher against the crabs than the frozen mullet.
Any tips on what baits and rigs I should be using? Initial rig was a 1 metre 80lb fluoro leader with a large ball sinker onto a metre of 90lb coated wire trace with a 6/0 circle hook. Is that too heavy? Seemed a bit much when I'm essentially targeting a 5-10kg fish
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18069
Date Joined: 11/03/08
live mullet
live mullet
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
2nd for live mullet
The bigger the better
Poltergeist
Posts: 159
Date Joined: 03/12/13
Plenty in the Collie River
Plenty in the Collie River
tadpole
Posts: 387
Date Joined: 28/01/13
Thats not too far down the
Thats not too far down the road for me, will have to plan a trip down there.