Perth Fishing Report

Perth Fishing Report March 14, 2017

Spanish mackerel continue to be caught on trolled bibbed minnows and rigged garfish off the metropolitan coast. Areas where mackerel were caught this past week, included Coventry Reef, Cockburn Sound, Five Fathom Bank, the dirty water line near Fremantle Harbour and along Three Mile Reef. Fishers who have had success on the mackerel have recommended locating the baitfish and concentrating on these areas. Schools of small southern bluefin tuna have been encountered in depths starting at 20m while striped and yellowfin tuna have mostly been found farther offshore.

Dolphin fish are still at the Fish Aggregating Devices and expect marlin and wahoo to also be lurking near the devices and the deeper waters of the trench. Reef fishing has been productive, especially off Rockingham, the northern side of Rottnest the waters off Two Rocks where big dhufish, pink snapper and some solid breaksea cod were recently caught.

Masses of scaly mackerel and other baitfish within and just outside Fremantle Harbour are attracting mulloway in the 10kg to 17kg range. Smaller mulloway have been appearing at Secret Harbour and Golden Bay together with tailor and herring. More tailor – fish of 35cm to 55cm – have mostly been turning up about an hour after sundown. Blue swimmer crabs continue to be picked up in the Swan River as well as near Woodman Point. Please be advised crabbing is closed in Cockburn Sound south of the line from Woodmans Point to Carnac Island. Read more here.