Swan River
The Swan River is famous for Black Bream fishing, perhaps since they are easy to catch on bait but often a challenge on lures. The Swan River also fishes well for Flathead during the summer, Flounder, Yellow Fin Whiting, Tailor, Herring and Grunter.
Fishing the Swan River can be productive from land and boat, however due to heavy fishing pressure some knowledge of where the fish are will increase your successes.
For targeting Bream, boaters and land-based anglers should seek out the bream instead of waiting for the Bream to eventually swim past. The usual Bream hideouts are snags, jetties, mussel banks and bridge pylons. Often the most active or feeding Bream are found on the sand banks near weed where they feed on shrimp, mussels and worms.
The Swan River in summer
During the summer months the Black Bream move upstream as far as the Middle Swan area and take shelter in the snags. Look for fallen down trees, rocky areas and shade areas.
Lure fishing for Bream in the Swan River becomes quite successful over the summer months, lightly weight soft plastics and suspending hard bodies are the go. The Bream tolerate the brackish water and will stay upstream until the rain returns.
Some places to look for Bream during summer in the Swan River are the Canning Bridge, The Causeway, Mt Henry and The Narrows. Land based anglers can walk the shore around Midland and Guildford flicking lures at snags – there are plenty of bream there and unweighted soft plastics are quite effective.
In the lower reaches of the Swan are Flathead, Flounder, Molloway and Tailor. The blowfish are overwhelming so a hard body lure is a must. Work the shallows and drop offs early morning for Flathead around Point Walter, Leeuwin Boat Ramp and Applecross Jetty. However flathead can be found as far up as Guildford.
The Swan River in Winter
When the rain starts all the fish are pushed downstream into saltier water.
The winter rains push the bream downstream to saltier water and the best bet is targeting the Perth yacht clubs, jetties and the flats around Fremantle. The outgoing tides in June, July and August produce good fishing around the East Fremantle area for Whiting.
For black bream during winter try jetties around Mosman Park and Claremont.
Where to go fishing near Swan River?
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Swan River Whiting
Flathead and Whiting in the shallows along Point Roe. Small soft plastics lures, top water poppers...
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Fremantle Bridge Mulloway
The tides rips through the Fremantle bridge, at night it is a good place to Target...
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Canning Bridge Fishing
The Canning Bridge fishes well for Black Bream, Mulloway, Tailor, Tarwhine and Flathead in the according...
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Swan River Flathead Flats
The Flats fish well during Summer for Flathead and Flounder. Anglers can walk out a fairly...
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Swan River Causeway
A fishing spot of choice for many bream anglers all year round. The Black Bream are...
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Belmont Race Course
Big Black Bream hang out behind the Belmont Race Course. Warmer months fish best.
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Maylands Black Bream
Black Bream in Summer. Fish the snags early morning or late afternoon. A few Mulloway also...
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Ron Courtney Island Black Bream
Black Bream and Flathead - fishes best in Summer.
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Fish Market Reserve Black Bream
The Fish Market Reserve area holds good Black Bream particularly in Summer. The Bream hold in...
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East Fremantle Whiting
Yellow Fin Whiting around East Fremantle on an outgoing tide in the evening from June to...
Plus, where, when and how to fish every spot!
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Sign UpFish Species caught at Swan River
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... Read more
Fish currently being caught in the Perth region March, 2017
Black Bream Dhufish Giant Herring Jewfish / Mulloway Pink Snapper Southern Bluefin Tuna Spanish Mackerel TailorRecommended Lures for Swan River
Click here to find the best lures for fishing Swan River. 5 stars mean this lure has been hand picked for Swan River.
max lindley
says:is the bay around eat greek and the swan yatch club to zepyr cfae good for scoop netting, flathead and bream fishing and maybe even whiting? please reply back
Luke Van Lathum
says:Hey Max, we never had a great deal of luck around here, there’s not enough weed to attract the whiting, and during the day there was a heap of blowfish. With all this rain the Bream might be heading down closer to the mouth of the river to get more salt water… You can try flicking soft plastic around the jetty pylons here for Bream. Try scoop netting south of Leeuwin Boat Ramp.
Paul Martin
says:As long as it’s this side of Melville waters ok
max lindley
says:riverton bridge? has anyone gone there? whats the fishing like?
max lindley
says:riverton bridge any good?
canning bridge any good?
freshwater bay any good?
Fishing Spots
says:Hey Max, I know some guys get some good Bream at the Canning Bridge, on bait and soft plastics.
max lindley
says:hi guys a report in the cockburn gazette states that there have been recent reports of people fishing at lake coogee munster i know that it is a lake and it is not in the swan river, im not sure if there are actually fish in lake coogee i did some research about it and i found black bream have been caught on the lake i am just curious to know if anything else have been caught there let me know that would be great thanks
Luke Van Lathum
says:Hey Max, Thanks for the info! It’s definitely possible, black bream have a pretty good tolerance for freshwater. Who knows what people have put in there!? I fished some little lakes / dams on Karnup Road, there was a few small fish in there but didn’t catch a bream. Also over on the East Coast a lot of fish get washed into land locked lakes during floods, bream, mangrove jack, trevally, tarpon.
Kim Hutchinson
says:Any info on fishing the Swan opposite the old Police Academy (Rivervale, down from the new stadium)?
Izaak
says:Don’t because they are biulding the bridge and I think they close it of about 3.00pm
Izaak
says:What time can you get fish in swan river?
max lindley
says:beast time to go is early morning or late arvo – darkness, i found i had alot more bites and caught more fish when the weather was warmer or after the rain
John nourse
says:Are there any flathead or whiting around in the swan or is it getting to cool ????
Luke Van Lathum
says:Yep flathead around all year, if there hasnt been any rain they should be a bit further upstream.
Rick
says:What is the best time to fish at the old swan brewery today?
Steve
says:Where can I buy bait around East Perth? Thanks!
josefe chapman
says:Is pepi grove jetty and banks a great spot for bream and flathead and what soft plastics do you use/lures.
Lisa
says:Hi caught some bream, mostly just size or under plus yellowtail about midnight last night at Garvey Park Redcliffe.?