Those that follow the solunar tables, are getting very excited as you read this report, because Sunday April 2, 2017 is rated as the best fishing day of 2017. So record the footy, mow the lawn next weekend, do whatever it takes to go fishing on Sunday. If you’re not sure what to chase, there’s plenty happening at the moment.

Salmon have made their first semi-consistent appearances at Floreat Drain and Woodman’s Point during the week. Furthermore, boaties have been finding plenty of fish at Mewstone and surrounding rocks. Early reports say the fish are quite hard to tempt, probably because there’s still a huge abundance of bait in the water. If you do encounter a school of sluggish fish, unwilling to take your favourite lure, try something different. Try to aggravate the fish into a strike, rather than the usual hunger bite. Large soft plastic grubs, something with a loud rattle, maybe a brightly-coloured lure and dangle it in their faces. A lure which is hard to beat is a suspending Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow put in front of a fussy fish’s face. Having said that, they’ll probably hit anything you throw at them on Sunday.

Good size schools have been hooked into further south around Dawesville as well. Dunsborough is the place to be however as the schools are thick with lots of chunky fish. Beach and rock fishing for salmon is a very visual form of fishing. Schools can be easily spotted and targeted from shore with a variety of hard body and soft plastic lures. Arma Twisties and Metaliks, Jackson Muscle Shots and Duel Adagio lures are perfect for long casts into the school. A soft plastic on a jig head or a Yo-Zuri Cryrstal Minnow are ideal options for tempting fish that are closer in such as a those swimming along rock walls. They will pull hard and jump like crazy, but are usually clean fighters so it makes for very exciting fishing on light gear. Walking the beach looking for schools is always a productive method, but throwing a mulie out will put you in with a chance of catching salmon as the schools swims past.


Staff member Pete with a chunky salmon

Big pink snapper are running hot in local waters. Good numbers of solid size pinks are providing lots of fun in shallow water in and around Cockburn as well as Hale Rd Reef, Ocean Reef and Mindarie. These areas are very accessible in small boats making it an easy option for many anglers. Drifting areas at the back of Garden island with a 1oz Jig head and a 5 – 7 inch plastic like the Halco Madeye Paddle Prawns is a great way to fish which will see results. Anchoring over some lumpy ground at Hale Rd and creating a berley trail of pellets, fish oil and shredded mulies will bring the fish to you. Not only will you be bringing in the snapper in the area but being set up correctly will put you in with a good chance of seeing skippy, sambos, kingfish and more.

Staff member Laith with a good pinkie

Dhufish are in abundance in the deeper water off Ocean Reef, Two Rocks, Lancelin and Jurien Bay. Morley customer Ryan Evans has also been hooking into some quality dhus down south saying it is hard to get past them to catch nannygai. The reports are of good size fish coming in regularly over 8kg. The big fish are responding well to slow pitched jigs but have been taking baits and plastics as well.

 
Morley customer Ryan Evans with a solid dhu

Spanish mackerel reports are still coming in but, all north of Mindarie as the water has begun to cool rapidly. Trolling Halco Laser Pros in in 160 – 190 size in Chrome/Pink and or Chrome/Redhead is a super effective way to fish for mackies. Samaki Pacemakers are also very productive and can be trolled at a reasonable speed. Watching for birds and panicking bait schools in the warmer water can be a great way to find the fish and cast stickbaits like the Jackson Kaiken 140’s at them. This is a super fun and active way to hunt for them.

Tailor are being caught in good numbers around Cottesloe, Mindarie and Two Rocks while a couple of the usual haunts like Trigg are reportedly quiet. It can be up and down from day to day but the good days are great. Options include soaking mulie or to stalk the beach armed with metals, Jackson stickbaits or a soft plastic can all be very effective. It is a lot of fun to walk a stretch of beach looking for schools of mullet or herring and finding big tailor hunting within the school.

Herring have been hard to find but those who have been persistent are reporting some decent numbers on the right days. Berley is a must for the herring at the moment. Using a basic rig with a burley cage or blob and small long shank hooks is the most effective but casting small Arma Anchovy is an exciting way to fish for them. The Mindarie area is where the best reports are coming from.

The black bream are fishing well in the upper reaches of the Swan again after the runout of fresh water. Whilst the water is still quite silty reports of mid 30cm Bream from Ascot, Maylands and Guildford have begun to trickle in. Most have been caught on hard bodies with the Ecogear SX40 being one of the most popular. A lot of bream have also been coming from heavy structure. Try the Narrows and Mt Henry Bridges. The lower reaches are producing a variety of species with tailor and mulloway being a target. Strada Tera 90’s, Jackson Tune 27’s and small metals are perfect for the river tailor while it is hard to beat a live bait for the Mulloway. If you wish to set yourself a challenge, try targeting river mulloway on soft plastics as the results can prove to be very rewarding.

Fads are fishing well for dolphinfish and tuna at the moment with some nice hot water sitting up in the north of the Trench. Trolling small skirts and livies tending to work best for the dollies and fast trolled skirted lures for the tuna
 
Morley customer Steve Ducas had a great trip to Steep Point recently. His original plan was to chase Spanish Mackerel but found that the pink snapper were on the bite during his time there. Steve got the most enjoyment out of catching a few bonefish while bottom fishing with mulies. There was one standout amongst the three he caught which was the highlight of his trip. Well done Steve!

 

Morley customer Steve Ducas with a very respectable landbased snapper