Fishing
Fishing is another recreational sport that can be enjoyed all along the magnificent Experience Perth coastlines, lakes and rivers. Whether you’re a keen, experienced fisherman or someone who just wants to give it a go, Perth has an abundance of hot spots to cast a line.
Perth is a recreational fisherman's dream, with fish, crabs, mussels and crayfish to create the perfect day out on the water. For those who are after bigger fish, charter boats take visitors to favourite fishing areas of the Indian Ocean.
The following areas are suggested locations in Perth where locals believe are excellent spots to go spend time in the outdoors and go fishing.
Lancelin
An hour north of Perth, Lancelin has is a great place for fishing if you know where to look. For herring, go to the main jetty and it is recommended you use prawns, whitebait and/or berley.
Off the beach you will find whiting during the day. At sunrise and sunset you are more likely to find yourself with a catch of tailor at the jetty or the back beach. From the wharf, try your luck at flounder, flathead and even large king george whiting.
Hillarys Marina
The Hepburn Ave exit on the freeway north takes you directly to Hillarys Marina/Sorrento Quay. Turn left at the roundabout to fish the left break wall or right to launch your boat or fish the right break wall. This is a great spot to find herring, garfish, small tailor and tarwhine. Both the north and south wall are good. Midweek is the best time to fish as it isn’t as crowded.
Hillarys Fuel Jetty
A good spot to take the family and kids is the north wall of Hillarys. Here you will most likely find yourself hooking bream and whiting.
Cottesloe Groyne
The best time to sink a line is in the mornings as the sea breeze usually has arrived by lunch time. Herring and garfish are the popular locals of the area and they enjoy swimming around the groyne.
North and South Mole Fremantle
South Mole is a safer place to fish off the rocks and are less quite. Herring and garfish are quite popular in this area.
North Mole is popular with a large variety of fish throughout the months including rays, snapper, sharks, mulloway and smaller bread and butter fish. Herring and 'gardies' are the most popular fish in the area (they are the easiest to catch). The best time to fish is mornings but afternoons are also good.
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is a popular place for all levels of fishers. There is a large variety of fish around the island with the more major species being: herring, tailor, skipjack trevally, mulloway and sand whiting. It is also possible to catch pike, tarwhine, garfish, samson fish, king george whiting, Westralian jewfish, groper and sharks from the shore.
Popular locations to cast off are the jetty in Thompson’s Bay, Natural Jetty, Henrietta Reek, Vera Rock, Parker’s Point, Salmon Point, The Bluff, Nancy Cove, Wilson Point, Radar Reef, Cathedral Rocks, North Point and Point Clune.
The island give the land-based angler some top fishing, but anglers from both small and large boats are able to fish around the island relatively safely.
Lake Leschenaultia, Mundaring
From December to April anglers can try their luck with the rainbow trout with which the lake has been stocked. This recreational area is popular with families and groups with plenty of barbeques, wildflowers (when is season), sandy beaches, grassed areas perfect for a picnic, and pleasant and easy walks. Rosedale Road, Chidlow, 6556
Swan and Canning Rivers
Fish species you will come across on these rivers include mulloway, tarwhine, cobbler, black bream, flathead, tailor, herring and sand whiting to name a few. There are also crabs, prawns and mussels!
Some top spots local recommend to try your hand at fishing:
Harvest Road: Tailor, flounder, cobbler, and occasional mulloway.
Leeuwin Boat Ramp: Surrounded by large expanses of sand flats, which are covered by varying depths of water. Anglers wading the shallows, particularly on an early summer morning when the tide is changing catch flathead and flounder.
Point Walter: The long sand spit and jetty allow anglers access to some of the best fishing in the river. Families can picnic on the adjacent lawns and barbecue their catches of tailor, cobbler, black bream, mulloway, flathead and flounder. Good prawning and crabbing.
Mosman Jetty: This jetty is downstream from the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and has grassed picnic areas adjacent. A quiet spot with deep water to the north west of it, which produces good mulloway during the early summer. Good location for junior anglers.
Claremont Jetty: A popular spot for anglers seeking black bream, cobbler, tailor and mulloway with the occasional skipjack trevally and samson fish showing up. Prawns and crabs can be scooped or trawled from the beaches either side of the jetty.
Narrows Bridge: On the city side of the bridge, mulloway, cobbler and tailor can be caught from the shore. On the South Perth side, there is a small beach with lawns providing a popular spot for families wanting to fish comfortably. Big black bream abound in Winter months near the pylons. Just east of the bridge large catches of cobbler and bream can be made.
Bicton Jetty: A junior fishing spot producing tailor, flathead, occasional cobbler and mulloway.
Mandurah Estuary
Halls Head beach off Mary St and the rockwall off Whale Rd mark the mouth of the Mandurah Estuary. Most fish caught here are undersized so in the interest of future marine life, make sure you return these to the waters.
Halls Head: There’s no doubt that this is a herring hotspot and the autumn months. The Summer months bring decent sized tailor.
Offshore: The 5 Fathom Bank extends to Mandurah and has great fishing all year. The deeper 19 Mile Reef is a dhuie hotspot.
Falcon: Take the Merlin St turnoff right from the Old Coast Rd heading south. Turn left into Vanessa St and right quickly into Gretel Rd. Here you will find big tailor, salmon (when in season) and plenty of herring all of the time. Summer is best for the tailor but get there early because it can be quite busy.
The Cut: The Northern Wall Jetty closest to the ocean is a popular spot for herring, whiting, skippy, tarwhine and the odd tailor. The ocean side of the breakwall provides excellent tailor action at dawn and dusk with salmon in season and the odd mulloway.
Woodman Point
The seaward groyne is great for herring and garfish and plenty of squid. Some snapper and tailor can be caught at times. The groyne is a great spot for boat anglers to catch snapper in early summer and the odd nice tailor.
Deep Sea and Boat Charters
Blue Manna Boat Hire
Blue Manna offers a well maintained fleet of self-drive boats easily operated by any member of the family with our new eight seater large pontoon now available as well....no license required. Go fishing! We have everything you need - rods and reels for sale or hire. A wide range of bait and tackle tailored for our local waters.
For more details Ph:+61 8 9535 5399
Aqualib Marine Charters
The Aqualib is a 50 foot vessel which has a cruising speed of 19 knots and the latest electronic technology. The owner/skipper, Stephen Thomas has been fishing in the Mandurah area for the last 15 years and has extensive knowledge of the local waters. Stephen is also a fully qualified Master Four Skipper and Dive Master.
For more details Ph: +61 8 9586 9778