Scott Coghlan – Recfishwest

Scott Coghlan’s 2023 highlights

December 14, 2023December 14, 2023

Western Angler Editor Scott Coghlan has certainly made the most of 2023 from a fishing perspective! From chasing queenfish and GT’s at the Mackerel Islands to having his first ever battle with European pike on the River Thames, Scott has had a fine time wetting a line across many picturesque waterways in WA and around the world.

Hear from Scott as he exclusively shares some of his fishing highlights from 2023 with Recfishwest.

Fishing with glee in 2023

Looking back through my fishing photos from 2023, it reminded me just how much fun I’ve had over the past 12 months.

With so much going on in fishing this year it has been easy to forget about the actual times I’ve cast a line. I’ve seemed to be constantly engaged in debates around the many changes to fishing rules and access, and it’s been somewhat overwhelming at times.

But as soon as I get away from the phone and computer and actually fish, I am immediately taken away from those stresses and reminded about why I love it so much. And the truth is I am lucky enough to do more fishing, and in more great locations than most people, and for that I can only feel blessed. All of which did come back to me as I scrolled through the pictures on my computer.

New Zealand

The year started in New Zealand of all places, on a family trip that included some fly fishing, of course. Ian Brown and I caught some lovely fish, including a late-night big brown for yours truly from a stream mouth in Rotorua, but the most memorable session was a relatively brief one on hungry browns in a spring creek near Greymouth.

I’ve never seen trout as fired up as they were for the couple of hours we were there, and Browny caught his first brown on dry fly when a fish pounced the instant as his line dropped out of a tree he had cast into. It wouldn’t qualify as a highlight, but falling out of a boat in Lake Taupo was certainly an experience to be remembered!

Ian Brown cast into a tree and pulled out this nice NZ brown trout.

Bremer Bay

During autumn I spent a magical few days near Bremer Bay, camping on the beach and enjoying glamour conditions while chasing schools of salmon. Watching big groups of salmon surfing down clean waves towards us was an unforgettable experience, especially for the mates I was with who don’t fish all that often.

This sort of camping/fishing experience on our unspoiled beaches is something special and I hope we never lose this access. I always love salmon season and I had some great fun at Cheynes Beach, stalking schools from beach and kayak, while our annual family holiday to Hamelin Bay found fish much harder to find than 12 months earlier, when they were everywhere.

England

My absolute piscatorial highlight of the year actually came a long way from WA shores. A trip with my son to England to watch the Ashes took some surprising turns, which included experiencing some surprisingly good fishing. I caught grayling and trout on the River Avon, caught some big trout at a stocked lake, and pulled some tiny browns from a little creek in Scotland.

However, that was all topped by a day fishing the legendary Thames near Reading, when I finally ticked pike off the bucket list with a couple of 4kg or so fish, as well as catching a few redfin perch. What a magnificent fish pike are, with their olive colour and fearsome teeth, and catching one on a lure was just sensational. Catching a pike had been a goal of mine since I was a kid and it did not disappoint.

Scott Coghlan with his first pike, caught in the Thames River.

Southern estuaries

Much closer to home, there were the usual countless kayak sessions on south coast estuaries and rivers, catching big bream and some solid mulloway. I love kayak fishing and there is no shortage of options along the south coast, which offers some of the best bream fishing in the country.

This sort of fishing is so accessible and is something I seemingly never tire of, the hard part is usually choosing where to go. I also enjoyed some fun fly fishing around Albany for trout, catching some lovely fish in prime condition in a tiny local river.

A nice mulloway from the kayak for Scott Coghlan.

A trip to Pemberton in November for the Recfishwest trout stocking event didn’t produce any huge trout, but it saw me catch up with some old mates and we caught some pretty little fish, while the experience of wading down the middle of the Warren River is a delightful one, especially when you are constantly watching marron scurry away from your feet.

Mackerel Islands

As always, the annual Western Angler Seafari to the Mackerel Islands in August provided some incredible fishing action. This year we spent two weeks based at Thevenard Island with a bunch of Western Angler readers, many of whom are now friends as they’ve done this trip so many times.

I’ve never seen as much bait as this year at the Mackerels. There were huge schools of baitfish of varying sizes almost everywhere we fished, and the predators weren’t far behind. My fishing companion, Glenn Edwards, and I spent several days fishing the flats around the islands, casting at schools of shark mackerel, queenfish, golden trevally, gold-spot trevally and mack tuna that were hammering the baitfish almost constantly. It made for some spectacular action each time the feeding frenzy would explode.

Glenn also picked up a decent giant trevally on light tackle at Sandy Cay and I finally picked up my long-overdue first chinaman, stealing it from under Glenn’s nose when it followed one of his trusty lead-head jigs up. It’s the quick and dead when I’m around! Spangled emperor were also plentiful in the shallows and while Spanish mackerel were a little harder to find than usual, we still managed a few. When it comes to a mix of great fishing and a magical location, the Mackerel Islands again proved they are hard to beat.

Scott Coghlan finally managed his first Chinaman this year in the Mackerel Islands.

The Kimberley

Later in the year I headed to the Kimberley at the start of the build-up, on a quest for that elusive metre-plus barra. It didn’t happen but I had a cracking day on Roebuck Bay with local guide Paul Haddy.

Darryl Hitchen and I both caught our first tripletail, while I got a couple of nice barra from Crab Creek, and backed those up with two personal bests – my biggest blue salmon and threadfin salmon, caught within a few minutes of each other. What a special fishery this has become since commercial netting was removed.

Our subsequent cruise into the Kimberley with Kimberley Quest saw us enjoy some spectacular barra action on the Glenelg River, as well as catching broadbar mackerel at Montgomery Reef. It’s an incredible part of the world and a real privilege to be able to fish, which makes it doubly disappointing that some spots in this part of the world have now been closed to anglers.

Two beautiful Glenelg River barramundi for Heather Doy and Ashley Prescott.

Cast of Thousands

A very different fishing experience this year was filming a television advertisement for the Recfishwest’s Cast of Thousands campaign. Having never done anything like that before, I was a late call-up and it gave me a great insight into what goes into producing the commercials we see on TV.

It certainly worked too, and each time it ran I got texts from people letting me know they’d just seen me –with a head for radio I can only apologise for that trauma! Helping promote the work Recfishwest does for recreational fishing helps ease the pain of seeing myself on TV though. On a positive note, it was great to see so many kids and families fishing again this year.

Scott Coghlan was one of Recfishwest’s Cast of Thousands ambassadors for 2023!

I get sent a lot of reader submissions for my newspaper columns, and we get a few for Western Angler as well, and it is always great to see the next generation of anglers coming through in those fishing stories I receive. After all, the pastime won’t survive unless there are always new anglers coming on to the scene, and thankfully this still appeared to be happening in 2023.

Along the same lines, while at Hamelin Bay it was great to see so many kids heading down to the water with a rod in their hands, sometimes with their parents but often alone. Sometimes they only lasted a few minutes, but the main thing was they were giving it a go and being part of the Cast of Thousands that is the community of recreational fishers in WA.

Now we head towards 2024 and I can’t wait to see what fishing surprises are in store for the next 12 months!

A gulf in class – Scott Coghlan on the magnificent wilderness fishing on offer in Exmouth Gulf

June 30, 2023July 4, 2023

It’s one of WA’s great fishing destinations and if you truly want to sample wilderness fishing at its best without having to go too deep off the grid – head no further than Exmouth Gulf.

With its fish-rich shallow waters, mangrove-lined creek system, numerous shoals and scattered reefs, the fishing and wilderness experiences on offer in Exmouth Gulf are world-class.

Exmouth Gulf is one of the State’s great accessible wilderness fishing areas and is the envy of sportfishers from around the country.

There is nowhere else quite like it in WA. It’s a place where we can cast a line for a wide range of species from bluewater speedsters to creek-dwellers, while seeing grazing dugongs, lazy turtles and gliding manta rays, or while enjoying the spectacle of dolphins and whales putting on a show in a pristine environment.

It’s a superb fishing location and the natural attractions are part of what makes this place so treasured by both local and visiting anglers.

The Gulf has come under threat recently from industrial development, and Recfishwest has, and will continue to do all we can to ensure we can all continue to enjoy what the Gulf has to offer and protect the values that matter most to fishers. We trust we can count on your support in the future to help us protect what’s important to our community.

With many of you heading north, we asked Western Angler Editor Scott Coghlan to profile the Gulf and the fantastic fishing available for those making the trip – not too far out of town.

Here’s what Scott had to share with us:

Something for everyone

I’ve been lucky enough to fish the Gulf for many years now and it is just an absolute delight to be able to spend time exploring its margins, from Exmouth south to Giralia, and then up the east coast towards Onslow.

It offers a wide range of fishing opportunities to please just about every fisho, from shore, boat and, as we have found, kayak.

From the shore-based giant trevally at Oysters, to the coral trout and mackies of the shoals, to the queenfish, trevally and even permit of the flats, the whiting off the beaches, through to the mangrove jack, cod and crab of the creeks, and even billfish at times, there is something for everyone.

There are beaches to walk, islands to explore, rocky points to traverse, oyster stacks to drift past, shoals to fish on and sandy cays that emerge on certain tides, all with resident fish and other marine animals around them.

Big brassy trevally are often found on Gulf shoals.

Kayak fishing heaven

Much of my time at Exmouth in recent years has been spent exploring the eastern side of the Gulf around our base at the Wilderness Island camp, which is just about heaven on earth for keen sport fishers.

Usually fishing in kayaks, we’ve enjoyed some amazing action on a surprisingly diverse range of species given the distance limitations with kayaks.

Almost always in shallow water around the flats, we’ve caught big Spanish mackerel, longtail tuna, cobia, massive giant herring, countless queenfish and even barramundi, as well as golden, giant and brassy trevally.

Metre-plus queenfish are a Gulf staple, this one caught by Matt McCarthy.

For the avid fly-caster, we’ve also seen prized permit and blue bastards, along with reef dwellers such as cod, coral trout and spangled emperor. When we head up the creeks, we find countless mangrove jack and cod, as well as mud crabs.

Gliding silently about at a leisurely pace in kayaks, we’ve had incredible encounters with grazing dugongs and whirling manta rays, while constantly surprising big rays and cruising turtles. It always amuses me how turtles will slowly surface right next to the kayak, unaware you are there, look around lazily to check the coast is clear, and then react with extraordinary surprise at our presence.

Squid are never far away and a walk along the beaches can produce anything from hordes of whiting, flathead and bream to big queenies, trevally and barra that are cruising the margins.

Even if the bigger fish aren’t playing, light tackle fishing with bream gear along the shallows can be awesome fun, as it is often a fish a cast for small stuff like whiting, little trevally, flathead and bream.

It is a similar story around the islands in the Gulf, where almost all the same species can be found, often in huge numbers on the right stage of the tide. And just about any rocky point, sand bar or outcrop will have fish lurking around it as long as there is enough water for them to get there.

A huge giant herring for Glenn Edwards off the yak.

Easy beach access

The Exmouth side of the Gulf is a similar story, with shore fishing opportunities for all the same species from the southern end to northern tip. Bay of Rest is a popular spot, especially for jacks and mud crabbing.

The Learmonth Jetty is great for families, producing both bread and butter species and bigger fare, even turning up some very lost Australian salmon a few years ago!

The beaches south of Exmouth are easy to access and walk, and can be dynamite for whiting, bream and flatties, while the marina and connected canals is another great family fishing spot. It holds some big jacks, loads of cod and bream, and plenty of small trevally and queenies at times. The outer walls often produce bigger queenies and there have seen Spaniards and even a sailfish caught inside there.

Walking the shore during a break from the kayak paid off for Glenn Edwards.

The biggest flathead I have ever caught was on fly at the boat ramp! You can also pop into the Exmouth Game Fishing Club of an evening and grab a feed while enjoying one of the best sunset views going around.

Just north of town, Old Bundegi can produce golden trevally and queenfish for shore anglers, while near the top of the Gulf, Oysters is famed for big GT’s from the shore and a range of other species including queenies and mackerel.

For those with boats, the Gulf possibilities are almost endless. Although it’s not a particularly deep area generally and indeed a lot of it is very shallow and requires some navigational care, the shoals that rise out of deeper water hold plenty of different species.

At times, golden and brassy trevally are thick and can easily be found by their surface activity, and there are always pelagics like Spanish and school mackerel, and longtail tuna patrolling them. Bottom fishers will pick up coral trout, spangled emperor and cod, and even the odd black jewfish shows up.

At the top of the Gulf, bait often aggregates late in the year and draws sailfish into the area, offering some incredible shallow-water billfish excitement unlike nothing else in WA.

Closer to the town marina, King Reef – the artificial reef deployed by Recfishwest – has become a fish magnet for a wide range of species, not the least of which are some huge golden trevally that will test any angler.

Precious and unique

Exmouth is most famous for its bluewater fishing out from the incredible Ningaloo Reef, but the Gulf is a precious and unique fishing location with an allure all of its own, and especially for lure casters like me.

In recent years, the Gulf has been recognised as a fishing destination of immense value, including attracting fly-fishers from across the globe to target permit. The more you explore the Gulf, the more you find – its waters hold many angling surprises and boasts a superb range of fishing options to suit all styles of anglers and every level of experience.

Not only that, but it’s also relatively protected from the weather than can affect the west coast and can offer a great alternative when conditions at Ningaloo are no good for fishing, although don’t think it doesn’t get rough, as the combination of wind and short chop can be horrific!

I love spending time in Exmouth Gulf and maintaining access to this unique part of the coast for recreational fishers should be of vital importance to not just local and visiting anglers, but anyone who has ever enjoyed casting a line in WA.

Fishing on foot in front of the camp at Wilderness Island.

Industrial development threatens the gulf’s unique fishing experiences

As we reported back in September 2020, a major proposal were shelved to build a pipeline construction and loading facility in the south-west corner of Exmouth Gulf, right next to some of the most popular fishing spots of Wapet Creeek and the Bay of Rest.

Industrialising a place of wild beauty and highly valued wilderness fishing opportunities like the gulf seemed to be a ridiculous proposal to Recfishwest and many members of the fishing community.

Subsequently, Recfishwest submitted our objection to this development through the EPA process, and with many other organisations taking a similar view, the proponent for the project decided not to proceed. This means that for, now at least, the wilderness fishing experiences offered in that part of the gulf are protected.

It’s no time for complacency, however, as there are two other developments currently proposed for Gulf waters that we are keeping a close eye on. One is a solar salt development on the eastern side of the Gulf, the other a proposed jetty and port facility south of Exmouth township. Both of these developments could have significant impacts on fishing experiences in the area.

Recfishwest is continuing to monitor these projects as they progress toward gaining the relevant approvals. We will keep you updated during these processes and ensure that your views are put forward when decision-makers are asked to judge these developments. In the meantime, stay updated through our newsletter, website and social media channels to keep up to date.

Scott’s south coast gems

May 5, 2023May 5, 2023

The south coast is a delightful part of the world, especially at this time of year.

Autumn truly is the time to enjoy everything it has to offer, with the best weather of the year featuring still, warm day days and clear skies that showcase just how stunning this coastline is.

When it all comes together on the south coast there truly is nowhere else like it on the planet, and that’s probably why I choose to live there!

One of the great features of the south coast is the fishing, which is an integral part of the lifestyle in this part of the world, for both locals and visitors.

Indeed, many south coast towns started as fishing communities and recreational fishing remains a lifeblood for them, with huge social and economic benefits.

There’s an absolute wealth of fishing options along the south coast – if you truly want to get away from it all, and you’ve got a 4WD, there’s nothing like camping and fishing along the Nullarbor and Baxter Cliffs. For boaties, fishing around the archipelago islands around Esperance can be sensational at times when the conditions allow and then closer to town 4WD-ing and fishing off the beaches around Hopetoun and Bremer Bay can produce classic south coast action for species like salmon, skippy, mulloway and sharks.

Autumn is prime time for south coast anglers, with the favourable weather and giant salmon schools passing through on their annual migration, and southern bluefin tuna and bonito not far behind. The conditions are at their best for offshore fishing for species including pink, red and queen snapper, dhufish, Samson fish and yellowtail kingfish.

And it’s also a great time of the year to fish the countless south coast estuaries and rivers for thumping black bream, juvenile salmon, herring, King George whiting, pink snapper and blue swimmer crabs, not to mention the odd surprise like mulloway and tailor. For anyone considering a south coast escapade, here is a list of half a dozen places to start.

Duke of Orleans Bay

Located east of Esperance, a great access point to the beautiful coastline in this area. There are plenty of campsites through Cape Arid, but the caravan park at Duke of Orleans makes a perfect base for a fishing trip.

There is good inshore fishing for small boat anglers after a relatively easy beach launch at the Duke. With vast seagrass meadows you won’t need to go far for a feed of squid. Head out a short distance into the Recherche Archipelago and try for red snapper, harlequin fish, Samson fish, pink snapper and yellowtail kingfish, to name but a few species found here. There are numerous easily accessible beaches either side of the Duke which offer superb surf fishing for a range of species including salmon, mulloway, herring and skippy.

The salmon come through in huge numbers in late summer/early autumn and spots like Alexander Bay, Kennedy and Tagon Beaches, Poison Creek and Thomas River can all fire, offering superb beach driving experiences as well. Some of the biggest skippy in WA are caught around here. The drive along the beach from Thomas River to Cape Arid is a must-do if in the area, with that amazing contrast of crisp white sand and sparkling blue water.

Hopetoun

An old favourite of mine, offering beach, estuary and offshore fishing around this lovely little holiday town. ‘Hopey’ as we call it, used to have a long jetty too that was great for fishing. Nowadays a rock groyne offers a couple of small jetties and a boat ramp, for easy access to inshore and offshore fishing for the usual range of inshore species.

The beaches east of Hopetoun are quite stunning and offer some superb fishing opportunities, with numerous reef ledges especially towards 12-Mile. A gravel road follows the coast east and offers opportunities for those with 2WD vehicles to park close to spots, while beach access for 4WDs is available in some locations. There are good spots all through here as you head towards Masons Bay and Starvation Bay. There are well-established campsites with good facilities here and beach launching for those with a boat who want to access some great fishing directly out from Masons and ‘Starvos’.

A piece of fishing paradise near Hopetoun.

Back on the shore at this time of year, you should be able to find plenty of salmon, along with herring and skippy. The estuary fishing around Hopetoun can be great too, and over the years I’ve had a lot of fun in the Jerdacuttup River on black bream. Last year I fished it from a kayak for the first time and had a ball. Another great spot to check out west of town is Quoin Head. There is plenty of holiday accommodation in Hopetoun, including caravan parks.

Beaches of Bremer Bay

Casting at schools of salmon close to Bremer Bay.

A wild and magnificent destination, Bremer Bay and the beaches to the east and west have to be seen to be believed. To the east of town, Trigelow, Doubtful Islands, Peppermint Beach and Bremer Beach to name a few, while to the west of town, Dylan, Fosters and Reef Beach are all collectively jaw-dropping land-based fishing spots. There are a range of beaches facing south, west and east, meaning you can pick your spot with ease to always have the wind in your back for casting.

With so much space, finding a camping spot all to yourself is simple to keep families entertained. A majority of these beaches are strictly 4WD only and big schools of salmon hold up in numerous sheltered areas at times, which can make for exciting sight fishing. There are plenty of areas where you can explore via 4WD through here to find deep gutters to soak baits or flick out lures for a wide range of great species.

They’re also usually good areas if the kids want a swim or to use their boogie boards. Herring are prolific along the beaches both west and east of Bremer and there’s a chance of skippy and silver bream. Sharks are often shadowing the salmon and can offer another challenge.

Nanarup

Some surprisingly big bream can be found at Taylor Inlet near Albany.

Located just east of Albany and only a 20-minute drive from the town centre, this spot is an old favourite of mine, and a great family fishing destination for anyone in the Albany area, offering fantastic fun fishing opportunities for anglers of all ages.

I have been fishing the inlet, which is east of Albany at Nanarup Beach, since I was a little kid, and I still get a real kick out of it. It is full of usually smallish bream, and some chunky juvenile salmon, making for great light tackle fishing. There are big bream in there though and these are a real reward for persistence. The bream will happily take baits, but it’s a good spot to try your hand at lure fishing for them, especially in the warmer months. You can simply pull up a car next to the water and cast a line, or wade, or even fish from a kayak or small boat.

The beach itself can be a great surf fishing spot, and is noted for producing salmon during the run, and often all year. It has some great holes and herring and tailor are also caught here. With a 4WD you can drive along the beach, or you can park and walk. There is also a delightful little bay at the western end, which is perfect for swimming.

Wilson Inlet

This is an amazing fishery located in Denmark. It’s a reasonably small and shallow inlet, generally with a flat, featureless bottom, but it has an amazing ability to hold quality fish that just highlights how productive these southern estuaries can be.

The range of species that show up in the Wilson is quite staggering, especially given it can be closed to the ocean for extended periods. Big blue-spot flathead are a Wilson staple, as are some thumping dinner-plate flounder. King George whiting can be caught in there, yellowfin whiting show up in summer and the Wilson is renowned for its pink snapper. The pinkies are sometimes in huge numbers and while most are smallish, fish to 75cm do get caught.

Large silver bream can be caught in the Wilson and it holds probably the biggest, fattest herring you’ll ever see. Many times, I’ve thought I’ve hooked a small salmon, also found in the Wilson, only for it to turn out to be a monster herring. At times schools of big salmon have become trapped in the estuary and it also produces some nice garfish. There were even some jumbo tailor netted in there by professionals a couple of years ago.

The two main rivers running into it, the Denmark and Hay, can produce some quality bream. A small boat or kayak opens up the Wilson opportunities, but there are also shore fishing opportunities near the mouth and around the edges of the inlet. There are numerous accommodation options around Denmark.

Some quality pink snapper can be caught in Wilson Inlet.

Donnelly River

It has been years since I have been to the Donnelly, but I’d love to get back there at some time.

Access to the river is via a boat ramp that offers access to the lower reaches down to the mouth for small trailer boats. This is a fascinating spot to me, as it is one place where you can get trout all the way to the ocean, and it also produces redfin perch near the ramp. The first time we visited we paddled to the mouth in a heavily laden Canadian canoe and caught some trout on the way down, along with plenty of black bream at the mouth. We also caught juvenile salmon. I’ll never forget having one huge trout follow my lure that was probably the biggest I’d ever seen in WA.

There are shacks near the mouth, and we simply set up a tent near one of them. The beach fishing at the mouth can be good, producing herring, skippy and tailor. I’ve even heard of trout being caught from the beach. During the annual salmon run you will catch plenty of them as well. With no vehicle access, this is a special spot to get away from it all, whether for a day trip or a camping adventure.

Salmon Slam phase three winners and a new overall leader!

April 18, 2023April 18, 2023

With just under two weeks left in the 2023 Salmon Slam and with more catches submitted in the previous fortnight than at any other stage of the competition – we’re in for a cracker of a final phase!

Phase three between April 1-14 saw hundreds of captures entered into the competition from families and keen salmon fishers hitting the South-West and south coast to have a crack during the Easter holidays.

With decent salmon schools now spotted cruising around Cape Naturaliste according to the 2023 Salmon Tracker Facebook page – the excitement is mounting over whether the southern sportfish will make it to the metro this year.

With Braden Wilson rising to the top of the chasing pack as the new overall leader , the question is can he cling on to the lead – or will another lure or bait casting contender pip him to the post before the Salmon Slam wraps up on 1 May? Check out the 2023 Salmon Slam leaderboard and competition information here!

Want to know the best gear and advice for catching salmon? Check out Scott Coghlan’s great tips for catching salmon in Western Australia in the video below!

Let’s get into our 2023 Salmon Slam phase three recap!

Braden’s four salmon for the win?

With an impressive 3,280mm of salmon and with his biggest salmon measuring a mighty 900mm – Braden Wilson’s four fish took out the four longest salmon prize for phase three and could also land him an impressive booty of Assassin fishing gear for the four longest overall salmon submitted into the 2023 Slam.

The Manjimup local and avid fisher decided to prowl the salmon-rich beaches between Albany and Augusta, scoping out the coastline for weeks in the hopes of locating the larger specimens amongst the travelling schools.

“I was mainly flicking out lures at the schools for the extra distance and also mixing it up by sending baits out as well to see what tactic worked for the larger fish. It’s always such great fun and exciting at this time of year when you see dark salmon schools within casting distance,” said Braden.

Braden has a slim 20mm advantage over second-placed Tyson Groom for the overall length of the four longest salmon submitted – although with the recent storm front pushing the schools further north, we could yet see a flurry of entries coming through from the South-West regions right up until the conclusion of the competition on 1 May.

Don’t waste time, be sure to wet a line!

First salmon for Max Payne wins prize gains for best photo!

This great snap of young Max Payne with his first salmon won him best photo for phase three – along with an awesome Halco Tackle lure pack worth over $250!

With their high abundance and great accessibility, salmon are a great species for teaching kids how to learn to fight larger fish from smaller catches such as herring and whiting – and this 60-centimetre-plus first salmon catch for young Max Payne was only outsized by his beaming smile!

During a recent trip down to Walpole for the Easter long weekend, the Payne family took the boat out and decided to have a troll just outside the Nornalup Inlet mouth. Max’s dad, Matt Payne, wanted to help his son experience the thrill of catching a West Aussie salmon after making the drive down from Perth.

“I had told Max about the Salmon Slam in recent weeks and he was super-excited to get the chance to target them. We were trolling hard-body diving lures close to the rocks and it didn’t take long for Max’s lure to get smashed,” said Matt. “After about five minutes, the fish was next to the boat and his mum netted the fish for him and he was elated to see his first ever salmon come on board in beautiful condition. We measured it, took some quick photos and then released it. It was hands down one of the best highlights of our trip and I’m sure he won’t forget that experience any time soon.”

The only place in the world to catch big salmon with an ocean sunset!

Check out this sunset/salmon combo from Tammy Payne, who was the phase three Adult Random winner!

Camping on our glorious southern beaches while wetting a line is part-and-parcel of the WA lifestyle.

Tammy Payne was one camper who travelled with mates down to Malimup Beach for the Easter long weekend with fishing conditions coming good on sunset with a glorious window to chase some salmon.

The result saw Tammy catch a hard-fighting salmon off the beach while overlooking a fiery West Aussie ocean sunset.

“Just on dusk I put my first bait out which was a pilchard on a gang hook with a six-ounce star sinker. It didn’t take long and within minutes I was on, everyone was so excited as my 4000 Shimano Twin Power started squealing,” said Tammy.

“After a fun fight lasting a couple of minutes I brought in this 81cm salmon. It was the first fish of the trip and it helped set the tone for many more fun reel-screamers to come for me and my mates, it was such an epic weekend.”

Tammy scooped the Adult Random winner for phase three and has $100 to spend on fishing gear for her efforts thanks to the great crew from Anglers Fishing World in Fremantle.

Phase three junior random winner

One family making the most of some sizzling salmon action in Bunker Bay were the Cherubinos, and their son Lucas found a great gutter to soak a bait during one morning in the hope of landing a fish.

“One school went past at about 9:00am and Lucas quickly threw a mulie right in the middle of them and BANG – he was on immediately,” said his father, Anthony.

“While he was reeling it in it looks like something took a small chunk out of it and we’re not entirely sure what it was, but the salmon put up a great fight with its speed and power and eventually made it into the shore. Lucas was so happy that he finally caught one.”

Lucas Cherubino also landed his first salmon during the Easter holidays, with this beauty landed in Bunker Bay scoring him the Junior Random prize for phase three and a $100 voucher to spend at Compleat Angler in Nedlands.

The finish line is in sight for the 2023 Salmon Slam and the number of catches and school sightings is only going to get even more spicy during phase four – so make sure you get out there and have a crack at a share in the $10,000 in prizes up for grabs when we announce the overall winners after 1 May!

Scott’s Species – buffalo bream – buff, tough and a great species for kids

December 16, 2022December 16, 2022

Buffalo bream

Kyphosus cornelii (western buffalo bream)

Eating: One star

ID – Dark section on tail, with white colouration on extremities. Oval shaped, with silver to brownish sides.

One of the fun things about fishing is finding new ways to challenge yourself. Whether it be finding new ways to catch a species, or targeting a new type of fish, there is always fun to be had trying something new. This thrill never gets old, and has been with me since I was a kid learning to fish.

One of the first examples I can recall is as a teenager at Rottnest Island. Our family used to spend a week there every winter, and I would spend every day fishing from the shore. With a beach rod and rigs featuring either a herring blob or berley cage, I would fill in each day fishing from a rocky platform around the island. Burley was an essential ingredient each day, and I would make it myself with pollard, flour and hot water.

I’d catch countless herring, plus the occasional surprise in the form of big skippy, silver bream or even the odd King George whiting. And sometimes I would pull a squid jig out and catch a couple of them. But catching herring did start to get a bit repetitive at times and there was one species of fish that intrigued me.

I’d read eastern states fishing publications and heard about species like luderick and drummer, and often there would be several big fish in the burley trail that looked just like those drummer in the books. Eventually, I just had to try to catch them! They were, of course, buffalo bream, a rock and reef staple in the southern half of the State.

Buffalo bream are quite fiddly to catch and algae, seaweed or burley on a hook is your best chance, but they provide a great fight for their size once hooked.

Anyone who has fished around those sorts of areas has seen buffs mooching about, often in shallow water with their tails in the air as they graze on weed growth on top of reef platforms. As a kid at Rotto, where they are extremely prolific, I wanted to see if I could catch one, but it proved a challenge as they had no interest in the bait I was using, be it whitebait or squid.

However, they were really keen on the burley so I figured I had to use that as a bait, but I obviously couldn’t keep in the hook. I started experimenting with my burley and found that by adding more flour, I could turn it into a paste of sorts, a bit like that Catchit bait you used to be able to buy at one stage.

I started burleying the buffs right to my feet and then would drop an unweighted piece of my burley paste down, with my hook buried in it. I would watch the buffs work their way through the burley trail, but somehow they seemed to know which chunk of burley had the hook in it. However, every now and then the trap would work and I’d watch a big buff inhale my offering.

I’d set the hook and all hell would break loose for a few seconds before the fish made its inevitable escape. I simply wasn’t rigged up for these big fish, and the weakest point was the small Limerick or Tarpon hook I had to use. If I went any bigger, they wouldn’t touch it as they only have small mouths, but when I did hook one, the smaller hooks would pretty much straighten immediately. Some of these fish, particularly around West End, were monsters too. I’ve never again targeted buffs since those days, but have caught a few on bait from time to time and you always think you’ve hooked something decent from the fight.

While they are not great on the plate, buffalo bream are a great species to target for kids, with their high abundance and hard fighting providing a great learning experience.

We all know buffs are horrible on the plate, but I have often wondered how much fun they might be on fly tackle, and I dare say there would be a few people out there who have tried this. They have all the prerequisites for a fly fishing target as they are common, pop up in schools close to shore and can be sight casted, plus they have great power and strength.

I’ve seen people mistake buffs for schools of salmon at times and get frustrated when these ‘salmon’ won’t look at their lures. I do know some old-school anglers who used to chase them from the moles in Fremantle for sport, using handlines as that was the only way to stop them.

Handling them is not that much fun though, as they are pretty smelly and have a tendency to expel their latest meal of algae and weed on you as a dark mess! We have two similar species in WA that most people recognise as buff bream – silver drummer and western buffalo bream and they are found in the same areas. The latter is a purely local species found only in WA as far north as Coral Bay.

Buffs grow to around 80cm and have sportfishing potential, but most anglers just let them go as you don’t want to deal with the consequences of trying to cook one. However, I did see a YouTube video the other day of local angler Deryck Tan dry aging and eating them and he said they tasted fine! Each to their own I guess!

Scott’s Species — Sand whiting, great fun and easily accessible for the whole family

November 30, 2022

Sand whiting

Sillago vittata

Eating: 4.5 stars

ID – Narrow bars of brown spots across the back.

The ubiquitous sand whiting. Rarely the target of a day’s fishing, but prolific, fun to catch and fantastic eating, as well as decent bait.

Actually officially known as western school whiting as we don’t get true sandies in WA, they are a staple of WA fishing despite their low profile. They don’t get the love of their larger King George and yellowfin relatives, but are still an important fish in our waters.

I have fond memories of some fun trips off the northern suburbs of Perth a few years ago, in a friend’s boat, drifting in 10-20m of water and catching a magnificent feed of sand whiting (along with the odd goatfish and many tiny little flatties that were very spiky!).

Larger sand whiting passing the 30cm mark tend to be caught in slightly deeper water, with small strips of squid on paternoster rigs working best.

A simple paternoster rig with a heavy enough sinker to get to the bottom and a couple of small hooks was all that was needed, along with some little pieces of squid for bait. However, their main food source is actually small crustaceans. Other bait options include coral prawn and whitebait. The durability of squid on the hook takes some beating though and that means you are not baiting up again every few moments.

We caught loads of sandies this way, often catching multiple fish at a time, and the fillets were beautiful, especially when you got fish around the 30cm mark. Sandies grow to about 35cm, and certainly get quite plump at that size. Their delicate white flesh is a treat on the plate.

Of course, sandies aren’t just an offshore species either and any beach angler who has wet a line in the surf as far north as Geraldton has caught them. Sometimes the little ones are in plague proportions right at your feet, picking at baits meant for much bigger fare.

Sand whiting are a great species to target for kids off the beaches and via boating, as seen on the left at Kalbarri’s Kids Whiting Competition and on the right, with three-year-old Zachary Thake catching his very first fish.

A little flick rod and small baits can mean some great fun while waiting for the bigger fish to bite. It’s especially enjoyable fishing for kids, as there is no need for long casts or heavy tackle. Not to mention that fresh sandies are an ideal bait for bigger surf predators such as mulloway, tailor and salmon.

It does seem that the better class of sandies are usually in that slightly deeper water though. We get some really nice ones in Albany’s King George Sound, and the shipping channel into Cockburn Sound is noted for them.

Drifting likely ground is a productive approach and you will find patches of fish, but you could also anchor once you encounter some action. At the end of the day, no one in the house will complain if you return with a feed of fresh sand whiting!

Scott’s Species – Marron – the craze for freshwater crays

October 14, 2022October 14, 2022

Marron

Eating: 5 stars

It has been some years since I marroned with a purpose, but the memories of chasing them in our beautiful southern forests remain strong and it is something I probably should try again before too long.

I fondly recall a great night spent on the old Harvey Weir, before it was flooded to become what is now Harvey Dam, chasing them not long after I got my driver’s licence. We parked the car by the water, started a fire and then threw in some pellets.

Using drop nets, we ended up with a nice feed of marron and enjoyed a night to remember over a few cold drinks. Life was simpler back then…but I digress. There are few more uniquely West Australian fishing experiences than catching marron.

A juvenile marron (left) and Graham Stewart holding the prized catch that so many marroners chase!

Found from Esperance all the way north to Hutt River, past Geraldton, but endemic to the South-West, they are our own freshwater crayfish and despite having to endure some serious challenges in recent years, they continue to offer a great fishing option in many of our freshwater waterways during a limited season.

Dropping rainfall and reduced river flows due to increased community demands on water have meant marron have faced some real habitat issues, but the good news is that current stocking programs supported by Recfishwest are helping boost numbers and might even ultimately lead to longer seasons.

On a trip to Pemberton last summer to chase trout, I saw heaps of marron in the Warren River and Lefroy Brooks, which was hopefully a good sign for the future. Although I haven’t chased marron in recent years, they are a common encounter when trout fishing.

I remember standing on a rock in knee-deep water at Waroona Dam and being surprised when a large marron emerged from under that rock. It was not quite “methuselah” of the Freshwater Fishing in South West Australia book fame, but it was a beauty. I also remember foul hooking a big one on a Celta at Cascades on the Lefroy Brook one year. After admiring it for a few seconds I let that one go.

Locations stocked in recent years include Waroona Dam, Harvey Dam, Big Brook Dam and Logue Brook Dam. A licence is required to catch marron during the January-February season. There are detailed rules around bag and size limits which vary in different locations, with Harvey Dam, Waroona Dam and the Hutt River regarded as ‘trophy waters’ with tighter regulations to enhance the chance of catching trophy specimens.

Matt Pullella trying his luck marroning in a small stream.

Some locations are also snare only, including Big Brook Dam, Logue Brook Dam and Harvey Dam, with the full list and the latest comprehensive rules available at www.fish.gov.au.

There are three main ways of catching marron and a baited drop net is the most simple and effective, especially in deeper water such as the Warren River. A simple stocking filled with chook pellets can be used as bait, or other meat baits like chicken necks or fish. However, I always reckon the greatest fun to be had is in stalking them in the shallows with a snare or scoop. This is even more fun with a good headlamp at night. The reward, of course, is a feed of one of the tastiest crustaceans on the planet!

Scott’s Species – Breaksea cod – one of the finest-eating by-catches

September 30, 2022September 30, 2022

Breaksea cod

Epinephelides armatus

Eating: 4.5 stars

ID – Dark black blotch around anus. Colour can vary including orange, brown and grey.

Breaksea cod, long known by another colloquial name that I won’t repeat here, are a staple for bottom fishers in the southern half of the State.

To me, they actually look a bit like the freshwater sooty grunter of the Kimberley, with their rather non-descript reddish/brownish/amber colouration. Fish in shallower water tend to be brownish, while those in deeper water can be more orange.

Breaksea cod are mostly caught as a bottom-dwelling fish, although they are frequently caught by rock fishers on the south coast of WA as seen here by Kjell Hensen.

Breaksea cod are found from Shark Bay to Esperance, and are usually an inshore fish caught mostly in depths to 70m, although they have been known to be found in 150m.

They are a plain looking fish, but don’t let that fool you. They are only cod of the genus epinephelides, so they are a unique fish. Males grow large and faster than females, with a maximum size of around 55cm and three kilos.

They are usually caught by offshore anglers, but in recent years have also become a fairly regular shore-based capture. Intrepid shore anglers like Chris Dixon and Gideon Mettam are among the high-profile members of a growing band of rock fishers who claim some amazing land-based captures, and that includes quite a few breaksea cod.

Jacob Carlish with a decent breaksea cod plucked from Perth waters.

Not being a regular offshore bottom fisher these days I don’t encounter too many breaksea, but on a recent trip out of Cheynes Beach with local caravan park owner Alan Marsh, he caught a couple of the biggest specimens I have seen.

Breaksea like to hang around structure and are rarely specifically targeted, but their aggressive predatory nature means they invariably feature regularly in catches of bottom fish. Unfortunately for them, they don’t handle changes of depth well at all and invariably come to the surface with severe barotrauma, making releasing them usually impossible.

They are excellent eating, so keeping them is not usually a problem for offshore fishers. The bag limit on the west coast is two, and three on the south coast.

As they are usually a bycatch while chasing other species, there is no best way to target breaksea really. However, the usual methods for bottom fishing, such as baited paternoster right, will produce them. They are also partial to lures fished near the bottom, such as soft plastics and metal jigs. Those who catch lots of breaksea believe that fresh squid is the prime bait for them.

Breaksea cod will also smash soft plastics and jigs, with their magnificent colours ranging from dark brown to bright orange.

Scott’s Species – harlequin fish, the coral trout of the south

March 24, 2022March 24, 2022

In this week’s Scott’s Species, Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan turns his attention to one of the most eye-catching fish off the WA coast — harlequin fish.

Species: Harlequin fish, Othos dentex

Eating: 4 stars

ID: Red or orange colouration, with yellow and blue spots.

One of the most striking fish in WA waters, many people joke harlies are the coral trout of the south because of their amazing colouration.

They have blue, yellow, red-orange and brown colours and can’t be mistaken for any other fish in the areas they are found.

They also have some serious teeth, indicating the sort of serious predator they are.

Albany is home to great harlies, just ask Rohan Black!

Harlies are normally caught by boat fishers, but are also caught from the rocks along the south coast.

They are found as far north as Jurien Bay and are regularly caught in Perth waters, but are very much a south coast staple, where they are a common offshore catch off Augusta, Albany and Esperance.

However, I caught my first one along the Five Fathom Bank as a youngster and remember wondering what this amazingly colourful fish was.

Although harlequin fish can grow to almost 5kg, most caught will be 2kg to 3kg.

Harlies are hard to target specifically and are usually an opportunistic catch as they don’t tend to venture far from their underwater lairs, but are caught with all the usual techniques employed by fishers chasing demersals and fishing the bottom.

Recfishwest safety ambassador and experienced rock fisher Gideon Mettam with a harlequin fish from the stones in the south coast.

Usually found around reefy areas or broken ground, they are best caught in depths from 10m to 50m.

They are happy to take jigs and baits of all the usual varieties including squid, fish pieces/fillets or mulies.

In recent years most of the ones I have caught have been on jigs in shallowish water.

Large soft plastics of 10cm to 15cm in length are also very effective on harlies.

Simple paternoster rigs with appropriate weight for the area being fished are all that is needed when bait fishing.

They have a large mouth and big hooks work well on them.

Harlies are aggressive hunters but aren’t particularly strong fighters. There is a bag limit of two fish on the west coast, and three on the south coast.

The coral trout of the south! Harlequin fish have eye-catching features.

Scott’s Species – brown trout, a memorable freshwater catch

March 15, 2022March 15, 2022

They might be an introduced species, but I must admit I love brown trout. They hold a special place in my angling heart, Scott Coghlan of the Western Angler writes, perhaps as a result of several trips to New Zealand to sight fish for them in the South Island’s gin-clear rivers.

Brown trout, Salmo trutta

Eating: 3 stars

ID: Brown to olive colouration, with dark spots all along side, some red.

Fishing for brown trout in WA is a very different experience to other parts of the world like NZ, but that doesn’t mean some very good fish can’t be caught and each one is memorable.

Recfishwest Life Member Ian Sewell with one of those NZ brown trout that Scott Coghlan dreams about.

For many years I only dreamed of catching a brown trout, until I caught a couple of rippers in one day on the Lefroy Brook.

Using spinning gear and a floating bibbed minnow, I picked up the pair along the Thompson’s Flats stretch, the second an absolute thumper than would have gone over 5lb in the old.

I floated my lure around a bend and pulled it past a corner where a tree pushed out into the flow.

The big brown came out from under the tree and nailed my lure, for a most memorable capture.

Browns are a great looking fish and the fact they are relatively rare in WA, and can grow a bit bigger than rainbows, makes them an intoxicating target in my eyes.

I have a few locations that are reliable producers of browns, mainly around Pemberton.

The Warren River and Lefroy Brook are likely spots to try and are stocked with them each year, as is Big Brook Dam.

Harvey Dam is another good spot for browns and I’ve caught them in some locations I never expected to find them, including one little scarp stream.

Many of the biggest browns caught in WA are ex-broodstock fish from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Pemberton-based hatchery, but there are truly wild big browns to be caught.

Check out this underwater shot photographer Angus Line took of one of the ex-broodstock brown trout being released at Troutfest. Picture: **Angus Line**

One location near Harvey used to have a great self-sustaining brown population, but it no longer open to fishing.

Browns certainly offer a more challenging target normally than the more aggressive rainbows, usually holding in slower water and more alert to movement nearby.

Generally similar tactics to fishing for rainbows apply though, often dictated by the spots where you fish.

As with rainbows, spinning with lures, bait fishing and fly fishing are all options in dams like Harvey, Big Brook and Drakesbrook.

The latter location was stocked, with some big fish released at Recfishwest and the Shire of Waroona’s Troutfest community fish stocking event in recent years.

At times browns will hunt after dark around creek mouths and they also like to cruise areas of slow water away from the main flow in rivers.

Although usually cautious I remember seeing tiny minnows spray out of the water in a Pemberton stream as a big brown chased them into the shallows.

I have also been on dams during insect hatches and browns will rise repeatedly when this happens.

Trolling lures is a good way to cover dams until you find a fish and some big browns get caught this way.

Angus Line tempted this brown trout on fly at Lake Navarino.

Most anglers will encounter browns as an occasional catch while chasing rainbows, but if you want to target them having a look at the annual trout stocking locations on the Recfishwest’s ‘I Love Fishing’ website is a good place to start.

This will tell you where they have been stocked. Click here to see.

In dams, try around creek mouths, flooded banks or submerged logs or trees.

With rivers, the key to finding browns is working out where the fish will be holding and getting your offering into that area.

The sort of wading and spotting fish they do in NZ is barely an option in WA, so we have to be more creative locally.

Although browns tend to hold in slower water than rainbows, they will still position themselves similarly, looking for holding stations where food is brought to them.

Freshwater fanatic Giordano Gervasi is very coy when it comes to his South West secret spots.

Look for rocks or logs that break the current and offer them a spot to hold without expending too much energy.

Sharp bends in river like the one mentioned earlier that offer a quiet area downstream of them are always worth a try.

For trout I always like small 5cm to 7cm floating bibbed minnows as I can let them drift downstream and then retrieve them through likely areas, particularly important when casting is limited or almost impossible.

Upstream fly fishing so popular elsewhere in world is impossible in most areas, so similar tactics on fly are often used and I have caught most local browns on a Woolly Bugger, weighted or unweighted depending on water flow.

Most WA fish caught will be 30cm to 50cm but bigger ones to 4kg do exist and the sight of a big buck-jawed male brown is unforgettable.

A rare WA gem, browns are a beautiful fish and once you’ve caught one you’ll certainly want to find more. Don’t forget a freshwater fishing licence is required to catch trout in WA!