WA
West Coast
Plenty of options during demersal closed season MANDURAH
Jesse Choy
During the month of March the fishing is bound to produce, no matter where you choose to fish. Though it can take a bit of working
March under new changes. Fortunately, there are a still great fishing options in the form of pelagic fish and whiting, and you are still able to fish from the shore for demersal fish, plus the usual year-round species. Beaches are a favourite
whiting and silver bream on the beaches, from Preston Beach to Secret Harbour. If you are after something a bit bigger, the beach mulloway will still be around, though they can prove quite elusive to people who have only limited time to go and throw a line in the surf. Persistence is the key when chasing these fish. Many anglers often put in a lot of time with minimal action before seeing signs or results. Fishing from the rock walls, or one of the jetties around them, is a great option for those seeking a short, fun trip, as they produce well at the right time, and are easily accessible to all. Whether you are fishing around town or the cut, herring, skipjack trevally and tailor are all on the cards. Fishing a change of light is ideal. However, seeing as these rocky structures act as
Some good tailor will be getting around this month, if you cast at good looking gutters with fresh baits.
Resident salmon are always a pleasure to catch with their acrobatic jumps, especially on light gear. out to achieve your chosen species, much of what you can catch throughout the year is yours for the taking during this month. Results will differ based heavily on what you wish to pursue. Anglers should be reminded that targeting demersal finfish by boat is prohibited until the end of anglers. You can go to the Recfish West website to get their locations. Mahimahi (dolphinfish) love the FADs and are the main target species, however the occasional wahoo, Spanish mackerel and yellowfin tuna can also be found around them. Another option is to troll lures along the 25-30m line for bluefin tuna. The area between Rockingham and Hillaries will be a good place to start. It might be worth having a rig with wire attached ready to go as well, as the odd Spanish mackerel will also be about. Drifting live baits and berleying the edge of the sanctuary zone for yellowtail kingfish is another option worth considering. Keep an eye out for deep structure while you are out there (50m+), because samsons love sitting in this structure and can be targeted using knife jigs and large soft plastics. So that is March fishing
option for many people when it comes to choosing where to go put a line in and hoping to catch a fish. Though the sand can deter some anglers, it is inviting for plenty more who welcome the water washing over their feet and soaking a bait for tailor. Aside from tailor, there are plenty of herring, sand
Dread Man never ceases to catch beautiful looking fish. It’s definitely a result of all the hours he puts in to find them.
Matt Petrillo from AFW is no stranger when it comes to putting big squid on the deck! This one came from a lovely evening out from Fremantle. in a nutshell. Personally, a bit of squid fishing from our rock walls and some wading the flats for flathead sounds
good to me. I hope you all have a chance to get out too, and I will catch you next month.
a highway for species to pass through, they can fish well at any time of the day. Aside from the listed species, you will also find good numbers of resident salmon trout, yellowfin whiting and the usual picker species getting about when fishing from the rocks or jetties. As usual, the river will produce for those looking at a spot of fishing for black bream, and hoping for a mulloway in the process. Most of the river holds fish at this time of the year, though you would generally want to focus your efforts on the mid to low stream sections and change it up when fishing seems slow. Fresh, lightly presented baits are ideal to give yourself the best chance. Lure choice will generally come down to what food source is abundant at the time of fishing. Fishing freshwater during autumn can be a little bit slow when it comes to trout fishing in streams and the surrounding dams. You will still get trout turning up, but
they are generally in thinner numbers and can be a bit more difficult to come across. If you are chasing trout, you will find that the dams are a better option as they hold better numbers and are far more concentrated than a narrow stretch of stream that may hold few fish at the best of times. When it comes to fishing for red-fin perch during this month, you will find that they are quite abundant regardless of whether you are fishing in a stream or dam. You will generally pick your spot based off the backdrop you wish to encounter on the day. Lures are a crowd favourite when fishing out in the shrub, as they offer a lot of versatility with regards to ground coverage, swimming depth, bait imitation and presentation.
Corey with a nice chunk on the ever-trusty motor oil grub – a must have lure for river anglers. MARCH 2023 107
