Top Fishing Spots in Perth
Looking for the best fishing spots in Perth? From tranquil rivers and freshwater lakes to scenic coastal waters, Perth offers a wide variety of fishing locations perfect for every angler. Whether you're an experienced fisherman or trying your luck for the first time, there’s no shortage of incredible places to cast a line.
Fishing in Perth offers a variety of catches, from herring and tailor to crabs, mussels, and crayfish. With its pristine waters, Perth is a top spot for recreational fishing. For a bigger adventure, local fishing charters and boat tours take you into the Indian Ocean for unforgettable deep-sea fishing experiences.
Perth is committed to sustainable fishing, so remember to check for any required fishing licences before heading out. Below, you'll find some of Perth's top fishing locations, as recommended by locals who know the best spots to relax and enjoy the great outdoors.
Fishing on the Sunset Coast
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, off the beach you'll find whiting during the day and at sunrise and sunset you may catch tailor at the jetty or the back beach. From the wharf, try your luck at flounder, flathead and even large king george whiting.
Hillarys Boat Harbour
The break walls at Hillarys Boat Harbour are great spots to find herring, garfish, small tailor and tarwhine. Families and kids will like the north wall or off the boardwalk, where you're most likely to catch 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.
Fishing in Fremantle & Rottnest Island
North and South Mole, Fremantle
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. South Mole is a safer place to fish off the rocks and are less quite. Herring and garfish are quite popular in this area.
Woodman Point, Fremantle
Just south of Fremantle, this 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.
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is a popular place for all levels of fishers with a large variety of fish around the island including herring, tailor, skipjack trevally, mulloway and sand whiting. It is also possible to catch pike, garfish, king george whiting, Westralian jewfish and groper from the shore. Popular locations to cast off are the jetty in Thomson's Bay, Natural Jetty, Henrietta Reef, Vera Rock, Parker's Point, Salmon Point, The Bluff, Nancy Cove, Wilson Point, Radar Reef, Cathedral Rocks, North Point and Point Clune.
Fishing in Mandurah & Peel
Mandurah Estuary
Fish for herring, sand whiting, bream, cobbler, tailor or garfish in 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. Mandurah Estuary is most popular for crabbing during the summer months and popular spots include Mandjar Bay, Sticks Channel, and the Mandurah Estuary Bridge.
5 Fathom Bank
The 5 Fathom Bank, located offshore, extends to Mandurah and has great fishing all year. Pink snapper and samson gather during June, before the spawning season, making a good time to fish with soft plastics around the drop offs. Snapper can be caught year round. Troll the western side during summer for the chance of Spanish mackerel. The deeper 19 Mile Reef is a diving 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 Dawesville 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. This is also a popular spot to fish for crabs in summer.
Waroona
Catch trout and redfin all year in Waroona Dam and Drakesbrook Weir in Waroona. At Preston Beach, fish for whiting, herring, skippy and salmon (when they run) straight from the beach.
Murray River
If you love some black bream, mulloway and whiting, Murray River is a great spot to try your luck. Upstream, the river has been stocked up with trout.
