For a good time out, we have trawled the internet, spiced it up with local intel and created this special fishing guide for you!
Port Denison and Dongara are twin towns renowned for their western rock lobster and fishing. Port Denison has some good, easily accessible fishing spots with the break wall of the Port Denison marina being the most popular.
A 4wd is required to access some of the better beaches north of Dongara (7 Mile Beach) where you can put a small boat in or fish from the beach. These fishing spots tend to be the most productive. The main species are Whiting, Tailor, Mulloway, Skippy and Dhufish.
Don’t have a boat but want to get on the water? Ocean Addiction Charters will be offering fishing and crayfishing charters from 2022. Check out their website, www.oceanaddictioncharters.com.au or give them a call, Dan – 0400 244 705 / Kate – 0408 246 230.
LAND-BASED FISHING SPOTS AROUND PORT DENISON
Essential lures for fishing at Port Denison and Dongara are metal slices, medium to small poppers, Mulloway lures and soft plastics of all sizes for Bream to Mulloway. Effective Mulloway lures are 10-20cm hard body minnow lures, they should only dive up to 1.5m deep. A floating hard body also helps to float the lure over rocks. The best tackle is a medium weight beach rod 8ft+ in length combined with 3000+ plus size reel, with at least 10lb line. This setup will cover most species such as Tailor, Herring, school Mulloway, Bream and Whiting. For anglers targeting big Mulloway, an upgrade in tackle is necessary. A 5000 size reel spooled with 20lb+ braid is required around the reef beaches.
South Leander Point & Seaspray Beachfront
South of Port Denison and at the end of Church Street in Dongara on Seaspray Beachfront are both easily accessible fishing spots. Both spots produce Whiting and Tailor and are best for fishing at dawn and dusk. Tailor are also more aggressive when a light sea breeze is chopping up the water a bit. Tailor will take metal slugs, poppers and twitch hard body minnows. Do not be afraid to work the lure hard and fast for Tailor.
Port Denison Break Wall
The break wall of Port Denison marina is the most popular fishing spot in town due its easy access. The end of the break walls is a good place to target Mulloway at night. Tailor also hang around and the best time is dawn and dusk with a light sea breeze. Port Denison marina north break wall is a great fishing spot for the whole family as it protected from the swells.
Irwin River
Fishing in the Irwin River mainly produces small Black Bream. When the Irwin River mouth is open to the ocean, it is a great time to go fishing along the beach beside the mouth. The deep channels and outgoing river water can produce Mulloway and Tailor. Working 150cm shallow diving hard body lures around the deeper channels is a great way to get Mulloway; make sure to work the lure slowly as they tend to be lazy.
North Dongara – 7 Mile Beach
North of Dongara are a series of 4wd tracks through the sand dunes that lead to some of the best fishing spots. An outer reef that runs parallel to most of the beach, providing protection from large swells. It also creates a channel were Mulloway and Tailor search for food. The small points are a great place to start fishing at dawn, dusk and night.
OFFSHORE PORT DENISON FISHING
Offshore fishing produces great catches of Pink Snapper, Samson Fish, Tailor, Dhufish, Whiting, Herring, Mackerel, Baldchin Groper and Tuna. Coral Trout are around thanks to the Leeuwin Current pushing warmer waters down from the north. The seas can be rough and turn bad quickly in the offshore waters, caution must be taken when fishing offshore. Please be sure to check in with our local Sea Rescue team where you can radio in and out of the marina. The Port Denison Volunteer Sea Rescue is located at 48 Point Leander Drive, is open 24 hours and can be contacted via radio (Ch.73 on VHF and Ch.27 MHz) or by calling 99 271 770.
White Tops
South of Port Denison approximate 7km is White Tops, a shallow reef that produces good fishing for Tailor in the white water. The reef is relatively protected from larger westerly swells thanks to Irwin Reef.
Irwin Reef
Southwest of Port Denison, approximately 7km from the marina, is Irwin Reef. The inside of the reef is relatively protected from swells that smash onto the western side of the reef. Irwin Reef fishing is good for Tailor and Skippy. The north-western side of the reef dropping off into deeper water fishes well for Dhufish, Pink Snapper, Baldchin Groper and Coral Trout.
Outer Reefs
The deeper drop offs, approximate 7km directly west from the marina, are great places to trawl for Mackerel. The deeper holes and isolated rocky out crops are also a great place to bottom fish for Snapper, Dhufish, Baldchin Groper and Coral Trout.
North Bank
Approximately 7km northwest from the marina is North Bank. Consisting of broken reefs, this is a great place to fish for Pink Snapper, Dhufish, Samson Fish and Baldchin Groper. Bottom bouncing soft plastics and metal jigs are a proven method of catching these fish.
Pearse Reef
Further north from the marina around 7km NNW is Pearse reef, a great spot to target surface Tailor.