Sad news for Western Australians this week with the short term closure of Busselton Jetty. The state icon was shut off after an engineer's report raised safey concerns because of structural damage.

The 2km jetty is still standing after 140 years, and is a popular fishing and tourist attraction in the south west.

Work is expected to get underway on a $27 million upgrade in coming weeks. 

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Tailor fisherman along several of Perth's northern beaches and reefs got a pleasent surprise last week when hordes of rat yellowtail kingfish moved in.

Rumours are that these fish are escapees from a failed fish farming venture at Jurien Bay, which may account for their uniform size and voracious nature.

Scarborough staffer Josh Eastcott reported that the little kings were so brazen that one ate his soft plastic despite having a freshly busted off gang of hooks in its mouth.

With the kamikaze nature of the fish, some ugly stories have emerged of anglers keeping well over their bag limits.

In WA, yellowtail kings have a size limit of 60cm and anglers are allowed two each.

Many of the kings have been around the 60 - 65cm mark, but have been joined by some bigger wild stock which have been hard to stop for sport fishos using light line.

A similar story of escaped kings occurred several years ago in South Australia. They reaped havoc on the whiting and gar stocks in inshore areas until Fisheries eased limits on the kings in an effort to reign in the numbers.

Those SA fish are now in the 10kg class, so here's hoping that some of our kings make it to the offshore reefs where they can grow a bit. Good numbers of decent kings would provide a welcome change for samson fish spoilt West Aussies.

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The annual winter squid run has kicked off early this year, with scores of the tasty critters already haunting the shallow weed beds off Perth's coast.

With a boost in interest in targeting squid over the last few years the quality of specialist tackle has also risen.

One thing still remaining the same is the age old debate of which colour works best!

Check out our online range of squid jigs here. 

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Here's a preview of this week's Sunday Times Fishing report ...

METROPOLITAN

Saltwater Charters took a group of Eagles players on an outing near Rottnest where in fairly shallow water (25-35m) the party boated jewfish, baldchin groper, samson fish and pink snapper. Some of the pinkies were described as absolute crackers. The deckies on the charter boat have also spotted masses of bait on the south side of the island in recent times with some spanish mackerel around them. Perth Game Fishing FAD is holding numbers of dolphin fish.

The presence of yellowtail kingfish along some northern suburbs beaches surprised a few with good sized winter "greenback" tailor also around. The Burns Beach region is yielding a few pink snapper for night fishers.

The numbers of smaller species has improved right along the coast. South Mole, Grant Street and marinas to the north are all holding herring with some good garfish. Sandy areas off City Beach are notable for vast numbers of sand whiting while squid catches are also improving right from Hillarys to Fremantle.

In the Swan, bull herring have become regular catches around East Fremantle. Flathead are not as plentiful but resident flatties have shown in the middle reaches of the system saround Maylands and East Perth. Bream are widespread with many smaller fish upstream but some larger bream holding up in permanent down river structures. Some squid were seen in the river near Fremantle and there are rumours about giant herring coming from that area. The Moore River is fishing well for black bream.

JURIEN

Spanish mackerel remain a target for Jurien boaties with many smaller striped tuna also about. Pink snapper have featured for bottom fishers along with jewfish. The odd mulloway has been nabbed from boats but greater numbers have come from local beaches.

Island Point has turned up yellowtail kingfish for shore fishers along with fair numbers of tailor. The mouth of the Marina has been another tailor hot-spot. Beach fisherman have also encountered large numbers of small sand whiting.

CARNARVON

Greg from Tel-O-Mac in Carnarvon reckons the Quobba coast is firing for mackerel for both shore and boat anglers. The numbers of manta rays being spotted suggests it wont be long before better numbers of cobia invade the area. Spangled emperor fishing is also excellent and the odd pink snapper has hit the rocks.

Around the islands red emperor have featured with a few baldchin among them and the odd coral trout caught.

Closer to town the absence of mulloway is surprising but tailor are well worth chasing from the shore with numbers expected to improve. Excellent yellowfin whiting fishing has been found at Bush Bay. Miaboolya Beach has been frequented by numbers of small sharks.

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EXMOUTH

Gamex is well underway, and this week's Exmouth newsletter can be viewed here.