Plumbing the depths of Christmas Island with a variety of jigs has turned up jobfish, ruby snapper and dogtooth tuna plus some other interesting captures for anglers aboard Shorefire Charters during the last week.

Skipper Mark Rochfort sent through a selection of pics, including one of what the locals know as a black sepat (below). Clients landed three in a session not far off the island in 250 metres of water. Rocky asked for our opinion on the fish's ID, and our best guess is that it is a type of pomfret.

However, the sharks have managed to muscle in on the action at times. Rocky reckoned this ruby snapper would have been a corker if it had stayed in one piece.

The GT popping has also been good, with one brief after dark session not far from the ramp yielding nine fish from over 20 hits.

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Bluewater's big kahuna Hal Harvey (left) loves his colourful shirts, so a big crowd decked themselvs out in an array of Hawaiian themed outfits for his 50th birthday celebrations on the weekend.

A good night was had by all at the 'Beachside Dance Party' - with Hal tearing up the dance floor before joining the band on stage for a crowd pleasing rendition of Mustang Sally.

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In last week's newsletter we mentioned works had begun on the long awaited clubrooms for the Exmouth Gamefishing Club.

For a full report and pics, click here.

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Here's a preview of this week's Sunday Times fishing column...

HOT SPOTS

METROPOLITAN 

Bluewater Morley staffers Karl Rosenow and Chris Boyling tried Cockburn Sound this week but found the water slightly discoloured and choppy during their outing. The pair had heaps of fun with plenty of skippy, herring and a couple of big snook. The snook took a liking to 5" Gulp soft plastics. Damien Anderson of Bluewater Scarborough has been squidding off rock walls in Cockburn Sound with considerable success. Some of the squid he has landed have exceeded 1kg.

Dhufish are squarely on the agenda when bottom anglers can get out with 30-40m deep water the best option. Despite the coolness of offshore water, yellowfin and longtail tuna were spotted in the Rottnest to Mindarie stretch of water. Yellowtail kingfish have re-appeared at Rottnest's West End with some encountered from the shore. Those happy to head for 250 m of water well behind Rotto have come back with pink snapper, bass groper and grey banded cod. The snapper in particular were plentiful. 

Tailor are the highlight for beach fishers but have been inconsistent. Spots from Trigg to Mindarie are yielding tailor with skippy from rock walls. Tailor were also encountered from the Rottnest shoreline. An odd mulloway was snaffled from Two Rocks beaches. 

Windan Bridge is a bream hot spot. Herring are active in the East Fremantle portion of the Swan with juvenile samson fish providing frenetic fun in lower parts of the river.

BUSSELTON

The squidding in the area is excellent at the moment and should continue to improve, Blue manna crabs are just beginning to appear and they too are expected in larger numbers soon. Offshore fishing has been hampered by tough conditions with samson fish providing most of the activity. 

MOORE RIVER 

Bream have come from down near the mouth with baits generating more bites than lures. From the beach near the mouth, tailor and small mulloway made up the bulk of catches. 

GERALDTON 

When the weather permits, boat fishing is exceptional to the south, west and north of Town. Coral trout are a stand-out with no shortage of them and good fish have been mostly around 4-5kg. While the dhuies aren't big, most around 8kg, there have been plenty taken. Baldchin groper have been prominent in bags and pink snapper are about in numbers but generally are smaller than in recent times. South West Bank is proving a hot spot where you can add sweetlip and some spangled emperor to the species list. Smaller craft working inside reef country have enjoyed a bonanza of lots of skippy, whiting, heaps of herring and pike. Greys Bay and Point Moore are among better spots for dinghy fishers. Squid numbers have picked up with Pages to St George worth a try.

Beach anglers are finding that chasing tailor is worthwhile but the fish don't turn up every night. Drummonds and Coronation Beach make good spots to try for tailor with most fish near 45cm. Yellowfin whiting are another feature for Drummonds anglers. Reef areas at Separation Point, Point Moore and Drummonds are yielding larger tailor, mostly around 500mm to 550mm with the occasional whopper to 700mm. Water behind the Live Cray Factory has held herring, small school sharks, skippy and chopper tailor. 

The second point at Southgates has been reliable for good tailor, pike and herring while the Greenough River mouth featured tailor and at the second point herring were biting well. Lucys, Flat Rocks and Nine Mile all yielded tailor with most between 400mm and 500mm long. There are lots of school mulloway in the Lucys to Nine Mile stretch of water with most around 5kg with the odd whopper from 15kg to 18kg bobbing up.

EXMOUTH

Strong winds are keeping Tantabiddi boat fishers at home but the Gulf is holding plenty of tuna. Shore anglers are pleased with the number of whiting around with the occasional dart landed from the west side of the cape. Spangled emperor featured from inside reef spots and a few squid kept jiggers busy.