Every summer, one of the best light-tackle sportfish in Australia turns up in the Swan River, and most of Perth drives straight past it. Giant herring follow the bait along the river flats and drop-offs, and when you find them they hit a lure hard, run fast and jump again and again. They're also famous for throwing lures, so landing one is an achievement. If you've only ever chased bream and flathead in the river, giant herring will blow your mind.
This guide covers how to catch giant herring: what they are, when and where to find them in the Swan River and around WA, the best giant herring lures, the right rod, reel and line, and the techniques that will help you land more of the ones you hook.
What Are Giant Herring?
Giant herring (Elops machnata), also called ladyfish, springers or tenpounders, are long, slender, bright silver fish with big eyes, a deeply forked tail and a bony mouth. They're a completely different fish from the Australian herring (tommy ruff) you catch off Perth jetties. Giant herring are a tropical and subtropical species, related to tarpon and bonefish, and they fight like it.
How big do giant herring get?
Most giant herring in the Swan River are 50–80 cm, and fish up to about a metre long are caught. Weight-wise, 1–4 kg is common, but they fight far harder than their size suggests.
Where are they found?
Giant herring are found from the tropical north of Australia down both coasts. In WA they're common from Shark Bay north through Exmouth, Onslow, Dampier, Karratha and the Kimberley, around creek mouths, harbour walls, beach gutters and mangrove drains. On the east coast they're caught in Queensland and northern NSW estuaries. Perth sits near the southern edge of their range, which makes the Swan River run something special.
Giant Herring in the Swan River
When are giant herring in the Swan River?
Giant herring show up in the Swan from around October, as the water warms, and hang around through summer into autumn, often until about April. The peak is usually the middle of summer, when the water is warmest and the river is full of bait.
Where to find them
Giant herring are a travelling fish. They follow schools of mullet, hardyheads and other baitfish along the edges of the flats where they drop into deeper water. Some of the best-known giant herring spots in Perth are:
- Point Walter: the sand spit and the deeper edges around it.
- The Dalkeith and Nedlands foreshore: the flats and drop-offs from Pelican Point to Point Resolution.
- Pelican Point and Matilda Bay: shallow flats next to deep water.
- Blackwall Reach and Mosman Bay: deep edges where bait gets pushed into the corners.
- The Narrows and Heirisson Island: current, structure and bait.
- Attadale and Alfred Cove: wadeable flats with deep edges.
Time of day and tide
- Dawn and dusk are the best times, along with the first hour of dark.
- A moving tide over the flats beats slack water. The run-in and run-out push bait along the edges, and the herring follow.
- Calm, still mornings are perfect for surface lures, and you can often see the fish working.
How to find the fish
Look for nervous bait, flicking baitfish and small surface bust-ups along the edges of the flats. Birds working low over the water are a good sign too. If nothing's showing, keep moving. Giant herring travel, and blank sessions are part of the game until you find them.
Best Giant Herring Lures
Giant herring eat small baitfish, so small lures in the 60–100 mm range are the go-to. Carry a few different types and change it up until you find what they want on the day.
Stickbaits
Small sinking and floating stickbaits are among the best giant herring lures. They cast well, swim with a darting, fleeing-baitfish action, and giant herring smash them.
- Duo Press Bait 85 HD: a heavy, long-casting sinking stickbait that swims beautifully at speed.
- Malosi Studio Rogue 85S and 100S: slim sinking stickbaits in natural baitfish colours.
- Oceans Legacy Keeling 88: Australian-designed, casts a mile, and darts like a fleeing baitfish.
- CiD Shiverstick 80: a slim sinking stickbait with a tight shimmy.
- Jumprize Buttobikunn 95S: a Japanese long-casting sinking pencil built for distance.
- Daiwa Saltiga Over There 80S and Nomad Madscad 95: heavier sinking stickbaits for the wind and deeper edges.
The Bite Science Shift-R
The Bite Science Shift-R is one of the best giant herring lures we've fished. We have five custom colours coming in both sizes, landing in store in December. It's made for giant herring and whiting on the flats, so keep an eye out.
Surface lures and poppers
On calm mornings, when fish are busting bait on the surface, a topwater lure is the most exciting way to catch giant herring.
- Bassday Sugapen 70F and Zipbaits Fakie Dog 90: walk-the-dog surface lures, worked fast.
- Halco Roosta Popper 80 and Oceans Legacy Keeling Pop 100: small poppers that spit and splash across the surface.
- Halco Slidog 85 (Single Hooks): an Aussie classic, already rigged with singles.
Small metals
When the wind's up or the fish are working out of casting range, a small metal is the answer. They cast a long way into the breeze and can be burnt back fast.
- Malosi Studio Marksman (10–20 g): a slim, long-casting metal.
- Oceans Legacy Slingshot (17 g): a compact, aerodynamic metal that flies.
- Halco Twisty (10–20 g) and Sickbait Peanut (20 g): proven, affordable options.
Hardbodies
Small minnows cast along the edges or trolled slowly behind a kayak are another great way to find giant herring.
- Oceans Legacy Tidalus Minnow 92: a slim, realistic minnow.
- Duo Realis Minnow 80SP: a suspending minnow that's deadly with a twitch and pause.
Soft plastics and vibes
A slim soft plastic like the ZMan StreakZ 3.75" on a light jig head, or a small soft vibe like the Samaki Vibelicious 85, works well when fish are holding a bit deeper along the drop-offs.
Colours
Natural baitfish colours (silver, chrome, clear, pearl and mullet patterns) match what giant herring are eating. On bright days, a bit of flash from a chrome or holographic finish helps.
Browse all stickbaits, poppers, metal lures and estuary diving lures, or see our giant herring gear page.
The Right Gear for Giant Herring
Rod
A 7'–8'6" spin rod rated about 2–5 kg (or around PE0.6–1.2) is ideal for giant herring. You want a rod that casts small lures a long way, with a soft enough tip to keep hooks in through the jumps, and enough backbone for a fast-running fish.
- Oceans Legacy Quest Inshore Finesse: the 7'1" and 7'3" models are light, sensitive and cast small lures beautifully.
- Oceans Legacy Aurora Flats Spec: made for wading and casting on the flats.
- Yamaga Blanks Blue Current III: the longer models (74 and 76 Stream) are superb light casting rods for herring.
- Ripple Fisher Silver Stream Stiletto MX and Silver Stream: built in Japan for seabass, with a sensitive tip, serious backbone and long casting distance. Perfect for giant herring.
- Yamaga Blanks Ballistick: a sharp-casting rod for throwing slightly heavier stickbaits and metals into the wind.
- Shimano 23 Dialuna: the S80M is a light, crisp caster for river sportfish.
Browse our light and estuary rods.
Reel
A 2500–3000 size spinning reel with a smooth drag is perfect. Giant herring make fast runs, so a quality drag makes a real difference.
- Shimano Nasci: smooth, tough and great value.
- Shimano Stradic: the reliable all-rounder.
- Shimano Vanford: very light, and great for a long session of casting.
- Shimano Twin Power: a step up in smoothness and toughness.
- Shimano Stella: the best there is.
See our guide to fishing reels for more.
Line and leader
- Main line: PE0.6–1 (10–15 lb) braid. Thin braid casts small lures further.
- Leader: 15–20 lb fluorocarbon, about a rod length. Giant herring have abrasive, bony mouths, so don't go too light.
- Snap: a small, strong snap or a loop knot lets the lure swim freely and makes changing lures quick.
Hooks
Many anglers swap the trebles on their lures for single hooks, like the Decoy Pluggin Single 27 or Oceans Legacy Lancet Inline Light. Singles hold well through the jumps, and they're much easier and safer to remove for a quick release. Crushing the barbs makes the release even easier.
How to Catch Giant Herring
Cast ahead and wind fast
When you see fish working, cast ahead of them, not into the middle of the school, and start your retrieve straight away. A fast retrieve triggers the chase. Giant herring are built for speed, and a slow lure gets a look but often no bite.
Twitch, pause and burn
With stickbaits and minnows, mix it up. A fast retrieve with sharp twitches, followed by a short pause, often draws the strike. If fish are following without eating, try burning the lure back even faster.
Fishing the surface
On calm mornings, walk a small surface lure fast across the top, or pop a small popper with sharp, regular pops. The strikes are explosive. Keep winding until you feel the weight of the fish before you set the hook.
Wading the flats
Wading lets you cover the flats quietly and reach fish working the drop-offs. Move slowly, wear polarised sunglasses to spot bait and fish, and cast along the edges where the shallows meet deeper water.
Fly fishing for giant herring
Giant herring are one of the best fly fishing targets in Perth. A 6–8 weight rod with an intermediate line and a small baitfish pattern like a Clouser or Surf Candy is perfect. Try the Wildfish Saltwater Inshore fly pack, and strip it fast.
How to Land More Giant Herring
Giant herring are notorious for throwing lures. Hooking one is the easy part. Landing it is the challenge. Here's how to improve your odds:
- Keep the line tight. Slack line loses more giant herring than anything else. Keep winding through every jump.
- Bow to the jumps. When a fish jumps, drop the rod tip slightly to take the pressure off, then keep it tight as soon as it lands.
- Set the drag right. Firm, but not locked. Let the fish run on the first burst rather than trying to stop it.
- Use sharp hooks. Their mouths are hard and bony, so check your hooks and replace them when they're blunt.
- Don't rush it. Let the fish tire before you try to land it.
Even when you do everything right, you'll lose some. That's part of what makes giant herring so addictive.
Are Giant Herring Good Eating?
Not really. Giant herring are very bony, with soft flesh that isn't great on the plate. They're a sportfish, and almost everyone releases them. Keep them in the water where you can, handle them gently with wet hands, remove the hook quickly, and hold the fish upright in the water until it swims off on its own.
Giant Herring Fishing FAQ
How do you catch giant herring?
Find the bait, then cast small stickbaits, surface lures, metals or minnows ahead of the fish and retrieve fast. Use a light 7'–8'6" spin rod, a 2500–3000 reel, PE0.6–1 braid and a 15–20 lb fluorocarbon leader.
When are giant herring in the Swan River?
From around October, as the water warms, through summer and into autumn, often until about April. Dawn, dusk and a moving tide are the best times.
What are the best giant herring lures?
Small sinking stickbaits like the Duo Press Bait 85 and Malosi Rogue 85S, surface lures like the Bassday Sugapen and Halco Roosta Popper 80, small metals like the Malosi Marksman and Oceans Legacy Slingshot, and small minnows like the Oceans Legacy Tidalus 92.
Where can I catch giant herring in Perth?
Along the Swan River flats and drop-offs, including Point Walter, the Dalkeith and Nedlands foreshore, Pelican Point and Matilda Bay, Blackwall Reach, Mosman Bay, and Attadale and Alfred Cove.
Are giant herring good to eat?
No. They're very bony and poor eating, so they're a catch-and-release sportfish.
Why do I keep losing giant herring?
They jump and shake their heads, which throws hooks. Keep the line tight through every jump, use sharp hooks (singles hold well), set your drag firm but not locked, and don't try to rush the fight.
Get Set Up for Giant Herring
Giant herring are one of Perth's best-kept fishing secrets, and they're right on our doorstep. Compleat Angler Nedlands is just minutes from the Swan River flats, and our team fishes for them every summer. Come and see us at Level 1/154 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, or call (08) 9389 1337, and we'll get you set up with the right rod, reel and lures.
For more light-tackle fun on the flats, see our topwater whiting guide.
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