Perth's Silver Ghost - Why Mulloway Are the Ultimate Challenge
Every angler in Perth has a mulloway story. Maybe it's the one that screamed drag at the Narrows Bridge and disappeared into the dark. Maybe it's the "bream" that turned out to be a 70cm soapie on 4lb leader. Or maybe it's the mate who swears he heard them croaking under the jetty but couldn't get a bite.
Mulloway - also known as jewfish, silver ghosts, or croakers - are the most coveted shore fish in Western Australia. They grow massive (the Australian record is over 40kg), they fight brutally hard, and they're maddeningly difficult to catch consistently. Landing a big mulloway from the bank is a genuine lifetime achievement for most anglers.
But here's the thing most people don't realise: Perth is one of the best mulloway fisheries in Australia. The Swan River has produced fish over 140cm - monsters caught within sight of the CBD. Surf gutters from Rockingham to Two Rocks hold quality fish after storms. And with the right approach, they're more catchable than their reputation suggests.
This guide covers everything you need to know about targeting mulloway in Perth - from the Swan River to the surf, bait to lures, and the gear that gives you the best chance of landing one.
Understanding Mulloway
Before you can catch them, you need to understand them. Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) are large predatory fish found from Exmouth right around to the South Australian border. They inhabit estuaries, rivers, surf beaches, rocky headlands, and offshore reefs - sometimes in depths exceeding 100 metres.
In Perth, there are two main populations with the break point roughly at Mandurah. The Swan River holds its own resident population, with big fish moving into the river in September and October to build energy before spawning, then returning after spawning in December and January.
Life Cycle
Juvenile mulloway enter estuaries at around 15-16cm and spend their first year growing in sheltered waters. After reaching about 35cm, they return to the ocean. They reach sexual maturity at 70-80cm - which takes roughly six years. They can live for 30+ years and grow to over two metres.
This slow maturation is important for anglers to understand. A 50cm "soapie" is a baby - it hasn't bred yet and won't for years. This is why catch and release is so important for the species, and why Recfishwest supports raising the minimum size limit from the current 50cm to 80-90cm.
Behaviour
Mulloway are primarily nocturnal ambush predators. They use structure - bridge pylons, reef edges, deep holes, jetty pilings - to ambush prey as it passes. Big mulloway are usually solitary or travel in small groups of two or three, while smaller fish (3-8kg "schoolies") often school up.
One of their most distinctive behaviours is vocalising - they grunt and croak using their swim bladder, earning them the nickname "croakers." In quiet river spots at night, you can sometimes hear them. Some anglers say if you can hear them croaking, they won't bite. Others disagree. Either way, hearing mulloway in the dark is an unforgettable experience.
Where to Catch Mulloway in Perth
The Swan River - Perth's Mulloway Jewel
The Swan River is genuinely one of the most accessible mulloway fisheries in Australia. Fish over a metre long have been caught within five minutes' walk of the Bell Tower. Chris Dixon, a well-known Perth angler, landed a 142cm monster near the Narrows Bridge - a fish he released - and it's far from the only giant pulled from the metro river system.
The Swan River mulloway fishery has been on a hot streak in recent years, with multiple fish over 15kg reported each season.
Key spots:
- Narrows Bridge - THE mulloway spot in Perth. Deep water, strong tidal flow, structure from the bridge pylons. Fish the city side at night on a rising tide.
- Causeway - deep water and structure. Similar approach to Narrows.
- Mosman Bay / Mosman Jetty - quieter spot with deep water. Good year-round, particularly productive in early summer.
- Point Walter - the long sand spit and jetty access deeper water where mulloway patrol.
- Canning Bridge - fish the east or west side. Huge mulloway have been caught here. The bridge pylons create structure and current breaks that mulloway love.
- Canning River - Kent Street Weir, Riverton Jetty Park, Shelley Bridge, Salter Point. Diverse structure.
- Upstream to Bassendean - big fish have been pushing well up the river in recent seasons. Don't assume they only live in the lower reaches.
A quality mulloway from the Swan River - Perth's metro waterways hold seriously big fish.
Metro Beaches and Structure
Perth's coastline offers excellent mulloway fishing for those willing to put in the time - particularly after storms when rough weather pushes bait into the shallows and disorientates prey fish.
Key spots:
- North Mole and South Mole - year-round, especially at night. The structure and deep water access make these consistent producers.
- Ocean Reef Boat Harbour - sheltered waters with structures that attract mulloway, particularly at night under the lights.
- Surf gutters - Rockingham south - Longpoint to San Remo, Secret Harbour, Golden Bay, Madora, Singleton. These beaches often feature deep gutters close to shore where mulloway hunt.
- North of Two Rocks - 4WD access beaches with less fishing pressure. If you're willing to drive, your odds improve significantly.
- Cottesloe, City Beach, Leighton - after winter storms, the surf gutters along the metro coast can hold mulloway chasing disorientated bait.
Further Afield
For dedicated mulloway anglers willing to travel:
- Mandurah / Peel region - the Murray River and surrounding estuaries hold mulloway year-round. The 5 Fathom Bank offshore offers boat fishing opportunities.
- Kalbarri - the Murchison River after floods is legendary mulloway water. When dirty water comes pouring down from inland rainfall, mulloway stack up at the river mouth hunting the current line where dirty flood water meets clean salt water.
- Rottnest Island - Thomson's Bay jetty, Natural Jetty, and various reef points hold mulloway.
When to Fish
Mulloway can be caught year-round in Perth, but timing is everything. Understanding when they feed dramatically increases your chances.
Time of Day
Dusk to dawn is prime time. Mulloway are most active from sunset onwards and feed through the night. The hour either side of sunset and sunrise are often the most productive windows, but serious mulloway anglers fish well into the dark - often until midnight or later.
Daytime mulloway are caught occasionally, particularly in deep holes on the right tide, but night fishing is where the consistency is.
Tides and Moon
Rising tide is generally the most productive, especially when it coincides with dusk or dawn. The turn of the tide - that window when the water shifts direction - is often when bites happen.
New moon (darker nights) is considered the best moon phase for big mulloway. Some anglers also target the 3-4 days after the new moon. Moonrise and moonset can trigger feeding even on brighter phases.
Seasons
Swan River: Big mulloway move into the river in September/October to build energy before spawning. They return after spawning in December/January. Summer is generally the peak for numbers, but fish are present year-round.
Beaches: Summer nights are prime for surf mulloway, but winter storms can push fish into the shallows opportunistically. After a big north-westerly blow, the surf gutters are worth checking.
After storms: Rough weather is your friend. Storms disorientate baitfish, push them into the shallows, and create the turbid, messy conditions that mulloway love to hunt in. If the forecast looks terrible, that's your cue to go fishing.
Bait Fishing for Mulloway
Bait is the traditional and still the most productive method for catching mulloway, especially from the beach. The key principle is simple: fresh bait wins. Mulloway have a discerning palate and will often refuse frozen or stale baits that other species would happily eat.
Best Baits
- Fresh tailor fillet - arguably the single best mulloway bait. A thick slab of fresh tailor on gang hooks or snelled hooks is hard to beat.
- Fresh mullet fillet - equally effective. Cut thick so it stays on the hook through casting and current.
- Mulies / pilchards - very good option, readily available, and have accounted for mulloway from schoolies to giants over the years.
- Live bait - live yakkas, mullet, herring, or tailor are the most effective bait of all. If you can keep live bait fresh, you'll significantly increase your chances.
- Squid - fresh or carefully frozen. Fresh is always better, but well-kept frozen squid with plenty of ink still dripping off is a solid option.
- Cut crab - overlooked by most anglers but mulloway definitely eat crabs. Worth trying in estuary locations.
Rigs
Beach / Surf: A running sinker rig is the standard. Mulloway mouth the bait cautiously and will drop it if they feel resistance - a running sinker lets the fish take the bait and move without feeling the weight. Go as light as conditions allow on the sinker. Vexed Lumo Grapnel Sinkers hold well in current while the glow attracts attention. Gang hooks or snelled hooks are the standard terminal end.
River / Estuary: A dropper rig with a three-way swivel is recommended in tidal flows to avoid line twist. A running rig also works well - the key is that the fish shouldn't feel resistance when it picks up the bait.
Hooks: Circle hooks are excellent for mulloway, particularly when fishing at anchor or with a rod in a holder. They allow the fish to mouth and move with the bait before the hook finds the corner of the jaw. For bait rigs, gang hooks or snelled hooks give better coverage on larger baits.
No wire needed. Mulloway don't have cutting teeth. Use a heavy mono or fluorocarbon leader - 40-60lb - and you'll be fine. The Oceans Legacy Duelist Shock Leader or Oceans Legacy Duelist Fluorocarbon Leader in heavy weights are ideal.
The Critical Technique: Let Them Run
This is where most people lose mulloway. These fish don't smash the bait like tailor or salmon - they pick it up gently, mouth it, and move off slowly. If they feel resistance, they drop it.
Use a light drag or open bail arm. Many experienced mulloway anglers fish with the bail arm open and a loop of line held under a small pile of sand on the rod butt. When a mulloway takes the bait and moves off, the sand releases the line and you hear the reel start to sing. That's your signal.
When you do strike, mulloway typically make two powerful runs. Let them complete the first run - don't try to stop it. Bring them in on the second run. A locked-up drag on the first run is a recipe for a snapped line or pulled hook.
That feeling when you land a trophy mulloway from the bank - worth every hour of persistence.
Lure Fishing for Mulloway
While bait is the traditional approach, lure fishing for mulloway has grown significantly in popularity - particularly in the Swan River. It's more active, more exciting, and increasingly productive as anglers refine their techniques.
Soft Plastics - The Go-To Lure Method
Large soft plastics (5-7") fished slow and deep are the most consistent lure method for mulloway. The technique is simple: cast out, let the plastic sink to the bottom, then hop it back with slow, deliberate lifts of the rod tip. Mulloway feed near the bottom, so that's where your lure needs to be.
Top picks:
- Irukandji Megaprawn 130 - the prawn profile is deadly on mulloway. Fished slow on the bottom, it mimics one of their favourite natural prey items. Australian-made and built tough.
- Irukandji Megaprawn 165 - the big brother. When you want a larger profile to target serious fish and filter out the schoolies. The extra size and water displacement gets attention in dirty water.
- Irukandji Sicario 125 - a tight, slow-rolling swimbait action that mulloway find irresistible. Perfect for working bridge pylons, jetties, and rock walls at night.
- Irukandji Sicario 175 - step up to the 175 when you're specifically targeting trophy-class mulloway around heavy structure. The larger profile draws bigger fish out of their ambush points.
- Irukandji Bloodhawk 125 - the paddle tail action and realistic baitfish profile make this a go-to for working the entire water column. Deadly on a slow hop-and-drop retrieve near the bottom.
Jig heads: The TT HeadlockZ HD in 1/2oz to 1oz is the standard for mulloway-sized plastics - heavy enough to get down in current but with a sharp, strong hook. For swimbaits, the TT Enforcer Swimbait Jigheads give a natural swimming action, and the BKK Titan Dive Swimbait Hook is excellent for weedless rigging around heavy structure.
Swimbaits
Around structure at night - bridge pylons, jetties, rock walls - swimbaits come into their own. A slow, steady retrieve that keeps the lure working through the strike zone is the key. Mulloway are ambush predators, so you want something that looks natural moving past their holding spot.
Top picks:
- Jackall Chibitarel Dead Rise - a premium multi-jointed swimbait from Jackall with an incredibly realistic dead-rise sinking action. The lifelike body and natural swimming motion draw committed strikes from big mulloway around bridge pylons and structure at night.
- Bite Science BioBait Jointed Swimbait 127mm - the jointed body gives a natural swimming action at slow speeds. Great for a slow roll along rock walls and jetties at night.
Hard Bodies
Bibbed hard bodies in the 15-20g range are ideal for targeting mulloway around structure. The diving lip gets the lure down into the strike zone, and the tight wobble on a slow retrieve imitates the baitfish and mullet that mulloway feed on. Fish them with a slow, steady wind - the consistent action is what draws strikes.
Top picks:
- Duo Tide Minnow Slim 120 - a proven mulloway catcher. The slim profile and tight wobble at slow speeds make it perfect for working estuary structure at night. Ideal when targeting schoolies and smaller mulloway in tighter spots.
- Duo Tide Minnow Slim 140 - the bigger brother for when you want more water displacement and a deeper dive. The 140 covers more water and is the go-to size for serious mulloway anglers working bridge pylons, rock walls, and river structure after dark.
The Incidental Catch
Here's something worth knowing: many mulloway in the Swan River are caught on light tackle by anglers targeting bream. You're fishing 2-3" soft plastics on a 2500 reel and 4lb leader, and suddenly that "bream" takes off at a rate no bream has ever achieved. Your drag is screaming, your heart is pounding, and you've just realised you're hooked up to a mulloway on completely inadequate gear.
Sometimes you land them. Often you don't. But it's a reminder that mulloway are everywhere in the Swan River system, and it's always worth having a heavier rod rigged and ready nearby - even on a casual bream session.
A solid mulloway taken from the boat at sunset - these fish are found from the river right out to the offshore reefs.
Tackle Guide
River / Estuary (Shore-Based)
You don't need heavy gear for river mulloway - they're clean fighters in open water. A medium to medium-heavy spinning setup gives you the sensitivity to feel bites while having enough backbone to control a big fish around structure.
- Rod: 7-8ft medium-heavy spinning. The Yamaga Blanks Early For Seabass is a beautiful option - sensitive enough to detect the subtle mulloway pickup, with enough power to turn a big fish away from bridge pylons. The Daiwa 23 Seabass is another excellent choice in this class.
- Reel: 4000-6000 size spinning reel with a smooth drag. You need reliable drag - a mulloway's first run will expose any weakness.
- Line: 20-30lb braid. The Oceans Legacy Supreme 832 in PE2-3 gives excellent casting distance with the strength to handle a big fish.
- Leader: 30-40lb fluorocarbon. Oceans Legacy Duelist FC in 30-40lb is abrasion-resistant enough for bridge pylons and structure.
Beach / Surf
Beach mulloway fishing demands longer rods for casting distance and heavier tackle to handle fish in the wash. You're often fighting a big fish in breaking surf while standing on sand - it's a full-body experience.
- Rod: 9-12ft surf rod or shore casting rod. The Oceans Legacy Aurora Surf Heavy Spec is our pick - enough power to punch big baits into the gutters and the backbone to handle a serious mulloway in the surf. The Shimano 24 Coltsniper SS and Shimano Colt Sniper BB are excellent in the medium-heavy shore casting class.
- Reel: 6000-10000 size with a strong, smooth drag.
- Line: 30-50lb braid with a long shock leader of 50-60lb fluorocarbon or monofilament.
- Leader: Oceans Legacy Duelist Shock Leader in 50-60lb. The shock leader protects against abrasion from rocks and the snap loading of power casts.
Rock Fishing
Chasing mulloway off the rocks is the most demanding form of land-based mulloway fishing - and arguably the most rewarding. The combination of big fish, heavy tackle, and dangerous terrain makes this an advanced discipline.
- Rod: The Oceans Legacy Genesis Rock Addiction is purpose-built for this - powerful enough to stop a big fish from reaching the reef, with the length to punch casts into the wind. The Shimano 24 Coltsniper SS is another proven performer off the rocks.
- Line: 50lb braid minimum. You need the strength to turn big fish away from structure, and the thicker diameter helps resist abrasion against rocks.
- Lures off the rocks: Big shallow-diving hard bodies (the Oceans Legacy Tidalus Minnow 160 is ideal) fished with a slow, steady retrieve to imitate mullet. Large soft plastics - the Berkley Gulp Jerkshad 7" or Irukandji Megaprawn 130 - for working the entire water column.
Safety warning: Rock fishing is the most dangerous form of recreational fishing in Australia. Always wear a life jacket, fish with a mate, tell someone where you're going, and never turn your back on the ocean. If conditions look sketchy, don't fish. No mulloway is worth your life.
Fight, Land, and Handle
You've hooked one. Now what?
The fight: Mulloway make two characteristic powerful runs. The first is the strongest - let the fish run against a smooth drag. Don't try to stop it. When the first run ends, start working the fish back. The second run is shorter but still powerful. After that, most mulloway come to hand reasonably well.
Landing: In the river or from a jetty, a large landing net is essential - the Berkley Large Snapper Net handles big mulloway well. From the beach, it's often easier to wade into the shallows and grab the leader to guide the fish onto the sand. From the rocks, a long gaff may be necessary for trophy-class fish.
Handling: Always support a mulloway's body when handling it. Never hold it vertically by the jaw - they're heavy fish and their weight can cause internal damage. Wet your hands before handling, support the belly, and minimise time out of water.
A true silver ghost - you can see why they get the nickname. Caught under a Perth bridge after dark on a rising tide.
Catch and Release
Mulloway are one of the species where catch and release genuinely matters. They don't start breeding until they're 70-80cm - which means every fish under that size has never contributed to the population. A 50cm "soapie" might look like a decent fish, but it's years away from reproducing.
Small mulloway are also poor eating (hence the nickname "soapies" - they taste soapy). Fish over 70cm are excellent table fare.
Release tips:
- Use circle hooks - they almost always hook in the jaw, making release easy
- Minimise fight time - exhausted fish have lower survival rates
- Keep the fish in the water as much as possible
- Support the body horizontally and face the fish into the current until it kicks away
- Mulloway release poorly from depth - shore-caught fish release much better than boat-caught fish from deep water
Recfishwest supports raising the minimum size to 80-90cm to protect the breeding population. In the meantime, consider voluntarily releasing fish under 70cm - they'll grow into the trophy fish of the future.
Regulations
Current WA recreational fishing regulations for mulloway:
- Minimum size: 50cm
- Bag limit: 2 per day
Always check dpird.wa.gov.au for the most current regulations before fishing. Rules can change, and it's your responsibility to know the current limits.
Getting Started - Your First Mulloway Session
If you've never targeted mulloway before, here's how to set yourself up for the best chance of success:
- Pick a spot you know. The Narrows Bridge, North Mole, or a familiar surf beach with deep gutters. Comfort with your location lets you focus on the fishing.
- Get fresh bait. Catch herring or tailor the afternoon before, or buy the freshest mulies you can find. This is the single biggest factor in your success.
- Fish the rising tide at dusk. Check the tide charts and plan to be set up at least an hour before sunset, with the tide rising through the evening.
- Target the new moon. Dark nights are mulloway nights. Plan your first dedicated session around the new moon.
- Commit to the session. Mulloway fishing rewards patience. Plan to fish for at least 3-4 hours. Bring warm clothes, a headlamp, and a chair.
- Light drag, open bail arm. Set up your rig, cast out, and wait. Don't hold the rod - put it in a holder or sand spike with a light drag or open bail arm.
- Bring a mate. Mulloway fishing at night is better with company - both for safety and for someone to witness the catch.
Get Set Up
Mulloway fishing doesn't require a huge investment in specialist gear - a solid medium-heavy spinning setup with quality terminal tackle will get you started. What it does require is patience, persistence, and the willingness to fish after dark when most people are on the couch.
Come into Compleat Angler Nedlands at 154 Stirling Highway and let our team help you set up for mulloway. Whether you're chasing them in the Swan River on lures, soaking baits on the beach, or planning a rock fishing adventure - we'll match you with the right gear for your approach.
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