There's nothing else in light-tackle fishing quite like topwater whiting. You're wading a sand flat in the summer sun, in water barely over your knees, when a pack of whiting comes charging out of nowhere behind your lure, swiping at it again and again until one finally nails it. It's visual, addictive, and one of the best ways to spend a hot summer's day in Perth.
Surface fishing for whiting has become one of WA's fastest-growing fisheries, especially on the Swan River and the Peel-Harvey Estuary. This guide covers everything you need to get started: when and where to find topwater whiting, the best surface lures, how to work them, how to tune your hooks for more hook-ups, and the right gear.
New to whiting? Start with our complete whiting fishing guide, which covers bait, rigs and species. This guide is all about the surface.
Why Whiting Hit Surface Lures
Whiting look like gentle bottom feeders, but in summer they're aggressive hunters. When prawns move onto the shallow flats, whiting chase them across the surface, and a small lure skipping across the top looks exactly like a prawn trying to escape.
That's the key to the whole technique. The prawns are the trigger. When prawns are running on the flats, whiting are looking up and will chase surface lures. When there are no prawns around, the surface bite is usually much slower.
Topwater is mainly a yellowfin whiting game in WA and South Australia, and a sand whiting game on the east coast. King George whiting live in deeper water over weed and are mostly caught on bait and small jigs.
When to Fish Topwater for Whiting
- Season: in Perth, the surface bite starts from about November and peaks from December to March, when the water is warmest and the prawns are on the flats.
- Weather: hot, sunny days. Unlike most topwater fishing, you don't need to be out at dawn. Whiting love warm water, and the middle of a hot day is often the best time.
- Wind: a light breeze and a bit of ripple on the water is ideal. It gives the fish confidence and hides you and your line. Glassy conditions can make them spooky.
- Tide: the bottom half of the rising tide. As the water floods back onto the flats, whiting push up into the shallows to feed.
Where to Find Topwater Whiting
You're looking for shallow, clean sand flats in about 0.3 to 1 metre of water. That's shallow enough that a whiting chasing your lure is right under the surface. Patches of ribbon weed, drop-off edges and sandbar edges nearby are a bonus.
Perth
- The Swan River: Point Walter, Pelican Point, the Nedlands and Dalkeith foreshore just down the road from our store, and the Como and Applecross flats.
- The Peel-Harvey Estuary: the epicentre of WA's topwater whiting boom, with huge areas of shallow sand flats around Dawesville, Coodanup and Herron Point. Well worth the run down the freeway once the fish arrive.
- South of the city: Mangles Bay and Warnbro Sound.
- Further afield: the Leschenault Estuary at Bunbury, Wilson Inlet at Denmark, and Shark Bay.
Around Australia
Surface whiting is also strong in South Australia (Yorke Peninsula and the gulfs), Victoria's Western Port, and on the sand flats of Queensland and NSW, where sand whiting chase poppers across the shallows of Moreton Bay and the east-coast estuaries.
Best Topwater Whiting Lures
Whiting surface lures are small, usually 50–75 mm and 3–6 g. There are two main styles, and it pays to carry both.
Walk-the-dog stickbaits
These are small, bibless floating lures that zig-zag from side to side across the surface when you twitch the rod tip. They're the best imitation of a skittering prawn and the most consistent whiting lures there are.
- Bassday Sugapen 70F: the benchmark topwater whiting lure. A walker with a cupped face, so it can pop and splash as well as walk.
- Bassday Sugapen Splash: 75 mm and designed to mimic a small prawn struggling on the surface. Made for the big yellowfin whiting of the Peel Inlet.
- Daiwa Infeet Slippery Dog 65F: a prawn imitation with rattles that mimic the clicking of a fleeing prawn. Comes in prawn colours like Ebi Prawn and Jelly Prawn, and a WA Special colour.
- Atomic Hardz K9 Walker and the smaller K9 Pup: proven, well-priced and easy to walk. The Pup has a prawn-like profile and suits calm days and spooky fish.
- Malosi Studio Echo 65F: an exaggerated walk-the-dog action with a clicking rattle, and very easy to use.
- Shimano Bantam Ligen 66F: walks, pops and dives, with Shimano's Flash Boost for extra flash.
Poppers
Poppers have a cupped face that "bloops" and spits water when you twitch them. That sound and splash imitate a prawn flicking across the surface, and they can call fish from further away in rippled water.
- Zipbaits Skinny Pop Jnr: 70 mm and 3.6 g. Pops, walks and splashes, and a favourite for whiting and bream.
- Yakamito Poppa Q 50: a tiny 50 mm, 4 g popper that casts well for its size.
- Malosi Studio Atom 60P: can do everything from loud pops to subtle bloops.
The Bite Science Shift-R
The Bite Science Shift-R is one of the most exciting topwater whiting lures around, and we've got our own custom colours on the way in both sizes this summer. Keep an eye out for them in store and online. They're going to be a big part of our whiting (and giant herring) fishing this season.
What colour?
Natural, clear and prawn-coloured lures are the best starting point on clear, sunny flats. Bright colours like chartreuse or pink can help when the water is a bit dirty or the light is low, and they're easier for you to see. Most importantly, carry a few different lures. Some days the whiting only want a walker, and other days only a popper.
How to Catch Whiting on Surface Lures
This is where most people go wrong. Whiting surface fishing is the opposite of most topwater fishing.
1. Fish it fast, and don't stop
With bream and most surface fish, you pause the lure and let it sit. With whiting, you keep it moving, all the time. Whiting want a prawn that's escaping. Point your rod tip down towards the water, then twitch it in short, sharp flicks while winding steadily, so the lure walks and skitters across the surface without stopping. Many anglers are amazed at how fast they can wind and still get bites.
2. When they chase, keep going (or speed up)
You'll often see a bow wave or a pack of whiting following your lure and swiping at it. Your instinct will be to stop and let them eat it. Don't. If the lure stops, the whiting usually lose interest. Keep it moving, or even speed up. The strike usually comes when the fish finally commit.
3. Don't strike at the splash
Whiting often swipe at a lure three or four times before they hook up. If you strike at every splash, you'll pull the lure away from them. Keep winding until you feel the weight of the fish, then lift the rod smoothly.
4. Cover water
Whiting move around the flats in schools. Fan your casts out, walk slowly and quietly, and keep moving until you find them. Once you find a school, there are usually plenty more nearby.
5. Plan B: go under
If they're following but won't commit, or the surface has gone quiet, change to a subsurface lure. A small floating minnow like the OSP Bent Minnow 76F twitched just under the surface, a small blade like the TT Switchprawn, or a ZMan GrubZ 2" hopped along the bottom will often catch the fish that won't come up.
Tune Your Hooks for More Hook-ups
Whiting have small, downturned mouths made for feeding on the bottom. That means they often miss surface lures or only get hooked lightly. A simple hook upgrade makes a big difference:
- Swap the rear treble for a slightly larger fine-wire treble. Try Owner ST-36 BC or Decoy Y-F33B trebles.
- Some anglers add a small stinger behind the tail so the hook sits where whiting strike.
- Use fine-wire split rings like Owner Fine Wire Split Rings so you don't weigh the lure down or change its action.
- Keep your hooks sharp. Check them often, and replace them when they dull.
After any change, test the lure in the water to make sure it still walks properly.
The Best Topwater Whiting Setup
Surface whiting lures are tiny, so you need a light, long-casting outfit to throw them a long way and work them properly.
- Rod: 7'–7'6", rated 1–3 kg or 2–4 kg, with a fast, light tip to cast 4 g lures into the wind and walk them easily.
- Reel: a 2000–2500 size spinning reel.
- Braid: PE0.4–0.6. Thin braid casts further and helps the lure walk. Try Oceans Legacy Supreme 8X Finesse.
- Leader: 1–1.5 m of 6–8 lb fluorocarbon, like Oceans Legacy Duelist FC Leader. Tie your lure on with a loop knot so it can swing freely and walk properly.
Topwater whiting rods and reels we use
- Oceans Legacy Quest Inshore Finesse: developed and tested popping for whiting on the Peel-Harvey. The QS-SF732UL (7'3", 2–8 lb) is a superb topwater whiting rod.
- Oceans Legacy Aurora Flats Spec: built for wading the flats, with the distance to reach whiting in skinny water.
- Yamaga Blanks Blue Current TZ/Nano 73TZ Plug Seamless: a premium Japanese light-game rod made for working small plugs.
- Yamaga Blanks Blue Current III: light, sensitive and casts tiny lures a very long way.
Pair them with a light Shimano reel like the Shimano 24 Vanford FA 2500HG, the Shimano 23 Vanquish C2000S or the Shimano 23 Stradic FM 2500HG. A light reel makes a real difference when you're casting and twitching all day. For more rod and reel pairings, see our whiting fishing guide.
Wading Gear
- Boots: wear wading or dive boots like the Huk Rogue Wave. Sand flats hide shells, cobbler and stingrays.
- Polarised sunglasses: essential for spotting whiting, rays and drop-offs. Try the Shimano Vanford or Smith Guide's Choice.
- A hip pack and lure wallet: no one wants a tackle box in the water. A Daiwa Guide Waist Bag and a Shimano Lure Wallet keep your lures and pliers at hand.
- Shuffle your feet to warn stingrays, and wear sun protection. You'll be out in the heat of the day.
Chasing bigger game on the flats? See our giant herring fishing guide.
Topwater Whiting FAQ
Can you catch whiting on surface lures?
Yes. Yellowfin whiting in WA and SA, and sand whiting on the east coast, chase small surface lures across shallow sand flats in summer. It's one of the most exciting ways to fish for them.
What are the best topwater whiting lures?
Small 50–75 mm walk-the-dog stickbaits and poppers. The Bassday Sugapen 70F, Daiwa Slippery Dog 65F, Atomic K9 Walker, Malosi Echo 65F and Zipbaits Skinny Pop Jnr are all proven whiting lures.
How do you catch whiting on poppers?
Cast over shallow sand flats on a hot day and rising tide, then work the lure fast with constant twitches so it never stops. Keep it moving when whiting chase, don't strike at the splash, and lift when you feel weight.
When is the best time for topwater whiting?
From December to March in Perth, on hot, sunny days with a light breeze, during the bottom half of the rising tide.
Why do whiting keep missing my lure?
Whiting have small mouths and often swipe at lures several times before hooking up. Keep the lure moving, don't strike early, and upgrade the rear treble to a slightly larger fine-wire hook.
Get Set Up for Topwater Whiting
Summer is almost here, and so are the whiting. Come and see us at Level 1/154 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, just up the road from some of the best whiting flats on the Swan River, or call us on (08) 9389 1337. We fish for topwater whiting ourselves and are always happy to help you pick the right lures and set up the right outfit. You can also browse all our stickbaits and our whiting fishing gear.
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