Blackwall Reach (Swan River)

Blackwall Reach is the deepest hole in the Swan — close to 20 metres of water below 8-metre limestone cliffs at Bicton — and that depth is the whole story. Mulloway to 10 kg patrol the gullies and trenches on the bottom, and big black bream once stacked hard against the cliff faces; although the 50 cm fish of the 1980s are rarer now, the bream are still there. The rocky broken ground and the current funnelling past the cliffs hold a wider mix of species than most river stretches. It rewards anglers who can get a bait down deep and hold it there — not an easy fishery, but a genuinely productive one.

The deep water is fished with weight — drop baits to the bottom along the base of the cliffs where the gullies hold mulloway, and fish the tide changes when current pushes bait through the trench. Bream and tarwhine come from working baits or soft plastics tight against the rock ledges and broken ground. From the clifftop reserve the fishing is awkward and the drop is dangerous, so most land-based anglers walk a short way along Blackwall Reach Parade to fish at river level within sight of the car, or launch a kayak to work the cliff line. Slack water and the first of the run are the manageable windows; a hard-running tide makes holding bottom in that depth difficult.

Mulloway are the marquee fish — the deep gullies hold them year-round and the better sessions come after dark. Black bream and tarwhine work the cliff bases and broken ground, flathead sit on the sand between the rock, and chopper tailor push through with the odd bigger fish among them. Herring and yellowfin whiting fill in the lighter sessions, and small pink snapper turn up on the bottom — a nod to how close this reach sits to the ocean — though almost all are undersize and go back.

Depth is the puzzle here, so carry enough lead to hold bottom and fish the slack around tide changes rather than fighting a full run. Low light and after dark are when the mulloway feed. Work bream and tarwhine tight to the rock — the fish hold hard against structure, so a bait that drifts into open water gets ignored. If the deep ground defeats you, the sand spit at the Point Walter end fishes shallower and easier for the same flathead and bream.

Two access points serve anglers. The clifftop Blackwall Reach Reserve, off Blackwall Reach Parade in Bicton, has a car park, a walking and cycling path and fenced viewing platforms, but no toilets, dogs are not permitted, and fishing from the cliff edge itself is both awkward and hazardous. Most anglers park on Blackwall Reach Parade and walk a short distance to fish at river level within sight of the car. The Point Walter Reserve end, off Honour Avenue, has the nearest toilets plus a cafe and kiosk, BBQs, a jetty and plenty of parking. Neither the cliff ledges nor the rock at river level is mobility-friendly; the Point Walter foreshore is the accessible option and the family-friendly one.

South-bank position, so the afternoon Fremantle Doctor blows across the reach and easterly mornings are calmest. The cliffs give some shelter from a southerly, but the fishing is governed by tide more than wind — slack water and the start of a tide let you hold bottom, while a hard run through the trench makes deep baits difficult. Water clarity is generally good and drops for a few days after heavy winter rain silts the upper river. The reach sees little swell compared with the open coast, but summer afternoons still put chop and boat wash across the rock ledges.

This is a cliff-jumping and rock-climbing site before it is a fishing spot, and that is the main danger — the limestone cliffs rise 8 metres, signage advises against jumping, and people have died ignoring it. In summer the reserve fills with jumpers and swimmers, so the water below the cliffs is no place to be casting. The deep water starts close to shore, and the limestone weathers into sharp points and undercut ledges that are slippery and can give way — stay back from the edge and fish from stable river-level ground. Submerged rock and broken bottom snag gear readily. Boat, kayak and SUP traffic runs the reach, and bluebottles drift up the river on summer northerlies.

You can, but it's awkward and genuinely dangerous — the limestone edges are sharp, undercut and slippery, and there's a long drop to deep water. Most anglers skip the clifftop and walk a short distance along Blackwall Reach Parade to fish at river level within sight of the car, or work the cliff line from a kayak.

Mulloway are the drawcard — the deep hole here, close to 20 metres, holds them year-round and they feed best after dark. You'll also find black bream and tarwhine tight to the rock, flathead on the sand, chopper tailor, herring, yellowfin whiting and small, mostly undersize, pink snapper.

It's the deepest part of the Swan River — close to 20 metres below the cliffs, with gullies and trenches on the bottom where mulloway sit. That depth is why it fishes well but is hard work: you need enough lead to hold bottom and are best fishing the slack around tide changes.

Park on Blackwall Reach Parade in Bicton for river-level access a short walk away, or use the Blackwall Reach Reserve car park for the clifftop — though it has no toilets and dogs aren't allowed. For toilets, a cafe, BBQs and a jetty, use the Point Walter Reserve end off Honour Avenue.

Mulloway have a 500 mm minimum size and a bag limit of 2. Black bream and tarwhine have a 250 mm minimum, and in the Swan and Canning rivers you may keep only 2 black bream over 400 mm. Rules change, so check the current DPIRD recreational fishing rules before you keep anything.