South Mole sits on the opposite side of the Fremantle harbour entrance from North Mole, and it's the calmer, more accessible option. The wall curves around creating eddies where bait collects, and the permanent lighting draws fish in after dark. When the open coast is blown out, South Mole often still fishes. It's the spot a Fremantle local picks for an after-work session when they don't want to commit to the long walk and exposed ledges across the harbour.

Cast parallel to the wall and work around the bend where the current concentrates bait. Squid jigs do well over the weed beds on the harbour side, especially after dark under the lights. For tailor and herring, fish the tide changes with pilchards or mulies. Bread-and-butter sessions go best with a paternoster rig fished close to the rocks on light gear; the bigger fish come from stepping up and dropping a fresh mulie at the bend on dusk.

Herring, skippy, tailor, squid (good numbers over the weed beds), and mulloway in the deeper sections near the harbour entrance. Salmon move through in autumn alongside the tailor and pink snapper get caught off the deeper end during the cooler months. Snook turn up on squid jigs and small surface lures in summer.

Gets busy on calm evenings — be mindful of other anglers and crossing lines, and call your casts when the squid or tailor are firing. Don't fillet on the wall; the lights pull gulls in fast and it's a courtesy thing. The squidding can be very good here when the water's clear, so check clarity before deciding which gear to bring.

Park at the Marine Terrace car park at the base of the wall and walk out — it's roughly 800m to the productive section, shorter than North Mole. The wall is concrete capped in places and easier underfoot than the granite blocks across the harbour. Permanent lighting runs most of the length, so head torches are optional rather than essential. No toilets on the wall itself; the closest are at Bathers Beach. Step-on/step-off access from the path makes this the more accessible of the two moles, though still not mobility-friendly.

The wall faces NW so it sheltering you from the SW swell that shuts North Mole down — South Mole fishes through almost any swell short of cyclonic. The afternoon seabreeze hits the harbour side most days, but the curve of the wall creates calm eddies near the bend. Tide changes pull bait around the corner where the current concentrates, and the run-in just before dusk is the most reliable feeding window. Water clarity in the harbour can drop after rain or shipping movements.

Far less exposed than North Mole, but the rocks at the harbour entrance still get washed in big swell — stay back from the lower edges in any sizeable sea. Concrete sections get slippery when wet, especially at first light when dew sets. Boat and ship traffic is constant near the entrance; keep lines off the navigation channel. The lights pull bait but also draw bluebottles into the inside corners during summer northerlies.

South Mole's harbour side is generally the more reliable squidding spot — the lights, weed beds and calmer water suit jigging, especially after dark in spring and autumn.

Yes — it faces NW and the wall blocks most SW swell, making it one of the most reliable bad-weather options on the metro coast. Stay back from the lower rocks at the entrance in any sizeable sea.

South Mole is shorter (around 800m vs 1.2km), better lit, and easier underfoot thanks to concrete capping in places. It's a noticeably more relaxed walk-out.

Land-based fishing in WA doesn't require a licence for most species, but a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence is needed if you fish from a vessel. Bag and size limits set by DPIRD apply regardless.