Timeline Photos

Laurie Caruana had a bit of light gear fun in 20m off Alkimos on Monday arvo. He took advantage of this weeks 30% off the Extreme Inshore Snapper rig special and was soaking a bait with it on his light outfit whilst he was stuffing around with a pesky Wrasse on his other rod. The rod buckled and the reel started screaming. 10 minutes later, he had his first Cobia along side he estimates at 120cm. Cracking metro catch mate!

Photos from Fishing Western Australia Pro Tackle's post

More new shiny things! If you were to ask Jase what his favourite lure is, his answer is always Blades. There isn't much that won't eat a well vibed blade. These absolutely stunning little numbers from the XTS Kingdom stable are something else to behold! At 50mm/7g and 35mm/3g, an amazing holographic finish and through wire construction, you're going to need to be quick to get these into your tackle box before the frothing at the mouth Jase buys the lot!

Timeline Photos

The XTS Kingdom range of stickbaits we're stocking is growing. These new lollies are 70mm/8g, and 40mm/4g and are both slow sinking models. They are going to be dynamite on the YF Whiting and Bream, as well as the Flathead and chopper Tailor. Stickbaits are one of the versatile lures you can use for a variety of species.

Photos from Fishing Western Australia Pro Tackle's post

EPISODE 5 SPECIAL: This week the boys continued their Abrolhos assault on Reel Affair Charters, this time targeting tasty Baldchin on the Extreme Inshore Snapper Rig. Tied in 80lb leader with a small ball sinker to slowly drift the snelled 7/0 circle hooks down, these rigs are deadly on many species including Snapper, Dhufish, Breaksea Cod and Mulloway, as well as the Baldchin. Until 5pm Saturday, 16th of Janurary, we have the Inshore Snapper Rigs on special with 30% off their RRP.

FISHING REPORT FOR SATURDAY 9TH JANUARY 2016 Dont forget there is a new episode of Fishing Western Australia today ( Sunday ) on 7Mate at 3pm GENERAL FISHING: Yesterday at midday the marron season opened in the south-west of the state. Unfortunately due to the bushfires raging in the Bunbury / Harvey / Waroona areas I would recommend that if you were planning to go out this weekend that you reconsider as the fire crews, volunteers and locals don’t need the added problems of numbers of anglers in and around the area. Leave it for a couple of weeks and the marron will still be there. At this stage it is not known what damage the fires have caused to the stocks of fish and crustacea in the area and with recent low water levels this could see a fore shortened season if there has been damage done to stock in these rivers and streams. the Fisheries Department will keep us informed of the situation as it becomes clearer. Nathan Harrison, the Strategic Fisheries Policy Manager from the Department of Fisheries said yesterday; “With the Southwest Hwy closed and Forrest Hwy also closed anyone thinking of fishing for Marron in the Harvey/Waroona area should find an alternative location. Locations like Pemberton and Nannup are outside the fire zone, however the road detours will result in extra travel time. All recreational fishers need to be mindful of the fire bans in place. Once the fire risk has past if people find stressed or dying fish/marron in water bodies, they should report these incidents to the Department of Fisheries on the Fishwatch number 1800 815 507. The Department will continue to monitor marron stocks, to ensure the fishery remains sustainable.” The marine weather forecasts for the next few days indicate that it will be partly cloudy today, Saturday, with a 50% chance of showers and the chance of a thunderstorm. Winds will be variable about 10 knots becoming southeast to southwesterly ,10 to 15 knots in the late afternoon then tending north to northwesterly in the evening. Seas will generally be below 1 metre with a south- westerly swell around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning, then increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres by early evening. The forecast for Sunday is similar with westerly winds about 10 knots, seas below 1 metre, and a west to south-westerly swell of between 1 and 2 metres decreasing during the afternoon or evening. It is a similar forecast for the early part of next week and should give us reasonable fishing and boating conditions. Summer is an ideal time to get out and enjoy what fishing has on offer in this great state of ours. One area of fishing that is often ignored is wading and sight casting to fish. No I’m not talking about going on an expensive jaunt overseas chasing exotic species, I’m talking about our local Western Australian fish. We are blessed with some good estuaries and beaches in the southern half of the state and here are some ideas that you can put into practice during this summer. SUMMER FISHING Summer time is the prime time to be out and about fishing. It is a great recreational pursuit and can be done in the shallow waters of our estuaries and protected coastal waters throughout Western Australia. All you will need is either a light spinning outfit, a handful of bait or half a dozen lures and you can spend a couple of hours relaxing and enjoying what is on offer in the great outdoors. There's always a lot more to see than just fish. Here are a few basic ideas to help you, and your family and your friends enjoy some quality time during the summer period. I love this time of the year, it means days at the beach, or wandering along the banks of a river or stream or tossing lures at bream, flathead, whiting or herring along a beach or estuary. Generally this time of the year can be fairly hectic, with lots of people on holidays and all looking to catch a few fish. As a result of these crowds, it requires a little forward thinking and planning. The answer is quite simple, get an alarm clock and set it for an early start. The sun is generally up just after 5:00 AM and this means it is fairly light at around 4:30 AM. Get out of bed and get going. You can sleep through the middle, and hottest part of the day, as this will allow you get out and fish the sunset and early evening hours. The Spanish were right - siesta time is for sleeping. It also means at this time of the day, you generally have the waters to yourself. Also there is generally less traffic about and as a consequence a lot less noise from both road and boat traffic. It is a great time of the day to be out and wading the flats. Watching the sun rise is something special as it heralds a brand new day, doing it while fishing makes it even more special. Prior to getting out and going fishing, reading the tide charts will also assist when fishing these areas as it will determine which way the water will be flowing in an estuary. Wading the shallows adjacent to a drop off into a channel where there is deeper water and casting into the flow will bring your lure or bait over fish who are waiting in ambush. Look for some structure to work around as well, as these will provide shelter, and protection for these predators as well as cause a slight back eddy in the current which means that fish won’t have to work as hard to hold station. A bridge or jetty pylon causes the water to flow either side of it and creates a small eddy behind it away from the current flow; this is where a fish will hold ‘station’ to take any offerings that the tide brings down to it. Most anglers will generally target the common species found in these locations such as Australian herring, bream, tarwhine and whiting. All of them will readily take lures as well as a well presented bait. The list of species available in various locations is not just limited to these species. Depending upon your location, there are a host of other suitable species that will readily take a well presented lure or bait. Just think a little and decide on a target species and give it a go. If you are new to the area and not sure of the species available, check with the local tackle outlet as they should have all the information and a selection of suitable lures and fresh bait. If we take a closer look at the four species listed above, most anglers should be able to capture them readily using light spin outfits. Rods only need to be around 1.8 m in length and rated around 2 - 4 kg. I would recommend using a good quality 4 kg nylon line and a short length of flouro-carbon leader on a small spinning reel that holds around 150 - 250 m of line. Choice of lures is up to the angler, but I prefer to use blade style lures of 3.5 - 5 g. Soft plastic lures are also the anglers choice but small lures on light jig heads are preferred. For those fishing with bait, use a simple rig using small rolling swivels with a sinker above it and a gang of small hooks suitable for white bait about 30 cm blow the sinker. An alternative rig is a double paternoster rig where a small sinker is placed at the bottom of the rig on loop, and two small gangs of hooks are placed around 30 - 40 cm apart above the sinker. Small gangs are baited with whitebait, blue sardines or strips of fish flesh. The size of the sinker will depend on local conditions and be heavy enough to keep the baits on or near the bottom. In shallow water this means around 15 - 20 g. Flathead are found in most west coast estuaries and along most of our beaches and are camouflage experts. As their name indicates, they are a flat fish (and you can read flounder in lieu of flathead when fishing in estuaries as well) These fish are bottom-dwelling ambush experts who wait for a meal to come to them, so the ideal angling strategy is to keep your bait or lure near the bottom. At this time of the year a lot of anglers are successfully targeting flathead using lures. These include both hard bodied and soft plastic lures. I have a personal preference for metal blade lures, but also use soft plastics around 7 - 10 cm long as well. An alternative bait rig is to use a small bean sinker rigged just above a small swivel with a short 50 - 75 cm length of flouro-carbon leader of around 6 - 8 kg. The main line is generally 2 - 3 kg nylon as flathead have very small fine teeth and they will shake their head vigorously which will shred fine line very quickly, hence the need for the leader. Whiting are becoming a very popular fish to target with lures. Most people assume that they are a fairly docile species but don’t be fooled - they are super aggressive when it come to food. A small 3 - 5 cm popper style lure that is skipped across the surface and looking like a prawn will be attacked fairly readily. Also don’t be fooled by the size of whiting that are often taken as a by catch on beaches. These little bait thieves big brothers are out there and only achieve their size by being smart. I have seen whiting of almost 500 g caught in the Swan River on the sand flats in the lower reaches regularly. Both baits and a variety of lures have been successful. Fishing for them with bait I recommend the use of small size 4 - 6 circle hooks with pieces of prawn skinned octopus or squid. Rigs are as described above, sinker size is dependent on current flow and water depth. Just use a sinker big enough to keep the baits near or on the bottom. When fishing for whiting in shallow water using lures, keep the lure moving. Don’t pause or stop as this will put the fish off. They are seeing the lure as a fleeing prawn and will readily attack it, so keep the lure moving. Australian herring are found around the southern area of the state and are also another species that can be regularly taken on a lure or bait. Traditionally blowfly larvae or ‘wogs’ are the bait for herring, however any small pieces of octopus, squid, prawn or fish flesh will work. Rigs are as described above and can provide kids of all ages with hours of fun when fishing for them. Most small lures, either hard or soft body, as well as metal slices work, for this species. Again the outfit described above will work and the use of a short flouro-carbon leader will assist if a larger salmon or tailor takes a lure meant for a herring. It is a similar story for black bream in estuaries. They will readily take a variety of both soft and hard bodied lures as well as baits. Lures can be bibbed diving lures as well as poppers and soft plastics rigged on a small jig head. Again think outside the square when it comes to bait fishing. Bream dine out on small crabs, fresh mussels, prawns and shrimp so it stands to reason to use these baits when fishing for bream. White bait, prawns and octopus and squid will also work on occasions. When it comes to fishing for bream in estuaries most anglers make the mistake of throwing their lure or bait too far. Bream like to shelter where the water is a little more to their liking, where they are not going to be harassed by predators, and where they can get a feed. This means that they are generally found under over hanging trees and in locations where there is some cover. Lure techniques when fishing for bream are different to that for whiting. When retrieving the lure pause for a short period then start winding again at a steady rate then pause for a second or two then go again. Don’t be surprised if you pick up a flathead when using this technique as it works for them as well. Another species that you may pick up along our sandy beaches or in the estuaries is the tarwhine. This species is a cousin of the snapper and bream and so the same rigs and methods can be used. When wading the flats in an estuary or on the open beach, walk slowly and cast ahead as you go. Look for any likely structure and give each area where there is some structure, several casts as just one cast won’t always catch a fish. One of the beauties of this style of fishing is that there is a lot more to see than just the fish. There are other marine creatures as well as a variety of sea birds, a variety of crustacea and some spectacular scenery. Essential gear for this style of fishing includes a broad brimmed hat, a good quality SPF 35 + sunscreen, long sleeved shirt, and shoes suitable for wading. Don’t forget that cobbler also inhabit this water and can give you a nasty sting should you not be wearing suitable footwear. Another vital piece of equipment is a good pair of polarizing sunglasses. A good pair of glasses will open up a whole new world underwater to you and are an absolute necessity if you are to see the fish you are looking for. One alternative style of fishing that has not been mentioned here is that of fly fishing. All of the species are suitable candidates for this form of fishing. It is a very therapeutic way of fishing and can become very addictive. Almost any species that can be taken using bait can be caught on a fly. Anglers do not need to spend large amounts of cash on a starter outfit. A simple 2.5 m #7 - 8 rod with a weight Forward (WF 7 - 8) floating line, a suitable reel and a selection of flies will set an angler up for the species listed above. Any good tackle shop that has staff that specialize in fly fishing will be able to help an interested angler. There is only one rule that applies to summer fishing. - have fun and enjoy yourself. It is a great way to spend time out with family and friends and the early mornings and evenings spent on our waters are something special. The added bonus of such an outing is that you may get to eat a feed of fresh fish. Don’t procrastinate, get organized and get out and go fishing this summer and take the family. WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT POPULAR FISHING LOCATIONS MANDURAH. Crabs in the estuary are still plentiful. You can get a feed fairly quickly in some locations and have to work hard in others. Make sure that you check the size of each as some are not quite legal. In some locations the water is still a bit murky so try waters that are a little clearer for better results. It shouldn’t be too long before big mulloway start to appear more regularly on the southern metropolitan beaches. Two good mulloway over 20 kg have been caught in the last week from the beaches to the north of Mandurah and rumour has it that there have been several more. The beaches at Golden Bay, San Remo, Singleton and Madora are all worth a closer look if you are seeking these larger fish. The Golden Bay area has been producing some good catches of tailor, herring and whiting. One of these used as a fresh bait is perfect for a big mulloway. South of Mandurah, Tim’s Thicket and White Hills have been consistently producing good tailor earlier in the week with some fish better than 50 cm being caught. Due to the recent fires in the areas to the south of here I would strongly recommend that anglers stay away from the area and allow access to fire fighters and emergency services. It will also help keep roads clear for their emergency vehicles. The Dawesville Cut is still producing good results for anglers most of the day. There are yellow-finned whiting, tailor and herring biting freely during the day and tailor and herring after dark. There are also some skippy and tarwhine to be had from either end of the Cut as well. Bream are still active in the Serpentine with an occasional larger fish keeping anglers interested. SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY The surf beaches at Long Point, Kwinana and Warnbro have all been producing reasonable tailor during the last week. There has been some excellent fishing for yellow-fin whiting, with good reports of herring, tailor and plenty of crabs out in the deep water. The jetties are turning on herring early in the morning, along with squid and blue mackerel. Many of the jetties are producing herring and tailor. Shoalwater is still producing some good catches of both yellow-fin whiting and an occasional King George whiting. There have also been some good catches of tarwhine and skippy taken as well in the incoming tide. COCKBURN SOUND Garden Island Causeway has fished well for herring and whiting during the week, along with a few tailor and squid. In deeper water there are reports of some good snapper and herring. There are plenty of rock lobster throughout the area, with divers around Point Peron and Penguin Island getting their limit. Boaties have also been doing well behind Garden Island, around The Sisters and along the Five Fathom Bank. Boaties chasing a feed of squid are still doing quite well in waters out from Sulphur Bay on Garden Island and in Mangles Bay as well. KWINANA / WOODMAN POINT: Tailor, herring and blue mackerel are being caught from the beaches at Coogee and the Ammunition Jetty is also a spot worth trying for tailor, herring, blue mackerel and squid. There are still a number of small sharks and stingrays being taken after dark. With plenty of baitfish around there should also be a few mulloway. FREMANTLE / INNER HARBOUR / LOWER REACHES OF SWAN RIVER Anglers fishing from the North Mole report that there are a few herring along with a few big skippy in the late afternoon and that there are plenty of tailor about after dark. The South Mole is the place to be for a feed of tailor. Reports indicate plenty of fish. Beaches to the south of Fremantle continue to keep anglers interested with catches of sand whiting. There have been a few tailor taken particularly just on dusk. Tarwhine, yellow-fin whiting and flathead that averaged 45 cm are reported from ‘E’ Shed in the Inner Harbour. Upstream around the Left Bank and the Red Herring, yellow-fin whiting continue to turn up of an evening. ROTTNEST The reefs to the north west of the island have been producing some good bottom fishing. Further out, sportfishing charter boats fishing deeper waters for samsonfish are catching some big fish. Sharks are still causing anglers a problem in deep water. Yellowtail kingfish are the go at the moment both from boats and the shore at the West End. There are plenty of herring, a few tailor and some good skippy for shore based anglers. The south side of the Island is producing good King George whiting, with some big skippy and the odd yellowtail kingfish also being taken. PORT BEACH / LEIGHTON / COTTESLOE / SWANBOURNE: Anglers fishing the northern end of Port Beach report good sand whiting and herring and garfish. There have been a few tailor around and best results have been on the afternoon sea breeze. Cottesloe groyne and the beaches adjacent to the reefs north, towards Swanbourne, have been producing good tailor in the late afternoon. Anglers fishing at the Swanbourne Drain are still taking tailor on dusk and an odd small mulloway. Early morning anglers report a few tailor and herring from this spot. Dinghy anglers trolling out of casting range have also been taking tailor. CITY BEACH / FLOREAT / SCARBOROUGH / TRIGG ISLAND Tailor, whiting and flathead, tarwhine and some big skippy are being caught regularly along these beaches. Sizes have been a bit average but a bag of reasonable fish can be taken. Small sharks and rays are being taken after dark along with an occasional mulloway. Smaller sized fresh fish baits such as these can prove the undoing of a good mulloway at this time of the year along these beaches. I would suggest that you have a good look at the beach formation during daylight hours and look for gutters and any formations that will hold bait and smaller fish. You are more than not likely to find a mulloway there after dark. Whiting are still thick along all of these beaches, although their sizes aren’t too big, and these make a perfect bait for larger fish. A tip to help stop the by catch of a variety of unwanted rays, is to use a cork to lift the bait away from the bottom. HILLARYS / OCEAN REEF / MINDARIE Tailor have been a bit thin at the Hillarys and Ocean Reef Marinas but there have been some good fish taken fishing into the sea breeze from the south west corners of the structures. Beaches adjacent to the marinas have been very productive quite late in the evening with tailor, skippy and herring. During the day there have been herring, odd skippy and whiting taken from the rock walls. A few herring and tailor are still being taken from the south wall of the marina at Hillarys and also there are reports of good tailor from the beaches to the south of the marina. There have also been some good tailor taken from the rocks at the Mindarie Marina. QUINNS ROCKS /YANCHEP / TWO ROCKS / MOORE RIVER A location a little to the south at Quinns, known locally by anglers as the ‘kingie hole’ has been producing some good fishing for tailor and mulloway. Not big numbers of fish, but good ones. Mulloway have also been taken from the beach near the groyne, along with tailor. The lagoon at Yanchep is still producing some tailor after dark. The marina walls at Two Rocks and the beaches to the south have been producing some tailor up to 60 cm. The Three Mile reef at Guilderton is still producing good fishing as is the beach in front of the caravan park. Further north, Seabird and Lancelin have also been turning on some big tailor. One angler ballooning a bait out from this region has recently caught a 3 m tiger shark (released), samsonfish and a couple of spanish mackerel with one fish around 15 kg. A little further north at Seabird anglers have been taking some nice sized tailor and herring. BOAT FISHING: Offshore from Mandurah there are plenty of King George whiting and skippy on the Five Fathom Bank. There are also a few snapper and Westralian Jewfish being caught on the deeper reef areas. A few snapper and big skippy are being taken in the deeper waters of Cockburn Sound. Anglers are reporting some good squid catches from waters adjacent to Garden Island. Anglers fishing from dinghies out from the northern beaches have reported that whiting numbers are down on recent weeks and it would appear that the fish have moved to deeper (cooler?) waters. Most fish are coming in from 20 m of water rather than the usual 8 – 12 m. King George whiting numbers are stable, but again most fish are coming in from deeper waters. Small snapper are in plague proportions in some areas. Strong afternoon sea breezes coupled with larger than normal swells have been cutting fishing time for off shore but there are still good catches of Westralian Jewfish and King George whiting in waters over 45 m. Snapper are also being taken from the offshore reef systems and from many of the lumps on the broken coral bottom in 35 – 45 metres out from Mindarie. One angler, using jigs in deeper water, caught a pink snapper and Westralian Jewfish in 50 m of water out from Ocean Reef. SWAN AND CANNING RIVERS The lower reaches of the river are still producing tailor and flathead and an occasional flounder. Be aware of the minimum size of the tailor as some fish are not quite legal. There are some big scales near two of the boat ramps in the lower reaches of the river, so it would appear that some mulloway have been taken recently. A small tailor, lightly hooked, is an ideal bait for a river mulloway. A few crabs are being taken from deeper water in the lower sections of the river. Further up stream, locations around the brewery and around Matilda Bay are also producing a few crabs.

Fishing Western Australia Pro Tackle

Be prepared for Australia Day... and every other day for that matter!

FISHING REPORT FOR SATURDAY 2ND JANUARY 2016 (via John Curtis) GENERAL FISHING: Happy New Year to all from 720 Perth Saturday Breakfast Fishing Report. I trust that 2016 will be a happy, prosperous and peaceful year with plenty of good fishing to be had by all. Christmas and New Year celebrations are now a thing of the past. The new year is now a couple of days old and by now everyone’s routine should be starting to settle down, although there are still those few lucky ones who are on holidays. I trust that you all had a good break and are refreshed, ready to face up to what the New Year has to offer us. The Solunar predictions for this week aren’t looking all that good, however don’t be daunted by this. Also sunrise will start to get a little later each day, and sunset be a little earlier since we are now past the equinox, however this won’t start to be really noticeable for a few months yet. Tidal movement will start to build towards the end of this week with some good high tides late at night in the latter part of the week. This will mean a few late nights for dedicated mulloway anglers fishing along southern metropolitan beaches and in the lower reaches of the river. Fishing in the metropolitan area is improving, and there have been some good catches of tailor along the central metropolitan coastline when the afternoon sea breeze comes in. As the sea surface temperatures start to warm up we can anticipate some of the northern pelagic species starting to show up. Any anglers intending to head offshore to chase fish, should check out the Bureau of Meteorology website for a current map indicating sea surface temperatures at http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/forecasts/idyoc10.shtml…# Click on the arrow on the right hand side of the display and there is an animated display which will show the next seven days’ forecasts of temperature and currents. This page can take you to check wind and wave forecasts for the area as well, by using the menu on the left of the screen. We already have a variety of tuna, wahoo, spanish and shark mackerel being taken offshore at the moment with areas such as the West End of Rottnest and the back of the Five Fathom Bank being productive areas. One area that is always a good spot for yellowfin tuna is the area to the south of Rottnest Island inside of Duffield Ridge. This area is one where you can anchor up in a likely spot and drift baits down a berley trail. If you don’t catch a tuna then there are opportunities for spanish mackerel, samsonfish and snapper. The FAD’s west of Rottnest are also starting to fire up with several good dolphinfish and assorted other game fish being taken recently. Anglers who are drifting baits along the bottom in search of demersals such as Westralian dhufish, baldchin groper and pink snapper really also need to keep a drifting bait on the surface for pelagics such as mackerel and tuna or samsonfish. When shifting between spots this rig can be changed for a lure and trolled in the wake at a reasonable speed. This way you can cover more of the water column and take more fish, just be aware of size and bag limits. There have been numerous reports of beach anglers consistently taking small sharks from most metropolitan beaches after dark. They are not overly big, but I wouldn’t want to be swimming after dark just in case. I have often said in these notes that this is the time of the year when we get out the ballooning outfits and use them to get baits out where there are some bigger fish. Several years ago I caught spanish mackerel, ballooning from the beaches between Swanbourne and Scarborough. I chose this area because there is minimal boat traffic and less chance of a propeller cutting your line when you have 500 - 600 metres of line out. With a few fish showing up out wide and sea surface temperatures up, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be patrolling the metropolitan beaches chasing bait fish. There have been a lot of schools of baitfish scattered along the coast, so there is no reason to doubt that they won’t be too far away. When there is a strong easterly wind, it will assist getting baits out. There are a few tricks to successfully rigging a bait to get it out through the shore break and over any inshore sandbars. Any good tackle shop should be able to explain rigs and methods very quickly. One trick is to rig your baits using a round peppermint sweet that has a hole in it. When rigged to hold the bait and hooks correctly, it helps to stop the baits snagging up on the bottom before it reaches deep water where, when the sweet dissolves it releases the rig to enable it to work as designed. Abalone Season open again this Sunday: Abalone anglers can again fish for this shellfish this Sunday morning between 07:00 am and 08:00 am. Anglers will need to check the ocean forecast to check on what the seas and swells are going to be for this Sunday. To date this season we have not had any fatalities associated with people gathering abalone and we don’t want to start now. Please take care and wear clothing appropriate to the conditions and if you’re not sure - don’t go in. Another reminder to all anglers is that you need to be aware of the regulations and the size and bag limits. The state is divided into three zones for the taking of abalone. Zone 1 is the West Coast zone, and this extends from the Greenough River mouth to the Busselton Jetty. This incorporates all islands within this zone including Rottnest, Carnac, Garden and Penguin Islands. The area north of Moore River in this zone is closed until further notice. The Northern Zone, (zone 2) which extends from the Greenough River mouth to the to the Northern Territory border, is also closed until further notice. Zone 3, the Southern Zone extends from Busselton Jetty to the South Australian border is open between the 1st of October and the 15th of May the following year. Recreational abalone anglers are not permitted to fish for other people and are permitted to collect abalone and sea urchin for themselves and not other people, even if they are a part of your group. Abalone anglers are not permitted to use SCUBA or hookah gear in Western Australia in the West Coast Zone. Marron Season opens on 8th of January at Midday: Next Friday the 8th of January, the 2016 marron season gets underway at midday. It will run to midday on the 5th of February 2016. Due to a number of factors including poor rainfall over the last couple of years, and doubts over the viability of the fishery, a reduction in bag and possession limits was introduced a couple of years ago. These restrictions will still apply this year to assist in managing the recovery of this popular recreational angling species. A link to the Department of Fisheries web site for current rules and regulations for this season is http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/…/recreational_fishing/licences/r… . It should be noted that there is no fishing for marron allowed outside of these times. It also should be noted that there are bag and possession limits and minimum size limits for marron. It should be noted that there are different limits in ‘trophy waters’, which are managed to give fishers a chance to catch larger, trophy-sized marron. Be aware also that the regulations require that within 50 m of the waterline of marron waters you may have only legal marron fishing gear in your possession. Net restrictions apply and licensed freshwater anglers with a rod and line may possess only a short-handled (50 cm) trout landing net. Check the link above for the rules and regulations for this season as Fisheries and Marine Officers Boating guides If you are going boating you will need to access the latest information available. The Department of Transport has developed a series of boating guides for popular boating locations and they contain local marine safety information including boating hazards, facilities, speed restricted areas, water-ski, PWC and closed water areas. These are available for downloading from their web site ( see link below) and cover areas such as * Swan Canning Riverpark Boating guide, * Canning River crabbing restrictions (Brochure), * Rottnest Island, There is also a link to Boating on Rottnest Island. Rottnest Island boating * Rockingham, * Mandurah and Mandurah canal navigation, * Wellington Dam and Wellington Dam water ski area, * North Metropolitan boating guide, * Moore River boating guide, * Leeman to Lancelin, Onslow, Augusta Margaret River, Walpole, Port Hedland, * Midwest boating guide, * Kalbarri Port Gregory, * Carnarvon Denham, * Coral Bay, * Karratha Dampier, * Broome Derby, * Kununurra Wyndham, * Bunbury Busselton, * Albany, * Esperance. If you are not familiar with the areas then these will provide you with current information and can be downloaded as PDF files from http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/boating-guides.asp Fresh Australian Fishy Facts I get frustrated with some retail outlets and fishmongers advertising a product that is not what is says it is. To the average purchaser they are getting ‘fish’, whether it is home grown Australian or some imported protein. Many years ago there was a situation where there was more ‘barramundi’ sold in Perth restaurants than what was actually caught by the entire commercial barramundi fishermen. They are required to put in returns detailing what they have caught and when. Substitution is not uncommon in restaurants as most diners are not aware of what they are actually eating when it comes to fish. In another instance a group of people were dining in a northern suburbs restaurant and asked the waiter what was the “fish of the day” The waitress didn’t know on the spot but went back to ask the chef who said it was ‘barramundi’ caught fresh out near Rottnest that morning. An interesting concept as the southern limit of wild barramundi in Western Australia is around Onslow, a lot further north than Rottnest. The other interesting facet of that statement is that if it was ‘freshly caught’ that morning by a commercial fisherman, it had to go to the fish market to be sold, then transported to the restaurant and be served for the lunchtime meal - I think not. No wonder nobody ordered the ‘fish of the day’ for lunch that day. I was recently in a commercial fishmonger and they had ‘nannygai’ on the label of fish purporting to be caught out of Albany. As eastern nannygai (read redfish) is not found in Western Australian waters, (it only occurs along the New South Wales and Victorian coastline) I asked if it was not redfish or a similar species as it couldn’t be nannygai. The fishmongers told me quite categorically that it was freshly caught out from Albany and they complied with the Australian Standard for fish names. I begged to differ and hence the reason for my following notes. For those whose New Year Resolution included losing some weight or eating healthier here are some interesting fishy facts about Australian seafood . Scientific studies conducted at Curtin University and reported in this blog previously, show that one or two servings of fish a week can reduce your chances of getting heart disease. Fishing is also good for the mind and body by allowing participants to relax and it also actively reduces stress. As a new year resolution can I suggest that you go fishing more often. In Western Australia we have some of the best managed fisheries in the world. Almost 97% of our fisheries are well managed and controlled, and the other fisheries are coming into line. As many Western Australian don’t go fishing but enjoy eating fish (they are missing out on the additional benefits that can be gained) we have a very good commercial fishery in Western Australia that provides good quality fish to those poor souls who don’t fish. Check out this guide on the best the sea has to offer. Atlantic Salmon Oily fish such as salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which experts suggest may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia and depression. Salmon is great poached, stir-fried, baked or grilled. Use Australian salmon from Tasmania rather than imported fish. Tuna For the best flavour and nutrient retention, serve grilled tuna rare in the centre. Like salmon, tuna contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for your overall health and wellbeing, as well as being a low-fat nutrient dense option. Again be aware of inferior imported fish. Much of the Australian caught tuna is canned in south east Asia and imported back into Australia which is not a good thing environmentally considering the distances travelled Flathead Flathead fillets are great for crumbing and frying, even fussy little ones love their mild, sweet flavour. A white fleshed fish is low in fat, low in calories and an excellent source of protein. A lot of Australian flathead is caught along the eastern seaboard. Be aware that a lot of flathead is also caught in South American waters and imported into Australia and often sold as an Australian product. Only the packaging is Australian. Check the labelling and buy Australian. Barramundi Usually sold in fillets and cutlets, barramundi has a firm, moist, white-pinkish flesh. It's great steamed, fried, baked or barbecued. Again be aware of cheap imported fish (particularly whole fish) from south-east Asia which is often sold labelled as Australian. Swordfish Sold in steaks, swordfish is known as the most 'meat-like' of fish, and has a slightly sweet taste. The flesh is quite dense and pink to off-white in colour. It's great barbecued, braised, pan-fried or stir-fried. Be aware of imported fish and only use Australian product. Anchovies These tiny fish are loaded with flavour and are a good source of niacin (vitamin B3). Eating just one or two provides valuable omega-3’s. Sardines Sardines are high in calcium - a 100 g can contains as much calcium as 450 ml milk. They're also one of the few good food sources of vitamin D. Also available fresh from fishmongers in Fremantle where they are caught. Canned fish A source of protein, minerals and vitamins, canned sardines, salmon and mackerel have particularly high levels of valuable omega-3 fatty acids. They're handy for school or work lunches, too. Again a lot of canned fish is caught in Australian waters and canned in south east Asia and then imported back into Australia. Environmentally unsound due to the distances transported. Fresh Fish, Crustacea and molluscs. If you are not an angler, there is a good supply of fresh Western Australian fish, crustacea and shellfish available from fishmongers and other retail outlets. Why buy an inferior imported product when we have some of the world’s best seafood literally on our doorstep. Don’t be fooled by the names used by retailers. They are supposed to comply with The Australian Fish Names Standard AS 5300-2015: Many don’t and some retail outlets don’t even know it exists and call fish all sorts of exotic names that generally indicate that it is Australian in origin. The Australian Fish Names Standard prescribes a standard fish name for each species of fish produced or traded in Australia * includes over 4,000 Australian and imported species * was approved by Standards Australia as an official Australian Standard in 2007 was developed by the Australian Fish Names Committee. The Searchable Fish Names Database includes all species listed in the Standard. The Standard specifies that: * fish sold to consumers (e.g. retail sales and restaurants) must be identified by their standard fish name, * fish sold other than directly to consumers (e.g. wholesale, export, import) must be identified by their standard fish name or scientific name. The general public and consumer confidence is supremely important to the wellbeing of Australia's $4 billion seafood industry. By using Standard fish names it; * removes confusion * strengthens consumer confidence * creates market efficiency * underpins effective species-based fisheries management, and * improve management of food safety Australia has over 5000 native species of finfish, and many more crustaceans and molluscs. Several hundred of these species are important commercially, and many others support recreational activities such as fishing and diving. Australia also imports seafood products consisting of many other fish species from around the world to help satisfy the increasing demand for seafood. Confusion over fish names has been caused by the numerous species Australia has on offer, a species being known by more than one name, or the same name being used for more than one species. As early as the 1920’s, meetings were held in Sydney to discuss fish names as the local and regional variations were becoming apparent. Extensive work on standardizing names used for fish in Australia has been undertaken since the early 1980’s by industry, governments, scientists and other stakeholders. Major progress has been made since 1992 as a result of strategic investments by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation. Seafood Services Australia (SSA) accepted responsibility for standardizing fish names in 2001 and continued to maintain this momentum. SSA was accredited as a standards setting body in 2006 and subsequently developed the first version of this standard. SSA ceased operations in 2013. The use of standard fish names in Australia, as defined in this Standard, achieves outcomes that are consistent with the aims of industry and governments, including: 1. Improved monitoring and stock assessment enhances the sustainability of fisheries resources; 2. Increased efficiency in seafood marketing improves consumer confidence and industry profitability; 3. Improved accuracy in trade descriptions enables consumers to make more informed choices when purchasing seafood and reduces the potential for misleading and deceptive conduct; 4. More efficient management of seafood related public health incidents and food safety through improved labelling and species identification reduces public health risk and facilitates efficient product recall arrangements; 5. Enhanced marketability and consumer acceptability of the standard fish names used for a species eliminating misleading and deceptive conduct. So if you aren’t going out and catching your Australian seafood, make sure that you are buying an Australian product that supports our commercial industry and improves your health. "If I fished only to capture fish, my fishing trips would have ended long ago.” Zane Grey If you have some fishing information, have caught a good fish and want to brag, or have an item that may be of interest to other anglers and wish to share it, you can send the details to abc720saturdaybreakfast@yahoo.com.au WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT POPULAR FISHING LOCATIONS MANDURAH. Anglers fishing from the old traffic bridge have been catching skippy to 30 cm, tailor and herring. The Cut is still consistently producing good catches of tailor, herring, whiting and tarwhine. Consider putting in some time after dark along the Cut as there are reports of mulloway coming in on the rising tide. Crabs are plentiful in the estuary and again be aware of minimum sizes and bag limits. Fisheries and Marine Officers are quite active in the area . You can get a feed quite readily but make sure that you check the size of each crab. Both netters and dabbers report taking good numbers. The northern beaches have been good for tailor with Golden Bay and Secret Harbour being the pick of the spots and also producing some small mulloway. Along the southern beaches, Tim’s Thicket and Preston have both been producing good tailor with some fish up to 50 cm. Reports indicate that some mulloway were taken last week from the beaches north of Mandurah. Golden Bay, San Remo, Singleton and Madora are all worth a closer check. The Golden Bay area has been producing some good catches of tailor, herring and whiting and this would suggest that the mulloway aren’t too far away. The Murray and Serpentine rivers are still producing good bream for anglers in the know. With the recent warm weather, check out the deeper holes and areas that are in the shade under overhanging branches during the heat of the day for some good fish. Also check out the canals for bream as they use moorings as cover and kayak anglers are scoring some good fish. SECRET HARBOUR / PORT KENNEDY / ROCKINGHAM / SAFETY BAY Long Point, Kwinana and Warnbro beaches have all been producing good tailor during the last week. There has been some excellent fishing for yellow-fin whiting, with good reports of herring, tailor and plenty of crabs out in the deep water. The jetties are turning on herring early in the morning, along with squid and blue mackerel. Many of the local jetties are producing good catches of herring and tailor. Shoalwater is still producing some good catches of both yellow-fin whiting and an occasional King George whiting. There have also been some good catches of tarwhine and skippy taken as well in the incoming tide. COCKBURN SOUND Garden Island Causeway area has fished well for herring and whiting during the week, along with a few tailor and squid. Boaties chasing a feed of squid have been doing quite well along the inside of the northern section of Garden Island and in Mangles Bay as well. A few mulloway are also in the deeper spots in the northern end of the Sound along with some good King George whiting. KWINANA / WOODMAN POINT: Reports from this region indicate that there is some good fishing for smaller species. Herring can be encouraged with small doses of berley. There are also some reports of average sized tailor from the groyne just on sundown. Tailor, herring and blue mackerel are being caught from Coogee Beach and the Ammunition Jetty is also a spot worth trying for tailor and herring. Small sharks and stingrays are also being taken after dark. FREMANTLE / INNER HARBOUR / LOWER REACHES OF SWAN RIVER Beaches to the south of Fremantle have been producing steady catches of sand whiting. There have been a few tailor taken particularly just on dusk. The North Mole has seen some nice tailor and there are plenty of herring along with a few big skippy in the late afternoon. The good news is that there are a few bonito turning up in the early mornings. The use of lures to catch these speedsters is generally the accepted method, however bait casting a mulie also produces some good results. The South Mole has the odd tarwhine and heaps of herring. Bonito should also appear on the south side of the mole out towards the tip. The beaches just south of the moles seem to be the best bet for a mixed catch. Lately, bags have been made up of tailor, whiting, some good herring and skippy. Tarwhine, yellow-fin whiting and flathead that averaged 45 cm are reported from E Shed in the Inner Harbour. Upstream around the Left Bank and the Red Herring, yellow-fin whiting continue to turn up of an evening. Remember that you are fishing in shallow water in this area and that un-necessary lights and noise from wading in the shallows will spook the fish. Just for something different try using a small lure and spin for these whiting as they can be a worthy opponent on light tackle and will readily take small lures. Reports circulating indicate that several good sized flounder were taken from deeper waters around East Fremantle earlier in the week. This news is quite welcome as we have not seen many flounder caught in the Swan for quite some time. Hopefully this species is on the comeback in the Swan as they are an excellent target for lure and fly anglers. Along with the flounder there have been several good sized flathead taken from the area as well. ROTTNEST Yellowtail kingfish are the go at the moment both from boats and the shore at the West End. There are plenty of herring and some good skippy in the reef holes around the island and shore based anglers who know how to fish the reef platforms are getting their bag limits without too much trouble. Reports indicate that the south side of the Island is producing good King George whiting, with some big skippy and the odd yellowtail kingfish being taken. Westralian Jewfish are also being caught in depths of around 50 metres and some tuna have been taken in deeper water. The reef systems to the north-west of the island have been producing good fishing for the demersal species. One angler recently caught several juvenile Westralian Jewfish in this area which augurs well for the future. PORT BEACH / LEIGHTON / COTTESLOE / SWANBOURNE: Cottesloe has been good for whiting, herring and good size tailor from the groyne during the early morning this week. All of the beaches in this stretch are well worth fishing if you are looking for a feed of tailor. Some very big tailor, up to 90 cm, have been reported from the area adjacent to the reefs north of the groyne at Cottesloe. Anglers making the long walk into Swanbourne Drain report some good tailor on dusk and an odd small mulloway. Early morning anglers report a few tailor and herring from this spot. CITY BEACH / FLOREAT / SCARBOROUGH / TRIGG ISLAND City Beach / Floreat is fishing well for tarwhine and some big skippy. Whiting have been thick along the beaches with good numbers along the whole metro coast, although their sizes aren’t too big. Smaller sized fresh fish baits such as these whiting can also prove the undoing of a good mulloway at this time of the year, particularly along these beaches. Read the beach and look for gutters and formations that will hold bait and smaller fish and you are more than not likely to find a mulloway after dark. After dark, tailor have been turning up along this section fairly regularly and several anglers have caught their bag limit. These beaches have also had some bait schools just offshore so I would consider rigging a balloon and sending a bait out early morning. HILLARYS / OCEAN REEF / MINDARIE A few tailor are still being taken from the south wall of the marina at Hillarys and also there are reports of good tailor from the beaches to the south of the marina. There has been an occasional very big tailor at Hillarys. The marina at Ocean Reef has been well worth a look for tailor, particularly casting out at the end of the rock wall towards the channel marker on sunset and sunrise. Anglers fishing the south-west corner of the groyne are also reporting some excellent tailor when the sea breeze comes in. There have also been some good tailor taken from the rocks at the Mindarie Marina. Beaches adjacent to the marinas have been very productive well into the late evening with plenty of tailor, skippy and herring. QUINNS ROCKS /YANCHEP / TWO ROCKS / MOORE RIVER North of the lagoon, anglers are still picking up some large tailor and there is also an occasional mulloway being taken. A little to the south at Quinns, mulloway have been taken from the beach near the groyne, along with tailor. There are still regular reports of big tailor in the vicinity of the Two Rocks Marina and adjacent beaches so if you have the time and inclination make the trip. It could be worthwhile. Another location that is also producing in the northern suburbs is the Three Mile at Guilderton (Moore River) where there have been some reports of good tailor being taken. Further north, Seabird and Lancelin have also been turning on some big tailor. BOAT FISHING: Small boat anglers fishing behind Garden Island along the Five Fathom Bank and around The Sisters have been doing well with plenty of King George whiting around at the moment. There are also good numbers of squid, herring, garfish and some big skippy being taken. Small boat anglers, fishing between Cottesloe and Hillarys, targeting King George whiting and sand whiting have been doing quite well, with sand whiting and skippy inshore and King George whiting out in 28 - 32 metres. Further north, anglers fishing the back of the Three Mile reef system, and around 8 km offshore, have found these areas very productive with some good fish. Since the end of the demersal fishing closure, boat anglers have been taking some good fish. Generally they have been found in 45 - 50 metres of water inside of Direction Bank, however there have also been some fish in depths of 28 - 34 metres, particularly out from Hillarys and Ocean Reef. I am aware of several Westralian Jewfish over 20 kg being taken, along with a lot of big pink snapper in the 8 - 10 kg range. Strong afternoon sea breezes have made fishing conditions in small boats rather uncomfortable and a lot of anglers have returned early, however big skippy, breaksea cod baldchin groper and King George whiting catches have made the trip worthwhile. Westralian Jewfish have also been taken from deeper waters out from Mindarie and Two Rocks. Depths of 70 – 85 metres have been very productive with big King George and break-sea cod being taken. Anglers fishing out a little wider just over or just inside of Direction Bank report good catches of grey banded cod and hapuka. There are plenty of break-sea cod and Westralian dhufish about 10 kms offshore from Mindarie and Ocean Reef with fish of up to 18 kg reported. Anglers fishing along the back of the Five Fathom Bank have been taking some larger snapper, King George whiting and baldchin groper. There have been some good bags of pink snapper and Westralian Jewfish landed behind Carnac and Garden Island. As we start to settle into summer patterns, boat anglers need to consider trolling lures when moving to and from their fishing spots. There are many reports of tuna from both northern and southern offshore areas and spanish mackerel numbers should improve over the next few weeks. The western end of Rottnest, and areas to the north and south of the island, all produce good fishing for these pelagic fish. Boat anglers also need to keep a surface bait out while either drifting or anchoring up and berleying, as this may produce samsonfish, mackerel or a shark while they are bottom fishing. SWAN AND CANNING RIVERS The Swan River has been fishing well for flathead and tailor and birds working bait schools have been a regular sight in the lower regions. Check out any bait school that the birds are onto, as tailor are often found nearby. Most of the waters of the Swan and Canning rivers are producing fish, however, be aware of the minimum legal length. Most of the sand flats in the river are producing some flathead as well as the occasional big flounder. Flathead have been taking all sorts of soft plastics as well as hard body lures, and the flounder will readily attack a bait or a lure if well presented. There have been some large flounder taken from Karrakatta bank at Claremont on soft plastic lures and whitebait. There are good sized flathead and flounder near the Stirling Bridge. There have been a few bream caught upstream from Heirison Island and in the Canning River. Several juvenile samsonfish have been taken from the lower reaches anywhere from Freshwater Bay down to the old Traffic Bridge. Reports from bream anglers indicate that there are still a few black bream around with most fish coming from sections of the river well upstream. There has been a report of the capture of a giant herring around the Claremont Bay area in the river. If you fancy a challenge on light spin gear or fly fishing tackle take some time and wade and observe as these fish are a great challenge on light tackle. Another location worth a try for these fish is the stretch of water upstream of Heirison Island, adjacent to the Casino. Boat anglers targeting mulloway have reported a lot of croaking, with a few hook ups. A few good fish have been taken over the past few weeks and Mosman’s Bay and upper Blackwall Reach in the river are the better locations to try. Canning Bridge has been producing some good tailor during the early evenings on an incoming tide and there have been a few mulloway seen in the area chasing schooling baitfish. SOLUNAR PREDICTIONS, SUN RISE / SUNSET TIMES AND TIDES FOR THE WEEK SOLUNAR PREDICTIONS DAY / DATE PREDICTION PREDICTED PRIME TIMES MOON PHASE Sat 02/01 POOR 03:18 - 05:18 16:23 - 18:23 LAST QUARTER Sun 03/01 FAIR 04:01 - 06:01 17:05 - 19:05 Mon 04/01 GOOD 04:43 - 06:43 17:49 - 19:49 Tues 05/01 GOOD 05:26 - 07:26 18:35 - 20:35 Wed 06/01 FAIR 06:11 - 08:11 19:22 - 21:22 LAST CRESCENT Thurs 07/01 FAIR 07:47 - 09:47 20:12 - 22:12 Fri 08/01 FAIR 08:38 - 10:38 21:04 - 23:04 These are the predicted MAJOR Solunar periods this week, adjusted to Perth time. For anglers in the Pilbara and in Esperance, they will need to deduct approximately 20 minutes. For minor periods add approximately 6 hours 45 minutes SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES FOR PERTH FOR THIS WEEK: DAY / DATE SUNRISE SUNSET MOONRISE MOONSET Sat 02/01 05:14 19:26 00:22 12:19 Sun 03/01 05:15 19:27 00:56 13:12 Mon 04/01 05:16 19:27 01:32 14:04 Tues 05/01 05:17 19:27 02:10 14:58 Wed 06/01 05:18 19:27 02:52 15:52 Thurs 07/01 05:18 19:27 03:39 16:47 Fri 08/01 05:09 19:27 04:30 17:42 Please Note: Where a rise time is noted with a 'p', it means that the time listed is for the previous day. Where a set time is noted with an 'f', it means that the time listed is for the following day. This complication is because the Moon rises, transits and sets almost an hour later every night, so every few days there is a 24-hour 'calendar day' in which the Moon either doesn't rise, or doesn't set. These times will be adequate for general purpose use in the Perth metropolitan area. However, corrections must be applied for other locations in Western Australia. PREDICTED TIDES FOR FREMANTLE THIS WEEK DAY / DATE TIME AND PREDICTED HEIGHT Sat 02/01 07:24 0.58 18:21 0.87 Sun 03/01 07:30 0.59 18:32 0.92 Mon 04/01 06:23 0.60 18:46 0.96 Tues 05/01 05:16 0.58 18:59 1.01 Wed 06/01 04:54 0.54 19:21 1.05 Thurs 07/01 04:58 0.50 19:49 1.09 Fri 08/01 05:08 0.46 20:21 1.12 NOTE: These are the predicted tides for Fremantle and there may be some variation due to wind strength and direction. NEWS BITS: VESSEL SKIPPERS TRAVELLING TO THE ABROLHOS MUST TAKE ACTION Fisheries Department Media Release 21 Dec 2015 - MR49-15 The Department of Fisheries is calling on vessel skippers travelling to the Abrolhos Islands to adopt a CLEAN vessel policy to prevent the return of the marine pest Didemnum perlucidum (D. perlucidum). Senior Management Officer with the department's Biosecurity section Marion Massam said this white colonial sea squirt was not native to Australian waters and had the potential to grow over other organisms, including pearl oysters and mussel shells. "Information from the Northern Territory indicates that this pest can have significant negative economic impacts on aquaculture facilities," Ms Massam said. "In February 2015, D. perlucidum was detected at the Abrolhos Islands and in response Fisheries staff surveyed the affected areas, discussed the issue with leaseholders and investigated control methods. "By October 2015 we were ready to start trialling control methods to remove this pest at Morley Island, within the Easter Group of the Abrolhos Islands. "The trial will help us in the development of cost effective methods and recommendations to assist pearlers and other aquaculturists in controlling this pest." Ms Massam said the main risk of re-infection of the Abrolhos Islands would be via vessel hulls, particularly recreational vessels originating from marinas and anchorages where the marine pest was known to be present. "Vessel skippers travelling to the Abrolhos Islands are asked help prevent this pest getting back to the Abrolhos by adopting a CLEAN vessel policy," she said. "This approach includes keeping hull fouling to a slime layer only, checking for the pest on their vessel before travelling, and making sure their antifouling paint is suitable and renewed regularly." For further information about good vessel hygiene, visit www.fish.wa.gov.au. Ms Massam said the pest alert for D. perlucidum could easily be viewed or downloaded from the department's website by searching for 'marine pest alert'. "Vessel skippers carrying this species into high risk areas like the Abrolhos Islands could be in breach of Regulation 176, Fish Resources Management Regulation 1995," she said. Heavily fouled vessels and any sightings of this marine pest at the Abrolhos should be reported to FISHWATCH on 1800 815 507. Report suspected illegal fishing activity to FISHWATCH on 1800 815 507. For the latest shark detection and reported sighting information visit www.sharksmart.com.au “FISHABILITY DAY” FISHERS WITH DISABILITIES – Sunday 13th March, 2016 In 2015, Fishability completed a project to map fishing locations in WA suitable for use by people with disabilities. The objective of the project was to create an online portal which identified recreational fishing locations with varying levels of accessibility. Site photos, GPS data, controlling authority, facility construction, risks and capacity, vehicle and wheelchair access, parking, toilets, amenities, fishing information and adjacent facilities are available for each location. The web portal, “Fishability Map”, went live in March 2015 and has been well received by the wider community. This map and details can be accessed at Go fishing yourself The proposed new project, “Fishability Day” will promote the use of mapping data by launching an annual state wide community event, with the inaugural event commencing in 2016 for people of all abilities to enjoy recreational fishing. Ten locations throughout Western Australia from Carnarvon to Esperance will host the event. Any child or adult from our communities requiring support to try fishing for the first time, or simply to enjoy a morning out are welcome to join us at this fun family FREE event. Grab a family member, encourage a friend or get a team together and participate in the event. Locations for Fishability Day include; * Albany – Albany Town Jetty * Esperance – Tanker Jetty * Bicton – Point Walter Jetty * Bunbury – Power and Boating Club * Busselton – Busselton Town Jetty * Carnarvon – Carnarvon Town Jetty * Fremantle – East St Jetty * Mandurah – MOFSC * Geraldton – Batavia Coast Marina * Hillarys – Hillarys Service Wharf (outside AQWA) Click here to access our Fishability Day 2016 brochure 2016 MARMION ANGLING AND AQUATIC CLUB’S BLUE WATER FISHING CLASSIC Perth’s Premier Fishing Competition Once again the Marmion Angling & Aquatic Club extends a warm welcome to all competitors in the prestigious Open Fishing Classic, Perth’s premier fishing competition to be held on February 20th 2016. Country visitors will join local participants in this annual event, with prizes worthy of their challenge. Promoting conservation, this species competition will challenge the best to show their versatility, and catch the best of the 15 target species. The trophies and prizes valued at in excess of $40 000 are there for the taking. All species will be uploaded to the MAAC web site in late January. Log onto www.maac.com.au and click on Angling & Sports and then Fishing. Prizes will be awarded for the heaviest of the following species for the 2016 competition. Whiting, Herring, Breaksea Cod, Garfish, Baldchin Groper, Tailor, Flathead, Westralian Dhufish, Harlequin, Skipjack Trevally, Pink Snapper, King George Whiting, Queen Snapper, Samsonfish / Amberjack, Tuna / Bonito. Entries for this event close on the 19th of February 2016. SWANFISH – PERTH’S BIGGEST FAMILY FISHING EVENT - SAVE THE DATE Swanfish 2016 is on again in 2016 on February 27 and 28 at McCallum Park, Taylor Street, Victoria Park. This event is being co-hosted by Recfishwest and the Melville Amateur Angling Club and is open to all. Further details are available at www.swanfish.com.au or www.facebook.com/swanfishwa JOIN RECFISHWEST AND KEEP INFORMED Recreational anglers often get misinformation and form opinions after receiving bad or incorrect information. To stay across what is currently happening and what is planned, get Broad Cast. Broad Cast is a recreational fishing newsletter being sent out each month to almost 50,000 recreational fishers and is providing a valuable service by keeping recreational anglers informed of the many issues affecting recreational angling in Western Australia. Recfishwest is working to make fishing in WA better. Subscription to this newsletter is free, so follow this link to sign up to receive it each month. Invest in your 'Fishing Future' by becoming a member today! Become a FREE member today. Want more in your Membership? For $25 you can become a Financial Member of Recfishwest and receive a members T-shirt and the new Limited Edition Custom Made Halco Lure - check it out! When fishing from the rocks - Don't put your life on the line - FREE life jacket loans Get a free loan life jacket from the following locations, no deposit required. * Albany Rods and Tackle * Carnarvon Tackle and Marine * Trailblazers Albany * Tel-O-Mac Tackle, Carnarvon * BCF Albany * Tateys Bait n Tackle, Esperance * Little Grove General Store, Albany * Southern Sports and Tackle, Esperance * Augusta X-Treme Outdoor Sports, Augusta * Esperance Diving and Fishing * Quobba Station, 80 km NW of Carnarvon * Dempster Sporting and Tackle, Esperance * Steep Point Ranger Station, Shark Bay * Bremer Bay Rural and Hardware * Downsouth Camping, Fishing & Outdoors, Margaret River