Balchin have been in plage proportions this year with every dive having seen any where up to 4 or 5 and also past on the frames to the researchers.Must have to do with the current this year !!

After doing the snapper tagging in Cockburn and warnbro sound for the last 8 years I've noticed a strong increase in there numbers aswell apart from a Pro who rapes them at the exspence of spawning fish!!

Crab numbers look good in cockburn but that will change when the pros start dropping nets again.

And for the dhu fish Ive been doing juvi research as a volly and noticed that there are alot that we have caught close to the 500mm mark but in saying that the last 2 years have been the best for me in regards to good size Dhus but none over 15kg.

This is only what I have noticed over the last 8 years and have past on to the research boys!! 

I've been fishing offshore for the last 25 years, I worked on a commercial boat from leeman wetling for a short period and have fished as an REC for most of the 25 years. Mainly fished between Rotto and Mandurah and nearly all my fishing has been between the 80m and 120m line. I have been fishing out to the 250m line in the last few years, not because of lack of fish in the shallower water just doing something different chasing Grey Banded.

Have found Snapper to be in very good numbers, most would be 40cm to 50cm in the 80m to 100m and a bit larger in the 130m to 250m, my catches today would not be alot different than 20 years ago, I find most the big schools to be in the deeper water in the 130m out to 250m, most the snapper fishing out in the deeper water is done by Pros which have seen out there from time to time. Now that there is no Pros fishing out there Snapper numbers will increase even more as most the 200m plus schools are not getting touched, Have you noticed how most of your Sound Spawning snapper are 8kg plus fish but you rarely catch them in large numbers over this size offshore? It's still a bit of a mystery where these fish go once finished spawning, fisheries are still guesing to where they go some say they go well offshore and spread out and then return to Spawn, Have only come across large Pinkies in a School once offshore and that was 20 years ago in 110m.

Have found Red Snapper to be in good numbers, probably best I've seen I've come across some big schools in the last few years all good size in the 100m line. I had the australian record for Red snapper years ago I think It was 4.2kg which was caught of Rocky in 110m. Average size would be 2kg to 3.5kg so much the same.

Dhu fish have noticed a decilne in numbers and size, would say the average size Dhui now would be around 10kg,you dont seem to get many around the 15kg to 20kg now unless you fish around Jurien, Leeman etc. I don't fish the 40m to 60m line much were most Dhuis are in the Summer months I catch most of them in the colder months out deeper. I think the Dhui is the main fish under threat by a country mile and was very surpised there wasn't a cut in the bag limit for them. Unlike Snapper Dhuis have a lot smaller depth range in with they inhabit so are under more pressure from fishers.

Black Ass haven't noticed much difference usually always get a few in a days catch, size much the same, have been getting some big ones lately.

Balchin, I don't fish the depth to get them much so can't really comment on them, most are north of Rotto and have done Ok with them up at Jurien.

One fish I have noticed a major decline in is Whiskery Shark, where they were part of nearly every catch years ago very rarely see them now. Thick skins and bronzies are still around in ok numbers.

With Gps and colour sounders now its hard to say if the fishing is as good as years ago or it has just got a whole lot easier? Should have a day out with no Gps and an old black and white sounder and see how we would go??

I have fished from Two Rocks for the last 35 years, as a rec and a pro to be truefull im not realy to shaw on this subject. Years ago when i was a lad we use to go out before school and always get fish just drifting i don't think you would catch the same these days drifting the flats. I have changed my way of fishing in the last two years and look for new ground most trips but this years has been the best i have seen dhuies. in the last 15 trips we have landed
71 dhuies 80% were released in good condition (18 undersize)
14 snapper90% released no problem 7 undersize
15 breaksea cod most keeped
15 boldies most keeped as thay always blow there guts 4 undersized
30 sambos all released good condition( all size)
red snapper 3 all released ()all size
this is including visitors these number speak for themselves
I think number have fallen in the common spots but ther are still good fish on the fresh ground.depth range from 8m -80m most fish coming from the30-40m mind you when talking to others there general talk is numbers have dropped..

ive been in kalbarri now for 9 years and fished land and offshore in varying depths from 2fthm to 40fthm.
In the shallows the pink snapper are everywhere, their size varies from juvis to some fish well over 800mm, these are all residential fish in these shallows and when you fillet them you notice that there is minimal to no fat content which means they rarely venture past 6-8fthm, you just have to know where to look for em as most of these are schoolies, not many kelpys if any caught up there in any depth at all. Most of the pinks you catch in the deeper water are fish that are migrating from shark bay area. They gert rather hammered from the wetliners and im responsible for this as i used to wetline in the offseason. Not anymore!

Dhuis up north are around but not as many as year gone by as between charter, when the crayboats could get fish and woodducks all have had an impact on them up there and thats in all depths from 4-5fthm to 31fthm on the coral.

Baldies are pretty thinned out up north but you still get em not that much thou, The deeper you get the more abundent they become and are in good numbers on most structures out on the coral.

As you get back towards town and down the south cliffs fm kalbarri especially in the shallows fish are hard to come by as most woodducks go south because of the killer southerly that comes in early everyday. You still find pinks in certain spots, Dhuis are are rare find and when you do have spots for them you fish them wisely. Ive noticed one spot that a charter boat fishes out in 18fthm in july for a 2 week period every year, its a dedicated spawning spot as ive worked w him and on a day in that period you will pull up 30+ dhuis 70% female ranging from 3kg to 8-10kg and 30% male from juvi to your horses. Ive been there in the tinny a couple of times in the last couple of years now around that time and they are gone, and i mean not one to be caught.

Blackass are a plague in spots up north and down south, most are just size but you do get your 2kg + fish the deeper you go, out 20fthm and deeper on the coral.

Out west from town its a big arid basin and any structure you find will hold fish. Baldies are thick in most spots out there, snapper are abundent ranging from undersize to 8kg+ but most around 400mm-600mm.
Dhuis are thin as between wetliners, charter and woodducks its had a hammering out there as well. You find a spot out there with dhuis on it you dont even tell your best m8.
My m8 has a spot in the shallows that is a swim through cave and when you dive on it its absolutely loaded w dhuis, hes smart he will catch one or bag out on his 2 8-10kg fish and throw anything under or over that back! onya gizmo!

Lucky bay is hit and miss for most fish, certain spots have big pinks but dhuis are rare to non existent down that way but that has to do w the ground around the area, not many if no baldies for the same reason and black ass.

Definately a decline in fish stocks but the area seems to look after itself and does restock w fish throughout the year, your well known spots are nailed but you still can find good fish, thank god most crew that come up dont know how to read a sounder properly if you use one.

FISH FOR THE FUTURE NOT THE FREEZER!