Headed south for the long w.e hoping to paddle around the Donelly and Warren rivers. Donelly was right up, the jetty at the boat launch was about shin deep in water, and the water was fair moving. Warren was even higher, i'd say 3-4m higher than i've ever seen it. One of the spots we usually camp was 2m under water! Also moving fast. Tried fishing a flooded lagoon area but no joy. Also checked out Broke inlet but heaps of water there too, couldn't get to camping spot because track in was flooded, walked up and it was under water anyway.

If anyone was planning to head down there in the near future, you may want to reconsider.

 ALL skippers navigating more than two nautical miles off the metropolitan coast will need an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) from January next year.

Mr Harrod said from January 1 next year, new consistent state-wide marine laws would require skippers throughout Western Australia to carry an EPIRB when operating more than two nautical miles from the coast or more than 400metres from an island located more than two nautical miles from the mainland shore.

Mr Harrod said recent improvements in EPIRBs had seen authorities question the continued operation of the exemption zone. 

“New generation EPIRBs provide exact location coordinates which greatly enhances the chance of rescue and survival in an emergency on the water,” Mr Harrod said.

“EPIRBs can significantly reduce the time it takes to rescue people and on the water this can be the difference between life and death.

“The cost of the potentially lifesaving device is also significantly less now with the cost  of carrying an EPIRB, which has a six year battery life, less than $5 a trip if a vessel is taken more than two nautical miles offshore 10 times a year on average.

“Removal of the exemption zone also reduces confusion amongst skippers by providing consistent boundaries for mandatory carriage of an EPIRB throughout WA.”

In February last year the state coroner recommended the reduction or removal of the EPIRB exempt area after investigating the death of a man while boating off Two Rocks in April 2010.

Mr Harrod said DoT had received widespread support from recreational boating groups and relevant authorities to amend current marine laws.

“DoT recorded 85 recreational boating incidents in the EPIRB exempt zone between 2008 and 2012 reinforcing the need for EPIRBS to become mandatory to provide rapid and accurate location information to rescue authorities,” Mr Harrod said

“There is undisputed evidence that carriage of an EPIRB can save lives in an emergency on the water.”  

There are now more than 52,000 registered recreational vessels in the metropolitan area and it’s estimated up to 20 per cent will need an EPIRB following the introduction of the new laws.

Currently 44,300 EPIRBS are registered in WA which accounts for 20 per cent of the national total.

DoT has produced a special brochure to assist skippers purchasing and registering an EPIRB.

Download a copy at transport.wa.gov.au/epirbs or contact the marine safety hotline on 1300 863 308.

Decided to build my own fish gutting table so got an old barbie off the verge, bought a sink at the salvage shop and the end result was this!

 hi, does anyone know any good freshwater fishing spots no further then waroona to catch trout or redfin perch? what can you catch in waroona dam. thanks.

Oh i will have lasting memories of this trip.... my sons comment when it happened was "does this mean we have to go in"

Thanx to the great staff at exy hospital, you know your in good hands when they have a tool box complete with bolt cutters in the emergency ward. We where back out fishing within the hour.

Feel free to post smartarse comments below..... dont bother with "at least you hooked something" as my phone is full of those.

What effort do members put into maintaining their boat trailers?

I do all the checks before going north like axels and bearings etc but after such a long wet period I've noticied my skids were rusted out and have spent this weekend grindining them back and galv painting them.

I tend to mother my boat but sometimes forget how important my trailer is. What do other members do to maintain their trailers?

 few pinks from last few trips.

Would you think it unusual to purchase a new boat package eg boat and trailer and for the trailer not to be fitted with a spare wheel bracket and spare tyre and rim have only just noticed that with the surtees 6.7 gamefisher

 anyone had any luck in the rivers? bream? flathead?

I just read in the paper that recfishwest have secured over $1 million in rec fishing license funds from the government, and are spending it on a bunch of new artificial reefs, and 8 more fads. 

They are apparantly in addition to the 6 PGFC fads (so will be a total of 14), will be a new design, will stay in all year, and will be surface and sub surface. 

Sounds awesome! Should take ale a bit of pressure off the existing fads on a good weather day. 

Haven't been out for a fair few weeks for obvious reasons , is general consensus after this weather that the fishing in close is still good ,squiddies ,pinks etc or out wider the go , just interested to hear opinions .

I'm planning on taking the grand daughter (5 years old) on her first fishing trip this coming Wednesday. My thoughts are that I want this to be a most enjoyable time and catch some fish so she will have an interesting time.
So I'm going to try for slimy mackerel as they are quite good fun to catch.
What I'm asking can anyone tell me if there are slimy mackerel at Palm Beach jetty, Kwinana jetty the Ammo jetty or e shed.
Any info would be much appreciated.

 Any one else heading out tonight :)

 Not doing a fishing report for our trip at steep until we get back next week, just have a few things to say that I'm very impressed with.

few months ago I bought an extreme cooler and after 8 days up here at steep the block ice I put in it at Albany when we left last Thursday night has only just melted, we have been opening it a lot putting fish in it taking bait out ect ect and I'm honestly surprised how long it's lasted. For what I payed for the 120l box it's awesome value for money.

bought a 2500 sustain before the trip and after having most daiwas top end models certates ect and using this 2500 with 12lb and using it for things it was never designed for I honestly can't believe it's still holding up and for how much you pay for them they are great.

will do a full report with photos and everything but are having a awesome time and stil 6 days to go and we have caught so so many fish and the variety is just crazy. 

 Or anyone know who their service agent is here in WA .....................unit simply saying "NO GPS" and not recording ANY satellites 

I get the impression it may be that my antenna is somehow damaged / faulty hence the request 

 Has anybody fished the bay in January. Apparently the handbrake thinks she wants to go the for a holiday around that time. Never fished it that time of year before, always go in May. 

Cheers 

Hi again everyone as I wrote the other day I heading up to Denham for a week this sunday I now the weather aint gonna be that good but is the time me and my gf can get time of work was just wondering if there is a good tackle shop up there and bait shop etc or is it best to load up at home first.

Thanks

If you are launching at Hillarys over the weekend beware of large rafts of weed in and around the ramp area. It may pay to check your prop and water intakes after clearing the area.

 Hey guys in the market for a new pe5 jigging rod for sambos amberjack and ytk. I have been using a 400gram jigging master power spell and owns every fishhh but bit of a broom stick compares to whats out there now. Veryyyy short rods though so wondering what length are all you lads using for your heavier jigging say  180 to 350 gram jigss???

 hey fellas just to let u all no im going out tonight with sum stinky ass burley mIght help the pink situation otherwise the toothy critter and rays will b round for sure if u see a massive slick or smell a really bad smell u will not its us come say gday.

Loaded up and ready to go. Be there by 7am tomorrow (I hope).

 Hi all taking my boat out for our first trip this saturday in the sound. I see the weather has taken a turn and im wondering if it is worth going out still?

Just looking on the live ship site and looks like some dredging going on. Not sure if it will stuff the fishin out there...

anyone know any good places to send reels away for good servicing. have half a dozen baitcasters and light spin reels that arent what they used to be and I want to give to someone that knows what their doing to get them serviced. appreciate any advice.

Enjoy

 After readin Petermacs post, and some of the replies, I hope this isn't seen as too far out of line.

Ole was hunting geese up in the Minnesota woods.  He leaned the old 16 gauge against the corner of the blind to take a leak. As luck would have it, his foolish dog knocked the gun over, it went off and Ole took most of an ounce of #4 in the groin.

Several hours later, lying in a Duluth hospital bed, he came to...and there was his doctor, Sven.

"Vell Ole, I got some good news and some bad news.  Da good news is dat you are going to be OK.  Da damage vas local to your groin, dere was very little internal damage, and I vas able to remove all of da buckshot."

"What's the bad news?", asks Ole

"The bad news is dat dere vas some pretty extensive buckshot damage done to your pecker.  I'm going to have to refer you to my sister, Lena ."

"Well, I guess that isn't too bad," says Ole.  "Is your sister a plastic surgeon?"

"Not exactly," Sven says.  "She's a flute player in da Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra.  She's going to teach you vhere to put your fingers, so you don't piss in your eye."

woolys have been selling " aussie animal activity book" they cost 5 dollars to buy and if you spend 20 dollars shopping you get four cards to put in to it my young bloke is in love with it as are all the kids at his primary school they are all swapping cards funny thing is they are are all learning from it , who ever came up with that idea at woolys is a very smart cookie

Heh guys,
Thinking of fishing either this Saturday or Sunday morning in the Sound.
Just trying to decide what conditions will be like with current forecasts.
What you guys think?

Cheers,
Joycey

 does anyone know how the carnarvon jetty is fishing at the moment and what i should be targetting. will be stopping in on the way through from karratha

hey guys got my little dinghy wanna go catch some sambos in it ive caught them in close a few times but not any luck for a while now anyone got any close spots between ocean reef and two rocks thanks guys