http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-29/suspected-shark-attack-at-cheynes-beach-albany/5991766

RIP

I just assumed my 4y old wouldn't need a fishing from boat licence and have been taking him out in the dinghy although he is only happy catching blowies with his handline anyway.

Looking into it I've realised I do need to buy him one and was a bit miffed until I realised it's only half price and I can now bring home 20 crabs if we are putting on a feed for family and friends.

Win!

I know the southerly has been blowing hard lately. Just wondering whether the water in close is relatively clear or all muddied up?

Will be up there over the weekend to enjoy the gales, hoping to plan accordingly. :)

Any info would be appreciated.  

Hi All,

I'm heading down to Esperance for a couple weeks in February/March with the GF and would love some tips about where to go beach and rock fishing as I don't have a boat. I have a Subaru XV so can get off road to an extent and would like to test it out a bit and see how well it handles the beaches.

We will be basing ourselves (camping) in Esperance but might want to spend a couple nights camping to the East if there area some good spots. Have read a few forum posts but hoping there could be a few more updated tips.

How's the fishing been down there recently and what's being caught?

Thanks and any help would be great!!

Cheers

Taking dad for a fish tomorrow can anyone help with a sambo spot out of ocean reef or hillarys trying to get him his first proper sambo. Any advice would be great thanks guys :)

 Does anybody know what the flies are like down there at the moment? Im thinking of taking the family down to bunker bay for the weekend but Ive heard the flies can be really bad this time of year.

It was poor form on my part and I apologise if any one was offended by it.

I will endeavour to keep my opinions(the bad ones) to myself in future to make sure this does not happen again!!

Happy New Year fishwreckers!!

 Noticed a few tiger sharks getting caught and have got a few myself which I have released. Has anyone ever tried eating them and what was your opinion?

I was thinking of doing a sambo jigging charter trip.

Is it worth it?? or will it just be shark bust off carnage??

After a last minute pull out from my regular deckie, a frantic call was made to secure a “rope b*%ch” for what was likely to be a busy day at the ramp yesterday.  Good luck, the brother in law (BIL) was keen and agreed to get to my place at 5.30am.  Yes, a little later than I like to go but at least we would get out on the water – plus navigating the 3 Mile in the dark is currently quite risky with the pots out there.

Now, a little bit about the brother in law.  This guy is awesome and although he has a boat, his fishing experience is quite limited.  I have been meaning to take him out for a while to use the Shimano baitrunner 8000C, with matching rod, the family (me) selected for his birthday a few months ago that had not been used.  He also helped me pick up my 380L “birthday” freezer few days ago as the “better half” had had a gutful of my fishing stuff in her freezer – I promised a cray for that help.  A keen fisho that just needs some guidance and he will take it on in earnest.

So, off we go.  Hillarys ramp at 5.30am was fine and hassle free.  A quick troll around the nearshore reefs to see if the tailor are there, nothing so move on.  Head out with the moderate easterly to proven ground in <30m.  Burley up and within minutes the sounder lit up.  First drop the BIL hooked and landed his biggest ever King George at 450mm – how easy is this and a nice christening for the combo?  Wrong, the next couple of hours produced not much except big waves,  a few skippy and wrasse but at least it was entertaining.  The sambos were there on the sounder but nothing could entice them to bite, and no pinkies either, but we were probably late.

Time for a new spot and the burley went out.  Before long there were schools of fish observed on the surface feasting on it.  We dropped the baits in the “zone” and got a dozen good sized slimy mackerel in short time – these things go hard.  Great fun for the BIL that is used to catching, well nothing.

Once the sea breeze came up we headed in to encounter the Rampies at Hillarys.  I won’t go into detail, as many others have, but the half hour waiting to retrieve was certainly entertaining.  Watching inexperienced people at the ramp showed that tolerance was required, but you just have to accept that on the holiday weekend.

I sent the BIL home with a cray and KGW fillets, and an experience he will never forget.  There were no real “value” fish but it didn’t really matter.  A trip where he said he “caught more than he ever has before” made it all worthwhile, plus I have nice fresh bait to chase the “resident reds”.

And with this wind, I have been tormented by photos from my mate who is up in Exmouth – nice work.

Hopefully the early morning or late afternoon pinkie sessions will start soon – if the wind will die at the right time!

I have never used a scaling bag, the ones you put your catch in and tow behind the boat on the way in.

Are they effective?

Are they probe to attack by the taxman?

Do they work on bigger fish? snapper etc?

 ok so this morning I thought id pick up my pots after a 2 day soak and my oldest son was so excited to catch some as he has never been on the boat to caych them only to find some wankers have smashed up my pot and filled the bait holders full of rubbish. They took my crays smashed my pots then made me clean up their rubbish

Who ever done this you are scum f**k u

I seewhy my old man got put offcraying when this happens.

All this happened just out near little island just near hillarys

Going to get some silver tape but which pattern? Let me know what you prefer or don't care about pattern.  

 Has anyone been crabbing in the river or inlet at Augusta in the last few weeks?

Worth taking some nets down or not?

 Took the boys out to Christen their new outfits and they well and truly did. A cracker day for us all 4 on board btw. Fish of the day was the KGW coming in at 520mm

We've also had plenty of crays in the pots so e very merry Xmas so far. Hoping to do it all again on Tuesday.

 hey guys trying to set up my own gallery I see everyone esle pretty much has but I cant seem to work it out.

 anyone no anyone that is fairly priced and services honda outboards. Or anyone that knows a thing or two about them, I have no experience with hondas and the engine warning light and alarm is on. Thanks guys

Hey fellas,

So decided to head to ocean reef this morning along with 1000 other fellas. It was a bit of a family affair so launched around 7:30... Ofcourse no parking bays left so I did what about 50-60 others did and found a kerb out of the way to park the ute and trailer... Quickly running back to the boat in a massive line up. 

Anyway, get back in the arvo to find that I, along with everyone else has been issued with a $60 fine for failing to park within a designated bay!!... There weren't any!!

Am I the only one who thinks this is taking the piss???

interested to hear of anyone has successfully appealed a fine (we did pay for a ticket and had it displayed too)

Ruined a good morning as we managed to boat out first legal dhu today. 

Cheers

Steve

 Why is it banned? Is it because of the volume of boats?

 Went out wide today while we had a small window from the wind. Got a nice little blue eye and a bass grouper. Came in close for a few small dues 1 size and a heap of black arse. Good day out but need more ramps at two rocks the lines were bull shit

few years on and the commercial guys who remain have done ok if you believe this article below from todays west

hezzy

Lobsters yield pots of gold

EXCLUSIVE Daniel Mercer December 27, 2014, 2:40 am

Rick pickings: Dave Thompson and crewman Adam Bradford. Picture: Steve Ferrier/The West Australian

WA's rock lobster industry is enjoying an unprecedented boom, with fishermen sharing in windfalls that have propelled some into the ranks of the State's richest people.

Half a decade after the biggest upheaval in the industry's history, inquiries by The Weekend West have discovered that commercial lobster fishing is more profitable than ever.

For the few individuals and families who dominate the sector, they have seen their wealth explode courtesy of a five-fold increase in asset values and a trebling of their cashflow.

Its most successful operators - brothers Michael and David Thompson, from Cervantes, - have amassed a fortune estimated to be more than $200 million on the back of the trade.

Others have seen their net worth soar into the tens of millions of dollars, as rocketing demand from China and tighter, economically rational catch limits send prices through the roof.

With the bounty has come a flurry of investment in lucrative lobster fishing entitlements.

From industry veterans to relative outsiders such as Tim Roberts, the heir of Multiplex founder John Roberts, investors have ploughed millions into buying lobster pots and the rights that go with them.

And the gilded times look set to roll on, with the festive season driving an annual bump in demand for seafood domestically and a free trade deal with China poised to usher in even greater prosperity.

Peter Hammond, a professional lobster fisherman for four decades, said the industry had seen its fair share of ups and downs but the current environment was "extremely" good.

Amid the glow, a clutch of families largely unknown outside the industry have been consolidating their positions through family-owned trusts and companies and seeing their wealth rocket.

Chief among them are the Thompsons, who transformed the business started by their father into an industry powerhouse gaining international recognition.

Working often slavish hours over decades, the straight-shooting pair have amassed more than 4000 pots conservatively valued at $45,000 each - putting their stake at about $200 million.

Industry experts says they are by far the biggest players in the fishing side of the industry, having long since surpassed other famous lobster fishing families.

They have also built up a fleet of more than a dozen boats, while diversifying their interests into pastoral industry.

Arguably the jewel in their crown, however, is their processing factory, known as Indian Ocean Rock Lobster and based in Cervantes, about two hours' drive north of Perth.

David said the decision to invest in the factory was prompted by a dilemma several years ago when another processor said it could not take their lobsters, potentially shutting off crucial avenues to export markets.

He said the factory allowed him and his brother to "vertically integrate" their fishing business and bypass the highly concentrated processing sector, dominated by the Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative.

Only five years ago, the state of the industry was a different story.

Then, the State Government cut the commercial catch to 5500 tonnes, spurred into action by an alarming fall in baby lobster numbers.

It had also announced a complete overhaul of the system under which fishermen operated, introducing a quota arrangement that spread the season over a full year rather than seven months.

Mr Hammond said that under the old system fishermen had scrambled to catch their allocations as quickly as possible - a process that invariably hit stocks and depressed prices.

He said pot prices hit as low as $8000 during the industry's darkest days, while beach prices for lobster were as little as a third of today's level of $50-60.

"I would have sold out if we hadn't gone to quota because there was no future in it," he said.

"We would have all gone slowly broke - it was just hopeless."

Kim Colero, who as chairman of the WA Fishing Industry Council between 2009 and 2011 was instrumental in making the changes, said they were deeply unpopular with many operators.

He also acknowledged that they had shaken out the industry - there are about 250 commercial lobster vessels compared with about 450 in the early 2000s.

But Mr Colero said the changes had been vital in ensuring the survival of the industry, which was now flourishing as a result.

"It was very difficult," Mr Colero said. "There was a lot of grief and a lot of ugly telephone calls.

"Economically, the industry is in a very sound position now, though.

"It's making good money for the State, it's making good money for the individual fishers, the processors seem to be going OK and the regional communities are hanging in there."

I would have sold out if we hadn't gone to quota - there was no future in it." *Peter Hammond *

How did everyone who launched at Bunbury's Casuarina boat ramp go today?

Garbo & I were on the water early (4.30am) and lucky enough to get back at 11am with fish, (nothing extrodinary but a Dhuies and Snapper day none the less) but we were blown away by the number of boats out today.

Every parking space on the ramp or nearby grass was taken, as well as anywhere else people could park and I've never ever seen this ramp so crowded. Absolutely chockas!

One turkey even parked his vehicle and trailer so no one could get their vehicles & trailers out to even retrieve their boats! We had to reverse the boat trailer and then negotiate the silly season traffic.

Yes! its that time of year folks!

Where other ramps this crowded today?

 Out fishing for Dhues today. Normally like to use wrasse fillets, but i havent been out since before the ban so didnt have any of my own bait. Bought some mullet & octopus & had a piece of each on my rig. Drifting around for an hour with no decent bites so i thought to myself "If its not working, change something" Put out a small outfit & caught a little western king wrasse. Perfect I thought "live bait - that should kick things along" Put the top hook through the lip of the wrasse & sent it down. Bang - straight away a good fish. "Super genius" I thought to myself. Feels like an undersize Dhuie but never mind, the plan worked. Bring the fish up & yep its an undersize Dhuie. Wrasse still happily swimming along - The Dhuie had taken the skungy bit of mullet that was left on the bottom hook. Thats fishing for you - you never quite work it all out.          

hey guys if anyone is on the ball with this can u tell me...we have a three way switch  1 2 both and of course off, now should our accessories run on both batteries if we have number 1 set up for starting, we have set everything on b us bars can anyway shed light on the subject as to what is goping on. my number is 0437443045 if anyone knows please call we are stumped

 just chasing for any advice in regards to boats fishing near dunsbrough, don't expect gps marks but a general area of where might be productive, both beach and boat ( pinks, dhufish or Evan some fun with sambos would be great) 

Cheers

 Hey guys where abouts are the crays out from perth? Got my pots in behind maddens Rock in about 18mts, have they all gone deep or what? Got one today and that's it. Heaps of other pots around me too cheers 

 Was to take the kids crabbing today but some low life nicked my esky with 6 bags of tuna heads out of my dinghy parked in front of our shack at Preston bet u they thought it was full of beer. Also took a carnarvon crate exchange crate and a bag full of tackle. Luckily I took my daughters Xmas present ( new rod) up to the house.

apparently they also stole a two man kayak off a car at footprints and a some fishing rods from other cars in the area. One way to ruin Christmas Day!

 Hey guys, anyone know if the water in front of the powerboat club and around the parade is open on Australia Day evening or do they shut it for the fireworks? Would be nice to watch from the water this year

Hi all,

I'm just looking around at possibly getting a second hand go pro for diving. Most of my diving is around that 15-20meter area and I'm looking for something simple as Im no pro editor or anything.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 Just chasing info about camping at Alexandra bridge this time of year.

Does it get full,is it noisy etc?