Fishing & Boating

WEATHER
TIDES
SWELL

We are so blessed to have the rivers, estuaries, oceans and island reefs teaming with a diversity of fish and marine life.

We can boast around 10,194km’s of coastline to fish from, let alone the crystal clear waters and abundance of marine life in our ocean and around our islands.

Did you know that a licence is required for recreational fishing from a boat, net fishing, freshwater angling, fishing for rock lobster, abalone, or marron?”

On average, the fine for fishing without a license ranges from $15 to $12,000. These fees may include a $5 to $1,000 penalty for each fish caught. If you’re required to report to the state’s county clerk, you will have to pay too for the cost of the lawsuit.

Apply for fishing licence

Where to go and what to catch in WA

With so much coastline, reefs, islands and waterways, and so much ocean, WA is like an exciting magnet for fishing.

Some of the best off-shore fishing spots in WA are said to be Kalbarri, Pemberton, Bremer Bay, Cape Arid National Park, Myalup, Ningaloo and Quobba Station but every fisherman has their favourite or secret spot!!

To find out what fish you can catch, where and when then check out Mad Mackie for some advice.

WA Fisheries 2023 recreational_fishing_guide

Fishing Limit Rules

Studies have found that if we continue to fish the oceans like we currently are then the world will run out of fish by 2048.

To help keep our fish resources sustainable, Fisheries WA have developed a comprehensive set of rules for recreational fishers.

To make sure that you are sticking to the correct fishing rules and regulations for the fish type and your location check out the WA Recreational Fishing Rules book.

Updated rules specify:

• Introduction of trip limits. While on a fishing trip you may accumulate up to 10kg of finfish fillets of any species, no skin required, plus an additional 10kg of fillets of large pelagic fish with skin on. The existing possession limit of 20kg of fillets of any species will continue to apply at a person’s principal place of residence.
• Removal of the 30cm minimum fillet length for filleting at sea.
• Update to the definition of whole fish, which can now be cut in two pieces and still be considered as one fish. (For both filleting and whole fish rules, skin will need to be attached while still at sea.)
• Release weights will be required for the master of all fishing boats fishing by line for demersal finfish, anywhere in WA, not just in the West Coast Region.

Get a Skippers Ticket

Skippers Ticket Now– Mt Pleasant- Jakob- 0449 174 350- jacob@skippersticketsnow.com.au
Winora Boat School– Mt Pleasant- 0477 047 850
ABC Boating–  Hillarys, Rockingham, Mandurah- 0488 188 817
Perth Boat School-rst@PerthBoatSchool.com.au– 6468 2763

For Skippers ticket study material online log onto iiCaptain or watch iiCaptain on YouTube. He is a Perth local and explains the theory clearly.

Fishing & Boat Charters

Blue Juice Charters– Barrack St Jetty, Perth
Top Gun Charters– Fremantle & North West
Game Fishing Charters of WA
Apache Charters– Fremantle- Rottnest, Abrolhos, Shark Bay, Montebello Islands
Mills Charters– Hillarys
Seaestar Boat Charters– Fremantle-Rottnest, Rowley Schoals, Montebello Islands, Scott Reef
BlackJack Boat Charters Esperance  0429 106 960
Esperance Diving & Fishing  Esperance  08 9071 5111

Hire A Boat

Boab Boat Hire- Broome  08 9192 1933
Fremantle Boat Hire  0409 323 881
Exmouth Boat Hire– Boat, car, caravan & kayak hire & fishing charters 0438 230 269
Smartwave Boat Hire Malaga  0438 181 640
Boating West Boat Hire– Fremantle, Rottnest, Broome
BlueSun2 Boat Hire Ardross – Boat hire, tours, charters0405 353 353
WA Boat Hire Wembley 08 9387 7459
Sundowner Boat Charters  0412 514 202

Hire a Surfcat

Funcats Surfcat Hire South Perth 

30 Second Challenge

Do you think you would pass the 30 Second Challenge?

This initiative, set up by the Department of Transport, tests if people can gather flares, EPIRB, make a radio call and put on a lifejacket in 30 seconds, responds to boating incidents data which showed that better maintenance of safety gear and improved accessibility could have limited the number of boating tragedies.