It was a bumper weekend of catches for passionate followers of the annual South West salmon run thanks to great weather and plenty of fish.
Tourists and locals lined the beaches between the Capes as they tracked the massive ‘salmon ball’ formations down the coast.
Recfishwest’s chief Andrew Rowland said the annual WA salmon migration saw anglers go into overdrive at locations around the State, particularly in the South West.
“With countless locations suitable for beach fishing along our coast, offering a variety of experiences depending on the adventure you seek, there’s no excuse to not put personal safety at the forefront of your mind,” he said.
“As we’ve seen in previous years, salmon move in large schools and often track close to shore, hiding in the gutters along the beach awaiting smaller prey, making them accessible from our beaches for fishers of varying abilities and ages.
“It’s a great way to introduce youngsters to the sport; to point out the silver flashes as they dart past and wait for the rod to buckle over.
“Fishing is an experience in itself, whether you catch and keep your fish, or release them after the fight, just to be able to bring your fish onto the sand, hear the cheers from fellow fishers and take some snaps with the kids, makes for a memorable outing with the family.
“The great thing is, if the fish are there, often given away by birds flying over as they pick up remaining bait fish and fish hitting the surface as the salmon force their prey to the top, they are caught using just about any method - baits, lures, flies, you name it, they’ll chase it.”
The sheltered bays around Dunsborough are famous for their salmon fishing as the schools pass through, with Bunker Bay and Rocky Point the most consistent locations.
Along the south coast, the mouth of the Warren River, Windy Harbour, Parry’s Beach, Bornholm, Nanarup, Cheynes Beach, Bremer Bay, Reef Beach and Fosters Beach are all fine salmon fishing locations.
“If salmon isn’t your thing, the majority of these beaches also produce skippy, whiting, herring, samson fish, bonito and more.
“Alternatively the rivers on the south coast can offer superb bream fishing, where you’ll find herring, skippy, whiting and squid waiting for a lure to pass by in the estuaries.”
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