Fishing in Western Australia

Western Australia covers roughly a third of the continent, and its fishing reflects that scale.

The coastline runs for around 20,000 kilometres, from the tropical north through the arid mid-west to the temperate south, and the freshwater fishing shifts just as dramatically — from barramundi in Kimberley tidal creeks to trout in the cool streams of the South West.

Getting a handle on WA fishing means accepting that it's not one place; it's several, stitched together by distance. In the far north — Broome, Derby, Kununurra — the fishing is tidal and seasonal.

Barramundi, mangrove jack, and threadfin salmon move through mangrove-lined creeks and estuaries, and the timing matters: these are warm-water fish that respond to the wet and dry cycle.

Offshore, demersal species like red emperor, coral trout, and rankin cod draw charter anglers to remote reefs, and pelagics — Spanish mackerel, sailfish, marlin — run hard in the right conditions.

Demersal fishing remains open in the North West while parts of the southern coast are under recovery restrictions, which makes the Kimberley and Pilbara a genuine drawcard for travelling anglers right now.

Down in the South West, the fishing changes character entirely. The Swan River through Perth holds southern black bream and tailor, and the Peel Inlet to the south is another reliable bream estuary.

The Blackwood River and the waters around Walpole have a reputation for black bream fishing that locals take seriously.

Freshwater angling in this region — trout, marron, redfin perch in rivers like the Collie, Warren, and Frankland — requires a licence for freshwater angling south of 29°S, issued through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).

Shore and jetty fishing generally doesn't require a licence, but boat fishing does, and specific activities like rock lobster, abalone, and marron each have their own licence requirements.

Check current rules with DPIRD before you go, particularly around demersal species — the West Coast bioregion has been under a recovery package, with changes still being worked through. The demersal situation is worth understanding before you plan a trip.

Fishing rule changes have been introduced specifically to help stocks recover, and the rules differ by bioregion — North, Gascoyne, South Coast, and West Coast each have their own arrangements. DPIRD publishes current rules at rules. fish. wa. gov.

au, and the Catch! newsletter is worth subscribing to if you're planning a trip around a specific season or opening. What locals tend to say about fishing in WA is that the drive is part of it.

The best spots aren't always close, and the remoteness that makes the Kimberley coast or the South West rivers feel uncrowded is the same thing that demands preparation. That's not a deterrent — it's just the deal.