Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinics

Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinics

We believe that fishing enriches lives of hundreds of thousands of West Australians and forms an integral part of the WA lifestyle. The primary purpose of Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinics is to introduce children and families to fishing, getting people outdoors, promoting sustainable, safe fishing practices and connecting families to the fish they catch – making them better stewards of the marine environment.

These fishing clinics are proudly funded by Healthway and promote the SunSmart message under a long-running partnership. These clinics have been running successfully for more than 20 years and have been a core avenue for delivering Recfishwest’s, Healthway’s and SunSmart’s messages to the wider community.

Crucially, these clinics are actively helping kids live healthier lives through the mental, social and physical wellbeing benefits that fishing provides!

 

Our Healthway Fishing Clinics are also proudly supported by our partners Shimano, who are one of the most trusted international fishing brands with quality fishing equipment and a great reputation. Shimano are now long time partners for supporting sustainable fishing and great fishing experiences in Western Australia. They are also a Supporting Partner of Recfishwest’s Smartphone App, our weekly state-wide Fishing Reports and our salmon fishing campaigns.

Content delivered at these fishing clinics focuses on who Recfishwest is to the WA community, along with teaching attendees fishing basics and how to catch and release fish correctly with care.

The Slip, Slop, Slap, Slide and Seek SunSmart actions and the UV awareness messages for Healthway are an integral part of every session. Additional messages and on-ground delivery approaches may vary depending sponsors or event organisers supporting these clinics or the agreement in place for the event.

The clinics are run for families all over the state from Esperance to Kununurra and everywhere in between. Our experienced instructors are passionate about what they do and combine knowledge, mentoring and positive life skills with conservation and education.

New approach to clinics

Going forward, Recfishwest will be aligning our clinics with fishing clubs, tackle stores, river ranger groups and community groups aligned to our values and strategic direction rather than accepting school bookings. Schools and other groups wanting a clinic will be directed towards these community based clinics.

If you’d like to know more about upcoming fishing clinics, please contact the office.

Our supporters

We are grateful to Healthway/SunSmart for their ongoing support, as well as our passionate fishing clinic instructors who dedicate their time to help grow the program and get families out fishing!

Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinics for groups across WA 

Recfishwest have been able to deliver fishing clinics to children and families across WA for many years free of charge, thanks to our excellent partnership with Healthway promoting the SunSmart messages, whilst introducing kids and families to recreational fishing basics.

Our clinics have become increasingly popular every year, as a result we have been working on a new approach to our booking schedule and structure, to continue to provide as many fishing clinic opportunities to groups in the regional, rural and remote areas, as well as the many metro groups in WA.

Find out from your local fishing club if they have a clinic organised for the year and get involved in fishing.

More fishing opportunities 

Fishability are a not-for-profit organisation who recognise the need to ensure recreational fishing is accessible and affordable to everybody, regardless of ability, skill level or experience.

With the support of a large team of volunteers, Fishability are able to deliver both jetty and boat programs regularly in the Perth metro areas and regional centers at no cost.

If you are keen to enquire about their program and participate either independently, or with your Care Organisation, simply follow the link to the online forms and mapping site for further information.

Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinics

Recfishwest is a not for profit community based organisation that represents the interests of more than 750,000 recreational fishers in Western Australia.  Here at Recfishwest we strive to ensure high quality fishing experiences are maintained and enjoyed as an integral part of the WA lifestyle.

Our purpose is to ensure great fishing experiences for all in the wa community forever.

Our commitment is to protect, promote and develop sustainable, accessible, enjoyable and safe fishing for the benefit of the community.

We believe that fishing enriches lives of hundreds of thousands of West Australians and forms an integral part of the WA lifestyle.

The primary purpose of Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinics is to introduce children and families to fishing; getting people off the couch and outdoors whilst promoting sustainable and safe fishing practices. Recfishwest has recently changed our delivery approach to align directly with community groups and fishing clubs/tackle stores who see great value in our Community events and SunSmart fishing clinic program.

If you’re looking for a fishing clinic to attend, see whether your club has scheduled one with us!

Fishing Clinic Structure

The basic structure of a Recfishwest Healthway Fishing Clinic combines the delivery of key knowledge and skills using fun group talks with demonstrations and hands-on fishing activities.  Parents and guardians are expected to stay to supervise all children under 12yrs.

The briefing sessions before and after the actual fishing are designed to engage participants of all skill levels and ages, and also aimed at informing and educating the supervising parents and guardians, so they may gain the confidence to take their children fishing into the future.

Our standard clinic structure involves three fundamental components;

1. Briefing session with key messages and some demonstration (20-30 mins)
2. Hands-on fishing activity at the selected location (50-60 mins)
3. Wrap-up chat, recapping key messages (20-30 mins)

Individual fishing clinics can be adapted around this basic structure so that we maximise participant experiences and enjoyment.

Sessions cater for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 participants for up to  two hours. If you have more than 30 participants we can discuss options to extend the session time to four hours. However, as our instructors are all volunteers, we can plan a maximum of two, two hour sessions per day (or one four hour session) for no more than 60 participants.

Ian Sewell

Ian Sewell

Ian has been involved in many aspects of recreational fishing all over WA and internationally. Among many roles, he has run and owned tackle stores, run and managed angling competitions and tournaments and been Editor/Director of The West Australian Fishing Magazine. Ian became a member of the Recfishwest Board in 2010, before developing an interest in Recfishwest’s fishing clinic program. Ian has a passion for the water, boating and fishing for literally any species of fish or crustacean that swims. Ian’s love of fishing has also seen him competing and representing the state and Australia on many different occasions in fly fishing and Bream tournaments. These tournaments have taken him to many waterways around Australia and internationally. As one of our senior instructors, Ian’s passion and knowledge has proved invaluable to the many participants attending the fishing clinics.

Alan Guthrie

Alan Guthrie

Alan first started fishing as a five year old from a jetty in Bahrain, an island in the Persian Gulf. When his parents returned home to Western Australia and lived in Attadale, his love for fishing grew and he has many fond memories of catching Tailor and Cobbler from the Point Walter jetty and sand bar. In July 2007, Alan met Craig Bibra at the Education Expo held at the Claremont showgrounds. Craig was there promoting Recfishwest Fishing Clinics and Alan asked how he could help out with volunteering as he had just sold his business and now had spare time on his side. Later that year, after an induction with Recfishwest, Alan became a Fishing Clinic Instructor. Alan enjoys helping with the fishing clinics and especially likes seeing the joy on the faces of the participants when they catch their first fish. He encourages children to get out and fish, not only as fun activity but also as a chance to spend quality time with their parents or grandparents.

Kevin Murphy

Kevin Murphy

Fishing has been a passion of Kevin’s most of his life. He joined a shore based fishing club at the age of 17. He has enjoyed fishing many locations throughout Western Australia. Kevin started boating in his later years after joining the Marmion Angling Aquatic Club, where he still regularly takes part in many of the Angling and Sports section events. He has also spent a few years involved with the Australian Angling Association. These days Kevin is semi-retired and is pleased to be able to take the time to give back to the community with his angling skills as a Recfishwest fishing clinic instructor.

Craig Bibra

Craig Bibra

Craig has enjoyed recreational fishing for most of his life. In the late 1990’s he decided to give something back to the passion he loved and started volunteering with the Department of Fisheries. He spent time on the Boards of the Metropolitan and Exmouth Recreational Fishing Advisory Committees and Recfishwest. In 2000 Craig joined the Department of Fisheries as a Volunteer Fisheries Liaison Officer (VFLO) and helped with the everyday management of the program in addition to being the south metropolitan patrol leader. It was in this role that Craig trained for and conducted fishing clinics with the Department of Fisheries. While the chairman of the Recfishwest Communications Sub-committee, Craig and fellow VFLO, Kim Burton, established the Recfishwest Fishing Clinic Program; by 2005 the first Recfishwest Fishing Clinic trailer was designed and manufactured to extend Fishing Clinics to regional Western Australia. Many years on and Craig remains a senior fishing clinic instructor with Recfishwest and is passionate about the messages of sustainability and safety that he and his fellow volunteers teach.

Kim Burton

Kim Burton

Kim became hooked on fishing as a seven year old and has fished almost every coastal area between Augusta and Broome. His passion is rock fishing but Kim has owned a boat since his early twenties. He is a keen free diver, chasing crabs and Western Rock Lobster over the summer months. Kim joined the VFLO program in 1993 and was a foundation member. In his time with the FVLO’s, Kim instigated the Cockburn Sound Snapper Research that led to the seasonal closure protecting the spawning aggregations of Snapper in the late ‘90’s. He is also passionate about Tailor fishing and has been involved in Tailor tagging/research at Point Walter for twenty years. Kim’s log book records from hundreds of Tailor fishing trips offshore helped shape the management for this iconic species. After over eleven years with the VFLO program he moved on and joined close friend Craig Bibra in growing the Recfishwest Fishing Clinics from 1998. Kim is still extremely passionate about providing all kids with the opportunity to try fishing, as well as help refine the skills of those who already fish.

Instructor Login

I've registered for a clinic, what do I need to bring?

As we are sponsored by Healthway and promote the SunSmart messages, All participants must wear a hat (preferably broad-brimmed), and consider wearing suitable SunSmart clothing covering the shoulders, sunglasses and appropriate footwear for the location.

Please also bring a drink bottle.

We provide all rods, gear, bait and sunscreen. (If you have your own fishing rod you can bring it if you really want to!)

What are some topics covered in the clinic?

The instructors give a presentation at the beginning of the clinic covering all our key topics, including;

  • the SunSmart messages
    • If the UV is 3 or above, protect yourself in five ways – slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.
    • Slip on sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible
    • Slop on SPF30 sunscreen or higher – apply 20 minutes before you go outdoors and reapply every two hours.
    • Slap on a hat that protects your face, head, neck and ears.
    • Seek shade.
    • Slide on wrap-around sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian standards.
  • Fishing safety such as rock fishing and lifejacket information
  • WA recreational fishing rules and Fisheries information
  • Sustainability practices and awareness
  • Keeping your catch and fish handling techniques and safety
  • Basic rig set up; including how the rod and reel is set up, what sinkers and hooks we use, how to hold the rod and care for it whilst fishing in different conditions
  • A demonstration on casting and how the reel works

Other topics may also be included covering any current news and safety topics as well as relevant local recreational fishing information and Recfishwest projects.

At the conclusion of the clinic, the instructors ask questions on what the participants have learnt throughout the duration of the clinic and may even hand out prizes!!

Can I keep the fish I catch during the clinic?

No, generally not.

Our sessions are all about getting families outdoors and enjoying what Western Australia has to offer. It’s not about the catching so much as it’s about having a go.

Each fishing clinic promotes the need for a conservative approach to recreational fishing. Our instructors promote catch and release and always encourage participants to release any fish caught during our clinics.

Do I have to stay with my child for the duration of the clinic?

Yes, we like to actively encourage families to value this time together and spend time enjoying activities outdoors. Plus, we expect all parents and guardians to stay as supervisors for all children under 12yrs.

What qualifications do the instructors hold?

All our instructors and volunteers have current ‘Working with Children’ (WWC) certification. All the clinic leaders also have current First Aid and CPR training from St John WA.

We do not require our instructors or volunteers to hold other lifesaving certification, such as Bronze Medallion.

How long does each session run for?

Our clinic structure is based on a two hour session with up to 30 participants attending a 20 minute introduction and safety talk with about an hour for the fishing activity then a wrap-up talk with some give-aways.

We try to avoid scheduling clinics between the hours of 12pm-3pm especially in warmer months, due to heat and UV exposure.

How much does it cost to attend a clinic?

Clinics are generally $10 per participant depending on your fishing club or community group.

Some community groups or clubs might offer the event to their members or the public free of charge, because they have already paid Recfishwest the agreed fee for the groups numbers expected.

Who do you run clinics for?

Recfishwest has recently changed our delivery approach to align directly with community groups and fishing clubs/tackle stores who see great value in our Community events and SunSmart fishing clinic program.

If you’re looking for a fishing clinic to attend, see whether your club or children’s school has scheduled one with us!

 

What locations do you use to run sessions?

The regular locations we use across WA are pre-assessed for suitability based on our minimum requirements for group access and comfort, as well as catching opportunity!

Many of these locations require prior approval from the managing body such as Department of Transport for service jetties and local shires for parks and beaches; and sometimes incur booking fees. Some of the locations are privately owned areas adjacent to camps, so only groups at those venues are allowed to use the area.

Regular Perth Metro locations include;

  • Woodman’s Point – Ammo Jetty
  • Bayswater – Hinds Reserve (Garratt Rd Bridge)
  • Hillarys Marina – Service Jetty in front of AQWA
  • Fremantle – Jetty area next to WA Maritime Museum
  • Shelley Reserve – Jetty and beach area
  • Bicton – Point Walter jetty or sand bar

Other WA locations include;

  • Bremer Bay – jetty at Fishery Beach
  • Albany – Emu Point Marina beach
  • Denmark – Prawn Channel near Ocean Beach
  • Bunbury – Koombana Beach area
  • Exmouth – Marina area next to EGFC
  • Kalbarri – small jetty off Memorial Drive
  • Geraldton – Beach in front of Visitor/Tourist Centre
  • Port Denison/Dongara – jetty next to boat ramp on Point Leander Drive
  • Leeman – Service jetty
  • Dampier/Karratha – The Gantry at King Bay Game Fishing Club
  • Point Samson – Front beach and John’s Creek Marina

How many participants per clinic?

We have trailers equipped with about 30 fishing rigs and all the gear we provide with every clinic session. A minimum of 15 participants and a maximum of 30 per session.

For community based clinics generally 20 to 30 is preferred; however, if the numbers are greater we advise that people bring their own equipment or we can run two sessions for you in one day. Community sessions are more easily catered for due to the number of parent supervisors attending per participant.

If you have less than 20 participants in your group, consider extending an invitation to others in your community or another similar group or association. Also, parents and guardians may want to participate!

How do I get Recfishwest to run a fishing clinic in my area?

We are currently finalising our booking schedule for the 2023/24 financial year.

 

 

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