South West fishers and families are being asked to roll up their sleeves and help release thousands of rainbow and brown trout into Drakesbrook Weir.
Recfishwest, the State’s peak recreational fishing body, is partnering with the Shire of Waroona to host the fifth annual Troutfest community fish stocking event on Saturday, 2 October.
Showcasing the South West and Peel regions’ great trout and freshwater fishery, the event will give the community the chance to help release thousands of rainbow and brown trout of various sizes.
Troutfest celebrates the fantastic freshwater fishery in the State’s south, with about 8,000 freshwater licence holders fishing the South West and the Peel regions’ freshwater waterways.
See all of the highlights from last year’s Troutfest here
As well as giving the community a change to hand-release trout, Troutfest will also feature free fly-casting tuition, fly-tying demonstrations and the opportunity to catch a trout.
Troutfest is supported by Alcoa, Bunbury Anaconda, WA Trout and Freshwater Angling Association (WATFAA) and the WA branch of the Australian Trout Foundation (ATF).
More than 300 people joined us at Drakesbrook last year for Troutfest, highlighting how freshwater fishing is a safe, easily accessible and fun fishing experience highly-valued by many.
“Troutfest has become a much-loved part of WA’s fishing calendar since its inception in 2017, with many families and fishers keen to help release trout,” Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said.
“It is part of a well-managed stocking program, using hatchery-reared trout grown from freshwater fishing licence revenue.
“Freshwater fishing is a popular pastime and there are many spots between Waroona to Pemberton where anglers have the chance to enjoy the great outdoors and catch a great fish in serene settings.”
Each year, trout are stocked at various popular freshwater fishing rivers and dams, including Drakesbrook Weir, Harvey Dam, Waroona Dam, Collie River and Brunswick River.
The released trout are bred at Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Pemberton-based trout hatchery through the trout stocking program.
Recfishwest, through its Freshwater Fisheries Reference Group, offers advice to DPIRD on where to stock each year’s stock of bred trout in the South West.
To sign-up for the upcoming Troutfest event at Drakesbrook Weir on October 2 from 10am to 1pm, visit the Shire of Waroona website or contact the shire on 9733 7800.
