Tag: Broome fishing

Broome Billfish Classic sees ‘unprecedented’ number of sailfish captures

Broome might just have sailed into record books and cemented itself as one of the best billfishing destinations in the world, with a staggering 1,078 sailfish caught and released during the recent Billfish Classic. 

These eyebrow-raising numbers from just 21 vessels have captured the attention of fishing enthusiasts and experts alike, positioning the three-day competition among the most prolific in the world for sailfish numbers.  

It’s also testament to the health of these waters supporting large baitfish abundances that in turn draws in the big aggregations of these highly coveted sportfish.  

According to Club Billfish Coordinator Simon Heard, this achievement marks one of the highest numbers of sailfish caught at any fishing competition globally, underscoring the extraordinary fishing opportunities off Western Australia’s northern coastline. 

“I’ve done some digging and I can’t find any other comp Australia-wide that has ever caught more sailfish than that. We’ve never seen anything like it and these captures mostly came from smaller boats under six metres,” said Simon. 

“I found one competition from decades ago in Costa Rica that caught more, but that was significantly more boats over more days.”  

One of the standout performances was delivered by a single vessel, which remarkably released 70 sailfish in just one day.  

Numbers like these are unheard of in angling circles, and Recfishwest asked Simon on his thoughts as to why so many captures rolled through this year.  

“One major factor was a lot of the boats fished south of town and this was thankfully shark-free, so it was pleasing to see these sailfish landed and released safely. There was also a lot of baitfish around which had the fish excited,” said Simon.

World renowned game fishing researcher Dr Julian Pepperell has a long history with the Classic and was excited by the results.

“The number of fish caught demonstrates the significant role recreational fishers can play in collecting data to learn more about sailfish and inform appropriate management of this amazing fishery”.

It’s hard to believe this was just one of 1,078 sailfish landed across the five-day Broome Billfish Classic, with all fish safely released to fight another day.

Broome’s rich marine environment 

The exceptional success of this year’s Classic can also be attributed in part to the healthy and diverse mangrove systems in the region, which act as a nursery habitat for smaller fish and provide a critical role in nutrient cycling and water quality.  

When it rains, nutrients are flushed out into the ocean from these mangroves, creating an inviting environment for a variety of marine life such as large schools of baitfish, which in turn draw predatory sailfish to the area.  

It’s why Recfishwest wants to ensure the protection of WA’s crucial mangrove systems from industrialisation projects, which would have negative consequences on the environment and a significant impact on fishing experiences and amenities. 

“The world’s largest salt company K+S recently scrapped their plans to construct a salt mine 55km north-east of Exmouth. Given this would’ve seen a rich mangrove system 52 times the size of Kings Park removed or impacted, this scrapping was welcome news for fishers,” said Recfishwest Operations Manager Leyland Campbell.  

“The flow-on effects from removing or damaging wetlands and mangroves situated on WA’s northern coastline could have major effects on the environment and fishing. Recfishwest will always look to protect these areas from industrialisation so great fishing comps like the Billfish Classic can continue to thrive.”  

For a full rundown of the Broome Billfish Classic, click here.  

Mangroves not only provide great fishing opportunities, but they also help flush out vital nutrients into the ocean, which in turn attracts bait fish and larger fish species such as sailfish.

Fishing leaders welcome long overdue national workshops on tackling shark bite-off

WA fishing experts and Recfishwest have welcomed the opportunity to have their say on beginning to combat the wicked problem of shark bite-off at a series of workshops throughout WA and several other states.  

The workshops, supported by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), and organised by the Department of Primary Industries and Development (DPIRD), drew together experts from the recreational and commercial fishing sectors, as well as fisheries managers and scientists, to share views and ideas on how this major issue can be better dealt with.   

Included in the workshops, which are also taking place across the Northern Territory and Queensland, was analysis of shark behavioural changes, touting technical solutions, and sharing education tips that can be passed down to fishers to help avoid lost fish, gear and profanity-riddled fishing trips.   

So far, WA workshops in Exmouth, Karratha, Hedland, Broome, Geraldton and Perth saw Recfishwest’s attendance along with several fishing club, tackle, charter and commercial representatives, with attendees providing positive feedback.  

Leading Shark Scientist Marcus Drymon from Mississippi State University also attended all workshops to provide a valuable insight into how they are combating this issue in the Gulf of Mexico. 

It’s a sickening feeling hooking a great fish only for it to be “taxed by the men in grey suits”, and Recfishwest has been calling on Government for years to invest in research and develop policies significantly tackling what is the number one issue for fishing in the northern half of the state and increasingly becoming a problem further south.  

They’ve had 450 million years to perfect their marine hunting skills and hopefully these shark bite-off workshops can help fishers avoid experiencing this on fishing trips. Photo credit: Jayson Spencer.

“These workshops reflect what Recfishwest has constantly called for and while they are long overdue – these collaborations between knowledgeable and passionate fishers, fisheries scientists and managers are certainly a step in the right direction for helping tackle the shark bite-off issue,” said Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland.  

“Shark bite-off has been the biggest issue facing recreational fishers for years in WA’s northern waters and we want to see more Government funding towards this issue to help boost research and development of proven shark depredation mitigation techniques for all fishers.”   

Exmouth Game Fishing Club Events Manager, Ben Knaggs, attending the Exmouth workshop said,  

“These workshops included the best minds from fishing clubs, tackle stores, commercial fisheries, industry leaders and renowned recreational fishers who all shared their experiences and ideas to come up with some solid mitigation measures for tackling this,” said Ben. 

“Fishers have had enough and being sharked puts a dampener on what should be a great time out on the water. There is no silver bullet solution yet, but we’re glad this issue is receiving the desperate attention it deserves.”   

Helping you axe being taxed 

Informed by the outcomes of the workshop series set to continue across WA’s coastal areas, FRDC will fund further research to better capture the range of mitigation practices or technologies that have been used in Australia or overseas, to assess their effectiveness on shark bite-off.  

Dr Jonathan Mitchell from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries said, “It’s clear from the workshops there are a lot of ideas out there. What’s needed now is to build an understanding of what might work, do some validation work around that, then give our fishing sectors the information to make investment decisions.”   

A national survey allowing fishers to have their say on shark bite-off experiences and ways to combat this will be made available in the coming months and we will keep you updated on when this survey is made public.  

Want to reduce your odds of shark bite-off on your fishing trips? We’ve compiled all the best tips from fishing experts on how to help keep your fish away from the taxman. Click here to view our webpage on how to avoid shark bite-off.  

The Threads Connecting Community Spirit

The fishing in Roebuck Bay has never been better. Fishers exploring the flats and creeks within the bay are being rewarded for their efforts with many quality fish encountered each session. Threadfin salmon over a metre are fast becoming common among a fishers daily catch. The abundance of these world-class, trophy-sized fish must be seen to be believed. Fishing clubs and competitions can be the lifeblood of regional communities and Broome is no different.  The awesome fishing in Broome’s Roebuck Bay plays an important role in connecting the community together in a shared love of fishing.

Barra fishing has never been better in Roebuck Bay

Fisheries management changes in 2013 have allowed for iconic species such as threadfin salmon and barramundi to thrive, with record catches a common occurrence. The two Broome fishing clubs have held and continue to hold, many fishing competitions capitalising on the sensational fishing. Recent events include the monthly Big Five 2019 competition, ran by the Broome North fishing club where the key species – threadfin, mangrove jack, bluebone, blue lined and trevally see fishers target these fantastic fish over a month period hoping to take out the grand prize; the Threadfin Shootout held by Broome fishing club, and the Thready Kick-off Comp held by Broome North Fishing Club. The results of these events can be viewed by following these pages on social media. These competitions are becoming more successful with bigger and better fish being caught each year. The Broome Fishing Clubs Christmas Tinny Comp also utilises the great fishing within the bay, that’s so accessible to small boat fishers. Participants in these regional events often relish the social side of the event, where fishers get together and share the stories of fishing with one another, helping to bring together regional communities like Broome.

Jourdain (Jeda) Ellens, Skipper of Makaira Game Fishing Charter with a HUGE black jewfish

Threadfin fishing has benefited the most from the 2013 management changes, with threadfin becoming evidently more plentiful for fishers within the area. Threadfin, for those unfamiliar with this species, are a superb fighting fish that taste sensational on the plate. Broome Fishing Club stalwart Ben Little recently caught a 3.45kg giant threadfin salmon on fly using a 3kg tippet. This was later confirmed as a World Record by the International Game Fishing Association. Ben describes fishing in the area as “the best I’ve ever seen it. When you head out you’re almost guaranteed a fish – whether you’re a fly, bait or lure fisher – from your boat or from shore, it’s just awesome!” To read more about the record catch click here.

A healthy threadfin from Roebuck Bay

The fishing’s better when the fish are biting, and Roebuck Bay is testament to what can be achieved through managing fish stocks to be healthy and abundant. Whilst previous management arrangements were biologically sustainable, they did not allow stocks to grow to a size that supports such extraordinary fishing experiences for the community. Kimberley fishing guide Michael Tropiano describes the bay as “unique spot” and says it’s “easily the best threadfin salmon fishing in the Kimberley and probably the country.”

Makaira Game Fishing operator Jourdain Ellens has fished Roebuck bay for 10 years now and says  “since the net buy-out, the quantity and quality of these fish has gone through the roof!” Mr Ellens says “the average size of the fish has increased significantly and with more big breeders around, there has also been a lot more juveniles around too. Towards the end of 2018 there were also some reefs in the bay that were inundated with 40-50cm black jewfish, indicating some successful spawning events occurring not long ago.”

A superb threadfin salmon caught in Roebuck bay

Mr Ellens also noted the incredible increase of Barramundi being caught within the bay. “After a reasonable wet season in 2016/2017 followed up by an exceptional wet in 2017/2018, Roebuck Bay’s barramundi fishery has exploded. Late 2018 (Sept – Dec) produced some of the best barra fishing numbers I have seen in recent years from the bay. Throughout those months it was quite common to catch 20+ Barra on a day charter all within a stone’s throw of Broome. The majority of fish averaged 50-70cm but there was more than enough fish being landed in the 80 – 100cm size range to keep things interesting and fishers smiling!”

There has never been a better time to visit Broome and experience the first class fishing on offer close to the town. Whether it’s from the shore or from a boat, there is plenty of fishing opportunities available thanks to increased abundances of highly valued recreational species. If you’ve looking to plan your next fishing trip, Roebuck bay might be the place for you! So next time you’re in Broome consider entering a fishing competition, join in on the fun while connecting with the locals, you never know, maybe you’ll even go home a champion fisher with a story to tell for years to come.

Follow the clubs on Facebook to stay up to date on the competitions that run throughout the year.

Jourdain (Jeda) Ellens with a fish of a lifetime for any fisher!