Lancelin Angling and Aquatic Club’s boat safety day

Recfishwest always love an opportunity to connect with the fishing community, and on December 8 we were invited to be part of the Lancelin Angling and Aquatic Club’s first Boat ‘N’ Trailer Day at their Lancelin clubrooms.

The idea of the event was to bring fishers in with their boats and help them keep on top of their trailer, boat and engine maintenance ahead of the coming summer/autumn fishing season.

There was a circuit set up for all the boats and their trailers to be able to cycle through and have their boat inspected by professionals from Big Five Marine who knew what to look for. One lucky boater even had his wheel bearings repacked as part of a demonstration!

It was a great opportunity to have a yarn with all the local fishers who came through the event and it was great to hear they were all very happy with their local fishing opportunities, with many out the morning before pulling pots and bring home a great feed of crays.

The event was also attended by St John WA – Lancelin, the Volunteer Fire Brigade and the passionate Lancelin Volunteer Marine Rescue Western Australia team. This allowed fishers to meet the kind and energetic emergency service people that have their back if something ever goes wrong out on the water, or even on their way to and from the ramp.

We were also privileged to be shown around the VMR’s new premises after the event and it was inspiring to hear about all the businesses and companies that had rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to help build their new shed and office. We chatted to the vollies about their recent rescue efforts and their beloved vessels they keep in premium condition between rescues. The event shows the Lancelin fishing community is in great shape. Their upcoming John Bray Classic on 27 December is another popular community event and has had over 140 children attend in previous years. It was heartening to see the community coming together to help keep everyone safe, maintain their gear and meet the enthusiastic crews that will be there if all else fails.

Check out the club’s website here to see all the upcoming events and competitions here – http://www.laac.org.au/

Reborn in Roebuck – A Salmon Tale

Imagine a fishery full of thumping trophy sportfish on your town’s doorstep and within easy reach of the boat ramp.

Imagine what that would look like – well imagine no further – sit back and enjoy this awesome film we commissioned film-maker and fishing fanatic, Craig Wells, to make about fishing in Roebuck Bay, near Broome. The film premiered recently as a finalist in the town’s Mud and Saltwater Short Film Festival.

Watch ‘Reborn in Roebuck – a Salmon Tale’ here

The fishing’s better when the fish are biting, and Roebuck Bay is a testament to what can be achieved through managing fish stocks to be healthy and abundant.

While 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.

Read more about how Roebuck Bay was reborn as a fishery here 

In a nutshell, recreational fishing enjoyment is maximised when fishery management delivers a high abundance of fish in places readily accessible for rec fishers.

The results speak for themselves in the film, we’re sure you’ll agree. Could something similar happen in your local fishery? Just imagine….

Many thanks to all of those involved in the making of this film.

Jake Craigie with a huge threadfin salmon he caught in Roebuck Bay