The App is available for both iPhone and Android making it the perfect digital companion for recreational fishers, especially those wetting a line in unfamiliar waters.
Fishing new locations can often mean you are unaware of the exact identity of the fish you catch and in turn the rules and regulations for those new species.
The Recfishwest App not only allows you to identify fish through a simple three-step process based on fish shape, tail shape and colour, it then provides the recreational fishing rules for that species. For example, this could be particularly useful when dealing with different types of Emperor species through the Mid-West region.
Using the Recfishwest App, you can correctly identify any fish you catch and find out the exact size and bag limits for the relevant location. All the current recreational fishing rules for WA are in the App, so no matter what species you need to know about, the information is at your fingertips.
Some people wouldn’t have realised this, but by having the App and actively using it when you fish, you’re actually doing your part for sustainability and healthy fish stocks. If the App guides you to release your catch or outlines specific rules for that fish and your fish doesn’t comply, a swift return to the water will ensure you’re not in the wrong and the fish can live to fight another day.
The App will even send you reminders about relevant seasonal openings and closures. This information is available on your device, even when you are out of reception range making it a necessity for recreational fishers. The App will give you confidence in knowing the rules so you can focus on your fishing and best of all, it is completely free.
The app currently rates an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars on the Apple and Google Play stores, and we have been thrilled to hear that the app is assisting fishers out on the water.
We had some positive feedback with some great suggestions to consider for Version 2. We have listened to your recommendations and worked hard to ensure the App remained fresh, up to date and included more information people want to see.
Now we’re proud to bring the community the new and improved second version of the App. We’ve also provided some FAQ’s below, for some of the issues people are having with downloading the App.
Version 2 of the App Helping You Return You Home Safe!
– My Licence feature
– My Safety Gear feature
– Emergency Contacts
– New Species added
– Improved Fish ID
– 4.5/5 star rating in App & Google Store
In October 2016 we were extremely excited to launch Version 2 of the Recfishwest App. We have added an additional 10 species (with another 30 to be entered in the coming weeks), along with the new ‘My Tools’ feature, that has been designed to ensure that your fishing experiences are the best they can be, all while keeping it free to download. The new ‘My Tools’ feature is the ultimate ‘Fishing Wallet’ allowing you to store all of your licences and safety gear in one convenient location. The reminder notifications of expiry and service dates are the ideal way to keep you on the water with valid licences and safety equipment.
Within the new ‘My Tools’ feature you’ll find My Licences and My Safety Gear. ‘My Licences’ allows you take a photo of your licences and set reminder notifications for when they’re about to expire. It’s not just for your fishing licences either, you can customize your licence list and add your Skippers Ticket, Drivers Licence and Scuba Diving Ticket, for example.
We want peoples fishing experiences to be as stress free as possible and now with this new feature, there’s no need to stress about whether you have a licence or if it’s expired or where it is, simply log it in the App and go fishing! ‘My Safety Gear’ is another important and helpful feature. Similarly to the licence feature, it allows you to log your safety equipment and set reminder notifications for when your safety gear is about to expire. This feature is the ultimate safety tool, giving you the confidence that all your safety gear is up to date and in a condition that’s ready to use in case of an emergency! You can log your flares, EPIRB, life jackets, boat service, scuba diving equipment or even your car or trailer service. We want all fishers to return home safe and if this simple tool can help do that, we believe it’s a benefit to the community.
We’ve fixed some fish identification issues people were having, mainly regarding accessing all of the tail shapes. We’ve also tried to clean up some of the colours in the fish ID phase, noting most fish can be multiple colours in its lifecycle and may vary across regions. We’ve added more information for some fish species e.g. features, habitat, how to catch and over the coming months, we endeavour to have these completed for all the species in the App.
App users will also see banner ads in version 2 of the App. Sponsored ads will not be flashing or flicking or promote products that don’t fit within our sponsorship guidelines. We are always on look out to partner with like-minded organisations to help us make fishing better in WA. If community partners would like to get on board and help make a difference and help put more fish back in the water, sponsor fish habitat projects or educate the next generation of fishers, please contact recfish@recfishwest.org.au
Recfishwest strives for great fishing experiences for all in the WA community forever, which is why we have added new features for your convenience. Take the stress out of your fishing and download the app today!
Frequently Asked Questions
My App won’t show pictures? This is a simple fix – the App requires good Wi-Fi connection to download the images to your phone. Simply leave it in Wi-Fi connection and all images and data will download to your phone.
My App is showing the wrong images and fish names? Just like the above answer – the App requires good Wi-Fi connection to download the images to your phone. Simply leave it in Wi-Fi connection and all images and data will download to your phone.
I have an Android Phone and most of the App images won’t download? – Android now have put download limits on initial App downloads. So when you download the App not all the images will appear as we had to cut some so you could download the App – but simply leave it in Wi-Fi connection and all images and data will download to your phone and then you will have all the images.
I still can’t see notifications? – Simple, just update to the new version in the App store or Google Play store. If you are still having an issue delete the App and download the new version.
I can’t find my fish? – First check you’re in the correct bioregion. Then go through the improved Fish ID tool. If you still can’t find a fish, take a photo of it, release it and send the photo and some catch details to the Recfishwest Facebook Page and one of our Research team will get back to you with a fish ID.
