Scott’s Species – Marron – the craze for freshwater crays

Marron

Eating: 5 stars

It has been some years since I marroned with a purpose, but the memories of chasing them in our beautiful southern forests remain strong and it is something I probably should try again before too long.

I fondly recall a great night spent on the old Harvey Weir, before it was flooded to become what is now Harvey Dam, chasing them not long after I got my driver’s licence. We parked the car by the water, started a fire and then threw in some pellets.

Using drop nets, we ended up with a nice feed of marron and enjoyed a night to remember over a few cold drinks. Life was simpler back then…but I digress. There are few more uniquely West Australian fishing experiences than catching marron.

A juvenile marron (left) and Graham Stewart holding the prized catch that so many marroners chase!

Found from Esperance all the way north to Hutt River, past Geraldton, but endemic to the South-West, they are our own freshwater crayfish and despite having to endure some serious challenges in recent years, they continue to offer a great fishing option in many of our freshwater waterways during a limited season.

Dropping rainfall and reduced river flows due to increased community demands on water have meant marron have faced some real habitat issues, but the good news is that current stocking programs supported by Recfishwest are helping boost numbers and might even ultimately lead to longer seasons.

On a trip to Pemberton last summer to chase trout, I saw heaps of marron in the Warren River and Lefroy Brooks, which was hopefully a good sign for the future. Although I haven’t chased marron in recent years, they are a common encounter when trout fishing.

I remember standing on a rock in knee-deep water at Waroona Dam and being surprised when a large marron emerged from under that rock. It was not quite “methuselah” of the Freshwater Fishing in South West Australia book fame, but it was a beauty. I also remember foul hooking a big one on a Celta at Cascades on the Lefroy Brook one year. After admiring it for a few seconds I let that one go.

Locations stocked in recent years include Waroona Dam, Harvey Dam, Big Brook Dam and Logue Brook Dam. A licence is required to catch marron during the January-February season. There are detailed rules around bag and size limits which vary in different locations, with Harvey Dam, Waroona Dam and the Hutt River regarded as ‘trophy waters’ with tighter regulations to enhance the chance of catching trophy specimens.

Matt Pullella trying his luck marroning in a small stream.

Some locations are also snare only, including Big Brook Dam, Logue Brook Dam and Harvey Dam, with the full list and the latest comprehensive rules available at www.fish.gov.au.

There are three main ways of catching marron and a baited drop net is the most simple and effective, especially in deeper water such as the Warren River. A simple stocking filled with chook pellets can be used as bait, or other meat baits like chicken necks or fish. However, I always reckon the greatest fun to be had is in stalking them in the shallows with a snare or scoop. This is even more fun with a good headlamp at night. The reward, of course, is a feed of one of the tastiest crustaceans on the planet!

Fisheries Minister fixes DPIRD’s Harvey Dam marron stocking blocking with 100,000 juveniles to be released

After a long three-year stocking hiatus, Harvey Dam is finally set to see 100,000 marron make a splash into its waterways in 2023. 

The announcement by the Fisheries Minister Don Punch fixes a decision by DPIRD to prevent marron being stocked into Harvey Dam as part of a stocking program funded by the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund and launched by the Premier Mark McGowan at the dam in 2019.  

Read the full media release from the Fisheries Minister here.  

Harvey Dam is the most popular recreational marroning location in our South West and provides an ideal habitat for marron spawning and growth.

Over the last few years, the team from Aquafarms, supported by Recfishwest, helped release 300,000 marron into the popular Waroona and Logue Brook dams.  

Large numbers of marron were also supposed to be released into Harvey Dam last year as part of this project, but one month before stocking DPIRD advised Recfishwest that, approval to stock Harvey Dam would not be provided.  

DPIRD’s rationale for refusing permission to stock Harvey Dam was largely based on two-decade old research. However, this rationale did not extend to Logue Brook or Waroona Dams, leaving local marron fishers confused and disappointed that the premier marroning location of a recreational-only fishery was missing out, despite assurances it would be a focus of the stocking project.  

Recfishwest raised our concerns directly with the Fisheries Minister and is pleased that he cut through the red tape put in place by DPIRD to ensure marron would be stocked in WA’s premier marooning location as intended.

This photo, taken in December 2019, was the last time marron were stocked into Harvey Dam, shortly after Premier Mark McGowan announced the RFIF-funded marron stocking program.

A sensible outcome  

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “We thank the Minister for listening to Recfishwest and overcoming needless Government bureaucracy to right this wrong – it’s a sensible resolution that ensures a good outcome for the community.  

“By working with the Minister and DPIRD, we hope to achieve a similar sensible resolution for the west coast demersal fishery and avoid the extensive social and economic damage the Government’s initial proposal for a nine-month ban would cause. 

“Marron is an icon of the South-West and marroning is a hugely popular pastime, with Harvey Dam the most popular marroning location.  

“The marron season brings in thousands of freshwater fishers from around the state to the pristine South-West waterways, helping inject millions of dollars back into our regional tourism economies.  

“Stocking initiatives like this can future-proof the marron fishery and take us closer to our vision of year-round marroning.” 

Breeding from the marron captured at Harvey Dam has already begun, with restocking expected to start as early as June next year.

Check out our marron fishing tips on our ilovefishing website

Marroning in Harvey Dam is hugely popular, especially when larger catches like these are made possible thanks to the dam’s ideal conditions.