Tag: Salmon fishing

Salmon Slam phase two winners and salmon fishing tips for Easter!

With more salmon schools spotted moving into the South-West regions, the number of catches submitted into the Salmon Slam app are starting to increase!  

With a welcome long weekend approaching alongside Easter – it means a lot of fishers are getting excited and gearing up for salmon fishing trips to our pristine southern and South-West beaches.

Want to know where the salmon schools are headed off our coastline? The Salmon Tracker 2023 page on Facebook is now live and keeping tabs on where salmon schools are being spotted and fish are being landed, so make sure you give the page a like and follow to improve your odds! 

If you are fishing for salmon over Easter, remember no fish is worth risking your life for, so keep the sand between your toes and stay safe. You can watch our safe fishing tips in our brief safety video here.

Recfishwest’s Eligh Quigley also got in on the salmon action last weekend, with this salmon plucked from the surf near Cheynes!

With the second half of the 2023 Salmon Slam now underway with phase three kicking off from April 1-14, there is a Shimano Maikuro 9ft rod, surf shoulder bag and Western Angler pack up for grabs for the fisher who catches the four longest salmon overall, along with adult and junior random prizes and another $250 Halco Tackle pack for best photo – so get out there!  

Want to improve your odds at landing these plump beauties off the beach? We’ve compiled the best fishing gear tips from the salmon fishing experts on the link below! 

Click here for tips on the best rods, reels and lures to use for improving your odds of catching salmon throughout April! 

Phase two winners  

The fishing action during phase two of the 2023 Salmon Slam became so fiercely competitive that it resulted in a draw! 

Nathan Woods and Mitchell Daube both had fantastic salmon sessions on the south coast recently, with both talented anglers landing four salmon measuring 3,150mm exactly.  

With Nathan landing his four salmon first on the south coast, it meant he narrowly pipped Mitchell to the post with his four salmon landed around Yeagarup, winning the four longest salmon overall in phase two and a new Shimano Vanford 5000 Reel valued at $439! 

Great efforts to both of you and with phase three (April 1-14) and phase four (April 15 – May 1) of the Slam offering great prizes, we should see the numbers of catches only increase as we head into Easter!  

Best photo winner  

For fishers hoping to wet a line during the final two phases of the 2023 Salmon Slam, make sure that you have your camera quickly ready to go for taking a glory photo of your catch as there is a $250 Halco Tackle pack up for grabs containing ideal salmon lures for the best photo taken during both phases!  

It was hard for us to go past this great snap of 21-year-old Kaitlan Angi on the beach near Esperance for the best overall photo in phase two as it showcases everything there is to love about salmon fishing in WA – catching hard-fighting sportfish on stunning beaches. 

Kaitlan Angi took out the best photo and a $250 Halco Tackle pack for phase two with this cracking catch in Esperance via a baited mulie cast straight into a near-shore gutter!

“I caught this salmon on March 3rd by flicking a baited mulie into a deep gutter right off the beach in Esperance. It put up an incredible fight and it was so enjoyable catching something that big right off the beach,” said Kaitlan.  

Another reason why Kaitlan won best photo for phase two (hint hint) is this photo includes everything we prefer to see in a salmon photo – the fish is still alive and being held horizontally with no fingers in the gills, with a beaming smile and beautiful backdrop of our pristine coastline also visible!  

Junior random winner

The south coast has been boasting the most salmon catches so far – although with schools now spotted cruising past Hamelin Bay and Boranup this week, the South-West regions could soon arise as the best place to be in the coming weeks.  

Making the most of the recent red hot salmon action on the south coast was the Thorburn family, with sons Charlie, Patrick and Finn Thorburn pulling in some impressive fish off a beach close to Cheynes near the end of March.  

It just goes to show that if you are in the right place at the right time, the whole family can experience the thrill of landing salmon when schools venture in close to shore, especially excited youngsters.  

Father of three boys and avid fisher, Dean Thorburn, said it was one of the best fishing trips he has ever had with his family. 

“We loaded five rods in the car and Finn (13), Patrick (10) and Charlie (7) hit the beach and started casting metal slices into the waves. Even though the casting distance wasn’t huge, salmon were cruising the closer channels, meaning anyone was in with a chance,” said Dean. 

“Soon enough, Finn was on. We all raced over and encouraged him through the fight. His fishing rod buckled and drag was sizzling from the reel as the salmon used its strength in the waves for an epic contest.  

“Eventually, Finn pulled it up with the wash and we all shared in the amazing catch. A few quick photos and the salmon was released back into the wash. Finn was absolutely over the moon and his smile persisted for hours.  

“Switching to bait, Patrick’s rod then almost flew out of the holder as the salmon took multiple runs. He played the fish well, and sure enough he landed one of the biggest salmon captured over the weekend. We all agreed that his was one of our best days ever. Three proud happy boys, and a memory that will last a lifetime.”  

As a result of their great session, the three Thorburn brothers have $100 to spend on fishing gear thanks to the crew from Compleat Angler in Nedlands! 

How’s this for a family salmon fishing fiesta! Both Patrick (pictured left) and Finn Thorburn (right) got in on the red-hot salmon fishing on the south coast recently, landing these salmon in quick succession!

Adult random winner  

Another contestant who makes the most of the Salmon Slam each year is Beverley Tillman, who always makes an effort to go camping on the south coast with her husband in the hopes of finding large salmon schools.  

With salmon catches providing great fishing opportunities to kids, that excitement doesn’t go away even in adulthood, with Beverley enjoying some of the best fishing experiences of her life after creating more salmon fishing memories recently in Windy Harbour. 

“I think the Slam is a great idea, especially for getting kids into fishing and allowing them to experience the thrill of catching big fish with ease,” said Beverely. 

“On our annual camping trip to Windy Harbour, my hubby spotted a school passing by and flicked out a line before quickly hooking up to this salmon on a light Shimano 3-6kg Jewel rod and Shimano 4000 Stradic using a five-inch Zman Diezel Minnowz.”  

Congratulations to you and your husband Bev and we hope you both enjoy prowling for some new fishing gear courtesy of a $100 voucher from Anglers Fishing World in Fremantle!  

Beverley Tillman and her husband (pictured) made the most of their annual camping trip to Windy Harbour on the south coast, with a salmon school conveniently cruising past their location before giving their Shimano rod and reel combo a solid workout!

Well done to all our phase two winners and now that the salmon are starting to move into the South-West, make sure you don’t waste time and wet a line!  

Want to get involved with the second half of the 2023 Salmon Slam? Make sure you: 

  • Download the Salmon Slam app from the Apple Store or Google Play store, 
  • Upload a pic with your catch and the #SS2023 code written in the sand or on the brag mat and; 
  • Get stuck into the spicy salmon action for your chance to win! 

You can find all the info on the 2023 Salmon Slam along with the prizes up for grabs by clicking here!  

The best rods, reels and lures for catching salmon!

Whether you’re an experienced salmon angler or new to the game, your hands will shake with pure excitement as you cast into a school of salmon cruising through the surf in WA’s pristine south.

Hook up, and it’s game-on for one of the most spectacular land-based fishing encounters you’ll experience with an acrobatic sport fish.

It’s addictive. It’s unmatched. It’s iconic to Western Australia and we are already seeing some great catches submitted into Australia’s biggest land-based fishing competition – The Salmon Slam!

To help you increase your chances in the Salmon Slam, supported by Shimano and Western Angler, we’ve pulled together a heap of top tips from the pros on the best rods, reels and lures that will help you land more of these hard-fighting beauties this autumn.

And don’t forget, if you land yourself a salmon between 1 March – 1 May and enter it into the comp using the Salmon Slam app, it means you’ll automatically go in the running to win a share of $10,000 in prizes – so let’s improve your odds with the tips below!

Click here to read more about the 2023 Salmon Slam competition!

Using the best rods, reels and lures can make landing the hard-fighting and easily accessible species of salmon even easier along our pristine southern beaches where Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland landed this beauty.

The best rods:

If you’ve never fished for salmon before or just want to get a new rod for the season – because, let’s be honest, you can never have too many – it’s hard to look past a 9ft to 12ft spinning rod.

Most rods of this length rated in the 6kg to 15kg range will work a treat and not only are they strong, but they are also flexible – allowing you to whip your lures or bait out as far as possible.

While big salmon schools frequently venture close to the shore and allow fishers a closer opportunity to reach them via lures or baits, schools can also be a fair way offshore and often difficult to reach with the casting range of shorter rods below 7ft in length.

To smash your lure out to the hungry salmon while fishing from the beach, a 9ft to 12ft spinning rod will give you the casting distance to reach schools out the back of the surf.

Rods designed to help you cast longer distances are a great option for salmon fishing, especially if you need to cast over any swell while chasing big schools from the beach. The Shimano Speedmaster Surf range is great option, with 9ft, 10ft, 12ft and 13ft lengths to suit your personal preferences.

Another very popular rod used by salmon fishers is the Assassin Fishing Spin Tech rod, which is included in the prize pack for the overall four longest salmon in the 2023 Salmon Slam.

Not only can this rod easily handle salmon up to one metre in length, but it’s impressive how far it can launch heavier salmon lures offshore.

Thankfully, we’re blessed with world-class beaches in the Great Southern and South-West where salmon love to explore the shallows in close, so it’s always plenty of fun keeping the sand between your toes along the coast while chasing salmon schools.

A rod rated from 3kg-6kg to a big 12kg-20kg – with a cast weight between 30g and 50g – will be effective for a variety of salmon fishing styles.

While any rod rated from 3-12kg with a cast weight between 30-50g can handle landing salmon, strong and flexible spinning rods between 9-13ft are preferable as they can cast longer distances.

The best reels:

From spinning reels to the old-school side-casters, salmon chasers aren’t afraid to mix up the style when fishing during the annual salmon migration.

One of the most reliable reels for beach fishing in general is the Shimano Vanford 5000 reel, which is a very strong, light and durable reel that can handle the salty and sandy conditions across our southern and South-West beaches.

Loaded with 20lb braid, this reel has landed plenty of hard-fighting salmon in autumns gone by.

Thanks to Shimano, there are four Vanford 5000 reels up for grabs as prizes in the 2023 Salmon Slam and Recfishwest are also awarding one random premium member this great reel every month for the next year!

Browse Shimano’s range of spinner reels here.

While smaller reels in the 2000 to 3000 size range are still capable of landing salmon, a 4000 or 5000 size definitely suits a 9ft to 13ft casting rod better when chasing salmon.

Strong and reliable spinner reels such as the Shimano Vanford 5000 are great for easily landing salmon up to one metre in length off WA’s southern beaches. There are four of these reels up for grabs as prizes in the 2023 Salmon Slam!

The best lures:

Now that we’ve gone through potential rods and reels, it’s time to talk another essential piece of gear – lures!

One of the best things about salmon is they’re generally not fussy eaters and during the annual autumn migration, they’re particularly hungry and will aggressively take most lures they see.

While anything from metal slices, to poppers, plugs, soft plastics or high-end stickbaits will entice a salmon, it’s best to keep it simple and just use a lure with the weight needed to cast into the schools.

If you’re catching and releasing the salmon, be sure to crimp the barbs on your trebles or rig your lures with specialised single lure hooks to make unhooking and releasing salmon easier.

If you’re chasing a reliable lure, it’s hard to look past Halco when chasing salmon as they have a wide range of lures that work perfectly on the surface or below it.

The Halco Twisty in particular has always been a very popular choice for targeting salmon and other pelagic species as its reflective metal chrome design imitates baitfish nicely under the surface or below it depending on your retrieve speed and can also be launched a long way offshore.

Halco have a range of lures that work well for salmon both on the surface and below, with Ruby Patrick finding salmon success with the Slidog lure while fishing at Nornalup.

The trusty Halco Roosta Popper is another fan-favourite for enticing the most entertaining salmon strikes on the surface, which frequently leads to an aerial acrobatic display similar to what you would witness after hooking a barramundi in our State’s north!

If the salmon are being unusually fussy by what they take, stickbaits can be the go as they combine a long casting range with a great action slightly under the surface of the water that is irresistible to salmon.

The CID Shiverstick range is a very popular stickbait that comes in a range of sizes and colours that salmon fishers love because of the side-to-side wiggle motion close to the surface that attracts salmon and a wide range of other pelagic species.

Richter Lures also have a new lure range out called the ‘Sickbait’ that was specifically designed for chasing salmon in WA conditions. It is rear-weighted to cast into strong winds and improve the range you can achieve on casts and will be available in four sizes and six colours. This will be available just in time for Easter at local tackle stores!

Feast your eyes on some of the best Richter Lures specifically designed for long-range casting and landing salmon off WA’s pristine beaches! This includes the Plug surface lure (white lures) and the new range of ‘Sickbait’ lures (pictured right) that will be available around Easter!

Dr Hook are another Western Australian brand known for having a great selection of lures that have been a popular go-to for salmon fishers along the South-West and southern coastline as these lures can also be flung more than 50 metres out next to the schools if they are not venturing closer to shore.

Fishing soft plastics for salmon is also plenty of fun, with even a quick straight-retrieve often being enough to fire up the fish, especially on those rare occasions when they’re being a little fussy which can happen from time to time.

Join us on the run this autumn!

Now that you’re up to date for the best gear up in here – make sure you join Recfishwest on the run this autumn and celebrate West Aussie salmon as the iconic southern sportfish they are during the Awesome Autumn of Salmon, from March 1 to May 1.

Supported by Western Angler magazine and our partners Shimano, the annual celebration showcases the safe and accessible sportfishing WA salmon provide.

With tens of thousands of WA fishers spending $331 million annually to chase salmon, this is a much-loved recreational fishery worth celebrating and protecting.

We are already seeing great catches being submitted into the Salmon Slam app, so make sure you get involved and get out there!

 

Salmon Slam 2023 fishing comp kicks off our Awesome Autumn of Salmon!

It’s back! Our Awesome Autumn of Salmon celebration launches on 1 March with the start of our two-month FREE to enter, app-based Salmon Slam 2023 competition!

There’s over $10,000 in prizes up for grabs simply by catching a salmon, taking a snap of it next to a ruler and entering it via our Salmon Slam 2023 app into the competition.

Download the Salmon Slam app through the App store here and Google Play store here.

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE AWESOME PRIZES AND COMPETITION CATEGORIES

Salmon are not only highly accessible and plentiful off our coastline – but all ages and abilities can catch them, such as Josh Mitchell who caught this beauty in bunker Bay at five-years-old!

The biggest and best salmon fishing experiences in the country!

Due to their sheer abundance, WA salmon are the biggest in Australia growing up to nearly a metre-long. Every year as large salmon schools migrate up the coast, thousands of West Aussie mums, dads and mates flock to the South and South-west to hook up to one of these iconic southern sportfish on some of the world’s best beaches.

The salmon run is addictive. It’s unmatched – and that’s why the Salmon Slam is the biggest land-based fishing competition in Australia!

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said, “Salmon fishing off WA’s spectacular beaches is part of West Aussie culture generating $331 million a year for the WA economy every year. The experience of being hooked up to an acrobatic hard-fishing salmon is simply priceless though!

“It’s something we at Recfishwest passionately believe deserves to be celebrated with the salmon abundance that underpins these magic fishing experiences protected forever”

That’s why we’re proud to launch this year’s Awesome Autumn of Salmon, proudly supported by Shimano and Western Angler.

It’s not only very easy to catch a salmon off WA’s pristine southern beaches as Jane Ma experienced in 2022 – just catching one and entering the photo into the Salmon Slam 2023 app could snag you some impressive prizes!

Salmon Slam Sponsors

We would like to say a big thank-you to all of our sponsors for this years Salmon Slam event!

Platinum Sponsors:

Compleate Angler NedlandsLogo Penn
Logo WhiteysLogo 4W Driver

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Augusta X-TremeLogo Down South Camping

Salmonitis Epidemic On The Rise Again

Are you ready for this year’s ‘salmonitis’ epidemic to hit the metro area?

Vuthy So caught this salmon at Bunker Bay last weekend

If you thought the man flu was bad, then you better look out for this annual craze that gets the blood pumping in any seasonal fisher between Perth – Esperance.

Salmonitis begins as an increased use of social media, with your partner spending hours at a time staring at their phone, scrolling through the newsfeed and keeping an eye on the Facebook page – Salmon School Tracker 2019.

It progresses into the need to suddenly layout all their fishing gear on the garage floor, carefully reviewing line strength, reel capability and determining what lures they have (and need).

You’ll begin to notice over the next few weeks, your partner acting extremely helpful, suggesting they run to the shops on your behalf to ‘grab some milk.’ Running errands on Thursday evenings leaves you feeling suspicious but also quite grateful your partner is doing something useful and helping reduce the workload.

Esperance locals catching salmon from local beaches

It’s not too long before you’ll notice the increase in spending, the trip to the shops, become spending sprees with the bank balance slowly diminishing. If it’s not the shops they’re going to, it’s the online shopping that has suddenly taken a priority, except nothing actually arrives at your address, leaving you feeling puzzled. Instead, it’s been carefully re-directed to their work address, just to avoid the argument no one wants to have.

It isn’t until you watch your partner squirm as they tell their boss they aren’t feeling ‘too well’ over the next few days that the dots begin to line up. It’s not a coincidence that your partner’s sick days become carefully aligned with days where the weather seems just perfect, 10-15knot easterly winds, with minimum swell.

Fishers of all ages can target these fantastic fish

This is when you know they have an extreme case of salmonitis!

Salmonitis is highly contagious and once you and the kids have it, there’s no turning back! As it comes in waves, on an annual basis, it’s something you can’t shrug off and pass off for another day. It’s here; it’s right on our doorstep and its value is extremely high.

Bringing fish up onto the beach with the sand between your toes is part of our culture

With more than 40,000 people expected to flock to the pristine white sandy beaches of the South-west, along with jetties and boat ramps over the upcoming weeks for the salmon season, this epidemic is not to be missed. Targeting these sensational sport fish allow you to reap the mental, physical, social and economic benefits they provide us, our partners, our families and communities.

Each year when the migrating salmon move along the South-west coast, they attract a migration of fishers to the same area; a place they base themselves while they explore vast coastline in search of one of these salmon schools. These trips to the South-west bring family and friends who frequently explore the towns nestled along the coast buying fuel, bait, lures, fishing gear, food, drinks, accommodation, camping gear, and fishing gear and clothing.

The economic return to these coastal towns cannot be underestimated; recreational fishing was recently valued at over $2.4 billion to the economy for the whole state, though it’s unknown just how much salmon contribute to this figure. Many fishers are spending their hard earnt money to head South and try their luck at hooking into one of these fish. If you ever embark on a salmon fishing trip, you’ll easily understand why people come back year after year, showing just how much Australian salmon is valued by all members of the community and the South-west region.

Salmon schools can easily be spotted from the beach

This year’s salmon season will be no different to those of the past, with plenty of hard fighting fish on offer and great locations to explore presenting a great excuse to head South with family or friends.

Tell us about your salmon fishing!

Fishing from the beach allows you to bring your fish onto the safe and pristine white sand
Sedin’s first ever Australian salmon!

Recfishwest believes the pristine white sandy beaches of the WA coast combined with the splendid sportfishing qualities of this species truly makes this the world’s best fishing on the world’s best beaches.

Help us determine the value YOU place on salmon and the benefits they derive as well as expenditure by completing the 10 minute survey. Click here.

The survey is open until 30th June 2019. Your participation in this survey will allow Recfishwest to continue to advocate to ensure the great fishing experiences provided by Australian salmon are forever celebrated and enhanced.

Ten minutes of your time now can help ensure a life time of great fishing for all.

Christopher Hoang with this superb salmon from this years season