Tag: salmon

The Great Southern Salmon Campout

THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED FOR 2018. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE 2019 SALMON CAMPOUT.

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Recfishwest has teamed up with WA’s iconic fishing magazine Western Angler and Cheynes Beach Caravan Park to celebrate all things Salmon at the 1st ever Great Southern Salmon Campout! The weekend will take place on the Friday afternoon of the 23rd March through to lunchtime on Sunday the 25th March.

Image: The Tropiano family on their annual Salmon fishing trip. Photo courtesy of Tony Tropiano.

The Great Southern Salmon Campout is designed for education, appreciation and loads of fun with your friends and family!

The entire weekend only costs $116pp, including accommodation and has plenty of activities to keep you busy and your mind on fishing the whole weekend.

 The weekend will include the following:

  • Complimentary BBQ Dinner on the Friday Night – meet and greet
  • Accommodation fees included in package price
  • Demo and ‘How To’ workshops
  • Beach casting competitions
  • Fish filleting demos
  • Fishing Q&A night with Recfishwest CEO, Western Angler’s Scott Coghlan and other fishing experts
  • Fishing competitions – let’s catch some salmon!
  • Making new friends (who love fishing)
  • All packaged together with accommodation at Cheynes Beach Caravan Park
  • Plus much more!

You will have the opportunity to learn new skills, fish from world class beaches and make memories that will last forever.

If this sounds like your kind of adventure make sure you get in quick and register as places are limited!

Click HERE to Register for The Great Southern Salmon Campout

Please note: When you register your total cost will include your accommodation and event fee in one transaction. Please disregard the shipping cost message on the PayPal page, as it only applies to payments for a Recfishwest membership.

Recfishwest’s top lure picks for beach fishing for salmon

Catching salmon from world class beaches is one of the most iconic WA fishing activities you and your family can have. Launching a lure into a huge school of salmon only 30 metres from the beach gives every fisher, novice or pro, a tremendous thrill and one which never seems to gets old.

A salmon spotted swimming through a wave well within casting range from the beach. (Photo courtesy of Tony Tropiano).

Check out how easy it is to catch a salmon from the beach, click here.

Lure fishing for salmon on world class West Australian beaches has many great benefits:

  • No need for stinky bait and cheaper than buying bait all the time
  • You can cast further and be amongst the action by putting your lure in the zone
  • Adds to the ‘sportfishing’ element
  • Great way to get the kids into lure fishing
  • No skill needed in regards to lure movement or techniques
  • Great method for catch and release fishing

So with that in mind, we’ve come up with the top salmon lures you and your family must have this season.

Salmon Lure Criteria:

  • Castability: (beach casting only)
  • Price: Affordable for everyone
  • Catchability: Does it actually catch fish

Halco Twisty

Photo credit: Halco Tackle

The curved ends of the famous Twisty create an enticing action like no other metal lure. From a slow wobbling retrieve to a high-speed splashing retrieve, this lure is truly versatile. The Twisty Chrome has an incredibly realistic baitfish profile that has proven itself in both salt and freshwater.

Castability: 4/5
Price: 5/5 (approx. $5 – $10)
Catchability: 5/5

Other Species: Tailor, herring, bonito, tuna, trevally, Queenfish, freshwater trout, mackerel

How to fish them: For best results, vary speed and angle of retrieve, and choose different colours to match the available baitfish in the area. The Twisty Chrome comes in a range of weights.  Constructed with a shiny chrome body, anglers have the choice of either a chrome, gold, green, or red holographic variety in a weight from 1.5g up to 70g.

Richter Plug

Photo credit: Richter Lures

The Richter Plug is a simple yet effective lure that is nearly indestructible. Favoured among anglers for its great action on the retrieve this lure is the go to in any condition. With their slim profile and weight, they make a great long-distance casting lure that can be fired out like a torpedo and this can be crucial when trying to reach distant schools of cruising salmon on southern beaches. Whether you’re casting into open clear water or around rocky reef structures, this is one lure you can’t do without this salmon season.

 

 

Castability: 5/5
Price: 5/5 (approx. $5-$10)
Catchability: 5/5

Other Species: Tailor, herring, bonito, tuna, trevally, Queenfish, Kingfish, ,ackerel

How to fish them: They can be fished as either a sinking stickbait or a surface lure or both during the same retrieve! Retrieve them fast to create a frantic baitfish surface splash action or slow the retrieve down and watch it dart around just under the surface.

Available in White, Red Head, Chartreuse, Pink and Yellow, and in five sizes from 28 grams through to 140 grams – sized from 138mm to 78mm.

Spanyid Raider

Photo credit: Spanyid

Along with the Halco Twisty, Raider metal lures are one of the most versatile fishing products ever designed and are useful for many fishing applications. Not only do these lures work in all water depths, they are effective in all aspects of lure use. The range of sizes match most baitfish profiles. Their range of weights means they have multiple fishing applications but do their best work being cast off a beach at a hungry waiting school of salmon.

Castability: 5/5
Price: 5/5 (approx. $5 – $10)
Catchability: 5/5

Other Species: Tailor, herring, bonito, tuna, trevally, Queenfish, Kingfish, mackerel

How to fish them: For best results, vary speed and angle of retrieve, and choose different colours to match the available baitfish in the area. The angled design allows for maximum casting distance, a ‘dart and weave’ motion on the retrieve at all but slow speeds for spinning.

Constructed with a shiny chrome body, anglers have the choice of nine sizes ranging from 10g upto 200g.

 

FREE SALMON HOTSPOT MAPS

Yes that’s right, we’re giving you all the tools and advice you need to catch one of these awesome sportsfish from your local beach by providing free beach fishing for salmon maps available for download here, alternatively pick one up from a local tackle store and speak to the experts on the ground.

Also why not be involved in all the excitement by checking out the Awesome Autumn of Salmon celebrations we’re having! More info here.

So what salmon lure is the best? What do you buy?

The answer is obvious,  you can never have enough lures for all forms of fishing.  Recfishwest’s suggestion is to buy one of each and try for yourself. Different lures will work best with different rod and reel setups. With the lures we’ve reviewed being so affordable and proven to catch salmon, it won’t break the bank if you buy one of each and make up your own mind!

Have you caught a salmon on one of the lures above? Send us your pics! Email them to info@recfishwest.org.au

An Avoidable Tragedy

Recreational fishers have been urged to take more responsibility for their own safety after yet another rock fishing fatality. A 30-year-old man was washed to his death last month while fishing in rough weather, after two fatalities at the same location 12 months earlier. Having taken many steps to educate anglers about rock fishing safety, particularly in Albany (where there are extensive signage and several safety initiatives such as Angel Rings and anchor points), Recfishwest and community partners have again reinforced the folly of rock fishing for salmon during the annual run of this great sportfish.

There are many fantastic spots throughout the South-West where Salmon can easily, and safely, be caught from the beach, even in rough weather. Maps are available that indicate safe fishing spots for salmon around Albany which you can get from local tackle outlets. Anyone who is considering rock fishing should take all the necessary precautions, including wearing personal floatation devices (PFDs) and specialised rock fishing footwear. PFDs are available on loan from 21 locations state-wide at no cost, please see bottom of Broad Cast for the locations. A new emergency telephone will soon be installed at the Salmon Holes as well, to improve emergency response times in another initiative to make fishers safe. However, even with the correct safety gear at their disposal under no circumstances should people risk rock fishing in obviously inclement weather.

Keep the sand between your toes knowing you’ll come home safe from a great day’s fishing!

Catch Salmon and Return Home this Easter

Catch Salmon and Return Home Safe this Easter

With the Easter long weekend approaching, Recfishwest are reminding people to take personal responsibility and stay safe when fishing this salmon season.  Recfishwest Chief Executive Officer Dr Andrew Rowland said locations such as Albany and Esperance welcome a large population increase during the Easter period for the great salmon run on their annual migration around the West Australian coast.

“Salmon are a superb sports fish, however, it’s not worth putting your life at risk when the salmon turn up” Dr Rowland said.

South coast locations popular with salmon fishes often see unpredictable weather and large swells which can make fishing from the rocks dangerous.

“The excitement of a good salmon run often sees people overlook simple steps that ensure their safety, as they rush to go fishing from the rocks unprepared.”
“For those fishing this Easter, Recfishwest strongly recommends fishing from the beach.’’ Dr Rowland said.

Local Albany fishermen and well respected fishing safety advocate Andrew Jarvis urges people to stay off the rocks.

‘’We simply do not want anymore more deaths. If you must fish from the rocks make sure you are prepared.”

Dr Rowland praised the tireless work by community groups, volunteers and state and local governments to make fishers safe, especially on the south coast.

“The work that has been done in Esperance, Albany and surrounds, which are our most high risk locations, to make people safe is enormous and a big thank you to the people making people aware of safe fishing practices in the those areas” Dr Rowland said.

Recfishwest continues to promote and support the Free Loan Life Jacket Scheme in 20 tackle stores around the state, where fishers can go in and hire a free life jacket before the head out fishing.
“If the right precautions are followed, fishing from the rocks can be a safe activity.’’ Dr Rowland said.

If you must fish from the rocks, Recfishwest wants fishers to understand the simple rock fishing safety messages:
• Know how to swim
• Wear a life jacket
• Never fish alone
• Observe first, fish later
• Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
• Be familiar with public safety equipment
• Tell someone your plans.