Fish

Western Australian salmon

Salmón australiano occidental

Arripis truttaceus

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

5–12 lb.

Depth

Surface to 260 ft.

Best time

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Found in

2 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: Like the eastern Australian salmon but bigger: a torpedo-shaped silver fish with a dark green-blue back covered in small dark spots and a forked tail.
Typical size: 5–12 lb.
Maximum size: About 3 ft and over 20 lb (10.5 kg).
Diet: Pilchards, anchovies and other schooling baitfish.
Behavior: Huge schools migrate west and north along the south coast of Western Australia in autumn to spawn, giving famous beach fishing.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Northern Territory & Western Australia and South-East Australia & Tasmania. Surf beaches, rocky headlands and bays from western Victoria and South Australia to Western Australia (Esperance, Albany, Augusta, Perth).
Habitat: Surf beaches, rocky headlands and bays from western Victoria and South Australia to Western Australia (Esperance, Albany, Augusta, Perth).
Depth: Surface to 260 ft.
Fishing depth: Surface to 20 ft.
Best season: Autumn (about February to May) for the big runs.
Best time: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: The rising tide and the top of the tide, when gutters and holes along the beach fill with water.
Best weather / conditions: Any weather; a bit of swell is fine.

What to tie on and what to throw.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Rig Sinker Bait Tool

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Surf beaches, rocky headlands and bays from western Victoria and South Australia to Western Australia (Esperance, Albany, Augusta, Perth).
Rig up: 10–12 ft surf rod with a 5000–8000 spinning reel. 30–40 lb monofilament.
Pick your bait: Whole pilchards on ganged hooks under a float or on the bottom. Lures: Metal slices, poppers and stickbaits.
Fish it: Watch for dark schools moving along the beach (spotters often call them), cast metals or pilchards in front of them.
Time it: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon. The rising tide and the top of the tide, when gutters and holes along the beach fill with water.

Fishing techniques: Watch for dark schools moving along the beach (spotters often call them), cast metals or pilchards in front of them.
BigJoe's tip: A popper without hooks teased through the school keeps fish around for the next cast.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Edible but not prized — strong or bony; many anglers release it.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Bleed at once; best smoked or fresh in fish cakes. Also a top shark bait.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Rock fishing on the WA south coast is deadly in big swell — wear a life jacket and use anchor points.
Regulations: Bag limits apply in WA and SA; check current rules. Each Australian state sets its own rules: NSW and Victoria require a recreational fishing licence in fresh and salt water, Western Australia needs a licence for boat fishing and freshwater angling, Tasmania for inland waters, and Queensland only for stocked impoundments; the Northern Territory needs none. Bag limits, size limits, closed seasons and marine park zones apply everywhere.
Conservation: A great catch-and-release sport fish.

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Sources & photo credits