FISHING LOCATION E speran c e
Overlooking the town from the lookout.
A spectacular Esperance sunset.
ESPERANCE
Also known as the Bay Of Isles with
some 180 odd offshore islands,
Esperance is around 700km southeast
of Perth. The climate is generally
warmer than many southern WA towns
due to the warm desert winds that are
common in the area.
A 5kg salmon on 2kg line. Very possible at Cape Arid.
Lots of shallow bays hold everything from herring to salmon.
E
sperance is renowned for a water
clarity that probably exceeds
Exmouth most of the year. It comes
up a brilliant blue and, set against the small
islands dotted along the inshore seascape
it’s nothing if not spectacular.
Fishing options are wide and varied in
the cold waters of the Southern Ocean
but it requires some planning and local
knowledge to ensure you catch fish. From
the harsh Cape Arid to the picturesque
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A spectacular Esperance sunset.
Duke of Orleans Bay and the township
itself, there’s plenty to see and plenty to
catch.
What fish will you
catch?
Without any river or estuary system to
speak of, Esperance is primarily beach and
boat fishing for cold water species.
Around the town you can catch herring,
whiting, salmon, bonito, squid, skippy and
sharks. While offshore there are some
fantastic eating fish such as nannygai,
swallowtail, pink snapper, queen snapper
and gummy sharks. Dhufish are very rare.
How to fish it
Land Based Fishing
Town - The main tanker jetty is an
ideal place to take the family for a fish as
it’s safe and teeming with herring, blue
mackerel and yellowtail. To get stacks of
them you only need to berley up with chook
pellets and throw a hook in the vicinity
of the jetty baited with a piece of prawn.
Bonito and salmon may sometimes come
into the jetty but usually only take a live
herring or other small baitfish.
2WD Access Beaches - Salmon
Beach, 4th Beach, 9 Mile Beach & Ten Mile
beach are all accessible by 2WD and are
great fishing for salmon, herring, skippy,
whiting, flathead, mulloway and sharks.
Check with Southern Sports and Tackle
at the main shopping centre for the latest
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Whiting like this will bring a smile to any face.
information about which beach is fishing
best.
4WD Access Beaches – Starting at
11 Mile Beach roughly west of town are
many surf beaches that also fish well for
herring, skippy, whiting, flathead, mulloway
and sharks. These are a spectacular 4WD
adventure but are not for the newcomer to
four wheel driving. Once again, check with
Southern Sports and Tackle for the latest
information about which beach is fishing
best and which beaches are treacherous as
they change often.
Cape Arid – Cape Arid is a national
park that starts about 100km from the
town and extends well east towards the
South Australian border. The fishing is
quite unique and Cape Arid is desolate and
beautiful all at the same time.
The westernmost part around Thomas
River has some of the most spectacular
rock formations you’ll ever fish around
(including the Kimberley), but the first
section is full of sweeping beaches and
sand dunes with some of the clearest
water I’ve ever seen. It almost makes you
want to jump in and swim, that is until you
put your toe into the water and feel the
temperature. Ouch!
Fish the holes and gutters of the
beaches for salmon and skippy mainly or
push eastwards through some of the best
4WD country I’ve driven through - huge fun
but don’t try it unless you’re well geared up
and experienced on the sand.
Further east is Skippy Rock, the end
of the road and a very safe and exciting
fishing platform. All year round it can
produce salmon, big skippy, herring and
more. This is perhaps the best light tackle
sportfishing platform in the southwest.
Skippy rock is technically offshore but
it’s joined to the mainland by a short walk
across a sandbar. Lucky it is a short walk
because you don’t want too many of those
waves wafting up your trouser leg at that
temperature!
The rock has superb visibility and you
can generally see loads of fish milling once
you start a berley stream. Cape Arid has so
many options for the angler. Huge skippy to
six kilos, massive schools of salmon, herring
by the millions, tailor topping 6 kilos and
plenty of mulloway. Sure, it’s not an easy
trip but it’s one you will always remember.
Offshore Fishing
Town - The town boat ramp is excellent
and safe. No fee is required and you can
head directly offshore to the islands. We
have found that without GPS marks you
are going to struggle to find any good fish
inshore aside from smaller fish.
Offshore, there’s plenty of ground past
the first group of islands but it does get
a bit of a flogging. Also watch the seas
which can spring up quickly and catch you
unaware.
There aren’t any real structures apart
from the smooth islands and, while they
can hold sambos, they’re generally without
any real life. As a rule, to get into decent

Marshy with a Duke Of Orleans Bay snapper.
waters you have to travel to The Duke Oo
Orleans Bay but the local charters can find
you fish close to town.
Duke Of Orleans Bay - The Duke
is one of the well kept secrets of fishing.
85km east of the Esperance township,
there’s a little boat ramp near the caravan
park which leads to some sheltered waters
and some of the best pink and queen
snapper fishing in the country.
More than that, you can target one
of the most underrated fish in WA,
the nannygai. Part of the true snapper
family, the nannygai should never be
underestimated because their funny
shaped bodies belie the power and stamina
they can produce when hooked.
Nannygai are almost unsusceptible to
pressure changes and this means, unlike
dhufish, they fight all the way top the
surface. Converts in this part of the world
will eat nothing else as the nannygai is also
rated as a fine table fish.
Inshore, the options are mainly squid,
herring and whopping great king george
whiting but at times some big pink snapper
do come into the bay. Heading past the
islands you’re into reasonably deep waters
and lots of lumps to explore for bottom fish
such as nannygai, swallowtail, pink snapper,
queen snapper, breaksea cod, samsonfish,
yellowtail kingfish and gummy sharks. As I
mentioned before, dhufish are very rare in
these cold waters.
Remember that the Southern Ocean is
dangerous and there is no Sea Rescue in
FISHING LOCATION E speran c e
What gear will I need?
Rods
Beach 8-12’ casting rod
Inshore 5-6’ bream type rod
Offshore 15kg trawling / bottom
fishing rod
Reels
Beach Heavy eggbeater /
baitcaster
Inshore Light eggbeater /
baitcaster
Offshore Overhead trolling / Alvey
Line
Beach 8-12kg
Inshore 2-4kg
Offshore 15kg braid for bottom
fishing, no trawling is
available generally
Leaders
the area so take extreme care and let the Beach 20kg coated mono for
caravan park owners know you’re out at salmon, wire for sharks
sea. Inshore Not required
Offshore 40kg coated mono to
Boating Information make rigs
There are some nasty waters out there Lures
once you get past the excellent town boat Beach Metal slices such
ramp so take great care. Inshore waters as Javelin Lazers or
are generally calm with protection from the poppers for salmon
islands but be aware that winds can pick up Inshore Metal slices such
very quickly and leave you stranded. as Javelin Lazers or
Many service stations are available in poppers for salmon
town early mornings and late at night. Offshore White lead head jigs for
bottom fishing
Bait
Beach Mulies are the go for
Fishing Charters
most species - either
We recommend Duke Charters for deep
whole or in chunks, also
sea fishing (08 9076 6223). They are
try worms for whiting,
based at the Duke Of Orleans Bay some
wogs for herring, live
85km away although some other charters
herring for salmon, live
are available in town. salmon for sharks
Skywest can fly you to and from Inshore Prawns or squid
Esperance by phoning 1300 368 186. Offshore Fresh fish fillets, mullet,
Duke Charters – (08) 9076 6223 squid, octopus, mulies as
Esperance Diving & Fishing a last resort
- (08) 9071 5111 Tackle
Beach Surf sinkers, 5/0 gangs
for mulies, live bait hooks,
Dining Out long shanked #8 for
Plenty of restaurants are located in smaller fish
town. Prices are quite reasonable. There Inshore Small sinkers, wide gap
are two hotels and a plenty of small stores #4 hooks, long shanked
along with a modern shopping centre. #8 hooks
There also plenty of takeaways open quite Offshore Snapper leads, 5/0-7/0
late. Make sure you try the Italian restaurant chemically sharpened
near the main roundabout. hooks
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 Tackle Stores
Southern Sports & Tackle
– (08) 9071 3022
Esperance Marine & Tackle
– (08) 9071 7373

Accommodation
Best Western – (08) 9071 1999
Comfort Inn Bay of Isles - 1800 095 563
Esperance Beachfront Resort
- (08) 9071 2513
Duke Of Orleans Bay Caravan Park
- (08) 9075 0033
Esperance Seafront Caravan Park &
Holiday Units - (08) 9071 1251
Blue Waters Lodge YHA
- (08) 9071 1040
Esperance Backpackers
- (08) 9071 4724
Playing a salmon on light tackle from Skippy Rock at Cape Arid.

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