Bushfires are the story of the week for all Australians, with hundreds dead and thousands more losing their homes and possessions in the worst fires this country has experienced in recorded history.

There are many ways of helping those in need at this time, but we'll limit ourselves to promoting two of them. There's the Red Cross, a most worthwhile organisation, and to assist there go to the Red Cross link.

Then there's a BBQ being organised by Shane Boog for the fishing and boating community of WA, which is happening at Matilda Bay this weekend.

The BBQ is this Sunday 15th Feb on the northern end of Matilda Bay in Nedlands, 11.30am. It's a BYO everything including cash to donate to the cause. Recfishwest has volunteered to count the money and Perth Security Services are providing a guard to watch over the donations.

There's no charge to attend but there will be raffles, competitions and spot prizes. Shane promises 'fishing competitions with a difference' for anglers, so bring your fishing tackle and be in the running for prizes including fishing charters, RST courses, magazine subscriptions, boating and fishing equipment and more!

All proceeds will go the the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Fund, via the Red Cross.

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Western Australia's Western Rock Lobster Fishery - the cray industry - has been acknowledged in the past as one of the best managed and most sustainable fisheries in the world.

So it comes as a surprise to most that this summer has seen it needing crisis care, not for the season we're currently in (which has been very good), but for the seasons we'll be seeing in three and four years' time.

There's no short story to this, so if you're interested in the science behind the changes, have a look at this link. The graphs at the bottom are particularly clear.

Don't be surprised if further tightenings are deemed to be required in the near future.

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Marron season is over for another year in Western Australia.

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Here’s this weekend's Sunday Times fishing news, with a bit of extra stuff...

PERTH METROPOLITAN

The Swan has a number of options for fishing, with tarwhine and tailor near the Fremantle Traffic Bridge a feature, and tailor too around Nedlands, especially for the trollers. Flathead are best near Jo Jo’s and in Matilda Bay, while bream hotspots include Bassendean and Ashfield waters.

Tailor caught from shore include some better size fish, an odd one to two kilos, northern suburbs areas doing best although South Mole is worth a try when the sea breeze comes in. Yanchep Lagoon has been good for tailor, while in the south the Ammunition Jetty has been okay for tailor, with garfish reliable from Woodman Point.

Herring respond better first thing in the morning along northern rock walls, with Swanbourne and Floreat Drains also active at that time of day.

Wayne Blanch caught salmon from Brighton Road, south of Scarborough, this week and Karl Rosenow from Bluewater Morley has also been picking up some salmon locally.

The Three Mile continues to turn up southern bluefin tuna and near-Scarborough spots also hold these exciting fish. The FADs feature some terrific dolphin fish, most quite large for this time of year, 6-8kg dollies not unusual.

The Five Fathom Bank has fished well for king george whiting.

Warmer water pushing south is expected to increase the numbers of mackerel around. Boat parties have found fishing quiet out from Mindarie but better results enjoyed from Ocean Reef, jewfish and baldchin encountered in 30m of water 10-12km offshore.

Bluewater Scarborough’s Josh Thompson left the snapper alone for once, but encountered some mighty samsons in 40m of water NW of Rottnest. The school blacked out the sounder, and the fish responded well to soft plastic lures on snapper gear, with some lengthy and successful fights resulting.

GERALDTON

Tailor chasing is still a patchy affair, from Nine Mile to S Bend okay for large chopper-sized fish, with bull herring an option in that area, many of them coming very close to shore. While there were mulloway about, most are 60 – 70cm, an occasional whopper landed. The same can be written about Greenough waters, and you can add school sharks and whiting to species.

Reef and beach towards Southgates yielded striped sea pike, chopper tailor and herring, as well as wrasse and various reef fish.

The Geraldton highlight is the number and size of the slimy mackerel for shore-based fishers on the ocean side of marina and rock walls, with whiting, trevally and herring about in fair numbers, late afternoon and early evening best. There has been a few school sharks frequenting that country. Tailor action is also good and the occasional large mulloway has hit the rocks.

Weed is a hassle for Drummonds Cove and Coronation Beach fishing, vast masses moving in and out at times. There are chopper tailor around, some school mulloway and herring too.

Strong winds in the region have hindered boat fishing, lots of herring, garfish and good skippy about reef near shore, samson fish causing frantic action when they appear in berley trails set for the smaller fish. Striped sea pike are another hot target. Jewfish and baldchin were among bags for those fishing around reef to the north of town, while hopefuls heading south west to near Abrolhos waters are coming back with terrific bottom fish. Spanish mackerel numbers are improving.

WAGOE/LUCKY BAY

The Geraldton Angling Club fished beaches and reefs in the Lucky Bay/Wagoe area, and returned with bags featuring tailor to 2.5kg, mulloway up to six kilos, tarwhine, whiting and trevally to a kilo, one younger member catching 11 different species. There are heaps of herring and other smaller species.

Boat fishers decked plenty of spanish mackerel, and when the winds suit, the mackerel offer a chance for reef anglers to score.

SOUTH COAST

Hal and Dave from the Scarborough store fished with Nick Bailey and Al Peardon last weekend, from Bremer Bay to Munglinup, without seeing a salmon. There were plenty of herring and some great skippy on lures in the middle of the day, but none of the hoped-for hundred-tonne salmon schools.

EXMOUTH

This week's Exmouth-only newsletter is on the site here, with a great kid pic involving a fine bluebone. There'll be a new newsletter up on the site next week.

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Bluewater Tackle World News comes from Bluewater, 21 Scarborough Beach Road, Scarborough, Western Australia - phone 08 9245 1313 - www.bluewater.net.au