In a big boost for Western Australia's game fishing fraternity, this week saw the announcement that the Exmouth Game Fishing Club will host the Australian International Billfish Tournament in 2011 and 2012.

As the name suggests, the two day tournament is a billfish tag and release comp. It is sure to attract some of Australia's finest gamefisherman, but some of the local crews will be putting on a show no doubt.

Congratulations to all involved in bringing an event of this calibre to the state.

With fish like Ben Knight's blue marlin (left) on offer, the two comps should be crackers. 

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Perth's beaches will be lined with tracking stations to detect tagged white pointer sharks for an upcoming monitoring project.

Twenty two radio receivers are being installed by the WA Department of Fisheries and CSIRO researchers between Fremantle to Ocean Reef. They will be able to detect a tagged shark within a couple of minutes and alert authorities.

Only sharks with transmitters can be detected, and so far around 50 have been fitted - mostly in South Australia.

While the big sharks are a protected species, the results of the project should provide fisherman and boaties with a fascinating insight into just how many are cruising along our beaches.

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While professional salmon fisherman along WA's south coast lament one of the worst seasons for years, many different theories have circulated as to the reasons why. One doing the rounds was that tongues of warm water inshore pushed the migrating salmon schools well offshore.

A recent report from Albany suggests this theory might just have some weight. A keen kayaker paddling in one of the sheltered harbours was taken by surprise when a pod of bright, 'fluorescent' fish appeared around him to be latter identified as dolphin fish!

A strange occurence indeed, and one to mark down with the marlin and spanish mackerel off Cape Naturaliste this year.

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Here's a preview of this week's Sunday Times fishing column...

METROPOLITAN

Increased herring action has supplemented plentiful garfish for shore fishers. The gardie run is still the talk of the town with large numbers right along the coast.  Tailor are patchy at best with northern areas to Club Capricorn yielding a few. Salmon have also been patchy along the beaches but small numbers are mooching along Cottesloe.  Rottnest remains the best bet for salmon as Alison Dearn (below) found recently. Some spanish mackerel were caught out near the West End with good numbers of yellowtail kingfish. 

Rob Phillips and his party enjoyed a great day fishing south of Rottnest - catching six jewfish, (releasing four) two baldchin, a king george and two samson fish which were also released. David Busuttil bagged some terrific baldchin to 5.5kg. Jewfish activity has occurred well offshore with very few found close in.

Trolling C'Ultiva Rip-n-Minnows has been good for pike along the back of the Three Mile Reef with skippy also active. Pink snapper are widespread with Johari Rochfort catching a 68cm pinkie during a recent bottom fishing outing. He added another pinkie and a baldchin to his catch for the day. Many others were into the pink snapper action, including out near Rottnest. Large numbers of harlequin fish were also encountered by bottom bouncers.

 GERALDTON AND ABROLHOS

The Abrolhos Island Tag and Release tournament was a huge success. Spanish mackerel around 18-20kg were caught and released along with a 1.8m wahoo on 4kg line. Yellowfin tuna to 30kg, striped tuna, spotted mackerel, shark mackerel, yellowtail kingfish and amberjack were other species to feature for participants in the tournament. Marlin trolling was hampered by dirty water but the crew on board Jude hooked and lost a blue marlin reckoned to be around 300-350kg. Another group battled a 100kg mako shark.

Squid, coral trout, baldchin to 8kg and pink snapper were on tap for those looking for a meal.

Around Geraldton herring are a feature especially at the back of the Lives with evenings best, Tarcoola is another herring hot spot with chopper tailor and mulloway to 6kg. School and yellowfin whiting are abundant along the beaches. South of town  down to Flat Rocks has been affected by weed, but clear areas have produced tailor and school mulloway. 

Both the Chapman and Greenough Rivers have turned up goodnumbers of black bream with better size fish in the latter.  

CARNARVON  

Great weather conditions at Quobba have resulted in good fishing with both spinning and ballooning productive for shark mackerel and longtail tuna. Spangled emperor are plentiful but there are heaps of sharks causing problems around the place.

Closer to town, tailor catches have come from the jetty, river mouth and nearby beaches. There's no shortage of fair sized yellowfin whiting from the shore. Offshore while pink snapper numbers are increasing. Squidding is worth a try and  blue manna crabs are turning up. Mulloway have been another popular target close to town, with good fish taken from the beach and dinghies close inshore 

EXMOUTH

This week's Exmouth newsletter can be viewed here.