While most of the Bluewater staff were behind the counter this week, head honcho Hal Harvey headed north to Kalbarri for a well deserved break and was greeted with some ideal boating weather.

He was joined offshore one morning by keen young fisherman Hamish McMillan and Eamon Duncan who caught their first spanish mackerel. The fish are also the biggest fish they've ever caught. 

Hamish and Eamon with their Kalbarri macks.

Hal reported the spaniards are plentiful and great fun for the holiday crowd this week.

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Local tackle rep Paul Willis has teamed up with Dave Tims to organise a fishing comp with a real difference - THE WA CALAMARI CLASSIC!

"Two years ago I copped a ribbing for owning a squid rod  and last year I imported some tele squid gaffs that some people laughed their heads off over," Paul said. 

"Since visiting Japan and Hong Kong, and seeing how successful Squid Tournaments have been, I decided to hunt down some of the organizers whilst I was over there and get some tips on doing the same thing here.

"The Cockburn Sound is the perfect playground to host such a competition, and we are aiming at making this a family orientated event that is available to the average person who enjoys catching a squid or two.

"This is all about teaching, learning and having some fun whilst catching a feed."

The comp will be held on the morning of May the 17th in Cockburn Sound, with sections for shore, boat and kayak anglers.

There are plenty of prizes up for grabs, including one for the best ink shot!

For those interested at having a go, check out the details here

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Heres this week's Sunday Times fishing column with some good news on the salmon front...

HOT SPOTS

 METROPOLITAN 

Salmon make up the hot news stories for metro anglers this week. Plenty have come from Rottnest with one report of a two acre school off Parker Point and some even taken in 60 metres of water off the back of the island. Nick Bailey, Basil Downes, Damien Wham and Milsie caught dolphin fish to 6kg on 2kg line from the FADs. Salmon also came from behind the Three Mile out from Mindarie and they made early morning raids at both North and South Mole. Other salmon reports came from 4 kilometres off Scarborough and Long Point. North Mole also turned up the odd pink snapper and yellowtail kings during overcast conditions.

Carrington Street Tackle and Marine owner Barry Greaves and mates Howard Lord and Rod Abrahams highlighted the variety of deep sea fishing when working well offshore. In 110m of water they quickly picked up a number of pink snapper, then ventured to 160-200m deep water to catch blue-eye trevalla, ruby snapper, bass groper and grey banded cod.

Herring and garfish continue as the star attractions for shore fishers. There are plenty around. Boaties have taken herring, some skippy, the odd king george and snook from reefy areas inshore. Long Point yielded plump sand whiting and squid numbers are on the increase in Cockburn Sound.

 ALBANY  

Tough conditions limited offshore fishing with fair mixed bags for those adventurous enough to try. Red and pink snapper, queen snapper and breaksea cod came from the deeper waters along with samson fish and tuna adding to activities. Tuna have been noteworthy closer to shore, especially around the islands where they were joined by bonito. Other species caught near Michaelmas and Breaksea Islands included king george, salmon, skippy and the occasional flathead. Middleton Beach featured king george but you need to watch the legal size. Squid have made good targets for jiggers in the same areas. The harbours are quiet with some king george present but again you need to check them for size.

Salmon are available for those patient enough to put in the time. Most have been average size fish around 5kg but the odd whopper has happened happened by on occasions. Usual salmon hot spotssuch as the Sand Patch and Salmon Holes near Albany are among the better places to try. Other smaller species like herring, skippy and sand whiting are plentiful right along the coast including at Bluff Creek. Small bream are whacking baits and lures in local rivers with many anglers commenting on just how many little bream are around.

 KALBARRI

 Dean Robbins from Kalbarri Sports and Dive reckons Kalbarri is enjoying one of its best fishing periods for years. Spanish mackerel have been the mainstay with many anglers making early trips home with their bag limit. Shore based mackerel chasers are also reaping the rewards. Some of the boat-caught macs up to 20kg and yellowfin tuna to 25kg have also shown. A couple of visitors used metal spinners at Goat Gulch to land 27kg and 22kg mackerel. The same pair landed a northern bluefin tuna of 22kg two days later from the same spot. Another local specializing in gorge fishing has recently landed baldchin, good tailor and a jewfish on outings.

Robbins took his son Bryce out in a small boat and quickly caught two mackerel after throwing back a couple of tuna. On another trip out north of town Robbins and party returned with a couple of fair jewfish, whopper pink snapper, baldchin and redthroat. Lewis Scott, just 9 years old, boated a 15kg mackerel from Ian Leck's boat Baggy Minnow. Wagoe has produced mackerel in good numbers although shore fishers have needed easterly winds.

Tailor are okay around Wittecarra, the Blue Holes and Red Bluff with a few small mulloway also about.

The Murchison has turned on some fun fishing for good bream in the lower reaches while mangrove jack and good size mud crabs have been encountered.

EXMOUTH

No newsletter from Exmouth this week, but last week's  can be viewed here.