With the weather arcing up to the first of the winter storms around here, last weekend's perfect Sunday could not be let go to waste. 

Bluewater's Hal Harvey took his kids Jack (7) and Elizabeth (8) - pictured right - and young nephew Marcus Duncan, out for an afternoon session on the skippy off Scarborough. The fish were so thick berley was superfluous, and every bait was taken by (mostly) small skippy, with a smattering of pink snapper, and the odd wrasse and pike for variety.  

Young Jack Harvey (pictured left), whose grandfather Jack has always loved skippy fishing, caught his first skipjack trevally in a full-on session; and his tenth! Elizabeth, who had previously decreed that she really liked fishing but would rather not catch any fish, was the one who refused to be torn away from catching skippy hand over fist at the end of the day.

The anglers kept three 30cm fish for dinner and let all the rest go.

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Paul Langenbach from Bluewater Melville also took advantage of the last of the perfect May, and snuck out after work for this great plastic munching pinkie close to shore.

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Keen angler Kim Watts recently dropped by Bluewater Scarborough in preparation for a big trip to Coral Bay. We'll let the results do the talking - a nice black marlin on 15kg tackle purchased from the store.

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Following the announcement of the WA State Budget 2009/10, Fisheries Minister Norman Moore said that under the Liberal-National Government, extra Fisheries and Marine Officers were planned to boost the numbers of existing compliance staff across WA.

 The additional positions would come as part of new funding of $3million over four years to deliver additional compliance services to help ensure the sustainability, economic and social objectives for WA's marine resources were met.

"In terms of asset investment, a new $8.5million complex will be purpose-built in Denham to house the regional offices of both the Department of Fisheries and the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC)," he said.

"The current demountable accommodation is not adequate for the regional office to serve Shark Bay and the new facilities will help attract and retain officers for DEC and the Department of Fisheries as well as providing the community with better service.

"Co-location of the two departments is consistent with the Government's aim to reduce costs and duplication of services."

To raise $330,000 in additional funding, the biennial increase in fees for recreational licensing and commercial applications will go ahead as expected this year.

Licence fees for marron fishing, freshwater angling and net fishing will rise by $2; abalone licences will go up $3; rock lobster licences will increase by $4; and the cost of umbrella (all species) licences rises by $6.

"These are not new fees," Mr Moore said.

"They are simply increases in line with the rise in the CPI over the past two years."

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

METROPOLITAN

 Heaps of garfish have been available for those fishing North and South Moles with a few herring beating them to the bait at times. Skippy have addied to the mix, particularly along the northern suburbs rock walls and marinas. Some of Ocean Reef Marina's garfish were of notable size. Skippy are especially hungry not far off shore with the Three Mile Reef hosting schools.Depths between 20m and 40m adjacent to the likes of Hillarys and Mindarie Marinas were also hot for skippy with large numbers of small pink snapper there too with the odd beautie turning up. Pink snapper are also in good numbers at Rottnest.

Bottom fishers in the 20 to 40m range are boating some whopper blue spot flathead and odd king george.

Further offshore baldchin groper remain an attraction with birthday boy Graeme Stewart treating himself toan outing which yielded terrific baldies and dhufish. Salmon are around in larger numbers and are widespread with schools popping up at Mindarie, Swanbourne, Centaur Marker and South Beach. Rottnest waters are still producing plenty.  

Beach activity includes fair numbers of yellowfin whiting to the north with some tailor about but a tad patchy. Squid numbers are dropping in northern areas but there are heaps in Cockburn Sound.

The Swan's flathead fishing is better upstream with Maylands a good option. Bream are about as well.  A few squid have shown around the Point Roe and Point Resolution areas. 

DUNSBOROUGH/EAGLE BAY

 Bluewater Morley's Karl Rosenow is a keen salmon chaser and had a great day near Eagle Bay where he caught and released nine. Soft plastics proved the undoing of the fine fighting fish with 5" Snapbacks and 5" Gulp Shad soft plastics doing the trick. Yallingup and Meelup  have large numbers of herring willing to bite with good whiting fishing there too. Squidaction close to shore has been rewarding, later in the afternoon better.

 KALBARRI

 Although the numbers of Spanish mackerel are dropping, there are still some fine fish to pursue. Melbourne angler Caddie Ellis boated a 24kg whopper from the Sand Patch - not bad for her first Mackie. Fourteen year-old local Luke Scheffer bagged his largest to date of 16kg when fishing with his Dad to the south of the cliffs. Others are still managing to bring their quota back to shore with nice reef fish including dhufish, baldchin groper and occasional good pink snapper in bags.

Beach fishing is less consistent. Chopper tailor are reasonable at Red Bluff and Wittecarra Creek along with the odd large tailor landed from near the river mouth. Herring and storm gars are another shore target.

In the Murchison better size bream were located well up the river. Some small mulloway and estuary cod have also been taken. 

EXMOUTH

This week's Exmouth newsletter can be viewed here.