Well known fly fishing angler, casting instructor and photographer Peter Morse will be holding tackle demonstrations at two Bluewater stores in early October.

He will be at Bluewater Melville on Thursday October 8th from 6:30pm and Bluewater Morley on Friday October 9th - with a start time still to be confirmed for the second night. Keep these nights free if you're a keen fly fisho!

Peter will be on hand to answer any questions from the floor, as well as handing out some general advice on tips and techniques.

But the highlight of the night for keen fly fisherman will be some of the latest fly gear from Sage on show.

A few of the new Sage saltwater rods will be introduced - including the Xi3's and a big range of TCX's (5- 10 weights). There will also be the new range of Gillies Wildfish rods on display.

Peter will also talk about a few of the new fly lines from Rio.

Special in-store discounts will apply on both nights, and some pizza for tea.

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While on the subject of Sage fly rods, Owen Nuttridge sent us this nice pic of a solid fly caught sail.

Owen (right) tamed the fish with a 13 weight Sage Xi2 off Exmouth.

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After extensive talks with interested parties and industry players, Fisheries Minister Norman Moore announced a modified package to manage WA's recreational fishing sector. His office issued the following press release this week...

In announcing the new plan, Mr Moore acknowledged the State Government had faced significant challenges in the management of at-risk demersal (bottom-dwelling) species such as dhufish and pink snapper off the West Coast region.  

"On taking office, I ordered a comprehensive independent review of the scientific research that showed high-risk demersal species like dhufish and pink snapper were at risk of overfishing," he said.

"That review substantiated Department of Fisheries' findings that stocks of these popular species were being over-fished at unsustainable levels and that the catch had to be reduced by at least 50 per cent.

"I appreciate the original measures to achieve the reduction target was unpopular but I've always said if there's a better way to achieve the sustainability objectives, I'm prepared to listen.

"And that's what I've done: I've listened, I've reviewed the options and today we are at the cross roads.

"We must cut the catch and a decision about protecting our future fish stocks has to be made.  

"The commercial sector has already achieved the 50 per cent reduction target for at-risk West Coast Demersal species and now it's time for the recreational anglers to do the same." 

The Minister said under the new measures a two-month season closure from October 15 to December 15 would still apply.

Tough new bag limit measures will be introduced to reduce the catch of the vulnerable species, replacing the originally-planned $150 fishing licence for demersal scalefish. 

"The Department of Fisheries will undertake ongoing monitoring of the West Coast region fishery to determine if the new measures are effective enough in mitigating the effects of over-fishing in the area," he said.  

"I am prepared to take tougher measures down the track if a review of these new regulations finds that our catch reduction targets have not been reached." 

"This issue extends beyond any political term; this is about the future of both recreational and commercial fishing in WA and we can't afford to sit on our hands." 

Under the new proposals, people fishing from boats will still require an annual $30 recreational boat fishing licence, which will apply State-wide. 

"All funds generated from the boat and other recreational fishing licences will be held in the Recreational Fishing Trust Fund and all those monies will funnel back into fisheries research, management and compliance," Mr Moore said.

"I think it's a small price for recreational anglers to pay for the future of sustainable fishing." 

Features of the new proposed package include:

- Abolishing the proposed annual $150, fortnightly $60 and daily $20 demersal scalefish licence
- Introducing a mixed daily bag limit of two demersal scalefish, of which only one can be a dhufish
- A daily boat limit of two dhufish will apply, however, there will be a boat limit of six dhufish permitted for charter boats in recognition of the business pressures on charter operators
- A requirement to carry a release weight will apply to all anglers fishing for demersal species, to assist in mitigating barotrauma* and improve survival rates of demersal scalefish returned to the water
- A two-month season closure from October 15 to December 15, inclusive, remains
- The $30 recreational boat fishing licence remains but will only apply to people fishing from registered boats and will be used by researchers to build a database of boat fishers and their catch
- Any non-licensed fishers - not just those under the age of 16 - may fish for free with a licensed fisher provided the provisions of the licensed fisher's daily bag and size limits are honoured
- A simple $15 ‘ticket' system is proposed for charter clients who don't already hold a boat fishing licence
- Standardisation of other fishing licence fees to $40 for marron, lobster, abalone, net fishing and freshwater angling. Licences taken out concurrently are entitled to a 10 per cent discount on the transaction
- All funds raised through the sale of recreational licences will be placed in the Recreational Fishing Trust Fund to exclusively fund activities related to recreational fishing
- A 50 per cent discount for fishing from a registered boat licence will apply for pensioners and people under 16.

The Department of Fisheries aims to complete a review of the current license structure of the Charter Boat Industry by early 2010 which will give greater certainty to these operators and the volume of fish taken by this part of the recreational sector.

The new licensing system is estimated to generate an additional $1.9million to bring the total estimated annual licensing revenue to $4.9million. The current estimated annual revenue from licensing is about $3million made up of $2.7million generated from recreational licences and $300,000 from charter fees.

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

HOT SPOTS

METROPOLITAN

On Sunday morning Bluewater Tackle World Morley's bream expert Karl Rosenow fished East Perth using a soft plastic Berkley 2" Power Grub soft plastic - catching and releasing 15 bream of varying sizes with a few over 30cm. He also had a couple of bust-offs on much larger fish.

The very next morning, using the same gear and in the same spot, he caught only one.

Breaks in the weather have allowed some decent tailor to be taken from northern beaches with some mulloway around too. good gutters along the Scarborough are also worth a shot. Club Capricorn and Yanchep have been tailor hot spots. North Mole turned on its stormy weather snapper with Matt Garwood landing a 6kg pinkie during a windy session but experienced heaps of trouble gaffing it with the big swells. Pink snapper are turning up in Cockburn Sound along with skippy and herring. Squid are still a great prospect. Northern waters are holding a few squid with Little Island among the top spots.

Salmon and mulloway were a pleasant surprise for some Swanbourne and Cottesloe shore anglers. Bream fishing is slow upstream with downstream structures are suggested as a better option.

FRESHWATER

Laith Rickman and Hayden O'Keefe of Bluewater Melville visited fresh water spots around Harvey to try their luck on trout. O'Keefe scoried the points for the day. Lures were by far the best option with O'Keefe picking up a hit with about every six casts with a small gold chrome minnow style lure the stand-out. His first rainbow of the day was about 25cm and his next fish a 41cm trout.

The men moved places regularly, and found fish at almost all of them. They had a few follows from larger brown trout but no hook ups.

ALBANY

The river scene right along the Albany region is severely affected by heavily stained waters pushing out but there has been some bream activity with deep running lures working better. At the river mouthes juvenile salmon, herring and some skippy are on the bite. Mulloway made a good target in the Kalgan. East of Nannerup is offering the best of the conditions for river fishing.

Shore based fishers need to keep a close eye on the conditions, but when appropriate rock fishing at deep water spots can turn up samson fish and queen snapper especially with the use of berley. Salmon are around but patchy, with the Albany Salmon Holes among better places to try. Some salmon are near the 4-5kg mark with many much smaller at 1-1 ½ kg. Quieter beaches are okay for sand whiting, skippy, flathead and herring. Many beaches in the region have been badly chopped up by the nasty seas.

Stained water is also handicapping estuary angling but there are clearer conditions on the western side of Albany Harbour. Clear water towards the islands has yielded king george whiting and squid. Weed at Two Peoples Bay is a problem.

JURIEN

The usual species are the go from Jurien jetties and shore spots with tailor, herring, whiting squid and the odd mulloway being taken. Offshore anglers have returned with dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper.

CARNARVON

Quobba has yielded excellent pink snapper for shore based fishers but the swell has presented dangers and great care is required. There are a few squid near town with the Channels and Boat Harbour well worth a try. Yellowfin bream plentiful in creeks with good numbers making up for the general lack of size. Heaps of small mulloway are being encountered inshore.

Boats heading offshore when conditions allow have found pink snapper and mackerel.

EXMOUTH

This week's Exmouth newsletter can be viewed here.