# Perth WA Yak New Where Do You Go



## magpie2009 (Nov 13, 2009)

Hi All, am new to this forum and have bought a Yak. Nothung huge or special but have from photos on here done mine up pretty good.
Don't have a clue where to go or what the hell I'm doing but am trying it out for a thrill.
I own a 16 foot boat but this Yak fishing thing looks more extreme. I've noticed no posting from Perth maybe I'm one of
the first here. Am thinking about taking the Yak on the boat out to reefs off Perth but want to know the dangers and the know how.
Would love to hear from anyone around or afar from here.
All The Best,
Magpie


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, for local knowledge check out the W.A kayak fishing forums thats where the fishing trips are organised each week.

Enjoy your stay at AKFF and hopefully we will see you on the water soon,,cheers,,,


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## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

Welcome mate. You will find that there are a few members from Perth and other West Oz locations on the forum. As Shorty has mentioned, there is also a "local" WA located forum that you will be able to find out about planned fishing trips on and meet other yakers through.
Check out AKFF thoroughly too, as there is a wealth of info here for newbies and oldies alike ;-) 
Happy yaking!


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## mustrumr (Feb 27, 2009)

Welcome Magpie! There's quite a few of us around the Perth area, both north and south of the river. If you are new to yakking it's probably best to get used to your kayak in the river before heading offshore.

There are plenty of good launch sites in the Canning and around The Swan where you can have a paddle and try for bream and chopper tailor, or mulloway (I wish :lol: ). Anywhere is good, except that Blackwall Reach down to Fremantle can have fast tidal flows, so further upstream is better unless you are a strong confident paddler. Try Burswood foreshore, Shelley Beach, Bull Creek, Freshwater Bay, Crawley Bay, Point Walter, Ashfield, Guildford, etc etc - they are all good, though watch out for powerboats in the busier sections.

If you are heading offshore for the first time you won't find an easier or safer place than Penguin Island, though on the west side of the island you need to watch out for the bommies and reef ledges, especially if the swell is up a bit. Can be good fishing too. North of the river you can launch at the beach just to the north of the Hillarys Marina, right next to the groyne. It's normally pretty protected in most swells, but if the swell is big (by Perth standards :lol: ) or if it's a north swell it can be a bit tricky. There's Cow Rocks, and lots of small reefs close inshore. There are other launch sites too, but those are the easiest I know.

When the Snapper season reopens you'll find a lot of us fishing in Cockburn Sound, either launching from Woodmans Point or near the boat ramps just south of there - again, very safe and protected launches, but the powerboats can be a worry.

For any offshore work you must carry the mandatory safety gear: A PFD 1 (lifejacket - you aren't actually required to wear it, but you must have one on board. Lots of guys wear a smaller PFD 3 and keep a PFD 1 in a hatch - it's your choice); a set of four flares; an effective anchor (a reef pick isn't acceptable, and it's not clear from the regs whether a grapnel anchor is either, though that's what I carry); a bailer bucket or bilge pump. More information here: http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/19089.asp

This is for inshore waters to 2 nautical miles - you have to carry more stuff if you are going further, though you don't have to have an EPIRB in Perth waters out as far as Rottnest. Check the map here: http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/19164.asp . If you are intending to do any night fishing, either in the river or offshore you need an all-round white light mounted higher than your head.

This is just the compulsory stuff (you can get fined for not having it). Have a look through the Safety forum for what other people carry - it varies from person to person but there are some really good ideas. Water, nibblies, a safety knife, a first aid kit, maybe a VHF or UHF radio, an EPIRB or PLB, a compass, a V-sheet etc etc- trouble is if you take it all, it will sink the kayak.

Hope to meet up with you soon - there are always trips being organised on the WA forum.

Cheers,


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## Oirish (Oct 12, 2009)

No there are a few of us out here all right, we are just too busy catching fish to have time to post !!!!!!
I'm new to this game too having only gotten my yak in november but am having a ball, I usually fish close to shore between freo and cott and have had some smashing days on good sized skippy, tailor and juvenile snapper ( some decent sized though still too small). I usually anchor up and use a burley bucket and generally have fish in the trail within minutes though do need to move regularily due to the blowies catching up with me.I had a hammerhead take a floated yellowtail of cott last week too. I am heading out in the am off of leighton, hopefully that 3 mtr tiger that closed the beaches today will have buggered off otherwise I might be on & news..watch out for me!!!! If you want a buddy to head out with some time give me a shout.


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