Pink Snapper

Chrysophrys auratus

Much sought after bottom species. Grows to about 10kg in Kalbarri waters. More common in winter over reef structure when they move inshore. Minimum size 410mm & 4 per angler.

Red emperor

Lutjanus sebae

Not often caught but found over soft corals in 45m or more. Minimum size 410mm and 2 per angler.

Red-throat emperor

Sweetlip emperor or Lethrinus miniatus

One of the common nor'west snappers, caught on most reef edges. Great eating, but don't grow much bigger than this in Kalbarri. Minimum size 280mm Max 4 per person.

Baldchin Groper

Choerodon rubescens

Hard fighting and top quality table fish. Grows to about 8kgs in Kalbarri waters. Found over coral outcrops. Minimum size 400mm & 4 per angler.

Coral Trout

Plectropomus leopardus

Uncomon catch, a bonus when hooked, five star eating. Minimum size limit 450mm & 1 per angler

Dhufish

Glaucosoma hebraicum

Everyone wants to catch one. Grows to around 15kgs in Kalbarri waters. Caught over rock and reef. Schools up in shallow water to spawn in June/July when many are caught. Minimum size 500mm & 2 per angler.

Spangled Emperor

Lethrinus nebulosus

Not very common but great to catch. Same habits & locations as pink snapper. Min. size 410mm & 4 per person.

Skippy

Silver Trevally or Pseudocaranx denyex

These great little fighters are very common in winter over good reef structure. They grow to quite respectable sizes in Kalbarri and are good eating. Min. size 250mm max 8 per person.

Brassy trevally

Carnnx papuensis

Very uncommon catch. First seen in Kalbarri that I can recall. It was swimming with a golden trevally. This is a big one of the species. No min. size.

Golden trevally

Gnathanodon speciosus

An uncommon catch usually around August to October. Very tough fighters inhabiting good reef structure. No min. size limit max. 2 per person.

Esturay Cod

Epinephelus coioides

Small ones are common but big ones are hard to get up from the bottom. Min. size limit 400mm. Maximum size 1000mm or 30kgs. 2 per angler

Rankin Cod

Epinephelus multinotatus

Real name white-blotched rockcod, but better known as rankin cod. A great catch over good reef country, with some fish up to 9kgs. Very good eating & unfortunatly not very common in Kalbarri. Bag limit 2 fish no size limit.

Breaksea Cod

Epinephelides arnatus

A common fish caught on all the reef systems around Kalbarri. Also know as black arse cod because of the black marking on anal vent. Good eating. Min. size 300mm and max. 4 per person.

Coral Cod

Cephalopholis miniata

Looks alot like a coral trout but does not grow as big. Very pretty fish not often caught. No size limit but best let go.

Painted Sweetlips

Diagramma labiosum

Fairly common catch, pull like hell. poor eating quality especially when they get into this size range, Min. size 300mm.

Gold Spotted sweetlips

Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus

A very common catch, not worth keeping due to poor eating quality. Min. size 300mm.

Mulloway

Argyrosomus hololepidotus

Caught mainly at night, evening or morning from shore. Occasional fish caught from boats on reef structure during the day. Minimum size 500mm & 2 per angler.

Mangrove Jacks

Lutjanus argentimaculatus

Like structure around the jetties and well up river. Fillet, prawn & live baits. Minimum size 300mm & 2 per angler.

Tailor

Pomatomus saltatrix

Jumbo tailor abound in Kalbarri. Fish the white water around reef breaks. Best times - early morning & late evening. Min. size 300mm & 8 per angler with max 2 fish over 600mm.

Spotted Javelinfish

pomadasys kaakan

Not often caught but takes baits set for black bream in the river. Southern range for this warm water fish. Min. size 300mm.

Black Bream

Acanthopagrus butcheri

The most targeted and common in the river estuary and right up river. Prawn baits soft plastics and small minow lures. Minimum size 250mm Max 4 fish.

Tarwhine

Rhabdosargus sarba

Some times called silver bream. Inhabits coral reefs in shallow water up to 25m. Juviniles found in the estuary. Bites and fights like a snapper. Min. size 250mm & 16 per angler.

Bar-Tailed Flathead

Platycephalus endrachtensis

Small specimens are abundant over sand, but larger specimens like this one are found close to reef. Usually a bycatch but good eating. Minimum size 300 & 8 per person.

Yellow- Finned Whiting

Sillago schomburgkii

Bread & butter fish sought after in the river and from the ocean beaches where most of the larger specimens come from. Caught on small fillets, prawns and blood worms. No min. size limit and 16 per angler.

Dolphinfish (Mahi mahi)

Coryphaena hippurus

Exciting fish to catch, but not often caught. Leaps from the water frequently. Good eating fresh. Min. size 500mm & 2 per angler.

Narrow-barred spanish mackerel

Scomberomorus commerson

Most common mackerel caught. Mainly caught trolling lures and baits, but also on drifted and set baits. Jan - July only. Minimum size 900mm & 2 per angler.

Broad-Barred Spanish Mackerel

Scomberomoruc semifasciatus

Uncommon, caught occasionally trolling. This is a National & State junior 6kg line class record at 9.5kgs. Minimum size 750mm & 2 per angler.

Shark Mackerel

Grammatorcynus bicarinatus

Uncommon, sometimes caught in Jan/Feb. Minumum size 500mm & 2 per angler.

Australian Spotted Mackerel

Scomberomorus munroi

Caught occasionally while trolling for narrow-barred mackerel usually January & February. Minimum size 500mm Max 4 per angler.

Samson Fish

Seriola hippos

Great fun to catch but best returned as poor quality eating. Minimum size 600mm & 2 per angler.

Amberjack

Seriola dumerili

Fairly common catch, usually miss identified as a samson fish. Caught often on lures. Very tough fighters. poor eating. Minimum size 600mm & 2 per angler.

Yellowtail Kingfish

Seriola lalandi valenciennes

Caught fairly often taking lures set for mackerel and sometimes from the bottom on baits. Min. size 600mm & 2 per angler.

Whaler Shark

Carcharhinus species

Sharks are hard to identify, and are not usually kept by anglers. Big sharks have a build up of heavy metals so any fish over 1.5m is a health risk to eat. They are frequently caught from the bottom as a by catch and usually bite through the line before being brought to the boat. They are also known to take lures and sometimes hooked fish. No size limit and 2 per angler.

Pencil Shark

Hypogaleus hyugaenis

Northern most range for this species. Sometimes misidentified as a gummy shark. Caught as a bycatch over reef areas. Grows to about 1.5m and has small fine teeth. Thrashes around alot when landed.

Yellow-fin tuna

Thunnus alalunga

Most common tuna. Very strong fighters. A challenge on any tackle. Caught mainly on lures set for mackerel and tend to come from 25m deep or more areas. No size limit & 2 per angler

Skipjack tuna

Kalsuwonis pelamis

A very fast swiming tuna that changes direction quickly when hooked. Great little fighters caught mainly from February to May. Does not grow very big in Kalbarri with a 5kg fish the upper limit. No size limit, max 8 per angler.

Mackerel Tuna

Euthynnus affinis

Not a very common tuna for this area. Identified by the stripes on the back and 3 small dots on the belly. Grows to around 15kg taking lures and chrome slices cast to working schools. No size limit, 8 per angler.s

Big-eye Tuna

Thunnus obesus

Similar to yellow-fin but not as common. Same habits. No size limit & 2 per angler.

Cobia

Rachycentron canadus

A game fish taking lures but often caught on the bottom. Size limit 750mm & 2 per angler.

Black Marlin

Makaira indica

A lucky few hook up to these game fish but are far too rare around here. No size limit.

Blue-Barred Parrotfish

Scarus ghobban

A very local resident fish, caught mainly on reef with little fishing pressure. Easily fished out and not common. This one is a female.

Nor'west Blowie

Silver toadfish or Lagocephalus scleratus

Common puffer fish. don't eat these they are poisonous.

Western Red Scorpion Cod

Scorpaena sumptuosa

Caught over reefs & can be a nuisance. One of the gurnard species. Do not touch these as the fin spikes are poisonous.

Sand Bass

Psammoperca waigiensis

Not a comon catch. Inhabits reef with weed. Colour is varable from silver to dark brown.

Long-Spined Snapper

Argyrops spinifer

Rarely caught but of interest. Has a very long red spine in the top dorsal fin. Best released.

Unicorn Leatherjacket

Aluterus monoceros

This is the only one of this species caught from my boats, quite weird looking.

Black Damsel Fish

Neoglyphidodon nigroris

One of the many coral reef fish. An incidental catch that should never be kept. Always return them to the water.

Stripey Seaperch

Lutjanus carponotatus

Another uncommon catch, this one took a bait set for snapper on good reef structure in 25m of water. Min. size 300mm & 2 per person.

Western King Wrasse

Coris auricularis

Very common over reef and coral but due to it's small size not often caught. Grows to a max size of about 300mm.

Black-striped wrasse

Coris pictoides

A small wrasse not often caught due to it's small size. Grows to 300mm, best returned

Wrasse

Halichoeres species

One of the many wrasse caught that defy identification by the lay person.

Dottyback

Ogilbyina species

Small wrasse type fish, very colourfull, not often caught due to it's small size.

Gold-spot Pigfish

Bodianus perditio

Occasionally caught and looks a bit like a wrasse. They don't grow much bigger than this and best released.

Threadfin Emperor

Lethrinus genivittatus

Very common over sand and weed bottoms near reef. Grows to about 250mm, so not a target species.

Yellow-Striped Goatfish

Parupeneus chrysopleuron

An incidental bycatch caught over sand and weed bottoms. A small fish not usually targetet. Max. size around 300mm.

Blackspot goatfish

Parupeneus spilurus

Incidental catch over reef and sand. This is about as big as they get.

Southern Drummer

Kyphosus bigibbus

Also known as a silver drummer, is an uncommon catch as it usually feeds on weed like a buff bream. Puts up a great fight but dissapointing as they are inedible.

Western Blue Devil

Paraplesiops meleagris

Common by catch over reef and coral. Small size means it is not worth keeping and should be let go. max. size about 250mm.

Black Stingray

Dasyatis thetidis

Caught infrequently and very hard to stop and bring up from the bottom. Will not give up! Has poisonous spines at the base of it's tail. Grows to 65kgs and 1800mm dia. disc.

Striped Stingaree

Trygonoplera ovalis

Small ray caught infrequently, spine on tail venomous so handle with care and return to the depths.

Banded Wobbegong

Orectolobus ornatus

Quite a common catch over reef areas. Feels like a heavy weight when pulling it up to the surface. Very little edible flesh on a fish this size, so best released. Can grow to 3 metres in length.

Black-Tipped Cod

Epinephelus fasciatus

Common catch over reefy ground. Usually caught when the fishing has shut down. Grows to about 300mm, hardly worth keeping, best released.

Smudgespot spinefoot

Siganus canaliculatus

Also known as "Happy Moments" due to it's poisonous spines. Anglers that get spiked experience a surge of euphoria a few seconds before the pain sets in. Caught occasionally in the winter months. Probabally more common than thought as they have a small mouth so do not get hooked easily.

Catfish

Arius thalassinus

Unusual catch, occasional specimens take bait while fishing for reef fish. Grows to around 600mm here but much bigger further north. Saltwater caught fish can be eaten & said to be good.

Sergeant Baker

Aulopus purpurlissatus

Sometimes prolific over reef & coral. Agressive preditor but only growing to about 400mm here. Best cut up for bait immediatly to catch dhuefish.

Large-scaled Grinner

Saurida undosquamis

Quite a few are caught over reef structure. Identified by their huge mouth for their body size. Must be an awsome predator, but do not grow much bigger than this.

Moray Eel

Gymnothorax species

Small specimens are caught over reef areas, tangling and knotting themselves around fishing lines. Bite is painfull and has anticoagulant properties, stay clear.

Cuttlefish

Cephalopoda sepia apama

Sometimes gets tangled and hooked on bait. Can get much bigger than this. Be carefull they can squirt vast amounts of black ink making a mess of the boat.

Western Frogfish

Batrachomoeus occidentalis

Unusual catch over reef country. Has poisonous spines so keep clear. Grows to about 200mm.

West Australian Rock Lobster

Panulirus & Jasus spp.

Sometimes call a crayfish and is the main commercial catch out from Kalbarri. Recreational fishers catch them in pots or by diving. A recreational license is required and bag and size limits apply, Very good eating and easy to catch early December to Early January during the "Run of the Whites"

Mud Crab

Scylla spp.

Caught in drop-nets anywhere in the river. Mainly Jan - June. Minimum size 150mm.

Blue Swimmer Crab

Portunus pelagicus

The most common type of crab in the river system. Caught with drop nets and scooping from the estuary mouth right up to the end of the tidal influence. min. size 127mm, bag limit 20 and boat limit 40.

Roe's Abalone

Haliotis roei

These tasty shellfish are found on most reef edges around Kalbarri. Usually just out of reach in the surf zone. Collecting them can be risky and a low swell and low tide is best. W.A. Fisheries licence is required and 20 per person max. Season opens 1st October to 15th May, from the Greenough River, north to the Northern Territory border.