Jurien Bay is a popular holiday fishing destination located 220km north of Perth.

The bay features clear shallow water and an abundance of broken seagrass/sand bottom, with some north-south breaking coastal reef, and several inshore islands.

A mix of temperate and tropical species is caught.

Inshore fishing produces mainly tailor, herring, sand whiting, king george whiting, flathead, silver trevally and sharks. Rays are abundant at times.

Squid and blue swimmer crabs are usually easy to find, with the calm waters inside the marina as good as anywhere to catch them.

Inshore fishos also have a chance of catching bigger fish such as samson, mulloway, kingfish, mackerel and snapper.

Jurien Bay jetty and marina rock walls fish well for a range of species.

Green Head lies a 30-minute drive north, and Cervantes is 25 minutes to the south, with many fishable beaches and headlands between, along with the typical fringing reef that appears in much of the WA inshore coastal waters.

A local feature is rafts of beached and free-floating weed, usually in winter. Fishing is difficult when the weed is thick.

Inshore and landbased fishing at Jurien Bay tends to be best on bigger tides at dawn and dusk.

As the water is generally very clear and quite heavily fished, fresh or live baits help lure the bigger fish into striking.

Offshore fishing produces dhufish, crayfish, baldchin, snapper, breaksea cod, mulloway, mackerel, samson, kingfish and more, along with tuna and billfish out wide.

The range of northern coral trout and the similar southern harlequin fish intersect here, redthroat emperor are also caught, with red emperor found on the deeper grounds.

Dhufish are what most Jurien Bay boaters hope to catch, and these are usually found from 20m deep onwards, but are sometimes caught in shallower water around reefs.

Jurien Bay marina has a sheltered boat ramp, while some boaters choose to beach launch at nearby locations.

Beach launching small boats can be done in suitable conditions using a 4WD vehicle.

For those with trailerboats, there are lee areas near Boullanger and Tern Islands at the south end of the bay, but note the large sanctuary zone.

Tiny Favourite Island lies just 3.3km west of Jurien Bay marina, while 7km west of the marina are patches of breaking reef that are important local fishing spots.

One of these patches is ‘Seaward Ledge’ at approx 30 17.443S 114 58.279E, with another patch 2km north at approx 30 16.291S 114 58.334E. ‘The Boomer’ is a named patch that lies 2.7km south of Seaward Ledge at approx 30 18.894S 114 58.171E, with more breaking and submerged reef running roughly north and south in this area, marking the north-south line where the seabed starts dropping away into deeper water.

These reefs are a gathering point for pelagic fish such as mackerel.

When the local offshore FAD is in place in summer, dolphin fish (mahi mahi), wahoo, tuna and billfish are caught.

Winter fishing sees fewer species around, but usually with calmer weather.

To the south, Cervantes is another great fishing location.

Jurien Bay fishing spots

Hill River – 10km south of Jurien Bay, 4WD access only. This small river usually is landlocked at the mouth. It is a scenic spot, with black bream in the river and the nearby beach producing mulloway, tailor and sharks. The small point to the north also fishes well for tailor and occasional mulloway.

Island Point – this shallow area is at the south end of Jurien Bay, it has mainly tailor, silver trevally, herring, whiting and squid in the shallows in calm weather.

Jurien Bay jetty – this small platform is popular in the holidays and it can produce almost anything. The site is quite protected from southerlies thanks to the curve of the bay. Best at dawn, dusk and at night. Squid and herring under lights.

Marina rock walls – great spot for tailor, silver trevally, mulloway, herring, trevally, flathead, whiting.

Middle Head – this is north of Jurien marina. tailor and silver trevally.

North Head – 12km from Jurien Bay, 4WD access only. Beach fishing in designated areas north and south of the head for mostly squid, whiting, trevally, tailor and herring. The rest of the area, including the extensive shallow reef and seagrass located between North Head and Sandy Point, lies in a marine sanctuary zone.

Sandy Point – can be reached by 2WD but other beaches in this region require 4WD. Sandy Point is popular in the holidays. Lots of shallow reef and seagrass around the point but a sanctuary zone begins towards North Head.

Jurien Bay Marine Park

The park begins south of Wedge Island (South Rocks) and runs to Dynamite Bay in Green Head.

Within the park are the towns of Green Head, Jurien Bay and Cervantes.

The park consists of six zone types: no-take sanctuary zones, a special purpose (puerulus monitoring) zone, special purpose (scientific reference) zones, special purpose (shore-based activities) zones, aquaculture zones and a general use zone.

Recreational fishing can be done in most park areas but special rules or bans apply in some zones.

Jurien Bay fishing calendar

Crabs – summer.
Herring – all year. Use berley and small hooks. They bite day and night but switch on and off.
Mackerel – usually December to April, with spanish and shark mackerel along the inshore reefs.
Dhufish – all year, usually caught around deeper reefs, but some are caught on shallow reefs and very occasionally from headlands.
flathead – all year, best in summer.
Mulloway – all year, best in summer.
Pink snapper – widely available on reefy ground.
Samson – summer.
Trevally (Skippy) – winter for bigger fish.
Tailor – all year, best in summer.
Yellowfin tuna – summer.
Whiting – all year.
Squid – all year.