Albany fishing spots

Albany has sheltered harbours, rivers and some of WA's wildest rock and surf. King George Sound, Princess Royal and Oyster harbours give squid and King George whiting year-round; the Kalgan and King rivers are famous for big black bream and mulloway; and the salmon run hits beaches like Salmon Holes, Nanarup and the Sand Patch in late summer and autumn. South Coast rules apply.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

10 spots here: 9 fished from land and 1 reached only by boat or kayak, plus 6 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our WA South Coast species list for Western Australia. Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.

Under each spot, "Forecast for this spot" opens the app's forecast worked out for that spot: Go, Marginal or No-go for each day of the week ahead, with the best times, wind, waves and tide. Open the forecast.

Spots at a glance

10 spots: Albany
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Sand Patch	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
2. Salmon Holes	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
3. Frenchman Bay & Goode Beach	Bay	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
4. Princess Royal Harbour (boat)	Bay	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
5. Albany Waterfront Marina & Town Jetty	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
6. Middleton Beach	Beach	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
7. Emu Point channel	Channel	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	–
8. Oyster Harbour	Estuary	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
9. Kalgan River	River	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
10. Nanarup Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	no-take zone nearby

1. Sand Patch

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Sand Patch Road west of Albany; steep track down to the beach.
What's good here: In season in October: Western Australian salmon, Australian herring and tailor.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Northerly (offshore) winds and small swell. Faces SSW.
Note: Consistent salmon beach during the run, with herring and tailor at other times.
Safety: Open Southern Ocean surf and strong rips. Steep access track.
Zone: No marine park or proclaimed salmon zone found here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -35.06830, 117.79720 · Open in Google Maps (position: Moodrenup / Sandpatch Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Salmon Holes

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Torndirrup National Park, steep path and steps from the car park.
What's good here: In season in October: Western Australian salmon, Australian herring and silver trevally.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Northerly (offshore) winds with a low swell; never in big southerly swell. Faces S.
Note: Famous salmon beach in the autumn run. The rocks here have claimed many lives: lifejackets are compulsory for anyone on the rocks, and many anglers fish from the sand instead.
Safety: Type 1 lifejacket mandatory on the rocks (on-the-spot fine). King waves sweep the rocks without warning. Steep track: allow time and carry gear safely.
Zone: No marine park here (Torndirrup National Park on land). Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -35.10170, 117.96830 · Open in Google Maps (position: Salmon Holes Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Frenchman Bay & Goode Beach

Type: Bay · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Frenchman Bay Road, Vancouver Peninsula; Misery Beach ramp nearby.
What's good here: Peak in October: King George whiting. Also in season: southern calamari, Australian herring and silver trevally.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Westerly and south-westerly winds (offshore here). Faces NE.
Note: Calm King George Sound bay: whiting close in over sand, squid on the weed, herring and skippy on berley.
Safety: Easterly winds blow straight in.
Zone: No marine park. The HMAS Perth wreck site (no fishing) is about 2.4 km away. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -35.07580, 117.93940 · Open in Google Maps (position: Frenchman Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Princess Royal Harbour (boat)

Type: Bay · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Launch at the Albany waterfront or Little Grove ramps.
What's good here: Peak in October: King George whiting. Also in season: southern calamari, Australian herring and silver trevally.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Fishable in most winds.
Note: Large sheltered harbour: King George whiting and squid year-round over weed and sand, herring and skippy on berley.
Safety: Port shipping lanes: keep clear of ships. Strong winds raise a chop across the harbour.
Zone: No marine park here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -35.04920, 117.88970 · Open in Google Maps (position: Princess Royal Harbour, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Albany Waterfront Marina & Town Jetty

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Albany waterfront, short walk from the CBD.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream. Also in season: Australian herring, southern calamari and Western Australian salmon.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered by the harbour in most winds. Faces S.
Note: Easy-access marina fishing for bream, herring and squid, with salmon passing through at times.
Safety: Boats manoeuvring in the marina.
Zone: No marine park here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -35.03200, 117.88610 · Open in Google Maps (position: Albany Marina Town Jetty, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Middleton Beach

Type: Beach · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Middleton Beach foreshore car parks and Ellen Cove.
What's good here: Peak in October: King George whiting. Also in season: Australian herring and Western Australian salmon.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Northerly to westerly winds (offshore here). Faces SE.
Note: Calm town beach where King George whiting feed close to shore, with herring and the odd passing salmon.
Safety: Patrolled swimming area at Ellen Cove: fish away from swimmers.
Zone: No marine park here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -35.01030, 117.92530 · Open in Google Maps (position: Binalup / Middleton Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Emu Point channel

Type: Channel · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. Emu Point car parks; easy-access boat jetty suits kids and less-mobile anglers.
What's good here: Peak in October: King George whiting. Also in season: southern calamari, silver trevally, Australian herring and samsonfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Northerly winds (offshore here). Faces S.
Note: The channel into Oyster Harbour: King George whiting, squid, skippy and herring, with the occasional samsonfish.
Safety: Strong current in the channel. Busy boat traffic from the harbour.
Zone: No marine park here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -34.99440, 117.94940 · Open in Google Maps (position: Emu Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

8. Oyster Harbour

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Shoreline reserves around Emu Point and Lower King; several ramps.
What's good here: Peak in October: King George whiting and black bream. Also in season: southern calamari and Australian herring. Out of season now: blue swimmer crab.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Fishable in most winds; calm days for kayaks.
Note: Sheltered harbour fed by the King and Kalgan rivers: King George whiting and squid year-round over the weed and sand, herring, and bream near the river mouths.
Safety: Shallow banks: check depth when boating.
Zone: No marine park here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -34.96750, 117.95970 · Open in Google Maps (position: Miaritch / Oyster Harbour, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

9. Kalgan River

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Lower Kalgan ramp, the caravan park and riverside reserves upstream to the bridges.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream and mulloway. Also in season: Australian herring, Western Australian salmon and pink snapper.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered; the river suits windy days.
Note: Trophy black bream (40 cm plus regularly) on lures and river prawns, mulloway in the deep bends after dark (spring is prime), plus herring, juvenile salmon and small pink snapper.
Safety: Snags and steep banks. Surface lures at first and last light: watch your footing in the dark.
Zone: No marine park here. Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
Map: -34.95140, 117.97780 · Open in Google Maps (position: Kalgan River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

10. Nanarup Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Nanarup Road east of Albany; beach car park.
What's good here: In season in October: Western Australian salmon, Australian herring and tailor.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Westerly to north-westerly winds (offshore here). Faces SSE.
Note: Long beach east of town that is a consistent salmon spot in the run, with herring and tailor at other times.
Safety: Surf and rips. Commercial salmon crews work the beach in season.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. Nanarup Beach is a proclaimed commercial salmon fishing zone from 15 Feb to 30 Apr: keep clear of netting crews and check DPIRD for what applies to anglers. Guide only, not for navigation: check wa.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -34.99390, 118.07170 · Open in Google Maps (position: Nanarup Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

6 public boat ramps are listed for Albany, with positions from Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033). Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.

Boat ramps: Albany
Ramp	Notes	Position
Little Grove boat ramp	Sealed, 2 lanes, Princess Royal Harbour (DoT data).	-35.06650, 117.87874 Google Maps
Albany waterfront boat ramp	Sealed, 2 lanes, 1 finger jetty, Princess Royal Harbour (DoT data).	-35.03174, 117.88992 Google Maps
Emu Point boat ramp	Sealed, 2 lanes, 2 finger jetties; paddle craft launch from the beach (DoT data).	-34.99464, 117.94419 Google Maps
Lower King boat ramp	Sealed, 1 lane, 1 finger jetty, King River/Oyster Harbour (DoT data).	-34.95945, 117.94616 Google Maps
King River boat ramp	Unsealed, 1 lane (DoT data).	-34.94413, 117.94997 Google Maps
Misery Beach (Whaling Station) boat ramp	Sealed, 1 lane, Frenchman Bay (DoT data).	-35.09497, 117.96355 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Albany in October: King George whiting, black bream and mulloway. Of the 20 species our WA South Coast list has for this part of the coast, 3 peak in October 2026 and 15 more are in season.

Peak in October: King George whiting, black bream and mulloway.

Also in season: Australian herring, Western Australian salmon, southern calamari, silver trevally, tailor, samsonfish, pink snapper, yellowfin whiting, school whiting, tarwhine, southern bluespotted flathead, yellowtail kingfish, WA dhufish, queen snapper and bight redfish.

Out of season in October: blue swimmer crab (best Mar–May); southern bluefin tuna (best Jan–Apr).

Seasons are closure-aware: a species is never listed as in season, for the area or at a spot, while it is closed there; a closure for part of the area says where. Species links go to our South East Queensland species guides, with Queensland's limits: Western Australia's own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

No licence for shore fishing. Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence (RFBL) for any fishing from or using a powered boat: $40/yr, half price concession (DPIRD, Oct 2026). Separate $50 licences for rock lobster, abalone and netting. Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Western Australia's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at Albany

South Coast demersal limits (from 1 June 2026): 4 demersals a day incl. max 1 dhufish and 2 pink snapper (45 cm minimum); carry a release weight when boat fishing for demersals.
Salmon Holes (Torndirrup National Park): Type 1 lifejacket compulsory on the rocks.
Proclaimed commercial salmon zones at Nanarup, Shelley Beach, Torbay, Two Peoples Bay and other beaches in season.
HMAS Perth wreck site: no fishing.
South Coast crab bag 20.

Marine parks and no-take zones

A no-take zone starts close to Nanarup Beach: its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Albany

The south coast is treacherous: unpredictable swell sweeps rock platforms; wear a lifejacket and tie off where you can.
Salmon Holes: lifejackets compulsory on the rocks.
Sharks follow the salmon schools.

Western Australia: official links

Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: WA coastal and local waters forecast map and current warnings.

Boating: Western Australia boating safety and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Powered boats <4.8m: everyone wears L100+ when >400m offshore in unprotected waters. >=4.8m there: children 1-12 wear L100+. PWC: always. Paddle craft <4.8m: wear L50S+ >400m offshore.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Marine Rescue WA (Volunteer Marine Rescue Service, DFES). Log on and off by marine radio with the local marine rescue group every trip, or use the Log on Log off (LOLO) feature in the DECKEE app, which notifies Marine Rescue WA.

Marine parks and closed areas: DPIRD - marine protected areas and fishing, WA recreational fishing rules site (interactive MPA maps) and Australian Marine Parks (North-west and South-west networks).

Water Police HF watch: Water Police monitor HF 4125, 6215 and 8291 kHz 24/7; VHF 16/67 Perth metro only. More.

Western Australia's official rules: size and bag limits and closed seasons and areas (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Emergency: 000 (112 from mobiles) · VHF channel 16 for distress.

Nearby fishing areas

Augusta (about 268 km west)
Bunbury (about 286 km north-west)
Busselton and Dunsborough (about 293 km north-west)
Mandurah and the Peel-Harvey (about 340 km north-west)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in Western Australia · all fishing spot guides.

Sources and checked dates

Spot and ramp positions: Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and the state and territory naming authorities), CC BY 4.0, ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) (Australian Bureau of Statistics), CC BY 4.0 and Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033) (Western Australian Department of Transport), CC BY 4.0; gazetteer and ABS positions through our place index. Guide only, not for navigation.
Spot research checked 9 Oct 2026 and fact-checked 9 Oct 2026; species seasons and rules checked 9 Oct 2026; safety links checked 9 Oct 2026. Text in our own words.
Research sources: recfishwest.org.au (Albany spot knowledge: harbours, Emu Point channel, town marina, salmon beaches, rock fishing safety); recfishwest.org.au (Kalgan River bream and mulloway, seasons and methods); wa.gov.au (Mandatory lifejackets at Salmon Holes); wa.gov.au (Nanarup Beach proclaimed fishing zone (15 Feb-30 Apr)); wa.gov.au (HMAS Perth wreck site no-fishing order); dpird.wa.gov.au (DPIRD bag and size limits (pink snapper size zones, crab limits)); public-services.slip.wa.gov.au (DPIRD Fisheries Guide map service (DPIRD-061 consolidated notices and orders): closure, marine park order and FHPA polygons used for the zone check); catalogue.data.wa.gov.au (WA Department of Transport Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033), CC BY 4.0: ramp coordinates, lanes and finger jetties).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.