Busselton and Dunsborough fishing spots
Geographe Bay is calm, north-facing water: Busselton Jetty and the Port Geographe walls give squid, herring and skippy, samsonfish visit the jetty, and small boats chase King George whiting, squid and crabs over sand and weed. Towards Dunsborough the water clears and the capes coast brings salmon in autumn. Much of the bay is in Ngari Capes Marine Park, which has sanctuary zones.
Updated
5 spots here: 4 fished from land and 1 reached only by boat or kayak, plus 6 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our Perth and South West 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
| Spot | Type | Fished from | Water | Marine park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Port Geographe marina walls | Breakwall | Land-based | Bay, estuary or river | Ngari Capes Marine Park |
| 2. Busselton Jetty | Jetty | Land-based | Bay, estuary or river | Ngari Capes Marine Park; no-take zone nearby |
| 3. Geographe Bay (boat) | Bay | Boat and kayak | Bay, estuary or river | Ngari Capes Marine Park; no-take zone nearby |
| 4. Dunsborough foreshore (Point Dalling) | Beach | Land-based, boat and kayak | Bay, estuary or river | Ngari Capes Marine Park |
| 5. Canal Rocks | Rocks | Land-based | Ocean coast | Ngari Capes Marine Park; no-take zone nearby |
1. Port Geographe marina walls
- Type
- Breakwall · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based. Marina car parks east of Busselton; public ramp inside.
- What's good here
- In season in October: Australian herring, southern calamari, silver trevally and tailor. Out of season now: blue swimmer crab.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Southerly winds (offshore here); northerlies push swell onto the walls. Faces N.
- Note
- Marina breakwalls east of town: herring, skippy and squid, tailor at dawn and dusk, and crabs in the shallows north of the marina.
- Safety
- Uneven rock walls. Boats entering and leaving the marina.
- Zone
- The marina is outside Ngari Capes Marine Park, whose waters start about 1 km away; the nearest sanctuary zone (East Geographe Bay) is about 4 km away. Guide only, not for navigation: check wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -33.63190, 115.39310 · Open in Google Maps (position: Port Geographe Marina, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
2. Busselton Jetty
- Type
- Jetty · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based. Town foreshore; a jetty day pass is needed during opening hours; no fishing gear on the jetty train.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: mulloway. Also in season: southern calamari, Australian herring, silver trevally and samsonfish. Out of season now: blue swimmer crab.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Southerly winds (offshore here); northerlies make the outer end rough. Faces N.
- Note
- The 1.8 km jetty: squid and herring along its length, crabs by drop net or night scooping in season, samsonfish and the odd mulloway around the deep pylons. Coordinate is the gazetted jetty (shore end).
- Safety
- Wire traces banned within 400 m of the jetty. Platforms and ladders shared with swimmers and divers.
- Zone
- No-take zone nearby. Busselton Jetty Sanctuary Zone around the Underwater Observatory at the far end: no fishing (a local law also bans fishing past a point about 50 m before the observatory). Guide only, not for navigation: check wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -33.64390, 115.34420 · Open in Google Maps (position: Busselton Jetty, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
3. Geographe Bay (boat)
- Type
- Bay · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Boat and kayak. Launch from Port Geographe, Abbey Beach, Quindalup or Dunsborough.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: King George whiting. Also in season: southern calamari, Australian herring and silver trevally. Out of season now: blue swimmer crab.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Southerly and south-easterly winds (offshore); northerly fronts make it rough.
- Note
- Sand, weed and reef patches for King George whiting (fish where weed meets sand), squid and crabs; herring and skippy on berley. Boat demersal fishing is closed for now.
- Safety
- North-westerly fronts build a short, steep sea. Busselton Jetty and its sanctuary zone: keep clear.
- Zone
- No-take zone nearby. Busselton Jetty, Central Geographe Bay and East Geographe Bay sanctuary zones are in the bay: check the zoning map before anchoring. Guide only, not for navigation: check wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -33.62500, 115.31940 · Open in Google Maps (position: Geographe Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
4. Dunsborough foreshore (Point Dalling)
- Type
- Beach · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based, boat and kayak. Foreshore parking at Dunsborough; Point Dalling ramp.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: King George whiting. Also in season: southern calamari, Australian herring and school whiting.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Southerly to westerly winds (offshore here). Faces NE.
- Note
- Clear, sheltered water with weed and sand: squid, whiting and herring from the shore and small boats, especially on calm mornings.
- Safety
- Swimmers along the foreshore in summer.
- Zone
- No sanctuary zone within 2.5 km; the Cape Naturaliste proclaimed salmon zone starts about 1.9 km north and Eagle Bay sanctuary zone lies beyond it. Guide only, not for navigation: check wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -33.60070, 115.10650 · Open in Google Maps (position: Point Dalling, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
5. Canal Rocks
- Type
- Rocks · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
- Access
- Land-based. Canal Rocks Road off Caves Road; car park and small ramp.
- What's good here
- In season in October: Australian herring, silver trevally and tailor. Out of season now: Western Australian salmon.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Easterly (offshore) winds and small swell only. Faces W.
- Note
- Granite ledges on the capes coast where salmon pass in the autumn run, with herring, skippy and tailor at other times.
- Safety
- Granite is slippery and swell surges without warning: wear a lifejacket. Never fish wave-washed ledges in big swell.
- Zone
- No-take zone nearby. Wyadup sanctuary zone (no fishing) starts about 400 m south; Injidup sanctuary further south. Guide only, not for navigation: check wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -33.67020, 114.99830 · Open in Google Maps (position: Canal Rocks Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
Boat ramps
6 public boat ramps are listed for Busselton and Dunsborough, with positions from Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033). Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.
| Ramp | Notes | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Port Geographe Marina public boat ramp | Sealed, 6 lanes, 3 finger jetties (DoT data). | -33.62980, 115.39546 Google Maps |
| Abbey Beach boat ramp | Sealed, 2 lanes, 1 finger jetty (DoT data). | -33.65688, 115.25666 Google Maps |
| Quindalup boat ramp | Sealed, 2 lanes, 1 finger jetty (DoT data). | -33.63181, 115.14878 Google Maps |
| Dunsborough (Point Dalling) boat ramp | Sealed, 1 lane, 1 finger jetty (DoT data). | -33.60109, 115.10543 Google Maps |
| Canal Rocks boat ramp | Sealed, 1 lane, 1 finger jetty (DoT data); exposed ocean coast. | -33.67033, 114.99632 Google Maps |
| Georgette Street boat ramp | Unsealed beach ramp in Busselton (DoT data). | -33.64190, 115.35428 Google Maps |
What's biting here in October?
In peak season at Busselton and Dunsborough in October: King George whiting, mulloway and black bream. Of the 23 species our Perth and South West list has for this part of the coast, 3 peak in October 2026 and 11 more are in season.
Peak in October: King George whiting, mulloway and black bream.
Also in season: Australian herring, silver trevally, southern calamari, tailor, school whiting, samsonfish, yellowfin whiting, tarwhine, southern bluespotted flathead, yellowtail kingfish and pink snapper.
Closed now for some fishing only: pink snapper (closed to boat and kayak fishing, until spring 2027).
Closed now in part of the area: blue swimmer crab in Swan-Canning rivers to Minninup Beach (15 km south of Bunbury), incl. Cockburn Sound, Peel-Harvey and Leschenault (1 September to 30 November); pink snapper in Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds incl. waters west to Five Fathom Bank - land and boat (1 August to 31 January).
Out of season in October: blue swimmer crab (best Jan–Apr); Western Australian salmon (best Mar–May); western king prawn (best Dec–Mar); mahi mahi (best Jan–Apr).
Seen now and then, so not rated: Spanish mackerel, WA dhufish, queen snapper, bight redfish and southern bluefin tuna.
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 Busselton and Dunsborough
- Ngari Capes Marine Park sanctuary zones (e.g. Busselton Jetty, Central and East Geographe Bay, Eagle Bay, Cape Naturaliste, Yallingup, Wyadup, Injidup): no fishing.
- Busselton Jetty: no fishing at the far end (sanctuary zone and City local law); wire traces banned within 400 m of the jetty and within 800 m of the Busselton foreshore.
- Geographe Bay crab bag 10 (max 5 female), boat 20.
- Smiths Beach and Cape Naturaliste are proclaimed commercial salmon zones 1 Mar-31 May: keep clear of netting crews.
- West Coast demersal closure (16 Dec 2025 until DPIRD reopens it, planned spring 2027): no demersal scalefish (pink snapper, dhufish, baldchin, cods etc.) from boats or kayaks; shore and jetty line fishing stays open, mixed bag 2.
- Pink snapper minimum size 50 cm.
Marine parks and no-take zones
The zone notes here name Ngari Capes Marine Park. A no-take zone starts close to Busselton Jetty, Geographe Bay (boat) and Canal Rocks: each one's zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.
Safety at Busselton and Dunsborough
- Capes coast rock platforms (Canal Rocks and beyond) are dangerous in swell: wear a lifejacket.
- North-westerly winter fronts make Geographe Bay rough.
- Busselton Jetty: shared platforms with swimmers and divers.
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
- Bunbury (about 57 km north-east)
- Augusta (about 72 km south)
- Mandurah and the Peel-Harvey (about 123 km north)
- Rockingham and Cockburn Sound (about 160 km north)
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: busseltonjetty.com.au (Busselton Jetty day pass, sanctuary at the far end, no fishing gear on the train); wa.gov.au (Wire trace ban at Busselton and Esperance jetties); swtimes.com.au (South Western Times fishing reports: jetty squid, herring, samsonfish and crabs); giftcards.tackleworld.com.au (Tackle World Busselton guide: crabs north of Port Geographe, King George whiting habits (its closure dates and wire advice are out of date)); wa.gov.au (Prohibition on Fishing (Ngari Capes Marine Park) Order 2018: sanctuary, recreation and special purpose zones); wa.gov.au (Smiths Beach and Cape Naturaliste proclaimed fishing zones (1 Mar-31 May)); wa.gov.au (Prohibition on Fishing (Wire Trace) Order 2024: metro, Busselton Jetty and Esperance Jetty zones); wa.gov.au (Prohibition on Fishing for Demersal Scalefish Order 2025: boat closure in the West Coast Region, shore line fishing exempt); 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.