Carnarvon fishing spots
Carnarvon sits on the Gascoyne River delta at the northern edge of Shark Bay, with calm waterways in town and wild ocean cliffs at Quobba to the north. The Fascine, river mouth and beaches give bream, whiting, tailor and mulloway; the cliffs and offshore islands hold mackerel, tuna, snapper and reef fish. Wind is the main hurdle, and the cooler months suit tailor and snapper.
Updated
6 spots here: 5 fished from land and 1 reached only by boat, plus 3 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our Gascoyne 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
| Spot | Type | Fished from | Water | Marine park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The Fascine | Estuary | Land-based and kayak | Bay, estuary or river | – |
| 2. Gascoyne River mouth | River | Land-based | Bay, estuary or river | – |
| 3. Miaboolya Beach | Beach | Land-based | Ocean coast | – |
| 4. New Beach | Beach | Land-based | Bay, estuary or river | Shark Bay Marine Park |
| 5. Point Quobba (Blowholes) | Rocks | Land-based | Ocean coast | no-take zone nearby |
| 6. Bernier Island (boat) | Island | Boat | Offshore | – |
1. The Fascine
- Type
- Estuary · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based and kayak. Beside the town centre; easy parking and walk-up access.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: whiting and estuary cod. Also in season: western yellowfin bream and mangrove jack.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Sheltered from most winds.
- Note
- Calm town waterway: flick prawns or small soft plastics along the walls, moorings and snags for bream and whiting, with the odd mangrove jack or cod around structure.
- Safety
- Watch for boats moving through the moorings.
- Zone
- No marine park zoning in the Fascine Guide only, not for navigation: check exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.89580, 113.64580 · Open in Google Maps (position: Carnarvon Fascine Mooring Area, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
2. Gascoyne River mouth
- Type
- River · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based. Short drive from the town centre; check access tracks locally.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: whiting. Also in season: mulloway, western yellowfin bream and tailor.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Note
- The river mostly runs underground and flows only after big inland rain; when it does, mulloway and bream move to the mouth. All netting is banned in the river and within 800 m of its mouths.
- Safety
- After floods the mouth and tracks can be boggy and the water full of debris.
- Zone
- Miaboolya Beach Fish Habitat Protection Area starts about 3 km north Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -24.86820, 113.64390 · Open in Google Maps (position: Gascoyne River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
3. Miaboolya Beach
- Type
- Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
- Access
- Land-based. About 16 km by road north of Carnarvon via Miaboolya Road.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: whiting. Also in season: tailor, mulloway, western yellowfin bream and blue swimmer crab.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Light winds or easterlies (offshore). Faces W.
- Note
- A fish nursery and the Gascoyne's only known tailor nursery: fish the beach for tailor, whiting and bream, with mulloway and threadfin in the mix. Crabs by scoop net, drop net or blunt hook only.
- Safety
- Turtle breeding area with fragile dunes: stay on the tracks.
- Zone
- Inside Miaboolya Beach Fish Habitat Protection Area: line fishing allowed; crabs by scoop net, drop net or blunt hook; no netting in its creeks Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -24.79510, 113.63390 · Open in Google Maps (position: Miaboolya Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
4. New Beach
- Type
- Beach · bay, estuary or river
- Access
- Land-based. South of Carnarvon off the highway; check track conditions locally.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: whiting. Also in season: tailor and western yellowfin bream.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Easterlies (offshore). Faces SSW.
- Note
- Light-tackle beach on the northern shore of Shark Bay where whiting, tailor and bream work the shallows, much like Miaboolya. Bush Bay nearby fishes the same way.
- Safety
- Shallow flats: watch for stingrays.
- Zone
- Wooramel Special Purpose Zone of Shark Bay Marine Park: line fishing allowed Guide only, not for navigation: check exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au.
- Map
- -25.16530, 113.80220 · Open in Google Maps (position: New Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
5. Point Quobba (Blowholes)
- Type
- Rocks · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
- Access
- Land-based. About 75 km north-west of Carnarvon; camping and accommodation at Quobba Station.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: longtail tuna, cobia, sailfish and spangled emperor. Also in season: Spanish mackerel, pink snapper and tailor.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Calm or light easterlies with a small swell; stay off the rocks in a big south-west swell. Faces SW.
- Note
- Cliff and ledge fishing either side of the Blowholes: balloon or cast for Spanish mackerel, tuna and cobia, with snapper, spangled emperor and big tailor on bait. Shark mackerel run in summer.
- Safety
- 'King Waves Kill' signs mean it: wear a lifejacket and grippy footwear, watch several sets first, never fish alone. Remote, with no quick rescue.
- Zone
- No-take zone nearby. Point Quobba Fish Habitat Protection Area starts at the point and runs south over the lagoon: no fishing in its restricted area (except rock oysters by hand and squid on unbaited jigs); general rules elsewhere in the FHPA Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.wa.gov.au map (PDF).
- Map
- -24.49060, 113.40810 · Open in Google Maps (position: Point Quobba, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
6. Bernier Island (boat)
- Type
- Island · offshore (boat)
- Access
- Boat. About 50 km west of Carnarvon; overnight anchoring on the sheltered east side.
- What's good here
- Peak in October: spangled emperor, cobia and trevally. Also in season: pink snapper, Rankin cod, coral trout and Spanish mackerel.
- Best tide
- Not confirmed for this spot yet.
- Best wind
- Settled weather only; long open-water run.
- Note
- Reefs: pink snapper, Rankin cod, spangled emperor, coral trout; troll for Spanish and shark mackerel, tuna and cobia. 1 Jun to 31 Aug: no pink snapper fishing off the north end (incl. Koks Island), nor line fishing there from a boat with pink snapper aboard.
- Safety
- Open ocean crossing: EPIRB, marine radio and a good forecast. Landing on the islands is controlled by DBCA: check before going ashore.
- Zone
- Not in a marine park; the seasonal pink snapper closure box (24 40 S to 24 50 S) starts about 2 km north of this point Guide only, not for navigation: check rules.fish.wa.gov.au.
- Map
- -24.84820, 113.13890 · Open in Google Maps (position: Bernier Island, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
- Forecast
- Forecast for this spot
Boat ramps
3 public boat ramps are listed for Carnarvon, with positions from Public Boat Ramps (DOT-033) and Coastal Infrastructure DOT (DOT-020). Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.
| Ramp | Notes | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Carnarvon Fascine boat ramp | Sealed, 2 lanes, 2 finger jetties, about 50 trailer bays; in town on the Fascine. | -24.89481, 113.65235 Google Maps |
| Pelican Point boat ramp | Unsealed, 2 lanes, about 30 trailer bays. | -24.89753, 113.64191 Google Maps |
| Carnarvon Boat Harbour public ramp | Public ramp inside the fishing boat harbour (DoT coastal infrastructure record; lanes not listed). | -24.89851, 113.65256 Google Maps |
What's biting here in October?
In peak season at Carnarvon in October: whiting, cobia, spangled emperor, estuary cod and 7 more. Of the 27 species our Gascoyne coast list has for this part of the coast, 11 peak in October 2026 and 13 more are in season.
Peak in October: whiting, cobia, spangled emperor, estuary cod, longtail tuna, trevally, sailfish, queenfish, marlin, mud crab and squid.
Also in season: western yellowfin bream, tailor, Spanish mackerel, pink snapper, mulloway, mangrove jack, coral trout, Rankin cod, blue swimmer crab, pikey bream, school mackerel, red emperor and goldband snapper.
Seen now and then, so not rated: barramundi, king threadfin and golden snapper.
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-based line fishing. Any fishing from a powered boat (incl. crabbing, squid, catch and release) needs a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence: $40/yr, half price concession incl. under 16 (DPIRD, Oct 2026). Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Western Australia's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).
Rules at Carnarvon
- Miaboolya Beach FHPA: crabs only by scoop net, drop net or blunt hook; no netting in its creeks.
- Gascoyne River: no netting in the river, its tributaries or within 800 m of its mouths.
- Point Quobba FHPA: no fishing or collecting in the restricted lagoon by the Blowholes.
- Pink snapper closed north of Bernier Island (incl. Koks Island) 1 Jun-31 Aug; Shark Bay Marine Park rules apply south of town.
- Powered boats need a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence; Gascoyne demersal bag is 4 per person from 1 Jun 2026.
Marine parks and no-take zones
The zone notes here name Shark Bay Marine Park. A no-take zone starts close to Point Quobba (Blowholes): its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.
Safety at Carnarvon
- Wind is the main hurdle: pick calm days, especially for boats and the Quobba cliffs.
- One Mile Jetty is damaged and closed: do not go onto it.
- Crocodiles are rare this far south but have been recorded near Carnarvon.
- Quobba coast: king waves have killed anglers; lifejacket and rock boots, and never turn your back on the sea.
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
- Shark Bay and Denham (about 117 km south)
- Coral Bay (about 194 km north)
- Kalbarri (about 325 km south)
- Exmouth and Exmouth Gulf (about 330 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, Coastal Infrastructure DOT (DOT-020) (Western Australian Department of Transport), 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: catalogue.data.wa.gov.au (Boat ramp coordinates, lanes, finger jetties and trailer bays (WA DoT Public Boat Ramps DOT-033, CC BY 4.0)); public-services.slip.wa.gov.au (DPIRD Fisheries Guide polygons (DPIRD-061): every spot was tested against sanctuary, fishing-prohibition and FHPA areas); public-services.slip.wa.gov.au (DBCA Legislated Lands and Waters (DBCA-011): which marine park each spot sits in); recfishwest.org.au (Fascine, Miaboolya, Bush Bay/New Beach, Quobba, Bernier/Dorre/Dirk Hartog species and cautions; One Mile Jetty access); dpird.wa.gov.au (Miaboolya FHPA location, species list, crabbing and netting rules); dpird.wa.gov.au (Point Quobba FHPA location and restricted-area rules); exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au (Shark Bay Marine Park zoning south of town (Wooramel zone)); rules.fish.wa.gov.au (Pink snapper closure north of Bernier Island); dpird.wa.gov.au (Gascoyne Coast bioregion rules); dbca.wa.gov.au (Crocodile range and safety advice); catalogue.data.wa.gov.au (Boat harbour ramp coordinate (DoT Coastal Infrastructure DOT-020, CC BY 4.0)).
- Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.