Overview
Pink snapper follow temperature and spawning cycles, moving into shallow bays like Cockburn Sound to breed and then dispersing back to reef ground.
They feed hardest in low light and will move up off the bottom to take a slowly sinking bait or plastic.
Because they aggregate to spawn, they are easily overfished — hence WA's closures. Respecting them keeps the fishery alive.
Where to find them
- ▸Inshore lumps and limestone reef in 20–40 m.
- ▸Shallow bays and sounds during the spring spawning period.
- ▸Sand and rubble edges adjacent to heavy reef.
- ▸Deeper water off Jurien, Two Rocks and Kalbarri.
Tackle
- ▸Rod: 6–10 kg boat rod, 7 ft with a soft tip.
- ▸Reel: 4000–6000 spin.
- ▸Line: 20–30 lb braid with 40 lb fluorocarbon leader.
- ▸Terminal: running sinker rig with 5/0–7/0 circles.
Tips from the water
- ▸Berley steadily with crushed mulies to bring fish up in the water column.
- ▸Fish the last of the light and the first hour after dark.
- ▸Lightly weighted baits drifting naturally outfish heavy sinkers.
Regulations
Western Australia enforces seasonal closures and area-specific quotas, particularly in Cockburn Sound and Shark Bay. Check before you go.