Recfishwest’s popular and free SunSmart fishing clinics toured the South-West and South Coast during the recent summer school holidays.
The Southern Community Tour took in eight locations and delivered 10 SunSmart fishing clinics offering fishing guidance to hundreds of eager young fishers.
Our dedicated fishing clinic instructors taught the kids everything they needed to know from how to be SunSmart, fishing basics like casting and fish handling – all while learning how to fish sustainably and look after their fishing environment.
At each SunSmart fishing clinic there were prizes and giveaways for all the kids, including the new Recfishwest Kids Booklet made especially for the tour with waterproof paper so the kids can keep it with them on their next fishing adventure.
The tour started in Bremer Bay and also took in Albany, Denmark, Walpole, Augusta, Dunsborough and Busselton. We also stopped in at the Denmark Fishing Club’s Rainbow Coast Angling Competition to lend a hand with registrations and to have a chat with local fishers. The tour’s last stop was a Mandalay for their annual Mandalay Family Fishing Competition which saw 243 registered which included 172 children.
Recfishwest held a clinic prior to the competition which helped the kids to prepare for the catch and release comp. The total number of fish caught was 59, which is lower than previous years however all competitors had a great night on the beach with their friends and families.
There were plenty of fish caught across the tour including whiting, pink snapper, silver and black bream, flounder, trumpeter and herring. For a lot of kids, catching a fish on the tour was their first experience of fishing and a memory that will last with them for a very long time. We were also pleased to see the number of parents getting involved and hopefully get their kids out on the water soon to apply their newly formed skills.
It was a very successful tour overall and great to see both kids and parents enjoying being outdoors and fishing together. The tour had great support from local businesses and volunteers who came down to lend a hand and be a part of this great community event.
Click here to find out more about Recfishwest’s Sunsmart Fishing Clinics.
SunSmart Fishing Clinics
Recfishwest conducts FREE SunSmart fishing clinics for children aged 10-17 years in the Perth Metropolitan area and Western Australian regional areas.
Every year the program involves nearly 90 fishing clinics, which in total are attended by around 2,000 children.
To read more about the program and to see if there’s a tour coming up near you, check out or SunSmart Fishing Clinics article.
