Ningaloo Reef Fishing

Target Species

Fishing Tips

1. 1

   Ningaloo's outer reef produces the best reef fishing — book a charter that accesses the deeper outer reef edges (20–60 m) rather than the shallow lagoon, which has strict catch limits.

2. 2

   Coral trout at Ningaloo are found on the coral heads and bommies in 10–30 m; use a whole pilchard or small live bait dropped to the base of coral structure and hold firm when you feel the tap.

3. 3

   Check Western Australian demersal fishing rules carefully before fishing Ningaloo — there are closed seasons, reef-specific bag limits, and GPS-boundary closures that apply to this area.

4. 4

   Rankin cod are a WA reef speciality and prefer slightly deeper, rocky structure at 30–80 m; they respond well to a slow-falling soft plastic fished on a heavy jig head along the reef edge.

5. 5

   Crystal-clear water at Ningaloo means fish can see your boat — use a longer leader (1.5–2 m) of at least 40 lb fluoro and keep noise and vibration to a minimum when fishing shallow ground.

Gear Setup