Go hard or go home, marron hopefuls told

Marron fishers can expect to go “bush bashing” if they are hoping to snare a catch before the season’s end at noon on February 5.

Albany Rods & Tackle owner Jim Allan said low rainfall and drying waterways would make WA’s marron season, which starts at midday tomorrow, particularly difficult.

“They (marron fishers) seem happy to go bush bashing to get through. I think that’s what you’re going to have to sort of do this year — get away from the easy spots,” Mr Allan said.

“From what I can gather, most people are heading out west — if you can get into those spots without trespassing on somebody’s property. The ones I’d be suggesting are the Frankland (River) and if you could get onto the Bow River and the Kent River, they would the ones to look at.”

Mr Allan said the days of being able to catch marron close to Albany and Denmark were gone, with salinity rising in the Kalgan River, low levels of water in the Denmark dam and local spots, such as Black Cat Creek, no longer providing hauls they once did.

Despite seeing a drop in sales for equipment such as nets and scoop nets leading up to this year’s season, Mr Allan believed there would still be hardcore marron fishers taking to Great Southern waterways this season.

“These guys, it’s just something they do every year,” he said.

“Come hell or high waters, they’ll go tramping through the bush to ridiculous places. I think it’s going to be hard work.”

A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesman said the Kent, Frankland, Deep and Warren river were all popular spots for Great Southern marron fishers.