Best Fishing Charters WA

What makes the best fishing charters in WA

After 25 years in the fishing charter industry we’re one of the longest running fishing charter operators in Western Australia. With this experience, we’ve got a pretty good understanding of what makes the best fishing charters in WA. When you book a fishing charter of course you want to make sure you’ve chosen the best fishing charter operator - to make it easier, we’ve put together a list of things to look out for and what makes the best fishing charters here in Western Australia. 

Established in 1999 by Matt Howard, Apache Charters is one of Western Australia’s longest running boat charter owner/operators in the industry and to this day, is a WA family owned business. We operate all year round and offer overnight ‘live aboard’ fishing charters in the Abrolhos Islands, Shark Bay and Montebello Islands on our 70ft fully equipped live aboard vessel, Lady Grace. During the summer months, we convert Lady Grace into a day trip vessel operating Perth day fishing trips, Rottnest & Carnac Island boat charters and Swan River cruises. If you’re keen to head out on a fishing charter in WA and looking for recommendations on the best WA fishing charter operators, here are our top five things to look out for:

Choosing the best fishing charter in WA

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of a great fishing trip… being out on the water for a few days, hitting the good spots, reeling in the goods, and winding down at the end of each day with some hearty, delicious food (fresh fish included of course!) and some cold beverages as the sun is setting. When choosing a WA fishing charter, there are a few factors that can make all the difference. We love getting the feedback we get from our passengers after they’ve done a trip and it’s an awesome feeling to know they’ve had a fantastic, unforgettable experience. It’s not unusual to see a passenger on another one of our trips after having got a taste for it - many do an annual trip with us each year. So what should you look out for when choosing a WA fishing charter? 

 

1. Experience

Experience is probably one of the most important factors. An experienced fishing charter operator will know where the best spots are, the best conditions, time of day, time of year and will know how to navigate around the weather conditions. They’ll know what gear is the best to use and the best fishing techniques. After all, you’re on a fishing charter - you want to catch fish right?!

2. The vessel

It goes without saying you want a vessel that’s safe, but it also needs to be fit for purpose. The best WA fishing charter operators will have a well maintained vessel and should provide detailed info about it. An example is our page in Lady Grace. We mention that the vessel is well looked after & maintained, she is purpose built, fully equipped and we provide a list of features that not only make her the perfect fishing charter vessel, but also ensures your comfort on your trip. 

3. Reviews
Word of mouth is a valuable and reliable method for figuring out who offers the best fishing charters in WA. Look for testimonials on the fishing charter company’s website, look at their socials and Google reviews are also a great way to determine who’s good and who’s not. We’re proud of the reviews and testimonials we’ve received including our 5 star reviews on Facebook.

4. Accreditations

Accreditations are a good way to determine what fishing charters are the best in WA. Accreditations for the best WA fishing charter companies to look out for include the Quality Tourism accreditation, Sustainable Tourism accreditation and specifically, the Marine Tourism accreditation. Accredited operators should have the accreditation logos displayed on websites & brochures. 

5. Licences 

In WA, there are restrictions around fishing in WA waters and certain licences are required. There have also been a few changes in the industry recently which affect licencing. When choosing a WA fishing charter company, make sure all necessary licences for your trip are included. This will mean everything is above board and you’ll have the opportunity to catch as many fish as you can. If fishing in the Abrolhos, make sure the operator has Rock Lobster licences too. You don’t want to miss out on this WA delicacy!

Hopefully that should help narrow down the best fishing charters in WA for you! We love what we do and we love that our passengers walk away having had such an awesome time. We’re lucky to be able to fish in some of the best spots in WA and after 25 years, we’re looking forward to many more! If you’re keen to get out for some sensational fishing, we’ve still got just a few spots available for this year’s fishing season on our Abrolhos Fishing Charters, Montebello Islands Fishing Charters, Shark Bay Fishing Charters. We also recommend signing up for our Newsletter as we send out emails when we’re ready to start taking bookings for our trips.