Start on the sheltered side of the jetty
At Geordie Bay on Wadjemup, also known as Rottnest Island, Australian herring are among the fish recorded around the jetty. You can make a useful first cast close to the structure. Look for small fish flickering in a lane between the pilings and open water, then watch where the surface movement takes a floating speck. If the drift leads straight under the deck or through mooring lines, change position before attaching a hook. A short drift you can recover cleanly offers more chances than a long cast you spend most of the time untangling.
The shore around the island includes sandy bays, reef and vegetated shallows. Use the jetty as a place to test transitions you can actually see. An open sand lane beside darker bottom may give small fish room to move while remaining close to cover. A school of herring can pass through the bay and then leave, so a good patch of water at the start of your visit is only a starting point. On a bright calm day, try the side where shade or depth breaks the view of the deck. When a little wind roughens the surface, face into a workable angle across it and watch where food and line actually travel.
Check the black tail tips and the head
Australian herring is an arripid fish of southern Australian coastal waters, including the southwest. Western Australia's rules use Arripis georgianus, while the Museums Victoria account uses Arripis georgiana. Look for a forked tail with conspicuous black tips, a relatively large eye, a rounded head and a rough feel to the scales. Juvenile western Australian salmon, Arripis truttaceus, can also show golden spots. They have smoother scales and lack the herring's distinctive black tail tips. Use the combination before keeping a fish rather than guessing from its length.
Herring can school along inshore margins where small food is available. Juveniles feed on small invertebrates, especially crustaceans. A sliver of prawn gives you a compact invertebrate presentation. A slim metal is an alternative when you see fish chasing baitfish. Young herring use sheltered coastal and estuarine habitats, and larger fish move as part of a regional life cycle influenced by coastal currents. That is a reason to pay attention to movement through the bay, not evidence of a fixed bite at a particular tide. For a late-spring or early-summer visit, start with a period when the jetty is quiet and the wind allows a short drift. Dawn or late afternoon can be comfortable options if access and your transport permit. Change with the fish you see, not a time chart.
Suspend a bite-sized bait
Use a 6½ to 7½ ft light spinning rod and a 1000 to 2500 reel. A 4 to 8 lb mono main line is a simple choice for short casts. An alternative is 6 to 10 lb braid joined to 3 to 5 ft of 6 to 8 lb mono. Around rough pilings, inspect the working length frequently and use the stronger end if the bait still drifts freely. Take a small fixed float with enough carrying capacity for the hook, bait and a small shot. A float rated for about 2 to 5 g is a starting option, subject to the model and conditions.
Fit the float above 60 to 100 cm of 4 to 8 lb terminal line. Start with a size 8 to 12 single hook and a small split shot about 15 to 25 cm above it. Test the assembly beside the jetty. Add only enough weight to hold the float upright and let the bait sink steadily. If the shot bottoms out on every drift, shorten the line below the float before changing hook size. Where the water is deeper and you cannot cast a long fixed rig cleanly, a sliding float with a stop knot above it can extend the working depth without making the leader swing behind you.
Use a sliver of prawn or a small strip of fish, with the point exposed and little loose material to twist. Cast a short distance up the visible drift. Follow the float with the rod and retrieve slack, leaving enough line for the bait to move at the water's pace. A small dip may be wave action or a peck. When the float sinks steadily, moves against the drift or shoots sideways, wind tight and lift. A violent strike can pull the small hook away. If bait disappears on each drift, reduce the piece and inspect how it sits on the bend. Do not immediately drop deeper just because there were missed bites.
Search open water with metal
When flashes or surface dimples are farther from the jetty, tie on a 3 to 10 g slim metal lure, about 3 to 5 cm long as a starting size. Use one suitable single hook matched to the lure. A plain silver finish is a practical match for small baitfish in clear water. A darker back can make the silhouette easier to see in surface glare, but change the depth and speed before buying a new colour. Cast obliquely across the edge of the activity so the lure spends time beside the school instead of landing on top of it.
Start the first retrieve after a short count. Wind fast enough for the lure to swim, then try one brief pause where it crosses from light into shade. A fluttering metal drops quickly when you stop, so shorten the pause above reef or weed. A take can feel like a tap followed by weight, or like the lure has stopped moving at the expected speed. Wind through the first load and make a short sweep. If fish follow and turn away, try a smaller metal at the same depth or return to a float where the school is within range.
| Water or fish behaviour | First choice | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Flashes within a short, clean drift | Float and a sliver of bait | Change depth in short steps |
| Fish moving along the edge of the bay | Small metal on a diagonal cast | Change count before speed |
| Bait pulled under the deck | Shorter drift away from the pilings | Change position if the flow still fouls |
| Weedy or rocky lure returns | Short count and early lift | Use the float to hold the bait above the bottom |
A session with one small tackle box
Try a 3 g float, a size 10 hook and 75 cm of 6 lb terminal line. Test it in the water, then fish three short drifts along the edge of the jetty shade. If the bait comes back clean and fish remain visible, deepen the next drift by about 25 cm. If fish move out of float range, cast a 5 g metal across their former path, using a short count and a steady retrieve. Try one lower pass in clear water. If the school has gone and no bait is visible, look for the next clean lane rather than repeatedly casting at empty water.
Set the drag before fishing and carry a small net. Keep pressure low and even as a fish turns beside the jetty. A fish too large for the outfit needs a net, not a lift by the leader. Leave enough space to move a few steps as you guide it around a piling.
Track the school without chasing every splash
A fish caught close to the structure is a useful depth clue, but the next fish may be farther along the same route. Repeat your successful drift once before adjusting. If the float stops dipping and flashes start beyond the shade line, move the presentation toward the outer edge in small steps. Avoid casting across the centre of a school when a cast to its side will work. The jetty offers little room to reset if a fish runs between lines. If small fish continually take the bait, try a slightly faster metal retrieve outside the immediate activity. It samples a wider stretch and gives you a chance to see whether the fish holding beyond the smallest school are herring. If the lure brings back weed, return to a short controlled float drift in the next clear pocket.
Local rules and handling
Check the current island sanctuary map and Western Australian recreational fishing rules before leaving. Some areas prohibit fishing. The regulator's Australian herring entry lists no minimum size and a daily species limit of 20 within the applicable mixed finfish limit. Powered-boat fishing and some powered transport circumstances have separate licence requirements. Keep hooks clear of other jetty users and release fish promptly with wet hands or a net.