Hangover Bay (Nambung National Park)

Hangover Bay is the photogenic one — a white-sand crescent tucked inside Nambung National Park, twenty minutes south of Cervantes off Indian Ocean Drive. It is a Jurien Bay Marine Park swimming and snorkelling beach first and a fishing spot second, but the two coexist if you pick your moment. The bay is partly sheltered from the southerly, the shallows drop into blue holes over patchy reef, and a beach launch lets small boats slip out to the inshore lumps. Herring, tailor and whiting come off the sand, skippy hold on the reef edges, and the autumn salmon schools push through the gutters. Most people come for the dolphins and the Pinnacles — you can come for the fish.

Fish the edges of the day. Herring and skippy take small baits and metal slices over the reef patches and blue holes, best at dawn and dusk before the swimmers arrive. Tailor and the autumn salmon schools want ganged mulies or larger metals cast into the deeper gutters at first and last light. Whiting come off the clean sand on the rising tide with bloodworm, prawn or small surf poppers. The bay turns over after dark — that is when to soak a big bait in a gutter for a mulloway, and when you have the place to yourself. Beach-launched tinnies run the inshore reef in a settled forecast — but this is the West Coast Bioregion, where boat-based demersal fishing is closed until spring 2027, so pink snapper, dhufish and the rest of the demersals must not be targeted from a private boat at all, not even catch-and-release; samson fish and the pelagics are the keepers from a boat. Land-based take off the beach and rocks stays open year-round on a 2-fish mixed demersal bag, pink snapper individual bag 2, outside spawning closures — though land-based spearfishing for dhufish is prohibited. Verify current rules with DPIRD before targeting any demersal.

Australian herring, tailor, sand and yellowfin whiting off the beach; skippy on the reef edges; autumn salmon through the gutters; a chance at mulloway after dark, with samson fish for beach-launched boats offshore — but boat-based demersal (pink snapper, dhufish) must not be targeted at all from a private boat while the West Coast closure runs to spring 2027, though land-based take off the beach and rocks stays open on a 2-fish mixed demersal bag.

Know the zoning in both directions — Cavanagh Reef Sanctuary Zone sits a couple of kilometres south and Nambung Bay Sanctuary Zone about 3km north, both no-take, so plot them before running a tinny to the inshore reef.

The reef and rock margins take real Indian Ocean swell. Check the swell and wind forecast, watch the rocks for ten minutes before stepping out, stay off wet or weedy rock on a building sea, and never turn your back on the water. Wear grippy footwear and light clothing; Recfishwest recommends a lifejacket on exposed rock, though WA doesn't require one. Fish with a mate or tell someone your plans. If a wave takes you, swim away from the rocks, float and signal, and call 000; pick your retreat to high ground first. This is a busy swimming, snorkelling and dive beach — keep casts and rigs clear of other users and fish the quiet ends or the edges of the day. Mind the beach launch in any wind chop.

From the beach you will find Australian herring, tailor, sand and yellowfin whiting, skippy (silver trevally) over the reef patches, and the autumn salmon schools that run the gutters. There is a chance at a mulloway after dark. Boats launched off the sand reach inshore reef holding samson fish and pelagics in settled weather — note that this is the West Coast Bioregion, so boat-based demersal fishing is closed until spring 2027 and pink snapper, dhufish and other demersals must not be targeted from a private boat at all, not even catch-and-release. Land-based take off the beach and rocks continues year-round on a 2-fish mixed demersal bag, pink snapper individual bag 2, outside spawning closures — but land-based spearfishing for dhufish is prohibited. Check current DPIRD rules before targeting any demersal.

Both, if you time it right. It is primarily a Jurien Bay Marine Park swimming and snorkelling beach and gets busy with families and divers through the middle of the day. Fish the quieter ends and the edges of the day — dawn, dusk and after dark — and keep well clear of swimmers. Early and late is when the bay fishes best anyway.

Locals beach-launch small tinnies off the sand to reach the inshore reef for samson fish and pelagics, but boat-based demersal (pink snapper, dhufish) cannot be targeted at all from a private boat while the West Coast boat-based demersal closure runs to spring 2027 — not even catch-and-release; land-based take off the beach and rocks stays open year-round on a 2-fish mixed demersal bag. It is a soft-sand, swell-exposed launch with no ramp, so pick a settled forecast and a light wind, and only attempt it if your rig and your skills are up to a beach launch. Larger trailer boats are better off launching from Cervantes or Jurien Bay.