Karratha & Dampier, WA

Fishing Karratha & Dampier

Top 10 Species

Landbased

• HAMPTON HARBOUR BREAKWALL (DAMPIER): Massive granite rock wall protecting Dampier boat harbour, offering deep-water access for Giant Trevally, Queenfish, and Barramundi. Cast 50g metal casting spoons or topwater stickbaits into rushing tidal currents on an incoming tide. Sturdy footwear with rubber soles is mandatory when negotiating large granite boulders.
• POINT SAMSON JETTY: Historic timber jetty precinct located 35km east near Roebourne, providing exceptional land-based access for Golden Snapper, Silver Trevally, and Squid. Fish fine monofilament lines with running sinker rigs baited with live herring or crab tails near pylon bases on a flood tide. Late afternoon periods yield steady squid strikes.
• WITHNELL BAY FORESHORE (BURRUP): Sheltered bay located on the Burrup Peninsula, offering fantastic light-tackle casting for Barramundi, Mangrove Jack, and Flathead. Work small soft plastic minnows or topwater poppers slowly along rock ledges and mangrove edges during early morning flood tides. Watch for low-water rock hazards.
• KARRATHA BACK BEACH CREEK MOUTH: Tidal mangrove creek system on the town edge, famous for Mud Crabs, Mangrove Jack, and Fingermark at high tide. Set arrays of crab traps baited with fresh fish frames along mangrove roots on a rising tide. Fan-cast soft plastic minnows or live mullet into deep creek bends at turning tides.
• HEARSON COVE FORESHORE: Picturesque shell beach on the Burrup Peninsula, ideal for wading anglers targeting Yellowfin Whiting, Golden Trevally, and Flathead. Work small topwater micro-poppers or baited patternoster rigs along sandbar drop-offs at flood tide. Polarized sunglasses are essential for spotting cruising fish in clear shallow water.

Offshore

• DAMPIER ARCHIPELAGO ISLAND PASSAGES: World-famous 42-island archipelago featuring deep coral channels in 15 to 40 metres depth around Enderby and Rosemary Islands. Premier bottom bouncing and trolling territory for trophy Red Emperor, Coral Trout, Golden Snapper, and Spanish Mackerel. Strong 6m spring tides generate intense current rips through narrow passages.
• NICKOL BAY BASIN: Vast sheltered bay sitting between Dampier and Point Samson, averaging 8 to 18 metres depth, holding abundant Barramundi, Golden Snapper, and Banana Prawns. Trolling deep-diving hardbody minnows or drifting live mullet over submerged rock bars produces consistent quality catches. Early morning calm weather offers optimal clarity.
• JOHN'S CREEK OUTSHORE BOMMIES: High-energy rock pinnacles situated off Point Samson in 12 to 25 metres depth. Vertical jigging 150g metal knife jigs or trolling minnow lures triggers aggressive strikes from Samson Fish, Yellowtail Kingfish, and Spanish Mackerel. Anchor upwind and establish a continuous berley trail.
• LEGENDRE ISLAND DEEP TRENCH: Deep ocean drop-off sitting off the northern tip of the archipelago in 40 to 90 metres depth. Heavy-tackle game fishing zone for trolling skirted lures for Sailfish, Black Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna, and Spanish Mackerel. Requires a large ocean-going vessel and dual GPS navigation systems.
• SAMSON DELTA MANGROVES: Navigable tidal creek network extending into the Sherlock and George River mouths, offering premier Barramundi and Mud Crab habitat. Cast floating hardbody minnows under overhanging mangrove roots and slow-roll them past submerged timber snags. Paddle craft or electric tinnies allow silent access.

Hot Spots

• DAMPIER ARCHIPELAGO: World-famous 42-island network delivering bucket-list Red Emperor, Coral Trout, and Spanish Mackerel.
• HAMPTON HARBOUR MARINA: Premier modern Pilbara harbour providing top-tier ocean launch access and deep-water land-based casting.
• POINT SAMSON JETTY: Historic foreshore pier famous for Golden Snapper (Fingermark), Trevally, and night Squid fishing.
• NICKOL BAY BASIN: Expansive sheltered bay holding trophy Barramundi, Golden Snapper, and Mud Crabs.
• WITHNELL BAY: Scenic Burrup Peninsula bay offering exceptional light-tackle casting for Barramundi and Mangrove Jack.

Local Bait Tips

• CAST-NETTED MULLET & HERRING: Harvested using a heavy 10-foot cast net thrown over visible bait schools in Hampton Harbour and Back Beach creek mouth. Collect live mullet and herring into an aerated livewell. Rigged on snelled wire hooks, live mullet trigger explosive strikes from Barramundi, Spanish Mackerel, and Fingermark.
• SHORE CRABS (SALLY CRABS): Collected by hand from rock crevices and granite boulders along Hampton Harbour breakwall and Burrup Peninsula rocks at low tide. Target small shore crabs, place them in a damp bucket with wet seaweed, and keep shaded. Rigged through the outer carapace, they represent lethal live bait for Golden Snapper and Groper.
• LIVE SQUID & CUTTLEFISH: Targeted over shallow weed-and-coral patches around Enderby Island using size 3.0 cloth-wrapped squid jigs. Cast jigs across sand-and-weed junctions on light fluorocarbon trace and retrieve with steady lifts. Live squid rigged whole on twin snelled hooks are unmatched for targeting large Red Emperor.
• MUD CRABS: Caught in heavy wire crab traps baited with fresh fish frames set along mangrove roots in Back Beach and Nickol Bay creeks. Store live in cool damp burlap bags. Fresh crab claws and body meat represent unbeatable bait for large Golden Snapper and Mangrove Jack.

Boat Ramps

• Hampton Harbour Boat Ramp (Dampier):

  Located at Hampton Harbour off The Esplanade, Dampier WA 6713. Managed by the City of Karratha and Department of Transport (DoT) WA. Features a premier high-capacity 4-lane concrete boat launch ramp equipped with dual central floating finger jetties. Protected by outer harbour breakwaters, providing safe deep-water access into the Dampier Archipelago across all weather conditions. Facilities feature an extensive bitumen car-and-trailer carpark, modern public restrooms, stainless-steel fish cleaning tables with fresh water, vessel wash-down bays, marine fuel jetty, and 24-hour security lighting. Free public access.

• Johns Creek Boat Harbour Ramp (Point Samson):

  Located inside Johns Creek Maritime Facility off Point Samson-Roebourne Road, Point Samson WA 6719. Managed by the Department of Transport (DoT) WA and City of Karratha. Features a dual-lane concrete boat launch ramp equipped with a central floating finger pontoon jetty. Positioned inside sheltered harbour walls, providing safe launching into Nickol Bay and eastern Dampier Archipelago reefs. Facilities include a bitumen car-and-trailer carpark, public restrooms, fish cleaning station, wash-down taps, and service wharf. Free public access.

• Withnell Bay Boat Ramp (Dampier Peninsula):

  Located at the end of Withnell Bay Road on the Burrup Peninsula, Dampier WA 6713. Managed by the City of Karratha and DoT WA. Features a dual-lane concrete boat ramp with an adjacent timber-and-concrete holding jetty. Positioned on the western side of the Burrup Peninsula, offering direct launching into western Dampier Archipelago island channels. Extreme 6m spring tides drain sandflats at low tide, requiring skipper awareness. Amenities include unsealed car-trailer parking, public restrooms, and shade shelters. Free public access.

• Karratha Back Beach Ramp:

  Located off Dampier Road at Back Beach, Karratha WA 6714. Managed by the City of Karratha. Features a dual-lane concrete boat launch ramp extending into a tidal mangrove creek channel. Provides direct launching into Nickol Bay for tinnies and crabbing craft. High tidal dependency exists: launching and retrieval are restricted to mid-to-high tide phases as low tide drains the creek to mudflats. Amenities include a sealed car-and-trailer carpark with line marking and rubbish bins. Free public access.

• Wickham Boat Beach Boat Ramp (Point Walcott):

  Located off Walcott Drive near the Point Walcott Yacht Club precinct, Wickham WA 6720. Managed by the City of Karratha and DoT WA. Features a single-lane concrete boat launch ramp without a pontoon or tie-down structure. Highly tide-constrained (usable above 1.09m Chart Datum) with a flat mid-section requiring vehicle caution during half-tides. Note: City of Karratha detailed design is underway for a double-lane concrete upgrade with finger pontoon. Facilities include unsealed parking and yacht club access. Free public access.

• Cleaverville Creek Boat Launch (Karratha):

  Located off Cleaverville Road on the Cleaverville Creek foreshore, Cleaverville WA 6714. Managed by the City of Karratha. Features a natural, unsealed boat launching ramp extending into the tidal mangrove creek channel. Highly favored by campers and tinnie fishers targeting Barramundi, Threadfin Salmon, and Mud Crabs. High tidal dependency requires mid-to-high tide launch windows. Amenities include unsealed parking and coastal camping grounds. Free public access.

Bait and Tackle

• Karratha Tackle & Outdoor: 1/15 Sharpe Ave, Karratha WA 6714 - Ph: (08) 9185 4100
• Compleat Angler Karratha: 3/52 Balmoral Rd, Karratha WA 6714 - Ph: (08) 9185 2200
• BCF Karratha: 1 Balmoral Rd, Karratha WA 6714 - Ph: (08) 9185 6300
• Shell Dampier (24-Hour Bait & Ice): 1 Esplanade, Dampier WA 6713 - Ph: (08) 9183 1000

Basecamp & Accom

• Discovery Parks - Dampier: 3 The Esplanade, Dampier WA 6713 - Ph: (08) 9183 1109
• Karratha International Hotel: 2 Sharpe Ave, Karratha WA 6714 - Ph: (08) 9187 3333
• The Cove Holiday Village Point Samson: 8 Miller Crt, Point Samson WA 6719 - Ph: (08) 9187 0199

Emergency & Safety

• West Pilbara Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR 610): Esplanade, Dampier WA 6713 - Ph: (08) 9183 1100 / Emergency 000 - VHF Ch 16 / 73 / 80 / 88 (27MHz)