Things to do
Crabbing and fishing in Mandurah
Net a feed of blue swimmer crabs and fish the estuary flats — all from a stable, easy self-drive boat. No licence needed to drive, no experience required.
The local legend
Blue swimmer crabs — the local legend
Also known as the “Blue manna crab”
The Peel-Harvey estuary is one of Australia's great blue swimmer crab grounds, and scooping or netting a feed of “blue mannas” is a Mandurah summer rite of passage. They hang over the sandy flats and seagrass edges in shallow water, which is exactly where a slow, shallow-draught hire boat can take you.
- Best in summer and autumn — the Peel-Harvey crab fishery is closed 1 September to 30 November.
- You'll find them over clean sand and along seagrass edges in about 1–3 m of water.
- Two easy ways to catch them: drop nets over the side, or a scoop net in the shallows.
- Measure every crab, and return undersized crabs and any egg-carrying (“berried”) females.
What you’ll catch
The Mandurah estuary catch
Beyond the crabs, the estuary is full of willing fish — perfect for a relaxed, social session while your crab nets soak.
Sea mullet
Yellow-eye mullet
The estuary's bread-and-butter fish and a brilliant one for kids — willing, plentiful and everywhere in the canals and flats.
- How
- Light line, small hook, a berley trail to bring them on the bite.
- Bait
- Dough, peeled prawn or a tiny strip of fish.
- Where
- Right through the canals and estuary margins.
Australian herring
Tommy ruff
Fast, scrappy and huge fun on light gear — a school of herring can keep the whole boat busy for an hour.
- How
- Small baits or metal lures under a float, with a berley trail.
- Bait
- Prawn, small fish strips, or chrome lures.
- Where
- Around the channels, jetties and the marina entrance where there's a bit of run.
Whiting
Sand & yellowfin whiting
Sweet-eating and a favourite over the sand flats — a light, patient session on a calm morning is the go.
- How
- Small long-shank hooks, light line, drift or anchor over sand.
- Bait
- Bloodworm, beach worm or peeled prawn.
- Where
- Sandy flats like Mandjar Bay and the estuary shallows.
Tailor
Chopper
The estuary's speedster — hard-hitting and best chased at first and last light when they push into the channels.
- How
- Cast and retrieve chrome lures, or ganged pilchard baits.
- Bait
- Pilchards on ganged hooks, or metal slugs.
- Where
- The deeper channels and the entrance, dawn and dusk.
Where to go
Good crabbing & fishing spots
A guide, not a navigation chart — always watch your depth.
The amber areas are where to head — from the whiting flats near our jetty down through the estuary to the blue-swimmer grounds around Boundary Island and the banks in Peel Inlet. Green marks the tidal flats; the green & red dots are the channel markers.
- Fishing
- Fishing & Crabbing
- Whiting
How to catch them
Three easy ways
Drop nets from the boat
The easy, hands-off way. Bait each round “witch's hat” net with an old fish frame or a mullet, drop it over the side in 1–3 m near a sand or weed edge, and mark it with the float. Leave it 15–20 minutes, then lift smoothly and steadily — stop and they'll swim off. Set a few nets in a line and work along them.
Scoop netting the shallows
The classic Mandurah method. In clear, calm shallows you can drift the flats, spot the crabs on the sand and scoop them up with a long-handled net. Polarised sunnies make all the difference. Ease the boat along quietly — a slow drift beats motoring.
Fishing light for a feed
Anchor up on a sandy flat, put out a little berley, and fish light for mullet, herring and whiting while your crab nets soak. A simple handline or a light rod is all you need — this is relaxed, social fishing.
Know before you go
- To fish or crab from a powered boat in WA you need a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence (RFBL). It's quick to buy online before you come.
- The Peel-Harvey estuary is closed to crabbing from 1 September to 30 November each year. Outside that, blue swimmer crabs have a minimum size and daily/boat limits — check the current figures before you head out.
- Measure every crab, return anything undersized, and always release egg-carrying (berried) females.
- Size and bag limits apply to fin-fish too. The free Recfishwest “Fishing WA” app has the current rules in your pocket.
What to bring
- Drop nets and/or a scoop net (ask us — we can help)
- Bait: fish frames or mullet for the crabs, prawns for the fish
- A bucket or esky with ice for the catch
- Polarised sunglasses for spotting crabs
- Hat, sunscreen and plenty of water
- Your Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence
Pick your boat for a day on the crabs
Our fishing boats and dinghies are ideal for crabbing and estuary fishing — stable, shallow and easy to drive. No licence, no experience needed. Check live availability and book online.