| article: esperance - archipelago of the recherche by darren reid |
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Dated: 5 December, 2001
 | | Steve Drew with a beautifully marked queen snapper of about 3.5kg. |
The Archipelago of the Recherché is a vast group of islands scattered off the south coast of Western Australia. There are more than 100 large islands and some 1500 smaller isles, that are spread along 230 kilometres of coast stretching from Figure of Eight Island in the west to Spindle Island in the east. The area has a rich history from early explorers, navigators and traders to an infamous pirate. The deep sea fishing on offer is both awe-inspiring and exciting. Before sea levels rose thousands of years ago these islands would have been merely the peak or summit of hundreds of mountains in a rugged land. Today the peaks of many of these mountains are now submerged. Known locally as lumps, they provide a superb habitat for fish. Anglers can expect to catch a diverse range of species including red Snapper, break sea cod, Snapper, swallowtail, queen Snapper, Silver Trevally, Sweep, harlequin fish and the gigantic Samson Fish.
Historically speaking
The islands of the Archipelago were originally discovered by Pieter Nuijts in 1627, a Dutch explorer in the ship Gulden Zeepaard. The Dutch Explorer discovered the islands by mistake and did not attempt to navigate the treacherous waters. In 1792, a French Rear Admiral Bruni d'Entrecasteaux took two ships the Recherche and Esperance and landed on what is now known as Observatory Island. He named the islands L'Archipel de la Recherché. However, it wasn't until navigator Matthew Flinders thoroughly explored and named many of the islands in 1802, that navigation charts were drawn up aboard the HMS Investigator.
 | | A snapper (pink snapper in W.A.) taken on an offshore reef in the Archipelago. |
Esperance is the major town in the region providing an ideal base from which to fish the Archipelago. Charter boats operate out of Bandy Creek Harbour, which also has excellent boat launching facilities for trailer-boats. Most of the prime reefs to fish are some distance from Esperance. Thus utilising charter boats or large fuel capacity trailable boats are mandatory. The underwater pinnacles or lumps are the prime locations to fish. Fishing around the shoreline of the islands is mostly for Sweep and Parrot Fish.
Deep sea drift fishing
The best reefs or lumps are anywhere from 10 to 50 kilometres offshore. On board the charter vessel "Men at work" with Steve Drew, we fished the waters west of Esperance. Several reefs we fished were near Figure of Eight Island and beyond ­ about 50 kilometres from base. The best fishing lumps are usually located in 50 to 60 metres of waters. It is not practical to anchor in these sort of depths. Thus drift fishing is the way to go. Using the way points logged into his GPS over many years Steve is able to produce quality fishing for his clients.
The skipper manoeuvres the boat over the highest point of each lump using a quality high resolution depth sounder (in this case a Lowrance LMS350). Steve looks for particularly sharp drop offs as these are usually the areas which offer the greatest fish congregations.
By judging the wind direction the boat is then drifted sideways starting upwind from the reef, with anglers then dropping their lines as soon as the engine is cut.
 | | The author with a deep sea nannygai. |
Paternoster rigs are used which are made up of 25kg low stretch line with 40kg traces. The droppers are located above a 16 ounce Snapper leader sinker with 4/0 ganged hooks on the top dropper and a single 3/0 suicide on the other. Baits consist of pilchards (mulies in WA) rigged on the ganged hooks with a strip of squid used on the bottom trace. The braided line is used to reduce the line stretch in the depths fished. As the line sinks to the bottom it bows in the currents and tides, thus if conventional monofilament was used you would never feel the bite. It is sometimes difficult enough to feel the bites using low stretch line when fishing in 60 metres (180 feet).
Variety
The variety of species encountered is one the great bonuses in deep sea fishing. This method of fishing has often been described as a fish lottery. The cobalt blue waters of the Archipelago offer an enormous range of delicious eating fish. On that point, catch and release of fish caught is often not an option in deep sea fishing. Due to the depth of water a fish's swim bladder is unable to cope with the rapid change of depths on retrieval to the surface. If the fish is returned it will probably not recover. When you've caught enough for a feed it is time to stop fishing.
Anglers from the eastern states of Australia will recognise many species such as Snapper, Silver Trevally and Sweep. Snapper are known as pink Snapper in the west and average about 3 to 4kg which is similar to the eastern states. Silver Trevally (skippy in W.A.) can attain weights in excess of 6kg with Sweep regularly topping 1.5kg. Some of the more unusual species that are not found in the east are the queen Snapper, harlequin fish, breaksea cod, Samson Fish and the red Snapper or Nannygai as it is sometimes called. Some of these fish are also caught in South Australian waters.
 | | Anglers drift over the lumps (reefs) and drop their lines right on the peaks when deep sea fishing in the Archipelago of the Recherche. |
The red Snapper is the bread and butter reef species. It is a very similar fish in looks to the Nannygai of the eastern states, except that is on average about twice the size. The scales of the red Snapper are razor sharp and should not be handled. The correct way to pick up the fish is by the bony , but toothless, bucket shaped mouth. They are a superb eating fish, the flesh is pure white, delicate, and sweet.
The queen Snapper is one of the most beautiful fish, its blues are stunning on capture, but will rapidly deteriorate soon after, so get your photo pronto. They too are much prized and good eating, and are similar in appearance to the Blue Morwong of the Eastern states.
The breaksea cod is a species which is unique to southern Western Australia. It is also known locally as blackarse cod due to some black colouring around the anal fin. The fish has a yellow brown complexion and is good to eat. We did not encounter the harlequin fish on our adventures into the Archipelago this time. The fish gets its name from the multitude of colours on its body. It is similar in shape to a Coral Trout.
Finally, the Samson Fish is the king of the Archipelago. This fish grows to in excess of 50kgs. We had one hit from a samson which lasted about five seconds. At the time I asked Murray Johnson (Southern Sport Fishing and Tackle) how he knew it was a samson, and he said that it "felt like a train had just picked up his line and bolted".
 | | Another snapper from a reef in the Archipelago of the Recherche. |
The samsons inhabit similar territory to the reef fish. Steve Drew regularly catches them in the 35kg range. On a recent trip they caught five samsons between 34 and 38kgs and the anglers on board were so exhausted after the battle that they returned to Esperance before lunch.
Mutiny in the Archipelago
The Archipelago had it's own fair dinkum pirate 150 years ago. He was a bloke known as "Black Jack Anderson". The Esperance Traveler described Anderson as a powerfully built Negro seal hunter who was regarded as WA's only recorded pirate. For 10 years he wreaked havoc throughout the Archipelago of the Recherché. An article in the Perth Gazette in October 1842 called Anderson "a daring man, whose band of cut-throats look up to with a kind of dread". It continued, "Anderson usually carried a brace of pistols about him, knowing that he had his life by a very precarious tenure."
The pirate used Middle Island in the east of the Archipelago as his base. It was remote (and still is today) being well away from the authorities.
 | | A double header of nannygai and queen snapper. |
He was an uncompromising and dangerous man, feared and jeered (behind his back). Two shipwrecked sailors James Newell and James Manning managed to escape death by begging Anderson to leave them ashore at Cape Arid so they could make their way back to Albany. He agreed but left them without provisions or gun powder. In an incredible tale of endurance and survival they made it. It took them two years to walk the 650 kilometres to Albany and when they arrived they could barely talk, having survived on limpets and roots.
After many encounters with the law, Anderson mysteriously disappeared with the news filtering back to Albany that he "had thrown himself overboard". It was later revealed that he was murdered by his own men in his sleep.
Conclusion
The Archipelago of the Recherché is a 'must see' for around-Australia travelers. It's history, beauty and remoteness make it a fantastic place to fish. Many islands and reefs are unexplored but as boats get larger with greater fuel capacity the more distant islands such as Middle Island will eventually open up to fishing.
By Road
Esperance is 720 kilometres from Perth via the Albany Highway, turning left at Arthur's River and then right at Lake King and then on to Ravensthorpe before linking up with the south coast highway.
By Air
Esperance is an hour and half flight from Perth on Skywest airlines. It leaves twice daily ­ Monday to Friday, and once on Saturday and Sunday. Phone (089) 71 2002.
By Coach
Esperance is serviced by Westrail from Perth and Kalgoorlie at least three times a week. Phone (089) 13 2232.
Esperance Contacts
Esperance Tourist bureau & travel centre 08 9712330 or 9712521.
Southern Sports and Tackle, Esperance. Phone 08 9713 022. Talk to Murray Johnson or Frank Miller for an update on offshore fishing in the Archipelago of the Recherché.
Drewies Fishing Charter. Phone Steve Drew on 08 9712 406 or mobile 0419 868 580. Steve has extensive knowledge of the Archipelago's reefs and lumps with more than 20 years experience.
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