Dampier Archipelago

Reef·Western Australia·Australia

Field notes

A scatter of 42 islands off Dampier with fringing reef, bait grounds and bommies in every direction. Coral trout, red emperor, rankin cod and spanish mackerel are all on offer, with golden snapper around the harder structure. Some areas inside Dampier Archipelago Marine Park — check zoning.

Current conditions

Wind
7.7 kt SW
Gusts 12.9 kt
Waves
0.6 m
Period 4 s
Swell
0.5 m
Period 3.6 s
Sea temp
25.6°C
Air 26.5°C
Next 12 hours
01:00
7.7 SW
0.6m
02:00
8 SSW
0.6m
03:00
6.5 SSW
0.6m
04:00
6.2 SSW
0.6m
05:00
6 SSW
0.5m
06:00
4.9 S
0.5m
07:00
4.6 SSE
0.5m
08:00
5 ESE
0.5m
09:00
5.2 ENE
0.5m
10:00
4.2 NE
0.4m
11:00
4.4 N
0.4m
12:00
6.6 NW
0.4m
Tides
Nearest BOM tide station: Fairway Beacon ↗ (5.4 km · secondary)
We don't predict tides on-site — BOM's published tables are authoritative.
BOM · Pilbara Coast WestIssued at 7:01 am WST on Wednesday 21 October 2026
Situation. Southwest to northwest winds extend across much of the coastal waters due to a broad area of low pressure inland. A ridge to the southwest brings a southerly change to west Pilbara waters, freshening from Friday as the ridge strengthens.
Wednesday 21 October until midnight. Winds: North to northwesterly about 10 knots increasing to 10 to 15 knots in the early afternoon then decreasing to about 10 knots in the evening. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm.
Thursday 22 October. Winds: Variable about 10 knots, reaching up to 20 knots east of Kalumburu in the afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to around 1 metre east of Kalumburu. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny morning. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
Friday 23 October. Winds: West to southwesterly about 10 knots tending west to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots during the day. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Westerly below 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny morning. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon. West Kimberley Coast: Kuri Bay to Wallal
Wednesday 21 October until midnight. Winds: Variable about 10 knots becoming north to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots in the morning then tending west to northwesterly in the late afternoon. Winds reaching up to 25 knots inshore in the late afternoon. Seas: Below 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres inshore around midday. Swell: Westerly around 1 metre. Weather: Mostly sunny. The chance of a thunderstorm inshore in the afternoon.
Source: Open-Meteo Marine + ECMWF (15-min cache) · BOM (1-hr cache). Not for navigation.

Sun & moon

Today
Sun↑ 05:39↓ 18:18
Moon↑ 13:51↓ 02:49
PhaseWaxing gibbous 73%
Best windows
  • Dawn05:16 – 06:39
  • Dusk17:18 – 18:41
Tomorrow
Sun↑ 05:38↓ 18:19
Moon↑ 14:44↓ 03:22
PhaseWaxing gibbous 81%
Best windows
  • Dawn05:16 – 06:38
  • Dusk17:19 – 18:41
Best windows combine civil twilight with the hour either side of sun transit — the universal low-light feeding window most species respond to. Moon phase influence is folkloric; full and new moons coincide with the strongest tide swings.

What's biting

Recent reports from the community. Sign in to log your own catches.

Access & logistics

Spot type
Reef
Region
Western Australia, Australia
Fishing style
offshore and bluewater fishing
Structure
Typically holds bommies and drop-offs — work the structure for holding fish.
Licence
Recreational fishing licence may apply — check the Western Australia fisheries regulator before fishing.
Closures
Always confirm current marine park / closure status and seasonal bag limits.

Comments

Sign in to leave a comment.

No comments yet — be the first.