Shades Fishing News

The weekend was a hoot as the club had its second Merimbula Tackleworld Tri-Estuary Challenge.

Luckily the weather and fish decided to play their part ensuring all anglers had a good time. There were 23 teams who participated and all species were caught.

Longest Bream was caught by Col Beveridge 370 mm. Second longest Bream caught by Cain Tailor 360mm. Longest Dusky Flathead was caught by Col Beveridge 740 mm. Second longest Dusky flathead caught by Jim Fairbairn 660mm. Longest Trevally was caught by Gerald Smith 399mm. Second longest Trevally caught by Dominic Boyton 358mm. Longest Tailor was caught by Jim Fairbairn 362 mm. Second longest Tailor caught by Shane Coles 357mm. Lucky angler door prize went to Craig Paterson.

A big thank-you to tournament directors Dave Stewart and Michael Hampson and the efforts of Barrie and Margaret Francis and Darragh Reynolds.

Not alot of other fishing was done by members over the week as most were geared up for the Tri- Estuary however anglers that put to sea had a good week on the flathead grounds with plenty of sandys and tigers about. Don’t forget the huge eight tray seafood raffle at the Chook and Ox 5.30-6.30 Thursday nights and this Friday night will be a ripper at our Spencer Park Clubhouse as a member of the Department Of Primary Industry will be holding a talk on artificial reefs with the possibility of one located in Merimbula Lake.

Our Christmas party will be held on December 7 and Santa would like to give every child a small gift, so parents who are bringing their children please ring Karen Pryor 64950609 regarding presents and a plate of finger food for the night.

Special party games and activities will be run for the children whilst waiting for Santa’s arrival.

Members and the general public all invited to the clubhouse 6.30 Friday night when Darragh Reynolds and myself will open the clubrooms for all to enjoy a couple of drinks a chat and a chance to have a win in the raffle before our guest speaker takes the floor. May your reel scream, Mex.

Source: Merimbula News Weekly

From Wollongong to Jervis Bay, offshore anglers are set to benefit from the redeployment of three fish aggregating devices (FADs).

Department of Primary Industries FAD Program Manager Marcus Gregson said that between 27 November and 4 December, Department of Primary Industries (DPI) staff will redeploy the popular fish aggregating devices off Wollongong, Kiama and Jervis Bay (weather permitting).

“These devices can act like magnets for mahi-mahi or dolphin fish and even marlin, creating offshore opportunities for the fishing community who are seeking a quality fishing experience,” Mr Gregson said.

“The NSW Government will deploy a total of 21 FADs along the state coastline.

“Fishers are always very pleased when the devices go back in the water and fishing close to them has become an increasingly popular pastime, since they were first installed along the NSW coastline in 2002.

“The devices provide great opportunities for rec fishers to target fast growing pelagic fish and are considered to act as a reference point for schools of surface-dwelling fish such as mahi-mahi.”

Fish aggregating devices are yellow buoys, marked with a cross and navigation light on top, that are moored to the ocean floor. They are installed from October to June and are removed for maintenance during winter months.

“The FAD program is just one of many excellent initiatives funded by the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and is a great example of fishers licence fees being put back into the water to improve recreational fishing in NSW,” he said.

Funds raised from the recreational fishing licence fee are placed into two trusts, one for saltwater and one for freshwater, used to improve recreational fishing in NSW.

For more information about FADs or the Recreational Fishing Trusts go to: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater-fishing/fads

FISHERS are reminded that the 2008 marron season will commence almost two weeks later than last season, and a licence is required.

Each season’s start date relates to the moon phase providing the best opportunity to catch marron.

For 2008, it runs from noon Friday, January 25 to noon Sunday, February 17.

As with last season, there will be 23 days for recreational fishers to pursue marron.

A new brochure for the season is available from Fisheries Department offices or can be downloaded at www.fish.wa.gov.au

The brochure describes the legal fishing gear, how to measure marron properly and where you can and can’t go marroning, plus other rules and limits.

Southern Region compliance manager Peter Godfrey said from now until the season is under way, Fisheries and Marine officers and other Government agencies will watch for people who jump the gun.

“In recent years, there have been several prosecutions of marron fishers, who were caught fishing out of season, so we play close attention to this possibility,” Mr Godfrey said.

“The rules for wild-catch marron fishing are required to keep natural stocks sustainable, so the opportunity to go fishing for the popular species is still there in the future.”

In the lead up to the 2008 season, Fisheries education officers will hold information sessions.

“These sessions are conducted in collaboration with Department of Environment and Conservation Officers and are highly valuable for anyone who enjoys the fun of fishing for marron along our South West rivers or at the accessible public dams,” Mr Godrey said.

For the Blackwood River, they will be from 2pm to 3pm on Tuesday, January 22 at the Warner Glen Campsite, and for Margaret River, from 4pm to 5pm on Tuesday, January 22 at Sue’s Bridge Campsite, and from 10am to 11am on Wednesday, January 23 at Rotary Park.

Source: Margaret River Mail

COMMERCIAL and recreational fishers have proposed that 29 per cent of some Moreton Bay fishing habitats be locked up.

They have also suggested 18 per cent of seagrass areas be set aside to protect dugong and trawlers be banned from about a quarter of the bay.

The no-go areas, outlined in a document prepared for the Moreton Bay Access Alliance, are more extensive than the Environmental Protection Agency has foreshadowed.

The agency has not been specific but has set a minimum of 10 per cent green area in the bay marine park, which stretches 125km from Caloundra to the Gold Coast Seaway.

Some conservationists want half the bay, which covers 390,000ha and is Queensland’s busiest seaway, closed off.

Fishing groups think the 10 per cent no-go target is too high.

The alliance, which is made up of amateur and professional fishers, representatives of the indigenous community, conservation movement and boating and seafood traders, said the plan would protect the bay while minimising impact on livelihoods and leisure.

Alliance chairman Bruce Alvey said there would be some job losses if the agency accepted his group’s ideas as part of a review of the marine park.

“But that small amount of pain may be necessary to protect the bay for the future,” he said.

It was in the best interests of fishers to see the bay protected, but zoning had to allow for continued use by recreational and commercial fishers.

Queensland’s Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association chairman Robert Brock said the proposal would allow access to highly productive fishing areas.

At the same time, it would offer protection to 18 per cent of seagrass habitat that supported dugongs and 29 per cent of riverine and estuarine habitat.

“That far exceeds the EPA’s goal of 10 per cent protection for each habitat type,” he said. “On top of this are existing fishing closures managed under fisheries legislation.”

Daryl McPhee, of Queensland University, said the alliance proposal increased no-go zones from 0.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

“The habitats that have been allocated highest levels of protection under the industry proposal are important in that they support communities of protected species such as dugongs,” Dr McPhee said.

Queensland Conservation Council spokesman Simon Baltais said the alliance approach had been a worthwhile process but “politics” had got in the way.

“If there had been more time we probably could have achieved 80 per cent agreement on matters,” he said.

Source : Courier Mail

AN ESTIMATED 800 people from around NSW will pack up their boats, rods and families and travel to Copeton Dam for The Great Inland Fishing Festival.

The competition runs from Friday to Sunday and is held at Copeton Waters State Park.

The prestigious fishing competition has been running for about 15 years and has been held as a catch and release competition since 2003.

This year the festival boasts $20,000 worth of prizes including the Club Challenge cash prize of $1000 for the overall winner and the ‘Fisherman’s Dream Raffle’ (boat, motor, trailer and safety equipment).

Entry fees are $20 for seniors $15 for children or pensioners and $30 for families. The different competition categories include senior male, senior female, junior and over all winner (Australian inland freshwater fisherman of the year). For the non-fisher there are plenty of other activities and attractions including art exhibitions, busking competitions, yabbie and duck racing as well as the normal recreational activities such as sailing, golf and fossicking.

Copeton Dam has a capacity three times that of Sydney Harbour. Even after recent rains the dam is currently only about 13 per cent capacity.

Festival organiser Darrel Kratchel said this hasn’t stopped the fish.

“The fish are going mad at the moment. There are a lot of fish being caught,” he said.

The dam is home to golden perch, catfish, silver perch, redfin and Murray cod, however due to the earlier than usual starting dates Murray cod fishing season does not start until the second day of competition.

Fishing is one of the main attractions to the park.

“The best time to fish is spring but there are plenty of fish all year,” Mr Kretchel said.

When fish are caught they are taken to one of 15 red flagged boats to be measured. Results are displayed at the end of each day. Since the first year of catch and release competition began the record size is 112cm.

All profits from the festival go towards improving fishing in the region and in particular the release of fingerlings. Last year’s festival helped to fund the planned fishing development facilities on the southern foreshore of the dam and the recent application for a number of golden perch fingerlings to be released next spring.

For more details, call the information line on 1800-067-626.

Source: Armidale Express

THE Ninth Annual Brogo Bass Bash (BBB) fishing comp will be held at Brogo Dam this coming weekend, December 1 and 2.This is an annual fundraising competition designed to raise funds for the ongoing stocking program of Australian Bass into the dam.

In the past this weekend has been highly successful and as a result has seen some 260,000 Bass released in the dam over several years with the most recent being two weeks ago where 20,000 Bass fry was released by the members of the association in conjunction with DPI - Fisheries.

The BBB is always a fun event with most anglers treating it as a good family weekend.

It is a catch and release tournament only where the fish are measured and monitored for growth rates.

For any one interested in competing and attending this event there are still some positions available. Contact Darren Redman on 64934857 Mob 0427934688 for further information.

Also for any one interested in stocking Bass into farm dams or private waterways stock is now available and can be ordered by contacted Darren Redman on the above numbers.

Freshwater fishers will be able to fish in NSW waters for Murray cod again from Saturday 1 December after the three-month annual closure, according to NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Manager Fisheries Compliance Glenn Tritton.

“Murray cod, a prized catch of freshwater anglers, is one of Australia’s largest freshwater fish. It grows up to 1.8 m and can weigh more than 100 kg,” he said.

“Every year a three-month ban on fishing from September to November protects this native species during its breeding season.”

Mr Tritton said it was important for freshwater fishers to know of the changes to the NSW fishing rules in relation to Murray cod.

From 1 December 2007 the minimum legal length of Murray cod will increase to 55 cm and fishers can keep only one fish more than 100 cm in length. There is a daily bag limit of two per person per day and a total possession limit of four from either rivers or dams.

For the following season, from 1 December 2008 the minimum size of Murray cod will increase to 60 cm. These changes are to ensure that the fish have the opportunity to reach spawning size.

“A similar species, the endangered trout cod, is fully protected and fishers must release any trout cod they catch,” Mr Tritton said.

Set lines are now banned, but fishers can use two attended lines in all inland waters except for areas closed to fishing and some notified trout waters.

NSW DPI Fisheries officers regularly patrol inland waterways to ensure fishers are following fishing rules for Murray cod.

Mr Tritton said Murray cod were stocked into inland rivers and dams as part of the NSW Government’s fish stocking program.

“Last year 263,000 Murray cod fry and fingerlings, bred at NSW DPI Narrandera hatchery, were released under the program, and another 201,000 were stocked through the Dollar-for-Dollar scheme funded by the NSW recreational fishing licence and community groups,” he said.

Detailed information on freshwater fishing rules can be found on the NSW DPI website www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries, and in the NSW DPI freshwater fishing guide and summary. These are available from NSW DPI Fisheries offices and most places where NSW recreational fishing licences are sold.

For further information, contact your local NSW DPI Fisheries office or refer to the website at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries

Media contact: Sarah Chester (02) 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669

The Department of Fisheries are reminding people that pink snapper fishing in Cockburn and Warnbro Sounds is illegal from October to January this year.

The prize catch is banned for four month’s of the year to protect stocks during spawning - necessary to allow the species to replenish itself.

Recent stock assessment of pink snapper on the West Coast has revealed that pink snapper are being overfished; a finding which if not observed could spell disaster for the species.

“Pink snapper is a slow-growing and long-lived species. Its slow growth rate makes the species less able to recover from overfishing and rapid environmental change,” said Department of Fisheries Principal Management Officer, Nathan Harrison..

“They can live to 30 years or more and this long life increases each pink snapper’s chance of reproducing successfully, so it is vital to keep a balance of older and younger fish in the West Coast population for their long term sustainability.

“In the past, pink snapper have been caught weighing almost 20 kilograms and measuring over a metre long. These days it is rare to see pink snapper weighing more than 10 kilograms.”

Offenders caught fishing for Pink Snapper while the season is closed will face fines of up to $5000 for recreational catches.

Source: PerthNow

COMMERCIAL and recreational fishers have proposed that 29 per cent of some Moreton Bay fishing habitats be locked up.

They have also suggested 18 per cent of seagrass areas be set aside to protect dugong and trawlers be banned from about a quarter of the bay.

The no-go areas, outlined in a document prepared for the Moreton Bay Access Alliance, are more extensive than the Environmental Protection Agency has foreshadowed.

The agency has not been specific but has set a minimum of 10 per cent green area in the bay marine park, which stretches 125km from Caloundra to the Gold Coast Seaway.

Some conservationists want half the bay, which covers 390,000ha and is Queensland’s busiest seaway, closed off.

Fishing groups think the 10 per cent no-go target is too high.

The alliance, which is made up of amateur and professional fishers, representatives of the indigenous community, conservation movement and boating and seafood traders, said the plan would protect the bay while minimising impact on livelihoods and leisure.

Alliance chairman Bruce Alvey said there would be some job losses if the agency accepted his group’s ideas as part of a review of the marine park.

“But that small amount of pain may be necessary to protect the bay for the future,” he said.

It was in the best interests of fishers to see the bay protected, but zoning had to allow for continued use by recreational and commercial fishers.

Queensland’s Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association chairman Robert Brock said the proposal would allow access to highly productive fishing areas.

At the same time, it would offer protection to 18 per cent of seagrass habitat that supported dugongs and 29 per cent of riverine and estuarine habitat.

“That far exceeds the EPA’s goal of 10 per cent protection for each habitat type,” he said. “On top of this are existing fishing closures managed under fisheries legislation.”

Daryl McPhee, of Queensland University, said the alliance proposal increased no-go zones from 0.5 per cent to 10 per cent.

“The habitats that have been allocated highest levels of protection under the industry proposal are important in that they support communities of protected species such as dugongs,” Dr McPhee said.

Queensland Conservation Council spokesman Simon Baltais said the alliance approach had been a worthwhile process but “politics” had got in the way.

“If there had been more time we probably could have achieved 80 per cent agreement on matters,” he said.

Source: Courier Mail

Phil Stanley and Hal Harvey

SQUID are teeming along the metropolitan beaches this week while chopper tailor, bream and flathead are biting in the Swan River.

Metropolitan

Squid have remained popular, with good hauls from Cockburn Sound and Hillarys, where bags have improved significantly. Grant St Reef has yielded decent tailor, with better catches available from northern metro beaches. The Swan has also fished well for choppers, with trolled lures worked along the edges of channels likely to bring a result. You need to watch the legal size of the river tailor (300mm), with low tides best to catch them. Yellowfin whiting have moved into the lower Swan, but the general size for them is smaller than in a normal season. Black bream are widespread in the Swan, with some saying they are spread from the Causeway right up to Maylands and Ashfield. Try the Burswood area for flathead, and also the Fremantle bridges to Point Roe. Gummy sharks have turned up at Quinns Beach and the Five Fathom Bank has produced pink snapper. Excellent sand whiting catches have been taken between Rottnest and Fremantle, with skippy found 6-10km off Mindarie and big king george whiting around 25km off the coast.

Moore River

The Three Mile Reef has fished well for tailor, with black bream better pursued towards the river mouth as algae has made things harder upstream.

Mandurah

An amazing run of jewfish has surprised some. John Klaus, a rod builder at Totally Wild, was among those who could not get away from them. Initially fishing out wide from Mandurah, his party caught and released jewies, keeping some from 12-15kg. When they moved closer to shore to try for skippy and whiting, they still hooked jewies. Dawesville Cut juvenile salmon have provided fun and been a good size, while herring have bitten better on an ingoing tide. On the beaches, tailor have been bigger south of the Cut, including some of 50-55cm, with those north of town generally smaller. Most of the crabs around have been undersize. Bream fishing in the Serpentine and Murray rivers continues to improve as the salt water moves upstream.

Steep Point

Coastal Angling Club members on their annual Steep Point trip found water temperatures lower than normal for this time of the year, consequently spanish mackerel activity was limited, as were tuna numbers. Pink snapper, baldchin groper and tailor made up the bulk of the moderate catch, with Paul Fathers bagging the best of the pinkies. A combination of high winds and ever-present sharks further hindered their cause.

Source : PerthNow