Shades Fishing News

A FATHER’S Day fishing trip nearly turned into a disaster for a Lower King family on Sunday.

Eighteen-year-old Matthew Armstrong fell from rocks at the Salmon Holes while returning with his father, David, from a successful day fishing.

“I’m pretty lucky to survive,” he said. “Before I knew it I was in the water.”

He slipped on what he thought was dry, black rock and fell into the sea where he was sucked under by the swell then bashed against rocks.

“I went head-first right under the water,” Mr Armstrong said.

“I used my hands to stop hitting my head on the rocks on the way down.

“A few sets came through and just smashed me against the rocks.”

While his father went to get a buoy from the sentinel post erected by the Drew Foundation, friend Chris Bilecki, who happened to be in the area, rushed to help.

Mr Armstrong said if it was not for Mr Bilecki’s quick thinking, he might have spent longer in the water.

“I owe him my life,” he said.

“He told me to take off my boots and held out a fishing rod and I grabbed it as I scrambled up the rock.

“I don’t know how I got out. It was very steep rock.”

Mr Armstrong was taken to hospital where multiple cuts and abrasions were treated.

A fishing hook that had been snagged on rocks was taken from his leg.

“My dad and myself are pretty experienced and are aware of the dangers, as we go fishing all the time,” he said.

“But from now on I think we’ll stick with the beach and boat fishing.”

Mr Armstrong said he thinks he slipped because he stood on the wet cuff of his jeans.

Source Albany and Great Southern Weekender

By Monique Ebrington

THOUSANDS of Casey children and families will benefit from a $12,000 state grant for the introduction of recreational fishing days in Casey Fields Lake.

Local fishing guru Paul Worsteling is also urging budding anglers to make the most of some free fishing information.

The funding comes after a Brumby Government commitment to improve fishing opportunities in the City of Casey and is taken from recreational fishing licence revenue.

The local Futurefish Foundation will receive the funding to continue running projects such as family fishing days at Casey Fields Lake.

Last year over 1000 people attended a day in which all participating children received a fishing rod, reel, line, lure, bait and bucket to keep.

Directors of Futurefish, David Kramer and Mr Worsteling created the family fishing day after watching the progress of Casey Fields Lake.

“We’re locals and we saw a new lake that didn’t have any fish in it and we thought how about we get some fish in there and get the kids involved,” said Mr Kramer.

The City of Casey, in conjunction with Futurefish, released over 800 edible sized fish and a few ‘monsters’ into the lake last year, with 500 more to be released in early October. “You don’t have to travel far or go to a pier or own a boat to fish because there’s a great little lake full of fish right here in Cranbourne,” said Mr Kramer.

With the distinctive fluorescent pink and blue rods given out at the family day, Futurefish has seen hundreds of children returned to the lake to fish in their own time.

“We wanted to get kids off computers and get them out of the house and out fishing.

There’s a beautiful lake in Cranbourne that I reckon not a lot of people know about,” Mr Kramer said.

Anyone wanting a set of the Let’s Go Fishing cards can call 136 186 or send an email to go.fishing@dpi.vic.gov.au

Source: Star News Group

Murraymonsters forums have slowly been revamped and a great new updated look. If your after good discussion, great tips, and a supportive cod loving community look no further.
Be sure to say hi if you join!

Dubbo Tidy Towns is inviting all community members to a river clean-up on September 21 and is seeking volunteers to help clean-up between the town’s two weirs both in boats and on foot.

Volunteers are asked to meet at 9am at the boat ramp beside Lyons Park in West Dubbo, with everyone invited to a barbecue lunch when the clean-up finishes at midday.

For details and early registration please phone Mal Monson on 0429 391 639.

o o o

The DPI has reported that the prayers of the 1.1 million NSW residents who are recreational fishers have been answered, with the State Government announcing that they will introduce plastic fishing licences.

The days of dropping your $30 a year paper license in the drink, along with your line, are almost over.

“Fishers told us that they wanted a more durable system so we have responded to that with the new card, which we envisage will be very popular,” primary industries minister Ian McDonald, said.

Plastic licences will now be issued for one and three-year licences which are purchased online, over the phone, or at touch agent who utilises a Touch Eftpos terminal.

Unfortunately there is no capacity to offer a plastic licence for fishing licences purchased manually from agents and fisheries offices.

The DPI will continue to maintain the paper licence system for agents and fisheries offices who do not have the Touch Eftpos facilities. For more information go to www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

Darling River:

Matt Woodbridge dropped Dubbo Catches a report from a recent trip 60kms out the back of Bourke to the Darling River.

Fishing with six mates, the boys managed to catch about 20 yellowbelly, with the biggest being a fighting fit 7lb brute that ate a bunch of worms floated down the side of a log.

Matt reported that Stimulate Fish Attracting Gel applied to the baits worked well, and seemed to catch more fish than the unscented baits.

For his great report and photos Matt picks up a selection of Jaz Lures including a variety of spinner baits, lipless crank baits and hard bodies lures.

Eucumbene and Jindabyne:

Excellent reports have come in from Jindabyne over the last week. The trolling has been very good, and spinning from the shore or boat with plastics and minnows has been deadly on the fish as well.

Local high-country angler Andy Butt and his son Matt from Sydney had an interesting day at the lake on the weekend.

They spent the day spinning with various lures and had plenty of follows from some good browns, but struggled to get a bite.

As it turned out Andy hooked and landed a very impressive 65cm, 2.6kg brown, with the fish taking a Vibrax Minnow Spin lure. Andy was a little unsure for a while whether the new rod he purchased was a dud, obviously now it is considered to be a very lucky rod.

Thanks to the team at The Alpine Angler for their report.

Botany Bay on the coast:

Tailor are about in small groups and Scotty Lyons from South Sydney fishing charters has scored well along the third runway of late, spinning with small metal slices, with most fish up about 1kg and proving to fight well on light tackle.

Trevally are the prime species all through the cooler months and spots like Trevally Alley, The Drums and the Third Runway are all spots that will produce.

Trevally are a schooling fish and move about from spot-to-spot so anglers will need to find them. Fishing in deep water near structures and fishing light is the key. Burley is needed to bring them on the bite, with nippers, prawns and pilchards as bait working well.

Kingies are on the bite of late, so a day out targeting them could produce good results for visiting anglers.

Jigging and live baiting are both scoring well and this should continue right up to the start of December.

Small slimy mackerel are working well as live bait and 200 gram Spanyid jigs in white, pink and gold are also scoring the odd hook-up.

Thanks to Scotty Lyons of South Sydney fishing charters for his report.

Source: Dubbo Daily Liberal

THOUSANDS of dead fish floating in the Myall Lakes were killed by a disease thriving in the estuary’s cold water and low salinity, tests show.

Bream and silver biddy carcasses from Bombah Broadwater were tested last week by Department of Primary Industry scientists, who found them riddled with the fungal infection Saprolegniosis, or winter disease.

“In winter disease, fungus can sometimes be seen around the mouth and gills, and appears as a brown deposit a bit like a five o’clock shadow,” a department spokesperson said.

The fish were widely thought to have red spot disease, which was found near Tea Gardens earlier this year, but the department said the Myall outbreak is different.

Fish veterinarian Matt Landof said it was unusual for estuarine fish to contract winter disease. The fungus choking the fish can be found even in healthy waterways, but it can be devastating.

“It’s a common water fungus, but if the water gets cold very quickly it affects fishes’ immunity. Their skin and gills become vulnerable to it,” Dr Landof said.

“Water with low salinity also allows the fungus to thrive.”

Fishing has not been banned in the lakes, but the department warned that fish with tell-tale brown residue around the mouth and gills should not be eaten. Dr Landof agreed.

“If an adult fish with the disease was cooked and eaten there would be no impact [on the human], but I wouldn’t recommend eating a fish that shows signs of illness.”

A Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) spokesperson said experts were satisfied enough water passes through the Myall River mouth to keep it clean, but two Great Lakes councillors said the current outbreak is a symptom of mismanagement.

“Comments by the DECC that there’s sufficient flow to allow flushing are contrary to current reports and council’s own submission to dredge the opening,” Cr Len Roberts said.

Some fishermen shrugged off the outbreak, which they say is fairly common.

“It’s been going on for years,” lakes-based commercial fisherman Graeme Hockings told the Myall Coast Nota.

“It happens about three or four years apart, sometimes more, usually when the water gets cold.”

Cr Carol McCaskie, standing for re-election on the same ticket as Cr Roberts, said any infection is “a problem”.

“Irrespective of the frequency of diseased fish and whether it is cyclical or not, the point that there are diseased fish. The fact it may have happened before is a warning something is wrong, not that we must live with it,” she said.

“It’s like having a toothache from time to time and not doing anything about it. Eventually the tooth dies. We don’t want a dead Myall River, so let’s fix the problem now.”

Dr Landof said winter disease usually kills in conjunction with another pollutant.

“I’d be cautious of assuming the fungus is the primary cause [of the deaths]. There are often other toxins at work.”

Oyster harvesting at Tea Gardens has been suspended because of the river’s low salinity, measured at eight parts per thousand last week. It needs to reach 18 per thousand for harvesting to resume.

Source : Great Lakes Advocate

The first barbecue weekend for the year is at Wyangla Dam at Grabine, to coincide with the Grabine Classic - which is worth entering, as you may be lucky enough to win the boat, motor and trailer.

The Soldiers Club Fishing Club will have members going, so if you’re a member of the fishing club there is a notice on our notice board where you can place your names. If you need directions please phone Allan on 6226 5258 and he will guide you to the right location, or follow the YSCFC signs. Hope to see you there giving the fishing club that runs this classic all the support they deserve.

Our annual trip to Eucumbene runs on the weekend of September 20-21 at Old Adaminaby. We’re staying at Rainbow Pines Tourist Park in the bungalows. These have been booked, so if you’re going please write your names on the list which is on our notice board at the Soldiers Club. Hope to see you there.

Just a quick reminder on the Eucumbene barbecue - if you’re going, would you please ring Dianne at work on 62261015 or at home on 62265258. This very weekend last year was a great two days enjoyed by all who attended.

Source: Yass Tribune

BY MICHAEL CROOKS

BRIAN Davis has been fishing at Arthurs Lake for more than 40 years and, in his opinion, the current level of the water is as low as he has ever seen it.

“I just came back from a week there and the low level of the water was exceptionally noticeable,” Mr Davis said.

The prime trout fishing venue risks being split into two separate bodies of water if it doesn’t receive sufficient rainfall soon.

Recently taken satellite pictures of the area show parts of the lake previously underwater are now dry land.

One strip of this terra firma will completely bisect the lake if the water level drops only one more metre.

This would return Arthurs Lake to its status from the 1960s as two separate bodies of water known as Blue Lake and Sand Lake.

Mr Davis, from Burnie, said the water level hadn’t affected the fishing, which, by all accounts, had been of a high standard this season.

While acknowledging the weather had played a part in Arthurs Lake’s recession, Mr Davis said the body of water was undoubtedly under plenty of stress.

“I think rainfall is the bottom line, although the demand for hydro is also a factor,” he said.

“There is a lot of strain on Arthurs Lake to supplement the supply of Great Lake and also for the water used in farming.

“It’s a shame that it’s in its current situation.”

Statistics show Arthurs Lake is at its lowest recorded level in nearly 20 years.

Hydro Tasmania has confirmed the worrying situation, saying it has been caused by several factors.

Evaporation and a lack of rainfall are largely to blame, although other uses are also contributing.

Water is pumped out of Arthurs Lake to supply Lake River irrigation and is transferred to Great Lake to support power generation at Poatina.

A spokesperson for Hydro Tasmania said it was important to recognise the many challenges it faced striving to find the right balance with all users during the prolonged drought.

Arthurs Lake’s low levels have also been making boating access to the water particularly tough, with many ramps having to be shut.

The Inland Fisheries Service (IFS), Hydro Tasmania and Marine and Safety have recently invested $10,000 to create a low-level launching area for boats at Pumphouse Bay, along with establishing other low-level access points around the lake.

Although long-term weather forecasts aren’t showing any signs of significant rain, everyone concerned about the lake would be encouraged that its level has risen by 15cm in the last six weeks.

Source: The Advocate

Some crazy Narooma Sporting and Services Fishing Club members fished over the weekend with a lot of effort put in but not a great return.

Mother nature threw as some bad weather on Saturday with sea’s over the 7m mark putting most off going out the bar, but a few brave soles fished the beaches or what’s left of them and jagged a salmon and tailor.

Needless to say next month there are heaps of jackpots up for grabs with the womans, mystery boat, highest points offshore, spin of the wheel, most species woman and highest points RBE, all with jackpots for next month.

Winners for this month were Gary Landells the overall winner (yes that’s not a miss print) Andy Mathews, Dave Clark and Noel O’Hehir and the juniors was won by Renae Butchard.

The dads were then treated to a fantastic feed of ham chicken and salads by the ladies, as it was father’s day and a big thank you to Karen Clark for the food served up.

So next month the trophy prize will be a tailor and next comp will be on the long weekend then after the fishing comp we can all sit back and watch the NRL grand final at 5pm and remember that those in the NRL tipping comp a bus will be running to take us home at the end of the grand final.

As we go to press the board is looking at a fresh water comp at Brogo so keep an eye on the notice board, so all is fairly quite on the fishing scene apart from plenty of snapper at Potato Point and a few mowies thrown in for good measure but the warm water is pouring down from the north and in a month or so it will be on again

The committee will be meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday night at the Bowlo and with the change in leadership in the State Goverment in the last week a few political issues might be raised.

Tight Lines

Fishfingers

Source : Narooma News

MURRAY cod season has closed and trout season is now open in Victoria.

However, NSW anglers have to wait another month for their trout season opening.

Rod Mackenzie reports that anglers fishing the Murray River are catching yellowbelly to 1.2kg at Swan Hill and Mildura in Victoria on yabbies, worms and bibless minnow lures. Carp are being caught at Mildura on surface poppers. The Wakool River has small numbers of yellowbelly to about 1kg being caught on bait.

Mick Hall at Eildon, in Victoria, says the Eildon Pondage is fishing well, with rainbow and brown trout being caught. Most fish are from 400g to 1kg, but a few bigger trout to 3kg are also being caught. Rainbow coloured Powerbait, maggots and locally-made dough are producing good results for bait fishers.

Fisheries Victoria released another 5000 mainly rainbow trout, weighing 200-250g, and 200 brown trout from 2-4kg during the week. This brings to 15,000 the number of trout released into the Pondage this year, with another 5000 still to come. Mick Rantall at Warrnambool, in Victoria, reports the Merri River is producing brown trout to 1.8kg on lures and worms. The hotspot is Lake Elingamite where brown trout to 2.5kg and redfin to 1.5kg are being caught consistently on lures and bait.

Best lures are Tassie Devil and Vibes, with mudeyes and minnows the preferred baits. Lake Bullen Merri is producing rainbow trout to 4kg on Stick Caddis pattern flies fished under a Glo Bug fly.

At Lake Purrumbete, in Victoria, redfin are consistent, and reasonable catches of brown trout to 3.5kg are being reported. Mudeye and minnow baits, and soft plastic and hard body lures, are producing results.

On the estuary scene, Mick says Victoria’s Fitzroy River has been producing bream and estuary perch to 34cm, but the Hopkins River is a better option for bream to 45cm and estuary perch to 38cm.

Most fish are being caught on cut mullet, brown shell, shrimp and some on lures. Levis Beach in Victoria has produced salmon to about 3kg on daylight on pilchard strips. Bream to 43cm are being caught on shrimp in the Aire River at Horden Vale.

The Barham River at Apollo Bay, Victoria, is producing bream to 37cm on spider crab and shrimp.

In Victoria’s Port Phillip Bay, off the Pt Lonsdale pier has been good for salmon to about 1kg on whitebait and metal lures. Snapper are building with reports of fish to 5kg being caught off Portsea, Mornington and Carrum. King George whiting to 40cm are taking mussel and fresh squid baits off St Leonards, Mt Eliza, Mornington and Safety Beach. Calamari squid are becoming more consistent in the Lonsdale Bight and off Portsea. Most are being caught on baited jigs.

In Victoria’s South Gippsland region, Western Port has calamari squid being caught from Flinders pier, Sandstone Island to Stony Pt and on the Tortoise Head Bank, where King George whiting to about 40cm are being caught on squid and mussel. Gummy sharks to 8kg and snapper to 4kg have been caught off Corinella. In the Gippsland Lakes, Hollands Landing has bream and mullet biting in The Straits and Toms Creek on prawn. The Mitchell River has been steady for bream in the Backwater, at Eagle Point and Grassy Bank on crab and prawn.

In the Tambo River, bream are biting at the mouth and Rough Road, and the Nicholson River has produced bream and mullet throughout the system.

Lakes Entrance has luderick, yelloweye mullet, tailor and silver trevally being caught on sandworm, weed and pilchard strips. Lake Tyers has bream to 30cm biting on peeled prawn in the arm.

Source: Weekly Times Now

The August mini catch up outing saw a dozen fisher people brave the elements and wet some bait.

Men’s winner was Jimmy Ashby 2.48kg including a nice tailor of 1.4kg. Ladies winner was Vicki 3

Leather Jackets plus a Bream and the Junior winner was Mitch Mac with 12.7 kg of Grouper Drummer.

Blue water was won by Gav Mac with17.96 of Grouper Drummer. A small but enthusiastic gathering at the club on Sunday saw outing captain Shaun award meat trays to Neil, Vicki and the raffle was won by a non fishing, Club member schooners going to Gav and Jimmy.

A story was told to me about a bloke who set up a new trolley to fish off the wall at Harrington.

The maiden trip of the trolley saw it been dragged down the rocks by rampaging Jewfish, much to the horror of the proud owner.

After retrieving a banged up trolley, the owner lost the jewie. Better luck next time or maybe weigh the trolley down with a slab.

Apparently there is going to be an ICAC investigation into the awarding of the meat trays, but our President is doing his best to stall the investigation till he catches a few more. I will keep everyone updated on how this situation unfolds.

Dates to be put on the calendars include:

Glenbawn inter challenge September 19, 20 and 21.

This is the only trophy that we don’t hold at the moment, so a good roll up is needed to fish in this event.

Presentation November 1, at the Bowling Club.

Nelson Bay invitational team event November 7, 8 and 9.

Charity Fishing Event November 22 invitation only, club teams and workers are needed to ensure that this event is a success again.

Until next month, remember Sushi is really only bait waiting for a hook - by Off His Perch.

Source: Gloucester Advocate