Shades Fishing News

The Primary Industries Department says it should know in the next 24 hours what caused of the death of hundreds of bony bream at Lake Bonney in the Riverland.

The fish were found washed up on the shore on Tuesday.

The Department’s Vic Neverauskas says samples of water and fish collected from the lake are being tested.

He says there have also been unverified reports of dead murray cod.

Mr Neverauskas says that in winter, a kill of bony bream happens after a cold weather snap, but this time that is unlikely to be the case.

“The fact that this is happening in warmer weather would suggest that temperature is not the issue with this one and we’ll certainly try to look at if we can find any cause-effect with the current situation,” he said.

“It’s a wait and see for the first couple of days, the critical thing is to get those water samples into the laboratory and have a look for whether or not there’s anything in the water that might be causing the problem.”

Source : ABC News

Scientists say increasing numbers of Murray cod are dying in the lower reaches of the river.

A scientist at the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Dr Qifeng Ye, has been monitoring Murray cod numbers since 2005.

Dr Ye says the increase in cod deaths this spring has been noticeable.

She says the drought and low water levels could be to blame.

“The number of Murray cod is pretty low that we collected, so we still need to think about an improved mechanism of efficient and cost-effective way of assessing the Murray cod abundancy in the lower Murray,” she said.

Source : ABC News

RAPID BAY - Rapid Bay’s long awaited new $3.9 million jetty is emerging from the waters of Gulf St Vincent.

About one-third of the pylon works are now complete, with construction expected to be finished by the end of the year.

The project director, Rob Jenkins, said the jetty’s completion date would depend on the weather.

“We’ve made terrific progress to date but do need the weather to do the right thing as we move toward construction of the deeper water section.

“This is complex work and it is difficult enough without the rough weather that can impact this part of South Australia,” he said.

“Hopefully we get calm conditions and everything is finished by the end of the year.”

Based on progress to date, Mr Jenkins estimates that, either way, the jetty should be completed then or thereabouts.

Rated as one of the country’s top fishing and diving spots, access to most of the damaged existing jetty was closed in December 2004.

The Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI) announced plans to build a new structure in September 2006, after the local community rallied for the jetty’s future.

The new 240-metre long jetty will feature solar lighting as well as stairs and platforms for divers, who are attracted to the spot for the rich diversity of marine life supported by the old jetty, including the rare Leafy Seadragon

Glenice Galbraith of the Friends of Rapid Bay Jetty said the completion of the jetty by Christmas would be an extra bonus for the district.

“I can’t imagine the scope the jetty could create,” she said.

“I hope it will create extra jobs because that’s what this has all been about, but we will all have something to enjoy too.

“It has been slowly but surely coming along…I’ve been getting more and more excited as each pylon goes up.”

Between now and the end of the year, work will continue on assembling pylons and crossheads onshore before they are lifted by crane and hammered into place using a 12 tonne piling hammer.

In the meantime, the State Government is reminding fishers and divers that the existing jetty is closed.

Source : Victor Harbour The Times

The Riverland’s murray cod task force has welcomed an extension of the murray cod closed season.

The Department of Primary Industries and Resources changed the start date of the season from September to August 1 in an effort to preserve cod numbers.

The minimum size of the cod has also been extended by 10 centimetres and the cod boat limit has been reduced from six to three.

Peter Teakle from the task force says recreational fishermen must support the changes.

“The fishery must be available for our kids in the future and their children, so we don’t want to over-exploit the recreational take of native fish,” he said.

“We must be very responsible for the take of our native fish stocks.”

Source: ABC News

Controls on fishing for Murray cod in South Australia have been tightened to ensure the long-term future of the species.

Fisheries Minister Rory McEwen said the closed season for taking cod from the river would be extended by one month and bag and size limits would also be changed.

Under the new regulations Murray cod may not be taken between August 1 and December 31 each year.

The daily bag limit for each fisher will be reduced from two to one, while the boat limit will be cut from six to three.

The minimum size for legal cod will be increased from 50 centimetres to 60 cm.

Mr McEwen said recent research pointed to a lack of cod in the South Australian section of the Murray, as a result of low water flows and reduced turbidity because of the drought.

“It’s important that the current size of the Murray cod population is maintained to ensure that spawning success and recruitment to the fishery can occur when there are improved river flows and enhanced habitat conditions,” the minister said.

Source: The Independent Weekly

JORDANNA SCHRIEVER

FIRST it was the frog, then the bilby and now the Murray Cod will be given the sweet treatment to help raise funds for the environment.

Haigh’s Chocolates has partnered with SA Water and the not-for-profit Waterfind Environment Fund to make a chocolate Murray Cod which goes on sale tomorrow.

Part proceeds from the 20cm-long solid milk chocolate fish will help the Waterfind Environment Fund improve the health of Australian river systems and support the survival of native fish species.

Fund spokeswoman Suzanne Keith said the Murray Cod was a symbol of many native fish which are declining because of poor flows in the River Murray.

“The Haigh’s chocolate Murray Cod project shows as a community we can partner in creative ways to help reverse the effects of drought on native species,” she said.

Haigh’s chief executive officer Alister Haigh said the company was delighted to be involved.

“Most of us now understand the situation the Murray River is facing,” he said. “The chocolate Murray Cod has been created to highlight the plight of native fish species in Australia as a result of ongoing drought conditions.”

Source : Adelaide Now

GAME fishers tested the waters around Port Lincoln last week with the inaugural Port Lincoln Blue Water Classic game fishing tournament, and it will be back again next year.

The Game Fishing Association of South Australia has locked into a three-year program of tournaments for Port Lincoln.

More than two tonnes of fish were tagged and released over the week, including southern bluefin tuna, samson fish, eagle rays and four different species of shark, but only six fish were kept, the others went back to ensure the sustainability of the sport.

The weather was not perfect but Game Fishing Association of South Australia president Steve Morris said it was good enough to get out safely to the best fishing areas.

Mr Morris said he hoped the event would start building a reputation to attract more boats in the future.

“The outcome shows that Port Lincoln with its location, facilities and accessibility to good game fishing grounds is suited to this type of event and with the overwhelming reaction to this year’s event, I’m sure this will grow to be the biggest in this State.”

To be in the running to win champion boat or champion angler, fishers had to record a capture of a recognised game fish, an eagle ray and a shark, and tag a game fish or shark.

Once these four criteria were achieved, extra points were gained by tagging and releasing as many of these species as possible, and the top trophies go to the boat and angler with the highest score.

The champion boat was Galaxy Star, skippered by Rolf Czabayski with 24,613 points and champion angler was Chris Earle with 6839 points fishing on Galaxy Star.

The highest point scoring boat with or without achieving the four tournament criteria was C-World II, skippered by Bryan Stokes with 10,118 points. The highest point scoring angler with or without achieving the four tournament criteria was Vincent Nguyen with 7181 fishing on Galaxy Star. Mr Nguyen also won the senior tagging trophy for the most fish tagged by one senior angler with 22 tags.

The highest point scoring female angler, with or without achieving the four tournament criteria, was Janet Forster with 1806 points, fishing on Long Shot, skippered by Ron Forster.

Mrs Forster also won the women’s trophy for most fish tagged by a female angler (22) and heaviest game fish for a 24.1-kilogram southern bluefin tuna. Steve Morris caught the heaviest shark, a 20-kilogram school shark, and Mark Snadden caught the heaviest eagle ray, at 47 kilograms.

Source: Port Lincoln Times

REGION - Two members from the Department of Primary Industries and Resources (PIRSA) recently spent two days interviewing local fishermen.

As part of the Recreational Fishing Survey Mike Koch and John Mathews were out and about on Friday and Saturday meeting recreational fishermen on the South Coast.

The two men travelled from Victor Harbor to the Murray Mouth gathering information on catches, sizes and catch rates.

They also wanted to find out the amount of time people were putting into fishing and how far they had to travel.

They visited popular sites including Petrol Cove, the Bluff jetty, the Causeway, Port Elliot and Goolwa Beaches, No 19 Beacon, Sugars Beach and Mundoo Channel.

The pair interviewed 10-12 cockle diggers and about a dozen fishermen on Friday and a further 30 fishermen on Saturday. Both days returned similar results.

“Catches were very low,” Mike said.

The activities are all part of a year-long survey across the state that aims to provide an indication of the state of fishing resources.

The survey is about three quarters finished and involves on-site and phone surveys. So far, more than 1300 households every month are surveyed by phone; more than 1600 recreational fishers have been interviewed at jetties, major boat ramps and beaches and 120 anglers are keeping a log book on their activities.

The survey will finish in September.

Source: Victor Harbour Times

I REALLY enjoy my Murray cod fishing and although most of it is done in and around my home base in Canberra (Googong, Lake Burley Griffin, etc), I regularly chase cod further afield.

Fishing locally I have the huge advantage that I can slip out when conditions are perfect, for example at the start of a big high-pressure system, in the lowlight hours before or after work or, most importantly, when I pinpoint exactly where a big cod is living.

Further abroad, trips are usually planned in advance so I really have to just keep casting away rain, hail or shine.

Until recently I did have a good run on big cod on the Murray River within 20 kilometres either side of Wentworth. I was lucky to have good weather during my visits and, more importantly, a water-level rise was coming down the river.

Cod can sense water rises coming and a distinct period results when they throw caution to the wind and hit lures with vigour.

The timing of these rises used to be dictated by rainfall in upstream catchments but now man-made lochs are used to capture and manage water levels.

On my last trip to Wentworth we missed the rise by just one day so the cod had already filled up. Only a handful of golden perch and one small cod were caught among the carp.

I can sum things up like this: cod fishing in SA is still a sport for dedicated anglers in that you need the right conditions and you need to put in lots of time but, cripes, nearly every fish you hook is up over the magic metre mark.

This is thanks to the fact that it is illegal to keep a cod more than a metre long in SA waters. What a boon for tourism, and the cod.

But consider this: even though my team of expert anglers landed many cod up to 85lb they fished over many days. Each averaged about two hookups a day and they had to do things right. Casting to fallen trees lying into the river was one good method and large spinner baits with gold and silver Colorado blades and white skirts worked well.

Casting to the same trees with large deep divers also worked well, but a few lures came back with broken bibs and the like - not surprising with XL cod at close quarters.

Early in the trip while travelling up the river in search of the best cod fishing I visited the historic Overlander Hotel, it was like taking a step back in time.

The Murray River in SA is something else, I’ll be back for more.

Log on to www.southaustralia.com and follow the links to Murray River or call tourism on 1300 657 625 for a free copy of the Recharge on the Murray River Guide.

Source : Moruya Bay Post

THE State’s biggest game fishing tournament will start in Port Lincoln this weekend.

The tournament will be the Game Fishing Club of South Australia’s premier game fishing tournament for the year.

Game Fishing Club of South Australia president Steve Morris said the tournament had not attracted a major sponsor but he hoped the success of this year’s event would help attract sponsors and more fishers next year.

He expects about 50 to 60 people and 15 boats to compete, including about six local boats.

Mr Morris said the current pattern of weather meant it looked like good weather for fishing throughout the tournament.

“Traditionally this time of year is mild to moderate weather.”

The tournament, from May 17 to 24, will be run under the International Game Fish Association code of conduct with competitors scoring points by tagging and releasing fish to compete for trophies in a series of categories including land-based and boat anglers.

Mr Morris said he thought tuna and sharks, other than the protected great whites and grey nurse sharks, would be a key target for fishers but they would also go for broadbill, sampson fish and kingfish.

“It would be a big coup if someone managed to tag and release some stripy tuna.”

A presentation will be held at the Port Lincoln Hotel on Saturday, May 24.

For more details about the tournament contact Bob Hutchinson at Spot On Fishing Tackle on 8683 0021.

Source : Port Lincoln Times