Posts Tagged ‘Blog-tag’
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{{+1}}Mud prawn{{-1}}
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Spent a bit of today topping up my #10 weight fly box with a batch of Large Mud Prawns. It is hard to believe just how many salt water species will take a well-presented prawn bait.{{end}}
Last Updated: February 20, 2021
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{{+1}}Platypus’ continuing to die because of politicians passing the buck{{-1}}
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Fishing a stream and seeing a platypus how good is that ... well it seems that unless our politicians stop passing the buck and get on with the job of protecting them from "opera house yabby traps" our kids and grand kids may never experience that.
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The NSWCFA has been asking questions for many months about the delay in introducing regulations banning "opera house" style yabby traps in NSW. The traps are lethal to platypus, turtles and native water rats. Better designs that don't trap and kill animals are readily available. A ban on opera house traps was recommended a couple of years ago and we understand that regulations were drafted but have never been passed by Adam Marshall, Minister for Agriculture and Western New South Wales...responsible for all fisheries matters.
Since then we have seen nothing other than continuous buck passing by the government. We asked managers within DPI about the delay and were told that the recommendation had been sent to the Minister via the Recreational Fishing NSW Advisory Council. So we asked Minister Marshall about the delay, and we also asked Minister for Energy and the Environment, Matt Kean, who had expressed support for the ban in the past. We never got a sensible answer...we were just referred back to managers within DPI, none of whom had the power to get the regulation passed.
In September we even asked the Premier about the Minister's lack of action. She just referred us back to the Minister.
In the past week there have been calls by scientists for the government to classify platypus a threatened species; the platypus population has halved in the past 30 years according to a UNSW model, due to historic land clearing, river regulation, and extreme droughts. The area of eastern Australia where platypuses are found has shrunk by about 200,000 square kilometres (22 per cent) over that period.
The latest letter we received from Minister for Energy and the Environment, Matt Kean, on 18 November, is just more dithering. He states "I can confirm that the NSW Government remains supportive of banning opera house style traps and is looking to commence the prohibition as soon as effective community engagement activities can be undertaken in a COVID-19 safe way".
Well, the government announced as long ago as the beginning of April that recreational fishing was permitted during the COVID-19 lockdown. It's now December, and the government isn't capable of "effective community engagement activities" with recreational fishers? It's just the latest, flimsiest excuse for lack of action at both departmental and ministerial level.
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{{+1}}River access increased in Victoria{{-1}}
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Freeing the rivers
The Upper House has passed legislation to legalise camping on Crown Land with river frontage and grazing licences from September 2021, complementing recreational activities already permitted on Crown Land like fishing.
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This is a big step forward in delivering the State Government’s Target One Million commitment, which will make it easier for families to pitch a tent by a river somewhere, wet a line with friends, and enjoy Victoria’s great outdoors responsibly!
Fisheries Officers will play a key role in ensuring everyone does the right thing and extensive consultation with licence holders, fishers, traditional owners and regional communities will be undertaken soon.
Head to this link to read more about the news.
And click here to learn more about the proposed regulations.
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{{+1}}Fishing season reminders / NSW{{-1}}
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Bass
Zero bag limit for bass and estuary perch starts 1 May and ends 31 August. Catch and release is allowed. The zero bag limit does not apply to fish in stocked freshwater impoundments, including Glenbawn Dam and Glennies Creek Dam in the Hunter Valley, Brogo Dam near Bega and Clarrie Hall and Toonumbar Dams in the northeast; anglers may continue to fish for these species in those waters all year round.
Trout
Spawning season starts 1 May in the Snowy Mountains and special rules apply to the Thredbo River and its tributaries and the Eucumbene River and its tributaries (upstream of the Lake Eucumbene dam wall and including Providence Portal). A minimum size limit of 50 cm, daily bag limit of one and possession limit of two trout will apply to these rivers from 1 May to the end of the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Annual closure on fishing in trout streams for NSW will be in place from Tuesday after the Queen's Birthday weekend and re-opens on the October long weekend. Trout dams remain open to fishing throughout the year.
When the season opens again in October, a minimum size limit of 25 cm, daily bag limit of two and possession limit of four trout again applies to the Thredbo and Eucumbene Rivers and other fly and lure only waters in NSW.
Murray cod
Season closed in NSW from 1 September to 31 November, except Copeton Dam.
Eastern Freshwater Cod
The annual three month fishing closure of the Mann and Nymboida Rivers and their tributaries comes into effect 1 August to 31 October. All fishing in the specified area is prohibited to enable the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod to spawn uninterrupted during its breeding season. Eastern Freshwater Cod are totally protected throughout NSW regardless of where or when they may be found.
Murray crayfish
Closed all year other than the following waters between 1 June and 31 August each year inclusive: (a) Murrumbidgee River between the Hume Highway road bridge, Gundagai and Berembed Weir near Ganmain and (b) Murray River from 130 below Hume Weir near Albury to the Newell Highway road bridge at Tocumwal
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{{+1}}Sad day for trout fishing in The Snowy Mountains{{-1}}
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Well, that is just my personal opinion.
Please find following a notice from Snowy Hydro on possible delays on Tantangara Road over the next month ... I think this is the beginning of the end for our Snowy Mountain trout fisheries.
26.10.20 - Construction Notification - Site establishment at Tantangara - 28 Oct 2020
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Despite the many reassurances the powers that be have made about protecting our trout populations from the intrusion of Red Fin into Tantangara, Eucumbene, Jindabyne and our other Snowy Mountain Trout lakes I have this sinking feeling that when we reflect 10 years down the track the message will be
You know? we used to have a healthy population of Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout in these Snowy Mountain lakes."
I hope I am wrong ... but I don't think I will be.
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{{+1}}NSW government gives green light to Snowy 2.0{{-1}}
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The NSW government has given planning approval for the multibillion-dollar Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project, prompting warnings the move will cause the extinction of a rare native fish species.
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Mark Lintermans, an associate professor at the University of Canberra, resigned as chairman of the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee, saying the giant project would likely transfer invasive fish into the final 3 kilometre stretch that plays host to the critically endangered stocky galaxias. As part of the approval, the government granted Snowy Hydro an exemption from two critical provisions of the NSW Biosecurity Act that was designed to prevent the transfer of invasive species, Professor Lintermans said.
“I cannot continue to serve a government that so wilfully ignores the destructive impacts of Snowy 2.0 on two threatened fish species,” Professor Lintermans said in a statement. The invasive climbing galaxias and redfin perch would also have a significant effect on the endangered Macquarie perch.
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said “In March we approved the Snowy 2.0 Segment Factory and this month we have approved the Snowy 2.0 Main Works, enabling the creation of new jobs and the flow of substantial investment into our state,” Mr Stokes said.
The project's owner, Snowy Hydro, would be required to invest almost $100 million for biodiversity and environmental offsets to protect the values of the Kosciuszko National Park, he said.
When completed, the scheme will involve the construction of a 27-km tunnel to pump water from Talbingo Reservoir to the Tantangara dam, with electricity generated by releases from the upper reservoir. The government touted the benefits of the new project, which it said would create as many as 2,000 new jobs and inject $4.6 billion into regional NSW.
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{{+1}}Snowy Mountains Trout v’s Redfin{{-1}}
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MEDIA RELEASE - Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc on 25 May 2020
Monaro Acclimatisation Society to work with NSW Fisheries for Snowy Hydro 2.0 Recreational Fishing Offset.
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Over the last three years the Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc (MAS), the main fish stocking organisation in the Snowy Mountains and Monaro, has been negotiating with Snowy Hydro for a recreational fishing offset as part of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project. When the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project was announced by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in March 2017, the MAS became concerned that the redfin perch pest species would be pumped from Talbingo Dam into Tantangara Dam, which so far is redfin free. Redfin are a Class 1 noxious fish in NSW. The MAS was also concerned that redfin would then spread from Tantangara Dam into the redfin free waters of the upper Murrumbidgee River and Lake Eucumbene.
Various scientific studies have identified that redfin perch have the capacity to degrade a trout fishery within a short time due to their ability to prey on smaller and newly hatched trout. Because rainbow trout only live for about three years the fishery can decline quickly if there is no recruitment. Stocking the usual smaller fry or fingerling trout is ineffective as they are just the right size for redfin to prey on.
Negotiations with Snowy Hydro culminated in the MAS recreational fishing offset comprising of a trout grow-out facility being included in the Environmental Impact Statement for Snowy Hydro 2.0. This facility is designed to grow a significant number of trout up to 200 mm or yearling size. At this size they are too big for the majority of redfin to prey on.
Today the Snowy Hydro Main Works Assessment Report was released with a requirement that Snowy Hydro invest $5 million over 5 years for the construction of a salmonid grow-out facility which will allow for the stocking of larger trout.
President of the MAS Steve Samuels said “Producing trout to a more robust yearling size will give us the best chance of ensuring the Snowy Mountains trout fishery is not decimated by redfin incursion.
“There is a general consensus among anglers that the yearling trout could also be used to improve the fishing in other Snowy Mountain waterways” he said.
While these negotiations have been between the MAS and Snowy Hydro the concept has now been developed to a point where the MAS is seeking co-operation from NSW Fisheries to help progress the project. The MAS has always approached this project on the basis that it is developed within the Snowy Region and operated as an annex to the Gaden Trout Hatchery.
Earlier this year Mr. Samuels wrote to the new Deputy Director General of NSW Fisheries Mr. Sean Sloan, asking that the Department commit to meeting with the MAS to discuss how the project can be developed with NSW Fisheries input and support. Mr. Sloan replied that he was aware of the significance of the trout fishery to the Snowy region and that “I have asked Peter Turnell, Group Director Recreational and Aboriginal Fisheries to commence more specific discussions on the proposal with the MAS. I have also asked Mr Turnell to keep me informed if an opportunity arises for me to attend any subsequent meetings with DPI and the MAS to discuss the final proposal and offset strategy”.
Mr Samuels also mentioned that other authorities would need to be consulted over time, such as the Snowy Monaro Regional Council, environmental bodies and of course there will need for consultations with local communities once a location was settled upon.
“The use of larger trout to stock redfin-dominated waters has been practised by the Victorian Fisheries Authority for many years with great success”, Mr Samuels said. “Our problem is that Gaden Trout Hatchery needs significant investment to increase its capacity to grow the required numbers of larger fish but will still be limited by its water supply; an additional off-site trout grow-out facility such as we are proposing meets that purpose very nicely”, he said.
For further comments or interview contact
Steve Samuels
President
Monaro Acclimatisation Society Inc
[email protected]
MOB 0431 058 117
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{{+1}}New fly categories added for 2020 BTHU{{-1}}
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Originally posted on January 9 on
https://boynetannumhookup.com.au/news/
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For the 2020 Boyne Tannum Hook Up as well as there being the GT Fly Fishing Category that was introduced in 2019 there will also be new separate fly fishing categories for both seniors and juniors for flathead, yellowfin bream, whiting, grunter, fingermark and barramundi.
If you want to enter fish into these new fly fishing categories the fish will have to be legal size and be caught using a fly rod, fly line and flies and you will need to submit the photographic evidence as set out in the competition rules … so read them carefully.
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| Flathead | Yellowfin bream | Barramundi |
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| Whiting | Barred & silver grunter | Fingermark |
As a Top 100 supporter of BTHU I have been asked to provide a number of blogs providing information that may help you catch these iconic species on fly.
Before we go too far I just want to put it out there that my blogs are a reflection of part of my fly fishing journey. Don’t take them as gospel but do feel free to use them as a foundation in developing your own abilities to catch these fish on fly.
My second blog will start of with some information about catching flathead on fly so stay tuned.
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{{+1}}Fishing season reminders – NSW{{-1}}
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Bass
Zero bag limit for bass and estuary perch starts 1 May and ends 31 August. Catch and release is allowed. The zero bag limit does not apply to fish in stocked freshwater impoundments, including Glenbawn Dam and Glennies Creek Dam in the Hunter Valley, Brogo Dam near Bega and Clarrie Hall and Toonumbar Dams in the northeast; anglers may continue to fish for these species in those waters all year round.
Trout
Spawning season starts 1 May in the Snowy Mountains and special rules apply to the Thredbo River and its tributaries and the Eucumbene River and its tributaries (upstream of the Lake Eucumbene dam wall and including Providence Portal). A minimum size limit of 50 cm, daily bag limit of one and possession limit of two trout will apply to these rivers from 1 May to the end of the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Annual closure on fishing in trout streams for NSW will be in place from Tuesday after the Queen's Birthday weekend and re-opens on the October long weekend. Trout dams remain open to fishing throughout the year.
When the season opens again in October, a minimum size limit of 25 cm, daily bag limit of two and possession limit of four trout again applies to the Thredbo and Eucumbene Rivers and other fly and lure only waters in NSW.
Murray cod
Season closed in NSW from 1 September to 31 November, except Copeton Dam.
Eastern Freshwater Cod
The annual three month fishing closure of the Mann and Nymboida Rivers and their tributaries comes into effect 1 August to 31 October. All fishing in the specified area is prohibited to enable the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod to spawn uninterrupted during its breeding season. Eastern Freshwater Cod are totally protected throughout NSW regardless of where or when they may be found.
Murray crayfish
Closed all year other than the following waters between 1 June and 31 August each year inclusive: (a) Murrumbidgee River between the Hume Highway road bridge, Gundagai and Berembed Weir near Ganmain and (b) Murray River from 130 below Hume Weir near Albury to the Newell Highway road bridge at Tocumwal
Fishing season reminders
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{{+1}}Sort out your fly boxes{{-1}}
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Every now and then it's worth going through your fly boxes and resorting them. Not only does it give you a chance to re-establish some order in your fly boxes but it also helps identify where you need to tie a few and which ones you can discard.{{end}}
Categories: Blog
Tags: #fishonfly, Blog-tag, bugg, River buggers, Woolly buggers & variants 
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