A study has just been published in PLOS one looking at whether certain angling techniques catch fish with different behavioural traits, or more colloquially, “personalities”. The study angled 100 rock and largemouth bass using two separate techniques, actively fished flashy lipless crankbaits or passively fished artificial worm lures and then tested in the lab whether the fish caught using each…
Category: Stuff we’ve learnt
What does good recreational fisheries management look like?
What started out as me looking at fish stockings has slowly mutated into a series of posts rambling on about recreational fisheries and conservation. So, down the rabbit hole we go once again. This time looking at what “good” recreational fisheries management should look like? To start with, the management of all our fisheries, recreational or commercial or “mixed” should…
Fishers vs environmentalists: is it time we found common ground?
I haven’t been able to get out fishing much over the last month. So instead I find myself thinking and writing about fishing instead. One thing that I have been thinking about for a long time is the seeming antagonism and lack of cooperation between some recreational fishers and conservationists in Australia. I have to admit, it doesn’t make much…
Sand flathead basics
I’m not big on meat fishing. My fly fishing addiction means that most of the time, I’m more than happy to go fishless, as long as I’ve got the long wand in my hand. In Eden though, getting dinner is always part of a day out on the boat. After a number of years, me and dad have come to…
Will there be an evening rise? Listen to the birds.
I was talking to Brett recently and he made an interesting observation. If you want to know if there is going to be a good evening rise, listen to the birds. Brett lives out in Creswick, meaning he is lucky enough to live close to some of Victorias best trout lakes. Hepburn, Newlynns, Deans. Great Victorian trout fisheries. It also…
How to become a better fisherman: learn to fail.
The biggest factor in me becoming a better angler over the last three years has been learning to fail. When I started fly fishing three years ago I sucked. I could barely casts 30ft, I spent most of my time with my flies tangled in trees and stream-side vegetation. Generally it was a disaster for the first few months. If…
The price of success – feat. big river bass
Imagine, you’ve just bought a couple of fancy new lures. When the day finally arrives to go fishing you jump out of the car and make your way down to the river, bristling with anticipation. After ripping open the small box you tie one of the new lures, and fling it out into the water. There is a tug on…
The generalist: a fly fishing manifesto
Some fly fishermen specialise. They focus on one species. They learn every subtlety in behaviour. They develop an deep almost spiritual understanding with their quarry of choice. They become truly excellent fly fishers. For most fly fishermen (but not all), the quarry of choice are trout. This makes sense. If god exists, trout were designed by him/her to give pleasure…
In praise of a good net man
I am a notoriously bad net man. I am way to excitable. I rush in and take the first opportunity without much thought… Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, sometimes it ends in disaster. In short, when you catch a trophy, get someone else to net it or cross your fingers and hope the gods are on your side. Luckily…
‘Fishticipation’: Is fishing better than Christmas?
I’m going fishing today. The plan is to leave my place at a civilised 7.20am to go and pick Graz up before making the 45 minute drive to one of the local trout streams. So why then, am I writing this at 5.10am? Have I gone MAD?! I could have slept for another 2 hours, and still only been 10…
Worth their weight in salt – highlights from the estuaries in 2014
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing isn’t it? It was while looking back through the images and articles of 2014 for this weeks newspaper column that I realised just how much fun we’ve had this year fishing the estuaries. They never cease to amaze for the quality and diversity of fish on offer. As a young fella starting to learn about…
Chase experiences not stuff
This article struck a chord with me. Its well worth a read if you have the time. Its about happiness and satisfaction. About the mind, about how experiences are often so much more valuable to us than things when to comes to bringing happiness and satisfaction. Its about doing stuff, rather than buying stuff. Its about being in the moment, finding experiences…