I’ve been fishing Googong a fair bit recently and enjoying good success on the yellowbelly. It has been a lot of fun, and with the lower water levels at the moment it has been possible to explore a bit more water than when the dam is full. I was recently fishing a shallow inlet and came across what I thought…
Category: Sustainability
Guest interview: Matt Rees from Fishthinkers
Welcome to the first of hopefully many posts where we interview our peers, including fellow anglers, fishery scientists (0ften 0ne and the same) and other personalities involved in fishing about their backgrounds, research and perspectives on recreational fishing. Our first installment is from Matt Rees from www.fishthinkers.wordpress.com. I can’t thank Matt enough! Hope you enjoy the read as much as…
The best estuary fishing spots in south-east New South Wales
As keen anglers we are frequently asked for advice on where to go to find a decent coastal fishing spot within 2-3 hours drive from Canberra. As many of you will know, it’s both an easy and a difficult question to answer, because pretty much any beach, rock formation, estuary or coastal river will produce good (or terrible) fishing at…
Catch and release: a little perspective goes a long way
The catch and release movement has grown considerably over the last few decades. Initiative like #keepemwet and others have done incredibly well at building strong support for catch and release in some parts of the fishing community. Social media has helped spread the message, driving a strong commitment to catch and release amongst many angling communities. Which is great! The fishing…
What is the future of the Howqua river?
I spent last weekend camping on the Howqua river at Sheepyards flat. It wasn’t a fishing trip. It was a camping, hanging by the river, hanging out with the kids, making new friends trip. The days were filled with swimming, throwing stones into the river, watching horses, grilling meats over an open fire, drinking cold mid-strength beer during the day…
3 tips for eating raw fish and why it’s a good thing
Do you remember the first time you ate raw fish? Do you eat it regularly? Are you afraid to prepare it yourself? The first time I remember eating raw fish was during my 20’s when Hamish prepared Kingfish sashimi on the south coast of NSW. It involved thin slices of white flesh arranged neatly with just a little wasabi and…
The impact of trout on threatened galaxias
The issue of trout impacts on native fish raises its head from time to time in the recreational fishing community. The latest flare up happened a bit over a month ago when the Threatened species commissioner Gregory Andrews posted this facebook post. “Introduced #trout are great fun to catch, but did you know they are having a devastating impact on…
Is the social acceptability of recreational fishing being eroded?
Recreational fishing remains a popular pastime the world over. One of the great things about recreational fishing is its accessibility; you don’t need much gear, there are lots of places to do it, and it can appeal to a wide range of skill levels. But recent surveys have shown that participation rates in recreational fishing are decreasing. Current estimates are…
Why Mulloway fishermen should care about freshwater inflows.
I’ve written before about how important great habitat is if we want great fisheries. I strongly believe that as fishers, being custodians for the environments we spend so much time enjoying is vital. One area that is sometimes overlooked is the importance of freshwater inflows for the health and vitality of our estuary fisheries. This is especially important on regulated…
Catch and release is great but… its means nothing if we don’t have habitat
It is truly great to see large portions of the recreational fishing community really getting behind catch and release… From the early days of Rex Hunt kissing fish and letting them go while chanting yibbida-yibbida to the continued support of the movement by fishing personalities since, guys like Steve Starling, Bushy, Rod Paxevanous and the like, the catch and release…
Murray cod closed season: let them breed in peace
Its the murray cod closed season at the moment. It also happens to be prime golden perch season. These two can often conflict given that unlike the trout season where rivers are totally closed to fishing, cod rivers are still open to other forms of fishing. While most people try to do the right thing, various aspects of murray cod…
A deeper look at “wild” places (and is stocking threatened native fish outside their range a good idea?)
By complete coincidence, me and Graz unknowingly both wrote drafts about a similar topic. You can read Graz’s piece about the “Natural trout stream paradox” here. This piece touches on similar topics, however its not about trout and takes a far broader brush to the issue (and is way longer- if you want punchy read Graz’s piece). Conservation strategies,…