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Leakerty Split · 07-13-2008, 12:09 PM

I recently returned to Rosslyn Bay Boat Harbour from a fishing trip & met some 'spear fishers' at the ramp. They showed me their haul & said they'd been to Conical Is & had speared an esky (approx 250l) full of trout. On the floor of their tinnie there were at least 10 - 12 spanno's to 1.2m plus a heap of surgeon fish. There were 2 blokes so had obiviously exceeded their bag limits with the trout & sponno's. I was amazed to see the quantity & quality of the fish - all were fish in top condition & of excellent size. Something didn't look right apart from the bag limit indescressions......there was not a piece of ice to be seen - they'd left the harbour at 6am that morning & their 2 bags of party ice was gone by mid-morning so here was all this quality fish in a hot esky & laying on the floor of a tinny covered by 2 life jackets.
What a pair of tossers - next time I'll be ready & will call the fisho's. These type of cowboys give the rec sector a really bad name.

***Flying Ant*** · 07-14-2008, 06:17 PM

Sad to hear of such a story. Unfortunately, like all aspects of fishing, there is a (hopefully) small bunch that spoil it for everyone. Spearfishing (when done properly) is a very sustainable way to fish. Sounds like the idiots you came across where not very well educated in sustainable fishing of any sort.

I hope we can hear of other spearfishers with a positive recount of their fishing.

On another note, I have the Fish Watch Hotline in my mobile and have called them on many occasions when out and about. I would urge everyone one to have the number handy as you never know when you will need it. For those who do not know, the number is: 1800 017 116

kieranc · (This post was last modified: 07-14-2008 06:42 PM by kieranc.)

Editor Ant Wrote:Sad to hear of such a story. Unfortunately, like all aspects of fishing, there is a (hopefully) small bunch that spoil it for everyone. Spearfishing (when done properly) is a very sustainable way to fish. Sounds like the idiots you came across where not very well educated in sustainable fishing of any sort.

I hope we can hear of other spearfishers with a positive recount of their fishing.

On another note, I have the Fish Watch Hotline in my mobile and have called them on many occasions when out and about. I would urge everyone one to have the number handy as you never know when you will need it. For those who do not know, the number is: 1800 017 116

Anthony is that number for anywhere?

BTW, i was actually gunna write a thread about spearos. They are wrecking it for people. They take excessive amounts of fish, consequently reducing the number of species and are wrecking the fun for catch and release fishos or the ones who like to take just a few (well not all spearos). I'd wish people would take as little as possible...

***Flying Ant*** · 07-14-2008, 08:03 PM

Hi Kieran,
Yeah that number is for anywhere. It is a National number and they will direct you to the office that is nearest to you. The last time I called them was a few weeks back when I was in Seisia and some idiot was taking undersize muddies. The officer I spoke to was on Thursday Island and couldn't get there in time but he notified the local Police who can act on their behalf.

As for the comment you made about 'spearos'. I hate to agree with you but lets try to focus on the positive too. I know a lot of guys who spear and they also get really annoyed when they do the right thing but others don't. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what type of fishing it is, people need to start thinking ahead of time (as you have mentioned) and take only what they really need for their immediate use. Killing fish 'cause you can' is not good on any front.

Nifty · 07-15-2008, 07:11 PM

You guys (rec fishos) get it easy. Try getting in the water and puting up with sharks and all sorts of other dangers. The way I see it, if we can grab a few fish while we are down there then so be it. Sometimes it is hard to tell what size a fish is before you shoot it and there is no way it is going to be released so why not throw it in the boat and take it home for the family or mates.

I remember one trip recently with a few mates where there were heaps of fish. We were so busy that we weren't really keeping count. Turns out when we all got back to the boat that we had a few too many but the freezer is now stocked so we dont' need to go out again. Kinda lucky with the way the wind has been lately.

Don't put us all in the same basket as there are heaps of rec fishos taking more than they need too. And don't forget the pros either.

chris · 07-15-2008, 07:32 PM

Nifty, you choose to get in the water nifty, so dont use that as an excuse, the bag limits are for every one, and loosing count is piss weak reason for keeping more than the limit, i fish in places where there is heaps of fish too, and dont just keep heaps of them cos there on the chew, if i get my limit, i got 2 options, go catch something else or go home.

Nifty · 07-15-2008, 08:33 PM

chris Wrote:Nifty, you choose to get in the water nifty, so dont use that as an excuse, the bag limits are for every one, and loosing count is piss weak reason for keeping more than the limit, i fish in places where there is heaps of fish too, and dont just keep heaps of them cos there on the chew, if i get my limit, i got 2 options, go catch something else or go home.

Chris,
What happens when you hook a fish that is undersize or in a closed season and the fish is badly hooked and won't survive? Do you still let it go even though it won't live? Isn't it better to at least take it home for a feed?

chris · 07-16-2008, 03:52 PM

firstly i use circle hooks and when i use j hooks they are generally 8/0 to 10/0 which greatly reduces bad hookups on small fish, and should i get a n undersize fish that is badly hooked i cut the hook off and give it every chance of survival, i am a staunch supporter of size and bag limits, even when i use livies they are all over the size limit,
sorry nifty, i cant agree with you on this one,

***Flying Ant*** · 07-16-2008, 09:00 PM

Nifty,
I gather 'sustainable fishery' and 'fishing for the future' are not words frequently used within your vocabularly!
Lets just hope that one day, someone sees your boat and gives the freindly crew at FishWatch a call and they pay you a visit.
It is a pity the fines aren't more severe.
Fish and Boat is a publication that promotes sustainable fishing and I find it strange that we still attract readers from the 'dark side'.

As I said in an earlier post, I have a lot of mates who are into spearfishing and only take what they need and are very selective of the fish they target. They too would be put off that there are others that are giving them a bad name.

kieranc · (This post was last modified: 07-17-2008 05:19 PM by kieranc.)

Nifty Wrote:
chris Wrote:Nifty, you choose to get in the water nifty, so dont use that as an excuse, the bag limits are for every one, and loosing count is piss weak reason for keeping more than the limit, i fish in places where there is heaps of fish too, and dont just keep heaps of them cos there on the chew, if i get my limit, i got 2 options, go catch something else or go home.

Chris,
What happens when you hook a fish that is undersize or in a closed season and the fish is badly hooked and won't survive? Do you still let it go even though it won't live? Isn't it better to at least take it home for a feed?

I'd put it back (like I have). It's still illegal. Like chris and anthony believe, I hope you get fined for being a jerk to what should be done.