Fishing in my little part of OZ.

[Guest Swamptrout]

I have 2 small lakes within a 5 minute drive of home, they are both stocked with Rainbows twice a year 500 + 500 in one and 300 + 300 in the other, and it's free to fish. (not being a smarty) I don't need a fishing licence because I'm on an aged pension. The lake I regularly fish contains Trout, Redfin, Roach, Carp and eels. These days due to a Heart condition I'm mainly a worm drowner, I fish to relax and enjoy myself. Occasionally depending how I feel I get out the bite alarms, bank sticks etc. a second rod, berley up and have some fun. And yes I do miss Coarse Fishing, but 98% of that gear has gone. There's always a spot on the bank next to me!!!!

[newmarket]

I have 2 small lakes within a 5 minute drive of home, I fish to relax and enjoy myself

Thats what its all about mate and i couldnt agree with you more .

Long may it continue

[ianain]

Why do they stock trout and allow you to fish for free and I presume take some for tea?

[Guest Swamptrout]

The 2 lakes I fish near home are called Family Fishing Lakes, they are basically designed for families to take the kids, Most have toilets and bbq areas. These lakes are usually stocked  just before the school holidays. Their a quite a few of theses lakes scattered around Melbourne and country Victoria. The Fisheries in Victoria do quite a bit of stocking not only Trout but native fish as well. They have hatcheries where they breed the fish to a certain size then they are released into rivers, lakes, dams etc. The money they get from recreational fishing licences goes towards the breeding and stocking. If I remember right a licence which covers both salt and freshwater is $30 a year, you can also get them for shorter periods Under 16 years, seniors or persons on a pension are exempt. And yes you can take home a decent feed of fish. There are regulations which cover closed seasons on certain fish, restricted areas where you can not fish, bag and size limits. The only places you would have to pay would be privately owned fish farms, and you pay by the kelo. (NO CATCH AND RELEASE)

This is only the basic information I don't want to bore you to much. Hope I answered your question

[ianain]

I can't see this Country ever doing that (community bbq areas, free fish, social events ).

 

It makes alot of sense as it gives the kids something to do during the holidays, family time; there have been various campaigns to get kids fishing, but unless it's the latest game most of them don't want to know.

[ranger carper]

there seams to be a ausie thing they like to fish but eat too so lots of lakes /water have trout stocked or there would not be any left /this also shows they doing something with your money /and we have the weather for bar/q /most ausie live with in 3/4 hours drive of a good fishing beach 

good fishing all and a late happy new year

[Guest Swamptrout]

Catch and release is a big thing here in Oz, as anglers are getting great results on soft plastics and hard bodies in both salt and freshwater. This is making C&R more popular. But there is nothing wrong with keeping a feed.

[Guest Swamptrout]

Why's that?

[newmarket]

Yeah CM

[Guest Swamptrout]

Let me in on the secret, did I say something wrong??

[newmarket]

Let me in on the secret, did I say something wrong??

Thats what i'd like to know mate . The eastern europeans have eaten a lot of our Carp in the uk so i'm eagerly awaiting CM's reply ?

[buzzbomb]

I like a nice feed of fresh fish, been eating it all my life. Fried fish, fish chowder, pickled fish, smoked fish, I make it all. We have possession limits, upper size limits, some places with special limits or designated c+r only, and we still manage to produce world record fish in several species.

[ianain]

I think the customs office would blow a cog.

 

No nets

No bait

No used hooks

No used line

 

Following to be fumigated

Camo

Bivvies

Reels

Rods

Rod holdalls

Footwear

Clothing

 

I wouldn't blame them either, look what's happened here.

[buzzbomb]

yes Buzz, both Australia and Canada have vast swathes of land that we do not possess, our density of population would be hard for you to imagine, if that attitude prevailed, our lakes would be empty very quickly, and our fish stocks take years to reach sizeable proportions, management of fish removal is crucial to our future.

One thing that's changed in the last 6 or 7 years is that more people are taking carp. It used to be just a few groups of Ivans doing a few week-ends a year but now we have the United Nations out there and they all take 20's as quick as 7's and there's no limit on them. The carp took a real hit from several years of flooding that stranded many in fields so the strength of the fishery is being tested. My main complaint is I find people fishing for carp for the table in my old favourite swims so I move on. Edited January 26, 2015 by buzzbomb
,

[ianain]

I was under the impression fish were better [to eat] at a certain size?

 

and therefore not so nice too big or small?

 

[Guest Swamptrout]

We do have fishing regulations that cover bag and size limits, number of lines you can use, and restricted areas where you can't fish to name a few . And regulations differ from state to state. Not all I agree with, but regulations are regulations and I abide by them. In NSW now it's legal to immediately release Carp to the water they were taken from. Lately in Victoria Fisheries have caught quite a few idiots in breach of the regs and some hefty penalties handed out by the Courts, these includes confiscation of all gear including boats and trailers, big fines, and banned from fishing for up to 3 years.    

Edited January 27, 2015 by Swamptrout

[t30sxh]

no mate, but I don't encourage scoffing the fish unless its put and take trout, please don't get me wrong, I think you should be lobbying your government to change the rules on carp, size wise and weather conditions, you have a potential world record, and a whole new line in tourism right under your noses.

Oh please, you have no idea what it's like over here .   The general fishing population of Australia fish for food, catch and release is generally unheard of in bait and lure fishing over here.    Generally if they catch a carp, they kill it because it's a pest, if they catch a decent fish, they kill it and eat it.   If they catch a fish and don't know what it is, they kill it...just in case.     The government won't change the opinion on carp over here, they're the ones that are blaming the carp for everything from poor water quality to the JFK assasination because it's easier to blame carp than it is to address the real problems.

 

Unfortunately it's going to take generations, maybe even longer to change the opinion of Aussie anglers.

 

Also as far as world records go, I highly doubt it.       Most lakes and rivers are full of stunted fish, plenty of singles around but lakes with twenties and above aren't so common.    There have been some forties out, but they're very few and far between.

Edited January 27, 2015 by t30sxh

[Turnip]

A very dear friend lives in Casino (no need to elaborate on what goes on their as a yearly event) and relays each year what gets taken out from the river that backs on to his garden.

He is a Scotstraylian - Sweaty by birth but emigrated. As he says - you abide by the rules of the Country you live in. He wants to C&R, then he can - if he wants to kill the fish for food - he can. We as Brits have no right to be annoyed because other nationalities don't abide by our 'so high' standards.

 

Swamptrout - what sizes do catch? Is boilie an established form of baiting or do you have your own method?

[Guest Swamptrout]

A very dear friend lives in Casino (no need to elaborate on what goes on their as a yearly event) and relays each year what gets taken out from the river that backs on to his garden.

He is a Scotstraylian - Sweaty by birth but emigrated. As he says - you abide by the rules of the Country you live in. He wants to C&R, then he can - if he wants to kill the fish for food - he can. We as Brits have no right to be annoyed because other nationalities don't abide by our 'so high' standards.

 

A very well put response, one of the best I have read for a while

 

I don't agree with all the fishing regulations or rules but they are in place for a reason AND I ABIDE BY THEM

 

Swamptrout - what sizes do catch? Is boilie an established form of baiting or do you have your own method?

 

Over the years I have caught carp up to the 18 pound mark, these days the waters I fish 5-6 pound would be tops.

 

I have only come across one person using boilies, and he was from the UK (a top bloke)

 

When I go fishing these days it's just to relax and enjoy myself. No more maggots or size 12 hooks, size 8 and 6 these days.

Some days I target carp, (good fighters on light gear) as for bait, I have caught carp on earth worms, super sweet corn, bread, small marshmallows, jelly lollies, meat. I have found they will take any bait it just depends on the day. I definitely believe in berley, either store bought or made up.  

[siringe]

The amount of Carp in the Murray Darling system you would have to see to believe in places ie back waters you cant wade through them without tripping over them and that said I love fishing for them and its c+r for me .Terry

[nealjt]

T30sxh - a carp killed Kennedy! Love it, oh yes and they're aliens ! Te he he

[cyborx]

T30sxh - a carp killed Kennedy! Love it, oh yes and they're aliens ! Te he he

 

dont start neal, yes they may be aliens but we all know it was a cold that killed kennedy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

he sneezed and blew his brains out 

[Guest Swamptrout]

To be honest I'm not a real lover of Carp, Then again I target them on a regular basis as they put up a great fight on light gear and the two small lakes near home hold quite a few Carp. I admit I follow the regs and dispatch them in a humane manner asap. We are lucky here in Oz as we don't have to pay big money to catch them as you fisho's in the UK have to. Recently I have been having a bit of a debate with another couple of fisho's about returning Carp to closed waterways where even if the area floods they can't get into other waterways, and they have raised a few very interesting scenarios. Now I have gone from 100% against to 60% against.  

[buzzbomb]

Swamptrout is the intentional release of invasive species a problem in Oz? We've had a few problems with people chucking their pond or aquarium fish in the local lakes or rivers when they got big, or setting a pet store fish free to symbolically honour a dead relative (still have trouble understanding that one), and they can do some real damage. In Vancouver a few years ago there was a snakehead found in a little park lake prompting calls for a ban on the sale of some live fish.

[Guest Swamptrout]

I couldn't say it was a big problem, but I am not saying it doesn't happen. I have heard of Carp and redfin being introduced to farm dams so people can create there own little fishery (these could escape into other waterways if flooding occurred). A while back I witnessed live Gold fish, purchased from a pet shop, being used as bait, and that's a big no no. I can remember many years ago some moron released a small Crock into the Yarra River (can't remember all the details). A problem that exists in some areas is the dumping of domestic Ducks and Geese into small park lakes and ponds. One of the small lakes near home they caught and relocated??​ about 18 domestic Geese.