mrmoshe

Truly amazing Ross. Someone has a serious ice fishing habit there. With that sort of $$ spent..he could go to warmer climes and do some very serious warm water fishing anywhere in the world....He must be addicted to frozen fish fingers. Love the satellite dish on the side too...nice touch. Cheers, Pete.

Thanks fellas..It was quite a learning curve today. I haven't been fishing much lately due to looking after duties, but am aiming to do a lot more this coming year and with my new found placcie knowledge...it looks to be a lot of fun. Cheers, Pete.

Come on all you guests and lurkers...Join in the community we have here.. If there's any question you have on fishing, be it techniques, favourite spots, boating, landbased rods,reels,tackle...whatever...There's always a friendly member willing to share their knowledge. This is THE most friendly fishing site in the country with no bickering and slanging matches allowed, so it flows freely. Join in the fun. Membership is free and the benefits are excellent. Cheers, Pete.

I've finally come over from the dark side!! (fresh bait I mean) My neighbour knocked on the door this arvo and asked if I wanted to join him in his tinny for a fish at Narra Lake...Never one to say no to a session on the old lake.. we launched at Jamieson Park and he brought along a pudding he had concocted with bits and pieces of frames, fish bits, pellets and ultrabite. Hard to keep on the hook though. We scored some smallish bream and a couple of tailor (all returned) and we decided we needed some whitebait and H'bury prawns to get into some flatties.... He dropped me off near the tacklo and I bought just enough for an hour or so. Drifted at various spots for more underweight breambos and I managed one flattie around 45cm. Ran out of bait fairly quickly and I brought along 2 buckets of Berkley Gulp Alives to blood myself off bait...This is the only way I was ever going to break my lifetime habit of using bait. Tried the 4" Swimming Mullet in Chartreuse first off for not much at all..just the odd picker. Switched over to the other bucket of 3" shrimp in pearl white and almost immediately was snaffled by a 48cm lizard...yippeee says I Nothing much after that as the tide had turned and the water became dirty again after being as clear as a swimming pool on the incoming. So I have finally cracked the code of using placcies and will persevere again on my next outing and this time..I won't take any fresh bait at all. This is the third time I have tried the Alives..first 2 sessions turned into donuts and switched over to whitebait...Not any more. The poor old bloke at the bait shop is in for a lean year I suspect now No pics sorry as I didn't take the camera today...Maybe that was the key. Dinner tomorrow night (beer battered fillets) will taste sweeter knowing one was caught using something other than a "natural" bait. Old habits die hard but this old habit is now history!! Cheers, Pete

Correct..No licence required Bill if you are under 18 years old. Here's the DPI link on exemptions Licence exemptions Cheers, Pete.

My most memorable day in 2007 was when I was fishing at Narra Lake landbased and a family was having a picnic behind me. In their family, they had a severely disabled son about 8 years old and in a walking frame. This child made his way slowly to where I was fishing and asked all sorts of questions about fishing, which I was more than happy to answer. The bite was hot that day with flatties, bream, a few small tailor and his eyes lit up each time I landed a fish and released it, so the next one I hooked was going to be his. After hooking the next fish, I gave him my rod and showed him how to hold and wind...with great difficulty...anyhow...he finally did it and landed a small flounder...his first ever fish (and first ever attempt at fishing). His excitement was something to behold and his family rushed down to see what his giggles and screams were all about. They all hugged him and the smile on his dial was wonderful. That made my day, more so then any fish could bring to me. I just hope he remembers that day and pestered his parents to let him try again on his next outing. Funny how the little things can give so much pleasure. Cheers, Pete.

Further update 27/December 2007 Kayakers battle fatigue and competition TWO men attempting to become the first Australians to paddle across the Tasman are battling physical and emotional exhaustion, as well as the likelihood a competing craft will steal their glory. Eight-metre swells continue to swamp their custom-built kayak as Sydneysiders James Castrission, 25, and Justin Jones, 24, paddle towards Auckland in rough conditions. The pair set out on their 2200km journey on November 13 from Forster, on the NSW mid-north coast. They reached their halfway point in early December but went around in circles for two weeks in attempts to dodge persistent head winds and a whirlpool of ocean currents. They are now 540km from Auckland, but their support team estimates the men have paddled an extra 1000km as a result of their unplanned detours. "They're physically and mentally exhausted, and morale has gone to its lowest point in the journey," support team member Tom Mitchell told AAP. "Basically, they're sick to death (of trying) to get their arses across to New Zealand." For the past two days, they have made big advances, paddling more than 200km, and expect strong westerly winds to push them similar distances for another two days. But strong tail winds have brought big seas that make paddling difficult. The kayak enters the middle of eight-metre swells, submerges slightly and resurfaces to repeat the challenge. "And on top of that, they've only been getting one hour of sleep a night because the seas are so rough," Mr Mitchell said. "They've described it as trying to sleep with 12 kids jumping up and down on the bed." Their original arrival date of Christmas Eve has been extended repeatedly, but the support team expects the pair to arrive in NZ as early as January 7. Crossing from the opposite direction, a four-person rowing team of Steven Gates, Andrew Johnson, Kerry Tozer and surf boat champion Sally Macready, set out on November 29 from Hokianga Harbour, north of Auckland. The conditions that hammered Castrission and Jones favoured the foursome, who reached their halfway mark in just 15 days. They are now just 370km from Sydney Harbour and are expected to arrive on New Year's Day or the next day. The larger team has also endured rough conditions and a near-miss with a freighter on Christmas night. But on Boxing Day, they encountered a pod of dolphins and good conditions. "The weather was glorious. We finally struck a favourable current and it was great to be on the ocean," Gates said in a statement. Jones and Castrission are not expected to reach land first, since easterly headwinds are forecast to return on Sunday. Mr Mitchell said the pair are not bothered that Gates' team will arrive first, especially since they have twice the rowing capacity. "Everything that's held our boys back has given the other team the advantage to keep paddling hard to make it there before them," Mr Mitchell said. "And the more people you have, the less prestigious it is." He said solo kayaker Andrew McAuley would have been the ultimate champion. He attempted the crossing to New Zealand's Milford Sound in February, but he disappeared after sending out a garbled distress signal only about 50km from his destination. His partially submerged craft was found drifting in the ocean, but his body was never located.

Undersized snapper Cheers, and welcome to the site. Pete

Prehistoric fish named after fossil hunters Two amateur fossil hunters from the outback town of Andamooka in the far north of South Australia say they have been given the Christmas present "from hell". A few years ago Tom and Sharon Hurley found the fossil remains of a prehistoric fish, resembling a swordfish with teeth, near Boulia in Queensland. The fish is a previously unknown genus and species, and has now been officially named the Australo-Pachy Cormus Hurleyi. Tom Hurley says it's both an honour and a curse to have the fish carry the name Hurley. "Well basically I got the Christmas present from Hell. Immortality. The name will last forever," he said. "How do you beat that? Every year I'll get Christmas presents that won't beat that. It's just ruined Christmas."

The smiles on the dials says it all That is one beautiful fish. Well done to the fella that landed that beast. Cheers, Pete.

Dead fish in Qld lake prompts warning Campers have been warned to keep out of parts of a popular lake west of Brisbane, while authorities investigate a fish kill. A large number of dead fish were found at the weekend in Lake Moogerah, a popular bushwalking, camping and fishing spot. SunWater spokesman Peter Sampson said visitors should steer clear of some parts of the lake. "We're advising boaties and skiers not to use some parts of the lake while the dead fish are still present," Mr Sampson told ABC Radio. "Campers are also urged not to consume campground water supply for the time being." The Environmental Protection Agency was investigating.

Superb fish there LH...You must have been using just the right bait at just the right spot...Well done. It was certainly worth the wait for the pics. Keep those reports coming. Chers Pete.

Isn't it though Stevo!! Who needs flies when all you need is a pipe and 4000 gallons of water Not nearly as much fun though. Reminds me of the Pied Pipe-r Cheers, Pete.

Swimming upstream, chasing a pipe dream THE owners of a Hampshire trout farm were baffled when dozens of fish began to disappear - until a wildlife photographer revealed the startling truth. Dennis Bright captured extraordinary images of the trout leaping a metre out of the water into a 20-centimetre pipe used to fill their pond. The plucky trout then fought against the current for 10 metres until they reached the end of the pipe - and freedom in a tributary of the River Itchen, near Alresford. Bright said: "It was an incredible sight. Swimming against the current is instinctive for trout as they head upstream to spawn but they are doing a remarkable job getting through that pipe." The 59-year-old photographer said he could understand why the trout were making their bold bid for freedom. "I imagine the trout are quite stressed in the ponds because it is a free-for-all for predators. "When birds come along the fish don't stand a chance. "… They are jumping for freedom in large volumes. But sadly I think their fate will be less than happy - there are otter, herons and many other predators feeding from the stream." Hampshire Trout Farms owner David Riley said he would be extremely surprised if more than one or two fish were escaping via the pipe. "I have been a farmer here for about 30 years and have never seen a fish make it to the other side but I know Dennis and if he says he has seen it, I believe him," he said. "November and December is the mating season in the river and it is natural for them to jump at waterflows. "It is not entirely impossible that they are getting through the pipe but, if they do, it would just be one or two. "The pipe leads to the watercress fields, which are only 150 yards [137 metres] long. If they were getting there in large quantities we would certainly see them. "We already lose quite a lot of our fish to natural predators and I wouldn't like to think we are losing any more through the pipe," Riley said.

WOW!!..A six pack of birthday raiders! Happy birthday to you all. Hope you all get the things you need. Cheers, Pete.

A big to the forums Bill. I see you are already addicted to reading each and every post with 4 hours worth. There certainly is a wealth of info. in here. Look forward to your contributions of your trips. Cheers, Pete.

Great little session there LH. Congrats on your first Jewie...must be a great feeling to tick off another species. Those flatties were a nice (and tasty) bonus. Can't wait to se the pics. Cheers, Pete.

G'day PF. Try THIS thread for some clues. Some good info in there. Also..do a search using the search function with"worming" as the key word and you'll see a lot of posts on this subject. They are buggers to catch at first but with trial and error...you'll score enough for a good session. Good luck in your wormy quest and stay clear of those crabs Cheers, Pete.

Fisherman feared for his life Father of four Sadiq Daalag loves rock fishing, but has vowed never to pick up a rod again. He can't even bear to gaze out his living room window at Lake Illawarra. It reminds him too much of those seas. "Water - yuck. No more fishing," the Iraqi migrant said. Yesterday the Lake Heights resident sat on his couch, cuddled up to his wife, happily recounting what the family considered a small miracle. "I don't believe my husband is alive," Aghdas Zahrouni said. "I thank my god." After being swept off rocks at Port Kembla and spending 90 minutes in rough seas on Wednesday night, Mr Daalag thought he was dead. His wife of two years certainly did. And his daughters aged 13 and 18, and sons aged 21 and 23, faced the prospect of losing their dad only four years after their mother was killed in the Iraq War. But then a Port Kembla surf club boat appeared and Mr Daalag was scooped out of the ocean into the safety of the rubber duckie. Mr Daalag, 41, and Ms Zahrouni, 34, were fishing on a rock platform below the sewerage works near Red Point just after 7.30pm. The spot is notorious, and last April a man fishing on his own was swept to his death. Despite his wife's constant pleas, Mr Daalag insisted on regularly returning to fish at the spot, south of Hill 60. The Iranian migrant chose to accompany her husband on fishing expeditions to look out for him. On another trip she had grabbed hold of Mr Daalag when a wave threatened to take him away. But on Wednesday she only just managed to save herself. Ms Zahrouni broke her fall by clutching the rock shelf, which left her with a grazed leg and an injured shoulder. "When I saw him I started to scream. I thought maybe he was not alive," she said. The couple speak very limited English, but Mr Daalag's daughters have become fluent since their arrival in Australia two years ago and translated most of this Mercury interview. Mr Daalag said he fell about 6m into the water, and his wife advised him to swim out away from the rocky shore. "I was thinking I was going to die," he said. "I was worried about sharks. I can swim only on my back. I became so tired. I drunk lots of salt water." Lake Illawarra Police said they were called at 7.40pm. Surf-lifesavers were called after 8pm and had brought Mr Daalag to Port Kembla Beach by 9pm. The family said they were extremely thankful to all who came to their aid. Nawras Majeed, 13, told how she was woken by a phone call to her older sister Noor, 18, telling them their father was missing at sea. "Every time he went there he promised he wouldn't go there again or even go fishing," his daughter said. Aghdas Zahrouni, nursing an injured shoulder, hugs husband Sadiq Daalag at their Lake Heights home yesterday. Mr Daalag was rescued off Port Kembla Beach on Wednesday night after being swept into the sea.

Bondi protected shark killed in net A three-metre long grey nurse shark - listed as being critically endangered in NSW - died in a shark net off Bondi Beach. The discovery was made by the Bondi Rescue TV crew yesterday. At first the crew thought the shark - measuring just under three metres - was in the process of delivering a pup. But an expert on board the crew's boat said the shark would have injured itself thrashing to free itself after being snared in the net. The east coast grey nurse shark is listed as a critically endangered species and was the first shark species in the world to be protected by government legislation, says the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The crew were filming when they came across the shark about 150 metres off Ben Buckler, at the north end of Bondi Beach. The grey nurse - a species not known to be dangerous - was dead and floating on the surface, not far from a popular snorkelling spot. Martin Baker, a producer on the TV show, said the film crew made the discovery yesterday afternoon. "At first we thought it was a dead body," he said. "Then we realised it was a big shark. "Obviously ... a big shark floating on the surface is not very inspiring to the swimmers." The film crew contacted the shark net maintenance boat, Sea Rogue, which collected the shark's corpse this morning. Increased shark activity on the NSW coast is normal for this time of year, the NSW National Parks Association says. This week, a South Australian man surfing near Newcastle survived a shark bite on his right buttock, becoming the third person in NSW to have a brush with a shark in the past two months. The attack on 31-year-old Ben Morcom followed dozens of reports of increased shark activity at popular NSW beaches, including those in Sydney, Newcastle and Byron Bay. NPA spokeswoman Valerie Taylor said: "There's always a record number of sightings at this time of year ... and it's when the school fish go up the coast and the sharks follow them. "There's probably more people in the water now than there used to be and the school fish and the sharks are coming in closer to the coastal areas, particularly off beaches." Ms Taylor said sharks used their mouths to feel and Tuesday's attack probably involved an inquisitive bull shark. "It sounds very much like a bull shark to me," she said. She said there were recent bull shark sightings in the area. The shark is dragged aboard Sea Rogue off Bondi. Photo: Peter Rae

Sky News are cayying the story on their website and I posted it in the Library this morning. Here it is in case you missed it Sky News Story Cheers, Pete.

Harbour fish safe Leatherjackets and flathead caught in Sydney Harbour are back on the menu, after being given near perfect health checks. Two years ago the government warned harbour fish had been poisoned by cancer causing dioxins as a result of decades of industrial activity. However, new dioxin tests have shown that eating the popular fish is not as dangerous as scientists had first warned. The health advice had been to eat no more than a few mouthfuls a month, but seafood lovers can safely have two dozen helpings of leatherjacket and a dozen servings of flathead per month. Fish caught west of the Harbour Bridge are still not considered healthy to eat. A ban on commercial fishing in the harbour remains, but the National Parks Association has suggested that even recreational fishing should be banned. They say parts of the harbour should be set aside as marine sanctuaries, as it is home to more than 500 fish species.

Report sightings of redfin perch in Oberon Members of the community who sight redfin perch in the Oberon area should report it to the Department of Primary Industries 24 hour aquatic pests hotline, following a recent sighting of the freshwater pest in a new area. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Aquatic Biosecurity Officer, Ms Brigid Krug, said Redfin perch were native to northern Europe and were introduced to Australia for angling in the 1860s. They are now widespread in several states, including NSW. "Redfin perch are aggressive, voracious predators, eating small native fish and the juveniles of large native fish. Redfin also have the potential to degrade recreational fisheries by competing with native species for food and habitat." she said. DPI will be circulating redfin leaflets to residents in the surrounding area to raise awareness of the pest, and to seek assistance from the community in identifying redfin perch in the Oberon area. DPI Scientific Officer Jamie Knight said Redfin were also known carriers of a deadly fish virus, Epizootic Haematopoietic Necrosis Virus (EHNV) which can devastate susceptible native fish and trout. "DPI researchers are carrying out further investigations of the EHNV in collaboration with Sydney University." he said. NSW DPI is continuing to gather information on the distribution of freshwater native and pest species. NSW DPI, supported by funding from the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment Management Authority, is also exploring potential control options for redfin, with particular emphasis on redfin populations in areas inhabited by Macquarie perch, a threatened species in NSW. Once pests become established they can be difficult or impossible to eradicate. There are a number of ways the general public can help protect NSW waterways and stop the spread of pests such as: * Learn to recognise pest species such as redfin perch * Don’t transfer fish between waterways or into farm dams * Don’t use live fin fish as bait in freshwater * Obtain a permit to stock fish * Don’t return pest fish to the water * If you catch a pest fish: kill it humanely and dispose of it appropriately Please report suspected pest sightings to DPI’s 24 hour aquatic pests hotline on 02 4916 3877. If possible, take a photo and email it to aquatic.pests@dpi.nsw.gov.au For more information contact your local fisheries office or the NSW DPI Aquatic Biosecurity Unit on (02) 4982 1232, or go to www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries.

Hi Andrew and thanks for the update...You have answered a lot of questions for Raiders in your above post. Thank you. That LHI Kingy is Massive Must have been one hellava fight. As for the Kingy Social...Details can be found Here The Modern Fishing FOTM is our regular friendly "contest" with the winner receiving a reel for his or her trouble. Details can be found Here Do enter the first fish as it must be caught in the month of the contest. Keep those reports coming in as we all went wild when you posted that hoodlum. The Social will be an excellent one this year with the harbour firing for kingies. A big to the site and good luck on the fishing front. Cheers, Pete.

It looks a lot like a Fortescue (Centropogon australis ) Fishbase ID Nasty buggers too with venomous dorsal spines. Lots of care in handling those..better to cut the line. Any other theories??? Cheers, Pete EDIT: On second thoughts...the fins look different...maybe something else. .