Dreamtime

Crikey , I'm exhausted just reading the post. Excellent read, well done on the rebuild. Glad to see the is a willing I wouldn't be too worried that no fish were caught, by all accounts, and the photos, you got a pretty darn good catch indeed with the Must be a satisfying result all round. Cheers Mariner

WOW!! That's a monster. Great to see the kids involved Well done.

A big to you Christie Lee. Glad you had a great day. (Great minds think alike Hodgey) Cheers Mariner.

Here's a link for the submarine cable protection zones. http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_100869 Here's one for Port Jackson & Middle Harbour. http://www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/docs/portjack_front.pdf Here's the link for waterways where you will find maps for all NSW waterways. http://www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/ Cheers Mariner

Sawtail Surgeonfish The Sawtail Surgeonfish can be recognised by its grey to brownish colouration and the row of five to six black scutes on the rear of the body. It grows to 70 cm in length. Adults are found mostly on coastal rocky reefs. Juveniles are usually seen in estuaries and coastal bays. This species occurs in tropical and warm temperate waters of the Western Pacific. In Australia it is known from northern Queensland to southern New South Wales, plus Lord Howe Island.

G'day Josh, Due to my locality, and the lack of tackle available here, I buy all my tackle from O/S. O/S albeit being Australia, but still issues pop up from time to time. I have purchased quite a bit of gear from fellow Raiders and a significant amount from stores in Australia. To date, once co-ordinated, my purchases have gone very smoothly. I think you need to look outside the circle a little if you are looking for more responses and information to your question. That is, have people purchased other products from Japan / USA etc, and was their warranty honoured on their purchase. I have only had one warranty concern and that was on a satellite phone purchased from UK. I sent the unit back to UK (at my cost) and it was in fact replaced with a new unit and the return freight was met by them. I think it may be worth asking the question of the provider when you make initial enquiries, or would they offer a discount if no warranty cover was applicable. Hope this is of some info. Cheers Mariner.

In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb' Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury. Coca-Cola was originally green. It is impossible to lick your elbow. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter 'A'? A. One thousand It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them 'Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.' It's where we get the phrase 'mind your P's and Q's' Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. 'Wet your whistle' is the phrase inspired by this practice. YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN 2008 when... You accidentally enter your PIN on the microwave. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of three. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries. At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!

Anglers will get an opportunity to learn more about the environmental problems caused by carp, plus win some great prizes by catching this pest species in the Namoi and Manilla Rivers at Manilla’s first ‘Carp Muster’ to be held on November 22-23. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Conservation Manager, Milly Hobson said the muster was a fantastic opportunity for the community to learn about the impact of carp and how planting trees, removing willows and re-snagging the water would benefit native fish. "The weekend will be filled with activities including tree planting, ‘Water Watch’ activities and of course the Carp Muster," she said. "We held our first Carp Muster in Narrabri last March to showcase other on-ground works being done as part of the Narrabri to Boggabri Demonstration Reach, which is a joint initiative between Namoi Catchment Management Authority and NSW DPI. "More than 300 people entered the Narrabri Carp Muster, and it would be fantastic to see a similar turn out at Manilla." Ms Hobson said thousands of dollars worth of prizes would be on offer at the Manilla Carp Muster for category winners, including the biggest carp caught, and mystery prizes in both senior and junior prize categories. While carp have been blamed for a range of river degradation issues, Ms Hobson said it was more likely the combined effects of catchment-wide influences including uncontrolled stock access, lack of riparian vegetation and de-snagging that were contributing to the poor health of our waterways. Ms Hobson said the Carp Muster was an important part of the ‘Namoi Aquatic Habitat Initiative’. The Namoi Carp Muster is open to all people - expert anglers and beginners alike. Only legal fishing methods can be used and the more carp anglers catch the better their chances are of taking home a prize. Registration for the Namoi Carp Muster will be at the Manilla Showground on the weekend of the 22-23 November from 7am - 5pm on Saturday and 7am - 12pm on Sunday. "So get out on the water and catch a carp, get your hands dirty planting a tree and learn what makes our native fish happy," Ms Hobson said. For more information about the competition call Milly Hobson on (02) 6763 1206 or Anne Furguson, Namoi CMA, on (02) 6742 9202 . Further reading Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Media contact: Sarah Chester on (02) 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669

Freshwater fishers will have a chance to catch more than a fish this summer if they enter a special fishing photography competition. NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and the Freshwater Recreational Fishing Trust have teamed up to run the competition, which will see 12 of the best fishing photos published in a special 2010 calendar. NSW DPI recreational fisheries director, Peter Turnell, said the theme for competition was ‘Freshwater recreational fishing and all that it is to you’. "Cameras are now part of most fishing tackle bags and the calendar is a great opportunity for people to offer their best photographs for others to enjoy," he said. Mr Turnell said freshwater fishing environments offer some of the best landscapes in the State, so the winning photos might not be of only fish. He said the competition was open to anyone who uses a camera and takes a picture that illustrates their interest in freshwater recreational fishing. Entry is easy. Photographers can enter online, or through the post. But given the shape of the calendar, Mr Turnell said horizontal pictures would have a better chance of selection. Photographs must be sent in by 30 July 2009 in time for selection and production of the 2010 calendar. There are 12 prize packages to be won (all currently valued at more than $800), one for each photo to be featured in the calendar. Every entrant will also receive a free fishing lure. Mr Turnell said the calendar would also contain detailed information on freshwater fishing rules and species, providing longevity to the educational information already distributed to the angling community. "This is another great example of fishers’ licence fees working for them. Money raised from the recreational licence is placed in trusts, overseen by angler representatives, and can only be used to create better recreational fishing opportunities," he said. More details can be found on the DPI Fisheries web site at: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/freshwater-fishing/competition Further reading Recreational fishing licence fee Media contact: Sarah Chester (02) 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669

The NSW Government is looking to expand its artificial reefs program in Lake Macquarie, following the success of six reefs which were placed in the lake three years ago, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald announced today. Lake Macquarie was the first recreational fishing haven in NSW to trial the artificial reefs in 2005, with similar reefs deployed in Botany Bay in June 2006 and St Georges Basin in February 2007. "Recreational fishing groups have been so impressed with the reefs in Lake Macquarie, they have been calling to expand the project and that’s what we plan to do," Minister Macdonald said. "An environmental report on the proposed expansion has been prepared and a development application will need to be approved by Lake Macquarie City Council. "Two years of scientific monitoring of the artificial reefs in the lake have shown that they have created valuable fish habitat, with over 40 species of fish found living on the reefs. "These include popular recreational fishing species such as yellowfin bream, snapper, whiting, flathead, yellowtail kingfish and amberjack." The construction of the reefs was strongly supported by Lake Macquarie City Council, recreational fishers and fishing clubs. The reefs are made of moulded concrete balls which can be easily moved, or removed completely, if necessary. Reef balls are made using a special mix of concrete that allows algae to grow quickly, creating ideal marine habitat for fish and invertebrates. "The artificial reefs program is funded by the Recreational Fishing Trust, so it’s another great example of recreational fishing licence fees being put back into the water for the benefit of the community," Mr Macdonald said. "Funds raised from the sale of the recreational fishing fee are placed into two trusts, one for saltwater and the other freshwater, and can only be spent on projects to improve recreational fishing in NSW." In addition new artificial reefs are proposed to be constructed by DPI in Lake Conjola and Merimbula Lake later this year, following approval from consenting authorities. They will also be funded by the Recreational Fishing Trust. Further reading Artificial reefs Media contact: Lyndall Derrig 0400 462 447

Some photos of my backyard. I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you for the photos. With the time and effort, not to mention the blood, sweat & tears gone into the construction of rosie, one would have to ask - why was she left to rot & ruin? If I built her, there is no way on this earth that she would be abandoned like that. There must be some good reason. Luckily for Rosie, she is getting a second chance at life. Well done guys, keep us posted on the restoration. Cheers Mariner

Yeh, that really annoys me too

Some people have no idea do they? Hopefully someone else was at the helm! How could you possibly;- Drive the boat? Reverse the trailer? Retrieve the boat? Wind up the winch? Connect the safety hook / shackle? There must have been someone else with him - they are the knob He is just a dickhead!!!!! At least he will be answerable to the law!! Thank god that other boaties didn't cross his path that day.

Great read, and by all accounts, great first hand lesson. A lot in this story sounds familiar to me, but my weapon was the baitcaster. Same result and a great fealing when it all goes right. Well done. Next time go down to your local oval and practice - a lot easier on the pocket too! Practice makes perfect - better looking for your sinker on the oval rather than - what if??? When the big one gets the better of you when learning - and - "PING" Cheers Mariner

Isn't that a great idea?? Well, we've got lounge-chair sportsmen, so what do we call this?? Bar stool fishermen. Good place for those of us that suffer from the dreaded Mel-De-Mer Not that there's much difference between that and a solid Friday night at the local. I want one for my lounge room

OMG 3 tremendous captures. Was the wahoo caught on the troll or a floating bait? Well done Cheers Mariner

Well done, it's called being resourseful. You guys jigging for kingies at the peak should consider it also. I never jig without some form of "bait" attached to the hook. Especially when over reefs. Drop down the jig, lift a couple of turns, wait 10 to 20 seconds - then reel in. You will be surprised at the results. Cheers Mariner

Well done mate, looks as though a great day was had with both pelagics and some great tasting reef fish. Quick thinking by the skipper gave you all a good feed to take home. Cheers

Some wonderful memories indeed! Felt I was out there with you. (Dreams often take over reality lol) Can't wait to see pics of the new rig and the spoils that come with it. Did another competition angler aquire your Skeeter, or a reccie fisho? Undoubtably success in the bigger arena will come, as your passion seems equal to none. Great thread!!

Very nice Jewie and some fine looking squid, especially in those numbers. With the success you are having on the blades I think the squid would be a better option on the dinner plate. Off topic a little - but where do you get that safety netting for the trampolene. Great idea for the kids. Cheers Mariner

All of lifes enjoyment, and misery, (leaves home) is in front of you. Congratulations and enjoy.

By the look of those rocket launchers she must have seen a few good fish in her day. What are some of her specs? i.e. Length, Breadth, Draught, Year of Build, Where built, previous owners, etc. I see that she is ply construction and not planked. Is it glassed over also? What are the plans - re-engine with ???? Damned nice shape and sized hull. Can't fail with a timber boat. Good luck with the project. Cheers Mariner.

Well done, it's all about character and determination. Good to see that the above attributes will keep you fishing against all odds. Couldn't convince the to sleep in the boat as security Good to see you still have a sense of humour as well Cheers

An Aussie Blonde called Sheila was sent on her way to Heaven. Upon arrival, a concerned St Peter met her at the Pearly Gates. 'I'm sorry,' St Peter said; 'But Heaven is suffering from an overload of goodly souls and we have been forced to put up an Entrance Exam for new arrivals to ease the burden of Heavenly Arrivals.' 'That's cool' said the blonde, 'What does the Entrance Exam consist of?' 'Just three questions' said St Peter. 'Which are?' asked the blonde. 'The first,' said St Peter, 'is, which two days of the week start with the letter 'T' '? The second is 'How many seconds are there in a year?' The third is 'What was the name of the swagman in Waltzing Matilda?' 'Now,' said St Peter, 'Go away and think about those questions and when I call upon you, I shall expect you to have those answers for me.' So the blonde went away and gave those three questions some considerable thought. The following morning, St Peter called upon the blonde and asked if she had considered the questions, to which she replied, 'I have.' 'Well then,' said St Peter, 'Which two days of the week start with the letter T?' The blonde said, 'Today and Tomorrow.' St Peter pondered this answer for some time, and decided that indeed the answer can be applied to the question. 'Well then, could I have your answer to the second of the three questions?' St Peter went on, 'how many seconds in a year?' The Blonde replied, 'Twelve!' 'Only twelve?' exclaimed St Peter, 'How did you arrive at that figure?' 'Easy,' said the blonde, 'there's the second of January, the second of February, right through to the second of December, giving a total of twelve seconds.' St Peter looked at the blonde and said, 'I need some time to consider your answer before I can give you a decision.' And he walked away shaking his head. A short time later, St Peter returned to the Blonde. 'I'll allow the answer to stand, but you need to get the third and final question absolutely correct to be allowed into Heaven. Now, can you tell me the answer to the name of the swagman in Waltzing Matilda?' The blonde replied: 'Of the three questions, I found this the easiest to answer.' 'Really!' exclaimed St Peter, 'And what is the answer?' 'It's Andy.' 'Andy??' 'Yes, Andy,' said the blonde. This totally floored St Peter, and he paced this way and that, deliberating the answer. Finally, he could not stand the suspense any longer, and turning to the blonde, asked 'How in God's name did you arrive at THAT answer?' 'Easy' said the blonde, 'Andy sat, Andy watched, Andy waited til his billy boiled.' And the blonde entered Heaven