Estuarine reds

[adkel53]

I've been reading quite a few reports of almost legal sized reds being caught recently, especially in Botany Bay and the harbour. Set me wondering as to whether we are experiencing the early phases of the return of legal sized ones in these recreational fishing havens or whether they come into these estuaries to grow into pre-pubescent teenagers and then leave again when their hormones begin to rule their lives! It seems that other recreational only fisheries like St Georges Basin now have some reasonably sized reds available on a regular basis since netting was banned there.

Some discussion on the Fishing World website re the merits or otherwise of estuary netting is what started me thinking about this. You can see it here if you wish. http://www.fishingworld.com.au/news/starlo-fights-to-ban-nets

I've made my views clear there!

Arthur

[Jamestown]

I really don't believe the stopping of professional fishing has contributed to an early come back of the legal snapper. They have always been there but are not targeted.

[Yowie]

The undersize reds in Port Hacking usually start to ease off in numbers about this time of year, but over the last month, have turned up in bigger numbers, with quite a few not too much under size.

Usually I pick up a few legal ones over the first half of the year, however, this year not too many legal ones and those are under the 35cm mark, whereas usually the occasional one to 40cm and over, but I have not yet caught any this year of that size. Might be just my luck, or lack of. Also a lack of tailor over the 45cm mark so far for me this year, in fact all under 40.

With those large numbers of smaller reddies, the breeding must have been better a few years ago, hopefully it keeps going that way.

Edited June 8, 2013 by yowie

[fat_souvlaki]

hey arthur, last two times i've been fishing around lane cove i've picked up a 35 and 40cm snapper. pretty keen to get back out there and go for the hattrick!

[rjc123]

We picked up a few legals in Cowan creek today on plastics. They're definitely around but it's hard to get past the hordes if tiny ones when bait fishing.