Port Hacking

[Yowie]

Anchored at first light out from the Lilli Pilli bathes. Plenty of undersized reddies again.

2 tailor at 31cm, the size has dropped off in the last few weeks, and 1 bream at 28cm.

Pulled out 3 jewies, about 50cm, just under 60 and 61. All on hand lines with fish strips. The mid sized one was squirting out a lot of milt, must be breeding time.

The biggest one was hooked in the stomach, and the hook pulled out the stomach and hooked into gills as well. Knew that it would not survive too long , and it did not. Now the problem is that it is dead, floating away, but legally I cannot keep it, however, someone may pass near it and scoop it out and keep it. Also illegal for them to keep, but I am watching a meal of fresh fish floating along in the water. Still think that 60cm minimum would have been a better size limit, with maximum of 2 fish. Would allow for a seriously injured fish to be kept, rather than go to waste. My opinion only, and I'm sticking to it!

[Fab1]

It's a shame when having to release fish due to size limits that have been fatally injured during capture knowing full well that their not going to survive long once released.

I guess they will make a meal for other creatures in the food chain.

At least you caught a few again mate.

Did you manage to have a drift around?And were there any whiting around to be seen?

Cheers.

[GoingFishing]

Great report mate and good results

My opinion ? - how hard is it the catch and find the mulloway , let alone a legal one over 75cm.

I think the size limit is too high Aswell. Typical government over reaction. Years ago there was no control whatsoever

[Dave_]

I'm happy enough with the 75cm legal length because I just think it'll result in more quality sized fish but I really think something needs to be done about the fact that you have to let a dying fish go to waste just because it's undersized.

It's a hard one to find a solution for though. Too many people would abuse the ruling.

[Yowie]

It's a shame when having to release fish due to size limits that have been fatally injured during capture knowing full well that their not going to survive long once released.

I guess they will make a meal for other creatures in the food chain.

At least you caught a few again mate.

Did you manage to have a drift around?And were there any whiting around to be seen?

Cheers.

A few whiting and small bream to be seen over the flats when I was heading home, but no fishing for them today.

Scattered schools of whitebait in the deeper water, with only an occasional splash through them. Think they were salmon, threw a lure at them but no takers.

[Fab1]

A few whiting and small bream to be seen over the flats when I was heading home, but no fishing for them today.

Scattered schools of whitebait in the deeper water, with only an occasional splash through them. Think they were salmon, threw a lure at them but no takers.

Cheers mate,thinking of taking a trip over next time I head out.

I've caught a few good flathead/bream on the drift using fresh whitebait in mansion point.

Once around grays there were some good sized whiting lurking that would only take fresh strips of squid lightly cast out and bumped along the bottom.

They wouldn't have a bar of the fresh nippers I'd cast out on my other outfit considering there's yabby banks right where I was fishing.

Thanks again.

[Guest no one]

Funny Yowie, I've been talking a lot about the hypothecate question of accidentally killing a fish. All the undersized fish you're catching is due to you catching all the legals already!

[Scratchie]

I'm happy enough with the 75cm legal length because I just think it'll result in more quality sized fish but I really think something needs to be done about the fact that you have to let a dying fish go to waste just because it's undersized.

It's a hard one to find a solution for though. Too many people would abuse the ruling.

The legal size for mulloway is 70cm.

Yeah, real tough one there yowie! I don't like to see fish go to waste either. Maybe a compromise and one fish between 45-70cm.

But rules are rules, and wether we agree or not, most of us genuine fishos follow them!

Well done on catch!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[batfishing]

I agree, it is a shame to throw a dying fish back, parrticularly if it would suffice in place of continued fishing/ or keeping a much bigger fish, that otherwise could have been returned.

The other side to it though, is if it was allowed, then there is that percentage of the population that would deliberately flaunt the rules.

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[Yowie]

The legal size for mulloway is 70cm.

Yeah, real tough one there yowie! I don't like to see fish go to waste either. Maybe a compromise and one fish between 45-70cm.

But rules are rules, and wether we agree or not, most of us genuine fishos follow them!

Well done on catch!

Cheers scratchie!!!

I would raise that as one fish between 60 and 70.

[Yowie]

Cheers mate,thinking of taking a trip over next time I head out.

I've caught a few good flathead/bream on the drift using fresh whitebait in mansion point.

Once around grays there were some good sized whiting lurking that would only take fresh strips of squid lightly cast out and bumped along the bottom.

They wouldn't have a bar of the fresh nippers I'd cast out on my other outfit considering there's yabby banks right where I was fishing.

Thanks again.

The whiting have been a bit quiet with the nippers lately, apart from the smaller ones.

[Yowie]

Funny Yowie, I've been talking a lot about the hypothecate question of accidentally killing a fish. All the undersized fish you're catching is due to you catching all the legals already!

Well, I would like a legal sized reddie or 2. Have not caught one now for several months at least inside the Port.

[hookerbruce]

Hi Yowie

I saw an older tinny, with gentleman, fishing with handlines and a rod wide of the baths this morning. Beige long sleeves and greenish wide brim hat Thought that might be yowie. Larger tinnie with canopy on my own. I went past about 6:45 on my way out to chase kings. I'll have to come over and say hello next time. (even if its the wrong boat it won't really matter)

Never found any kings but caught my bag limit of sand flathead in 1&1/2 hours. went in and pumped some nippers but only managed two whiting and two crabs on the flats.

While pumping nippers at Mainbar stirred up a blue ringed octopus. the ever hungry gulls ate it when it started swimming around.

Bruce

[bombora]

Why not use circle hooks? Pretty rare to gut hook one then. Or use lures.

As far as the size limit being too high, it's that size to try to allow jewies to breed at least once before they can be kept for the table. Female jewies sexually mature at approx 70cm. Males about 50cm.

Queensland's 75cm limit has created a growing fishery. In NSW they are classed as severely under pressure, though the biggest threat is estuary prawn trawling, which has a huge byctach of baby jew.

[Yowie]

Why not use circle hooks? Pretty rare to gut hook one then. Or use lures.

As far as the size limit being too high, it's that size to try to allow jewies to breed at least once before they can be kept for the table. Female jewies sexually mature at approx 70cm. Males about 50cm.

Queensland's 75cm limit has created a growing fishery. In NSW they are classed as severely under pressure, though the biggest threat is estuary prawn trawling, which has a huge byctach of baby jew.

Tailor chew off the hooks where I fish, and I would rather eat a fresh tailor fillet than that of a jewie (though the tailor are just over size at present)

Do not have too many problems with the jewies swallowing the hooks, usually can remove them on most occasions without causing damage.

I sometimes use lures, but not where I fish in the deeper water.

Edited December 15, 2014 by yowie

[Krispy !]

Badluck on the jew yowie, personally I think if th e fish is mortally wounded it should be allowed to be kept. But then there are people who will abuse the rule. Its a tough one

[Yowie]

Badluck on the jew yowie, personally I think if th e fish is mortally wounded it should be allowed to be kept. But then there are people who will abuse the rule. Its a tough one

You will find that some people will "strangle, choke, flog" the fish to make it look half dead, then claim the hook did the damage.

[UnderFisher]

I would have kept it. I don't mind killing fish if it's for a meal, but to see one die and there to be no benefit really seems a waste

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[Guest no one]

Assuming this was meant to be on Yowies Undersized Dead jew thread - if thats the case.. its against the law and you shouldnt keep it. Rules are rules

[gregh1]

Assuming this was meant to be on Yowies Undersized Dead jew thread - if thats the case.. its against the law and you shouldnt keep it. Rules are rules

I wondered what this comment was about. A couple of weeks ago I saw a Jewie around 45cm long floating in the water just off the Pitwater side of Lyon Island. I assumed catch and release went wrong. Rules are rules and once you start breaking the ones you don't like you are in trouble.

[Penguin]

That undersize jew didn't go to waste, some other form of sea life or bird ate it. Therefore there was no waste.

You did the right thing releasing it even if it was dieing.

cheers

[Keflapod]

Hi Yowie,

I'm surprised the hacking has not produced that much for you lately.

Botany Bay at this time of year usually has good bream and whiting.

I have not fished much lately due to home renos but hope to get out there soon.

The dilemma about the jew only exists because of the fact a better solution was not implemented.

Fisheries lawmakers are very smart people.

Surely they would have thought of the rule of 1 jew per person per day between 45 and 60cm to keep us happy and continue to fish for jew.

Those fish are hard to find, hook and land so to spend a lot of time for no fish is heart-breaking - then if you did finally get a smaller fish, letting it go and going home to pizza is humiliating to a fisherman who fished for the table.

A more equitable solution was available....but it never happened....

That's why I have changed my fishing for jewies from 'occasionally to get a smaller fish' to 'not any more'.

Some would argue that to get the bigger fish, live bait is required.

This is true but also has it's logistical issues.

Where to get them, infrastructure on the boat to keep them alive, heavier tackle, etc.

Then when you do get a fish, it's a big flattie and guess what, can't keep that either...

I'll stick to bream and whiting until it's illegal to catch them too...

Edited December 19, 2014 by Keflapod

[Yowie]

Hi Yowie,

I'm surprised the hacking has not produced that much for you lately.

Botany Bay at this time of year usually has good bream and whiting.

I have not fished much lately due to home renos but hope to get out there soon.

The dilemma about the jew only exists because of the fact a better solution was not implemented.

Fisheries lawmakers are very smart people.

Surely they would have thought of the rule of 1 jew per person per day between 45 and 60cm to keep us happy and continue to fish for jew.

Those fish are hard to find, hook and land so to spend a lot of time for no fish is heart-breaking - then if you did finally get a smaller fish, letting it go and going home to pizza is humiliating to a fisherman who fished for the table.

A more equitable solution was available....but it never happened....

That's why I have changed my fishing for jewies from 'occasionally to get a smaller fish' to 'not any more'.

Some would argue that to get the bigger fish, live bait is required.

This is true but also has it's logistical issues.

Where to get them, infrastructure on the boat to keep them alive, heavier tackle, etc.

Then when you do get a fish, it's a big flattie and guess what, can't keep that either...

I'll stick to bream and whiting until it's illegal to catch them too...

Well Keflapod,

a couple of weeks ago I put out an average sized live yakka, and it was grabbed by a jew, but only 62 cm long. The day I pulled out these jew mentioned in this report, I also had out a livie, which swam about for some time. When I pulled it in to pack up, it had a couple of teeth marks along the body, looked like small tailor teeth marks.

According to reports I've read, and from my own knowledge, jewies are less likely to survive some mouth/gills/stomach injury than other fish.

After having a re-think, I would suggest one jewfish only per person, minimum 60cm, to allow for an injured fish. (again, my opinion, and I have been fishing Port Hacking for about 55 years)