Was this the worst winter whiting season ever?

[ThePinkPanther]

With many X spots in the southern part from the Rous southwards, I have chucked God knows how many worms about this winter and the whiting catches have been from bad to non existant!

Granted the westerlies have kept the water very clear but I am talking about not even losing a worm - and to grinners either!!

Yesterday the Boat Passage leading to the Rous was alive with boaties after whiting in all the well known spots and cruising in, round, through and over them, I never saw one landed over many hours.

On the Admirality Banks near the go-slow sign, you can always pick up a good feed but this year - nothing! Nary a bite!

I did venture into one area no self respecting whiting would live and jagged about nine 25 cm summer whiting, all full of roe, so that is a good sign hopefully!

So am I losing my touch or just a bad year!

[Tangles]

maybe wrong spot, old bloke 2 weeks ago went out down my way, at the ramp said was ok but not as good as the day before, wouldnt tell me but told bec he got 80, previous day 120, im down at viccie pt and by the look of his boat he wouldnt go far from the ramp

mike

[Timmy94]

HAHAHAHA NO WAY! I wouldnt say its the best since 5 years ago you could come home with 150+ but we have had alot of 50-80 days and some days we got a couple of flathead and sole. However on ekka wednesday we went out in a 3.9 tinnie off nudgee beach and got 108whiting on squid and worms, 2 Bartailed Flathead and a Sole. This has been our best season for 2/3 years....?

[Pretzil]

Yeah, i agree, u must have lost ur touch for a bit, ive only been winter whiting fishing 3 times this season but thats just cos the freezer is still full from each of those times

[lippa]

numbers are definatly down, but the quality is the best ive seen.

[minno]

Yes! It has been bad, not that I go for them, But people in general are not happy.
Pro,s do catch a lot of them and this might be reason for there decline.



Minno

[jez and suze]

we have been doing pretty well,got our 100 limit on saturday and the whiting were all big winters.
just have to find the spot......we found none on one side of the boat but on the other side they just got thicker and thicker!

[ThePinkPanther]

Yeh think you guys are right!
The northern/centre Bay seems very quiet but the old guy at Vicky Point is a well known entity and hangs about the Point O'Halloran red or down behind Pannikin Island - gotta go and have a look!

[KGW3]

Greedy people "bagging out" with fish they dont need.... And you wonder why there seems to a fish shortage..

[Timmy94]

Greedy people "bagging out" with fish they dont need.... And you wonder why there seems to a fish shortage..

You obviously dont know the species these are massively caught and you need about 12 fillets per person to feed somebody.

[Timmy94]

we have been doing pretty well,got our 100 limit on saturday and the whiting were all big winters.
just have to find the spot......we found none on one side of the boat but on the other side they just got thicker and thicker!

What do you mean u reached your limit?. Do you only take 100 because their is no law about size/ Bag limit. However their maybe a bag limit introduced of a 10 litre bucket. I read that somewhere.

[BAT]

Yeah, i agree, u must have lost ur touch for a bit, ive only been winter whiting fishing 3 times this season but thats just cos the freezer is still full from each of those times

I most certainly hope your one of the over seventies that dont know any better with a fisheries raper attitude like that!!! at least this way your a dying breed,
your no differrent to NETTERS imo.
The things ive seen and the complaints ive heard about the winter run of species this year is criminal.

Mostly at the hands of old pricks and the down right greedy!.

PS Baging out in the morning and coming back and baging out in the arvo is ILLEGAL.

Cheers BAT

[Horse]

I personally would not catch more than 50 for a family feed. We probably need a limit on what we take but it should be determined through a scientifically based sustainability study and not some arbitrary figure pulled from someones a#&$ to appease the green contingent. I get a laugh when some fishos complain about someone taking a bucket of whiting then head out with 10kg of pillies to burley up some reefies.

[Timmy94]

I most certainly hope your one of the over seventies that dont know any better with a fisheries raper attitude like that!!! at least this way your a dying breed,
your no differrent to NETTERS imo.
The things ive seen and the complaints ive heard about the winter run of species this year is criminal.

Mostly at the hands of old pricks and the down right greedy!.

PS Baging out in the morning and coming back and baging out in the arvo is ILLEGAL.

Cheers BAT

No its not and that comment is bs. For 3 feeds you need atleast 50 whiting i dont see how taking 100 whiting is bad. Have you ever actually been fishing for them? We go out with 3 packets of worms and a pack of squid. Should we just catch 50 with 1.5 packs of worms left then come home?. No thanks. Their is no bag limit for whiting, You could go out twice a day every day if you could afford it and you are not breaking any laws.

[BAT]

No its not and that comment is bs. For 3 feeds you need atleast 50 whiting i dont see how taking 100 whiting is bad. Have you ever actually been fishing for them? We go out with 3 packets of worms and a pack of squid. Should we just catch 50 with 1.5 packs of worms left then come home?. No thanks. Their is no bag limit for whiting, You could go out twice a day every day if you could afford it and you are not breaking any laws.

My post stated winter species with the emphasis being on the winter specie'S!
With what you say perhaps you should start targeting other "BIGGER SPECIES" of fish! Either way your attitude is everything the modern fishing feternity doesn't need.

Cheers BAT