Wild bass and closed season...

[plastic_paul]

i was down at one of the local river systems around home and saw an old bloke catching bass in the salt, i thought you cant target bass during closed season???

the main problem i have is that he was actually KEEPING them

does anyone on here actually keep wild bass? i wouldnt mind trying one on the tooth, but i'd only keep a dam one. The natives need to be protected a bit more id say, even though its probably from stocking at somestage.

Anyone have any info on the stocking of creeks or rivers? instead of dms?

[Jeremy87]

Yes the way the regulations are written are that you are not allowed to keep or target wild fish. By targetting in means fishing with the intent to capture that specific species. Fishing in the salt one could very well argue that they are not targetting bass but capturing them as bycatch. Regardless keeping them from the wild at this time of year is illegal, the idea is to give them some piece and quiet while they're spawning so the can do their thing.

[culbara]

is closed season so you cannot target or eep them you should rep0ort this person to fish watch and while you might feel like yo are dobing someone in but if we are to have sustainable fishing we have to all take some responsibility

[84mick]

Im all for the closed season but is it possible to target other fish with out getting fined by fisheries saying I am fish for bass when Im actually not?
I have only started fishing for them this year and didn't realize there was a closed season for them after 2 session (I didn't catch any either).

Cheers, Mick.

[rayken1938]

Both the latest B& B and QFM have articles advocating the targeting of wild bass in their latest issues without any mention of closed seasons. I have written to both editors and QFM responded the next day and said that they will look into matter and not do it again. Bush and Beach no reply.Pretty poor form as the article was written by a professional fishing guide especially for the August issue.
Cheers
Ray

[plastic_paul]

yeah i read that too, not very responsible at all

[themissus]

Bass go ok on the chew, not the best eating fish but definitely eatable. We release all wild bass caught but do keep a dam bass from time to time. We always skin them, they can get a funny taste other wise.
Cheers Kim.

[Billy C]

does that mean somerset dam is off limits for bass?

[bugman]

I live on the Tweed River at Murwillumbah.

Over the last few weeks we've bee towing lures around the please as well as chucking a few plastics. Everything from bream to Flathead. The bass have been thick. We've got them down at Tumbulgum all the way up to the Murwillumbah bridge. Sometimes you can't help but catch them at this time of year.

All fish have been returned to the water. It's a closed season and they are the rules. When allowed we fillet and smoke all our bass and they are fantastic eating. I love bass fishing but sometimes you catch them when you're not trying.

Brett