The year that was

[imported_admin]

Webby

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[landy1]

G'day all
It's been ages since i put my two cents in but here goes. Pretty crappy year fish wise, mainly i am sure due to masses of work pressure and not enough time spent fishing. i think i get out about once for every two months lately but my highlight has got to be being taught to cast a fly rod by Harro, it opened up my world and made the Tassie trip fun. Second my most memeorable catch is a squire of just over legal size. Memorable because it came out of the blue in a very non-squire area at the end of a fishless 20 knot day. Anyway heres hoping next year brings out the goods.
cheers
Michael Kelly

[bugman]

Happy New Year for tomorrow everyone.

I don't have a fish as such but two memorable trips.

1) 20 km east of Noosa on a day with no wind and no seas when we should have been bare foot water skiing. Had my partner Leanne with me and she was getting stuck into the reefies. She was so excited she ended up not being able to move her arms after windind up and down all day.

2) A 3 day camping trip to Arthurs Lake in Tassie which landed 14 fish for the trip. Fantastic serene place with awsome scenery and fantastic fighting browns.

Bugman

[kc]

I do a bit of work guiding so get to both see and catch some awesome fish each year but the standout was one my son caught a few weeks ago.
Barra season is closed so we were fishing for fingermark using 4kg string and light rods.
Great effort on a fish I guessed at about 18kg. Kissed on the head and back to make babbies

KC

[stik]

I missed a very good sized small-mouth bass last summer that left my hands and knees shaking. It hit a small crank-bait and immediately jumped 3-4 ft out of the water and did a complete flip. It then headed straight for the boat and I couldn't reel fast enough to keep the line tight and it shook the hook. It was the biggest small-mouth I almost caught last year. I know where she lives and I will get her sooner or later. Here's hopin' you guys have a safe and happy new year.
tight lines from Texas
Benny

[big_george]

G'day all Ausfish fisho's.
My best was my 118 cm Barra in Faust this year amongst the timber .The trip would have been nothing without the banter/drinking and friendship of my handicaped mate Swano[cod father].Gee I miss his boat.Also hooking into the Ausfish site with the big finger and bomber .hehehehe
cheers big george

[michael_Brewer]

I caught 38 Lungfish in the brisbane over a weekend.
yes i threw em back.
I also wentover to queenstown nz and caught 2, 4 1/2 pound rainbows on fly and I was jumping up and down after this... I guess that's why we didn't catch any more

[Maxg]

I thought lungfish were totally protected as they are a unique species. Cheers Max

[skippa]

Hey Webby,

Where's the photo of the snapper. I practise C&R but not on a 8kg snapper, what was your mate drinkin'.

My most memorable trip was not last year, but some years ago fishing with my dad.

We were out on our snapper ground just before dark all set for a big night, as this was going to be THE night we get our first Reddie! There we sat ever so quietly with baited breath (excuse the pun) when a couple of hours into the night the Penn screamed. The fish put up a tremendous fight, and dads skills were put to the test. I can tell you, I was impressed! The fight last quite a while and, as it drew to a close our Reddie put in one last hooray and the last thing I saw was a splash at the back of the boat and dads slack line..... >

I learnt a few new words that night, but dad said to keep them a secret and don't tell your mother!

We saw a flare go off, what we thought was nearby and dad tossed up how could we help, but this was in the days of no radio's and we only had a 5 gallon tank. Best off report it when we get back to the ramp said dad, which was only a matter of minutes from were we where and at that we started to up anchor.

Suddenly dad yelled out one of those 'new' words again, there's my *@#$% fish!! and behind the boat floated our big Reddie. Dad gently gaffed and picked it up as it floated by.... 22 pound snapper thanks very much.

Now when anybody asks about his first snapper, its, yeah was out fishin' nothin' to it really, fish just floated by and I picked it up!!

And yes, we reported the flare which was seen by many, and they where successfully rescued. As it turned out they where MANY miles away, far too far away for us to go with our 4 gallons of fuel we had left. Distance can be quite decieving over water!!

And thats the trutttthhhhhh.

Cheers,
skippa 8)

[webby]

Sorta the prob out thanks steve,
jeff's snapper

[webby]

Here's one he didnt release next trip

[aquarius]

Fitzy thats easy mate...got to be my first bass caught on surface lures with you as my guide.
Maroon Dam i shall return(when the water is at a higher level)
Cheers Brent and Barry

[Beersy]

For me the most unusual fish of the year was also my last of the year. Spinning with light tackle from the rocks along my local headland and my mate pulls out a reasonable tailor. A couple of casts later I land a smallish dolphinfish. Goes to show that you can never be sure what's swimming around out there. cheers, Beersy

[Fitzy]

I thought lungfish were totally protected as they are a unique species. Cheers Max

Correct Max, they are quite unique. However in the waters mentioned they are not native & are certainly not endangered or even threatened. They were translocated to the Brisbane system from the Burnett early last century as a result of mistaken idea that they were in fast decline in their native waters.
I would support any move to have them legally targetted in the Brisbane system. They add nothing to the local eco-system in fact there is some evidence to suggest that the introduction of Lungfish & Spangled Perch to this system, could well be a factor in the full extinction of the Brisbane River cod & the local extinction of Jungle Perch.
They are a common incidental capture when fishing for other species mainly with bait and occasionally on lure/fly. Just 2 weeks ago I had a massive lungy, well over a meter long, take a surface blooper meant for a bass. I had no chance of stopping it on 6 lb line in tight country.

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[Fitzy]

Fitzy thats easy mate...got to be my first bass caught on surface lures with you as my guide.
Maroon Dam i shall return(when the water is at a higher level)
Cheers Brent and Barry

Hi Brent,
Pretty good fun aren't they? Its not fishing anywhere near as good on surface stuff as when you fellas came. You can use the same techniques at other locations for good results, worth a try.

Cheers,

Fitzy..