Measuring Tape

[wooster]

hUllo all, dependin on what im fishin for, but especially off the rocks, i just paint a stripe on me rods at 25 cm 28 cm 30 cm etc....
If yur into boatin, then ya should have a sticker on yer gunwhale!
cheers
wayno

[wooster]

A little yarn about this topic, when i was about 12 i spose, i went with me dad to the shoe store ta pick up some Dunlop Volleys which were the cool thing at the time. Done the tryin on , with the shops own socks mind .
All done went home, half way there i made me dad pull over because the footin i had was way too big, panic stations, after matchin up the meat patty with the bun, i didnt realise how big me foot actually was, so the moral of the story is to paint stripes on your rods

[Wayne]

It surprises me a bit the number of members who do not think it is necessary to have, in possesion, a measuring stick. Obviously there is no need if you catch and release everything but it would be risky to go fishing without one if chasing a feed of whiting or tailor. I have seen many nice looking fat yellow fin whiting that look about 25cm but are only 22cm.
Cheers
Wayne

[Big_Muddie]

Wayne,

I don't think it's a case of members thinking it's not necessary to have one, but more that it isn't necessary to make it "law" that we have one.

I think each and every one of us (members) has some sort of measuring device with us when we go fishing.

[SteveCan]

It surprises me a bit the number of members who do not think it is necessary to have, in possesion, a measuring stick. Obviously there is no need if you catch and release everything but it would be risky to go fishing without one if chasing a feed of whiting or tailor. I have seen many nice looking fat yellow fin whiting that look about 25cm but are only 22cm.
Cheers
Wayne

Hi Wayne - I agree with Big_Muddie - I have a 45cm bait board, a 30 cm tackle box with 5cm markings on it and the gunwhale has a 1&1.5 metre mark (which I have never had recourse to use ) As I said earlier - there are more ways to measure length than to use a tape measure.

I think the issue is to make people aware of the importance of knowing the legal limits and complying with them. Just carrying a tape measure is not necessarily going to make that happen!

Cheers
Steve.

[Wayne]

Yeah, fair enough Michael and Steve, I respect people's views that it shouldn't be law...... but the more I think about it the more I think it should be. A fair bit of the feedback is about angler education of size limits ( both min and max ). What better way of putting it in front of everybody (literally) than by having mandatory measuring sticks which list the size limits, in possession limits, etc on the back. They could even be written in foreign langages to assist others in the community.

Fisheries Inspectors have finely calibrated measuring sticks that are certified on an annual basis (approx) so as to be admissible in court. Accordingly if that is the tool that they use on a mandatory basis then it is highly advisable that the angler who keeps his catch has a instrument of sufficient accuracy.

I would compare going fishing without an accurate measuring stick to driving a car without a speedo.

Cheers
Wayne

ps.. Then again perhaps I should go fishing where the big fish hang out.

[mackmauler]

Brett, poor bastard that ate that jew would have to have crusty taste buds to enjoy it if it died after the fight least it wasn't wasted.

I guess if it was a law it wouldn't bother me, but really how stupid would you have to be

I like to fillet all fish at sea and wash them in the water they came from, the law says to leave the skin on for id, saves a lot of time when the donut biters and inspectors insist on measuring each fish, there is no rule that says fillets have to be a certain size.

With the new rules only allowing 5 fish per species they would want to be well over legal size, this could require a new strategy to get the best from a good trip.

[clutter]

Like I said before, I don't believe it should be law. When I go out I carry a rule, there is a measure on my esky and stickers (like many) on my gunwalls. I think that it is as basic as taking a rod, bait and tackle. Part of my basic gear that I don't leave home without.
Clutter.

[Brian]

Well,

I say no as many have said a lot C&R and to make it a rule (excuse the pun) to have a measurer, i have to say TO MANY RULES NOW.

If you intend to catch and keep well the SMART option is to have a measurer otherwise it may just cost you way more than a $5.00 tape measure.

Leave it up to the angler.

Brian

[fishsmith]

Yes it should be law to have a measuring device in your possession.
It need not be a tape measure as such, it could be be anything that you have physically available, to accuratley measure your catch.
For example your rod binding spacing,tackle box etc.
I believe there is still to many people out there fishing with guesstimations on the size of the fish they catch and keep.

[bugman]

Good debate,

I personally think as recreational anglers who have fought so hard to get min - max rules in place to save the fishery then we should have in our possession something to measure fish. Doesn't have to be measuring tape but any other device should be accurate and be able to stand up to scrutiny by inspectors.

Anyway if we are really concerned about doing the right thing then we would have a means of measuring fish. So if it did become law then it wouldn't effect us. The people it would effect would be those that don't use measuring devices and regularly keep undersize/oversize fish. Aren't these the people we want to hurt ?

I do agree with the comments here about too many rules and regulations for our world. I'm not a fan of the way our lifestyle is prescribed and dictated to by governments. But the only way to stop it is to eliminate all idiots and ####heads. Maybe that should be the plan.

ROB - maybe a not so nice surprise for you in the new finfish RIS regarding filleting at sea. The words are. Paragraph 71.

"71. It is proposed that all fishers, other than commercial fishers not restricted by possession limits and fishers on extended commercial fishing tours, retain fish in a
whole form or in accordance with a prescribed fillet size of no less than 40cm (one size for all coral reef fish). The general fillet size has been provided to enable fishers to fillet
very large fish in order to fit them in their cooler. It is considered that any coral reef fish with a fillet of 40cm or greater would be above the minimum size limit thus maintaining the integrity of the measure. In cases where fish are filleted the entire skin, unscaled, must be left on the fillet for identification to improve the integrity of the possession limit.
The Draft Plan provides that two fillets equal one fish."

Probably not a bad idea I guess. Again it's only to stop the idiots.

Bugman

[mackmauler]

Bugman, that wording of the new proposal sounded to me like 1 rule for recs 1 for commercial ???

Isn't the live trout industry selling 35cm trout, filleted they would be 20cm fillets, and recreational fishers on tours bringing back fillets of coral bream, trout, cod from swains or the like, how big do there fillets have to be ??? Unless they are keeping whole fish which they normally don't, lots of the fillets will be less than 40cm.

So that to me means once you are on land it is okay to have a fillet less than 40cm ??? Bit strange this one.

[Parko]

You play a game, then it's up to yourself to know the rules

Agree.

My thoughts are if some bloke is going to take under/oversized fish he will wether it is law or not to carry a measuring device.

You could find yourself in the rediculous situation where a C&R angler is pull over by fisheries and fined for not carrying a measuring device, although highly unlikely.

[bugman]

Rob,

I'm not sure on the 35cm limit for coral trout live export - maybe somone else has the answer.

The proposed rule changes would affect all commercial anglers except "other than commercial fishers not restricted by possession limits" - I'm not sure who they are - again maybe someone could inform me/us.

As for the commercial charter section - there are a further two paragraphs which apply. 75&76.

These basically say that charters over
48 hours will be exempt from the fillet size restriction. The feeling from DPI is that this will have a minimal impact.

That means all rec anglers will not be allowed to fillet these coral reef species while at sea unless the fillet is bigger than 40cm.

There are also some specific paragraphs that relate to blue spot trout saying they have to be kept whole to ensure the 80cm maximum limit is adhered to.

I guess we'll need good measuirng device. Might make me improve my filleting as well.

Bugman

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Standard rule on my boat - If you gotta put it on the measuring stick - it goes back.
Standard fair on the dash is a dress makers tape. Quick and easy.