The NSW Government has announced 16 changes in fisheries regulations and the most controversial is allowing the use of up to five hoop nets to catch yabbies in Googong reservoir.
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Anglers should remember that this is our drinking water and we should not pollute it with undue quantities of meat or other material used as yabbie bait. Commonsense will ensure the program is allowed to proceed but, if abused, the privilege could easily be withdrawn.
Anglers must mark nets and traps to include trap type, fisher's initials and surname, year of birth and postcode.
Anglers should note also that opera-house traps must not be used in public waterways because of the danger they pose to native water rats, tortoises and platypus. Only two-ring drop nets or open Kulkyne nets, from which animals - other than yabbies - can escape, may be used.
Another key change is a reduction in the bag limit of 20 to 10 for all flathead (other than dusky), bream, tarwhine, blue swimmer crabs, trevally and luderick. The possession limit will be 20.
Spawning closure for bass and estuary perch has been extended to four months to protect early migrating bass.
The number of permitted witches hats or hoop nets has been reduced from five to four and the number of crab traps increased from one to two, in saltwater.
There are new restrictions on the size of Murray cod, minimum to be set at 55 centimetres and maximum at 75 centimetres.
The new regulations have been in place since November 3, with a three-month advisory period in place to enable anglers to adjust.
Redfin gathering
Redfin perch are finally massing into larger schools in local waterways. At Burrinjuck large schools have been seen on or near the surface, feeding on schools of small baitfish. At Googong there are plenty of small and large fish along the shoreline and some extra-large fish showing in deeper water.
In Burley Griffin fair numbers of fish have been taken from under Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and along the wall behind the National Museum. In Ginninderra several anglers have reported catching 20-30 fish in a session, with some up to 35 centimetres in length, just outside the weed beds.
Redfin are good fun to catch, excellent to eat and can be caught on lure or bait. Best of the traditional lures are shiny, flashy spinnerbaits, spoons, spinners and small deep divers, but soft plastics increasingly are being used. Best baits include scrub worms, shrimps and small yabbies.
Snapper and mulloway
Snapper and mulloway have dominated catches north and south of Batemans Bay.
Snapper are most prolific offshore in about 50-55 metres of water, with fish mostly in the 2-3 kilogram range. They can be taken on squid, pilchard or striped tuna bait or on lures and soft plastics. Among the soft plastics are a couple of favourites, the Gulp 13-centimetre Jerk Shad and the Zman 18-centimetre Jerk Shadz.
Mulloway have been taken on live baits such as mullet, yellowtail and tailor, dead baits such as pilchard, or fillets of salmon, tailor and striped tuna, or on lures. Large, hard-bodied minnow patterns and soft plastics have been equally effective.
Some fish have come from easily accessible water such as under the main road bridge but others have come from carefully guarded secret spots up and down the Clyde River, St Georges Basin, Jervis Bay and Lake Tuross.
