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Being the season of fish ( on the table for many of us ). Thought would be fun for us to recall stories about the first fish we each caught and some childhood fishing memories - I'm sure we all have these.. My story . Way back in the early and mid 1960s people could hire motorized displacement boats on the Hunter River at Hexham. My first memory of a being taken fish was going so an afternoon's fishing with my dad and by BB in what was called a "put put" (this the sound the little (2 stroke ?) inboard motor on these timber displacement boats made as they cruised along about walking speed).I was handed a cork handline with a bit of peeled prawn on a hook and small ball sinker which my dad caste for me and then told me to sit quietly and hold the line between my two fingers and let him know if I felt anything - a tall order for little boy about 7 or 8 years old.Within a few minutes I told dad I had something pulling at the line and was told not to be so silly. But I insisted and dad checked telling me "it's just a snag" …. I didn't know what a snag was and insisted and proceeded to pull in the line and to my excitement discovered I had a big fish on the end of the (l was told it was a nice whiting) and was asked if I wanted to keep it or throw it back . Silly question. I insisted on keeping it and remember eating it and really enjoying it when mum battered it and fried it - much better than fishfingers (as a kid I thought they really were fishs' fingers and yep I though spaghetti in the can was worms in a can LOL).From that day on I was hooked and was soon going fishing down along the river bank at Hexham and on Ash Island , riding there with my mates on a pushbikes , and digging bloodworms and catching yabbies' and soldier crabs for bait and often catching garfish using tiny hooks baited with bits of wet bread, and using oyster bottles with doe in the end to catch poddy mullet (to sell live for pocket money). Lot of fish taken from the old Ash Is bridge - is still there and people still can be seen fishing from it occasionally , but it's been decades since I fished it myself , though I do still cross it to go and collect weed for luderick fishing from the "pond" . Plenty of fish taken on the opposite bank to the Sth Arm of the Hunter River to the Steelworks ( nice sandy banks there and places where there used to be mangroves (there's a coal loader there now). Mum and dad always knew I'd be gone on the pushbike about 4am every Saturday and Sunday , and most days during school holidays, .and I'd either be on Stockton BW ( I'd be waiting for the first vehicular ferry of the day to arrive and was always allowed to take my pushbike across for free - no Stockton Bridge then) , I used to fish The Wreck for tailor, bream, flathead, trevally and yellowtail , and being very a enterprising kid I'd keep some yellow tail alive to sell for 1 bob each to the jewie fishermen ( no such thing as battery powered live bait aerators in those days ) , who would use them to even catch jewfish during the day , and back then used either big alveys or Ajax centrepins and big Styrofoam floats. I learnt a lot by watching these jewfish specialists and was soon chasing jewfish too once I built my first Rangoon rod and after I was given my granddad's Surfmaster overhead reel (I still have this reel and still use it occasionally) , til then I was using a kiddie's baketite alvey til I upgraded to a Michelle 306 eggbeater (I still have and use it).. It was then that I saw the biggest jewfish I'll ever see landed off the end of Stockton Wall by a guy using an Ajax reel and Rangoon cane rod , over 6 ft long and tipped the scales at the fisherman's (trawler) wharf at 98 pounds and was taken during a fresh when the Hunter was in flood in daylight hours (and he had quite a crowd of people watching and created a huge sensation locally (writeups in paper etc)). I remember my granddads and dad telling me about jewfish up over 100 pound being taken in the 20s , 30s and 40s using setlines rigged up with cow bells to indicate something was hooked (usually a monster ray, or a huge eel , or a shark was what was caught this way) , the set lines were baited before dark and the swarms of Hexham Grey mozzies showed up, and they'd be checked if the bell was heard or next day. I think monster 90 pound or bigger jewfish are gone for good (at least here around Newcastle (Gosford to Taree) . Biggest I've seen since it were 73 pound (me on Nobbys) , 76 pound (me at Carrington Dykes) and one I took fishing from the Sharkhole (Nobbys) while fishing for snapper from the rocks during the day, a few in the same size bracket taken by fishing pals on Nobbys over the years , and by Joe and the other Stockton BW guys , and my biggest at 86 pound (me on Nobbys) and longer than me (that I landed fishing the Flatrock on Nobby's Wall). It took me over 20 yrs to crack it with a jewfish over 50 pounds with a jewfish weighing in at 73 pound that I had to land by myself at Flatrock in the wee small hours one night in 1990 ( I had to keep in the bathtub with 4 bags of ice til the next day before I cleaned and slabbed it up for freezing ) , my little boy woke up not long after I got home and came running into our bedroom in terror - he though a monster had come up the plug hole and was going to eat him ( memories like that are priceless). Or I'd be fishing somewhere near the Pilots Station (at the old timber tug wharves, or on the rocks at Horse Shoe Beach (back then the beach was maybe 100m South of where is now and it was deep water off the end of what was a small breakwall (and a great place to catch tailor and small jewfish), or along wharf road (was very close to the harbor shore there) , and I've be home after dark with a bag full of fish ( tailor, flathead, bream, soapys, trevally and garfish were usually in the bag and all taken on very simple cork handlines and plastic casting handspool , even coke bottles made it into my kit (the glass ones were perfect for hand lines), Thems were the days …

Just got back from Evans Head with the caravan what a top spot the van park has. It has the river and surf as 2 borders of the park and on the other borders you have the Rsl, pub, surf club and bowls club. As I have never been there before I took this as a challenge to visit everything. So I had a drink in all the establishments and fished both the river and surf. My brother also brought his van down as well as his roof topper tinnie so both he and our partners went fishing up river. The girls outfished us and got some big whiting and a nice flathead which fed us for dinner. We fished off the northern wall which was 300m from camp but had no luck. We went up to razor back lookout for beers and niblies with a spectacular back drop , it was good to see the position of everything. Then after we bought some ocean king prawns from the Co op to finish off our bellies. Here is the rainbow touching the lookout I was hoping it would bring me luck The last day to keep it simple we pumped yabbies off the beach right in front of camp and fished off the bank for more good size summer whiting. The river itself is loaded with these yabbies banks more than I have ever seen in any estuary I have been on and each 1 loaded with yabbies. It is a destination I will be going back to with plenty of natural beauty and of coarse plenty of fishing options.

I live in casino, right next to the Richmond river and have noticed the vast quantities of mullet in the river(they usually easily exceed 45cm and get as big as 70cm) my friends and I usually catch them using bread squashed on a hook, the most effective bait by far we have noticed is using the thick algae that grows off of rocks(although it doesn't last long on the hook as it comes of easily), and it has got me thinking about making a lure similar to a fly that inmates algae and so was wondering if anyone has had the same thought or has actually done the same thing, or if you have tried other baits that last longer on the hook?

With a brief break in the torrential rain decided to head down to Narrabeen Lagoon for a couple of hours. Our daughter kindly dropped me off there on the school run http:// As I had done well at Pelican Bridge previously,decided to try there again. Set up a running leger with a small oval weight and a short 6lb fluorocarbon trace. As there seemed to be a lot of pickers there opted for a small hook for starters,a no 8. You can catch a big fish on a small hook but you cannot catch a small fish on a big hook Using squid for bait cast towards the middle and let the bait trundle down in the current. Within seconds had hooked up into what seemed like a good. sized fish on my light gear. It was a decent bream. A quick photo on my phone and back it went. http:// In the next hour I managed to catch 4 more bream,one being as big as the first,the other 3 being much smaller. It was virtually a bite a cast and I was still missing a lot of them. Next up it was a small tailor. http:// Oh well it made a change from the bream Just before I was due to pack in caught a decent sized whiting which made a pleasant change. http:// A most enjoyable little session with all fish carefully returned to fight another day. Lets see what the weekend brings,need to get the grandsons out fishing again. They do enjoy it. Here are a couple of images from our last ozzie trip. Joshua giving advice here to younger brother Theo. http:// Joshua here with a bream. Have taught them the importance of putting fish back and conservation http:// John

Going camping at Evans Head soon I will be land based fishing in the river i plan on taking my yabbie pump I have heard there is a good yabbie bank right in front of the camp ground. Camp chair, esky and whiting rod are weapons of choice to see what I can find swimming in front of me. It will be my 1st time there and I am looking forward to exploring the area. Stay tuned in for a report of the trip down to the northern rivers.

We drive up to The Entrance on Friday coming and will be staying Fri/Sat/Sun nights. Its a birthday treat for the wife We will be staying at Rivere Apartments and will have 2 grandsons with us aged 5 and 8. Would appreciate any tips on the fishing there. We will have the boys fishing. Thanks in advance John

Thinking of heading out fishing on Parramatta river tomorrow at mortlake point that i scoped out on google maps. Seems like the river is getting alot cleaner nowadays with kingies caught up that way from time to time. I know the NSW Department of Primary Industries advises anglers not to consume fish caught west of the Harbour Bridge as test results have revealed elevated levels of dioxins in fish so i wouldnt eat anything. Im thinking of targetting mulloway, whats the best setup for mulloway thanx

Been out of action for a few years - don't ask ( rock fisherman since my teens on worse I did was a dislocated elbow , but I injured my knee in a slip stepping into the bloody shower at home !! and I've not been fishing since) .I've lost touch with most the old timers and regulars (snapper and jew specialists) I used to meet up / fish with and have a yarn with since I banged up my knee . Hoping to be break out the jewy and snapper rods, my trolley, and big alveys , now I'm getting mobile again, but it's bloody long walk from the car park to the Shark Hole or the end of Nobbys and if the snapper are no longer being taken from there I wont bother going. Similarly I'll give it miss if that ratbag pro fishermen is still running out a gill net along the entire length of Nobby's Wall on the harbor side , or if that other pro fishermen has dozens of lobster traps all the place from Flat Rock to the end of the wall. I don't like loosing terminal tackle or fish to gill nets or lobster pot ropes . So , any reports of good snapper or jewies still being caught by the regulars on Nobby's Wall in the last year or two ? I wont fish for jewfish from Stockton Wall , too many pests there who cast over you and too many people with sticky fingers ( I had my both my livebait pumps knicked one night while I was gaffing a good jewfish for someone else ).

Hey guys, it's been ages since I've been on the forum, but I'm planning a 'Coddessy' and was hoping for a little advice and maybe even a fishin buddy? The plan is to do the Severn River Nature Reserve above Pindari Dam, NSW. The Reserve isn't open to public vehicles but according to a NSW Parks website I read it's open to walkers, so I was planning to park on the edge of the Reserve and walk the river, camping and fishing for 2 or 3 nights, sometime this June or July. I was wondering if anyone had fished this section before and could give me some tips on rules/regulations, good start/end points, how the fishing might be at this time of year (cold), lure types/techniques etc. I can't seem to find too much written on the net about this place. I'll be entirely self sufficient, backpacking all my gear/food. And yes I know there'll be some hard walking and cold nights. I'm very safety conscious - have an EPIRB, good 1st Aid kit and know how to use it. My fishin buddy that usually comes with me on these sort of trips can't come... is anyone keen?? I'll go on my own though, either way. Thanks, -Steve.

in the lakes i'm constantly getting the little redfin around 4cm, would these work as bait for larger specimens.

Hi i read somewhere that the common roach was introduced to the murray river some time ago iwas wondering if it is a common by catch, if they're still in the rivers or if you would find them in the yass river or canberra water systems

From NSW DPI: Bowfishing for carp trials to begin in NSW The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) will conduct a restricted 18-month trial of bowfishing for carp in specified inland waters in NSW from next month. DPI Game Licensing Unit Director, Dr Andrew Moriarty, said the trial follows a review of recreational saltwater and freshwater fishing rules in 2013, which included the proposal for bowfishing for carp in inland waters. "Carp are an introduced freshwater species that have been declared a noxious fish in NSW and this pest species can have a significant impact on freshwater ecosystems through their detrimental impacts on native fish, aquatic plants, erosion and water quality." The trial will be strictly controlled at limited sites in inland NSW which have met specific safety and access parameters. The first sites will be opened on 4 December 2015 and will include sections of rivers, creeks and streams in the Riverina, Central West, North West and Murray Regions. More sites will be made available in the near future which may include sites in the Northern Tablelands and designated areas of several impoundments. "Strict safety protocols will be implemented for the activity which have been based on a risk assessment developed by a stakeholder reference group," Dr Moriarty said. "As a pre-requisite of the application process, individuals must have a fishing fee receipt and have completed a training course to gain the necessary accreditation.. "Individuals can now apply for a bowfishing permit from the DPI for the 18 month trial to begin on 4th December 2015. "At the completion of the 18 month trial, a survey of anglers will be conducted to provide information on bowfisher effort, catch, expenditure and any specific feedback about the program." The trial will be managed under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and involve the Department of Primary Industries' (DPI's) Fisheries and Game Licensing Unit divisions. Further information about the trial, including application forms is available online HERE>>> Image: cthuntingnshooting.com

What does anyone know about Copeton Dam south west of Inverell... I have seen some awesome images of the terrain there and it reads that there is great cod, yellow and silver fishing in the dam with red fun and even trout available in the Gwydir River under the wall. Here is a 60cm yellow Jimmybob got there last week land based. A quick overview of the facilities makes me think this would be an awesome place for an AFo pilgrimage next year sometime? Any keen bees? And for those that know the Western Dams what sort of time frame would be best? Summer, Winter? Cheers and I hope this gets some ideas forming Angus

So I headed down to Bangalow this weekend with a bunch of friends for the Sample Food Fest. Awesome time and worth doing. Fishing was not the point or purpose of the weekend but I knew there were bass in the little creek that runs through town so in went the rod. For sentiments sake I packed my very first Nordic Stage rod I ever received (Nordic Stage Gunslinger) which was the perfect choice as the forest was thick and the bass small. Although the fish were only small it was stacks of fun just exploring and all fish were caught on the surface which is always a plus.

Jords, Den and myself did a trip to cod country a few weeks back now, after initial plans of access to a private property fell through we were left in a last minute situation of finding another suitable spot that we could fish landbased and camp near. Kwiambal national park was the spot we settled on and we decided that even though it was probably a hard hit area it would be a good base and give us an idea of the area. The weather gods decided to bestow us with freezing weather and the coldest weekend of the year, which we greatly appreciated, and the hailstorm on Saturday night saw us seeking shelter away from our quick camp setup while watching our fire die a slow death.....that was also greatly appreciated. The cold snap made the fishing tough, we probably raised 6 or 7 for a hit which we were satisfied with, unfortunately for Den and I, Jords was the only one who manage to stay connected long enough for a photo. All in all we had a great weekend and covered a lot of hard terrain, we missed a lot of water due to simply not being able to access a decent casting spot, next time I vote Summer and float tubes! Not many pics but will give you an idea of the terrain. Cheers, Ant.

Taken from sweetwater site. New England Rural Crime Unit Media Release. Over the weekend of the 8,9&10th of May 2015 the New England Rural Crime Unit and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries Officers from Inverell conducted an operation Targeting Rural Crime and illegal fishing. The operation saw mobile patrols of stock routes, private property and other access points around the Beardy River, Mole River, Severn River and the Dumaresq River on the Queensland/New South Wales Border. A number of boat patrols were also conducted on Pindari Dam, Macintyre River and the Dumaresq River in police and fisheries vessels. Police and DPI Fisheries Officers conducted searches of vehicles, vessels and camp sites located during the patrols under fisheries legislation. The operation saw a number of offences detected including; possession of loaded firearms in a public place x 2, unauthorised possession of a firearm, fail to ensure safe keeping of a firearm. 2 firearms were seized by police and offenders will be placed before the courts in relation to these matters. Further, a number of fisheries offences were detected resulting in multiple penalty and caution notices being issued to offenders for a variety of offences including; failure to pay the NSW fishing fee, leaving fishing lines unattended on inland waters, possession of prohibited size fish, taking of freshwater catfish from a western flowing stream, unlawful use of yabby traps, possession of prohibited fishing gear, use of more than 2 fishing lines per person and for the mutilation (filleting) of restricted species of fish adjacent to waters. As a result of the offences a number of items were seized by fisheries officers including; 1 x Murray cod measuring 440mm – Legal Size between 55cm and 75 cm 1 x Freshwater catfish 1 x Set line with live carp attached as bait 1 x Yabby trap 2 x shrimp traps 15 x Set lines 2 x Drift/Float lines Police and DPI wish to remind all persons that if you wish to engage in recreational fishing activity in NSW, you required to pay the fishing fee (NSW fishing licence) and are also required to carry your fishing licence with you whenever and wherever you go fishing. A fishing licence can be purchased at many outlets throughout NSW including; most fishing tackle shops, service stations, caravan parks, the Roads and Maritime office at Inverell or via the website at www.licence.nsw.gov.au or by calling 1300 369 365. Anglers are reminded that there are heavy penalties for breaching fisheries regulations and it is up to all anglers to familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations associated with the fishing activity that they intend to engage in, before going fishing. Information is available online at: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational and advisory material outlining the rules and regulations is available from most locations that sell the fishing licence. New England Rural Crime Investigators and NSW DPI Fisheries Officers encourage people to make contact with police or fisheries to report suspect or illegal fishing activity if they observe it happening or suspect it to be happening. Further Rural Crime Investigators request that people contact police should they see any rural crime taking place or have any information in relation to rural crime which may have taken place. Any information maybe a piece in the puzzle which assists to prosecute offenders for a crime. Pictures Show Police and DPI Fisheries checking snags for set lines, a set line located by D/S/C Berry which is baited with a live carp, dead turtle wrapped up in a set line and an under size cod seized during the operation. />http://www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au/Forum/index.php?topic=7961.msg31375#msg31375 Cheers Ray

G'day All, Finally got a chance to get out and give the new wand a run, targeting trout in the local waters. I had a capability/perceived skill mismatch :silly, which kept me to the skinnier water between the deeper pools, but still managed four 'Bows for the trip, with numerous fish dropped/missed :woohoo: On top of that, I was fishing some of the most scenic country ever, which made the day all the better on top of the first fish on fly :cheer: I'm loving the 4wt, and the new style of fishing!!! Hopefully I'll have the knowledge by the next outing, so as to target the bigger girls in the deeper pools lol. All fish caught on a Craig's Nightime, and all released for another day. Cheers, and thanks for reading, Ryan.

G'day All, Had a better day along the Murrimbidgee today, landing two Murray Cod and a single Yella. All fell to a slow-rolled Impact Tackle S-Baitz spinner bait in 3/4oz. Although I'm still not seeing much size, it is a steady improvement on previous trips. Hopefully soon I'll have a bigger model to show lol. Cheers, Ryan.

G'day All, With a lower work tempo and a bit of fair weather, I managed to get a bit of fishing done over the past week. The first session was to an urban lake about twenty minutes from home, where I raised this little fella. Whilst not my first Murray Cod, it was the first for this region, and gave me quite a confidence boost. He was caught on an Impact Tackle 1/2oz spinnerbait slow rolled through some weeds. Not a huge fish, but there are bigger ones in there according to local anglers. This past weekend, we also made a quick trip down to Thredbo, to fish the Thredbo River. I was keen as to get onto my first trout, and I wasn't to be disappointed. The first session was cold, and even though I was wearing waders, I quickly numbed up, it being a solid 3 degrees. I didn't manage a fish in this session, although I got a couple of hits and several follows. The scenery made up for it. I had a bit of a break, and we went into Thredbo to have a look around. It's a very nice little town. Upon return to the campsite, I once again headed out for another flick, this time heading downstream. Within the space of fifteen minutes, I was rewarded with the target species of rainbow and brown trout :woohoo: I would have had at least a dozen more hits, but the hooks didn't stick. I wasn't too concerned though, as the scenery was pretty spectacular, and I had ticked off another couple of fish from the list. The fish were only really interested in tiny minnow type hardbodies, with celtas and bigger lures being ignored. The fish were only small, but I'm already planning a longer trip down to try and get on to some of the bigger fish that lurk in the area. Finally, I went out for a fish yesterday along the Murrimbidgee, fishing a new spot. The water was filled with families having a bit of time out, but I did manage to find some decent water, pulling this little fella out, and getting a follow off a much larger fish that had my heart thumping. I also saw a kangaroo going for a swim, which was a bit of a highlight lol. That's about it for now, hopefully soon I will find some of the bigger fish in the region. Cheers, Ryan.

hey guys I've been trout fishing for years now around the central west and after the last 3 years have been fairly lean in the amount of trout and size of trout caught I'm looking at heading further a field in chase of the hard fighting brown and rainbow trout. Any ideas and suggestions would be appreciated. I live in Parkes and am prepared to travel up to 3 hours to chase a good fighting fish Cheers

Taken from Fishing World e-mail newsletter 27 Nov 2014 FRESHWATER fishers will again be able to target Murray cod when the season opens on Monday 1 December following the annual three-month breeding closure. Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Inland Fisheries Manager Cameron Westaway said the native Murray cod is a prized catch for recreational fishers in the Murray-Darling system. “Murray cod is one of Australia’s largest freshwater fish, growing up to 1.8 metres and weighing more than 100 kilograms,†Mr Westaway said. “A ban on taking or attempting to take Murray cod is in place between September and November to protect this important species during its breeding season.†Mr Westaway said recreational fishers also need to remember the new recreational slot limit of 55 to 75cm for Murray cod in NSW. “Recent changes now mean that while catch and release is allowed, it is a requirement to release all Murray cod caught outside the slot limit with the least possible harm,†Mr Westaway said. “The new rules should increase the number of larger cod in the system, improving both the long term sustainability of this great recreational fishery as well as increasing the chance of catching that fish of a lifetime.†DPI Acting Director Fisheries Compliance Patrick Tully said fisheries officers will continue to monitor inland waterways, particularly during the holiday season, to ensure fishers follow all recreational fishing rules. “A daily bag limit of two Murray cod per person per day and a total possession limit of four applies when fishing in any inland waters,†Mr Tully said. “It is important that freshwater fishers are fully aware of the fishing rules in relation to Murray cod before dropping a line. “Fishers are encouraged to report suspected illegal fishing by contacting your local fisheries office or by phoning the Fishers Watch Phoneline on 1800 043 536.†Other rules relating to the Murray cod include: • Set lines cannot be used in any inland waters and are totally prohibited. • Two attended lines may be used in all inland waters except some trout and closed waters, but these lines must be within 50 metres and in your line of sight. • Live finfish including carp, birds and mammals cannot be used as bait. More information can be found in the NSW Recreational Fishing Freshwater Fishing Guide available from DPI offices and most places where NSW recreational fishing licences are sold.

Well I went away with Tanya this weekend and stayed in a stunning little Northern Rivers town... Although this was not a fishing weekend there was a creek on the property and the lovely wife obliged me by allowing a rod to come I was assured by the owner there were no fish in the creek as it was to shallow but thought I would give it a crack just in case. Glad I did as within 3 casts I landed my first bass and then another soon after. Both on a sebile ghost walker 55. I sadly lost this lure soon after and guess what... it was all I had on me. Pretty sure there would have been a healthy population of bass to be found if I kept fishing. Anyway despite being small there was no tail between legs as I had 0 expectations to begin with! Went back and enjoyed an awesome breakfast before 8. Great start to the day