Jay R

I’ve never found them to descriminate, yesty they ate 3 different divers n the biggest went the skirt in the motor wash . 
Hardest part of tuna fishing is finding them, the rest is easy.

I’ve never found them to descriminate, yesty they ate 3 different divers n the biggest went the skirt in the motor wash . 
Hardest part of tuna fishing is finding them, the rest is easy.

Correct, but we do need to weed out the bad apples and follow the law and prosecute them and it appears to be one family over here on Yorks sad to say. They got driven out of the other gulf 6 months ago. So lets move on and see where this journey takes us and work together.  

In theory the blanket banning of nets and any other types of commercial fishing sounds really good..... for rec fisherman.  Hell, I'm sure the fishing would even be better for me at my favourite spots if other recs were banned from them too....except for me of course!
 
But without commercial fisherman I'm not sure how anyone who isn't a rec fisher will get to eat fresh, local fish?  Perhaps everyone else, but us, will be happy to eat the imported stuff....?
 
In all seriousness what is needed is a pragmatic approach to share the resource between the commercial sector, and recreational fishers.  As alluded by RJ, infighting, emotive shit slinging and finger pointing between recs and pro's isn't working and won't improve the situation long term for either group in my humble opinion.

Just a word please (or several).
 
Some time back I decided to no longer be involved in the politics of fishing in SA - but this current situation is a step too far.
 
This issue is not between recs and pro's. It's about Govt policy and PIRSA's implementation of that policy.
It's really about what's best for everyone involved and (primarily) for the SA fishery itself.
 
I'm absolutely certain that there are pro's who are just as concerned about the future of the SA fishery as any rec fisher - probably even more so. There are also some pro's who will take advantage of any opportunity to legally make a large profit from this public resource. Nothing wrong with that either - provided the focus is on the long term well-being of the SA fishery itself.
 
We seem to have run off the rails a bit lately though because the fishery is undoubtedly suffering, and the finger of blame is being pointed in every direction. Talk of blanket bans for pro's and over extraction by recs is counter productive unless there is a clear understanding of the fishery itself, and of each sector.
 
We are chasing around at the grassroots level and demanding that each other give way. But there are organisations in place on both sides - and with PIRSA in the middle - who have taken on the responsibility of representing their own sector's interests. It seems pretty clear that it is the management level of these organisations who need to be currently taking the lead - in conjunction with PIRSA - to get together and establish some form of agreement. If possible. Even if an agreement is not possible, the reasons why should be clearly defined, and the problems that need to be addressed should be clearly documented for immediate action. This should be a PIRSA responsibility, and should be expected to lead to political intervention at PIRSA's own initiative.
 
The current emotive environment is not helped by errant fishers (on either side) who have added to the fire through selfish activities, and is being further fueled by aggressive personal interactions on social media - which by themselves cannot possibly achieve a lasting solution.
 
If everyone truly holds the future of the SA fishery above all else, there is no good reason for the continued "them and us" environment that currently exists within fisheries management in SA, and has for many years. With a fundamental belief in the long term well-being of the SA fishery as the only focus, the logical next step would be for PIRSA to call a summit at the management level of each sector and to then (if necessary) take the outcome of that summit to the political level and sort this out. 
 
Please note that I'm not making any distinction between RFSA and SAFA as legitimate representatives of rec fishing in SA. Each have their own following, each has a right to be heard.
 
My 2 bob's worth - thanks for your time. My opinion, and I could be wrong.
 
RJ

Pasani.he is the dog in this gulf.
all the other netters are getting older .and how would you get a feed of fish from the pub or resturaunt if they are all banned.wich will never happen for a long long time.and the fishing was heaps better in 80's and 90's And there was a 100 plus net licences and now there is only 40 and millions of recos.do the math dont go blaming all netters for one idiots actions

Some of you may know that the Onka Stompa BBQ crew were setup on Saturday at Mile End Bunnings to help raise funds for The Childhood Cancer Association.
 
Doobie, Dain, Jono, Nigel and myself were manning the BBQ and after a flat out day managed to raise an awesome $2,023.80 to add to the Onka Stompa kitty for the end of year comp.
 
The next BBQ will be in September!
 

 

Can only assume you have all taken advantage of the latest consulting period for the next round of RECFish grants and the stocking of a couple of new fresh water dams. May not be attractive to everyone,however, a few of us have been talking to the people involved about stocking of some local saltwater species into local waters. You can maybe guess which ones. Whine all you want, but unless you get involved, well you know the rest. Plus don't forget, they may be slow, and stocking in smaller numbers, but the government is doing it for free. If you have been around for a while you would know that recreational fishers in this state,are their own worst enemies.

Can't have failed, it's never been tried, and If you have your way, it never will be.
 
"Just a call for "faith". Waste of everyone's time."
 
The silliest statement from a member of an anonymous "representative organisation" ever. 
 
Since there are no office holders, no elections, no meetings and you insist on remaining anonymous -  your entire organisation is relying on "faith" .
 
Your anonymous computer game is based on the hope that maybe you can achieve some kind of change without ever meeting with the wider rec fishing community to confirm that they agree with what you're doing. At the same time you aggressively (and anonymously) attack anyone who tries to tell you that they don't agree or suggests another way.
 
At some point you will all have to come out from behind the keyboard. Or fade away, having created a huge division in the SA rec fishing community, increased conflict with the commercial sector and Govt Departments, and not much else.  
 
 
Please don't waste time comparing each organisation. That would simply be more distraction ("look over there!") when the only thing you can directly change Nok, is the fact that your own organisation is not working as you always promised it would - and your Constitution may as well not exist.
 
But your organisation has had one "success" Nok - after my years of direct face-to-face involvement, your organisation has finally succeeded in turning me off anything to do with rec fishing representation in SA. Just one more rec fisher among the very large number in SA who will not get involved.
 
 
Well done.  I'm going fishing.
 
RJ

It's about time we had another Strike Hook Comp!!!
 
Every report posted up in March will give you the chance to win a SPOTTERS prize pack.
 
 
Spotters prize pack includes: very cool cap, sun shade, sunglasses strap and a pair of awesome SPOTTERS FURY (Gloss Black) with Halide lens.
 
Check out the Spotters website www.spotters.com.au for their full range of sunnies and merchandise.
 

 
At the end of the month the site staff will choose the best report of the month. Reports should be posted in any of the forum categories not in the comps category as we can check all posts in the month and will take note of our favourite posts during the month.
 
You can target any fish, crab, cephalopod, saltwater or fresh, boat or land based, if you catch heaps or none at all. All reports are up for the prize as long as it's legal and clean. We will be looking for a quality report, get us immersed in your fishing adventures, photos always help tell the story, videos can really add an exciting edge too.
 
 
 

The comp starts NOW March 1st 2017 and ends on March 31st 2017.

 

 

 

*** As we have a few members in other states, this comp will be open to all states of Australia! ***

 

 

Good luck everyone  

As per usual RJ, you speak truth and apply commonsense. The silent majority agree with you bud 👍

Drat. Thought you'd heard something else Wade. No apology needed.
 
Problem with communicating only via social media - messages can easily be misunderstood.
 - and often are :-(
 
I think that there are far more things that bind all rec fishers together rather than keep us apart, and it's time we all made the most of that. History very clearly shows that we can't rely on anyone other than rec fishers, and when we publicly fight among ourselves over differences in how to get things done and what should be done, we only succeed in shooting ourselves in the foot.
 
We all need to get together and get started, face-to-face. But that has to be a commonly agreed goal, with no encouragement for spectators or anyone who's not prepared to work as a team and contribute their own personal skills and effort. Meetings are wonderful things for everyone to get the measure of everyone else present, but IMO they lose most of their value if the meeting doesn't result in agreement and action.
 
Anyone who might choose attend such a meeting:-
Should be fully prepared to leave it with a job to do (with their agreement) - and do it willingly. Everyone is equal Any organisational differences are left at the door. Everyone's opinion is listened to and respected. What is agreed and decided at a meeting will be published and feedback sought.  
 - this was/is the fundamental meeting rule of the MFA, CRG and DRFC, and it works.
 
Should we try to arrange an initial combined SA rec fisher meeting on that basis?
 
Cheers,
Roger.
0438 020 858

Maybe try again....
 
Whenever this subject (representation) is discussed, it invariably becomes a debate about the merits (or not) of what we currently have, and of what might be - usually focused on all the possible negatives.
 
As a result, there is a lot of passion and opinion expressed, but no progress is made.
 
If we want change (and I'd say that everyone does), surely the first step is to agree on that one point - change is needed - and then to get as many people as possible working on what that change should look like. If we are going to continually try to guess what the future will look like and to find reasons not to do anything simply because our crystal ball views don't agree with each other, we'll be stuck in the endless loop forever.
 
We've already been doing this for far too long. For a change, we need to find some trust in our own abilities (and each other), and accept that whatever future direction is determined by our own rec fishers, it will always have some components that won't be completely agreed by everyone. In those circumstances we will all need to trust in the majority view and give it a chance to succeed.
 
If there's another way, please speak out. But let's not get bogged down in detail that may never apply to our situation in SA.
 
That's the future, and it's up to the rec fishers of SA to create it. 

As per usual RJ, you speak truth and apply commonsense. The silent majority agree with you bud 👍

As per usual RJ, you speak truth and apply commonsense. The silent majority agree with you bud 👍

As per usual RJ, you speak truth and apply commonsense. The silent majority agree with you bud 👍

Well done Rob!!! This is great news
 
The below info is sourced from the Southern Times newspaper and from the following website http://messenger.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
 
The Harbour Kiosk owner Rob MacKay will continue to operate at the O'Sullivan Beach site!
 

Just noticed all Gulp SPs are $5 at Big W, dunno how long for.
 
Range is a little limited but picked up some 5" Jerk Shads (tho no Nuclear Chickens ) and Turtleback Worms for when the season changes.
 
 

Yesterday (Monday), the weather forecast was for moderate North Easterly winds along the coast, and a reasonably chance of rain.   So I decided to head for Waitpinga and Parsons to lure for Salmon, a bit of warm clothing and wet gear.  Even though the area hadn’t produced for me in a while, neither had metro southern beaches, apart for a few ST’s – so I had nothing to lose.
 
So the car was already parked - from the day befores outing for a couple of flicks around Maslins (for a donut) – and I headed off at 8.45am with intentions to have the line wet before 10am.  A cloudy day both here and all the way to Waits.
 
A high tide of 1.08mts at 12noon would have me there in time for the incoming tide and allowing some good distance of walking the beach until its peak.
 
A quick stop for a photo of Victor area.  It does look so much better when the sun is out.
 

 
 
Almost there.
 

 
 
A view over a water catchment towards Waits.  According to a local, this catchment lost a lot bream recently from heavy rains and apparently the outlet along the beach had dozens of dead bream.
 

 
 
The Waits viewing platform has not changed since the storms (no steps) and the way down is still to walk left onto the dunes.  Whilst I was there some workman just about to put some posts along the dune and had dismantled the remaining 3 steps from the damage.
 

 

 

 
 
Conditions looked great, no wind (so much for the weather forecast), but it started to rain quite steady.
 

 
 
I decided to park at the bottom car park for an easier approach to the beach.
 

 

 
 
Once on the beach I headed to the right where some nice looking gutters were and headed right to the end without any Salmon touching my lure.  I used a 40g Halco chrome lure at first then changed to a $4 cheapie from K-Mart for the walk back.
 
Once back at the platform area, and with the high tide about half an hour away, I could see the waves hitting hard against the sand dunes.  There was no way I could get past without being swamped and I wanted to get up by the reef that has produced well in the past.
 
So decided to get up on to the sand dunes and climb over the top of them until I got past these breaking waves.  Mind you I had second thoughts of doing this as a couple of the dunes did look kind of steep – but nothing ventured, nothing gained, so off I headed.
 
Just repeating this photo as it shows the area of concern just left of the 2 fisherman.  You might think that first sand dune doesn’t look too bad, and it wasn’t, but the next one behind the first was worse, but I soldiered on.
 

 
 
Well effort to get on to the beach from the ‘hazard’ proved to be a waste of time as again there were not hits on my lure.  It’s about 1pm now and from the reef I couldn’t tell if the waves were still smashing the sand dune, so decided to walk right to the end, knowing there was not too many opportunities to flick due to rocks etc.  But thought this will waste a little more time allowing the water to drop a little.  That paid off as the waves had subsided slightly and saving me another dune climb.
 
Now off to Parsons Beach and I wasn’t holding much hope of catching anything.
 

 
 
On my arrival, I took a quick photo of the beach and noticed one fisherman near the exposed rocks.  Mind you, those rocks (once I was done there) were absolutely fantastic in their worn formation.  Parsons doesn’t have too many gutters, but what is there are reasonably good, and I have have generally caught more fish here than Waits.
 

 

 
As I got back to the car to collect mygear, a couple of guys came up from the walkway with a nice 2kg and a couple of 1kg Salmon.  They had been at Waits during the morning with no result, but the mentioned they got these just on the otherside of the rocks.
 
Second before the rocks and watched an ST following the lure in shallows and grabbed it – yah, not a donut day.  He was over legal but released him as wanted bigger (not greedy or anything).  Another couple of casts and another ST and released. 
 
Walked further to try past the rocks (having a quick chat the other fisherman – he had a couple of ST’s only) and now hits were the previous guys got theirs.  So now for the usual walk to the end and about 150mts before the end rocks I get a hit in smallish gutter – which I was not expecting.
 
It felt big, the rod well bent and he started to spool me slightly, so a quick extra tightness on the drag, but he was fighting very well.  Next, out the water he flies – I just love that sight.
Once beached, he was fat and approximately 2.5kg and estimated close to 60cm.  Quickly bled and lure thrown back in.
 
On again, and this one seemed to be fighting harder and flew into the air a couple times and even though I just tightened the drag, this one spooled me for good 10mts – he wasn’t giving up – so tightened the drag even more and slowly got him to the shallows and dragged him with the waves.
This was a big Salmon for me and on first appearance was would a PB.   You can tell in the below photo a cut underneath the tail and I am gathering he cut himself on my line whilst fighting.
 
Again, quickly bled and ready for more.  Another 3 were landed around 2.5– 2.8kg and about 56 – 60cm and kept and all the fish looked healthy and were all plumpish. 
For extra fun, another 4 were landed and released and 3 threw the lure.
 

 

 

 
 
The time was about 3.30 now, so left them on the bite and the long and very heavy walk back to the car.  If the walk didn’t kill me the hill nearly did.  I was stuffed and stopped a few times on the hill to stop from having a heart attack !!
 
But what seemed could be a donut day ended up being some thrilling excitement.

Looks like he will give it a shot:
 
http://www.alanhawk.com/reviews/reviews.html

I hadn’t had a surf fishing trip for 5years, not since our last lads KI trip and before the young fella came along. The whole concept was beginning to feel like a nostalgic part of the past.  The idea for a KI salmon trip this season was optimistically discussed but fruitlessly realised. Not quite, but almost out of sheer desperation, brought a lower Yorkes fallback plan.
 
We had visited Yorkes numerous times but not for a few years, basing ourselves in the quaint Corney Point. This gives good access to the beaches of Berry Bay, Gleeson’s Landing, The Dust Hole, numerous rock fishing options and sheltered wading around Corny Point. All providing shelter from prevailing S-SW winds
The objective of this trip was to break in my mate’s new Seajigger, which had been unused and collecting dust since its purchase months ago.  More specifically; to have a solid crack at some surf salmon, possibly some rock fishing, wading and maybe even a lazy mullet session. Tinker had provided some options past Edithburgh, if the weather turned and blew from the NW.
 
Two weekends were chosen, to be selected at the last minute pending weather, in June, rather than later, hopefully to pick up any straggling mullet.  The first fell through and then the second looked doomed after my entire family succumbed to some nasty flu like virus. It was touch and go for a while but with some begging, we finally had a trip, only with a later departure of Friday evening rather than Thursday, returning Sunday night.
 
 
Friday
 
Even with express packing we didn’t leave until 1830 for a relatively uneventful drive other than a quick detour at Pt Wakefield when my mates ‘dinner’ of chips & iced coffee needed to break free . Onwards in the dark, we turned into Minlaton to be pulled over by the local constabulary. I'd noticed they eyeballed my mates old VN as we passed the servo, assuming likely bogan occupants up to no good . Any way mate blew zero, rego & licence check all good and he wished us good fishing!
 
 
Saturday
 
Plan was to pick a gutter in Berry Bay for a salmon surf session on the rising tide. After a lazy breakfast we were off. North Berry had 6 blokes fishing one gutter   but the entire beach south was clear with a sweet looking gutter smack in the middle. Luckily there is access near the middle as well as the southern end, so not too much walking. Closer inspection the gutter looked promisingly. It was deep in close but also had a fair swell cranking a current up the beach plus some solid sets of waves rolling in.
 
For my standard salmon surf fishing session I usually bring two outfits; one for bait (Penn Prevail  1202MH, Penn Slammer 560, 30lb braid) and the other for flicking lures (9ft Samaki Allure,  Slammer 260, 15lb braid).  This time I opted for 3 outfits, the two mentioned and one heavier (Beach Basher, 850ssm & 30lb mono) for anything bigger (shark, ray, mully)
 
I dropped my gear on a flat rock and grabbed the lure stick. I ran a 20lb mono leader via a FG knot to a snap swivel, perfect for 20-40g metals and the occasional large soft plastic. Starting with a 20g Raider into the promising water, then switched to a 28g Lock casting jig and was immediately impressed with the added distance. Nevertheless, without a touch and my usual lacking patience, I rigged up for bait.
 
I run a pretty standard paternoster rig, consisting of:
Snap swivel on main line 30lb or 40lb double paternoster twisted droppers (I buy these as they are tricky time consuming to tie) Loop on top and snap swivel to the sinker. Loop if the sinkers are molded with swivels, but I find snap swivel easier regardless. 2 snelled 4/0s on one dropper, baited with a whole salted pillie & tail tied on with a bit of bait thread. Surf popper on the other Star sinker to conditions. 3-6oz , breakaways if conditions are rough. I started with a 4oz star.
 
Swivels at both ends  minimise line twist, as the rig gets knocked around in the current plus facilitate easier rig & sinker changes. Twisted droppers hold the popper and bait more perpendicular than the simpler dropper loop rig, so are less likely tangled. Surf beaches regularly hold sand crabs which can quickly demolish pilchard baits. The popper will stay there and bob around enticingly when the bait is all gone .....Funnily enough, I had yet to catch anything on popper!
 
 
Back to the fishing......
 
The 4oz was holding well but with unpredictable wave action I decided to hold my rod with rather than place it in the rod holder. I could feel the telltale picking of crabs after a matter of minutes, checking bait to see it half demolished. Re-baited and back out. Tap, tap, lift and I’m on. Unsure what it was, certainly didn’t feel like a salmon? A bit of work out of the side rip revealed a nice mid-30cm Blue Spot and on the surf popper too! A double first for me: 1st flathead in the surf and 1st fish on a surf popper !
 

 
Just about to cast out again and my mate’s seajigger is finally getting a bend as he’s working a decent fish, some 80m up the beach.  I left my rod in the holder to give him a hand, landing a solid 60+cm salmon . No pics as my camera & phone were in my bag and the fish was released.
 
Those two fish were about it . The swell was getting uncomfortable where we were, pushing us up into the rocks at the base of the cliffs. Being a little concerned of getting trapped in the rising tide we packed and moved down the coast to the beach south of Pt Annie.
 
We targeted a nice hole, butting up the rocky point, with a few added reefy bits to keep us honest . Similar approach, baits out to the taps of smaller fish then wack, the distinctive tussle of my first salmon.  It proves difficult to land with the steep beach and side rip but is eventually up in a wave surge. Easily my biggest salmon for a number of years in the 50-55cm range, released.
 

 
Next couple of casts yielded snags; the loss of a sinker then a whole rig . Then I noticed a loop in my spool so pulled the line out only to get a massive mess as it blew down the beach, tangling with seaweed and inventing its own wind knots . I crack the s**ts, cut out 20m of line and switch to flicking lures! 
 
Metals weren’t getting any hits so I tried a SP (5in Jerk, ShadZTT Headlock 1/2oz, 5/0XH).
 

 
It cast surprisingly well but proved tricky working it between the big sets of waves. Finally one lift it gets slammed. I lose a bit of line then have similar trouble landing it as before. Another reasonable fish a bit bigger , and my 1st surf salmon on SP !
 

 
Around the same time my mate is bowled over in the backwash then receives the next wave right over the top and down the waders . He’s drenched and luckily we are sheltered from the breeze and the water’s not super cold anyway.
 
Again,  not much after those 2 fish , so we headed back up the coast for a bit of rock fishing.  With nothing noteworthy (smallish wrasee, sweep, tommies etc) we called it a day.
 
Mate had a hot shower and into dry clothes, I clean the flattie. We share the 1 beer .....ive been experimenting bottling homebrew in sodawater bottles which works well...... so 1 beer is really 4x330ml (great one to tell the missus "I'll just have one beer" ) ! We um & ah about wading the early morning low tide and decide it will be too dark and cold. Then seal its fate by downing a bottle of red and decide to have a lazy mullet session instead.
 
Sunday
After half packing the shack, we head to our pre-chosen mullet spot in close to Corney Pt. I tried to drop an onion bag of burley with ½ a house brick but even here the waves from the swell prove too much and smashed it into the rocks. Big baits out for any passing rays yield nothing other than snags on the only bit of rock around! Finally the mullet show in the last couple of hours rising tide and become increasingly aggressive with a few double headers. Most are only average but a few around 30cm. They loved slivers of deer heart I had been conscientiously saving for a mullet session.
 

 
Just as the novelty was wearing my mate hooks something far larger to reveal a lovely flattie, his PB at 55cm.
 

 
We decided to leave on a high, pack and hit the road for home.
 
Even though there was nothing spectacular always great to get away and focus on just fishing. A beautiful part of the world and just enought of a tease to come back for the salmon schools next trip.

Thanks for the reminder S+H, completely agree.
 
I'm going fishing.
 
Cheers,
RJ

Let's not start this kind of stuff up again. Strike Hook has been a much better place without all of the argumentative, political, slinging of crap at each other.
 
SAFA, you have a dedicated section of the forum to post in where no one else can comment. If you don't use that section it is up to you. RecFishSA, PIRSA, DRFC all have dedicated sections of the site where they can post and no one else can comment.
 
The restrictions were put in place so there wouldn't be any stupid, keyboard warrior, arguments. Political discussion is still restricted on Strike Hook. This was caused by member behaviour. If you want to argue and point fingers, go elsewhere.
 
Keep Strike Hook a friendly, fun environment where we talk about actual fishing and it will flourish as is proven since the political topic ban.

Who knows KG?
Personally I suspect that it might have something to do with the perennial "leave it to someone else" syndrome that exists within rec fishing in SA, in combination with the assertions of  some groups (primarily SAFA and RFSA) that they will provide representation on behalf of everyone.
 
If that was the case at last night's meeting, and both groups were actually providing representation at an organisational level, it certainly wasn't obvious. I did not hear one member of the audience identify themselves as a member of either SAFA or RFSA during question time.
 
Probably many other reasons for low attendance as well, but that's how I see it. Groups who claim to represent need to actually do it.
 
Cheers,
RJ

Haha haha, thanx admin, I'm fine with seconds