{"id":12461,"date":"2018-05-23T01:57:52","date_gmt":"2018-05-22T15:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=12461"},"modified":"2018-05-25T14:20:32","modified_gmt":"2018-05-25T04:20:32","slug":"fishing-report-may-24-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/sport\/fishing-report-may-24-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Fishing Report – May 24, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weather conditions still are limiting fishing. Reports remain few and far between.<\/em><\/p>\n

ANGLESEA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00bb Pinkies are still being reported
\n\u00bb Flathead and whiting catches are few and far between but continue
\n\u00bb Salmon catches off most local beaches.<\/p>\n

BARWON HEADS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00bb Some reports of pinkies
\n\u00bb Some reports of nice gummy and school shark catches
\n\u00bb Tiger flathead offshore
\n\u00bb Whiting, trevally and salmon.<\/p>\n

LORNE<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00bb Snapper fishing has been good to date with some anglers bagging out in the first hour or so of fishing with some really good size fish being landed
\n\u00bb Gummy sharks have been plentiful with a few school sharks in amongst them and the odd big seven-gill shark
\n\u00bb The King George whiting and flathead have slowed down with the water temperature dropping below 17 degrees but surprisingly there are still a few schools of blue mackerel (slimies) and yakkas still about
\n\u00bb The pier is fishing well with calamari, salmon and mullet plentiful and there has also been a few good size snapper being caught.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Lorne Aquatic Club.<\/em><\/p>\n

TORQUAY<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00bb Whiting to be caught as well as pinkies
\n\u00bb Salmon catches off the beaches
\n\u00bb Some gummy shark
\n\u00bb Flathead reports continuing
\n\u00bb Spring Creek producing bream.<\/p>\n

Remember Torquay Tackle and Sports. For all the best available advice in Torquay on tackle and bait, drop in at the store and see Ross or Josh to ensure you get the most up-to-date information available. Phone 5264 8207.<\/p>\n

QUEENSCLIFF<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00bb St Leonards has reports of whiting, squid, pinkie and flathead
\n\u00bb Indented Head: whiting, squid and a few flathead
\n\u00bb Swan Bay: occasional flathead, King George whiting and salmon
\n\u00bb Point Lonsdale pier: salmon, whiting and the odd tervally
\n\u00bb The White Lady: a few squid and whiting
\n\u00bb The creek producing a few trevally and salmon.<\/p>\n

OPERA HOUSE NETS TO BE BANNED TOTALLY IN VICTORIA<\/h2>\n

THE Andrews Labor Government has announced that from July 1, 2019, opera house nets will be banned in all public and private waters throughout Victoria, with reforms that will benefit native animals that live in and around waterways including platypus and turtles.<\/p>\n

Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford said opera house nets in Victoria will be phased out with new open top lift nets now more readily available to replace them.<\/p>\n

Up until now, many fishers purchased opera house nets to target yabbies, unaware they couldn\u2019t be used in public waters in Victoria.<\/p>\n

Open top lift nets can be used in both public and private waters and are proven to be effective yabby catchers.<\/p>\n

As part of the changes, a one-for-one trade-in is planned, whereby fishers can trade in their old opera house nets for free wildlife-friendly open top lift nets.<\/p>\n

The Victorian Fisheries Authority will work with the fishing tackle sector, anglers and environmental groups on an awareness campaign around wildlife-friendly yabby gear leading up to July 1 next year.<\/p>\n

Trials have indicated that wildlife friendly gear such as open top lift nets and hoop nets can catch more yabbies than opera house nets when fished actively, so it\u2019ll be even easier to put yabbies on the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpera house nets have been placing our platypus population at risk and so it\u2019s time for us to embrace different fishing gear that will catch just as many yabbies without impacting our precious wildlife,\u201d Ms Pulford said.<\/p>\n

MY COMMENT<\/h2>\n

Some of the statements above I find hard to accept.<\/p>\n

Though it is still early days and no real details are available as to how this exchange will take place or how it will work, or whether this change will be dependent on who is in government after the next state election, we will just have to wait and see.<\/p>\n

As to how this is to be rolled out, who is funding this exchange as it moves forward (recreational fishing funds?) is also unknown. Who is to monitor and provide the opera nets, along with the reporting system for these exchanges? The distribution and disposal of those nets has all has yet to be outlined as well as how long this exchange program will stay in place.<\/p>\n

Please note our fishing regulations in public waterways, streams and creeks quite clearly already set out how opera nets can be used. It is my experience that most law abiding recreational fisherman are fully aware of this.<\/p>\n

Under fisheries regulations, Victorian recreational fishers can use the following equipment to harvest yabbies:<\/p>\n