# AndyC's Big day out



## AndyC (Feb 29, 2008)

Day before yesterday was a read letter day for AndyC. My very first fish from a yak! Caught a rather nice Brown Trout of a little over a kilo and a redfin that was almost big enough to eat. Both on flies. Don't know what got into me but I was so thrilled with the day, I released them both.

After spending the entire day yesterday, repairing my echo sounder, I woke before daylight this morning. Nice guy that I am, I made coffee for my partner, Janice (and made one for me since I was there) and took it back to bed. To my delight, she looked out of the window and suggested a fishing trip. Didn't need a second invitation, since the yak was on the car roof and I wanted to test the echo sounder in real mode anyhow.










Down to the local Dam (Craigbourne, South East Tassie) where several summers ago, we spent many a happy evening hauling in loads of redfin, my favorite table fish by far! We still get the odd reasonable specimen and on occasion, I have caught scads of smaller ones to about 15 cm on my fly rod. Redfin are considered a pest fish here and I don't suppose we are meant to release them. Personally, I think the law is an ass and I refuse to kill any sort of critter unnecessarily ... so I release the little ones. The people who simply leave them discarded on the bank disgust me. The days of decent bags of large 'reddies' caught out of the backwaters seem to be long past.

Imagine my delight then when, after paddling around for awhile seeing the usual odd fish, the sounder suddenly went nuts ...... beep beep beep beep ... fish symbols all over the screen! I really thought my repair work had come to nothing until my rod suddenly jumped in its holder and I was fast into something reasonable. The local trout don't school and the fish was obviously not all THAT large, so it was no surprise when a nice redfin came over the side. It was a pale looking specimen a little better than a half kilo.

I had hardly got him into my 'keeper bag" (poly sack on a rope) when the rod went off again and another, almost identical specimen followed the first. I was getting a little excited. I haven't caught more than one reasonable redfin in a single session since I don't know when. Long story short, the fish kept coming until I had six in the bag and it was getting a little crammed.

So I paddled back to where Jan was shore bashing and transferred the catch to the huge poly sack that we normally store our keepers in. Lots of approving ooh's and aahhhs from Jan, a quick smoke and I was back in the saddle to see if I could find the spot again. Within a fairly short time, I was into my next fish. These guys were like peas from a pod .... all almost identical in weight and appearance. Fish like those we used to catch in the 'good old days' (before our drought took hold and reduced the dam to a puddle. After that fish, they seemed to slow down a good deal but I stayed put, working the same area. Little by little, the tally built and each time I caught a few, I'd paddle back in and transfer them to the big keeper bag. Eventually, I had their number up to fourteen!

Early in the morning, a stiff northerly blew up and the water was stirred up to small rollers and whitecaps, so paddling back to the car, into the wind was a real trial. I was impressed all over again at how well my OK Prowler handles the rougher stuff. It is a good dry boat (more-so since I ditched the scupper plugs that it came with!) and cuts through small waves with ease. Paddling into a stiff wind is hard work in any boat though and it reminded me that I really would like to buy a rudder when the finances improve. Keeping her head to the wind can be difficult.

I decided that I needed to get out of the wind, so headed off to check out other areas of the dam. I suppose I spent a couple of hours poking about with no joy until it seemed like the wind had eased slightly. So having caught nothing, I decided to give 'the spot' one more try. I was rewarded almost right away with another nice redfin and, to cut a long story short, four more followed after that .... but they were hard work to find.

I was tired, the wind seemed to be getting even stronger and the whitecaps seemed like they had foam on top now. Regretfully, I decided to call stumps and made the laborious paddle back to the car and Jan. As I approached the landing spot, I could see that she wasn't a happy camper. At first, I thought maybe I'd stayed out too long and she was upset with me. I wish I had been right! Turned out that, with the strong wind and considerable swell that it was generating, my keeper bag had slipped free from its rope. Jan had saved the bag, along with three of the fourteen fish that I had in there! So at the end of the day, we got to take home eight nice Reddies and dinner tonight was delicious! As I sit typing, my chair is still 'moving' with the same action as all those waves ... so I guess it was a little rough out there.

To all you C&R guys who like to look down your nose at me for not thinking like you do, be pleased that I practiced C&R today. My keeper bag will get modified tomorrow. It certainly was a grand day on the water and I can't wait to get out again.

Cheers All,

AndyC


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## Astro (Nov 27, 2006)

good catching and great story......pity about losing the fish.....


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Congrats on those first captures Andy, its a good feeling and hope there are many more to follow


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## Blaen (Jul 4, 2006)

Awesome work Andy,

Great to see you getting out there, looks like that new yak is working it's magic.

Great read mate, very good indeed.

I look forward to catching up soon.


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## fisherdan (Apr 17, 2007)

Nice report Andy, well done on having your own photographer too!


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## fishnfreak (Jun 22, 2007)

congrats Andy, I respect your views on un-necessarily killing creatures, but considering that they are a noxious pest, and are aggresive and voracious consumers of native species, wouldn't it be wise to keep them. Besides, from what i have experienced and heard of, the more small reddies in one area, the less big ones there are. Therefore, perhaps by culling the numbers of the small ones, you may in fact give the remaining more food, and more room to grow into big barred, red finned monsters!

Rob


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## wrasseman (Jul 28, 2006)

Good on ya Andy, sounds like a great day on the water.
Col.


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## AndyC (Feb 29, 2008)

Thanks for the comments, Fellas. I really do appreciate it.

Rob, The Murray River at Blanchetown provided me with about the most productive redfin fishing of my life. Just a wildly productive place in the summer! I used to live over your way before moving down here to Tassie.

Thanks for your insights regarding the Redfin. I would take issue with your assertion that the Reddies are a "noxious pest, and are aggresive and voracious consumers of native species". I don't see any real evidence that it is any more or less so, than are the various introduced trout species. There aren't too many people running around, suggesting that Tasmania should eradicate THAT introduced species!

Your comments about the relationhip between fish size and environment/available food supply seems to be well proven. In some waters, the reduction in fish numbers to encourage larger or healthier specimens might certainly make plenty of sense. In those waters though, you will only catch small, stunted specimens. The wide variety of size in my local water would seem to suggest that the smaller ones are juveniles, rather than stunted adults.

Tasmania has virtually no native freshwater sportfish. I am really grateful that we have redfin here, along with a few tench, Without these, my fishing experiences would be limited to trout and eels. I am therefore inclined to defend redfin in my local waters. Whilst I don't want to start an eco-debate on here, I will append a copy of an item that I submitted to Tasmania's Anglers Alliance (peak angling body within Tassie, allegedly).

I can find any number of people who agree with the description of redfin as a "noxious pest, and aggresive and voracious consumers of native species". What I am still waiting for, is one shred of scientifically based evidence, that it is any more so than trout. I really do wish that people down my way would appreciate Redfin more. I sure do!

Thanks again for taking the time to share your views. It was great to hear from you.

Kind regards,

AndyC

Text of item submitted to Anglers' Alliance: .... long and boring ... sorry 

Can someone please point me to some properly documented, scientific 
evidence to justify what seems to me to be an obsessive preoccupation 
on the part of IFS (and others) with eradicating Redfin Perch (aka 
English perch, European Perch) from our waters?

My own 'research' on the net has provided me only with vague hints of 
the scourge that this much maligned finny friend represents. Terms 
like 'it is strongly believed' or 'evidence suggests' just don't cut 
the mustard, when it comes to evaluating the environmental impact of 
the species. I have failed to find solid scientific evidence that 
would support the notion that it represents any greater threat to 
native species than do other introduced species, including our beloved 
trout.

What the Redfin does do, is provide excellent fishing opportunities, 
some variety in our fishing and, in my opinion, a superb table dish! 
We have a lamentable lack of native freshwater tablefish species here 
in Tasmania. And I doubt that anyone would argue that the 
introduction of non-native trout is a bad thing. So why does the 
humble redfin come in for such disdain?

In countries where this species is native, it co-exists with other 
species, including trout and forms a part of the ecosystem. I don't 
see where waters in other parts of the world have been decimated by 
the presence of Redfin Perch.

On perusing the Unconfirmed minutes of the 3 June meeting of Anglers 
Alliance, I read:

"Redfin 
S Chilcott reported that the IFS had poisoned 2 dams adjacent to the 
Lyell Highway to kill the redfin perch they contained."

I'm sorry but I just don't get it! Does anyone believe that our 
environment is somehow improved by the seemingly pointless eradication 
of these creatures?

When out fishing, I regularly see specimens of Redfin that have been 
captured by anglers and are simply thrown up on the bank, often to die 
a horrible death. Seemingly, this is for no other reason than that 
there exists a mentality within this state that, if we don't like it, 
we will just poison it or kill it.

I strongly disagree with the approach of IFS where this kind of 
environmental heavy handedness is allowed to occur. When I was a boy, 
I dreamed of one day fishing Lake Crescent. It was at that time, a 
hallowed place that produced monster trout. Enter the European Carp, 
followed closely by the IFS. And behold, years later, Lake Crescent 
is struggling to re-establish itself as an kind of a decent fishery at 
all and adjoining Lake Sorrel is in a similar state. I believe all the 
trout were wiped out as 'collateral damage' in the war against the 
ghastly Carp. I note that in other parts of the world, the carp is 
actually revered as a sportfish, even amongst fly anglers.

In my lifetime, I witnessed the invasion of European Carp into the 
Goulburn River system in Victoria and it has become solidly ensconced 
there. I am not aware of any evidence to support that it has had a 
significant impact on the river system or on other species in the 
system (including introduced trout).

Personally, I am not interested in carp. They are mediocre as a table 
fish when compared to Redfin Perch. I refer to them, only to 
highlight the consequences of the kee-jerk reaction that we seem to 
have against SELECTED non-native fish species.

I can't help wondering if the greatest threat that the Redfin Perch 
poses, is that it can establish self sustaining populations, without 
the ongoing support of an army of public servants. Or maybe its just 
a throw back to the dark days of English snobbery. He is after all, 
only a coarse fish!

For my part, I have enjoyed countless days of catching our humble 
'Reddy' and countless delicious meals as a result. I think it is a 
positive asset to our fishery. I wish that other anglers might join 
with me in decrying Its eradication. The waste of IFS resources in 
trying to eradicate this species from two farm dams when clearly, it 
is already established in so many of our waters, seems absurd to me. 
Maybe if we just poison th entire State's waterways, we could 
eradicate this creature, along with the carp and the tench .... and 
repeat the Lake Crescent experience on a grand scale!

Meanwhile. I will await some verifiable scientific clarification of 
the evil danger that swims.

Cheers All,

AC


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## rnmars1 (Feb 21, 2008)

Good going Andy.
Rodney


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## Baldy (Oct 1, 2007)

Gday Andy,

Sounds like a good day on the water....well what water thats left in there, its a shame because its a nice spot to fish if you dont have time for a trip up the highlands or the weather is shite!

In reguard to the redfin I think its a fine line we tread, you dont agree with the managment of them....the next bloke doesnt agree with bag limits on a given species....the next one doesnt agree with the size limits. Each of them could in theory pose valid points for each of their beliefs but where do you draw the line...

As for why Trout get treated better than Redfin, its very simple...$$$$$$...nothing more, nothing less but thats just my opinion. I think poor water management and sustained drought conditions in the catchment has more to do with Cresent and Sorells decline, the irrigators are crying foul at the moment because Garrett blocked a planned further release of water.

I dont like it when people just leave any fish to just slowly die on land, no matter if its a redfin left on the shore or a humble flathead that you plan to keep, they all deserve the most humane end we can give them. So while its still illegal to return redfin to the water they will all get a bump on the head from me, in the same way that I release the 29.5cm flathead and only flyfish at penstock lagoon.

Im not your typical CnR fisho, I like a feed of fish as much as the next person and its one of the top motivators to get out there but I dont mind CnR fishing for Bream..Trout...even Wrasse!![any fish I dont eat falls into the CnR basket] At the end of the day even though I might not agree with certain management practices, If I want to fish its something I deal with. Im just thankfull the rules and reg's are much more relaxed here than elsewhere.

Cheers
Baldy


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## AndyC (Feb 29, 2008)

Hi Baldy,

Thanks Mate, for your thoughtful reply. I always enjoy your posts. They are always intelligent.

I sure hope I will get an opportunity to fish with you, sometime soon. Maybe we can kick this around a little then. I don't ever mind when people disagree with my opinions because I do understand that they are only that .... my opinions. I am often wrong.

:shock:

Cheers,

Andy


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## vertigrator (Jul 25, 2006)

Well done Andy

We had a little AKFF GTG there a while ago when the water was at a much better level:
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7129&p=75173&hilit=craigbourne#p75173

I managed a decent looking Reddie then. I remember the year before that when the lake was in top condition and full of fat 10-15kg salmon.

I reckon one of the main reasons people don't like the Redfin is that they much prefer catching trout, and the Reddies just get in the way, and eat the baby trout too. Like you, I've never seen any scientific evidence of the fish being a noxious pest. I just thought they were a pest to fishermen whose lures get gobbled by pesky little perch before a trout gets a chance. :?

And I highly recommend getting a rudder on your Prowler. Mine copes much better in a strong wind (even up to 45 knots) with the rudder down. ;-)

Cheers
Craig


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