Australian coarse fish

[john frum]

Mutton-Birds. There's a very short season for them on the islands off the N. coast of Tas, as I expect you know. Yup - Tiger snakes are a real problem but the people who harvest them seem to take them in their stride. My old pilot mate Bill who flew us in and out of our mine when the track was too difficult or there was a hurry-up on, used to overload his Cessna with the packed birds, one or two dozen per box, from the islands (Hunter? Three Hummocks - don't recall exactly which ones) and ferry them to Smithton airstrip for onward despatch. He would sometimes buzz us and drop a couple of boxes off at our strip. Greasy little suckers but delicious. Can you still buy them?

Nothing to do with fish... sorry!

[Bobj]

It is only a local industry.

 

 

Harvesting

The muttonbird is one of the few Australian native birds that is commercially harvested. During the muttonbird season, chicks are taken for their feathers, flesh and oil. The industry was established by early European sealers and their Aboriginal families and today forms an important part of Aboriginal culture in Tasmania. The chicks are taken under strict controls and the season is limited to the period 27 March to 30 April.

 

Distribution and migration

The shearwater is the most abundant Australian seabird. Approximately 23 million short-tailed shearwaters breed in about 285 colonies in south-eastern Australia from September to April. Eighteen million of these arrive in Tasmania each year. There are known to be at least 167 colonies in Tasmania and an estimated 11.4 million burrows. The largest colony is on Babel Island which has three million burrows. Their colonies are usually found on headlands and islands covered with tussocks and succulent vegetation such as pigface and iceplant. Headlands allow for easy take off and landing.

[bluerinse]

when I lived in Sweden I saw a 3kg + perch in an angling magazine, Thats over 7lb, now that was a big perch.

So I know they can grow big, whats the European record for perch?

Edited June 24, 2007 by bluerinse

[Bobj]

Just reviving this thread to show you a pic of a murray cod, caught and released at Robinvale, Victoria.

It was 120 cm (47.25 inches) guessed weight of 60 lbs

 

[The Flying Tench]

Amazing fish! - a freshwater fish I assume?

[Vagabond]

Thanks for that pic of a Murray Cod, Bob

 

This winter our Oz trip will include Victoria and a bit of freshwater fishing. Apart from Callop I haven't had any of the Australian perches, so intend to try to put that right.

 

I'm about to start trawling through this and other forums for information, and will probably start asking a few questions soon.

[ColinW]

I think you should have started a new thread. I am fed up with getting that feeling of deja vu and then realizing I actually HAVE read it all before, because it usually takes me four pages to twig!

 

Great picture though!

[Ken L]

I remember watching a couple of big cod (15kg's+) in shallow wter up in a pool on the upper murray/Darling system in Queensland. They completely ignored the little spinners that i threw at them (it was all that I had with me) and kept on grubbing about in the weeds.

What I wouldn't have given for some heavier gear and some live yabbies or appropriate lures.

[Bobj]

Thanks for that pic of a Murray Cod, Bob

 

This winter our Oz trip will include Victoria and a bit of freshwater fishing. Apart from Callop I haven't had any of the Australian perches, so intend to try to put that right.

 

I'm about to start trawling through this and other forums for information, and will probably start asking a few questions soon.

 

G'day mate, a good place for murray cod is the Loddon river in central Vic.

[Worms]

Yes - but their illustration is of one of 18cm ! That's only 7"

 

I had a perch of 18" recently - that is 45.7 cm It weighed 2lb 10 oz. Hardly a giant!

 

OTOH here is an 17.5" perch I caught earlier (44.5cm)

 

 

This one just scraped 4-0

Is that an Aspindale attached to your Mitchel?

 

Nice fat perch to go with some nice tackle!