Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron

Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron http://www.bmys.com.au/ Go4 News Go4 Multimedia. Donovan Craig <donovan@go4.com.au> http://www.bmys.com.au/news/newsitem.html?news_id=158 Boating News Yarra River Cruise to Herring Island (*J R Kerr event) Sunday 5 September 2010 Latest News Luke Moulton <luke@go4.com.au> http://www.bmys.com.au/news/newsitem.html?news_id=129 Social News Parma Nights - 2010 Third Thursday of each month from 6:00 PM - no bookings required. August is on the 19th, September on the 16th, then October 21st and November 18th. Now in the Downstairs Bar by the fire in the winter months! Why don't you bring family and friends to have a great, inexpensive meal in a warm and friendly environment?   Latest News Luke Moulton <luke@go4.com.au> http://www.bmys.com.au/news/newsitem.html?news_id=160 Mid Winter Fishing Mid Winter Fishing   Constant rain and wind over the past few weeks has made angling difficult. In the few weather windows available members on the water have caught good quantities of garfish, squid, salmon and flathead.  Whiting were scarce and quality pinkies only appeared occasionally.  Angler members did their best to save the planet’s fossil fuels as the very best gar fishing was between the BMYS jetty and the Scout shed.  Motors hardly warmed up!   Several anglers continued their Westernport journeys for small catches of good size whiting. The blue fin scene in the Southwest dwindled to a trickle of fish which gave the Port Fairy, Portland and Port McDonnell communities a chance to assess the many millions of dollars this fishing means to their respective economies. Over the past few months, many of our members caught BFT up to 128 kg, some for the first time. Surf anglers were able to access Peninsula beaches that are nearly always fishable in the prevailing west-north-westerlies of winter.  Salmon, gummies and trevally were the main catch.   So now we anticipate the snapper season.  If anything like the last three seasons we should be more than satisfied. There is no greater thrill for any angler than to see that rod bend to the water line as a new season snapper hits the bait.   Members in the News Barry Stewart did not win the Fishing Lecture Night raffle on 5th August! Phil Goodier is in the news again.  He is on an inland outback trip driving 1926 Whippet cars across various deserts for 6 weeks.  He and his companions are raising money for the Starlight Foundation. Geoff Hill has been spotted without a cup of coffee in his hand. Neil Jameson fishes our jetty regularly.  The other week he had the jetty to himself in a gale force nor’ wester. The salmon arrived and he bagged out with fish to 1.6 kg.   Changes to Monthly Competitions Because at times there has been less than a 1% membership response at the monthly species competitions, the Fishing Committee has decided to retire these particular events.  Ron Earl invented the “points for species” system some years ago and until recent seasons it had served BMYS anglers well for thirty years. Species competitions will now become heaviest fish competitions.  The lure-caught fish prize remains, as will the ladies and junior prizes each month. Each month, all non-prize winning participant members will be balloted for two prizes at a Fishing Committee meeting.  A new one-day end of season Sunday competition will be held in May 2011. It is hoped to make this a very special event. The May Masters sounds good!   Your Fishing Committee is hopeful these changes will not only encourage regular anglers but also gain entries from the one-day a week and casual angler members who will now have a very good chance to compete successfully for the $290 worth of vouchers in each of five monthly competitions.   Enforcement News Adam, a young local non-member angler found a rope tied under our jetty.  He pulled up 4 metres of mesh net and a three funnel 4 metre cylindrical fish trap.  The trap was baited with chicken frames. The trap contained a large rock ling and a number of leatherjackets.  All were released and the net and trap were destroyed.  The next morning two disconsolate “gentlemen” were informed where their trap was. They departed the scene beating the FWO’s, who had been summoned, by ten minutes. Eighteen anglers were fined for over the limit (40) garfish on the Mordy pier over two nights recently. As an editorial comment our sport of recreational fishing is continually under threat from various minority groups and we can ill afford to have offences like the above occurring.  Illegal activities can be reported on 13 FISH 24/7.  We need to protect our credibility to answer the serious challenges by the anti-fishing lobby. New Products • Trevor Hogan from Launching Way showed us a position indicator buoy.  Simply drop the buoy and it marks the spot to moor back to and anchor. • There is now an automatic snapper and other fish scaler.  It is powered by batteries and has a 3-year life. It sells at around $100. • Hard-bodied lure fishing for bream is nothing new but what is new is the reasonably priced range of Stiffy lures promoted by Kai Bush. • A range of dried sandworms is now available.  Called Dyna-Bait, they work on many species in the same way as sandworm. • Kayaks are no longer a strange sight.  There are special fishing kayaks propelled by types of pedals.  Magazines carry special sections on “Yak” fishing. • A new Shimano catalogue is out now.   Fishing Location … Dartmouth Reservoir Dartmouth reservoir is around 6 ½ hours from Beaumaris.  Travel through Wodonga and Eskdale and follow the signs. There is a motel, cabins and a caravan park about 10 km below the wall.  Lake Dartmouth holds a huge amount of water said to be so many “Sid-Harbs” in size.  Brown trout, rainbow trout, Macquarie perch and carp abound in the lake, which is served by a long boat ramp and huge car parks.  BMYS members made many visits here some years ago. Ross McGregor had the “Dart” really wired producing limits of trout while others watched. Large boats are permitted and rough campsites are located on the banks at several locations.  It is a beautiful lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains.  Well worth a visit.   Late News There is always a BMYS crew breaking new boundaries.  Steve Church and Neil Coxon caught their whiting limit on Saturday August 7.  Winter whiting are usually scarce and to catch a limit of good fish is an exceptional performance. Tyrone O’Connor accumulated 170,000 points for 17 marlin over the season. He not only won the BMYS Game Fishing Tag and Release trophy, but has been nominated for a State trophy and a GFAA National T & R Trophy.  Good luck Tyrone. Latest News Luke Moulton <luke@go4.com.au> http://www.bmys.com.au/news/newsitem.html?news_id=157 Fishing News WINTER FISHING Squid, Whiting , Pinkies and more ..... Despite the cold most anglers have experienced some of the best winter fishing for years. Have we ever had such a season for squid?  How many have been hooked from our jetties and rocks by anglers in the know?  Tackle retailers now stock walls of squid jigs ranging up to $30 each.  There are now special “eging “rods and “eging” braid as we embrace the Japanese passion for squid.  DVD’s also highlight techniques such as the double and single haul perfected by our trading partners. Pinkies are a year long proposition with afternoon and evening anglers obtaining regular limits on plastics and bait.  There are swarms of undersize fish over all the reefs and they are more than a nuisance to whiting anglers. Whiting anglers who are patient and fish through the pinkie schools are getting double figure catches of whiting up to 34 cm. Is there any better tasting fish than these small winter whiting fried with egg and breadcrumbs? Spotted trevella and warehou have made an appearance. Veteran angler Bob Carruthers returned an excellent catch of these tasty fish from near the mussel farm.  Both species respond to clouds of layer pellets and tuna oil as burley. Salmon schools come and go following the vast shoals of whitebait and pilchards.  A local angler caught a 3.5 kg specimen from our jetty... One of the enigmas of our club is that very few of our 665 members fish during the winter in the calm, cold, and fish-rich conditions.  Winter fishing provides many challenges and options and gives much satisfaction to those few who do take part. Notable Local Catches Brian Wright -  4 kg snapper on a pilchard at Ricketts Point Ernie Gladstone - two 4 kg snapper off Carrum Simon Freer – bag limits of snapper off Seaford Warren Jones – 65 cm flathead off Brighton Rod Billings – bluefin tuna (heaps!) Members in the News Eddy Zahra has now been part of two bluefin captures over 100 kg in the South West of the state. He heads a number of members who have had many fish in this area.   Rear Commodore Phil Goodier has become a Beaumaris Iceberger.  He takes regular swims near our jetties and has recovered a number of squid jigs.  With a water temperature of 10 degrees he has every chance of being lonely in this pursuit.   Allan Willoughby has a property at Corinella where he has captured good sized gummy shark on a regular basis near Elizabeth Island.   Hugh Videion has exchanged portfolios with Dennis Parnell.  Dennis is now Club Secretary while Hugh edits On Deck and Club communications.  Hugh will be updating fishing information on our Website on a regular basis.   Tim Hipkins Iron Lady Tour group landed and released nearly 600 barramundi to create a BMYS 12 year record.    New Tackle There is now a very fine high quality braid designed for squid fishing. It’s almost twice the price of other braids but the squid experts reckon it’s worth the money. Electric reels are now available in several brands and several models. They have opened up a whole new field not only for anglers who wish to explore the ocean’s canyons but also for disabled anglers who can now enjoy the sport. Anchor winches are now reaching a new level of sophistication; Club members are installing these and report few problems.  Fishing Location – Sugar Loaf Reservoir Even though it is part of Melbourne’s water supply Sugarloaf is open to angling all year round. Brown trout and redfin are caught on a regular basis in good numbers near the wall. Power bait, mud-eye, worms, yabbies and lures all produce fish. There are well maintained BBQs and toilets on-site and family access is excellent. The turnoff to the dam is on the Etham - Yarra Glen Road in the picturesque Christmas Hills area of St Andrews.  The East Link Freeway makes this area accessible to the Southern suburbs in around 1½ hours.  Best bar meal in Australia at the Yarra Glen Hotel.  A good school holiday day trip!!   Fishing For Spotted Trevella and Warehou Ideas for catching these enigmatic fish were published some years ago in On Deck.  Both species have a combined bag limit of 20 but no size limit.  They are covered in a mucous like coating hence their name “Spotties” (Yuk!)  They are delicious to eat fresh but must be skinned. Both species travel in large shoals and can be tempted to bite with copious burley.  They are “off the bottom feeders” so very light sinkers must be used right to the hook or with short paternoster leads.  The bait is lowered or cast so that it finishes a metre or so from the bottom. Bites are almost imperceptible but as more fish are attracted they become really fierce, sometimes attacking baits on the surface.  Squid, pippi, prawn, and fish pieces are all good baits. Use a 3 to 4 kg line and a No. 6 to 8 hook. P.S. “Spotties” also take small soft plastics, and both “spotties” and “snotties” make excellent snapper baits. As stated before these fish are covered in slime and they are best kept in a keeper net, which can be dragged behind the boat on the way home to make the cleaning task more pleasant. Fish should be filleted carefully as the backbones are quite soft.  The skin has a very strong flavour and should be removed. Ricketts Park Marine Park The squid season is attracting more boats inside the Ricketts Point Marine Park boundaries and “trespassers” are sighted almost daily.  While fines have been infrequent this is not to say that the zero tolerance policy has been discarded.  A word to the wise …… Beach Road residents regularly report boat rego numbers to the Fisheries Hot line. So even though Fisheries officers have not been present, offending boat rego numbers are recorded on their data base. Snapper Season Preparation Now is the time to re-spool those snapper reels and have them serviced.  “Jumping” drag washers should be replaced.  Rod runners should be inspected for fine cracks that can shred nylon. That dodgy old rod tip could cost a record fish. Rusty hooks should be discarded. Some anglers are hoarding squid legs and bodies in small freezer packs.  Small winter whiting heads and frames also make good snapper baits as do salmon fillets. Motors and safety gear should be in top condition as we all tend to travel much further and fish rougher in the spring.  There is nothing worse than a dragging anchor.  Those extra few metres of chain may take a bit of pulling up but it’s far better than drifting through the snapper fleet. By the time this On Deck is published and the next one is due snapper reports will start to come through. Usually the inshore marks fire up first with the Mordy Hump, The Traffic Lights, The Half Way, The Coral, The Fingers, and other reasonably close marks all producing early fish. Remember, the most successful snapper anglers watch the sun rise or set over their four rods tips, - and for the 25th time, the annual reminder, “There are no fish in the lounge room!”   Fishing Ideas Last season more and more anglers began using plastics on the larger fish from anchored or drifting boats. Peter Mathews was a trendsetter in this field and used 4 to 7 inch plastics on upto ¼ oz 4/0 jig heads. The lures can be cast ahead of a drifting boat or trailed behind.  From an anchored boat lures can be cast in any direction and worked back. Passive anglers can also catch fish just dangling the plastics straight down off the rod tip.   Did You Know? • There are two sub species of Australian salmon. The Eastern sub-species reach a maximum  weight of around 4 kg.  The Western sub-species can reach an astonishing 8kg in the far west  at Carnarvon.  The main difference apart from maximum size is the number of gill-rakers. • In some American states lead sinkers are banned. • The proposed legislation to re-allow the capture and consumption of Mako sharks has been delayed by the Senate.  It is now not expected until next year.  (Please check the GFAA web-site). • The body temperature of bluefin tuna is higher than the ambient water temperature;  hence BFT should be gutted and iced immediately on capture even in mid-winter. . Lee Rayner has produced a video showing this essential action in keeping BFT at table quality.   Food For thought Isn’t it time someone went through all of the TV channels including Foxtel, Ch 31, etc. and gave us the name, time, date and channel of each fishing program?   The Last Word Sydney Olympics 2000. “Are you a pole vaulter?” asked a spectator.  “Yes. I’m from Warsaw.  But how did you know my name was Walter?”  Latest News Luke Moulton <luke@go4.com.au>