Parramatta River Carp and Bass

[E.T.]

Fishing Report for Saturday, 12th August 2017

I haven't really done much freshwater fishing in Australia before, and I heard that there are quite a few introduced carp that have been ruining the environment in the Parramatta river. I decided to have a go at catching one so I headed down to Little Coogee Park. It was a fairly warm day and I started fishing around 2:00pm using sweetcorn as bait. After about 2 hours of no bites I decided I would try fishing near a weir that I came across earlier.

After about 10 minutes of fishing, another guy came by and started flicking out what looked like a black 2 inch grub on a small jig head. Within seconds he was onto a nice fat Australian Bass. I talked to him for a while and he told me that it was his second bass of the day.

A few minutes later, the line on my reel tightened for a second before slackening again. I checked my bait and it was still there so I dropped the line back in. A couple seconds later line was screaming off my small 1000 reel. It was a real struggle to stop the fish from going under a bridge but it eventually surfaced and when it did my jaw dropped. The carp was albino and looked around the 80 centimetre mark. For a first carp, this was a pretty good fish in my books.

I didn't have a net with me so I walked it down to a rocky area to the side of the weir that was closer to the water level to try and land it. The bass fishermen I met earlier tried to help me land it but as soon as the fish came partly out of the water, it bent out and spat the hook. I watched in disbelief as the albino carp sank into shallow water where it sat for a few seconds before taking off.

I had mixed emotions. I was sort of relieved as I didn't know what to do with a carp anyway (I can't release it and I don't want to eat it) but on the other hand I didn't get a picture of it.

I will probably be heading back there next week with a landing net this time. Anyway, I hope this helps any anglers who are attempting to catch their first carp. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Cheers E.T.

[big Neil]

Nice report ET and well done "nearly" catching your 1st Carp. These are considered a pest in Australia and cannot be returned to the water alive. Good luck with the next outing mate. BN

[Revs]

Big Neil, The regs (in NSW) are, Carp can be returned to the site of capture. They can not be removed from site of capture and then released. Best advice is from the DPI.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/species/carp/groups/recreational-fishers 

Cheers

Revs

 

[DerekD]

I believe there is a slight correction regarding Carp catch and release rules. In NSW you are allowed to return the carp to the waterway but it is preferred that you dispatch it humanely and remove it from the ecosystem. See the following rules for NSW waters:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/species/carp/groups/recreational-fishers

I can't find the full link but in Queensland I believe that the fine for returning a carp to the waterway used to be about $200,000. Not kidding. At the very least see the current rules:

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries/pest-fish/noxious-fish/carp

The rules in other states are a variation of the above two scenarios.

Found the ruling on the Queensland fines relating to carp. I was wrong it wasn't $200,000 - it was $220,000.

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-updates/fisheries/news/sell-pest-fish-online-and-net-a-fine

Edited August 16, 2017 by DerekD

[ARC H]

Nice report bud

carp are a pretty good fight specially for how simple they are to catch

[big Neil]

10 hours ago, DerekD said:

I believe there is a slight correction regarding Carp catch and release rules. In NSW you are allowed to return the carp to the waterway but it is preferred that you dispatch it humanely and remove it from the ecosystem. See the following rules for NSW waters:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/species/carp/groups/recreational-fishers

I can't find the full link but in Queensland I believe that the fine for returning a carp to the waterway used to be about $200,000. Not kidding. At the very least see the current rules:

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries/pest-fish/noxious-fish/carp

The rules in other states are a variation of the above two scenarios.

Found the ruling on the Queensland fines relating to carp. I was wrong it wasn't $200,000 - it was $220,000.

https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-updates/fisheries/news/sell-pest-fish-online-and-net-a-fine

Thanks for correcting me Derek. I should have said that the Carp should not be returned to the water alive. They are a noxious pest and obviously we cannot be FORCED to kill them. I won't return them alive to the waters where I fish, there are far too many already. Cheers, BN

[Razzell]

It's a terrible shame that Carp have established themselves here. Being English though, and growing up fishing for them with my Dad (a die hard Carp man), I quietly enjoy knowing they're still available to me, should I wish. 

I also find it hugely interesting that they're so easy to catch here. A good fish is notoriously difficult to catch in the UK. Perhaps this is because of the cold weather and also because they tend to live in lakes that are fished frequently, so they've run the gauntlet many times. 

[DerekD]

Several years ago a gentleman rather high up in one of the UK fishing organisations was out here on a sabbatical. He got involved in the local fishing scene and from all the reports had some great opportunities and had a fantastic time. He genuinely could not understand why the carp was so despised by the Australian fishing community. I went on to explain at least my view on them which was:

• They often displace the native fish
• As a filter feeder they silt up the rivers and smaller streams
• In my experience they are not a big lure taker (yes I have caught them on bread fly but it is a lot of work and often unrewarding - give me a Ozzie bass any day)
• With some cultural exceptions they are not considered to be a good table fish

About the best thing I have found about them is they can grow to a reasonable size so can be fun on light tackle.

Doubt I changed his opinion but hope I clarified the Australian viewpoint.

Derek

[mrsswordfisherman]

@DerekD the man you referred to is a fishraider member  

His name is Martin Salter aka MartinthePom 

Search for his posts in particular a submission to NSW Rec Fishing Inquiry back in 2010. 

He attended a few socials such as our soft plastics workshop. He was an interesting chap to talk to.

Back to carp chat

[big Neil]

On 8/16/2017 at 6:46 PM, Revs said:

Big Neil, The regs (in NSW) are, Carp can be returned to the site of capture. They can not be removed from site of capture and then released. Best advice is from the DPI.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/pests-diseases/freshwater-pests/species/carp/groups/recreational-fishers 

Cheers

Revs

 

Sorry Revs. I wasn't ignoring your correcting me, I didn't see your post. You are,of course, correct. They are in plague proportions where I generally fish and I take every opportunity to get rid of as many as I can. They are excellent fun to catch, wish I could cotton on to enjoying eating them though. Cheers, BN

[big Neil]

11 hours ago, Razzell said:

It's a terrible shame that Carp have established themselves here. Being English though, and growing up fishing for them with my Dad (a die hard Carp man), I quietly enjoy knowing they're still available to me, should I wish. 

I also find it hugely interesting that they're so easy to catch here. A good fish is notoriously difficult to catch in the UK. Perhaps this is because of the cold weather and also because they tend to live in lakes that are fished frequently, so they've run the gauntlet many times. 

Totally agree with your assessment of the Carp situation in the UK. Fishing there is not only a very expensive past time, but the rewards are far more difficult to achieve than here. I grew up in the UK and fished for coarse fish, including Carp. An indicator of the numbers of Carp here is the size and shape of them compared to those in the UK. Much more competition for food here! We are definitely spoiled here by comparison. Cheers, BN

[MattGb1989]

Top report pal,

Am thinking about heading down there next week some time might run into you 

[DerekD]

10 hours ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

@DerekD the man you referred to is a fishraider member  

His name is Martin Salter aka MartinthePom 

Search for his posts in particular a submission to NSW Rec Fishing Inquiry back in 2010. 

He attended a few socials such as our soft plastics workshop. He was an interesting chap to talk to.

Back to carp chat

Yes Donna it was Martin Salter - well spotted. He was the friend of a friend of a friend and his Australian fishing education started when he first arrived and started fishing in Mosman with my usual group. I am almost certain I put him on to Fishraider as a starting point for local information and then he took it in leaps and bounds from there. The bugger used to borrow the squid I'd put in the hard yards to catch. Actually he was good company and was also part of our quiz team. I'm still jealous of the Lox rod he won at the Fishraider get together.

Being English he was very much into his coarse fishing and early on tried to use a lot of his standard techniques here (e.g. casting out a mini-burley bomb attached to his main line). He got into the luderick and drummer fishing as it was a nice transition from what he was used to doing. He made a comment years ago which still ruffles my feathers. He invited a few of us around to the area he was living for a fishing session and pointed out a section of water and mentioned something along the lines of this looks like a very good area for blackfish. To clarify - I'd chased luderick successfully for years before he'd arrived on these sundrenched shores. I'd also fished that particular area before. Seems afterwards that he told his missus something along the lines of now he was showing the locals how to do it. To me it was like promising to teach someone how to catch tuna and marlin and then pointing outside the heads and saying that is where they are - now you know.

Edited August 17, 2017 by DerekD

[Regan]

top report mate, never caught an albino carp

[letsgocrabbing]

18 months ago I spoke to a guy fishing between Lennox bridge and old king school weir, who showed me 2 photos of murray cod he had caught there.To much development around that pond now, but cant see any reason why they wouldn't be futher up in the park  As to carp.My father worked in maintenance dept in the psych hospital, behind the leagues club end of the park, in the 80's. There was a toxic spill in the river that killed the fish and the bodies floated to the banks.  I gave him a hand loading them on to our 6 foot box trailer for burial and there were carp the length of the trailer.

[E.T.]

On 16/08/2017 at 6:04 PM, big Neil said:

Nice report ET and well done "nearly" catching your 1st Carp. These are considered a pest in Australia and cannot be returned to the water alive. Good luck with the next outing mate. BN

 

On 16/08/2017 at 9:23 PM, ARC H said:

Nice report bud

carp are a pretty good fight specially for how simple they are to catch

 

On 17/08/2017 at 9:56 PM, MattGb1989 said:

Top report pal,

Am thinking about heading down there next week some time might run into you 

Thanks for the feedback. This was my first post so I wasn't really sure what to write.

[E.T.]

15 hours ago, Regan said:

top report mate, never caught an albino carp

I think it was probably one of those ornamental koi fish that people usually keep as pets.

[E.T.]

14 hours ago, letsgocrabbing said:

18 months ago I spoke to a guy fishing between Lennox bridge and old king school weir, who showed me 2 photos of murray cod he had caught there.To much development around that pond now, but cant see any reason why they wouldn't be futher up in the park  As to carp.My father worked in maintenance dept in the psych hospital, behind the leagues club end of the park, in the 80's. There was a toxic spill in the river that killed the fish and the bodies floated to the banks.  I gave him a hand loading them on to our 6 foot box trailer for burial and there were carp the length of the trailer.

That's a pretty cool story. It must have been amazing to see all those huge carp!

[Regan]

11 hours ago, E.T. said:

I think it was probably one of those ornamental koi fish that people usually keep as pets.

yeah ok

[HenryR]

There's no question they do come in amazing and wonderful colours for such a despised fish.

If you have easy access to them, try using earth worms as bait. I've only ever done it once: was somewhere expecting fish other than carp. The carp ate all the worms up in no time and then, once I'd resigned to fact that it was carp or nothing else, they wouldn't touch bread or any of the corn we'd brought just in case there were carp!

[E.T.]

2 hours ago, HenryR said:

There's no question they do come in amazing and wonderful colours for such a despised fish.

If you have easy access to them, try using earth worms as bait. I've only ever done it once: was somewhere expecting fish other than carp. The carp ate all the worms up in no time and then, once I'd resigned to fact that it was carp or nothing else, they wouldn't touch bread or any of the corn we'd brought just in case there were carp!

Alright. I will probably try some worms next time. Can you buy worms from shops or would it be better to catch them by hand?

[big Neil]

17 hours ago, E.T. said:

Alright. I will probably try some worms next time. Can you buy worms from shops or would it be better to catch them by hand?

U should be able to buy them but they are expensive. Have a look round for somewhere you can dig ur own. Good bait for most freshwater species mate. BN

[HenryR]

On 20/08/2017 at 6:27 AM, big Neil said:

U should be able to buy them but they are expensive. Have a look round for somewhere you can dig ur own. Good bait for most freshwater species mate. BN

yep, look under some rocks, or dig 'em up, or be extra nice to someone who has one of those funny home worm farms. You'll probably do well enough with bread and corn anyways.

Or baked beans?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVSCEU2s1aw

If you've not yet dived in to the world of UK how to catch carp vids ... give it a try there's a whole alternative universe of baits and techniques to try

Edited August 21, 2017 by HenryR

[THE BREAM REAPER]

or if you can sight fish the carp, use a zman grub 2inch, i caught a carp on one of them a few days ago i watched it feed its way up to it, looked at it so i jigged it very lightly and watched it eat it then struck the hell out of it! my first lure caught carp...

Edited August 21, 2017 by THE BREAM REAPER