Where are the Salmon

[Northwood]

Have been out a few time recently and noted the lack of schooling Australian Salmon. Also lucky enough to have a guided trip with Fishabout the other day. The guides said NSW fisheries have allowed netting of Salmon at the Hawesbury and further up the Coast. 

Any thoughts on that? 

[Welster]

34 minutes ago, Northwood said:

Have been out a few time recently and noted the lack of schooling Australian Salmon. Also lucky enough to have a guided trip with Fishabout the other day. The guides said NSW fisheries have allowed netting of Salmon at the Hawesbury and further up the Coast. 

Any thoughts on that? 

Personally I think salmon were in far bigger numbers a few years ago.   As to why I don’t really know.

[Nolongeramember]

1 hour ago, Northwood said:

Have been out a few time recently and noted the lack of schooling Australian Salmon. Also lucky enough to have a guided trip with Fishabout the other day. The guides said NSW fisheries have allowed netting of Salmon at the Hawesbury and further up the Coast. 

Any thoughts on that? 

You see Salmon school up and feed because of the bait fish that are there for them. If there isn’t any or less bait than usual you are not going to “see” as many salmon. Could be one possible reason. 

[masterfisho7]

The salmon where around the harbour for a time they seem to have left and the kings and tailor have moved in

[Oz98]

I was hoping to catch some too...

well atm the legal limits are any size, but 5 fish for the bag...

Have heard allot there not good eating, yet to see for myself.

Cheers, Oz. 

 

[JonD]

The last few years even down here on the south coast have been very quiet for salmon. Around 5 years ago indigenous netters were pulling them by the tons down here ( traditional fishing using spotting planes, 4x4's and small boats to get the nets out )https://www.naroomanewsonline.com.au/story/4240836/motion-to-enshrine-aboriginal-cultural-fishing-rights-fails-in-nsw-parliament/ .Now we see very few salmon or netters, must be the weather.

Edited November 19, 2018 by JonD

[Fox Bite]

But “terrible proposed marine park cancer”(c) has been stopped... which is good for a fish! Lol

[bombora]

Yep a few years ago the coalition NSW government decided to allow pros north of Sydney to net hundreds of tonnes of salmon each year specifically for commercial trap baits. Funnily enough since then salmon appearances appear to have become much more sporadic. Way to damage a fishery far more lucrative to the NSW economy as a rec species.

[GoingFishing]

I was actually discussing this with my old man just the other day.

We used to come across multiple schools off sydney with birds dive bombing...

This year we didnt encounter a single salmon school

[Oz98]

2 hours ago, bombora said:

Yep a few years ago the coalition NSW government decided to allow pros north of Sydney to net hundreds of tonnes of salmon each year specifically for commercial trap baits. Funnily enough since then salmon appearances appear to have become much more sporadic. Way to damage a fishery far more lucrative to the NSW economy as a rec species.

That's so dissapointing hear! 😔

[rickmarlin62]

there are large schools on the central coast  check dorsal for shark sightings on schools at avoca..they are north of newie  right up to swr     useless schools of bait eating crap....they should catch more.....when I was a kid we never caught them at Newcastle  now they go all the way to yamba  because there is so many of them they are spreading up the coast eating everything in their path  [yakkas slimies hatching squid] they come into lake mac gorging themselves on whitebait and arrow squid.....some people like them here but most loath the bloody things.....fun to catch  shit to eat compared to other local fish.....kill em all let our waterway get back to normal

[Northwood]

Contraversial view Rick. They are some of the most fun fighting fish on light gear. 

Thanks all for thoughts. 

The other thing i heard was the tbe size on legal Kings moves to 70cm and there will be a bag limit. 

Happy with that.

[kingfishbig]

1 hour ago, Northwood said:

Contraversial view Rick. They are some of the most fun fighting fish on light gear. 

Thanks all for thoughts. 

The other thing i heard was the tbe size on legal Kings moves to 70cm and there will be a bag limit. 

Happy with that.

There already is a bag limit. Also moves like that are put up for discussion - I haven't seen anything official. There is an article in the Narooma News about it but it looks more like rumour/ speculation.

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by kingfishbig

[Northwood]

Heard it from a full time guide last weekend. 

 Good if its true. More large fish and more fish full stop. Bag limit 3. 

[Oz98]

What do we think about the legal size of jewfish being lifted to 70cm?

most of you already know most likely as it was changed awhile ago.

i honestly think allot of species should be reassessed in terms of legal limits.

[Oz98]

On 11/20/2018 at 8:13 AM, rickmarlin62 said:

there are large schools on the central coast  check dorsal for shark sightings on schools at avoca..they are north of newie  right up to swr     useless schools of bait eating crap....they should catch more.....when I was a kid we never caught them at Newcastle  now they go all the way to yamba  because there is so many of them they are spreading up the coast eating everything in their path  [yakkas slimies hatching squid] they come into lake mac gorging themselves on whitebait and arrow squid.....some people like them here but most loath the bloody things.....fun to catch  shit to eat compared to other local fish.....kill em all let our waterway get back to normal

I did see some at my local fish market a few weeks ago... which is the first time ever I've seen them there in 2-3 years.

you could be right about them bring abundant in the south coast.

 

[cfish]

On 11/20/2018 at 8:13 AM, rickmarlin62 said:

there are large schools on the central coast  check dorsal for shark sightings on schools at avoca..they are north of newie  right up to swr     useless schools of bait eating crap....they should catch more.....when I was a kid we never caught them at Newcastle  now they go all the way to yamba  because there is so many of them they are spreading up the coast eating everything in their path  [yakkas slimies hatching squid] they come into lake mac gorging themselves on whitebait and arrow squid.....some people like them here but most loath the bloody things.....fun to catch  shit to eat compared to other local fish.....kill em all let our waterway get back to normal

Yep i heard the central coast guys wanted the numbers reduced a bit. I can remember before the salmon and kings recovered and species such as bonito and trailer were bigger without he completion. I've just driver up from Victoria and didn't see much bait about so maybe that's  part of the reason as well.