Fishing Southern NSW Report 0802

We’re heading towards that time of year where many a best laid fishing plan unfortunately can come undone.

The welcoming warmth of a doona and a sleep in has resulted in many an avid fisho reaching for the snooze button. Cooler months can be a real burden on local anglers, for many it seems like our only real fishing options are early first light hauls dodging Kangaroos for an Alpine Trout fix or day trip sorties chasing South Coast Snapper. What if I told you (Nay, reminded you) that some of the best sports fishing action is a little closer to home, still gets he blood pumping and by participating you would be doing the world a favour and in turn yourself. To prepare your mindset it's time to reflect on the days of old, horrible hand me down fishing gear and the humble can of corn... And yes, sure you can substitute the corn for a rusty hook, oversized sinker and some Tiger Worms.

Known by the scientific name Cyprinus Carpio, Carp are often regarded as the world's most common Freshwater fish, and unfortunately the cause of many of our waterways concerns. Numbers are still in plague proportions Australia wide and locally appear in far greater numbers than when I was tackle rat. While that old Monaro Trout stream you spent trophy years on has well and truly dried up the Carp are still here where you left them on that picnic in 1985 all those years ago... And yes, you can target them on Fly, ultra finesse gear or the old battle winch.

With the advent of the modern rod and reel fishing for Carp has become more enjoyable than ever. Two piece rods are no longer frowned on and small quality reels can quite easily handle up to 7kg of drag pressure. No longer are beach fishing outfits with 12000 sized reels the norm, in fact it's quite the opposite. Some of the best Carp I have landed have been on lightweight gear, I might not be pumping and winding or reaching for the gaff but my angling skills are still being pushed to the limit the entire time. Dare to go down a line class or two and the action intensifies but techniques you used as a kid still apply... and yes, they still pull very hard.

So with all these references to a high quality sport where does 'Doing yourself a favour' come into it? It's at this stage I would like readers to look beyond the fight and focus on the disposal. Don't worry I'm not about to go off on some tangent defending these pests, more the positive by-products of targeting said fish as an individual angler. While technically it's not illegal in the ACT and NSW to return Carp to the water once caught many clued up anglers actually target them for a purpose. Some fillet them up for Snapper bait: scale first and then fillet.  Freeze the fillets for bait, keep the frame for fertilizer. Some also quite happily eat them (Recent recipes look very tempting) but many just end up in a bin away from the water's edge... And yes, they stink to high heaven. There is a healthy alternative to disposal that myself and friends have adopted. Using the same golden age philosophies such as planting a passionfruit vine on top of a liver (Or Ox Heart) we have been burying the whole fish or the frame in our Vegetable plots.

After several months results have shown Carp completely breakdown (Including bones), and its during this process that your plants and seedlings see ultimate benefits. Since we have employed this technique the results have been absolutely outstanding. Not only is it adding valuable nutrients to the soil but its only costing us a few cans of corn a year and very little of our precious free time... And yes, I'm sure some gardeners are plugging their noses!

Derek 'Paffoh' Steele
http://www.importtackle.com