Big Fish

Our first cast this episode is with the Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO Travis Dowling about their model of fisheries management that is underpinned by sustainability.

Being a stand alone fisheries organisation the VFA has been very proactive and nimble in implementing evidence based management of the resources and measures to protect habitat and fish stocks.

According to fishing guru Kaj Busch who lives on the NSW/Victorian border and finds himself fishing more and more on the Southern side, NSW could learn a lot from the Victorian's proactive evidence based approach to fisheries management.

Weekly fishing news, events and tips etc from a NSW perspective.

Mel Marlborough has the first cast on this episode of The Big Fish. Mel takes us back to the 4th of April in 2007 when she hooked a 1.150 kilo Whiting in Lake Macquarie on, spiderweb thin, 2 kilo line.

Her capture is in the ANSA record book for Sand Whiting or Yellowfin Whiting as they are also known.

Pictured: Scott Levi with a 40cm Whiting caught very close to where Mel caught and released her beast. Mel's fish would have been at least 10cm longer than Scott's fish and 500grams heavier!

Fishing is usually regarded as an outdoor pursuit but it has been so wet they are catching and releasing them indoors at the famous Boatshed and tackle shop at the Entrance.

The floods have been awful but one of the Boatshed staff had a lighter moment when she grabbed a little pink hire fishing rod off the wall and proceeded to catch a legal size flathead out the door.

The fish dropped off the hook after this picture was taken and the flathead was last seen swimming under the bait freezer!

Lucky Mid North Coast fisho Peter Cording tuned in to The Big Fish and the cross with Col Trenaman from behind the tackle shop counter. Col shared his experience of catching Jew Fish during a big wet.

Peter went out and put the tactics, tackle and techniques mentioned into action and a monster 28 kilo Mulloway was his reward!

The moral to the story, if you want to catch BIG fish, listen to The Big Fish!

Michael Guest has been on a Big Barra Blitz following the Queensland Bass to Barra trail. Including a first for the Reel Action TV host, a PWC caught Barra. (pictured here at Kinchant Dam)

First cast this morning is with Nadia Taylor who loves fishing so much she would fish in a bucket! Nadia has some great fishing adventures planned now that borders have reopened.

Nadia won the "Barra-prentice" an event designed by Jo Starling to mentor women in fishing. Pictured here by Jo with an NT Saratoga.

Our first cast is with Botany Bay Bernie, famous fishing musician Stewart D'Arrietta and Dog Fish Dave. We cross to our adventurers on Botany Bay, anchored up under the flight path and spreading the burley when Dave hooks something huge, keep listening to find out what is on the other end of the line!

Matt Hansen from Dubbo has been awarded an OAM for his work, along with an army of helpers at OzFish Unlimited, for saving native fish and their habitat in the Central West.

The scheme to put fish filters on all irrigation pumps and off takes on the Macquarie River stops the fish from being sucked out of the main flow to their death. A simple but effective initiative that has saved millions of fish and our farmers millions of dollars.

Matt is our first cast on this episode of The Big Fish.

How hard is it to catch a Sydney Harbour Kingfish on fly? It has been on Scott's bucket list for years and he has finally ticked it off!