Lovely day on the gar - and they're BIG down here

**Damien** · 27-07-2011, 12:37 PM

I was working hard on patrol yesterday, driving a quad bike along the beach, hard life I know, and checked an old fella who had a few big gar. Well the sun was forecast for today so I took a day's toil and hit the beach at Nene Valley for a few hours. Had garfish from the first cast and soon had my limit of 60, returning loads to fight another day. Also managed a few salmon and mullet. Great fun and didn't see a sole all day (they all hibernate down this way as it's winter, err 16C today

). It took me longer to butterfly the gar than to actually catch them - 3kg of fillets, yeah the gar are big down south! Didn't take one home less than 30cm, the legal limit is 23cm! The big ones fight well too, especially on my 1kg outfit.

I've just bought a big smoker so am gonna try to smoke a few. Smoked tuna is awesome, like the best smoked gammon you could ever wish for...oh hang on, do the tuna run in Adelaide?

Damo

**Adelaide_bound** · 27-07-2011, 01:12 PM

We were wondering what the legalities of fishing for food are in Australia - I know there is one fish you aren't allowed to put back if you catch it (but can't remember which one lol), but apart from that - can you just turn up at any sea shore, fish and eat what you catch? I'm talking in general here - you talk above about size limits, for eg, so obviously we would need to read up on the specifics nearer the time (is there a good place/book for this?) - or is it illegal to take things from the sea to eat unless you have a license?

As you can tell, I'm pretty clueless on such things lol - the husband is far more the hunter gatherer type....

**Tyke** · 27-07-2011, 01:48 PM

Nice one Damo,Gar are non existant up here at the moment.

**Tyke** · 27-07-2011, 01:49 PM

Adelaide_bound.

No licence needed but there are strict catch and size limits. Any tackle shop will have the free books given out by fisheries.

Here is the online version............

http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries/r..._legal_lengths

**Damien** · 28-07-2011, 01:19 PM

As Tyke says, you can pick up a booklet on size, bag and boat limits from most tackle shops. If you're 'lucky' enough to bump into one of us Fisheries Officers we can give you leaflets and measuring gauges for some spp, there's also the Fishcare vollies who patrol the jetties. Size limits are there to ensure the fish breed at least once, sustainable fishing is the key!

Oh yeah, the smokers on the go as I type, those gar smell bloody good.

**Adelaide_bound** · 28-07-2011, 05:30 PM

Many thanks guys, that is a relief :) Not that I know one end of a fishing rod from the other, but how hard can it be? (She giggles and twists her blonde hair as she says this :P).

**ShouldIStayOrShouldIGo** · 28-07-2011, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by Tyke

Nice one Damo,Gar are non existant up here at the moment.

As a rule of thumb, gar go off the bite in the cooler months around much of the metro coast.
An old fishermans tale says; no gar in months without an 'R' ie May/June/July?August

**Tyke** · 29-07-2011, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by ShouldIStayOrShouldIGo

As a rule of thumb, gar go off the bite in the cooler months around much of the metro coast.
An old fishermans tale says; no gar in months without an 'R' ie May/June/July?August

Trouble is that most fish are off the bite at the moment. The older fishermen here say they have never seen a winter like this.
This time last year I was hitting some hefty Snapper and bagging out on King George. Still plenty of Snook around locally though.

Looks like the KG's have moved west..........

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/con...7/s3275414.htm