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View Full Version : Are we giving out too much info in reports ??



Billo
14-11-2005, 01:19 PM
I have been noticing a lot of late that as soon as a few good reports come up on the net, the spot gets inundated with boats .

Take mud island for example , several times this year there have been good reports posted about the snapps ..once you get a few people showing pictures of good reds and terms such as ' bag out ' we hear within a few days the trawlers are hitting it , AND HITTING IT HARD

Same goes for many a location .
A report last week about cobes on the beacons ....i went into the local tackle shop and he says ' i hear the cobes are out at #### beacon '
sure enough every beacon had a boat or ten on it .

I know that information can come from many locations and word of mouth , but it is uncanny that a lot of these movements get triggered by reports on this site, maybe we are giving it up too easily.

I love to let people know where and when the fish are on without giving too much away , but maybe we are giving too much info out ....i too am guilty of this on occasions :-/

Does anyone feel that giving away locations of reports is leading to mass invasions by all sorts ?

I know several of the long time members are aware of this , and will fool quite often with the location they were fishing and also pay attention to how they take their photo's

Some other sites have rules on reports these days as to not identifying exact locations , as they too have found by sharing with their ' site members ' they are inadvertinatly sharing with the universe ...even those who do not post , but browse the site for the info they needed .....the old ' take without giving ' .

Does anyone else feel we should try and get around this ???


Possible ideas ....

# #' Reports ' forum available to members only , with a 10 post minimum on other forums
# #Photos should not show landforms that distinctly show the location
# #Locations not to be mentioned in posts , but only to be shared through PM's of interested parties
# #General area only to be given in post


These are my thoughts , but i am sure many others agree ...

I have made this a poll just to see how people feel about it , so not to go on comments alone .

Black_Rat
14-11-2005, 01:33 PM
I don't think there is too much info, I need all the help I can get #::) ;D & the reports on here have little if no influence on were I fish.
Damo.

wewak1111
14-11-2005, 01:43 PM
I don't think it matters, they're out there on the dams with binoculars, and as soon as your rod bends, they swarm like flies anyway.

gunna
14-11-2005, 01:45 PM
I think its up to the individual posting to decide whether he wants the spot to be flogged or not.

Personally, I would do less descriptive photos and let any enquiring people know by PM about the spot. That would provide the info to interested members without telling the world.

Pwoida
14-11-2005, 01:48 PM
If it stops the trawlers finding our spots then I'm all for a crack-down.

Poseidon
14-11-2005, 02:10 PM
I enjoy reading many of the posts in the report section as it keeps me motivated to try and land a few of those big-ones that are being reported by others more experienced than myself.

Many of these reports contain only general information as to where the fish were caught eg. Seaway, The Pin, Tweed etc and the exact location the fish were caught in would remain a mystery to many anyway.

For me, the knowledge that good fish are being caught in any one of the SEQ Estuaries gives me at least some idea of other locations to try.

Take the Pin for example, with the number of posts over recent months with better than average Flathead being taken, I for one would still have no idea as to the exact location in the Pin that any of these fish were caught in. However the Pin is on one of my to-do fish lists. Others may be able to identify from the photo the exact spot, but for me every background seems to look the same.

Please keep the posts with even a general location flowing as there must be others like me, novice, who appreciate any tips on locations to try next, even if they are broad and non-specific.

Thanks.

Regards Cameron.

Whatever
14-11-2005, 02:12 PM
I think if you start limiting too high of a post count before you can see the report, might encourge post whoring.

SCOTTYGC
14-11-2005, 02:43 PM
Whats "post whoring" ::)

scotty

essky
14-11-2005, 02:57 PM
I would have no problem if the reporting was more generalised. eg. North moreton instead of hutchies or western rocks, or bay islands instead of peel.

I have seen it happen a few times now where a place is being lightly fished, but after a good report, it all of a sudden becomes very popular. In saying that, I am just as guilty as rushing off to the latest hot spot after reading a report.

thats my 2 cents worth

Jitlands
14-11-2005, 03:15 PM
Says a lot about how good a fisho you are and what you are really getting out of fishing if you need to hang onto someone elses coat tails to get a result.

Just the same as when you catch a fish on a lure you made yourself the satisfaction is increased tenfold when you nut out a new spot of your own.

Its the thrill of the hunt that makes the trip memorable not the kilos in the kill box

Billo
14-11-2005, 03:36 PM
Says a lot about how good a fisho you are and what you are really getting out of fishing if you need to hang onto someone elses coat tails to get a result.

Just the same as when you catch a fish on a lure you made yourself the satisfaction is increased tenfold when you nut out a new spot of your own.

Its the thrill of the hunt that makes the trip memorable not the kilos in the kill box #


Yep , but the problem is not always amogst those we know ....others ARE watching these sites and reports and when we let the world know where they are , there goes another 50 kg of fish ...or worse .

some areas are general enough as it is ...ie ' the pin ' is huge ......massive area and too many different areas too concentrate on .

Mud on the other hand , although a large area , the pros love it ...if the fish are on , they don't just concentrate on one area , they smack the whole thing !
Especially when we report NE corner etc etc

I would not like to see contributing fishos lose out on a lot of valuable information from other members , but more or less keep valuable information amongst contributing fishos ...
just not sur3e about the best way to get around it

Billo
14-11-2005, 03:38 PM
I think if you start limiting too high of a post count before you can see the report, might encourge post whoring.


Already got that with PM's and ' For sale ' section .....so may not be appropriate resolution

DALEPRICE
14-11-2005, 03:53 PM
good topic billo,
i think that giving a general
idear of the area is more than enough.
cheers dale

bugman
14-11-2005, 03:59 PM
Billo,

I'm not having a shot at you personally - my comments are in general.

I'm sorry but I still don't seem to see the relationship between the high reports of fish at Mud island and the recent appearance of trawlers there. Can someone please explain what people think was going on here? Do people think that these trawlers (I can only presume prawn trawlers - as I didn't see them) were running their nets acrros the undulating spoil ground around the western, northern and southern ends of Mud Island. Do people think they were targeting snapper - is that the correlation. Lots of recos catching snapper so the pros hear about it and go an net them all?????

1) If you operater under a T license in Queensland (Trawl). You are not permited to have finfish of any form on board. I refer to the DPI Queensland:

Other permitted species
Operators in the East Coast Trawl Fishery are allowed to keep and sell a number of byproduct species - that is, species taken incidentally while targeting others, such as prawns. Byproduct species are an economically important part of the overall catch in the East Coast Trawl Fishery, particularly in Moreton Bay.
Permitted species (other than the target species) are blue swimmer crabs, barking crayfish, cuttlefish, mantis shrimp, octopuses, pinkies, pipefish, red spot crabs and Balmain bugs.

2) Do you think these operators would risk $40k in nets on a couple of hundred dollars of snapper.

3) Do you know what happens when trawlers snag their nets - the snapper fishery gets a new spawning aggregation site and the divers get a new wreck.

4) Do you think that the co-incidence might have somehting to do with the run of summer prawns in the Bay and - or the start of the sand crab migration.

5) What's the percentage of prawn trawlers actuallly working during the day - anyone seen one.

Sorry - I digress but leaps of logic sometimes can be misleading and those misleadings lead to misunderstandings that perpetuate many myths involved in the fishing industry. None of that helps anyone.

Any half decent fisherman knows that this time of year - mackeral and cobia start to appear in the bay and they'll congregate around bait schools. Where are the baits schools - around the beacons. Better fisherman know where other bait schools congregate and you won't see a lot of them at the beacons with the crowds.

Fishing is learning - the more you learn the better you catch fish. Those that copy will catch some fish but never progress.

I used this site when I joined 5 years ago to learn, as do most of the new members joining now. It's a fantastic resource for everyone. The best thing about this site is that a lot of people with a lot of learning are willing to share that. We should never forget that and we should do all we can to encourage it.

Brett

JB
14-11-2005, 05:10 PM
Top answer there Brett, it was confusing me too as to what the trawlers might be doing exactly. On the whole "sharing to much info" issue, i think it can work both ways. Some days i think "thank god for that info from ausfish" and other days i think "dam ausfish, now everybody knows where to go" . I think the ideal situation would be where everybody shares as much info as they can (but that would be in a dream world unfortuatley) .

I'll continue to post my reports, but they wont be coming with gps marks ;) :)

Jas

rando
14-11-2005, 05:24 PM
I know that some of the writers for local fishing magazines throw in the odd red herring when compiling reports, otherwise their spot Xs would get flogged.

In relation to your poll Billo, I need all the help I can get, being land based and with work and family, Id be lucky to get a couple of fishing sessions a month.

Having a bit of a heads-up means a lot. Having said that most of the highly productive areas that are reported here are out of reach for me.
But it helps to sort out target species, general areas, to prospect , that sort of thing when you see what and where others are having success.

dfox
14-11-2005, 05:37 PM
Im interested in this as well brett! I'd be concerned more with tunnel nets for the taking of fish. Theres no doubt the trawlers wouldnt be targeting fish,and even more so on a reefy bottom, and with chrissy coming fresh prawn prices rise, and its many of us that buy this product? so a potential food source for the fish maybe targeted. The lack of a good food source in the area may cause the fish to move to other areas.
Maybe theres other reasons at play for poor catches? the spawning season has ended, what were catches like at this time in previous years?
Onto the topic, due to many reports on the big snapper season we experienced off the north coast, id have to say that it did cause an increase in the number of boats targetting them, and we may see the same happen with the wahoo and mackeral as well as the reports flood in. Even though i know what i intend to target before they turn up, i still look for early reports for inspiration. As with everyone we're always learning...

gogecko
14-11-2005, 06:47 PM
Interesting topic Billo, and great input by Brett.

I think if it is is happening, then its limited to Moreton Bay, and a few well known offshore reefs.

Ive been following all the Goldy estuary posts, and most posters will not give away their spots, although happy to talk about lures and rigs. Those that do give away spots, well you can be there a few days later, and nobody else is there, because the fish have all gone anyway. It changes that quickly.

Having said that, a few local tackle shops have admited to lurking on this site.

Billo
14-11-2005, 06:53 PM
I don't know any of the details of trawlers or pro fishing in general Brett.....i don't know they're rules or how they fish for what ever they are fishing for ...guess i should do my homework
I guess seeing as there is so much misunderstanding around how they make a living , maybe it would be good if someone who knows the game explains it to the rest of us.

But as a general rule , a word gets out about a good spot firing , every man and his dog are on to it ...yes some of that has to do with people not linked to this site and going on their own knowledge ...there are multidude of reasons ...i am not saying that reports from this site are the sole contributor to overcrowded fishing spots

As i stated , i would not like to see information taken away from beginners ....but the question is more in relation of ' do you think the information that we contribute goes out to more then just to those who contribute back ...understanding not ALL members can contribute on a large scale directly with increasing mebers catches , but even novices contribute to the site in one form or another , doesn't necessarily have to be directly related to fishing ...and thats fine ...sharing in any manner is contributing in my books ..


If not ....then that is fine too .....a one sided debate is not a healthy debate ....for and against are all welcome ! ;)

stu68
14-11-2005, 07:06 PM
I love reading the reports,I don"t care if they give locations or not. just to see what is being caught is great ,it fires me up for my next trip knowing there is a chance of getting the big one.
Cheers

Kiktz
14-11-2005, 07:35 PM
thanks for all you spots Billo

Love your work Brother

PinHead
14-11-2005, 08:09 PM
There are several types of fishermen:

1. The ones who target certain species...they go fishing on the tides, moon phases, wind direction etc and they know what they are doing. When all these are correct then you will probably find quite a few of them on the gorunds where the species is, whether it be Mud, DI or the Banks. They are usually successful.

2. The ones who spot some boats and anchor up there and hope to catch any fish but generally don't because they don't have the right equipment etc to target the species. These are sometimes successful.

3. Then there are the ones, like me, who have never been fishing at DI or the Banks and probably never will. Would not have the faintest idea about fishing there..to be honest...could not catch a cold in the middle of a snow storm...however some of them may see a report and go there...HOPING..but failing.

I would suggest that the group 1 guys make up the most numbers at the best locations..they have acquired this knowledge from a lot of time spent fishing...therefore when the conditions are right they are there in numbers and catching fish..as for the other 2 groups...we just keep the economy ticking over by buying fuel, bait, fishing gear etc but not really troubling the scorer on the catch rate.

Burley_Boy
14-11-2005, 08:39 PM
I really don't know how to vote here... I appreciate to know if the Snapper are on or the Hoo are coming down or the Spots are on a Palm etc and yes I do know this influences if the 24's get hit or Palm etc but I'm actually more interested in knowing what to look for and what influences the behaviour.
Teach me how to find my spot X and I'd rather search for it rather than someone giving me their "secret" spot on the 24's.

Greg puts on thousands of km's to find his top spots and I do admit that I don't have the time at the moment to do that sort of thing so sure after Greg has spent 200kms of fuel to find a great spot that GPS mark has a real material value. But I don't expect him to post it but i do expect him to say what he saw and what made him drop a line. Thats what makes it a challenge for me next time I go out and finding new ground is becoming as interesting as landing a fish though the two go hand in hand.

I didn't realize that a note on here about trolling a specific area could have a large impact on that area and if it does then lets be careful but please keep the tips coming on how I increase my skills and where I should be concentrating.
Maybe PM's to people who you feel may benefit may be a great way to help and encourage. The occasional PM to me has been greatly appreciated, thanks guys.

1810B
14-11-2005, 08:58 PM
Better than a top answer Bugman. It appears that a lot of people on here do not know how prawn trawling operates and that a lot are under the impression that the trawlers are working for fish. Fish trawls are not allowed in Queensland. As to lots of boats showing up at good spots, its been happening since the 70's when fishing programs started on air. e.g.4GG on the Gold Coast with Bert Cockerell. He knew we were catching fish, but we would just say the 36s when he rang us . The greatest pressure put on reef fish has been technology, starting with tinnies, outboards, radar, Gps, the latter being the worst. There are no more secret or hard to find spots. As to Mud Island, the western side and northeastern side have always been anchorages during daytime. How do you know if a trawler is not working? If you can see the trawl boards and nets up the mast or nets on top of the water.And here is another thought. How many of those big bay snapper caught have roe or melt in them when cleaned.

rajawolf
14-11-2005, 09:06 PM
Why have a forum if u want to hog the spots and not share...all I can think of is greed. :-[

Bah!

Scott15
14-11-2005, 09:13 PM
Whats "post whoring" ::)

scotty
over to you chemmy lol ;D ;D ;D

DaveSue_Fishos_Two
14-11-2005, 09:34 PM
Well I'll be blowed if I know. I love your response Brett, commonsense, logic and balance.
There are approx 81/2 thousand members of Ausfish, and while I am sure that many live in the SE of Qld I am just as sure that there are thousands who don't. Many of us, myself included, haven't got a clue where half of the places that you SE blokes rave about are. And, I personally couldn't care less. I love reading the reports, the photo's and all the rest of it. I have never seen a GPS co given out on the site, and if there is land showing in the background of a photo then I believe that only a fool would presume that it is indicative of where the fish was taken. We might all be lowly fisho's, but we are not d!ckheads. For goodness sake, we rarely share reliable spots with our mates at the local, let alone posting on a national and international fishing site! Post your photo's and your baits and your rigs and your spots, I LOVE READING ABOUT IT ALL!!!!!

Thank you and Cheers to you all

Dave

adriancorrea
14-11-2005, 09:44 PM
I totally agree with Burley Boy
I dont want to know your GPS mark, but how you found it.

Tight Lines
Adrian

mackmauler
14-11-2005, 11:51 PM
The numbers of boats in SEQ is staggering really, each to there own some are happy to fish in a big crowd like palm beach reef others prefer it much quieter, it wont really make a scrap of difference to places like palm beach reef if a report goes up or the sand pumping jetty, its a shitfight all the time in those places.

Say for example a certain rock wall in one of the rivers had pics inc big jacks and was recognisable it would cop an absolute flogging, sure you may have helped someone out but certainly pissed off the regulars who may have respected the spot for sometime.

By and large my observations are most enjoy a few pics in the reports and a degree of mystery doesnt go astray, the fish have a hard enough time coping with the hunting methods of modern man, we dont need to send an army out to hunt the last one down.

GBC
15-11-2005, 07:18 AM
Like the reply bugman, finally some people who understand how to trawl. I don't want to get too far off topic but to address the comments about trawlers removing snapper food (prawns). CSIRO shut down Princess Charlotte Bay (a significant fishery)in the early nineties for a complete season, and their trawler was the only vessel allowed to operate in those waters for study purposes. Results showed that there was no general increase in the amount of prawns available - however there was was a significant increase in goat fish and other non-significant bycatch who feed on prawns. The prawns don't breed in the bay, so the same amount will turn up each year depending on factors such as cyclones, habitat destruction (intertidal and mangrove), and rainfall.
I fished mud yesterday and there would have been 8 boats there, of whom all were sleeping because it is a great anchorage.
As for giving away marks on the internet - ridiculous

uripper
15-11-2005, 08:32 AM
Billo & ors

Have been "watching" the Ausfish site for last the 18 months - learning, fishing, failing, - then more learning, fishing, failing etc etc. Have only just summoned up the confidence to register as a member poster. :)

This site is a wonderful resource for rec fishos of all skill levels - especially for beginners and novices. Share your concern about spots getting flogged following a post on exact location. Your suggestion to use general references such as "southern bay islands" rather then "NE Mud" is the simple solution to this problem.

As a part-time fisho with heavy work and family commitments, I really appreciate the heads up freely given by most members e.g. the Wahoo starting to turn up at Hutchies. :D

By far, the most valuable posts are those by people prepared to share the details such as time, tide, tackle, bait, method etc etc. The posts that I would really like to see discouraged are those that fall into the "FIGJAM" & "Look at Me - Look at Me" category and the "nice catch mate" & "wow good fish pal" replies - neither of these types advance the stated goals of the Ausfish site - they seem to be more intent on simply increasing their post count.

Congratulations to all those responsible for the creation and maintenance of this site. The 9000 registered users in 4 years is evidence of its success. Would really encourage the facilitation of "meet and greets" for Ausfish members at various locations e.g. Gold Coast, South Brisbane, North Brisbane, Sunny Coast etc

Max

PS - please excuse my Internet ignorance but what does "LOL" mean?

blaze
15-11-2005, 09:54 AM
Hi Max
LOL (laugh out loud)
cheers
blaze

Duyz72
15-11-2005, 03:44 PM
You will rarely, if ever find a spot X that is super super secret and belong to you and your fishing exploits only. If the weekend brigade (ie most of us) can find and fish a good area, why wouldn't a pro have the same fishing knowledge and capabilities. Especially around obvious places like an island or channel. Indeed, you would consider that they would have more cunning, since they are out on the water for a living. Perhaps you have been fishing in their spot X all this time! :P
And I'm not just limiting the pro badge to trawlers, you also have pro fishers and the charters out there all week long.

Now I don't agree with disrespectul and dangerous behaviour such as closing right in, or anchoring in someones burley trail or drift line etc.
But I also hear quite a few complaints made about 'my day was ruined because I didn't have the whole ocean to myself sort of thing, and all I got was 5 mackeral, 2 cobia and a trout before I had to leave coz there was just so many boats in my spot' :'(

Come on fellas, have you ever seen a trawler on it's lonesome? These blokes have to pick a line and stick to it because there's a heap of others doing the exact same thing shoulder to shoulder. They get one run at it, no room to turn around/sweep or anything as flexible as that.
And they aren't there for a fun day out, it is to Eeek out a living somehow. Imagine how cheesed they get about it.
So I cut the trawlers a whole heap of slack, especially since they and us are pretty much targeting 2 different parts of the ocean. Yes it's a lot of traffic, but that's life and I am yet to see a pro follow an amateur around the bay stealing their spots.

If you hear from someone at the pub that they caught a whole swag of fish at a certain spot, would you do the 'honorouble' thing and not go there?
Of course you'd swing past it on your next outing and see how it fishes.

And . . . .yup nearly finished lol
Although there's a whole whack of members on Ausfish (I do enjoy the site so much I am on it nearly every day), it seems that some people feel that the site is gospel. I have no delusions that if Ausfish closed down today, there would still be the same situation. Where there are fish there are people trying to catch the fish (and quite a few trying in spots where there were fish a few days ago, or even supposed be there because they were there last year).

Billo
15-11-2005, 05:24 PM
A lot of fair comments ....but no one said anything about giving out ' secret ' spots as being the be all and end all to finding fish ( well i didn't anyway ).
And anyone who says that people who do not let everyone know where and when to get a fish are ' GREEDY ' ...are full of emselves .
The guys that really know what they are doing ( for the record, i would not say i am up there with the hot shots ) know their stuff because of endless hours on the water ....they put in the HARD YAKKA and the dollars to be able to get onto some fish....and they bloody well deserve it
These people share their info with others , and the old grape vine trickle sees hundreds knowing .

I agree that by giving someone a location or even GPS mark does not mean they are going to get fish ...nor that that spot is a secret spot or fires or can be hit at any time for a feed.....
The 2 hardest things about fishing are Finding where the fish are and Finding WHEN they bite ,...this is the bit that takes time , understanding them .
Although by giving out a location of a firing spot does not mean a hell of a lot in the long term , but for those doing their hard yards to finally find fish , and have hords of boats out there next day break because of the grape vine, adds to crowds , noise pollution , and possibly to some extent due to fishing methods and SOME peoples tactics , could see a hammering of the fish stocks holding over those days and the fish could quite rapidly dispurse.

I too have been honoured to find out HOW to fish certain spots and when by members of this site ...that is one of the main reasons i have improved a lot of my techniques...and i owe it to other people ...and no one including me wishes to limit the learning of others ....(Teaching techniques can be better then putting em on a spot anyhow )

Go on ...tell a few mates where the fish ....tell a few interested members where the fish are ...let each other improve ......but keep the hard learnt lessons to people who deserve the input ....not any Tom dick or harry who floats on nets looking for the next esky filling mission on a volitile spot .
When the fish are on .....we love getting em , but if they get hammered to quickly and hard , who knows where your next screaming ratchet will come from.

NeilD
15-11-2005, 06:57 PM
I think you will find the trawlers are in the lee of mud to get a days sleep so they can work the prawns the following night.

Any info given should be at the posters discretion. I would not give out directions to a spot with limited resident fish but see no problem with saying the Hoo are on at Hutchies etc. For most areas by the time something is posted and a trip organised, the fish have probably moved on or the moon or tidal phase has changed.

Neil

SeaSaw
15-11-2005, 10:44 PM
Very interesting topic Billo and something I often think about. It is always a problem deciding how much information to give out ..... On the one hand it is great to try and help people who are starting out with fishing (and we all had to learn from somewhere, and I am still learning) ... on the other hand all this information could be contributing to the destruction of once good fishing locations.

I have noticed over the past few years the increased interest (on this site) in many of the offshore areas off the Sunshine Coast, with people appearing to travel a lot further to fish this area on a regular basis. Mind you, I have not really noticed an increase in boat traffic on the wide reefs over the last 7 years or so, it just seems to be increased numbers of reports on this site. This could be because of greater membership rather than actual increased fishing pressure.

However, I fear that this will be very short lived given the rapid population explosion in SE QLD, which is expected to result in a million addional people moving to SE QLD, many who are here for the better life including the fishing. In makes you wonder how far we are going to have to travel in 10 years time to bring home a feed of fish. If we all kept secrets, would the fishing pressure on good spots be less ..... I doubt it. It is simple mathematics, more people = more fishing pressure. Unfortunately, the only real answer I can see to this problem is for stricter fisheries management, because the information will get out and the fishing spots will get found.

Getting back to the original question, I think holding back information is not going to help in the long term. However, I do think that providing only general information on locations is a good idea, particularly when there are heavy aggregations of fish in a specific location for a short period of time. But in the long term, any self management we imposed on ourselves will not help to sustain the fisheries, it needs to be done through better education and better management of bag and size limits, and I wish I didn't have to say this, but more protection measures (but sensible ones).

Just my thoughts. Cheers,

Mark

gunna
16-11-2005, 07:55 AM
4) Do you think that the co-incidence might have somehting to do with the run of summer prawns in the Bay and - or the start of the sand crab migration.

Brett

Theres one I didn't know. Are you saying that sand crabs are netted by trawlers. I always figured it was all pots.

bugman
16-11-2005, 08:38 AM
Gunna,

Sand crabs are meant to be a bycatch product of the trawlers industry. If you ask me - sometime they make up the majority of the catch - especially at certain times of the year.

Brett

Billo
16-11-2005, 09:01 AM
There is no doubting that there is no way to decrease pressure on fish stocks by witholding certain location information .This needs to be done by other Long Term means

There are times that fish may hold in a particular area for a few days or a week or even more.
The guys that do the hard yards are usually the ones that find em first .
Usually some of the spots ( secret or even bloody obvious ) can hold fish for sometimes weeks on end .

If widely advertised they are there ....they may get hammered and dissapear within days .
If the info is shared in a quiet manner , there is a higher potential that there will not be an immediate increase on fisherman at that spot , hence the fish may hold for longer ...allowing those that do the hard yards and anyone that is honoured by recieving the hot tip , to be able to fish it succesfully for longer .

In this scenario , even giving out the bloody obvious spots can be damaging on that hold of fish at that time ...even more so then a vague area as more people know the spot and will be on it like flies on sh!^ in no time .

The feeling is more that we should be subtle in our reports and use PM's or other means to give out the hot tips to ensure we ( being the contributing AUSFISH members and friends ) get the the most we can out of that holding of fish .....and not every person that wafts through the net and others down the grape vine.

Billo
16-11-2005, 09:18 AM
Billo & ors

By far, the most valuable posts are those by people prepared to share the #details such as time, tide, tackle, bait, method etc etc. The posts that I would really like to see discouraged #are those that fall into the "FIGJAM" & "Look at Me - Look at Me" category and the "nice catch mate" & "wow good fish pal" #replies - neither of these types advance the stated goals of the Ausfish site - they seem to be more intent on simply increasing their post count.



Firstly , what are you doing sitting back and not posting much ? Get into it mate ......all the input and views shared are worthy ( well alsmot ) ! ;)

I for one don't believe an increased post count means diddly squat .
We all know that there are people with 100 posts that have made a significant contribution , just as there are people with 1000 that have .

I don't believe that anyone gets anything in particular out of a high post count ....everyone knows who talks crap and who doesn't ....we let em be ...as long as it is not post whoring to get 10 up so they can sell dodgy stuff on the for sale forum >:(

In saying that , i don't believe that people who reply to a report with a simple ' nice catch ...good work ' should be dettered .
Maybe they just don't have anything else to say but feel they would like to give a simple pat on the back .
..yes there is some post whoring going on ....but each to their own on that fact ...if they think think that a huge post count means any godly status , well good on em ...they have their own little world .

No site can be full of posts with ONLY great info in every reply ,.after all it is a fun site , and a little fun & pot stirring is needed ...especially when the weather is crap !

I totally agree though that the best advice that be given is that which can be used to advantage on a long term # # ie teaching HOW to fish and HOW to find fish
By teaching someone how to fish for themselves is more valuable then ANY hot tip #

It is a bit off topic , but i think the posts that need to be dettered the most are arugumentative and synical replies with no constructive criticism #.
Everyone has an opinion ,...and are free to express it ,....it is the death of freedom of speech if people try and force their opinion and slamn others.. but that can be handled on another post #::)

Black_Rat
16-11-2005, 09:30 AM
Spot on Billo ! say what you want to say, give a bloke a pat on the back, a lack of replies may deter someone from starting a new topic or posting a fishing report #:) one more post up #;D ;D ;D

bigmack
16-11-2005, 09:48 AM
I think most fisherman are always a little vague and giving an indication of an area still doesnt give it all away. Just try going back to the exact same spot yourself with your own gps - it doesnt always get you right there (depending on which birds are in the air and error correction).........then you have to add in all the technique, how often and how hard do you fish, in good weather or dirty weather, current, bait or how long you perservered. Weve spent hours trolling in the morning doing all the right things and then had a break to anchor up and mess around with reefies not very successfully only to up anchor and drfit back through our burley trail as a last parting shot to find the mackerel come on and bag limits in half an hour. The same thing doesnt always work either - caught fish yesterday doing one thing doesnt mean you can back up next do - do the same thing and catch fish. One day its pink skirts - the next day its bare pillies.

There is still a lot of little finesse's that occur in the fishing which get missed and you will also find that about only 5% of people really listen to general information and take it all in..............thats why 20% of people catch 80% of the fish.

The reports are good fun, especially the comic genius side of a few members, the images are good - always scan them closely to see what rigs / jigs/ lures are being used and put it all together for yourself. The main reason though that people are succesful - they do their research, spend time exploring and go more often.

Good Thread as always
Phill

Big_Ren
16-11-2005, 05:09 PM
With the costs of boating/fishing (fuel, maintenance, insurance, rego, bait, ice, tackle and equipment etc etc) going through the roof, we are all trying to get better bang for our bucks and fish smarter. Ausfish is just one of many resources that people use to find out where they're biting. Word of mouth, be it through forums like this or in your bait/tackle, are great motivators to get out on the water. The herd mentality will always lead to boat grid lock at popular spots like Palm Beach as mentioned at certain times of the year.

Personally, someone's hard-earned marks should be their own and it is up to them who they want to share them with, be that a mate or the world at large. Personally, I'd much rather sound around and earn my own, basing my search on what's likely to be around on a certain moon, tide, time of day, time of year. As others have said, it is better to get general tips on how to catch a particular species, what works in different areas and what doesn't, that is more valuable. Why be spoonfed, it's not going to make you a better fisherman.

I think general locations are fine, but as Rob said, part of the fun lies in the mystery of the reports. I love reading the reports, but more enjoy the anecdotes and the pics (without giving away locale clues). That's what makes it a fun yet informative site.

Cheers
Paul

Scalem
16-11-2005, 10:16 PM
A very good fishing buddy of mine with his own boat took another couple of guys out with him, one of which he had never known before. They visited a couple of marks and caught reasonable fish, then arrived at his spot X which turned up quality pearlies one after the after, they all bagged out. Person # 3 rummaged around his knapsack and produced a hand held GPS, which he promptly turned on and keyed the Mark into memory. The skipper was that unimpressed with this person's braison recording of the Mark he DEMANDED the mark was deleted out of memory, and the handheld turned off, or the consequence was a long swim home.

I think some of the marks and techniques which have taken literally years to find and develop need to be treated with a respect for each other. I don't mind sharing some secrets as I have been doing, but I am not going to give the specifics to anyone unless they have shown me the respect first, which I think most fisho's "in the know" would be similar.

With recent publicity surrounding Mud, I know that a lot of people have been getting the right info with respect the location, because I was there last saturday, and if BCC installed parking meters, the revenue would be awesome! BUT very few people were catching fish. One guy in other boat complained it was quiet, when I had just been busted off 4 times in a row, coming home with a feed of legal snapper! This tells me that either we are being disreet with the specifics, or it proves that 10% of fishos catch 90% of the fish which is usually the percentage when it comes to Amatuer fisho's, and those sorts of statistics won't change dramatically, I am quite sure. So shared info will find its mark with only a few, but disrection is encouraged out of respect, through PM's because there are those that will be waiting like vultures.

Scalem

Billo
17-11-2005, 09:55 AM
Thanks for the feedback guys . appreciated and a lot of strong feelings ...all good !

I think as a general rule from this , we all want to see everyone learn on how to find the fish .....That is what makes someone a better fisherman and move from the 90% with 10% of the catch , to the 10% with 90% of the catch . 8-)

Summed up , be discreet by giving away a hot tip .....feed out the info they need to be a succesfull fisherman , not just how to make a single sucesfull trip ....it takes years to master how to find fish ( and some ), there is not much gained by a single hot location bite and no further knowledge building ,just another hot bite that can be hammered too quickly , too hard by too many.....the long roads is often the best travelled for the long term.

The fish can be anywhere and everywhere ....if people know how tro find them for themselves , they no longer need to beat the crowd to the bite or battle for the next hot tip as they can find their own.

Respect the information handed out and don't take it for granted ....and most of all respect the wishes of those that do the yards to assist you and i .

Tell people HOW to fish a location or HOW to fish for a species ...give them guide lines of the fish that are around,what they are chewing on , how active they are and information on how to find them for themselves.

There is nothing wrong with putting a few people onto the fish here and there .....but ensure they too are respectfull not to open to the general population.

We all need insite from others to assist us on our way up the ladder ....the more respectfull we are of the wishes of the people that know where they are and know how and when to catch them , the more likely they are to share that hot tip with you ! ;)

Remember it is not only you that may have worked to find those fish , others may have done the yards to find the same fish aswell ....respect that they are onto them ...just because one individual finds the bite , doesn't necessarilly mean he has the option to put it out to the world or not .....A good ripple effect can go a lot further then anyone would stand to imagine !

sunny
18-11-2005, 04:40 PM
Hmmm… had to think about this for a while.

Being one of the 90% that catches 10% (OK let’s be honest, it’s a lot less than 10% in my case), I need all the help I can get. So I really like the huge amount of great info on Ausfish. Every tip on a species that I’m chasing is useful to someone who knows as little as I do.

Would I miss having exact locations? Probably not. I think half the fun is trying to figure out where the fish are.

I’m not convinced that all the boats that turn up the weekend after a great post are wiping out the fish. Remember most of them are people with as little skills as I have. It’s probably more the case that the noise of all those extra boats is driving the fish population crazy and they’ve all headed somewhere quieter for a break.

One of my best days on a very busy local river came when the weather was truly foul and nobody else bothered to go fishing. I figure it was the only time the fish had a break from all the traffic.

kahla_creek
20-11-2005, 12:18 AM
I dont give up "SPECIAL SPOTS" but I believe it does no harm to give members a few spots in my area if they are visiting as I hope the favour would be returned if I were on their turf. I allways advise by e- mail, never on the site.
Cheers
Rob

Duyz72
20-11-2005, 02:28 PM
I agree, more than just a point in the right direction is always helpful