Cod opener 2013

[Member]

Bushwacker and I headed off Saturday morning on our way south of the border we stopped along the way to explore the billabong type thingy that we found last time. I had caught some yellas out in the middle of it last time I was here so Steve decided to throw his newly bought Codman yella spinnerbait around the middle after exploring the edges. It only took a couple of casts then he pulled up a decent size cod. Neither of us had a measure mat as it was only going to be a quick session but we estimated it at around 60cm and fat. The rain then started to fall so it had us bailed up under the trees for a while but soon the sun came out so we were fishing again. No other fish caught though and there wasn't a yella to be seen even though I had caught 6 in a previous session here and 2 the session before that. Oh well, we were off the water and headed to our destination for the night.

There were storms cells everywhere but we managed to dodge them all. One minute we were looking at grey skies, the next blue, it was a real weird day. After about 50kms of dirt road we got to the property we were camping at. There was talk of trout and redfin in the creek so we walked down and threw a few lures around. This is nice looking country but the water was very dirty so I think a return trip is in order. I'm pretty sure there will be a cod or two up there also.

[Member]

We had a gentlemanly start at 7am the next day and trundled off into town to meet Steve's friend Nick who took us to a TSR not far away. We launched into almost crystal clear water. I'd never fished such clear water for cod. The other two started off with their fly rods on surface and I opted to go sub-surface with a spinnerbait and one of Steve's new cod lures. Nothing in the first pool but scenery. It was a very picturesque place to be fishing. We made our way up into the next pool where Nick had a hit on his surface fly. He works his flies very slowly even the subsurface one's I noticed. Put that in the memory banks.

So we continued upstream a little bit and I managed the first fish on Steve's new lure. Just a little tacker and the lure fell out in the net unfortunately so couldn't get a pic. Quick phot and it was released to fight another day. Shortly after I hooked up again for it to drag off a metre of line and have the hooks pulled. My drag was set pretty tight so I think this was a decent size cod, I'll never know.

Steve had a tail swirl on his fly but no hook up. I was fishing rather quickly so I went ahead of the other guys and managed to get anoth small cod on Steve's lure. A couple of pics and sent it on it's way. I hung around for the other guys to catch up. Got out on a mid river rock and had a stretch and a yarn to the fellas as they fished their way up the creek.I jumped back in my yak and paddled upstream about 100mtrs and then it happened.

I heard a shot, it was close. I looked to my left and there was this bloke walking fast towards me, "Get the Fcuk off my property" he yelled and cussed and swore at me. I asked him if he just shot at me. Your in my backyard trespassing, he just kept yelling and swearing. Then his (presumably) son started pegging rocks at me. He had a good arm on him too. One hit my kayak and some came close enough to wet me when they hit the water. We tried to tell him we were just fishing and that we didn't keep the fish but there was no calming this bloke down. With the barrage of rocks and the threat of another shot being fired we started to paddle home.

This wasn't enough for them though. They continued to throw rocks at us for about 500mtrs downstream. We got back to the TSR, packed the car super quick and got the flock out of there.

Police and fisheries were both called.

[Member]

Some great country up there Wayne. I hear the locals are welcoming.

Cheers Andrew

[Member]

that really is not good.

Need to find out or work out where his property comes in from the road.

I love to sh!t at entrances or in letter boxes for tools like this.

[Member]

Jesus, if I ever head down there, head cam in and recording all the time. Makes you wonder what that have to hide, acting in that way..

[Member]

If the blue option doesn't work.....it's time for a return trip,  in numbers. If you get my drift   

[Member]

Strathbogie TSR between Emmaville and Ashford on the Severn River above Pindari upstream of the TSR.

[Member]

Guys,

Continue to phone the local police and NSW fisheries as to how this case is progressing, don't let up.
Intimidation with a fire arm  produced and a shot fired. If you clearly tell them you wish to press charges, they must investigate, especially if you tell them you're going to take this to the police commissioner and beyond.

I'd go further.... If no action and follow up from police, go to your local station and make a statement. Then write down your version of events (each person do your own) and email/write to the local state member, the NSW police commissioner, the fisheries minister and the NSW premier.

If YOU let up, it will only encourage the authorities to let it slip AND encourage this rednecked bunch of banjo packers to do the same or worse to the next law abiding anglers.

This is seriously Deliverance material....... 

[Member]

This is nasty stuff. I was planning on fishing Ashford in a few weeks, maybe bypass it now 

[Member]

I'm planning a few trips down that way over my xmas break to.
And as much as i don't like the idea of being shot at, abused or stoned, I'd hate to think this clown would stop people using that section of the river with his scare tactics etc.
I'll still be giving it a go (not sure Mel would be too keen to tag along on that trip tho)

[Member]

Problem with this is that it's not an isolated incident. Fitzy reported something similar not long ago on the Dumaresq. (Never heard how that turned out Gary). Travelling down a river or using a TSR is your legal right.
JD

[Member]

What's the standing, if I were to drive down a TSR and old mate has put a fence across the access to the river, saying private property ?

[Member]

Cut it, but get ready to duck.

[Member]

Haha sounds like.. Fun?
It's a TSR about 10-15k north of Glen Innes

[Member]

Perhaps these 'hillbilly's are not conversant with the current laws

Access rights and privileges in NSW

Fishing access to the sea, rivers and creeks

At common law, the public has a right to fish in the sea, the arms of the sea and in the tidal reaches of all rivers and estuaries.

The public has no common law right to fish in non-tidal waters—the right to fish in those waters belongs to the owner of the soil under those waters. The public may also fish in non-tidal waters if the soil under those waters is Crown land. However in order to allow for angling access in NSW rivers and creeks, section 38 of the NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994 declares that the public has a right to fish despite the private ownership of the bed of the river or creek.

The NSW Fisheries Management Act 1994 No 38

Part 2, Division 5, Section 38

Right to fish in certain inland waters

(1)  A person may take fish from waters in a river or creek that are not subject to tidal influence despite the fact that the bed of those waters is not Crown land if, for the purpose of taking those fish, the person is in a boat on those waters or is on the bed of the river or creek.

(2)  The right conferred by this section is subject to the other provisions of this Act.

(3)  In this section, bed of a river or creek includes any part of the bed of the river or creek which is alternatively covered and left bare with an increase or decrease in the supply of water (other than during floods).

 
This legislation ranks above anything you may have heard about ‘old title’ and ‘Queen’s chain’ access.

Under this legislation you can legally access streams by entering from public land such as road crossings and some types of reserves.

full text here https://sites.google.com/site/nswangleraccess/home