Curious about Lungfish

[Member]

Hi,
     Just wondering, the other day a freind and I caught several Lungfish by accident while chasing bass.   While we did this the  locals told us that lifting them out of the water could get us a $50,000 dollar fine (which we didn't do) However I was wondering.  We just cut the hook at the lip and all is fine ?    I do have a vid of us catching a 1.2 to 1.4 meter lungy .. just don't know if I should post it here for fear of be'n in trouble .. (not that i believe we did anything wrong)   


   cheers .

[Member]

I wouldn't post the video either way, just grist for the greenie mill.

[Member]

You shouldn't get into any trouble if you pull it out of the water to remove a hook. They can live for days out of water, better than leaving a hook in them. Although if you cut the line as close to their mouth as possible they might get the hook out on their own, or it should rust away eventually, possibly after the fish has died from infection. I would say that one lungy while bass fishing is easily called an accident, a fisheries inspector might frown on you if you caught 2 and didn't either move or change your fishing style.

 You can email the video to video@sweetwaterfishing.com.au .that will load it into our youtube channel, that way your name isnt associated with it. I will handle any flack if any comes.

[Member]

Last lot that I returned to the Dam 5 fish 3 had hooks in them. One big one had 4 hooks not very rusty at all, 1 with a meter of heavy mono with swivel still attached.

[Member]

Hearing a lot about lungies getting hooked in the ponds below North Pine in the last month or two, its pretty rare to hear of one getting hooked in the dam itself, they must be getting hungry.