CANBERRA ANGLERS ASSOCIATION (65TH AGM)

The Canberra Anglers Association recently held its 65th AGM (Annual General Meeting), a true milestone in itself. The association has a rich and true history, spaning right back to World War II. Both Jason and I are committee members of C.A.A and thus would like to introduce you to the club via KFA extended facility. To anyone in the Canberra region looking to join a sports fishing club with a relaxed atmosphere I urge you all to attend a monthly meeting and enjoy likeminded kinship with fellow capital anglers.

I have also undertaken a delegate role between the C.A.A and the Council of Freshwater Anglers and will keep readers abreast of important decisions that may or may not govern there New South Wales / Capital Territory Freshwater locales.

Canberra Anglers Association
http://www.canberra-anglers.asn.au/

The C.A.A constitution summarises its goals as:

• The protection of trout and other fish;
  
• The care of trout streams and other waters;
  
• The encouragement of angling in all its best aspects;
  
• The promotion of social intercourse amongst anglers including the conduct of competitions;
• The encouragement of juniors to learn sportsmanship and watercraft through angling.
  

Meetings are held monthly (except for December and January) on the second Wednesday of the month starting 8pm at the Weston Club near Cooleman Court Shopping Centre in Weston. Meetings generally seek to avoid administration and focus on a guest speaker. (In December a meeting is held, but is typically a barbeque held at a local fishing spot).

Fishing events are generally held monthly except for the Christmas break and the depths of winter. Other events such as fly tying instruction are held frequently. Of particular interest is the annual Fly Casting training days held each year on the Sunday of the three weekends preceding the opening of trout fishing in streams (October Long Weekend). They are held on the lawns near old Parliament House and in the past the final Sunday was at the Eucumbene Trout farm to try the skills on the water - time will tell whether this will continue.

The club is affiliated to the NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers

Recent Newsletter

NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers
http://www.freshwateranglers.com.au/

The mission of the NSW CFA is to represent the interests of New South Wales freshwater anglers, with the aim of fostering recreational fishing in a healthy and ecologically sustainable environment for today's and future generations. The NSW CFA is the largest and most active freshwater fishing organisation in Australia. Since 1958 it has been the recognised representative body for the State's freshwater anglers, focusing on fisheries management, conservation and regulatory matters, angler access, angling ethics, animal welfare and politics. It harnesses the energy and local knowledge of regional groups and represents their freshwater angling interests to the government and to the public.

• Formed in 1958.
  
• An independent, incorporated, not-for-profit organisation completely run by unpaid volunteers.
  
• Represents freshwater angler’s through out NSW.
  
• Meets quarterly in different locations around NSW. Holds executive committee meetings between general meetings.
  
• Publishes full and detailed notices, agendas, minutes and reports of all meetings.
  
• Holds democratic annual elections for an executive committee.
  
• Member organisations automatically entitled to two voting positions for up to 100 members plus one extra voting position for every hundred members thereafter (or part thereof).
  
• Publishes a free and regular email newsletter.
  
• Has a productive relationship with the NSW Department of Industry (Fisheries) and other government departments and agencies.
  
• Has a track record of instigating and achieving change for the improvement of recreational fishing.

Several times each month the NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers publishes a free email newsletter, Freshwater Fisher. It covers the activities of the Council, Department of Primary Industries fisheries initiatives, conservation and regulatory matters, angler access, angling ethics, animal welfare, politics, club news and events.

To subscribe, simply send a request to freshwaterfisher@viridia.com.au and your email address will be added to the distribution list. Your details will not be used for any other purpose nor revealed to any other organisation. Freshwater Fisher is available to all anglers—you don’t need to be a member of the NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers.

Clubs are permitted and encouraged to forward the newsletter to their own members.

Recent Newsletter

ROCK FLATHEAD / TASSEL-SNOUTED FLATHEAD

Thought it was worth mentioning that KFA champion Squidder recently caught a new species, virtually unheard of in the kayak fishing world. Maybe not the world, but two specimens in as many weeks was strange, and have never come under the gaze of the tentacled monster before. Above is an image taken by Jason of a Tassel-snouted flathead, this particular one measuring 27cm (They only grow to about 40cm). The Tasselsnout Flathead has a very large head which makes up about 40% of the length of the fish. It occurs from Queensland to Western Australia.

Obscure little fish, seen one seen them all I figured. Likened it to a flattended Red Rock Cod, not suprisingly I have since learnt that Thysanophrys cirronasa (Scientific name) is often refereed to as a Rock Flathead. With a rough size range, The species grows to 38 cm in length average. The species occurs in temperate marie waters from southern Queensland to south-western Western Australia. It has not been recorded from Tasmanian waters and is a rare catch from Victoria.

Information taken from Australian Museum online, direct link as shown below:

http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/Tasselsnout-Flathead-Thysanophrys-cirronasa/

• Alternative Name/s
  Rock Flathead, Tassel-snouted Flathead
  
  
• Identification
  The Tasselsnout Flathead has a very large head which makes up about 40% of the length of the fish. The head has well developed spines but no scales. The large mouth has bands of villiform teeth on the jaws and the roof of the mouth (on the bones known as the vomer and palatines). This species has a short spiny dorsal fin and a long soft dorsal fin. The body is covered with small ctenoid scales.
  
  The colouration of the Tasselsnout Flathead is highly variable from pale brown to purple with darker saddles and markings. The first dorsal fin has a dark band on the margin (not visible in the images). All the other fins have markings including dark diagonal bands.
  

NSW - PADDY VS THE MIGHTY MORWONG 1/8/10

Paddy was itching for his maiden offshore voyage in the PA, so despite a fairly dodgy forecast we set forth early in the drizzle and gloom, and watched the weather become ever better as we neared our destination. We finally launched in glorious sunshine . Although he has recently sold his entire fleet, Craig just can’t seem to drag himself away from the yak scene, and mysteriously arrived at the same time we did and was gagging to help drag the yaks down the beach .

The day progressed fairly uneventfully, until we headed in to fish some shallower ground. Paddy scored the mother of all runs on his barra combo, and after extracting the fish from the clutches of the reef, he laid into a massive tug of war, with neither rubber-lipped warrior giving an inch for many minutes. Eventually the smaller of the two yielded and was dragged aboard. Neither of us had ever seen such a freaking huge morwong , it was a real cracker of a specimen and especially good to see it landed it on a plastic.

The wind started to gust up to somewhat uncomfortable velocities, but in the lulls between the gusts it was a pleasure to be on the water. I was stoked to add a new species to the list – not a big fish but one that I’ve often looked at pictures of but never really thought I’d catch - a Tassel-snouted flathead. He was 27cm (they only grow to about 40cm). In the next few hours I scored a pan sized snapper and we both dropped really good fish after scorching initial runs, before the wind blew us off the water at around 1pm. We set off for home content but wondering of what might have been …….good times.