They just keep coming.
166cm King.
That's 5 ft 5 inches in the old scale and bigger than quite a few adults
Printable View
They just keep coming.
166cm King.
That's 5 ft 5 inches in the old scale and bigger than quite a few adults
Saw some magic here in Rocky the other day that basically does away with the tagging system for data accumulation.
Local has bought a side-scan Biosonics sounder from the US and taught it to recognize fish shapes by modifying facial recognition technology used by security services and law enforcement agencies world-wide...
Biosonics scientific sounders start at about $100,000 US.
It can distinguish between barra and king for example and can also count them as well as give size.
So sounder can be told to reject data of barra and/or threadfin below a certain size or above a certain size.
I saw a section of river ( a couple of km long and both sides) that displayed on a map every fish that fell within the parameters set by the operator.
After a scan trip on each bank, that section of river showed 11,000 barra and king (each with an i/d number) that the sounder saw along with the GPS point at which it was seen.
Translated onto GE map.
Was purchased for business purposes for measuring aquatic biomass and doing things like showing the actual numbers and types of fish in a system, dam or anywhere else.
Imagine this thing being run past the mouths of the Mary/Alligator systems in the NT (or anywhere else) at spawning. It'd give you a map of every barra, gps, size etc of all barra taking part in that process.
It'll also recognize, count and GPS mark crocs or anything else that you want to teach it to look for. Run it up the Adelaide and it'll count the number of crocs, size and show where they are by GPS if you want.
I've never seen anything like it.
Here it is
https://www.biosonicsinc.com/products/dt-x-extreme/
Can look sideways and has low frequencies therefore range sideways isn't a problem. Can do that down to 38 khz (long range) or up to 1000 khz. Just pick which transducer to suit.
It also has manual control of pulse duration so can produce range resolution figures better than any auto CHIRP found on any of the modern expensive models.
Think laterally and outside the fishing box for a minute.
Teach the device to recognize sharks. Easy. Use the side scan facility to set it up on 38 khz or similar (long range) so that it covers a beach or bay.
Set the operator controls for say 2m or 2.5m so it will detect any shark that comes within its range that it is 2.5m or larger.
In such cases it sends a warning alarm either to the operator or to the swimmers (or both) that a shark bigger than 2.5m has been detected in the coverage area. The operator is given a spot on a map of the beach or bay where the shark is located.
No more drum lines which attract sharks. No more nets that entangle anything that comes along intended or not.
Some teething ( like that?) issues but with a bit of programming and algorithm tweaking, it'll work ok.
Sometimes star wars type technological change is difficult to comprehend in one big mouthful and is better digested bit by bit. That's what you're looking at here.
Women That Fish (WTF) Barra Classic started here this morning.
http://tournaments.trackmy.fish/scoreboard.wtf
Well, the ladies persevered with strong 20 knot wind blowing straight up the river for the 2 days.
Maybe these 2 from the CBD might have helped.
Thank you, MSB.
That bit was to do with hard body lures. There are a couple more articles to do with action of vibes, soft plastics plus a look into light and colour in water.
ALL of the stuff I've put up will be published as part of 2 well known magazines (a quarterly and a 2 yearly one). My payments from those articles are going to a charity in the NT.
That publisher sees the info as groundbreaking and intends to make money out of the articles via magazine sales.
I know that 1 well known high profile fisherman in Qld has gone off to do some testing on colours in dirty water now after getting wind of that particular article. Bit late as to make it obvious.
This forum had a head start on the info (and other groundbreaking news) and didn't see what was in front of its nose. Now it isn't any more. Opportunity missed.
I should caution you that talking to me may put you offside with other people on this forum.
Have a look back through the other stuff.
If you still wish to talk, that's fine. If you don't, then that's fine too.
I always read your articles Douglas and find them interesting and full of good information, as for getting offside with other people on the forum because of talking to you, I would sincerely hope that would not be the case, I draw my own conclusions on people and never take sides, everyone is entitled to their opinion on whatever and whoever, and should be respected for that, thats how I have lived my whole life and have no regrets
MSB
OK. Its good to come across somebody who thinks for themselves.
Went fishing today in Fitzroy. 10 barra in boat (dropped 4). Mostly little fellas but took 3 home.
Also got 4 king (dropped 1). Took 1 home.
2 interesting recaptures.
Mate caught a barra with tag no. R49846 @ 420mm.
Very next fish (10 minutes later) was tag no.R49845 @ 435mm.
Consecutive tag numbers meaning both tagged by same person, fish stuck together since being tagged and both fish recaptured by same person at same place within minutes of each other.
What are the odds on that?
Will let you know details as soon as I get 'em back from Bill.
I've added to that stuff you've had a look at so if you have a query yell out.
I put that stuff together to show the technical basis for some things, dispel some myths and maybe make things easier to understand.
The "missing link" stuff about colour changes is worth looking at again.
I applied some of it today in 2 different types of water.
https://www.nt750.com/
$750,000 barra shootout in NT next May.
If you're up to it, sign on.
Sept now.
$2600 for team up to 4 ($625 each).
$50,000 biggest barra.
How does a myth start?
Attachment 37747
Night bait fishing tips
Put a bit of fluro spray on your floats for night time.
Use this headlamp. It projects UVA (not so dangerous one) and the floats will stand out like the proverbial parts of the dogs anatomy.
I've got a little uv torch and it can fluoresce a float at 8 metres at night. I used a chartreuse floater and a red floater (both fluro) and my little uv torch (very low powered). Lit both up with the chartreuse one brighter (human eye more receptive to chartreuse/green than red).
8 metres was the limit with that little torch.
This headlight will give a lot more range than that.
https://au.lightmalls.com/super-brig...CABEgLumfD_BwE
Attachment 37751
Camera doubled up on images. From 8 metres on narrow focus UV torch. Better with focus a bit wider hence headlamp style torch which also does normal light.
Also works on bottom bait fishing by tiny fluro spray on a couple of inches/cm on rod tip. Fluro spray easy to wipe off when session ends.
The issue with the paint/coating on the newer Tilsans cracking isn't the cracked coating, or the integrity of the frame.
Once cracked, the timber seems to go to shit pretty quickly. Much faster than most timber lures produced locally. Definitely faster than a Richos.
I guess they must take some shortcuts on sealing/hardening the timber, or just use a crap timber maybe.
Then there are the obvious buoyancy/swim issues with soggy timber.
Before repainting, you might want to give the timber a better seal I think. (Unless you're not bothered about it lasting long/ or floating.)
Thanks Ducksta. Makes sense about the coating protecting the timber.
If the protective coat is damaged then other problems are inevitable as the wood starts to become waterlogged.
Been taking to Ben Patrick and Tim Carter of Halco.
They're aware of the coating problem and want to fix it. Their advice is that the sealant failure seems to be more prevalent in warmer climes.
They've promised to get back to me with any advances they make.
I'm happy to just keep painting.
Barra Bounty kicks off here on Tuesday on neap tides (clearer water).
I'll put up a link later if anybody wants to see how it goes and can't find it.
Am looking for some techo information about the Mary River up to the Mary River barrage and also up to Teddington weir on Tinana Ck.
Am interested in turbidity readings. PM will do if anybody has info and is reluctant to send openly.
Is 20th anniversary of Barra Bounty this year and $40,000 up for cash and prizes.
Prediction is for 400+ barra to be caught and released.
Results of the king threadfin will be interesting.
They're off and running
https://trackmy.fish/scoreboard
plus f/book page for 'behind-the-scenes-activity"
https://www.facebook.com/RockyBarraB...8353444182812/
Sorry. Wrong one.
Fresh scoreboard start. here.
https://tournaments.trackmy.fish/scoreboard.rbb
RBB F/book page
https://www.facebook.com/RockyBarraB...8353444182812/
Remember the prediction -- 420 barra.
Hundred barra up to 1240mm by lunch time. Only 1 barra over a metre but 5 threadies at the metre or better mark.
Day 1.
Well, 183 barra (1 of a metre or more) and 30 king threadfin with 9 of 1 metre or more.
Day 2 is when the hard yards start. A lot of contestants will be reverting to plan B. Some wont have a plan B but will be willing to try anything and might just succeed. End up successful for the wrong reasons.
323 barra so far. 420 prediction might be on the money. 3 of 1m+.
17 threadies of 1m+.
Col Bretts and Michael Slade of Lethal Lures/Dobyns Rods in front at moment but look for a thundering finish from BarraJacks/Edge Rods team of Craig Griffiths and Steve Pill.
Ends tomorrow.
So.... 6 barra of 1m +.
98 threadies with 20 of 1m+.
506 barra when prediction was 420. Prediction from Bill Sawynok's Crystal bowl had a +- 10% component so still higher than prediction +- factor.
Interesting stat is the average fish size was 65cm. That av figure has been steadily increasing.
Closed barra season coming up in 2 weeks or so. I guess that now anglers chasing threadies, fingermark etc will be cursed by unwanted and unintentional bycatch of barramundi.
Awful isn't it?
Had a look at the latest example of Bill Sawynok's BioSonics $100K research sounder tests.
This time on 2 bays at Awoonga Dam.
Absolutely unbelieveable.
Could see a map similar to google earth of those bays except its an underwater map of every stick, tree, log, contour in the water. Every baitball and every fish that the unit recognized as a barramundi.
The unit has had its algorithms modified with facial recognition technology data to recognize different species of fish. Don't think that it can recognize Bill the barramundi from Byron the barramundi or fish that its seen before from fish it currently sees (unless Byron has grown a moustache).
Where those barra are in relation to the timber and the baitballs. Could easily see which sizes were hanging around the baitballs.
The depths they are sitting at along with the size of each barra which has an identifier number.
Gladstone Area Water Board want a survey on what barramundi are actually in the dam at any point in time like after a spillway breach with no guessing?
It'll tell how many, where they are and the different size gradings if asked to do so.
Take it down into the Boyne below the dam to see what's happening there.
Think of the financial and environmental ramifications for the pro fishing industry if employed there.
Watch the space.
Attachment 37833
Watched Jaws last night for the words " Gunna need a bigger boat".
These words " Gunna need a bigger net".
125cm at new town boatramp pontoon yesterday.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/132451282855/
From the Northern Territory newspaper:
A group of mates got busted with too many crabs in their esky at Buffalo Ck.
This week one of them fronted up in court to plead guilty where he was lumped with hefty fines.
The animal lovers at the Fisheries Department tried to get the prosecutor Hope Holborow to sneak a victim impact statement into evidence.
Judge John Neill was having none of it.
"An impact statement" he said. "What, from the mudcrabs ?"
True story.
.…………………..
Attachment 37837
Fella called Greg Rogers cracked it this 1.5 metre king threadfin at Port Alma this morning.
I spoke to Greg about the mat being crinkled at the 0 to 10cm mark. He said that because his brag mat only went to 1200mm and he wanted to be absolutely sure of length, he put texta marks for length head to tail on the boat gunwale and measured that distance at 1500mm when he got home.
Do me for a genuine 1.5m king threadie.
Bit of land based stuff in town.
At the video start as the camera is panning right when boats go past, note the barra jumping just on the other side of the channel where boat wash is. Being played by one of the competition boats in the rocky bay. Easy to miss if you aren't aware.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-a...jiNeGc9qPKGOZo
Big king back up in town reach following another run of prawns.
Been some decent rainfalls in catchment so expect barrage gates to open anytime. That'll put most fish (except barra and flathead) down river.
Won't worry the king much but the prawns will go quickly with king following them.
As a last hurrah, 2 locals got 6 and 14 barra last night in town reach all on lures (vibes).
Barra off the catching menu but king threadfin still on it.
This guy (Greg Rogers) is the same person who got the 1.5m king last week in the same area.
During barra closed season, there's a voluntary code of practice that outlines an area where people voluntarily undertake NOT to fish. Not only is it where the barra spawn but also king threadfin and blue threadfin (even though there's no closed season for threadies).
We ask ALL fishermen to sign up to it and those who don't to respect it.
https://emarketing-au.s3-ap-southeas...vE/2050913.pdf
Barra off the catching menu but king threadfin still on it.https://emarketing-au.s3-ap-southeas...vE/2050913.pdf
This guy (Greg Rogers) is the same person who got the 1.5m king last week in the same area.
During barra closed season, there's a voluntary code of practice that outlines an area where people voluntarily undertake NOT to fish. Not only is it where the barra spawn but also king threadfin and blue threadfin (even though there's no closed season for threadies).
We ask ALL fishermen to sign up to it and those who don't to respect it.
Last hurrah Fitzroy barra
https://www.facebook.com/Gracemere.H...85713278208008
Done and dusted. Hosted by Gracemere hotel. Winners Steve Pill of BarraJacks Rocky and Craig Griffiths (local guy and winner of 2018 Barra Nationals on Daly River).
Attachment 37963Should be some recognizable faces here.
Got a bit of info about lateral line fishing that some of you people who actually fish might find of interest.
A hybrid metal blade/soft plastic called a EchoTail.
It gives more vibes on the lift than a soft vibe PLUS it gives vibes on the drop when strikes usually happen.
Colour doesn't matter unless you impoundment fish then green and/or white should work well if fluro. A slightly different head will allow deep trolling (as deep as you like).
Vibes are fished deep mostly beyond sunlight range but if fishing in dirty brown/grey water the orange/gold/red fluro tails should be the go particularly as you get higher in the water column.
Having said that little bit about colour, they're primarily a lateral line fishing device.
https://vibrationstackle.com/
They also have a facebook page. Pretty interesting.
I've got some coming over to try out. Will advise on results.
If anybody's tried them already let me know.
The faces.
John Haenke with one of his boats.
John Haenke with a barra.
Local with a barra.
Jeremy Harmsworth with a tripletail (Rocky and NT guy).
Dave Donald with barra.
All off the local fishing facebook page.
Be aware of a bit of graphic content here.Attachment 37979
Plus a timely reminder (Whitsundays) of what's out there.
These guys were big enough to do some real damage to a human. This ray was about 1.2m across
Have we all got our latest copy of the NT's Fish Finder quarterly magazine?