Big Fish

Weekly fishing news, events and tips from a NSW perspective.

This week on The Big Fish our first cast is with Michael Guest, host of Reel Action TV. Michael is just back from filming around Hinchinbrook Island in Tropical North Queensland and has some great fishing adventures to share. Stinker reflects on a perfect inshore Snapper expedition with Whales and big Reds galore. The Weighmaster shares the news of, what looks like, one of the worst fishing crimes...

This week we enter the stormy seas of state parliament where our politicians are grappling with rock fishing legislation. Col Trenaman, on the Mid North Coast, loves fishing off the stones and reckons if you "don't know, don't go". According to Col, you should try beach fishing instead, with none of the risks and most of the species you will encounter off the rocks. Stinker shares the Stinkpot ori...

Our first cast is with Oyster grower Peter O'Sullivan on the plight of the Oyster industry in NSW.

NSW fishers on the Victorian border are being invited to visit and share the great fishing. Our first cast is with Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO Travis Dowling who wants to streamline the licensing system to make it easier for Southern NSW fishers who cross the border to catch a fish. Gippsland Lakes and Mallacoota are going off thanks to the recreational fishing havens and sustainable managem...

Nadia Taylor and her all female fishing crew hit a very full Glenbawn Dam for the Family Bassin event in the Hunter. Like all of the competitors, in this catch and release tournament, they found there was a lot of water between the fish but the ones they did catch were trophy Australian Bass.

Treno's been catching some chunky Copeton Cod and you will meet some Aussie Women who are crazy about fly fishing.

We hit Botany Bay with Dogfish Dave and Botany Bay Bernie. They caught some great fish and Dave shares a Japanese inspired breakfast fish feast in this 'catch and cook" episode of The Big Fish.

Nick from Avalon has one of the best true fishy tales. Catching waves on the Gold Coast at the famous Snapper Rocks point break he also caught this giant mud crab on his board.

The ABC can reveal that 7 critically endangered leatherback turtles have washed up on the NSW Central Coast this year, most of them during the last storm and big seas. First cast this morning is with marine scientist Dr Vincent Raoult with his theories on the turtle deaths and the impact of discoloured water on our fish species.

Fish tagging pioneer Dr Julian Pepperell has the first cast in this episode on the fascinating history and science that has flowed from fish tagging in Australia.

Young Harvey is taken for a ride by a feisty Mac Tuna at Luna Park in this episode of The Big Fish.

Our first cast this episode is with the Victorian Fisheries Authority CEO Travis Dowling about their model of fisheries management that is underpinned by sustainability. Being a stand alone fisheries organisation the VFA has been very proactive and nimble in implementing evidence based management of the resources and measures to protect habitat and fish stocks. According to fishing guru Kaj Busch...

Weekly fishing news, events and tips etc from a NSW perspective.

Mel Marlborough has the first cast on this episode of The Big Fish. Mel takes us back to the 4th of April in 2007 when she hooked a 1.150 kilo Whiting in Lake Macquarie on, spiderweb thin, 2 kilo line. Her capture is in the ANSA record book for Sand Whiting or Yellowfin Whiting as they are also known. Pictured: Scott Levi with a 40cm Whiting caught very close to where Mel caught and released her b...

Fishing is usually regarded as an outdoor pursuit but it has been so wet they are catching and releasing them indoors at the famous Boatshed and tackle shop at the Entrance. The floods have been awful but one of the Boatshed staff had a lighter moment when she grabbed a little pink hire fishing rod off the wall and proceeded to catch a legal size flathead out the door. The fish dropped off the hoo...

Lucky Mid North Coast fisho Peter Cording tuned in to The Big Fish and the cross with Col Trenaman from behind the tackle shop counter. Col shared his experience of catching Jew Fish during a big wet. Peter went out and put the tactics, tackle and techniques mentioned into action and a monster 28 kilo Mulloway was his reward! The moral to the story, if you want to catch BIG fish, listen to The Big...

Michael Guest has been on a Big Barra Blitz following the Queensland Bass to Barra trail. Including a first for the Reel Action TV host, a PWC caught Barra. (pictured here at Kinchant Dam)

First cast this morning is with Nadia Taylor who loves fishing so much she would fish in a bucket! Nadia has some great fishing adventures planned now that borders have reopened. Nadia won the "Barra-prentice" an event designed by Jo Starling to mentor women in fishing. Pictured here by Jo with an NT Saratoga.

Our first cast is with Botany Bay Bernie, famous fishing musician Stewart D'Arrietta and Dog Fish Dave. We cross to our adventurers on Botany Bay, anchored up under the flight path and spreading the burley when Dave hooks something huge, keep listening to find out what is on the other end of the line!

Matt Hansen from Dubbo has been awarded an OAM for his work, along with an army of helpers at OzFish Unlimited, for saving native fish and their habitat in the Central West. The scheme to put fish filters on all irrigation pumps and off takes on the Macquarie River stops the fish from being sucked out of the main flow to their death. A simple but effective initiative that has saved millions of fis...

How hard is it to catch a Sydney Harbour Kingfish on fly? It has been on Scott's bucket list for years and he has finally ticked it off!

A great fish dish with Julie Ray, Stinker and all the crew onboard too, for this edition of The Big Fish. (Pictured) Scott with a lovely haul of line caught Christmas table crabs. The best tasting crustaceans of them all.

Renee Ferenc from OZfish Unlimited has the first cast this morning with an update on the great habitat restoration work being undertaken by anglers from the rivers to the sea in NSW. Stinker has a few tips on Christmas presents for first time fishing kids and the fly guy on Sydney Harbour is back, Stephen Gaynor takes us fishing for Australian Salmon in the Flyboat.

"Fishing with mates" is a new men's mental health initiative and Treno has the first cast on this great idea for country men from the North West of the state, Stinker shares some great fishing secrets with "6 of the best", including the story of the beach worm that turned out to be a sea snake and Dorian Mode has another fishy tune on this episode of TBF.