'Bush Stick' Fishing?

[Son of a Beach]

I'm not much of a fisherman, but I do enjoy throwing a line in of a boat or jetty for flathead, mullet, etc. Of course being guaranteed to catch something helps. However, I've never caught a thing in fresh water having tried only a few times (long ago) with spinners (never tried flies).

It occurred to me some year ago how strange the trout rules appear from some perspectives. The trout is, by some definitions, an exotic pest species, and yet is highly protected, with strict rules on who can fish, where they can fish, when they can fish, and how many fish they can take (yes, I understand that these rules are necessary to protect the fishery). When discussing this with someone last year (was it on the BWT walk to Lees Paddocks maybe?) they mentioned to me that you can legally fish with any bait, at any time, in any waters if you use a 'bush stick' (ie, a single wooden stick, with a fixed line tied to it (not on a spool).

I'd not heard this before, and it intrigues me. Could those who know more about this please enlighten me as to what the rules really are for bush sticks? Ie, what exactly defines what a bush stick is, and what restrictions (if any) relate to bush stick fishing in Tasmanian waters?

Also, how hard is it to catch fish on a bush stick with, eg, a grass-hopper on a hook?

[rabbit]

Hi,
You could fish with a grasshopper on a stick because you don't have to cast the grasshopper out, you just flick it out at the fish.
It would be interesting seeing someone fighting a trout on a fixed line though.
I wonder if a cane fishing rod would count as a "wooden stick"

[flyfisher]

According to Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishing Code 2008-09
An angling licence is not required to;---when fishing for (non protected)native fish using a bush pole,more than one metre long,without a reel and running line;etc
That is pretty clear in its intent,I think.
It doesn't mean trout. A licence IS required for them.
For further info the Inland Fisheries office can be contacted on 62618050
I would imagine anything resembling a manufactured rod wouldn't class as a bush pole.

Flyfisher

[Son of a Beach]

According to Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishing Code 2008-09
An angling licence is not required to;---when fishing for (non protected)native fish using a bush pole,more than one metre long,without a reel and running line;etc
That is pretty clear in its intent,I think.
It doesn't mean trout. A licence IS required for them.
For further info the Inland Fisheries office can be contacted on 62618050
I would imagine anything resembling a manufactured rod wouldn't class as a bush pole.

Flyfisher

Hey, thanks, FlyFisher. This is very different to what I'd been led to believe by a couple of other people, so I'm glad you've pointed me in the right direction.

I've just found and downloaded the Tasmanian Inland Recreational Fishing Code and the pages of most interest to me (as someone who doesn't usually fish in fresh water) is the chart on pages 26 and 27. However, these are completely unreadable in the PDF. Anyone got a readable copy of this chart?

[flyfisher]

Nik, this might be what you are after.

FF

[BarryJ]

The Angling Code is available from many tackle shops (the ones which sell licenses). It is handed out with licenses but they usually have a few extras so I don't see why they wouldn't give you one if you ask (I normally pick up half a dozen extras to leave in a fishing club lodge each year).

[Son of a Beach]

Thanks FF. That's a completely different page 26/27 to the one in the PDF I'd downloaded, which made me realise I'd got the version for a couple of years ago (just grabbed the one that Google pointed me to). Doh!

The 2008/2009 version is here.

The table in this current version is on page 34/35 (with legend on page 33). I can actually read it in this version (although the icons are very blurry). So I can now see which waters are OK for bait fishing and when. As you can tell, I'm no purist when it comes to fishing.

Still have to carry an angling license though.