Fish catching equipment
- Thread starter frizzo98
- Start date
Saltliquid
New member
Here you go.
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/f18-marine-fish-and-invert-collecting
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/f20-fish-invertebrates-found-near-brisbane-in-seq
Some of the trips to catch them.
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumf...otos-in-seq-and-any-water-sports-and-sea-life
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/f18-marine-fish-and-invert-collecting
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumfree.com/f20-fish-invertebrates-found-near-brisbane-in-seq
Some of the trips to catch them.
http://southeastqueenslandm.aforumf...otos-in-seq-and-any-water-sports-and-sea-life
First I have not collected seriously for 40 years; times, laws and techniques change. As I said earlier we used two basic methods over40 years ago. Hand nets much like what has been described earlier and traps.
Collectors were very rare in in those days. I was in college in Georgia and would drive non-stop down to the Keys Collect for a few days then drive non-stop back. Sold fish in middle and north Georgia. Salt Water was a new thing back then and many pet shops were just starting to carry a small selection. Had access to a 24 foot Boston Whaler and worked in the middle to lower Keys. There was a marine collecting station on Big Pine Key...I think it was called Marine World. I can't remember the names of the owners but they were very kind to me. I traded fish and sometimes bought wholesale for special orders.
I would sometimes use a small casting net to isolate a small coral head. I would use a hand net and a copper rod as a poker to force out hiding fish. The hand net was about 12-16 inches across. We too make them No mono netting in those days. I had to purchase a non resident Florida Salt Water License. No special collecting license needed. No limitations on the fish except for game fish and crayfish [Florida lobsters]. The Marine patrol inspected me a couple of times. They had no interest in aquarium fish, live rock or corals.
The second method was what was called "attended" traps. If you remained within sight of the traps location it was considered "attended". Similar to crab type traps. I built the traps out of screen, wood and window sash weights. I baited them with.....this is probably going to get me in trouble.....sea urchins found on the reef. Sea urchins were considered pests and were damaging the reef in those days. They make GREAT! trap bait. You couldn't leave the traps fishing too long as you would attract all types of critters- eels, lobsters and even octopus but the fresh urchin would quickly attract all sorts of fish. I would leave them out 1-2 hours while I hunted with the nets. I think there was a limitation of the number of traps but I don't remember as I typically used only a couple at a time. I understand traps are highly illegal now so please do not try this at home.
It is amazing how fish availability and pricing has changed. I lucked into finding a ledge reef system around 60- 70 feet deep on I think what was the "reef". Most of that reef was a little deeper. What made this spot special, was the many and I mean many Royal Grammas. I don't know but I went back many times and always collected 10 or more. To most of you that doesn't seem to be anything special but I 40 years of diving I have never seen anything like it. In those days, Royal Grammas were considered somewhat rare and were fairly expensive. I could get $20.00 wholesale at the collecting station. The pet shops would pay around $30. Remember this was 1969 dollars.
Anyway I hope I have not bored you. I only collected commercially for a couple of years while at college. But it has always been a very special memory.
RJA
Collectors were very rare in in those days. I was in college in Georgia and would drive non-stop down to the Keys Collect for a few days then drive non-stop back. Sold fish in middle and north Georgia. Salt Water was a new thing back then and many pet shops were just starting to carry a small selection. Had access to a 24 foot Boston Whaler and worked in the middle to lower Keys. There was a marine collecting station on Big Pine Key...I think it was called Marine World. I can't remember the names of the owners but they were very kind to me. I traded fish and sometimes bought wholesale for special orders.
I would sometimes use a small casting net to isolate a small coral head. I would use a hand net and a copper rod as a poker to force out hiding fish. The hand net was about 12-16 inches across. We too make them No mono netting in those days. I had to purchase a non resident Florida Salt Water License. No special collecting license needed. No limitations on the fish except for game fish and crayfish [Florida lobsters]. The Marine patrol inspected me a couple of times. They had no interest in aquarium fish, live rock or corals.
The second method was what was called "attended" traps. If you remained within sight of the traps location it was considered "attended". Similar to crab type traps. I built the traps out of screen, wood and window sash weights. I baited them with.....this is probably going to get me in trouble.....sea urchins found on the reef. Sea urchins were considered pests and were damaging the reef in those days. They make GREAT! trap bait. You couldn't leave the traps fishing too long as you would attract all types of critters- eels, lobsters and even octopus but the fresh urchin would quickly attract all sorts of fish. I would leave them out 1-2 hours while I hunted with the nets. I think there was a limitation of the number of traps but I don't remember as I typically used only a couple at a time. I understand traps are highly illegal now so please do not try this at home.
It is amazing how fish availability and pricing has changed. I lucked into finding a ledge reef system around 60- 70 feet deep on I think what was the "reef". Most of that reef was a little deeper. What made this spot special, was the many and I mean many Royal Grammas. I don't know but I went back many times and always collected 10 or more. To most of you that doesn't seem to be anything special but I 40 years of diving I have never seen anything like it. In those days, Royal Grammas were considered somewhat rare and were fairly expensive. I could get $20.00 wholesale at the collecting station. The pet shops would pay around $30. Remember this was 1969 dollars.
Anyway I hope I have not bored you. I only collected commercially for a couple of years while at college. But it has always been a very special memory.
RJA
Ya your fine they did not ban urchin collection and baiting was banned some time in the 80's I think. The laws are not that bad you just got to be sure you don't break any because then you can get in a lot of trouble with fwc. The keys are a lot harder to catch in now to many laws and sanctuaries. I go by ft. Lauderdale and still catch a lot of fish for my tank. Recreational only though. Comercial lisence a are not that expensive it's just a pain and it's almost not worth the money.
