Gippsland Blackfish

Murray Cod, Australian Bass, Golden Perch and more.
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Queasy
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Re: Gippsland Blackfish

Post by Queasy » Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:40 am

Good effort Truedogz, looks like a gorgeous stream to spend some quiet time by. I too enjoy getting to some remote streams at least a few times each season.

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Truedogz
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Re: Gippsland Blackfish

Post by Truedogz » Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:48 pm

ratbag wrote:Wayback we used to get them out the back of nillahcootie in good numbers & size, it maybe faring the same as gippy. You'd still be happy with the 40cm.
Eug1 wrote:Coming from up north I'm not familiar with blackfish. Are they a species which was once more common?
colnick wrote:Like Eug 1 I come from up north where the only fish we call blackfish are luderick. Mr Google identifies the fish as Gadopsis marmoratus
The fish found north of the divide, including Lake Nillahcootie, are different species. North of the divide they do not grow very big - 40 cm would be a monster and even then would not weigh much as they are very lightly built. South of the divide 40 cm fish are reasonably common and they are much more heavily built and have been caught to 5 kg and recently a 70 cm fish was taken:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15539&hilit=large+blackfish

https://www.facebook.com/WildBait/photo ... =3&theater

Only two species are currently recognised Gadopsis marmoratus and Gadopsis bispinosus yet the marmoratus south of divide are clearly different to those north of the divide - commonly called slipperies or slimies. The ones I was chasing are the southerners - in the old days called Gippsland or Yellowbelly blackfish due to the distinctive coloration of larger fish. While still widespread the southern blackies have undergone a substantial decline and there are streams in which they are now extinct.
Broomstick wrote:I'd kill for a fourby so I could get to some of these remote places but years of living beyond my means have finally caught up to me and it will be a long time before I'm in a position to make any big purchases.
Broomstick while a 4wd is certainly handy you don't need one to get to remote areas of Victoria. A great investment is a kayak. If there are two of you with two cars you can have one stationed at the downstream end of your trip and put in upstream. Take some basic gear with you and spend a few days doing it. You will get to more remote areas of rivers than you can with a 4wd or walking. If you need some tips pm me.
bilby wrote:but the walk or kayak in is often extremely tricky to say the least
Bilby, this trip was fairly strenuous and at times I wondered if it was worth it. I lost a night on the first creek otherwise two nights on the river would have been ideal - a few days later and I still feel a bit sore.
Paulanderson wrote:When we lived in Bunyip for a couple of years when I was in high school there were plenty of good Blackfish to be had in the Bunyip River and some of the very small creeks that flowed in. The Tarago River had even larger ones.
Paul, before I moved up north c22 years ago I fished the Bunyip and tributaries a fair bit and used to get plenty of 40 cm and bigger fish. I used to always let them go, though one time I made an exception and kept this fish of about a kilo for an old friend who grew up on them:
bunyip.jpg
The area has been affected by drought and fires but there are still blackies there. I don't know about the Tarago these days, but yes good fish used to come out of it as well as streams in the Dandenongs. There was a farm dam near Emerald where the blackfish we caught used to AVERAGE a kilo :super: ! Streams where I have caught fish of a kilo include the Yarra and tributaries, Thomson and tributaries, Bunyip and the Wonnangatta and tributaries. I lost a really good one near the bank in the Humphrey River thirty years ago.
DougieK wrote:Would you mind breaking down your blackfishing technique?
Dougie this link gives good basic advice on blackfish near Melbourne:

http://www.fishingmonthly.net.au/Articl ... ish-Basics

Blackfish shun sunlight but it is possible to catch them during daylight hours in streams which are well shaded with vegetation. What I do is walk up streams and drop a lightly weighted worm under logs or into undercut banks. Casting into shaded pools can be very effective as they will cruise around in the shade. I have had a fair bit of success with small soft plastics and diving lures in these situations too. There is no doubt, however, that worms, grubs or yabbies fished near snags on or after dark are very effective. But in daylight you have to fish in cover or in shade. If the water is discoloured they will feed through the day.

The blackfish was once an esteemed fish. In fact one of my heroes, Donald Macdonald, penned a whole chapter in a book about the delights of fishing for them in 1887 (anyone here know who he was?):

"The brushing of leaves, the echoing call of mountain birds, the mimic thunder of winter streams, or the pleasant tinkle of summer fountains. I have found this truly Australian fish in Otway valleys, where one realised for the first time the meaning of solitude, and was oppressed with the conciousness of being utterly alone."
idyllic.jpg
Best Wishes

Truedogz

bilby
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Re: Gippsland Blackfish

Post by bilby » Fri Jan 26, 2018 3:03 pm

The one and only one I've ever seen caught (by my brother) was in the Woori Yallock creek up in the Dandenongs.

Brownie
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Re: Gippsland Blackfish

Post by Brownie » Fri Jan 26, 2018 6:44 pm

Great looking water! Iv got an old Mitchell that looks almost exactly like that one which I inherited along with the rest of my late father's gear. Still works too. He used to take me fishing as a kid for blackfish and trout in the small streams at Bullengarook (think I spelt that right). That was 40 ys ago though. Used to be heaps there.

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