Fishing Victoria Forum

Do Bream Comps (and others) Encourage Rule Breaking?

The following is cut directly from the new Vic. Recreational Fishing Guide, 2019.

"It is illegal to high-grade your fish
High-grading of fish involves a person who has caught and retained their daily catch limit of legal sized fish, but who then continues to catch more of that species, subsequently discarding the previously caught fish, dead or alive.

If you caught it, count it
Fish caught that are retained in live wells, catch-bags, eskies, buckets, any other container or given to someone else count towards your bag limit."

:fishing:

I agree. Ban bream imo

Where's Steve when you need his opinion on breaming

I think there are some key words here. The rule prohibits catching more fish after catching the DAILY BAG LIMIT, even if some fish are subsequently released. I don't pretend to know too much about bream comps but everything I've seen and read suggests that as larger fish are caught smaller fish are progressively released from holding tanks/keeper nets long before the daily bag limit has been reached.
I suspect threats to fish come more from ignorant anglers or those who deliberately ignore bag limits rather than competition anglers.
And no, competition angling is not my thing.

Whiskers wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:18 pm

Do Bream Comps (and others) Encourage Rule Breaking?

The following is cut directly from the new Vic. Recreational Fishing Guide, 2019.

"It is illegal to high-grade your fish
High-grading of fish involves a person who has caught and retained their daily catch limit of legal sized fish, but who then continues to catch more of that species, subsequently discarding the previously caught fish, dead or alive.

If you caught it, count it
Fish caught that are retained in live wells, catch-bags, eskies, buckets, any other container or given to someone else count towards your bag limit."

:fishing:

Going by this if fish are placed in live wells and later released to upsize then yes.
Be the same for whiting anglers releasing fish from a live well before moving as to not spook the school.

smile0784 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:33 pm

Where's Steve when you need his opinion on breaming

This could be as good as Kimtown vs P5 I, II, III

Lol

l have never fished in a bream comp but from what l have seen on tv or have read about the competitors have a live well and once they have caught there bag of about 5 fish, if they catch something bigger then it's an upgrade.l assume they put the bigger one in and release a smaller one,l don't see this as cheating.
l don't know about this dead or alive stuff, l would be surprised if fish were thrown away dead as anglers in this sort of comp seem to be fairly responsible.
:cheers:

Whiskers wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:18 pm

Do Bream Comps (and others) Encourage Rule Breaking?

The following is cut directly from the new Vic. Recreational Fishing Guide, 2019.

"It is illegal to high-grade your fish
High-grading of fish involves a person who has caught and retained their daily catch limit of legal sized fish, but who then continues to catch more of that species, subsequently discarding the previously caught fish, dead or alive.

Im not sure about Other Comps.
But Most of the Bream Boating Tournaments the Bag Limit is 5 fish, so Not Highgrading as such...
The Kayak Bream Comps are 4 Fish I believe (i could be wrong here)

If you caught it, count it
Fish caught that are retained in live wells, catch-bags, eskies, buckets, any other container or given to someone else count towards your bag limit."

The Bream Tournaments are a 5 fish bag, so as soon as the 6th fish is caught, the smallest fish is released back, this continues till the end of the tournament and is Known as Upgrading. there is only maximum of 5 fish allowed to be weighed. and since the torunament is 2 anglers per team your legally allowed 20 fish on board... nobody actually keeps more than 5 fish in a torunament anyway.

The Tournaments are run very strictly, with boat and fishing licences checked prior to start, and also proof of boat insurance must be shown, if you get caught speeding in 5Knot zones or you get fined by water police you are disqualified instantly.

rb85 wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 22, 2019 8:38 pm

This could be as good as Kimtown vs P5 I, II, III