Tournament fishing]]> Bait fishing]]> Lure fishing]]> Fishing nets]]> Floods]]> Water resources]]> Water--Law and legislation]]> Traditional ecological knowledge]]> Blackwater]]> Salinity]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Riparian areas]]> Fishes--Breeding]]> Environmental flows]]> Water quality]]>
Brian talks about: native fish activity in the Sturt Reserve, in particular Murray Cod and their habitat; the importance of river flow on fish breeding cycles; the changes in baiting methods from live bait to lures; banned fish net practice; petitioning against commercial fishing in South Australia; the changes he has observed in water levels in the Murray River, including vegetation; 1956 flood; blackwater; water salinity; traditional knowledge (pinpointing the birthplace of a Murray Cod from its stomach lining); and the different species of Callop in South Australia.

Mention of a silver fish 'tookeri' and a 'scarfish'.]]> CC-BY]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Bait fishing]]> Lure fishing]]> Introduced fishes]]> Reptiles--Identification]]> Birds--Identification]]> Fish stocking]]> Riparian areas]]>
Both born in the early 1950s, Gary and Kaye have fished all their lives. Gary grew up on the Wakool River and Kaye moved to Victoria in the 1970s. They are members of the Seymour Angling Club, a social club that travels once a month around all of the Victorian rivers, from Eildon to Echuca.

Gary and Kaye talk about: local fishing techniques and equipment; types of bait such as garden worms, flat tail worm, scrub worm, yabby, shrimp, Bardi grub; types of lures; fish species and their behaviours; the prevalence of European Carp in the Murray, Wakool and Broken rivers; trees, snags, and fish habitat; mammals; reptiles; birds; human activities that degrade the rivers and river banks; restocking rivers.

Other fish mentioned: 'silver bream' (unspecified).]]> CC BY-NC-ND]]> Water temperature]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Lure fishing]]> River engineering]]> Fishes--Migration]]> Irrigation]]> Water quality]]> Stream restoration]]> Water resources]]>
Geoff was a construction contractor but has been working with water management for twenty years. He talks about his understanding of the cross over from recreational fishing to management of water, and about Lake Makoan being decommmisioned 2009.

Geoff grew up on the Broken River. He shares his earliest memories of learning to fish with his father and sister; camping on the Murray River; his desire to pass on a sense of ownership of the rivers to his children and grandchildren; what to look for in the river when fishing for trout and Macquarie Perch; fly fishing; which parts of a snag different fish prefer; lake fishing compared to river fishing; fish behaviour depending on temperature and time of day; and what he likes about fishing. He discusses the benefits of fresh bait; where to collect scrub worms; catching yabbies; attracting shrimp with orange peel; decline of Catfish; changes to the Broken Rivers structure (de-snagging programs, the construction of the Nillahcootie 1967, the floods of 1974); fish migration and fishways; changes in fishing technology; the opening cermemony of Lake Nillahcootie; the changes in water quality due to the introduction of Carp; the Broken River Irrigators and their advocacy that a dam be build on the Broken River; the dams effect on the local ecology; Lake Mokoan water turbidity; and how the Broken River earnt its name. He goes on to discuss community engagement and the future of the River.

Mention of "Barragunda" a place at the head of the Broken River (Vic), "Green Swamp" or "Green Wetlands" near Winton Wetlands (VIC).

Mention of scrub worms, mud eyes, black crickets, grasshoppers, bardie grubs, shrimp, yabbies

Mention of Sedges, ribbon weed]]> CC BY]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Bait fishing]]> Floods]]> Weirs]]> Fish kills]]> Introduced fishes]]>
Born in 1953, Jenny Shields is a local fisher from Seymour in Victoria and member of the Seymour Anglers club who also enjoys fishing with her three children and her husband, Wayne.

In the interview Jenny discusses: growing up and fishing on the river; turbidity of the water; the different currents of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers; the changing flow of the river due to dredging at Goulburn Park; the annual River Run event beginning at Walnut Grove; carp issues; stagnant water and subsequent fish kills.

Mentioned: Tortoises, platypuses, ducks, worms, Bardi/Witchetty grubs, cheese, yabbies.
]]> CC BY-NC]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Weirs]]> Floods]]> Water quality]]> Predatory animals--Behavior]]> Water conservation]]> Hunting]]> Bait fishing]]> Fishing--Australia]]> Fishing regulations]]>
The interview goes into depth about the types of fish that were present in the past, the increasing turbidity of the Murray River, fishing and the techniques and bait used, the interesting and opportunistic diets of the Murray Cod, and the changing views of fishers from those of over-fishing to current attitudes of conservation in light of the changing laws.

Mentioned:

Bardi grubs, 'trout', platypus, turtles, cockatoos, rats, mice.]]> CC BY-NC-ND]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Plants--Identification]]> Birds--Identification]]> Snakes]]> Riparian areas]]> Bait fishing]]> Floods]]> Salinity]]> Irrigation]]> Local history]]> Military service]]> World War II]]> Communities]]> Soldier settlement]]>
Born in Renmark in 1923, Howard lives on the banks of the Murray River at Pyap, near Loxton. He grew up in an underprivileged First World War settlement in Renmark, spending school holidays helping his father on the land picking dried fruit and tending to animals. Howard was a Royal Australian Air Force pilot and bomber in World War II, and commercial pilot for British Airways. When he returned with his brother from WWII he took up an ex-serviceman block near Loxton.

Howard recalls history about: soldier settlements after the First Word War (Renmark, Berri, Barmera, Waikerie); the mix of cultures in the population as a result of the World Wars; training at an army camp at Victor Harbour, and training as a fighter pilot at Deniliquin in 1942; the sinking of the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur; experiencing WWII first hand on the south coast of England and as a bomber pilot over Germany.

Howard also discusses: fishing at Ral Ral Creek growing up, a tributary of the Murray River; changes in fish species (the main three being Cod, Callop, Bony Bream); the number of trees and shade along the river bank; fishing methods used on the river bank, and types of bait (e.g. birds to catch shrimp, mussels to catch cod); changes observed in minor and major flood cycles; changes in salinity, and the resulting changes in irrigation practice in the Riverland; yabbying techniques and where they were most abundant; bird nesting and water bird species; snakes; vegetation; floods 1931 (Renmark), 1951, 1956, 1959 (Berri).

Also mentioned: Tree of Knowledge (Berri, marked with flood levels).
]]> CC-BY]]> Floods]]> Fisheries]]> Salinity]]> River engineering]]> Bait fishing]]> Fishing industry]]> Soldier settlement]]>
Born in 1935, Malcom is a professional fisherman. First taught to fish by his grandfather, he bought a professional licence in 1957.

Malcom talks about: soldier settlements around the time of the 1956 flood; government allocation of river sections for commercial fishing; professional fishing equipment and techniques; baiting methods; process of preparing and transporting fish for market, and market prices; diseased fish (‘Redfin were good carriers’); electrofishing techniques; deterioration of trees as a result of unnatural flooding and salinity in floodplains caused by the locks; impact on deteriorated floodplains on native fish (whereas carp thrive); yabbying after flood events; the social impact of insufficient income from commercial fishing; floods 1956, 1970s.
]]> CC-BY]]> Livestock]]> Irrigation]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Bait fishing]]> Introduced fishes]]> Water quality]]> Communities]]>
Born in 1957, Gavin has lived all his life at Picola on the Murray River, at the edge of the Barmah Forest. Gavin‘s family property was used predominantly for sheep farming, with the occasional crop for fodder and hay.

Gavin talks about: irrigation channels through the family property; fish species, their locations, and tricks to finding them; types of bait; fishing equipment; tethering fish; impact of European carp e.g. water quality; changes in people over time in the area.]]> CC-BY]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Tournament fishing]]> Water quality]]> Water temperature]]> Erosion]]> Fish stocking]]>
Merrylin and Kelli are members of the Corowa Angling Club, Merrylin a champion women's fisher. Kelli is manager of the Corowa Motor Inn and grew up fishing around the Menindee Lakes. They meet with a group of women in Pomona every year for a week long fishing trip.

Merrylin and Kelli talk about: fishing places and trips; fishing and baiting techniques; mammals, snakes, lizards, birds; changes in water quality and temperature; river bank erosion; restocking activities (fundraising).]]> CC-BY]]> Water levels]]> Lure fishing]]> Bait fishing]]> Floods]]> Fishes--Identification]]> Environmental flows]]> Tournament fishing]]> Water sports]]>
Tony discusses bait and lure fishing; permanent set lines; and recalls the arrival of Redfin and Carp. He shares stories about the professional fisherman who used to fish the Murray; illegal fishing; and talks about electric motors; trolling for cod and Callop; fishing from cliffs and catching Cod and Catfish. He also discusses the advent of lure fishing in the area; what he looks for in a lure (the right action, the right size and then colour); the reasons why fishing gets better when the water's low; and competitive fishing with the Lower Murray Lure Fishing Club. He notes that the popularity of lure fishing in the area contributed to the closing of the Cod season for a couple of years. He talks about water skiing; the floods of 1974/75; yabbying; proper fish handling; his fish 'finder' or fish 'sounder'; and shares what he likes about fishing.
]]> CC BY]]> Mannum, SA [populated place]]]> Murray Bridge, SA [populated place]]]> Wynarka, SA [populated place]]]> Bow Hill, SA [populated place]]]> Walker Flat, SA [populated place]]]> Lake Mulwala, NSW [lake]]]> Younghusband School, SA [school]]]> Nildottie, SA [populated place]]]>