I feel like grabbing those fishers by the neck and shaking some sense into them! No fish is worth the risk they are taking. I know the spot well.

Blue Sky! Blue Water! BLUETONIC

Crazy!Ive never seen so many people fishing off the rocks.Always stayed very high up and watched the ocean constantly.Have lost a few lures at the base of the rocks and just watched the ocean wash them away.No way you will catch me anywhere near the black stuff for a fish or lure!

...the risks that people take with that place. Not sure if they were tourists or locals, but if any where the latter, they should know a lot better. There's been oodles of press on the disasters at that spot. 

Colin Molloy

RECFISHWEST Member

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

Some people really dont have any common sense and to risk the lives of their kids is even worse

Life is short so live it fast

Nathan

Thanks for putting that up Colin,I dont have a scanner sp I was going to take a photo of the article and post it up, but it worked out dodgy.

Like you say can any fish be worth it??? Especially when you have to go anywhere near the black stuff.   

I have surfed and fished there on a few occasions. Once when surfing I got caught by a few waves on a big set - first wave threw me very close the rocks and the next wave took me right across to the right side where the reef sites high and dry. I then paddled in... That was good lesson for me.

I have been past there a few times lately and I know that a lot of the people on the pics are "new locals" (Phillipinos - sorry about pointing the finger) and there are also a few long time locals there too who know the risks but arent even wearing life jackets. There are life jackets available from Little Grove Store which is on the way to Salmon Holes for free hire, these were provided by the Nathan Drew Foundation... I would rather be uncomfortable on land then be uncomfortably being hammered by the ocean down there...  

It's great to see these guys fishing but, they are also the ones who fill up their buckets with undersized bream. Obviously there are cultural differences but it is still very frustrating.

Its also frustrating to see that some twerps have vandalised the silent sentries that have been put up along the coast down here, also by the Nathan Drew Foundation. The shame is, is that the guys who vandalised it and stole buoys wont be the ones who need it.

I can't believe that little kids were allowed to run around and as you said Scott, there's cultural issues at play here amongst some and lfe jacets available provided by the excellent (and very sad) Nathan Drew Foundation and some very good parties associated with that foundation. 

People will continue to take crazy unnecessary risks and it won't be long before we read/here about yet another tragedy at that spot.

Colin Molloy

RECFISHWEST Member

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

good point too Nathan - thats the bit that annoyed me the most, having their kids there. I saw some there the other day with kids not even 3 years old, they had to walk the whole way down the stairs, along the beach and up the rocks. When they got there their little legs would have been buggered so if they ended up in the drink  they wouldnt have had a chance.

I get paranoid having my 3 yr old on a jetty - he is always either holding my hand or wearing a life jacket. I have seen a kid fall into a pool and he sank straight to the bottom.

I've seen waves wash right over those rocks and I wouldnt want to be standing anywhere near them then.

what are silent sentries ?

Why don't hey just block this area off to public access, it's so sad to see people risking their kids lives like that, they may have a change to survive but they kids wont.

I must say I've allways wanted to go their myself but knowing what its like now I'll be standing back and watching.

TT ( karl )

I used to be with State Emergency Service in albany when i lived there and pictures like that make me sick... those people need to be shot(sorry its true), i spent countless hours search areas all over the south coast for people who have been washed in, quite a few times with bad results sometimes VERY RARLY we found them alive, but time off work (unpaid) and these idiots do things like that, that rock they are on has killed quite a few people in the past 15 years...

im a rock fisherman myself, ive fished some stupid spots, but ive got sense, i know whats safe and whats not, A fish no matter what it is, even if Marlin were being caught of that rock i wouldnt go there, its so unpredicable, and the ledges underneath the water there suck people in and 90% of time wont be found for days until the gases are released and body comes up..

Get some sense you morons..

Salmon are being caught at MIDDELTON BEACH for god's sake

I found what it is here

very sad to read

http://www.coastalsafety.com.au/index.html

TT ( karl )

I totally agree Scott, BTW, on your feelings towards the moronic jackasses that vandalised those silent sentries. Vandalism by itself is such a mindless act, but to vandalise fixtures that have been put in to save lives - AND motivated through the extraordinary spirit of people and the loss of a child, leaves me with a VERY bitter taste.

Totally agreed Aussie Boof! I'm a member of VMR610 and I never cease to be amazed at the risks people take - off the stones and on the water. 

Karl, as sad as it might be for it to happen, maybe that's the only answer. Cheers too for posting that link! It will hopefully make people think. But that's the frustrating bit. Folks in here are aware, because they take the trouble (and have the sense!) to join good fishing comminities and seek out (and obtain) good (often necessary local knowledge).

Colin Molloy

RECFISHWEST Member

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

I've fished Albany for samon a few times, but it's not worth it. the black shit on the

rocks is that slippery I was crawling one day to get the fish. They are fun to catch

not the best to eat good luck to all who wants to risk their lives. I'll stick to the boat

"safer".

thats just plain stupid and gives us serious rock fisho's a bad name. I at least wear a pfd co2 jacket and have saftey rope incase of emergency

thats what they see some clowns do on fishing shows!
Fast fish rule!

"Some mothers do 'ave em"

Colin 3 > long standing and highly respect member of the prestigous Colin's club.

Heading down there for Easter.

The young bloke at work is from Albany and wants to fish Salmon Holes and Cables.

Ive already told him no mate,I like to drive up to a safe spot where I can fish,the Mrs and boy can swim if they want and I can fish even if I catch NOTHING.

Also chances are in those 2 spots you will return to a busted window and ransacked vehicle if the waves dont get you.

Andrew

thats why you leave your windows down and car unlocked.. they dont bother then... salmon holes is a safe BEACH but why them rocks??? why...

Dreamweaver.. i worked along side sea rescue quite a bit.. tough job

Albany is a tourist town, and a beautiful town.. It relies on people coming and having a good experience. Why is it that hot spots are open to regular vandelism? Where are the authorities when you need them and what are they doing down there to control vandelism and to protect the industry that keeps them alive???

Why is it that a large gathering of Philipinos can be so dumd and place the lives of their children at risk for the sake of a shit eating fish? so many questions I know... It's so frustrating. No disrepect to the Pillipino people but I am afraid there of some of your people who are really really dumb and show no respect for the local community and most worrying.. to their own families.

Cheers, Vince

http://vinceholt.spaces.live.com/

 ------------------------------

Work Smart - Fish Often

AB - I'm just a member of ASR, it's money well spent and the minimal cost goes to a very good cause. Unfortunately, I live in Mount Barker, otherwise I'd certainly volunteer my work. The rescues I've been involved in is where boats have broken down without any means of communication and I've called them in.

Vince, I here you budy. Unfortunately, the authorities can't be everywhere all the time, so you'd have to be lucky to catch these mongrels. Maybe some form of tamper alert might assist. As for the philopinos, yes, they need to know better, but most (if not all) are simply flown out here to work at Fletchers. They've no idea and have a completely different cultural background and haven't lived/been in Albany long enough to be (made) aware of the dangers. Maybe people coming into the area to work (as (temorary even) workers need an 'information pack'. Whether this stops them is another matter of course. 

Colin Molloy

RECFISHWEST Member

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

another option for that area is putting tie down loops in the rocks like they have done down some of the areas in margaret river through to augusta

that would help a bit but you would still get the stupid sh#$% that dont take care and ignore the warnings while fishing on the black rocks

NO fish is worth risking your life over

RUSS & SANDY

"A family that fishes together stays together"

But the idiots probably wouldn't use them.

Colin Molloy

RECFISHWEST Member

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

It would only take one idiot to ruin everyone's day.

Colin 1 Proud and co-founding member of the prestigious Colin's Club

Proud member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts

Make sure you have subscribed to:
http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/

It seems that the finger is being pointed at mostly filipinos behaving dangerously at samon holes,having lived and fished in the philippines its easy to see why the local filipinos have little regard for the dangers present at salmon holes,tides and currents around the philippines are not in the same league as they are in WA.
im sure they are blissfilly unaware of the strong currents etc.
As filipinos are generally very approachable people shouldnt local people be educating newer people as to the dangers present,rather than just condemning their actions.

also please try not to confuse a lack of understanding with stupidity, most people will do the right thing one they understand the reasoning behind it

cheers