Gambusia Hunting

Gday all, probably a strange topic, but was wondering has anyone ever gone netting for Gambusia also called Mosquito Fish and Gambezi (obnoxious little freshwater guppy looking things that eat everything native)? Or anyone know of any little creek/drain systems where they might be found.

Why i ask is i have some bigger predatory aquarium fish that i like to feed them too. I have usually just caught them by hand net when fishing in the murray, blackwood and warren rivers when fishing for redfin.

Was trying to find a metro location to catch a couple. Though i know of a few likely locations, they are not the best for netting the little buggers. Becasue either
1: they are lakes, which make it hard to get them as they just swim out deeper. So prefer creeks of little water holes.
2: are in highly populated residential areas which makes me seem like a weirdo going in and netting for the buggers which would probably prompt someone to call the local ranger thinking i am chasing ducks or something, so prefer the sight to be out of the way.

Any locations or general areas i should check out would be greatly appreciated as i do love watching my fish hunt and i am not willing to pay the ridiculous price aquariums ask for them.

Cheers.

Buz.


milsey's picture

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where are you located i know

Mon, 2009-04-06 20:20

where are you located i know a place in east freo.

D_DOUSH's picture

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Just be careful mate, i had

Mon, 2009-04-06 20:22

Just be careful mate, i had a mangrove jack in my tank and was goin down to the local lake and catching them to feed it, Unexpectly died and the guy at the aquarium shop said it was them that killed it because of all the pesticdes and crap they asbord while in the lake. Waste off $200.
Deckhand and member of the Gotone Woodvale team

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The cut off pools

Mon, 2009-04-06 20:45

The cut off pools  down river from the upper swan bridge  youl be real suprised what you can pull out of them  .Watch out for the snakes and the bullants they think they own the place.

 

 Cheers Uncle Stu

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Bull ants bites

Tue, 2009-04-07 20:53

If you get bitten/stung by a bull ant,gets some sap from a bracken fern and put on it.The pain stops almost instantly---old aboriginal trick,works like magic

Buz's picture

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Cheers for the heads up

Mon, 2009-04-06 20:52

Cheers for the heads up Doush. Can understand the careful approach of what you feed expensive aquarium fish. Fortunatly for me mine are redfin perch. Hahaha so if they die i'll just go catch a couple more and not feed them gambusia from that waterway hahaha!

Am located in Morley milsey, but dont mind driving up to 30mins away if there are good numbers and they are easy to catch.

Wherabouts/ what road is the upper swan bridge Uncle Stu?

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GT Northern HWY

Mon, 2009-04-06 21:10

 On the corner of GT northen HWY and west swan rd There is some deep pools both sides of the bridge.

 

 Cheers Uncle Stu

Buz's picture

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Cheers Uncle Stu. Might have

Mon, 2009-04-06 21:20

Cheers Uncle Stu. Might have to test out my new waders tomorrow.

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metro area. I went to

Mon, 2009-04-06 21:26

metro area.

I went to rossmoyne high school in rossmoyne. Out the back (public access) is a creek "bullcreek" and there's a path with a bridge that crosses over it. Either side of the bridge the water pools and there used to always be heaps of Gambusi's there.

good luck 

Buz's picture

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Cheers for the info

Tue, 2009-04-07 17:59

Cheers for the info everyone. And thanks for your recommendation Uncle Stu, i went and scoped out a bit upstream of where you suggested today. Didnt have to go to far. Got hundreds possibly thousands of them all within 4m of the river bank! Great place as alot of them were trapped in little pools or very shallow sections of the river(creek). My redfin are looking extremely fat at the moment and with this catch should be able to feed them for about another 2 months or so.

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No worries

Tue, 2009-04-07 20:04

 Once the water starts flowing again  they will be a lot harder to catch. ive seen some nice cobler in those pools.

 

 

 Cheers Uncle Stu

Buz's picture

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Cobbler hey??? Guess they

Wed, 2009-04-08 00:28

Cobbler hey??? Guess they must be the native freshwater species.

Pity there aren't any trout in that section as it looked perfect for a big brown or rainbow to hunt in.

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hey uncle stu what other spp

Wed, 2009-05-06 19:17

hey uncle stu what other spp reside in these pools would it be worth throwing a line in?

 been looking for some redfin or some such fishing closer to perth without the 2 hr drive iv herd lake monger and helena river were the 1st places stocked with redfin some 100years ago do they still hold populations and is it legal to fish in them? any secret metro spots? pm me if needbe

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canning river

Tue, 2009-05-12 15:35

Kelmscott is the place to go. kelmscott Fryer park ive been there and there are thousands of those little fish there.