Edited from Daily Mail 18th January 2010

An encounter between beluga whales and divers is taking place at a special whale sanctuary deep in the Arctic ocean, designed and built by marine biologists from St Petersburg University. 

The 'natural farm' acts as a nursery for breeding whales, as well as acting as a rehabilitation centre for former performing animals before they are set into the wild.

The natural bay under the ice means that the whales are protected from the strong currents of the wider ocean and left to breed in peace, while also leaving them free to roam as they wish.

These wild whales are not endangered, but are considered to be threatened by pollution and loss of habitat.

Close encounter: A scuba diver braves temperatures of -10C to approach the whale

Before each dive the team have to create holes in the three-foot-deep ice using a hand saw, just to get through to the sea below.

Once they're in they have to swim around in heavy layers of clothes to keep alive in the -100C waters.

And it's definitely a case of choosing the short straw for one volunteer who gets to stay above ground in -300C winds, making sure the ice hole doesn't freeze over and trap the group.

'Photographing a story in very cold water can turn into a logistical nightmare,' admits photographer Franco.

'But, if we are well trained, the underwater part of things is not really as harsh as you might think.'

'When we come out on land, temperatures can get down to -100C or -200C and things will instantly freeze, so we can barely move.

'Cold itself will not hurt the equipment, but it may slow down some of its functions as well as our own.

'Because of the ice-layer and snow cover, there is not sufficient light to shoot with ambient light and batteries lose their charge more quickly in cold weather.'

Franco added that he was keen to show the beauty of the undersea world to those who can't face the icy deep themselves.

'I want to see these amazing animals in a way that only a few people have seen and I want to share it with others.'

gady fw crew. just want to share a story about sunday fishing at rotto west end had a troll for about 2 min and saw alot of action ytk fish every were got the gold 60 gram halco twissty and hit some great ytk mate got one on fly and other mate got one on his little shallow diver they wer going crazy and not many people were hooking up apart from us i dont know why but any way had alot of fun on them then went for a drive goign to our ground then came across huge school of southern blue fin tuna perfect spot but wasnt hooking up stayed chaising them for about 30min without a hook up any one had the same problem and any one know why. then went on some ground berlyed up first rod went off got it up was a masiv black ray keept berlying and had a shark pull up behind the boat about 30 meters away so threw the berly out more and hooked up on what was thort to be a small ray but was a meter and a half wisker shark so chucked our lines back out and  pulled up a baldy and my rod went off and was peeling off line like no tomora was a shark becouse of the head shakes and the way it went around the boat and the way it came up 10 min of fighting it and got bit off buger but ended up pulling in 2 more masiv rays 100kg plus and 2 eagle rays then came back to rockingham and went for a snorckle and got 1 nice 32cm sand whiting a king gorge and 2 ocys for bait perfect day if u ask me haha sorry about the long story but was fun.

I am heading down to Hillarys tomoorow night, and am taking myy big rod, wondering how to catch rays down there?

Where abouts is good in hillarys, info on bait, rigs etc is great.

Thanks

Tom

have you guys had a play with one, who has one and how do you think they are?

Rarely seen shark ritual spotted by news crew off WA coast

The 17 sharks, some up to 4m long, were filmed from a Channel Nine helicopter this morning and the vision will be aired on Nine News at 6pm tonight.

Shark expert Mr Hugh Edwards said the ritual had only been filmed twice before, once off Mexico and once near the Rowley Shoals off WA’s North-West coast.

“It’s exciting, it’s mind-blowing, this is some of the best shark vision I have seen.  It is a very, very unusual spectacle,” Mr Edwards said.

Hammerhead sharks are usually solitary animals and not seen in big groups.

"They were swimming in circles which we assume is a mating ritual. They certainly weren't hunting anything," Mr Edwards said.

"It's very unusual to see hammerhead sharks in a group and when they are it is regarded as a world-wide phenomenon.

"There are very few places in the world where it happens and nobody has ever heard of it happening off Perth before."

The mating behaviour of the hammerhead shark can be violent and recently scientists discovered the sharks can reproduce asexually as well.

Hammerheads are mostly found in tropical waters and there has never been a recorded attack on a human by this species of shark.

The news team was flying over the coast looking for a 4m shark which was reported to be just 50m from Sorrento beach this morning.

I was just wondering if there was an ideal casting distance when using poppers and metal slices from the rock or is it the further from the rocks the better?

cheers for your input

Does it still count if you use soft plastic, cast on a fly rod?

This was the first time I've actually used my fly rod to catch dinner, rather than as a novelty. I usually break it out when we already have our catch, or when normal methods are being too successful, for a bit of extra challenge and fun getting the casts right. But this time, standing in ankle-deep water, no weight, no terminal tackle was the only way to go, and man it was some of the funnest fishing I've ever done!! Actually ankle-deep, I was sight-fishing the whiting! Wicked!

Of course a good fly fisho will likely outfish anyone else, but I am more of a part-timer. This trip, I left my box of small flies at home accidentally, so only had some soft placcy worms to work with...and work it did! Got a bunch of the biggest whiting I've ever caught, and a couple of nice black bream, in the estuary.

Man, it was so much fun! Up there with the best fishing I've been lucky enough to experience!

Hi Guys,

 I have a 13 ft Ocean Kayak Prowler 13 fishing Kayak for sale/swap. Yellow. It is in very good condition and comes with the works - foot operated rudder, paddle, Esky, Anchor, fish finder(b/w), battery, rod holders, mini tackle box, wheels. My young fella thought he could handle this, but it is too big for him, as he is only 11, so will sell for $1000 onco (new around $1800-00) or swap for single seat smaller yak with paddle and a cash difference. In Safety Bay, can assist delivery.

 Can send pics, but just google it - it's way easier

PM me or call on 0401 746 415

Headed down to swanny for a whiting bash on sunday. Arrived at our spot around 7am. I filled up the home made burley bomb (a 3/4m piece of PVC riddled with holes) with minced fish bones, guts and pellets and dropped it over the side (approx 11m depth). Within 3 mins we had what seemed to be a 3m tiger shark cirlcing our boat and swimming underneath it. We had no probelms/ fear with this shark. 1 min later in came what we are sure was a white that was close to the length of the boat (5.5m half old school cabin cruiser). This thing was huge and had the girth of a cow. Feeling uneasy i pulled in t burley bomb only to find the thick chain attached to the bomb and had been chewed through. We watched this thing for another 30 seconds and as it cruised by the boat within touching distance we decided to move on. this thing was big.

After the wind had finally dropped on Sunday we headed out off the Cape to find some fish. First drop and my mate was on to a good fish. A few minutes later he had a good size dhuy on board. After a couple more drifts and a few other species boated a second dhuy was caught. We decided to release this fish so we could keep fishing but this proved to be quite hard work. The release weight I had was way to small for the fish and didnt have enough weight to pull the fish under. Ended up making my own release weight out of several sinkers and a big hook. After a bit of stuffing around the fish finally went down for a sucessful release. Things went quite after this. Managed a couple of sambos on jigs on the way home to top of another good day.

I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often.  The size of a golfball yet the second deadliest thing in the ocean.

Edited from Jeff Whalley January 18th, 2010

An 11 year old girl was flown to hospital on Saturday after being stung by a blue ringed octopus at Anglesea Victoria, while playing in a rock pool.

"Suddenly her airways contracted and she started having difficulty breathing and her family called the ambulance straight away." Sgt McKiterick said.

Paramedics then summoned the air ambulance to rush the girl to the Royal Children's Hospital. The hospital was not able to provide an update on the girl's condition last night.

Sgt McKiterick said such attacks were unheard of during his years of policing along the coast.

"It was always something for the warmer coastal areas further north," he said.

He said beachgoers should take safety precautions.  "People should be aware particularly when in rock pools."

Last week Surrey Hills six-year-old Holly Smith accidentally transported a blue-ringed octopus home in a bucket of shells she had been collecting.

She was in the bath cleaning the shells when a deadly blue-ringed octopus fell out of one.

The octopus, which died due to being out of salt water, was preserved in a jar with methylated spirits.

Blue-ringed octopuses were common throughout Australian waters and liked to rest in dark, quiet places like shells throughout the day before hunting for food at night.

Hello All,

have been given an Abu Garcia Multitip 8ft 4-8lb nibble tip Fibreglass rod.

It is very nimble and light. Does not cast light lures too well (seems to be too soft) and was wondering what its best use would be.

Any suggestions appreciated.





Cheers

Going to the North Mole sometime this week, hopefully at night.

Going for rays and sharks just bigger stuff really for a bit of fun, however can you guys help me out with a few things,

Whats the best rig to use and bait. and where on the North Mole is best for the sort of fishing?

Cheers, John

Ola guys and girls

Just keeping you posted with the news from 'ol Blighty.  Got meself a trip to the river Ebro in Spain booked for October 2010, fishing for carp and catfish from boats.  A weeks trip with the promise of carp upto 40lb and similar with the cats!  Whether you love em or hate em they fight well and fishing for them can be a great crack!

The weather here now is no better, the snow melted a few days ago, and since then it has rained, so the rivers are now really ruined, cold icy water, plus the muddy rain water from the fields has really knackered them.  So I thought i would start up a thread of your better fishing shots, not necessarily with fish in, but showing off some of the good, or bad weather that your have experienced.

These are my photos of a sunny time.

South Drain Wedmore December 2008

Salcombe England November 2006

Take care team.  I gotta boat trip next sunday weather permitting so hopefully I will hve some new photos!

Rog

what shops have served you well in the past, who hasent and whats your favourite?

Hi bought a $25+ japanese squid jig from the tackle shop and went in the sound/GI today plenty of weed at varing depths and didn't get one hit my questions as follows:

1. do you tie the jig direct to the line

2. attach a swivel to the line then direct on to the jig

3. connect the swivel with a leader then the jig if so how long is the leader

4. attach a burley cage simular to a herring set up

5. was it to calm today for squidding

TIA

hey people im going to seceret harbour tonight if anybody wants to join pm me quick ill probably be there allnight

Sherbs and I are looking at getting some Tripods built for fishing on some of the reefs around Perth. Does anyone have a design sheet for one of these or know where we can find one? Many thanks, Colin Hay

Hey. My brother has just bought a small boat and we're heading out for the second time off Mindarie early tomorrow morning (weather permitting). We're not familiar with boat fishing in the area so we're going to hang near Quinns Rocks not too far out. Maybe near the reef. (We've always been land based.) 

Can you tell me what species of fish we're likely to catch? Is there any advice you can give for fishing in the area?

Cheers

Thinking of going down to hillarys this evening for a fish, wondering what is biting down there, and how to catch them , and where abouts in Hillarys?

Also i was wondering if there are any rays around at the moment? and if so how do you catch them???

Many Regards

Tom

Hi All.  Can anyone provide some advice on trolling the dampier pipeline?  Im not sure where it begins (whitnell Bay?), or the best area of it?  I know its a popular spot for Trout etc, so any advice no matter how minascule would be greatly appreciated...just after somewhere to start?  Cheers!

My wife n I just got bak from one of tha groyne's that colin showed me.   Great morning for my wife who pulled in 2 herring with a fluoro rig I set up for her.    As for me I'm starting to think that tha fish are fuking with me!!!    One bite at my nice chrome twistie I bought and nothing else good thing I had beer to keep me busy!    Gonna try again tommorow.

took out the boy,s for a feed, I had 1 drop for the day, 2 x dhuies in 5mins, 8.5kg and 9kg, then moved to some other ground for some variety, left the kg,s on the bite, great fun,

hi guys was at woodmans point tonight fishing for tailor anyways the tailor came on the bite and i caught probably 20 or so but all were well undersize execpt for one 40 cm one. and as usual every d@@khead was ther taking buckets ful of undersize talior so i decided to do something about it this time because it seems like every time i go out i see the same thing, so asked the asian guy next to me with like 10 tiny talior in his bucket if he new what the bag and size lmit are and that he should not be keeping them cos they are way to small,but he just laughed at me and continued to take them every cast so i called the fishwatch number in front of him and reported him and all the others anyway the guy just took my details and said he will pass it on to the fisheries officer who will come down . so i waited for another 2 hours or so while they kept on keeping undersize fish,hoping that fisheries would come down and bust them but they never came where are fisheries ? what the hell is the point of me calling in if there not going to do anything about  it? al my years fishing i have never seen a fisheries officer do they even exist? this is happening every day and unless they start doing something about it there wont be much fishing in the future.sorry for the long rant but this just pisses me off so much.

anyone whos been to the ammo jetty a few times will know of the big resident seal

was just wondering if anyone has snorkelled with it as i was snorkelling one day and the seal was hanging around near end of jetty and didnt go there as a thought it might think i'm trying to steal his fish and attack me, anyone out there that knows if its friendly

I thought we jigged to avoid fish like this.

Don't know if this is a bad sign or if it's telling me that I can catch anything on a jig this year!

Can anyone point me in the right direction to find any coral ground south of dawesville, headed out from there a couple of times and sounded around for ages and found it pretty barren! not asking for exact spots just roughly what depths the better ground is in, Cheers

After some suggestions for a live bait tank set up. I have a small seat on the boat which is roughly 800mm long x 600mm wide x 600mm high that I want to convert to a live bait tank. Live bait will range from herring to small salmon.

Cheers

Brendan

You know you have done a good job of parenting when your son buys you the xmas gift that will be with you for a long time to come.

A knife, not just any knife but one made from ceramic material. I thought Kyocera made printers. He made me proud, without a doubt the best sushi/fishing essential I own today.

Check out this video for the story.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFnT5INymiY