I received this last week, but had already written and submitted the column. 

However, this is still relevant (unfortunately) – there really are some stupid people about, people with no thought for anyone else, the environment or themselves really. 

On the long weekend a couple of mates went to Blowering – a great weekend for being outside at  a warm 33 degrees and a strong wind blowing from the east.

They came across an unattended campfire on the west (Batlow) side of the dam. They set out to do the right thing and put it out.

When they got a bit closer to the unattended fire, what did the find? 

Three or four small gas cylinders, the small ones that are used in the little gas hot plates. 

Now remember the temperature is 33 degrees with the wind blowing from the east – from the dam side to the pine tree side. 

What type of idiot would leave an unattended fire on a hot, windy day and also put potential bombs in the fire? 

I am and have been a firefighter for the past 13 years, I and the blokes I work with, along with nearly every other firefighter, have seen first hand the damage fire can do to persons and property and I can tell you, some of the images are not very pretty and stay with you for quite some time.

Blowering is a national park area that (at the moment) is free to go on and camp – if a new law came in that all national parks were to locked off from the general public and the only way in was to pay a fee, these idiots would be the first to jump up and down saying it’s not fair and there shouldn’t be a fee.

Bbut they are the first to do idiotic stuff and put lives in danger and are obviously more than willing to destroy property. 

There were dog foot prints all around the camp area ,which probably meant that they also had dogs – another thing you are not allowed to have in a national park. 

What would have happened if a couple of sensible younger blokes doing a bit of fishing/exploring just happened to see an unattended fire and decided to do the right thing and put it out and just as they were about to throw some water on it, one or more of the cylinders exploded injuring them or maybe worse, maybe one of these exploding cylinders flew into the pine trees in close proximity and started a fire like the bushfires in January this year. 

As Ray Hadley would say, these people aren’t smart enough to be half wits, they are not even quarter wits. Is it so hard to be a little bit sensible, I’m buggered if I know at times? 

Soapbox over now, but let’s just stop and think before we do idiotic stuff that has the potential to harm or even kill someone. 

The warmer weather has seen the fishing pick up considerably, the cold snap that went through earlier this week may slow things down a bit. 

Burrinjuck has once again been good with the quality of fish being caught, quantity is still down a bit, but good sized fish on lures and bait are turning up. Mainly towards the top of the dam, with a couple in the main basin

Blowering is about the same as the ’juck except the majority of the fish being caught towards the wall. Lures have been the most successful with only a couple being accounted for on bait.

The alpine waters are fair; Talbingo is a bit slow with only a couple of trout being caught down towards Sue City. Tantangara has been fishing pretty well considering the amount of water being let out. Shane Carroll ventured out and landed some nice fish, or so he said because he conveniently left the camera in the car. Eucumbene hasn’t broken any records but some nice sized browns have been accounted for and the lure of choice has been Stuckey’s once again. Jindabyne is okay – Mark Hillis reported a nice 4lb brown caught by mate Dan McDonnell in about 40 feet of water.

Hume Weir has been the place to be with some monster Reddies being caught and a reported 10lb fish landed using a soft plastic, the yellas are still around and often the reddies are a by catch by someone chasing these yellas.

Mulwala is starting to get some good reports on yellas with a couple of pigs to 55cm landed on hard bodies down towards the bridge.

The South Coast has seen good numbers of dusky flathead in the estuaries up to 82cm with a lot around the 60-70cm mark, some big tiger flathead, morwong and snapper around the closer reefs. 

Speaking of saltwater fishing, Greg Dyde and Chris Chamberlain went north to Moolooaba and had a double hook up on 200kg-plus blue marlin.

Unfortunately, Dydey lost the rock, paper, scissors fight, so Chambo got a 200kg-plus fish to the side of the boat, they also managed a couple of nice Mahi Mahi as well. 

Well done fellas, good to see you getting the trusty 2100 Walkaround out and about, but I must have lost my invitation in the mail though.

Eucumbene 47.5%

Hume weir 78.0%

Blowering 67.6%

Burrinjuck 84.0%

Jindabyne 66.8%

Tantangara 22.5%

Talbingo 77.2%

Mulwala 93.5% 

Send your photos to craig@waggamarine.com.au or 0419 493 313