BNB Fishing mag | Jan 2019

Mental mangrove jack action

$

450

The deal with dolphinfish

Includes GST

January 2019

Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 30, Number 1

Impoundment barra bonanza Land-based on Gold Coast

Going the extra mile

Fraser Coast producing plenty

Epic offshore fishing trips

Moreton Bay fishing tuition

Terrific time for topwater luring Jewfish swim bladder controversy continues

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 1

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Inside this month Mangrove jack

Big reds

P34

P22

Freshwater barra

Cap Coast

P50

OUR COVER

JAMES HOLLANDS captured this cracking 20kgplus dolphinfish on 8kg line class while fishing with JORDAN KOSCHEL. Check out Jordan’s article on Page 20 to learn more about targeting these awesome fish.

EDITOR: SUBEDITOR: ADVERTISING: PRODUCTION:

Ben Collins Daniel Tomlinson Ben Collins, Gabi McCaig Jo Hendley

Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email: ben@bnbfishing.com.au Internet: www.bnbfishing.com.au PO Box 387, Cleveland, Qld 4163 Unit 2, 39 Enterprise Street, Cleveland, Qld 4163 AFTA PRINTER: Rural Press DISTRIBUTION BY: Fairfax Max. recommended retail price $4.50 (includes GST).

CORRESPONDENTS: Editorial contributions are welcome, as is news from clubs, associations, or individuals; and new product news from manufacturers. Entire contents copyright. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. It is the responsibility of advertisers to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

G IN

FISH ING ’S

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www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine is published monthly by Collins Media Pty Ltd ABN 43 159 051 500 ACN 159 051 500 trading as Collins Media.

AUST

FEBRUARY edition will be on sale in newsagents from January 25. See subscriber offer on Page 68 to go in the draw to win a NEMO Galaxi 2P super-lightweight hiking tent valued at $399.95!

on the water and putting it into practice.

I love watching them make a couple of casts and catch the fish we are targeting and see the look on their faces.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy my charters but there is just something extra special about the tuition.

So that is why this year I’m going to concentrate more on tuition and the small boat charters while Warren will run all the bigger boat charters with the larger groups.

He has definitely proven to be a gun angler, a good bloke and responsible skipper with lots of patience and time for customers.

He also loves watching other people catch fish and giving advice so the clients have a chance to catch the fish of a lifetime.

The charters I’ve done in the small boat this month have produced lovely flathead, squire/snapper and trevally.

All fish have been caught around the Moreton Bay islands, no further out than Macleay Island, and all on lures trolled and cast in the shallows.

The key to catching fish this month has been fishing the correct tide.

I’ve been landing the snapper/squire and trevally when there’s plenty of run, and flathead on the top and bottom of the tide.

Fishing nice and light has been imperative and also makes catching these species a lot of fun.

The water has been getting a bit dirtier lately with all this wind, so darker lures have worked best.

Young Warren’s getting into plenty of good fish out in the big boat, so let’s see what he had to report this month.

ATI ON

them how to catch fish.

I have taken people out on charters over the past 10 years and we’ve captured fantastic fish and had incredible times and I loved every minute of it, but these days I really enjoy my fishing tuition.

This is where we sit down in the classroom and talk about everything to do with catching certain species in Moreton Bay before going out

CI

Another year has passed and now we’ve got a big year ahead of us.

I’m not going to whinge about the fishing last year because I thought it was a fairly consistent fishing year.

Let’s hope that’s what’s in store for us in the year to come.

One thing that has become quite apparent in the past year is even though I like catching fish myself, I really love watching other people catch fish and teaching

Moreton Bay

by SEAN & WARREN

O

W

ELL it’s the first article for 2019.

Moreton Bay masters ................by Sean & Warren ..............................P3 Back into offshore fishing ........by Bill Corten .......................................P7 Tips to outfish your mates.........by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson .................P9 Finding fish these holidays ......by Keith Stratford..............................P12 Fishing Tuition..............................by Sean Conlon .................................P13 Moreton Bay.................................by Brian Webb...................................P16 Game Fishing ...............................by Barry Alty ......................................P17 The deal with dolphinfish.........by Jordan ‘Grinner’ Koschel ..........P20 Recipe ............................................by Melissa Frohloff ..........................P21 Mangrove jack on fire ...............by Mitchell Townsend ....................P22 Power Boat Anglers...................by Mick Clutterbuck ........................P23 Summertime whiting .................by Robert Payne ................................P24 Targeting mangrove jack ..........by Brad Smith ....................................P25 Land-based on Gold Coast..........by Wayne ‘Youngy’ Young ..............P26 Inshore species action ..............by Darren Rama ................................P27 Gold Coast.....................................by Heath Zygnerski ..........................P28 Tweed to Byron ...........................by Gavin Dobson ...............................P29 Ballina round-up ............................. by Brett Hyde ...........................................P30 Evans Head options....................by Gary ‘Squidgie’ Palmer..............P31 Clarence Coast ............................by Tye Porter ......................................P32 Wilson Fishing puzzle page .....................................................................P33 Battling big fish ...........................by Greg Lamprecht ...........................P34 Sunshine Coast............................by Peter Wells ...................................P36 Noosa to Outback .......................by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson ................P37 Hervey Bay....................................by Tri Ton .............................................P38 Surface fishing for jacks ..........by Joel Johnson................................P39 Bundaberg Region ......................by Brad Young ...................................P40 Readers Forum.............................................................................................P41 Boating & Marine .......................................................................................P42 Insights into insurance..............by Nautilus Marine ..........................P43 Charter Directory ................................................................................. P44,45 Choosing a canoe .......................by Dan Owbridge..............................P46 Threat to jewfish stocks ...........by Dave Donald .................................P47 Gladstone Region........................by Gary Churchward........................P48 Topwater action ..........................by Todd Eveleigh ..............................P49 Capricorn Coast...........................by John Boon .....................................P50 Stanage Bay .................................by Pee Wee ........................................P51 Going the extra mile ..................by Matt Potter ....................................P52 4WDing debate ............................by Greg Bell .......................................P54 LandCruiser restoration ............by Craig Tomkinson .........................P56 Journey to Gulf country.............by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon .................P57 Caravan Chat ................................by Brad Young ...................................P58 Competition Report.....................by Robert Payne ................................P59 Majestic Lake Awoonga...........by Callum Munro ..............................P60 Monduran barra ..........................by Donna Gane ..................................P62 Freshwater Impoundments ......by Matthew Langford ......................P64 Fishing for sport.......................... by Neil Schultz..................................P65 Glenlyon Dam...............................by Brian Dare.....................................P66 Trading Post.................................................................................................P67 Subscription form ......................................................................................P68

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Sean and Warren the Moreton Bay masters

P62

PRO TE CT

A number of trevally have been around and they are good fun on light gear.

I

NSTEAD of looking back on the year just gone, I am going to look forward to 2019 and focus on what it holds for BNB Fishing mag.

HIN G T R A D E

As you can see, the print magazine is still here and going strong, so it won’t be going anywhere.

However, that does not mean we are resting on our laurels.

Instead, we are continuing to evolve as a business and look for new opportunities and challenges in order to continue delivering quality fishing and boating information, which is always our aim.

These days social media plays a big part in getting information out to the public and is a platform we are using in conjunction with the printed edition.

One avenue we use is Facebook.

BNB is very active on Facebook (search for Bush ‘n Beach Fishing Magazine if you haven’t already ‘liked’ us), with loads of tips, links to articles, funny fishing stuff and plenty more to keep you amused and up to date with relevant info.

Unfortunately, Facebook keeps moving the goal posts, so like many businesses we are updating our strategies to counter this and will continue to do so moving forward.

In addition, our website bnbfish ing.com.au is going from strength to strength, with the database of information growing every day.

If you have not been on our website lately, make sure you check it out.

I have mentioned this a few times, but it is worth bookmarking our Useful Links page because it has direct links to fishing regulations Australiawide, tide times, weather and other handy links.

You’ll also find local fishing reports are uploaded to the website every Friday to give you a few tips for the weekend.

These reports are also distributed via our weekly e-news, which is sent out for free to e-news subscribers.

To subscribe and get this weekly email loaded with local reports and the latest happenings in the fishing world, simply jump on our website and add your details in the pop-up box that appears.

The e-news is a great way to get more information out on a more regular basis.

Another way to access BNB Fishing is through Issuu, which is the online platform we use for our digital copy of the mag.

Yes, we have both printed and digital versions.

Digital subscriptions are also available, with a two-year subscription only $45.

The best thing about Issuu is you can view back issues absolutely free.

Make sure you jump online at issuu. com/bnbfishing and hit the ‘follow’ button.

It is free to follow the mag online and you will be notified when the latest edition is released each month.

The Issuu back-catalogue is also a great place to go and look up old fishing info, which is always handy when planning a fishing trip.

Another area we are looking to further develop in 2019 is our YouTube channel, which has a mix of boat and product reviews (search BNBFTV).

Instagram is yet another platform we use, so again jump on and follow us.

Make sure you #bnbfishingmag on your Insta posts so we can see all your great catches.

This might seem like a lot to take in, but it is what we need to do to continue to grow and make sure 2019 is a cracker year.

Ben Collins

November prizewinners Congratulations to Laurie Simmons, Kingscliff; Andrew Bullen, Titenbar; Kevin Challen, Brighton; and Craig McKenna, The Gap who have each won a super Salt-Away starter kit valued at $100!

☛ continued P4

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 3

Clive was on holidays from England and was lucky enough to catch a squire on a Gobblers Jerk Shad.

The boys from Creek to Coast got into the whiting.

Andrew Mirosch cooked up whiting on the beach at Amity Point.

Sean and Warren the Moreton Bay masters

☛ from P3

Rebecca with a flathead hooked on a Bulldog Crank.

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Warren’s report Some nice fish are still hanging around southern Moreton Bay, but with the weather a bit more unstable you’ve got to make the most of the good days.

The southeasterly wind blows constantly for weeks on end and then the afternoon northerly sea breezes will make it difficult.

Early morning presents your best chance to get out and amongst a few quality fish.

I was lucky enough to spend a day with Andrew Mirosch and the crew from Creek to Coast fishing in Moreton Bay and around Peel Island for a segment on Redlands tourism and the catch and cook segment.

It turned out to be an absolutely brilliant day and we got stuck into nice whiting.

Even the cameraman and production manager got to have a fish, which by the sounds of it doesn’t happen very often.

Tick all the boxes ch more fish! sh! and catch FISHING TUITION

WITH SEAN CONLON

A four-hour off-water course forr up to four people covering: Target species BOOK OK AY TODAY Moon phases Weather and tides Techniques Environment Tackle tips

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Early in the morning we chased squire and smaller reef fish around Peel Island.

With the tides not having much run it was tough but we still managed to catch several pan size fish.

The whiting were a real hit in any case, especially the way Andrew cooked and presented them for lunch.

It was one of the best fish recipes I’ve tried and I was lucky enough to eat the fish within half an hour of catching them.

Plenty of mulloway (jewfish) are still available in the bay at this time of year.

They tend to school in the deep holes, you’ve just got to spend the time searching for and finding them.

Some days you may sound around for five to six hours before you even pick up a single fish or school.

Daniel and his brother Andrew who now lives in America were lucky enough to jag the good weather on a recent Tuesday before the southeasterly wind came in solid for a week.

In two minds about whether to head to the northern bay, I decided to stick to what I know and search the local spots to see if we could get some results chasing jewfish and snapper.

Neither of the brothers had ever caught a jewfish and were hoping to land one on the charter.

After about an hour of sounding around we ran across a school of fish that was active and moving quite fast.

Using the Lowrance HDS-12 I marked the fish on the side scan, turned around and with Daniel’s second cast he nailed a nice 84cm mulloway on a Zerek Fish Trap.

With the first fish making its way over the side, the excitement in the boat was amazing.

About 15 minutes later we managed to put Andrew onto an 80cm mulloway and then the score was even.

After watching the two brothers catch a couple of fish I decided it was the captain’s chance to grab a rod and have a flick.

Tying on a Zerek Fish Trap, I left the boys up the front to cast while I headed down the back.

I didn’t have to cast, so just vertically jigged my vibe off the bottom as we went through the school.

I subsequently hooked an 88cm mulloway and it was three from three, which was absolutely epic.

Once the fish moved, we decided to sound around and found them further up the channel.

We were lucky enough to pull another three fish out of the school but the bite got tougher as the run in the tide started to pick up, so we decided to head off and chase snapper.

The boys thought it would be an excellent way to finish the day.

We arrived at the spot to a show of four or five fish on the sounder.

Daniel pulled a 50cm snapper but unfortunately after bringing one fish aboard the

sharks moved in, so we decided to head off.

On the way back to the ramp we flicked a couple of plastics for a few lizards.

Quite a large number are still around for this time of year.

Andrew got a nice one at 68cm and soon it was time to head home.

The boys had a great day on board Moreton Bay Fishing Charters catching some fish they will never forget and landing their first mulloway.

Zerek Fish Traps and Flat Shads nailed all the fish.

I am now taking bookings for 2019, so feel free to give me a call and book in because I’m sure the fishing is going to be ex-

ceptional after Christmas.

We will also be offering some crabbing and prawning charters for anyone who would like to learn how to crab properly, throw a cast net, chase prawns and cook them.

Call me on 0433 732 310.

If you’d like to go on the 4.3m boat with Sean or learn more about his fishing tuition course ‘Ticking all the boxes’, phone 0432 386 307.

We also have a couple of Facebook pages now – the same one as always ‘Moreton Bay Fishing Charters’ and ‘Sean Conlon’s Fishing Charters and Tuition’, so check them out.

Merry Christmas and have a happy and safe New Year.

Simon captured this bream while casting for flathead with a Gobblers Paddle Tail.

Daniel with a nice snapper.

Andrew landed a jewfish on a Zerek Fish Trap.

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Don’t be a fishing fool – know your rules

J

UST like fresh Queensland prawns for Christmas lunch, fishing and summer are a perfect match.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said taking your children out fishing over the summer holidays, or just going out on the water with friends, created lifetime memories.

“But if you are planning a fishing trip this holiday season, don’t forget to check the rules before you drop a line in the water,” Minister Furner said.

“It’s important everyone

is aware of and follows the rules, which ensure sustainable fisheries for future generations of Queensland fishers.

“Everybody, regardless of whether they are experienced or first-timers, should familiarise themselves with the relevant rules that apply, including size and possession limits, how to correctly measure fish, fishing gear restrictions and closed seasons.

“There are different rules for fishing in tidal and fresh waters, marine parks and interstate.”

The minister said anglers could also buy a

Stocked Impoundment Permit and then go fishing in any of our 63 stocked dams and weirs.

“Stocked impoundments are replenished regularly, making them the perfect sustainable fishing option,” he said.

“Species stocked include barramundi, golden perch, silver perch, Australian bass, Mary River cod, Murray cod and saratoga.”

The cost of an annual permit is $50 per person, $36 for concession card holders or $10 for a weekly permit.

Permits are available at fisheries.qld.gov.au, by

calling 1300 575 359 or at any Australia Post outlet in Queensland.

To report any suspected illegal fishing activity, call the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116.

For more information on Queensland fishing rules including fish iden-

tification and SIPs, visit the Fisheries Queensland website, call 13 25 23 or download the free Qld Fishing app from Apple and Google app stores.

You can follow Fisheries Queensland on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@FisheriesQld).

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Quotes over the phone

• Measuring devices – Use a ruler with an end stop to measure the length of your fish or a crab gauge to measure your crabs.

• Identify your catch – Always carry a fish identification guide or download the Qld Fishing app. Fish that look similar can actually be different species with different size and possession limits. If you can’t ID it, free it.

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• Gently does it – When a fish is hooked, avoid playing it on the line for too long. A stressed fish will quickly become exhausted and have less chance of survival if required to be released.

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• Check your gear – A number of restrictions apply to fishing gear.

Check the rules at fisheries.qld.gov.au • If it’s not yours, don’t touch it – Interfering with crab apparatus you didn’t set is illegal. If you see apparatus that may have been abandoned, report it to Fishwatch on 1800 017 116.

Have your say on the future of Moreton Bay shellfish collecting

T

HE Queensland Government is seeking public feedback as it considers closing Moreton Bay to shellfish collecting.

Fisheries Queensland executive director Claire Andersen said there continues to be a serious level of non-compliance with fisheries regulations for collecting shellfish, particularly at Sandstone Point.

“This year, 74 fisheries infringement notices with fines of $19,386 have been issued for unlawful collecting of molluscs at Sandstone Point,” Ms Andersen said.

“Fisheries officers have made considerable effort to educate the community about the fishing rules

for molluscs and the importance of only taking a small number, but people are still not fishing by the rules.

“Gastropods and bivalve mollusc species are highly susceptible to depletion because they remain in one place and can be easily accessed in fishing grounds close to urban centres.

“The Moreton Bay fishery working group and the Sustainable Fisheries Expert Panel have both recommended Moreton Bay be closed to shellfish collecting due to the ongoing lack of compliance and concerns about sustainability.”

Ms Andersen said the Queensland Government is currently considering

the closure option and feedback from fishers and members of the public is now being sought.

“The closure would not apply to pipis or worms and would only apply to bivalve molluscs and gastropods such as mud welks, cockles and mud arks.

“People can submit a response to an online sur-

vey by January 6, 2019 at surveymonkey.com/r/ CMQZYDN “In the meantime, I urge fishers at Sandstone Point to fish by the current rules to ensure shellfish stocks are protected for future generations of Queenslanders.

“There is a possession limit of 50 bivalve molluscs per person, including mol-

luscs previously collected but not yet eaten.”

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Damien Wright with a typical southern 35s pearl perch.

Getting back in the offshore fishing groove T HE recent caravan trip Ruth and I did to western Queensland, far-western NSW and into western Victoria saw us mostly in drought-affected country and this was contrasted by the trip home through some of Australia’s best pastoral country as we travelled into the highlands up from Yass through Crookwell, Bathurst, Mudgee, Scone, Inverell and Glen Innes.

Not the usual route caravanners take, but a great insight into how diverse this country of ours is, with most property owners experiencing good pastures and taking every advantage of record prices for their cattle, sheep and wool while they are on offer.

Such a contrast to their western cousins who are destocking sheep and cattle properties and doing everything they can to ride out the drought and

Offshore

by BILL CORTEN

have something left to rebuild their herds with when the conditions improve.

Life on the land can be very fickle, with fortunes made and lost, and trips like what we have just done make me appreciate more than ever what the ocean offers and the pleasure of being back out on the water.

First trip back was a fishing charter for a family of four and it was the young son’s 16th birthday and his maiden offshore trip.

Young Joe was a bit of a natural and in no time he was into some excellent pearl perch, snapper and even a nice goldband snapper.

We don’t normally see many goldband down off Moreton Island, especially in 57m of

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water along the eastern edge of the 29-fathom reef, but the water temperature was 24.4C and it would have travelled down with the warmer currents.

Now I’m wondering how many other tropical species we are likely to see in our backyard this summer.

The good bite that day was early in the morning after the high tide and as the early morning cloud cover burnt off and the predicted northerly wind came in we just had to move around more to find the fish.

The current was slight and with a good sea anchor it was no problem holding bottom with moderate size sinkers out deeper later on.

A couple of days later the current had virtually dropped off altogether and with a change in wind direction I was keen to have a look around east of the bar.

Live bait was far more plentiful around Point Lookout than on the northern grounds and they were very active, slamming the jigs in a positive indicator for a good catch that day.

The difference was the barometer was higher, the wind was very light from the southeast to east, the cloud cover was increasing as the day went on and we were closer to the new moon. ☛ continued P8

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 7

Getting back in the offshore fishing groove ☛ from P7

Mike Bosworth was happy with this 29-fathom pearlie.

I used to like the southern end of the 35s on the new moon and hadn’t fished there for a good while and the area didn’t disappoint on the day.

The fish were schooled up nicely but were only of average quality.

The more detached pieces of reef that were low in profile and a little further away from the main structure had pretty good shows and much better-quality fish.

First drop with a livie on a bottom basher saw a big hit and a powerful run before the fish rubbed the rig out on the bottom.

The next drop was with

Father and son Scott and Joe Philp enjoyed being offshore.

a freshly caught bonito on a floater and it didn’t last long either, but whatever it was, it didn’t come back again, so we had to be content with a very good feed of quality pearl perch and snappery squire.

Out of curiosity, a move down the reef about 4km had us in an area where we commonly catch parrot and I was wondering if the order had changed while I’d been away and the parrot would be biting on this moon phase.

Well no, the parrot weren’t on, but the pearl perch were and didn’t have a preference for live or dead bait, they were just very hungry on the day.

Not a bad result for fishing the reefs not far out the front in the lead-up to Christmas.

I hope the mackerel season is good when they come on too because plenty of slimies and bonito are around at the moment.

With the Christmas holiday period upon us at the time of writing, I made it my business to have a good look around the South Passage Bar before this went to press.

While the swell was only small, the channels were in good shape, so on any of the small swell days over the holiday period most people should have no problems with crossing providing they stick to the deeper wa-

ter, avoiding the shallow sandbanks with white water on them.

With some big tidal ranges around the full and new moons in summer, the volume of water flowing out across the bar on ebb tides can really make the bar stand up steeply, with short closetogether waves.

Combine that with even only a small easterly swell and the resulting pressure waves can make it very ugly if heading out in a small boat, so if this is you, try to time your run out to sea with an incoming tide.

Some other tips to consider are wearing life jackets when crossing the bar, especially if a bit of swell is around, and to log on and off with one of the volunteer marine groups.

The radio service is free and you will know with certainty your radio is performing well if needed in an emergency.

This combination of actions can genuinely save lives.

Another thing is to not rely on the continued accuracy of old GPS tracks or old GPS co-ordinates, especially if you haven’t been out for a while, and take the time to observe where the waves are not breaking and steer to those areas.

Speaking of this, one of my frustrations observ-

ing other boating traffic around a coastal bar is watching a whole line of boats blindly following the leader into an area of shallow sandbanks with no channel and then watching them splinter off playing dodgems try-

ing to avoid the steep wave faces when a set of swells comes through.

Be your own skipper and take the precautions mentioned here, using common sense when crossing.

A happy and safe holiday period to you all.

Birthday boy Joe Philp enjoyed catching his first offshore fish in the form of a goldband snapper, backing it up with several pearl perch.

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Tips to outfish your mates – part two

H

I folks, season’s greetings and happy New

Year!

I hope it is a great one for all our readers, scribes and the guys and gals putting in all the hard work to get this awesome magazine out.

Following on from my November 2018 article where I outlined a few areas of preparation and location tactics you can use to outfish your mates, this article goes into some of the more subtle techniques.

We are going to focus on the senses of sight, sound, smell and touch – and not just yours but also those of your targets!

Fishing Tips

by SEAN THOMPSON

Getting ‘one up’ on your mates on the fishing front can be a lot of fun, provided it is done in good jest and you remember that shared knowledge will catch you more fish in the long run.

That said, when are at your favourite spot, employing a few tricks and tips will help you get one up over your mates.

One of the best ways to do this is by adopting ‘finesse fishing’ techniques when the time and place calls for it.

Finesse fishing – tackle and technique So what is finesse fishing?

Finesse fishing can mean many things.

As a general rule, it is scaling down your tackle to fish lighter and finer, but just as importantly it is also being adaptable, stealthy and smart in how you fish.

Just remember though, finesse fishing can mean different things in different locations.

Think about where you

Stealthy fishing and sneaking up on the spot using a Watersnake electric motor.

are fishing and what is going on both below the water and in terms of your action with the rod and line.

Let’s take an example of wading the flats or fishing very skinny or shallow water in a boat.

In shallow, clear water the fish are going to be spooky and nervous about any unnatural noises or presentations.

Finesse fishing in such areas means choosing lighter, thinner-diameter lines to not only make it harder for the fish to see, but more importantly present your lure or bait with a much more natural presentation.

Heavier lines will create more (unnatural) drag in the water.

Equally important is the weight at the ‘business end’ of the line.

There isn’t much use having light line if you lock it in place on the bottom with a big heavy sinker.

Instead you want your bait moving around naturally with a ball sinker, allowing your bait to move ever so slowly in the current.

Even better, a good tactic for bait fishing for whiting from the flats is to slowly retrieve your bait in the water, with added red tubing attractants near the hook and bait ideal to attract fish to the bait.

Likewise, fishing with a flathead bait like whitebait or a smaller pilchard is best done using a subtle lift and drop retrieve, keeping the bait near the bottom.

If lure fishing with soft plastics in shallow water, use light jig heads – as light as you can get away with given the wind.

In light wind, 1/8oz to 1/6oz jig heads will give you plenty of distance and sufficiently natural ‘flutter’ with your lure.

If, however, the tide is running quite strongly in the area you are fishing, a change in technique is called for.

While your mate might be ramping up his or her ☛ continued P10

The author with a nice flathead from the skinny water in his blue sky camouflage outfit.

Standing back rather than in the water can pay dividends when you first arrive at a location.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 9

RUHLE Tips to outfish your mates – part two

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jig head size you should simply use the current because you cast up-current and slowly lift your lure and let it drop steadily with the current.

This is a deadly technique when walking the bank or fast-running flats at the mid stages of the tide.

Another thing to keep in mind with this style of finesse fishing is weight.

If you are casting and retrieving for several hours, a lighter rod and reel setup will feel a heck of a lot more comfortable.

For shallow fishing I usually use light reels in the 1000-2000 range.

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slow to medium-action rods are best.

Slow-action rods have the most flex or bend in the rod, which is great for casting light baits (like yabbies) and small lures.

If you are going to fish topwater lures, you probably want to move up to a medium-action rod as these have less give on a ‘take’, thus enabling a more positive hook set after a strike.

If, however, you are drifting and ‘tea bagging’ big soft plastics or vibes on the bottom in deep water you would want a fastaction rod, as a soft-action rod would absorb the lifts you want to impart.

Keeping a low profile Traditionally, trout fishers are considered some of the wiliest anglers around, going to great lengths to camouflage themselves while they sneak up along the bank to get a cast to a fish.

The idea of camouflage colouring is to break up your outline when fishing by the water’s edge on a beach or the flats.

It is why I like wearing the Steve Starling Finesse range of clothing released

by Mad Keen Fishing.

I don’t know if it makes a big difference, but it gives me confidence and when wearing it I seem to see more fish swimming in front of me than my mates see in their standard attire.

Noise is another key factor in adopting a finesse or subtle approach to your fishing.

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I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had a hook-up first or second cast when stealthily turning up on the flats or moving spots, while mates have taken a bit longer to find their first fish.

The same principle applies to fishing the beach for whiting, mountain lakes for trout or freshwater impoundments for native species around dawn and dusk.

The secret is using a very subtle approach of either casting well back from the water or wading in slowly and quietly so you cause the least disturbance to the water as possible.

If you stomp on in guns blazing, the fish will duck for cover and it will be some time after the disturbance has subsided that you will finally catch fish.

The same principle applies in a boat.

Rather than roar up to a spot and throw your anchor, consider buying an electric motor and cutting your engine 20-30m from your final spot and sneaking in with your electric.

It makes a difference and can be the reason why your mates in a nearby boat are wondering why you are catching all the fish for the first 15-20 minutes!

Keeping your eyes peeled Another way to ensure you are ahead of the game with your mates is having your eyes peeled (and your hearing senses switched on) for signs of fish activity.

This can be a scattering of baitfish, flashes under the water, subtle water disturbance or birds diving on baitfish forced to the surface due to predators attacking them from below.

Scents Scents applied to baits or lures present another successful way to keep you ‘ahead of the pack’ when the fishing is slow or a lot of baits or lures are in the water.

Scents not only disguise unnatural smells like sunscreen, petrol and oil, but also give the lure or bait a more natural taste or flavour.

Over and over again I’ve seen bream or flathead come back for a second or third strike of my wellscented plastics, when mates have complained of missing a hit and then getting nothing further with their unscented lures.

Presentation Finally, now you have all the right gear, techniques and adopted a stealthy approach to your fishing spot, you want to make sure you can reach the fish and present your bait or lure as best you can.

To maximise your casting distance, be sure to ensure your reels are spooled or topped up to within a couple of millimetres of the lip to increase distance when casting.

Further, to ensure your bait looks as natural as

possible, make sure your hook is sitting neatly along the bait with the point of the hook exposed, not with the bait in one unnatural glob.

Finally, with soft plastics, make sure you rig them straight so they swim straight.

It could mean the difference between you being king of the ramp or scoring a doughnut!

So there you go.

I hope these subtle tips on techniques and tackle, along with part one’s tips on preparation and location, help you regularly outfish your mates!

For extra tips, articles and more, be sure to like my Facebook page and follow me on Instagram at Ontour Fishing Australia.

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Hints for finding fish these holidays

H

This threadfin salmon ate a Zerek Live Cherabin in deep water.

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APPY New Year to all Bush ‘n Beach readers.

Hopefully 2019 brings us all plenty of fishing opportunities.

January will be another busy month on the waterways around Brisbane.

Heaps of people will still be on holidays, so expect the rivers and creeks to be busy with all types of watercraft.

The key to finding numbers of fish this month is to avoid the busiest times of the day.

A lot of holiday-makers don’t tend to get on the water too early and are off the water well before the sun goes down.

Early mornings and late afternoons are prime time for a range of species to feed.

Once the boat traffic picks up, the fish can become a lot harder to catch.

Species including trevally, mangrove jack, tarpon and bull sharks are all on the cards this month.

Enough flathead should be getting about in some of the rivers to make it worthwhile casting a few plastics or having a troll.

The Brisbane River has seen plenty of threadfin salmon and a few jewies caught recently.

The threadfin move out to the mouth to spawn at this time of year, so it’s important to give them a bit of break.

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by KEITH STRATFORD

Some anglers seem to think it’s a good idea to sit on these schools of fish and catch them all day.

Threadfin salmon don’t release well in the shallower water where the majority of them are found in the Brisbane River.

Constantly hooking these big breeding fish doesn’t help the future population.

Several jewfish have been getting around the river mouth as well.

Some of these fish are schooling in large numbers and most of them are good specimens around the metre mark.

They have been difficult to find on occasion and can move around quite quickly, so keeping an eye on the sounder is important.

Once you’ve located these fish on the sounder, you need to get your lure down to them.

A lot of the water at the mouth of the river is 12-15m deep, so lightly weighted plastics won’t get the job done.

A jig head around 1/2oz in weight will work well.

A 3/8oz will also work, especially if the fish are sitting a bit higher in the water column.

Getting a solid hook-up on a jig head-rigged plastic fished in this depth can be difficult when the fish aren’t feeding aggressively.

Paying close attention to your line and striking at anything out of the ordinary will give you the best chance of coming up solid.

Some days the fish just suck in the lure without any indication, so it’s worth striking at everything you think could be a fish.

Soft vibes are all the rage in the Brissie River.

They account for most of the fish caught there, particularly the Zerek Fish Traps.

These are excellent vibes and very easy to fish in deep water.

The hook-up rate is also pretty good with two sets of trebles hanging off them.

A smooth lift is all that’s needed to catch fish on these vibes.

If you’re sitting on fish and they aren’t biting, try mixing up the lift with a couple of flicks and even dead sticking the lure on the bottom.

A scent can help when the fish aren’t playing the game.

Bull sharks have been hanging around these fish and are particularly fond of a nice big threadfin salmon tiring under the boat.

I have been sounding

up plenty of fish in the river lately, and within a few minutes of fishing the area a shark will be under the boat sitting in mid water.

They don’t always eat the hooked fish, but I have seen plenty of anglers lose their fish to them.

Bull sharks will be very active this month in all the rivers and creeks in southeast Queensland.

They are a lot of fun to catch and I often head down to my local river and cast net a few mullet to chase them.

I like to float these live baits under a balloon for sharks.

It’s a very visual way to catch them and is pretty

relaxing until one of the baits get eaten.

Most of these bullies are only small at about 90120cm long.

When hooked, they can pull a lot of line off a light outfit.

Circle hooks work really well on sharks and pin them in the corner of the mouth every time.

I avoid using wire traces for these smaller sharks and rarely get bitten off using a 60lb leader.

Hopefully January brings us a bit of rain to give the rivers a flush because they’re very clean right up to the top at the moment.

I hope to see you on the water.

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Peter landed a 62cm flathead on a Zerek Live Flash Minnow Wriggly on his first cast early in the morning.

Unfortunately Nathan didn’t hook up to a jewfish but the author was lucky enough to get this 95cm example on a Zerek Fish Trap.

Fishing tuition a fantastic idea for all fishos

I

HAVE had a few fishos do my fishing tuition course over the past month.

They’ve learnt how to troll hard-bodies for snapper/squire, how to cast plastics and how to find the type of ground we should be looking for.

We’ve done the same for flathead and jewfish and picked up some trevally as by-catch.

The trick with all these fish is to target them on the right part of the tide with the correct technique.

I had one young bloke who wanted to learn how

Fishing Tuition

by SEAN CONLON

to target snapper/squire on hard-bodies.

He had caught plenty on soft plastics and bait but wasn’t having any luck trolling lures for them.

We headed out in southern Moreton Bay early in the morning and there wasn’t a lot of run, so we decided we’d have a bit of a shot at a jew first.

We sounded plenty up but didn’t have any luck.

Then the tide started to get some run in it, which

meant it was the perfect time to head out with the hard-bodies and have a go for squire.

We cruised over to an area where I could show him some good ground on the sounder and explained how the ground was created.

Then we deployed the hard-bodies and started trolling.

I showed him how the lure should react when trolling for these fish

and which directions he should troll.

Because we were there at the right time of the tide and the correct time of year to target snapper with this technique, on the second run and after a nice fight a quality fish was in the net.

Another recent client was John, who had been out with me before.

He had been going out on his own boat and achieving success but he decided to return for a bit of a refresher on flathead.

I selected a day where we had good tides to target this species.

We didn’t have to work too hard casting plastics into the drains at low tide before John was rewarded with several nice flathead around 50cm in length.

The fish went a little quiet as the tide bottomed out and then we switched tactics and trolled a few up.

We targeted them on the incoming tide around the mangrove line and had a great capture trolling in 40cm of water.

The fish gave John plenty in the shallow water at a couple of stages there.

The flathead even ☛ continued P14

John learnt how to troll for flathead. This one was hooked on a Zerek Ripper Diver.

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Fishing tuition a fantastic idea for all fishos ☛ from P13

Peter didn’t score any snapper on the troll but did get a few trevally.

John had a great little fight on his hands catching this 73cm flathead in 40cm of water on a Zerek Tango Shad.

had its tail in the mud and its head on the surface!

It was fantastic fishing on light gear and John did quite well to get it to the boat because it was just hooked in the lip.

Another client was Peter, who came out with me to learn about chasing flathead and trolling for snapper/squire.

We headed out just on daybreak because we had a good early morning low tide.

We set up in front of a drain and first cast Peter hooked a 62cm flathead.

Within moments of catching the fish, the tide had slowed and the fishing went dead.

This shows the importance of being there at the right part of the tide.

We then decided to check a few other areas but unfortunately the fishing had shut down once the tide had turned.

Then as the tide picked up we went and chased snapper by trolling hard-bodies.

Unfortunately we didn’t get Peter that snapper but we got into several trevally, which were great fun on light gear.

Regardless, he still learnt the technique for chasing snapper on hard-bodies and plastics and brushed up on trolling and casting plastics for flathead.

Catching fish with the different clients this month has been fantastic and it’s been awesome to see their fishing knowledge and ability grow.

However, I’ve got to say I feel there was a standout this month.

I was contacted a little while back by a young fella named Nathan.

His request was he wanted to learn how to catch jewfish.

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The whole time I was watching and correcting Nathan’s technique so he got it just right.

Nathan got a fair few hits and pulled in a number of catfish but had no luck with the jew after about 45 minutes.

I decided to have a bit more of a sound around and we picked the fish up again, but this time I changed the angle of the boat so we were casting and retrieving the lure in a different direction.

Over an hour had passed by this stage and the tide was starting to run again, meaning our window of opportunity to catch one of these fish was closing fast.

Unfortunately it wasn’t Nathan but me who was lucky enough to feel that solid clunk on the end of the line and the rod load up.

I was into a solid fish and somehow managed to avoid the sharks in the area to bring a solid 95cm jew to the net.

I would’ve loved nothing better than for Nathan to catch that fish.

In any case, Nathan learnt the techniques, correct tide, what they look like on the sound-

er and the type of ground on which to target them.

All said and done it didn’t matter which of us got the fish as the whole idea was to go out there and show Nathan how to do it.

Lo and behold, by picking a random day on the calendar and actually finding them and catching one was pretty special to both of us.

All the guys I’ve talked about are just everyday fishers wanting to expand their knowledge a bit.

Believe me, I don’t know everything, all I am doing is trying to impart some of the knowledge I’ve garnered over the past 10 years of charter fishing and 45 years of recreational fishing.

As we all know with our jobs and lives we are time poor, so if you can learn more to optimise your time on the water, then why not?

If you’re interested in any of my off or on-water tuition classes, don’t be afraid to give me a call on 0432 386 307.

Until next month, stay safe on the water and I hope you have a great New Year.

A squire caught on a Zerek Ripper Diver while learning to troll hard-bodies for the species.

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Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

I don’t usually chase jewfish too much because when somebody books a tuition course and only has a certain day to go out to try to catch this mythical creature they’ve never seen or caught, it can end up being quite a hard task if the moon and tides aren’t just right.

The key things here are I do know where these fish like to hang out, I know what parts of the tide you’re most likely to catch them on and I have the correct technique and lures.

I’m also lucky enough to know a couple of blokes who had been fishing for them in the previous week, so I gave them a call to get a rough idea on a certain technique that had been getting them results.

As far as I’m concerned, none of us knows everything, and if you can get a little bit of information about your target species then don’t be too proud to do it.

Titbits of info can make all the difference between catching and not catching (thanks Clint and Tane).

So I met Nathan at the boat ramp and we headed out and because the tide wasn’t exactly how I wanted it just yet we went through the types of rods, reels and lines we were using.

We went to a few different locations where these fish like to hang out and also went through the types of retrieve I wanted Nathan to use with the Zerek Fish Traps once we had found some fish.

We went to an area where I was fairly sure a few jewfish would be hanging.

The tide had slowed down to the right amount of flow for these fish and we promptly sounded them up on the Lowrance.

I deployed the electric motor, positioned the boat and then we started casting over the fish.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 15

Moreton Bay sink hole a hot topic once again

W

HILE browsing through a local fishing website I came across the following – something after all these years I thought was dead and buried.

“I have stumbled across an article about a sink hole found in the bay a couple of years back now and want to find out if it is any good for a fish.

Some reports I’ve read say it is nothing special but would like to give it ago if I could find the GPS co-ordinates for it.”

The above was regarding the following lengthy post: “A newly completed underwater survey of the seafloor of Moreton Bay has uncovered a closely guarded secret fishing wonderland in the form of a huge sinkhole.

Centred roughly between Mud and Moreton islands, this huge sink hole the size of the Gabba is rumoured to be the home of some big breeding populations of fish.

This sink hole appeared on land and rumours said it was full of gold.

The sink hole clear as day.

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Moreton Bay

by BRIAN WEBB

Highly regarded species such as snapper, flathead and mangrove jack are in abundance, with some truly trophy-sized specimens among them.

Well there is no missing the sink hole slightly up and to the right of centre in the bay and I expect the fishing reports from this new Moreton Bay landmark to flow in thick and fast.

It is certainly a sizeable piece of real estate and its greater depth than the surrounding area will act like a beacon to any passing fish.

To get a feel for the size of the hole itself, the large white blob on the left-hand side of the map is Mud Island, which though much larger gives an indication of the incredible size of this new underwater find.

Having fished this area extensively for years, I can’t say I have ever happened upon it previously, though it is not on the route to any of my regular fishing destinations.

However, a number of people have claimed to have known of its existence and either not fished it or released fish caught from the area.

It is somewhat disappointing that the EPA did not have this information so they could have ensured a potentially delicate habitat such as this one some level of protection with their new green zones.

We can’t stress enough the need to tread lightly in areas like this, however experience tells that this area will be like a carpark every reasonable day for a long, long time.

Anyone fretting over the lack of posted GPS marks for the sink hole should head east from Mud and then look for the boats about halfway to Moreton, with sounding

around 24m confirming you are in the right spot.

Like a monstrous pimple on the face of the bay, this standout feature is but one of the many secrets which have been revealed by the Maritime Safety Queensland and SEQ catchments release.

A plethora of significant areas of interest to the fishing and diving fraternities should have depth sounders and fishfinders working overtime.

Saint Helena Island, Green Island, Wellington Point and Mud Island inside the bay as well as offshore from Moreton and Stradbroke islands have revealed new wrecks and form that is well worth investigating.”

Now, there have been some interesting comments and a lot of confusion from anglers I know and respect on this sink hole.

The main question seems to be why hide a specific location yet advocate no closed areas, no green zones?

Let me give you my understanding of it all.

The problem is concentration on a specific pinpoint area, not general fishing in an area.

Consider this – why do we promote the release of a large flathead (breeder) when we congratulate catches of whiting over 40cm – also female breeders?

The reason is the ease of capture.

Big breeding flathead congregate in a small area close to bar entrances once a year, making them easy prey.

Big whiting do not follow similar habits and are not easy prey.

This is the same reason why many anglers and magazines will not give out GPS marks – because it promotes impulse fishing. ☛ continued P17

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Selecting and running a game fishing lure pattern T HIS article is going to be full of genera l isat ions because neither I nor anyone else knows everything.

However, the following is what I have learnt in 53 years of fishing on my own boats, most recently the 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122; custom Mistress, and what I have learnt from fishing overseas with some of the best lure fishers in the world.

It is customary to set a staggered game fishing lure pattern with what is called a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;long sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;short sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Most professional boats have the long side on the right-hand side as you look backwards at the spread (port side).

The only reason for this is you can get on any pro boat anywhere and you will know where to look to see the lures and watch for bites.

The stagger is generally as follows: â&#x20AC;˘ Third wake wave: short flat; â&#x20AC;˘ Fifth wave: long flat; â&#x20AC;˘ Seventh wave: short rigger; â&#x20AC;˘ Ninth wave: long rigger; and â&#x20AC;˘ 11th to 13th wave: shotgun.

Obviously the wake wave â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lengthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; varies with the size of the boat, so small boats usually have a shorter pattern than big boats.

It is also customary to

Game Fishing

by BARRY ALTY

put the biggest lure on the short flat and gradually reduce lure size going backwards, but there are exceptions.

When selecting a pattern, we on Mistress like to have a range of sizes, colours and actions to accommodate all tastes, so to speak.

No one in the world knows what the best lure colour combination is.

There are 350 different skirt colours in the YoZuri range alone.

That is 122,500 different top and bottom skirt combinations.

Add in all the colours available from other skirt manufacturers and the hundreds of different lure heads and I reckon there are two or three million different head/skirt combinations.

I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tried them all!

I once had about 250 heavy tackle lures and used to keep around 70 on the boat.

At one stage I had 104 that had caught at least one marlin.

However, over time as we have learnt more we have gradually whittled them down to the point where we now only use lures from three lure makers, Tornado, Koya and Aloha.

The latter two are only used occasionally.

We almost exclusively run Tornados because they have achieved the best results in terms of strike and hook-up rates.

Thus I have had a few garage sales of lures we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want and equipped many of the Gold Coast fleet with heavily discounted lures.

But not the best ones!

In selecting a pattern, it

is important that all four or five lures are doing what they are supposed to be doing (refer to diagram on Page 18).

If a lure you have put out isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t acting correctly, change its length from the boat.

It should be running on the face of the wave, not the trough.

If the lures are flicking out of the water or tumbling forwards, slow down or change lure type to something more like a plunger/pusher/chugger or jet/bullet. â&#x2DC;&#x203A; continued P18

Photos: Yo-Zuri

â&#x2DC;&#x203A; from P16

People hit the GPS mark because it is easy to find a known hot spot.

This is the same reason there are 50 boats on Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef every weekend.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a well-known spot.

Lots of Sunday anglers wetting a line are dispersed around Mud Island every weekend but given a GPS mark from a known expert, they will congregate on it until the cows come home because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spot X. Interestingly, those who catch the really big fish are usually the ones doing the hard yards searching, prospecting and searching some more, not those blindly following the reports they have read.

Closing large areas with green zones and not disclosing specific pin-point areas are two different things.

I was told this sink www.bnbfishing.com. au

hole was going to be headline news on all three commercial TV stations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including GPS marks and underwater footage of the fish.

We got in first along with a few others and asked fishos and news stations to show some restraint.

I think we managed to prevent some detailed info from going to air and that prevented all hell breaking loose that weekend.

It has now been several years since the sink holeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discovery and to this day nothing out of the ordinary has occurred from this place.

So to all those new bay fishers, just disregard the hype about this hole and fish the regular places to save yourself a trip across the bay.

On the previous page I have also added the rules governing the use of artificial reefs, which a lot would not have known about.

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Selecting and running a game fishing lure pattern ☛ from P17

It may be too rough for a tube, which will only work in weather up to about 15 knots, or an intermediate, which is usually workable to 20/25 knots.

The ideal speed is about 7-7.5 knots through the water, not across the ground.

You may have to slow down when going directly down or up sea to stop the lures flicking out.

If you have a sliced-face straight runner lure that is running to one side or even worse spinning, it is unbalanced.

Bring it in and check that the hook rig is correct, that is, in the vertical plane.

If it persists in this bad behaviour, the head itself may be unbalanced or the leader tube off centre.

To check the balance of a lure, put it on a flat surface and roll it around.

It should come to rest in a dead vertical plane.

If not, bad luck, you have a dud.

Over the years we have had lures that caught plenty of fish before we lost them.

We replaced them with exactly the same head and skirts but they didn’t work because they were unbalanced.

Thus, $70-$100 down the drain.

These faults are more prevalent with mass produced rather than custom-made lures.

So where in the pattern do you run certain lure types, sizes and colours?

It is absolutely bog standard to put a plunger in dark colours on the short flat.

These lures hold in the water close to the boat.

They plunge under the white (aerated) water on the surface and the dark colour silhouettes against

the white water.

As a generalisation, most big fish are caught on the short flat, but there are obviously exceptions.

Colour selection usually includes a lot of black and purple in the top skirt, while the bottom skirt can be any colour.

We always run an intermediate SFSR on the short rigger, and almost always it’s a lure that has pink or red in the top skirt.

Sometimes it’s red/ black, sometimes pink/ black and sometimes pink/blue.

On the long flat we usually run a relatively small intermediate SFSR, or in really calm weather a fairly small lure that is not a tube but leans toward the surface-running/rooster-tailing action.

Colour is inevitably blue with something like silver, pink or yellow.

On the long rigger is either a tube or an intermediate, most frequently in something green and maybe luminescent with silver, yellow or a little bit of black.

We don’t often run a shotgun lure but if we do it is usually in calm weather, so a small tube or conversely a large bullet is our choice.

It should be small or stable and slow moving to attract the timid fish that doesn’t want to come close to the boat.

There are lots of theories and exceptions to general rules.

Some people say match the hatch.

One morning we came across a school of sauries, which are an absolute marlin magnet.

So out went a 9” Zip Rocket SFSR in blue/silver on the long flat to closely match the sauries.

We got one blue marlin

on it and then two on an orange/white intermediate SFSR. Go figure!

Apparently, big fish usually eat the big lure on the short flat, yet Allan Card on Challenger in Bermuda got a grander on a Joe Yee Super Plunger on the long rigger?

Another saying is “dark days, dark lures”.

First, what is a dark day?

I don’t think we have fished that many of them, so I haven’t noticed any correlation.

What I have noticed is a distinct correlation between water temperature and colours.

High temps of 27C-plus see better results with bright colours, while lower temps of 22.5C to 27C call for dark colours.

The rigging of SFSRs is critical.

Whether you have one hook or two, they must be in the vertical plane.

All asymmetrical lures have to be rigged this way.

To maintain the vertical plane, it is necessary to stiff rig the hook setup with heat-shrink tube and then pin it to the lure so it doesn’t move – at least not until it’s struck by a fish.

There are several ways of pinning the hook rig.

Possibly the oldest is to jam a toothpick into the leader hole at the face of the lure.

The next is to put a dental floss or waxed thread binding on the leader just ahead of the crimp and then pull it into the leader tube.

The third method is to glue a rubber hook position keeper to the back of the lure and then pull the crimp into that.

These hook position keepers are available from some tackle shops.

Door stoppers can be used as long as they are not the ones with a metal washer that don’t have a hole big enough to accept a crimp.

If you can cut straight, speargun rubber will also do the job.

For 30 years on Mistress and its predecessors Gold Strike and Jedi we used two-hook rigs, with the first hook up and second down in the 180-degree position on asymmetrical or SFSR lures.

I figured we were engaged in a snagging operation and two hooks achieved this purpose better than one.

Captain Brett first used a single hook while driving a boat in the five-leg Bahamas Billfish Championship in 2003, but we didn’t adopt it on Mistress at that time.

Our ratios on two-hook rigs over 27 years had been strike to hook-up of 84.6 percent, and strike to tag of 68 percent, which we thought were good enough.

Then about three years ago the skipper of Luna Chip Van Mols along with Melee skipper Bryan Toney showed us a new single-hook rig that we now use with spectacular success.

Our strike to hook-up ratio is in the low 90 percent range while our strike to tag ratio is in the low 80 percent range.

In symmetrical lures such as bullets/pushers/ chuggers you can use any hook rig you like.

It can be single or double, and if the latter, ideally at 60 degrees.

Stiff rigging isn’t necessary.

You can use swing hooks if you like as the lure will still ‘work’.

Next issue, what billfish see and think and how different species fight.

SRSR TUBE

SRSR PLUNGER

SRSR INTERMEDIATE Photo: Kelly Dalling

GOLD COAST | FRASER

Call Capt Brett Alty 0417 766 734 E: captainbrettalty@bigpond.com

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BULLET/JET

PUSHER/CHUGGER Splashing, surface running or rooster tailing

Plunging or smoking

Game fishing lure actions.

Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cool new Mako Islands women’s frame released

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AKO, Australia’s leading polarised eyewear company, has begun the launch of its much-anticipated summer 18/19 range.

All 4 Adventure 10th anniversary season

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U S T R A L I A’ S premier outdoor and adventure program All 4 Adventure has hit 10 years on the air.

Season 10, ‘A Decade of Dirt’, marks the best and most challenging season ever for show host Jase Andrews.

Facing near-death at the barb of a stingray and having successfully mounted the latest expedi-

tion to find Dick Smith’s lost plaque near the site of the downed Kookaburra exploration plane, this is Jase’s favourite season yet.

In season 10, Jase, along with his right-hand man Simon and new mate Jesse, faced some of the most unforgiving terrains in the world.

They suffered tyre punctures almost every 100m on overlanding expedi-

tions that spanned for dozens of kilometres at a time.

Perhaps the most dangerous moment was Jase’s near-fatal encounter with a bluespotted stingray, one of Australia’s deadliest.

But through the neardeath experiences, epic fishing, mad four-wheeldriving, history uncovered and sights seen, it’s all been worth it.

“I’ve put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into All 4 Adventure,” Jase said.

“We started off raw – nothing but a Handycam and a thirst for the outback.

“Now we’re the numberone rated outdoor, fishing, four-wheel-driving and adventure show in Australia and that’s bloody all right with me!”

A Decade of Dirt is jampacked with awe-inspiring moments.

“One of the more special moments in season 10 was the privilege of seeing the Magalindi secret waterfall,” Jase said.

“Very few people in recent times have had the privilege of seeing it, so it was an honour to go with the blessing of the traditional owner and see this sacred spot.

“I thank the traditional owner for sharing that experience with us.”

This season, the boys set off to the Tanami Desert in search of the Kookaburra plane wreck and the lost plaque laid by renowned Australian business icon and adventurer Dick Smith in 1977.

Dick first laid this plaque on his failed attempt to find the Kookaburra, which is the site where the two pilots had perished roughly 70 years ago and spent years trying

to track it down.

At Dick’s request, using an old photograph and some crude co-ordinates, Jase and his crew found the lost plaque after 40 years.

Dick Smith was moved

by Jase and his team’s act of courage and is set to receive his plaque from them for restoration and historical preservation purposes.

Dick called the boys “Australia’s greatest adventurers alive today”.

A Decade of Dirt boasts lost World War II history rediscovered, stunning landscapes and the penultimate display of mateship.

All 4 Adventure season 10, A Decade of Dirt airs at 1pm Sundays on Channel TEN. For more information on All 4 Adventure, visit al l4adventure.com

The first release is the women’s model – Islands.

This sunglass carries all the characteristics Mako is known for such as comfort, clarity and contrast.

It is the first all-glass polarised lens model for women in the range.

The Islands frame is made with an injected acetate front, which therefore retains its shape, and acetate temples that have metal temple cores to allow individual adjustment.

The acetate material also allows colours to be added to the frame, delivering a fashionable and classy look to the sunglasses.

There are two frame options – one features

a purple front with purple temples and the other is a black front with tortoise shell temples.

Two lens options are initially available.

The first being the very popular G1HR6 from Italy, which is a brown lens base with a blue mirror and perfect for offshore, rock and estuary fishing as well as all sports.

The brown is comfortable to wear for long periods and allows the wearer to identify objects in the water effectively.

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This lens has a rose colour base that is graduated from darker at the top to lighter at the bottom, ideal for driving and any outdoor sports.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 19

You know they are big when you struggle to lift them up.

The same fish as the one to the left, but this pic shows its true size.

Dolphinfish will readily smack a large lure intended for marlin, and when they’re this big they’ll give you a run for your money on light tackle.

The deal with dolphinfish H I all, it’s good to be back writing an article.

James with a cracker from the author’s most recent trip.

Since starting a new job it’s been difficult for me to keep up with everything.

I’m spending long days at work out of Brisbane and then when I get home for my brief rest and relaxation it’s hard to find the time to get on the water due to weather windows and catching up on day to day life tasks.

On my last swing into home I luckily managed to get Shortbill out for a day of trolling with James (the Ham Wallet) off Mooloolaba.

The day started early and involved us getting live baits and heading out wide to the grounds I know produce billfish.

The idea was to get out and tow some lures as well as drop a few live baits to see if we could pull one off a bait ball.

We were ‘semi successful’ in that we raised a

Offshore Action

by JORDAN ‘GRINNER’ KOSCHEL

nice striped marlin that we fought for three hours on 8kg line class and we also got a very healthy bull mahi mahi (dolphinfish) pushing over the 20kg mark on 8kg line as well.

Normally I wouldn’t focus so much on the humble dolphinfish but when I put a couple of pics of it up on my social media account, quite a few people messaged me and asked how and where we caught it.

To a lot of game fishos including myself, dolphinfish are considered ‘vermin’ because you can spend a good deal of valuable time trying to get them to the boat, especially on lighter line classes.

Instead you’d rather be chasing billfish, which at

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the end of the day is the ultimate prize, especially if you’re fishing for points with your game fishing club.

But to regular fishos dollies are prized fish because they fight hard, look so great with their beautiful colours and taste unreal on the dinner plate.

So I’m going to go through a few tips and tricks that should help you get a feed of dolphinfish, and you never know, you could also get connected to a quality billfish!

To find dolphinfish, you want to be fishing in 50120m of water and I prefer the 70-100m area if I really want to find one.

Dolphinfish don’t often come into shallower water but stranger things have happened.

The deeper waters of southeast Queensland normally have a fair bit of current in the warmer months, so a lot of debris ends up floating past our coast.

Whether plant material or manmade rubbish, this debris almost always holds dollies and the fish found in these patches seem to be the easiest to catch.

If trolling lures just past the debris, it shouldn’t take long for the dolphinfish to scream out and smack your lures.

And if they don’t, you can just drift past and fling baits in, with live baits best but pilchards

going OK too.

The best way to be in with a chance of catching a dolly if no debris is around is to run a spread of skirted lures/swimming baits.

I prefer garfish rigged with an SL12 hook over any other bait.

If you’re new to the game of trolling, I suggest you run a spread of three rods and lures instead of the five or even six you will run once you have it down pat.

Lures around the 8” size are a great place to start but dollies are very aggressive and don’t have a problem hitting a 12” lure when trolling out wide for blue marlin.

I don’t believe lure colour is overly important, as if a fish is hungry it will hit the lure, but putting the right colours in the right positions is critical.

I run darker lures in closer to the boat and lighter lures in your riggers out further.

Every time I’m fishing light tackle I run the same spread of lures because they work for me and they all swim great in the spots I run them.

In my experience on my boat, dolphinfish tend to hit the riggers more.

My rigger lures are both 8”, my short rigger being sky blue and ice silver and my long rigger white over blue with flecks of red through the skirt.

The best way to teach yourself more is to get out and start trolling.

The only way you’re going to learn is by throwing yourself in the deep end and getting out and having a shot.

The author’s two rigger lures.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Be sun smart this summer with Shimano

W

HO doesn’t love summer and all the fun in the sun it offers.

Whether it is getting out on the water, deep into the bush or simply to the beach, park, creek or lake, it pays to stay sun smart.

As you head out into the sun with your family, friends or mates, be it camping, trekking, boating, sailing or fishing, playing it safe in the sun will not only keep you from getting scorched but make it a whole lot more fun.

Here are seven sun smart tips to keep you and your family safe this summer.

1. Cover up! However sexy a good tan might look, keeping the sun off your skin is still a mainstay in being sun smart. Long sleeves and shoulders covered is best.

Better yet, ‘slip’ on light breathable materials that

keep you cool and provide sun protection in their fibres. The new sublimated fishing shirts from Shimano offer UPF50+ protection and some amazing photography by underwater photographer Al McGlashan, making them stunning and sun safe.

2. Sunscreen has long been the must-have if you are planning to spend time out in the sun. Surprisingly, most folks still think they are made of steel and don’t need to worry about this one. When you are on the beach or water with the sun reflecting up and glare at its maximum, you really have to ‘slop’ it on thoroughly and reapply after you’ve had a swim.

3. We have had this one drummed into us since kindy and primary school and it could not be more relevant as the seasons heat up and the sun gets more intense – yes, ‘slap’

on a hat. The good old broad-brimmed hat is, of course, best to keep your face and ears out of the sun, but caps and those with a neck flap are great too. Shimano’s range of caps and hats are designed to give maximum protection while looking cool too.

4. Take a break from direct sun. Shade is the ultimate respite from the sun’s heat and harming rays. Whenever possible, ‘seek’ out shade and take direct sun in shorter doses, rather than one long block of time. Remember that even when you are out of the sun, the glare and rays can still bounce off the water, ground and sand, so keep the sunscreen and cover up.

5. Your eyes are super sensitive, so definitely ‘slide’ on some goodquality sunnies to keep the brightness and glare

down and direct sunlight out of your eyes. Now, as with most things, there are good ones, not so good ones and really good ones.

When it comes to sunnies, it is not worth taking unnecessary chances. Check out the Shimano range of sunnies designed to minimise eye impact and reduce bounce behind the lenses due to their contoured and shaped sunglass models.

6. Keeping hydrated is very important, and contrary to common belief, chugging a few cans of beer is not proper hydration. Always make sure you have ample water on hand and take a regular ‘sip’ throughout each hour. The longer you are in the sun, the more you should drink. A good guide is to drink at least two litres of water per day (not beer), and more if you are active, exercising or sweating a lot.

7. Above all, ‘share’ these tips with your family and friends. And, while in the bush, out on the water or adventuring elsewhere, make sure you tick off these seven summer sun smart tips. Better yet, by practising these sun smart tips, you will lead those around you to be sun smart too.

Shimano’s summer safe hats, shirts, sunnies and more are available from all good tackle, fishing and outdoor shops.

For more information, jump onto shimanofish. com.au

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Smoky prawn pate with Italian bruschetta toast Ingredients • 350g peeled and deveined green prawns • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic chives • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill • 250g cream cheese at room temperature • 1 tbsp lime juice

tions. Allow prawns to stand and cool.

Method 1. Smoke prawns in the Nipper Kipper or similar smoker oven following the smoker’s instruc-

5. Place pate in ramekins and refrigerate to chill.

2. Put prawns in blender and chop.

3. Add cream cheese, dill and garlic to blender and combine until smooth.

4. Remove from blender and place pate in a bowl. Stir through garlic chives and salt to taste.

6. Serve with Italian bruschetta toast.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 35 min | Serves 4

Now She can see everything you can! dont get caught out

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 21

A 51cm Pine River jack hooked in a very snaggy stretch of river.

Phil Adams with his first jack, which measured 49.5cm.

Mangrove jack on fire F

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Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

IRST of all, happy New Year.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and got out on the water to enjoy the warm weather.

I have been fishing quite a lot over the past few months in search of the elusive mangrove jack.

These fish can be extremely hard to catch and I hope the tips and insights in this article help you increase your success when targeting them.

Before I start talking about lures, spots and tides, I think it is important to let you know what gear I am using.

The right gear will enable you to cast your lure into just the right spot, and more importantly allow you to stop the fish from busting you off.

I take four rods when I am targeting mangrove jack – two spin and two baitcast setups.

The spin rods are Dobyns Sierra 10-20lb, 7’ sticks matched with Shimano Stradic FK 4000s.

The baitcast rods are Dobyns Sierra 10-20lb 6’10” rods matched with Shimano Curado K 200 XGs. I run 30lb Platypus braid on all four combos.

I really love the feel I get through the Dobyns rods.

They have plenty of grunt but still a soft enough tip to cast smaller lures.

Usually I don’t get the opportunity to pick and choose exactly what day I go fishing, and sneak out between work when I can.

But if I could choose a day, I would be looking for a nice warm minimum temperature and a low tide around 7.30am.

I have had a lot more success on the outgoing tide and find jacks feed more aggressively on such a tide.

There are exceptions, such as the creeks off the Pumicestone Passage, as they are too shallow unless full of water.

Recently I have been focusing a lot of my time on my local river, the North Pine.

It’s tough to find jacks in this river.

They are few and far between, however, are still in there.

The jacks in the Pine are some of the most brutal fish I have ever encountered.

You have to work extremely hard to get them and they are so healthy and angry.

I have been working the rock walls upstream from the junction at Castle Hill.

Using Entice 4” Paddlers, Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ and Lucky Craft 78XD Pointers, I cast tight into the structure and work my lure back.

Hard-bodies have been the most successful for me this season, with the 78XD in Aurora Gold the standout.

I also like to fish the stretch just upstream from the highway bridge, on the right as you are heading upstream.

Pine Rivers

by MITCHELL TOWNSEND

A small creek mouth here has quite a few snags just before and across it.

I have had success here on an outgoing tide.

I have not only been fishing the Pine, but also the Caboolture River, the creeks off Pumicestone Passage and Baffle Creek.

It is so important to put in the time and effort when targeting these fish.

You have to work out when they are feeding, where they will feed and what they will feed on.

Once you put all three of

these pieces together, you can have some amazing sessions.

I love nothing more than helping people catch their first jack and my mate Phil was lucky enough to land his first on a lure with me just before Christmas.

If you are after more advice or want to see exactly what lures I use, contact me through my Pine Boys Facebook page or come and see me and the team at Tackle World Lawnton.

I hope the fishing gods are with you this year and the jacks play the game!

A juvenile Queensland groper caught while chasing jacks.

This 48cm jack took a liking to a Tiemco Sumari 90.

Ryan with an 82cm thready that smashed his hard-body in a snag.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Wide Caloundra and Western Rocks

F

INALLY a weather window opened for a weekend fish with favourable wind direction and speed.

Most offshore anglers will not get the boat wet in a northerly and even fewer will go out on a northwester.

Schombie has never been a fan but has had success on pelagics and occasionally pearl perch, but most other species will have lock jaw and going through the motions is usually an exercise in futility.

With said northerlies forecast for the coming week, he and a few other die hards just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the window go by without giving it a crack.

The plan for the day was to head towards the bottom of Wide Caloundra to look for a pearlie or two.

First stop was Western Rocks to load up on some livies and then with the tank full it was off to Spot X. Doug and Richard in Trailblazer chose a different plan of attack by stopping in Moreton Bay for livies, and while not fishing together the boats kept in contact on the radio during the day.

Unfortunately Spot X didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fire and neither did Spots Y or Z for that matter.

After an hour nothing had come over the side,

Power Boat Anglers

by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

then Rob had a strange hit on a livie that had plenty of weight to it.

The current was ripping and it felt like a big cod, with the guys having to start the motor to avoid being spooled.

They started getting line back but it just seemed a heavy weight and by now was in midwater and not on the bottom.

Rob inched closer to a full spool and then saw something at the front of the boat just under the surface right as the leader wore through.

They turned around quickly and eventually found it again.

About a metre under water were two floats, a 300mm anchor ball and a 150mm float.

It looked like a lost anchor but the top float was tied so they left it alone.

Spanner crabbers were out of the equation because there was a closure so they were unsure where it could have come from, but it sure put up a good fight and with the floats moving in the current it sure felt fishy.

It was now 11.30am and the Esky was still bare.

The only comfort was Bruce and Annie back

in the bay on Trailblazer were in the same boat also drawing a blank.

Heading south a bit, they tried some pinnacles that had produced for Helaine a couple of years ago.

First drift over the mark was a bit off because the current was now really motoring.

On the second drift, a floater was hit that finally saw a nice little snapper hit the deck for Rob. A quick rebait and he was on again to a better fish but unfortunately was sharked halfway up.

This made getting fish up way less fun because they had to skull drag them up quickly or get taxed.

The current was raging down low and they had to get a hit as soon as the bait hit the bottom or they were letting 5m of line out every 10 seconds.

Rob was removed from Helaineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas list as he bagged out on snapper and added a solid pearlie as well.

H cracked a brief smile when she landed a good snapper to break her duck but didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find much else to cheer about.

Bruce and Annie had headed in earlier and were going to meet the others back at the ramp.

Another boat had left

early after one of the crew, Richard, took a tumble and possibly cracked a rib.

Trailblazer was going onto the trailer as Rob and H pulled up to the pontoon.

They had been slightly delayed on the return trip after chasing a party balloon when half way across the bay and saving a turtle or two.

At the weigh-in it was pretty evident it was indeed a cracked rib, well either that or Richard had an alien trying to get out of his body.

He was pretty cool about it and casually loaded his car, had a chat and then toddled off to get it checked out.

In the wash-up, the best â&#x2DC;&#x203A; continued P24

Rob Schomberg landed a couple of snapper.

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The obligatory ‘backyard shot’ with some of the whiting the Paynes have caught this year.

The author with a quality Gold Coast whiting.

Summertime whiting in SEQ

F

ISHING over the summer period for the Payne family generally means either very early starts on the water or a late afternoon casual kick back wetting a line.

Hot weather equals grumpy kids and I’ll gladly give up a sleep-in any day in exchange for having two semi-normal little humans on board.

This time of year tends to be a favourite of ours for whiting fishing because we love the simplicity of the whole process of collecting bait, rigging for

Fishing Australia

by ROBERT PAYNE

the session, catching our target species and cleaning the catch.

A bonus is we fish a number of the Gold Coast river systems where the whiting can be caught within sight of the boat ramp.

After anchoring at the edge of a sandbank, a second anchor is deployed from either the port or starboard side to keep the boat from swinging,

Subscribe to our

channel!

which is useful for detecting bites when a bit of traffic is on the water or the wind is blowing.

We still use up to six rods in the boat.

Four ‘Club Specials’ Gary Howard built for us many moons ago as well as two shorter, lightweight spin rods.

Our main line varies on all the Alveys but tends to be a variety of Platypus lines between 6lb and 10lb.

A length of either 4lb or 6lb leader about a metre in length is used between the hook and the swivel, with sinker choice a weight that will hold bottom.

The sinker is placed above the swivel, with the weight changed depending on the speed of the current.

The whiting fishery is still good these days and we have been bringing a couple of 40cm-plus specimens on board, with John’s best this season measuring 43cm, which is still 1cm shy of his personal best that he caught when he was two years old.

A lot of the whiting have been built like greyhounds (after spawning usually), long and skin-

ny, but still put up a great fight on light gear.

When cleaning fish, it’s always interesting to check out the stomach contents and in our recent trips we have found both crabs and yabbies.

The Gold Coast has some great systems to fish, with the likes of the Nerang, Coomera and Pimpama rivers all well worth fishing.

Worms are stored in an icebox with an aerator to keep them alive during summer.

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Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

snapper went 2.5kg, not huge but a good eating size, with the rest being of similar but slightly smaller size.

Richard caught a nice little 5kg amberjack and Doug weighed in a few fish as well.

Bruce and Annie didn’t have anything to weigh but the others had the opportunity to check out their rig, which was a very well set up 5m Cruise Craft Explorer.

It was a hard day at the office with the current and the sharks but still beats any day at work.

Bay bash Thanks to a local possum practising some river dance moves on

his roof in the early hours, Jeff Short was able to get out for another early morning lap around Moreton Bay recently.

Arriving at the NW12 beacon, he found it unfishable thanks to the raging current so headed over to Western Rocks to have a bit of a play.

Fishing the remainder of the run-in tide produced a doughnut, so he moved back towards Bribie Island to a small patch of reef that had produced well in the past.

First drift resulted in a double hook-up, landing one schoolie and dropping another.

The next bait saw the first spotted mackerel of the season and

at 80cm it was a nice specimen to kick off his summer account.

Final fish for the day was another school mackerel, so in the end it was worth the trip, though he did get caught by the southwesterly about 3km from Bribie Island, leaving him pretty wet by the time he got back to the ramp.

Next meetings The first club meeting for the year will kick off on Monday, February 4, with the next in March on Monday the 4th at The Club Manly (bowls club), located at 26 Faine St, Manly.

Come along and check out the new digs and meet the members.

Until next month, safe boating. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tips for targeting mangrove jack G ’DAY everyone, I hope you had a fantastic Christmas with maybe a bit of fishing tackle from Santa.

In this month’s article I would like to give you a few tips on how to catch one of my favourite species: the hard-fighting mangrove jack.

Gold Coast Guide

by BRAD SMITH

What makes jacks so special is their ferocious strikes and nasty fighting habits of trying every trick in the book to bust you up in the snags once hooked.

This nice little jack displayed its fantastic maroon colouring before it was released.

This leads us to the first tip and that is you have to fish dense structure such as fallen trees in the water, rock walls, jetties, bridge pylons and natural reef and rock bars.

As with most species, plan your trips around tide changes on the days leading up to the new and full moons, with early morning and late afternoon and night sessions the prime times.

To catch jacks, your equipment has also got to be up to scratch and capable of muscling this fish from the snags.

Whether you choose a

The fact that this small jack smashed a lure almost as big as itself shows how aggressive they are.

standard spin or baitcaster outfit does not matter because I use both.

What is important is the reels have a good-quality drag system and the rods should be in the 8-10kg range.

The lightest rod class I would try would be 6kg.

My reels are loaded with 20lb, 30lb and 50lb braid depending on the areas I am fishing.

Buying some good-quality shock-resistant leader is also vital, with the lightest leader I use being 30lb breaking strain.

Jacks will readily take a well-presented live bait such as mullet or legalsized whiting and herring, though herring are frail and die easily and can be picked off by bream.

Fresh cut baits of mullet and gar as well as tuna also work well.

My favourite way to target jacks is with lures because they will readily respond to hard-bodied minnows, soft plastics and surface poppers.

These lures, though different in style, must be cast very accurately into and around structure.

Precision is the name of the game for success.

Accurate casting ability, as with most things, can be achieved with time and practice.

Trolling hard-bodied minnows is a lot easier than accurate casting and works very well but a

technical application must also be applied.

It is vital to have a variety of lures that will dive to different depths because the lures must be trolled intensely close to the given structure, with the ultimate scenario being the lures tapping and crashing along the structure.

Jack fishing with lures can be costly because losses are going to happen through snagging or the jacks busting you up but this is the name of the game.

As I have always said when it comes to jack fishing: no guts, no glory.

Well everyone, that’s it for another month and I would like to wish you and your families a very happy New Year.

The author’s son (aptly named Jack) landed this 55cm fish on a Bassday Sugapen surface lure.

Whether you choose to cast or troll for jacks, it is important to have a selection of lures that dive to different depths.

Dan was stoked to catch his first jack, which put up a massive fight.

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Land-based locations on Gold Coast

W

ITH the start of a new year and holidays upon us, it’s a very busy time on the water on the Gold Coast but still good fishing for those keen anglers.

During these holiday periods, land-based fishing is very popular and the hardest part is finding somewhere to fish.

I will run through a few spots to help you out.

You can find plenty of parkland with beach access and canal and creek entrances between the Grand Hotel boat ramp and Sovereign Island Bridge in the Broadwater.

Bream, whiting and flathead are the main catch in these areas.

Pumping yabbies is possible in most of these places at low tide and make great bait.

Further south you’ll encounter good beach access around the Sundale Bridge area, and again whiting, bream and flathead can be caught with yabbies and worms (the best bait).

Fishing from late afternoon to early evening would be best but mornings can be OK as well, and if you have the kids with you there are plenty of places to have a swim before you head home.

Don’t forget the surf beaches south of the sand pumping jetty when conditions are decent.

Quality swallowtail dart can be caught at this time of year on yabbies.

You’ll find parkland access to the Nerang river on Cronin Island, next to the boat ramp at Isle of Capri and in the creek at Cascade Gardens.

Again I would recommend fishing from late afternoon into the evening at these spots.

Your catch will mainly be whiting and bloodworms are definitely the best bait.

For land-based fishos Google Earth is your best friend, and you’ll find lots of small parks with water access if you have a look over the Gold Coast.

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www.bradsmithfishingcharters.com.au t Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

Broadwater Region

by WAYNE ‘YOUNGY’ YOUNG

our local rivers is fishing too light in terms of sinkers.

A lot of fishos seem to think that for whiting especially you need a light sinker, but our local rivers are deep and fast flowing.

Depending on tidal flow, a 4, 5 or even 6 ball is needed to keep the bait on the bottom.

Many times people have told me they caught good fish for the first hour after a tide change and then the fish disappeared.

It’s more than likely they were using too small a sinker and as the tide started running faster it lifted the sinker off the bottom.

One thing is for sure – if your bait isn’t on the bottom you won’t catch whiting.

The big advantage boat fishers have in the Nerang and other rivers around here is the easy ability to try a few spots.

Most fishers I know have fished a few spots in a 3-4km stretch of river.

I do this often just to see where the fish are so I can write about it here.

I get some funny comments from deckies when we’re catching fish and I want to try somewhere else.

It is amazing how just moving a short distance can improve your catch numbers or size.

Of course the reverse can happen too, but all you have to do is try another spot.

The best area for whiting in the Nerang River at this time of year is between Sundale Bridge and Isle of Capri and will be until around Easter.

Back in the Broadwater, more sand crabs than muddies are around and until we get a heap of rain it will stay that way.

Any location near a deeper channel that has weed beds close by is worth targeting for sandies.

This month should see the start of our ‘rainy season’ and this will fire the muddies up.

The Coomera and Pimpama rivers will be the first locations to try, and then the muddy, weedy areas around the Aldershots if the rain persists.

Those who drift the channels using large yabbies for bait, don’t be surprised if you get a couple of legal snapper over the next couple of months.

For some reason we seem to get a Christmas run of just-legal snapper in the Broadwater.

Just remember they have a 35cm minimum size limit and a bag limit of four per person.

Jigging small blades and casting and slowly retrieving small soft plastics works well too.

The coffee rock areas around the Seaway and Sovereign Island are a good place to start.

My mates know me as a lazy fisherman and if

there is an easy way to do something then that’s the method I’ll use.

If we are drift fishing the Broadwater, I always have a small soft plastic on a light jig head just dragging along the bottom.

We call this ‘dead sticking’ because we aren’t doing anything and are simply using the drift to work the plastic.

It works surprisingly well too.

Flathead in sandy spots and bream and snapper in

rubble areas are the main species caught.

Offshore this month has everyone looking for mackerel, however at the time of writing they hadn’t showed up in good numbers.

Hopefully they aren’t too far away.

Aggressive and easy to catch once they arrive, using plenty of berley is the secret to keeping them at the back of your boat, not somebody else’s.

Pillies are the best bait and berley.

You can either use a whole pillie on a gang or a smaller piece on a single 4/0 hook.

If using a single hook, then 27lb single-strand

Young Angus just loves catching big whiting.

wire is essential as a short bite leader.

Palm Beach Reef and Mermaid Reef are the two most popular locations, however the bait reefs in close just south of the Seaway are well worth trying.

All mackerel baits should be unweighted.

Let’s just hope this year’s weather is better than last year’s and we get a good crack at the mackerel.

It’s always worth having a bait on the bottom too because you never know when a snapper or two has picked up your berley trail.

‘Til next month, have fun and fish for the future.

Pete with a Broadwater snapper hooked while dead sticking a soft plastic.

It may be summer but the odd big snapper is still around, like this one Gerry caught.

Ben with a soft plastic-caught tarpon from the Broadwater.

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A little mangrove jack taken while fishing a small surface lure.

Rodney Rama with his first giant herring.

Inshore species in their element H EY guys, I hope you all had a happy and safe Christmas and are prepared for the fishing opportunities in the year ahead.

January is one of the most productive months in the estuaries for warmer water species such as mangrove jack and trevally.

In the fresh, fish including saratoga really start to hit topwater presentations.

Offshore has been relatively slow, with only a few dolphinfish showing up here and there.

Anglers are itching for small black marlin to show their sticky faces again.

These fish can be found in shallower waters around the 40m mark.

Inshore has fished well for most species and one species I have become reinterested in is mangrove jack.

Nerang Tortoise Report

by DARREN RAMA

I have been fishing a mixture of natural structure, pontoons and rock walls with a variety of presentations from soft plastics to hard-bodies and surface lures.

When using surface lures, I have found walkers in calm water work better, but in a slight breeze a popper has been more successful.

I’ve achieved the most success on surface early in the morning and late in the afternoon fishing parallel to rock and retaining walls and running the lures 30-100cm off the sides and fronts of the pontoons.

Lures from 70-120mm have worked best.

The Lucky Craft G-

Splash and Damiki Rambler have accounted for most of my surface fish captures.

Trevally are commonly caught when fishing surface and are always a welcome by-catch because they hit hard and fast, and generally when targeting jacks you fish with a tight drag, so it makes for an interesting tussle.

Fishing rock walls later in the day, I prefer to use deep-diving hard-bodies because they bounce in and around the rocks, agitating the fish into feeding.

One benefit to this is the by-catch of estuary cod, though you have to go pretty hard on the bigger ones because they will

bury you in the rocks and sometimes snap you off.

When pontoon fishing I feel most comfortable using soft plastics because you can fish a soft plastic in all depths of the water column and have your lure running just under the bottom of the pontoon.

That’s all you need to do for a jack to see your presentation, come up and smash it.

This can be a hard task because most pontoons have pylons and barnacles and sometimes crab pot ropes hanging over the sides, which can make for tough going to try to muscle these fish out because they are ambush predators and like to live around structure.

And that is exactly where they are heading after they have eaten.

Using heavier leaders not only reduces bite-offs from their teeth but also

the abrasion the line takes before breaking.

I generally use a 20-30lb leader.

With consistent high water temperatures, tarpon and giant herring are moving up our river systems making the most of the abundance of bait.

They can often be seen finning on top of the water and don’t shy away from a small surface walker or soft plastic.

In the fresh water, the Hinze Dam bass are a bit quiet on the edge bite because the water gets a bit too hot once the sun is up, so they push down deeper.

The toga, however, are feeding on the surface throughout the day on bigger surface lures such as Tiemco Jumbo Cicadas and bigger O.S.P Bent Minnows.

Good luck this year and enjoy the rest of the holiday season.

Brandon managed a nice little GT.

This jack was caught just after sun-up.

This hungry jack wanted to take down a 110mm Damiki Rambler.

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www.frogleysoffshore.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 27

Gold Coast estuaries the go

■ Trip away to Moonee Beach

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Joe was happy with his first metre-plus giant herring.

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Gee, hasn’t the year flown?

Fishing wise, I found this year very interrupted.

Work, sport, bad weather and holidays all got in the way.

I thought as you get older you should have more time on your hands, but in fact it is the very opposite.

In 2019 I can assure you I will see more water days as we get back into the groove.

As we hit summer, what looked like an early mackerel season has turned into a fizzer.

The water went cold and the few small schools of spotties quickly moved on.

The fish seem to be sitting out wide in the warmer water.

What this traditionally means is they’ll bypass the Gold Coast and park themselves off Coffs Harbour.

Hopefully the southerlies have a consistent blow and push that warm blue water in close, and with it the mackerel and other pelagic fish.

The fishing has been

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Gold Coast

by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

much more consistent in the rivers and creeks.

Mangrove jack are being caught in good numbers around the Gold Coast and giant herring have also made their presence felt, with some solid fish being caught and going better than a metre in length.

They love skinny water, so give those back creeks and lakes a hit with livies or a slab of pilchard.

They’ll also hit a topwater lure.

Be ready for the hit because it’ll be hard and vicious with a long screaming run and plenty of aerobatics.

The family and I, along with our regular camping crew, hit Moonee Beach for a few weeks of R&R in late November.

Moonee would have to be Coffs Harbour’s bestkept secret because the park just never seems to get full, even during peak times such as Christmas and Easter.

It is dog friendly and has had its amenities upgraded over the past few years.

A shopping centre about 1km away means you don’t have to lug your shopping down the highway with you.

We cheat and get a fridge delivered on site for our stay, so you could really call it glamping.

Moonee is about 10 minutes’ drive north of Coffs Harbour main centre and in my opinion has it all for anyone who loves the sand, surf and outdoors.

A nearby very shallow creek is perfect for little kids, with clear and slowflowing water.

It fishes OK too, but you have to work for a feed.

It is full of flathead, with some big girls around judging by the lies that can be seen on low tide.

Mud crabs are also on offer and if you head upriver a bit, so too are mangrove jack.

Off the beaches, you can find dart and tailor in the gutters.

In the holes, you’ll pull flathead.

You’ll have easy access to two beaches, with Moonee Beach the main option and Sapphire Beach an easy walk over the headland.

Sapphire Beach is protected in a northerly and drops off abruptly into the water, creating a solid shore break.

You can surf at both beaches.

If you like exploring and walking, the headland has several tracks to follow and forget about what time it is as you watch the waves roll in while keeping an eye out for rays, sharks and turtles.

In winter, the headland makes an excellent vantage point for whale watching.

We normally holiday

here during Easter, so this latest trip was a bit different for us.

I found the wind was our enemy, with only a handful of days where I could get a morning fish in.

We did OK on the crabs but caught very few fish.

The boys got some flathead on lures but the beaches were dead, and when I say dead, I mean dead.

Absolutely nothing except for two dart and a small flathead, despite our best efforts.

It was disappointing because I had visions of getting a feed of tailor and possibly a jew, but all to no avail.

We had planned to give the sharks a go, but the wind in the afternoon squashed that idea.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that Moonee could be a better option for that autumn period.

The temperature there was playing silly buggers, with us in jumpers and tracksuit pants some evenings, while the Gold Coast sweltered through high-30C temperatures.

Nevertheless, it was the break I needed as we headed into the silly season.

During the holiday season on the Gold Coast, it’ll pay to have patience with all the tourists on the water, especially if the mackerel decide to fire up.

The local bars will make things interesting.

Tweed River Bar will be

nasty on a run-out tide, with swell catching on the back bank.

Currumbin Creek Bar will be like a maze with the way the gutter is running down along the beach.

It’ll pay to check it out at various stages of the tide to see if you can get through.

Tallebudgera Creek Bar has been dredged for little effect.

It looks like more than half the bank at the mouth is still there.

The Southport Seaway is OK, but if a bit of swell is about, be mindful of breakers as you head out, especially on a run-out.

I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and merry Christmas and Santa emptied his sack at your place.

‘Til next month, stinky fingers to you all.

A drone makes it easy to check the beach conditions. Here the author could see the wind was down and a fantastic gutter was running right along the beach. All visible from the campsite.

The sand flats of Moonee Creek. Plenty of options for a fish.

Sapphire Beach had a couple of holes within casting distance.

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Fingers crossed for mackerel ■ Snapper ■ Pelagics ■ Trevally

W

ELCOME to a new year.

I’m hoping the first half of the year starts with a great mackerel season.

Over the coming months, if all goes well, it would be great to get stuck into good numbers of spotted and spanish mackerel.

Spotted mackerel haven’t shown up for a few years now, so surely we are due for a good one.

It sure is a lot of fun when the inshore pelagics turn up and let’s hope that just a bit wider we get some yellowfin tuna

Tweed to Byron Bay

by GAVIN DOBSON

and wahoo for awesome entertainment.

Over the past few years small longtail tuna have been caught on the close reefs while looking for mackerel.

They have weighed between 4kg and 6kg and are good fun and a decent feed at this size because the bigger ones later in the season are just plain hard work to pull in and then you have too many fillets

to deal with.

One place definitely worth a look this month is the mackerel boulder over

by Julian Rocks.

Its season opens on January 1 and it should produce quality pelagics and reef fish.

Upon opening, numbers of yellowtail kingfish can be hooked here but good luck landing the big ones around this rough ground.

Windarra Banks should

EN

Walking in his dad’s footsteps, Caleb Haayer sure knows how to catch a fish – this time a GT.

D

OR

,

also produce kingfish along with the odd small amberjack to 6-7kg.

Last month I mentioned a few snapper had turned up and when they arrive late like this they usually hang around until January at least.

Well so far so good, as at the time of writing solid knobbies are being caught in close.

Not in big numbers that’s for sure but the quality is there, with fish to 6kg being reasonably common around the Brunswick local reef.

Further up towards Black Rock, the average size of the fish seems to be a bit smaller but a few more of them are around, so I guess the moral is a feed is out there for those wanting shallow water snapper.

The deep reefs are at the mercy of the current but they can be surprisingly fishable through January.

Stopping at the FAD off Cape Byron will give you an indication of whether to go any further or not and hopefully you get a good feed of mahi mahi for your trouble.

If the current isn’t raging at the FAD, then I guess work your way out wider and hope you don’t hit a current line.

If you don’t and can keep a bait near the bottom, the 45-fathom reefs will have

Tristram with a great knobby caught out of Brunswick Heads recently.

☛ continued P30

Lewan with a proper jack that measured 64cm.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 29

New year fishing set to impress H

ELLO and welcome to this month’s edition of BNB.

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Well another year is upon us and I hope you all had a merry Christmas and were totally spoilt by your families.

I certainly hope you are not like me and have broken three of your new year’s resolutions already.

I’m not sure, but perhaps I am getting to the gym too late in the day, and this may explain why it is closed when I get there…

Well that is my story anyway!

As for the fishing, the start of the new year should be fairly kind to us, with larger tides in the river already producing reasonable numbers and quality of whiting.

The usual locations such as Pimlico Island and North Creek have started to come good, especially for anyone wanting to use yabbies or worms.

Plenty of fish have also been taken in the lower reaches of the river on surface lures and poppers such as the Bassday Sugapen, Daiwa Silverwolf, Atomic Pop 50 and Storm Arashi Pop. The colours and sizes of successful lures have been as varied as the quality of fish taken on them.

As is usually the case, the run-out tide has been the better option, but the water temperature seems to be a little higher at

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kingfish and amberjack in residence, along with a few squire.

The 50-fathom line should be holding the same but with quality pearlies thrown in.

If you hit current, try trolling some lures down a reef line.

Most times you’ll likely pick up a mahi mahi, tuna or wahoo.

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by BRETT HYDE

these times and this may explain the increased fish activity.

The bulk of the flathead have been found in a similar area to the whiting, with most fish taken from the mouth of the river and spread up as far as Pimlico Island.

Typically at this time of year with the larger tides, the flathead have been sunning themselves on the sand flats early in the mornings, and as the tides have been dropping and the days warm up, they are pushing out into deeper water.

Shallow-diving hardbody lures such as the Daiwa Double Clutch 75mm and 95mm, Zerek Tango Shad and Taylor Made Nippy Shrimp and Tiny Nugget have all produced fish.

Quality fish have smacked Zerek Fish Traps, Samaki Vibelicious and Tackle Tactics Switchblades in deeper water.

We have been seeing good-quality bass over the past month as well.

With the continued dry conditions, a lot of fish have been moving further upriver.

Surface lures have achieved success early of a morning and late of an

afternoon, but during the day plenty of fish have been sitting deeper in the water column.

Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and soft plastics rigged on jig spinners have all been successful over the past month.

With the cleaner water, the more natural colours seem to be working a little better, and it will be worth trying something with a gold blade if you have an overcast day, but if not, stick with silver due to the clearer water.

Emigrant Creek and Maguires Creek above the Teven double bridges will be worth checking out from either the bank or water.

There is plenty of water above Coraki to explore, it just depends if you want to head to Casino or Lismore.

Unfortunately, at the time of putting this article together the mud crabs had not fired up as much as some of the other target species in the river.

I am hopeful the larger tides and recent warmer weather may change this fairly quickly, but this year might just end up being a quiet one, as we have had some fairly good seasons the past few years.

I am also hopeful given the clearer water that

we will see decent numbers of blue swimmer crabs over the holidays for a change.

Given the time of the year, a large number of people will be chasing crabs, so this is a good time to remind people about some local crabbing rules.

1. You are permitted to have two crab pots and four crab dillies (witch’s hats) per person.

2. Crab pots are not permitted from the mouth of the Richmond River up to the Burns Point Ferry including Fishery Creek and North Creek.

3. Crab pots must have a 50g weight attached to the rope a metre or more below the float to ensure no rope floats on the surface of the water.

4. Details required on your floats are: The letters CT or the words crabs trap, your first initial and your last name, your year of birth and your postcode or normal home address.

5. The same personal details have to go on the dillies but the letters HN or the words hoop net have to be used instead of crab trap.

Fisheries officers will definitely be checking for incorrectly labelled equipment as this could potentially be gear that is being used illegally by unscrupulous crabbers to take more than their bag limit.

Mark your equipment correctly and keep a good

eye on it because plenty of light-fingered individuals like to do the wrong thing.

Offshore, some warm water is waiting for us once the insistent wind finally decides to give us a break.

At the time of writing it was hovering around the 20C mark out on the 32-fathom line, but is as high as 27C out on the 50-fathom line.

I have my fingers crossed that some prevailing winds will blow this warmer water in closer and bring with it plenty of pelagic fish.

We have already seen a few spotted mackerel south of us and early season mahi mahi around the FAD, so they will be here any tick of the clock.

Reasonable numbers of snapper, flathead and tuskfish are to be caught on the 32 and 42-fathom lines, but the current has been fluctuating badly so be prepared for just about anything.

If you are keen for a gym workout of a piscatorial nature, then head to the 48-fathom line because a few slightly larger than normal kingfish and the odd amberjack have been monstering knife jigs.

Just make sure you pack the heavy jigs to cope with the current, and your A-game to handle the fish.

Well that’s all from me for this month.

‘Til next time, tight lines!

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species as well as marlin anywhere from the Tweed Bar to the reefs we were fishing.

The most consistent lures on mahi mahi and tuna were definitely the smaller Christmas tree/ bullet head types but the marlin preferred a slightly bigger skirted lure and the wahoo a minnow, either bibbed like a Rapala CD Magnum or bibless like a Mack Bait.

The marlin loved the minnows too but it is very hard to keep the hooks in them.

Hopefully the small black marlin turn up for a bit of fun this year.

You never know where you will catch these fish but if you can find a school of bait in 24 fathoms this seems to be the depth they prefer above all else, even if there is no structure below you.

Having said that, I have caught them in 5m of water at the back of the Tweed River Bar and I have even seen one inside the mouth of the Tweed River.

The widest I have caught the little blacks is on the 50-fathom line but I’ve never fished for them wider than this.

Who knows, maybe the years they don’t come in close they are travelling down the continental shelf line?

The schools of white pilchards are still in the river

mouth and harbour reaches here at Brunswick Heads.

This has got the trevally going off, and big-eye trevally in particular are a prime candidate at the moment, especially at night.

The big problem we have is copious amounts of cornflake weed clogging the whole system.

This renders lure fishing for them nearly ineffective, which is a real pain.

A live herring under a float is about your best option until the stinking cornflakes are gone.

Further upriver where you can get away from the cornflake weed, whiting and mangrove jack are available to be caught.

Trevally are upstream too but aren’t thick yet because the white pillies have them more interested in the lower reaches.

Once the pillies have gone, the trevally will move upstream.

Speaking of trevally, I have included a couple more photos this month of Caleb Haayer with some good Tweed River fish.

One definitely appears to be a GT and the other is a tea-leaf trevally.

Trevally species have caused lot of confusion over the years and still do because the other name given to the tea-leaf in Grant’s Guide to Fishes is the brassy trevally, but

this is not the same as what all the fishing shows call brassy trevally in the Northern Territory.

Grant’s also mentions it is called Papuan trevally and given its scientific name is caranx papuensis this makes sense, but other books know the Papuan trevally as a different fish entirely.

Phew!

Are you bored yet?

Nice trevally Caleb, let’s go with tea-leaf!

Anyway, from mullet to mangrove jack and marlin, I hope you get to wet a line this Christmas/New Year period and catch something great.

Stay safe.

Caleb scored a decent tea-leaf trevally.

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Handling the holidays at Evans Head ■ Politics ■ Ramp rage ■ Land-based spots

I

T’S been a big month for me with three weeks in hospital and my boat now gone, but it’s still in the family and heading south towards Canberra.

I’m going to miss it but you just can’t have a boat sitting in a shed and rotting away.

She will see a lot of action down in the cold country chasing bass and whatever else they catch down there.

It must be close to election time because I’ve seen some posts on Facebook about cleaning up the Richmond River and a meeting with the members on what they are going to do.

Hello, what about the rest of the year where you lot never said a peep about the Richmond?

We only ever hear from you at election time when you’re trying to get our votes.

The Richmond River is a cesspool compared to the Clarence and Tweed rivers and no one cares.

I just get sick of politicians and groups that put up their hands saying they will clean it up.

I’ve seen this for well over 20 years and have been to so many meetings that I just won’t go anymore because it’s all pissing in the wind and no action.

Frankly I’m sick of writing about it but I need to try to keep it in the public eye.

People drive over the Richmond and Wilsons rivers in Lismore and just see a dirty river and think no more about it.

They see fishers in boats and on the banks trying to catch fish and sometimes it’s fish a plenty but most times they go home empty-handed.

You can at times catch sharks and this is the time to do it but you will hook a lot of catfish.

When we have rain events the brown dirty water heads south and hits Broadwater, which is where it becomes a black water event and we have a major or minor fish kill.

I don’t care if it’s big or small, we should not have any fish kills and the powers that be should get their collective fingers out of their arses and do something to fix our river system.

Anyway, enough of that, it’s holiday time and we all should be in holiday mode.

Let’s start with a pet hate around holiday time, and that is launching and retrieving your boat.

Don’t take off tie downs on the ramp and don’t retie on the ramp.

You will piss off so many fishers it won’t be funny.

It is so easy to untie your boat before you set up to reverse down the ramp.

It just gets me how many fishers during holiday time leave their brains at home.

Just think, if it was you waiting on another fisher, www.bnbfishing.com. au

Evans Head

by GARY ‘SQUIDGIE’ PALMER

I think you might not be happy.

On another note, take your rubbish home if there are no garbage bins around to dump your waste.

Evans Head is a great spot to fish but during holidays it’s best to fish at night and I mean late at night.

I go after 9pm or at midnight because you can have the bridge or beaches to yourself.

The walls are another option but they can be dangerous at night.

Take a headlight but don’t put light on the water.

The little wall is another prime place to fish.

You just want a run-in tide and a bit of colour in the water.

A turquoise colour is my favourite and the big bream you can get there are well and truly over the 1kg mark.

Jim Saville and I used to fish it a fair bit when the water was to our liking.

Flathead are another great option and you can catch them from the bottom of the river all the way to Woodburn, you just have to work out where they are sitting.

If you are at the start of the south wall you will see rocks just below the water.

This is one spot where you can get a nice feed.

You are better off in a boat but you can fish from the bank.

Fish light and use white pillies or soft plastics.

I use the Squidgy Wriggler 100mm in Bloodworm and Squidgy 70mm Fish in Black Gold.

These two lures have caught me hundreds of flathead over the years and to this day are my mainstay lures.

The Evans Head bridge is another option.

Fish around the pylons or deep water on the town side.

Once again my preference is night-time fishing.

I like to walk the bridge or if in my boat anchor up near the pylons, cast under the bridge and slowly wind back to the boat.

You can catch heaps this way and it really does not matter whether it’s day or night.

I like the run-up tide here.

I don’t think I have ever missed taking home three fish for tea, but as I said, during the holidays night is best because the bridge cops a hammering during the holidays and it is a great place for kids to fish.

Despite all this, remember it is illegal to fish off bridges in NSW. It’s a stupid bloody law.

What fisher can resist fishing bridges?

None that I know of.

Out in the deep blue, the mackerel cannot be far off because some have already been caught off

Yamba, so by the time this hits the stands they should be at our shores.

I have seen some nice pics of snapper and trag over the past month and for the wider guys bar cod have also been caught.

On another note, don’t forget to visit the Evans Head Co-Op and get a feed of fresh Evans prawns because they are the best in the country.

I love them.

You can also get fish and

why not try some whiting fillets and chips.

They are my favourite fish to eat.

When I used to go out on the trawlers it didn’t take long for me to fillet them and get them ready to take home to eat.

Back in those days they were porpoise food or you could buy them for 80c a kilo.

Now they are dear as poison.

Anyway, that’s it for me this month.

Remember: limit your kill, don’t kill your limit.

Tight lines and smelly fingers.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 31

Clarence Coast keeps anglers amused

F

ISHING along the Clarence Coast of northern NSW was fair to middling during December, with good catches of mackerel and snapper offshore, while whiting, flathead and school jew kept us landlubbers amused inside the rivers and along the beaches.

The surf zone along Iluka breakwall has been lousy with baby soapy jewfish, which is a good sign for future stocks.

Gulmarrad fishing guru Graham Dowsett with a top snapper taken from the Iluka breakwall on a blue pilchard. Photo: Fran Dowsett

Without doubt the best news I heard all month was big greenback tailor have once again returned in healthy numbers.

Iluka father and son team Alf and Ben Pilch have led the charge with quality fish to 4.6kg and 5.2kg, respectively.

While the boys landed their fish on poppers at the point of Iluka breakwall, plenty of smaller fish to 3kg were taken from both Main Beach and Back Beach on flesh baits such as mullet and bonito, with most of the headlands yielding nice kilo-sized choppers on lures.

Here’s hoping this trend will continue well into the new year, however going on past years I’d make the most of this run of fish while it lasts because some years they seem to disappear as quickly as they arrived.

I didn’t hear of a decent jew being landed last month, and by decent I mean 20kg-plus, but on the other hand if decent to you is around 8kg then they were indeed quite plentiful.

Inside the Clarence River, nice schoolies were boated on live herring and soft plastic lures during the slack high water at night around the hot water outlet of the Harwood sugar mill, while other boaties used the same baits at Browns Rocks for

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

similar-sized fish.

Even I managed to summon the energy to waddle out along the Iluka breakwall one recent night with stripped squid baits and fluked a little 6kg schoolie, so they surely must be thick.

Reasonable-sized school jew and turrum as well as the already mentioned tailor have been keeping the rock fishers entertained and taking a variety of lures from a 50g metal slug through to a 14cm hard-body or plain white feather.

All the headlands have produced big bream and tarwhine on either white pillies or small king prawns, however a lot of the bream have been exceptionally skinny due to their current diet of barnacles and other small shellfish.

Whiting continue to be the most prolific species taken both in the river and along the beaches and this should continue to be the case as summer hits full swing.

Iluka angler Rebekah Ellis has been using live beach worms along the southern bank of Goodwood Island during the rising tide at night for quality fish to 36cm.

Other anglers have been having a ball during the daylight hours taking fish of similar size on surface poppers.

Flathead are also firing, as you would expect at this time of year, with reports of fish being taken as far upstream as Grafton on fresh school prawns and soft plastic lures.

This month I intend on spending a lot of my days chasing lizards in the shallow gutters along the beaches with 3” and 4” soft plastic lures.

It goes without saying that bass are chewing their heads off in all the freshwater systems.

Some anglers are catching over 60 fish a session (all released) on small hard-bodied minnow lures and vibes.

Offshore catches are being dominated by mackerel and snapper, and while the northern grounds off Woody Head are getting all the local press coverage, just as good a run of fish has occurred off Wooli, The Sandon and One Man, which are our southern grounds.

During the peak season, the waters off Woody Head often turn into a circus with idiot skippers running over each other’s troll lines as well as many a heated discussion occurring daily.

Personally, I would rather sit on a rock and wait for the fish to come to me because the ocean and my stomach are not on speaking terms, even with a heap of seasick pills and food.

One angler who does just that (sit on a rock) is Gulmarrad guru Graham Dowsett, who when not catching solid jew turns his hand to landing top snapper from the local breakwall.

Finally, if you or somebody you know is thinking of coming to Iluka over the holidays and doing doughnuts and driving like a dick on our local beaches, think again.

We do not want you here, we do not want your

money and more importantly we do not want our beaches closed thanks to your stupidity.

In NSW, all regular road rules apply on beaches, with the speed limit set at 20km/h within 100m of a person and 40km/h at all other times, which means if you are filmed doing doughnuts or blatantly speeding you will be treated under NSW hoon legislation, which has happened to a couple of clowns already.

Heavy fines, vehicle impoundment and long periods of licence disqualification await those who think they are going to ruin our way of life.

NSW police officers are only too willing to prosecute drivers who are videoed or photographed doing the wrong thing on our beautiful beaches, so don’t say you were not warned.

‘Til next month, safe fishin’.

Rebekah Ellis of Iluka with a 36cm whiting taken on live beach worms at Goodwood Island.

Jagging jewfish around Newcastle H I guys and welcome to this month’s BNB

mag.

Shane Daniel scored this 92cm jewfish on a handline.

It’s great to be back after my wedding a few weeks ago and I can’t wait to get back to the norm and on the water very soon.

It’s been a cracker month around Newcastle, so let’s get into it.

Lake Macquarie has been the place to wet a line.

So many target species are there to hit and you can’t beat landing a few of your favourite treats, that’s for sure.

The author’s whiting from Lake Macquarie.

Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

The summer weather is just starting to warm up down here and thank goodness for that.

Jewfish have been on the bite early of a morning and also late at night.

It doesn’t matter if you’re using live baits, soft vibes or even large plastics – the fish are on the chew.

A few of the locals have been putting in the effort to target these hardpulling fish and with great success.

With so many places to target them in the lake I’m not sure which is the standout but the drop-off on the left-hand side heading south near Pulbah Island is a prime spot.

This area is the size of two football fields but if you can find the bait schools it’s a great spot to try your luck because you can cover so much ground with optimum rewards.

I have fished there for over 20 years and had so much fun.

The treats include jewfish and I have also caught snapper, big bream, salmon and even a cobia.

When the tailor come in and start busting the surface it can be a fun day on the water.

The best part about fish-

3WAYSFISHIN – Newcastle

by NATHAN ‘NATH’ PALMER

ing this area is the quantity of rough ground and obstacles that hold fish, so when you find any of these structures, anchor up and try your luck.

I love old-school fishing these days and when I see fish being landed on handlines I always love the stories behind them.

Take the example of gun local angler Shane Daniel.

Shane was out the other day using squid and a handline and pulled a 92cm jewfish from the lake.

I can only imagine the fight he had, using his bare hands to pull up one of the best fighting fish in the lake.

I would have loved to see the commotion on the boat with him trying to get this jew landed in old-

school style.

Then, having caught the bug and with luck on his side, he went out the next day and scored another.

In telling me about it, he recalled a lot of pulling and a lot of letting the fish run and again on a handline that only the brave use.

Good job mate.

I really can’t remember the last time I used a handline but I’ll be dusting mine off in the next few days and hope I can get a few cuts in my hand to remind me of the good old days using them (ouch).

The barges near Toronto are worth fishing through the night and if you have a bright lamp or any kind of light to bring in the squid you will get live baits at

the same spot.

Some large bream and flathead get about this spot as well as jewfish, so throw a few squid out for bait and put in the time and you should see rewards.

Whiting are in the lake in great numbers and fresh worms from Blacksmiths Beach are everywhere, so grab a few and find yourself a quiet sandbar and get a feed.

Trevally have been showing up but we’ve seen some break-offs for those chasing them.

Be prepared!

Peeled prawns are the go and the BP service station at Valentine has OK frozen bait from Tweed Bait.

They are working very well and are my second choice if I can’t get fresh bait.

Behind the pilot station is a great spot to target these fish on a run-out tide.

It’s great to get out of the boat and take a walk to find some nice holes throughout the sand bars.

I love fishing this spot because all the small bait such as crabs, prawns and other treats keep the whiting hanging around.

☛ continued P33

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Jagging jewfish around Newcastle ☛ from P32

Using small poppers, plastics or bait you will find a feed.

When the big tides roll in over Christmas you will see the larger ones turn up, so get into them before the crowds arrive.

Bream have been in big schools in shallow water near Valentine boat ramp and I was blown away to realise how many were in this one spot.

Valentine is a great place to chase down the bream and blue swimmer crabs.

Back in the day, I used to take my daughter there to the park right at the water’s edge and walk out to place my crab pots over the weed beds before wetting a line chasing the big bream, whiting and flathead.

You will also find barbecue areas here, so we always had a picnic happening after a day’s fishing, with fresh crab and fillets on the barbecue.

It’s a very productive spot to fish and also to teach your kids the fundamentals of our favourite pastime.

You can’t beat the smile on kids’ faces when a bend is in their rod.

It’s also very safe to swim here, which is always nice after a long day of fishing.

So grab your kids and head down there to have family fun.

Newcastle Harbour, which is a 25-minute drive up the coast from the lake, has seen good size flathead, bream, jew and salmon in big numbers.

This time of year is when the fishing is best because the fish are always on the chew and the weather on most days is perfect.

I like to hit the chip yards on a run-out tide because the big flathead love to sun themselves along the rock walls.

Chris Monagham landed a 14.4kg, 115cm Stockton jew.

Throwing plastics and Samaki lures is the best way to land a few fish, just remember to slow your retrieve and have a bit of patience.

I like to use my Minn Kota iPilot and glide up and down the rock walls to get a few casts in close and then slowly move down a couple of metres and repeat.

Just writing this is making me itch to head out, but being my night shift weekend I’m stuck and have to go to bed and only dream about it.

The sun is shining, the wind and tide are perfect and I’m going to stop now before my head explodes.

Heading up the Hunter River, Stockton Bridge has produced great jewfish, big bream and heaps of live bait.

Make sure you get your live baits from the spot you are planning to fish because that’s why the jew and other treats are there.

I like to use a running sinker here with a Gamakatsu 7/0 circle hook, 50lb Daiwa J-Braid and 30lb leader on my allrounder 4000 Daiwa reel.

It works very well and I also put my boat right up close to the wooden pylons under the bridge and fish very close.

As it gets dark I drift my live bait out past the shadow of the bridge into the light because all the baitfish love a well-lit bridge and that’s where the big fish will be.

Slimy mackerel and yakkas are my favourite baits to use here.

Stockton Beach has seen solid catches of jewfish, tailor, salmon, whiting and flathead thrown into the mix.

Good mate Chris Monaham recently scored a nice size jewfish as well as some table size flathead.

He had a few shark biteoffs too, so make sure you beef up your leader just in case these guys turn up.

Try your luck around the Lavis Lane entry heading south.

The gutters we saw the other day looked amazing.

You have so many options at the moment and it’s well worth the trip south of the beach.

There are plenty of spots to get a fish, that’s for sure.

We took a mate’s two young kids down with us and got them to do the twist and pipis were everywhere.

So if you’re chasing whiting and bream you won’t need to spend money at the tackle shop.

We even took some stale pillies and scored a heap of worms for me to use on my next adventure because people have told me whiting are there in big numbers.

My advice would be to get there early in the morning and get into them while they are here.

Try to beat the crowds because they come from everywhere when they

know the fish are on the bite.

It’s not that uncommon to see the beach full of hungry fishers and their 4x4 entourage.

I just got back from prawning in Lake Macquarie and we scored a few kilograms, which was a nice feed.

My partner Jose and I will be enjoying them tonight and I can’t wait!

I want to wish everyone at BNB mag and all the fishing families out there a happy Christmas and awesome New Year from my family to yours.

Remember to stay safe on the water and enjoy the festive season.

Shane Daniel with a jewfish.

Prawns from Lake Macquarie.

PUZZLE PAGE w i l s o n f i s h i n g .c o m

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 33

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Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

Battling big fish and crazy current B ETWEEN bad weather and doing a new electronics refit to my boat, it had been a while between offshore fishing trips.

I had a new Furuno DFF3D, autopilot and another Furuno TZtouch2 multifunction display installed by Quality Marine Electronics and I was keen to try it all out.

With a reasonable weather forecast predicted, we soon found our way out the Wide Bay Bar on a glorious morning.

We made our way out wide of the bar, checking various old spots but the fishing was extremely slow, with very little biting and unfortunately the current was running hard to the south.

Anyone who’s experienced the strong east coast current that runs down the coastline understands how frustrating and hard it can be to fish during these times.

You generally have two options when this occurs: you either head back in close to get out of the current or you simply deal with it and back the boat up in the current by putting the engine in and out of reverse.

By doing this you avoid the lines getting caught up in the drag of the current, which causes the baits to rise well up off the bottom and away from the bottom-feeding species like red emperor.

Backing a boat up in the current can take a bit of getting used to and you will be continually steering and knocking the engine in and out of reverse trying to keep your lines under the boat and not out on a big angle.

After a very slow morning, I came over a small rock that didn’t have a lot of life on it but I could see good-sized individual fish sitting close to the rock, which the Furuno 295 and narrow-beam transducer does a great job of indicating.

I positioned the boat well ahead of the rock and dropped a mix of mullet fillets, squid and pilchards.

As we drifted off the back edge of the rock we all got smashed by decent fish and all I could think was about bloody time.

Rob was first to have his fish at the boat and it was a cracking 67cm pearl perch, while Dad and I pulled up two schoolsized red emperor.

We went back for another drift and I noticed on the sounder some nice individual fish were still sitting close by the rock hiding out of the strong current.

As we were drifting over the rock I was constantly steering and putting the outboard in and out of reverse due to the current, which often meant I was either leaning over the seat or standing at the helm while trying to hold my rod out over the side.

It’s a very hard way to fish and means you have limited control or movement while fishing, which can cost you fish at times.

And that is exactly what

Fishing Trip

by GREG LAMPRECHT

happened on this occasion.

I moved back to the helm to engage reverse and at the same time got smashed by a good fish.

With no room to strike and sink the hooks, the fish pulled line with the rod tip on the gunwale, so I quickly jumped away from the helm to avoid breaking the rod tip.

Within a few seconds I pulled the hooks and to say I was dirty was an understatement.

Rob on the other hand made up for it because he was also smashed and the Shimano Stella reel began to scream.

It was a cracking first run and initial thoughts were it might be an amberjack but the fight soon changed into more of what we were hoping for and a beautiful ‘black lipper’ aka big red emperor soon hit the deck.

Several more drifts resulted in a couple more nice reds and venus tuskfish before it went completely dead.

It’s funny how the disappointment of a slow morning’s fishing is soon forgotten about when you have half an hour of good fishing, but that’s what fishing is all about.

The highs and lows keep you coming back for more time and time again.

With the day getting on, I moved around to various spots but I wasn’t seeing any decent shows on the sounder and our results were reflecting this.

No doubt, the bite in general was very slow, and to improve our results I needed to find new ground.

The current was also getting worse and running at up to 3.5 knots, so I headed in a little and put in four hours or so searching for new ground.

Unfortunately I didn’t find anything of interest, so anchored for the night ready for day two.

It was another nice day and the current had backed off a little, which

was promising.

I ended up in another area that holds a fair amount of reef to try our luck on various reef species, one of which was redthroat emperor.

I find only some reefs off Fraser and Double Island Point hold redthroat, and I might have 20 rocks marked out in an area but only one of them will consistently hold fish.

We don’t get big numbers of these fish like anglers find on the more common Great Barrier Reef systems, but what we do get is good-quality ones up to 70cm.

These fish are often referred to as tricky snapper because they are good at stealing baits due to having reasonably small and hard mouths.

To help target these fish it pays to use smaller hooks and baits compared to those we use chasing red emperor.

We find 5/0 hooks ganged, snooded or used singularly and baited with half pilchards or small strip baits very effective on redthroat emperor.

This is exactly what we did and before long we had some quality redthroat coming over the side, with Dad pulling the biggest at a cracking 64cm.

We also caught maori cod, moses perch, venus

tuskfish and coronation trout, which are always welcome in the Esky and made for a fun-filled morning session.

With the sun well and truly up, the bite had shut down and we kept moving around fishing old marks and looking for new ones, which resulted in very few fish and only one 7kg red worth mentioning.

We really needed to find new ground, so I kept moving around searching in likely looking areas patiently waiting for some-

thing of interest to show on the Furuno sounder.

Having the ability to sound at 20 knots-plus and clearly see even the smallest of structure is a game-changer when it comes to finding new ground.

You cover a lot more ground in a lot less time, which greatly increases your chances of finding quality fish.

After hours and hours of searching I finally ran over a new rock with a ☛ continued P35

The author spotted some quality fish on the sounder tucked in close to the structure hiding out of the strong current. It produced cracking fish including this ‘black lipper’ red for Rob.

Rob McNamara with a nice 67cm pearl perch caught among some red emperor wide of Double Island Point.

The author’s dad Terry might be 73 years old but can still pull big reds with no problems.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

COMPETITION DATES COMPETITION

DATE

LOCATION

2019 The rewards for putting in lots of time searching for new ground. The first drop on this newly found spot produced a nice coronation trout and red emperor for the author and his dad Terry.

Battling big fish and crazy current ☛ from P34

good show of fish.

The new Furuno 3D does a great job showing the size and shape of reef structure, which speeds up the process of working out the size of the reef and where the fish are situated.

Once I know where the fish are and what drift line is needed, I set the boat up well ahead of the rock and

begin the drift.

With how slow the bite had been, I went back to a lighter 40lb spin outfit with a sliding ball sinker to get a more natural bait presentation down to the fish.

As soon as it hit bottom I got smashed and line peeled off the reel.

Dad also hooked up on a solid fish while Rob got baited quickly by something smaller.

The Fraser and Double Island Point region produces big redthroat emperor at times and some simple changes in rigs and location can help to target these fish successfully.

Dad was first up with a beautiful big coronation trout and I soon followed with a nice red, which was a great sight.

Another drift and yet again I got smashed soon as I hit the bottom.

The Venom 15-50lb spin stick was well and truly loaded up and 40lb line was screaming from the reel.

I love nothing more than pulling good fish from newly found spots and I was having a great time hooking them on the lighter spin gear.

After several good runs I had another red on the deck and this one had inhaled the pilchard and ganged hooks into its stomach.

With the fishing slowing and happy with our efforts, we decided to head back in closer off Double Island Point for the night to get out of the current and fish the close grounds the next morning.

I hadn’t travelled long before I ran over another new spot in the middle of nowhere and had a drop on it.

Dad got smashed well off the back of the reef and lined peeled off the reel several times.

We all waited in anticipation and that awesome red glow down deep began to show as another big red made it into the net.

After telling him he needed to do that again, I went back for another drift and what do you know he hooked up to another quality fish.

This fish wasn’t as big as the last but another good red of around 9kg came over the side.

Unfortunately the sharks turned up on the next drift, so we called it a day and headed in closer for the night.

The next morning we fished in close off Double Island Point and managed some pearl perch and mixed reefies before heading in mid-morning.

It was great to get out and use the new Furuno electronics and I will cover more on the electronics in another article soon.

We covered a total of 480km, which was a pretty big effort, but sometimes you just need to adapt to the conditions, change plans and have that never give up attitude to get the results.

Until next month, tight lines.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 35

Hot weather fun for everyone W

HAT a great way to get into the new year across the Sunshine Coast region!

A beautiful surface-hooked saratoga for Kalani Love.

Photos: fishingnoosa.com.au

For the offshore anglers, our pelagic season is in full swing, with spotty mackerel, spanish mackerel, juvenile black marlin, tuna and cobia all within easy reach.

It is a case of who can get up the earliest to beat the boat ramp traffic.

The season should last well into July, so be sure to get out there this year to experience these speedsters.

With all the fishing options across the coast, let’s

Dan Hazell picked up this cracker jack in a creek.

Sunshine Coast

by PETER WELLS

start with the upper Noosa River or the ‘Everglades’ as it’s known.

This area is totally different in terms of landscape and is home to Noosa’s wild bass population.

This is the perfect place for kayaking or exploring under electric power and throwing surface lures during the hotter mornings.

Be sure to have your drag set tight because some big fish will turn and brick you in a second.

Another great option is Kin Kin Creek, which is so different in terms of biodiversity and it holds a mixed bag of fish including mangrove jack, tarpon and trevally.

This is brackish water and another surface lure paradise with a lot more structure to explore.

Lures to throw include Tiemco Soft Shell Cicadas and O.S.P Bent Minnows.

If the sweet water is more your style, don’t forget to take a trip out to Lake Macdonald or Borumba Dam. These places really

Bob Hedges with a floating pilchard-caught spanish mackerel.

come alive during summer and low-light surface fishing can be some of the most explosive fun you will have.

Make sure you have your stocked impoundment permit with you and remember Lake Macdonald permits electric-powered boats and kayaks/canoes only.

Back downriver, the stretch between the lakes has been the spot to fish for mangrove jack, school jew and the occasional big flathead and trevally.

A couple of lures worth trying from River2Sea Chasebaits are the Wiggle Bomb and Rip Snorter Weedless vibe.

These lures cover a multitude of options and species.

Muddies are still around between the lakes and up into the second ski run, with the prospect of a little more rain to get them out and about.

Closer to the mouth of Lake Cooroibah, it is always worth drifting the channel drop-offs for flathead.

It’s the one spot that delivers almost all year round and small 3” grubs on 1/4oz jig heads work very well here.

The first ski run has been fishing well during first light, with bream, trevally, school jew and flathead taking a mix of soft plastics, vibes and baits.

In terms of plastics, be sure to give the Gladiator Prawns a test drive with plenty of scent.

Whiting are also on the bite at this time of the year, and some have been measuring over 40cm.

Whiting can be targeted across the flats using a mixture of surface poppers and walkers.

Must-have lures are the ever-faithful Bassday Sugapen, Jackall Spytail, Atomic K9 Walker and River2Sea Bubble Pop. The river mouth has

proven productive for all bread and butter species, with some great whiting hooked around the mouth and bigger flathead taken on live baits during slower-running tides.

In the Maroochy River, muddies have been on the move from around Dunethin Rock to the Bli-Bli islands.

Mangrove jack have also been in good numbers in the top reaches of the river, with anglers getting respectable catches on both bait and lures.

Concentrate your time on searching for jacks around creek mouths, drains and structure during daytime.

Whiting, bream and flathead have been thick across the Black Banks area and also on the sand flats that surround Chambers Island, with the start of the run-in tide working best.

An early morning or late-afternoon session in the Mooloolah and Maroochy rivers can pay off, with anglers getting into thumper big-eye and giant trevally on bigger surface lures.

Off the beaches, the Sunshine Coast is really turning it on with whiting, dart, bream and flathead satisfying anglers across the coast.

For those heading over to Noosa’s North Shore, the gutters running from the Noosa River mouth north to Teewah have been holding really nice whiting, bream, dart, jewfish and the odd permit (snub-nosed dart).

For those anglers chasing bigger pelagic fish, slide baiting using Max Tackle bait clips is seeing some monster spanish mackerel being caught, especially around Fraser Island.

This method of fishing is starting to take off because you only need to cast out your sinker first without the bait attached, so expect big-distance casts to be the norm.

Remember to check the swell and its direction before going rock fishing, and always fish in pairs.

All too often you can turn your back and a sneaky big set will appear on the horizon, so never take your eyes off the ocean and always tell people your plans if going alone.

Fishing in pairs is also a bonus should you catch a 20kg-plus tuna or mackerel, which is very possible at this time of year.

Offshore, the pelagic run is under way, with big tuna, mackerel, wahoo and dolphinfish flooding the Sunshine Coast region.

These speedsters can be caught in a variety of ways, from floating whole pilchard baits to trolled hard-bodies, cast slugs and stickbaits and highspeed jigs.

On a calm day, almost any boat and even kayaks can get among the action, so be sure to look for the birds once the sun is up and approach quietly.

Be sure to have a look around Sunshine Reef, North Reef, Chardons Reef and down towards Castaways Beach if launching from Noosa.

The Coffees, Barwon Banks and the blinker towards Old Woman Island and Arkwright Shoal are also holding their fair share of fish.

Snapper, pearlies, cobia and amberjack are coming from the Banks, while the Hards is fishing well for snapper, venus tuskfish, rosy jobfish, pearlies and other mixed reefies.

Summer is also the time for coral trout, so break out the big ball sinkers, gang hooks and 60lb leaders and get stuck into a few of these hard-fighting brutes of the reef!

Don’t forget to check in to fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up-todate info on fishing and bar crossings.

The knowledgeable teams at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success.

All the best for a safe and happy 2019!

Mercury Active Trim now accessible through VesselView screens

M

ERCURY Ma r i ne’s amazing Active Trim system can now be controlled through VesselView information screens.

Active Trim automatically and effortlessly trims an engine or engines.

It doesn’t just make boating easier and more fun, it also improves engine performance and cuts fuel costs while delivering a better overall driving experience.

Originally, Active Trim was controlled through a separate dash-mounted keypad.

Now drivers can have that control through Ves-

Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

selView’s multi-function touchscreen.

Mercury director Accessories Paul McLean said, “You simply go to Engine Functions on the VesselView screen and that’s where you’ll find Active Trim.”

“One of our key goals is to make boating easier and more enjoyable, and that’s what this does.

“It’s simple, straightforward and means one less item to clutter up your dash.”

The original keypad is still available for boat owners who want it.

While control of Active Trim can now be accessed through VesselView, owners will

still need to buy the Active Trim computer module, which provides the functionality.

Mercury’s Active Trim technology is ahead of the competition because of its patented integrated GPS-based control system that takes into account both boat speed and rpm when deciding on the ideal trim position.

It also solves the issue of the engine trimming up too early or too late while the boat is getting up on a plane.

Active Trim has five selectable trim profiles that accommodate nearly any boat application.

Owners can simply run

their boat and select the best profile for any application.

They can then personalise Active Trim to their driving style and/or compensate for changes in boat load, operator preference and weather conditions.

This means Active Trim can be used on high-performance boats as well as family runabouts, with drivers able to easily disengage and re-engage the system as needed, just by using the manual trim buttons.

For more information, go to mercurymarine. com.au or visit your nearest Mercury dealer.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A group enjoyed a Noosa surf school.

Not being outdone by Dad, Max scored a cracker.

The author looked down the line of a little Noosa wave.

Holiday fun from Noosa to the Outback

H

I all, happy New Year to you and your family.

I recently viewed a poster for ‘Noosa Outback’, referring to the Mary Valley region, and the slogan read “Where the outback meets the surf”.

To me this captures the spirit of the area where two different cultures meet and offer so many diverse opportunities.

Living the lifestyle is finishing work in Noosa with time to hit the water for an afternoon surf or fish and then heading home to our hinterland property in Kandanga to another list of outdoor opportunities.

To someone who loves to spend life outside, you could say I’m living the dream, but honestly planning a holiday experience in this region is open to anyone.

I admit some of the antics I get up to may not be available to you as a visitor but as new adventure-

Outdoors

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

style business opportunities progress in the area, anything is possible.

I thought I’d mention a few reputable traders to help introduce you to what’s available so you too can experience the region where the outback meets the surf.

Starting in Noosa, there’s a surf school that operates between the groins situated on the main beach between Noosa River mouth and Noosa Heads.

This stretch of beach is well protected from southerlies and offers an excellent area in which to learn how to surf.

I see the guys from Merrick’s Noosa Learn to Surf on a daily basis and often hear the positive reactions of those who use their services.

I see people from little groms to oldies enjoying the knowledge and having a ball in the ocean.

If you or your kids want to join in the fun, I’d suggest giving Merrick’s a call on 0418 787 577.

A perfect outdoor activity on those hot summer holidays and an ideal way to enjoy the great outdoors.

A number of fishing charters service the Noosa River but one I consistently hear good feedback on is Noosa River Fishing Safaris.

The outfit specialises in calm water charters and offers a variety of packages from simple guided trips to more specialised lure casting, soft plastics and fly fishing adventures.

Some of the inshore

target species include whiting, bream, flathead, tailor, jewfish, jacks and various species of trevally that frequent Noosa’s waterways.

You can contact Noosa River Fishing Safaris on 0429 030 823.

Check out the prices on noosa r iver fishing.com because I think you’ll be surprised at the cost of a half-day charter, with gear, drinks and a light snack included.

With a bit of luck, you may end up with a Noosa jack.

Speaking of jacks, check out the two in the photos from Tewantin father and son Brad and Max Maclean.

Young Max works at Hooked on Angling & Outdoors in Noosaville, so pop in to the shop for your tackle needs.

Once you hit the beach, you should know some cracker summer whiting have been captured in the surf gutters around Sunrise

and Sunshine beaches.

No particular location, just find any waist-deep gutter around the shore breaks on the open beaches and try your luck.

Now you’re starting to experience the ocean and river in the region, let’s head out into my other backyard.

A great way to see the Mary Valley is on the old classic steam train that travels from Gympie to Amamoor.

The rattler ceased to operate for a number of years but she is back on the tracks.

It captures a window from what seems like another time and gives you that laid-back country experience.

The track passes through country that has a mixture of dairy and beef cattle farms and you can start to feel what country life is all about.

What better way to connect with country than ☛ continued P38

Brad Maclean with a beautiful Noosa jack.

Connecting with the country while butchering a steer.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 37

Rob with his first golden.

Julia outfished the hubby with a cracker mack tuna.

Volatile conditions and voracious predators

A

NOTHER year is up and at the time of writing we are in the midst of some tumultuous weather.

Adam landed one of the larger spotties that have been plentiful of late.

Holiday fun from Noosa to the Outback ☛ from P37

taking a horse ride through the Mary Valley.

Mary Valley Adventure Trails is a wellknown business and has an excellent reputation for giving folks the opportunity to explore the valley on horseback through farmland and state forest, meandering through nature and just taking in the scenery.

The country out here allows you to forget about the rest of the world and brings you closer to nature.

Give Mary Valley Adventure Trails a call on 0412 832 885.

So there you have four ways of connecting with the Noosa/Mary Valley region to get you started but I wish I could share so much more, especially the experience of living on a property and the everyday adventures that go with it.

Birthing of calves right up to farm butchering one of your beasts

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

is an unforgettable experience that so few truly get to participate in and understand what goes on in the process of putting meat on the table or the problems associated with maintaining and protecting stock.

Just this week I watched four wild dingoes travel along our boundary fence.

With our cows having newborn calves at foot, the first thing you think of is to take these dogs out of the equation, so incidentally I have an opportunity to pick up the bow and go hunting.

Unfortunately, this is out of reach for many who would love to have the freedom to hunt.

This could very well change in the future because the Queensland Government is seriously looking at implementing a Queensland hunting licence, similar to our NSW neighbours.

Strict rules and guidelines would permit licence holders to hunt in

our state forests.

This could open up a whole new adventurestyle industry and allow more opportunities for connecting you with the land and assist in the culling of pests such as feral cats and pigs.

Stay tuned for future updates.

I must add that living in rural Queensland I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many unique characters, from men who really live for our oceans as fishermen/surfers and watermen through to outback characters who really are the salt of the land.

This year I’m going to write the occasional story on a few champions who absolutely live this outdoor lifestyle and quietly do incredible things for fishing and hunting.

I have a few in the pipeline and believe you’ll find their lives an incredible read.

I look forward to 2019.

Cheers, Chief.

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www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au > 0427 230 261 Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

This is to be expected in early summer.

However, it seems especially volatile this season, and to say I am over it is an understatement.

It’s the busiest part of my year and it looks like the first week of December is a complete writeoff.

We have seen relentless northerlies, a cyclone to the northeast, and later in the week a southeasterly change with winds of great magnitude.

This is a shame because the fishing has been fairly good and steady.

The bread and butter surface-feeding action has been constant and fairly easy going.

Early November was still a bit touch and go, with the fish plentiful but extremely fussy.

The bait was micro sized and obviously plentiful, with tuna and mackerel blinkered by the all-tootasty fish candy.

Often captures spewed loads of bait into the boat and all over us, even after prolonged battles.

In saying that, the best lure was the trusty StreakZ from Z-Man spun at light speed.

Towards the end of November, a massive influx of fish came in to play.

We saw epic numbers of explosive tuna and slashing mackerel turning Platypus Bay into white water.

And the bait had grown in size!

The predators were mostly spotty mackerel and mack tuna, but a few longtails were in the mix.

Golden trevally and cobia were also there if we were ready to respond quickly to the side scan readings.

I even caught a few roaming reef fish under the surface feeders.

As always, sharks often wreaked havoc on the prolonged battles.

This is the time of year when I stop targeting reefs looking for larger pelagics.

The sharks make it an extremely wasteful endeavour.

Fraser Guided Fishing

by TRI TON

And if I were to do it every day, you can imagine the numbers of trevally and cobia I would kill.

It isn’t right, ethically and from a business perspective, as I am destroying my assets.

Especially when I have tuna to play with, as tuna tend to swim higher in the water column and are less likely to be sharked.

Moving from school to school helps too, because once the taxmen find you they will keep making claims.

I will still capture trevally on less heavily populated reefs that the sharks aren’t as likely to call home for the warmer months.

Also, I will occasionally find free-roaming schools of trevally that don’t have a resident shark in tow.

If I can hang tight with these schools, the catch rate can be epic.

However, I need ideal conditions to drive comfortably enough for accurate scanning, and sometimes actually see the schools.

I recently encountered such an event.

Lucky for us, because afterwards it would have proven to be tough fishing with small bait and a small tide.

Driving from a reef I

started on, I spotted some movement and paused to make an assessment.

One of the lads was pretty certain he saw a small school of moderately sized cobia skimming the glassy surface for a feed of micro bait.

I kept a vigilant eye as I slowly drove around in the hope of capturing something on the electronics.

Nothing eventuated, but as I was looking further afield I noticed just two birds.

Nothing special there really, until they swooped on the smooth water and I noticed their target was a patch of barely turbulent water.

This was not a tightly packed shoal of small fish, but the swirls suggested something much bigger.

No eruptions or dispersed gentle surface breaks indicative of tuna, but some kind of other big fish, and as I made my way over, a smaller group came directly at us.

I instructed the crew to cast, but they failed miserably by casting astray and also retrieving incorrectly.

I hoped we hadn’t blown it.

In detail I then described what I required from them, feeling pretty certain they didn’t quite digest it all.

As luck would have it, the trevally continued to surface, giving the crew ample shots, but it took several approaches before we converted a bite.

The gravity of the situation on relatively new anglers made it difficult.

Especially since they could see clear as day that these trevally were generally over one metre in length.

When the first one made it into the net, all mouths were agape.

The mayhem continued for about one hour and as the activity declined, the schools surfaced less, so I had to respond with scanning.

I could tell by my trail they were travelling north.

It’s quite amazing that this technology allows you to know exactly where they are, and sometimes when they surfaced it wasn’t far from where I had just directed the anglers to cast.

Multiple hook-ups were the order of the day when the crew started to dial it in.

It’s often hard for new anglers to realise how gently a big fish can bite, and as such the striking technique is extremely important.

Anyhow, that made the day a success, all by 9am.

And how the epic trevally school didn’t have a shark in its midst was beyond me!

The rest of the day was a hard slog.

Lochie caught a nice slatey bream. These fish pull surprisingly hard.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Surface fishing for mangrove jack A S many avid lure fishers know, not too many things get your heart racing like a fish smashing a surface lure.

From whiting to giant trevally, the visual element truly enhances fishing like no other.

With water temperatures well and truly on the rise as the seasons change, the summer fish species are fired up and mangrove jack is high on our target species list.

Fishing from a kayak over the past year has truly opened up a whole new range of fishing possibilities for my girlfriend Leeah and me, allowing us to sneak into the most pristine destinations that are completely inaccessible by boat.

Having not landed a mangrove jack since a surprise capture in August, we had been eager to get among them but they’d been playing very hard to get.

Finally, however, a recent Saturday afternoon paddle led us further than we had been before in a tight creek system where we had to drag the kayak through a series of rock bars.

After fishing for most of the day with no luck, we were eager for the prime bite period of sundown where the fish really come out to feed and your chances of a hit are greatly increased.

Mangrove jack are ambush predators, meaning

Bundaberg Estuaries

by JOEL JOHNSON

they sit deep in structure until their prey moves within reach, as opposed to moving to find prey.

This is key to targeting jacks because you need to know what areas they inhabit to then know where to put your lure or bait.

Casting close to structure is a start, but to really gain the best chance of a strike you must think about where in the snag or structure the fish would be sitting in relation to the sun and shadows, water depth and current.

If your lure lands in a position that best benefits a fish by making it look like an easy meal, you’re in with a good chance of some interest.

On this occasion the conditions were ideal, with a run-out tide, structure, an abundance of bait and a setting sun.

All we needed was a jack!

After only one cast in this pristine creek section, my Savage Gear surface walker was smashed by a hungry jack that was quick to head for the rocks.

Luckily I wasn’t mucking around and kept it well clear of danger and landed the 40cm fish.

After a quick photo we released the red devil to grow bigger and angrier.

In a similar area early

in the year we landed a number of mangrove jack on small poppers, but on our past couple of trips the poppers hadn’t been producing much interest and changing to the surface walker proved to be a good decision.

Having the faster retrieve rate of the ‘walk the dog’ action seemed to be the main trigger.

This means the fish don’t have time to think about it – they have to act or they could miss out.

Not long after releasing my first fish, the almighty surface walker was hammered by something much bigger.

I had cast my lure right into a rocky crevice, knowing too well it was the prime location for a jack to be sitting and waiting for its prey to swim by.

The sound and sight of a jack smashing your lure off the surface certainly gets adrenalin pumping through your body like no other feeling.

These fish leave nothing behind during a fight, which is why catching them is so addictive.

Brutal hits, brutal fights and such beautiful looking fish to boot.

After some tense moments I landed the fish, and this time it was a much better-sized jack around the 50cm mark.

This fish made the sandfly bites and sore arms from the paddle worth it, and being able to see the fish swim off to fight another day just topped it off.

As the low-light period was falling into darkness we began heading back across the treacherously slippery rock bars to our launching point but couldn’t resist a few casts along the way.

It’s amazing how we can fish for hours on end in daylight with not even a hit, but when it comes to the low-light period, the fish just come alive.

This period would be

pushing it to last half an hour, and when you’re catching fish it feels like only a few minutes, so it’s important to be set up, rigged up and in the prime position when the bite time comes because it’s all action!

Next time you plan on giving the mangrove jack a crack, think about your location and its features and then where to make your casts to give you the best chance of a hook-up.

Most of all, enjoy yourself.

Your worst day’s fishing will always be better than your best day at work!

A hungry mangrove jack that put up a great fight for its size.

A 50cm mangrove jack caught on a surface walker.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 39

Get your kids hooked on fishing over the school holidays

W

ITH this edition of BNB due to hit shelves right around Christmas, it is a prime time to get your kids hooked on fishing.

Spider had a successful trip in the Burnett, taking home a nice haul of bream and whiting.

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With many people enjoying a break while their kids are on school holidays, mums, dads and families have an ideal window of opportunity to grab some fishing gear and head out to a dam, creek, river, estuary or beach and spend fun and quality time fishing.

A hint I can offer really keen focused anglers here is to classify these trips as ‘family fishing trips’ because in many cases the angler in the family will spend most of his or her time casting for those who cannot, baiting hooks for those who won’t, attempting to un-snag a snagged line, retying lost rigs and encouraging kids to leave their bait in the water rather than continually retrieving it.

For me, until I used the term ‘family fishing trip’ I would have become stressed and disappointed that I was not getting to fish myself, that things were not running smoothly and often fish were hard to come by.

This term took a little pressure off the ‘fishing’ part and shared it with the ‘family’ part, which made a big difference because I was able to surrender the high fishing expectations a little and enjoy the family time more.

Back when the kids were young (four to six), I also learnt that if we were fishing from the tinnie, it was wise to simply find a bank to run the bow onto, throw the pick onto the sand and have a fish over the stern.

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Bundaberg Region

by BRAD YOUNG

This was a great strategy because the kids could simply climb out of the boat and play on the sand without me having to move the boat.

I hope this helps keen anglers relax and enjoy fishing with their families.

Looking for some late gifts in post-Christmas sales?

If you are, or have a voucher to spend, or are simply looking for bargains in the post-Christmas sales, I have put together some ideas.

SPF50 fishing shirts and broad-brimmed hats are worthwhile investments, keeping the wearer protected from the effects of the sun.

If you are keen to do a lot of estuary fishing, maybe a cast net, bait net or yabby pump could be the go, allowing you and the kids to collect free, fresh and live bait.

Paired with a small live bait bucket and air pump, these are valuable items to have.

I still remember the fun we had pumping yabbies, darting in to pick up a live yabby before the next pump-full of mud was ejected from the pump.

Soft plastics, especially in patterns that will excite a lazing flathead are a sure winner because they are inexpensive and almost guaranteed to see your son/daughter enjoy catching their first fish on a lure.

Tackle shop staff will be able to recommend the best patterns and colours for flathead and other species you may wish to target.

If your children are a little older and more experienced, especially if you live close to the water, maybe consider a fishing trolley that will allow them to transport all their gear to the beach, jetty or wall to fish.

I hope these few ideas help you out this holiday season.

Bundy fishing We have had a few falls of rain over the past month but nothing to really flush out our local systems.

With a tropical low hanging around, some significant falls to liven things up may not be too far away.

A fresh would do wonders for prawning and crabbing.

Keen angler Spider has continued to target his

favourite areas in the Burnett River with good results.

He enjoyed a successful trip in the week I penned this article and is hoping to have a repeat again in the near future.

From his catch photo it is easy to see good whiting and bream are still active in the river.

Spider’s success is a result of the time has put in to get to know a few specific areas and when they are likely to fish best.

It takes time and commitment to achieve this, but the rewards come as you build your fishing knowledge about those spots and eventually have them sorted.

While there is never a guarantee of fish, if you have grown to know a particular spot through experience and trial and error, you will eventually begin to reap rewards from your efforts.

The simplest way to begin tracking your results and develop a picture of when particular areas fish best is to keep a simple diary record of where and when you fished, the tides at the time, the moon phase, the baits and rigs used (and especially those that were successful) and the results in terms of species and number of fish.

From this information, you will begin to see pat-

terns linked to factors such as particular stages of the tide and/or moon phase, the time of day, season of the year and best baits and rigs to use.

Your developing ‘data base’ will help you narrow your focus and slowly improve your strike rate and results.

Two main patterns you may start to see are the best times in the year (that is, strong seasonal species such as bream through winter months and again in their summer run) while another pattern will be the best stages of the tides to fish based around the 28-day lunar cycle.

If you have ever wondered why many professional fishers are successful at their craft, it is because they have kept a diary (which sometimes becomes second nature after many years) that helps them target specific species at specific times.

I wish all Bush ‘n Beach readers the very best for the new year and hope you get the opportunity to enjoy your favourite pastime over the school holiday period.

As always, I can be contacted via the Bush ‘n Beach website, by email at fishnboat@bigpond.com or post at PO Box 5812 Bundaberg West Queensland 4670.

Until next month…

World-class marlin fishing a fledgling Hervey Bay attraction

T

HE recently recognised worldclass marlin fishing ground off the continental shelf from Hervey Bay could become a mecca for game fishers around the globe, according to an industry specialist.

Barry Alty, the Gold Coast-based owner of game fishing charter boat Mistress, said the fishing ground off Fraser Island was one of the most prolific in the world.

He said last year they recorded an average catch rate of more than two marlin a day, a feat that could not be achieved anywhere else in the world over such a prolonged period.

“It could be one of the best and biggest blue marlin fisheries in the world,” Mr Alty said.

He said it had long been known there were good numbers of juvenile black marlin up to a year old near Fraser Island but because of boat sizes and distances, there had only been a modest fishing effort on the edge of the continental shelf.

“The more we learn about the grounds, the more we’ll catch,” Mr Alty said.

He said because of the variety of marlin in the region, another lure for anglers was the chance

of a ‘slam’ – catching three different species in one day.

Already game fishers have travelled from as far as America and New Zealand to tag and release marlin on the Fraser Coast and Mr Alty said it was a tremendous tourism opportunity for Hervey Bay. “Game fishers travel the world to fish in the best or different locations,” he said.

“It’s a very expensive pursuit and attracts high-net-worth individuals.”

Mr Alty said anglers spent between $2500 and $3500 a day to charter a game fishing boat and it would be for a minimum of three days on the Fraser Coast due to the distance to the fishing ground, which was about 120km from Urangan and 40km east of Fraser Island.

He said many fishers also brought their partners who stayed in local accommodation and visited tourism attractions in the region.

“Regardless of where people come from, they will normally stay longer than the period they are chartering for, particularly if from overseas,” Mr Alty said.

“Hervey Bay has the added tourist attractions of a Fraser Island visit and whale watching, which may keep visit-

ing anglers around for a while.”

Last year, the biggest blue marlin caught from Mistress weighed an estimated 700lb, or almost 320kg.

Mr Alty said Hervey Bay had similar potential as Kona in Hawaii where the development of the marlin fishery led to an explosion in the number of hotels, restaurants, apartments and charter fishing boats.

“I believe Hervey Bay could establish a major tourist industry from game fishing and bring considerable income to the area,” he said.

Mr Alty said there was also a possibility of the Fraser Coast establishing a giant black marlin season.

He said some black marlin as small as 2kg had been caught, which was significant because it meant they were probably only two to three months old, so it

was likely there was a spawning ground near Fraser Island.

“It may well lead to another giant black marlin season outside the traditional September to November Cairns breeding period,” Mr Alty said.

“There are plenty of fish for everyone and I expect that as we fish the area more we will all learn more and enjoy an even greater level of success.”

The Hervey Bay Game Fishing Club recently hosted the biggest game fishing competition in Queensland from November 15 to 18.

HBGFC president Brad Rocke said 41 boats and 155 anglers competed in the 20th annual Game Fishing Classic, tagging 51 marlin.

He said the tournament attracted boats from as far away as southern NSW, Cairns charter companies and anglers from New Zealand and Western Australia.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Young Tom Longhurst managed to pull a solid whiting from the Noosa River.

Dave Mirtschin landed this yellowbelly recently.

I caught this yellowbelly at Windamere Dam on a hard vibe.

Joshuwa Harris

I hit Hinze Dam up in the afternoon and found some schooled bass.

Jonathon Roberts

I recently caught my first-ever threadfin salmon around the southern Moreton Bay islands.

I was trolling a pink Micro Mullet in 80cm of water on 20lb braid with 10lb leader.

John Summers

Connor and Paul Saunders with Murray cod caught and released on a recent father and son fishing trip to Deepwater, NSW.

To have a photo of your catch featured in Readers Forum, simply email ben@bnbfishing.com.au with a good-quality picture, your name and details or hop onto our Facebook page and send us a message.

■ Readers Forum ■ Readers Forum ■ Readers Forum

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 41

BOATING & marine

Suzuki Marine and Marine Rescue NSW extend life-saving partnership

S

UZUKI Marine and Marine Rescue NSW have cemented their commitment to keep NSW waterways safe as the two organisations signed a four-year extension of their partnership.

Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Stacey Tannos and Suzuki Marine CEO John Haines at MRNSW state headquarters at Hungry Point, Cronulla, NSW to announce the four-year partnership extension between the two organisations. Photo: Marine Rescue NSW

The renewed supply agreement to 2022 will see Suzuki Marine become the power of choice across MRNSW’s entire outboard-powered fleet and the two organisations will undertake further joint-community work

to promote water safety across the state.

Suzuki Marine’s John Haines joined MRNSW commissioner Stacey Tannos for the official signing ceremony held at Marine Rescue NSW state headquarters at Hungry Point, Cronulla, NSW recently.

“We are delighted to announce that we will be extending our ongoing partnership with Marine Rescue NSW for four more years – we have and will continue to go to great lengths to make boating

better for all Australians,” John said.

“Marine Rescue NSW offers an invaluable lifesaving service and Suzuki Marine is very proud to be a part of the organisation’s ongoing success.”

Commissioner Tannos said Marine Rescue NSW were pleased to extend the commercial and strategic alliance with the organisation’s trusted partners.

“Suzuki Marine is the outboard of choice for Marine Rescue NSW,” he said.

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Next month will see the first delivery of new fleet vessels under the renewed agreement, which includes two Naiad rescue boats fitted with twin Suzuki DF150APs and a Sailfish catamaran with twin Suzuki DF200APs. Suzuki is known for its reliability, quality and having a very low cost of ownership and MRNSW has experienced this firsthand through its longterm relationship.

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“Suzuki Marine has a wellearned reputation for topclass products and service.

“This new agreement ensures we can continue to power our fleet with the highest standard of outboard motors, with competitive pricing and reliable servicing.”

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NE day, 2110hp, 56m of boats, 10 engines.

Evinrude and Hervey Bay Marine Services recently went to Fraser Island with a fleet of Evinrude E-TEC customers to talk outboards.

Launched at Hervey Bay Marina, bystanders couldn’t help but look at the convoy of direct injection outboards idle out of the marina and power past Big Woody Island on their way to Fraser.

There was a wide range of boats that included aluminium, fibreglass, mono-hulls, catamarans, recreational and commercial craft, proof that Evinrude E-TEC engines are fit for boats of all shapes and sizes.

Customers and Hervey Bay Marine’s mechanics praised the Dynamic Power Steering systems for their ease of control and simplicity to install.

With no hydraulic steering rams cluttering the transom, new boats and repowers have a tidier finish.

Without torque, engines would not have horsepower.

Evinrude E-TEC offers customers 30 percent more torque and the Fraser Island boat meet was a great real-life example of this in action, with three aluminium boats that weighed over four tonnes and one fibreglass

boat weighing two tonnes.

The responsiveness of Evinrude E-TEC engines was emphasized over and over.

Precise DPS combined with the outboard’s instant torque are the top two factors why these customers chose Evinrude.

Weighing over five tonnes, the biggest boat was a whopping 9.5m SIC Plate boat.

Commercial captain and owner Steve Josefski said, “The sheer torque of twin 300hp G2 engines is what keeps my boat on the plane while hammering out through big swell.”

“A four-stroke would require constant manipulation of the throttle to simply stay on plane.

Owner of a 7m fibreglass catamaran Alan Lebsanft said, “I switched from another brand of four-stroke to twin 150hp G2 Evinrude engines.”

“I was sick of repairing them!

“I also got rid of all those damn cables.”

Lebsanft said he trusted Matt Maynes, owner of Hervey Bay Marine Services, which was another reason why he chose to go with the Evinrude outboards.

For more information on the Evinrude E-TEC range, visit your local Evinrude dealer or evin rude.com.au Evinrude – we’ve got you covered.

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Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

B

USH ‘n Beach has brought Nautilus Marine Insurance on board to expand the fine print and provide readers with clear, easyto-understand and helpful tips on protecting their boating assets.

The scenario Honesty is the best policy, or so the old saying goes, and it holds very true when it comes to marine insurance.

There’s a classic case of a would-be new customer who described his vessel as a multi-hull cruiser.

No mention of it being a Scimitar, Perry, Brava or any brand for that matter – the result was a few raised eyebrows.

“Could you please send us a few current photos?” was the request.

They arrived in due course – close-ups of the leading edges of the hulls, some close-up interior shots – quite a collection overall, but surprisingly, nothing showing the vessel overall.

Further inquiries and yes, as suspected, the

‘multi-hull cruiser’ was in fact a single outboardpowered houseboat of questionable genre and one that many companies would not be willing to offer insurance on.

In another case, a vessel kept “on a private mooring at Raby Bay” turned out to be a swing mooring in Moreton Bay itself.

Again, many companies will not insure a vessel on a swing or pile mooring and certainly will not if there has not been a professional inspection and written report provided on the mooring’s anchoring system as well as the condition of shackles and cables.

Should a claim ever be made, the first thing the insurer will do is check the integrity of the claims made in the offer of insurance.

A failure to disclose relevant facts, even if not specifically asked, could lead to a voiding of the policy under clauses in the product disclosure statement.

The PDS will often

note that a claim may be refused if the vessel owner did not disclose information that might have caused the insurer to not offer cover in the first place.

The best advice according to marine specialist insurer Nautilus Marine is to volunteer all relevant information – particularly information that reasonably should have been disclosed.

At the other extreme, there are those people who have advised on boating forums that the best way to get out of having bought a lemon of a used boat from a private buyer is to have an ‘accident’ with it on the rock wall beside the boat ramp and then lodge an insurance claim.

Apart from being an act of fraud as well as a reportable marine incident, both of which potentially carry significant penalties, such ill-informed advice ignores the world we currently live in.

Virtually nothing happens without being re-

corded on a security camera, mobile phone, sports action camera or similar device.

And of course, marine specialist insurers are boaties themselves – they look at Google Earth, read the forums and also launch their boats at the ramps.

A major Queensland boat manufacturer was presented with a warranty claim relating to a hairline surface crack in the transom.

There was no reason for the crack to have appeared, according to the owner.

When inspected, the boat builder advised the owner that the lower part of the transom had been painted with automotive paint – it was not the original gelcoat.

The owner denied any knowledge of how such a thing could have happened.

The boat builder flaked off a piece of the paint and said he would have it analysed.

The owner’s story

started to reveal its own cracks.

But worse for the owner, a witness had already advised the boat builder that he had seen the subject boat dropped onto the boat ramp because the owner had unhooked the retaining chains and winch hook before reversing down the ramp.

The owner then sought to back-pedal, saying his didn’t think that ‘accident’ could have caused the issue he was complaining about.

The boat builder then undertook a full inspection and repair work – but at the owner’s cost.

In all cases, a simple up-front disclosure would have produced a confusion-free result.

“Dropped your boat on the ramp? That’s bad luck – let’s see if we can fix it at a discounted rate for you.”

Deny the incident?

Full retail price thank you.

Always be up-front because not only is it the right thing to do, but it

can also be a lot less expensive in the long run.

Special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s product disclose document.

Always check your product disclosure document and if you have a query, ask for clarification.

So before insuring your boat for the next 12 months, check out whether what you think you are covered for is actually the case and whether that supposed discount price is really a discount at all.

If you need further

information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

Win a Nautilus Prize Package Nautilus will also be answering your boat insurance questions of a general nature and will be offering a great bi-monthly prize to the best questions received.

The prize is a Nautilus Marine merchandising pack comprising a collapsible chiller bag, a handy marine sports bag and a cap.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 43

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 45

K AYAKING & canoeing

How to choose your first canoe –part two P

ICKING up where we left off last month in my guide to buying your first canoe, let’s dive further into the nitty gritty of canoe terminology and what to look for.

Paddling a two-seater canoe as a solo paddler is easy with a front bench seat.

Rocker, or curve along the keel of your canoe, affects its manoeuvrability.

Canoes with a pronounced curve have less of their ends in the water and therefore resist turning, while canoes with flat straight keels and very little rocker tend to track very straight but are harder to turn.

The intended use of your canoe will determine your choice.

A canoe for running down rivers and making tight turns will need a good deal more rocker than a canoe used for long straight runs on a lake.

So, with a basic understanding of the effects of hull shape on your canoe, you can now consider the physical size of your craft.

As a general rule, with any paddle or rowing craft, longer is usually better.

Longer boats tend to track better, have better stability, and enjoy increased carrying capacity and a higher top cruising speed than a shorter boat of a similar style.

Wherever possible, I encourage people to buy as long a canoe as is practical for their use.

The downside of choosing a long canoe is reduced manoeuvrability and increased overall boat weight.

Some people may also have limitations placed upon them by their car and storage space at home to what length of craft they can accommodate.

Common sense ultimately will be your best guide.

A fisher dragging a canoe down steep banks into twisty back waters will always err towards a shorter and lighter canoe, while a family of four doing overnight trips on open water will lean towards a long lake cruiser.

Width of the canoe doesn’t play as much a factor in the decision process as you would think.

Most designers of recreation-

Canoeing

by DAN OWBRIDGE

al craft will select a waterline width that gives good stability without overly increasing drag and ultimately performance.

Generally speaking, if you want increased carrying capacity, get a longer canoe.

A quick read of the intended purpose of a craft will give some clue to its stability.

That is, a canoe described as a fast lake cruiser is probably not going to be ideal for a family with small children or a fisher wanting to stand and cast.

In summary, choose longer canoes for increased speed, carrying capacity and tracking and a shorter boat for increased manoeuvrability and ease of handling off the water.

The final consideration is fitout and construction of your new canoe.

What is your boat made of and what accessories are fitted to it?

The old argument that arises here is fibreglass versus plastic, a topic I have covered previously.

My advice to people is unless you are intending to run down some serious white water, fibreglass is better.

Fibreglass is lighter, more abrasion resistant and easier to repair than plastic.

Plastic is generally cheaper and has very good impact resistance but you suffer every time you have to lift the canoe onto your car.

If you can afford it, get a fibreglass canoe.

Your kids will still be using it in 30 years’ time!

The other main consideration with your new canoe is seating.

How many seats, what style of seating and what configuration?

Unless someone tells me they are a confirmed hermit, and will never paddle with a friend or loved one, I advise them to buy a two-seater.

The reason being, most two-

seater canoes can still be paddled very comfortably as a solo.

The usual way this is done is to sit yourself in the bow (front) seat and paddle the canoe facing towards the stern.

This seating position is closer to the centre of the canoe and gives better trim and control of the canoe when paddled alone.

To do this, a bench or flatstyle seat must be installed to allow for a sitting position in either direction.

If additional seats are required for extra passengers or paddlers, I usually recommend people buy a removeable centre seat (or seats).

Removeable seats allow a two-seater to be loaded with gear on camping trips or when put in place give a dry perch for family members or friends.

Starting with a standard twoseat configuration is the best way to ensure you have a versatile boat suitable for a wide range of uses.

So now you’re ready, or at least a little more informed, I hope.

There is a lot to consider if you want to make a purchase that is going to last you or your family a long time (paddling does have that effect on people).

To be on the safe side, it is best to speak to someone who is an experienced paddler, or to try a few different boats before you buy.

Most retailers have a demo or hire fleet available for customers to get a feel for their new craft prior to making a purchase.

I highly recommend you take that opportunity.

If you need any more information about selecting a new canoe or other paddle craft, or want to arrange to hire a canoe, please give me a call on 0424 00 1646 or visit our One Tree Canoe Company website onetreecanoe.com Happy paddling!

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Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Jewfish swim bladder controversy – part two

M

ORE information about the illegal (and otherwise) sale of jewfish swim bladders has come to light that indicates the practice is much more insidious than my column last month indicated.

Queensland is facing a major fisheries crisis here, but despite a couple of years of warnings of the bourgeoning trade from overseas and other Australian states , the relevant state government department has been dragging its feet as far as being proactive in policing what already seems to be an ‘out of control’ situation, particularly in central Queensland waters.

Before looking at the latest locally, let’s look at what has already happened in other parts of the world.

The news is definitely not good!

The Asian demand for dried swim bladder has already led to at least two fish species being fished close to extinction.

One of these, a fish very similar to our jewfish, the totoaba (totoaba macdonaldi), is the largest member of the drum family and found along the Gulf of California, mainly in Mexican waters.

Over recent years, the totoaba has been fished to the brink of extinction predominantly by illegal operators totally focused on harvesting their swim bladders.

In the process of netting the totoaba, a by-catch species of small dolphin, the vaquita, has almost vanished as well.

This is the sort of fate that may lie in store for our jewfish unless drastic management changes are made.

International undercover investigators found swim bladders for sale in Guandong province in China at prices around $US20,000 per kilogram!

Combined with accusations that Mexican drug cartels have become heavily involved with the illegal totoaba market – as the product is worth more than their usual fare – the swim bladders have been dubbed ‘aquatic cocaine’ by wildlife protection agencies.

Though it’s difficult to imagine iconic fish species becoming an important sector of the illegal trade in world wildlife products, our black jewfish would now seem to be joining the same category as elephants and rhinos.

As a comparison, jewfish swim bladders, in China, are said to be 10 times the price of an equivalent weight of caviar and 30 times the value of elephant tusks.

George Street, we have a problem!

The story from our neighbour, the Northern Territory, is a little less depressing.

Once the practice was reported from their waters, their fisheries people were quick to respond to the problem.

In July 2017 – yes, 18 months ago – new conwww.bnbfishing.com. au

Fighting for Fish

by DAVE DONALD

Though it’s difficult to imagine iconic fish species becoming an important sector of the illegal trade in world wildlife products, our black jewfish would now seem to be joining the same category as elephants and rhinos. trols were introduced in that state to protect what they recognised as ‘vulnerable’ jewfish and reef fish that were being impacted by the swim bladder market.

Recreational fishers were limited to having a maximum of two black jewfish and three golden snapper (fingermark) in their possession at any time as well as a limit of two detached swim bladders.

The bladders could only be retained at their place of residence and could not be in their possession at a campsite or caravan park.

To reinforce these new regulations, any person found selling a ‘defined’ quantity (more than the above limits) of these fish or bladders could be liable for a fine up to $60,000 or imprisonment for two years.

NT commercial fishers who harvest black jewfish and other marketable ‘swim bladder’ species are now required to attach government-authorised tags to all bladders so legally taken product can be identified.

Attempting to sell a swim bladder without a tag affixed is now an offence, again with heavy fines involved.

Commercial fishers must also report all individual bladders retained in their logbooks and are required to have a one to one ratio of jewfish trunks and bladders on board vessels at all times.

The harshness of these measures clearly demonstrates why the NT is noted for ‘world-class’ management of its fishery.

Wielding a big stick from the outset is really the only way to counter a problem that has the potential to impact enormously on healthy fish stocks – and their very buoyant tourism industry.

Given the Mexican example above, it would appear to be a very sound plan indeed.

Meanwhile, back in the ‘Smart State’, procrastination, hesitation and lengthy ‘consultation’ is delaying the introduction of a comprehensive strategy.

Surely we have the means to react quickly to what is rapidly heading towards the decimation of our jewfish stocks?

Every day Queensland hesitates, another unknown number of prime breeding stock have their

bladders ripped out, their carcasses dumped and the bulk of the product sold on the black market.

In last month’s column, I posed the question of why enforcement officers hadn’t been booking illegal fishers or buyers as well as reporting on fragrant violations of security areas around some major northern landing facilities by small boats targeting jewfish.

Well, more information has come to hand that is even more concerning.

It seems fishers entering the restricted areas are willing to cop being fined (an amount usually under or about $600 I’m told) as on a good night they can make up to $15,000.

Yes, it’s all about economics!

Furthermore, one fisher who was ‘checked’ by Fisheries Queensland enforcement officers saw the Fisheries staff facing major jurisdictional problems in that location and that police were probably the ideal department to get involved – but due to staffing and equipment problems, were unable to respond.

Similarly, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority rangers are excluded from designated port areas.

Three different agencies, all virtually powerless in a purportedly ‘secure’ area that is allegedly rife with illegal activity.

This whole issue gets more farcical the harder you look!

Just how many black jewfish have come from this location will never be known. Informed locals are tipping thousands rather than hundreds, with estimates suggesting a figure several times the proposed east coast quota has already been harvested in this single location this year.

It will also be very interesting to see how much of this jewfish ‘bonanza’ ends up in commercial logbooks.

And this location is one of several stretching from Gladstone to Townsville where the aquatic ‘gold rush’ is well and truly under way.

To date, Gulf of Carpentaria waters have largely escaped the fishing pressures on the east coast, though fishers have reportedly been going through bins adjacent to fish-cleaning facilities in Karumba retrieving

swim bladders.

It would be very smelly work but probably worth the trouble at over $500 a kilo.

NT has come down hard, is it too much to ask that Queensland Fisheries acts just as decisively?

Poor management has already cost our state’s tourism industry many, many millions in lost revenue as fishers head to the barramundi ‘mecca’ that has been established in the Territory instead of our heavily exploited waters.

As a charter operator of more than 25 years, who has continually reminded our Fisheries and Tourism departments of that ever-increasing exodus, I can personally vouch for that trend.

Must we now add what has become another iconic sporting species to that deficit list and lose even more clients?

Catching a PB black jew, particularly on a lure, is now on almost every travelling fisho’s bucket list.

I believe this issue to be a defining moment in Queensland’s fisheries management agenda.

Every concerned fisher should be following what happens next.

The speed, strength and co-ordination of proposed actions will demonstrate how ‘fair dinkum’ the relevant authorities are to meaningful fisheries reform.

A very busy crew fishing one of the many wrecks in Darwin Harbour using Reidy’s jigs. Black jew have become a prime lure fishing target right around northern Australia, but stocks are being threatened by the ‘aquatic cocaine’ popularity in Asia for their swim bladders.

Another NT black jew, this one taken as the sun came over the mangroves on a vibe fished in a deep hole in one of the rivers close to Darwin.

Unlike Queensland, the NT has acted quickly and decisively to protect jewfish stocks from overexploitation from the fish bladder market. The author with a typical Darwin Harbour jewie taken on a Reidy’s Sea Bug jig during a recent visit. The NT’s proactive management will mean bucket list fish like this will remain in good numbers for the state’s growing sportfishing tourism market. Will Queensland choose to do likewise?

Mercury Finance repower offer extended

G

REAT news for boat owners considering a repower this summer – Mercury Finance has extended its very competitive 3.99 percent finance offer until January 31, 2019.

the best marine power technology on the water.

Mercury has been perfecting its FourStroke technology for decades, always leading the way by making its outboards lighter,

stronger, more fuel-efficient and reliable, yet still able to produce the power and performance Mercury is famous for.

Simply put, Mercury FourStrokes set the standard the competi-

tion is still trying to match, and now is the perfect time get one for yourself.

For additional information, visit the Mercury Marine website at mer curymarine.com.au

That means a brandnew 40-150hp Mercury FourStroke can be yours for the very competitive loan rate of just 3.99 percent (comparison rate) through Mercury Finance.

Why wait?

Now is the time to upgrade and you’ll enjoy Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 47

January set to be a scorcher

C

HRISTMAS has been and gone, we are seeing the new year in and now we turn our attention to the fishing year ahead.

Threadfin salmon are not all that common in the Boyne River but Gaven caught this one out of a small school.

Jacks will be on fire and early starts will see you with the best chances. Phil nailed this one on a Samaki Vibelicious Thumper Tail soft vibe in the Calliope River.

What does January bring on the fishing front?

Well the hot and humid conditions with afternoon storms will see jacks on the chew.

Fishing before and after the storms and into the early evening will have you out there when they are biting their strongest.

Start by targeting any rock bars or rocky dropoffs in both the Calliope and Boyne rivers, and any fallen timber is worth a crack as well.

They will respond to most fishing methods, from a popper worked on the surface to plastics, hard-bodies, vibes and a good live bait or fresh cut bait.

Whatever your preferred method, you need to make sure you’re getting as close to the structure as you can because jacks won’t move too far from home.

The speed demons of our estuaries are also moving around in good numbers.

I’m talking about species including giant and diamond trevally, queenfish and tarpon.

Trevally and queenfish are moving in the same areas with high tidal flow and bait, which will result in schools of fish moving around.

Using surface lures in the early morning and late afternoon will get their attention and eventuate in some impressive takes.

During the day, try fish-

Gladstone Region

by GARY CHURCHWARD

ing deeper with 3” and 4” plastics or vibe lures, and live herring or mullet floated down through the water will get their share as well.

Tarpon tend to school in larger numbers in deeper holes in the rivers and creeks.

You will see them rolling on the surface as they feed.

Targeting them with small blades and plastics is the most effective way to get them.

Fish the entire water column as they will move through it as they feed.

Most of these fish won’t be too big and a 2-4kg rod, 1500 or 2500 size reel filled with 10lb braid and 12-20lb leader will handle most fish.

It will pay to have a heavier setup in case a few bigger fish are mixed in the schools.

Flathead should be sneaking around the flats in the harbour and mouths of the rivers and creeks.

The last hour of the runout and the first two hours of the run-in are the prime times to target them with plastics and hard-bodies.

Whiting are also on the flats but they tend to fish better as the tide moves up onto the banks.

Fresh yabbies will do the trick.

Port Alma and the Fitzroy River are fishing OK for threadfin salmon.

Find a school and you should get a few fish.

Soft vibes and soft plas-

tics work well, with the odd one taken on trolled hard-bodies.

A few black jewfish are in the deeper holes in the port as well.

Bigger soft plastics and large live baits will get these fish.

Crabs will be around and a bit of fresh water will really get them stirred up.

Try different baits in your pots to see what gets the best results.

Awoonga Dam will still be firing for barra, with the odd saratoga caught as by-catch.

Working standing timber has given up the most fish.

If the timber is fishing hard, you can try fishing the shallow weed edges or if it’s extremely hot you can find fish schooled in deeper water.

Cheers and happy fishing from Gladdy.

Fingermark will still be a common capture. This one took a red Prawnstar fished over a rock bar.

Starlight Foundation a ‘reel’ winner after first-ever charity fish caught

A

N overnight fishing session on Darwin Harbour has landed a local fisho the first-ever purple-tagged $5000 charity barra.

Darwin River man Brad Tyquin reeled in the lucky fish while fishing with a mate for black jewfish at Middle Arm. Minister for Tourism and Culture Lauren Moss encouraged fishos to check their catch closely for red and purple season four Million Dollar Fish tags.

Darwin Star Ball committee member James Herraman thanked the lucky fisherman for choosing the Starlight Children’s Foundation as the charity of choice, supporting sick kids in Royal Darwin Hospital and Alice Springs Hospital.

Season four of the Million Dollar Fish competition commenced on October 1, 2018, with more chances than ever to catch a $1 million fish.

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

In this year’s competition, the number of $1 million fish has been increased to five, which is expected to reel in fishing fanatics to the Territory and give a boost to tourism and local tourism operators and create jobs.

A new category has 20 fish with purple tags, worth $2500 cash to the angler plus $2500 to a Territory-based charity.

“I’m delighted to see the first $5000 charity prize go off and I’d like to offer my congratulations to Brad and the Starlight Children’s Foundation,” Minister Moss said.

“There are 20 charity barra located in easily accessible locations throughout the Territory.

“We hope that this is the first of many to go off this season.

“The Million Dollar Fish competition is a great initiative that has helped to boost the Territory’s reputation as the best place in the world to stay, play and fish and lure more visitors

to the Territory.

“Timed to grow visitor numbers to the Top End during our low season from October to February, anglers are encouraged to travel with their families and enjoy the unique tourism moments and our beautiful landscapes.”

BetEasy Strategic Partnership manager Brad Fanning said, “We’ve placed these charity fish in really accessible locations and we’d like to see them caught.”

“We are delighted with the inclusion of charity fish into the competition and to see money flowing to charities such as the Starlight Foundation is very pleasing indeed.

“We hope all our competition registrants get out there in very popular fishing spots and bag a purple-tagged barra to raise funds for Territorybased charities.”

The lucky fisho Brad couldn’t believe it when he and his buddy

saw the tag.

“I’ll be going halves in the winning share with my mate and I’ll probably buy some new fishing gear to replace the lures my missus keeps losing,” Brad said.

“We’ve chosen the Starlight Foundation as the charity.

“It’s nice to know this might help a few sick kids get better so they can hopefully get out and catch some fish.

“We sign up for Million Dollar Fish each year but never actually thought we’d get one.”

Those looking to come to the Territory and catch a Million Dollar Fish can register for free on milliondollarfish.com.au and book a holiday to the Territory today.

For information on Territory fishing regulations and best practice catch and release methods, download the free Northern Territory (NT) Fishing Mate app on your smartphone. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Audrey’s sooty smashed a Lively Lures Ziggy.

A mangrove jack for Audrey.

Terrific topwater action

M ryone!

ERRY Christmas and happy New Year eve-

Boy didn’t 2018 fly by?

We hope Santa was good to you with flash new fishing gear and shiny new boats to enjoy over the holiday period.

At the time of writing we had just finished up guiding for 2018.

What a fantastic year it was, with amazing fish caught including a lot of big GTs taken off the surface, exceptional micro jigging action and great bottom fishing sessions.

The bottom fishing was a little slower this year, which I think was a result of the massive flood in March 2018.

But with that flood came awesome inshore fishing, with an amazing barra fishing season seeing many clients catching their first and many their PBs. Hinchinbrook Island is a very good fishery but some days it’s off the scale.

Due to the barra closure, the inshore target species is mangrove jack.

We just finished a weeklong fishing package with regular clients Peter and Audrey from Brisbane and man do these guys choose a great time of year to come and chase jacks on good tides.

Hinchinbrook really delivered this year.

On the first few days we concentrated on the shorter coastal creeks,

Hinchinbrook News

by TODD EVELEIGH

casting deep divers such as Lively Lures Mad Mullets, Tiemco Sumari Deeps and Jackall Squirrel 79 Deeps.

Fishing very early in the morning at first light with the run-out tide on these creeks produced cricket scores of jacks where pretty much every snag in the creek produced a fish after a well-placed cast.

A couple of snags in each creek even had pack attacks where numerous jacks would all come out and swarm the lures.

At one stage we even had two fish on one lure.

It really was sensational fishing.

As the week went on and the tides grew, we had a later afternoon tide and an early morning runin, so changed our tactics during the middle of the week to have a fish at the sugar-loading jetty in the morning.

When we first pulled up on the run-in tide we saw a great show of queenfish and trevally stacked up on the northern dolly.

Audrey hooked a nice queenie about 90cm long.

I don’t like netting these fish because they don’t like being out of the water for too long.

As I was leading the fish to the boat to grab it by the tail it had a violent

head shake and jumped, straightening the hook, so no photo of that one but at least the fish swam away strongly to fight another day.

We sat at the sugar loader for a couple more hours and Pete caught a few little GTs but as the sun got up and the tide reached high, the fish spread out and it became very hard to find schools where the fish would compete for the lure.

We decided to head up into Hinchinbrook Channel and have a look for some threadfin in one of the creeks but unfortunately that was a bit of a bust.

Then we went lure casting with not very good results, only managing about half a dozen fish for the day, which was a let-down after our cricket scores the days before.

So for the next couple of days we decided to fish the upper river systems due to the big early morning flood tides.

I really find it hard to catch fish in the Channel while casting lures on big flood tides.

After another early morning start at 5am and a quick run upriver, we started casting Lively Lures Ziggys.

The surface bite was

amazing, with numerous jacks, trevally, sooty grunter and more getting in on the action.

It was a fish or a hit a cast on the surface, with some huge explosions and splashes, and was great fun to watch.

Pete and Audrey had a blast!

We fished topwater most of the day until the sun got too high and we changed back to deeper divers.

We started by fishing deeper edges where the bite continued, however it did slacken off a bit in the middle of the day.

Pete and Audrey caught fantastic fish over their week’s trip and took the majority on surface.

It’s amazing how shallow the fish will go on those early morning starts.

So if you are looking at getting into jack fishing and would like to experience these feisty little red devils, we are already taking bookings for jack charters in November and December 2019 and January 2020, so please drop us an email at barra@ crackfish.com Dates are filling fast, so get up here to experience fantastic jack fishing.

Until next month.

Experienced local guide

Pete landed a big bad mangrove jack.

This mangrove jack hit a Ziggy.

Full-day inshore or offshore charters Come on a Hinchinbrook wilderness fishing holiday and tick some of those trophy fish off your bucket list – barra, mangrove jack, coral trout, GTs, sooty grunter, spanish mackerel, black marlin, queenies, nannygai and more!

• Two boats available catering for groups of 2-8 • 3 to 7-day packages including accommodation Todd & Raylene Eveleigh T: 07 4777 2968 M: 0417 192 318 E: barra@crackfish.com Pete with a sooty grunter caught on a Ziggy.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE >>> CRACKFISH.COM Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 49

Elliot Bradshaw held a big red taken on a slow-pitch jig. Elliot loves finding and fishing central Queensland wonky holes for his better captures.

Double hook-ups were common this day. The author and Aaron Lewis with a couple of Fitzroy threadies.

Hot options for the Capricorn Coast F IRST and foremost I would like to wish everyone out there in reader land a wonderful happy New Year.

Jay Stockley scored a nice fingermark on a local vibe from Reel Action Lures.

It feels like 2019 has come around fast.

It only seemed like yesterday we were thinking about Christmas and suddenly the new year is upon us.

The good news about January is there’s only one month to go for the saltwater barra closed season.

Luke Hannah is a central Queensland jack specialist. He’s cracked over 100 since May 2018. That’s one heck of an achievement.

Capricorn Coast

by JOHN BOON

I don’t know about you but I’ve had mad withdrawals for the past two months.

I even got desperate and snuck out to one of the impoundments and jumped on board with a local mate.

We were a bit behind the eight ball though because we had limited time (about four hours in the afternoon) and both of us had almost zero impoundment barra fishing experience.

We were very lucky and were able to locate barra fairly easily but finding them and getting them to bite are two different things.

We emptied our tackle boxes trying to get a nibble but unfortunately had to pull the boat out defeated.

Are we done with trying to catch a freshwater barra?

Absolutely not.

It’s part of the fun and learning curve trying something new and we will be back… just watch this space.

Speaking of impoundments, has anyone been

The author’s dad Robin with his PB thready at 94cm from the Fitzroy River.

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

out to Lake Awoonga of late?

That little lake just outside Gladstone has been fishing really well.

I was chatting to Gregg Chapman from The Secret Spot Bait & Tackle about his latest adventure out that way and he was grinning ear to ear after the roastings they got in the thick timber.

He said the fights were brutal and more lost than won.

His exact words were: “For their size they would pull a salty backwards.”

That’s a big statement and I’m keen to get down there one day to sample the action.

Trevor Burgess who is the magician behind Happy Rock Softies is another Awoonga guru who has been doing well of late.

He tells me the 6” and 8” Willies and 6” Max rigged weedless have been doing the most damage.

Some food for thought if you’re thinking about heading that way.

So what’s been happening around our local estuaries?

I guess the most soughtafter species in the barra closed season would have to be king threadfin salmon.

I know I have written about them a fair bit but you really need to bring your side-imaging sounder to the Fitzroy River to check out the numbers available.

The best part is you can chase bulk threadies for days and only use 10 litres of fuel.

They can be super frustrating though.

Just because you can locate schools doesn’t mean you will get a bite out of them.

Keeping lures in front of them during peak bite times will help.

Going and getting a few live baits and attacking

them with both lures and baits will only increase your chances.

I recently ran into a good mate I worked with in the past while doing a bit of shopping with the family.

It just so happened he had a few spare days handy and jumped at the chance of accompanying the old man and I on a Fitzroy thready hunt.

The tides were perfect and the wind was looking kind.

We were on the water before the sparrows were even thinking about farting to give us the best chance at having a red-hot day.

The tide was high when we began our quest.

We shot down to a wellknown rock bar to see if anything was available.

We sounded up a few small patches to warm up our casting arms.

It didn’t take long for my reel to sing some sweet tunes and I turned to the gallery to claim triumph at the first thready of the day.

My words were broken, confidence shattered and world turned upside down when there on the surface looking back at me was a bull shark with my Berkley Gulp Shrimp lodged firmly in its pectoral fin.

The boys almost fell out of the boat laughing and for some reason, no one gave me a hand to get my jig head back.

Well, from there it was on to greener pastures.

Our next spot was a mark I had found a few months prior when scoping the river for barra spots before the Rocky Barra Bounty.

It was a couple of bits of timber washed up on a flat.

One of those sneaky spots in the middle of nowhere.

I was back in the driver’s seat boating a thready around 90cm, but that didn’t stop the bull shark comments getting flung in my direction.

The fish were thick but the bites tough, so we de-

cided to move on.

A couple of spots had been holding big numbers of metre-plus threadies and I was keen to scope them out.

The age-old saying “here today, gone tomorrow” is very true.

I would have driven past those schools a dozen times when I had the barra blinkers on but the day you want to get serious, they do the Harold Holt.

By this time, the tide was slowing towards the low.

We grabbed the cast net and netted a few live prawns and yorkies.

Then we went up into the town reaches and sounded up decent numbers of school size threadies with the Humminbird Helix.

We positioned ourselves out at 90 degrees so everyone on board could get a good shot at them.

The next two hours were absolute madness throwing lures and live baits, with whiskered speedsters heading in all directions.

A couple of double hook-ups sure made for exciting action.

My dad cracked his PB with a 94cm model and Ruggy (Aaron Lewis) also managed a PB at 98cm.

A few of these fish were taken for the table because Dad was getting low on fish stocks and was keen for a fresh feed.

We also managed two recaptures on this day and the information we got back is they were tagged in the same spot.

Make sure to keep an eye out for weed on the fish’s back, as this is a dead giveaway that there’s a tag hiding underneath.

Another fantastic option during the barra closed season is mangrove jack.

I had my first trip targeting jacks not long ago and I will put my lack of success down to learning.

A small barra and bream is all I could manage before some gear failure had a jack swimming free.

I’ll be back though be-

☛ continued P51

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Seas kind at Stanage Bay

H

APPY New Year everyone!

Welcome to what will hopefully be a healthy, happy, fulfilling and positive year!

I hope after all the fire ordeals your families and boats are safe and you are ready to put it all behind you and head for the seas.

Though the heat has been out of this world crazy, the seas have been kind, gifting good weather and good feeds.

The Jew Hole has been plentiful for some time now, giving holiday makers a positive Stanage Bay experience.

The local creeks are also giving fishers the opportunity to get their

Stanage Bay

by PEE WEE

fill of bream and salmon.

Mother Nature has given us a few windows of awesome weather to head out wide and fill up on an array of beautiful reefies.

The Percy Isles have held red emperor, jew, parrotfish, sweetlip and cod, all in good size and numbers.

Around the Marble Islands we have had some happy campers come through with reports of coral trout, sweetlip and stripeys.

Hexham Island has produced good numbers or

A big jewfish for Jason.

stripeys, cod and parrotfish.

Muddies are coming out of hiding now thanks to the warmer weather, so it’s definitely worth throwing out a few pots around the local creeks such as Porters Creek and the back of Quail Island.

Sizes and quantities are good.

Oysters can be found in areas around Flat Rock and if you’ve not tried periwinkle molluscs, they are plentiful among the rocks here at low tide.

Be a bit cautious be-

cause there are two main types of snails.

One is OK to eat, the other is not.

Aim for the ones that have the big ‘cat’s eye’ when removed from the rocks.

These can be boiled, or even better put straight onto coals.

So if you’re not already out there, best make some plans for your next trip.

If you’re keen on camping in this heat, the campground still has spots that can be filled, or if you’re after something a bit fancier, cabins are available too.

Check with Stanage Bay Marine and Accommodation for further dates and info.

The Cross family caught a feed.

The year ahead is shaping up to be pretty busy, with many dates already accounted for around the excellent fishing tides, so get in quick to secure your trip.

One more month until barra season reopens, so get your gear ready and head to Stanage Bay to get the first catch of the season.

The road into Stanage Bay has seen heavy holiday traffic but is still holding up well.

Be mindful of school holidays and consider other road users while driving to the conditions.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays and we hope to see you in Stanage soon!

Mark landed a good size jewfish.

Harrison Wiltshire captured a queenfish.

Hot options for the Capricorn Coast ☛ from P50

cause I’m keen to crack the code.

Luke Hannah is one of the central Queensland jack specialists and makes it all look really easy.

Luke ticked off over 100 jacks in 2018 by November.

That is a monster effort seeing as he only started counting from May. Mangrove jack around

these parts are a very tight-lipped subject, as I would call them not overly common due to our estuary make-up.

If you compare, say, Baffle Creek around Bundaberg to the Fitzroy up here, you will see why.

The Fitzroy is a big river that is dirty a lot of the time, with a large tidal run.

The Baffle is a lot shallower and has more sand than mud, making it

prime jack territory.

Pockets of jack country are around the Capricorn Coast and like most of the anglers who have cracked the code, it takes persistence to figure it out.

From the guys I have talked to, it’s small hardbody lures like the Reidy’s Little Lucifer and 3”-4” paddle tails such as ZMans that have done the most damage.

Soaking small live mul-

The man behind Happy Rock Softies Trev Burgess with a healthy Awoonga barra.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

let on likely snags has been another great option.

Offshore fishing has been a bit slow of late, with reports scattered at best.

I had one mate who headed to Douglas Shoal overnight and his report wasn’t overly great.

They had one small bite window for about an hour when they put around 10 redthroat emperor in the Esky.

The next morning they bagged a couple of mackerel and that was it.

Elliot Bradshaw is one of the mad jiggers from around this area – it’s what he loves doing.

He’s been working hard and getting the rewards with red emperor and large-mouth nannygai.

Check out his massive red that came in on a slow-pitch jig on the previous page.

That’s an impressive animal on light jigging gear.

I’m well overdue for an offshore trip, so let’s just hope the weather and my days off line up soon.

Once again, a very happy New Year to all the Bush ‘n Beach fans out there and I wish you all another fantastic year ahead.

A Humminbird 360-degree image of the impoundment barra the author found.

The grains of rice in front and behind the boat are the fish.

Stanage Bay Marine oAccommodationoBaitoIce oTackle

Aparadise fisho's

Monster crabs

Awesome fishing stanagebay.com Call 07 4937 3145 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 51

Going the extra mile W

A solid golden trevally caught by the author on the way home from the shelf.

Matt Arkell with a solid red bass.

E had finally reached our destination.

We set a trolling spread that consisted of a mackerel wog head rigged with gar, a 30’-diving Rapala X-Rap Magnum and a Nomad DTX 200 Minnow that dives to 40’.

There was bait bubbling on the surface and as I got closer I watched the sounder go from 60m up to 20m over a pinnacle covered in fish.

Simultaneously, the three reels started screaming and it was a mad scramble to get them out of the holder.

These were big fish and I was secretly hoping for a dogtooth tuna as we were certainly in the right area.

The line with the wog head was the first to be busted off.

Next a shark feeding frenzy erupted on the surface and we could see the Nomad DTX in the middle of half a dozen whaler sharks as they tore into a solid spanish mackerel.

Another fish lost.

All focus went to the final rod that had the X-Rap. I told Josh to lock up the drag in a bid to get the fish to the boat quicker and beat the sharks.

A nice spanish broke the surface and I had the gaff ready.

The rods didn’t get a great workout because it was hard to stay out of water this clear.

The clear waters of the continental shelf are a spearfisher’s dream.

Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

Cape York & Torres Strait

by MATT POTTER

A pack of whalers climbed all over it within seconds and it was game over.

Complete mayhem in the first five minutes.

With no troll lines rigged and with mackerel now launching skywards, I grabbed a rod with a stickbait rigged and sent it out.

A few metres from the boat a monster mackerel that would have been around the 30kg mark smashed the lure in plain view and ran under the boat then flew out of the water on the other side, most likely to get away from the dozens of sharks, and cut me off on the hull.

What the hell had just happened?

We had just copped a beating and I was beginning to think we were a little under-gunned.

The location was the continental shelf 190km from our home base Thursday Island.

For most of the east coast of Australia the continental shelf is only a relatively short trip but halfway up Cape York the shelf bends to the east away from the mainland, meaning it is even more remote and untouched.

Due to a large green zone, we headed to an area northeast of Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.

I had been itching to fish the shelf for many years because my last trip there, over eight years ago in my 6m Stingray, was nothing short of mind-blowing.

Other commitments, a previous boat not up to the task and the weather have stopped me from getting back out there.

With the forecast looking good early in the week, I got a text message from a mate that simply read ‘Shelf?’.

The fact that we were in the middle of moving house and I had gear everywhere had me doubting the chances, but after seven months of strong southeasterlies and looking at the awesome forecast, it didn’t take long to convince me.

I rallied a few mates so we could move furniture the next day to free up the weekend.

Then the race was on to pack the boat, fuel up the 15 extra jerries, rig up the heavier 80lb/100lb fishing gear, prep the spearfishing gear and double check safety equipment.

This would mostly be a spearing trip with the goal of getting a few new species.

We departed Friday afternoon at 3.30pm despite the forecast now saying 15 knots instead of five to 10 knot variables.

It was a bumpy ride

out, which was very frustrating as all week the forecast was indicating a glass-out.

Next the GPS came up with a ‘not responding’ warning and as we grabbed out the handheld GPS I was definitely reconsidering this trip.

Half an hour later it decided to work again, a wiring issue no doubt, which wasn’t filling me with confidence.

After two hours and 45 minutes of motoring, we got as far as halfway but conditions were now quite sloppy.

I pulled into the lee side of a small island on last light.

This was the last bit of land between us and the shelf, with a maze of reefs still to navigate.

We anchored up, had a couple of beers, a feed, topped up the fuel and were beginning to reassess as the wind whistled through the rocket launchers.

I told the fellas to get a few hours’ sleep, with the plan basically being to get as comfy as you could because as soon as the wind dropped I would be pull-

ing anchor and continuing the journey.

I tried to get a bit of sleep on the Esky so I could tell if the wind dropped out, which certainly makes no sense when I have a comfy cabin.

Struggling to sleep, I was feeling somewhat frustrated because the original plan had been to sound around some contour lines of interest 8km from the shelf and hopefully find some ground or pinnacles to drop on or troll at first light.

At 3am the wind dropped out.

I started the 250hp Suzuki and boys sprang up and started pulling anchor.

We continued on our way to the shelf and the conditions were excellent.

Spirits were lifted and we finally made it to the shelf on first light in glassy conditions.

The shelf is separated by a maze of coral reefs and it is not recommended to navigate it in the dark because the shallow systems and bommies aren’t well marked on the GPS. The current also rips through some of the channels and during a light southeasterly there is a nice wave breaking on shallow ☛ continued P53

Josh Bishop with a green jobfish.

The author speared a bumphead parrotfish.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A long way from home. The boys relaxed on the 190km trip back.

A quick stop on the way home produced quality trout and nannygai.

Going the extra mile to fish new ground ☛ from P52

reef on the eastern side, which could be described as a surfer’s dream.

After our opening chaotic scene on the mackerel and sharks, we headed further in because there was no point donating more lures.

We couldn’t believe the clarity of the water, colours of the corals and sheer drops along the reef, with it going from 2m to 100m deep within the length of the boat.

We had a quick troll to mark a few spots where we would jump in and managed a green jobfish and nice trout on the XRaps.

With us all being keen spearos, we couldn’t wait any longer and the boys

geared up and jumped in.

The fish life was insane, with big red bass, bluefin trevally, parrotfish, humphead wrasse, mackerel and plenty of sharks.

The boys shot some nice coral trout, green jobfish, long-nose emperor and coronation trout.

I was tempted to be casting poppers but a golden rule is always keep an eye on your divers, especially in this sort of country.

We swapped watch and it was my turn to dive.

The drop-off was a little daunting, much like peering over a cliff.

I managed a coronation trout, green jobfish, yellowlip emperor and a huge humphead parrot, which was like wrestling a steer.

This trip was all about

Adrian Jeloudev and a spanish that actually beat the sharks.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

targeting a few different species we don’t encounter in close to Thursday Island.

The clear water was deceiving, making fish seem a lot closer than they actually were, resulting in several missed shots and choice words being yelled through a snorkel.

We were quite select with what we shot and at times I just found myself swimming along with the incredible diversity of species.

Huge and inquisitive humphead wrasse (notake species) came in to check us out, which was simply awesome.

With the sharks still thick, it was real team diving to get a fish past them.

I had a nice mackerel come in on the flasher and took the shot.

It raced off the edge, taking about 50m of reel line.

As I pulled it up onto the reef it had a big school of GTs following it and another, much bigger mackerel.

Josh took a shot at the bigger spanish and thought he had stoned it (killed it instantly) before it gave a kick and the spear shaft pulled through.

He was gutted.

We moved about trying various spots and picking up a few more species.

When so much amazing reef is on offer it is difficult to know where to begin.

Some huge bluespotted coral trout were getting about but as these fish have a maximum size limit of 80cm and are likely carriers of ciguatera at this size we left them alone.

By mid-afternoon it was time to start heading home because the conditions were supposed to pick up.

It was tough to leave such an amazing area and ideally we would have liked to have stayed for a couple of nights because we hadn’t even scratched the surface.

I dropped some more fuel into the tank for the

long steam home and then jigged some pinnacles I had marked a few miles in, but again we couldn’t get anything past the sharks.

A quick troll resulted in a huge hook-up and the fish had the tell-tale fight of a solid GT. Again, not far from the boat a few sharp jolts were on the line before it went limp.

The sharks had won once more.

We started the long drive home knowing we wouldn’t get back to the ramp until late.

A few quick drops on an old mark closer in resulted in some nice large and small-mouth nannygai, a big fingermark, golden trevally and decent barcheek coral trout.

It was a great way to top off an incredible day.

The wind picked up and it was a long bumpy ride home in the dark.

We arrived back at the ramp completely buggered but satisfied and we’re already planning the next trip.

Check out our Fishing Missions- Northern Australia Facebook page to see a few of our recent trips.

A quality trout for josh.

The author and a solid trout on spear.

Josh Bishop landed another red bass. A no-take species due to ciguatera poisoning.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 53

4WDING & off - road

What a magical example of solid-axle vehicles lifting wheels in huge ruts!

The Milk Carton runs Dobinsons coil springs and Nitro gas shock absorbers.

Independent front suspension versus solid axle – what to buy?

T HOSE who have been around the four-wheel-drive community for any extended period would have likely entered into or seen some kind of debate around independent front suspension versus solid axle.

Independent front suspension using Dobinsons MRR coilover shocks.

For those who have only just stepped into the community, trust me, you’re bound to experience it too.

But what are IFS and solid axles and why is this an ongoing subject of debate?

Well let’s kick off this article explaining what IFS, IRS and solid axles are before jumping into what the differences actually mean for you and your rig.

Solid-axle vehicles can come with different styles of springs and shock absorbers.

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

4WDing Talk

by GREG BELL

IFS consists of three main sections – a differential and a control arm with hub assembly on either side.

Having three sections allows the suspension to move independently on either side.

Independent suspension utilises constant-velocity joints without a housing protecting the joint.

IRS is exactly the same concept except on the rear of the vehicle.

IRS and IFS generally run one of four types of springs: coils, coilovers, torsion bars or airbags.

Solid axles are exactly that, a solid axle housing that spans the width of the vehicle and houses the differential and CVs/axles within.

Solid axles run one of four types of springs: coils, coilovers, leaf springs or airbags.

Now, why do people spend their time debating on IFS or solid axle?

Well, it’s actually pretty simple, a large portion of the 4WD community wants to be able to say that their choice of 4WD is better or more capable than others.

But in reality it is like the saying, “Horses for courses”.

Each individual should buy a rig that meets their needs and desires.

For some, that is independent suspension, for others (me), solid axles are more appropriate and the reason for this is the same reason why a drift car’s suspension setup is different to a V8 Supercar

or seven-second drag car.

Each suspension setup has pros and cons and each setup stands out in its specific field.

Now before knowing anything about different styles of suspension when buying a new 4WD, you really need to sit down and assess your needs and desires and consider the reality and balance between what you want to do versus what you’ll actually do.

Those who are buying a rig to drive in the city for 95 percent of the time and hit the odd dirt track or beach trip really need to buy a different style of fourby than those who are planning on going rock hopping and tackling extreme tracks on a regular basis.

For me, when I started 4WDing I had absolutely no idea what I would end up doing and fully expected to drive on some easy dirt roads and go camping in random places.

But after my first experience tackling challenging tracks I was led in a completely different direction and I was forced to adapt, well, modify I should say!

As mentioned, each style of suspension has a range of pros and cons.

My favourite benefit of IFS is the ability to easily lift wheels while driving challenging tracks and readily create mental

photo opportunities.

This is an acquired taste and I can confirm I have made quite a few passengers freak out when I’ve lifted a wheel over 1m off the ground before jumping out to take a photo!

On a more serious note, the main purpose of IFS is comfort and stability.

Due to each wheel moving independently, ☛ continued P55

Ben’s 105 Series LandCruiser after nearly rolling over on the Play Hills at the Glasshouse Mountains.

Soota the GU Patrol runs a Performance Suspension Racing five-link arm setup on its solid axle, allowing bulk flex.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

4WDING & off - road Independent front suspension v solid axle ☛ from P54

the body of the vehicle has less movement, allowing the car’s stability to increase and disruption from each bump is transferred on one corner rather than the entire front end.

The increase in stability and comfort is why most passenger vehicles and race cars (both on and off-road) run independent suspension.

Other IFS benefits include ground clearance while off-road, due to the nature of IFS manufacturers being able to lift the differential housing higher, which in turn gives better ground clearance from factory.

However, this has a detrimental effect for those who wish to modify their vehicles.

The issue is that because of the way IFS works – with a differential in the middle and control arms and hubs moving independently – the CVs are on an angle from standard.

Once the vehicle is lifted, the differential lifts up, as do the inside of the control arms, however the outsides remain at the same height because they are mounted to the hub and wheel.

As the chassis and body move upwards, the CV an-

gles become sharper and this often leads to premature wear and breakage of CVs. Unfortunately, lifting an IFS vehicle is costly and the height of suspension lift is generally limited to about 3”.

With so many moving parts in the suspension setup, IFS vehicles also often suffer from undersized steering components.

Of course, these steering components are adequate for standard road driving, however once modified with larger wheels, suspension lifts and enduring off-road use, standard components are often pushed to or past their capacity.

An example of this is tie rods, which are a steering component that often consists of two joints and a rod in the middle.

With IFS one is on either side and the rods are often constructed from 10mmthick steel, which commonly bends when steering against a hard surface such as a rock.

Solid-axle vehicles have just as many positives and negatives, and again, the saying horses for courses is well and truly applicable!

Solid-axle vehicles generally have much larger

The HiLux kindly rolled over to show off its solid rear axle and independent front suspension.

components, which bring the downfall of extra weight, however the benefit is greater carrying capacity, stronger gear and flex.

Flex and stronger components are the two main benefits that sway my decision when thinking about the best suspension setups.

For me, previously owning IFS vehicles and now owning solid-axle vehicles, I am often relying on the strength of the solid axles to push through challenging tracks without acquiring damage or mechanical issues.

Solid-axle vehicles run the CV joints within the axle housings, which negates the need for a rubber boot around the joint itself and reduces the requirement for two joints per side down to one per side – this means longerlasting CV joints.

The downside is a CV breakage on a solid-axle vehicle often takes much longer to repair.

Unfortunately, due to a large metal casing solid axles weigh a lot, which takes its toll on your fuel economy, however also poses benefits off-road.

The axle will often move upwards on one side, tucking into the wheel arches.

As this occurs the body leans towards that side while the opposite side of the axle pushes away from the body and naturally provides a form of counter weight.

This has benefits for driving deep rutted tracks and due to the design of solid-axle suspension there is a large degree available for articulation (flex!), which improves comfort while driving deep rutted tracks.

Long story short, it’s harder to lift wheels on a solid axle vehicle than it is on an IFS or IRS vehicle.

Solid axles come with other downsides such as less ground clearance due to the pumpkin (differential housing), costly parts and the challenges around correctly adjusting camber.

At the end of the day, I

don’t believe in a better suspension type, however a solid-axle vehicle simply makes more sense for me!

In saying that, when I eventually move into wider touring, family making and sensible life choices I will likely move back to independent suspension.

For now, I will continue enjoying the flex I have with my car and constantly missing the feeling of lifting wheels over 1m into the air and freaking out my passengers.

Now, don’t forget Flexible 4WD Solutions has access to a wide range of suspension components to suit your needs and we are just a call away!

We’d also like to extend the offer of a simple chat to any readers who either want advice on choosing a suspension type for their lifestyle or would like more information on this month’s article (or to debate with us!).

Peace out and we hope you have a merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Diagram of a solid-axle setup on a Nissan Patrol.

Diagram of an independent front suspension setup on a Nissan Navara NP300.

The Pig showed off its solid-axle suspension using leaf springs.

TOUGH GEAR FOR TOUGH TRUCKS

Suspension - Recovery Gear - Electrical - Snorkels - Accessories

Call today for a quote!

Find us on Facebook

0401 221 596 Dean’s Sierra loves to lift wheels.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 55

4WDING & off - road

AMM undertakes 9500km outback test on centre console and trailer

L

EADING Queensland plate alloy boat and off-road trailer manufacturer Australian Master Marine has just completed a 9500km non-stop endurance test that pitted one of its centre consoles and its off-road trailer against some of the most tortuous outback roads of Australia’s north.

Washing board corrugations, red dust tracks, creek crossings, rocky side detours, isolated destinations such as Borroloola near the QueenslandNorthern Territory border in the Gulf of Carpentaria, the aptly named Hells

Gate, Karumba in the lower west of Cape York and the northern reaches of the Cape itself were just a few of the milestone destinations along the arduous journey.

The test was aimed at pushing the AMM products way beyond any reasonable boundary to see whether there were any weak spots in terms of design or construction.

The good news for AMM was the only casualties on the trip were a lost Dshackle and a side reflector broken by a stone.

AMM director Mr Barton Thomas said, “The Sea Class 5700 centre

console and off-road trailer were AMM’s standard production designs – we believed it critically importantly not to add any additional bracing, reinforcing or other strengthening elements.”

“To have done so might have added a further level of structural security, but it would have been misleading in terms of the final performance.

“We did prepare the rig well for the trip with a heavy-duty boat cover and taping up the water-cooling inlet and outlet ports, the exhaust gas outlets and other key areas of the Yamaha outboard.

“We then zipped up a full outboard cover.

“We also taped on the plastic covers for the centre console electronics, radio and other exposed equipment.”

Given the remoteness of where they headed, the AMM team took camping gear, extensive supplies of food and water, medical kits, a back-up vehicle and crew as well as recovery gear.

“Obviously under those road, track and trail conditions, the centre console picked up a fair amount of red dust under the covers, but you have to expect that,” Mr Thomas said.

“The boat and outboard covers themselves were sensational – not one rip or tear after perhaps a thousand kilometres of stone throwing, bone jarring, teeth rattling corrugations as well as some ultra-ordinary dirt and partially sealed roads.”

AMM designs its offroad range of boat trailers specifically for the exact configuration of the alloy plate boats they are going to carry.

It’s one of the key elements in putting together a super-robust rig and the trip proved that.

Yes, it does add a little to the cost but in the end, it delivers a far superior product.

“We already know the on-water capabilities of AMM’s Sea Class 5700 centre console, as well as every other model, because we are fortunate to have one of Australia’s best and most diverse marine testing facilities right here in southeast Queensland: Moreton Bay, the offshore waters outside Moreton, Stradbroke and Fraser islands, the South Passage Bar,

the Wide Bay Bar and Brisbane River to name just a few,” Mr Thomas said.

“We also have the feedback and video footage from our AMM boat owners, some of whom are absolutely merciless in how they use their plate alloy boats.

“But while we had undertaken some pretty rigorous endurance testing on our off-road trailers with and without boats on them, we had not undertaken such a tortuous, factory test in brutal outback conditions before.

“And nor are we aware of any other manufacturer who has embarked on an outback torture test like the one undertaken by AMM.” The trek unequivocally confirmed the integrity of AMM’s design and construction of plate alloy boats and off-road trailers.

“The real surprise for us was how well the boat and trailer cleaned up after the trip,” Mr Thomas said.

“I feared there might have been some dust blasting of paintwork and perhaps some chafing or

stone damage, but there was none evident.

“It might have been the result of how we prepared the tow vehicle with stone deflector flaps, the angle of incidence when they did hit, the composition or texture of the dust and stones, I honestly don’t know, but there was nothing evident.”

On return to the factory, AMM appointed its leading hands to look for any signs of material stress, damage or anything that might require some rectification or consideration in future designs from a strength perspective.

After a day and a half they signed off on its durability.

“I’m going to take it offshore for a day of trolling for pelagics as soon as I can get a day off and a break in the weather to co-ordinate with each other,” Mr Thomas said.

A short video giving an overview of the trek and an insight into the conditions has been posted on AMM’s website, which can be accessed at aus tralianmastermarine.com. au

Fixing up the 29yo four-wheel-drive

H

I, it’s Craig Tomkinson here.

I hope Christmas was good for you and your family and the man in the big red suit found your house and dropped off something nice.

With the start of a new year, I hope the weather in January is not too wet and windy and we all get some fishing in over the school holidays.

I normally work as a skipper on charter boats over summer but now because I am working as a school cleaner I will be having time off to relax, which is great.

I am looking forward to having a crack at the mackerel if they show up in numbers and the weather is good.

My tip if you are fishing out of Noosa is to get to the boat ramp really early in the morning when it’s still dark, otherwise you will not get a carpark.

Make your way down the river at first light so you can just see where you are going to cross the bar because it is very shallow.

Hopefully we get a few good floods through February to early April to scour the bar out.

I have not been fishing this month because the weather just did not line up for me.

I didn’t do any crabbing either because the bigger crabs just did not show up in the lake.

Maybe in January they

4WD Restoration

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

will be there (if it doesn’t rain).

In the meantime I have kept busy with a couple of projects.

The first one was helping my mate Jim Munro build a pod for the back of his boat.

We had a look and cut out the steel using 50mm x 50mm x 5mm mild steel angle and 50mm x 5mm flat bar for bracing.

We knocked it up in no time and took it out to the boat and realised oops, we stuffed up all the angles Sorry, Jim! He had to buy more steel but first Jim went barra fishing at Awoonga Dam with his son Callum and a chap from BCF. They caught some good barra over a few days (you can read about their trip on Page 60).

About a week later we started again and this time we set out the measurements on a sheet of ply.

The pod took shape in good time.

We built the first frame and took it out to the boat and it looked good so we kept going.

It took two half days to build because I had to leave to start work around 2.30pm each day.

Jim will drill the holes in the pod for mounting the outboard and bolting it to the back of his boat

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

and then paint it.

The second project was painting our old 80 Series LandCruiser.

I’d been wanting to for weeks but just could not get all the planets to line up as I was getting my mate Ryan Kaukiainen to buy the paint for me.

Ryan bought four litres of two-pack Toyota white, a litre of hardener and four litres of thinners for $250, which I thought was a great price.

Once I had the paint it was either raining or blowing, and as I was painting outside, not in a shed, I needed good weather with no wind.

Finally everything was lined up and I borrowed a sander from Jim and a spray gun from Dave Anderson.

I also had a 200-litre compressor and a respirator so I did not breathe in the paint dust or fumes.

In the morning I had to wait for the 4WD to dry because we have been getting heavy dews overnight, so around 9am I started sanding.

I used 240-grit sandpaper and a Makita orbital sander and just lightly sanded the old paint to key it so the new paint would stick to it.

It took a few hours to sand the 80 Series because it had pin striping

that was hard to remove and needed to be taken to bare metal.

An hour or so was also needed to tape up the windows and lights with paper to keep the paint off them.

Luckily my lovely wife Donna helped me tape it up or I never would have got it painted.

It had been a long time since I’d used the spray gun, so I hooked it up and put some unleaded petrol in the bowl and used that to set the spray pattern.

Then I mixed the twopack paint with the right amount of hardener and thinners to make it go through the gun better.

I used a top bowl gun and it worked well.

Here’s a tip: get a rag and wipe the compressor hose to get the grease and dirt off it from laying around the floor of the shed and start on the roof and work your way down.

I did not do this, hence there are a few marks in the paint where the hose touched the vehicle.

Oh well, it is a 29-yearold 4WD, it wouldn’t look right being too shiny.

I was so happy once I got the first coat of paint on because while it looked like it was going to rain, it was hot enough that the paint went off quick.

The next day I waited until it was dry and went around with a clean dry rag, wiping off the kamikaze insects and bird poo and lightly sanded

any paint runs.

Around midday I applied a second coat.

Do not be afraid to have a go at painting your own car or 4WD. I was quoted from a couple of people anywhere from $1200 to $1800 just to sand and paint the 4WD. If there was any rust the cost would have been a lot higher.

Luckily my old girl has no rust in the body or panels, just surface rust on the paint, which was the reason I sanded and painted her.

If you are going to paint your 4WD yourself, make sure the compressor you buy is big enough.

Mine is 200l/pm but it’s a twin-headed unit with a 1hp 240V motor and good moisture traps.

And of course, always wear the appropriate personal protective equipment.

‘Til next month, stay safe.

The author’s 80 Series sanded and ready to paint.

First coat of Toyota white applied to the old girl.

Jim’s pod started to take shape.

The pod with some bracing.

Not quite finished.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

C AMPING & outdoors

The stunning Cobbold Gorge near Forsayth.

The magnificent freshwater reaches of the Gulf country.

Journey into the Gulf country

R

ECENTLY my wife Shelley and I enjoyed a fantastic journey into part of the Gulf country, exploring some new country and revisiting other places we hadn’t been to for many years.

Though Shelley wanted to travel in our outbackbattered, 30-year-old Land Rover 110 (with no air-conditioner), I put my foot down and we headed off in the Land Rover Discovery4.

Well rigged-out with storage drawers, 40-litre Engel fridge on a slide, alloy roof rack and bull bar, a swing-around Supa Peg awning for shade and shelter and a superb ride, it’s a great vehicle for long-distance travel and just gobbles up the kilometres.

Coming from our home just out of Cooktown, we travelled through the lush (and welcomingly cool) Atherton Tablelands down to Mount Garnet, then headed westward on the Savannah Way. Our first highlight was to be Cobbold Gorge, which we’d heard much about but never had a chance to visit.

Turning south at Georgetown, it was just 42km to Forsayth.

A great little town, with the Goldfield Hotel well worth visiting for its distinctive outback character as much as anything else.

It was another 43km on good gravel road to Cobbold Gorge (easy to tow on).

Located on Robin Hood cattle station, the Cobbold Gorge village has been very well set out.

Good accommodation, a tasteful restaurant and infinity pool overlooking a picturesque dam, and relatively shady camping area with a faultlessly clean amenities block. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cape York by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

There’s even a couple of kayaks to paddle around the dam.

No fish of any note, but plenty of wildlife.

You can only go to the gorge on a booked tour, which some people grumble about.

However, the tour is the only option in logistical terms as everyone soon finds out.

And in any case the guide and his information are excellent – up there with the best we’ve had.

We did the shorter threehour trip as opposed to a full day.

A four-wheel-drive bus took us all out to a shed near the base of the gorge, and we then hiked around and up onto the top of the plateau.

Here we enjoyed absolutely magnificent views, with a few basking freshwater crocodiles on the rocks below completing a beautifully rugged scene.

The sandstone here (part of the Hampstead Sandstone formation) was apparently laid down 135 million years ago, give or take a day or two.

A fault in the rock subsequently allowed a stream to form, and since then, millions of years of wet season rains have weathered and incised a stunning gorge, complete with the spring-fed creek.

We backtracked down to that creek, climbed aboard an aluminium boat, and our guide took us through the skinny gorge that weaved through the sandstone.

If it looked good from above, being in the gorge was something else!

We also got nice and close to a couple of freshies, which everyone

really enjoyed seeing.

After a couple of nights at Cobbold Village enjoying the relaxed bush setting, we headed back to the Savannah Way and on to the Normanton area.

About 24km before that iconic town, we were surprised to come across ‘Leichhardt Lagoon’ camping area.

Located on a cattle station, it’s nicely sited around the beautiful lagoon that bears its name.

The camping area was reasonably full, but each campsite was spacious and the many spaces between each campsite were filled with four-wheeldrives and vans.

The caretakers were super friendly and helpful, and soon we were settled in enjoying the abundant birdlife, and later, a stunning sunset.

A fantastic place for bird lovers and photographers!

Nice clean amenities too, and while no powered sites are available, generators are allowed.

No fishing is permitted in the lagoon, however (that would be difficult anyway with the water lilies and sedges).

The Norman River is only about 800m away, and it produces some cracker barra at times, as well as cherabin and red claw.

From there we revisited Normanton and Karumba, both places famous of course for their fishing (especially barramundi and salmon) and crabbing.

Karumba was fairly busy, and being a bit allergic to crowds, we only stayed one night, then headed north and east along the Gregory Development Rd.

For a fair way this road runs parallel to the mighty Mitchell River where I’d worked decades ago, surveying and catching crocodiles.

Hoping to camp somewhere beside the Mitchell, we were disappointed to find that virtually all the stations had closed their gates due to idiots leaving rubbish around and going where they shouldn’t.

Eventually, on a side road, we found river access close to the road and camped under a beautiful shady grove of paperbarks with stunning views.

Over the four days we were there, only three vehicles and a grader passed by.

Wonderful!

The barramundi were shut down, as they often are in the fresh water.

However, we managed a good feed of cherabin in the yabby pots each night, and the filming and photography options were endless.

It was great to pause and recharge our batteries too.

With some reluctance, we broke camp and left, continuing east, with the road deteriorating in places to long stretches of fairly serious bulldust.

Our last stop before heading home was the wonderful town of Chillagoe.

Having seen the wonderful limestone caves there previously, we gave them a miss, but enjoyed the cracking display in the national parks office.

Work and home called, however we will be back for sure, preferably with more time.

This is a great area to visit, there’s plenty to explore, and the roads are generally good.

To be honest, we only scratched the surface.

I wish everyone a great Christmas and all the best for the new year!

The view from Cobbold Gorge village restaurant.

A cracker sunset at Leichhardt Lagoon.

Reception at Leichhardt Lagoon.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 57

C AMPING & outdoors What’s under the Brilliant caravan?

O

VER the past two months I have shared information about our new Brilliant Cobra XL 18’6” off-road caravan.

Heavy-duty suspension, plumbing protected by the rear and a shielded water tank, all sitting on a G&S chassis.

Last month I provided some photos of the interior layout.

This month I will give an insight into what lies under the caravan to help it cope with rougher road conditions.

Like many caravans, the Brilliant Cobra XL sits upon a G&S chassis.

G&S is a well-known independent chassis manufacturer of 41 years and has recently been acquired by AL-KO. About a quarter of vans manufactured in Australia have a G&S chassis, with both on-road and off-road vans enjoying the benefits of a chassis that has been finely tuned over many years.

As an off-road van, the Brilliant Cobra XL has a 6” off-road chassis with Control Rider suspension, which is a trailing armstyle suspension.

The suspension is beefed up with dual shock absorbers on each training arm.

The van sits quite high as a result of the chassis height, giving it good ground clearance and ability to ford water cross-

Caravan Chat

by BRAD YOUNG

ings and stay dry.

The Brilliant Cobra XL is a single-axle van, which we selected for ease of manoeuvring and to reduce tare weight.

Electric brakes help keep us safe.

We based our choice of single axle on our positive experience with our heavy-duty camper trailer with which we travelled more than 50,000km without any trouble.

The van runs on 16” heavy-duty tyres and carries two spares to help get you out of trouble in isolated areas.

A DO35 hitch ensures plenty of ‘flexibility’ where the van joins the tow vehicle.

Further back is a storage tray in the drawbar and a tap for when a water supply is available.

Two 95-litre water tanks provide a reliable supply when off-grid for drinking, cooking and showering.

Two 120Ah batteries (an upgrade from the standard 100Ah) are on the righthand side behind the axle.

We opted to not have a grey water tank because

we intend to buy a portable grey water tank for the very few occasions when one is required.

On the roof, as well as the Ibis II air-conditioner are two 160W solar panels (an upgrade from the standard 120W) because we optioned in a 175-litre Evakool 12V/240V fridge.

My calculations suggested the two 120Ah batteries and 320W of solar power would provide enough power for most occasions.

We manage our power usage very well and are frugal with usage that will

‘drain’ our batteries.

We have another 130W of portable solar should we need it.

Our experience travelling for three months in Western Australia taught us a lot about battery management and we are confident our setup will meet our needs.

With the school holiday break upon us, we are keen to travel in our van and continue to enjoy the comfort it provides.

If you want further info about our Brilliant Cobra XL 18’6” caravan, drop me a line at fishnboat@ bigpond.com, PO Box 5812 Bundaberg West Queensland or give Mei Vang (Brilliant Caravans) a call on 03 9357 6581.

Trailing arm suspension with twin shocks.

DO35 hitch, twin jerry can holders and tap for use when on town water.

Power up with Goal Zero Sherpa Power Banks

Y

OUR electronics will have the staying power of the Nepalese mountain people with Goal Zero’s new generation of Sherpa Power Banks.

Designed to facilitate a life on the move, a Goal Zero Sherpa is the go-anywhere power source to keep your gadgets alive for longer.

Goal Zero’s Sherpa range is equipped with state-of-the-art thin-pack lithium technology, providing a sleek aesthetic and long-lasting life.

Despite their trim silhouette, Sherpas are highly durable, and seamless construction with an extruded aluminium body means no vulnerable points.

The Sherpa is engineered to fit snugly into any backpack or tablet sleeve and designed to charge smartphones and other portable electronics.

Available as a 15 featuring 3870mAh capacity and 40 with a 12,000mAh capacity, the Sherpa comes complete with 4” Lightning,

micro USB and USB-C cables.

Designed to be lightweight, functional and durable, Goal Zero’s Sherpa will have your back when power is at a premium, so you’ll never be caught short again.

The Goal Zero Sherpa 15 has a RRP of $79.95 while the 40 has a RRP of $129.95.

For a full list of the Sherpa’s specifications, to find a stockist or for more information on the Sherpa range, visit goalzero.com.au

An affordable tent you can rely on

N

EMO is designed to improve your experience of the adventure, and no matter what level of camper, help you have the best experience outdoors you possibly can.

Every NEMO product is built better and smarter, and with the Galaxi tent, you really get something special that won’t break the budget.

The NEMO Galaxi lightweight hiking tent delivers on durability and affordability and comes with a bonus footprint to help protect its floor from abrasion.

Unlike most tents, the Galaxi comes with

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

a coated ripstop nylon footprint to help protect its floor from abrasion and offers an added layer to lock-out mud and protect you from wet surfaces.

Built to last and not for landfill, the NEMO Galaxi also comes with a repair kit to increase its lifetime and value for money.

Created for maximum liveable space, the Galaxi tent has a single hubbed pole set for quick setup and free-standing support, ensuring frustrationfree assembly.

NEMO’s new pole technology also optimises the tent’s strength, wind resistance and

weight – and clocking in at 2.2kg, just imagine all the extra supplies you could afford to pack!

Featuring two doors and two vestibules, the Galaxi tent offers great access from both sides, making it perfect for two people.

It’s the small things that count, like MagTie magnetic door tie-backs that present an ingenious way to roll back your door and keep it out of the way.

As well as ample storage space, the Galaxi has the luxury and ease of light pockets, which are light-diffusing fabric pockets for headlamps that cast an even glow

throughout your tent.

For those who can’t leave the house without a few extra camping luxuries, you can splash out and get yourself a Galaxi GearLoft.

An attic for your home away from home, the GearLoft will give you additional space to stash gear and increase liveable space.

It also doubles as a handy place to spread clothes out to dry while you sleep.

Available nationally with a RRP of $399.95 including footprint.

For more information and to find your closest dealer, visit outdoora gencies.com.au www.bnbfishing.com. au

Mitch Reed with a sensational barra caught at Teemburra.

Dicko from Wilson Fishing with one of the standard size fish hooked during the comp.

Zerek Barra Tour a true test

I

MANAGED a trip north late in 2018 to fish the Zerek ABT Barra Tour with mate Lachie Reed at Peter Faust, Teemburra and Kinchant dams.

This year’s tour was certainly a tough event for us, with our pre-fishing hot and cold on all three dams.

We spent the time sounding around finding structure, and the Lowrance HDS-9 Live definitely made it easier to find fish.

This is an upgrade on my previous units, with the screen displaying structure much more clearly.

Competition Report

by ROBERT PAYNE

If no fish are on the screen, you won’t catch anything, and in the end it’s not worth casting, which is something we saw time and time again.

We anchored during the competition and with transducers situated both at the front and rear of the boat, were able to watch barramundi passing through.

In these situations you could

The author with ‘Puppy’ who was sent by son John for good luck.

Shane Compaign has been a winner numerous times at Northern Territory barra comps and was impressed with the calibre of fish in our Queensland dams.

almost guarantee they were active fish and a cast was always made in the approximate area of where we thought the fish would be, and seven out of 10 times we’d end up catching the fish.

Lachie and I used lures from the Zerek range, comprising the 5” and 7” Flat Shads as well as Fish Traps in 95mm, 110mm and 160mm.

We had some moments of absolute bedlam and great fishing, with the highlight being a session in Peter Faust Dam where we landed a 90, 93, 94, 97 and metrey in reasonably quick succession on Fish Traps and the 5.5” Live Mullet.

Another highlight was hooking up to a good-sized fish but being unable to play said fish to the boat due to technical difficulties where the handle of the reel caught in the sleeve of the raincoat I was wearing.

The comical run of errors continued as I then started laughing so hard I couldn’t wind the reel at all, the rod was in the water up to the reel and the fish was jumping on the other side of the boat.

Somehow, Lachie still managed to net the fish and I was pretty stoked to see the 105cm barra on the deck.

It’s funny how you manage to land fish like that in the pre-fish but come competition time, it always seems to be a different story.

Lachie also hooked a quality barra around the metre mark about 20m from the boat.

It came straight out of the water, tail walked all the way to the boat, hit the boat and then proceeded to wrap itself

around the transducer pole to end up popping the leader.

We fished as Team Mustad during the comp and struggled, even though we had a reasonably good pre-fish, but just couldn’t replicate our efforts when it mattered.

We tweaked our lures and changed our retrieves but just couldn’t quite find the pattern that was getting fish into the boat.

The newly released lighter weight of the Fish Trap 160mm (58g) allows this big lure to be worked with more finesse, which gives the angler a wide variety of retrieves to work with.

In the end a slow lift and draw of the rod seemed to work best, though other retrieves such as a slow roll and sink and hop retrieve can be used when the fish are more active.

What we found while fishing this competition, particularly the Peter Faust rounds, was information about the fishing was freely shared between competitors (or perhaps it was just we weren’t perceived as a threat!).

Staying in dongas at Camp Kanga, which is in close proximity to Faust, was an absolute blast, with food provided and a great social atmosphere between teams.

A big congratulations must go to Phil and Geoff (The Likely Lads) for winning three of the four rounds and taking out Team of the Year.

Barramundi could clearly be seen on the Lowrance Live unit.

Plenty of fish-holding structure abounds but it’s so important to watch for fish activity on the sounder.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 10/12/2018

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Atkinson 5 5 5 5 5 5 95 Awoonga 93 92 90 88 87 20 Bjelke-Petersen * 19 17 17 17 16 37 Boondooma * 36 34 37 40 39 99 Borumba * 99 96 100 100 98 92 Burdekin Falls * 88 82 73 72 66 71 Callide * 69 67 64 64 62 94 Cania * 92 90 89 87 86 40 Coolmunda * 39 36 29 28 24 4 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 4 4 3 3 3 98 Eungella * 97 96 93 88 85 Fairbairn * 24 22 21 19 19 16 Glenlyon * 49 48 46 44 42 37 Hinze 96 94 92 96 97 96 Julius 91 89 85 83 80 78 Kinchant * 85 79 72 65 59 49 Leslie * 10 10 10 9 9 9 Macdonald 101 99 98 109 101 99 Maroon * 96 95 93 92 93 91 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 98 96 94 94 93 91 Moogerah * 84 82 79 77 76 72 North Pine/Samsonvale * 85 83 80 80 80 77 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 69 68 65 63 61 59 Somerset * 78 78 77 77 77 76 Teemburra * 98 96 92 89 85 79 Tinaroo* 91 88 82 76 71 67 Toonumbar 99 93 90 101 99 96 Wivenhoe * 74 73 70 70 69 67 96 Wuruma * 95 94 99 98 98 Wyaralong 96 96 95 95 94 93 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

The author picked up a good-sized barra during the pre-fish.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 59

Sunset equals barra time.

The biggest barra of the trip measured 83cm.

Making magic memories at majestic Lake Awoonga R ECENTLY I had one of my most memorable barra fishing expeditions to date when I teed up a trip with my old mate Sammy Hitzke.

Barra doubles – it doesn’t get any better than that.

LAKE BORUMBA A MUST-DO EXPEDITION!

I hadn’t seen Sammy since the Mini Bucks Tournament held on Lake Awoonga back in 2008, so we were well overdue for a catch-up.

Day one Sammy drove up from Brisbane on a Tuesday morning and he towed the red beast (my boat) four and a half hours to Lake Awoonga.

I had heard a lot of reports about how tough the dam had been fishing over the past couple of days due to a big southeasterly change coming through.

However, we were in for some epic barra weather, with a hot northerly wind blowing 10-20 knots by late afternoon.

This is my favourite wind in which to fish for barra because it’s hot and

Freshwater Luring

by CALLUM MUNRO

pushes fish into certain locations.

Wind acts as a current in lakes, pushing fish and warm water into certain spots.

As we arrived at Lake Awoonga, we opted to stay in a cabin at Awoonga Gateway Lodge to keep out of the heat during the day because it was predicted to be at least 3540C for the next few days.

The cabin was amazing, with plenty of room and well contained but most importantly air-conditioned.

Once we’d checked it out, we unpacked the car and hit the dam at 3pm.

We were super confident because the right wind was pushing into the area I wanted to fish.

Our first spot was a timber point just before NZ Gully.

The northeasterly wind pushes straight onto this point.

I started casting straight away but Sammy didn’t have any rods set up, so I had a head start.

Within 10 minutes, bang, I was hooked up to a nice fish of about 60cm.

What a way to start the trip.

Sammy was off it because he hadn’t even put a line in the water yet.

However, after this barra we didn’t get a bite for another hour, which I wasn’t too stressed about because I knew we were coming into the best time to fish for barra: dusk.

I decided to move down towards Dingo Island to an open bay with a lot water pushing into it during the northeasterly wind.

We chose to anchor here for the next four hours, over which time we ended up landing four decent barra and dropping a few, with the biggest going 83cm and putting up an insane fight.

It was one of the hardestfighting fish I’ve caught in a long time.

With all this action we decided to pull the pin by 9pm, knackered from our drive up.

We wanted to be ready to get up early to kick off the next day.

Day two We hit the water around 5am and in the morning session I basically drove around looking for new barra-holding locations such as bays and timber islands.

We eventually came across a small point that had a lot of weed rolling around the point.

However, in a little 20m area was a break in the weed bed with a lot of small weed bommies.

This is a prime barra location as they’ll sit in the thick weed beds to relax but when they want to come out and feed they’ve got the perfect ambush location.

We pulled two fish off this point in no time, both around the 70cm mark.

This was as we were heading back in, so after they slowed we headed straight back to the cabins and waited until the afternoon to go back out.

We hit the water at 4pm, this time after some rest.

I decided to head back down to the bay near Dingo Island for the session.

☛ continued P61

LLUM MUNRO

GUIDED BY CA

info@untappedfishing.com.au

0412 887 651 Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

Sammy Hitzke with a cracker barra.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Making magic memories at majestic Lake Awoonga ☛ from P60

The barra came on the chew around 6pm for a couple of hours.

We had heaps of hits and landed about five barra.

I tell you what though, even when the fish aren’t massive, they still pull some string.

We headed back to the cabin at 9pm, thoroughly pooped.

Day three Well this is where the insane fishing started.

We went straight up to the bay near Dingo Island but as we got into the bay the sounder was blank.

There was no bait and we didn’t see any barra coming through after about half an hour, so we pulled anchor and headed up the dam to the point we had found the previous morning.

As we arrived, we

looked at the sounder and saw it was loaded with barra.

Casting the good old faithful Squidgy Slick Rigs in Black Gold, I put two fish in the boat very quickly, both going about 70cm.

Sammy then joined in on the action landing a couple of nice fish.

As the fish slowed, we changed lures to kick start them back up.

Sammy used a Savage Rattle Shad and I started casting a Berkley Hollow Belly.

Things went nuts for the next half hour.

We landed another four fish, dropped four more and had plenty of hits.

What an epic little session and I was thinking ‘how good is tonight going to be?’

After the fishing slowed,

An 80cm black barra.

we headed back in to rest up and get ready for the arvo.

We didn’t actually get on the water until 5.30pm because we had a massive storm roll through, so waited it out before getting on the lake.

We anchored straight up where we caught fish in the morning session.

This time we had to wait a little longer for the action, fishing for one and a half hours before seeing the fish coming through on the sounder.

But as soon as we saw one fish, they came on the chew.

All hell broke loose and we landed 11 barra in the session, as well as losing heaps more and even getting two double hook-ups.

It was amazing to get so many barra strikes.

Usually we’re happy catching one barra, let alone 11 and dropping heaps more.

It’s going to be even more epic in a few years, as long as the dam doesn’t spill over.

Anyway, I’m now back on the Sunny Coast guiding Lake Borumba.

So if you’re in the area and wanting to fish the lake, jump over to un tappedfishing.com.au or call 0412 887 651.

I’d be happy to take you out.

Until next month, tight lines!

Patriot Games takes its Stacer Territory Striker deep into Australia’s remote Arnhem Land

A

FTER racing in the challenging Dinghy Derby, Patriot Games set out to Arnhem Land with a couple of 349 Territory Strikers for an overland tinnie tour.

Patriot Games follows the adventures of outback experts and camping enthusiasts in a reality series.

The savvy team push the limits of Patriot Campers, Stacer Boats and Supertourers in a gruelling Australian adventure.

On their way to the far corners of Arnhem Land, Patriot Games participants take their convoy to Wiligi, an outpost in the Northern Territory.

This vast area has less than one person every 6km and the team was thrilled to explore with their 349

Territory Strikers.

The 349 Territory Striker was released early in 2018 and is equipped with the Striker Hull that features wider chines, creating more stability at rest and while under way.

The team finds the Stacer boats ideal for fishing and exploring the abundance of natural, untouched waters in northern Australia.

Deeper by 160mm and wider by 90mm, the 349 Territory Striker is designed for remote adventures in areas where high sides and stability are important.

Where the road ends and the water begins, the 349 Territory Striker is the perfect boat to take Patriot Games adventurers even further.

Built with strong 1.6mm pressed aluminium sheets, it is light enough for two adults

(or one adult and two little helpers) to lift on top of a vehicle.

Patriot Games took advantage of Stacer’s options and added a carpeted low floor and casting platform.

The 349 Territory Striker can also have a bimini included, additional side rails and the bottom sheets can be upgraded to 2mm for rough adventures.

Patriot Games is made up of a down-to-earth family happy to lend a hand.

While in distant Arnhem Land, Justin, Sarah and the kids helps locals with various chores, heavy lifting and learn about life in the outback.

Patriot Campers founder Justin Montesalvo said, “We took a couple of Territory Strikers into Arnhem Land, which are the perfect rooftop tinnie with

deep sides and a build quality you have to rely on with the number of crocs around!”

Stacer national account manager Cameron Wood said, “When Justin told me where they were going, I didn’t hesitate in recommending the 349 Territory Striker.”

“This tinnie is a result of customer feedback from passionate Northern Territory boaties.

“With high sides, light weight and rugged build quality, it is the adventurer’s dream.”

Season two of Patriot Games is currently airing on Channel Nine.

Catch up at 9now.com. au/patriot-games For more information on the Territory range, contact your local Stacer dealer or visit stacer. com.au Stacer, it’s a revolutionary ride.

r r a a R B eady? u o y e r A KOMODO O SS SS

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BAITCAST BAITCAS ST RODS q blan with Combining quality blanks compon onents,, Okuma’s O premium components, series of baitcast rods ha have the th grunt to handle the big hitter erss. Built B hitters. for all-day comfort and bala an anc balance, with actions and styles to suit uit individual ind angler requirements. require requ uire u ire

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 61

Big barra lurking in Lake Monduran H APPY New Year to all anglers.

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Barra Havoc TAC K LE

HOME OF WORLD RECORD BARRA

Dennis Harold with his world record 44.62kg, 134cm long, 107cm girth barra caught from his kayak at Lake Monduran in 2010.

NEW LOCATION Pop in on your way to Monduran Dam for all your tackle needs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; easy parking with boats!

26 Mulgrave St, Gin Gin (next to ďŹ re station)

0427 880 826

www.barratackle.com.au Page 62 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bush â&#x20AC;&#x2122;n Beach Fishing, January 2019

I hope Santa was able to take care of your wish list this year.

With the warmer days and nights, the barra have been on the boil.

The first new moon of the year should prove to be a great time for catching some of those bigger barramundi lurking in Lake Monduran.

The new moon (January 6) is in harmony with the sun as they rise, transit and set together.

This influences the feeding habits of the barra and in turn increases the catch rate for anglers.

On the full moon (January 21), the sun and moon directly oppose each other, with the moon rising at sunset and setting at sunrise.

Both these moon phases have increased gravitational influence on the earth.

During these phases we are provided with three windows of peak activity during daylight: dawn, noon and dusk.

These things need to be considered when planning our fishing trips, along with water temperature, wind direction and what lure or bait would be suitable for the conditions.

Over the past few months some very large barramundi have been seen on sounders and even more exciting weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard of great hook-ups, though sadly the anglers have lost the battles.

Regardless, some quality fish have been boated and in good numbers.

Lake Monduran follows the Kolan River course, with many creeks and tributaries throughout creating an ideal network of creeks to keep any bar-

Monduran Dam

by DONNA GANE

ra angler happy.

The abundance of baitfish gives the Mondy barra plenty of fuel to grow at a rapid pace.

And with such a plentiful supply of bait, the big barra are less likely to eat the barra fingerlings we put into the lake each year.

As we move towards February we should see barra thriving in the temperate waters and increasing catch rates.

Places to pursue are Rainforest, Cattle Yards, White Rock, Tara Ran Creek and as always Bird Bay. Trolling the main basin and Bass Strait could produce personal bests for anglers.

Dr Evils and Killalures that get down to the 5m mark should produce the goods when trolling.

Cast and retrieved lures should dive to 3.5m or less depending on time of day and water temperature.

If you are not getting much action on the edges, then fish deeper-diving lures around the trees a little further out.

Look for the birds, as they are a good sign baitfish are feeding in that area.

Also, late in the arvo look for some of the rocky outcrops that hold a lot of heat.

The barramundi will lurk in those warm areas charging their bodies to be ready for their nighttime hunt.

Remember, barra are equipped for night vision with their croc-like red eyes that can see extremely well.

This is another reason

why barra can get the edge on baitfish because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see as well as the barra on a dark new moon night.

This month is your last chance to catch one of the tagged fish in the Golden Barra competition â&#x20AC;&#x201C; someone has to be a lucky winner, and who knows it may be you!

Stay safe on the roads and waterways this holiday season.

Be courteous and con-

siderate towards others and make your holidays pleasurable.

Call in to Barra Havoc and get the most upto-date information on whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being caught and where.

We are situated on the southbound side of the Bruce Highway between Tyrepower and the Gin Gin Fire Station.

Happy angling and have faith that the next one will be the big one!

Barra love sitting in warm areas of the lake.

Fish the prime bite times and you too could enjoy success in Lake Monduran.

Savage launches the most adventurous dinghy yet, the Raptor Extreme

F

OR 120 years, Savage has consistently added innovation to Australian boats and now would like to introduce the Raptor Extreme, the most adventurous dinghy yet.

The Raptor Extreme offers customers a Vnose punt dinghy with increased internal freeboard thanks to higher sides and greater beam.

Suited for river, creek and estuary fishing, boaties of all ages will find enjoyment out of this boat.

Available in two models, 355 and 375 with 15hp and 20hp ratings respectively, the Raptor Extreme is a great choice for off-road and camping adventures.

Trailerable or a cartopper, this dinghy intends to add excitement in the most remote areas.

The boat comes standard with grab rails for loading, anchor storage

and a deep floor for comfort while on the water.

In addition, this model has large front and rear bench seats with plenty of room in the centre for fishing and crabbing.

The Raptor family consists of the Savage Raptor, Raptor Extreme and Raptor Pro. They range from 3.5m all the way up to 4.4m and are fit for every Australian.

A versatile group of dinghies from an adventurer to a workhorse, from the rainforests in northern Queensland to the lakes across Western Australia.

Savage Boats national sales manager Nick McCartney said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Savage now has the most complete line-up of dinghies in Australia with the addition of the Raptor Extreme.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This dinghy has the most volume in our cartopper line-up and is

ideal for Australian adventurers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can picture this boat in so many places, whether it be with a kid who just graduated to a full-size dinghy, or a kid

at heart who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough of the water.â&#x20AC;?

The Raptor Extreme was first launched at the Melbourne International Boat Show and the new addition was well

received by Victorian boaters.

For more information on the Raptor Extreme or the entire Savage range, visit your local Savage dealer or savageboats.com.au

www.bnbfishing.com. au

20-win Gold Rush for Mercury at Bridge to Bridge ski classic

M

E RC U RY ’S race-bred heritage was on show once again, with its engines dominating at the 112km Bridge to Bridge annual ski classic along the picturesque Hawkesbury River – notching up some 20 titles over the dramatic weekend.

When all the cheering was done, Mercury’s unbelievable QC4V engines had powered home the top six place-getters in the outright results.

In the outright, Pigs Arsenal was the quickest of them all.

Driver Chris Stevens, observer Mark Boyer and skiers Jack and Sean Stevens crossed the finish line in just 39 minutes 17 seconds – averaging more than 170km/h.

The Stinga F1 team of Gregory Houston, Danny Cropper, Cameron Osborne and Bradley Osmotherly crossed in second place, 20 seconds behind.

Then there was less than a minute to Temper 2 in third spot, with Rhett Davis, Ben Hackett, Jack Coaldrake and Lachlan Nix. They were followed by the mighty crews of TR, Temper and Moonshot Racing, a good minute ahead of the rest of the huge field.

In the competitive categories, Pigs Arsenal and TR (both with 1350 QC4V power packs) claimed gold and silver in the Super Class category.

Similarly, Stinga F1, Temper 2, Temper and Moonshot Racing took

the first four spots in the Unlimited Inboard class (Stinga F1’s 1650 QC4V ahead of a trio of 1350s).

The Unlimited Outboard category was another Mercury quinella.

Taking the title was 2 Extreme with twin 2.5-litre Mercury Racing highperformance outboards.

After 52 minutes and 34 seconds, the crew was less than 30 seconds clear of Mojo 4N pushed by a 300XS. In SMOC competition, Mercury motors were one, two and three with Raptor, Team Criminal and Specimen taking the honours thanks to their 250hp outboards.

While in MOC, it was gold again as Pumped Up, with a Mercury 300, took the flag.

In a big F2 field, Mer-

cury still claimed all three podium places as Team 26 (300XS) nudged out Showbiz (300XS) and Mistress F2 (300R).

It was a similar story in the women’s contest – Supernatural (565 sterndrive) crossing ahead of Mojo 40 and Off Tap Racing, both boasting 300XS outboards.

Hooligan (1350 QC4V) and Robbos (300XS) were first and second in the under 18 boys, while in under 18 girls 1350F1 took the honours, powered by another 1350 QC4V. Mercury engines also took gold in a host of other categories. www.mercurymarine. com.au

Community help needed to map carp populations

C

ARPMAP, an online survey tool to support community surveillance of carp aggregations, has been launched by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, and it is being led by you!

Recreational fishers, land care volunteers, farmers, tourists and all members of the public are being asked to report information on these ‘aggregations’ in our waterways.

National Carp Control Plan Co-ordinator Matt Barwick said, “If you have observed more than 20 carp together (called an aggregation), we want to know about it.”

www.bnbfishing.com. au

“The survey is easy to do and only takes a few minutes of your time and will help support future carp management plans in Australia.

“Understanding carp aggregations not just locally but at a national scale will be critical for an effective national approach to carp control.

“We have already trialled a successful community survey to map carp aggregations in the Lachlan catchment and now we want to get a national picture, to not only inform our research program but support future carp management strategies.”

Peter Durr is a CSIRO scientist leading NCCP-

funded research to understand how a carp virus, known as cyprinid herpesvirus 3, could be effectively released in Australian waterways.

“We need information on at least 2000 carp aggregation events to complete our picture,” Mr Durr said.

“Without carp aggregation knowledge we may not be able to accurately predict how the carp virus would work in Australia.”

CARPMAP is developed by a team specialising in invasive species citizen science projects.

It can be found at carpmap.org.au CARPMAP is a joint initiative community surveillance program led by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation with support from the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and CSIRO. For more information, to provide feedback or ask questions, contact carp@frdc.com.au or visit carp.gov.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 63

Lane Ferling landed a 48cm bass by slow rolling a 1/2oz-rigged soft plastic.

Chantel with a cracking bass pulled from some suspended fish at Lake Boondooma.

Warm weather brings freshwater fish on the bite

T

HE hot weather and afternoon storm buildups create some awesome opportunities for catching big bass and yellowbelly.

Members of the BP stocking group and a bunch of eager young helpers released Australian bass into BP Dam.

With the onset of summer, this weather pattern is quite common and it really brings the native fish on the bite.

If you’re an avid troller, from now through to February is the best time to dust off those deep divers and head to the South Burnett dams to get into great native trolling action.

Boondooma Dam When it’s hot, the yellowbelly and bass like to position themselves in a zone called the thermocline, or comfortable water, which is generally found at a depth of 5.5-7.5m.

This zone or column of water is the place the fish find most comfortable, where the temperature is just right to sit while it’s hot upstairs.

The thermocline also happens to be full of the little critters the predators love to gorge themselves on.

With the majority of the fish sitting in this zone throughout the dam, it opens up the doors

y Guided b g f o rd n a L t t a M

Australian Freshwater Fishing Charters 0408 658 592 | australianfreshwaterfishing.com Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

Freshwater Impoundments

by MATTHEW LANGFORD

for fantastic fishing opportunities.

If I want to target bass, the first place I’ll look is the deep water off any prominent points.

I’ll use my sounder to sound the fish sitting in that optimal depth.

When I’m happy I’ve found a good concentration of fish, I will pull up and begin casting 3”-4” soft plastics rigged with a 1/2oz or 5/8oz head.

With a big long cast over the areas where I found the fish, I will let the jig head sink for seven to 10 seconds and begin a slow retrieve back to the boat with a couple of twitches mixed in.

The same can be done with a 12g or 18g Nories spoon.

Continue this technique until you start to feel a few taps on the plastic or spoon.

When you feel a tap it’s important to keep that slow wind going until you feel weight on the line, then slowly lift the rod tip to load up the full weight of the fish.

Keep your drag fairly loose so the hook doesn’t pull on the way back to the boat.

Using this method over the holiday period will account for some big bass in Boondooma.

The timbered arms are holding good numbers of bass and yellowbelly as well.

They are sitting very close to structure and you’ll need to get your lures in as close as you can to get a bite.

Look for spindly timber or big trees in the middle of the arms.

Lures of choice for this scenario are 3/8oz or 5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbaits, 3” soft plastics rigged on 1/2oz jig heads and any sinking lipless crankbaits.

Give your lure up to five seconds to sink and then start a slow wind.

Fishing close to structure, I use 14-20lb leader so I have a chance if a fish rubs the line through trees.

Otherwise, if I’m in open water I’ll decrease my leader size to 6-10lb.

Trollers are picking up great bass and yellowbelly around

the deeper sections of the dam, targeting those suspended fish.

Make sure you have plenty of deep divers handy along with 5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbaits.

Lures that dive down 4.5-6m will be the ones that get you onto fish consistently.

Bait fishers are getting among a mixed bag of fish in the timbered arms using worms and fresh shrimp.

It may even pay to move to the main basin and let your bait suspend under the boat in the thermocline range.

Drifting with the wind is a great way to cover water with your bait under the boat. Eventually it will cross paths with a hungry fish or two.

Red claw numbers are also starting to pick up with the hot weather, so make sure you pack the opera house traps if you’re coming out for a day or two.

Lake Barambah With a similar pattern to that of Boondooma, Lake Barambah (Bjelke-Petersen Dam) is

producing great fishing as well.

The fish are sitting in the 4.56m range and are very willing to take anything placed in front of them.

Because Barambah is a shallower dam, you can target more areas and use a wider variety of lures to catch a few natives.

The bass are responding well to 3” soft plastics, 1/4oz blades and 3/8oz and 5/8oz spinnerbaits.

Some likely areas to target are the large flat area in front of the main dam wall, the Quarry and wide of Bass Point.

On a recent fishing charter we targeted the lake’s bass with a 3” soft plastic and 1/2oz jig head and caught dozens of bass and yellowbelly.

We targeted areas where the water was 4.5-6m deep with rocky edges or drop-offs adjacent.

I found the bigger fish were holding tight to drop-offs and waiting for bait to swim over.

Areas like this are prime ambush positions for native fish, so don’t forget to give them a go.

Trollers are catching some bass and yellowbelly trolling ☛ continued P65

Sometimes the fishing is so hot they come aboard two at a time. Reardo caught his bag in one cast.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Beating the summer heat A

S I type this it is 2pm, 43C in the shade (much hotter in the sun), the humidity is stifling and the heat haze blurs the horizon beyond my den window.

During countless summers in decades past, I would fish throughout the day, ignoring biting sun and desiccating heat in the pursuit of freshwater sportfish in a variety of flavours.

I’m not sure if I’ve been getting softer as I’ve aged, but I’m claiming it’s getting wiser that has seen tactics modified to avoid the midday heat.

When in the tropics where summers are “Hot, real hot, damn hot” (to quote the late Robin Williams) while fishing for barramundi, we took to late afternoon and nocturnal sessions to stay out of the sun.

I used to joke that nobody has ever suffered from moonburn, but in all seriousness, the comfort levels during twilight sessions in summer are greatly increased.

Of course, barramundi isn’t the only freshwater species that is co-operative in low light and fully nocturnal situations.

My favourite summer target species in temperate fresh water, both impounded and riverine, is the Murray cod.

Cod in locations with a

Fishing for Sport

by NEIL SCHULTZ

healthy population where competition for food is high will feed at any opportunity, day or night.

When the fish are inactive, however, the presentation of a lure will need to be very close to trigger that feeding reaction.

Active cod, on the other hand, will chase down a lure from considerable distance, often creating a visible bow wave as they home in on their prey.

Surface lures have always been popular with anglers chasing green fish in the cool of the evenings, but they are not the only string to the bow.

Shallow-running divers too have a track record for producing cod after dark.

From decades of personal experience, I can state without hesitation that any lure you’d use for cod during the day will entice them after sunset, including spinners and deep divers.

Those of you old enough to have been fishing for bass before the advent of hatchery rearing will no doubt have fond memories of night fishing.

Back when all bass fishing was in streams, casting surface lures after dark was one of the most talked (and written) about methods of angling them.

Big bass lakes have taken the headlines for many years, (a lifetime for a generation of young anglers) but the bass are still in those streams and still feeding after dark.

Smaller surface lures of 50-60mm are the go for bass and can also be used for a wide variety of other species including saratoga, sooty grunter, jungle perch, tarpon and even spangled perch.

In lakes west of the Great Divide, golden perch are the main target species for anglers when not chasing cod.

I cannot recall catching goldens after dark as bycatch on cod lures, possibly only due to the hook size on those large lures.

Goldens certainly feed on the surface at first light and can be seen taking drowned moths from the top at sunrise.

Those first couple of hours of daylight are the magic time for golden perch, with the fish actively feeding in the shallow margins of lakes.

Dawn hours are cooler than twilight, making for very comfortable fishing and allowing us to get in a productive session and be off the water before the mercury climbs too high.

When targeting goldens

Brett Dowd demonstrated the effectiveness of traditional diving lures after dark.

on midsummer mornings, we troll around the shoreline with diving lures in the 80-90mm range.

A favourite for the past 40 years that is still always the first lure out of the box for goldens is the 80mm Boomerang.

When they were made of urethane with dolls’ eyes, we used a colour called Dingo as first preference.

Now injection moulded with four depth variations in the range, we find the medium depth 80mm to run at the ideal depth for dawn raids.

Most of the brighter colours in the range appeal to golden perch but it can pay to have a few in natural and dark colours in the box.

Smaller goldens in the 30-40cm classes are schooling fish, so when you take a strike, mark the spot and make repeated passes.

Golden perch’s habit of feeding at first light highlights the options available to those who don’t wish to fish after dark in summer to beat the heat.

Dawn and dusk are not only more comfortable for anglers, the lower light levels often have the fish more willing to move out of their hides too.

The fly in the ointment for anglers wishing to be on the water at first light is the practice of some authorities of locking us out of access points before 6am.

The best of the morning sessions in summer start at 4.15am, long before we can be on the water at some of the most popular lakes in the state.

When you do find yourself on the water under the summer sun, you should take a few steps to stay healthy, if not comfortable.

Cover up!

Sunscreen only lasts a short while and if the fish are biting it is too easy to forget to reapply.

Wearing a lightweight long-sleeved shirt, long trousers, sun gloves and a good hat will prevent sunburn, regardless of how long you stay on the water.

Buffs and legionnaire/ wrap-style hats can be wet occasionally to cool

as well as shade.

One tip though: don’t wet a buff and then try to breathe through it, as you’ll water board yourself.

If fishing from a vessel at night, make sure all your lights are working and then use them!

We see too many boats on the water at night with no lights showing from the stern.

Without a white running light on the boat you are invisible to any vessels approaching from the rear and some of today’s bass boats close the gap very quickly.

A healthy golden perch taken on the ever-reliable 80mm Boomerang at first light. Even though on the water early, summer garb was worn just in case the decision was made to stay on the water into the latter hours.

Dressed for the summer sun with long clothes, a decent hat and sun gloves. Very importantly, note the fish is being measured, unhooked and released in the water.

Don’t let fish touch hot or dry surfaces if destined for release.

The author’s great mate Kevin Clark avoided the heat by fishing at night with a surface paddler.

Warm weather brings freshwater fish on the bite ☛ from P64

over the Quarry towards the dam wall as well as adjacent to the steep rock wall on the left of the dam just before Bass Point.

Bait fishers are consistently catching good numbers of yellowbelly and bass while anchored along the steeper edges of the dam.

Best baits have been fresh shrimp and worms.

Red claw are patchy.

Stocking news The fish stocking program for both dams is still very much alive www.bnbfishing.com. au

and well, with another massive stock of 46,000 Australian bass recently released into Bjelke-Petersen Dam. Boondooma Dam Fish Stocking and Management Association released 80,000 bass into Boondooma a couple of weeks ago, which is a great boost for fishing in the South Burnett.

It’s fantastic to see our stocking associations working hard to make this happen because without them we wouldn’t get to catch the fish we really love chasing.

Fishing charters The fishing of late at BP and Boondooma has been outstanding, with most sessions producing good numbers of fish and great quality.

BP dam is fishing well for anyone wanting to learn how to target suspended fish with soft plastics.

Boondooma has been producing a great mixed bag, so if you’d like to learn more about targeting a particular species, all you have to do is ask and make a booking.

Don’t forget you can

book a fishing charter with me on BP and Boondooma dams and many other dams in Queensland.

If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch bass, yellowbelly or saratoga in our awesome dams, make sure you give me a call on 0408 658 592 and I’ll be happy to take you out for a ripper day’s fishing.

You can also check out australianfreshwaterfishing.com Until next time, tight lines and bent rods.

Lake Boondooma is a great place for the younger generation to learn more about freshwater fishing.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019 – Page 65

Murray cod research finally complete W

ITH the Murray cod closed season over, anglers are again able to work the rivers and streams.

Les Reibelt with his 109cm cod capture, his 100th metre-plus fish from Glenlyon Dam.

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Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

A major battle is to find water in the rivers.

We have no water in the Severn, Mole, Beardy and Bluff rivers.

However, the Dumaresq River below Glenlyon Dam was running at the time of writing.

We have seen 500ML released from the storage, so from Riverton Bridge down to Texas is some water to fish.

Be very careful from Yelarbon to Goondiwindi because water from Ashford is meeting with the Dumaresq to provide 1000ML of water flow.

It’s not good for canoes and kayaks and will require walking craft downstream via rope and not paddle.

Call Debbie or me on 02 6737 5266 regarding water access and river flows before you venture out our way.

Getting here after a long trip to find no flows of water would not be a good result.

Glenlyon is sitting at 37 percent capacity.

Long-running research on the river out our way has now been completed.

Back when it was started I made a lot of phone calls to Steve Brooks, his boss Peter Kind and Steve’s off-sider Dan Smith.

If you think research isn’t a lot of fun, let me tell you, if you’re fishing it is.

The big hassle is getting the paperwork and funding sorted and without Steve’s help it would not have taken shape.

After the first trip and a lot of work it became apparent extra input was required, along with help on the research team – more boffins!

So Stuart Rowlands was asked for input.

Who better to ask than a bloke who cut his teeth on Murray cod research over his working life in NSW DPI Fisheries.

Stuart invited a chap called Gavin Butler, his then-understudy, to attend nine further research trips.

Gavin was given the nickname Frado by Steve and it has stuck after all these years.

So they rattled off five years of work and an extra five was carried out with a boffin by the name of Cameron Westaway from NSW DPI Fisheries tagging along.

Some of the results will shock fisheries people who will have to make changes to size regulations in some states.

This had better take place very soon or we will see red faces within the research departments.

One major research item is the size of cod and the age at which they start to breed.

We may find you don’t get kids out of grandparents.

Another problem is access to rivers and streams in NSW where Travelling Stock Reserves are being leased off with their gates locked.

Crown land on the western

Glenlyon Dam

by BRIAN DARE

Some of the results will shock fisheries people who will have to make changes to size regulations in some states. plains is being either bought or leased and locked up.

Or you are being told it’s all private land, when in fact a look at The Long Paddock book (www.longpaddock.qld. gov.au) shows you just how many reserves and Crown land areas exist.

Note, I have a copy of this book!

If we as anglers, bird watchers, horse riders, naturalists, land care groups and conservationists don’t voice our concerns with votes, it will all be gone.

On a lighter note, with it being that time of year for fireworks and new beginnings, Debbie and I would like to wish you a merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

One bloke who has reached a milestone is Les Reibelt from Inverell.

Les has caught many 120cm-

plus cod in his time, but he has set a new marker for all to try to eclipse.

He recently landed his 100th Glenlyon Dam cod over the magic metre mark, with a fine specimen coming in at 109cm.

Not bad from this storage alone!

I’ve just got to get the handbrake off…

In closing, I hope 2019 brings good rainfall out west.

It’s going to take at least three years for some on the land to recover from the tough dry spell.

Give a thought to these people who have struggled to maintain breeding stock through this difficult time.

While on holidays, watch your campfires and clean up your campsites, leaving nothing but footprints.

Have a great holiday break and all the best for 2019.

Marion Sharman caught her biggest cod yet.

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Outsider clinches Bream’s top title – and a Mercury 150hp FourStroke

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Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2019

ASON Mayberry, a self-confessed outsider, has clinched the ABT Costa BREAM Series Grand Final to take home a $60,000 Bass Cat boat package featuring a Mercury three-litre 150hp FourStroke outboard.

Jason, from the south coast of NSW, led the event from start to finish and took the top prize ahead of 44 other breamers who had qualified through events all over Australia.

Held in Victoria’s East Gippsland, the three-day tournament saw competitors fish Gippsland Lakes, Bemm River and Marlo.

Amazingly, Jason had never fished the final two arenas before.

However, a lifetime of experience and a mastery of catching bream on 2lb breaking strain line saw him take the trophy ahead of fast-finishing Victorian Brad Hodges.

“I think it’ll take a few days to sink in,” Jason said.

“This is the most prestigious title in Australian bream fishing and the biggest prize, and when I came here, I really thought I was just making up numbers.

“I didn’t rate my chances at all.”

With about 70 percent of the field using Mercury outboards, the event illustrated the preference of Australia’s leading anglers for the power, speed and reliability of Mercury.

Mercury Cup Throughout the tournament season, Mercury

owners once again competed among themselves for the Mercury Cup. This year the Cup was hotly contested, with 2018 BREAM Angler of the Year from Queensland Steve Morgan, the ultraconsistent Victorian Cam Whittam and Taree’s Kris Hickson all in contention on the last day of the season.

But ultimately it was Hickson who won the Cup and $1000 prize money.

“I started the season with a 225hp Verado but switched boats and used a 150hp ProXS FourStroke

for the second half,” Hickson said.

“I’ve only ever run Mercury outboards and I can’t ever see myself using anything else.”

Mercury’s Andrew Small said, “It’s great to see so many Mercury motors on competitors’ boats.”

“From 40-250hp, it seems all the top anglers use them.”

It goes to prove Australia’s best breamers are powered by Mercury.

Full results can be found on abt.org.au or by liking Australian Bass Tournaments on Facebook.

The happy winner - Jason Mayberry with Mercury’s Andrew Small (right) and Bass Cat Australia’s Craig Simmons.

2018 Mercury Cup champ Kris Hickson with Mercury’s Andrew Small.

Research contributing to southern bluefin tuna recovery wins gong

C

SIRO’s southern bluefin tuna research team was recently presented with two prestigious awards at the 2018 CSIRO Awards ceremony: the CSIRO Impact from Science Award and the Sir Ian McLennan Achievement for Industry Award.

The awards recognise the delivery of three transformative pieces of science for the assessment and management of the valuable and highly contested international fishery for southern bluefin tuna.

Collectively, these achievements have made it possible to arrest the decline of the SBT stock, resulting in steady rebuilding.

A significant amount of this research has been funded through the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.

FRDC managing director Dr Patrick Hone said, “This body of work – from the SBT management and science plan, to modelling, archival tags, and close-kin mark recapture – has not only ensured sound scientific advice to inform SBT fishery management in Australia, it has informed world fisheries management.”

“This is an example of great science having

a direct impact towards improving the health of global fisheries.

“We are grateful to all the past and current researchers who have worked so hard on this issue.”

Research achievements The research team is responsible for the world’s first scientifically tested management procedure for tuna that has reduced the risk of further declines in the stock and associated extinction risk, allowing a nationally significant fishery to continue to operate while rebuilding from dangerously low levels.

It has been implemented through the Commission of the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna.

The team has developed a new method to monitor the adult population of SBT, called close-kin mark recapture, which uses DNA sequencing.

Finally, the SBT genetagging program has been developed to monitor the numbers of juvenile fish in the population each year.

These three achievements are international ‘firsts’ and the technologies are transferrable to other fish, wildlife species and conservation management globally.

Direct economic ben-

efits that include an 85 percent increase in global catch under the management procedure are estimated to total $80 million per annum in increased revenue for the Australian SBT industry and many hundreds of millions per annum in direct revenue for the global fishery.

Awards The CSIRO Awards recognise achievements of innovative solutions to industry, society and the environment each year.

The award ceremony was held at the National Gallery of Australia.

The research team includes 21 people from across CSIRO as well as contributors from industry, ABARES, AFMA, DAWR and CCSBT. The CSIRO Impact from Science Award recognises exceptional individuals or research teams who have created value for customers through innovation that delivers impact for Australia.

The Sir Ian McLennan Achievement for Industry Award is given based on demonstrated achievement, through effective interaction with industry that shows potential to benefit the economy or community.

For access to research reports, go to frdc.com. au www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Lighter, more powerful, more efficient, more durable, more intuitive… unlike any other portable fourstroke.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MERCURY DEALERSHIP TODAY!

BUNDABERG Adrians Marine Centre 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg Q 4670 P: 07 4153 1819 E: adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com W: adriansmarinecentre.com.au

INNISFAIL Coastal Marine & Outdoors 178 Edith St, Innisfail Q 4870 P: 07 4061 8272 E: joel@coastalmarine.net.au W: coastalmarine.net.au

AIRLIE BEACH Whitsunday Outboard Centre 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au W: whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

BRISBANE EAST Manly Harbour Marine 570 Royal Esplanade, Manly Q 4179 P: 07 3893 2199 E: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au W: manlyharbourmarine.com.au

CAIRNS Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 P: 07 4033 8800 E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au W: aussiemarine.com.au

IPSWICH Ipswich Marine Centre 45 Huxham St, Raceview Q 4305 P: 07 3294 3944 E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au W: ipswichmarine.com.au

BRISBANE Coorparoo Marine 57 Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo Q 4151 P: 07 3397 4141 E: info@coorparoomarine.com.au W: coorparoomarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH Brisbane Marine 306 Duffield Rd, Clontarf Q 4019 P: 07 3889 3033 E: info@brismarine.com.au W: brismarine.com.au

CAPALABA Mike’s Marine 9 Smith Street, Capalaba, Q 4157 P: 07 3390 3418 E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au W: mikesmarine.com.au

TOOWOOMBA Water Skiers Warehouse 91-93 Neil St, Toowoomba Q 4350 P: 0400 379 514 E: info@waterskierswarehouse.com.au W: waterskierswarehouse.com.au

BRISBANE Karee Marine 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 E: sales@kareemarine.com.au W: kareemarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH Cunningham Marine Centre 23-25 Snook St, Redcliffe Q 4019 P: 07 3284 8805 E: ian@cunninghammarinecentre.com.au W: cunninghammarinecentre.com.au

GOLD COAST Onshore Marine Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba Q 4207 P: 07 5546 2480 E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au W: onshoremarine.com.au

SEE US FOR SUPER SUMMER SPECIALS McLay 611 Crossover HT

FREE! colour sounder

$86,000 SPECIAL!

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

Tournament 1900 Centre Console

SPECIAL!

Tournament 1900 Bluewater

FREE! colour sounder

• Bait board • Kill tank • Deck wash • Dual batteries • Dunbier dual-axle trailer • Safety gear and more!

$68,000

McLay 591 Sportsman HT

$67,000 SPECIAL!

SPECIAL!

• Bait board • Kill tank • Deck wash • Dual batteries • Dunbier trailer • Safety gear and loads more!

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

• Stainless targa • Live bait tank • Electric winch • Redco alloy trailer • Smooth water safety gear

Tournament 1750

NEW!

Mercury 150hp Pro XS 4-stroke

$74,500

Mercury 135hp 4-stroke

Gulf Runner 550

NEW!

$53,000 SPECIAL!

$48,000

Mercury 100hp CT 4-stroke

SPECIAL!

Mercury 135hp 4-stroke

• 185-litre fuel tank • Plumbed live bait tank • Padded side coamings • Huge front cast deck • Three hatches

• Stainless steel rocket launcher • Live bait tank • Redco trailer • Smooth water safety gear

• Bait board • Live bait tank • Redco dual-axle trailer • Front cast deck • QLD regos plus more

Gulf Runner 490

Breezaway 440

Renegade 440 Side Console

SPECIAL!

Mercury 90hp 4-stroke

• Full pod transom • Reverse chine • Live well • Bait tank • Electric motor mount • QLD regos plus more

$24,500 SPECIAL!

SPECIAL!

Mercury 60hp 4-stroke

• Live bait tank • Live well • Painted sides • Dunbier braked trailer • QLD regos

• Bait board • Bimini • QLD regos • Safety gear

UNBEATABLE UNBEATABLE

115HP CRUISE SPEED 115HP FUEL CRUISE EFFICIENCY SPEED FUEL EFFICIENCY MERCURY’S NEW 115HP VS. CURRENT FOURSTROKE VS. CURRENT AND OPTIMAX FOURSTROKE AND OPTIM FOURSTROKE g/kWh

MERCURY MERCURY 75-115HP 75-115HP FOURSTROKE FOURSTROKE RANGE RANGE

$24,500

Mercury 50hp 4-stroke

340

340

330

330

320

320

310

310

300

g/kWh

$34,000

DELIVERS UP TO 14% BETTER CRUISE SPEED ECONOMY

300

290

290

280

280

270

270

260

260

PREVIOUS MERCURY FOURSTROKE 1.7L

BSFC dyno testing; data is an average of 60%-80% rated PREVIOUS MERCURY NEW MERCURY engine speed based NEW OPTIMAX MERCURY MERCURY OPTIMAX on standardMERCU ICOMIA emissions test.

FOURSTROKE 1.7L 115hp 2.1L 11 2.1L 115hp 115hp Photos for illustration purposes only.

Can’t make the yard? Shop online! For quality new and used boats! www.kareemarine.com.au

1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600