BNB Fishing mag | Jan 2020 by bnbfishing

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Summer species special

Offshore action

Fishing the fresh Outback escapes

Sand crabs over summer

January 2020 Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 31, Number 1

Guides to catching mangrove jack

Mackerel start moving

Making the most of Moreton Bay

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Inside this month Mackerel

Crabs on foot

P12

Reef fish

P22 Fresh water

P57

P43

by SEAN CONLON

a bit would know I like to use Gobblygoop as a fish attractant. Well I tried to buy the business but I couldn’t persuade the owners to sell. The good news is I have become a distributor of the product, so over the next 12 months we’re going to see if we can get it

OUR COVER

CHRIS JENOUR captured these beautiful red emperor weighing about 7.5kg and 6.5kg in 25m of water. Chris and his mates were fishing 30km from the Dundee Beach boat ramp in the Northern Territory. Freshly caught bait enticed the big reds.

Ben Collins Daniel Tomlinson Kacie Hubbert 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

E TUR FU

* continued P4

EDITOR: SUBEDITOR: ADVERTISING: PRODUCTION:

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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 31. See subscription form on Page 60 to go in the draw to win one of three SICUT Fisherman’s premium knife packages valued at $119 each.

onto shelves. Those who get it from me will be able to do so a little easier because I should have more product available. So keep your eye out for Gobblygoop. It’s a bit exciting and I hope it goes well. On the fishing front, I’ve done a number of fishing tuition courses both off and on water this month. The weather has been reasonable and we’ve been able to get out, though some days it’s been marginal and a bit blowy. We’ve been able to deal with that by fishing with wind and tide in the same direction and using the high tides to get protection around the mangrove line. As always at this time of year, the fishing can be a mixed bag and sometimes the target species doesn’t end up on the end of the line. I had young Stu out for an on-water tuition session this month and the target species to start with was flathead on the low tide. We met at the ramp at 5.30am to catch the bottom of the tide. We headed out from Redland Bay all geared up to get ourselves a few flatties. First we trolled for no success. The water temperature was quite warm at 26C. I find this a little hot for targeting flathead in the shallows, which is why they become harder to catch this way in summer. We decided to pull up in front of a drain and do some casting. This drain had plenty of bait around it, and I moved away from it so we could cast back to it. I noticed in 2m of water there was a nice show

ATI ON

Southern Moreton Bay

It’s been an interesting year for me, starting up Sean Conlon’s Fishing Charters and Tuition and leaving Moreton Bay Charters. I am now completely separate to Moreton Bay Charters, with a young fella by the name of Steve running that now. My sights are set on getting the teaching side of my charters up and running. Those who deal with me

HAT’S 2019 done and dusted.

FIS

Making the most of southern Moreton Bay

PRO TE CT

Pat picked up this southern bay squire while learning how to troll Zerek Ripper Divers for them.

Southern Moreton Bay...............by Sean Conlon....................................P3 What’s biting in Moreton Bay...by Brian Webb......................................P7 Fishing the 37-fathom line............ by Bill Corten............................................P10 Prawning and crabbing................. by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson.....................P12 Northern Moreton Bay................... by Mark Templeton................................P14 Summer sand crabs....................by Mick Clutterbuck.........................P16 Bait for bumper jacks.................by Keith Stratford...............................P18 High-speed action........................... by Darren Rama.......................................P19 Broadwater Guide........................... by Clint Ansell..........................................P20 Mackerel off to a good start.....by Heath Zygnerski...........................P22 Trolling for jacks..........................by Brad Smith.....................................P23 Tweed to Byron............................by Gavin Dobson................................P24 Ballina action heating up............. by Brett Hyde............................................P25 Pelagics visit Sunny Coast........by Grant Budd.....................................P26 The real cost of fires...................by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson.................P28 Recipe.............................................by Melissa Frohloff...........................P28 Hervey Bay fast fish....................by Tri Ton..............................................P29 Mangrove jack mayhem............by Joel Johnson.................................P30 Tide Times......................................................................................................P32 Bundaberg Region.......................by Brad Young....................................P32 Fishing trip to Swain Reefs.......... by Daniel Tomlinson..............................P33 Competition Dates.......................................................................................P33 Puzzle page....................................................................................................P35 Readers Forum..............................................................................................P36 Boating & Marine..................................................................................P38-40 Insights into boat insurance.....by Nautilus Marine...........................P39 What to expect for 2020................. by Gary Churchward..............................P41 Capricorn Coast............................by John Boon............................................P42 Hinchinbrook News....................by Team Crackajack.........................P43 Charter Directory..................................................................................P44-45 Angling on Cape York.................by Ryan Jamieson.............................P46 Gulf country magic.......................... by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon.......................P47 Reasons to hire a guide.............by Dave Donald..................................P48 Torres Strait turns it on...............by Matt Potter.....................................P49 Stradbroke Island escape.........by Greg Bell........................................P51 Outback adventure.......................... by Craig Tomkinson................................P52 Caravanning trip...........................by Todd Eveleigh...............................P53 Finding barra in hot weather....by Jamie Bein.....................................P54 Warm temps fire up fish.............by Matt Langford................................P55 Lure fishing Lake Lenthall.........by Robert Payne.................................P56 Fishing for Sport...........................by Neil Schultz...................................P57 Glenlyon Dam................................by Brian Dare......................................P58 Trading Post..................................................................................................P59 Subscription form.......................................................................................P60

HIN G T R A D E

OW, 2020 is here already!

Let’s hope it is a cracker, or at least a bit better than 2019. Not that it was all bad for me, especially my bucket-list trip to the Swain Reefs, but with the country facing severe drought and fires, which I believe directly impact the fishing, it was a bit of a rough ride for recreational anglers. Combined with what seemed like relentless wind (especially when I was able to get out in the boat), it certainly made for trying times throughout the year. Throw in fishing regulation changes that directly impact recreational anglers and we have had a whole spectrum of things to deal with. On the regulations, debate seems to be continuing, especially for the commercial sector, as they are apparently not supporting their part of this process, according to Sunfish chairman Jeff Ahchay. This news is extremely disappointing, and I urge everyone to email Mark Furner (agriculture@ministerial.qld.gov.au) asking him to get the Bill into the January sitting to be processed. It is pointless only having the recreational anglers adhere to the Harvest Strategy because the commercial allocation was a big part of this process. Once again, it looks like the commercial sector has slapped recreational anglers in the face in their attempt to derail the sustainable management process. For an industry that is only take, the commercial fishos should be at the forefront and making sure this happens. Instead it looks like they may weasel out of it, which happened last time there was a review. These actions from the commercial sector will only divide the fishing industry and jeopardise the sustainability of fish stocks. I also fear that if the government isn’t insistent on ensuring the commercial sector fall in line, there may be some rule-breaking from recreational anglers, especially because the industry is basically selfregulated due to the ratio of fisheries officers to anglers. I’m definitely not condoning this, but it doesn’t make sense to have a management plan and only implement half of it – that just won’t work. Hopefully we will have clarity on this before the next edition goes to print. On that note, if you want to keep up to date with what’s biting from week to week, read about current news, fishing fines and other timely information, make sure you jump on our website and sign up to our free e-news, which comes out every Friday. Subscriber numbers are increasing fast and the feedback regarding the e-news is very positive. As always, now is the time to make a few new resolutions. While mine seem to be the same every year (go fishing and camping more), I have high hopes of them becoming a reality in 2020. If one of your plans for the new year is to buy a boat, I’d start looking now. Some awesome deals are getting around on new boats and motors, so strike while the iron is hot and save a few hard-earned dollars. Lastly, I hope everyone manages to catch up with family and friends over the holiday period, wet a line, soak a crab pot and basically enjoy some time on the water. Stay safe and all the best for a prosperous 2020. Be safe on the water. Ben Collins

November prizewinners

Congratulations to Dominic Fry, Doonan; John Gray, Pottsville; and Eoin Henderson, Victoria Point who have each won an awesome Tide Apparel pack valued at $119!

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 3

Making the most of southern Moreton Bay * from P3

Rods: The new Wilson Blade N Tails rods and ATC Virtuous reels. The author can’t wait to get these out on the boat and catch a few fish on them.

Pat learnt a few different techniques to catch flathead in southern Moreton Bay.

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on the sounder, so I positioned the boat even further back. The plan was to cast back to where the fish were showing on the Lowrance. We tied on a couple of Zerek Live Minnow Flash Wrigglys and second cast in Stu hooked up. The fish went pretty hard on 6lb line in the shallows, so we quickly figured it probably wasn’t a flathead. After a few nice runs and a good fight in the shallows, a 39cm squire was in the net. I will take that as bycatch for flathead any day of the week. As the tide started to rise, we left that area to chase squire on the rubble grounds. We worked with the sounder and I showed Stu how to use a structure overlay to show where he had searched for ground and what he was looking for over rubble. Once we found the ground we were after, we decided to fish it. We did a few drifts over the rubble ground and started picking up squire, with Stu getting some nice ones in the high30cm range. I was lucky enough to pick up a 50cm fish, which was great fun on the 6lb line and 2-4kg rod. All in all we had a great little session and Stu learnt a fair bit along on the way. I also had a charter with Deano and Storm. Conditions were not ideal (to say the least), but the boys only had that weekend to head out. We made an early start at the ramp and headed out into 15-20 knots from the north. The one thing we did have going for us was the wind and tide were running in the same direction. The boys wanted to learn how to chase squire/ snapper by trolling hardbodies and casting soft plastics on hard rubble ground. We did the usual trick of using the sounder to find rubble ground and then we trolled hard-bodies in these areas to catch a few

undersize fish. We moved on to drifting over the rubble with soft plastics. The boys caught a few small fish and learnt the technique. The wind started to really pick up to a solid 20 knots and it was getting quite lumpy, when all of a sudden young Storm hooked up to a solid fish. We had to chase it a bit using the electric motor and the fish gave Storm quite a good fight. It had him running around the boat a few times and then we saw it on the surface to be identified as a solid little GT. It sure gave Storm a run for his money on 6lb gear. After taking his time and with a bit of patience on the light gear, and especially in the sloppy conditions, Storm had the fish under control beside the boat and I had it in the net. The solid 2-3kg GT was a cracking by-catch while chasing snapper on rubble ground in the shallows around the southern bay islands. The one thing I must add is all fish caught on these two charters fell to Zerek Flash Wrigglys. They’ve been great lures lately. Both charters didn’t go quite to plan but we still caught fish and that’s the aim of the game. On another occasion I took Cliff on a training day and he wanted to chase flathead, so we went to the right areas on low tide and fished three drains. Before we knew it a nice 62cm lizard was in the boat with not a lot of effort by following the basic rules. During another on-water tuition session I went out with Pat who wanted to learn how and where to target snapper/squire and flathead, and we chased jewfish as well. We fished the shallows

for flatties and then when the tide was right trolled hard-bodies over the right ground for Pat to pick up a nice 48cm squire on a Zerek Ripper Diver. Next we went to an area I knew was holding jewfish at the right part of the tide. We sounded around until I found a nice patch of fish on the Lowrance, so we put the electric on spot lock. We then tied on Zerek Fish Traps in colours to suit the water clarity. Dropping our lures to the depth the sounder was telling us fish were holding at, we used technique and patience to pick up a nice jewfish. I wasn’t able to get Pat onto one but at least what we saw on the sounder we caught. Now he knows what to look for, so he can go out later and put all this into practice. Hopefully he’ll have some luck on these fish too. As you likely know, I’ve had the Wilson Magnum range of rods and ATC reels on my boat for quite a few years. They have served my clients and me well, catching plenty of fish.

Some new Wilson Fishing products are in town now and it was time to make a change. Prior to writing this article I gave myself an early Christmas present and loaded my boat with the new Wilson Blade N Tails rods and ATC Virtuous reels. They look great and have a wide range for all types of fishing. The rods I’ve put on my boat are the 6’10”, 4-8lb one-piece for trolling Zerek Tango Shads and Bulldog Cranks; 7’, 4-8lb one-piece for casting lightly weighted plastics for flatties; 7’, 6-12lb one-piece for casting soft plastics and trolling hard-bodies for snapper/ squire; and 6’8” 6-20lb for chasing flathead in deeper water and jewfish on Fish Traps and big soft plastics with larger jig heads. I’ve matched these with ATC Virtuous 2000 spin reels on the 4-8lb rods and 3000 spin reels on the 6-12lb and 6-20lb rods. I just can’t wait to get out on the water and catch fish on them. Go and check them out at your closest Wilson Fishing dealer. You never know, if you

drop enough last-minute hints to family members you might get some under the tree this year. I’ll have more on these rods and reels in the new year when we get them out on the water and into a few fish. I know this edition hits stands just before Christmas Day, so that’s it for me for 2019. Let’s bring on 2020 and I’m looking forward to it, with new business opportunities and challenges on the horizon. Have a very merry Christmas and happy and safe New Year. 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? Remember: knowledge is the key. If you’re interested in any off or on-water tuition classes or you just want to do a charter, don’t be afraid to give me a call on 0432 386 307 or send me an email at seanconlons fishing@hotmail.com You can also check out the Sean Conlon’s Fishing Charters and Tuition Facebook page. Until next month, stay safe on the water.

A nice flathead caught on a Zerek Fish Deano boated a squire over rubble Trap. ground on a Flash Wriggly.

Tick all the boxes and catch more fish! FISHING TUITION

WITH SEAN CONLON

Stu with an early morning low tide squire nabbed while attempting to catch flathead.

Storm with a southern Moreton Bay trevor caught on 6lb gear and a Flash Wriggly.

John hooked a cod on a Zerek Live Minnow Flash Wriggly.

Cliff captured a 62cm flatty while learning how to chase these fish with the right techniques.

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

0432 386 307 seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

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World-class fishing experience not a passing FAD

UEENSLAND fishers are set to reel in a great catch with the installation of 10 new fishattracting devices off southeast Queensland recently.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the FADs are floating buoys tethered offshore to attract fish. “We’re creating a worldclass experience by investing $1 million in these structures that will attract sportfish species including mahi mahi (dolphinfish), cobia and mackerel,” Mr Furner said. “The added benefit of

making it more likely that you’ll hook one of these species is it takes some of the pressure off snapper and pearl perch, which are currently overfished and stocks are very low. “These FADs have been installed in 10 locations from Double Island Point to the Gold Coast by Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol from its vessel KI Ross.” Mr Furner said almost one million Queenslanders had enjoyed recreational fishing at least once over the past year, making the sector an important driver of jobs and tourism. “A few weeks ago we

asked fishers to have their say on the proposed locations and suggestions for other places to install these FADs and 90 percent of respondents said they loved the idea,” he said. “There has been an overwhelming response from the public to the program. “We’ll take some of their suggestions for other locations for these struc-

tures to talk to potential partners who may be interested in matching funding to expand the program in southeast Queensland or more widely. “We believe this initiative will help strengthen world-class recreational fishing in Queensland while giving snapper and pearl perch stocks an opportunity to rebuild. “By encouraging rec-

reational fishers to target species other than snapper and pearl perch, we can ensure a sustainable fishery for our children and grandchildren so they can enjoy fishing for these iconic Queensland species for years to come.” Member for Sandgate Stirling Hinchliffe said fishing was an important part of the Queensland way of life. “My own community includes thousands of recreational fishers and it is great to see us creating more opportunities for them to enjoy fishing,” Mr Hinchliffe said. “It is important for local jobs in this community and many others along the Queensland coast, from bait and tackle shops to accommodation and tourism operations. GPS locations of the FADs are available at fisheries.qld.gov.au and will be promoted through Fisheries Queensland’s social media. FADs are for the benefit and enjoyment of all and we remind people not to moor on the FADs and be courteous to other people fishing in the area.

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RUHLE Great Barrier Reef health update TRAILERS Photos: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

HE Great Barrier Reef remains a vibrant, beautiful ecosystem of immense value to Australians and the world and continues to attract millions of visitors each year.

However, like other coral reefs globally, the Reef is under pressure from climate change and other threats. Climate change impacts on coral reefs are predicted to worsen and critically affect the survival of coral reefs globally without the strong-

est possible climate change mitigation. The Reef is already experiencing the consequences of climate change – most notably, two consecutive years of coral bleaching in 2016 and 2017. Our climate is changing year by year, causing changes in the Reef ecosystem. The Reef is under pressure, which makes it more vulnerable to possible impacts, particularly over summer and cyclone season. Global action on cli-

Letter from Sunfish to Fisheries Minister n Commercial fishers

EAR Minister, I understand the Bill to go to Cabinet on December 9, 2019 to progress the commercial allocation process for the Harvest Strategy has been further delayed.

It is very important to get this Bill into the January sitting to be progressed. The recreational sector has co-operated with the process and has accepted a large reduction in catch of both snapper and pearl perch which could be as high as half their catch in an effort to conserve these species. Now we hear the commercial sector is not supporting their part of this process. The plan will not work if only the recreational secwww.bnbfishing.com. au

tor is restricted. Please do not allow the commercial sector to derail this sustainable management process. The LNP will side with the commercial fishing sector as they always do, but this is one of the reasons they have occupied the opposition benches for so long. Yours sincerely, Jeff Ahchay Chairman Sunfish Moreton Branch If you would like to add your support to see the commercial fishing sector’s changes under the Harvest Strategy implemented, please email Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner at agriculture@minis terial.qld.gov.au

mate change is vital and urgent. Australia has ratified the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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Leo’s blackspot tuskfish from the Bulwer ledge.

What’s biting in Moreton Bay

HOPE everyone is enjoying the Christmas break and has been able to get out on the water.

A few squid have been about in Moreton Bay, which you will notice if walking the rock walls or casting close to shoreline weed beds. A lot of tigers have been coming off the rock walls at

Moreton Bay by BRIAN WEBB

Scarborough, Sandstone Point, Sandgate and Manly as well as the mouth of the Brisbane River along the new rock wall. Boaties have been scoring squid around the Sandhills on

Moreton Island, Crab Island, the Rainbow Channel and the eastern side of Mud Island. Yamashita jigs have worked best. * continued P8

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Tim’s spanish mackerel from the top of the bay.

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Doggy mackerel from the bottom of the Pearl Channel.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 7

What’s biting in Moreton Bay * from P7

Diver whiting are being taken around the cockle banks, Koopa Channel, across near Amity Banks and Fishermans Gutter, while summer whiting have come off Pelican Banks and at the mouth of Hayes Inlet. Bream are in Pumicestone Passage, on the shallow reef off Scarborough, in the Caboolture River and tributaries into Hayes Inlet, the rock walls in the Brisbane River and at the mouth of Bulimba Creek. You’ll also catch them around Mud and the pylons at Dunwich, the top of Potts Point, Raby Bay shoreline, Tingalpa Creek and the shoreline at Cleveland Point. Sand crabs are around in good numbers from the Pearl Channel across to Scarborough and Mud Island up to the shipping channel. The Rous Channel banks often produces a few at the end of December. Mud crab numbers have been very poor, mainly due to the lack of rain needed to flush the creeks out. Even the prawns have been quiet in the Logan and Pine rivers, so it’s worth trying the mouth of Bogey Creek, Nudgee Creek and just north of the North Pine Bridge. If you’re looking for bull sharks, the Brisbane River is full of them at present,

The odd school of spotties can be found.

from the boat passage up to Breakfast Creek. Use big baits on 7/0-8/0 circle hooks and you’re a good show of snaring one. The circles makes them easier to release. Some reasonable snapper are still about, from the top end of the shipping channel around the measured mile and Mud’s eastern contours. Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef is producing squire, as are the Wellington Point shallows and the eastern side of Green Island. The Brisbane River snapper have dropped off and are mainly around the pylons under the shipping wharves, so you have to cast a fair distance to get to them. While in the river, the odd threadfin salmon has come from the mouth of Boggy Creek and across towards the terminal drop-offs. They’re even up as far as the mouth of Breakfast Creek. Live baits have been doing the damage while dead baits have not been touched. Grass sweetlip haven’t been bad on the Wello drop-offs, eastern side of Green and Mud islands and around Myora in the Rainbow. While in the Rainbow, it’s worth trying for spangled emperor, a few tuskies are hanging around the ledge north of Myora.

Coochiemudlo and Peel artificial reefs and the northern end of Peel have given up a few grassies and squire too. Plenty of mack tuna are about. They have been busting the surface from Peel up to the four beacons and across to Mud. Doggy mackerel are best chased in the Rainbow and at the top and bottom of the Pearl Channel. The odd one is coming off the four beacons and the m1 and m2 beacons further north. There was even a school off the eastern side of Mud just prior to writing. You wouldn’t believe it, but while chasing doggies near the measured mile beacons, we came across another school we thought were doggies but they turned out to be spotties. It was the first and only school we’ve heard about in the bay so far this

summer, and it was hard to get them to take a chrome slug. We managed just one from the school. Give them to the end of January and they should be about in better numbers. A mate was trolling one of the new VibVib lures from Bulwer towards the Wild Banks and managed to land a nice spanish mackerel. There’s also been reports of a few cobia around the structure at Wild Banks. Don’t forget, if you have a good photo of your catch, send it in to the Bush ‘n Beach Facebook page with your name and where you caught it and it could be printed in the Readers Forum. If you have any queries about the bay and its species, drop me a line at brian.webb12@bigpond. com and I will answer it for you.

Bream on plastics from the shallows at Mud Island.

Some good snapper are still about.

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Squid and prawns from Moreton Bay.

Plenty of sand crabs are around.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 9

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Four-way hook-ups are not uncommon on the 37s.

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ELL it’s that time of year again where it is the holiday edition and rather than reflect on the year that was, let’s be more proactive because a lot of frustrated fishers will be out there looking to wet a line after the big run of northerly wind we have had.

When looking to fish the bottom for reef fish at this time of year, one of the most overlooked locations is the 37-fathom line seaward of Moreton Island. Not frequently spoken about, it doesn’t tend to

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Offshore by BILL CORTEN

fire for much of the year, but is a personal favourite at the end of the season when the weather heats up and the fishing pressure on the reef reduces. It is home to a broad mix of species and certainly has its productive days if you are prepared to invest the time. Many will ask where the 37s are. Well a good starting point is to keep an eagle eye out for an oval-shaped outline of reef line when heading northeast towards Square Patch after you have crossed the top end of the 35s and its associated back ledges. That will put you somewhere around -27.15000; 153.36000. That reef line is quite extensive, running some kilometres to the north and south and flattens out more when you move along past the central high region. It is a good place to explore and floatline for a big late-season snapper around the steeper dropoffs. You can also live bait for kingfish and amberjack in the vicinity of the bait aggregations hanging around the random pinnacles you find by idling around, and it’s certainly home to cracking pearl perch and parrotfish as well as schools of hussar. Teraglin are an option towards the northernmost sections and when you are landing blackspot pigfish and/or maori cod, you know that area hasn’t been fished much of late. To successfully fish the 37s at this time of year, you just need to hit it on a day when the current isn’t running too fast. If you think you can beat

the current by anchoring and fishing heavy sinkers, it just isn’t worth the effort. When the current makes a gurgling noise as it passes the transom after you have anchored, you will need a minimum of a kilogram of lead to stay somewhere near the fish and they are hard work winding in against all that current. On the light current days, you can either work long drifts or anchor on the better pieces of fishholding structure. Moving away from the reef line east or west and working up and down while sounding at speed will yield a number of isolated pinnacles and dropoffs that can be accurately saved on a sounder/GPS combo as you travel, then come back and work them over to see what they are holding on the day. This is not the reef system for full bag limit catches, but if you’d like the opportunity to find your own piece of reef that holds good-quality fish, then the 37s is a fun place. Sometimes early in the season the southern sections hold good schools of pearl perch and while not usually big fish, they are consistently there around April and May. The middle sections at that time of year often have big aggregations of baitfish and I can recall one particular occasion when it was a club fishing day and we hooked multiple small black marlin while floatlining for snapper under the baitfish. The little blacks were on top of the bait hammering away and we cut them off because they were not a

species for weigh-in back in those days. What I am saying is, expect the unexpected while working around locations like this. Jigging can work very well on the 37s for amberjack, kings and pearl perch. I recently took a group of friends to the 37s on a very light wind/light current day and we had a ball just working our way around zig-zagging a 2km-plus stretch of reef. I have come to know these guys well over the years of working Reel Affair. On this trip, there were occasions where three and four of us were hooked up simultaneously, sometimes on jigs and sometimes with big baits. The kings and amberjack liked the jigs and it was nice to see some kingies in the catch because they have really been hammered around Square Patch. It was fun until some sharks moved in and be-

came costly enough with jig losses for us to want to move on and work baits and flutter jigs on flatter sections of the reef and the more isolated pinnacles. The flutter jigs that had a sprinkling of luminescence mixed in went well initially with that lift and drop action pearl perch seem to be a sucker for. But as the wind started to come in from the north, making the drift faster, it was harder to get the jigs into the right zone for long enough. Then a couple of much bigger pearlies came up on baits, so of course everyone wanted to switch to baits. Funny thing, we got as many pearlies on one particular pinnacle that day as I have seen pulled off it in total over the past few years. The unpredictability and curiosity factor of that reef system draws me back there. Find the right day and * continued P11

George landed this cracking pearl perch on a bait about 2km north of the start point on the same reef line.

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A guide to fishing the 37-fathom line * from P10

have a good play. At this time of year I usually provide an update on South Passage Bar because a lot of people want to fish out of there during holiday season. At the time of writing, two fun little channels are quite usable on a small swell day to the north of Short Point on Moreton Island. They are useful if heading north for the day and are popular on the run-out tide because that long run up the ‘shingles’ inside the bar is smooth while the tide ebbs. In the middle of the bar, the safest water when

there is a swell to be respectful of is north of the big sand island, slap bang in the middle. Usually by this time of year the northerlies have built up loads of sand around it so it sticks out of the water as an obvious sand island at high tide. Not so this year. The sand island is covered by a big expanse of shallow white water at high tide and quickly becomes obvious as the tide ebbs. Expect to see plenty of migratory birds resting there around the lower sections of the tide and you will need to hug it tightly as you work past it on the western side to find the deepest water

Luke with a nice pearl perch slowly jigged around the depth they were holding on the sounder.

and ditto as you reach its northwest corner and immediately start heading seaward. Stick to the deep water without straying too far northeast. South of the sand island is the false middle channel. It starts off in very deep water and quickly funnels into shallower water, with big shallow banks immediately out the front where a charter boat rolled over a couple of years ago. A solid flick of the helm to starboard after passing the initial white water when outbound should get you into safer water, providing the swell is tiny, or during the top of the tide if there is a nice swell. Not as safe an option as the area to the north of the sand island, it is favoured by the deeper-draft boats and trawlers because they are less likely to bottom out. The southern channel around from Amity Point is interesting. It is the shallowest channel on the bar, but the one most skippers tend to use due to its proximity to the fishing grounds, and it carries the greatest level of risk. Even on a small swell day you need to be careful navigating that region because of the shallow sandbanks. I shudder when I see skippers heading straight out the front, not following the deeper water on a high tide of a morn-

ing and wonder if they actually know their way around and what they will be thinking if trying to head home across the same area at low tide. Do the homework and stick to the deeper water on this southern channel and remember at the lower end of the tide it can and will be very different to how it looks at high tide. I did a recent day offshore in Reel Affair with its new owner showing him how to squeeze the most out of the sounders and other electronic systems as well as tune the boat for the best ride out of the old girl. We went through the southern channel in about 15 knots of northerly wind on the top of the tide. It was pleasant heading out and plenty of shallow high spots with white water were visible. When we came back later, the spring tide was ebbing strongly and despite less than a metre of northerly wind slop, the inside of the bar had deteriorated considerably and the width of the available channel had markedly decreased. A lot of sand has been deposited on the inside of the southern channel by the incessant northerlies. This is a normal part of the annual cycle around the bar, but be wary if you haven’t been through there for a while and extra wary if the swell is out of the east.

A log on with the volunteer groups prior to and after crossing would be very prudent, as would donning a lifejacket before making the crossing. We often get big swells around Christmas/New Year, so do some careful trip planning if heading offshore. On a brighter note, those big early season swells tend to gouge a lot of sand out of the inside sections of the bar and regularise the shape of the channels, so that will be a good thing after it happens. A merry Christmas to all our loyal readers. Tight lines and be careful crossing the coastal bars.

Allan Huang with a jig-caught kingy on an overcast glassy morning.

George was all smiles with pearl perch of this quality.

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Prawning and crabbing the shallows – prawns and muddies on foot in Moreton Bay

T is that time again.

Time to hunt prawns and mud crabs. Nothing new about that over summertime, but this is prawning and crabbing with a difference – from the shore in Brisbane’s Moreton Bay. For our NSW readers, you would be familiar with the favourite summer pastime of chasing greasyback, eastern king and tiger prawns in the estuaries. This typically involves waiting for the prawns to

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Searching the shallows for more prawns.

Fishing Tips by SEAN ‘SKIP’ THOMPSON

‘run’ towards the entrance of the estuaries (whether they are open or closed) on a new moon night. They are caught with a prawn scoop net and spotted using an underwater prawning light attached to a battery either carried on a floating tube or via a small motorcycle battery in a backpack. Likewise, readers from the north would be familiar with the summer practice of being able to cast net banana prawns schooled in the shallow surf areas and estuaries in mid to late summer. However, my style of Moreton Bay land-based prawning is very different. Rather than waiting for the prawns to come to you in waist-deep water, these bay and tiger prawns are much more dispersed and less active. These prawns are best chased at low tide at night on the Moreton Bay flats, particularly those flats with patches of seagrass and sandy or muddy bottoms. These prawns are in water between ankle and thigh deep. On high tide, the water is too deep and the prawns too dispersed, especially around bayside locations where the high tide comes right up to the rock walls. Prawn locations While I only prawn in my local Wynnum North to Lota area, I can’t see why any of the shallow sand/mud flats with weed interspersed wouldn’t be worth a try from Victoria Point to Wynnum North. It may be productive to try further north and south too. Be mobile As prawns in the Moreton Bay shallows are usually found in patches, sometimes this means wading several-hundred metres in shallow water in one night to find concentrations of them. As a result, underwater lights, designed for lighting up prawns in a relatively close proximity in deeper water, are largely ineffective. When prawning the shallows, you are scanning in the dark looking for the tell-tale sign of

bright red beady eyes, and the bigger, the better! Powerful headlamps are the best option to aid this search. Occasionally, you strike it lucky and the bottom is lit up like a Christmas tree, but this is more the exception than the rule. For the sort of light you need on the water, I have found commercial headlamps largely unproductive and so use a DIY headlamp built into a cap and connected to a 12V battery. To make your own headlamp, all you need is an old cap and a few bits and pieces from a store such as Jaycar Electronics. See the attached picture and fact box on what you’ll need to make your own. These headlamps are run from 12V 9A batteries I carry around in a small backpack, along with a screwdriver and light battery-operated headlamp for any running repairs. Basically, you just want to screw a hole in the peak of your cap and attach the bendable bar to it with the screw. The bar should be fitted in an L shape to the cap tip so you can clamp the bi-pin lamp connector (connected to the cable) to your LED lamp. You also screw another hole in the cap peak to attach the on/off switch that also connects to the electrical wire. The other end of the wire is fitted with the bat-

tery terminal clips. The snap-lock ties are to keep it all tidy. Other pieces of necessary equipment are two prawn scoop nets (available from tackle shops), thick-soled shoes and a soft Esky or shoulder bag to carry your prawns in. Waders are not necessary in summertime and in fact the heavy soles from waders tend to stir the muddy bottom up, making it hard to see the prawns. An Alvey Dry Pack is a handy addition to carry any keys, phone and so on zipped up and secure in your backpack in case you need to place your backpack on the wet ground when changing batteries at any stage. Catching prawns The trick with this method of prawning is using two prawn nets to maximise your success rate. I have checked with both Fisheries Queensland and Parks and Wildlife (responsible for the Moreton Bay Marine park), who confirmed it is legal to use two scoop nets. The nets just need to

be in your control, not staked, and their size must conform to the current regulations. Once you have spotted the prawn, you want to get your nets in position to give you the best chance of capturing it. For prawns sitting on the bottom, the most successful technique is to place your nets at a 90-degree angle to the prawn. In other words, place the nets side on to the prawn’s body. The trick is to make sure you get close to the prawn and bring the nets together on the bottom quickly and you will catch it in either net. Given the length of the scoop net, you can then carry around a few caught prawns in the bottom of the net until you transfer them to your cooler bag or Esky on your shoulder. Timing Best prawning times are from late-November to the end of March in Moreton Bay. The key factors for a successful night are a hot * continued P13

They are tied up now, but carrying four big angry muddies and plenty of prawns needs careful placement in your shoulder bag so they don’t crunch you or each other.

The author with a great mix of crabs and prawns.

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Prawning and crabbing the shallows – prawns and muddies on foot in Moreton Bay or new moon. The best time of tide is from about two hours before low to two hours after low. This means, based on the rule of twelfths for tides, you would be prawning in a maximum of 2/12 or 1/6 of the tide’s height. At this time the prawns are in the shallows and easily accessible. See the tide rule of twelfths attached. Muddies on foot A huge bonus when wading the flats for prawns over summer is coming across a mud crab either sitting outside its rocky or muddy burrow or walking along the flats looking for food. You will be surprised by how many you see. To catch the crab, again you can use one net to spook it into the other net. Another option is to place the butt of the net on top of the crab and meas-

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A close-up of the author’s DIY headlamp setup.

Another night, another mixed bag.

Scooping muddies on foot is a real buzz and bonus when land-based prawning.

S E D BY

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HOR AUT B ✩ BN

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Tides and the rule of twelfths The amount of tide movement in each hour of the tide after high or low 1st hour 1/12 2nd hour 2/12 3rd hour 3/12 4th hour 3/12 5th hour 2/12 6th hour 1/12

netting banana prawns in a boat, I prefer this style of prawning for a number of reasons. It is a greater challenge, you are under the stars and away from the crowds and you can catch the odd mud crab or three as a bonus. The kids also love it and it is great exercise! For more tips, advice and giveaways, check out my Ontour Fishing Australia Facebook and Instagram pages. Until next month – bag your mates, not your limit!

you see and hear a lot of things and get a few bumps into your legs and splashes behind you in the dark. You will see stingrays, crabs and a range of other species. Thick-soled reef shoes are a must for protection. While I have only ever spotted two small sharks in the shallows where I prawn in over 10 years, I have no intention to chase prawns any deeper than thigh level to find out if more are out there. While you may not catch as many prawns as cast

It’s nice when the summer northerlies back off to allow you to catch a feed of tigers.

ure it or pick it up by the flippers with your hands, but I don’t recommend this to anyone not experienced in crab handling. Once you’ve established it’s a buck, use your crab measure to ensure it is at least 15cm from point to point (in Queensland). Likewise, check the crab has plenty of meat and is not empty. You can look for a few things. Don’t take a crab that has: • An army green-coloured, clean shell (that is, free of growth or barnacles) and sharp ‘teeth’ on the claws. • Any movement when you gently press the top of the shell. • Any movement when you press the underside next to the second leg on either side of the body. Another place to search for crabs is the entrance to their rocky burrows. If you are lucky, you will spot one outside its burrow, and if quick enough with a net behind it, you can scoop it and measure it! A word of warning It is important to add a few words of caution. Prawning at night on foot in Moreton Bay is not for everyone. You need to trudge across over 100m of boggy mud flats and sink to your shins to get there in many places. It is also very dark and

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* from P12

day and calm night so the water is not disturbed by wind chop. The less wind chop on the water, the clearer the water and the further away you can spot them. You want to be looking for wind of less than 15 knots, but ideally less than 10 knots for clearer water and less ripples. Before you head out, check the Fish Ranger app for the latest localised ‘on the water’ wind readings. I choose Fish Ranger over many of the other popular forecasts because it has on the water forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology and the latest US GIS model as opposed to land-based forecasts of the other models. The other great thing about prawning the Moreton Bay shallows is it is not moon-dependent. The prawns will be there regardless of a full

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 13

Spend the holidays on Moreton Bay

HERE are you going fishing during the holidays?

John and his friends from the bay.

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Moreton Bay provides so many locations for you and the family to explore and enjoy during the holiday period, whether it’s to spend the day or even just a few hours of quality time with the family. Pumicestone Passage, Red Beach, Skirmish Point and even surf side Bribie Island really should be on the to-do list over the holidays. You do not need a fourwheel-drive to have a great time on Bribie, but if you have a permit, Second Lagoon holds some wonderful views of the bay and Moreton Island. Get the kids to chase down pipis (watch the new possession limit of 30) because they can have a lot of fun catching them and you get instant fresh bait. Whiting, bream and dart are all great fun for the kids when using light gear and the beach is an untapped resource when it comes to fun for the kids. Redcliffe Jetty and Woody Point Jetty are two great places to visit and they are both child friendly, providing shelter from the sun and toilet facilities close by. Set up the kids with a ‘bait challenge’. Give them a bait jig or fish trap and see who catches the best bait. You get the advantage of being able to use the bait as well.

Northern Moreton Bay by MARK TEMPLETON

One jetty that is going well and producing a great range of fish is Shorncliffe Pier. You just don’t know what it is going to produce next. Recently we have seen queenfish, jewfish and mackerel carving up the baitfish in the area and they are awesome sportfish on light gear. Nine-year-old Tom went out to Shorncliffe Pier for the morning with mum Annie and the family and had a cracker time. His best result was a moses snapper he proudly had his photo taken with. Well done Tom and well done Annie for braving the early start without her morning coffee! We see a lot of bread and butter species being caught by the kids from this pier, including bream, whiting, flathead, cod, butterfish, toadfish and my favourite: garfish. Gar would have to be one of the easiest fish for kids to chase. You just need light gear with a small pencil or bobby float, a size 12 Mustad long-shank hook, a tiny bit of beach or bloodworm or prawn and you are set. Once you catch gar, you can put them straight back out either under a float or as I prefer, unweighted, to chase mackerel, jewies and other predatory fish. Gar also make an awe-

some cut bait for bream, flathead and snapper. Even the old mangrove jack have found them hard to resist over the years. If piers are not your thing and you want a spot that is a little quieter, give our local creeks and rivers a go. These areas often have less shade for the kids but with the help of a broadbrim hat and sunscreen, a great day out can still be achieved. Cabbage Tree Creek, the Pine River and Caboolture River have a few great areas that are family friendly and easily accessible by family vehicle. Deep Water Bend has family facilities, barbecues, playgrounds and plenty of shaded areas. Dohles Rocks, Brighton foreshore, Margate Beach and Queens Beach are awesome places to unwind for the day or a few hours. Generally plenty of whiting, bream and flathead can be found within target range for the kids. If you are venturing out into Moreton Bay, make sure you take at least one rod a bit heavier than the rest.

January will produce a few cracker catches of the speed demons spanish mackerel, dolphinfish, wahoo and GTs. Some of the lads from Tackle Land have been out and about. I gave Ian a day off and he did well inside the bay, landing three nice mackerel. Dave and Jono also found three fish at the end of their fishing day, which put a few meals of fresh mackerel on the table for the family. John went out on a solo trip and soon became friends with a longtail and a few mackies as well.

Well done to the lads! If you need more ideas on taking the kids fishing over the holidays, jump onto our website and have a read of the articles written by our customers, which could save you bit of a headache: tackleland. com.au/posts Before you hit the water, double check your safety gear for serviceability and check the dates on your flares because if your gear is not up to speed, it will not save you or your family when it has to. Enjoy the time spent together and maintain the passion!

Tom was stoked with this moses snapper.

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Ian (Chewie) with a mackerel from Moreton Bay.

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Jono and Dave nabbed some mackerel.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 15

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Cable tying the chafing rope ends to secure them.

Sussing out sand crabs over summer

HE weather has been pretty ordinary of late, so no one has been able to get out on an official club meet over the weekends, which is pretty much the norm at this time of year.

While the weekends have been off, some good weather has been enjoyed during the week and a few of the retired members have taken advantage and ducked out chasing sand crabs, getting some really good hauls. Rob Schomberg is one of them and has been getting good numbers of very full crabs from the top end of Moreton Bay. I’ve been out a few times, dropping pots for a couple of hours, and usually average two keepers per pot, which in the scheme of things is not bad for a couple of hours during the day. Hopefully I’ll be able to get them out for an overnight soak and catch decent numbers, especially for the Christmas table.

Power Boat Anglers by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

On the crabbing side of things, I recently bought a few new pots, so thought I might give a couple of tips on what I look for in a pot and my pre-use inspection before first use. As we know, pots come in all price ranges and levels of quality. I’m a tightarse, so I’m always looking for the best bang for my buck and try not to spend more than $35 per pot. For me, a pot needs to have galvanised rings with a minimum thickness of 10mm, with a preference for 12mm and a minimum pot diameter of 900mm. The reason for this is where I crab there is usually a bit of current and I want them to get to the bottom as quickly as possible, and when they get there I don’t want them drifting off.

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You hear plenty of stories of people saying their pots have been stolen, but I can guarantee a good number of these will have just been washed away with the current. The number of abandoned pots collected by the fisheries department would back this up. Next, I prefer my pots to come with chafing ropes fitted around the circumference. This gives a bit of protection to the mesh, particularly when thrown on the concrete at home, and also adds weight. A tip here though is to find the ends of these ropes and cable tie them tightly to the rings. They’re not usually secured very well and once in the water at depth the atmospheric pressure will cause them to come loose and apart, so cable ties

ping bag and freeze them, but this is then a problem when trying to break up a big frozen bundle of bait. My solution now is I’ve bought a stack of small (150L x 100W x 75H) plastic snack boxes from the supermarket when they were on special at three for $2. I throw in about 10 frames and juice and make ‘baitcicles’, which makes it way easier and tidier than before. This is just me, but give it a crack and see what you think. Now is the best time of the year to get out chasing crabs and get a feed. Boat maintenance Before you head out on the water during this busy time of year, it can pay to do a few boat and trailer checks. Over the years I’ve given readers a few heads-up tips maintenance-wise to keep an eye on wheel bearings, tyres and so on, usually (probably always, actually) * continued P17

Shimano launches the biggest catch yet

EADING fishing tackle brand Shimano has been hailed the ultimate in fishing essentials by fishers of all walks, but with the launch of its latest competition, the company may be offering up the biggest catch yet. Shimano’s ‘Last Man Standing’ competition gives every fisho the chance to not only win a share in over $10,000 of weekly prizes, but to be selected as one of six finalists who will be sent off to Copper-

r o f h c r Sea

are an easy fix. The pot mesh also has to be reasonably thick because I use my pots for both muddies and sandies, and both can be pretty brutal as the muddies tend to crush while the sandies tend to cut the mesh. Either way, you’ll have to do repairs if you leave them in too long. Bait bag wise, I like the built/sewn-in ones that are accessed from the bottom. That being said, I will quite often employ a smaller mesh homemade bait bag inside of this to contain my bait because I often use whiting frames and these tend to come apart easily and go through the bigger mesh, allowing crabs to have a feed from outside the pot, which isn’t really what I’m aiming for. Bait wise, I use whiting frames heaps because I’ve usually got plenty. I used to just throw them all in a plastic shop-

lode Dam for a two-day barramundi fishing adventure. Then, out of these finalists the Last Man Standing will be drawn and awarded the grand prize: a brand-new Bar Crusher 535C alloy fishing boat with a powerful Suzuki 90hp fourstroke outboard and custom trailer worth a whopping $60,000. For every $50 spent at any Shimano retailer nationally between October 1, 2019 and January 31, 2020 shoppers will receive one coupon to redeem in the biggest

competition Shimano has ever hosted. While some folk might be stoked to win their share of the weekly prize pool, be it an Engel fridge/freezer, Weber barbecue, Mako sunglasses or Lowrance sounder, the real fishing fanatic will aim to be whisked off to Copperlode for the guided twoday fishing experience worth $1500 and take their chance to with the ultimate fishing boat. To find out more competition details, head over to shimanolms. com.au

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Check out in-depth video coverage of the latest boat and product reviews plus fishing action and handy tips. Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

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Sussing out sand crabs over summer * from P16

after something has gone wrong and bitten me. Today’s lesson is another one of those and our subject is batteries and the modern outboard – in this case a Yamaha F60 fuel-injected four-stroke. A few weeks back I was preparing my boat for a trip the next day and found the battery was flat. No drama, it was only a couple of years old, so it couldn’t be buggered yet, right? So I put it on the charger. Next day all was fine, the battery appeared to have

charged, its little light was green and shining away, the boat started and life was good. My mate and I headed over to Moreton Island and got into some good whiting with a couple of mackerel bust-offs thrown in for good measure. The sounder, a Lowrance HDS-12, was always on and I’d been using the live well a fair bit while we’d been moving around. It was getting late in the morning by now and I went for another shift when the motor wouldn’t start. It was cranking as fast as it ever did but just wouldn’t

Rob Schomberg’s Moreton Bay sand crab takings.

fire, basically sounding like it wasn’t getting fuel. I proceeded to pull apart my fuel system, checking along the way right up inside the motor. As far as I could make out, fuel wasn’t the issue and all the fuses were good too. Dead in the water and in need of a tow, I called my mate Keith who was a few kilometres north and advised him I was going to need a tow home and not to rush because we weren’t going anywhere. Anyway, I had some time on my hands and because I knew my sounder wouldn’t work on low voltage, I wondered if this may be the case with the engine. A quick search of doctor Google told me both the fuel pump and motor’s computer had a minimum voltage, and while I was a bit above these I think the cranking pulled the voltage below minimum, causing the start failure. As luck would have it, Keith runs dual batteries and after swapping one to my boat, my engine fired up with barely a crank. I’ve now upgraded to a 780CCA marine battery to allow for all the extra stuff I run when the engine is off. I also noticed the old battery case had started to bulge on the ends, which is a sure sign it had been overheating and was on the way out. In short, keep an eye on your battery and take into account what you’re running when it’s not charging, and don’t just rely on the green light because mine was still indicating ‘good’ when it was near death. Next meetings The first meeting for 2020 will be held on Monday, February 3, and then in March on the first Monday of the month, which is so far away I won’t even worry about the date at this time. Meetings are held at The Club Manly (bowls club) located at 26 Faine St, Manly. Until next month, safe boating.

Z-Man new colours out now

HERE have been some exciting new colour additions in the range of popular ZMan 10X Tough ElaZtech soft plastics, including Purple Death, The Wright Stuff and Hot Craw.

Purple Death is making a name for itself in both the fresh and salt, thanks to its UV-reactive green belly, translucent purple back and micro glitter that adds a natural scale flash. It is available in both the 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ.

The Wright Stuff, named after US angler Jesse Redfish Wright, who helped design the colour, is a natural translucent brown with a mix of black, gold and copper fleck, making it dynamite it dirty and tanninstained water, along with targeting species that reside around muddy and weedy environments. Again in 3” MinnowZ and 4” DieZel MinnowZ, these two new colours will be on the menu for flathead, barramundi, mangrove jack, mulloway, bass and more.

The other new addition is Hot Craw, with a dark back over bright red with black and gold glitter. It is available in both the 2.5” TRD CrawZ and 2.75” TRD BugZ. Hot Craw is an excellent reaction colour and it will stand out from the natural colour range offered in these models. The 2.5” TRD CrawZ, 2.75” TRD BugZ and 3” MinnowZ have six per pack, while the 4” DieZel MinnowZ has five per pack with a SRP of $11.95. www.z-man.com.au

Stacer’s Research and Development team have spent extensive time not only designing and creating the perfect formula for a softer, stable and superior riding hull, but testing and trialling it in a multitude of conditions. The final product, the Revolution Hull, combines a concave bottom sheet design with Stacer’s EVO advance pressing and a raised chine creating a high performing hull that glides over the water. The high performing Revolution Hull offers a complete enjoyable experience, delivering a balanced ride with superior stability underway and at rest. Visit www.stacer.com.au or your nearest dealer for details.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 17

Tony Wright scored this nice Noosa River mangrove jack on a big slab of mullet.

A good jack for Renee on a mullet fillet.

Don’t be afraid to try bait for bumper jacks

IRST, I’d like to welcome our Bush ‘n Beach readers to another new year.

Renee Wright had a great trip fishing the creeks near Fraser Island with husband Tony.

It seemed like 2019 flew by, but I think that’s only because I’m getting old. Overall it was a pretty tough year for fishing due to the lack of rain. The winter flathead run around Brisbane was probably the worst I have ever seen. All the rivers and creeks have been very clean for a long time now, making it really difficult to find good numbers of fish. All the fish are spread throughout the system right up into the very upper reaches.

Estuary cod will eat a lure trolled for mangrove jack, especially along rock walls. The Atomic 85DD is an excellent lure to troll for jacks.

Local Luring by KEITH STRATFORD

The lack of rain also equals a lack of bait for the fish to eat. Unfortunately, the weather gurus aren’t forecasting any decent falls for a while yet, so we are going to have to deal with the same conditions leading into 2020. On a good note, mangrove jack have been fairly active. The areas where jacks live always attract bait, so the fish can be fairly easy to locate. Unfortunately, the clean water makes it a lot harder to get a bite from them, especially for anglers fishing lures. Targeting jacks in clean water is best done in lowlight conditions and during the night. Jacks will happily move away from their lairs under the cover of darkness and can be found well away from structure hunting baitfish. It’s not uncommon to hear them smashing bait off the surface in the right areas, which is why it always pays to have a surface lure rigged and ready to cast. Another good way to get a bite from jacks at night is trolling hard-bodies. This works particularly well along rock walls because they’re generally

quite long, which allows you to cover plenty of ground. During the day, jacks tend to sit in certain areas along these walls, particularly where the current deviates creating an eddy. This gives the fish somewhere to sit out of the current where they aren’t using a lot of energy. At night the fish will cruise along these walls in schools looking for bait. Trolling a deep-diving hard-body through them is a good way to get a bite. Trolling for jacks is a brutal way to catch them. They belt a trolled lure harder than any other technique and can nearly rip the rod out of your hands. Make sure your hooks and split rings are up to the task or they will fail very quickly. Bait fishing for jacks isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is by far the most productive technique I’ve used for catching them. Even during the middle of the day, it’s possible to hook good numbers of fish. Live baits work well, but sometimes they can be outfished by a wellpresented cut bait. A good size slab of cut bait like mullet, tuna or bonito works well, as does

the humble old pilchard. A lot of by-catch also takes a liking to the cut baits, with some unwanted species like catfish and stingrays getting involved. Plenty of cod, bream, moses perch and the occasional grunter and jewfish will also have a go. These baits act as a berley trail once the fish start biting and it can attract other fish from further away. Snags like fallen trees, rock bars, rock walls, bridge pylons, pontoons and jetties can all be very effectively fished with cut and live baits.

As I mentioned, some anglers won’t use baits for jacks. I find it a challenge, just like all the other ways to catch jacks. It’s not necessarily as easy as it sounds, but once you work out what rigs and baits work in the area you’re targeting, the results can be excellent. When lures aren’t getting bites, give some bait a go. It’s better than going home with the dreaded doughnut! I hope to see you on the water.

A mullet bait fillet victim from the Noosa River.

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High temps see high-speed action across Gold Coast

’DAY all, I hope everyone is enjoying a great and safe Christmas period.

Now we are kicking off the new year, let’s start it right by getting a few good fish under the belt early! Being the back end of the holiday period, be mindful of others on the water to ensure everyone can enjoy their day out. Offshore is starting to produce better fish out wide. The new fish-attracting devices off our southeast Queensland coast have already got the attention of dolphinfish. Further out, marlin numbers are increasing. Mackerel seem to be the talk of the town, with spotties coming through in great size at places like Mermaid Reef, Gravel Patch and Palm Beach Reef. Inshore, jack fishing has been going well and consistent high temps have seen surface fishing picking up. Surface lures such as poppers and walkers are accounting for nice trevally and mangrove jack. I would be using 20lb line for this technique because even though surface fishing is considered an easier technique for landing them, they still have the same mentality to bust you off and hang your lure up in their trophy cabinet. Surface fishing for jacks

Nerang Rooster Report by DARREN RAMA

is only considered to be easier because they are suckers for an easy meal and have to venture quite a distance from structure to get their desired prey, so half the battle is already won. From there it’s a matter of getting the fish’s head in the net. Rock bars are still producing, with the likes of jacks, cod and trevally still harassing baitfish both on the surface and down deep. Lately I’ve been trying to target the middle of the rivers with soft plastics and vibes, which is accounting for a variety of species including jewfish, trevally, flathead and javelin fish. In the fresh water at Hinze Dam, saratoga have been very active and casting lures near the edges gets the bites. Often they will leave a boil if they miss the lure, so casting into the same general area commonly produces a strike. Bass are down deeper trying to find cooler water, so jigs and plastics have worked well. Wyaralong Dam has produced good fish on the banks, making fly fishing my preferred method because they prefer smaller baits.

Using a fly is a great idea. In the heat of summer you can often spot fish mouthing on the surface which makes your job easier. You should be able to get a cast nearby and hopefully convince them to eat. I use a 5wt fly rod with a 5wt fly line, but going up or down a little won’t change too much. Hopefully everyone has a great start to the new year and can make the most of the holidays.

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This Wyaralong Dam carp was hooked while cruising the edges.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 19

Scott caught and released his PB 55cm mangrove jack on a charter in the Nerang River.

Evan with his PB 41cm whiting hooked on a yabby in 4m of water.

Secrets to success with soft vibes and blades

OPEFULLY you were on Santa’s good list and woke to some new fishing tackle presents on the big day.

John Sr was treated to a river charter for his 75th birthday by his son John Jr and caught some flathead trolling hard-body lures.

We have been gearing up for mangrove jack this past month as the season swings fully into gear. Checking your tackle is a must when targeting this species. They will expose any weak link. We get a lot of guests on our charters who have never encountered jacks before and no matter how much you pre-warn them, they are always shocked

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at how hard these fish hit. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the sentence: “I’ve never caught a jack.” The best tip I can give is to be persistent. It’s surprising how difficult jacks are to catch, given their aggressive nature. I guess if they were easy to catch, they wouldn’t be such a prized adversary. Time on the water fishing near structure will eventually get you one, so don’t give up. The evenings will have the best strike rate for mangrove jack because this is when they emerge from their lairs to actively hunt for food. Most of the jacks we catch at night measure over 50cm, which are trophy models for our guests. After taking a few photos, we usually release these beautiful fish to fight another day. The best bite time often happens between sunset and 11pm when there is moderate tidal flow. Big-eye trevally have been present in big schools at night in the Nerang River. They have been busting up on the surface, smashing jelly

prawns during run-out tides. These sportfish appear anywhere from the Council Chambers to Sorrento and are amazing fun on light tackle. Little surface poppers such as MMD Splash Prawns are good mimics and get noticed on a dark night leading up to a new moon. Small metal slugs with a chrome finish and luminous glow in the dark belly will also get slammed. Charge the slug belly by shining your phone light on it for a minute, then wait for a bust-up, cast past the school and skip the lure across the surface. Sand whiting are still very scattered throughout the rivers due to the ongoing drought. Target them at night using live bloodworms and yabbies and be prepared to keep moving and anchoring over shallow sandbanks until you find the fish. In the Nerang River, you’ll find them anywhere from Southport to Sorrento. If you’ve never used lures before, here are some tips. Go to your local tackle shop and buy some 70mm soft vibes and 10lb fluorocarbon leader to

rig on a 7’, 1-4kg rod combined with a 1000 or 2500 size reel and 6lb braided line. We love using these versatile lures on our estuary charters, as they just get so many bites. Our favourite metal blades are Ecogear ZX40s and Strike Pro Cyber Vibes. ZX40s imitate little prawns and shrimp very well, while Cyber Vibes have a good baitfish profile. The focus of these tips, however, is soft vibes. The Samaki range of colours and sizes is extensive and impressive, and the components are tournament quality. Between them and the awesome Zerek Fish Traps, you have the bases covered for this style of estuary fishing. The action of these lures is a big reason they work so well. We’re fussy about the vibes and blades we use and have tried just about every commercially available brand. We avoid lures that spin on the drop and ones that have a ‘clunky’ or thick vibration action. The vibes we like to use sink fast and naturally and have a clean, sharp vibration when flicked up and down vertically. The results show in the variety, number and size of fish and squid we catch daily on our charters. * continued P21

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Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Nine-year-old Brody did battle with this big mangrove jack on a charter with dad Shayne. He was happy to release the fish after some photos.

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Secrets to success with soft vibes and blades * from P20

Soft vibes tick all the boxes for us and the colours available in the brands mentioned above are dynamic, including some UV-enhanced models that tend to work well on cloudy days, in lower light and in water more than 4m deep. On sunny and calm days and in clear water, use non-UV, natural and translucent colours. Several key techniques catch fish when using soft vibes. One is casting at areas like sandbank and weed bed edges while landbased or stationary on a boat or kayak. Cast the lure out into the tide, let it sink, then lift the rod about 50cm quite slowly before dropping it again to let the lure sink to the bottom. Wind up the slack and repeat. Keep moving and cast-

ing in different places until you get a bite. The other way to use them is while drifting from a boat or kayak. We call it tea bagging when the water is 4m or deeper, and twerking when fishing over shallower sandbanks. The method is similar to tea bagging blades. Ideally we are looking for a drift speed of no more than 0.9 knots and no slower than 0.6 knots. The lure must be bouncing along the bottom to get results. This method works for three reasons. First, you are covering ground and finding fish; second, you are presenting the bait in a natural way in the rhythm of the tides; and third, you are making the fish chase a potential feed that looks like it’s getting away from them. Drop your lure to the bottom while checking

Yuya did well to land this giant trevally on light tackle and an Ecogear pink blade lure.

depth on the fishfinder. Wind up the slack and then commence a single short lift and drop of the rod. Go quite slowly when there’s not much tidal flow and a bit faster when the tide is running harder. Fish will grab the lure on the drop, so be ready to lift and set the hook. If you don’t get bites in five to 10 minutes, keep moving until you see evidence of bait on the fishfinder, even if it’s just small dots near the bottom. Good areas to try include riverbends, long flats with corrugated sandy bottom, deeper channels, drop-offs next to banks, areas parallel to channel markers, deeper holes further up rivers and under bridges. These all produce fish, especially around depth changes. We like to smear a small drop of Sax Scent Goldprawn on our blades and vibes every 15 minutes. It works a treat for a better hook-up rate. During the next month our main focus will be chasing big mangrove jack for our guests as well as fishing the Gold Coast Broadwater and Nerang River for sand and winter whiting, tuskfish, squid, trevally, mulloway and other surprises that turn up. To book a charter with Brad or me, or if you need help or have any fishing-re-

lated questions, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishing withclint@gmail.com We also post heaps of fishing tips on our Brad Smith Fishing Charters Facebook page. Once again, a happy and joyful New Year to you and I hope you find the time to go fishing if you’re on break. Nothing beats being outdoors in our magnificent country. You can still listen to the cricket on the radio, so get off the couch and onto the water. Until next month, tight lines.

Austyn enjoyed catching a variety of species on soft vibes in the Gold Coast Broadwater, including this squid on a squid-coloured lure.

James with a 52cm Nerang River jack caught and released at 11pm using mullet for bait.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 21

Gold Coast mackerel off to a good start

UMMER is well and truly here and so are the mackerel on the Gold Coast.

The author with a healthy spotty.

With a very slowly climbing water temperature, everyone was anticipating mackerel turning up in November like they have in recent years. But this was mostly to do with the early arrival of warm water. In reality, while you may get the odd one or two, it’s not worth concentrating on spotted mackerel until the water temperature gets to 23C. As the saying goes, a bad day’s fishing is better than a good day at work. However, you don’t want to waste those ros-

Andy was happy to open the account with a nice spotty on a lure.

Gold Coast by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

The spotties love warm water with no current, especially if whitebait and pillies are running, which draws them in. tered sick days on getting no fish. Picking your times is important so far as knowing when to chase what fish. The spotties love warm water with no current, especially if whitebait and pillies are running, which draws them in. They have been readily taking baits and lures, making for exciting sessions on the water. A southerly wind is perfect for keeping the water temp up and fish in close. On the flipside, if the water is murky and the wind from the north, this knocks the water temperature off significantly and the spotties will only hang around a day or two before moving on. It pays to take note of the conditions you’ll be fishing to give you the best chance of getting a fish or at least having a plan B up your sleeve. With the Christmas holidays in full swing, it will be mayhem on the water. Get out early and hopefully you’ll be done and home for breakfast with a few fish in the icebox. Also on the close reefs have been good numbers of kingfish, and they’re not small fish either. Some 15kg-plus models have stretched anglers’ arms over the past few weeks.

A well-presented live bait has been the undoing of many a fish, as has jigging. Out wide, a fantastic run of blue marlin has seen boats getting several fish per session. Mixed in are some extra-oversize mahi mahi, which are welcomed bycatch. As the water temperature continues to rise, expect wahoo and black marlin to make their presence felt. In the creeks and rivers, mangrove jack have been biting their heads off. Live baits or lures, it doesn’t seem to matter, the important thing is to fish structure. Late afternoon has been the best time for chasing them. Flatties have still been on the chew with the low-

er water temperature, and they are some big lizards as well. With no serious rain for months, the crabs are a bit light on but are still about. We really need a good flush to get everything moving and give the estuary mouths a good cleanout. All in all, there are plenty of options for the angler as we hit silly season. The local bars are pretty ordinary. The bank out the back of Tweed River Bar is still only about 4m deep on the top of the tide, so it will catch any swell pushing through and requires caution. Currumbin Creek Bar remains pretty messy on anything but the top of the tide. You really have to pick your times using the bar and if you miss the tide coming back in, you could be in for a long wait. Tallebudgera Creek Bar is still narrow and shallow and should only be used in very flat conditions. The Seaway is the pick and continues to be in good shape. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and happy New Year. Tight lines to you all.

Tayla showed the boys how it was done with a nice fish.

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Mitch and Brandan got in on the action by holding up Tayla’s fish after a good morning out.

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A jack caught on the troll and ready for release. They are too good to catch once.

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This jack was hooked trolling in the Tweed River on a cloudy and intermittently rainy day.

Trolling for mangrove jack on the Gold Coast

’DAY everyone, in this month’s article I will pass on some tips for one of my favourite and most exhilarating pastimes, both on my charters and in my free time, and that is trolling for mangrove jack.

Gold Coast Guide by BRAD SMITH

These fish are without doubt the main bucket list species on the agenda for anglers fishing the northern NSW and southeast

These two cars the author found on the bottom held some nice jacks. The trouble was they were swimming through the doors and winding the windows up!

The author caught this jack trolling a Brad Smith Digga lure on a full moon night.

Queensland rivers and creeks. They deserve this status because they grow big in our region, are hard to catch and through their powerful strikes and ability to run for snags hard to land when you eventually hook one. There is an old saying that if a jack strikes a lure or bait at 50 miles an hour, it will turn back into its snaggy domain at 100mp/h to bust you up. I can relate to this because though I have caught countless jacks over the years, every strike I get to this day still makes the hair on my neck stand up. Locations The best and only place you will find this species is in very heavily structured areas because jacks rely on this to both hide and make their unforgiving ambushes on unsuspecting prey. This makes rock retaining walls, bridge pylons, jetties, fallen trees in the water and submerged structure such as reefs the places to find them. Sometimes you might

This nice jack crunched an Atomic 85DD lure trolled along a submerged reef.

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get lucky and find artificial structure on the bottom including old sunken boats or as I found a few years ago, a couple of stolen cars, which the jacks took up residence around. Tides and times As with most species, jacks prefer to bite around the tide changes. If you can combine a tide change with a session very early in the morning or late in the afternoon and night, your chances will increase. I have also noticed that overcast and slightly drizzly rainy days seem to spike their behavioural patterns, and trolling at night works better around the full moon. I have also noticed they like humid and moist northeasterly wind patterns that are common all through summer. The changes in barometric pressure before one of our common summer late afternoon thunderstorms can also create an increase in their feeding habits. Technique I like trolling for jacks because it allows you to cover a lot of good-quality ground with a lure in the strike zone. The strike zone is as close to the chosen structure as you can get your lure running, and it is even better if you can get your lure to intermittently tap into structure. This of course can lead to losing your lures by snagging them, but we always say it is a no guts, no glory approach to success when targeting jacks. As with trolling for all species, going with the tide is the preferred direction because you are bringing your presentation along with the current, as a normal baitfish would do. This is not to say I always troll with the tide, because sometimes, especially when the tide is strong, I will go against it to slow the boat down

and keep my lures in the strike zone longer. You can troll for jacks in any depth of water but my favourite is 4-8m because these deeper grounds continuously produce better-quality fish. Equipment My equipment consists of a variety of minnow lures from 80-200mm in length with the diving capabilities to be able to hit the bottom from 3-8m of water. My lightest rods and reels for the job are 6-10kg baitcast outfits loaded with 30lb braid and 30lb shock leaders, but most commonly I run 8-12kg baitcast outfits loaded with 50lb braid and 50lb leaders. This last outfit might seem like massive overkill for some readers, but trust me, a big jack will bust you up like cotton given the chance. They have done it to me over the years. I would like to conclude by wishing everyone a very safe and prosperous New Year.

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Hugh with a barree from the Mackerel Boulder back when the area was open for fishing. Remember, it doesn’t open again until January 1.

Lewan with a solid barree.

Smoke and stinky weed doesn’t affect fishing

HE weather has certainly been against us this past month, and that is an understatement for sure.

Get the kids out these holidays and help them catch a fish.

Keira wasn’t just taking photos of the sunset (below). She did some fishing too.

I thought for certain I was going to be sitting here writing this article saying there was no end to the drought and northerly wind, but the past two nights before writing this have brought us thunderstorms and 30mm of rain. After a solid month of howling northerlies, the forecast is light to variable for the next week, so most fishos are planning to get out after nearly giving up for good. Cornflake weed has added insult to injury and has blanketed the coast. It sure does stink when it rots and some tourists have wondered why the whole town smells of sewage. All the bushfires have actually done the tourist trade a favour, with people getting stuck in the area while the freeway has been closed. As a result, they have been getting out and about trying to fill in time, but I’ve had to chuckle because mostly people would be happy to be stuck in some of our small towns. Unfortunately though,

find us on facebook • Win prizes • Post your brag • Chat to readers shots and writers • Join in on the fun • See who’s catching banter what • Have a laugh

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Tweed to Byron Bay by GAVIN DOBSON

places like Brunswick Heads haven’t been exactly like the tourist brochures might suggest. Travellers stuck here have been blanketed in smoke and hot weather, and ducking down for a swim they’ve found the water cold and full of cornflake weed. To top it off, the blustery northerly wind blows the stench of tonnes of rotting cornflake weed through the town. Surely it’s only upwards from here and despite all the things we can whinge about, there have still been fish to be caught in the region. Up in the Tweed River, the lack of rain means the fish are all spread out and mostly upstream. Mangrove jack and trevally are being caught from Tumbulgum to Murwillumbah. Mud crabs are pretty solid in this region too. Plenty of muddies are being potted in the lower reaches of the Tweed, but a lot are green and empty despite being good-sized crabs. I’ve also heard reports of good catches of whiting in the Tweed’s upper reaches, and if no fresh is in the system, get up around Condong and Murwillumbah for a decent feed of fish. You’ll notice I didn’t mention flathead. They are very slow. I’m not saying you won’t catch one, but they are few and far between at the moment. Sand crabs are around but the cornflake weed in their usual habitat is making them too hard to target. Oddly enough, despite being geographically close, the Brunswick River fishes very differently to the Tweed. Mud crabs have been very slow here, but if you get well upstream around Mullumbimby you might get a few. Around here, mud crabs usually come into full

swing in February. It’s almost like they know you have to go back to work. Other fish such as trevally, jacks and whiting hit their straps in January, and with a bit of rain to push them down from Mullumbimby, the fishing should be pretty good. The bluewater pelagics are what most fishos are waiting for and as I sit here and write, there is no sign of them. That is, except for the usual rubbish rumours going around. I should be more precise and say there is no sign of the mackerel and wahoo species because some of the other pelagics are showing up out wider. Big mahi mahi are coming from the wide grounds, and a few of the rat yellowfin tuna that bless us with their presence each summer came from Windarra Banks on the one fishable day we had recently. Mackerel are what we

are all waiting for and they usually appear around the Christmas/ New Year period, which is great for those with time off. Southeasterly wind and schools of bait are needed for the mackerel to come. As for cobia, read my articles for the past few years and the answer will be the same, as there is no sign of them yet. You may as well go fishing for unicorns or yowies. I’m not sure what it is with cobia because I don’t think they have been overfished. I think they just come and go as they please and it hasn’t pleased them to come for a fair while now. I hope that’s the case anyway. If so, I hope it pleases them to come to Brunswick Heads this year. Back to the mackerel – remember not to go near the Mackerel Boulder off Julian Rocks until January 1. The magic triangle is closed until then and marine parks officers police it heavily. Some keen fishos head over at midnight to get into the fish that haven’t

seen a hook for eight months as soon as the calendar kicks over to the new year. Me, I’m not quite that keen. We haven’t seen much of a wahoo season for a few years now, so let’s hope we get a bumper year. Often, they are much better later in the season but small ones can turn up around the silly season too. The big mahi I mentioned have all come from the continental shelf, but they could have moved in to the 50-fathom line by now because like I said, there hasn’t been too much offshore fishing in the past month to fill in a better picture of what’s going on. All in all, it’s an exciting time of year for fishing because everything should be coming into full summer mode. The rivers will yield a good feed and with the anticipation of the pelagic fishing improving with every passing day, it’s time to dust off the gear and get out there. Merry Christmas and happy New Year. Stay safe and good fishing.

Keira came out to sea one afternoon recently and took some photos of the sun going down through the smoke. This was a good hour before sunset and is the natural colour with no filters or photoshop.

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Slow start to summer but action heating up

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

I hope you have a very merry Christmas and happy and safe New Year holiday, and hopefully the big bloke in the red suit, or your loved ones, showered you with the perfect fishing presents you were hoping for. I am looking forward to another great year of fishing tales, adventures, hints and tips, and plenty of ‘what’s new’ tackle talk, so let’s get into what’s biting and where for the start of 2020. Offshore started a little slowly this summer, but the water temperature has continued to climb through December, so we have seen some action from pelagic species such as mahi mahi, marlin and tuna. As usual, marlin and tuna have shown plenty of interest in skirted trolled lures. A mix of skirted lure colours have worked on different days, so be prepared to start with a few favourites, then change it up as the day goes on if the action is not happening. Mahi mahi have shown a little more interest in live baits such as yakkas and slimy mackerel than lures,

Ballina Bait & Tackle by BRETT HYDE

but don’t forget to try a pilchard or two as well. Some anglers like to jazz up the humble pilchard and slip a pink squid skirt over the top to add some colour and hopefully attract a little more attention. This isn’t to say I would be leaving the lure wrap at home, but I would definitely make sure a reasonable supply of live baits is in the tank before heading out to the FAD and beyond. While the FAD is a great place to start looking for mahi mahi, they can also be found away from there. I like to put lures out the back and troll well wide of the FAD because at times the larger models will hang away from the crowd. After you have done a few laps wide of the FAD, it may be worth travelling a little wider. Ideally, I like to troll until I can find a current line or temperature change and then continue to troll north or south until I find a few fish or some bait. I vary my lure speed because this can trigger a reaction from them if trolling or retrieving at

just the right speed. If mahi mahi are not your cup of tea, don’t despair as mackerel should show up any minute. At the time of writing they had not arrived but it is definitely time to get rigs ready and sharpen the hooks. Typically we are one of the last areas to see mackerel because they usually show up at Brunswick Heads and Woody Head well before here. This is largely to do with the warm currents pushing wide of us after they have passed Cape Byron, so if you want to get into toothy critter action early, you may have to head north or south to get your fix. Bottom bashing on the 32-fathom line has been quite reasonable, with snapper, flathead and tuskfish coming from this area. The pick of the baits has been squid and mullet fillets, but it will be worth dropping a live bait to the bottom because some of the bigger snapper and mulloway have been taken on livies. The current has picked up out wide, but we have

Kobi with his first legal mulloway from the rocks.

still seen kingfish, pearl perch and smaller amberjack on the 48-fathom line. Live baits have been working but large leads have been required to get them to the bottom because of the current. If you are going to try jigging for them on these wider grounds, it will pay to make sure you have 300g and 400g jigs in pink, silver and blue in the arsenal. The beaches have continued to be a bit quiet over the summer holidays. We have seen a few flathead in some of the shallow gutters, but not in the numbers we would normally expect at this time of year. If you want to try your luck, you will need to be prepared to cover ground and try a few different gutters to catch your dinner. The usual baits such as white pilchards and mullet have seen success, as have a number of different lures. Natural colours have worked better for soft plastics and hard-body lures, but if you are planning on fishing early in the morning it may be worth trying something a little brighter so they can find it in the low-light conditions. These same shallow gutters have produced whiting and dart over recent weeks. Typical baits such as worms, pipis and even peeled prawns and squid strips have tempted a number of fish. While it has been a little quiet, it’s been worth chasing a couple of tailor on the beaches. Typically we do not see large numbers of fish at this time of year, but the quality is usually quite good, with fish up to 3kg not uncommon. These better fish will often be taken on bait late in the afternoon or into the night, but it may be worth your while to throw a large popper or stick-

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bait around from the rocks early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Tailor might be hanging around the rocks waiting to move into the beach gutters. Back in the river, we really need rain, as I am sure most river systems do up and down the coast. Most anglers have been forced out of their comfort zone and have had to venture further upriver than in past years. The better numbers of bream have been spread from the ferry up to Woodburn along most of the rock walls. Mullet, pilchards and prawns have all been good bait options, and crab imitations, soft plastics and small hard-body lures in natural colours have been the pick of the bunch for the lure brigade. The better numbers of flathead are in a similar area, but a few of the larger breeders have been taken in the lower reaches of the river in deep holes. Live baits and large soft plastics will be the best bet for these larger fish, but metal blades, soft plastics and white pilchards and prawns have worked well on the smaller eating-sized fish, which seem to be sitting in 2-4m of water. The usual spots have produced reasonable quality whiting, especially on the larger run-in tides for anglers using worms and yabbies. If you have not had a go with surface lures for whiting, now is a good time to try throwing a few poppers and stickbaits around the sand flats in North Creek or the main river from the mouth to Pimlico Island. I certainly prefer the run-out tide, with plenty of wind at my back to enable me to fan my casts out and cover plenty of distance with my lures. Quite a fast retrieve is required to get the aggressive reaction from the whiting we are looking for. Hopefully you manage to get out for a fish over the break and test out your Christmas presents. That’s all from me for this month. ‘Til next time, tight lines!

Brian landed a mulloway while snapper fishing offshore.

Brad hooked a jig-munching kingfish.

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Matt Penny picked up a 10kg mahi mahi off Double Island Point. Photos: fishing noosa.com.au

Steve Kane extracted this 78cm snapper from 100m of water around the Hards.

Pelagics visit the Sunshine Coast

ET ready to welcome the new year and welcome to the next six months of awesome fishing.

Chicko Vella landed this red emperor wide of Double Island Point.

If you are thinking of buying or already own a boat, now is a great reason for having one as we move into pelagic season. With the warmer weather comes warmer water, and the local reefs, rivers and freshwater dams are firing. The winds have more south/southeasterly in them, which gives anyone fishing the local close reefs some protection.

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www.issuu.com/bnbfishing Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Sunshine Coast by GRANT BUDD

Halls Reef is a prime option and consistently produces big fish. Offshore we have seen action from not only the inshore reef systems but out wider too. We have had those days where the winds and swell have grounded many of us, but between the sets many anglers have landed some cracking fish. This time of year is all about the razor gang speedsters, with spanish and spotted mackerel first on the menu. These can be targeted in a multitude of ways, but the following should really help. First, you would be mad not to take some 4/0-6/0 Tru-Turn or similar premade gang hooks for pilchard and slimy mackerel floated baits. This method presents by far the easiest way to find these fish because the bait does the work for you. Bait wrap is a must have to keep baits streamlined for better presentation. Warm water softens pilchards, so the wrap stops baits from partially falling off during casting. Mackerel will feed everywhere from a couple of feet off the bottom right up to the surface, and once you find the fish there is no certainty of staying hooked up. The next vital bit of kit is some single-strand wire and super-small shogun black rolling swivels. Mackerel have eyesight many of us would be proud to have, so keep rigs refined and use the smallest haywire twist and limit the use of clips and large swivels. Something shiny cutting through the water is like ringing the dinner bell to mackerel, and they will even bite FG knots! Use black wire and swivels. You have been warned! Most local anglers will start by running baits and lures without wire to get the bite and see what kind

of mood the fish are in. I have had times when no matter what you try you still lose everything, so be patient and be prepared to think outside the box. Another must-have is the humble slug or chrome slice. This is the time of year where during a hot bite you can go through handfuls of these, so load up before the fish arrive. Changing all treble hooks to inline jigging singles is a must if you like to catch and release fish or perform fast inwater releases. It also allows you to get the hook out of your fish quickly and safely because you really don’t want to experience just how sharp a mackerel’s teeth are. If you are keeping fish, nothing is worse than trying to get a deeply set treble hook from the jaws of a fish during a hot bite, because they can spook any second and be gone. Come in to either Davo’s tackle shop and ask us how to tie a haywire twist if you need help. Another and very deadly option that really shone last year is the slow trolled dead bait. An easy and often successful method is to throw a mix of diving lures like a Rapala X-Rap or Halco Laser Pro out the back and maintain a constant slower speed. On the other hand, nothing beats a whole bonito or garfish out the back slow trolled at four to six knots. This slow speed, especially during a bit of swell, sees the bait rise and fall as your boat rides over the swells. This brings the bait to life and ensures it covers different depths. Last, grab an XL Spanish Special lure with a red head and white body (be sure to try this method if in a kayak!). These locally made lures emit huge vibrations and

let you attach a big dead bait, which is perfect for slower speeds. For those gearing up for mackerel, get ready now, get out there and good luck. To the north of the Sunshine Coast, Double Island Point has seen quality reef fish landed including scarlet sea perch, red emperor, pearl perch, cobia, mahi mahi, mackerel, tuna, goldband snapper and a host of trevally species. This location is well worth the visit; just be sure to check conditions if heading through the Wide Bay Bar because it can be difficult to navigate. My last trip a few months ago saw Fisherman’s Gutter on the Rainbow Beach side become sanded over, so call the Coast Guard for up-to-date info before heading out. This is generally deeper water fishing, so go prepared to do battle with big fish and outrun the sharks. The Barwon Banks have seen a mixed bag of reef fish including spangled emperor, coronation trout, cobia and the odd pelagic coming through. This is a great place to take some live baits because big fish reside here and livies aren’t as easy to find, which is why they work so well. Closer to the Noosa River Bar, North Reef has been fishing well, with cobia, pearlies, moses perch, tuskies, spanish, spotties and a few longtail tuna showing up. Most boaties will anchor here and use sounders in zoom mode because there isn’t much to look at on the bottom. Once you find the bait, ensure you get a berley trail working during light current days and throw a pilchard floater down in the middle of this trail. You can pick up amazing fish doing this. This area often sees big schools of mackerel swimming mid water on incoming tides. Pay attention to sounders, drop a big jig with the hook hanging off the back * continued P27

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Pelagics visit the Sunshine Coast * from P26

and crank it back for the hook-up. In closer, Chardons Reef has seen catches of quality spanish and spotty mackerel, the occasional mahi mahi and cobia. Lastly for the offshore fishos, Sunshine Reef is undoubtedly the most popular system on the Sunny Coast, and quite rightly so with big coral trout, redthroat emperor, sweetlip, snapper, various tuna species, spotties and the odd spanish featuring in catches. The sharks have been taking a few prized fish and appear to enjoy coral trout. If fishing hard on the bottom, try to go as heavy as possible so you can get the power down to help extract your catch before the taxman does. This is a great place to use soft plastics and smaller metal jigs like any of the Palms Slow Blatt Oval, Wide and Long in 40-80g. Be sure to fish with long pauses between working your lures and hold on because a big trout can take a rod from anyone not paying attention. Off the beaches, if you want to entertain the kids, make sure you fish light and use estuary or 8’ general purpose combos like the Jarvis Walker Water Rat. These let you get some distance without the added weight of holding a 12’ combo. The various gutters and channels along the coast all provide small fish fun during the daytime. If looking for the bigger specimens, fish into the small hours of the morning and use only the freshest mullet and live beach worms. Using light lines of 6-8kg allows your bait to look more natural in any current or sweep and not spook bigger fish. Try the river mouths of the Noosa and Maroochy during the evening and one hour either side of the high or low tide for the best results. The Noosa River has been about mangrove jack and some crackers have been caught.

From slow-rolled paddle tail plastics like the Keitech FAT Swing Impact to soft vibes such as Jackall Transams, these fish have been found around the marina, bridges and rocks, with many stories of anglers getting bricked. There appears to be two very distinct methods to target these fish. The first is to break out the bream gear and the second is to fish heavy with everything in fully locked drag mode. I prefer to not give them an inch, so be sure to try a few methods and see what works for you. If the bite is slow, try the lighter side of things and maybe the reduction in drag pressure will see you stay hooked up. Whiting are schooling in the usual spots of the Frying Pan, dog beach and of course the flats around Lakes Cooroibah and Weyba. With the Noosa River ever changing, it is always worth trying newer sand flats because whiting don’t mind moving around. As always, break out the fresh beach worm and red whiting tube and if you haven’t tried to target these fish on surface, a small surface walker like an Atomic K9 is deadly and easy to use. Golden trevally, GTs and big flathead have featured in the deeper water around the current line, the intersection of Munna Point and Woods Bays, with sizeable fish taking a range of bait, livies and lures. Fishing the snags off the dog beach and the Northshore side of the frying pan provides deep drop offs and channels where jacks and flathead now call home. Queenfish have also been on the catch list and will take smaller soft plastics in 3” size around the ski run, river mouth and dog beach. Lakes Macdonald and Borumba are heating up and the daytime temperatures at Borumba can push close to 40C when there is no wind. To get the most from this area, be on the water early

or late in the afternoon/ evening. My favourite lures for saratoga and bass include the Lucky Craft Sammy 65, Jackall Squirrel, Bassday Sugadeep and Jackall Pompadour. Other options include a well-cast and counted down spinnerbait, with a purple and black skirt always helping. If water temps are high, always look to fish deeper and watch for changes in water temperature as you move about. If you like to troll, look for deep divers like the Nomad DTX 85mm, which crashes down to over 6m deep at slow speeds. At the time of writing, Borumba Dam was below 80 percent capacity.

This means extreme caution is advised while under way beyond the ski zone. Be sure to check Seqwater for any closures, ramp maintenance and dam levels before travelling to any lakes or dams. For all the latest information and up-to-date bar and fishing reports, log onto fishingnoosa.com.au Don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World, Davo’s Boating and Outdoors in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching fish. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember: tight lines and bent spines!

Richard Blundell with a 49cm goldspot wrasse.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 27

Is the threat over when the fire is out?

I and may I be among the first to wish you a happy New Year.

An 89cm tailor taken by Des Hughes, Normie and the crew. Good fish boys.

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Rissoles in onion gravy Ingredients • 750g beef mince • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs • 1 small brown onion, grated • 2 garlic cloves, crushed • 2 tbsp barbecue sauce • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 potato, grated • 1 carrot, grated • Salt and pepper • Onion gravy • 2 medium brown onions, halved, thinly sliced • 100g rich gravy mix Method 1. Place mince, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, sauces and egg in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roll

mixture into eight balls. Flatten slightly and place on a large plate. Cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 2. Heat barbecue on medium heat. Cook rissoles on either side for five minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm. 3. Meanwhile, make onion gravy. Heat pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for five minutes or until golden brown. Combine one litre of water to gravy mix until free of lumps. Add to pan with onions until gravy thickens. Place rissoles in gravy and simmer for five minutes. Serve rissoles on a bed of mashed potatoes.

We’ve endured one of the driest spells in memory leading into the 2020 holiday season. In our region we’ve seen bushfires from Peregian to coastal areas around Double Island Point. Many fires around the Mary Valley and hinterland region have destroyed property and threatened populations right up to the fringes of Tewantin. It’s a sad affair when some of these fires have been deliberately started and endangered many lives, both human and animals. On many occasions we tend to wipe the brow and give a sigh of relief as our fire brigades and rural firefighters overcome the threats and bring the flames to a smoulder. We depend on wind changes and Mother Nature to bring rain to assist in these battles, but these two factors could very well help spread the unrealised side effects of the fires. I was reflecting, as one does, while watching the smoke billow above the beaches of Teewah. I wondered ‘does this devastation of bushland in any way affect our fish populations, habitats or behaviours?’ So I decided to do a bit of research to find out, and a number of what should have been obvious outcomes became apparent. As many of us keep our fish stocks and marine environments close to our hearts, I felt the findings were worth sharing. Obviously, air quality and visibility are the first impacts of fire on our human environment. Wind carries the smoke, which consists of ash and debris, into our waterways and oceans. The two main nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, begin to contaminate the water. Looking at the overall

Outdoors by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

picture, you can divide the damaging effects into two categories: short and long-term damage. The first being the airborne ash settling on our creeks and rivers, which creates a high concentration of the above-mentioned nutrients that have the potential to cause extreme algae blooms. In order for these blooms to explode with rapid growth, high levels of oxygen from the body of water are required. The water, which is now depleted of oxygen, becomes a wasteland for our native fish and it’s not uncommon for fish kills to occur. To exacerbate the problem, many of our waterways contain populations of noxious fish such as carp and tilapia. Unfortunately, there seems to be growing numbers of these invasive pests that thrive in bodies of water with a low oxygen content. They can take advantage of the mishap and take over areas once inhabited by our natives, taking a firm hold of new territories. Asphyxiation is the major cause of fish kills in many regions. Another important factor to consider is as fire travels across our landscape, it leaves the ground carpeted with a cover of burnt foliage and ash. Before being burnt, this foliage, consisting of trees, grasses and riparian vegetation, was playing an important part in the stabilisation of soils. How many times have you heard someone say “we’ve gone from drought and fire to flood”? It’s no secret the only way to break a drought is by receiving good falls of rain. The now-exposed landscape and topsoils are at the mercy of flood run-

off, and erosion is the next problem to attack the health of our waterways. Sedimentar y soil washed into our creeks and rivers feeding our oceans can contain heavy metals and chemicals used in our domestic and agricultural day-to-day existence. One of the effects of metals on our fish is changes within the reproductive system. This could drop stock levels and slow replenishment due to poor brood numbers or even deformities in fish larvae. They say for every action there is a consequence, and as I looked into the effects of fire I was surprised at the range of possible outcomes. I read a study produced on the fires during the late-1990s in the Mentawai Islands and the damage to the reefs around Sumatra. Simply put, the report stated that in the same way smoke inhalation creates asphyxiation in humans, the coral reef choked and died in the heavily smoke-affected areas. Many of the residents of Noosa North Shore and in properties between Noosa and Rainbow Beach were recently evacuated due to the possibility of being overcome with heavy smoke. Now with all that said, on the other side of the equation fire has been around since Adam was a boy and has rejuvenated our landscapes and helped the rebirth of vegetation. However, it’s possible the introduction of manmade building products, chemicals and plastic substances has tipped the balance away from nature’s recovery. I’m hoping this isn’t sounding like a doom and gloom story of despair. Maybe we’re feeling the

environmental changes of global warming, or maybe this is just part of a 1000-year cycle of weather patterns? Every one of us has a different interpretation of what is happening in this world and its changing weather patterns. Our Indigenous and first nation peoples have always used burning of country as an integral part of managing and maintaining the land. Are these outbreaks of uncontrollable fire due to our poor management? Do these uncontrollable fires over large areas have the ability to affect the quality of our future fisheries? I can’t say for sure, but some of the above facts make sense and are worth considering. You could even ask: “do fires next to shallow creeks and rivers have the ability to change the water temperature?” For many species, changes in temperature can affect the balance of male versus female populations. Anyway, I thought I’d share a few reflections on the possibilities and effects of these fires and provide a few scenarios you may not have thought of. I’ve taken a picture from the top of Tinbeerwah looking out to the North Shore and Double Island Point. You can see the vast swathes of brown burnt foliage and just how close the fire came to residents. I just want to finish the year by noting how good the tailor fishing has been around our southeast Queensland beaches. It seems Des Hughes, Normie and mates have been slaying them, with most fish over 60cm. On a recent weekend session they also scored 77cm, 85cm and 89cm models, so let’s hope this continues into the new year. Happy New Year and have a safe holiday break. All the best for 2020. Cheers, Chief.

Notes What’s heartier than rissoles and onion gravy for Australia Day!?

Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 30 min | Serves 4 Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Check out the vast areas of burnt foliage north of Noosa.

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Adam and a beautifully marked cobia.

Understanding the need for speed

HE weather continues to be wild.

My thoughts go out to the bushfire victims in the hot and windy weather of early summer. I cannot remember the wind being so wild for so long. At times I managed to get out of the wind, but it took a bit of travelling before we got somewhere comfortable. Often the journey home was long and gruelling. I’ve sat many days out over the past few months, at times very happy for the prolonged breaks off the water. Luckily my business has small overheads, with no rent or employees to look out for. If I don’t go out, the business doesn’t really cost me anything. The only thing that suffers are my clients’ fish-

Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

ing goals, and the lack of species variety I can post to my social media pages. As for the fishing, it was patchy. Plenty of fish were about, but the size of the bait sometimes made the bite finicky. As the fodder got larger, it got easier. I even had fly fishers telling me they couldn’t get a bite! Fly is one of the few things that can truly match the hatch. I rely on reaction, with the bite commonly triggered by speed. This is simple and effective way to get a bite uses basic tackle and can be replicated by even the most novice anglers.

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The P-Flex will be perfect for anyone casting smaller stickbaits and other surface lures across reef edges or even on sinking stickbaits for kingfish, trevally, coral trout and tuna. The hook will stand up to tenacious fighters such as coral trout as well as mackerel and other predatory species. For any more information, visit gamakat su.com.au

If you think like a fish, it is quite a reasonable idea. When these fish are schooling and chasing small fry, we can try to match the hatch with a small metal. However, I have found sometimes this doesn’t work as they can detect the trap and feel something isn’t right. A correctly rigged soft plastic, even though it is larger in profile, often makes the fussy tuna strike. There may be many factors at work here. The vibration it gives off is more lifelike and it tracks deeper at speed than its smaller metal competitor. However, if you think just using the lure will result in success, the fish will at times leave you frustrated. Speed spinning is a simple technique, but it’s annoying how many anglers think speed is winding in at what is a moderately high speed. You want blistering speed. And the fussier they get, the faster you should go. But seriously, if your hand is getting blistered, it probably means you have the wrong grip on your reel. Use your fingertips lightly and loosen your wrist. The speed is generated by the circular motion of your wrist and hand around the centre of the reel handle. You want these fish to sense the lure, track it and smash it without the chance to look, gauge and think about it. If you draw more than one inquisitor, even better, because competitive instinct may help draw a strike. It’s common for anglers to watch fish track the lure without eating it, and they tell me they cannot go any faster. I immediately retort sternly “Yeah you can” before verbally goading them into it. And whoa, suddenly they get a strike. If done right, you will get strikes soon after commencing retrieves. I have discussed this

many times in the past, but I guess it’s something people do not really realise until they are here on the boat with me. Even the reels and gear ratios confuse people. I have found my cheap Okuma Azores 5500 quite handy, and even better than a Daiwa Saltiga 4000H or Shimano Stella equivalent. As you can imagine, I get to see and own them all. First thing to know is the reel gearing is important, but not as important as the amount of line the machine actually takes onto the spool per turn of the handle. Next, is the reel ergonomically suited to the task? Most high-end Japanese reels don sexy ‘power knobs’ and that is exactly what they are, useful in the application of power into the reel’s drivetrain. A T-knob or paddle style handle (like my beloved Okuma) will help the user seamlessly cycle at high revolutions because it is easier to hold in your fingertips. It is always interesting to watch anglers concede this. It’s not something I like to have to teach people because it kills fishing time. It takes a few minutes to listen and apply such a simple technique that has forever caught fish.

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Justin landed a nice round golden trevally.

Ben boated a hard-fighting bludger trevally.

Jacob with a solid mack tuna.

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Mangrove jack mayhem

HEN it comes to the elusive mangrove jack, no fish quite compares.

A healthy lure-caught mangrove jack tagged and ready for release.

A variety of methods can be used to catch these feisty red devils, but the strength with which they hit and fight does not change. My girlfriend Leeah and I are avid lure fishers, but lure fishing for mangrove jack is on its own level of exciting. We’ve all seen the TV shows and videos on the internet of some lucky bugger in a tropical para-

A great-sized jack hooked by Leeah with a 3” Z-Man MinnowZ.

Bundaberg Estuaries by JOEL JOHNSON

dise that sees next to no fishing pressure catching mangrove jack one after the other, but for most of us the reality is putting a lot of hard work into catching these prized fish. Mangrove jack are very versatile fish, inhabiting a huge variety of locations from the top end of Australia down to NSW, both inshore and offshore. Now I’m no expert on the science behind the mangrove jack’s movements throughout the year, but I am hopefully contributing to research and development through tagging and releasing our captured fish. I sure love a feed of fresh fish, but when it comes to jacks especially, I tend to favour catch and release. This is largely due to the fact I’ve spent countless hours on the water targeting these fish and often struggle to get a hit in even the best-looking spots. I believe our waterways and the fish that inhabit them are under significant fishing pressure, both commercial and recreational, so catch and release fishing gives the fish a chance to breed even

just once more before being recaptured and possibly kept. At the end of the day, I want to see mad-keen fishers like myself get the same thrill of catching one in the future. How might you tempt a mangrove jack in the first place? Persistence is key with many forms of fishing, and jack fishing is no different. When targeting them using lures, you must choose a lure that ticks all the boxes to ensure you’re not wasting your time with something that won’t work. Your lure must first suit the conditions. You need to think about what the fish will be looking for in relation to the time of day, the structure you’re fishing and the food the fish may be looking for. Generally jacks will react well to surface lures in low-light periods (late afternoon and early morning) because this is when they can rise to the top of the water column without the threat of being seen from above. The first and last light

periods are also when prey such as bugs, frogs and baitfish roam around the top of the water column. Throughout the day you have to think about your lure colour choice in relation to water visibility and the prey you’re trying to replicate - are you imitating a prawn, a mullet and so on. I like to match what I’m seeing in the area. If you’re seeing prawns skipping or a particular type of bait getting harassed by fish, then match it and try your luck.

It’s also good to experiment with the weight of your lure. Sometimes long pauses with a suspending lure might get the bite, while other times a fast-moving heavily weighted soft plastic will do the job. Even the best lure won’t do you any good if you’re not casting it where the fish are most likely to be, so you have to ensure you cast into the areas the jacks will be sitting ready to ambush. Structure, structure, structure! * continued P31

In tough fishing conditions this was not a pleasant surprise after finally hooking a fish.

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TURKEY BEACH This feisty jack took a Cultiva Zip ‘n Ziggy surface lure.

Leeah with a cracking jack caught on a Zerek prawn-imitation lure.

Mangrove jack mayhem in Bundaberg estuaries * from P30

Mangrove jack love structure. They are ambush predators and will simply sit and wait for their target, meaning casting tight to the structure is essential. One thing I’ve learnt over years of fishing for jacks is they don’t always sit in ridiculously deep water like many people are led to believe. If there is enough structure for them to remain incognito and ready to ambush any passing prey, they’ll be there, whether it be half a metre or 10m deep. Most tidal rivers and

creeks are riddled with fallen trees, mangroves, rock bars, pontoons and postflood debris, so there’s not too many systems that don’t have the potential for mangrove jack. On a recent trip to a destination we had never fully explored, we ventured through the upper reaches of the creek system for an entire day without a hit. We had changed lures countless times and fished every snag for kilometres, but we knew fish had to be nearby. The following morning bright and early we stealthily motored along with the aid of a bow-

mount electric motor, casting surface lures into the snags before the sun had risen above the banks surrounding us. We had fished for about half an hour when finally I hooked up to what seemed like a small mangrove jack, but the hooks pulled. The lure floated to the surface once the fish had let go, so I continued to work it and after only a metre the lure was annihilated by a much better-sized jack that came almost completely out of the water while hitting my lure. I battled it out of the

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structure before finally laying eyes on the beautiful fish alongside the boat… when suddenly a small bull shark appeared and before I could react it had my jack in its mouth! Within seconds all I had left was half a fish. It’s fair to say I was rather disappointed after this encounter. As if jacks are not already hard enough to catch in the first place, let alone with toothy competition.

That’s one encounter I won’t forget any time soon. We continued to fish through the day, landing some quality fish to make up for the morning’s downer. As we had found throughout this trip, you can fish until your heart is content but some days they just don’t play the game. Persist, put thought into your lure choice and fishing locations and you’ll find them eventually!

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Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Relentless heat and no rain T

HE headline tells the story for our neck of the woods and much of the country.

While some target species such as prawns and mud crabs have been a little slow because they are often livened up with a bit of a ‘fresh’ running through the creek and river systems, one species that has been firing is mangrove jack. While jacks have always been a common target for more experienced anglers, I don’t think I have ever seen as many photos recording jack captures as I have over the past two months. They are a common species in our area, found especially around any rock, rubble or black mangrove bank country. They are tenacious fighters, testing even experienced anglers with their tough fight and determination to reach safety. Jacks often hit a bait as they head back towards their safe place, a habit that sees many a jack lost between the time they hit the bait and when an illprepared angler reaches for their rod after detecting the bite. These precious seconds will often see the jack back in its rocky crevasse and ultimately breaking the line and enjoying its freedom to fight another day. When and where to target mangrove jack Mangrove jack are a skilful predatory species and establish themselves where they can successfully ambush prey. Look for jacks around rocky banks (including canals), areas with a rocky bottom/shelf and black banks with mangrove roots. Here they will lay in wait for prey to pass before smashing their victims and heading back to safety. Their eyes are large and designed to hunt at night. Hence night is a prime time to target them. Mangrove jack seem to be most active leading up to a full moon as the tides begin to ‘grow’ but can be caught at any time given the right environment and conditions. I prefer to fish the bottom of the tide in the form of the last of the run-out, the slack and then the first of the new making tide. The necessary gear Mangrove jack are tough fighters and your gear needs to reflect this. Only a short few seconds lie between the fish hitting the bait and the fight to prevent the fish from getting back to its lair. Because of this you need an outfit that can put the brakes on, with a strong drag as well as a heavy leader to help reduce the chance of being cut off on a sharp piece of rock or oyster shell. My preference is for a shorter medium-length rod with a medium action to help control the fish. A longer rod with a

Bundaberg Region by BRAD YOUNG

lighter action will often provide the fish with just enough leeway to find its way home and ultimately end the fight on its terms. Ensure you have a long leader of at least 2m to help ensure you are not cut off. I prefer 15kg but this can be adjusted up or down to reflect the type of country you are fishing. If it is heavy oyster country, I would beef it up a bit. If it is a gravelly bottom, it may be possible to reduce the line weight to 10kg. Use a heavy-duty hook because these fish will test your gear in a fight. Minimum 2/0, but check with the staff in your local tackle shop to see what has been used with success locally. I prefer to fish one of two ways. The most common rig is a heavy sinker simply sitting on the hook. This anchors the bait on the bottom and the line can be let out through the sinker to allow it to move in the current. This rig requires the use of a line to leader knot. I regularly use the FG knot because it slides easily through the runners and is recognised as being very strong. The second rig uses a heavy sinker to anchor the bait on the bottom and then a long trace of about a metre in length. Again, this rig helps ensure the bait is on the bottom, with the long trace allowing it to move

in the current. A third rig is that for live bait where the live bait can be pinned with a hook and then floated into the current. A very small sinker can be used to try to ensure it sinks a little in the water column, which is especially useful when fishing deeper water. Best baits My favourite bait for mangrove jack is fresh mullet strips/fillets followed by live or freshly dead poddy mullet. Other baits will excite jacks including other fish flesh, but fresh bait is a necessity. When I fish for jacks, I find an area with the type of country I want to fish

with a rocky bottom and so on and then anchor the boat fore and aft so it sits across the current (kellicking). This allows me the opportunity to fish with two rods, or three if two people are in the boat. The rods can be set with one at the front, one at the back and one in the middle. Make sure they are secure and will not be pulled out of the boat as a result of a bait being smashed by a jack. I hope this info gives you an insight into the habits of this species and a few tips to help you begin to target them successfully. Remember to check with the staff at your local tackle shop for up-to-date intel and the best gear to use. New year outlook In Bundaberg we usu-

ally have a summer bream run to keep river anglers busy. Often the numbers are smaller but the sizes bigger. Fish the usual winter bream haunts and enjoy the fun. Crabs and prawns have been quiet but will certainly fire up if we have good storm rain or set-in rain. I am now looking forward to rain and the resultant fresh to liven things up and a chance to target new ground when the next break occurs in the weather. Have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. 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…

A great effort by Myka, 15, from Hervey Bay (holidaying at Miara) to catch this 53cm jack on mullet.

Sharp knives a necessity – ideal gift packs

HILE sourcing parts for my EzySharp knife sharpener, the conversation turned to my love of sharp knives.

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vative Cutlery) knives was established in 1994 and now sees the third generation of the family supplying high-quality carbon steel knives at reasonable prices. I have the SICUT 6 Piece All Purpose Knife Package, which includes an 8” butcher’s knife, 6” skinning knife, 6” boning knife,

7” filleting knife, 10” medium coarse sharpening steel and a knife wrap. These knives and steel come wrapped in a purpose-designed canvas knife wrap. Check out the Aussie Outback Supplies website aussieoutback supplies.com for great deals and to see the full

range of knives and other Aussie Outback gear including swags, knife sharpening tools and four-wheel-drive accessories. To go in the draw to win one of three premium SICUT Fisherman’s packs valued at $119 each, see subscriber offer on Page 60. Brad Young

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The motley crew assembled in front of the Carlo II upon return to Yeppoon.

Extended charter continued – on to the fishing action! P ICKING up where I left off last month on my week-long live-aboard fishing trip with Carlo Fishing Charters, we’d just wrapped up an incredible morning of fishing a glassedout Great Barrier Reef.

This unreal start to the fishing had us salivating, but not for lunch, rather to get back out in the dories and catch more epic fish! However, for whatever reason (tide, moon phase, time of day, amount of current, barometric pressure, position of Saturn’s third moon in relation to Uranus) the fish just weren’t chewing as hard in the afternoon. A decrease in run was noted, so Dad and I opted to very slowly drift rather than sit motionless waiting for fish to potentially appear.

Fishing Trip – Part 2

by DANIEL TOMLINSON

The 65mm Zerek Fish Trap in Black Jack didn’t put a foot wrong after its successful morning and continued to be used to great effect every time I put a cast within a sniff of a bommie. The vast majority of fish it enticed were undersized, so I figured a switch to a bigger presentation could get the bigger fish’s attention. Nope, no luck on the 110mm Fish Trap, apart from giving the tiddlers a fright as it dropped to the bottom. Switching through a few soft plastics rigged on jig heads saw no further inquiries, so I admitted

John nailed a couple of the target species.

defeat and joined Dad in using bait. Drifting through a channel in the reef and dropping lightly weighted half pilchards produced a number of redthroat emperor including several legal models that found a home in the under-seat icebox. Before long, captain Karl came over the radio signalling it was time to wrap it up because the incoming 20-25 knot wind necessitated a move to a more sheltered section of the Swain Reefs group. It was with heavy hearts that we waved farewell to this epic section of reef and the glassy conditions. Trolling to the next location yielded only a mack tuna but fishing under the cover of darkness off the back of the Carlo II netted a number of redthroat emperor for several anglers, with Andrew managing some solid fish. My dad Lindsay also scored a cracking spangled emperor, though it wasn’t quite as big as my one from the morning session (honest!). Our first night spent at anchor in the bowels of the Carlo II was accompanied by the sound of wind whistling and waves sloshing against the hull as conditions continued to deteriorate. The big boat handled the

Group organiser Errol did well to boat this hard-fighting bludger trevally on a soft plastic.

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conditions admirably. With the air-con humming away and keeping us cosy at a just-so 24C, we slept like logs and woke to the cacophony of 15 fishos getting a little excited about downing breakfast and hitting the water. Master chef Pete had put together a delicious breakfast, so Dad and I inhaled our serves, I downed three coffees and we headed out the back to suss out our anchorage in the bright light of day. We basically had two long ribbons of shallow reef running north to south both in front and behind the big boat, with a very lumpy bottom in between and drop-offs to more than 25m in places. Karl gave everyone advice on where they should head for the best fishing and everyone promptly went wherever they wanted. Dad and I cut across the substantial waves, which the Aussie Whaler dory handled very well, and into a lagoon but came up mostly empty-handed after a few hours of fishing and moving and repeating. After our very lacklustre morning session, I was keen to benefit from the expert tutelage of Pete for the afternoon outing, and we were fortunate to have his presence grace our boat. I hadn’t really been feeling pumped about fishing that morning, but having Pete on the boat was a great motivator and to see him absolutely pole quality reef fish into the boat one after the other was truly eye-opening. His action was savage, sending his rod tip from the waterline to the sky in milliseconds, and if he wasn’t using thick-gauge hooks I’m sure he would have straightened a few. In any case, the way Pete fished taught us a lot about what we should be doing to successfully catch more fish and we employed a number of his tactics for the rest of the week. At one stage we were drifting with the wind and waves through the deeper section between the reefs and I had a Mustad Big * continued P34

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 33

The author’s dad Lindsay was stoked with this big coral trout captured on fresh flesh bait. It was kept whole and turned into a culinary delight by the author’s mum Cathy.

Many a heart was broken when what was called for red emperor upon sighting colour turned out to be the no-keep chinaman fish. Krystle enjoyed the fight with this chunky specimen.

Extended charter continued – on to the fishing! * from P33

Sharon was happy with a keeper redthroat emperor.

Andrew’s 20kg-plus GT from the back of the big boat.

Eye Bucktail Jig running out the back, jazzed up with both a soft plastic trailer and bit of mack tuna flesh. As we passed a significant pressure point I got slammed and connected to something that proceeded to absolutely peel 50lb Daiwa J-Braid off my Penn Spinfisher. Fighting this fish for about five minutes and steering it away from the bottom, we just started to see a silver shape that looked quite like a big mackerel when a fierce head shake threw the jig from its mouth and it was gone. I was pretty deflated to have lost my first big pelagic of the trip, but we were chuffed to return to the big boat with an almost-full box of big redthroat and a number of coral trout, with the fish count probably 80 percent Pete’s and the remainder split between Dad and I. Thanks, Pete, for making us look good. Later that arvo Dad nabbed a couple of trout on a Berkley Gulp 7” Jerk Shad off the big boat while Andrew decided it was time to tie on a fish frame and play with the sizeable tawny nurse shark that had taken up residence under the boat (though at the time we had

Gita with one of many coral trout caught from their dory.

Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

incorrectly identified it as a lemon shark). No extended fishing charter is complete without a bit of shark fishing mayhem and this was just the beginning for us. Andrew was able to test the absolute limits of his Daiwa Monster Mesh rod on ‘Le Mans’ as the shark affectionately became known, bending the relatively light rod in half several times without issue. Great evening entertainment over a chilly beverage. The next day, Dad and I employed Pete’s methods after I threw a 140mm Zerek Pelagic Z hardbody in colour 03 over a bommie for a monster long-tom, big shark mackerel and mack tuna in quick succession, along with numerous missed strikes from other fish. Predominantly designed as a bluewater trolling lure, the Pelagic Z did an admirable job of being cast and retrieved at speed, with an aggressive action that really got the angry fish fired up. We shifted again after lunch, towing the dories in a daisy chain and heading further south into the Swains to another of Karl’s anchorages that provided good protection from the howling easterly and had a big lagoon to be fished from the dories.

Ducking out for a quick arvo session saw all boats return with reasonable numbers of redthroat and a good game plan of where to fish the next morning. Returning to the big boat for deckies Keith and Brock to load the dories onto the roof before the tide climbed higher and the wave action increased due to more water over the reef, our fishing group was ready to settle in for an evening of banter and bevvies. But first, I still had a kind of dead live bait I had been running under a balloon out the back of the dory at anchor in the hope of enticing a passing spanish mackerel. Once the boys had cleared a couple of the dories away, I summoned my strength and swung my balloon and mostly dead bait out as far as I could off the duckboard. Landing a full 3m from the stern of the boat, I turned to laugh at my pathetic effort with a couple of the guys. Quickly their expressions switched from laughter to shock as they screamed that the balloon had disappeared. I swung back around to the sight of Mustad Wish 70lb braid flying out of the open bail arm of my 950SSM Spinfisher and through the guides of my Wilson Live Fibre 1524kg rod. I snapped the bail arm down and the drag started screaming as the fish barely slowed. Shit, I had been running a loose drag setting while the rod was sitting in the holder of the dory. I quickly cranked the drag down and down and down but there was no stopping this fish as it continued to power away and back under the boat before a lack of manoeuvrability saw my braid cut not far from the rod tip. Damn, there goes at least 50m of braid. Pete was out the back and surmised it was a big GT that had likely been sitting under the boat waiting for its chance to pounce. I was pretty gutted because I’d been craving catching a cracking GT and had just been dusted on my heaviest outfit in

about seven seconds. While we didn’t think it possible, the wind continued to increase in strength and about 20 minutes after my smoking someone yelled to let us know a jacket that had been drying at the front of the boat had blown overboard. I had a 65g slug rigged on my 9’ Samaki Zing Travel rod and quickly extracted it from the rod rack and fired a cast straight over the jacket, which was now about 30m out the back of the boat. Sadly, the bow the wind had created in my line meant my retrieve swung wide of the jacket and by the time I had the slug in to cast again the jacket was out of range. I popped my rod up against the side rail in case something else needed retrieving in the wild conditions. With the sun almost setting, I was looking out over the reef as two longtail tuna cruised by, jumping clear of the water in a similar fashion to inquisitive dolphins. Well damn, I had my

slug ready to go, so immediately started firing the 65g SureCatch Knight out around the boat and ripping it back. With no luck after a few casts (I tire quickly and have no excuses as to why), I dropped the slug straight down beside the boat and began slow jigging it up, something that has worked countless times in Moreton Bay. On about the fifth jig the slug got slammed and the fish promptly took off towards the sunset. The Saragosa SW6000 was absolutely singing as 20lb PowerPro braid disappeared at an alarming rate. As I was up the side of the boat, the guys on the duckboard quickly brought their lines in and I passed the rod down so I could come and join them to better fight the fish. At first I wasn’t sure it was one of the tuna I had hooked, but as the fish steadily rose to the surface 100m behind the boat I became more confident. The next 20 minutes

* continued P35

The author’s Zerek Pelagic Z in colour 03 went through hell and back, catching multiple mackerel, coral trout, long-toms and more, but survived the trip and is ready for more action.

A shark mackerel on a Zerek Zappelin stickbait wasn’t the target species (GT) but still put up a cracking fight over the top of the reef.

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Extended charter continued – on to the fishing! It was a longtail all right and a solid one at that, going 12kg on the scales. I was absolutely wrecked and my arms were jelly but I was stoked to have landed such a fish on light gear – and without being sharked! We were all keen to see the fish turned into sashi-

* from P34

were an absolute mission as the fish continued to pull strongly and never gave up, and while undergunned in terms of gear, I didn’t give the fish an inch and slowly but surely brought it within range for Pete to get a gaff shot.

Mark boated a big ruby red coral trout. The colour spectrum on these fish is insane.

Lindsay was pleased to hook this trout on the trusty Pelagic Z while trolling flat-out past bommies.

mi the next day. That evening continued to produce as a number of the crew got toasted by the big GTs and sharks holding under the boat. The next day the awesome catches kept coming for most of the group. Dad hooked a nugget of a trout on bait and we trolled up and down the reef edge in the dory for numerous shark mackerel for Dad on the Pelagic Z and many mack tuna for me on the 65g slug (yes, the slug worked a treat on the troll!). The mackerel knocked Dad flat more than once thanks to vicious hits and the tight drag he was running. It was a pleasure to watch. We moved to our final destination the next morning, a truly picturesque location in a massive lagoon with dozens of big bommies coming out of 12m of water. The last two days seemed to fly by. Highlights for us were a bunch of bumper coral trout caught trolling that same Pelagic Z past the bommies, a shark mackerel landed on a Zerek Zappelin stickbait that sent me A over T, a little mack tuna I hooked on the slug being engulfed by a monster GT next to the boat and busting me off and Dad getting smoked by powerful fish three times in a row, using heavier gear each time. Pete came out with us for a brief session and we slayed a box of redthroat in short time before he

jumped onto another boat to help them do the same. Four or five large GTs also took up residence under the big boat and deckie Keith landed one on heavy overhead gear in record time, while Andrew utilised a fish frame to do the same with a spin setup. As the final fishing minutes of the final day approached, I still hadn’t landed my big GT, despite being busted off multiple times. I was committed to catch one but was too stubborn to drop a frame over to hook one of the brutes off the big boat. Instead, Dad and I opted to drift away from the big boat while I cast back to it with first a Halco Roosta Popper and then the Zappelin stickbait. Try as I might, I just couldn’t entice the GTs to hit a lure. I had one GT following my lure and our boat for a good 100m and with every cast it would rise to inspect and occasionally nudge the lures, but it just wouldn’t hit. The call came over the radio to pack it in to get ready for the steam home, and I conceded defeat, knowing I would be back some day to hook and land one of those big GTs on a lure. The trip home was remarkably comfortable considering we were tracking beam-on to the substantial swell and chop, and Dad and I managed a decent amount of shut-eye. It’s a credit to the design of the Carlo II and

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Karl’s seamanship. That wrapped up seven days in fishing heaven and I can’t thank Karl, Pete, Keith and Brock enough for having Dad and I on board and also Errol and his group for allowing us to jump in with them. I can highly recommend Carlo Fishing Charters as a superb extended charter outfit, and take note that not only do the guys head out from Yeppoon, they also offer charters to the Kimberley in Western Australia and Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory, which are well worth checking out. For any more information and to book a charter today, visit carlofish ingcharters.com.au or call Karl on 0428 753 293.

The author’s 12kg longtail tuna turned his arms to jelly after a 20-minute tussle. The following day’s sashimi was delicious.

Lindsay landed a night-time spangled emperor on a lightly weighted bait.

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Summer Sensations Words can run vertically, horizontally, diagonally and back to front.

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Congratulations to Brian Frankel on being the winner of the December puzzle competition! T&Cs: One winner per month. One entry per person. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 35

My PB bass at 43cm from some skinny water creeks in southeast Queensland while fishing from a kayak. Alex Marti

I got this lovely mangrove jack from Baffle Creek recently. Beno Webbsta

Dallas was impressed with Daddy’s big mangrove jack he caught in the creek! Rianna Gray

This cool-looking sooty grunter was caught at Eungella Dam on an Ecogear Aqua Bream Prawn. Paul Lake

On my first-ever offshore fishing trip I landed this beast of a nannygai off Double Island Point. Jess Richter

I captured this chunk of a bass during a little session at North Pine Dam. Jonathon Roberts

Hey all, here’s a shot from Lake Moondarra. My mate Andrew Hulme had never caught a barra or fish in Queensland and I got him into a 130cm fish! Michael Reader

Tom Richards pulled this bass from Somerset Dam by trolling the timber and old riverbed while wearing his favourite hat. Scott Richards

Chris Cullen caught this red emperor in 70m of water using squid bait at the Pipeline about 100km offshore from Dundee Beach in the Northern Territory.

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 Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 37

BOATING & marine

Rollashocks – a new era for trailer boats

FEW months ago while working at home I noticed a boat preparing to pull into the motel next door.

I found myself watching and waiting for the inevitable clatter of the boat on the trailer as it crossed the driveway and speed bump. Anyone who tows a boat would be familiar with the noise I’m talking about. We’ve all heard the racket while standing at the boat ramp as excited fishos approach for launching.

Well to my surprise, on this occasion the boat barely made a sound. As a fishing guide, I’ve had some issues with my boat rollers banging and wearing into my hull, so I was more than a little interested to see how the fisho got his setup so quiet. I walked over and while chatting with Dave Penn from the mid north coast of NSW about chasing big fish in far-off destinations, I noticed his boat roller brackets and skids.

They were fitted with what looked like small stainless steel and polyurethane shock absorbers. When asked, Dave explained that he was tired of the damage being done to his boat and contents by the trailer when towing over bad roads around Australia and the top end, which led him to invent Rollashocks. In a nutshell, they are boat roller shock absorbers designed to spread the weight of your boat evenly over the keel roll-

ers and skids, eliminating concentrated load points and vibrations being transferred directly through the trailer into your boat, which can damage or crack your hull. Made in Australia from quality 316 stainless steel and polyurethane, Dave reckons they’ll outlast the trailer by years. The set on his trailer had done over 7000km and still looked new. As I rocked his boat from side to side I could

see them compressing and flexing. I was sold. Finally a new era of protection for trailer boats all for about the cost of a high-end fishing reel. I have a set now and love them. Fitting them was very simple and my boat rides beautifully on the trailer. Do yourself and your boat a favour and check out the range of Rollashocks and brackets at rollashocks.com.au Jamie Bein

Tohatsu MFS3.5C makes boating easier

IMPLIQ Technology is a key Tohatsu philosophy and the MFS3.5C four-stroke has a couple of features portable outboard users have been looking for.

The first is the threeway storage and transport capability achieved through a unique engine oil breather system. The benefit is storage without oil leakage when positioned on a flat surface, such as in the boot of car or in a caravan. Second is the large front and rear carrying handles designed for grip and stability. They also have the effect of making the unit

feel lighter, a positive for those making the transition from a two-stroke outboard. Other benefits include a large tiller handle with throttle grip control, 360-degree full pivot steering, side-mounted forward/neutral gearshift and thermostatic-controlled water cooling. Model options include short and long shaft. Keeping with the trend, this little player looks the part with an edgy, curved, slick-back unique design. For more information, contact your local Tohatsu dealer or visit tohatsu. com.au

The new Quintrex APEX Hull gives you more room, more features and more stability. Check it out at your nearest dealer:

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174 Eastern Service Rd, Bruce Hwy Burpengary Q 4505 T: 07 3888 1727 brisbaneyamaha.com.au

Brisbane | Brisbane Quintrex 3775 Pacific Hwy, Loganholme Q 4129 T: 07 3133 3468 brisbanequintrex.com.au

Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Bundaberg | Boats Galore 142 Enterprise St, Bundaberg Q 4670 T: 07 4152 6744 boatsgalore.com.au

Gold Coast | Surf Coast Marine 50-54 Brisbane Rd, Labrador Q 4215 T: 07 5563 7733 surfcoastmarine.com.au

Sunshine Coast | Caloundra Marine 8 Baldwin St, Caloundra Q 4551 T: 07 5491 1944 caloundramarine.com.au

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BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

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 Previous columns in Bush ‘n Beach have detailed how as a boat owner, you may be held responsible for the costs of an environmental cleanup following a mishap involving your vessel.

That’s yet another reason why insuring your vessel is so important, irrespective of how careful you think you are on the water. But did you know that unlike specialist marine insurer Nautilus, some insurance companies will actually deduct that clean-up cost from the final payout figure for your vessel? Let’s see how that happens. Things take an unexpected turn while you’re

out in the waters of a marine park. You and your crew manage to escape unscathed by being picked up by another boat, but unfortunately, your vessel and gear is now playing aquatic pinball on a rocky outcrop. Beside dealing with the loss of your vessel (which we will address in a moment), you also could be held responsible for containing and cleaning up the fuel and oil spills as well as removing de-

bris including the boat’s battery, contents and the smashed hull itself. Those clean-up costs ordinarily do not come cheaply, primarily because recovery vessels and equipment have to travel to the site of the misadventure and then deal with the clean-up in perhaps a very difficult working environment. And make no mistake, some statutory authority is going to demand the wrecked vessel be removed – you’re not going to receive a ‘just forget it’ type of response. Authorities recently engaged marine contractors who used a sling and a helicopter to lift the hull of a yacht at Tallebudgera Creek as part of the recovery operations. The Queensland’s Government’s War on Wrecks Taskforce chair Kim Richards said: “Owners are responsible for the repair or removal of their damaged vessels from Queensland waterways.”

“Maritime Safety Queensland always seeks to recover the cost of salvage operations from the owners of wrecked or abandoned boats where they can be identified,” she said. “And, that helicopterassisted salvage effort was no different.” Maritime Safety Queensland’s website states this about insurance: “A recreational ship more than 15m in length but less than 35m overall must have an insurance policy that provides $250,000 for pollution clean-up and $10 million for salvage and wreck removal.” Even if your boat is 5m long and comes unstuck, expect to be paying for vessels, gear, divers, stand-by rescuers, environmental specialists, salvage crews and others. Let’s make some assumptions – your vessel was insured for a replacement cost of $40,000 and the clean-up bill came to $23,000.

If you are properly insured with Nautilus, not a problem. Ordinarily Nautilus would pay the $23,000 clean-up bill and also pay you the $40,000 for the insured vessel. That’s a total payout of $63,000. However, some other insurers would adopt an entirely different approach. They would deduct the $23,000 from your insured sum. That means the $40,000 agreed value of your vessel would be split $23,000 to the clean-up costs and just $17,000 to you. That’s a total payout of $40,000 and you’re already way behind the eight ball when it comes to replacing the boat. And while on the subject of insurance payouts, recovery and cleanup costs, if you are a four-wheel-driver, check whether your policy covers you for driving up the beach and what is and

what is not covered if you get caught by an incoming tide. As always, any special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s product disclosure statement. Always check your PDS and if you have a query, ask for clarification. 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 bimonthly prize to the best questions received. The prize is a Nautilus Marine merchandising pack comprising a collapsible chiller bag, handy marine sports bag and cap. Just email your questions to qld@nautilusin surance.com.au

Any advice contained in this article is of a general nature only and may not apply or be right for you as it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any advice provided in this article, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

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BOATING & marine

Don’t be fuelled – you are the last link Mercury powers All 4 Adventure

ERE, director Aaron Hunt looks at how to reduce the likelihood of a fuel contamination problem stopping you at sea.

Electrical, mechanical or fuel – if something is going to stop your powerboat, it will probably be a fault attributed to one of those three main areas of engine operations. And perhaps the most common one, fuel, is also the easiest to prevent, or at least lessen the likelihood of a problem developing. So, assuming you’re buying your fuel from a reputable servo where the holding tanks are in good condition, the dispensing equipment is likewise in great shape and the outlet’s turnover of fuel is very regular and constant, you then become the last link in the fuel chain. How long you leave your fuel in your boat (yes, it does deteriorate over time);

where you keep your boat in terms of its exposure to condensation forming; the condition of your fuel lines; and the quality and serviceability of your fuel filters are critical factors in that last link. In Queensland where we have dust and rain storms, heavy rain, high humidity, bush and sugarcane fires, rough seas, cyclonic winds and the usual culprits of fuel line clips breaking, ‘helpful’ friends insisting they fill the boat and then not tightening the fuel cap properly, there are numerous ways water and debris particles can find their way into your fuel tank and lines. While your outboard will have its own fuel filter (there can be a number of them by the time you count those for fuel induction as well as a vapour separator tank and injectors), our focus here is to prevent contaminated fuel getting to your engine in the first place. Primarily, that will be contamination by the ingress of water and/or debris particles. And the way to prevent them continuing down the fuel lines to the engine is to intercept them using a fuel-water separator, which incorporates a filter. In general terms, the budget versions are often less than $50, rising to

about $80 and above for the ones with inspection bowls. Replacement filter elements are typically around $20. Separators are cylindrical in shape and screw into a firmly mounted top piece. In simple terms, fuel enters the separator via a hose, swirls through the filter and then exits out another hose to the engine. The porosity of the filter is measured in microns. A micron is one thousandth of a millimetre. To put that in perspective, a human hair has a diameter of perhaps 50 to 75 microns. A fuel filter might typically have a specification of around 10 microns, that means it is small enough to trap debris while still allowing fuel to pass through. Any water will settle in the bottom of the filter reservoir. Some designs have a glass inspection reservoir at the bottom and a tap that lets you drain off that water. The water ends up in the bottom of the separator because it is more dense than fuel, which therefore floats above the water. Other separators are throw-away styles, meaning if you take them off to drain the water, you then

need to dispose of them and any remaining fuel appropriately. It’s often a good idea to tip the fuel contents from the filter into a jar so you can inspect how much water and debris has been collected. Don’t just tip it down the drain. Contact your municipal council – some such as Brisbane have free dropoff days where you can disposal of the fuel at no charge. Depending on your usage and boat storage, your fuel-water separator would typically be changed every six or 12 months. Some filters are for single outboard use, while others have two inlets. Similarly, it is common to see twin separators fitted in twin-engine installations – one for each engine. Others are designed specially for smaller vessels up to 4m in length, which will have small outboards. If fitting a water separator and filter, don’t screw it to your transom. The less holes created in a transom, the better. Look for a section where it can be mounted with easy access – often somewhere under an outboard well or to the side of the bilge.

E RC U RY Marine is excited to announce its new partnership with the renowned All 4 Adventure team. Exploring the harshest and most beautiful parts of Australia for more than a decade, Jase Andrews and the All 4 Adventure team have continually pushed the boundaries of where they can go and what they can do on both land and water. And now, whenever they hit a lake, river or the open ocean, they are going to be propelled and protected by Mercury outboards. Host Jase said, “Obviously, when we select our equipment we have to put a lot of thought into it.” “We love pushing the envelope and that means we have to have the best equipment – equipment that not only does the job but you can absolutely trust. “Mercury has outstanding reliability, which for us is a must. “But Mercury engines tick a lot of other boxes too.

“Weight is a killer for us, and Mercury has a fantastic power-toweight ratio and their fuel economy is right up there, so we can go further... which is what the show is all about. “We’ve got a new member of the team joining us for Season 11 who’s no stranger to the fishing scene: he’s a die-hard fisho! “I know that once on the water, myself, Simon and our new mate are going to really appreciate how quiet Mercury engines are.” When All 4 Adventure Season 11 hits screens around Australia later this year, Jase and Simon and the rest of the crew will have two 150hp FourStrokes on the back of their Sea Jay 7.2 Pursuit GS, a 50hp FourStroke with a Mercury Big Tiller on their Sea Jay 4.2 Avenger and a 20hp EFI FourStroke on both their 3.7m Nomad tinnies. Mercury Marine marketing manager Anthony Brown said, “We’re really excited to be teaming up with the guys from All 4 Adventure.”

“Anyone who knows what Jase and Simon get up to knows they need the very best engines, and that’s where Mercury comes in. “Fantastic reliability, efficiency, strength and durability are part of Mercury’s DNA.” Mercury FourStrokes are designed for less weight and high displacement, so they generate abundant torque and immediate power. And because they don’t have to work as hard as heavier engines or those with lower displacement, they make boats plane faster and accelerate better, with optimal fuel efficiency at cruising speed. “We absolutely love what we do, making the best 4x4, fishing and adventure show on Australian television, and there’s no doubt these Mercury engines are going to play a big role,” Jase said. To check out Jase, Simon and their amazing journeys, go to all4ad venture.com or visit un leashed.tv

GO FOR SOME QUALITY TIME. Time spent out on the water with your family is far too precious to risk with anything other than the absolute best in marine engineering. And that’s exactly what the Mercury MerCruiser V8 delivers. Efficient, powerful and backed by Australia’s largest dealer network. You know you want to go. Learn more at mercurymarine.com.au

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today. 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 | Holt Marine 25 Queens Rd, Everton Park Q 4053 P: 07 3353 1928 E: info@holtmarine.com.au W: holtmarine.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 Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

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What to expect for 2020

T’S time to turn our attention to the fishing year ahead.

What does January bring on the fishing front? The hot and humid conditions with afternoon storms will see mangrove jack on the chew. Fishing before and after the storms and into the early evening will see them biting strongest. Start by targeting any rock bars and rocky dropoffs in both the Calliope and Boyne rivers. 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 and hardbodies fished around rock bars and timber, and vibes in deeper areas, as well as good live or fresh cut baits. Whatever your preferred method, you need to make sure you’re getting your presentation as close to the structure as you can because jacks won’t move too far from home. The speed demons of our estuaries are moving around in good numbers. Of course, I’m talking about species like giant and diamond trevally, queenfish and tarpon. Trevally and queenfish are moving in the same areas of high tidal flow and bait.

Gladstone Region by GARY CHURCHWARD

Using surface lures in the early morning and late afternoon will get their attention and result in impressive takes. During the day, try fishing deeper with 3” and 4” plastics or vibe lures. A live herring or mullet floated down through the water will get smashed as well. Tarpon tend to school in bigger numbers in deeper holes in 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 because they will move though it as they feed. Most of these fish won’t be too big and a 2-4kg rod, 1500 or 2500 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.

Phil with a nice morning tarpon hooked on a small plastic in the Calliope River.

The last hour of the runout and 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, with fresh yabbies doing the trick. Port Alma will fish well for threadfin salmon. Finding a school can be the easy part, but getting them to react and take a lure can be difficult. Vibes, prawns and minnow-style plastics all work, but if they are playing hard to get, try collecting some live prawns as these are rarely refused. A few black jewfish, fingermark and grunter are around the deeper holes and rock bars in the port as well. Fingermark have been hitting lures fished over deep structure. I am having the most luck with 3” Berkley Gulp Shrimp plastics, with fish sizes ranging from 3060cm. These lures don’t have much action but between the Gulp scent and a slow hop along the bottom, they catch a wide variety of fish. Grunter are thick, with large schools of small fish through all systems. Larger fish tend to be more isolated and move around in smaller groups. Small vibes and again Gulp Shrimp have accounted for these fish. Light line and leaders will see your bite rate increase. Awoonga Dam is firing for barra over summer, with reports of catches of up to 10 per session com-

mon, with a great average size. In saying that, don’t expect to rock up to the dam and catch fish straight away. The people who are consistently hooking them are spending many hours figuring out where they are and when they are going to bite. Crabs are a bit hit and miss, with very few caught during November and December. Enough are around for a feed, but you will need to keep moving your pots to get them. I hope everyone gets off to a cracking start in 2020. Cheers and happy fishing from Gladdy.

Fingermark will be around. This one took a 65mm Samaki Vibelicious fished through a big school over a deep rock bar.

Port Alma will fish well for threadies. Vibes, plastics and live prawns present your best chances.

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length to 7’3” allows more brands of jigs to be wound completely inside the rod, while the slimmer design increases the action of the rod and in turn the fish-catching action of the jig. Designed to be used with either spin or overhead reels, the Sabiki UTG is a two-piece blank for easy storage, with a butt join rather than the traditional join above the bottom line guide that can make

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When you really want to go fishing, you will make it happen. Amanda Maurer was visiting from Canada and landed a jack at the Causeway.

Jesse Mobbs with a fine large-mouth nannygai caught offshore from Yeppoon.

Time to put the Cap Coast on your 2020 calendar

Tamara Kemmerling with a nice Causeway jack.

LOODY hell, where did 2019 go?

It’s time to put away the excuses and start planning your piscatorial calendar for 2020. Do you want to become better at catching a particular species? Do you want to visit some different locations? Do you want to get the kids out fishing more? New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be unrealistic. It’s great to have some goals and work towards achieving them. Having a mate or group that has the same goal can make it more exciting and

Troy Newman has been doing well on the Cap Coast mangrove jack.

How’s that for a big small-mouth nannygai? Jesse with a cracker from his last offshore mission.

Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

fast track your learnings. The more heads, the more ideas. I have a couple of good mates I trust and I can honestly say those guys have come up with improvements I wouldn’t have thought of and vice versa. The beauty is everyone in the group can benefit. Just some food for thought. I’m sad to say we are still in saltwater barra lockdown mode. Only one more month to go though. The word on the street is the good-old Causeway Lake has been turning on fantastic mangrove jack action. A couple of our friends have been going over and fishing the run on the bigger tides. Last full moon they absolutely killed it land based. They caught a heap of jacks from pups to over 40cm models. It’s definitely going to be a busy place in school holidays if it keeps delivering the goods. Noticeably, the threadfin salmon action seems to have dried up. A few locals have been saying the mega schools of big threadies seem to have vacated the upper reaches of the Fitzroy River where most people target them. Only small patches remain. I’m sure a few locals would know where they have moved to. I think it will be a matter of tuning your sounder and just going for a look. Mud crabs have been moving well around the bigger tides, as expected for this time of year. I generally wait until we get our first lot of decent rain before dropping the pots in. I like easy crabbing though, especially when taking the kids. Port Alma has been the pick of the places for muddies, with some topquality 2kg-plus models pulled from the backs of shallow gutters. If you’ve got some fresh

fish frames from a recent trip, it can pay to take them straight out and soak the pots. Fresh bait always seems to work better. You will get them on any bait but fresh is best. The crabbers who continually move their pots always do better. Soak them for an hour and then move them. If a pot catches good crabs, don’t move it too far. If it doesn’t produce, move it a lot further. The most talked about species at the moment in the town reaches of the Fitzroy would be javelin fish (grunter). Some absolute horses have been caught on the rock bommies around the bridges and the rubble patches along Devils Elbow. Grunter have been hitting live prawns and good-quality squid such as the Lunds brand. They are good fun on light gear and top notch on the dinner plate. A great excuse to take the kids out to soak a few baits during the holidays. We have had success catching grunter on a range of lures as well. The Berkley Gulp 4” Swimming Mullet has been reliable, as have small vibes like the 65mm Zerek Fish Trap and 70mm Samaki Vibelicious. Run them on 10lb setups with 20lb fluorocarbon and you’ve got yourself a ticket to the fun house. Even though we are into summer, the humble flathead is still around in numbers but not much size compared to the colder months. The fishers flicking the drains on the last of the run-out at places like Corio Bay and the drains up the back of Emu Park Creek have produced. The weather has been about average for this time of the year. We’ve seen the occasional flat day but more often than not, a bit after lunch the afternoon northerly wind is up and pumping hard.

My poor old Cruise Craft was out of action for about six months due to getting a birthday and me being too time poor to put it back together. The good news is she’s back up and going and we took her to stretch her legs again last month. My dad was frothing for a reef run and with all the barra fishing I had been doing, our freezer was looking pretty ordinary as well. We decided to do a halfday mission to make sure everything was back to normal with the boat. Our destination was the fern grounds about 60km northeast of Yeppoon. The direction to head from the harbour was an easy decision because the wind would turn northerly in the afternoon and coming back with it would make it a more pleasant trip home. The early morning trip out went well and we were soon sounding around some old marks to see if we could put a couple in the Esky. We started off slowly, with a few good fish getting sharked. We spot hopped and the Humminbird Helix G3N lit up with life. A double hook-up first drift and two nice goldspotted cod weighing 4-6kg were swung over the side.

At this size they are fantastic chewing. Next drift and a big goldspot climbed on and this beast was pushing 15kg. We didn’t want to pull any more cod because they play an important role in each spot. Next spot and we could see good fish hiding among the ferns and bait hovering over the top. Dad was hit hard and had trouble getting the fish off the bottom. It took some persuasion before a nice goldband jobfish hit the surface. Next drift over the same spot and I was able to nail a nice large-mouth nannygai. We kept spot hopping and added more fish to the Esky including tuskfish and school mackerel. The sharks nailed a few more quality fish, which was frustrating. We had about a dozen fish in the Esky, which we were happy with, so we headed for home. Talking with a few of the regular offshore fishers, the reports from others has been about the same. If you can get out there, you seem to be able to put a decent feed together, as long as you can get away from the sharks. Another good report is the inshore fingermark are starting to fire up. * continued P43

The author’s dad Robin pulled some quality on their last adventure.

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Cracking close to the fishing year at Hinchinbrook

IRST, a big g’day to everyone and I hope this finds you well.

Another year is almost done and dusted. We’ve had better fishing as the year has come to an end, with good catches both inshore and offshore. It seems the heat has brought out the fish and the going is tough when you’re out on the water and the wind dies off to nothing.

Hinchinbook News by TEAM CRACKAJACK

It sure gets hot! I reckon we’ll be asking Santa for a new canopy for the boat because some shade would be greatly appreciated out there.

Darren with a quality mangrove jack (aka red mullet).

Fingers crossed! It’s been a roller coaster year and a big learning curve for us trying to find out just what makes this place tick and where the fish like to hang out through the different seasons. We think we’ve done OK considering the rain and wind thrown at us this year. Hopefully it’s a more consistent year in 2020. Let’s get into it with the inshore reports. Some XL grunter have been showing up of late and falling to half a pilchard or flesh bait presented on a 6/0 running sinker rig. The trick is leaving the bait out long enough so

Michael had a blast catching this coral trout (aka bluespot mullet).

Time to put the Cap Coast on your 2020 calendar * from P42

The headlands seem to be the better places because the wrecks are riddled with sharks. It’s been a long time since I’ve caught one of those big fingers, so it might be time to head out and have another go.

Spanish mackerel have been a bit sporadic but places like Barren Island, Flat Island and Perforated Island have been turning over some quality. If you are a lazy mackerel fisher like me, then a couple of Rapala X-Raps and Halco Crazy Deeps should see

Brett Gimm recently went to Port Alma and came home with the goods. Cooper thought his dad and mates did really well.

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you in the action. More specialised mack fishos like to run a selection of baits such as ribbonfish and garfish. There’s an art to doing this well, so make sure you get into your local tackle shop to get the good oil on trolling baits. If you want to get that barra fix before the salt opens, then the best places to do it around central Queensland are Lake Maraboon near Emerald, Callide Dam near Biloela and Lake Awoonga near Gladstone. If you can get a nice stable weather pattern, this will be the best time to hit the dams. Well that’s it from me this month. I’m counting down the days until February 1. Reel services, gear top-ups and plenty of prep for the saltwater barra season in 2020… bring it on!

you wonder whether bait is still on it. A short wait is not uncommon before the rod loads up and you’re connected. Unfortunately, a number of the fish haven’t released very well, with some fish swimming off to the depths only to resurface a few minutes later, while others simply sat motionless on the surface. Instead, they made an appearance on the table and were very nice chewing. Fingermark have been inconsistent inshore but they’re still turning up on the odd occasion. Mangrove jack have made their presence known and are biting well, hitting lures such as the Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ and Atomic 4” Prong Radioactive Rooster with gusto. Nice estuary cod are also falling for these lures, as well as strip baits and livies when offered. We are hoping to try some night trips down the Hinchinbrook Channel when we have time, just to see what’s lurking, so we will let you know how that goes in future editions. All in all, inshore has been OK this year but hopefully we see a bit more action in the new one. Offshore has seen more consistent catches of coral trout and redthroat as we wind down, and the mackerel are going off as we speak. Unfortunately, this seems to have brought in even more sharks, so it’s been a fight to get your catch past them. You can play a remora to the top for 10 minutes without so much as a sideways glance from the taxman, but hook a nice coral trout, nannygai or redthroat and you’ve got about 10 seconds to get them clear of the water. Some nice longtail tuna are about, as are golden trevally, turrum and red emperor, all falling to baits and metal jigs. As mentioned, heavy gear and a quick retrieve will see you looking at a

whole fish, usually. The wind hasn’t been too bad of late. An hour of travel in a bit of chop will see you at the reef. Pillies, squid and strip baits have all been producing, along with metal jigs in the 60-80g range. Colour hasn’t seemed to matter much, but I prefer anything with orange or bronze through it. Fluorescent strips never go astray. A big hello to Darren and Michael – it was great fishing with you crazy pair. We haven’t laughed so hard in a long time and look forward to your company again soon. We still have spaces left for both inshore and offshore charters, so feel free to give Judith a call with any inquiries about your next trip; she’ll look after you. We hope you all have a cracker Christmas and great New Year. Take care and stay smiling. ‘Til next time, may the winds stay low and the fish count high.

Harry with his PB coral trout.

Steven pulled this nice estuary cod from the Hinchinbrook Channel.

Emma showed the boys how it’s done with a nice coral trout.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 45

Adventure angling on Cape York

I folks, I’m back after a short absence from writing for BNB.

Plenty of jewfish have been holding on deep structure.

Tim Appleton with a healthy saratoga.

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The combination of a fast-growing baby girl and starting a new job has made me very time poor over the past couple of months. Luckily things have settled down and I’m looking forward to filling you in about what has been happening around western Cape York. The tourists have all but cleared out of Weipa and the days are getting hotter and steamier. With the odd afternoon build-up storm rolling in and dumping just enough rain to settle the dust, it won’t be long until the wet season arrives and we are cut off from civilisation again. During the months leading up to wet season on the Cape the wind drops out and we get windows of almost perfect weather. Anglers taking advantage of these weather windows have been rewarded with great captures of fingermark and an assortment of reef fish. Black jewfish have been holding on the leads and deepwater structure. They react well to vibes and large plastics worked deep and hopped along the bottom. The odd billfish and spanish mackerel is being trolled up off Pera Head and the billfish ground southwest of Weipa. With the clear water and humid weather, mangrove jack have been about in great numbers, terrorising bait and smashing lures. There is also plenty of barra by-catch when chasing these red thugs. Just remember, we are well into barramundi closed season, so barra accidentally caught should be released unharmed as soon as possible to ensure these fish are ready to spawn during wet season. Over the past few months I’ve focused my time fishing the inland rivers and lagoons around the western Cape, especially before they turn into raging torrents when the rain sets in.

Weipa Wonders by RYAN JAMIESON

I love this style of fishing because most of these hidden systems get minimal pressure but the major drawcard for me is the thrill of venturing into the unknown. When planning one of these trips, I start by tracking river systems using Google Earth, concentrating on the deep areas and sweeping bends in the river and keeping an eye out for lagoons. Once I find an area I’d like to fish, I shift my focus to access, because a lot of these areas cannot be reached by conventional four-wheel-drives. Quad bikes and buggies are awesome for getting to these isolated areas and because of their small size and manoeuvrability, there are not many places they can’t reach. The Hema Maps app is another great tool for this style of fishing. I simply put in the GPS co-ordinates for the area I want to fish and find the nearest road. Then it’s just a matter of putting my plan into practice by driving out to the area, unloading the quads and carefully making our way to the area we want to fish.

At this time of year a lot of areas of scrub have been burnt off, making it easier to get through the bush to your destination. I always make sure I mark where the car is as well as the desired destination into Hema Maps or a handheld GPS because it isn’t hard to get lost. I like to take a large selection of lures when heading out on these adventures because you never know what’s waiting for you, but there is a fair chance of heavy structure and plenty of lily pad beds. For this reason, I always pack plenty of surface frog-style lures such as the Z-Man Finesse FrogZ and DieZel MinnowZ rigged on ChinlockZ weedless rigs. As for fishing rods and reels, I like to take a light to medium three-piece stick because I can stash it away on the quad in a small tube, along with a 2500 size spin reel. When doing this style of fishing you will find yourself in some very isolated locations, a long way from home with limited to no mobile phone reception.

Therefore, preparation is paramount. I ensure I never go alone and double check all quads on the trip are mechanically sound, as your machines not only need to get you there, they must also get you home. It is a good idea to pack a basic tool kit that includes tyre plugs and tyre inflation canisters or a small 12V compressor because flat tyres are very common. Always take plenty of drinking water and basic recovery gear including a tow strap. Make sure you tell somebody where you are going and an approximate time you will be home. Satellite phones are a great investment when you live and fish in remote areas. Just remember, before you embark on your next adventure check what land you are actually fishing on. If your desired location is on private property, be sure to source permission from the property owner or seek any permits you may require. The year is all but wrapped up and Christmas is upon us. From my family to yours, I wish you all a merry Christmas and fishfilled New Year. I hope to see you on the Cape.

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The lengths we go to, to catch fish.

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There were even barramundi to be caught off the beach at the spit.

Gulf country magic M

Y fascination with Queensland’s remote and vast Gulf of Carpentaria began as a youngster, hearing of huge rivers set amidst expansive flood plains, home to giant crocodiles, groper, sharks and barramundi.

It was while working and catching crocodiles as part of the first research into these reptiles back in the 1970s that I first experienced the incredible nature of the Gulf region – and was certainly not disappointed! Since then I’ve been fortunate to explore and fish many parts of this magical region, most of which still exists as remote, frontier country. Earlier this year I enjoyed an absolute cracker trip on the charter boat Eclipse in the Archer River area, south of Weipa. Owned by Joe and Bianca Berwick, the aluminium cat Eclipse is a wonderfully appointed and practical fishing charter vessel, and is used by a number of guiding operations, but especially the highly regarded Weipa Sportfishing guides.

Cape York by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

Jo and Bi also cater for bird watching expeditions and scientists undertaking environmental monitoring in Queensland’s far north, and even into southern New Guinea. This was a family and friend trip though, with my son (and fishing guide) Josh, his wife Casey and two young kids Chastyn and Addi as well as my wife Shelley and I joining in (both of us work on the Eclipse from time to time). We travelled down from Weipa to the Archer in Josh’s 6m Cyclone. This would have to be the best-riding boat I have ever been in. Even with four adults, two kids, a full fuel tank (300 litres), all our gear and plenty of supplies, the Cyclone made easy work of the two-hour trip over a remnant westerly swell, powered by a 135hp Honda outboard. Partway down the coast, Josh pulled up at a bait

A stunning Gulf sunset.

ball being smashed by pelagics and hooked a solid longtail tuna second cast on a metal slug. That was the sashimi taken care of! What cracker fish tuna are – their smashing strike, the long hard runs and of course their wonderful eating qualities. After we reached the Eclipse, said g’day to all and unloaded, Josh and I went for a late-arvo lure flick along a nearby mangrove edge. The water was barely a metre deep, but barramundi were lurking virtually all the way along and they were hungry. Most were around the 70cm mark and very feisty, with the beautiful golden tails typical of saltwater barra. The next day saw fiveyear-old Chastyn keen as to go fishing. Like father, like son! His first notable fish of the day was a solid, stubborn, tea-leaf trevally (ignoring the abundant forktailed catfish), which was a huge hit. Soon after, Chastyn scored his first-ever barramundi at about 75cm, which brought an even bigger smile to the youngster’s face. There was no stopping him now – it is always fantastic to see youngsters enjoying their fishing. While we often think of barramundi hanging around snags, rocks

Chastyn landed his first-ever barramundi.

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and other structure, these were sitting way out in the open near the bottom of a channel and about in good numbers. Fingermark, grunter and mangrove jack also fell to lures and mullet baits, adding to the fishing diversity. This trip wasn’t just about the fish though, as deploying a few crab pots yielded cracker muddies. These we feasted on while enjoying lateafternoon drinks on a nearby sand spit, watching pelicans and the occasional Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin cruise by. There was also an endless coastline for beachcombing and an arvo sea breeze strong enough to fly the kites with the kids. Talk about living the dream! Our meals, always superbly cooked by Bianca, Josh or Shelley, were enjoyed on the top deck of the Eclipse with cooling breezes and stunning all-round views, which included some superb sunsets. The air-conditioned interior and cabins were always so welcome after a day venturing out in the tropical sun. A top experience in a top charter vessel all round! Otherwise around the Cape there have been reports of good captures of reef fish and pelagics, including spanish mackerel and cobia in the generally calmer weather. Meanwhile, we await the onset of the wet season, officially predicted to be later than usual. Even so, there have been reasonable build-up storms over parts of the Cape during December, especially in western areas. In such ‘late’ seasons, the core part of the wet, when it does arrive, is an absolute thumper with plenty of rain to make up for the late start – something to be aware of. Otherwise, seasons greetings to all and here’s hoping plenty of great fishing and camping trips are planned for the new year. It’s a fabulous time of year!

Sunset drinks and nibbles on the spit.

Josh with a snodger longtail tuna caught just offshore south of Weipa.

Josh and son Chastyn with a solid tea-leaf trevally.

The Eclipse at anchor.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 47

A very happy father and son, Mark and Andrew, with a pair of lovely fingermark taken while fishing with the author. The pair have been regular guide clients for many years.

Giant tarpon was the species at the top of the author’s bucket list for decades before heading to a guiding operation in Cuba. Here’s one of the results – a 20kg model.

Reasons to hire a fishing guide

HILE chartering several years ago, I’d noted the four-wheeldrive and trailer with Victorian plates parked at the boat ramp behind the airstrip at Bamaga for the past four days.

If you visit Tasmania and want to catch a trout, hire a guide. Small stream fly fishing, despite its appearance, is extremely complex. Geoff Padgett brought a fish to the net with the assistance of a local guide.

Going bonefishing without a guide is not recommended. Gavin Platz obviously agreed.

It was a rare occasion to see any rigs other than an occasional red-stained local outfit among the stunted mangroves surrounding the muddy launching spot. That afternoon, as we returned from another successful day on the Jackey Jackey, the identity of our visitors was finally revealed as they’d just retrieved their dinghy and were sorting it out before tackling the corrugated road back into town. While I set about snigging my 5m barra punt back on the trailer, my punters headed over for a chinwag with the other crew. As would be expected, the banter invariably involved comparing the day’s captures. I was just finishing tightening the tie-downs when the older of the two blokes in the other boat approached, stuck out his hand and introduced himself.

Reputable mother ships are the author’s favourite charter option. Joe and Bianca on the Eclipse offer comfortable accommodation, gourmet meals and experienced guides.

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Fishing Tales by DAVE DONALD

Seems he’d driven all the way from Melbourne with his son to fish the area and they had liked what they’d seen. Then he asked if I had a business card, so I grabbed one from the glovebox, we shook again and he headed for his HiLux. The lads filled me in on their chat during the drive back to Punsand Bay. Seems the ‘Mexicans’ hadn’t found many fish during their stay and didn’t see a barra until their final day. Meanwhile, my crew had been raving about the great fish they had landed – barra, threadies, jacks, queenfish, fingermark and cod. It took a couple of months for the results of this encounter to manifest. I received a message to phone an 03 prefix number about organising a fishing trip and duly made the call. Mick explained he was the bloke I’d met at the ramp and he wanted to book my services for next year. He then went on to detail the costs of fuel, food and repairs for his month-long northern safari, adding that after all that time and expense, his fishing results had been very poor. My punters had caught several times his total catch in a single day! Back in the early 1990s, hiring a fishing guide was seen as a waste of money – an exorbitant outlay for something that was merely just going fishing. Pay somebody to take you fishing – outrageous! After his experience, Mick quickly realised flying up and hiring a guide was a sensible value for money option. He could make the trip a couple of times on what it had cost him to drive – and he’d do it all in a long week instead of having to take a month off work. Mick and his son are now regular clients, visiting at least once every

year, and on a couple of occasions, twice! On the other side of the coin, as a guide myself, I never go fishing in a new location without using the services of an experienced professional. Tassie, the Northern Territory, New Zealand, Kiritimati, Cuba – if you want to make the most of your ‘bucket list’ fishing destinations, as I have done, spend the dollars and you’ll reap the rewards. It’s really a fishy nobrainer! However, like any business transaction, if you are hiring a guide for the first time, care must be taken to investigate the quality of the service. The best recommendation is via ‘word of mouth’, that is, talking directly to clients who have recently used the operator. They will usually offer a pragmatic opinion. By all means, phone the selected guide and have a good chat. The good ones are always keen to help and will ask the right questions. It’s in their interest to give you the best experience they can provide and the more they understand your expectations, the better they can plan your trip. Of course, most of the better guides have a Facebook or similar social media page these days and this offers a very convenient way of keeping a close eye on the performance of operators you may be considering. Contact via these sites is definitely a very easy way to clarify the options that may be available. Still, in my book, nothing beats talking face to face with the horse’s mouth. Often, that conversation will provide a great opportunity to establish a rapport with a potential host. Make sure the charter that catches your interest offers the type of fishing you prefer. If you like fly casting,

for instance, you don’t want to end up in a boat with live bait fishers. Don’t laugh, I’ve heard of that happening more than once! Keen fly fishers should be prepared to pay the extra, if necessary, and limit their number to two per boat/guide. Many lure casters also prefer to do likewise. One of the scenarios that always seemed to go pear shaped for me was trying to mix a group. There’s a lot of truth in the saying ‘a rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel’ and sadly, I’ve had to adjudicate the consequences several times. My recommendation is to make up a party of friends or family or pay the extra to have the boat to yourself. It can save a lot of angst. Most fishers like a drink, but having a few too many while fishing can result in not only the impairment of fishing skills, but much more importantly, becoming increasingly prone to injury or accidents. The stereotype of the typical fisher swilling beer and killing every fish makes me cringe because such behaviour is no longer acceptable to those who value their fishing opportunities. Following a couple of charters that were ruined by boozed-up individuals, I started enforcing a two cans of medium strength per fisher rule and never really had any problems with having it accepted. Having a drink while celebrating a great day on the water post-fishing is just so much more enjoyable. Again, clarifying the alcohol consumption situation of an operator can help in assessing their suitability. There’s nothing that signals a lack of professionalism quite as much as being handed a green can when you step on board at 7am! Most remote guides, lodges and mother ships these days have a policy of killing only those fish that are to be consumed on board and ethically re* continued P49

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Torres Strait turns it on

T the northern extremities of Queensland, off the tip of Cape York, lies the Torres Strait.

It is a shallow and at times treacherous stretch of water that covers 48,000sq km between mainland Australia and New Guinea. The Torres Strait Island people have a long, proud culture that connects them to the waters that surround their island home. I’ve been fortunate to live in the Torres Strait for over 10 years. In that time, I’ve certainly done some exploring in this amazing part of the world. The Torres Strait Islands are grouped into five distinct clusters, which are very different in geology and formation. The top western islands, which are just 4km from PNG, were formed by deposition of sediments from PNG rivers. I lived and worked on Boigu Island for two years, which was barramundi and mud crab heaven. Another island cluster known as the ‘near western islands’ is comprised

Cape York & Torres Strait by MATT POTTER

largely of high granite hills with mounds of basaltic outcrops. Commercial crayfishing (tropical rock lobster) is the bread and butter of the people of Moa, Badu and Mabuiag islands. The central island cluster mostly consists of low-lying coral cays that are simply stunning, with white sand and coconut trees fringing the island communities of Masig, Warraber and Poruma. The eastern island cluster consisting of Mer (Murray Island), Erub (Darnley Island) and Ugar (Stephen Island) need to be seen to be described. I always feel like the theme music to Jurassic Park should be playing when flying into these islands – simply paradise. They are volcanic in origin and due to the rich and fertile red soils, their hillsides are thickly vegetated. The reefs surrounding these islands are just jaw dropping. Being located just a

short distance from the continental shelf, this area is dogtooth tuna, wahoo, dolphinfish, green jobfish, yellowfin tuna and blue-spotted coral trout country. I’ve been fortunate to fish these areas a couple of times over the years and we’ve landed hefty trout, green jobsfish, red bass and mackerel. Sharks are never far away. I was left feeling very under-gunned with the gear I was using because some unstoppable fish gave us a dusting. The inner islands, which includes my island home of Thursday Island, are the most heavily populated. TI is the administrative centre for the Torres Strait and Horn Island has the region’s domestic airport. The waters surrounding these islands are shallow. Ten metres is the average depth. At times, fishing can be tough due to the strong currents that race through

Small cays provide a nice place to cool off on steamy doldrum days.

the area and the relentless trade winds. That said, regardless of what the wind is doing, fishing options can be found in all directions and with careful planning we are able to access excellent fishing on Cape York’s eastern and western coastlines. In short, the Torres Strait is a pretty special part of the world. These waters can also be unforgiving as many early sailors found out as they attempted to navigate the maze of reefs, islands and sandbars. Numerous wrecks can be found throughout the Torres Strait, many of which have tragic tales such as that of RMS Quetta, a Royal Mail Ship, in which 134 people lost their lives. New boaties to the area learn very quickly that wind against tide presents a short, confused chop that can be dangerous in smaller boats. Fishing the Torres Strait We are now in the wet season. It is hot, humid and the fish are hungry! It’s a favourite time of year where we experience glassy weather windows that allow us to push out much wider to fish areas where previously the weather hasn’t allowed us to venture. It’s also an unpredictable time weather-wise and it can go from 0-100 pretty quickly, with storms brewing and conditions changing in what seems like a matter of minutes. With a recent weather window presenting itself, I decided to head east past the central islands. Trips like this one are quite rare. There was simply not a breath of wind. The seas were oily calm and the water and sky seemed to merge as one. When the conditions are like this, travelling

big distances is so much more enjoyable. After 3.5 hours of steaming, we arrived at the first mark. The sounder lit up and I told the crew to tighten their drags. You can’t give the fish an inch at this location because they brick you into the structure and there are lots of sharks. We dropped slabs of spanish mackerel on our paternoster rigs and it wasn’t long until the first fish came aboard in the form of a nice bar-cheek trout. Some large-mouth nannygai and fingermark al* continued P50

The author with a big nannygai – the target species.

Spectacular Murray Island (Mer) of the eastern Torres Strait Island cluster.

Matt Arkell with a fat fingermark taken in 30m on a slab of mackerel.

Reasons to hire a fishing guide * from P48

Guided trips often offer other opportunities. Here the author shared a mojito with Ernest Hemingway in his favourite Havana bar.

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lease all others. A few allow small ‘take-home’ packs of frozen fillets to be stored but the ‘kill and grill’ practices of the past are no longer acceptable. Many airlines will no longer carry frozen goods in any case. If you are thinking of taking a couple of feeds home, make sure you check with the operator and your travel company as to their policies. If I had to choose my favourite charter fishing option, it would be remote mother shipping. The fact you are on the water the entire time and can even plan your days

around an afternoon nap before fishing until dark, certainly maximises your opportunities. There are numerous great examples around our coast – Eclipse, Kerra Lyn and Nomad are some of vessels working Cape York waters. When you are ready to book a trip, avoid disappointment by reserving your spot well in advance. At peak times, confirming a year ahead is recommended, and even then, may not be soon enough because many parties have dates put aside for their visits each season. Spots can sometimes

become available midseason due to cancellation but they don’t happen often. If you are dealing directly with a charter business, most will still require a significant nonrefundable deposit on booking and the balance prior to the trip start as a matter of course. Travel insurance will guarantee return of your funds if you have to cancel at the last minute. Meanwhile, the guide will still get paid because the likelihood of filling spots at the last minute is very rare, particularly in more remote locations. The fisher’s dream that professional guiding is

the ‘world’s best job’ is certainly not reality because dealing with the vagaries of finicky fish and a sometimes-cantankerous public can turn into a nightmare on occasion. To survive in the industry long-term takes patience, perseverance and a degree in amateur psychology. However, I enjoyed every day in my 30-yearplus career – some much more than others! I believe if you can find a guide who has had a similar experience to mine, then they are worth hiring. Have a happy, healthy and fish-filled 2020!

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 49

A double hook-up resulted in a pair of nice fingermark.

Forget the cobia, check out the glassy wet season weather.

Torres Strait turns it on * from P49

The author with a solid barcheek trout.

so started to come aboard before the sharks fired up and we began to lose fish and tackle. I pushed further to a rock I had marked on the way home from a trip almost a year earlier but simply hadn’t had time to stop and fish properly. I was pleased to see the sounder light up and we dropped down 35m. We didn’t have to wait too long before rods buckled over. I was first on and a nice black jewfish was brought aboard. It is worth noting the recreational regulations on this species have changed to allow one fish to be kept per person and no more than two per boat. The next fish to grace the deck was a schoolsized red emperor, which is always a welcome sight.

@bnbfishingmag Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

We pulled a couple of small-mouth nannygai and solid sweetlip before things went quiet, so we moved another 10 nautical miles east to troll for spanish mackerel. We threw out a couple of Rapala X-Rap Magnums on short singlestrand wire traces (140lb) and trolled the pressure point of a small isolated reef. We managed a few spanish mackerel that measured in around the metre mark. These would become bait for our night session. Big large-mouth nannygai would be the target species and I was quietly confident they would be hungry because we’ve had great sessions in the area I would be fishing and conditions couldn’t be more perfect. We pulled up and cooked a feed, tidied the boat and prepped our rigs for a few hours of fishing. We upsized our hooks and baits to avoid some of the smaller fish as they receive barotrauma and don’t release well in this depth. We were after trophy nannygai and prepared slabs of spanish mackerel that were about 15cm x 6cm. We dropped down and were slammed with a triple hook-up straight away. These were good fish and we struggled to turn their heads away from the bottom. Within a matter of seconds it was all over for all of us and there was a flurry of choice words followed by laughter as we all got bricked on the heavy structure below. Losing fish like this isn’t ideal because dropped fish can spook the school and shut down a good fishing session, in our case, before it had even started. We upgraded our leader from 80lb to 100lb to give us a bit more abrasion resistance as we tried to

pull the fish away from structure. Drags were tightened and we tried again. There were no hits on our second pass and I was afraid we had indeed shut them down. On the third drift I found what looked like a large school of nannies and thankfully the fish were still hungry and we came up tight again on a couple of solid fish. We didn’t give them an inch. Matt and I managed to get ours off and away from the bottom. Now it was just the sharks we had to beat. The fight slowed, which was a good indication we had nailed our target species because large-mouth nannygai suffer barotrauma at this depth. A pinkish glow emerged from the darkness and I grabbed a 10kg nannygai with the lip grips and dragged it aboard. Matt’s fish went even better and we celebrated by cracking a beer as I motored back to the mark. This time it was the other side of the boat that hooked up and another solid nannygai of 8kg and an 82cm fingermark were brought aboard. Unfortunately the sharks moved in after that – an all-too-familiar scenario in the tropics. We anchored the boat and managed a few hours’ sleep. In the morning we woke to glassy conditions and clear skies.

The boys rolled up the swags as I dropped five drums of fuel in the tank. I sounded around some contour lines of interest but didn’t find anything worth dropping on, so decided to cast a few metal slugs, stickbaits and plastics around a reef edge for trout. We managed a few small coral trout and a couple of GTs, which were returned to the water. I fished another older mark and we caught solid small-mouth nannygai, which were returned to the water because I prefer what is in my opinion the much better eating quality of the large-mouth variety. We picked up a few more nice fish but the tropical heat got the better of us, so I pulled in to a small sand cay for the crew to jump in the water and cool off. Happy with our efforts and with a big clean-up ahead, we had an early lunch and made the four-hour steam back to Thursday Island. Hopefully we receive a few more weather windows like this one. Enjoy the festive season and I hope the new year brings you all tight lines and good times. Check out the Fishing Missions- Northern Australia Facebook page and YouTube channel to follow our remote adventures.

After the rest of the crew got bricked, Matt Arkell got this monster large-mouth nannygai aboard.

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4WDING & off - road

Stradbroke Island escape sees off the stress

E recently came to the grim realisation we’d had a serious lack of adventure over the past few months.

Consequently, we were eager to book a trip away. After considering our options, we made the choice to head over to beautiful Stradbroke Island. We were lucky to make this choice just in time to buy our four-wheel-drive beach permit at $46, only weeks before prices hiked to $158 a year! The price hike is another conversation altogether. We are confused as to why the price for an annual pass has risen about $100 when there are active talks about rolling all Queensland beach permits into one in the near future? If anyone has some inside knowledge regarding these plans, we would love to hear from you through our Flexible 4WD Solutions Facebook page. Back to our trip – Stradbroke Island is only accessible by boat but thankfully there are hourly ferries every day, so timing to get on and

4WD Trip by GREG BELL

off the island is up to you. As with most transport options, Stradbroke Ferries offers off-peak fares that are often up to $15 cheaper than on-peak options. For accommodation on this adventure we opted for the easy camping at Flinders Beach. We were very torn when making this decision because we are usually keen on getting as far away as possible, however due to the impromptu nature of this trip Sammy wasn’t able to get more than one day off work. Nevertheless, Flinders Beach is a beautiful part of this country and suited our needs perfectly, with toilets nearby and a number of access tracks that lead straight from the road to the campsites. When booking your next trip to Stradbroke Island, we highly recommend getting your passes mailed to you prior to heading over to the island, as this saves you the hassle of waiting in lines to

Making the most of the off-leash Home Beach.

The guys had a rest on the gorge walk at Point Lookout.

get your pass when you land on the island. As usual, we brought the pups along and ensured they got their fair share of adventure as well. Sadly, the majority of Stradbroke Island does not allow dogs to be off leash, however, thankfully they are still allowed to stay with you while camping on Flinders and Main beaches. Our recommendation for anyone who wishes to bring their dog along is to buy an extra-long lead. They are super cheap and make having your pups on the leash at camp much more pleasant. With a bit of research, Sammy was able to find two off-leash areas for the pups to play. One is called Skatebowl Park Dunwich, just south of the ferries, though this park is not fenced. The other option is Home Beach. With the Queensland weather being brutally hot recently, we decided to spend a portion of every day hanging down at Home Beach so the pups could run out their energy and enjoy their holiday too. Our primary goal for this trip was to relax and reset, however my cousin who was with us for his second-ever 4x4 trip only had one request, which was to get some seat time. So we headed up along the Tripod Track to explore and enjoy the views from the lookout. While this lookout is beautiful, and the walk to the top is amazing, be aware that it could do with some trimming to expose the beautiful views. After hitting up the Tripod Track, we dropped onto Main Beach for a quick trip to Jumpinpin. We were super keen for a photoshoot at the Pin but shortly after hitting the beach we realised just how soft Main Beach was at the time. Though the LandCruiser had been eating up the

inland tracks and regular beach driving, Main Beach was a real slog and the temperature gauge showed it. About halfway down the beach we were creeping up over 100C and made the call to pull up and go for a stroll instead. With the Cruiser normally sitting around 80C, this was a significant increase and with the tide on its way in, our trip back off the beach would have been a very slow drive to keep temperatures down if we had decided to push on. For those heading over to the island with kids, the North Gorge Walk at Point Lookout is a spectacular thing to do. This short boardwalk follows the cliff edge and provides its visitors with spectacular beach views and brilliant vantage points to spot an array of marine life. We’ve done this walk a number of times and every time we visit we see large numbers of sea turtles swimming around the gorge and simply loving life. Visitors can walk along two cliffs and get the full experience of sitting on the edge of Australia and taking in the stunning views. These are great spots to stop and take some photos, but please remember to keep a close eye on your kids and dogs. Throughout our trip an abundance of horse flies targeted our dog Biggie. Biggie would attack them back and eventually turned into a horse fly ninja. It was an extremely scary moment for us when Biggie was targeted by a swarm of horse flies on one of these cliffs and decided to attack back. Long story short, the big boofhead was quickly restrained and dragged away from the cliff edge and danger. Moral of the story:

it’s probably not a good choice to take very large dogs down onto dangerous cliffs. All in all, we loved our time on Stradbroke Island, as per usual. Flexible 4WD Solutions would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year. Catch ya in 2020!

Token selfie for the Cruiser’s first trip to Straddie.

Sunset on Flinders Beach.

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C AMPING & outdoors

Outback adventure continued

Porcupine Gorge.

I, it’s Craig Tomkinson.

First, I would like to wish the readers of my stories and this great mag a merry Christmas and happy New Year and hope you get to spend time with your family and do fishing, camping or just relaxing. I have not wet a line for a few weeks because I have been crabbing the upper Noosa River and getting a couple of crabs each lift of the four pots, which has kept my wife Donna eating crabs just nicely. The crabs should stay

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Family Trip by CRAIG TOMKINSON

up the top end as long as we get a flood in January, as last year we had a flood in November and they all left and stayed down the bottom. The crabs I have been catching are not big but have been full. Outback trip – part two Picking up where I left off last month, from Richmond we drove towards Hughenden, then from Hughenden headed north on the Kennedy Developmental Rd, stopping on the way at Porcupine Gorge. This was a very pretty spot with stone walls about 120m high that echoed brilliantly, which impressed the kids. We also found nice walks down to the bottom of the gorge and river. We then moved north to Lynd Junction, and further north we found an old loop road and pulled up in the shade of the gum trees around the Valley of Lagoons area, staying overnight. Once the van was set up, Donna went exploring and found unusual insect larvae and other

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things to photograph. The next day we headed up past Ravenshoe and the big wind generators turning on one big hill. Man they are noisy suckers, I would hate to live near them. From there we pulled up on various lookouts and took photos of the fantastic rolling hills of green grass. All out to the west it was very dry, so it was great to see green grass like around home. I always love the drive down the Palmerston Range and just near the bottom of the range is the Mamu Tropical Skywalk. It has elevated platforms that carry you through and above the tree canopy. It’s a great spot for young and old but you need to be somewhat fit because it involves a lot of walking. The last big hill back to

the shop is hard but my mob loved it. From here it was on to Paronella Park. Because we had paid at the Manu Skywalk, which is run by the same people as Paronella, we took advantage of a great deal that gave us a free powered overnight campsite and multiple entries to Paronella. We spent the night and day there doing all the guided tours and the classical concert was just beautiful in the park at night. Our kids loved it and it got the best rating of the trip at 11 out of 10. They thought it was better than both the airboat ride and jumping croc tour in the Northern Territory (covered last month). From here we worked our way down our magical Queensland coast, pulling up here and there and free camping all the way home. Around Marlborough we pulled into an old blue metal gravel dump with about a 2cm layer of

rocks still there. These are great spots to stop as they are free of burrs and ants. Away the next morning after brekky, we headed south for home and got there before dark with just enough time to unpack our gear. On this trip we did 9700km and loved every minute of it. Man, we live in a big country. For the two trips in the past few months I’ve done 16,000km and the old 80 Series LandCruiser never missed a beat. However, the rear diff pinion seal started leaking after six years of service, so I dropped the tailshaft off, replaced the seal and just nipped the nut up a bit to re-tension the pinion bearings in the diff. The van and 4WD are now ready for our next trip over the Christmas holidays, maybe up to Inskip Point or down Canberra way and around South Australia. ‘Til next month, be safe on our roads.

Caldwell Jetty.

steeringandsuspensionwarehouse.com.au 1300 4STEERING Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

An old Spanish castle.

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C ARAVANNING & adventure Emma Gorge.

At El Questro Gorge’s first plunge pool you have to climb over this big boulder to keep going to MacMicking Pool.

Zebedee Hot Springs.

El Questro Gorge the greatest gift in the Aussie Outback F

IRST, here’s wishing everyone a merry Christmas and happy New Year!

We hope you’ve all had an amazing year and enjoy a great Christmas break with plenty of fishing, adventuring and four-wheel-driving. And hopefully some planning of fantastic trips in 2020! This article is about the start of the Gibb River Rd. The first place we want to talk about is El Questro Station. We found a lot of conflicting reviews on Wikicamps about whether to go and stay there. It is quite expensive to stay considering you don’t have power or water, but we found it absolutely amazing and a must-visit! It had fantastic clean facilities, entertainment most nights at the bar and we found the 4WDing, adventure aspect of this massive station phenomenal. Each morning it was fantastic to wake early and head over to the Zebedee Hot Springs and soak for an hour to warm up and be prepared for the amazing adventures ahead. The scenery here was truly amazing but nothing in comparison to El Questro Gorge. In a lot of our previous articles we have spoken about gorge walks, the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon, Kakadu and Litchfield, which are all great, but in our opinion El Questro Gorge is definitely the best. You need to be quite prepared to hike El Questro Gorge. It’s a big day requiring www.bnbfishing.com. au

Caravanning by TODD EVELEIGH

carrying plenty of water, morning tea and lunch and spending the day in there. You need to be relatively fit and agile to complete the entire gorge walk, but just walking to the first plunge pool you are treated to spectacular scenery, and it is a Grade 4 walk to this point. Walking up through the start of the gorge, you see magnificent red escarpments on either side, with the livistona palms and ferns giving contrast to the red, and crystal-clear water running through the creek in between. Once you reach the first plunge pool things really step up and it becomes a challenging Grade 5 walk. You have to take off your shoes and socks and prepare to get wet, wading through the first plunge pool with water up to your chest and your backpack on your head. You need to lift the kids up and start a bit of a human chain to pass your gear up on top of the rock, then scale up it like a ‘spider man’ until you get on top of the massive boulder. Once everybody is up you dry your feet, put your shoes and socks on and continue the quest up the gorge where you are challenged with continuous rock hopping and rock scrambling. After about another kilometre you come to another miniature fall where you need to scale a steep ledge. You are on the home stretch now and the gorge starts to really tighten. You look up to see a

tiny sliver of sky above you and the air temperature drops about 5C. From here it’s only about another kilometre to the headwaters of the gorge and you are treated to an amazing plunge pool (MacMicking) where the water runs out over the rock and it really feels like you’re in your own piece of paradise. We really enjoyed relaxing in the cool part of the Gorge, swimming and having lunch before starting the trek back and overcoming all the obstacles in reverse. Emma Gorge is another spot worth seeing. It is back out off Gibb River Rd on the northeastern side of the station. This is a very popular gorge because it is easily accessed with quite a simple walk in. At the end you have an amazing amphitheatre of water running down the rocks into the plunge pool. If you head over to the right-hand side of the

pool you’ll find some hot springs running into the plunge pool, which provides a nice relief from the very cold temperatures of the pool. Emma Gorge also has resident freshwater crocodiles, though we didn’t spot any. We also headed down the nice little 4WD track to Explosion Gorge, which is really beautiful but unfortunately there’s no swimming on these lower reaches of the Pentecost River due to crocodiles. It was also great to head out to Brancos Lookout, which is a must-see, especially with some cold beers and nibblies to watch the sun go down. The sunset from this lookout is incredible! If you look carefully down into the Pentecost River you might see a nice 5m crocodile swimming up the river oh so casually, just like we did. To head out to some of these walks and gorges you need a vehicle with good ground clearance and a snorkel because a number of the tracks have deep creek crossings. Without a snorkel you may drown your engine.

The bottoms of the creeks are all rock too, so traction is an issue. El Questro is on the eastern side of the Gibb River Rd about 100km from Kununurra. This is a very touristy destination with lots of tour operators bringing people out to experience what it has to offer. If you have a 4wd you can self-guide to all these amazing destinations and if you don’t want to put your own vehicle through its paces or don’t have the confidence, El Questro runs tours daily. To truly experience El Questro you need a minimum of three days because you don’t want to do a lot of these walks in the middle of the day due to the heat. It’s best to be up early to do your hikes and be at a nice swimming hole in the heat of the day to stay cool, then have a couple of ice-cold beers at one of the many lookouts as the sun goes down. The Kimberley region really does offer amazing sunsets. We thought El Questro was amazing, so please check it out.

Brancos Lookout.

MacMicking Pool at the top of El Questro Gorge.

El Questro Gorge was lined with livistona palms.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 53

Finding barramundi in hot weather

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Not all of them, but a lot, which makes them harder to find. I still use the wind as the main guide to finding fish. If the wind has been blowing southeasterly for a week, the first place I’ll go is Heart Bay. A lot of people look at the point, which is a good starting location. I go just past the front of Heart Bay heading up the dam until I get to the big eagle’s nest, then I head west. I find this is not a place that gets overfished. You may find a few in the shallow water early in the morning (as the sun comes up). I would say my boat would be in about 2.4m of water when I fish the shallows. If you’re not seeing too many barra, move out into the deeper water of 4.5-6m. This lets your sounder cover more water.

Guide to Monduran by JAMIE BEIN

I fish the bank very slowly, making sure my Lowrance sounder is working for me and I’m able to see any movement at all, be it baitfish or barra. Once I find them in good numbers and moving around on the sounder I tie up to a tree and start throwing lures in all directions. This is where you may need to be patient and try to work out what they want. I always start with the lures that caught my last barra as well as my favourite lures. Before fishing, I look at the barometer and where the moon is in its cycle because this has a bearing on how the barra behave. With a low barometer, the barra will be deeper in the water column. On a high barometer they will be higher or closer to the surface. There are six days in the moon’s cycle that

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Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

can be harder to fish, and they are the three days before and after the full moon. Along with the extrahot days, these things can

and will play a part in what barra do. However, you can catch them, it just comes down to you and how hard you fish. Nothing comes easy. They’re not going to jump into the boat, so you must chase them and take note of wind, wheth-

er weed is in the water, if deep water is nearby and if you’re sitting in their feeding zone. These are just a few things I look for and go over several times during a day on the water. Sometimes you just need to look outside the box.

The author with a night-time barra from Monduran.

Lakegoers warned of safety risk as water levels drop

U E E N S LANDERS looking to cool off at one of southeast Queensland’s lakes this summer are urged to be aware of the potential dangers brought about by decreasing water levels.

Following another dry year for much of Queensland, Seqwater chief executive officer Neil Brennan reminded boaties and swimmers to be mindful of submerged and semisubmerged hazards in the water. “Some of the state’s most popular lakes such as Lake Moogerah in the Scenic Rim, Lake Somerset in the Somerset Region and Lake Borumba in Gympie have seen water levels drop in the past year,” Mr Brennan said. “These lower lake levels mean people have to be on extra alert for visible and underwater hazards when boating on, swimming or diving into lakes. “Many lakes are now smaller and shallower, so it’s important for lake visitors to not become complacent and play it safe.” With a predicted hot and dry summer, thousands of people are expected to take advantage of recreational lakes. Seqwater will again be working with the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol and Maritime Safety Queensland to enforce safe and responsible behaviour on and off the water. Mr Brennan said Seqwater’s annual Play it safe campaign – now in its sixth year – encouraged the community to take responsibility for their safety at Seqwater’s dams, lakes and parks.

As part of the campaign, representatives from Seqwater visited more than 12 schools across southeast Queensland to promote safety to more than 5500 students in the final weeks before the summer holidays. “Seqwater provides a range of great outdoor recreation facilities for the community to enjoy, attracting more than 2.7 million visitors to our lakes and recreation sites each year,” Mr

Brennan said. “Lakes can appear safe and peaceful but can be deceptively dangerous, so it’s important all visitors are aware of the rules and mindful of others, so everyone returns home safe.” Lake visitors are encouraged to plan ahead by visiting Seqwater websites to be advised of any lake closures or restrictions resulting from decreased water levels. www.seqwater.com.au

Water levels at many of southeast Queensland’s lakes like Lake Somerset (pictured) are dropping, increasing the risk of submerged and semi-submerged hazards in the water.

CatCh barra

at Lake MonDuran

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Warm water temps fire up the fish

HE hot weather and potential afternoon storm build-ups bring great opportunities for big bass and yellowbelly.

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’s dams to get among some great native trolling action. Boondooma When the warmer months arrive and it’s hot, the yellowbelly and bass like to position themselves in a zone called the thermocline, or comfortable water, which is generally in a depth of 5-7.5m. This is the water the fish find the most comfortable, where the temperature is just right to sit in while it’s hot upstairs and full of the little critters they love to gorge themselves on. With the majority of the fish sitting in this zone throughout the dam, it opens up the doors for some fantastic fishing opportunities. If I want to target bass, I’ll start looking in the deep water

Freshwater Impoundments by MATTHEW LANGFORD

off any prominent points in the main basin. I’ll use my sounder to find 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 1/2-5/8oz heads. 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 until you feel the weight of the fish. At this point the fish will know it’s hooked and run back down into the deeper water. Keep your drag fairly loose

Lane Ferling with a 48cm bass caught slow rolling a 1/2ozrigged soft plastic.

Lake Boondooma is a great place for the younger generation to learn more about freshwater fishing.

Happy customers with a few very healthy bass caught during an afternoon session on Boondooma.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

so the hook doesn’t pull on the way back to the boat. Using this method over the holiday period will account for big bass at Boondooma. The timbered arms are holding good numbers of bass and yellowbelly as well. In the arms they are holding 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 out in the middle of the arms. Lures of choice for this scenario are 3/8oz or 5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbaits, 1/2oz jig head-rigged 3” soft plastics and any sinking lipless crankbait. Give your lure up to five seconds to sink and start a slow wind. It’s important to make sure you have a lure retriever with you because you will occasionally get snagged on the trees. When fishing close to structure I use 14-20lb leaders 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 because I’m less concerned about a fish dragging me through trees or structure. Trollers are picking up great bass and yellowbelly around the deeper sections of the dam by targeting those suspended fish. Make sure you have plenty of deep divers handy. A 5/8oz Bassman Spinnerbait or any lure that dives from 5-7m will get you onto consistent fish. Bait fishers are a mixed bag up 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 that 5-7.5m 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. 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 5-6m along the submerged creek bed. These fish 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 bigger 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 include the large flat area in front of the main dam wall, wide of the Quarry and the creek bed between the two boat ramps. On a recent fishing charter we targeted the lake’s bass with a 1/2oz jig head rigged with a 3” soft plastic and caught dozens of bass and yellowbelly. I found the bigger fish were tight to the drop-offs along the old creek bed and waiting for bait to swim over. Areas like this are prime ambush positions for native fish, so don’t forget to give areas like this a go next time you’re out. Trollers are catching nice bass and yellowbelly wide of

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 by anchoring along the steeper edges of the dam. Best baits have been fresh shrimp and worms. Fishing charters The fishing of late at BP and Boondooma has been fantastic, with most sessions producing large numbers of fish and some great quality. Don’t forget you can book a fishing charter with me on BP and Boondooma and many other dams in Queensland. If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch bass, yellowbelly and saratoga in our great dams, make sure you give me a call on 0408 658 592. I’ll be happy to take you out for a great day’s fishing. You can also check out australianfreshwaterfishing.com Until next time, tight lines and bent rods.

The quality of bass at this time of year is very impressive.

y Guided b g f o rd n a L t t a M

Australian Freshwater Fishing Charters 0408 658 592 | australianfreshwaterfishing.com

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 9/12/2019

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Atkinson 5 5 5 5 5 5 Awoonga 76 75 73 73 72 70 Bjelke-Petersen * 6 6 5 11 5 4 Boondooma * 30 29 28 27 26 25 Borumba * 96 95 93 88 83 77 Burdekin Falls * 99 95 93 87 80 73 Callide * 47 45 42 41 39 36 Cania * 71 69 67 64 63 61 Coolmunda * 8 6 5 3 3 3 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 3 3 3 2 3 3 Eungella * 101 100 100 99 97 92 Fairbairn * 19 18 17 15 13 12 Glenlyon * 9 9 8 3.5 3 3 Hinze 93 92 90 89 87 86 Julius 90 88 86 84 79 77 Kinchant * 86 86 81 76 69 56 Leslie * 6 6 6 6 5 5 Macdonald 103 101 98 92 86 83 Maroon * 75 73 70 64 60 55 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 77 76 74 72 69 67 Moogerah * 57 53 49 45 41 36 North Pine/Samsonvale * 69 68 65 63 61 60 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 79 78 77 75 74 71 Somerset * 78 76 72 69 68 63 Teemburra * 101 100 99 98 97 91 Tinaroo* 95 92 88 82 76 71 Toonumbar 61 62 57 48 39 33 Wivenhoe * 55 53 52 50 48 47 Wuruma * 85 83 78 76 71 67 Wyaralong 89 88 87 87 85 84 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.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 55

The author with the fish of the trip, a ripper 51cm bass. Avid fly angler Gary Chambers from South Australia with one of the few fish he managed on fly.

Great lure fishing at Lake Lenthall I T had been 10 years since I was last at Lenthalls Dam (Lake Lenthall) where Leeann and I experienced quality fishing for Australian bass from our kayaks.

Chunky bass aplenty were caught primarily on lures.

Downsizing lure size was the secret in getting the barra to bite.

Things had changed substantially in that time and the desert that was there last time when the dam wall was raised has transitioned into a tidy little camping area with the trees that were once saplings now grown to provide some shade. Fishing with me over a couple of days was Gary Chambers who I met on the Daly River a decade ago. We were both keen to have a barra fish and with a couple of reports trickling in of captures at Lenthalls, we decided to give Lake Awoonga a miss, halve our travel time and experience one of Queensland’s little gems. We were to fish Lake Monduran as well but only a week prior I had ventured to the dam to find the water a yellow colour and the fish definitely off the bite. Whether the dam had ‘turned’ or not, I don’t know, but at that point in time, Lenthalls was going to be where we set up camp. Camp consisted of the basics: a couple of swags under a canopy next to the water’s edge where we could easily access the boat each morning and evening (we old fellas rest in the heat of the day!). The first day was spent finding our feet and work-

Keen fly angler Gary with a fly-caught bass.

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

Gary persisted with fly and caught this bass on dark.

Fishing Australia

by ROBERT PAYNE

ing out which methods to use and a productive location. I’ll give it to Gary. He is a fly fisher through and through and will persistently cast the fly rod for nothing, even when those around him are using lures or bait and producing fish. I also started on the quiet side, so some thought had to go into what was happening and what we could do to turn these fish on. With the proceeds of the Stocked Impoundment Permit fee stocking over 400,000 Australian bass and close to 150,000 barramundi into Lenthalls, we were bound to catch something, you’d think! At the back of our minds were the fires and communities being affected at the time of fishing. Smoke lingered in the air and every 15 minutes or so we’d have two firefighting water planes make their way along the dam, filling up their tanks to fly back to combat the fires on the coast. It was an amazing sight to see these planes in action and up so close and we wondered why we were allowed to be on the dam when this was taking place. With barramundi our target fish, I packed a lot of typical barra lures. After a day, I finally had my light bulb moment and went back to the basics of fishing and tied on a smaller Rapala Jack Deep lure. Unsurprisingly, I managed a hit on the lure and after a short time landed a beautiful 80cm barramundi. Unfortunately the barra were few and far between but we managed to tick over the bass on a reasonably consistent basis. The last session we had on the water was undoubtedly one of the best bass fishing sessions I’d ever had. I was fishing with a Mustad Darter jig head rigged on a Zerek Live Flash Minnow Wriggly and the action was fast and furious.

I was stoked to land the biggest bass of the trip, a stonking 51cm Lenthalls chunk. The trick was to keep changing the lure so the fish were given something new and exciting to play with and it seemed to work. Over this session I also used Brett Thompson’s original Tailspinner, an Ecogear Power Shad, Jackall TN50, Zerek Fish Trap 95, Rapala Jack Deep and Zerek Flash Wriggly. Casting was productive and I even got Gary onto the lures because the bass had him stumped. With a very productive session under the belt, we arrived back at camp to be told the dam had been closed to boating due to the planes utilising the water for the fires. Though the lake has been stocked with a variety of fish including bass, yellowbelly, silver perch and barramundi, we only crossed paths with

the bass and a couple of barramundi. A Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish at Lake Lenthall and the easiest way to get hold of one is online at qld.gov.au/recreation/ac tivities/boating-fishing/ rec-fishing/dams Boating restrictions apply at the dam with a speed limit of six knots. Only four-stroke engines and low-emission directinjection two-stroke outboards to a maximum of 60hp are allowed on the lake. If camping at the lake, it is important to book a site with the ranger because limited campsites

are available. Cold showers and toilets are available, though you have to bring your own drinking water. You can call the ranger’s office on 07 4129 4833 to make a booking and ask any further questions. Lenthalls Dam is situated on the western side of the Bruce Highway north of Maryborough and is accessed via the Wongi State Forest turn-off (a phone tower is situated opposite the turn-off and makes it easier to locate). The nearest towns are Torbanlea and Howard. The road in is gravel and can be rough and corrugated at times.

Gripping tools such as this one make handling barramundi safer.

Lily pads abound in Lenthalls Dam, with the fringes holding nice fish such as this barra.

Leaving the boat in the water next to camp was one of the benefits of staying at Lenthalls.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

An unusual day at the ‘office’

OLLOWING several weeks of the air at home being thick with smoke from local fires around the compass, a day with clear air provided an opportunity for a little R&R without stinging eyes and an asthma puffer.

By the light of the first sunrise in weeks not tinted red, I slipped the boat into my local stomping grounds of more than 30 years, Lake Wivenhoe. I elected to fish a little shallower than the depths at which bass schools had been holding during previous months, just to see what the day would bring. My fishing excursions long ago evolved from ‘bust a gut’ fishing hard for high numbers of fish into recreational, relaxing plunges into nature’s environs to recharge psychological batteries. Pure enjoyment being the objective of the day, a casual dip into the tackle box saw a pair of B65D Boomerangs clipped onto trolling lines. One lure was in my eldest granddaughter’s favourite colour Purple Thing, which is actually mostly shocking pink. For contrast, the other colour choice was Mulga Frog, a subtle pattern in natural hues. During the first hours of the morning under low light and on mirror-calm water, I was enthralled by close encounters with huge lungfish surfacing beside the boat, a plethora of waterbirds and even a platypus. My immersion into the natural world going about its morning rituals as the sun rose was disturbed every 20 minutes or so by a rod buckling to yield line to one of the lake’s less-popular species, blue catfish, usually on the frog-coloured lure.

Fishing for Sport by NEIL SCHULTZ

Catfish are part of the ecosystem that has evolved in Wivenhoe, booming in number from the original sparse riverine population that existed before the construction of the dam. They can be eaten and are quite acceptably flavoured, though their flesh is much tougher than our scale-bearing native species (a characteristic that makes them ideal in a curry). I don’t take them for the table, but usually keep a couple of catfish to feed to a resident pair of white-bellied sea eagles, especially when they have chicks in the nest. A few hours into the day, the sounder screen showed the arches of a school of fish holding in about 8m of water. The traces were so promising that I spun the boat around to take the lures back through the gathered fish. Several distinct hits were had without being converted, which had me guessing that perhaps I was bumping the lures into large bony bream. Another 180-degree turn and on the third pass a hook-up was achieved, followed by resistance from a decent fish that had taken the pink Boomerang. Light line allowed enough pressure to be applied to turn the fish and as it emerged from the emerald depths, I couldn’t help uttering my surprise aloud. During half a lifetime of fishing stocked lakes in Queensland, this was only the second of this species I’ve caught on a lure – it was a 40cm ti-

lapia! I’d lost contact with the school, so continued along the shoreline to a rocky section that looked promising. Anticipation was justified and the pink lure was once again hooked up to a hard-hitting, asyet-unseen beasty. Surges could be felt through the line as powerful tail beats propelled the fish towards the lakebed against a firm drag. A smile broadened my old bewhiskered face as a colourful golden perch slid into the giant landing net that is always on board for cod and barramundi encounters. One quick happy snap for posterity and the bewildered golden was soon paddling its way back to the depths of the lake. All the strikes were now coming on the pink lure, so I removed the frog pattern and replaced it with a purple Boomerang. Within minutes of commencing the trolling run, the new lure was taken by a fish that put up dogged resistance with none of the characteristic figureeight manoeuvres of a catfish. This fish too turned out to be a golden perch, though a bigger more stoutly built female without the bright colouration of the previous specimen. To ensure the fish was released in perfect health, I left it in the big net over the side and released it without lifting it from the water. Time ticked by while I alternated between staring at the sounder, birdwatching and winding in

a fairly steady procession of fish, with catfish outnumbering goldens by about four to one. Easily distracted by sightings of special avifauna including a black falcon, shoveler ducks, white-bellied eagles and so on saw me wandering off course into deep water occasionally. While accelerating to get back into the workable depth, I took a hit with lures running about 4m down in 20m of water. Long spirited runs at speed had me assuming I was connected to one of the large bass that call the lake home. It was very surprising to see yet another golden perch surface boatside to be, like the few before it, unhooked without being netted or handled. It was a very contented

fishing writer who called it a day while the fish were biting and idled back to the ramp with a strengthening wind at my back and flocks of whiskered terns feeding to my fore.

There’s something you don’t see very often. A 40cm tilapia on a trolled lure (pink Boomerang).

The first and smallest golden perch for the day was this handsomely coloured specimen.

There are always plenty of distractions while on any of our freshwater lakes, especially during a drought when the waterbirds’ options are limited.

Skills still need a lifejacket.

Our lakes and dams are still some of the best spots to enjoy water sports. But still water can still be dangerous. So when boating, make sure you have the following: - Lifejacket(s) - A signalling device - Firefighting equipment

- Sun protective gear - Oars & bailing equipment

- An anchor - Drinking water

Play it safe on our lakes and dams and always wear the proper safety gear. Catfish are synonymous with Wivenhoe. How much do the big ones like pink Boomerangs?

www.bnbfishing.com. au

seqwater.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 57

Who do you call about environmental issues?

IGHT now throughout the freshwater rivers and streams of the eastern and western sides of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland we are at crisis point.

Dramatic fish kills have occurred in both Reedy Creek and the Dumaresq River.

Lack of rain on both sides has led to fish kills of our freshwater species. Hand in hand with the drought have been bushfires. Within my district on the Queensland/NSW border region at the headwaters of the Murray-Darling Basin, we are seeing thousands of hectares of good grazing land burn. State forests, water reserves, stock reserves and crown land are being burnt by the red steer (fire). In terms of rain, yes we had a downpour in an area called Silent Grove and Maids Valley. We had 115mm from that storm while on the NSW side of the border they had up to 125mm. The water from the downpour went through and over some of the 70,000 burnt hectares, collecting ash along the way as it flowed down Reedy Creek. Any cod, yellowbelly, silver perch, carp, catfish, spangled perch, or any of the other 12 small fish species and crayfish and shrimp died in that flow. The water from Reedy Creek flows on into the Dumaresq River, which forms part of the Queensland/NSW border. With this flow joining the river at Riverton Bridge, from there down to the Beardy River also saw a major fish kill. As the photos show, the ash from the bushfires killed the aforementioned species for 20km along Reedy Creek and 20km in the Dumaresq to the Beardy River junction. If you call Fisheries Queensland and ask for the extension officer for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, you’ll get the response of “sorry, not available at this stage”. More on this later.

Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

So, no result, and you figure you’ll ring a fisheries inspector. In my case I have a phone number to call. However, I was advised he was also not able to speak to the extension officer. So he called the Department of Environment and Science in Brisbane, who called me and they were as helpful as could be. Only problem was the region I’m in was not known to them. So the region is pulled up on the computer and “oh crap” this is a crossborder issue. This is when it hits the fan. At the location, one phone tower is 3G, across the border is a 4G tower, fibre-optic cable runs to a substation and if you’re not in line of sight with Tenterfield, contact shuts down and you’ve got a black spot. I was able to later contact Mr Greg Ringwood from Toowoomba MDBA who was able to see part of the 20km river area kill. We have an estimated 6500-7500 dead carp and 4000-5000 dead cod ranging from 2cm in length to 87cm. Access to the river was gained by six reserves, with 4.5-5.5km between sites unable to be viewed due to private property. No silver perch, spangled perch and bony bream were seen and only one golden perch, though 2000-2500 catfish. What is of serious importance is that crayfish, shrimp and 12 smaller fish species, which are very important to the whole of life in the river, were dead and gone. You must keep in mind that if we get big storm rains, and we will at some stage, what will become of this system with 130km of river downstream as yet

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Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020

untouched by this act of nature? Back to a situation that needs to be sorted out right now. We have in place federal and state laws and closures to protect things and people. This also applies to species of fish and crayfish. There has been a situation where an aquaculture operation was advised that no permit would be issued for spiny mountain crayfish and two fish species also classed as no-take species in fresh water. It appears the aquaculturist will not take no for an answer. Six people are involved in the application process format and all six have said no. The format comes under due process for both Commonwealth and state guidelines and laws. It seems there’s a political witch hunt taking place with this matter. One of the six who sits on the team that processes the permits is our only freshwater extension officer and at the moment he’s been stood down from his position. Our regional contact Mr Steve Brooks is the only MDBA extension officer for all of Queensland and he also holds several other regional roles, all put on him during the state government purges a few years ago.

This has not been changed since the current party took power. His knowledge, experience and hard-built relationships with community stocking groups are priceless to us all in freshwater circles. It needs to be made clear it is not just Steve’s role at stake, it’s the fact he is the glue that binds our restocking groups program together. We need Steve Brooks back in his previous position and an open apology made, not only to Steve but also to the other five people. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty part of this whole debacle. We are talking about freshwater fishing in Queensland and we are also talking about the Stocked Impoundment Permit system as well as a return of some $55 million a year from freshwater recreational anglers’ participation. The one million recreational anglers in Queensland equate to a turnover of $1 billion annually and a million votes. With elections in 2020,

I would advise both major parties to watch their backs, as your so-called political promises and the lack of actual biologist personnel rather than office staff within Fisheries Queensland have left us feeling a little cold. What a debacle to not have an extension officer in the freshwater sector, which was brought about by a member pushing an in-house witch hunt. Maybe the gentleman aquaculturist should have his name and business put forward. As you finish reading this, look at the photos and think about the fires east and west of the Divide. Think about the rain and what could take place where you live. Look at the photos and think about who you will vote for. Think about the future of fishing in Queensland for your kids. Oh yes, and who will you call when it happens in your area? It’s your vote, so use it carefully, even for the minor parties.

The waterways west of the Great Divide are drying up fast. Rain is needed and soon.

Starting 2020 afresh

ITH the new year upon us and no break to the never-ending dry season in sight, we were still able to release cod into the storage at Glenlyon Dam. The lack of water has made it hard for the breeding of golden perch and silver perch. We will have to rely on Mother Nature and a change to the weather pattern to bring some relief. If we see water flows into Glenlyon, it will trigger a breeding format. Unlike Murray cod, yellowbelly will school and with inflowing water head upstream of Glenlyon as far as possible. The eggs will then float back down into Glenlyon, looking much like a mass of frog eggs. They will be stuck on grass seed stems and branches of shrubs you’re likely to find floating down after a water rise or flood. It will take only nine to 14 days for the eggs to hatch and it’s pot luck on what survives because they are not protected like cod nesting sites.

We all hope we get our new year wish of drought-breaking rain throughout Australia. It’s been a long, hard slog for all and to head into 2020 with a fresh start would be excellent. As for the rain, it can cause natural changes to regional locations. We can only hope we don’t see too many harsh effects of nature such as large fish kills due to ash runoff and the like thanks to fires and subsequent rainfall. Regardless of the result, it will take a lot of good work by those in fisheries and not a silver bullet approach to stocking peak fish species in our river systems.

We have lost our shrimp, crayfish, small fish around 10mm in length and their food supplies, so we will need to start from the ground up. As can be seen from the photo, good fishing is still possible in Glenlyon and access to the storage is good, even at 3.5 percent capacity. Yellowbelly, silver perch, catfish and cod are still on the chew. We suggest you take care on the storage and ask at the kiosk about areas to watch out for. Watersports activities like jet skiing and skiing should be treated with caution. Have a great New Year and play it safe. Brian Dare

Darren Collier and his mate from Tenterfield with yellowbelly.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ‘n Beach merchandise FOR SALE & WANTED AQUAMASTER 500 CUDDY CAB - AS NEW Condition. Suzuki 115Hp 4S, Redco Sportsman trailer, EPIRB, Bimini top w. rocket launcher, Bait board, Walkthrough transom, Bunk cushions. Be quick as this one won’t last long! @ $35,995 – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322. BAYSPORT SPORTS FISHERMAN 545 (2016) with a large cabin and plenty of instant grunt, making the ideal family boat. This package has been well looked after and cared for. Boasting a Yamaha F115 EFI four-stroke (70 hours) and a Sea-Link galvanized multi-roller trailer with override brakes, bimini top with front and side clears, rod rack, bait board with live bait tank, nav lights and bilge pump, transom boarding ladder, cabin cushions, rear lounge, removable table, Garmin GPS/ sounder, deck wash and VHF marine radio. Call 07 3888 1727 or visit brisbaneyamaha.com.au BROOKER 475 FREEDOM (2009) with Mercury 60hp Fourstroke and only 35 hours on the engine. Foldable bimini, fishfinder, rear seat/storage box, carpeted floor, drink holders, navigation lights, bilge pump, internal side pockets, lockable glovebox, rear ladder and three months’ warranty. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnum marine.com.au CRUISE CRAFT EXPLORER 600 (2002) powered by 175hp Yamaha Saltwater Series two-stroke and sitting on a Redco Sportsman trailer. Fitted with dual batteries, Lowrance sounder/GPS combo, brand new snap out (removable) carpet, folding rear lounge, cabin canvas door, cabin bunk centre infill cushion, bimini with clears, full extension and rocket launcher, new VHF radio, custom Cruise Craft baitboard with lid, large in-floor kill tank, deck wash, three months’ warranty, remainder of boat and trailer registrations and safety gear package. Won’t last long at $39,990. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au CUSTOM SPEEDMASTER (2017) powered by Yamaha VMAX SHO VF250LA-FO and capable of over 125km/h! Less than 50 hours of use and never been raced. Brand-new Easytow tandem trailer, SeaStar hydraulic steering and jack plate, custom SeaDek flooring, 190-litre underfloor fuel tank, stainless ski pole, Hotfoot foot throttle and travel cover. Very quick social boat, great for scaring your mates. $48,990. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au LATE MODEL USED ALUMINIUM BOATS WANTED from Quintrex, Stacer, Ally Craft, Stessco, Bar Crusher, Bluefin, Brooker and Clark – Make selling your boat simple and hassle free - Cash or Consign – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322. QUALITY USED FIBREGLASS BOATS WANTED from Haines Hunter, Signature, Cruise Craft, Baysport and Whittley – Make selling your boat simple and hassle free - Cash or Consign – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

QUINTREX 370 TRAVELLER (2007) with Yamaha 15hp two-stroke on folding Real-Ezy trailer. A bargain at $3800. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au QUINTREX 450 FISHABOUT – Evinrude ETEC 60Hp low hrs & just serviced, Quintrex braked trailer, Lowrance colour GPS/Sounder w. map card, GME VHF radio, EPIRB & safety gear, Bimini top, 2 pedestal seats, Rear lounge, Painted hull, 2 rod holders. Unbeatable value @ $19,995 tow away! – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordma rine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322. QUINTREX 490 FISHABOUT (2015) in top condition and would suit an as-new buyer. Fitted with a Yamaha F80 four-stroke with a low 25 hours of use. Lowrance GPS/sounder combo with maps, bimini, spare wheel, rear lounge, windscreen opening to anchor well and Millennium Blade hull. Perfect setup for a family day on the water or offshore fishing trip. Phone 07 3133 3468 or visit brisbanequintrex.com.au SAVAGE 4.8 CENTURION – Mercury 75Hp DFI 2S low hrs, Savage braked trailer, Navman Fish 4600 sounder, Lowrance VHF radio, EPIRB, Safety gear, Smart craft digital engine gauges, Bimini top, Storage cover, 2 pedestal seats, 2 stern ¼ seats, Rocket launcher. Excellent buying @ $19,995 tow away – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordma rine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

Easy ways to order Free e for postag ver o orders $80

• Online at www.bnbfishing.com.au • Post to PO Box 387, Cleveland Q 4163 • Phone 07 3286 1833

ORDER FORM Item

Size (S-3XL)

Qty

Cost

Polo Blue/White

x $35

Polo Blue/Gold

x $35

Polo Navy/Red

x $35

Polo Navy/Gold

x $35

T-Shirt Stone

x $18

T-Shirt Lt Grey

x $18

T-Shirt Blue

x $18 adjustable

Cap Blue/Grey

x $15

one size Beanie Black Subtotal $

x $10

+ $7.95

Postage & handling per order

Free postage for orders over $80 TOTAL

PAYMENT DETAILS Cheque

Money Order

Visa

Mastercard

__ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __

STACER 399 PROLINE – (2018) Yamaha 25Hp EFI 4S low hrs & warranty, Minn Kota Powerdrive electric motor, Redco Sportsman boat trailer, Garmin Echomap colour GPS/Sounder, 2 pedestal seats, Bait board, 4 rod holders, Bow & side rails. Be quick as she won’t last long @ $8,995 tow away! – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

Credit Card Number: Expiry Date: _______ / _______

STACER 399 SEASPRITE (2018) with Yamaha 30hp two-stroke on Redco galvanised trailer. Yamaha 24ltr fuel tank, Lowrance HOOK5 sounder/GPS plotter, navigation lights and switch panel, four bow bimini top, carpeted low floor and fuel tank rack, heaps of rod holders, safety gear package, tie-down strap, balance of boat and trailer registrations, three months warranty and guaranteed title. Priced to go at $8490. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au

State: __________ Postcode: __________________

STACER 429 OUTLAW TILLER STEER (2016) with Yamaha 40hp three-cylinder two-stroke motor on Stacer galvanised trailer. Plumbed live bait tank, two pedestal seats, Yamaha 24-litre fuel tank, bimini top, bow-mount plate, safety gear package, tie-down strap, motor support bracket and three months warranty. Such good value at $12,990. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wyn nummarine.com.au WANTED – LATE MODEL USED BOATS. Cash or consignment. When you buy a used boat from Karee Marine you know it has been through our workshop and checked over. A RWC is given with each boat sold. We have a fully insured undercover showroom so your boat will not be left out. Call Darren at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

Signature: Name: _____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ __________________________________________ Phone:_____________________________________

Like to learn more about crossing coastal bars safely and fishing offshore? Tuition with Bill Corten Professional coastal bar crossing instructor and offshore fishing trainer since 1996.

February Edition Copy Deadline – Advertisements must arrive NO later than January 20, 2020

ALL ADS MUST BE PRE-PAID 1

Cost per insertion: 2 lines $15, $1.10 per line thereafter. Contact details must be included in ad. NAME: ...................................................................................... PHONE NO. ................................................... MONTHS OF INSERTION: ...................................................... AMOUNT: $ ................................................... ___ ___ ___ ___

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Offshore fishing:

• Hands-on experience crossing

• Finding reefs • Locating different fish species

coastal bars safely

CREDIT CARD NO.: ___ ___ ___ ___

Coastal bar crossing:

• Direct supervision mastering

• Bait rigging • Shallow and deep reef fishing

all bar crossing skills • Fine-tuning of skills in breaking

techniques • Sounder and GPS instruction

swells and white water • Overcome your fears and learn vital safety skills as part of an

• Offshore anchoring • And much more

on-water training course.

Contact Bill Corten T: 07 3286 3647 M: 0447 233 247 0447 ( a f f a i r ) E: reel_affair@yahoo.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, January 2020 – Page 59

Subscription prize for January* plus bonus offer! Subscribe this month for your chance to go in the draw to win one of three SICUT Fisherman’s premium knife packages!

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175, 200, 225hp V6

A New Era in FourStroke

TAKING PERFORMANCE, EFFICIENCY AND RELIABILITY TO A LEVEL YOU HAVE ONLY DREAMED ABOUT. POWERFUL & EFFICIENT • Superior torque from high-displacement V6 powerhead • Lightest weight for maximum performance • Quicker acceleration from performance-inspired quad-cam design • Unprecedented fuel efficiency with Advanced Range Optimisation (ARO) MORE INTUITIVE & MORE REFINED • Smoothest, quietest operation through advanced engineering • Maintain rpm regardless of conditions with Adaptive Speed Control For new boat packages or repower see your nearest Mercury dealer today.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MERCURY DEALERSHIP TODAY!

BRISBANE Karee Marine 1776 IIpswich i h Motorway, M t Rocklea R kl Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 E: sales@kareemarine.com.au W: kareemarine.com.au

CAIRNS Aussie Marine 5H Hannam St St, B Bungalow l Q 4870 P: 07 4033 8800 E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au W: aussiemarine.com.au

IPSWICH Ipswich Marine Centre 45 H Huxham h St, St Raceview R i Q 4305 P: 07 3294 3944 E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au W: ipswichmarine.com.au

AIRLIE BEACH 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au W: whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH Brisbane Marine 306 Dufﬁ ﬁeld Rd, Clontarf Q 4019 P: 07 3889 3033 E: info@brismarine.com.au W: brismarine.com.au

CAPALABA Mike’s Marine 9 Smith St, Capalaba, Q 4157 P: 07 3390 3418 E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au W: mikesmarine.com.au

ROCKHAMPTON Rifen Boats 6 Dooley St, North Rockhampton Q 4701 P: 07 4927 9150 E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com W: rifenmarine.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 Holt Marine 25 Queens Rd, Everton Hills, Q, 4053 P: 07 3353 1928 E: info@holtmarine.com.au W: holtmarine.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

YEPPOON Sea Breeze Marine 150 Scenic Hwy, Yeppoon, Q, 4703 P: 07 4933 6366 E: info@seabreezemarine.com.au W: seabreezemarine.com.au

SUMMER SAVINGS TO GET YOU ON THE WATER!!

McLay 651 Crossover HT

FROM JUST

355/week*

Mercury 200hp 4-stroke

Mclay 611 Crossover HT

FROM JUST

291/week*

Mclay 591 XL Sportsman

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

• 5mm bottom • Drum winch • Electic toilet • Bunk extensions • Bolster seats • Rear lounge and more

• Plate alloy • Bait board • Live bait tank • Deck wash • Electric winch • Dual batteries • 190-litre fuel tank

Stessco Renegade 440

Mclay 441 Fortress TS

FROM JUST

117/week*

Mercury 60hp 4-stroke

FROM JUST

124/week*

Mercury 60hp 4-stroke

Stessco Gulf Runner 490

• Ski pole socket • Live bait tank • Redco dual-axle trailer • Bimini • QLD regos plus more

FROM JUST

146/week*

Northbank 660C

$POA

Mercury 90hp 4-stroke

SPECIAL!

• Front cast deck • Live bait tank • Full pod transom • Painted • Stessco trailer • QLD regos

UNBEATABLE UNBEATABLE

NEW!

OPTIONS AVAILABLE!

• Hydraulic Steering • Anchor well - Bow Sprit • Under ﬂoor storage • 250-litre fuel tank • QLD regos

115HP CRUISE SPEED 115HP FUEL CRUISE EFFICIENCY SPEED FUEL EFFICIENCY MERCURY’S NEW 115HP VS. CURRENT FOURSTROKE AND OPTIM VS. CURRENT FOURSTROKE AND OPTIMAX FOURSTROKE g/kWh

MERCURY MERCURY 75-115HP 75-115HP FOURSTROKE FOURSTROKE RANGE RANGE

Mercury 50hp 6-year warranty

• Humminbird Helix-7 sounder/GPS • Minn Kota 55lb iPilot with quick-release bracket • AGM deep-cycle battery

340

330

320

310

300

g/kWh

139/week*

FROM JUST

110 /week*

Stessco Bowrider 520

Mercury 115 ProXS

• Extended ﬁshing deck • Live bait tank • Deck wash • Offshore safety gear • Dual-axle trailer • QLD regos

LIMITED SPECIAL EDITION

• Full plate construction • 45-litre fuel tank • Alloy rod holders • Live bait tank

FROM JUST

Mercury 150hp 4-stroke

Stessco Catcher 449

• Live bait tank • Live well • Front and rear cast decks • Dunbier braked trailer • QLD regos

FROM JUST

226/week*

DELIVERS UP TO 14% BETTER CRUISE SPEED ECONOMY

300

290

280

270

260

PREVIOUS MERCURY FOURSTROKE 1.7L

BSFC dyno testing; data is an average of 60%-80% rated MERCURY PREVIOUS NEW MERCURY engine speed based NEW OPTIMAX MERCURY MERCURY OPTIMAX on standardMERCU ICOMIA emissions test. FOURSTROKE 115hp 1.7L 2.1L 115hp 115hp 2.1L 11

* Mercury Finance terms and conditions apply. 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