BNB Fishing mag | February 2022 by bnbfishing

Monster Moreton Bay feature

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Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing editor

T has been another crazy month on and off the water. COVID is making itself felt, and it’s more a case of ‘when’ as opposed to ‘if’ you’ll get it now. Despite this, I feel we need to keep living our lives as close to normal as possible. Though I have stopped doing a few things such as touch footy and going anywhere there are large crowds. This has resulted in a little more time at home with the kids and a chance to get out on the water when the weather was good – which was patchy at best. We’ve had a fair bit of rain recently and fishing has proved challenging at times. However, it should bode well for the months ahead with rivers and creeks being flushed out into bays and offshore along the east coast. Fishing On the fishing front, now is the time to get the cast net out and start looking for schools of prawns. I’ll be on the hunt, so keep an eye on the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing Magazine Facebook page for updates. We also have the BNB Fishing Club Facebook page where anyone can post pictures or stories, if you’d like to share your latest catch. The fishing community can be awesome, so please share information and help your www.bnbfishing.com.au

fellow fishos out. This is a good time of year to try the Pine River, Nudgee Beach and Redland Bay areas. Size probably won’t be great at the moment, but smaller prawns are good for stir fries and bait. Good numbers of mud crabs have been caught however, unfortunately, I still receive plenty of feedback about pots being checked, moved or stolen. I’m sure most people do the right thing, though the crabbing experience is being ruined by a few thieving grubs. Hopefully Fisheries Queensland can get organised over the next month or two and set up some stings so that these parasites are caught and charged. And the fine needs to be hefty, with the loss of their vessel for the more severe cases. The message needs to be sent that theft is not OK! I’ll follow up with Fisheries on what its plan to stop this is and let you know. In the meantime, call their hotline on 1800 017 116 – it’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may need to leave a message, so have ready as many details as possible. Alternatively, you can submit a report on the daf.engage menthub.com.au/fish watch website or take a survey, which can be done anonymously.

Snapper At the time of writing, no formal regulatory changes had been made, however as a fisho I think we need to start preparing for either an increased closed season or perhaps a size increase, at the minimum. While not ideal, it will be in the best interests of the snapper biomass in ensuring it is sustainable. I generally don’t keep any snapper under 40cm, so would be happy to have the size increased to that. From all reports, there is also talk about extending the closure period – don’t be surprised if this expands to two months. We’ll just have to wait and see what develops over the next few months. E-news All subscribers to BNB Fishing with an email address automatically receive the weekly e-news. It is also possible to sign up on bnbfishing. com.au or via a link on Facebook. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do because we send out a fishing report before the weekend that has tips on what’s biting and where. We also give away a $50 Tackle Warehouse voucher each week, so make sure to read the e-news or scroll to the bottom to see if you’ve won! The e-news is generally sent out each Thursday or Friday, but if you aren’t receiving it, please

check your junk email. You might also need to add us as a safe sender or create a rule to move the email to your inbox.

I’d hate for you to win the voucher and miss out on getting it because it was sitting in your junk folder! Ben Collins

OUR COVER

RYAN landed this cracking mangrove jack on a live poddy mullet. Picture by Keith Stratford. You can read his article about targeting these fish on page 14.

NEXT EDITION: March edition will be on sale in newsagents from February 25. FEBRUARY SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: See the subscription form on Page 82 and subscribe for a year to receive a free pack of Z-Man 3” Electric Chicken MinnowZ valued at $12.95 each. DECEMBER PRIZE WINNERS: Congratulations to J Farley, Carseldine; M Paynter, Corinda; C Tait, Palm Beach; A Fewster, Samford and P Gozzard, Peregian Beach who have each won an Okuma Avenger 3000 spinning reel and BNB cap pack valued at $85.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 5

February 2022 contents

Unlocking Moreton Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Prime time for muddies and mangrove jack. . . . . . . . . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P14 Best fish and chips ��P16 Fantastic February fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mark Templeton . . . . . . . . . . . . P18 Tide Times ��P22 Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Melissa Frohloff . . . . . . . . . . . . P22 Summer snapper and dollies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P24 Having a look at lines and leaders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Justin Willmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P28 Broadwater whiting tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P32

Gold Coast mackerel mayhem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Heath Zygnerski . . . . . . . . . . . . P36 Boat loader sorted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . . . . P38 Queensland’s black jewfish black market crackdown ��P38 Landing mangrove jack land-based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 More diversity comes with dirty water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P44 Nice angling around Northern Rivers NSW . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P46 Grabbing a tiger shark by the tail ��P47 Bar Crusher 670HT review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P48 Insights into boat insurance ��P50

New Ghost 360 sonar Lowrance software ��P51 Rigging up for mackerel and tuna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Grant Budd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P54 Sharked on Sunshine Coast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . . . . P56 Top techniques to catch beachworms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Fishing prayers answered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P60 Gently and naturally easing into 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . . . P64 Barra season re-opening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P66 East coast reef smorgasbord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Dave Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P68 Interesting facts about Cape York termite mounds. . . . . . by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon . . . . . . . . P69 Charter Directory ��P70 Trading Post ��P72 Readers’ Forum ��P73 Mini Qld lap – Atherton and Paronella. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P74 Product News ��P77 Land-based in lakes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78

Carp and tilapia eradication ��P79 Largest stocking rate to date. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P80 Dam Levels ��P81 Subscription Form ��P82 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

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The Team

EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: Tiffany Brown PRODUCTION: Adrian Cardaci and Lisa Jones

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. Phone 07 3286 1833 Email: ben@collins.media PO Box 162, Wynnum, Qld 4178 PRINTER: Spotpress DISTRIBUTION BY: Ovato Max. recommended retail price $4.95 (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 and contributors to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 7

Nicky Danby and a monster grunter.

David Gafa happy with this spangled sweetlip.

Unlocking Moreton Bay

Jason with quality Mud Island snapper.

Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

T times Moreton Bay can be one of the hardest places to fish due to its size, but once you learn some of its secrets it can be rewarding to those who put in the effort. It is constantly under pressure due to the numbers fishing it. Northeasterly and southeasterly wind constantly batter the bay, rendering it unfishable. And many are caught out by the wind when fishing the eastern side, making the trip home uncomfortable and occasionally dangerous. So, if you intend to fish the bay, know what the weather is doing before you go. There have been too many boats overturned or sunk with the crews missing or having to be rescued recently. The northeasterly wind generally comes in at around lunchtime, while the southeasterly is more of a whole day affair, and wind over 15km can churn the bay water up. The two zones that effect the bay are smooth waters 0.5km from land and around the bay islands, and from Cleve-

Moreton Bay by BRIAN WEBB

land Point across to Amity. The remainder of the bay up to Skirmish Point and across to Comboyuro Point is classed as partially smooth waters, so make sure you have the correct safety gear onboard. Anyone who fishes Moreton Bay needs plenty of patience and to learn some of its secrets to be successful, and this won’t happen on your first venture out. This comes from finding and learning where each pelagic and reef species predominately hangs out. It could be from the many islands and artificial reefs, even from a single bommie or shipwreck, where many places are known but others are not. Or a patch of weed or single rock – you have to spend some time searching for these unmarked structures. If there’s a time when the bay comes alive, its summer. Huge amounts of bait

enter the bay – from whitebait to hardyheads – and often the beacons around the Measured Mile or Brisbane Road beacons will hold yakkas or pike. These bait schools have two ways to enter the bay – from the south passage branching into the Rous and Rainbow channels or the northern entrance splitting into the Pearl Channel across to the Scarborough reef systems and down the shipping channel. These bait schools attract pelagics such as tuna, bonito, longtail tuna, and school and spotted mackerel. While some of the deeper beacons north from Tangalooma towards Caloundra will at times attract kingfish, cobia and the occasional spanish mackerel on live or butterflied bait. During winter you can catch the resident pelagics such as doggy mackerel, and mack and longtail tuna. Find the bait and you

* continued P9

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Unlocking Moreton Bay * from P8

often find the fish – no truer statement applies to Moreton Bay. As the bait moves around the bay, the predators follow. Even snapper follow the bait. If any of the structures found throughout the bay don’t hold bait, the fish will move on. However, the structures all hold bait at some stage during the tide and some pelagics – mainly school mackerel – feed in the eddies that form around the Four Beacons north and the Measured Mile. Pelagics herd bait to the surface, even in the middle of the bay. Other places to look are the many drop-offs along the sandbanks

on the eastern side, the drop-offs from Shark Spit to the Blue Hole, from Peel Island to the entrance of the Rous Channel, from Myora to Amity, and from the bottom of Bribie Island to the mouth of the Pearl Channel and across to the shipping channel. There is no better weapon when targeting pelagics than the humble chrome slugs – 20-30g for tuna and 40-50g for mackerel. When mackerel aren’t biting on the slugs you’re using, I have a 50g slug that I put a small bend in so it swims through the water on the retrieve, or drop to a smaller or coloured slug. The key to finding pelagics is to look for birds, however often these bust

ups will have no birds above, so it pays to keep perusing the surface for feeding schools. Tuna will breach the surface while mackerel will feed below – so it gives you an idea as to what is feeding below. If you see birds circling high up or sitting on the water, the bait is down deep. But once the bait comes closer to the surface, the birds will start to feed and it could be only one bird at first. By casting slugs to the edges of the bait and retrieving back at high speed, you will have a chance. Do not drive through the schools because this will surely scatter the fish. * continued P10

Tim Moss was happy with this big blackspot tuskfish.

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Unlocking Moreton Bay * from P9

Martin Tucker with a coral trout from Peel Island.

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Stay at least 10m away once you have determined the direction the school is travelling – it pays to travel ahead of the schools and wait for them to come to you. When fishing the beacons for schoolies, check to see if there is bait holding behind it. If not, move to a beacon until you find the bait. Depending on the tide flow, go ahead of the beacon and drop your slug to the bottom, then retrieve it back quickly as you drift past the beacon because fish will often be holding 5-10m off the beacon. If you have an electric, it will come in handy when holding down-current from the beacon and casting back. This is where a reel with a retrieve rate of around 6:1 is best suited. I always use my trusty Shimano TSS4 on a Shimano Raider Snapper 701 Medium 4-8kg one piece 7’ rod. But there are plenty of reels on the market with the above retrieve rate and rods to suit. The single versus treble is a hot debate – I usually use a single which stops hooks pulling. Even though mackerel have sharp teeth, they also have soft mouths, so make sure your drag is not set too high. The limit for schoolies is 50cm with 10 in possession and for spotties it’s 60cm with a limit of five. Longtails can be found along the edges of the shipping channel and as far south as the Banana Banks. Or work the drop-offs from Wellington Point past Green and Mud is-

lands trolling a 6-7kg paravane with live bait or whole yakka, a 6” Berkley Gulp jerk shad in Smelt or Nuclear Chicken, a 110mm hardbody Rapala X-Rap Magnum 30-40 in Red Head or Green Mackerel, or a stickbait in the 100-140 size with a single hook and retrieved in a jerking motion. I have been trying segmented fishing lures that resemble a live bait swimming, with limited success. To find these fish from the drop-offs, look for birds and once you find a school feeding, motor up quietly and cast to the head of the school. Around schools of fish are a lot of solitary fish patrolling the drop-offs – snapper, grass sweetlip, moses perch, cod, purple tuskfish, the occasional venus tuskfish, blackspot tuskfish, jewfish, diver whiting, summer whiting, flathead, bream, threadfin salmon, even tailor and grunter. These are the mainstay of fish in Moreton Bay and the creeks and rivers that flow into it. Cod, moses perch, grunter and trevally are mainly by-catch, and occasionally parrotfish, coral trout and nannygai. Small red emperor and tripletail can be caught around some isolated reef structure on the western and northern side of Peel Island down as far as Crab Island, or from Curtin Reef to Comboyuro Point, however most reds are undersize. The limit for snapper is 35cm and a limit of four with no more than one over 70cm, for grass sweetlip 30cm and a limit of 10, and for tusk-

fish 30cm with a limit of six. Winter is the best time to target the big snapper that enter Moreton Bay, but again this is hotly dispute. I have caught big snapper in both winter and summer, particularly in the river and both sides of Mud Island, the Pearl Channel and the shipping channel. As for sweetlip, summer is the best times to target grassies and spangled around the shallow reefs, and fished on a high tide then again on a run-out tide as they move off the shallows are the best options, especially at night. Grassies and snapper can also be caught off the coffee rocks structures along the shipping channel drops-offs. From the Neilsen wreck (27° 11.100’S 153° 20.040’E) plus some structure west of Tangalooma, continuing up to Comboyuro Point and drifting the dropoffs or some isolated structure around the Measured Mile at night will give you a start. Try sounding around these areas – 27° 13.740’S 153° 14.400’E and 27° 13.444’S 153° 14.240’E. Fishing a tide change around sunset or sunrise is one of the best times for targeting snapper, so have your boat in position ready for these changes. Dropping live bait around the beacons or drop-offs will also give you a chance of snaring a jew. For tuskies I find its best to fish the dropoff faces or the bottom of the drop-offs in areas such as Mud Island, * continued P11

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Unlocking Moreton Bay * from P10

the northern reef down to Crab Island at Peel, Rainbow’s eastern side from Myora up to Amity, the northeastern side of Green or the coffee rock along the edge of the shipping channel from Curtin to Comboyuro Point. Sweetlip also prefer areas such as Mud and Peel islands and the eastern and western side of Green Island as well as the Wellington Point drop-offs and shallows and Mud west 27° 20.173’S 152° 13.791’E. Tuskies are a daytime option only. Using crabs, fresh prawns or some of the Cranka crabs will give you a chance of enticing a tuskfish. For big blackspot,

I use rock crabs, sand crabs with the nippers removed or ghost crabs – they also spin a mucus that holds them in place during the night, the reason they’re so slimy. When fishing Bulwer or Comboyuro Point, I usually go out the night before and collect a few ghost crabs off the beach areas, then during the night I’ll anchor on the drop-offs and fish for grassies, snapper and on occasions kingfish or cobia. A downrigger also helps in fast current areas such as the Rainbow or Bulwer drop-offs. For targeting big blackspot, if you don’t have a downrigger, a single paternoster rig set up the same as a downrigger works just as well

– this can be done by using two rods. If you are after live bait, it pays to drop a bait jig down around the Brisbane Rd beacons and Measured Mile to try for some yakka or pike, which can be used to target longtail, jew, threadies or snapper. There are plenty of poddy mullet and herring as you come out of the river or the Hayes, Caboolture and Pine rivers – these can be used for threadies, jew and snapper. Also, all of the weed beds on the eastern and western sides of Moreton Bay or the rock wall coming out of the river will hold fresh squid. Most of the artificial reefs and islands will

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 11

Unlocking Moreton Bay secrets * from P11

hold better quality fish on less crowded days. If I turn up at Mud Island or Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef and it’s dotted with boats, I usually head to other spots I have found over the years. Some of the artificial reefs do have isolated structure away from the reef itself, so it pays to sound around – it only takes a bommie or patch of weed to find fish. I mainly fish weekdays to get away from the crowds. Tiwi Pearl 27° 24.410’S 153° 18.620’E

at Harry’s will give you a starting point to sound around, or further north around 27° 23.578’S 153° 19.546’E or the Ammunition Barge 27° 13.467’S 153° 16.332’E. Fishing for any reef species is not dropping a paternoster rig down on a heavy sinker – this will seldom entice a fish to feed. Fishing as light as possible with a single hook or snelled rig will stand you in better stead, and making your bait look more natural will help – such as using the head of a squid and the body as another bait or but-

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Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

terflied or live bait. If you’re buying your bait for the trip, don’t go to the local garage, BCF or tackle shop. Go to a fish monger such as Raptis, the Fish Factory at Murarrie or Mr Bait at Hemmant, where you can buy individual fresh fish such as slimy mackerel, yakka, bonito and squid. You will have countless tough days when nothing works, so on these days it’s worth sounding around the islands in the 10m plus areas. You’ll be surprised as to the amount of isolated structure in the bay. It’s very seldom you catch anything when the place is crowded and the noise generated by all the boats will scare most fish away, except for the undersized and pickers. Drifting gives you the option of covering more ground. Leaving a berley trail as you drift will help attract fish to the area, so go back and drift the same line as the berley you left. I lay a berley trail on the second drift too, and on the third drift over the same area, if there are no fish I will move to another area or go deeper. Try working the 10m plus contours when using this method or move in closer to the shallows on the high at night – remember to keep the noise to a minimum and no lights on the water. Early morning and into the evening – especially the hours leading up to and on a run-out tide – are the best times to fish the bay for reef fish, however I seldom fish the shallows on a full

moon as it spooks the fish. After these times have passed, I will go looking for the deeper water structures found over the years, where I can anchor up and start to berley. Hooking quality fish and losing them to tackle failure, bust offs or just bad luck are special moments that keep you going back for more – it’s all part of fishing the bay. I seldom use pillies as bait because one hit and it’s gone – I use them mainly for cubed berley. Use a harder bait such as fresh prawns, squid, strips of mullet, fresh bonito and yakka, or a strip of grinner is worth a try. I pick up some poddy mullet or herring coming out of the river – this also helps entice a big snapper, jew or patrolling longtail. Even consider plastics in natural colours or Nuclear Chicken jerk shad or paddle tails around the 5-6” range. I usually use a 1/4oz or 3/8oz jig head – depending on the depth of water and current, and I use heavier leaders when fishing the coral dropoffs, as it’s easy to get rubbed off – and 20kg fluorocarbon leader on 20lb braid on a Shimano Jewel 4-8kg 7’ graphite rod. Most of my fishing is done using my 4500 Shimano Baitrunner, Shimano Symetre 4000 and a lighter Okuma Endurance EDB60 Baitfeeder on a Shimano Maikuro II 7’ 3-6kg. For stripped bait and livies, I use a snelled rig with a flasher, and a suicide on the bottom and a penetrator hook on the

top, or a single hook on a running sinker when using smaller bait such as herring, squid heads and prawns. For sweetlip I usually use a 3/0-4/0 and for snapper, hooks in the 5-7/0 range depending on the size of the bait. I also have rod holders that are parallel with the water, allowing me to lay my rods down flat. This allows the bait to drift down slower, especially if you have a berley trail going. An electric motor comes in handy when fishing the shallows or a single bommie because it saves anchoring up and creating more noise. Or they come in handy when fishing the beacons as you can use them to hold 10-12m off the beacon and cast your slug to the side of the beacon. If no bait is present, the bigger fish will not be there. So, find the bait and you often find the fish. And if you intend to fish areas that are crowded, go out wider along the 20m contours or try another location. I do most of my fishing during the week, so I seldom have the problem of too many boats, and I mainly use three ramps – Whyte Island in the boat passage for fishing Mud Island and the northern bay, or Victoria Point or Manly when fishing Wellington Point, Peel Island, the Rainbow Channel and Harry Atkinson Artificial Reef. Read the January issue – which can be found on issuu.com/bnbfishing – for a complete run down on targeting grassies and tuskfish.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 13

This mud crab was about as crusty as they get.

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Ryan Holdsworth landed this cracking mangrove jack on a live poddy mullet.

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Local Luring by KEITH STRATFORD

the rivers and creeks discoloured. This has forced fish and crabs to feed closer to river mouths and has made them a little easier to locate. At the time of writing, prawns hadn’t made an appearance but by the time this edition hits the shelves, I’m sure there will be a few around. Mud crabs have still been very active. Unfortunately, there are plenty of criminals out there checking and stealing pots. I’ve been crabbing a lot recently and it’s rare that my pots haven’t been checked overnight. And a few have also been stolen, which adds up when good pots are anywhere between $60$100. Fresh bait is key to success on crabs. The water temperature is high at this time

of year, particularly in shallower water such as in drains and creeks. This causes the bait to stink after a short period of time. Mangrove jack have been quite active too. To their advantage, they’ve been using the dirty water to feed on the large schools of bait that are moving through the rivers at the moment. Prawn imitations work really well on jack all year round. There are many good quality prawn style lures on the market to choose from. It’s more about getting the lure deep into the structure where jack prefer to feed. Bait fishing for jack will work well this month. Live bait is hard to resist for this fish, though cut bait such as pilchard * continued P16

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 15

Muddies and mangrove jack * from P14

Trevally have been terrorising bait schools in the Brisbane River. This one fell to a Shads Tuff Prawn.

Mud crabs are very active this month. Fresh bait will help increase your catch.

and mullet fillets work very well too. When chasing mangrove jack, live bait will also attract good quality by-catch in the form of jewfish, threadfin salmon, trevally and even the occasional barramundi. Cut bait doesn’t seem to get the attention of these species very often but bream, cod, flathead and grunter are regular catches. The tackle for catching jack on bait can be kept very simple. The rods and reels are the same as those I use for casting lures at them, with a running sinker straight on top of the hook. This helps avoid snags and gets the bait straight into the zone. Sinker size depends on how hard the current’s running and how deep the water is. I prefer to fish as light as possible, while making sure the bait is getting to the bottom. The Brisbane River has been fishing well. I had a quick trip there in late December and found a lot of fish sitting on the bait schools.

Snapper, jewies, bream, grunter, flathead, tailor, flounder and giant trevally are all feasting on the abundance of bait spread throughout the mouth area at the moment. Threadfin salmon and jew have also been regular catches for anglers targeting the wharves towards the mouth of the river. Once again, prawn imitations have been working well, as are vibes and 3-4” paddle tail plastics. Fish will follow the

bait schools in the river, so don’t worry about fishing the middle of nowhere if you come across a bait school on the sounder. Some of the giant trevally I found in the river were around 65cm – good fun on light gear. February is a great month to be on the water. Get the crab pots in, pack the cast net for some prawns and get stuck into those feisty mangrove jack. Hope to see you on the water.

Plenty of small jewfish have been feeding on the large schools of bait in the Brisbane River. This jewie fell to a prawn imitation.

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Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 17

Guy and Flynn with a cracker mud crab.

Fantastic February fishing

Oscar ventured down to his local fishing spot and managed this dinner-plate sized flounder.

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T is February already! I hope that this isn’t a sign of how fast this year is going to go by. I want to jump back to December 2021 and share with you a story and act of kindness from one of our customers. Robert, a regular customer whom we know very well, had a fairly crappy 2021 – as it was for many people, he had a lot of ups and downs and many stressful moments. However, towards the end of 2021, Robert’s outlook became less overwhelmed and he started to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Robert decided to share his good feeling with others, and he purchased 85 packets of prawns so they could be handed out to random people who may have appreciated the gesture. So, from before Christmas through into the new year we distributed

Northern Moreton Bay by MARK TEMPLETON

them, and the results were heart-warming. From kids going fishing for the first time to 80-year-old brothers who had been separated for years because of COVID-19 now able to catch up for a fish – I think we covered a huge range of people. This was the first time we had been asked to facilitate something of this nature and I must say we were humbled when we saw a dad explaining what ‘pay it forward’ was all about. Robert thank you for your awesome effort in paying it forward and for sharing with the community and people you don’t know. Paddy was one of many who received a packet of Robert’s prawns and as you can see on the next page, he had a great day out fishing with his dad.

Well done on an awesome flathead Paddy! There have been some cracker catches out there, even with all the rain and wind. Maverick had an awesome day with his dad when they tag teamed each other to land a cracking mangrove jack. Working together they netted one from among the snags and took home dinner for a couple of nights! Well done Maverick, keep those photos coming. Guy and Flynn hit the water around Cabbage Tree Creek during a period of mega tides and they absolutely cleaned up with bream. They also had the opportunity to do a bit of crabbing and that too turned out to be fruitful with a couple of cracker mud crabs. * continued P20

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 19

Fantastic February fishing * from P18

Well done on an awesome flathead Paddy.

Maverick had an awesome day with his dad when they tag teamed each other to land this cracking mangrove jack.

Well done, I hope you continue to land those big bream and keep up the great work. Another regular to the area is Steve. He seems to be out on the water whenever he gets a chance. From the Pine River to Cabbage Tree Creek, he lands some awesome fish while relaxing. Steve returned the other day with a nice flathead, and while he dropped a few more than he caught, he managed to walk away with dinner. Well done Steve, it was well worth push starting the van to get out fishing. It goes to show that with the heavy rain, not only do the dams have the opportunity to fill and help the stock in them survive, but it also gives our river systems a good flush. I like to think that nature looks after its own and what’s better,

Guy and Flynn hit the water around Cabbage Tree Creek during a period of mega tides and cleaned up with bream. Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

it stirs everything up! Not long after a good flush, Oscar ventured down to his local creek and had a ball. He managed a few good fish, but the best was the dinner-plate sized flounder shown on the previous page! There are quite a number of these around and if you fish the creeks and flats using bait, small hard-bodies and plastics, you will end up tangling with one of these. Personally, I think they are one of the best eating fish out of the bread-and-butter species, and rarely does one this size go back! Well done Oscar, you got yourself a great feed there. I hope 2022 will be the year of some great fishing and a good chance to get out with family and friends. The start of the year is a great opportunity to do that maintenance to the boat and trailer

that you’ve been meaning to do. Many boat owners tend to overlook the importance of trailer maintenance. Just remember that your trailer carries your pride and joy, mostly at speed! For your flares, emergency position indicating radio beacons, life jackets and other safety gear, by checking it early in the year you’re set for months without a worry or a fine. Also remember it is illegal to have out of date flares on the boat! You may not want to, but give Facebook a miss for half an hour and check out Maritime Safety Queensland to make sure you are up to date with the law and your obligations when out on the water. There have been a few changes recently, so keep yourself informed. Be safe and maintain the passion.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 21

Tide Times

AUSTRALIA EAST COAST BRISBANE BAR BAR STRALIA, EAST COAST – BRISBANE

Time

LAT 27° 22ʼ S LONG 153° 10ʼ E Times and Heights of High and Low Waters FEBRUARY MARCH Time

Time

0210 0846 1524 2047

0.47 2.39 0.69 1.75

0317 0949 TU 1637 2204

0.29 2.71 0.43 1.96

0248 0924 1601 2125

0.44 2.43 0.66 1.78

0405 1034 WE 1720 2249

0.27 2.71 0.42 2.00

0325 1000 1638 2200

0.42 2.46 0.64 1.82

0449 1115 TH 1759 2332

0401 1034 1713 2237

Time

0.44 2.47 0.60 1.95

0219 0847 TU 1531 2105

0.42 2.60 0.45 2.01

17 0350 1012

0.40 2.50 TH 1647 0.56 2221 2.01

0310 0930 WE 1613 2148

0.35 2.62 0.42 2.10

0.30 2.65 0.44 2.02

18 0428 1045

0.39 2.51 FR 1720 0.53 2300 2.06

0355 1011 TH 1648 2229

0.41 2.47 0.63 1.85

0531 0.38 1154 2.53 FR 1834 0.48

0506 1118 SA 1752 2339

0.42 2.47 0.51 2.09

0438 1109 1746 2315

0.41 2.47 0.62 1.87

0014 0612 SA 1230 1907

2.02 0.50 2.38 0.53

0.49 2.39 SU 1824 0.51

0515 1143 1821 2356

0.45 2.45 0.61 1.88

0055 0653 SU 1304 1940

7 0139 0737

Time

0.44 2.40 0.42 2.30

17 0252 0905

0.47 2.45 TH 1540 0.53 2122 2.11

0417 1015 SA 1638 2238

0.48 2.30 0.43 2.34

17 0359 0945

0.33 2.59 0.42 2.16

18 0333 0941

0.42 2.47 FR 1615 0.47 2201 2.20

0455 1045 SU 1704 2313

0.54 2.19 0.45 2.35

18 0445 1026

0435 1047 FR 1721 2306

0.37 2.51 0.44 2.19

0415 1016 SA 1647 2241

0530 1116 MO 1729 2346

0.62 2.05 0.49 2.33

0531 1107 TU 1720 2347

20 0545 1152

0514 1121 SA 1750 2343

0.44 2.39 0.47 2.20

20 0455 1051

0605 0.72 1146 1.91 TU 1755 0.56

0621 0.60 1153 1.93 WE 1757 0.47

2.00 0.65 2.20 0.59

21 0020 0626

0550 0.55 1152 2.24 SU 1816 0.51

21 0537 1128

0020 0643 WE 1218 1824

0035 0718 TH 1245 1841

0554 0.51 1218 2.40 1857 0.61

1.97 0.81 MO 1341 2.01 2015 0.64

22 0104 0714

7 0019 0627

2.18 0.68 MO 1223 2.07 1844 0.57

22 0001 0621

7 0059 0726

0039 0636 1255 1934

1.88 0.59 2.33 0.60

0230 0830 TU 1422 2057

1.94 0.95 1.82 0.70

23 0158 0813

0057 0706 TU 1254 1913

2.14 0.82 1.88 0.65

23 0046 0712

0128 0725 1337 2016

1.89 0.70 2.22 0.59

9 0332 0943

1.92 1.05 1519 1.66 WE 2151 0.75

24 0305 0930

2.07 0.95 1332 1.71 WE 1949 0.74

24 0140 0815

0225 0826 1429 2107

1.91 0.80 2.08 0.59

10 0447 1115

25 0428 1108

10 0230 0857

25 0247 0941

1.99 0509 2.28 10 0403 1111 0.96 25 1205 0.63 • 10g lemongrass stalk

0335 0941 1531 2208

1.96 0.87 1.94 0.58

11 0557 1238

26 0549 1239

11 0342 1032

26 0411 1114

11 0518 1213

0453 1108 1646 2315

2.07 0.88 1.83 0.55

12 0003 0654

27 0008 0700

12 0506 1205

27 0533 1231

2.15 cup 0055 0.66 • 1/4 water 12 0616 1301 0.74 27 0706 2.32

0606 2.23 1237 0.80 1802 1.78

13 0100 0741

0022 0712 1353 1915

0.49 2.40 0.68 1.79

14 0149 0823

0127 0810 1456 2018

0.42 2.55 0.56 1.84

15 0231 0901

0225 0901 1549 2115

0.34 2.66 0.47 1.90

2 3 4 5 6

1.96 1.05 TH 1638 1.57 2258 0.76 2.04 0.97 FR 1800 1.57

0.73 2.15 SA 1336 0.86 1902 1.63

0.66 2.26 SU 1421 0.77 1951 1.71

2.10 0.58 MO 1229 2.27 1857 0.53 2.10 0.70 TU 1309 2.10 1935 0.56

2.09 0.82 WE 1359 1.92 2023 0.61 2.09 0.91 1508 1.75 TH 2128 0.66 2.14 0.90 FR 1637 1.66 2247 0.67

2.25 0.79 SA 1804 1.68

0.62 2.39 SU 1349 0.65 1918 1.79

28 0120 0758

0.52 2.52 MO 1445 0.53 2016 1.90

0.57 2.35 1501 0.69 MO 2030 1.80 0.50 2.42 TU 1538 0.64 2108 1.87

2 3 4 5

9 0138 0753

2.00 1.04 TH 1427 1.55 2041 0.85 1.96 1.06 FR 1555 1.47 2157 0.91

1.98 0.98 SA 1735 1.51 2321 0.88

2.08 0.87 SU 1840 1.62

0.43 2.39 SU 1719 0.42 2320 2.32

0.50 2.27 MO 1750 0.44 2.33 0.60 TU 1206 2.11 1823 0.49

2.31 0.72 WE 1250 1.92 1901 0.56 2.26 0.83 1347 1.74 TH 1951 0.66 2.21 0.88 FR 1509 1.61 2103 0.75

2.20 0.83 SA 1646 1.61 2235 0.77

2.27 0.71 SU 1809 1.73

5 6

20 Seared Scallops with Lime 21 and Sweet Chilli Glaze

2.27 0.82 1.76 0.65

2.48 0.69 1.76 0.58

Ingredients 2.19 0130 2.39

0.91 TH 1257 1.62 1900 0.77

22 0829

0.76 FR 1353 1.64 1937 0.70

• 20 scallops

2.31 • 12.10 tbsp 0238 sesame oil 0.99 23 0947 0.77

0145 0822 FR 1350 1947

1.51

SA 1518 1.60

0.88 ginger 2055 0.80 • 30g

2.02 0354 2.27 9 0245 0944 1.01 24 1101 sugar, 0.72 • 60g palm grated

SA 1514 1.45 2059 0.97

SU 1645 1.68 2226 0.81

• 10g garlic, diced

SU 1654 1.52 2230 0.96

MO 1756 1.84 2348 0.74

• 2 tbsp 0613 lime2.30juice

2.05 0.86 MO 1800 1.66 2346 0.86

26 1259

0.54

TU 1853 • 2 tbsp fish2.01 sauce

TU 1850 1.82

WE 1345 0.48

2.15 chilli sauce • 1 tbsp 1941 sweet

29 0113 0737

14 0139 0746

15 0123 0749

0.66 2.30 TU 1428 0.67 2006 1.88

0.58 2.45 1420 0.49 TU 2003 2.03

30 0209 0823

0.49 2.48 WE 1501 0.44 2047 2.15 0.44 2.46 0.42 2.24

Quarter

Last Quarter Full Moon

First Quarter

Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

WE 1344 0.63 1933 1.98

TH 1423 0.44 2023 2.27

• 1 long red chilli, deseeded

0.63 2.33 1423 0.53 TH 2015 2.13

29 0236 0830

0.57 2.24 1458 0.42 FR 2101 2.35

Method 0227 0.54 0319

15 0827

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

0.52 2.09 0.39 2.53

14 0030 0706

Full Moon

0.47 2.22 MO 1645 0.35 2302 2.53

0.74 0.60 13 0046 28 0149 0704 0751 2.29leaf • 12.25kaffir lime

0257 0904 TH 1538 2127

New Moon

0.45 2.32 SU 1612 0.35 2220 2.48

28 0001 0641

0.78 2.19 1348 0.77 MO 1926 1.76

0.70 2.37 MO 1331 0.58 1913 1.89

0.48 2.37 0.38 2.39

13 0614 1304

monwealth of Australia 2021, Bureau of Meteorology New Moon First ons is Lowest Astronomical Tide

bols

0.41 2.46 0.43 2.27

0313 0906 SA 1536 2138

0339 0941 FR 1610 2203

0209 0829 WE 1504 2044

0.56 2.39 0.60 2.00

0312 0937 WE 1613 2145

2022

Time Zone –1000 APRIL

2.37 FR 1500 0.45 2057 2.27

0.57 2.16 SA 1528 0.42 2137 2.41

30 0907

1. Pound lemongrass stalk in mortar and pestle. Add lemongrass, ginger, palm sugar, garlic, lime, fish

sauce, water and sweet chilli sauce to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir and remove from heat when sugar dissolves and the glaze and starts to thicken – around 10-15 minutes. 2. Cut the scallops from the shell. Preheat the barbecue plate on high. Season the plate with sesame oil and sear the scallops on both sides. 3. Remove the lemongrass stalk from the saucepan and reheat the glaze. 4. Arrange each scallop on the shell. Drizzle with lime and sweet chilli glaze. 5. Garnish with finely chopped red chilli and kaffir lime leaf to serve.

time: 15 min | Cooking time: 15-20 min | Makes 20 LastPrep Quarter 7

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 23

The author with one of the 60cm plus mangrove jack lurking around the rock walls at this time of year.

Summer snapper and dollies

E Kane Barclay with a Seaway flathead that took a live yakka.

Charlie Marlin holding a nice samson fish jigged up at the 50-fathom line northeast of the Seaway. Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

XCITING times are coming for the Gold Coast in the next month. With great weather and ideal rainfall predicted for the start of 2022, as well as awesome new products being available, great catches will be had on the fishing front for all of February. With the release of many new products from well-known companies – including Nomad with their Slipstream Flying Fish lures, Vexed with products such as Bottom Meat and Bottom Sack, and a terrific new range of fishing rods and reels for release in 2022 from the top manufacturers – I’m sure we fishos won’t be disappointed this year. As well as having plenty of new products to try, the fishing has been superb recently too. With the wider fish aggregating devices starting to work well and the reefs still firing, the start of this year

Gold Coast by BEN SMITH

should be one of the best on record – when the weather plays the game. On a trip prior to Christmas, I took Paul from the Bait Shop Gold Coast out for the day. We travelled northeast from the Seaway to an area off North Stradbroke Island in around 85m of water and fished the morning bite for snapper. Fortunately we were able to entice eight good fish to the boat within the first hour of being there. The way we did it was by using some of his great new Australian products. Paul had decided to take some of the gear he'd stocked in the shop recently from a company called Vexed. These are weighted jig style lures with assist hooks in a rubber skirt. They can be baited or

unbaited and work unbelievably well with the variety of bottom and reef fish we have off the Gold Coast. On the other hand, and as per usual, I continued to use a simple rig of running sinker down onto two snelled 5/0 suicide hooks and this accounted for a number good quality of snapper too. The beauty about the rig that Paul was using was that even after I had lost the bait to pickers, he was able to wind up the lure very quickly, and was getting hit by kingfish or snapper on the retrieve. This accounted for several good kingfish strikes though unfortunately we lost them because we were a little under gunned for these brutes. We possibly should have tried some heavier gear but never mind, * continued P25

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Bailey Smith with a mulloway he live-baited from the Seaway.

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* continued P26

The author with a Sunshine Reef snapper off Noosa.

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Esky full of an ice slurry to drop them into as soon as possible to calm them down. It's also a good idea to bleed them, if possible, to improve the quality of the meat because they do have a particular bloodline that comes through if left un-bled. Locations of all the local FADs are on the government and BNB Fishing websites and there are regular posts on Facebook about what's going on at any particular one, so keep an eye out for the good weather to make the trip offshore for that great feed of blue water fish. The Seaway has still been producing goodsized jewfish as well as a host of other fish.

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we cast our lines into the trail of berley and watched the dolphinfish as they moved up eating their way through it. They were in such a frenzy that they swallowed our bait not seeing the hooks. Once one had been caught, the others closely followed boat-side, so we kept leapfrogging the bait until we were able to get our 10 fish. This process is fairly straightforward and you don't need to overthink it – keep it stealthy with as little noise as possible and work the fish once you find them. It does get a bit messy with dolphinfish on board as they bleed and go crazy once they've been netted, so it's important to have an open

we’ll know for next time. After we got our limit of snapper, we decided to head down and check out the FADs. On arrival, the small to medium sized mahi-mahi were visibly jumping around. We decided to cube up some pilchard and start to berley up the water. While we were doing this, we tied 30lb fluorocarbon leader to our lines which were on 7’ spin sticks with 30004000 size spin reels mounted on them. The spools were loaded with 20lb braid and we attached on a 5/0 Mustad penetrator hook. As we drifted slowly back towards the FADs,

* from P24

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 25

Summer snapper and dollies * from P25

Narelle Moore with a Coomera River whiting caught on a yabby.

It's going to be busy, so please take care around the more popular areas of the Broadwater. Further up the creeks and rivers, whiting have been on the bite and great numbers of goodsized elbow-slapper whiting have been filling the creeks over the past couple of weeks. This is going to continue right through the warmer months hope-

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fully and a great way of catching some of these tasty fish is by simply pumping yabbies or using bloodworms. Catch your bait at low tide and fish for them during a run-in tide. Many people like to catch large yabbies, which are great for flathead and bream, but whiting tend to prefer smaller yabbies. So if you're finding you’re getting big yabbies in particular area, try moving and pumping the holes located 20-30m away – this way you hopefully get some smaller models and have yabbies in a range of sizes. The rig we use is simply a long-shank hook with about 60cm of 6-8lb fluorocarbon leader running up to a small swivel and a running ball sinker. We continue with 6-8lb mainline or alter-

natively 4-6lb braid. My preference is to use a longer rod with a softer tip and let it rest over the transom of the boat so you can see it start to dip towards the water when a fish is on. Then it's simply a matter of lifting and winding and you should hook up. Look to anchor in the deeper parts of the creeks and rivers, including the Nerang and Coomera rivers as well as the areas through the Broadwater. These fish can be caught day or night but it’s always going to be more productive if you follow the bite times and tides. Enjoy your fishing throughout February and remember to try something new, as you never know what sort of success you may have. Good luck and stay safe on the water.

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Paul Anderson from the Bait Shop Gold Coast and the author with some of the mahi mahi hanging around the local FADs. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 27

Having a look at lines and leaders

Labelling and packaging line ready for store orders.

Loading bobbins ready for braiding.

Made here for here. Lubin Pfeiffer with a Murray cod on Platypus 50lb braid and 60lb Hard Armour Tough leader.

THOUGHT I would look at why we have different types of lines and leaders available to us as anglers. Platypus Fishing lines have been Australian owned, operated and manufactured since 1898, making them Australia’s longest running fishing tackle brand. Each spool of Platypus line is touched by about eight Aussie workers before it has even reached the couriers and then our favourite tackle store. Let’s break down braided lines, monofilament lines and leaders. Braided lines Advantages with braided lines include almost zero stretch for increased feel and hook setting power, finer diameter for increased line capacity and reduced drag in the air for longer casts. Reduced drag in the water means that lures can run deeper, plus we can now get our presentations down deep in stronger current. Making braided line is a slow process. The selection of raw material and setting up the machine will give you the characteristics of the raw finished braid, then additional processes and coatings can fine tune the performance of the braid and enhance

Platypus pre-test nylon monofilament is IGFA rated and features increased stretch. Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

Tackle Tactics by JUSTIN WILLMER

specific characteristics of that braid. Apart from these individual characteristics, we commonly have the option of 4, 8 or 9-carrier braid. So, what’s the difference and what’s the best option for my fishing? Carrier refers to a single strand, which is in fact made up of many tiny fibres, so a 4-carrier braid is made up of four strands, and four bobbins criss-crossing to create the finished braid. A set breaking strain of braid will require four larger strands or eight smaller strands, and this basically defines the differences between 4 and 8-carrier braids. You will find that 4-carrier braid is often cheaper to buy because for starters larger raw material strands can be low cost and it’s generally faster and econimcal to make as there are less strand breakages during manufacturing. The four larger strands generally create a thicker diameter and a coarser feel, with some fishers such as finesse anglers preferring the rounder and smoother profile created by eight finer strands. Though the four larger strands have their advantages, including increased shock strength and increased abrasion resistance, which sees them favoured at times by anglers fishing structure – cutting through weed and lilies while better standing up to timber and other structure. As mentioned, 8-car-

rier braid with its eight finer strands has a smoother and rounder profile and a finer diameter that sees it favoured by anglers requiring increased line capacity and longer casts, especially with lighter lures. In open water away from heavy structure, there is no doubt that the finer diameter and smoother finish is advantageous to anglers, with many investing in a quality 8-carrier braid. A less common option is a 9-carrier braid which basically consists of an 8-carrier braid with an additional centre strand that runs up the middle during the braiding process. This gives the braid an engineered round profile, even under extreme fishing conditions and the pressure of large predatory species. Hopefully this assists when you’re selecting braided lines. Monofilament lines Nylon monofilament lines are generally cheaper than braided lines and they have other advantages over braid including increased abrasion resistance, a higher degree of stretch – which is often preferred in bait fishing, trolling for offshore game fish and other applications – along with simpler knot tying and rigging characteristics. Walking along the nylon monofilament production line is even more fascinating than the braiding machines, with an incredible collection of processes that extend

* continued P30

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 29

Angus James chasing jewfish off the beach with 20lb Platypus Super 100.

Jason Milne spooled up with Platypus Pulse X8 to get into snapper on plastics.

Looking at lines and leaders * from P28

Operating the spooling machines to transfer line from bulk to retail spools.

The mono extruder manufacture process.

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well over 30m in length. It starts with an ingredient list of raw materials that are placed in a large hopper, melted and extruded into water. A recipe in the form of a bunch of processes later and we have a bulk spool of monofilament that rests for a period before being spooled onto smaller spools, labelled and packaged. Again, raw materials are part of the secret to a good line, along with the processes used in the creation of the line. We have possibly all experienced cheap nylon monofilament lines that have a lot of memory and coil off the reel, similar to a slinky, while also featuring thick and inconsistent diameters and inconsistent breaking strains due to poor quality materials and manufacturing processes. Nylon monofilament lines are cheaper than braided lines and it’s worth investing in a quality monofilament as it will make your fishing more enjoyable and more productive. By adjusting the raw materials and the recipe or manufacturing pro-

cess, we can create nylon monofilament lines with varying characteristics that may make them better suited to your target species, location or fishing technique. This can be as simple as line clarity, colour or hi-visibility through to the suppleness of the line, its abrasion resistant qualities, diameter and percentage of stretch. Platypus has two inhouse line technicians with over 65 years of combined fishing line design, development and manufacturing experience, and over time they have developed and updated many monofilament lines with specific characteristics to suit different angling applications. A few examples would include Pulse Mono with its super fine diameter and Ghost Clear colouration, Lo-Stretch with its reduced percentage of stretch to combine the benefits of braid and mono, along with the IGFA rated Pre-Test with its higher percentage of stretch for sustained battles with big fish on lighter line ratings and its three break-

ing strain tests every 1000m – with the highest break recorded on the spool. Leaders A leader generally runs from your mainline to your lure or terminal tackle and is used with braid as a shock absorber, as well as for decreased visibility and increased abrasion resistance. When fishing monofilament, some anglers will use their mainline as their leader line while others will employ a specific leader for the required breaking strain, decreased visibility or abrasion resistance. The above applies to fluorocarbon and nylon monofilament leaders, with multi-strand or single strand wire also an option. Wire is often a last resort for anglers, however it can at times be essential for target species such as spanish mackerel. Fluorocarbon leaders offer advantages over nylon monofilament leaders, including the same light refraction qualities as water – making them virtually * continued P31

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Looking at lines and leaders * from P30

invisible – along with excellent abrasion resistance and a density that sees them sink, assisting anglers to stay in touch with their lure and bait presentations as they sink naturally. Fluorocarbon leaders cannot be manufactured in Australia due to the manufacturing processes, however Platypus offer a Japanese-made fluorocarbon based on requests from anglers. The downsides of fluorocarbon include price and the stiffness of the material that sees it difficult to knot and rig effectively in larger breaking strains. Fluorocarbon is extremely popular to 20lb, with anglers commonly fishing it through to 40-

50lb, however from 40lb up you will find nylon monofilament leaders dominate. As the target species and angler presentations become larger, the invisibility and sink factor also become less significant. Nylon monofilament leaders are produced through the same production line as nylon monofilament mainline, with the ingredients and recipe adjusted to suit the characteristics required of the leader, such as abrasion resistance, strength and knot strength. You will often find a supple version of a nylon leader, which is limper for rigging and maximum lure action, along with a tough version

that is generally harder, stiffer and all about maximum abrasion resistance. Also, nylon monofilament leaders are often preferred when fishing topwater lures because the sink factor of fluorocarbon can pull the nose of the presentation under the water and ruin the action. I hope this gives a bit of an insight into the manufacturing and characteristics of different lines and assists when it comes to spooling your next reel. If you haven’t checked out the range of Australian-made Platypus lines, you can check them out at tackletactics.com.au Made here, for here. See you on the water…

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Eight strands becoming one Australian-made braided line.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 31

Damo was thrilled to catch his first ever giant trevally on a charter with Brad Smith.

Henry was stoked with his personal best whiting on a charter with the author. These two measured 38cm and 40cm.

Jason caught big summer whiting on a wading charter with the author.

Broadwater whiting tips

I everyone, what crazy times we’re living in! Let’s hope this month is more settled. But whatever happens, there is always fishing to turn to for a fix of fun and nature. The weather has been wild at times too, but we mustn’t forget that it is typical for this time of year. We just have to get out fishing as often as possible when conditions are good enough.

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My main focus this month will be targeting big summer whiting over the wonderful shallow flats of the southern Gold Coast Broadwater. It is still peak season for these sporty fish and any rain we have enhances the fishing by cooling and dirtying the water. There are times when the shallow water gets too hot for good fishing. My ideal tide for chasing big whiting is a low around 6am, which enables us to pump plenty of big yabbies and then wait for the cooler

ocean water to flood the banks. Whiting are then eager to explore the freshly covered sand for food. Whether you are wading or fishing from a boat, it pays to keep moving often to find the schools of whiting that are constantly on the move. February is also still a prime month for the big mangrove jack that the Gold Coast is famous for. In the lead up to new and full moons, these powerful predators will feed aggressively, es-

* continued P34

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There have been a variety of trevally in the Broadwater. This brassy variety fell for a Squidgies soft plastic. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 33

Broadwater whiting tips * from P32

Mika and Tim had a good night chasing mangrove jack with the author.

Wazza caught and released this lovely 57cm mangrove jack during a trip with the author.

pecially at night when they swim around in the open while hunting. They will smash soft vibes that are cast out and hopped along the bottom, occasionally right down the middle of river stretches. They can also be caught during the day by casting 3 or 4” long paddle tail soft plastics or surface lures close to structure. Expect to put in hundreds of casts per strike though. If we have more rain this month, it will be a good time to also fish the deeper water near the mouth of the Seaway and the main channels between Biggera Waters and Paradise Point for mulloway.

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I prefer to fish these areas with vibes, blades, yabbies and Ecogear Isome worms during neap tide times because you get the right amount of flow to turn the fish on and hold bottom while drifting. The water is also a bit cooler in these spots when the shallows get too hot for the fish. At this time of year, you will find goodsized tuskfish, summer whiting, school flathead, tarwhine, bream and a few trevally. Brad Smith has been running his lure fishing charters at both the Tweed River and Gold Coast Broadwater, and catching a variety of fish on Samaki Vibelicious, Ecogear blades,

Hurricane Slams and Pontoon 21 Crack Jack hard-bodies, including mangrove jack, flathead, trevally, bream and many more. Once the water clears more, Brad will be running plenty of his everpopular whiting charters using surface lures. One of the greatest thrills in fishing is seeing a monster whiting charging at a MMD Splash Prawn or Bassday Sugapen lure. To book on a charter with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, visit goldcoastrivercharters. com, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishing withclint@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook – Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 35

Gold Coast mackerel mayhem

Mitch with a pair of twins on a quick trip before work.

This mackerel fell to a hard-body lure towed at six knots.

BOAT WINDSCREENS

ND just like that, 2022 is in full swing. It was before the rain moved in that a few mackerel started to show up, only to be shut down by wind and downpours. It didn’t take too long for the water to clear up, and the fish have slowly but surely come back on the chew. This year has so far been relatively quiet for spotted mackerel, with them being very patchy. However, there have been plenty of rat spanish mackerel around in the 8-10kg range. And there have been many lost fish, with spaniards being bigger fish, they make short work of the lighter spotty rigs – either by biting through the wire or swallowing the bait right down. When this happens, you need to be prepared to quickly change to rigs better suited to the bigger fish. Heavier wire is one option, as is a longer trace. Alternatively, towing lures is also a good way to bag a blue. There is no mistaking

Gold Coast by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

a spanish mackerel. On hook-up, they’ll seem to run forever and when they do decide to stop, they’ll turn and charge the boat. Many an angler knows the burn of the arm and shoulder when trying to wind as fast as possible to retrieve line, with fatigue setting in only for the fish turn and run again. Then there are the big deep head shakes as you try to turn the fish’s head and get it to the surface, only for it to do a few laps as you slowly but surely attempt to win the fight. This is where many a fish is lost. The rod is buckled over, there is no stretch left in the line and, with the reel full and the drag hot, you hope that your attention turns to ‘are my knots are all good’. All the while, the vibrations of the fish fighting for its life has surely gained the attention of the tax man, which will take a chunk

out of your catch when you least expect it. Hopefully, once the water clears up and we get a good run of light southerly wind, we’ll see the spotties move in. Nothing is guaranteed with fishing and given the weather has been so unsettled, it might just be one of those years where the spotties bypass the Gold Coast altogether. Fingers crossed this isn’t the case. We should see good catches off the local reefs with yellowfin and wahoo following the warm water in close, chasing massive bait schools. Hard-bodied lures are your best bet for these fish. Out a bit wider, we would normally see the marlin season in full swing. Again, the weather has had a lot to do with things, so we should have a much better handle on what the game * continued P38

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Pink was the colour of the day for rat spanish mackerel. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 37

Queensland’s black jewfish black market crackdown

The Quintrex 3.7m tinnie and rack on the 80 series fits so well.

Boat loader sorted

’ve been working on my gear again and this time I fitted my old roof rack, which is modified to carry our 3.7m Quintrex up on the top of my Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series. With help from our son Gavin, we fitted the rack to the 80s’ gutters, then I mounted the winch post of a winching setup my friend Mike Hempsall gave me to the bull bar. I unloaded the gear out of the tinnie and took the motor off, then I flipped the tinnie over and stood it up against

the back of the rack. I hooked the winch rope on to the front of the tinnie and started winching the boat on top of the rack on the 80 Series. It worked fantastically. It needed a few bits of thin flat rubber stuck to the rack to stop the tinnie rubbing and a bit of poly pipe on the back of the rack to make the tinnie slide easier. After doing that, I strapped the boat to the rack and went for a drive. Now I’m set for the next trip. Craig Tomkinson

S part of the Queensland Gover n ment’s black jewfish black market crackdown, the fish was banned from being targeted until January 1, 2022. A popular eating fish, the value of black jewfish skyrocketed to around $800-1000/kg five years ago. The highly prized swim bladder of this species, which is considered a delicacy in some countries, regulates buoyancy and allows the fish to live in water up to 60-80m deep. The annual black jewfish catch was capped from May 2019 at 6 tonne for the Gulf of Carpentaria and 20 tonne on the east coast. With the season open, once the quota has been reached, it will be illegal to catch the species for both recreational and commercial fishers.

Gold Coast mackerel mayhem * from P36

fishing season is going to be like over the next month or so. In the creeks and river, the water is still dirty and as long as we get consistent rain and big tides, it will remain as such. With the dirty water comes opportunity and the topwater anglers have been having a ball on bream, whiting and giant herring. Some good flathead are being caught off the sand flats on a falling tide, and don’t forget the mangrove

jack – this warm balmy weather has been sending them nuts. Live poddy mullet have been deadly when thrown around structure such as a rock wall or a snag. With the fresh in the estuaries, there have been plenty of mud crabs caught. As the water is so warm, you’ll need to change your bait at least once per day. If you don’t, you’ll be gagging when you pull your pot up, and fresh is best for muddies in any case.

Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

The local bars had a bit of a clear out with the rain, though the Tweed hasn’t changed too much with the bank out the front. Currumbin had a bit of a channel starting to form out from the wall, but after Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth passed off the coast and the big swell came through, it could well have changed again. The same with the Tallebudgera Bar, however the Seaway is in good shape. Screaming reels to you all.

The quota was reached within two months in 2021. A fast-growing fish that reaches maturity and 90cm within two years, as well as being found in large schools, black jewfish is a valuable commodity. While the overseas market is believed to have been shut down to wild imports, a market for dried product persists. Wanting to see the Queensland Government bring itself into line with the Northern Territory annual quota of 140 tonnes, Mackay Reef Supplies operator David Caracciolo who runs fleets both in the Northern Territory and Queensland said, “Queensland is a much bigger state than the Northern Territory.” “Certainly 20 tonnes is just totally ridiculous for the size of our coast.” Concerned also with the timing of the catching season, he added that the fish bred from November through to April. The industry had therefore asked the Department of Fisheries to delay the season until after the fish had spawned in April, not open it in January.

With the regulations as they stand currently, if an angler accidentally catches a black jewfish out of season, the fisher is to throw the fish back into the water. “Catch and release doesn’t work for these fish because they are coming out of such depths – they just die,” Mr Caracciolo said. Since the introduction of the regulation, Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol has carried out almost 1500 inspections, resulting in one prosecution. For the most part, there has been a high compliance rate of 97 percent, with eight offences of fishers possessing black jewfish during the closed season. One offence was for possessing the fish in excess of the catch limit and 21 were for failing to comply with reporting requirements. According to the Fisheries Department, the current quota and other management changes are precautionary and designed to mitigate further stock declines and control catch across all sectors until sustainable catch limits can be determined following the completion of new research and a stock assessment.

Ben Tilyard from QBFP with seized black jewfish swim bladders. Photo: Fisheries Queensland www.bnbfishing.com. au

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www.tohatsu.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 39

Landing mangrove jack land-based

NE minute you’re sitting there wondering if you’ll ever get a bite – your mind drifts away to wherever a fisho’s mind wanders – and then without warning, you’re struggling to hang on to the rod. This is how it usually goes for me at least, and this last session was no exception. I leapt to my feet in a split second, knowing I was not in control of the situation. The line was stretched to its absolute limit and my hand was on the spool, having set the drag to what I thought was well and truly enough. Landing mangrove

Tweed to Byron Bay by GAVIN DOBSON

jack from a boat is hard – land based is much harder. The fish was arching for a snag, but I just managed to muscle the fish to my side of the obstacle. My last decent bite was about an hour prior, and while the fish put up a solid fight, I was sure this fish was a big jack and I felt the line brush past a snag. The fish changed tactics and headed for another underwater obstruction. A few seconds later I had the mighty red

on the surface and was swiping at it with the net – it turned out to be a handsome estuary cod. I was at full stretch, but managed to net it on the third attempt. The fish snapped at me as I tried to remove the hook, and even though I have caught hundreds of these magnificent estuary denizens, I noticed my hands were shaking. Wondering if I could have dead lifted the fish instead of mucking around with the net, I had a trial on the hard ground. I didn’t even get three quarters of the fish’s weight off the ground before the line snapped where it had been compromised by the snag I’d felt during the fight. Even though I don’t dedicate as much time

to them as I used to, mangrove jack are definitely still one of my favourite fish. Luckily there are a few of them getting around at the moment because there isn’t a whole lot else to fish for. Normally this month I’d have a few mackerel photos to show, but not this year. I’m sure they’re out there, however access has been a problem. Constant wind and swell varying between scary and massive have been the norm for the past month. As a result, no mackerel for me. But that’s bearable when I’ve got many land-based jack options just a few minutes from my house. Flathead have been poor for the past month and whiting equally frustrating. Mud crabs are slow but there are enough to put a small feed togeth-

er with persistence. Surely they’ll improve this month! Keira and I have done a few trips to the Tweed with only a few legal and plenty of little crabs. The Brunswick River is worth a fish for school jewfish and grunter bream, and gratefully mangrove jack have been in OK numbers. When fishing for mangrove jack with bait, things can often be slow until that monumental rush when the jack takes the bait. The other alternative is that you’re constantly annoyed by bream. As annoying as this is, I prefer it because they stir up a bit of activity that mangrove jack come to investigate. I’ve often had people comment to me how delicately a jack bites until it finally takes the bait. This is actually not

* continued P41

Mud crabs have been surprisingly slow thus far but will hopefully improve this month.

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

Hang on tight, big mangrove jack are out and about. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Landing mangrove jack land-based * from P40

the case – the delicate bites are from the bream and then a jack comes and rips the bait clean out of the bream’s mouth. The exact same scenario happens at the cleaning table when a seagull picks up a fish frame that it can’t swallow and tries to make off with it. Seeing the excited seagull, a pelican lunges and mugs the fish frame straight off the seagull. If the seagull does manage to get past the pelican and drag the frame away, next in line is a sea eagle – it swoops in and steals the meal.

Occasionally a seagull is injured in the process, something I’m sure happens to the bream in the underwater scenario. I’m honestly not sure what to recommend in the river this month. Things aren’t normal and all the fresh keeps changing things up a bit. I’d stick with school jew, grunter bream and jack. Offshore, we can only hope the weather settles down because the pelagics will be out there. To my way of thinking, we are just starting one of the best fishing periods of the year, so let’s hope things shape up.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 43

More diversity comes with dirty water

ELLO all and welcome to this months’

edition. It would appear that this summer is turning out to be a very wet one indeed. While we haven’t had insane amounts of rain, it does seem to be very persistent and consistent. Just when you start to feel as though we may be nearing the end of the wet spell, another week of showers descends upon us. The only time we are seeing clear water in the river is during runin tides around the full and new moon phases. These moon phases will produce the largest of tides and during the large tides, the clear water will push up the river well passed the Burns Point Ferry. Unfortunately, at this stage, the current weather pattern does look set to continue through to April or May, so we may as well get used to it. While all of this may

Ballina Bait & Tackle by BRETT HYDE

sound very doom and gloom, the fishing has still been fairly good – even if the brown water doesn’t look particularly inviting or inspiring. The lower reaches of the river from the mouth up to Pimlico Island has been producing some good quality flathead and a few whiting. The usual bait have been working on both species but a number of the better quality flathead have been taken on either hardbody lures or larger soft plastics. As you would expect with the discoloured water, bright colours have been a popular choice. The lower reaches have also produced a few mulloway on the tide changes, but live bait have been very difficult to find, so make sure you have a few vibes, plastics or

even cut bait as alternatives. Bream don’t mind the discoloured water and there have been good numbers of fish spread out all the way up the river to Broadwater. The poor visibility in the river has meant that bream have been staying close to structure such as rock walls, pontoons, jetties and bridge pylons. Small hard-body lures being slowly retrieved past these types of structure have tempted plenty of bream, as has bait such as mullet, pilchard, squid and yellowtail. The tide direction hasn’t appeared to have affected bream a great deal, with fish being landed on both a run-in and run-out tide. Similar to bream, mangrove jack have not been particularly bothered by tides or

BALLINA

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02 6686 2527 Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

water clarity over the past couple of weeks, and quite a few fish have been landed using suspended hardbody lures more than anything else. This may be due to the fact that these lures can be paused in front of the fish and will not float back to the surface, thereby giving the fish more time to find the lure given the limited visibility. Lucky Craft Pointers, Hank Tune Jackall Squirrel 79, Samaki Redic and Molix Jerk 95 have all been popular options over the past few weeks. The Christmas holiday period was a popular time for locals and holiday makers alike for chasing mud crabs. Both the creeks have been producing a few crabs, as well as the main river between the ferry and Pimlico Island. Some of the better quality crabs have come from the deeper drop-offs and channels, with the saltier water sitting below the fresh on top. If possible, I would be trying to crab the morning tide around a full or new moon because the bigger tides will allow crabs to move around more, and the smell from your bait will also be carried a lot further. Offshore has been a real struggle over the past month or two due to the strong winds, rough seas and flowon conditions from the cyclones up north. If the rain continues with irregular falls,

it shouldn’t cause our mackerel season too many problems. Fingers crossed, with any tick of the clock we should start to see some spanish and spotted mackerel roaming around our close reefs. The water temperature is certainly warm enough for them and there have been a few scattered reports of mackerel south of us recently. Live bait have been very scarce, so early in the season many of us may have to resort to trolling dead bait or lures. If mackerel are not your cup of tea and you are willing to put up with plenty of current, I suggest heading out to chase a few snapper on the 32 and 42-fathom lines. This time of year can produce some excellent fish in the deeper water. You will need to take a few 2oz jig heads if you want to try some soft plastics or a slow pitch jig around 200300g if you want to play out deep. Bright colours have still been working well for both jigs and plastics, given the rainy and overcast days we have been experiencing. Adding some extra scent to your lures is a great idea because the extra current will carry that smell a fair way and should help attract fish from a much larger area. Well, that’s all from me for this month, until next time – tight lines!

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 45

Nice angling around Northern Rivers NSW

ISHING around the Iluka and Yamba areas has been fairly good recently, with some excellent catches being reported from the headlands and breakwalls. The southern end of the Iluka Bluff has been on fire for plenty of large jewfish on minnow lures during a falling tide, with the largest fish weighed at the local tackle shop tipping the scales at 26kg. Several other fish have been taken over the 20kg mark from this location, with numerous smaller fish ranging in size from 7-16kg also falling to hard-bodied minnow lures. Both Iluka and Yamba walls are fishing well for jew at night during the high water, with live yellowtail and fresh torpedo squid accounting for the majority of fish, while those who

Just Jew by TYE PORTER

prefer to use soft plastic lures are landing nice school jew around 8kg during the slack low water. Inside the river there has been an abundance of small juvenile mullet throughout the lower reaches and I have heard jewfish busting into them at several locations in recent weeks. Several anglers even managed to land nice fish around 12kg when fishing the beach adjacent to the Iluka Bluff using small strips of fresh mullet meant for tailor. Speaking of tailor, a handful of choppers around 2kg have been taken from both Main Beach Iluka and Shelly Beach over at Yamba with Woody Head,

Frasers Reef at Iluka and Lovers Point at Yamba being the pick of the headlands for tailor on metal lures. Bream are around in healthy numbers, however the majority of fish are in reasonably poor condition – this should change in the next month or so as they gear up for their annual spawning run. Even though there is still a fair bit of colour in the river at low tide, a feed of whiting is still to be had around the sand flats and along the southern bank of Goodwood Island and humble flathead are biting freely, giving anglers a nice mixed bag. The offshore brigade has finally had some decent weather, with most

boats chasing the good run of spotted mackerel that has kicked off along the coast recently, and there has already been the occasional lucky boat returning with a spanish mackerel or longtail tuna. February is the month that land-based pelagic anglers get excited over, as it’s the month that all of the breakwalls and fishable headlands along the Northern NSW Coast start to fire for the most prized species, such as spanish mackerel and longtail tuna. Anglers from as far away as Melbourne make their annual pilgrimage to places such as Iluka in the hunt for these line-burning speedsters, which in itself is a great thing for the local economy, particularly during the off season. The vast majority of

By the end of this month, solid spanish mackerel such as this will be taken from along the coast of northern NSW. Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

anglers fish with live bait such as garfish or yellowtail suspended under a float, which is by far the most productive way of getting a fish. However, I only ever sight fish for tuna, casting surface popper lures with my trusty Pacific Composites FSU 5162 rod matched with my aging Alvey 700A5 loaded with 30lb Platypus Low Stretch mono line. Sure, I might be showing my age by using both a rod and reel that are no longer available but hey, why change something that has worked for me for over forty years? Even at the ripe old age of 62, I’ll still waddle out to the wall this season in my multipatched King Gee jeans with my Alvey reel, 5162 rod and of course my trusty double-plugger thongs – which I must point out are not recommended for rock fishing but are purely my footwear of choice, especially on stinking hot days. A few years ago it was quite common to see anglers using small pieces of Styrofoam or balloons as floats for their live bait, these would separate from the line when fish took the bait, which added a lot of needless pollution to the ocean. These days, the vast majority of anglers use a float that slides up and down the leader so that it can’t separate and pollute. At Ballina, the South Wall is by far the most productive spot, however it has become * continued P47

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Nice angling around Northern Rivers NSW * from P46

somewhat of a trek to get to because access has been blocked to right back to near the caravan park – but on the right day the effort would be well worth it. Down at Evans Head, places around Goanna Headland such as Joggly Point and Forty Foot are the pick of the spots. If in doubt on how to get to these areas, the local tackle shop will be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Here at Iluka and Yamba, it goes without saying that 99 percent of land-based game fishing is done from either breakwall, with it being a given that if the Iluka Breakwall isn’t firing the Yamba

breakwall will be – depending on the wind and sea conditions on any given day. If you fish offshore, the pelagic world is you're oyster because you have the manoeuvrability that landbased fishos don't have. And, once you cross the Clarence River mouth bar, you have the choice of heading north to the grounds off Woody Head and Black Rocks or heading south to the grounds off One Man Bluff and Minnie Water. All in all, I'm semiexcited about the prospects for this month, so I'd better duck down to the local IGA and grab a new pair of doubleplugger thongs. Until next month safe fishing.

February will also see plenty of longtail tuna patrolling the headlands and breakwalls taking a variety of bait – from live garfish and yellowtail to surface popper lures, metal slugs and high speed minnow lures.

Grabbing a tiger shark by the tail

CHRISTMAS Day fishing trip in Western Australia for one fisher ended up with him catching something much bigger than his target species. When fishing for snapper off Woodman Point in Coogee, Terry Pryor was very surprised when he hooked a 2.5m tiger shark. “I was reeling in my last line and it was well attached to a shark, it took me nearly an hour to get it on the beach,” Mr Pryor said.

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The crowd that had gathered encouraged Mr Pryor to release the shark. So, Mr Pryor kept the shark in the water to keep it safe until the hook was removed and the shark was eventually released back into the water. “Because the shark was quite tired, I was comfortable getting in the water,” Mr Pryor said. He cut the hook from its mouth and swam the shark out to about chest height up the beach before it gave a tail wag and went on its way.

Terry Pryor was very surprised when he hooked a 2.5m tiger shark. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 47

BOATING & marine

Damian Elliott pushing through a 1.5m Seaway swell with the Mercury 200hp V6.

Bar Crusher 670HT review

Sea trials in the Bar Crusher 670HT with the new 200hp V8 Mercury.

The rear view of the Bar Crusher 670HT shows how it sits level in the water due to the ballast system. Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

T’S a very rare occasion that we manage to get three brand new Bar Crusher 670 Hardtops in the same place at the same time. A couple of weeks ago, the plan came together with the organisation of Rod Elliot from AMC and his staff to take these boats out for a combined water test and review to document their performance. Prior to delivery of any new Bar Crushers, thorough tests are carried out to ensure the new owners of the boats are getting exactly what they pay for. I was asked to go along during these tests to photograph and document just how incredible these boats are.

Boat Review by BEN SMITH

We met at the Grand Hotel boat ramp and quickly attracted a crowd of keen onlookers. After a few photographs, we launched the boats and started going through the procedures that Rod always carries out – checking that everything on board works including all the pumps, lights and switches. He checks on the motor and fuel system, batteries and electronics, then we do several tests on the water – recording engine revs, speed and fuel consumption to make sure that everything is within the manufacturer specifications.

It was a beautiful day and as we headed towards the Seaway, we noticed there was a slight swell around 0.51m with about 0.5m of chop on the top. We headed out, testing the boats seakeeping ability and stability as we easily cut through the waves. The ride was incredibly soft as always and particularly dry due to the hull shape of these vessels. On top of that, there was also an unbelievable feeling of safety, being surrounded by an extremely well designed * continued P49

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BOATING & marine

Bar Crusher 670HT review * from P48

and manufactured cabin and of course the ballast system that works when the boat is at rest, holding water in its hull and releasing it quickly when the boat is underway. This ballast system has a level of stability like no other boat I've been on and, even in considerably rough conditions, it sits level. It's extremely effective when two or three people want to stand on one side of the boat together because the boat does not attempt to tip at all. All of the functions on the three boats were tested. We ran the sonar and radar units that had been mounted and installed, we filled the live bait tanks to check for leaks and after we had completed all the tests in rough water, we headed to the smooth water south of Wavebreak Island. It was here that we started to carry out the performance tests, where we measure the motor revolution and speed to ensure the boats are propped correctly and run most efficiently. Two of the vessels were fitted with Mercury 200hp V6 outboards and the blue vessel was fitted with the 200hp V8 outboard. All three vessels performed extremely well, with an average top speed of around 75-80km/h, depending www.bnbfishing.com.au

on how many passengers were on board at the time. The noticeable difference was the amount of torque that the V8 had over the V6 version. Though both motors are 200hp, the V8 had an absolutely incredible hole shot and was able to get the boat on the plane within only a couple of seconds. Over 100m standing start, the V8 version was 10-20m in front of the V6. Fuel economy on the boats was also incredible, and with such big motors – the V6 200hp used a little less fuel of course – they certainly weren't going to break the bank, with the best fuel consumption averaging around about 1.51.7L/km. The boats we tested had been optioned up, but if you're considering a Bar Crusher 670 Hardtop, they start at around $100,000 and work their way up – depending on the options and motor you choose. Finally, after we had finished, we headed back to the boat ramp. Retrieving the boats was made easy by the incredible design of the Easytow Trailers and the Bar Catch Winch, which allows you to simply aim the boat somewhere towards the centre and rear of the trailer and, as you gradually apply some forward thrust, the boat brings itself around from almost any angle

and centres itself. As you approach the winch bar on the trailer, the Bar Catch hooks the specially designed catch welded to the front of the boat and it’s safely connected to the trailer. The entire launching and retrieving process of these big boats was incredibly easy and a one-person job. These boats without a doubt have proven themselves as fishing weapons and are possibly the best custom and production plate aluminium boat I have been in. To find out more information about these vessels, contact Rod Elliott at Australian Marine Centre on 07 3808 7333 or Bar Crusher Boats.

Testing of the radio and electronics during sea trials.

Rod Elliott deciding who was going to skipper each boat.

The rare site of three brand new Bar Crusher 670HTs about to hit the water for the first time. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 49

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Cover is more important than price

T has been attributed to Henry Royce of RollsRoyce fame, it’s known as the slogan of the Gucci Family and even Benjamin Franklin is claimed to have said it. But despite its various ‘authors’ and the slight differences in wording, the comment remains very valid when dealing with marine insurance. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” The good news is that you don’t have to pay a Rolls-Royce or Gucci price for excellent boat insurance. But you will have to pay a fair ‘value for money’ price to secure the best coverage for your needs.

Comprehensive boat insurance is offered by many insurers. Companies that specialise in marine insurance such as Nautilus Marine have teams highly credentialled in managing the issues specifically relevant to boats, infrastructure and marine environments. There are others whose core business might be household or car insurance, but who also offer forms of boat insurance. But, similar to buying the cheapest new boat trailer bearings you can find on eBay rather than paying a bit more for high quality components, many products are often sold at the lowest price for good reason. They might not have the features you re-

quire or the level of craftsmanship and materials quality needed to operate your boat and equipment the way you typically use it. For example, in a recent column we looked at the issue of environmental cleanups. That’s where you would be held liable by statutory authorities for the environmental remediation required as a result of things going wrong, as well as for the removal of your vessel from a reef. It posed the question – does your policy cover that environmental remediation in addition to the insured value of your boat, or is that remediation cost ‘deducted’ from the payout figure for

your insured boat? The difference can be tens of thousands of dollars. Similarly, are boat towing fees covered? What about the equipment and personal effects being carried on the vessel at the time of the mishap? What is the extent of personal injury cover provided in your policy? Don’t make the mistake of thinking that third party injury cover is included in your annual registration fees as it is with your car. It’s not. The annual Queensland boat registration fee is exactly that – the fee to register your boat in Queensland. There is no compulsory third party injury or property damage component included in that fee. Therefore, if you don’t have comprehensive boat insurance cover and someone is hurt in a boating accident, your potential exposure is millions of dollars. And likewise for property that might be damaged. A boat catching fire or running amok in

a marina can cause serious damage, and serious damage will mean serious bills. So, when someone on a social media platform asks: “Which is the best company for marine insurance?” and someone replies with a company name stating that it’s the cheapest – that ‘free’ advice might be worth exactly that… nothing. Far better that you seek out a policy from a specialist boat insurer that automatically includes a personal accident component in the policy and thereby provides you with protection against the costs of personal injury. The things that are covered and those that may not be are detailed in your insurance policy’s product disclosure statement. Similarly, any special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s PDS. If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

Advice in this article is general and might not apply or be right for you. Before acting on it, consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Nautilus Marine Insurance is a business name of NM Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 34 100 633 038 AFSL 227 186 (NM Insurance), the issuer of Nautilus Marine Boat Insurance. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement at nautilusinsurance.com.au before deciding whether to purchase a policy.

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

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BOATING & marine

New Ghost 360 sonar Lowrance software

WORLD-leader in fishing electronics since 1957, Lowrance released a software update recently, including the new Ghost 360 feature and new compatibility for NAC-2 and NAC-3 autopilots. The latest software update unlocks the exciting new feature of Ghost 360 for users of the Ghost Trolling Motor with Active Imaging 3-in-1 nosecone, which offers anglers a high resolution 360-degree detailed image around their boats. This new capability utilises automatic steering rotation of the Ghost Trolling Motor, allowing anglers to pinpoint key structure and targets in a 360-degree view of the bottom and the ability to show both standing structure and structure that is laying on the bottom. This new feature is available on all Ghost compatible multi-function displays, which includes the Elite FS, HDS Carbon and HDS Live. Lowrance executive vice president Lucas

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Steward said, “This latest Lowrance software release is not only loaded with exciting updates but offers incredible value to consumers.” “Lowrance users who already have Elite FS, HDS Live or HDS Carbon plus a Ghost Trolling Motor with a 3-in-1 nose cone are receiving the new Ghost 360 sonar feature – which would typically cost more than $1000 in new-equipment – for free. “This update also provides a more seamless experience for users of larger boats and saltwater anglers by offering new autopilot compatibility with HDS Live, further enhancing the Lowrance ultimate fishing system offering.” The new autopilot compatibility introduces support for NAC-2 and NAC-3 autopilots on HDS Live products, anglers can rely on enhanced control and advanced pilot features, making navigation easier with waypoint and route navigation right from their HDS Live.

Key features include intuitive autopilot interface on the MFD, automated turn patterns, easy setup with auto tuning and calibration, and continuum steering – an autopilot algorithm technology based on decades of development, refining countless hours of real world on-water experience into a system you can trust to take the helm. NAC-2 autopilots are perfect for boats up to 10.6m and are suitable for low-current hydraulic steering pumps, mechanical drive units or solenoid valves, while NAC-3 autopilots are ideal for boats greater than 10.6m and are rated to operate high-current pumps, mechanical drive units and solenoid valves. I n d u s t r y- s t a n d a r d NMEA 2000 networking and NMEA 0183 input allow for simple connectivity to heading sensors, rudder feedback units, autopilot controllers and multifunction displays located anywhere on the boat. Visit lowrance.com for more information.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 51

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William Prior with his first ever spanish mackerel. Photos: fishingnoosa.com.au

Clay Edwards with a chunky estuary bream taken on an Ecogear Bream Prawn.

Rigging up for mackerel and tuna

ITH a change to the summer pelagic season being better than previous years, the mackerel started to rock up along the coastline in December 2021. Previous years featured little to none, however we have all felt the effects of La Niña with more fish as a result. With January wet and windy, it was case of having the time to prepare and be ready for the inevitable rush at boat ramps. February is often a time of big swell – giving rivers, bars and beaches a much needed stir up. If you are new to crossing the Noosa Bar or any coastal bar, take your time and hang back and observe a few sets coming in. Before you cross, it is vital that you have all the safety gear and necessary life jackets. Should you require anything last minute, you can pop in and see us. If things are too blown up for offshore, you can fish many of the local estuary op-

Sunshine Coast by GRANT BUDD

tions and even the lakes and dams. For those of you in the Noosa region, Halls, North, Sunshine and Chardons reefs are considered mackerel and tuna hotspots. You can also expect to pick up smaller black marlin and cobia, especially if running a live bait. If chasing mackerel or tuna, you will see other boats doing the same thing. Make sure rods are rigged and ready to go, and even have a small 2” top shot of single strand wire above your lure when spotted mackerel are in big numbers. This can keep you in the game – not bitten off on your first cast and then spending vital minutes tying knots. If getting kitted out, our super small Shogun swivels and Superflex Single Strand Wire are all you need. When you do spot the fish, remember to approach with a constant engine pitch.

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

Nervous fish will shoot downward with the slightest change in engine tone. If they are tuna, keep in mind that they feed into the wind, so travel upwind and wait for the fish to come to you. Target the fish by throwing slugs around 15-40g in weight and use spin rods rated to around 5-8kg or 1020lb with 20lb braid and a 5000-size spin reel. A personal favourite rod of mine is the Samaki Archer. These rods feature quality Fuji guides, cork handles and have some solid backbone for turning bigger fish. With pelagic fish the main target, don’t forget to have a few trolled bait or highspeed lures out the back. When the weather permits, you can troll something such as Nomad Madmacs, which will let you run flat out. If it’s a bit choppy, look at trolling a jet

head or pusher style lure or even a big dead bait. And if you’re hanging around Sunshine or Halls reefs, you can expect to find extra oversized spanish mackerel, which love a big tuna, bonito or garfish. Another overlooked method of catching a feed is to have a crack at crabbing. The spanner crab fishery is up and running and it’s somewhat simple to get yourself set up. We carry a range of dillies and ropes to get you started and can help point you in the right direction. Be sure you only leave traps for 15-30 minutes because sharks and turtles love a feed of crab, and turtles can become entangled. If in the right area, it only takes a matter of minutes until you get a decent amount. From the surf, whiting and dart feature along the coast, which while not big, they are fun to catch. Rather than using big heavy 12’ rods designed for big fish, using light surf rods

and lines will keep you entertained. For those in the market for a new rod, we carry the MJF rod series designed for light to medium heavy applications. They are constructed with Schneider blanks and will instantly feel familiar by older anglers, with the Inskip model popular for whiting fishos. If looking to land something a bit bigger then stickbaiting from the headlands is always worth a try in the morning or at the end of the day. This is the time of year you can expect to see tuna and mackerel coming in close to feed on baitfish. If doing this, you will want to use a rod between 9 and 11’ and rated to cast 90-120g. Another must-have is a quality braid such as the new Shimano Grappler. This is a well-priced braid that has a reduced diameter for its breaking strain and is a must-have for those looking for maximum casting distance. You can expect to

* continued P55

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Rigging up for mackerel and tuna cast lures between 60 to 100m, so be sure your combo has the backbone to do so. If looking for a rod, the Penn Prevail is still a personal favourite. The Noosa River features good numbers of whiting and flathead at this time of year. Try the lower estuary including the Frying Pan, dog beach, Munna Point, Weyba and the river mouth area. Live worms and yabbies have been the choice bait for whiting, with bigger whole whitebait on lightgauge gang hooks for flathead. If you are fishing whole bait, the best way to fish these is

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An easier summer species must be whiting. These fish can be found on almost every flat in the river, with the Frying Pan a good place to start.

Small surface lures such as the Atomic Hardz K9 or Fish Craft Snoop Dog are prefect for skipping across the surface for a pack attack.

* continued P56

Leo Ager with a cracking 8.5kg cobia taken on the troll.

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Sharked on Sunshine Coast

Ryan with a nice Noosa pearl perch.

Ryan’s Shark Cat dash with my old 1640. After years not going, it only needed a new lithium battery installed and now works well.

ITH rain coming from out west and northwest, big coastal showers coming in from the southeast, and – at the time of writing this story – a cyclone coming from the north, we have had plenty of water around the Sunshine Coast. My yard is soaked and our tanks are full. Hopefully, we get a good flood between now and the start of April, so the locals rivers are flushed out. While a couple of friends have told me crabbing has been good, I do not crab at this time of the year because there are too many ‘share farmers’ around. The only way to keep

Rigging up for mackerel and tuna * from P55

Running super light 2-3kg lines are a must. And when paired with a 1000-sized Shimano spin reel and soft tip rod such as the 7’ Crucis, you’ll have a blast on whiting! If headed upriver, be sure to throw in a few crab pots as heavy rain bring crabs out. Be sure to look at the tide and if it’s building make sure your pots are tied off or use extra weight, as they do get dragged. Don’t forget the changes to mud crabs in Queensland – so you are up to date on size and possession rules.

Freshwater dams, rivers and lakes will be a surface angler’s paradise. With the warmest of conditions, fish will be active – particularly if the cicadas are singing. Bass will be taking shelter in lilies during the morning and sitting in the shade as the sun rises. Look at the D-Style Reserve for a great creature-style surface lure and also my favourite, the Lucky Craft Sammy 65. This can be lightly twitched, sending out small vibrations similar to a struggling bug, which drives bass nuts. You can also walk these across water for some of the most

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

aggressive surface hits. If fishing dams and lakes, please be mindful to remove any weed from trailers to help prevent the spread, and enjoy everything on offer this February. For all the latest information, log onto fishingnoosa. com.au for up-todate bar and fishing reports, and don’t forget to drop into Tackle World Noosa, Noosa Boating and Outdoors and Northshore Bait & Tackle in Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember tight lines and bent spines!

Noosa to Fraser Coast by CRAIG TOMKINSON

an eye on your pots is to have a big lump of a boat or houseboat that is midge proof and sleep in your boat not far from your pots. Or be crabbing great country no one knows about so you have it all to yourself. I will wait until after the tourists leave and the kids go back to school. Mackerel and tuna of all sorts showed up a few weeks before Christmas, with Noosa charter boats catching the occasional fish. With that information, my friend Ryan Kaukiainen and I went out in Ryan’s 5.6m Shark Cat for half a day to fish locally. We crossed the Noosa Bar on daylight at dead low water – it was good and there was plenty of water. We headed to Sunshine Reef, found good show and anchored up. However, we had a 15-knot southeasterly wind with a north to south run and once anchored, the rope was hanging right up the tunnel between the donks but down in the water, so we couldn’t fish. We shifted to North Reef where there was no run and we anchored with the nose into the wind – it was a slow day and we had to shift a few times. Ryan hadn’t fished there before, so we spent some time sounding and looking for country. We anchored on a

nice bit of ground and I scored a good pearl perch but as it was so quiet, we moved. As we pulled up the anchor, we spotted big lumps of sharks feeding on a bait ball. I think they were bronze whalers and mako sharks – pointy nosed – that’s my guess. They were around 3m long and about 20-30 sharks were feeding on bait they had balled up. It was great to watch, and I filmed it on my GoPro. We drifted away from them and Ryan started flicking a chrome slug around, which was hooked up straight away and he boated a nice bonito. He cast out again and hooked a better fish – maybe a spotty mackerel? It fought that bit harder and was sharked near the boat. We said ‘yep, a mackerel’, because it was sharked and sharks love eating them. We moved around the area sounding and marking good country on the GPS. We would pull up and Ryan would cast out chasing mackerel but there were so many sharks, we gave it away and headed in. We will go out again once the cyclone goes away and the big swell dies down, though it might be some time before we get out again. Until next trip, be safe on the water. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 57

A close up of getting your fingers in the right position.

Pinch the worm very firmly and pull it up consistently but not too slow or too quick.

The end product – great beach and estuary fishing bait!

Top techniques to catch beachworms

N my view, beach fishing can be one of the most productive and simplest styles of fishing when the conditions are right. You don’t need to fill the boat with fuel, check the bungs, check the trailer, put the boat in and out, watch the sounder… and the list goes on. It’s a case of just getting down to a beach and finding a reasonable vantage point to spot gutters, walk or drive down and cast a line! However, a bit of planning before you get to this stage can ensure the odds are stacked much more in your favour on the beach. That is assuming you have your tackle and location right. To maximise your chances of catching fish, you want fresh bait – even better is bait that is live. Beachworms would have to be the number one beach bait in my opinion. And beachworms are also a fantastic bait around the mouth and lower reaches of an estuary too. From the beach, a live beachworm will catch you whiting, bream, tarwhine, dart, flat-

Bait Collecting by SEAN THOMPSON

head and even the holy grail of beach and estuary fishing, the mighty mulloway. You can add a few more species to the list in estuaries as well. The best part is that live worms are available right at your feet on the beach shoreline. There is no mud to dig, sand to pump, dangerous slippery rocks to gather your bait from or nets to cast. They can be caught any time of the day provided the swell and tide are right. In fact, I have even caught them at night using a headlamp! Finger bait The equipment you will need is a fish scaler or onion bag on a piece of rope, some fish carcasses or old bait and a finger bait. The finger bait should ideally be a pipi – or a piece of fish flesh with the skin on will do if you can’t find pipis. Do not underestimate that last point. I’ve spoken to many people who have used soft bait such as half a pilchard and they’ve re-

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

ally struggled to catch worms. What happens is the worm comes up, latches on to the soft bait and in Rex Hunt terms says, “Thank your mother for the rabbits!” and quickly disappears back down its hole with a piece it has torn off. With the firm tongue of the pipi worms can’t do that and so when they latch on, they wriggle and relax and you can manoeuvre them forward or up a little out of the sand with your bait hand while you position your other hand to grab them. Another trick – taught to me by my professional worming friend Drew Gardiner from Gardiner’s Fisheries at Rainbow Beach – is when you extract your pipi, give it a gentle rub in the sand to remove the slime. This makes it easier to hold and it won’t slip. Then you want to nip the top of the tongue off with your thumb to allow the worm to grab the pipi easier. Use the QR codes on the images here or jump

on my YouTube page Ontour Fishing Australia – there are a few demonstrations of this among the beach worming videos. If you are on your own, you can also use a rod spike to anchor the stink bag higher on the beach at the edge of the wash. I prefer to be mobile and simply stand on the rope tied to the bag while I'm targeting an individual worm. Some anglers choose to have the rope attached to their wrist or leg, but I’d rather not have the bag and rope washing around and potentially washing over and spooking the worm I’m trying to pull up. Some wormers also choose to use pliers to catch their worms. I don't recommend this for beginners because your fingers give you a better feel for the timing to grab your worm, and pliers can sometimes damage the worm. Techniques The keys to catching beachworms are timing and technique. There are a couple of different techniques you can use. For instance, if you watch my videos as mentioned earlier, you will see brothers and

professional wormers Drew and Matthew Gardiner use two slightly different techniques. Matthew does all the work in one hand – that is, he holds the pipi between his middle two fingers then lets the worm grab onto the bait. As soon as it does this, he uses his pointer finger to get under the worm and then pinches that finger with his thumb around the worm. Drew on the other hand holds his bait in his left hand and latches onto the worm with the pointer finger and thumb from his right hand – he slides his pointer finger under the worm’s head then squeezes his finger and thumb together. As he does this – particularly when the worms are finicky and aren’t coming out as much or relaxing as much – he pushes his hand down in the sand to get a better grip on the worm and then lifts it out. Now having said all that, I’ve tried both of these techniques and just can’t get the timing of the professionals. Instead I use a technique which, while not as quick as Drew and Matt’s methods, has

* continued P59

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tips to catch beachworms * from P58

been easy enough to teach family, friends and random onlookers. Here are my 10 steps to catching beachworms using the ‘fingers in the sand squeeze’ technique: • Use a strong-smelling stink bait such as mullet, tailor fish frames or even old pilchard in a bag on a rope • Use a firm finger bait such as a pipi or mullet flesh • Wave the stink bag back and forth at the very top of a wave’s reach on the flats or sand spit • Look for a V in the water as the wave recedes as evidence of an inquisitive worm head • Approach the worm by treading lightly and offer it the hand bait about 1cm in front of its head • Let the worm latch onto the hand bait • Starting approximately 3-4cm back from the worm, dig your thumb and first finger together into the sand on an angle to reach about 2-3cm deep by the time you pass the worm • Slowly open up your fingers as you drive them slowly past either side of the worm’s head, making sure you go a little past it • Wait for the second lunge – ‘arching its back’ – of the worm to grab your finger bait, then firmly squeeze the worm between your thumb and the line on your index finger joint to get your best grip • Slowly pull the worm up with constant pressure. If you are a bit slow and the worm ‘digs in’ with its feelers, do not try and pull against it www.bnbfishing.com.au

because you will pull its head off. Rather, grip the worm down as close as you can and dig with the other hand to loosen the pressure and then get a lower grip on the worm. At the same time, wait for the worm to loosen its grip in an attempt to shoot down into the sand again. It is then that you can start to pull the worm up again. In addition, here are a few other dos and don’ts to maximise your beachworm catching success. Beach worming dos There are two main types of worms along the beach. Shorties or king worms are a thicker shorter worm and are generally found closer to the top of the beach. These are reachable from around an hour after high to mid-tide. Slimies on the other hand are a much longer worm and are more accessible around two hours before to just after low tide. Look for long flat sand spits at the waters’ edge to find worms. If this has a thin layer of wash over it, it will make worming much easier. Wave the stink bag at the top of a wave’s reach up the beach for the scent to disperse back down the beach with the waves. Approach the worm slowly and tread very lightly on the balls of your feet so as not to spook the worm with heavy compression or movement of nearby sand. Try beachworm catching at night with a good headlamp – it can be surprisingly productive.

Grip the worm between the tip of your thumb and the first joint of your index finger. If you see a few worms in a line from top to bottom, target the worms closest to the water first to avoid the wash and sand as you grip the worm washing down and spooking the worms below it. Thicker courser sand is easier to worm in, it gives the worms less grip in the sand. Beach worming don’ts Don't let others walk in front of where you are worming, this will send the worms deep. Don’t snatch at the worm in one quick motion. With the pinch technique, don't start with your fingers in the sand too close to the worm. Don't keep trying once you’ve spooked a worm – it will disappear. Don't use soft finger bait that the worm can tear off and disappear with. Don't try and squeeze the worm with the end of your fingertips – it will escape! After all that, if you’re still struggling to catch beachworms or you don’t have time to catch your own before you hit perhaps Fraser Island or Teewah Beach, drop into Gardiner’s Fisheries at 1 Karoonda Rd Rainbow Beach for some fresh live or cured worms, and tell them that Skip sent you. I hope this helps you to catch your first or more worms! Until next month… feel free to say hi or follow my social media pages – Ontour Fishing Australia on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

The author with a beachworm caught at low tide.

The author’s son in ideal worming conditions. Note the pipi finger bait.

A pipi mound – an ideal finger bait for beachworms.

A long flat sandbar with a thin film of water is perfect for worming. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 59

Leo from Germany jigged up a nice golden trevally.

Fishing prayers answered

Cooper Hedge with a lovely spot mackerel.

E are into a n o t h e r year, and my prayers were answered – if only for a short spell – they were still answered. Just before Christmas, there was a lovely run of weather but that of course didn’t last long. The remnants of ExTropical Cyclone Seth have me sitting at home again – lucky for me it means time for writing an article. The pre-Chrissy

Jake McDonald loving life with his first big trevally. Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

weather allowed me to push out wider to search for pelagic action on the surface. I wasn’t left begging that’s for sure. Hungry mackerel and tuna were chasing bait as you would expect in summer. So amazing that there has been so little activity inshore. I hoped that as the weather started to come a bit more from the east, that the fish would move closer in. They did but then they decided out wide was where they preferred to be – even though there was bait plentiful in close. What can you do? In chatting with acquaintances about the pelagic fishing, we all have noticed the lack of activity in close. We are not too sure

why – potentially I think the La Nina cycle we are currently in maybe the answer. How it may affect the current and fish movement is beyond my knowledge, but it’s worth considering. We’ve had an extremely wet season here and once you get a bit further afield, the water is not quite the colour you would expect. It’s not dirty but instead of a deep blue, it has more of a greenish tinge. It brought to mind sessions on marlin where once I found that ‘nice’ water, I found the fish. Those situations may have only lasted a day or two before returning to normalcy, but it serves as a window into how this may be a factor.

* continued P62

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 61

Nathan showed the author how to on a big shallow water trout.

Onn got a chunky trout on a slow pitch jig.

Fishing prayers answered * from P60

Jake caught a few mackerel for dinner.

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Artificial Reef proved handy at times. However, it isn’t a style of fishing that is very easy for novices to replicate. It takes focus to keep the lure in the zone without snagging up every drop. Add to that a bit of breeze and big current most days. Then the subtle takes aren’t very easy to detect either. But some good fish can be caught if you put the effort in. Mostly it’s reef fish such as grass sweetlip, cod and coral trout. On one of my days off, my good friend Nathan asked me to come try some shallow water reef fishing. He didn’t have big expectations though neither did I. I was just happy to have a flick with a friend – if I got a couple sweetlip, I would have been stoked. So out we went, in the

wind and light rain. We worked some inshore shallow reef with plastics and hard-body lures. I had heaps of attention on my little soft lure and soon had one sweetlip for dinner. Quite a few little reef fish kept me smiling. With plenty of snags too, which were not as hilarious and fun. It was certainly not easy ‘point and shoot’ fishing. Nathan worked a hard lure and cracked a solid trout. He had to fight it strong to prevent a bustoff or bricking because that coral is nasty and will cut leader very easily – braid would have no chance. Though was a short session, we both had a laugh and took home a nice feed of reef fish. If only it was as simple as that every day – it would make for a happier less jaded guide.

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The author enjoying a little left beach break.

Local Greggor was pleased with his offshore catch.

Rick with a creek flathead taken on a soft plastic.

Gently and naturally easing into 2022

I all, it’s that time of year where the festive season fades away and most begin to look forward and begin planning their next escape. We watched our son Clint pack up his gear and prepare to return to Mt Isa for work commitments. We were so thankful we were able to provide him with a holiday to wash away that outback red dirt, fill his lungs with coastal breezes and possibly even infuse that saltwater back into his veins. We had the opportunity to share how very special the Discovery Coast region is with our son. Watching him enjoy the diversity of the area reinforced our love of this piece of Queensland. January had so much to offer, including the large swells that buffeted the southeast Queensland coast. Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy beaches and points received their fair share of waves,

Agnes Water by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

so many mornings began with a surf session before experiencing one of the many other activities available. Exploring the track through the Deepwater National Park is always one of my favourite experiences, especially when you get to stop and check out places such as Flat Rock, Middle Rock and Wreck Rock. The natural landscape and diverse wildlife of the area make the perfect subjects for both amateur and professional photographers. We encountered pods of dolphins, a number of large turtles extremely close to shore and a beautifully marked goanna making its way through the car park at Middle Rock. You will need a fourwheel-drive to negotiate these tracks, but the degree of difficulty is quite easy. Snorkelling is popular around the rocky fea-

Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

tures, though remember these places can be very isolated, particularly out of season. The recent run of 3.5m high water and large swells have seen a lot of water pushing around the beaches, so remember to stay safe. Deepwater National Park track entrance is well marked towards the end of Springs Rd. Eurimbula National Park is another location in our region that is popular and as for Deepwater, you will need a 4WD to explore. The entrance to the park is situated just out of Agnes and off Round Hill Rd. The park offers a campground at Eurimbula Creek but also allows you access to Ganoonga Noonga lookout. This is a great view of the coastal plains that run back to our main beaches and headland. Exploring these two

locations is the ideal activity when the wind is up and the swell down. Fishing is a big part of the Agnes Water 1770 experience and fishing the estuaries is one activity always on the agenda. Whether living or holidaying in this region, having options is so important. With the right weather window and conditions, it’s time to head offshore to the reef. Beach fishing our surf can be extremely productive for whiting and dart, especially on one of the more secluded beaches. One lucky holiday angler picked up a couple of queenfish not far from the main surf beach. Spinning the rocks can produce some excellent results for trevally, tuna and mackerel. I was so lucky to be able to take advantage of Clinton’s visit and get the boat on the water to share some quality time lure casting the Round Hill Creek. Living within such

close proximity to a diverse range of activities requires a selection of various equipment to maximise your appreciation of the Discovery Coast outdoor lifestyle. A 4WD and tinnie are no brainers, but adding a kayak set up for fishing into the equation will open the door to numerous adventures. Being flexible to weather conditions and having access to a range of fishing tackle to cover all the bases plus whatever surf craft you prefer to ride, is such a bonus. I now find myself with a quiver of combinations that cater from light estuary lure casting to high-speed offshore spinning gear with typical Alvey surf rod combos through to 9’6” high-speed spinning rod for off the rocks. The Baffle Creek system and Lake Monduran are all easily accessible for a day trip. I often pinch myself when I look at what’s on offer on this magical stretch of coast and its hinterland.

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Barra season re-opening

JP Van Jaarsveld with a monster Port Alma mud crab over the 2kg mark.

Chris Ryan with a couple of nice Capricorn Coast red emperor.

Some quality tiger squid are still around the islands. Dave Cowan with a cracker Great KeppeI Island squid. Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

RE you as excited as I am? Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would be well aware that as of February 1, the Queensland saltwater barramundi season has officially re-opened. I can’t wait to get back out on the salt and chase a big chrome slab. The Shimano King of Kings competition is about to kick off in a few days, so hopefully we can get our 2022 barra campaign off to a good start. I would like to run through three simple tips that you should be undertaking to get your barra game strong. The first is gear preparation. It’s the most overlooked part of the game, which can be very costly. I’ve been barra fishing for quite a few years now and I can assure you that preparation is the most important part of becoming a barra specialist. Sticky drags, poorly tied knots and the wrong leader selection are a few of the common mistakes I still see anglers making to this day. I personally run 30lb Sufix braid, 60 and 80lb FC100 Sunline fluorocarbon leader, Shimano spinning reels and Gary Loomis Edge rods. I connect my braid to leader via an FG knot. Get the setup right and your landing percentages will also increase. Use technology to your advantage. With the calibre of sounders these days, there’s no excuse not to

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

have a quality side image sounder. They can be expensive but look at the cost as an investment. If you want to find barra-rich areas, then learn how to interpret what the sounder screen is showing you. YouTube tutorials, knowledgeable friends and online sounder courses are all there to help. Correct rigging of lures is also highly important. If you mess up rigging a plastic, the chances are it won’t swim properly and barra won’t even consider eating it. Make sure you get your lures straight on the jig head and give them a quick swim at the rod tip to make sure they track straight. These quick tips are very simple and very effective. Get the simple stuff right and watch your results quickly improve. So, what’s been happening locally? The offshore fishing has been hot, hot, hot. Most boats that have headed wide have been getting stuck into some quality fish recently. Big coral trout, red emperor and nannygai have been coming in thick and fast. The only disappointing thing is that the sharks have been full on. If the men in grey suits move in, the best thing you can do is move away. You will only frustrate yourself and the crew if you choose to stay.

As always, make sure you have a fresh selection of bait when heading wide. Fresh flesh bait is always a good start. Keeping a light rod rigged with a small metal flasher is a great tactic to have at the ready. When you see bait being busting up on the surface, pull up and rip a small flasher through the school. Getting a couple of mack tuna or legal mackerel to slab is a great way to kick the trip off. If you have kids on board then it is great fun to hand the rod over once they are hooked. Speaking of bait schools, the pelagic action has been full on too. I believe the Fitzroy River being in flood has had a lot to do with it. Extra nutrients in the water attracts bait fish and the predators follow. We’ve had the boat out a few times doing wide and family island trips and currently, the topwater action is always there. I know a few of the local fishos have been banging big giant trevally off the island and headland pressure points. The mackerel action has been thick around any of the bait schools, both in the bay and out wide. These cheeky fish have been pinching slow pitch jigs left, right and centre. * continued P67

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Barra season re-opening * from P66

Once this starts happening, change to a flasher, add a bit of single strand wire and drop it to the bottom where the bait is thick, then rip it back in at a rate of knots – a surefire technique to get a few mack in the Esky. With all the local run-off, it’s no wonder the crabbing action has been pumping. A lot of boats are still struggling to catch a big mud crab and when chatting, the issues become very clear. Crabbing well-known areas will limit your results especially during or slightly after school holidays. Look where people generally put their pots, then look at getting away and finding

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your own little gutters and areas of interest. I use these simple techniques and don’t have any trouble getting a few muddies. Run them every hour and move them if they aren’t producing. The fishos who continually run their pots are those getting the best results. It can be a bit of a pain because you’re only crabbing instead of fishing as well, but if you want to do well on muddies then sacrifices need to be made. That’s it from me for this month. I’m grabbing a couple of rods and getting out to catch my first saltwater barra for 2022. Stay safe and I’ll catch you next month.

Mud crabs are hot property at the moment. Ricky Eyre with a couple of local monsters.

Peter Watts with a quality cobia caught offshore from Yeppoon.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 67

East coast reef smorgasbord

Leah muscled this stonker nannygai after getting comprehensively destroyed by her first bite, definitely a very quick learner.

This big nannygai grabbed a Halco Paddle Prawn fished in 36m on an east coast wonky hole during a hot bite.

Leah’s dad Pat started the ball rolling with a very chunky nannygai.

The author reckons these reef bullies follow him around. He managed to tame this magnificent humphead maori wrasse after been annihilated by three larger suspects on another bommie. It was quickly released after the picture. Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

OU spend your whole life discovering new fishing gems, and living in the middle of the Cape provides plenty of options if you take the opportunity to explore that bit further. Even after 30 years up here, I’ve only scratched the surface – much of that due to the fact that many areas are still extremely difficult to access. There are three major limiting factors in the equation – the physical state of the roads, the effects of the wet season and access restrictions imposed by indigenous communities due to cultural concerns. The latter is often not well recognised by southern visitors due to them being unaware of the need to respect the wishes of this important part of the Cape’s population, more than 50 percent of its local inhabitants in fact. That situation is often complicated by the lack of a comprehensive information source for such closures – that can happen due to the passing of traditional owners and be of indeterminate duration. That said, the Cape is a long way from assorted activists who happen to be against four-wheeldrives, particularly those sporting bullbars and big wheels. These misinformed and possibly misled people might take a totally different view if they arrived in Weipa or Bamaga during the wet season! Negotiating the slippery and occasionally boggy dirt strips that usually start at the edge of town might be a little difficult, not to men-

Cape York by DAVE DONALD

tion daunting, in their small suburbia friendly vehicle. Even a minor excursion can leave your vehicle coated in thick red mud or even bogged. Sounds very adventurous and potentially stressful, but to locals it’s part of the remote lifestyle. So, driving for four to five hours over rough and bulldust-holed roads to reach a good fishing spot is not regarded as such a big deal here. It’s a matter of planning and preparation. And mobile coverage and roadhouses along the way are rare – so Maccas and KFC are the stuff of fantasy in the outback. These days, what is locally known as the ‘east coast’ is becoming one of the popular destinations for Weipa fishers, particularly once the southeast trade winds of the dry season start to wane. However, the window of opportunity is limited by the approach of the wet season and the oppressive humidity. This inconvenience is a small price to pay for the exceptional fishing the area can provide from late October to early January. I’ve been lucky enough to get over to Portland Roads and Chili Beach at this time of year for the past five seasons and have yet to be disappointed. This time round, we experienced nearly eight days of almost flat calm weather, heading out to the outer Great Barrier Reef on multiple oc-

casions, spending the balmy days diving and fishing in a wonderland that never ceases to surprise. Then capping a perfect day by cooking up a big feed of freshly caught coral trout, washed down by a refreshing beverage. Life doesn’t get much better! For this sortie, we managed to find a couple of so-called ‘wonky holes’ not far off the coast on the edge of the shipping channel that stretches along the entire reef coast. These structures are favourites of large-mouth nannygai or saddle tail sea perch, a close relative of the red emperor. These beauties can pull, particularly when they average around 6-7kg. To ensure numbers stay healthy, we usually called a halt at five or six, even though the bites were coming thick and fast. In any case, our medium-sized icebox was chock-a-block as a result. One meal we particularly enjoyed was grilling nanny and coral trout fish wings on the Weber! The amount of succulent flesh on those often-wasted appendages made for an exceptional feast and can also be smoked to add further to the taste experience. Enjoying such top quality freshly caught seafood was definitely a highlight of our east coast adventure. Living in such a remote area of our vast country certainly has its rewards! www.bnbfishing.com. au

A city of the iconic termite mounds on Nifold Plain, Rinyirru National Park, with a storm building in the background.

Both magnetic and cathedral termite mounds alongside some equally abundant corrugations.

Interesting facts about Cape York termite mounds

HILE reaching the tip of Cape York or camping and fishing at your favourite Cape destination may be the main reason to travel into this magnificent region, the sights and experiences along the way are absolutely all part of the journey. It’s the spectacularly varied landscapes and outstanding nature that give the Cape it’s unique character. And there’s nothing more distinctive up here than the literally thousands of giant earth mounds scattered about – called ant mounds or ant beds – along with endless corrugations. Of course, they are not unique to Cape York and can be found in savannah country across most parts of Australia’s Top End. The industrious little animals that build these mounds are actually termites though, not ants. The mounds are constructed with a mixture of soil, termite saliva and dung, and each one is filled with an abundance of galleries. These also extend below ground level. Interestingly, these particular termites are grass and leaf eaters, not timber eaters. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Cape York by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

They collect their food at night and store it inside the internal galleries. The larger mounds – and they may exceed 5m or more in height – can be home to a million plus termites. Far from being a pest, these industrious little tackers are actually vital in recycling nutrients across the savannah country. Each mound is in fact a natural self-sustaining compost bin! There are a few different types of termites in the mound communities. Worker termites build the mound, queen termites are the breeders and there are big-headed soldier termites that try to repel any invaders, such as ants. If a mound gets damaged, ants often try to take over and a battle royale develops. The soldier termites squirt an obnoxious liquid onto the invading ants, while the workers try to seal up the breach. Though if the ants win, they will take over the mound but can never keep building it – they don’t have the ability.

It will eventually weather away and fall down. On certain nights during the wet season, the winged or alate termites take off in their thousands from special small launching towers to attempt to start new colonies. The cathedral mounds are among the largest termite mounds and you can see a few crackers along the road north of Moreton Telegraph Station. Then there are the distinctive and much narrower magnetic mounds that are aligned on a north south axis. No one really knows why the termites build them like this and they haven’t been able to tell us, of course. However, it is generally thought that this special architecture is to help control the temperature inside the mound. In the middle of the day, the least amount of the mound is exposed to direct sun, which is then at its strongest. The other type of mound is conical in shape, similar to a witch’s hat.

And it’s these that the endangered goldenshouldered parrot generally prefers to nest in, though not always. The birds will start to burrow a nesting hole into the side of mound towards late March, when the wet season is finishing up. If the young birds survive, they will fledge in May or June. Keep an eye out for these beautiful parrots along the Peninsula Developmental Rd between around the Hann

River and Musgrave. Once widespread across Cape York, it is thought that only around 2000 survive nowadays. Anyway, that’s a snapshot of the iconic and remarkable features of Australia’s far northern tropics. Amazing to think that when you drive along most Cape roads you are passing by literally millions of small animals, industriously working away! Until next month, take care.

A cracking cathedral termite mound from near the Ducie River. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 69

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TRADING POST

QUINTREX F370 EXPLORER OUTBACK – Suzuki 20Hp four-stroke 23 hours with electric start, Stonegate Trailer, Garmin Striker sounder/ GPS, Bimini, SE Sport engine foil, Inshore safety kit and so much more – ideal estuary/impoundment fishing package. Now reduced from $9,495 to a crazy $8,495 tow away. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 SUZUKI DF40ATL 4-STROKE OUTBOARD – used Suzuki DF40ATL outboard engine for sale. This outboard was serviced by us on 16 December and is ready to go. With only 43 hours on the clock and warranty until July 2026, you would be mad to pass this up! Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au

BRAND NEW REDCO SPORTSMAN RS610T-MO ‘SLIDER’ TRAILER – In stock to suit pressed and plate alloy hulls from 5.8m to 6.1m. Built Jan 2022, 1999kg ATM. Mechanical over-ride disc brakes, Predator alloy dress alloy rims and matching spare wheel, walkway built in. In stock! $7,288. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322 REDCO SPORTSMAN TRAILER RES1213S – Suits aluminium and hard bottom RIBS from 3.7 to 4.3m. Upgraded to include Black Predator Alloy dress 13” rims, 3 adjustable keel rollers and 2 adjustable skids, fold up jockey wheel and more. $2,299. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322

March Edition Copy Deadline – Advertisements must arrive NO later than February 7, 2022

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Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

ARVOR 705 SPORTSFISH – brand new model. Selling fast and next stock boat now available for immediate delivery. Fully optioned with Mercury 225Hp 4S, bow thruster, Simrad combo GPS/Sounder, VHF, Marine toilet, lock up wheelhouse, self-draining decks, three batteries, underfloor kill tanks, FW shower, huge filleting table and so many class leading features. $157,995. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322

QLD PERSONALISED PLATES FOR SALE – ideal for towing boat. $5,000. Call Bob 0431 338 771. BOATS WANTED – Late model trailer boats wanted! Make selling your boat simple and hassle free through John Crawford Marine. No gimmicks, no hard sell, professional and experienced team achieving great results for buyers and sellers since 1964. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 ADVERTISERS – to organise a classified ad in the Trading Post, call 07 3286 1833 or complete the form and post it to the address provided or email it through to ads@collins. media www.bnbfishing.com. au

Couple of nice fish taken on a recent trip to Hideaway Bay. The cobia was 110cm and the coral trout caught by my wife Kim was just on 70cm. The cobia was returned. The trout… definitely not! Adrian Kydd Caught this beautiful blubber-lip bream off Evans Head on Boxing Day. Serena Sullivan

Mia caught her first grass sweetlip while fishing in the bay with her dad and uncle. Gareth Humm

This knobby was taken off a reef near Barwon Banks during a morning of rest while working on our prawn trawler. James Talbot

To have a photo of your catch featured in Readers’ Forum, simply email ben@collins.media with a good-quality picture, your name and details or hop onto our Facebook page and send us a message. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 73

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Paronella Park features many unforgettable experiences.

Mini Qld lap – Atherton and Paronella

The Yungaburra platypus viewing walk was a great experience for the kids, both young and old.

Lake Tinaroo is the perfect spot for a relaxing canoe paddle. Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

FTER three weeks of enjoying the bush, it was finally time to head east towards the coastline for our run home. But before we made our way to the coast, there were a couple of places left on the itinerary that needed to be checked off… Atherton Tablelands and Paronella Park.

Exploring Queensland - Part 6 by BEN COLLINS

Atherton is a place you could easily spend weeks if not longer, however we had only a few days to take in this quaint little area. Not that I have planned my retirement, but I could quite easily

live in or around this area – barramundi fishing in Lake Tinaroo, spectacular waterfalls and the relaxed lifestyle, plus reef and sportfishing are less than two hours away.

* continued P75

With so much to do and see, Atherton is a place you could easily spend weeks if not longer. www.bnbfishing.com. au

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Mini Qld lap – Atherton and Paronella * from P74

If waterfalls are your thing, there are plenty to check out on the Tablelands and you could easily spend a whole day spot hopping between them on the circuit. All are unique and offer different pros and cons – some are good for swimming and others are very picturesque. Unfortunately, during our visit, we were met with very wet conditions – which meant the togs were left in the JB Scorpion Sting van and it was more a sightseeing trip than a swimming expedition. Despite the challenging weather at the time, watching the falls pump out water was spectacular. If you are looking for a place to stay, there are a few good options including Lake Tinaroo Holiday Park, which basically borders the lake. There is also a playground nearby on the foreshore of the lake and plenty of room in the adjacent park to access the dam that is open to anyone. Though we didn’t stay here, it looked like the prime place to be.

Our resting place for a couple of days was at Greta’s relatives’ residence – an acreage property that also borders the lake. The perfect spot to rest and relax, with a canoe paddle filling in part of a day and nights spent by the fire! If you are planning a trip here, make sure to check when the markets are on because there are plenty to choose from, along with other tourist shops and destinations. I’ll definitely be back for a longer stay… and with a boat in tow! One other highlight in the vicinity was the Yungaburra platypus viewing walk. Fortunately, when we did the walk there were one or two ornithorhynchus anatinus swimming down the creek that we could follow. This was a great experience for the kids, young and old! With the batteries fully recharged – both the van and us – it was time to go to our next destination, Paronella Park. Despite the fact it was still raining, we did the tour and took in the sights.

A top spot to stop for lunch. www.bnbfishing.com.au

The history of the place is amazing, which is only surpassed by the engineering feats. Because of the rain, the waterfall was pumping. However, this was nothing compared to where the water level peaked during one of the historic floods – putting into perspective just how much water can flow in the river at times. It is also possible to do a night tour, which Greta and Amaya did, armed with umbrellas! If you are planning a trip here, there are a few nearby accommodation spots, with the Mena Creek Hotel being the closest. We stayed in the field next to the hotel, which had power and water. The field was actually the grounds of Paronella Caravan and Camping – available to guests who have their own caravan, camper or tent. As a bonus, a camp site for a night is included in the entry fee to Paronella Park, however bookings are essential. Next month we head south along the coast towards home.

The crew were happy to catch up with Uncle Tim at Millaa Millaa Falls.

The history of Paronella Park is amazing and is only surpassed by the engineering feats. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 75

Okuma Celilo Spin Rods

WHATEVER your ultralight passion, the range of Celilo Finesse Spin Rods have you covered with their softer balanced actions and quality materials. Angler requests have led to an almost doubling of the available models, expanding the fisher applications for this affordable rod series. Sensitive graphite composite blanks and quality cork grips have made the Celilo range a favourite for anglers chasing species such as trout, redfin, bass, whiting and bream. The actions of these rods allow easy transfer from bait fishing to casting ultralight lures, especially when making accurate casts in tight country. A classic look and feel with a modern performance and affordable price tag. Visit tackletactics.com.au

cember 2020, these new colours have cover glow, blue glow, UV and standard effects. These are impregnated into the clear body of the jig, not the cloth colouring. The glow is effective in situations where you are looking for high appeal. In areas such as muddy water and even at night, this colour will be the difference. It is considered in Japan to be an excellent prospecting or searching colour. Blue glow is considered an all-rounder, suitable for night and day. They say that blue glow is identified easily by squid and therefore is an excellent colour to draw in hungry squid. The UV is an exceptional daytime option. The UV absorbs and emits ultra-violet rays and emits that light. It is a proven attractor for squid in highpressure locations. There are too many colour combinations to list but oranges, purples, blues, pinks and olives are all well represented. With a comprehensive line-up of class leading jigs, Majorcraft Egi Zo continue to deliver with their sharp nose that encourages a quick darting action, while on the body, a side edge ensures the jig falls with stable attitude. A slow sink rate makes them stay in the strike zone longer. Perfect for areas with low flow and shallow depth. From $16.95. Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

New Majorcraft Egi Zo colours

THE Majorcraft Egi Zo range continues to grow with the addition of 11 new colours to bring the total collection to 31. This is the most comprehensive range of Egi jig colours ever assembled by Majorcraft. The new colours have been developed by Dr Egi himself – Ryuji Sonoda – who has been responsible for numerous top performing colours in Japan across all styles of jigs. As per the previous colour drop in De-

Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

ATC Combat CF

THE ATC Combat CF is the company’s newest light baitcasting reel. Weighing only 160g, the Combat CF features an open frame v-shaped line guide for smoother drag performance and enhanced casting distance. The reel comes with two lightweight spools – a bait finesse spool for ultralight

work and a standard spool for mediumweight work. Constructed with a carbon-fibre body and handle, the Combat CF is equipped with an ultra-smooth multi-disc drag system that can provide up to 5kg of drag pressure. The reel also features an enhanced magnetic braking system to provide optimum casting performance, while the 9+1 stainless-steel ball bearings further enhance the reel’s super smooth operation. Visit wilsonfishing.com

Steez RPM Crank Mid-10

THE underground icon returns to the Daiwa line-up with the RPM Crank Mid10 welcomed to the Steez lure range. The ultimate Australian crankbait, the Steez RPM Crank is the perfect size and depth to target a host of Australian native species included bass, yellowbelly and sooty grunter. Designed and tuned to deliver a high cadence and wide swimming action, the RPM equally excels as a slow-rolling bait that can be walked over structure or as a faster-actioned open water search bait. The Steez RPM Crank dives to 3m, which is perfect for hitting the mid-depth range that Aussie natives love to hold at – especially when sitting tight to cover. Designed for optimum performance, the RPM Crank’s rounded lip excels in deflecting off cover triggering reaction bites as the lure changes direction. Whether it’s hitting Lake Eildon for yellowbelly, working the rock edges at Glenbawn for bass, or fishing the flooded trees at Eungella for sooties, the Steez RPM Crank Mid-10 has you covered. Visit daiwafishing.com.au

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Atomic Sticky Weights

Daiwa Rain Jacket and Bib

SHELTER from the elements with the new Daiwa Rain Jacket and Bib ensemble. Made from Daiwa’s Rainmax technology, the jacket and bib will keep you warm and dry in heavy rain thanks to its 15000mm rating. Angler comfort and dryness is further enhanced with welded seams and waterproof zips helping to keep the wet and cold at bay, making the jacket and bib equally suited to a cold winter day in Victoria or a wet summer day in north Queensland. Made for Australian anglers and conditions, the jacket and bib are available in sizes S-3XL. Whether you are running out to the reef to chasing fingermark and trout or chasing cod out west, the Daiwa Rain Jacket and Bib has you covered. Jacket and bib sold separately. Visit daiwafishing.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

ATOMIC have expanded their lure accessory range with new sticky weights, available in X Large, XX Large and XXX Large for barramundi and big predator lures. The weights come in a handy pack with a self-adhesive tape on the back of the weight itself. The X-Large pack contains 0.900, 1.200 and 1.500g weights, XX-Large contains 1.500 and 2.000 weight and the XXXLarge has 4.000g weights. These are perfect for larger casting lures that you want to suspend, make sink or weight so they sit differently in the water. From $8.95. Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

Bone Shore Barrage

THE Bone Shore Barrage is a new premium line up of rods designed especially for shore casting. The blank is constructed with the ‘Toray’ T1100 carbon material in a 4-axis rolling process to produce a highly responsive fast-action blank. Additional reinforcements of the blank with a cross binding doubles its strength

while keeping it light and sensitive, with a gloss finishing that gives it a sleek look. Equipped with Fuji K-SiC guides and VSS/B reel seats, it features a custom full carbon grip and metal front ring for enhanced sensitivity and an exquisite finish that is topped off with the classic Bone grey camo EVA butt. Built to excel in shore-based situations, the Shore Barrage range is a spinning only model. With light to medium ratings from 7’6” to 8’0”, the Shore Barrage was designed to perform longer casts, especially on hard-body lures. With its fast action blank, it is extremely sensitive, has a super high response and sharp feel when working lures, as well as having plenty of fighting power when hooked into a brutish fish. Visit wilsonfishing.com

Gamakatsu SL12S Short

THE SL12S or Big Game is one of Gamakatsu’s most popular hooks for a variety of uses, including rigged hooks in skirts for sportfish such as marlin and flies for saltwater species. The new hook is a short shank version of the SL12S, which is designed to accommodate smaller fly designs while maintaining exceptional strength. The new SL12S Short has a wide gap, increased wire size for strength, features a straight eye and a nickel finish. It is sure to become equal to or even more popular than the original SL12S. This hook will cover you for tuskfish, bonefish, triggers and permit, and can be used as a trailer or second hook on saltwater flies. The SL12S Short is available in sizes #4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 and is available in pre-packs and 25 packs, from $12.50. Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 77

The bonus of targeting crayfish feeders from the shore is that they are often decent-sized specimens, such as this one taken on a diving lure fished along a steep clay bank. Spinning for spangled perch in the inflow channel at Atkinson Dam.

Land-based in lakes

More of a bait fishing proposition, larger silver perch such as this one caught by Roxbee, will happily grab a lure.

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FREE Hop on to bnbfishing.com.au Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022

ISHING any of the dozens of stocked manmade lakes in the sunshine state without a watercraft of some description can be frustratingly unproductive. This has become even more commonplace since the stocking of silver perch in large numbers east of the Great Dividing Range has ceased. Silver perch were readily caught from the shore, often by kids with nothing more sophisticated than a budget spin outfit and a tin of worms. If you can find a lake that is currently being stocked with this cooperative fish, they still represent the best stocked target species for land-based angling. Any stocked lakes on the western side of the Divide will hold a population of silvers. Gently sloping banks are the habitat that silvers prefer, with those devoid of thick vegetation being the most productive.

Fishing for Sport by NEIL SCHULTZ

There are a few naturally occurring species in many of the local lakes that can keep youngsters amused during summer. Spangled perch and snub-nosed garfish are both easily caught from the shore on appropriate gear. Both of these species are quite acceptable table fare too, if the kids wanted to take some home for a feed. Spangled perch are avid lure takers, with any small shallow-diving lure being suitable and best cast on light spin gear. Being able to breed in tiny ponds sees these little perch common in farm dams. During flood conditions, they’ll leap over obstacles such as cascades and weir walls – even travelling across normally dry paddocks – so don’t discount any body of

water when seeking out spanglies. Small shallow running lures work well as do small-bladed spinners and swimming spoons, including the ever-reliable Wonder Wobbler. My first lure-caught spangled perch was taken circa 1971 on a small red and white Wonder Spoon, which is Australian made. Garfish on the other hand are easily taken on a tiny hook under a quill float, baited with small pieces of either worm or prawn. The method my family members have a penchant for when chasing garfish in lakes is fly casting. Any weight fly rod can be used, though lighter gear is obviously best suited to these small fish and the tiny flies used. Fly patterns aren’t * continued P79

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Land-based in lakes * from P78

critical as long as the hook is small, preferably size 12 or 14, and we often re-purpose any tattered trout nymphs for garfish duties. Using a floating line and retrieving the fly in short stop start strips will attract the fish’s attention and also set the hook. Fortunately, it isn’t only the small species that can be caught from the shore of our local lakes. Bass fishing from the shore of most lakes is rarely worth the effort due to that species’ habit of schooling in deep water. Luckily, golden perch don’t share that trait

and will happily feed in moderately shallow water along lake fringes. During the warmer months when crayfish are active, goldens will cruise the shoreline feeding on those tasty crustaceans. Look for banks of hard clay or broken stone that drop steeply into about 4m of water. Sinking lures are a good option for this scenario but traditional diving plugs can also produce the goods. Making casts along the shoreline instead of straight into the lake will have the lure in the strike zone for a greater part of the retrieve, particularly with diving lures.

Snub-nosed garfish are very willing little fly rod targets. This one took a size 14 nymph fished on a 4-weight outfit in Lake Wivenhoe.

Carp and tilapia eradication

T was a fantastic turn out for the 2021 Wyaralong Dam Carp and Tilapia Eradication Competition held on November 13, 2021 which saw 234 competitors smash some of the largest fish removed from the Wyaralong Dam yet, even with not ideal weather and dubious conditions leading up to and on the day. Organised by the Logan and Albert Fish Management Association, it was great to see so many come out and support the event and to help raise funds to put native fingerlings back into our waterways. The LAFMA sent out a massive thank you to all event sponsors, members and supporters who helped out on the day – without these people events such as www.bnbfishing.com.au

this can’t happen. A full sponsor list can be found at lafma.org As for numbers, a total of 438 fish were removed – 284 carp and 154 tilapia. With the massive size of most of the fish, they almost filled the 1000L disposal bin. For this comp, carp dominated the day, which was a first for a while, though the change of date and conditions played a big part in the outcome. A special mention goes to Ethan Ashman for a massive 800mm carp at 7.445kg, which took him an hour to land on 6lb line – what a huge effort! Category results Junior Most Carp – Will Schroeders, 5 Most Tilapia – Kayos Hapeta Williams, 8

Biggest Carp – Eli Wilson, 2.07kg Biggest Tilapia – Will Schroeders, 1.82kg Teen Most Carp – Cooper Rennick, 4 Most Tilapia – Jacob Orthman, 3 Biggest Carp – Ryan Balch, 3kg Biggest Tilapia – Marcus Hope, 2.43kg Senior Most Carp – Ji Chunhua, 51 Most Tilapia – Jason Williams, 43 Biggest Carp – Ethan Ashman, 7.445kg Biggest Tilapia – Adam Smith, 2.435kg Fly fishing section Most Carp – Peter Herbst, 19 Most Tilapia – Peter Herbst, 2 Biggest Carp – Ward Nicholas, 4.315kg Biggest Tilapia – Peter Herbst, 2.335kg

The smile says it all.

A big congratulations to the major prize winners, with Archie Schipplock scoring the kid’s Pro Fisher kayak pack and Milburn D’mello taking away the Dragon Slayer kayak. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, February 2022 – Page 79

Largest stocking rate to date

Wyatt Jansch with some nice yellowbelly caught when holidaying with nan and pop.

T’S been a bit of a downer for some anglers, and as I mentioned last month, it’s re-think time. Yellowbelly can be taken 2.5m below the surface with small hardbody lures set around 4m behind the boat trolling or just casting into the tight inlets where water flows down from recent rainfall. The gullies have been the best locations, with the occasional green and Murray cod waiting in the background for an easy feed. The water is still at the edge of the spillway, going over every now and then from rainfall in the district. Anglers are still finding it hard to fish rivers and streams in the local region as flows of over 350ML travel past, and more is due to the already full rivers, streams and dams on farms. Some storages are flood mitigation-type

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Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

systems, though not so for Glenlyon, Pindari, Copeton, Split Rock, Keepit, Chaffey and others. Those with gates are more or less flood mitigation-type dams. So, storages such as Glenlyon hold the water for later use on farm or for environmental flows and such. With this in mind, and our local wet season – as we call January, February, March – now upon us, this will be a testing time for all towns west out to Victoria and South Australia. There is nowhere that I know of that can or wants to hold water back. Given this, we could well see the 7000GL actually flow down to the Murray – this is normally required for our Murray Darling River system to survive for 12 months. So, it’s fish restocking time on our rivers, dams and streams once again, and this time Mother Nature will have had a hand in putting native fish back into our water-depleted systems. Given the flows that started in late September, golden and silver perch would have done a run upstream for the first time in the past five years. The water temperature would have been quite good for breeding this season. I hope most stocking groups think along the lines of putting silver and golden perch – and not cod – back into

their stocking locations. Good reports that catfish are being caught in Glenlyon of 24cm plus, and spangle perch are giving the bait anglers hell as well. During the inflows into Glenlyon, we were actually very lucky to see these little fish jump up into pipes under roads that let water from the hills back into the dam. I was fortunate to get some footage of this taking place and see the determination on show. At last, after some 15 years of local cod studies in the northern region of the Murray Darling River system, Dr Gavin Butler has released the Fisheries Final Report Series No. 161 titles ‘Building a stronger, more resilient and sustainable Murray cod fishery’. It is a 124-page report released by the Department of Primary Industries NSW in December 2021 – dpi.nsw.gov.au I would suggest you read it online or get 126 pages into your printer so it can be printed double sided – it’s 252 pages printed single sided. It’s a good read, covering many points not known previously prior to the actual cod breeding process, and filmed at the locations of nesting sites within the river system of the Dumaresq. It has been around 16 months since I’ve been able to fish the rivers safely, due to large flows and changes to the river, which are still * continued P81

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Glenlyon fully stocked * from P80

taking place with the rain and wet conditions. Fish stocking took place over the last Christmas period and around $74,000 was spent on putting fish back. Two thirds of this money were funds unspent due to the lack of water for fish breeding in the hatcheries, with $6000 raised from auctions and raffles over Christmas and previous events in 2021 – giving excuses to run lures for raffles kindly donated by our Australian-made lure suppliers, which all helps to put fish back. It must also be said that the generosity of our visitors and regular anglers donating gifts and items to auc-

tion each New Year’s Eve means a great deal to our stocking group members, numbering 10 in total. So, 250,000 golden perch, 15,000 cod and 15,000 silver perch have been put into Glenlyon Dam this year 2022. With all the storages now full, the fishing will be the best it’s ever been over the coming four years, and most will stay at full supply level for at least that time. Management is an important factor to take into account over the next four years and that includes how Queensland Fisheries performs with regard to freshwater fishing and administration.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 19/01/2022

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN Atkinson * 4 4 3 19 27 Awoonga 50 49 49 59 58 Bjelke-Petersen * 7 6 25 96 101 Boondooma * 25 24 33 100 99 Borumba * 79 75 90 100 100 Burdekin Falls * 88 82 75 84 96 Callide * 49 48 50 70 74 Cania * 31 28 25 28 27 Coolmunda * 99 97 100 101 100 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 4 4 8 51 67 Eungella * 80 79 75 75 73 Fairbairn * 14 13 16 26 25 Glenlyon * 74 75 98 103 100 Hinze* 94 92 91 99 102 Julius * 86 83 100 98 93 Kinchant * 83 77 71 71 74 Leslie * 57 57 63 100 99 Macdonald* 95 88 86 102 102 Maroon * 99 99 99 100 100 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 37 35 35 45 46 Moogerah * 41 39 40 70 77 North Pine/Samsonvale * 64 62 60 68 68 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 60 58 56 55 53 Somerset * 64 62 61 73 79 Teemburra * 97 94 90 90 90 Tinaroo* 84 79 73 70 71 Toonumbar 98 96 95 101 101 Wivenhoe * 41 40 40 44 54 Wuruma * 31 29 35 66 68 Wyaralong* 99 98 100 101 100 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.

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK A great place to fish! • Powered and Unpowered Sites • No Domestic Pets or Generators • Kiosk • Ice • Gas • Petrol • Amenities Blocks and Laundry • BBQs • Hire Boats • EFTPOS • Fishing Permits

14 CABINS bookings necessary

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK via STANTHORPE 4380 Contact Debbie or Brian Dare for more information or for bookings Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Visit our new website at www.bnbfishing.com.au

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BNB Fishing mag | February 2022

Articles inside

Readers’ Forum

East coast reef smorgasbord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Dave Donald

Interesting facts about Cape York termite mounds . . . . . by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon

Nice angling around Northern Rivers NSW . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter

Bar Crusher 670HT review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith

Having a look at lines and leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Justin Willmer