BNB Fishing mag | March 2022 by bnbfishing

Mackerel on the march

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Mixing it up in Moreton Bay Options for windy weather Offshore raid off 1770

Trolling tips for goldens Broadwater fishing hints ISSN 1832-4517

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing editor

LWAYS a hot topic for debate are the fines handed out by magistrates when fishos are found guilty of breaching the regulations. Recently, there was a conviction ruling posted on the Queensland Fisheries Facebook page – which was also posted on the BNB Facebook page and on bnbfishing.com.au – and is on page 18 of this issue. The background for this case was that the fisho had been found on two separate occasions with 14 and then 13 excess spanish mackerel, to which they pled guilty to in court. The fine handed down was $7500, which to me – and the many people who commented via FB – seemed far too lenient, particularly as it wasn’t a one-off violation and was a blatant breach of the regulations. This is only an educated guess, but I don’t think these were the only two times the offender had taken more than their bag limit – rather that they had only been caught twice. And while they can’t be charged with what they ‘might’ have done, the fact that it was done on more than one occasion indicates that the offender had no respect or regard for the regulations, which to me indicates a larger fine should have been handed down. I have said previously that for blatant repeat offenders, their boat should be confiscated and sold or made into artificial reefs, which was a similar sentiment www.bnbfishing.com.au

to the comments online. This action was suggested by a number of people, as it would stop the perpetrator in their tracks and make them think seriously before doing it again. It would also send a serious message to anyone who might be doing or thinking of doing something similar. My frustration and disappointment were directed towards Queensland Fisheries that more wasn’t being done to push for a heftier punishment. However, after speaking with Queensland Fisheries executive director Dallas D’Silva, the attempt was made to try to have the boat confiscated. Unfortunately, this action and the amount of the fine was determined by the magistrate and was dependent on the offender’s circumstances. So now, instead of being frustrated by Fisheries, I actually feel for the officers – they are trying to protect our fishery and it is the system that might need to change. Alternatively, a simple ‘name and shame’ might be the go. If that was one of the consequences – simple as it may be – it might just be the solution we need to fix what has been an industry problem for generations. Which in itself is disappointing because most fishos are more than happy to operate within the rules, and once again it may be these few rogues that wreck it for everyone. And the reason I

say that is, the spanish mackerel fishery is currently under review, with the initial estimate of the biomass in 2021 sitting around 17 percent – under the 20 percent mark and the percentage a fishery is recommended to be closed. This could mean that there may be a complete ban on taking any spanish mackerel. Though as the fish is seasonal, I do think it would be hard to get an accurate estimate of the biomass without more input from recreational and commercial anglers. Either way, there will be more information in the very near future, so we will keep you posted. Fishing What can I say – the plan for more time on the water hasn’t come to fruition… yet. Despite the occasional thought that I should trade the boat in for a kite board, given the amount of wind we’ve had recently, there has still been good fishing along the coast. In this edition, the team give you a few tips on catching whiting, mackerel, yellowbelly and a host of other fish that are currently on the chew. We have entered prawning season, so if you haven’t got your cast net out, you’d better hurry up. Some monster prawns have been coming from the northside around Nudgee and they are also filtering south. Just remember, in Queensland there is a possession limit of 10 litres per person, or 20

litres if two or more people are onboard. Just to clarify… even if you have three or more people in the boat, you can still only have 20 litres of prawns

in total in the boat. We need to follow the rules to ensure a sustainable fishery and report any black-market fishing or prawning. Ben Collins

OUR COVER

JARROD with one of the biggest venus tuskfish you’ll see. Picture by Chris Raimondi. You can read his article about targeting these and other offshore species on page 58.

NEXT EDITION: April edition will be on sale in newsagents from March 25. MARCH SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: See the subscription form on Page 82 and subscribe this month to go in the draw to win one of 10 Fire to Fork cook books valued at $39.95 each. JANUARY PRIZE WINNERS: Congratulations to our January subscribers. Our 12-month subscribers will each receive a copy of the 2022 Tide Guide and 24-month subscribers will each receive a copy of the 2022 editions of both the Tide Guide and Angler’s Almanac.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 5

March 2022 contents

Moreton Bay round-up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Windy weather options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . . P12 Teaching our youth to fish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mark Templeton . . . . . . . . . . . . P16 Tide Times ��P18 Tuggerah crab poacher convicted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P18 Tips for Gold Coast whiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P20 Broadwater fishing tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P24 Mad mackerel month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Heath Zygnerski . . . . . . . . . . . . P26 Menace marlin messing with mackerel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P28

Options for dirty water angling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P30 Lowrance HDS-9 Live overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P36 Insights into boat insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P38 Charter Directory ��P40 Manic mackerel mayhem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Grant Budd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P44 Tearing it up in Tin Can Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Rippon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P48 Golden trevally a real treat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P50 Seventeen Seventy offshore raid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mick Clutterbuck . . . . . . . . . . . P54 March madness on Cap Coast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P56

Bunker Group day tripping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Raimondi . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Product News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P61 Encouraging kids on the water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P62 Wild wet season on Cape York. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Dave Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P64 Final Torres Strait trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Matt Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P67 Trading Post ��P69 Readers’ Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P70 Ironman 4x4 LED area light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P71 Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Melissa Frohloff . . . . . . . . . . . . P71 Loving Milo Loop Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Safe travel through Gulf country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . . . P74 Mini Qld lap – Big Crystal Creek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 Trolling for quality golden perch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78 Never become complacent about pests in Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P79 Freshwater fish stocking workshop rescheduled. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P79

Changes are required. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P80 Water extraction project to keep more fish in our rivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P81 Dam Levels ��P81 Subscription Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P82 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 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, March 2022 – Page 7

Craig Stewart with a nice bay grass sweetlip.

Moreton Bay round-up

Troy Stegert with a flathead from Shorncliffe Pier.

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ASN’T the year flown by already… here we are in March and winter is just around the corner. Pelagic action has dominated the catches coming from the bay, with plenty of doggy mackerel being caught around the beacons – mainly from the M8 north and the Measured Mile across to Moreton Island Sandhills. As usual, birds have been showing the way. Though try trolling paravanes along the Amity drop-off from Peel Island up to the Rous Channel. Some good schools have also been showing up in the Rainbow Channel and the ones we found popped up in front of us while we were trolling paravanes. Goes to show, you have to be in the right place at the right time – especially on an incoming tide when the bait is moving into the bay. Another area to try is

Moreton Bay by BRIAN WEBB

from the mouth of the Pearl Channel across to the shipping channel off Bulwer. Spotted mackerel have shown up in this area, or again from the Measured Mile across to the Sandhills, with the odd school off the western side of Peel to the eastern side of Mud Island. Longtail tuna have been found from the Four Beacons to the Sandhills, and again off the western side of Peel, where they’ve been busting the surface while feeding. I work on the theory that once spotties turn up in Hervey Bay, within a couple of weeks they start showing up in Moreton Bay. Again, birds have been the best indicators as to where pelagics are feeding. If the birds are high up, the bait is down deep but once bait

come closer to the surface, the birds will start feeding. If the fish are breaching the surface, you can usually tell what pelagic is feeding on the bait boils. Mack and longtail tuna breach the surface when feeding, while spotties and doggy mackerel don’t. There are plenty of grass sweetlip around the bay island shallows, particularly Green and Mud islands, the Wellington Point shallows and the northeastern side of Peel Island. At present, Green and the Wello shallows are alive with grassies and pan-sized snapper. Or head up the shipping channel and fish the coffee rock edges of the channels from Curtin Artificial Reef up to Bulwer or further afield – the coffee rocks along the

* continued P9

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Moreton Bay round-up * from P8

shipping channel from Bulwer towards the Caloundra Bar. Scarborough shallow reefs have also been producing reasonable catches of grassies and some nice snapper. Plenty of summer snapper are around when fishing the same areas for grassies, or isolated structure around the Measured Mile. Also, the shipping channel from the isolated structure on the western side of the channel off Tangalooma, around Curtin and the drop-offs around Bulwer. Coochiemudlo Island has been producing reasonable catches of snapper, grassie and

the occasional jewfish from eastern side across to Macleay Island. The Brisbane River is on fire at present with nice snapper coming from the drop-offs around the container terminals. There are plenty of threadfin salmon and jew also coming from the river, especially on live bait that can be collected around the small bay near Luggage Point (also called the poop chute) and the pylons at the mouth of Boggy Creek. Catches are mainly taken on the turn of the tide, with threadies and jew coming from the edges of lit areas along the riverbanks up to Breakfast Creek.

Nice catches of bream have been had around structure in the river, with the occasional mangrove jack also from around isolated structure, and a few decent flathead in Boggy Creek and the southern entrance to the boat passage down to the mouth of Wynnum Creek. Peel, Mud, Green and Rainbow islands are producing nice purple tuskfish at the moment, particularly when fishing the sides of the drops-off or along the bottoms of them. If you’re using crabs, you have a good chance of catching a blackspot tuskfish, especially along the northern side of Peel or the drop-offs * continued P10

Jake Carty and a mangrove jack from the river.

If you want a feed of spanner crabs, go wide of the shipping channel.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 9

Wire netting cod, tripletail, maori sea perch and a surgeon fish – rare fish taken from Moreton Bay. Sand bass, pony fish, angler fish and a harlequin tuskfish – unusual Moreton Bay catches.

Moreton Bay round-up * from P9

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from Myora Reef up to Amity, or around the drop-offs near Bulwer. Prawns have shown up at Colmslie and the mouth of Boggy Creek, as well as the poop chute and the Pine River. Plenty of bull sharks are in the river at the moment, which makes fishing hard at times – trying to get your catch to the boat before they destroy it. If you want a feed of spanner crabs, go wide of the shipping channel about 40-50m off Bribie Island, drop some trays with a buoy and flag attached and you should be able to catch a feed of spanner crabs – minimum 10cm and limit of 20. Let the trap soak overnight or drop it in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon. If you’re going to give them a try, make sure you have the correct emergency gear onboard because you’ll be fishing in open waters – it pays to log in with

the local volunteer marine rescue, in this case VMR Bribie. If you’ve caught an odd species, have pictures of great catches, personal bests or photos of a first, send them in to this publication to be included in the Readers Forum section. Attached are a couple of photos of some of the rare and unusual catches Moreton Bay

has produced over the summer. In all the years of fishing the bay, even I haven’t caught or seen a few of these personally. Just goes to show what the bay can produce. So, if you’ve caught any species not shown in these, feel free to send in a pic of your unusual catch.

Justin Denny with a 40cm bream from the Brisbane River. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 11

North Stradbroke Island is only a short ferry trip, with the western side a good option on strong east to southeasterly wind days.

Windy weather options

A Be aware of the wind direction when launching your boat and consider if the ramp is going to be a difficult retrieval or not.

Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

CCORDING to records, the windiest part of the year for Brisbane is from around the middle of October to the end of March. This often sees a prevailing east to northeasterly wind. This can mean that through March, you can’t get outside let alone in to Moreton Bay. However, all is not lost. While completing several household chores might earn you a few brownie points for future trips, if you’re like me your need to do something fishing related means you soon get sick of chores and need to start looking for other activities. One such option I’ve spoken about in previous articles is to prepare a few rigs and stocktake and organise your tackle at home for future trips. Though once again that doesn’t get you on the water or a nice summer feed! So, what are some good March options

Fishing Tips by SEAN THOMPSON

when the wind is up? Big sand islands Queensland is blessed with the four biggest sand islands in the world and due to the sheer size of them, you can normally find somewhere on the islands with protection from the wind. As an example, when the southeasterly wind is blowing a gale on the eastern beach of K’Gari (previously known as Fraser Island), it can be calm and beautiful on the western side. Likewise, north and south Stradbroke and Bribie islands are options too when the wind is up – depending on its direction. Straight northerly wind can be a little trickier because it can hit the east and west sides of the islands – even then you can find land-based spots facing directly south with a bit of protection.

These spots are also fairly accessible and inexpensive, either by passenger ferry or a drive in the case of Bribie. In summer, targets from the protected flats inside of these islands are whiting and bream, with flathead also possible, even though the water temperature is quite high. Protected estuaries Other than that of course, protected estuaries can also be a saviour for the keen angler when the wind is up. Estuaries cover the transition zone between the mouth of a river where it meets the sea and the upper limits of its brackish or even fresh reach. It includes locations such as rivers, creeks, bays, harbours and lakes connected to the sea. This doesn’t mean all

* continued P13

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Windy weather options * from P12

estuaries will be protected – you need to be aware of the direction the wind is blowing and where in the estuary you might be protected from it. Mangrove lined creeks and smaller rivers with lots of bends will give you good protection in a boat, though be mindful of how big and exposed areas will be that you’ll have to navigate across. In March, whiting can be a good option in such areas, with nighttime attracting bigger fish in places such as the Nerang River. Mangrove jack are also a great possibility in protected waterways. And live bait are your best options.

Look for structure such as fallen trees and rock walls and manmade structures such as jetties and pontoons. Mud crabs are another alternative when the wind is up and March is a top month to chase them, with warm water temperature and, for the most part, reasonable rainfall. Soaking your pots overnight gets good results, and putting them in during or after a downpour is even better because the fresh stirs them up and gets them moving. Of course, March will also see peak action on banana prawns. The Pine and Caboolture rivers on Brisbane’s northside and the Logan River on the

southside are some of the better-known locations to try. Again, check the wind direction and keep your ear to the ground as to where good captures have come from to see whether you’ll have protection while out prawning. Likewise, for around the many islands in the southern Moreton Bay area. For best captures, prawn an hour or two either side of a tide change – with low tide often seeing prawns schooling up in deeper holes. Be sure to try and position your boat or the casters to cast with the wind too, as it certainly makes casting and better circles easier.

There are plenty of bends and bays in mangrovelined creeks to find protection from the wind.

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Windy weather options * from P13

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 15

Luke with a cracker of a Moreton Bay snapper.

Eric managed to get a cracking little bream and some sledging.

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0402 703 519 Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Teaching our youth to fish

E try to focus on children and families, both in these articles and in the shop particularly. There is a very good reason for this… ‘teach a child to fish and…’ There are so many endings to this sentence and not many the same. Kids learn so much from us at a very young age. Fishing teaches problem solving, patience, respect, communication skills and so much more! Don’t wait to teach your young ones how to fish – let them have a great start to life. Luke managed to find a small window of great weather and managed to get a bit of time on the water. Time well spent when you come home with a cracker of a Moreton Bay snapper! Well done Luke, we hope the new boat arrives soon and we get plenty of great photos. If it’s been a long day or a long stressful week, try something different. At the end of the week,

Northern Moreton Bay by MARK TEMPLETON

pack the fishing gear and a change of clothes in the car and, when you finish work for the day, slip past a tackle store or even a service station to grab some bait and head off fishing. Does this sound like too much effort for too little reward? At the end of your work week, you probably find when you knock off, you’re done, exhausted, over it… The beauty of fishing is that by spending 1-2 hours wetting a line, suddenly your en-

ergy levels are refuelled, you’re relaxed and able to focus. You might even start your weekend with a whole different view and attitude as well. Another benefit is that you’re able to process things outside the work environment, and hopefully you can leave a few of your problems on the river or the pier. Have you ever fished the same spot repeatedly only to be beaten up by something in that area? * continued P17

Ben landed an awesome little bull shark. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Teaching our youth to fish

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Fishing teaches kids skills such as problem solving, patience and respect.

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and one of those is the stonefish. Stonefish are the most venomous of all fish. They are found throughout shallow coastal waters of the northern half of Australia. Stonefish usually lay motionless, often partially buried in the substrate and perfectly camouflaged among surrounding coral, rocky reef, rubble or aquatic plants. We received reports that some people – and not only fishos – have killed them purely because they are dangerous. Unfortunately, they become more of a danger when they are killed and left in our waterways.

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out and about one evening for bit of an unwind and ended up with a cracking little bream. Not realising the cost involved when friends are together in close proximity and a fish this size is caught – let the sledging begin! We had a great session that evening – had a few laughs and tried to get serious, but in the end the fish were the ones taking home the prize. Fishing alone can be great occasionally but taking the mickey out of your friends while having a fish can be even more rewarding. Stonefish safety notice As many will know, the water in the Moreton Bay region is home to a huge range of species,

You change your tackle, upgrade your combo, get a line the beast won’t break and head back to your spot… only to get beaten up again? Well, for a few months this happened to one of our customers, Ben. He’d been busted off so many times and was getting fully frustrated after each one. And finally, he became the victor – slaying his nemesis (not literally) and landing an awesome little bull shark, aptly named Bully. Well done Ben. Your relentless pursuit finally paid off. Ben said that Bully was released to find another fisho in need of a challenge. Eric managed to get

* from P16

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 17

Tide Times

Fisheries officers were rewarded for their patience and diligence with both photographic and video evidence of the poacher.

Tuggerah crab poacher convicted

AUSTRALIA EAST COAST BRISBANE BAR AST – BRISBANE BAR

LONG 153° 10ʼ E High and Low Waters Y MARCH

Time

2022

Time

0312 0937 1613 2145

0.44 2.47 0.60 1.95

0.42 2.60 1531 0.45 TU 2105 2.01

16 0209 0829

0350 1012 1647 2221

0.40 2.50 0.56 2.01

0310 0930 WE 1613 2148

0.35 2.62 0.42 2.10

0428 1045 1720 2300

0.39 2.51 0.53 2.06

0355 1011 TH 1648 2229

0506 1118 1752 2339

0.42 2.47 0.51 2.09

4 0435 1047

Time

0.44 2.40 1610 0.42 FR 2203 2.30

16 0313 0906

17 0252 0905

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

0455 1045 SU 1704 2313

0.54 2.19 0.45 2.35

18 0445 1026

0.37 2.51 1721 0.44 FR 2306 2.19

19 0415 1016

4 0530 1116

0.62 2.05 1729 0.49 MO 2346 2.33

19 0531 1107

0545 0.49 1152 2.39 1824 0.51

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

20 0621 1153

0020 0626 1229 1857

2.10 0.58 2.27 0.53

0550 0.55 1152 2.24 SU 1816 0.51

21 0537 1128

0020 0643 WE 1218 1824

2.27 0.82 1.76 0.65

21 0035 0718

0104 0714 1309 1935

2.10 0.70 2.10 0.56

0019 0627 MO 1223 1844

2.18 0.68 2.07 0.57

22 0001 0621

0059 0726 TH 1257 1900

2.19 0.91 1.62 0.77

22 0130 0829

0158 0813 1359 2023

2.09 0.82 1.92 0.61

0057 0706 TU 1254 1913

2.14 0.82 1.88 0.65

23 0046 0712

0145 0822 FR 1350 1947

2.10 0.99 1.51 0.88

23 0238 0947

0305 0930 1508 2128

2.09 0.91 1.75 0.66

9 0138 0753

2.07 0.95 1332 1.71 WE 1949 0.74

24 0140 0815

9 0245 0944

2.02 1.01 1514 1.45 SA 2059 0.97

24 0354 1101

0428 1108 1637 2247

2.14 0.90 1.66 0.67

10 0230 0857

25 0247 0941

10 0403 1111

25 0509 1205

0549 2.25 1239 0.79 1804 1.68

11 0342 1032

26 0411 1114

11 0518 1213

26 0613 1259

0008 0700 1349 1918

0.62 2.39 0.65 1.79

12 0506 1205

27 0533 1231

12 0616 1301

27 0055 0706

0120 0758 1445 2016

0.52 2.52 0.53 1.90

13 0614 1304

28 0001 0641

13 0046 0704

28 0149 0751

14 0030 0706

29 0113 0737

14 0139 0746

29 0236 0830

15 0123 0749

30 0209 0823

15 0227 0827

30 0319 0907

1 0219 0847 2 3

5 6 7

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

0.78 2.19 1348 0.77 MO 1926 1.76 0.66 2.30 TU 1428 0.67 2006 1.88

0.56 2.39 1504 0.60 WE 2044 2.00

Time

Time Zone –1000 APRIL

0.47 2.45 TH 1540 0.53 2122 2.11 0.42 2.47 FR 1615 0.47 2201 2.20

0.41 2.46 1647 0.43 SA 2241 2.27

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

0.70 2.37 MO 1331 0.58 1913 1.89 0.58 2.45 1420 0.49 TU 2003 2.03

0.49 2.48 WE 1501 0.44 2047 2.15

1 0339 0941 2 3

5 6 7 8

1.99 0.96 SU 1654 1.52 2230 0.96

2.05 0.86 MO 1800 1.66 2346 0.86 2.15 0.74 TU 1850 1.82

0.74 2.25 WE 1344 0.63 1933 1.98 0.63 2.33 1423 0.53 TH 2015 2.13 0.54 2.37 FR 1500 0.45 2057 2.27

0.48 2.37 1536 0.38 SA 2138 2.39

0.45 2.32 SU 1612 0.35 2220 2.48

0.47 2.22 MO 1645 0.35 2302 2.53

0.60 1.93 WE 1757 0.47 2.48 0.69 TH 1245 1.76 1841 0.58 2.39 0.76 FR 1353 1.64 1937 0.70

2.31 0.77 SA 1518 1.60 2055 0.80

2.27 0.72 1645 1.68 SU 2226 0.81

2.28 0.63 MO 1756 1.84 2348 0.74 2.30 0.54 TU 1853 2.01

0.66 2.32 WE 1345 0.48 1941 2.15 0.60 2.29 TH 1423 0.44 2023 2.27 0.57 2.24 1458 0.42 FR 2101 2.35

0.57 2.16 SA 1528 0.42 2137 2.41

0.44 2.46 TH 1538 0.42 2127 2.24

First Quarter

Moon

Full Moon Full Moon

geted surveillance of Tuggerah Lakes as a result of several reports of recreational and commercial crab traps being tampered with and possible catch being taken. During a storm event, officers were rewarded for their patience and diligence with both photographic and video

0.52 2.09 1720 0.39 TU 2347 2.53

31 0257 0904

Bureau of Meteorology New e

N illegal fisher has been convicted in the Wyong court recently and has received over $8000 in fines and was ordered to pay over $4000 in professional costs. NSW Fisheries officers from the Central Coast conducted tar-

First Quarter Last Quarter Last Quarter 7

Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

The fisher was found to be in possession of 39 mud crabs and five blue swimmer crabs.

evidence able to be obtained of the fisher retaining crabs from the lifting of 30 traps that were both recreationally and commercially set. Fisheries officers were assisted by NSW Police from Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Command in apprehending the fisher at The Entrance under cover of darkness. The fisher was found to be in possession of 39 mud crabs and five blue swimmer crabs. Fisheries officers seized the catch along with the fisher's boat and outboard motor – both of which have been forfeited to NSW Fisheries during court proceedings. Report illegal fishing to the Fishers Watch phone line on 1800 043 536 or online via DPI website at http://fal. cn/3gJWh

Teaching our youth to fish * from P17

In nature, a stonefish will anchor itself to the ocean floor where it waits for food – when it is dead, it will roll around and possibly wash up on a beach where our kids are playing. Kids are curious and will want to investigate and this is when they are accidently stung. Do not kill stonefish.

Release them so they remain out of harm’s way to children and other beachgoers. Remember to wear sturdy footwear when walking around our tidal waterways because it’s not only a stonefish you may encounter. If you are unsure as to what a stonefish looks like, come down to The Shed – we have

a couple of live fish you can view. Tackle Land’s second-hand store The Shed is now in full swing – buying and selling all types of fishing, camping (no tents) and boating gear. We have built up quite a selection of new, second-hand and ex-demo stock, so keep an eye out for a bargain. www.bnbfishing.com. au

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 19

Local gun fisho Hamza with a massive 63cm mangrove jack from the deep hole at the end of the Seaway.

Dale Stonelake jigged a 9” Berkley Gulp which accounted for this hungry mulloway.

Tips for Gold Coast whiting

A Coomera River whiting trip with Lisa Cooper.

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OME of the best inshore fishing has taken place over the past couple of weeks and is going to continue throughout March. In this issue, I want to talk a little more about several of the different species on offer and the techniques we use for targeting them. Whiting and mangrove jack will be in full swing with the higher than expected rainfall and run-off into rivers and creeks. As a result, the Broadwater and bay will produce better than usual concentrations of fish. Bait will be washed out from the upper reaches and pushed into these open areas where hungry predators will be waiting. First, the creeks will have the full effect of this run-off and whiting will be present in good numbers throughout the rivers and more open areas. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been targeting whiting and coming home with good

Gold Coast by BEN SMITH

numbers on most occasions. Picking the right tide is important and generally speaking, you need some sort of run for the fish to bite. The usual hot spots in the Nerang and Coomera rivers and the Broadwater will be the first places to start. Use your sounder to look for a ledge or dropoff and anchor the boat in such a position that you will be able to run parallel to it with your lines. Generally, the Coomera River fishes

well on the run-in and the Nerang River fishes well on the run-out. Have yourself a good supply of bloodworms – Cribb Island worms, Mangrove bloodworms, rock worms – or yabbies on hand to last you the duration of the session. It usually goes for a couple of hours after the start of the run and movement in the water column. The choice of rod is up to you. Some prefer the traditional long whippy style rods whereas oth* continued P21

The author with a nice little mulloway caught while fishing the Seaway with live bait. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tips for Gold Coast whiting * from P20

ers choose to use shorter rods in the 6-7’ foot range. Either way, it’s important to have them rigged with light mono or fluorocarbon carbon line around 6lb breaking strain. Alvey reels have always been a popular choice but nowadays spin reels are making their way onto the whiting scene. I now use Wilson 7’ Live Fibre rods in the 2-4kg range and a 20004000 size spin reel. I start with a rig consisting of a small longshank bait-keeper style hook, about 50-60cm of trace leading up to a small black swivel, and a ball sinker about the size of your little fingernail.

You only need around about 1.5-2cm of worm threaded onto the hook to cover the shank, leaving the point of the hook exposed. Most importantly, the hook must be extremely sharp. Whiting generally swallow the hook all the way down, so keep a pair of pliers handy because you may need to remove a hook from time to time. After casting out, place your rod down and try not to touch it. When whiting is present, you will notice the tip of your rod bending once it has hooked itself. I generally don’t hold onto the rod because for some reason whiting can sense it and don’t bite the one your holding.

Remember to keep working your rods, checking the bait and turning them over so that you’re not left with a line in the water that has no bait on it because it’s been picked off by a bream. Give it a go next time the weather is too rough offshore, as this is a very productive way of coming home with a feed of fish when other options are out of the question. Mangrove jack has been another species that has been present over the past month and will continue throughout March. The Gold Coast Seaway has been very productive recently, with some excellent catches of these hard-fighting beasts being boated. * continued P22

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 21

Tips for Gold Coast whiting * from P21

Val on holidays from Melbourne nailed a 69cm flathead while onboard Coastal Sport Fishing Charters with Thommo.

The most effective way to target mangrove jack is drifting the north wall with live bait. Once again, I prefer to fish an outgoing tide for ground coverage. Pike is a preferred bait and can be caught in numbers around the weed beds of the Broadwater using bait jigs or small soft plastics. Alternatively, yellowtail scad, herring or slimy mackerel can be

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used with great results. The first technique is to drift your boat directly over the bait using a large 10 ball sinker down to a swivel, around 50-60cm trace is required with a 4/0 suicide hook tied to the end. I use a 50lb leader and 50lb braid, and even with this combination occasionally a good jack will bust off in the rocks. Start approximately 50m back inside the Seaway wall and work the deep hole at the end of it. Continue through and approximately 50m past it and, if you haven’t had a hook-up, wind in, go back and repeat the process. If they’re not down deep, then try taking the sinker off and tossing the live bait a few metres off the rock wall as you drift along it – occasionally jack hide in among the blocks and ambush prey as baitfish swim past. Once again, keep a tight line because you can’t afford to give them any slack – the

bite will be ferocious, and you must wind vigorously as soon as you get the hit. It is important to continue to get the fish to the boat as quickly as possible around the Seaway because many large predatory sharks have moved in over recent years and have become a nuisance to anglers. Quite often you’ll simply get a head back to the boat with the entire body of the fish having been bitten off… and sometimes you don’t even get that. Either way, it’s incredible fun and as a byproduct of fishing for jack, quite often you hook up on a Seaway jewfish or flathead. If you would like to see additional footage, videos or content, follow us on the Bush ‘n Beach Facebook group, or you can see some of my additional content on Instagram @bennyfisho or on my YouTube channel Ship Faced Fishermen. Enjoy your fishing over March and I look forward to catching up soon.

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One mangrove jack that the author decided to keep from the Seaway. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 23

Eli caught his first ever giant trevally on a Magbite Snatchbite Shrimp 4” soft plastic.

Keithy travelled all the way from Longreach and was rewarded with this nice mangrove jack on a private charter with Brad Smith on the Tweed River.

Broadwater fishing tips

Warren went whiting wading and was rewarded with a new personal best.

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Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Broadwater Guide by CLINT ANSELL

mangrove jack, big bream and trevally on Samaki Vibelicious and Pontoon 21 hard-body lures from the Tweed River when the water wasn’t too muddy. You can guarantee that autumn and winter fishing will be epic after a wet summer. The Gold Coast Broadwater has produced a tremendous variety of species over the past month. Big summer whiting have continued to feature on my wading flats tours, while in the channels my usual tactic has been drifting and jigging Samaki Vibelicious 70mm soft vibes and Ecogear ZX40 lures, or using live yabbies on baitholder hooks with running sinker traces. The fish encountered have included summer whiting, winter whiting, flathead, flounder, squire, grass emperor, grass tuskfish, tailor,

trevally, bream, tarwhine and more. The trick in the Broadwater is to fish the channels north of the Seaway during a neap tide or close to tide changes and during a bigger tide or in the middle of tide flows, then fish south of the Seaway and up the Nerang and Coomera rivers. This is when you can drift at a moderate speed and hold bottom without getting snagged too often. It pays to remember that fish will know where best to locate themselves to have a good chance of ambushing their prey and getting a feed. If there’s not enough flow, the bait doesn’t get delivered to them, and if it’s running too hard, they spend too much energy holding their position. We are big fans of the new range of Samaki * continued P25

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Broadwater fishing tips * from P24

Vibelicious soft vibe colours, along with our old favourites. You know you have a good lure when they get as many hits as yabbies while drifting. The Grey Ghost, Cleopatra Gold and Sandstorm have been my top picks lately. I can’t wait to test some of the other new colours soon too. Our tactics when fishing local estuaries are quite simple. First, we cover the natural bait profiles that our favourite lures imitate – namely baitfish and prawns. For bait, it’s the previously mentioned Samaki Vibelicious, soft plastics such as Damiki Armor Shad paddle tails, Ecogear Balts and MMD Fat Skippers and a range of hard-body minnow lures, including Pon-

toon 21 Crack Jacks and Hurricane Slams. For prawns, it’s Ecogear ZX40s, the new Pro Lure Clone Prawns and Magbite Snatchbite Shrimps. Vibes and blades work well by tea bagging while drifting. This means dropping them straight to the bottom and continuously doing very short and sharp lifts and drops of the rod tip. Soft plastic paddle tails can be either jigged or cast around the boat or shore and then use the old double hop, pause, repeat technique until you get a strike. With prawn-shape soft plastics, slow your retrieve right down, with longer pauses and more subtle twitches of the rod tip. Hard-bodies can be cast or trolled – remembering to fish

depths where they constantly tap the bottom of the river. Scents play a big part in our fishing success. Sax Scent Goldprawn is an excellent choice for prawn-style vibes and plastics, while Squidgies S Factor works great on all of the baitfish profile lures. We are nearing the end of cyclone season in Queensland, so let’s hope we see more settled weather soon to make being out on the water that much more enjoyable. To book on a charter with myself or Brad or if you have any fishing related questions, visit goldc o a s t r ive r c h a r t e r s. com, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishing withclint@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook at Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

Michael caught a 42cm whiting on a wading tour with the author, his biggest ever.

Sass did well to land this lovely tuskfish from the Broadwater channels using yabbies as bait.

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Byron was stoked with his nice giant trevally caught on the MMD Fat Skipper plastic. www.bnbfishing.com.au

www.custommarinewelding.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 25

Danny with one of his Gold Coast barramundi.

The pelagics have been playing the game offshore on the Gold Coast.

Mitch was all smiles with a nice redthroat emperor and calm conditions.

What better way to start a morning. Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Mad mackerel month

ND just like that… we’re into autumn. The weather has made it a little difficult over the past month, with very unsettled conditions that have in turn made fishing very patchy. Some days the fish have been biting their heads off and other days… not even a nibble. I haven’t missed a thing, being laid up after an operation, but now that I’m back on my feet, it’s time to hit the water. Nevertheless, the conditions haven’t stopped other anglers hitting the water – such as my son Mitch, who goes out every chance he gets. On the local systems, it’s the same story with mackerel – here one day and gone the next. The small blue mackerel have easily outnumbered the spotted this year, which is something I’ve not seen before. It’s very easy to tell if spanish mackerel are on the chew, especially if you are marking fish – you lose lures and rigs. The blues seem to swallow the bait or lure further down – probably due to their big gobs – resulting in get-

Gold Coast by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

ting snipped off. This can be a fairly expensive exercise over the course of a morning. When this happens, you need to swap the way you fish, by going either to a heavier wire or bigger lure. As the weather settles into autumn – which is one of the best times to hit offshore on the Gold Coast – we should get a lot more westerly wind in the morning and good seas. With that, generally the fish are a lot bigger as they fatten up for their upcoming run north in a few months. So, there’s still plenty of time to make up for lost efforts. Out wider, marlin fishos will be chomping at the bit to get connected to some of these

stick-faced fish in the settled conditions. The rivers and creeks have come alive after a bit of a flush. Plenty of mud crabs have been caught throughout the river systems along the coast and they’ve been big crabs too. If you do throw some pots in, it’s a good idea to babysit them because crab pot thieves have been rife – a few friends went crabbing in February and lost four pots in a matter of hours. Good catches of mangrove jack, bream, flathead and jewfish have also been caught in the estuaries. With the flush, it has stirred up some not-socommon fish, and several sensational barra* continued P27

The brag mat doesn’t lie. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Mad month for mackerel * from P26

mundi have been caught. Barra are one of the holy grail fish to catch on the Gold Coast and, as Danny Zerafa found out when he landed on a patch, you don’t leave them. Danny was rewarded for his efforts by landing no less than four fish – all going 50cm or more in a mind-blowing session that lasted over an hour. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. It’s this kind of fishing that rekindles the fire in the belly to get out there and give a few different things a crack. A few anglers saw a weather window up north and made the long slog to Seventeen Seventy.

They were rewarded with a nice mixed bag of trout and redthroat emperor. Seventeen Seventy never seems to disappoint if you’re willing to put the effort in. With a big blow and rain, I thought the local bars would have had a good flush. But not so! The Tweed Bar hasn’t changed much at all, though now you can’t turn right into the Kennedy Dr boat ramp from the west. Which makes it very difficult for those of us heading for a fish from north of the border. Why the Tweed Shire Council have done that is a mystery. Boaties will now either run the gauntlet

with a dangerous U-turn or cross onto the wrong side of the road to enter the ramp. Currumbin is very shallow and should only be crossed on at least half a tide. Tallebudgera is also very narrow at the bar and dangerous in any swell. The pick of the bunch is the Seaway as usual, but watch the bank to the north. They say good things come to those who wait… well, I’ve been waiting for about eight months for my new tow rig to arrive. I won’t say exactly what it is yet but once it finally gets here there will be a full run down on it. Until next month…

A nice trout to open the account of the overnight trip to Seventeen Seventy.

A cool measuring device. Make sure you’re up to date with bag and size limits for mud crabs.

Hydraulic boat steering for a hard day’s fishing Go wherever and whenever the fish are biting with confidence! Made in Australia for our tough marine environments.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 27

Omri fought this spanish mackerel past sharks last month.

Menace marlin messing with mackerel

ELL, I guess the news from the past month is the nagging swell. It’s been relentless but the bars have been workable on the tides, and the good news is there are fish out there. Small black marlin have been reasonably prevalent this summer and have given anglers a thrill with their antics. We have had massive schools of pilchard travelling up the coast and I think this is what the marlin must be eating because slimy mackerel and even yellowtail scad have been hard to find. Most of the marlin being caught so far have fallen for bait intended for mackerel, but those going a little wider and actually targeting the bait balls for billfish have been having some fairly big days.

Tweed to Byron Bay by GAVIN DOBSON

A sailfish was even caught out at the fish aggregating device recently, which isn’t a common occurrence around here. If you are wanting to catch a juvenile black marlin, there might still be a few around this month. The hardest part about catching a small marlin is being in the same place at the same time as the fish. They move around a lot chasing baitfish but, if there is one in the vicinity, it isn’t hard to hook them with a live bait. Don’t be too worried about presentation or leader size or anything like that. The bigger fish might

Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

be a bit smarter, though due to their metabolism, the juveniles have to eat pretty much whatever fits in their mouths. Many a time I’ve been trolling a dead bonito or tailor for a mackerel and the rod tip buckles then straightens, and I curse because I think I’ve just missed a mackerel bite, only to have the rod bend then straighten again. Sometimes there’ll be half a dozen bites or more, and you soon twig it’s not a mackerel but something without teeth – the usual culprit is a small marlin. Occasionally, a cobia or a mahi mahi will have a couple of bites at a slow-trolled dead bait, but if you keep getting

bites and missing them, it’s a marlin. If you want to catch marlin, keep trolling and even increase the speed. Generally, marlin don’t give up and will keep hitting the bait until the hooks eventually find their mark. In the end, the marlin must be chasing a bonito head and some bits of skin, but they’re persistent, I’ll give them that. The other alternative – if you’re like me and don’t want to hook marlin – is to throw the boat in reverse for a few seconds and let the bait sink. Sometimes a marlin will swoop around and pick it up, but mostly they seem to lose interest in a sinking bait. At least this way you get your rig back and can put a new bait on to

keep fishing mackerel. If you’re wanting to catch a marlin, live bait is your best bet because they swallow a yellowtail or slimy pretty quickly and you’ll get a solid hook-up. Some mackerel have shown up here off the Byron coast. It hasn’t been insane fishing but the numbers were reasonable of both spotted and spanish mackerel. Unfortunately, for every mack there are six sharks waiting to eat it and the carnage is bad. Like I said last year, don’t keep feeding mackerel to sharks. So far this year, after I lose the first fish to a shark I’ll move. They are too valuable a species to waste and once the first mackerel gets eaten, I haven’t had * continued P29

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Marlin messing with mackerel much luck landing any more at the same spot. I’ve tried fishing heavier and skull dragging them in, and this works to an extent on smaller fish, but once the sharks get wound up everything gets eaten, so I go to a new spot. Bigger wahoo should be on the cards for the next few months, so get the high-speed lures cranking. In the river, mangrove jack are in excellent condition and smashing food all around the snags. Mud crabs are filling out but it’s not going to be a record season if things keep going the

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H Lucas with a 49.5cm bass from the Richmond River.

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02 6686 2527 Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

by BRETT HYDE

ELLO all and welcome. Well, it appears the rain loves the east coast of Australia at present. In particular, the rain seems to have a definite soft spot for the Northern Rivers – it has been raining here every other week since about November. At the time of writing, we had another small flood and the water levels are up a few meters. We had started to see some clear water pushing in the lower reaches of the river during the incoming tides, but that will be out the window for few weeks now. That is of course if we don’t get too much more rain in the meantime. Unfortunately, the long-range forecast is for more rain over the coming months, so we are just going to have to grin and bear it for the foreseeable future. The positive in all of this is that there’s been a reasonable number of fish coming from the river still, even if it doesn’t look particularly enticing at present. As has been the case over the past few months, most of the fish are compressed in the lower reaches of the river, so it will be best to concentrate your efforts from the mouth of the river to the ferry. Discoloured water fishing rules have once again been applied, with oily and smelly bait such as pilchard,

mullet, bonito and chicken or mullet gut all being productive options, along with any lure that has plenty of smell and vibration. While whiting have been on the quiet side – apart from a few fish taken on a run-in tide – bream and flathead have not been too bothered by the discoloured water at all. Some good numbers of bream have been landed on a mix of bait as well as hard-body lures worked close to rock walls in the lower reaches. Most of the better numbers of flathead have been found in the deeper channels in the same part of the river as the bream, with a run-in tide being the more productive time to target them. A couple of the warmer days in the past few weeks have produced mangrove jack too. Live bait have been a difficult proposition, so most anglers have turned to using 4-5” soft plastics or a suspended hard-body lure. Mangrove jack have been a little spread out, with the rock walls from the mouth to Pimlico Island all producing fish on different days. As you can imagine, bass fishing up the river has had its fair share of challenges with the weather in recent weeks. The water has had a * continued P32

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 31

Options for dirty water angling * from P30

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lovely shade of brown to it all summer, but the fish seem to be adjusting to the murk somewhat, with several good models landed over the past few weeks. Most of the fish have been between Coraki and Woodburn, with only a few stragglers above and below these areas. As surprising as it may be, there has been a little surface activity, with frog imitations, buzz baits and fizzers all tempting fish early in the morning. On a number of days, the surface bite has continued during the day due to the rainy and overcast conditions that we’ve had, plus a few late season cicadas making a bit of noise late in the day. The discoloured water has meant that reactionary style lures such as spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, cranks and lipless vibes have given fish the best chance of locating them in the dirty water, though it will also be worth fishing something slowly such as a skirted jig in a dark colour. The slower speed may give the fish time to find the jig, given the limited visibility at present. Offshore fishing has been limited to say the least over the past month. Wind, rain and swell have all been against boaties – slowing or preventing them from heading outside. On the few limited days that have been

available, there has been plenty of current to contend with. A few better-quality snapper have been showing up on the close reefs still, but the larger numbers have been on the 32 and 42-fathom line. Squid and mullet have been the best bait, though the brighter coloured octopus jigs such as the Daiwa Kohga jigs have worked well out wider in the current. The current is not all bad however, with a few days producing good quality mahi mahi out around the fish aggregating devices. Smaller live bait and blue pilchard have worked best on them, as many of the fish have been a little hesitant to attack lures with any sort of aggression. This may improve over the next month as the current and weather begin to settle a little. The mackerel season appears to have started, with a few fish taken north of the river mouth. But with this latest lot of freshwater, I’m not sure how all of this is going to play out because this recent fresh could definitely discourage mackerel from hanging around in close. Time will tell, and all we can do for now is keep our fingers and toes crossed for the rain to stop and the water to clear in the next couple of weeks. Well, that’s all from me this month. Until next time, tight lines!

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BOATING & marine

Lowrance HDS-9 Live overview

S The rear view of the unit shows the plugs for the three-in-one and the 1kW transducers.

The placement on the author’s Bar Crusher 535C shows the mount that Bar Crusher make specifically for the 1kW Airmar transducer.

ELECTING the appropriate electronics package is very important when starting out in a new boat. Having a unit that can do all that you want and all that you need it to do is key to your success. I've been asked on many occasions why I chose the Lowrance HDS-9 Live unit in my Bar Crusher, and hopefully this answers a few questions and will help when you're trying to decide what unit to put on your boat. First, I wanted a reliable unit that was easy to use and easy to see in all types of conditions. Most of the time, the appearance of your unit is not as it was when you saw it on the big

The Lowrance HDS-9 Live has the ability for screen mirroring to an iPad or tablet. Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Product Review by BEN SMITH

display at a boat show or in a well-lit retailer showroom. Quite often sea conditions have your unit covered in saltwater, dirty bait fingers or the glare of the sun, which makes it very hard to see. In addition to that, many units are touchscreen only and of course, when you have dirty fingers, it doesn't take long for the mess to dry all over the screen, making it incredibly hard to read. This was a very valid consideration for me. These problems have been reasonably addressed in this unit as the brightness and contrast can be adjusted to suit all conditions. And on the front panel, I have the ability to use the rubberised buttons, which enables the screen to stay clean when I'm bait fishing, with full functionality and ease of use. Alternatively, if I'm fishing freshwater, I can use the touchscreen, which saves time and has shortcuts to a lot of functions. The menu system Lowrance has adopted is fairly direct and takes you to all of the main screen functions within one to two button presses or a couple of swipes of the screen. Zoom, sensitivity, split screens and colour pal-

ettes are very easy to change. Of course, having a good-looking screen is important and plenty of pixels make seeing fish so much easier, but to draw the fish up on the screen the system must first be able to process the information. For the most part, the processor in this unit is incredibly powerful and its ability to draw up the soundings on the screen, zoom in on maps or multi-task functions seems to be incredibly seamless, with hardly any lag whatsoever. The screen shows all the important details – including depth in feet, metres or fathoms, water temperature, speed over ground, battery voltage and, on top of that, it can also double as a set of gauges for your outboard motor through a network hub. An important feature – that I specifically wanted on my vessel – is the ability to be able to use it in both shallow and deep water. I wanted to run a 1kW transducer and didn’t want additional hardware, wiring or connections in the boat because the additional equipment and joins usually end up failing somewhere along the line. The HDS-9 has its own 1kW output from * continued P37

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BOATING & marine

A screenshot showing the ability of the Lowrance HDS-9 Live to sound bait and target fish in high resolution.

An overview of Lowrance HDS-9 Live * from P36

the unit built in, so there is no need for additional hardware to enable the use of a 1kW transducer – it simply plugs into a second port on the back of the unit as per the photograph. As well as that, it accommodates the threein-one transducer – side scan, down scan and conventional CHIRP sonar – at the same time. A second transducer can be plugged into its own port, which is conveniently colour coded to make it easier for the end user. This enables two transducers to be plugged directly into the unit, which can be selected simply through the touchscreen. This being the case, the www.bnbfishing.com.au

three-in-one transducer is perfect for dams, rivers and bay fishing and reads incredibly well in depths of up to about 45m. Both the side scan and down scan images are as clear as you could imagine on a unit of this price point. The 1kW transducer I’m running is an Airmar TM185M medium CHIRP transducer. I switch to it whenever I'm heading offshore because it has an unparalleled ability to read the bottom at speeds of up to 35 knots, which is as fast as my boat goes. It also has the ability to mark fish in water over 0.5km deep, making it very handy for deep dropping and bottom fishing out on

the reefs – remembering this is only a 5.5m boat and the need for anything more is questionable. Being a 9” screen, it fits recessed into the dash of most vessels and comes with a rubber seal so that no water leaks behind it. The unit also accommodates two micro secure digital slots – also called microSD slots – these can be used for mapping or alternatively recording soundings or taking screenshots. The down-scanned images can be overlaid on the maps of where you’ve been travelling to make an incredibly detailed view of the seabed below. The unit also has WiFi built in and this en-

ables you to carry an iPad or tablet, which connects easily and can be used as a second screen anywhere on the boat with all the touchscreen functionality of the main unit. Both an iPad or tablet and the main unit will work together at the same time, meaning the person at the front of the boat can look at the main screen while the device is mobile and can be taken down the back near the bait board, so you can both see what's going on underneath as you drift or fish the reef. The Wi-Fi also enables any required updates to take place when you are within range of your home router. It is all automatic and

only takes a few minutes and this way you will have the most up-to-date functionality on your sounder at all times. Finally, the unit has a very high level of water resistance and can be used either mounted on its own bracket or alternatively it can be recessed into the dash of your boat. All the plugs have rubber seals to keep moisture out of the connections and it is very resilient to shock and heat. Hopefully, I’ve covered everything, however I'm sure there’s much more to this unit that I’ve not discovered yet. To find out more, contact Lowrance or your local dealer, who I'm sure will be more than happy to help.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 37

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Insurance is not a time for fairy tales

ETTING your vessel description absolutely right is critical when it comes to filling out an insurance application form. All of those questions about the brand of the vessel, the model, length, beam, the year of manufacture and so on are there to help establish exactly what it is you are seeking to insure and in turn, what its insurable valuable might be. With brand name models such as a Stacer Wild Rider, a Quintrex Renegade, a Cruise Craft Explorer or a Seafarer Viking, that’s a fairly straightforward exercise. But once you start getting into the realm of flop-moulded fibreglass boats – let’s call them ‘copies’ – as

well ‘special builds’ and ‘modifieds’, where for example a transom pod might have been added to a pre-existing design, things can get a little tricky. What boat is it now? The original? An adaptation? A new brand or model completely? And what about larger vessels? Insurers have seen vessels that were described as “multi-hull cruisers”, which on closer inspection were not a Scimitar or Perry but rather an uninsurable single outboardpowered houseboat of very questionable genre. Being ‘cute’ has only one result once things go pear-shaped. That original vessel description now resembles something

written by Hans Christian Andersen and the correspondence from your insurer is going to say in effect, “You gave us false information or at the very least, totally misrepresented your vessel and we are not going to cover you.” That’s why it is so important to insure your vessel with a specialist marine insurer such as Nautilus Marine. A company that understands boats staffed by people who go boating. You can talk to them. Be upfront and tell them exactly what your vessel is. Provide a portfolio of photos that will clearly show it and help them to make an accurate assessment about its insurability. Provide any addi-

tional information you might have, such as who undertook the post-production installation of the pod. Attach a statement from them wherein they outline their boat building expertise, boat building qualifications, any certifications that might have been sought and granted. Provide their contact details. Accurate vessel descriptions are required under a number of clauses in an application for insurance, but primarily come under the all-encompassing ‘duty of disclosure’. Withhold information, give inaccurate information or stretch the truth and you’re headed for a problem when you try to progress an insurance claim. In a similar vein, be very and completely accurate about the vessel’s inventory of equipment – particularly electronics, which tend to be upgraded fairly regularly as newer plotters, sounders, transducers, radios and radar are released. If you don’t get the full and accurate description right, you

are going to lose out – perhaps by not getting the value of your new electronics or not having that Minn Kota electric trolling motor recognised in a claim. Likewise, if you say your vessel is kept “on a private mooring at Raby Bay”, you’re going to be in trouble if that turns out to be a swing mooring in the bay itself. In terms of valuing your vessel, consider getting a formal description and valuation from a recognised marine surveyor, boat dealer or yacht broker. Some policies require this as mandatory for vessels older than a certain vintage. At the end of the day, what is covered and what may not be covered will be interpreted in accord with the terms of insurance as defined 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, 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 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 39

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 43

Aaron Brodgen with a chunky 48cm yellowbelly from Lake Macdonald on 4lb.

Manic mackerel mayhem Jack Dekort with a 30kg spanish mackerel from Sunshine Reef on his kayak.

Darren Simpson with a cracking estuary mud crab. Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

ITH the year already seeing a mixed bag of weather, it comes as no surprise to know that March often has some solid weather hitting the coast. On the plus side, the school holidays have been and gone, which allows for quieter fishing throughout the river and crowd-free boat ramps. The next few months should see some of the best fishing available on the coast. Spanish mackerel will be in good numbers along with spotted mackerel. If lucky, we may also see longtail tuna coming through. Out wide, those on the troll should expect to pick up mahi-mahi and wahoo. This can be done using skipping garfish, jet

Sunshine Coast by GRANT BUDD

heads and even marlin pushers. By now, most offshore anglers will have landed a big spanish, with substantial 20kg plus fish caught during the last week of January and into February. If you are yet to land one, we can certainly point you in the right direction. A few pointers would be to fish 30lb mono such as Shogun Ice Blue, along with a garfish or slimy mackerel rigged onto a slow troll rig. Anglers searching for trophy fish will use whole frigate tuna on a weighted chin guard and 9/0 gang hooks. No matter how you do this, try to fish as light

as you can and if it has been raining, you will want to try to find the dirty water line. Pelagic fish often feed in and out of this and there is often a spike in water temperature here too. If trolling lures is your thing, Samaki Redic and Halco Laser Pro lures are very popular and come in a wide range of enticing colours, with Redheads still a favourite. Those who can recognise mackerel on a sounder will often see them down deep and close to the bottom. Anglers trolling big bait or sinking large 50-60g slugs can drop these down and swim * continued P46

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 45

Manic mackerel mayhem on Sunshine Coast * from P44

them up at speed through the schools for a big bite. Spotty mackerel and metal slugs go hand-inhand, with options in the 15-40g range best. High speed retrieves are key to catching mackerel or tuna, as are swapping lure sizes if you aren’t getting the bite. If you have ever been in the middle of a hot spotty bite and gone through all your slugs in five minutes, you need to learn the haywire twist. Come and grab some single strand wire and let us show you how it’s done. This can save you time and money and ensure you get a feed of this great-eating fish. For those in small craft, you need not travel many miles out to sea for big fish. Halls Reef plays host to a mixed bag of solid reef fish and some of the biggest mackerel and tuna Noosa sees. Most fish take live

bait, pilchard, squid and fresh mullet strips. Quality coral trout are biting well on Sunshine Reef, with live yakka and big pilchard being the better bait. Don’t forget to keep your bait hard on the bottom when chasing trout and lock that drag down and hold on. Sharks do love a feed of coral trout, so don’t let up and keep them coming. Slow jigs are a great option if the bite is slow because they have a habit of working when everything else fails. Our range of Oceans Legacy jig rods remains popular with local anglers landing huge fish on relatively light PE3 gear. Slow fall jigs come in many sizes and colours, so it’s important to have a few as is upgrading the stock hooks. We tend to go hard on fish while jigging and using BKK and Decoy assist hooks ensures you land that fish. Don’t forget to grab a pair of split ring pliers

to make life easier and faster for jig changes. Off the beaches you can expect to find small dart, bream and whiting. If we see a big rainfall, this could be a great time to find bigger dart over 40-50cm. These bigger fish are often along the surf line and require medium heavy rods to get there. If starting out, a great all-rounder is the Shimano Raider Surf rod. These two-piece rods are more than capable of landing big fish but have a soft tip allowing for fun on smaller fish. Further up the coast, the occasional jewfish has been landed but you have to fish light for them, especially if the water is clear. The Noosa River flathead, bream and whiting have been on the chew around the mouth, dog beach and Frying Pan areas. Live bait of herring, worms and yabbies are always going to do very well, so pick up a cast net and a bucket with a suitable aerator

Andrew Carmody with a 1m jewfish caught using 15lb gear. Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

so they stay alive and kicking. With a consistent east to northeasterly swell through January and into February, and if March follows suit, the mouth will see a lot of baitfish washed into the estuary on spring tides. This often sees bigger fish such as flathead, mangrove jack and jewfish caught along the drop-offs of the mouth, especially after a big rain. If unable to throw a cast net, ask us how so you can get a few mullet, which big fish love. If fishing during low light, you should explore Woods Bay on foot – this area often sees trevally and tailor busting up baitfish in the bays. If you enjoy surface fishing, try a lure such as the popular Fish Craft Snoop Pop popper. Cast this at the bustups and start with a medium fast retrieve – this usually results in an aggressive hook-up. Live bait on a run-out tide works well on mangrove jack and jewfish upriver beyond Lake Cooroibah. Be sure you’re running 20lb plus fluorocarbon leaders to prevent bite-offs and use Mustad Penetrators for snelled rigs. We can show you how to snell hooks if you aren’t sure – this is a ‘must know’ for live and big dead bait anglers. If you own crab pots, it’s always worth throwing a few out because January into February was a bumper time for crabbers, so March should see some hanging around still.

We stock a wide range of crabbing gear including spanner crabbing dillies and bait. Freshwater has seen Borumba Dam and Lake Macdonald fish hot and cold due to the rain and pressure from the holidays. Both dams are stocked with yellowbelly and bass, which provide lots of fun. When on the bite, you can land 40 or more fish in a single session. Throwing surface lures early morning during low light is a great way to fish because a big bass will be very aggressive – often coming all the way out of the water. Spinnerbaits and weedless soft plastics allow for casting deep into structure where fish enjoying the shade or laying in ambush will be found. You’ll want to run 10lb leaders for this as a big bass will always run for cover, often resulting in a bust-off. For the deeper schooled up bass, spoons, soft vibes and blades such as the new Storm Gomoku Ultra Blade are perfect for hopping along the bottom. Now, for all the latest information log onto fishingnoosa.com.au for up-to-date bar and fishing reports, 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!

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 47

Aiden Whiteman with a beautiful albino saratoga.

Prostaffer Amber Moy with her personal best trout tipping 70cm.

Tearing it up in Tin Can Bay

The author with an old rubber thong from a recent offshore trip.

Mitch Martens making the redthroat emperor pop.

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

S always, I hope you have all been keeping well and getting out and banging a few good fish. So far, the start of the year sure has been a wet and windy one! But rain is always welcome on land and sea. And didn’t the creeks get a good flushing – certainly what some of them needed. Saying that, I do feel for anyone who was affected by the recent floods. I hope things have returned to some form of normal for all impacted. So, here is what has been going on over the past few weeks in and around the area. Those who braved the wild weather and have been out crabbing around the lead up to the moon have been rewarded. The flats around the power lines have been producing nice numbers and so have some of the smaller creeks up the strait. Fresh bait and a good soaking should see you bag a feed. Before the rain, a few of our younger fishos had been getting qual-

Tin Can Bay by CHRIS RIPPON

ity saratoga and sooty grunter in the Mary River, fishing from their kayaks in the freshwater. Young gun Aiden Whiteman even managed to land an albino saratoga from there in early December, what a crazy looking fish! I’ve not fished out of a kayak much, but it is something I’m keen to have a go at. Our very own Mary River and kayak expert Marquis – also known as Chappo – has promised to take me in a couple of weeks when the water clears up a bit. Chappo will be using spin gear, while I’ll be

tossing flies on a 4wt and 6wt. To say I’m keen is an understatement, though I’m not sure how my back is going to like it. Stay tuned for that report. Up the creeks, mangrove jack have been keeping fishos hooked up. We have seen that a number of the tagged fish from our Tag a Jack competition were recaptured, with most being recorded and released again, which is good to see. Cod – both blackspotted and gold spot – have also been around * continued P49

Prostaffer Neilo Moy with a nice red emperor from a recent trip. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tearing it up in Tin Can Bay * from P48

in good numbers and have not been bothered by the freshwater in the system. Good catches of javelin fish have been reported too. Lightly weighted prawns are proving deadly for a feed of grunter. Speaking of prawns, the rain sure got these moving around our local systems, with Kuri Creek being the hottest place to find them. Surprisingly, a good number of fishos have been reporting decent catches of squid. While not giants, there have been plenty around. Smaller jigs in 1.5 and 1.8 sizes have been working best. They go nicely on a plate but also make an awesome live bait! Snell a couple of 5/0 or 6/0 octopus hooks together and send them back down on a lightly weighted rig and hold on. Along with squid, there have been nice catches of diver whiting as well – all averaging 20-25cm. Again, they make

great bait and, if you can be bothered, they make good fish and chips too. Even with the dirty water, we have seen giant trevally and queenfish around in good numbers around Inskip and The Bluff, with a few good mackerel in the mix too. If you’re chasing one of these string pullers, live pike have been working a treat. Floated back in the current unweighted seems to be the trick. There have also been a few good GTs hunting up the creeks and the flats around Ida Island. If it’s a big bow wave moving quickly on the flats around this area, it’s normally one of two things – a spooked dugong or a GT on the hunt. Offshore has been a little quiet over the past few weeks, mainly due to the run of windy and wild weather we’ve had. So on those bad weather weeks, it pays to get some maintenance jobs done and out of the way. This could be changing the bearing on the trailer, polishing the glass work, checking over all the rollers on

the trailer, making sure your batteries are in good health by checking the terminals are clean and the bolts are tight… or pulling the whole floor up and replacing all the old hoses and skin fitting that have been there for 11 years, as I’ve done! Not my favourite thing but now it is done, and I won’t have that nagging feeling in the back of my mind when I push off from the dock. Don’t forget that The Chandlery Bait & Tackle have you covered for all your boat and trailer maintenance needs. Along with all your inshore and offshore fishing requirements, if you need to paint it, clean it, re-glass it, rewire it or give your pride and joy a nice soapy bath… we have you covered. Well, that’s it from me this month, so until next time, tight lines and get out there and enjoy our beautiful Great Sandy Strait.

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Lynda Wells enjoyed tough trevally battles.

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Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

Plenty of nutrients are in the system now to attract bait. Not that I saw a lack of bait prior, only a lack of predators. Still not a good showing of spotted mackerel or mack tuna in Platypus or Hervey bays. Out wider yes, but in close and protected from the wind and weather, it’s still quite barren. This can make it difficult on tour, I rely on these fish to keep anglers, particularly novices, entertained. On the upside, the school mackerel have trickled back in. School mackerel are good targets for novice anglers and can also

provide a feed of fish. They usually school up, so you can quickly get a few, then charge off to hopefully find more powerful prey. Recently, there have been golden trevally roaming around feeding on squid and tiny shrimp, I think. It takes time to find these fish but it’s often great when I do find them. They are subtle feeders, so don’t expect them to explode on the surface as tuna would. And these mobile schools often mean sharks are too lazy to follow them around. That is not guaranteed, however. * continued P52

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 51

Golden trevally a real treat * from P50

Rob was lucky to snare this lovely diamond trevally on flat seas. Ignore the shady bloke holding the fish!

Scot with a cracking longtail tuna.

Riley with a nice golden trevally with some help from his dad. Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

The mobile schools can roam great distances rounding up bait. So, a side scan of some description is very handy. But you might be lucky to have birds to visually aid you too. You can imagine how highly visible a tightly packed school of goldens would be when seen from above. At times you can’t fathom the numbers of fish. If you are lucky enough to experience it in shallow water with the sun shining high and bright, it would likely take your breath away. The occurrence might only be fleeting with a 15-minute window or it could be hours where you follow these fish over many nautical miles. Some days they bite easy, others much more difficult, particularly when they’re focussed on tiny bait. I do believe given the choice, fish would rather a belly full of tiny fry or shrimp as opposed to a couple of larger mullet or herring. Don’t think it’s only these trevs that enjoy this style of dining. I have found big long-

tail tuna doing similar things. Looking more like rainbow trout sipping mayfly off the surface as opposed to 15kg plus sashimi rockets elegantly gliding at the top of the water column. They can be challenging to tempt, and their mobile nature means you would have difficulty presenting a fly. Often it means relying on the side scan to help keep in touch. But with some help of other visual indicators such as circling birds, I can narrow my search. You will frequently see species mixing with each other and rounding up the prey. So, I’m not terribly surprised there could be marlin, though more regularly it’s giant trevally or cobia lurking in mixed schools. Being prepared for decent hook-ups is always a good idea in this area. No noodle rods allowed among this type of activity. Just keep your eyes and mind open – it can mean a fish of a lifetime among some of the more common species... if you are prepared and ready to accept what’s in front of you.

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Seventeen Seventy offshore raid Greg Shaw was stoked with this gold spot cod.

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ITH the forecast showing a good weather window for Seventeen Seventy over the full moon in January, Jeff Sorrell decided it was the ideal time for the first trip of the new year. A quick phone call to club member Steve Watson soon had a crew put together, with Steve Barber being the third to take up the offer. Arriving at the ramp shortly after midday, they had the boat prepared and were in the water and underway in no time. Their first fishing spot was in 50m, where Jeff had caught some good fish in the past. First bait in the water had him hooked up to a decent fish and with the head shakes they’d called it for a tuskfish. With the fish halfway up, the all too familiar weight came on the line and Jeff knew he’d been taxed – not the best start to the trip. Subsequent bait saw a

Power Boat Anglers by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

couple of smaller fish make it to the boat but any sizable fish were grabbed within a few meters of being lifted off the bottom. They kept moving around hoping to find a spot with no shark activity, though unfortunately the crew found them everywhere and very aggressive at that. Jeff moved the boat to sit over an isolated patch of rock where he’d caught a few nice red emperor on previous trips and both Steves were keen to put a red on board if possible. The sounder showed they were home, but it also showed that sharks were in attendance. By the time the sun had set, they’d hooked four good reds, however none had made it to the surface, so they called it a day and headed for the Fitzroy Reef Lagoon.

It was a fairly windy night in the lagoon with a bit of chop on the water the next morning, and this combined with the swell coming from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth made for a steady run out to where they intended to fish. A lot of moving was required during the morning because each spot tried saw one or two fish coming when the tax men arrived to take any decent fish hooked. It’s always frustrating knowing that there are some great fish biting but slim chances of getting them to the boat. After lunch, the crew moved south to a deeper spot that has a very flat rubble bottom with lots of wire weed. The sounder showed good fish life but most importantly, none of the dreaded red slashes sitting above the fish.

* continued P55

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Seventeen Seventy offshore raid * from P54

This allowed the fishos to enjoy a few hours of great fishing without a single loss to sharks. On the first drift, Steve W managed two nice pearl perch, with the biggest in the 60cm range. Jeff put a 69cm red in the box and Steve B also managed a couple of nice fish, despite being a bit under the weather due to the sea conditions. By late afternoon, they’d boxed around 20 decent fish and, with the fishing slowing down, it was then time to chase redthroat emperor. That move saw another half dozen keepers in the box before they headed back to the lagoon for a beverage or two, a hot feed and a good night’s rest. The final morning saw the fishos back inside the reef and spending time looking at a few spots before heading to their ‘Bobby Redfish’ mark. There were some very good shows of fish through this area, so a few drifts were set up which resulted in some nice tuskfish and a brown maori cod making their way into the Esky. Steve W then hooked a big fish and, not long after getting it off the bottom, the familiar locking up of the rod signalled sharks were back in force. He got the fish away from the shark only to have it grabbed two more times on the way to the surface, with an angry 2.5m whaler chasing the remnants right to the boat, leaving him with a head of www.bnbfishing.com.au

what would have been a 4-5kg barcheek coral trout. Over the next hour, they lost any fish that couldn’t be winched straight to the boat. The final straw came when a small honeycomb cod fell off the shot release device and floated back behind the boat – it was taken off the surface by a whaler before they could get the net under it. Shortly after they landed an undersized red that had another shark sniffing its tail on the way up. It was released only to swim a few meters down before turning and trying to swim away from a rapidly closing shark. It was fairly obvious that it didn’t make it back to the bottom and at that point the anglers made the decision to call it and to head for the ramp. The final tally for the trip was 39 fish in the ice box which, considering how many good fish were lost to sharks, was a very good result. Now the crew are back to watching the forecast, cursing the wind and rain and hoping the next trip comes around quickly. Sil’s Mackay trip Sil and family headed north shortly after Boxing Day for a venture around the Mackay area. Leaving from Seaforth on the first day in 15 knots, they started fishing around the Brampton and Carlisle islands area and worked their way west, before a complete glass out around lunch. The bottom structure was different to

read compared to their regular fishing haunts back down south, finding mostly undersized trout, and redthroat and red emperor. On the upside, they did manage a few coral trout over 45cm, several trevally and a nice cod caught on a plastic by Sil’s brother-in-law Greg Shaw. Day two, they headed towards Ingot Islets and found a couple of curious squid that were caught and kept alive for later deployment. The morning was mixed with small cod and heaps of undersized trout on the incoming tide. After the tide changed, the fishing improved with trout to about 5kg coming aboard. After waiting for ExTropical Cyclone Seth to pass, they fished the same areas and again landed decent trout. Whitehaven was next for a day trip, as well as visiting the areas around Hamilton Island and a quick swim at South Molle Island. The final destination was Kinchant Dam for a little barramundi fishing and the obligatory tubing with the kids. All are hoping to come back in cooler months for their next trip. Upcoming meetings The next meetings for 2022 are Wednesday March 2 and Wednesday April 6. Please note that the meetings occur on the first Wednesday of every month at ‘The Club Manly’ (bowls club), 26 Faine St Manly from 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start. Until next month, safe boating.

Sil scored this decent coral trout.

Guess who caught a squid?

Sil took a nice juvenile wrasse. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 55

Plenty of juvenile black jewfish are among the fingermark. This one took a shine to a Zerek Fish Trap.

March madness on Cap Coast Just remember to be crocodile-wise when on the water. This slide was found not far from a popular boat ramp.

Big quality bucks are thick at the moment.

Fun sized threadfin can be a proper handful when fishing light.

There have been some big nannygai getting around recently. Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

F you were going to pick a good month to visit the Capricorn Coast, March is a great time of year. Days are starting to cool down and nights are becoming crisp and comfortable. These conditions are perfect for organising a camping weekend to one of the many stunning places here. Humpy Island is one of the best boating and camping spots available. It is situated on the southern end of Great Keppel Island and there’s a great campground, with toilet and shower facilities available. Search ‘book Humpy Island’ on the web and you’ll find the link to secure your camp site. A few people I know have stayed at Considine Beach on North Keppel, which offers similar facilities, is quite a nice area and looks a million bucks. But be warned, there are mangroves not too far away and the sandflies are bad – to the point it has ruined a holiday – so, keep that in mind.

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

Now, to what’s been happening locally. Mud crabs are still a hot topic. I’d say that in the past three weeks, they have really ramped up, which is great to see. Port Alma would have to be the most reliable of the reports I’ve received. Most of the muddies captured have been big and full. Mangrove jack have been quite common in places such as Causeway Lake and Ross Creek. As yet, I haven’t seen any big models, with mid-40cm size being the norm. Most jack have been taking smaller live mullet in the 3-4” size and for the lure addicts, small paddle tails around the same length are getting rewards. Fingermark have shown up in good numbers recently, with many juveniles among the larger fish. Nathan Johnson – who is the red hot

guide at Guided Fishing DownUnder – has been putting his clients onto quality fingermark in the Port Alma area. Some of the creek variety have pushed over 70cm, which are absolute donkeys. And remember, if you do get onto a good patch of fingermark, only take what you need because they are very slow growing. Barramundi captures are coming thick and fast at the moment too. It will be interesting to see if March is big barra time again because this time last year the amount of barra caught over 120cm was impressive. We do have similar conditions, so let’s see if we can replicate it. Threadfin salmon have been schooling up well on smaller tides. And looking for cleaner water in the creek mouths has been the key to success. They definitely don’t like to school up tight

* continued P58

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WWW.WILSONFISHING.COM Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 57

Bunker Group day tripping

The crew caught red emperor but the bigger models eluded them.

One of the biggest venus tuskfish you’ll see.

FTER a busy twelve months spent on land, a late summer 5-10 knot forecast coinciding with my visit to Burnett Heads was very welcomed. The countless Facebook ‘memories’ that continually pop onto my newsfeed were a good reminder that first, the years are flying by and second, we used to catch a few good fish in our day! It was good to get the band back together and head offshore to fish the hunting grounds of the northern Bunker Group. It’s been a frantic few years of work, family, COVID (of course) as well as a few injuries, which meant catching up has been rare – let alone heading offshore to chase a few fish. Anyway, the stars aligned and off we went, all in high spirits for a day trip in very good conditions.

Fishing Tips by CHRIS RAIMONDI

The plan was to fish wide in depths of around 50m, chasing red emperor and other reef fish with big bait, plastics and vibes. As for most offshore anglers in Queensland, red emperor are the holy grail for us, and the challenge of locating, hooking and landing these fish is an addictive one. Conditions were good, with a light wind and relatively small tides for the area. Tidal movement is important given big tides can often mean strong currents offshore, making fishing isolated rocks almost impossible. And an early morning departure on first light and quite a long trip out to the reef meant we probably missed a cou-

ple of hours of prime bite period, but the moon remained overhead until late in the morning and the fishing early on was hot. A couple of grass sweetlip and parrotfish hit the Esky straight up before Smithy and I both hooked a couple of better fish. A pair of nice largemouth nannygai hit the surface shortly afterwards and we had hopes of a few more given they tend to school up. While it wasn’t to be on the nannies, the action was steady. Lots of smaller red emperor were landed, with a couple exceeding the magic 55cm mark and making their way into the Esky. In terms of eating quality, there are few * continued P60

March madness on Capricorn Coast * from P56

when the water is murky. If they are spread out, it only makes them harder to target – you’re pretty much casting at single fish. What you want is to find a nice tight stationary school with good water clarity and stable conditions. Generally, if you find threadies schooled up tight, it’s not long before you get a bite out of them. The secret is to keep your lures or bait on their noses. If you get 10 good

casts at a school with an artificial and you don’t get a hook-up or hit, then keep changing. Cycle through those lures until you find something they’re interested in. I was sitting on a big school of king not that long ago and they were being very difficult and wouldn’t eat any of the reliable lures that have served me well in the past. After what felt like a hundred lure changes, I finally got a bite when I sent down a small metal vibe with

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

a tailspinner attached. One bite and one thready before the school moved on. It was better than no bites, I can assure you. Geat reports are still coming in from offshore. Most of the charter companies working the 40-80km ground have been getting into solid nannygai, red emperor and goldband jobfish. Currently, the better fish seem to be coming from the fern patches for some reason. If you can locate and jig up some yellowtail

scad, then you would swing the odds of success in your favour that little bit more. Don’t forget – fresh is best and you can’t get any fresher than a live yakka. For the die-hard mackerel fishos, there have been a few brute spanish mackerel still being caught around the close in islands. Anglers who have been able to get their hands on wolf herring would be doing the best. Good old fashioned trolled hard-body lures have been catch-

ing their fair share of mackies as well. Halco Laser Pros and Crazy Deeps are a couple of reliable choices, with the Rapala X-Rap being the real stand out. ‘ I ran out of time to get the results from the Shimano King of Kings competition in for this month, so make sure you tune in next month to find out all the hot gossip and who the champions were. That’s it from me this month, so have fun out on the water and I'll catch you soon. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 59

A lovely blue maori cod.

Micka added to the variety with this cod.

Bunker Group day tripping * from P58

Smithy opened the account with a nice nannygai.

The author’s lovely coronation trout.

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FREE Hop on to bnbfishing.com.au Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

better than school-size reds in that 4-7kg range and, given we were targeting them, it was encouraging to see even a few smaller models show up. Bait wise – we were using a mix of large flesh bait. Mullet, squid, pike, as well as fresh trevally and hussar fillets that were caught during the session. Rig wise – it’s quite simple when you’re fishing for red emperor and other bottom dwelling reefies – get your bait to the bottom and keep it there using as light a sinker as possible. Hook wise – a pair of snelled BKK 10/0s will do the trick, or a set of three gang Mustad Big Guns. Hussar are your typical by-catch and the bigger ones taste good in their own right, but they’re also a very good natural bait for reds. We chipped away for most of the morning in fairly good conditions. The prized bigger red emperor eluded us but we did manage some more legal fish, with a

7kg model the best of them. The variety of the Bunker Group was certainly on display with almost a dozen species caught on the same patch of reef. As well as the species already mentioned, we added moses perch, cobia, spangled emperor, blue maori cod, snapper, redthroat emperor, gold spot estuary cod and a tomato rockcod. The fish of the morning was no doubt Jarrod’s big venus tuskfish, which ended up weighing 4.85kgs. That’s a prize fish for its species, which differs from the bigger blue bone tuskfish that you see caught by fly fishers on the flats or in bay areas on crabs. The middle of the day, into the afternoon and evening proved tough. We searched for isolated rocks and structure and found plenty of good ground holding some nice fish. A heap more undersized red emperor were caught, as well as a couple of legal ones, but none in the size bracket we were hoping for.

The afternoon and evening weren’t without excitement though, with another quality blue maori coming aboard, as well as a cracking coronation trout. Regular packs of mahi mahi, or dolphinfish, were sighted boat side, though none were interested in a well-presented soft plastic or vibe – which is slightly unusual. The late afternoon and early evening period saw some better quality hussar turn up and a nice mangrove jack, caught float lining on dark. All in all, it was an unbelievable day offshore in one of my favourite locations. With 15 different species landed, we were fortunate to catch more variety than some areas of Australia can even offer. And something that must not be overlooked is that southeast and central Queenslanders have some of the best fishing on the planet on our doorstep. Here’s to a year where we can all get out more and enjoy it!

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Zerek Flat Shad X Jig Head Rigged

REVOLUTION rarely comes twice in the one lure, but the Zerek Flat Shad X revolutionises the revolutionary Flat Shad. At the heart of the Flat Shad X is the patented belly slits that allow the plastic to easily compress in any direction, exposing the hook to ensure solid hook-ups. But the X takes the revolution to another level. The jig head rigged Flat Shad X incorporates a Kevlar webbed tail that is segmented to provide incredible movement from the boot tail. This creates a rolling action as well as a beautiful undulating tail that fish can’t help but attack when retrieved at the slowest of speeds. In the two larger sizes 145mm and 170mm, the exposed jig head hook sits proud on top, while a supplied stinger hook is fitted under the belly of the lure. But it doesn’t end there. There is also a further stinger attachment eyelet above the eye of the lure on the head, behind the towing eyelet. This allows anglers to place a treble up on top on weedy or snaggy country and swap out the bottom stinger for a flashy blade or similar. The two smallest 90mm and 130mm

Flat Shad X feature an internal jig head with a stinger attachment hidden in the collapsible belly area, with the 130mm sporting an additional stinger attachment above the eye as per the 145mm and 170mm models. Available in 11 colours that include natural patterns and attractor colours, the jig head rigged Flat Shad X will be available in 90mm 8g, 130mm 28g, 145mm 60g and 170mm 73g options. The jig head rigged Flat Shad X really does provide unlimited rigging and fishing options and is a genuine revolution in the Flat Shad range. Visit wilsonfishing.com

McArthy Jerk Minnow

AUSTRALIAN anglers love jerk minnows and the McArthy Jerk Minnow is a proven performer on species such as flathead, snapper, mulloway and pelagics. Initially available in three sizes, a 5”, 7” and 8” version, the McArthy Jerk Minnow combines a classic baitfish profile with a forked tail that stabilises the plastic in the water while providing a ‘life-like’ appearance as the lure is worked. Hand poured, as for all McArthy plastics, the Jerk Minnows are ideally rigged on a jig head where the angler can impart a darting action to the lure. Short sharp rips of the rod tip give the Jerk Minnows a fleeing baitfish action that many species can’t ignore. Snapper, bream, flathead, trout, Australian bass, kingfish, tuna, salmon and tailor will all slam these lures hard, fully convinced they are a baitfish. Colour options are almost endless, however the initial run in Australia will see 10 Aussie favourites come into the range. Customised colours are always an option and it’s great to know you can get the colour that perfectly suits your target species or region. Visit wilsonfishing.com

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 61

Encouraging kids on the water

The author and a decent mangrove jack.

Maeve’s smile indicated her excitement at catching this jungle perch.

HAD the pleasure of taking a good friend and his daughter out on the water recently, and it brought back a few old memories, and we made some wonderful new ones. Tony and Maeve are long-suffering residents of Melbourne and as such have had to endure endless lockdowns and home schooling for the past few years. With the borders open, it didn’t take long for them to invite themselves north to Queensland for a welcome break. Tony’s younger daughter Maeve was keen to come out for a look and, as she didn’t take up too much room, it was hard to knock her back. It is always a bit of a gamble when taking young children out for a full day of fishing – with limited attention spans for the most part, you run the risk of getting the question, ‘When are we going home?’ shortly after leaving the boat ramp. So, with the advent of

Fishing Cairns by BRETT PARKS

some wet season rain a few days before we set off on our trip up the river, we were looking forward to whatever unfolded. The fishing was a bit tough to begin with and both Tony and I were seeing the occasional fish, but we were hooking up even less. However, they were about in numbers enough to keep us interested and put a few on the deck. It wasn’t long before the trip up the river – Maeve’s favourite part of the trip so far – had faded from memory and Maeve decided she’d like to try to catch a fish. Now I know as a dad,

teaching your children to fish is one of those opportunities that comes around only once in a lifetime, but Tony kept casting and poor Maeve was left to her own devices. She asked again and I couldn’t hold out any longer, so I passed her my rod and proceeded to guide her through the process. Her technique was scratchy at first but improved over time and, as with most beginners, she’d alternate between having a good cast and then a shocker. As she struggled to get her lure in the strike zone, I’d put in a cast * continued P64

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www.tohatsu.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 63

Wild wet season

Heading out on a glassy sea for a day on the reef.

Finding a suitable window during the Cape’s wet season can have its hazards but that’s part of the experience, nothing a chainsaw and snatch strap can’t usually fix!

HEN I first came to live on the Cape over 30 years ago, the seasons definitely seemed to be more predictable. While the actual times of the start and end of the wet did vary from year to year, the sequence of events that marked the transitions were much more defined. As the dry season trade wind dropped off and the light wind and humidity of the doldrums took their place, the storms gradually built up over six weeks or so before the big rainfalls commenced. That time frame was usually between October and December, though it could extend into January in drier years. Then, there was the start of the dry – an event that could happen virtually overnight and anywhere between late March and early May. There was one surefire sign that the potentially daily rain was

Cape York by DAVE DONALD

at an end – the arrival of hundreds of dragonflies! They were definitely a harbinger of the arrival of our southeasterly balmy winter days – along with, of course, tourists. Somewhere over the past decade or so, the lines between the seasons have become blurred – the once clearly recognisable indicators are no longer so clear. There were a couple of years when even the ever-reliable dragonflies were deceived! Back in 2019, they swarmed in early April, only for rain from Tropical Cyclone Ann to cut the Peninsula Development Rd in early May. A second hatching followed but it was spasmodic to say the least. Turned out, we human residents weren’t

the only ones confused by the late burst of wet weather. Another variable – that seems to have become more pronounced with the insidious onset of global warming – is the increasingly fragmented distribution of rainfall during wet seasons over northern Australia. Some years, the Northern Territory will cop the bulk of the downpours while the east and west coasts receive much less – and vice-versa. This year, the anomaly has become more locally focussed, with the western or Gulf of Carpentaria coast receiving good rain through late November, December and January, while its eastern side remained unusually dry. While the PDR closed a couple of times in January south of the * continued P66

Encouraging kids on the water * from P62

Tony and Maeve enjoyed morning tea. Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

then hand her the rod to reel the lure in. This method eventually had her reeling in her first fish on a lure. I sure hope she remembers that moment for a long time because I know I will never forget it. It was timely reminder for me that it is incumbent on all of us to

show the young ones the ropes. Some of my most vivid memories as a child are of walking creeks catching trout with my father. It doesn’t always work and only two of my three kids enjoy fishing, but if it does take, they will have a lifetime of special memories.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 65

This lovely spanish mackerel grabbed a Reidy’s The Judge trolled at a reef opening. Motor and Robyn enjoyed this break from snorkelling to land a heap of shark mackerel as well.

Wild wet season on Cape York

* from P64

Jay speared this ripper green jobfish along the edge of an outer reef. The crew enjoyed its tasty fillets at dinner that evening.

Well, that’s entrée sorted! Kaidyn with a beautifully marked crayfish from a big coral bommie. Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Archer River, the road to the Lockhart River remained open from Weipa for almost that entire month. To fishers living in more civilised areas, heavy rain and flooding might restrict activities for a few days to a week or so but here in the remote north, road access to even close areas can be cut off for months. Monitoring where the rain actually falls and the state of river crossings tends to be a daily ritual to those looking to get out of town for a few days. It doesn’t pay to get stuck because in the worst-case scenario it can mean abandoning your vehicle for a couple of months. But the benefits of the careful perusal of sites such as bom.gov.au

and having on-ground contacts can occasionally identify a weather window, when the right conditions all line up. Having a flexible calendar is essential because once an opportunity arises, it’s pack the duffel, swag and fishing tackle, plug in the Engel and hit the road. Recovery gear and other remote travel necessities are permanent kit for Cape four-wheeldrives. Fortunately, all the ‘weather’ stars lined up for me in January – not normally the ideal time to make the crossing from Weipa to Portland Roads on the east coast. What might have been seen as a fairly risky venture was definitely based on sound intelligence and preparation. As with any Cape ex-

peditions, either in the wet or dry season, there is always the thrill of exploring this wonderful place I call home, more so when you’re pushing the seasonal boundaries. Any anxiety completely washes away when you’re swimming above the magnificent corals of the outer reef or madly pumping a big coral trout that has just grabbed your big soft plastic in 25m. There’s nothing else quite as soothing as enjoying a cold beverage while heading back to the coast on a glassy sea after a day spent enjoying this marine paradise. Capping that all off with freshly smoked fish wings and a crisp white is almost anticlimatic, but one definitely savoured.

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Final Torres Strait trip

FTER 12 years of living and working in the Torres Strait, a job opportunity came up at the end of 2021 and so my wife and I made the decision to move back to Bundaberg, to be closer to family. It was all very last minute, so the rush was on to pack up our lives, book everything with the barge company and of course sneak in one last fish. It is fair to say that over the years, we certainly didn’t hold back exploring and fishing as much as we could around Cape York and the Torres Strait, with many great memories and memorable catches. For the final trip, a couple of friends came up to Thursday Island and we headed east for a few days, as the doldrums had arrived and there was not a breath of wind. We took a friend’s 7m Haines Hunter with a new 300hp Suzuki for this sortie. With loads of extra fuel and camping gear, we were initially concerned with how much weight we were carrying. However, the dual propellers on the big 300hp punched the Haines straight out of the hole and we were on our way to a remote coral cay in glorious conditions. There were a few isolated storms about, but nothing was of concern over the three days, with conditions remaining glassy for most of the trip. On a couple of occasions, we ducked back into the shelter of the www.bnbfishing.com.au

Cape York & Torres Strait by MATT POTTER

cay, cooked up a feed, had a swim and waited for the storm to pass. This was fine by us as we were keen to have a break and take in the amazing location and crystal-clear waters. Over the three days, we planned to fish mostly rubbly shoals and a couple of wrecks in depths of between 25m and 35m. The goal each trip is to always try and find a couple of new marks while checking out a couple of old ones. We arrived at our base camp, unloaded our gear and headed straight back out. The fishing was red hot with large-mouth nannygai, fingermark, tuskfish, coral trout and spanish mackerel making their way into the Esky. Kale has been coming on these annual trips for a number of years and always has a list of fish he wants to catch… yes, no pressure. This time he was set on bagging a solid cobia. Like any good friend, it brought me great joy to catch one in front of him. I hooked a second cobia but, not surprisingly, Kale somehow managed to gaff the hook out of its mouth at the side of the boat, which the crew reminded him of for the rest of the trip. There were plenty of good vibes and banter getting around as we clocked up the miles searching for

ground and dropping on impressive sounder shows. We blew our chance at a trophy red emperor because the net was under a heap of gear in the cabin and, as Mark waited for what must have seemed like an eternity for one of us to net it, it pulled the hook and swam away. We fished on for the next couple of days using slabs of mackerel for bait on 80lb paternoster rigs with a 10/0 or 12/0 Mustad Big Gun hook, which was certainly doing the damage with some nice fish coming over the side. The fishos were keen to change it up and do a bit of micro jigging but it was difficult to get past the huge schools of golden and brassy trevally. The fish seemed to fire up more on the mornings that had a bit of current, with the afternoons being a bit tougher without much run. * continued P68

Kale Faull with a nice fingermark.

Mark Harper with a solid trout.

The crystal-clear water of the Torres Strait. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 67

The crew with quality eating reef fish.

Final Torres Strait trip * from P67

A double of jewfish and nannygai.

The author’s nephew with a solid buck from the Kolan River. Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Again, this suited us because we were at our base camp kicking back with a beverage around the fire as the sun began to set. It had been an epic three days and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. On the way home, we hit an old mark I’d found some years before when chasing a school of tuna. It was a shallower shoal of 16m and loaded with large-mouth nannygai. With the current pumping, it was difficult to get a decent drift happening, so we decided to anchor ahead of the mark. This paid off and the fish were hungry – hitting our bait before we could flick over the bail arm. This day felt like extra-hard work as our bodies were aching by this stage. With a big clean-up

ahead and feeling satisfied with my last Torres Strait adventure, we pulled anchor, left the nannygai biting and headed back to Thursday Island. Another exceptional trip in an amazing part of the world. Fast forward a few months from that trip and plenty of wind and rain were about in the Bundaberg region, which was fine as my time was spent doing long overdue trailer maintenance and upgrading some of the electronics on the boat. With a lot of fresh around, I’ve had a little luck chasing mud crabs in the deeper channels and holes in the Kolan and Burnett systems. As for offshore fishing, well… it’s back to square one again. I’m certainly keen to start heading wide of Bundaberg to explore the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

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TRADING POST ARVOR 625 SPORTSFISH – new model due April 2022. Class leading 150Hp Mercury 4S, Redco Sportsman RE190T-EH trailer, Enclosed wheelhouse, Self-draining decks, Large V berth, 30L draw fridge, Offshore safety gear, Electric anchor winch, Dual batteries, LB tank, Deck wash, UF kill tanks and so many more fishing and family friendly features. Check out the new model. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 OCEANIC TSL3.4-13 BOAT TRAILER – Just listed. Near new condition. Suit aluminium tinnies or a rigid hull inflatable from 3.2m to 3.7m. Includes spare wheel and Qld rego transfer. Rego exp. Dec 2022. $1,850. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322 NEW REDCO SPORTSMAN RS610TMO – In stock. A brilliant design for aluminium mono hulls from 5.8m to 6.1m, making drive on and off a simple affair, and we have added a walkway and a matching spare alloy wheel for additional safety at the ramp and on road. $7,288. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 QUALITY TRAILER BOATS WANTED – Make selling your late model boat, simple and hassle free through John Crawford Marine. The market is strong and JCM is paying top dollar for quality boats. No gimmicks, personalised service with our trusted team. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322 www.bnbfishing.com.au

SMARTWAVE 4200 CENTRE CONSOLE – Near new, powered by Mercury 50hp 50CT with only 20 hours on the clock. Foam-filled plastic hull absorbs water noise and gives a smooth, safe and remarkably quiet ride. Ice box doubles as a seat for two, with passenger seating in the bow and stern. Plenty of room, despite modest size. With small boarding step moulded into the hull either side of the motor and a stainless-steel boarding ladder on the port side. A great safe family fishing boat and with plenty of registration remaining, it’s well worth a look. $23,990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats. com.au 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

HAINES SIGNATURE S493 – The S493 can easily be launched by one person and is perfect for day trips exploring waterways but can still pull the kids on a tube or comfortably handle the rough for when fishing trips offshore come begging. This boat is in terrific condition and first to see will buy! $45,990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au AQUAMASTER 420 RUNABOUT – This runabout is a cool little boat that can provide loads of fun for family and friends. From with the kids up the dam to chucking a few pots in the creek, cruising the bays or fishing with your family and friends. Can be easily towed behind your car and be manoeuvred single-handed on the boat ramp. It’s also easy to store or garage. A boat the whole family can get on board with! $24,990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 69

The barramundi my seven-year old twin son caught and landed while fishing on the Calliope River in Queensland last year. Dani Fray

Damien with a beaut Tweed Valley bass. Gavin Dobson

A personal best giant trevally landed on a recent trip to Hervey Bay. Caught on a 7” Z-Man Jerk Shadz in Bubble Gum. Awesome fighting! Derek Durocher

A personal best snapper landed off the bait grounds outside Brunswick Heads. Was trolling a slimy for spanish mackerel and this brut hit it on the turn. Went 91cm and 8kg. Phil Benjamin

Brothers Nik and Xander Kabakoff with their catches taken from Rainbow Beach. Jules Kabakoff

To have a photo of your catch featured in Readers’ Forum, simply email ads@collins.media with a good-quality picture, your name and details or hop onto our Facebook page and send us a message. Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

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TOURING & exploring Ironman 4x4 LED area light

LLUMINATE your nights with the Ironman 4×4 Area Light Kit providing easy, adjustable light for open areas. Ideal for camping, fishing, recreation and large outdoor spaces, the bright chip-onboard technology LED light produces 3500LM and can be extended up to 3m. With adjustable fixtures, the light can be angled to the most needed areas, while the ground stake and 5m power cable allow the light to be relocated when necessary. Featuring waterproof connections to the light panel, the area light can be used in most weather conditions. The wireless remote allows full control from the comfort of a camp chair. Lightweight and compact, the kit comes with a small carry bag, and is easy to transport and store when not in use. efficient • Energy chip-on-board LED technology • 3500LM output, www.bnbfishing.com.au

ideal for a campsite or open area • Wireless remotecontrol operation • Adjustable light direction • Anodised heightadjustable twist-lock aluminium pole • 12V DC operation with power cable and automotive cigarette lighter fitting • Metal ground stake to keep the light secure in most conditions. Available in store and online. Visit lifestyle4x4. com.au

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Roasted Pumpkin Beetroot and Feta Salad on a baking tray and cook in oven. Toss occasionally. Cook until golden and tender.

Ingredients •4 50g can of whole baby beets • 1kg pumpkin • 120g baby spinach • 1/2 red onion finely sliced • 50g feta • Roasted sesame dressing Method 1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line tray with baking paper. Peel pumpkin, roughly chop into 2cm portions. Lightly coat with olive oil and season with salt. Spread out

2. Drain juice from baby beets. Cut larger beets in half and leave small ones whole. Place on baking tray in oven and brown. 3. Allow pumpkin and baby beets to slightly cool. Place baby spinach on a serving plate. Scatter pumpkin, beetroot and red onion on top. Crumble with feta and drizzle with roasted sesame dressing to serve.

Prep time: 10 min | Cooking time: 25 min | Serves 8 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 71

TOURING & exploring

Loving Milo Loop Road

The author’s Land Cruiser 80 Series on the Milo Loop Rd.

Alloy tray on the boat trailer.

I, with March not far away, what can we expect on the coast? Well, the nights should start to cool down and the days should not be quite as hot, though we could still get heaps of rain through March and through to Easter, then it should start to turn into the winter pattern. In March, lapwing birds – also known as plovers – start to gather in big mobs together, a subtle sign that signals there’s a change of season coming. For Noosa offshore, the fishing should be great on the Sunshine Coast for trout, grass sweetlip and tuskfish. I have thought about going but haven’t had the mojo to jump the

A lovely little swimming hole on the Milo Loop Rd. Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Touring by CRAIG TOMKINSON

bar in my 5m tinnie – the days I thought about going the swell was pumping or was raining and blowing, so I haven’t been out. Another reason was because I took the boat off the boat trailer and fitted an alloy tray to the trailer so I could do a few tip runs with it – a few fridges and freezers were past their use-by dates. I will take the tray off and put the boat back on the trailer, but still won’t feel like going in my boat. However, if my friend Ryan asks, I’ll go with him in his 5.6m Shark Cat – they are built to do that type of run safely and, as I get older, I think about safety more and more. My wife Donna and I have only done one drive recently – we went up near Rainbow Beach and did the Milo Loop Rd. This four-wheel-drive only track has become one of our favourite drives. You do need a Cooloola Recreation Area vehicle access permit, which are available online. We left Cooroy at about 10am and headed through Kin Kin and Wolvi, then towards Rainbow. Once there, I put the hubs in and dropped

the tyres to 18psi – this lowers the chance of getting bogged and looks after the sandy track by not digging it up. The track follows the old forestry snigging tracks and is very well maintained, and the birdlife, insects, plants together with creeks and a little lake make it a lovely drive. It took us about three to three and a half hours to drive around the 40km track. Other than that, I’m in school holiday and northern sortie mode through March and April – slowly working on my gear in between downpours. I have my roof racks ready for the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 series and have fitted some poly bits to help load the rack. The 80 needs a new set of fan belts, with things checked and oils changed before the next big trip. We may be going on a trip out Roma way, so I’ll work on the 80 and Jayco wind-up van to make sure things are ready to go. After we do the 11day trip out west, I’ll be home for a week or so and work out whether to go to Nhulunbuy or Weipa. Until next month, be safe out there.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 73

C ARAVANNING & adventure

Safe travel through Gulf country

Sizeable road trains frequently travel the skinny roadways.

On one of our morning ritual vehicle checks we discovered damage to the caravan tyre wall.

The highway travels through unfenced areas, so beware and stay aware. Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

I all, the Gulf country of northwestern Queensland is a vast area of isolated stations, towns and diverse landscapes. It has the ability to sneak up on the unwary and give you a swift kick in the behind if you’re not careful, but a bit of common sense and awareness can keep your family safe while enjoying a visit to this region. One of the great journeys is to cross the Gulf by using the Savannah Way. We left Innisfail and made our way up the steep climb to the Atherton Tablelands and continued through to the Innot Hot Springs. You do need to stop here and take the short walk to the water and enjoy the naturally heated geothermic springs. In some places the water temperature is a hot 75C, so test it with your toe before plunging in. On this trip we passed through Mount Garnet, Mount Surprise, Georgetown, Croydon to Normanton, so this is the area I’ll be talking about. We took a leisurely drive through this country and camped at a number of free designated areas and gravel pits beside the highway. The road here at times is a single lane strip of bitumen that suddenly turns in to a gravel dirt section and back to bitumen, so altering your driving style between the varying surfaces should always be on the driver’s mind. You’ll notice the pic-

Caravanning by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

ture on a sign that is quite prevalent along this stretch of highway and is one of the main reasons to drive while scanning well ahead to avoid the need for emergency braking. I’ve had occasions where I used distance to wash off any speed and used the brake as little as possible and still had the caravan and vehicle loose traction in the loose gravel. Knowing this and driving to conditions will help you keep your journey as safe as possible. One hazard you will encounter on this stretch of highway is the road trains that are sometimes fully loaded with livestock. My tip is, if you see these large vehicles approaching on that single strip of bitumen, get well off to the side and let them keep all their wheels on the black stuff. This will also help to lessen your windscreen damage. It’s almost unavoidable when travelling our outback to totally avoid stone chips and cracks to glass, so it’s well worth carrying the small round stickers that windscreen suppliers often give to customers – they are like gold and I always have a few sheets in the glovebox. They help to stop stone chips developing into a massive crack across your windscreen and re-

stricting your vision. Keep an eye on all signage supplied by councils, especially on the gravel backroads. Due to the flat flood plains, you will encounter concrete dips that help disperse run-off. Some of these are quite aggressive in angle and when hit at speed can have devastating consequences, particularly when towing a caravan. The last thing you want is to suddenly find yourself braking hard at an approaching dip or a very narrow cattle grid with heavy steel rails. Seriously, at the end of the day, who cares about losing a few kilometres or minutes if everyone arrives safe and well? One suggestion out in this area is to always carry water and extra fuel. You can plan your trip and do your homework – think further than ‘towing this caravan, I have 600km before I need fuel’. I’ve had days when calculations were worthless when driving into a galeforce wind on the plains. I’ve seen that 600km range reduced to more than half and to under 300km of travel. If you don’t have a deadline, pull over and sit out the wind as it can leave you frustrated and stranded like a shag on a rock. Last tip… I strongly suggest that while

* continued P75

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C ARAVANNING & adventure

Safe travel through Gulf country * from P74

you’re travelling, do a morning check and walk around of your vehicle and trailer before leaving camp. Keep that windscreen washer reservoir topped up and always check tire pressures and the conditions of the tire walls. The rocks on gravel roads are like razor blades and can cut deep into your tire walls. We tow a weighty 17’6” off-road single-axle caravan and you can see in the picture where one of those rocks penetrated through the tyre

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wall and created a slow leak. By checking in the morning walk around ritual, we were able to avoid a mishap that could have affected us continuing our journey safely. Even looking at the best outcome of the above scenario, I would rather change a tyre in the cool of the morning under a tree than noon in the middle of nowhere in the harshest of conditions. I must say travelling the Savannah Way was a ball of fun and with a little caution we could

relax and really enjoy the trip. And it is one of the greatest of places to visit, with the Undara Lava Tubes, up to Karumba and all the towns along the way. Beware though, I’ve seen too many people incur incidents that resulted in long-held dreams being shattered through stress or injury and that with a little thought, could have easily been avoided. Do yourself a favour and get out there and do it… but take the time to do it safely.

Typical strip of bitumen on the Savannah Way.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 75

C ARAVANNING & adventure

The recent rain meant the water was flowing nicely at Big Crystal Creek rockslides.

Mini Qld lap – Big Crystal Creek

G Cardwell has a number of interesting places to visit.

Despite the cool conditions the kids were keen to check out the Cardwell Spa Pools. Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

ETTING away from the rat race and exploring our amazing country is awesome. You seem to put the stresses of normal dayto-day life in the background and focus on what each day holds. Unfortunately, when you finally point the car and van in the direction of home, the realisation that the way of life you’ve been enjoying for however long you’ve been away for is going to change. Despite this, we were still keen to check out random spots on the way back down the east coast. Having travelled this road many times, I thought I’d seen a lot of it already. However, the reality was that I’d mainly been going only from Brisbane to a set desti-

Exploring Queensland - Part 7 by BEN COLLINS

nation and back again, and not actually seeing anything on the way. In the planning stages, we started to look a little more closely at what the east coast had to offer in terms of places we wanted to visit. And the more we looked, the more we found. As we were bound to a four-week time frame, we cherry-picked a few spots that we thought would provide us with our tourist fix. Given this was more of a family trip than a fishing sortie, our time in Cardwell was limited to breakfast in the main drag… while overlooking the waterway to Hinchinbrook, which was an awesome view.

We also ducked out to the Cardwell Spa Pools – a magical place, with the colour of the water a mystic blue. Cardwell had a great feel to it and is a place I’d like to get back to for a more thorough explore, especially with a boat in tow. The east coast is filled with little pockets worth investigating – maybe when I retire, I might have more time! One other destination that made the cut was Big Crystal Creek, situated about halfway between Ingham and Townsville. The road in from the highway is sealed with only the last section dirt, and though a lit-

* continued P77

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C ARAVANNING & adventure

Mini Qld lap – Big Crystal Creek * from P76

tle wet, it was in good condition. One positive to the rain was that there was no dust, however the road was a little slippery and had soft wet edges, so caution was needed when passing an oncoming vehicle. At Big Crystal Creek, you can either day trip or camp as we did. The camp site was well maintained with non-potable water available, which we used for showering and washing up. Toilets and cold-water showers were at the campground. Thankfully, the JB Scorpion has both gas and electric hot water, so we have plenty of creature comforts even when off-grid. Plus, the three separate 90-litre water tanks mean you can keep your drinking water separate from the other water, and it’s all managed through digital gauges and valves on the pump. Generally, if we had

sun and water, we were fine, especially with a 300Ah lithium battery. Even though it was a little cool and had been raining, the kids and I were keen to get to the water hole. A short stroll from the camp site, you’re greeted with a magnificent flowing stream. There is nothing better than a dip in a freshwater stream to reinvigorate yourself after a day behind the wheel. After checking out the water depth and current flow, the kids had a ball jumping off one of the little rock ledges. Once all refreshed, it was time to get the fire going and ponder on the next day’s adventures. Note that you will need to bring your own firewood, as it is a national park – you’ll also need get to a permit to stay there. All the camp sites are generous in size and it was easy to drive around to have a look at the camping area to pick out a prime location.

One of the spas with it’s incredible blue water. www.bnbfishing.com.au

The next morning, we ventured a little further down the road to another swimming hole with a waterfall and rockslides into a rock pool. However, due to the rain and the amount of water travelling over the rocks, we didn’t let the kids on the slides. They did get to have a dip in the pool below the waterfall though. Due to our schedule, the morning dip was quick, but you could easily spend hours in this pristine place, listening to the crystalclear water rush over the rocks. When we were travelling, Townsville was a hotspot for COVID, so we bypassed it and made our way to our next destination… Airlee Beach. We stayed here for a few days at Greta’s aunty and uncle’s place to recharge the batteries before the final trip home – via Cape Hillsborough and Rockhampton – which I’ll cover in the final article next month.

A morning dip at the rockslides before hitting the road south.

Wet weather meant dust was not an issue.

The kids enjoyed jumping off the rock ledge at Big Crystal Creek. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 77

Trolling for quality golden perch

Big lures can occasionally attract a better class of golden perch. This one took a 180mm cod lure trolled along the rocky point in the background.

Rosemary is a fan of brightly coloured lures and scored with her 80mm Boomerang in Tropical Frog colour.

EING a dedicated freshwater angler, one of my favourite pastimes is chasing the golden perch residing in many of our stocked impoundments. Specifically, looking for fish over 2kg. The first step in our quest for goldens is to select a location. Not all impoundments will suit our needs. As an example, Leslie Dam near Warwick supports a very successful golden perch fishery, however specimens under 1kg are most common there. You’ll need an impoundment with a good population of bony bream and crayfish. Many fishing publications and local newspapers run a fish of the week or month column. It’s easy to take note of any lake that repeatedly yields big goldens. Once you have selected an impoundment close to home – and there are plenty to choose from, scattered throughout the eastern states – you’ll need to decide what time of year to begin your quest. Success rates climb with the temperature –

Kevin Clark, one of the designers of the original Downunder Boomerang lure, put his product to use to troll this excellent specimen up. Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

Fishing for Sport by NEIL SCHULTZ

from the early spring pre-spawn activity through into late summer. As the water temperature increases, so does the fish’s metabolism and it needs to feed more frequently. My preferred method for taking goldens is to troll deep running lures. Bait fishers do catch large goldens, but they also spend a lot of their fishing day catching smaller golden perch and other unwanted species. By sticking with big lures, you can to a large degree avoid the smaller models and almost totally avoid small bass, which can become quite a distraction. Another significant advantage of using big lures is the regularity with which cod are encountered. I am often asked which lures are my favourites for big goldens. If I were forced to pick only one, it would be the 80mm Boomerang – it having caught a lot of good fish for me over the past 40 years. It represents a happy medium by being large enough to scare off all but the most suicidal bass, yet not so big that it becomes uncomfortable to troll on medium tackle. On the subject of tackle, I recommend 3-6kg gear with a good high modulus graphite rod to make towing those deep running lures less fatiguing. I always use overhead

plug reels, though spin reels are fine if that’s your preferred style. Trolling speed should be as slow as you can travel and still have your lure throbbing away strongly. You’ll need a sounder of course, but there’s no need to mortgage the house for a super high definition whizz-bang unit with a screen the size of your TV. All you require is water depth and, depending on location, the means to avoid submerged weed beds. OK, it’s early summer, the barometer is hovering slightly below ‘bleeding from the ears’ and it’s warm and sunny, with enough of a northwesterly to put a ripple on the water. You have your favourite chartreuse ‘biglipped-deep-divin’-git down’ clipped to your new Zane Grey 4kg outfit and you’ve just launched the boat into 3000ha of water that all looks exactly the same. So, where do you start? It is common knowledge that goldens prefer to hang around snags, weed beds and rocks, and some of those are more likely to produce large goldens than others. Any piece of rock in a dam is prone to have a golden living nearby. If that rock forms a point and juts out into the main body of the lake, it’s even better. If it’s steep sided with access to deep water and some drowned * continued P79

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Never become complacent about pests in Australia

REETINGS fishos and I hope 2022 is not the year we see tilapia spread further. At least, let’s all aim for that. Well done and thank you to Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland for continuing to push the message that pest fish of all kinds are bad for our native fish and ecosystems. Don’t forget, while we all have a responsibility to continue to do the right thing, we have our political leaders out there looking for your vote later this year. Why not ask the candidates what they are going to do about degraded waterways, pests and other aquatic problems in our freshwater systems? Don’t let our politicians and civic fathers off the hook. Sure, COVID and public health is important, but without our natural systems to help

us grow and produce food and fibre, the human race will find it difficult to exist. Let them know the community values our unique natural systems. While we are letting our community leaders know we value our waterways, we need to stress that pests are exactly that. I may have already shared this, but it really gets up my nose how the community often perceive animals and their place in the ecosystem. Last year I came across a news story on the ABC News website describing a rather feel good description of two people from Melbourne and an introduced invasive pest bird species, a starling. If interested, here is the link – abc.net.au/ news/2021-09-02/takithebird/100388062 Unfortunately, there was no message about how the starling has impacted Australia’s

native birdlife as a nest site invader and how starlings can impact rural fruit crops. As a community we can’t afford to become complacent about our dwindling natural resources, let alone replace them with pests from elsewhere around the globe. The Murray Darling Basin Authority has had an education program

timber here and there, you’re onto a winner. The reason these locations produce is fairly simple. Very large goldens need to intake a fair amount of protein just to maintain condition, so their favourite food items are by necessity fairly large, with crayfish and bony bream making up the bulk of their diet. Those rocky banks often house quite a few crays and the bony bream are drawn in by both the algae growing www.bnbfishing.com.au

on the rocks and on the small invertebrates that inhabit these areas. When trolling these points, don’t try to follow the shoreline around. Troll along one side of the point and when you pass the end, keep a straight course until your lures are well past the strike zone and out in deep water. Then do a tight loop to bring the boat back in line with the other side of the point and troll along that side. Don’t be content with only one or two passes

move around this great country again, let us remain vigilant and keep the unique and valuable resource that is the Murray Darling Basin as pest free as we can. If there is anyone who would like further information on tilapia or pest fish identification material, you can contact Rod Cheetham on 0427 514 704. Rod Cheetham

The author with some young anglers at Boondooma Fishing Day.

Trolling for quality golden perch * from P78

in place now for over 10 years. Hopefully we can keep the MDB tilapia free. This program has been described in detail on the Finterest website. If you want more details, here is the link – finterest.com.au/howcan-we-keep-the-inva sivetilapia-out-of-themurray-darling-basin/ So, as we begin to

but work each point until you are sure there are no active fish present on the day. When you do land a golden, make repeated passes of the area because these are schooling fish, especially during spawning season. One last note – those big goldens are usually fatty and make rather ordinary table fare. If you enjoy a feed of freshwater fish, keep the smallest ones – legal sized of course – and release the bigger models to grow into trophy specimens.

Freshwater fish stocking workshop rescheduled

OR those not aware, the 2021 FFSAQ Freshwater Fish Stocking Workshop has been postponed again due to the ongoing COVID-19 concerns. The new date is Saturday and Sunday October 15-16, 2022. The event is still scheduled to be held in Mackay, as per previous planning. Hopefully we will see you in October.

Thomas Hart and his team from Queensland Fisheries will be contacting all stocking clubs later in the year to firm up delegate nominations, accommodation and travel details. Charlie Ladd FFSAQ President

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 79

Changes required W Russel Sharpe at Tenterfield with a 22lb Murray cod from floating a shrimp.

ELCOME to 2022 and two months in… here’s to the next 10 months of fishing – be it salt or freshwater. The stocking of native freshwater species has in most cases been completed and we’ll find out results in 14 months time. Speaking of results, this is a sore point

Lachlan Marshall from Nerang in Queensland was canoeing the Dumaresq River and caught this 61cm cod on a lure then released it.

Glenlyon Dam

by BRIAN DARE

when it comes to dams and river systems with stocking because there has been no research follow up at all. In fact, get on the phone right now and call the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ freshwater section and ask to speak to a biologist who works in that section. That’s a biologist, not a Fisheries manager who is an office manager with a degree in office management. It is possible that in the not too distant future all stocking groups will be asked to write up their fisheries management plan for the local stocking groups… what? We need to have people who have worked and trained to become

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Page 80 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022

biologists give full reports and an insight into what’s required for each stocked area and region. If we as a stocking group send in our plan now, it is sighted by an office manager and signed off on. If and when – God forbid – a major problem takes place in an area, it will be the stocking group who will bear the brunt of blame. And it will not be for over-stocking fish, that’s for sure. We are yet to see the stock impoundment permit funds reach the $1.25 million mark, as $250,000 has to be set aside for administration costs. Yes, the rest for restocking is $1 million dollars – the system has been active for over 15 years and is still yet to reach that $1.25 million mark. Compliance What has not taken place over the past four years is an increase in Fisheries patrol officers being trained or employed to further enhance our needs for more patrols and people on the ground. We are talking about a ‘freshwater’ fishery that returns $150 million dollars yearly to the state coffers – it could be more. Back in 2013, an assessment was carried out by the Central Queensland University into the recreational value of SIP dams in Queensland. The result was about * continued P81

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Changes are required * from P80

$95.3 million per annum in 2013. What would it be worth now in 2022… $150 million? It could be more. Perhaps it’s a good time to get another study done? Angler representation When asked to be a representative, you accept it’s a position whereby you feel you should speak your mind and work towards the goals that anglers request. It’s quite another thing when it’s stated that what’s said is to stay within the group, and to be outspoken is not acceptable. Again, those selected to represent have not spoken to a biologist with regard to our freshwater fishery within the group and no biologists attend or talk about the outcomes of these meetings. Having the game of playing one group of fishos off against another – which involves both salt and freshwater anglers – has to cease. One million recreational anglers’ votes put to good use to those who are prepared to listen and work towards our goals, deserve our votes. Maybe it’s time to get our boat trailers hitched up and drive around to the Brisbane Fisheries office? This was the case back in the 1990s. A very good friend and editor – now deceased – helped put forward that a comment of no confidence in Queensland Fisheries should be brought to the fore – maybe it’s time to do it again. www.bnbfishing.com.au

No freshwater biologists Don’t give me the answer we have two… they work out at Bribie Island and I have not spoken to them for years. Our stocking group and a total of 77 recreational anglers took part in a Murray cod research project over five years. It was made possible by having seven biologists and two professors help with the project on the border river. One of those biologists was Steve Brooks, who gave us his time to help write the format to obtain funding and guide us through the project. The full results have been written and comments made to the run stocking of our icon, the Murray cod – keeping in mind the release of other species such as catfish, silver perch and golden perch in the Murray Darling. Taking into consideration the lack of freshwater biologists within Queensland Fisheries, I can advise that our group will not be writing up any fisheries stocking group management plan. We will not sign any format unless guided by fully trained and qualified biologists, with relevant degrees, abilities and skills. No desk jockey or manager should push stocking groups into these situations and put our necks on a chopping block. We have to wait until October 2022 to see if things improve. Or, do we hand over the job of stocking fish to the Queensland Fisheries freshwater department now?

Water extraction project to keep more fish in our rivers

HE Australian G ove r n m ent is providing $6.6 million to the Queensland Government to deliver a program of work that could see more young native fish survive in the northern MurrayDarling Basin rivers. The Fish Friendly Water Extraction Project in the Condamine–Balonne and Border Rivers regions will see funds allocated to install pump screens at river offtakes, to help protect small and baby fish from being pumped out of rivers. Screens also assist in reducing maintenance of pumps and increase efficient watering.

It is hoped that the initiative will provide a boost to local jobs through pump screen manufacturing and installation. The Fish Friendly Water Extraction Project is one of 10 Northern Basin Toolkit projects that together keep 70GL of water in productive use, while improving the health of our rivers and wetlands and the animals and plants that rely on them. The project aims to involve the irrigation industry, local

government, First Nations, recreational fishers and other relevant community groups. National Irrigators’ Council chief executive officer Isaac Jeffrey welcomed the news, calling it “a great investment.” “NIC has advocated for the Northern Basin Toolkit and projects which deliver practical outcomes for our rivers,” Mr Jeffrey said. “Farmers are locals too and they love to see healthy rivers and fish populations.”

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 15/02/2022

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB Atkinson * 4 3 19 27 26 Awoonga 49 49 59 58 57 Bjelke-Petersen * 6 25 96 101 100 Boondooma * 24 33 100 99 98 Borumba * 75 90 100 100 100 Burdekin Falls * 82 75 84 96 105 Callide * 48 50 70 74 68 Cania * 28 25 28 27 27 Coolmunda * 97 100 101 100 100 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 4 8 51 67 81 Eungella * 79 75 75 73 74 Fairbairn * 13 16 26 25 22 Glenlyon * 75 98 103 100 100 Hinze* 92 91 99 102 101 Julius * 83 100 98 93 101 Kinchant * 77 71 71 74 74 Leslie * 57 63 100 99 99 Macdonald* 88 86 102 102 107 Maroon * 99 99 100 100 100 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 35 35 45 46 46 Moogerah * 39 40 70 77 83 North Pine/Samsonvale * 62 60 68 68 67 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 58 56 55 53 54 Somerset * 62 61 73 79 79 Teemburra * 94 90 90 90 91 Tinaroo* 79 73 70 71 83 Toonumbar 96 95 101 101 101 Wivenhoe * 40 40 44 54 56 Wuruma * 29 35 66 68 70 Wyaralong* 98 100 101 100 99 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2022 – Page 81

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BNB Fishing mag | March 2022

Articles inside

Final Torres Strait trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Matt Potter

Mad mackerel month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Heath Zygnerski

Broadwater fishing tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell

Golden trevally a real treat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton