BNB Fishing Mag | March 2023 by bnbfishing

Free Angler’s Almanac inside 495

Includes GST

March 2023

Moreton Bay reef restoration

Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 34, Number 3

Techniques for Somerset Mud crab madness

Serious reds off 1770

Offshore action ISSN 1832-4517

9 771832 451001

Bucket loads of bream

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Estuary • Offshore • Freshwater • 4WD • Camping • Touring

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Fishing, March 2023 – Page 1 * C o n d i tBush i o n s a’n p pBeach ly

F I S H | FA M I LY | F U N

F360M LENGTH 6.35m | BEAM 2.44m | MAX FUEL 250L MAX HP 200hp | WEIGHT BMT 2,220kg

w w w. c r u i s e c r a f t . c o m . a u

Page 2 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 3

GEN III

The Ultimate 115HP & 140HP Outboard Motor Range now fitted with Suzuki Multi-Plastic Collecting Device. Suzuki’s third generation 115hp & 140hp outboard motors boast more torque, quicker acceleration, and improved top speed thanks to revising the cylinder head and piston design and increasing the compression ratio to 10.6:1. The new cowling and semi-direct air intake greatly reduce intake noise resulting in quieter operation. Suzuki’s Multi-Plastic Collecting Device (MPC) is part of Suzuki’s Clean Ocean Project initiative, which collects micro-plastic without any effect on performance when boating. The third generation 115hp & 140hp are available in both Suzuki Precision Control (Drive-by-wire) and mechanical-drive variants and backed by Suzuki’s 3+3-year recreational warranty.

Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing editor

S most would be aware, I’m currently doing a mini lap around Australia. While this is predominately a family trip, I’ve also managed to get a little bit of fishing in. One thing that’s interesting is the way in which the different states and territories manage their individual fisheries. I am very passionate about how fisheries are managed, and particularly keen to be involved with the future of the Queensland fishery, so it has been thought-provoking to see how the parts of Australia are going. In NSW, you need to have a fishing licence if you’re over the age of 18. I’ve had one for years and am happy to pay for it as I can see the money being well spent, with fish-cleaning facilities, restocking and habitat regeneration. In Victoria, there’s

also a fishing licence, which again funded fish cleaning stations at the boat ramps I visited. However, it is worth noting that the size limit for snapper – or pinkies as they call them here – is 28cm. Given we have a one month closure for snapper in Queensland between July 15 and August 15 and a minimum size limit of 35cm, I wonder how long the fishery will be sustainable for. Particularly when South Australia recently extended its snapper closure until 2026 for most of the northern waters – from Kangaroo Island north. To make a call like this, the condition of their snapper stocks must be dire. Unfortunately, this closure will impact on tourism dollars, charter operators’ livelihoods and commercial fishos. I’m not fully abreast of the situation, but there seem to be substantially

Catch up on our family adventures via #bushn beachadventures on Instagram and Facebook. www.bnbfishing.com.au

different views on the condition the fish stocks are actually in. This is an issue for all states, as it is a complex problem to figure out. Which also raises the question of, do recreational anglers need to keep a logbook? And should the logbook include fish lost to sharks? Should commercial fishers also record fish lost to sharks, as these are fish that have been removed from the biomass. Yes, it’s nature at work, but have the easy meals meant sharks are feeding more often and getting bigger quicker? I have asked the question before about different size limits for the same species in various states and have been told it is due to stocks, breeding size and impact to the fishery to both the commercial and recreational sectors. While this could be the case, especially between Victoria and Queensland, I’m still struggling to comprehend how we can have a month closure in Queensland, yet head to NSW and there is no closure. Offshore, this is basically an invisible line that takes a second to cross. Which is great for people who still want to catch fish during the Queensland closure, but what is it doing for the east coast snapper fishery? I know there need to be boundaries to the closure, but why not make them around less populated areas? Given that fisheries are state managed, I’m

not sure if this will happen, but one can only hope that a bit more calibration between the states will improve our fisheries for everyone. Spanish mackerel closure The second spanish mackerel closure will come into force from

March 1 to March 21. This is a total ban again for both recreational and commercial anglers. Remember to target other species during this period, so we can get back to a sustainable level of spaniards. Ben Collins

OUR COVER Free Angler’s Almanac inside

495

Includes GST

March 2023

Moreton Bay reef restoration

Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 34, Number 3

Techniques for Somerset Mud crab madness

Serious reds off 1770

Offshore action ISSN 1832-4517

Bucket loads of bream

Proudly produced and printed in Australia

Estuary • Offshore • Freshwater • 4WD • Camping • Touring

9 771832 451001

4X4 ON FRASER

THE ULTIMATE EAST COAST ESCAPE!

Scan me

FOR DETAILS

STAY 5 PAY 4 FROM

5 www.bnbfishing.com.au K'GARI, FRASER ISLAND

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NIGHT FREE

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Fishing, March 2023 – Page 1 * C o n d i tBush i o n s a’n p pBeach ly

CHRIS RIPPON with a coronation trout caught south of Gardner Banks. Check out Chris’s article on page 34 for more information on catching iconic species.

NEXT EDITION: April edition will be on sale in newsagents from March 24. MARCH SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: See the subscription form on Page 84 and subscribe this month to go in the draw to win a prize pack from Wellington Point Marine, valued at $370 RRP. JANUARY PRIZE WINNERS: Congratulations to J. Wilson, Wynnum; H. Stevens, Taroom; I. Rennie, Victoria Point; B. Peart, Cashmere; C. Jensen, Bli Bli – each will receive a Saltwater Estuary tackle box from Tackle Club valued at over $755 RRP each. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 5

March 2023 contents Kids with cracking catches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mark Templeton . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Tide Times - Brisbane Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P10 Robust oyster baskets in Moreton Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P12 Plan and prep for fishing options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P14 Competition Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P16 Broadwater biting bonanza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P18 No mackerel but mahi mahi going off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P21

Angler’s Almanac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P23 Deep water working best for offshore fishos. . . . . . . . . . by Brett Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P26 Bucket loads of bream. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P28 Product News ��P31 Creeks and flats are firing up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Rippon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P34 Making memories at K’gari. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Raimondi . . . . . . . . . . . . . P38

Looking for illusive spotties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 Tide Times - Waddy Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P41 Charter Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P42 Chasing a feed of mud crabs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Matt Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P46 Legendary Penn Spinfisher reels revisited. . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . . . P48 Serious reds off 1770. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mick Clutterbuck ��P50 March mud crab madness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P52 Moura Muddy Water Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P54

Have your say on GBRMPA draft policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P54 Yellowfin’s building process for ultimate boating beast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P56 Yamaha expands award winning outboard line up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Insights into boat insurance ��P60 Summer sortie to Sundown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P62 SA’s sensational scenery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . . . P64 Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Melissa Frohloff . . . . . . . . . . . . P65 First mini lap leg around Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P66 Western Australia adventures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Barry ‘Billabong Baz’ Lyon . P68 Herpes virus could solve carp issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P70 Hot bass action at Somerset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Dam Levels ��P80 Water level leaves large barra lure shy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sam Rowley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 Fingerlings released into Macintyre ��P78 A show of hands please. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P79 Trading Post. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P82 Readers’ Forum ��P83 Subscription Form ��P84 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

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The Team

EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: Rachel Fordyce PRODUCTION: Tiffany Brown 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: Wrapaway 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 2023 – Page 7

Grace landed an incredible cobia on some fairly basic gear.

Kids with cracking catches

S We first met Ivy a few years ago - top photo. She still goes fishing with her dad and catches cracker fish, such as this flathead.

–WANTED– Pre-trained old fishing gear!

We will come to you if you have bulk gear!

0402 703 519 Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

ERIOUSLY, it’s March already! Where have the past 12 months gone? I was reading a few articles that I’d written a while back, and I came across this little snippet – glad to say that things have not changed and our focus remains looking forward! We try to focus on kids and family, both in these write ups and particularly in store. There is a very old and 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. While I am diving into issues gone by, I was talking to Chris about his awesome daughter Ivy – who we meet and

Northern Moreton Bay by MARK TEMPLETON

did an article on a few years ago. Ivy – as for most of the young people we meet – has not wasted any time growing up into a lovely young lady. Today, Ivy still goes fishing with her dad whenever she can, and she also catches some cracker fish! Grace and her father went to the Shorncliffe Pier for a bit of fun and to test out her new outfit. Well, Grace certainly got more than a bit of fun – with the help from her dad, Grace landed an incredible cobia! It’s not every day you can say it, but this made my day! I call it an ‘incredible cobia’ because when you look at the gear she used to catch it with, you’re left shaking your head and asking, how did she manage to land that? This is what it is all about when you

go fishing, you never know what you’re going to get, and you never know how big the smile will be. I really don’t think either Grace or her dad realised how incredible this catch was. Well done Grace, that was awesome! We have seen increased numbers of legal-sized cobia out on the Shorncliffe Pier, normally near the rotunda area, and they’re best targeted with live herring or live hardyhead. They will take other bait such as prawns – Grace’s preferred bait – and blue bait floated down unweighted. Though getting them back up on top of the Shorncliffe Pier is another matter! We rarely receive or take a photo where one of our young ones holding a fish is not smiling. This should tell us something – it doesn’t * continued P9

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Kids with cracking catches * from P8

matter the size of the fish they’re holding, it’s about how much fun they had catching it, then how proud they are when presenting it in a photo. Keep kids smiling – take them fishing! Owen is one of those kids who wears a cracker smile. And he should be happy with his catch – a nice little shovel nose shark. Even these little things can give you a run for your money on light gear. Being on the rocks, where there are a lot of sharp barnacles, makes it even harder. However, Owen put in an awesome effort and landed a little beauty. He overcame the ob-

stacles, landed it and made sure it was released safely too! Well done Owen, we look forward to seeing more of your great times out there wetting a line! Leo, what an awesome kid. Leo came in with his dad and was determined to get out there and catch a whopper. So, we set him a challenge that was totally doable. We told him that he had to catch what he thought was a ‘whopper’ and he had to hold it up for a photo. Along with holding it up he had to show a cracker smile and give us the Tackle Land ‘thumbs up’ and we would include his pho-

to in this article. Leo came back to the shop a few hours later with a cheeky smile, so we knew what he’d done. Leo presented himself, showed off a whopper of a flathead, cracked a smile and gave us the thumbs up. A deal is a deal, so we present an awesome young lad with a whopper of a flathead! Well done Leo, can’t wait for the next challenge! Now for Eddie, a fisho who is not that young anymore but is well known for his antics – some good and some questionable! We all have something we want to achieve, goals we want * continued P10

For Eddie, chasing a blue marlin solo in his little bathtub had been a dream for quite a while.

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.

Photo courtesy of Vindicator Boats.

For product information and to find your nearest authorised dealer contact Graham HyDrive Engineering Pty Ltd – Queensland Unit 12, 73-75 Shore Street, Cleveland 4163 T: 07 3821 6580 E: qld@hydrive.com.au W: hydrive.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 9

Tide Times AUSTRALIA EAST COAST -

AST –– BRISBANE BRISBANE BAR BAR AST BRISBANE BAR

LONG 153° 153° 10ʼ 10ʼ EE LONG High and and Low Low Waters Waters High MARCH MARCH YY

Time Time

m m

0605 2.23 605 2.23 1248 0.82 248 0.82 1811 1.69 811 1.69

0020 0.58 020 0.58 0711 2.41 711 2.41 1400 0.67 400 0.67 1922 1.79 922 1.79

Time Time

m m

Time Time

2023

Time Zone Zone –1000 –1000 Time APRIL APRIL

m m

Time Time

m m

0420 2.15 2.15 0626 2.39 2.39 0509 2.04 2.04 0629 2.12 2.12 16 0420 16 0626 11 0509 11 0629 1315 0.53 0.53 1116 0.89 0.89 1209 0.99 0.99 16 1316 0.78 0.78 16 1209 1116 1315 1316 1902 2.02 1646 1.60 1734 1.50 1903 1.76

WE 1734 1.50 WE 2319 0.84 0.84 2319

TH 1646 1.60 TH 2243 0.75 0.75 2243

SA 1903 1.76 SA

SU 1902 2.02 SU

0617 2.11 2.11 0544 2.26 2.26 0055 0.78 0.78 0104 0.57 0.57 17 0544 17 0104 22 0617 22 0055 1312 0.88 0.88 17 1241 0.75 0.75 0715 2.20 2.20 17 0720 2.45 2.45 1241 0715 0720 1312 1845 1.59 1811 1.72 1354 0.69 1403 0.43

TH 1845 1.59 TH

FR 1811 1.72 FR

SU 1354 0.69 MO MO 1403 0.43 SU 1943 1.90 1.90 1954 2.18 2.18 1943 1954

0128 0.46 128 0.46 0809 2.57 809 2.57 1457 0.53 457 0.53 2023 1.90 023 1.90

0031 0.77 0.77 0031 0710 2.20 2.20 0710 1357 0.78 0.78 FR 1357 FR 1934 1.71 1934 1.71

0007 0.65 0.65 0007 0652 2.42 2.42 0652 1344 0.60 0.60 SA 1344 SA 1917 1.88 1917 1.88

18 18

0142 0.67 0.67 0142 0755 2.27 2.27 0755 1429 0.62 0.62 MO 1429 MO 2017 2.02 2017 2.02

0228 0.35 228 0.35 0900 2.69 900 2.69 1546 0.43 546 0.43 2115 2.02 115 2.02

0127 0.68 0.68 0127 0755 2.28 2.28 0755 1435 0.71 1435 0.71 SA SA 2014 1.82 1.82 2014

0118 0.52 0.52 0118 0748 2.55 2.55 0748 1435 0.47 1435 0.47 SU SU 2012 2.04 2.04 2012

0224 0.59 0.59 0254 0.45 0.45 0224 0254 0851 2.39 2.39 0830 2.31 2.31 0830 0851 1522 0.35 1500 0.56 1500 0.56 1522 0.35 TU WE TU WE 2121 2.43 2.43 2052 2.12 2.12 2052 2121

0321 0.26 321 0.26 0946 2.75 946 2.75 1631 0.37 631 0.37 2203 2.11 203 2.11

0211 0.59 0.59 0218 0.40 0.40 0211 0218 0833 2.34 2.34 0838 2.62 2.62 0833 0838 1510 0.65 0.65 MO 1519 0.39 0.39 SU 1510 MO 1519 SU 2100 2.17 2.17 2048 1.91 1.91 2048 2100

0410 0.23 410 0.23 1030 2.74 030 2.74 1712 0.35 712 0.35 2249 2.19 249 2.19

0249 0.52 0.52 0342 0.53 0.53 0425 0.50 0.50 0310 0.33 0.33 21 0425 21 0310 66 0249 66 0342 0936 2.29 2.29 21 0922 2.62 2.62 0908 2.39 2.39 21 1009 2.17 2.17 0908 1009 0922 0936 1602 0.46 1600 0.34 1541 0.61 1626 0.37

MO 1541 0.61 MO 2120 1.99 1.99 2120

TU 1600 0.34 TU 2145 2.29 2.29 2145

TH 1602 0.46 TH 2203 2.30 2.30 2203

FR 1626 0.37 FR 2241 2.52 2.52 2241

0456 0.26 456 0.26 1111 2.66 111 2.66 1748 0.36 748 0.36 2332 2.23 332 2.23

0325 0.48 0.48 0357 0.31 0.31 0325 0357 0940 2.40 2.40 1002 2.56 2.56 0940 1002 1611 0.58 0.58 WE 1635 0.33 0.33 TU 1611 WE 1635 TU 2153 2.06 2.06 2226 2.37 2.37 2153 2226

0421 0.54 0.54 0421 1008 2.23 2.23 1008 1631 0.44 0.44 FR 1631 FR 2239 2.35 2.35 2239

0507 0.57 0.57 22 0507 22 1045 2.02 2.02 1045 1655 0.42

0540 0.36 540 0.36 1149 2.50 149 2.50 1823 0.40 823 0.40

0400 0.47 0.47 0400 1011 2.40 2.40 1011 1640 0.54 1640 0.54 WE WE 2227 2.12 2.12 2227

0441 0.36 0.36 0500 0.57 0.57 0549 0.66 0.66 23 0441 23 0549 88 0500 23 1041 2.44 2.44 1041 2.14 2.14 23 1121 1.87 1.87 1041 1121 1041 1708 0.35 1700 0.45 1723 0.50 SA 1700 0.45 SA 2315 2.38 2.38 2315

0015 2.23 015 2.23 0623 0.51 623 0.51 1227 2.30 227 2.30 1856 0.47 856 0.47

0436 0.49 0.49 0436 1040 2.36 2.36 1040 1708 0.52 0.52 TH 1708 TH 2300 2.16 2.16 2300

0524 0.46 0.46 0540 0.64 0.64 0630 0.77 0.77 24 0524 24 0630 24 99 0540 1117 2.27 2.27 1158 1.73 1.73 1116 2.02 2.02 24 1116 1117 1158 1738 0.40 1752 0.60 1729 0.49

0059 2.20 059 2.20 0709 0.68 709 0.68 1303 2.07 303 2.07 1928 0.55 928 0.55

0512 0.54 0.54 0605 0.59 0.59 0623 0.72 0.72 0034 2.33 2.33 10 0512 25 0605 10 0623 25 0034 10 1155 1.89 1.89 25 1110 2.29 2.29 25 1152 2.08 2.08 10 0715 0.86 0.86 1110 1152 0715 1155 1801 0.55 1736 0.51 1807 0.47 1238 1.60

0145 2.14 145 2.14 0800 0.86 800 0.86 1344 1.84 344 1.84 2004 0.65 004 0.65

0038 2.34 2.34 0548 0.62 0.62 0026 2.35 2.35 0116 2.21 2.21 11 0038 11 0548 26 0026 26 0116 11 0714 0.80 0.80 26 1140 2.18 2.18 26 0648 0.74 0.74 11 0810 0.93 0.93 1140 0648 0714 0810 1243 1.75 1803 0.53 1228 1.87 1330 1.51

0240 2.07 240 2.07 0904 1.00 904 1.00 1434 1.64 434 1.64 2051 0.75 051 0.75

0130 2.28 2.28 0013 2.18 2.18 0107 2.26 2.26 0209 2.10 2.10 12 0130 12 0013 27 0107 27 0209 12 0820 0.86 0.86 27 0627 0.71 0.71 27 0736 0.88 0.88 12 0920 0.96 0.96 0627 0736 0820 0920 1346 1.63 1214 2.04 1306 1.68 1445 1.47

0349 2.03 349 2.03 1036 1.05 036 1.05 1554 1.51 554 1.51 2158 0.83 158 0.83

0054 2.17 2.17 0154 2.15 2.15 0240 2.23 2.23 0315 2.03 2.03 13 0054 28 0154 13 0240 28 0315 13 0713 0.82 0.82 28 0837 0.99 0.99 13 0946 0.86 0.86 28 1032 0.93 0.93 0713 0837 0946 1032 1253 1.89 1357 1.53 1515 1.58 1621 1.52

44 55

19 19 20 20

22 22

88 99

FR 1736 0.51 FR 2336 2.18 2.18 2336

SA 1803 0.53 SA

TH 1708 0.35 TH 2307 2.41 2.41 2307 FR 1738 0.40 FR 2346 2.40 2.40 2346

SA 1807 0.47 SA

SU 1228 1.87 SU 1835 0.57 0.57 1835

SU 1214 2.04 MO MO 1306 1.68 SU 1832 0.57 0.57 1908 0.70 0.70 1832 1908

MO 1253 1.89 MO 1907 0.62 0.62 1907

TU 1357 1.53 TU 1952 0.83 0.83 1952

33 44

0202 0.49 0.49 0202 0808 2.45 2.45 0808 1445 0.37 0.37 TU 1445 TU 2039 2.32 2039 2.32

18 18 19 19

0303 0.54 0.54 0303 0903 2.31 2.31 0903 1531 0.50 0.50 WE 1531 WE 2128 2.22 2.22 2128

0341 0.45 0.45 20 0341 20 0930 2.30 2.30 0930 1555 0.34 TH 1555 0.34 TH 2201 2.50 2.50 2201

SA 1655 0.42 SA 2318 2.50 2.50 2318

SU 1723 0.50 SU 2356 2.43 2.43 2356

SU 1729 0.49 MO MO 1752 0.60 SU 2354 2.37 2.37 2354

MO 1801 0.55 MO

Leo shows off a whopper of a flathead.

Kids with cracking catches * from P9

to meet and dreams we want to come true. Well, Eddie had a goal… to set out on a solo trip and land a blue marlin. So, as Eddie tells it, this is what he achieved. Sometimes things just go perfectly. Chasing a blue solo in my little bathtub has been a dream for quite a while. Recently, I went wide

solo and, anyone who’s done this will know, it’s quite daunting heading 100km plus offshore on your own. My Polycraft 450 Drifter had my back all day. The results were 3/2/2 on blue marlin and one nice mahi mahi. All morning trolling and it didn’t even use 90 litres of fuel. Anyone who’s wanting to do this solo, I

highly recommend it. Simply pick your weather and send it. Eddie ticked off one more item on his bucket list in sensational fashion. If you have a dream or a goal, don’t ponder it away – as Eddie said, send it! Well done Eddie, can’t wait to see what you come up with next. Be safe out there and maintain the passion.

TU 1238 1.60 TU 1827 0.72 0.72 1827

TU 1243 1.75 WE WE 1330 1.51 TU 1842 0.63 0.63 1911 0.85 0.85 1842 1911

WE 1346 1.63 WE 1938 0.73 0.73 1938 TH 1515 1.58 TH 2059 0.80 0.80 2059

TH 1445 1.47 TH 2013 0.96 0.96 2013 FR 1621 1.52 FR 2140 1.00 1.00 2140

0144 2.14 2.14 0255 2.05 2.05 0401 2.24 2.24 0428 2.02 2.02 14 0144 29 0255 14 0401 29 0428 14 0813 0.91 0.91 29 1006 1.02 1.02 14 1110 0.78 0.78 29 1131 0.86 0.86 0813 1006 1110 1131 1346 1.73 1524 1.44 1648 1.66 1730 1.65 TU 1346 1.73 WE WE 1524 1.44 TU 1957 0.70 0.70 2100 0.94 0.94 1957 2100

FR 1648 1.66 FR 2231 0.78 0.78 2231

SA 1730 1.65 SA 2305 0.95 0.95 2305

0252 2.11 2.11 0415 2.00 2.00 0520 2.31 2.31 0530 2.07 2.07 15 0252 30 0415 15 0520 30 0530 15 0937 0.95 0.95 30 1132 0.97 0.97 15 1218 0.65 0.65 30 1219 0.77 0.77 0937 1132 1218 1219 1507 1.61 1712 1.49 1803 1.83 1820 1.80 WE 1507 1.61 WE 2111 0.76 0.76 2111

TH 1712 1.49 TH 2236 0.96 0.96 2236

SA 1803 1.83 SA 2355 0.68 0.68 2355

SU 1820 1.80 SU

0531 2.04 2.04 31 0531 31 1231 0.88 0.88 1231 1817 1.62 FR 1817 1.62 FR 2358 0.89 0.89 2358

Bureau of Meteorology Meteorology ureau of New Moon ee First Quarter Quarter First

Full Moon Full Moon Moon Full

First Quarter Last Quarter Last Quarter Quarter Last 77

Page 10 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Owen put in an awesome effort and landed a little shovel nose shark.

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where shellfish reefs were once plentiful and contributed to vibrant fisheries and clear water. Two hundred years of dredging, overharvesting and poor water quality mean shellfish reefs are now considered functionally extinct. The one million recycled shells – collected from restaurants and businesses across Brisbane by volunteers – have the potential to become home to more than 1.5 million living oysters. In addition, the habitat they create will be able to support tonnes of fish and

nearly 750,000 invertebrates, including crabs, shrimp, worms and snails. OzFish special projects officer for Shellfish Restoration Robbie Porter believes the community spirit being shown by recreational fishers can help revitalise what has been lost in Moreton Bay. “This was our biggest day yet returning shellfish to Moreton Bay and it was only possible because of the incredible effort of our members and volunteers,” Mr Porter said. “They did a power of work, including using * continued P13

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Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

The habitat created will be able to support tonnes of fish and nearly 750,000 invertebrates.

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Robust oyster baskets in Moreton Bay * from P12

their own vehicles to collect the shells, dedicating their time to cleaning the shells, designing the mini reefs and spending more hours on the water to return them to the bay. “I’d like to thank everybody – from our members through to the many project part-

ners and local businesses in southeast Queensland who have helped. “We want to keep it up, as there is so much more to be restored.” The project is the largest community driven shellfish restoration program in Australia, and it is leading the way for anglers in

Moreton Bay sea life have begun to establish on the reef restorative robust oyster baskets and OzFish special projects officer Robbie Porter couldn’t be happier.

other states inspired by their work who are seeking to replicate its success. “We’re beginning to make a dent, and it’s just the beginning,” Mr Porter said. “What’s really exciting is the sea life that begins to establish on the reef – we can see they are doing exactly what we had hoped.” Shellfish reef restoration has never been undertaken on this scale and speed in Moreton Bay before. Visit the dedicated project page – ozfish. org. au /projects/ moreton-bay-shel l fish-reef-restoration – to find out more about why shellfish reefs are so important and how you can get involved.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 13

Trolling hard-body lures around Diamond Reef proved the way to go for Mark Bulte who scored a decent spanish mackerel.

The author’s eldest son Jake and one of the awesome snapper he caught practising his float-lining techniques.

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Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

UCCESSFUL fishing trips during autumn are all about planning and preparation. This time of year is perfect to be on the water because the temperature gradually starts to cool and the days become shorter. And, many of the summer species are still available while we see a gradual increase in colder-water fish numbers. Having prepared yourself prior to your fishing trip is a great idea as it allows you to be ready on those days when the weather is favourable or when time allows you to go. One of the most important things I do is work out what species I’m going to target. During March, there are still good numbers of jewfish in the Seaway and snapper offshore. Mackerel school up in numbers not far off the coast and extend down to Mermaid and Palm Beach reefs.

Gold Coast by BEN SMITH

Schools of mangrove jack also sit in the hole at the end of the north wall of the Seaway and can be targeted with good results throughout the month. There’s always more than one option when deciding what you want to do, so a good way to attack this is to work out a plan A and a plan B. I’ll explain what I mean and how I go about it. For instance, let’s say I’m planning on chasing snapper early in the morning then, once I’m done, come back in and chase big mangrove jack in the Seaway. I’ll prepare all my snapper gear including rods, reels and tackle, as well as make sure I have a good supply of bait – usually pilchard and squid. I’ll more than likely take two to three rods rigged up with a sim-

ilar line class around 8-10kg. On each of the three rods, I would vary the size of the sinker – ranging from 1/2oz, a 3/4oz and a 1oz sinker – so I’m prepared for any wind or current that may prevail on the day. All this equipment would be rigged and tested the night before in preparation – to ensure all the gear is working well, all knots are secure and hooks are sharp. This is my plan A. My plan B is for mangrove jack, and they love live bait. They go crazy for herring, yakka or pike, so a bait jig setup is required. I use a 7’ rod with a spin reel because it’s simple and easy. A rod of this size allows you enough length to wind the bait jig in without winding the * continued P16

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 15

FISHING EVENTS COMPETITION

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2023 National 4x4 Mar 17-19 Outdoors Show

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Moura Muddy Water Apr 7-9 Classic Fishing Competition

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Boyne Tannum Apr 28-30 HookUp

Gladstone, Qld boynetannumhookup.com.au

Blue Marlin Classic Apr 28-30

Gold Coast, Qld gcgfc.com.au

Women Fishing May 6 - Jun 3 Queensland Classic womensfishingclassic.com.au Sanctuary Cove May 25-28 International Boat show

Gold Coast, Qld sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au

Rainbow Beach Jun 11-17 Family Fishing Classic & Expo

Rainbow Beach, Qld rainbowsportsclub.com.au

AFTA Tackle Show Aug 3-5

Gold Coast, Qld afta.net.au

Woodgate Beach Sep 15-17 Hotel Fishing Classic

Woodgate Beach Hotel, Qld

Baffle Creek Family Sep 18-23 Fishing Festival

Baffle Creek, Qld bafflecreekfishing.com

Flathead Classic Sep 26-28

Gold Coast, Qld gcsfc.profishingtournaments.com

Gold Coast Shoot Oct 13-15 out

Gold Coast, Qld gcgfc.com.au

Fitzroy River Barra Oct 20-23 Bash

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To have your competition listed in the calendar, please phone (07) 3286 1833 or email ads@collins.media Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Live baiting in the Seaway works all year-round on mulloway and is always plenty of fun.

Plan and prep for options * from P14

swivel through the top guide. A good idea is to slip a small rubber luminescent bead up the line first – to act as a bump stop in case you do wind it in too far. This rod only gets used for bait jigging. The rod I use for jacks in the Seaway is a larger baitcast reel – such as a Shimano Tranx 400 – match this to a Shimano 5’6 Grappler Type J and you’ve got the perfect combination. Spool it with 40lb braid and a 2m length of 40lb fluorocarbon leader tied off to a snelled pair of 5/0 suicide hooks and a 1oz lumo egg sinker and that’s all you need. Having a couple of options available increases your chances of coming home with fish. As you possibly worked out, I prefer to get out on the water early, usually this side of the sun coming up, so I’m able to get that first bite. So I can get out quickly, I make sure I have all the essentials pre-

pared and ready to go the day before. This includes making sure the boat is fuelled up and I have ice in my freezer ready to go. This way, time isn’t wasted waiting at the service station. Another good idea is to check your trailer and boat to make sure everything is in good working order, so there are no hiccups at the ramp when trying to launch. There’s nothing worse than seized rollers or a missing winch handle – which can become a little embarrassing when the wheels of the trailer are already in the water and you can’t get the boat off. All of these things make for good planning and preparation prior to a trip and allow you to have a more enjoyable time out on the water. On the fishing scene here on the coast, spanish mackerel were taken in good numbers throughout January. However, note that from March 1-21 this year, there is a closure on spanish mackerel in * continued P17

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Plan and prepare for options * from P16

southeast Queensland coastal waters, as well as other possession limit restrictions that will apply from July 1. The details of these closures and restrictions are outlined on the Queensland Government website fisher ies.qld.gov.au Make yourself aware of these new rules because I believe they’re going to be quite strictly enforced and, though there are many mixed opinions, it’s not worth being fined over. Moving on… the fish aggregating devices at the 36 and 50-fathom grounds off the Gold Coast are still producing good numbers of mahi mahi, and those being caught on trolled

skirted lures have been much bigger than those caught on bait closer to the FAD. If you’re travelling for dolphinfish around the FAD, work a loop around 100-200m away from it. The bigger fish tend to hang out the back but are always interested in eating almost anything that looks like a good healthy baitfish. An ideal speed is between six and eight knots and, for the most part, I’ll run two lures and a teaser to avoid cross-ups and tangles. At this time of year, this area is also a great place to chase snapper, with our past couple of trips being complete bag outs on some top quality fish.

Once again, the same methods I’ve spoken about in previous issues have been most productive, and pilchard are the preferred bait at this time. Finally, watch how you go crossing the Seaway – it has a massive sand shoal all the way across it still. This has been causing unpredictable waves and dangerous conditions, particularly on an outgoing tide. Once again, good planning and preparation before making the commitment to cross the Seaway, including knowing what the tides are doing, are vital for your safety. Have a great time fishing and I’ll catch up again next month.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 17

Darryl did battle with a big slatey bream after it smashed an Ecogear ZX40 vibe.

Brothers Harry and Ollie caught a nice pair of mangrove jack on a night charter with the author.

Broadwater biting bonanza

Harry caught and released a beautiful giant trevally.

I everyone, hard to believe it’s March already. Times flies when you’re having fun, and we have been having lots of fishing fun on our estuary charters. Brad Smith has, as usual, been catching heaps of flathead, jewfish, trevally and more for clients on his lure-fishing charters on the Tweed River. Smithy has been an estuary fishing guide for over 28 years now and knows how to catch fish.

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If you haven’t been fishing with this friendly legend, do yourself a favour and book in. I’ve been super busy at the Gold Coast Broadwater, with a focus on chasing sand whiting in the shallows. Regular guest Terry did well to land his personal best whiting on 3lb line – a monster fish measuring at over 45cm. It was a rainy day, so we nearly called the trip off – we were very glad we didn’t! On other days, we fished the channels, reefs and wrecks in the Broadwater for a big variety of fish, including moses perch, tuskfish, slatey bream, blubberlip, flathead, tarwhine,

bream, winter whiting, trevally and squire. As prawn season kicks into gear, so too do Ecogear ZX lures come into their own. These have always been a go-to lure for everything that swims. Another lure I’m having a lot of success on is the Ecogear Breamer Vibe. These little lures get absolutely smashed and have a strike rate at least as good as the ZXs. They weigh 5.5g – slightly less than the 7g ZX40 lures – so you do have to pay close attention to keep them on the bottom while drifting. Favourite vibes for us are those from the Sama* continued P20

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Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Loads of hard-fighting slatey bream have been in the Broadwater recently.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 19

Broadwater biting bonanza * from P18

The author caught a surprise juvenile cobia when fishing the shallows with Z-Man 2.5” PrawnZ.

Celebrating their fortieth birthday with a charter, Ros and her identical twin Aly, with older sister Viv, had a memorable mangrove jack trip from Forster, catching and releasing five jacks between them.

ki Vibelicious range, and we use the new release Samaki Hardlicious in shallower water too. When the water isn’t too hot on the flats, I love using Z-Man Prawnz and ST Grubz soft plastics, and 60mm Daiwa Double Clutch hard-bodies to catch flathead, bream and whiting on charters. Always keep an eye on your fish finder for water temperature fluctuations. Recently, I noticed the water was 28C in the Broadwater one day and the next morning it was 22C. Suddenly the baitfish, birds and flathead were back on the shallow flats. Then it was just a matter of casting, twitching, pausing the lures and covering ground to find hungry fish in water from ankle deep to 2m. When the water is very

hot, which is typical for this time of year, the fish can move deeper. It is during these times that jigging vibe lures and dragging yabbies over the bottom while boat-drifting works well. My favourite areas are those from 6m deep out to 13m. The best spots include the edges of the main channel between the Spit and Sundale Bridge, the channel markers east of Carter’s Bank, the deep hole south of Crab Island, South Currigee to North Currigee, and Runaway Bay to Ephraim Island. On bigger tides, wait until an hour either side of the tide changes. During neap tides, you can often fish the deep spots all day. The most important detail is getting the right drift to ensure your lines are vertical to hold bottom where the fish feed. If the wind and tide are

in the same direction, you’ll need to use your motor or electric motor constantly to slow the boat and keep it parallel to the tide direction. If the wind and tide oppose each other, I reverse into the wind in order to be able to move with the tide flow. All these tactics enable the lures and bait to look as though they are part of the natural system, and the bite rate proves this time and again. I hope this helps you catch some good fish. Book in a private charter with us if you’d like to learn finer details. To book on a charter with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, visit goldcoastrivercharters. com, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishing withclint@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook – Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

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Terry caught his biggest-ever whiting on a charter with the author. This model measured 45cm.

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No mackerel but mahi mahi going off by GAVIN DOBSON

410 Challenger

yellowfin tuna were as thick as could be hoped for at this time of year. And everywhere gets busier, doesn’t it – recently someone counted 35 boats out in this area at one stage. Though wahoo have been a bit quiet on the banks, with only a handful being caught. At the moment, in close is hard work, however little bonito have been thick on almost every close reef and headland up and down the coast. Keira and I caught a few the other day for a bit of fun and to store as mackerel bait but, with no other fish in the Esky, * continued P22

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Ava caught some cracking cod on a trip out west, but this monster redfin perch was a surprise.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ter news next month. Hopefully, by the time you read this, they’re as thick as fleas on a dog and I have a camera full of photos. Fortunately, other fish have been around to occupy our time here at Brunswick Heads. Mahi mahi were still going off out on the wider reefs and at the fish aggregating device off Cape Byron. On a recent weekend, the current had dropped out on the wider reefs and boats that had headed wide came back with some cracking pearl perch. Out at Windarra Banks, the jellybean

LOW

Tweed to Byron Bay

’M going to get straight into it this month and apologise for the absence of mackerel photos. I reckon this might be the first time I’ve ever done a March article that hasn’t had one. The reason is simple… I haven’t caught one – well, not one worth photographing at least. I did get a mackerel while I was on the bait reef catching bonito, it was a spanish under 50cm. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few mackerel being caught – the occasional spotted here and there and a few spanish, but not by me. All things considered, it has been a rubbish start to the season, though it is early days yet and I could have bet-

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 21

03 5022 7 03 5152 3 03 5562 6 03 5443 5 03 5822 2 03 5174 1 03 9397 6 02 6024 6

Toby came up with the goods recently after walking a western riverbank. The author with a 59cm and 69cm flathead from the Tweed River.

Damien got into the action on our premier inland species.

Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

No mackerel but mahi mahi going off * from P21

we both decided it was time to try eating some. And I can report that actually, they weren’t too bad. Obviously, they’re going to be different to beautiful white fillets of reef fish, though for flavour and texture I reckon the closest thing I have tried would be albacore. I’d certainly eat them again in future, and next time not even wait until I’m desperate. In our rivers, whiting were hard to find in any numbers, however all the other suspects have been giving a good account of themselves. Mud crabs got an absolute hiding over the holiday period, with the number of small ones being thrown back indicating the immediate future is looking good. A couple more moults and they’ll be legal. The Brunswick and Tweed rivers are producing a lot of trevally at present, with good 3-4kg specimens being caught. For these fish, 800g to 2kg is the standard size and quite a lot of this species are being caught, with bigeye and giant trevally being the most common.

Flathead are also in reasonable quantities in the Tweed River, including the lakes and the main arm of the system, all the way to Murwillumbah. Distribution wise, the same goes for trevally. There are plenty of bull sharks around too and while there are some up in the lakes, the main river upstream from Chinderah all the way to the weir is best for little sharks. I’ve included some pics of freshwater fish again this month. I’m endeavouring to do a bit more in the future, as I love getting up in the Great Dividing Range and west of it. And with the discovery of a thing called Hipcamp, it’s much easier to access to all sorts of good water. Most of you are probably aware of Hipcamp already – I’m never usually at the forefront of anything to do with online stuff. But for those who haven’t – Hipcamp gives you access to private farms via participating landholders who wish to make a bit more income off their land. For what is usually a very reasonable fee, you

can camp on the property and partake in the activities the hosts allow. Fishing and four-wheel driving are two popular activities and, while I’ve had only limited experience so far, I’ve found the hosts very accommodating and honest in their appraisal of the property. The place I recently came back from kept insisting that it was 4WD territory only – and they were right! Though definitely worth it because it was even better than the spectacular photos depicted. Most of the camping spots have limited facilities but, as I said, a fairly accurate description will be on their page. What it does is get you away from crowds and visiting some country you don’t see from main roads. This being said, the landowner is literally only a click of the mouse button away from removing his property from the website, so respect the rules and apply some common sense. That way the owner gets a bit of extra income, and we get to continue appreciating what they have to offer.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Angler’s Almanac April 2023

March 2023

DAY Above Below Wed.

Thur.

Fri. FIRST GIBBOUS

Sat.

Sun.

5 Mon.

6 Tue. FULL MOON

7 Wed.

Sat.

7.31pm

7.06am

Sun.

LAST GIBBOUS

Sun.

Mon.

Tue.

Wed. LAST QUARTER

Thur.

Fri.

17 Sat. LAST CRESCENT

18 Sun.

Mon.

Tue.

Wed. NEW MOON

22 Thur.

23 Fri.

24 Sat.

25 FIRST CRESCENT

Sun.

26 Mon.

Tue.

Wed. FIRST QUARTER

Thur.

Fri.

FIRST GIBBOUS

8.21pm

7.57am

Mon.

9.08pm

8.45am

Tue.

9.54pm

9.32am

Wed.

3 4 5

10.37pm 10.17am

Thur. FULL MOON

11.19pm 10.59am

Sat.

12.22pm 1.03pm

1.24am

1.47pm

2.09am

2.34pm

2.58am

3.25pm

3.51am

4.20pm

4.49am

5.19pm

5.50am

6.22pm

6.52am

7.24pm

7.54am

8.24pm

8.53am

9.21pm

Sun.

LAST GIBBOUS

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thur. LAST QUARTER

Fri.

Sat.

15 LAST CRESCENT

Sun.

16 Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

9.48am 10.15pm 10.40am 11.05pm

Thur.

Autumn Equinox: Day & night equal length

NEW MOON

Sat.

22 Sun.

1.06pm 12.42am 1.31am

2.46pm

2.21am

3.38pm

3.13am

4.31pm

4.05am

5.23pm

4.58am

6.14pm

5.50am

7.03pm

6.40am

Minor Times: Add 6 hours

8.34pm

8.12am

9.16pm

8.56am

9.57pm

9.37am

23 Mon. FIRST CRESCENT

24 Tue.

Wed.

Thur.

Fri. FIRST QUARTER

Sat.

Sun.

Notes

10.39pm 10.19am Pink Moon. Also Pashal Moon:

is the first Sunday 11.21pm 11.01am Easter Sunday to fall after this full moon

11.44am

GOOD FRIDAY

12.06am 12.31pm

EASTER

12.55am

1.21pm

EASTER SUNDAY

1.47am

2.15pm

EASTER

2.43am

3.14pm

3.44am

4.15pm

4.45am

5.17pm

5.46am

6.17pm

6.44am

7.13pm

7.39am

8.05pm

8.30am

8.55pm

9.19am

9.44pm

10.07am 10.31pm 10.54am 11.19pm 11.43am

12.18pm

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20 Fri.

11.29am 11.54pm

1.55pm

7.27am

7 8

12.42am

7.49pm

Fri.

Midnight 11.40am

Sat.

DAY Above Below

6.14am

Thur. Fri.

Notes

6.39pm

12.34pm 12.09am 1.26pm

1.01am

2.20pm

1.54am

3.13pm

2.47am

4.06pm

3.40am

4.56pm

4.32am

5.43pm

5.21am

6.28pm

6.07am

7.11pm

6.50am

Minor Times: Add 6 hours

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 23

Women in seafood Although there are many women involved across all areas of the seafood industry, we need to ensure that the representation of women on our committees, boards and working groups reflects this. Within the 13 fishery working groups in Queensland, only six of the 86 positions are held by women. Greater diversity and representation will not only strengthen the seafood industry, but it will also enhance decision making. To help ‘right the ship’, Fisheries Queensland has partnered with Women in Seafood Australasia (WISA) to provide women in Queensland’s seafood industry professional development opportunities. WISA is the only national organisation in Australia representing the women of the seafood industry. It is a unique network connecting all women

Changing seasons

What you need to know Spanish mackerel CLOSED

East coast south of latitude 22˚S 1 March 2023 to 21 March 2023 For more info go to the Qld Fishing 2.0 app

WISA member Karen Miller from Malanda Seafood on the Atherton Tablelands has been in the seafood industry for almost 25 years. Karen and her partner Mark (a second-generation fisher) proudly showcase over two dozen species of fish they catch themselves from their two vessels based in Karumba and Cairns.

working in the seafood industry from fishing and aquaculture and along the supply chain, as well as women working in research, policy and resource management. We think it’s important to take a moment to acknowledge the huge contribution women make to the seafood industry. Not only for International Women’s Day on 8 March – but every other day too. For more information about Women in Seafood Australasia (WISA) visit womeninseafood.org.au

Faces of Fisheries Meet Meagan…

From the moment eight-year-old Meagan first saw the Great Barrier Reef she was obsessed with all things marine. After completing a bachelor’s degree in marine science, Meagan reached her dream of working on the reef. In 2005 – when an opportunity arose to join the Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) she literally jumped on board. Although this phase of her exciting career started off in the busy waters around Brisbane, her beloved reef was still calling. Meagan moved north to Airlie Beach and hasn’t looked back since. She credits the QBFP team and the training she’s received for giving her confidence in herself and helping her realise what she’s capable of. Meagan loves being out in nature and teaching her kids the importance of looking after our natural environment and ecosystems.

Download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play DAF1895 02/23

Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 1895 Bush and Beach March 2023_FINAL.indd 2

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www.bnbfishing.com. au 8/2/23 8:13 am

Casting for women fishers… We started Women in Recreational Fishing Network (WIRFN) to help Queensland’s women fishers share knowledge, stories and tips and develop leadership skills. The online community invites women of all skill levels to get involved and share their knowledge and passion for fishing.

Are you one of the 89? The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) is responsible for monitoring and investigating fishing activities along 7,000 km of coastline and hundreds of freshwater waterways and impoundments. The vast majority of fishers (around 89%) make it their business to do the right thing. It’s only a small percentage who break the rules. Fisheries laws are in place to ensure fish stocks are sustainable — because we want our children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy fishing as much as we do. Enforcing these laws not only helps protect fish stocks but also the thousands of jobs that rely on them. QBFP promotes voluntary compliance through stakeholder engagement and education, but they also look to deter illegal activity by enforcing compliance with our fisheries laws. With 100 officers located across the State, fishers can expect to be inspected at any time of the day or night — in any location.

WIRFN leaders recently hosted meet and greets in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The family friendly events were a great success with informative guest speakers, hands on activities and prizes. Thank you to all who were involved in the event, donated prizes and came along to support the WIRFN program. Keep an eye out for the Cairns and Sunshine Coast meet and greet events coming soon! To join the group, go to Facebook and search for Women in Recreational Fishing Network Qld.

Brisbane WIRFN Leader Rhiannon learning how to fly cast with a Brisbane Fly Fishing Club member.

Patrol officers conduct inspections and investigations and rule breakers can face a range of sanctions including administrative actions, Cautions and Fisheries Infringement Notices, with more serious offending dealt with through the Courts. QBFP also works closely with other state and federal agencies, including Maritime Safety Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to deliver compliance services. So next time you’re wetting a line with your friends or family – check the rules before we check your catch. And if you see us out and about – make sure you say g’day! For fishing rules at your fingertips – download the free Qld Fishing 2.0 app via the App Store or Google Play.

fisheries.qld.gov.au 13 25 23 FisheriesQueensland FisheriesQld DAFQld www.bnbfishing.com.au

1895 Bush and Beach March 2023_FINAL.indd 3

RIGHT

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 25 8/2/23 8:13 am

Deep water working best for offshore fishos

ELLO and welcome – this year seems to be flying by incredibly quickly. The kids have gone back to school, and we have settled back into a little bit of normality, however I’m sure if we blink, it will be Easter before we know it. It probably doesn’t help my cause that Easter eggs and hot cross buns are being sold in supermarkets already.

Ballina Bait & Tackle by BRETT HYDE

It’s also hard to believe that, on the Northern Rivers, we are a year down the track from our worst flood in history. Thousands of families and hundreds of businesses are still trying to put the pieces back together and I do think it may be another year or so before many get things into order.

So, if you’re in the market for a weekend getaway or a family holiday, we would love to have you come and visit our little piece of paradise. The fishing offshore has continued to be slightly inconsistent over the past month. Currently, the water inshore remains a little on the cool side, which

BALLINA BAIT & TACKLE Peter captured a cracking pearl perch off Ballina.

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02 6686 2527 Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

has slowed the mackerel run considerably. For their mood to change, we definitely need a southeasterly wind to blow some of the warmer water in closer. I’m confident this will happen in the next couple of weeks and then we should see quality numbers of fish caught. Live bait are tough to find at times, so if you’re heading out, make sure you have some pilchard, slimy or other options in case live bait are nowhere to be found. Mahi mahi have been similarly slow, with the fish being inconsistent at times, however this may be due mainly to the large number of boats frequenting the fish aggregating devices over the course of summer. Though quite a few marlin and wahoo have been landed in the vicinity of the FADs over the past few weeks. Skirted lures being trolled was the main technique used on both targeted species and, if you’re super keen to chase these, it may pay dividends to head a little wider to find a temperature change or a current line that some larger models are hanging around in. While the warm currents have been beneficial in bringing the pelagic species to our front door, it has also meant that some of our popular bottom species have moved a little wider than usual to avoid the heat. Some of the better quality snapper and

pearl perch have come from rather deep water, in the 80-120m range. This trend will probably continue over the next couple of months, until we start seeing the water temperature drop as winter approaches. Live bait and jigs have been tempting the larger models, while the usual bait such as squid and mullet have been very interesting to the pan-sized fish. Back in the river and we still haven’t seen a great deal of crabs, though the whiting started to fire up and some good quality fish were landed using surface lures, as well as bait such as worms and yabbies. As is usually the case, a larger run-in tide has been the best time to soak a bait for whiting. Run-out tides and using brighter colours have been the most successful for whiting, with lures such as Atomic Hardz Pop 50, Bassday Sugapen, Daiwa Infeet Slippery Dog and MMD Splash Prawn being the most popular of the group. The other popular species this summer were mangrove jack. Live bait have accounted for some of the fish, though plenty have been taken from the rock walls above Burns Point Ferry using suspending hardbody lures and surface poppers. A run-out tide was a little more productive for the most part, especially when it occurred mid to late afternoon * continued P27

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Deep water working * from P26

on warmer days. Flathead captures around the area were quite good recently, with plenty of small fish about – great for future years – and some exceptional fish landed and released back into the water. Don’t forget, late last year a reasonably new rule came into effect for flathead. The maximum size of a flathead you can now keep in NSW is 70cm. It will be interesting to see how this new rule affects flathead numbers in NSW over coming years. Live bait have been tempting a couple of the larger sized fish, however most anglers managed a few fish

for a feed on either smaller soft plastics or bait such as prawns or pilchard. Good numbers of bream and a few trevally were taken from the ferry to Broadwater over the past few weeks. Most of the rock walls have been producing fish on hardbody lures or bait such as prawns or mullet fillets. Bream also showed up on some of the sand flats and were fairly keen to hit surface lures or super-light soft plastics, but stick to the more natural colours because they work a little better. Well, that’s it from me for this month, until next time – tight lines!

Bridgett scored a decent sized teraglin.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 27

Rebekah Ellis of Iluka caught a cottonmouth trevally inside the Clarence River when fishing for flathead. Rebekah with a bream taken on a green prawn near the Iluka Marine Rescue tower.

Bucket loads of bream

Jake Hyatt of Grafton with a baby jewfish, taken upstream at the new Harwood Bridge on a soft plastic lure.

Mischa with a pan-sized bream taken from the wharf at Ilarwill, slightly west of Maclean. Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

ELL, so far we have dodged any very bad weather, apart from a lot of wind and huge swell from the cyclone that slid past out at sea. Let’s hope any future intense systems follow the same route and leave us to have a nice spring for a change. Fishing throughout the Clarence Valley region during February was fairly good overall, with most of the target species of bream, tailor, whiting and flathead all being taken in reasonable numbers inside the river, and along the beaches and headlands. While offshore, both spanish and spotted mackerel turned it on for the boaties. Both species of mackerel are biting freely all along the coast – from Minnie Water in the south to Black Rocks in the north – and it should be only a matter of time before bigger spaniards start being landed from our breakwalls on either live bait or lures. Jewfish have been a bit harder to find in recent weeks, with only the occasional nice school jew being reported from the Iluka and Yamba walls,

Just Jew by TYE PORTER

on live yellowtail or soft plastic lures. Lovers Point at Yamba, the Iluka Bluff and Frazers Reef have all yielded fish around the 10kg mark on hard-bodied lures. The beauty of living on the Far North Coast is that jewfish are available 365 days a year, which is why I live here and won’t be moving anytime soon. Inside the Clarence River, bream are a dime a dozen, and Mischa and I have been having a ball fishing with green prawns on the Ilarwill Wharf slightly west of Maclean.

In a typical four-hour session, we averaged around fifteen bream of various sizes plus a couple of good flathead, all of which we released to fight another day. The public wharf we’ve been fishing is about 2km west of Maclean on Lawrence Rd – about 80m before the Maclean Golf Club tee off – and is well worth a fish because there is no shortage of herring around the pylons, so I reckon an occasional school jew would be in residence too. The southern bank of Goodwood Island

* continued P30

Red spot disease is still around, however most fish seem to recover from it in time.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 29

Bucket loads of bream * from P28

Quite a few estuary cod were around recently. They are a protected species in NSW and must be returned to the water.

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www.facebook.com/bnbfishing Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

has produced a few elbow-slapping whiting on live worms, however their numbers have dwindled markedly in recent weeks. Thankfully flathead have been topping up a lot of catches, so a good feed is still to be had if you’re prepared to put in the time and effort. Mischa and his girlfriend Rebekah have spent a fair bit of time fishing around the rocks at the Iluka Marine Rescue tower, scoring some decent flathead to 60cm on live herring, as well as small estuary cod and large bream to 43cm. One of Bek’s memorable catches this month was a small cottonmouth trevally, a species I have never personally seen. When I add that fish to the rock flathead she caught last year, I’m thinking there must be something to the theory of female pheromones, which may be giving her the edge over Mischa and I. Main Beach Iluka has finally started to produce reasonable numbers of solid chopper tailor around the 2kg mark, with whole garfish or bonito strips being the preferred bait to use. Hopefully these critters hang around for a while because in recent times, they seem to be on the chew for a few days then disappear for weeks, but only time will tell, I guess. The beach along Shark Bay has been absolutely littered with billions of baby pipis, which is a good sign that the beach is in healthy condition after nine months of flooding. While bream and swallowtail dart are about in healthy numbers, there has been very little good flathead water, with most of the beach being a series of

long deep gutters. Along the beach, there’s been no shortage of just-legal chopper tailor and you could do worse than return one back out live for a jewfish – tailor are one of the best jew bait available. Sure, you’re going to have to put up with a heap of sharks, however jewfish actually feed with the toothy ones, so persevere and your dream jew could be but a cast away. March will see big spanish mackerel and longtail tuna begin to be taken from the breakwalls and accessible headlands along the Far North Coast, with live garfish suspended under a float or lures being the best way to get a hook-up. Hopefully, the tailor will finally play ball along the beaches because they are great fun and not everyone wants to chase the larger species, and don’t forget to use one as live bait for jewfish. Offshore mackerel will continue to dominate catches, with most boats trolling lures at first light then anchoring once the sun is up and fishing un-weighted blue pillies into a nice berley stream, which gives the added bonus of some big snapper as well. Inside the rivers, catches of whiting will start to wane somewhat towards the end of the month, as the cooler southwesterly greets the early birds each morning. While the open beaches will continue to produce mixed bags of bream, dart and the occasional school jew. Let’s hope Mother Nature plays her part and doesn’t decide to suddenly ruin our party. Go on, get out there – until next month, safe fishing.

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ATOMIC Linez Braid is an eight-strand Dyneema fibre braid with excellent line and knot strength. Atomic use tightly woven fibres delivering a braided line that is smooth, supple and highly abrasion resistant. Atomic’s proprietary smooth-cast finish allows the line to glide through the guides on a cast, but also run effortlessly under tension when loaded up, while minimising guide noise. The tight weave Dyneema fibre is low stretch, enhancing sensitivity and accuracy. A waterproof finish and infused UV protection increases the life of the line. Atomic Linez Braid is an excellent choice where feel, castability and knot strength is imperative. Available in breaking strains covering all types of fishing from finesse estuary right up to monster stopping giant trevally braids, we’ve got you covered. Available in 150, 300, 600 and 2400m spools. Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

Samaki Hardlicious 95mm

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improved and what fish respond to. With this knowledge in hand, they set out to design a new hard-bodied vibe that would offer even more appeal to fish, while maintaining all the key attributes that make vibes so effective. The result is the new Samaki Hardlicious, a next-generation hard vibe set to revolutionise how we fish vibe lures. The Hardlicious features a soft tail that generates more vibration and action through the water, making it more irresistible to fish. The hard-body features an air pocket that slows the lure down on the descent, giving shut-down fish more of a chance to hit it on the drop. The Samaki team is confident that the Hardlicious will be a big success with Australian anglers, and we agree. The Hardlicious has been designed for fresh and saltwater fishing and performs exceptionally well in both environments. Visit tacklewarehouse.com.au

Infeet SK

INFEET rod design continues to evolve to meet the needs of anglers and advancements in technologies with the new Infeet SK series delivering anglers some new actions and Fuji’s popular SK (skeleton) reel seat configuration. Apart from the skeleton reel seat, Infeet SK also boasts some additional unique features, most notably a combination guide train of a Fuji titanium SiC stripper guide followed by a near-full set of Daiwa’s AGS carbon fibre guides. Lighter than titanium, AGS deliver unmatched responsiveness, sensitivity and lightness in the hand. Blank technology is performance-focused in design, with HVF Nanoplus graphite combining with X45X Full Shield technology to eliminate blank

twist, resulting in a rod that casts insanely well for its size and feels crisp and responsive when casting and working lures. As with all Infeet rods, a distinct red and blue colourway is used to designate the action of the rods, with fast action rods boasting red highlights while moderate or regular action rods are adorned with blue. The Infeet SK range features four models – two blue and two red – in both light and ultralight actions to cover a broad range of light tackle techniques and applications. Visit daiwafishing.com.au

Bone Focus 130 New Colours

THE Bone Focus 130 is a multi-tow point glide bait that is the ideal size for many fish throughout Australia. Featuring 4+1 towing eyelets, each with its own unique swimming action, this lure is truly revolutionary. The ability for anglers to choose the desired swim depth when fishing in different terrains is the focus of this lure. The first eyelet serves to create a swimbait with a seductive wide wobble and roll action mimicking a lifelike swimming action. Attaching your line to the second or third eyelets gives the lure greater diving capability. A vibration mode can be imparted when the line is attached to the fourth eyelet as it swims in a forward position with internal bearings knocking against the body. Additional weights can also be attached to the chin eyelet without impacting on the lure’s action, allowing the Focus to reach deeper in search of your prey. Six new colours will be our ongoing colour range – CP (Carp), FE (Femur), FAB (Fat Betty), PL (Pearl), SK (Skeleton) and MC (Murray Cod). Visit wilsonfishing.com

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 31

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 33

Amber Moy was at it again, this time capturing a nice javelin fish.

Creeks and flats firing up

G Mitch Cooper – also known as the Bream King – snagged a good estuary cod.

Captain Jonathan Mallard from Great Sandy Straits Sports Fishing boated a couple of dolphinfish from one of the fish aggregating devices. Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

’DAY crew, I hope you have all been well and are now back to normal after the holiday rush – wasn’t the town busy! I say it all the time but it’s so good to see new faces getting around for the holiday season and enjoying our little slice of paradise. What’s even better is catching up with revisiting holiday makers who keep coming back to Tin Can Bay year after year – we are very

Tin Can Bay by CHRIS RIPPON

blessed to live here. Throughout the holidays, we received great reports from both locals and holiday makers that mud crabs were running in good numbers and quality. Kauri Creek was littered with pots and for good reason – it was producing well from all reports – as was Teebar

and the upper reaches of the inlet towards Mullens Creek. Carlo Creek and the mangrove line running up to Pelican Bay was reported to be holding good crabs too. There were also some nice sand crabs caught in the channel on the build-up to bigger tides. * continued P35

Zoe took a lit up spanish mackerel from the Pinnacles.

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Creeks and flats are firing up * from P34

Whiting have been around in decent numbers over the past few weeks, with the flats around Poona and Tinnanbar being great hunting grounds. Live yabbies and our locally caught beachworms work best being fished on a flood tide. Definitely great places to go back to during the next flood tide to try for a few on the surface. Working lures such as Bassday Sugapen, Atomic Hardz K9 Walker and Nomad Dartwing across the surface can be explosive fun when the fish are on and feeding. I prefer to downsize the trebles on the Sugapen to a smaller hook – such as the Vanfook DT-44B. And when the fish are short striking, I will run a set of twin-assist hooks

on the back hook point – the Atomic Trick BitZ work very well for me. If you haven’t tried to catch whiting on surface lures before, you need to give it a go – it’s so much fun! The bigger fish in the school tend to muscle the smaller fish out of the way to eat your offering. But the key is to have a steady constant retrieve – about walking pace I’d say – and when you see the fish following your lure, do not stop winding. If you do, you will see the fish turn and swim away. So, keep winding until you feel the fish swimming the other way with your lure. Throughout January and February, enough good days kept all fishos

interested and plenty of crew managed to get out wide. The crew who ventured wide beyond 4050NM reported the run to be atrocious and not even a dropper rig with two 12oz snapper leads worked. One of the commercial deep droppers said they had 4.5 knot of run on one day and that fishing 500m plus of line out in 300m of water was not fun. Two drifts, two fish and they were done! Once back inside that 20NM range, the run was minimal and made for some great fishing, with catches of hussar, pearl perch, snapper, cod, tuskfish, good grunter, maori cod and red emperor all being reported.

* continued P36

The author with a coronation trout caught on a Nomad Vertrex Max 110mm.

Lachlan Burggerman scored a decent-sized snapper.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 35

Zack Staal scored a belter of a 54cm mangrove jack on a guided session with Great Sandy Straits Sports Fishing.

The Bream King was happy with a decent mangrove jack.

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Creeks and flats firing up * from P35

Loads of spanish mackerel were caught before the February closure kicked in. Out the front of Double Island and the Pinnacles, reports came in thick and fast. The main problem was sharks – you’d hook five to land one. Trolled garfish were a good option, if you could find them. Though lure washers also did quite well, with the average fish being between 8-12kg – if you could beat the sharks, that is. The fish aggregating devices have also been fishing fairly well and, if you happened to be the first boat there for the day, you were likely to come home with a feed of dolphinfish and cobia.

With a glamour week of weather leading into Australia Day, I was lucky enough to have the day off. So, we took a friend’s Haines Signature 543F wide, accompanied by a crew in their Kevlacat 2400. With our alarms set for 1.30am, we hit the Wide Bay Bar at about 2.30am and headed northeast. We fished south of Gardner Banks for coronation trout, snapper, pearl perch, large hussah, a good swag of tuskfish and maori cod, and the other crew even scored a nice-sized rankin cod. My friend managed to jump a marlin off that had eaten a Zerek Live Shrimp on the drop! He just couldn’t stick

the hooks in and, after a bit of aerial acrobats, it threw the hook – it was super cool to watch. The creeks are still firing and most of our local fishos will be out hunting mangrove jack. The nighttime bite has been good on bigger tides for the bait fishos – Snapper, Teebar and Kauri creeks have all been fishing well. Plenty of fish in the high 40cm and early 50cm were caught and the by-catch of cod, grunter, bream and barramundi made for some great nights fishing our local creeks. Well, that’s it from me, so until next time… tight lines. The Chandlery Bait and Tackle for all your fishing and boating needs.

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Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Rylan Day took a mowong on an OM Fishing Glow Freak.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 37

The author’s son William caught his first K’gari dart. The author with his daughter – a proud dad moment.

Making memories at K’gari

O Luca got the party started with a nice dart.

VER the years, I was fortunate to have spent a lot of time at Fraser Island or, as we now know it, K’gari. The memories I have of my time on the island seem endless and often involve fish. From an 18kg longtail tuna hooked at the boat, to a solo session bag out on red emperor to 13kgs.

The kids had a great time fishing, and a double hook-up didn’t hurt.

Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Fishing Tips by CHRIS RAIMONDI

A 54cm mangrove jack caught on a beachworm with a 10’ surf rod and Alvey reel at Wathumba. Countless tailor sessions, great reef fishing and brilliant days with the family in the sun, K’gari truly is paradise and a place that will always be close to my heart. Our most recent trip to the island was over the summer school holidays, where we were joined by several close friends and their children. My good friend Michael – who now resides with his family in Florida – was on the trip, fresh off a week at Moreton Island. Mick has long been visiting Moreton and this was his first K’gari experience. With nine kids under six staying at our Orchid Beach home, we certainly had our hands full, however the weather was

brilliant and our days were spent at the beach, with kids swimming in the lagoons on the inside of Waddy Point for hours on end. Between visits to Champagne Pools, Eli Creek and Indian Head, we ate, drank and generally enjoyed the long brilliant days in the sun that K’gari can provide. Dingo sightings were common, with three residents of the Waddy Point dunes cruising up and down the beach among the large number of holiday makers. One perfect afternoon was spent climbing the largest sand dune in sight – no mean feat for so many small children – of course, some of the fathers had to carry 2 and 3-year olds on their shoulders! Overall, a magic few days, though as heads hit pillows on our last * continued P39

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Making memories at K’gari * from P38

night on the island, some unfinished business remained – a fish or two! Having spent a week or so on the island prior to our friends arriving, I knew that finding a couple of fish in the surf for the kids was going to be tough work. A persistent southeast wind meant there was a fair bit of swell pummelling the beach and washing out a lot of the surf gutters at the top end of the island. As always, my wife Kate managed to pull a stack of beachworms despite the tricky conditions. Over multiple days, I walked hundreds of metres launching cast after cast into some very promising looking gutters and came up empty handed. Hardly a whiting, dart or bream from any of them – a rare scenario for a part of the world renowned for its landbased surf fishing. The exception to the quiet fishing came on my single trip to the western side of the island where a stack of nice whiting were accounted for in the shallows of Wathumba Creek. However, that wasn’t an option with our large crew, given we were on our final day and needed to depart at 2pm in order to chase the low tide down the eastern beach. Kate once again nailed her role, getting up at sunrise to chase a few worms and, by the time we had settled in for some breakfast, she had returned with a bucket full. Part of me had hoped the kids may have forgotten my ‘promise’ to chase a few fish, but that www.bnbfishing.com.au

was never going to happen. By about 8am, we were down the beach battling a very high tide and large swell with 5’ Ugly Stik Tackleratz Kids spin combos… oh dear! The swell and white water caused us all sorts of problems, especially given the kids insisted on using their rods rather than the longer surf rods that would get our bait a little further out past the white wash. After an hour or so, we made multiple moves closer towards Waddy Point and finally found some calmer and deeper water, though with no obvious gutter formation. I had hoped the kids would have lost patience, but to their credit, they were in for the long haul. I’d basically written us off, as hardly a fish had been caught from the beach all week. I just kept baiting hooks, casting out and passing rods to the kids to wind in before they’d even given a fish a chance to bite. Michael’s son Luca – the oldest child on the trip – had fished a little at home in Florida and, as I was getting my daughter’s rod ready for another cast, he started yelling. I looked over to see what the fuss was about to see his rod buckled over and line streaming off the little spin reel. A miracle! I adjusted the drag as he was on to something reasonably big. It became clear that Luca had hooked a very nice dart, and it was giving him a great battle. All the kids were jumping around in ex-

citement as he dragged his dart up the beach. I needed to go into overdrive! I rebaited, cast out and within a few minutes my daughter Rosie was on, then her friend Oscar, then my little son William – all connected to some decent K’gari dart. It’s not the first time a few dart have saved a quiet surf session on the island, let me tell you! Over the next half hour, all the kids had their moment in the K’gari sun – landing and releasing some cracker dart. The smiles on their faces and their excitement as the rods buckled over will live long in the memory bank. Another to add to the K’gari file – paradise indeed!

The author’s friend Chris and his son Oscar enjoyed their first visit to K’gari.

Rosie Raimondi launched into a dart. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 39

Paul wanted a cobia and well, the author half delivered one.

Linc with some yummy dinner.

A fat coral trout for Nathan, the trout chewer.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

Looking for illusive spotties

THOUGHT spanish mackerel were the endangered species! What about spotted mackerel? They must be still on holiday because they’re not showing in decent numbers in Hervey Bay. Have a glance back at some my writing from previous years. From February 2019 Spotties and mack tuna have been bashing the bait consistently still. However, they have been holding out wider, which is a bit tough considering the wind strengths we have to

Get into the best fishing action!

Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

contend with day in and out. From February 2018 What a cracking start to summer. The spotties have not let up! I was having a chat with one of the local commercial line fishers and we both agreed this summer was the best mackerel season in years. Without spotties, summer can be a long drawn-out affair. Yes indeed, without spotties, the fishing has been protracted. They’re still not showing up strong, only in drips and drabs. Luckily some tuna action has helped to soften the blow. These fish let us trav-

el from area to area, looking for shark-free fishing. If you’re stuck to fishing marks and reefs at this time of year, you will most likely encounter the taxman. Even on less populated reefs, I have suffered losses. Your secret little bump or ledge is no secret to apex predators. I have seen things recently that suggest it might be time to make a change. Congregations of dugongs suggest the bottom of the bay is settling after a year or two of heavy rainfall. Dugongs are vegetarian, so for this reason I think it’s no coinci* continued P41

Full and half day tours All levels of experience Experienced guide

www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au > 0427 230 261 Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Tamm captured an early season longtail tuna.

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Tide Times AUSTRALIA EAST COAST AUSTRALIA, EAST EAST COAST COAST –– WADDY WADDY POINT POINT (FRASER (FRASERWADDY AUSTRALIA, ISLAND) ISLAND) POINT

Nathan scored a lovely queenfish.

LAT24° 24°58ʼ 58ʼSS LONG153° 153°21ʼ 21ʼEE LAT LONG Timesand andHeights Heightsof ofHigh Highand andLow LowWaters Waters Times FEBRUARY MARCH FEBRUARY MARCH

Looking for illusive spotties 16 16 11 16 11 16 JANUARY JANUARY

* from P40

dence that often I’ll see bait around these same areas. Seagrass means nutrients and that often means plankton too. Plankton to kick start the food chain. Much of the bait I encounter is tiny. I believe even apex predators such as sharks and dolphins are eating this tiny stuff too. The weather patterns blanket everything, nothing is in a static cycle. A local fisho remarked on the squid population declining, blaming potentially new squid anglers taking small squid. I’m no biologist but I do recall squid being highly resilient to over-harvesting. For his benefit I recalled Brisbane after the 2011 floods.

Time mm Time mm Time Time 0427 1.65 1.65 0324 1.52 1.52 0324 0427 1013 1.01 1.01 0859 1.02 1.02 0859 1013 1548 1.48 1426 1.47 SU 1548 1.48 MO MO 1426 1.47 SU 2214 0.62 0.62 2102 0.60 0.60 2102 2214

Time Time

0543 1.88 1.88 0543 1238 0.96 0.96 1238 1740 1.27 1.27 WE 1740 WE 2311 0.74 0.74 2311

Time Time

0447 1.90 1.90 0447 1138 0.85 0.85 1138 1641 1.30 1.30 TH 1641 TH 2232 0.66 0.66 2232

Time Time

0413 1.80 0413 1.80 1142 1.02 1142 1.02 1625 1.23 1.23 WE 1625 WE 2150 0.92 2150 0.92

Time Time

0312 0312 1.85 1.85 1023 1023 0.90 0.90 1532 1.29 1.29 TH TH 1532 2053 2053 0.84 0.84

16 16

2023 2023

Time TimeZone Zone–1000 –1000 APRIL APRIL

Time mm Time mm 0454 0503 0503 1.82 1.82 0454 2.03 2.03 1136 1158 1158 0.81 0.81 1136 0.59 0.59 1751 1.41 1.41 SU 1740 1.60 1.60 SA SA 1751 SU 1740 2316 2309 2309 0.84 0.84 2316 0.69 0.69 Time Time

16 16

Weed beds on More- be surprised if marlin ton Island that used to came good in coming 0518 1.78 1.78 0422 1.67 1.67 0621 1.94 1.94 0540 2.05 2.05 0507 1.84 0518 0422 1.84 0421 1.96 1.96 0543 1.86 1.86 0544 2.05 2.05 months. produce22squid were 17bar17 0540 1126 0.97 0.97 17 22 0621 22 0507 220543 1028 0.97 17 0421 0.97 1311 0.88 0.88 17 1228 0.71 17 0544 0.71 1216 0.94 1028 1228 1120 1224 1126 1311 1216 1213 0.94 17 1120 0.76 0.76 1224 0.72 0.72 17 1213 0.51 0.51 1647 1.40 1.40 TU 1536 1.40 1.40 1833 1.29 1.29 FR 1747 MO 1.36 1739 TU 1536 1747 1.36 1650 1.36 1825 1.51 1647 1833 1739 1.27 1824 1.73 1.27 1650 TH 1.36 1825 FR 1.51 1824 TH 1.73 MO TH TH FR SU MO FR SU MO So, as 2354 I2354 sit 0.69 and reflect, ren. 2255 0.60 0.60 2154 0.56 0.56 0.69 2336 0.55 0.55 2248 0.87 2154 2336 2228 2351 2255 2248 0.87 2228 0.75 0.75 2351 0.73 0.73 I think0658 perhaps over And I believe 0600 1.89 1.89it was 0511 1.84 1.84 0658 2.00 2.00 0629 2.20 2.20 0550 1.89 0600 0511 0629 0550 0518 0618 0005 1.89 0518 2.07 2.07 0618 1.89 1.89 0005 0.60 0.60 3 18the 18 1312 1222 killed 0.91 18 3that 33 1341 18 33 1242 33 1247 1138 0.87 18 1206 0.87 1341 0.80 1312 18 0.58 1242 0.86 1222 0.91 1138 0628 0.86 18 1206 0.63 0.63 1247 0.63 0.63 18 0628 2.03 2.03 the next few0.80 years, our 0.58 the silt TU 1742 1.35 1642 1.36 1916 1.34 1843 1.45 1821 1.34 WE 1642 1.36 1.34 SA 1751 1.47 FR 1916 1.34 SA 1.47 MO 1856 1.61 SA 1843 1.45 1.61 TU 1246 0.46 FR 1821 0.46 TU 1742 1.35 WE FR FR SA 1751 MO 1856 TU 1246 2332 0.58 some 2247 0.50 0.50 system will recover and weed – it2332 took 2336 0.78 0.58 2336 2247 2330 1904 0.78 2330 0.62 0.62 1904 1.86 1.86 0638 and 1.98 when 0557 2.01 2.01 0034 0.64 bloom again. 0.64 time to settle 0030 0.44 0.44 0627 1.94 0638 1.98 0557 0034 0030 0627 0609 0030 0050 1.94 0609 2.17 2.17 0030 0.64 0.64 0050 0.57 0.57 4 1308 19the 19right 1308 0.85 0.85 19 4over 44 0732 44 1308 44 0650 1234 0.74 19 1245 0.74 0732 2.04 2.04 19 0716 2.31 19 0709 2.31 1308 0.77 1234 0716 0.77 19 1245 0.53 0.53 0650 1.90 1.90 19 0709 1.96 1.96 And,SA with theSU it did WE 1832 time, 1.33 TH 1743 1.36 1.36 1411 0.74 1353 0.48 WE 0.48 1856 1.41 TH 1743 1832 1.33 0.74 1.41 SU 1838 1.59 SA 1411 1.59 1311 0.55 SU 1353 0.55 WE 1318 0.45 SA 1856 0.45 SA TU SU 1838 TU 1311 WE 1318 2340 0.44 1951 1.38 1932 1.56 2340 0.44 1951 1.38 1932 1927 1943 1927 1.70 1.70 1943 1.97 1.97 water movement, the 1.56 weed came back strong0008 0.57 0.57 0642 2.18 2.18 0111 0.60 0.60 0118 0.36 0.36 0017 0.69 0642 0118 0019 0135 0.69 0019 0.50 0.50 0106 0.60 0.60 0135 0.60 0.60 summer pelagic surface ly. 5 0008 0713 2.04 2.04 20 1324 5 0111 5 0017 5 0106 1324 0.62 0.62 0806 2.05 20 0802 2.36 2.36 0702 1.98 0713 0806 2.05 0802 0702 0721 1.98 20 0654 0654 2.21 2.21 0721 1.89 1.89 20 0747 0747 1.87 1.87 1349 0.79 1840 1.40 1441 0.71 1433 TH 0.43 1335 FR 1349 0.79 1840 1.40 1441 0.71 1433 0.43 1335 0.70 1322 0.46 1335 0.50 1349 0.70 1322 SU 0.46 MO SU 0.47 FR SUwill start anew. MO SU MO WE MO WE 1335 0.50 TH smash TH 1349 0.47 I hopeTHI 1916 am not wrong 1916 1.32 1.32 2022 1.41 1.41 2020 1.65 1.65 1928 1.48 2022 2020 1928 1920 1957 2023 1.48 1920 1.71 1.71 1957 1.79 1.79 2023 2.06 2.06 Perhaps the arrival in drawing similarities 0043 0.56 0.56 0033 0.37 0.37 0147 0.57 0.57 0206 0.35 0.35 0055 0.61 0147 0142 0043 0206 0055 0220 0033 0104 0.61 0104 0.44 0.44 0142 0.60 0.60 0220 0.67 0.67 0748 2.08 2.08 21 6 0751 6 0734 0729 2.33 2.33 0838 2.03 2.03 0848 2.33 2.33 of fish6 0838 such as 21 spotted 0734 1.99 between6 0748 Moreton Bay 0729 0848 1.99 21 0736 0736 2.20 2.20 0751 1.86 1.86 21 0826 0826 1.74 1.74 1427 0.75 0.75 SA 1412 0.51 0.51 1509 0.69 0.69 TU 1514 0.43 FR 1427 0.43 1401 0.64 SA 1412 0.64 TU 1356 0.42 MO 1509 0.42 1401 0.47 TU 1514 0.47 FR 1420 0.52 MO 1401 0.52 MO TH FR MO TU 1356 TH 1401 FR 1420 mackerel are1.44 and Hervey 1956Bay 1.33– I do 1937 1.46 1.46 2051 1.44the final 2107 1.71 1.71 1958 1.55 1937 2001 2051 2030 1.88 1956 1.33 2107 1958 2103 1.55 2001 1.82 1.82 2030 1.88 2103 2.10 2.10 phase of0222 the0.57 cycle, 0252 they love eating0118 squid. 0118 0.56 0125 0.32 0.32 0222 0.57 0252 0.42 0.42 0130 0.56 0.56 0125 0149 0309 0.56 0149 0.44 0.44 0220 0.63 0.63 0309 0.77 0.77 7 0822 7 0907 0822 2.08 2.08 22 0818 7 0220 7 0130 0818 2.41 2.41 0907 2.00 2.00 22 0933 0933 2.22 2.22 0803 1.98 0825 0803 1.98 22 0817 0817 2.13 2.13 0825 1.80 1.80 22 0905 0905 1.62 1.62 maraud the bounty beNot being on the water 1502 0.73 1458 0.44 1538 0.69 1554 SA 0.48 1426 SU 1538 0.69 1427 0.47 1502 0.73 1458 0.44 1554 0.48 1426 0.61 1432 0.44 1448 0.60 0.61 1432 TU 0.44 1427 WE 0.47 1448 TU 0.60 TU FR SA SU WE TU WE SA WE FR SA 2031 week 1.33 2032 1.52 1.52 2119 1.46 crashes 2154 1.74 1.74 2027 1.60 1.46 2105 2031 1.33 2032 2154 2027 2044 2143 1.60 2044 1.90 1.90 2105 1.95 1.95 2143 2.11 2.11 fore the2119 system week in and out, 0154 0.57 0216 0.33 0255into 0.60 a more 0338 0.57 0.57 0204 0.56 0.60 0.33 0338 0233 0404 0.56 0233 0.53 0.53 0300 0.69 0.69 0404 0.87 0.87 and goes might make it0.57 hard 0216 to 0854 2.07 2.07 23 0909 8 0154 8 0255 8 0204 8 0300 0909 2.42 2.42 0936 1.96 1.96 23 1016 1016 2.05 2.05 0832 1.95 0936 0902 0854 0832 1.95 23 0858 0858 2.00 2.00 0902 1.72 1.72 23 0944 0944 1.50 1.50 1536 0.73 0.73 MO 1545 0.43 0.43 1606 0.68 TH 1635 0.56 SUchanges 0.56 1451 0.59 MO 1545 0.68 1536 0.59 TH 1506 0.49 dormant state. WE 1606 0.49 see theSU from 1456 0.50 TH 1635 0.50 SU 1517 0.70 WE 1451 0.70 WE SA WE TH 1506 SA 1456 SU 1517 2101 1.34 1.34 2126 1.55 1.55 2151 1.49 1.49 2242 1.75 1.75 2057 1.66 2242 2224 2151 2144 2101 2126 2057 2127 1.66 2127 1.95 1.95 2144 1.99 1.99 2224 2.08 2.08 If they don’t return year to year. 0229 0.59 0.59 0307 0.39 0.39 0328 0.66 0.66 0428 0.75 0.75 0238 0.60 0229 0307 0328 0428 0238 0319 0345 0506 0.60 0319 0.67 0.67 0345 0.78 0.78 0506 0.95 0.95 in the next few years Even 9minor things 0927 2.03 24 9 9 24 9 24 24 0959 2.34 1007 1.90 1.90 1056 1.86 1.86 0901 1.90 0927 2.03 0959 2.34 0901 0937 1007 1056 0942 1026 1.90 0937 1.83 1.83 0942 1.61 1.61 1026 1.40 1.40 0.73 TU 1632 0.47 1714 0.65 MO 1609 TH 1635 0.68 TH 1516 0.58 FR 1540 0.58 SU 1527 0.57 MO 1551 0.80 in numbers, thenFRthere such as water 2131 1.35 clarity 2219 1.55 2130 1.71 2211 1.96 2230 1.51 2333 1.74 2225 2.00 2307 2.02 is certainly a chance are hard to0305 gauge 0.62 unless 0356 0.52 0406 0.75 0528 0.93 0313 0.67 0412 0.82 0439 0.87 0612 1.00 25 1047 10 1041 25awry. 1000 1.98with 2.20 1137 1.66 10 0933 1.83 25 1016 1.67 10 1024 1.50 25 1115 1.32 something is1.82 very you’re 10 dealing it 1643 0.74 1718 0.55 1705 0.67 SA 1755 0.74 TU WE FR FR 1542 0.58 SA 1611 0.68 MO 1601 0.66 TU 1632 0.90 2311 1.97 2206 1.35 2312 1.54 2207 1.75 2256 1.95 2356 1.94 I will 2314 only1.53 know if I professionally. 0341to0.67 0447 0.69 0450about 0.85 and 0031 1.73 0352 0.77 0517 0.97 0547 0.94 0723 1.02 still hang do I did11 note a client 1035 1.92 26 1134 2.01 11 1117 1.73 26 0650 1.08 11 1008 1.74 26 1056 1.51 11 1112 1.38 26 1220 1.26 another 10-20 of 1.49 SA 1610 0.61 SU 1644 0.78 TU 1641 0.76 WE 1729 0.99 about the water 0.74 clarity 0.68 years WE 1720 TH 1805 0.63 SA 1739 SU 1222 2249 1.35 1841 0.82 2248 1.76 2345 1.91 and colour in early Sep- guiding. 0423 0.75 0010 1.54 0005 1.54 0437 0.87 0638 1.06 0008 1.93 0056 1.85 0144 1.73 So, come and be part tember12 2022 and men1113 1.84 27 0543 0.87 12 0547 0.96 27 0834 1.14 12 1045 1.63 27 1145 1.38 12 0715 0.96 27 0844 1.01 1759 0.73 FR 1219 1.81 1156 1.62 1321 TH 1.35 SU 1642 0.66 MO 1725 0.88 WE 1221 1.29 TH 1401 1.24 MO of mySU‘research crew’. tioned that I wouldn’t 2343 1.34 1852 0.70 1818 0.69 2333 1.77 1737 0.86 1850 1.05 1937 0.89 0513 0.84 0120 1.55 0109 1.57 0536 0.97 0043 1.86 0304 1.76 0127 1.90 0208 1.78 13 1840 1155 1.76 28 0654 1.02 13 0702 1.04 28 1033 1.10 13 1125 1.51 28 0810 1.09 13 0850 0.92 28 0954 0.96 0.71 1306 1.62 1241 1.50 1445 FR 1840 0.71

SA 1306 1.62 1942 0.74

MO 1241 1.50 1906 0.71

TU 1445 1.25 2043 0.92

MO 1720 0.72

TU 1250 1.28 1824 0.97

FR 1537 1.28 2015 1.05

0048 1.36 0243 1.61 0231 1.63 14 0617 0.93 29 0836 1.12 14 0846 1.07 1239 1.66 1401 1.46 1342 1.38

0029 1.76 0153 1.81 0247 1.92 0317 1.75 14 0658 1.04 29 0951 1.05 14 0959 0.81 29 1039 0.88

0208 1.41 0359 1.70 0345 1.75 15 0734 1.00 30 1025 1.11 15 1032 0.99 1328 1.57 1512 1.34 1521 1.30

0149 1.78 0308 1.79 0355 1.98 0412 1.75 15 0858 1.02 30 1053 0.98 15 1053 0.70 30 1110 0.78

SA 1239 1.66 1925 0.68

SU 1328 1.57 2013 0.64

SU 1401 1.46 2037 0.77

MO 1512 1.34 2133 0.78

TU 1342 1.38 2004 0.72

WE 1521 1.30 2115 0.71

TU 1215 1.39 1810 0.79

WE 1345 1.29 1921 0.84

0457 1.79 31 1150 1.04 1628 1.27

WE 1428 1.23 1942 1.03 TH 1616 1.25 2105 1.02

A solid gold golden trevally for Laury.

SA 1647 1.46 2216 0.80

SA 1636 1.36 2134 0.99

SU 1718 1.46 2235 0.89

FR 1713 1.33 2216 0.95

FR 1538 1.34 2045 0.90

0412 1.80 31 1129 0.90

TU 1628 1.27 2224 0.77

www.bnbfishing.com.au

TH 1411 1.27 1902 0.92

New New Moon Moon

First First Quarter Quarter

Full Moon Full Moon Moon Full

First Quarter Last Quarter Last Quarter Quarter Last 16 16

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 41

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 45

Both little and big kids can have a ball getting a feed of one the most popular seafoods in Australia. Luke Beqir scored a couple of quality mud crabs.

Chasing a feed of mud crabs

The author scored a decent crab from the Kolan River.

A true giant 3kg central Queensland crab with a legal buck for comparison. Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

ENJOY the whole process of chasing a feed of mud crabs and it’s great fun for the whole family. From motoring up a tiny mangrove-lined creek, the search for likely spots to throw baited pots, the anticipation with the kids of pulling up a big buck, to boiling your catch as you enjoy a well-earned beverage. Both little and big kids can have a ball trying to get a feed of what is arguably one the most popular seafoods in Australia. Mud crabbing is certainly a topic that has been well covered in fishing publications, but if you’re starting out, hopefully you pick up a few useful tips from this article. First, there is much debate about the best bait. While I personally prefer oily bait such as mullet, there are many opinions about what pot bait you should and shouldn’t use. A couple of absolute myths you may have heard are ‘reef fish frames don’t work’ and ‘crabs won’t go into a pot that has an estuary cod frame for bait as they prey on crabs’.

Bundaberg by MATT POTTER

Experienced crabbers will laugh this off because they know mud crabs are vigorous scavengers. They aren’t fussy and will scavenge any carrion, so long as it is reasonably fresh. In years gone by, kangaroo, pig heads and chicken frames were – and still are – the favoured bait options of many crabbers. However, they aren’t as cheap these days. So, it makes sense to freeze your own fish frames from your offshore and estuary trips into ‘ready to grab’ pot bait portions. Keeping fresh bait in your pots each day is important on a crabbing trip. Though instead of simply tossing the old smelly half-chewed bait in the water, put it in a bucket and dispose of it over the side well away from the pots, so no big muddies in the vicinity are walking off with an easy meal. Secure your bait well. Anything you can do to keep your bait intact

longer is worthwhile, as once it’s gone, the crabs will try to escape. Most decent pots these days have quality in-built bait holders, however I also make my own bait holders using a heavy-duty gutter guard mesh and zip ties, which seem to hold up well against powerful claws. Even more important than which bait you go with is the location of where you drop your pots. As their name suggests, mud crabs generally prefer a soft muddy bottom, and mangroves provide both food and protection. If you have a couple of days up your sleeve, don’t hesitate to move your pots around a little initially to locate crabs. I prefer to do the extra miles to crab in locations that may see less pressure. Google Earth is a valuable tool and can be used for identifying smaller creeks before leaving the house and heading to a new area. Typical spots are * continued P47

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Chasing a feed of mud crabs * from P46

the mouths of feeder creeks and deeper mangrove-lined banks. Though ensure your pots are lying flat on the bottom and not on a branch, which will allow the crabs to get a free feed from the outside of the pot. If you have a small tinnie and don’t mind it getting a few scratches, it is well worth pushing up some of the smaller harder-to-access creeks where bigger boats may not venture. While scouting, it pays to also keep an eye on the bank for clues to drop your pots. As mud crabs also love bivalves such as mussels and oysters, any large hole on the bank that has empty shells at the entrance generally indicates a big muddy has been having a feed, so it makes sense to drop a pot nearby. For the above reason, it can also be worth dropping a pot close to rock bars or particularly those mangroves that are covered in oysters. While the pots are hopefully doing their job, it gives you a chance to also chase a feed of fish – just don’t

get caught out by a dropping tide, so try to ensure your pots are in deeper holes where they will stay submerged. In most areas, the new and full moons seem to produce better catches due to the greater tidal movement. The bigger tides also allow you to push further up creeks. Keep in mind that leaving pots overnight will generally yield the best results, which was certainly true on a recent trip to the Kolan River. The reality for most of us though is that not all the stars align and we crab when we can. In any area of strong tidal run, it is worth securing your rope or float to a mangrove branch. It is also worth spending a bit more on the heavier duty pots, as some of the lightweight cheaper pots roll around. Also, be mindful of floating ropes and propellers of passing boats. I’m sure that many pots claimed to have been stolen were instead cut off by a prop. I often move my pots around a bit, so it pays to mark these locations on the GPS to be sure

Family fun, chasing flathead in between checking pots. www.bnbfishing.com.au

of exactly where you dropped them. As many keen crabbers know, heavy rainfalls get the crabs moving out of smaller creeks and into the deeper channels of the main system, which the crabs prefer because there are higher salinity concentrations on the bottom under the brackish fresh top layer. I initially drop a number of ‘test pots’ along a few of the channels at significant distances from each other and return to check them a few hours later. Once I’ve located an area where I believe crabs are, I’ll run a string of pots in that region 50m apart and leave them overnight. This can often pay off with a nice feed of muddies. As salinity levels increase again in coming weeks, the crabs will push back up the system. The problem with dropping pots in the more accessible places is that sadly there’s a chance of ‘share farming’ – someone knocking off your pots. To Fisheries Queensland’s credit, the officers tend to act fairly quickly on reports of anyone interfering with crab pots and any illegal crabbing activity. When it comes to getting a feed of crabs, it is up to all crabbers to do the right thing and know the legal requirements for size, possession and crabbing equipment in Queensland waters, so jump on the Fisheries website to see the list of recreational crabbing rules. One thing that is a growing voluntary code of practice among crabbers is throwing * continued P48

A monster muddie coming in at 3.04kg.

The author with a full crab lollipop.

Start the kids crabbing from a young age, they’ll thank you for it. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 47

The author was hurt but the Slammer didn’t miss a beat.

From left to right, the Penn Slammer, Spinfisher VI and Fierce III.

Legendary Penn Spinfisher reels revisited

I all, I fondly remember the late 1980s fishing and camping at the numerous Australian National Sportsfishing Association competitions around southeast Queensland. Walking around the campgrounds looking at other members’ boats. In those days, a lot of sportfishing competitors were using the legendry Penn Spinfisher reels. Actually, I remember owning a number of these reels – 420SS, the 650SS and the popular 750SS. These well-respected reels earned a solid reputation for reliability and engineering, great retrieve rates due to gearing and good-sized spools capable of holding excellent line capacity. To me, the stasis of the time for chasing pelagic

Agnes Water by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

fish was Spinfisher reels spooled with another legendry brand… Platypus Pre-Test monofilament. Many times in life, we will explore our interests further and, as the years passed by, I found myself becoming more involved in fishing rivers and estuaries. I began using a stable of smaller Shimano Stradic and Daiwa Sol lures more than throwing smaller hard-body lures and light soft plastics around structure and snags. During this time, Penn took the manufacturing of the iconic American-made Spinfisher offshore and I felt the overall quality and performance soon suffered.

I purchased one of these early Chinese reels to use occasionally offshore from Mooloolaba for chasing pelagic targets and unfortunately, it simply couldn’t handle the punishment. Finally, I was left with a good-sized longtail tuna and a snapped reel handle in my hand. Many years have passed since that experience and Penn still produce a lot of reels offshore, but they have paid greater attention to the quality of materials used and taken advantage of advancements in technology. I’ve been using a cross section of their new spinning reels, such as the Fierce, the Spinfish-

er VI and the Slammer III. The first of the reels I purchased was the Slammer III 6500HS and I haven’t been disappointed. It offers 6.2 retrieve and holds 500m of 40lb braid, plus features a machined brass-gear system that offers a smooth operation, which they boast is one of their strongest drive trains. The IPX6 sealed body has been implemented to protect all the internal parts from the ravages of the salt environment. The Dura-Drag system is the smoothest drag I’ve used, even under heavy drag pressures, the reel allows you to place some real hurt on your prey. But when that fish turns and takes another blistering run, you feel very confident knowing this is a precision piece

of equipment that preforms beautifully. This reel also comes with different handle options included as standard in the box – providing personal preference for jigging or high-speed spinning applications. I troll with this reel as well, so I find it a very versatile piece of gear. After 12 months of use, this reel performs like new and I’m extremely pleased with what I’ve achieved, especially its retrieve of 1.2m of line per turn of the handle. Perfect for quick line retrieves on short strokes on stubborn opponents. The Penn Spinfisher VI was the next purchase and a little cheaper than the Slammer. It’s a slightly lighter reel with a 5.6:1 gear ratio. I have spooled this reel with 500m of 20lb braid

* continued P49

Chasing a feed of mud crabs * from P47

A nice feed of mud crabs. Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

back empty bucks, known as ‘floaters’ or ‘water bags’. Crabs that are light in weight and indent easily when they’re given a gentle squeeze under the carapace – adjacent to third leg – have recently moulted and have not had a chance to fill their

body cavity with flesh. There is a lot of liquid inside the body and very little edible meat. Put simply, it is a waste of a crab. Throw them back to fill-up, breed and let someone else catch them – it could even be you again. Full bucks are obvi-

ously heavier in weight, often have a maltese cross underneath, may also have algae or barnacles on the shell and sometimes have signs of wear and tear, such as worn inner ‘teeth’ on the claws. All the best on your next crabbing adventure!

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Penn friends revisited * from P48

and it screams – the perfect spinning reel. It’s manufactured in the same high standard as the Slammer but has a IPX5 sealed body to protect it in the elements. The techno-balanced rotor offers a super smooth operation – between this and the retrieve rate, the reel is ideal for pelagics. The spool design offers superb castability, even with slugs as low as 20g, which is impressive when using 20lb braid and 30lb leader. The HT-100 carbon-fibre drag washes offer smooth reliable performance. From the time you feel the pressure of a fish and that first blistering run,

you feel the confidence – safe in the knowledge that, if the hooks are well set and your knots hold, there’s nothing else to let you down. It is slightly slower than the Slammer, but at 1.07m of line retrieval per turn of the handle, it’s no slouch when targeting any of the speedsters. If there’s a bust up on the surface, it’s the first reel I search for. And last but not least, there is the Fierce III range – which is easier on the budget but still offers a reasonable product. The 4000 and 5000 models have been successful on school mackerel and mack tuna so far, but I’m not 100 percent sure of the durabili-

ty – due to the short time we’ve owned these. They have the HT-100 drag system used in the Spinfisher VI reels but overall, the construction seems a little less substantial. Naturally, price has to effect quality in general, but Penn reels are supplying some hardcore fishing products. I personally haven’t used the Authority range of spinning reels, which Penn believes sets a new standard in bluewater spinning reels. The feedback from fellow anglers has been nothing but praise and full of recommendation. It’s great to see Penn producing excellent spinning gear and offering such a diverse range.

The Penn Spinfisher VI is light, robust and a real workhorse.

Line retrieval is such an important factor for speedsters.

Moura Muddy Water Classic Fishing Competition

April 8-9 2023

Dave Hodge The Barefoot Fisho

WHERE: Dawson River Apex Park

• Saratoga • Golden perch • Black bream

ENTRY FEES: Senior: $20 Junior: $10

For further information contact: Zelma Lewis 0428 971 932 email: m.a.f.s.g@bigpond.com

• Lucky Draws • Major Prizes

$1000 Catch the Tagged Saratoga x 2 | Hot/cold showers | Meals and refreshments www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 49

Paul Dawson shared in the red emperor fun. Nice sticker!

Serious reds off 1770

Rob Schomberg scored his personal best 13.5kg red emperor off Seventeen Seventy.

TURKEY BEACH 2 Bedroom Villa Holiday Rental • Outdoor BBQ and pergola For • Fish cleaning facilities enquiries • Large yard with room and for the boat bookings • Undercover carport phone • Close to boat ramp 0458 742 153 • Linen available www.turkeybeachfishingvilla.com

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

HIS year’s annual pilgrimage to Seventeen Seventy saw fishing windows at the start and end of the week, with the middle section being mostly for socialising. The original plan had most boats and crews heading home on the Saturday, but the weather was too good to pass up for some. Accommodation would normally be the first problem, though with no immediate bookings for the houses, extending for a couple of days wasn’t an issue. Unfortunately, not all members of the original crews could stay. One being Rob Schomberg’s deckhand Terry, who was booked on a flight back to Western Australia on the Sunday morning. Terry insisted Rob stay because he was able to catch a ride back to Brisbane with Lucky, who had to get back too. With road transport sorted, Rob stole Pauly off John’s boat, to even up the numbers on the water. The final thing to sort out was getting permis-

Power Boat Anglers by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

sion to stay from headquarters back in Brisbane. After a bit of discussion, it was decided that sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, so this was adopted as the official stance. Fishing wise, the plan was – thanks to the great conditions – to head a little further south than usual, and all boats reached the area in good time. Freyja had John, Helaine and guest Dave onboard – they located some nice ground and were quickly into some good trout off a pinnacle. Pauly and Schomby deployed jigs and scored a few small cod species, then Rob changed to a prawn plastic that was nailed instantly by a very nice trout, followed by a mixed bag of reef fish. Things went quiet, so they headed further out to some ground they hadn’t fished for over 10 years.

Sounding the area found good shows and dropping into them produced for a few hussar but nothing of note. Freyja was still in the area where they had started, so Rob and Paul decided to head over for a look to see if they could locate a decent rock or some more good shows. After sounding for a couple of kilometres, a good show on a very small bump appeared on the screen and, after a bit more investigation, the electric was dropped and baits were sent down. It wasn’t long before Paul’s rod buckled and, after a good fight, a yellow spangled emperor about 7kg came into view – not what they were hoping for but a nice fish all the same. Rob’s turn was next with a good belt on the Schombie Zombie rod, and a nice red emperor of 6kg hit the deck, just as Paul’s rod went off again. * continued P51

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Serious reds off 1770 * from P50

It was a weird fight, initially being called for a cod and coming up way back in the current, but as it got closer, Paul’s smile grew when he saw it was another nice red for the Esky. Rob was again back in the water, and it wasn’t long before he had the rod almost ripped out of his hands. The current added to the fight of another big red, eventually having the twin of Paul’s fish make it into the net. They attempted to call Freyja, with the intent of having them move over, however with their radio turned down, they missed out on the fun. Paul was next on the rod and with a dogged fight, they called it for yet another red. As he managed to get the upper hand, the red turned out to be a big amberjack being stalked by a massive grey shark, with the end result being only a fish head on the deck. The anglers were staring at the carnage when Rob’s rod started screaming again. With the vision of the shark in his mind, he put the Makaria reel into low gear, drag to sunset and went for it. Like a mad man, he barely slowed as he slotted the rod into the holder and cranked as if there was no tomorrow. Paul got a glimpse of colour and yelled to stop winding after seeing that the big red wasn’t being pursued by a shark, and not wanting it to get launched into space. Maybe 15kg of AJ might have been enough to fill the taxman up or possibly Rob’s fish was travelling so fast, the www.bnbfishing.com.au

shark didn’t see it. Paul lip gaffed the fish and Rob now had a new personal best red emperor of 13.5kg – finally beating his old mark of 10kg. They hooked a few more but all were taken fairly quickly by the taxman, so reluctantly they decided to move away and hopefully preserve them for another day. Jogging around some local spots saw a few more hussar and tuskfish land in the Esky before eventually finding Freyja and asking about the radio silence. The crew weren’t the happiest of campers having struggled most of the day and obviously missing out on a hot bite, though they did score some quality coronation trout for their efforts. With the sky darkening on the horizon, it was time to call it a day and head back. It had been a good decision to stay, though for Terry, the best he could do was look and drool at photos of the reds. Schomby, the good friend that he is, has promised to take him there next year, however this might be easier said than done now that word is out. We’ll see how that pans out. 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 7pm start. The next meetings for the year will be Wednesday March 1, followed by Wednesday April 5. Until next month, safe boating.

Rob Schomberg’s Seventeen Seventy coral trout.

Rob Schomberg had a red emperor bonanza off Seventeen Seventy. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 51

This is the end product before cooking. Some people prefer cooking them whole, but we like to clean them.

Good mud crabs have been around in quality numbers recently.

March mud crab madness

Having a good crab-cooking setup will make life a lot easier.

It’s messy business mud crabbing but well worth it for the rewards.

Make sure to run rectangular pots in the direction of the gutter. Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

’M so glad we’re starting to see slightly cooler weather. Some of the days in summer were super humid and hot. I have to admit that, as I’m getting older, I do enjoy having the comfort of a bimini on the boat. The last trip I did with my daughter, we certainly needed it and then, on the next trip, I had it up once again to get a bit of shelter from a downpour. If you don’t have one on your boat, I highly recommend getting one. That’s enough about sun and rain safety, let’s get down to business. Most reports I’m receiving at the moment are that mud crabs are moving very well. You have to still put the time and effort in to get good numbers but, with a bit of effort, the rewards are there to be had. When chatting with a few crabbers, we got talking about bait. Everyone has their own secret recipe, however, at the end of the day, something that’s oily and gets a good slick or scent trail going is key. I prefer to use mullet or mullet heads as well as any fish frames I have in the freezer. I have noticed that

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

some frames seem to work better than others. Some crabbers I know swear by beef heart and others use chicken frames. The best thing you can do is run a bit of a selection and record the results. In my opinion, the best bait are the ones that obviously catch crabs but are also cost effective. The more expensive the bait, the more expensive each crab is that you catch. Though much better catching your own than paying $70/kg. Speaking of bait – what about bait holders? Some crab pots have little bait-holder mesh pockets built into them, which is a cool idea.

Other people simply run a zip tie, which is still a great way to do it. I went one step further and built some purpose PVC bait keepers. I was sick of crabs tearing the bait to bits overnight and also sick of the extra mess the bait made in the boat. The PVC bait keepers are easy to make and not overly expensive. Have a look at the photo so you can get out there and make your own. The beauty of bait keepers is that you don’t need heaps of bait. You can slide a couple of small pieces in, screw the lid closed and have confidence that the bait will still be there the * continued P54

Homemade bait keepers are gold and putting the effort in to build your own is worthwhile.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 53

2023 Moura Muddy Water Classic fishing competition

The Muddy Water Classic fishing competition at Moura from April 7-9, 2023 offers an Easter camping and fishing trip.

Always a great weekend of fun, fishing and mixing with friends.

Run by the Moura Fish Stocking Group, there are two tagged saratoga worth $1000 each when caught.

ASTER for many means getting away on a camping and fishing trip, and what better place to do both than at the Muddy Water Classic fishing competition at Moura from April 7-9, 2023. Always a great weekend of fun, fishing and mixing with friends. Run by the Moura Fish Stocking Group that, with the support of district and community, holds this awesome event at the Apex Park on the Dawson River, on the western side of Moura. Camp in the shaded grassy camp area and enjoy dollar-coin operated hot and cold showers at the facilities block. Activities kick off on Thursday 7 April with an outdoor movie,

which is as popular with adults as it is with kids – so bring your chair, sit back and relax. Nominate to fish or to be in the running for one of the two lots of major senior and junior lucky draws. Nominations are $20 for seniors and $10 for juniors. There are meals – breakfast, lunch and snacks – and refreshments available, and everyone’s favourite… the ice cream truck! Joining us is the barefoot fisho Dave ‘Hodgie’ Hodge, who will entertain and amaze you with his casting skills, plus share and chat with you about his fishing tips and techniques. From a fishing perspective, while the river has had its ups and downs with water flow,

it has settled to a good level now – not far under the weir – and you can navigate a long way upstream. Remember, there is a lot of timber about and care is required for submerged stumps. The water clarity is quite clear for the Dawson River, and saratoga and yellowbelly have been very active. Last year we introduced the catching of a tagged saratoga worth $1000. This year, there are two tagged saratoga worth $1000 each when caught. Happy fishing and we can’t wait to see you there. For more information, contact Zelma Lewis on 0428 971 932 or m.a.f.s.g@bigpond.com

March mud crab madness Have your say on * from P52

next day, even if the pot is full of crabs. The next question is, where do you put your crab pots? I believe the best idea is to have a drive around the creek you’re going to place your pots in and look for any fresh diggings – these are good indicators of active crabs in the area. Make sure to stagger your pots throughout the entire creek. Push some up shallow, some out deep, some in gutters... you’re basically looking for a pattern of where the big male muddies are hanging out. Once you’ve caught

a few crabs, the best thing to do is tie them and put them under a bag of ice to go to sleep. If you need help tying a mud crab, simply do a quick YouTube search. Plenty of videos explaining how to do this step by step are available. Having a good setup to cook your muddies will make the process simple too. There’s nothing worse than having to cook mud crabs inside the house one at a time in your partner’s favourite pot. Get set up to be efficient. Refer to the relevant photo for an idea of

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

what you’ll need. How to prepare your crab for cooking is personal choice. Most crabbers prefer to cook their muddies whole, though we favour splitting our muddies, giving them a good clean out with salt water, then steaming them over salt water instead of boiling them. Use salt water to clean them as mentioned, as well as to cook them. Fresh water out of the tap ruins the taste a bit, in my opinion. Well, there you have the good oil on chasing mud crabs. So, grab the pots, get out there and have a go.

GBRMPA draft policy

HE Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has prepared a draft policy on fish aggregating devices and artificial reefs to provide clarity on its policy position regarding FADs and artificial reefs in the marine park. The draft policy proposes to ban the use of FADs, among other things – elibrary.gbrm pa.gov. au /jspu i / ha n dle/11017/3953 Fisheries Queensland runs a successful FADs program outside of the marine park and is a part of a dedicated program to boost fishing opportunities for pelagic fish, such as mahi mahi. We had hoped this pro-

gram could be expanded and at least trialled in the Great Barrier Reef. Fisheries Queensland is providing a response to the consultation. The draft policy is open for comment from Wednesday January 11 to Wednesday April 12, 2023. Visit the ‘consultation underway page’ for more details – gbrmpa.gov.au/ about-us/consultation/ consultation-underway By the way, it was nice to see some big mahi mahi being caught off the Gold Coast FADs recently. Check out Fisheries Queensland social media for more information on this and other topics.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

PERFORMANCE

X RELIABILITY +

BRISBANE STONES CORNER MARINE 117 Old Cleveland Rd, Stones Corner (07) 3397 9766 www.stonescornermarine.com.au

GYMPIE WATSONS MARINE CENTRE 52 Wickham St, Gympie (07) 5482 2135 www.watsonsmarine.com.au

HERVEY BAY BAY CITY BOATING 55 Islander Rd, Pialba, Hervey Bay (07) 4124 6988 www.baycityboating.com.au

BUNDABERG BUNDABERG MARINELAND 95 Targo St, Bundaberg (07) 4130 0500 www.bundabergmarineland.com.au

MACKAY REEF MARINE 26 Prospect St, Mackay (07) 4957 3521 www.reefmarine.net

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 55

BOATING & marine

Yellowfin revealed what underpins its product quality, strength and reliability with a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the product build.

Yellowfin’s building process for ultimate boating beast

HE age-old saying of ‘what’s on the inside counts’ stands true to all things boating, with the sheer strength of build and quality of ride starting from the very core of the vessel and trickling throughout the entire product. This awareness has underpinned Yellowfin Plate Boats since its conception in 1984.

With decades of boating expertise and refinement under its belt, Yellowfin has established itself as one of the most reliable, strong and stable plate boats in the industry. Thanks to a dedicated team of research and development professionals who specialise in continuing to elevate the boating experience, Yellowfin only

continues to evolve the offshore boating experience. Yellowfin Plate Boat supervisor Peter Steinhardt said, “We are proud of what we deliver, knowing that each day we give local Australians a proven product that delivers industry-best performance, is built tough with the highest marine grade aluminium plate sheets

It’s what’s under the floor that makes Yellowfin Plate Boats some of the toughest on the market.

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

and meets consumer demands.” “Each model in the Yellowfin line up is a fine-tuned, tried and tested product. “For marine boat building in Australia, we have a state-of-theart facility – no one can do what we can with the technology, resources and people. “Every Yellowfin Plate boat is hand-built by a specially selected 15-person team of the best boat builders in the country, and goes through six sections of quality control before

heading out the factory doors,” Mr Steinhardt said. With a great product comes a great team – each design seeing countless hours committed to the build to create perfection and up to 90 hours of welding alone going into each boat. Heralded as the most sought-after position in all marine manufacturing, each Yellowfin Plate boat builder must go through an intrinsic process to become an expert before be* continued P57

The ocean can turn at anytime and its then that you need a reliable and predictable riding hull to ensure an easy ride to your destination every time.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine

Yellowfin’s building process for ultimate boating beast

* from P56

ing welcomed onto the team. The journey begins with building small tinnies to lay the foundations of marine knowledge, then large boats to fine tune their skills to perfection, and then plate boats. The three core elements that separate the brand from the industry come down to the hull, internal construction and flooring mechanism. Hull Boasting the largest research and development team than any other boat brand in Australia, Yellowfin has scientifically developed and pioneered the Offshore HD hull. With its sharp entry point and 19-degree deadrise, Yellowfin Plate Boats handle swell with ease, delivering a soft and predictable ride. Yellowfin is also the only brand in the market to build their plate boats with up to 6mm plate bottom sheets to deliver utmost strength. The design is different due to the reverse chine, which deflects water away from the hull and enhances stability. Yellowfin commercial manager for Australia and New Zealand Drew Jackson said, “A good reputation does not happen overnight – it comes from consistent customer satisfaction and exceeding expectations.” “Since the beginning, www.bnbfishing.com.au

Yellowfin Plate Boats was known for its superior design, and part of this can been seen in the development of the current HD hull,” he said. Internal construction The entire range is built with an internal sub frame, comprising a strategically structured longitudinal and latitudinal rib structure for utmost strength. Each boat is constructed with 6mm thick vertical stringers and 5mm horizontal ribs for maximum strength, and is completed with a fully welded checker-plate floor. To provide additional support to the self-draining checker-plate floor, a box section floor frame is also fitted. Using extrusion specifically designed for marine products, the chine and the keel are not simply welded but re-enforced by a total of four welds performed by an expert technician for double the strength. “It’s what’s under the floor that makes Yellowfin Plate Boats some of the toughest on the market,” Mr Steinhardt said. Auto self-drain deck For offshore boating, an auto drain deck is essential. The entire Yellowfin Plate range comes complete with specialised technology that expels water quickly and efficiently from the hull. A rear gutter guides excess water to a lower

chamber, ready to be pumped out. Separate to the underfloor bilge pump, the auto drain deck offers another layer of safety. Yellowfin are driven towards delivering a fully equipped vessel catered to every bluewater boater’s needs, with a range of seven different model configurations in the lineup – the Southerner Hard Top Cabin, Hard Top Cabin, Folding Hard Top, Cabin Soft Top, Centre Cabin, Centre Console and Rear Console.

Each boat comes standard with all the essentials for stress-free, straightforward boating, and are available with an array of additional options for easy customisation to build that perfect boat. “We are committed to delivering a worldclass plate boat for all offshore boaters, with fine-tuned designs across all layouts,” Mr Jackson said. “Whatever the adventure, you can rest assured that you have an offshore beast with Yellowfin.”

Available as a fully configured boat, motor and trailer package, built directly from the Gold Coast factory, buying a plate boat has never been easier. With a carefully selected network of Yellowfin dealers located across the country, all Australians can experience the Yellowfin Plate Boat difference. Visit yellowfinplate boats.com.au to find your perfect offshore plate boat and contact your local dealer to become part of the Yellowfin force today.

The Auto Drain Deck expels water quickly and efficiently from the hull with a rear gutter that guides excess water to a lower chamber ready to be pumped out.

You can rest assured the Yellowfin range is built to Australian recreational boat standards. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 57

BOATING & marine A cutaway of the integrated electro-hydraulic steering system.

Triple XF450s with the new XTO EC prop designed to reduce ventilation.

Yamaha expands award winning outboard line up

A M A H A Marine has launched into 2023 with the announcement of exciting new models. Increasing on a commitment to fully integrated powerplants for modern boating, Yamaha has announced new F150, F175 and F200 models, featuring innovative integrated steering and sleek new design. Yamaha also adds to the powerful XTO Offshore line up with the addition of a new 450 horsepower model to complement the existing XTO 425. The XTO 450 delivers new features to round out one of the most comprehensive high horsepower offshore powerplants ever built. New F150, F175 and F200 Yamaha’s new inline four-cylinder high horsepower outboards are based around the existing 2.7 litre (F150 mechanical) and 2.8

litre (F150, F175 and F200) platforms in the current engine line up. These engine platforms cemented Yamaha’s reputation for creating high-quality, reliable and durable outboards in this category, while also setting new standards in power, performance and economy in four-cylinder outboard design. These engines are proven in the field, delivering millions of trouble-free hours of boating to customers all around the world. To take these engines to the next level Yamaha has added two options of innovative integrated steering. Yamaha skippers now have the choice of either complete digital control with integrated electro-hydraulic steering or more traditional hydraulic steering – which is now completely integrated within a sealed cylinder on the transom bracket of the engine, rather than being a third-party com-

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

ponent for cleaner rigging and appearance. Integrated digital electro-hydraulic steering This plug-and-play system utilises an electric helm connected electronically to the steering control unit within the engine. Skipper input at the helm is transmitted to an electric pump that actuates the hydraulic steering. The result is smooth and responsive steering with the additional benefit of customisable steering settings for steering friction and sensitivity at the helm. Rigging is simple and clean, creating an uncluttered bilge and transom area. The F150 and F200 models fitted with IDEH steering can be easily connected to all the features of Yamaha’s Helm Master EX system. Boats can be equipped with Yamaha’s autopilot and even joystick control, with the ability to use SetPoint features

that automatically hold the vessel’s GPS heading or position at the push of a button. This incredible system is available on multi-engine as well as single engine setups and has become a ‘must have’ system for serious fishers and skippers who demand ultimate boat control. Integrated hydraulic steering The new range of F150, F175 and F200 are also available with integrated hydraulic steering. This system makes use of a conventional hydraulic helm and lines connected to a hydraulic steering cylinder built into the transom bracket. Integrated hydraulic steering models offer the precision and simplicity of high-quality hydraulic steering with additional benefits achieved by enclosing the system within the engine design. This means hydraulic parts are less exposed

to the elements or the risk of accidental impact damage for longterm durability. These engines are a great option for both repowered and new boats. Yamaha has matched these new integrated steering options with two choices of throttle and shift control – mechanical or digital electronic – to create the most impressive lineup of engines ever offered in this category. By combining these steering and control methods, Yamaha has created three levels of engines for customers to choose from. Mechanical throttle and shift control with integrated hydraulic steering: • F150, F175 and F200 • Signature Grey • RRP $23,920 $30,000 Digital throttle and shift control with integrated hydraulic steering: * continued P59

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine

Yamaha expands award winning outboard line up

* from P58

• F150, 175 and F200 • Signature Grey • RRP $27,730 $30,930 Digital throttle and shift control with integrated digital electro-hydraulic steering: • F150 and F200 • Choice of Signature Grey or Pearlescent White • RRP $30,080 $34,830 Next level trim and tilt system – TotalTilt The F150, F175 and F200 with digital electric throttle and shift control are fitted with Yamaha’s TotalTilt system. This allows the complete tilt up of the engine from any position with a simple double click of the ‘Up’ trim tilt button or full tilt down (until trim ram contact) by the same double click of the ‘Down’ trim tilt button for an improved user experience. There’s also a new built-in integrated tilt limiter allowing the engine to be automatically set to the maximum tilt angle to suit the boat. Optional propeller light When paired with Yamaha’s industry leading Helm Master EX autopilot and joystick boat control system, there is now the option of having a propeller light installed directly into the rear apron of the outboard motor, rather than requiring independent www.bnbfishing.com.au

installation on the transom. These lights clearly indicate the boat is actively in Helm Master EX SetPoint mode to anyone approaching the stern of the vessel. The new F150, F175 and F200 are due to begin hitting Australian shores from April. New XTO Offshore XF450 Yamaha adds to the line-up of high power XTO Offshore models with the addition of a new 450hp model to complement the existing XTO 425. The new XTO Offshore features the same 5.6 litre direct-injected V8 engine and long list of features as the original XTO 425. This exceptional engine delivers big torque and thrust to push big offshore boats. Along with an additional 25hp, the new XTO 450 delivers new features to enhance one of the most ground-breaking offshore engines ever built. More charging power To help meet the extreme electrical demands of today’s larger boats, the Yamaha XTO Offshore 450 features a three-phase simultaneous charging system that delivers an incredible amount of net amps at lower revs per minute, for where it’s needed most. Using phase angle control componentry and a super-strong magnetic field, XTO

Offshore 450 models produce up to 96 net amps per engine in neutral. That’s plenty of power to meet today’s popular high-demand devices such as gyro stabilisers, air conditioning, sound systems and more. TotalTilt The XTO Offshore 450 is equipped with Yamaha’s exclusive TotalTilt feature for faster easier engine tilting. When enabled, it allows complete tilt up from any position with a simple double-push of the ‘Up’ trim tilt button or full tilt down (until trim ram contact) by the same double push of the ‘Down’ trim tilt button. A warning horn will sound before and during these operations. Movement and the horn can be stopped

anywhere in between by pressing the tilt button again. New cowling shape and design New raised chrome graphics on the sides, a re-styled panel at the rear, a new flush-mounted manual flush connection up front and hidden external wiring near the bracket add to the premium look of this powerful outboard. Optional propeller light When paired with Yamaha’s industry leading Helm Master EX autopilot and joystick boat control system, there is now the option of having a propeller light installed directly into the rear apron of the outboard motor, rather than requiring independent installation on the transom.

These lights clearly indicate the boat is actively in Helm Master EX SetPoint mode to anyone approaching the stern of the vessel. New propellers Yamaha has also released two additional XTO prop options. A new XTO EC prop has been designed to reduce ventilation, which can occur when pushing big heavy boats, due to the extreme thrust produced by this engine. For lighter vessels, a new 27” pitch prop is also available, providing increased RPM at wide-open throttle for potentially more topend speed. The new XTO 450 Offshore will be available in Signature Grey or Pearlescent White and is due to begin hitting Australian shores from March.

The F150 with integrated electro-hydraulic steering, which means parts are less exposed to the elements or the risk of accidental impact damage for long-term durability. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 59

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Knockbacks are simply a part of life

OU quite rightly are very selective about the boat you buy and similarly, marine insurers are somewhat selective about the boats they insure. Which is a two-way relationship not always well understood, and occasionally it can lead to knockbacks that are also not well understood. Sometimes you will see social media posts making adverse comments about particular companies in relation to insurance applications. “They wouldn’t insure my boat and it’s better than boats being made today”, “I’d sooner have my old boat than a new cheap Chinese import” and similar comments. Invariably, such comments come after the

boat has been purchased and most likely at the time the owner is first seeking insurance. So, what’s the best way to avoid being caught in a similar situation? The answer is to start with a company such as Nautilus, which specialises in marine-related insurance policies. Ask them about the boat you’re considering purchasing – nominate the manufacturer, the model, the year it was built, the purchase price and ask if they can foresee any issues that need consideration in terms of its insurability if the purchase were to go ahead. Tell them whether you’re considering buying and ‘fixing up’ a vintage vessel – be upfront right from the start.

Let Nautilus know whether you’re considering buying and fixing up a vintage vessel and ask if they can foresee any issues that need consideration in terms of its insurability if the purchase were to go ahead.

Explain your plans and again, ask whether they can foresee any issues in terms of insurance. As experts on boating, they are aware that an unqualified ‘tradesperson’ might inadvertently bring an unacceptable insurance risk to the restoration project. It makes sense that a company might prefer to insure a well-founded vessel nowhere near as old, well maintained and in excellent condition. Clearly, an ex-trawler, ex-ferry or ex-commercial craft that someone started to tinker with though didn’t finish is going to require more insurance questions and inspections than the latest model from a well-known boat manufacturer. Insurers also need to consider whether replacement or suitable substitute parts can be sourced for older vessels should an insurance claim arise. Electrical systems might have changed, electronic managements systems may have upgraded pipe sizes, tap sizes, fittings – and the list goes on. All these things need to be assessed, which is why insurers some-

times ask for a boat survey to be undertaken by a qualified person. It’s better to have considerations such as these addressed up front rather than when a boat rebuild project is nearing completion. Great boat-travel documentaries about postcard destinations posted on YouTube by people who fulfilled their boating dreams by working up some blisters bringing an old vessel back to life certainly can be intoxicating. The savings they might have made by doing the work themselves might make the concept seem even more attractive. Understandably, these documentary experiences might prompt the question: “How hard can it be?” “Plenty” is the answer. Interestingly, as the Australian recreational boating fleet gets older, there are more and more boats stretching past the 20-year age bracket that used to be a cut-off point for some insurance companies, unless a marine survey certificate could be provided. Nautilus will now consider insuring

30-year-old trailered runabouts, recognising that boats built in the 1990s were often better built than those in the 1980s. That is not to say any vessel older than 30 years is automatically an inferior product – not at all. Obviously, with the right inspections and certifications, boats far older than that can be insured. But it does mean that Nautilus has removed its requirement for a mandatory condition report on some trailered vessels before insuring them. Others will continue to require out of water surveys. As always, what is and what may not be covered will always be decided 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 Product Disclosure Statement. If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

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

Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 61

TOURING & exploring

Even the largest pools we encountered were quite shallow. Still, all were probed with lures.

Summer sortie to Sundown

The tracks are rough at the eastern side of the park. Even the warning sign had taken a hit from a sliding vehicle.

Grey kangaroos, and swamp and red-necked wallabies – such as this one – are commonly encountered in Sundown National Park. Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

OR my birthday outing of 2023, we planned something a little different from the intensive fishing or hunting trips of recent years. This sojourn was to be a relaxing camping weekend spent kicking back, bird and wildlife watching, with the possibility of wetting a line. Our chosen venue was Sundown National Park – situated in the granite belt slightly north of the NSW border. By far the most comfortable access to the park is through the southern entrance – either via Stanthorpe Texas Rd from the north or from Bruxner Highway if travelling from the south. That southern gate is the main park entrance and gives access to the

Fishing for Sport by NEIL SCHULTZ

Broadwater camping area. All very neat and tidy, you’ll find fenced camping sites, toilets, the Ranger’s office and, as the name would suggest, an expansive waterhole on the Severn River. There used to even be a wood-fired ‘donkey’ for hot water, but I’m not 100 percent certain it’s still there after the February 2022 flood. A short walk upstream along a well-marked track brings you to the unimaginatively named Permanent Waterhole, which holds a small population of Murray cod that can be tempted to take a lure for the persistent angler. The Broadwater pool

itself is fairly shallow but it does hold quite a few carp that will take bait of bring-your-own worms or sweet corn, and will take red dry flies when the bottlebrush trees are in flower. When the bottlebrushes or eucalypts are in flower, the area around Broadwater comes alive with bird life, including no less than 24 officially recorded species of honeyeaters. However, because our trip was planned at short notice, the Broadwater campsite was booked out, so we took option B and entered via the north-eastern access point to a bush camp. * continued P63

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TOURING & exploring Something different - summer sortie to Sundown * from P62

This involved almost three hours of challenging four-wheel driving across steep, stony and in places, quite rough tracks. Due to the very real possibility of coming unstuck on those tracks, we were in a convoy of three high-clearance vehicles. Recovery gear carried included winches, Maxtrax, Snatch Straps, HiLift jacks, shovels, axes and high-volume compressors to reinflate tyres – for after we’d let air pressures down to prevent putting a stone through a sidewall… yes, I’ve done that here. After one hiccup with a flat tyre, our convoy eventually groaned down the last steep hill into the bush campsite at Burrows Waterhole Camping Area. Our camp was quite spartan, with Graham and I simply rolling our swags out, Roxbee on a camp stretcher and Mick in a pop-up tent. Ve h i c l e - m o u n t e d awnings provided additional shade to that provided by the Blakely’s red gums, manna gums and forest oaks growing around the camp site. After a bite of lunch and a rest in the shade until the sun was casting long shadows, we all rigged a fishing outfit and ventured forth with much anticipation. Burrows Waterhole is quite shallow – which we discovered the next www.bnbfishing.com.au

day when taking a cooling dip – and though thoroughly scoured with proven lures, no follows were to be had, however we did spot several carp feeding. Hiking a couple of kilometres downstream revealed that the majority of the river’s water flowed along numerous shin-deep channels meandering across the trap rock of the valley floor. One very likely looking pool was eventually reached and, in spite of hundreds of casts during the prime last-light period, nothing stirred. Back at camp we boiled the billy for a hot beverage and a feed of noodles – I did say spartan – while surrounded by grazing wallabies, then it was into the swags early. Being serenaded by a powerful owl in the tree above my swag was a highlight, but even his mournful calls didn’t keep me awake for long. After a quick breakfast of a coffee and a banana, Mick and I joined Graham in his vehicle for a drive downstream to a waterhole he’d seen during a previous 4WD excursion. What loosely passed for a vehicle track was traversed in low gear, bouncing over rocks and sneaking between cypress trees that had missing patches of bark from scrapes with leaning vehicles. Eventually – with

strained neck and back muscles, bruised shoulders and a little remodelling of the bash plates – we intersected the river again and piled out, fishing rods in hand. While the sun was still low enough and where most of the river was in shadow, we lobbed lures in to every likely looking pocket of water as we made our way downstream. Covering quite a distance on foot uncovered a few tiny pockets of water that had possibilities but, mirroring the situation from further upstream, very little fishable water was present. Decades ago, when I was more keen and adventurous, I used to hike down the river from Nundubbermere Falls – before it was

part of the national park – and the geography was the same… a few pools and plenty of walking along shallow stretches. Once the sun was on the water and the air temperature had us sweating profusely, we headed back to camp for a cooling dip in the river and a siesta under the gum trees. While we were hitting the middle reaches, Roxbee – while exhibiting more behind than Bessy the cow and by heading even further down the southern end of the park – had managed to snag the one lone cod living in the 10km or so of river we’d explored. We fished again during the coolness of late afternoon – with no joy – before kicking back at camp to enjoy

the company of good friends and a number of red-necked and swamp wallabies that call the camping area home. We tested our bird identification skills… picking out whiteplumed honeyeaters from the more common Lewin’s and brown varieties, along with dollarbirds, drongos, thornbills, wood swallows and a score of other species, including white-bellied eagles. After unhurriedly packing up camp and vowing to return, we drove out without any mishaps and inflated the tyres at the park gate. Next time, for an even more relaxed getaway, we’ll leave the fishing rods at home and only carry our cameras and binoculars.

Getting to the water was difficult in places, and good-looking little pools failed to produce. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 63

TOURING & exploring

The Weethalle silos in NSW were painted by renowned Melbourne-based artist Heesco Khosnaran as part of the Weethalle Silo Art Project.

SA’s sensational scenery

H A lovely free camp 21km southwest of Forbes and next to a river full of carp.

I all, with the silly season and school holidays over on the coast, let’s hope the Noosa area slows down a bit. It was so crazy – for my family and I, we didn’t even think about going over to Teewah or up to Inskip Point for a

The 80 Series and Jayco caravan ready for the trip to South Australia.

Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Touring South Australia by CRAIG TOMKINSON

swim and a day trip. So, what did we do to instead? Well, about three weeks into the school holidays – after waiting and watching the big floods in the southern states around November and December – we heard most spots had dried up and were back to normal. So, with that we packed the Toyota LandCruiser 80 Series and our Jayco Wind Up caravan, and my family and I hit the road for Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. Day one and we were away by 7.30am and, to avoid the traffic on the highway, we headed

along the backroads to Kilkivan, then to Kingaroy and Goondiwindi. We crossed the border into NSW and at about 4.30pm, we found a free camp slightly out of Boggabilla on a long driveway to a wheat property, and made sure to camp on the public road reserve, off the road. Next day we were up early and off along the Newell Highway – surprisingly there was not too much traffic. Because we would take our time on the way home, we agreed that we wouldn’t stop on the way down apart from for fuel, food stops * continued P65

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TOURING & exploring SA’s sensational scenery * from P64

and to stretch our legs, and also that we would camp at night. On the second night at about 6pm, we found a cracking free camp 21km the other side of Forbes – it was right on a river with lovely green grass to camp on and shady trees, as it was quite warm at the time. We set up camp and found that the river was full of carp – there must have been thousands of them swimming around in the water. And frogs – the ground was alive with spotted grass frogs hopping everywhere. We were also lucky enough to spot a pair of rakali sitting on logs preening themselves. It was a very nice spot. The next day, we were away at about 7am and drove the highway further south. We came to the Murray River and the flood damage was a sight to see – we felt very sorry for the people who were impacted. We crossed the Murray River at Mildura and again at Renmark,

then found a free camp at about 7.30pm because for us, the days were getting longer. This particular spot was not that good – the flies were very friendly until it was dark. After a good night’s sleep, we had breakfast, packed up and were away at about 7am again. We headed into Burra – what a pretty town, with most of the houses made from sandstone and its free-flowing bore in the town gardens. Because the wheat harvest was coming to an end, there was hardly a soul in sight when we drove through many country towns – we drove alongside thousands of kilometres of country that was covered in wheat. We finally made it to Warooka where we stopped for more supplies, then on to Sturt Bay, where we set up camp on a 40.5ha property owned by Gordon Brooks, who kindly let us stay for a few days. Until next month, be safe.

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Pan fried fish in lime and garlic butter sauce

Ingredients – fish • 2 x 150g fish fillets, skinless • 2-3 tbsp salted butter • 1 tbsp sesame oil • Salt and pepper Ingredients – lime and garlic butter sauce • 1 tbsp crushed garlic, fresh • 1 shallot finely sliced

• 2 tbsp salted butter, cut into equal portions • 1 tbsp lime juice • 1 tbsp sesame seeds • 4 lime wedges Method 1. For the sauce – lightly simmer butter and garlic in a pan, stirring until melted through. Stir in lime juice.

2. Heat a large non-stick pan on medium heat. Add butter to the pan until all is melted. Add sesame oil and heat. 3. Sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. 4. Place the fish in the pan skin side down – it will start to sizzle, fry for two minutes. Carefully turn fish with a spatula keeping the fillet intact for presentation. Fry the other side of the fillet until cooked through and golden. 5. Pour lime and garlic butter on plate to cover the surface. Place fish on plate skin side down and drizzle sauce over the top. Garnish with shallots and sesame seeds with extra lime juice to taste.

Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 9 mins | Serves: 2 The floodwaters before Renmark were incredible.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 65

TOURING & exploring The heat at Dubbo took its toll on both the kids and the animals.

Amaya refined her bowling skills next to ‘Pigeon’, our aptly nicknamed legendary fast-bowler Glenn McGrath.

Cobar provided a great overnight rest stop outside the mining area.

First mini lap leg around Australia

FTER postponing our sixmonth lap in June last year, due to the Western Australian border being closed, we were excited to be heading off in January this year. Obviously, all our plans and bookings had been either cancelled or changed, but that didn’t matter as we had decided to head clockwise for this trip. Another thing that was different on this tour was the planning – the late call to go meant we didn’t plan very much, though we had a basic idea of where we

No better way to beat the 37C temperature than with a dip in the pool. Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

Family Adventures - Part 1 by BEN COLLINS

wanted to visit. The advantage of no fixed plan is, if you feel so inclined, you can stay in a place longer or visa-versa and move on to the next town. However, we did book the Easter school holidays, where we’ll be staying in Exmouth and a few days in Lucky Bay in Western Australia, near Esperance. As NSW is relatively close, we decided to skip most of it and make a bee line to the southwest coast of Victoria. However, on our way through we did stop at

a few interesting places. Dubbo One such place was a farm stay on the outskirts of Dubbo called Billy’o Bush Retreat. It had only recently reopened after being closed over summer due to the heat – so basically, we had the place to ourselves, even though for one of the days we were there it hit 37C. Without giving too much away, the photo of the pool that we all enjoyed may be seen in an upcoming reality TV show. * continued P67

The New Cobar mine viewed from the Fort Burke lookout.

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TOURING & exploring First mini lap leg around Australia * from P66

While in Dubbo, we also visited the zoo. It was good for the kids to see the different animals, though due to the extreme heat, unfortunately neither the kids nor the animals were keen to move around very much. Thankfully you can drive through the zoo – which we opted to do, as the car air conditioning made it more bearable. Cobar Ever since copper was discovered there in 1870, Cobar has been known as ‘Copper City’. Today you can marvel at vast open-cut mines and learn about the area’s history at the Great Cobar Heritage Centre. Take a dip in the Great Cobar Open Cut, an old quarry and popular swim spot with locals. Or enjoy the free camp at Cobar reserve, which adjoins a freshwater lake and has magnificent sun sets.

Broken Hill While there wasn’t much activity in the city itself, there were a few places of interest nearby. One in particular was the Living Desert, which is an array of sculptures from different artists. Each sculpture has a unique meaning and, depending on the time of day and position, the sun highlights various parts of the sculpture. Silverton Situated on the outskirts of Broken Hill, the remote town of Silverton has a population of 34 and a wealth of history. Once bigger than Broken Hill, Silverton was a thriving mining town – hard to believe given the buildings that remain standing. One of the buildings was the schoolhouse, and is now full of historical artifacts and photos of the area dating back to when the town was first established – it’s worth a visit.

The Murray Darling River Junction in full flow.

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The old gaol is also filled with bits and pieces of the past, which we hope gave our daughters some appreciation of how hard life was back in the day. Some people may also remember this place as the location for one of Australia’s epic film productions – Mad Max 2. Murray Darling Junction Before heading off, one of our concerns was the road condition, particularly with the floods around Forbes. Thankfully we managed to get through most of NSW with limited stops for roadworks. We were also lucky enough to basically follow the Murray River south, which offered spectacular sights. The amount of water around was incredible – even areas you’d think would never have water, had water. Our Mildura lunch stop definitely put the amount of water into perspective, with the access road to the Murray and Darling River Junction completely submerged. At the time we were there, the river had dropped about a 1m from its peak. Next month, I’ll cover the southwest coast of Victoria and the South Australian coastline. To check out more pictures and information, follow us on Instagram or Facebook on @bush nbeachadventures

The Mad Max 2 Museum was very interesting and had plenty of original artifacts.

A quick pic stop to check out the Big Bogan at Nyngan.

The Living Desert had a variety of sculptures with different meanings. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 67

TOURING & exploring

The Quobba Blowholes were much better than we had expected.

Western Australia adventures

The view from our campsite at the superb Miaree Pool.

S I mentioned last month, Bremer Bay on the southern coast of Western Australia seriously impressed us with its all-round beauty. Unfortunately, we had to move on after a few days – there were still many more miles to

Western Australian sunsets rarely disappoint. This was near Miaree Pool. Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

The Gap Lap - Part 2 by BARRY ‘BILLABONG BAZ’ LYON

cover and places to explore. Now, on to the southwest of the state! This magazine is about both the bush and the beach, so I’m going to pass on our travels through the more populated part of Western Australia. Suffice to say that we enjoyed all the wellknown attractions and destinations, such as Albany and the Margaret River region. However, places further north beckoned. At Geraldton – a very nice town with the usual spectacular coastline – we had our Land Rover Discovery serviced because it had now about 12,000km.

Then we headed out to the famous Quobba Blowholes – they did not disappoint! They were so much more than we had expected – every now and then an extra-large swell would come in and those blowholes blew! We also came very close to seeing an example of Darwin’s theory of natural selection in action – a man decided to climb down the rocks close to the main wave action, completely ignoring the ‘king waves’ danger sign. Armed with an umbrella to ward off any spray, he sat out there for a few waves and re* continued P69

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TOURING & exploring Western Australia fun * from P68

turned just in time to the top. I say just in time because an almighty wave then smashed into the craggy overhang that he had just been in. It would have absolutely broken him, and it was only by good fortune – and not good planning – that he left when he did. It is possible to free camp along the magnificent coast here, however every available place was taken by various vehicles and vans. So we headed north for about 6km to camp at the actual Quobba Station. This was great – people could spread out across the flat or slightly behind the sand dunes. The only downside was that the amenities seemed a bit limited for the number of people. Otherwise Quobba Station is a fabulous place! The roads in Western Australia seriously impressed – likely due to mining royalties, we thought. It was around Karratha that the quantity of mining trucks increased, so it was just as well the roads were good. We were then looking for a nice bush camp and WikiCamps suggested a place roughly 30km southwest of Karratha called Miaree Pool on the Nullagine River. This was one of a few places where our 12’ off road caravan really came into its own, as www.bnbfishing.com.au

we were able to crawl down a rough track to a stunning grassy campsite right beside the waterhole. Here, the scenery and birdlife were truly fabulous! Western Australia is big on gorges, so our next destination was Carawine Gorge – a solid 160km from Marble Bar, which is another 204km from Port Hedland. The gorge is along a truly spectacular section of the Oakover River, where you can camp among shady trees in the first section or along a long gravelly bank further upstream – you’ll need to air down if towing in to this area. We were amazed to find the first part packed with four-wheel drives and vans, but we managed to find a spot. Then the next day, we moved a little to a truly premium campsite after someone had moved out. Apparently, barramundi are caught here frequently, however I had no luck – most likely because it was August and the water was cold. We spent a very relaxed few days at Carawine Gorge, which was a nice change after all the driving. Walking upstream and up the craggy hills was also very worthwhile for the unforgettable views. And as always in Western Australia, the sunsets rarely disappoint! To be continued.

A stunning section of Carawine Gorge.

The magnificent Carawine Gorge. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 69

Herpes virus could solve carp issue

HE solution to reducing carp numbers could be an introduced herpes virus. Carp have caused devastation to the native fish species of the Logan and Albert River systems. Because they can tolerate extreme temperatures – 4-40C – carp have flourished in most Australian waterways. Native to central Asia, carp were introduced to Australia in the 1800s for sportfishing. University of Queens-

land School of Biological Sciences researcher Andrew Barnes said carp could extract nutrients from sediment and algae and were not fussy eaters. “They tolerate low oxygen and need very little water, which means they are very successful in many freshwater environments and simply crowd out the locals by better using the resources available,” Professor Barnes said. Logan and Albert Fish Management Association secretary Lloyd Willman said

the introduced pest species was first found in southeast Queensland river systems after the 1974 floods. Mr Willman added that state and federal governments had been working on plans to activate the herpes virus without affecting the environment since the release of the National Carp Control Plan at the end of 2022. And said that carp are definitely in the rivers in big numbers and that the virus to be introduced was a common carp virus. “It is normally passed

Carp have lived in the Logan and Albert rivers since the 1974 floods, but their population has boomed recently. Photo: Marc Ainsworth

The introduction of carp herpes could impact native species. Photo: Carp Frenzy Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

by the carp contacting each other, and then within a couple of days, they die,” Mr Willman said. Mr Willman and Dr Barnes said there were concerns about introducing the virus where the carp population was high. “Most viruses and hosts adapt over time, so it’s not a sure-fire solution, and the carp herpes may very well become Murray cod virus,” Dr Barnes said. “Natural systems are complicated, and you can’t replicate them in a testing situation.” Dr Barnes added that if the herpes virus was introduced, the carp could continue to impact the native fish after they had died. “In a localised area with a lot of carp, the virus would cause problems as the dead carp would decay, and would knock the water quality down, lower the oxygen and increase ammonia, which is toxic in the water,” Dr Barnes said. “These impacts could take out a lot of native fish and other aquatic animals from the drop in the water quality. “If the virus is introduced, the dead carp would need to be removed every day so that they don’t continue to impact the native species.” Dr Barnes said viruses such as herpes killed the carp in different ways and, while experiments in fish farms had worked well, there was no guarantee of the success rate in the wild. He said the virus

could burst fish cells, suppress the immune system or weaken the animal enough that it became prey. “While koi herpes virus has been quite nasty in experimental infection models and in fish farms, in a natural outbreak, mortality rates might be quite low,” Dr Barnes said. “This means the effectiveness as a biocontrol agent might not be quite as good as hoped or expected. “It can’t be predicted how quickly or how many fish the virus might kill in a natural system. “There will be a whole bunch of variables that will impact that.” A Biosecu r it y Queensland spokesperson said the National Carp Control Plan was a work in progress and that further work on a number of significant issues has been proposed before a decision on the release of the virus is made. Accordingly, this may include further research on the safety of the virus to noncarp species, regulatory approvals, agreement from all relevant jurisdictions and extensive stakeholder consultation. Once the outstanding issues were addressed, the government would develop its response to the plan. Carp is a restricted noxious fish under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and must not be kept, fed, given away or released into the environment without a permit.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 71

The author took a nice bass on a Smak Lures Blitz Baga in about 5m of water.

Hot bass action at Somerset

A Chris with the biggest fish of the trip on the troll.

A bit of a surprise, at about 4kg, a huge yellowbelly took one of my Smak Lures Blitz Bagas intended for a bass.

A good sounding of fish near a drop-off before a double hook-up. Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

S readers of my column would know, I am more often than not a saltwater angler. However, at the start of the new year I felt the need for a new challenge, as well as a change of location from my usual estuary, bay, beach and flats fishing exploits. Recently, I reflected on a great bait-fishing session for bass I’d had a few years ago with my – now sadly departed – friend Tony Robertson from Alvey Reels. So, I thought I’d go back to Somerset,

Fishing Tips by SEAN THOMPSON

though this time, to chase bass on lures. Being a mad-keen trolling fan, I read a few magazine articles from respected fishing writers and found they are a great target for trollers. So, within a matter of days, I set to work researching the tackle, tactics and the detailed structure map of Lake Somerset using my online Lowrance mapping charts. I’m also a huge be-

liever in seeking local knowledge when targeting a new area. With that in mind, I rang Somerset Fishing Tackle shop and got through to the former owner Robbie Rayner, just as he was selling the company to someone else. What a gold mine of knowledge and a gentleman Robbie is. Robbie is a Lowrance pro-angler and now * continued P73

The result of a double hook-up by the author from leaving the motor in gear with the first hook-up.

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Hot bass action at Somerset * from P72

owns the ‘Bass Alternative’, an online store distributing a range of lures including Voodoo and JP, and various other products rarely found in tackle outlets. Check out his online shop as well as his Facebook page for heaps of reports and information. Anyway, I chatted with Robbie about trolling speed, target areas, lure depth and more, and he gave me some incredible tips that virtually put me straight onto fish on the day. So, a lot of the information in this article I gleaned from putting Robbie’s tips into practice, as well as a bit of trial and error using my own trolling techniques for other species. Locations In terms of target areas in Lake Somerset, the key is finding structure – noticeable changes in bottom depth – and cover – drowned trees. These areas attract both bait and fish. Areas of the lake with good features include Kirkleagh, Pelican Point, Queen Street, Reliable Ridge and the Hump. These are good starting bases. From there, you want to be trolling in about 6-10m of water out closer to the middle of the lake. This deeper water can be easily spotted using a good GPS nautical chart. If you download your chart’s associated app on your phone or tablet, you can clearly see where the old riverbed is from the dammed Stanley River. Once again, using a good GPS chart, you can find such depth changwww.bnbfishing.com.au

es by focusing on where the map contours are closer together. The closer the contour lines, the steeper the slope. In my two successful trips over the summer holidays – where I caught and released 50 bass and a 9lb yellowbelly – I concentrated in the depth range of about 6.5-8m. However, I did also find fish sitting mid-water in around 10m of water around the thermocline – a change in water temperature separating the cooler depths from the warmer upper layers. A good sounder will show this line. Trolling lures is thus a great way to cover ground to find fish. Tackle and trolling technique Tackle Bass, while great fighters, don’t need heavy gear. Based on advice and my research, I used 6lb

braid and a 2.5m leader of 8lb fluorocarbon. In terms of rod and reel, you only want a light 2-4kg 7’ or so graphite rod with a fast action. A fast action simply means the rod will bend only in the top third or less of the blank and, if you were to whip the rod, ‘return’ to its normal position quite quickly. At the other end of the scale, you have slow action rods that bend much further down the blank and take longer to return to their normal position. Fast action rods are ideal for trolling to provide better sensitivity to the lure and will also result in better hook sets when trolling. When it comes to reels, anything from around 1000-2500 is perfect to hold 150-180m of line. Though try to balance the weight with the rod. You should be able to * continued P74

Using a good GPS chart, you can easily spot structure such as the old riverbed and water depth changes.

Brilliant session trolling for bass on Lake Somerset

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 73

Hot bass action at Somerset * from P73

A selection of the author’s preferred lures.

By angling your rod up, you can if necessary run your lure a bit shallower.

DAM L EVELS CURRENT AS OF 15/02/2023

DAMS Atkinson * Awoonga Bjelke-Petersen * Boondooma * Borumba * Burdekin Falls * Callide * Cania * Coolmunda * Dyer/Bill Gunn * Eungella * Fairbairn * Glenlyon * Hinze* Julius * Kinchant * Leslie * Macdonald* Maroon * Monduran/Fred Haigh * Moogerah * North Pine/Samsonvale * Peter Faust/Proserpine * Somerset * Teemburra * Tinaroo* Toonumbar Wivenhoe * Wuruma * Wyaralong*

PERCENTAGE OCT

NOV

DEC

100 65 101 101 100 90 65 37 100 100 88 21 101 101 85 82 101 101 100 100 101 66 52 80 97 83 101 86 82 100

100 65 101 100 100 91 62 37 101 99 86 40 100 100 87 81 100 100 100 102 100 67 52 80 96 78 100 80 88 100

100 64 100 100 100 104 61 36 98 100 88 40 99 99 87 80 99 101 100 101 99 65 52 80 96 76 100 80 92 99

JAN 96 64 98 96 100 122 24 36 85 98 110 42 97 97 101 93 95 95 100 100 97 65 71 80 109 88 100 79 92 98

FEB

92 63 94 94 100 117 24 35 81 99 100 46 93 96 100 85 93 89 100 100 97 63 73 80 100 101 100 77 91 98

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.

Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

hold one finger under the rod slightly above the reel with the rod sitting nicely and horizontally balanced. Lastly, the lures that were so successful for me were very deep divers, in the 8-10m range. Robbie suggested I also grab a few 3m plus lures and run them well back from the boat to get maximum depth when trolling shallower water around submerged trees and such. Over my two trips so far, the standout lures were Smak Lures Blitz Bagas, Halco RMG Poltergeist 50 Crazy Deep and Australian Crafted Lures’ Invader. I’m yet to get my hands on some of Robbie’s lures and am keen to try some of those in future. A dual-lure style change on my last trip really turned the fish on, so it’s good to have a bit of variety. In terms of colour, purples have worked very well for me, as well as brown and green yellow in the Blitz Baga. Trolling techniques Now, you have all the gear and the locations, the next step is trolling technique. For me, trolling is a little like a science research project. That is, depending on your results, you are continually fine tuning your depth, rod angle, distance of lures from the boat, speed and direction. To date, from a couple of successful trips, the ideal speed is around 3-3.5km/h, with the rods well back – 20-30m or so.

When you come over a school of fish, it’s a good idea to pick your rods up from the holder and give them a few whips sideways and carefully – keeping the line tight to the lure – pushing the rod back behind you. This action of dropping the lure back to the fish can regularly lead to aggressive strikes, once your lure reaches the fish you spotted on your sounder. If you go a bit shallower than the depth your lures dive, you can quickly adjust their diving depth in two ways. One, either bring the lures closer to the boat or two, adjust the angle of your rod up higher in the rod holders. Finally, another tip is… when you get a hook up, this can cause a bit of excitement in the school and, as a result, you should leave your boat in gear for the chance of a second or double hook up. On my first trip on my own, I had two rods out and things were crazy, with multiple double hook-ups as I ran from one to the other! Check out the video of the action on my Facebook page via the QR code. Well, I hope you got something out of this article whether you have fished or specifically trolled for bass before or not. If not, give it a try, it is lots of fun! For more fishing tips, reports and information, feel free to check out my Facebook and other social media pages – Ontour Fishing Australia.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 75

James Rowley camptured a decent 96cm barramundi on a Molix Shad 140 Swimbait.

Water level leaves large barra lure shy

I Logan Gilmore scored a 99cm barramundi on 7” Castaic Jerky J Swim.

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T’S been a tough start to the year on Lake Monduran for many anglers. The huge increase in water level has left many people struggling to find good areas to target. For those who have managed to find decent numbers of fish, it’s a struggle to entice larger models to take a lure. I’ve been asked by a number of people what would cause this, so I’ll do my best to try explaining why. Water level increase As anyone who fishes Lake Monduran regularly will know, over the past 18 months, we’ve seen the water level go from 35 to 100 percent capacity. Being quite a shallow lake, this jump means the surface area has increased significantly. Which leads to the same amount of bar-

Lake Monduran by SAM ROWLEY

ramundi spreading out over three times the amount of water, hence big numbers become harder to find. Increase in bait Increase in water means more areas for bait to feed and breed. And though this is great for the health of the system, it also results in the predatory species having to work less to feed and survive. Hungry fish are much more likely to take an artificial lure than those that are spoilt for choice. I have noticed a huge increase in the presence of bait over the past couple of months and this has coincided with bites becoming tougher. Luckily, we had a great survival rate from

the fingerling release at the end of 2021. As these fish get bigger, they will begin to influence the levels of bait throughout the dam. Given there should not be another bait spawn until later in the year, we should see the bait level drop over the coming months and in turn the fishing should hopefully improve. The fish are spooking easily Monduran is quite a heavily fished lake, which has the effect of the fish becoming steadily wearier as they get older. Anything from outboard and electric motors, banging hatches or even talking too loudly * continued P78

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 77

Lure-shy barra * from P76

can be enough to put a fish off from taking a lure and, most of the time, even staying in the area. This is generally more noticeable during colder months but, for some reason, is particularly obvious at the moment. What can you do to improve your chances Be extremely quiet when moving into and fishing an area. Avoid scanning for fish on the electric motor and try to tie off to trees or anchor when possible. Avoid landing heavy lures within the vicinity of fish – if you can cast at least 10m past and retrieve through the

fish, that’s ideal. Throw lures that the fish may not see as regularly. This may not mean some crazy design but perhaps a different length or colour to what everyone else is using. Plenty of small barra between 50-60cm are still being caught regularly. At the moment, these fish can be good fun and can be targeted on a range of different lures. When targeting the big fish though, now more than ever, it is important to be confident in what you are doing. The fish do still eat, and you may only be a cast away from that fish of a lifetime.

A congregation at the boat ramp to help release 60,000 yellowbelly fingerlings into the Macintyre River.

Fingerlings released into Macintyre

HAT a wonderful way to start a Sunday – congregating at the boat ramp to help release 60,000 yellowbelly fingerlings into the Macintyre River. A religion to many, the turnout was amazing. And it was gratifying to see many young people turn up with their little buckets in hand – ready to help and do their bit by putting their special tiny fish in the river.

The looks on their faces when their dads promised to bring them back when the fish are big enough to catch were priceless. The Goondiwindi Fish Restockers have been doing this for 32 years, though in the days before social media, it went mostly unnoticed – except by the wonderful volunteers who were ready to answer the call for boats. That’s not an issue any-

more – it was very pleasing to see so many turn up to assist. A big thank you must go out to all the helpers – whether it was with boats or manning the buckets – it could not be done without you. Many thanks to all. Hopefully, there will be another release soon, so keep an eye on our Goondiwindi Fish Restockers Facebook page and we’ll see you there.

Lake Monduran Fishing Charters What’s the mission? Catch more fish! A big thank you to all with boats and for manning the buckets.

0432 420 034 themondyman.com Great to see so many young people offering a helping hand. Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

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Mitchell Petrie from Tenterfield scored a 93cm Murray cod caught on a 45cm yellowbelly using a blade.

A show of hands please

ACK on October 14-16, the 2022 Queensland freshwater workshop took place in Mackay. A printout of the proceedings was released to the fish-stocking groups. This workshop is of interest to all freshwater anglers, not only fish-stocking groups. I feel that this 12-page report should be obtainable by anglers either by post or by Fisheries Queensland on its website, to get a full picture of the outcomes. Keeping in mind that we now have a two-year wait until the next workshop to see if any outcomes from this meeting have been actioned. It’s a long time between drinks and we, as anglers, need to be able to voice concerns on any arrangements that are to take place. Stocking groups are www.bnbfishing.com.au

Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

working as hard as possible to maintain stocking levels within storages. River stocking is taking a lot of hard work to manage anglers’ requirements on these systems. These small fish restocking groups feel as though they are behind the eight ball when it comes to funding and stocking native fish – be it east or west of the Great Divide. Garry Fitzgerald spoke of this problem during the workshop, and the cost of the permit is a major issue, as well as the return we all get from it. Someone stated that yellowbelly and silver perch don’t breed in dams – this could be quite true – and that they breed in rivers

and streams is correct. So, let’s look at Glenlyon Dam which is 35km long when at full-supply limit. Above that level, it is water from Pike Creek that feeds into the storage. Given the right water surface temperature of 22-24C and a good flow-in exists, yellowbelly and silver perch will head up that source to breed. The eggs will be laid and fertilisation will take place. In most cases, these two species will move upstream as far as they can go – for example, 36km upstream at Foxbar Falls is a barrier they cannot get over. The eggs are a mass that sticks to twigs, grass and other

* continued P80

Mitchell’s yellowbelly tail stuck out of the cod’s mouth.

Joe Urquhart captured this yellowbelly using Jollip Lures when in Casino NSW on a family holiday. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 – Page 79

The rain didn’t spoil the fun for Prue Urquhart in luring a yellowbelly.

A show of hands * from P79

Excerpts from the 2022 Queensland Freshwater Fish Stocking Workshop Proceedings, the first of the last three pages of items.

Excerpts from the 2022 Queensland Freshwater Fish Stocking Workshop Proceedings, the second of the last three pages of items. Page 80 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

floating items heading back downstream to… you guessed it… Glenlyon Dam, to live out their lives, if not caught. So, if the minimum 30cm take home is changed to 35cm, essentially another 12 months is added to the life of the fish, also the possibility of having another two years of breeding out of that fish. In a different con-

text, by increasing the size limit to 35cm for both silver and golden perch in both rivers and dams, you’re getting a larger fish fillet to eat and enjoy. Though note the no take of silver perch in rivers. The above equation has taken place above and below Glenlyon Dam, as sighted by storage staff below the outlet valve, which is a fish barrier

* continued P81

A yellowbelly almost as big as its captor Charlotte Urquhart.

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A show of hands please * from P80

below the dam wall. A slow down of water flow in the streams around the district is at last giving us a chance to fish our river haunts. The result of about 12 months of above-average river flows has changed many previous good fishing holes, making way for new locations to fish. Be advised, watch out for logs and deep drop-offs – if not sure as to how you will either go up or down these locations, get out and walk it. The new lease of life resulting from the flow in the rivers is good news for all. Our local river peo-

ple on farms stated that they have never seen it better, with the recruitment of all fish species large and small – including shrimp, crayfish and such. Our once non-flowing rivers in 20192021 have been given a new life and a fresh start is in place. The crunch line to all of the above will be how well the water is to be actually managed by those in charge – the next four years will reveal how the Murray Darling survives. In closing, contact the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, ask for a copy of the 2022 Queensland freshwater stocking

workshop proceedings report either by post or the website. This 12-page document is important to all freshwater recreational anglers in Queensland, so that we can see the last three pages of items being worked on.

Ollie Urquhart enjoyed fishing with his parents at Casino NSW.

Excerpts from the 2022 Queensland Freshwater Fish Stocking Workshop Proceedings, the third of the last three pages of items.

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Page 82 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023

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I caught two nice-sized whiting in I caught my first legal snapper Cudgera Creek while on holidays rewhen fishing off Woodgate recenty. cently at Hastings Point. Karen Cook Lisa Allomes

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Page 88 – BushIpswich ’n Beach Fishing, March 2023 www.bnbfishing.com. 1743 Road, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600 | Formerly Karee Marine au

BNB Fishing Mag | March 2023

Articles inside

Deep water working best for offshore fishos

Water level leaves large barra lure shy

Serious reds off 1770

Volunteers deploy one million oyster shells in biggest day of restoration