BNB Fishing mag | May 2018 by bnbfishing

Promising transition period

50 Includes GST

May 2018

Epic fishing adventures

Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 29, Number 5

Freshwater bass comps Solo trip off Fraser

Extended trip preparation Guide to night fishing offshore Sea Jay Nomad & Yamaha review Tips for Moreton Bay snapper on plastics Brisbane River reports

ISSN 1832-4517

9 771832 451001

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Pelagic action

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 1

BAYSIDE Capalaba Boat Centre Shed 8 100 Beveridge Rd, Thornlands 0411 728 379

CALOUNDRA Caloundra Marine 8 Baldwin St, Caloundra caloundramarine.com.au 07 5491 1944

SUNSHINE COAST Port O Call Boating 29 Production Ave, Warana marinecenter.com.au 07 5493 2255

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BRISBANE NORTH Redcliffe Marine 199A Elizabeth Ave, Clontarf redcliffemarine.com.au 07 3284 8039

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WARWICK Shanes Bikes, Boats & Performance 63A Fitzroy St, Warwick 07 4661 1365 ________ NSW ________ GRAFTON Skinner Marine 170 North St, Grafton 3 Yamba St, Yamba ron@skinnermarine.com.au 0418 661 403

For more details contact your local Tohatsu dealer or visit Page 2 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

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Inside this month Brissie River

Offshore action

P34

P18

Kayak fishing

GBR brutes

P44

OUR COVER

Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email: ben@bnbfishing.com.au Internet: www.bnbfishing.com.au PO Box 387, Cleveland, Qld 4163 Unit 2, 39 Enterprise Street, Cleveland, Qld 4163 AFTA PRINTER: Rural Press, Ormiston DISTRIBUTION BY: Fairfax Max. recommended retail price $4.50 (includes GST). CORRESPONDENTS: Editorial contributions are welcome, as is news from clubs, associations, or individuals; and new product news from manufacturers. Entire contents copyright. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. It is the responsibility of advertisers to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. G IN

FISH ING ’S

☛ continued P4

Ben Collins Daniel Tomlinson Ben Collins, Kacie Hubbert Jo Hendley

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EDITOR: SUBEDITOR: ADVERTISING: PRODUCTION:

AUST

JUNE edition will be on sale in newsagents from May 25. See subscriber offer on Page 68 to go in the draw to win one of four super-accurate SoftGaff AccuMat fish-measuring devices valued at $99 each!

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.

E TUR FU

CHRIS CHAPMAN (main) with a Hervey Bay giant trevally hooked on a Z-Man plastic, TRI TON’S article Page 37. BRAD WEBBER scored a Brisbane River jewfish. DAVID WLODARCZYK and JOSEPH CORMACK with two Moreton Bay tuna. For more tuna action, see LACHIE BAKER’S article, Page 18.

however I did manage to sneak in a quick day of light tackle game fishing on a half decent day of weather. The boys and I decided we would try our luck in the ‘marlin mosh pit’ off Mooloolaba with my fellow Sunshine Coast Game Fishing Club members. We had good weather and the fishing had been red hot in previous days, so we were keen to get out there and stick a few tags into billfish and possibly bring some vermin (anything without a bill such as dolphinfish, wahoo and others) home for a barbecue that night. With bait a bit harder to get on the jigs on the wider grounds, we chose to find bait to send out for black marlin on the 8 Mile. To my disgust, my brand-new bait tank pump burnt out and I was left with no option other than to head straight out to the grounds without live baits. It was going to have to be a garfish and lure day, which wasn’t a huge problem, it would just leave us out of the ball game if the fish were sitting down deep on the bait. We shot out pretty quickly on board Shortbill and soon arrived at where I wanted to start the day’s fishing. I chose four lures to run in my spread and attached them to pigtail swivels, which were connected to my wind-on leader. Every time I set my spread, I like to get my

ATI ON

The wind has constantly been blowing 25 knots and the swell was pumping all along the southeast Queensland coast,

Work is either in the way or the weather gods gift us terrible weather for getting offshore. Speaking of the weather, hasn’t it been absolutely shocking?

Offshore Action by JORDAN ‘GRINNER’ KOSCHEL

T almost feels as if fishing is a thing of the past for me at the moment.

Game fishing fun .........................by Jordan ‘Grinner’ Koschel ............P3 Moreton Bay snapper ................by Brian Webb.....................................P6 Marvellous May species ..........by Keith Stratford................................P9 Guide to night fishing ................by Bill Corten .....................................P10 Extended trip planning ..............by Adam Foley ...................................P12 May in Moreton Bay ..................by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson ...............P14 Fish n Chicks ................................by Syl Cron .........................................P16 Brissie River and the bay..........by Lachie Baker ................................P18 Wilson Fishing puzzle page .....................................................................P21 Promising transition on GC ......by Darren Rama ................................P22 Gold Coast species biting ...........by Wayne ‘Youngy’ Young ..............P24 Tips for catching bream ............by Brad Smith ....................................P25 Magical mackerel action .........by Gavin Dobson ...............................P26 Ballina round-up ............................. by Brett Hyde ...........................................P27 Bream, bass and blackfish.......by Gary ‘Squidgie’ Palmer..............P28 LBG gurus visit Iluka..................by Tye Porter ......................................P29 Sunshine Coast............................by Wade Qualischefski...................P30 Jet ski fishing for tuna...............by Robert Grace ................................P31 Poona fishing comp....................by Melissa Frohloff ..........................P32 Going solo off Fraser Island .....by Chris Raimondi ............................P34 Trailer maintenance.....................by Craig Tomkinson .........................P36 Fraser Guided Fishing................by Tri Ton .............................................P37 Bundaberg Region ......................by Brad Young ...................................P38 GBR offshore getaway ..............by Mati Bats.......................................P39 Sea Jay and Yamaha review ...by Ben Collins ...................................P40 Insights into insurance..............by Nautilus Marine ..........................P40 Salt-Away product test .............by Ben Collins ...................................P41 Lowrance HDS-12 review ........by Ben Collins ...................................P42 Kayak Fishing...............................by Joel Johnson................................P44 Developments in canoes ..........by Dan Owbridge..............................P45 Yak Hunters round-up ................by Mathew Kouimtzis......................P46 Kayaking for cod ............................. by Neil Schultz ........................................P47 Darling Downs yakking ...........by Noal Kuhl ......................................P48 Readers Forum.............................................................................................P49 Product News ..............................................................................................P49 Charter Directory ................................................................................. P50,51 Gladstone Region ........................ by Gary Churchward .......................P52 Capricorn Coast...........................by John Boon .....................................P52 Stanage Bay .................................by Von Ireland....................................P54 Hinchinbrook News ...................by Todd Eveleigh ..............................P55 4WDing trip...................................by Greg Bell .......................................P56 Using a wildlife camera ...........by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson ................P58 Travelling Cape York ................. by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon ................P59 Change of seasons in FNQ .......by Matt Potter ....................................P60 Moura competition wrap..........Dave ‘Hodgie’ Hodge .......................P62 Recipe ............................................by Melissa Frohloff ..........................P62 Magical Monduran Dam.......... by Donna Gane .................................P63 Bass fishing ..................................by Callum Munro ..............................P64 Trolling tips for Cania Dam.......by Glenn Hobson...............................P65 Glenlyon Dam...............................by Brian Dare.....................................P65 Freshwater Impoundments ..... by Matthew Langford......................P66 Competition Report.................... by Russell Nowland ........................P66 Trading Post.................................................................................................P67 Competition Report.................... by Russell Nowland ........................P68 Subscription form ......................................................................................P68

FIS

Game fishing fun

P55

PRO TE CT

Ryley got his first-ever dolphinfish and he was stoked.

HIN G T R A D E

’M sure most anglers are like me in wanting a sustainable fishery.

Fishing is an important recreation and should be able to be enjoyed for generations to come. To ensure this occurs, there needs to be management of the resource. Currently in Queensland there are regulations such as size and possession limits as well as a mixture of fishing zones and catch quotas for commercial fishos, which are used to maintain and sustain the resource. Some of these regulations are currently under review through the Queensland Government’s Sustainable Fisheries Strategy. The priority of this fisheries reform is to develop harvest strategies for the fishery to ensure it is being managed to best-practice standards, which will give the industry and community some certainty in its future. In keeping with the Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027, the government has developed discussion papers that are the first step in reforming our trawl, east coast inshore and crab fisheries. There is also a management review discussion paper for the coral reef line fishery, which is developing a harvest strategy too. At present, discussion papers regarding the fisheries reform are open for public feedback, but this opportunity finishes at 5pm on May 20, 2018. To have your say, you need to go to daf.qld.gov.au and click the ‘Fisheries’ tab before following the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy links. We will also have the links on bnb fishing.com.au to make it easy for you to find them and have your say. The Queensland Government claims the proposed reforms will include splitting the management of some fisheries into regions, introducing quotas or limits on fishing days, improving fishing gear technology, reviewing fish size and possession limits and having temporary and flexible closures for fishing. However, after reading the discussion papers, I have some concerns as to how much Fisheries Queensland actually knows about the existing fish biomass. If you don’t know this number, it is impossible to work out a strategy and implement changes. Granted, more research is being done in the form of boat ramp surveys and there is a call for fishos to log their catch, which will improve the quality of the data, but it is still an onerous task to come up with figures that are current and correct. Unfortunately, so many things impact catch rates and one of them is the weather. If no one can get out and fish, no fish will be caught. This doesn’t mean there aren’t any fish though. Similarly, just because people are fishing for a certain species of fish and don’t catch any doesn’t automatically mean this species is at a critical level. I don’t think there is a simple answer, but as an industry and a recreation we do need to take on board some of the proposed ideas and work together to ensure the fishery is sustainable. Make sure you have your say. Ben Collins

March prizewinner Congratulations to Anthony Saad, Morayfield who has won a Lox prize pack valued at $383!

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 3

WIN A FISHING TRIP WITH YOUR BEST MATE... AND TV’S AL MCGLASHAN! Hammer with a nice little dolly to start the day.

Game fishing fun ☛ from P3

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Club Marine is giving you the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime fishing experience. You and your mate could be going on location to take part in filming an episode of the popular Fish’n with Mates hosted by TV fishing celebrity Al McGlashan.

THE PRIZE

The prize includes return flights from your nearest Capital city to the filming location, transfers, two nights’ accommodation, meals and two days fishing with Al McGlashan while ﬁlming an episode of Fish’n with Mates. The destination will be chosen with the winner in conjunction with Al McGlashan and the production company based on the ﬁlming schedule options. Five lucky runners-up will receive a signed copy of Al McGlashan’s book, The Complete Fishing Bible.

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Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

outriggers sorted first and this day was no different. I put my long rigger out first and as I turned to get the short rigger, the rod I had just set was whacked and we were hooked up. That lure was only out for 10 seconds and we already had a nice little female dolly hooked up. Within a couple of minutes we had our first fish in the Esky, which created a great launching pad for the day. With the boys pretty stoked, I set the spread again and this time got all the gear out. We trolled for less than 10 minutes and as I turned back to my spread after playing with the sounder, I saw a little black was trailing and bill whacking the teaser. In a quick action we fed it a swimming gar. As the marlin ate the bait and took off, the drag was slowly increased and we had a little black on. Unfortunately, after a few minutes the fish jumped off. The day dragged on and we didn’t see much for a few hours, so I decided we would head out wider and see if we could find something else out there. It wasn’t long before we had a nice sailfish in the spread. The fish engulfed the short rigger like it hadn’t eaten in a few days and put on an absolute show at the back of the boat and right up alongside Dan Barker and Joshua ‘Jizzy’ Allwood on Raising Havoc. As they normally do, the sailfish got angry and went deep, which is the last thing you want when you hook them on 8kg line class. An hour passed and Zac on the road was feeling every bit of the 30C day with no breeze. He was working extremely hard on this stubborn sailfish, so I made the call for him to push the drag over the button on the reel and put some hurt on the fish. Within five minutes of increasing the drag, we had a beautiful sail sitting beside the boat. We pinned a perfectly placed tag in its shoulder and swam it alongside the boat. Watching the fish’s colours light back up as it regained health was unreal. Billfish have a special place in my heart and there’s nothing like seeing them swim off ever so gracefully to fight another day.

We ended up trolling around for another 45 minutes for a couple more dolphinfish but unfortunately no more billfish. All in all, we had a good day on the water with plenty of laughs and some screaming

reels, and that’s what fishing is all about. Remember, if you would like to come for a fish with me, ring 0413 128 056 and book a charter with us on Moreton Island Fishing Charters.

Zac and his first-ever billfish.

Swimming the fish is a vital part of releasing billfish in good shape.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

New positive results for white spot disease in Moreton Bay

HE latest round of surveillance has been completed in the Moreton Bay area for white spot disease, with some initial tests returning positive results for the virus that causes white spot disease. Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the positive results were found in crab and prawn samples from the northern Moreton Bay region near the

Redcliffe Peninsula. “This is the same area where positive results were found in 2017 and Biosecurity Queensland is processing the remaining samples collected from the Logan and Brisbane river areas and will release the results once the testing has been completed,” Minister Furner said. “We have received results back from the southern Moreton Bay area and all samples collected were negative for white spot syn-

drome virus, so that area is clear.” Acting Chief Biosecurity Officer Malcolm Letts said Biosecurity Queensland was now waiting on results from the Brisbane and Logan river areas. “It’s important we complete testing from all sites before we make any decisions about our white spot disease strategy moving forward,” Mr Letts said. “These initial results have been discussed with key seafood indus-

try groups and we will continue to work closely with them throughout this process.” Movement restrictions will remain unchanged, with uncooked prawns, yabbies and marine worms not to be moved out of the movement restriction area, which runs from Caloundra to the NSW border and west to Ipswich. Biosecurity Queensland is also conducting surveillance for white spot disease along the east coast of Queens-

land, with results expected in June. “It’s really important to remember that white spot disease only affects crustaceans and has no impact on human health, so make sure you go out and support your local seafood industry by asking for Queensland seafood the next time you go shopping,” Mr Furner said. For more information, visit daf.qld.gov.au/wsd or phone the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 13 25 23.

The new computer program for the fisherman. Keep your catch, mark and GPS records in a database for quick and easy entry and analysis. The package also features: Graphical tides (moon and sun times) Mark and GPS waypoint databases with map display Coastline maps covering all areas of Australia Fishing knots and ‘Fish Facts’

Hundreds of fishing and trailer boats on display at 30th 08 8298 4527 anniversary Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show BOAT WINDSCREENS

OATIES and avid anglers clear your diary – the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show returns from May 24 to 27, featuring a treasure trove of vessels, gear and gadgets for all interests and budgets.

This year’s 30th anniversary event features a jam-packed program with more than 300 exhibitors showcasing the industry’s latest brands and products, along with more than 150 boats on water, including plenty of imported and Aussie-made boats in the popular 7.5-12m segment. This year, the new Sports, Leisure & Fishing Boat precinct is literally a ‘show within a show’, comprising 10,000sq m of outdoor and undercover space dedicated to boats up to 8m, including rigid inflatable boats, day boats, weekenders, aluminium and fibreglass fishing boats, high-performance sports and ski and tow boats. The huge selection will provide visitors a unique opportunity to compare boat features and speak directly with the experts all in one place. There will also be some terrific show packages with excellent deals on trailers, engines and accessories. In the Main Pavilion and throughout the Marine Village there will be a massive array of PWCs, kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards and myriad new-to-market navigation, sonar and fishfinding gear, watermakers, entertainment systems and all the devices to make your day on the water successful, safe, stable and fun for all the family. www.bnbfishing.com. au

No matter what sort of fishing you’re into, whether it’s saltwater, freshwater, kayak fishing or spinning, you will find the latest kit on show at SCIBS, along with product experts who are avid anglers to quiz about all your fishing needs. Expect to get hands-on with the latest high-tech products from Garmin, Raymarine, Simrad, Lowrance, B&G, Humminbird, Lewmar, Clarion, Fusion, Aqualuma and more. There will be charts, books, offshore apparel, rods, reels, tackle, marine insurance experts and marinas offering great berthing deals. From the big guns to portable props, engines galore will be on display in an area dedicated to propulsion and engineering. Off Quay St, Suzuki Street will be dedicated to the brand’s engines, complemented by a brilliant display of boats from Australian Marine Centre, including Haines Signature. The Berkley Supertank, a spectacular 15m-long and 3m-high Perspex-sided giant mobile fish tank is back, hosting informative and entertaining sessions over the four-day show. Brett Thomson and Michael Cooke will demonstrate many different types of Berkley lures and show how the fish react to them and the different techniques used by many of today’s top anglers. SCIBS ambassador and fishing guru Paul Burt will present his fishing masterclasses scheduled daily on the Main Stage, with workshops on which

features suit your boating needs featuring alongside a program of family friendly entertainment. Get set for the 2018 SCIBS Live Bream Shoot Out Fishing Tournament, this year with a tantalising prize pool up for grabs for anglers young and old. Teams must be a minimum of two and have their own boat to compete, so grab a buddy and put yourself in the running to take out the top prize. For more information and to register, visit sanctuary coveboatshow.com.au Over at the Marina, providing a spectacular on-

water display of trawlerstyle boats, cruisers and superyachts, will be a line-up of world-class boat brands including Maritimo, Riviera, Integrity, Clipper, Alaska, Hampton Yachts, Palm Beach, Grand Banks, Fleming, Gulf Craft, Ocean Alexander and many more in power and sail. SCIBS sales and exhibition manager Dominic O’Brien said, “Even if you are an ‘old hand’ at SCIBS and think you’ve seen it all before, you will be amazed at what we have in store in 2018.” “We have a fantastic

line-up of exhibitors spanning the entire range of marine, aquatic lifestyle and leisure segments. “We can’t wait to open the gates and let the 30th show begin!” Tickets are now available and you can save by buying online. Kids under 15 years enter for free, providing a great incentive to bring the whole family along. SCIBS offers free park and ride services from Warner Bros. Movie World. Visit sanctuarycove boatshow.com.au for more information and to grab your tickets.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 5

CONTACT YOUR NEAREST DEALER

This solid snapper was brought undone by a soft plastic.

Snapper fishing the Moreton Bay shallows with plastics

ARGETING snapper in the shallows doesn’t require a big boat and lots of fuel, and is in fact very achievable in a small boat. Snapper can be caught through most of the year, though I am not talking big knobbies. While we would all love to catch trophy fish, this article is more suited to the budgetminded fisho with a small boat. Whether you love catching fish for the table or for sport, you can chase 35-70cm snapper in quite shallow water. I’ve seen many anglers try plastics for 10-15 minutes, catch nothing and then say these things are crap and don’t work. Yet the same people will sit there all day and catch nothing on bait. If you want to learn to catch fish on plastics, then leave the bait at home – that’s how I learnt to stop saying they were crap. Gear When it comes to gear, you can spend a little or a lot and everyone has their own budget to work with. All I’ll say is, buy the best gear you can afford. Talk to the staff members at a good tackle shop in your area because they tend to be more knowledgeable than the big chain stores. By frequenting the same shop, you also build up a good relationship, which leads to friendships, tips, spots and even discounts. Show the independent some loyalty and they will usually return the favour. When targeting snapper in

Moreton Bay by BRIAN WEBB

the shallows, I arm myself with two or three rods all rigged the same, but maybe with a difference in line class. If you get busted off during a hot session, you can just put that rod down and grab another pre-rigged setup and start fishing straight away. When it comes to brands, most manufacturers make different ranges of rods to suit different budgets and you generally get what you pay for. I’m a bit of a Shimano and Okuma fan but do have others in my collection. Rods Lightweight graphite rods are good for casting light lures, are very strong and reduce fatigue when casting for long periods. Something measuring 7’-7’6” is ideal because it will allow for a nice long cast with a light plastic yet is still short enough to help you manage the fish boatside. I find 6-8lb and 8-12lb rods to be ideal and very versatile. Reels A reel with a good drag system will enable you to fight big fish on light line. Something in the 2500 to 3500 size range is ideal and can be useful for other types of fishing too. Line I use 10-15lb braid main line. Spend a little more money on your braid and you will see the benefits. Many 15lb braids come in different thicknesses and this is what’s important.

The plastic and jig heads required for bay snapper.

Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Thinner (more expensive) lines will cast further, which equates to putting your plastic further from the boat. And always remember, if you look after your gear, it will look after you. Plastics Plastics, plastics, plastics… thousands of them flood the market, and yes most will work in the right hands. Everybody has their favourites and I swear by a few types that have helped bring lots of snapper over the side of my boat and have converted many of my mates as well. Anything that mimics a small baitfish of 3”-4” will be effective and all the natural colours will produce, though I have also had great success with pink and yellow plastics. I’m not sure why, but snapper and sweetlip seem to like these brighter colours. When it comes to jig head size, I use 1/8oz with as strong a hook as possible. Compared with a 1/6oz jig head, I find the 1/8oz allows the soft plastic to waft more slowly to the bottom, yet not give away much in hook strength. A large snapper is a powerful fish and will crush and straighten a light-gauge hook with ease. Location Most of the islands in Moreton Bay have fringing reef and rock which hold good fish including snapper. Though it has taken a fair bit of exploring and research, I have located many spots throughout the bay and caught fish from the majority. Care must be taken when exploring the Moreton Bay islands because some areas are green zones where fishing is not allowed. I’m not about to give away any exact fishing spots, but I will tell you I have caught snapper from Victoria Point all the way up to Bulwer on Moreton Island. But with a bit of patience and ☛ continued P8

BRISBANE (NORTH)

BRISBANE (BAYSIDE)

Brisbane Yamaha Bruce Highway Burpengary, QLD T: 3888 1727

Wynnum Marine 31 Fox Street Wynnum, QLD T: 3396 9777

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BRISBANE

BRISBANE (SOUTH)

Northside Marine 2294 Sandgate Road Boondall, QLD T: 3265 8000

Stones Corner Marine 117 Old Cleveland Road Stones Corner, QLD T: 3397 9766

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BUNDABERG

BOWEN

Bundaberg Marineland 95 Targo Street Bundaberg, QLD T: 4130 0500

Reibel Marine 34 Don Street Bowen, QLD T: 4786 2944

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GOLD COAST (NORTH)

GOLD COAST (SOUTH)

Stefan Boating World 27 Waterway Drive Coomera, QLD T: 5665 8400

Gold Coast Boating Centre 64 Kortum Drive Burleigh Heads, QLD T: 5576 7388

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GYMPIE

HERVEY BAY

Watson’s Marine Centre 52 Wickham Street, Gympie, QLD T: 5482 2135

Buccaneers 19 Islander Road Pialba, Hervey Bay, QLD T: 4124 6988

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TWEED COAST

WHITSUNDAYS

North Coast Yamaha 4 Lucky Lane Billinudgel, NSW T: 02 6680 3322

Whitsunday Marine 4/11 Shute Harbour Road Cannonvale, QLD T: 4948 3298

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4.99% comparison rate is available on all new Yamaha Outboards to approved applicants of Yamaha Motor Finance on a term of 24 to 60 months. Annual percentage rate is 2.87% with an application fee of $325. Offer available from participating Outboard dealers from 01/04/2018 until 30/06/2018. Comparison rate is based on a 3 year secured fixed rate consumer loan of $10,000. Offer available to private buyers only, while stocks last. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Credit criteria, fees, charges, terms and conditions apply. Yamaha Motor Finance Australia Pty Ltd ABN 29 101 928 670 Australian Credit Licence 394553

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 7

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This snapper crunched a soft plastic.

A goldspotted cod from the shallows.

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lots of research you can more than likely find a spot of your own to catch snapper. Finding your own secret spot can be very rewarding in more ways than one and the biggest benefit is the learning experience.

Check out our website • Latest fishing news • Boat reviews • How-to articles • Useful links • Subscription offers

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There are many ways to find new locations, and one of my favourites is to drive around in the middle of the day at low tide with a good pair of sunnies on. The calmer and clearer the weather, the better. Look for structure and weed beds either out of the water or just submerged, mark them on your sounder/GPS and come back early in the morning or late afternoon on a higher tide and try them out. Look at the way tides hit structure and make sure you try to think like a fish. Make notes when you catch fish and when you don’t and pretty soon you will find patterns. I like early morning sessions, and I mean really early, especially in summer. I also like to get there before first light, which gives me time to work out my drifts according to the current and wind and determine how my plastic is going to drift past the structure below. Stealth I cannot stress enough the importance of be-

ing quiet during a drift through the shallows. Have your gear set up and ready prior to arriving because you want to drift up on the fish while making no noise, catching them while they are relaxed and feeding in shallow waters. Believe me, when they are relaxed they will not hesitate in hitting your plastic hard. Fibreglass boats and plastic kayaks are good but tinnies are a little noisier, so think of ways to lessen the noise. Laying old carpet against the hull can deaden the sound of feet and equipment on the floor. You can also build a casting deck if you don’t already have one and cover it with marine carpet. An electric motor can be great but is not essential. If you’re fishing with mates, stress the importance of not dragging tackle boxes on the floor. Technique Long casts with light lures is the secret, along with being quiet. I only ever use light line and jig heads to enable

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the best possible casting distance and ensure the plastic slowly flutters to the bottom. My favourite retrieval technique is to let the plastic hit the bottom and then slowly twitch and skip it all the way back to the boat. While I mainly target the fish further away from the boat, it always pays to work your lure right back to the boat as I’m not sure if they follow it back or are sometimes sitting under the boat. Snapper are not really dirty fighters, so light lines are perfectly fine but this is where a good drag is very important, because the sheer speed with which these fish hit is sometimes enough to snap your line if your drag is too tight or sticky. Another point to remember is that when hooked they often run straight to deeper water, which can mean running directly at the boat and out the other side. This is when you need to be on your feet and winding like hell until they hit the other side of your boat and start peeling drag. Tides Tides play a huge part in all shallow water fishing. To catch snapper and sweetlip in the bay shallows, I start to fish an hour before the top of the tide and a couple of hours after the bottom. On low tide, these flats almost entirely drain out to less than a metre and usually don’t hold fish. On the last half of the run-in, bait from the surrounding deep water makes its way into the shallows, and this in turn brings the predators. First light is the most productive time to catch these shallow-water fish, as once the sun has risen

over North Stradbroke Island, they become harder to find and catch. A cloudy day will give you a longer bite period in the shallows. The height of high tides also makes a difference. Tides larger than 2m are much more productive when fishing the shallows. A larger tide tends to bring in more bait and produces more current and ambush points around the reefs and rocks. Fishing with plastics for snapper on the shallow reefs around the islands is my favourite style of fishing in the bay. It is a very active, effective and fun method of catching them. These super-shallow waters surprisingly hold numerous quality fish. I have experienced fantastic action in the shallows and often see snapper smashing bait (just like pelagics) off the surface. The fishing I have described can be regularly enjoyed on the shallow reefs around the bay islands at any time of the year. For many years people thought snapper in the bay were a winter-only option, but with the right conditions and gear they can be caught in the middle of summer as well, especially in the shallows. Snapper over 70cm are not common, but plenty of 40-60cm snapper and other species are on offer for those who put in the time. Fishing the shallow reefs is not unique to Moreton Bay. This same technique, with a bit of tinkering, can be employed on any fringed reef and island up the Queensland coast. Next month I will look at the tactics for snapper fishing with bait.

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Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

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Marvellous May offers a variety of species ■ Mangrove jack ■ Jewfish ■ Threadfin salmon

AY can be a really good month to be on the water chasing a variety of species in southeast Queensland. It’s the last month of autumn, so the air and water temperatures will be dropping as we head into winter. Water temperature plays a huge part in which species will be more active. Mangrove jack are a good example, as they are far more active during the warmer months. Once the water temperatures get below 20C, jacks slow right down and in some cases will leave the estuaries. This is more common in the ocean-fed rivers on the Sunshine and Gold coasts. The larger waterways in these areas such as the Tweed River, Gold Coast Broadwater, Jumpinpin, Mooloolah and Noosa rivers all have good ocean access and areas where the jacks can school before moving out to the reefs. The rivers and creeks around Brisbane are fed through Moreton Bay and the mouths of most of these systems are generally quite shallow, with little structure such as rock walls to hold decent numbers of jacks. I’ve caught mangrove

Local Luring by KEITH STRATFORD

jack in every month of the year around Brisbane and it’s still possible to target them during winter, but don’t expect great numbers. I used to come across a lot of jacks in winter while targeting bream on light gear and small lures, especially around fallen timber and rock bars. A lot of these fish won the battle, but it’s still possible to pull decent fish from these areas with a bit of luck on your side. Downsizing your gear will see you get a lot more attention from other species while you wait for a jack nibble. Bream, flathead, cod, grunter and trevally are a few species that will eat a small plastic or blade. May will see good numbers of jacks feeding up before winter. I’ve had really good May jack sessions in the upper reaches of the rivers around Brissie. During one trip, my brother and I landed five jacks out of nine bites by casting and jigging Prawnstar Juniors around rock bars and sunken timber. I like to have a few spe-

cies on my radar at this time of year instead of just targeting jacks, so I have a back-up plan if the red terrors are quiet. A light spin rod rigged with a small plastic or blade is always handy to have on board during any month. Z-Man 2.5” GrubZ are amazing plastics that attract a wide variety of fish. They catch plenty of bream and small fish but also consistently get the attention of larger species including flathead, jewies, threadfin salmon and grunter. Almost all species will have a crack at the GrubZ. Blades are another big fish magnet. Jewies are very fond of small blades and some large specimens eat them. Blades have super-sharp, fine-point trebles that rarely miss the mark. Keeping steady pressure while not going too hard is important when fighting fish with fine-gauge trebles. They can straighten easily if too much pressure is applied, so it’s worth taking it easy on bigger fish such as jewies and threadfin salmon where a longer

fight is on the cards. Prawns will also be available this month. If the rivers and creeks aren’t too dirty from the rain, it can be well worth a look upstream. A good sounder takes a lot of the guesswork out of finding schools of prawns. Don’t expect to find prawns on every bend like you can during the earlier part of the year, but a few will still be around. The Brisbane River has been fishing well recently. Jewies have been very

active, along with the odd threadfin salmon. This month should see more snapper pushing into the river, and their numbers will only increase as it gets cooler. A 3” Z-Man MinnowZ or 3” ShrimpZ in a bright colour will get the attention of a hungry snapper in the river. The same plastics will also appeal to any jew or threadfin in the area. That’s it for this month. I hope to see you on the water.

Jewies have been active in the Brisbane River.

Jarryd Corney landed this nice jewfish.

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A guide to night fishing offshore I T’S that time of year when the current starts to slow on the offshore reefs, the onshore trade winds ease and the reef fishing picks up noticeably.

When the light southwesterly wind pushes through and we get those glassy afternoons, it is very enticing to consider a night trip offshore and even better if it is during the lead-up to or on the full moon. I like the early winter period for a night trip on the full moon because places with good fishholding structure will often light up with snapper, trag and pearlies and the likelihood of the moreknown spots being crowded is minimal. Another bonus is it is really a bit too early for the northward whale migration to be a major problem when travelling between reefs at night. Heading back to the bar is not as risky as dur-

Offshore

by BILL CORTEN

ing the peak of migration when we see the overlap of whales travelling north and south. In fact, whale numbers are increasing so much I tend not to do the mid and late-winter night trips out of home like I used to because of the heightened risk of hitting a whale at night. Last winter some classic instances of whale strike occurred along our coastline and doubtless we’ll see more this winter. If intending to fish the deeper reefs at night, I prefer to go deep first, providing the current is not too strong, because it is easy to fill a bag limit and go home. Alternatively, I’ll head inshore to the shallow reefs for a change of species and maybe score some nice jewies, spangled emperor or even a cobia.

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A big advantage of night fishing is the smaller pickers seem to disappear and the bigger fish tend to be more willing to come out and play. Anchoring using a sturdy reef anchor with a lead-filled core that won’t dislodge, even in moderate current if fishing deep, is essential off Moreton Island. Short-link chain and plenty of 10mm rope round out a good anchor setup. Rather than relying on an anchor winch for retrieval, I still prefer the good old ring and ball method and get up on the plane when retrieving the anchor. Sitting on the anchor in 80m of water pumping a pound of lead on a bottom basher is not much fun if the current is running, but the more lightweight electric reels can ease the pain considerably. When fishing the deeper water at night, the fish will be right down on the bottom, so the good-old paternoster gets the bait to where the fish are and does the job. Parts of the 33 and 29-fathom reefs can fire pretty well at night and are a good fall-back if the current is strong out wider. Some of the shallow reefs around Point Lookout fish well on the anchor at night, as does Shallow Tempest. These areas offer plenty of scope with running sinkers and better presentation of rigs for those additional species and provide some protection from offshore breezes too if they spring up late, but be mindful not to infringe into the green zones. Moving about at night between reefs is so easy with GPS, but remember to have your nav lights on when travelling and retain the white all-round light at anchor. The number of times the radar has picked up other boats at night with no lights displayed either at anchor or under way is scary. If coming home during

the night, crossing the bar can be hazardous if you don’t have accurate waypoints or have chosen a different channel to the one you went out through. I like to ensure my waypoints are extra precise on the way out on the day and make necessary adjustments on the fly outbound if necessary, so I know what’s in there is extra accurate for the after-dark return leg. Simple things like making sure you place the cursor on a position outside the bar are critical. With the rock walls and headlands near some of our coastal bars, it is virtually a death wish for someone to set a course to an area inside the bar and smugly sit back as the boat charges forward on auto pilot, oblivious to the risks of the grave mistake they have made. Just be extra careful at night, constantly monitoring position, heading and water depth while still keeping a good eye out for danger or obstructions. It might sound like overkill, but the poor old skipper is a busy person offshore and even more so at night with everything to think of. Depending on how many routes and trails are saved in the GPS, you may not have enough available track memory for the run home, which makes having good waypoints around a bar even more essential. The downside of a night crossing over the bar is by the time the moon starts dropping out of the sky, coinciding with when the fish go off the chew, the tide will be running out, making things even more dicky if

a bit of swell is running. Sometimes it is safer to just sit on the pick until the next morning, especially if newer to the game. When we head up to Fraser Island or the Capricorn Bunker reefs, we tend to stay out on the fishing grounds for the night while sitting on the anchor because we tend to only do those trips in good weather. If in an area where ships, trawlers and other vessels pass, it is critical to have some sort of watch-keeping system. Even when not in these areas, it is good to at least have a decent look around regularly. An anchor alarm on the GPS will warn you if the boat drifts off the spot. It is best to set it for a big enough distance to allow for the arc of the boat to turn in a different direction at the tide change, or you will curse it going off when not needed. Regardless, I like to hop up and fish for a while on the tide change anyway, and the alarm can always be reset when you turn in for the rest of the night. Importantly on those overnighters, always let someone know where you are going and use your VHF to log on and off. The range of VHF repeaters these days leaves no excuse for not logging on – just remember to log off when back in port. Even if you came home during the night while the station was off the air, a simple courtesy call to advise you made it back safely is a correct and sensible thing to do. Enjoy your night trips and stay safe.

Andy Johns with a nice red emperor caught while anchored on a small pinnacle for the night.

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The trip calculator provides accurate kilometres travelled for a trip.

The author’s 400-litre Esky/bait station is insulated with 50mm foam.

The bait station can seat three adults and is fully removable, weighing about 45kg.

Extended trip planning and preparation

NOTHER month has passed and it seems as though the wind and rain is never going to end.

A fairing block and 200B-8B transducer sitting perfectly flush makes for flawless sounding at speed.

A 300-litre floodable kill tank means clean fish going into the Esky. It also self-drains when under way.

This has been the perfect time to get all your gear serviced, respooled with fresh line and prepped for when the weather finally allows offshore fishing to occur. After this constant rough weather, we should see great fishing. The saving grace is the prawns are still firing, good schools of longtail tuna are working in northern Moreton Bay and squid have recently shown up in great numbers. Now is the time to get out there with squid jigs and catch a few. While they make for fantastic bait, I prefer to Cryovac them and keep them for food. Seeing as I have not

Fishing Tips by ADAM FOLEY

done much fishing over the past month, I thought this would be the perfect time to write about the Bunker Group and the planning required for a trip out there as well as setting up your boat for a few days of fishing the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. More and more people are visiting and fishing this beautiful area and I see questions on Facebook asking how much fuel and bait is required and how many kilometres will be covered in a trip. With every successive trip from my first adventure I have learnt and thought of ways I could make the next trip more

comfortable and easier. Following is how I set myself up prior to a trip, and hopefully it might spark an idea for you. First, whenever I plan a trip, I grab a few beers, go into my boat and fire up my GPS, focusing on the area I want to fish. Most GPS/sounder units these days will have a trip calculator in their settings. My unit is a Lowrance HDS-12 Gen3 and I love it. My trip calculator is on the left-hand side when you scroll down. When in charts, on the right-hand side is a ‘measure’ button. For this example I will

use Turkey Beach and Sykes Reef. You can use the measure tool to measure the distance from the boat ramp and out through the channel to Sykes Reef, writing down the kilometres you will be travelling. Sykes is about 85km from the ramp. Then you will have to plan your second day and so on and continue to measure your trips out. Then obviously you’ll need to calculate your journey back to the boat ramp. On average, I will fish two full days and come home the third morning having travelled between 360km and 420km. My boat has twin DF140 Suzuki outboards and fully loaded I get at least 1km per litre of fuel. My Suzukis are wired through to my HDS-12 via

NMEA cables and give me an accurate fuel flow rate, showing how much fuel I have used and what I have left. If you do not have something giving you an indication of how much fuel you are using, you have other ways of figuring it out. My previous boat did not have this luxury, so I just filled it to the very top with fuel and after a couple of offshore trips with a few guys, beer, tackle and so on and each time reset my trip calculator to see how many kilometres I did in the day. Then I’d simply fill the tank to the top again. Working this way, if you did 150km for the day and had to put 150 litres in to top the tank back up, you know you’re getting 1km ☛ continued P13

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Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

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Extended trip planning and preparation itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s had to deal with. From a 50kg yellowfin tuna being bled to wahoo, spanish and all the reefies dropping blood onto the flooring, it still looks great. It is also extremely comfortable and fast drying, so at the end of the day out on the reef, you simply give it a hose off and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dry in no time and ready for the swags to be laid out. A kill tank is another big plus for these extended trips. My kill tank is over 300 litres, which is overkill, but it works great. I have a floodable kill tank, which means it will fill to the same height as the water outside the boat and does not spill onto the deck. Once I catch a fish, I bleed it and put it straight into the kill tank. We might get 10 or 15 fish in a drift and every one goes into the kill tank bled. Then when I drive back up to do my next drift, the kill tank empties of water by itself, leaving the fish at the bottom of the tank ready to pick out and put into the bait station free of any blood while the kill tank refills with clean water. As for food, well you will never run short of food around the Bunker Group, with squid, crays, fresh fish and more on offer, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all there. So pack a burner, some butter, lemon and whatever else and eat like a king! I also take a 12V pie warmer, which you can get for $40 off eBay, and while fishing I have sausage rolls and party pies cooking for lunch, which are quick, easy and tasty. Sounder setup is the single most important thing for finding fish. If your sounder is not working properly, then youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re fishing blind. I have a Furuno 295 paired with a 200B-8B transducer and it is good for anything up to 300m, still marking fish, which is pretty bloody good for a $600 transducer. In anything up to 140m at 25 knots or less it does not miss a thing. Riptide alloy boats made my fairing block and Dave does an exceptional job

at getting it right the first time. Covering as much ground as quickly as you can equals more ground searched and more fishable ground found. If your sounder is not reading properly, get it fixed before you make a trip like this. Another option is to target the shallows, shoals and contour lines around the Bunker Group, which can be found on your GPS. This will see you catch redthroat emperor, coral trout, tuskfish and more. VHF radio is your lifeline out there, so it is probably the most important thing to have working right. You will almost certainly drop out of phone signal at the Bunker Group, so if something goes

wrong, then VHF is the way to get in contact with the great volunteers who will come and rescue you. VMR Gladstone can be reached on VHF channel 82, and the station is manned from 6.30am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over to channel 16 for emergencies. Logging on and off with VMR Gladstone is essential for your safety, and signing up and paying a small yearly fee can make things a lot cheaper if you need to be rescued. These folks do such a good job and we would be in some strife without them. I could go on and on about the Bunker Group as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my favourite place on earth, but I have to wrap things up.

If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already, then you should put it on your to-do list. If there is anything I have missed or can help you with, I can be reached on Facebook or Messenger. I just want to say a massive thankyou once again to the boys at Deck Armour for being such great guys to work with. The new wrap they recently applied to my boat looks unreal, the boat flooring is next level and the guys back their product with a three-year warranty on their glue. I hope the weather gods allow us to get some fishing in soon. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure a lot of boats will be on the water once things settle. Until next time, happy fishing!

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per litre of fuel. I always leave myself a 100km buffer with a Bunker Group trip because if it ends up being choppy or the current is hooting, or both, then you will definitely use more than in nice conditions. If you are leaving home to drive to Turkey Beach or 1770 at night or late in the afternoon, you are going to want to look at where the last open service station will be to fill your tank, load up with ice and so on. If I go to Turkey and am arriving in the day, then the Caltex at Bororen is good, however if arriving late at night, I always fill up at the Gin Gin BP. My boat has a bait station that doubles as a 400-litre Esky and is fully insulated with 50mm foam. It was made by Fabtech Industries at Thornlands. The boys there are awesome and I highly recommend them for fabricating anything aluminium or stainless. I usually load about 10 bags (50kg) of ice into my bait station and that will last me the two and a half days as well as some to come back with. I take a 60-litre Waeco fridge-freezer and store it in the cabin to hold our drinks and food. Seeing as my boat only has two batteries, I installed two 100W solar panels and an inverter, which is great and takes the stress off the batteries, and it was very easy to set up by myself. A deck wash is a must because a lot of blood will likely be spilt and after two days in the sun that could end up tricky to clean if not washed off. About a year ago I was introduced to Josh and Chris at Deck Armour at Horizon Shores. This outfit specialises in soft flooring that is super easy to clean and can be made into any design you like. The flooring is absolutely fantastic and I will not own another boat without getting Deck Armour to lay the flooring. I cannot believe how well it has held up considering the amount of mess

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May in Moreton Bay ■ Prawns ■ Squid ■ Mud crabs ■ Whiting ■ Flathead

ITH much of March and early April affected by the wind and rain from the tropical cyclones up north, we really had to take advantage of those scarce good days on the water.

Bright lures such as pinks have worked best for flathead in dirty water on the run-out tide.

A nice top-pocket haul of banana prawns from Redland Bay recently.

Around the WynnumManly region, unfortunately the wind seemed to coincide with low tides at night, which put an early end to the season for chasing tiger prawns on foot. Fortunately, for those who have been able to get out, the banana prawn season has been an absolute ripper. I managed to bag out with Peter Florless of Florless Rods around Redland Bay, Lamb and Karragarra islands and some of the prawns were absolute monsters. The mud crab season has been great too, with plenty of crabs potted after all the rain. Good winter whiting catches have also been taken around the Rous Channel, and flathead have been about for lure casters and trollers. Most of my flathead have come from just outside creek entrances and in the cleaner water of the

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Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

WITH SEAN CONLON

Fishing Tips by SEAN THOMPSON

Jumpinpin region after all the rain. Bright lures have worked best on the falling tides as the dirty water has pushed out the creeks, while on high tide with cleaner water, clearer colours such as Motor Oil and Bloodworm have worked well. For those who don’t mind chasing bream, a few fish have been getting about in the creeks. Land-based anglers off the rock walls and jetties around the bay such as the Wynnum-Manly foreshore have taken plenty of bream too. What’s in store for May? While May isn’t quite beach fishing season in southeast Queensland, it can be a good time to chase very big whiting off the beaches a bit further afield from Moreton Bay. The ‘big sand islands’ of Stradbroke, Moreton and Fraser can produce thumper whiting off the beach at this time of year. The secret is to look for low tide gutters with a blind end that concentrate fish, or select high tide gutters with a shore break or shallow back bank you can cast your live worm to and then slowly retrieve it into the gutter. If you are lucky, some early season tailor may also turn up on the same beaches towards the end of the month, so try soaking a pilchard or two or throwing a lure in the deeper beach gutters around dawn and dusk. Prawns and squid While February to April is traditionally known as peak banana prawn season in Moreton Bay, the season we have had so far indicates a good chance the run could continue a few weeks into May. If you aren’t familiar with the techniques or tactics for prawning, grab some back copies of Bush ‘n Beach from January to March this year to read some great articles

on chasing these yummy critters. For anglers who like to target squid, May is the first month when nighttime land-based squidding really fires up. As per my setup for prawning on foot, a DIY LED headlamp hooked up to a 12V, 9A battery is perfect and lights up the water very well. You can then either chase squid by casting squid jigs or wade the shallows at low tide with prawning nets, but you’ll need to be quick! If you want to cast squid jigs, try some Yo-Zuri or Daiwa jigs in 3.5” in 3080cm of water. The foreshores of Wynnum-Manly and around Redcliffe are popular locations to chase big tiger squid and smaller pencil squid. Squid prefer clear water, so choose nights after a calm sunny day. The rock walls around these locations are good spots for squidding on high tide. Mud crabs The last time I checked, May didn’t have an ‘R’ in it, so according to some long-held beliefs, that means you can’t catch crabs in southeast Queensland. This is an absolute myth! Late autumn and winter is a fantastic time to chase muddies, with some of my biggest ‘rusty’ full bucks coming through winter before they shed their shells in September/ October. I find I catch mostly ‘green’ empty crabs, which I always return to the water, in spring. As usual, my tactics for chasing muddies over winter includes using chicken frames for bait and targeting the crabs in deep holes on the outer edges of creek bends, entrances to drains and undercut banks under trees. May and winter can be

a good time to set your pots in deeper water at the edge of the channels around some of the mangrove-lined southern Moreton Bay islands. As usual, pots left overnight will deliver the best results. A good tip in the above locations is to use your sounder (particularly one with side scan or structure scan) to ensure your pot is flat on the bottom and not sitting on tree roots or

rocks, which would allow access to the bait under the pot. I also GPS mark my pots with my sounder/GPS and then if I do get a quality crab, I rename the waypoint something like ‘MUDCRAB MAY18’ for future reference. Bay fishing Winter whiting will tend to be found in bigger schools from May through to the end of winter. ☛ continued P15

A sounder shot of one of the author’s crab pots sitting flat on the bottom.

Fish aren’t all the author has spotted on his sounder in recent trips. Maritime Safety Queensland was advised of the find.

The author’s DIY headlamp setup presents a great option for chasing squid on foot in winter.

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May in Moreton Bay ☛ from P14

The Rous Channel, Amity Banks (outside the green zone), Banana Banks, Chain Banks and Moreton Island Sandhills are productive locations. While some anglers prefer squid, by far my best results have come on baits of reddyed frozen beach worms, yabbies and the 2” Berkley Gulp Sandworms in Bloody colour. May will also see bream aggregating in good numbers. They can be targeted around Jumpinpin, concentrating on areas with rocky bottoms and fallen timber. Other good spots include the Seaway and breakwalls throughout Moreton Bay such as the rocky foreshores at WynnumManly, Woody Point and Scarborough Reef. The deeper channel markers in and around the Broadwater are productive too. Unweighted and lightly weighted baits and soft plastics (1/16oz to 1/20oz jig heads), small blades and hard-bodies such as Diztek FB35s are great options. While not considered peak flathead season, these fish will

be well worth chasing further upstream in the rivers and creeks as they clear after all the rain. Trolling small hardbodies such as the Lively Lures Micro Mullet in shallow, warmer water is a top tactic, as is throwing soft plastics on the falling tide around drain and creek entrances and drop-offs. Snapper will also start to increase in numbers in May. Try throwing lightly weighted soft plastics around the normal target areas in the hour or so either side of the change of tide, or troll deep-diving lures in these areas during the faster stages of the tide. To learn more about these techniques, I suggest a trip or two with Sean Conlon from Moreton Bay Fishing Charters (Sean also writes for this magazine). So there you go, you’ve got plenty of options during May in Moreton Bay. I hope you get amongst them. For more tips, techniques and reports, be sure to jump on and like my Ontour Fishing Australia Facebook page.

The prizes on offer at the Fish n Chicks meet and greet.

The author and Jase with a haul of prawns.

Fish n Chicks growing fast I

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We are a family orientated Facebook group where all members share photos, stories, videos, tips and even catch up for fishing trips with new people. At just nine months old, we have over 18,000 members from all over the world. Fish n Chicks holds regular competitions, giveaways, charters, seminars, community catch-ups and much more. We are proud sponsors of DDU Pink Run for Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Royal Children’s Hospital Telethon and various other local events. Our 2018 started with Fish n Chicks’ first meet

SEQ Round-up by SYL CRON

and greet/fishing competition at VMR Brisbane at Shorncliffe, and what a turnout it was. The competition had six target species of flathead, snapper, bream, whiting, threadfin salmon and mangrove jack. With thousands of dollars’ in prizes given away,

we had some very happy winners. We were able to make an awesome donation to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia with the money raised from the sausage sizzle and we got to meet heaps of fisherwomen/men. Drew Argus from Pro

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Throw Cast Nets was very willing to share his tips on how to throw the perfect circle and where to catch some prawns. Andy Sparnon from CoastfishTV got the kids (and some adults) up to speed on the art of flicking soft plastics. He provided us all with techniques sure to help us land a big one. Prawns have been thick around Brisbane of late, and both the north and south sides have produced vast numbers of prawns for all enthusiasts. Every time I’ve been out chasing prawns, at least 50 boats have been sitting on them and it’s like a mosh pit out there, but we can’t get enough of it. Lots of fresh water is around with all the rain we’ve had but the prawns

are still running well. I got out there with my 12’ top-pocket, chain bottom net from Pro Throw Cast Nets and got enough for dinner and my hungry neighbours. Fish n Chicks recently ran a prawn recipe cookoff, and while we saw many amazing recipes, one lucky winner was announced with an awesome curry prawn and rice dish. Fish n Chicks also teamed up with Top Catch Charters for a members’ day out and what a trip we had! Myself and 11 other members boarded the seven-hour charter where skipper Trent and deckie Jarvo were quick to put us on the fish. The weather was good, ☛ continued P16

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Fish n Chicks growing fast in SEQ ☛ from P15

the fish were fast to bite and before we knew it fish were being hauled in all over the boat. We headed out to 12 Mile off Caloundra and between the 12 of us managed to take home a great mixed bag. The prize for biggest fish of the day was taken out by Amanda Hamilton with her 109cm cobia. Amanda fought her cobia well, got it into the boat and took home a new Penn Spinfisher 8500 reel. She deserved a huge congratulations, as this was an awesome fish and I’m sure she will catch many more great fish on this amazing reel in years to come. Ben Davies also landed a 98cm spanish mackerel that put up an insane fight and provided plenty of steaks for his family. Between the 12 of us, we landed many grass sweetlip, pearl perch, red emperor, trevally, spangled emperor, cobia, spanish mackerel and morwong. I got to use my new Penn Spinfisher 6500 and I had two massive runs but both times was busted off on 80lb leader. This reel is built to last and the drag system is incredible. Fish n Chicks will be holding monthly fishing charters so members can meet each other and experience deep sea fishing at its finest. Amazing prizes will be on offer each charter to encourage everyone to try their hardest. In February, I attended

the Boondooma Dam Family Yellowbelly Fishing Competition. Fish n Chicks teamed up with Rodzilla Adventure Tackle for the weekend and Dale Quant from Rodzilla hooked me up with the Tiger Spinner lure, which worked a treat. If you need lures, Rodzilla has a huge selection. Over $40,000 worth of prizes were given away and one lucky winner walked away with a new tinnie. The number of families that entered and camped for the weekend was incredible. I highly recommend this event and will be back again next year. March was a great month and included the National 4x4 Outdoors Show, Fishing & Boating Expo, and

Jules Brooks landed a good size red emperor.

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what an event it was. I met up with many other fishing enthusiasts and chatted with loads of supporting businesses including Rod Armour, Rodzilla, Cunningham Marine Centre, Oz Fishing Shirts and even stopped for a chat with Dan at the Bush ‘n Beach stand. It’s safe to say my pockets were empty after this show. On Sunday, April 8, my local area of Sandgate held its first-ever War on Waste. About 150 of us grabbed a bag and collected a huge amount of rubbish from the Sandgate waterfront. It reinforced how important it is to clean up after ourselves on the water. Fish n Chicks members are very passionate about rubbish removal, so much

so that they are rewarding people out of their own pocket who post pictures of themselves collecting rubbish. Until next time, why not try some different spots, baits and techniques to knock something off your bucket list.

If you have a passion for fishing and enjoy being part of a community, join Fish n Chicks on Facebook. We’d love to hear about all your fishing adventures and see your best fishing photos. Safety first and tight lines.

The author with Fish n Chicks members fishing in the background.

Ben and his spanish mackerel caught aboard Top Catch Charters.

Krank Go Fish Comp K IDS and families alike had a great day at Logan City Council’s Krank Go Fish Competition for 12 to 17-year-olds.

The winner was Cody Goulter (12) who captured four carp. Cody came prepared, having made up his various baits the day before the competition. All the kids who entered were lucky enough to walk away with a prize thanks to the generous donations from Freak Sports, Daiwa, Alvey Reels, Diztek, Hook-Eze, Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine, Bayside Bait & Tackle and The Worm Man. Charlie from the Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland and Lloyd from Logan and Albert Fish Management Association were on hand at the event, with both pest and native fish on display. These kind people are always ready to impart their knowledge to help educate everyone on the importance of ridding our waterways of invasive pest species.

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Back fishing Brissie River and the bay

POLOGIES for not contributing an article in last month’s edition of Bush ‘n Beach.

School and work got in the way of fishing, and I didn’t wet a line for five weeks. I’m happy to say I’m back in the saddle now and knocking over a few fish. I have been focusing on fishing the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay chasing snapper, jewfish, dart, cobia and the odd tailor. May is an excellent time to be on the water, and while you may need to don a jumper for those early morning starts, the temperature is generally pretty good throughout the month. As the weather cools,

A quality snapper from the Brissie River.

Moreton Bay Young Gun by LACHIE BAKER

the fishing gets hotter, and a multitude of options are available for keen anglers willing to put in the time and effort. I get very excited at this time of year as the offshore snapper season starts to get into full swing. There is nothing quite like floating a lightly presented plastic or bait and getting slammed on the drop. I plan to do a lot more fishing this season, and having a boat licence will definitely help me get out there more regularly. The imminent winter

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also means estuary fishing will heat up. An enjoyable option is to chase mulloway, threadfin salmon and flathead in the southern waterways such as Jumpinpin and the Logan and Brisbane systems. All these species respond well to lure and bait techniques, but I have a lot of success fishing soft vibes and plastics. The Zerek Fish Trap is quickly becoming renowned as an all-round estuary lure and works on everything from barra to flathead, so I’d definitely make sure a few are in your tackle box. The Brisbane River has become my second home of late. I’ve been spending lots of hours on the river trying to further figure out the system because fish are becoming a little harder to catch. I have managed to nail a couple of good fish including jewfish, snapper, cod and my mate even managed one cracking bream at 44.5cm. Every one of these fish has come on 95mm Zerek Fish Trap vibes. Another interesting thing I’ve learnt is running a good-quality, abrasion-resistant braid is very beneficial. My mate Liam learnt this very quickly as he got blown away on four occasions, whereas my only issue was when I hooked an unstoppable creature that had me behind a pylon before I had a turn on the reel. Zerek Hy-Braid in the 30lb and 40lb strengths has been my braid of choice and I’m more than impressed with it. I highly recommend you get yourself a spool or two. I’ve found that depending on what species you’re targeting, your success rate will rely on the stages of the tide. When targeting threadfin and mulloway, I believe they chew on the turn of the tide and at the start of the run-in. Smaller tides definitely make for easier fishing, but these fish will eat on bigger tides as well. For snapper and flathead, I don’t mind a bit of run, and the last of the outgoing tide has pro-

duced a couple of fish for me lately. Time on the water will improve your understanding of a system, and the Brissie River is no different, so get down there and have a crack! Please remember to be considerate when fishing this system because it cops lots of pressure recreationally and commercially, and if you don’t plan on keeping a feed then bring a release weight and venting tool. Using these two items will greatly increase a fish’s chances of survival upon release. Moreton Bay tuna I have been venturing into Moreton Bay chasing longtail tuna of late. I had a session during the second week of the school holidays with my close mate Mitch Reed where we spent the day driving for hours upon end to find a patch of fish that stayed up long enough for us to get a cast in. Unfortunately for me, I was the one on the wheel and not the rod, so Mitch got to have all the fun, landing two tuna right on a metre in length. The first one Mitch caught was sadly thrown back into the mouth of a massive bull shark lurking under the boat. It was a little scary because the shark came out of nowhere and swallowed the tuna whole. The very next cast, Mitch was onto another fish, which he made short work of, and this one was safely released after a quick photo. It’s very rewarding when one of these often-frustrating fish hits the deck, and you really appreciate how much time and effort went into catching it. I have to thank my mate and fellow BNB scribe Joe Cormack for answering my call and pointing me in the right direction. Sharks have been a real problem lately, as even heavy stickbait gear is not enough to win the fight on some occasions. During another trip, we were teasing a pack of six bull sharks with our stickbaits, which was both scary and amazing at the same time. It just so happened that a school of tuna popped up within casting range at the same time. I plugged a brand-new Zerek Zappelin 160 into ☛ continued P20

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The author held a school jew pulled from the Brisbane River.

Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

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Mitch Reed with a nice Moreton Bay longtail tuna.

Back fishing Brissie River and the bay ☛ from P18

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the mayhem and got crunched straight away, with a longtail leaping into the air and crash tackling it in a spectacular display. I locked the drag and hung on as Joe drove 300m away from the sharks. With the powerful Venom Stickbait rod buckling, there was hurt at both ends. When you’re locked up on 60lb braid, something is bound to give, and this time it was the fish. I finally got another look at what I was fighting and to my dismay I saw a 3.5m bull shark hungry for an afternoon snack chasing a beautiful big Moreton Bay longtail. I opened the bail arm, trying to give the fish a chance to outrun the shark but to no avail. The fish headed straight down and got eaten, which was

really disheartening to see. But that’s fishing. Tailor and dart At this time of year in the bay you can also tangle with an abundance of species commonly thought of as beach dwellers such as tailor and dart. Most tailor have been 4045cm in length, and these fish will put up a decent fight on lighter gear. I have found they are sitting on shallow banks in the bay following bait around for an easy feed. While a more traditional method of catching tailor is a pillie on a set of gangs, I have been targeting mine with lures, in particular the new Bone Dash 90S sinking pencil/vibe. This lure is new to the market and is available through Wilson Fishing. It is a great multi-purpose lure to have in your tackle box.

The dart have been of reasonable size as well, and at about 40cm they can give you an awesome fight on 4-6lb braid and leader. I have been casting small 3” plastics rigged on size 2 TT jig heads in the same area I have been finding tailor. Again, time on the water will help you succeed in all your fishing ventures. This time of year has the potential for awesome all-round fishing options, so get into your local tackle shop, grab some gear and get out on the water to experience what southeast Queensland has to offer. I’m currently preparing to head to Gladstone for a few days fishing the estuaries, so stay tuned for the write-up in next month’s edition of Bush ‘n Beach. Tight lines and smoking drags.

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Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 21

Promising transition period on Gold Coast

HE last month before winter is already here, meaning the change in active species is fast approaching.

The author with a shark caught while people were skiing in the area.

Nate held a common size bull shark.

From the disappearance of mangrove jack to the greater numbers of bream and flathead inshore and the shift from large numbers of mackerel to schools of big snapper offshore, ‘the times they are a changin’’ on the Gold Coast. Some people dislike this transition period but the fishing can result in a good mixed bag if things work out. With water temperatures still around 23C, not being too sure what you have on the end of your line will be quite common. Offshore, reports indicate both spanish and spotted mackerel are still

Nerang Rooster Report by DARREN RAMA

being taken on the troll and downrigger-fished live baits. Snapper have shown up on the 24s to eat soft plastics and baits. Back in sheltered waters, bull sharks seem to be hanging around a bit longer than usual. They like to feed up on the bait in the rivers in the warmer months and then move out into the ocean in winter, but with water temps still well into the twenties, they are in no hurry to leave. The Nerang, Coomera and Logan rivers are most productive for anglers using live baits and eel. I find using a float or un-

weighted 60-80lb coated wire with a 7/0 to 9/0 circle hook nets the best results on sharks of all sizes. In the fresh water, May is the last month you can target bass in tidal waters before the three-month closed season begins. Fishing the creeks for bass is a great way to spend a morning or afternoon as they can be found hiding out in the shallowest pools and still be willing to hit a lure. You may come across some bass that have a few battle scars, yet they still go on living life like nothing has happened. Small cicadas and

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small minnow or shrimp profile lures work well, as do weedless jig spin setups. I’ve found the jig spin effective in impoundments and rivers due to its versatility. I use a 3” Fish Arrow Flash J-Grub and run it on a TT SnakelockZ jig head. This means a weedless hook setup with a weighted head to help get the plastic down. Then I attach a small jig spin, which is just a small Colorado blade that hangs off the jig head and resembles a smaller version of a spinnerbait. This can be either hopped through timber or cast out and slowly retrieved. In Hinze Dam, the cooler weather will see bigger bass up in the sticks early in the morning and late afternoon, but during the day they will head to the deep points and school as they prepare for another year of spawning. However, because these impoundment fish cannot access salt water, they will forever be unsuccessful in spawning. Regardless, making the most of their habits can ensure great fishing experiences. If you come across a school on the sounder, getting multiple fish in a short window is not

uncommon. Using plastics, blades and ice jigs is the way to go when your sounder screen is full of arches. Of an early morning and late afternoon it might be a good idea to throw bigger lures such as spinnerbaits because at these times they prefer larger meals to store as much energy as possible. Really bright or reflective green, orange and gold spinnerbaits are having the most success. The bass are taking a liking to crankbaits that dive to about 4m, either cast or trolled. Surface walkers and bigger creature bait lures such as Tiemco Jumbo Cicadas and Jackall Pompadours will create a bit of commotion to attract the fish. Swimbaits present another option for both saratoga and bass when the sun hits the dam’s banks and the day continues to get brighter. As always, live shrimp present the standout bait method, and sinking them unweighted or with a light jig head will often see them eaten before they reach the bottom. The hardest part is catching the shrimp. Make the most of the last of the warmer weather and try to get a good variety of fish.

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A Hinze Dam saratoga that ate a Fish Arrow Huddle Minnow 110.

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This bass hit a Fish Arrow Flash J-Grub jig spin combination.

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A river bass with a blind eye most likely caused from travelling to spawn.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 23

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Rebecca held a Gold Coast-caught jungle perch from a local creek.

The author with a bream and a tarwhine hooked while walking the beach gutters at night.

Gold Coast species readily biting baits

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Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Offshore bottom fishing will be on the improve, with bigger numbers of snapper starting to move in closer to shore. Since the start of the year we have been getting a good mixed bag of offshore reef fish. Our only problem is getting the right weather to head out there. The past month has seen a lot of maori cod on the 35-45m reefs out the front of the Seaway. Just be aware these fish have a minimum legal size of 45cm and possession limit of five. Float lining pillies has been the most effective method by far, with squid and flesh baits also worth trying. If you are at anchor, use plenty of berley to get the fish on the chew. Best fishing has occurred at first light in the mornings, and if there’s a tide change in the first three hours after daylight, this can provide another good bite period. The odd spanish mackerel will still be around early this month but with the water getting cooler, slow trolling either live or dead baits on a downrigger would be best. In the estuaries, bream numbers are improving as they move closer to the Seaway for spawning. Catching bream is not a problem but catching good-quality bream can be much more difficult. Technique and tackle are the same for all bream, the big difference is the baits used. Pumping a few yabbies in the Broadwater will give you the bait to catch as many bream as you want but most will be undersize. Using flesh baits such as mullet, tailor and bonito and gut baits will give you a much better chance of catching bigger, betterquality fish. These baits will attract smaller bream as well but you’ll find the bait will last longer on the hook and the bigger fish will grab the bait away from the tiddlers and hopefully hook up.

Broadwater Region by WAYNE ‘YOUNGY’ YOUNG

One of the better locations is the underwater rock wall in front of The Southport School. You may need to use your sounder to locate it and find the likely spots if you haven’t fished here before. This area holds a few mangrove jack as well, and even though it’s late in the season you would still be a chance of catching one here. The Seaway rock walls and pipeline are always worth trying, as is the edge of the northern channel on the mainland side from the red beacon down towards the crossover yellow beacon. The rock walls around Sovereign Islands can also be productive but the fish tend to be smaller here, especially during the day. All three areas fish much better at night. While talking about bream, this month will see good numbers of bream on the local beaches too. The easiest beaches to access are the surf beaches at the Spit. You can always find a few good gutters here but it can be a bit busy with surfers and swimmers at times. It’s best to either fish very early in the morning or late of an afternoon into the evening. Best baits are the same as in the estuary but you can add pipis and beach worms to the list in this area. Good size dart can be caught here as well, especially when using yabbies for bait. In the surf, a lightweight 10’6” to 12’ rod is ideal with 9lb main line, a 50cm trace and a 4 or 5 ball sinker. It’s very important to be mobile and able to walk from gutter to gutter to locate fish. Taking a heap of gear and sitting on a gutter for a couple of hours can be pretty boring if there’s no fish. Especially when the next gutter up the beach could be the one holding all the quality fish. While a bit early for beach tailor, you never

know when they will turn up. The best estuary tailor spot at the moment is around Sundale Bridge at night on the run-in tide. Live herring and trolled lures are the best techniques. As I get older, this time of year is becoming my favourite for fishing for whiting. Easy fishing during the day and getting home well before dark suits us oldies just fine. Baits, technique and setup are all the same as our summertime night fishing, the only change being the fish are much further upstream since they have finished spawning. In the Nerang River, the best area is from Bundall Rd Bridge upstream to Ross St Bridge. For those of you coming down from Brisbane, a boat ramp at Carrara St, Carrara, will put you in the river near where the fish are and save a lot of driving around. I have lived on the Gold Coast for over 20 years now and it never ceases to amaze me with some of the fish it produces. All the more common species are readily available and even barramundi catches are becoming more plentiful. And now hopefully some time in the future

we will have another species to chase in our Gold Coast waters. Regular readers will recognise young Rebecca Clarke whose photo is often alongside my articles holding some great fish. She recently won the junior section of the Pirtek Fishing Challenge for whiting, even beating all the adult competitors by more than 1cm, with her winning fish going 44.1cm. Her latest capture was even better – a 40cm jungle perch from one of our local small creeks. The fish was of course released. Surprisingly, jungle perch are native to our local creeks all the

way south to Brunswick Heads, but human population growth and land clearing have taken their toll on fish numbers. The good news is the Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre has been breeding jungle perch and has restocked areas around here. Hopefully we may see similar captures in future but please remember to simply photograph and release the fish. It would be a shame if we fishers never gave this species a chance to become more plentiful. ‘Til next month, always fish for the future – your grandchildren’s fishing depends on it.

Len ‘Snowy’ Hargraves with his entry in the recent Pirtek Fishing Challenge.

Marty scored a couple of maori cod on a recent offshore trip.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tips for catching bream O

VER the next few months, one of the main species that should dominate our local waterways is yellowfin bream. During winter, large schools of bream migrate north along the east coast shoreline and enter the river mouths on the new and in particular full

Gold Coast Guide by BRAD SMITH

moons to spawn. The mass spawning aggregation of bream usually takes place within the first few kilometres of the river mouths, with the

This bream took a blade fished vertically in deep water.

Qwen with a thumper bream caught in the Tweed River.

mouths themselves the main hot spots. The larger and deeper river entrances such as the Gold Coast Seaway and Tweed River mouth are the best local areas for bream to congregate and spawn. As mentioned above, the weeks leading up to the new and full moons are the best times to target them with an apparent spike in their feeding activity on the first two hours of the run-in tides. Anglers who choose to use bait should have no problem catching a nice feed of these prime condition fish on live yabbies, whitebait or strips of fresh cut baits such as mullet and gar. You will see a lot of seasoned bream anglers strategically anchored along the rock walls at the river entrances soaking their baits, but you can also stay on the drift and cover ground while you fish. For me, the real buzz comes from targeting the big, healthy and hardfighting bream on light gear and a well-presented lure. All tackle shops these

days are well stocked with a great range of products perfectly suited to anglers who choose to target bream on lures. A 7’ spin rod in the 1-3kg or 2-4kg range matched to a 2500 size spin reel loaded with 6lb braid and 6-8lb fluorocarbon leader is all you need for the job. The best lures are small soft plastics and blades, both weighted to suit fishing the bottom, which is the strike zone for bream. My favourite soft plastics are heavily weighted Berkley Gulp 2” Baby Shrimp in Banana Prawn colour, while Strike Pro and Atomic blades in 40mm are the pick of the metals. My favourite colours for the blades are natural baitfish prints and flashy gold and silver because they reflect a lot of sunlight. A few techniques work well for luring bream, with the first being to locate the bream on your sounder and using the spot lock on your electric motor, casting up-current and then working the lure back along the bottom towards you. The other technique and the one I use is to locate bream on the sounder and then set drift patterns through them, fishing the

lures with vertical drops to the bottom. When using both forms of attack, I find the lures are best worked with a continuous 30cm hopping action along the bottom. Creating this action is as simple as making consistent 30cm flicks of the rod tip. I hope this bream season will be a cracker and this article helps you find a few.

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Hugh finally got a break in the weather and pulled in a few mackerel.

Melissa caught this 14kg spaniard at sunrise.

Magical mackerel sessions off Brunz

DON’T know if you noticed but the theme of most articles in the last edition of BNB was bad weather and shark troubles.

A mack tuna minus its engine room and propeller.

Well not much has changed because that just about sums up the past month for me. You’ve got to look at the positives though and there have been quite a few, which is great. A couple of highlights for me were getting a good day out with my mate Hugh and another

A beautiful photo of a leopard shark at Julian Rocks, but check out those big queenfish in the background. Photo: Melissa Peachey

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www.issuu.com/bnbﬁshing Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Tweed to Byron Bay by GAVIN DOBSON

fun day fishing with my cousin Melissa. Hugh will tell you how bad the weather was as he was in the caravan park here for a month and wind and rain dominated. Finally, towards the end of his last week we got a good day and headed out early, catching a few pike and yakkas on the bait reef. We deployed a livie at the fishing grounds and trolled no more than a hundred metres before a rod bent over, the reel screamed and then nothing. Losing mackerel is something that can’t be avoided. You will never land them all, but I was disappointed because after such bad weather I really wanted to see Hugh land a good fish. It took a while to get the next bite but eventually we got one and the hooks seemed to be stuck in the fish this time. Hugh worked the fish to the boat when the next thing we knew the mackerel leapt 6m in the air. As it landed, I barely had time to utter that there was a shark after it when the fish jumped again, this time sideways a considerable distance. The shark must have temporarily lost track of the fish and Hugh clamped the drag tight and dragged the fish over to the boat, where I was very relieved to gaff it. A high five and a quick photo later, we were on the move again and Hughey landed a couple more as we put together a nice feed for the morning. Over the next couple of weeks, Lewan and I found the odd mackerel and plenty of sharks willing to eat them but the windows in the weather were only small. Then my cousin Melissa came down for a visit and managed to find a few days of ocean-going weather. She spent her first couple of days on the water diving the beautiful Julian Rocks with Blue Bay Divers, which leaves from here at Brunswick Heads. After each day I went through the videos of her dives with her and mar-

velled at the fish life. Leopard sharks and turtles are magnificent creatures to dive with but Melissa made sure she got plenty of other fish life on film for me. Of particular interest to me was a picture of a leopard shark with goodsized queenfish swimming behind it. I have caught lots of queenfish in the Tweed River over the years but they aren’t something I’ve encountered on the reefs. I also found interesting a picture of a whitetip reef shark. I’ve never caught one of those down here and it was a first for the crew on the dive boat too. Diving is Melissa’s first love and while she has always enjoyed fishing I think she was pretty keen to tell her dad she had been out with me, so at first light the next morning we crossed the bar. As always at this time of year, mackerel were my first thought but I had caught a couple of jewfish the previous morning while waiting for the mackerel to bite, so headed to a spot where I thought we were in with a chance of both. I threw the anchor out even though I could already tell it was wind against tide. I got a mackerel bait to float out far enough to be fishing properly but it was going to be hard to get a jewfish. Just as the sun was breaking the horizon, the live yellowtail was eaten and Melissa was onto her first mackerel for 2018. She fought it like a champion and I was relieved to haul aboard a decent spaniard that later weighed in at 14kg. Getting annoyed at fishing back up the anchor rope, I decided on a slow troll, only to pull the baits in after trolling for 15 minutes and finding one had its tail missing and the other was gone altogether. That’s why you should always check your baits regularly when mackerel fishing – quite often you won’t see the bite, no matter how vigilant you are. By this stage the wind had really picked up, so I

went back on the anchor, knowing we would hang straight. Initially it was still hard to get a mackerel bait out but the wind strengthened by the minute and by the time it got to 20 knots the baits were sailing out the back. And they were going off too, with mack tuna making a pest of themselves and the odd spanish in between. I wasn’t game to say it out loud but I was thinking we had managed to land a few fish and were shark free for the first time in a long time. That was until Melissa was pulling in a mack tuna, which are difficult little buggers due to their typical tuna determination, when it started coming in easy. They can’t put up much fight with no back end (see photo). The abbreviated tuna had only just come aboard when the jew rod went off. Knowing a shark was hanging around, we were a bit nervous during the fight but Melissa did a cracking job going as hard as she dared on the fish and soon boated a roughly 14kg jewfish. She also captured a couple more jewfish after this and we later tested the biggest one on the scales, which went a very credible 16.15kg. Well, I had a terrific

morning watching Melissa pull in so many great fish, but that was yesterday. Today we are back to strong easterly wind and the swell is really picking up too. Surely during May the windows of opportunity to head offshore will widen, with this month typically seeing the weather settling and more westerly wind patterns kicking in. Offshore will still produce mackerel on the close reefs, and with a few wahoo showing up recently, hopefully they will increase in numbers because May can be their best month around here. May is also the month when most boats start to head wide again and the deep reefs have had a great rest, so hopefully they will be full of tasty demersal fish. Look for snapper and jewfish in the shallows this month too. Hopefully we get a good mullet run this winter and our beaches fire up with tailor and jew. May is your last chance to get a mangrove jack in the Brunswick River for a while as well. Concentrate in the lower parts of the river if searching for these great fish. We have had a good season on them here at Brunswick Heads. ‘Til next month, stay safe.

Hugh in mid-fight with a mackerel. In the background is Cape Byron Headland where Hugh has spent thousands of hours fishing for jewfish, tailor and many other species.

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Everything set to improve in May ■ Snapper ■ Bream ■ Tailor ■ Crabs

ELLO and welcome to this month’s edition of BNB. The past month has certainly not been kind to us on the weather front, particularly for the offshore boating brigade. Plenty of days of strong wind and persistent swell have made for less-thaninviting boating opportunities. Hopefully the next month will see us start to transition into winter patterns that will bring calmer conditions and a little less current to deal with out wide. It feels like we may have turned the corner and I think you will see a drop in the water temperature and a few more of our traditional winter species start to show up in better numbers. I expect much better fishing this winter than last, and that probably won’t be terribly difficult because the fishing last winter was woeful at best. At the time of writing, the mackerel season has been a real fizzer. While a few fish have been caught, it has not been anything like the past few years and this has left many boaties a little deflated. A mix of inconsistent weather patterns has really hampered our ability to get across the bar, and combined with fluctuating water temperatures and a lack of bait has created a poor season. We have another month or so left in the season though, depending on how quickly Jack Frost decides to move in, so fingers crossed we may yet see hot action from the toothy tribe on the close reefs. I am getting ready for the winter run of snapper and tuna on the close reefs, which I think is going to be much better than in the past few years. Again, I guess I say that because it hasn’t been great over recent years, so we are definitely due for a good one. I think it might be time to dust off the soft plastics, light jig heads, vibes and micro jigs in preparation. The current out wide had backed off over the

Ballina Bait & Tackle by BRETT HYDE

past month but appears to have picked back up again, and at the time of writing was running at about three knots. This has made fishing the bottom anywhere from the 32-fathom line and beyond a very difficult proposition, and if you wish to try your luck you will need plenty of lead to get down and stay there. Good-quality mahi mahi are still taking an interest in skirted lures trolled around the waverider buoy and FAD. With the heavy current, it may be worth trying your luck well below these markers because the heavy current might be keeping fish away from them due to the speed it is moving. Once the current backs off, the 32-fathom line should be worth checking out for flathead, snapper, trag and tuskfish. The 42 and 48-fathom lines should start to produce the odd kingfish and pearl perch, especially on the northern grounds, over the next month or two, and it won’t be long until the continental shelf is an option for chasing bar cod and blue-eye trevalla. On the beaches, we have seen a good early run of tailor, with fish up to 3kg landed, as well as numerous quality bream that are cruising with the tailor. The usual baits such as pilchards, garfish, mullet and bonito have all worked a treat. Most beaches have been holding fish at some point, but a lot of the fish seem transient, only holding for a day or two on any particular beach. After this they move on, or in the case of the bream, stick their heads into the lower reaches of the Richmond River. This is probably in preparation for their breeding season, and much like snapper, I think we are going to have one of our better bream seasons. Along with the bream and tailor, we have also had good numbers of flathead, whiting and

dart being hooked on the beaches. Seven Mile, Angels and Patchs beaches have been the pick of the spots. The usual baits such as worms and pipis for whiting and dart and white pilchards for flathead have been the best bet. Back in the river, the summer species have been giving us plenty of enjoyment of late, but the winter team is definitely waiting in the wings for a chance to come out in force and play. Solid numbers of flathead are still present in the lower reaches and they have been biting better on the run-in tide. Soft plastics, prawns and pilchards are the best options. Decent size bream are mixed in too, but a lot are hugging the rock walls between the ferry and Wardell Bridge.

Mullet, chicken gut and prawns have all been good bait choices, but a number of fish are also taking hard-body lures such as Jackall Chubbies and Atomic Cranks. School-sized mulloway have been playing the game and seem happy to grab a live herring, 4”-5” soft plastic or a vibe. As usual, the change of tide has been the best bet in some of the deeper holes above the Burns Point Ferry. Smaller tides have slowed the crabs a little, but the water temperature in the river is still pretty high so you may just have to wait for some bigger tides to chase a few before they go to sleep in winter. One species that hasn’t gone to sleep is bass. Big numbers of smaller fish have been showing up from Coraki all the way to Lismore. Spinnerbaits, hard-body lures and soft plastics have all accounted for a number of fish. The water quality has

improved a little, so natural colors have enjoyed more success. The fish are sitting higher in the water column, so stick with 1/4oz and 3/8oz spinnerbaits or jig heads. That’s all from me this month. ‘Til next time, tight lines!

Kev with his PB bass of 50cm (fork length) caught on a Bassman Spinnerbait.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 27

Mangrove jack are a great surprise when targeting other fish, but no one would be complaining. This one went very well baked for dinner.

Once you have the attention of blackfish with the right bait, you can get your bag very quickly. Weed is good but early season cabbage is their favourite.

Bream, bass and blackfish the best bets

H A flathead hooked on a soft plastic vibe. You just have to work these vibes a bit with a lift and drop retrieve.

If you keep your blackfish alive before dispatching them, the author finds they panic a bit and their flesh goes a bit tougher. He suggests you cut their throat prior to placing them in a keeper net or in a bucket on your boat to keep them fresh.

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Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

AVING just moved into a new house, I have not been able to get to my fishing gear because it is piled under all the stuff yet to be unpacked.

It might be a while before it’s uncovered because the lady of the house has me running around like a blue-arsed fly doing odds and ends. Gee, I hate moving. I have said that a few times over the years but that’s life. Having so many children and now grandkids, 10 of them to be exact, I love nothing more than my tribe coming over most weekends for lunch. Normally the conversation turns to fishing and what fishing time they have. Frankly it’s not much due to work commitments, and this is a major problem for most workers in this day and age, so quality time with family is precious. I worked bloody hard growing up but I still had time to fish. The world was not going as fast as it is now. You have to slow down and smell the roses or you will run yourself into the ground. And for what? A few more dollars. Money might make you a bit more comfortable, but as they say, coffins don’t have pockets. So if you work your butt off six days a week and bring your work home with you, how about leaving the work at the front door, enjoying time with your family and going fishing. I can think of nothing better. Moving along to the fishing, the water quality in the Richmond River is not the best around Woodburn but anglers are still getting very nice whiting and bream. If you fish the rock area on the southern side of the bridge, bass and some

Evans Head by GARY ‘SQUIDGIE’ PALMER

very unwanted carp are being caught. The bass are really big and the bloody carp are monsters. Gee, they fight so well but you have to responsibly dispose of them, don’t toss them back in the water. The carp are all over blades and so are the bass. A 40g ruby red blade with ZX replacement single hooks will work a treat. I have had a few of these hooks unravel, so I now add a bit of super glue to the leader just above the hook. Working my way downriver towards Broadwater, I always stop at Rileys Hill. This location can be hit or miss but when it’s on you can readily get bream, flathead, jewfish and bass, as well as school sharks at this time of year. It’s a very good crabbing area too. Just place your crab traps at bends or in deep holes but stay close to them because share farmers can be a problem on weekends. Once at Broadwater, I normally fish the bridge first because some school jew, bream and flathead hang there. Occasionally you will get bass around the bridge too. I also fish the sugar mill, with the overflow area best for bream, bass, jewfish and even tailor. You can’t miss the rock section with its red buoys. Please don’t rush into it because it will eat your prop and damage your boat and I have seen a few visitors come unstuck there. However, it is a great spot to fish because you never know what you will get.

After my rock adventure I head to the Wardell Bridge. Around here you need to use your sounder. I like to go to all the pylons and work out where to fish by looking at my sounder to spot the bait. Normally I fish the northern side near the wooden sections because I’ve picked up big jew and flathead here. Live bait is best and most pylons hold herring, so make sure you take a few herring jigs with you. Being a lure fisher, I use blades and soft plastics, and most fish and prawn imitations work. I hardly ever use my anchor here, as I cast upcurrent and slowly work my lure back to the boat with a lift and drop or just a slow wind to keep the lure close to the bottom. If bait fishing, I would pin the hook through the herring’s lip or nose and add enough weight to keep it close to the bottom. If you don’t have a sounder on your boat, just fish close to the pylons and you should be able to get a feed. A new walkway has been added along the town side of the river at Wardell and it looks bloody marvellous. I can see a lot of fishers using it because it is right near the deep hole. I’m not sure if it’s a nonfishing area, but fishers will be fishers. Pretty much all bridges in NSW are out of bounds but on almost every bridge I see someone fishing. I will go for a drive out there and have a look and get back to you on the fishy side of things. Evans Head is once again a hit and miss fishing location. “You should have been here yesterday” syndrome

has set in because I always seem to miss the bite period. When the seas are up, the blackfish are playing the game on the walls, which is the best place to fish for them, but getting good-quality weed is a problem. For some reason, the Evans Head blackfish don’t take a shine to cane drain weed. I’m not entirely sure why, as the Ballina blackfish love it. I think at Evans we only get a good blackfish bite just after big seas and they come from around the headlands where they have been feeding on fresh cabbage and horse hair weed. Flathead have been the main fish to save most anglers from going home empty-handed in the Evans River. A few good ones are around the Bream Hole and on the sand flats near the tennis courts. The bridge sand flats have the odd flathead on them as well. I like to pump my yabbies at the tennis court

sand flats and then fish them on the run-up tide, either of an early morning or night. Whiting are also there for the taking. The yabby banks up from the bridge have quality pan size flathead on them as well as whiting. Just pump your yabbies and then walk along the sandbanks, casting as you go. You should be able to pick up a feed without too many problems. You can also pump your yabbies and then hit the beach just up from the surf club, targeting any gutters for bream, flathead and whiting. Dart are there too but they are small. I have said it before, but I love a feed of dart. Once again I have run out of space. Things are heating up around Evans and I’m getting ready for winter and all the big bream the season brings. ‘Til next month, remember: limit your kill, don’t kill your limit. Tight lines and smelly fingers.

Blackfish berley is easy to make. Just cut up weed and cabbage very finely, but don’t use too much because you want to attract them, not feed them.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Land-based game gurus visit Iluka

ISHING along the Clarence Coast here in northern NSW has been a bit of a hit and miss affair for most species during April, so you can only hope May produces more consistent fishing. The inshore ocean waters have been a sickly green colour, with visibility down to only a few metres, which in turn has seen catches of spotted mackerel and longtail tuna drop dramatically. Oddly enough, the bigger spanish mackerel don’t seem to mind the crappy water, with heaps of fish being hooked, landed and lost, as well as free jumping off the Iluka breakwall. The crook water failed to prevent Brisbane visitor Jim Gardiner from boating snapper to 7.9kg

Just Jew by TYE PORTER

at Black Rocks north of Iluka, while Grafton boatie James Want fished the southern grounds for pearl perch to 2.7kg. The headlands are holding reasonable numbers of bream and tarwhine on the days when the swell settles enough to make them fishable, with the southern end of the Iluka Bluff also providing a few little turrum on metal slice lures. Arthur Hanley of Iluka has been one of many anglers landing turrum around the five-kilo mark in recent weeks. Iluka angler Alan Murdock snared a 5.3kg chopper from the Bluff on a

Gaff man Moozy Diab looked on as HT put the hurt on his first spanish mackerel off the rocks.

lure and other anglers have been landing tailor from Main Beach at night on the rising tide. Jew have been chewing their heads off along the Iluka breakwall, however the downside is only one in 20 is over the legal size limit of 70cm. Bigger jew have just started to turn up inside the river as they begin their winter run, so you’ll be able to get amongst them during May if you put the effort in. Inside the Clarence River, whiting catches have dropped dramatically, with only a handful of fish around 350g being weighed in after being caught by rod and reel. Bigger fish have been taken in nets but that doesn’t count in my books. During April I had the pleasure of fishing with three Sydney-based landbased game fishing and jewfish legends, namely Moozy Diab, Omar Merhi and most famous of all, the man simply known as HT. While Moozy did manage to hook a spaniard during his trip, it unfortunately spat the hook, and Omar had a somewhat uneventful trip he would rather forget.

HT, however, showed just why he is a walking, talking, living legend. After spending three fishless days live baiting the Iluka breakwall, the lads decided to launch their tinnie and have a flick with soft plastics for jew in the middle of the day during the run-out tide, then head out to the wall for an afternoon LBG session off the stones. Omar struck out yet again and Moozy managed to catch and release several big flathead but only HT boated the target species by landing a 7kg schoolie around noon. By 2pm the lads had finished the boat session and made their way out to meet me along the breakwall, and HT had his first live gar swimming under a float by 2.15pm. Within minutes, HT’s reel screamed as a solid spaniard engulfed his bait and headed east at a rate of knots. After a short 10-minute fight, HT had the spanish mackerel at the gaff and Moozy sunk it home first shot. The fact that HT had been trying to land a spaniard for years and had finally done so made the occasion even more special. Two different species by two totally different methods in just over two hours confirmed to me how ac-

complished and complete an angler HT is, and it is no wonder he has the reputation he does. The scary part is the lads are heading back up here in winter for a week or two to give the local jewfish population a headache, so I had better be ready for what will be something of a city versus country clash in the jewfish stakes. All in all, May should be the month of mullet and mulloway, so there will never be a better time to catch one of these awesome creatures. ‘Til next month, safe fishin’.

Within two hours of capturing this school jew from a boat inside the Clarence River, HT was landing his first spanish mackerel off the Iluka breakwall.

Winners are grinners. After many attempts to land a mackerel from the rocks, Sydney LBG and jew guru HT finally completed his bucket list by landing this solid 16kg spaniard from the Iluka breakwall on live gar.

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@frogleysoffshore Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 29

Local angler Kim Yeates with a solid snapper.

Izak Van Shayk held a quality mud crab from the Noosa River, tipping the scales at 1.5kg.

Change in temperature brings on the fish

T’S hard to believe we’ve reached May and almost half the year has gone.

Craig Mullet with a nice catch of chopper tailor from the Pincushion area. Photo: fishingnoosa.com.au

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As such, water temperatures will begin dropping a few degrees. Fishing on the Sunshine Coast will benefit as we see the last of the mackerel and tuna recede and the cooler water fish improve. Offshore has been first to see positive changes, with pan size snapper appearing in good numbers and most fishers bagging out. The popular areas for snapper have been the bottom end of the Barwon Banks, Gneerings Shoal and Coolum and Sunshine reefs. The best method is floating baits slowly to the bottom using three 5/0 Tru-Turn gangs with either a pilchard or whole squid for bait. A good tip when the fish are biting slowly is to place a pilchard inside the tube of a good-sized local squid, which will give you an advantage. If the current is a bit strong, try placing a small ball sinker above the gang hook to ensure the bait slowly descends to the bottom. Berley is essential when snapper fishing. Try cubing leftover bait from previous trips, such as pillies, and add them

Sunshine Coast by WADE QUALISCHEFSKI

Once again, the standout method this season has been the Spaniard Special, which continues to thrive when trolled at slow speeds. If it’s big jew you love to catch, Chardons Reef off Noosa is the spot to be, with the average fish of about 15kg caught on live yakkas. to bags of pellet berley or frozen logs available at the Davo’s tackle outlets. One of the most popular methods I have had luck with lately is dropping 3060g micro jigs down the berley trail, with my favourite being the Shimano Coltsniper Wonderfall in 40g. This jig flutters on the drop, which is irresistible to reef fish. When selecting the perfect weight, I find a gram per metre seems to be the general rule of thumb.

The Davo’s tackle shops have a great range of micro jigs, so call in and see the teams for all your micro jigging needs. The last of the mackerel have been taken off Double Island, with the spanish loving a slow troll. Once again, the standout method this season has been the Spaniard Special, which continues to thrive when trolled at slow speeds. If it’s big jew you love to catch, Chardons Reef off Noosa is the spot to be,

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Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

with the average fish of about 15kg caught on live yakkas. If you love to chase mud crabs, this is one of the best months to have pots in the water and it’s my favourite time to chase a delicious feed of crabs. This year is producing better than last, whether in the Noosa or Maroochy River. People often ask what the best bait for crabbing is and over the years I have tried many different types and still come back to fresh mullet. Another good tip is to soak your mullet in tuna oil overnight before going crabbing. This will improve the scent trail, therefore greatly improving your catch. Tailor have started biting in the lower reaches of the Noosa River, with most fish taking surface lures such as the Atomic Hardz K9 Bulldogs and Nomad Design Dartwings. Larger tailor are loving live baits fished after dark on the run-in tide. Trevally are in good numbers, with golden, giant and tea-leaf all chewing during the lower-light periods. The hot spots have been the Woods Bays, Munna Point and the back of Noosa Sound. The Nomad Design 50mm Chug Norris and Ecogear PX55 surface lures will do the job as they are premium surface lures designed to take this abuse. Between Lake Cootharaba and Tewantin in the Noosa River you can pick up solid school jew while fishing the deeper sections with live bait. If you love a good feed of prawns, dig out the net because good numbers of banana prawns are running throughout the system. Try sticking to the bottom of the tide and use a quality Pro Throw Cast Net to ensure better catches with less effort. The Maroochy River has seen the quality of bream on the increase, with bigger fish taken after dark. The secret to good bream catches in the Noosa River is berley. A great range of premade pellet berleys is available, or if you have a home-made favourite, just add tuna oil for that extra tang. Remember to only use enough berley to entice the fish and not feed them. Great baits for chasing

bream have been mullet fillets, live yabbies, small pillies and gut. Upriver from the motorway bridge to Bli Bli, we have seen school jew taking swimbaits and prawn imitations. These lures were really popular over summer for quality mangrove jack. Popular models include the Zerek Live Mullet and Fish Candy 95mm Flick Prawn. Flathead have started to move up on the flooded banks at the top of the tide. Bigger catches are coming in for anglers fishing in sunny periods during the middle of the day. Chopper tailor have started to turn up on the beach section from Pincushion Island to Marcoola. The higher-water gutters fished first thing in the morning have generated the better fish. Get some medium-sized pillies capable of fitting on a 4/0 three-gang hook rig with a fluorocarbon leader. If the sweep is a little strong, try using a surfstyle sinker that slows the bait and reduces line twist. Grass sweetlip and squire have been taken off the rocks at Yaroomba. The famous mullet strip bait rig is preferred when chasing these fish. It consists of two TruTurn hooks in sizes 5/0 and 3/0 joined with a swivel. Teewah Beach is dart central, with good catches taken on the run-out tide. The trick is to fish the lower water gutters while using pipis for bait on a long bait-holder hook. Even though plenty of bait-holder hooks are on the market, I find the TruTurn 063 hook secures the bait better than all others while giving it longevity. The northern side of the third cutting on Teewah Beach entrance has its usual start of season gutter. This spot always produces tailor in May, with first light and after dark the better times. Don’t forget to check in to fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up-todate info on fishing and bar crossings. The knowledgeable teams at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success! www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tuna time on Sunshine Coast W

ELL it’s about time.

After a very unusual and slow start to the longtail tuna season here in southeast Queensland, they have finally turned up. Normally they arrive in February in good numbers, along with mack tuna, but this year has been a bit different. Often they haven’t been breaking the surface, instead staying just under and making ripples (the only sign they are there), but mack tuna have been busting up everywhere. After many jet ski fishing trips throwing every lure known to man at them, I discovered the new Halco Outcast series of metal lures. These little fellows are short and fat, producing a smaller profile to more accurately match the hatch. I tried the 40g White

Jet Ski Fishing by ROBERT GRACE

model first and after three casts with no luck, despite it bouncing on their heads, I decided to swap to the 20g version. Bingo, as soon as it hit the water I was on, and after the normal tug of war with the hard-fighting longtail tuna I pulled in a lovely 9kg specimen. As the weeks went by the fish got progressively bigger, as they normally do. Then on my last trip out, armed with my Daiwa 4000 Saltist reel and matching rod, 15lb braid and 20lb leader tied straight onto the 20g lure, I found a school of what I thought were spotted mackerel, so chanced a cast and hooked up immediately. Not expecting much in

the way of a fight, my reel started to scream and I knew I was onto a decent fish. Fast forward 20 minutes and I had landed a 16kg longtail tuna. After letting my arms retract to their normal length, I found another boil-up and cast into it. This time I had to start the jet ski and chase the tuna down because it was taking line quicker than I could retrieve it. After looking at my spool and seeing I had about three turns of line left, I knew I was in for it.

Though I’ve been catching longtails for 30 years and my PB on a jet ski is 40kg, this fish fought like a 50kg GT (maybe I’m just getting older). After 45 minutes I finally gaffed the 20kg tuna. These fish will always keep you guessing from

year to year but I never get tired of catching them. Not only are they one of the best-fighting fish around, but they are great on the table whether as sushi, sashimi, fish cakes or pan seared. Two thumbs up for the mighty longtail tuna.

A longtail tuna destined for the dinner plate.

The author with a quality longtail tuna.

This tuna put up a wicked fight.

The author mid-fight with a longtail.

A mack tuna landed by Trev.

Jacky captured a nice mack tuna.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 31

Poona Family Fishing Competition report

TRONG southeasterly wind didn’t deter anglers from participating in the 2018 Easter Poona Family Fishing Competition.

Eden Wheeler (right) won three senior categories and decided to surrender one of his prizes to this young fisher who tried all weekend to catch a big fish. This was an amazing gesture.

Just 10 minutes before the 4pm weigh-in deadline, Freyja Wheeler ran to the scales with a solid bream to take out the prize for the juniors.

Max Beattie was happy to receive his five-year-old brother Jayden’s new Viking kayak from Michelle Devenish of Freedom Fishing Supplies. Jayden was with his parents on their way back to Brisbane when he was announced as the winner.

Poona is very fortunate because you can always find a spot in an estuary or river that offers protection from the wind to have a fish. The Great Sandy Strait and Mary River hold numerous species and deciding what to target in the fishing competition would have been a big decision. Nine fish species categories were on offer in the senior event, six in the juniors and four in the toddlers. The fishing boundaries in the Sandy Strait were from Kauri Creek in the south to River Heads across to Ungowa in the north, with the Mary River able to be fished. The boat ramps at Poona, Maroom, Tuan and Beaver Rock were slightly busier than usual. If you don’t have friends or relatives living in Poona, plenty of accommodation is available. At Poona Palms Caravan Park you can choose from powered sites for camper trailers and caravans, unpowered sites, and self-contained units and cabins. Poona also has a variety of holiday houses to let. Poona markets were

Competition Report by MELISSA FROHLOFF

held in the park Saturday morning, with an array of stalls offering a wide variety of goods. There was even a vintage car show and some of the locals displayed their well-polished rigs. Saturday afternoon’s weigh-in was filled with interesting results and quite a variety of fish were chalked up on the leader board. Taking the conditions into consideration, anglers were still talking about what a great day they had on the water. All competitors who weighed fish on Saturday automatically went into a draw for five random prizes, which took place on Saturday evening. The winner had to be present at the draw to collect their prize. There was live entertainment too, with a band playing at Poona Centenary Hall. Food and beverages were on sale both evenings and catered for by Poona Community Progress Association. An auction was held on Saturday night. Some amazing items were up for auction, with bidders digging deep

in support of a wonderful community and great fishing competition. On Sunday, plenty more fish were caught and a few larger fish reshuffled the leader board. Anglers young and old crowded around the weigh-in board in anticipation of their fish being the heaviest. Loads of prizes were given away in each category for heaviest species of fish, heaviest overall fish and a random prize draw for one female entrant. This was in addition to two major random draws, with every senior entrant eligible to win. The first draw was a $500 voucher donated by Freedom Fishing Supplies and the second draw was a Lowrance sounder and Esky. A major junior/toddler random prize draw gave the kids an opportunity to win a Viking kayak sponsored by Freedom Fishing Supplies. These draws were announced after the fishing prizes were given away on the Sunday night and the winner did not have to be present to collect their prize, which was great for

visitors to the area who had to get back home for work on Monday. Freedom Fishing Supplies was the major sponsor this year, along with Shimano Fishing Australia. Local businesses and members of the community on the Fraser Coast also donated hundreds of dollars in prizes and without the contributions from the sponsors, such an event

would not be possible. With ongoing support from volunteers, competitors and visitors, Poona Community Progress Association is sure the Easter Poona Family Fishing Competition will continue to grow. Residents of the Poona region would like to thank everyone for supporting their small community and hope to see everyone return next year.

Jarvis Glover took out the other species category in the juniors with this 4.16kg threadfin salmon.

WINNERS Species

Weight (kg)

Winner

Seniors Whiting Bream Flathead

.315 .91

H. Miller A. Edwards

1.935

E. Wheller

3.34

S. Peterson

Grunter

1.035

J. Limbrick

Mangrove jack

2.515

M. Pantlin

Threadfin salmon

6.375

R. Sanders

Pelagic – GT

.985

E. Wheeler

Other – morwong

1.46

E. Wheeler

.115

J. Brischke

Cod

Juniors Winter whiting Summer whiting Bream Flathead

.29

T. Peterson

.515

F. Wheeler

1.185

M. Waye

Cod

1.64

T. Petersen

Other – threadfin salmon

4.16

J. Glover

.105

H. Hoskinson

Toddler Winter whiting

This 2.515kg red dog took out the prize for heaviest mangrove jack.

This swallow-tailed dart resulted in a nice Shimano combo, making for smiles all round.

It’s awesome to see the toddlers weigh in a fish. This was a very proud moment for Ethan’s family.

Summer whiting

.09

E. Doyle

Bream

.44

E. Hyeit

.225

L. Dodd

Other – dart

Great prize pool at VMR Bundaberg’s Classic

MR Bundaberg is holding its 13th Family Fishing Classic from June 29 to July 1, 2018.

The Renegade 420 on offer.

One of the two Explorer 390s.

Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

The prize pool for lucky draws again includes the three Quintrex boats with outboards and trailers, with the total prize pool for lucky draws and fishing category prizes exceeding $70,000. The Classic runs from Burnett Heads over the three days, and the registration form and rules are available on the website at vmrbundabergfishing classic.com.au along with results of the 2017 Classic. Registrations are $35 for adults, $10 for children and $80 for a family of two adults and three children. Burnett Heads is a great central venue for the excellent beach and estuarine fishing, with Baffle Creek and the Kolan,

Burnett and Elliott rivers all fishing well. A three-lane ramp at Burnett Heads Harbour is a good facility for those who want to chase pelagics and reef fish on the many reefs and gutters in northern Hervey Bay. The weigh-in caters for junior and senior entries in live/release and dead fish categories. The live fish category included about 30 percent of the total estuary weigh-in for recent Classics. VMR spokesman Graham Kingston said, “We have an excellent live fish viewing tank that is very popular with the kids, and fish are tagged and returned to the harbour.” There are three trophies up for grabs: 1. Outstanding effort by a junior from the crew of Jupiter; 2. Best red emperor

from Wicked Fishing; and 3. Best cobia from the Wakefield family. There will be plenty of great food stalls manned by supporting service clubs and a licensed bar at the event. The very popular lucky draw sessions will be held from 6pm on Saturday, with a Quintrex 390 Explorer, 30hp Suzuki outboard and trailer as the major prize. Lucky draws will restart at 1pm on Sunday, when a second 390 Explorer and a 420 Renegade with a 40hp Suzuki outboard will be given away as the major prizes. The junior lucky draw prize is a kayak. This is an exciting family event, with many prizes for both junior and senior participants. You only have to register to participate in the

lucky draws – the fishing provides the extra fun. A major innovation for the 2018 Classic will be the Hitz FM and Harvey Norman Bundaberg ‘Fire in the Sky’ fireworks spectacular as the grand finale to the Saturday night presentations. This great event is only possible with fantastic support from VMR’s sponsors. Boats Galore and Suzuki Marine have combined to support the boating packages, while long-term sponsor Tackle World Bundaberg has continued with quality fishing tackle prizes for both seniors and juniors. Harvey Norman Bundaberg is on board as a major sponsor, supplying thousands of dollars in gift vouchers. Alliance Airlines has provided five return airfares from Bundaberg to

Brisbane and The Bolt Place will again provide access to a great range of products, while Rum City Locks & Security will help with financial support for prize purchases. Koastal Kayaks is providing an impressive fleet of kayak prizes. Queensland Computers has stepped up again to supply laptop computers and other tech goodies. Many other local sponsors allow VMR to keep the prizes rolling. The excellent media coverage provided by the WIN network and Bundaberg Broadcasters ensures extensive promotion of the event. Tayco has boosted the promotion of the Classic with a large billboard and electronic sign. Mark the date, get the bait – or just register for the lucky draws. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 33

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Leaving the island behind for a solo offshore mission.

Going solo off Fraser Island F

IRST things first, nothing is better than heading out with a few mates for an epic session of fishing, banter and general good times offshore.

WADDY POINT - FRASER ISLAND

Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

However, getting a crew together is easier said than done, particularly given the timing of offshore missions is largely dictated by weather patterns, fish seasons and work commitments. On my last trip to Fraser Island, I found myself in a bit of a predicament. It was just prior to our big family Christmas on the island. My in-laws are lucky enough to own a beach house at Orchid Beach, right next to their best family friends’ place, so every second Christmas we have a crew of 30 or 40 celebrating what is an awesome time of year. Knowing I’d be on the island over the festive period, I left my 5.5m Galeforce centre console there after our September trip. In an attempt to beat the traffic, my wife Kate, our 10-month-old daughter and I drove up the island a day before Christmas Eve. Most of our crew remained in Brisbane, finishing their last day of work. It was only the three of us and Kate’s parents who made it up the island early. The forecast for Christmas Eve, everyone’s transit day, was absolutely glamorous – five to 10 knots of easterly breeze, tending northeast in the afternoon. For anyone not sure what that means, it means go fishing offshore if you’re at Fraser Island. I was pumped when I asked my father-in-law to join me offshore the next day but was surprised when he declined as he had a heap of work to do to get the house in order for all his guests. So I was in a predicament. As a younger man, I’d often fished up the creeks and estuaries on my own in my tinnie and loved every minute of it. Those situations were very different to the prospect of beach launching,

Fishing Trip by CHRIS RAIMONDI

venturing out through the surf and fishing offshore of Fraser Island solo. Although within radio range of VMR Hervey Bay, the offshore waters east of Fraser Island are fairly remote in that you’re a fair way from help if something goes wrong. A lot of factors were going through my head before I decided to grab the personal EPIRB, put it in my pocket and go fishing early on Christmas Eve morning. My father-in-law found half an hour to help me beach launch the boat and within a few minutes I’d navigated the surf and was keenly looking at options on my GPS. The nerves and anxiety I’d felt the night before about fishing solo suddenly subsided. The ocean was no different to when I had others in the boat, the boat was the same, the conditions were good and hey, I was on Christmas holidays, in my boat at my favourite fishing destination! In fact, I was really positive about the day. I had no one else to worry about and could fish where I wanted, for as long as I wanted and when I wanted. So I decided to chase the Holy Grail, heading to a few of my red emperor spots to see if they were home. Sure, it was about a 35km run, but the conditions were great and I was well rested and keen to catch a few. About an hour later, my eyes were glued to the sounder, hoping it would light up like the Christmas tree my father-in-law was no doubt assembling at about the same time. To be honest, the areas I wanted to fish weren’t looking as promising as I’d hoped. There wasn’t a lot of bait present, but that isn’t unusual for the warmer months. Big shows of fish were scarce as well, but I did manage to locate what looked to be a few nice

fish sitting hard against a little rock ledge in around 55m of water. It was about the best I could find, so I positioned the boat for a drift and deployed a big flesh bait. As soon as it reached the bottom, it was hit hard by what seemed like a nice fish but not a monster, though I suspected it to be the right species. It was in fact two of the right species, a double of just-undersized red emperor, one hooked on each super-sharp snelled BKK 10/0 hook. A promising start. I retraced my steps and set up another drift, this time tinkering with my

bait to hopefully entice a bigger fish. It worked! Straight away I was connected to a solid red emperor that inhaled my bait and made a beeline for the reef. I managed to turn it and get it coming my way, which is half the battle with reds. After a couple of minutes of hard yakka, I had a beautiful red of about 10kg boatside and that’s when it got tricky. I hadn’t really thought of how I’d get a good fish in the boat solo, given someone would normally be beside me sliding a net underneath any fish of reasonable size. I grabbed my hand gaff, backed off the drag and managed to pin the fish in the mouth. In one motion I put the

rod in the holder with one hand and lifted the fish in with the gaff in the other. Job done and what a feeling of satisfaction! The biggest disappointment was there was no one to high five and no one to take a photo! Just me, my red emperor and a whole lot of silence. I carefully unhooked the fish, placed it in the Esky and got organised for another drift. The whole process was a lot slower on my own, particularly given I took the utmost care as a hook in my foot or a gaff incident wasn’t going to be pretty to deal with solo. It was at least 10 minutes before I was dropping another bait down and experiencing an almost instant replay. ☛ continued P35

The author’s solo attempt at a photo.

After some solo reds on Christmas Eve, the author miraculously had a crew for the next trip.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Whittley set for strong Sanctuary Cove Boat Show

HITTLEY Marine, builder of highquality Australian-made fibreglass trailer boats, along with longstanding Queensland dealer, Northside Marine, is proud to announce the largest display of new Whittley boats since 2010 at this year’s 30th anniversary Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Northside Marine sales manager Bill Hull said, “The Sanctuary Cove Boat Show has always been successful for the Whittley brand.” “This year we will have on display the legally trailerable flagship CR 2800, featuring the advanced on-board management system Whittley Pulse, through to the smallest CW 1650 model, with many models in the range in between. “From BMT packages that start from $39,990 drive way right through to over $200,000; we have a boat, and a price, that will suit every family.” Northside and Whittley Marine have enjoyed a long partnership of over 40 years. Whittley has been on display at nearly every Sanctuary Cove Boat Show since the show first opened its doors. The marina village provides an environment like no other for potential customers to look at and buy a new Whittley trailer boat. Mr Hull said with an increase in sales and interest in family trailerable sports boats, and Northside Marine’s largest display yet, it is a great time to buy. “In 2017 and 2018 we have seen a significant increase in sales of Whittley

boats,” he said. “They are our standout brand in the dealership and we look forward to continuing this momentum at the boat show. “With great factory rebates, buying a new Whittley at the show has never been more attractive.” Whittley Marine has chosen the show to be the release of the new Whittley SL 20 OB. Building on the company’s five-series approach across the CR range of sports cruisers, CW range of outboard-powered fishing packages, FF series of cruiser and fisher hybrids, XS wake and sports boats, the new SL 20 OB is the smallest SL in the series of deep-vee offshore hull fishing boats and is available on a high-quality Mackay trailer, with a Yamaha F150 four-stroke from under $79,990. Whittley Marine sales and marketing director Alan Whittley said, “Why not consider a trailer boat?” “You can clean it, store it at home and not pay exorbitant mooring fees; plus you can tow it around the country, using your boat as your accommodation. “A trailer boat broadens and maximises your horizons and boating options. “Every Whittley boat is

legally trailerable without permits. “Simply hook on and tow anywhere, anytime. “Plus when you buy a Whittley, you are supporting local families and manufacturing jobs with your boat being built in Australia for our local conditions, especially the Gold Coast waters.” Local Australian new boat consumers continue to demand complete integration between the boat’s multi-function screen, engine, battery management and switching. A unique Volvo Pentapowered package via the Whittley Pulse System offers a complete integrated package not offered by any other local trailer boat builder. Combine this unique user integration between the boat’s key areas and the user, with the larger rear platform that a sterndrivepowered package offers, and the uniqueness of the Whittley is highlighted. “Whittley has continued to see increased sales of our Volvo Penta sterndrive-powered packages,” Mr Whittley said. “In a cruiser-style boat, a sterndrive configuration enables full-length rails, a large rear swim platform where a barbecue can easily be mounted, and

internally, a deluxe rear lounge fitted on top of the sterndrive engine. “New sterndrive technology is also leading the popularity of a sterndrivepowered cruiser, with the engines now as standard being fully freshwater cooled and an all-alloy block removing corrosion issues of the past and fuel economy through industryleading direct fuel injection and variable valve timing that you simply can’t achieve from an outboardpowered craft. “I encourage potential customers to look deeper into a sterndrive-powered package as the technology has come a long way and integrates into the boat seamlessly.” To explore the exciting new 2018 Whittley model range, models will be on display at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on the Northside Marine stand PW 7 and 9 from May 24-27. Factory rebates are also available for the duration of the show, with new boat sales incentives available for customers looking to secure a high-quality Australian-made Whittley at a fantastic show price. For more information, visit northsidemarine. com.au

Whack! It was another good fish, and certainly another red emperor. This time the gaff was right by my side as a slightly bigger model hit the surface. ‘How good is this’ I thought to myself in silence as I managed to get this fish on board as well. I just sat on the Esky and stared at another red emperor heavier than 11kg. These are fish I’ve chased for so long, and I’d caught two crackers in two drops on my own. I had to try to take a photo. I set up my camera on my front console seat, set the timer and crouched down on the casting deck with my nice big red emperor. Then in the Esky it went. The photo wasn’t great but I had to get back and do another drift. The next three drifts were carbon copies of the first three, with another three reds hooked and two of them landed. If it wasn’t for a fairwww.bnbfishing.com. au

COMPETITION

DATE

LOCATION

2018 ABBT* Bass

May 19-20 Borumba Dam – Russell Nowland

Singles ABBT* X-Factor Teams

a/hrs 07 4165 4286 or 07 4167 8183 Jun 9-10

BP Dam – Russell Nowland a/hrs 07 4165 4286 or 07 4167 8183

Taroom Fishing

Jun 9-10

Glebe Weir, Taroom – Harry Johnson

Competition Tweed Coast Marine

0427 361 631 Jun 9-10

Cabarita Beach – Stephen Duffield

Greenback Fishing Comp

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VMR Bundaberg Family

Jun 29-

Burnett Heads –

Fishing Classic

Jul 1

vmrbundabergfishingclassic.com.au

ABBT* X-Factor Teams

Jul 28-29

Cania Dam – Russell Nowland a/hrs 07 4165 4286 or 07 4167 8183

ABBT* Bass

Aug 18-19

Singles Reel Wivenhoe Classic

Somerset Dam – Russell Nowland a/hrs 07 4165 4286 or 07 4167 8183

Aug 18-19

Lake Wivenhoe – fishingfreshwater.com.au

Catch a Catty Family

Aug 25-26 Mingo Crossing – John or Ruth

Fishing Comp

Going solo off Fraser Island ☛ from P34

COMPETITION DATES

ly large, greedy shark, I would have bagged out on red emperor within an hour. Bagged out on red emperor! Sorry, I’m just not sure if you realise how cool that sentence is. The night before, I’d been really close to pulling the pin on the trip. It was all just going to be too hard and too dangerous on my own. Would the fish even bite? Would the weather be as good as it was meant to be? Would the current be slow enough to fish my red emperor spots? Yes, yes and yes were the answers but I wouldn’t have ever known if I’d stayed on the island. That’s probably the moral of the story here. If you can go fishing, go fishing! Sure, there are always elements out of your control that will impact your day, but when it’s all said and done, you won’t catch anything from home. To be honest, this solo

trip was probably the best offshore trip I’d ever done. I’d only caught about eight fish in total but four of them were legal size models of the species I crave the most and I’d done it on my own, with no assistance. Safety has to come first when you’re fishing solo, but if you take your time

and think through what you’re doing there is actually very little pressure because you can fish the way you want to, following a plan with no one else to impact it. A cracking day, and one I’ll never forget. I just wish I had better photos to remember it by! Catch ya.

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Wuruma Dam – Russell Nowland

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Gold Coast Flathead

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*Australian Basstasstic Bass Tournament To have your competition listed in the calendar please phone (07) 3286 1833, email design@bnbfishing.com.au or fax (07) 3821 2637

Two 10kg-plus red emperor.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 35

Brake maintenance before trip north

About to start on the boat trailer brakes.

A trailer calliper pulled apart and ready for the pistons to be removed.

The author had to spot weld old pistons to the existing ones to remove them.

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Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

I, it’s Craig Tomkinson here.

With the arrival of May, hopefully the weather right up and down our great coastline will settle, the floods stop and things start to dry out. I have not wet a line or been crabbing for weeks because with my new job I am buggered from working and when I’m home and it’s not raining I have been pushing the mower because the grass has been growing like crazy. And if I have not been mowing I have been on the tools doing maintenance on our four-wheeldrive and gear for my upcoming trip north. I started with the boat trailer brakes. I run old 60 Series LandCruiser front disc brakes on it and during a couple of crabbing trips earlier in the year I noticed the brakes were getting hotter than normal as they were sticking on. As with anything that goes in or near salt water, they require a lot more servicing to prevent them from playing up. When I get back from crabbing, I always wash the brakes and wheels with fresh water, then let them dry and give the disc brake pistons a spray with Lanolin, trying to avoid the pads. But even with this maintenance, over time the boots that keep crap away from the pistons crack or come off and the pistons get crud and rust around them and seize. It’s been about four years since I rebuilt them, so I got a good run out of them. For many years now I have been buying lots of my 4WD and car parts at Automate Spares in Cooroy. Terry and his team including Mick and Greg do a great job, their prices are very competitive and they know their stuff. Give them a try (07 5442 6890). I ordered two calliper rebuild kits and two new rotors for about $130. I used the old pads because they had only done 8000km and were like new. Once the parts arrived, I backed the boat trailer up to our shed, jacked the axle up and put it on two stands. I took the wheels off and put them under the trailer as well, with a piece of 6 x 2 on top for backup in case the trailer fell off the stands. I always think about safety, especially when working by myself. After disconnecting the brake lines and draining the brake fluid into a container, I pulled the callipers off and gave them a good clean-up. This is where it got hard, as once I unbolted the two halves, most of the pistons were so tight that I had to heat them up or weld an old piston to them to get them out. Once out, they were in good nick.

Trailer Maintenance by CRAIG TOMKINSON

I wire wheel buffed them and used the grinder to smooth off the dags left from welding them to the old pistons. A little trick is to grind around on the last 5-6mm of the piston on the end that pushes on the disc pad, which puts a bevel on it and helps stop crap building as quickly under the boot. But do not grind the rest of the piston or it will leak brake fluid. Once apart, I cleaned them again, fitted the square seal and O-rings and wiped the seals and pistons with new brake fluid and refitted the pistons. Then I refitted the new boots and wire clips to hold them on. On the wire clips, they have a bit of wire that overlaps on the bottom side and you should fit them with the overlap on the lower side to ensure they stay put. If up the other way, they pop off all the time, which drives me mad. I bolted the two halves of the callipers back together and then the two callipers were ready to fit, but first I had to pull the hubs off and fit new disc rotors; what a pain in the butt that is. I do not know why the rotors are not fitted to the bearing hubs like the back

drum brakes are. Anyway, I fitted the new front rotors, regreased the bearings, checked the back seals (they were fine), fitted the hubs, tightened the bearings, installed the callipers, put the disc pads back in and bled the brakes and it was job done. I hooked the trailer up to the 4WD and towed it to my mate’s place, checking the bearings on the way by pulling up and parking and putting my hand on the bearing hub. The bearings were warm but not hot, which is good, because after a few trips they run a bit warm but once the bearings settle in they will be happy. I have put new front brake pads in our 80 Series prior to every trip north for a couple of years now. They have not been doing the right number of kilometres prior to needing replacement and I reckon something must have been wrong with the callipers and rotors, so a week or so after pulling the trailer brakes apart I rebuilt the front disc brakes on the 80 Series. This time it cost a bit more (about $255) as I bought new pads, rotors and rebuild kits for the callipers. I pulled the callipers off and while they looked nice, I gave them a good

clean but they were hard to get apart, so a rebuild was needed for both sides as I would say the pistons would have been jamming and not backing off that bit to allow the rotors to spin freely, causing excessive wear on the brake pads. I had just done the 60 Series brakes, so I rebuilt the 80 Series’ setup in half the time. Once I was done and had bled the brakes with new fluid, they didn’t have any more stopping power but I now know they are in good nick and I should get a lot more kilometres out of the brake pads. Realistically, I should get 60,000km instead of the 15,000km I have been getting. Now I just need to buy a few more spares such as fuel, oil and air filters and change them all in the 4WD. I have dropped the gearbox oil out of the 60hp four-stroke Yamaha outboard and it had an engine oil change not long ago (in terms of engine hours) as well as a new water pump and thermostat before the trip north last year, so it is ready to go. Once the rain stops up north and our friends Col and Kath Hempsall get up to Weipa, my mate Dave and I will head off. With a bit of luck, by the time you are reading this story Dave and I won’t be far from the Pennefather River. ‘Til next month, be safe on the water.

The trailer brakes bled and ready to test.

Ready to start on the 80 Series rebuild in the same way as the boat trailer brakes.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Peter was back again, this time nailing a golden on a plastic. This fish was lurking with its mates around some tuna. Fred and a greedy little longtail that found the MB 141 tasty.

Getting the most out of your fishing gear

O doubt all my fellow writers will be talking about the terrible weather over the past month.

These past two months have been crazy, with storms and cyclones creating very unstable conditions that can change within a day, throwing forecasts right out the window. This makes it pretty hard to run a guided fishing business. Luckily, Fraser Island gives us some protection from the elements and allows the odd sneaky expedition. The fishing has been pretty steady, which is a huge bonus when the conditions are trying. Solid schools of tuna have often been within reach of halfday tours. However, I recommend fullday tours, particularly when the weather is tough. That extra few hours can open up so much more water. No matter where you are touring, please consider what the guide recommends. I don’t mind the short sessions because they allow me to have a lighter workload, however the fish always have the first say. The sharks have remained

Get into the best fishing action!

Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

ferocious, meaning my main targets have been tuna. However, at times we come into contact with roaming schools of queenfish and trevally among the tuna. Being prepared helps anglers respond quickly to get that bite. And then fingers crossed the fish hits the deck before the sharks get you. Tuna and queenfish tend to swim high in the water column, meaning you lose fewer fish. To know when other fish are deep while chasing tuna on the surface, you must understand your electronics. I run a fairly pricy unit, but I’d rather that than a top of the line fishing reel. I use a Lowrance 12” unit and primarily run it with chart, side scan and sonar screens activated. It gives me pretty much all the information I require. Knowing how the different beams/scans work is a priority, so I recommend you

Thang Hua with a nice tuna.

Richie picked up something bigger than average.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

learn that first. I don’t even change the factory settings much, and consider my settings pretty much default. They’re good enough to find schools of trevally deep under the eruptions of tuna. To give you an idea of what is possible with modern electronics, on calm days I can see schools of fish about 60m to the left or right on the side scan. Obviously, the size and power of your unit will constrain what you can do, so do your best to maximise your efforts. Getting back to the shark issues, and thinking about a few conversations I have had recently, it makes it hard to ‘enjoy the battle’ when sharks stalk us. Yes this is true, but when you look at it maybe it’s nature’s way of telling us sometimes we are fishing too light. The tackle we use these days allows us to fish incredibly light. Go back a decade and plenty of anglers were trying to fish as light as possible, not because it got the bite, but because it fed the ego. A badge and a measure of your skill and endurance. Now we can say “it’s a measure of your power and technique” to wrangle a fish before it is taken. Or your wisdom to drive away and respect another creature’s life when you know it is unlikely you will land it, either for a feed or a photo. As a fishing culture, we need to consider these things, foster the right motives and look forward to the right outcomes. So use super lines and super rods and reels and learn to push them to their limits. Apply some wisdom and make good judgements on tackle, rather than what is ‘more fun’ or what we called ‘silly stick’ at times in the past. Grow out of that dated idea of fun. No matter how you’re catching the fish, you will still find it plenty of fun.

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looking forward to fair weather

HE lingering low, ex-tropical cyclone Iris, continued to have an effect along the Queensland coast for much of the past month. The long cloud-tail ensured the Bundaberg area received sustained falls of rain and strong wind, creating conditions unsuitable for offshore fishing. On the positive side, I believe in the longer term the rain will have a positive effect upon our fishing and may see us with a great bream season this year… only time will tell!

Bundaberg Region by BRAD YOUNG

Looking at the latest seven-day weather forecast, it seems the weather patterns may improve once the effects of the cyclone finally subside. For our area, as we move through autumn and into winter, the high-pressure systems begin to travel east across the middle of our continent and ‘leave’ the eastern seaboard centred over Bundaberg. This is when we can rely on two to four days of calm seas and the op-

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Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

portunity to spend an overnighter offshore. With the constant wind restricting opportunities for quite a few months, I am sure of a mass offshore exodus when conditions finally come good. Spanish mackerel should still be present off our coast, and I have not yet had the opportunity to trial my new batch of lures this year. I prefer the larger Rapalas and have had success with a range of colours, with the popular Red Head a favourite. The Glass Ghost colour has also proven effective. I have a couple of the new 40+ models and was looking forward to giving them a whirl this season, but they currently remain in pristine condition. I use a 60lb singlestrand stainless wire leader of 1-1.5m in length. I link this to about 10m of heavy mono leader to ensure some stretch in the rig because I use braid to the reel. Running this rig without the mono would mean a high chance of losing fish because the braid will not give and often a final run near the boat will see a fish drop a lure. In setting lures for a troll, look to have a variety of colours and depths in your spread. I will usually set the deepest-diving lure on the ‘inside’ of my turning circle. If I intend circling my marks in a clockwise direction, I will set a deep diver on the right-hand side of the boat because this lure will dive deep and tend to stay clear of the other two as the boat turns. If I am trolling in a figure-eight pattern, I will set the middle lure as the deep diver, keeping it clear of the two outside lures. I also choose three different colours to try to establish which colour is effective on the day. As soon as you have one or two strikes on a particular colour, consider changing your other lures to the same or a similar colour. Once your lures are all set and swimming correctly, start your trolling pattern around your marks or bait balls. Make sure you’re not going too slow, as spanish like a higher trolling speed of eight to 10 knots. If you get a strike and hook a fish, ensure your crew knows who is taking the rod with the fish, and importantly, the other crew members understand their task is

to then retrieve all other lines ASAP to reduce the chance of having the line with the fish tangled or cut. As the spanish mackerel makes its first few runs, the main challenge is to keep constant pressure on the fish, especially if it makes a run towards the boat. In this case, it is imperative the line is retrieved quickly to reduce the chance of the fish dropping the lure. When the fish has started to tire and is getting closer to the boat, don’t be too quick to try to get it boatside. It is all but guaranteed that when the fish sees the boat it will take off for another run or two. This is the time of highest risk for losing the fish. The line between the fish and the reel is short with little give and a quick change of direction can see the fish tear the lure from its mouth. Be patient and wait until the fish has had a couple of final runs and begins to lie on its side. This is when it can be gaffed (with the point of your gaff away from the boat to prevent accidental damage), usually with an upward motion from under the fish. The crew should also take the time to ensure the decks are all clear because a thrashing razorsharp-toothed mackerel will cause havoc when it is first boated. Make sure you bleed your fish by cutting its throat around the gill area to guarantee great eating. With water temperatures still relatively warm, these fish should be around for a while, so have a crack at them before they move on. They can be found as close inshore as along the leads to the Burnett River, so can even be targeted by anglers in smaller tinnies. HMAS Tobruk soon to be rehomed off our coast As I pen this article, members of the public have been given a final opportunity to book tours of ex-HMAS Tobruk before it is rehomed off our coastline. The addition of this new artificial reef can only benefit the fishing in our area. While the actual vessel will not be open to fishing, it will provide an additional habitat for fish in the general area. As always, I can be contacted via the Bush ‘n Beach website bnbfish ing.com.au, by email at fishnboat@bigpond.com and post at PO Box 5812 Bundaberg West Queensland 4670. Until next month… www.bnbfishing.com. au

A nice pair of reds fell to fresh bay squid east of Sykes Reef.

The author landed this 12kg red on a large hussar fillet using a set of 10/0 Elkat gangs.

Offshore getaway to the Great Barrier Reef

ITH the weather not playing the game lately, fishing offshore had been off the cards for quite some time. As we move into the cooler months we will start to see better conditions, which will make weather predictions a little easier to follow. It wasn’t until a slight break in the weather where reports were reading five to 10 knot wind with seas under a metre over a three-day period that we allowed ourselves

Fishing Trip by MATI BATS

to get excited. With a close look at the forecast leading up to the day, we began preparing for the ultimate offshore getaway. Planning an offshore trip isn’t always the easiest thing in the world, so I advise you always go prepared for almost anything. Living in a tropical state can mean unpredictable

Daniel landed this sweetlip on a strip of mullet with an Elkat gang.

conditions, and anyone who fishes knows you cannot confidently plan a trip more than seven days in advance unless you’re prepared to face unpredictable weather. It’s not often you hear of a good forecast for both days of a weekend, but that was the case on this occasion. We planned to head up to 1770 on Saturday morning at 4am, fishing right through until midday Monday and staying the two nights on the southern Great Barrier Reef. On our first day, as we were heading out to the reef we stumbled over a large school of bait and managed to jig up livies for the trip. We also got two of the boys to drop baits to see if any larger species were hanging below the schools of bait. Within seconds of the baits hitting bottom, rods were bent and reels were screaming. The boys managed to pull seven grass sweetlip from the spot, all in the 65-75cm range, which was

The first red that came aboard was hooked by Ciaran and fell to a whole bay squid.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

a cracking start to the trip. We reached the reef around 2pm and fished some of the shallow edges, chasing redthroat emperor and coral trout, as well as having a flick for pelagics along the southern pressure edge of Sykes Reef. At 5pm we anchored behind the reef for the night in 7m of water. We fired up the barbecue and managed a mixed bag of redthroat, trout, cod and cobia throughout the evening. The following morning was glorious, with the seas so flat you might have thought you were in a lake. We decided to head straight north to Broomfield Reef, which is about 25km from Sykes. The current had died down slightly from the day before and the boat was drifting at one knot. We hit a few isolated rocks on the eastern side of Broomfield in anywhere from 50-90m, with all rocks producing very good fish. Our target species every trip is the mighty red emperor, and everything else becomes a secondary focus. After a long day of fishing we managed to land a few good models over 10kg but the majority of fish were 6-8kg school reds. On our way across the 90m ground, we stumbled over a pinnacle that rose 7m off the bottom. This pinnacle was loaded with what we believed were pearl perch, however we were only able to land one of many pearlies hooked due to the efforts of the taxman. We decided to make our way back into the shelter of Broomfield and spent the rest of the afternoon diving around the shallows for trout and crayfish, which were later turned into a quality dinner at sea. At 9.30pm we had a tide change and thought we would stay up and fish for

a couple of hours. The fishing for 30 minutes after that tide change was unbelievable. Baits weren’t lasting more than 10 seconds before being smashed by 50cm redthroats, juvenile reds and 50cm-plus spangled emperor. At this stage we already had a feed of fish and everything we caught was purely for the fun of catch and release. About 50 redthroat were caught over the night, which made getting to sleep very easy. The following morning, we began making our way back towards Sykes, running zig-zags over the 6075m ground to investigate new areas. We came across five new isolated rocks no more than 3m in height. The fishing on Monday was slow but the rocks looked very promising, so the next trip is already on the cards. Overall the trip was as usual: more than amazing and more than we could have asked for. We are so fortunate to be able to live in an amazing country where we can do this incredible thing we call fishing.

Red bass are an exciting by-catch when fishing shallow reef ledges.

The author and Dan prepared the night’s meal after a good first day of fishing and diving.

On the way out, the crew stumbled over a patch of bait with large grass sweetlip hanging below.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 39

BOATING & marine Check out the footage by searching for BNBFTV

Portable Yamaha four-strokes perform on small Sea Jays

S much as I enjoy heading offshore in a large, wellappointed fishing rig, I was recently reminded how much fun it can be to dart around enclosed waterways in a small tiller-steer boat.

Pigeon pair, well almost. The Sea Jay Nomad 3.5m and 3.7m high side models ready to be tested.

Even with two people on board, the Yamaha 15hp four-stroke nearly hit 40km/h.

Whether a flashback to my youth where I spent a lot of time in small tinnies, or just the river rat inside, I had a very enjoyable time grabbing hold of the tiller and going for a blast. On this occasion I had the pleasure of testing two Sea Jay Nomad HS tinnies, with the HS standing for high side. As the name suggests, these boats are deeper than your traditional Nomad, though it would still be possible to use both models as car toppers (on this occasion they were on trailers). Where and how you plan to use your Nomad would determine which model you go for. If you want it to double

Boat & Motor Review by BEN COLLINS

as a car topper for use in the Northern Territory or northern Queensland as well as a crabbing and fishing boat in local waterways, I would opt for the HS version. The higher sides gave the impression of being in a much bigger boat that would handle more adverse conditions. On the other hand, if you were planning on visiting more sheltered inland or southern waters, the standard version would be more than adequate. Both the test boats were fitted with portable Yamaha four-stroke engines, with the 3.5m (dry weight 71kg) getting the 9.9hp and the 3.7m (88kg) adorned with a 15hp outboard. With the current phasing out of high-emission two-stroke outboards, you need to start considering

Insights into boat insurance

USH ‘n Beach has brought Nautilus Marine Insurance on board to expand the fine print and provide readers with clear, easy-tounderstand and helpful tips on protecting their boating assets.

The scenario Home is anywhere you hang your hat, according to scores of musical artists over the past 50 years, particularly those with a country music focus. But when it comes to insuring your boat, that observation simply does not stack up. Irrespective of how well you sing the line, your insurance claim could fall on deaf ears if you are careless in how you fill out your insurance application form. Location, location, location should be at the forefront of your thinking as you start filling out the form, according to boat insurance specialist Nautilus Marine. An insurance application form will ask you a question such as: Where will the boat ordinarily be stored? For trailer boats, that very frequently will be “at my home address”,

noting that this does not prevent you from taking your boat with you on festive season holidays and storing it at a beachside caravan and camping park where you are staying. Likewise, taking your boat with you to visit your parents and securing your boat in their driveway during your stay ordinarily would not present a problem. But to leave your boat in a public boat trailer park for weeks on end, unattended, simply so you didn’t have to tow your boat from your home to the ramp, would present a real problem. Likewise, you are inviting trouble if you think that simply chaining your personal watercraft to a fence in a public boat ramp parking area near your residence constitutes ‘at home’ on an insurance form. Different methods of storing your boat or PWC can result in different premiums, so be upfront with all the facts – it can work in your favour. The key issue here is your ‘home’ and a boat’s ‘home’ may be the same place, or two different places.

You could nominate where you live as your home address and a secured boat parking compound at your local boat club as your boat’s home. No problem. You could similarly nominate that you keep your boat secured in a factory shed you own. Again, no problem. You take your boat to a seaside boat ramp and leave your boat trailer fully secured to your car as you make an overnight fishing trip – again, ordinarily not problem. But if you leave your boat and trailer parked on the street, kilometres from your usual place of residence, chances are that you are going to run into problems. Not surprisingly, many insurance companies will not insure boats left unattended at locations that may be close to a boat ramp but kilometres away from where a person lives. The chances of theft or interference with the unattended boat are considered to be too high a risk. In NSW, the issue of parking boats and trailers ‘remotely’ on a street near a boat ramp has

become an issue of debate, with some municipalities now exploring how the practice can be prevented. But back to your home address – if you change it and where you keep your boat, even if you move into a new residence just a few streets away, you are obligated to inform your insurance company of the move. An email, letter, or phone call where you note the person you spoke to, at what time and what the agreed outcome of the phone call was, would be considered reasonable starting points for giving that ‘change of address’ advice. But as always, your product disclosure statement will detail what is required.

If you can’t find the relevant section, or if you are unsure, phone your insurer. If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements. Win a Nautilus Prize Package Nautilus will also be answering your boat insurance questions of a general nature and will be offering a great bimonthly prize to the best questions received. The prize is a Nautilus Marine merchandising pack comprising a collapsible chiller bag, a handy marine sports bag and a cap. Just email your questions to qld@nautilusin surance.com.au

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

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

alternative outboard motors for smaller craft. This phase-out will have a big impact on car topper ranges because the traditionally lighter two-stroke outboard was the popular option. But with technological advances, two-strokes are not necessarily lighter than modern four-strokes. This is highlighted by the range of Yamaha portable four-strokes, which are becoming increasingly lighter and torquier. When run over the scales, the Yamaha 9.9hp four-stroke comes in at about 40kg (add an extra kilogram for the long shaft model), while the 15hp weighs a touch over 50kg. If you are using these outboards to power your car topper, you have several ways to stow and move them with ease. Some setups see the engine riding on the roof with the boat, with the whole lot lifted by a manual or electric winch, while others mount their

engines on a trolley, drawbar or rear bar of the car or van. And for this sort of use, these portable engines from Yamaha are leading the way in the smaller horsepower range. Another advantage of four-strokes is you do not have to mix oil with your fuel. Gone are the days of having to work out how much oil you need to add to a partially full tank of fuel. The four-strokes also run a lot quieter and don’t have that traditional twostroke oily smell when under way. By running these quieter and less-smelly engines, your time on the water will be more enjoyable and you will be better able to appreciate the beauty of nature. But enough of that, what you really want to know is how they performed. Well the answer is “awesome”, with some surprising data from the 9.9hp considering its smaller displacement. Yamaha Motor Australia puts its engines through real-life testing and documents the results. The beauty of this is ☛ continued P41

Although both boats were on trailers, they could also be used as car toppers.

The 9.9hp Yamaha had ample poke with two on board.

Super-quiet operation at low speed was ideal for trolling.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine Portable Yamaha four-strokes perform on small Sea Jays ☛ from P40

you know exactly what an engine will do on a specific boat in certain conditions. This sort of data is perfect for consumers who are considering an engine for their boat because they can see exactly what sort of performance they will get out of it. As mentioned, the results for the 9.9hp were a little surprising, as it had a top speed of about 36km/h when paired with the Sea Jay Nomad 3.5, which was only 3km/h less than the bigger-displacement 15hp on the Nomad 3.7. Given, it was on the slightly smaller and lighter 3.5m boat, but as noted earlier, there isn’t a huge difference in weight. Darting around at these speeds is enjoyable and also means you can travel longer distances more quickly and have a bigger range with proven fuel efficiency. At the other end of

the spectrum, both boats travelled at 4.2-4.3km/h at 1000rpm, which is an ideal speed for trolling up some flatties. It was at these low speeds or idle when you really noticed and appreciated how quiet the engines were, as you basically had to double check if they were still running. While the phase-out of high-emission twostrokes has pushed outboard manufacturers to deliver powerful and lightweight four-strokes, I think it is consumers

who will benefit most, with boat and motor packages many will be very happy with. For more information on the range of Sea Jay boats and to find a local dealer, check out seajay boats.com.au Similarly, for more on Yamaha’s range of portable four-strokes, visit w w w.ya ma ha-motor. com.au And make sure you head to the BNBFTV YouTube channel to see these boats and motors in action.

PERFORMANCE F9.9

F15

RPM

KM/H

1000

4.2

4.35

2000

7.2

7.4

3000

9.65

9.9

4000

15.3

17.25

5000

29.05

6000

38.9

Everything you need to keep your gear clean.

The Salt-Away applicator in action.

Salt-Away a must-have for boaties

E all love fishing and boating, and the pages of this magazine are always filled with awesome fishing adventures, new techniques and magical destinations. However, something not as glamorous and very infrequently mentioned but a very important part of fishing and boating is the cleaning and maintenance of your gear. By this I mean your boat, motor, trailer, rods and reels, which can cost a lot of money to buy and should be well looked after. Maintaining them and giving them a good clean each time you use them will not only ensure their longevity but mean they are ready to go next time.

It’s no secret the marine environment is a harsh place to play, so while it is great to enjoy it and use all your gear to its maximum, it is important to make sure it is thoroughly cleaned. If you fish and boat in coastal waters, salt is the number-one enemy, and you can see it everywhere, whether on the water or back on land. As evidence, you only need to check out your reels after they have dried from getting a bit of incidental saltwater spray as you drive back around to start a new drift. In fact, the amount of salt you can see on your reels is sometimes unbelievable. And while salt is obvious on rods and reels,

there are plenty of other areas where you won’t be able to see it but know it’s there, such as inside your engine, in the galvanised box channel of your trailer and so on. One product intended to help you look after all your fishing and boating gear for years to come is Salt-Away. Salt-Away is designed to remove all traces of salt, which will minimise the chance of corrosion. The specially designed applicator also allows you to spend less time cleaning your boat and motor thanks to the easy to use and adjustable nozzle and canister. Best of all, it is very affordable, with one litre of concentrated Salt-Away making around 500 litres

of cleaning solution. As a rough example, a 5m tinnie with a 90hp engine requires 40-60ml of SaltAway to thoroughly clean the boat, motor and trailer. Salt-Away has been tested and proven to be safe on all metals including magnesium alloy, unlike some other brands of cleaner. If you are after more information on the fantastic range of Salt-Away products, visit salt-away.com There you’ll find plenty of videos explaining exactly how to flush your engine with Salt-Away to ensure it is completely rid of salt. You’ll also find numerous videos demonstrating how to clean your rods and reels. Ben Collins

S E D BY

,n,Bay rs

N CO

o rte ret ha Mo ng C hi s i , F

NEW RELEASE C-CHANNEL RANGE

BOAT TRAILERS FROM 3M TO 7.8M IN GAL STEEL, C-CHANNEL & ALUMINIUM

TO VIEW THE ENTIRE RANGE VISIT WWW.SEATRAILQLD.COM.AU BRISBANE Head ofﬁce R&M Marine 1356 Lytton Rd Hemmant T. 07 3393 9463 seatrailqld.com.au

www.bnbfishing.com. au

CAIRNS FNQ Trailers 97 Bruce Highway Edmonton Cairns T. 0418 100 557 fnqtrailers.com.au

FRASER COAST Hervey Bay Marine Services 2 Driftwood Crt Urangan T. 07 4124 9955 herveybaymarine.com.au

GOLD COAST/TWEED Trailer Parts and Repairs 3/13 Villiers Dr Currumbin Waters T. 07 5525 6194 trailerspartsandrepairs.com

MACKAY Whitsunday Trailers 6B Hume St West Mackay T. 0408 017 610 whitsundaytrailers.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST Port O Call Boating 29 Production Ave Warana T. 07 5493 2255 marinecenter.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 41

BOATING & marine Lowrance HDS-12 Carbon sets new standard

ODAY’S sounders and GPS units have benefitted from recent advancements in technology.

The HDS-12 Carbon performed beautifully in the Moreton Bay prawning melee.

It wasn’t too long ago a depth sounder was simply that; a device to tell you the depth so you didn’t run aground. Now, the units are jammed with features such as CHIRP, StructureScan, DownScan, SideScan, SonarHub, Broadband Sonar and the list goes on. While each of these features has a specific use,

Sounder Review by BEN COLLINS

the main take away is the end user now has a device that provides exceptionalquality images from all around the boat, which has to be a good thing. Another advantage of these technological advancements is you don’t need to be an electrical engineer to make them work, with basic plugand-play operations the norm for most units.

Can you have it all in the one outboard? The Best Torque The Best Fuel Economy The Lowest Emissions The Lowest Maintenance Costs

100% YES Evinrude Etec G2

☛ continued P43

N GOVE RN LIA RA

E MI

T EN M

AU ST

evinrude.com.au

One brand that continues to push the boundaries to provide an easyto-use fishfinder and GPS is Lowrance, in particular the HDS range of sounders and GPS units. I previously had a HDS12 Gen2 Touch fitted to my 4.5m Polycraft, which at the time blew my mind with how easy it was to use and the detail it provided compared to units I had used previously. Initially the 12” screen looked more like something I should be watching movies on (which you can) than a sonar and chartplotter. However, these days it is almost the norm for a 7”, 9” or 12” device to be located at the helm, with dedicated sportfishing boats often running an additional unit at the bow to be used when fishing and driving the electric motor. And while a 16” model would probably just squeeze in the dash on the Polycraft, I’m more than content with the images on the 12”. I guess the crux of it is you will usually try to get the biggest unit you can afford that fits on your dash because it will make it easier to see and identify the different images on the screen. Time is a precious commodity these days, and you need to maximise your time on the water because there is no point fishing where there aren’t any fish or bait. This is where sounders such as the new Lowrance HDS Carbon definitely aid in fishing and ultimately catching and as such I’ve recently upgrad-

ed to a Lowrance HDS-12 Carbon on the Poly. To run through some technical terminology, the latest Lowrance HDS Carbon unit features ultra-clear SolarMax HD multi-touch displays with high-bright LED back lighting and an advanced anti-reflective coating to provide wider viewing angles suitable for any lighting conditions. In layman’s terms, the HDS Carbon features an ultra-clear display that is easy to see from anywhere in the boat, and this has been evident when I have used it. Another noticeable difference to the older model is it responds much faster when switching displays or using different features. The Carbon also features an integrated wireless system and Bluetooth, which is unreal and means the unit will notify you when a software upgrade is available and will do it wirelessly. You can’t get much simpler than that. No more having to remove a memory card and download an update – just follow the prompts and you are away. I found the new unit very easy to install because it fitted into the existing Gen2 bracket and I could use the transducers already fitted. If you aren’t upgrading from an existing HDS and are simply buying a new sounder, it is possible to fit the TotalScan transducer, which is an all-inone TotalScan Skimmer transducer for Broadband and CHIRP sonar, as well as StructureScan HD with SideScan and DownScan Imaging. In terms of functionality and ease of use, the Low-

S TA

NDARD

Even when the prawns were in small isolated pockets they were easily spotted.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EVINRUDE DEALER TODAY

CALOUNDRA MARINE 8 Baldwin St, Caloundra QLD 07 5491 1944 E: sales@caloundramarine.com.au W: caloundramarine.com.au

WATER SKIERS WAREHOUSE (QLD) 91-93 Neil St, Toowoomba QLD 0400 379 514 E: info@waterskierswarehouse.com.au W: waterskierswarehouse.com.au

ADRIANS MARINE CENTRE 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg QLD 07 4153 1819 E: adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com W: adriansmarinecentre.com.au

STEVE FLEETWOOD MARINE 10 Morgan St, Gladstone QLD 07 4972 9463 E: sfmarine@tpg.com.au

WHITE WATER MARINE 10 Hinde St, Ashmore QLD 07 5532 4402 E: sales@whitewatermarine.com.au W: whitewatermarine.com.au

An in-built wireless system means the Carbon’s software can be updated with the press of a button.

Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine Lowrance HDS-12 Carbon New release 545F to boost Haines Signature fishing line-up sets the new standard ☛ from P42

rance ticks a number of boxes. Turning the unit on is simple and you can easily adjust the screen brightness. You can also customise your view and save a few different settings. For example, if you want to run SideScan, sonar and chartplotter, it would be advantageous to run the SideScan across the entire bottom of the screen with the sonar and chartplotter sharing

the top section equally. This way you can get the most out of your SideScan and still see the other displays. While not a new feature, I like the fact you can scroll back on the screen and mark exactly where structure, bait and fish are. As soon as you move the curser to the spot and mark it, an overlay appears on the map and shows you exactly where that spot is. From there you can decide whether to make

The split screen can be easily modified to multiple different views.

it a GPS mark in a few simple steps or go back to your current sonar screen. One visual change from the Gen2 to the Carbon is the addition of buttons down the side of the unit. The display is still a touchscreen, which is awesome, but the buttons make it even easier to use, especially when under way. Overall, I am pleased with the changes and upgrades over the older HDS-12, especially the display, which makes finding bait and fish much easier, and that is the name of the game. I’m still playing with and learning about some of the features, so will give you an update in a few months on how I’m going and run through some other features of the unit. For more information on the entire Lowrance range, visit lowrance. com.au

AINES Signature Boats is excited to introduce a new fishing model to its world-class range of fibreglass trailer boats with the launch of the 545F.

The new release model is aimed at fishers and families looking to get on the water with its superior performance and practicality, underpinned by massive deck space. Measuring 5.45m in length and 2.13m across the beam, the 545F gives fishos the space to play and move around freely when the bite is on thanks to its huge open floorplan and a high freeboard for added safety, particularly when it comes to family boating. The open half cab features windows and bunk cushions with storage underneath, a split dash with walk-through windscreen for easy access to the anchor and a helm console that has room for gauges, controls and state-of-the-art electronics up to 12”.

Extra-wide side pockets, a live bait tank and glovebox means there’s plenty of storage for fishing gear and other necessities when heading out on the water. John Haines says the 545F is a high-performing, versatile boat with all the features you’d expect from a larger vessel. “The 545F is essentially the ‘big sister’ to the 525F and is inspired by some of our most popular fishing models – we’ve incorporated many elements that dedicated fishos will appreciate into a compact unit without making it feel small,” John said. “Whether heading offshore or cruising down the waterways with the family, the 545F has a comfortable ride, demonstrating Signature’s attention to detail and design philosophy, with the added performance to cap it all off,” John said. A 100-litre fuel tank, four stainless steel rod holders, transom door and a sports steering wheel are just some of the stand-

ard inclusions, with plenty of optional extras available to make it as customisable as you like. A power rating of 90150hp and the added bonus of the soft and stable ride synonymous with the Signature Variable Deadrise Hull means the 545F ticks all the right boxes when it comes to style, performance and value. And to make towing and launching a breeze, it’s

available on a single-axle trailer. The Haines Signature 545F is priced from $49,990 for a boat, motor and trailer package (Suzuki DF115ATX and Dunbier single-axle trailer), including Queensland registration and dealer delivery (exBrisbane) and on waters. For more information, visit signatureboats.com or contact your nearest Haines Signature dealer today to order now.

Create your adventures

485 SUNRUNNER Featuring a Hydro Lift hull, wide beam and live bait tank. Built tough with 3mm bottom and sides. TOWNSVILLE | Townsville Marine 943 Ingham Rd, Bohle Q 07 4779 6569

ROCKHAMPTON | Blueﬁn Sports 57-59 Musgrave St, North Rockhampton 07 4922 2211

SPRINGWOOD | Neptune Marine 7 Judds Crt, Slacks Creek Q 07 3290 6370

HERVEY BAY | Barney’s Marine Shed 3A Nissan St, Pialba Q 07 4124 3170

GOLD COAST | Marine Tune 64 Kortum Dr, Burleigh Heads Q 07 5576 7388

WHITSUNDAYS | Whitsunday Outboard Centre 1 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 07 4946 7286

H O R I Z O N B O AT S . C O M . A U www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 43

K AYAKING & canoeing Going bush to beat the Easter crowds

ISHING in the beautiful Wide Bay-Burnett area and abroad has taught me many things over the years.

Mangrove jack love poppers fished in low-light periods.

One thing that has become increasingly clear is how accessible the rivers and creek systems are becoming. Once-quiet back road boat ramps are now fully developed, with large concrete ramps and pontoons

A great wild Australian bass hooked in brackish water on a Chasebaits 3” curly tail.

A good-sized flathead Leeah captured while fishing a rocky ledge.

Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Kayak Fishing by JOEL JOHNSON

in almost every river and creek system. This gives anyone with a suitable watercraft the opportunity to get out and enjoy what our waterways have to offer. Of course, while this is great to encourage recreation, even in my lifetime I have noticed how much more difficult it is to find hidden destinations known by only a few people. More and more people are discovering the ‘quiet spots’, and the recent Easter long weekend provides a prime example. My girlfriend Leeah and I have learnt how a kayak and four-wheel-drive can get you to places truly limited to people who aren’t afraid to get their tyres dirty and maybe do some trekking. Obviously, this type of thing can be risky because you often end up a fair way from help if something does go wrong, so being over-prepared is always best. I always carry a pair of MAXTRAX and sufficient spares with my vehicle because even the simplest situations can and will leave you stranded when you least expect it. Another consideration is to pay attention to where you’re driving, making sure you’re allowed to be there. Using Google Earth is the primary way I research new destinations, finding a likely section of river, creek or dam and then a possible route. However, what looks like a road from the satellite image might actually be someone’s property, so simply find another way or cross it off your list if that’s the case because there’s no excuse for trespassing. Having found a number of secluded creek systems that have produced quality fish sometimes and absolutely nothing other times, we were eager to escape the crowds of the Easter holidays and go bush to a destination we were yet to try. As mentioned earlier, what might look easy on the satellite image can be a completely different story when you get there, and after just under an hour’s drive, we were faced with this situation a number of times. After our first turn-off ended up being a locked private gate, we turned around and searched further to find a likely looking track. Being an unmaintained

service road, we were soon pushing through head-high rat’s tail grass and washed out sections of track, but nothing too serious… yet. At last we were within view of the creek, but we were notably higher than where we needed to be, looking down a very steep and old overgrown track towards the creek. Being on a solo vehicle mission, we decided to walk down the track before committing to it in the ute, and it was lucky we did. Halfway down, there was a 1.5m drop where the track had been washed away in a downpour. A minor setback but we gladly backtracked to find a safer route. We found another way around but were still faced with a fairly steep descent. This time after a thorough walk-through, I picked my line and steadily crawled down. We had made it, and at last had the kayak in the water and ready to go, so we began paddling through a section of freshwater rapids into a large, deep pool of water. Knowing we were possibly in the very upper limits of salt water but after recent rainfall were paddling through almost completely fresh water, we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of fish species, but there was

only one way to find out. Species such as barramundi and mangrove jack are known to tolerate both salt and fresh water and Australian bass will travel into brackish water at times too. We based our lure choices on what would best suit the environment and species we might encounter. We hedged our bets on mangrove jack and bass mostly, so I cast a 3” Chasebaits curly tail soft plastic while Leeah threw a Jackall hard vibe. We hadn’t paddled far before Leeah hooked up alongside some likely looking rocks. A great little mangrove jack popped up, surprising us in basically fresh water. Almost as soon as I’d photographed Leeah’s fish and she’d sent it home, I hooked up. This time the fish fought right on the surface before shooting deep and around the kayak, so I wasn’t sure what I’d hooked up to, but after some persuasion the fish surfaced and a thumping Australian bass slipped into the landing net. What a start! A jack one cast and a PB bass the next. Measuring in at 46cm, I was stoked and equally excited for the day to come. We paddled down to what appeared to be more rapids, this time leading into what looked like farsaltier water below. We dragged the kayak down the rapids and before I could even think about casting, Leeah had a bend in her rod! Thrashing on the surface

right beside the kayak was a lovely big flathead of about 60cm. Not long after this, Leeah landed another cracking flatty around the same size. Talk about competition… Unfortunately the light was fading and we had to start heading back, but we couldn’t resist having a cast in the low-light period. Tying on some small poppers opened up a whole new ball game, with surface strikes left, right and centre. While we landed only two juvenile mangrove jack, we would have been struck by well over 10 fish, which was an excellent and fun way to end the day. It’s amazing how fast the sun sets when the fish are biting! When exploring new destinations, don’t be afraid to get off the beaten track and find what’s beyond the bitumen boat ramp, but know your limits. I can’t stress enough to ensure you’re properly equipped for the tracks and surroundings you may be faced with. When it comes to fishing secluded areas you’ve never seen before, base your lure choice on the most likely prey for your target fish. Don’t forget, big fish eat small lures too. This type of thing isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I know for sure I’m not the only one who’s addicted to the adventure.

Leeah with a mangrove jack she caught on a Jackall hard vibe.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

K AYAKING & canoeing

A modern fibreglass canoe made in Australia. Note the lower height of the ends and straight stems at the bow and stern.

Modern lightweight Kevlar and carbon fibre canoes made in the US.

Developments in modern canoe construction

FTEN seen as the dated and less sexy cousin of the kayak, canoes had been sadly left standing beside the dance floor when it came to modernising their design.

I say had, because in recent years canoes have seen a resurgence in their use, and importantly for paddlers, significant changes in their design and construction. The timeless design and inherent versatility of canoes has always been the secret of their appeal to paddlers and now with improvements to ease of handling on and off the water, that appeal should stretch to a much wider audience. As you would expect, North American manufacturers have led the way in embracing new technology in both selection of construction materials and hull design software to improve the shape and performance of their craft. The Australian market, while initially slow to respond, due largely to smaller demand here, has now seen an increase in demand for high-quality imported canoes, which in turn has given local manufacturers confidence to embrace similar technology. The focus of improvements to the humble canoe has been around improving handling the craft both on and off the water. Manufacturers have sought to build boats that are light, stable, quick through the water and responsive to paddle strokes. While equally true for kayaks, the higher demand for the canoe’s double-bladed cousin means more improvements have been seen in kayaks than canoes. By no means a comprehensive list, the following are some of the key developments in canoe design and construction over recent years. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Canoeing by DAN OWBRIDGE

Weight Its seems odd for us to hear in Australia, however in the US the market perception is that if you want a lightweight boat you get a canoe – kayaks are seen as the heavier craft. Manufacturers in the US and Canada have reduced the weight of their craft while maintaining strength, durability and importantly, stiffness. To understand why, you have to look at the paddling culture in North America and in particular the notion of ‘portaging’ or carrying the canoe. With large tracts of water separated by short overland trails or sections of rapids, paddlers find themselves unloading and carrying their canoes from one waterway to another. Nobody wants to lug a heavy boat overland through wilderness trails, so demand grew for lighter, more manageable canoes. In the 1970s, materials with high strength to weight ratios such as carbon and Kevlar became commercially available to manufacturers of composite products. Canoe manufacturers, traditionally using glass fibre to manufacture their hulls, now had access to materials that allowed them to build strong, stiff and durable hulls with a significant reduction in weight. Technology has continued to develop and now the composite industry has access to a range of materials from polypropylene and nylon-based fabrics through to those made from drawn strands of basalt rock. Reduced fabric weight combined with low-density resins and vacuum bagging/resin infusion manufacturing techniques has seen a dramatic reduction

in canoe weight over the years. Great news for tired paddlers hefting their boat back on the roof of their car after a long day on the water. Hull design Back in the days of the Canadian Voyageurs transporting bundles of furs up fast-flowing untamed rivers, large curved ends were important on their canoes to keep paddlers and cargo dry through rough and fastmoving water. These were purposebuilt boats designed for the local waterways and refined over generations of indigenous paddlers to perform a specific task. While some paddlers still aspire to conquer the mighty rivers of northern Canada, most everyone else is paddling on very different waterways and requires different attributes in their boats. The first composite canoes made were based largely upon the traditional canoe designs of days gone by, with some changes made to accommodate the idiosyncrasies of the materials being used. The traditional look often did not translate well into the new material and a lot of early canoe designs were quite clunkylooking beasts. Aesthetics aside, the large ends required to keep a canoe dry when plunging into a trough in a set of wild rapids was a curse to paddlers moving across open wind-swept waterways. Keels with lots of rocker, designed for manoeuvrability on moving water, were a chore to paddle on long and straight stretches of water. It was obvious changes needed to be made. Designers began to experiment with straight

bow and stern stems to increase waterline length, which resulted in increased boat speed. They looked at the effect of more slender profiles on their craft to weigh up reduced drag versus reduced stability. Hull cross sections were developed to improve tracking without adversely affecting manoeuvrability. Most significant of these was the move away from a pronounced keel on canoes to the use of shallow-vee or shallow-arched hulls. The rise of computeraided drafting packages and analysis software for modelling the attributes of a boat hull in the water has allowed designers to model and revise new designs without the expense of actually making and testing numerous prototypes. This means canoes are now being designed to suit a paddler’s needs, because as we all know, one size rarely fits all. Other developments As materials and hull shapes have developed over the years, fit-out of canoes has also come a long way. New materials and manufacturing techniques have allowed canoe builders to provide their customers with more comfortable and adjustable seating configurations and the ability to configure their canoes for a multitude of uses, from sailing, to fishing and other outdoor pursuits. Gunwales and thwarts on modern canoes are selected to allow easy attachment of accessories and other personal touches (some people even fit motors to their canoes!). As most canoe owners will tell you, one of the great appeals of this craft is its versatility. The future certainly looks bright for the faithful canoe. Even though it is one of the oldest designs of watercraft, modern pro-

cesses and designs have ensured it is as practical and relevant today as it was in the distant past. Stable, predictable hulls and lightweight fittings mean the humble canoe is a great choice for everyone from young families looking for a day on the water to couples wanting to get away from it all or seeking a taste of adventure. If you’re looking for a cost-effective and versatile craft to get out on the water, a canoe is well worth looking at. For more information about canoes and new developments in this space, give me a call at One Tree Canoe Company on 0424 001 646 or check out onetreecanoe.com

The first nation canoes used by the legendary Voyageur fur traders of colonial Canada.

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN-MADE CANOES

Canoes | Repairs | Hires 0424 001 646 | onetreecanoe.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 45

K AYAKING & canoeing Darren Cousins from Tasmania explored the Mersey River.

The entrants in the NSW flathead comp.

Exciting Easter for Yak Hunters T Jason Milne showed supreme balance in throwing a cast net from his kayak.

Dominic Black with a thumper bream.

Sam Cousins’ kayaking setup.

Nilo Camat picked up two cracking South Australian snapper.

Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

HE Easter period proved busy for Yak Hunters members all across Australia, with many electing to head away for the holiday period while others decided on day trips and social gatherings. Yak Hunters Queensland member Jason Milne took the kids on a number of fishing adventures over the holiday period. The kids enjoyed crabbing while getting an on-water education from Jason. From sea to plate, the catch was sorted, cooked and eaten by the kids and a great time was had by all. Dominic Black, also of Yak Hunters Queensland, headed out for a day with Yak Hunters founder Luke Lispet, Yak Hunters Queensland admin (me) and fellow Queensland member Alex Smith. A mixed bag was recorded by the guys in a great day out, bagging four bream, three flathead, a scad, longtom, silver biddy and moses perch. Yak Hunters NSW admin Clay Taylor was one of the many who spent the Easter period mostly at work. Clay did manage to make light of the situation though, rustling up some hot Yak Hunters NSW buns. Yak Hunters NSW recently held a flathead competition in Newcastle. Challenging conditions met the 23 competitors on the day and the fishing was just as tough, with only eight flathead caught. Aaron Enright took out the gong with an 81cm lizard, followed by Darren Hobson with a 77.5cm fish, closely followed by Ty Nippard at 58.5cm. Thanks to Paul Gann for the photo of the competitors. Scot Boyd found himself in Corio Bay in Victoria where he landed a

couple of nice squire. Also in Victoria, admin Evanos Stanmarinos and fellow member Stefan Majera headed out to catch some squid. It was a successful mission, with Evanos getting seven squid and a flatty and Stefan bagging out. In South Australia, Yak Hunters member Nilo Camat snuck out for a snapper session and took home two solid snapper while releasing another two. South Australian admin Mathew Bini managed to channel his inner Zen while fishing at Coorong, taking time off the rod to snap a few sunrise pictures. Yak Hunters Tasmania member Darren Cousins spent time exploring the upper reaches of the Mersey River on the state’s northwest coast while his son Sam fished the mouth of the Mersey. Darren landed quality trout and Sam picked up eight salmon and a good size trevally. Fellow Tasmanian member Ranil Andrino Arcillas kept the fish hiding in fear as he launched an onslaught in and around the state’s south and east coast. Yak Hunters Australia would like to welcome our Pro Staff anglers. Each state has a Pro Staff member sponsored by Yak Hunters and members will start to see posts from these people on the Facebook pages. We would like to welcome: David Hopper (Queensland), Darren Hobson (NSW), Scott Boyd (Victoria), Chris Miller (South Australia) and Ranil Andrino Arcillas (Tasmania). Head over to the Yak Hunters Australia Facebook page to see a bio on each of our Pro Staff. Yak Hunters will be running a social competi-

tion on June 30 to raise funds for the Black Dog Institute. All proceeds from this nationwide competition will be donated to the Black Dog Institute to help raise awareness surrounding depression and mental health. Every state in the Yak Hunters family will host a team’s event, with each

team competing against every other team registered from every state. Every state in the Yak Hunters family will come together for the Black Dog Institute to help raise awareness of this important cause. Visit yakhunters.com for more information. The competition for the National Series is heating up with two rounds left to run. Queensland’s round three will be held at Cleveland and round four at Clarrie Hall Dam.

Round three of the NSW series will be held at Lake Macquarie and round four at Lake St Claire. Victoria’s rounds are still to be finalised as it will depend on what systems are fishing the best at the time. South Australia’s third round will be held on the Murray River and round four will be at Onkaparinga. Make sure you sign up soon because spots fill fast! Matt Kouimtzis

Jason Milne’s kids enjoyed chasing flathead from kayaks.

Mathew Bini captured this magical sunrise.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

K AYAKING & canoeing Where the cod swims by the tackle box

T may have something to do with age, or the result of tens of thousands of hours on the water, or travelling an equally staggering number of kilometres in the pursuit of unfamiliar species, that I now find myself fishing for just a few long-time favourite sportfish.

My most recent road trip was planned around the pursuit of a fish that is very near (possibly right at) the top of the list, the always impressive Murray cod. After a brief stopover in the (very) big smoke, Sydney, for a 5km race, we were keen to head inland away from the crowded roads and waterways of the coastal strip. We were revisiting the Murrumbidgee River, a watercourse that had been very kind to us during periodic visits spanning the past 15 or so years. The ‘Bidgee is the thirdlongest river in Australia, meandering through 1485km of Australia’s inland from its source not far from the snowfields of Mount Selwyn to its confluence with the Murray River, near Boundary Bend on the Victorian border. Over that course it drops about 1500m in elevation and exhibits a staggering range of habitats from freestone rapids to warm, slow-flowing, mud-lined pools. For a little variety, we elected to cast our lures into reaches we’d not previously seen, which meant we’d be testing the waters of the upper half of the river. Previous outings had taken in various spots along the lower half of the ‘Bidgee in locations scattered between Wagga and Narrandera. Those old enough to recall the days before native fish were being hatchery reared will remember Narrandera as the home of the fisheries research station where John Lake pioneered work on the breeding biology of inland native perch species. The John Lake Centre has aquariums featuring many of the species native to the Murray-Darling system including Murray cod, Murray crays, purple-spotted gudgeon (a common species in local creeks when I was a kid, but now endangered), trout cod and the impressive Macquarie perch. I digress: On this trip, our first base from which to launch half-day excursions on the ‘Bidgee was the fairly quiet country town of Gundagai. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fishing for Sport by NEIL SCHULTZ

This rural centre is renowned for being where the dog sits on the tucker box, but few people would have it at the top of their list of fishing destinations. Gundagai is actually spilt into halves, north and south, by the Murrumbidgee River, which supplies the town’s water requirements, an invaluable resource in a very dry landscape. My first outing saw me manhandling the Hobie Outback down a steep bank to access the river about 5km out of town. This stretch is not how one might imagine an inland waterway. Instead of turbid waters meandering between flat clay banks, this water is clear and fast flowing through a seemingly endless series of shallow sandy riffles. Electing to head upstream from the launching point to make the return trip easy meant making progress required significant effort. As expected, the river had plenty of red gum snags that looked very fishy, but the fast flow made presenting a lure a little more frustrating than I’d have liked. Always up for a challenge, I cast a Creek Cobra in Green Tiger into any likely looking snags situated out of the faster flows. Progress was slow, with plenty of sweat involved in making headway upstream, particularly through the numerous shallow and fast runs. After a few unproductive hours involving a lot of pedalling and countless casts, I came to a slightly deeper, hence slower, section with a traprock face along one bank. Past experience with rocky outcrops on the ‘Bidgee had been positive, so I felt a smile creep across my dial and may have even muttered a few superlatives to myself. A rummage through the tackle tray for a change of lure colour turned up a one-off, custom-painted Creek Cobra in a pattern dubbed Red-Bellied Black. Dark-coloured lures had attracted the attention of cod in this river when I’d last fished it (further downstream beyond Wagga), so I clipped on this lure in the hope of changing my luck. Electing to troll as the most effective way to

thoroughly work over this rock face made me glad to be in the Hobie. The ability to pedal the Hobie for propulsion allows the rod to be hand held, reducing snags and giving immediate feedback of what the lure is doing. Halfway along the very first pass saw the lure hammered in a savage strike by what felt like a respectable fish. Quite some years ago I hooked (and landed) a 95cm cod on bass gear, used because I had assumed there were no big fish in the area I was fishing. Since then I always go loaded for bear, with 50lb braid on my reel and at least 50lb (sometimes 80lb) mono leader. Even on that gear, the outcome of the tussle with the fish to which I was now connected was not a certainty. A few long minutes passed, with the fish making powerful lunges, stripping line from a firmly set drag and towing the Hobie against the current before it began to tire. The identity of the fish was never in doubt and a solid cod in the 90-100cm range briefly showed itself beside the kayak before a violent head shake saw the hook pull from its lip, prematurely releasing it to return to the rock face. As there was still a decent pace in the water here, I trolled upstream

and then drifted back down, casting into tight pockets as I went. My second drift downstream saw a much smaller cod hit the lure almost as soon as it landed, tight against the roots of a bottlebrush tree that was clinging to the rocks. This fish didn’t hook up but did give me the incentive to keep working the area. Another few passes were made without any more interest from the fish, so I decided to press on upstream. This endeavour didn’t last long because just half a kilometre upstream I came to another very fast-

flowing shallow reach. Beaching the Hobie in a quiet backwater, I walked upstream for a look at what lay beyond this corner. With long shallow runs as far as I could see, I wandered back to the kayak and stood in the shade for a cold drink and a bite to eat for smoko while watching several large carp feeding. Knowing the rock face was the most fishy, and fishable, stretch of river I had on my return leg to the car, I decided to put in a few more passes. Only half an hour had passed before that same ☛ continued P48

You know you are getting close to Gundagai when you see this piece of Aussie outback folklore.

The Murrumbidgee near Gundagai is dominated by shallow, fast-running reaches over gravel and sand substrate. The banks above the water are typical western plains riparian environs with large red gums, river oaks and introduced willows along hard clay banks. Check out the colour of the hill in the background.

Any quiet backwaters on the river were populated by fairly large carp that could be seen feeding throughout the day. What a pity the trial of bowfishing for pest fish in NSW has concluded.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 47

K AYAKING & canoeing

Kayaking the Darling Downs

ACK in March, the Darling Downs waterways were in need of replenishment from good storm water from upstream areas to refresh and bolster the systems for the upcoming winter.

A golden perch took a fancy to a spinnerbait that Jim targeted along the phragmites-lined banks of Oakey Creek at Bowenville

Jim Harmon with a golden perch plucked from the depths of Bowenville Reserve using a spinnerbait.

Fellow scribe Neil Schultz decided to have a paddle in Oakey Creek recently, successfully using anything purple from his arsenal of lures to get a strike.

The rains came, and with them cooler temperatures, which seem for the most part to have shut down the luring options. Live baiting with worms and shrimp is working a treat, but for me, enticing native fish on artificial deceivers is the go. It looks like the rains were a win for the region however, judging by the lush bankside vegetation. Grasses are tall and lush in the riparian zones, which bodes well for spawning later in the year because fish eggs need to stick to the leaves, which are usually chewed down by cattle and sheep. While paddling along, the absence of these animals is a bonus and the message might be getting through to landowners about keeping them away from the rehabilitation zones during the run up to the spawning season. Yellowbelly are one such native fish that require not only tall grasses but also logs to hide behind when floodwaters are covering the banks. Low-velocity areas are where native fish will be holding up and mating. Eggs may be dispersed downstream but if they have been fertilised and ample tall grasses are about, they will adhere to the leaves while Mother Nature takes over to provide the rest until the little fry hatch several days later and use the same grasses to hide in. Luring hasn’t been a total loss and using kayaks to get to areas land-based anglers can’t reach is a bonus. Native Murray cod are very temperamental fish that need extra temptation

Fresh Water by NOAL KUHL

during a passing flood when waters are starting to clear and the heat isn’t really there to get them in the mood. A lot of the time, patience is required from the angler while consistently casting over the same spot to get cod to strike, more out of aggression than hunger. Usually, from April onwards lure action decreases, with the first hint of foggy mornings and cool weather patterns starting to infiltrate the Downs. When the late-season flooding arrived, it took the heat out of the water and slowed the metabolisms of native fish. The bonus is kayaking areas have expanded without the need for as much pool hopping, and the attractive bankside vistas make paddling all the more pleasing to the eye. Small, simple kayaks are required on the Downs’ smaller waterways, rather than elaborate kayaks outfitted with foot pedals or electric motors.

Stretches of water still have to be traversed in places due to the end of running pools or blockages. Off loading kayaks and starting at roadside bridges are options available to anglers who are

more adventurous. Popular destinations such as Bowenville Reserve on Oakey Creek and Chinchilla Weir on the Condamine River offer long stretches of water for more sophisticated craft. Either way, the bankside views are worth the effort at the moment and catching a fish is just a bonus.

It took the author a lot longer than usual to secure this Murray cod on a surface lure. Patience is key.

With the rehabilitation work on the Darling Downs, the creeks and river systems are benefitting, with better aquatic accommodation for native fish, which in turn is attracting more native fish, animals and anglers to the region.

Where the cod swims by the tackle box ☛ from P47

A close-up of the Red-Bellied Black Creek Cobra when it came off the paint line. Gone now but it will be replaced.

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Red-Bellied Black lure was belted by a Murray monster. I had been trolling wide on this pass and the fish spun the Hobie around, bolting across and upstream towards the bank when the line parted, damn! I was utterly stunned, both by the ferocity of the encounter and the fact that it had been years

since I’d lost a lure to a cod (plenty to snags but none to green fish). It was obvious that this big fish had run the braid across one of the many angled rock edges concealed beneath the surface. Braid doesn’t stand up well to contact with stone when under tension and despite its reputation as being bulletproof, it parts quite quickly under those circumstances.

After tying a new double and a length of heavy nylon leader, I clipped on a purple spinner and made the much easier downstream run back to the car. The morning had been very interesting, with plenty of calories burned, a few fish encountered, some in the scary monster class, and new water explored. Although this part of the river obviously held

a few fish, it was bloody hard yakka getting to them, especially as I was supposed to be recuperating to recover from a couple of tendon injuries. Back at camp, over lunch we decided to make a move the next day to see if we could find a section of the Murrumbidgee where the return for effort would be better. You can read about that venture next month. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Seven-year-old Alexander Dumitru caught and released this yellowfin bream at Kinsail Court Park in Raby Bay. Sacha Slade Hi guys, just another thready at the wharf in Brisbane. A little one at 1.2m. Wayne Jack

I had a day off the tools (which was already a good start) when I landed my PB jewfish at 91cm on an IMA Koume 90 in the Brisbane River. I dropped two good fish prior to boating this one but I was over the moon once this fish hit the deck. Logan Rudge

I caught this jewfish at the Port of Brisbane on a Westin Bony the Bream in Ayu. Brandon Goulding

Hi Ben, A nice jewie landed near Jumpinpin on a light whiting rig using the wife’s homemade secret recipe bait. Damian

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

Send details to Bush ’n Beach Fishing magazine E: ben@bnbfishing.com.au PO Box 387 Cleveland 4163

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Shimano Nexave reel THE Shimano Nexave spin reels represent great value for money for an entry-level series, perfect for newcomers and kids who need the right start in fishing. There are five models in this new FE

series, from 1000 through to C5000 sizes, with the 3000 HGFE and the 5000 HGFE being of compact body design. The cold forged aluminium spool with AR-C lip promotes longer casting without wind knots and smooth transmission through the stripper guide, which is important when using fine-diameter braided lines such as Power Pro. Varispeed II assists in this regard because it ensures line lay on the spool is neat and even. An XT-7 body keeps weight down, while three shielded stainless steel ball bearings and one roller bearing make winding the single-piece aluminium handle as effortless as can be, whether retrieving or hooked up. Gear ratios range from 5.0:1 through to 6.2:1 depending on the model, and drag power ranges from 3kg in the 1000 size up to 8.5kg in the 3000, 4000 and 5000. And despite all these features, the prices of the new Nexaves will come as a pleasant surprise. shimanofish.com.au

features two line-tie positions to give the angler options. The nose tie allows the angler to cast and retrieve the jig, mimicking a swimming action. The top tie point enables a more traditional jigging retrieve. But don’t think there are only two uses for these jigs, because clever anglers are already fitting them out for trolling dead baits for mackerel and more. Featuring oversized 3D eyes, the Big Eye Bucktail Jig has hand-tied deer hair and Crystal Flash to give the jigs an appearance of life while being used. There is also a keeper wire located near the lead head that allows soft plastic trailers to be fitted, as well as baits. An epoxy finish gives the head durability against the elements and fish and the eight colours in the range MUSTAD has released a range of allow every angler to use the colour bucktail jigs designed for everything they want. from fishing fresh water through to Sizes range from a 3/4oz jig with the deepest saltwater ledges. a 5/0 hook all the way through to a Built on the 32824NP-BN 2X strong massive 8oz jig fitted with a 9/0 hook. hook, the Mustad Big Eye Bucktail Jig wilsonfishing.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 49

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Species change as air cools B Y the time this edition hits newsagents, there should be a chill in the air as we move towards the end of May and winter approaches.

Threadies will be a common capture during May in the Fitzroy River. This one took a hard-body meant for a barra.

Phil caught this nice fingermark on a Zerek Fish Trap fished around a deep rock bar in the Calliope River.

The Boyne Tannum Hookup will be about to start (May 4-6), so I hope the weather is good and plenty of fish are caught. The change in weather means the fish species we target will slowly change from barra and jacks to blue salmon and grunter. We will still be lucky enough to be able to actively catch all species until the weather really starts to cool. Even though blue salmon can be caught yearround, they will begin to school in larger numbers as they get ready to spawn in the cooler months. I have found solid schools moving through the anabranch and deeper sections of the Calliope River. They have been in these areas for a while and will move through in schools. Numbers in the schools will increase as we move into the cooler periods. Trolling deep-divers through the schools will often see you achieve multiple hook-ups. Alternatively, a soft plastic or vibe jigged around the schools will soon see you hooked up. Fishing with live bait over a flat on an incoming tide will give you the best shot at targeting schools of salmon moving up to feed. I find either live mullet or garfish to be the best bait but if you are struggling for time or it’s hard

Gladstone Region

by GARY CHURCHWARD

to find bait, a pillie with its strong and oily smell will get their attention. Fingermark have been around in numbers and any bridge pylon or rocky drop-off that extends into deeper water is a good place to start. Gladstone Harbour is a great area to target fingermark, with numerous headlands dropping off into deeper water. You will still pick up the odd fish around shallow fallen timber and rock bars, but consistent fish will come from deeper locations. The best lure to use for chasing fingermark is a 100-125mm soft plastics rigged on either a 3/8oz or 1/2oz jig head. A soft vibe such as a Jackall Transam or Samaki Vibelicious will also work because they resemble herring, one of the fingermark’s favourite foods. When fishing with bait, a live herring or mullet will not be left untouched for long if fingermark are around. Grunter will also start to school and spots with broken rocks or gravel banks are the best places to start looking. They can be hard fish to actively target with lures but a small blade or prawn-imitation soft plastic worked over these areas can be effective. Fresh baits are the best way to catch good numbers of grunter, with a butterflied herring or

good cut bait ideal. Jewfish will also become a more common capture as the temperature drops. Reports indicate they are being caught around the old meatworks jetty and the bridges at the mouth of South Trees. A large live mullet or pike and plenty of patience might see you hook one of these fish, and strong tackle and luck will help you land one. It will be time to break out the bream gear as they school once the weather cools. Bream often don’t get much of a thought but they can be great fun to catch on light gear. Considering you target them in the same areas as jacks but only use gear a third of the size, when you hook a good bream you need to work hard to keep it out of structure. My preferred method is to throw small hardbodies around fallen timber and mangrove roots and work them slowly out from the structure. Small plastics and Prawnstars present another good way to tempt a few fish. If you have never actively targeted bream on lures, it can be quite a buzz. Flathead will also be around in numbers and I have found the Lilleys to be the most consistent spot to catch a few. They are not big, with most fish between 45cm

and 55cm, though at this size they are perfect to keep for a feed. Barra will still be around but won’t be so active. You will still find them actively feeding, the difference is their bite times will be shorter. This is where live bait will out-fish lures, with the sheer time a livie is in their face often able to trigger a reaction bite, even if they are not hungry. The Fitzroy River will continue to fish well for barra and threadies throughout winter, with most rocky areas holding a fish or two. Threadies are making a good showing around the Gladstone systems, mainly coming from deeper holes and ledges. Jigging vibes and minnow-style soft plastics are taking most fish, though they are not as big as the fish coming from Port Alma and the Fitzroy, with most in the mid to high 70cm range. Mangrove jack will slow with the cool weather and will be off the active target list for a few months until the weather starts to warm again. Tarpon are moving though the systems, I think due to the number of herring around. A good sounder will show the bait schools and the tarpon will usually be found around these. As we move into the cooler months, the weather should be more fisher friendly, allowing us to spend more time on the water and hopefully catch more fish. Cheers and happy fishing from Gladdy.

The best time of the year E V E RYO N E seems to have their favourite times of the year.

Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

For me, April and May would have to be the pick. Mornings are crisp and the days are still warm… except if you have a few cyclones floating around off the coast. Once again, offshore trips have been almost non-existent. At the time of writing, cyclone Iris is looming off the coast of Queensland, bringing widespread showers and wind. As expected, the Fitzroy River has turned to mud due to all the dirty floodwater being released through the barrage gates. It has chased the majority of fish from the town reaches, with times tough by all reports. A few of the dedicated river fishers have been digging deep and turning over a single barra for a full live bait session but that’s about as good as it gets. Just before the main floodwater arrived, we snuck in two final sessions. On the first, I fished with my old man and we

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

had a bloody good trip, managing to tag and release 10 barra for the day. It was my dad’s first trip back on the water since a hip replacement. He was quite content to just sit back and chill while I went about

searching and casting lures. We put in on daylight and looked over the town reaches. We finally ran over a spot with a few likely looking subjects showing on the Humminbird

Helix sounder. You wouldn’t believe it, we got a hook-up on the first cast of the morning. You’ve gotta love it when a plan comes together. With that, 72cm of Fitzroy barra was tagged and released. About three casts later I was on again. This time it was a ☛ continued P53

Blake with a thumper blubber lip taken while fishing Coorooman Creek.

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The author’s niece Mollie held a solid Coorooman muddy that she tied herself.

Marvin Graef with a solid black jew hooked while fishing with Dan Baker.

The best time of the year on Capricorn Coast ☛ from P52

slightly better fish and Dad slid the net under and swung it on board. It stretched the brag mat to 85cm and was returned to the water also. We couldn’t raise any more action, so a quick look over the spot was required. Barra were still sitting where we were casting but were unresponsive. One of the biggest keys to success I’ve learnt for barra fishing is changing it up. So we changed the angle of our casts and also our lures. First cast and we were on again, with another solid barra taking to the air. It doesn’t always happen this easily but you’ve just got to sit back and appreciate the good days. This one went 82cm and was tagged and returned to the water. The barra moved on after this and so did we. We didn’t have to move far before we were back on though. The fish scanned on this spot were only small and we spent the next hour enjoying a good session on rats. It was great to be back on the water with my

dad as he had been out of action for almost six months. The second trip was with my wife Amanda, son Braxton and good friend Dan Baker. It was an amazing day because I got to help my three-year-old son catch his first barra… on a lure! It was a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life. After hitting the water, we scanned some small fish sitting hard to the bottom. I positioned the boat and went to help Braxton cast his rod. We were using a small Fish Trap vibe from Zerek. Imagine our surprise when 10lb braid started spewing off the little 2500 Shimano Stradic. After a short fight, we had 54cm of Fitzroy barra in the net. We were all so proud of Braxton and it was great to see him really excited. We tagged and released the little barra, explaining to Braxy what we were doing and why. At the next spot, we found some better-sized fish. Braxy immediately upgraded his PB with a solid 71cm barra. This one gave us a great

fight on the light gear. Dan also got in on the action, boating another two around the 60cm mark. It was another fantastic trip on the Fitzroy and it’s great to see so many smaller barra in the river. Here’s a few stats for anyone interested. Over two weekends within a three-week period, we tagged and released 27 barra from the Fitzroy net-free zone. Sizes ranged from 37cm up to 103cm. Out of the 27 tagged, 10 of those were legal size or better and 17 undersize. If you take the length of total barra caught and divide by number of fish (1654cm/27) it works out to be 61.25cm, meaning the average size was above legal, which is great news. We also had five tagged recaptures. Four of those recaptures were from the fish stocking group who released juveniles about 40km up into the fresh side of the barrage. One recapture was from towards the mouth. One of the barra’s tags was just about to fall out, so we removed the ratty tag and inserted another one to hopefully continue

Rene and Marc Bensberg visited from Germany. Dan Baker took them out for a mud crabbing trip and didn’t disappoint.

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to provide us with information well into the future. If you’re keen on getting into tagging, jump on suntaggers.com.au and have a look through the page. There’s loads of great info, photos and videos to keep you entertained for hours. And if you follow the prompts, the site will take you through the sign-up process. Local news As mentioned, it has been really tough to get offshore. I can’t even remember a weather window to push wide in the past two months. The last time my Cruise Craft got wet was Boxing Day. I have spoken to a few locals who have done the odd island and inshore trip. The reports have been pretty encouraging, except for the sharks still being a nuisance. Top trout action has been encountered around the Keppel island group, with live and fresh baits doing most of the damage. With the Fitzroy running in flood, prawns have also been pushed out around the islands. Nannygai have responded and have been caught around Humpy and Barren islands as well as Outer Rock. Dan Baker was lucky enough to get out for a short inshore trip with a couple of German backpackers to give them a sample of what the Capricorn Coast has to offer. They were all smiles after they had their arms stretched by a couple of nice black jew. A big goldspotted cod crashed the jew party and I’m pretty sure the lads were a bit sore the next day. I’ve been getting mixed reports about mud crabs. Some people are doing well and others not so good. The larger tidal movement around the full and new moons have pro-

duced the better results. We did a run up Cawarral Creek (Coorooman) in the wind on the neap tides to see if we could rustle up some muddies. It was bloody tough for us. All our usual places didn’t seem to be firing and the only place we could find any numbers was right up on the wide mud flats, setting the pots throughout the drains. We ended up with seven nice muddies for our trouble. What else do you do when it’s blowing 25 knots with showers? Dan also took the Germans for a run out to Port Alma. They worked the tides just before the full moon and were rewarded with 14 solid mud crabs. I don’t think the boys are keen on leaving now they’ve had a taste of the fishing in the area. With this poor weather, a lot of families have been restricted to the creeks. It worked out well because Chappy at the Secret Spot Bait & Tackle decided to make our photo comp this month a kids’ comp. Check out our Secret Spot photo of the month winner young Dan Rees with a cracker triple tail hooked on his last creek trip. A lot of anglers would donate vital organs for a tussle with one of these fish because they are a bit out of the ordinary and aren’t an overly common capture. Dan won a $50 gift voucher to be used in store, which I’m sure he’s excited about. If you’re interested in being part of our photo of the month comp, jump on either the Secret Spot or Fishing Central Queensland Facebook pages and post your best pics – it’s that simple. Well that’s it from me this month. I’m about to head off and pray to the weather gods for a week of 5-10 knot wind. I think we deserve it, don’t you?

Young Dan Rees is the Secret Spot gift voucher winner for this month with an amazing triple tail.

The author scored a town reaches Fitzroy River barra just before the floodwater showed up.

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Barra and muddies confused but around

OWDY one and all fishers to Stanage Bay, the reefs and surrounding islands.

Yuppy with a chunky mud crab.

Wow, what a strange month we have had, with a low and then a cyclone turned low, which brought loads of wind to push the muddies and fish into hiding. The main thing we were wishing for was the huge rainfall that usually comes with a cyclone. It didn’t happen, which confused the barra and muddies and in turn deterred the fishers. But with every negative comes a positive. The huge seas would have totally stirred up the seafloor, bringing new life

Halfway Creek on the Stanage Bay road should have overflowed, but there was more wind than rain from the cyclone.

Team Nannygirls won best-dressed team.

Stanage Bay by VON IRELAND

to feeding grounds, which will hopefully bring on the spanish mackerel, snapper and salmon in conjunction with the traditional May cool snap. The estuary sadly didn’t see the waterfall run-off from the freshwater flats, which the barramundi wait for at the mouths of creeks to head up to the holes to spawn. Experienced fishers waited patiently for the barra to come on the bite, but when the water temperature didn’t hit the expected 25C they changed tactics from live mullet baits to soft plastics. Some were kindly rewarded with threadfin salmon, blue salmon, grunter and fingermark. I have no pics, only word of mouth. The weather kept most mud crabbers and fishers away from Stanage, so there is little to report on the mud crabs, apart from what a few visitors told me. The locals are very much like the muddies and fish here at Stanage and go to ground when there is any sort of weather event. Craig and his mates enjoyed local fish and monster muddies for tea every night while visiting, and so too did the boys staying in Pacific Villa. Let’s look at the posi-

tives in the Stanage Bay area. The reef has had a spell from fishing pressure, though it is rarely professionally fished and rarely charter fished. The boat ramp is tidal, meaning you can only utilise it three and a half hours before and after high tide. Where else in Queensland gets such a huge break from professional and recreational fishers? Where else within a day’s drive from Brisbane can you get everything regarding fishing and mud crabbing at a

A couple of the grids need to be removed totally, and they are on properties now owned by the Australian Defence Force. So when you see a grid sign or a grid, simply slow down to be sure. Until next time, if you don’t catch your own, buy and enjoy some local seafood from your nearest fishmonger or seafood shop. And finally, thank you to one and all who put the effort into holding, running and participating in the Commonwealth Games and for the wonderful TV coverage. Us folks in the rural regions still got to feel part of the Games. Well I know I did from the lounge chair. Go, go, go!

budget price? May should bring out the huge muddies, barra, grunter, fingermark and parrotfish. The reef, islands, rock and beach fishing in May should be productive for various species including red emperor, large and small-mouth nannygai and coral trout. So come on skippers, get your crew together and hit the last fishing frontier, where your vehicle and trailer can be the only ones at the boat ramp. And don’t forget, there’s good affordable accommodation for all to enjoy. Come on up, I dare you. The road into Stanage is still in reasonable condition, with some corrugations and a few dodgeable potholes.

A cracking Stanage Bay feed.

Team Handies All Round Carrieann and Courtney Warr accepted their prizes.

Team Unreal Banana Peels.

Nhulunbuy’s fisherwomen brave rough seas for fishing classic

C Team Mullet Mafia.

Team Vikings.

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

YCLONE Marcus missed Nhulunbuy but more than 160 women in the town’s annual Ladies’ Fishing Classic felt its impact and braved 2.5m waves during the first day of their event on the weekend of March 17 and 18.

Organising committee member Kylie Field said the weather gods were more favourable on the Sunday but Cyclone Nora forced the awards presentation to be shifted to another weekend. “Nora thankfully missed Nhulunbuy, but we still took the safety precaution of postponing our awards night to Sat-

urday, April 7,” she said. “With more than 754 fish caught, measured and released, the participants had to wait a few extra weeks to find out if they were winners.” More than 200 people attended the awards night at the Gove Boat Club and Ms Field said the wait for the presentations ceremony was worth it as the evening was a fantastic success. The fishing event has been running for 14 years, is well supported by local businesses and is a highlight on the town’s calendar. Nhulunbuy local Danielle Petersen – an entrant in the Unreel Ba-

nana Peels team – said, “We may not have been great at the fishing part but we enjoyed the journey and the dressing-up part was my favourite.” Ms Field said next year’s event will be in

either February or March and the exact date will be carefully selected to suit moon phases and tide times to optimise fishing conditions for the entrants. Kylie Abood

Team Fish Busters.

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A whopper nannygai landed by Jake.

This red bass absolutely monstered Evan’s popper.

Floods freshen up fishing B

OY, did we get a big wet this year.

It was fantastic to see. We ended up getting two floods in two and a half weeks, which really gave the Herbert and Seymour rivers and Hinchinbrook Channel a massive flush. Everything has settled now but Cyclone Iris really played havoc with our guiding services for a while, with lots of postponed trips due to the flooding and weather. Now we are getting back on the water again and can see the flooding has helped the channel come back to life. Jelly prawns seem to be everywhere, poddy mullet are jumping in the boat and there’s bait galore for the fish to fatten up. Lots of new snags are also in the water, which will provide fantastic fishing by the end of the year. Mangrove snags generally take about six months to die off and for bacteria and marine growth to take over. When this happens, the barra, jacks and fingermark move in, using the snags for protection and as ambush points. The downside of the floods is some of our favourite haunts that have

Hinchinbrook News by TODD EVELEIGH

produced lots of fish have been washed away, and because gutters and sandbanks have changed, it takes a little time to relearn the system. Quite a few nice jacks, barra and fingermark have been on the chew, with some monster fingermark caught around the sugar loader and shallow water wrecks. On the bluewater fishing charters, clients have landed absolute stonker nannygai. Clients new to the bluewater popper and stickbait scene have been enjoying fantastic GT popping as well as epic flats fishing on the coral cays of the Great Barrier Reef. Lots of women have been getting in on the scene as well, which is fantastic to see. I am very excited about the fishing to come due to the good flood. Awesome times are ahead. Now just a little political thing. I hate getting into politics but this is probably going to be our best chance to take some ac-

tion due to the Fisheries Reform as part of the Queensland Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 20172027. We need to see some changes to make Queensland one of the best fishing locations in the world. Unfortunately, I think the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and our politicians have really let Queensland fall behind other states and this is our chance to make a difference. We really need to address bag limits and size limits of our fish, especially barramundi, for which we have a maximum size limit of 1.2m, which really is a joke. We need a narrower slot limit, with something along the lines of 55cm minimum and 85cm maximum and two fish per person ideal. This will ensure our breeding stocks are kept safe. Keeping our breeding stocks safe will in turn give us a high recruitment of fish stocks during the year, and this will snowball as more fish reach the mature

size where they can’t be taken, where in turn they will produce more recruitment and so on. I believe it would only take two or three years to see a huge benefit and I believe it would be so successful we wouldn’t need a barra closed season in Queensland anymore. The relatively narrow flathead slot limit has proven very successful, as evidenced in Moreton Bay, Jumpinpin and the Gold Coast where the flathead have come back in great numbers. This was a masterstroke by the Fisheries powers that be, yet even with its success they haven’t introduced this method for other fish species in Queensland. So please jump on daf. qld.gov.au, check out the Fisheries Reform discussion papers and really think about the future of our fishing. Have a good think about bag limits. It’s much better to have a smaller bag limit that you can catch every time than a larger one that can hardly ever be filled and damages our fish populations. Until next month…

Experienced local guide

A quality nannygai for Laura.

Craig with a solid nannygai from a bluewater charter.

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• Two boats available catering for groups of 2-8 • 3 to 7-day packages including accommodation Todd & Raylene Eveleigh T: 07 4777 2968 M: 0417 192 318 E: barra@crackﬁsh.com Laura was stoked with this popper-eating GT.

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4WDING & off - road The author’s Patrol recovered Jordan from an easy bog hole.

The Milk Carton drove up to Apple Tree Lookout.

Easter ecstasy at Levuka 4x4 Park W E at Flexible 4WD Solutions truly hope you enjoyed your Easter as much as we did.

It took two hours to winch the Milk Carton up this hill on Rosemary’s Track.

Easter 2018 was spent at the beloved Levuka 4x4 Park owned by Robert and Rosemary. Our attendance to their Easter event is starting to become a nice little tradition. With lush green grass, sloppy tracks, wood-fired pizza, helicopter rides, live music, a night run, prizes and epic fireworks

The Milk Carton parked up on some logs before a D-MAX tried and failed.

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0401 221 596 Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

4WD Trip

by GREG BELL

shows, there is no place we’d rather be. This year, though the weather leading up to the Easter weekend was beautiful, we had one day of constant rain on Thursday, which meant the tracks were extremely sloppy throughout the weekend. This year we were lucky enough to be approached by Glenn from Gold Coast Camping and Social 4WD Group to help out with marshalling for the night run. Levuka 4x4 Park does not usually allow night driving due to the dangers of the activity and noise it causes for campers, however Robert and Rosemary make an exception during the Easter weekend. The night run has a few basic rules: no carnage, everyone must be able to get involved and participants must stay within the group. To achieve this, Robert allows Gold Coast Camping and Social 4WD Group to co-ordinate and run the event. This year Glenn stepped up to the plate and did an amazing job… except for getting lost on the track during the scouting run (sorry bro!). As a group, we all met on Friday afternoon with the intention of meeting each of the marshals and developing a plan for the run. With the park at maximum capacity, facilitating 300 cars and about 800 attendees, expectations were that this year’s run would include over 100 cars. With so many participants, we needed to ensure all obstacles were passable and have recovery vehicles in place so we didn’t experience doubleups on the tracks. We worked well together and explored a range of options for the direction of this run, but unfortunately due to the downpour the day before we were limited in what tracks were able to be driven by all participants, apparently even some of the marshals. Once we had the tracks pretty much picked out, Willow from Off The Tracks experienced one of those butt-puckering moments.

While driving through a steep, off-cambered T intersection, Willow was attempting to head straight through, however the slippery track had a different plan. All we heard over the UHF was “Help, I think I need a quick snatch, quickly, I keep sliding!” Willow had slipped down into the track on his right and was on the verge of sliding down an extremely steep track sideways in his brand-spanking-new 76 Series LandCruiser! Thankfully he had enough traction to hold tight until the car was secured and recovered. Sadly, but unsurprisingly, we decided this section of track was unsuitable for the night run and cut the run short. The following day, we all met again to redo the run and choose our checkpoints. Poor Glenn, our fearless group leader, managed to turn left instead of right at a Y intersection and got mildly lost. You can bet your bottom dollar he did not stop hearing about it throughout the rest of the trip. Upon stopping as a group to wait for Glenn to return, one of the members called over the UHF that oil was all over the tracks and urged everyone to get out and check their vehicles. Sure enough, a Nissan Pathfinder had bashed in its oil sump on a rock and dropped all its oil. With an oily version of a murder scene appearing, the car was towed back to camp – cue the trusty Milk Carton.

I don’t know if you have ever towed a broken vehicle through a completely packed campground, but it is actually pretty fun (not so much for the towed car!). With everyone looking on and wondering what happened, as the tow vehicle driver you simply get to smile and wave. Later that night we ran the night run successfully, with no incidents reported. The night was topped off with a bonfire, live music, giveaways and the Bush Café. The joy in the air waking up on Easter Sunday was infectious. Usual quiet sounds of the bush and birds chirping away were mixed with the squeals of young children enjoying Easter egg hunts all around. This day was extra special for me, as my mother was going to come four-wheel-driving with me. This day had a five-year build-up. I have spent an extraordinarily large amount of time trying to convince my mother to sit in my car while I show her what my life is all about. The last time Mum decided to come in my car off-road was during my first-ever trip to Levuka 4x4 Park in my D22 Navara with minimal modifications. Back then I drove the very simple tracks and even this was enough to scare Mum. After the recent passing of my father, I explained to Mum how much it would mean to me if she would give me the chance to show her the skills I have learnt and the knowledge I have obtained over the years. Once mum arrived at the park for her day trip, she continued ☛ continued P57

You know you’ve hit the rough when you peel a tyre off the bead.

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4WDING & off - road

Easter ecstasy at Levuka 4x4 Park ☛ from P56

to worry about what she had got herself into – and probably for good reason! I spent a number of hours deciding where I wanted to take Mum within the park and developing a route that would ease her into the experience before challenging her trust while remaining in a safe space. I have to say, I take my hat off to Mum as she did not complain once during the trip and I can promise you we drove up some hillclimbs that some of my mates are uncomfortable taking on. With some luck, we managed to park up behind a 79 Series LandCruiser with twin lockers. The owner was struggling to complete a hillclimb that although steep was fairly straight forward – especially for a rig with lockers. I told mum to watch this car struggling to drive the track before following it up in a single attempt without any hassles – boy did this make me smile! After a while, we made our way down to the Play Pen. You may remember the Play Pen from my previous Levuka article, but for those who don’t, it is basically a gully full of mud with a number of rutted-out hillclimbs that are challenging due to the lack of traction. We had a short play in the pen, which resulted in a few failed attempts at the hillclimbs and fairly violent sliding backwards down the tracks, which caused mum to call the adventure quits. What a shame, as this was right before we planned to venture down Rosemary’s Track! First off, I’d like to say I am extremely glad my mother did not let me take her down this track. Additionally, I would like to note I have never seen this track as challenging as it was this Easter. After mum headed home, I convinced my cousin to join me on my quest to drive Rosemary’s Track, but much to my surprise I was unable to convince anyone else to join me. So I ventured down Rosemary’s Track in blissful ignorance and full

of confidence from completing this track without hassle a number of times in the past. Well, I made it less than 100m down the track and it took me two hours to make it back out the same 100m. In my ignorance I did not walk the first section of the track, which is an S bend on an extremely steep hill. What I did not realise was that since the last time I completed the track, a new rut had formed. When I turned down the second part of the S, the nose of the Milk Carton followed my path, however the rear end slipped into the ruts… violently and about 1.5m sideways. The Milk Carton hit the rut so hard that both Sammy and I thought we had written off the rear end on a tree. After sliding almost 30m directly down the hill and dodging the really inconvenient tree situated in the middle of the track at the bottom of the hill, I was able to get out and assess the damage. By this stage Sammy had radioed through to my cousin, firmly instructing him not to come down the track. I quickly jumped out and was thankful to find that I had only torn the tyre completely off my rim – no biggie, right? When I looked back up the hill, I noticed a crowd emerging. Apparently the noise of hitting the rut was loud enough for spectators from up to 200m to hear it and come running to ensure we were safe. With some very technical winching, we were able to align ourselves onto semi-flat, semi-stable ground to jack the car up and swap over the wheels. The mud at the bottom of the hill was so thick and sloppy that we had to use a shovel to dig the mud out of the rim before we could locate the nuts to remove the wheel. After the tyre change, we continued winching for another hour and a half before we made it most of the way to the top of the hill. And then our winch started to make some gnarly metal on metal grinding sounds.

Of course! With light minutes from completely fading away and no one about with a winch to support us, we had only one choice: to push on. We used double line pulls to lessen the load on the winch and increase our chances of getting the car out before dark. Double line pulls involve using a pulley block to run your winch line to a tree and back to the car, essentially halving the load

on the winch – you’ve got to love physics. With the sounds getting worse and worse, our winch continued to power on and safely got us to the top. I think it is about time we put a winch we endorse onto the Milk Carton – the old cheap winch that was already fitted when we bought the car has now well and truly earnt its keep. Time for a Carbon 12xp high-speed winch!

This winch has been developed in Australia, for Australia, with an IP67 rating, standard breather lines and an unbeatable warranty. We are definitely keen to get one of these bad boys hooked up to the Patrol. Let us know if you are ready to step up your winching game too. All in all, Easter 2018 was one to remember. Until next time, stay safe and get out to enjoy our beautiful country.

The author and crew prepared themselves for the night run.

The author had to change a tyre in a precarious position.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 57

C AMPING & outdoors Using a wildlife camera H

I all, the Mary Valley looks the best I’ve seen in years and the green pastures provide picturesque backdrops, but that growth also provides extra cover for a variety of visitors.

A daylight shot as the motion sensor picked up a brush turkey.

Night vision of a couple of wallabies crossing the boundary.

Some of which are not so welcome onto a property owner’s land. Feral animals exist in rural environments because of their ability to travel and survive mostly undetected, except for the obvious impact they have on domestic livestock and crops. Like most, I work for a living and spend a fair bit of time off the block. Occasionally I’ve noticed a solitary male dingo stationed on the highest part of our property, watching my every move. This animal knows when we leave for work and our daily habits as well as where he can simply pick up a takeaway chicken. He knows the limitations and boundaries of where our blue heeler can access, and uses this to full advantage. So what do I know about him? Does he have a pattern to his daily ritual that may assist me to understand and use to my advantage? I don’t have time to sit on a hillside waiting and scanning his movements. I can easily see the entrance ways and tracks wildlife use to access our property but I don’t know what actually happens 24 hours a day. A wildlife camera, sometimes known as a game camera, is a wonderful and relatively cheap piece of equipment. You can see in one of the

Well-known hunting guide Jamie Jones shared a couple of pics from his game camera.

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Outdoors by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

Deer, pigs and dogs are the prize but wallabies and kangaroos are often caught passing through, as are goannas and of course the ever-present brush turkey strolling down the trail and posing for the shot. pictures I have it strapped to a fence post next to a well-worn game trail. The device is ‘on’ 24/7 but sits dormant until any sudden movement activates the camera. Infrared LEDs at the front of the camera allow clear night shots during times of complete darkness, which is when many animals come to raid or feed on your property. The camera takes the shot and dates and time stamps it. You can check the camera manually and review when and what has been captured, providing you with a wealth of information. I suggest you run a wildlife camera for a week and see if patterns arise. Local farm butcher Greg Paul doubles as a professional guide during the deer roar and usually sets up a number of cameras weeks prior to a hunt. It provides him with data such as numbers, locations and whether a trophy stag has been frequenting the target area. This is priceless information to assist Greg in putting his customers where they should be to succeed in their quest for that once-in-a-lifetime prize. On the market you’ll find game cameras with well-known hunting brand names such as Bushnell and Browning as well as many others, and prices vary depending on the capabilities of the individual product. I use a Maginon threezone motion sensor camera I picked up in Aldi. It’s a well-made piece of equipment out of Germany and comes with a three-year warranty. It can take still captures or videos in either daylight or complete darkness. Powered by eight AA batteries, if using it for still shots it has a standby life of about six months. I can download my capture pictures onto my

computer or simply view the shots directly on the camera’s monitor while out in the bush. Being a big kid at heart, using the camera reminds me of setting crab pots to return later with the excitement of seeing what the trap will hold. Deer, pigs and dogs are the prize but wallabies and kangaroos are often caught passing through, as are goannas and of course the ever-present brush turkey strolling down the trail and posing for the shot. You could draw the comparison between a fisher using a sounder and a hunter a game camera. It is simply a device to relay what is usually unseen but important information to the user. It can be the difference between failure and success. Most models come in a camo finish, as does the Maginon, and come with accessories such as computer cables, straps and attachment stands. I’ve found the Maginon extremely easy to use and set. For best results, have all your equipment ready

to go so you can get to your dedicated spot, set the camera to a predetermined structure such as a tree or post and get out of there ASAP. Try to avoid scenting up the area. I usually keep the dog in the truck so he doesn’t try to mark this new bit of territory. Ideally, leave the camera for a few days to get a true indication of behaviours. You could run the camera in conjunction with a feeder or another form of enticement to bring more animals in. The introduction of a grain feeder will provide a future ambush spot. Once prey locate the source and understand it is a consistent spot to feed, they’ll frequent the area and of course a camera will assist you in knowing just what is visiting when. A dead carcass on the farm or even roadkill will attract pigs and wild dogs. These wild animals survive because they’re smart, alert and cunning, so using any edge you can to achieve success tips the game in your favour. Check out the pictures from well-known bowhunter Jamie Jones of a fallow deer caught on one of his game cameras in northern NSW. Jamie has been taking down some fine pigs and deer recently and I’m sure he’d agree his cameras supply him with a wealth of knowledge. Cameras can cost less than $100 and I believe they offer a whole new dimension to your hunting experience. Until next time, keep enjoying what our outdoors has on offer and stay safe.

The author’s game camera is simple but effective.

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C AMPING & outdoors

Looking west into the Cape York Outback from Grassy Hill.

Doing the Cape – part one A LMOST everyone is too busy these days!

Doing a trip up Cape York offers a great opportunity to wind down as well as explore, camp and fish. I highlight this because many people seem to regard the trip to the tip as some sort of a race. Get there and get back again! As a result, they miss out on seeing so much, and bypass the wonderful benefits of slowing down and taking it all in. With the dry season now coming on, Cape York is in the sights of thousands of adventurous fourwheel-drive explorers. Of course we all have varying amounts of time available for this journey. A fortnight is a good time frame for your first Cape York experience. However, longer is better. A month here will have you feeling like a local and not wanting to leave. Anyway, here’s something of a guide to places well worth visiting. There’s two ways to get to Laura from Cairns, but we’ll go one route up and the other on the return south. Departing Cairns, the drive to Port Douglas/ Mossman along the Captain Cook Highway is very scenic. A boat trip with one of the tour boats on the Daintree River is a great way to explore a lush tropical river and see some wildlife including a crocodile or two. We have found the Solar Whisper (a solar-powered boat) cruise to be excellent, with great, informed commentary. After crossing the Daintree on the vehicle ferry and driving through the amazing rainforests here, reputedly the oldest on www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cape York

by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

One wet season, only a few years before the tar was laid, the rain was so consistently heavy and the road so boggy that no one could get through – the mailmen had to revert to using packhorses to get the mail through to Ayton! earth, it feels a bit like you’re starting to leave civilisation, though this is a focus point for general tourists. You’ll find some great beaches to explore (not swim at!) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service has built boardwalks through the rainforest and mangroves that are a must-do and are well signposted. Beyond Cape Tribulation, you’re starting on the famous Bloomfield Track, with some steep sections and cracker views out to sea. The gravel road hints at what lies ahead. The adventure has really started now! Scenic Bloomfield River is regarded by many as the beginning of Cape York in the southeast. The river now has a bridge over it, but before this many a vehicle was swamped here. Swing left straight after the bridge and it’s only a few kilometres up to the magnificent Bloomfield Falls. Back on the main road, you’ll pass through the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal, adjacent to the picturesque Bloomfield. The locals boast the

place is so beautiful you have to say ‘Wujal’ twice! The road continues along the river for a while – keep an eye out for basking crocodiles, especially in the cooler months. You’ll find a couple of great campgrounds at Ayton township a little further north, with cabins also available. It’s well worth having a beach walk at Weary Bay, virtually on the edge of town. There’s a boat ramp just south of Ayton too, and this clear mountain stream can fish surprisingly well for barra and jacks. In good weather, you can cruise out to one of the close reefs to target coral trout, red emperor, nannygai and other tropical fish delicacies. The Bloomfield Track continues onwards past Mount Louis Station and into the mountains, all clothed in lush rainforest. This section is now bitumen. One wet season, only a few years before the tar was laid, the rain was so consistently heavy and the road so boggy that no one could get through – the mailmen had to revert to using packhorses to get the mail through to Ayton!

This is high-rainfall country, with average annual rainfall measured in metres. It also features the highest mountains on Cape York, including Mount Finnigan at 1124m, which play a big role in triggering such rainfalls. Beside the road along here you’ll see some stunning plants such as fan palms, black palms and even native bananas. At the small township of Rossville, originally established as a tin mining settlement, you can divert east a few kilometres to stay at Home Rule Rainforest Lodge. It features cabins, a camp kitchen and even a bar, with plenty of room to camp near the crystalclear Wallaby Creek. I used to camp here when running bush expeditions, sort of our ‘comfort camp’ after all the earlier bush camps, and the clients all loved it. The hike up to Home Rule Falls is a cracker. While steep in places it is well worth the effort, with a swim at the base of the falls another reward. Not much further north is the iconic Lions Den Hotel. Here’s the chance to meet some of the local characters and enjoy a cold drink. Accommodation is available and you can also camp near the Annan River. Beautiful! Just beyond the Lions Den and only 25km before Cooktown lies the imposing Black Mountain, composed entirely of giant granite boulders. Once this was one massive dome of granite lying deep underground. Since being exposed it has been weathered by the ☛ continued P60

The mighty Bloomfield Falls near Wujal Wujal.

Keep an eye out for basking crocodiles on the Daintree River.

The imposing Black Mountain, southwest of Cooktown.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 59

The author with a coral trout taken on a fillet of spanish flag/stripy.

Steve Kotzikas with a monster 29kg spanish mackerel.

Change of seasons in the far north U P here in the Torres Strait, we have been fortunate to score some great wet season weather windows since the beginning of the year.

Neville boated this solid fingermark on a fresh slab of mackerel.

Gary Jones and a spanish mackerel that hit a Rapala X-Rap Magnum 30+.

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This has allowed us to venture wide of Thursday Island to explore new areas. It can be a bit of a gamble at times, with storms brewing quickly, but this year they have either avoided us or we have avoided them. Pulling out the maps and putting in lots of groundwork and planning prior to trips has certainly paid off, with great fish coming aboard. Although the weather had glassed out, we struggled to find clean water as cyclone Nora stirred things up and the water looked more like a chocolate milkshake than its usual turquoise beauty. It wasn’t until we were 60 nautical miles (three hours) east of Thursday Island that the water quality improved, and not long after that the surface action erupted as mackerel shot

Cape York & Torres Strait by MATT POTTER

skywards in their quest to smash large schools of gar and flying fish. When the water eventually cleared, the pelagics moved back in closer to Thursday Island. We managed cracking spanish mackerel and giant trevally on Rapala XRap Magnum 30+ hardbodies. On one trip the crew refused to drop the lures back in after they managed a three-way hookup on big brassy trevally, which left everyone wrecked in 97 percent humidity. Harden up fellas! The quality of mackerel being caught has been great, with a handful of fish around the 15kg mark. A mate who lived up here for several years and was back on the island for holidays managed a 29kg horse of a mackerel, which was certainly the biggest I’ve seen up here

in many years. The winds have now shifted, signalling the start of the dry season. As I write this article, the southeasterly trade winds are heading up the

east coast of Cape York and will reach the Torres Strait in a couple of days. This will put an end to any long-range trips east, and while the winds will ease for brief periods, 20-25 knot southeasterly winds are fairly relentless, blowing through until November. Thankfully, we still have great fishing and spear-

fishing options. Using the Hammond Rock tidal stream information on the Bureau of Meteorology site is crucial for planning boating travel with the wind and current in the same direction. This is necessary for timing the safest and most comfortable trips when ☛ continued P61

Lee and Neville landed a pair of small-mouth nannygai.

Doing the Cape part one – Cairns to Cooktown ☛ from P59

sun and rain to form this incredible geological spectacle. The black look of the boulders comes from a covering of algae, and two species of lizards and one species of frog are found only in this range. Approaching Cooktown, you notice the country opening up somewhat. In fact, this is the northern edge of the

Wet Tropics – beyond lies the great Cape York Outback. Cooktown is a cracker of a town, nestled on the banks of the Endeavour River, with picturesque views in virtually every direction. The town presents its rich history well, and excellent Aboriginal cultural tours are available. Most people know that Captain Cook and his crew repaired the Endeavour here after hit-

ting a reef further south. What is less known is that the Englishmen had the good fortune to arrive at a place traditionally set aside by the local Guugu Yimmidhirr people as a peaceful area, where no bloodshed was to occur. Otherwise they may not have been so readily accepted! It’s absolutely well worth visiting the historical centres and Nature’s Powerhouse, the beauti-

ful beaches, fishing off the wharf and having a fish in the rivers or offshore if the weather is good. Cooktown has plenty of accommodation, a good little supermarket, mechanical services and tyres. Before leaving, a trip to Grassy Hill will reveal one of the best panoramas in Australia. This is where Captain Cook peered through his telescope to try to find

a way out through the maze of reefs. On a good day, you should be able to see the beautiful Egret and Boulder reefs to the east in the famous Coral Sea. Southward is the rainforest-clad Mount Cook and the Wet Tropics. And then to the north and west lies the alluring Cape York Outback. Where to next? Find out next month, and safe and great travels. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Change of seasons in the far north ☛ from P60

the wind is up. Conditions can change quickly and wind against current can create a dangerous short chop, which is something many find out the hard way. With the change in seasons, my attention now turns to fishing the western coast of Cape York. The inshore action can be red hot, with loads of bait moving through the area. Mackerel, trevally, queenfish and tuna are never far behind and the birds quickly give away their location. Sharks are a real problem and the sound of an outboard is like a dinner bell signalling a free feed. Bull sharks and bronze whalers will hang under the boat and snatch fish at the side of the boat, which is why it pays to use a gaff or net.

Often we avoid the larger schools of boiling fish to find smaller schools in the hope of actually getting our fish past the sharks. High-speed spinning with metal lures such as the 55g Halco Gold Twisty will soon have reels screaming. With cyclone Nora having passed through Cape York, it’ll be interesting to see how the sandbanks have moved and channels have changed in some of the Cape river systems I love to fish. I’m sure there will be lots of new snags to flick a lure at and I’m eager to chase barra soon while water temps are still high. Despite living on an island off the tip of Cape York, the fishing can in fact be pretty tough at times, with the weather and the dangerous currents that rip through the Adolphus Channel being

two frustrating factors to work around. A lot of people visit Cape York and the Torres Strait in the dry season expecting to catch a fish every cast but leave somewhat disappointed as they struggle to catch much at all. While the rivers can fire around the new and full moons with greater tidal variations, the reef fishing in the Torres Strait and off the east coast of the Cape is better around the neap tides as the current eases and you can actually get a bait to the bottom. The water also clears and the trolling and spinning gear gets a good workout on speedy pelagics. If you are heading to a new area, it pays to have a good look at the charts. As we travel big distances, we often have limited fishing time and it certainly helps if before

Nick Chandler landed this huge GT after a 30-minute fight.

you leave you can narrow down an area to start searching for fish. It is amazing the amount of productive ground I’ve found over the years by using the Navionics app while kicking back on the couch of an evening. Once I’ve decided on an area to explore, I will mark any features of interest such as contour lines or ‘high spots’ showing significant depth change, as well as the pressure points of small reef systems, sand cays, rocks, wrecks and even navigational beacons. Later, I punch these GPS co-ordinates into the Lowrance to give me 10 or so ‘starter marks’ I’m able to check out all within a few miles of each other. Once out on the water, I will spend some time sounding the ground in between these areas for any structure or bait while also keeping an eye on the water for any bait or surface activity. Having a game plan certainly saves driving around aimlessly in the hope of finding fish. Though some of these marked areas will of course be fishless, more often than not it pays off. I enjoy the planning process and the anticipation of not knowing what you may come across. While not always the case, it is certainly great when a plan comes together. Check out our Fishing Missions- Northern Australia Facebook page to follow our fishing adventures.

Lee Calvert and the author held the results of a double hook-up.

Neville Harrison picked up a nice golden trevally.

Pumped! It doesn’t get much better. Heading wide in glassy conditions.

Be vigilant: this is crocodile country T

HERE’S no question Australia has some of the world’s fiercest and deadliest creatures. The sea and land create no limitations for our apex predator, the crocodile, who sits right at the top of the food chain. These animals have been maintaining our rivers since dinosaurs roamed the earth, making them the oldest living reptile. Much like sharks, crocodiles have gained a bad reputation, causing them to be culled when attacks happen, however most of these incidents are due to humans stepping into their territory. No crocodile species has reached the point of extinction, but most have become endangered. If we intend on keeping our scaly neighbours from extinction, it’s important we educate ourselves on their habits and triggers so we can better coexist with them.

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Our crocodiles are a part of our native ecosystem, and it’s our duty as Australians to meet them halfway by ensuring we are knowledgeable enough to avoid disaster. Although crocodile attack rates are fairly low (only two per year), understanding preventative measures when going bush is paramount, for your sake and theirs. Look down Flattened vegetation, drag marks and footprints are signs that a crocodile might not be far off. If fishers are nearby, be wary of fish scraps because there’s a good chance of them attracting crocs. Don’t be deceived by calm waters Crocs love an afternoon bask in the sun, so keep an eye out on the riverbanks. But keep in mind, they like to submerge themselves in the water and wait for prey.

If that isn’t terrifying enough, crocs can hold their breath for up to an hour – all while slowing their heart rate to a few beats per minute. You might not see movement in the water, but that doesn’t mean there’s no danger floating nearby. Stay in designated areas Pay attention to the warning signs that state whether certain areas are ‘croc-infested waters’. If you don’t see any signs, stay safe and always assume any body of water, particularly mangrove swamps and rivers, has a crocodile; which means avoid swimming, fishing and canoeing, especially in lesser-known bodies of water located in croc country. Cold weather won’t protect you Being cold-blooded, crocs are generally more active during the warmer seasons, but that doesn’t mean they’ll disappear

for the rest of the year. Crocs do travel Even though freshwater crocs aren’t known as man-eaters, that doesn’t mean you won’t find their more aggressive counterpart, salties, in their habitat. Don’t bother with zigzagging It’s a common misconception that you should run away from crocs in a zig-zag because they supposedly can’t make quick turns. Crocs can run up to 18km/h, so they could probably catch up to you. Simply aim for the nearest tree and climb as fast as you can. That said, crocs rarely attack on land and only chase after you if they feel threatened. If worst comes to worst If for whatever reason you find yourself near or within a crocodile’s jaws, don’t bother trying to pry open its mouth, as human strength is nothing against the strongest

bite in the world, and a croc will only clamp down harder. A jab to the eyes and punch in the nose should disorientate the animal and give you some chance of escape. While crocs are perceived as scary and dan-

gerous creatures, they actually don’t pose that much of a threat to humans. Studies reveal you’re more likely to be attacked by dogs and horses. As long as we can better educate ourselves

on how to be safe and vigilant around crocs, both humans and crocs can coexist and explore peacefully in the same region. For more information on All 4 Adventure, visit all4adventure.com.au Jase Andrews

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018 – Page 61

Kate Baines won the women’s saratoga category. Allie Hutchinson with the author.

Dean Ronnfeldt was the men’s catfish category winner.

Women’s black bream winner Deidre Hourn with Councillor Brooke Leo.

Memorable Moura Muddy Water Classic

OR over 25 years now I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to visit and fish in some pretty special areas of this country.

Mark Hutchinson was the men’s saratoga runner-up.

The Dawson River is about as Aussie an environment as you’ll find anywhere. The people are honest

Sauce: Makes 3 cups Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 4 hours

Dip: Serves 8 Prep time: 5 minutes

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Chilli and mango cream cheese dip Sauce Ingredients • 10 long red chillies • 4 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 cup red wine vinegar • 3 cups white sugar • 2 limes, juiced • 2 pairs kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced • 2 tbsp fish sauce • 1 tsp freshly grated ginger • 2 Honey Gold mango cheeks, finely diced Method 1. Deseed chillies and finely chop. 2. Slice the mango cheeks from either side of the seed. Hold the cheek in the palm of your hand and slice vertically and horizontally, avoiding cutting through the skin, to create a chequered pattern of 5mm squares. 3. Scoop the flesh from the mango cheek with a dessert spoon 5mm deep to achieve similar size pieces.

4. Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and set to low. Cook for four hours, stirring occasionally. 5. Remove bowl from slow cooker and place on a cutting board for 30 minutes to allow sauce to slowly cool. 6. Bottle chilli and mango sauce. Dip Ingredients • 150ml of Appetite 4 The Wild chilli and mango sauce (above) • 1 packet Arnott’s Original Jatz crackers • 250g tub Philadelphia spreadable cream cheese Method 1. Place the tub of cream cheese upside down on a plate and remove from container. 2. Drizzle chilli and mango sauce on top of the Philadelphia cream cheese. 3. Surround the chilli and mango dip with Jatz and serve.

Tips: Start the party with this spicy cream cheese dip. Make this recipe your own by selecting your favourite biscuits or crackers. Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

and just want to get out and enjoy the outdoors and the most dominant landscape feature around here apart from the river itself are the river gums. The river and the gums complement each other to create that inland river scene so many artists have tried to capture over the years. Of course, those who have tried to portray the outback on canvas feel that no matter how good their painting is, it is impossible to replicate. The natural sounds that wake you in the morning are of birds and wildlife, and the smell of a smouldering campfire just adds to the perfect setting for a relaxing break. Having spent the majority of my life in similar surrounds, the older generation is now beginning to really appreciate what living in rural Australia is about and has begun to cherish the simplistic lifestyle more and more every day. It’s not surprising though, to see people locked into mundane lifestyles in mass population centres beginning to realise that there must be more to life than television, freeways, buses, sirens, trains and tarmac and concrete everywhere. Nearly everyone says g’day in rural centres, and the sincerity in their eye contact is genuine. The many enjoyable aspects of visiting an outback location make it refreshing and extremely therapeutic. It’s really hard to put into words, but I would recommend checking it out for yourself. Traditionally, the Moura Muddy Water Classic Family Fishing Competition brings people from far and wide to enjoy meeting a bunch of likeminded enthusiasts who just want to be part of an event that helps celebrate family participation and good old-fashioned country hospitality. There are a few locations where you can prop yourself up on the banks of the Dawson to try your luck, and many of the winning catches come from just metres away from the festivities, demonstrations and presentations. The highly sought-after saratoga is the premier sportfish for the Dawson.

That barra are present is thanks to the incredible efforts of the Moura Fish Stocking Group, though it seems everyone downstream from the weirs has benefitted from the barra efforts. Yellowbelly would be the next most sought-after species, and when the waters are a bit clearer plenty are caught, though the fresh seems to make them less obvious. Eel-tailed and forktailed catfish are prolific in the Dawson, but the forkies make up the biggest number caught while bait fishing. A couple of perch species also thrive in the Dawson and will keep you busy. Just weeks before the Classic was held, a run of freshwater upstream began gradually working its way down to the Moura area, reaching it in time for the weekend’s event and changing the conditions. Saratoga are incredibly prolific in these waters. Photos from the weeks before the event proved large saratoga were available for those who knew their stuff, and of course, had an element of luck as well. The results of the competition are listed in the table, so I won’t write anything but praise for a bunch of the nicest, most dedicated and driven true Aussies I’ve ever met. I’ve reconnected with many of the locals year after year and they are what I would classify as

friends these days, though I only see most on an annual basis. I have even watched their kids grow up for nearly a decade. Thanks to everyone from Moura for reminding me what it is I love so much about Aussies, Australia and the few special spots we are still free to enjoy. The local Apex group is a bunch of characters who just love the place and work closely with the fish stockers to make it as

user friendly as possible for visitors. A couple of hours inland from Rockhampton, the Dawson River Apex Park would be a great place to explore and enjoy on a weekend when you don’t really have anything else important to take up your time. Just hit the road with the rods and enjoy this corner of Australia. Go on, get out there. Cheers and good luck. Dave ‘Hodgie’ Hodge

Tim Meyers took out the saratoga category overall.

Councillor Brooke Leo with women’s catfish winner Sherry Strandquist.

Moura Muddy Water Classic results Species

First place

Second place

Catfish

Sherry Stranquist 3.844kg

Lillie Heath 3.62kg

Black bream

Deidre Hourn 0.716

Jew

Tracey Lisle 0.63kg

Saratoga

Kate Baines 2.476kg

Mary Karakyriacos 1.825kg

Catfish

Dean Ronnfeldt 6.520kg

Ben Heath 3.69kg

Black bream

Mark Lisle 0.925kg

Jew

Darryl McGreevy 0.968kg

Harry Johnson 0.962kg

Yellowbelly

Daniel Blyton 0.745kg

Saratoga

Tim Meyers 2.716kg

Mark Hutchinson 1.378kg

Catfish

Orrin Heath 4.545kg

Eden Heath 3.6kg

Spangled perch

Allie Hutchinson 0.084

Libby Hutchinson 0.076kg

Jew

Monique Irvine 0.364kg

Saratoga

Tayla Roberts 1.93kg

Rylan Reynolds 1.78kg

Senior Women

Senior Men

Juniors

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CATCH BARRA

at Lake MonDuran

Father and son team Greg and James hooked 12 barra and boated six on a recent charter with Lake Monduran Barra Charters. Greg is pictured with a 68cm barra.

James landed a healthy 80cm fish.

Awesome weather, sensational fishing

ITH cyclone season ending, we should see more perfect days over the next couple of months. Our daytime air temperatures are still very warm, mostly in the mid to high-20C range, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got light wind, beautiful clear blue skies and water temps above 20C.

Monduran Dam by DONNA GANE

All this adds up to sensational fishing. One of the great benefits of impoundment fishing is we can have fun boating fish every day of the year, not just during open season.

Yes, this includes winter and often winter impoundment barra fishing can be truly memorable. Lake Monduran is a viable fishing option every day of every year. The lake is renowned for

Robyn and her daughter Sarah and the awesome barra she boated recently.

yielding the world-record barra, a 134.5cm fish caught in 2010. But did you know some serious bass are swimming around the lake as well? In the past couple of weeks, a whopping and very fat 65cm bass was landed. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for a spot to try your luck, taking a trip to Two Mile, one of the northernmost areas of Lake Monduran, would be worthwhile. You could also try some of the bays on the way up that have the light southeasterly wind pushing into them. A standout lure of late has been the Reidyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s B52. Plastics are still working well, with a variety of sizes enticing fish, but mainly paddle-tail varieties such as Zerek Flat Shads and Z-Man Mag SwimZ. The barra and bass in Lake Monduran are smart, well fed and in great health, so sometimes different tactics or a lure that is not what everyone else is using can help you catch the monsters. Not only is Gin Ginâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climate one of the best

in the world but it has many great fishing spots, both fresh and salt water, within an hourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive. Along with the many fishing spots, a wide variety of species is on offer too. So when you drive along the Bruce Highway and find yourself halfway between everywhere, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know you are in Gin Gin. Call into Barra Havoc and we will tell you where you should go and fish. The shop is on the Bruce Highway between the fire station and Tyrepower right in the middle of Gin Gin. Give us a call prior to your trip and we will inform you of the recent catches and weather outlook. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to keep your Stocked Impoundment Permit up to date because this system ensures great fishing in all our lakes for years to come. In short, the weather is awesome and the fishing can be sensational! Cheers and happy angling. Thanks once again to Jamie Bein from Lake Monduran Barra Charters for the great photos.

Reduced speed limit to remain while Lake Tinaroo hazards surveyed

UNWATER is reminding users of Lake Tinaroo that reduced speed limits are still in effect across most of the lake due to underwater hazards exacerbated by recent unauthorised tree clearing.

While the water level of the lake has risen in recent weeks, there are concerns around an increase in submerged hazards that have the po-

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tential to pose a serious risk to boaters. For this reason, users are urged to stick to the six-knot speed limit in defined zones until it can be safely removed by Maritime Safety Queensland. An underwater hazard-identification survey commenced earlier this year on behalf of SunWater and the Tinaroo Safety Reference Group.

The survey will map the location and height of hazards within specified areas of Lake Tinaroo (about 500ha). Through the results of the survey, MSQ will be able to make an informed assessment as to whether the area can be safely used for highspeed boating when the lake is at low levels. In recent times when the lake has been particularly low, SunWater has received a number of reports of unauthorised tree clearing. Because of this, recent inflows have not been significant enough to reduce the risk to highspeed activity on the lake. SunWater general manager Operations North Travis Richards said MSQ has agreed to maintain the current

reduced speed limit until the survey can confirm those areas safe for higher-speed activities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Regardless of the reasons behind any unsanctioned tree clearing, the unplanned and unmapped nature of this has now impacted our understanding of the hazards that exist within the lake,â&#x20AC;? Mr Richards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is worrying for public safety. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As water levels have risen this month, trees that would traditionally have been visible â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and therefore avoidable â&#x20AC;&#x201D; may now sit just below the surface if they have been cut without appropriate permissions and mapping.â&#x20AC;? Following completion of the survey, SunWater will work with MSQ and the Tinaroo Safety

Reference Group to help address hazards in the lake and reduce risks for all users. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the skipper to be aware of the risks associated with operating their vessel around naturally occurring hazards,â&#x20AC;? Mr Richards said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The results of this survey will better prepare them for this.â&#x20AC;? Importantly, SunWater reminds the community that Lake Tinaroo is not currently closed to boating â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but the speed limit has been temporarily reduced across much of the lake. As per MSQ advice to mariners from January 25, 2018, the Severin Creek arm section of the lake is now a declared â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no speed restrictionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; zone.

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Off and going at Somerset Dam.

Back in the bass tournament scene A couple of solid bass from the recent B.A.S.S. Australia Nation event at Somerset Dam.

’VE had an absolute ball over the past month.

I entered my first fishing tournament in three years and the B.A.S.S. Australia Nation event at Lake Somerset was fantastic. All I can say is it’s awesome to be back fishing in the tournament scene. This was by far the most impressive tournament I had ever fished. From the amazing stage to the start line where the Australian national anthem was played before start of play, it was honestly the best tournament I’d ever been to. So if any of you are reading this and thinking about getting into bass tournaments, these are the ones to get into. Drew McGrath is very helpful and makes signing up a breeze. Give him a call on 0400 655 326 or jump on bassaustralia. com.au I’ve also fished Lake Borumba on a couple of occasions and have hooked into some big bass. B.A.S.S. Australia Nation Garmin Somerset Slam On the official pre-fish day, I figured the fishing was going to be pretty tough, and with heaps of boats fishing the

Kyle Morish held two Borumba brutes.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 16/04/2018

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR 18 Atkinson 18 14 10 15 100 Awoonga 100 100 98 100 18 Bjelke-Petersen * 19 19 17 22 47 Boondooma * 46 45 42 44 99 Borumba * 101 100 101 101 82 Burdekin Falls * 82 74 79 110 85 Callide * 84 83 80 79 100 Cania * 99 98 97 99 83 Coolmunda * 79 67 52 49 7 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 7 9 4 9 93 Eungella * 95 92 92 94 34 Fairbairn * 32 28 26 29 73 Glenlyon * 72 68 58 57 99 Hinze 100 100 99 102 78 Julius 77 74 72 100 67 Kinchant * 77 54 52 68 14 Leslie * 14 13 12 12 101 Macdonald 103 98 102 103 98 Maroon * 98 98 97 100 102 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 101 101 102 101 92 Moogerah * 92 92 89 92 75 North Pine/Samsonvale * 76 75 72 90 72 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 72 68 67 81 79 Somerset * 80 77 77 78 97 Teemburra * 99 92 91 93 41 Tinaroo* 40 36 47 74 101 Toonumbar 100 99 99 100 71 Wivenhoe * 72 71 68 78 100 Wuruma * 100 100 100 100 97 Wyaralong 97 98 97 100 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to ﬁsh these dams.

Freshwater Luring by CALLUM MUNRO

primary area around Pelican Point, I knew I had to find something different. Looking around some of my regular old haunts, I found a flat up in the timber that had plenty of schooling fish 3040cm in length. The fish weren’t big by any means but if I couldn’t catch fish at Pelican Point then I could go straight up there and catch my two-fish bag very easily. First session In the first session I headed straight to Pelican Point and fished for about an hour without a bite, so decided to move up into the timber. Within the first 10 minutes I landed two nice fish around the 1.8kg mark. With two fish in the well, I quickly headed back to Pelican Point so nobody could see where I had been fishing and to hopefully luck onto a cracker bass later on. Second session The second session was similar, first fishing Pelican Point without any luck and then heading straight up the back and immediately catching two small bass. As long as I was getting my two fish a session, I was happy. I spent the last two hours fishing back at Pelican but

didn’t get a single bite. Third session In the last session I decided not to head back to Pelican Point since I hadn’t got a single bite there and I knew my chances were even slimmer considering the boating pressure from the previous sessions. So I headed straight up to the timber and based my whole session there. Fishing the old riverbed and casting up onto a 3m-deep flat, I found a lot of fish holding close to timber. I fished across the drop-off and into the river channel and must have landed at least 40 bass for the session. Casting Evergreen Little Max blades in 1/4oz did the damage when paired with the new Abu Garcia Salty Stage KR-X 2-6kg rod (721ML) and I’m absolutely amazed at how sensitive this rod is. All in all, I’m very happy with how I went in the competition, and when all was said and done I found myself in third place. It was awesome to catch up with some old faces and whack a few fish. Lake Borumba Borumba Dam has been extremely full over the past couple of months.

Rising from 80 percent capacity to 105 percent, you can imagine how dirty the water is. I’ve mainly been targeting the edges, casting Smak Spinnerbaits and Smakos right up to the edges. The burn technique has been working best for me and I can tell you it’s a pretty wicked way to catch bass, as they absolutely smash the lure on the burn. Your best bet is to fish up the arms, either the Yabba or Kingaham arms where the water is a little clearer. The main basin has been producing pretty good size fish, though they are not in big numbers. I’ve been trying the new Berkley Shimmer Shads rigged to a beetle spin, which has worked really well. I’ve found once the sun gets up, these work best. I have been hopping them down the rock walls in both arms and have been landing cracking bass. It’s a pretty gnarly way of catching these fish in deep timber-lined banks and such good fun. If you’re keen to head out to Borumba for a fish, I’m running a business called Untapped Fishing Expeditions. I’d be happy to take you out to show you our beautiful lakes and catch you some big bass. Give me a call on 0412 887 651 or check out my website at untappedfishing.com.au

APR 14 98 22 42 100 104 77 98 45 8 100 27 54 101 98 84 11 101 100 100 91 90 73 79 98 95 100 77 99 99

The author with a Borumba chunk.

Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

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Trolling tips for Cania Dam I

ALWAYS like to start fishing at Lake Cania by searching for an area with a lot of bird life.

A Scotty rod holder enables many mounting and rod angles.

The author held a cracker 51.5cm Wuruma yellowbelly hooked on a Jackall TN60 cast to a weed edge.

My motto is “birds equals bait, which equals fish”. Almost every time shags and pelicans are resting on a point or the water, fish won’t be far away. Cania has large populations of bony bream and garfish. If I find the birds, I start by trolling lures that dive from 3-9m. In the main basin, try around any of the rock ledges, points and in front of bays. In timbered areas, try to stay in the original creek bed, all the while looking for feeding birds. If you have a sounder, watch it for any signs of fish or bait. I like to use rod holders while trolling, running one out either side of the boat, which makes it a lot easier to watch your

sounder and surroundings. Scotty rod holders are good products with many mounting options and can be rotated 360 degrees and 90 degrees up and down. Setups can be as simple as a 6’-7’ rod and a 2500-size reel spooled with 10-15lb braid and 10lb leader. Troll at say 3m on one side of the boat and on the other side run a 6m diver. Try different colours too because mixing it up will determine what depth the fish are holding at and

what colour they’re liking. If you land a fish or get a strike, go back and forth over that area until you achieve further success. Quite often, heading in one direction will work better than the other. Once you’ve landed a few fish and they go quiet, it’s time to find another spot. Usually you can leave the spot where you caught fish and come back a couple of hours later to find the fish hungry. Our most commonly used lures at Cania are the RMG Poltergeist 50mm in 3m and Smak 12, 16

Feeding birds equals bait, which equals fish.

and 19 models in a wide variety of colours. Normally we use dark lures on dark days and bright lures on bright days. Always carry a goodquality tackle back device because sometimes to get the bite you need to get right into snaggy country. At this time of year, the majority of fish are in the timbered sections of Cania as it’s had good water influxes. Wuruma Dam At the moment, Wuruma is very close to full thanks to the recent rains. Cam and I did a quick

day run after not being there for a couple of years to see how it was going and we managed to land some nice yellowbelly and a few small bass while casting to weed edges in many of the timbered bays Wuruma is known for. Talking to locals at the boat ramp, they’ve been catching good numbers of yellowbelly on live shrimp after tying the boat up to good-sized trees. In future I will write an article with more info on this great dam. Get hooked! Glenn Hobson

This average size Cania bass loved a brightly coloured Smak 12.

Glenlyon fishing well despite lack of rain

ITH Easter holidays over, the fishing is the best it has been in a long while. It is good to see the junior anglers doing well and catching plenty of fish. One little angler came up to the kiosk telling us how he “caughted a big cod with mum’s fishing rod because his rod got brokeded”. Young Rowan Ison was one happy lad, as Daddy didn’t catch any that day and Pop missed out too.

Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

As you can see, he also got to eat his catch and rightly so. We had other little anglers come up to the kiosk telling us about the big ‘lellowbelly’ (yellowbelly) they caught on the fishing line with shrimp bait. This is what fishing is all about - Mum and Dad

Nick Cosmo from Stanthorpe scored this big cod.

Haydon Molkentein from Lowood landed this cod over the Easter holidays.

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doing their best to make sure the tangled line, knots, hooks and sinkers are not flying all over the place while the little ones have a ball fishing. I suggested to young Rowan that his dad may have to build a man cave in the backyard for him to put the cod’s head in. It is going to be set up on a board as a trophy, which will keep him fishing and in turn keep the fishing tackle shops running, which is what we anglers call ‘the bug’. So why relegate the trophy fish to the man cave? Well, you tell me how many people have some form of animal trophy above their bed to look at each day when they wake up. None, if they are married! Though photos throughout the house can usually pass muster. Moving on to the western rivers, it can’t get any more morbid on the rivers than it is now. With the lack of rain west of the Great Dividing Range, we see many coastal anglers who plan on targeting cod in kayaks and canoes arrive only to be told “sorry, no water flows”. We may have the small outflows from dams out our way but that’s it as the seasonal water releases have finished. So it’s a case of ringing around prior to heading out to see what water is flowing where in western river systems. With the lack of rain, it is not a good outlook for our grain growers who are right now preparing ground for seed planting of wheat and so on while

hoping to make a few bob from the yearly grind they go through. Yes we know you have had heaps of rain on the coast and you’re sick of it, but believe me we are not, as it has been months since we have seen a good downpour. This could be a cold and tough six months ahead for those on the land if we don’t get winter rain. It will also be a tough period for cod breeding in the rivers out west from July through to September, which is our breeding period for cod in the northern Murray-Darling system. For those anglers who use kayaks and canoes, large water storages will be the best bet rather than rivers. You have the option of doing a little research of your own and looking at fishing eastern watershed

streams that run to the coast. Think about all those good-looking little creeks you drove past from Brisbane to the west over the divide via Aratula. Turn left to Silverdale, Beaudesert, Boonah or Nerang and have a look at creeks including Warrill, Purga and Oxley as well as the Logan, Nerang and Coomera rivers, all of which run east to the coast. What could be in them? Cod, bass and mangrove jack? Who knows what else! Anyway, if you’re not tempted to try these places in your kayaks and canoes, then give me a call at the dam. It’s not good news at the moment for tight water fishing, but things are great on the water storages throughout our region, which are more suited to boat fishing.

Very excited young fella Rowan Ison from Alstonville, NSW caught his first fish.

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South Burnett dams see slight water inflows

OONDOOMA and Bjelke-Petersen dams have had a small influx of water from great rainfalls recently.

Half-ounce rigged plastics, 40mm blades and prop baits such as the Nories Wrapping Minnow pictured have been the standout baits at BP recently.

Bass are suckers for a vertically jigged blade and this method is great for the kids to have some fun.

Anglers young and old are still enjoying the fishing at BP. This bass was caught while casting a blade.

The yellowbelly in Boondooma are in good condition and ready for winter.

With the rain came some run-off, and we’ve seen welcome water flows into our two dams. While not a lot, it was very welcome, with Boondooma now sitting at 42 percent capacity and BP 22 percent. Anglers haven’t been disappointed because both dams have been fishing fairly well but have been a little slow due to the weather and recent holiday fishing pressure. It’s great to see so many people coming to our dams as the water levels rise. The next few weeks should see fishing improve considerably as the temperature begins to drop. Boondooma Boondooma’s main basin has been fishing reasonably well. You have a few very good options when fishing during this time of year, though it pays to be patient. The dam has grown very healthy weed edges over summer and these edges will come into play now the water is beginning to cool. I’d start the day along these weed edges and begin by throwing lipless cranks, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits right up to the weed edges, using a slow retrieve back to the boat. This presents your most likely chance of coming across big healthy bass and yellowbelly. Plenty of bass are schooled around the major points of the dam, particularly areas the wind blows past and creates current eddies. Sound around the points of the rock walls near the dam wall and the major rocky points around the front of the dam. This is where you’ll find the clearest water due to the recent inflows. When a school has been located, start by casting 5/8oz spinnerbaits, 20g spoons and 1/2oz-rigged soft plastics and count down five to seven seconds depending on how

y G u id e d b g f o rd M at t L a n

Freshwater Impoundments by MATTHEW LANGFORD

deep the fish are sitting. Consistent fast retrieves have been working best and it pays to put in multiple casts until you get a bite or fish. Half-ounce jig heads rigged to plastics have been a popular choice among anglers because the bait is a smaller profile and can be burnt fast to initiate a strike from any hungry fish. Another great option, particularly if you have young kids, is to jig 3040mm blades around the above points. The most consistent depth out wider of these points is 6m. Dropping a blade and jigging it vertically off the bottom is a great way to catch fish and an easy technique for the kids. Trollers are catching nice bass and goldens in the main basin on 5/8oz spinnerbaits and deepdiving hard-bodies trolled around the major points and tight along the big steep rock walls.

Red claw have been coming in pretty thick of late and some big lobster size ones as well. Set your pots close to any rocky structure or thick timber and you’re in with a good chance of a feed. Soft fruit and vegetables and dog biscuits have been the best baits. Lake Barambah Barambah (BP Dam) has been a little tough for lure fishers of late due to the weather and pressure, but fish are still being caught if you’re willing to put in the time. Bass and goldens have been thick in some areas and sessions in the double digits are still relatively common, so keep working on them if you’ve found a good show of fish. Best areas of late have been wide around the Lightning Ridge area and the Quarry, fishing down the drop-offs. The deeper water from Bass Point right down the middle to the public boat

Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Also try trolling over the prominent dam points with spinnerbaits and blades. Bait fishers are getting heaps of table fish by fishing just about anywhere over 3m deep and near structure. Best baits have been shrimp and worms. Some red claw are still about, so make sure you pack the pots. Park news If you need any information about fishing spots on the dam or want any tackle for your weekend’s fishing, both kiosks are staffed by people who know a great deal about the dams and stock the latest tackle to help you on your way to good fishing. Don’t forget you can also book a fishing charter with me on BP and Boondooma dams. If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch bass and yellowbelly in our two great dams, make sure you give me a call on 0408 658 592. I hope to see you on the water soon. Tight lines and bent rods.

Basstasstic qualifier at Boondooma Dam

GREAT weekend was had by all at Boondooma Dam as anglers travelled from all over Queensland to attend the first round of the Basstasstic singles series. Anglers were hoping to tally a strong result to help their quest of qualifying for the grand final in November. However, simply fishing five or more rounds will net anglers an automatic entry to the final. Boondooma had hosted quite a few tournaments in the weeks before this round, so everyone expected the fishing to be hard going. In the first session, local angler Terry Allwood of Wondai hit the lead with two good bass resulting in 872 points. In second place was Basstasstic 2017 Angler of Year Jordon Renz of Bundaberg with 811 points. The afternoon session was a little tougher, with many boats moving around the dam searching for active bass. Mick Easement of the Sunshine Coast had a good session, notching up 877 points. But it all comes down

Competition Report by RUSSELL NOWLAND

to constant solid scores, and sitting in the number one spot after day one was Terry with 1637 points. Mitchell Renz moved into second place with a day one total of 1536 points. Day two was windy and a bit better than the afternoon session the day before. But when it came down to it, Terry ticked all the boxes and found consistent solid bags of fish to take the win with an overall score of 2466 points. He went home with $700 cash and a Trevor’s Leathers keyring featuring his score. He also took out the Big Bass cash pool of $270 as well as the Big Bass keyring with a quality fish of 462mm. Second place went to Mitchell with 2350 points, earning him $475 cash. Peter McGarva of Gatton placed third, with 2251 points securing $350 cash. Fourth place was taken

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ramp is also worth a drift or two. Best baits have been 1/2oz-rigged plastics, 1/4oz blades, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Because BP is a shallow dam, most fish generally congregate around the drop-offs. To find these drop-offs, use your sounder or look for points and banks that drop away quickly. Cast your lure into the shallows and slowly wind it down the slope, trying to keep it close to the bottom. I always try to imagine where my lure is sitting in relation to the bottom to keep in contact with the fish or strike zone. I consistently let the lure touch the bottom so I know I’m close as I wind the lure back to the boat. Using this method usually puts you onto a fish. Be wary from Bass Point onwards towards the timber because the water is still quite shallow. Trollers are getting bass and goldens over the drop-offs out from Bass Point and down the middle of the dam between Bass Point and the caravan park boat ramp.

out by Jordon, and 2209 points saw him go home with $300 cash. Rounding out the top five was Barry Reynolds of Nambour with 2180 points. Barry won $200 cash. Layla Allwood of Wondai took out the

junior section to make it a father and daughter winning event. She scored 2032 points and won the Bill and Cindy Schloss lure prize. Raylan Johnson of Chinchilla finished second in the junior section with 1006 points, winning a Shimano rod. Tayla Johnson of Chinchilla came third and won a Shimano reel with her score of 962 points.

Layla Allwood placed first in the junior section.

WINNERS Position

Name

Total

Terry Allwood

2466

Mitchell Renz

2350

Peter McGarva

2251

Jordon Renz

2209

Barry Reynolds

2180

Paul Allwood

2160

Kimberly Allwood

2145

Braden Schuch

2137

Gary McCabe

2087

Dave Bullard

2023

Layla Allwood

2032

Raylan Johnson

1006

Tayla Johnson

962

Seniors

Juniors

Terry Allwood was the happy winner of round one.

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Do you want to know more about bar crossing & offshore ﬁshing? Tuition with Bill Corten – successful offshore ﬁsherman and commercial skipper

Bar crossing courses: • Hands-on experience crossing ossing sing coastal bars safely • Direct supervision p masterin mastering all bar crossing skills • Fine-tuning of skills in bbreaking swells wells an and white water • On-water training in the safety of a Cruise Craft Explorer 685 ﬁlled with upright buoyancy to naval architects’ speciﬁcations • Overcome your fears and learn vital skills as part of an onwater course

Offshore ffshor shore fishing fi ng co courses: •C Comprising mprising sing a nnight of theoryy and a ffull day’ss practical training raining on ooffshore reefs • Finding reefs • Locating different fish species • Bait rigging • Shallow and deep reef fishing techniques • Using a full range of rods and reels • Sounder and GPS instruction • Offshore anchoring • And much more

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Subscription offer for May* Subscribe this month for your chance to win one of four super-accurate SoftGaff AccuMat fish-measuring devices!

Fabian Rodriguez and Steve Kanowski made up the winning Team Tennessee.

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F you put a plan together, sometimes things just work.

Steve Kanowski invited US angler Fabian Rodriguez to join him as partner in round two of the Basstasstic X-Factor teams series. Fabian is an elite bass angler in the US and he was coming down under to visit family. But he also wanted to try his hand at targeting Aussie bass. This event gave him that opportunity and when paired with Steve, they were a force to be reckoned with. Steve told Fabian he would be taking him to a very picturesque dam in the form of Borumba Dam near Imbil. There was also talk of vampire drop bears and plenty of other ‘real’ Aussie stuff to make him feel just a little terrified. A barbecue was held for anglers to meet Fabian and talk fish. He told anglers about what happens in the US and plenty about how tournaments are run over there. He was also given plenty to think about regarding good-old Australia. It was a great night and Fabian felt very welcome as well as keen to go fishing on Saturday for the first of the day’s sessions. With a change in how the teams tournament is run, all anglers had the first day to find their best

Competition Report by RUSSELL NOWLAND

two bass out of two sessions, with only two fish recorded per session. The new change carries the two best bass from day one over to day two, so all teams now have a base score to add to on day two. On day two, your team’s two best bass for the day are added to your day one tally, so it’s your four best fish that count towards your final score. Borumba was fishing a bit tough as the water was a little dirty and the bass were still feeling the effects of the inflows. Day one saw Team Tennessee comprising Fabian and Steve take the lead, with two good fish giving an overall score of 913 points.

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WINNERS Position

Team

Members

Total

Tennessee

Steve Kanowski & Fabian Rodriguez

1785

Renduit

Patrick Conduit & Brett Renz

1609

Country to Coast

Laurie Crumblin & Peter Batey

1523

Magnet

Dave Thomas & Moriah Thomas

1449

Paul Allwood & Rex Beray

1398

Rod Stoddart & Matthew Conduit

1377

Wepons of Sac

Sac Smith & Tim Storrer

1367

What Ever

Barry Reynolds & Joe Hauzer

1332

Quintrex

Trevor Crofts & Ken Gleich

1186

ABU MAKO

Mark Peterson & Nick Snow

1115

Big Bass Steve Kanowski & Fabian Rodriguez

From: .........................................................................................................................

458mm to the fork

Big Yellowbelly Trevor Crofts & Ken Gleich

Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2018

Coming in second for Saturday was team Country to Coast made up of Laurie Crumblin of Mundubbera and Peter Batey of Gympie, with a solid score of 884 points. Day two was a little different, with some fish caught in the main basin, while others went for the two creeks, but in general it was tougher than day one. In the end, the winner was Team Tennessee, with an overall score of 1785 points. Fabian and Steve won the Big Bass prize too, with a quality 458mm to the fork bass. The next round will be held at Bjelke-Petersen Dam in June.

Brett Renz and Patrick Conduit of Team Renduit took out second place.

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Fabian Rodriguez of the US wins with Steve Kanowski at Basstasstic teams qualifier

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