BNB Fishing mag | May 2021 by bnbfishing

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing Editor

NFORTUNATELY, as I pen this editorial a search is underway for Trent Riley, a local fisher who went missing near Mud Island on April 13 at around 3pm. The massive amount of community support has been overwhelming to see, with people either searching land and sea or providing goods for the searchers. A GoFundMe page has been set up and has already raised over $55,000 to support Trent’s family in continuing the search. If you’re keen to assist with the search, ‘Let’s find Trent Riley’ is the name of the Facebook group that has more information on how you can help. I cannot imagine the sadness and loss Trent’s family and friends are feeling, and hopefully by the time this edition goes to print they will have received news.

Having fished the water where Trent’s boat was discovered, this disaster hits home all the more. Also this month, a Gladstone man was thrown out of his boat on the Calliope River after it was rocked by another boat’s wash. He suffered a hand injury from the outboard propellers when he tried to get back in the boat. Thankfully, there were three kayakers nearby who helped keep him afloat while they waited for assistance. At this stage, exactly what happened to Trent is unknown, and may remain unknown, however these devastating accidents highlight a few concerns in terms of overall boating safety. Could they have been prevented if a safety lanyard had been worn? I’m guilty of not wear-

Amaya landed this small bream on a yabby. www.bnbfishing.com.au

ing one and, while I rate myself as a competent boatie, there have been times when I’ve said to myself, ‘that was close’. Being out on the water fishing and boating is awesome, however we still need to take precautions for the unexpected. Should wearing a lanyard be made compulsory while driving a boat? Should all people fishing alone wear a life jacket? I am sure everyone has their own opinion on these questions but if we can make fishing and boating safer, it’s a positive thing. I’ve donned the inflatable-style life jacket a couple of times, particularly when I’ve been out fishing alone and conditions have turned. Though these jackets are useless if you are knocked unconscious, they can be worn without restricting movement when travelling or fishing. Fishing Despite the insane weather over the past month, I did manage to get the kids into a little shore fishing and chasing tuna in Moreton Bay. A few small bream were landed on freshly pumped yabbies, which was great fun for the kids, but the tuna were not playing the game – there was still a bit too much fresh water in the area and the small schools were very flighty. Traditionally after plenty of rain mud crabs and sharks come out in force, and this has certainly been the case lately – just make sure to keep an eye on

all your crab pots! There have also been a few reports that prawns are back on and I’m hoping to get out for a final hit at them in the next month or so. Hopefully, we should

be in for a cracking autumn and winter in Moreton Bay and offshore, as rain has flushed plenty of fish and bait out from creeks and estuaries. Ben Collins

OUR COVER

AARON managed to land this solid longtail tuna aboard a charter with Tri Ton. You can read Tri’s tips for catching these fish on page PAGE 46.

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NEXT EDITION: June edition will be on sale in newsagents from May 28. MAY SUBSCRIPTION PRIZE: See the subscription form on Page 81 to go in the draw to win the Toadfish Outfitters pack valued at $350 RRP. MARCH PRIZE WINNERS: Congratulations to Bill Lemon, Oakey; G Robinson, Wilston and Gary Hunter, Meridan Plains who have each won an Okuma Avenger 3000 spinning reel and BNB cap pack valued at $85 RRP.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 5

May 2021 contents

Tried and true techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Trolling soft plastics for flathead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson . . . . . . P10 Fishing after the rain turns entire system brown. . . . . . . . by Justin Willmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P14 Tackling Moreton Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mark Templeton . . . . . . . . . . . . P18 Finding the common thread in Moreton Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Conlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P20 Muddies on the move in May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P25 Gold Coast Broadwater an angling mecca. . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P26 Baitfish bonanza brings big bites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brad Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P30 Lion’s Greenback Fishing Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P32

Shallow offshore reefs worth a shot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P33 Minor changes to NSW recreational fishing rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P34 Mixed bag around Ballina region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P36 May shaping up as a more productive month. . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P38 What to do when all options are exhausted. . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Raimondi . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 Cool times around the corner on Sunshine coast. . . . . . . by Grant Budd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P44 Tuna casting tips continued. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P46

Recipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Melissa Frohloff . . . . . . . . . . . . P47 Kolan barramundi and offshore success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brad Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P48 Testing times on Swain Reefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Greg Lamprecht . . . . . . . . . . . . P50 Lure fishing techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P52 Capricorn Coast fires with big barramundi. . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P54 The Cape is definitely open - travelling to tip . . . . . . . . . . . by Dave Donald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P55 Insights into boat insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Product News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P61 Charter Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P62 Readers’ Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P64 Rocky Point magic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . . . P66 Terrific time trout fishing in Tasmania. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mick Clutterbuck . . . . . . . . . . . P68 Uncertain future for the Darling River system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P69 Thousand-dollar saratoga fishing the Dawson River . . . . by Helen Abdy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P70 Lake Borumba Tagatoga – fishing for knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Targeting bass at Borumba and MacDonald . . . . . . . . . . . by Callum Munro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P74

Silver perch - the forgotten fish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 2021 Humminbird Lake Monduran Barra Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P77 Glenlyon Dam sitting at half capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78 Floods and pest fish, keep this fragile basin tilapia free. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P79 Trading Post. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P80 Subscription Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P81 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

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EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: The BNB Team PRODUCTION: Adrian Cardaci, Lisa Jones, Bob Thornton, Tiffany Brown

Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine is published monthly by Collins Media Pty Ltd ABN 43 159 051 500 ACN 159 051 500 trading as Collins Media. Phone 07 3286 1833 Email: ben@collins.media PO Box 162, Wynnum, Qld 4178 PRINTER: Spotpress DISTRIBUTION BY: Fairfax 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.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 7

The author with a 46cm pearl perch out of the 36-fathom area on a squashed yakka.

Ryder Hearn with a jewfish taken on live yakka from the Gold Coast Seaway.

Tried and true techniques

Lisa Cooper with her first ever snapper taken on a float-lined pillie at the 36-fathom area, east of Jumpinpin Bar.

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S the weather starts to cool off and the water temperature drops the fun begins. May is one of those transitional months and for those of you who put in the effort, the work will pay off with big rewards. There are still good numbers of mackerel about for those of you who troll lures or rigged bait. Deep diving hardbody lures between 150-200mm work well when trolled at 4-6 knots. The same sized lure with a smaller bib will be good on the troll at a faster speed of around 8-9 knots too. I use a 20cm length of wire at the front of my lures to stop them being bitten off. The other alternative is to troll a dead rigged bait. Tailor, slimy mackerel and bonito can be used very effectively. They can all be caught or purchased locally

Gold Coast by BEN SMITH

and rigged on ganged hooks or custom-made rigs. Most good tackle shops will have premade rigs to make it easier for those of you starting off. They will also be able to supply you with all the gear you’ll need to make your own custom mackerel rigs. Try trolling around Mermaid and Palm Beach reefs and along the 24-fathom line off Surfers Paradise. Many good-sized spanish mackerel have been taken this year, but be quick because they won’t be around for much longer. Out wider, from 36 fathoms and deeper, the current should start to gradually slow down, and snapper and pearl perch fishing will start to hot up. Early season snapper love to eat big squid and

pilchard heads. Float lining is the most effective way of catching these prized fish and patience is also very important. On the past few trips out, I’ve had female anglers on board and they’ve out-fished their male counterparts on snapper – I think because of their relaxed attitude and soft touch. Snapper can be aggressive feeders one day and very finicky the next. On days where you are catching good numbers of fish, you don’t seem to get a really big model. On the days when they seem to have gone off the bite, you must be patient and keep persisting because that’s when a big moocher will sneak up unexpectedly on your lightest line and scream off with it.

* continued P9

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Tried and true techniques * from P8

I can’t stress enough as to how important it is to make sure every line you drop in the water is tied and rigged perfectly. Don’t be lazy and think ‘it will do’ – make sure your hooks are sharp, your knots are good and strong, and there are no frayed or scuffed lines or leader. For most snapper fishing, 20lb braid and a 3040lb leader is enough in the 36-fathom areas. If you’re fishing the 50-fathom regions, you may want to go up to 30lb braid and a 60lb leader. Keep the rigs simple and rig up so your bait swims as it would naturally. I’ll go into rigs and

techniques more next month. Pearl perch will be lurking around in wire weed this month and we have been taking home a few good-sized fish already. They love dead yakka and slimy mackerel that have been squashed a little, until their gut pops a bit. Send these to the bottom and you’ve got a good chance. Remember to use your sounder to find fish. Finding reef is good, but if the fish aren’t there, you are wasting time. Active reef is the way to catch quality fish and seeing reef, small fish and big fish on your sounder is going to be the best way to deter-

mine whether you want to drop a line in or you move to the next patch. I’ll occasionally sound over three or four spots until I find the best looking one. There is no point spending time over dead ground. Inshore, the Gold Coast Seaway has still been going off with mangrove jack, jewfish and tailor – all in good numbers around the walls and the hole at the northern end. Live yakka are still the go-to, and they can be caught just outside the Seaway. I’ll talk fishing again after I settle into the new house and get things sorted. Until then, I hope you all catch big fish.

Bailey with a Gold Coast Seaway tailor that took a live herring.

Brad O’Rourke with a spanish mackerel trolled off Surfers Paradise on a Halco Laser Pro in King Brown colour.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 9

Soft darker sand full of yabby holes will attract flathead in the shallows.

A nice cool water flathead caught trolling upstream in winter.

Trolling soft plastics for flathead

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Fishing Tips by SEAN THOMPSON

school up in the bay, and cool water flathead season begins. In spring, the bigger flathead move towards the estuary entrances to spawn, while in winter flatties are very much available, provided you know where and when to look. During winter, fish tend to head upstream seeking out warmer shallow waters. Trolling with plastics Trolling is simply towing a lure or bait behind your boat with your engine in gear. The slower the better for fish such as flathead – at or about a slow walking pace. Trolling took a bit of a back seat to casting soft plastics for the first decade or so of the millennium, but it’s now back in vogue, albeit there are less trollers these days than in the 1990s. However, it can be

very productive, is a great way of finding schools of fish and it can be carried out in water from 60-80cm, or deep enough for the hull to move along to depths of 6m or more, with deep diving hardbodies. There are two key trolling techniques – using soft plastics and using hard-bodies. In this article, I'm going to concentrate on trolling plastics. Trolling plastics is the lesser known of the flathead trolling styles but it can be productive. Trolling plastics is best done in very shallow water of less than 1m, or 1.2m at most. In shallow water of 60-90cm where the propeller is just clearing the sand, you can troll soft plastics on light jig heads of about 1/8 to 1/6oz behind

* continued P12

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 11

Light graphite rods and small reels such as the Alvey Orbitor SR60 filled with light braid are a good option.

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Flathead • Electric motors are ideal, if not quieter four-stroke motors •R ods: 7-7’6” light medium-action graphite rods •R eels: 1000-2000 spooled with 4lb braid and 8-12lb fluorocarbon trace of 2.5m – clearer water lighter trace • Plastics: A variety of single and double tails from 2-4” and fishtype minnows

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Quiet electric motors are excellent for trolling still shallow creeks.

Trolling soft plastics for flathead * from P10

your boat, and as short as only 10m from the boat. I have employed this technique successfully in quiet estuary bays with muddy or sandy bottoms. In fact, the motor hitting and stirring the bottom from time to time acts as a berley trail and seems to draw the attention of fish to the trolling lures. In slightly deeper water of around 90120cm, you are better off using heavier jig heads around 3/8oz or so to get the lure down deeper. You can slow troll two or three rods behind the boat at varied distances, from 5m in dirty water using dark lures out to about 2030m back from the boat, depending on the size of the area you are trolling. The rod can be placed either in the holder or held – the latter being preferential. Either way, occasion-

ally work the rod sideways in three sharp short pulls to try and generate action from the fish. If you do find fish, be sure to GPS the spot on your sounder and circle back to go over the area again because flathead are schooling fish. Target areas In cooler water during autumn and spring, darker sand and areas with exposed black rocks jutting out of the water act as insulators to warm the water, thus attracting both bait and the pursuing fish, such as flathead. Looking at the bottom through polarised glasses is a great way to spot the best target areas. The biggest mistake people tend to make is to target flatties in areas of hard, flat featureless sand. These are devoid of bait, such as yabbies and worms. Look instead for soft darker sand, which is full of yabbies, soldier

crabs and worms. In addition to the dark sandy areas, shallow bays are another great spot for flatties. These shallow bays are good spots to troll in the middle of a warm autumn or winter’s day on high tide. Lastly, look for shallow sandbanks upstream that are bordered by weed beds full of baitfish. The trick is to slow troll along the edges of these in water around 60cm to 1.2m deep. Best times Though my favoured time to target flatties is the last two hours of a low tide, in shallow waters the best times are when there is enough water to access the bays and target areas. This might be a high tide or a falling tide closer to the edge of the channel. For more tips and reports, follow my social media pages on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram @Ontour Fishing Australia.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 13

There were a few trevally busting up bait. Find the bait, find the fish.

How is this for a first fish from the kayak for Peter – a 71cm flathead on a ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ.

Fishing after the rain

The Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ caught a mixed bag of species in dirty water.

Jude with a flathead pinned fishing a mangrove edge. Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

FTER receiving a call from my folks that they were coming to stay and fish on the weekend, I checked the water conditions and as expected it resembled coffee. We received considerable rainfall down the east coast of Australia recently and this could mean that anglers would be faced with dirty water for a few weeks. All is not lost though if we take these conditions into consideration when planning our fishing trips. Clean water and colour changes Taking the time to find the clean water and colour changes in a system can increase catch rates and many anglers will head to river mouths and entries to estuaries in search of a fresh tidal push. This cleaner water will often carry bait and increased salinity, in turn firing up the predators. Paying close attention to current lines and channels may also

Tackle Tactics by JUSTIN WILLMER

identify colour lines and colour changes, with many predators using these colour changes as cover when ambushing prey. Weed equals feed Unfortunately, where my parents and I were fishing, the entire system was brown, so we had to come up with another plan. There’s an old saying ‘find the bait, find the fish’ and in times of an influx of fresh, I have often had success fishing around the weed beds – believing that the weed holds the salinity and in turn attracts bait. Our plan was to make the most of a big run-in tide, hopefully bringing with it cleaner water and bait, to move up onto a big weed flat and fish the pockets in the weed, broken rubbly bottom and mangrove edges. Lure model and colour Another key consideration when fishing in

dirty water is ensuring your lures are seen and felt by the fish, so we selected paddle tail plastics with plenty of action and vibration. When it comes to colour selection, the theory in dirty water is to select a darker, contrasting colour that offers a better silhouette in the water, while also considering an ultraviolet reactive plastic to make the most of any available UV light penetrating into the water. Taste and smell You can also help the fish find your lure by scenting up. Fish have nostrils and when the water filters in and out, they pick up on scents in the water. Fish also have taste buds, with several species even having taste buds on their heads or whiskers. Adding scent offers both a realistic taste and smell to predatory species that are hunting in dirty water – at* continued P16

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 15

Fishing after the rain turns entire system brown * from P14

tracting fish and triggering strikes. Fish on With this information in mind, we tied on our darker UV reactive plastics, scented up and headed for the weed flats on a run-in tide. It didn’t take long to locate areas where the bait was concentrated, making note of prawns flicking or baitfish being hassled. My folks were soon hooked up, with bream and grunter nailing the little Z-Man 2.5” Slim

SwimZ rolled over the top of the weed and hopped through sand patches. The push of the incoming tide wasn’t enough to clear the water, but it definitely saw an increase in bait and fish activity, with a few trevally spotted busting up around us. A screaming drag quickly indicated that my mum had managed to pin one of these powerful speedsters, and it was cool to watch the battle – the spinning kayak and the scream-

ing before I netted the fish for her. A great little fish for the estuary and a big smile from the angler. When the bite began to slow a little, we moved in tight to the mangroves and my parents managed a flathead each. Here I opted to rig a Z-Man 3” Baby Goat weedless on a 1/6oz size 1 TT Lures SnakelockZ Finesse jig head. Weedless rigging is another option when the water is dirty, as it allows you to more

A grunter landed rolling a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ over the weed.

effectively fish weed and other structure with minimal chance of snagging or fouling. This allowed me to slow things down, fish in among the weed that was holding the bait and land a few flathead, including one around the mid-60cm mark. Though it hadn’t been the hottest bite on record, over a couple of short sessions we had managed to land a mix of bream, grunter, trevally and flathead by taking note of and

fishing to the less than ideal conditions. Hopefully there’s a few things that you can keep in mind when fishing dirty water, including how, when and where you’re fishing, along with what you’re presenting to the target species. The next challenge facing anglers will be the crystal-clear water conditions of winter… but that’s another challenge and another article. Fish on and see you on the water…

Javelin fish or grunter were actively feeding in dirty water.

Fisher fined for crab offences

Crabs were hidden in a concealed compartment. Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

BR I S BA N E based fisher has been fined $17,000 for taking 146 under-sized blue swimmer crabs and hiding them in a concealed compartment on a boat. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers searched a Birkdale home after receiving a tip via the

Fishwatch hotline. Redlands QBFP, assisted by the Gold Coast team, conducted surveillance and gathered intelligence on the defendant before seizing the boat and auditing logbooks and sale dockets to establish a pattern of offending. The defendant pleaded guilty to all charges

in the Brisbane Magistrates Court and had their fishing licence suspended. You can report unlawful fishing by calling the 24-hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116 – toll free within Queensland – or by using the online Fishwatch form at a.pgtb.me/hd37PZ

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New to fishing, Louis bagged a cracker bream.

Will turned out to be the victor in the round with this shovelnose ray.

Tackling Moreton Bay

Levi managed to land a ripper mackerel off Shorncliffe Pier.

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PRIL 2021 is done and dusted! Between COVID lockdowns and buckets of rain, I’d say a whole lot of the fish in the Moreton Bay region were safe. What is May 2021 going to produce? Well, for certain we know there’s going to be a fair bit of uncertainty. We need to play each day as it comes – plan your trips out according to the weather and restrictions. This is not the time to waste an opportunity to get out there and have a fish. On the upside, the rain in April has done wonders for our waterways. They’ve had an awesome flushing, which gets everything active and feeding, as Glenn found out when he nailed a nice bream during a downpour. So, get out there and check your local haunts and bring home a feed. Someone who didn’t waste any time getting back into it, was good friend Chris. Not only did he get back into the fishing

Northern Moreton Bay by MARK TEMPLETON

after all the rain, but he nailed a stonker threadfin salmon, which came in at 116cm and 10kg! This is what Shorncliffe Pier can produce when you put in the time and effort. Using live herring also played a big part in it all, but still Chris never ceases to amaze us with his fishing talents. A 110cm cobia in one session and a 116cm threadie in the next! Well done Chris – keep up the awesome work. Recently, Levi and his friends ventured onto Shorncliffe Pier to try their luck in the clearer water and, even though they lost a bit of gear, Levi still managed to land a ripper mackerel. It goes to show that you never know what you’re going to catch when you head out onto the pier. Well done Levi – we hope you manage to get a few more before they move on. We have a first timer to the Tackle Land

scoreboard – welcome to Louis who has recently started fishing and is doing very well so far. Louis bagged a cracker bream – his personal best at the time – but after talking to Louis and his dad, I think he will be upgrading to a larger model before too long. Awesome work Louis. I look forward to seeing you in the store soon and hearing about the fishing adventures you and your family have had. Will had bit of a battle on his hands when he was out fishing with dad Tony. Will wasn’t expecting to get himself into a battle with an awesome little shovelnose ray – bait was out, the hook was set and the fight was on, but Will was determined to get his fish. Will turned out to be the victor in this round and his smile tells the story. * continued P19

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Tackling Moreton Bay * from P18

Well done Will, and it was great to see you out there having fun with your dad. Let’s talk about waste. Yes, leftover bait that gets thrown in the bin every few months when cleaning out the freezer and having a tidy up. Instead of throwing it out, have a crack at making your own custom berley. The rule to making your own berley is simple… there are no rules! Use a little imagination, add an extra dose of tuna oil and you’re done. Most of the fishos I talk with swear by getting that berley trail going. Be it old prawn shells,

leftover pillies, mullet chunks, smashed crab shells and even pellets mixed with a good grade of tuna oil and keeping it well combined. Unfortunately, it may produce rubbish as well, but that’s the price you pay for a shot at a cracking snapper to take home. For those new to making berley, a little trick is to add two or three good handfuls of sand before adding tuna oil. When combined, the tuna oil will stick to the sand, and when deployed it will disperse the berley scent down through the water column. Add the sand after the mincer though.

If you are using it on a jetty or pier, give it the occasional jig up and down to release the goodness, and scattering small amounts at a time will entice a feeding frenzy. If you are drifting in the boat, try and go over the same ground, as this will keep your berley trail more contained. Make every day of good weather count this month, don’t miss an opportunity to get out with your family or a friend, treat the kids to a few hours of low-cost entertainment and excitement. Wherever you eventually end up, enjoy the time fishing and most importantly maintain the passion.

An awesome flushing gets everything active and feeding, as Glenn found out when he nailed a nice bream during a downpour.

Chris nailed this stonker threadfin salmon, which came in at 116cm and 10kg.

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The author’s 105cm model could not resist the Zerek Fish Trap. Nice hat!

Finding the common thread in Moreton Bay

HILE I thought last month was hard to line work up with the weather, this month has been absolutely atrocious for me – I haven’t managed even one day of work with a weather window. Throw a flood and the bottom part of the bay resembling a chocolate milkshake, and things are going take a while to tidy up unfortunately. However, I’ve been doing this for a long time and have been here before. Eventually the water will start to clear and after everything settles down we could be in for great fishing over coming months. So, what are we going to talk about if I haven’t been out with customers this month? Well, just because I haven’t been out for work doesn’t mean I haven’t snuck out for a little bit of fishing myself. Poor weather conditions gave me a bit of spare time to target a fish I don’t chase on

Southern Moreton Bay by SEAN CONLON

my charters, simply because they’re tricky to catch. I’m talking about king threadfin salmon, or as most people call them… threadies. The other thing I wanted to do was to catch one of these on a lure in southern Moreton Bay. It’s not as though these fish haven’t been caught in this area before, and there’re plenty of local people who have landed threadies here. I’ve caught small ones up to about 50cm on bait and I’ve had customers hook a couple over the years only to lose them close to the boat. So, over the past 12 months I’ve got a little more serious about trying to catch threadies and have accumulated as much knowledge as I could. Information such as the type of ground and

area this fish prefers, the best tide to go out on and the best moon phase to target threadies are all important pieces of knowledge. Other things that have to be taken into account are the techniques and gear to use for this species. Another thing apparent to me when targeting threadfin on lures was the importance of knowing what you’re looking at on your sounder and where the fish are in relation to the boat. This is imperative because this information will indicate which direction to cast for them. I’ve spoken to anglers who have caught threadfin and any information they give me I take, as it’s taken them a while to work threadies out, so these anglers hold their cards very close to their chests. When speaking to * continued P22

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Kurt with his personal best 114cm king threadfin caught on a Zerek Fish Trap.

Finding the common thread in Moreton Bay * from P20

these experienced people, it’s far better to just listen and pick up small amounts of information if you can. After that, it’s a lot of trial and error to find out what works and what doesn’t – to me that’s the fun bit. It can be frustrating but when you finally land the species you’ve been targeting, it’s definitely worth it. With the bad weather this month, I had more time to target them. So, I picked a day when the wind was down, rang a couple of fellow fishos from the Gold Coast and asked if they wanted to go for a fish. As always, they were keen. I picked a day I thought

had the right sized tide to target threadies and though there was more wind than I would have preferred, it would keep casting netters chasing prawns away from the area we were going to fish. These fish were there simply because they too were after prawns. The right sized tide change coincided with the sun coming up and therefore created an early morning bite period – this was my theory anyway. I told the fishers to be at my place at 4.45am, as the sun was to rise at 5.30am, however after a wrong turn they arrived at my place at 5.15am. Anyway, with the boat already loaded they jumped in and we headed to the boat ramp.

Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

Luckily no one was around, and we had the boat in the water nice and quickly. It was about a 10-minute run to the spot, so we left the creek and shot down to the area where I thought the threadfin might be. As I had set the rods up with Zerek Fish Trap lures beforehand, it was just a matter of sounding around and seeing if we could find fish. It didn’t take long before five big shapes appeared on the side scan of the Lowrance. At first, we thought they were small sharks but with the detail of the new unit, we could make out the tails – they were definitely threadfin getting into a school of prawns. So, we put the spot-

lock on and started casting around the vessel. Now, you have to remember I was super excited, as I hadn’t caught a thready on a lure in the southern bay before, and the information I’d gathered over the past 12 months was all coming together. After casting for about 10 minutes, my rod loaded to a fish directly under the boat. At first it didn’t do much, then suddenly I got a few cranks on it and the fish jumped clean out of the water behind the boat – we saw it was our target species. The Blade N Tails 6-20lb was loaded up nicely and the ATC Virtuous 3000 reel loaded with 20lb braid

screamed, as the fish had plenty in it. It made a couple of fantastic runs, but then I felt a few big head shakes and the hooks popped. My heart skipped a beat for a second because I thought I’d lost the fish, but it was probably one of the trebles slipping. The fish gave me a hard time around the boat, but we had the right gear for the job and before long we had it in the net and beside the boat. I helped Mitch lift the fish into the boat and we laid it on the deck. There it was… my first southern Moreton Bay threadfin on a lure. We weren’t keeping this fish, so I quickly

* continued P23

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Finding the common thread * from P22

got the lure out of its mouth. We called it for over 1m and put it on the ruler. Because my ruler stops at 1m, we had to guess the last bit, but we all agreed it was roughly 105cm. After a few quick photos, we got the fish back in the water and it swam away strong. To say I was stoked was an understatement. I didn’t have long to savour the moment because we had to keep fishing as the Lowrance showed there was more to catch. We were a tad late getting on the water, so the tide turned and the fish started to swim in a different direction. How did we know? Because we could see their tails on the side scan – this is where having a good sounder and knowing how to read it comes into play. We kept following the fish picked up on the sounder and cast Zerek Fish Traps at them for the next couple of hours. We hooked a few more threadies, though when one of the fish came to the surface it spat the lure out, unfortunately. This was as close as we got to landing another threadfin from this area. We were lucky enough to pick up several jewfish and trevally too. By this time the wind had picked up to a solid 20 knots and as we were in the open, the decision was made to head home. We were lucky enough to pick a few more fish up on the sounder and

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as we headed home, I told Kurt to cast at 45 degrees behind the boat. He made a nice long cast and after a couple of lifts of the Zerek Fish Trap – whack! The Blade N Tails buckled over and the braid instantly started screaming off the ATC Virtuous 3000 – he was on to a solid fish. We had to do a bit of work chasing it with the electric motor… luckily, he had a good 30lb leader on. While it did play up, eventually we had a solid fish in the net. When we put it on the deck, we realised it was way over 1m – Kurt was stoked. We got the lure out of its mouth and I dug around to find a brag mat, because the 1m ruler wasn’t going to cut it. We put the fish on the mat and saw it was 114cm long. This was also Kurt’s first thready and he was over the moon. After a few quick pictures we got the fish back in the water and on its way, nice and strong. We had an awesome morning of fishing and headed home before 10am. Yes, we could have caught more but the fish we did catch were of great quality and we’d had an awesome time. The information I’d accumulated over the past year had paid off, and there may have been in a bit of luck in the mix as well. Believe me, I’m no expert on threadfin salmon – I’ve a long way to go and more

information to collect, but I’ve caught one so have made a start. It doesn’t matter whether you’re targeting threadies, flathead or anything else, it’s all about gathering information, working things out, listening to people and then trial and error on the water until you get it right. As we know, with our jobs and lives we are time poor. So, if you can learn more to optimise your time on the water, remember knowledge is the key. If you’re interested in any off or on-water tuition classes or you want to do a fishing charter, give me a call on 0432 386 307 or send me an email at seanconlonsfishing@ hotmail.com You can also check out the Sean Conlon’s Fishing Charters and Tuition Facebook page. Until next month, stay safe on the water.

Mitch with one of the school jewfish the team picked up while chasing king threadfin salmon.

The author was lucky enough to pick up a few school jewfish.

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Ash Levy with a couple of muddies taken recently.

Muddies on the move in May

Mud crabs have been very active around Brisbane.

Ash landed this shark on a live mullet drifted under a float. Page 24 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

AY is the start of a transition period in the waters around southeast Queensland. The water temperature will drop quickly this month as we head into winter. Summer species such as mangrove jack are greatly affected by water temperature. As it gets colder, they start to slow down and it can be a lot harder to get a bite from one of these estuary brawlers. There are still plenty of fish holding in the snags and rock bars, but it can take a lot more casts to get one to bite. The by-catch increases as the water gets cooler, with species such as trevally, grunter, jewfish and tailor all feeding around the same snags as mangrove jack. There have been excellent numbers of quality grunter showing up

Local Luring by KEITH STRATFORD

in the rivers and creeks around Brisbane over the past few winters. Hopefully we’ll see the same quantities again. Trevally have also increased in numbers. The Pine and Caboolture rivers were loaded with trevally the past couple of winters. They’re lots of fun to catch and they eat a wide range of lures. Casting surface lures is an entertaining way to target them. This is best done very early in the morning or late in the afternoon and into the night. Flathead should also start to show up in better numbers this month. The past few winters have been average for flatties compared to a few years ago.

The rivers have had a good flush during March, which sees quite a few rivers running dirty. This will help concentrate bait closer to river mouths and make it easier to find predators. Fingers crossed it sets the river up for a bumper winter. Mud crabs have been extremely active. March and April are generally good times to chase muddies. This year we had a lot of rainfall in these months and it really got the crabs on the move. I crabbed a lot leading up to Easter and found it a bit patchy on a smaller tide, but around a full moon when the tide was bigger was excellent. * continued P25

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Muddies on the move and shark fishing tips * from P24

All of the crabs were big and didn’t need measuring, which is unusual around Brisbane. Plenty of muddies will continue to be on the move this month. The old saying that you only catch crabs in months with ‘r’ in them is a myth. Muddies can be caught all year-round. It might take a bit more work during cold months, but the quality is generally great. Numbers of females and small crabs decrease during winter, which makes it a lot easier to sort the crabs out. During warm months, it’s not uncommon to get 15 crabs in each pot, with only one or two legal crabs among them. This can make sorting

them out a bit of a mission at times. I put a whole mullet cut in half and two chicken frames in each pot. This seems to be a perfect combination. Any fish frames I have in the freezer also go in the pots and they all work well. Though oily fish such as mullet, tuna and mackerel seem to work best. I loaded my pots up with a marlin frame that couldn’t be released in February and I’ve never caught so many crabs in my life. Obviously, marlin backbones are pretty hard to come by but if you have any lying around, let me know! There have been a heap of sharks feeding in the dirty water recently.

My partner Ash and I had a fish for them in between checking our pots and it didn’t take long to find them. My favourite shark catching technique is to float a live mullet out under a balloon. It’s a visual and effective way to catch them. Most of the sharks were quite small, measuring under 1m. I prefer to use heavy mono leaders for smaller sharks – it seems to get more bites than wire does. And I use circle hooks, as they stop the fish from swallowing the hook and biting through the leader. There’ll be plenty of sharks to target this month, though they do slow down a bit during cooler months, and they

may be a bit doughy. I’ve seen them trying to eat bait next to the boat and occasionally they miss it completely. Shark fishing is great fun for the family too. My kids love it and it’s cool to watch a shark come up next to the boat. It also teaches young

anglers what actually lives in dirty water in rivers and where not to swim to avoid the ‘bities’! Get out there and enjoy the last month of autumn before the beanies and jumpers come out. Hope to see you on the water.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 25

Chef Jonathan with his best flathead of the day, caught on the ever reliable Ecogear ZX 40 vibe in 440 colour. Footy legend Lote Tuqiri and his kids Imosi and Max had a great day on the Broadwater catching over 50 fish, including this lovely tuskfish.

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Broadwater Guide by CLINT ANSELL

to the stable weather that usually starts after the Easter break. While the rain was disruptive to fishing, here on the Gold Coast it will stand us in good stead for fantastic estuary fishing over autumn and winter. Floods rejuvenate tired river systems and get the whole food chain moving and multiplying. Where there is food, you’ll find fish. Barely a week after floods – during which over 900mm of rain fell at Mt Tamborine and Hinze Dam overflowed – we were catching nice flathead, grunter, bream and whiting in the local rivers. The water suddenly cooled from 30 to

23C, which effectively meant the end of the mangrove jack season for my charters. Our attention then turns to fishing the river during bigger tide phases and windy conditions. When a lighter wind is forecast in combination with a neap tide, I love to fish the Gold Coast Broadwater as often as possible, particularly in the area between Sundale Bridge and the Coomera River mouth. The variety of marine life and fish habitat here makes it an angling mecca for us. During cooler months, the most popular options on our estuary charter trips include casting Ecogear * continued P28

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Gold Coast Broadwater an angling mecca * from P26

Arrow squid areas – Gold Coast seaway to Paradise Point.

Arrow squid areas – Sundale Bridge to Gold Coast Seaway.

Dad and son Jonathan caught a few nice dusky flathead after the floods. Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

and Samaki vibes over the calm water reef and sand areas for fish such as dusky and bartail flathead, tuskfish, tarwhine, flounder, squire, and winter, sand and gold line whiting to name a few. Around Crab Island is one of my favourite areas to target these species, and the structure there varies from shallow sand and weed bank edges to coral reef off the edges in 7m of water. If you mix up jigging vibes and soft plastics with drifting lightly weighted yabbies using 6lb mono line, you’ll usually have an entertaining day of light tackle fishing. One of the most addictive forms of fishing for me is targeting arrow squid, which will boom in numbers and size from May to October in the Broadwater. They are fun to catch and great to eat, especially if you tenderise them in kiwi fruit juice for a few hours before cooking. This season, I want to slow bake stuffed squid in the oven. When I visited the Greek islands in 2019 in the pre-COVID world, it was one of the most delicious dishes I’d ever tasted. Catching arrow squid on the Broadwater is not hard, though finding the schools of them that move around is the tricky part. I find if I don’t look too hard for them and keep drifting for fish, sooner or later we encounter the squid.

However, there are a few favourite haunts I’ve included on maps in this article. Arrow squid find it hard to resist having a crack at Ecogear ZX 40 and 43 vibes jigged along the bottom while drifting. The ‘bite’ feels as though the lure is getting snagged then pulling free many times over. Keep jigging until they stay hooked then gently wind them into the landing net. As soon as you notice continuous squid hits on the vibes, cast a squid jig out – it won’t be long before the inky ones jump on. The best times for squid are when the tide starts to slow and when

the water is fairly clear. My two favourite squid jigs are Daiwa Emeraldas Nude 2.5 in Weed Shrimp colour for slack conditions and shallower water between 2-4m deep, and Ecogear Egilee Dartmax 3.0 in colours D08 and D20bm for faster flowing water and depths from 4-10m. Hope to see a few of you out there soon on a sunny, calm autumn day! To book on a charter with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishingwithclint@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook at Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 29

Mark with his personal best 82cm flathead caught trolling an Atomic Hardz Shiner 85 Double Deep lure.

Angie with a nice flathead caught on a Samaki Vibelicious lure.

Bradh's Smited Guiding Fishs Tour

Baitfish bonanza brings big bites

HAT a wild start to the year we’ve had with the La Niña weather event slamming the east coast and record rainfalls. The peak of the activity was a major rain belt extending for almost 2000km along our coastline, causing major flood occurrences all over, and my condolences go to all

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the people who have lost their properties and belongings. During winter, a mass migration of species started to follow our coastline, travelling from south to north and spawning along the way. This movement started with huge schools of baitfish such as blue, white and frogmouth pilchard, followed by mullet, bream and tailor. Included in this food chain are bigger predators, namely jewfish and sharks. The good news for anglers is that historically in the years the east coast has received massive rainfalls through summer, we have had our best winter fishing seasons. The reason for this is flooding in the big rivers and creeks south of us flushes massive schools of bait out of the systems, into the sea and along the coastline.

This creates a biomass of life that is schooled up and ready to start the annual migration towards us. Winter should see anglers enjoying one of the best bream seasons for many years, as during this period bream move into the mouths of our big rivers in order to spawn – the peak of this event occurring on a new moon and during the week of a full moon – and will fire up on the first two hours of a run-in tide. So in summary, if you plan your trips around the river mouths during these periods with well-presented bait and lures, you should have a ball on big bream. It will also pay to take heavier equipment too, remembering that big jewies will also be hanging around taking advantage of the schools of bream and mullet. Anglers fishing along beaches, headlands and * continued P31

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Baitfish bonanza brings big bites

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Heaps of quality bream will be in our river systems.

Look for bird and surface activity to find tailor in our rivers through winter.

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action on the surface, as bream are opportunistic feeders and will move in to feed on the pilchard scraps falling to the bottom. Winter is also my favourite time of the year for targeting flathead, particularly in the Tweed River, where I do most of my charters. In certain spots, there are huge amounts of small males congregated around big females through the river, which leaves no doubt in my mind that they are grouped in order to spawn. By now you have probably picked up that there is a lot of feeding and a lot of breeding occurring through winter, so it’s important anglers don’t keep more fish than they

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breakwalls should also have a cracker season on tailor, as these highly predatory fish also follow pilchard schools into the mouths of our big river systems. The tailor are not hard to locate, just keep a constant lookout for any bird or surface activity and be prepared to troll mid-sized minnow lures around the school or cast metal slugs into the action. If possible, try and choose a slug that matches the size of the baitfish tailor are feeding on for best results. Here is a good little tip that has worked well for me over the years. Jig a small metal vibe along the bottom under the feeding tailor

* from P30

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Greenback to be held at Pottsville Beach. The Cabarita Beach and Pottsville Beach Lions Club has entered into a partnership with the Pottsville Beach Sports Club. The 2018 competition introduced the inaugural 2018 Fowler Building Services Greenback NSW versus Queensland Shield. Competitors points were allocated to the state they nominated. NSW won the challenge in 2018 and 2019. With the first State of Origin game on the Wednesday before the Greenback Competition weekend, the shirts are again a coveted item. There was no Greenback Fishing Competition in 2020 due to COVID-19. In 2021, the Greenback will again use the online event management system integrated with the lionsgreenback.com website. Boundaries for the competition have no geographical limit other than you must be in NSW or Queensland tidal waters. Sign on will be a scan of an online ticket starting at 7.00am on the Saturday at Ballina – online only – and 8.00am on the Gold Coast – online only – and Pottsville – online or cash. We have over $40,000 in prizemoney, fishing and camping goods up for grabs. All entrants will have a complementary ticket in the Lions charity raffle, a Sunday breakfast and the chance to win lucky prize draws on Sunday morning. We are planning to have over 700 competitors attend the event plus their families and friends.

We now have 40 sponsors onboard to ensure a successful event. Our 2021 major sponsors are Pottsville Beach Sports Club, Tweed Coast Marine and Mad Keen. Both the removal of boundaries and providing Ballina and Gold Coast sign-on locations for online ticket holders have given time back to entrants for fishing. Again, the size limits are a combination of NSW and Queensland regulations, and the bag limit is 15 fish per competitor – in the interests of sustainability. These changes will offer all fishers the opportunity to have a go at the divisional, champion tailor and heaviest bag prizes. Fishers will be able to fish up and down the coast at their favourite Queensland or NSW locations and are to bring the prize-winning fish back on Sunday at the Pottsville Beach Sports Club by 9am sharp. Our online registration and ticketing system has various payment options. Once payment is approved, you will receive an entry ticket with a QR code or barcode. On June 12, at your chosen sign-on location, your QR code is scanned, you collect your sign-on bag and numbered pass, and away you go. The Greenback event will close at 2pm, so the Queensland entrants do have time to travel home. For those who want to stay, the Greenback after-party will entertain until late. For more information, call Debra on 0451 064 448 or go to lionsgreenback.com

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Steve pulled a nice sized jewfish from the dirty water on a beautiful autumn afternoon.

Toby with a bass, and a perch in the foreground.

Shallow offshore reefs worth a shot

E’VE had a hell of a lot of rain since last month. So, what does it mean for fishing? Let’s start with offshore. The Tweed and Brunswick rivers have spewed a heap of mud, but the rivers to the south of us were more severely affected. At the time of writing, boats had managed only a few trips since the wild weather, but one thing that stood out was the massive abundance of juvenile jewfish on the shallow reefs. I went out recently and tried two spots in close and both produced jewfish as small as 35cm. There were a few legal fish mixed in with them to make the trip worthwhile but nothing exceptional. I’d only seen this once before and that was after big flooding on the Clarence and rivers to the south of us. The jewfish grew quickly and within a month there were more legal-sized fish. They only hung around for a couple of months, so if the trend is the same this time, we’re in for a few autumn jewfish, albeit small ones, but any legal jew is a good one I reckon.

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Tweed to Byron Bay by GAVIN DOBSON

Many people have the old legal size of 45cm stuck in their heads, but this won’t cut it with a fisheries officer now, so make sure they are 70cm. The dirty water seemed to have brought good numbers of moses perch and maori cod to the shallows and, while they are seldom a target species, they are a worthwhile addition to any icebox. Quite a few quality snapper are in the shallows but no quantity as yet. Smaller squire are rare indeed but this usually changes in May, and sometime through the month I would expect squire to appear on the local reef. On the beaches, the floodwater has had an effect, as you would expect. The previously mentioned juvenile jewfish are in abundance off the walls at Brunswick Heads and off the beach to the north of Seagull Rocks. I thought more whiting may have been on the beach but so far, I haven’t heard any reports.

Bream on the other hand are thick and good size too. Almost any good water is holding bream, but Brunswick south beach in front of the surf club has been a deadly spot. The rivers have seen significant change and, as you would expect, the upper reaches are out of the question for anything other than bass, catfish and eels. Speaking of bass, my friend Damien took his son to an old haunt he fished when young, and they both did well, catching bass and estuary perch. If you are after saltwater species, best stick to the lower half of the rivers for now. Bream are ravenous in the lower Tweed and Brunz rivers, and any good bit of bait will catch them. Mullet gut is my favourite, though any bit of pilchard or even chicken will do. The river is thick with crab trap floats at the moment and fortunately is thick with crabs too. There is the occasion-

Gary with a nice snapper from dirty water.

* continued P34

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 33

Minor changes to NSW recreational fishing rules from 30 April 2021

FEW minor changes to NSW recreational fishing rules will come into effect on April, 30 2021 relating to the blue swimmer crab size limit and the use of ‘opera house’ style yabby traps. The changes are being implemented following consultation with and support from the Recreational NSW Fishing Advisory Council. The size limit of blue swimmer crabs will increase from 6cm to 6.5cm to help assist with protecting spawning crabs and to improve the productivity of the stock through time. It will also provide consistency between the recreational and com-

mercial fishing sectors. Yabby net giveaway The NSW Government is giving away 5000 yabby nets to recreational fishers as part of a comprehensive program to phase out the use of enclosed yabby traps in NSW from April 30, 2021. Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the government has been transitioning to open-top nets for a while, due to the risk that enclosed yabby traps can pose to native wildlife. “We know that ‘opera house’ style yabby traps pose a risk to air breathing animals such as platypus, water rats and turtles, which can

inadvertently get caught in traps,” Mr Marshall said. “Open top nets allow mammals to exit through the top, unlike opera house traps which only have openings on the sides. “By moving away from opera style traps to open-top yabby nets, we will allow both our fishing resources and native animal populations to flourish.” Mr Marshall said the changes are part of a national process, with opera style traps having already been phased out in the ACT, Victoria and NSW where platypus are mostly abundant, including east of the Newell Highway as well

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as parts of the Edward, Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers. “These changes have been implemented following consultation with and support from the NSW Recreational Fishing Advisory Council and we want to give fishers has much time as possible to make sure that they’re aware of the new rules and ensure they have the right equipment,” Mr Marshall said. “By transitioning to using open top nets, fishers can keep fishing, while also continue to do their part to protect our wildlife and ensure the ongoing health of our inland river systems.” From April 30, up to

five nets, comprised of either open pyramid lift nets, hoop / lift nets or a combination of both, can be used to catch yabbies in all inland waters where it is legal to use lift nets. For more information, visit dpi.nsw.gov.au To assist with this transition, the Department of Primary Industries is giving away 5000 opentop nets. To collect a free opentop yabby net, phone 02 6051 7760. More information about the NSW recreational fishing rule changes is available online at fisheries.nsw.gov. au or by contacting your local NSW DPI Fisheries office.

NSW DPI Fisheries officer inspecting an opera style trap.

Shallow reefs worth a shot * from P33

al good sized crab around and my friend Ash scored a 2kg buck, but for the most part they are hovering around legal size. Fortunately, they are full, so if you want a feed, get out there. The lower river is starting to go a bit salty now that the tide is pushing in again, and a few trevally are hunting the dirty water along with those

great red fish – mangrove jack. Flathead too are taking advantage of the baitfish concentrated in the lower river and are feeding on herring and white pilchard. May is traditionally the month to start heading out to the deep reefs to look for first rate table fish. Normally this month, when the southwesterly wind

blows in the morning, I hit the local reef for a feed of school mackerel – known as doggies in Queensland – with the odd spotted and spanish, but it remains to be seen how the dirty water affects these fish. Wahoo are usually at their best in May too. All in all, I reckon things are shaping up well for the end of autumn. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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You never know what you’re going to run into when chasing flathead.

It’s a good idea to head wide to get away from the discoloured water in close.

Mixed bag around Ballina region

ELL, it seems the rain has finally stopped after what felt like an eternity for most of us. Unfortunately, the Richmond River is a wonderful shade of brown once again. Let’s hope this is the last significant rain event for a while and that the river has a chance to clear. It is also with great sadness and a certain degree of anger that I mention South Ballina

Ballina Bait & Tackle by BRETT HYDE

Beach has been closed by NSW Crown Lands. This means there is no vehicular access at all to both South Ballina and Patchs beaches. So, for those of you who holiday or visit our amazing area for fishing on those particular beaches, you will have to be willing and able to walk the beach to your favourite fishing spots.

Recently, we’ve had trouble on the beaches with a small minority not behaving correctly, but instead of addressing the problem, our wonderful council led by mayor David Wright were quite happy to let Crown Lands waltz in and lock up the beaches without so much as a peep from them. There was no com-

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02 6686 2527 Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

munity consultation at any point before this decision was made. So, if you’re upset by this move, feel free to call or email Ballina Shire Council and in particular mayor David Wright. Let them know what you think of their lack of action in looking out for the majority of the Ballina community, local businesses and its all-important tourists by allowing these beaches to be closed. As for the fishing, the discoloured water is pushing out as far as the 32-fathom line. I would say it has put an end to our mackerel season, but we have had a few catches of snapper on the close reefs, as well as out on the southern 32s. The fish aggregating device has also been a little quiet and this is partly due to the fresh water around that area. As it starts to clean, I would expect to see a few more mahi mahi at the FAD, but live bait are very scarce in close, so make sure you have a backup plan when you

head out next. A large number of offshore boaties have been taking the opportunity to head out wide and get away from the discoloured water. The current is still running to the south, but we have had quality kingfish, amberjack and pearl perch hitting bait species such as squid and mullet, along with slow pitch jigs in bright colours. Back in the river, the water colour is a lovely shade of brown, but we’ve still had plenty of bream being landed, particularly on bait. There has been a real mix of bait that has worked, with everything from prawns to mullet fillets and pilchard, as well as the usual dirty water bait options such as chicken or mullet gut. As you would expect, most of the activity has been from the ferry to the mouth of the river, with most of the rock walls in this area holding fish, no matter what the tide is. Flathead have defi* continued P37

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Mixed bag around Ballina region * from P36

nitely been a little more active during the run-in tide. The deeper channels are still holding the better numbers of fish. Bait types such as pilchard and prawns have worked fairly well, as have metal blades, vibes and bright coloured soft plastics. There have been good quality tailor coming from the rocks and breakwalls in recent weeks, even though there’s plenty of discoloured water around. A mix of metal spinners and larger diving hard-body lures have

been the best bet, as lately most bait used around the mouth of the river has been taken by sharks and stingrays. Good quality mulloway have also been taking large hard-bodies, with Leavey, Croaker and Halco Laser Pro lures all having success over the past few weeks. The usual colours such as white or White Redhead have worked, along with a few mullet patterns as well. We are not far off our mullet run, so I’m expecting the mulloway to hang around for a little longer, even if the

water starts to clean up over coming weeks. Before I go, a quick reminder that the Greenback Fishing Competition is on again this year over the June 12-13 weekend. Early bird registrations are now available, and you can opt to collect your entry bags from Ballina Bait and Tackle on the Saturday morning. So, get the gang together and get your entries in for this great competition. Well, that’s about all from me for this month, until next time – tight lines!

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Lachlan with a 39cm Ballina bream. Bream will become common as the temperature drops.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 37

May shaping up as a more productive month n Flicking for flathead in the shallows

Mischa Porter with a typical pan-sized flathead taken from a shallow beach gutter on a soft plastic lure.

Iluka angler Rebekah Ellis with a nice flathead taken on a soft plastic lure along Ten Mile Beach at Iluka. Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

O P E F U L LY May will be a lot more productive for anglers than the past few months have been. I don't know what weather your neck of the woods has been experiencing but here at Iluka we’ve had dirty water spewing out of the mighty Clarence River since mid-February . At the time of writing, the clean water was finally pushing back into the river system and, as long as we don’t get more rain, May should shape up to be a cracker of a month. There was one rare day when a pulse of clear water came hard against the Iluka breakwall – a small spanish mackerel around 10kg was landed along with a runt longtail tuna of similar size, but by and large the dirty water conditions haven’t been conducive to great pelagic fishing. The only notable jewfish I heard being landed during the dirt was the few fish taken off the Yamba breakwall by local anglers Danny Wicks and Brandon Buckley, with Danny leading the way by capturing a beautiful 26kg fish taken on a hardbodied minnow lure. Apart from the consistent swell that has made fishing the point of the Iluka wall near on impossible, the huge number of massive sharks feeding in the

Just Jew by TYE PORTER

floodwater had to be seen to be believed. So, it only stood to reason that poor old jewfish wouldn’t hang around in any great numbers. As I said before, as long as we don’t get any more heavy rainfalls and the river is allowed to continue to clear up, anglers can expect excellent fishing from the breakwalls during May for pelagic species such as spanish mackerel and longtail tuna during the day, and then jewfish using fresh squid or live mullet at night. May sees the annual mullet run in full swing along the coast and this in turn means large schools of jewfish congregate to feed on them, so if ever there was a time to catch your first jewfish… this is it. Wherever you choose to fish for jew during the mullet run, it always pays to have a couple of hard-bodied minnow lures on hand in case you happen to see the odd mullet school or two passing by. Don't be afraid of tying a lure on and casting around the edges of the school of mullet, as more often than not they will be attracting the attention of every jewfish in the area. When all is said and done, the brand of lure doesn’t matter half the

time, as long as your lure is around 14cm in length and dives to no more than say 2m, you are in with a shot. Always remember to retrieve slowly – not flat out as you would if you were spinning for tailor. Inside the river systems, try to find where smaller flat tail mullet schools are in your area and then fish these locations at night on slack high water, using either a live mullet or minnow lures – it's as simple as that. Inside the Clarence River there have been reports of large numbers of bream and small mullet being covered in red spot disease, especially on the Yamba side of the river. Nice flathead are being taken in the lower reaches of the river on both lures and bait. Gulmarrad angler Grahame Dowsett has been one of the many fishos paying the occasional visit to Iluka, flicking the shallows with 4” soft plastic lures for nice lizards around the 3kg mark. Iluka Bluff continues to provide excellent catches of tailor on metal lures from both the southern end and the shallow reef section on the northeast corner. While Second Bluff has produced school * continued P40

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12 Sat – 13 Sun JUNE (NSW Long Weekend)

A project of the Lions Club Cabarita and Pottsville Beach Supported by our Major Platinum Sponsors TCM and Mad Keen

Fish in QLD or NSW Beach, Rock, River and Estuary tidal waters. Over $40,000 in cash and prizes to be won. wate Purchase your tickets 'online' and sign-on Saturday from 7:00am at Ballina & 8:00am Gold Coast & Pottsville (only online entries) (From 8:00am manual sign-on available Pottsville only) Weigh-In 9am Sharp Sun. 13 June at Pottsville To enter/register (purchase single or multiple tickets), purchase NSW & QLD Greenback fishing competition shirts and Tweed 4WD permits, log on to lionsgreenback.com Be part of the NSW v QLD Challenge

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Major raffle with 1st / 2nd prizes – a Tweed Coast Marine boat package or $5,000 cash – $5 Tickets

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 39

Cool colours on this grass sweetlip.

The author with a nice estuary cod taken on a live pike.

What to do when all options are exhausted

HE reefs off Brisbane and highly populated areas of the Gold and Sunshine coasts can often be unhappy hunting grounds for recreational anglers. As for most people, much of my fishing is restricted to weekends. Squeezing your fishing into specific days is the opposite of what is conducive to success. In a perfect world,

Fishing Tips by CHRIS RAIMONDI

we’d only fish when weather, tides, moon phases and seasonal conditions align. But of course jobs, families, friends and general commitments often get in the way. Over the past few months, I’ve done a couple of trips to my local reef areas north

of Brisbane – all on weekends in beautiful weather. Boat traffic is one of the first issues you face in these circumstances. It is vitally important to hit the water early or late if you’re fishing on the weekend in great weather, so you can maximise your fishing

time during low light periods. In almost any situation, early morning and late afternoon are going to provide you with the best opportunities to entice a few fish to bite. Another critical element to fishing popular locations in busy periods is to try and avoid boat traffic on the water. If there are multiple boats in a spot you want

to fish, try your best to move on and find areas where you can fish on your own. Once you identify the area you want to target, use your electric motor or drift lines to cover as much of it as possible, until you can pinpoint an area where fish are holding. When you’ve locked your location, it is all about technique, and

* continued P41

May shaping up as a more productive month * from P38

jew around 7kg on 14cm soft plastic paddle tailed lures during low tide. Main Beach has been a bit hit and miss, with only a handful of chopper tailor being taken in recent weeks. However, a handful of shallow gutters have more than made up for this by providing good bags of pan-sized flathead on lures. Ten Mile Beach at Shark Bay has also fished well for flat-

head on soft plastic lures when the swell has backed off enough to allow us to fish it properly, and those anglers who have preferred to use either live pipis or beachworms have been landing reasonable mixed bags of whiting, bream and tarwhine. The offshore brigade has also been doing it a bit tough recently – due more to the large swells than the floodwater – though this hasn’t stopped

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

die-hard boaties from getting in among the good fishing, reporting nice bags of both spanish and spotted mackerel being taken, along with reasonable catches of snapper and teraglin. We’ve had a few nice wintery mornings, with a lazy southwesterly blowing until around 10am. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes the winter norm and sea conditions finally allow boaties a

decent crack at fish. All in all, May should see catches of big bream on the improve in the lower reaches of the river systems and along the open beaches, and tailor should begin to bulk up in size a bit as well. Inside the rivers such as the Tweed, Richmond and Clarence, concentrate your jew fishing exploits to the bottom 1-2km from the mouth, as this is where the bulk of the mullet will be schooling up

and, trust me, jewfish won't be far away. May will also be your last chance to catch a big spanish mackerel or tuna this season, so if these species are your cup of tea, concentrate your efforts on the noted land-based spots in your area for one last hurrah. All in all, this has to be the month to finally produce fish, as long as the rain stays away. Until next month, safe fishing.

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Exhausting all options * from P40

recent trips have certainly reiterated that every single day is different. Back in February, our plan was to get out early and use small strips of bait to try and entice a few grass sweetlip and squire. We tempted plenty – every drop, in fact – but they were all well undersized, and it quickly became clear that it was going to be a hard slog to attract better quality fish. We tried larger bait and different bait, then eventually my friend Ross tied on a 4”plastic, which was crunched on only the second or third cast. A really nice grass sweetlip was soon on deck and I was busy reaching for the spin gear! I also reached for one of the Nomad Design 75mm Vertrex Max soft vibes and it was crunched by a nice fish almost straight away. A change of lure had immediately changed our luck and for the next hour or so there was actually a little mayhem as nice squire, sweetlip and moses perch hit the ice. The performance of the Nomad Design vibes was impressive! The small model I was using was designed more for bream, bass and flathead rather than the shallow reef, but it was effective and by running a really light drag, I was able to avoid straightening the trebles and stay connected to most fish. While I went to work with the vibes, I manwww.bnbfishing.com.au

aged to hook a couple of pike and swiftly threw them into the live bait tank. They’d come in handy later! Fast forward a couple of months and we went out again and had a look in the same area, targeting a feed of reef fish. This time we went straight to the small plastics and vibes and were shocked when a solitary squire was the only joy we experienced in the first hour. The conditions were similar and we were marking fish on the sounder but it wasn’t happening. We transitioned over to pilchard and almost immediately Ross hooked a good fish – a grassy sweetlip around the 3kg mark. It was déjà vu but the absolute opposite to how it happened only a few weeks before! We chipped away and nailed a couple of nice fish before we decided to try and load up on live bait for the midmorning period. Remember those couple of pike I mentioned from the earlier trip? Well, those were both converted into estuary cod on that particular day, which gave us insight into another technique that could be fruitful. We managed to find the yakka and quickly had a nice looking live well. No pike but we didn’t think that would be too much of an issue. We located nice ground once again and started to deploy the livies.

Over the next hour or so, we actually caught a number of undersized red emperor among nice grassies, squire and a cracking maori cod. Across these trips, we caught several good fish – given the close proximity to home and the fact we were fishing on glassy weekends. The results could have been very different if we hadn’t kept our options open and employed various techniques until we unlocked a bit of a pattern. The fact that techniques performed well on one day but terribly on the other was hard to understand but that’s fishing! It’s not always about trying to understand, it’s about covering all the bases to give yourself the best chance to catch a few on a given day. Catch ya.

The Nomad Design Vertrex vibes did the job.

A plastic-crunching grass sweetlip.

Ross with a solid grass sweetlip. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 41

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 43

Cool times ahead on Sunshine Coast n Snapper tips n Big spanish

W Lachlin Watts with a 65cm tailor taken off the beach on a pilchard. Photos: fishingnoosa.com.au

Local angler Craig Mullet with a great mixed bag.

ITH May upon us, it has been an interesting year already. On land, COVID-19 continues to make its presence known, with many taking time off to enjoy our backyard offerings instead of the annual overseas holiday. Heading north to experience huge barramundi and giant trevally has become more popular, and many anglers are now looking closer to home to experience amazing fishing opportunities. For the rest of us, the Sunshine Coast continues to provide excellent angling, and May is a great month to chase a wide range of winter and summer species. Over the next few months, pelagics will

Peter Dryer took this medium-sized snapper on a local reef. Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

Sunshine Coast by GRANT BUDD

move on and winter species will become the targets. For now, that period of crossover features arguably the best fishing of the year. The popular areas for snapper will be Barwon Banks and Murphys, North, Chardons and Sunshine reefs. The best method is usually a grub-style soft plastic or whole gang-hooked bait, allowed to slowly descend. For a better presentation you can snell a 4/0 and 3/0 Octopus hook together on 30lb leader. This gives your bait the best presentation but if a mackerel takes it you may get bitten off, so you may need a small length of wire. A great way to target snapper, jewfish and a host of other reef species is slow pitch jigging. When the drift is steady, running 80140g slow fall jigs can account for huge fish. The new Shimano Ocea Jigger F Custom 1500HG reel is a thing of beauty, matched perfectly to the Ocean’s Legacy Slow Element PE2. This particular rod has a weight range of 80-200g and has the backbone of other PE3

rods to help you lift heavier reef fish. Pair this with 300m of Shimano Ocea PE 2 braid and you have a beautiful combination for all day use. Double Island Point and Sunshine and Halls reefs are home to bigger spanish mackerel, showing you don’t always need to go out wide for big fish. These fish love slow trolled dead bait like bonito, garfish and sauries. When trolling big dead bait around for spanish, be sure to go slow and alter your speed from almost dead still to 3-4 knots. This will make your bait swim effectively and cover more of the water column. When you see spanish on your sounder, let your bait fall before putting the motor into gear and swimming it up through the school. This can result in an instant hook-up, so be ready. The other great thing about May is that mud crabs are often on the move, and 2021 has had several great rainfalls to date. Net Factory crabbing kits are the most costeffective way to get four pots up and running, with everything * continued P45

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Cool times around the corner on Sunshine coast * from P44

you need included. Tailor and queenfish will be featuring in the lower stretches of the Noosa River, with most taking surface lures and high-speed jigs. Make sure you have Bassday Sugapen, MMD Splash Prawn, Atomic Hardz K9 Walker lures and even micro jigs ready to go, and watch out for diving birds. The bigger fish usually come out in the dark and a big dead or live bait will help snag a big greenback. Trevally are in good numbers at this time of the year with golden, giant and diamond varieties all biting at low light periods.

Woods Bay, Munna Point and the back of the sound make excellent starting points. Each of these species demands a different approach, so be sure to ask us how we best target them when you come into the shop. The stretch between Lake Cootharaba and Tewantin often produces solid flathead, trevally, school jewfish and the occasional mangrove jack. Fishing in the deeper sections with live bait will land you a nice jew or jack, so be sure to be appropriately equipped. Bull sharks also inhabit this area, therefore going in a little heavier will help you land a whole fish rath-

er than just a head. On the beaches, wind tends to be southwesterly at this time of year, which makes fishing from the headlands a great option. If you do this be sure to fish in pairs, know what stage the tide is at and be suitably equipped to land fish – you could snag anything from a jew to a spanish. These fish tend to grow big, so dawdling in the impact zone with a heavy fish is not a good idea – you’ll need to stay vigilant. Night fishing will yield good results but picking a land-based spot such as Yaroomba is far safer. Teewah Beach tends to hold a lot of small

dart around a run-out tide. Fishing lower water gutters using pipis and worms on a long baitholder-style hook will see you in with a good chance. This will help secure smaller bait species and ensure its longevity against smaller fish. With rain remaining consistent, you will find bass schooling in the deeper sections of Lake MacDonald and Borumba Dam. Most fish will smash vibes and blades slowly lifted from the bottom. With water temperature dropping, it’s a good idea to keep your lures small because cold snaps will see fish wanting to work less to feed – a small snack is

more palatable over a big 4” lure. Be sure to keep fishing on the surface in low light periods, as fish will feed off the top throughout winter and they are a bit more lethargic. For all the latest information, log onto fishingnoosa.com.au for up-to-date bar and fishing reports, and don’t forget to drop into Davo’s Tackle World, Davo’s Boating and Outdoors in Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola for all the right equipment, bait and advice to get you catching. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and remember, tight lines and bent spines!

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 45

Sean contemplating how to serve up this sashimi bullet.

Quat with a chunky longtail tuna.

Tuna casting tips continued

Calin with daddy Dan, enjoying her first tuna experience.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

ON TI N U I NG on from last month’s issue with casting tips for tuna spinning... We need to polish up the retrieve techniques, and it needs to start with line control before the lure hits the water. When casting for tuna, never have line floating freely in the air or water. A hit can come at any time, especially if you have sighted targets and even if they have sounded. After the cast release,

Get into the best fishing action! Full and half day tours All levels of experience Experienced guide

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Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

you need to watch that lure, close the bail arm before it hits the water and get tension as soon as possible. If you require a bit of depth, you can let the lure sink, which should not be a problem even if you have the lure on a light tether to the rod tip. Too much slack and you might miss that bump, or it might hamper your attempts to lodge the hook smoothly and solidly. The basic retrieve is fast, like a jet. If you see tuna chase but not eat, it is a clear indication that you have not fooled them with your speediness. This is quite counterintuitive and many anglers say, “I am too fast, they can’t catch up!” In fact, I don’t think that is actually possible. The fish are actually assessing if your lure is edible or not. So, don’t let them

judge, just make them react. Get that handle knob gripped lightly in your fingertips and up that tempo. This is where reels with large ball knobs fall behind because it is more difficult to spin fast with this type of crank. T-paddle knobs are the prime shape for spinning fast, I believe. You don’t want a firm grip, just enough to turn the reel. Watch that lure rip through the water – if they are not too fussy, the fish may bite if the lure is breaking surface water. Often metal lures will tumble and bounce across the surface. Occasionally this is a good thing, as it may mimic the predominant prey. But if it doesn’t work, let the lure sink a bit before you begin. Soft plastics are of* continued P47

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Drew with his first queenfish.

Tuna casting tips continued * from P46

ten more capable of keeping depth when retrieved fast. The other retrieves are the darting or twitching styles. This can be done with soft or hard lures, with varying speeds and amplitudes of rod work. It is important to maintain tension with your rod tip when using this style, as you need to feel the bite and get tension for a good strike. It takes good control of both reel and rod.

If you are twitching on the horizontal plane, don’t sweep the rod back too far behind you because you can’t recover fast enough to strike if they eat early after the pause. The same goes if you’re working with upward rod motions – go too vertical and it will reduce your ability to strike. Speaking of strikes, see you next issue for probably the most important but often overlooked part of any style of fishing.

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Squid Balls Ingredients

Method

• 500g squid hoods

1. Chop squid hoods into small pieces, then process in food processor to form a mince.

• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 2 tbsp fresh garlic chives, finely chopped • 1 cup breadcrumbs • 1 tsp fresh dill, chopped • R ice bran oil for deep frying

2. Add ginger, garlic and chives and blend to combine. 3. Roll a heaped teaspoon of the mixture in breadcrumbs. 4. Deep fry until golden. 5. Drain on paper towel. 6. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce and garnish with dill.

TIP Check out my favourite sauce and how to make your own at appetite4thewild.com.au/recipe-items/chilli-and-mangosauce/

Prep time: 15 min | Cooking time: 1-2 min | Makes 12-14 Tri with a nice trevally on a jig. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 47

Kolan barramundi and offshore success

FTER welcome rain, the creeks, rivers and estuaries in the Bundaberg area have seen improved catches of fish and mud crab, though prawns have not appeared in the quantities normally expected. Occasionally we hear of an angler who has an area or a species ‘wired’. This simply means they have developed a lot of local knowledge around a particular system, species or both and can predict quite accurately when to fish. Professional fishers, especially those with a generational history of fishing, often have diaries recording all of their trips over a long period. This information assists them to increase their success rate. Many keen anglers will also keep a diary of information – such as times, tides, weather, barometer, bait, lures and more – for each trip, as a way to build their knowledge and increase their success. Joel, who I’ve dubbed

Bundaberg Region by BRAD YOUNG

‘King of the Kolan’, has been successful in targeting a new species. Joel uses his regular trips to Miara Caravan Park on the Kolan River to build his knowledge of each species. Most experienced – and even highly successful – anglers recognise time on the water targeting a species in a given area is the secret to improving your success rate. After conquering flathead and grunter, Joel successfully targeted his next species – barramundi. Joel successfully landed his first barra near the new mouth of the Kolan River using live mullet. It measured an impressive 77cm. Congratulations on your latest achievement, Joel. A few muddies topped off his successes for the weekend. Maybe he’ll target whiting on small surface

poppers next? Great weather sees offshore success After quite a few months of poor weather – including wind and rain – and family or work commitments prevented me from taking advantage of good weather, I had an opportunity recently to head offshore from Seventeen Seventy. Our target area was ground I had located after spending several hours completing 1km transects of an area between depth contours. This investment in time provided me with around 20 new marks. After identifying these bottom features four years ago, I had my first opportunity to fish them at the end of May 2020 and enjoyed success with large pearl perch, red emperor, tuskfish and red throat emperor. One benefit of fishing this area was the absence of sharks… no tax man!

Joel was proud of his 77cm Kolan River barramundi. Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

My crew for this trip included my son Lachy and good friend Chris, who has crewed on previous trips. With high tide around dusk, we headed eastward after 3.00pm towards an area about 5km east of the Bunker Group. The trip out took us a little over 90 minutes and saw us anchoring up before dusk on one of the marks that appeared to be holding fish. After anchoring, we started to land a few nice hussar – a species shunned by many. Hussar may be a common species, but I always enjoy taking home a few because they are easy to clean and have a lovely fine white flesh… they are great eating. We also use them for bait when chasing larger species. Our main bait species at this time were large squid – whole or cut – and hussar flesh. It wasn’t long before Chris hooked-up to a large fish. With a long hard fight and plenty of headbouncing, we called it for a nice red. Though after a prolonged battle, we netted a 78cm mangrove jack. We were concerned initially that it may have been a red bass but were able to confirm it was a mangrove jack. Chris was stoked and suggested he was fine to head home, satisfied with his catch! I decided to drop down my heavy outfit in the hope of landing a red emperor. It wasn’t long before I also hooked a good fish. And after a tough fight – also resembling that of a red – we landed a

65cm mangrove jack. The night was only young, and we were already happy with our results. I had never caught large jack out on the reef previously. Lachy was next to hook a large fish and after a relatively easy tussle, when compared to the two jacks, landed his first red emperor at 65cm. He was stoked. As well as a steady stream of big hussar, we also landed a few nice moses perch before turning in for the night. Unfortunately, while the swell had dropped, the wind blowing against the tide meant we had a poor night’s sleep, with the boat rocking from side to side. Bacon and egg burgers were cooked up prior to dawn and before we dropped lines again. A couple of big tuskfish were landed and added to the box. As the tide started to drop, the fishing went quiet, so we made our way towards shallower water and targeted trout and red throat – adding six trout to the box and a nice red throat. It was soon time to head towards the Round Hill Creek bar before the tide dropped too much. We had a quick trip back to the bar and then to Bundy. A successful trip with quite a few nice fish. Make sure to take advantage of the good weather over the coming months. As always, I can be contacted via email at fishnboat@bigpond.com or via mail at PO Box 5812, Bundaberg West Queensland 4670. Until next month…

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 49

This great specimen red throat emperor was caught on the new Wilson prototype stickbait, due for release later in the year.

The giant trevally fishing at Swain Reefs was nothing short of exceptional. These hard-fighting fish will put your tackle and fitness levels to the test.

Testing times on Swain Reefs

Swain Reefs offers a large range of species and surprises. Catching a cobia on a Mustad Wingman jig was one of those moments.

AST month I covered part one of my Swain Reefs trip on board Big Cat Reality Charters with Wilson Fishing. This month is part two – filled with more epic fishing and great memories. With an action-packed four days of fishing that was to follow, it would

Breaksea & Beyond DVD Join Greg Lamprecht and his Wicked Fishing crew as they fish the Breaksea Spit region north of Fraser Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef. Featuring 24 different species of fish including red emperor to 17kg and dragscreaming marlin and wahoo action. Experience fascinating and rarely seen underwater footage of fish roaming the reefs in their natural habitat. Greg combines this footage with sounder readings to create a fantastic learning tool that won’t be forgotten.

SPECIAL FEATURES: • HOW TO FIND • BREAKSEA GEOLOGY NEW GROUND • TACKLE AND RIGS • MAP LOCATIONS • BAITS • GPS MARKS

some rarely captured underwater howing the spectacular amount of e that inhabits these reefs. Greg his interesting footage with sounder o create a fantastic learning tool.

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Lamprecht and his wicked fishing ey fish the reefs off Double Island bow Beach and Fraser Island.

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Offshore - Part 2 by GREG LAMPRECHT

be impossible to mention everything in this article, so I’ll fill you in on a few of the memorable moments. On day three, we found ourselves situated at Centenary Reef on the upper northern area of the Swain Reefs region. It was blowing a solid 20 knots, so we opted to try something different and fish the top of the reef flats on the morning high tide. This would give us an opportunity to test out the new prototype Wilson stickbait lures to see how they would perform. Being a prototype lure still in development, I’m unable to show pictures of the lures, but they will be released in the second half of 2021 and are set to become hugely popular. For this style of fishing, we used a combination of ATC Virtuous spin reels and Shimano Saragosa spin reels with 50lb line. These were matched to Venom 40-60lb Stickbait rods, which

are one of the most versatile rods in the range and purposely designed for this type of fishing. Over the course of the next few hours, we caught heaps of red throat emperor and coral trout, which made for excellent fishing and great fun. When you’re only fishing in a 1-2m of water, the fish fight extremely hard and it doesn’t take much effort for them to go straight back into the reef and bust you off. Satisfied with our results on the reef flats, we decided to look at the front leading edge of the reef to see if could entice a giant trevally. As soon as we arrived, we could see good amounts of bait showering out of the water, so I positioned the boat for Dane to cast a 220mm Zerek Zappelin Stickbait straight into the zone. Within a few seconds of the lure landing, the water erupted and the stickbait was absolutely smashed. * continued P51

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Testing times on Swain Reefs * from P50

The fish headed straight out into deeper water, which was a surprise and Dane soon had a healthy GT boat side that was quickly released. By then, it was time to head back to the Big Cat for lunch and also welcome the arrival of Wilson owner Graeme Wilson and general manager Kord Luckus. Due to commitments, they couldn’t join us for the first half of the trip, so they flew in on a seaplane to ensure they didn’t miss out completely. That’s commitment. The next couple of days consisted of the same ordinary weather, but we continued to chase GTs on stickbaits and poppers, which produced plenty of goodsized specimens before chasing reef fish around the main reefs. One morning, we had an awesome session on the edge of the reef line in 20-30m. I was using a 6” Zerek Live Cherabin and a 5” Zerek Live Shrimp, and more often than not they were smashed before they reached the bottom. I was pulling nice coral trout one after the other with a few good coronation trout and red throat emperor also in the mix. The outfit I was using for this was an ATC Virtuous spin reel on a Blade N Tails 15-30lb rod, which was an awesome match for this style of fishing. Dane was using the 80g Mustad Wingman jigs with a slow twitch technique close to the bottom. This also resulted in www.bnbfishing.com.au

nice trout, red throat and spangled emperor. Using these techniques around the reefs was effective and could out-fish bait at times for a few different reasons. You have less by-catch of smaller unwanted species, more of a natural presentation, you can catch fish faster and tend to get less snags. One important factor I should mention is the importance of positioning the boat directly over the top of where you are working your plastic or jig to maximise the lure technique and action. This means putting the boat in and out of reverse to keep it in a stationary position or so that you move at a similar speed to the current. Over the next few days we continued to move south through the Swains, with our last destination being Turrum Reef. Along the way we fished a heap of new reef systems and pulled copious arm-stretching GTs and reef fish, including a nice cobia on the Mustad Wingman jig. On the final day, we headed off in the tender to a reef we hadn’t fished previously. It looked great for GTs, with current running over it and plenty of bait present. I won’t forget what happened over the next couple of hours in a hurry – not because I caught heaps of huge giant trevally, but for the fact I had my butt handed to me on a platter, as GT after GT made me look silly with multiple bust-offs. The strong current that ran hard over the

reef and bombies made it difficult to extract the fish in this location, particularly when several were true monsters. We kept persisting and managed a couple around 25kg before it went quiet, so we moved into deeper water to try our luck one last time for red emperor. After sounding around for a while, I found a few nice small isolated rocks in 40m of water in the middle of nowhere. This was prime red emperor country and we both dropped Mustad jigs down to see what we could extract. A couple of twitches off the bottom and we were both hooked-up to quality fish. We barely got to 5-10 seconds into the fight before both our fish were sharked, which was so frustrating. We rigged up and tried again but unfortunately the same thing happened, which was hugely disappointing and, knowing we would only waste more fish to the sharks if we kept trying, it was decided we would drive away and make our way back to the Big Cat to load the boats and head home. A huge thanks to Wilson for organising this epic trip, and also to the crew of Big Cat Reality Charters for working tirelessly day after day to look after us and ensure everyone had a great time. If you’re interested in watching a bit of the action, jump on to my YouTube channel Gregs Wicked Fishing and watch Part 1 and 2 of the crazy action. Until next time, tight lines.

Fishing the edge of reefs with artificial bait produced a large quantity of fish. This coronation trout fell to a Zerek Live Shrimp on a Mustad Darter jig head.

Dane with another cracking Swain Reefs giant trevally taken on 220mm Zerek Zappelin stickbait and Venom PE10 Popping rod.

Fishing with lures on the top of the shallow reef flats can be very productive and a great way to target a range of species such as this nice coral trout. These fish along with many others were caught on a new Wilson prototype stickbait lure and, due to still being in development stages, it can’t be shown until its release later in the year. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 51

Bill with a barramundi caught on a plastic.

Eric landed this fine queenfish.

Lure fishing tips n Risk and reward Fishing Cairns

Jeff with his first jungle perch.

Planning a trip to North Queensland?

Book a charter today! From barramundi to marlin, jungle perch to jacks, we’ve got you covered. Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

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by BRETT PARKS

HAT is it about lure fishing that keeps you coming back for more? It has to be the risk and reward scenario that happens with every cast. Similar to the appeal of golf, I would guess. It’s that one great shot onto the green or the 13m putt that drops in – these events keep you coming back for more. I frequently get phone calls from punters wanting to get out and have a fish. It’s my job then to match them up with the

perfect charter, so they have a great day out on the water. The calls range from the novice who just wants to soak a bait in the inlet or on the reef to the experienced angler who wants to land a giant trevally or bag their first jungle perch. For me, lure fishing ticks all the boxes. It relies on skill and cunning – a genuine hunt, pitting your skills against a worthy opponent. Occasionally getting a strike can be tricky – too short, too * continued P53

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A sizable barramundi caught on a pink lure.

A solid trevally taken on a surface lure.

Lure fishing techniques * from P52

long, twitch to steady retrieve, deep diver or surface presentation. There are so many variables, similar to the club selection on the golf course. For those uninitiated in the fine art of lure fishing, it can be a frustrating affair. I find that if the punter has any ball skills from playing sport when growing up, they will generally do well. Those with less coordination skills will struggle, but it is a skill you can improve on over time with practice. Throwing lures in my home patch will always see you caught up in snags from time to time. A good electric motor is essential in this case, along with a reliable lure retriever. I tell my clients that if they’re not getting the occasional snag, they are not getting close enough. Open boats with flat casting platforms will also make a day casting lures all the more enjoyable. www.bnbfishing.com.au

The rewards are varied and plenty. Drifting down the river all day has other benefits too – a wide variety of bird life, encounters with crocodiles and different conditions around every bend.

There is the rush of adrenalin when you get a hit and when the fish breaks the surface for the first time. And whether you come away with plenty or none, you will always want for more.

The author with a nice jungle perch.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 53

Coby Pascoe is a local angler with a large number of 1m plus barramundi to his name. He recently upgraded his personal best to 125cm.

Garrett Wells with a big 117cm Fitzroy River barramundi, caught on board a Guided Fishing DownUnder charter.

Capricorn Coast fires with big barramundi

ROUND six years ago, the Ro ck ha mpt on area was closed to commercial netting. There was a lot of chat around if the right decision had been made. Tempers were flaring, rational thinking occasionally went out the window and social media lit up with arguments for and against. To this day, all you have to do is mention the net free zone and once dormant voices will rise to tell their story again. Fast forward to the present day and I believe we have just witnessed one of the best big barramundi seasons since the netting closure. It was never going to be a five-minute fix, and my opinion is that it took years to get to this point and it still has a long way to go. Give it another six

Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

years and imagine the sizes we’ll see then. I believe we are desperately in need of a flood at the right time of year. If we can get a good flood consistently in November-December for the next five years, this place will go absolutely mental. Back in 2008 through to 2011, we received two major floods during these months, which were timed perfectly. The following years were off the charts with cricket score catches of barramundi. With the removal of the nets, we haven’t seen those events again. Who knows what will happen if all the conditions line up, but one

Jaedon Evans was all smiles holding this trophy Fitzroy River barramundi. Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

thing’s for sure, I am looking forward to being around to see it and also sampling the fishing. Since the opening of the saltwater barra season back in February, there has been a steady flow of big barramundi gracing social media pages. You’ve got to ask the question, if these are the fish we’re seeing then what are the sizes and numbers of big barra we’re not seeing? It’s no one’s fault, there are just plenty of good anglers who prefer to fly under the radar. Unfortunately, at the time of putting this article together, the Fitzroy River was awash with freshwater. All the gates on the barrage were opened and the hyacinth weed was washed out, once again. The Fitzroy was clear for a few months and during that time big barra were hungry. From Devils Elbow all the way up to the 400m limit of the barrage, there were regular pictures of big barra-

mundi, with iconic parts of Rockhampton in the background. Even more encouraging was that everyday bait anglers were getting in on the action. You don’t need all the high-tech gear to nail a big model – it helps for consistency but is not completely necessary. And what if you don’t own a boat or have much of an idea about barra fishing in general? Well, the simple answer is, you hire a guide. There are a few great options. Number one choice for most is Guided Fishing DownUnder. Nathan Johnston is the skipper, owner and all-round champion – a great person with a wealth of knowledge and a keen eye for detail. Nathan has helped many anglers catch their first barramundi and has even been able to steer them in the direction of a personal best. The barra that Nathan posts on his social media pages would make any serious angler green with envy. As his experience grows, barra at 1m plus are becoming more and more common on his charters. It’s definitely not easy

to stay one step ahead of the game, especially on a fairly pressured waterway on the doorstep of a major city. Time on the water has definitely given Nathan the edge. If you would like to book with Guided Fishing DownUnder, they can be contacted on 0400 221 055. Garrett Wells was one such angler who was chasing the 1m barra dream. Not only did he beat 1m on charter with Nathan, but he smashed it with a monster at 117cm. Chatting with Garrett, he mentioned that it wasn’t only the big barra that made the trip but Nathan’s willingness to share information to help other anglers improve their fishing. Garrett said he learned so much in a short time on the water with Nathan. And I don’t think we’re finished just yet. We are now in May and with water cooling, barra will slow a little, but in my experience, this is still a top month to grab a rod and get stuck in. Well, that’s it from me this month. Stay safe and let the good times roll.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

The Cape is definitely open - travelling to tip

ENSATIONALIST reporting by the Courier Mail, Cairns Post and other Murdoch rags saw the media blanketed with stories by people claiming to be traditional owners of the area and indicating the tip of Cape York had been closed to tourists. It was shoddy journalism at best, with reporters failing to check facts and choosing instead to run half-truths and innuendo in a scare campaign that has cost Peninsula businesses thousands of dollars in cancelled bookings. Visitors come to walk to the ‘Tip’, it’s an Australian rite of passage. The threat of closure for that sacred piece of land was enough to persuade hundreds of prospective travellers to look elsewhere. Statements claiming the road between Bamaga and Cape York had been closed east of the Croc Shop at Lockerbie – the Punsand Bay turnoff – proved to be just that… a crock! Local police confirmed the road as far as the gate to the aban-

Our own independent newspaper Cape York Weekly exposes the rubbish being pushed by the Murdoch press. Sign up for a free subscription to find out what’s really happening on the Cape. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Trip to the Tip by DAVE DONALD

doned Pajinka Lodge was a gazetted thoroughfare and could not be closed without their permission. Furthermore, the traditional owners who were talking about possibly closing access to the Tip had no authority to do so without the agreement of the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council. The mayor Patricia Yusia then clarified the issue, stating the council had not been officially approached by the traditional owners about such a closure. The problem has now been resolved, with an additional charge of $10 per head earmarked to assist traditional owners in constructing new toilet facilities at the Tip – to alleviate visitors having to head into the bush to conduct their ablutions. However, spreading this message after the mass hysteria created by the misleading press reports has proved difficult, given the power of mainstream press and social media. As a person who has spent many of the best years of their life living and working at Pajinka Lodge from 1988 to 1992, it pained me to see how the place was allowed to deteriorate after its closure around 2004. The question of why the traditional owners walked away and left one of the most iconic tourism facilities in the entire country abandoned, without security or presence for the en-

suing 17 years, before deciding to create a ruckus immediately following the Cape’s worst tourist season in modern history due to COVID lockdowns, needs to be clarified. There’s no racist agenda here, I’m merely stating the facts. Those of us who live in this remote area – which is larger than Victoria – are confronted by similar scenarios all too often. I spent 18 months investigating indigenous tourism development opportunities on the Cape, so I have comprehensive appreciation of the issues involved. There definitely needs to be more dialogue and cooperation between all parties as we face the future. So, the important message here for those contemplating a Cape York exploration or fishing trip is clear – Cape York Peninsula is open and ready to welcome visitors! The Peninsula Development Rd is expected to be fully open and trafficable, and the Jardine River ferry refurbished by the end of April. As bookings for the 2021 season – June to October – are already heavy, it is advisable to book National Park and major campground sites as soon as possible. If you do choose to camp away from the designated areas, be sure to bury toilet refuse, extinguish all fires and take rubbish with you when leaving.

Keep in mind that access to our beautiful countryside depends on being respectful in the areas you are passing through. Cape communities, large landholders and traditional owners do not appreciate visitors trashing their country, so if you see others doing the wrong thing, call them out or report them to the authorities. Future access could very well depend on such vigilance. Meanwhile, the Cape has had its best wet season for many years, both in terms of rainfall and longevity. This augurs well for a bumper fishing season, especially considering that due to heavily reduced tourist numbers in 2020, pressure on fish stocks was well below normal throughout the area.

It seems that Australians can no longer trust mainstream media to provide them with balanced, unbiased and accurate news on important issues. Finding sources that are locally focussed and independent – now that the media giants have hijacked the industry – has become increasingly difficult. However, here in the Cape’s largest community, we are indeed fortunate to have the truly local publication Cape York Weekly, so I would enthusiastically recommend all travellers preparing for or contemplating a trip this way, sign up for a free digital copy each week at capeyorkweekly.com. au to ensure the news received is real and current. Safe travelling and good fishing!

The Tip is open! Don’t believe what you have read in the press.

The crew at Weipa Camping Ground are ready and waiting to welcome you to Weipa and the Cape. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 55

BOATING & marine

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show ready to set sail in 2021

A NC T UA RY Cove International Boat Show returns with exciting new innovations, exhibitors and visitor experiences. The southern hemisphere’s premier showcase of boating and marine innovation returns to the Gold Coast this May, in an event that promises to be bigger and better than ever. SCIBS 32nd edition will again transform Sanctuary Cove’s pristine marina and marine village into a bustling industry showcase, welcoming the world’s biggest names in boating. Attracting over 45,000 visitors each year, with over 300 exhibitors and 600 watercraft on display, SCIBS 2021 is on track to be a spectacular event, showcasing the finest the industry has to offer, from bestin-class prestigious superyachts, power boats, catamarans and sailing boats, as well as RIBs, day boats, fishing boats, sports, ski and tow boats. Additional space will be allocated to premium on-water displays, coupled with significant space for the growing trailer boat segment, expanding both ends of the marine market. This year’s show will

give visitors the first look at the magnificent $10 million expansion of the Sanctuary Cove Marina, unveiling stateof-the-art undercover berths and enabling Sanctuary Cove to accommodate premium recreational vessels from 15m to superyachts up to 50m. After COVID-19 saw the cancellation of last year’s show, SCIBS bounced back in truly spectacular style, hosting the hugely successful Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival in November 2020 – one of only three boat shows to be held anywhere in the world last year. A precursor to SCIBS 2021, the Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival saw over 120 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors descend on Sanctuary Cove Marina and the marine village in a celebration of the strength and resilience of the marine industry, even in the face of COVID-19. SCIBS general manager Johan Hasser said, “The marine industry on the whole has successfully navigated the past 12 months.” “Many in the industry are pleased with sales in recent months as Australians invest in the boating lifestyle, which

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

is safe, fun and can be enjoyed locally, as international travel continues to be restricted. “The Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival proved that people want to get out and explore boating in a safe and family friendly environment, which is what Sanctuary Cove events offer. “We are excited to welcome exhibitors and visitors back to our stunning home,” Mr Hasser said. SCIBS 2021 follows in the footsteps of not only the Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival, but also SCIBS 2019, which attracted over 47,000 visitors. Many of SCIBS’ key exhibitors such as Riviera, Maritimo, Horizon, Princess, Northside Marine, QMC and JSW Powersports were among the first to secure exhibitor space, backing SCIBS as the must-attend boat show on the Australian calendar. Northside Marine will proudly host the AsiaPacific launch of the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 10.5 Walk Around, along with a larger range of Jeanneau product than ever exhibited before. Northside Marine sales manager Bill Hull

said, “We are the busiest we have ever been for a January period and attribute this to our great experience at the Sanctuary Cove Boating Festival, as well as overseas travel funds being reinvested into the marine industry.” “We are excited once again to experience the prestige and great atmosphere of the show,” Mr Hull said. At this year’s show, JSW Powersports will unveil the high-end luxury wake boat the Malibu M220 for the first time in Australia. JSW Powersports marketing manager Oliver Bennett said, “Year on year, the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show continues to grow and expand, offering additional incentives for both consumers and exhibitors, resulting in a world class boat show.” “We’re also looking forward to showcasing the 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300, which we consider to be the ultimate top-of-the-line racing watercraft, as well as the latest Sea Fox 328 Commander centre console which combines both family leisure and sport fishing,” Mr Bennett said. Princess Yachts Australia dealer principal Greg Haines said, “The importance of SCIBS to the marine industry cannot be underestimated.” “SCIBS is the premier boat show in the Southern Hemisphere. “It is a spectacular destination, with the

marine village, the marina and the five-star InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort. “We are looking forward to people coming to see Princess Yachts and we believe it is going to be a great show,” Mr Haines said. Injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy each year, SCIBS has long been regarded as the place ‘where the marine business does business’, with high-end brands exhibiting their latest and greatest vessels and marine products. Beyond its obvious appeal for marine industry movers, shakers and dreamers alike, SCIBS plays host to a variety of guests who can mingle in the bustling marine village and enjoy nonstop entertainment in a warm, family-friendly ambience, abuzz with roving street entertainment, delicious food and live music. Free Park ‘n’ Ride services will be operating from Warner Bros. Movie World using a fleet of air-conditioned coaches, while organisers have also added more space for onsite car parking, available to pre-purchase online with your tickets. Whether it’s luxury or affordable boating you’re after, SCIBS 2021 is sure to have it all, providing the perfect place to start your boating adventure. Tickets are now available to purchase at sanctuarycoveboat show.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 57

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Towing the line on rescue claims

VERSEAS boating forums and specialist video channels have plenty of scary reports about the costs of marine rescue tows – though many of the dramas could have been avoided if boaties had considered a couple of points before selecting an insurer. Understanding your towing rights and obligations with an insurer is a key starting point. To that end, insurance companies are required to provide clients with a product disclosure statement, which sets out the terms of the insurance agreement. Simple language contracts make life

easier for you and for the insurer. As an example, Nautilus Marine will cover towing your boat back to safety if the tow is the result of a ‘claimable event’. You may have struck a submerged shipping container while 40km offshore, destroying the lower leg of your outboard in the process. Provided there was no forewarning that such an obstruction existed, this type of accident ordinarily would fall into the claimable event status. Therefore, the tow back to safety is a direct result of a claimable event and the towing charge provided by a marine rescue service, if deemed to

be a reasonable cost, would be covered. What does that mean? Well, say you and another boatload of friends headed offshore together. Your boat struck the submerged shipping container and the other boat towed you back to shore and then billed you for say $5,000. Clearly, not a reasonable cost. The principle is that insurance is there to ‘make good’ a loss. It is not there for profiteering and opportunism. Another illustration – you might have collected a plastic bag at sea, which blocked the cooling induction system resulting in an

over-heated outboard. Again, very possibly a claimable event, and the resulting tow required to get you back to safety would be covered. So, what might constitute a non-claimable event? Well, running out of fuel would be a good example. If you over-stepped your safe fuel travelling distance through inattention, a cavalier attitude or some other reason, don’t expect to make a successful claim. Why? Because it was no one’s fault but yours. You should have anticipated the possibility before venturing so far offshore, and you breached your legal requirement to operate your vessel with due care and regard for safety at all times. For those and similar reasons, you’ll obviously run into difficulty trying to get an insurer to cover the cost of a tow caused by your ineptitude. But, if things do go pear-shaped with that shipping container, a sunfish or other unforeseeable obstruction, a key piece of

advice is to always get and keep a receipt from the coastguard or the marine group that rescued you. You will be paying their costs in the first instance and subsequently seeking to make a claim on your marine insurer for reimbursement, less any excess you are liable for. Also remember that the insurer will want to inspect the damage and evidence of costs relating to the claimable event. In this case, the invoice documentation from the rescuing organisation, as well as the damage to the lower leg of the outboard. When it comes to marine insurance, always check your product disclosure statement, and if you have a query ask your insurer for clarification. Any special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in your insurance policy’s product disclosure statement. If you need further information, contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

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

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

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PERFORMANCE

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

HERVEY BAY BUCCANEERS 19 Islander Rd, Pialba, Hervey Bay (07) 4124 6988 www.buccaneers.com.au

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

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 59

POWER YOUR LIFESTYLE WITH MERCRUISER – BUILT TO PERFORM, BUILT TO LAST, BUILT TO ENJOY Mercury MerCruiser engines and drive systems are designed, tested, and purpose built for the marine environment.

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Onshore Marine Horizon Shores Marina, Cabbage Tree Point Rd Woongoolba Q 4207 P: 07 5546 2480 www.onshoremarine.com.au

BRISBANE NORTH Holt Marine 25 Queens Rd Everton Hills Q 4053 P: 07 3353 1928 www.holtmarine.com.au

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Platypus Pulse x4 Shimano Salty and Pulse x8 braid Advance JDM

BORN from developments in materials, machinery and line coatings, Platypus is proud to bring you the new Pulse x4 and Pulse x8 braided lines. World class materials, cutting edge machinery and advanced armour-x coatings come together to create an Australianmade product that we can all be proud of. Pulse x4 is a four-carrier no-nonsense workhorse that is angler friendly, tough and resilient for harsh environments. The high-viz Aussie Gold colour provides excellent visibility, which is especially important when fishing structure, while also enhancing bite detection. Pulse x4 is engineered for super low stretch and excellent knot strength. Pulse x8 is an eight-carrier super slick and supple high-performance casting braid, with a round profile, thin diameter and zero stretch combining to give you increased distance and feel. Engineered for excellent knot strength, Pulse x8 is finished with armour-x coatings in hi-viz Aussie Green colour for increased abrasion resistance, excellent visibility and bite detection. Spool up with a local and bend your rods! Available in 150m and 300m spools and in 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 65 and 80lb. Suggested retail price from $24.90 fishplatypus.com.au

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THE Salty Advance rods have been purpose-built for specific styles of lure fishing. There are four technique-specific rods in the range designed for rock, eging, trout and Baku Baku-style jig fishing. Built with Shimano’s High Response Solid blank and Taftec rod tips, the Salty Advance rods are light, sharp and powerful. These quality material super sensitive yet sturdy rod tips will make for awesome lure fishing. For more information, visit shimanofish. com.au

Toadfish Outfitters

TOADFISH Outfitters have developed a range of high quality, practical and innovative kitchen and outdoor accessories to enhance our coastal lifestyle. From non-tipping can coolers, drink holders and dog bowls with their SmartGrip technology that makes them hard to tip but easy to lift, to an innovative prawn cleaner that can peel, de-vein and butterfly a green prawn in one quick motion.

It doesn’t end there though… stainlesssteel double-wall tumblers with shatterproof lids keep your drinks cool to the last drop, while elegantly engineered practical barbecue and seafood tools make preparing food more enjoyable and take the mess and effort out of eating shellfish such as crab, lobsters and oysters. The Toadfish Outfitters range is perfect for the Aussie outdoor lifestyle that we all love and makes the perfect gift idea for those who love life outside. Featuring as Bush ‘n Beach’s May subscriber prize, see page 81 for more details. For more information, visit toadfishout fitters.com

Shimano Metanium MGL

THE Metanium MGL sets the standard for baitcasters in the Australian market. This flagship baitcast model features a Magnesium CoreSolid body, which is designed to deliver unmatched durability, rigidity and sensitivity. Taking this to the next level is the addition of the Magnumlite Spool III, which decreases spool inertia by 17 percent. To further enhance castability and control, the new SVS system has been included to provide a wider range of brake adjustment via the external dial. The Micro Module main gear is made from a solid brass construction and Silent Tune technology reduces spool bearing vibration for smooth reeling. The Metanium MGL has been extensively tested by Shimano field testers for over 12 months in Australia’s top end region, which is renowned for extreme saltwater conditions. For more information, visit shimanofish. com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 61

C HARTER directory BALLINA / BYRON

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0428 753 293 Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

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seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 63

Giant trevally fishing on Bugatti Reef while up at Airlie Beach using skip bait. Jonathon Roberts

This sizeable 48cm mangrove jack was caught in the Maroochy River. Blake Andreas

My nine-year-old son Darcy’s first-time fishing for tailor with an Alvey, reeled in a beauty weighing 2.06kg on Fraser Island. Mick Lenz

This snapper was caught on a Blade N Tails 10-20 spin with a 5000 ATC Virtuous with 30lb braid and 40lb leader using a Mustad InkVader in 80g weight. Brady Seng

To have a photo of your catch featured in Readers’ Forum, simply email ben@collins.media with a good-quality picture, your name and details or hop onto our Facebook page and send us a message. Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

www.bnbfishing.com. au

That’s the thing about a get away in a Quintrex – it’s just you and your mates or family, out on the water. At your special spot, by yourselves, having fun. Catching a fish or two and a lot of laughs. No crowds, no worries. Quintrex is Australia’s number one boat brand, designed and built on the Gold Coast since Adam was a boy. We’re the best because all our boats, from tinnies to blue water rigs, are built for safety and function, ease of use and utmost reliability. So what are you doing this weekend?

Find your special fishing spot... Talk to your nearest Quintrex dealer for more info on the perfect Quintrex for you.

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Brisbane | Brisbane Yamaha 174 Eastern Service Rd, Burpengary Q T 07 3888 1727 www.brisbaneyamaha.com.au

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

Brisbane | Karee Marine 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q T 07 3875 1600 www.kareemarine.com.au

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

Bundaberg | Boats Galore 142 Enterprise St, Bundaberg Q T 07 4152 6744 www.boatsgalore.com.au QXDEALER2021

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 65

C AMPING & outdoors

The view from the author’s campsite.

Rocky Point magic W

A nice bream pulled off a fallen tree in the water.

The author with a nice Baffle Creek flathead. Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

E had been so blessed with the weather we encountered on our way around Queensland. However, our luck ran out as we made our way to Baffle Creek, with rain, wind and storms as a welcome. That said, we still had a special time making camp at Rocky Point Retreat, which is situated 63km north of Bundaberg and 90km south of Agnes Water. Rocky Point Retreat is one of those magic camp spots and is located on the banks of Baffle Creek in the tiny village of Winfield. Darren and Kati Rasmussen maintain the place beautifully, and it offers a unique experience if you want a simple relaxing time in the middle of a waterway

Outdoors

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

with fantastic fishing and crabbing. The campsites are generous in size and we had ample room for our caravan, Isuzu D-Max, tinnie and a couple of kayaks. We set up on a waterfront site, which allowed us to connect to bore water though not power, which suited us fine. The bore water was of high quality and very drinkable – in saying that Tonia and I have only had access to tank and bore water for the past six years. Be warned, many people do have a reaction, with an upset stomach often the end result.

Sandflies, midges and mosquitoes were a problem at times, particularly around dawn and dusk, which may be concerning to parents of toddlers. In my evaluation, the quality of fishing and crabbing on offer far outweighed any negatives at this location. The waterway has a lot to offer, with a variety of target areas to explore such as sandbanks, channels and drains, twisted mangrove-lined banks, fallen timbers, rock bars and rocky points. As usual, I enjoyed catching my fish on hard-bodies, but for those who wish to * continued P67

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C AMPING & outdoors

Rocky Point magic * from P66

fish with bait, yabbies are easily gathered by pumping the sandbanks around low tide. There was also an abundance of herring available, so make sure you take a cast net. In addition to the ordinary weather, we also experienced a few neap tides with hardly any current, but I still managed to have a ball lure casting around the snags. Depending on the structure you fish, the cost of lures can be expensive. On this trip, I gave a Asari Mini Runner lure a try and I was pleased with the results. Bundaberg BCF had them in a range of col-

ours priced at $9 each. I’m not saying I prefer the Asari lures over others, but they performed well and offered value for money. I had a wide variety of species willing to inhale these lures such as whiting, bream, estuary cod, flathead and queenfish. A memory I won’t forget was the sizeable bream I watched in the shallows, with their backs exposed chasing baitfish. They would even turn on their side to get into water only centimetres deep. The experience of sight casting to these fish, watching them explode in the shallows and panicking to

find deep water when hooked was unbelievable. Estuary cod were also lined up to crawl over these little crankbaits and ranged from small juvenile size to a nice 50cm specimen, which was great on the Webber that night. The few days we spent at Rocky Point were magical and I loved the tranquillity of lure casting the snags between heavy rainfalls. We sampled enough of this location to know we’ll be back for sure. Solid bream, endless cod and acrobatic queenfish will be etched into my mind until the next time I’m pushing the boat off the trailer at Winfield.

This gives an idea of the size of the campsites on the waterfront.

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Estuary cod are everywhere in Baffle Creek. www.bnbfishing.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 67

Rob Schomberg was stoked with this brown trout.

A beautiful brown trout in the net.

Terrific time trout fishing in Tasmania

LBEIT a year late, Commodore Rob was finally able to use his Jetstar credits to get down to Tasmania and see his relatives, and for a spot of fishing in the boat he and his brotherin-law had purchased in 2020. While not the fishing machine Salty is, it does have character, and after a bit of research was found to be nearly 50 years old. It’s a Stacer 4.28 Kingray, build No. 63. Stacer kicked off in 1971 and No. 63 rolled off the line in 1972.

Power Boat Anglers by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

For its age, there are no cracks or corrosion and it’s in great condition. Dragged out of the shed, the 18hp Tohatsu fired up on the second pull, so the next morning the anglers headed off to Lake Huntsman – about an hour from Launceston. As they headed down the highway, Rob watched the temperature gauge drop from 15 to 8C – not quite the

Offshore reef fishing fanatics WANTED One of Brisbane’s oldest deep-sea fishing clubs with a 100 percent safety record has vacancies for new members. Owners of suitable vessels encouraged. All levels of experience. Those without own vessels also invited to apply. Approximately 15 deep sea trips per year. One week-long fishing holiday to Town of 1770. Monthly meetings, video shows, guest speakers and free nibbles. 4WD beach fishing and camping. Inshore fishing also on the agenda. Interested? Then call Darren (0413 511 436) or Robin (3269 5013). POWER BOAT ANGLERS REEF FISHING CLUB INC Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

shorts and Crocs climate he’s used to. They were the only boat on the lake, which was bizarre by Queensland standards, and not knowing where to go, they just moved around looking for fish. The lake had a bag of 20 trout with 220 being the minimum size limit, so it’s well stocked with small fish. After trying all sorts of lures, the brother-inlaw got a fish of around 30cm on a Tassie Devil lure. Rob searched the tackle box for a green and gold Devil – as this is the go-to colour apparently – and found something close. They were drifting sunken timber and several of the slightly submerged stumps were 2m across. They tried a windward bank and finally located fish and while not big, they managed six brown trout, soon after releasing the small tackers. The next day they travelled to Four

Springs, where Rob had previously angled but never bagged a fish. They travelled down the lake casting and changing lures before Rob went back to a black and gold 2.5” Berkley Grub that he shortened to imitate the local leeches. Using a 32oz No. 4 jig head, this recipe did the damage and caught all the fish, even after nearly being straightened on three occasions. Once the sun got up a bit, there were large brown trout acting as if they were mackerel and chasing bait on the surface, though the rattly two-stroke made it hard to sneak up on them. Eventually, they found the right drift and Rob’s plastic was stopped in its tracks with a good fish taking to the air and then into the net – a nice brown slightly shy of 1.8kg. That started a bite that lasted for an hour, with heaps of hits and nudges and fish coming up all over the place. Rob bagged another three fish all identical size and then they shut down.

Once again, the anglers were the only boat on the lake for most of the day. A few days later they returned to Huntsman and headed straight for the previous honey hole. Once they went back to a Tassie Devil, it didn’t take long before they were having fun – keeping four fish over 30cm for a feed. The following day, it was back to Four Springs and because the wind was up, the fish did not want to play the game. Finding a spot with a semblance of protection and casting to reeds, Rob came up solid on a good fish. This one fought a bit differently to the others and he was pleasantly surprised to land his first rainbow trout for the trip. Plenty more casts were put in, but they didn’t see another fish for the day. There were a few other boats on the lake with a couple of fly-fishers wading the banks. A mayfly hatch was happening, so this was * continued P69

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Terrific time trout fishing in Tasmania * from P68

what the fish were most likely focussed on, rather than lures. Just before flying out, they hit Four Springs one last time. The fish were still on surface insects, but they persisted for a couple of hours with spinners. Finally, Rob’s brotherin-law had a follow. Rob cast in behind and set the hook on the best fish of the trip.

He was still using the same jig head and plastic, so was worried about the hook straightening. After what resembled more of a snapper fight, the net eventually slid under a cracking brown and, after the high fives, it was dispatched and put on ice. All in all, it was a pretty good trip and the elusive trout was not so elusory for Rob. It just requires the

same principles as any fishing – observation, information and persistence. The next goal is the enigmatic King George whiting, but that will have to wait until the end of the year – COVID depending of course. Next meetings Please note that meetings times have changed and now occur on the first Wednesday of every month at ‘The Club Manly’ (bowls

club), 26 Faine St Manly from 6.30pm for a 7.00pm start. Upcoming meetings

and, in my opinion, it’s a system that has gone extinct.” Murray cod in danger Dr Rowland was a member of NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee that declared the lower Darling an endangered ecological system in 2003 but its recommendations, including limiting water extracted for irrigation further up the system, were not followed. Instead, “there was a tenfold increase in water extraction,” Dr Rowland said. “Water extraction is not a problem if the flows are high and the river is in flood, but for low rivers, it’s serious.” The impacts on the river gained national attention with mass fish kills around the Menindee Lakes two years ago. “The native fish are where we see the results of this mismanagement, because they die,” Dr Rowland said. “They die through poor water quality and lack of connectivity – they stop breeding successfully and so they’re

driven to extinction.” Dr Rowland said the Darling River snail and the trout cod had already gone extinct, and the Murray-Darling river system was “no longer the stronghold of Murray cod.” “This iconic species is really in trouble in that river,” he said. Battle to restock In 2019, the NSW Government committed $10 million as part of its native fish drought response, including the largest effort to date to rescue and relocate more than 5000 native fish from drying waterways to hatcheries or more secure habitats across the state. More than 60,000 Murray cod fingerlings were released in the lower Darling between Menindee and Wentworth in December. They were bred from stock rescued from the river in 2019. A department spokesperson said native fish had suffered from the worst drought on record over three years and had only recently begun to recover.

“NSW DPI Fisheries is supporting native fish recovery by ensuring native fish have the opportunity to move, breed and complete their life cycles,” the spokesperson said. Restocking was not a panacea and though Murray cod might survive in the system, numbers would never return to what they were only 50 years ago Dr Rowland said. Crucial breeding opportunities were lost in the fish kill disaster two years ago and even if the river flooded again, he doubted its aquatic ecosystem could recover.

are Wednesday 5 May and Wednesday 2 June. Until next month, safe boating.

This rainbow trout was a pleasant surprise.

Uncertain future for the Darling River system

HE Darling River’s aquatic ecology is so degraded it has become extinct and iconic fish species including Murray cod face an uncertain future, according to one of Australia’s most respected fish scientists. Dr Stuart Rowland worked for NSW Department of Primary Industries for 33 years until 2011. He is credited with describing the biology of Murray cod and developed hatchery techniques for a number of native fish species. He has written a book called The Codfather about his life’s work and the challenges facing Murray cod. He said prolonged drought and over-extraction of water for irrigation led to an ecological disaster in the lower Darling around Menindee between 2018 and 2020, which killed large numbers of fish. “The system is so changed and degraded now that the original ecosystem we knew at the turn of the last century, is just no longer www.bnbfishing.com.au

“You might get more Murray cod, golden perch, bony bream and other species,” Dr Rowland said. “They might hang in there and, when the big fresh and floods come, the system will reignite.” “But in my opinion, as a scientist who’s watched it for 50 years, it won’t be the same.” Readers are urged to borrow or buy a copy of The Codfather and read the last chapter, Goodbye Darling. It will have you running to your local Federal Member, no matter their politics.

Mass fish kills around the Menindee Lakes two years ago. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 69

Logan Higgins with the winning jewfish for the junior section.

The water was a bit muddy but that didn’t deter keen fishers.

Thousand-dollar saratoga fishing the Dawson River

URING these COVID times it can be a bit difficult to run events but, if the homework’s done and attendees do the right thing, it can happen. And it did over the

Outback Fishing by HELEN ABDY

Easter weekend at Moura for the 2021 Moura Muddy Water Fishing Classic.

One encouragement award went to Luella Berndsen. Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

It was a fantastic weekend on the Dawson River, with a bunch of great people in a small country mining town. There was so much local support for the Moura Fish Stocking Group, who are very dedicated. They put a great deal of time and effort into the river and the Moura Apex River Park Campground area and they also give back to the community – assisting and catering for other local events. The Apex campgrounds was home to the event and also to plenty of grey nomads, who frequent the free camp area all year round. Not only did the Easter bunny turn up, so did

a lot of water – only the week before – which made the fishing incredibly challenging. The water level rose about 3m, though it looked great. All that new water made it easier to motor about 30km to the first causeway, and for the first time, Dave ‘Hodgie’ Hodge the barefoot fisherman and I got to explore a bit of new country. And it all looked so good. Water clarity was very low, which meant sight casting was out of the question. Though what we did manage to do was cast out and spook fish laying close to timber. Not scaring them away – as a few would come back and hit our plastic, spinnerbait and slow worked floating lures – but not enough to stay connected.

It was frustrating fishing but that happens everywhere. Competitor numbers were down a little this year, possibly due to COVID restrictions, however a total of 349 anglers attended and no one complained about the ‘slow’ fishing. There were no complaints about signing the COVID register either, which everyone did and not one person refused. It was a great atmosphere and a fun weekend with wonderful people. Leading up to the event, one saratoga was tagged, the intention being that the first angler to catch and weighin that particular toga would win $1000. Well, with all that new water, not one legal saratoga was caught – except for one very * continued P71

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Thousand-dollar saratoga fishing the Dawson River * from P70

healthy undersized model. So, the category of catching the tagged toga didn’t go off and will carry over to next year’s event. Another toga will be tagged beforehand, so there will be two tagged toga out there and the first angler to catch and weigh-in one of them will win the money. As mentioned, Hodgie made the trip over from the coast and kept everyone entertained with his casting skills and fishing adventures. Never stop learning stuff – you can always pick up tips and techniques from fellow fishers. Check out Hodgie’s YouTube account, Hodgie The Barefoot Fisherman. One thing that hit home over the weekend was how painful a catfish spike can be. A long-time attending angler and friend came off the wrong end of a catty that flicked, with one of its three spikes

going into his upper thigh. He’s been through a few painful things in his life I suspect, but those catties sure can make a grown man cry – not that he did, but the green whistle helped him a lot. He had a quick trip to hospital while it settled down and to make sure he was OK because a part of the spike had broken off and remained embedded in his leg. I love catching catfish – they hit hard and fight hard and you can catch them on almost any type of lure or fly. However, they are one species you do have to respect. They have three spikes – one on top and one on either side behind the head, and if one stabs your skin, the toxins pumped into your system make things very painful. The best thing to do is to quickly get hot liquid – hot as you can stand – onto the puncture site. Something else I learnt from a fellow

fisher over the Easter weekend was that a cold pack on the site can also help. It pays to have an Esky with ice and a thermos of hot water if venturing into waters where these fish are. Don’t let that put you off though, they are still a good sportfish. And over the Classic weekend, though the fishing was tough, catfish were the most commonly caught species. Along with a few Barcoo grunter and freshwater jewfish (also known as eel-tailed catfish) and only one yellowbelly. It was just one of those times when the fish refused to play the game, though a good time was had by all. A big thank you to all the sponsors and participants who helped make this event happen. The Moura Fish Stocking Group put a great event together on an awesome river and it was well worth venturing out there. See you at the Classic next year.

Movie night on the Moura River. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Barry Powell shared 2nd place for best Barcoo grunter with Tim Higgins.

Heidi Hutchinson won the senior female Barcoo grunter.

Nick Gleeson with the only yellowbelly for the competition. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 71

Jackson Beil caught a beauty on the ever-reliable white spinnerbait.

Stewart Hansen and the largest lure-caught saratoga for the weekend at 79cm.

Lake Borumba Tagatoga – fishing for knowledge

IXTY anglers converged on Lake Borumba, near Imbil in Queensland, for the sixth annual Tagatoga event on March 6-7 – for a lot of fun and to gain a better understanding of the resident saratoga population. Different to a normal fishing competition, this event offers a more relaxed environment and focusses heavily on everyone enjoying themselves, rather than who wins. There are a lot of great prizes given away for hidden treasures and lucky-door prizes, with only a few reserved for

those who catch fish. This helps promote the teams sharing tactics on what is working, which results in more captures and therefore more data is collected, so we have a greater understanding of these important fish in Queensland impoundments. The event is limited to 20 boats plus sponsors to ensure consistent results, and to prevent putting too much pressure on the saratoga population. This year, the 20 spots filled within a couple hours, indicating how popular Tagatoga has become. Meals are provided

throughout the weekend and the roast meal on the Saturday night, which involved a fancy dress to enhance the social aspect, had nearly 90 attendees. As part of a continuous improvement program, this year we started to collect more information than at previous events. Items such as what lure and bait, time of capture and what terrain each fish was caught in were all recorded. Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club’s Brendan Moore said that over time, as the data bank is built, it will be shared with entrants to help

Clinton Mumford with a stunning fish. Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

fine tune anglers’ skills in order to have better success chasing these mighty fish. Though they possess poor eating qualities, saratoga are renowned for their willingness to take both lures and flies, and their acrobatic performances once hooked have made them a premier freshwater sportfish. The prehistoric heads of saratoga have upward facing eyes, making them a target for surface presentations, however their hard-bony mouths make hooking and landing them challenging. Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club secretary Shaun Manthey said, “The Tagatoga event is part of a long-term citizen science plan, with an aim of collecting data on the population, growth and growth-rate dynamics of saratoga in Lake Borumba.” “The fishing was also successful with a total of 95 saratoga caught, making this the most successful event by far. “All of these fish were released and tagged with Queensland sportfishing pink tags. “This will allow us to

learn more about these ancient looking creatures. “Due to the social aspect, successful methods and secret spots are shared among the teams throughout the event, which results in more fish being caught and therefore more data captured. “It’s great to see people unlocking the secrets in landing these great fish,” he said. The event focusses on capture, tagging, data collection, and safe handling and releasing of saratoga. Before the event, a briefing is held to ensure anglers are up to date with correct handling and recording procedures. A tag is attached to the fish with a unique identifying number. If the fish is recaptured at a later date, the tag can be reported online to ansaqld.com.au The information will record movement and growth between captures. Though it’s an event rather than a competition, we did have several great trophies created by Crinkle Creek Gar* continued P73

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Lake Borumba Tagatoga * from P72

den Art for the champion team. This year, team Ballacre Boaties caught 210cm of saratoga per team member – a total of 14 fish – which was a fantastic effort in only their second year at the event. Their name will also be placed on the Alex ‘Flick’ Robertson memorial shield. The shield is named after local Kingaroy identity Alex Robertson, one of the founding fathers of the Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club and who sadly passed away a few years ago. The longest saratoga captured during the weekend was a magnificent 80cm model caught by Tayla Kidd, which happened to be her first saratoga – proving that fortune favours the brave. Fish of this size are very crafty and landing one is a testament to the angler’s ability. This catch was backed up with a 79cm model caught on lure by Stewart Hansen. Kingaroy SFC is affiliated with Queensland Sportfishers, which is made up of many likeminded clubs through Australian National Sportfishing Association. Queensland Sportfishers president Adam Royle said, “It is extremely satisfying to see member clubs run great events that incorporate both sport, social and conservation science elements into the mix.” “Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club is one of a number of our affiliated clubs that has developed a club specific recreational fishery monitorwww.bnbfishing.com.au

ing plan, and are now implementing fishery data collection and tagging to achieve their monitoring goals. “Credit goes to both Kingaroy Sportfishing Club and the anglers who fished the event for having fun and contributing to a greater understanding of a highly regarded sportfish,” Adam said. A captured size range of 32cm to 80cm proved that there was a good self-sufficient breeding process under way within the area, as well as the larger size range proving their living conditions were well suited to their lifestyle and general health. Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club vice president Bob Dover said, “If you haven’t been to Borumba, do yourself a favour. “It’s a picturesque dam that’s full of fish, thanks to the great work of the dedicated local stocking group. “Non-target species, predominately Australian bass and golden perch were also encountered, and data recorded before being returned to the water ready to fight another day.” Shaun Manthey thanked all participants who travelled and the staff at Borumba Deer Park for the venue and hospitality. Garmin Australia, BCF Kingaroy, Crinkle Creek Garden Art, Australian Freshwater Fishing Charters, Kingaroy Sunshine Mitre 10, Fraser Coast Fishing and Camping and SMAK Lures all sponsored this event and made it the success it was. With a new dataset, the event will continue

at Lake Borumba for the next few years. However, with fish captures on the rise, in future anglers will only record the data, rather than tag them. Queensland Sportfishers monitoring plans are set up only to tag enough fish to gain sufficient information on the local population. The club will now turn their attention on setting a date for next year and securing the relevant permits. Bob Dover said: “Along with a lot of positive feedback, we also have several ideas to make the event even more successful next year.” The Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club offers its members an opportunity for friendship, education and skills development in a family friendly environment. To learn more about fishing in the South Burnett or to become involved, contact Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club via their Facebook page. Queensland Sportfishers Club president Adam Royle can be contacted on 0417 610 446 or qldsportfisher spresident@gmail.com Kingaroy Sport Fishing Club secretary Shaun Manthey can be contacted on 0419 789 129 or dannishaun@ outlook.com.au The Queensland Sportfishers – Australian National Sportfishing Association Queensland Branch – is a not for profit organisation made up of affiliated clubs and members who promote sport, conservation and integrity in angling.

The business end of Nathan Mollenhauer’s fish.

John Mollenhauer trying hard not to be out fished by his son.

Team Coastal Chaos taking out the coveted fancy dress trophy with this awesome effort. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 73

Targeting bass at Borumba

The author was happy with this Lake MacDonald bass.

Big bass have been loving skirted jigs with a slower sink rate.

EY legends, you haven’t heard from me for a while as I’ve been super busy with my social media marketing business. However, I have been out heaps – fishing lakes Borumba, MacDonald, Boondooma, Cania and the Noosa River for Australian bass and fishing Lake Monduran for barramundi, which has been awesome. It’s great to see the barra lakes down – at least we know if we get a few big floods, it’ll be

The author scored this big Lake Borumba bass. Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

Freshwater Luring by CALLUM MUNRO

hard to have the lake flood such as back in 2010 and 2013, which resulted in major fish loss. Now in this month’s article, I’m going to give you a bit of a ‘how to’ when it comes to targeting bass at lakes MacDonald and Borumba. Lake MacDonald It’s had its fair share of rain over the previous month, raising dam

levels, which has made the lake fire. Bass are hanging halfway up the lake and they’ll start to get thicker as you move further up the creeks. However, as it’s now autumn, the fish will start to move down as they get ready to start their spawning run. The water temperature starts to plummet as well, so they’ll move to where the water is more consistent. This is usually where the water is deeper and has a more constant temp. So, my guess will be to start fishing around the Three Ways area, figuring out where the deep creek channels are. If you can find the main creek channels, sound them out and look for schooling bass. If you can’t find them, they’re probably hugging the main weed edges along the main creek beds. Reaction bait types will work a treat at this time of year – targeting the tops of the weed with small blades, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits or even Jackall TN60 lures. Keep in mind, if we get a big cold front – which usually stresses bass out – I’d opt to throw a few jerkbaits around, such as a small * continued P75

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Targeting bass at Borumba and MacDonald * from P74

Daiwa Double Clutch. These lures work really well when you get a cold front. Bass will drop energy levels and you’ll need something that will sit in their face longer to make them react. If you find the fish sitting in the main creek channels around the Three Ways area, you could throw a variety of lures from spoons, blades, small soft plastics or skirted jigs. I’d be opting to cast lighter lures rather than heavy ones – 1/4oz to 3/8 work brilliantly. At this time of year, bass love something that has a slow sink

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rate, which gives them plenty of time to hit the lure. Lake Borumba The lake didn’t get too much rain throughout the past month, so most of the fish will be in similar areas. Schooling bass will be hanging around the junction area. If you can sound in around 6m of water, you should still find plenty of bass. Plus, if you know how to target suspended bass, you should still be able to catch plenty of decent fish around the tops of the trees at the start of the Kingham Arm. Plastics work well when thrown around

the tops of the trees. I usually run a 1/2oz to 5/8 jig head matched to a Daiwa BaitJunkie 2.5” Minnow in white or GP Chartreuse colour. This will catch you better quality bass. Now, if you’re into targeting edge bass, I’d be targeting deeper edges in around 3-5m of water. I’ve been catching a few on deep diving crankbaits – banging them across the bottom and, when that’s been slowing down, I’ve be opting to cast skirted jigs around. I’ve found the lightskirted jigs have been working better in 3/8oz. With a slower sink

rate, the bass haven’t been able to resist. Now, if you’re a mad keen bass fisher, I have amazing news. I’ve created a group on Facebook, which you can join for free. In this group you will get one-on-one help from me, plus be able to join the bass photo competition, which is proudly supported by Daiwa Australia. You could win a Daiwa prize pack every single month by joining our photo competition. You’ll also be able to grab my free Untapped Australian Bass Blueprint, which is designed to give you knowledge about bass behaviour. Plus, it will give you

four secret bass techniques and the lures to use for them. I’ll also be running live question and answer sessions with a few of Australia’s best bass anglers – to give you the most knowledge when it comes to targeting Australian bass. So, if you’d like to join, feel free to lookup this link – https://bit. ly/3dKavDB This will open up a Facebook messenger chat with myself in order for you to access to the group. Also, if you’d like to book a charter on Lake Borumba, you can call 0412 887 651 or visit untappedfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 75

Silver perch - the forgotten fish I F you were designing an ideal freshwater sportfish, what qualities would be prerequisite? It would obviously have to be a tenacious fighter capable of dogged resistance and long hard runs. It would need to be responsive to a range of angling methods including lure and fly, but not be so easy to catch that it becomes boring. It should be at home in swiftly flowing streams, quiet pools,

Fishing for Sport

by NEIL SCHULTZ

expansive lakes and farm dams. It would need to be pleasing to look at, firmly muscled with a bright eye, handle well and be readily hatchery bred. Its diet would need to be greatly varied to allow it to thrive in a wide range of habitats. That fish is not on a genetic engineer’s

Christine Arnold picked up this solid silver perch on a sinking bibless rattler in Connolly Dam.

Six-year-old Violet landed her best silver perch to date trolling a Predatek Downunder MinMin in Lake Borumba. Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

drawing board. It is alive and well, and living in most of the temperate freshwaters of eastern Australia. Its name? The enigmatic silver perch or bidyanus bidyanus. Silver perch became available to the angling masses after hatchery reared fingerlings were released into public lakes, beginning in the mid-1970s. The 1980s – prior to the advent of bass stocking – were really the halcyon years for silver perch in sub-tropical Queensland, with many hundreds of thousands of them stocked and growing in manmade lakes. Bait fishing – think whiting Bait fishing was the technique of choice for the majority in those early years of sportfish stocking, and by a fortunate coincidence, the most common methods were very effective on silvers. Small bait, usually shrimp or worm, fished in relatively shallow water was then and still is the surest way to tempt a silver perch onto a line. Fishing lightly weighted worms on fairly shallow mud banks is a very successful way to fish for silvers. Lure fishing – think bream Being a dedicated lure and fly angler, I enjoyed many memorable sessions pursuing silvers in many of

Queensland's lakes, from Cania to the NSW border. Trolling small slender-bodied lures around standing timber or along weed edges has been our most productive lure fishing tactic. When selecting lures think small – for very shallow work 50mm or less, and stick with slender-bodied minnows rather than typical fat-bodied bass lures. There are a lot of homegrown lures that fit those criteria. A couple that are outstanding are the shallow Predatek Downunder MinMin and its smaller cousin the tiny 40mm Predatek MicroMin. We do also encounter large silvers on bassstyle lures fished along creek channel drop-offs too, usually as a bycatch. The smallest of Cotton Cordell Rattlin' Spot style bibless ratters have also produced results on occasion when fished around standing timber. I still use a few antiquated tiny bibless lures from the 1980s – Cotton Cordell Ratt’l Spot Minnows, Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap Tiny Traps and the Rapala Rattlin’ RNR04 – but of the currently available options, the little 40mm Atomic Semi Hardz has been one of the better producers. Fly fishing – think trout My personal opinion is leaning towards big silvers being largely insectivorous rather than vegetarian, as is often suggested. There is no better way to present an imitation

insect than with the fly rod. Over the past three decades, most of my fly rod silvers have been taken on large trout patterns. Woolly Buggers in either black or tan, Muddler Minnows, New England Yabbies and various shrimp patterns have all produced good results. Anglers chasing saratoga in Borumba Dam on fly are often surprised when the fish they hook refuses to jump and subsequently shows itself to be a silver. Prior to the lake being stocked with bass, we rarely visited Borumba without picking up a silver on the fly rod, and my oldest son Graham hooked five in under an hour on a rainy December morning. We’ve caught a lot of silvers on floating lines and they are the ideal choice when fishing the shallow grassy banks in lakes with rising water levels. This is a fishery based on a population of hardfighting sportfish numbering in the millions that remains virtually untapped. There are two keys to solving its esoteric puzzles and unlocking its treasures. The first is the willingness to accept reduced catch rates while you are learning the habits of your target species. The second is having the dedication of purpose to ignore the easily caught golden perch and bass to hunt the secretive silver perch. Good luck!

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Tommy Wood caught 10 barramundi to win the individual prize for the longest total length caught by one angler, with a combined length of 1106cm.

Competitor Terry Allwood was happy with this nice barramundi.

2021 Humminbird Lake Monduran Barra Classic

ON DU R A N Anglers and Stocking Association held their inaugural Humminbird Lake Monduran Barra Classic on March 2628, 2021. Anglers from all over the country travelled to participate for the $9,200 in cash and prizes. The event was held in perfect weather and anglers competed in teams of two in order to catch a bag of five barramundi to be eligible for the first prize of $3,000 cash. If a team caught more than five barra, they could only count their longest five to contribute to their bag. Showcasing their skills, 26 teams entered the event. The competition allowed for the everyday angler to test their skills against the best in the business, with several of Queensland and Australia’s best anglers attending, such as Craig Griffiths and Roderick Walmsley. Over the weekend 105 barra were caught, with www.bnbfishing.com.au

nine teams successfully catching their bag of five barra and in contention for the major cash prizes. The overall winners were Jake and Bianca Stewart from Ballina, with their bag of five barra measuring a combined total length of 493cm – 96, 98, 98, 100 and 101cm – to claim first prize. In second place was the team of Matthew Mott and Dave Nelson, with a combined length of 483cm. Third place was won by team Craig Griffiths and Jake Schwerin, with 469cm. Fourth was team Rob and Tommy Wood, with 461cm and fifth was team Corey and Dean Gooch, with a total of 456cm. Tommy Wood caught 10 barra to win the individual prize for the longest total length caught by one angler, with a combined length of 1106cm. A great effort Tommy! The prize for the longest single barra caught was won by Jason Harwood, with a 108cm

barra – nice fish! Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association thanks its major sponsor Humminbird for their support. The backing is greatly appreciated and certainly contributed to the success of the competition. Event entrants were the first in Australia to see the new 13” Humminbird APEX Sounder test unit, as well other great products such as Mega 360 Imaging, SOLIX Sounders, the BLA Marine Performance Series 150-amp 24V lithium battery and Riptide Terrova Minn Kota, all linked through Humminbird’s one boat network. Thank you to our minor sponsors BDS Mechanical, Tackle World Bundaberg, Barrier Reef Corals, Queensland Computers, Laser Cut Designs, JFT Outdoors, SunWater and Lake Monduran Holiday Park. Keep an eye on the MASA website and Facebook page for the 2022 Barra Classic dates.

Everyday anglers tested their skills against one of the best in the business, Roderick Walmsley.

Several of Queensland and Australia’s best anglers attended the competition, including Craig Griffiths.

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Glenlyon Dam sitting at half capacity

ELL, I was way out with my so-called rainfall call for the next 12 months. At 50 percent capacity and the chance of more rain, I’ll just sit back and accept it with gratitude. What a view from the storage lookout, and given a chance to clear

Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

before June, we should see great cod movement in July, August and September as the breeding season comes around again. Having spoken to Dr Stuart Rowland, it’s

possible that both silver perch and yellowbelly may have spawned upstream in Pike Creek after the peak of the 50 percent mark. Given that sadly we could not achieve our

Robert Styan of Cooby Cobba Lures with a nice yellowbelly.

stocking rate of yellowbelly once again, we hope the above has taken place. Our many patrons who visit Glenlyon Dam each year and put hands in pockets for any type of raffle we have going to stock fish, are always welcomed and their contributions are gratefully accepted. With this rise of water and the local creeks flowing once again, we should see over 150,000 golden perch or yellowbelly released during summer from the hatcheries we purchase our fingerlings from. At the moment, lures cast from the bank are pulling yellowbelly in the freshly covered grass area. It’s not a case of large lures being used and not the expensive types either. If you’ve got a spare $10, raid the bins for small bibbed lures, as they will work quite well.

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

14 CABINS bookings necessary

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK via STANTHORPE 4380 Contact Debbie or Brian Dare for more information or for bookings

Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

You don’t have to cast out more than 5-6m from the bank. Use a slow retrieve and watch out for that hit at about 4m from your feet – you may start thinking, ‘oh, not the rod tip, hope it won’t snap’. A few of the yellowbelly you’ll catch could be well over 58cm in length. With this month’s rundown, I’d like to thank all those who sent best wishes and get well soon comments via Debbie. I’m not on the phone or computer much – due to the fact that in both cases remarks such as ‘get off stupid’ come up – because I’m hopeless on both types of communication formats. For the past 30 years, Ben and his great staff have been putting up with my late handwritten reports, as well as belting out the writeups on typewriters and computer keyboards prior to printing. Debbie has had great support from a few very good friends during my stay in hospital. Mundy and Arlene Sattolo, Mick Smith, Brian Frankel and Karen, Eric Peek, my two daughters Gemma and Lori, and the many great friends we have made over the years – thank you all very much. I can’t forget the doctors and nurses at the two hospitals Stanthorpe and St Andrews – in both cases, they were very efficient and professional – thank you all very much, and the food, wow! In closing for this month, as you come * continued P79

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Floods and pest fish, keep this fragile basin tilapia free

ES, it’s me again, and I am harping on about our old foe – the tilapia. By the time most of you get to read this a couple of things have probably happened. Easter has passed and so has yet another fishing opportunity. Also, it appears the rain gods have finally smiled and the southeast rivers are beginning to run, several more so than others. So, how is this significant? Well, it reminds me yet again of how complacency can creep into our way of life, and eventually we and our fishery can suffer. Flooding often pushes large slugs of freshwater into the ocean

from the mouths of rivers and this occasionally extends up and down the coast. We might not be worrying about tilapia at the moment or at the time this happens – even though they exist in the adjacent or close by catchments – but it’s opportunities such as these that the pest will use to increase its range. We already know the Mozambique mouthbrooder – oreochromis mossambicus – can tolerate high salinity levels, even full seawater, and has been recorded in tidal areas. So, a flood event provides the perfect opportunity for further spread to occur.

Glenlyon half full * from P78

down past Arcott turnoff and Redgate Farm, slow down and look straight out in front of you. The glow of water in

Glenlyon Dam shows up in the distance on the Stanthorpe Texas Rd to Glenlyon, as you drop 800m from the top of the hill, 23km from Glenlyon Dam.

Robert Burt and son Bradley from Lismore NSW with a couple of nice yellowbelly. www.bnbfishing.com.au

There may not be much we can do about this as individuals but by being aware, we can inform others at every opportunity that we need to look after our catchments in all sorts of ways. As individuals, we only have a limited impact on tilapia populations but by working together we can make significant change. Keep aware of known tilapia hotspots and by informing others at every opportunity to look after our catchments, we can minimise the risk of pest fish spreading. We also need to continue reminding people not to take fish from one area to an-

other for bait, don’t release pest fish and, no matter how noble it may seem at the time, do not release pet fish that have become too big for the tank into natural or artificial outside waterways – ever! Lastly, a bit of good news. Ten years ago, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority began a program of com-

munity engagement and education, with the aim of preventing the spread of tilapia into the northern section of the MurrayDarling Basin. To date this spread has not occurred, so well done to everyone. Though continue to be vigilant and keep this fragile basin tilapia free! Rod Cheetham

A flood event provides the perfect opportunity for further spread of tilapia to occur.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 21/4/2021

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

APR FEB JAN DEC MAR Atkinson 5 3 5 5 3 Awoonga 45 47 49 60 46 Bjelke-Petersen * 8 10 11 11 8 Boondooma * 24 25 26 30 25 Borumba * 82 79 79 78 78 Burdekin Falls * 101 104 114 65 105 Callide * 22 21 22 23 21 Cania * 34 37 37 40 37 Coolmunda * 100 18 20 25 15 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 6 3 3 3 2 Eungella * 83 82 82 78 83 Fairbairn * 20 12 13 8 14 Glenlyon * 53 13 14 14 14 Hinze* 104 100 101 85 101 Julius 98 104 98 77 99 Kinchant * 94 83 82 66 85 Leslie * 27 10 11 12 10 Macdonald* 102 99 105 87 100 Maroon * 97 56 55 46 60 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 42 47 46 49 41 Moogerah * 42 14 15 17 12 North Pine/Samsonvale * 100 71 72 51 70 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 64 61 62 58 63 Somerset * 80 78 78 74 76 Teemburra * 99 97 99 94 98 Tinaroo* 77 64 58 50 74 Toonumbar 101 100 101 54 103 Wivenhoe * 40 37 38 40 36 Wuruma * 38 42 43 45 38 Wyaralong* 100 90 91 91 90 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 79

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Page 80 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021

ARVOR 675 SPORTSFISH – In stock now the incredible New Arvor 675 Sportsfish. Stock boat heavily optioned with Mercury 200Hp featuring DTS, Walk-around wheelhouse, selfdraining decks, huge live bait tank, walk through transom, underfloor kill tanks, lock up wheelhouse, galley with fridge/sink/stove and storage, toilet, sleeps two comfortably, extension cockpit shade cover and so many more versatile and user friendly boating features. Arrange your inspection and call Queensland’s Arvor Specialist today. $141,685 tow away! John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 JOHN CRAWFORD MARINE has numerous genuine buyers on the books for quality brand name, late model trailer boats. If you are looking to sell, avoid the pitfalls and hassles that come with a private sale, have the trusted and experienced team at JCM handle the sale for you. John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322 QUINTREX 420 ESTUARY ANGLER (2003) – This is a terrific all-purpose aluminium boat. This terrific runabout with low engine hours is suited to a mixture of fishing and family adventures. It’s easy to store, clean, maintain and handle, and is an affordable boat to run and easy to tow. This will not last long in the yard! $11,990. Call AMC Boats on 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au QUINTREX 470 ESCAPE – Honda 50Hp EFI 4-stroke with low hours & just serviced, Quintrex braked trailer, Garmin Fishfinder, Garmin GPS, VHF radio, Bimini top w. front clear, seating for five, Bait board incl. rod holders, Boarding ladder. Well presented & offers great buying! Now $25,995 tow away! John Crawford Marine, Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 – johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 – Page 81

MERCURY

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Go online or contact your nearest Mercury Dealer to find out more about the Mercury V6 / V8 range, taking performance, efficiency and reliability to the next level.

Page 82 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 MM0725 V6_V8_BnBFishing_210x297_v3.indd 1

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AIRLIE BEACH Whitsunday Outboard Centre 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au AIRLIE BEACH Whitsunday Outboard Centre BRISBANE 17 William Murray Dr, Cannonvale Q 4802 Coorparoo Marine P: 07 4946 7286 E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au 57 Cavendish Rd, Coorparoo Q 4151 www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au P: 07 3397 4141 E: info@coorparoomarine.com.au BRISBANE www.coorparoomarine.com.au Karee Marine 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q 4106 BRISBANE P: 07 3875 1600 Karee Marine E: sales@kareemarine.com.au www.kareemarine.com.au 1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 BRISBANE NORTH E: sales@kareemarine.com.au Holt Marine www.kareemarine.com.au 25 Queens Rd, Everton Hills Q 4053 P: 07 3353 1928 BRISBANE NORTH E: info@holtmarine.com.au Holt Marine www.holtmarine.com.au 25 Queens Rd, Everton Hills Q 4053 BRISBANE P: 07 3353 SOUTH 1928 Australian Marine Centre E: info@holtmarine.com.au 3491 Pacific Highway, Slacks Creek Q 4127 www.holtmarine.com.au P: 07 3808 7333 E: info@amcboats.com.au www.amcboats.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

CAIRNS Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 P: 07 4033 8800 E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au www.aussiemarine.com.au BUNDABERG Adrians Marine Centre CAPALABA 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg Q 4670 Mike’s Marine P: 07 4153 1819 E: Smith adriansmarinecentre@bigpond.com 9 St, Capalaba Q 4157 www.adriansmarinecentre.com.au P: 07 3390 3418 E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au CAIRNS www.mikesmarine.com.au Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 GLADSTONE P: 07 4033 8800 Ship & Sale Gladstone E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au www.aussiemarine.com.au Gladstone Marine Centre, Gladstone Q 4680 P: 07 4972 7111 CAPALABA E: sales@shipandsail.com.au Mike’s Marine www.shipandsail.com.au 9 Smith St, Capalaba Q 4157 P: 07 3390 3418 GOLD COAST E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au Nitro Marine www.mikesmarine.com.au 167 Currumburra Rd, Ashmore Q 4214 GOLD COAST P: 07 5532 5812 Nitro Marine E: sales@nitromarine.com.au 167 Currumburra Rd, Ashmore Q 4214 www.nitromarine.com.au P: 07 5532 5812 E: sales@nitromarine.com.au www.nitromarine.com.au

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1776 Ipswich Road, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600 Page 84 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, May 2021 www.bnbfishing.com. au