BNB Fishing Mag | June 2023

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Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing editor

O

NE topic for discussion that needs addressing sooner rather than later is that of shark numbers.

It is not a new issue and I have mentioned this before, but it seems to consistently be put in the too hard basket.

Unfortunately, it appears there is mixed information about sharks, which makes implementing management strategies almost impossible.

To have a more wholistic regulation, there also needs to be some clarity regarding various shark species and what their actual movements, numbers, sizes and breeding and growth rates are.

This understandably requires data, which I don’t think the relevant authorities have.

It has been interesting and a little disturbing to learn while travelling around the country that the shark problem looks to be a national issue, with the consensus being that the current management strategies are not working.

Obviously, each state needs their own regulations, but we also need take a broader look at what is going on, then address the specific issues and regulate accordingly.

A blanket rule for places such as Queensland and Western Australia – where the coastlines are huge and home to a vast array of shark species – simply doesn’t work.

Sharks are a very essential part of the ecosystem, so it is even more important to get this right.

Currently in Queens-

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land there is a maximum size limit of 1.5m for sharks and an in-possession limit of one.

This means we are slowly but surely getting a population of sharks that are big, smart and hungry.

By over protecting these creatures with the current regulations, we are in fact putting the biomass of other species at risk through depredation.

Any keen angler will happily tell you how many fish they lost to the ‘tax man’ or the ‘man in the grey suit’, unfortunately though, there is no specific data to support this.

As fishos, we need to stop being so precious about what we are catching and what percentage is being taken by sharks so that real changes can be made.

Depredation is a vital statistic and needs to be recorded to ensure catch and ‘lost to sharks’ data is accurate.

The current Fishery Queensland app Qld Fishing 2.0 is being updated but I don’t know that there is a place to record this data yet.

If we want things to change, we need to be involved to get them to change.

Fish lost to sharks impact the biomass of fish species, which in turn influence bag and size limit regulations, consequently and directly affecting all fishos.

In addition to this, several conservation organisations promote that shark numbers are at dire levels, with massive declines to their numbers.

While this may be the

case with some shark species, it is certainly not the case with all of them.

This is why a broader regulation of sharks needs to be established.

If a particular shark species is under threat, that needs to be addressed and new rules or regulations must be implemented.

Conversely, if shark populations are out of control – and for several species they currently are – this too requires attention.

Solving this issue is not going to be easy and will not happen overnight, however we need to start the ball rolling before the situation worsens.

Unfortunately, I feel that the shark problem may have already gotten out-of-hand and it will be very hard to determine what, with any sort of accuracy, the actual data on sharks is.

And obtaining new data on big hungry sharks is not going to be easy.

First, catching a large shark to tag and then monitor is probably not something too many marine biologists will be putting their hands up to do.

Sure, catching some small bullies in the upper Brisbane River will give some information on younger sharks – which needs to be done urgently – though it won’t provide any data on the larger sharks now resident both inshore and offshore.

How does Fishery Queensland get this data, I’m not totally sure?

A survey is one possibility.

Another may be hav-

ing comprehensive discussions with commercial line fishers, regular inshore fishos and offshore recreational anglers?

Remember, fishing for bass in tidal waters in Queensland closes from June 1 through to August 31.

Ben Collins

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June 2023

Offshore tactics Giant jewies

Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 34, Number 6

Winter targets for Moreton Bay

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Freshwater action on surface lures

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NEIL SCHULTZ found that cod couldn’t resist his Predatek Cod Bug, in spite of the sun being high in the sky. Check out Neil’s article on page 76 on using surface lures during the day when fishing freshwater.

NEXT EDITION: July edition will be on sale in news­agents from June 23.

JUNE SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: See the subscription form on page 84 and subscribe this month to go in the draw to win a TT Sling Prize Pack from Tackle Tactics, valued at $305 RRP each.

APRIL PRIZE WINNER: Congratulations to P. McGrath, The Gap; R. Land, Coombabah; P. Croton, Narangba; J. Mason, Wilsons Pocket; F. Burke, Cleveland; P. Leslight, Dallis Park; D. Kee, Stokers Siding; H. Maurer, Amity Point; P. Wainhouse, Chelmer; P. Thomas, Woodgate; C, Mangold, Gympie; L. Reimers, Cranley; M. Campbell, Springfield; G. Hunter, Meridan Plains and J. Baker, Camira who will each receive an IkiPik from Evolve Tackle and Design, valued at $24.99 RRP each.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 5

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June 2023 contents Winter techniques for flatty and bream. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Conlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Moreton Bay squid and flathead. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mark Templeton . . . . . . . . . . . P14 Stay or go – when to move. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . P17 Tide Times - Brisbane Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P18 Cool offshore live baiting tactics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Raimondi . . . . . . . . . . . . . P22 Broadwater winter varieties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P26 How to use flashers offshore with bait. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Andy Melville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P28 Protect our prawns from white spot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P31 Rec reporting on Fisheries app. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P31 Unconventional season species. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P32 Competition Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P34 Jewfish in full swing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P36

23

Product News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P40 Angler’s Almanac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P42 Insights into boat insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P46 Stacer Seasprite - your inland fishing companion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P47 Raymarine Axiom 2 XL glass bridge chartplotters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P48 Winter fishing diversity on Sunny Coast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Corinne Aiken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P50 Fishing Great Sandy Strait in winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul Chew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P52 Blowing off steam in Great Sandy Strait. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mick Clutterbuck . . . . . . . . . . . P54

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Catching up on catches in Tin Can Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Rippon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P56 VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Trevally, tuna and mack thrills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P60 Tide Times – Waddy Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P61 Shelter from wind at Round Hill Creek. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson . . . . . . . P62 Cool options for Cap Coast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P64 Charter Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P66 Adventures around Eyre Peninsula. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Ben Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P68 Home straight from Mount Gambier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Craig Tomkinson . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Eyre Peninsula to Esperance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Matt Potter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P74 Surface lures not only for after dark on fresh . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 Dam Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P77 Techniques for catching winter barramundi. . . . . . . . . . by Sam Rowley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78

60

Fifty thousand reasons for research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P80 Trading Post. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P82 Readers’ Forum ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P83 Subscription Form ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P84 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

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Check out our YouTube channel BNBFTV for boat tests, product reviews and other interesting videos.

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Our website bnbfishing.com.au is updated several times a day with the latest news and handy fishing articles.

The Team

EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: Serena McAlinden PRODUCTION: Tiffany Brown Lisa Jones

Bush ‘n Beach Fishing magazine is published monthly by Collins Media Pty Ltd ABN 43 159 051 500 ACN 159 051 500 trading as Collins Media.

Phone 07 3286 1833 Email: ben@collins.media PO Box 162, Wynnum, Qld 4178 PRINTER: Spotpress DISTRIBUTION BY: Wrapaway Max. recommended retail price $4.95 (includes GST).

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 7

Rebecca caught a trevally when trolling hard-bodies close to the mangrove line.

To catch quality fish on a regular basis, it pays to know when, where and how to target this species.

Winter techniques for flatty and bream

I The author’s wife used a Zerek Live Shrimp Hot Legs lure to catch her personal best 68cm flathead – in the right place at the right time.

WAS having a chat with an assistant in a tackle shop the other day and he asked me how the fishing was going.

I told him about a few of our recent captures and he said,

Tick all the boxes and catch more fish!

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0432 386 307 seanconlonsfishing@hotmail.com Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

WITH SEAN CONLON

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by SEAN CONLON

“Wow, I wish I could get some fish like that, as they are better than my personal bests.”

Obviously, he asked me where I’d caught the fish.

My reply was that most of the fish were caught within sight of the boat ramp.

I also said that it wouldn’t matter if I gave the exact position because if you didn’t know the size of the tide I was targeting those fish on, what phase of the tide, what technique I used, what colour and type of lure was used, you probably wouldn’t have much luck.

All of those things and more contribute to the possibility of catching these fish in that particular area.

I could see he was

getting a little disheartened – he said he sees articles, pictures and social media of a number of people catching good quality fish all the time.

I explained to him that the reason certain anglers catch fish on a regular basis was because they know the key elements for a particular spot and will predominantly try to go fishing in these areas for certain species when everything lines up.

Even if you go to these places when the essentials don’t align, most of the time you’ll catch undersized fish, undesirable fish or no fish at all.

So, after our chat, here’s some information which may help * continued P10

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Email: admin@wynnummarine.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 9

Casting and trolling hard-bodies close to a mangrove line is a great way to catch quality fish.

A nice bream caught on a Zerek Bulldog Crank by Rebecca.

Winter techniques for flatty and bream * from P8

James captured a great flathead trolling the mangrove line with a Zerek Tango Shad.

Page 10 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

– at least if you know the conditions and gear are right, you can have a try… or concentrate on experimenting with and learning the things you don’t know yet, if that makes sense.

Trying to convey certain things in an article can be tricky, but I’ll do my best.

Remember, these are the techniques that work for me in my area and, as I’ve said before, there are many methods and theories out there – find what works for you.

I’ll concentrate on approaches for catching two species that will be prominent over the cooler months – bream and flathead.

Bream Let’s start with the humble bream, and I’m not talking about catching an accidental bream on a bit of bait.

I’m talking about

targeting them so that you can catch heaps of them, whether it’s for sport or to take a feed home.

Targeting with a lure Most of the time you’d target these fish near structure such as a rock wall, jetty or even moored boats.

Places with more bream than anywhere else in my area are around mangrove lines and out on mud flats.

To fish them correctly, on a high tide, try near the mangrove line and at low tide, fish at the bottom of the mud flats.

Things you’ll want to look for are where the bait congregate.

Most of the time, bait will gather on the end of an island, up against the mangrove line – of course, this will depend on which way the tide is flowing.

So, I tend to be at the top or bottom of an

island on an incoming or outgoing tide.

On a low tide, look for areas where the last of the water will drain off a bank, such as the bottom of a drain.

Usually on low tide, you should be able to drive over them and pick the fish up on the sounder quite easily – if they’re there.

My preference is to use a 2-4kg graphite rod with a 2500 spin reel spooled with 6lb braid and an 8lb leader.

And my lure of choice for casting at schools of fish on a high or low tide is the Zerek Bulldog Crank.

The retrieve is a simple stop start or a simple slow continuous wind back to the boat.

If casting isn’t your thing, use the same crank bait and troll against the mangrove line or along the bot* continued P11

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Winter techniques for flatty and bream * from P10

tom of mud flats on a low tide.

Targeting with bait If using bait, work out where the fish are sitting, then position your boat correctly and anchor up.

A good berley trail will help, along with nice fresh bait – this can be anything from pilchard, squid or mullet gut or, one of my favourites, chicken breast!

A little hint… cut the chicken breast into strips about 5-8cm long by 1cm wide, put the strips in a container and add 2-3 tablespoons of minced garlic, massage that in and then put the lid on, leave it in the fridge overnight and use it the next day – the fish love it!

Plenty of rods are available for baitfishos, though I prefer a 7-8’ 3-5kg glass rod with a nice soft-action 10lb line and the lightest sinker possible – just to get down to the

bottom – which will depend on how much current you’re fishing in.

Then a swivel, 500600mm of trace, which can be the same as your 10lb main line, and a long-shank whiting hook, such as a Mustad Carlisle or Kirby.

Something that quite a few get wrong is yanking on the rod with every bite.

You’re probably going to miss a lot of fish by doing this.

Simply cast out, put the rod in the rod holder and let it do its job.

When that rod is buckled over, you’ve definitely got the hook-up.

Then all you have to do is reel the fish in.

Flathead Flathead are very similar to bream.

Concentrate near the mangrove lines on a high tide and then look for areas where the current is pushing onto either the top or the bottom of an island.

These are some of the prime areas to look for flathead on a high tide.

On a low tide, it’s the same as for bream – look for areas where the last water drains off the mud banks and where bait will congregate.

Flathead know where bait will mass because they are the bigger predator – they will bide their time to score an easy feed.

I’ll have customers cast soft plastics into an area where I feel flathead are lying in wait.

We’ll also have a couple of bait rods set up out the back of the boat to pick up a few bream because they’ll be in the same area.

Use a 2-4kg 7’ medium-action graphite rod with a 2500 spin reel, spooled with 6-8lb braid and a 10-15lb leader.

The type of lures I find most people can work quite easily are

The author’s son with his personal best 77cm flathead taken on a Zerek Live Shrimp Hot Legs lure.

* continued P12

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 11

Winter techniques for flatty and bream * from P11

For this flathead, Colin used a Zerek Flash Minnow Wriggly.

curl grubs, paddle tails and prawn-style lures – such as Zerek Live Shrimp Hot Legs.

Most of these lures can be used with a simple hop hop and pause retrieve.

When you do the little hop hop, let the Iure get back to the bottom and pause for four to five seconds before the next little hop hop.

You don’t want to make your retrieves really high.

Remember flathead live on the bottom, so small lifts suit this species.

Always retrieve all the way back to the boat – it’s amazing how many fish can be caught virtually under the boat.

High or low tide, you can please yourself.

You can troll a high tide along the mangrove line with hard-bodies such as

Simon and a decent flathead caught on a Zerek Flash Minnow Wriggly.

Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

Zerek’s Tango Shad or Bulldog Crank.

Or simply drift along the mangrove line on a high or low tide, casting soft plastics at the bank and retrieving them back to the boat.

On low tide, sit in front of an area where the last of the water is draining off a bank.

My preferred time is the last two hours of the tide – I’ll cast soft plastics into an area where I feel flathead are lying in wait for baitfish.

Word to the wise and after doing this for years, I’ve learned that sometimes the fish will take only a trolled lure, occasionally they’ll take only a cast lure such as a soft plastic, then there are times when they will eat everything, so mix it up.

Also, as a guide for lure colour – the darker or dirtier the water, use darker lure colours, and the cleaner and clearer the water, use brighter colours.

These two species are more predominant in my area from May through to October.

While available at other times, there are not as many fish.

I find the run up to a full or new moon always fishes better and

for me, the ‘run up’ is a week prior to these phases, as this period gives a better-sized tide for targeting these particular species.

Checking moon phases and tide times are very important.

Hopefully, this information can be added to what you already know or is a good starting point if you’re a beginner.

My charters are chasing these and other species out on the water, as well as days targeting certain species using specific techniques – I teach what to look for, where to go to and how to do it.

So, if you want to learn, we can help you out.

As we all know, with our jobs and lives we are time poor, so if you can learn more to optimise your time on the water, why not – remember knowledge is key.

Until next month, stay safe on the water and, if you’re interested in our fishing tuition or want to do a fishing charter, give me a call on 0432 386 307, send an email to seancon lonsfishing@hotmail. com or check out the Facebook page Seano’s Inshore Fishing Charters and Tuition.

As a guide, when choosing a lure for the colour of the water, select darker shades for dirty water and brighter colours for clearer water.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 13

Flynn did well in catching a decent whiting and outfishing his dad.

Moreton Bay squid and flathead

W Charlie was over the moon with his bream catch.

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0402 703 519 Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

HAT an awesome month it was on the fishing front for our junior anglers.

Flynn had been out on the boat with his father a few times but now he’s ready to drop a line himself.

Getting plenty of practice in with a few smaller species such as whiting before preparing to throw the game harness on!

Well done Flynn – good to see you outfished dad again!

Charlie headed down to Baxters Jetty on Cabbage Tree Creek with the family for a bit of relaxing fun and was over the moon when he landed an awesome bream.

I think his smile showed how excited he was with his catch!

Well done, Charlie.

I think we’ll be seeing many more photos of you and your fishing adventures.

Northern Moreton Bay

by MARK TEMPLETON

We met Harvey previously, when he showed us how well he could catch crabs in the local creek.

Harvey has stepped it up this time, wetting a line while waiting for the crabs to turn up.

His patience was rewarded when he landed a cracker 52cm flathead – the little beauty landed on the dinner table and Harvey starred again.

Stepping up his game every time he heads out, we’re almost taking bets to see what he’ll fish out of his bag of tricks next.

Well done Harvey, you’re doing a cracker job!

Ivy was at her best when fishing down at Shorncliffe Pier recently.

In true Ivy fashion,

she cleaned up with a 50cm plus flathead.

As the season kicks off, we hope to see a few more awesome lizards such as this one coming off the flats and over the rails.

Well done Ivy, you’re giving your dad a run for his money, yet again!

After seeing the fun Ivy had catching flatties, her dad Chris decided to get in on the lizard action too.

Admittedly, Ivy does present better every day of the week, however it was a solid effort.

Well done Chris, another great feed to take home.

Fish of the month is a close call between Harvey, Charlie and a cracker cobia from Ryan. * continued P15

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Moreton Bay squid and flathead * from P14

Caught in the Moreton Bay area, this is a fish Ryan can be proud of – catching a cobia like this out there in a small tinnie is no small feat.

Goes to show that you don’t need to travel far out into our magnificent bay to catch prime fish.

Well done Ryan, an awesome result!

This time of year is perfect for squid, in the shallows and more so around structure.

Tigers should be on the menu, but arrows are way more plentiful.

This is something the kids can get into – light tackle, a couple of glow sticks and a nice thick jumper!

Don’t forget, when you land them, use your

spike to dispatch them quickly.

Not only is it the humane way to treat squid, it also keeps the flesh in good eating condition too.

At this time of year, many people stock up on fresh bait while involving the family in a great time out.

One of the best ways I’ve found to make this awesome bait last longer and kept in the best condition is to vacuum seal them in small bags and freeze them as soon as possible.

Even before you get home, you should be doing all you can to keep them fresh – a small ice slurry is best and is super easy to make.

When you look at your squid catch for the night and it has turned

pink or is on its way, it has not been looked after – the whiter and cooler, the better!

Another sought-after quarry at this time of year is tailor.

Up and down the coast, everyone has their secret spot as to where the big ones are.

With a lot of us being land based and not wanting to travel far from home – K’gari is the dream spot – check out local piers and jetties.

One of our go-to spots would have to be off the footpaths on the foreshore after dark.

If you are new to tailor fishing, here are a couple of spots to have a crack at…

Red Beach, Skirmish Point, Woorim Beach, * continued P16

Ivy cleaned up with a 50cm plus flathead at Shorncliffe Pier recently.

Hydraulic boat steering for a hard day’s fishing Go wherever and whenever the fish are biting with confidence!

Made in Australia for our tough marine environments.

Photo courtesy of Vindicator Boats.

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

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 15

Ryan can be proud of catching this cobia in a small tinnie – it’s no small feat.

Moreton Bay squid and flathead * from P15

Chris decided to get in on the flathead action.

White Patch, Sandstone Point, Beachmere, Scarborough, Redcliffe, Margate, Woody Point, Hays Inlet, Hornibrook Bridge, Brighton, Shorncliffe, Nudgee Beach and Pinkenba.

These are a few gen-

eral locations to start with.

Before you set out, do a quick check because there are ‘green zones’ in place – being caught fishing in one of these would definitely ruin your night!

Grab some blue bait,

pilchard, slimy mackerel, bonito strips or whatever your go-to bait is and get out there!

Happy hunting during the colder months and we hope you get a few great feeds on the table.

Stay safe and maintain the passion!

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CONTACT THE TEAM TODAY! Harvey’s patience was rewarded when he landed a cracker 52cm flathead.

Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

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A change from bait to lures can access tailor out wider during the day.

When on foot, being mobile is key to being able to move quickly and easily.

Stay or go – when to move

Y

OU’RE out fishing and the bite shuts down or you’ve been fishing for a while in one spot but haven’t caught a fish.

So, the thought comes into your mind, “Should I stay or should I go?”

In an angler’s head, that’s perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions.

To be clear, I’m not talking about finishing up for the day – though that too can be a tough decision.

A decision that is almost always decided by one more cast, then another… until you’ve had almost as many ‘last casts’ as poor old Johnnie Farnham had farewell concerts!

No, what I’m referring to is the decision to fish on in a spot or move.

That move could be as simple as lifting the anchor or taking spot-lock off and drifting, moving the boat 50m or so, getting in the four-wheeldrive and moving to the next gutter or walking around the next bend of a river or creek.

While there is no definitive answer and we

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Fishing Tips

by SEAN THOMPSON

may never know ‘what if’ we did or didn’t move, there are some fairly clear indicators that if you think about or pay attention to can increase the odds in your favour of making the right decision.

So, let’s explore the pros and cons of when the right time for a move is.

The long wait brigade There are a couple of schools of thought on staying or moving on from where you’ve been fishing.

The first is what I call ‘the long wait brigade’ – those who decide to stay at an unproductive spot and not move, no matter what – fishing aimlessly for hours in the hope the fish will come to them.

I’m qualified to comment on this group because I started my fishing career many years ago as one of them.

I would find what I believed was a productive spot or a spot I’d caught

a few fish the day, week or even fortnight before and concluded that eventually the fish were certain to return to that spot.

I spent many unproductive hours waiting and hoping, most in vain or with only a couple of fish to my credit.

Other anglers may have been told to go to ‘spot X’ by the local ‘expert’ or some random person cleaning fish at the filleting tables who simply wanted to brag or worse, give people a red herring.

These followers then sit and wait, expecting fish to arrive.

Then there’s the individual who selects a location at the beach, estuary or river in the middle of the day, sets up a chair with rod firmly planted in the rod holder and sits, and waits.

Occasionally, fish do turn up.

Particularly if the location selected contains * continued P18

Moving with a clean incoming tide after fresh rainfall secured a nice whiting for the author.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 17

Tide Times AUSTRALIA EAST COAST -

2023

STRALIA, EAST COAST – BRISBANE BRISBANE BAR BAR

Time

m

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

m

0045 0646 1323 1930

0.66 2.27 0.42 2.29

TH 1327 0.47 1951 2.32

0145 0734 1405 2016

0.61 2.20 0.38 2.42

0212 0743 FR 1408 2034

0.69 2.00 0.41 2.45

0238 0818 1442 2059

0.59 2.12 0.37 2.50

0303 0829 SA 1447 2117

0326 0900 1515 2138

0.59 2.02 0.37 2.55

0412 0941 1547 2216

0454 1019 1618 2254

Time

m

0226 0.69 0.77 1 0118 0657 2.03 16 0752 1.85 1405 0.41 1327 0.47 FR 1405 0.41 2038 2.49

Time

m

Time

m

0152 0.72 0307 0.66 1 0714 1.84 16 0830 1.68 1424 0.46 1332 0.41

Time Zone –1000 AUGUST

Time

Time

m

m

0334 0.45 0359 0.56 1 0856 1.84 16 0930 1.79 1500 0.25 1527 0.43

SA 1332 0.41 2013 2.48

SU 1424 0.46 2103 2.44

0.67 17 0315 0839 1.80 1444 0.42

0250 0808 SU 1421 2101

0.62 1.83 0.35 2.60

0.55 0348 0.64 0425 0.37 0429 0.55 17 0912 2 0949 1.84 1.70 1.91 17 1001 1.84 1503 0.46 1552 0.21 1601 0.43

0.63 1.97 0.37 2.55

0401 0.66 18 0922 1.75 1519 0.44

0345 0903 MO 1510 2149

0.54 1.84 0.31 2.68

0456 0.53 0.53 0425 0.63 0512 0.33 0456 18 0949 3 1040 1033 1.88 1.88 1.72 1.98 18 1033 1539 0.46 1642 0.21 1635 0.45

0354 0915 SU 1528 2202

0.58 1.92 0.36 2.62

0443 0.67 19 1002 1.72 1553 0.47

0438 0958 TU 1558 2238

0.48 1.85 0.29 2.72

0459 0.64 19 1023 1.74 1614 0.47

0.61 1.92 0.40 2.55

0444 1004 MO 1609 2248

0.56 1.87 0.37 2.64

0520 0.69 20 1040 1.70 1628 0.52

0530 1051 WE 1647 2326

0.45 1.86 0.30 2.72

0.33 0551 0.50 0.50 0529 0.64 0636 0.33 0551 5 1218 20 1056 2.05 20 1144 1144 1.93 1.93 1.77 2.05 1648 0.50 1818 0.39 1745 0.58

0.65 1.82 0.45 2.51

0536 0.56 0555 0.72 6 1056 1.83 21 1116 1.69

2 3 4 5

SA 1444 0.42 2119 2.51

SU 1519 0.44 2158 2.51

MO 1553 0.47 2234 2.47 TU 1628 0.52 2310 2.42

2

3

4

5

MO 1503 0.46 2141 2.44

TU 1539 0.46 2215 2.42

WE 1614 0.47 2248 2.40 TH 1648 0.50 2320 2.37

TU 1500 0.25 2136 2.72

WE 1552 0.21 2223 2.76

WE 1527 0.43 2152 2.38 TH 1601 0.43 2.37 2223 2.37

TH 1642 0.21 2308 2.73

FR 1635 0.45

1130 2.02 FR 1730 0.27 2.62 2351 2.62

1108 1.91 1710 0.50 0.50 SA 1710 SA 2320 2.27 2.27 2320

2251 2.34beach swell saw the author hooked up on salmon that were 2.34 A move from2251 heavy 0524conditions 0.51 0555 0.31 calmer 0524 0.51 seeking and bait inside a NSW estuary entrance.

4 1130 2.02 19 1108 1.91

Stay or go – when to move

SA 1818 0.39

SU 1745 0.58 SU 2349 2.17 2.17 2349

* from P17

0619 0.44 0558 0.64 0033 2.45 2.45 0620 0.51 0.51 0033 0620 fish or 21 bait 6 1145 6 0715 0.37 0.37 1221 holding 1.93 1.88 21 1131 1.78 0715 1221 1.93 1737 0.35 1724 0.55 1308 2.06 1823 0.69

structure that at some stage of the0019 tide2.04will 0535 0.70 0115 2.23 2.23 0630 0.57 0629 0.74 0013 2.65 0629 0.63 0115 0019 2.04 7 1151 7 0708 7 22 draw attention.

1058 1.74 0756 0.42 0.42 0650 0.53 0.53 1.78 22 1154 1.68 0.44 22 1209 1.79 0756 0650 1649 0.52 0.62 1401 2.05 2.05 TU 1302 1.92 1.92 MO 1401 TU 1302 WE 1740 0.46 TH 1740 0.63 FR 1239 1.89 SA 1802 0.62 MO However, this 2330 2.44 2004 0.72 1906 can 0.80 of1830 0.44 2004 0.72 1906 0.80 ten mean anglers spend 0614 0.76 0100 2.54 0023 2.24 2.24 0200 1.99 0053 1.90 0026 2.58 0020 2.30 0200 1.99 0053 1.90 8 0726 0.59 23 0704 0.76 8 0755 0.46 23 0701 8 1135 1.67 0701 0.63 0.63 0837 0.49 0.49 23 0724 0.56 0.56 0837 0724 many unproductive 1722 0.61 1251 1.79 1.79 1501 2.04 2.04 WE 1350 1.92 1.92 TH 1249 1.76 FR 1236 1.67 TU 1501 WE 1350 SA 1334 1.91 SU 1251 TU hours sitting and 1833 0.55 1844 0.72 0.72 2112 0.87 0.87 2000 waiting 0.89 1821 0.71 1925 0.56 1844 2112 2000 0.89 for to 0007 2.35 0118 2.51 0058 2.14 2.14 0254the 1.76fish 0138 0138come 1.74 to 0059 2.23 0148 2.38 0058 0254 1.76 1.74 9 0822 0.59 24 0744 0.76 9 0841 0.48 24 0737 9 them, 0654 0.82 0737 0.63 0.63 0925 0.55 0.55 24 0807 0807 0.60 0925 when they0.60 could 1216 1.61 1337 1.79 1.79 1610 2.06 2.06 TH 1453 1.93 1.93 FR 1353 1.76 SA 1324 1.67 MO 1337 WE 1610 TH 1453 SU 1433 1.94 MO WE 759 0.70 1934 0.64 1909 0.80 1759 1931 0.83 0.83 2237 0.94 0.94 2115 0.95 0.95 the 2026 0.70 1931 2237 2115 have been tracking 047 2.26 0215 2.41 0140 2.15 0047 2.20 0135 2.02 2.02 0403 down 1.59 0245 1.59 1.59 0239 2.20 0135 0403 1.59 0245 fish themselves.

738 0.86 10 0917 0.58 25 0828 0.75 10 0928 0.49 0738 0.49 25 0817 0817 0.63 0.63 10 1023 1023 0.60 0.60 25 0910 0910 0.64 0.64 There are exceptions 303 1.57 1500 1.81 1303 1.99 TU 1432 1.81 1.81 1721 2.11 2.11 FR 1614 1.99 1.99 SA SU 1420 1.68 MO 1538 1.99 TU 1432 TH 1721 FR 1614 TH 843 0.80 2045 0.72 2004 0.89 2135 0.81 1843 0.81 2030 0.92 0.92 2251 0.92 2030 2251 0.92 to this rule of course, 132 2.17 0314 2.31 0227 2.07 0335 0132 0335 2.01 2.01 0223 1.88 1.88 0007they 0.89 can 0416 0416 1.53and 0223 0007 0.89 1.53 but be few 830 0.88 11 1011 0.55 26 0916 0.72 11 1016 1016 0.50 0.50 26 0904 1029 0.62 0.62 0830 0904 0.63 0.63 11 0526 0526 1.52 1.52 26 1029 402 1.55 1645 2.07 2.07 WE 1733 2.13 2.13 1402 1540 1.87 1.87 1128between.

0.61 SA 1128 0.61 SU 1610 1.91 MO 1525 1.74 TU 1645 WE 1540 FRfar SA 1733 FR 938 0.90 2159 0.77 2111 0.95 2253 2144 2253 0.87 0.87 1938 2144 0.97 0.97 1825 2.18 1825 One2.18 that readily 225 2.10 0415 2.21 0320 1.99 0436 0325 0225 0436 1.86 1.86 0325 1.76 1.76 0116 0.79 0.79 0021 0.79 0.79 0116 0021 mind is 926 0.86 12 1103 0.51 27 1008 0.67 12 1108 1108 0.50 0.50 27 1002 0542 1.57 1.57that 0926 1002 0.61 0.61 12 comes 0639 1.54 1.54to27 0639 0542 515 1.59 1715 2.04 1633 1.84 1748 2.18 1652 1.99 1748 2.18 1145 0.54 1230 1515 1652 1.99 1230 0.58 0.58theSU 1145 0.54 MO TU WE TH SA WE TH SAduring SU middle of the 046 0.96 2314 0.78 2226 0.96 2309 1918 1841 2.31 2.31 2046 0.96 2309 0.94 0.94 1918 2.26 2.26 1841 day, you get up high on 323 2.05 0515 2.12 0419 1.92 0012 0440 0208 1.92 0012 0.86 0.86 0440 1.69 1.69 0208 0.69 0.69 0130 0.62 0.62 0323 0130 28 sand or vantage 022 0.81 13 1154 0.47 28 1100 0.61 0735 1.61 0.61 13 0541 0541 1.75 1.75 28 1106 1106 0.57 0.57 13 a 0735 1.61dune 0653 1.68 1022 0653 1.68 627 1.68 1326 1253 2.00 1201 0.50 0.50 FR 1800 2.15 2.15 1326 0.54 0.54 MO 1253 0.43 0.43 1627 TU 1815 2.19 WE 1735 2.00 TH SU TH 1201 FR 1800 SUpoint andMOnote there’s 204 0.97 2341 1846 2003 1939 2341 0.91 0.91 1846 2.28 2.28 2003 2.32 2.32 1939 2.48 2.48 2204 only one major gutter 423 2.04 0026 0.76 0519 0121 0030 0249 0227 0121 0.79 0.79 0249 0.62 0.62 0227 0.46 0.46 0423 0519 1.88 1.88 0030 0.83 0.83 114 0.73 14 0610 2.02 29 1152 0819 0753 0644 1.69 1.69 29 0552 0819 1.68 1.68 0753 1.81 1.81 1114 1152 0.54 0.54 14 0644 0552 1.68 1.68 14 along an29 entire stretch 728 1.82 1241 0.44 1831 2.17 1253 0.49 1208 0.50 1412 0.49 1356 0.31 1253 0.49 1412 0.49 1356 0.31 1728 1831 2.17 1208 0.50 WE TH FR SA MO TU FR MO TU TH SA of beach.

316 0.92 1907 2.33 1937 1900 2044 2.36 2030 1937 2.37 2.37 2044 2.36 2030 2.62 2.62 2316 1900 2.32 2.32 In that case, all0.35 things 519 2.04 0130 0.73 0049 0218 0140 0326 0316 0326 0.58 0.58 0519 0049 0.82 0.82 0218 0.72 0.72 0140 0.70 0.70 0316 0.35 30 200 0.63 15 0703 1.93 0857 0846 1.93 0857 1.74 1.74 1200 1.93 30 0617 0617 1.85 1.85 15 0741 0741 1.67 1.67 30 0658 0658 1.71 1.71 15 being 0846 1.93 equal, you should 820 1.99 1451 0.45 0.45 WE 1820 0.42 FR 1244 0.47 0.47 1341 0.47 0.47 SU 1308 0.41 0.41 1451 0.22 0.22 TH 1325 0.42 SA TU TU 1451 FR 1244 SA 1341 SU 1308 WE 1451 1955 2.43 1923 2022 1956 2119 2117 2.69 2119 2.38 2.38fish to 2.43 1923 2.34 2.34 2022 2.42 2.42 1956 2.49 2.49 2117 2.69 on expect come 021 0.85 0241 0401 0.27 at either dawn or dusk.

0021 0241 0.56 0.56 0401 0.27 31 0800 31 610 2.04 0935 0610 0800 1.77 1.77 0935 2.04 2.04 If they don’t, it 245 0.55 1405 0.33 1543 0.17 1245 1405 0.33 1543 0.17may MO TH MO TH 906 2.16 2047 2201 2.69 1906 2047 2.62 2.62 2201 2.69 well be worth persisting and berleying the gutter monwealth of Australia 2021, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology First Quarter New Moon to bring the fish to you. ns is Lowest Astronomical Tide ons Tide Likewise, if you spy Last Quarter bols New MoonFull Moon First Full Full Moon Moon First Quarter Quarter Last Quarter a schoolLast of Quarter fish slightly 88 range that out of casting TU 1652 0.40 2336 2.63

WE 1702 0.57 2345 2.36

TH 1737 0.35

FR 1724 0.55 2351 2.32

Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

SU 1308 2.06 MO MO 1823 0.69 SU 1909 0.55 0.55 1909

you couldn’t reach even with metal lures, then hang around and try to berley them closer.

This has worked successfully for me and my groups, with evidence of the berley in the fish’s stomach.

The other reason to persist longer in a spot is if you see fish on the sounder.

Though the trick is to not persist with the same techniques, rigs or lures if they aren’t working.

Try something different.

For lure fishing, this might mean a change of lure colour, style – a metal vibe rather than a plastic – or even trolling rather than casting.

For bait fishing, this may mean switching from a paternoster rig anchored to the bottom to a floating unweighted pilchard or adding scent to your bait, changing the bait or even adding surf flies or poppers in a three-way rig.

You could even try jig-

ging your bait like a lure off the bottom.

In other words, mix it up.

Hasty Harry At the other end of the spectrum are those who might have one or two casts at a spot, insist it is fishless and want to move.

Despite the fact you may be in the middle of starting a berley trail to bring the fish to you.

Alternatively, anglers may roar to a spot in their boat, noisily toss their anchor and chain out and bang about their boat while dropping a bait or lure over.

They then wonder why they didn’t get a fish on the first or second cast.

The fish bolted and at best, it could be 15-20 minutes before they return.

In other circumstances, the fish may move to another spot of reef or structure and are gone for the session.

Then there are the occasions when your * continued P19

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Stay or go – when to move * from P18

friends might see you catching fish on the sand flats and wade noisily over to you in what I call ‘the claim jumper effect’.

Their splashing usually spooks any flathead, whiting, bream or any other species within earshot, yet they wonder why they don’t catch a fish as soon as they arrive, nor you for that matter!

What’s the right answer?

Unfortunately, there is no perfect answer to when the right time to move spots is.

Though there are a few basic principles I like to apply plus a few factors to consider in terms of which direction you move in.

Be mobile Probably the number one rule for any angler is to employ the ability to be mobile.

This is easy enough if you have a 4WD on the beach or you’re in a boat.

However, land-based anglers should be mobile enough that they are not discouraged from moving due to the sheer volume of gear they’re carrying.

This means it’s best to keep your gear to a minimum.

One rod and a rod holder – unless you have an Alvey reel, so you don’t need one – a rod belt, knife, bait bucket, shoulder bag with your rigs, ruler and pliers, some water and, if you plan to keep a few fish, a light soft Esky that you can carry.

A headlamp for after dark is also a must.

The other great yet under-utilised option is a beach or ‘fat boy’ bike.

These are a great option on beaches that don’t allow 4WDs, as they allow you to move quickly between gutters.

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They have thick wide tyres that have a wide tread, which allows you to ride through even the thickest sand – you just have to pedal a bit harder.

The crusty sand below the dunes is a good option if it’s high tide and you can’t ride on the flat stuff.

Time to move If things are quiet and the fish aren’t biting – taking noting of the exceptions above – a general rule I apply is to move after about 20 minutes in an estuary, on a reef or the beach.

Where to next?

When considering your next move, think about a number of factors in terms of the direction and distance of your move.

You might want to think about where you are fishing now and where the fish might be.

You can do this by appraising the following factors.

Depth, try going shallower or deeper.

Water colour – if there’s been a lot of recent rain, consider fishing closer to the entrance or moving upstream slightly as the cleaner water moves in with the tide.

The direction of tide, swell or wind.

If it’s a rising tide in an estuary, towards the entrance might be better than further upstream.

Or if it’s a falling tide, seek out drop-offs and drain entrances where the baitfish will escape to deeper water.

Trout anglers know to fish the lee or downwind side of the lake after a blow, where all the insects will end up.

If there’s boat traffic or swimmers, move to avoid them.

Look for signs of bird activity and move there.

Motor around and use your sounder to

locate bait or fish.

If dolphins or sharks turn up, move to avoid them.

And finally, look for a change in water temperature – even a degree or two can make a difference.

For example, in winter, seek out shallow muddy bays in an estuary where the water should be a couple of degrees warmer than the cold water entering from the ocean.

Of course, there’s that one important decision left to make… when to leave.

We all know the answer… after one last cast!

Until next month, I hope to see you following my social media pages, including Facebook, at Ontour Fishing Australia.

Mulloway are one species worth waiting it out for – in the perfect hole or gutter at night.

Trolling is a great way to be actively mobile and find fish.

Beach bikes are a brilliant option for areas where four-wheel-drives aren’t allowed on the beach.

Electric motors are a great aid to move silently between spots in a boat.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 19

New rules for Spanish mackerel start 1 July To help rebuild stocks of east coast Spanish mackerel, new rules will be in place from 1 July 2023: The recreational possession limit will change to one fish per person, or two fish per boat with two or more recreational fishers on board (the boat limit will not apply to licensed charter fishing trips).

The extended charter trip limit will be removed (currently allows recreational fishers to take twice the in-possession limit for charter trips longer than 48 hours).

The total allowable commercial catch will be adjusted from 578 tonnes to 165 tonnes for the 2023 fishing season.

Search ‘Spanish mackerel management changes’ at daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries for more information.

World Oceans Day: Compliant pots keep our oceans healthy

If your favourite past-time is spending the day out on the water, then you’ll know oceans play a major role in everyday life. That’s why it’s up to each one of us to conserve its ecosystem and biodiversity for future generations to enjoy.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers work with partner agencies and conduct regular operations to rid Queensland waterways of abandoned and non-compliant crabbing apparatus. Crab pots that are used incorrectly or abandoned can become lost and may continue to ‘ghost fish’, trapping wildlife.

Whether it’s checking your equipment regularly or making sure you’re following the Queensland regulations for your catch, there’s something we all can do to look after the place we spend in our favourite place – the ocean.

You can avoid losing crab pots and risk harming the environment by following these tips: • Check crab pots regularly and remove them from the water when they are not being used.

• Ensure crab pots are heavy enough with enough rope attached to the float so they are not lost or pulled under water in strong tidal currents.

• Ensure crab pots are set below the low tide mark and in a sufficient depth of water at all stages of the tide.

You can also support our oceans by reporting suspected unmarked, lost or abandoned crabbing apparatus to the Fishwatch Hotline on 1800 017 116.

For detailed information on Queensland fishing rules and regulations, download the Qld Fishing 2.0 app from Apple and Google app stores.

Download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play DAF1979 05/23

Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 1979 Bush and Beach June 2023_FINAL.indd 2

LEFT

www.bnbfishing.com. au 15/5/2023 12:01 pm

Ready to land the fish of a LIFETIME? We’ve invested $100,000 into the Fish’n’SIP$ tagged fish competition run by the Freshwater Fish Stocking Association of Queensland in Central and North Queensland.

The competition has had an excellent start with 3 prizes already claimed. First and second prize were caught at Tinaroo Dam, with both tagged barramundi more than a metre long! Third prize was caught at Cania Dam hooking a 440mm Australian bass.

The competition supports the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS) and will see more fish stocked for anglers in the next financial year. Southern Queensland has benefited from flood recovery grants with the equivalent of approximately 800,000 additional Australian bass or golden perch being stocked this financial year. That means there are plenty of fish for you to catch and still $20,000 up for grabs in the Fish’n’SIP$ competition.

Buy your SIPS permit to fish in Queensland’s dams and weirs via the Qld Fishing 2.0 app or head to qld.gov.au and search ‘SIPS’.

Celebrating a year of the Women in Recreational Fishing Network Queensland The Women in Recreational Fishing Network (WIRFN) Qld is celebrating their one-year anniversary!

Since its launch, the program has achieved significant traction, reaching more than a thousand members on Facebook. It’s been an active year with highlights including: • Workshops at the Australian Fishing Trade Association Trade Show on the Gold Coast • Meet and greet events on the Gold Coast, Cairns, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast • Attendance to the World Recreational Fishing Conference in Melbourne There are more events coming, so keep an eye out for an event near you. If you’re not already a member, search for ‘Women in Recreational Fishing Network Qld’ on Facebook to join the community.

We will be calling expressions of interest for the new cohort of leaders to join the WIRFN Leadership Program.

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

1979 Bush and Beach June 2023_FINAL.indd 3

RIGHT

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 21 15/5/2023 12:01 pm

Rob Williams was stoked with a nice blue maori cod.

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Cool offshore live baiting tactics

T

HE way I see it, there’s no better time and place for offshore fishing than winter in central and southeast Queensland.

At the time of writing, the first of the bitterly cold westerly wind gusts were striking the east coast, making for fresh mornings and clear blue skies.

Though the current wind speed won’t allow for an offshore trip, the coming months will no doubt be filled with opportunities to head offshore and, unlike the weather, the fishing should be hot!

Here are some tips on making the most of winter conditions.

The drop in water temperature and the slower currents should result in plenty of offshore bait activity.

In my opinion, live baiting is one of the most effective and under-utilised offshore techniques.

Whether it’s the time

Fishing Tactics

by CHRIS RAIMONDI

and effort to locate and catch them or the challenge in keeping them alive, it’s well worth it to have a tank full of livies onboard this winter.

Searching for live bait is not dissimilar to searching for popular reef species – it’s all about locating structure that provides coverage for species such as slimy mackerel, yellowtail scad, pilchard and pike.

On most occasions, large bait schools will show up as fairly tight compact ‘balls’ on your sounder – often slightly off the bottom above rock or reef, or midway through the water column.

Bait jigs can be bought from any good tackle shop, with my favourite being the Wilson Fish Skin Leader with Luminous Beads, which I * continued P23

A big grass sweetlip caught on a yakka.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cool offshore live baiting * from P22

find effective on several species.

These jigs are ready to use straight from the packet, simply rig to your main line and use a large ball sinker or snapper lead that’ll get your jig to the desired depth in a hurry.

Often livies will hook up before you’ve even engaged the reel, but if you’re made to work hard for them, simply lift then lower the rod tip in a sweeping jigging motion until you feel the rod loading up.

If you are looking to fill your live bait tank, make sure you’re aware of the possession limits that are imposed on a number of bait species.

Caring for live bait is critical, so if you’re going to go to the effort to locate and catch

them, make sure you have a nice large live bait tank or Esky with access to an aerator or regular flushes of fresh sea water.

Too many in a small tank will also spell disaster and often it doesn’t take long for all your hard work to come undone in this scenario.

Fresh dead bait are great, but live bait are better!

Once you’ve caught plenty of live bait, always deploy one on the spot you caught them.

More often than not there will be predatory fish feeding around the school and there’s nothing more natural than an injured or restricted yakka or slimy floating down past the school.

There are not many species that won’t attack

The author’s solid goldspot estuary cod.

Blue maori cod love a live bait.

* continued P24

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 23

Jarrod took a decent central Queensland red emperor.

The author and a nice red emperor captured on a live yakka.

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a well-presented live bait, but certain species such as cod, pearl perch, coral trout and mulloway simply cannot resist them.

Use a snelled rig with about a 0.5m long trace and a running ball sinker above a swivel to ensure your live bait gets to the bottom, though is largely free ‘on its leash’.

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ingly because usually there’s not a lot of mucking around if a predatory species decides to take aim at a live bait.

On recent trips off central Queensland and offshore of Cape Moreton, the bait was in abundance, with huge schools of yakka and slimy mackerel easy to locate, as well as showers of pilchard and bonito on the surface.

This was an extremely encouraging sign for the cooler months ahead.

On those occasions, live bait accounted for a wide range of species, including some huge cod, red emperor, grass sweetlip, moses perch, mulloway and snapper.

Typically, the bite can slow offshore during the middle of the day and across tide changes but with live bait, it seems you’ve always a chance of a quality fish.

A big advantage of using live bait offshore is that you can largely avoid a lot of the smaller fish that pick at and destroy your flesh bait.

In some areas, small hussar and other baitfish will literally destroy every flesh bait you drop – simply not leaving it in the zone long enough to

attract a decent fish.

Smaller fish will occasionally still attack a live bait but nowhere near as often as a flash bait.

If the live bait tactics aren’t working, there are some lures on the market that look more lifelike than the real thing!

The technology performance and sophistication of vibes on the market these days are incredible, but more on those next month.

Catch you!

Essential live bait tips • Don’t bother trying to catch live bait in the dark, have a little sleep in and hit them an hour or so into the day • Search for them as you would search for reef fish – target areas of structure, rock, reef, markers and pylons • Make sure you have a large live bait tank or Esky with constant flow of fresh aerated water • If one live bait dies in the tank, remove it immediately as it can set off a domino effect • If your live bait die, don’t discard them, use them as fresh dead bait or freeze for next time • Know your live bait possession limits • Never leave your bait spot without dropping a live bait on it.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 25

The author caught a nice 62cm flathead on a MMD Soft Prawn Vibe in the Nerang River.

Alex was stoked to catch his first ever jewfish on the Tweed River with Brad Smith.

Broadwater winter varieties

H

Hayden boated a good-sized flathead on a Broadwater charter with the author.

I everyone, so winter fishing is in full swing on the Gold Coast and June is one of the better months of the year to get out on the water.

Catching a mixed bag is not that hard to do, if you know

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where and how.

With some big tides at night, June daytime tides are ideal for fishing the channels and sand flats.

Squid will be a popular target this month too – these tasty creatures are so much fun to catch and I’ll be writing more about them in the near future.

But for now, squid are easily caught in sandy channels from 2-6m deep during run-in tides using vibe lures and squid jigs.

Another species I love to target on my Broadwater charters is flounder.

They are way more common than many people realise and * continued P27

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Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

A beautiful flounder caught by Brendan in the Gold Coast Broadwater.

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Broadwater winter varieties * from P26

are very responsive to blade vibe lures – particularly Ecogear ZX vibes that resemble small prawns.

Like flathead, they can be in any estuary depths.

The best way to catch these tasty fish is by drifting and jigging vibes over the sandy bottom.

In Queensland, flounder have no size limit, though it’s better to let the smaller ones go so they can grow and breed a few times.

While doing this, you can also catch heaps of flathead, squid, tarwhine, bream and winter whiting.

It’s predicted that we’re heading into an El Niño weather pattern this year, which means conditions will be drier and warmer than the average.

For estuary fishing, what this implies is that the water will be clearer, so in some places a run-out tide will fish best.

Bait and fish will also move further upstream in rivers and into deeper holes throughout the systems.

And it looks as though we’ll have a good season of tailor this year, if catches over the past few months are anything to go by.

Tailor are one of my favourite fish to catch and to eat.

But ensure you kill, bleed and put them on ice immediately after capture.

They love feeding on run-in tides in the

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Broadwater, therefore it pays to have a few rods ready to cast for them.

Look out for the telltale signs of birds diving and the water spraying across the surface, then cast into the bust-up and wind fast, striking hard to set hooks.

In June, you can often spot tailor busting up in the Gold Coast Seaway and along South Stradbroke to Crab Island in the eastern channel in the Broadwater.

Usually, small metal spinning slugs from 20-40g in size work well, though occasionally plastics work better.

My favourites are Z-Man 3” MinnowZ in colours Opening Night and Pearl Blue Glimmer, rigged on 3/8oz TT Fishing DemonZ Golden Boy 3/0 jig heads.

These resemble baitfish extremely well, and a bonus is that they can be used for flathead bounced over the bottom too.

Okuma Ceymar HD 2500 reels and 3-5kg rods – such as Samaki Skitch X and TT Fishing Red Belly – are the outfits that work well for this style of fishing.

Spool the reels with PE 0.6 14lb braid such as YGK or Platypus Pulse X8 and you’re good to go.

Tailor also move into the Tweed River this month – Brad will be catching them on his charters – as will lots of flathead, jewfish and bream.

These cool mornings

turn into some lovely ‘on the water’ days.

All in all a great month for fishing in our local rivers!

To book on a charter with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, visit goldcoas t r ivercha r t er s. c om, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishingwith clint@gmail.com – or find us on Facebook at Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

Josh scored a decent flathead while trolling a Pontoon 21 Crackjack lure.

Jamie used an Ecogear Breamer Vibe in the shallows to catch this dusky flathead.

The author and a 60cm slatey bream captured when jigging an Ecogear ZX vibe in the Broadwater channel.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 27

A beautiful example of the better pearl perch that will come up off the bottom for an appealing bait, shown off by Jason.

A coral trout smashed a natural glow baitfish flasher for Medin near Sykes Reef.

How to use flashers offshore with bait

Y

ES, that’s right, offshore flashing.

But not as we normally associate flashing.

This month, I give a run down on the key practice of using ultraviolet and glow-en-

www.suncoastskutes.com Flashers and pre-made rigs focused on SEQ water all year round Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

Gold Coast

by ANDY MELVILLE

hanced flashers to change the way fish view a bait.

In essence, a flasher does what it says on the tin, but what’s the purpose other than sparkle?

The short answer is that it attracts attention and curiosity using colour, which – by adding a shimmering or scale-dropping motion – draws a committed bite.

This will only apply to fish that can actually see the flash and colour patterns – in shallow water or higher in the water column.

In which case, shallow water requires a bit of delicacy, with subtle natural colours that won’t look out of place to weary fish.

After a long hard think, I challenged the idea of flash being used offshore to attract more activity and whether it might be the most effective element to a flasher, as colour fades

and sunlight dilutes in the depths.

After stacks of much-enjoyed research and development with great people, and online investigation over a few beverages, it was rewarding to finally land at a conclusion that tied into the product as a solid benchmark to stick to.

My conclusion was that the blended materials featuring a range of functions were far more effective than any store-bought flasher using 100 percent crystal flash fibre – which had less impact under UV light, did not glow and lacked a swimming motion due to the thicker shorter strands that tangled and kinked very easily.

Now that the colour, flash and glow ratio is out the way, let’s have a look at when and why these Esky-boosting goodies work in five simple outlooks. * continued P30

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 29

How to use flashers offshore with bait * from P28

Blinging up a bit of mullet scrap proved productive when fishing offshore.

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Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

First scenario – irregular bite times when you’ve already had success and the bite window has slowed down or when you are prospecting around on a slow day and feel the need to lift your game a touch.

This can be on the Great Barrier Reef, in and around the numerous bays such as Hervey and Moreton or along any southeast Queensland scattered reef lines.

When you’re fishing busy grounds, where imparting a bit of life into your bait can often mean the difference between fish on the barbecue with the family or lamb chops from the butcher.

Second – dawn and dusk periods when all three elements can work together in their own function over the course of session.

A great example is fishing for red emperor, when squid and hussar are prime targets for a feed.

When hussar are agitated and stressed, they illuminate their yellow flanks.

A deep pink with flash, laced with a streak of fluoro yellow and finished with a subtle glow will stand out and grab the attention of these prime targets.

Third – deeper water where fish are less concentrated and are generally covering more ground looking for a snack.

Target species quite often spend a bit of time looking up as well as scanning the bottom, so either way, when a fish that doesn’t mind swapping effort for

reward can see a bait 10-15m before it would normally, it’s never a bad thing.

In an ideal world, when that fish is homing in, it has already made enough conscience decisions based on colour curiosity, lifelike motion, scaledrop simulation and finally smell, so you are going to experience a much harder committed hook-up rather than only an enquiry.

Colours can neutralise and alter the deeper they go, however let’s not forget that Queensland has stronger UV rays and will of course lend a favour to what fish can see down there, even if it is a burden to the daily life of skin care.

Fourth – faster drifts when fishing schooling fish can be great, if you have a bit of discipline to strike the harder hits while you let the pickers do your berley for you in the middle of say a school of pearl perch.

The flashers continue to fish once the bait’s gone and will often pick up sought after catches due to their lure-like action – which the pickers left alone after realising the bait was gone.

Bigger fish will wolf it, especially if it came off the bottom, leading up to the end of a drift in stronger current.

The faster you can tempt a fish, the less likely the flasher will pass it by – particularly a species that prefers to sit and wait for food to come to it before inhaling through its bucket mouth.

The same concept applies to coral trout – smaller bait that go quick will get hit once

the pickers leave the flasher alone for a few seconds.

Trout enjoy stealing a meal from a fish or snatching the scrap before anything else has a chance to.

Hollow-core flashers have been sensational over the past couple of years, helping anglers to keep focus on where the hooks are and not the fragmented flesh bait.

And fifth – you can see the fish clear as day on the sounder but can’t get them to bite.

Sometimes it’s as simple as switching bait presentations and giving the fish a little something to stimulate them, whether it resembles characteristics of a squid or injured baitfish, it doesn’t matter if it works.

New charters or grounds with a group are usually the perfect opportunity to grab a flasher and turn a few heads.

Occasionally it’ll induce a touch of mocking but that’s OK because it often all goes quiet fairly quickly once the first fish comes over the side of the gunnel.

Bigger fish sitting deep – such as amberjack, kingfish and cobia – and the occasional pelagic – including marlin and tuna – are especially prone to smacking UV pinks, with a bit of colour tone contrasting against the background of the bottom or distance.

Have fun with this and don’t forget to send in photos of your catches if you’ve had success, with help from a few tweaks to how a fish views your bait.

Tight lines.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Protect our prawns from white spot

W

HITE spot was detected at two northern NSW prawn farms in February 2023 and was confirmed by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness diagnostic tests.

Consumers are assured that white spot does not pose a threat to human health or food safety.

NSW seafood, including prawns, remains safe to eat.

NSW DPI is working with farms to contain and eradicate white spot on-farm and ensuring the farms have appropriate biosecurity measures in place to continue to minimise risk of spread.

A control order is in place until June 14, 2023 and restricts the movement of raw uncooked prawns and polychaete worms from the Clarence River estuary while containment, source detection and surveillance activities are underway.

More information about the control order, what it means to you and how you can help protect NSW prawns is available on the NSW DPI website – dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fishing/aquatic-biose curity/aquaculture/aq uaculture/white-spot Tips on how recreational fishers can help NSW prawns: • Never use prawns intended for human consumption as bait

• When fishing, always source your bait from a trusted supplier local to the area you intend to fish • If you catch your own bait, use it only in the water from where it came • Dispose of your prawn waste – heads or shells – in general waste, never to our waterways • Make ‘clean’ part of your routine – wash your vehicles and gear between waterways.

Report any unusual mortalities or suspicions of white spot to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888.

For more information, see dpi.nsw.gov. au or email aquatic. biosecurity@dpi.nsw. gov.au

B

Rec reporting on Fisheries app UILDING a r e c r e a t io n a l catch and shark depredation reporting function into the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries recreational fishing app will ensure it can be a one-stop-shop for recreational fishing information and reporting.

That’s the finding of the DAF project team and app developer after assessing feedback from consultations with recreational fishers.

Feedback from last year’s spanish mackerel management changes consultation paper found several stakeholders wanted better recreational catch data for spanish mackerel and shark depredation, with vol-

untary recreational and smartphone reporting.

The DAF team are working closely with several recreational fishers to help with answering questions about the design and use of the app’s features.

This means improvements will happen with direct feedback and input from fishers.

If you have feedback on the recreational fishing app, email qldrecfishingapp.sup port@daf.qld.gov.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 31

Rocco with a cracking shallow-water maori cod.

A new species for the author. A type of trevally yet to be identified.

Unconventional season species

A

Big moses perch are a great addition to any Esky.

find us on facebook • Win prizes • Chat to readers and writers • See who’s catching what

• Post your brag shots • Join in on the fun banter • Have a laugh

www.facebook.com/bnbfishing Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

T this time of year, from April through to June, I often write about the unusual species that turn up in our local systems.

Every year I seem to pull up something I haven’t seen before, and so far 2023 has produced for me an odd species of trevally.

I’ve sent the photos of this fish to a lot of people and while I’ve had a lot of eager replies, I have found problems with the potential identifications.

Exactly what species it is remains a mystery to me, but I shall keep working on it.

I caught two of them about 20 minutes apart out on Windarra Banks and, if anyone’s curious, the flesh was white and delicious.

I also recently caught a freckled goatfish – upeneus tragula – in the Tweed River at Fingal, which had been sighted in the region before, though it was a new one for me.

I enjoy catching these ‘unfamiliar’ species, so in the cooler months, I’m always interested as to what may come over the side.

On to more conven-

Tweed to Byron Bay

by GAVIN DOBSON

tional species now and there have been a few snapper move into the close reefs, which is great.

Jewfish are also on the shallow reefs currently, so things are looking good for the shallows on a night with a cold westerly.

A westerly wind gets another of our important species mobile at this time of year.

Mullet travel down the rivers with a westerly and start moving along the beaches.

While they aren’t a recreational target, they * continued P34

Toby performed an angling masterclass keeping this nice mangrove jack out of the structure on 10lb braid.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 33

Weird season species * from P32

FISHING EVENTS COMPETITION

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Rainbow Beach, Qld rainbowsportsclub.com.au

VMR Bundaberg Jun 23-25 Family Fishing Classic

Burnett Heads, Qld vmrbundabergfishingclassic.com.au

Gold Coast and Jul 21-23 Southport Amateur Fishing Club 2023 Tailor Competition

Gold Coast, Qld thebaitshopgoldcoast.com

The Australian Lure, Jul 29-30 Fly & Outdoors Expo

Fernvale Qld lureshow.com.au

AFTA Tackle Show Aug 3-5

Gold Coast, Qld afta.net.au

Catch a Catty Family Aug 19-20 Fishing Competition

Burnett River, Qld facebook.com/Paradise-Fish-Stock ing-Association-105544657844248/

Woodgate Beach Sep 15-17 Hotel Fishing Classic

Woodgate Beach Hotel, Qld woodgatebeachhotelfishingclassic.com.au

Baffle Creek Family Sep 18-23 Fishing Festival

Baffle Creek, Qld bafflecreekfishing.com

Flathead Classic Sep 26-28

Gold Coast, Qld gcsfc.profishingtournaments.com

get tailor, jewfish and bream moving too, so the beaches and headlands will be running hot this month.

Some good mullet hits have been had already and the forecast is for a bumper season.

In June, apart from snapper and jew on the close reefs, there’s also the possibility of a few pelagics still.

If the water hasn’t gotten too cold, a few spanish and spotted mackerel could be hanging around as well.

There’ll be school mackerel about for sure and, for those who revel in a good workout, June is a great month for bigger-than-average longtail tuna.

I’ve managed a few trips out to the 50-fathom line recently and found snapper in scattered schools, but hopefully they’ll improve out there around this month’s new moon.

Pearl perch were relatively abundant but size wise, nothing to write home about.

Though teraglin were the fish that let me down – I have a couple of spots that always produce fish for me on the May full moon – they just weren’t there.

The moon was very

early in the month, so maybe June’s full moon will bring them on.

Our estuaries have transitioned over to our winter species now and, while there might still be the occasional mangrove jack prowling around, it’s time to think more about other species.

June and July are typically good months to look for tailor in the lower Tweed River and last year was a bumper season, so let’s hope this one is the same.

If you find them thick, anchoring up and throwing bait is a good option, though most people opt for trolling lures around.

Blackfish will begin to congregate around the rock walls for those inclined to dust the floats off and soak some green salad.

Often they will mix in with a school of mullet and you might even see them sucking algae off the surface on a tide line.

Big winter bream have moved into our lower estuaries and provide great sport – and a good feed.

So, there you have it.

There’s plenty to do this month – whether you’re offshore, on the beach or in the rivers.

Best of luck.

ANSA Maryborough Sep 29-Oct 1 Maryborough, Qld Fishing Festival 2023 ansaqld.com.au Fitzroy River Barra Oct 5-8 Bash

Fitzroy River, Qld fitzroyriverbarrabash.com.au

Wyaralong Dam Oct 21 Carp & Tilapia Eradication Comp

Wyaralong, Qld lafma.org

To have your competition listed in the calendar, please phone (07) 3286 1833 or email ads@collins.media Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

The average size of longtail tuna will greatly increase in June.

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

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

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

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 35

Gold Coast’s Warric Johnston and a cracking late-season longtail tuna, taken on a live garfish.

Mischa and his final longtail tuna capture of the season.

Jewfish in full swing

A While Bill is used to pulling quality jewfish from his local spots in Sydney, he was more than pleased with this fish, taken inside the Clarence River on a stripped squid bait.

Jewfish by night and tuna by day, Sydney angler HT did it all on a recent trip to Iluka.

Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

FTER having to contend with two weeks of a solid 20 to 30-knot southerly wind and big swells, we finally had a week of good weather in early May. This resulted in excellent catches of jewfish, mackerel and tuna before yet another onslaught of strong wind and 5m swells once again battered the coast.

I was starting to think that, thanks to the weather, May was going to be a washout for tuna along the Iluka wall, but we did get that one last window for a fish.

Luckily my good friends HT, Milly, Gary, Hank and Bill managed to hit the window on their last trip to Iluka for the season.

While the crew managed to get a couple of tuna from the wall on live garfish, it was their exploits with the local jewfish population that really stood out, with them landing fish from the breakwall, Main Beach and inside the river to boot.

Using a combination

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

of lures and squid bait during their brief threeday stay, they landed over a dozen fish of varying sizes, with all but one being released to fight another day.

The winter run of jewfish in the coastal rivers of northern NSW

is in full swing, with large schools of these beautiful creatures moving into the rivers to gorge themselves on the vast schools of flat tail mullet that come down each winter.

I may sound like a * continued P37

Sydney jewfish whisperer HT scored a decent jewfish from Main Beach Iluka on a whole squid.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Jewfish in full swing * from P36

cracked record, however the number one thing to remember is stealth – no flashing torches, no car headlights, no clanging anchors, just stealth.

Every fish we hook inside the river is hooked within 20m of us and the vast majority are hooked in no more than 2-3m of water.

At night, trust me, you need to learn to listen because the jewfish will let you know where they are in slack water – they smash into the poor old mullet, which sounds a lot like someone smacking a paddle on the water.

I always fish my live bait unweighted, even in a hard-running tide, and give them no more than the down of my rod before setting the hook.

I never feed them line off my spool before striking and I sure don’t hold with the old wives’ tale of waiting for the second run, which usually never happens.

Both the first and second bluffs have produced nice fish on hard-bodied lures and big soft plastics, while the beach along Shark Bay had fish to 18kg taken by anglers fishing for tailor with stripped flesh bait, such as bonito and mullet.

Even boats fishing the reefs up at Black Rocks had success in the jewfish stakes, so they are spread far and wide, and this trend should continue throughout winter.

Finally, tailor are being taken consistently, which is great to see.

Most of the beaches and headlands are all

www.bnbfishing.com.au

providing anglers with a feed of fish ranging in size from 1-5kg, with most of the fish being healthy and in prime condition.

Inside the river, a handful of luderick were taken at the old ferry approach on black weed, but it’s still a tad early for decent numbers, with July and August being the best months by far.

A feed of flathead is available year-round by using soft plastic lures or a white pillie in the shallow gutters along the beaches or along the weed beds and drop-offs inside the rivers.

The local bream population has started to put on a bit of condition after a long dry summer, and the next three months should see some honking fish landed, particularly from the beaches.

The offshore crew have finally put their mackerel gear away until next summer and are now targeting big snapper, jew and teraglin, which are the staple offshore species in this neck of the woods.

So, the lower reaches of our rivers will be jew central for the next three months, barring any heavy rain, and all you need to do is find the bait and the jew will do the rest.

Hopefully the current run of tailor continues through winter along the beaches.

As long as you can put up with the cold, a feed of jew, bream, tailor and luderick shouldn’t be too hard to achieve.

Who knows, I might even turn a handle… if I can tear myself away from the lounge and TV. Until next month, safe fishing.

Gary used stripped squid for this good-sized jewfish, one of several fish he landed and released on a recent trip up from Sydney.

Mischa took his first winter jewfish of the season from the Clarence River.

Putting the brakes on a solid Queensland groper*. * Fish released immediately after capture.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 37

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Available now from:

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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

GOLD COAST Onshore Marine Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba Q 4207 P: 07 5546 2480 E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au www.onshoremarine.com.au

BRISBANE Brisbane Boating & Leisure 1743 Ipswich Rd, Rocklea Q 4106 P: 07 3875 1600 E: sales@brisbaneboatingleisure.com.au www.brisbaneboatingleisure.com.au

GOLD COAST TR Marine 167 Currumburra Rd, Ashmore Q 4214 P: 07 5532 5812 E: elle@trmarinegc.com.au www.trmarinegoldcoast.com.au

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

IPSWICH Ipswich Marine Centre 45 Huxham St, Raceview Q 4305 P: 07 3294 3944 E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au www.ipswichmarine.com.au

BRISBANE SOUTH Australian Marine Centre 3491 Pacific Hwy, Slacks Creek Q 4127 P: 07 3808 7333 E: info@amcboats.com.au www.amcboats.com.au

ROCKHAMPTON Rifen Marine 6 Dooley St, North Rockhampton Q 4701 P: 07 4927 9150 E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com www.rifenmarine.com.au

BUNDABERG Adrians Marine Centre 28 Ritchie St, Bundaberg Q 4670 P: 07 4153 1819 E: sales@adriansmarinecentre.com.au www.adriansmarinecentre.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST North Coast Boating 22 Enterprise St, Caloundra West Q 4551 P: 07 5493 9376 E: sales@northcoastboating.com.au www.northcoastboating.com.au

CAPALABA Mike’s Marine 9 Smith St, Capalaba Q 4157 P: 07 3390 3418 E: admin@mikesmarine.com.au www.mikesmarine.com.au

YEPPOON Sea Breeze Marine 150 Scenic Hwy, Yeppoon Q 4703 P: 07 4933 6366 E: info@seabreezemarine.com.au www.seabreezemarine.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 39

Predatek Cod Bug ‘R

FOR medium to large topwater predators.

When Predatek’s innovative and versatile Jabberwok is too much surface lure for your needs, consider the CR90 Cod Bug ‘R. The CR90 Cod Bug ‘R is an articulated surface lure for bigger topwater predators such as Murray cod, barramundi, mulloway, tailor and bass.

Key product features include: • Lively articulated bug-style body and antenna-style bib for responsive action • Fast-paddling action with a bow-wave and highly audible plopping sounds • Works with a slow or medium retrieve and leaves a bubble trail to show your coverage of the area • Casts accurately and aerodynamically • Tough puncture-proof construction and quality hardware • Available in two bib styles, clear or black Also available in a single-piece version, the CB90 Cod Bug. Visit predatek.com

Blade N Tails Live Fibre Rod

THE Live Fibre Blade N Tails series takes in almost every lure-casting scenario available to Australian anglers.

Built with 100 percent Toray graphite cloth and fitted with Fuji Fazlite guides,

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

the new Blade N Tails series has been modelled on the hugely popular BNT series.

A mammoth 18 models are currently in the range, which consists of threadline and baitcasting models that have been designed to give you the advantage.

From the ultralight 4-8lb spin models all the way up to 30-60lb heavy baitcaster, the Blade N Tails series is as diverse as the fishing in Australia.

Visit wilsonfishing.com

TT Fishing Split Ring Pliers

THE range of TT Fishing tools have arrived, including 6” and 7” split ring pliers.

Designed with their ring splitter tip to make adding or changing split rings and trebles quick and easy, these quality pliers feature a stainless-steel construction with durable PTFE coating and spring-loaded design for easy one-handed operation.

Other features include serrated grips, two crimping slots, braid and monofilament line cutter, non-slip moulded grips and high visibility yellow colour.

More than a split ring plier, these are a toolbox for rigging and fishing.

Available in two sizes, the small 6” split ring plier retails from $39.90 and the large 7” split ring plier from $49.90.

Features include: • Stainless steel with durable PTFE coating • Stainless steel fittings

• Ring splitter tip for adding or changing split rings • Two crimping slots • Serrated grippers • Braid and monofilament line cutter • Spring loaded for easy one-hand operation • Non-slip moulded grips • High visibility yellow colour.

Also available in the TT Fishing tools range are the 7” straight nose pliers, 4” and 5.5” braid scissors, 8” and 10” crimping pliers, 5” bait knife and 7” fillet knife.

Visit ttfishing.com

Abu Revo 5 Rocket LP

REDESIGNED from the ground up, the fifth generation of Revo low-profile reels have been designed to provide best-inclass precision, power and performance.

The Revo Rocket features an asymmetric body design and X2-Cräftic alloy frame and side plate to provide the ultimate balance in weight, strength and ergonomics.

The EXD concept design allows anglers to maximise their casting performance.

Anglers have ultimate control with nearly limitless braking options thanks to the IVCB-6 braking system.

With 18lb of power stack carbon matrix drag and a blazing fast 10.1:1 gear ratio, the Revo Rocket excels at techniques such as topwater, flipping and any other technique where speed is key.

With a 95mm straight carbon handle and D2 gear system, the Revo Rocket boasts more than enough torque and power to get the fiercest fish in.

Visit abugarcia-fishing.com.au

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Great versatility and effectiveness in both freshwater and saltwater.

Available in 9cm, there are five per pack and retail from $15.95.

Visit tacklewarehouse.com.au

There’s no mixing necessary and no tacky finish that needs to be wiped off with alcohol, as for other products.

Ultra-Thin Bone Dry Clear is non-yellowing, a UV-cure, with ultra-low viscosity and a glossy hard finish.

Available in a 14g bottle with an applicator brush.

Visit ejtodd.com.au

Gamakatsu Atomic Inflatable P-Flex Single Waist Belt Black Lure Hook THE P-Flex Single Lure Hook is a single Life Jacket lure hook rigged on an assist.

ATOMIC lifejackets come in two styles – a 150-rated manual inflation vest style jacket and a 100-rated belt style manual inflation jacket.

Ensure the safety of all onboard.

Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

The assist – a braided cord with a short length – makes the P-Flex ideal for lure fishing where a single hook is desirable.

The P-Flex is available in three sizes – #1, 1/0 and 2/0 – and features an extra-strong heavy-duty hook.

The P-Flex is perfect for anyone casting smaller stick baits and other surface lures across reef edges or even on sinking stick baits for kingfish and tuna.

The hook will stand up to tenacious fighters such as coral trout, kingfish and other predatory species.

Visit frogleysoffshore.com.au

Molix RT Shad 3.5”

Solarez UltraTHE Molix RT Shad 3.5” has a dynamic Thin Bone Dry profile with a bulky paddle tail, which gives natural and realistic movements Clear with great stability.

The swimming action is natural and vibrant with a rolling effect at any retrieve speed. www.bnbfishing.com.au

SOLAREZ Ultra-Thin Bone Dry Clear cures ‘bone dry’ to a clear hard glossy finish in under 10 seconds.

TT HeadlockZ Finesse

THE best just got better!

Painted HeadlockZ Finesse with a UV pop!

HeadlockZ Finesse jig heads are a favourite for finesse plastics anglers around the country and now you can add another dimension to your presentation with the addition of the HeadlockZ Finesse UV range.

Available in four colours to complement or contrast your favourite soft plastics – Bloodworm, Motor Oil, Black and Orange, with a UV reactive finish to attract fish and trigger strikes.

Built on the world’s finest Gamakatsu Japanese black nickel chemically sharpened hooks for maximum penetration on light lines and light drag settings, TT HeadlockZ Finesse feature a ‘head lock’ keeper to lock your plastic in place and a flat-sided profile for added flash and increased waterflow along the sides of the plastic to maximise tail action.

Available in 1/20oz #2 and #1, 1/16oz #2 and #1, 1/12oz #2, #1 and #1/0, as well as 1/8oz #2, #1 and #1/0 to suit a myriad of finesse soft plastics applications.

The suggested retail price is $12.95.

Visit ttfishing.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 41

Angler’s Almanac June 2023

July 2023

DAY Above Below FIRST GIBBOUS

Thur.

1

Fri.

2 Sat.

3 FULL MOON

Sun.

4

8.38pm

8.14am

9.27pm

9.02am

10.22pm

9.54am

Wed.

7

LAST GIBBOUS

Thur.

8

Fri.

9

Sat.

10

Sun. LAST QUARTER

11

Mon.

12

Tue.

13 LAST CRESCENT

Wed.

14 Thur.

15

Fri.

16

Sat.

17

Sun. NEW MOON

18 Mon.

19 Tue.

20 Wed.

21 FIRST CRESCENT

Thur.

22 Fri.

23

Sat.

24

Sun.

25

Mon. FIRST QUARTER

26

Tue.

27

Wed.

28

Thur.

29

FIRST GIBBOUS

Fri.

30

©

1 Sun.

2 Mon. FULL MOON

Wed.

5

Thur.

6

LAST GIBBOUS

2.03pm

2.32am

3.03pm

3.30am

3.58pm

4.23am

4.49pm

5.13am

5.37pm

6.00am

6.23pm

6.46am

7.09pm

Fri.

7

Sat.

8

Sun.

9

Mon. LAST QUARTER

10

Tue.

11

Wed.

12 Thur.

13 LAST CRESCENT

7.32am

7.56pm

8.19am

8.45pm

9.09am

9.35pm

14 15

Sun.

16

Mon.

17

Tue. NEW MOON

10.54am 11.22pm

18 Wed.

19

11.48am

Thur.

20

12.40pm 12.15am

Fri.

21

1.06am

FIRST CRESCENT

Sat.

22

Winter Solstice: Shortest Day

2.17pm

Fri. Sat.

10.01am 10.28pm

1.30pm

1.55am

Sun.

23

3.01pm

2.40am

Mon.

3.43pm

3.23am

Tue.

4.23pm

4.04am

24 25

Wed. FIRST QUARTER

26

5.03pm

4.44am

Thur.

5.44pm

5.24am

Fri.

6.27pm

6.06am

Sat.

7.14pm 8.06pm

27 28 29

FIRST GIBBOUS

6.51am

Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

Sun.

30

Mon.

7.40am

Minor Times: Add 6 hours

8.35am

10.06pm

9.35am

31

©

Notes

11.12pm 10.40am 11.46am

4

12.26am 12.59pm 1.30am

3

9.04pm

Tue.

11.54am

5 6

Sat.

11.22pm 10.52am

Mon.

Tue.

DAY Above Below

Notes

12.17am 12.49pm 1.19am

1.49pm

2.16am

2.43pm

3.08am

3.34pm

3.57am

4.21pm

4.44am

5.08pm

5.30am

5.54pm

6.17am

6.42pm

7.06am

7.32pm

7.57am

8.23pm

8.49am

9.16pm

9.42am 10.09pm 10.35am 11.01pm 11.25am 11.50pm 12.13pm 12.58pm 12.37am 1.40pm

1.20am

2.21pm

2.02am

3.01pm

2.42am

3.40pm

3.21am

4.22pm

4.02am

5.06pm

4.44am

5.54pm

5.30am

6.47pm

6.21am

7.46pm

7.17am

8.50pm

8.19am

9.56pm

9.24am

Minor Times: Add 6 hours

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See stacer.com.au for details.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 43

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Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

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CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEALER BRISBANE | Northside Marine P: 3265 8000, 2294 Sandgate Rd, Boondall, QLD www.northsidemarine.com.au BRISBANE (BAYSIDE) | Wynnum Marine P: 3396 9777, 31 Fox St, Wynnum, QLD www.wynnummarine.com.au

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SUNSHINE COAST | Sunshine Coast Yamaha P: 5346 9981, 14 Machinery Ave, Warana, QLD www.sunshinecoastyamaha.com.au TULLY | Cavs Marine & Outdoor P: 4068 2222, 59504 Bruce Hwy, Tully, QLD www.cavsmarine.com.au

TWEED COAST | North Coast Yamaha P: 02 6680 3322, 4 Lucky Ln, Billinudgel, NSW Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 45

BOATING & marine Insights into boat insurance

Pause a moment to consider if pooch is covered.

No paws clause in boat insurance policies

T

HIS regular column previously explored some of the key differences between a boat and a car when it comes to compulsory third party insurance.

Just to recap – your annual car registration has two key components, the vehicle registration and associated costs and the compulsory third party insurance component.

The Queensland Government Motor Accident Insurance Commission clearly states that CTP provides cover for any person injured in a motor vehicle accident… and then clarifies issues such as fault, vehicle driver, ownership and such.

It also clearly states that CTP does not cover damage to other vehicles or property.

You need to take out

third party property damage for that, which is ordinarily also part of a comprehensive insurance policy.

But when it comes to boats, there is no CTP cover associated with your annual registration.

If someone gets hurt, you could be held liable.

Therefore, you need to take out third party insurance cover if you want protection on the water and specialist marine insurers such as Nautilus Marine should be your starting point for the right advice.

Ordinarily, third party insurance cover will form part of your overall boat insurance policy.

But there’s a key point to note here – as for your car’s third party insurance policy, your boat insurance will

cover injury to people on your boat.

And while Winston – your pedigree French bulldog – might well be part of your family, when he trots his little legs on to your boat, he’s not automatically covered under your boat’s insurance policy.

Winston is a ‘pooch’ and you are a ‘people’.

You will have cover, Winston will not.

If Winston suffers some type of mishap – and have you ever heard of an inexpensive ‘mishap’ when it comes to pets and medical bills – payment will come out of your pocket.

And heaven forbid, if Winston decides to bite someone for whatever reason, you will be wasting your time pouring over your marine insurance policy looking for a way out of the

ensuing legal suit.

Likewise, all those little doggy boating accessories – such as spill-proof bowls, toilet mats, doggie life jackets and doggie ramps – probably won’t be covered under your boat’s insurance policy.

Ordinarily, the boat insurance will only cover those things directly associated with boating – such as marine equipment, electronics and yes, even prescription sunglasses.

But Winston’s marine survival gear and toys won’t be.

You bought Winston from a pet shop or breeder, you bought your boat from a marine dealership – clear difference.

Therefore, if you’re one of those people who love taking pooch on the boat with you – and tens of thousands

of people do – and you want it to be covered by insurance, then check whether your four-footed friend has some level of protection under your household insurance policy or perhaps a pet insurance policy.

As always, what is and what may not be covered will always be decided in accord with the terms of insurance as defined in your insurance policy’s Product Disclosure Statement.

That’s why it is so important to read it thoroughly and to note any special conditions and excesses, which should be explained clearly in your PDS. If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat insurance requirements.

Advice in this article is general and might not apply or be right for you. Before acting on it, consider its appropriateness having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

Nautilus Marine Insurance is a business name of NM Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 34 100 633 038 AFSL 227 186 (NM Insurance), the issuer of Nautilus Marine Boat Insurance. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement at nautilusinsurance.com.au before deciding whether to purchase a policy.

Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine Stacer Seasprite - your inland fishing companion

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TACER Australia has recently launched its consolidated Seasprite range of aluminium boats, making the buying process more streamlined and hassle free for those looking for a small inland tinnie.

The available models include 319, 379 and 399 and are designed with the Australian lifestyle in mind.

This makes these tinnies perfect for fishing inland in dams, lakes and rivers – and getting into those hard-to-reach places among the mangroves!

The Seasprite range is proudly Australian made and offers a range of features for easy maintenance and use.

The boats are available packaged with an engine and trailer or are able to be thrown on the roof of your car, so taking your boat on your

next fishing adventure is effortless.

Features of the range include 1.6m bottom sides, aluminium bench seats and solid corners.

Additionally, the inclusion of a glove box means you can safely store your valuables while out on the water.

The new 399 Seasprite features a new layout with a single rear bench seat and a large carpeted front-casting platform, making it the perfect spot for avid anglers to cast their line with ease.

Beneath the casting platform is a large hatch for storage, which is useful for stashing your equipment, food or any other necessities.

To get the most out of their on-water experience, customers can op-

tion up their Seasprites with carpet, a painted hull, rod holders and rails to suit their individual needs.

Along with the fishing-inclined, the Seasprite range is also perfect for families and groups of friends who want to spend time on the water enjoying the great outdoors.

With its compact size, the Seasprite can easily navigate shallow water and small spaces, with the 319 able to fit three passengers, while the 379 and 399 can accommodate four.

For more information on the Seasprite range, visit the Stacer website or contact your local dealer.

View the Stacer range at stacer.com.au

Along with the fishing-inclined, the Seasprite range is also perfect for families and groups of friends who want to spend time on the water. www.bnbfishing.com.au

The Stacer Seasprite range is proudly Australian made and offers a range of features for easy maintenance and use.

Beneath the casting platform is a large hatch for storage, which is useful for stashing your equipment, food or any other necessities.

Features of the range include 1.6m bottom sides, aluminium bench seats and solid corners.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 47

BOATING & marine Axiom 2 XL delivers powerful chartplotter performance and stylish large-format navigation.

Axiom 2 XL’s intuitive LightHouse operating system makes everything easier, integrating all navigation, engine and sensor data on a single display.

Raymarine delivers Axiom 2 XL glass bridge chartplotters

Raymarine’s exclusive HydroTough nano-coated display technology repels water and oils.

Outfit Axiom 2 XL with CHIRP sonar modules.

Choose the CP570 for deep water adventures or the RVM1600 with RealVision MAX SideVision, DownVision and 3D fish finder.

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AYMARINE, a world leader in marine electronics, has announced the availability of Axiom 2 XL – a sophisticated line of glass bridge chartplotters for premium yachts and integrated helm solutions.

The largest and most powerful navigation displays in the award-winning Axiom family, Axiom 2 XL offers superior performance and the elegant simplicity of Raymarine’s LightHouse operating system.

Designed to grace the

Enhanced with powerful six-core processors, expanded networking and ultra-bright displays, Axiom 2 XL is the premium chartplotter for captains who demand the best.

Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

helms of luxury cruisers and premium sailing yachts, the Axiom 2 XL portfolio is available in 16, 19, 22 and 24” sizes.

Each display features Raymarine’s exclusive HydroTough nano-coated display technology that repels water and oils for reliable touchscreen operation in the most challenging conditions.

Axiom 2 XL screens are designed around a new six-core processor, offering responsive performance and a 30 percent increase in navigation chart speed and rendering.

For customers looking to create a glass bridge helm solution, Axiom 2 XL offers extensive networking and video options, including NMEA2000 and three power-over-ether net ports for integrating multiple Axiom displays, video cameras, radar and sonar modules.

These high-performance chartplotter

displays also feature extended multimedia capabilities, including analogue audio output, HDMI input/output and touchscreen passthrough for integrating onboard PC applications, engine interfaces and digital switching solutions.

Raymarine general manager Grégoire Outters said, “Our second-generation Axiom XL line is a masterpiece of design and engineering.”

“The precision edgeto-edge glass construction, the beautiful highbright display and the dramatic increase in processor power make Axiom 2 XL the smart choice for system integrators and boat builders.”

The Axiom 2 XL family is available now through Raymarine’s global network of marine electronics dealers – visit raymarine.com/ en-au /ou r-products/ chartplotters/axiom/ax iom-2-xl

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 49

Bait Master Fishing and Tackle boss Kai thought persistence was key when nabbing a snapper.

Jewfish are a favourite target species all year round. Photo: Macca

Winter fishing diversity on stunning Sunny Coast

T

HE Sunshine Coast is known for its beaches and spectacular scenery and, with over 100km of coastline, endless estuaries and freshwater dams, it’s a popular winter fishing destination.

As the name suggests, the Queensland sunshine makes for pleasant day temperatures in the cooler season – perfect for winter fishing.

Whether you’re a local looking for some tips or you’re planning on visiting the region, here’s a brief guide as to what’s on offer in terms of species in the cooler months.

Bream Bream is a favourite of local anglers and is one of the few species that becomes more active during the colder season.

You’ll find them in estuaries, rivers and creeks and they’re a fairly common catch on the coast.

Sunshine Coast

by CORINNE AIKEN

The best time to target them is in the early morning or late afternoon, when they are most active.

Try casting around structure, including jetties, rock walls and bridges or the canals in Noosa, Mooloolaba and Twin Waters.

The best gear for bream is light gear.

Use a light setup with 4-6lb braid.

If you’re fishing with bait, use a size 2-4 hook but, if you’re fishing with plastics, try a light jig head.

I’d recommend live worms and prawns for bait, or Ecogear EcogearAqua Bream Prawns and MMD Soft Prawns.

You can try a couple of techniques, depending on where you are fishing.

If you’re fishing around structure, sink

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

the lure down naturally beside the feature and let its design and weight create movement as it descends.

This allows the lure to mimic the natural movements of prey, which will hopefully attract the bream.

You can also try casting the lure towards the structure, holding for a moment and then retrieving.

Bream are known for their inquisitive nature and won’t be able to help themselves!

Tailor During cooler weather, tailor are a popular species and can be caught along the Sunshine Coast open beaches.

For a night-time session, the best places to try are anywhere from Cotton Tree to Sunshine Beach.

Tailor are more active

during early morning and late afternoon, especially during high tide.

Night fishing for tailor is a popular option because they are a predatory fish that tend to be more active during periods of lowlight, including dawn, dusk and at night.

This increased activity level can make them more prone to strike at lures or bait during these times.

Tailor prey on small fish and squid and can be caught on either bait or lures.

Pilchard or mullet fillets on size 3/0 or 4/0 three-ganged hooks work best as your bait option, or metal slugs such as a Halco Twisty Metal in a 30-70g size for lures.

Cast into gutters beyond the breaking waves at high tide and slow retrieve bait to tempt the tailor, or quick retrieve if you’re using metal slugs.

Your setup should in-

clude a medium weight rod or beach rod, 20lb fluorocarbon leader and 10-20lb line.

Flathead During winter, flathead move into deeper water to escape the cooler temperature and to chase baitfish.

That being said, they can still be found around shallow flats soaking up the winter sunshine.

As they are less active during the colder months, it’s important to use techniques that will entice a strike.

Fish the outgoing tide as there is less water for them to hide in and generally more baitfish are moving about to entice flatties out of their hiding places.

A light setup should do the trick, with 8-10lb braid and 1015lb fluorocarbon leader.

If you’re fishing with plastics, try the 70mm MMD Splash Prawn or Pro Lure Clone Prawn * continued P51

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Winter fishing on Sunshine Coast * from P50

rigged on a light jig head.

If you’re chasing monster flatties, you can’t go past the MMD BonySwim and the MMD Whiting Glide.

Persistence is key, so cast past your target area and repeatedly cast in that spot.

If you’re having no luck, switch your lure size or colour up.

Slow your retrieval down to tempt them out.

Snapper Snapper are a prized catch among Sunshine Coast anglers and can be caught year-round.

During winter, they move closer into shore in search of warmer water.

You can catch them on both bait and lures, with the most popular bait rigs being the paternoster and ganged rig with a running sinker.

Take care with your lure presentation, as anything that looks unnatural will spook these clever cookies.

A light to medium rod with a 3000-spin reel is perfect for snapper fishing.

Use 15-30lb braid, depending on whether you’re fishing a light or medium setup.

Bait options include live slimy mackerel or frozen pilchard and squid.

Soft plastics I recommend include larger jerk baits such as the 6” Gobblers Lures Jerk Shad.

Make sure you berley up before dropping

www.bnbfishing.com.au

your bait or lures, then fish the bottom and use a slow and steady retrieve to entice them to bite.

Jewfish Jewfish are another popular year-round species on the Sunshine Coast.

Live bait – including mullet and beachworm – is the best option, though bonito or mullet fillets will also do the job.

My recommendations for soft plastics are the 5” or 6” Berkley PowerBait Nemesis and Gobblers Lures Jerk Shads rigged on a 1/2oz jig head.

You’ll need a medium to heavy setup with a 3000-6000 reel, depending on whether you’re fishing estuaries or offshore.

Try 20-35lb monofilament with a 40-60lb leader, again depending on where you’re fishing.

While the colder water temperature may deter some anglers, winter offers great opportunities to catch a variety of species on the Sunshine Coast.

Bream, tailor, flathead, snapper and jewfish are only a few of the species that can be targeted during this time of year.

To increase your chances of success, it’s important to use the right gear, bait and technique for each species.

Call in to local tackle shops to get the inside information on the best spots to fish in that area.

There are still big flathead around in winter if you’re patient. Photo: Stingray Pete

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 51

A decent winter barramundi comes aboard.

Fishing Great Sandy Strait in winter

T

Ever-reliable flathead can be targeted on the flats and throughout the creeks.

The Fish Inc Egilicious squid jig contributed with a tasty feed of calamari.

All types of species are on offer in the Great Sandy Strait. The author with a decent tarpon on a Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ. Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

HE Great Sandy Strait is in Queensland, amasses over 600sq km and runs 70km in length, separating mainland Queensland from World Heritage Listed K’gari, approximately 250km north of Brisbane.

In his seasonal rundown of fishing the river and estuary systems in the region, Paul Chew kicks off with the winter bite.

Because the size of the tides have dropped off in winter, I try to fish the bigger tides – looking for some movement to try to condense the bait schools and dirty the water slightly also.

If I fish the neap tides, I’ll chase slower moving fish such as flathead, squid and maybe a barramundi.

Plenty of common bread and butter species start to move about, with sand and winter whiting, tailor, bream, grunter and threadfin salmon all making a

move into the estuaries.

Several species of trevally and smaller queenfish will invade creeks and rivers – making it nearly impossible to catch anything else during some sessions.

Towards Hervey Bay, squire, snapper and a few school mackerel will be biting mostly on the larger tides.

In the lower end of the strait, there will be large longtail tuna feeding on small glassfish.

Entice a bite by matching the hatch.

I usually try for a high tide at about 10am – it’s daylight at about

6am, so I’ll be fishing at 6:30am with the incoming tide.

Normally, I’ll have rigged a small Z-Man GrubZ, 4” StreakZ Curly TailZ, 3” Scented ShrimpZ and a squid jig – covering most bases and allowing for a quick change if I spot something that I need to cast to.

On the smaller lures, I tie on some 10lb Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader and the same on my squid outfit.

On the larger plastics, one will be 15lb Stealth FC and the other 20lb – in case I have time * continued P53

Threadfin salmon are a popular target species on offer in winter.

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Fishing Great Sandy Strait in winter

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size for smaller plastics and 3/8oz 3/0 for the 4” StreakZ Curly TailZ. In creeks, once you have found a fish, it’s worth staying there on the electric or at anchor and working the area over because most fish in winter are schooling for spawning.

So be mindful to take only what you need for a feed.

In the creeks, concentrate on deeper corners on an incoming tide, and then fish the offshoot creeks and drains on the top of the tide and the first of the runout.

I’d fish lighter fluorocarbon leader to a maximum of 20lb.

Tight lines and enjoy the winter fishing.

Paul Chew For Tackle Tactics

beds, which breaks up the monotony of endless sand.

Looking for an easy feed, fish will be hanging around fish aggregation places on a rising tide, and in both island and mainland creeks.

In the creeks, look for eddies, backwaters, landslides and rocky ledges – this is where bait will congregate.

Remember, schools of grunter, trevally and queenfish may cover several kilometres of creek in a tide.

Most fish will be in the bottom metre of a creek in the Sandy Straits, so you’re better to fish a slightly heavier jig head.

My go-to jig heads are the TT Lures HeadlockZ HD in 1/4oz 1/0

F

to swap outfits when I spot a bigger fish.

By far my favourite type of winter fishing is cruising the flats in 1m of water under electric power and sight casting fish.

While not the most productive fishing, it’s very rewarding when you get to watch a fish or squid eat your lure.

Light lines and leaders are the order of the day, with 20lb being the heaviest I fish normally.

To counter that, any bigger fish I land don’t have to contend with the barotrauma associated with deep-water jigging.

The key to finding fish is to find bait or structure in the form of sand ridges, mangroves, islands and even yabby

UV

* from P52

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 53

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

Rob Schomberg and a decent snapper from the Great Sandy Strait area.

John Meyer with a beautiful sunset snapper.

Blowing off steam in Great Sandy Strait

R

AINBLOW Beach lived up to its name once again, with wind gusts up to 40 knots and rain squalls every hour.

As a result, only a few dedicated – well, I say crazy – members hung around for the whole week and a bit.

The official competition was scheduled for the Labour Day long weekend but that didn’t stop an unofficial competition going ahead a few days prior.

Seeing as outside fishing was out of the question, crabbing was the only option for a bit of rivalry.

Power Boat Anglers

by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

Everyone got involved, with their pots all over the place, keenly vying for the biggest mud crab and the bragging rights that go with it.

Unfortunately, someone outside the group was chasing them too – checking all the pots in the middle of the night, which made it a little harder for all concerned – more on that later.

The Great Sandy Strait is no place for a small boat, but Helaine and

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

Rob tried it anyway, managing very wet and sore behinds after bashing across to the best creeks.

After the first beating in H’s new tri-hull skiff, they elected to grab a ride in Robin’s 4.9m Quintrex to retrieve the pots.

Even that was a harrowing experience, receiving their annual salt intake in an hour.

Dave and Robin took the early lead with a nice buck, while Anthony and his crew arrived a bit later and took up the challenge with gusto, checking the pots regularly – even at midnight.

This was when they discovered why so many pots were empty.

Just as they were arriving at their first pot, they noticed someone attending to a pot that wasn’t their own and cutting the float off.

When challenged, the other boat took off and seemed to run over as many floats as he could.

The details have been forwarded to Fisheries Queensland, who will

hopefully be able to take action against the offenders.

The end result for the comp was that Anthony, Brandon and Rod took the honours with a nice solid 18.5cm muddie.

The weather finally started to drop towards the end of the week, with Saturday, Sunday and Monday looking to be under 15 knots.

The swell on the other hand was still pumping at 3m on Friday and still at 2.5m on Saturday, so a no go for competition.

H and Rob headed to Inskip to look for mackerel or tuna, though while there were baitfish everywhere, the topwater action didn’t happen.

They were pleasantly surprised to see three boats come in through the bar, indicating that Sunday was a goer, so they headed home to ready the boats and set their gear up.

Sunday morning saw Freyja, Just Neat and Anthony and crew on Aquaholic hit the bar at first light.

Fisherman’s Gutter was pumping, and they couldn’t see a clear way through, so they moved a little and spotted a channel further

out than normal.

Once in the gutter, they had to find a way out – taking one or two over the front looked like the only option, when a little gap opened up and they all headed for it – making it and heading east for a look.

Bars can be tricky at the best of times and time spent doing a Bill Corten coastal bar crossing course certainly paid dividends.

With the northwesterly the night before and a low in the area, it was always going to be a struggle and that’s what it was.

Heading to marks with good shows of fish produced a half-hearted bite and that was it – by mid-morning it was doughnuts fish-wise on all boats.

While the fish weren’t biting, sharks of all sizes definitely were – all crews could have had Eskies full of flake without a problem.

They moved south to the 19-mile area where tuskfish are always on the cards but they too were off the bite.

H managed two on a Berserker jig plus a nice grass sweetlip before the grey coat brigade

* continued P56

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 55

Our shop junior Owen Prior with a belter of a mangrove jack on 10lb while surface fishing for flathead.

Jonathan Mallard with a nice mahi mahi from the fish aggregating device.

Ryan Holdsworth got this one past the sharks.

Catching up on catches in Tin Can Bay

G

’DAY crew, I hope you’re all well and have been out wetting a line because there were some cracker back-toback days over the past few weeks, that’s for sure!

Sorry for missing last month, with the Easter long weekend and so many holiday makers around Tin Can Bay recently, time has certainly been a precious commodity.

So this article will be

Blowing off serious GSS steam * from P54

decided they liked them too and ate her complete stock of the jigs, plus anything else she found in the tackle bag – they certainly weren’t fussy.

There were bait and bonito everywhere but, with no slugs on board, they could only watch.

Things did improve, with H landing a nice school mackerel while Johnny and Rob both hooked up at the same time.

They initially thought they had the same fish but after a bit of toing and froing, John landed a nice snapper and Rob put about a 5kg spangled emperor on the deck.

The spangled was released because they don’t eat that well when they get to that size.

No bite time really eventuated, so with the tide getting ready to turn, they all headed back in to the bar.

Sitting out the back of the gutter looking at the track in, it was clear it hadn’t settled much at all.

Waiting for a smaller set sitting on the back of a wave, all made it into a very giggly gutter, and all got the obligatory slap from the set on the exit into the main channel.

Back at the weigh-in, everyone had one fish to weigh except for H, who had four, and she

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

took out the Rainbow Beach Squid Rowe Trophy on one of the hardest days fishing any had experienced.

The week was great though and going to the Dawn Service, playing two-up and a round of golf or two was time well spent – bring on next year.

Note that the meetings occur on the first Wednesday of every month at ‘The Club Manly’ (bowls club), 26 Faine St Manly from 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Upcoming meetings will be Wednesday June 7 followed by Wednesday July 5.

Until next month, safe boating.

Tin Can Bay

by CHRIS RIPPON

a bit of a mash of April, May and June and of what was caught over that time.

Prior to the autumn weather kicking in at about mid-May and driving the water temperature down, the creeks were still producing plenty of mangrove jack and a few barramundi.

Also mixed in were the obligatory cod and bream catches, and a few welcome javelin fish.

As the water temp started to drop to the low 20s, smaller live bait seemed to be the go for most anglers out there chasing a feed of jacks.

With the temps down, barra suffered from lockjaw in the local creeks, with fishos re-

portedly flogging the water to foam trying to get a bite out of them.

We had a bit of success on jacks with early morning and late afternoon surface bites.

And downsizing our plastics and crankbaits to 80 and 60mm, seemed to still get the nibbles, but the past couple of weeks were a slog!

It’s so good to see that squid have arrived in the bay this year – last year was a complete right off after the second flood at the start of 2022.

All that fresh and the run-off from forestry plantations sure did shut the squid fishery down.

But our system, as for most in southeast Queensland, has * continued P57

Megan got over the Wide Bay Bar and bagged a great blackspot tuskfish.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Catching up on catches in Tin Can Bay * from P56

bounced back better and stronger with the good flushing out.

The insane jack and barra fishing in the Great Sandy Strait this summer was evidence of that.

So far, we haven’t seen too many large tiger squid, but they can’t be too far away.

Pencil squid and cuttlefish have been out in force and it’s been easy pickings to get 10, 20 or 30 good-sized squid for the table or to use as bait.

Without a doubt, the most popular squid jig we sell is the Yamashita Egi Sutte R – the 2.2 and 2.5 sizes being the most popular.

As for colours, pink and orange are popular in Tin Can Bay, but every colour works and has its day.

It pays to have a handful of bright colours and a few darker ones in the lure wrap though.

While squid fishing, it’s a good idea to have the winter whiting rod rigged too, as where there are squid in the bay, you’ll normally find whiting.

With most of the first half of April’s weather playing the game, plenty of fishos managed to get offshore.

After the closure ended, spanish mackerel were a hot target for many.

Trolled lures such as the Halco Laser Pro and the Samaki Pacemaker in 140mm and 160mm were working well.

Slow-trolled bait such as garfish and small bonito also worked well.

It’s worth having one rigged heavy and one rigged weightless to cover the water column.

Over the Wide Bay Bar, plenty of tuna were around to play with – both longtail and mack have been prolific offshore.

It can’t be too much longer before they’re in the bay!

Demersal fishing has not disappointed over the past couple of months, with plenty of good days to get offshore and fishos coming home having scored some nice catches of coral trout, coronation trout, sweetlip emperor, tuskfish, hussar, red

Russel Reedman proved red bream can still be caught in cold water. www.bnbfishing.com.au

emperor, snapper and pearl perch.

Using a mixture of squid bait, cut bait and lures has kept anglers busy.

The inshore wrecks have held some nice nannygai, jewfish and cobia recently, with vibes and slow pitch jigs being my preferred way of fishing them.

There’s nothing quite like the strike on a jig running PE2 over a wreck!

With the weather playing the game, we managed to sneak offshore to chase a few spanish at the start of the month.

However, the spaniards decided not to play.

After an hour of trolling and sounding around trying to find them on some of the inshore reefs, we changed tactics and went to one of the fish aggregating devices to see what was lurking around it.

First, we did a wide drift to see if we could see any mahi mahi hanging around it and yes, there were!

With fly rods at the ready, we planned our attack for the next drift.

Jon and I spotted the school and both tossed our offerings to the lit up green and gold mahi.

I had one fish track in hot on my tan and white Clouser and, two strip strikes later, I came up fishless.

We persisted with fly rods for about 30 minutes with multiple changes of flies and still multiple refusals.

Having not thrown a fly in a few months and getting over a shoulder injury, I switched it up to a spin outfit rigged with a Molix RT Fork Flex soft plastic, it was game on.

But it was short lived, with the dollies wising up very quickly.

We managed a couple on the plastics and * continued P58

Dereck Andrews scored a nice feed of flathead.

Ryan Holdsworth holding what should have been a 1m barramundi.

a For

ll yo

a t in g ur bo

& f s h in g n e e d s .

• Kayak Hire • Fishing Rod Hire • On water 24hr fuel • Full range of chandlery • Paints & antifouls • Bait • Tackle • Ice • LPG All the BIG brands right here in Tin Can Bay!

Shop 1 The Marina, Emperor St. Tin Can Bay, QLD 4580 e - chandlery@bigpond.com www.tcbchandlery.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 57

VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic n Competition runs from June 23-25

P The VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic catch and release aquarium.

R E PA R A TIONS for the sixteenth VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic are well advanced, with the competition running over three days from June 23-25, 2023.

The VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic runs from June 23-25, 2023.

An attractive prize pool of over $60,000 will be on offer in lucky draws and fish prize categories.

The Friday night program includes a $3000 cash lucky draw, while on the Saturday, the lucky draw will be a 3.5m Quintrex boat, motor and trailer package, valued at $9600.

And on the Sunday, the lucky draw is a 4.2m Quintrex Busta boat, motor and trailer package valued at $17,900.

The comp includes estuarine and offshore categories for senior and junior registra-

tions, and a catch and release category for estuarine fish.

Full details and competition rules can be found on the website, vmrbundabergfishing classic.com.au Online registration is available by scanning the QR code below and also on the ad on page 57.

Graham Kingston VMR Bundaberg

Tin Can Bay catches * from P57

A mahi mahi taken from the fish aggregating device by the author.

Kylie Hanley with a cracker of a sunset barramundi from Tin Can Bay. Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

had multiple follows and strikes for the next hour or so, ripping stick baits and poppers over the surface for some fairly energetic surface strikes.

All in all, it was a great day and better than sitting on the couch.

We came home with a feed and plenty of fillets for the smoker, and had made a few good memories.

Back in the bay, there were some nice flathead caught on the last few hours of the runout tide and the first hour or two of the runin.

Fresh yabbies and our local beachworms have brought home the goods.

Also trolling smaller hard-body lures and flicking the drains with 4” and 5’’ plastics.

My go-to would have to be a Shima-

no Squidgy Wriggler 120mm in Bloodworm, but if you ask my friend… pink is the only colour for flatties.

On a side note, for those who don’t know, Phippsy has decided to retire and has left the shop – exit stage left.

It was a pleasure having you in the shop and getting to know you better over the past 12 months.

You will be missed by all the Chandlery family and many of our customers.

Take it easy my friend and all the best with the next chapter of your life.

Well, that’s me done for another month – stay safe and as always get out there and enjoy our little slice of heaven.

Tight lines.

The Chandlery Bait and Tackle for all your fishing and boating needs.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

VMR BUNDABERG FAMILY FISHING CLASSIC 2023 23rd - 25th June

Join in the fun at this year’s event: • Adult and junior categories • $3000 major prize Friday night • $9600 boat package Saturday night • $17,900 boat package Sunday afternoon • Mystery weigh-in for all fish classes • Two tagged live fish categories (flathead and bream) • Fisher incentive draw (junior and senior) • 1000s more prizes to win

Scan the QR code to enter

See you at Burnett Heads Alongside Marine Rescue Bundaberg, corner of Harbour Esplanade and Boat Ramp Drive, Burnett Heads

For more information, visit vmrbundabergfishingclassic.com.au or contact info@vmrbundabergfishingclassic.com.au Sponsors and Partners

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 59

SCAN QR CODE

Birthday boy Sean got the fish of his young life.

Trevally, tuna and mack thrills

A

SCAN QR CODE

Sean smashed a few trevally.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

UTUMN is coming to a close and it definitely shows.

Longtail tuna are tapering off, but mack tuna are still around, and bait is shrinking in size.

So, yes, the usual stuff is happening in Hervey Bay for this time of year.

April had us often chasing trevally, going from school to school of tuna and occasionally finding trevally feeding with the tuna.

Get into the best fishing action!

Fraser Guided Fishing

by TRI TON

It was a heap of fun, though not always easy.

But because the fish were so mobile, the sharks were often far away, thankfully.

In most cases, I saw the trevally under the tuna, using electronics to scan them up and keep us on them.

The priority was to keep the lures in their faces.

They move, you move… and hopefully you hook up.

Occasionally, we saw the fish actually break the surface, as tuna would.

There are certain differences in how they break the surface, which indicates a non-tuna species.

The bird activity is

somewhat different on trevally too.

I think it reflects on how the trevally feed – this is evident when the birds follow a trevally school that has broken away from the tuna activity.

The locations or depths were never fixed.

Some days we could be with them for one shot, other days it was half a tour.

Some days they were fussy, some days they were easy and ate whatever you threw down there.

One thing was certain, the bait was tiny, I rarely saw it.

I think it was a plankton of some sort – zooplanktons such as

* continued P61

Full and half day tours All levels of experience Experienced guide

www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au > 0427 230 261 Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

SCAN QR CODE

Paul scored a nice queenfish.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

SCAN QR CODE

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

Scott with a beautiful morwong. Fun mackerel by-catch.

Thrills from tuna, trevally and mack MAY MAY

Time mm Time

* from P60

shrimp possibly, as small crystalline larvae I did see.

I saw some manta ray too, which made it special.

Another thing that kept us entertained was mackerel spinning.

We found it an effective method for the collection of food.

As usual, my technique was to get the lure to the bottom and spin back, rinse and repeat.

If we came upon a school on some ground, a good team would bag a few fish quickly.

Most were legal sized without the need to measure, whereas the previous month I had to check often.

School mackerel tend to dwell on structure, and I often see them pushing bait down, not up.

From my experience, hitting the bottom is key.

You want to spin the depth they’re in, you don’t want to see them chasing to the boat – hooking fish is better earlier on in the retrieve.

Seeing them is entertainment, though it’s not effective, as most times they don’t commit at the boat.

Keeping that lure bouncing and rocketing off the bottom has other benefits too.

You can hook the occasional reef fish, such as coral trout and nannygai.

www.bnbfishing.com.au

The downside to this style of fishing is that you are in areas that hold fish and bait regularly, which means sharks can turn up or are residents.

Fortunately, school mackerel are landed quite quickly, even with the ‘light drag’ method I employ for my clients.

You can get away with a few fish before the sharks get agitated and take the tax.

With practice, you’ll learn when a shark shows up.

It’s rarely a surprise when we get attacked these days.

LAT24° LAT LONG 24°58ʼ 58ʼSS LONG153° 153°21ʼ 21ʼEE Timesand Times andHeights HeightsofofHigh Highand andLow LowWaters Waters JUNE JULY JUNE JULY

Time mm Time

0456 1.77 1.77 0522 1.85 1.85 0456 0522 1135 0.68 0.68 1141 0.56 0.56 1135 1141 1753 1.58 1810 1.82 1753 1.58 1810 1.82 MO TU MO TU 2322 0.80 0.80 2357 0.76 0.76 2322 2357

16 11 learnt to16 I have be vigilant.

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0044 0.69 0.69 are0133 0133 0.75 0044 0.75 If the bust-ups big 190729 440640 0640 1.74 1.74 19 0729 1.61 1.61 1250 enough, they0.43 willFRFRdraw 0.43 1316 0.54 0.54 1316 TH1250 TH 1930 1.93 1.93 2009 2.11 2.11 1930 2009 in local sharks from are0125 0.67 0.67 0222 0.78 0.78 as close by. 1.71 200222 550125 20 0717 1.71 0810 1.52 1.52 0717 0810 1318 0.40 1347 0.59 1318 0.40 1347 0.59 FR If it’s common to see SA FR SA 2005 2.04 2.04 2047 2.14 2.14 2005 tuna, then more 2047 than 0208 0.68 0314 0.82 0.82 0208 0.68 0314 likely66you’ll have a few 210850 0756 1.65 1.65 21 0850 1.45 1.45 0756 1349 0.42 0.42 SU 1417 0.66 0.66 SA1349 SU1417 SA sharks.

2043 2.13 2.13 2124 2.14 2.14 2043 2124 With the weather 0255 0.71 0.71 0405 0.86 0.86 cooling fast,1.58 hopefully 220405 770255 22 0840 1.58 0929 1.39 1.39 0840 0929 1424 0.48 1451 0.73 1424 0.48 1451 0.73 SU MO SU MO – well,2126 usually – 2202 their 2126 2.17 2.17 2202 2.09 2.09 metabolism will slow 0351 0.75 0456 0.90 0.90 0351 0.75 0456 80927 23 and 8 they be 1009 less1.35 0927will 1.49 23 1009 1.35 1.49 1502 0.57 0.57 TU 1528 0.81 0.81 MO1502 TU1528 MO predatory.

2212 2.15 2.15 2242 2.02 2.02 2242 2212 0454 0.80 0.80 0545 0.94 0.94 0454 0545 1019 1.40 1.40 1054 1.31 1.31 1019 1054 1543 0.69 0.69 WE 1611 0.88 0.88 TU1543 WE1611 TU 2304 2.10 2.10 2327 1.94 1.94 2304 2327

99

24 24

0529 0103 0529 1.58 1.58 0103 0.87 0.87 1143 0643 1143 0.52 0.52 0643 1.45 1.45 1833 1.84 1224 0.62 TH 1833 1.84 FR TH FR 1224 0.62 1924 1924 2.03 2.03

Time Time Time mm Time mm 0210 0037 0037 0.86 0.86 0210 0.80 0.80 0741 0550 0550 1.34 1.34 0741 1.33 1.33 1148 0.55 0.55 SU 1257 0.67 0.67 SA SA1148 SU1257 1959 1853 1853 1.96 1.96 1959 2.02 2.02

Time Time 0208 0208 0737 0737 TU 1317 TU1317 2010 2010

0032 0.80 0032 0153 0.80 0153 0.83 0.83 0609 1.54 0730 0609 1.54 0730 1.41 1.41 1214 0.47 0.47 SA 1300 0.63 0.63 FR1214 FR SA1300 1909 1.98 1909 2003 1.98 2003 2.08 2.08

0128 0243 0128 0.77 0.77 0243 0.75 0.75 0641 0822 0641 1.34 1.34 0822 1.35 1.35 1231 0.51 0.51 MO 1337 0.66 0.66 SU SU1231 MO1337 1935 2037 1935 2.10 2.10 2037 2.02 2.02

0249 0249 0827 0827 WE 1406 WE1406 2058 2058

Time Time mm

11

Time Time mm

16 16

22

17 17

11 22

16 16 17 17

11 22

0119 0.75 0.75 0240 0.81 0.81 0217 0.67 0.67 0317 0.73 0.73 0332 330119 330217 330332 180240 180317 0652 1.52 0652 0814 0735 0858 0916 1.52 18 0814 1.39 1.39 0735 1.37 1.37 18 0858 1.36 1.36 0916 1247 0.44 1247 1336 1319 0.48 1414 0.65 1455 0.44 1336 0.66 0.66 1319 0.48

SA SA SU SU 1947 2.10 1947 2041 2.10 2041 2.09 2.09

MO TU MO TU 1414 0.65 2022 2113 2022 2.21 2.21 2113 2.00 2.00

TH TH 1455 2145 2145

0210 0.71 0210 0325 0.71 0325 0.80 0.80 0739 1.49 0739 0855 1.49 0855 1.36 1.36 1325 0.45 0.45 MO 1411 0.70 0.70 SU1325 SU MO1411 2029 2.20 2029 2119 2.20 2119 2.07 2.07

0306 0350 0306 0.59 0.59 0350 0.74 0.74 0832 0929 0832 1.40 1.40 0929 1.35 1.35 1410 0.47 0.47 WE 1448 0.66 0.66 TU TU1410 WE1448 2112 2146 2112 2.28 2.28 2146 1.95 1.95

0416 0416 1005 1005 FR 1545 FR1545 2233 2233

0304 0.68 0.68 0304 0406 0406 0.82 0.82 0830 1.46 1.46 0830 0933 0933 1.34 1.34 1410 0.49 1410 0.49 1448 0.74 1448 0.74 MO MO TU TU 2117 2.25 2.25 2117 2154 2154 2.02 2.02

0356 0.55 0.55 0421 0.76 0.76 0501 550356 550501 200421 0928 0958 1056 0928 1.43 1.43 20 0958 1.34 1.34 1056 1504 1522 0.69 1637 1504 0.50 0.50

WE WE 2205 2205 2.27 2.27

0401 0.67 0.67 0401 0444 0444 0.85 0.85 0926 1.42 1.42 0926 1006 1006 1.33 1.33 1458 0.57 0.57 WE 1526 0.78 0.78 TU1458 TU WE1526 2209 2.23 2.23 2209 2231 2231 1.96 1.96

0447 0447 0.55 0.55 1025 1025 1.43 1.43 1557 0.56 0.56 TH TH1557 2258 2258 2.20 2.20

0451 0.79 0.79 0546 21 66 0546 210451 1027 1152 1027 1.34 1.34 1152 1557 0.72 1736

0459 0.68 0.68 0459 0522 0522 0.88 0.88 1028 1.38 1.38 1028 1042 1042 1.31 1.31 1550 0.67 0.67 TH 1607 0.82 0.82 WE1550 TH1607 WE 2306 2.17 2.17 2306 2310 2310 1.88 1.88

0537 0537 0.59 0.59 1122 1122 1.43 1.43 1651 0.66 1651 0.66 FR FR 2351 2351 2.08 2.08

0523 0.80 0.80 0009 22 77 0009 22 0523 1101 0634 1101 1.33 1.33 0634 1636 0.79 1257

0558 0.71 0.71 0558 0602 0602 0.89 0.89 1134 1.34 1.34 1134 1126 1126 1.29 1.29 1648 0.76 0.76 FR 1656 0.86 0.86 TH1648 FR1656 TH 2353 2353 1.80 1.80

0628 0628 0.65 0.65 1223 1223 1.43 1.43 1748 0.79 0.79 SA SA 1748

0558 0.80 0.80 0100 23 88 0100 23 0558 1146 0725 1146 1.33 1.33 0725 1722 0.87 1418

44

19 19

55

20 20

66

21 21

77

22 22

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23 23

0005 2.08 2.08 0005 0657 0.75 0.75 0657 1244 1.34 1.34 FR1244 FR 1751 0.85 0.85 1751

99

44

66 77 88

19 19

TH TH 1522 0.69 2218 2218 1.89 1.89 FR FR 1557 0.72 2249 2249 1.82 1.82

SA SA 1636 0.79 2321 2321 1.74 1.74

SU SU 1722 0.87 2355 2355 1.65 1.65

44

SA SA 1637 2321 2321

SU SU 1736

MO MO 1257 1852 1852

TU TU 1418 2034 2034

0646 0.90 0.90 0044 1.92 1.92 0633 0.80 0.80 0203 240646 24 99 0044 9 0203 24 0633 1226 1.28 1226 0722 1242 0823 1.28 0722 0.70 0.70 24 1242 1.34 1.34 0823 1753 0.92 1753 1332 1819 0.96 1540 0.92 1332 1.45 1.45 SA SA

SU SU

1855 1855 0.91 0.91

MO MO 1819 0.96

WE WE 1540 2235 2235

0602 0.84 0.84 0638 0.96 0.96 0106 1.98 1.98 0039 1.72 0032 0327 1.72 0139 1.76 1.76 0032 1.55 1.55 0327 100602 250638 100106 25 0039 10 1122 1.32 10 0139 1.32 25 1151 1.28 1.28 10 0758 0.76 0.76 25 0735 0.88 1122 1151 0758 0735 0817 0.88 10 0817 0.73 0.73 25 0711 0711 0.79 0.79 10 0926 0926 1631 0.80 1707 0.95 1357 WE1631 0.80 WE

TH1707 0.95 TH

1.37 SA 1357 1.37 SA 1900 0.91 0.91 1900

1345 1.29 1.29 SU 1345 SU 1858 0.98 1858 0.98

1453 1.52 1.52 MO MO 1453 2024 2024 1.00 1.00

1358 1.37 1.37 TU TU 1358 1930 1930 1.04 1.04

1647 TH TH 1647

0005 2.03 2.03 0019 1.84 1.84 0206 1.88 1.88 0128 1.64 0113 0002 1.64 0239 1.60 1.60 0113 1.44 1.44 0002 110005 260019 110206 26 0128 11 0714 0.85 11 0239 0.85 26 0737 0.96 0.96 11 0858 0.75 0.75 26 0824 0.84 0714 0737 0858 0824 0912 0.84 11 0912 0.74 0.74 26 0754 0754 0.77 0.77 11 0459 0459 1246 1.28 1314 1.26 1514 TH1246 1.28 TH 1738 0.89 0.89 1738

FR 1314 1.26 FR 1819 0.99 0.99 1819

1.46 MO 1506 1.35 1.35 SU 1514 1.46 MO 1506 SU 2023 0.95 0.95 2009 1.02 2023 2009 1.02

1606 1.62 1.62 WE 1516 1.44 1.44 TU TU 1606 WE 1516 2207 2102 2207 1.03 1.03 2102 1.07 1.07

1026 FR FR 1026 1741 1741

0117 1.97 1.97 0120 1.76 1.76 0307 1.79 1.79 0220 1.56 1.56 0346 0209 0054 0346 1.46 1.46 0209 1.34 1.34 0054 120117 270120 12 0307 27 0220 12 0827 0.83 0.83 27 0841 0.93 0.93 12 0950 0.71 0.71 27 0910 0.78 0.78 12 1004 0827 0841 0950 0910 1004 0.74 0.74 27 0843 0843 0.75 0.75 12 0607 0607 1413 1.31 1446 1.29 1621 FR1413 1.31 FR 1902 0.93 0.93 1902

SCAN QR CODE

SA 1446 1.29 SA 1935 1.01 1.01 1935

1.58 MO 1621 1.58 MO 2152 0.95 0.95 2152

1608 1.44 1.44 TU 1608 TU 2126 1.03 1.03 2126

1706 1.74 1.74 WE WE 1706 2338 2338 0.99 0.99

1618 1.55 1.55 TH TH 1618 2242 2242 1.03 1.03

1119 SA SA 1119 1824 1824

0227 1.94 1.94 0224 1.70 1.70 0408 1.69 1.69 0314 1.48 1.48 0314 0456 0327 0125 0456 1.37 1.37 0327 1.25 1.25 0125 130227 28 0224 13 0408 0930 0.77 13 0.77 28 0936 0.86 0.86 13 1035 0.67 0.67 28 0952 0952 0.71 0.71 13 1050 0930 0936 1035 1050 0.73 0.73 28 0940 0940 0.73 0.73 13 0653 1528 1.41 1554 1.36 1715 1.72 SA1528 1.41 SA 2034 0.92 0.92 2034

0331 A lovely giant herring for0331 Paul.

1.92 1.92

SU 1554 1.36 SU 2050 1.00 1.00 2050

1656 1.56 1.56 TU 1715 1.72 WE WE 1656 TU 2307 0.93 0.93 2240 1.00 1.00 2307 2240

1756 1.84 1.84 TH TH 1756

1710 1.68 1.68 FR FR 1710 2348 2348 0.93 0.93

SU 1205 1902

0320 1.67 1.67 0504 1.59 1.59 0406 1.42 1.42 0406 0046 0440 0149 0046 0.93 0.93 0440 1.21 1.21 141022 29 0320 14 0504 1022 0.69 14 0.69 29 1015 0.78 0.78 14 1113 0.64 0.64 29 1030 1030 0.66 0.66 14 0600 1113 1015 0600 1.32 1.32 29 1039 1039 0.68 14 0729 1634 1.54 1644 1.47 1802 1.84 SU 1634 1.54 MO MO 1644 1.47 SU 2200 0.86 0.86 2158 0.96 0.96 2200 2158

WE 1802 1.84 WE

1737 1.69 1.69 TH 1737 TH 2343 0.94 0.94 2343

1134 0.71 0.71 FR FR 1134 1840 1840 1.92 1.92

1756 1.82 SA SA 1756

MO 1247 1938

0430 1.89 1.89 0407 1.64 1.64 0008 0.90 0.90 0458 1.37 1.37 0008 0458 0134 0040 0.80 0215 0134 0.86 0.86 150430 30 0407 1105 0.61 0.61 30 15 1045 0.68 0.68 15 0555 0555 1.51 1.51 30 1108 1108 0.60 0.60 15 0654 1105 1045 0654 1.31 1.31 30 0546 1.22 15 0802 1726 1.68 1725 1.58 1148 0.62 MO 1726 1.68 MO 2304 0.80 0.80 2304

TU 1725 1.58 TU 2256 0.90 0.90 2256

0449 1.61 1.61 31 0449 1114 0.59 0.59 1114 1800 1.71 WE 1800 1.71 WE 2346 0.85 0.85 2346

TH 1148 0.62 TH 1844 1.95 1.95 1844

1815 1.82 1.82 FR 1815 FR

1216 0.70 0.70 SA 1216 SA 1920 1920 1.98

SU 1136 0.61 1840 1.97

0.67 31 0125 0645 1.27 MO 1228 0.52 1924 2.11

© Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2021, 2021, Bureau of Meteorology © NewTide Moon First Quarter Datum of of Predictions Predictions is is Lowest Lowest Astronomical Astronomical Datum Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols Moon

Some mackerel by-catch. Sam’s trout surprise.

Last Quarter New MoonFull Moon First Quarter Full Moon New Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 61

TU 1323 2013

Be aware! The author saw a box jellyfish right beside the Seventeen Seventy ramp.

Paul and Steve with a Round Hill Creek stonker.

Shelter from wind at Round Hill Creek

H

Oscar with his best bream of the day.

TURKEY BEACH 2 Bedroom Villa Holiday Rental • Outdoor BBQ and pergola For • Fish cleaning facilities enquiries • Large yard with room and for the boat bookings • Undercover carport phone • Close to boat ramp 0458 742 153 • Linen available www.turkeybeachfishingvilla.com Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

I all, like me, I’m sure you’re wishing someone would turn off the southeasterly wind.

For those trying to find windows of opportunity to get out to the reefs, it’s been tough.

The majority who did venture out, came back with more bad backs than quality fish.

Thankfully, the protected water of the Round Hill Creek system offers many Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy holiday makers a backup opportunity to spend some time on the water.

Crabbing for our giant Queensland mud crab was high on the list of activities.

It’s late in the season, the water temperature has started to drop and the lack of any recent rain has the water clarity crystal clear, so large female crabs have been the most consistent captures, though fortunately the occasional good buck was mixed in, making a haul worthwhile.

Fishing Round Hill

Agnes Water

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

Creek with the water clarity so clear has presented its own problems.

There’s been a run of summer whiting on the flats, however the quality has been missing.

The bags I’ve seen have consisted of average-sized fish, though in saying that, it’s still hard to beat a feed of fresh whiting fillets.

Most of the flathead I’ve caught recently were the smaller bartail flathead, which reach a maximum size of about 50cm.

Thankfully, like their bigger cousin the dusky, bartail flatties are still quick to pounce on a passing hard-body lure.

There’s nothing wrong with the eating quality of this species.

Being a small fishing and surfing village, conversations at the boat ramp can often have a touch of mystery around the content.

We do have several

residents living on their yachts, and one was telling me of these large fish feeding on the bottom of his hull during the night and of the loud noise they made.

He said he’d never seen these before and wouldn’t have a clue as to what type of fish they were.

Two days later, another yachtie was explaining the same situation and how he had no idea what the species was.

This chap had a picture he’d taken and asked if I could identify them.

I was excited – I could clearly see that the mystery fish were extremely large permit – also called snub nosed dart or oyster crackers.

Unfortunately, this was one species I’d never personally had the pleasure of scraping with, though it’s one I have on my list.

Round Hill Creek * continued P63

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Shelter from wind at Round Hill Creek * from P62

does have a reasonable list of sportfish available, such as mangrove jack, grunter, barramundi, various trevally species and queenfish, to name a few.

The creek does have a seasonal run of prawns, however the main food source seems to be herring.

At times, the creek is absolutely full of these baitfish and its common for more open-water species such as mackerel and tuna to push well into the creek system to gorge on an easy feed.

Mainly school mackerel but I have taken two spanish on live bait well up the creek too.

On one occasion, I had a good spanish monster

on a hooked school mackerel I was playing beside the boat.

It launched itself into the air, butchering the 60cm schoolie in half.

Something I’ll never forget encountering in such a small creek system.

You definitely have to be Johnny-on-the-spot here.

I’d be lying if I rated this as the most consistent creek system I’ve ever fished, though it is the one I’ve definitely had the most surprises in.

When that wind is blowing, Round Hill Creek offers anglers a scenic and natural environment to explore, and you might encounter one of its many surprises!

A bit of Queensland versus NSW crabbing rivalry between Stuart and Charlie.

Derrym and Georgie pulled a couple of blubberlip out of the mangroves.

SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY FISHING NEWS! Subscribe to the FREE BNB e-news to receive a weekly email with the latest fishing news and local fishing reports!

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Hop on to bnbfishing.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 63

The author’s dad Robin Boon with a quality tiger squid from Great Keppel Island.

A bit of by-catch when flathead fishing, Quinn Warren and a hungry drain barramundi.

Cool options for Cap Coast

W

Tiger squid are starting to fire up on the Capricorn Coast.

Two for two casts for Quinn. When the flathead are on, they are on.

Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

INTER has officially kicked off, so break out the warm clothes in preparation for the next three months.

With the water temperature falling, summer species will start to slacken off a bit.

They will still be well and truly catchable but may take a little more persuading to get them to open their mouths.

It’s generally after we’ve had our first proper cold snap that barramundi become tough to get a bite out of.

In the past, I’ve noticed we haven’t had that wave of cold weather until well into July, and therefore the barra were biting well through the month of June.

Threadfin salmon are a bit the same.

Capricorn Coast

by JOHN BOON

They will school up in their hundreds but getting a bite requires a lot of extra effort.

If you’re keen to keep casting in the creeks during the cooler months, the first target on your hit list should be flathead.

This is a great time of year to chase flatties.

I for one love a good light gear session and lizards are a nice relaxing species to put some time into.

They can still be a pain in the butt to locate or get a bite out of because they are still a fish controlled by the conditions after all.

Some days they’re as fussy as barra.

One day they’ll love a bright coloured paddle

tail and the next they won’t eat anything over a 2” prawn.

It’s the age-old story of working out what they want on the day.

I recommend starting off with your confident plastics, but don’t keep casting if they aren’t attracting any interest.

Make sure you change the size and profile regularly.

Last winter, one of the standout plastics was the 3.5” Molix RT shad – it will be interesting to see if it will slay again this year.

Flatties can be found almost anywhere.

In the snags, along sand bars, rock bars, gravel bars and drains.

Anywhere there’s * continued P65

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cool options for Cap Coast * from P64

an ambush spot with bait present is always worth a cast.

I’ve witnessed flatties occupying one particular type of structure for the whole day.

You might find a few of them elsewhere but the majority may be sticking to drains, as an example.

It always pays to keep an eye out for patterns and record them.

With the cooling temperature, another fantastic species is just about to fire up… tiger squid.

A lot more people are chasing them now than have in previous years.

Catching a feed of tiger squid consistently was a closely guarded secret but now the cat is well and truly out of the bag and a heap of information is available on how to catch them.

If you want to get good at squidding, there are regular articles in this publication and many YouTube videos for a couple of quick search ideas.

If you would like some of the basics, get comfortable and read on.

The first tip is structure.

I’d say the number one area to target tiger squid is around weed beds.

Some weed beds are obvious and can be seen by eye but for others that are a little deeper or in murky water, you will need a quality sounder to see them.

Other types of structure to cast at are rock and gravel bars, also shallow coral beds and points.

www.bnbfishing.com.au

I prefer to stick to from 0.5 to 4m of depth.

We’ve caught them in shallower and also deeper water, this is just an average.

Squid jigs are personal preference, but I absolutely love the Yamashita Egi Oh Live Warm Jacket squid jigs from EJ Todd.

They are my go-to jig.

I’ve had a few other fishos onboard use other types of jigs but the Yamashita’s are rarely beaten.

At the end of the day though, use what works for you.

If the Kmart specials are working, then stick with them.

A nice light rod in about the 1-3kg range is ideal.

I’ve been using a 7’ Blade N Tails, which does the job nicely, with a 2500 spin reel, 10lb braid and I also run a 20lb fluorocarbon for a bit of extra stealth, and a bit of abrasion resistance for when those little mongrel wire-netting cod try to steal jigs.

When squidding around the structures I mentioned earlier, try

a mix of slow trolling and casting.

Sometimes the slow troll works well but, when they are easily spooked and flighty, try the cast for a more finessed approach.

Well, that’s it from me this month – it’s time to get the light gear out.

If the weather’s good, I’ll be squidding.

If the weather’s average, I’ll be up the back of the creek trying my luck with the flat fish.

Catch you next month.

Fishing with his dad Brendan, Quinn had a great start to the flathead season.

Prime squid country – rocky points and shallow coral.

A prime example of a weed bed for targeting tiger squid.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 65

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TOURING & exploring

Spending quality family time at Fishery Bay.

Adventures around Eyre Peninsula

Checking out the helm on HMAS Whyalla at the Maritime Museum.

Watching the sun set over the water while the kids fished the shallows at The Gap was very rewarding.

Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

A

FTER our short escape to Kangaroo Island, we were back on the mainland and following the South Australian coastline north.

When travelling, there is one thing that dramatically impacts on your experiences – the weather.

And unfortunately, you have zero control over it.

Heading to places when it’s cold and windy can be a little disappointing, especially if you have high expectations after seeing countless picture-perfect images on the WikiCamps app or the web.

For those who are travelling indefinitely, for a year or even longer, this isn’t too much of a problem because you can generally afford to sit out the bad weather and wait for that beautiful postcard picture.

It did take a little while for us to adjust to some of the places

Family Adventures

by BEN COLLINS

not meeting up to our expectations, purely due to the weather.

When this happens though, you simply have to make the most of it.

As I say to my kids, ‘You get what you get, and you don’t get upset’.

Second Valley Thankfully, the sun was shining when we visited a few places

such as Second Valley, which was just what we needed.

Sitting on the beach looking over the crystal-clear blue water while the kids played made up for any previous inclement weather.

If you’re in the area, I would recommend * continued P69

Second Valley Caravan Park with its proximity to the water was a great place to stop for a night or two.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

TOURING & exploring Adventures around Eyre Peninsula * from P68

checking out Rapid Bay too.

Both spots were awesome, with white sandy beaches and clear water.

If you’re an Adelaide local, you are only a 1.5-hour drive away, which makes these perfect weekend destinations.

Gap Bush Campground Yorke Peninsula After falling a little behind our imaginary travel plan, we decided to do a few big days in the car, skipping Adelaide and the winery region.

Not that we didn’t want to go, we did, but the weather was ordinary and we thought that a trip back by plane without the kids might be the best way to experience this region.

So, our next destination was The Gap, located on the northwest side of the Yorke Peninsula.

Camping there was only $10 a night and the site is situated behind the sand dunes on a nice beach.

Not only did the sand dunes provide protection from the wind, they were great for my daughters to ride their

bodyboards down, as well as for playing hide and seek with kids who were also camped there.

A few days off grid and by the water is our idea of perfect camping or caravanning.

Whyalla to Port Lincoln Eyre Peninsula Time was once again our enemy, so we decided to skip the rest of the Yorke Peninsula.

Fellow scribe Craig Tomkinson recently travelled there, so check out his articles online at bnbfishing.com.au/ex ploring-yorke-peninsula The decision was then made to make a beeline for Whyalla, with the aim of trying to escape some of the cool and windy weather – as Queenslanders, we’re not conditioned for it!

Unfortunately, Whyalla was also a little rainy and overcast.

However, this didn’t totally dampen our spirits and we made the most of the visit by checking out the HMAS Whyalla and the Whyalla Maritime Museum.

Even though we have an exemption from formal schooling, our learning plan was to try to visit several interest-

The foreshore at Port Lincoln was quite spectacular, however the weather gods were against us for our visit. www.bnbfishing.com.au

ing places where the kids – and us – could learn about different things, including our history.

The kids really enjoyed the tour and the activities in the museum – guess when you make learning fun, they enjoy it.

Another point of interest was the circular jetty – a unique feature in Whyalla.

When we visited, there were plenty of blue swimmer crabs being caught in drop nets, though some appeared on the small side but were being kept by a couple of anglers.

South Australia has a notch-to-notch measurement of 11cm, which is smaller than the Queensland regulation, but these looked less than the legal limit.

It is worth noting that the South Australian Government imposed a snapper ban through to June 30, 2026 for the west coast, Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent fishing zones.

There was much debate about this, with charter operators saying it would destroy their businesses – and I can believe it because when I tried to book a charter, the operator explained there were no more charters and that their boat was for sale.

Our travels saw us continue to head south and explore the Eyre Peninsula – what a great place, with great weather.

There is a myriad of small seaside towns * continued P70

Fishing and boating facilities are top notch in South Australia, including the circular jetty and marina at Whyalla.

Catching sand crabs from the jetties was heaps of fun for the kids.

We came across a huge whale bone when exploring Coffin Bay. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 69

TOURING & exploring Adventures around Eyre Peninsula * from P69

The kids enjoyed playing on the big sand dunes that are throughout Coffin Bay.

Most of the towns along Eyre Peninsula’s east coast all had beautiful foreshores with fishing facilities and playgrounds.

If you want to see emus in the wild, Coffin Bay National Park is the place to go.

Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

filtered along the east coast of the peninsula.

Places such as Murninnie Beach, Lucky Bay, Arno Bay, Port Neill and Louth Bay are all worth a visit or a longer stay.

In fact, I think exploring the Eyre Peninsula alone could take months to fully check out, seeing what it has to offer.

Aside from the glorious-looking water, blue skies and sunshine, the squid fishing was red hot, with plenty of solid squid coming from the local jetties.

Casting squid across the shallow seaweed banks soon resulted in a hook-up – only challenge was to get them up onto the jetty.

Fortunately, none were lost when doing this.

And walking out on to each new jetty gave fishos plenty of hope, strolling past black splotches that were everywhere.

In addition to fishing, these small coastal towns all had good fishing facilities, with nice boat ramps and heaps of parking.

The kids were also kept entertained, with massive playgrounds in each town – it’s a shame we don’t have the same standard of facilities at home.

Our last destination on the east coast of the peninsula was Port Lincoln, a bustling coastal town that has a strong fishing bias.

The foreshore was very picturesque – large Norfolk Island pine trees lined the green

grass, bordering the white sand and clear water.

An old jetty allowed access to the water and was once again a great place to flick a lure for squid.

Home for a couple of days while we were in Port Lincoln was in fact at the boat ramp.

You can stay up to five nights there when offgrid camping.

Allocations to this site were first in, so ideally you’d need to get there in the morning earlyish.

There was no power or direct water but there was a tap you could fill up from before setting up camp, and there was a toilet only a short stroll away at the carpark.

Not too bad for $12 a night – particularly with a water view!

As much as we love being fully off grid, it is sometimes nice to hit a larger town to stock up on essentials at a reasonable price.

It also allows you to do any minor tinkering to

the car or van, making your time on the road easier and more enjoyable.

If you are planning on visiting Port Lincoln, the national parks are a must.

Lincoln National Park on the Jussieu Peninsula has a host of camping spots and a couple for caravans.

Alternatively, it is possible to day trip there, due to its proximity to town.

The magical coastline was hard to forget, with a mix of sandy beaches and large rocky headlands as far as the eye could see.

Situated to the southwest of town is Fishery Bay – another must-do beachside location.

Driving down onto the secluded beach, you have what can only be described as a multi-million dollar view.

On the day we visited, there was one other car on the large spanning beach and a few surfers positioned off in the * continued P71

Quality squid can be caught from almost any jetty in the region.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

TOURING & exploring Couldn’t leave Coffin Bay without sampling some of the local delicacies.

When the sun came out, the beaches and water were simply sensational. On visiting, we had Fishery Bay to ourselves.

Adventures around Eyre Peninsula * from P70

distance on the point breaks, which we drove out to as the sun set.

It is possible to camp on this beach, though we found that out only after we had daytripped there – oh well, next time.

As for a lot of the scenic coast towns, you could spend weeks exploring everything the area has to offer – I guess we’ll keep adding places to the wish list as we travel around.

Coffin Bay Being a seafood lov-

er, I was excited Coffin Bay was next on our list of places to visit.

Located on the southwest tip of the Eyre Peninsula, it is the home of world-class oysters.

Before feasting on the local delicacies, we wanted to venture to Coffin Bay National Park.

We had initially planned to camp at Yangie Bay, but the weather gods were against us once more – we need solar if off grid for more than a few days and we don’t

Our view from near the Port Lincoln boat ramp camp. www.bnbfishing.com.au

have a generator.

Thus, we made the caravan park our base and did a very long day trip, with the aim of seeing most of the park.

The road to Yangie Bay was bitumen but after that were rough four-wheel-drive tracks and beach driving, so a 4WD is essential.

I’d also recommend dropping the tyre pressures, which we did at the first bit of soft sand.

Coincidently, this corresponded with our first up close and personal meeting with an emu at Coffin Bay. As we would discover, Coffin Bay had literally millions of these majestic birds, which was awesome for us all to experience.

Our plan of attack was to head out to Black Springs, Morgans Landing, Seven Mile Beach, The Pool, Reef Point and finally Sensation Beach on the way home. * continued P72

The girls love living off grid but also enjoy the essentials that the big smoke offers.

Unfortunately the weather didn’t allow us to get out for a fish, however Amaya had a contingency plan for this.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 71

TOURING & exploring

The Blue Lake provides the town water supply for Mount Gambier.

The sunken gardens of Umpherston Sinkhole Balumbul at Mount Gambier.

The obligatory family snap in front of the Grenfell Silo art.

Home straight from Mount Gambier

W

E started the day by driving through kilometres of slash pine plantations on our way to Mount Gambier.

Once in town, we stopped for a feed and then on to the Umpherston Sinkhole Balumbul gardens.

It was difficult to find a park, there were no vacant car spots even for those not towing a van, but it was holiday time, so we’re used to places

Adventures around Eyre Peninsula * from P72

Unfortunately, we didn’t make the last two destinations but conquered the others.

We spent possibly a little too much time exploring and sliding down the sand dunes, but that’s life and what we did was fun for the whole family.

Plus, it gives us an excuse to return – I seem to be thinking and saying that a lot.

Might have to start

planning another trip, in a few years’ time though!

The national park was truly a beautiful and remote part of South Australia – though once we got a decent way into the park, we saw only a couple of people camping and about one other car.

It is worth noting, you should take recovery gear when doing trips such as these,

Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

particularly when travelling by yourself.

After we finish our trip, I’ll do an article on our van, car and what we took, including recovery gear.

Next month, we head up the west cost of the Eyre Peninsula and across the Nullarbor to Western Australia.

To keep up to date on our travels and to see more photos, follow us on @bushn beachadventures

Touring South Australia

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

like that being busy.

We found a park, though had a walk.

Entry to the sinkhole was free, and though there are a lot of stairs for those with bad knees, it’s an awesome spot.

We spent a couple of hours there checking out the beautiful garden area – the flowers, plants and hanging vines were spectacular – I think I counted about 15 beehives in the rock face.

From there, we travelled up the hill in the middle of the town to the Blue Lake Warwar.

Wow! I have never seen water so blue – it was stunning!

What an amazing thing to have for town water supply.

And fortunately, parking for long vehicles was right in front of the lookout.

We checked out other attractions in Mount Gambier before heading

north through country towns to the Grampians National Park.

We searched the area for a place to stay but it was very busy, so we moved on and found a free camp near Fyans Creek.

And bonus, we were the only people there.

After we’d set up, we spotted some huge dark bull ants, but they didn’t give us any issues.

That night, Donna and I took our lights out and spotted a sugar glider about 5m up a dead tree, which made our night.

It was so beautiful and peaceful camping next to the creek, plus we heard boobook owls calling nearby.

The next day it was on to Stawell, where they hold the famous Stawell Gift short-distance running races.

From there, we travelled along the back roads to Shepparton * continued P73

www.bnbfishing.com. au

TOURING & exploring

Grenfell Silo art – we loved seeing these in country towns on our travels.

Heading for home from Mount Gambier * from P72

and then Kialla, to visit the Museum of Vehicle Evolution.

It was great – heaps of old cars, trucks, bikes and many other vehicles and things of interest.

We spent about 90 minutes looking around – it was a very interesting stop.

Next, we drove to Glenrowan and on to Warby-Ovens National Park free camp.

After setting up the van, Donna and I went looking for insects and birds.

We found heaps of Christmas beetles in a bush near the van and on dusk, the old farm turned national park came alive with dozens of kangaroos.

My wife records sightings of all that kind of thing on a citizen science platform.

www.bnbfishing.com.au

Many bushwalking trails are in this area, including a walk to the falls.

The following morning, we headed to Albury Wodonga and then on to Lake Hume Huon Reserve.

From there, Corryong was next followed by the lower Snowy Mountains area to Batlow, where we saw our second dead wombat.

Batlow is famous for its fantastic red delicious apples.

I would have loved to have driven to the snow line in the higher country but there were signs indicating no vans or trailers, so not knowing the area, we didn’t go.

Maybe next time we’ll book a farm stay in the vicinity and leave the van, so we can properly explore.

From Batlow, we steadily made our way north to Young and checked out the silo art as we had done previously on the trip – we loved finding it in country towns on our travels.

From Young, we headed to the lovely free camp we had stayed at on the river on the way down, 21km south of Forbes – and luckily,

we had it to ourselves again.

The following day, we visited Peak Hill Open Cut Gold Mine – a tourist attraction slightly off the road as you come into Peak Hill.

And then, we started the haul for home.

It was a big day of driving as we pulled up south of Boggabilla at another great free

camp we’d found.

The next day we travelled north to Toowoomba via Toll Bar Rd, through Esk and Beerwah, then home.

We had driven about 7300kms!

It was an awesome tour, though I cannot wait until our next family road trip.

Be safe on your travels.

The Peck Hill Open Cut Gold Mine site.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 73

TOURING & exploring The old Nullarbor Roadhouse.

Bunda Cliffs. The winds can come gusting through, so camping back from the cliffs is advised.

Eyre Peninsula to Esperance

A

The author’s daughters Zahlee and Lyla with a nice catch of blue swimmer crabs.

The author’s daughter Lyla loved catching King George whiting and herring off the beach at Streaky Bay.

Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

T the time of writing this article, we were sitting at a quiet little campground at Quagi Beach in Western Australia – one hour from Esperance.

My wife and I are travelling Australia with our two daughters aged five and seven.

We certainly live in a spectacular country, and we’ve visited some great places and met some characters along the way.

So far, our trip has been a bit of a mix – staying at free camps, private properties and the occasional caravan park.

We loved exploring the Eyre Peninsula.

Streaky Bay and the surrounding areas – Perlubie and Haslam – were stunning and I braved a couple of brisk mornings, getting up early and trying the jetties for squid – southern calamari.

Unfortunately, I managed to drop a couple of sizeable squid.

I spoke with a local, who explained he uses crab dillies that act as

Travelling Oz

by MATT POTTER

a net under these large squid, with the added bonus of catching a good feed of sand crabs.

It sounded like a good plan to me and so I had another crack that same evening and while several squid came on to the jetty, I only managed a smaller one.

However, the blue swimmer crabs were a different story, they were in good numbers off the jetty and much more active at night.

In a couple of hours, I managed 15 keepers,

which the family had for dinner the next night.

The bag limit for blue swimmers in South Australia is 20 per person.

Another tip passed on when chasing blue swimmers was to check the dillies more regularly – every five minutes.

Initially, I was checking them every 20 minutes or so.

The theory was that the crabs have a quick feed and are then muscled out by other crabs, * continued P75

Streaky Bay Islands Caravan Park was an awesome place.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

TOURING & exploring Eyre Peninsula to Esperance * from P74

so it made sense to check them often.

During the day, we caught King George whiting and herring off the beach using worms and pipis.

There was a lot of weed, so after getting frustrated, I changed to using a float, which proved much more effective.

Those travellers with rooftop tinnies scored good catches of whiting, squid and salmon – that was a bit hard to take.

They didn’t have to go far and were fishing only 300m off the shoreline, drifting the seagrass beds.

Leaving Ceduna, we were hit with 80km wind and multiple dust storms.

I decided to pull up 75km down the road at the Penong Caravan Park rather than continue driving into the

strong headwind and using excessive fuel.

This turned into a blessing because we had a great afternoon exploring the area, checking out Lake MacDonnell, the surrounding sand dunes and Cactus Beach, with its notorious shark-popular surf break.

I enjoyed driving across the Nullarbor and, with so many vans and road trains, you don’t feel exactly remote.

That said, it is a drive you want to be prepared for.

There are literally dozens of camps across the Nullarbor to stop at.

Unfortunately, we were a bit early for whale season at the Head of the Bight, though it was a great viewing area nonetheless.

A night at Bunda Cliffs was memorable and I was able to

Southern calamari are a popular target species off the jetties along the southern coastline. www.bnbfishing.com.au

capture some stunning shots with the drone.

It was surprising how close to the edge people would camp.

At around midnight, the wind really picked up and those on the edge must have felt a little nervous because they packed their gear up and moved their vans behind the dunes, closer to us.

We’ve enjoyed some amazing free camps so far on this trip and the WikiCamps app has been incredibly useful.

Petrol Spy was another useful app – we found diesel varied up to 20 cents per litre in some towns.

The Brown Davis long-range fuel tank I had installed on the Ford Ranger was excellent.

We spent some time exploring the stunning Cape Le Grande National Park, including Lucky Bay with its friendly kangaroos.

We also spent a handful of days in Esperance at the RAC Holiday Park, which would have to be one of the nicest parks we’ve stayed in.

I’ve been a bit slack on the fishing front, with the cold and windy weather getting the better of me.

However, I managed a quick fish with the kids and caught a few of the abundant herring – the locals love them – and a squid off the Esperance Jetty.

Apparently, I missed the salmon by a few weeks but hope to catch a couple as we make our way to Perth over the next couple of weeks.

Tight lines.

Lucky Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park Western Australia.

Quagi Beach is only an hour west of Esperance and was a great spot.

Lucky Bay picnics were a treat.

One of the friendly kangaroos at Lucky Bay. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 75

Graham scored several nice cod on a wake-making lure.

Surface lures not only for after dark on fresh

F

OR as long as most of us can recall, surface lures have been the vampires of the freshwater anglers’ repertoire – only coming out after dark.

There’s certainly no doubting the effective-

Fishing for Sport

by NEIL SCHULTZ

ness of a noisy paddler plip-plopping across the surface of a still stream on a moonlight night.

Restricting the use of

surface lures to nocturnal sessions is however denying oneself of opportunities for exciting diurnal action.

One of a procession of cod that couldn’t resist the Predatek Cod Bug in spite of the sun being high in the sky.

Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

Saltwater anglers have been throwing surface poppers in daylight hours for as long as those lures have been around.

We freshwater specialists have conversely largely kept our surface hardware tucked away until after sunset.

Being something of an experimenter all my life – my teachers termed it ‘an unwillingness to follow instruction’ – I often operate outside of established traditions.

That rebellion has seen my sons, fishing friends and I enjoy some very productive outings throwing surface lures in daylight.

A recent trip to the New England High Country chasing Murray cod with number

one son Graham became such an expedition.

Arriving at the river crossing about 90 minutes after sunrise, we took our time rigging rods and stuffing a handful of lures into our day packs.

Our chosen venue was a fairly shallow stream with a few deep-plunging pools on some of the sharper corners, where the water velocity was increased by solid stone walls.

The lack of depth in the majority of the water being fished lent itself to a little effort with surface presentations… just because we could.

Graham chose a wake maker, while I * continued P77

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Surface lures on fresh * from P76

went full-on surface with one of the great paddlers from the Predatek stable.

Weather conditions were unstable, with an intermittent gusty easterly wind and fast-moving heavy clouds skating across the sky threatening rain.

Any doubts we had about the fish lying doggo due to the weather were dispelled when Graham hooked up on his second cast.

As was indicated by the splashy enthusiastic strike, his turned out to be an average-sized cod of about 45cm.

Those smaller fish tend to be far more enthusiastic when hitting on the surface, possibly due to their haste to beat any larger fish to the envisaged meal.

Within minutes I had my lure snatched from the top in a similarly noisy take from a fish that could have been the twin of Graham’s.

Quickly unhooked without being lifted from the water, it disappeared in a puff of silt with one tail beat.

Over the next hour, we traded strike for strike as each of our lures drew fish from their hiding spots to investigate the intrusion.

I decided to switch to a shallow-running Creek Cobra after the action slowed and was surprised when what I assumed was a small fish surged across the pool, taking line against a firmly set drag.

The subtle strike contradicted the strength of the repeated runs of

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a determined fish as it powered away from the force, drawing it towards the bank of the river.

Patience and a smooth drag system outlasted the fish’s endurance, seeing a handsome cod in prime condition brought to hand.

This fish was lifted for a quick happy snap before being send back to sulk in her lair, never knowing how fortunate she was to have been tricked by a couple of conservation-minded catch and release anglers.

Switching back to my Predatek Cod Bug paddler for the next pool saw yet another cod well above legal length sip the lure from the surface with a quiet ‘pop’.

These larger fish are much more confident and less hasty in their approach to a lure, hence the sometimes-deceptive subtle nature of the take.

For three hours, that same scenario was repeated for both of us – the crisp ‘plip-plop’ of our Cod Bugs drawing fish from sheltered ambush points to crash the surface, often finding hooks, though occasionally missing the lure completely in their enthusiasm.

We left the fish biting in order to make our rendezvous with a long-time friend who was hosting us for a weekend of chasing deer in the mountains, but that’s another story.

Until then, dust off those surface lures and try them when the sun is on the water – you may be surprised.

Fished with the rod tip high, the Creek Cobra swam in the surface film and accounted for this quality fish.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 17/05/2023

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

FEB JAN MAR APR MAY Atkinson * 92 87 84 80 96 Awoonga 63 63 63 61 64 Bjelke-Petersen * 94 92 89 89 98 Boondooma * 94 91 88 87 96 Borumba * 100 99 97 96 100 Burdekin Falls * 117 105 101 97 122 Callide * 24 23 23 23 24 Cania * 35 35 35 35 36 Coolmunda * 81 74 101 99 85 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 99 96 94 86 98 Eungella * 100 100 100 100 110 Fairbairn * 46 45 43 42 42 Glenlyon * 93 90 98 98 97 Hinze * 96 95 93 92 97 Julius * 100 103 98 95 101 Kinchant * 85 85 83 78 93 Leslie * 93 90 93 94 95 Macdonald * 89 88 82 82 95 100 Maroon * 99 99 99 100 100 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 100 99 98 100 97 95 Moogerah * 94 92 97 63 61 58 57 North Pine/Samsonvale * 65 73 72 72 71 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 71 80 80 79 80 Somerset * 80 100 100 100 100 Teemburra * 109 101 103 101 98 Tinaroo * 88 100 101 98 99 Toonumbar 100 77 76 75 74 Wivenhoe * 79 91 91 90 89 Wuruma * 92 98 97 96 96 Wyaralong * 98 For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 77

Joshua Teo and a 95cm barramundi using a Jackall Smash Minnow.

Techniques for catching winter barramundi

I

T’S the start of winter – historically the time when most impoundment barramundi anglers put away their rods for a few months.

While it’s true that the fishing can be a little tougher for a stint, barra are certainly still very catchable.

Lake Monduran

by SAM ROWLEY

In the colder months, there is one thing heavily in your favour, which is that the fish will look to feed during a specific period – when the water

Izak Kees scored an 88cm barramundi on Molix Shad 120.

Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

is at its warmest.

This means you can be on the water knowing the fish are likely to be in the mood and not resting up for a feed later.

As with any of the seasons though, you will have to employ the correct techniques to ensure good catch rates.

In winter, these techniques will generally involve smaller lures and slower retrieve speeds.

Before we get into specific techniques, I’ll go through the things to look for when working out a good day to fish.

Barramundi are a tropical species and require warm water to survive.

Winter provides their

biggest challenge of the year, with some of the less healthy fish commonly succumbing to the elements.

Despite this, life continues on for the vast majority of fish, though at a slower pace.

Given their preference for warmer water, sunny days with a light to moderate wind are perfect for getting the fish feeding.

The best fishing times are as the water temperature rises – from mid to late morning and into the afternoon.

During June, the water temperature gradually falls to its lowest point of the year, so you will find fish may still be holding in areas where the water temperature is more stable.

Spots to look for are points and flats with

wind pushing onto them.

During periods of stable warm weather, fish tend to push deep into shallow bays where the water could be 1-2 degrees warmer than the main water body, and this behaviour will become more prolific over coming months.

Small suspending jerk baits – such as the Jackall Squirrel 79 – become very effective because the fish hold in good numbers on the points and flats.

It is very important to have your lure suspending – this means not sinking or floating – and can be achieved through altering the weight of trebles and split rings.

Fishing slow with small twitches and long * continued P79

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Catching cold barramundi * from P78

pauses will provide lethargic fish with an easy meal.

Natural colours that don’t have a bright flash will be much more effective in clearer water, as bright colours will often spook fish.

On days when the fish have pushed deep into the shallow bays, the most effective technique is to use lightly weighted soft plastics.

Over recent years, my go-to for this scenario were 5” shads rigged on a TT Fishing Headlockz 1/8oz 6/0 jig head.

It is essential to fish as slowly as possible without getting caught up in the weed.

A lot of the time, these fish will be held up along a weed edge and so dropping the plastic

down the face of the weed can be necessary to get a bite.

One last thing to consider when chasing winter barra is that they will be very easy to spook.

Complete stealth is very important when targeting big barramundi.

Even loud talking can be enough to put a fish off from biting.

Spooked fish may not necessarily leave the area during winter because they look to preserve energy, but they will likely avoid feeding for a period of time.

Always anchor or tie off to a tree when possible.

Good luck to anyone headed to the lake for a fish – I hope to see some big fish caught over the next month.

Lake Monduran Fishing Charters What’s the mission?

Catch more fish!

0432 420 034 themondyman.com

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 79

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T O C K I N G groups have recently been advised of a funding opportunity for the use of an electro-fishing boat on storages to stun fish for research into how fish species are doing in waterways in southern Queensland.

A similar testing project was carried out on Glenlyon Dam back in 2002 using that type of boat.

The result was not good – in large water bodies the boat was ineffective, particularly when compared to using it in small tight water sections of the storage.

This type of research will no doubt provide some information in the short term, however it is the overall picture that is required when it comes to end results.

Glenlyon has been very fortunate in having some anglers involved in fish tagging while fishing the storage.

As part of this, we have recently received a report called ‘Crystal Bowl’ – a product of Infofish Australia, supported by Suntag and the Freshwater Fishing and Stocking Association of Queensland.

The research covers both Murray cod and golden perch from 2013 to 2022.

This 11-page report is full of information in regards to the socalled ‘hot spots’ on Glenlyon Dam. In conjunction with the above, we also have a report on the research project that was carried out on the Dumaresq River

Glenlyon Dam

by BRIAN DARE

from 2008 to 2012, for which a Landcare Award was won by the stocking groups of Glenlyon storage.

Further reading on the river project can be obtained from dpi. nsw.gov.au Titled ‘Fisheries Final Report Series No. 161 Building a stronger, more resilient and sustainable Murray cod fishery’, it’s a 124-page document.

As well, the 10-page research article, ‘Combining bio-telemetry and underwater imagery to elucidate the reproductive behaviour of a large, long-lived Australian freshwater teleost’, published in the Journal of Environmental Management – which lists the important doctors, biologists and managers, plus results – that, in combination with recreational anglers’ feedback, bought to light the major result on our icon, the Murray cod.

Load up your printer, this is all good reading – giving you an insight into Murray cod.

You’re thinking, ‘Yeah, so what’s his agenda?’

Well, it goes like this… we need anglers who fish other storages and rivers.

We need you to look at tagging fish in your favourite river, dam or stream.

To achieve this, find a fishing club stocking group or join Australian National Sportfishing Association Queensland via the stocking group, then get the group to approach Fisheries Queensland to purchase the tags and tag guns.

We have $50,000 on offer from FQ, so let’s get some of it working.

To achieve the above and the results, it would no doubt be better if you could contact FFSAQ, Sun* continued P81

The Crystal Bowl Dumaresq River summary dashboard. Supplied: Infofish Australia

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Kyle Millard and one of the two cod he caught – 111cm and 92cm.

Fifty thousand reasons * from P80

fish or Infofish for the information required – keeping in mind it’s not a matter of putting a tag into anything that moves in the water.

You will need to think about how much time you spend fishing and a set 12-month format, so your results are easy to write up.

With all projects, you are expected to contribute in some way and your share could be in kind – by the hours you fish and the costs incurred to do so.

A one-off quick shot on a storage is a good start, but to have on-going results coming in on a monthly report is a better outcome.

Education is needed so that anglers who catch a tagged fish, take down only the tag number and phone number to register the catch.

It would be a good result if that tagged fish was to be returned to the water, which in turn will give on-going information on growth rate and location each time it’s caught.

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Leave the tag in!

Okay, that’s a thought-starter for those who read this.

If we were to have $50,000 set aside for this each year and all those dedicated anglers doing their part, results could be used to improve our freshwater fishing experience yearly and for future recreational fishos.

The Crystal Bowl Lake Glenlyon summary dashboard. Supplied: Infofish Australia

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK A great place to fish!

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Page 82 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

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STACER 481 SEAMASTER – This little beauty is in mint condition and offers something for everyone, whether it’s tubing with the kids, chucking a few pots in the creek, cruising the bay or fishing with family and friends. Can be easily towed behind the family car and be maneuvered single-handed at the boat ramp. It’s easy to store, clean, maintain, and handle and is priced to sell. Come in and speak with our friendly sales team today! $36.990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au

ADVERTISERS – To organise a classified ad in the Trading Post, call 07 3286 1833 or complete the form and post it to the address provided or email it through to ads@collins.me dia

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A nice mackerel caught off Evans Head measured about 1m. These are fun! The first one I’ve ever caught.

Serena Sullivan

My sons, Marcus in the Champion jumper with a 54cm whiting and Samson with a 50cm whiting, both picked up at North Stradbroke.

Victor Borzillo

A couple of nice 80cm and 60cm jewfish were caught on 95mm Jackall Transam lures pulled out from the mouth of the Logan River.

Cooper Caltabiano

Caught a personal best whiting measuring 44.5cm last Friday at the pin on North Stradbroke Island on a fresh pipi.

Adam Willey

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

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 83

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 85

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023 – Page 87

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Can’t make the yard? Shop online! For quality new and used boats! www.brisbaneboatingleisure.com.au 1743 Ipswich Road, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600 | Formerly Karee Marine Page 88 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, June 2023

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