BNB Fishing Mag | August 2024 by bnbfishing

Get your fishing fix 495

Includes GST

August 2024 Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 35, Number 8

Ripper red emperor tips Offshore options

ISSN 1832-4517

9 771832 451001

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Beach fishing for tailor Broadwater tactics

Tuna time Moreton Bay action

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 1

Page 2 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 3

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Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

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From the Bush ‘n Beach Fishing editor

T has been a busy month, both on and off the water. Thankfully the weather gods have been giving anglers occasional weather windows, which fishos along the east coast of Australia have made the most of. This is good news for marine dealers, tackle companies and tackle shops because more people have been getting out on the water, which in turn means money is being spent within the marine industry. Unfortunately, as people settle back into ‘normal’ life, the trading highs that came as a result of Covid – record boat and anything marine sales – are well and truly over. This return to pre-Covid buying may impact some of the marine industry as time goes on, particularly if the decrease in spending hadn’t been taken into account. Sadly, already this year we have seen the collapse of a couple of boat manufacturers and a few others apparently did a ‘phoenix’ (or tax dodge), both of which impact the whole marine industry. Lure show It was great to get to the Australian Lure Fly & Outdoors Expo recently. The cottage industry of handmade timber lures is still going strong and this event is an ideal way to showcase the skills of Australian lure makers. A massive thanks needs to go to Garry Fitzgerald, who spends countless hours ensur-

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ing this event is a roaring success each year. Thanks also to everyone who dropped by the BNB Fishing stand and either grabbed a magazine or a subscription – your support is appreciated. If you haven’t been to this event or it’s been a while between visits, keep an eye out for the next one and mark it in your calendar. While traditionally the lures have been aimed mainly on chasing freshwater species such as cod, yellowbelly and bass, many of the lures on show would entice a number of saltwater specimens too. I stocked up on a few I thought would work well for chasing snapper and flathead. Sometimes, all it takes is putting something a little different in front of them to get the strike. Snapper and pearl perch closure A reminder that snapper and pearlies are no-take species in Queensland tidal waters for four weeks, between July 15 and August 15. If you do catch either of these, they need to be returned to the water unharmed. Prior to the closure, anglers did have success in and offshore, which indicates to me that numbers are possibly on the improve, so the closure might be working. It also raises the question that I have asked before, should the closure be a month earlier? Either way, the fourweek break gives these fish a chance to do

their thing and hopefully keeps the stocks of snapper and pearl perch up – a win for anglers and the longevity of the species. Boating safety It is always sad that a boating incident means we need to address boating safety. Unfortunately, a boat rolled on the Tweed Bar in July, with one person losing their life. The whole scenario must be horrific for everyone who knew the deceased, our thoughts are with you – it’s a very tough time. While not wanting to take away from the grief or assign blame, we do need to address boating safety. I’m continually harping on about checking the weather and making sure you have all the required safety equipment. In NSW, you are required to wear a life jacket when crossing a coastal bar. And in Queensland, you must wear a life jacket when crossing a coastal bar if the boat is less than 4.8m. Though I feel the Queensland regulations may soon change to include all boat sizes. Whether life jackets would have changed the outcome of the incident in July or not, we will never know, yet wearing them definitely would have helped. If you are heading out, please make sure you wear a life jacket when required, or even as an extra safety measure if not required, particularly if

the conditions are not ideal. This applies to everyone, even if you are a very competent skipper, as things can and still go wrong when on the water. It is also important to remember that as the

skipper of a boat, you are the one responsible for the safety of your passengers. And in the case of a death occurring, in addition to the loss, there could be legal ramifications. Ben Collins

OUR COVER Get your fishing fix 495

Includes GST

August 2024 Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 35, Number 8

Ripper red emperor tips Offshore options

ISSN 1832-4517

9 771832 451001

Proudly produced and printed in Australia

Beach fishing for tailor Broadwater tactics

Tuna time Moreton Bay action

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

OVER $100,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES

ENTER NOW! www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 1

MICHAEL WILLIAMS nailed a decent coral trout at the recent VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic. Read more on this event in Chris Raimondi’s article on page 58.

NEXT EDITION: September edition will be on sale in newsagents from August 23. AUGUST SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: See the subscription form on page 84 to subscribe this month and to go in the draw to win a MajorCraft prize pack from Frogley’s Offshore valued at $350.00 RRP. JUNE PRIZE WINNERS: Congratulations to B. McCormack, Sandgate; G. Smith, Macgregor; G. Bartlett, Palm Beach and B. Van Eps, Wellington Point who will receive an apparel pack from The Dirty Oar valued at $90 RRP each. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 5

August 2024 contents Lizard and bream techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Conlon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P8 Tide Times - Brisbane Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P12 2024 Moreton Bay Fishing Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P12 Scoring bites from bait schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . . . . . P14 Tips for winter plastics fishing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Justin Willmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P16 Fishing Events Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P20 2024 Women’s Fishing Classic wrap up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P22 Moreton Island Fishing Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P23 Great trip to Moreton Island. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mitchel Zygnerski . . . . . . . . . . P24 Moreton Bay pre-closure snapper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mark Templeton . . . . . . . . . . . P26 Gold Coast Boating Centre takes on Yellowfin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P28 Mercury introduces FourStroke and ProKicker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P30 Fish about with a Quintrex Fishabout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P31 New look John Crawford Marine website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P32 Trading Post. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P34 All set for AFTA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P35 Winter options in Broadwater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Clint Ansell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P36 August is longtail tuna time in Tweed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gavin Dobson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P39 Fishing for beasts off Ballina’s close reefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brett Hyde . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P41 Jewfish numbers lacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tye Porter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P42 Product News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P46 Back-breaking amberjack are back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Rippon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P48 Rainbow Beach Family Fishing Classic 2024. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P49 Tailor time on beaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Sean Thompson . . . . . . . . . . . P50 Tide Times – Waddy Point. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P53 Back to basics for novices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Tri Ton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P54 VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P55 Woodgate Beach Hotel Fishing Classic 2024. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P56 2024 VMR Bundy Classic round up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Chris Raimondi . . . . . . . . . . . . . P58 Looking after what we have. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Paul 'Chief' Graveson . . . . . . P60 2024 Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P62 Seventeen Seventy Bush ’n Beach Trophy. . . . . . . . . . . . . by Mick Clutterbuck . . . . . . . . . . . P64 Going wide off central Queensland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Gary Churchward . . . . . . . . . . P66 Tips for catching red emperor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by John Boon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P68 Charter Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P71 Family road trip down south. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Keith Stratford . . . . . . . . . . . . . P72 Thermal InfiRay Tube series scopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Neil Schultz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P74 Invasive fish of north Queensland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Adrian Macey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P76 Taroom annual family fishing comp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Helen Abdy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P78 Solid cold cod action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Brian Dare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P80 Dam Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P81 2024 Catch a Catty Family Fishing Comp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P82 Readers’ Forum ��P83 Subscription Form ��P84 Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

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The Team

EDITOR: Ben Collins ADVERTISING: Chantal Rimmington 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: SpotNews DISTRIBUTION BY: Wrapaway Max. recommended retail price $4.95 (includes GST). CORRESPONDENTS: Editorial contributions are welcome, as is news from clubs,associations or individuals; and new product news from manufacturers. Entire contents copyright. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. It is the responsibility of advertisers and contributors to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 7

Eddie hooked quality bream and flathead on lures on a recent charter.

Lizard and bream techniques

A happy customer got into a few southern bay flathead.

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Page 8 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

I crew, it’s been a while since I wrote an article, simply because the weather had been too poor for me to get out. So lining work up with the weather windows and when the clients could go has meant I’ve done minimal charters over the past 3-4 months. Hence, I haven’t had a lot to write about. Luckily, we eventually had a run of good weather and were able to get on the water, putting clients onto good fish and doing some work. With snapper off the table for a while yet, the species that were in good numbers and very good condition were bream and some solid flathead. We’ll predominantly be chasing both species during August, probably continuing through until September or early October. When talking about quality bream, that’s anything from 30-40cm. Quality flathead range from 50-74cm. Definitely, the 80cm plus females will be around. But obviously, if they’re caught, because they are our big breed-

Southern Moreton Bay by SEAN CONLON

ers, they’re handled gently for a quick photo and are safely released. So, for fishos wanting to target bream, it will depend on whether you wish to take some home for a feed or if you’re catching fish for a bit of fun, then releasing them. For those who wish to take a feed home, I suggest you fish for them slightly old school – an 8-9’ glass rod with a nice soft tip, paired with an Alvey or spin reel spooled with 8-10lb monofilament line. If the bite is really tough, a few people may put a lighter leader on – I’ll usually run 8-10lb through to the hook.

Some days, I’ll put a swivel on, with the sinker above that and a 600mm trace, then the hook. At other times, I’ll have a very light sinker on top of the hook and that works well, but each to their own. If you don’t have a preference, try both techniques and use the one that works best for you. All sorts of bait can be used – pillies, squid, chicken guts, mullet fillet – they all work. Though chicken breast cut into strips and soaked in minced garlic overnight is fairly hard to beat. * continued P10

Mark with a quality 39cm bream.

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Email: admin@wynnummarine.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 9

Lizard and bream techniques * from P8

Mark picked up a few quality flathead on his day out.

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Next is where to target these fish? I look around the little rocky areas in southern Moreton Bay. Points where there may be mangroves and some rocks, these areas tend to hold slightly larger fish at this time of year. Check out areas such as Pott’s Point in close, Iron Stem, rocky areas around Coochiemudlo and Lamb islands, the rocky spots near the powerlines at the bottom of Russell Island, in close at Giant’s Grave and other similar places. Try these areas on a high as well as a low tide. Many people forget about low tide. It may not look as pretty but with all that water drained off the banks, there’ll be less water between you and the fish. Low tide is one of my preferred times to target bigger bream. If you wish to focus on this species on lures, look at the same areas. I simply use flathead gear to chase them – a 2-4kg rod with 8lb braid spooled on a 2500 spin reel. And I prefer surface lures such as little poppers, walk-the-dog style lures, small soft plastics, small vibes… these will all catch bream. Also, if something isn’t working, change to a different lure in a different colour. But occasionally, one of the best tricks is to go down to a 5-6lb leader. While bream tend to spook more when you’re chasing them on lures, something else to try is using plenty of scent. If you’re chasing them and they get a taste for it, you might be lucky

enough that the fish come back to have another strike. A couple of different techniques for chasing bream – give them a go and see how you get on. The humble flathead will be prevalent in the coming months and good quality at that. Whether you wish to target them for fun or take a couple home for the table, there are plenty of ways to target this fish. From simple bait to topwater lures and soft plastics – put it in front of their faces and flathead will eat it. If you want to target flatties on bait, I still recommend an 8-9’ glass rod with a soft tip and 10-15lb mono line spooled on either an Alvey or a spin reel. My preferred rig is a swivel with a light sinker above it, then at least 600mm of 20-25lb trace and two or three 3/0 hooks ganged together. Lizards will eat a myriad of bait, ranging from fresh pilchard, mullet fillet, squid, chicken gut to live bait. If we decided to take a feed of flathead home for the table, this was always a deadly technique for me and my father,

when he was around. Now, if you wish to target flatties on lures, forget about the equipment for catching these fish on bait. You will – and I’ll say it again, you will – need some form of 2-4kg graphite rod and a 2500 spin reel spooled with 6-10lb braid and a 10-12lb fluorocarbon leader. Do not tie lures onto your glass rod with mono line. You’ll make life very hard for yourself if you use the wrong equipment. Put simply, you’re not going to be able to put enough action on the lure with a glass rod and mono line, it’s as simple as that. If you asked me what type of lure to use when casting soft plastics, at the moment I’d recommend putting a 1/4oz jig head on with a 3/0 hook and any paddle tail ranging from 3-4” – that simple rig has been working a treat. If fishing in slightly dirtier water, use darker colours, a much slower retrieve with longer pauses while the lure is on the bottom and plenty of scent. * continued P11

Peter took some bream home for the table on a recent charter.

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Peter boated a quality flathead to take home for a feed.

Simon's personal best 77cm flathead, on a McArthy Baits paddle tail.

This junior fisho was happy to catch his first fish on a plastic, a personal best flathead.

Jake was stoked with his personal best 71cm flathead, caught on a paddle tail soft plastic.

Eddie caught a decent cod when trolling hard-body lures. The fish was released to fight another day.

Lizard and bream techniques * from P10

When fishing on clean sand with clear water, use bright colours such as pinks and yellows and have a slightly quicker retrieve, but make sure you still get back to the bottom. And don’t forget the scent. Even if these little tips make a one percent difference, they add up and will help your chances of catching fish. To finish off, the best locations to chase flatties – have a look around the mud banks on a low tide where the last of the water drains off a bank and fish right in front of that drain. On a high tide, get up against the mangrove line and cast soft plastics or put little hard-bodies on, such as Zerek Tango Shads or Bulldog Cranks, and troll along the edge. Flathead will be anywhere, from Bribie Island and the Redcliffe foreshore, through the bay islands, all the way down to Cabbage Tree Point and Jacobs Well, and this technique works a treat. If you’re fishing clean

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clear water, such as we find near the Jumpinpin-Broadwater area, throw a soft plastic along the edge of a drop-off or where the last of the water drains from a sandbank – these areas hold fish. Also, with snapper being off-limits until August 15, there’s some space in my diary. So if you wanted to hone your skills – for the Gold Coast Flathead Classic perhaps – give me a call and we’ll get it sorted – you can practice top techniques in the best areas in the month prior to the competition. 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 seanconlonsfishing@ hotmail.com or check out the Facebook page Seano’s Inshore Fishing Charters and Tuition.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 11

Tide Times AUSTRALIA EAST COAST EAST COAST – BRISBANE BAR BRISBANE BAR AUSTRALIA, 2024 LAT 27° 22ʼ S LONG 153° 10ʼ E

ime

Time

Time Zone –1000 AUGUST m

SEPTEMBER

Time

0256 0832 SU 1430 2050

0.52 1.80 0.44 2.37

Time

0221 0754 MO 1358 2022

0.43 1.91 0.32 2.56

428 1.69 100 0.64 754 2.05

0139 0700 TH 1259 1945

015 534 155 848

0.94 1.65 0.59 2.19

0.50 0305 0.31 0.63 0158 0.66 2 0330 2 0234 0908 1.87 17 0843 2.05 0800 1.66 17 0716 1.68

120 635 248 938

0.83 1.66 0.52 2.33

SA 1442 0.43 2114 2.47

SU 1414 0.33 2049 2.58

215 730 339 024

0.72 1.70 0.45 2.45

0400 0929 SU 1523 2151

0.42 0.47 0425 0.18 19 0333 4 0426 0900 1.91 1012 1.97 19 1015 2.29

306 822 428 109

0.62 1.76 0.38 2.55

0.56 0416 0.34 0.45 0500 0.18 5 0434 5 0450 1004 1.80 20 0948 2.01 1043 2.01 20 1100 2.36

MO 1600 0.43 2225 2.43

354 913 515 153

0.54 1.81 0.32 2.63

0505 1038 TU 1633 2255

440 002 602 237

0.48 1.87 0.29 2.67

0.56 0537 0.26 0.45 0610 0.30 7 0531 7 0541 1111 1.86 22 1122 2.16 1149 2.04 22 1234 2.34

WE 1706 0.51 2324 2.32

525 051 649 319

0.43 1.93 0.29 2.66

0558 1144 TH 1741 2353

608 0.41 140 1.97 737 0.34

0.72 1.61 0.50 2.41

Time

FR 1355 0.46 2031 2.46

0101 0616 FR 1220 1913

0.81 1.57 0.56 2.30

SA 1319 0.44 2003 2.45

MO 1508 0.42 2124 2.36

TU 1451 0.24 2106 2.60

0.57 0247 0.53 0.49 0345 0.23 3 0320 3 0400 0847 1.72 18 0810 1.80 0941 1.92 18 0930 2.18

0.55 1.77 0.42 2.46

0.56 1.84 0.46 2.38

0.55 1.88 0.58 2.22

MO 1505 0.25 2132 2.66

TU 1554 0.21 2215 2.68

TU 1543 0.43 2155 2.34

WE 1615 0.45 2223 2.29

TH 1648 0.50 2249 2.21

WE 1542 0.21 2147 2.57 TH 1630 0.23 2229 2.46 FR 1718 0.32 2309 2.27

0.29 0.44 0535 0.22 21 0458 6 0515 1035 2.09 1115 2.03 21 1146 2.38 WE 1642 0.22 2256 2.63

TH 1729 0.29 2336 2.49

FR 1722 0.57 2316 2.10

SA 1758 0.67 2345 1.97

SA 1807 0.46 2350 2.04

SU 1900 0.62

0.28 0.49 0034 1.79 23 0614 8 0607 1209 2.19 1225 2.01 23 0647 0.42 FR 1816 0.42

SU 1835 0.78

MO 1327 2.26 2004 0.77

0.55 0016 2.29 1.81 0128 1.57 9 0625 9 0015 1220 1.89 24 0650 0.33 0636 0.55 24 0731 0.56

FR 1817 0.68

SA 1258 2.19 1908 0.59

MO 1305 1.97 1920 0.88

2024

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MO 1408 0.50 2017 2.25

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MO 1238 0.48 1900 2.40 TU 1339 0.38 1949 2.44

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Full Moon Last Quarter

Moon Phase Symbols

Last Quarter

Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

New Moon

First Quarter

WE 1745 2.07

TH 1308 0.67 1845 1.98 FR 1415 0.61 1942 1.90

SA 1515 0.56 2038 1.84

SU 1609 0.53 2130 1.79

TH 1759 1.75

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SA 1423 0.76 1941 1.73

SU 1510 0.69 2027 1.75

MO 1555 0.65 2111 1.77

0.38 31 0315 0955 2.51

TH 1501 0.56 2044 2.03

New Moon 8

TU 1802 1.94

TU 1638 0.62 2155 1.80

Full Moon

Last Quarter

This event is open to everyone, from juniors to seasoned professionals. 9

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 13

Scoring bites from bait schools

Tailor were everywhere this winter. Ben Collins with a good specimen, taken on the flats when targeting flathead.

In crystal clean water, Ben Monro sight casted a flathead next to the boat.

ELCOME to the last month of the season. It’s the best winter I’ve seen for many years and this month should be no different to the first two. Large quantities of flathead, bream and tailor have been feasting on the abundant bait schools throughout the bays, rivers and creeks. The amount of bait on offer over the past few months has been amazing and the fish know where to find it. Bramble and Deception bays have held huge schools of small whitebait for months now and the fish have been feeding on it all day, even though very little structure is there for the fish to hold on. During winter, I tend to spend a lot of time fishing in the rivers and creeks, but the bays have been too good to go exploring elsewhere.

Local Luring by KEITH STRATFORD

Birds give the presence of bait schools away and can be spotted from a distance, with multiple schools of bait available for birds and fish to feed on. Some were in deeper water of about 3m and some were in the shallows, 0.3-1.5m deep. The deeper schools mostly hold tailor and some bream down deep, and small numbers of mack tuna also come in to feed on the small bait. In the shallows, the schools of bait have been holding tailor, big bream and huge numbers of flathead. The flatties have all been school sized fish, ranging from undersize to about 60cm.

I haven’t come across anything bigger yet, but I’m sure there are a few among them. Schools of bait are constantly moving, so when the action slows, it’s worth moving along with the bait. We have had some amazing sessions chasing the fish in the shallows. Some very big bream have also been feeding in the clear low water. I took Ben Collins out for a fish on the flats recently and we had a great day, landing good numbers of bream, lizards and tailor. Ben showed his years of bream fishing experience, boating a number * continued P15

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Ben caught a nice flathead in shallow water.

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Scoring bites from bait schools * from P14

of big fat models, along with plenty of nice flathead and tailor. The first few casts at a bait school were usually eaten by bream and tailor before the flatties had a chance to get in on the action. Though the bream and tailor moved on fairly quickly, which left the lizards to feast on the rest of the bait. I tend to spot lock with the electric motor about 5-10m away from the bait and bring the fish to me. Flatties chase the lures a lot without eating them, which brings them very close to the vessel. On bright sunny days, you can see multiple fish following your plastic back to the boat. It’s very exciting fishing and you can mix

your retrieve up to see what the fish want on the day. When flathead numbers are thick, it’s possible to land a fish or get a bite every cast for 30-40 casts in a row. When you find the fish, lure selection hasn’t mattered much – they’ve eaten almost everything. We used brighter coloured plastics, so they were easier to see in the clear shallow water. This made it easier to see the fish following the plastic back to the boat. Working a treat were 3” paddle tails and 3” prawn imitations such as the Fish Craft Dr Prawn. Small jerk shads also worked well. Bream haven’t been fussy, happily eating 3” paddle tails and biting

until they found the hook. The rivers were fishing well too, with good numbers of threadfin salmon in both the Pine and Caboolture systems. They can be very difficult to get a bite from, yet they’re a lot of fun when you do. Small jewfish are still in big quantities throughout most waterways, which is an excellent sign for the next few years. Over the past few years, it hasn’t been easy to find a legal jew in the rivers, so hopefully these fish grow into the 80cm plus sizes that we used to see regularly. That’s it from me this month. Get out there and enjoy the last month of winter. Hope to see you on the water.

Mikey Lee scored on his first cast recently, retrieving a decent flathead. It was taken on a 4” Berkley Gulp Nemesis in Pepper Prawn.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 15

Bream can invade the weed flats through winter and a fast and shaky retrieve can fire them up.

Chasing deep schooled bass is a great winter option. Jacob Iedema scored a healthy fish.

Tips for winter plastics fishing

Anne hooked a cracker 61cm flathead fishing a wind-blown edge that was holding bait.

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ITH cooler weather comes an influx of bait into many of our river and estuary systems, bringing with it a winter run of species, such as big bream and tailor, as well as attracting larger models of some species into the shallows, including snapper and flathead. The cooler months are a favourite time of mine for flicking soft plastics, so I thought I’d share a few tips and techniques for winter plastics fishing. Plastic selection Throughout winter, the westerly wind often calms the water, allowing the sediment to settle and the system to clear. This often sees me packing my fluoro favourites Electric Chicken and Sexy Mullet away, my usual goto soft plastic colours when the summer rain and wind make the water murky. I still run my favourite ultraviolet colours, Midnight Oil and Blood Oil, however I also pull out the clearer and more natural colours that excel in winter, such as Bad Shad, Opening Night and Houdini. The clearer water also allows increased visibility for predatory species and that, combined with the influx of smaller

Tackle Tactics by JUSTIN WILLMER

baitfish into my local systems, will often see me downsize my presentation. In the murky water, it’s often about brighter colours, larger profiles and more aggressive actions, however finesse presentations can often up your catch rates in winter. This is the season I love fishing the shallows and a few of my goto presentations include the Z-Man 2.5” PrawnZ and 2.5” Slim SwimZ, along with Z-Man’s range of Micro Finesse BaitZ, with the 1.75” Shad FryZ in Smelt colour a favourite, rigged on a 1/8oz size 2 TT HeadlockZ Finesse jig head. Retrieves For me, it’s almost two

extremes when it comes to retrieves through the cooler months. In clearer water, when the tides are smaller, I will often slow the retrieve down, keep it very natural and ensure there’s plenty of ProCure Super Gel Scent added. The plastic then looks real, feels real and tastes and smells real to maximise the chances of triggering strikes. Scent is a key when you are slowing things down and Pro-Cure Super Gel is a favourite because it stays on well, being a gel-based scent, and it also contains real ground bait as well as the scientific elements. If you’re still not getting bites on these days * continued P18

Don’t forget to pack a few plastics and heavier jig heads if you’re fishing the beach.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 17

Not all tailor are monsters but they are all great fun on light gear. Try a twitchy and slightly quicker retrieve. Kevin with a new personal best 77cm flathead captured from shallow water on the giant slaying Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ.

Tips for winter plastics fishing * from P16

Now that’s a nice tailor. Laura cast to bait being harassed in shallow water.

The author with a solid flathead fished a long way up a creek, casting to the mouth of a drain.

The cooler months often see less rain – the water clears and both bait and predators move into the upper reaches of the creeks. Enjoy this recent creek-fishing session, scan the QR code. Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

with minimal tidal flow, try slowing things down further and fishing the Ned Rig System, utilising a TT NedlockZ mushroom-style jig head and a naturally buoyant Z-Man plastic for a rapid stand-up presentation that can be dragged and twitched on the bottom. When the tides are larger, there’s more flow and the fish and bait are moving quicker as they transition through different areas with the tide. In this situation, I will often speed up the retrieve and fish more aggressively because the fish are on the move and spend less time deciding whether to eat a lure presentation. A quicker and more aggressive hop, a burn (fast wind) and kill (pause), or a shake and wind retrieve can all fire up the bite. The key as always is to mix up the retrieve until you find what works – a slower retrieve may get the bream or flathead to bite, while a more aggressive retrieve may fire up tailor or snapper. Shallows The influx of smaller bait will often flood into the shallows to escape predatory fish, which makes winter a great

time for shallow-water fishing. I catch many of my largest flathead and bream throughout the cooler months and it’s often in less than 0.5m of water. There are a few keys to success when fishing this shallow. Keeping an eye out for bait is one. Bait movement on the surface often signals a predatory fish harassing them and a quick cast to the area will often result in an instant hook up. Likewise, if you see a bow wave of bait pushing across a flat, if often

has a predator tracking it and pushing it along. I recently cast to one of these bow waves in 30cm of water and was instantly connected to a mid-60cm flathead that shot across the flat. One secret I will share with you is that jig head weight has nothing to do with water depth at times when hunting the flats. I will often fish a 1/81/4oz jig head in 0.5m of water and the reason is twofold. It’s about A, getting a long cast away from the boat in the clear and * continued P19

Behind Steve’s left elbow is a shallow sandbank where bait was spooking and this flathead was the reason why.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Tips for winter plastics fishing * from P18

shallow water and B, keeping the lure in the water when I have the rod tip up and fishing a rapid wind and shake retrieve with an occasional pause, much like you would when working topwater lures. However, I find that the plastic appeals to more species, I can also pause it and hop the bottom if I find an area holding more grunter or flathead. Land-based All this talk of shallow water should be getting the land-based anglers excited as the bait and larger predatory species push into shallow water. I find myself pushing the boat, kayak or standup paddle board into super shallow water, while land-based anglers are worried about finding deep water. Don’t forget to check your local expanses of sand, weed and mud flats. The prime times to target these areas are wading the last few hours of the run-in tide and the first hour of the run-out. Fish will often push onto the flats with the tide, so they will be on there earlier in the tide cycle, while on the runout, they will often exit the flats sooner. This can make the runin tide more productive, however be ready for a feeding period on that

first of the run-out, as the fish will make the most of their last opportunity to feed before they move to deeper water. When wading the flats, it’s important to pay attention to what’s happening around you and think like a fish. Ask yourself where the fish might be on the flat and why they would be in that area. Is it bait, structure, changes in depth or access to deeper water that may see fish moving across certain areas of the flat? Up the creek During the cooler months, we often encounter sustained periods without rain and this opens another zone in our waterways for fishing. Throughout a lot of areas that I fish, summer rain renders the creeks unfishable for extended periods of time, however the lack of rain throughout the cooler months sees these waterways clearing, bait pushing up and predators following. It’s worth an explore into the upper reaches of your local creeks when the water is clear. Keep an eye on the sounder and the edges of the creek for bait activity as sections will likely be barren, while others will potentially be loaded with bait and fish.

A recent session up a local system saw quiet sections of creek, then around the next bend loads of bait balls were on the sounder and it was a bream a cast action. The bait in this instance was tiny and the plastic that got the bites was my favourite bitesize baitfish imitation, the Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ. It’s incredible the variety of species that will travel a long way up the creek following bait. We have encountered all the bread-and-butter favourites such as bream, grunter, flathead and jewfish, along with tailor, snapper and even cobia on more than one occasion. * continued P20

Ron landed a nice flathead after hopping the shallow weed edge in the background.

Visiting from barramundi country, Steve had a ball chasing bream that were hunting bait on the flats. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 19

Competition Winning Performance

FISHING EVENTS EVENT

DATE

LOCATION

2024 AFTA Tackle Show Aug 15-17

Gold Coast, Qld afta.net.au

Catch a Catty Family Aug 17-18 Fishing Competition

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

Moreton Island Aug 28-31 Fishing Classic

Moreton Island, Qld moretonislandfishingclassic.com.au

Kurrimine Beach Sep 13-15 Fishing Classic

Kurrimine Beach, Qld kurriminebeachfishingclub.com.au

Woodgate Beach Sep 13-15 Hotel Fishing Classic

Woodgate, Qld woodgatebeachhotelfishingclassic. com.au

Baffle Creek Family Sep 16-21 Fishing Festival

Baffle Creek, Qld bafflecreek.com.au

Flathead Classic Sep 24-27

Gold Coast, Qld flatheadclassic.com.au

Fitzroy River Oct 9-12 Barra Bash

Fitzroy River, Qld fitzroyriverbarrabash.com.au

Tackle World Oct 18-20 Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic

Lake Monduran, Qld masa-fishstocking.org.au

Wyaralong Dam Oct 19 Carp and Tilapia Eradication Comp

Wyaralong, Qld lafma.org

2025 Boyne Tannum May 2-4 HookUp

Gladstone, Qld boynetannumhookup.com.au

Rainbow Beach Jul 8-14 Family Fishing Classic & Expo

Rainbow Beach, Qld rainbowsportsclub.com.au

To have your competition listed in the calendar, please phone (07) 3286 1833 or email ads@collins.media Page 20 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

It’s time to get out to make the most of the glassy winter days and keep an eye out for bait flicking in the shallows.

Winter plastics fishing * from P19

Other opportunities Don’t forget to consider other seasonal opportunities that arise during the cooler months, with a couple of favourites being beach fishing and targeting deep schooled bass. Very different scenarios, however soft plastics are a favourite option for me in both fishing scenarios and they are easy to fish – you can fish the entire water column – and they appeal to a wide range of species. If you want to give the winter deep schooled bass a go, keep an eye on the sounder, locate the school and then fish through them, mixing up the retrieve until you find what switches them on. Two of my favourite presentations for targeting schooled bass are a Z-Man 2.5” Slim SwimZ on a 1/4oz 1/0 TT DemonZ jig head and the larger 3” Slim SwimZ on a TT RevlockZ (underspin) jig head in 1/4oz, 3/8oz or 1/2oz 3/0. If you’re land-based, try walking the edges of local impoundments, running and gunning until you find a school of fish. Look for areas where the land signals that it

drops into deeper water, while also working either side of any points you come across. For those visiting the beach over the cooler months, make sure you pack a few Z-Man 3” MinnowZ in natural baitfish colours, such as Pearl Blue Glimmer, Opening Night and Pinfish, along with a few 1/4oz, 3/8oz and 1/2oz 3/0 TT HeadlockZ HD jig heads. This versatile paddle tail presentation can be fished with a slow roll, burn and kill or hopped on the bottom for a variety of species, including tailor, flathead, trevally, queenfish and more. Again, keep an eye out for bait, structure and water movement formed by points, gutters and changes in depth. Take the time to enjoy these beautiful winter days, explore some new water, mix up the retrieves when fishing those soft plastics and I’m sure you’ll put a bend in the rod. Hopefully a few of these tips will get you started on your soft plastics journey or help to add a new personal best or species to your catch list. See you on the water…

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 21

The WFC 2024 major prize winner Jenny Hewett.

Competitor Bec on a BK’s Gold Coast Fishing Charter.

2024 Women’s Fishing Classic wrap up

A WFC entrant out with Capns Charters.

A recent cover fisho, Joanne Martin.

There’s something for women of all skill levels fishing in the Women’s Fishing Classic. Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

HE Women’s Fishing Classic is a fishing competition for women in southeast Queensland – and so much more. Female anglers of all ages and abilities come together, many helping each other to grow in their angling skills and to meet like-minded women, building friendships while experiencing the competition. While fun and camaraderie between competitors was evident in 2024, that didn’t overshadow the exceptionally talented female anglers’ catches – there was some stiff competition. The sweetener of a chance to win the beautifully equipped Stacer tinnie, from platinum sponsor Wynnum Marine, definitely added to the reasons for joining the month-long online Women’s Fishing Classic. 2024 WFC statistics: • 121 registered anglers • 81 entered fish • Most by one angler, 349 fish • Top five fish species submitted – bream, whiting, flathead, snapper and pearl perch. The data of the 4742

fish caught was used to track fish patterns. The online female fishing event was the brainchild of Noosa fisho Nicole Robinson, who was determined to create a positive place for women in fishing. Somewhere to connect, build mateship and for all females to fish at all levels, with the positive mindset of leaving things better than they were found in all areas of fishing – what we take out is as important as what we leave behind. No fishing skill is needed to win the amazing major prize, simply attend the final presentation when your number is randomly selected. There’s something for women of all skills levels fishing in this competition. Partners and families are encouraged to support their anglers at the opening and presentation. Being part of the 2024 Women’s Fishing Classic is something no female fisho living in southeast Queensland should miss. At the forefront of providing a great Women’s Fishing Classic ex-

perience and making this competition possible, we thank sponsors Wynnum Marine, Staunch Crab, Yamaha, Wilson Fishing, Club Marine, Anaconda Tingalpa, Chris Britton Rods, Mitchy’s Itchy’s, Deep End Fishing Charters, Tweed Bait, Aussie Outback Supplies, Insalt, Garmin, Spikes Fishing, Elkat Fishing Australia, Lake Awoonga Barra Charters, Rockliff Seafood, Holt Productions, Mick Molnar Designs, Spotters Sunglasses, Gobblers Lures and all supporters. Each year, the Women’s Fishing Classic runs for a month from midMay to June, and offers weekly online prizes in fish categories, onshore and offshore, as well as freshwater species. Watching the leaderboard and developing strategies of target species and sizes are key to winning a category, with real challenges for the serious angling competitor. So, support your favourite females and encourage them to start honing their fisho skills in readiness for next year’s Women’s Fishing Classic. Tight lines.

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Moreton Island Fishing Classic August 28-31 2024

HE Moreton Island Fishing Classic made a huge come back last year after a three-year COVID-induced break. The 2023 four-day fishing classic also included a ladies casting event on the Thursday and a junior angler education day for the younger anglers. The classic now promises education as well as excitement and adventure. The competition is run under Fisheries Queensland laws and the Queensland Amateur Fishing Clubs Association’s risk management program for sports cover to insure each competitor. There is a daily heaviest of six species, including whiting, dart, bream, tailor, flathead

and mulloway, which are awarded daily prizes. There is also a daily mystery weight of a fish species drawn out the day before. The daily winner gets a rod and reel combination. Each day of competition there are a number of random prizes and five draws into the major draw, held at the end of the competition. On the last day of the classic, the angler of the heaviest weight overall wins $1000 cash for each species, second place receives $300 cash of each species and third place receives a prize to the value of $100 for each species. Then, as a finale, all 20 main prize winners are called to the stage one at a time to receive

more amazing prizes. The major prize this year is a fully installed Daikin air conditioner to the value of $5000. The event will be held at the Bulwer Rural Fire Station at Bulwer Moreton Island and runs from Wednesday August 28 to Saturday August 31. The competition has an impressive line up of sponsors that support a noble cause – providing aid to the Moreton Island Rural Fire Service. Moreton Island Adventures has put an extra barge on at 12.30pm Tuesday August 27. South Queensland Amateur Fishing Clubs Association is supplying all its weigh-in stations tables, scales and other gear. Castaways Café and Store has some great

accommodation deals on huts and cabin-style tents for this event and will also be stocking more bait – visit cast awaysmoretonisland. com for details. So, whether you’re a skilled angler or think you’ll be lucky enough

to land the heaviest fish, a random prize or major draw, make sure to join us this August. For more competition details, go to the Moreton Island Fishing Classic Facebook page or moretonislandfishing classic.com.au

Check out this quality fish weighed in at last year’s Moreton Island Fishing Classic.

2024 Moreton Island Fishing Classic 28-31 August 2024

This event is a fundraiser for the Moreton Island Rural Fire Service

$93.50 Adults $37 Jun iors

www.moretonislandfishingclassic.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 23

Corey with a solid dart.

Great trip to Moreton Island

G The author managed a nice-sized bronze whaler.

’DAY everyone, this month will be all about a recent camping trip I did with a few of friends and family on Moreton Island. We headed over on June 7 for 10 days of four-wheel-driving, fishing and drinking around a fire. Once we’d gotten off the barge, we were greeted with a strong

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Moreton Island by MITCHEL ZYGNERSKI

15-20 knot westerly that made it cold and windy while trying to set up our camp site. With about 17 of us on the job, it didn’t take too long to get all the gazebos up and groundsheets down to form our common area and food preparation stations. And it didn’t take too long for us to get all our fishing gear rigged up and ready. My goal for the trip was to catch a shark straight out the front of our camp. But the first mission of catching bait proved a lot harder than I’d thought, due to the wind and weed that was being pushed against the shore. Day two, we opted to go over to the eastern side of the beach to get away from the wind. Once we made our way through Middle Rd, we entered paradise – zero wind and next to no swell, which allowed my father and myself to get into some nice tailor. This is what I was waiting for, a perfect bait to catch me a shark. When it hit 2pm, we

headed back to camp to find the wind had dropped and I was able to put a bait out using a 3.5m tinnie one of the crew had brought along. So out to the drop-off I go to deploy my tailor frame. Waiting on the beach and watching your rod is one of the most thrilling things you can do, sitting there with a couple of friends and a few beverages hoping the reel takes off. After no more than 30 minutes, I was hooked up! I had been fighting the shark for about 10 minutes when I felt something weird – a few seconds had passed before I realised the shark had stopped moving. I didn’t know what had happened until I had figured out the shark must have taken me around an old navigation pole in the bay or some form of structure and, after many attempts, broke the braid. The next day, I was determined to get revenge. Big schools of sea mullet were everywhere * continued P25

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Great action on Moreton Island trip * from P24

in the surf, so out I went with the cast net to try my luck. After many casts, I was able to get four big mullet for bait. That afternoon, I again tried for a shark. I was finally able to land a nice sized bronze whaler, though by the end of the trip, I had hooked a shark and sometimes two almost every afternoon, yet I wasn’t able to stop them all. So next time I’ll be back for retribution with heavier and bigger gear to try my luck on a few big sharks off the beach. Other than shark, we got into a good array of other fish, including dart, whiting, tarwhine, bream, flathead and tailor. The eastern side of the island had a huge

range of gutters to choose from, with many of them holding large numbers of good-sized sand whiting and big tarwhine. Beachworms are a must when you head over to the island. The gutters that were holding the better fish were usually closer into the beach and fairly shallow, with minimal whitewash. Using light gear was great fun for catching fish in the surf – I’m not sure why but they all fight so much harder off the beaches than the estuary. Throwing large spinners for tailor was the key to catching them in the gutters. We didn’t have much luck on bait as we weren’t able to get out the back far enough, catching about 10 tailor

a session was a great achievement. On the 4WD side of things, the tracks were almost like highways across the island. Most the time we were sitting in two-wheeldrive, having to go into 4WD only occasionally to get through the softer sand entering and exiting the beaches, or where two roads met and the sand was turned up from previous drivers. As for any holiday, the days go very quickly and before we knew it, it was home time. After an incredible 10 days of fishing, driving and sitting around the fire laughing, the trip had come to an end. I cannot wait for the trip we’ve planned for next year. K’gari here we come!

The author hooked a decent tarwhine.

Cooper captured a few tailor after dark.

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Jets and Cats Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 25

Billy picked up a very nice 63cm snapper trolling near Mud Island before the closure.

Prior to the closure, Aaron landed a cracker 56cm bay snapper on a Gary Howard Fraser Fury rod.

Moreton Bay pre-closure snapper

Geronimo and his dad Chris can be proud of a cracker that came in at 84cm and 6.5kg.

Jacob put himself on the board after nailing an impressive 63cm flathead while fishing with his dad at Pinkenba.

Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

HE young guns have certainly been hitting the waterways, bringing home some great feeds over the past month. Awesome local Moreton Bay snapper seemed to be on the menu right up until the closure on July 15. Billy did himself proud picking up a very nice 63cm snapper when trolling around Mud Island. This was a great local snapper and certainly one that Billy was more than happy with. Well done Billy, great to see you producing the goods! I caught up with one of our locals Gary Howard to pick up a couple of his bay Fraser Fury rods. A few days later, Aaron landed a cracker 56cm knobby on one of those rods. When you use gear built for the bay, chances are you’ll end up with a personal best fish, as Aaron did. Well done on a new Moreton Bay snapper PB Aaron! Another young gun who’s learning heaps about our bay area is Geronimo. He’s been fishing Moreton Bay since he could climb in the boat. Dad Chris has been

Northern Moreton Bay by MARK TEMPLETON

passionate about teaching his kids as much as possible on not only catching fish but looking after and cooking the day’s catch too. Geronimo and his dad should be proud of this cracker. It came in at 84cm and 6.5kg! To add a little salt to the wound, Chris caught a 4kg snapper a couple of days later. Geronimo looked at it and had a little chuckle… kids! A new young gun is emerging – Jacob has put himself on the board after nailing an impressive 63cm flathead while fishing with his dad at Pinkenba. Jacob chased this one for quite a while and now has a new personal best lizard. As you can tell by the grin on his face, Jacob was stoked with this one. Well done Jacob, we look forward to seeing more of your catches in future, though this one will be hard to top. The young guns are certainly holding their own in Moreton Bay at the moment – they are

giving the seasoned veteran anglers a run for their money. Trying to even the score and take them down a peg or two is Adam, also known as ‘Teach’, who took advantage of the great weather, hit the bay and brought home an 80cm beast. We have seen a few coming in at about 7580cm this year. It has been a very productive season indeed. Teach likes to fish light in the bay, with this monster caught on a 2-4kg Tairyo rod, 2500 Shimano reel and using only 12lb braid! A well-deserved catch Adam, nicely done. Jack and his crew have hit the Moreton Bay playground again chasing the big fish. They have been bringing in snapper from 65cm, 75cm and 80cm plus. Goes to show that when you put the time in to research an area, the results pay dividends. We were lucky too – Jack dropped a couple into the store for us and the eating quality of the * continued P27

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Moreton Bay pre-closure snapper * from P26

fresh snapper was unbelievable. Thank you Jack and crew for fantastic photos and an awesome feed, it was greatly appreciated. If the weather continues to play the game post-closure, we should see a lot more local snapper being caught out in Moreton Bay. And the great catches should continue from land-based fishos around Redcliffe, Margate and Woody Point. If you can’t find yellowtail pike in a store, you can always catch your own at a local pier or jetty. A few people use the traditional sabiki rig, with the more seasoned pike anglers using a little piece of red or yellow wool tied onto a longshank #4 hook. Remember though that pike can be slimy – hav-

ing a rag or a pair of rubber-coated tongs will help a lot. Whiting are an awesome entry level fish target to start young ones down the angling path. You only need the basics – a 1-3kg rod, a 2-4kg rod with a small reel or even a humble handline will do. Tackle selection is simple too, a packet of #6 long-shank hooks, a packet of #1 ball sinkers (ball or bean, use what you have) and a packet of small swivels if you are using monofilament line. There are so many ‘preferred’ rigs out there – keep it simple. I use a small sinker, thread it on and simply tie the hook so the sinker runs freely up and down the line and rests on top of the hook. Whiting are bottom

For whiting, thread a small amount of worm, squid or prawn on the hook, get it in the water and let the fish do the rest.

Adam, also known as ‘Teach’, took advantage of the great weather, hit the bay and brought home an 80cm beast. www.bnbfishing.com.au

feeders, so you want your bait down where they are. If I remember to, I may also put a bit of red or pink tubing between the hook and the sinker – this is not a must, simply an added attractant. Thread a small amount of worm, squid or prawn on the hook, get it in the water and let the whiting do the rest. On light gear they are so much fun and, if you have a sensitive tip on the rod, even the smallest of fish will look like a beast coming up. While many people will have a ‘better’ way of catching whiting – and yes, they’ll work too – I prefer to keep it simple and fun, and this is how I do that. If you start the same way, modify this method to suit your needs. So, take some time out with the young ones and introduce and encourage them to take up this incredible sport. It is not only about catching a fish and having a photo taken – it’s much more than that. Kids can learn so many new skills, including how to communicate and problem solve. So, if you only dabble or you don’t have fishing experience, get out there with the children and learn together. It is never too late, and you can also call into Tackle Land – we’ll help with your questions and guide you through the basics to get started. If you are going to stay out at night, remember to check your night-time running gear to ensure it actually works and that you can be seen! You don’t want to ruin a great night picking up a fine due to unsafe lighting. Stay safe out there and maintain the passion.

Whiting are an awesome entry level fish target to start young ones down the angling path.

Jack and his crew have hit the Moreton Bay playground again chasing big fish. Researching an area definitely pays dividends.

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0402 703 519 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 27

BOATING & marine

Gold Coast Boating Centre takes on Yellowfin range

E L L OW F I N Plate Boats is taking its range to the next level with their new Extended Cabin models, challenging the fishing industry with new innovative designs and boat upgrades. Yellowfin Plate Boats have recently expanded their dealer network and are now available at a new dealership located on the southeast coast

of Queensland at Gold Coast Boating Centre. Gold Coast Boating Centre is one of Australia’s largest boating dealerships, known for its exceptional service, convenient location and servicing options. Gold Coast Boating Centre director Scott Mahon said: “Established 30 years ago, we are one of Australia’s premier boating dealer-

ships, housed in a worldclass newly renovated facility that matches or surpasses those of top motor vehicle brands.” The renowned dealership is trusted by many locals and offers customers a wide range of industry leading brands, with Yellowfin Plate Boats being the newest addition to their portfolio. The owner’s vision is

Yellowfin Plate Boats is taking its range to the next level with their new Extended Cabin models.

to provide customers with a world-class buying experience – from the moment you walk through the doors, you’ll enter a boating world featuring the best brands. In alignment with Yellowfin Plate Boats having decades of experience and a very good industry wide reputation, Gold Coast Boating Centre is looking to home in on this status to further promote the brand at their dealership. “Yellowfin’s leadership in reliability, innovation, market share and exceptional after-sales service made it an obvious choice for us,” Mr Mahon said. “By aligning with Yellowfin, we now guarantee dependability with a fantastic range of plate boats that will reliably take you to and from your favourite water destinations.” With Yellowfin Plate Boats bringing an excit-

Gold Coast Boating Centre will offer the entire fleet of Yellowfin Plate Boats, including seven different model ranges. Page 28 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

ing range of high-performance, durable and expertly crafted plate boats to the market, the recent launch of the new Extended Cabin range has only gained even more traction to the dealership. “The launch of the Extended Cabin range has generated great excitement among our dealership and staff,” Mr Mahon said. “This new model is driving significant interest in our business and one thing is certain, we will have many happy customers realising their boating dreams here at Gold Coast Boating Centre.” Among the new range, Gold Coast Boating Centre will offer the entire fleet of Yellowfin Plate Boats, including seven different model ranges – from the versatile Centre Cabin range offering 360-degree fishability to the Folding Hard Top, built with up to 6mm bottoms, and the Offshore HD Hull, perfect for hardcore boating and fishing. This is only the beginning for Gold Coast Boating Centre and with this new Yellowfin range, it is expected to reach new heights in the boating and fishing industry. To learn more about Gold Coast Boating Centre, visit their website at gcbc.com.au For more information about Yellowfin Plate Boats and their boat range, visit yellowfin plateboats.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 29

BOATING & marine

Mercury introduces FourStroke and ProKicker outboards

ERCURY Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation, recently introduced the 8hp and 9.9hp EFI FourStroke and 9.9hp EFI ProKicker outboard engines. These new outboards feature an advanced Mercury electronic fuel injection system designed to provide boaters, fishing enthusiasts and pro anglers with

easy starts and efficient performance. Demand for EFI technology is growing due to the benefits it offers over carbureted engines, including ease of starting, reliable performance in all weather conditions and better fuel efficiency. Mercury Marine president John Buelow said, “In recent years, Mercury Marine has

Mercury Marine has introduced the 8hp and 9.9hp EFI FourStroke, along with the 9.9hp EFI ProKicker.

The 8hp EFI FourStroke outboard. Page 30 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

pushed the envelope at the top of the outboard performance range with our 350-400 and 600hp Verado engines, but at the same time we have focused on developing the next generation of outboards in our lower portable range.” “Redesigning the 8hp and 9.9hp family to include EFI delivers a host of consumer benefits, such as faster starting and better fuel economy, which builds on our commitment to continuous improvement and delivering high quality products.” Compared to previous models, the new outboards include battery free EFI for manual start models, with upgrades including a more powerful alternator, refreshed cowling and

additional refinements. Lightweight and efficient Thanks to EFI technology and other enhancements, these engines deliver up to 27 percent better fuel economy than earlier carbureted models in the same horsepower range and provide an additional hour of run time at 3500rpm using a 12-litre fuel tank. The outboards are light enough to be portable, ideal for powering spontaneous adventures on the water, eliminating fuel-related issues common with carbureted engines. These outboards produce more top-end horsepower than prior-generation carbureted engines, at a substantial weight saving

The 9.9hp EFI ProKicker outboard.

compared to most EFI outboards in their class. 8hp and 9.9hp EFI FourStroke EFI technology takes the hassle out of starting in all weather conditions. While both the 8hp and 9.9hp EFI models are offered with a choice of manual or electric start, the manual start models do not require a cranking battery, adding to their convenience. Mercury Marine Senior Category Manager for 30 horsepower and below outboards Jim Hergert said: “When you pull the rope to start the motor manually, it automatically charges the entire electrical system to enable ignition.” The 9.9hp EFI is available with remote or tiller controls, manual or power trim. The 8hp EFI comes with an easy-to-use tiller allowing for onehand control of shifting and throttle. Manual tilt-models can adjust trim and tilt by pushing down on the tiller handle, with the tiller also including a stop button, throttle friction adjustment knob and steering friction lever. Mercury’s engineering team balanced the powerhead on the new 8hp and 9.9hp EFI outboards and incorporated vibration and sound-dampening materials, including soft-rubber mounts, to deliver a smooth and quiet driving experience. * continued P31

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine

Fish about with a Quintrex Fishabout

The 9.9hp EFI is available with remote or tiller controls and manual or power trim.

Mercury FourStroke and ProKicker * from P30

9.9hp EFI ProKicker The Mercury 9.9hp EFI ProKicker offers all these benefits and doubles down with additional features designed with the pro angler in mind. The ProKicker’s high-thrust four-blade propeller provides superior control, allowing anglers to dial in precise trolling speeds. The new EFI model also comes with Mercury’s heavy duty Command Thrust gearcase for greater durability, as well as standard power tilt. “You just push the button and it effortlessly raises the motor when you’re ready to run on your standard main power,” Mr Hergert said. The new 9.9hp EFI ProKicker has shed up to 5kg compared to the previous model. Easy to maintain EFI technology also makes these engines easy to maintain and there is no oil filter to change. In addition, their m a i nt ena nc e -f r e e camshaft requires no

www.bnbfishing.com.au

regular service and no valve lash adjustments for the life of the engine. The new engines also come with a quick-connect freshwater flush attachment that connects to a regular garden hose. A manual rope start is included on all new models for added security in case the cranking battery loses charge. Whether you are chasing big fish or big adventures, the new Mercury 8hp and 9.9hp and 9.9hp ProKicker outboards, equipped with next generation EFI, ensure surefire starts and quiet efficient performance for days of hassle-free fun on the water. For those eager to get their hands on these new outboards, stock is expected to arrive in August. For your next big catch adventure with Mercury’s new 8hp and 9.9hp EFI FourStroke or 9.9hp Prokicker outboards, visit mercurymarine.com/ au /en /eng i nes/out board

T’S crucial you have a suitable boat in winter – for plenty of fishing, on the water activities and outdoor adventures to keep you and the family occupied during the cooler months. After decades of producing high-quality aluminium boats, Quintrex is committed to delivering premium boats to customers, with models catered to suit any fishing or boating need. The Quintrex Fishabout, with its innovative design and car-like layout and dash, provides maximum space for days filled with fishing, cruising, skiing, diving and everything in between. The perfect size to accommodate up to five people onboard comfortably, the Fishabout

has a large open deck area, and the wraparound windscreen keeps the weather out to ensure an enjoyable ride no matter the conditions. Product analyst Nathan Shaw stated that the Fishabout was a very popular choice for both new and experienced boat buyers, thanks to its ample seating and huge deck space on offer. “If you are looking for a boat to use all year-round, this simple functional ‘Quinnie’, with its large windscreen and optional bimini and clears, provides plenty of protection on those colder winter mornings,” Mr Shaw said. What truly sets the Fishabout apart is the renowned blade hull and flared bow combination.

“This unique combination is only available on Quintrex boats, which gives each Quintrex owner a very soft, stable and dry ride – this is why our customers keep coming back generation after generation,” he said. The Fishabout range is very customisable, with a wide array of options on offer such as cutting boards, live bait tanks, ski poles, biminis, clears and many more. This range is no exception to the premium boats Quintrex have produced over the years, with this model being the perfect all-rounder boat for the family this winter. For more information on the Fishabout range, visit quintrex.com.au/ aluminium-boat-range/ fishabout1

Quintrex 520 Fishabout Pro, the ultimate family and fishing vessel. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 31

BOATING & marine

New look John Crawford Marine website

Wherever you are, the renovated JCM website is intuitive and will help when researching the listings.

OHN Crawford Marine, Queensland’s used boat specialists, have launched a new-look website to help buyers find the perfect boat, backed with the reassurance of being JCM certified. The revamped website also helps boat sellers understand the options for selling their trailer boat. For over 60 years, JCM has led the used trailer boat industry in buying, consigning and selling Queensland’s largest range of pre-tested warrantied boats with four generations of buyers and sellers within some families.

JCM’s revamped website helps boat buyers find the perfect boat and sellers understand the options for selling their trailer boat. Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

Though more formal ways of advertising still exist when looking to buy a boat, the internet has transformed this experience. JCM’s renovated website has been designed to ensure the boat buyer is reassured by the ‘JCM certified program’ and also, can easily navigate the large selection of bespoke listings. Up to 50 quality images of each listing are provided in high resolution, accompanied with a detailed written overview outlining the boat’s features, intended use and options fitted. JCM managing director, since 2004, Matthew Hodson said, “Many boaters already know of JCM’s industry leading reputation when it comes to buying, consigning and selling late model trailer boats, however our previous site was focussed heavily on selling.” “The new site now equally focusses on offering our services to both purchase and sell a bespoke trailer boat. “Buying and/or selling a boat isn’t straightforward and the private market can be a trap for the trusting person and less-experienced boatie,” Mr Hodson said. “Hence the new site outlines the JCM certified buying program for buyers, and ways to sell a boat, accompanied by the benefits

and negatives of each disposal method.” The new site is intuitive, helping online users to research through the listings, learn more about understanding the finance and insurance available, and even trade-ins are considered. Along with numerous articles and tips on boating, from marine radios to understanding trailer tyres to Australian Builders Plate information. And the online library of articles from the ‘Trailer Sailer’ era has been further rebuilt, now with even more articles stored in the digital archive. Celebrating its sixtieth year of continuous business in 2024, it was a fitting time for JCM to ensure the website showcased what JCM does best – buying, consigning and selling pre-tested and warrantied trailer boats. In turn, further differentiating the business from the ‘brokerage’ or ‘sold-as-is’ style of selling, which doesn’t help a buyer feel confident in their purchase. If you’re thinking of buying, consigning or selling a late model trailer boat, why not head over to johncrawfordmarine. com.au and/or talk to the team at JCM by either calling 07 3890 2322 or dropping into the boatyard on 1031 Manly Rd, Tingalpa in Queensland.

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GCBC.COM.AU Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 33

TRADING POST SAILFISH 2800 PLATINUM SERIES – The ultimate offshore fishing rig. Powered by twin Honda 150hp VTECs 665 hours, Sailfish Tri axle trailer, plus an array of electronics inclusions. Dual Garmin displays with radar and autopilot, Furuno sounder/1kW trans, FLIR night vision, 2 x 240-litre fuel tanks, centre cockpit fishing station, outriggers, marine toilet, double bed and so much more. Now priced to sell at only $189,995. Phone 07 3890 2322 or visit www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au Celebrating 60 years in 2024.

tect, Dave Jackman. We rarely see them in Queensland waters, but this superbly built rig is perfect for the long runs out to the reefs. This 2022 model is built like a tank, with 5mm plate bottom and 4mm sides. With a grey acid washed finish, wide gunnels and some serious appointments, this really is set up for battle. A 2024 replacement model is north of $130k. With only 129 hours on the Mercury 135hp and host of options, this boat will suit the most demanding of anglers. $79,990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats. com.au

STESSL 635 COASTRUNNER – New in August 2023. One of the most optioned Stessls made, with Yamaha F200 XC outboard, Dunbier alloy 3000ATM trailer, Minn Kota Ultegra 112lbs 36V, 16” Simrad with 1kW and side view transducers, night vision camera, electric anchor winch, 250-litre UF fuel tank, outriggers, offshore safety kit, 50-litre freshwater. Presents like new, save $000s off replacement price. Now $139,995. Phone 07 3890 2322 or visit johncrawfordmarine.com.au. www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au

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Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

QUINTREX 420 BUSTA – Affordable and well equipped for the money! This terrific little tinnie is well suited to everyone, from the family to those who love to fish. This Quintrex 4.20 Busta, 30hp Suzuki fourstroke outboard package is well worth a look. With registration to January 2025, it certainly won’t last long in the yard. $12,990. Contact AMC Boats on 07 3808 7333 or visit amcboats.com.au

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Enjoy the Public Day at the AFTA Tackle Show on Saturday August 17.

All set for AFTA

HE Australian fishing tackle industry is set to converge on Queensland’s Gold Coast in August for the 2024 AFTA Tackle Show. The event, managed by the Australian Fishing Trade Association, will run from August 15-17 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year, a record number of exhibitors will be on show, representing all aspects of Australia’s recreational fishing industry. In 2019, a public day was introduced to the show’s program. The event now consists of two trade-only days featuring business-to-business trade and one public day, where the general public is invited to see what’ll be hitting the shelves of their local tackle stores in following months. AFTA president Michael Starkey said, “It is great having a mix of trade and public at this event.” “It’s especially encouraging for the industry to see firsthand the

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enthusiasm and passion the next generation of anglers have for our sport. “Sometimes, as wholesalers, we can be a little removed from dealing with the public, so this is a fantastic opportunity to engage with our end users. “It’s always really interesting to see which new products get anglers most excited and to receive feedback and hear the stories of fishing adventures from existing products on the market,” Mr Starkey said. Thanks to the support of the Queensland Government, the public day of the show will again be free of charge to visitors – register for free tickets through the AFTA website – afta.net. au/public-day Many high-profile fishing social media influencers and TV stars will attend the AFTA Tackle Show on the public day. Exhibitors are also making special plans for the public, with plenty of product demonstrations, competitions and

giveaways throughout the event. ‘Best in Show’ voting will be open on Saturday August 17 for the People’s Choice Awards. Visitors will be able to cast their votes across 20 categories, ranging from ‘Best Rod’ to ‘Best Sunglasses’ at the show. For full event details and to enquire about attending, visit afta.net. au and follow the menu links.

It’s always interesting to see which new products get anglers most excited.

Best in Show voting will be open on Saturday August 17.

A record number of exhibitors will be on show. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 35

The author caught a 40cm tuskfish using a TT Fishing SwitchPrawn+ in King Tiger colour.

Richard’s kids caught nice squid and fish on the Broadwater.

Winter options in Broadwater

H School flathead are a common catch on blade lures and soft plastics.

Katie was very happy with her big arrow squid, caught in 6m of water on a Broadwater reef. Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

I everyone, August is known as the month of the westerly wind, which isn’t too bad for fishing in the Gold Coast Broadwater and beaches because there are areas that provide good shelter. This is the month I fish a lot in the area from the Seaway to Sovereign Islands. I often call it ‘calm water reef fishing’ as there are actual live coral reef areas. South Stradbroke Island is about 10,000 years old. Before it existed, the area we now know as the Broadwater would have been part of the ocean, with shallow reef in 3-8m water depth. Using lures and fresh bait such as yabby and beachworms will catch a large variety of reef and estuary species, including tuskfish, snapper, grassy emperor, three types of flathead, three types of whiting, flounder, squid, tailor, mackerel, cod and many more. We’ve even encountered fish that normally

Broadwater Guide by CLINT ANSELL

only exist in far north Queensland! This time of year is especially good because the water is clean and cool and lots of baitfish pass through the area. The best way to find reefy areas in the Broadwater is by keeping a close eye on the fish finder when drifting in

the channels, the bottom looks slightly rougher instead of flat. By GPS marking the areas, you’ll work out where these patches start and finish. Some of them stretch for kilometres and are 100m wide. You’ll find the bottom * continued P38

An abundance of arrow squid are in the Broadwater channels this month.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 37

Winter options in Broadwater * from P36

Footy legend Lote Tuqiri and his kids enjoyed a day on the Broadwater with the author.

is quite snaggy too and you’ll hook lots of shells. My favourite reefy areas exist along South Currigee, Runaway Bay, between Ephraim and Sovereign islands, and on the eastern edge of the main channel, north of Wave Break Island. Drifting these areas and jigging blades such as Ecogear ZX and TT Fishing SwitchPrawn+ on the bottom will get heaps of attention from a lot of fish and squid. I like a drift speed

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of about one knot or 1.8km/h. Any faster or slower and we adjust where we fish – either closer to channel edges or further away from them. As with many types of fishing, if there’s a heap of bait patches showing on the fish finder, there’s a good chance the fishing will be productive. Anchoring also can work well with bait, though remember not to anchor in the channels between the red and green markers. Sometimes all the bait and best fishing is a lot shallower. If the deeper reef areas aren’t working, it may pay to switch to the sand and weed areas along the edges of islands and foreshores. We still jig the blade lures here with a more horizontal presentation, plus soft plastics come into play as well for flathead. At the moment, the new pre-rigged Fish Craft Dr Prawn 3” lures and the new Z-Man 3” MinnowZ colours are getting great results. Always remember, slowing the lure retrieval down and pausing works well. Flathead are fast moving over short distances

but have their limits. Particularly when drifting at speed, working the lure back to the boat too quickly reduces the catch rate. Often when drifting, I leave soft plastics 20m out without winding at all, simply lifting and dropping the rod tips, with pauses in between. While doing any fishing in the Broadwater, keep an eye out for birds diving – there will be fish feeding nearby too. Also look out for tailor busting up, the larger fish make big splashes. They will hit almost any lure that moves, though keep a rod rigged with a 14lb leader and a Samaki metal slug – they cast a mile, helping you reach feeding tailor. When you get a hit, strike hard and keep the rod tip up to stop them biting you off. Have a great month and get out there and catch a beautiful feed! To book on a charter with myself or Brad, or if you have any fishing related questions, visit goldcoastrivercharters. com, SMS 0432 990 302 or email fishing withclint@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook at Brad Smith Fishing Charters.

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August is longtail tuna time in Tweed

by GAVIN DOBSON

moon, I caught five and, while they’re fun to catch and not bad to eat, in the dark they are fairly annoying, circling under the boat collecting all the lines. And spanish mackerel are still about too. They have definitely thinned out, yet are being caught on the local reef at Brunswick Heads and at Black Rock Reef. How long will they hang around for? Well, that’s anyone’s guess. I didn’t expect to be writing about them in the previous two issues, let alone this one.

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Having said that, I have seen stragglers caught in August before. Onto the more normal species for this time of year… Snapper have made a show both out wide and in shallow. This is great news for small boat owners because the past few years have been fairly lean for snapper on the close reefs. This being the year of the longtail and all, you are going to have to sort through a few of these to get to the snapper. Longies are particu-

but they might not show this year, fingers crossed. We managed to avoid this species last year – they moved north as far as Ballina and stopped – so it would be nice if they were as courteous this year. Last month, I reported that mackerel were still around and might continue to be caught. Tick, I got that one right. I also suggested there may be some mahi mahi on the fish aggregating device. Well, there might have been… if there was a FAD! Sorry about that – the FAD is not there. I don’t know if it broke free or was removed * continued P40

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larly fond of a soft plastic aimed at a snapper and are a real handful on light snapper spin gear. The other thing making snapper fishing in close a bit more difficult recently is the crystal clean water. It’s great to have good quality water, however when there’s sun in the sky, the snapper are touchy, as you would imagine. Early starts and nights are the go at the moment. Out wide, there have been some cracking snapper catches, though traditionally leatherjacket turn up and devour everything towards the end of July. Fishing can be a bit slow after they leave,

Tweed to Byron Bay

HIS year would have to go down as the year of the longtail tuna. They have been thick for months now and show no signs of abating. If you’ve been targeting longtail, you will have caught them, yet even if not targeting them, you still will have caught them. They have been showing up as by-catch in the strangest places, such as beach fronts for example. A couple were caught locally from the beach by fishos spinning for tailor. I myself couldn’t get away from them one night fishing an isolated jewfish spot. In the black of a dark

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for maintenance, but at the time of writing, it still wasn’t there. Tailor season this year has been great, with fish showing up in numbers almost like the old days. They were schooling along the open beaches either side of the Brunswick River mouth, and any productive-looking

water has been producing. Alternatively, most days there were birds working, making them easy to find for those walking the beach with a rod and a handful of spinners. Flathead were still making themselves known in our estuaries and, towards the end of this month, we might

start to see some whiting biting. Whiting will be about but tend not to feed too readily through August. If we get a northerly wind though later, they will unlock their jaws and have a feed. So, whether the river, longtail, snapper or the shelf, I hope you get among it this month.

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www.facebook.com/bnbfishing A very late season spanish mackerel for Atlas. Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

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Fishing for beasts off Ballina’s close reefs

ELLO all, for the most part, the weather over the past month has been some of the best we’ve had all year. It’s so nice being greeted by slightly chilly mornings, and enjoying the warmth of the day has been a welcome change. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article, we were in the midst of a period of rainy, windy and generally depressing weather. And it’s nearly impossible to predict what the state of the river will be like once this current weather system has passed. I suspect it will discolour the water all the way to the mouth for a short period, yet it will clear fairly quickly in my opinion. For now, all we can do is cross our fingers that not too many more days of torrential rain are ahead of us and that plenty of blue sky is on the horizon. Before this weather system hit us, we had been seeing an occasional mackerel on the close reefs. Though as this current weather pattern continues dropping the water temperature, it will probably be the last of the mackerel for the year. On the plus side, we have also seen mulloway, tuna and snapper on the close reefs.

Ballina Bait & Tackle by BRETT HYDE

Live bait were a little hard to find at times, so cut bait such mullet, bonito and yellowtail were all good substitutes. Over the next few weeks, we should see an increase in the quantity of snapper in close. Lightly weighted pilchard and soft plastics will both be popular ways to target snapper in these areas, but it would also be worth trying soft vibes in the 90-120mm range. These are typically between 15-30g in weight and, for the most part, give off an excellent vibration when lifted or slowly retrieved. This vibration will imitate a wounded baitfish and should see snapper and potentially mulloway move in and show them plenty of attention. Out wider, the current was a little on the inconsistent side. It should settle more significantly over the next month. So, if you haven’t already, dust off the deepwater gear – whether it be electric or manual – and get ready to tangle with some monsters. On the 32-fathom line, a number of late season mahi mahi were loitering around the Waverider buoy. The bulk of them were undersized, yet an oc-

casional legal fish was among them, if you’re persistent. Good quality flathead, reasonable numbers of snapper and a few tuskfish have also come from the 32s. While kingfish have kept quiet lately, the north 48-fathom line has produced good quality pearl perch and the occasional amberjack. Bait such as squid and mullet have worked well on pearl perch recently, but with the current slowing down over the next few months, slow pitch jigs will be a popular way to target these tasty deepwater fish. Back in the river, it was fantastic to see clear blue water push its way back up the mighty Richmond River. Perhaps we celebrated a little too soon, however I’m sure the rain will pass and the river will once again clear. For now though, I expect to see the mulloway holding on the close reefs make their move to the mouth of the riv-

er for an opportunistic feeding session. The usual suspects such as large soft plastics would be worth trying, along with some of the great hard-body lures that are available for chasing jewfish. Before your next trip to chase jewies, get into your local tackle shop and ask to see Jollip, Leavey, Croaker and Taylormade lures. They are all quite heavy, which is ideal when you’re land based and trying to throw a lure, especially if the conditions are less than perfect. All are built super tough and can take a beating from the rocks and, most importantly, from the fish. With really cool colours to choose from – including the usual mullet or baitfish type colours and the ever popular and certainly fish-producing white variations – make sure you add one or three to your tackle box before your next session. The current rain pattern will also encourage bream to head towards the mouth of the river. Already we’ve seen

some good numbers of fish in this area and this will continue to improve over the coming weeks. Mullet fillets, squid, pilchard and prawns have all been successful bait recently, and the lure throwers have enjoyed plenty of success on plastics such as curl tail grubs and minnows, along with metal blades and soft vibes. We’ve seen better numbers of flathead and smaller mulloway move further upriver when conditions cleared up. So, it will be interesting to see what effect the rain has on their numbers and location. But for now, continue to focus on the area between the ferry and Wardell Bridge. School jewies were favouring deeper holes and bridge pylons, while flatties enjoyed the increased warmth on some of the shallower sand flats in that particular area. However, the rain may push both species closer to the mouth if we receive an excessive deluge. Well, that’s it from me this month, until next time – tight lines!

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02 6686 2527 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 41

Jewfish numbers lacking

When fishing for tailor, Broadwater angler Guy Stewart caught a nice jewfish on Main Beach Iluka using bonito strips as bait.

HILE fishing over the past month along the Clarence Coast in northern NSW has been fair to middling, it was far from exceptional, which is what we’ve come to expect at this time of year. Inside the Clarence River, luderick were the main species being targeted by anglers, with decent catches of quality fish being taken from all the usual haunts, including the old ferry approach at Iluka, the Goodwood Island wharf, the jetties in front of the Harwood Hotel and at the t-piece on the Yamba breakwall. Bream were also in the river in plentiful numbers, however for some reason few anglers seem

Guy hooked a school jewfish at the old ferry approach at Iluka using a live herring as bait. Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

Just Jew by TYE PORTER

to target them these days. And gone are the days of seeing over 20 boats jostle for a spot to anchor in the area upstream at Browns Rocks. Extra over-sized luderick have been on the chew in the nursery on the northern end of the Iluka Bluff during a large swell, with fresh cabbage being the preferred bait by most anglers. Tailor continue to frustrate anglers no end, with good numbers being taken one day and then not a bite for the next three days, go figure. Back and Iluka Main beaches have produced fish to slightly under 4kg when they decided to bite, with a bonito strip accounting for most of the fish. When the swell allowed anglers to spin off the headlands, chopper tailor around the 2kg mark were spun up on metal slices of varying colours. With the southern end of Woody Head, the reef at the front of Iluka Bluff and Lover’s Point over on the Yamba side all producing fish when the beaches were quiet. Speaking of Lover’s Point, a young friend of mine Alan Anderson of Yamba has been spinning up a few nice school jewfish from here on hard-bodied lures, which is great to see. Alan usually snares much bigger fish from the t-piece on the Yamba wall, however the number of anglers flooding this spot has forced him to fish further afield to avoid the mayhem.

The t-piece was again the top spot for large jewfish last month, with multiple fish around the 20kg mark being taken on a combination of live mullet and hard-bodied lures. The Iluka breakwall was still lacking in jewfish numbers, with reports of only an occasional school jew falling to soft plastic lures when inside the river. The usual big winter run of fish simply hasn’t happened yet and, with only a month to go, things are not looking great. Broadwater jew-a-holic Guy Stewart has been visiting the Clarence River regularly in search of the winter fish. To date though, he’s only been able to find a nice schoolie at the old ferry approach using live herring as bait and another fish off Iluka Main Beach, taken when fishing for tailor with bonito strips. Don’t get me wrong, when I say ‘only’ – Guy is an accomplished jew angler and has regularly featured in my articles holding quality fish – it’s simply that by his standards, the fishing has been very poor, to say the least. Mischa and I have been doing very little fishing lately, with me being too ill and boofhead being in recovery mode after setting fire to his hand and suffering second-degree burns to two fingers. I’m sure most have seen videos of idiots pouring petrol onto a fire to get it going… well, that’s my boy in a nutshell – bet he won’t * continued P43

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Jewfish numbers lacking * from P42

be doing that again anytime soon. Prior to Mischa’s misadventure, he did manage to catch a finny scad when jigging for live herring at the trawler harbour opening, which is another species added to his list of catches. As last month’s issue hit newsstands and mailboxes, Ipswich junior angler Slaine Dodrill and a friend paid yet another visit to Iluka, this time chasing a late season longtail tuna from the breakwall. Over the final days of June, these fishos scored a trifecta of longtails using live garfish as bait and while Slaine did send me a picture of the fish, I managed to lose it somehow, so I’ll endeavour to get another copy off him and put it in next month’s issue. Offshore fishing was fairly steady, when the swell allowed boats to put to sea. Local boatie Shane Upton was in the thick of it, boating quality snapper and pearl perch on most trips. We were blessed that he gave us a couple of beautiful pearlie fillets. Very few reports have come in from the beach along Shark Bay. Mainly due to the fact that there was little to no formation, merely one long deep gutter for almost the full length of beach. Speaking of beaches, I saw where the Ballina Shire Council decided in its wisdom to totally close all four-wheeldrive access to Seven Mile Beach at Lennox Head. All the more reason for users of Ten Mile Beach at Shark Bay to photograph and report all idiots doing the wrong thing to the police because nothing would

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make some people happier than this stretch of coastline being closed. If we don’t start taking a stand against the handful of clowns doing the wrong thing, the majority of us will pay the price by being locked out. Now, onto August… Back in the 1980s, this month was synonymous with a howling westerly wind that would blow a dog off its chain. My friends and I would fish the headlands at Evans Head for the mack tuna up to 7kg that used to come in along the rocks feeding on large shoals of white pilchard. I’d love to know if that still happens these days with the lack of a cold westerly, but I’ll never find out as my health won’t allow it. This is worth keeping in your memory bank, if you get an itch to have fun on a few pelagic fish on spin gear, Forty Foot is the best ledge to fish because you’re up high and get a much better view down into the water. All in all, August is a top month to chase luderick as it’s the peak of their winter spawning cycle, as is targeting jewfish inside the rivers, if you can find where the flat tail mullet are holding. Offshore, snapper and teraglin will be the staple diet for most boaties until September, when large cobia and yellowtail kingfish begin to turn up in good numbers along the coast. I’d like to predict where the tailor will be, however I’d have more chance winning lotto, so it will be simply a matter of hitting the beaches and headlands until you find them on any given day. Until next month, safe fishing.

Mischa caught a finny scad when chasing herring for bait inside the Clarence River.

Yamba fisho Alan Anderson managed a decent school jewfish on a minnow lure from Lover’s Point at Yamba. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 43

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 45

Shimano Banar Bag

SHIMANO’S Banar Bags are perfect for small boat fishos who don’t have a lot of dry storage room. They are made from fully waterproof ultraviolet-protected PVC, with a reinforced moulded base and a large non-corrosive zip and flap arrangement to keep the water out. Visit fish.shimano.com/en-au

Talavera Type J

TALAVERA Type J series rods are the pinnacle in jigging rod engineering for anglers seeking heightened performance across diverse fishing scenarios. Meticulously crafted, these rods are tailored for an array of species, from bottom-dwelling fish to swift pelagic, promising an unparalleled fishing experience. Engineered to synchronise seamlessly with a typical speed-jigging tempo, the Talavera Type J rods boast rapid loading and unloading capabilities, facilitating an ideal jig flick as anglers navigate through the water column.

Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

The Type J series exhibits a fast responsive blank, allowing for a more aggressive pitch of the jig. This versatile series offers both casting and spinning models, ensuring anglers have the flexibility to choose their preferred style. The power spectrum spans from light to medium heavy, instilling confidence in anglers to tackle a diverse range of fish sizes. The incorporation of high-density EVA in the handle guarantees a comfortable and durable grip, while the SeaGuide zirconia guides contribute to impeccable line management. The Shimano Talavera Type J series stands as a testament to precision engineering, providing anglers with the assurance needed to land their next big catch. Elevate your jigging game with these rods designed to exceed expectations. Visit fish.shimano.com/en-au

Okuma ITX CB Spinning Reel

EMBRACING a full carbon concept, the Okuma ITX CB spinning reel is the perfect balance of lightweight design and robust construction, resulting in unrivalled performance. This JDM model takes the popular and proven ITX to another level, making it even lighter, smoother and more powerful. A solid foundation is laid with the lightweight and rigid C-40X carbon construction and torsion control armour, designed to minimise flex and keep the internals aligned and running smoothly. This stability and smooth operation continue internally with a Flite drive system, 7HPB + 1RB high performance,

grease-packed bearings and multi-disc carbonite drag washers with hydro-block gasket to keep out water and other elements, ensuring the drag remains smooth and micro-adjustable. Other weight reducing features include A7075 spool shaft and key drag washers, reversible carbon fibre screw-in handle and a machined aluminium super light anodised aluminium spool (30 percent lighter than the standard ITX spool). Overall, these features combine to create reduced weight and increased strength and performance in a classy looking spinning reel that will appeal to anglers searching for high end performance. Features include: • Lightweight and rigid C-40X rotor and TCA frame • Flite drive system increases gear stability and smoothness • Multi-disc carbonite drag washers with hydro-block gasket • Cyclonic flow rotor technology • Reversible screw-in carbon fibre handle design • Quick-set anti-reverse roller bearing • Machined aluminium super light anodised spool • Heavy duty solid aluminium bail wire with DLC line roller Visit tackletactics.com.au

Z-Man 5” Scented Jerk ShadZ

THE Z-Man 5” Scented Jerk ShadZ are a classic split-tail jerkbait profile that is salt-impregnated and infused with 100 percent natural scent, derived from real baitfish, to attract fish and trigger strikes. This is a versatile profile that can be fished at speed, hopped slowly or twitched erratically to imitate an injured baitfish. They are a favourite for flathead, mulloway and snapper, along with offshore pelagic and reef species. Visit z-man.com.au

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Plonker Pads

WHEREVER you travel with fishing rods, there’s always the consideration of restraining your hooks, lures and sinkers in a safe and effective manner. Plonker Pads do just that. With heavy duty Velcro and quality construction, your hook, sinker or lure is firmly restrained and protected. Plonker Pads are a quick and easy-touse product. Simply pull apart the Velcro, place the item you want to protect in between the sides and pinch back together. Reusable, quick, effective! Plonker Pads are available in store in 1, 3 or 5 packs. Visit watertowerbaitandtackle.com.au

dence to put the brakes on big fish. To complement the previous release of 6’0” 10kg, 15kg and 24kg trolling rods, Okuma Australia has now released a range of spin and overhead models. These rods feature Okuma’s patented UFR technology, providing increased durability, strength, sensitivity and lifting power, delivering far more outright grunt than traditional blanks. The quality and performance continue with Sea-Guide components, heavy duty reel seats, oversize shrink wrap grips and ABS gimbals to complete the package. Finished with a slick look, this series of rods is perfect for anglers searching for value, performance and reliability in a range that inspires offshore confidence. • UFR Blank technology for strength, durability, sensitivity and lifting power without adding weight • Quality Sea-Guide components and heavy duty reel seats • Butt join design for ease of transport. Visit tackletactics.com.au

It features a hollow body weedless design with soft supple rubber legs that you would swear are real. They move and act like real spider legs. Skip cast them under willow trees and watch them literally walk back across the top. Bass, Murray cod, estuary perch, barramundi, saratoga and jungle perch all feed on spiders and have all been caught on the Lunkerhunt Phantom Spider. What sets this apart from other soft surface baits is its ability to upright itself with its ballast in the sternum of the lure. The Phantom Spider fishes as good as it looks and when it’s on the water, there’s no telling the difference between it and the real thing. Visit ejtodd.com.au

Shimano Stradic SW Series Okuma Kaiyo Rods

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THE scariest and most realistic looking lure on the market, the Lunkerhunt Phantom Spider is the ultimate topwater soft bait for a number of both salt and freshwater species.

SHIMANO proudly introduces the Stradic SW series, engineered for the hardcore offshore angler. This advanced line of fishing reels is designed to conquer big game in the brutal saltwater environment. Featuring the robust X-Tough Drag system, innovative Infinity Drive and X-Ship technology, the Stradic SW series offers up to 16kg of drag force and smooth powerful winding. Built to last with superior waterproofing and high-quality materials, the Stradic SW series sets a new benchmark for performance and durability in offshore fishing. Visit fish.shimano.com/en-au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 47

Emma Rippon vibed up a few small nannygai in Tin Can Bay.

Brett Fah got stretched with a fun sized amberjack.

Back-breaking amberjack are back

Jacko with a great sunset snapper (pre-closure).

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Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

’DAY crew, I trust you’ve all been well and were able to enjoy the beautiful winter weather we’ve had over the past few weeks – how nice is it to see blue skies? With such glorious weather, fishos who were able to get across the bar took full advantage of the good conditions, punching it out wide. All reports were that the fish were chewing their heads off. Perhaps the wet and windy start to the year gave the fish a break and now we’re reaping the rewards? Good catches of red emperor, tuskfish, pearl perch, coral trout and jewfish have been keeping anglers very happy, that’s for sure. Also, there’s been no shortage of the chiropractor’s friend… the arm-stretching back-breaking amberjack. These brutes have kept anglers doubled over for the past few weeks, seeming to be everywhere and eating anything put in front of them. Having been relatively dry recently, the water in the bay has started to clean up from all the fresh fairly quickly, and down our end, the tannin stain has finally

Tin Can Bay by CHRIS RIPPON

given way to blue water. On the fishing front, the bay has been fishing reasonably well but what’s with all the grinner? I’ve never seen so many in my life and I’m not to only one who has suffered from this lure-destroying bait-steeling pest. Grinner were that thick at Tinnanbar Reef the other day, we could see them stacked up on side scan on the Garmin. They looked like mackerel packed on a pressure edge offshore, so dense was the shoal. Recently, in both Tin Can Bay and the creeks, great catches of golden trevally, grunter, bream and flathead were had. Fishing the final few hours of a run-out tide near Searys Ledge down towards the Snack

Shack with grub-style plastics has worked a treat for flathead fishos, with loads of fish being boated in the 50-60cm class. I know I’ve banged on about this a little lately, but the 3.5” Biwaa TailGunR Curly in Watermelon Red has again dominated on the fishing front. This lure has been catching everything, not only flathead. If you don’t have one of these dynamite lures rigged up at some point during the day, you are doing yourself a disservice. Simply rig them on a 3/0-4/0 TT Fishing ChinlockZ at whatever weight you need and it’s game on. Legal nannygai have showed up on the rocky drop-offs and rubble * continued P49

Mitch Martens jigged up a nice trout on a Samaki Live Shrimp.

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Amberjack are back * from P48

beds in the bay and we’ve had success catching them on Samaki Vibelicious in the 85mm and 100mm sizes, with Stripey Snapper being a favourite colour. A recipe for success is finding good shows of bait on your sounder in these areas, spot locking just off them and working your vibes back through the bait with the current. As for the Tin Can Bay squid… hmm. So far this season, they’re pretty much a no show. I heard a couple had been boated, but not in the numbers of the recent past. If you’ve managed to catch a few squid lately, feel free to pop in to let us know where you spotted these elusive creatures. As the water clears and the temperature drops, we’re hopeful they’ll appear in the numbers that Tin Can Bay was famous for a few years back. I guess we’ll see

what the remainder of winter brings. If you’re in town, pop in and say g’day! We love seeing what you’ve been up to and hearing of your adventures exploring the beautiful Great Sandy Strait. If you are not into fishing but still love being on the water, why not go grab a paddle board or go for a leisurely kayak out in the bay? When the weather is awesome, it’s a great stress-free way to enjoy our beautiful waterways, and we have four single-set kayaks for hire. With such glorious mornings, mirrored water, light to no wind and glass out conditions, do yourself a favour – come down, grab a ‘yak and go out for a couple of hours to soak it up. Well, that a wrap for this month crew – until next time, tight lines! The Chandlery Bait and Tackle for all your fishing and boating needs.

Megan Fah hooked a jewfish when chasing preclosure snapper.

Mitch managed a decent pre-closure snapper. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Winner of the $35,000 Stacer 429 Outlaw SC boat with trailer and Yamaha Motor boating package was Vern Ezzy.

Rainbow Beach Family Fishing Classic 2024

OTHER Nature definitely turned it on for our competitors and guests this year, with absolutely ideal conditions totally borne out by the outstanding 1800-plus fish weighed in. Welcoming not only die-hard fisherfolk but also their families is key to the success of the Rainbow Beach Family Fishing Classic and Expo, with the event dedicating a full day each to both kids and teens. This year saw 40 junior and 45 teen competitors comparing catches throughout the week and walking away with kayaks, boogie boards and some awesome fishing kit.

One of the highlights this year was being able to honour a founder, committee member and past vice-president of the club with the official naming of the new Paul Arthur Shed. Six special trophies were also awarded at the event. The Cedric Byrne Perpetual Memorial Trophy for Tailor Fisherperson went to Steve Andreassen and the Peter Brady Perpetual Memorial Trophy for Best and Fairest Fisherperson was awarded to Harry Carter, with four fishos picking up the Milton Modin Perpetual Trophy – Dorian Abel for Beach, Jye Treloar for Reef, Tim Bull

for Mulloway and Jack Stewart for Big Fish. The event’s major prize, the $35,000 Stacer 429 Outlaw SC boat with trailer and Yamaha Motor boating package, was scored by popular Rainbow Beach local, Vern Ezzy. Rainbow Beach Family Fishing Classic and Expo organisers wish to thank all competitors and their families, volunteers, Rainbow Beach Sports Club staff, vendors and, of course, our generous sponsors for making 2024 such an outstanding success. Catch you next year from July 8-14, 2025 for our thirty-eighth event!

Harry Long, Mitchel Cooper, Shaun Falzon, Dean Long and Neil Moy enjoyed RBFFC 2024. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 49

One of a bunch of tailor caught from the gutter chosen earlier in the day.

A tell-tale sign of deeper water is a steep cut away of sand dropping sharply into the water.

Tailor time on beaches

The author’s brother Ron with a lovely tailor caught on a metal on an overcast day.

COLD westerly wind, chilly mornings and evenings and long rods lined up along the beach signal my favourite time of year. It’s peak beach-fishing time in Queensland off the open surf beaches from Tweed Heads to K’gari. For beginners to experienced anglers, tailor are a popular species for a multitude of reasons. Including that they are can be found in big numbers, fight hard, take lures with gusto and, if treated correctly, can be quite reasonable on the palate. Time of year August and September

Fishing Tips by SEAN THOMPSON

are peak months for tailor along Queensland’s beaches, though bigger models tend to arrive in fewer numbers in October through to December. I’ve also heard of some large fish in January at North Stradbroke this year. Wind and tailor A westerly wind is ideal for tailor fishing the beach in Queensland and NSW. This offshore wind tends to flatten the sea and brings bait into shore. And, provided there is

The two bait fishing rigs for tailor, one for an Alvey reel and one for a spinning reel. Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

a little swell for coverage, it will bring tailor into the close gutters chasing the bait. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a strong southeasterly or northeasterly wind will push up the sea and swell and ‘blow the beach out’. That is when the surf becomes too big and uncomfortable for both the baitfish and the tailor, with stirred up sand and excessive water movement. However, the advantage of a pounding sea is that it will remove * continued P52

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 51

Making spare tailor rigs with a range of sinker sizes will see you back in the water quicker if you’re broken off.

Set up for an evening session on tailor after choosing a gutter with the sun still high on the water.

Tailor time on beaches * from P50

Long rods and 6.5” Alvey reels spooled with mono are perfect for bait fishing for tailor.

A selection of the author’s favourite metal and hard-body lures for tailor.

Tru-Turn hooks make putting the pilchard on much easier than stiffer gangs, and they have an offset shank for better hook-ups. Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

and shift sand to create deeper gutters and holes close to shore, making ideal conditions when the wind and sea abate. In a big southeasterly, all is not lost. You can still look for more protected water behind the leeward side of headlands – opposite side to the direction of the wind – which should hold bait and fish. Be aware though, if you are fishing K’gari this month, there is an annual closure to all forms of fishing from August 1 to September 29. This closure includes eastern foreshore water and water within 400m out to sea from the eastern shore at low water, between 400m north of Waddy Point and 400m south of Indian Head. Beach formations When exploring for good water for tailor, it can pay to either drive along the beach, if you can, or get up in an elevated position with the sun high on the water to spot deeper holes and gutters. Try finding a gutter that has an obvious pattern of waves rising but not breaking in darker green water. Look too for gutters with deep water close to shore and a back bank ideally within casting range that causes white-

water to spill into the gutter, which will provide a little protection for the fish. The back bank also traps the bait in close and with it the fish. A tell-tale sign of deeper water in the dark of pre-dawn or at night is a steep cut away of sand dropping sharply into the water. Another feature of an ideal gutter is a north and a south entry point, as this allows the fish to enter and exit. During the middle of the day, you should also look for shadows of fish on shallower rear sandbanks within casting distance from shore. Beach gutters with coffee rock will also hold fish during the day. Furthermore, a handy tip for finding tailor on bright sunny days is to choose a gutter with a big sand dune behind it, this will create what I call the ‘shadow effect’ on the gutter. Time and again our experience in such locations has been that the fish can ‘come on’ earlier than in the sunnier gutters nearby. Bait fishing for tailor Without a doubt, casting and slow retrieving gang pilchard or garfish bait is a very productive method for catching tailor. This involves simply

casting at the bait towards the back bank of the gutter with a suitably sized sinker – depending on the swell, between a size 5-9 ball – and slow retrieving the bait back to yourself, as tailor love a moving bait. If you find you’re getting fish in closer when retrieving, throw the next casts shorter to the area you caught the last fish. Though be sure to turn your bail arm or your Alvey quickly into place and take up the slack because the fish can hit as soon as your bait hits the water. The best bait are fresh individually quick frozen pilchard (rather than block) or, for bigger fish at night, strips of bonito or whole garfish. In terms of rig for this cast-and-retrieve method, I love using premade Tru-Turn gang hooks with swivels in between. These make putting the pilchard on much easier than stiffer gangs and the Tru-Turn hooks have an offset shank for better hook-ups. With an Alvey, I use a short 30lb fluorocarbon trace of about 25-30cm to the first swivel then another 30lb trace of about 60-70cm to the top swivel. This swivel is to avoid * continued P53

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Tailor time on beaches

match for this length its thinner diameter. line twist with an Alvey. rod, and I use thin diI also choose quality I then run a soft bead ameter 20lb monofila- braid that is not only between the sinker and ment line such as Platy- strong but extra thin for the bottom swivel to pus Super 100. the line strength, such help prevent knot breakIf you want to use a as Shimano Grappler. age from the pressure of spinning reel, I’d strongOnce the lure has the sinker on the knot, ly recommend getting landed, I give it a couple particularly after a few one with saltwater pro- of seconds to sink then casts. begin a fast to medium tection. AUSTRALIA EAST COAST At times, a strong sideFinally, when travel- wind with a reel that ways sweep AUSTRALIA, mid-tide ling has a fast retrievalISLAND) rate with long rods and POINT EAST COAST – WADDY AUSTRALIA, EAST COA (FRASER WADDY POINT can play havoc with the big sinkers of 6:1-plus. LAT 24°on 58ʼ the S fourLAT 24° LONG 153° 21ʼ E ThenWaters as I retrieve, I’ll cast and retrieve tech- wheel-drive, take ofcare Times and Heights Times and High and Low Time Zone –1000 of the rod nique. not to damageJUNE your ve- keep the tip JULY MAY SEPTEMBER AUGUST m with Time m Time m Time mdown to Time m Time m Time Timekeep m the Time Time m Time m lure m One way Time to deal a hicle in transit. 0123 is 1.87 0229 1.77 0314 1.82 Pads0326 0047 0.41 0131 0.63 1.54 0353 1.52 0326 1.29 0101 0.83 0017 0.83 from flying out of the strong sweep the use I use Plonker to 1 0844 0.88 16pa-0951 0.90 1 0957 0.67 16 1011 0.77water.1 1009 0.69 16 0950 0.77 1 0619 1.27 16 0523 1.14 1 0723 1.42 16 0636 1.43 1 0109 0718 of a starWEsinker on aTH wrap SA the1623 sinker, 1415 1.28 1556 1.39 1.57 which SU 1701 1.57 TU 1256 MO 1708 1.76 TU 1719 1.65 TH 1139 0.72 FR 1103 0.70 SU 1253 0.57 MO 1216 0.40 1905 0.93 2049 1.04 2147 0.89 2241 1.02 1848 2.07 1931 1.94 1915 2324 0.95 2344 1.00 1841 1.98 1809 1.84 I’ll throw in a couple ternoster rig to hold you can protect the wind0236 1.88 0327 1.72 0411 1.76 0417 1.47 0158 0.59 0121 0.30 0458 1.43 0431 1.23 0139 0.76 0054 0.70 of sideways jerks of the out in the strike zone. screen2and roof of your 2 0944 0.77 17 1034 0.83 2 1055 0.67 17 1037 0.73 2 0709 1.31 17 0624 1.21 2 0755 1.47 17 0715 1.57 2 0130 1039 0.60 17 1042 0.71 0747 1.37if FR 1715the 1.73 1759even 1.90 WE 1802 1.75 rod TU and a short TH 1534 Another tip is, you1648 1.48 SU MO 1744 1.68 4WD from sinker. WE 1327 FR 1227 0.66 SA 1155 0.60 MO 1328 0.52 TU 1258 0.32 2041 0.89 2204 1.00 2258 0.84 2340 0.97 2003 1.92 1942 1928 2.10 1924 2.03 1849 1.96 pause or two, to try imisee birds ‘working the Lure fishing for tailor 0340 1.93 0418 1.68 0505 1.69 0503 1.40 0225 0.56 0152 0.24 0034 0.89 0036 0.92 0208 0.70 0130 0.58 fleeing baitfish. water’, indicating comes in- 0.67tating3 a0600 3 1033 0.65 signs 18 1105 0.75Lure 3fishing 18 1112 3 0749 1.37 18 0706 1.30 3 0825 1.51 18 0755 1.70 3 0149 1117 0.55 0816 1.37 18 0533 1.20 1637 1.52 1729 1.58 1802 1.89 1821 1.78 1140 0.65 1123 0.69 FR MO in light to TUmeTH 1359 TH lures SA 1312 0.60 SU 1240 0.49 TU 1400 0.51 WE 1341 0.29 A WE range of metal of a tailor schoolSAin2301 0.94 to its own 2204 0.79 1845 2.02 2034 1.87 2008 2.07 2010 1840 1.85 2004 2.06 1927 2.06 in 40-65g or bibless deeper water beyond0500 1.65 dium-light surf, with the 0437 1.96 0000 0.80 0029 0.92 0130 0.82 0251 0.57 0225 0.22 0118 0.82 0239 0.66 0204 0.47 hard-body in0629 40-1.21 4 0827 1.42 19 0745 1.40 4 0855 1.54 19 0837 1.82 4 0210 4 1114 0.54cut19up1129 0.68 4 0555much casting distance, 4 0657 lures lures being easier 1.62 19 0548 1.35 1.36 19 0846 1728 1.68 SU 1805 1.69 1155 0.52 WE 1144 0.63 1226 0.62 1208 0.63 SA TU TH FR 1436 FR SU 1353 0.56 MO 1322 0.40 WE 1431 0.55 TH 1426 0.34 50g are great for fast some pilchard for fish to see.2.04 2306 and 0.70 try to 2346 0.88 1846 1854 1.88 1930 2.10 2101 1.79 2051 1.97 2039 1916 1.94 2042 2.04 2006 2.14 for tailor.0157 0.73 berley the0526 tailor closer It means you’ll need0115 to 0.87retrieving 1.96 0537 1.60 0057 0.77 0215 0.76 0314 0.59 0300 0.26 0312 0.64 0239 0.39 5 0749using 5 0901 1.44 20 0824 1.50 5 0924 1.56 20 0922 1.91 5 0234 metals, 0645 1.55 20 0631 1.32 When 1.37 20 0919 0718 1.25 to you. 5 1150 0.45 20 1149 0.61 have a5 straighter more 1812 1.84 1838 1.80 1233 0.51 1218 0.60 1314 0.61 1252 0.57 SU MO WE TH FR SA the SA 1516 MO 1431 0.57 TU 1404 0.35 TH 1503 0.61 FR 1515 0.46 consider Bait fishing tackle natural retrieve 2358 0.63 1930 2.16 across 1928 1.97 2015replacing 2.15 1954 2.04 2128 1.71 2134 1.80 2111 2118 1.99 2046 2.16 treble hooks with a0235 sin-0.63 When it0612comes to the gutter between 1.91 0026 0.84 0155 0.74 0158 0.81 0258 0.71 0336 0.61 0336 0.34 0300 0345 0.66 0314 0.36 6 1224 21 0612 1.56 6rather 21 be21 0801 1.31 6 0933 1.44 21 0907 1.58 6 0956 1.59 21 1010 1.95 6 0954 0736 1.49 0713 1.32 gle 6 or0837 two,1.40offsetting tackle for bait0.40 fishing, waves,TH than 1314 0.53 FR 1255 0.57 MO 1855 2.01 TU 1214 0.56 SA 1401 0.61 SU 1336 0.51 SU 1600 TU 1504 0.60 WE 1448 0.38 FR 1540 0.70 SA 1613 0.63 straight shank hooks I use a 13’6” 7-10kg rod 1909 1.90 2015 2.23 up and 2003 2.05 ing caught riding 2059 2.15 2033 2.12 2157 1.61 2220 1.61 2145 2150 1.91 2128 2.11 with a medium-fast acdown regular waves0243 in 0.75back-to-back. 0049 0.61 0107 0.81 0252 0.74 0340 0.71 0314 0.56 0359 0.63 0414 0.46 0327 0415 0.70 0351 0.37 7 0656 1.83 22 0646 1.51 7swell. 7 0921 22 more 7 1004 1.43 22 0952 1.65 7 1032 1.60 22 1102 1.94 7 1031 0827 1.45 22 0758 1.34 This 1.40 for 0846 1.38 makes tion. TU biggerFR 1258 0.39 WE 1241 0.53 1358 0.59 SA 1337 0.56 SU 1446 0.64 MO 1420 0.47 MO 1651 WE 1536 0.67 TH 1535 0.47 SA 1623 0.81 SU 1728 0.78 2.14 over 1940 1.99 2101 2043 2.11 secure 2142 hook-ups when 2.10 2116 2.17 2226 1.50 2309 1.42 2221 2218 1.82 2213 1.98 I prefer1938 these In terms of 2.24 technique, the fish0420jump at-0.51 0140 0.63 0149 0.79 0347 out 0.75 my lure 0328 0.70 0.73 in an 0354 shorter 8rods because 0424 0.67 0456 0.60 0356 0443 0.74 0430 0.43 I like to belt 8 0917 8to1001throw 8 1035 1.42 23 1041 1.69 8 1111 1.60 23 1201 1.91 8 1112 0740 1.73 23 0723 1.48 1.41 23 0848 1.36 1.39 23 0932 1.44 tempt the hook. sometimes as far SA as 1441 I can. 0.42 extra 0.66 SU 1422 0.57 WE 1333that TH 1311 0.52 MO 1525 0.69 TU 1507 0.48 TH 1611 0.75 FR 1628 0.62 SU 1715 0.92 MO 1901 0.88 TU 1757 2022 2.24 2014 2.07 2146 2.20my cast2128 2.14 In very 2221 2.02 2201 2.15 2247 1.72 2257 1.38 2301 2258 1.81 clean water length means you can To maximise 0236 0.69stand0235 0.78 0437 0.79I use0415 0.66 0457 0.78swell, 0435 0.51 0510 0.76 0450 0.71 0011 1.25 0432 0511 0.52 in a smallish I’ll reach fish anglers ing distance, a 9 0827 1.61 24 0803 1.45 9 1004 1.37 24 0940 1.37also 9throw 9 1113 1.42 24 1134 1.71 9 1157 1.58 24 0552 0.73 9 1202 1035 1.36 24 1020 1.47 heavy pop-0.55 FR 1653 ing beside 0.50 can’t, long SU graphite 1524 0.75rod 1510 0.61 0.85 SA 1734 0.79 MO 1826 1.01 TU 1316 1.86 TH 1410you FR 1344 0.54 MOand TU 1602 0.75 WE 1554 WE 1926 2107 2.27 2051 2.11 2230 2.11 2217 2.13 2254 1.92 2247 2.08 2317 1.61 2332 1.27 2048 0.89 2358 2346 1.60 even with 12’ rods. braided line – braid pers in 40-60g for some 0338 0.76 0324 0.78 0523 0.85 0503 0.66 0532 0.83 0518 0.54 0540 0.78 0522 0.76 0151 1.16 0555 0.61 awesome topwater acAlvey10 side cast reels in having less 1.33 resistance 10 1049 25 1035 1.37tion.10 1110 1.34 25 1110 1.49 10 1159 1.43 25 1239 1.72 10 1254 1.56 25 0711 0.83 10 0524 0914 1.50 25 0848 1.42 1313 0.83 FR 1447 SA 1422 0.59 MO 1608 6” or 6.5” are 0.61 a perfect TU 1600 through the air due to 0.67 WE 1639 0.82 TH 1644 0.65 SA 1746 0.95 SU 1904 0.93 TU 2015 1.04 WE 1439 1.83 TH 2057 2153 2.25 2133 2.12 2312 2.00 2308 2.08 2327 1.82 2334 1.95 2348 1.50 2221 0.83 Lure fishing tackle 0441 0.84 0417 0.78 0607 0.90 0552 0.68 When 0607it 0.85 0613 0.79 0043 1.41 0336 1.18 0019 1.17 0141 comes0602to0.60 11 1002 1.40 26 0936 1.38 11 1136 1.31 26 1132 1.36 11 1153 1.33 26 1207 1.50 11 1258 1.44 26 0649 0.71 11 0609 0.80 26 0842 0.87 11 0644 1524 0.73 1504 0.67 1656 0.90 SA SU TU tackle for0.89 throwing WE 1652 0.74 TH 1724 FR 1742 0.79 SU 1858 1.05 MO 1401 1.74 WE 1413 1.56 TH 1552 1.82 FR 1434 2239 2.17 2219 2.08 2355 1.89 2103 0.97 2315 0.76 2155 0.98 2158 lures, I use light 5-8kg 0542 0.90 0513 0.80 0652 0.92 0000 1.99 0003 1.72 0023 1.78 0024 1.38 0208 1.26 0152 1.09 0454 1.26 0321 12 1052 1.33 27 1030 1.33 12 1234 1.30 27 0642 0.70graphite 12 0645rods 2711-12’ 0.86 of 0650 0.66 12 0650 0.81 27 0757 0.79 12 0724 0.82 27 1006 0.83 12 0826 1251 1.34 1313 1.53 1414 1.47 1524 1.79 1529 1.63 1651 1.82 1543 SU 1607 0.85 MO 1550 0.75 WE 1751 0.96 TH 1233 1.37 FR SA MO TU TH FR SA matched to 4000-5000 2327 2.06 2311 2.02 1749 0.82 1819 0.97 1856 0.92 2041 1.09 2252 0.90 2251 0.86 2352 0.69 2245 size spinning reels with 0641 0.95 0610 0.82 0043 1.80 0052 1.89 0043 1.62 0116 1.60 0109 1.26 0350 1.20 0340 1.11 0542 1.34 0432 13 1154 1.29 28 1133 1.30 13 0742 0.92 28 0734 0.72saltwater 13 0728protection. 0.85 28 0741 0.71 13 0735 0.82 28 0918 0.82 13 0905 0.79 28 1105 0.75 13 1000 1.37 SU 1436 1.60 1530 1.53 WE 1635 1.84 MO 1704 0.95 TU 1642 0.83 TH 1348 1.31 FR 1342 1.41 I spool SA 1407these FR 1632 1.73 SA 1738 1.82 SU 1638 up 2040 with1.01 TU 2228 1.01 1855 0.91 1928 1.04 1.05 2358 0.82 2333 0.71 2325 Plonker Pads are great for protecting1852 the windscreen 15lb braid or very thin and roof of0021 your1.95 vehicle0009 from the sinker. 1.96 0136 1.70 0147 1.77 0129 1.50 0224 1.43 0228 1.16 0517 1.22 0501 1.19 0019 0.63 0523 14 0744 0.97 29 0709 0.82 14 0840 0.89 29 0827 0.72diameter 14 081420lb 29 0839 0.83 braid and0.75 14 0837 0.81 29 1032 0.79 14 1035 0.68 29 0618 1.43 14 1101 TU 1321 1.28 WE 1247 1.29 FR 1505 1.37 SA 1500 1.49 SU 1523 1.45 MO 1554 1.70 WE 1634 1.62 TH 1733 1.89 SA 1723 1.86 SU 1148 0.67 MO 1726 a long trace of about 1817 1.02 1746 0.89 2003 1.04 2019 0.97 2057 1.08 2239 1.00 2333 0.95 1814 1.81 2.5m of 20lb 0124 1.85 0111 1.90 0232 1.62 0248 1.64 0223 1.39fluorocar0347 1.31 0400 1.12 0039 0.74 0045 0.56 0011 0.55 0001 15 0853 15 0902 0.95 30 0810 0.79 15 0931 0.83 30 0919 0.71 0.80 30 0943 0.77 15 0956 0.78 30 0612 1.29 15 0555 1.31 30 0649 1.50 15 0606 bon. 1446 1.31 1404 1.33 WE TH SA 1610 1.46 SU 1611 1.62 MO 1628 1.54 TU 1659 1.81 TH 1725 1.72 FR 1129 0.73 SU 1131 0.53 MO 1224 0.59 TU 1149 1931 1.05 1900 0.92 2125 1.05 2157 0.99 So, there 2234 you 1.07 go. 1819 1.92 1846 1.80 1807 1.98 1809 I hope you get among 0213 1.86 0005 0.92 0107 0.69 31 0907 0.74 31 0512 1.26 31 0651 1.35 the tailor this season. FR 1519 1.43 WE 1044 0.76 SA 1214 0.65 2024 0.92 1857 1.93 In the meantime, 1755 don’t1.91 forget to check out my © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2022, Bureau of Meteorology ©First Copyright Commonwealth of Austra New Moon Quarter social media pages inDatum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astro cluding Facebook at Full Moon Last Quarter Beach gutters filledSymbols with coffee rock Ontour Fishing AustralMoon Phase New can Moonhold tailor First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Mo Moon Phase Symbols during the day. ia. 17

* from P52

Tide Times 2024

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 53

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Marcus with his first tuna.

Ishmael was super proud capturing a big dusky flathead.

Back to basics for novices

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Austin caught his first big fish, a solid golden trevally.

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Marcus managed a cracking queenfish.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

T the time of writing, the weather here was shocking! What can I say? I’m not surprised. Though some lucky school-holiday makers struck gold recently, with a few perfect days. It was great to see the classic glassy winter conditions, and the fishing was OK too, for the most part. Tuna hung around a little later than usual, unfortunately however, at times they were in areas I’m not permitted to fish. They weren’t fussy and provided a few fortunate anglers with some sport,

Get into the best fishing action!

Fraser Guided Fishing by TRI TON

spinning the old slukk or jerk shad plastic. Because my reliable toothy mackerel have abandoned me and with the number of kids finding their way aboard, I resorted to estuary fishing, lobbing a few soft lures about looking for the big dusky flathead. We weren’t always successful, but we did catch bits and bobs to keep the children happy. These usually consisted of smaller dusky or sand flatties, but occasionally estuary cod, trevally and bream. To make up for the lack of experience, we were casting much heavier lures than I personally would use. While I’m fairly certain the catch rate is lower when I simplify things, it does increase

success for the kids, by allowing them to replicate the most basic of techniques. It was not uncommon to hear, “Wow, I didn’t think we would catch a thing.” To put it into perspective, usually I would rarely fish using more than a 1/4oz jig head in 1m of water, yet these days it’s often a 5/8oz! Heavier lures mean more consistent casting, less wind knots and more direct feeling for the unsure novice. And let’s face it, fishing is mostly about confidence and being able to settle into a rhythm that’s free from frustration. Yes, it may frustrate me when a jig head gets hung up or the beginner * continued P55

Full and half day tours All levels of experience Experienced guide

www.fraserguidedfishing.com.au > 0427 230 261 Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

Quat boated a solid coral trout on a jig.

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Back to basics for novices * from P54

fisho is not able to set the hook as securely because of the bulky head, but it’s not about my confidence, it’s about theirs. Thus far this winter, larger trevally have been a little difficult, mainly because of the sharks that have hung around to hammer me. It’s certainly not due to a lack of fish, which are quite easily seen on my Lowrance screen. Oftentimes in schools so dense I couldn’t fathom the number of individuals. It can be heartbreaking to work so hard to get a bite, only to be hit by the taxman. Certainly, my reasons for targeting them specifically is hard to justify when this becomes a repetitive theme. And it sure makes me miss tuna and mackerel. They really do thin the shark effort out a little. Even though they seem to be more ferocious and larger in the warmer months, I have a funny feeling these winter sharks are somewhat smaller but quicker. My thoughts are that they’re smaller bronze whalers. Some I can make out

on the scan, though often they’re not very obvious and to the inexperienced eye they aren’t much bigger than the trevally we’re targeting. We have caught cobia the same size as the smaller bronzies too. Getting away from the sharks and the big fish… I’ve been enjoying a little squid fishing lately. No boat, no fancy electronics and certainly no one recognising me in the dark. It’s been fun dusting off some nice kit that I used to use weekly and chasing a modest feed on foot. One reel in particular I should probably put in the cabinet as a collector’s item – they certainly don’t make them like that anymore. I won’t mention any brands, though that reel is purpose, technology and innovation at its peak. I think it’s about 20 years old – I’m fairly sure the new kids wouldn’t come close. Yes, it’s understated in its nondescript silver, but that’s what’s so great about it. There is no need for it to try, it just is. No amount of marketing and hype can explain how good it truly is.

The author hooked nice grass sweetlip on a soft plastic. www.bnbfishing.com.au

Keen junior anglers at the VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic.

VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic

HE seventeenth annual VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic was held June 28-30 at Burnett Heads. After a very ordinary day on the Thursday when setting up, Mother Nature turned on three great days of fishing weather for the weekend. The good conditions allowed offshore competitors access to their favourite spots and some very impressive fish were weighed in. Registrations were up on last year, with over 100 additional seniors and nearly 100 more juniors entering. The Early Bird registration, which closed on May 31, sparked a lot of

A decent trout.

interest this year, with the Humminbird sounder a much sought-after prize. The implementation of two new trophies for 2024 meant awards for both the heaviest coral trout and the heaviest bream. Two entrants weighed in very impressive bream of the same weight at 1.4kg, which has already sparked a rivalry for next year’s event. The catch and release category for estuarine species continues to grow in popularity, with many anglers weighing in their live catches. The $500 tagged bream and flathead escaped capture again this year – thanks to Bund-

aberg Sportfishing Club for their assistance in tagging the fish and their commitment to the tagging program. While the event was underway, Bundy Rescue 2 was activated for two assist missions. When one of the rescued craft was rafted up and placed on the public pontoon, the crowd was shown first-hand the work our volunteers carry out. The volunteers at Volunteer Marine Rescue appreciate the wonderful support from sponsors and the community for this year’s major fundraising event. Hopefully, the VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic will be back in June 2025.

The winning cobia. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 55

Woodgate Beach Hotel Fishing Classic 2024

HE eighth annual Woodgate Beach Hotel Fishing Classic is almost here, and we are excited to announce that this year we have once again partnered with Queensland Fishing Classics to host our 2024 event. With our prize pool reaching over $100,000, by September this family friendly event is sure to have something for the entire family! Our theme this year is pink, with our feature fish being a snapper. The classic will take place over the first weekend of the September school holidays, which will see the Woodgate Beach Hotel transform into the iconic tournament precinct, with the beautiful foreshore as its backdrop.

The precinct will be filled with vendors, a rod-building masterclass and the return of our ever popular raffle tent. Our young anglers’ kids day will be held on the Saturday, with everything for kids – face painting, colouring-in comps, fish-cart races with Dane and Squid and much more. Also included on the Saturday night are our kids’ major draw down prizes, which will see one lucky young angler take home a boating package valued at over $13,000. We will have a few things lined up for the adults too on Saturday, with the team from SJS Custom Fishing Rods holding a rod-making and basic rod-repair

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

masterclass, along with another new addition for the 2024 event, which will be revealed over the weekend – it may be our best idea yet! Sunday will feature our fishing category winners for both adults and cadets, along with the highly anticipated adults’ major draw downs. This year, we have all the favourites returning along with some new additions to the prize pools, so be sure to jump over to our website and follow us on Facebook or Instagram to stay up to date with all things 2024, and remember to pack your tow ball in case the 2024 top prize package heads home with you! We have partnered

with Bundaberg Trackset again, with our charity raffle prize being a brand new 2024 Seadoo Spark. This raffle prize is valued at over $15,000 and could be yours on Sunday 17, while supporting and raising money for Wide Bay-Burnett LifeFlight Australia. Information about this raffle can be found on our website, simply scan the QR code. Fishing will be hot in September, so for the best chance of taking out prizes in the 2024 WBHFC, be sure to pop in and see Dane and the team at Fisho’s Tackle World Hervey Bay for the gear you’ll need. The crew are local anglers with extensive knowledge, ensuring

you have the best possible chance at catching the target species. And, up for grabs this year, the biggest fish has a cash prize of $500! The 2024 event will be capped at 800 entrants – to ensure we can cater to everyone’s needs across the weekend. With last year’s event being a complete sell out and many anglers turned away, you don’t want to miss out! So, visit the website and register to be part of the 2024 Woodgate Beach Hotel Fishing Classic. Key details can be found on the WBHFC website in the lead up to the event. We hope to see you at the gate in September!

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PERFORMANCE

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

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

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

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

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 57

A personal best and competition winner. Chicken parmigiana don’t come much bigger than this.

Kenton’s 35.75kg monster cobia. Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

2024 VMR Bundy Classic round up

HE last weekend in June is always a special time of year as it plays host to the annual VMR Bundaberg Family Fishing Classic. Held at Burnett Heads, the VMR Bundy comp is well organised and attracts a great bunch of people trying to either catch a few fish or simply soak up the atmosphere of the event and chance their hand at winning one of the many great prizes. For us, we always pencil it in the calendar. At the very least, it is a great opportunity to catch up, have a few beverages and try snagging a few fish. One of the many appeals of Burnett Heads is the variety of fishing on offer. This is reflected in the competition categories, with prizes for a wide range of estuary and offshore species. Thanks to our friend Jarrod, we are fortunate to have access to a large boat and tend therefore to target fish offshore if the weather allows, with red emperor being the most prized species.

Fishing Event by CHRIS RAIMONDI

The cobia category also holds a special place for locals, with some huge black kingfish calling the region home. Hopes were high as we made our way up to Burnett Heads from Brisbane on the Thursday at varying times. I was fortunate to get away a little earlier than usual and, after about a four-hour drive, it was straight to the Lighthouse Hotel. I should have known we were in for a good sortie when we were

greeted with chicken parmigiana night. After a cold brew to open the trip, a massive parmi was promptly placed in front of me. It was that massive part of me wanted to weigh it in at the competition site! I got to work and made my way through it, with a few beverages to assist in the washing-down process. Post dinner, it was back to the house and into bed, with an early * continued P59

Micka boated a lovely coral trout.

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2024 VMR Bundy Classic round up * from P58

start planned on the Friday given the 10-knot forecast offshore. Before we knew it, we had made our way offshore with the sun shining and a simple plan of catching live bait then chasing coral trout or sweetlip in shallow ground. The first part of the plan was successful, with pike and yakka showing up in good numbers. As I’ve mentioned in countless articles, it always pays to drop a live bait on the grounds you’re catching them on, though this particular morning, we didn’t tempt any decent fish. My friend Kenton took a slightly different approach, deciding to float line a fillet of fresh pike to the bottom on a fairly heavy sinker. What followed was absolute mayhem. Suddenly, he was bent over the side of the boat as the fish he’d hooked took a massive powerful run under the boat. We quickly pulled all the other lines in as Kenton’s brother-in-law Kane jumped on the wheel and positioned the boat. After a few brutal minutes of slugging it out on the bottom, the fish ran back at the boat, with a few expletives from Kenton indicating initially that it was lost. Luckily for us, this was not the case and his line tightened again as the fish turned and made for the surface. Thoughts of a shark had entered our heads, though given the run to the surface was very typical behaviour of a cobia or black kingfish, we began to feel a little more positive. Sure enough, after a

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few more minutes, we got a glimpse of an enormous cobia belting it out on the surface about 30m from the boat. We all went a little weak at the knees – I’m sure Kenton felt the pressure as we frantically cleared the deck, located the gaff, grabbed the net and prepared for the task of getting this animal into the boat. That task proved tricky, yet with yours truly on the gaff, we eventually got it done, losing a landing net in the process. I must say, it was the most nervous I had ever been before a gaff shot. The high fives connected and with a lot of yelling, we stared in awe of the size of the beast – a true fish of a lifetime and one that would surely take a stack of effort to beat in the classic. It was a good thing we had this fish in the boat because plans A, B, C and D did not pan out on day one. For some reason it was not happening and apart from a nice coral trout for the table, the cobia provided our only action. We pulled up stumps midway through the afternoon, heading back to port and to the event site to get the cobia weighed. It tipped the scales at 35.75kg, knocking off a beautiful 20kg fish from the top of the leaderboard. A slow day, yet one fish made it worthwhile. With a little wind overnight on the Friday, conditions were set to be less friendly on the Saturday and this proved to be the case. Our plan was similar to the previous day, though we headed to wider grounds for a chance at catching a

greater range of species. Our main targets were red emperor, coral trout, spangled emperor and tuskfish. Live bait was again easy to come by and the bite was much hotter than it had been on day one. However, an extreme abundance of sharks made boating a decent fish near on impossible. The fish we did manage to get to the boat were trevally, cod and a nice spangled emperor – a telltale sign that those getting nailed were likely to be red emperor, coral trout or tuskies. Much has been spoken and written about shark populations and depredation lately and my experiences are the same as most offshore anglers – never have we lost more fish offshore to sharks than we do currently. Having spent a lot of time at K’gari over the years, the behaviour of sharks and dingos share many similarities. Both species seem to be adapting to what’s in front of them, based on increased human interaction – Darwin’s theory of evolution in practice. Rather than actively hunting, dingos seem to congregate around people on the beach, waiting for an easy feed of food scraps or fish frames in the sand. Sharks seem no different, conditioned to the noise of an outboard motor and perfectly positioned between it and a school of feeding fish. Like many, I do not know the answer, however the balance is certainly not right at the moment. It’s a sad situation * continued P60

A solid diamond trevally.

Jarrod with a decent spangled emperor.

The fish that was pipped by 100g. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 59

2024 VMR Bundaberg * from P59

when so many fish are perishing at the hands of sharks. The only option in a situation where sharks are feeding is to continually move spots, and that’s what we did. Eventually, we found some respite and managed to boat a few nice fish. Four legal reds came aboard but none of those were going to trouble the competition leaders. Unfortunately, a couple we left down there may have been worth weighing but, in heartbreaking circumstances, we had an instance of hooks pulling right at the boat. To rub salt into the wound, my snelled leader gave way to a good fish, leaving the top hook with three large red emperor scales on it. My mood improved when I hooked a good fish and a massive parrotfish hit the surface. We thought it would be over 4kg, so were stoked when it weighed in officially at 5.38kg. A new personal best for me and another fish that would be hard to beat in the comp.

My brother-in-law Micka nailed a few nice spangled emperor and a decent coral trout, so all in all, it was a decent day, though one that could have been an all-time cracker with less sharks and more luck! Sunday morning was spent weighing fish and cleaning up before we headed to the competition site at lunchtime for the final draw and prizes. The cobia and parrot held on in their respective categories and Micka took out second in the sweetlip category, beaten by a mere 100g by local gun Keven Charteris. The raffle and random weight prizes kept the crowd entertained and Kevin’s day got even better when he took home the boat, motor, trailer major prize draw! So as quickly as it had begun, another year of the VMR Bundy comp was behind us. We will be back next year for some revenge on those red emperor. Let’s hope the sharks swim 500km east between now and then. Catch you.

Winners are grinners, with Wilson Live Fibre rods in hand. Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

Agnes Water local Amiya with a nice spanish mackerel.

Looking after what we have

I all, I’ve recently returned after circumnavigating the whole of Australia, with a quick sidestep to Ambon in Indonesia. We called into every capital city, as well as destinations such as Albany, Exmouth, Broome, Kuri Bay, Cairns and Airlie Beach. It provided us with a unique opportunity to view the coastline of Western Australia. We cruised through the beautiful Buccaneer Archipelago, which is a large island group situated in the Kimberley region. The views and sunsets were unbelievable,

Agnes Water by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

though for me, something seemed to be missing. Being a keen fisho, naturally I spent a great deal of time searching the horizon, looking for signs of surface activity. What I saw, on both our east and west coastlines, was an abundance of migrating humpback whales – it was a heartwarming experience to see such numbers of these frolicking ocean travellers. I did reflect on where the schools of predatory fish were, particular-

ly around the northern seas. I understand there’s a lot of water out there – we covered over 15,000km of it – and I realise a ship of the size we were on would not be the vessel to approach feeding fish schools. But to view only four bust-ups over 28 days had me scratching my head, especially when we passed through so many remote isolated areas. And it was quite * continued P61

The beautiful Kimberley region, where the desert meets the ocean.

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Looking after what we have * from P60

daunting to see the number of Indonesian fishing boats anchored just outside Australian water borders. It was an incredible sight to see, though it left me speechless and feeling a sense of emptiness. On returning home, I mentioned this to a few local Seventeen Seventy sailors, who tend to undergo sea adventures through Indonesia and the Philippines, and they confirmed my observations and thoughts. To hear their feedback and accounts gave me the proverbial ‘kick up the backside’ for my own naivety.

Many of the world’s oceans are under so much pressure. I often walk along Agnes Water beach and return to Tom Jeffery Park with a couple of pieces of plastic and the occasional plastic bottle, probably left by a forgetful beachgoer. However, seeing the port area of Ambon in Indonesia and the way its waterway is used as a huge garbage dump was devastating. Unfortunately, due to currents and wind, a lot of this rubbish finds its way into surrounding oceans, including our own Australian seas. One yachtie explained to me that in Australia, we think nothing

The streets of Ambon, Indonesia.

One of our local beauties, Bernie with a solid trout.

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of buying household essentials in quantities, such as four-litre containers to last us maybe a month. In countries where the majority of incomes are low, the same large companies cater to consumers by packaging in small affordable portions, often single-use plastics. Naturally, without garbage collection or basic services, the endless waste eventually finds its way into the waterways. Obviously, this is out of our hands, yet what we can do is make sure we look after our own backyard. As much as it was a spectacular trip, with beautiful views and personal indulgence, there was the flip side, which made me really look at the overall picture and what is happening with our close neighbours, and believe me, they are so unbelievably close. It was so nice to arrive home in Agnes Water, to our beautiful Discovery Coast. Apparently, while I was away, we had incredible offshore weather conditions. However, the southerly was blowing hard to greet me. All was not lost. I did arrive home to consistent waves, so surfing has been high on my agenda. And that’s what life is all about… rolling with the punches, taking advantage of what’s on offer and enjoying it to the fullest. Our beautiful country, our families and our environment. You’ll notice that this month, our angler pictures are of special females representing us all.

The author’s granddaughter with her new personal best bream at 34cm.

Amiya, now she’s just showing off.

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2024 Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival is fast approaching

ITH the 2024 Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival fast approaching, it’s time to get your entry forms submitted and book your accommodation. The 2023 event attracted over 300 people – a growth of 28 percent from 2022 – which can only mean we’re doing something right.

This year’s major senior boat prize is a Sea Jay 3.85 Angler fitted up with a F15LMHA Yamaha four-stroke 15hp sitting on a Redco trailer. As with previous years, the package comes complete with Queensland registration, river safety gear, fuel tank, rod holders and drink holders, all

supplied by our friends at Bundaberg Marineland. The teams event for 2024 has a $500 cash prize, and $10 from your team entry goes into the prize pool, so the more entering as a team, the larger the pool – see the website for more details. We have 22 categories in senior, junior

This year’s Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival major senior boat prize is a Sea Jay 3.85 Angler fitted up with a F15LMHA Yamaha four-stroke 15hp sitting on a Redco trailer.

and pre-junior, all fishing for some great prizes and trophies. The Wednesday night catch up is on again at the Baffle Creek Sport and Recreation Ground, the festival site, where we’ll have scoreboard updates, raffles and promo draws. The Baffle Creek Fishing Club will be cooking hot food from 5.30pm on the oval and the bar will be open. The festival kicks off on Monday September 16, so you’ll need to get along to the Baffle Creek Sport and Rec Ground at 560 Coast Rd to sign in and collect your goody bag. You can register in person between 8.3010.30am Monday to Friday the week of the competition at the ad-

dress above or online at any time. Saturday September 21 at 1pm is our ‘Family Fun Day’ – we’ll have rides for the kids, the famous mullet-throw event, stalls, food outlets and more raffles and promo giveaways. The Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival is a catch-snap and release competition, so you will need to photograph your catches on a BCFFF brag mat and upload it to our app, which will be supplied at sign up. If you already have the app from last year, simply update it. All the competition details and information can be found at bafflec reekfishing.com Hope to see you there.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 63

Seventeen Seventy Bush ’n Beach Trophy

Dale McClurg and his winning spanish mackerel.

Rob Schomberg showed off a Boult Reef tuskfish.

Offshore reef fishing fanatics WANTED One of Brisbane’s oldest deep-sea fishing clubs has vacancies for new members. Owners of suitable vessels encouraged. All levels of experience. Those without own vessels also invited to apply. Approximately 15 deep-sea trips per year. One week-long fishing holiday to town of 1770. Monthly meetings, video shows, guest speakers and free nibbles. 4WD beach fishing and camping. Inshore fishing also on the agenda. Interested? Then call Dave (0455 125 358) or Tim (0436 625 590).

POWER BOAT ANGLERS REEF FISHING CLUB INC Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

HE Seventeen Seventy trip to contest the Bush ’n Beach Trophy saw 13 club boats attend the annual week away. As usual, a few arrived early to get some preliminary intel – including checking out the new channel in the mouth of Round Hill Creek, which caused some concern on the first crossing in the dark. Conditions looked good for most of the week and, at the briefing session at Commodore Dave’s place, many a plan was hatched for overnighters and double overnighters to all points of the compass, while others elected for a simple shakedown before heading out on a big trip. With John, Brad and Gary onboard, Freyja arrived at the ramp, where Salty was already being let off the trailer by star deckhand Terry, who had come all the way from Perth for the trip. With the tide high, they left the creek on the previous year’s track without issue and headed northeast, intending to fish around Boult Reef. At the Outer Wides, the conditions weren’t as per the forecast, with the wind pushing a solid 15 knots. Before going any further, Rob elected to stay in the area to see if it backed off. Blackers and Dale in Offshore Account passed on the way to Fitzroy, while Lucky on Holey Doley arrived in the area with Craig and Paul, who also elected to wait and see. The fishing was very slow but as the shows looked good and they

PBA Spin by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

were hoping for a bite period, they persisted in the area, collecting only grinner and trigger fish. Freyja moved out wider and found some good trout they were calling 6kg plus, so with only a couple of tuskfish onboard, Rob elected to head to the area. Once there, Terry and Rob could barely raise a scale, while the other fishos continued to have a ball. With the wind backing down, Freyja decided to move closer into the Wides for a look. Salty kept looking further east, however with nothing to show for their efforts, they headed back toward the Wides. John radioed that Brad had caught another dinosaur trout, while Terry and Rob continued catching annoying triggers. Rob noticed his motor

was cranking differently a couple of times, but all seemed to check out fine… until the next drift, when he hit the key for a clunk, then nothing. The wiring was checked with no issues and, after further fault finding and a few more attempts, a red motor symbol popped up on the Suzuki’s gauge, which meant game over – locked out. John provided the tow back to the bar, where Volunteer Marine Rescue Round Hill took over to bring Salty safely through soon after dark – big thanks to Ruth and the team for their assistance. The crew definitely wouldn’t have made it in safely without VMR and, due to the change in the position of the channel they were unaware of, they would * continued P65

Dale with a motley coral trout that was beaten for biggest trout by 100g.

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Seventeen Seventy Bush ’n Beach Trophy * from P64

have been left floundering on the bar. A heads up to anyone boating in the area, log on and off with VMR when you’re there – it helps them as well as you. Monday dawned with all boats bar Salty headed out for their overnighters, and because conditions had settled, all headed north – some as far as Broomfield Reef. Rob got stuck in to diagnosing his motor problem and with a bit of consultation, landed at a faulty starter motor. The VMR team referred him to Cary at 1770 and Agnes Water Marine, who helped out with a few things, including sourcing a replacement from Bundaberg, which they picked up the next day. Tuesday saw John and the crew headed for a double overnighter and, if all went to plan, Salty would meet them at Lady Musgrave Island lagoon that afternoon. Cary reported back that the tank test had passed, all faults had reset the tank and the boat was good to go. Rob was underway by 2pm and managed some nice trout and redthroat emperor before catching up with the other boats in the lagoon for the night. The next morning, they hit out at sunrise, boxing a few fish in the shallows before heading wider to the shoals. There were good shows on the rises, with hussar and stripies on the chew, but not the trout they were looking for. Heading away, they found a good show on a small rock, so lines went down.

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Rob got the familiar tug from a red and finally landed a decent fish slightly under 7kg – while not the monster they were looking for, a nice fish nonetheless. Freyja came over to say they were headed wider. They didn’t realise however that they’d been followed by the shark that, as it was taking their fish, had prompted the move in the first place. The next red made it only 10m off the bottom before it was converted into a shark, which couldn’t be raised and required a deliberate bust off. The next move was to head in close where they had a good session, leaving them thinking that they should have stayed there in the first place – that’s fishing though! Next morning, after a good night’s sleep, Freyja and Salty headed wide. The current was up and, combined with the wind, the electric motor was tripping, so it was back to the old-school parachute anchor. The fishing was steady, with some cracking tuskies to nearly 3kg, and Terry finally nabbed his red – not huge but still legal. Heading out to see Frejya, they stumbled on a school of pearl perch and, after finally sorting out the drift and getting a couple, John radioed that he was heading in. Back on land, the rest of the boat crews reported that the earlier trips up north had for the most part gone very well, so opted to sleep in and clean fish and equipment on the Friday.

Saturday saw many boats return home because they either had or were close to bag limits. Though as Terry had flown across the country for a fishing trip, that’s exactly what they’d be doing with Rob and new deckhand Paul. Boult was the destination and proved to be a good choice, with nice tuskies hitting the deck, along with some good school reds on the first drop. Constantly moving spots, Rob dropped a big grinner head down and was hit fairly hard. First thinking ‘shark’, he wasn’t that excited, but when it started banging its head, his opinion changed and a nice red appeared from the depths – with nothing chasing it, for once. Onboard, it was called 10kg plus, yet pulled slightly under nine on the official lie detector. They tried a few more spots, however with packing to do, it was time to head for home. The wash up for the club was 1770 Champion – Dale McClurg, Largest Red Emperor – Rob Schomberg, Largest Coral Trout – Brad Freeman, Largest Sweetlip – Brad Freeman and Largest Pelagic – Dale McClurg. Meetings Any interested parties are invited to come along to our monthly meetings, which occur on the first Wednesday of every month at ‘The Club Manly’ (bowls club), 26 Faine St, Manly from 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The next meetings will be Wednesday August 7, then on Wednesday September 4. Until next month, safe boating.

Rob was pleased with his 9kg plus red emperor, the biggest for the trip.

A nice example of a barcheek coral trout for Dale, the 1770 Champion.

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www.bnbfishing.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 65

Going wide off central Queensland

Finn pulled a mack tuna from a school near North Entrance on a small slug lure.

Tuskfish love a prawn-style lure. Phil scored one at Rock Cod Shoal.

Sam boated a feed with a good-sized trout taking a Zerek vibe at Jenny Lind.

UGUST has arrived, the last month of winter, and so far along the coastline of central Queensland, we’ve had few cold mornings that dipped below double digits. We’ve been lucky to finally have a reprieve from the constant wind that was around earlier in the year, with some good extended lowwind periods. This had many people venturing out further and spending more time on the water fishing or simply enjoying the region and exploring. I spent more time heading out wider, fishing around the islands and shoals, chasing whatever the reefs had to offer and relishing in the opportunity of spending a full day on the water then heading home in near-flat conditions. Fishing for me was a bit slower – with the cooler temperature, the bite periods were smaller and outside of these times, fish were less aggressive and would bite very softly. Still put in the time, effort and move around and you’re able to put

Chinaman fish pull hard and this one took some stopping on light gear in 15m of water. Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

Gladstone Region by GARY CHURCHWARD

together a good catch. Redthroat emperor, tuskfish, stripies and coral trout made up most catches, though coral trout were a bit slower with the cooler weather. Stripies are an underrated table fish, being in the same family as fingermark and mangrove jack, they have a nice firm white fillet. Some large chinaman fish were about on the shallower reefs and shoals, taking some stopping before they found the reef. On the more isolated and deeper areas, nannygai and the occasional legal red emperor were being caught. Closer inshore, on the rubble and small reef sections around Jenny Lind and on the outside of Facing and Curtis islands, grass sweetlip, stripies and some decent coral trout were caught. If anything, trout have been a little more willing to take a lure or bait in closer and in shallower water – this could be because of a slightly higher or more stable water temperature. Tuna schools were hit and miss. Some days they’re everywhere and the next they’re missing. Mack tuna was still the main species of most schools, yet an occasional longtail school does pop up, especially as you head a bit wider. Some cracking spanish mackerel were caught around the region on big trolled dead bait. If you’re looking for a starting location, wide

of Rundle Island seems to be a consistent location that can hold some good fish. I have heard reports and seen posts on social media of small marlin being caught, most were accidental by-catch, though a few in the know have been targeting them. Black jewfish and the occasional fingermark were coming off both the headlands of the islands and the shipping channel markers leading out of the harbour. In the harbour, rivers and creeks, some decent blue salmon were being caught, mainly singles or twos, with big schools hard to come find. Look for fingermark along the deeper rocky section in the Calliope and Boyne rivers and around the island in the harbour. Bread-and-butter species such as bream, whiting and flathead will be on offer for the next month or two. If you’re chasing a barramundi fix, Lake Awoonga is still offering up a few fish, with late afternoon into evening being the best time to be on the water. Even though its cold, crabs will still be worth a crack, with a feed of sand crabs available if you want to run your pots along a sandbank that drops into deeper water. Hopefully, we have more good weather and wind periods to get out and enjoy our region. Cheers and happy fishing from Gladstone. www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 67

Dan Baker and Les Abdy with a quality pair of red emperor taken wide of Yeppoon.

Tips for catching red emperor

W Henry Goldman fished with dad Matt and caught a beautiful red emperor.

ELL, it’s been a bit of a wait but we are finally getting some of the very nice weather patterns that winter is known for. Unfortunately, between work and family commitments, I haven’t had the opportunity to head wide for a proper offshore mission, but the boat is set up and ready

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Capricorn Coast by JOHN BOON

for when the chance does pop its head up. Most anglers who headed out wide have had some great success on red emperor. It amazes me still the number of times I see the topic of ‘how do I catch reds’ on social media. It’s generally written about in the same terms, with no update of what has been researched or tried. I’ve got no problem with helping anyone chasing their dreams,

yet wanting to succeed at anything requires a certain amount of effort from the individual. A vague statement on a social media platform will generally receive limited useful responses, while a few anglers will take pleasure in showing that they can catch the target species you’re chasing information on. It’s basically an excuse for them to show off and offer no help whatsoever. * continued P70

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Dan boated a nice school sized red emperor taken on fresh slab bait.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 69

Tips for catching reds * from P68

Fresh slab bait are top shelf for chasing red emperor. Rigged and ready on ganged Tru-Turn hooks.

The side flap and half a big squid head rigged on a set of Tru-Turn gangs. The author’s favourite red emperor bait.

Large-mouth nannygai inhabit the same areas as red emperor. Dan thought they were good bycatch.

Matt Goldman captured a solid Capricorn Coast red emperor. Page 70 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

If you’re wanting to develop any skill, then you need to put the time in. No reward comes gift wrapped, you will need to earn it. Start by doing some online research, including YouTube videos and informative articles written by reliable anglers. Start following on social media platforms the specialists who are guns at catching the target species. Look for any tips and techniques and start making a folder with the information that may be useful. Once you have exhausted all research possibilities, set all your gear up to the best of your ability, get out on the briny and put it into practice. It might happen on your first attempt or it might not happen for months. Stick with it and learn as you go. During the learning period, if you can jump onboard with someone who knows how to catch what you’re after, these trips are absolute gold. When I was learning how to target and catch red emperor, I was able to score a sortie with Greg Lamprecht from Wicked Fishing. I learned so much on that trip, which included catching a personal best that still stands today. If you’re keen on targeting a few reds, I have a very basic blueprint for you to follow. Get the gear basics right. Get a reliable spin or overhead reel. I like the Shima-

no Saragosa as an all-rounder. Spool with a 50lb braid such as Sufix 832. Use a good quality leader material, such as Schneider for monofilament or Sunline for fluorocarbon in the 50100lb class. All the swivels I use are Shogun and the hooks I prefer are TruTurn 7/0 or 8/0 ganged. Once your gear is set up correctly, it then comes down to finding the right ground. Small isolated structure in the middle of nowhere is one of the best places to find quality reds. You might not get cricket scores, however the quality will be a lot better and these are the best places to crack one over 10kg. The next best areas to target are fern patches. These can be a little tricky due to their size and everything looking the same on the sounder. If you’re zoomed in on the bottom 20m, you might see some bluey greeny stuff that comes up 2-3m. This is usually a giveaway that you’re on fern country. You might have to do a few big long drifts to find where the action is, as reds can hide down in the fern and be hard to see. If you do hook a good fish, hit ‘mark’ on the sounder and try another drift through that same area. Sometimes you may see bait being pushed out of the fern on the sounder screen by predators, another great sign that reds could be in the area. The next topic I would like to cover is bait and

its presentation. Fresh is always number one. If you can get fresh slab bait or jig up some live yakka, this is a big step in the right direction. I keep the heads of all the tiger squid I catch at the islands and use them for red emperor bait. I’ve caught more of this species off Yeppoon on squid heads than any other bait. Make sure you use big bait for reds. Occasionally, pickers such as hussar will drive you absolutely mad. Before a predator can get a go at it, they clean the bait off your hooks quick smart. Using hardy options such as fresh slab bait and squid heads will allow the pickers to go nuts while alerting red emperor of an easy meal. And the reds will muscle their way in for a feed. If you’re not accustomed to targeting red emperor, this next piece of advice will be the hardest technique to get right. Don’t strike at the pickers! You’re using big bait, so don’t strike at the little fish picking at it. You want to wait for weight to come on the rod. I then like to let a bit of slack line out, so the fish can get it down. Once that’s occurred and the weight is still on, strike hard and go hard. If you’re keen on chasing a red emperor, I hope these tips will be of some help. I may even get a shot at those tasty emperors of the deep.

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0434 002 644 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 71

TOURING& exploring Luke hooked up to a carp on the Queanbeyan River.

Luke with his biggest carp for the day.

Family road trip down south

The sunsets at Camp Jordan were amazing.

Luke caught plenty of flathead from the bank behind Camp Jordan. Page 72 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

URING the June school holidays, my wife Ash and I decided to take the kids on a trip down south to Canberra, to see some snow and catch up with family while we were there. Of course, a road trip obviously meant there would be some sort of fishing along the way. When organising the trip, we looked at a few areas and decided to spend a few days at Port Macquarie before making our way to Canberra. We have passed through Port Macquarie before, spending a few hours at the mouth of the Hastings River throwing lures about, but have never had a good look around the area or fished anywhere else. We booked three nights at Camp Jordan, which is situated slightly upstream from the mouth of Limeburners

Family Adventure by KEITH STRATFORD

Creek, not too far from the mouth of the Hastings River. This location put us among some very fishable water, with a lot of options for throwing a few lures from the bank. We decided to leave the boat at home on this trip and booked one of the hire boats from Camp Jordan, which has a range of Polycraft vessels, plus a few barbecue boats. We planned on targeting the areas close to Jordans, so went with a 4.1m Polycraft with a 15hp outboard. We arrived at Camp Jordan on the Saturday afternoon and shortly after, my son Luke and I were casting plastics from the bank behind our cabin. It didn’t take long to get a bite – Luke had

our first flathead for the afternoon on the bank in record time. The bank behind the park is lined with rocks and drops sharply into about 6m of water. There are plenty of snags on the bottom and the tide runs quickly along the edge. It looked very fishy! Later that afternoon, we nailed a few more lizards from the bank, mostly on prawn imitations rigged in 3/8 jig heads. The Fish Craft Dr Prawn plastics have become a favourite of mine, catching a lot of fish. The faithful 92mm Pro Lure Clone Prawn is also a favourite and is always tied onto one of my rods. Luke and I got up early * continued P73

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TOURING& exploring Family road trip down south to ACT * from P72

the next morning and caught a few more flatties from the bank before breakfast. The weather turned out to be a lot better than what was forecast, so we decided to take the hire boat out on the Sunday instead of the Monday. The 4.1m Polycraft was a great boat to fish from, though with the little 15hp Mercury twostroke on it, no speed records were broken. The borders of where we could take the boat were between the two ferry crossings. This gave us plenty of water to fish in, both upstream and downstream from Jordans. Yet it took us a while to work out where the fish were – turned out they were in the deeper water along the lower rocky ledges. I love fishing these types of areas because you never know what you’re going to catch. We hooked a few lizards up to about 55cm on the last of the run-out tide. We had to downsize our lures to get the bites, going down to 3” paddle tails.

I threw one close to a steep rock wall and was belted by a good fish on the second flick. It put up a real stink and took a while to get into the boat. The landing net we had was from the camp, so not the biggest net ever made and, with a big hole in it, getting fish in the boat wasn’t going to be easy. We eventually got the belter’s head in the little net, which somehow stayed put, and lifted it into the boat ready for a photo. It measured about 75cm and was quickly released. As we didn’t have anywhere to keep any caught fish, we released everything on the day. After that fish, it went a bit quiet while the tide turned. It takes a while for the current to hit the banks of the eastern side near Camp Jordan, as the tide runs out wider before it hits in close. Once the tide did start to run, the water changed and we found some eddies and much better-looking water. This change stirred the flatties up and we hooked some good fish

A solid Hastings River flathead taken on a Pro Lure Clone Prawn. www.bnbfishing.com.au

on the 92mm Pro Lure Clone Prawn in Green Tiger. A couple of 60-70cm fish ate the Clone Prawn – all very well-conditioned lizards. The bites were brutal and once hooked, they put on a real show. I was jigging a deep edge at the same time as trying to get a lure out for Luke. Distracted, I wasn’t ready when I got a bit whack on the Clone Prawn. Somehow, I managed to set the hook on a bigger fish. While it definitely wasn’t textbook angling, we were on to a good fish, though wondered how we were going to fit it in the small net. It showed its head – it was a quality flathead in the 80cm range. Its head barely fit in the net and half the fish was hanging through the hole when I lifted it into the boat. After a high five and a few photos, the big female was sent back to keep populating the Hastings River. We kept ticking a few more flatties in the 4065cm range off before it slowed down again. We went further upstream and jigged along a few jetties and pontoons. While bream were being a pest, the occasional flatty kept things exciting. At the end of the session, I scored another good one of about 75cm, then we called it a day. The Hastings is a very * continued P74

Luke’s first flathead in the hire boat was a nice fish.

This nice flathead hoovered the author’s 3” Savage Gear paddle tail from along the rock wall in the background. Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 73

OUTDOORadventures Small targets aren’t a problem – they simply can’t hide from the InfiRay Tube scope.

A close look at the TL25 shows the very practical design, with the zoom ring on front of the eye bell, the power button on the side and main dial on top.

Thermal technology shines in InfiRay Tube series scopes

IKE most technology, thermal imaging equipment evolves rapidly, making keeping up with advances an ongoing mission. During the past 10 months or so, I’ve been shooting with two models in the InfiRay’s new Tube range – the TP25SE and the TL25SE. The more affordable

Product Review by NEIL SCHULTZ

of the two units is the TP25, designed as an entry level scope, but it’s still packed full of features. For the uninitiated, these ‘tube’ style scopes look just like the standard optics we’ve been used to

seeing for more than half a century, before the advent of thermal technology. This styling disguises the fact that these are essentially a digital camera, albeit one that operates in the invisible spectrum of infra-

red from about 7401000nm. When we look at the eyepiece of a thermal scope, we are looking at an image on a screen, rather than looking ‘through’ the scope. Hence, two components that play a major part in the quality of the image created are the thermal sensor and the display screen. As with fish finders,

more pixels equals better image quality, with the sensor playing the most important role. Specifications of the TP25 include a 256x192 pixel sensor sensitive to temperature differences as minute as 30mK (1mK is 1/1000 of a degree Celsius). The eyepiece features a 1536x1080 pixel * continued P75

Family road trip down south to ACT * from P73

nice river – I’d love to take my own boat down at some stage to have a good look around. We landed 20 flatties in the five-hour session in the boat and hooked another dozen off the bank behind Jordans. If you’re ever visiting the area, Camp Jordan is a great place to stay. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. And it has everything you need – you can even have a fire in the pit next to the river while enjoying a few drinks.

We’ll definitely be returning at some stage. We left Port Macquarie and headed for Queanbeyan, where some of our family live. We had a fairly full schedule, though we managed to sneak out with my cousin to get Luke a carp. They obviously aren’t a trophy fish – yet they grow big, they pull hard and it’s very visual. Wayne and I stood back with a couple of cold beverages and watched Luke do all the work.

Page 74 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

We encouraged the fish up with bread berley, then either floated a piece out with a hook hidden in it or squashed the bread around the hook and let it sink slowly to the bottom in the current. Both techniques worked and Luke ended up catching three nice carp. The fish were disposed of and Luke was a happy little angler. He also let me know that he now had a bigger personal best carp than me.

The Hastings River is full of nice sized flathead.

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OUTDOORadventures

Thermal technology shines in InfiRay Tube series scopes * from P74

amoled screen with -5 to +4 dioptre adjustment and a rubber eyecup. The 30mm diameter tube of the scope body houses a built-in 3350mAh rechargeable battery that gives about nine hours of run time. Base magnification (also known as optical magnification) on the TP25 is four times, with digital magnification up to 10 times. Slightly more upmarket is the TL25 with a 384x288 pixel sensor sensitive to 25mK housed in a slimmer 25mm diameter body. Base magnification on the TL25 is two times, with digital magnification up to eight times. Magnification on both units is adjusted via a ring in front of the eyepiece, exactly as it would be positioned on a standard daytime optic. Both units boast a range of desirable features, including video recording with sound, five colour palettes, six reticle options, 32GB of onboard storage, standby mode, PIP mode, recoil activated video that works even with small calibres, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and long battery life. Both units can also be powered via a 5V USB connection, in case nine hours of run time isn’t enough for your shooting sessions. Ease of operation is one of the features that most impressed with both scopes. On the left side of the

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turret housing is the power button, which powers the unit up and down and also activates the ‘standby’ mode. In standby mode, the amoled screen is turned off without shutting the unit down, saving power to extend battery life and operating time. When in standby mode, a quick tap on the power button ‘wakes’ the unit, ready for instant action. During normal operation, a quick press of the power button will recalibrate the sensor to adjust for sudden changes in air temperature. On top of the unit, where the elevation turret would be on a conventional scope, is the menu dial. Almost all of the unit’s functions are controlled with this one dial and its central button. Turning the dial clockwise changes the colour palette, with five options including white hot, black hot, colour, red hot and, my favourite, target highlighting. Turning the dial anti-clockwise adjusts the image brightness level. A short press of the button in the centre of the dial accesses the quick menu, which is ideal for those of us who like to operate the units’ video recording in manual mode. Changing between the six different reticles, four reticle colours, brightness, contrast and zeroing distance are also accessible in the quick menu. A long press on the top button brings up the

main menu and all of the unit’s functions, including zeroing, switching various functions on or off – recoil activated video, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth – and selecting zeroing profile. Three different zeroing profiles allow the scopes to be switched between three rifles without having to go through the entire zeroing process each time. These scopes are compact, lightweight (770g), solidly built, IP67-rated water resistant and rated to withstand 6000J of recoil, so if you want to use one on your 300 Winchester Magnum, you’re OK. In the field, I’ve found the scopes to be capable of detecting pigs way out beyond a kilometre and pinpointing small targets such as feral cats

sneaking through bush or stubble. Both scopes retain their zero setting between hunting trips and bouncing around rough paddocks in the fourwheel-drive. Image resolution and accuracy have seen us – two hunting with these scopes – confidently tipping over pigs at night

beyond 250m and foxes and cats out to 150m. Best of all, the entry level TP25 currently retails for $1990, making it extremely good value. I was so impressed with the test unit that I decided to purchase it and it has become my go-to scope for all my pest-animal control outings.

A typical Darling Downs boar taken using the TP25 at a distance of 220m.

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FREE Hop on to bnbfishing.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 75

By learning to identify invasive fish species and removing them from our waterways, fishos can help ease the pressure on native species.

Many creeks and rivers that were previously free of invasive fish have undergone such a dramatic change that invasives are now the dominant fish species.

Invasive fish species affecting north Queensland waterways include tilapia. Photo: Geoff Collins

Invasive fish of north Queensland

NVASIVE fish species in our waterways is a hot topic nationally, and north Queensland is no exception. The warmer waters of the tropics provide ideal conditions for a number of exotic species to thrive, putting pressure on resources and ultimately affecting native fish stocks in our waterways. The more notable invasive fish species affecting north Queensland waterways include tilapia (Mozambique and spotted), gambusia

(mosquitofish), platy, three spot gourami and guppy. Tilapia, platy, three spot gourami and guppy fish were all introduced into Australia as exotic aquarium fish species and found their way into our waterways through accidental or deliberate release, with people either not understanding or not caring about the detrimental impacts these fish can cause when released into our ecosystems. ‘Tank tipping’ – that is, tipping out aquarium fish from tanks into nearby creeks and rivers – is one of the main ways that unwanted aquarium fish can become established in our waterways.

Many creeks and rivers that were previously free of invasive fish have undergone such a dramatic change that invasives are now the dominant fish species, putting a strain on the ecosystem and affecting native fish stocks. To minimise the impact of tank tipping on our rivers and the fish that live in them: • Don’t release invasive fish into our waterways • Rehome unwanted aquarium fish with a friend, give away on social media or return all your unwanted ornamental fish to a local pet shop. If you are a recreational fisho in north * continued P77

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

CREATING BETTER HABITAT FOR BETTER FISHING Page 76 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

OzFish focus on monitoring native and invasive fish diversity, macroinvertebrates, water quality and riparian vegetation condition.

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Invasive fish of north Queensland * from P76

Queensland, chances are that you have either caught, seen or heard about invasive fish in your local waterways. To stop the further spread of these species into adjacent waterways, anglers should dispose of invasive fish humanely and bury them at least 15m up the bank. Tilapia a re mouth-brooding cichlids that can grow larger than most native freshwater fish – 39cm in standard length and up to 1.1kg. Even if the fish are euthanised, the young can still live in the mouth for some time, and this is the reason they need to be buried at least 15m away from a creek or wetland. In the Townsville region, OzFish Unlimited conducts waterway

monitoring weekly and encourages locals to volunteer and join in at any of the 13 sites that are visited on a quarterly basis. Our focus is on monitoring native and invasive fish diversity, macroinvertebrates, water quality and riparian vegetation condition. This is a great opportunity to get to know your local creeks and rivers, improve your fish identification skills and meet other local people in the region who are interested in looking after their waterways. We also monitor waterways around Cairns, Ingham and the lower Burdekin for fish diversity, water quality and habitat condition. In addition to this work, other activities people can become involved with to help in

the removal of invasive fish species include: • Volunteering your time in riverine and aquatic habitat improvement programs run by your local council or other non-government organisations • Sign up for a pest fishing competition in your local area • Contact your local freshwater fishing club and/or stocking group and get involved in stocking programs and habitat improvement. By learning to identify invasive fish species and removing them from our waterways, fishos can help ease the pressure on native species and contribute to an improved fishery for recreational and commercial activities. Every little bit helps. Adrian Macey OzFish Unlimited

Tilapia are mouth-brooding cichlids, which means that even if the fish are euthanised, the young can still live in the mouth for some time.

OzFish conducts waterway monitoring weekly and encourages locals to volunteer and join in.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 77

The Glebe Weir on the weekend. Photo from sponsor Cameron Phillips of Nutrein Ag Solutions.

Taroom annual family fishing comp

One of the sponsors Christine Green with a great 61cm saratoga.

LEBE Weir is on the mighty Dawson River, about a 35-minute drive east from Taroom. A fantastic fishing and camping spot, popular not only with fishos but also the grey nomads who know where it is. On the western side of the Isla Gorge National Park, the turnoff takes you in about 20km to the free camping grounds, which consist of hot and cold showers,

Melinda Sorrell and Shona Hodgson weighed in a couple of yellowbelly on the Sunday.

Page 78 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

Outback Fishing by HELEN ABDY

toilet blocks, a concrete boat ramp and, if you’re lucky, you might have access to 240V power, or use your own generator. The grounds are situated directly at the weir, with fishing from a boat or kayak above and bank fishing below – not forgetting the closed zones of 100m upstream and 200m downstream, but below that the waterholes here holding good fish. Above the weir, the waterway goes for kilometres and at full capacity runs into Taroom, holding heaps of standing and laydown timber and rocky areas. Yellowbelly, saratoga, eel-tailed catfish (or jewfish), sleepy cod and black bream (not on the competition list) are the most popular catches using bait, spinnerbaits and jigging vibes. It’s a place I haven’t fished for a long time – I need to get there more often. I put the boat in and

cast spinnerbaits around but didn’t manage to keep anything attached for long enough. As with all good spots, there’s a dedicated group of locals who put a lot of time and effort into stocking the waterway and making it the best they can. Taroom Fishing and Restocking Club holds the annual family fishing competition here June 8-9 to raise money for fingerlings and puts on a great weekend to get your help. The group has heaps of support from the district and stacks of prizes and lucky draws, along with a great atmosphere, which makes for a great weekend. It’s usually a little chilly on the comp weekend here, but a good supply of firewood makes the nights perfect for sitting around a fire with a few beverages telling tales. This year, there were 131 seniors, 34 juniors * continued P79

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Taroom annual family fishing comp * from P78

and six toddlers nominated for the event. Even though the toddlers don’t fish, they also don’t go away empty handed. The major prize of a boat package – donated by locals Fred and Lilibet Bradshaw – was won by Bruce and Robyn Selwood. On the fishing side, the locals certainly had it worked out, as they should, yet they were also very happy to offer tips, spots to try and chat about fishing the river. I admit, I’m not huge on bait fishing and prefer artificial lures and flies, though sometimes bait simply works better. Many of the locals here use floats about 30-60cm above a worm or shrimp near sunken timber. One of the dedicated club members makes a float they call a ‘cork’. It is bell shaped with a cupped bottom and slaps the surface when you do the bobbing action. The ‘cork’ does attract attention, as you can imagine. I can relate having done something similar when fly fishing, slapping a fly down on the surface a few times to get the attention of sleeping toga. However, there is nothing wrong with the normal type of float here either, which worked well over the weekend too. Something different and all worth a try when things go quiet. So, the lucky winners for the Taroom competition were: Seniors • Best yellowbelly was William Argus 44.5cm • Best jew was Blade Veritz 46cm • Best saratoga was Ben Hebbes 66cm

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• Best sleepy cod was John Mundell 18.5cm. Juniors • Best yellowbelly was Quade Argus 39.5cm • Best jew was Callie Symes 40cm and second was Ricky Hay 38cm • Best saratoga was Kobi Symes 55cm. Secret weight winners were Lachlan Weldon, Digby Phillips, Sophie Weldon, EIsabella O’Connell, Mark Howe, Nicklos Moffitt, Phillip Hoppe and Charlie Hazard. The Maureen Williams memorial encouragement award went to Pippa Boson and the Paul Anderson memorial encouragement award went to Taylor Johnson. We cannot hold these events without sponsors, so a huge thanks to Fred and Lilibet Bradshaw, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Santos, Andrew and Ann McIntyre, Taroom Ready Mix, Pat and Cheryl Kooyman, Daryl and Kerry Black, Taroom Hardware Mitre 10, Roslyn and Paul Queitzsch, Bob Petrie, Phil and Karen Hoppe, ABH Livestock Transport, Gidgee Smith, Fox & Rynne Accounting, Jacks Diesel & Custom Fabrication, Beris and

Albert Bunk, George and Helen Petrie, Bill and Dianne Mundell, Loretta Lockie, Noel and Kate Chaplin, Jack and Sue Argus, Dawson River Produce, Angela Brockhurst, Stewart and Tina Hay, Taroom Welding Worx, Greg Statham, Val Nielsen, Aliesha and Nick Symes, Taroom Motors, Australia Post, Wandoan LPO, Leichhardt Hotel, Taroom Veterinary Surgery, AJ’s Country Meats, Gayle Menzie family, Stewart and Jodi Hay, Taroom Bowls Club, Troy and Emma Blumke, Bruggemann Future Fuel Distributors, Moura Fish Stocking Group, Tyrepower, Harry and Dell Johnson and so many more for their equipment, time and support beforehand and on the day. It takes a lot of people to put an event together and it’s all to raise money for stocking our waterways. Not every place is on the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme, so anytime you can help is a good time. If you need any more information, you can contact me at h.abdy@ bigpond.com

Ben Hebbes with a 47cm yellowbelly. Weighed in but released to breed. Ben did get the best saratoga for the seniors.

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Quade Argus holding his dad William’s heaviest yellowbelly for the weekend at 2.31kg. A very healthy fish, congratulations.

CALL ROB & KELLY

07 4157 3881 or email info@lakem.com.au www.lakem.com.au Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 79

Adam Krause hooked a solid cod in the morning fog.

Solid cold cod action

Jason May managed a decent 57cm cod.

Peter Jones and a monster 94cm cod. Page 80 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

ITH winter now putting the chill factor on the old bones, I’ve been chasing the sunshine. Going around to the wall early from 8.30am through to 11.30am with a calm clear sky overhead, I’ve been watching the cod that have returned to the area looking for nesting sites and getting ready for room inspection – or in Army speak, ‘stand by your bed’ checks. Not by the Sergeant Major, but the female that scrutinises to ensure things are in order and are clean, neat and tidy. We haven’t had what you’d call a tough winter so far, and the El Niño southern oscillation is something I look forward to during October to December – our rain period down here. I would love to see water flowing over the spillway once again. The cod are out there, it’s just a matter of not looking at the live scope

Glenlyon Dam by BRIAN DARE

and running into dead tall timber in the dam… eh, Mark? You’ll pick his tinnie out quite easily. It’s the one with the power pole shape up front, where he sits looking at fish, like many of the ‘I wish’ live-scope anglers who want to catch that once in a lifetime cod sighted on the live-action TV they have onboard. As you read this, the freshwater workshop will have finished. So updates, as to the results achieved or put

aside, will be forthcoming quite soon. I hope that during the early summer period, we’ll get to see large flows from rain events along the river systems come into play. The biggest drawback is the amount of sand in sections of the rivers. I had this problem recently on one of the streams – it was a long drag of the canoe along sand beds that were usually 3-4m deep pockets holding good fish. We need to see some * continued P81

Jason’s very hungry cod with both the lure and tail of a bony bream in its throat.

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Solid cold cod action * from P80

floodwaters come through to clean out the sand banking up at weirs along this particular river. Back at the big hole, good cod were being caught and spinnerbaits along with mumblers have been getting decent results. Silver perch and yellowbelly were swallowing spinnerbaits and small lures, with some yellowbelly up to 53cm taking blades as well. Mary River cod – urgent At Lake MacDonald during the period 1983 to 2008, about 650,000 fingerlings were produced at the Gerry Cook Fish Hatchery. Of that total, almost 321,000 Mary River cod were released back into the Mary River.

The remaining fingerlings were released into the Stanley, Brisbane, Logan, Albert, Coomera, North Pine, Caboolture and Nerang rivers. Hatchery production of Mary River cod has declined, and the supply became limited and irregular – reference The Codfather by Stuart Rowland on pages 394, 396 and 397. As with other threatened species, genetic diversity in Mary River cod is very low and a threat to its long-term viability. The low population places Mary River cod at risk of inbreeding, genetic drift, decreased fitness and possible loss. Roll on spring and warm weather conditions for cod catching in border river locations.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 16/07/2024

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

PERCENTAGE MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

75 54 85 84 100 106 18 25 69 98 101 42 63 101 100 83 73 106 100 89 100 67 68 80 101 104 101 74 80 99

81 54 87 86 100 103 17 25 68 100 100 39 63 101 100 86 73 102 100 89 100 67 67 79 100 105 101 81 80 100

82 54 89 92 100 99 17 26 67 100 100 38 63 101 97 86 73 103 100 91 99 67 67 80 100 102 102 82 79 100

82 53 88 91 100 98 17 26 70 99 100 37 63 100 95 85 72 101 100 90 98 66 66 80 100 102 101 82 79 100

78 53 88 88 100 95 76 26 70 98 100 35 63 98 92 85 70 101 100 90 96 64 66 78 100 101 101 81 78 99

For updates on dams, visit sunwater.com.au or seqwater.com.au *This symbol indicates that a Stocked Impoundment Permit is required to fish these dams.

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

14 CABINS bookings necessary

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK via STANTHORPE 4380 Contact Debbie or Brian Dare for more information or for bookings Ph: 02 6737 5266 E: glenlyondamtouristp@bigpond.com Visit our new website at glenlyondamtouristpark.com.au www.bnbfishing.com.au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024 – Page 81

Scheduled for Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18, the Catch a Catty event promises thrilling competition and community camaraderie against the picturesque backdrop of the Burnett River.

2024 Catch a Catty Family Fishing Comp

With categories ranging from heaviest catfish to the longest barramundi, there’s a challenge for every fishing enthusiast.

Hosted by the small but mighty team that is Paradise Fish Stocking Association, this event not only fosters a love for fishing but also supports local conservation efforts. Page 82 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

REPARE your rods and reels for the highly anticipated annual Catch a Catty Family Fishing Competition, set to reel anglers and families in for a weekend of fishing fun at Mingo Crossing. Scheduled for Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18, this event promises thrilling competition and community camaraderie against the picturesque backdrop of the Burnett River. The action kicks off with a comprehensive briefing on Friday August 16 at 7pm, where participants will receive all the essential information for a successful weekend on the water. Nominations open earlier in the day, starting at 2pm, allowing eager anglers to secure their spots in this prestigious fishing tournament. Come Saturday morning, anglers young and old will cast off bright and early at 5am, aiming to hook their prize catches until the competition wraps up at 10:30am on Sunday. Continuous weigh-ins

throughout ensure excitement and suspense as contenders vie for coveted titles and generous prize pools. Beyond the thrill of the catch, Catch a Catty is renowned for its family friendly atmosphere. With camping facilities and amenities available onsite, including barbecues firing up from Friday night through Sunday, participants can immerse themselves fully in the outdoors while enjoying delicious meals and mingling with fellow fishing enthusiasts. Hosted by the small but mighty team that is Paradise Fish Stocking Association, this event not only fosters a love for fishing but also supports local conservation efforts. Proceeds from the competition contribute to stocking Paradise Dam with barramundi and bass fingerlings, ensuring the sustainability of our waterways for future generations. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or a firsttime participant, Catch a Catty invites everyone

to join in on the excitement. With categories ranging from heaviest catfish to the longest barra, there’s a challenge for every fishing enthusiast. With an extensive array of prizes donated from our generous sponsors and the addition of Catch a Catty merchandise for sale, this year promises to be the best one yet. If you require any further information, simply contact Andrea or Gavin on 07 4127 1558 after hours, email ga kelly4@bigpond.com or message the Paradise Fish Stocking Association Facebook ‘Catch a Catty competition’ page. For any camping bookings or enquiries, contact the team at the Mingo Crossing Caravan and Recreation Park on 07 4161 6200. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable weekend of fishing, family and fun at Mingo Crossing. Mark your calendars, pack your gear and get ready to reel in the adventure of a lifetime at Catch a Catty 2024!

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Mud crab fresh from the jetty in the backyard, which sits on the Burnett River in Bundaberg. Ben Lambert and Liana Ladner

We scored some solid fish at Tin Can Bay in June 2024. Marylyn Dickinson

Redland Bay Amateur Fishing Club winners of the May/June RBAFC Sports Fishing Competition, which runs monthly. Seniors Members’ Choice winner was Karen Jackson with a 70cm spangled emperor, Junior Members’ Choice winner was Brax Temple boating a 60cm morwong, George Mole captured a 70cm snapper, measured to the fork, and Brax Temple hooked a 32cm bream, also measured to the fork. RBAFC 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, August 2024 – Page 83

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Page 88 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, August 2024

BNB Fishing Mag | August 2024

Articles inside

Winter options in Broadwater

Scoring bites from bait schools

2024 Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival is fast approaching

2024 Moreton Bay Fishing Classic