Electric action at Hinchinbrook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . by Keith Stratford

The author jigged this nice fingermark in deep water on a 3” Berkley Gulp Shrimp. Chris caught this small barramundi on a Zerek Live Cherabin from the rocks in the background.

Cod are prolific around Hinchinbrook. They keep things interesting between mangrove jack bites.

Electric action at Hinchinbrook

EACH year I manage to get up to Lucinda for few days.

This year my brother and I planned the trip around a great set of tides in late August.

We have found fish bite a lot better around a larger tide coinciding with a new or full moon.

Over the past few years we have been very lucky with the weather, with calm sunny days being the norm.

This year was a bit different.

The forecast was looking terrible, with strong wind and plenty of rain on the menu.

We normally fly into Townsville where Dad lives and drive to Lucinda with his little tinnie.

This year, we decided to hire a 4.1m Polycraft with an electric motor for the four days we were there.

We arrived at Lucinda on the Thursday afternoon and picked the hire boat up on the way through.

It was the pick of the days before the horrible weather came through.

The tide was perfect for one of our favourite mangrove jack creeks, so we left Dungeness Creek and started to make our way up the channel.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get very far, with the motor spluttering and eventually dying.

We got it started again after five minutes and managed to idle back to the ramp.

That put a bit of a dampener on the trip – my brother and Dad drove back to Townsville that night to pick up his tinnie, so we had something to fish out of the next day.

The weather wasn’t too bad the next morning with a 10-15 knot breeze pushing up the channel.

We managed to get to Haycock Island around the tide change where we scored a nice little fingermark, with Chris getting monstered by a proper one.

A couple of jumbosized tarpon got in on the action, along with a sand bass and a couple of small cod.

The wind picked up as the tide turned, so when the waves started coming over the back of the boat, we had to look for calmer water.

We packed enough gear to rival a small tackle shop on this trip because every year we work out something different that requires a certain type of gear.

We were really keen to cast a heap of surface plastics around for jack and barramundi, which was the main reason for hiring a boat with an electric motor.

We tried to set up some drifts that would give us a chance to get a few frogs in among the mangroves, but the wind made it nearly impossible and the constant starting and stopping of a two-stroke outboard wasn’t helping.

I did manage to get one small jack before we pulled the pin to head up the back of the creeks.

As the tide dropped

Hinchinbrook by KEITH STRATFORD

* from P56 the channel calmed down a bit, so we went back out to fish some rocky banks around the bottom of the tide.

Normally the cod are thick in these spots, but we couldn’t even catch one of them.

Chris managed a little barra on a Zerek Live Cherabin, but it was very quiet.

We decided that soaking some bait was going to be our best option in these conditions and we had plenty of pilchard in the Esky.

We have a couple of spots there that fish well for jack on the right tide.

We had to wait for the tide to start pushing in, so we anchored near to one of our spots and drifted in some half pillies.

We managed to hook all sorts of things out of this snag, including grunter, jack, bream, cod and even a couple of very nice barra.

Both of the barra were around 80cm and busted me off on a 30lb leader with a locked up drag.

I’ve never hooked barra up there on pillies before, so I was a bit shocked.

Once the tide started pumping in, we moved to our little honey hole.

It was a bit quiet to start with but as the tide got a little higher, mangrove jack and cod went crazy.

We landed a stack of good fish and got smoked by a heap as well.

One of the bigger cod came in with one of our hooks in its mouth from a previous bust-off.

The fish just kept on chewing, though unfortunately we had to leave to sort our boat issues out.

Apparently, the hire boat was good to go, so it looked as though we would be back in action the next day!

We got on the water nice and early in the hire boat and planned a big day ahead.

The weather was very ordinary with strong wind and rain squalls coming through regularly.

We got right up one of our favourite jack creeks early and planned to cast plastics at snags and mangroves as the tide started to drop.

Everything was looking good as the tide dropped and the fish had to come out from the back of the mangroves.

A few jack started busting up around the snags and things were looking very promising.

But then the electric motor started playing up again.

It wouldn’t turn itself off unless it was disconnected from the battery, which made it impossible to use in a small creek.

We have had a few epic jack sessions in this creek over the past couple of years, so we decided to stay in the creek for the whole tide and work the snags with lures and bait as we drifted through with the tide.

The action wasn’t amazing, but we ticked over enough jack and other species to keep us entertained.

The sandflies were definitely chewing harder than the fish.

They were out of control and the rain squalls seemed to make them even hungrier.

We had a bit of a late start the next morning.

The constant heavy rain showers made it very easy to stay in bed a little longer.

The weather was the same as the previous day, with plenty of wind and showers around.

We spent a fair bit of time casting lures around creek mouths and drains in Sunday Creek for barra but came up empty handed.

We also tried trolling the edges as the tide dropped for no result.

Chris with a standard sized jack taken on a pilchard.

A frogfish is one of the uglier species found in the rocks around Hinchinbrook.

This greedy cod didn’t get so lucky the second time! A nice table-sized grunter taken from the snags at Lucinda.

Electric action at Hinchinbrook

* from P57

The fish were very quiet everywhere and the bait was also noticeably quiet.

We had Dad in the boat with us for the day and wanted to show him how hard the jack chew at our favourite spot.

We got there right on cue, but the fish were quiet.

We stuck it out for a while longer hoping they were running a bit late… and it paid off.

Suddenly there were double and triple hookups on solid jack and big cod.

Dad was having a ball trying to wrestle them out of the snags.

Chris hooked a really nice jack and it ended up snapping his rod before swimming back into the snag and bricking him.

While he was sorting out a tangle from the rod breaking, the fish swam out and I handlined it in for him.

The action never stopped and we had to leave them chewing to get back to ramp before dark.

It’s mind blowing to see how many jack and big cod can be feeding in a small area and in only a couple of feet of water.

Those jack sessions were the highlight of the trip in very tough conditions.

Hinchinbrook is one of my all-time favourite places to fish, but it can still be very tough when the weather doesn’t play the game!

Gamakatsu are at the forefront of hook development continually growing Gamakatsu is Australia’s largest range of hooks

CIRCLE HOOKS

Octopus Circle (OCC)

When using this hook anglers do not strike on the bite, rather the fish is allowed to run with the bait and as the line comes tight the hook will roll into the corner of the fish’s mouth.

Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0,7/0, 8/0

Turned Eye Offset Point Circle Hook

HOOK FEATURES

High Quality Tempered Carbon Wire Construction

Micro Barbs Conical Hook Points

Superior Chemically Sharpened

Inline Octopus Circle (IOCS)

Gamakatsu’s Circle Inline Point Octopus Hook is the same design as the Octopus Circle, but without the offset.

Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0,7/0, 8/0 Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Straight Eye Circle Hook Inline Point

Inline Big Bait Circle (IBBC)

Gamakatsu’s Inline Big Bait Circle hook has the exactly the same design as the Big Bait Circle, but without the offset point.

Sizes: 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, 10/0 Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Straight Eye Circle Hook Inline Point

Big Bait Circle (BBC)

This is a heavier gauge circle hook for bigger fish but with a straight shank. It is a great hook to use for all large cut baits in both ‘floater’ and deepwater paternoster rigs, or with live baits. It can be slow trolled with live bait for sailfish/ small marlin.

Sizes: 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, Black. Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Offset Point Circle Hook Straight Eye

HEAVY DUTY CIRCLE HOOKS

Nautilus Circle Light (NCL)

A 3x wire hook that was developed for fishing live baits, the Nautilus Light is an ideal hook that’s long on strength. Produced from forged high carbon steel, the Nautilus Light features a straight eye and offset point for superior performance.

(NB: sizes are approx. 2 sizes smaller than standard hooks) Sizes: 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, Black. Available in pre packs GENERAL HOOKS

Baitkeeper (BK)

A heavy-duty estuary hook featuring two slices on the shank for holding on worm and peeled prawn baits. This is a high strength hook for its size.

Sizes: 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, Red. Available in pre packs and 25 packs

Barbed Shank Offset Point Straight Eye

Baitholder (Black BHB, Bronze BH)

An Australian freshwater standard, but also incredibly popular in saltwater for bream and as a general all-round estuary hook.

Bronze sizes: 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0. Black sizes: 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0. Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Turned Eye Barbed Shank Offset Point

Worm (Red WM, Black WMB)

This ultra fine gauge hook allows for the most delicate of bait presentations due to its light weight and allows baits to sink very slowly and naturally.

Red Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0. Black Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0. Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Barbed Shank Straight Eye Inline Point

Shiner (SH)

Ideal for presenting a prawn-like shape this is a great hook to use for whole unpeeled prawns. Also great for pipis and King George whiting.

Sizes: 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, Black. Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye Inline Point

Long Shank (Red LS, Black LSB)

An estuary standard that no fisherman should be without. Very popular for a wide range of estuary species

Red Sizes: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0. Black Sizes: 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0. Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye Inline Point

Siwash (SI)

This is a great saltwater fly hook and general purpose straight hook with big eye. Featuring a round bend and resulting wide, perfect for bigger fish such as tuna that are eating small baitfish.

Sizes: 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0 Nickel. Available in pre packs. HEAVY DUTY HOOKS

Live Bait (LB)

A high strength hook with a short shank for superior hook-up rates. This is a great hook to use for tough and toothy fish from mangrove jacks to yellowfin tuna.

Sizes: 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye Inline Point

Live Bait Heavy Duty (LB)

This hook will never let you down. It’s built tough and strong to handle whatever you throw at. Great for XOS yellowfin, marlin, broadbill, and sharks.

Sizes: 10/0, 11/0, 12/0, Black. Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye Inline Point

O’Shaughnessy (OS)

A heavy duty hook with an excellent straight point and shank length greatly favoured in southern states for surf fishing for salmon and tailor.

Sizes: 8, 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0, 9/0, 10/0, Black. Available in pre packs and 25 packs.

Straight Eye Inline Point

SPECIALTY HOOKS

Gangster (GS)

A top quality ultra-chemically sharpened gang hook. Featuring a turned down eye and offset point this is a great hook for ganging pilchards, squid and any other cut baits for tailor, flathead, and snapper.

Sizes: 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, Black. Available in pre packs and 50 boxes.

Turned Eye Open Eye

Inline Point

Gangster Straight Eye (GSE)

This hook has the same properties as the Gangster but with a straight eye. For use with just about any cut bait requiring larger ganging hooks.

Sizes: 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, Black. Available in pre packs and 50 boxes.

Straight Eye Open Eye Inline Point

Distrubuted by