BNB fishing mag | Dec 2018

Black jewÀsh review inside

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50

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Includes GST

December 2018 Print Post Approved PP100001534 Volume 29, Number 12

Marauding mangrove jack

Fish galore on Gold Coast

Origins of game fishing lures

Epic extended fishing trips

Christmas crabbing tips

Mixed species in Moreton Bay

The Darling River Run Big ssummer ummer whiting

Freshwater fish on fire Boat review

• Sea-Rod 580 X Bowrider

Proudly produced and printed in Australia

Rocky Barra Bounty wrap-up

ISSN 1832-4517

12

9 771832 451001

Estuary • Offshore • Freshwater • 4WD • Camping • Kayaking

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 1

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Inside this month Fraser sharks

Mangrove jack

P16

P32 Freshwater barra

Fast fish

P48

Moreton Bay The shallow reef areas around the bay islands can fish very well at this time of year.

Snapper are the main target but grass sweetlip, cod and the odd pelagic such as trevally and mackerel are a chance as well.

I have always preferred to target these fish with very lightly weighted small soft plastics includ-

OUR COVER

WARRIC JOHNSTON caught this solid 56cm mangrove jack on live bait at the Gold Coast. For more mangrove jack fishing tips, check out KEITH STRATFORD’S article on Page 16.

EDITOR: SUBEDITOR: ADVERTISING: PRODUCTION:

Ben Collins Daniel Tomlinson Ben Collins, Gabi McCaig Jo Hendley

Phone (07) 3286 1833 Fax (07) 3821 2637 Email: ben@bnbfishing.com.au Internet: www.bnbfishing.com.au PO Box 387, Cleveland, Qld 4163 Unit 2, 39 Enterprise Street, Cleveland, Qld 4163 AFTA PRINTER: Rural Press DISTRIBUTION BY: Fairfax Max. recommended retail price $4.50 (includes GST).

CORRESPONDENTS: Editorial contributions are welcome, as is news from clubs, associations, or individuals; and new product news from manufacturers. Entire contents copyright. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. It is the responsibility of advertisers to ensure the correctness of their claims and statements. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

G IN

FISH ING ’S

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www.bnbfishing.com. au

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.

AUST

JANUARY edition will be on sale in newsagents from December 21. See subscriber offer on Page 68 to go in the draw to win one of two Barz Optics floating sunglasses packs valued at $180 each!

ing 3” straight-tailed minnows on 1/8oz jig heads.

Low-light periods are best because the fish are more active and will take a lure with a heavier leader.

When the sun is up, dropping leader size may be necessary.

Larger snapper and jewfish are in good numbers on the deeper reefs of the bay at this time of year but can be followed closely by big sharks.

Sharks can be a real pest and anglers should move on if they are losing fish and can see the sharks on their sounders.

Using appropriate tackle can help shorten the fight and increase the chance of landing the fish but when a school of big bullies moves in, even the heaviest tackle will not beat them.

If that happens, it’s best to move.

Jigs, vibes and soft plastics are worth a cast for these deeper water demersal species that generally hang very close to the bottom.

Tuna and mackerel will be well worth a look in coming months.

Some reports of both mack and longtail tuna have come in but they seem to be there one day and gone the next.

Mud Island, to the north of Tangalooma on Moreton Island and south to the Sandhills are possible haunts for early season tuna and mackerel – just be aware of the green zones.

Having a backup plan for lack of surface activity or just having a rod rigged on the way to fishing for something else is worthwhile because the pelagics can be inconsistent.

Brisbane River King threadfin salmon and jewfish can be in

ATI ON

by PETER HERBST

CI

All the rivers got enough of a flush to do some good to the systems without making them unfishable for a great length of time.

Some very hot days have been experienced already this year due to annoying northerly wind, which has seen water temperatures jump and stirred some warm water species into biting.

Luring Moreton Bay

O

F

ISHING has been on the improve from Brisbane to the Gold Coast after the much-needed rain in October.

Fresh flush sees fish fire...........by Peter Herbst....................................P3 Rainbow and Rous......................by Brian Webb.....................................P7 Moreton Bay.................................by Sean Conlon ...................................P9 Game Fishing ...............................by Barry Alty ......................................P12 Fish n Chicks ................................by Syl Cron .........................................P14 Jacks and crabs ..........................by Keith Stratford..............................P16 Broadwater Region......................by Wayne ‘Youngy’ Young ..............P18 Fish galore on Gold Coast ........by Darren Rama ................................P19 Topwater fishing .........................by Brad Smith ....................................P20 Fish the Deep ...............................by Scott Van Burck...........................P21 Tweed to Byron ...........................by Gavin Dobson ...............................P22 Evans Head full of fish ...............by Gary ‘Squidgie’ Palmer..............P23 Ballina round-up ............................. by Brett Hyde ...........................................P24 Just Jew ........................................by Tye Porter ......................................P25 Wilson Fishing puzzle page .....................................................................P25 Sunshine Coast............................by Peter Wells ...................................P26 Crabbing over Christmas ..........by Craig Tomkinson .........................P28 Hervey Bay....................................by Tri Ton .............................................P30 Guide to slide baiting ................by Don Butler .....................................P31 Fraser Island.................................by Heath Zygnerski ..........................P32 1770 fishing trip ...........................by Mati Bats.......................................P34 Power Boat Anglers...................by Mick Clutterbuck ........................P36 Bundaberg Region ......................by Brad Young ...................................P37 Readers Forum.............................................................................................P38 Boating & Marine .................................................................................P39-43 Boat Review .................................by Daniel Tomlinson ........................P40 Electric motor review ................by Sean ‘Skip’ Thompson ...............P42 Insights into insurance..............by Nautilus Marine ..........................P42 Charter Directory ................................................................................. P44,45 Choosing a canoe .......................by Dan Owbridge..............................P46 Gladstone Region........................by Gary Churchward........................P47 Hinchinbrook Island...................by Todd Eveleigh ..............................P48 Rocky Barra Bounty ...................by Lachie Baker ................................P49 Threat to jewfish stocks ...........by Dave Donald .................................P50 Capricorn Coast...........................by John Boon .....................................P51 Stanage Bay .................................by Pee Wee ........................................P52 Cape York ......................................by ‘Billabong’ Bazz Lyon .................P53 Top of Australia ...........................by Matt Potter ....................................P54 Caravan Chat ................................by Brad Young ...................................P55 Caravan Modifications ............. by Craig Tomkinson .........................P56 Darling River Run ........................by Bill Corten .....................................P57 Outdoors ........................................by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson ................P58 Wild Australia............................. by Neil Schultz..................................P59 Impoundment barra ..................... by Mitch Townsend .........................P60 Awoonga Dam barra ..................by Sean Conlon .................................P61 Monduran Dam ............................by Donna Gane ..................................P62 Freshwater Impoundments ......by Matthew Langford ......................P63 Borumba Dam bass ....................by Callum Munro ..............................P64 Recipe ............................................by Melissa Frohloff ..........................P65 Freshwater workshop ...............by Brian Dare.....................................P65 Great start for cod .......................by Noal Kuhl ......................................P66 Trading Post.................................................................................................P67 Competition Report.................... by Paul ‘Chief’ Graveson ................P68 Subscription form ......................................................................................P68

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Fresh flush sees many fish fire up

P61

PRO TE CT

The author with a big Moreton Bay jewie.

A

S the time for putting the odd fishing gift under the Christmas tree draws near, it’s also a good time to make sure your boat is ready to hit the water.

HIN G T R A D E

Check you have all the required safety gear and it is in good condition.

I recently gave the old Polycraft a clean-out and noticed two of the straps on my bulky life jackets, which were basically unused, had started to deteriorate, so they were replaced.

It’s also worth checking the dates on the flares, as these need to be current to ensure you don’t get a fine.

And if you haven’t done so, I’d suggest getting your motor serviced by a local dealer or mobile marine mechanic.

Giving the trailer a once-over would be a good idea too.

Your local marine dealer or trailer specialist can perform any running repairs or maintenance so you can enjoy trouble-free boating these holidays.

I say this every year, but please be patient at boat ramps and when on the water during the busy Christmas period.

If needed, try to help your fellow fisho.

Not only will it aid them, it will give you a warm fuzzy feeling and often speed up any delay at the ramp.

As much as I encourage everyone to have fun on the water these holidays, please remember the rules.

Fisheries officers will be out in force checking catches, so make sure you know the regulations.

There is a link to most states’ regulations on the Useful Links page of bnbfishing.com.au While there, check out the weekly fishing reports and feature articles for the latest insight to where the fish are biting.

I would like to welcome a couple of new writers to the BNB team: Barry Alty who is a game fishing legend and based on the Gold Coast, and Dave Donald who is very well known and regarded in the fishing industry for his knowledge and passion.

This month Dave has touched on an important issue currently threatening our jewfish stocks throughout the state.

There is a booming international market for the swim bladders of fish, and our two major jewfish species are prime swim bladder candidates.

Unfortunately, the black market sale of these swim bladders is threatening to decimate jewfish stocks, so please keep an eye out for any shady behaviour and call the Fishwatch hotline on 1800 017 116 if you are suspicious.

For the full run-down on this situation, check out Dave’s article on Page 50.

Finally, I’d like to thank all our readers, both of the printed version and online (which can be found at issuu.com/bnbfishing) who have supported us through the year.

I’d also like to extend this thanks to our advertisers who I hope have a prosperous end to the year and great start to 2019.

Merry Christmas.

Ben Collins

October prizewinner Congratulations to Tom Short, Ormiston who has won a Lox Yoshi LS7023 rod, Lox fish-measuring mat and Crucis hoodie!

☛ continued P4

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 3

Fresh flush sees many fish fire up ☛ from P3

Kurt from Jones’s Tackle with a recent solid mack tuna from Moreton Bay.

Mitch from Tackle World Lawnton loves his jacks. This one took a liking to his Tiemco Sumari 90 Deep hard-body.

good numbers in the lower reaches of the river at this time of year.

These fish are often found in the deeper water of 10-15m and can suffer from barotrauma.

If anglers are targeting the king threadfin and jewfish in deep water and intending to catch and release their fish, they should be mindful of a couple of things.

Use the appropriate tackle.

This means rods in the 6-10kg range and reels spooled with braid 10kg or preferably stronger so the fish can be brought in quickly (though not too quickly as this will increase the risk of barotrauma) and have enough energy left to swim back down after the fight.

Time out of the water for a threadfin should be kept to an absolute minimum, with releasing in the water by far the best technique.

A water release will massively increase the chances of the fish swimming off healthy, so if you have a picture of one, why not release the rest in the water?

Having everything needed at hand will reduce the out of water time, so have the camera and brag mat ready, and it’s worth having a release weight ready too.

Soft vibes are by far the

most popular lure for targeting both king threadfin and jewfish in the Brisbane River but small soft plastics can account for plenty of fish, especially if they are a little harder to tempt.

Using your sounder to locate schools and position your boat in a legal fishing area while drifting your lure through the school is a deadly technique.

Be mindful of the areas where you need to be 30m from structure.

I know we are all just trying to catch fish but I would hate to see fishing

banned from the river because we ignore the rules.

Estuaries The old mangrove jack have been out and about of late.

Plenty of fish have been caught, and as always, plenty have been lost.

Mangrove jack will really push an angler.

Getting casts tight into structure and then stopping the jacks from getting back into the structure can be a struggle and sometimes an impossibility.

Prawns should start to become thicker in the estuaries after the rain,

so topwater and prawnimitation lures will be worth trying for jacks, along with the usual diving hard-bodies and paddle tail soft plastics.

Estuary cod, bream, flathead and the odd trevally will no doubt be encountered while targeting jacks, which keeps anglers on their toes while waiting for that unmistakable strike you get from a mangrove jack.

Hopefully the weather plays nice and we can all get out and enjoy some good fishing, even in the busy school holiday period.

A 3.5” Molix Real Thing Shad has been working really well for king threadfin and jewfish of late.

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Page 4 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

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Campaign to restore Australia’s waterways launched in Queensland A U S T R A L I A’ S recreational fishers are being encouraged to get behind a new national campaign to restore degraded waterways, improving habitats and fish numbers.

National not-for-profit organisation OzFish Unlimited has partnered with leading retailer BCF to launch the ‘Give Back to Habitat’ initiative.

The opening of the Moreton Bay Shellfish Recycling Centre is just one part of the journey to restore Australia’s waterways to a healthy environment for aquatic life.

Clean waterways and healthy habitats are vital for the sustainability of water-related activities loved by Aussies, including recreational fishing.

The partnership between OzFish and BCF provides an easy way for fishers to get involved and make a real difference.

In the past 12 months, BCF and its customers have donated more than $500,000 to OZFish.

Millions of oysters are eaten in Australia each year, with the vast majority of discarded shells simply thrown into landfill sites and forgotten about.

This means they’re just adding to the country’s garbage problem instead of playing a positive role in shellfish reef restoration.

OzFish’s new Shellfish Recycling Centre, on land donated by the Port of Brisbane, aims to restore shellfish reefs to the Moreton Bay region.

Placing used oyster shells in the waterways is scientifically proven to encourage live oysters to return to the area, which has the knock-on benefit of growing fish populations.

Shellfish recycling also has real benefits for local businesses, with one local seafood supplier, Shuck It!, having saved nearly $10,000 already by donating its used shells to OzFish rather than sending them to landfill.

An adult oyster can filter between four and five litres of water every hour, meaning the restoration of shellfish reefs

by OzFish will quickly make a demonstrable difference to the area’s water quality and fish populations.

The centre was officially opened by Queensland’s Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner.

The minister has recently stated his aim to make Queensland the aquaculture capital of the world and welcomed the partnership between OzFish and BCF. “Queensland has long been highly regarded for

its waterways and the seafood contained within them,” Mr Furner said.

“Healthy habitats mean healthy fish.

“It’s great to see OzFish and BCF partnering to promoting this message.

“The Give Back to Habitat initiative is a fantastic way of getting the people who know our rivers and oceans better than most, recreational fishers, involved and contributing in a meaningful and positive manner.”

The country’s community of about three million recreational fishers, who contribute more than $10 billion to the economy, have a key role to play in achieving that goal.

They are being encouraged to join OzFish or show their support by donating to the initiative at one of BCF’s 130-plus stores across Australia.

BCF customers have the option to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar, with the retailer donating all funds raised in its stores to OzFish.

OzFish CEO and founder Craig Copeland believes mobilising Australia’s recreational fish-

ers through the national partnership with BCF will deliver measurable benefits for waterways across the country.

“Better habitats mean better fishing, and that also has benefits for the wider ecosystem too,” Mr Copeland said.

“By working together and each doing a little, whether that be donating time or money, recreational fishers can help to restore Australia’s waterways.

“Give Back to Habitat projects like this new Shellfish Recycling Centre are empowering fishers to play a role in restoring the environment and safeguarding their sport for future generations.

“What we’re doing here in Moreton Bay, which is just the start of a nationwide campaign, would not be possible without the dedication and support of our volunteers and partner organisations.

“I’d particularly like to thank BCF for their support and the national presence they give us.”

BCF managing director Anthony Heraghty underlined his company’s

commitment to the important work being done by OzFish.

“Australians love being outside, and for more than 35 years BCF has been the trusted choice to go to for kit and expertise,” Mr Heraghty said.

“We’re proud to be further strengthening our relationship with Australia’s recreational fishing community by partnering with OzFish to deliver the Give Back to Habitat initiative.

“Australia possesses some of the world’s greatest outdoor spaces, and by encouraging people to restore and improve our waterways, we are helping to ensure it stays that way.

“Every cent donated to OzFish at a BCF store will play its part in habit restoration and boosting fish numbers across Australia.”

The opening of the Moreton Bay Shellfish Recycling Centre was also supported by Healthy Land & Water, Caltex and the Goodman Foundation.

To find out more about OzFish and to volunteer at your local OzFish project, please visit ozfish. org.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 5

Page 6 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

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BRISBANE (BAYSIDE)

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

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A day trip through the Rainbow and Rous channels

M

ORETON Bay has a wide range of viable day trip options covering family fun, hard-core fishing sessions and much more.

One of these is the Rainbow Channel, which runs along the inside of North Stradbroke Island, roughly from the township of Dunwich to Amity Point.

We treat a trip up the Rainbow Channel as an enjoyable fishing day.

It’s a chance for a casual trip and we try to catch fish as we go.

Normally we end up with a feed of fresh fish and spot plenty of scenery and often sea life to discuss.

In summer, when the primary targets in the Rainbow are pelagics, the wind comes from the northeast and southeast, so we try to go as far up the channel as possible before the wind gets above 12-15 knots and then fish our way home with the easterly wind behind us.

It’s best to stay at home if it’s blowing at first light or if fronts are predicted on the weather chart.

Basically, if it’s pleasant in the early morning the wind shouldn’t get up until the afternoon.

On a summer’s day you can either leave Raby Bay or Victoria Point ramps around 5am for a 6am low tide.

Our first stop is usually drifting for snapper around the top of Peel Island for an hour or so.

It’s a good idea to be rigged before you leave the boat ramp.

After catching a few snapper if you’re lucky, it’s time to run down around the Douglas Light and into the Rainbow Channel.

Follow the channel around to the southern end near the Myora Light (though ensure you stay outside the green zone) and start working a few soft plastics close to the bottom, targeting grass and spangled sweetlip.

Have a few drifts and then move on.

The best time depends on a few factors such as the amount of tidal flow.

If the tide is too fast, move on to one of the many other great fishing areas.

I use slightly heavier jig heads around Myora to compensate for flow.

If I use 1/2oz jig heads then I’ll leave them on as I head up the channel as these heavy

Moreton Bay

by BRIAN WEBB

heads cast a 5” jerk shad further when targeting tuna.

With your tackle rigged and ready to go, if a school of tuna pops up, you can be quick to cast.

From Amity Point it is a short trip across the Rainbow Channel (looking for tuna and mackerel as you go) to the Amity Banks.

Then it’s over to Days Gutter and around Crab Island on the inside of Moreton Island.

This comes out near the Blue Hole and into Moreton Bay, so

you’ll be sheltered from easterly wind for a few hours while you chase tuna in the waters around the Sandhills.

It’s then a slow trip back to Days Gutter due to the dugong go-slow zone.

Next we dash across the front of South Passage Bar from Reeders Point, using roughly the same channel the barges take.

If the wind is easterly, you’ll have to get back to the top end of the channel before the ☛ continued P8

The results of a whiting session from Amity Banks.

A squire from Bird Island.

Tailor from Amity Point.

Rainbow Channel school mackerel.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 7

A day trip through the Rainbow and Rous channels ☛ from P7

The batch of 5m-high reef modules.

New artificial reef deployed off North Stradbroke Island

D

IVING and recreational fishing is about to get even better off beautiful North Stradbroke Island, with a new artificial reef recently installed.

Minister for Employment and Small Business Shannon Fentiman said the 38 reef modules make up a new 30ha reef off Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

“This new artificial reef will provide a much-welcomed boost to tourism in the region,” Ms Fentiman said.

The new reef was installed 10-12m under water just 1.5km north of Adder Rock Camping Ground.

“This is the eighth Moreton Bay reef installed by the Queensland Government, enhancing recreational fishing and diving opportunities in the region,” Ms Fentiman said.

“It won’t be long before locals and tourists alike can drop their lines, as marine life will be attracted to the structures almost immediately.

“Within months of completion, divers will see an array of sea creatures around the purpose-built structures, and within 18 months the marine habitat will be fully established, improving fishing opportunities substantially.”

This project is a collaborative initiative between Quandamooka

Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, the traditional owners of North Stradbroke Island and the Queensland Government.

QYAC CEO Cameron Costello said they are excited to bring this project to life to develop Minjerribah as a global eco-cultural tourism destination.

“The nodes have been placed in the formation of Mirabooka (the Southern Cross), so we can share that Quandamooka dreaming story with visitors to the reef,” Mr Costello said.

“We will also be developing a traditional Jandai language name for the reef in consultation with Elders.”

Pacific Marine Group CEO Kevin Chard said Pacific Marine Group is proud to be a partner in this project, designing and constructing the 38 modules in its Townsville facility.

“The artificial reef modules were sea fastened to a barge at Pacific Marine Group’s marina on October 25 before commencing their five-day journey down the coast,” Mr Chard said.

“Each weighing about 17 tonnes, the modules and a 150-tonne crane were towed by the tug Black Panther.

“We will be following with interest the impact this artificial reef will have in creating an enhanced marine environment, benefitting southeast Queensland.”

Member for Redlands

Kim Richards said the purpose-built concrete reef modules are a new design to those Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service had used successfully in Moreton Bay and Hervey Bay. “These 5m-high purpose-built structures are low maintenance, will last more than 30 years and can withstand significant storm events,” Ms Richards said.

“The reef modules were reinforced using Emesh fibres, made from 100 percent recycled plastic with a direct saving of 95 percent carbon equivalent compared to reinforcing the modules with steel mesh.”

Member for Capalaba Don Brown said the new reef will improve conditions for the local marine life and will be a welcome addition to Moreton Bay. “Artificial reefs provide marine life with protection from predators, shelter from ocean currents, breeding opportunities and a rich supply of food,” he said.

“Moreton Bay already has seven artificial reefs that provide fantastic fishing opportunities for the southeast, and this reef will further enhance recreational opportunities.”

For more information about artificial reefs in Moreton Bay visit, npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/ moreton-bay/zoning/tri al_artificial_reef_pro gram.html

run-out tide starts flowing too fast.

The tide runs out in a roughly northeasterly direction, so if a strong easterly breeze springs up you get a wind against tide situation, which makes for a choppy surface on top of any swell.

Around this time you should start looking for doggy mackerel.

I’ve found tuna don’t often bite in wind above 15 knots.

As the water drains off the flats down the inside of the Rainbow Channel on the falling tide, baitfish drop into the draining gutters all the way down the Rainbow and then get flushed out into the main channel where mackerel will be looking for prey.

Some of the best mackerel spinning occurs near the sandbanks on either side of the channel.

If you leave the northern end of the Rainbow

around midday and drive too fast down the channel you’ll exit the bottom end without seeing any fish to catch.

Spinning for mackerel is done with a chrome slug and a high-speed outfit.

Sure there are days when you may need to use wire as for some reason every hook-up results in a biteoff with mono or fluorocarbon.

The reel must offer about a 6:1 retrieve ratio and rods need to be 2.12.4m long to give you sufficient casting distance.

Mackerel don’t fight as hard as tuna, so almost any rod will do.

A mackerel rod doesn’t need the power to lift a heavy tuna from the deep.

Nor does the rod tip need to be sensitive to cast the typical 40-80g chrome slugs that are regular mackerel lures.

To put yourself in with a chance of a hook-up, simply cast the lure across the school when the fish are

on the surface, sometimes letting the lure sink for a few seconds and then retrieving it through the school of feeding mackerel at high speed.

After we clear the southern end, it is a short run across to the Bluff and the Platypus wreck at Peel where we work poppers around the structure.

We then head to Horseshoe Bay where a few million dollars’ worth of cruisers will probably be sheltering from the afternoon northeasterly wind.

After Horseshoe Bay, we head around to South West Rocks for a quick

fish, then either motor on to Raby Bay/Cleveland or south to Victoria Point boat ramp.

This run can be the worst part of the day if 20 knots of northeasterly wind is around.

The run south to Victoria Point has the wind at your back, while for the run across to Raby Bay/Cleveland you’ll have the wind against the righthand side of the boat.

This stretch across to Cleveland can be very lumpy at times and you can get a drenching in an open boat.

An estuary cod from the One Mile.

A map of the Rainbow Channel.

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The author was lucky enough to get a few casts at the flatties, catching this nice 73cm lizard on a Gobblers Paddle Tail.

Moreton Bay Charters finding fish

F

LATHEAD are still on the chew.

No matter how many times I chase these fish I still get excited when I look at the tide chart and see those good tides line up with my charters and recreational fishing trips.

After catching countless flathead over the years, I never get sick of chasing them or watching my customers and friends land them on lures.

Southern Moreton Bay

by SEAN CONLON

I feel they are great sportfish on light gear, and for those who have only ever caught them on bait, believe me they fight completely differently when just hooked in the lip with a lure, making a great account for themselves.

Light gear, light lines, the right types of lures (used at the right times) and a bit of finesse can make the difference between catching and not.

I always talk about targeting these fish on the high and low tides.

As summer starts push-

ing up the water temperature up, I will only target them on the bottom of the tides because up towards the mangrove line the water becomes too warm and not as many fish are around, so it’s not as productive as in winter.

So what do we do with the rest of the tide?

As summer starts, so do our squire/snapper on the rubble grounds. ☛ continued P10

A nice flathead hooked while trolling a Zerek Bulldog Crank.

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Moreton Bay Charters finding fish ☛ from P9

We begin trying to pick up a few of those fish for customers with techniques such as casting soft plastics, using bait and trolling hard-bodies.

One thing to remember being Christmas time is it’s going to get a lot busier, so early morning starts will probably be in order to get the most success.

If you can coincide the right tide for the fish you’re chasing with a sunrise, all the better.

I hear a lot of people saying “no good northerlies” in relation to northerly wind, and yes that can be true but on most occasions you’ll find from early morning (say 4.30am) you will get a rise in pressure until 9am or 10am.

Your best chance of getting fish is to get out early enough for that rise in pressure.

Then after 10am as the pressure starts to drop I would head to Peel Island and Blakesleys and a few of those other spots for a swim and a feed instead of beating yourself up trying to catch fish in the tough part of the day.

The best thing about that is if you’ve got the kids or the partner, you get out early, catch fish in the best part of the day, have a swim and a feed around lunch and then get home before that afternoon sun bakes you.

That’s my bit of advice for the school holidays.

A good mixed bag will be around the usual spots including Hole in the Wall

at Peel Island, Potts Point, Coochiemudlo Island and the deep hole at the bottom of Macleay Island.

At this time of year I find fresh quality bait works well, and don’t be afraid to get a good berley trail going in these areas.

This should produce fish such as squire/snapper, bream, flathead, trevally and grass sweetlip.

Also don’t be afraid to start getting those sand crab pots out.

Now is definitely the time in the lead-up to Christmas.

I usually find I leave it too late and crab just prior to Christmas, getting pretty much nothing for my efforts, so get into them now.

So that’s my wrap for

Christmas and 2018.

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Warren (Wazza) will be running the big boat from now on and doing all the major charter work and I will be concentrating on my fishing tuition and charters in my small boat.

Wazza has proven to be a gun angler and a great skipper, so don’t be afraid to give him a call on 0433 732 310.

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The youngest person to do one of the author’s courses so far captured this 40cm squire while learning how to troll Zerek Ripper Divers.

A few golden trevally are around as by-catch when flathead fishing. They are great fun on light gear.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 11

Lure origins, types and actions

T

HE origin of the lures we now use for catching marlin can be traced back to Kona, Hawaii.

A bullet lure. Photos: Tornado Lures

A tube.

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www.fishingmistress.com Page 12 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

For some years, fishers there had used what they called ‘tarparinos’ to catch wahoo, dolphinfish, tuna and the occasional marlin.

These tarparinos were wooden plugs shaped like a cigar with a fixed hook at the rear.

Some time in the 1950s the Kona Inn was being built.

They were using chrome tubing in the build and captain George Parker got some of the offcuts, jammed a broomstick with a leader hole up the middle into the chrome tube and cut the face either straight or at an angle.

Thus was born the first pusher, flat-faced lure and tube.

He skirted these lures with bike tube or automotive seating vinyl because skirts as we know them today were yet to be invented.

Captain Henry Chee was a companion of George in Kona and it was he who recognised the usefulness of casting resin in making these new-fangled marlin lures.

At first he and George used any receptacle they could get a hold of as the moulds.

This included everything from beer cans to glasses and pill bottles.

Many of the latter had concave bases and so was developed the first chugger – a lure with a concave face.

This style was later replicated by Dennis Braid, then by Frank Johnston with the famous Mold Craft Chugger.

However, this design was most successfully commercialised by our own Peter Pakula who produced a whole range of chuggers.

As an aside, I might add that Frank Johnstone’s main business prior to this was making dildos.

It was Captain Peter B Wright who saw the same material could be used for making lures and persuaded Frank to do so.

George and Henry were using lathes and sandpaper to give some ‘shape’ to their various creations but along the way Henry got hold of some moulding rubber.

Now they could recreate a shape endlessly or fashion a lure shape in wood and make a mould from it.

This made it easy to replicate the most successful shapes.

I fished with George many years ago on his single-engine game boat Playboy and have fished with both his sons Marlin and Randy.

Henry died quite young, so I never met him but I have fished with his two sons Butch and Joe on

Game Fishing

by BARRY ALTY

Henry’s old single-engine boat Malia.

We never saw a fish that day but it was one of the best days I have ever spent fishing.

Butch and Joe spent a great deal of time showing us how and where to run the various lure types.

It was truly marlin 101.

At the time we were living and fishing on Bougainville Island, which had a pretty active game fishing fleet.

We were usually in the top three boats each season, but after learning from Butch and Joe we came back and caught seven the following month while no one else in the fleet even saw one.

That’s the benefit of chartering with experts and learning how to do it properly.

Over the years numerous types and shapes of lures have been marketed.

I will deal with the main types and describe their actions and positioning.

The first overall category is that of the sliced-face straight runner, which is as the name implies.

These are by far the most popular and successful game fishing lures today.

They are also known as asymmetrical lures.

Within this category we have at one extreme the tube.

This is a straight-sided lure with a sharply angled face.

The length is usually about three times the width.

Almost every lure maker has a tube in the range.

It is a rooster-tailing, largely surface/near-surface lure that creates a great deal of commotion.

It is usually run at long rigger, long flat or even shotgun.

Generally this lure is only good up to 15 knots.

Beyond that, tubes tend to flick out of the water and tumble.

In my view, this lure type is most attractive to marlin up to about 150kg, but while the strike level is high the hook-up rate suffers because of the highly active nature of the lure.

At the other extreme is the plunger.

This lure bears an elongated acorn shape, and is quite long and heavy with a face way smaller than the lure’s maximum diameter.

The small face has a relatively narrow angle.

This lure, as the name

implies, ‘plunge’.

It has a relatively short surface interval and then dives, leaving a lengthy ‘smoke trail’.

The plunger can be run in any position and catch fish but it is generally run at short flat.

The most famous plunger is the Joe Yee Super Plunger, which has reportedly caught more grander blues than any other lure.

In the middle is what I call the intermediate.

This is a lure that spends equal time or thereabouts rooster tailing and diving/smoking.

This lure head is relatively short, maybe two times the diameter in length with a modest face angle between the tube and plunger.

The intermediate will run anywhere.

Classic examples are the Joe Yee Apollo and Marlin Magic Ruckus.

The sliced-face straight runner is the most commonly used lure today but it requires attention when rigging.

Double or single hooks must be in the vertical plane and stiff rigged otherwise the lure will spin.

Next we have pushers and chuggers, as described previously.

In the late ‘80s when blue marlin fishing really took off in Australia, ☛ continued P13

An intermediate.

A plunger.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Game lure origins, types and actions ☛ from P12

these types became really popular because they are easy to rig and set.

You can use any type of hook rig you like and the lure will still work but a 60-degree angle is preferred in two-hook rigs.

The lure is also easy to set.

Put any one anywhere at literally any speed and it will work.

The action is a short surface ‘gulp’ followed by a long and relatively shallow underwater period and a lengthy smoke trail.

In my experience this lure won’t get as many strikes as a sliced-face straight runner lure but get a good hook-up rate because they move more slowly and are easier for a marlin to get onto.

The pusher/chugger is very useful in rough weather because it will stay in the water.

Then we have jets and bullets.

These are not very popular but do catch fish.

The shape is as the name implies.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Usually this design spends almost all its time just trucking along under water but occasionally breaks the surface.

We have enjoyed considerable success with one of Eric Koyangi’s Koya Bullets on the long rigger.

Other types have come and gone such as hypalon heads, knuckleheads and scoops, but I have written about the most commonly used lures, not the ones that have faded into history and are rarely used today.

If you have any questions relating to this article, you can contact me on bar ryalty@bigpond.com and I will respond directly.

Next issue we’ll discuss selecting and setting the pattern, colours and hook rigs.

As a final fishing update note, captain Brett Alty on Mistress fished 14 quarter days off Fraser Island in October.

During this period he caught 50 marlin comprising 40 blue marlin, eight black marlin and two striped marlin.

The Take Time crew.

Scott Heaney with his prizes.

2018 Sunshine Coast Gamefishing Club Spring Shootout

A

FTER a false start on the original dates due to terrible weather and an iffy weather forecast for the first weekend of November (the backup dates), it was decided to scale down the 2018 Sunshine Coast Gamefishing Club Spring Shootout into a one-day event with half the entry fee (juniors could still enter for free but had to be nominated), fixed Calcutta prices and the presentation straight after fishing on the Saturday night.

This proved to be a great concept all things considered, with the Sunday ending up with a strong wind warning issued by

the Bureau of Meteorology.

Ten boats from three clubs comprising 34 senior anglers and five juniors headed out to sea on the Saturday into a light northwesterly wind, which turned into a solid northeaster around lunchtime.

Catching the first fish of a tournament goes a long way to setting you up and so it proved for Tony Kempe and the crew of their 45’ Bertram Take Time.

Angler Scott Heaney’s blue marlin was tagged at 9.43am on the Saturday, two minutes before Darryl Lund’s on Keneka.

In total 16 strikes were recorded by the fleet, with

11 hook-ups and five tags comprising three blue marlin, one striped marlin and a non-qualifying mahi mahi tagged by a junior angler.

The champion team on Take Time won a glass

plaque and Shimano Tyrnos 20 for each crew member as well as a Garmin multifunction display for skipper and owner Tony Kempe.

The prize for champion angler went to Scott

Heaney with his blue marlin scoring 15,000 points.

Scott won a sailfish mount from Solas/Wizard Tackle, Shimano Tyrnos 20 and Gary Howard Rod. To see the full results, visit scgfc.com.au

Take Time under way.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 13

Awesome action around Australia W HAT a month it has been!

One very proud fisher.

All I can say is wow.

The weather is warming and plenty of people have enjoyed great fishing, regardless of the wind that has been around.

My partner Jason and I bought a little 3.9m tinnie a while back and brought her back to life.

Jason spent many hours working on her and picked up lots of cuts and bruises but finally got her on the water and she’s a beauty.

She’s a Clark Hornet with a forward-control Tohatsu 25hp, all the safety gear, a little windscreen and much more includ-

The author just as she landed her PB threadfin salmon.

The little Fish n Chicks tinnie.

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bnbfishingmag Page 14 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Fishing Fun

by SYL CRON

ing LED lights inside for night-time fishing trips.

We have rotating rod holders that were originally steel beach rod holders until Jason added a bend to them.

We scored these beauties from The Shed at Tackle Land Sandgate for an absolute bargain.

She also has a live bait tank because I love fishing with livies.

I can’t thank you enough Jason.

We have taken the Fish n Chicks vessel out fishing three times now and she has notched up a couple of great fish already.

Glen landed a 99cm threadfin salmon and I landed my PB thready too.

So, let me tell you about my thready...

I had been in a serious drought and on a doughnut diet for quite a while when we started hearing a lot of hype about these great fish in the Brisbane River.

We decided it was worth investigating, so Jason and I took the little tinnie out and caught our live bait before dropping anchor where we hoped was ‘the spot’.

I was sitting there all relaxed when all of a sudden my Penn Spinfisher 6500 started to sing to me.

I had two small hits first and then it happened, so I grabbed my rod and the fight began.

Jason quickly reeled in his line and the stage was mine.

The only thing getting in my way was the anchor rope.

This fish took off one way and then shot off in the other direction.

Next thing it had gone under the boat, so I stuck my rod straight down and continued to fight.

Then I saw colour and it was like winning the lotto.

It was a thready and it was a good one.

My whole body was shaking with adrenalin and I yelled at Jason to grab the net and get my prize in the boat.

We landed it and I smashed my PB of 78cm by scoring this cracking 93cm fish.

Looking back at the photos, I can honestly say I have never seen my face with a bigger smile.

I’ll very soon be doing my best to crack the metre mark.

Alvey competition As I mentioned in last

month’s article, we were running an Alvey selfie completion.

Everyone sent in their best Alvey selfie and we put all the names in a bucket and drew the lucky winner via live stream from Tackle Land.

The main prize was a signed Alvey reel kindly donated by Alvey Australia.

Many other prizes were donated by Doug Burt’s Tackle World, Better Tackle and Tackle Land.

I cannot thank our sponsors enough for their ongoing support.

We also threw in some awesome Fish n Chicks merchandise.

The winner of the major prize was Brett Weiler.

Brett is a huge Alvey fan and has been a collector for many years.

Following is a short story about the photo Brett shared with us.

“Giving my son his first Alvey. I know it’s not a flash new one but the story with this reel is he is now the fourth generation of my family to use it (try doing that with a spinning reel).

The reel was my grandfather’s, then my mum’s, then mine and now it’s his.

I know Alvey realise they make a reel that can last more than a lifetime but their reels also make memories that are irreplaceable and last just as long.

Whenever the subject of fishing is being spoken about, my son still tells everyone about his first fish he ever caught, which was a little estuary cod about 9cm long.”

This story melted my heart.

Brett’s collection is absolutely outstanding and he is such a big fan he has the Alvey logo tattooed on his arm.

Congratulations Brett, you deserve this.

South Australian jewfish Amanda Whitehorn recently headed out in her kayak and had a fantastic session.

Here’s what she had to say.

“I came across a school after about two hours of trolling off Coorong, South Australia.

My first-ever mulloway was a 70cm example

landed about 15 minutes prior to hooking up to this metre-long fish.

After about a 10-minute fight (or tow around) I had landed the fish.

My setup of choice was an Abu Garcia Veritas 2.0 7’, 5-9kg rod paired with a Daiwa Aird-X 3000 size reel running 13lb braid and 8lb fluorocarbon leader.

The fish ate a 1/6ozrigged Z-Man 5” GrubZ in Violet Flake.”

Well done Amanda, it’s so good to see female fishos doing well.

Christmas is just around the corner and we are planning a Fish n Chicks barbecue.

This will be a great family day including giveaways and a sausage sizzle (gold coin donation), with all proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and attendees getting to meet some other eager fishos.

I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

If you’re a member of Fish n Chicks, you will see all the details and if you’re not a member, please feel free to join our big family via Facebook.

The prizes are already rolling in.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and I can’t wait to see all the fishing gear Santa brings you.

Tight lines.

Alvey fanatic and prizewinner Brett Weiler.

Amanda Whitehorn captured a cracking metre-long jewfish off South Australia.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 15

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Catching mangrove jack and crabs for Christmas D ECEMBER is upon us already, which means it’s nearly time for the round man in the red suit to bring us all a few fishing treats.

Hopefully everyone has been well behaved this year, so the rod racks and lure boxes get well stocked.

December is a very busy month on the water.

School holidays will see a lot of extra boats out and about and plenty of anglers will be chasing a feed of crabs and fish for

Local Luring

by KEITH STRATFORD

Christmas Day. Mud crabs will be well and truly on the move now summer is here.

If you are using fresh baits, you should be able to pot a few decent crabs this month.

Learning how to distinguish between a quality crab and an empty crab will help when it comes time to serve these treats up to family at Christmas.

There are a few ways to tell if a crab is full.

Crabs that are full are generally dark and have a rusty colour underneath the carapace.

Occasionally a shell will have barnacles growing on it and this indicates the

crab has been in the shell for a long time and will be full.

A quick look at the claws can also reveal how well the crab has been feeding.

If the claws are sharp it

is likely the crab has only recently shed its old shell and is more than likely not going to be very full.

A full crab will have worn and sometimes even damaged claws.

Another way of checking if the crab is full is to press on the underside of the shell on the very out☛ continued P17

Worn claws are a good indicator the crab will be full.

Ashlee Levy potted this brute of a mud crab recently during some horrible weather.

Page 16 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Catching mangrove jack and crabs for Christmas ☛ from P16

side of the carapace.

If you can’t push it in the crab is full.

If it goes in easily the crab is empty and is probably better off released.

Local fishing Mangrove jack have been a hot topic lately and December is another good month to test your skills on these aggressive fish.

Boat traffic can shut mangrove jack down very easily, so planning your trips around the low-light periods and into the night can increase your chances of success.

For many anglers, it is a dream to land a mangrove jack on a lure.

Some anglers catch them regularly, but for people just getting into lure fishing it can be very difficult to achieve.

A lot of hours can go into getting a bite from a mangrove jack.

The real trouble begins once the fish is hooked

and then all hell breaks loose.

The speed of an angry jack has to be seen to be believed.

I’ve had them do some crazy things to me that you would never think a fish of that size is capable of.

It can be heartbreaking when you finally get the bite after hours of casting at snags, only to have the fish bust you off in the blink of an eye.

However, that’s what keeps us going back for more.

An easier way to land your first mangrove jack is by using live or cut baits.

This can be a devastating way to catch good numbers of mangrove jack and it also puts you in with a better chance of actually landing one.

I use a very basic technique of floating half pilchards into snags in the small creeks of the Great Sandy Strait.

Crabs that have a rusty-coloured crucifix under the carapace are guaranteed to be full.

These creeks can be really hard work when casting lures for jacks.

In the early days I put it down to the creeks having no fish, however this was proven to be very wrong.

Once I started using pilchards or live baits it opened my eyes to how many fish call these mangrove-lined creeks home.

Even in the middle of the day it’s possible to catch big numbers of jacks using this technique.

On one of my more recent trips a mate and I landed 10 jacks in an hour in the middle of the day.

Many of the fish are in the 35-45cm range in these creeks, but some big brutes among them are nearly impossible to keep out of the mangrove jungles.

I have had to climb through the mangroves to untangle a few over the years.

This technique works everywhere and will catch you jacks all through Queensland.

I did it with my dad at Hinchinbrook Island recently and it worked a treat up there too.

It’s a very basic rig.

In areas of very little tidal flow you can get away with no sinker at all, as the pilchard is heavy enough to sink to the bottom.

A pea sinker is all that’s needed in most other areas.

It can take a few minutes for the fish to start biting, but once the bream and cod get involved it creates a perfect berley trail and fish come from everywhere to get involved.

I use hooks in the 3/05/0 range and find Mustad Penetrators perfect for this style of fishing.

They are fine-gauge hooks that are very sharp and perfect for hooking hard-mouthed fish like jacks and bream.

I have never straightened one on a fish but they

do straighten on snags.

Bait soaking for jacks isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it will outfish lures every day of the week when done correctly.

Some anglers refuse to bait fish, but I can tell you they are missing out on a lot of fun and plenty of action.

I hope everyone has a good Christmas with loads of presents and some cold treats.

I’ll see you on the water and talk to you next year.

When fishing thick mangroves, it’s not uncommon to pull the fish out with the mangroves.

Phil Benfer landed this jack by drifting an unweighted pilchard into the mangroves.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 17

Rebecca and a giant herring caught while flicking lures into a school of baitfish.

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Fish smarter to beat the conditions H I everyone, we’re almost at the end of another year and I hope the fishing has been good to you as it’s been another tough one weather-wise.

On the Gold Coast it’s just been too damn windy, making the fishing more difficult than it should be.

When it’s like this you have to fish harder or smarter.

Fishing harder and longer is OK for the young fellas but for us old fellas we try to fish smarter, though some of my mates might disagree.

This month has plenty of fishing options, however a lot of them will mean getting out of bed before sunup, or as my wife calls it “stupid o’clock”, or fishing after dark.

This time of the morning will see the best fishing conditions and fewer boats on the water as we get into our sum-

Broadwater Region

by WAYNE ‘YOUNGY’ YOUNG

mer silly season.

It will also see a lot of offshore fishos thinking about mackerel fishing, however I would suggest waiting until midway through next month before concentrating on mackerel.

We are due for a good mackerel season as the past three or four have been disappointing.

I suggest bottom fishing for reef fish because some good eating fish are about.

While the snapper are not as big as our winter monsters, quality fish between 40cm and 60cm are still being caught float lining our close reefs.

Other species such as moses snapper, pearl perch and tuskfish are also around, although at

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www.kareemarine.com.au Page 18 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Young Tyler with his best whiting from a recent trip.

this time of year the current can be stronger than we like.

You have a couple of solutions for this.

If you like to drift fish, a sea anchor to slow your drift is essential.

Sometimes in closer will have less current, as will the 35m-deep reefs.

If you’re like me and prefer to anchor, then increasing your sinker size will often make the fishing easier.

We normally use 3 or 4 ball sinkers but on the last trip had to use 6 ball sinkers to get to the bottom.

At times you may even need an 8 ball to get your bait to the fish.

Just remember the whole idea behind float lining is to have your bait slowly drift to the bottom, so the bait looks very natural in the water.

In heavy current berleying is essential, but again be careful because you don’t want your berley drifting too far away from the back of your boat and taking the fish away with it.

It is possible some early season mackerel will turn up in your berley trail and this is why we prefer to use gang hooks over snelled hooks for our offshore fishing.

We also prefer to place swivels in between the hooks and on the top hook, which makes baiting up easier and improves hookup rates.

Small black marlin and dolphinfish will be about for those interested in early season trolling.

While hard to predict where, normally around 36 fathoms is a good place to start.

Back in the estuaries, we have had a great start to our summer night-time whiting sessions, with great catches of quality fish, and the good news is this will continue through December.

I am always getting asked why I choose nighttime fishing in summer.

My first answer is always it’s too damn hot to be sitting in a boat during the day in summer.

My second answer is more about the fishing; in

summer, the whiting bite a whole lot better after dark.

It is amazing how many times you will get to your fishing spot an hour or so before dark and struggle to get a fish in the boat.

Then just on dark the whiting will come on the chew thick and fast.

On a recent trip we landed three fish between 5pm and 6pm in daylight, while just after it got dark between 6pm and 7pm we landed 16.

As always, the Council Chambers gets all the headlines for being a good spot to fish but the truth is good size whiting have been caught from Isle of Capri downstream.

Here are a few spots you may not have tried.

From Isle of Capri Bridge upstream on the right-hand side all the way up to the green buoy that marks the sandbank.

The power lines that cross the river just downstream of the Isle of Capri Bridge and the channels around Chevron Island.

The area between The Southport School and Sundale Bridge.

Sometimes these whiting will be smaller than the bigger fish upstream.

As usual, I would always recommend using bloodworms for bait, however you will pick up a few whiting on yabbies, especially after rain.

If you’re a visiting an-

gler coming to the Gold Coast, use the Sundale Bridge boat ramp.

It is worthwhile putting the crab pots in for a few sandies on the southern side of the bridge while you go upriver fishing.

This month is also a good time to chase sportfish including trevally, tarpon and giant herring.

These fish can be hard to find at times but once found are a whole lot of fun.

The best location in the Coomera River is the large lake area at the top of the river where it changes to fresh water, and the last couple of hours before dark are best.

In the Nerang River, Lake Intrepid, Rumrunner Lake and Lake Wonderland are always worth trying.

The best access is provided by the boat ramp behind the casino.

In the main Nerang River, good schools of big-eye trevally are being found at night.

Trolling the jetties, bridge pylons and rock walls is the best way of finding them.

Once found, using light line and small surface walkers is an addictive way of catching them.

The run-out tide is usually best.

Until next month, have fun and fish for the future.

Plenty of good eating size snapper are still available, like these ones Jason landed.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fish galore on Gold Coast ■ Mangrove jack ■ Trevally ■ Bass

J

UST like that our holiday season is here.

December is generally a really productive month because not only do people get new toys to test out but many generally have a bit of free time up their sleeve to make the most of any fishing opportunities.

The weather in November has already set the tone for a hot summer.

Offshore fishing should start to heat up if the wind stays away, with mackerel soon to be kicking through, along with dolphinfish, marlin and wahoo.

In our estuaries is where I find most of the action.

The Gold Coast systems teem with big fish that don’t mind busting up on varieties of bait.

Mangrove jack are a fish

Nerang Tortoise Report

by DARREN RAMA

seemingly on everyone’s bucket list.

Some trips make you question why you do it and then one fish changes it all.

With water temperatures averaging 24C lately, the likelihood of them taking surface lures earlier in the season is a real possibility.

Mostly this year I have heard of jacks coming from open rock bars, retaining walls and natural structure.

Fishing with 20lb braid and leader is required, but not because the fish weigh 20lb!

Rather, it’s needed to pull them up and stop them taking you into the

dense structure in which they live.

Canal mouths and structure that is in the water at all stages of the tide consistently hold jacks.

Casting around pipes never goes astray.

Trevally have been making the most of the warmer water, and seeing fish feeding on bait every morning makes it easy to find where to cast and catch the fish.

Fishing with surface lures is definitely the most

exciting method but small hard-bodies and soft plastics work just as effectively.

Hinze Dam has produced a few bass of late.

Fishing right up close to the bank with weedless jig spin combinations is ideal.

Using a Damiki Armour Shad as the soft plastic has been getting results for me.

It is becoming harder to get a good crack at surface fishing as the sun rises earlier than the gates to Hinze opening, but fishing banks with dense overhanging trees can still be productive.

A Damiki Armour Shad worked at night time for this big-eye trevally.

Chris with his season opener jack.

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A bass taken on a Damiki jig spin.

N GOVE RN LIA RA

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This Hinze Dam bass was caught in dense cover.

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The author got into the fun and caught this whiting on a MMD surface lure.

Summer means topwater time

G

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One of the best species to target on surface lures

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Gold Coast Guide

by BRAD SMITH

right through summer is whiting, with the weeks leading up to both the new and full moons the best lunar cycles.

These prime times are when whiting concentrate in numbers and are hungry and aggressive, coinciding with their spawning cycles.

The areas to target whiting on surface must be chosen carefully because we are talking the ultimate deception in tricking a predominantly bottomfeeding species to leave its comfort zone and feed from the surface.

As a rule of thumb, I look for water knee deep and less, with the prime depth being around 30cm.

Shallow sandy areas with yabby holes and some fringing seagrass beds are a good place to look, as are places with a shell grit bottom.

In these areas are countless places for land-based anglers to enjoy a walk and try out this fun technique.

I find the tides are not

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overly important and catch them on both the run-in and run-out tides, but they bite best on bright sunny days when the surface tension of the water is disturbed by some light wind.

Whiting seem quite reluctant to rise on dull days or when the water is glassy due to the lack of wind.

If possible, keep the wind behind you when casting as this will greatly increase your casting distance and help to keep the tension on your line during the retrieve.

The best retrieval technique I have found is called walking the dog, which is hard to explain in writing, but it consists of making the lure dance quickly in a tight left to right movement.

The technique involves a bit of co-ordination by using your hand on the rod and twitching in a left to right movement like you’ve got the shakes while at the same time winding the reel.

In a perfect scenario, the rod should be set in the same position for the duration of the retrieve, with only the tip of the rod twitching because ultimately we are trying to make the lure look like a terrified prawn desperately fleeing across the surface.

I find no problem in using a bit of speed in the retrieve, though you can always experiment with variations in speed, but it is important to not pause, even if the fish are attacking the lure.

If you stop the retrieve, most times the whiting competing for the lure give up the chase and return to the bottom, which is strange because bream love to crash the surface lure on the pause.

The equipment needed for the job is quite basic, with a light 7’ spin rod in the 1-3kg or 2-4kg range matched with a small spinning reel loaded with 6lb or lighter braid.

To complete the setup, finish rigging with 6-8lb fluorocarbon leader.

I never use leaders any longer than a metre in length because I hate the joining knot bumping through the runners of the rod as I perform multiple casts.

If you are setting up for surface fishing for the first time, I suggest the Atomic Arrowz AAS-70BS rod is fantastic for topwater fishing and doubles well as a go-to rod for casting light blades or soft plastic lures.

My favourite surface lures are the Bassday Sugapen in the 58mm and 70mm, Damiki 40mm Umpa Poppers and the locally designed Mick Mol-

nar lures known as MMD lures.

All these lures work well for whiting rigged with the standard hooks from the packet, but some surface fishing anglers including me like to create a better mouse trap so to speak by experimenting with different hook arrangements on the lure.

You can mix it up in numerous variations, such as smaller, fine-gauged trebles on the front or back of the lure or assist hooks on the back instead of a treble.

You can even experiment with different-sized assist hooks if you want, with the Atomic Trick Bitz assist hooks a great range to play with.

Well that is it for me this month.

I would like to conclude with wishing all you valued readers and your families a very merry Christmas.

Experimenting with different trebles and Atomic Trick Bitz assist hooks can increase the hook-up rate of your surface lures.

A selection of the author’s favourite surface lures.

Starting at the top, a MMD lure, a Bassday Sugapen and a Damiki Umpa Popper.

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Ben caught over 20 whiting on this day using Sugapen lures.

Elbow-slapper whiting like this one are frequent captures on surface lures, with this fish taking a Bassday Sugapen.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Saying goodbye to 2018 A

S we pull out the Christmas tree and check if last year’s lights still flash, we look back on what the fishing charter businesses would not call a good year.

The winter and spring fishing saved an autumn and late summer season of strong wind, cancelled charters and a lack of quality fish.

Winter and spring gave the industry a respite and jubilation for the beginner and seasoned fisher alike.

With snapper breeding well, most trips saw clients bagging out on snapper.

The big knobbies were playing hide and seek, with several customers finding that right depth and hauling in a prized fish.

Plate size snapper were great for those happy to

Fish the Deep

by SCOTT VAN BURCK

take home a feed for the weekend.

Snapper were caught at the 50-fathom line by anglers float lining and bottom bashing with pilchards and squid.

Being big fish season, most of our regulars had repeated trips throughout winter, with each trip bringing enthusiasm and positivity in the hope of beating the last catch.

Jin Hong, Sam Ho and Brian Huang brought Chinese luck as each had the groups bagging out on teraglin and snapper as well as scoring the odd amberjack.

Snaring some pearl

perch, the tastiest fish of the seas, ensured all would return to fight that big fish everyone wants to add to their bucket list.

Kingfish are finally starting to come online.

Their arrival into Gold Coast waters has been slow, so their season will be short lived as waters warm and mahi mahi appear.

Though early, fishers have been overjoyed with catches of mahi mahi, which have found plenty of food to bolster their numbers.

Seasonal catches are going hand in hand with whale watching.

Marshall and Mariusz Hall with a mahi mahi.

With increased numbers in our whale population during winter, those fishing are able to relish in their favourite sport while delighting in the antics of the humpbacks.

Throughout November, amberjack were the flavour of the month, with pleasing quality hooked.

Ambos are coming from the 50-fathom line, as are rosy jobfish, pearl perch, samson fish and kingfish, all of which have taken live yakkas and slimies.

A bit of current is still running but it’s not affecting catches.

With full-day charters the most requested trips, guests have not been disappointed with their day’s venture.

Currents are beginning to increase at the 50-fathom areas, and this will have all the fleets moving closer to the 36-fathom areas as mahi mahi and hopefully marlin take over for summer.

As the Christmas party groups continue to book the charters, fingers crossed for flat seas and plenty of quality fish so Christmas is sorted in the seafood department of lunch.

Now is the time to repair rods and have any boat maintenance done prior to the Christmas rush.

‘Til next time, happy fishing!

Josh Hui scored a pearl perch.

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Mr HanFeng Bi landed a mahi mahi.

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WWW.WILSONFISHING.COM Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 21

Green water good for nothing ■ Solid snapper ■ Pelagics ■ River species

T

HE green cold ocean water we associate with spring is good for nothing, as far as I can tell.

Caleb Haayer with a golden trevally caught in the Tweed River.

I’m sure the cycle is important somehow from an environmental point of view, but it certainly buggers up the fishing.

Only a couple of weeks ago, Lewan and I were enjoying the long-awaited arrival of snapper on our close reefs.

Last year they didn’t turn up at all and when October came we all thought we had missed another season.

Fortunately, they arrived.

Not in huge numbers

A sunset moses perch.

Go wherever and whenever the fish are biting with confidence!

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Page 22 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Tweed to Byron Bay

by GAVIN DOBSON

but enough to make a trip worthwhile and put a smile on our faces.

What they lacked in quantity they made up in quality as while we might have only hooked a few fish per session, at least they were good ones.

On the second-last trip I was moving between marks as the first hang for the arvo was unsuccessful.

I was on the phone as I idled over a mark I rarely fish and was surprised to see it looked the best of

anywhere we had seen for a while.

There was a large school of bait above the rock and while still on the phone I chucked the anchor over, making a huge racket with the chain.

To add to this noise, I then realised I was going to miss the spot, so reversed the boat at an angle to drag the anchor to where I wanted it.

Lewan was watching the plotter and knew when I would turn the motors off and fired out a cast a few seconds before I did so.

Almost immediately he was onto a good fish and it made a power-dive for the reef.

This fish was never going to make the reef though, because first, it took the bait nearly on the surface, and second, Lewan wasn’t in sportfishing mode and put the brakes on the fish pretty quickly with his 50lb line.

By the time I lifted the fish in the boat the anchor still hadn’t taken up and water was still coming out of the motors’ tell-tales.

Snapper are renowned for being shy but I guess when they are in feeding mode even boat noise and heavy line won’t put them off.

The snapper was about 5.5kg.

We caught a couple more snapper but better was to come for Lewan.

I had moved to a spot where I thought we might get a jew but to no avail.

I called “lines in” but Lewan said we better give it another 10 minutes.

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to a bloke who knows how to find a fish, I stayed put and not a minute later Lewan’s light rod (40lb) went off.

The fight was short but hectic as Lewan red-lined everything in the very shallow water and was rewarded with an 8.2kg snapper.

Like I said, that was two trips ago.

Our most recent trip after a couple of days of northerlies saw us in water that while previously 23C and blue was now 18C and green.

We didn’t say much but knew we were probably wasting our time.

Despite trying our hardest, we went home with a doughnut.

I’ve got no idea what that green water is good for but it sure isn’t for fishing.

Anyway, it was nice to have some snapper and they’ll come back on the bite when the water improves.

They might even hang around until the new year, which they do some seasons.

As we move into December, the offshore fishing will improve slightly.

Most years, a few pelagic fish start moving around out wider to begin with and then in closer by the end of the month.

On the wider reefs that pick up the better surface water, it will be worth a troll for jelly bean yellowfin tuna and possibly the odd small wahoo.

Windarra Banks is always a prime spot in this neck of the woods.

Mahi mahi are already being caught out at the FAD off Cape Byron.

They aren’t super thick but half a dozen are usually scratched up, with some 3-5kg specimens among them.

Oddly enough, the bigger fish are going for pilchards while the smaller fish are grabbing the livies.

In closer, we might see some mackerel turn up later this month.

It all depends on the water quality and if we get a few days of southerly wind to see the water warm.

If so, we might get a couple of mackerel for Christmas.

Small black marlin often turn up for Christmas on the close reefs too.

Once again this depends on water quality and the amount of bait present.

The rivers are fishing well.

My mate Wayne sent me through some photos of a bunch of trevally his son Caleb recently caught.

He had some beaut GTs and as usual some species that are hard to identify but what stood out to me was the magnificent golden trevally.

I’ve seen a lot of trevally out of the Tweed River over the years but never a golden.

They certainly aren’t a common capture south of the border, so well done Caleb.

Mangrove jack are on the prowl, as you would expect.

Lewan caught a beauty out of the Brunz this week and it was a proper one over 60cm.

I know he took a photo of it, so hopefully I can show you next month.

Whiting are on the chew too, with some good ones in the middle reaches of the Tweed River.

A fresh last month pushed them right down the river but they are quickly making their way back upstream.

In the Brunswick River they are being a bit fussy and those procuring bloodworms are catching a good bag while those using yabbies and sea worms are only getting a few.

Have a great Christmas everyone.

Stay safe and hopefully catch a few fish.

Lewan with a couple of knobbies, the biggest going 8.2kg.

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Evans Head area full of fish â– A trip down memory lane

I have had my worst on record due to so many hospital trips that I now think I have shares in the healthcare system and a room put aside for me to just walk in and set myself up.

All jokes aside, it has been bloody hard on me and my better half, so I’m hoping all goes well from here on in.

Summer means whiting and flathead and believe it or not you can also jag some very big bream in the suds along with the ever-present dart.

For you guys and girls in Queensland, big dart are common but we normally get the bubs in NSW. Catching big dart can be bloody hard, especially with the law of not being able to take pipis from the beach.

This means we have to fish wherever the pipis are, not where they aren’t.

So at places like Chinamans Beach where pipis are scarce, we often have to use beach worms and peeled prawns.

The laws that prevent us from gathering baits for the next day’s fishing have ruined some fishing adventures.

Imagine, the tide is just perfect at 4am but you have no fresh bait due to not being able to take it from the beach the day before.

This means you have to buy frozen crap because you can’t take bait off the beach to fish with in the river.

These laws come from idiots down south who harvest and plunder their fisheries resources in droves.

All the new laws are killing the everyday fisher who does the right thing.

OK, I know I’m whing-

Evans Head

by GARY ‘SQUIDGIE’ PALMER

ing over it but I get bloody mad sometimes when I see what’s going on.

Catching small fish is sweet, just bloody well put them back alive.

Talking about small fish, the bass in the Richmond River are anything but.

They are of excellent size, with some very big fish around Lismore and beyond.

One of my favourite spots is Cawongla, which a mate introduced me to many years ago.

Reggie Presbury, who is not with us anymore, showed me all the areas and rivers around there and we caught a lot of fish together and ate plenty of wild bush lemons.

Come to think about it, Reggie showed me many different wild fruits to eat and taught me a thing or two about bass fishing and catching eels (which we ate), but never was a bass killed or eaten.

In my early days of bass fishing we used live cicadas, grasshoppers and worms or Celtas.

Some of the fun was in running down the grasshoppers and digging up the cicadas or catching them before they left their shell on the trees.

Worms were easy because we used to have a pig saleyard across from us where we dug up big worms the bass loved.

All you needed then was enough water and a sandwich or two for a day’s fishing, which involved a lot of walking from hole to hole and keeping an eye out for snakes.

We ran into many snakes but gave them a wide berth and had no problem.

The dramas start if you try to kill one and end up

on the wrong end of it.

Leave them alone and they will leave you alone.

Back to the present, from all reports, the beaches in the area are fishing OK at night, with some very big bream caught.

One that was taken to Evans Head Sports & Marine was a pearler and you can see it on the shop’s website.

So many nice fish have been caught on the beaches, with one of my mates living right next to the beach and wandering down just before daylight

and catching breakfast every morning.

Some days he hooks flathead not bream but he is not complaining.

What a life – retired on a nice beach with fresh fish nearly every day‌ how can you not love it?

The far north coast of NSW is paradise.

This area of our state should be on the bucket list for people.

Christmas time may be busy but you’ve got to experience the sand, beaches, rivers, warm friendly people and not forgetting our shops.

You can shop until you drop or just browse, as the ☛ continued P24

Perfect water for whiting. Atomic Sugapen lures worked across the top will catch whiting and flathead. Bream also love this sort of water.

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Keith and a whiting caught on a lure.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 23

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Another year has come and gone and the big fellow in the red suit is nearly here once again.

I can only hope you have all been good boys and girls and you have a wish list detailing all the new fishing gear you would like under your tree.

I say it every year, but I can’t believe how quickly the year has flown by, and once again, probably like most of you, I haven’t done as much fishing as I wanted to.

So I guess my new year’s resolution is going to be the same as last year – to do more fishing!

Let’s see how I go with that one.

Somehow I think it may be the same as my ‘lose weight’ resolution.

If the weather in spring is any indication, I think we are going to be in for a hot and steamy summer.

With warmer water pushing down the coast and fierce storms having already gone past us, I feel it’s going to be a wild and bumpy ride.

A quick reminder for the summer break if you are travelling to NSW: make

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Ballina Bait & Tackle

by BRETT HYDE

sure you have a current fishing licence with you or buy one before you start fishing.

Fisheries officers will be out in force over the Christmas period and you don’t want to receive a $200 fine for not having a licence or a $75 fine for not carrying it with you while fishing.

Please also keep in mind that many rules are different to other states, so drop into your nearest tackle shop and grab an up-todate rules and regulations book to make sure you are up to speed on the different rules.

Offshore, the current is still pushing down the hill at a great rate of knots.

Some days over the past month have been virtually unfishable due to the speed of the current beyond the 48-fathom line.

I am hopeful it will ease a little over the Christmas break, but this is wishful thinking more than anything else.

At times over summer we will see it slow to some degree, so here’s hoping this may be one of those times.

Even with the current, quality kingfish have been taken on metal jigs and live baits from both the 42 and 48-fathom lines.

Some good-quality pearl perch have come from the 48-fathom line also, but the odd smaller one has been landed along the 32-fathom line.

Most of these captures have been on slow-pitch jigs intended for snapper or tuskfish, so they are most certainly a welcome by-catch.

Speaking of the 32-fathom line, at the time of writing this article the FAD is still in its original position but the waverider buoy has drifted a few kilometres south and is currently nearly 2km south of the FAD, just in case you can’t find it.

Mahi mahi have been very hit and miss at this

stage, with a number of better-quality fish taking skirted trolled lures, though the smaller fish are still showing interest in live baits and blue pilchards.

Good numbers of snapper and flathead are coming from the 32-fathom line but the quality has not been great of late.

We usually see a better run of snapper over the Christmas break, so don’t be disheartened by the lack of quality fish of late and get out there as soon as the weather will allow with some squid, mullet, soft plastics or slow-pitch jigs.

Back on the beaches, we have seen the start of the whiting, dart and flathead bite but it hasn’t fired to the point I would expect for this time of year.

I am largely blaming a fairly constant stream of northerly wind that has blown some cold green water into the coast.

If that water gets a chance to warm a little more I think numbers will improve, so check out South Ballina, Angels and Seven Mile beaches over the Christmas break with worms, pipis and white pilchards.

Don’t forget some quality tailor are usually around at night during this time of year, so it will be well worth soaking a few baits after dark on your preferred beach and even throwing a few metals or surface poppers around right on dusk.

In the Richmond River we have had a bit of a stop-start season, with the water temperature starting to come up before dropping off again.

This doesn’t seem to be hampering the flathead to any great extent, with quality fish showing up from the mouth of the river all the way up to Wardell Bridge.

The water above the Burns Point Ferry still has some colour to it, but this doesn’t seem to be affecting the fish to any great extent.

With the weather really starting to heat up, I expect to see some of the flathead move into some of the deeper sections of river in an attempt to beat the heat.

You may need to use some heavier jig heads and sinkers during your next trip depending on the time of day.

Whiting and bream seem to be showing up in a similar section of river to flathead but the whiting are cruising the sand flats and taking worms and live yabbies as well

as belting surface poppers and stickbaits.

The bream on the other hand are hugging the rock walls and happy to eat a prawn, mullet fillet or small diving hard-body or crab imitation.

For both species, the run-out tide has been the better option, and I think this is mainly to do with the warmer water coming from further up the river.

This warm weather should also start to get the jacks on the move, so concentrate your efforts around the rock walls, during the run-out tides with either a live bait or a 4” soft plastic and you should end up tussling with a cranky red devil before too long.

Well that’s a wrap, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.

Thank you to all the readers who continue to support this wonderful magazine.

I only hope we have been able to help you with some of your fishing exploits during the year and I look forward to talking to each and every one of you next year as we do it all again.

That’s all from me for this month and another year.

‘Til next time, tight lines!

Ches with a mulloway caught on his bream gear.

Evans Head area full of fish ☛ from P23

many small towns all have their own ambiance including food to die for and farm-fresh fruits that just melt in your mouth.

We are the lucky ones as this area has so much to offer in the holidays.

And of course don’t forget the awesome fishing, be it beach, river or out in the deep blue on a charter boat.

Talking about charter boats, we have a great one at Evans.

Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters has been operating since 2005 and I have had a few trips with skipper Mick McGillivary and he has come

up trumps every trip.

Mick was a pro fisher for many years and knows the Evans reefs like the back of his hand, so if you are interested in a great day out in the deep blue, give Mick a

call on 0428 828 835 or send an email to Katrina at evansheadfishing@ bigpond.com Well that is it for me this month.

Merry Christmas to the team at Bush ‘n Beach

and to all our readers.

I hope all your wishes turn to kisses.

‘Til next month, remember: limit your kill, don’t kill your limit.

Tight lines and smelly fingers.

The early season whiting are not that big, though they will get larger as the king tides occur around Christmas.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Father and son team Graham and John Dowsett of Gulmarrad scored a nice pair of jew from the Yamba breakwall on fresh squid. Photo: Fran Dowsett

Run of big jewfish comes to an end F ISHING here on the Clarence Coast of northern NSW was ‘fair to middling’ during November, with the biggest increase in catches coming from the vast numbers of sand whiting that have moved into the mighty Clarence River and adjacent beaches.

Just Jew

by TYE PORTER

tton used beach worms along the bank of Goodwood Island for nice fish to around 350g and Jarrad Potter snared quality fish from Oyster Channel on the Yamba side of the river on yabbies.

The legal length of sand whiting in NSW is 27cm, with a possession limit of 20, but at times it can get extremely frustrating when every fish you catch is between 26 and 27cm, however if you persist you will end up with a good feed.

Reasonable numbers

These tasty little fish were taken from just about every shore-based spot from the mouth of the river up to Palmers Island on live nippers, beach worms and soldier crabs.

While Iluka angler Chris Blackman has led the charge with stud fish to 520g using soft plastic lures, Ashby anglers Ted McLean and Lexie Du-

of flathead are also being taken in the lower reaches of the river on a wide range of baits and lures, and as predicted last month good catches have also been made from the shallow gutters along the beaches during the last half of the run-out tide.

At the time of writing, spotted mackerel have begun to be boated from the warmer shallow waters just off Woody Head, and as each day passes their numbers should increase.

Tailor have done their disappearing act again,

with very few fish being taken from either the beaches on bait or headlands on lures, however we always seem to get a good run of choppers over the Christmas period, so here’s hoping this year will be no different.

Back Beach at Iluka has had some cracking tailor water on it in recent times, so my son Mischa and mate Adam Townsend thought they would have a fish using bonito strips but failed to catch a chopper.

The upside was they managed to score a solid school jew each on the bonito and then repeated their efforts a couple of nights later out on the Iluka wall using live yellowtail.

The Dowsett family of Gulmarrad has continued to catch quality jew from the Yamba wall on fresh squid, with Graham ☛ continued P26

Mischa Porter and Adam Townsend with a pair of school jew taken while chasing tailor on Back Beach at Iluka using bonito strips. The lads had similar success a few nights later using live yellowtail along the Iluka wall.

Rebekah Ellis, Mischa Porter and Adam Townsend decided to chase bass northwest of Grafton recently and came across several small eastern freshwater cod, which is a good sign for this protected species. Photo: Adam Townsend

PUZZLE PAGE w i l s o n f i s h i n g .c o m

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STOCKING TINSEL TREE WRAPPING WREATH

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For your chance to win, simply solve the puzzles, take a picture and message the Bush ‘n Beach Facebook page or email design@bnbfishing.com.au before Thursday, December 13, 2018. GOOD LUCK! Congratulations to Benjamin Manfield on being the winner of the November puzzle competition. T&Cs: One winner per month. One entry per person.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 25

Run of big jewfish comes to an end ☛ from P25

and son John snaring the two fish pictured during the low tide change.

The run of big jew inside the river has finally come to an end for this year, however fish to about 10kg will still be found at night on the more noted whiting spots.

I’ve done my bit towards the so-called jewfish recovery program because this was the first year in over 40 years that I have not fished for this species, so that leaves a minimum of 100 metre-plus fish in the ocean.

Mind you, I am now back on the road after nearly two years without a vehicle, so those smelly big critters will want to have a damn good hiding spot because I’ll be back hunting them soon.

Mind you, if the letters on the number plate of my new second-hand four-wheeldrive are anything to go by, a metre-long jew may be out of the question because they read CR**UM, or, ‘Catch Release Undersized Mulloway’.

At least my mate Ted McLean’s plates

say BJF ‘Big Jew Fish’ and even Mischa has DJK ‘Da Jew King’ on his plates.

Oh well, we will have to wait and see.

As I said, spotted mackerel are starting to bite offshore and it will only be a matter of time before their bigger spanish cousins make an appearance.

This month will see catches of flathead and whiting continue to improve inside the rivers and along the beaches, while school jew will be found in the lower reaches of the river and along the beaches and headlands.

Hopefully Santa will have a bag full of big chopper tailor for us from the beaches and headlands while the offshore brigade will be focused on the good run of mackerel as well as bottom bashing for big snapper the area is renowned for.

Most important of all during the Christmas break, be careful on and around the water, especially if you have had one too many celebratory drinks.

‘Til next month, safe fishin’.

A spanish Christmas on Sunshine Coast

A

T this time of year we start to see spanish and spotted mackerel filtering across our bays and bringing great action for anyone with a boat and a rod.

Being migratory, these fish follow the warmer southbound currents towards us during summer, while fish from the south often head north as winter arrives.

Mackerel will feed around various inshore reef systems, headlands and rocky points, making the Sunshine Coast the perfect spot for these speedsters.

Hooking a spanish mackerel is only the start of a battle because they are fast, strong fighters and often watched by sharks.

One of the easier ways to target the bigger fish is to troll large dead or live baits along the inshore reefs.

The stretch from Halls Reef towards Double Island Point is a great patch for targeting these speedsters.

Dead baits to use include yellowtail pike, whole bonito, garfish and slimy mackerel, though yellowtail scad (yakkas) are the perfect live troll bait.

If trolling a live bait, don’t forget a stinger rig, and if using a dead bait, a chin-weighted trolling setup rig with three to five 5/0-8/0 hooks is the go.

Be sure to break the

Sunshine Coast

by PETER WELLS

backbone of any dead bait because that helps to loosen it up and make it swim.

Trolling these baits works best when moving slower, even as slow as needing to kick the boat into and then out of gear.

This causes the bait to swim higher when under way and lower when out of gear, but always pushing forward.

Effective trolling lures include the Halco Laser Pro, Rapala X-Rap and Nomad Design DTX. These will catch a wide range of species, from spotties and schoolies through to spanish mackerel, wahoo and tuna.

These lures all have different dive depths and optimum troll speeds.

When you set up a spread of lures, be sure to use different colours according to the conditions and different dive depths.

Don’t forget to have a short corner for times when you have to turn because your lines will pass over each other and the last thing you need is tangled lines during a hot bite.

If the fish are feeding off the top, be sure to have a good supply of Halco Twisty, River2Sea Sea Rock and Arma Metalik

slugs in your box.

Making sure you carry the smaller sizes is important because the spotties sometimes shy away from anything bigger than 20g.

A good tip if this happens is to use micro jigs because their profile is generally shorter but heavier in weight, creating more strikes and longer casts.

These lures really create presence when worked and I have seen some huge fish come flying out of the water after one.

With these lures comes the use of a longer, heavier rod capable of casting 85g or more and holding a 6000-10,000 spin reel.

You do not need bucket loads of drag because you need to let these fish run, but you do need a quality casting braid and only the best connection knot will do.

The top tip for casting jigs to mackerel is to use Cultiva JT-23 twin assist hooks with a metal core assist cord.

When using jigs as casting slugs, be sure to tie your leader to the bottom eye of the jig.

This lets the hooks trail out the back away from your leader knot and ensures better hook-ups.

Lastly, my favourite method for big spaniards and longtail tuna is to use stickbaits of 160-180mm or more.

☛ continued P27

Chloe Schuits with a monster flathead.

For Expl

e Results

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METALZ

PLAZOZ

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Distributed by Frogleys Offshore Page 26 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.frogleysoffshore.com.au www.bnbfishing.com. au

Peter Huitema and a beautiful mangrove jack.

A spanish Christmas on Sunshine Coast ☛ from P26

As for stickbaits, take a look at the Shimano Rocket Dive and Nomad Riptide ranges in both sinking and floating.

Be sure to use treble hooks for mackerel because hookups are often missed due to the sheer power and force these bigger fish use, which often sees lures smacked into the air.

In the Noosa River, trevally are on fire, with the early morning and afternoon the best times for surface anglers.

These fish are so aggressive off the top that it is no wonder it is such an addictive way to target them.

Be sure to carry a range of 70-120mm walkers and poppers to tempt these fish.

Must-have lures are the Bassday Sugapen 70, Cutiva Zip ‘n Ziggy and Duo Realis Pencil 95.

If flathead are your thing, then go pink while the clear waters are flowing.

The big fish love live baits but will smash a Zerek Tango Shad and 4” soft plastics or soft vibes such as Samaki Vibelicious Thumper Tail or Fish Candy Jack Hammer vibes.

Mangrove jack are on the prowl and the build-up to a

big storm just screams big red dogs.

Be sure to throw poppers, stickbaits and weedless plastics at the edges along the stretch between lakes Cooroibah and Cootharaba.

Further downriver around the bridges and pontoons, you can expect to find big fish just lying in wait to ambush hardbodies such as Jackall Squirrels and Lucky Craft Pointers.

Be sure to upgrade your hooks because fine-gauge hooks will straighten when putting the brakes on these brutes.

If you haven’t tried it, surface fishing for whiting is a great way to target these fish and the lower areas of the Frying Pan, dog beach and the river mouth are all holding great fish.

Having a 1-3kg rod, 1000-size reel spooled with 4-6lb braid and similar leader will give you the best chances to hook one.

It is important to wear polarised sunglasses so you can sight cast to the fish.

Small 50-70mm stickbaits and poppers are the go and you need to keep these lures on the move.

If you don’t get any interest in two or three casts it is time to work a different spot.

Make sure you set your drag

Guy Maybury landed a quality spanish mackerel.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

lightly because these fish are masters at throwing hooks on tight drags.

The open beaches of Teewah, Mudjimba and Peregian have all produced good-sized whiting.

The shallow-water gutters fished on the last half of the run-out tide with worms have seen results.

Dart and the occasional tailor have been caught in the deeper higher-water gutters, with pipis ideal for the dart and tailor taking strip baits and whole pilchard baits after dark.

Fishing the rocky headlands including Yaroomba, Point Arkwright and Double Island Point with mullet strips, whole pilchards and squid on a TruTurn Strip Bait rig has generated pan-sized squire, sweetlip and the occasional mackerel.

Surface lures and big soft plastics in the 7” range rigged with 1.5oz 6/0 jig heads have also taken down cracking longtail tuna, with big live baits picking up huge spanish mackerel from Double Island Point to Fraser Island.

The fresh water has been great, with fat bass and standout saratoga caught in the dams and lakes.

Lake Macdonald and Borumba Dam have fished well during the early morning first light bite times for anglers fishing off the top.

Once the sun comes up, if the bite is quiet, then seeking shelter and having a swim and a nap is often the best way to pass time before hitting the water again for the late afternoon last-light bite.

The O.S.P Orikanemushi, Imakatsu Fujin Spider, Chasebaits Wiggle Bomb and Tiemco Soft Shell Cicadas are all performing very well.

A friendly reminder with Christmas holidays approaching: our waterways will become very busy, so please remember to be patient at boat ramps and help people in distress.

It’s a great time now to check all your safety gear such as EPIRBs, flares and life jackets.

Don’t forget to check in to fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up-to-date info on fishing and bar crossings.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 27

Fishing and crabbing over Christmas

H

I, it’s Craig Tomkinson here.

First I would like to wish all the readers of BNB and my articles a merry Christmas.

I hope you and your family have a great few days over Chrissy.

I have not been fishing in my 5m tinnie since May when I was camped at Inskip Point, but I did take the boat out to put four pots in Lake Cootharaba for a few days, which scored us three nice legal bucks.

Lots of fresh water was in the lake, so I put my pots right down near the channel markers coming out of the Noosa River.

I released dozens of 14cm and under bucks, which is a good sign as in one or two more shell changes they will be of legal size.

I will keep crabbing over the next couple of weeks until we go away in the school holidays.

Fishing wise, the pelagics will be here, so you won’t have to go far off

Noosa to Fraser Coast

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

Double Island Point and Noosa to get a feed of fish.

I might even get time to chase a few myself.

I like to anchor up and berley for them on the bar leads reef off the Wide Bay Bar and just float out cut pillies.

Pillie tails work well on a single hook with light fluorocarbon leader, no sinker, a 4500 bait-runner reel and a 7’ light rod, just wafting the bait down slowly in the berley trail.

However, black-tip reef sharks can be a pain there at times.

Reef fishing for pearl perch can be fantastic in close just outside the Wolf Rock green zone but the flaming sharks will take every second fish.

Some days the trick is to just keep moving to different marks and catching a couple of fish.

If sharks move in, just go

A couple of just-cooked crabs from Lake Cootharaba.

to the next mark.

That’s where an electric motor is on its own for quickness of anchoring.

I would love one but find the cost prohibitive, so just use the red ball and anchor.

At this time of year you have to fish out around the 10-mile grounds to get away from the flaming sharks.

Off Noosa, the fishing in close should still be on fire because we had a minor flood in the Noosa River system about a month ago.

This washes all the bait out of the river and brings the reef fish in close.

My old deckie and good mate Wills Palfrey has been slipping out over the bar in his 5m boat and getting great fish off Sunshine Reef, including good size pearl perch and grass sweetlip.

Great stuff Wills.

This Chrissy holidays we will be off to the Gold Coast Hinterland and into NSW to Young to buy some cherries and have a bit of a look around the coastal towns of northern NSW on the way back.

For part of the trip we will be tagging along with family and staying in our van on a property around Springbrook, which will be fun.

‘Til next month, be safe on the water.

Consultation on proposed urgent changes to protect black jewfish

F

ISH ER I ES Queensland is seeking public feedback on a proposal to introduce urgent limits on the take of black jewfish to ensure the sustainability of stocks.

There are concerns about the sustainability of black jewfish given the significant increase in the catch over the past 12-18 months as a result of the extremely high market prices for their swim bladder.

There is also evidence of a rapidly developing black market for the species involving both the commercial and recreational sectors.

Black jewfish are vulnerable to overfishing and stock collapses have been documented previ-

ously in Australia and overseas.

The Northern Territory has already introduced management controls, including swim bladder tagging, to protect black jewfish.

Fisheries Queensland anticipates that demand for swim bladders will continue and management action is required to protect this fisheries resource from overfishing while ensuring the long-term economic viability of a valuable export product.

Initial consultation with the East Coast Inshore Working Group and the Sustainable Fisheries Expert Panel has been undertaken.

Communiques are available online at daf. qld.gov.au/business-pri

orities/fisheries/sustain able-fisheries-strategy Fisheries Queensland is now seeking additional feedback through public consultation on the following proposed management changes to the Fisheries Regulation 2008: • Introduce a precautionary Total Allowable Commercial Catch of 20 tonnes on the east coast and two tonnes TACC for the Gulf of Carpentaria based on long-term commercial catch averages, with compulsory catch reporting on landing for commercial fishers; • Reduce the recreational in-possession limit from two to one; and • Introduce a requirement for black jewfish to be landed whole by all sectors.

Given the sustainability concerns, urgent management changes are proposed to be progressed ahead of implementation of the broader reforms for the east coast inshore fishery under the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy in 2019.

An online survey regarding the changed management proposals is available at daf.qld. gov.au/business-prior ities/f isher ies/consul tations-and-legislation/ reviews-sur veys-andconsultations and will be open for comment until December 13, 2018.

If you have any questions, please contact Principal Fisheries Manager Tony Ham on 07 3087 8073 or by email at Tony.Ham@daf.qld. gov.au

Comment from Dave Donald New BNB scribe Dave Donald has highlighted some key points regarding the above statement from Fisheries Queensland.

• Criteria insinuates recreational fishers are the only ones involved in the black market; • No mention of limits on individual commercial fishers – just TACC; • No tagging of blad-

ders by commercials; • No acknowledgment of black market involvement of commercial fishers; • No mention of the allegations that most of the bladders are being sold for cash and would therefore not appear in logbooks/TACC data; • No heavy fines for rec or commercial fishers found with com-

mercial quantities of bladders; • No requirement to use/market the fillets of caught fish; and • No heavy fines for persons found buying black market amounts.

Sounds like the usual weak stance by Fisheries Queensland that will do nothing to stem the exploitation.

If a fisher can make

over $10,000 on a good night, any regulations need to be water tight, the fines heavy ($50,000-plus) and enforcement stepped up.

That may help, but it’s going to take an extra tough stance by Fisheries to turn this around.

Putting a heap of people through the courts – including the buyers – must be the first step.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 29

Mawson with a cobia bigger than him. As a solo effort for a child, this capture was absolutely unbelievable.

That’s a big golden. At 110cm it was a PB for Bryce.

A day on the Fraser Coast ■ Massive cobia for young fisho

F

ATHER and son Joey and Mawson regularly play the fish of the Fraser Coast with me.

Kev with a cracker spring snapper.

Joey and a nice spotted mackerel. These fish have been a bit slow so far this season.

> Hervey Bay > Fraser Island > Sandy Strait

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They have had plenty of time to become the embodiment of many of my concepts.

It has been great because they came to me as relatively blank canvases.

And though they fish regularly on their own, and keep their skills honed, they rarely come out with a preconceived idea on how to catch something.

Their first few trips saw us fishing for basic targets such as mackerel and flathead, which I feel is important because it helps build a few basic skills.

And it shows me they are keen and willing to play with whatever is out there, rather than trying too hard for too small a percentage of success.

But at the right time, they will also be ready to risk it for the biscuit.

As a result, they have had some incredible experiences with me.

One such day was in October this year.

The day started out no different to the usual spring session.

We spun plastics for tuna, both mack and longtail.

The mack were being fussy but the odd longtail was more willing.

So as we worked each school, we also slowly made our way up the western side of Fraser Island.

We found the fish getting tougher and tougher to entice as the morning wore on.

Then while motoring from school to school, I spotted a show on the side scan sounder.

I manoeuvred to catch up to them because they were out of casting distance.

It took me a few passes to lock onto the fish to attempt a presentation with some lures.

The first drop was not far from the vessel, and a little pitch put the boys in the zone.

But fish being fish, they moved, though luck-

Fraser Guided Fishing

by TRI TON

ily they moved under the boat.

Mawson was ahead of his father and had the lure right into the school.

I had not seen such focus before on the lad’s face.

Previously I had discussed with him how it is important to be ready and switched on, particularly with fish showing like they were.

He did exactly as I asked and was ready for that light nudge that eventually came.

His line went tight and he set the hook.

With the help of his dad, we positioned him where the fish wouldn’t pull him overboard.

The fish surged at a steady pace and we felt this was probably not a tuna.

My guess was big trevally or perhaps a cobia, as I had seen quite a few recently.

As the battle drew longer, we knew it was either a cobia or shark.

Given the slow runs and hefty head shakes, I thought it was definitely a jumbo cobia.

And as they often do, it came up for a look and then tore off again for dramatic effect.

Now we knew we had a cobia on, it was just about making young Mawson as comfortable as possible.

He didn’t whinge and groan as many grown men would have on fish weighing only 10kg.

My initial guess was maybe 30kg, which was roughly what Mawson weighed.

If we boated it, it would be exceptional.

However, when the black beast came up right under the boat, we knew it was well over 150cm and probably weighed 50kg.

It left the usually cheeky lad speechless and me delirious.

While I have boated bigger cobia, to have a child dominate a big animal in such a way was simply amazing.

The next time Mawson

boats a big fish is probably when I will have that feeling again.

I am lucky to have been able to teach such a tough child.

He knew if he didn’t buckle down and follow my instructions it would prolong the battle and reduce our chances of success.

Eventually the fish tired and I slid the now docile fish into the net.

With Joey’s help I lifted the fish into the boat.

All went smoothly and to plan.

Often things go awry when targeting these big fish, and even with careful planning any slight deviations can cause major disaster.

So if you want to help the guide, wait until you are instructed and do exactly as they say.

It may not make sense to you, but there is probably a valid reason for the specific method employed.

There is more to guiding than just hooking big fish, including making a judgment on what is appropriate for the guest and appraising the chances of success.

If the anglers are not ready, it is irresponsible to potentially harm a fish, just because we can hook them.

A longer battle may cause exhaustion and death.

Death may come from shark attack too.

There are many things to consider and I don’t want to harm a fish knowing the odds are low.

If we hook a larger fish by chance, so be it, but to knowingly do it while under-gunned is highly irresponsible, and if you are a catch and release advocate and these concerns don’t mingle in your thoughts, please take a bit more time to consider.

To see a video of Mawson’s incredible battle with his massive cobia, jump on the Hervey Bay Fraser Island Guided Fishing YouTube channel. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Guide to slide baiting T

HE aim of slide baiting is to get big baits into the strike zone, often 80120m out from shore.

To achieve this, you need the right setup and a desire to hunt the big ones.

So, what do you need?

Rod You’ll need a rod capable of casting 6-10oz weights.

It must also have enough backbone to apply the drag pressure of your reel, and assist with working your bait out to the strike zone, and needs be long enough to clear the shore break.

Reel Your reel needs to hold a minimum of 500m on line but preferably more and needs a minimum of 20lb of drag.

Common procedure is about 500m of 50lb braid backing and 200m of 0.50.55mm high-abrasion mono.

Mono line is essential to sliding because braid is too direct.

Leader You want 10m of 1mm mono leader or Rhino

A 9oz slide grapnel. Note the hook for clipping to the stopper when casting.

braid leader to assist in handling the fish on the shore and preventing sharks and rays cutting the leader during rolling.

The leader is attached to the swivel on the stopper ring.

The reason we attached the leader to the swivel is the slide will ‘sit’ on the swivel instead of directly on the knot when fighting the fish.

Sinker Attach about a 60cm length of 20lb mono from the stopper ring to the grapnel sinker.

The breaking strain of the sinker line should be about half your main line to allow it to break when you hook up.

The sinker needs to be heavy enough to anchor the bait in the conditions you’re fishing.

Size of the bait and sea conditions will determine the size you use.

The slide grapnels need to have 1.6mm (up to 6oz) and 2mm (7oz-plus) spring steel wires as anchors.

These need to able to give way when pulled on hard and consistently.

Slide The slide needs to be constructed of at least 1.6mm 316 stainless spring steel.

It needs at least four turns in the coil.

Attached to the slide is a 60-100cm bite trace, generally of 200lb carboncoated wire.

It is fitted with one or two hooks.

The top hook is snelled and the bottom a figure eight.

A good idea is to add a

flasher or skirt for a bit of movement and colour.

The hooks always need to sit ‘proud’.

Baits Baits needs to be fresh (or alive) and need to match what is in abundance.

Dart have proven to be the best bait for spanish mackerel on Fraser Island.

A 30cm-plus tailor will attract both sharks and big GTs. The bigger, more alive and fresher the better.

Technique Cast the slide grapnel out and wind up the slack straight away.

Let the sinker settle in while you prepare or catch the bait.

Lower the main line and attach the slide with the bait.

Bring the rod upright and let it slide until hitting the shore break.

Work your rod backwards and forwards in quick, short strokes, pausing when a wave hits the slide.

Continue until the slide disappears under water, then change to longer strokes.

Do this for about 10 minutes or 100 long strokes.

If you think the slide is at the stopper, go for another few minutes.

If the slide is not at the stopper you might get burnt off.

If your sinker dislodges, start over, perhaps with a heavier sinker or the wires set wider.

Keep your main line tight and place the rod in the holder.

Loosen the drag and set the ratchet/clicker.

Have your rod bucket/ gimbal belt, torch, pliers and so on at hand (and the cold beer).

When you get picked up,

don’t strike, instead tighten your drag slowly and wind in, putting tension on your sinker line and waiting for it to release.

If your line goes slack, pick it up and wind like a madman until you reach the stopper.

My setup is a 13’6” KFA Poseidon HMG Extra Heavy (8-12oz) rod with a Daiwa Saltiga Dogfight LD60 reel, 600m of TripleFish 48lb Gator braid and 500m of KFA Giant Abrasion Gold 0.55mm 52lb mono.

I run about 10m of 200lb (0.8mm) Rhino braided leader.

I use the KFA Saltwater pre-made slide traces (two 10/0 hooks on 200lb carbon-coated wire) and 9oz slide grapnel sinkers.

This setup allows me to slide large dead mullet or live tailor between 40 and 60cm in length.

Get out there and try it – you’ll be surprised how easy it is (if you’re set up correctly).

Head to kingfisheraus tralia.com.au for a wide range of slide baiting products and any more information you require.

Tight lines!

Don Butler

A Shimano Torium 30 with Giant Abrasion mono.

Professionally tied slide trace with flasher, available from KingFisher Australia.

Andre Henn with a nice tiger shark caught off the rocks at Waddy Point, Fraser Island.

Heavy-duty non-return slide rig.

Waiting with bated breath.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 31

Boys’ trip to Fraser Island W

ITH the fishing and weather patchy on the Gold Coast, we recently headed up to Fraser Island for a boys’ trip away.

The drone with the home-made bait dropper. It worked a treat.

A bird’s-eye view of the camp for the week.

With 21 bodies involved, organising is no easy task and with so many people you need to do things on a large scale.

By that, I mean a fridge/ freezer trailer is a requirement, along with big generators and a tonne of fuel.

However, with so many people heading up, spreading the load is relatively easy.

Our trip got off to a slow start with a flat tyre just past Southport on the freezer trailer.

No biggy usually, except the spare didn’t want to come off.

With a heap of Inox and some persuasion with a hammer we had it off and were on our way again.

Until Gympie, where we encountered our second flat on

Jye’s whaler was no slouch and set the benchmark for the trip.

Page 32 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Fraser Trip

by HEATH ZYGNERSKI

one of the boys’ trucks.

Another change and finally we made Rainbow Beach for a well-earned coffee and pie from the local bakery.

We luckily had a heap of rain the week preceding our trip, so the trip over the sand at Inskip Point to the barge and all the way up the island was a breeze.

So much so that I was in 2WD with the fridge/freezer trailer all the way to Dundubara where we made camp in front of a fantastic hole.

We had the camp set up in a flash and were ready for a frosty beer while the boys soaked a few baits for tailor and sharks.

I’ve been using slider rigs for a few years now and didn’t even have my bait in the water for five minutes before I was buckled over with the reel screaming.

Unfortunately, the mono wore through after a few minutes, but it gave us confidence that the hole we were fishing would hold fish.

With that, the boys brought out the big overhead gear and wire traces for sharks and we put the newly acquired drone to work, getting the big baits out deep.

It didn’t take long, and just as night hit Mitch got a hellish run, but unfortunately the leader knot let go.

A few of the crew were up early the following morning and again the drone got the baits out.

It wasn’t long before a rod was screaming and after a short fight a small whaler shark was landed and quickly released.

We did a bit of sightseeing during the days with the weather so good and always made it back to camp early to soak a bait right out front.

Dart were consistently on the menu, as was the odd tailor.

On Tuesday morning we again sent the drone out to drop the baits in the deep when the damn leader knot caught on the top eye and the drone met a watery grave.

We had a few beers to commiserate but the afternoon session soon made us forget about it, with the tailor moving in for an action-packed session where the boys landed fish almost every cast.

We had a day or so of wind, so we headed over to the western side and up to Sandy Cape.

The fishing was ordinary on the western side, with a few whiting and bream caught.

Up at the cape, we spied a school of baitfish moving through the shallows and a good throw of the cast net gave us enough hardyheads for a good session.

Luke saw something at the water’s edge, ran over and came back with a nice spanner crab that he cooked up.

As we headed home from the cape we had to wait at Ngkala Rocks for vehicles towing trailers to come through because it was very soft.

Single vehicles with a bit of speed up had no issues.

By the time we hit camp, the wind had died down and the seas settled, so the boys paddled out some baits for sharks.

It wasn’t long before Jye was hooked up solid.

After a tough fight a 1.8m whaler was landed.

The boys only use circle hooks so the shark is hooked in

the jaw, and they had the hook out, pictures taken and the fish released in minutes, which is a credit to them.

The following afternoon was a carbon copy and with baits in the water as the sun started to slip behind the dune, the boys were on again.

This time Mitch hooked a sizeable noah that gave him some stick in the breakers.

Finally, a lemon shark was landed and the boys ensured it was released quickly after some snaps.

Fraser Island never disappoints – you truly do leave your stresses behind once you get on the barge.

If you haven’t been yet, do yourself a favour and make the time to get over there.

You’ll love it.

Back on the Gold Coast, fishing has been a bit patchy lately.

There has been the odd day where snapper have been on

the chew and we have already had a few schools of spotted mackerel fly by.

The mackerel haven’t been in big numbers as yet because the water has stayed relatively low, with the surface temperature sitting around 22C. Traditionally we see the temperature rise to 23C or more in close by mid-November, which brings the pelagic fish with it.

Once that water gets warmer the mackerel will arrive.

The local bars are still pretty ordinary.

Tweed River Bar is shallow with the bank out the front.

Currumbin Creek bar is like a maze with the sandbanks, so be careful on anything under half a tide.

The dredge was in Tallebudgera Creek Bar but has now been removed.

It did nothing to improve the bar, which is shallow.

The Seaway is OK, but as always watch the banks to the north and that little build-up of sand to the south that can catch a wave.

‘Til next month, screaming reels to you all.

The drone allowed the crew to see exactly how big the hole was and where the banks and gutter were.

Success! Mitch and Jye with the first shark of the trip.

The boys and a nice haul of tailor.

Mitch with a solid lemon shark that took a dart frame.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Shimano sublimated fishing shirts and caps

L

ONG-sleeved collared shirts make ideal fishing wear, as they shield the neck and forearms from sun exposure.

The new sublimated fishing shirts from Shimano go one step further though, as the fabric has a UPF 50+ rating for maximum protection.

The 100 percent poly microfibre material used is also moisture wicking, so it draws moisture away from the body.

Consequently, the shirts keep the wearer cool and dry fast should they get wet, which is always on the cards in a fishing environment.

Additionally, they contain an antimicrobial treatment, meaning bacteria can’t get a foothold in the fabric.

The fish designs of bream, tuna and kingfish represent a collaboration between Shimano Australia and noted fishing writer/underwater pho-

tographer Al McGlashan.

There is also a squid design for anglers who love their squid fishing.

The sublimated printing process means they will retain their vibrant colours for many years to come.

These shirts come in sizes S through to XXXL and are available in all good tackle shops now.

The sun can be relentless when you’re out on the water or flicking off the bank/beach waiting

patiently for that hook-up.

Keep the sun at bay and continue to fish into the day without the worry of sun getting the best of you.

In addition to the sublimated shirts, Shimano has an extensive range of stylish and versatile caps.

Not only will they keep the sun at bay but their lightweight, ventilated material will keep your head cool. www.shimanofish.com. au

Okuma Pressure Point rods

O

KUMA brings affordability to high-end heavy plastics, popping and stickbait rods without sacrificing quality, with the release of the Pressure Point rod range.

Features include Toray graphite blanks, Fuji K-Series Tangle Free Guides, Fuji reel seats and most importantly, actions and builds designed in conjunction with guides from Australia’s premier sportfishing charters.

The range consists of five rods: a one-piece

general purpose 701M 7’, PE2-4, 20-80g heavy plastics rod and four two-piece butt-joint rods for easier transport and storage.

The two popping rods are a 792MH 7’9”, PE4-6, 50-150g and a 792H 7’9”, PE6-8, 80200g, while the Stickbait models consist of a 762M 7’6”, PE2-4, 20-80g and 832M 8’3”, PE4-6, 40-120g.

These five models will have you covered for everything from light jigging and heavy plastics applications through to the bulk of anglers’ stickbait and

popping requirements without breaking the bank.

Team them up with an Okuma Azores Blue spinning reel and you have a genuine big fishstopping combo for about $500, or put the money you have saved on the rod towards arguably the strongest reel in the world, the Okuma Makaira, including the soon to be released 10,000 size.

Game on!

SRP for the rods ranges from $279.90 to $299.90. www.okuma.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 33

Tide Times Sponsored by

AUSTRALIA EAST COAST - BRISBANE BAR

Dan Paul tried telling everyone he could land a red on 20lb gear and a soft plastic… he sure proved the doubters wrong!

Dan Vallis with a couple of speared reds.

An adventure to remember

1

770 is a place I call paradise.

It’s a place where no matter who you are, what you enjoy doing or how good a fisher you are, you will love it.

I’m sure anyone who has experienced 1770 will agree.

A few weeks ago we asked some mates from all around Australia and even New Zealand to come and experience one

Fishing Trip

by MATI BATS

of our trips in paradise.

Johnny Brooks, Dan Paul, Sammy Hitzke, Brodie Scibs and Daniel Vallis were the guys who put up their hands to come along.

Planning trips like this is never easy, so the best thing to do is pick a rough

date and work around the weather.

Everyone was on call for the last-minute weather window and with one day’s notice, the boys were on their way.

There is no right and wrong way to go fishing.

Simply, what works is

right (within reason).

We knew we had mixed five very different fishers together.

I will never forget the first impression from Brooksy when I mentioned “bait” to him.

We booked four nights’ stay at the 1770 caravan park as a home base for ease of launching.

Our first night was about relaxing, meeting some awesome people at the

WADDY POINT - FRASER ISLAND

Beers and trout at sunset when anchored in the shallows have to be the best combination.

Crystal-clear and glassy calm water makes for happy anglers.

Peter Bats landed this red on a whole Moreton Bay squid.

Page 34 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

park, cracking open a few beers and eating unbelievable food.

The following day was when the fishing began.

Banter was in full swing, with boys talking smack and putting on ridiculous bets.

The goal for most was to land a red emperor.

Dan from NZ had a goal to land a red over 10kg on a plastic, and at the time we were laughing at him.

Brooksy thought he was coming GT popping, Sammy Hitzke thought he was fishing for tailor off the headland, Scibs from WA thought he was chasing samson fish in the river, spearo Dan had a goal to spear a red emperor and I only had one colour in mind: red!

The boats were filled with enough gear to fish for five years!

Our first day consisted of chasing reds on the eastern side of the reef systems and some pretty cool fish came aboard.

All day we were telling Dan from NZ he had no chance of landing a red on a plastic.

Sure enough, he dropped down a plastic and on the first drop boated a 12kg red on 20lb gear.

This was something we thought almost impossible, and boy were we proven wrong.

Over the three boats for the day we caught seven reds, 30 coral trout and a heap of other species.

For our first night we chose to come in to one of the northern reefs and sleep in the lagoon.

For anyone who has not fished the Bunker Group lagoons on sunset, I highly recommend doing so!

Almost every drop results in trout, redthroat and spangled emperor, cod and I even landed a 57cm red emperor in 5m of water! ☛ continued P35

www.bnbfishing.com. au

An adventure to remember ☛ from P34

We tied the three boats next to each other and cooked up a seafood pasta, which was washed down with a couple of beers.

By 9pm everyone had passed out.

The following morning consisted of a lot of diving and exploring new ground.

On a recent trip we had noticed Wilson Island and wanted to go and see what it was like.

Prior to this trip I called Marine Parks and Wildlife Service and checked if it was all right for us to pull up and stretch our legs on the island.

Marine Parks gave us the OK, so we made a quick stopover and were absolutely blown away by

the serenity of this place.

It’s amazing what this country has to offer and a lot of us take it for granted.

The wildlife, the crystalclear water, the beaches… we live in the best country in the world!

I must say to anyone reading this, if you plan on heading to Wilson Island, I advise you call Marine Parks and triple check for updates, as the island’s accommodation facilities are currently under construction.

Also, Wilson is a no-go zone for fishing, but the surrounding reefs have amazing fishing to blow you away.

We spent the remainder

of the day diving in the crystal-clear water around the southern reef systems of the Bunker Group for trout and crayfish, which resulted in 15 crays.

The boys were stoked and we made the call to head back in to 1770 to chill out for the following two days.

Big trips can be hard work trying to organise around weather windows, time frames and tides, but when it all lines up and everything goes to plan, nothing beats them.

It was a pleasure to be able to fish with these boys and the memories from the trip will stay with us forever.

COMPETITION DATES COMPETITION

DATE

LOCATION

2019 B.A.S.S. Australia

Feb 1-3

Nation Round 1 Boondooma

Glenbawn, NSW bassaustralia.com.au

Feb 9-10

Yellowbelly Fishing

Boondooma Dam – Terry Allwood 0400 860 122

Competiton Dan from NZ had one cast for a flathead in front of camp and that’s all it took to land this little guy.

Sam and Dan after a successful dive in the shallows.

Back 2 Tanga 11

Mar 2-3

Moreton Bay Game Fishing Club mbgfc.com.au

B.A.S.S. Australia

Mar 8-10

Nation Round 2 B.A.S.S. Australia

bassaustralia.com.au Apr 5-7

Nation Round 3

Sammy Hitzke nailed this trout as by-catch while fishing for reds.

Peter landed a River2Sea Chasebaits Smash Squid in front of this trout’s head, resulting in an instant hook-up.

Australian families’ favourite bowrider, the Quintrex Freestyler

T

HE Quintrex Freestyler is officially Australia’s favourite bowrider.

Since March 2017, boaties across the country have been enthralled with the new and innovative Apex Hull design.

Engineered for family fun, the Freestyler is equipped with the Apex Hull, a cutting-edge design.

This exclusive technology increases enjoyment on the water by making it safer, drier and smoother.

When under way, the Apex Hull has a sharp entry for predictable and comfortable handling.

Once the water has been pierced by the keel, water will deflect across the flared bow until it hits the chine, where it gets deflected downwards to provide a cushion in rough seas.

The modern design of the Freestyler not only looks good, but also turns heads on the water. www.bnbfishing.com. au

It is the driest bowrider available, as the Apex Hull directs water downwards and away, keeping it out of the boat.

Quintrex is the Australian leader in marine innovation, which can be seen in its factory equipped with the latest custom marine-specific machinery.

Recently the company installed a brand-new multi-million-dollar aluminium stretch former.

This machine is what allows Quintrex to be the only manufacturer who can build the Apex Hull.

No compromise is made when families choose daily destinations because the Freestyler has an impeccably smooth ride.

With a seating capacity from six (510) to seven (530 and up), everyone can comfortably enjoy the soft-riding Apex Hull.

The Freestyler is ideal for all situations, coming standard with useful

fishing features and numerous upgrades available.

This boat is great for fishos who place importance on catching the big one without compromising any family enjoyment.

Quintrex is Australia’s premium boat brand, as other companies struggle to compare to the family boat builder’s quality and craftsmanship.

National sales manager Drew Jackson said, “When I reflect on the busy boat show season, it pleasures me to think of all the smiles on family members’ faces when they first sit down

in the Quintrex Freestyler.”

“Happy families just fit perfectly in this boat.

“Every time I hand over the keys and life jackets, I know families are going to enjoy their time on the water.

“Up until now, the Quintrex Cruiseabout was Australia’s bestselling bowrider and had been for over five years.

“Today the Quintrex Freestyler, sporting the Apex Hull, has officially surpassed sales of the ever so popular Cruiseabout.

“A magnificent milestone.”

Moura Muddy

Somerset Dam

Lake St Clair, NSW bassaustralia.com.au

Apr 20-21

Water Classic

Dawson River, Moura – Zelma Lewis 07 4997 1932 E: m.a.f.s.g@bigpond.com

Boyne Tannum

May 3- 5

Hook Up B.A.S.S. Australia

boynetannumhookup.com.au May 10-12

Nation Round 4 B.A.S.S. Australia

Boondooma Dam bassaustralia.com.au

Jun 7-9

Nation Round 5 Tweed Coast Marine

Gladstone – 0428 743 474

Cania Dam bassaustralia.com.au

Jun 8-9

Cabarita Beach – Stephen

Greenback Fishing

Duffield 0421 052 135

Comp

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Jul 19-21

Nation Round 6

Glenbawn, NSW bassaustralia.com.au

B.A.S.S. Australia

Aug 30-

TBA

Nation Championship

Sep 1

bassaustralia.com.au

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

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 35

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Helaine captured a cracking coral trout.

Offshore reef fishing fanatics WANTED One of Brisbane’s oldest deep-sea fishing clubs with a 100 percent safety record has vacancies for new members. Owners of suitable vessels encouraged. All levels of experience. Those without own vessels also invited to apply. Approximately 15 deep sea trips per year. One week-long fishing holiday to Town of 1770. Monthly meetings, video shows, guest speakers and free nibbles. 4WD beach fishing and camping. Inshore fishing also on the agenda.

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Power Boat Anglers 1770 BNB Trophy trip

N

INE boats and crews headed to 1770 this year to compete for the annual BNB Trophy.

Ten were supposed to be competing, but apparently it’s hard to transport a 3100 PowerCat without a trailer, so Brendon, Dale and Craig still made the trip and slotted in with others as floating deckies.

The trip north was rainy and pretty uneventful apart from a detour due to Bucca Rd being closed, though that was the worst of it, with all arriving in time for the brief and barbecue at the blue house.

Sunday was a no-go due to conditions but it allowed everyone time to get fully rigged and ready.

The forecast for the week was essentially a cut and paste each day, with 10-15 knot southeasterlies turning northeasterly in the afternoon, which I’m told never really happened.

On Monday the boats hit the ramp at 7am as low tide was at 5.30am and from all accounts it’s a good idea to have some water under you when crossing the bar.

The trip out was uncomfortable, with most boats heading north, though

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A good size red emperor for Rob Schomberg.

Power Boat Anglers

by MICK CLUTTERBUCK

Ocean Pearl and Motley headed to the Warregos east-southeast of 1770.

Fishing was ordinary but some good catches were taken among the boats.

Dale landed a spangled emperor and snapper weighing about 5kg each, Terry claimed a 5.6kg red and Andrew bagged a couple of trout over 3kg.

Tuesday was blowing 15-20 knots early and then backing down to variable during the day.

Salty and Motley elected for a late start, hoping livies would tempt some fish in close having taken solid cod previously.

The plan didn’t work out and by 1pm the boys were heading for home with the wind pushing a solid 20 knots and not the variable that was forecast.

On Wednesday the forecast was again 10-15 knots, though Meteye had a patch of 15-20 hanging around most of the day and on the strength of that, all boats wisely elected to stay in port.

So that left Thursday and Friday.

Salty, Amity, Short Fuse and SiSu elected to do an overnighter in Fitzroy lagoon while Ocean Pearl, Motley, Garlin and Tachyon stuck to day trips.

Rod and Grant on Astro Boy were heading back on Friday anyway, so decided to call it early and leave Thursday.

The trip out was jiggly to say the least.

Salty checked a few

marks for not a lot until he tried an old spot that had produced good parrotfish in the past.

It still had a few this time around and they were accompanied by a heap of very nice grass sweetlip, the odd trout and Rob’s first legal red at 1770.

By the time they had radio contact with Amity and were able to brag about it, they had 12 fish in the box, which started to take a bit of pressure off given the previous days.

Next move was to the bommies of Fitzroy looking for trout and redthroat emperor but nothing came out to play.

Elsewhere, Amity was getting some nice parrot and Helaine had landed a trout with a stripey frame in its mouth.

It turned out it was a frame Terry had discarded over the side when Salty had been there earlier.

Darren was into it, also regularly getting bricked, but managed a decent red for his troubles.

Salty headed north of the lagoon to try for a redthroat, which appeared to be in residence but not all that hungry.

Terry was nailing the odd good size tuskie as well with his razor-sharp Black Magic KL hooks that seem to work very well and might be worth a try.

All the other boats reported getting fish of some sort, with Ocean

Pearl and Motley east of Fitzroy boating decent pearlies and redthroat in the deep.

Garlin and Tachy were quiet for most of the day, usually meaning they were on a patch.

The wind started to pick up around 5pm, pushing everyone to the lagoon, with Salty one of the lucky ones bagging a new mooring buoy.

Amity arrived a bit later and with the wind increasing, made it tricky trying to raft up, but no love bites this time around.

With all boats in the lagoon, dinner was cooked up and then it was lights out to listen to the wind and hope it would back off by the morning.

It was still blowing 15 knots during brekkie but the crew got the good to go after talking to Nick on Reef Runner who left from 1770 and was inshore in 10 knots.

Amity, Salty and SiSu headed for the Sykes Reef area to try to fill the boxes and initial marks looked the goods but didn’t really fire.

Chatter on the radio

from Bloomfield and reefs north was they were having a cracker time but not these boats.

Salty moved in close looking for some trout and landed a few unders but no keepers until finding a nice spot in 20m that produced redthroat and tuskies to the point they were able to get fussy and not keep anything under 42cm.

Another move found even larger ones, allowing them to bag out and then head for home.

Heading into the pretty ordinary conditions was fairly painful, so Salty stopped in on Amity who was down on their red marks and had a drift.

Amity had earlier gone to the Outer Wides and found nice sweetlip and reds, with Paul’s best red weighing 7.4kg.

First drift was a blank but second go Terry hooked and dropped a good size red before Rob was on, landing a big grassy sweetlip.

Terry was again nailed and this time landed a 5kg red.

Subsequent drifts pro☛ continued P37

Helaine Wilesmith, Darren Blackburn and Paul Dawson.

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www.issuu.com/bnbfishing Page 36 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Paul with a quality red emperor.

Darren was happy with this red emperor.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Recent fresh makes for good fishing

S

OME healthy falls of rain since last month have helped liven up the fishing around Bundaberg.

While I was not able to fish the Lake Monduran Family Fishing Classic, I heard of some good catches, primarily due to the warm conditions leading up to the competition thanks to the prevailing northerly wind.

This is a great family fishing competition and I am keen to keep the date free for the 2019 competition.

While a good fresh will shut a system down for a while, the end result is positive as the bigger tides around the next couple of full/new moons will see the salt push back up into the systems and improve fishing.

Usually, the best places to target directly after a good fall of rain are those areas just outside the mouths of major rivers.

Here, all the fish, crab and prawns that have been washed out of their usual abodes congregate in the salt water just outside the mouth.

Of course, larger predators will also be waiting here for a feed.

This is a similar phenomenon to water draining from the flats into the deeper holes within a creek, albeit on a smaller scale, where small fish become the target of predators.

Flathead are still being caught in our rivers and estuarine systems on both lures (soft plastics and hard-bodies) and bait, as are whiting and bream.

I have also heard reports of salmon in the Burnett and Kolan rivers.

With the weather so warm, so early in the season, it will not be long before the jacks become

Bundaberg Region

by BRAD YOUNG

active hunters and a target for skilled jack fishers.

The best baits for jacks include a fillet of mullet and live/fresh dead sprat.

Remember, they usually hit the bait after they have turned and are heading back to the safety of their rocky home, so heavy line and loaded drags are necessary for success.

The recent fresh may also see the start of the summer bream run.

While the winter bream run is well known, the summer bream run is a little less so.

Often, during November and December the bream make another appearance in our rivers and while not as big in number, they are usually of good size.

Target the same spots as during winter and you should enjoy success.

Offshore have been reports of mackerel in good numbers.

The best time to target this species is early in the morning.

You need to be at your fishing spot before the sun shines its first rays over the water because these fish will often shut down as soon as the sun gets higher in the sky.

This is important, whether you are a landbased angler fishing off the rocks or a boat-based angler trolling the mouth of the Burnett or further offshore around a bait ground.

I also prefer chasing them around the new moon in the belief they will be hungry after a night of swimming at high speed (burning energy) with limited ability to hunt due to the dark

conditions.

If only mackerel could talk and confirm this theory for me.

With the water temperatures rising quickly and the effects of the recent fresh now clearing, there should be a good chance of mud crabs being on the move.

I found last year a quieter year than the previous two for mud crabs, so I am hoping this year will be a little more productive.

As always, take the time to check the fishing laws applying to your pots and floats so they are not confiscated by Fisheries officers as they monitor compliance with regulations.

Mud crabs are available

in all our local rivers and estuaries.

They can be caught by land-based anglers willing to walk their pots into likely spots, kayakers able to paddle and place a pot at the end of a mangrove alley and boat-based anglers targeting rivers and creeks.

Best baits are whole fresh mullet, fresh fish frames and chicken carcasses.

Also, be aware of the unscrupulous people on the water who will take your crabs, damage your pots and even take your pots, so where possible, keep them in sight.

It would be great if Fisheries officers could continue their surveillance program to catch and prosecute those who do the wrong thing and spoil a great family activity.

This edition of BNB hits the shelves right around

the time of the next full moon, which is a prime time to drop the pots in and see if you can raise a feed.

The full moon is also a great time to target species such as mangrove jack, though you have to time your fishing around the tides because the tidal stream is at its strongest around the full moon.

This often means fishing windows occur an hour or so either side of the high and low tide.

This is when the run slows and will allow you to get a bait to the bottom, which is often impossible during the run of a strong moon tide.

As always, I can be contacted via the Bush ‘n Beach website, by email at fishnboat@bigpond.com or post at PO Box 5812 Bundaberg West Queensland 4670.

Until next month…

A fisho’s dream

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duced a doughnut and with the wind building they headed back to 1770.

With all boats safely back at the ramp, the scales were put to good use.

Gary and Ross on Garlin rocked up with a mystery fish under a towel and then revealed the ugliest trout ever seen, going 6.1kg.

It was a clear winner for Gary.

Paul’s red of 7.37kg held on and Dale’s early spangled of 5.37kg took out the sweetlip trophy, with Rob Schomberg sneaking in a 5.12kg highfin amberjack for the pelagic trophy.

The overall winner was Schombie, who just pipped Terry his deckie by .02 of a point, 130.5 to 130.48.

If Terry’s last red had eaten one more pillie it would have been a different result.

Next in line were Helaine at 126.82, Dale at 113.73 and Paul with www.bnbfishing.com. au

101.82 points.

There have been better trips and certainly worse ones but you will never get it right a year out.

The trip home was uneventful, apart from Rob turning his trailer into a smoke machine.

Thanks to the member of the public who alerted him to his dragging brake caliper.

Next year looks like being virtually the same week constrained by school holidays and the reef fish closure, so get your holidays in for October 12-18, 2019.

Next meetings The last club meeting for the year will be held on Monday, December 3 and then we won’t reconvene until Monday, February 4 at The Club Manly (bowls club) 26 Faine St, Manly.

Come along to check out the new digs and meet the members.

Until next month, enjoy the holidays and stay safe on the water.

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 37

We were sailing under spinnaker south of Lady Elliot Island when I caught this spanish mackerel.

Though not my PB, it was a great catch at 115cm.

Debbie Stevenson

My mate and I captured these snapper at the northeastern end of Peel Island on soft plastics and pillies.

Daniel Byth

Peter scored these 72cm and 62cm flathead in the Richmond River at Ballina.

Seven-year-old Jack Green did well to land this epic giant herring on the Gold Coast.

My latest conquest from fishing offshore with Fish the Deep Charters.

Rally Thomas

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

Karen Magao and her husband boated these cracking sweetlip off Caloundra recently.

■ Readers Forum ■ Readers Forum ■ Readers Forum

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Page 38 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Big 3D eyes

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BOATING & marine

Mr Funnel is your tool for pure fuel W ITH summer and the Christmas holidays upon us, the headspace quickly turns to getting the boat ready for fishing with the mates, or family trips out to the islands for a barbecue and swim.

One thing you might want to stop and consider before you take off on your epic journey is the quality of the fuel in your boat if it has been sitting for a while.

As you are probably aware, fuel has a shelf life.

So I ask you, when was the last time you checked the quality of the fuel in your boat?

Many people will come a cropper this summer

when the planned fishing or day trip is cut short due to contaminated fuel.

Fuel that has been sitting in your boat over long periods through the cooler months is going to be prone to contamination and condensation buildup in the tank, resulting in poor performance and major damage to injectors and sophisticated common rail systems, which in turn results in a very expensive and unplanned Christmas present for yourself.

Those who have been on the receiving end of contaminated fuel would know the cost associated with repairs can be in the thousands, depending on

how much water or debris you might have in your fuel system.

And those that haven’t yet experienced it should talk to their nearest coast guard or volunteer marine rescue if you own a boat, or the RACQ or equivalent for information about water and contaminants in fuel products.

The VMR and coast guard spend countless hours on the water, rescuing people from potentially dangerous situations that could have been avoided simply by getting the basics right, and clear fuel is one of the basic items we all take for granted.

We think just because we had no problems last time we used the boat it will be right this time.

The Mr Funnel fuel filter is a US patent product that can help mitigate all of what was spoken about above.

It is a portable fuel filter funnel that removes water, dirt, sand and rust from old fuel cans and other foreign particles before they enter your fuel tank.

This allows the fuel filters in your watercraft to do their job and deliver

clean fuel free of minute particles to your engine.

These contaminants can clog filters, corrode components and cause engine shutdown or system failure in the most precarious and unexpected situations.

So whether you own a lawn mower, motorbike, boat or go-kart, car, industrial machinery or even a light plane, they could all receive contaminated fuel.

The Mr Funnel product is lightweight, portable, static-free (black model only) and requires no replacement parts, meaning you only have to buy the product once because you can’t wear it out.

The beauty of the Mr Funnel is unlike other funnels in the marketplace, its patented fluoropolymer-coated vertical stainless steel filter allows the product to move freely through the funnel, ensuring contaminants are caught in the sump or bottom of the funnel without causing head pressure that can reduce the flow and squeeze contaminants through the filter.

No need to use your mum’s stockings or old

socks over the funnel anymore!

The funnel is carboninjected when moulded, so when grounded bleeds off static electricity while in use.

The funnel comes in four sizes, each with a different flow rate depending on the application you intend to use it for.

This helps you choose the right funnel for the job.

The Mr Funnel fuel filter is simple to use in all applications and would make a perfect Christmas present.

For further information about the Mr Funnel fuel filter, visit mrfunnelaus tralia.com.au or talk to Jeff on 0412 013 981.

Merry Christmas and safe boating.

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BRISBANE NORTH | Brisbane Marine 306 Duffield Rd, Clontarf Q 4019 P: 07 3889 3033 E: info@brismarine.com.au W: brismarine.com.au

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

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 39

BOATING & marine

X Bowrider goes outside the box

M

ARINE industry mover and shaker Formosa Marine certainly ruffled some feathers when it released the X Bowrider in 2017.

The Sea-Rod 580 Classic X Bowrider was more than happy to duck offshore and will prove stable in most conditions. Running photos: Yamaha Motor Australia

Not conforming to one single design philosophy, the X Bowrider stands out from the pack with sharp lines above the gunwales and a look somewhere between a bowrider, centre cabin and runabout.

I had hotly anticipated taking this boat for a spin, so was delighted to recently sample the Sea-Rod 580 Classic version of the

Though ‘only’ sporting 150hp, the Yamaha F150XB provided plenty of momentum.

Boat Review

by DANIEL TOMLINSON

X Bowrider on the Tweed River.

Nestled into the helm seat, I noted the driving position also treads a middle ground between a raised ‘offshore’ style and the traditional low-slung bowrider seating position.

Nonetheless I quickly became comfortable and nudged the throttle forwards to spin up the prop on the Yamaha 150hp four-stroke mounted on the stern.

Motivation was instant despite the hull being capable of handling another 50 horses, and flattening the throttle saw the 6m (including bowsprit), 900kg (dry) hull shooting up to almost 70km/h through a bit of Tweed River chop.

Needless to say, in ideal conditions and with the maximum horsepower fitted, this boat would absolutely fly.

Which is apt considering the X Bowrider’s tagline of ‘fish, wake, ski’.

If suitably specified, the X Bowrider could easily

fit the bill as a high-horsepower, fast ski boat.

However, I’d be quick to recommend Yamaha’s venerable 150hp power plant to any fisho who’d prefer to use the boat as a dedicated fishing rig.

In this instance, the 150’s superior fuel economy and subsequent range from the 150-litre underfloor fuel tank would make it the more suitable choice.

The 580 X Bowrider is rated to carry seven people on board, and this boat would comfortably seat each and every passenger.

In fact, it would easily seat almost double that number!

As well as the two boxbased bucket seats for driver and primary passenger, the X Bowrider has three two-person fold-down padded lounges with padded backrests that seem to appear from nowhere on both sides and at the rear of the cockpit.

The side-saddle seating arrangement was something new to me in a fishing boat and I thought

it was a fantastic use of space considering when folded and latched away (upright) the seat bases tucked in below the padded backrests on the gunwales, which were very comfy to lean against.

Moving to the bow by opening the latched swinging central door and windscreen section saw me coming upon the X Bowrider’s trump card: its versatile bow area.

It’s a vast space in the 580 model (though fishing room out back is still decent) and can either be a delightfully comfortable and sumptuously padded lounge area, or with the cushions whipped away, a carpeted casting platform with central in-fill.

How good is that!?

So if you’re taking the family out for a day trip and a spot of tow sports, leave the cushions in and let everyone revel in the comfort of the sun lounge or leave the family at home and set the casting platform up for an ultrastable perch from which to cast while fishing.

Seems like the best of both worlds to me.

As proof of its dedication to covering all bases, the X Bowrider is even fitted with an electric bow mount plate, despite not being the sort of boat customarily associated with electric motors.

However, more and more commonly we are seeing ☛ continued P41

Dash is well laid-out and seating position comfortable. Raised instrument binnacle makes keeping one eye on the sounder while under way a cinch.

BOWRIDER

Page 40 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine A rear-end look at Sea-Rod’s unique four-chamber water ballast system.

All rear seating options deployed and Active Transom doors opened. More than enough useable seating in a 6m boat.

X Bowrider goes outside the box ☛ from P40

EN

people buying electric motors for their versatility in ‘spot-locking’ for silent and super-easy anchoring without the traditional chain and anchor noise, not to mention stealthy trolling ability to sneak up on the fish.

In terms of handling the Tweed River chop, the chunky 580 X Bowrider was not fussed.

Whether tackling the chop straight on, side on or at any other angle, the V2 Plate Hull just ate it up.

Naturally the ride was dry and having a bit of weight to the hull ensured we punched through the chop rather than bounc-

D

OR

ing over it like a smaller tinnie.

Being the Sea-Rod version of the X Bowrider, a four-chamber water ballast system in the hull is standard.

This is a huge aid for stability at rest and then once under way the chambers drain so you aren’t hampered by extra weight on the move.

Despite looking something like a pleasure craft and featuring plenty of creature comforts, the X Bowrider won’t leave hard-core fishos feeling short-changed, with four rod holders on the hard top, four more on the bait board and another four recessed into the gunwales.

However, if you’re purely a mad-keen fisho and never take family and friends out on the water, you probably wouldn’t be in the market for an X Bowrider.

You’d get a side console or similar open boat and forego all the things that make the X such an incredibly well-rounded vessel.

Fit and finish on all Formosa boats is exemplary and the X Bowrider was no exception, with a good thick coat of paint applied to all surfaces for a premium feel.

The test boat also had a pair of cracking Fusion speakers installed in the hard top’s unique ‘knuckle’ design, which worked

flawlessly and looked like they were always meant to be there.

This boat also utilised the Sea-Rod exclusive Active Transom, fitted here in ‘Dual Access’ form that allowed entry and egress at the stern either side of the bait board thanks to sturdy fold-down doors covered in a non-slip coating.

I could honestly write for many more pages discussing the myriad standard and awesome optional features of the Sea-Rod 580 X Bowrider but the best bit of advice I can give you is to check one out for yourself.

If you’re after the ultimate compromise between family fun boat and

fishing boat, you really need look no further.

Teamed with an ultrareliable Yamaha outboard (I’d stick with the 150hp for economy and performance balance), you’d enjoy many years of trouble-free boating.

To check out an X Bowrider and Yamaha package today, duck into Gold Coast Boating Centre at 64 Kortum Dr, Burleigh Heads and chat to the friendly team about designing a package to suit your needs.

For any more information on the Formosa boat and Yamaha outboard ranges, visit formosa marineboats.com.au and yamaha-motor.com.au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 41

BOATING & marine

Watersnake Shadow MK II electric motor

F

ISHING results, as many of us have come to appreciate, do not just depend on the luck of the draw.

The easy to remove U-bolt connecting the motor to the quick release bracket.

The Watersnake bow-mounted motor comes with a digital voltage metre and a long cord for the foot control to move around the boat.

One key piece of equipment that can really change your results is an electric motor as a secondary motor on your boat or a stand-alone motor for your kayak.

Recently I was fortunate enough to take ownership of a Watersnake Shadow MK II electric motor from Jarvis Walker Brands.

This article outlines some of the features, installation tips and my overall experience using this motor for a range of different fishing styles over the past couple of months.

Features The Watersnake Shadow MK II is a bow-mounted electric motor that comes in three sizes comprising

Another use the author has found for the motor is moving to the top of his whiting drift without spooking the fish.

Product Review

by SEAN THOMPSON

44lb, 54lb and 65lb.

The 44lb and 54lb models have a 48” (120cm) shaft while the 65lb model has a 54” (135cm) shaft.

The Watersnake page on the Jarvis Walker website has a buyer’s guide PDF with information on which size motor to choose for your boat.

While the guide recommends a 44lb motor for boats up to 16’ (4.8m), I went for the next size up (54lb) for a bit of added oomph in stronger winds and chop.

Some of the key features of this motor include a tough composite shaft, digital voltage metre in the head, weedless propeller shaft as well as a stainless steel prop shaft.

I also love the quickrelease bracket for those situations where you are staying in accommodation and want to leave your boat moored at the pontoon or you need to park your boat and trailer in an unsecured carpark.

With the motor and bracket’s integrated design, you can simply pull out the corrosion-resistant U-shaped pin and lift the motor off the bracket to store and secure it.

It is the same simple process in reverse to put

it back on (check out the pictures).

The 54lb Shadow MK II also comes with both a foot control and portable handheld remote.

These variable speed remotes open up a lot of options, as outlined below.

I had a minor issue with my handheld remote having a flat battery when it arrived, but a new CR2032 lithium battery for a couple of bucks had it up and running in no time.

I also found I had trouble with my simple brain processing the fact that the remote was upside down on the lanyard, but fortunately it comes with strap holes at either end, so I simply changed ends with the lanyard and was soon getting my left and right adjustments of the motor perfect.

Putting it to use I have tested out my electric in four key fishing situations.

The first was trolling.

Trolling with this motor is deadly quiet and you can troll soft plastics or shallow divers in very shallow water with the motor just below water level.

The best method I have found for trolling is to use

the hand remote control to change the variable speed button up to a fast walking pace and then sit back and use the left and right buttons to adjust the direction of the boat as you take corners and follow dropoffs using your sounder.

I have also put the motor to good use when stealthily moving between fishing positions.

Once again, I will sit back behind my side console and watch the sounder carefully as I move quietly between positions, looking for bottom structure, bait and fish.

In fact, on one recent trip with my family we had moved 20-30m with the electric before they inquired: “Hey, are we moving?”

The motor will hold the boat in position over structure or away from structure as the case may be.

I’ve used this for both

my fishing and crabbing.

For example, when crabbing on my own I might want to get into tight little creeks or under dead tree branches to throw the pot.

Once you stop your motor, if any current is running you can quickly move off your desired spot or drift towards trees or branches you’d hoped to avoid.

With a quick tap of speed with the foot remote, I can get back into position quickly and throw the pots and get out of there easily.

Finally, when casting lures from the boat on either the sand flats or structure, I use the foot remote to control my drift.

Controlling your drift with quick taps of the foot control speed or direction buttons will keep you in ‘the zone’ longer with the rod in your hand and firing out casts in the target areas. ☛ continued P43

Trolling for squire using the hand remote while watching the sounder.

Insights into boat insurance

B

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

The scenario IT is common for some companies to offer significant discounts in an effort to secure your boat insurance business, simply because you might insure your house and car with that same business.

But don’t assume that the promise of a 20 percent saving is always your best deal.

Specialist marine insurer Nautilus Marine advises there are many factors to consider.

The first is the discount itself.

As a simple example, a 20 percent reduction off a $300 purchase is not as cheap as a 15 percent reduction off a $250 purchase.

In the first instance you save $60 and in the second you save $37.50.

But overall, the price you pay with that origi-

nal 20 percent discount is now $240, while the price paid with a 15 percent discount is $212.50.

It’s a little like when a shoe store offers you a second pair of shoes at a 50 percent discount.

If both pairs are the same retail price, your overall savings are 25 percent, but for many people it is the 50 percent figure that sticks in their mind and influences the purchasing decision.

Similarly, a marine tradie charging $120 an hour who completes the project in one hour works out to exactly the same price as one who charges $60 an hour but takes two hours to complete the job.

Likewise, when calculating your boat’s fuel consumption, the number of litres your boat is using an hour at a certain number of revs is immaterial unless you consider how far you travelled in that hour.

Using twice as much fuel per hour to travel a given distance in half the time is the same as burning half the amount of

fuel per hour and taking twice as long to get there.

The bottom line is how many nautical miles (or kilometres) did you travel per litre (or for a larger vessel, how many litres did you use per nautical mile).

Likewise, when it comes to marine insurance you need to know the bottom line price after any discounts that do or do not apply – but more importantly, you also need to know what your policy is covering you for.

Does the company trying to roll your boat insurance in with your car, house and contents insurance provide boat insurance coverage for a distance of up to 250 nautical miles offshore?

Nautilus Marine does.

Does that multi-policy insurance discount mean your boat will still be covered when it is stored at a holiday destination?

If not, that fishing trip to Tweed Heads might be a lot more expensive than it would have been at Noosa Heads.

Are your marine elec-

tronics including, sounder, plotter, radio and other expensive equipment covered under the policy?

Do you have full replacement costs for your boat covered during the first 12 months?

At what point does your insurance move from ‘agreed value’ to ‘market value’?

A good insurer should be able to answer all these questions immediately and know where they are referenced in the product disclosure statement (PDS).

As a specialist marine insurer, Nautilus employs a team of consultants who solely deal with marine-related insurance matters.

They know the specific scenarios, they know the fine details of what is and what is not covered.

It’s also why they frequently attend boating and outdoor shows – it provides an opportunity for boat owners to discuss real and hypothetical scenarios.

There is no room for ‘you should be right’ when it comes to insur-

ing your boat, trailer, motor, electronics and fishing gear.

When things go pearshaped, it will all depend on what is in the marine insurance PDS. That’s why you are strongly advised to talk to a marine insurance specialist like Nautilus Marine who knows the PDS from front to back cover and who can show you exactly where the relevant clauses are.

Special conditions and excesses should always be explained clearly in

your insurance policy’s PDS. Always check your PDS and if you have a query, ask for clarification.

So before insuring your boat for the next 12 months, check out whether what you think you are covered for is actually the case and whether that supposed discount price is really a discount at all.

If you need further information, you can contact Nautilus Marine Insurance on 1300 780 533 for any boat

insurance requirements.

Win a Nautilus Prize Package Nautilus will also be answering your boat insurance questions of a general nature and will be offering a great bi-monthly prize to the best questions received.

The prize is a Nautilus Marine merchandising pack comprising a collapsible chiller bag, a handy marine sports bag and a cap.

Just email your questions to qld@nautilusin surance.com.au

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

Page 42 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

BOATING & marine

Watersnake Shadow MK II electric motor ☛ from P42

Price Of course, price is an all-important factor for most anglers.

The 54lb Watersnake Shadow MK II retails at $1149 including all the features mentioned above.

However, I regularly see it on special below the $1000 mark.

That is less than half the price of its main competitor.

In my mind it is great value for money and the absence of a spot lock, which is the one key difference between the two, can be compensated for by using minimal adjustments in terms of direction or movement with either the hand or foot control.

Installation An electric motor of course needs a battery.

I already have a battery, but it is what is termed a ‘starter’ battery.

Starter batteries are designed to deliver a large burst of power for a short time, as needed with most engine starting.

My starter battery runs the motor, my Lowrance StructureScan sounder and other odds and ends as required, like my lights at night.

Therefore, I needed an-

other battery to power my new electric motor.

The best batteries to run electric motors are deep-cycle marine batteries which are designed to withstand multiple discharges/recharges without shortening their life.

I chose a 120AH AmpTech AGM battery after a bit of research and talking to marine experts.

With the fantastic assistance of Andrew Woodforth from AW Marine at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Marina at Manly, my electric was wired safely, neatly and efficiently to my new battery located at the back of the boat.

Andrew and his team installed two circuit breakers between the motor and the first Anderson plug as well as the battery and second Anderson plug to avoid overload or short circuit, which could damage the motor.

I also bought a Schumacher SPI15 automatic battery charger, which uses its microprocessor to automatically detect the voltage and type of battery it is charging.

It has a scrolling digital display of the charge in the battery and will go into ‘maintenance mode’ when the battery

is fully charged.

Andrew set up my wiring so I connect the charger with an Anderson plug to charge the deep-cycle battery (without needing to remove the battery), and I connect the Anderson plug on the charger to another Anderson plug via alligator clips to charge my starter battery.

Once you have the electrics and batteries all connected on your boat, it is simply a case of plugging in the cord for the foot pedal.

When you are ready to hit the water you use a multi-adjustable depth collar to select your required depth on the shaft, lock it tight, then press the tilt lever and lower the shaft into place.

You then swivel the head unit or press down on the

release/lock brackets to ensure the motor locks into position.

To store the motor, press down on the quick release and lift and engage the motor and slide the depth collar down to lock it in place around the bottom of the shaft.

All in all, I am extremely impressed with the functions and manoeuvrability of the Watersnake Shadow MK II electric motor and would highly recommend it as a Christmas present or perhaps a ‘co-contributed’ Christmas present from yourself and the family to improve your fishing in the new year!

For more tips, reports and information, jump on my Ontour Fishing Australia Facebook and Instagram pages.

Club Marine launches a ‘Summer of Rewards’

C

LUB Marine, A u s t r a l a s i a’s leading provider of pleasure craft insurance, is giving away $25,000 worth of prizes in its ‘Summer of Rewards’ promotion.

All participants need to do to be in the running to win a Summer of Rewards is to have a Club Marine pleasure craft insurance policy and a Club Marine Magazine subscription in either Australia or New Zealand at the time of each draw between November 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019.

Each month during the promotion period, five Club Marine members will each win $1000 to spend at Club Marine Member Rewards partners as promoted on the website.

Club Marine members enjoy a wide variety of exclusive benefits from an ever-growing group of prominent marine businesses in our Member Rewards program – whether they’re into fishing, sailing, cruising or wakeboarding, or just

want to wear the best gear, we’ve included something for everyone.

With Summer of Rewards, 25 winning members will each receive $1000 to spend with up to three Member Rewards partners, including Henri Lloyd, Hamilton Island, Musto, Big4 Holiday Parks, Australian Marine Wholesale, Barz Optics, Boat Shoes Online and JSW Powersports, among others.

Prizewinners will be contacted and announced on the Club Marine website after each monthly draw.

Club Marine CEO Simon McLean said, “We launched Member Rewards in July because we wanted to add more value to members.”

“We have partnered with a range of reputable marine and leisure businesses that are relevant to the boating community.

“These partners provide our members discounts and special offers across a broad range of products and

services, regardless of the type of boating they’re into.

“We’re now excited to give away $25,000 worth of prizes as part of our Summer of Rewards competition.

“The great news is new and existing members will automatically qualify for entry, just by making sure their insurance and magazine subscriptions are current throughout the summer months of November 2018 to March 2019.

“All Club Marine members have access to the full range of member benefits, including the Club Marine app, Club Marine Assist, Club Marine eNews, our growing range of videos on Club Marine TV and our social media activities.

“That’s why boating’s just better with Club Marine.”

To find Summer of Rewards terms and conditions, go to clubma rine.com.au/SummerO fRewards

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 43

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S

aturday morning I got up early, dressed quietly, made my lunch, grabbed the dog, slipped quietly into the garage to hook the boat up to the truck and proceeded to back out into a torrential downpour with the wind blowing 90km/h.

I pulled back into the garage, turned on the radio and discovered the weather would be bad throughout the day.

I went back into the house, quietly undressed and slipped back into bed.

There I cuddled up to my wife’s back, now with a different anticipation and whispered: “The weather out there is terrible.�

My loving wife of 20 years replied: “Can you believe my stupid husband is out fishing in that crap?�

I still don’t know to this day if she was joking, but I have stopped fishing.

John Gyzemyter Maleny

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Page 44 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

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Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 45

K AYAKING & canoeing How to choose your first canoe – part one I

F you’re like many thousands of people in Australia this year, you may be considering getting into canoe or kayak paddling for the first time.

Canoes with a slender end give improved tracking and glide through the water.

And why not?

It’s a great way to experience our beautiful waterways, is fantastic exercise and suitable for people from six to 96 years old (well, usually somewhere in the middle there).

Whether you’re a loner, a family or a group of friends, paddling can offer something special that few other recreational activities can, and like most other activities is greatly enhanced if you choose the right gear.

To help you make a good investment and allow you to have a great experience out on the water, here are a few tips for buying your first canoe.

I’m aiming this article at choosing a canoe, as that is where the majority of my experience lies, but most points will apply equally well to choosing your first kayak.

First off, you really need to think about where you’re going to be doing most of your paddling.

Anyone who has bought a one-size-fits-all shirt knows one size most certainly does not fit all!

By that, I mean before buying you need to decide what 80 percent of your journeys will look like.

Will it just be you or will your family be coming along too?

Will you be fishing, sightseeing or camping?

Will you be paddling down rivers or across lakes?

Having a clear vision in your mind of the typical makeup of your paddling trip will go a long way to helping you decide what canoe is going to fit your needs best.

Some of the most important things to consider are number of passengers, type of waterway, distance to be paddled, carrying capacity and other activities undertaken while paddling.

Sure, there will be exceptions to the norm, and they can

Canoeing

by DAN OWBRIDGE

be factored into your selection criteria, but defining the most common use is what you need to do first.

If you have absolutely no idea where your paddling journey will take you, it’s probably a good idea to hire or borrow a canoe for your first few outings and see what takes your fancy.

Once you’ve got a handle on what you want to use your canoe for, it’s then important to understand how the different design characteristics of a canoe affect its performance and ultimately deliver a boat fit for your purpose.

After all, there’s no point buying a four-wheel-drive if you’re never going to go offroad.

A bit of basic understanding of hull shape and fit-out will go a long way to helping you buy the right canoe.

Sure, all canoes tend to look alike.

There are, however, a few basic features of a canoe hull you need to be aware of and consider in your new purchase.

I’m going to exclude length and width of the canoe from this list as boats of similar physical size can have widely differing performance.

We will discuss those in the next section.

The things I tend to look at are the shape of the hull bottom and sides, the shape and style of the ends at bow and stern and the amount of rocker (curve) along the keel of the canoe.

Let me explain in a little more detail.

Hull shape of a canoe affects its stability on the water.

The flatter the bottom of the hull, the more stable it will feel while sitting still on flat water.

The more round the hull, the more unstable it will feel at rest.

This is known as primary stability.

The flipside of that is when the canoe is exposed to choppy

water from waves or boat wash.

In this case a rounder hull will tend to be less affected by the waves and will feel more stable than a canoe with a flat bottom.

As a consequence, most designers opt for a shallow curve in their hull bottom to allow for a range of water conditions.

In addition, some canoe designs will have a generous curve in the hull where it passes from the bottom to the side and the side will have a small amount of flare outwards to increase the resistance to overturning in choppy conditions.

This is known as secondary stability.

The decision for you to make is: do you want a boat that will feel very stable in flat, undemanding water or do you want a boat that will feel initially unstable but tend to resist overturning in chop or boat wash?

The shape of the canoe ends effects a number of factors including manoeuvrability, stability and drag of the hull (how well it cuts through the water).

A fuller, more rounded end of a canoe will tend to offer more stability, a bit more carrying capacity and better turning ability, but will suffer from increased drag and create more wash.

A more slender end will offer slightly reduced carrying capacity and will sit in the water a little deeper, but will track better and offer less drag to the paddlers.

Beginner paddlers will appreciate the stability of a fuller end but may be frustrated by its tendency to wander about and not hold a straight line.

Next month in part two we’ll discuss further details including canoe rocker, width and construction materials.

In the meantime, feel free to get in touch with any canoeing needs on 0424 001 646 or visit our One Tree Canoe Company website onetreecanoe.com

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN-MADE CANOES

Canoes | Repairs | Hires 0424 001 646 | onetreecanoe.com Choosing the right canoe can make paddling a joy for novice paddlers.

Page 46 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Preparing for the holiday period ■ Awoonga barra ■ Mangrove jack ■ Salmon

W

ELL it’s that time of year again, and the jolly old fella in red will soon be around to see us.

At this time of year many people have their annual holidays, which causes the waterways to become extremely busy.

For some this can be one of the few times the boat sees the water during the year.

If so, my recommendation is to do a few basic checks at home before you head to the boat ramp.

These checks could save embarrassment and frustration if you drop the boat in the water and it doesn’t start or worse a dodgy wheel bearing may even cause you not to reach the ramp at all.

Boat ramps will be busy and people will need to be patient with others who aren’t as quick as they are.

A helping hand can get things moving quickly.

Make sure your boat is ready to go away from the people waiting in line to put in or pull out their boats.

The top of the ramp is not the place to be unstrapping and getting your boat ready.

If you do so, expect to hear some unfriendly words mentioned in your direction.

With the extra traffic on the water, you might find the fish a bit more reluctant to bite and your secret spot might already have someone sitting on it.

At this time of year I prefer to fish early morning and late afternoon into the evening, which will see less boat traffic and more fish willing to feed.

On the fishing front, Awoonga Dam is firing, with multiple barra per session normal and sessions consisting of over 10 fish becoming more common.

The size of the fish is good as well, with plenty in the high-80cm range and a few unstoppable fish running you through the timber.

These fish will continue to grow quickly and catches over the magic

Gladstone Region

by GARY CHURCHWARD

When fishing structure, concentrate most of your efforts on the pressure points because the fish sit facing into the current waiting for the bait to get pushed to them. metre mark will become more common in future.

Fishing topwater early morning and late afternoon into the night is an awesome way to target these fish, with loud visual takes getting the blood pumping.

As the sun gets higher, try fishing slightly deeper with weedless soft plastics, hard-bodies or vibration lures.

In the rivers and creeks, mangrove jack will be firing in the hotter temperatures.

They will still bite better during the early morning and late afternoon.

Heavy structure, whether fallen trees, rock bars or man-made, will hold the better numbers but don’t ignore the smaller isolated structure as this will commonly hold the bigger single fish.

When fishing structure, concentrate most of your efforts on the pressure points because the fish sit facing into the current waiting for the bait to get pushed to them.

Surface poppers and stickbaits can be dynamite when fishing structure with strong current pushing through it.

A surface lure allows you to get right to the back of the snag and pull it across the top.

By speeding up your retrieve you will get the jacks into a reaction bite.

A weedless soft plastic worked a bit quicker across the face of a snag will work as well.

The ever-present fingermark will still be around but in deeper water.

Again, fishing where the current has been disturbed by structure will give the best results.

This could be bridge pylons, headlands or submerged rock bars.

Anywhere they can sit out of the current.

A live herring, mullet or prawn won’t last long if fingermark are around.

Try using a paternoster rig to keep the bait slightly off the bottom and moving in the current.

Blue salmon will be getting about, just in smaller schools.

Again, deeper water will hold more consistent numbers, with Gladstone Harbour the best option.

Targeting threadfin salmon at Port Alma and in the Fitzroy River will be worth a shot, with both holding great schools and good-sized fish.

The bigger fish tend to come from the Port Alma area while bigger schools haunt the city regions of the Fitzroy.

Port Alma offers a few more species such as black jewfish, fingermark, grunter and blue salmon, which are not overly common in the Fitzroy River.

Both areas hold great numbers of barra, so if you hook one by mistake, please take care and release it quickly.

Small queenfish and trevally will be harassing bait in the Calliope and Boyne rivers, and are great fun to chase on light tackle and small lures.

Flathead will still be biting strongly through early summer.

Don’t expect to catch too many big fish but plenty of mid-size fish can be found for a feed.

Crabs will get a lot of attention for Christmas, so plenty of pots will be in the systems.

Unfortunately, more and more grubs are share farming now.

Not only are they checking pots but even taking or destroying them so you can’t use them again.

Hopefully we receive a bit more rain to give the systems a good flush and get the crabs and bait moving.

Remember, it’s going to be hot, so drink plenty of water and cover up from the sun.

Don’t drink and drive and enjoy the Christmas period.

Merry Christmas and happy new year from Gladdy.

Tarpon will be around and at this size they make for good fun on light gear.

Mangrove jack are firing. This one took a soft vibe fished around a rock bar.

Phil with a chunky Awoonga Dam barra hooked on a hard-body.

Do not swim in Cid Harbour M ORE signs will be installed reinforcing that no one should swim in Cid Harbour, Whitsundays under any circumstances.

Tourism Minister Kate Jones said following conversations with the local mayor and the local tourism industry, even more advice telling people not to swim in Cid Harbour would be fast tracked.

“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who lost his life www.bnbfishing.com. au

in a shark attack,” Ms Jones said.

“Our thanks also go to the first responders and medical staff who assisted.

“The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has installed temporary signs, with permanent signs to be installed within the next few weeks.

“Local charter operators have already been active in telling anyone hiring a boat that no one should swim in Cid Harbour.

“Neither the local may-

or, Andrew Willcox, marine authorities nor local tourism operators want to see drumlines redeployed.

“They want reinforced messaging, and that’s what we are doing.

“Water police are on the harbour reinforcing that message again today.

“As well as new signs, we will also work on other ways of getting the message to tourists and boaties.”

Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said no one

should swim in Cid Harbour at any time.

“We can’t be clearer – don’t swim in Cid Harbour,” he said.

“Drumlines or not, no one should swim in Cid Harbour.

“As local charter operators have advised, Cid Harbour is primarily a site for mooring.

“The disposal of food scraps can attract sharks and that means no one should swim in Cid Harbour under any circumstances.”

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 47

Mark was happy with this solid golden trevally. How about those conditions!?

A plastic-munching queenie for Mat.

Incredible year at Hinchinbrook Island

W Mark with a hungry queenfish.

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bnbfishing.com.au or call 3286 1833

ELL hasn’t the year flown.

December already, wow.

It’s been a crazy year for us, with clients from all over the world and Australia coming to experience the fishing at Hinchinbrook Island.

We have had so many amazing trips and met so many fantastic people from all walks of life, all enjoying the same passion for fishing.

We have created incredible memories and helped lots of anglers achieve their goals in catching PB fish and ticking fish off bucket lists.

Just remember the saltwater barra season is now closed, so let’s hope the big girls get a great wet season for a good spawn to provide excellent recruitment in the years to come.

The main target species for us over the barra closure is the mighty mangrove jack, and boy does Hinchinbrook have a fantastic mangrove jack fishery.

During the hotter months, the shorter coastal creeks in Halifax Bay and around the Hinchinbrook Channel really get

Hinchinbrook News

by TODD EVELEIGH

infested with mangrove jack.

For best results, cast lures into the snags with lures such as the Lively Lures Mad Mullet 2.5” Deep, Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ, Lucky Craft Pointers and my favourite the Lively Lures Ziggy 90mm surface lure for that amazing visual strike on the early morning low tide.

It is also important at this time of year to take advantage of opportunities.

Sometimes on the bigger tides the sandbanks at the mouths of creeks and rivers can produce fantastic queenfish, small GT and golden trevally action on light spin outfits.

Simply keep an eye out for these fish busting up on the surface.

It is important to slowly and quietly move the boat into casting range.

Throwing lures into the schools of feeding fish can result in epic sessions, with double and triple hook-ups for a while ensuring fantastic fun and presenting a good way to fill some time while you are waiting for the tide to empty out so you can chase those little red devil jacks.

We would just like to say thank you to everyone for reading our articles

over the year and also a big thanks to the Bush ‘n Beach crew for publishing such a fantastic magazine with a huge variety of contributors from all over Queensland and northern NSW. There is always something interesting and enjoyable to read in every magazine, no matter your level.

We are finishing up charters for the year in the middle of December and are going to take a well-earned family caravanning holiday through central Australia, doing the Dinosaur Trail with the kids.

Next we’ll head across to Uluru, Kings Canyon and the MacDonnell Ranges before trekking down into South Australia and back

across central NSW to do some hunting and fishing on private properties and maybe try our hand at some impoundment bass and trout.

Then finally it’ll be back up to beautiful north Queensland.

We will be doing this trip over the wet season, and while it may not be the best time of year for it, sometimes the best time to go is when you can.

So stay tuned for some articles from the road about these locations.

We hope everyone has a fantastic Christmas and enjoys spending time with family and friends on the water catching lovely seafood for Chrissy.

Christmas time can be very busy on the waterways and boat ramps, so please show courtesy to other boaties and anglers and have a merry Christmas from the Crackajack family!

Until next year…

Andrew’s mangrove jack wasn’t messing around when it hit the lure.

Full-day inshore or offshore charters

Experienced local guide

Come on a Hinchinbrook wilderness fishing holiday and tick some of those trophy fish off your bucket list – barra, mangrove jack, coral trout, GTs, sooty grunter, spanish mackerel, black marlin, queenies, nannygai and more!

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

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE >>> CRACKFISH.COM Page 48 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Mat landed a pristine mangrove jack.

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Talk about leaving it to the last minute! Glen picked up the team’s first barra at 11.30am on day three.

A thready from day two taken by the author.

Tough Rocky Barra Bounty H I all, it seems like this year has gone far too quickly.

How it is already December is beyond me.

Recently I had the pleasure of fishing the Rocky Barra Bounty tournament, and what an event it was.

The team at Infofish Australia worked extremely hard to make it an enjoyable event, and the atmosphere on both the briefing and presentation nights was unlike any other comp I have fished.

Being an out-of-town team returning for only our second comp, we weren’t as familiar with everyone as the locals, but before long we had made a few new mates and were all talking fishing.

The Gracemere Hotel put on an awesome feed with no shortage of beer.

My old man and I were happy to see familiar faces in Clint Fannin and Aaron Gibbs from Wilson Fishing, as well as other mates Peter Herbst and Damo Hingst.

I had already been talking to Mick Waters and fellow BNB scribe John Boon over Facebook, so it was great to meet the boys in person and have a chat.

The team at Infofish gave everyone the rundown on the procedures and rules and soon enough we were back at our cabin rigging up.

Southside Holiday Village is a nice spot for travelling fishos to stay, and I cannot recommend the place enough.

Sheer excitement meant I barely slept a wink all night, and then my alarm went off at 3am.

Dad and I had made lunches and packed the boat the night before and were soon on our way to the ramp at Nerimbera.

We were in the water well before sunrise and fishing at the 5am start time.

Second cast saw Dad come up tight on a fish we knew wasn’t a barra, but we weren’t too disappointed to see a solid goldspotted cod on the deck because it meant the monkey was off our back.

The following cast saw Dad hook something much more solid, and www.bnbfishing.com. au

Competition Report

by LACHIE BAKER

with a very powerful run downriver we were both excited as we knew exactly what it was.

It started coming to the surface for a jump, and with a gigantic boil disturbing the glassy calm water, the hook fell out.

We were both shattered, as this spot is well known for big barra.

Both lost for words, Dad and I just looked at each other and eventually let fly a few phrases I’d rather not repeat.

It didn’t get much better from there.

I had snagged my lure on a rock and as we were drifting back to retrieve it, Dad called out that he was on.

A small barra of about 50cm leapt into the air, and due to poor communication I wasn’t aware the net was wanted because I assumed he was just going to pole it in.

I hesitated in reaching for the net and during that time it managed to shake the hook.

This time Dad knew exactly which words he wanted to use, and didn’t I cop it.

We moved around and hit a heap of areas we had and hadn’t fished before.

After screaming 15km downriver, we ended up at a spot that during the previous year’s comp had produced an enormous 133cm barra for Lou Moore, so we had high hopes.

We marked a few fish on side imaging and the tide was starting to flood in.

Another boat was parked further down the rock wall we were sitting on, and we watched them jump off a barra and land a thready.

After sitting on this rock wall for half an hour or so, we moved up and down looking for schools of fish but found it quite barren.

The Track My Fish app kept pinging away in the console, so I decided to have a quick squizz at it and saw Clint had landed a 124cm monster.

After a quick phone call

with him and our barra guru mate Lochie Reed, we decided it would be best to head back into town.

Coming from Brisbane, we were absolutely blown away by the number of threadfin we were finding.

We stumbled onto a school that was absolutely stacked up around one of the moored boats and thought ‘how easy will this be’, but boy were we wrong.

The fish had a serious case of lockjaw and all the other fishos found the same.

That is, all but one angler who wasn’t fishing in the lure-only comp, as he was using live prawns and slaying threadies one after the other.

Even his little kids were in on the action.

We watched them land three threadies easily over a metre in length, and it was even better to watch them practice catch and release because this next generation of fishers will be responsible for the future of our fishery.

I decided these threadies had to bite eventually, so I downsized my leader to 20lb and tied on a 65mm Zerek Fish Trap.

It took all of one cast for a solid thready to suck it in.

I had backed my drag right off because the smaller trebles don’t always pin them very well.

I was just hoping the fish wouldn’t find a mooring and my light leader would hold.

Before long it was in the net and I was stoked.

While it wasn’t a barra, it was something to save the doughnut, so I didn’t complain at all.

Clint and Aaron wanted in on the action, and the boys had a double hook-up right beside us, which had us thinking the fish were beginning to chew hard.

Almost every boat around us was either fighting, tagging or netting fish, and it wasn’t long before I had another bite.

I struck hard and the fish ran straight at the boat.

I wound furiously to keep up with it as it raced under the boat and out into open water.

After a few tense minutes, my 6kg Wilson Venom Barra Spin rod got the better of the fish and it was safely in the net.

No sooner had I thrown it back than Dad was pumping and winding on another big thready, this time taken on the bigger 95mm Fish Trap, which is our favourite threadfin lure back home.

We would’ve been happy to continue fishing but the 4pm cut-off time saw the end of our session.

We headed for home somewhat dejected, but relieved we had at least caught a couple of fish.

After a feed of pizza and a chat with the Wilson boys, we thought we had a plan for the next day locked in.

We were going to head downriver to where we had caught some solid barra in last year’s comp, stopping at a few spots along the way.

The second day saw us wake at 3.30am, with lines in the water right on 5am.

Almost no sooner had we got to Casuarina Creek than we turned around and raced back into town because the water was filthy at the mouth.

This threw our plans out the window, so we decided to start sounding around the CBD looking for that much sought-after barra.

I discovered a spot where patches of barra were passing inside us, with threadies on the deeper water to our port side.

We still had four hours of run-out tide coinciding with a moon rise.

Surely we would get a bite with these key elements coming into play?

Wrong.

We sat on these fish for close to five hours and couldn’t even get a bump.

At one stage I could even feel my lure bumping over their backs.

They were sitting quite high in the water column, so this might have had ☛ continued P50

The author’s father Glen with a nice thready hooked on a Zerek Fish Trap.

Glen landed a big thready late on day one.

The author with his best thready for this year’s comp. Great fun on light spin gear.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 49

New threat to jewfish stocks – swim bladder controversy

F

ISH swim bladders have become the latest fad in the seemingly insatiable Asian market for natural substances that enhance sexual prowess.

Here in Queensland, our two major jewfish species are ‘well endowed’ in the swim bladder department, to the extent that their stabilising organs are now suddenly worth many times the value of their fillets.

The rush to harvest this new ‘marine gold’ has led to a massive increase in the targeting of these species, up from two tonnes per season a couple of years ago to a current level thought to be at least 10 to 30 times greater.

The reason catch statistics are so vague is allegedly due to a massive black market in swim bladders being bought for cash by ‘collectors’ who then export their product into Asian countries.

These buyers are rumoured to be paying more than $500 per kilo for dried bladders and their major supply is coming from black jewfish caught in central Queensland coastal waters from Gladstone to Bowen.

With metre-long jewfish producing about three swim bladders to the kilo, any areas where these fish

aggregate are now being relentlessly targeted by fishers in search of quick bucks.

Reports from concerned fishing activists indicate most of the fishers involved in the bladder trade have no regard for bag limits or regulations and carcasses are being dumped once the bladders are removed.

Private surveillance has revealed at least some of those involved are licensed commercial fishers, but few are selling their product via the open market.

This information has been passed on to Fisheries personnel but at the time of writing has yet to be actioned.

At least one incident in the Mackay region saw the secure area around the Hay Point loading wharf breached by fishers illegally targeting black jewfish, causing a very costly delay in loading coal ships.

The perpetrators were apprehended and now face ‘terrorist’-type legislation and huge fines.

Further north at Cape Hillsborough, a local business operator observed what he described as “the lights of boats off the headland looking like Sydney Harbour on New Year’s Eve” during good

weather in a known jewfish spot.

In both instances, the lure of making big money seems to be the motive rather than the thrill of catching a trophy fish.

Queensland is currently in the middle of a Fisheries reform process that is supposed to be moving our state towards muchimproved management and has a goal of a return to a minimum of 60 percent of original fish stocks.

Fisheries Queensland has known about this controversial new practice and its potential to crash our jewfish populations for some time now but any reaction to the problem has been painfully slow.

Their only move was to refer the matter to the East Coast Net Committee for review, an option that, on examination, appears to be of questionable value.

Concerned fishers are asking why information passed on to staff concerning the widespread black market practices wasn’t quickly followed up by enforcement officers, and the offenders, both from the fishing and buyer sides, apprehended and put through the courts.

This would have nipped the escalating practice in the bud, helped to preserve valuable fish stocks

and served to keep the practice both visible and controllable.

The income of bona fide commercial fishers would have been protected into the bargain, which is surely the major aim of Fisheries Queensland.

Instead, our fishery now has a serious problem that has the potential to get much worse and possibly cause irreparable damage to our jewfish populations.

Further procrastination and inaction will only exacerbate what is basically an out-of-control situation.

All this has led to implications that the lack of ‘hard’ enforcement by Fisheries personnel has been brought about by a reluctance to admit that licensed fishers are significantly involved in a widespread black market operation – thereby tainting the reputation of our commercial fishery.

Unfortunately, a number of controversial enforcement incidents over the years seem to support such internal interference in the regulatory process.

In this current atmosphere of fisheries reform, now is definitely not the time for the department to allow such insinuations to be aired.

Queensland has long been criticised as running

a long last in fisheries enhancement, a reputation it needs to repudiate by taking a tough stand on illegal activities, whether they involve commercial or recreational fishers.

Our commercial fishery must not only be sustainable but ‘clean’ as well.

Any protection or tolerance of wrongdoers robs honest operators of their livelihood – and these are

the commercial fishers Queensland needs in its industry.

Those of us who care about the future of our fishery must be vigilant in ensuring this kind of greedy exploitation of our fish stocks is stopped in its tracks.

If you see what you think is illegal activity, collect as much information as you can and pass

it on to the Fishwatch hotline (1800 017 116) as soon as possible.

In this era of modern, multifunctional mobile phones, fishers have the ideal tool to record such incidents.

Patrol officers are spread very thinly around our coastline, so they need all the help we can give them.

Dave Donald

Landing a big black jewfish like this beauty is something to be savoured and long remembered – you can tell by the smile on the author’s face! This 18kg jewie grabbed a Berkley Squid Vicious plastic in 8m of water adjacent to a bauxite reef south of Weipa and was successfully released after a photo or three. A growing Asian market for swim bladders is currently threatening to decimate our mulloway and black jewfish stocks.

Rocky Barra Bounty round-up ☛ from P49

Humminbird Mega Imaging doesn’t leave much to the imagination.

The author’s doughnut-saver on day one.

something to do with their feeding tendencies (or lack thereof).

I threw just about every lure and plastic in my tackle trays at these fish for no reaction.

Casting for so long to no avail put a huge dampener on our spirits, so we decided to chase a few threadies to make up for our failed attempts on the barra.

We found a similar situation to the previous day, with bulk schools of fish passing through high in the water column, and all seeming to be sulking around not wanting to bite.

As the afternoon wore on, the fish began to chew again and Dad and I pulled two more solid

Glen scored a small king on a Berkley Gulp Shrimp.

Page 50 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

fish out from under one of the boats.

This time we were both using 95mm Fish Traps and fishing them over our Venom PE2-4 Crankbait rods, which had no shortage of stopping power.

This was handy when fighting big threadfin around mooring chains and boat hulls, because it wouldn’t have taken much to bust us off around these underwater hazards.

I was also testing the new ATC Combat baitcaster, which I came away more than impressed with.

For the remaining half hour of fishing we dragged ourselves away from the threadfin to try to target a barra.

After speaking to our good mate Dan Powell we had an idea on where we thought the fish might be holding.

We positioned the boat, spot locked the Minn Kota and began casting big hard-bodies over some rocks under one of the bridges in town.

We saw a couple of fish passing through on side imaging but none wanted to chew on our offerings.

When 4pm rolled around it took all the self-control I had to put down my rod.

By the end of day two, not having landed a barra was really getting to me.

If only one of those barra schools had started biting we would’ve been

laughing, but that’s barra fishing for you.

On day three we decided to stick to the town reaches to try to convince one of those barra schools to bite.

We left the unit at 3.30am to ensure we were the first boat sitting on the school of fish we wanted to target.

Side imaging revealed the fish in this particular spot to be big, so if we could talk just one into a bite we would be stoked.

We witnessed Clint land one just down from us, so thought we were in with a shot just on sunrise.

After a few hours for only small bumps from what were probably blue salmon or tarpon, we decided to move back into the CBD to look for some fish willing to chew.

Dad nailed two king threadfin in as many casts, leaving me to play net boy and photographer.

We drove right up towards the barrage boundary looking for fish, and while we did find a few, they were moving too fast to target.

Something was telling me to head downstream for the last hour of fishing, so we raced down towards the rock piles where we had some bad luck on the first morning.

It was a gamble but we were hoping it would pay off and luckily it did.

We had about three

casts before Dad came up tight to a fish.

We got so nervous when we saw it was our target species.

I grabbed the net and slid it under the fish.

I’m not sure anyone has ever been that excited to see a 56cm barra, but we were cheering like little kids.

After a quick photo and tagging the fish, it was back in the water and kicking away strongly.

I was so pumped that Team Barranormal Activity had at least caught one barra during the comp.

The next 30 minutes ticked by and I had one hit that destroyed my plastic but apart from that, the fishing was quiet.

Midday rolled around and signalled the end of fishing, and as we were packing up we noticed something bobbing across the river.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a big goanna trying to swim across the waterway.

Boats were flying up and down past the big lizard and it looked like it was struggling to stay afloat, so we tried scooping it in the net.

It did not go to plan, but after a few attempts we brought the goanna aboard, pinned it down and raced across to the other bank.

We were laughing hysterically because it

looked like something out of Russell Coight’s All Aussie Adventures.

Overall, our fishing was a bit disappointing after our success during last year’s comp, but it wasn’t from any lack of trying.

The final presentation night came around and the atmosphere was still as awesome as the briefing night.

Watching everyone get their awards and hearing the history of the competition dating back to the late-‘90s was really eye opening.

A massive congratulations is due for Craig ‘Griffo’ Griffiths and Steve Pill who took out the win.

These boys fished exceptionally and truly deserved to take the title.

Griffo is arguably Australia’s best barra fisher after winning the Barra Nationals earlier in the year and backing it up at the Bounty, which is not an easy feat.

I think he deserves the title.

I am already planning my next trip back to Rocky and the amazing fishery it has to offer.

It’s only a day’s drive from Brisbane and the fishing opportunities make it more than worthwhile.

I hope everyone gets into a few fish over the Christmas holidays.

Tight lines and sore arms.

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2018 Rocky Barra Bounty wrap-up ■ Capricorn Coast local report

B

EFORE I get into the success of this year’s Rocky Barra Bounty, I would like to run through a quick local report.

With the saltwater barra season closure, a lot of anglers have headed for the impoundments.

Callide and Awoonga dams are only a short drive from Rockhampton and have been fishing very well.

Anglers have reported fantastic double-figure sessions at Awoonga.

The lake is still rebuilding after a lot of the larger fish went over the wall.

Barra from 50-80cm have provided fishers with plenty of fun.

I really want to make the effort to get down there for a visit because I haven’t done much impoundment fishing at all.

King threadfin have been high on the estuary target species list and some quality fish are being caught.

Greg Rogers nailed a 1.5m monster from the Port Alma area, which is one of the biggest I have seen locally.

Inshore, fingermark have been turning up in unusual places.

Anglers spinning for mackerel along the headlands and islands have been catching thumper fingermark on metals.

How’s that for quality by-catch?

Speaking of mackerel, they are still around in numbers.

The school and spotted macks are all full of roe, which is normal for this time of year as it’s spawning season.

Places like Iron Pot and Ritamada have had plenty of action when the water stays clean enough, and we’ve had some good reports of big spotty mackerel around Humpy.

Locating the bait is key to finding the macks.

On the offshore scene, quality red emperor are being landed, especially on the fern grounds.

Large-mouth nanny-

Capricorn Coast

by JOHN BOON

gai are mixed in among them, which makes for a tasty Esky when that’s all you’re pulling up.

2018 Rocky Barra Bounty This year’s Rocky Barra Bounty was another ripper comp.

It was the 20th anniversary and a credit to all involved to bring the Bounty from where it started to where it is today.

For the first time since the net-free zone was introduced back in November 2015, the entire NFZ was fishable.

The Fitzroy had been washed out the past two years, so lots of anglers were ready to see what the Fitzroy could produce.

The tides were spoton and it looked like the weather was going to play the game.

Rego night went well and it’s always a good idea to get there early because you can’t walk far without running into someone for a chat.

This year the entire event was moved to the Gracemere Hotel.

Gavin Pitts has been a long-time supporter of the event, so it only seemed logical to move the bounty to new headquarters at his hotel.

Day one was a real eye opener.

The number of teams having a crack on the Fitzroy was hectic.

A lot of traffic made it hard to get on spots found in the pre-fish but that’s what a competition is all about.

We were happy to be on the board early with a 72cm barra gracing the net.

It was a laugh at the time because my teammate Derek had snagged our first barra on the outside of the net by the treble of the lure.

Almost a disastrous start but he didn’t panic and flicked the barra back into

the net like nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, my eyes almost popped out of my head.

Frenchville Barra Bash winners Col Brett and Mick Slade were out of the blocks early, putting some nice fish on the board.

All the glory was soon taken by Clint Fannin when he landed a 124cm monster barra in the town reaches on a 4” Zerek Live Cherabin soft plastic.

What a beast.

We pushed hard all day and were very happy boating nine fish up to 81cm.

This gave our Team Downtime a fourth-place standing.

Col and Mick from Team Lethal Lures/Dobyns Rods were on top with 15 fish boated, followed by favourites Craig Griffiths and Steve Pill from Team Barra Jacks/ Edge Rods with 10 fish.

Day two started very average for us.

We were on good numbers of barra but getting the bite was proving difficult.

Come lunchtime, we had only boated two.

I had a very bad case of the dropsies and was ready to throw myself overboard at one stage.

Luckily we had a couple of cold beverages to relax the nerves.

The afternoon came together for us, finally boating three quality fish to keep us heading in the right direction.

I managed an 86 and 92 but it was Derek who stole the spotlight with his PB of 96cm.

The anticipation when the barra was circling the boat and the relief when it hit the back of the net could have been heard for miles I reckon.

It was Team Barra Jacks/ Edge Rods who found the purple patch, boating 20 for the day and putting

them a long way in front.

Local gurus the Beer and Bundy Boys also put on a brilliant display, boating 17 to move into second.

Lethal Lures/Dobyns Rods had another good day, landing nine to hold onto third.

Our efforts kept us in the top 10, sitting at fifth.

The final day was upon us and we had a slight change of plan.

With the amount of pressure the Fitzroy would cop on the final day, especially with a high tide start, we decided to try a different system.

Coorooman Creek had been fishing well over the previous month.

We lasted about an hour after kick-off and although we had boated a lot of fish including golden snapper, flathead and cod, they weren’t the barra we were wanting.

At one stage we were sitting on a school of about 40 barra and when you’re throwing everything at them with no luck it can get very disheartening.

We quickly pulled out and headed for the Fitzroy.

We were fishing in no time but the other species just followed us around, including threadies and jewfish.

Finally, we were rewarded with one barra but it wasn’t the fairy-tale ending we were hoping for.

We had fished hard though and were happy with our overall effort. ☛ continued P52

The author with one of two recaptures for the team in the Rocky Barra Bounty.

Duncan Davies scored an 83cm fingermark while spinning for mackerel. A very cool capture.

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r o f h c r Sea Clint Fannin caught the biggest barra for the Bounty at 124cm.

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Check out in-depth video coverage of the latest boat and product reviews plus fishing action and handy tips.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 51

2018 Rocky Barra Bounty wrap-up ☛ from P51

Wade Walker with a massive red emperor.

This year, for the first time in the history of the Bounty, the final day’s progress wasn’t updated for all to see.

All the competitors went to the presentation in the unknown, which added to the excitement.

The crowd was abuzz with stories of great captures and also the ones that got away.

We arrived early to help set up and it gave us a chance to get around for plenty of yarns and of course beers.

It was great to meet up with fellow Bush ‘n Beach scribe Lachlan Baker.

A very passionate fisher

Derek Lee with Team Downtime’s best barra for the Bounty and his new PB of 96cm.

and just a down to earth fantastic young lad.

Bill and Shirley Sawynok as well as the Bounty committee once again outdid themselves with the running and setup of the comp.

Stefan took care of the electronic side of the bounty including the Track My Fish app everyone used to record and send in their catches.

Now for the final results.

Clint Fannin took out the biggest barra of the comp at 124cm.

Clint was also part of Team Zerek, which won champion visiting team.

I think Clint would have had leg cramps from getting up on stage and back off again so often because he also took out biggest three barra combined.

Blair Stratton won the largest threadfin category with a 138cm donkey.

A bloody top king in anyone’s language.

Peter Herbst got first place in the other species category, landing 27 fish.

It was Team Barra Jacks/ Edge Rods who took it out this year, with a total of 36 barra for 44,060 points.

To put it in perspective, they were clear of second place by almost 20,000 points.

It’s a credit to Griffo for all his hard work and knowledge of barramundi.

He went to the Barra Nationals on the Daly River earlier in the year and won it too.

That gives you some indication of what the man is capable of.

Second place went to Quintin Mclean and Aaron Dial of Team Beer & Bundy Boys, landing 23 for 25,095 points.

Col and Sladey of Team Lethal Lures/Dobyns Rods came away with third, boating 24 for 23,110 points.

These top three teams are always in the hunt at the Bounty.

They’re a very unique group of talented barra anglers.

It’s going to take a lot of work for anyone to match it with them.

Champion angler was won by Griffo with 20 barra, while second place was taken out by Pilly with 16.

Our Team Downtime held onto seventh and I managed ninth on the individual list, which we were cheering about.

It’s our second top-10 comp finish for the year and we worked bloody hard to get there.

I’d like to thank a few people for helping us out.

First of all, Luke Peisker because he offered his boat while ours was in the shop.

Also, Lochie Reed and Clint Fannin for organising some specific lures we were chasing during the comp.

And finally, Rifen Marine for squeezing us in to rectify a fault that popped up on Luke’s gauge the

day before the event.

The 2018 Rocky Barra Bounty 20th anniversary comp is done and dusted.

A big congratulations to everyone who either organised or participated and the amazing sponsors who keep coming back.

We can’t wait for the local barra comps again next year.

If you’re keen on giving them a go, these are the Facebook pages you should jump on to get in on the action: Frenchville Barra Bash (May 25-27, 2019), WTF Women That Fish Barra Classic (TBA, usually around September) and Rocky Barra Bounty (TBA, usually around October).

The top three teams from left to right comprising Mick Slade, Craig Griffiths, Colin Brett, Steve Pill, Quintin Maclean and Aaron Dial.

Humminbird Mega Imaging found the author’s team plenty of barra in the Rocky Barra Bounty. That thready at the back was hanging with the wrong crowd.

Stanage set for sensational summer

M

ERRY Christmas to all!

I hope you’re all geared up and excited for the festive season, with boats ready to hit the water and coldies on ice for the clean-up.

Getting to Stanage should be a breeze because the road into the Bay is now in great shape.

Just be mindful of the holiday traffic in and out.

The road can be hectic, so please be courteous to all.

Mud crabs are coming out and about after a quiet spell but it can be hit and miss depending on where you’re placing your pots.

If you’re up for a few days, it might pay to move the pots around a bit to try different areas.

Stanage Bay

by PEE WEE

With barramundi season now closed in the salt water, you can still target other estuary fish such as bream, cod and salmon.

These fish can be fun to catch and enough are getting about to keep you amused and fed.

Prawns are on the menu for those targeting estuary species.

Whiting are around at low tide off Flat Rock and Alligator Bay. Jewfish are being caught at the Jew Hole but the numbers haven’t been there in comparison to

previous years.

Jewfish can be enticed using prawns, squid, patience and perseverance.

Out wide, the Marble Islands have produced beautiful coral trout, parrotfish, cod and red emperor.

Sweetlip and stripies are hanging about Hexam Island.

South towards Shoalwater, grunter and queenfish are on the chew.

The odd mackerel is still being hooked around Sail

Rock on spoon lures, providing great entertainment.

Stanage Bay has been lucky enough to get some of the storm action, bringing much-needed rain and stirring up the fish.

The campgrounds and nearby secluded spots will fill up fast as soon as holidays begin, so make sure you’re one of the lucky ones to jag a spot.

In relation to the storm activity, Stanage Bay is a pretty sheltered area that doesn’t seem to cop the nasty super cells, so if you’re worried about the summertime storms, I wouldn’t let that hold you back from a great trip.

Just be a bit mindful of

storm activity if going boating.

The heat has been crazy already, which some love and some not so much.

Don’t forget to stay hydrated and sun smart.

Stanage Bay has got you covered with a great pub for hydration levels and Stanage Bay Marine and Accommodation can sort you out with sun shirts, sunscreen, hats and coolers for that perfect Aussie Christmas.

On that note, I wish you all luck on the water.

Stay safe and value the time spent with family.

Buy the kids a rod and show them what living is all about!

A cracking jewfish from around Stanage Bay.

Stanage Bay Marine oAccommodationoBaitoIce oTackle

Aparadise fisho's

Monster crabs

Awesome fishing stanagebay.com Call 07 4937 3145 Page 52 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Sweetlip fight hard and are great on the plate.

A beautiful red emperor for a member of the Wellsy crew.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A great catch of cherabin for breakfast omelettes.

An awesome view from camp beside the North Kennedy River in the fresh.

Calm weather the call for Cape York

T

HE barramundi closed season is a good thing for more than just letting this iconic fish breed in peace.

It pushes many barra ‘tragics’ to fish more broadly for other species they have largely ignored during the year.

And on Cape York, the closure typically coincides with longer periods of calmer weather as the southeasterly trade winds ease, allowing much better boat access to reef and coastal areas.

In fact, December is without question one of the best months for reef and pelagic fishing around Cape York.

Coral trout, ‘reds’ (red emperor and large and small-mouthed nannygai), spaniards and cobia will be prime target species in many areas, along with the evergreen suite of sweetlip species and small to medium goldspotted cod.

Cod are related to coral trout, and smaller specimens are regarded by many people as right up there in the eating department, myself included.

On reefs along the western coast of the Cape, fingermark and tuskfish tend to be more commonly caught than coral trout, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

If you’re new to reef fishing on the Cape, it’s simply a matter of navigating to a reef and sounding about for some good country to anchor on.

Reef drop-offs, ‘pressure points’ where the current first hits a reef and isolated bommies or rises are all prime habitat for tropical reefies.

Reds tend to favour rubbly country, sometimes wonky holes (where freshwater bubbles up from the seabed) and wrecks if you are able to access co-ordinates for these.

Unlike many places further south, around the Cape reds will bite www.bnbfishing.com. au

Cape York by ‘BILLABONG’ BAZZ LYON

during daylight, which is more than handy.

West Australian pilchards fished with a hard bait of squid and/or strip of fish are still the prime reef fishing baits, using 7/0 to 9/0 hooks, from a decent overhead or spinning outfit, or even a heavy handline.

Many anglers also float out a pillie or similar on ganged hooks to entice any spaniards that might be about – and very often are.

A spaniard always adds to the day’s fun!

Fishing lures over the reef, whether jigging soft plastics or slugs, or casting hard-bodied divers and poppers is also very popular and productive for an amazing range of species.

Watching a big trevor, queenie or coral trout rise to smash a popper is without doubt one of fishing’s best-ever experiences.

Then there’s the rivers.

In December, threadfin and blue salmon are prime targets in west coast estuaries.

They are suckers for fish baits and lures.

However, threadies are often hard to keep on and it pays to set the hook properly.

They are top fighters and top eating.

Mangrove jack are another great option and are generally taken on small to medium-sized lures or baited 4/0 hooks.

Northern jacks living in rivers don’t normally attain the sizes they do in southern Queensland – the bigger specimens are caught around the coastline and occasionally on coral reefs.

Though widespread around Cape York, they usually occur in sections of rivers and creeks where the water is not overly muddy.

Other estuary species add great diversity to

the tropical estuary fishing experience – hardfighting trevally and queenfish, estuary cod, fingermark (again), moses perch, black bream and the beautifully coloured juvenile Queensland groper (a protected species).

And let’s not forget the mud crabs that should be around in good numbers until the rivers flood and flush them downstream.

When those flushes do happen, good catches of prawns by cast net will be possible in the lower estuaries and along parts of the coastline.

The freshwater river reaches, creeks and billabongs are a personal favourite at this time of year for both fishing and camping, especially where it’s possible to have a cooling dip in the shallows safe from crocodiles.

Bank or boat fishing the fresh water for saratoga, sooty grunter, tarpon or whatever else is on offer and then returning to a nice shady riverside camp each day is heaven.

The great scenery and wildlife are part of the experience.

And it’s even better when you get a decent nightly feed of cherabin in the yabby pots.

Successful baits include dog kibble, punctured tins of dog or cat food and parboiled potatoes.

Some people also favour chicken and bacon or ham.

Given the heat and potential for a storm at this time of year, setting up a decent camp tarp for shelter is essential.

While there has been the odd ‘boombly’ about during October and November this year, December is when the weather can really crank up, though usually towards the end of the year.

It pays to keep an eye on the sky and listen to

forecasts if you have radio reception.

Official predictions now are for a late start to the northern wet season due to a developing el Nino.

However, things weather wise don’t always go according to forecasts – as we all know!

A few years back we had a similar outlook, and then the monsoon arrived unexpectedly around December 20, forcing me to pack up and head out of the Cape much sooner than expected for Christmas activities further south.

Having said that, the Cape is typically so dry until at least the middle of December that the first rains run off or quickly soak in so any stream rises are usually quite brief.

Where problems really occur is out on any sort of clay country, and when it just keeps raining.

A good wet season would make a good Christmas present all round, so here’s hoping.

Wishing you all the best for Christmas wherever you are, and good luck with the fishing!

Mangrove jack are all fired up in the heat.

Drew Polderman with a perfect-sized goldspotted cod.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 53

December doldrums at the top of Australia

D

ECEMBER is definitely my favourite time of year to be fishing and exploring Cape York and the Torres Strait.

A red taken in deeper waters off Cape York’s east coast.

This is due to the equatorial calms, known in nautical terms as ‘the doldrums’.

It is the transition period from the dry season to the wet and during this time the winds completely drop out.

Matt Arkell and the author speared a remote reef system.

The author with a plump coral trout.

Cape York & Torres Strait

by MATT POTTER

Early sailors, whose vessels were reliant on wind propulsion, loathed this period as they struggled to make headway on windless waters, often sitting stationary for days or weeks.

For our crew, the doldrums mean game on!

The initial doldrums, which generally last a week or two, usually coincide with the first few days of our Christmas holidays, though of course nothing is certain when it comes to weather.

After a long seven months of 25-knot southeasterly trade winds, we certainly get excited about these hot and still conditions.

While the winds are still blowing we start servicing and prepping gear for the long-range fishing and spearing trips that will take place.

As well as the glassy conditions that come with the doldrums, many other stars align.

The water temps rise, the currents ease and the water is crystal clear prior to the first big rains.

Many of the factors that present a challenge during the year (strong wind, strong currents and dirty water) abate and we are able to hit remote areas that have been off-limits since mid-April.

The heat and humidity can be almost unbearable though and on occasion we have had to start trolling just to get some air through the cabin.

We load up the extra jerry cans and bring out the heavier 80lb gear and venture wide to areas that receive little to no fishing pressure.

These remote reef systems are the stuff of dreams and I’ve been fortunate to spend many

Do the miles to get the smiles. A solid nannygai and black jewfish.

Page 54 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

days exploring them.

Spanish mackerel are thick and sometimes frustrating as they take the swivels, snapper leads and micro jigs when trying to target reefies.

For these trips I have a pretty tight game plan and really study the maps of the area I intend to explore.

I also take into careful consideration current direction, tides, moon phases, peak bite periods and what I am targeting.

Of course, I want to do it all – dropping baits and plastics, working reef edges with poppers and stickbaits, trolling, jigging and spearfishing.

We certainly go hard while we can.

These initial weather windows are limited and thunderstorms become more of an issue in the new year.

It also doesn’t feel like long before the trade winds are back.

Having a game plan is the key.

While mind-blowing fishing is possible, many people visit the area to catch the fish of their dreams and leave disappointed.

The current can at times roar up to eight knots around Thursday Island, which is simply unfishable.

It probably sounds a bit over the top but for these long-range trips I have a written plan on what I’ll be targeting, in what location, using which particular technique.

This is no doubt the school teacher in me coming out.

I try to be in certain locations fishing at optimum bite times such as first and last light.

On these 400km-plus trips, we will usually camp in the boat for three or so nights.

We will step onto one of the small sand cays to stretch the legs after fishing all day, often casting a popper for a late-afternoon GT. The plan each morning is to be dropping baits just before the sun peeks over the horizon.

If a spot doesn’t produce something after two drops, I move on.

Not long after sun-up, I will throw out the wog heads rigged with gar, Rapala X-Rap Magnum 30s and sometimes a pusher in the hope of a sailfish (hopefully someday soon).

We will troll areas of interest including where the current hits the reef (pressure points) or what we call high spots, where contour lines show a significant depth change, such as 35m up to 18m.

It is in these areas

where you will also often find large numbers of mackerel as well as productive ground for nannygai, fingermark and coral trout.

It always pays to keep an eye on the sounder for anything of interest that may scan across the screen.

With the number of miles we cover, having a sounder set-up that reads at speed is the most important piece of equipment for finding fish.

It is a great feeling to find new ground when you’re cruising at 24 knots between areas.

I mark the show, spin the boat around and follow my trail back, keeping in mind we would have been past it by the time I marked it.

Usually it doesn’t take too long to find again and I’ll let the crew have a quick drop to see if the spot produces.

Often it doesn’t but occasionally lines start screaming and a solid fingermark or red emperor hits the deck, after which I am pushing past to drop a line of my own.

Patience is needed for this sort of fishing, and your crew needs to understand not every spot will produce fish.

Sharks are of course a big problem and often the only choice is to move on as good fish and tackle are being wasted.

As the five Ps saying goes: preparation prevents piss-poor performance.

As we wait over half the year for the doldrums, we have plenty of time to do a heap of prep work for when those glassy conditions arrive.

In late October and early November we really start planning hard and organising gear.

As well as studying the maps and entering a heap of starter marks, I will spend time servicing fishing tackle and rerigging spearguns, changing line on reels, mending broken eyelets on rods and doing basic boat maintenance.

Nothing is cheap when living on an island with hefty freight prices.

We do a couple of bait runs in the tinnie in late October/early November in preparation for these trips, cast netting sardines, mullet and garfish and packing them into the freezer in zip-lock bags.

We also catch, fillet and freeze a few stripeys (spanish flag), leaving the skin and tail on.

These are great baits for reds and big trout.

Buying a stack of new lures is always tempting but instead I spend a bit of time changing the trebles or singles on a stash of Rapala X-Raps, Halco Twisties and Roosta Poppers.

I also make up my own mackerel wog heads that we rig with garfish, a very simple rig that when trolled at around six to seven knots will often outfish hard-body lures three to one.

While I try to keep the boat weight limited, we certainly seem to take a lot of gear on these trips.

More weight equals more fuel, so it pays to only take the bare minimum and sort tackle and boating gear to avoid extra items because it all adds up weight wise.

Meals such as spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne and creamy carbonara are pre-made and just require heating, which is quick and easy.

I also take a few ingredients for cooking fish and making numus (pickled fish dish), which goes down well with a latearvo beer.

Ice isn’t cheap up here, so we pre-make big tubs of it up to five weeks prior, which lasts days.

A mate’s ice machine also gets a good workout and we pack the chest freezers with crushed ice for food and drinks.

I will keep one 70-litre Esky purely as an ice esky on these trips, and we won’t open it for the first two days so the ice sees us through.

Some might think this is all a lot of work for a few days’ fishing but the rewards are well worth it.

When sleeping in the boat, we do our best to keep it tidy and organised (easier said than done).

A couple of sponges are handy to have aboard to keep on top of cleaning because dry fish blood is difficult to remove.

The empty jerries go on the hard top to maximise fishing and sleeping room.

It pays to have a bit of a system that makes the big clean-up when you get home a bit easier as you are completely buggered.

While fuel prices certainly aren’t great at $2.08/litre on Thursday Island, four days of epic fishing works out to be a few hundred dollars each when split among a crew of four.

Though it certainly isn’t as comfortable as a charter operation, it is a heck of a lot cheaper and more rewarding exploring these areas in your own boat.

Whether you live in FNQ or SEQ, it is worth pushing the boundaries and travelling the extra miles as long as you have the weather and confidence in your boat.

So here’s hoping the doldrums don’t disappoint… they rarely do.

Check out the Fishing Missions- Northern Australia Facebook page to follow our adventures. www.bnbfishing.com. au

C AMPING & outdoors

Queen-size bed and surrounding storage.

Kitchen with benchtop extended.

Looking deeper inside the Brilliant Cobra 18’6” L

AST month I shared the quality build we found when we were looking for a caravan and came across the Brilliant Caravans Cobra 18’6” offroad caravan.

Ensuite and toilet.

L-shaped lounge and dinette.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

This month I have included some information about the interior features that sold us on this van.

The standard Cobra is 17’6” long but we wanted a little more room around the end of the bed – 3”/7.5cm to enable our flip-up benchtop extension, 6”/15cm to accommodate the Evakool 175-litre 12/240V fridge and 3”/7.5cm to make the ensuite a little wider as well.

Building with Brilliant Caravans meant these custom features were decided upon before our build and accommodated at a small extra cost.

The few extras/changes we made to the standard build were as follows: • We added two Sirocco II fans, one on each side of the bed to ensure we could sleep comfortably, even if air-conditioning was not available. These fans are fabulous and can be set at three different speeds and can also be set to turn off automatically after three, six or 12 hours.

• The Midi hatch over the bed was swapped at no cost for a Four Seasons hatch to provide us with more options for ventilation in a range of conditions.

• Widening the ensuite (3”/7.5cm) meant the door to the shower was wider as well, providing easy access as well as plenty of room to get changed before/after a shower.

• Rather than having

Caravan Chat

by BRAD YOUNG

the standard two hanging robes, we asked for shelves to be added, which doubled the available storage. The need for hanging space was not considered a priority as we usually roll our clothes for less creases and easier storage.

• To increase our bench space, we asked Mei at Brilliant to add a flipup bench extension at the end of the kitchen. This can be flipped into position during the day for extra bench space and dropped down at night to enable the usual access to the bed.

• We increased our solar to two 160W panels and batteries to two 120ah models to ensure enough power for our fridge for up to a week in most conditions without the need to add our additional portable 80W solar panel to the system.

In terms of interior floorplan, we opted for an L-shaped dinette to the left of the doorway with the kitchen opposite, maximising room in both the kitchen and dinette.

Rolled-edge benchtops were standard and we were happy with a stovetop/grill rather than upgrading to a full oven.

We use our Weber Baby Q to do most of our cooking outside including items such as scones, chocolate cake and pizzas as well as cooked breakfasts and roast dinners.

Inside the van are ample 240V points, lights and 12V points.

The windows are Eu-

ro style with a sliding blockout screen or insect screen, which can be joined as seen in some of the photos to adjust the amount of light allowed in/increase privacy at night.

We picked a Four Seasons hatch above our bed, a Midi hatch above the dinette and two hatches with two-way fans (extract/input) with lights sit above the toilet and shower.

The Ibis air-conditioner kept us cool on a couple of the warmer nights recently and will be a bonus in extreme hot/cold weather.

When we visited the factory, Mei was able to show us several different

vans at different stages of build.

This helped us to decide the features we wanted in our van.

Mei also worked through the various finishes and colours from which we could choose and recommended those that were popular combinations.

We are very happy with the quality of our van and the care that has gone into building it.

One feature of these vans is the extensive list of standard features that are often ‘additional cost’ items in other vans.

We enjoyed a two-week stay at 1770 and found everything worked as we had hoped.

I have included some photos to show the interior features.

Next month I will show the outside features of our van.

Kitchen and fridge with flip-up bench in folded position.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 55

C AMPING & outdoors Essential improvements to van

A

FTER our recent trip out west to Winton towing our pop-up van, I wanted to change a few things.

The aluminium box on the front of the van holds two 20-litre drums and gear in the middle.

The van only had one spare wheel holder on the back bar, which meant the second spare tyre was carried in the van under the bed, which was a bit of a pain.

I set about changing that.

I cut the old spare tyre

The new twin tyre carrier and three 20-litre jerry cans for longer trips.

Caravan Modifications

by CRAIG TOMKINSON

carrier off with my 5” angle grinder but kept it as I would use it again in a different spot.

I then made another tyre carrier the same as the old one and beefed the existing one up a bit in case in future I put a bigger axle, springs and tyres on the van.

I made up a second carrier out of 75mm x 50mm x 3mm mild steel box about 1.2m long, cut some 75mm x 50mm x 3mm box spacers and welded them in place to the old bar before welding the new bar to them.

I plated the ends with 75mm x 4mm flat bar to brace them both and capped the ends off.

Then I welded the two tyre holders in place and finally welded some 50mm x 25mm x 3mm box back under the van about 30cm along the chassis rails and to both back bars to strengthen

the whole thing.

The extra 50mm gap made room between the two spare tyres and the back of the van for three 20-litre jerry cans, either for fuel or water for our future long-distance trips.

Now you are probably thinking that is a lot more weight on the back of the van for it to carry and yes it is, but I stripped the van out when I rebuilt it, so it has no stove, fridge or cupboards left inside.

Just beds are in the van now and I even removed the 80-litre water tank that was underneath and right at the back.

So the van could well be lighter now than it was originally, even with the full jerry cans and tyres on the back.

I had nowhere to carry my small Stihl chainsaw, its fuel and gear and my stainless fire bucket and water heating drum, so

wanted to put a lockable aluminium box on the front A-frame of the van.

I looked online for a box but they were the wrong size or shape and custom made was too dear.

I was down at my mate’s place discussing building a pod and trailer for his boat and he said he had an aluminium box about the size I was after.

A quick look confirmed it was about the right size, so after a bit of a barter it was mine.

I brought the box home and tested it, finding my chainsaw and all its gear fitted in just great, so I slipped down to AJ Steel in Nambour and bought some steel to weld up a frame out of 50mm x 50mm x 3mm angle to suit the box, welding that to the A-frame of the van and painting it.

Once dry I bolted the aluminium box in place.

I am slowly working on our van to better prepare it for more long-distance trips away with my wife and kids next year.

Double the lifespan of your tent with better UV resistance and waterproofing

T

HE waterproofing, cleaning and conditioning experts at Nikwax know how much investment goes into your camping equipment.

Naturally, you want to extend its lifespan and increase durability as much as possible.

With this in mind, Nikwax is proud to release Tent & Gear SolarWash and SolarProof, available now in Australia.

Designed to comple-

Page 56 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

ment one another, Nikwax SolarWash and SolarProof aid in maintaining the quality of synthetic outdoor gear, increasing its longevity.

In just two weeks of summertime exposure, synthetic materials can lose up to half their strength, making them much more vulnerable to tearing and puncture.

To save your expensive gear and double its lifespan, simply apply both Nikwax SolarWash and SolarProof.

Their combined presence forms a protective coating that helps to maintain the product’s exterior.

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wet or dry equipment that has been cleaned.

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Visit nikwax.com for more information.

Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarWash has a RRP of $25.95 while SolarProof has a RRP of $34.95.

They are available in leading outdoor and snow retailers nationally.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

4WDING & off - road When a 6.8m-wide load heads towards you, just get right off the road to let it pass.

Lunch hour at the Tilpa pub was busy.

Doing the Darling River Run W

ITH the Sunland caravan owners group annual gathering set for Echuca in Victoria in November, Ruth and I decided to attend, towing the caravan through far-western NSW via the Darling River and do what is described as the ‘Darling River Run’.

It is one of those historyfilled caravan trips we often said we wanted to do but hadn’t got around to, and this opportunity was the perfect excuse.

A lot has been said about the early explorers such as Sturt and later Mitchell who were the first white explorers to find and chart the river back in 1829 and 1835, but even those guys hadn’t, at that early stage, conceptualised the size and importance of this

Caravan Adventure

by BILL CORTEN

river system and its linkage with the Murray.

We have been fortunate to travel to many parts of Queensland where our western rivers such as the Warrego, Macintyre, Condamine, Maranoa and Balonne feed into the Darling and we have done the Murray from the Snowy Mountains to where it meets the ocean in Goolwa in South Australia, yet we had never travelled along the Darling to where it joins the Murray.

Our first night was spent near the Macintyre River at Goondiwindi and then we headed on to the Nin-

Ruth with Lance the indigenous guide at Mungo National Park.

The crew were entertained by the grader driver in the Louth pub.

digully Pub for lunch.

The road from Thallon to Dirranbandi is all bitumen now, so it was another free camp, this time 3km west of town on the Balonne.

We stopped at the Tucka Shack in Dirranbandi where we caught up with Ruth’s old pal Russell Montagu who does the best coffees and hot meals in town.

The last time they had decent rain was in 2011 according to Russell, so we felt safe staying out at the free camp.

Our travelling friends for this trip Sheyne and Ernie Stewart got away a week earlier than us and joined us that evening, having come down from Cunnamulla.

It was a great night around the campfire until Murphy’s Law intervened and we had two big storms at 12.30am and 5.30am and became stuck in the wet black soil for a while.

It took a good 45 minutes of slipping and sliding using low-range fourwheel-drive to get the van out about 60m to hard ground and the van tyres looked like racing slicks afterwards.

I might add, Ruth had the right idea and stayed in the van with the windows down giving instructions, while I and everything else got covered in mud.

At least we got out under our own steam and Ernie and Sheyne wisely waited a while longer before doing the same with less pain.

A good camp setup at dusk in Pooncarie.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

A big hot breakfast and coffee at the Tucka Shack was very enjoyable after that was all over and we were glad they’d had their best rain in seven years.

The Darling River started for us at Bourke, though it officially begins a bit out of town closer to Brewarrina.

The Back O’ Bourke Exhibition Centre is a mustdo when in town and had us salivating at starting the run down the dirt roads that lay ahead, taking in the history of the region.

While it was well after the regular tourist season, the roads were in great shape and with tyre pressures around 25-28psi it was easy going to our first stop at Louth.

A great pub awaited us and very civilised too, with the beer still on tap and cold.

The local grader driver kept us well entertained and gave us loads of good intel for the way ahead, the most important being to slow right down over the cattle grids because some tow coupling carnage had recently come from visitors hitting the grids too fast with their vans.

Now we were well into the route of the early day paddle steamers who navigated right up to Bourke and in good seasons were known to reach further upstream to Brewarrina with one actually making it in to Walgett in a very good seasonal flow.

With the viability of paddle steamers navigating the river in times of good water flow, this was a transport node for the myriad sheep stations along its banks and nearby flood plain.

Bales of wool from southern Queensland and western NSW were transported down the Darling to the Murray where they were subsequently sent for export, and a thriving trade of provisions and equipment was sent back upriver too.

The paddle steamer trade on the Darling was the lifeblood of this part

of the country for many decades until the advent of railways to the western towns and then trucks.

A photo on the wall of the Louth pub showed that in 1932, after the advent of rail, bales of wool from nearby Dunlop Station continued to be transported up the Darling by barge.

The free camp opposite the Louth pub was an excellent overnighter and we had a chuckle at the small houseboat high and dry on the riverbank immediately behind the pub.

Yep, there was very little water in the whole of the Darling, except for weirs, and the entire area was suffering badly in drought.

Wild goats grazed around the caravan and were a feature for many days to come.

Tilpa was the next stopover and we caught up with another travelling bunch of caravanners at the pub.

An interesting mix of large vans and vehicles, they were making quick time on a limited timeslot.

One had got caught up when his jockey wheel came free and took out his brake cable, puncturing a tyre, while another shattered the rear tailgate glass on his HiLux rear ☛ continued P58

Afternoon tea on the Darling at Pooncarie camp was a nice way to celebrate Sheyne’s birthday.

A special moment taking in the confluence of the Darling and Murray rivers at Wentworth.

The tyres were like racing slicks after extracting the van from the wet black soil.

Not much fun getting caught in the wet black soil at Dirranbandi after the storms.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 57

4WDING & off - road Can the outdoors affect a family?

The river was a trickle downstream of the Tilpa Weir.

Look closely for two cattle, two sheep and a kangaroo.

H Not going far until the next flood.

Doing the Darling River Run ☛ from P57

canopy from stones rebounding off the front of the caravan.

Just for the record, they said their mix of vehicles (Ford Ranger, Dodge Ram, Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series and older model HiLux) towing largish vans were all returning around the same fuel economy out on the dirt and dust.

Ernie and I had stone stompers fitted to both our rigs under the caravan A-frame connecting to the rear of vehicles, providing great stone protection, and both rigs suffered no damage for the entire trip.

The nearby Tilpa Weir was another great free camp that was tidy and met our needs just fine

before moving on.

Down the road to Wilcannia, we were impressed by the many sandstone buildings and other reminders that this was once a very busy and prosperous port.

So far, the condition of the dirt roads had been excellent but we decided to pump up the tyres and take a side trip into Broken Hill.

It was so dry the highway was littered with roadkill and the kangaroos were so exhausted they didn’t even flinch when you passed metres from them while feeding off the green pick on the side of the road, courtesy of 20mm of rain a couple of weeks earlier.

A new danger was the number of wide loads en-

The free camp at Louth was a great overnight stop.

A good campsite at Tilpa Weir.

It was sparse pickings for these sheep down Menindee way.

Over another cattle grid and up another red sand hill on the Darling Run near Menindee.

Page 58 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

countered on that stretch into Broken Hill.

When a 6.8m-wide load is coming your way, just get off the road and let it pass.

The drivers and pilots appreciate the little courtesies that make it safer for us all.

With the big Broken Hill horse racing event of the year, the Silver City Cup, only days away, we opted to stay out of town at Silverton and use it as a base to explore the area.

The whole of Silverton is very quirky and was the scene for the Mad Max movies and a few other Aussie classics.

The pub is quirky too and has great beers but their coffee is shite.

Head to the info centre in Silverton for a great outback coffee that rivals many of the city cafes for quality.

Joining the Darling again at Menindee, we topped up the water tanks and headed out to the weir to explore the lakes and interconnecting waterways.

Plenty of vineyards with grapes were a new feature for us.

They mature earlier than down around Mildura and fetch good money, but everywhere away from the immediate river precinct was very dry.

In fact, this area was where we noticed an increase in the number of dead emus along the road as they are not coping well with the drought.

There is a great road from Menindee into Pooncarie that is a mix of dirt and bitumen as you follow the course of the river.

Pay your camp fees at the pub or shop and you get electricity and town water for $10 per night when camped on the Darling.

It was Sheyne’s birthday, so an afternoon tea down on the river in the cool of the day was called for, followed by dinner at the Pooncarie pub.

Our host Josh kept us in good food and cold drink and it was an opportunity to have a great yarn with some of the local property owners who are all in the process of doing some destocking of sheep but nonetheless optimistic

about the future and very resilient.

They are on the verge of having tighter water restrictions from the river imposed and not too happy with the politicians and bureaucrats who make these decisions.

When you get to the Murray and see how much water gets taken out of there for irrigation and the sheer general waste of this vital resource, you really feel sorry for the poor old cockies doing it tough along the Darling.

From our perspective, Pooncarie was a great base to head out to nearby Mungo National Park and do a tour of the area with an indigenous guide.

Lance did a great job of explaining the cultural history and it was interesting to take in the significance of the Mungo Man and Mungo Lady finds in that area.

The Homo sapiens remains found in this area in 1968 are the oldest uncovered anywhere in the world outside of the African continent and are estimated to be more than 40,000 years old.

While Pooncarie was an important port in the days of paddle steamers, it was the next stop Wentworth that was our destination.

A busy town on the NSW border with Victoria, it is right on the confluence of the Murray and Darling rivers and a visit to the viewing tower at that junction to see the two rivers meet was a milestone for us and a moment worthy of celebration.

We ended the journey along the Darling in great awe of the skills of the old paddle steamer captains and now have a better appreciation of the value of the Darling and Murray River basins, which take up something like 14 percent of this great country.

As we settled back into civilisation, we savoured our days of travel and friendship along the Darling and enjoyed taking in two days of ski boat racing along a 52km course from Wentworth in the Darling up to Mildura in the Murray.

It typified the diversity of cultures and lifestyle that co-exist today on our greatest river system.

I all, here we are at the end of another year and the festive and holiday season is upon us.

It is a time for family and to replenish the sanity tanks and enjoy what we all work so hard for.

My wife and I recently visited the Queensland Caravan and Camping Show with our son Garrett’s family and a few comments were made that really made me reflect on the effect of quality time spent with your children.

Garrett spoke of the importance of the bonding that occurs between parent and children when exploring the great outdoors.

He spoke of memories I’d taken for granted and what effect it had on his development and how he wanted his boys to have the same opportunities.

My wife nudged my arm and whispered: “You know, your children really respect you.”

I thought hard about this and thought back to my childhood where I was exposed to the very same ideals.

I remember camping at Noosa, the Gold Coast and Stradbroke Island, fishing and crabbing through Moreton Bay and developing a love of being outdoors and nature.

I grew up in an environment where I was never a burden and always encouraged to learn how to fish and think about what I was doing.

Tides, seasons and locational knowledge were passed down and basic principles were taught.

Many lessons must have been learnt in those days because I brought my kids up with the very

Outdoors

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

same principles.

I realised the amount of pride a parent feels when they see their offspring travelling the same path and achieving satisfaction out of simple things such as starting a fire, catching fish or crabs and of course enjoying nature.

That pride and love find its way into their hearts and the most rewarding things continue to happen as they grow.

My boys enjoyed sharing our adventures with their friends, some of whom weren’t really exposed to an outdoors style of life.

As years passed and all these young boys turned into young men, they continued to camp, fish, hunt and explore the outdoors.

A trip would be planned and those same young men would say to Garrett: “Don’t forget to ask Chiefy.”

I’d be lying if I wasn’t

chuffed to think the young bucks still had the respect and time for this old fella.

Now the young bucks are all married with young families, and as I said previously, Garrett’s comments on the importance of how the outdoors lifestyle builds family structure and provides so many memories saw me nudge the wife back and say: “You know babe, we’ve done all right.”

We’re coming into holiday season, so take the time to really make sure your kids know how important they are and help them enjoy the outdoors.

I believe this builds bonds forever.

I want to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a safe holiday season.

Thank you for reading this year.

Young Jack loves his fishing.

Garrett with Wil and Jack heading over to Moreton Island.

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HUNTING & archery Stocking stuffers for the hunter

S

INCE this is the December issue of your favourite outdoors magazine, I’ve decided to run through a few of the accessories useful for a hunter, just in case you need some gift ideas for your letter to Santa.

Apart from the actual firearm (or bow) let’s take a look at some of the ancillary gear I cart along on my hunting trips – some essential, some just nice to have.

I’ve covered fox whistles in previous Bush ‘n Beach articles, but have to put them on the list if only as a reminder for a cheap stocking stuffer.

One of my favourites is the Flextone Dying Rabbit, a rubber device that allows the user to change tones by pinching the tube.

Two feral predators are always on my target list when hunting: cats and foxes.

Both will come to the whistle at times, so I never leave home without one.

Regardless of which style of whistle you choose, all will produce results in the right place at the right time, but none will ever work sitting in the gear bag.

Give whistling a go the next time you are in the field.

Moving up a little in budget, the next item is an absolute must-have: a sharp knife.

I’ve owned (and still own) a lot of knives during the course of the past 40 years and have recently moved away from traditional designs for something radically different.

Rather than a knife, I’m actually using a kit, with

Wild Australia

by NEIL SCHULTZ

several interchangeable blades ranging from a 75mm semi-serrated blade (my go-to skinning/boning blade) to 125mm and 175mm filleting blades.

From Havalon, this is actually a Talon Fish Pack, but I have found it to be great for hunting as well.

The razor-sharp blades are changed via a neat push-button mechanism and can be swapped in seconds.

Replacement blades can be bought, along with different blade styles for varying tasks.

The whole kit comes in a handy roll that houses the blades and handle in separate pockets while keeping it all together to prevent components becoming separated when travelling.

Now to another item that is absolutely indispensable for bowhunters, air rifle shooters and those into long-range hunting: a laser range finder.

You can spend a lot of reddies on a long-range, brand-name range finder, but for the average hunter shooting bow or air rifle, a cheaper generic device is more than adequate.

I’ve been using a noname range finder for a decade and am yet to find it inadequate for my needs.

Why is a range finder so essential for bow and air rifle?

To allow accurate calculation of holdover for those rainbow-like trajectories.

Now we go from the es-

sential to the nice-to-have cool gadget category.

Game cameras are basically motion-triggered video/still cameras, often equipped with infrared (black light) flashes for covert nocturnal imaging.

The high-end cameras will send images by email, transmit remote videos and notify via text message when the unit is triggered.

Sticking with traditional units that save images to an on-board media card keeps purchase prices lower and is fine for most applications.

I’ve found the units from Wildgame Innovations to be extremely reliable in the field and for use around the home for security.

At the top of the price range for our Christmas wish list is another optical device – the rifle scope.

The old truism, “you can’t hit what you can’t see” is perfectly applicable, but should not be applied to magnification alone.

Clarity of image can make the difference between getting a snap shot away and missing an opportunity.

If you have been persevering with awful, cheap eBay scopes, do yourself a favour and have a look through a reputable brand scope at your local gun shop.

There’s no need to spend big money for a scope with good glass (not many of us are on a Schmidt and Bender or Swarovski budget).

Game cameras allow you to see details of what comes and goes when you are not around, either in the bush or the backyard.

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My most recent acquisition is a TruGlo 4-12 x 44 Intercept scope, which is incredibly clear and bright.

The extremely fine crosshairs, bullet drop reticle and illuminated crosshairs are all part of what has seen this become the most impressive scope in my gun safe.

I have mounted the Intercept on my .308 and it holds zero so well that 1/4” groups at 100m are quite achievable.

Fairly new on the Australian scene, the TruGlo outperforms anything else I’ve used in the same price range (and several quite a bit more expensive).

A close-up look at the Havalon Talon Fish Pack with some of the interchangeable blades.

The TruGlo intercept scope is an all-round impressive piece of optical kit. Sharp is an understatement.

Putting the Havalon knife to use in the field, skinning out a wild goat for the table.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 59

Lake Monduran barra action W

ITH northerly wind and hot days, the fishing at Lake Monduran has really turned on.

Mitch with a 71cm barra taken on a Jackall Squirrel.

Located just 4.5 hours’ drive north of Brisbane, it is an ideal place to catch barramundi.

Fishing in Lake Monduran can be daunting because it is a huge body of water.

It has bays and arms going in every direction and knowing where to fish is often the hardest part.

When I arrive at Lake Monduran, I have a rough idea of where I am going to fish from looking at the wind forecast.

This is probably the most important factor when fishing the dam because it determines

The Humminbird Helix 10 Mega showed how high in the water column the barra were swimming through.

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Page 60 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

Fishing Trip

by MITCHELL TOWNSEND

which bays and points the fish should be moving through.

With a northerly wind direction, I will start down the bottom of the dam.

SDA Bay and Bird Bay hold big fish at this time of year, and fishing for them at night is usually most effective.

I will go down to the back of these bays and have a sound around to see if any fish are moving through.

If I do see some, I will come back on dusk and fish there.

Between 10am and 2pm can be tough fishing and the fish usually slow down, so I use this time to go sounding around.

Once I have looked in the bays down the bottom, I will head further up the dam.

A long point across from White Rock fishes well in a northerly, as do a few bays just around from it.

These spots are reasonably shallow and weedy, so soft plastics rigged weedless are best.

Berkley has just brought back Hollow Belly Powerbaits and rigging the 5” model on a 6/0 Beast jig head is perfect for such a scenario.

Castaic 5”, Keitech Fat Swings and Entice soft plastics are more great lures for these situations.

Other productive spots in a northerly wind include the South Arm of B and Cow Bay. In these locations you can use both soft plastics and hard-bodies.

My all-time favourite hardbody at Lake Monduran is the Jackall Squirrel 79 Hank Tune in Pink Eye Suji, PG Shrimp, Boney, Uroko Vision Wakasagi and Ghost Gill colours.

I also use Lucky Craft Pointer 78XDs, Pointer 100DDs and Jackall Smash Minnows.

It is important to note that at a spot, even if it looks promising, I will only stay if I see fish on the sounder.

I have a Humminbird Helix 10 Mega, which shows pretty insane shots of barra swimming through.

The biggest tip I can give you about the dam regards your retrieve.

Whether you are fishing the sticks with a Jackall Squirrel or a point with a shallowdiving hard-body, you need to make sure your retrieve is slow.

For example, when I make a cast into a snag, I will give my lure a small twitch down and then let it pause for five seconds.

Then my next twitch will be on slack line.

This means that instead of your lure moving forwards (towards the boat), it will just roll and almost stay in the same spot.

Leaving it in the strike zone for that little bit longer entices the barra to hit it and can make the difference between getting hit and not.

A range of other lures and fishing spots unfortunately won’t all fit in this article.

If you have a trip planned, come and see me and the guys at Tackle World Lawnton.

I am always in the know about where fish are being caught and with what and am always happy to pass on information.

Some exciting things have been happening in the dam recently, with the release of over 90,000 fingerlings in the past month alone and the new Golden Barra competition.

Last month five special barra were released into the dam: a golden barra, white barra and three specially tagged silver barra.

If you catch the golden barra this summer you will receive $15,000 cash and if you catch

it on a Rapala lure, you will receive $5000 worth of Rapala gear.

If you land the white barra, you will win a Polycraft boat, motor and trailer package.

Make sure you enter the competition upon arrival at Lake Monduran Holiday Park and check out the Guidelines Fishing Charters or Lake Monduran Sponsor a Barra Facebook pages if you want further details.

Good luck wherever you’re fishing this month and I hope this article has helped you plan how to fish Lake Monduran.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to message me through my Pine Boys Facebook page or come and see me at Tackle World Lawnton.

Gerard scored a nice barra right on dusk.

A healthy Monduran barra.

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After all the hard work, Joe was rewarded with a lovely Awoonga barra.

It was definitely Ash’s weekend, catching some quality Awoonga barra. He put in the effort and reaped the rewards.

Fishing expedition to Awoonga Dam

N

OW Wazza is doing a lot more of the Moreton Bay Fishing Charters work, I have a bit of extra free time, so I decided to sneak up to Lake Awoonga and try my hand at barra fishing.

It was something of a last-minute trip because we were planning on heading up the inside of Fraser Island to do a bit of fishing but the weather wasn’t playing the game, so Awoonga was the second choice.

I was intending on taking somebody with me but at the end of the day had no takers and went up as Neville no mates in my boat, while fellow BNB scribe Joe Cormack and his brother Ash went up on their boat.

This was a pretty spur of the moment thing, and I’d never been there and didn’t even know what the place looked like.

Joe had been to Awoonga once many years ago and Ash fished there at least 12 years ago and had a little knowledge of the area.

I really went there with no expectations as I’d never caught an impoundment barra but I thought it would be great if I could snag one.

We had heard that the week prior the fishing had been pretty good, so were in with a chance.

On the first day we woke

Fishing Trip

by SEAN CONLON

up to a rather stiff southeasterly breeze blowing 20 knots-plus at 4.30am.

We put the boat in the water and Ash pointed to an area in the distance where he reckoned he did OK several years ago.

Not knowing the place, I followed the boys to the other side.

I soon found out me and my little 4.3m boat were not going to keep up with Joe’s 6m rig.

It gets a bit lumpy out there and you need to keep an eye on the wind.

We got to the other side relatively quickly and were greeted with a good half a metre of white-capping chop.

We tucked into a few points but I found it quite difficult on my own with the breeze and no spotlocking electric, so after about an hour I decided I needed to head to the other side of the dam to get out of the breeze.

Joe and Ash persisted on the points they wanted to fish while I took off.

It was rather bumpy but within about 15 minutes I’d made my way to the other side of the dam where it was beautiful and calm.

I started working a point with not a lot of success,

so moved over to an area with a lot of standing timber, and lo and behold with a bit of luck more than good management, I found the local guide fishing there, which usually means a few fish should be around the area.

I stayed well away from the guide as I didn’t want to annoy him.

It was a rather large bay, so I had plenty of other standing timber to work.

I persisted in there all morning, and after the wind dropped out it was absolutely glorious.

Though I got a few catfish, I found no barra.

About 10am I headed back to camp for a feed and a bit of a snooze to get ready for the afternoon session.

The boys had success on the other side, with Ash landing one barra and dropping a couple.

We headed out around 3pm for the afternoon session and the boys headed back over to the points while I went back into the trees.

Joe and Ash didn’t have much success on the points, so they came over into the tree area where I was fishing.

I continued catching catfish while Ash caught an-

This 60cm specimen was the author’s first impoundment barra and was caught on a suspending Zerek Tango Shad.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

other barra and dropped three more in the sticks.

It’s not easy fishing.

In the woody tree areas you lose a bit of gear and a few fish.

As darkness set in we flicked the navigation lights on and headed back to camp for a feed.

The crazy obsessed fishers we are, as the moon came up around 9pm we decided why not head back out for another session, so we all jumped into Joe’s boat and headed back out to the points for a night fish.

Now remembering that Ash had a couple of fish at this stage and Joe and I were fishless other than for catfish, we fished pretty hard.

Despite our efforts, Ash hooked another fish but it shook the lure out of its mouth right beside the boat.

At about 1am we were thinking we should probably head home because we were going to go back out at 4.30am, so a little sleep would be good.

We got back up at 4am, headed out at 4.30am and were straight back to the sticks where we caught fish the day before, but this time we pushed right up into the bay.

Joe pushed further up than me and soon the boys were yelling for me to come and join them.

They were right up in the lily pads and the sticks and Ash landed two more barra and dropped a few more in the process.

It’s very tricky fishing but the rewards of pushing the vessel so far up into the trees were definitely worth the effort.

By this stage the sun was quite high in the sky and the fishing had shut down, so we headed back to camp for some well-deserved sleep and another feed.

We motored back out in the afternoon and this was my last chance to catch a barra.

The boys had an extra day to find fish but this was it for me.

We all jumped into Joe’s boat and headed back over to an area where the breeze was coming into a bank holding a reasonable amount of wood.

We deployed the electric

and started casting.

At this stage I realised a crucial point of difference between our setups.

Joe and I had been using 50lb fluorocarbon leader while Ash was using 40lb mono, so I decided to change to 40lb mono.

I tied on the Zerek Tango Shad I had been working through the trees for the past day and a half and proceeded to cast in towards the bank and tree line while Joe stuck with the 50lb leader.

We were casting in that spot for about an hour, waiting for the sun to get down to the tree line and as soon as it did I got absolutely smashed right behind the boat.

I got a couple of winds on the fish, it pulled a heap of drag and then popped the hooks.

It was definitely a barra and I wasn’t disappointed as at least I hooked one.

I checked my hooks and leader and proceed to keep casting in the same spot, just twitching that little suspending Tango Shad hard-body with long pauses.

After about 20 minutes, whack, I was hooked up again, right behind the boat.

Some drag pulling and a few jumps later, a spritely 60cm Awoonga barra was in the net and all the effort had paid off.

To say I was slightly happy is an understatement.

I gave the fish a good ☛ continued P62

Ash with a nice barra pulled out of the lily pads.

Joe on his thousandth cast… persistence is key.

Take plenty of gear because you will be rerigging a fair bit while casting in the trees.

Fishing right up in the sticks paid off for the author and crew.

Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 61

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ITH two heat waves already during spring, what is summer going to bring for Lake Monduran and other great local fishing areas?

It will be time to plan for travel over the festive season and prepare vehicles and gear for Christmas vacations.

My suggestion would be to create a checklist or two.

The first list might pertain to things required to be done prior to packing, such as servicing the boat and car.

Repack wheel bearings and ensure the tyres are suitable for the journey, and don’t forget to check the spare.

The same goes for your gear.

Check things like gas Orings, fishing reels, repellents and sunscreens.

If either of the last two is out of date, they will not provide the desired protection, so please replace them.

Make sure you have all

Monduran Dam

by DONNA GANE

your required bits and pieces of tackle and it is all in good condition and reliable enough not to lose the big one.

We have all lost that big one, ‘the one that got away’, and are quick to blame other things for losing that fish but really we are the only ones to blame.

Go fishing knowing your gear is adequate and you’ll have confidence in the gear being in sound condition.

Having confidence in your gear is the first step to a positive attitude when fishing.

The second thing that needs to be considered is the location you are going to fish.

Look at wind, bite times, sources of baitfish and many more prerequisites for choosing a certain area.

Numerous tactics work but the best methods are the ones that drive your positive attitude even further.

The more determined you are to catch fish, the more the outcome will be satisfying and rewarding.

Another key factor is local knowledge.

Take Lake Monduran.

You want to learn about the lake and its catchments, even to the point of what the weather was like on the new moon last year.

I say new moon only because barramundi do not rely on the light from the full moon.

Their eyes are very well adjusted to night and they have an uncanny ability to stalk prey under the darkened camouflage of the lake’s backdrop.

The full moon, early mornings and foggy sunrises all produce good

catches of barramundi.

These beasts are prolific feeders and killing machines.

Having such aggression, these monster fish can consume a large amount of food in one strike (up to 60 percent of their own body mass), which is why they grow more than a millimetre a day in our impoundments.

A three-year-old impoundment fish can be a metre in length but in the wild barra take six to 12 years to crack the metre mark.

This is common for other species in Monduran too, maybe because the baitfish and feed within the lake is so plentiful.

Results from our fishing comp in October provided evidence of plentiful big fish, and we have since seen good catches of barra, bass and a few saratoga.

With 2.8 million fingerlings released into the lake over the past 20 years, we know many fish inhabit Lake Monduran.

Many thanks must go to the dedicated volunteers of the Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association, who have spent many hours maintaining our lake with great fish stocks and ensuring it’s a worldclass angling venue.

The final bit of advice is to think like a barramundi.

Understand what the productive non-impoundment fish are thinking about and how their hormones react in their migration to the sea.

A good rule of thumb: non-impoundment barra get their salt infusion from November to February (closed season in salt water), while from March to June they will more readily move west and from July to October east.

Have a safe and happy Christmas.

Call us for accurate updates on the weather and fishing conditions.

Enjoy this festive season.

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www.barratackle.com.au Page 62 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

N after-work land-based fishing session on the banks of the Northern Territory’s Adelaide River has netted three Darwin-based Territorians $10,000 in prize money.

Anthony Patsalou, with the help of his cousin Anthony Savvas and childhood friend Chris Mellios, landed a red-tagged 68cm barramundi. “We’ve been mates for more than 15 years,� Mr Patsalou said. “We usually fish our secret spot on the last of the spring tides (big tides) dropping onto the neap tides (smaller tides). “We got the fish with our first cast on a hardbody B52 Bomber. “The fish hit the lure right at my feet and as soon as I brought it in my cousin Anthony (Savvas) walked down to the bank, grabbed it and threw it up out of the water.� “I have never seen a fish fly up a bank like that in my life,� Chris said. “He saw the red tag and threw it like he was playing cricket for Australia.�

The fishos regularly fish together and said they had agreed they would split the winnings if they ever caught a prize Million Dollar Fish.

BetEasy Strategic Partnership manager Brad Fanning said the most recent catch shows landbased fishos have plenty of chances to catch a prizewinning fish. “Many will remember legendary Darwin fisho Hiro Nakamura landed a $10,000 barra on the shores of Mindil Beach in season three,� Mr Fanning said. “Several fish, including our purple-tagged charity fish, are located in accessible locations so every-

one has a chance to land a Million Dollar Fish.�

Season Four of the Million Dollar Fish competition commenced on October 1, 2018, with more chances than ever to catch a $1 million fish.

In this year’s competition, the number of $1 million fish has been increased to five, which is expected to reel in fishing fanatics to the Territory and give a boost to tourism and local tour-

ism operators.

Those looking to come to the Territory and catch a Million Dollar Fish can register for free on mil liondollarfish.com.au and book a holiday to the Territory today.

For information on Territory fishing regulations and best practice catch and release methods, download the free Northern Territory Fishing Mate app on your smartphone.

When you’ve got views like this, the old saying “catching fish is a bonus� comes to mind. If you go to Awoonga, enjoy the place and scenery because it’s just part of fishing with your mates.

Fishing expedition to Awoonga Dam ☛ from P61

look over, took a few quick pics and released it to fight another day.

Ash hooked up on another couple of fish that afternoon but unfortunately lost them on snags.

Poor Joe had put in a superhuman effort with at least 1000 casts and was still fishless.

We headed back to camp for another snooze and a feed and I packed

my gear because I was leaving early the next morning.

As I headed home, the boys got on the water on the back of a storm.

I know Joe tied on the 40lb leader and the boys had a great morning in the sticks, catching several barra and losing a few for their efforts.

For the three days of fishing we landed eight barra between us, with Ash definitely catching

the most, which I put down to the 40lb leader.

Not a lot of fish were caught while we were there, so remember, a week in fishing is a long time.

I feel that despite us going up there with not a lot of knowledge, we still came away with a successful trip.

I’ll definitely be back.

For anyone planning a trip, try to gather as much knowledge as pos-

sible before you go, as it is a rather large place.

I went up as a spur of the moment thing and really didn’t put a lot of planning in, but before I go again I’ll do a lot more preparation to ensure greater success.

Hopefully I’ll snag a mate to come with me, but then again it wasn’t too bad fishing by myself.

Until next month, stay safe on the water. www.bnbfishing.com. au

Water in-flows a boost for South Burnett dams

I

T’S a good feeling to know summer is finally on its way.

The water temps in both dams are rising considerably during the day, which makes for intense fishing at times.

Along with the temperature rise, we’ve had much-needed water in-flows into our dams.

Boondooma’s water level currently sits at 41 percent and Bjelke-Petersen Dam had a small in-flow and sits at 17 percent.

This time of year is up there with my favourite times to fish for Australian bass and yellowbelly in our impoundments because they can be caught thick and fast as the bigger bass and yellowbelly become vulnerable.

Boondooma Dam With the water in-flow, the Boyne arm is discoloured as that is where most of the water has come in.

The flavour of the month is variety, but it also pays to move around a bit in search of the right spots.

Productive areas have been the dam wall, the drop-off from the shallower flats and the spindly timber in the Stuart arm.

Sound around the flats in search of the schools and cast 1/2oz-rigged soft plastics, 1220g spoons, tailspinners and blades.

I would head to the timber first because the fish hit hard and it’s a real challenge to get them out with your gear in one piece.

For this type of fishing I always use a stiff spin rod with some guts, a 2500-size spin reel for extra torque, 12lb braid and 14-20lb leader.

This may sound heavy but just imagine a 50cm bass hitting your lure as it’s rolled between two big clumps of spindly timber – it really makes for exciting fishing.

The lures of choice for this type of fishing are spinnerbaits or lipless crankbaits.

I like to throw a Bassman Compact in 3/8oz or 5/8oz.

Once you have a combo like

Freshwater Impoundments

by MATTHEW LANGFORD

For those using bait, the fish are coming from most locations close to the bank on live shrimp, saltwater yabbies and worms fished hard on the bottom. this, head up the arms of the dam and cast as close to the spindly trees as you can, let the lure sink for three to five seconds and start a slow roll.

Make sure the drag is done up tight so the fish can’t pull you into the timber without a hard fight.

Once the bite comes, give the fish everything you’ve got to get it away from any structure, otherwise the fight will be short and you’ll be left wondering what happened.

The added advantage of fishing the timber is the chance to catch a prehistoric saratoga.

If the timber isn’t producing, the next place I’ll look is the deep water off any prominent points or parallel to any steep rock walls.

I’ll use my sounder to sound the fish sitting in that optimal depth, which is generally 6m and in the thermocline.

When I’m happy I’ve found a good concentration of fish, I will pull up and begin casting 3” to 4” soft plastics rigged with a 1/2oz or 5/8oz head.

With a big long cast over the areas where I found the fish, I will let the jig head sink for seven to 10 seconds and begin a slow retrieve back to the boat with a couple of twitches mixed in.

The same can be done with a 12g Nories spoon.

Continue this technique until you start to feel a few taps on the plastic or spoon.

When you feel a tap it’s important to keep that slow wind going until you feel weight on

Peter recently caught this beautiful saratoga from the Stuart arm.

Reardo and Kris pulled monster bass from Boondooma.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

the line, at which point you should slowly lift the rod tip until you feel the full weight of the fish.

At this point the fish will know it’s hooked and make great runs back down into the deeper water.

Keep your drag fairly loose so the hook doesn’t pull on the way back to the boat.

Trollers have been starting to pick up quality golden perch and bass in the arms of the dam as well as around the main lake points and edges using deepdiving hard-bodies.

Bait fishers are bringing in consistent catches of yellowbelly, bass and eel-tailed catfish in the timbered arms.

The best baits are live shrimp, saltwater yabbies and worms jigged off the bottom.

Red claw have just begun to pick up a bit with the consistent warm weather around the rocky edges.

Lake Barambah The fishing at Barambah (BP Dam) has been spectacular, with lots of fish caught on everything from cast and trolled lures to jigged baits.

The key is moving to find the fish.

The have been moving around considerably, and I’ve found the fish will be on one flat or bank one day and then the next will have moved a few hundred metres.

This is not uncommon during the warmer months because the fish are active and moving around the dam with the bait they are feeding on.

I always love fishing BP Dam and I like to start on the banks in the morning, commonly casting lipless cranks or spinnerbaits to get an early reaction bite.

The banks I fish are generally fairly steep with a bit of rock or structure.

Another thing to keep an eye on is the sounder.

It pays to make sure bait or fish are sporadically coming through.

This obviously increases the chances of fish being caught on the bank you’re targeting.

Later in the day when the sun gets high in the sky, I move out to the flats and commonly target areas in the 4.5-6m range.

The fish seem to relate well to this depth in BP and it pays to visit multiple areas like this until you find a good school.

Another thing to note is in summer in BP the fish like to sit high in the thermocline (or comfortable water).

If you’re on the water and this is the case, slow roll any smaller lure such as a blade through these suspended fish.

In this situation it’s not uncommon to have a great session when the fish are sitting high in the water column.

Trollers are having the same luck around the edges of the dam and out in the 4.5-6m range with deep-diving hardbodies.

Most trollers won’t have to go far before hooking up with a fish or two.

For those using bait, the fish are coming from most locations close to the bank on live shrimp, saltwater yabbies and worms fished hard on the bottom.

Red claw are also on the comeback as the water warms.

Fishing charters The fishing of late in BP and Boondooma has been fantastic, with most sessions producing good numbers of fish and some great quality.

BP Dam is prime for anyone wanting to learn how to fish reaction baits along the edges.

Boondooma has produced a great mixed bag of species, so if you’d like to learn more about targeting a particular species, all you have to do is ask and make a booking.

You can book a fishing charter with me on BP and Boondooma dams as well as many others in Queensland.

If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch bass and yellowbelly in our dams, make sure you give me a call on 0408 658 592 and I’ll be happy to take you out for an awesome day’s fishing.

You can also check out our website at australianfreshwa terfishing.com Until next time, tight lines and bent rods.

Big silver perch are being hooked on bait in BP Dam.

A beautifully coloured yellowbelly extracted from the timber in the Stuart arm.

Brent with a cracking 51cm bass from BP Dam.

y Guided b o rd f g n a L t t Ma

Australian Freshwater Fishing Charters 0408 658 592 | australianfreshwaterfishing.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 63

Aiden with a Borumba chunk.

Big fish on the prowl in Borumba Dam

O

VER the past month I haven’t been out to Borumba Dam as much as I’d like due to family and girlfriend commitments.

I actually headed down to Tasmania for a few days

A jig-munching bass.

Sean the Borumba guru captured a couple of crackers.

LAKE BORUMBA A MUST-DO EXPEDITION!

LLUM MUNRO

GUIDED BY CA

info@untappedfishing.com.au

0412 887 651 Page 64 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

to visit my girlfriend’s parents.

Tassie was such an amazing place.

I got to see some of the most incredible waterways and I’m just dying to get back down there to cast some lures around for trout.

Anyway, enough about Tassie, let’s get into it.

Borumba Dam is the place to be over the coming months; with the water temperature getting up around the 28-30C mark, the bass and saratoga will be out in numbers.

The big fish will be back out and playing, and yes, I’m talking about saratoga.

As most of you know, saratoga breed throughout October and November or late spring.

Toga are mouth brooders, which means once they’ve had their young they’ll look after the babies in their mouth for a month or two.

But lucky for you, this is over until next year.

Saratoga can be very elusive, with plenty of people going home unlucky, so what I’m going

Freshwater Luring

by CALLUM MUNRO

to do in this article is give you a run-down on how I’d target them.

Early morning and late arvos are obviously the best times to target these fish.

Getting up at 4am and fishing through until 8am will be the best bet, and in the arvo anywhere between 4pm and 7pm will be ideal.

Regarding lures, I like surface or sub-surface lures.

I’ll have four rods set up with different lures.

My first being a Cultiva Zip ‘n Ziggy in Chartreuse colour (by far my favourite), second being a Megabass Anthrax, third being a Berkley Gotham Shad rigged with an Owner Flashy Swimmer hook and fourth a Smak Spinnerbait in IB colour.

With these four lures I can really cover the water column to find where the toga are holding.

The back of any bay with plenty of water lilies and weed is perfect for toga.

A massive tip is when I’m chasing toga I do the same as if I was targeting barra.

Head to areas the wind is blowing into.

Bait and warm water will be pushed into the back of the bays and this is where you can really put your head down and get casting.

Also make sure you’re quiet.

Toga are very easily spooked, so be careful to make no loud noises.

When hooking toga, I’ll do the same as if I’d hooked a barra.

I’ll double set the lure, meaning I really strike twice to ensure the hooks are in properly.

I also make sure I hold my rod down to try to eliminate the risk of the fish jumping and throwing the hook in the air.

This is where most people come unstuck and lose

their hooked fish.

Another tip… have you ever seen heaps of swallows holding in dead trees in the water?

Well I learnt this when I was 14 – saratoga absolutely love eating swallows.

I’ve seen them jump out of the water trying to grab them.

So next time you see a tree with plenty of swallows hanging around it, make sure you cast a lure towards it.

Hopefully you’ll have better luck next time you’re out on the water and if you have any questions you’d like to ask me, just jump over to my Instagram page callum_ munro or visit untapped fishing.com.au and I’d be happy to help.

Now onto the most important part: bass fishing.

I recently hosted good mate Sean Kerr on the dam and he brought his mates Troy and Aiden Whitmen.

These boys got into some huge bass casting spinnerbaits and other reaction lures up against the steep rock wall at the start of the timber.

At this time of year, it can be the most exciting fishing you’ll experience.

Bass seem to hit harder in the hot weather, much like mangrove jack, and with so much timber around it’s always a mission to pull the brutes out.

When casting lures at rock walls, it’s a must that you get your lure as close as possible to the edge in the early morning because the bass will be right up in the water column chasing bait.

However, as the sun gets up you can start to make wider casts because the fish will move out wider and it’s a must to keep the lure in the fish’s face.

I find most of the fish hold around the 4.5m mark.

The way to go is right in close to the rock wall and fish parallel.

Letting your lure run as close to the bottom as possible will entice plenty of bass.

Hopefully you can take some information out of this month’s article to put you onto more fish.

If you feel like you’re still struggling, I’m running my own guiding business called Untapped Fishing Expeditions.

Jump onto the website or call me on 0412 877 651 to book an expedition.

Troy held a cracker yellowbelly.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fogdog batters and breadcrumbs in Australia

B

ATTER and breadcrumbs go with seafood like salt and pepper.

by MELISSA FROHLOFF

Stuffed crab shells Ingredients • 4 cooked sand crabs • 150g cooked prawns, chopped • 1 long fresh red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced • 2 baby cucumbers, thinly sliced • 120g leaf blend • 50g bean sprouts Dressing • 3 tbsp mango and chilli sauce (see previous Appetite 4 The Wild recipe on bnbfishing.com. au) • 2 tbsp special burger sauce (Coles brand) • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Method 1. Separate top shells from crabs and clean the crabs, reserving the shell. Remove claws and legs. Peel the meat from the bodies of the sand crabs and set aside.

2. Put crab meat and prawns in a bowl and combine dressing, then set aside in refrigerator.

3. Arrange leaf blend, cucumber, sprouts and chilli on a serving plate.

4. Turn sand crab shells upside down. Stuff crab shells with seafood mix and place the stuffed crabs on salad plate to serve.

Tip Serve the remaining crab claws and legs as a fresh side dish.

Prep time: 30 min | Serves 4

Next workshop please

C

ONCERNS the freshwater workshops held at Leslie Dam at Warwick might not be well attended were unnecessary.

We had 140 delegates turn up for what became an excellent forum on all things within rivers and dams throughout Queensland.

Groups from all around the state flew and bussed into Warwick.

You start to realise how big our State is when you consider all those streams that flow all the way to the coast.

Many items were brought to the table during the workshop, including size and possession limits, closed seasons, funding, stocking group membership, new younger group members to take over in future and more.

To give you an insight to gauge age groups, well-known freshwater advocate Garry Fitzgerald was the kid on the block.

We need to address this, and really start asking who will manage our fisheries in the future.

We need to start communicating with young anglers by using the channels that they use … which means Facebook, or whatever you call it.

Those in the stocking www.bnbfishing.com. au

Fresh Water

by BRIAN DARE

groups are getting old.

We need new blood.

God forbid we ever have local shire councils, service clubs, local government departments and so on running the system as a cheese and bickie show with the odd bottle of plonk chucked in (put that down as admin costs).

We need anglers to run the system.

Our funding scheme for stocking is much the same as it was nine years ago too.

Last month I made a comment about an allwaters fishing permit for salt and fresh water.

The question asked at the workshop was: “All those who don’t want an all-waters licence, raise your hand.”

Not one hand was raised from north or south Queensland.

Let’s get it in!

What took place next was people suggesting Fisheries Queensland should do this and do that to get it up and running.

It doesn’t work like that!

These people are public servants who only carry out their jobs.

It’s the general public, you the recreational angler with some one

million votes, that can set the policy.

So front up to your local members and play one against the other to get your result.

Ask them just what their policy is regarding an all-waters fishing permit.

At 10c a day it’s not a tax, it’s $35 a year for people 18 and over, which equates to $30 million a year to be spent only on things to do with fishing.

Don’t forget, elections are next year too.

Think about the fish in the photos throughout this magazine and know they are the things that our young anglers will need to maintain.

Though fishing is a sport, we are yet to see any funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation!

In other news, the Engel fridge/freezer we had drawn on Melbourne Cup day was won by Mrs Sandra Schmidt of South Grafton, NSW. Special thanks to Geoff and Laurel Bryant of Richmond Valley Caravan & Trailers.

A total of $2515 was raised to go towards fish restocking.

You can’t have one without the other.

They make a great meal even greater, yet are often bland or tasteless.

But fear not, Fogdog has put an end to all that and now the brand’s popular products are available in Australia.

This New Zealandbased company produces leading batter and breadcrumb mixtures that are easy to use and come in handy resealable bags to reduce spoilage.

What is Fogdog you might ask?

Fogdog was started by Andrew Fogden in 2009 after having a few beers with his mate ‘Chook’.

The conversation went something like this, “Chook I make my own beer batter to take on the boat, so what do ya reckon about starting a company and selling the stuff to fellow boating chaps?”

“Brilliant mate, pour me another beer and let’s talk about it further.”

After a couple more beers a cunning plan was hatched.

The name Fogdog, well that’s Andrews nickname, and since 1965, well that’s when Andrew was born!

Doesn’t get any more genuine than that!

But it wasn’t simple.

These are tried and true homemade mixtures that have come about after a steep learning curve.

Andrew had no food industry knowledge and that could be why they are so good.

He didn’t get trapped in the mass manufacture method of boring products pumped out as fast as possible.

He started with batters, packed them up and started a long trip around New

Zealand selling them to fishing tackle shops.

From there the brand and recipes grew.

If you’re looking for a simple solution to making your seafood taste great every time, the pre-made Fog Dog products make it simple and easy by just adding beer to create your own delicious batter.

The breadcrumbs are also easy to use.

Just whisk and egg, coat the meat and dip into the crumb mixture.

In addition to the batter and then breadcrumb mixtures Fogdog started with, the brand now also makes a delicious glutenfree variety using authentic premium products.

Easy Beer Batter The ethos of Fogdog when it started was simple: ‘just add beer’, and the company’s Easy Beer Batter is just that.

It’s as simple as emptying in half a satchel of mixture into a bowl, adding a little less than half a beer, finishing the rest and mixing until thick and smooth.

Each pack will feed six adults.

While the original mix is fantastic, the lemon pepper adds a certain zest to any seafood with a twist of lemon and just a hint of pepper bringing out fantastic flavour.

What’s more, beer remains a crucial and hallowed ingredient that isn’t overpowered by the batter.

Panko Breadcrumbs Panko breadcrumbs are the best if you want a crunchy golden crumbing mixture and Fogdog is now outdoing the Panko kings, the Japanese.

These are made in New Zealand using an electrode bake process, not heat, producing a beautiful elongated, airy and delicate crumb Panko is a yeast risen

wheat bread that is ground into slivery shaped crumbs making it perfect for fish, prawns, squid rings and even chicken and schnitzel.

Its supremely crunchy golden-brown finish is not only eye-catching but mouth-watering too.

It comes in a 200g resealable pouch.

Perfect Fritter Mix A recent addition to the Fogdog range, the Perfect Fritter Mix is gluten free and can be enjoyed by anyone.

Perfect for banana, corn, veggies or seafood fritters, it imparts a delicious light flavour.

The pack will cater for six people and you can simply add beer or water to the mix.

You can also use soda water instead of beer or for a dessert option, try adding lemonade to your banana fritters for a fantastic alternative taste sensation.

The Perfect Fritter Mix comes in a 190g satchel that combines perfectly with 410g of corn kernels.

Tempura Batter Gluten-free batter, Fogdog has got it.

And it tastes as good as the other offerings in the range.

It’s a challenge because gluten isn’t that great even for people who aren’t gluten intolerant.

In fact, in most cases you wouldn’t eat it if you didn’t have to, but Fogdog’s is better and tastier.

The angle was slightly different, as you see, the best tempura has low gluten.

So Fogdog focused on a good gluten-free tempura, and while slow out of the blocks, Fogdog’s doesn’t taste gluten free and that’s a good thing.

The Tempura Batter produces a light batter that can be used for fish, seafood and vegetables.

Premium Gluten Free Breadcrumbs Gluten-free breadcrumbs are traditionally the by-product of baking gluten-free bread.

Everyone knows they are often bland and tasteless.

Fogdog Premium Gluten Free Breadcrumbs on the other hand are specially made by the same company that makes the Panko Breadcrumbs.

Fogdog created a tasty coating that would complement any food.

The gluten-free breadcrumbs are specially formulated to be a superior crumb that is coarse and heavy.

When cooked, they produce a crunchy, tasty, golden coating.

Perfect for seafood, meat and baking and available in a 250g resealable pouch.

Shake ‘n’ Bake – Gluten Free It’s a cracker of a product that can go on just about anything you can imagine: seafood, chicken, vegetables and whatever takes your fancy.

A light and crispy coating sure to impress the whole family, even if they haven’t tried gluten free.

Just the right blend of goodness to add a touch of premium to any dish!

It doesn’t get any easier: shake, bake and eat!

If you want the best results, then shake, shallow fry and eat.

Proudly made by Fogdog’s good mates in NZ to ensure it’s the best quality.

Find recipes for all Fogdog’s products at fogdog. co.nz For all wholesale and retail inquiries, get in touch with Australian distributor Hooked on Brewing & BBQ at Ballina by calling 02 6681 6737 or emailing jay@hookedonbrewing. com.au

GLENLYON DAM TOURIST PARK A great place to fish! s 0OWERED AND 5NPOWERED 3ITES s .O $OMESTIC 0ETS OR 'ENERATORS s +IOSK s )CE s 'AS s 0ETROL s !MENITIES "LOCKS AND ,AUNDRY s ""1S s (IRE "OATS s %&40/3 s &ISHING 0ERMITS

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 Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 65

Even though anglers may stick to fishing the same waters, after a closed season is finished and a fresh or two have gone through, there’s a great chance freshwater fish such as Murray cod will be active enough to strike. Photos of fish caught prior to closed season.

The repetition of casting lures can be tedious but the results of getting a one-hit wonder will keep anglers returning for another crack.

Great start for cod T Murray cod can be tough at times to provoke a strike from in waters that are continually targeted by anglers. Closed seasons can offer a break to cod and help with enticing a strike after a long absence.

Structure in waterways can be altered after a flood or a decent fresh, which can either be a blessing or curse to anglers and the fish that reside among it.

DAM LEVELS CURRENT AS OF 12/11/2018

DAMS

PERCENTAGE

JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV Atkinson 8 5 5 5 5 5 Awoonga 95 95 93 92 90 88 Bjelke-Petersen * 21 20 19 17 17 17 Boondooma * 39 37 36 34 37 40 Borumba * 100 99 99 96 100 100 Burdekin Falls * 97 92 88 82 73 72 Callide * 73 71 69 67 64 64 Cania * 95 94 92 90 89 87 Coolmunda * 41 40 39 36 29 28 Dyer/Bill Gunn * 5 4 4 4 3 3 Eungella * 99 98 97 96 93 88 Fairbairn * 25 24 22 21 19 19 Glenlyon * 50 49 48 46 44 42 98 Hinze 96 94 92 96 97 93 Julius 91 89 85 83 80 87 Kinchant * 85 79 72 65 59 11 Leslie * 10 10 10 9 9 103 Macdonald 101 99 98 109 101 97 Maroon * 96 95 93 92 93 98 Monduran/Fred Haigh * 98 96 94 94 93 87 Moogerah * 84 82 79 77 76 87 North Pine/Samsonvale * 85 83 80 80 80 70 Peter Faust/Proserpine * 69 68 65 63 61 Somerset * 77 78 78 77 77 77 Teemburra * 98 98 96 92 89 85 Tinaroo* 95 91 88 82 76 71 Toonumbar 100 99 93 90 101 99 Wivenhoe * 75 74 73 70 70 69 Wuruma * 97 96 95 94 99 98 Wyaralong 97 96 96 95 95 94 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.

Page 66 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

HE Murray cod season reopening on December 1 is a timely event.

The Darling Downs recorded stuff-all rain from April to the end of September, with the creeks and rivers running low or stagnating into isolated pools and lagoons.

Then during the last week of September and first two weeks of October good steady rain fell throughout the Downs, with about 130mm recorded.

Several in-flows collected from the upstream catchment surrounding Toowoomba City and dispersed into the local creek and river systems replaced moribund holes with replenished continuous streams.

It was great timing for all this to happen during the middle of closed season because the waters have now settled and the cod are active on the drop.

Kayak paddles have been replaced with rods.

The dams on the Downs during the closed season have produced great numbers of cod and yellowbelly.

Early in the open season, diving lures and spinnerbaits usually work a treat while surface lures take a back seat, though this year I feel that won’t be the case.

Cod were slowing a little during the drought before closed season and by the time it had

Fresh Water

by NOAL KUHL

started, hits were few and far between.

Three months was a good rest period for both anglers and cod alike.

I have read many articles about cod memory or ‘Oi stupid’ as they have been referred to, as a fish for not being the brightest animals due to hitting the same lures in successive days.

This may be the case when using diving plugs and spinnerbaits but rarely have I witnessed cod rehammering surface lures at short intervals.

I have tagged Murray cod that have been caught on surface lures and so far, after 30 releases I’ve failed to recapture a tagged specimen.

During the spawning season, the several in-flows in the creeks via upstream run-off water were perfectly timed.

It’s great to take the kayak out and check any structures that have moved in the three months such as a new fallen tree or timbers that have already fallen and changed position within the streambed.

Sometimes this can benefit or be an upset.

Cod are territorial and also

picky about choosing their underwater estate.

Once you get to know a waterway and catch cod in a location, great snags are remembered for future reference.

Not only for catching cod but the layout of the structure as similar-looking snag piles may give the same successful codcatching results.

After a flood, the snag pile foundations can be shifted and skewed sideways or disassembled altogether, which is enough to upset the tenants and cause them to find new lodgings.

What was once a great cod catching zone can offer little rewards and as much disappointment is shown, an angler will move on and check out other structures that were previously barren.

If these structures have been repositioned by the latest inflows, there is a good chance they may contain décor to a cod’s liking.

It’s early summer already and native fish on the Downs in dams or riverine estates are highly active.

It is looking like we’ll have great fishing sessions ahead.

The recent rainfall on the Downs provided an odd fresh to enter into the systems during closed season and once the waters have settled, good fishing should prevail.

www.bnbfishing.com. au

Bush ‘n Beach merchandise HOLIDAY RENTALS BUXTON – Modern brick home, fully s/c sleeps 7.

Fish the Burrum, Gregory, Isis & Cherwell Rivers & Hervey Bay from one Great Location, OS $350 p/w Ph 0428 262 976.

RUSSELL ISL FOR FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS – 3 bedroom $350/week or $30/night. 0404 866 571.

FOR SALE & WANTED BRAND-NEW QUINTREX RENEGADE 420 TS (2018) powered by Evinrude E-TEC 40hp with PTT and electric start. Lowrance 9” Ti sounder, carpeted front and rear casting platforms, live bait tank with tackle box and more. Save big bucks on this new tinnie with factory warranties in place. Just $16,000 ono. Call George today on 0424 539 928.

CLARK 455 NAVIGATOR - Mercury 50Hp low hours, Oceanic braked trailer, Garmin GPS/ Sounder, Safety gear, Canopy, 2 pedestal seats, Rear lounge, Painted hull. Great value fishing package ready for the Summer Season @ $17,495 tow away you can’t go wrong! – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

CRUISE CRAFT EXECUTIVE 630 (2008) motivated by a 220hp MerCruiser 4.3-litre MPI. Features include freshwater tanks, swim platform with large cutting board, sliding shade extension, large Raymarine electronics, full galley with cooker and sink, chemical toilet, removable toilet and so much more. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au CRUISE CRAFT RESORT 5 (2004) powered by Evinrude 135hp on Redco mechanical braked trailer. Boarding platform, full-width internal rear lounge, storage under rear lounge, dash storage box with lid, separate anchor locker with hatch, adjustable driver’s seat, walk-through transom, storage in front bow area, lockable glovebox, port and starboard cockpit side pockets and carpeted ski locker. $25,876. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au ENSIGN 4.29M CENTRE CONSOLE (1994). 1990 home-made gal trailer, 1993 Johnson 40hp twostroke motor, HyDrive hydraulic steering, rod holders, Furuno fishfinder, carpeted floor, carpeted front casting platform, safety gear package and tie-down strap. $5490. Call Wynnum Marine on 07 3396 9777 or visit wynnummarine.com.au HAINES HUNTER 600 CLASSIC - Yamaha 200Hp EFI 4S, Belco HD trailer, Furuno colour sounder, VHF radio, Fusion stereo, Hydraulic steering, Elec. Anchor winch, Trim tabs, S/S T-top w. slide out, Plumbed LB tank, Bait board, Rocket launcher and loads more!... $69,995 tow away – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www. johncrawfordmarine.com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

KEVLACAT 1900 - A MASSIVE $4K PRICE DROPNOW, $72,995 TOW AWAY! Dual Suzuki 70Hp EFI 4S low hrs & serviced May 2018, braked trailer w 4 new tyres, Lowrance colour GPS/Sounder, GME

27MHz radio, ICOM VHF radio, 2 x 180L UF fuel tanks, Canopy, Storm cover, Plumbed LB tank, Unplumbed bait tank, Bait board, Rocket launcher– John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

LATE MODEL USED ALUMINIUM BOATS WANTED from Quintrex, Stacer, Ally Craft, Stessco, Bar Crusher, Bluefin, Brooker and Clark – Make selling your boat simple and hassle free - Cash or Consign – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

MAKO CRAFT 420 ESTUARY TRACKER OPEN (2005) powered by Yamaha 25hp four-stroke electric start. Bimini and sock, Lowrance sounder, low floor, nav lights, poly trailer with gal drawbar, springs and axle. Great starter bream and bass boat and priced to sell at $2500 drive away. Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

MAKO CRAFT 440 ESTUARY TRACKER (2007).

Wooden floor removed and replaced with alloy and carpet so it will never rot. Also features Lowrance Hook-5 colour sounder/GPS with map card, marine radio, nav lights and bilge pump, cup holders, stereo, padded seats, Mercury 40hp twostroke XR lightning oil-injected and a good trailer.

Ready to go at $10,990 drive away. Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

QUALITY USED FIBREGLASS BOATS WANTED from Haines Hunter, Signature, Cruise Craft, Baysport and Whittley – Make selling your boat simple and hassle free - Cash or Consign – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

SAVAGE 5.2M ALLOY BOAT with Suzuki 70hp fourstroke (low hours) and Yamaha 15hp aux motor, Lowrance sounder, live bait tank, bait board, marine radio, Brooker trailer with new brakes and bearings. Good starter boat at $10,990. Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

SIGNATURE 493F – Suzuki 70Hp EFI 4S low hrs, Dunbier braked trailer w. 2 new light truck tyres, Northstar Explorer GPS/Sounder, GME VHF radio, Fusion stereo, Bimini top, 2 pedestal seats, Rear lounge, Unblumbed bait tank, 4 rod holders & so much more. Exceptional buying @ $24,995 – John Crawford Marine Queensland’s Used Boat Specialists since 1964 www.johncrawfordmarine. com.au Ph. 3890 2322.

STACER 469 OUTLAW SIDE CONSOLE (2016).

Mercury 60hp EFI four-stroke (18 hours), Lowrance Hook 4, bow mount plate, nav lights, live bait tank, glove box, battery isolating switch, bimini top and more. Call Brisbane Yamaha on 07 3888 1727 or visit brisbaneyamaha.com.au

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• Online at www.bnbfishing.com.au • Post to PO Box 387, Cleveland Q 4163 • Phone 07 3286 1833

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Do you want to know more about bar crossing & offshore fishing?

Tuition with Bill Corten – successful offshore fisherman and commercial skipper

WANTED – LATE MODEL USED BOATS. Cash or consignment. When you buy a used boat from Karee Marine you know it has been through our workshop and checked over. A RWC is given with each boat sold. We have a fully insured undercover showroom so your boat will not be left out. Call Trevor at Karee Marine today on 07 3875 1600.

January Edition Copy Deadline – Advertisements must arrive NO later than December 10, 2018

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Easy ways to order

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

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

Contact Bill Corten T: 07 3286 3647 M: 0447 233 247 0447 ( a f f a i r ) E: reel_affair@yahoo.com Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018 – Page 67

Subscription offer for December* Subscribe this month for your chance to win one of two cool Barz Optics floating sunglasses packs!

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2018 Lions Mary Valley Family Fishing Classic wrap-up HE Mary Valley Lions Club and Lake Borumba Fish Stocking Association should be congratulated on another fantastic competition.

www.barzoptics.com

■ ONE YEAR $50 (inc. post)

The senior winners.

Send your cheque, money order or credit card details for $50 or $95 (inc. GST) to Bush ’n Beach and your copy will be mailed direct to you for the next 12 or 24 months. We’ll advise you when your subscription runs out.

I mentioned last year’s competition was cancelled right at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances, and unfortunately this affected the turnout for 2018, with competitor numbers down on previous years.

The boys expected to take a knock due to last year’s misfortune, but in any case the weekend of competition was nothing but positive.

A lot of new faces were in the competition line-up, with anglers travelling from Bundaberg, Gladstone, the South Burnett and right through to Brisbane and as far south as Ballina.

The Saturday evening was a great night, with excellent entertainment and food supplied by the Lions Club members.

There seemed to be an endless supply of prizes and lots of smiles and happy anglers.

Thanks to Ben from Bush ‘n Beach for sup-

Competition Report

by PAUL ‘CHIEF’ GRAVESON

plying subscription giveaways on the night.

They were gratefully received.

The weather gods were pleased and some great fish were weighed in during the comp.

Check out the ripper saratoga caught by Ben Jones.

Over 200 fish were measured during the competition, consisting of four saratoga, 25 golden perch, 175 bass, one catfish and 10 red claw, though

strangely enough not a single silver perch.

A healthy population of silver perch exists in Borumba, so it was interesting to see none measured in.

Check out the winner’s table for the full rundown.

Keep an eye out for next year’s dates.

Remember, funds raised from this comp help restock Borumba Dam and support our local community.

Cheers, Chief.

Ben Jones with an impressive saratoga.

Return completed form to: Bush ’n Beach Fishing PO Box 387, Cleveland 4163 ph 07 3286 1833 or fax 07 3821 2637 or go online www.bnbfishing.com.au

Name: .........................................................................................................................

Address: ..................................................................................................................... .......................................................................... Postcode: .........................................

Date: ................................................................. Phone:..............................................

Email:..........................................................................................................................

Junior winners.

PAYMENT DETAILS

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2018 Mary Valley Family Fishing Classic winners

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Junior

GIFT CERTIFICATES

❑ Happy Birthday ❑ Happy Father’s Day

❑ Happy Fishing ❑ Merry Christmas

To: ..............................................................................................................................

Winner

Home location

Red claw

24cm

Nate Ward

Bundaberg

Bass

48cm

Nate Ward

Bundaberg

Saratoga Golden Perch

None entered 43.5cm

Jordan Walker-Waller

Brooloo

Catfish

None entered

Silver Perch

None entered

Senior

Signature: ..................................................................................................................

Length

Length

Winner

Home location

Bass

47.6cm

Rio Els

Cooloola Cove

Saratoga

79.4cm

Ben Jones

Gympie

Golden Perch

49.5cm

Nick Parkyn

Eudlo

Catfish

47.8cm

Peter Hands

Glenwood

Silver Perch

None entered

Mystery length fish winners

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

Species: bass

Length: 37.2cm

Tied result – N Churchward, Q Tarong and G Beasley.

Page 68 – Bush ’n Beach Fishing, December 2018

www.bnbfishing.com. au

The game has changed… The ALL NEW Mercury 15-20hp FourStroke battery-free EFI range changes the way you will think about portable outboards.

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

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BRISBANE EAST Manly Harbour Marine 570 Royal Esplanade, Manly Q 4179 P: 07 3893 2199 E: info@manlyharbourmarine.com.au W: manlyharbourmarine.com.au

CAIRNS Aussie Marine 5 Hannam St, Bungalow Q 4870 P: 07 4033 8800 E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au W: aussiemarine.com.au

INNISFAIL Coastal Marine & Outdoors 178 Edith St, Innisfail Q 4870 P: 07 4061 8272 E: joel@coastalmarine.net.au W: coastalmarine.net.au

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1776 Ipswich Motorway, Rocklea | Call 07 3875 1600