25 minute read
Summer Fishing
The blue marlin can be caught all year round off the Gold Coast
Summer Fishing Guide
Nic fishing The Seaway
The Gold Coast waterways are home to blue swimmer crabs, mud crabs, coral crabs and spanner crabs (offshore).
The many miles of sheltered waterways, combined with a normally very safe Gold Coast Seaway and easy access to the offshore reefs, means the average boater stands a good chance of landing anything from a marlin to a garfish, all within 30 minutes of the boat ramp. Local NIC WELCH shares his favourite spots to enjoy moments of peace and fish on the Gold Coast waters.
ON CALM WATERS
Jumpinpin is by far my favourite location. There is no sign of civilisation apart from the like-minded fisherman. There is a labyrinth of mangrove-lined channels to set crab pots and places to escape the wind from every wind direction no matter what strength, and an underwater landscape of every variety to target your favourite fish. Yabbies can be pumped at the inlet at the northern end of South Stradbroke Island. Try your luck at channel junctions at Crusoe Island, Five Ways, Tiger Mullet, and Whalleys Gutter. Drift along Kalinga Bank and the Pig Sties for anything, from a whiting to a mulloway. Please take care if fishing further towards Jumpinpin bar itself. This is a notoriously dangerous bar and should only ever be crossed by very experienced skippers in a reliable vessel with recent local knowledge of the bar.
ONSHORE
When beach fishing, the surf side of South Stradbroke Island is simply a must do. You can anchor your boat on the calm side of the island and walk less than 10 minutes across the island to the surf in at least three locations: The Bedrooms, Brown’s Island, and South Currigee Campground. Just carry your surf rod with a trusty Alvey reel, a shoulder bag for your catch and bait, and a pair of worming pliers. Beach worms are readily caught all along the island, and a whole worm threaded on a hook is fantastic bait for mulloway, especially at night. So do not forget your head torch! There are permanent gutters which run every few hundred metres or so along the island. These hold countless numbers of dart and flathead, with tailor feeding in the white water and gutter run-offs ready to take your pilchard-loaded gangs, soft plastics, or silver spoons. Pipis can be dug easily at the waters edge, a favourite bait for dart.
WILD WATERS
When fishing offshore, the 24-fathom reef just five nautical miles due east of the Gold Coast Seaway is one of my favourite destinations. It takes less than half an hour to reach these productive fishing grounds, which hold consistent numbers of snapper and trag jew during winter. Venus tuskfish (parrot) and bar-tailed flathead are also a welcome bycatch. As the water warms in summer, spotted and spanish mackerel are a targeted species, often caught by trolling skirted lures or floating down unweighted pillies or live baits suspended by balloons on the surface. Being in only roughly 45-metre deep waters at the 24s means you are not winding in your line for minutes on end. It is handy for when the fish are hungry, as your bait can be smashed before it has the chance to reach the bottom. The current is good at the 24s, with a 4-oz to 8-oz sinker being suitable most of the time.
One of the biggest advantages of the 24s east of the Seaway, is that if you see weather approaching, it’s only a short trip home. The predominant winter south-easterly or predominant summer north-easterly breeze will produce a cross-shore chop which should be able to be handled by a 5-m+ vessel in 15 knots of breeze without difficulty by a competent skipper.
MAC TUNA
Known as the little tuna, belongs to the family with mackerels, tunas and bonitos.
Photos of Brendan Taylor
SPANISH MACKEREL
Can reach a maximum length of approximately 2.4 metres and 70kg in weight.
FLATHEAD
One of the elephant species with large heads that inhabit estuaries and the open ocean.
JUMPINPIN
There is a labyrinth of mangrove-lined channels at Jumpinpin to set crab pots and places to escape the wind from every wind direction no matter what strength. For assistance, contact VMRJacobs Well on (07) 5546 1100, VHF channels 16/73, or 27MHz channels 88/91.
THE 24-FATHOM REEF
Being in only roughly 45-metre deep waters at the 24s means you are not winding in your line for minutes on end. It is handy for when the fish are hungry, as your bait can be smashed before it has the chance to reach the bottom. Always log on and off with the Seaway Tower, Coastguard Southport, or VMR Southport on VHF channel 16/73, or 27 MHz channel 91.
SOUTH STRADBROKE ISLAND
SOME HELPFUL HINTS
1Get out early, and catch your own bait. Try to be fishing at first light. If you pump your own yabbies, catch your own beachworms, castnet some poddy mullet, or jig for slimeys and yakkas, you will catch ten times more fish than if you buy that frozen pack of prawns or squid.
2Always have a good quality Gortex jacket, a pair of sunglasses, hat, bottle of drinking water, frozen bottles of water for the esky instead of a bag of ice, and a couple of Snickers bars.
3My main motivation to go out fishing is to escape the monotony of mainland life, and enjoy the great outdoors in the amazing aquatic playground the Gold Coast offers. It does not even matter if the fish are not leaping into your boat on the day. A bad day fishing is far better than the best day at work!
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ARE YOU READY TO DISCOVER A JOMO?
The latest and most versatile small boat to hit the water!
There is a new boat in town that ticks all of the boxes. Are you ready to discover the latest and one of the most advanced small boats?
Introducing the JOMO, an Australian designed, developed and made polyethylene boat that eliminates the anguish and irritation commonly associated with small boats. This really is the Joy Of Missing Out. LET’S TALK HULL DESIGN - Designed by a naval architect, the hull was created to be stable both at rest and on the move. Due to the hull’s shape, the JOMO planes comfortably and easily, even with only one person on board. The boat is rotomoulded using the latest materials and techniques. This creates a double skin that makes level flotation possible and provides a soft enjoyable ride. It is almost impossible to damage the hull due to its polyethylene structure, which is four times as strong as fibreglass. Dents and damage are a thing of the past. The hull is also manufactured as one piece, so there are no seams or welds that can break or bend. This was demonstrated during the JOMO drop tests for compliance to international standards. The boat was dropped from a 10-metre height onto a road and bounced with no structural damage. It was also dropped loaded with half a tonne of weight and was still undamaged. Very little hull maintenance is required due to the sheer durability of the material. Not only is the hull tough, but it is also naturally buoyant, allowing the hull to remain above water even when completely filled with water. As a result of the hull’s buoyancy and strength, the JOMO hull has the world’s highest safety rating with level flotation that keeps the occupants “in” the boat even if it is swamped — something essential when there are predators in the water. WHAT ABOUT HANDLING & POWER? - The JOMO handles and turns smoothly, and is very stable and comfortable even through choppy, rough water. It tracks precisely at high and low speeds, making it easy for anyone to handle on the water. The balance, by design, is exceptional. The JOMO can plane quickly and easily due to the unique hull design. With the rear tabs, steering is smooth and precise even in choppy conditions. The JOMO is legally allowed to use up to a 20hp motor, unlike the majority of 3 metre boats with many limited to 5hp. It planes with a 6hp motor, making it ideal for young water enthusiasts. The aluminium reinforced transom is extremely solid, unlike many small boats which lack rigidity. The internal aluminium plate is bound by plastic and sandwiched together with an additional two aluminium plates to provide unparalleled rigidity. This is what allows a 20hp motor to be used with ease. ALL-IMPORTANT SPECIFICATIONS - The JOMO is extremely versatile and can be modified for almost any use, from a tender to a fishing boat, it’s an allrounder. It is rated to carry four people comfortably, unlike many other boats of its size, with a rated maximum load of 459kg. The JOMO comes with a five-year warranty for private use and one year for most commercial uses.
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Teak cleaners in action
BEFORE AFTER Rust Off Gel in Action
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Teak Cleaning Series RUST OFF GEL
Rust Off Gel: Rust Stain and Oxidation Remover
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SHAKE IT UP! AXOPAR 25
an innovative and compelling solution
Utilising Axopar’s knowledge and the time and effort spent developing the larger siblings in the range, Axopar are introducing a true crossover between comfortable day boating and extended island-hopping, where the seaworthiness and handling that all Axopars are renowned for come to the fore. An innovative and compelling solution, the Axopar 25 strictly adheres to its proven award-winning legacy and DNA. With the 25, Axopar dive into the thriving world of cuddy cruisers, and making another leap forward in terms of value for money – now offering more space, more overall comfort and more all-round capability. Eyachts managing director, Peter Hrones says, "The new Axopar 25 was extremely well received on its release at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival. To have an 8m (25ft) boat legally trailable in Australia and NZ is very exciting. The new Axopar 25 Cross Bow and Cross Top are set to be the ultimate all-rounder.” The wide helm console and front screen offer a helm seating area with more space and room for a step-through entrance to the front cabin, in a style used by other larger Axopar models. TA full-width cushioned sundeck is positioned atop the cabin roof, with a sloping backrest that follows the rake of the front screen “The Axopar 25 is like a mini Axopar 37 with a bow cabin and toilet, which means you can also do some overnighting on the water or road. Aussies will love to take the new Axopar 25 on road trip adventures and then, on arrival, keep the family entertained with some wakeboarding, water skiing, donutting, or just lazing about fishing and picnicking on board,” states Hrones. “A good spread of deck seating modules and storage options will enable customers to configure the boat precisely to their every need. The two most popular layouts will most likely follow the Axopar 22 with the U-shaped dining for 6 to 8 people with optional sunbed and the other option being the enormous toy storage area in the cockpit,” Hrones added. For Australia and New Zealand, one of the best-selling variants is likely to be the ever-popular, all-weather optional T-top version. The T-top roof is fixed securely in place by way of discreet, black-painted supports attached to bulwarks on either side. The roof consists of a fixed canvas top within a GRP surround and is also available with an optional folding canvas top that will open up the cockpit to the sun when wanted, or stay closed for maximum shade.
Axopar will now rigorously test the two prototype boats they had on display at the Cannes Yachting Festival for another 3 to 4 months before going into full production in late January 2022. Eyachts will have a display at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2022.
Contact Eyachts for more… boats@eyachts.com.au or 9979 2443.
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In bright sunlight the lens is exposed to both visible and UV light. The lens changes to a darker shade and moves to its darkest state with an 86% tint. This means 86% of the light is blocked and only 14% passes through the lens to you eye providing maximum protection against intense sunlight.
TRANSITIONS FROM DARK TO LIGHTIn bright sunlight the lens is exposed to both visible and UV light. The lens changes to a darker shade and moves to its darkest state
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In low light conditions the lens moves to 67% allowing the maximum amount of light to reach your eyes providing optimal daytime vision in cloudy or low light overcast conditions. Flemington Flemington combines our signature Slice Polarised Glass lens into a Handmade acetate frame that not only looks and performs as all Tonic Sunglasses
All measurements show are in mm. All measurements show are in mm.
All measurements show are in mm. All measurements show are in mm.
OutbackOutback
51
39.5 51
39.5
135 15
NEW NEW
135 15
145 145
46
Outback offers a style that is both modest and Outback offers a style that is both modest and extremely comfortable, suitable for all day wear extremely comfortable, suitable for all day wear in any conditions. Available in the SliceLens, in any conditions. Available in the SliceLens, Outback will cut through glare and increase clarity Outback will cut through glare and increase clarity no matter what activity you’re involved in. no matter what activity you’re involved in.
All measurements show are in mm.All measurements show are in mm. 58
42.5
NEW NEW
58
42.5
135 15 135 15
150 150
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Phone: +61 3 9761 7002 PO Box 547, Croydon, 3136, Victoria, Australia Phone: +61 3 9761 7002 PO Box 547, Croydon, 3136, Victoria, Australia
