Fishing Monthly Magazine | September 2020

• GRAB YOUR GEAR, SPRING IS HERE! • NEW FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION SEE INSIDE

QLD NSW VIC

TAS

Tried and Tested

WA

SFT Lures • Garmin Force review • Horizon 525 SunRunner with Mercury 115hp ProXS •

Features

Tropical sweetwater fishing • Tough yakking in Tinny Creek • Gotta love those good vibes • Who represents your views to Government?

• Southern bluefin tuna fishery debate • The truth about lithium batteries • Lure colour: a fish eye view •

Location Spotlight

Elliot Fooks takes us tropical sweetwater fishing September, 2020 ISSN 2652-5798

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER September 2020, Vol. 1 No.5 TAS

QUEENSLAND Tweed 14 Gold Coast 16 Brisbane 18 Northern Bay 20 Noosa 22 Hervey Bay 24 Rainbow Beach 26 Bundaberg 26 Mackay 30 Whitsundays 32 Townsville 33 Lucinda 34 Hinchinbrook 35 Cairns 35 Port Douglas 36 Cooktown 37 Cape York 36 Freshwater 38 NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater 46 Sydney North 47 Sydney Rock 48 Sydney South 50 Ballina 52 Coffs Harbour 54 South West Rocks 56 Hastings 57 Forster 58 Port Stephens 59 Swansea 60 Central Coast 61 Illawarra 62 Batemans Bay 63 Bermagui 64 Tathra 64 Albury/Wodonga 68 Batlow 69 Hunter Valley 70 New England Rivers 70 Canberra 72 VICTORIA West Coast 80 Warrnambool 81 Apollo Bay 80 Cobden 81 Geelong 82 PPB West 84 PPB East 85 Phillip Island 86 Lakes Entrance 87 Gippsland Lakes 87 Marlo 88 Mallacoota 88 Robinvale 90 Wangaratta 91 Shepparton 92 Bendigo 93 Crater Lakes 93 Ballarat 94 Eildon 95 TASMANIA Hobart 96 6

SEPTEMBER 2020

From the editor’s Desk...

WA

During Queensland restrictions, charter boat operator Mick Underwood got the rare chance to go fishing, and he wasn’t disappointed with his golden trevally capture.

A Reef Underwood image.

Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

LOCKED IN STATE As the COVID months trudge along, we’re all getting used to making it up as we go. We’ve done it with the magazines.

We’re doing it with the ABT Tournaments and we’re doing it with our video content creation.

There’s so much going on interstate, but we can’t get there to cover it, run it or film it.

But I suppose that I shouldn’t complain…There’s worse businesses to be in than fishing and boating in 2020. I’d hate to be running a restaurant or live music venue. Fishing and boating are inherently low risk and social distancing practices that will be the last of our outlets to be cut.

So we are doing what we can with the resources we have. We haven’t missed a print deadline yet (since 1987) and we were able to run a few events before the borders closed. We are able to do some boat and tackle tests locally and still put together a magazine that most of you still love.

I won’t lie – there’s a few who have

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance 104 Bremer Bay 104 Augusta 105 Bunbury 106 Mandurah 107 Metro 108 Lancelin 110 Geraldton 113 Kalbarri 112 Exmouth 116 Broome 116 Karratha 117 Freshwater 120

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REGULAR FEATURES Tropical sweetwater fishing 8 Starlo’s back to basics 12 Sheik of the Creek 29 Tough yakking in Tinny Creek 40 Gotta love those good vibes 42 WIRF 74 Who represents your views 76 Southern bluefin tuna fishery debate 78 SFT lures tested 98 Recfishwest 108 Trades and Services 102 What’s New Fishing 100 Tournaments 120 Track my Fish 124 Understanding Lithium batteries 126 Boat Test: Horizon 525 Sunrunner 128 Tide page 130 COMPS AND OFFERS Find the logo Sub page Fun page

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Phone: (07) 3387 0800 Fax: (07) 3387 0801 Managing Editor: Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Editorial: Nicole Penfold Field Editors: Jason Ehrlich, Wayne Kampe Publishers: Steve Morgan, Matthew Drinkall

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74 106 Women In Rec Fishing

sunk the boot in, but we take it all as constructive criticism. If you want the magazines to be just like they were, sorry.

We are unable to do that.

Good news is that subscriptions are still as strong as ever and newsagent sales are really good. Thank you for that.

Sincerely.

TUNA DEBATE Thanks, also, for the feedback we received from the great southern bluefin tuna (SBT) debate that we covered last issue. We missed a few heavy hitters in the first piece, so there’s a part two inside. Hear what some individuals and some of your representative organisations say about the issue.

At least the question of “Does anyone read the articles?” was well and truly answered.

GREAT FATHERS’ DAY GIFT We have a great Fathers’ Day offer at the moment – two year subscription with a free FM magazine fishing shirt and headscarf for all $130. Dad will get the gear immediately and then a Fishing Monthly in the mailbox every month for the next two years.

There’s always something special about getting something in the mail, it’s more real than a notification that your digital magazine has arrived. We can do those, too, by the way. You just don’t get a shirt with it.

I hope you enjoy the September issue.

Wash your hands, stop licking each other and we’ll all come out the other side raring to experience all of the fishing Australia has to offer.

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Tropical sweetwater fishing made simple BRISBANE

Elliot Fooks

With the world still more or less in disarray, most of us have gotten used to a reality of less fishing, or at the very least, fishing only in water a short distance away. With the way things are at the moment though, interstate travel is very difficult, and international travel is pretty much impossible.

Anglers need to stay in their own area code for fishing fix. This is where tropical freshwater streams can offer a really good alternative to those glamorous interstate sojourns.

The nice thing about Queensland and WA is that they extend north-south for thousands of kilometres, meaning you can travel in either direction for a few hours and suddenly feel like you’re in a different country!

For Brisbanites used to the temperate climate of the South East, the Tropical North provides a wildly different backdrop for your fishing, and of course, a host of different species. In WA, those familiar with the green countryside

Never be afraid to throw a cast into shallow snaggy pockets like this one. If there’s a roof overhead, it’s good real estate for a sooty! around Perth suddenly find themselves in sandy, barren and windblown countryside only a few hours drive north.

In both these massive states, there is flowing freshwater in the tropical north. These

Sooties can come in a variety of shades. This one blends in quite well with its environment.

streams offer some fantastic fishing year round (outside of substantial weather events), and in places like QLD and WA, they provide southern anglers wanting to stay within their state a rare treat.

WHAT’S THE BIG PULL? Over the last decade or so, I’ve fallen in love with the tropical north’s many sweetwater streams and the aggressive fish that reside within. Watching a dozen or so sooties or jungle perch fight over your lure with a backdrop of rainforest and tropical birdlife is about as good as it gets for a lure angler. In these areas, there’s also a decent chance of nailing other northern prizes, like barramundi and mangrove jack, and oddballs like snakehead gudgeon, khaki grunter, tarpon, longtom and more.

Southern anglers can

easily drive up in their own vehicle and stay a few days, exploring the area with the help of a map. Alternatively, flying up (if permitted) and hiring a car is a very time efficient method to grabbing a northern sweetwater fix.

The real beauty of it is you don’t need a boat! Wind becomes a non-factor in these small sheltered waterways, and unless the place is in serious flood or totally dry, you should be able to connect up to some hard-fighting fish!

SOME GEOGRAPHY In Queensland, the two main prizes of the freshwater streams are sooty grunter and jungle perch. Sooties, while found sporadically in some streams just north of Brisbane, officially start their range just north of Rockhampton, with good populations in the Pioneer River in the Mackay district. Jungle perch have suffered severe habitat destruction in the last century, and while rumoured to still exist in several streams north and south of Brisbane, only become a reliable target from Mackay up to the tip of Cape York.

In WA’s Kimberley region, western sooty grunter (an identical twin to the sooties in the east) are the most viable target. They are documented to exist from the Meda River and north into the Northern Territory. These streams may not flow all year round, as they do not rise in rainforest areas like those in TNQ. These areas are also more difficult to access, and short trips in the interest of a quick fix might not be on the table. For the adventurous angler, however, it may be a challenging yet rewarding experience.

Cape York’s West Coast and Gulf regions are similar in character to those in WA, where sooties are again the mainstay of the fishing, with northern or gulf saratoga the icing on the cake.

ALL FOUR SEASONS One of the best things about creek fishing in the tropics is that it can be done all year round – conditions permitting. There are better times, of course, but these will vary from creek to creek. Not having to synchronize your trip with any sort of special weather event or moon phase makes this fishing convenient, and this is why it’s such a great ‘back up’ plan if your original plan doesn’t come together.

Let’s take a look at the different seasons in depth.

SUMMER Summer would seem like a logical go-to for some people, and in some areas it is, however summer in the tropics can be very unpredictable.

At the beginning of summer, if the usual storms

Jungle perch are the true prize in TNQ’s rainforest streams. The colours on these fish are just magical, and their fighting ability and tendency to jump when hooked is a real bonus. have yet to pick up, the creeks may well be at their lowest.

In this situation, it pays to prepare yourself for a fair bit of walking. Seeking out the slightly deeper pockets between the shallow riffles is key to locating any fish in low water levels. With that said, I’m constantly amazed by how comfortable these little tropical predators can be in super shallow water, especially sooties. On several occasions I’ve thrown a ‘speculator’ into

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SEPTEMBER 2020

a shallow, snaggy pocket no more than 15cm deep, and been surprised to see an angry sooty between 30-40cm shoot out from under the bank on its side to nail my lure or fly!

Lure selection at this time is usually more difficult than in other times, as the water is clear and the fish can get a good look at your offering.

In the deeper stuff, smaller crankbaits, spinnerbaits, beetle spins and soft plastics are a good choice. When the shadows lengthen and the bug activity increases, the usual poppers, fizzers, paddlers, walkers and bent minnow styles will get the job done. If you can see fish following lures but not eating them, be prepared to change your retrieve or presentation all together.

• All-around activities • Natural contrast

Tom, a trout angler, using his knowledge of fishing fast water to nail sooties during the wet season.

In a high-vis situation like this, casting well ahead of yourself as you wander or wade upstream is important.

Jungle perch in particular are very tuned into their surroundings, and once you spook them, you’ve missed your chance!

The second half of summer can often see small creeks flooding regularly, and while not ideal for your fishing either, can offer some unique opportunities.

When floodwaters start to recede and the water clears up while still running high, the fish can become very active in an attempt to spread themselves out in the system. It can also offer flood dependent species like barra a chance to venture well upstream of the tidal limits.

When fishing high rivers, seeking out eddies and structure that breaks current is a good start. Don’t be surprised to see sooties and JPs chase a lure into the fast stuff, however, as these nutrient-deficient streams don’t offer a lot of tucker for these fish. In most scenarios, small predators, and particularly sooties, won’t pass up a free feed.

AUTUMN Autumn in the tropics is usually a very pleasant time to be outdoors, with intermittent rain and a possible late

summer storm the only real bother. A good wet season will see most rivers flowing nicely, and the fish should be active.

Sooties generally like to have current and structure, and JP’s

and more fishing, so don’t be afraid to really work a pool over. While repeat casts to the same area aren’t very useful for these species, a cast a metre or two from the last one might

may be slippery.

Something else to think about is vehicular access. In areas where you may have to navigate unsealed road, wet conditions can obviously make access difficult. In saying this though, it’s certainly not necessary to hit the dirt roads in search of these little battlers.

WINTER Believe it or not, winter can actually provide some excellent sweetwater fishing.

Stable creek levels and comfortable temperatures make this activity a treat, but there are some things to consider.

While sooties are their usual hungry selves during winter, JPs, just like bass down south, make their

annual migration to the salt to spawn. Don’t think freshwater stretches will be completely devoid of these speckled prizes though, as a portion of the population will always remain above the tidal limit during the spawning season.

At this stage of the year, depending on the wet season, the creeks may be starting to get a little low and oxygen depleted, so it pays to stay up to speed with the river levels if this information is available to you.

At any time of year, the anglers who venture furthest from their access points will usually score better numbers and size, because while this sort of fishing isn’t super popular, there are enough

Russel from Singapore pulled this river chunk from one of those ‘gotta be one in there’ type spots. Russel left North Queensland with a respect for these fantastic sportfish. favour pools where there’s an in-flow point to wait under for falling prey. In autumn, you should have those ingredients in good supply!

Arming yourself with a good variety of lures is very important when there’s lots of fishable water, with shallow runs, slower pools and giant snag complexes all likely to hold fish. With any luck, more water should mean less walking between likely areas

make a difference.

Having the ability to change lures quickly is a very economic way to fish in high water. Carrying a second rod or using a snap to make fast lure changes to meet the requirements of each pool is extremely handy.

Be aware that areas that you wade in the spring and summer months might not be suitable for wading just after the wet season, and the banks

They can’t all be monsters. JPs can be quite competitive when a prey item enters their domain, however the larger, wiser fish will often hang back while the reckless juvenile fish tuck in. who do it. Fishing water that hasn’t seen pressure at least for a while is preferable, and the relatively mild winters in this part of the world make walking long distances a lot easier than in summer!

SPRING Spring is probably my pick of the lot if I’m in a position to choose! My reasoning is fairly personal, and I’m not necessarily saying this is the

A 4WD is a useful tool if taking on the challenge, but by no means necessary, with many creeks accessible by sealed crossings and bridges.

best time.

I like that the creeks are usually fairly low without being bone dry, the temperatures are still fairly comfortable, the chances of the weather turning bad are slim, and it’s also probably the best time to drop in and visit some of the barramundi impoundments!

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From page 9

increase in fish feeding activity across the board, and cricket scores of fish can be had on warm afternoons in shallow, clear running tropical creeks.

Sometimes the stormy season can arrive early and get the creeks flooding, but these first good drops of rain can see jungle perch, in particular,

using the extra flow to ascend the system’s rapids. If you get the chance to fish a creek after a nice rise, without the river being in full-scale flood, you should be able to nail some quality fish.

HAZARDS The tropical north isn’t without its dangers, and wading these creeks isn’t for

Gin-clear water requires a level of stealth to fish effectively. JPs and sooties may be aggressive, but they’re not dumb.

New

the careless or negligent.

The biggest potential danger in these environments is saltwater crocodiles. These big reptiles can and will venture upstream well past the tidal influence, and this is more likely during the wet season. During the wet, female crocodiles venture inland to swamp and floodplains to deposit their eggs, and a high-flowing creek is an excellent highway. As a general rule, I do not wade in anything I can’t see the bottom of, and when fishing any deeper pools, I always make sure I have room to move should I spot something suspicious. It pays to heed warning signs and listen to locals. If it doesn’t feel quite right, don’t risk it. Even though you’re probably safe 99% of the time, that 1% can see things go very, very, very wrong if you’re careless.

Snakes are a hazard when bank fishing anywhere, but in the tropical north there are plenty of them, particularly during spring. Watch your step, wear adequate footwear, and preferably long pants.

Other wildlife, such as dogs, pigs and cassowaries, shouldn’t give you too many dramas, especially if you’re fishing with a friend, but it still pays to stay vigilant.

Even without animals, injuries can happen when traversing these rugged places.

Slipping off a big boulder or

sliding down a scrubby bank could be a real problem, especially if you’re miles from the car. I can remember an incident where my fishing buddy slipped and fell on his tailbone while approaching a pool full of big JPs. Amazingly, he picked himself up and made the cast, securing himself a fantastic JP in the 40cm range on fly gear. After this capture, his only option was to wallow in the river and let the current aid him downstream, as walking was not an option.

If you want to avoid problems with this style of fishing, some preparation can make things easier. Carrying a basic first aid kit, letting someone know where you’re going and when you’re expected to return, fishing with a mate and paying attention to warnings and notices should keep you from encountering too many problems.

FIND YOUR OWN SWEETWATER PARADISE The great thing about our tropical north is that because it’s such a wet place, there’s literally rivers and creeks everywhere. The general rule for finding fish is ‘anywhere there’s water’, however there are factors that will give you an advantage.

As alluded to previously, venturing beyond the reach of other anglers will give you a better chance of having one of

Barra are always welcome, and will really test your light gear once they get bigger than this one Nicole caught. those magical days. This may involve getting sore legs and scratches from the vegetation, but it can be worth the effort.

Thinking about your approach when coming up to some likely water can also be the difference between an average day and a cracking day.

So there you have it!

It’s fun, accessible, relaxing and an easy way to get a fix

during these trying times!

Any bass and trout anglers down south will have an absolute ball doing this (once interstate travel is allowed).

Additionally, anyone wanting to break into lure fishing is well accommodated for, as these streams offer a great practise arena for the budding lure or fly chucker.

Bring on spring!

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Sussing out an estuary NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Where do you start when working a new piece of water, or returning to an old area you haven’t fished in years?

Here are some vital clues!

This winter I returned to a NSW south coast estuary that I hadn’t fished in well over a decade, since moving to a different part of the

fishers. Sure enough, although I found reasonable amounts of bait here on this recent trip — mostly consisting of schools of small to middling chopper tailor — I failed to get a bite from a jewie, while having way too many plastics chewed up by tailor!

Later, I fished an eroded, casuarina-lined bank in a relatively narrow, deep section of the lower estuary. This is a very ‘fishy’ area with lots of deep, current-scoured structure

but not in the concentrations I was really looking for.

I finally struck pay-dirt just downstream of twin highway bridges spanning the river, in another area that often produced for me in the past.

There’s some really interesting structure here in the form of a couple of massive, livingroom size boulders that rise from 11-12m of water to about 1m or so under the surface on the dead low tide. As they so often did in my former days on the river, these impressive current breaks held massive quantities of fish... in fact, my sounder screen lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree!

Fishing small plastics on light gear, I quickly established that large numbers of estuary perch, tailor and blackfish (luderick) were present here. I’m sure there were also bream and tarwhine.

These are all prime tucker for mulloway. Sure enough, while prospecting among these hordes of smaller fish, I hooked

Estuary perch were by-catch while searching for bream and flathead and were carefully released, but their presence can be a good indicator that mulloway might be nearby. two jewies spooked the rest of the school and I couldn’t relocate them that day.

You know the luderick are thick when you start catching a few on soft plastics. They’re also a favourite meal for mulloway, and the author’s big jewie contained two about the size of this one. coast. I knew the fishing back on my old patch would be relatively tough due to low water temperatures, clear water and a dramatic increase in commercial netting pressure over the last few years, but I was keen to see if I could still scratch up a few decent fish, despite the less-than-perfect conditions.

Naturally enough, one of the first things I did was to return to those parts of the river that had been good to me in the past. These included areas where I’d caught numbers of mulloway in the early 2000s.

I’d heard that this particular stretch of the estuary’s lower reaches hadn’t fished all that consistently in more recent times, particularly since being heavily netted by commercial

and, as expected, it produced estuary perch, flathead, bream and more tailor on this visit, but again larger targets were scarce on the sounder and it wasn’t really ‘happening’ there.

The water throughout the lower estuary was clear, cool and highly saline, which led me to surmise that the bulk of fish activity may well be concentrated further upstream.

With this in mind, I began heading upriver, slowing down to sound out any obvious (and historically proven) spots such as the junction of a major feeder creek with the main river, any deeper, rocky stretches and an extensive system of shallower, reefy water with a narrow channel running through it. All these spots held bait and larger fish,

The author managed this lovely 104.5cm jewie or mulloway on a soft plastic after spending a full day and a half sussing out an estuary he hadn’t fished in well over a decade.

an earlier start!). I headed straight to the area where the fish had been the previous afternoon, sounding up similar quantities of bait and fish.

The tide was running out reasonably briskly, so I surmised that any large predators sitting in handy proximity to this mother lode of food would be seeking some sort of current break. The most obvious one was the dual sets of pylons immediately upstream of the aggregation of perch, tailor and other fish.

It took me about three or four casts into this deep slot to get my distance and sink time exactly right with a 100mm soft plastic to ensure I was ‘touching down’ right in the prime slot behind the pylons...

Next cast after that, the line ticked to a sharp pick-up and I struck, coming up tight on a very powerful fish. The result — after a torrid 10-15 minute stoush — was a 104.5cm, 10.5kg mulloway. I put this

I hope this process makes some sort of sense and potentially helps you to crack some codes and unlock a few patterns in your neck of the woods. There’s nothing magical about it. It’s simply a combination of five key factors: 1. Previous experience: relying on memories of productive spots in an old location, or looking for places that remind you of such places in new ones.

2. Observation: watching for signs and clues and, in particular, closely monitoring your sounder screen.

3. Exploration: not being afraid to cover a bit of water — often while not fishing at all — to simply look for concentrations of life.

4. Educated guesswork: extrapolating what you’re seeing above the water to make assumptions about the underwater topography, current breaks and so on.

5. A little good old-fashioned

two very powerful opponents that both escaped, the second after straightening out my light jig hooks... I’d obviously found what I was looking for.

Unfortunately, losing those

When the sounder screen lights up like this, you know you’ve struck pay-dirt. These fish are a mix of estuary perch, tailor, blackfish (luderick) and bream. Mulloway can’t resist such a smorgasbord!

Mulloway are great looking fish fresh from the water. The rod is one of the new series of rebirthed T-Curves from Shimano, and it performed brilliantly.

12

SEPTEMBER 2020

Next morning I drove my car and boat upriver closer to this prime zone I’d found and launched at 8am (it was too cold to get enthusiastic about

fish in the boat and drove straight back to the ramp to pull out. One fish like that is plenty for our needs, and I love leaving on a high!

luck: it never hurts to have Lady Luck on your side!

Fish enough and you WILL get lucky.

Until next time, tight lines.

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13

Southern

OLD

Most winter species in full spawn mode are dominating the estuaries at the moment. Look to those shallow yabby-filled sand/weed bed areas with 2-5” plastics, 30-90mm hardbodies, 70-100mm vibes or blades. Even surface lures like walk-the-dog and stickbaits will catch them in up to 3ft of water. Yabbies and worms also fishing well

THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

Most winter species are in full spawn mode now, and the best bite times are the lead-up week to three days before the full moon and three days to the week after the full moon.

Finding where species are spawning is the next key to catching them. Look for close reefs out to the 36 Fathoms for snapper, spangled emperor, sea perch, pearl perch, mulloway, cobia, Maori cod, pigfish, tuskfish, bream and tarwhine. The bite time after the full moon is always a lot better then the lead up as they are trying to replace the fat reserves in their bodies, which they used up during the few days of spawning.

There will be lots of bream, tailor, flathead, soapy-size mulloway and trevally species through out the estuary this month.

The beaches have also

Just one of the quality tailor being caught in the Tweed this month. been producing, with good numbers of tailor running with mullet. The predators are tailing these packs and pods, with trevally, mulloway, bream and flathead all tailing these schools.

OFFSHORE Finding those spawning packs and schools of reefies is key to scoring a feed.

Again, the week on the lead up to full moon and the week following the full moon will

see them feeding up and easier to catch. These packs are found on most reefs out to the 36 Fathoms.

Micro jigs, plastics and various bait set-ups are working best to score a feed of the bigger reefies.

Fishing at dusk and dawn over close reefs with drift baits and plastics, such as 5-9” Jerkshads and wriggle tails, is producing the best fish. I recommend using

Shane Seghers with a decent river mulloway.

14

SEPTEMBER 2020

hook comes out mid-belly and then place the second whitebait through the eye so they look like they are lying in formation. This is a deadly way to catch those bigger flathead.

Soapy/school size mulloway have been in great numbers this season in the estuary systems. Look to

bright colours before sun up and after dark, and natural colours once the sun is established. The 24s and 36s are the go to for a feed of pan-sized reefies.

Mulloway and cobia have been sitting on wrecks and around bommies out to the 36 Fathoms, and live baits are fishing best. Pike, mullet, tailor, yakkas and slimies are the go to baits.

Some big kingfish, amberjack and samsonfish are starting to show up out wide this month. Live baits and jigs working best in those rocks and reefs out at 100m and 200m lines. Jig or sinker size depends on the day, current, wind and swell.

There have been a lot of big sea bream and tarwhine hanging in really close. Look to Close Reefs like Point Reef, Cook, Kingy, Hasting Point and Black Rocks.

There is still lots of bait on most close reefs. Look to Point Reef, Kirra, Tweed Bait Grounds, yellow marker at Cook, 10 Min and North Kingy bommie for an array of different species of bait such as yakkas, bonnies, tailor, pike and bullseye roughs.

ESTUARY Flathead, mulloway, bream, trevally and tailor

Jonathon Pierce with a nice king that ate his live yakka. on those skinny banks.

Live mullet, herring, biddies, whiting and small pike are fishing well in the deep water of a night for the bigger female flatties. Try drifting the main channels next to weed and sand banks with a standard running ball sinker down to a swivel, with a length of 30-50cm trace with a long shank hook with two whitebaits on it.

Line up the first whitebait so

the deeper holes, rock walls, bridge pylons and isolated rocks in deep water. Finding the schooled-up mulloway doesn’t mean you will hook straight into them though.

They are one of the most finicky bitters in the ocean, and in a 12-hour period they may have only a 30-minute bite window, so you need to work those packs and schools at the right times.

One hour leading up to slack

OLD

A solid bag of pannies. tide, slack tide, and an hour after the change are the key bite times.

Having the right bait or lures ready to go is important, so you may want to have a few set-ups ready to go. For example, you can have a plastic set up on one rod, a vibe (we use ZX40s) on another, and a live bait

set-up on a third outfit. This allows you to cover all bases in a very quick time without chopping and changing.

Having a wide range of live baits will help in your mulloway search, as these predators feed on whatever is near them at the time. This could be herring, mullet, tailor, whiting, biddies, pike

or whitebait.

Lots of trevally species work the bait schools and fry at this time of year, and matching the hatch is the best way to get connected to these thumpers. Surface lures are working well above the bait schools that are getting busted up.

There are lots of bream schooling up around structure at the moment.

Good baits to use are mullet gut, mullet strips, pillies, whitebait, bread, dough, beach worms, pipis, squid, soldier crabs/black rock crabs, and chicken gut or fillets.

Small lures fished on 6lb line are the go for bream.

You just need to experiment with different lures to see what the bream are feeding on that day.

Luderick are in good numbers around the bridges, rock walls and structure.

Stringy weed is the go-to weed for luderick in the estuaries, and you should be able to find that in the irrigation channels around the sugarcane fields.

Cabbage weed is best for luderick around the rock walls near the mouths and headlands. You can find cabbage weed on most rocks on the beaches at low tide.

BEACHES The beaches and headlands are still fishing

really well. Tailor, bream, flathead, whiting, dart, trevally and odd mulloway are sitting along most beaches in the deeper gutters. Night run-out tides are fishing best.

The headlands are still holding good fish, and spinning metals at first and last light can produce some great tailor. Live

Squire-size snapper, Moses perch and bream, using strip baits and half pillies, are fishing well on the run-in tide at night. It just goes to show that you don’t need a boat to catch snapper.

SWEETWATER It’s open season for bass again, so dust off the bass gear and get down to the brackish water where they

Southern

lines and lilies. Micro jigs, spoons, hardbodies, plastics and vibes are all effective on these schooled up fish.

SEPTEMBER FISHING We will see very similar conditions throughout this month. The reefies will stay thick in close, and the cobia and mulloway will continue to hang around those bommies and wrecks.

Kristain Frey caught this mulloway on live baits at night. baits and big strip baits are fishing well at night off the headlands for mulloway.

Some great pan-sized reefies are hanging in close on the reefs that join to headlands or river mouths.

are schooled up and waiting for the wet season to kick off, so they can migrate back upstream.

The dams are still fishing well, with bass schooled up around the tree

The flathead, soapies and trevally will continue their dominance in the estuary, and bream will continue to thicken up. The bass will start to fire up over the next month too.

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15

Southern

OLD

Flatty spawning run ramps up GOLD COAST

David Green

September is a good month for targeting the deeper reefs.

With the snapper and pearl perch season now open again after the month-long closure, the 36 and 50 fathom line offer plenty of opportunities.

The current is usually quite slow and the water generally cools down to around 19°C. If you’re heading offshore beware of strong westerly winds as it can get extremely rough on the wider grounds.

In general, the deeper reefs north of the Seaway are the best places to explore this month. Deep water jigging is another good option at this time of year.

Snapper are going to be the main target species to chase this month, and so far it has been quite a good season up until the enforced closure.

Most of the fish have spawned by this time and feed hard to put on condition. Both the inshore grounds and the 36 fathom reef will produce good fish this month. Tide changes and dawn/dusk seem to fish the best. A bit of berley is a definite help, and deep soft

plastics, slow jigging and the ever-reliable pilchard are all effective strategies. There should be a few bigger fish this month up to 90cm on the 36 fathom line, and after the closed season they may be biting well.

On the 50 fathom line

there should be good numbers of pearl perch, snapper, pigfish and amberjacks. There are a few isolated pinnacles located in about 120m of water that have been producing some fantastic pearl perch up to 5kg in recent months, and while the location of these is shrouded

Michael Green with a tailor taken off the surface.

Gary’s Marine Centre

in secrecy, it shows that if you explore wide of the 50 fathom line it is still possible to find new and relatively untouched spots. Some of these spots also produce bar cod, one of the best eating fish in the ocean.

In closer to shore there should be mulloway at night and a few cobia around. Live baiting can be very productive, and slimy mackerel and tailor are my favourite baits at this time of year. Most of the mulloway will be caught at night, and some of the pinnacles just off the Seaway, and the artificial reefs to the north of it have been fishing well. Most of these fish have been between 90-120cm. It pays to be quite patient when chasing cobia and mulloway, and in general a bit of berley and a well anchored boat are the keys to success. You need to be fishing right on the ledge, wreck or pinnacle rather than drifting. Cobia can turn up at any time, but most of the mulloway bites come just on dark. Each year there seem to be increasing numbers of mulloway on the local reefs.

Game fishing is generally slow at this time of year, but there have been quite a few black marlin turning up on the snapper grounds in recent weeks. One well-known game boat caught five black marlin and a striped marlin live baiting on Spot X in July.

There may be a few yellowfin tuna out on the 1000m line, and there will probably be quite a few striped marlin from the 36 fathom line out to the 300m line. If the sauris and gannets are around there is a very good chance of a fish. If the water temperature is over 22°C there

Sue Sullivan with a flathead from Jumpinpin. down the fishing. A lot more bigger flathead will show up this month as they prepare for spawning.

The deep entrances at Jumpinpin and the Seaway can be very productive using both large soft plastics and soft vibes. Make sure your jighead is heavy enough to get to the bottom. I generally use weights of 30-90g in the deep water. This method will also produce quite a few mulloway.

In shallower water, big fish can be targeted using long soft plastic stickbaits, large shallow running minnows and swimbaits. The last hour of a big run-in tide is generally the best time to work the flats. Trolling should also be effective this month, working

too. As the water warms up a bit and the days get longer, mangrove jacks become a lot more active in the canals of the Coomera and Nerang rivers.

Casting both hardbodied lures and paddle-tail plastics around the hundreds of floating pontoons can be quite effective in September, and a few fish over 50cm will turn up this month. As well as mangrove jacks, this tactic produces estuary cod, big-eye trevally, giant trevally and the odd oversized tailor.

Tailor generally feed on the run-in tide around Jumpinpin and respond well to metal lures, stickbaits and soft plastics. Some big fish around 4kg have been caught in recent weeks in the gutter

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Snapper are the main target species in spring. is always the chance of a blue marlin as well.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES With the 2020 Flathead Classic cancelled due to the coronavirus, there seem to be fewer boats out chasing the brown flat ones. Despite this the flathead fishing has been quite good. The estuary water will warm up a bit this month, and when the wind is a northwesterly it can severely shut 16

SEPTEMBER 2020

shallow hardbodies across the flats, and already this season catches of over 40 fish per session have been quite common. Most of the fish have been between 40-60cm but in September the average size generally increases as the spawning run gets into full swing.

Although most of the activity is focused on flathead, there are other good options

just south of Jumpinpin bar, and there have also been scattered schools of longtail tuna out a bit wider. Some of the mullet schools have been thick enough to walk on.

Overall, it should be an interesting month fishing the Gold Coast. Hopefully we can put this bloody virus behind us and get back to some kind of normality and prepare for the 2021 Flathead Classic!

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Southern

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A September to remember BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

At last the cooler weather is behind us and a long hot summer is in our sights.

Warmer conditions bring forth mental images of surface busting pelagics, marauding mangrove jacks and many other aggressive species.

As we ease into this scenario over the next month or two, baitfish activity will increase as the water temperatures climb. Predator metabolism will accelerate, making them more hungry and aggressive. For us piscators, this offers some great opportunities to target a wide array of fish species over the coming months.

September is a month where

offer great habitat for jacks, so they’re good places to focus your efforts.

Early season fish can be a little more aggressive and less wary so now is a great time for newbies to try their luck at scoring one of these crimson assailants.

Anchoring upcurrent from prominent structure and deploying a live bait back to it is a proven method.

However, you must be ready to engage the reel and wind hard once you get a take if you want any chance of landing the fish.

Casting lures is a much better way to cover a broad area of water.

Prominent structure can be worked over with a few casts before moving on to another. Generally if a jack is resident, the strike will come within the first couple of casts. However it

There will still be a few decent squid caught throughout the usual locales within the bay. a broad array of species can be encountered and anglers are often surprised at what takes their bait or lure. Let’s explore a few of the more common offerings.

MANGROVE JACK For many estuarine anglers during September and the warmer months, mangrove jack are numero uno on their hit list. These aggressive predators are generally structure orientated, darting out from their sanctuary to engulf a passing morsel such as a baitfish or crustacean. This aggressiveness makes them an ideal target for fishers casting offerings such as soft plastics, minnow lures, vibration baits, topwater lures and flies.

The vibrations emitted by a live bait will commonly draw the jack from their ambush position although they are sometimes taken on dead offerings such as fillet strips, banana prawns and whole fish (such as herrings, pike, pilchards, yakkas and mullet).

Structures such as bridge pylons, rock walls, jetties, boat moorings, mangrove snags and pontoons can 18

SEPTEMBER 2020

often pays to try different offerings to find something more to their liking.

Raby Bay, Aquatic Paradise, Sovereign Waters, Newport Waterways and most boat harbours are worth prospecting. These all have good structure and resident populations of mangrove jack, estuary cod, flathead, bream, trevally, tarpon and other species.

Additionally there are many land-based spots to fish here and kayakers also have a lot of nooks to explore.

SCHOOL MACKEREL The major channel systems such as the Rous, Small Ships, Pearl, Rainbow and Kianga should all have decent numbers of school mackerel filtering through them by this time. Rising tides will generally see schoolies meandering up the channels before they spill out onto the flats to hunt for baitfish, cephalopods and other morsels. The start of the rising tide is a great time to either drift pilchards along the edges of these channels or troll spoons and deep diving minnow lures.

Often you will score several fish within a short period.

Commercial line fishers commonly troll spoons in the Rous, Rainbow or Small Ships channels – a dead giveaway that the mackerel are on. Spoons such as Halco Barra Drone, Halco Kimberley Spoon, Macka Spoons and others are commonly trolled behind paravanes or trolling boards.

Deep diving minnow lures such as Nomad DTX 85mm and 100mm, Samaki Redic DS100 and DS80, Atomic Hardz Shiner 85mm and 100mm, Nomad Styx 116mm and many others can be put to good use.

As sharks are usually not such a problem in these channels, light braided line can be used to troll these lures which will increase diving depth and angling enjoyment.

School mackerel can also be found around the major shipping channel beacons. Here they can be caught on drifted pilchards or jigged slugs and chrome slices. Pilchards should be fished with just enough weight to get them drifting down into the strike zone.

Chromed metals can be free-spooled to the bottom adjacent to the beacon before being retrieved back in a fast and erratic manner.

Approaching the beacon from the downcurrent side will make it easier and minimise lost lures and fish to the structure.

TUNA AND BONITO September can be a decent month for longtails and other tunas within Moreton Bay, although the best is yet to come.

Occasional schools of surface busting fish will be located however they are generally feeding in a casual manner on very small baitfish at this time of the season. This can often make it difficult to get a strike because they won’t

chase anything fast moving or larger than the miniscule bait they are dining on.

Many anglers will try a stickbait lure worked using a slow wind or a series of sweeps and pauses. This is worth a try and may catalyse a strike from the odd fish keen for a diet change.

Another method is to cast a small baitfishprofiled fly into the melee and just let it sink within the area of the active fish before retrieving with a slow hand-over-hand strip.

Fly fishers have the ability to cast out a very small imitate-the-bait offering as the casting weight is within the line, not the offering.

A #9 to #11 weight rod is ideal for targeting longtails and other bay pelagics when combined with a quality reel and an intermediate or sink tip line. The offerings presented are generally a lot more realistic than what can be delivered using a spin rod, often giving you the upper hand.

Mack tuna and bonito are also a serious target with the fly rod and are often less profile-orientated than the longtails during September.

Naturally this allows them to be spun up more regularly using small chromed slugs and slices, or jigheadrigged jerk shad plastics.

Whilst these fish are poor table fare, they offer great sportfishing targets or awesome bait for an array of species. The fillets can be use fresh or salted then frozen. The frame and head are excellent crab bait.

The baitfish will get larger in the coming months, therefore the predators’ focus will be on larger offerings which will make them easier to tempt.

THREADFIN Good numbers of threadfin salmon will again make their way down to

Trolling spoons in the channels is almost a sure fire way to score a few schoolies during September. the lower reaches of the Brisbane River as water temperatures rise. The area from the Gateway Bridge all the way out to the leads beacons is also worth targeting. Good numbers will also be found in the Logan River and around the southern bay islands over the coming months. Threadfin can be encountered in any river or creeks filtering into the Moreton Bay area but are more common in the larger systems.

Those anglers with quality side-imaging electronics generally have no trouble finding threadies as they show up quite prominently due to their large air bladders. However, finding them is often only half the battle. Getting them to bite can often be difficult and anglers will sometimes need to try different

A gob this big has no trouble engulfing large baits. A snelled circle hook rig will heighten chances of a successful hook-up in the front or corner of the mouth, which decreases the chance of getting rubbed off.

offerings and bide their time until the threadies decide to eat. Sometimes they will ignore most lures however a live bait dropped in front of them may work. Prawns, herring and mullet are generally the best option, fished lightly weighted and close to the bottom.

In the Brisbane River, anglers commonly search for threadies along the declines into the main river basin, the fronts of the numerous jetties or wharves and deeper holes.

Threadfin can often be found in large numbers with multiple captures recorded for a session on the water.

Keeping threadfin in the water whilst you remove the hook and release them will go a long way to guaranteeing that they swim away healthy.

COBIA September can be a good month for cobia within the Moreton Bay region.

These brutes are often found around the shipping channel beacons, Curtin Artificial, Kianga Channel (Western Rocks area) and other coffee rock or ledges.

Good baits can include sand crabs and whole, live fish such as slimy mackerel, yakkas, pike, cowanyoung and fusiliers. These baits are best fished close to the bottom with a 100lb to 130lb leader with two 9/0 or 10/0 circle hooks snelled onto it.

Sharks can often be a problem in some areas, especially the Kianga Channel when the whales are in the vicinity. Cobia fight a bit like sharks and have a similar profile so avoid breaking one off until you have a positive identification. If fishing

OLD

around the southern bay beacons, drive the boat to the beacon immediately after hook-up. The cobia will generally go against the direction of the pull therefore swimming away from the structure.

Cobia in Moreton Bay can reach weights in excess of 40kg but are more common in the 12-20kg range. Personally I consider larger cobia are the best to eat, possibly due to their diet preference of sand crabs which seems to reflect in the taste of their flesh. Whilst multiple fish can be taken in a session, the possession limit of two fish over 75cm will provide more than enough fillets for several meals for the average family.

SNAPPER With snapper back on anglers’ hit lists after the closure which finished in mid August, the usual bay haunts, including the bay island margins, artificial reefs and wrecks will be regularly occupied.

Hopefully the majority of the larger snapper managed to breed, helping increase the prevalence of this important recreational species.

Casting soft plastics around the fringes of the bay islands is likely to reap rewards during September, especially for those who

target areas with minimal boat traffic. Long drifts with the main motor off and repositioning with an electric motor is advisable in these shallow areas. Skirting wide of your chosen drift line whilst repositioning is advised.

Jerk shad, paddle-tail and curl-tail plastics are ideal and are commonly fished on 1/6oz or 1/4oz jigheads.

Soft vibes can also work well when cast upcurrent

and hopped or rolled back.

Trolling lures is another ploy that will sometimes work exceptionally well for snapper, yet there can be a lot of by-catch such as sweetlip, cod, school mackerel, tailor and occasionally longtail tuna.

The artificial reefs receive a lot of fishing pressure yet continually produce snapper of all sizes on both baits and lures.

Fresh baits will always

out-produce frozen product but shop-bought pilchards and squid can still work exceptionally well. Release any undersized snapper with care as they are the ones which will grow into the big knobbies we all aim to catch.

CRABS September can be a decent month to wet the crab pots in the estuaries and bay. Mud crabs and sand/blue swimmer crabs

Threadfin numbers will be on the increase in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River and other systems as water temperatures rise.

can all be caught at this time of the year. Sometimes they are not very full so it pays to check before taking them.

Baits such as fish frames and heads, whole mullet, chicken carcasses or even a few pilchards in a mesh bag will take all species of crabs. Setting pots high up in the creeks and drains leading from the mangrove expanse will heighten chances for muddies. Sand crabs will often travel along the edges of contour lines and channels so these are natural areas to deploy pots. The surrounds of the bay islands will also yield good captures.

As temperatures warm, crabbing will become more productive but you still should be able to score a few for a feed over the coming month.

FLATHEAD There have been some good flathead captures in recent weeks with a lot of quality specimens in the 50-70cm range being caught. The Pumicestone Passage and Jumpinpin areas have a multitude of sand banks, mud banks, channels and gutters where flathead thrive. Trolling the edge of the banks on a falling tide is almost a sure-fire way to get connected. Small brightly coloured minnow lures (pink, orange or chartreuse

Southern

are good colours), which will occasionally bang the bottom when trolled are a great choice. These same areas can be worked over with jighead rigged plastics or soft vibes, hopped down the decline from the top of the bank into the deeper water.

On the higher stages of the tide, flathead will move right up on top of the banks, therefore working these areas with the aforementioned lures, plus swimbaits, glidebaits or soft stickbaits such as Sluggos or Silstar Slapstix is often very productive, with fish to over 90cm caught at times.

CONCLUSION Plenty of options exist for anglers during September. With a few reasonable downpours over the last few months there are increased nutrient levels in the estuarine systems and this should be evident in the quality of the fishing and crabbing. Additionally, warming waters throughout Moreton Bay will result in better numbers of pelagic species and heightened metabolisms.

Snapper, sweetlip, tuskfish and others will be popular offerings around the bay islands and artificial reefs. With so much on offer, hopefully it will be a September to remember for you.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

19

Southern

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Break out the surface lures NORTHERN BAY

Steve Nash

It’s time to pack the winter woolies away! Spring has sprung and the fishing is starting to warm up.

The winter species are slowly thinning out a bit now. A few lucky anglers have landed some when the conditions have been right, with some pan-size snapper from around the Bribie bridges and up through the passage

still finding a few in the bay midweek when the boat traffic is a bit quieter.

RIVERS Flathead Spring time will see good numbers of flathead return to the mouths of the estuaries.

As the larger female fish move down from the upper reaches they are followed by the smaller males looking to spawn with them, so when you find a patch of flathead it’s always worth throwing a slightly bigger bait in the

pilchards on a small 1/0 hook lightly weighted with a small sinker drifted past will also be a bag filler.

Whiting Yellowfin whiting will be worth chasing up on the shallow sand banks throughout the northern bay areas. These include Pumicestone Passage, the mouths of the Pine and Caboolture rivers and along the beaches of Bribie Island.

Sand worms or prawns are good baits. You can drift them over the flats on an incoming tide or, as the tide drops, cast up on to the flats and let your bait drift back into the deeper channel.

TOPWATER ACTION September is the perfect time to start throwing surface lures around as water temperatures rise and

is a spectacular way to spend a warm spring day. The way these fish will hunt down a lure is a massive adrenaline rush and visually exciting. You can drift across the flats in a boat, or go wading the shallows on a making tide. Anyone can get the addiction, whether they have a boat or not.

The gear To get your lure to work properly you need a longer rod with a light tip. A 7ft, 2-4lb rod is perfect for the job, and it can also double up for throwing light plastics and small hardbodies. All manufacturers have a rod in this range, it just comes down to your budget and what feels comfortable.

Having straight through mono line will make it near impossible to get your lure to

Bill Grog with a flathead from the mouth of the Pine River. and the rubble grounds along Moreton island. Tailor schools are still chopping up the bait schools in the bay but nowhere near the numbers they have been. Squid have thinned out but are still a few large tigers turning up at night around light sources but they should start to disappear as the water temp increases. The schools of winter whiting have all but gone from their usual haunts but the specialists are

area to entice a larger female.

Please remember to take a good photo and release her as quickly as possible.

Bream Bream will be spread out through our systems this month, taking up residency on any and every bit of structure.

Little crankbaits or cut-down lightly weighted small plastics worked in and around these structures will see you hooked up. Prawns or small strips of

jelly prawns start to fill our estuaries. Bream, whiting and even flathead will start chasing these tasty morsels as they feed in the shallows. Casting walkthe-dog style lures and small poppers across shallow flats

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a mention. With poppers, it’s hard to go past a Rebel Pop-R in the clear colour.

Of course, there are lots of other suitable lures on the market, and with so many to choose from your lure box can fill up quickly!

If you find that you are missing hits or the fish are not overly committed to the lure, try removing the rear treble and adding assist hooks. It’s a little modification which will make it more attractive.

Techniques Walk-the-dog lures require a lot of wrist action, with short quick flicks and winding up the slack line making the lure dart from side to side.

swim naturally, so light braid lines are the best. While some of the experts will fish super light I find that 10lb braid is a good starting point.

The most important part is your leader. Mono leader is a must as it doesn’t sink and creates less drag when retrieving. All fluoro lines sink, pulling the lure down and not letting it swim properly. I recommend using an 8-10lb mono leader about 0.5m long while tying a loop knot to the

A wild bass from a local freshwater creek.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

FRESHWATER September sees the opening of the wild bass season. The North and South Pine and Caboolture rivers all contain good numbers of wild bass, and while these are in the upper reaches and inaccessible by boat, you can paddle a kayak or canoe. It’s a great way to explore some beautiful parts of this region and chase these bronze creek brawlers.

River bass have some serious street smarts – they fight dirty and often win the battle by seeking the cover of logs and fallen trees.

Our dams should see the bass starting to move back to the edges, but because most

This bream was taken on a small, clear popper.

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This whiting fell to a Bassday Sugapen.

lure to allow lots of movement.

Lures The next question is what lures to use. There are so many options, everything from expensive high-end lures to bargain bin cheapies. Walkthe-dog lures like Bassday Sugapens are my favourite but Atomic’s K9 also needs

Poppers can be a lot easier to get a handle on, with a simple flick of the rod tip that is kept low to the water level. Make small splashes with pauses while mixing up the speed of retrieves until you find the one that works. Each day will be different, depending on the mood of the fish.

have gorged themselves over winter it can be a better time to chase a few of the other species that call the edges home.

Yellowbelly will start to become very active and enter their spawning cycle this month. Working the edges with shallow divers or hopping small blades like ZX40s amongst the weed beds will bring them undone every time.

Another target at this time of year is a fish that holds a special place in many anglers’ hearts and memories: the prehistoric saratoga. There is something very special about these fish.

Not only are they highly elusive but they have a special set of skills to throw hooks with the greatest of ease, being able to leap and shake and fold themselves almost in half to avoid being photographed.

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21

Southern

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Action is starting to hot up NOOSA

Peter Wells

It’s that time of the year when the mighty mangrove jack is back on the hit list for most river and estuary anglers on the Sunshine Coast. This month is usually when the action really starts to hot up.

Both the Maroochy River and Noosa River have

fishing the flats at night.

Try fishing a couple of hours either side of high tide, as this is when the jacks are usually at their most active. The stretch around the back of the Noosa Sound and around Munna Bridge is a good place to start, with a couple of deep holes in the area.

Night fishing is ideal with a well presented live bait.

Trolling around Johns Landing in the upper

the Samaki Redic can see you hook up, with jacks eager to dash out and grab a lure before turning and running hard back towards structure.

In the Maroochy River, concentrate your fishing at the mouths of the creeks.

Petrie, Eudlo and Coolum creeks are all ideal places to target these fish.

At this time of year we can also expect to see plenty of quality tailor and

Dave Clark got this kingfish fishing in close to Noosa National Park on the outskirts of Sunshine Reef. the kind of environment and habitat that jacks love to live in. You can catch these fish fishing deep holes, casting at snags or

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reaches of the Noosa River is another great option, with plenty of rock bars in the area. Lures like the Jackall Hank Tune and

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trevally in the rivers. These fish will usually come in on the tide chasing small baitfish like herring and hardiheads. If you get a high tide first thing in the morning these fish will quite often be feeding on the surface. Casting surface poppers and walkers can be an exciting way to target them. Lures like the 95mm Bassday Sugapen

and Atomic K9 Bulldog have both got a unique action when it comes to surface walkers, while it is pretty hard to go past the Lucky Craft G-Splash for a popper.

Flathead have been in great numbers, with the run-out tide the best time to target them. When anglers try soft plastics for the first time, flathead are often the first species caught, and that’s because flatties are ideally suited to the way we fish plastics.

The cast and slow retrieve across the bottom with the odd hop works very well because you are normally pulling the lure right past the fish’s nose.

Some great places to target flathead in the Noosa River include around the many sandbars down towards the mouth or just upriver from the Tewantin boat ramp.

Brightly coloured plastics have been the go, with pink and chartreuse the most productive colours. In the Maroochy River, work the mud banks between Petrie and Eudlo creeks.

Moving on to the beaches, mulloway have been on the bite after dark, and a couple of nights before the new moon is the prime time. Big strips of bonito of mullet fillets on a snelled rig cast right out the back can see you hook up to one of these incredible fish. The key to catching mulloway is to wait for the run before you hook them.

These fish tend to mouth the bait before taking it, and an excited angler can pull the hooks free before getting them set.

We’ve seen some decent tailor captures of late on Noosa’s North Shore, and the gutters along from Teewah right up to the north at Double Island have

Arron Rubilis picked up a pair of snapper from Chardons Reef out of Noosa. been fishing well. Anglers have had some good luck fishing slugs when there is a decent school of fish. The Halco Twisty is still the number one lure for tailor off the beach – just cast out and retrieve at speed.

For the rock hoppers, the rocks at Noosa National Park and Yaroomba have been producing some good fish. The usual culprits have been there, like trevally and mulloway, and there have been a couple of quality kingies taken too, mostly in the National Park. Live baits of yakkas have been the perfect bait, but frozen slimy mackerel have also been good.

For the offshore anglers, September is when we’ll see the bigger snapper come on the bite on the wider grounds.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

Adam Ellis with a mulloway taken on 8lb line in the Kawana Waters area.

in mid-August there were plenty of anglers keen to get amongst them. The ground off Double Island and the outer edge of Hards has been producing good-size snapper and pearl perch.

Venus tuskfish, Maori cod, Moses perch and hussar have also been taken.

The Barwon Banks has been fishing well for amberjack, cobia, Venus tuskfish and gold-spot cod, all taken on live baits.

The key here is to upsize that leader material, with most anglers using 60-80lb fluorocarbon to get extra abrasion resistance.

In closer there have also been some good-size snapper caught off the Outer Gneerings as well as Murphys Reef, Sunshine Reef and Coolum Reef.

If you’re fishing in these areas I recommend using 5” soft plastics like ZMan JerkShadZ in coconut ice rigged on a TT HeadlockZ jighead. With soft plastics it’s important that you have the correct weighted jighead.

It helps to have a few extras in your box to choose from depending on the run of the current and the water depth you’re fishing. The best way to fish plastics is to set up a good drift, throw out as far as you can, and allow the plastic to find its way to the bottom, being aware that you may get hit on the drop.

• Don’t forget to check into www.fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest info on fishing and bar crossings.

The knowledgeable teams at Davo’s Tackle World Noosa and Davo’s Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

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SEPTEMBER 2020

23

Central

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Heat-loving species start to fire HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

There is only one negative aspect about spring and that’s the start of the dreaded northerlies.

This can make fishing the offshore and bay waters quite difficult and/or uncomfortable.

Fortunately there are many other great fishing options in our area, even during the northerly blows.

in anticipation of a window to hit the shelf and start towing large skirted lures around.

Locations and depths vary as to where these fish may be found and caught.

Factors to consider before planning a trip are the sea currents, sea temperature and then water quality once out on the shelf. If you are wondering how to access this information you can purchase an app, ‘Rip Charts’, which is quite a reliable source to work off.

crossing paths with a black or striped marlin too, and that prized ‘grand slam’ is very achievable. XOS yellowfin tuna are a potential by-catch at this time of year as they move onto our shelf’s waters, dictated by the currents. If you find a patch of ‘fin this will often result in chaos, with multiple hook-ups not uncommon.

For the light tackle enthusiast, good numbers of fish can be expected from the ‘0 Mile’ south, and timing

Fisho’s Tackle World Hervey Bay staff member, Logan Cummings, with a feisty salty he tempted with a hardbody twitched and suspended over a rock bar.

We should start to see a convoy of larger marlin boats making their way up through the Straits to base themselves here in Hervey Bay, in preparation for the upcoming billfish season.

These die-hard game fishos will be watching the weather

Trolling depths may vary – anywhere from 150-1000m of water – however the app will indicate where you should start.

The main drawcard of this incredible fishery is Fraser’s blue marlin, but there’s always the chance of

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your efforts around the moons, in particular the new moon period, will increase your chances. Searching for bait balls is a key component and you can often find them by spotting flocks of birds working the schools. Once the bait is located, set up a trolling pattern and work that particular area to raise a fish and entice a bite.

If you don’t have much luck down south, venturing north to the ‘13 Mile’ area could pay off. This area can often hold good numbers of fish and will also give you the opportunity of a sailfish or two. Skirted lures, swimming and skipping baits and/or switch baiting are all successful techniques when done properly.

This is the perfect opportunity to get into gamefishing and learn the basic skills and techniques required to target this incredible species. A quick reminder – these fish are very young, so please get them back in the water as quickly as you can, as this is crucial to their survival rate. Don’t forget to give them the required swim time before release.

If you like to get ahead of the pack and find your own fish, you can try your luck at a run of early season fish around Roonies. Most anglers, however, will hold off until October or November for the main run of fish to move inshore in greater numbers.

The reef fishing is often very limited by the weather at this time of year, although it still has potential if a window arises. The Breaksea Spit, in and around the shoal country, will produce the usual tuskfish, gold-spot wrasse, coronation trout, mixed emperor species and green jobfish. The deeper water will also be worth a shot with the electric gear targeting flame tail, bar cod, snapper and pearl perch before the big currents start to pick up.

West towards the Gutters, a good feed of trout, sweetlip, cod, tuskfish, snapper and hussar should be achievable, provided the sharks aren’t too active due to the warmer temps. Those who put in the effort to gather live baits on the way out will achieve best results on prized species such as coral trout. Alternatively, you can opt to ‘tea bag’ a

Flathead are one of the easiest species to hone your soft plastic skills on. Scott Mitchell scored this cracker while working a rocky outcrop. The old faithful bloodworm colour strikes again. cave to feed. Mackerel and trevally could be a nuisance in some areas, smashing your bait or lure on the way down, especially if you’re in an area that’s holding lots of baitfish.

Some good quality snapper can be caught in September before they migrate back offshore to the shelf. They can be found throughout Platypus Bay, Roonies, 25 Fathom Hole and the Gutters area – just find the yakka and you’ll find the fish. They typically aren’t too hard to tempt with a well-presented bait or soft plastic. During daylight hours they will often move around and stray from the main structures so it pays to sound around to find them.

Conversely, on daybreak and into the evening they will move in on that structure and gorge themselves on the yakka supply, often seeking refuge from the current and other predators.

Mixed trevally species such as goldens and tea leaf are a highly probable catch

Rambo trout are angry looking things. Josh Hoodless scored this one while fishing the gutter systems.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

variety of soft plastics, with prawn imitations generally the stand out profile. Trout can be targeted throughout the entire run period of the tide, however the best results will come from the change of tide. This is generally when they stray from their ledge or

whilst fishing these same locations, and will respond well to a variety of soft plastics, soft vibes and jigs worked rather erratically through the water column.

School mackerel typically turn up for the school holidays. This next

wave of fish to move through should be of a better size class than previous. The mackerel’s whereabouts and movements will vary according to the herring supply.

Typical areas holding fish are the ledges off Burrum Heads and the 8 Mile, Fairway beacon, Urangan channel and many of the markers, wrecks or rubble patches throughout the Southern Bay holding bait. Spinning Flasha spoons is quite an exciting and easy technique when scoping an area to locate fish. Floating a pilchard or live herring out on a set of gangs, or set as a bottom bait, can also produce good results.

The Urangan Pier will be a great land-based option this month. At this time last year there were anglers lined up shoulder to shoulder flicking metal spoons and getting smashed by packs of school mackerel, tuna and the odd bonito. Hopefully we’ll have a repeat of last year’s incredible run of fish, so prep your spoons and ensure your high-speed spin tackle is in order. The more impressive Spanish mackerel should be a common catch as they move in with the smaller schoolies, and these big bruisers will be a regular capture for those setting out a legal school mackerel under a balloon.

Both longtail and mac tuna can often be seen busting the surface as they rush the schools of helpless herring, hardihead and garfish. The tuna can easily be caught by spinning them up on metals, jerkshad style soft plastics and sinking stickbaits. More commonly anglers will set out a live herring under a balloon and drift it out wide off the very end of the pier to reach the main part of the shipping channel. Fishing the tides around first light and/or late afternoon typically produce the best results.

Mackerel weren’t the only species in abundance at this time last year; flathead were also a species around in good numbers and getting

OLD

caught regularly. You can target them using a variety of soft plastics or flicking a live bait such as herring or preferably a pike if you can get one, as they will often prove hard to resist. The last of the run-out tide and the first of the flood is the ideal time to target flatties as they start to push up from the drop-off and onto the sand bar to feed. This is where you can sight fish them as they cruise the flat, and a good pair of polarised sunglasses is essential for this. Another technique is to search around the pylons as the flatties can often be found sitting with their head into the current adjacent to the poles.

The whiting gurus will be out in full force targeting the first channel, particularly at night, with the best results coming when fishing around the larger building tides. Bag limits are usually achievable, especially if you’re prepared with an arsenal of fresh

Most anglers nowadays opt to target them on lures, ranging from soft plastics to vibes and even hardbodies with great success.

As our days get longer and the temperatures continue to rise, species such as barramundi, threadfin salmon and mangrove jack will become more active, making them more viable targets. The creeks and rivers around River Heads and down throughout the Straits are good locations to start searching for them.

Another river system that is set to fire is the Burrum, which really comes to life this time of year and can produce a variety of species.

GTs, queenfish and tarpon can often be found feeding on the schools of herring in the deeper holes adjacent to the larger bends of the main river system. These species can provide some great entertainment throughout the main period of the run and

Central

the yabby banks. They are best targeted at night on the larger tides.

On Fraser the inland tracks and beaches are extremely good, as with limited traffic due to COVID the tracks are very hard with minimal wash-outs. The fishing has been solid with good catches of sizeable whiting and dart coming from the edges of the deeper gutters on fresh sandworms.

Large tarwhine have been consistently targeted around the rocky outcrops, particularly Ngkala Rocks, using pipis for bait.

Reports of tailor have been a little hit and miss, depending on who you talk to. It seems as though the better results have come for those fishing around the Maheno wreck north, with the usual pilchard baits and chrome slugs doing the damage. For those who wish to brave the elements, mulloway are another prized

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Christie Green was proud as punch after she scored her first juvenile black marlin off Fraser! This fish was teased up and switched onto a 6’’ pusher. bloodworms or yabbies. The smaller neap tides will see the bite taper off considerably, as well as the quality of the fish.

Whiting will also be a prolific catch on the flats on the western side of Fraser and down throughout the Straits.

The better-quality fish will come for those fishing the turn of tide in the evening, with the preferred baits being freshly dug bloodworms or yabbies. You may find scattered patches throughout the course of the day however the size of the fish will often be lacking compared to those caught at night.

Flathead are another species that should be encountered in good numbers whilst fishing similar locations. These same flats and creeks on the western side of Fraser and the endless options down the Straits will leave most anglers spoilt for choice. Looking for key ambush points such as creek mouths, drains, rocky outcrops and drop-offs is essential to racking up a solid tally on the flathead.

can be targeted on light spin tackle. They’re easily to spot when busting the surface as they feed or, in the tarpons’ case, look for the bubbles.

Small surface lures, blades, paddle-tail and curly-tail soft plastics will all draw a bite.

The Burrum and its three tributaries produce incredible numbers of mangrove jack each season.

With endless snags, rock bars and holes you can target them in many ways using varying techniques, from live baiting to casting lures. Barra will also be another prized species readily caught whilst targeting jacks, or vice versa.

For the bait fishos, grunter will be a great target this month. These fish will be encountered upriver throughout the day, whereas under the cover of darkness you will find them on the flats around the island. They are often caught as a by-catch by anglers targeting whiting.

Thumper summer whiting are a typical catch throughout the lower reaches, around the islands and over

target at night, and fresh fillets of tailor or clumps of fresh sandworms are both gun baits when lobbed into one of the gutters. Drone fishing and slide-baiting over recent years have grown in popularity, and for good reason: it catches fish. GTs, sharks and XOS Spanish mackerel are a regular captures using these techniques.

If the northerlies kick in and make life tough in the salt, try your luck on the sweetwater and venture north to Lake Monduran.

This place went off last year, with good numbers of fish being caught when casting to the edges, particularly in the bays and points targeting weed edges and snags. Large numbers of fish will actively move onto the points and bays in the lower reaches of the dam during a northerly.

SDA and Bird Bay are two particular favourites that produced good numbers and quality fish to 90cm last year. Bring on the meteries this season!

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SEPTEMBER 2020

25

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We’re back up and running RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

It’s been a while since I’ve written a report with everything that’s been going on, but here we go!

OFFSHORE The fishing offshore has been very good, and so it damn well should be!

Between a pretty horrible run of weather and mandatory

shutdown due to the pandemic, not many trips have been done. Earlier this year, in April and May, mackerel were thick and so were the reefies. There were plenty of snapper, pearl perch, tuskfish and red emperor, but unfortunately I could not share this with my clients because of the shutdown. We started back up on 12 June but only managed a few trips for June and

July, due to unusually bad weather conditions. Again, we enjoyed great catches only to have another obstacle thrown at us – the monthlong closure on snapper and pearl perch. Fortunately, we are lucky enough here to have a huge variety of fish to choose from.

BEACH There have been plenty of big dart in the surf, along

with bream and the odd tailor. September is usually one of those nice months for weather and fishing. In the past, mid to late September has been the best time for snapper and big red emperor.

• To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters .com.au.

We can expect good catches of snapper this month.

Big fish taking live baits BUNDABERG

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The author with his PB red emperor, weighing in at a massive 22kg and 1040mm in length.

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The offshore fishing has been excellent in recent weeks, and the average size of the reefies is excellent.

When it comes to the likes of trout, red emperor, sweetlip and tuskfish, all the medium sized fish are nowhere to be found – it’s just the big models that are biting.

Lately we have been putting anglers onto 5kg trout and tuskfish, and 10kg red emperor regularly. And interestingly we’ve been catching massive hussar up to 55cm. You’ll be hooked up to a solid fish that’s taking drag, and then get the surprise of seeing a huge hussar on the end of your line. They might not be a glamorous species but they’re excellent eating.

Most of the tuskfish and sweetlip caught lately have been in depths of around 30m, and the bigger trout are being caught in 25-30m of water.

A solid bar-cheek coral trout with interesting colouration. through the nose.

When it comes to hooks, I use Elkat Live Bait hooks in 8/0, which nearly always hook the fish in the lip. However, if you’re fishing an area with loads of undersize red emperor or other reef species, consider using a circle hook to minimize deep-set hooks.

In the rivers, anglers are getting loads of big grunter

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If you’re going to try your luck, here’s the most important thing to remember: all of these big fish are being taken on live baits, which are plentiful on the Outer Leads. If you fish without live bait you’re almost wasting your time.

I use running ball or paternoster for this style of fishing. If you’re using a paternoster, the secret is tying big loops to give the bait more freedom of movement. The extra length on the loop also allows the predators to better inhale the bait, resulting in better hook-up rates. I always rig my live baits through the bottom of the jaw and up

(trumpeter) up to 5kg. The best baits are live or dead scad, and you should focus your efforts on the deeper holes near structure. Use a running ball sinker with a length of 40cm, 15lb fluorocarbon trace and a nice 2/0 hook (I use Mustad Big Guns). When it comes to timing, I prefer a couple of hours before high tide.

Whiting have been around too. They’re not in huge numbers yet, but the ones that have been caught have been really large. Their numbers should ramp up over the next month or two, and provide some great flats fishing on the incoming tide. Yabbies and

beach worms are the best baits.

Bream are still around in good numbers, and they’re being taken around the rock walls and other structure either side of the tide change. My favourite bait for bream is lamb heart, but you can get good results on pilly fillets too.

Barra have been biting all winter, which is interesting, but you have to work for them.

Most have been taken on soft vibes fished with a slow lift and drop. Deeper structure at night seems to be best.

THE MONTH AHEAD September and October are the best two months for red emperor. Look for rubble areas in around 35-50m of water, and I recommend using live baits or large butterflied yellowtail. If you have been fishing on hard reef areas and everything goes dead on the tide change, why not get up and drift over the rubble areas for a while? It’s a good way to keep boating fish when the reefs have gone quiet.

Big spangled emperor come on through September and October. Some anglers like to eat them, some don’t, but there’s no denying that they really fight well. If you are releasing these or any other reef fish that looks to be affected by barotrauma, please vent their swim bladder so they can survive, thereby protecting our future fish stocks. You can use ether a syringe or a venting tool for this task. Search for ‘fish venting tool’ on Google to see the online stores that stock them, and look up ‘venting swim bladder’ on YouTube to see the best place to insert the needle.

After the snapper closure ended there were numerous 5kg+ fish caught, and there should be plenty more this month.

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Ray from Maleny caught this tasty bag from Pumicestone Passage on soft plastics.

SEPTEMBER 2020

29

Central

OLD

Spring means barra MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

September finishes what we in Mackay call ‘cold’ weather, and we welcome spring, warmer weather and the run of summer species in fresh and saltwater.

Spring makes us think of barramundi in our rivers, mangrove creeks, and estuaries as well as three heavily stocked dams and the Pioneer River freshwater.

‘Barradise’ surely applies to the Mackay region.

In the saltwater, the beautiful blue Pioneer River yields many quality barra to local anglers, and they can be caught from the trainer walls near the mouth up to the top of the

or from the pontoon will work here.

Lures and fly also work but the rocks are hungry for lures, so poppers or walk-the-dog style lures are preferable. Even better are soft plastics rigged weedless. Large paddletails, swimbaits, curlytails and prawn imitations will all score. Clousers, Deceivers and articulated barra-style flies will work, as will surface ones.

Further up the river shallows quickly but reasonable boat access goes up to the hospital fishing platform. Still further up the river access is via tracks down through the guinea grass etc., and the best fishing is around the rocks. Be careful of snakes here.

Remember that Dumbleton Weir is closed

the top of the tide, they will get on top of mud or sand banks hunting bait, or in nearby deeper water or drains on the run-out when bait retreats to deeper water. Prime creeks include Carmila Creek, Rocky Dam, Sandy/Alligator and Bakers creeks to the south of Mackay. There are many others but these ones have good ramp access.

Reliance, Constant, Victor and Murray creeks to the north are popular and many have concrete ramps.

Again, there are heaps more to target.

Live baiting is often used here, with whiting, mullet, gar, herring and prawns regarded highly as live baits and all can be caught with a cast net. Because of crocs and stingers, drag nets are understandably

Sheldon Byrne loves hurling big poppers around the inshore islands, especially when GTs like this one monster them.

They’re great fun but hard on the back and shoulders. tidal influence. Fish around the gaps in the trainer walls on the run-out tide, as water pushes baitfish and prawns into the main river body, when live baits, lures and flies will work.

While you’re at it you may pick up a jack, cod or other by-catch.

The ‘vee’ and nearby rocks is a favourite spot, accessible on land via a rough track that runs from the harbour, and livies, lures and fly all work here.

Upriver the bridges are obvious targets, as are the mid-river rocks near the highway bridges. Although land access is possible, a boat opens up a lot more territory. With sand bars and rocks, boating up to the highway bridges must be done slowly as many props and gearbox housings get smashed travelling at high speed. Live baits caught by cast net near the ramp 30

SEPTEMBER 2020

to fishing downstream.

Some anglers think if they are catching and releasing then it’s OK, but it’s not. It is still illegal and you will get fined.

We have 25-30 mangrove systems which hold barra, from Clairview up to about Midge Point.

Many have concrete ramps (some need at least half tide) while others launch over mud banks etc. Check with the local tackle shop staff if you are a visitor or newcomer to Mackay.

All these systems may hold crocs and we have some big ‘uns to around 5m long.

I have seen and videoed big crocs that make my 4m tinny seem small.

In the mangrove systems, you can chase barra on isolated snags, lone mangroves, rock bars, or freshly fallen mangroves, often in less than 2m of water. Sometimes near

not that common here.

Live bait rigs include floats, running sinkers or paternoster styles.

Lure fishos need a variety on hand – everything from big 150mm+ paddletail and curl-tail plastics to 100mm vibes, with brands like Reidy’s, Zerek and ZMan all popular here.

Check with the local tackle guys for the lure that is currently ‘hot’.

H a rdbody lure chuckers like to use Reidy’s, Zerek, Rapala, Storm, Classics, Bomber and Tilsan in our area in a variety of colours and running depths. Use bright colours in dirtier water and more natural colours for clearer waters.

Fly anglers use an 8wt with big Deceivers, Pink Things, Clousers, and prawn styles, but increase hook size and strength. I am experimenting with

MAFSA stocks the Pioneer River with barra, and plenty of them are now getting into the 70-80cm range, like this beautiful bronze coloured fish. A top catch on the surface around the rocks. articulated flies with braid or shanks to get the action.

I am still chasing the right balance and action, but having fun tying and swimming them.

In the dams, big plastics seem to be the best bet. Large swimbaits have been used for ages on Murray cod, and are now getting popular here for dam barra. Strong actions with very slow retrieves are the attraction, but probably someone will take a different approach and start another trend. With barra when you think you have worked them out they skunk you big time – a frustrating, fantastic fish.

But springtime is not just barra. There is a host of species on the chew in the creeks and estuaries, like whiting, bream and some great flathead, which are always a welcome catch and often make a trip worthwhile. Many flathead are caught by barra anglers luring the edges of a flat or gully mouth on the

run-out tide.

The great winter run of whiting in the Pioneer is almost over but night tides towards full moon should see anglers catch a feed during September.

Jacks, cod, threadies, golden snapper, grunter, smaller queenies and trevally will be in the creeks, welcoming the warmer weather and water temps. Jacks and threadies are harder to find but a chat to the local tackle shop staff will get you the latest what, when and where in the creeks.

Small mackerel, tuna and trevally are the spring bonanza for small boat anglers. With the swing to northerly or E/ NE winds the bait schools stay inshore for a couple of months and provide top fishing fun and feeds for locals and visitors. These fish aren’t hard to find – just get on the water around daylight and look for the birds or the bait schools getting smashed.

Sometimes the predators get so focused on smashing baits, they have run into the side of my boat. It can be mayhem, and the noise that a pack of tuna and mackerel make when they monster a school of bait is not easily forgotten.

Pilchards on gang rigs account for plenty, but I prefer a medium spin rod with shinies or a baitcaster rigged with barra-type lures for trolling between schools.

Soft plastic stickbaits will catch any of these fish but lure losses are high which can get expensive.

On top of this, good weather means reef fishing for coral trout, red-throat emperor, red emperor, cod, nannygai and more. Some of these fish can be caught pretty close to the inshore islands, only a few kays off the coast.

All up, Mackay in September is a fantastic month of angling opportunities, species, and fabulous weather.

Anglers will be hitting the mangrove creeks chasing barra like this 62cm model the author dragged from the background snags after it smashed a gold X-Rap.

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31

OLD

Settling winds open options WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

Hopefully that’s the end of the trade breeze season as I have had enough of getting blown out of the boat. Due to the winds, not a heck of a lot of offshore fishing has gone on over the last few weeks. We’ve had to tuck in behind an island or duck up a creek in order to be able to enjoy some time on the water.

It hasn’t been all doom and gloom though, there have still been some nice fish caught and we sure are lucky at Hydeaway Bay as when it blows we still have a plethora of sheltered water options to be able to enjoy a fish. And to help make enduring the blustery days easier the inshore reef species have been on the chew and provided anglers with plenty of entertainment.

Normally when the

shores of Edgecumbe Bay. It’s been one of the only areas where the baitfish have been concentrated in decent numbers and this has attracted various members of the mackerel and trevally families to move into the

Brad Siebenhausen with a solid gold spot cod snared on a hardbody.

shallows and enjoy a feed.

One fish that has been conspicuous in its absence has been giant trevally.

Normally through this period of the year I see some beauties caught, but not this year. So far this dry season I am yet to run across a single decent fish, but they can’t

squid. This year has been no exception and I have witnessed some quality fish being caught. As with the pelagics, it’s been the southern shores of Edgecumbe Bay that have provided the most consistent entertainment.

Onto September now and what we can hopefully expect to happen for us over the coming weeks. It doesn’t matter where you fish around Queensland in spring, it’s prime time for so many species. We still have the winter bite lingering and the warm weather bite will be emerging.

The trade breezes are now finally settling and during September we normally get to enjoy long runs of calm balmy days where we can travel to wherever we want to on the ocean and be able to target whatever we want.

There have only been limited opportunities over the last few months for

Everyone loves a nannygai and Dave was rapt to catch this one for his family.

32

SEPTEMBER 2020

people to make it out to the outer reef or the ‘shoals’, but this month should all this change and these areas will get plenty of attention.

As always, the outer reef is all about getting a feed of coral trout for most anglers,

Chatterbaits are killers, here’s Aaron with a mac tuna that fell victim to one.

Whitsunday local Dwight O’Connell caught this coral trout on a trolled hardbody. water is at its annual coldest I struggle to get the bigger coral trout and gold spot cod to gee up, but not this year, they have obliged and we’ve seen some beauties caught. There hasn’t been a bad pelagic bite happening on the inshore grounds, especially along the southern

stay absent forever as I sure I’ll run into some soon.

Winter is prime time to indulge in some beach fishing in the Whitsundays, especially for bread and butter species such as whiting, flathead and

and on the shoals it’ll be red emperor and large mouth nannygai that’ll be climbing into people’s ice boxes.

It hasn’t been a bad mackerel season to date

through spring.

Back inshore around the inner islands and the bite will all be about chasing coral trout on the shallow fringing reefs.

These fish have bit really well through winter and I would like to think that this will only get better through September.

Casting or trolling hardbodies for these fish has been working particularly well for me over the cooler months and I’ll be pursuing the same tactics to catch a few more this month.

Now that the trade winds are settling, it’s time to get onto the flats and indulge in some sight fishing. My fly

Jed with his first Spanish mackerel. Due to the weather they have been hard to get at this month but anglers have made the most of the opportunities that have come along. and September should see a lot of these fish still hanging around, especially around the outer islands. A few billfish should start to make an appearance in the same waters that the Spanish mackerel are lurking.

Rattray Island is a go-to when targeting these guys and when they’re there they’re quite often surprisingly close to the island. It’s not uncommon to raise fish within casting distance of other anglers anchored up chasing coral trout etc. This is pretty cool and not something that happens everywhere.

Out in the same region around the outer islands there will be some deeper drift fishing to be enjoyed as well. Species such as grunter and fingermark, which have been hard to come by to date, will hopefully come out of hiding and provide us with some entertainment

this year I intend to make amends for that and will be doing whatever I can to put a few in the landing net.

With the water temps now beginning to rise it’s time to give our local estuaries a bit more attention. Species such as barramundi and mangrove jack will be starting to get more active and keen to have a feed. Finesse tactics will be required to be successful with barramundi in particular, as they are only just starting to emerge from their winter slumber but the more the water warms the more active they will get.

Good luck to you all with your fishing through September, I hope you all get some beauties, and I look forward to reporting to you again next month.

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Young Reef did a great job of ripping this big trout up out of 40m all by himself. rod stash has been gathering dust since autumn but that is all about to get shaken off and I can’t wait to be drifting over a flat in search of a bit of piscatorial glory.

Last spring I missed bites, got bitten off or cut off by several quality permit,

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OLD

Sussing out hidden gems TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

With water temps in the beginning of a day on the water being around 18°C, you can imagine that the best fishing is usually once the sun has had an opportunity to warm the water. If you can combine a late tide change, low or high, with an

sure there’s nothing holding there. In recent weeks this barrage of lures has been responsible for some pretty hot sessions, including one where we got over 40 hook-ups in a few hours – all from just two snags only 20m from each other. Mind you, only half of these fish were over the legal length of 58cm, with the biggest going 78cm.

If it’s big fish you’re

the latter rig is better for the deeper snags, while the Prong with its bigger profile, rigged on the 1/4oz is better for the shallower scenarios. It’s been the willingness to change rigs according to the situation that has been a big key to our success though, and if you’re doing it tough I recommend that you try it.

Jacks are around, but aren’t overly keen on barrasized lures. Smaller lures are often the best approach, and presentations need to be spot on into the thick of it.

OTHER OPTIONS Golden snapper (fingermark) are around in really good numbers at present, contrary to the common belief that they’re a summer target only. Squid have been found by plenty of anglers in thick schools, and if you can catch some either with a squid jig, cast net, or squid net, you’re going to have the best chance of being successful.

Obviously, lures are a great option as well. Repeated

lifted several metres up before commencing your lift or jig.

ON-WATER SOCIAL DISTANCING Lately we’ve been avoiding the golden snapper and trout out in the bay and in open water. This is because there have been countless times when we’ve been lure fishing only to have some drongo idle up and ‘play dumb’, ignoring the unwritten rule of how close you can get before it becomes impolite. We have a response that’s easily understood by anyone, and that’s to cast a lure in their direction as they approach. If they come within casting distance that’s their problem, and should take evasive manoeuvres to avoid coming into that radius of where we are spot locked. It’s so frustrating to stalk an area on the electric and position yourself in the middle of a prime spot in stealth mode, to have some idiot roar in and shut the school down. These guys need to put the effort into learning how to fish, like the

Exploring new water is exciting, and can often result in some decent fish being caught. aggressive male crocs.

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As the water warms towards the end of the day, the jacks become more active. Although they have been playing hard to get lately, they are still catchable. after lunch session, it’s been quite good.

There have been a few exceptions to the rule though; on a recent trip we hit the water at 8am, when the water temp was just 18°C, and we started to catch fish straight away. It was the last of the run-out tide, and in just 20 minutes, the temp rose 1.5°C, and this got them biting. Bear in mind that the fish will often refuse to move too far from structure, requiring a weedless presentation to be put in tight to where they’re holding.

looking for, you’ll probably do far better in deeper scenarios, with lures like vibes or ‘J’ styled jigheads bounced close to the bottom. Personally though, I love dragging fish from snags on lighter line, even if they’re comparatively small.

Lure colour has had a lot to do with the varying bite rates from day to day, and sometimes it can take several changes to find the one they want on that day. In the dirty water we have been using the Atomic 4” Prong in radioactive rooster rigged on 6/0 EWG Atomic

This big blue salmon caught by Tannym Hodge put up a great fight before being netted.

Smaller drains are often hidden gems. While most of the barra there aren’t monsters, they are often quite active. This lure’s colour scheme is good in dirty water.

Another approach we’ve had success with is absolutely flogging a likely spot with relentless casting until we’re

Seeker weedless hooks, and the 5” Halco Paddle Prawn in pink lumo rigged on the 5/0, 1/3oz Seeker. Obviously,

presentations to located fish are often needed, and sometimes they’re not right on the bottom and lures need to be

rest of us have done.

MACKEREL Reports of mackerel have been coming in thick and fast, and all types of mackerel have been playing the game.

Interestingly, doggies have been found out 40 clicks offshore, and Spanish of decent proportions have been caught in the bay and channel. Trolled lures and baits are the most consistent producers, but an unweighted gar or pilly set out the back while bottom fishing has also produced heaps of decent mackerel. Wire will help with bite-offs but it can sometimes reduce your bite rates. Cast slugs and sinking hardbodies are also catching their fair share.

There seems to have been a croc hatch in recent weeks with several reports of tiny salties up smaller drains, which is unseasonal. It does however explain why a couple of months ago while doing a bit of GoPro stuff we encountered two very

I’ve been getting asked for a select handful of lures that would cover almost all the scenarios you’re likely to come across in North Queensland.

With a fair bit of culling, this is what I’ve come up with.

Let’s start from the top and work our way deeper.

For surface presentations, our top two are the 60mm Roosta Popper and 90mm Sugapen, for jacks and barra and the Sugar Deep suspending.

Weedless plastics for barra and jacks would be the 4”Atomic Prong and 5” Paddle Prawn. We rig our Paddle Prawns on Atomic EWG Seeker Hooks in 5/0 hook size, with 1/4oz and 1/3oz depending on the depth, and the 6/0 hook size and same weights for the 5/0.

In open water deeper scenarios, we use the same plastics but rig them on a J-style jighead. These are usually in the 1/3oz or 1/2oz weights, and the hook size is usually 4/0 or 5/0.

For the deepest scenarios, the Atomic Semi Hardz range covers the deep holes for barra, golden snapper, grunter and so on. When it comes to sizes and weights, we use heavier models for the deeper spots and lighter and smaller for the shallower stuff.

Leader-wise, a great all rounder is Unitika Harisu FC in number 10, which is 30lb breaking strain.

I hope this helps you to fine-tune your selection process to the most prevalent fishery in your area.

Some view tarpon as vermin but when they get to this size, they’re going to test any angler. This fish fell to an Atomic Semi Hardz 50mm vibe.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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Say good-bye to cold water and trade winds LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

Finally we can say good-bye to the cold water and hopefully good-bye to the southerly trade winds too, which make everything

this time of year is that it means we can target species that thrive in the cold, clear water as well as fish that enjoy the warmer waters.

Let’s see what will be bending rods this month around the breathtaking Hinchinbrook Island and surrounds.

Early in the year there were plenty of rats about in the 50-60cm range, and these fish are a great sign that the fishery is in good health.

These younger fish will be feeding up and providing heaps of fun for anglers targeting snags and drains.

People always ask me

The size of your lure is also important, and the easiest way to choose the right size is to match the size of the baitfish in your chosen area.

Keeping your lure a similar size and colour will make it appear natural, and if fish are dialled into eating this size bait then your lure should also get eaten.

This month I will be spending the majority of my time chasing jacks on surface lures. I love this time of the year for skip-casting plastics for these red devils, as the water will still be clear but will have more warmth to get the fish a little more active.

Anyone who hasn’t had a go at chasing these fish on surface lures is missing out on the most enjoyable way to catch jacks. It will also mean your catch rates will increase, especially after you get better at skip casting. Jacks love to

other way.

You can use both baitcasting or spin gear to skip with. Baitcasters are great for larger presentations while spin is easier to skip and also you can use smaller profile lures.

A quick tip is to make sure your plastic has enough weight to allow it to skip across the water, and that its shape allows it to skip instead of catching on the water and sinking. Also, rough water makes it a lot more difficult, so to start off find some spots out of the wind and get stuck into it.

JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF The jetty is always so much fun no matter what the time of year, and September means you still have the chance to tangle with a mixed bag of winter and summer species. This means you can

it has the chance to produce some real trophy fish.

For any visiting anglers I suggest trolling a few lures out around the end slowly while you use your fishfinder to locate bait schools and predatory fish. Otherwise, position the boat so you can sink plastics between pylons and systematically work over the entire jetty until fish are found. In most cases fish will be sitting on the side the current is hitting so this is a good starting point.

It is a great time to be cruising around the Palm islands with the family for a spot of fishing, with maybe a swim and snorkel as well.

There is no shortage of amazing spots to pull up and relax, and dropping a few baits down might also see you come home a fresh fish or two for dinner as well. Coral trout are a common catch

This trout was caught working a soft plastic around structure. a lot more difficult here around Lucinda.

There has been some good fishing of late, with all the trophy species such as barra and jacks starting to come out of their slumber, and for the lure and soft plastic users this is great news. The best thing about

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL There will be plenty more boats out chasing those magnificent silver fish this month, and for good reason.

With water temps rising quickly and hopefully settled weather, the barra fishing should start to really fire.

Isaac Bell (13yo) caught and released this thumper bream that weighed 1.2kg. He was fishing on charter at Runaway Bay using a Silstar Powertip rod and Daiwa spinning reel and tempted the fish with a live herring.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

what’s the best soft plastic or lure to use for barra. In my opinion there is no ‘secret’ soft plastic or lure, and most will work if used and presented correctly. A good example of this is jighead weight selection when using soft plastics, and diving depth on hardbodied lures. A soft plastic that is weighted too heavily won’t seem natural to the fish, and will need to be worked very quick to keep it off the bottom.

It’s a similar story with hardbodied lures. A lure diving too deep will be ploughing along the bottom and thus out of the barra’s strike zone. Barra feed facing up so your offering needs to be kept above their heads; it is very rare for a fish to swim downwards to eat.

We’re all hoping for flat seas like this in September. hang deep under overhangs and the only way to target these fish is to be able to skip a plastic underneath. It will take some practice but once you get the hang of it you won’t want to cast any

throw a popper or work a plastic, and anything from a 1m Spanish mackerel to a 20kg GT could climb all over it. It is for this reason so many people drive a long way to fish along the iconic jetty, as

There are plenty of flathead in North Queensland, and they’re a tasty by-catch for barra anglers.

around the islands, with the better catches coming from areas away from the islands themselves, sometimes by a kilometre or more. Isolated rubble grounds and small rocks are areas you want to find and fish. There will also be the odd Spanish mackerel hanging around, so trolling a few lures whilst searching for spots is always a smart idea.

Fingers crossed the wind will let up and allow boats to get out to the reef, as it has been a pretty terrible few months in terms of weather windows. When boaters have been able to get out, they have enjoyed some great fishing with loads of trout and no shortage of nannygai and emperor, along with all the other species in between.

There is nothing better then boating over a flat sea on the way out to the amazing Great Barrier Reef, and the best thing about Lucinda is our closest reef, Bramble, is only 40km away. This is easily accessible by smaller vessels as well, and on perfect days there is no shortage of mid-sized tinnies floating around out there.

OLD

Sensational September HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

The last month has been quite challenging with the barra fishing being very hot and cold. Water temperatures this year have been a bit colder than in 2019; on a couple of days the temperature sensor on my sounder reached as low as 18°C. I do remember back in 2019 it maintained

a 22-23°C level for a long period of time which is probably why we had more consistent bites compared to this year. I once heard that bad cyclone seasons happen after colder winters, so it will be interesting to see how the next cyclone season pans out.

Most fish in the last month have all been from about 58-70cm in size with an occasional 80-90cm messing with my clients’ lures but failing to hook-up due to the

Enjoying a gorgeous day at Maggie on the author’s revamped charter platform.

half-hearted bite at the lure.

From one day’s charter to the next, the quality of the fishing has been a lottery due to the fluctuations in weather patterns that shift that water temp a little lower or change that barometer a little too much. After a successful day, sometimes I have predicted the following day on even better tides to be a good day out – but then we get a slight change in temp or wind and that throws my expectations back in my face. So lately I have been throwing all techniques and tricks, using lures that had a high success ratio in the past, and also a few new lures released recently (e.g. 10cm Rapala Magnum Cast) to get that bite.

Inshore wonky holes have been a little quieter this year, maybe due to the long periods of windy rough weather blowing from the southwest, pushing that green murky water from close inshore out closer to near Orpheus and Pelorus islands. It seems to really spur the sharks on the hunt and they harass the other

Leo was happy with this nice 67cm barra. species such as large-mouth nannygai and gold-spot cod that reside in those areas.

This month the action should heat up. As the water temp rises the barra activity will increase as well.

Last year’s September and October months were pretty awesome for my charters as that’s when a lot of the larger barramundi start to show up in big numbers. The last few years they have done this without fail – they show up in numbers almost overnight

at all the usual locations for barra to aggregate. They usually have an increased urge to feed more ahead of their spawning season.

Sometimes we catch the barra on headlands in as little as 0.5m of water, as they sometimes look for those pop-eye mullet cruising next to the water’s edge on rocky headlands and mud banks.

You would be surprised as to how shallow those 1m+ models actually swim in, and quite often when you land

that lure in front of them the smash on the surface is incredible in shallow water.

We are now operating charters for up to three clients abiding by social distancing laws. Gift vouchers can still be purchased if you’re looking for birthday gifts.

You can email us at info@ ianmoodysportfishing.com or phone us on 0402 339 459. Barra season closes midnight October 31st, so get in early to secure a booking for this year.

Get ready for big barra to get on the chew plastics that can fished on a super slow roll. The trick with these lures is to find a plastic that gives off plenty tail beat through the water on a super slow retrieve. One little trick to achieve this is to cut out a little wedge underneath the tail of the plastic. This will create a thinner tail stem and allow the plastic to swim more freely with a lot more action. One negative of this is sometimes the tail breaks, but if it gets you the bite then it’s

CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

It has been an uncharacteristicly wet month in the Far North, with constant rain unsettling the systems of the Trinity Net Free Zone.

Combined with cold water temperatures and plenty of wind, the fishing has been a little tough. However, those anglers who have picked the smaller tides and sunny warm days have still been finding success across all systems. The big story this month has been the size of the barra being caught, especially in the Trinity Inlet and Barron River.

The absence of nets has meant that the class of fish has been on the increase,

fish around the 45cm mark.

These fish seem to be schooling in numbers so it is not uncommon to get a couple of fish in an area at the same time.

The final fish that has been on the chew in the Trinity Net Free Zone has been the golden snapper.

There have been some thumping fish caught in the rivers, with live prawns and herring fished on lightly weighted floating rigs being

Slowly rolled paddle-tail plastics have been a good option for the barra.

Leaping barramundi is what anglers have been targeting this month in NFZ.

with many captures pushing close to or above the metre mark. Many of these fish are being enticed using live prawns fished close to snags.

When using this technique it is important to use a couple of prawns on the same hook so they can flick around together which creates plenty of attraction.

Barra have still been caught on lures, with long, skinny suspending hardbodies proving to be a very good selection. Lures such as Lucky Craft Pointers have been also finding fish in good numbers.

The other excellent option has been large paddle-tail

Jacks have continued to be a reliable target in winter. a small price to pay.

Jacks have also been turning up in good numbers for those flicking smaller plastics tight to the snags.

Like the barramundi, the size has been impressive, especially coming out of the Trinity Inlet with the average

the best technique.

Next month will be the start of the warmer water and the fishing will begin to get red hot as the fish wake up from their slumber. So get your gear ready and plan your tides and moon phases to make the most of it.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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Value plus for TNQ anglers PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

With second waves of COVID-19 threatening all aspects of life, including another economic downturn for the tourism industry in TNQ, we have been fortunate to have seen some activity up north. Those visitors that have been able to get to FNQ have been treated to an absolute treat when it comes to fishing.

On the Great Barrier Reef we’ll start with the mackerel season run which really took hold in late July. A lot of the initial run began on the corridor inside the main outer reef to the mainland, and as numbers increase it is now filtering through the entire

reef system. Quality 10-12kg specimens have been a regular catch using trolling methods. Bigger hardbody lures at various depths and the old fashioned garfish wog head rigs have been claiming the better-sized mackerel.

Required trolling speeds vary from 5-7 knots depending on conditions, wave direction and current but being a high speed fish they’ll clamp down on a good looking rig.

Even those bottom bouncing should always have a floating gang-hooked pilchard outfit out the back of the boat as this has been also claiming some top-notch pelagics.

On the reef itself it is red time! Big largemouth nannygai have been a common thread and at around 7-9kg they are a trophy fish. Their numbers have been really consistent

for several weeks now. Also in the mix are small-mouth nannygai in the deeper waters in excess of 30m.

Up in the shallows the coral trout have been handy, along with some really cracking long-nosed emperor, cod and roaming red emperor.

Not much will change on the reef moving forward, and more settled days with the weather pattern will only see the fishing go to a new level.

For those looking for a calm water experience closer to home the Daintree River has seen an explosion of big Talang queenfish within the system for many weeks now. The sometimes outside blustery, coastal conditions have seen them seek haven within the river. There is a really healthy supply of bait for them to harass, and most of them have been ranging

between 80-105cm. It equates to awesome light tackle sportfishing, whether it be casting poppers or live baiting with sardines under a float.

Other bonus fishing has seen quality 3-4kg golden trevally closer to the mouth and 50cm+ grunter across the flats.

Moving forward we’ll expect to see the barramundi dust off their winter slumber sleep and become more aggressive as the days warm up. Mangrove jack and good golden snapper (fingermark) will also shift up a gear or two, even though they’ve been handy enough in the cooler months.

Here’s hoping the COVID situation will improve soon, because we have a really special time coming up in the tropics to share with visiting anglers.

A pair of quality reds caught aboard Dragon Lady Charters.

Spring sees fish out in force CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

With the Cape a little quieter than normal and the usual band of domestic travellers stuck in their respective states, this month will be sorely missed by many. September is a brilliant month in Cape York, with rising temperatures bringing out even the most timid winter

Sky view of a remote Cape beach in September.

It’s a perfect time to fly fish a remote island fringed by reef. feeders. If the barra fishing slows at all in Cape York over July to August, then the beginning of spring will bring them on in force.

September is also a great all-round month on both the east and west coasts of the Cape. Variable winds will show up along the breezeravaged reefs over east, giving the offshore brigade their first glimpse at calm weather in months. Over west, afternoon onshore breezes will begin to pick up as the land heats up, but the mornings will often be glamour.

On the Barrier Reef edges, the heavy tackle season will be cranking up. Game boats eagerly awaiting the perfect moon36

SEPTEMBER 2020

tide-weather windows will start towing baits for enormous blacks up around the Ribbon Reef area. Let’s hope for everyone’s sake that a handful of eager Queenslanders can make it up to Cairns and get amongst some of the world’s

mightiest marlin this season.

Over on the west coast in the blue water off Weipa, an emerging billfish fishery should be peaking in September. Last year saw some brilliant catches of sailfish and juvenile black marlin grace the gunnels of small boats who don’t have to venture too far offshore to find their quarry.

The close reefs and contour lines along the west coast of the Cape should also be fishing well for grey and Spanish mackerel, as well as other pelagic species. The rubble patches will have plenty of fingermark, nannygai, sweetlip and emperor species in depths between 8-25m.

All the estuaries on both sides of the Cape will be crystal clear in September.

The spectacular Albany Passage showing off its springtime colours.

With relatively stable weather patterns these past few months and little to no freshwater inflow, creek mouths are a great pace to be. Fly fishers (if they can get there!) will be relishing the chance to fish remote stretches to the north of Mapoon for elusive permit and blue bastards. Golden trevally and even the odd cobia might come in close behind stingray and manta rays along the coastal fringe.

Around the tip of the Cape and the huge expanse of shallow reefs in the southern Torres Strait, the flats fishing can also light up in September right the way through to Christmas. Longer periods of doldrum weather mark this period and neap tidal ranges usually hold the best of it.

Larger tidal influx around the new and full moon period often

A lovely little barra taken from an East Coast creek mouth.

Now that’s a ’cuda! brings stronger breezes but any adjacent low-pressure system can be accompanied by calm conditions.

Coral trout and fringing reef specialists will be beginning to concentrate over shallow reef areas early in spring. Drifting along clear coral edges casting soft plastics, stick baits, poppers and suspending hardbodies are a great visual way to fish. Drifting long edges punctuated by small indents, large bommies and coral points jutting into the current is a great way to get stretched and put a feed in the esky.

Above all, if you are lucky enough to find yourself fishing the Cape in September, make the most of the temperate conditions and all the benefits the beginning of spring offers.

Give the barra a good work out because the Gulf closes early in October followed by the East Coast a month later.

OLD

Deep Diving.

Fast Ripping.

Hard Stopping.

Things are heating up COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

We are coming out of the cold winter – although most people wouldn’t call winter ‘cold’ in North QLD. Still, we locals are acclimatised to the weather here, and so are the fish. It can be hard work

to the conditions, and it shows how persistence can pay off – and Caleb will have a memory that will last forever. Fishing is great opportunity to spend time with the family and make memories, so get out there and take the kids fishing.

I recommend trying different lures and concentrating on areas where

decision. But we shouldn’t complain about too many fishing options, we just have to try do them all!

The local wharf will be in full swing when it comes to mackerel fishing this month, and bait will be thick too. It attracts a range of predators, including trevally and mangrove jack. I highly

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Jonathan with a healthy barra caught in beautiful surrounds. trying to get barramundi to feed when the water temperature drops at this time of year, and there can be some frustrating fishing trips with little to show for the effort put in.

However, fish have to eat and you never know when your efforts will reap rewards. One local lad, 7yo

you know fish are. If you keep at it, some of the fish will hit the lure out of pure frustration.

There is always the temptation to give up and move on, but working a spot over properly can eventually gets results.

The weather will start to warm up soon and action will heat up as well. Headlands and coastal bays will be targeted as

recommend visiting Cooktown this month and throwing a line in at the wharf, as it will likely have you eating mackerel for dinner. Use a small length of wire leader and a live herring as bait – it’s the best by far.

The herring are in such large numbers that they are very easy to catch. I recommend having the kids catch them

Caleb Kamholtz (7yo) with his 102cm barramundi.

Caleb Kamholtz, went fishing with his dad on a wet and windy winter’s day, and soon his trusty Gold Bomber got smashed. The fight was intense and at one stage had the young lad laying down on the seat, and he never stopped winding. Eventually the fish came alongside and his dad netted it and lifted a 102cm barra into the boat as the celebration started. The smile on Caleb’s face was from ear to ear. The fish was returned to the water to fight another day. It was a great capture on a day most would write off due

the winds start to drop and the saltwater action will increase.

Restricted access here to the coastal regions and open water due the strong south-easterly winds allows the fish to have a break, and as soon as the weather drops there are many opportunities to have some quality fishing trips.

The inshore fishing can be awesome when the weather allows the first opportunity to reach these areas, but there is always the attraction to head out to the reef as soon as the weather drops to get a feed of coral trout. It can be a hard

with a bait jig, as it’s fun and they love doing it. Once you have your herring baits, throw them as far out as possible and wait for the strike.

Reef fishing will start to be more attainable as winds drop this month, and locals will be keen to have fresh fish on the menu since most will be out of fish at this time of year.

Coral trout and red emperor will be on the bite this month, and the large Spanish mackerel will be ready and willing to chomp on a passing X-Rap as it trolls by at speed. Get ready for some great action.

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Time for big bass TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

I’m pretty relaxed with my freshwater fishing these days. I still get out a fair bit but I take it a little easier through winter saving myself up for the spring big bass bite. It’s that time of year again when monstrously fat impoundment bass, full of roe, will be biting.

The size of the bass picks up across all of the lakes but I love to tangle with the Somerset and Wivenhoe giants. I usually set myself goals and, to start off with, I’ll be trying to track down bass over 3kg. If it turns out to be a good year with the fish in numbers, I may even up the target size to 4kg.

It doesn’t hurt to set yourself

a little challenge. I haven’t caught a lot of fish over 4kg but they seem to be coming more frequently over the last 4 or 5 years.

Spring is also the time barra start to change their habits. They tend to fire up a bit more but can still be tricky to work out. Warming water temperature can see them moving around and changing their locations and feeding patterns as they adapt to changing conditions. Using things like wind direction and constant weather patterns will ensure you are hunting them in the right location at the time they are most likely to respond. The mornings can be a little quieter with the fish warming up through the day to become more active in the afternoons.

Monduran and Awoonga

will both be good options for South East Queensland anglers looking for a close barra trip.

Callide tends to take another month or two more to fire up.

Barra there are bigger but they can be a lot harder to find and keep track of.

Between bass and barra, I rarely fish for any of the other freshwater species this month. Cod and saratoga are still in their breeding season, yellowbelly are still a bit lethargic and the sooties are too far away. The big, fat bass will only be around for another 4-6 weeks so make the most of them before they start to lose condition. If you have ever wanted to get into impoundment bass fishing or catch something huge, now is the time to try your luck.

Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel.

The author’s Simrad Evo3 is easily able to identify Murray cod. They will be an option in the stocked lakes during closed season.

GRANITE BELT GLENLYON CLOSEST TOWNS: STANTHORPE, TEXAS The early winter cod bite at Glenlyon certainly put it on the map as Queensland’s premier Murray cod fishery. Dozens of metre-plus cod were caught right through until July. There was a definite switch in their mood as they moved into the next stage of their nesting and breeding cycle and the bites became few and far between.

By the end of this month, the bite will pick

up as the big females get hungry and the some of the males finish caring for the nesting sites. Earlier in winter, you could stake out a likely spot and just keep casting big swimbaits. After breeding season, the cod will be hungry but I am not sure if they will be as willing to roam around with so much bait on offer. Spend time covering the banks and flats on your electric motor in case the cod aren’t moving about much. Side imaging sounders, Garmin Panoptics technology and Humminbird 360 Imaging really come into

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST The bass should be ready to chew this month. Their breeding instinct will kick in and tight schools will form. Already there have been a few schools of the better quality fish bunching together. The Beams Creek end of the lake is holding the 40cm models while the bigger 50cm+ fish are holding in the Cressbrook Creek arm.

Scattered deeper schools of fish can be found elsewhere within sight of the boat ramp. Finding the bigger fish can be tricky.

When they are up on the flats, they can easily be spotted on the sounder. However, this is often not the case and the fish will be instead holding tight on steep ledges. Cressy bass have a habit of finding that comfortable depth and sitting right at it. You can therefore scan along an edge and miss them if you don’t go over the correct depth.

They will suffer from fishing pressure so try to get to them early in the mornings and have the first crack at them.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

In past years, the schools have broken up after boats fish them but usually reform and will chew again early the next day.

Boat positioning can make a huge difference at Cressbrook. Because the fish tend to hold on the drop offs, you should stay out even wider and work your lures down the ledge. Bass have always been a curious fish, so will tend to leave the ledge and suspend out under your boat in the deeper water, making them easier targets. The better quality bass will tend to stay on the flat or right on the drop-off but you can have a lot of fun with the smaller ones sitting below your boat.

Spoons and metal jigs will be hard to beat. With fish holding in at least 7m of water and waiting to feed up on bony bream, they will provide some memorable sessions. The Gang Banger G2 and G1, Halco Twisty 20g and 20g Palms Slow Blatt are all good choices. Heavier lures can be used to chase the lake’s better quality fish.

The new Hot Bite Raptor 30g Slow Fall Jig or Palms

Early starts should produce some big cod at Glenlyon this month. This one was caught on 8” Zerek Live Swimbait fished a couple of feet below the surface.

their own when searching for these big fish. Trust your sounder and learn how to get the most out of it. There is no point fishing to no fish.

The water will still be very clear so surface lures in the low light hours and swimbaits as the light intensifies will be the go to lures. The Barambah range of topwaters and jointed swimbaits have accounted for a lot of the lake’s big fish. The 8” Zerek Live Swimbait has been one of our favourites and I have also seen and heard of a lot caught on Jackall Gantarels. Start fishing shallow when the

light is low and gradually work lures deeper as the light intensifies.

• Access to the water is through the Glenlyon Tourist Park. With the lake level low, boat launching is off of a solid gravel bank. You can book ahead on (02) 6737 5266 to secure your powered or unpowered site or even a comfortable cabin. Brian and Debbie have a great range of lures suited to cod fishing available through the kiosk and rarely miss a report from their guests.

Be sure to hit them up for a few tips.

Slow Blatt Oval 30g will be the undoing of many trophy sized fish. Some days simply winding the lure for 5-10 turns and dropping back to bottom is enough to get the bites. If the fish are playing hard to get, mix it up and add aggressive and slow drawing hops into the mix.

• For all your fishing supplies and the latest reports on the surrounding dams, call in to see Fish’n’Bits in Alderley

50cm+ bass being the big ones but Somerset fish are something else. I measure the big ones in kilos and a good fish will be over 3kg and a giant over 4kg. They are serious bass and worth spending the time to work out. The winter has been slow but I expect the action to be full on. By by the time you read this, the bass will be schooled up and chewing.

Fish will be found from

Pelican Point right up past Kirkleigh. I am guessing the bigger fish will be lurking in shallower water around 7-9m deep either side of Kirkleigh and at times even as far north as the timber. Like the smaller models in the middle basin section, they will like the flats adjacent to the old riverbed. Mornings and afternoons are likely to be the peak times to get the big fish to bite but on the quiet days with few boats, you may get lucky and score fish throughout the day.

Smaller fish of 35-45cm will be common in the lake’s middle reaches. Mixed in with the smaller bass will be the occasional big one. These smaller fish can be found a little deeper at times. Water from 10-15m will be worth searching and the fish will be quite mobile throughout it.

Regardless of which area you choose to fish, spoons and metal jigs are most likely to produce the best results.

While the smaller lures, like Halco Twisties and Gang Bangers work well over the cooler months, heavier and bigger profiled lures should come into their own. This will be the case even more

Street. They have a great range of lures and fishing gear. The boys can sort you out with the right gear and give you some tips on where to find them. The gates to the boat ramp are now open from 6am to 8pm.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY It is the time of year when the giants emerge. At most lakes we talk about

The bigger Cressbrook bass will be keen to take bigger profiled spoons and jigs this month.

To page 39

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Big spring bass will be on offer at Somerset Dam. Spoons and jigs fool heaps but don’t be afraid to show them something different. Spectre Vibration Jigs should account for quite a few fish as well.

BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA Schooling bass will really bunch up and bulk up as they start to feed more this month. These quality bass are likely to be found close to The Junction area on one of the surrounding flats. The points which form 7-10m deep flats in the second half of the basin will also be worth a look. Spending time on the sounder is always worthwhile at this time of year. The rewards will come to those who find the fish schooling as the numbers of remaining scattered fish can be quite low.

All kinds of spoons and metal jigs should dominate the catches. Small models like the G2 Gang Banger right through to the 5” Nicholls Flutter Spoons can get the bites. It will just be

a matter of mixing it up and showing them not only a range of sizes but also a mix of retrieve styles. Slow winding off the bottom and dropping back after 10 or so winds is an easy way to fool them. Sometimes mixing in some hops can make all the difference. Other lures worth trying will be Jackall Mask Vibes, blade baits, tail spinners and soft plastics.

Saratoga will be a bit slow this month around their breeding time but be ready for that all to change for the rest of the year.

• Davos at Noosaville has all the gear you’ll need to tackle the fish at Borumba and Lake MacDonald. The store caters well for fresh and saltwater anglers.

They can be found in the Homemaker Centre on the corner of Mary and Thomas Streets.

for bass fishing and September is likely to bunch the fish up more and produce even better action.

Locating the schools can

take a bit of time but will be necessary this month. Sounding around The Narrows right down to Pelican Point should reveal some big schools.

Pay particular attention to

The Junction and Pelican Point areas.

Once the schooling bass are found, they should be quite easy to catch on a range of presentations.

Spoons and metal jigs are

great but don’t dismiss soft vibes, tail spinners and blade baits.

• Some great news last month was the Boondooma Caravan and Recreation Park reopened. Cabins,

camping and caravans are allowed but you will need to book ahead and register with all the necessary information needed due to COVID restrictions.

before they are aware of your presence. Calm, still days are always tougher as the boat noise and presence can put them off. I like spin outfits rigged with 20-30lb braid.

It is one situation where I don’t mind cheaper 4-strand braid as its rougher texture cuts through the weed better. If you fish a line that is too heavy and thick and won’t cut through the weed, big fish will straighten and pull hooks.

If the action is slow up on top of the weed beds, you will need to work down the edges with soft plastics and suspending hard bodies. These fish will be spotted on the sounder if they are outside the weed.

If they are still tight and sitting in the weed, you will just need to cover a lot of territory to find them as the sounder could struggle to spot them.

Smaller barra will be found in schools on the deeper timbered points and the timberlines in the

creeks. There will be the odd school that holds bigger fish, so fish heavy enough in case you encounter one of these models. Baitcast tackle and 50lb braid is my go-to setup for this lake’s timber now the fish are getting so big. Suspending hardbodies are ideal for working these schools. The smaller barra are much easier to tempt while the bigger ones only seem to bite at particular times of the day.

• Justin Nye from Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing runs fishing charters on the lake. He caters to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. He successfully guides clients onto fish right through the year and has a good understanding of fish movements. It is hard to beat time on the water and this is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish. You can contact him on 0429 223 550 or visit the website gladstoneflyandsport

fishing.com.au.

• Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the

way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby.

The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable

air conditioned, selfcontained cabins each with its own veranda.

To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 49750033.

From page 38

so with the larger calibre fish. The new Raptor Jig and the old faithful 30g Slow Blatt Oval are both worth chucking if you have big fish in your sights. Some years the bass take a little longer to get moving. If this is the case, try rolling a 1/2-5/8oz jighead rigged paddle-tail soft plastic. The bites will be slow when doing this but sometimes it is the only way to get some interest and the fish should be big.

• Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Friday to Sunday.

Orders can also be made online via the website www. somersetfishing.com.au.

They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch.

WIDE BAY AND BURNETT REGION BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY It was a good winter CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE Anglers waiting for the warmer weather to arrive will be able to enjoy the spring barra action at Awoonga. The bigger fish around 80cm to almost a metre should be lurking around the lake edges in the shallower water. With the water now warming and the days getting longer, the barra will find their happy spot and this will change as things heat up. The weed beds stayed healthy this year so you’ll need to experiment by fishing lures down the weed edge and right up on top of it in the broken weed areas. Healthy weed is always best and look for those bay areas where the fish will have warmer water and a good supply of food.

Weedless rigged soft plastics are great for exploring over the top of broken weed. Use stealth and long casts to reach them

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39

Kayaking

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Tough yakking in Tinny Creek BRISBANE

Troy Brown

As kayak fishers, we often find a fishing hole which begs us to return, with reliable catch rates and predictable conditions negating our

bearing the same name, with its mouth bordered by the two bayside suburbs of Lota and Thorneside. The creek runs all the way to Leslie Harrison Dam, but for kayakers the section between the mouth and Tingalpa Creek Reserve are easily navigated. Launch sites for this stretch include

It’s much better to spend 30 minutes of moderate paddling from one of the boat ramps, as this will place you near this area without risk of injury.

The creek offers a wide variety of options for kayak anglers. With some areas becoming very shallow

Gareth Rendell-Goodhew took advantage of a pristine morning to work the drop-off in the channel. need to work hard for our prey. Conversely, we also have locations which we instantly despise and predictably avoid, as they seem unworthy of the effort required to achieve a miserly return.

And occasionally, we stumble upon a fishing spot like Tingalpa Creek, which manages to confuse our emotions, at times loving or hating the place, but always intent on returning to tame the beast. Known simply as ‘Tinny Creek’ to locals, the polarising nature of this

constant stream of kayaks and boats in the area? Much of the appeal is possibly the ease of access, plus the fact it offers shelter when winds start to affect exposed waters. It offers ideal access to nearby creek mouths and prolific flats after leaving its boundaries, many of which are considerably easier targets than the creek from which you have launched.

Despite this, ‘Tinny’ has a strange appeal to fishers, as it offers something almost intangible: hope.

Hope? Anyone who fishes the area has heard of crocodile-sized flathead, plus mulloway which are known to exist in deeper sections of the waterway.

The famed ‘Jewie Hole’, only a five minute paddle from the canoe club launch, is a hotspot for boats and kayaks. The reputation of this stretch may exceed reality, with many anglers advising that catches in this location are rare. However, having nearly had the rod ripped from my hands three times in as many visits, I understand the appeal. The unmistakable pick-up, run

Lee Major favoured the mouth of the creek and surrounds, a tactic which rewarded him with some solid catches. and drop of a large mulloway is exhilarating.

On each of these occasions, I was near the top of the tide and the sun had just started to fall. Low light, slowing tide, deep water and large bait balls are mulloway heaven. Sadly, each of these

the Chadwell Street kayak launch, the boat ramp adjacent to the Wynnum Redlands Canoe Club and the Queens Esplanade boat ramp.

I prescribe a large dose of caution for anyone considering use of the kayak launch; as seems typical for some of the recent kayak facilities around Brisbane suburbs, little thought has been invested into making the launch safe or practical.

On mid-high tide the ramp is accessible, but attempting to use it on lower parts of the

Adrian Shapcott has pulled multiple mulloway from Tingalpa Creek, proving that persistence and experience will produce exceptional results.

Push deep into the system to find deep holes on the bends. These spots are great mulloway targets, and you’ll also find some excellent flathead by-catch on the edges of the drop-offs. fishery means few anglers will pronounce the quality of its fishing grounds. However, it offers enough promise to keep even the most cynical kayaker coming back.

Tingalpa Creek does not actually run through the south Brisbane suburb 40

SEPTEMBER 2020

tide expose the risk of jagged rocks, and an extraction which is near impossible without assistance. In addition to the rocks, the ramp itself is steep and typically coated with a heavy slime, thoroughly testing the traction of your footwear.

on low tide, kayaks are an ideal means of negotiating some of the more difficult sections, and open up vast opportunities for flats fishing aficionados. On a recent visit with a group from the Queensland Hobie Crew, most anglers eschewed the inner reaches of the creek to use the location as a springboard to sections outside the front of the creek, with the bulk of the catches from our group coming from those who chose not to stay within its confines. This seems to be a common report from Tinny Creek, with both kayakers and boaters reporting the creek as being an extremely fickle fishing environment.

Given the reputation of this fishery, why is there a

strikes resulted in nought but frustration, with the lure dropped the moment the fish felt the resistance of my drag. Combined with the weedless rig I have favoured in the area to avoid snags, my technique found me wanting and the fish the victor. However, that hope of returning with a looser drag, an exposed hook, more patience, plus an added dose of luck is an alluring reason for another attempt.

Tingalpa Creek feels ‘fishy’, but the quantity of catches are lower than I would expect. I believe the main reason is the lack of strong tidal flow; the old adage ‘no run, no fun’ has merit in any system, but seems to impact Tingalpa Creek more than is typical.

In other respects the environs appear perfect, with a combination of flats, bends, drop-offs and submerged structure appearing to offer a perfect fishing locale.

The tidal impact cannot be underestimated, with sections of the tide making the creek devoid of life, but

Trevally move into the system for very short periods, so it pays to have a topwater lure ready for those moments you see bait being harassed on the surface.

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on the right tide and fading light it becomes a hive of activity. These active periods are brief, but when they occur you can take your pick of some popular species, with flathead, mulloway, trevally, cod and even the occasional whiting making an appearance. Despite not having managed to extract a mulloway, some of the strikes I’ve experienced possessed that quality only a mulloway can provide, plus sounder images would tend to give credence to the fact they are indeed sitting in some of the deeper holes.

Lucas Mulligan is a regular in the area and a devotee of Tinny Creek.

Lucas has not caught those monster mulloway, but has experienced many solid flathead and cod on his expeditions. Targeting the prized flat-fish and the under-appreciated cod, Lucas prefers to push deep into the system, insisting the better fish are further inland than most anglers ever explore.

mode. If I have a long pedal to my spot, I’ll also use one or two trolled lures, each side running at a different depth. Trolling is unexciting and lacks the rush of a hit while practicing cast and retrieve, but it rounds out my research on what is active and occasionally produces a quality catch. It also means you don’t waste valuable fishing time while moving from one location to another.

For those not seeking the offerings deep into Tingalpa Creek, fishing the front of the creek or exploring further provides a remarkable contrast. The mouth has a multitude of flats, with deeper channels acting as a gateway for fish moving through the system.

When confronted with the option of fishing the creek or its surrounds during a recent group outing, Gareth Rendell-Goodhew decided to take an expansive approach: “Do the miles and get the smiles.”

Using the Queens

Kayaking

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Kayaking

Go armed with a variety of lure offerings (or bait if you prefer), as you sometimes need to leave your comfort zone to tempt frequently finicky locals.

I fished primarily with my home-made soft plastics, and discovered that tiny differences in the action of each one could significantly alter my chances of success.

Grub lures, which normally produce an abundant catch, were virtually untouched, while my stiffer plastic lures (which I nearly remelted due to a lack of swimming action) were favoured. Less was more in terms of rod action as well. Subtle was best, which is often the case with lures, but in this instance subtle felt more like doing nothing. Some days, fishing is like that!

Those plastics will probably still get re-melted into new designs with better action, but they certainly worked at Tinny Creek.

Fishing is not just about catching our prey, but also

Flathead are the most abundant species in Tingalpa Creek. Ray Hawes caught this solid fish on a 3” Keitech Easy Shiner.

Favouring the skinny water areas, he targets the drop-offs bordering the inner sections of bends, slow-rolling ZMan 3” MinnowZ in motor oil colour for flathead. For cod, he prefers to troll lures, with these hard-fighting fish found in the deeper channels and banks with significant structure.

As for myself, when exploring new waters I tend to take the ‘kitchen sink’ approach, throwing everything in my arsenal to get a feel for the waterway.

Persisting with proven performers for a single target species will certainly fill the bag faster, but I prefer to get an early gauge of what lives in the system, using multiple lures and techniques. While I no longer use bait, I employ a variety of different lure types, changing the colour, weight or running depth and testing various retrieves. If a method is working, I file it away for later use and continue to alter my methods while still in this learning

Esplanade ramp as his launch point, Gareth and cohorts went around Green Island to Hubers Beacon, successfully bagging snapper, sweetlip, flathead, bream and pike.

With a 15km round-trip, it was an impressive effort, but perhaps it was more Tinny avoidance than a desire for exercise!

My understanding of Tingalpa Creek has improved exponentially in recent months, with multiple trips allowing me to get a more accurate feel of how and where to fish. Lucas is correct; pushing deeper into the system is more productive and I would encourage you to bypass the popular locations. Further into the creek you will find stretches of water with great contrasts – shallow centres with deep edges, deep bends blending into shallow flats, sections with barely any flow and others which tend to move at a more normal pace. Find these anomalies and you will find the fish.

enjoying the moment, learning new methods and sometimes just accepting that nature is unpredictable.

Very few places are as polarising as Tingalpa Creek, but I think it has a certain charm which is almost hypnotic. It is a short stretch of water which makes it easy to navigate, it can be quiet as the grave one moment and bursting with activity the next. It is a true feast or famine, and sometimes the delay between feasts can be frustrating, but that makes it a true challenge. Some fishers love certain locations because they are predictable, but for me that lack of challenge can become boring. The tough times make us better at our sport, provided we are prepared to understand the reasons and use these to our advantage.

Tinny Creek, I’ll be back.

You gave me frustration, knowledge, some pain and celebration, but mostly you gave me that one thing we all need: hope.

SEPTEMBER 2020

41

Good vibes: gotta love those good vibrations BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Back in the day – 55 years ago – the Beach Boys released an outstanding song called Good Vibrations. I often think of the similarity to today’s vibes, those lures we use that rely on vibrations to catch fish. The song was acknowledged as an work of art back then, just as some of today’s vibes are works of art.

WHAT IS A VIBE? Vibes, more properly known as vibration lures, work in a manner few other lures can achieve, in that

have a crack at a vibe; I’ve caught everything from the humble sole through to a spotted mackerel and cobia on a vibe.

IRRESISTIBLE TO FISH Vibes have been around for about 20 years, and have undergone evolutionary transitions in materials during that time.

Where once soft vibes were the go-to offering for most anglers, we now find that hardbodied vibes are also earning their keep. Many anglers keep a range of either hard or soft vibes in their arsenal, in different weights and colours, to provide choice and successfully work

don’t even have to turn the reel, just let it sink on a tight line.

The greatest aspect of vibes though is that they can work both intermediate and bottom layers of the water, with satisfying results coming from near or on the bottom.

LEARN THE TECHNIQUE: CATCH THE FISH Now let’s look at how to get the best results from using these lures.

Whether it’s a hard or soft model, just heavy enough to get down or with more weight to overcome current and touch down in the strike zone rapidly, one thing is for certain: A selection of vibes in different price ranges. Up top are a couple of boxed Shads hardbodied vibes, next down are more Shads that are slightly work worn by fish. The reliable Transam 95 is on the left, and on the right, descending, are budget priced Quick Catch soft and hardbodied vibes. On the left under the Transam are the standard Zerek Fish Traps and Weedless Fish Traps. so the idea is to cast far enough away to get the vibe down. In 4m of water that’s easy; in 15-20m+ it’s going to require a much longer cast plus correct estimation of when the vibe is touching the silt.

down so it can again vibrate.

Your braided line will register a bite so long as all slack is kept out of things as much as possible. Your rod can play a vital part in controlling the lift or drop, but be aware that overdoing

occur. And always ensure the vibe falls back down on a tight line from the rod tip, as a lot of hits occur on the drop.

DON’T OVERDO THE TACKLE Braid is indispensable

The Zerek Weedless Fish Trap is designed to be cast into patches of snags, like these, and tempt fish lurking nearby. very little angler input will result in the vibe moving and quivering enticingly.

That action seems to fascinate fish to the extent that they just have to bite it to see if the thing is indeed food. Nearly all fish will

the water column/current combination. That’s not to say surface feeding fish won’t take a vibe; lob a clear coloured vibe into a feeding school of tuna and see how long it takes for one to hook up! You

that vibe needs the right technique imparted by the angler to make it work.

Let’s consider the Brisbane River, which is typical of fisheries where vibes produce the goods.

Covering area is important

Mulloway are suckers for a well presented vibe. A Quick Catch lure fooled this fish.

Soft vibes have been on the market for a long time, and still take their share of fish.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

After the cast is made the clue is to watch the line descending until you see slack line. Counting it down makes it easy for subsequent casts as well, as long as the casting distance and depth remain much the same.

Once the vibe has touched the bottom, work it back in very small increments so it lifts or moves forward a little bit and flutters, and then allowed it to drop back

rod action will see the vibe going up and down like a yo yo which won’t do much for a fish. It’s a skittering, fluttering sort of action, always imparted in small increments, that trips a fish’s wire.

And remember that once a vibe is lifted or retrieved a little (half a metre is enough) the slow drop back is just as important as the lift upwards or forward movement, because that’s when a lot of bites will

today and if you are happy to fish with 10lb braid give it a go, just make sure your leader is up to withstanding a roughing up from the fish’s teeth. I lean towards 10kg FC100 leader as this stuff can take a lot of rough treatment and still remain viable. Just don’t overdo the leader or the vibe’s action will be stifled.

To test this aspect, if you have access to a swimming pool drop the lure in and see how

it works. This is also a great opportunity to assess the way that upping the leader’s diameter/ breaking strain might inhibit the chosen vibe’s action. All swimmers out please!

When it comes to rods, if it’s too soft it won’t lift the vibe cleanly and yet gently, and allow it to fall back in a similar manner.

Too stiff a rod, on the other hand, will conceal the sometimes gentle take as a fish mouths the offering.

An attack on a vibe can sometimes feel like a sudden diminishing of the lure’s motion, or maybe a mumble. That’s a fish my friend!

WHICH VIBE? Vibes vary in size, price, weight and method of use. Soft vibes have degrees of flexibility not found in hard vibes such as, say, the Shad brand, but both styles are worth

trying. Hard vibes such as Shad’s 30g Jew Candy can work well in faster current and in greater depth, but as current slackens the soft vibes come into their own.

The better quality vibes have split rings to tie onto, but others might be without this feature so you’ll have to tie onto the anchor point with a favourite loop knot or fit your own split ring to facilitate the vibe’s action.

GAME CHANGING VIBE While most vibes are equipped with sharp trebles to maximise hook-up rates, the downside is that these hooks foul notoriously around rocks, timber and suchlike – which is exactly where many of our target species can be found.

Dropping a $30 Trans Am vibe into rocks and having it hopelessly snag tends to spoil the day, so you may wish to use cheaper

A great Brisbane River capture – a king threadfin salmon taken on a Shads Jew Candy vibe.

vibes (e.g. Quick Catch) in the gnarliest structure.

Another option is the Zerek Weedless Fish Trap soft vibe, which has a hook that’s stored weedless inside the lure. On the crunch down, the soft, slitted body folds away and the fish contacts the sharp 2/0 worm hook. At 18g weight, 95mm in length, 13 colours it’s a good size for jacks, barra, threadfin salmon and even bass.

THE LAST WORD Vibes just keep getting better and more versatile as the years go by, and there’s a huge range on the market these days. They are available in price ranges that suit the angler on a very tight budget, and they will cater for many fish, from small bream up to big predators. Perhaps best of all, the method of using them effectively is very easy to learn.

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43

Recreational Fishing Update Tagged Marlin Travels The Pacific!

Did you know that the NSW Game Fish Tagging Program supports the tagging of billfish and tuna species in the Pacific Islands?

We currently have clubs contributing to the Program from a range of idyllic locations such as Lae in Papua New Guinea and Vava’u in Tonga. We recently received info that a blue marlin released by Lae GFC boat Satisfaction in March 2018 by angler Dayne Quayle has been recaptured off the Borogan Coast in the Philippines.

The estimated 40kg fish was originally tagged near Tami Island, PNG, during the Lae Game Fishing Titles. It was recaptured on 5 July 2020 by a local subsistence fisher targeting tuna offshore of Borogan City in the Philippines. On recapture, the fish weighed in at 65kg. During its 828 days at liberty, it had travelled an estimated straight-line distance of 1715 nautical miles.

Pretty interesting, hey? Founded in 1973, the NSW Game Fish Tagging Program is the largest saltwater tagging program in the world. More than 485,000 fish have been tagged under the program

Grab Your Free “Go Fishing” Sydney Guides

The latest additions to our popular Go Fishing guidebook series are now available, either as print copies or online.

The new Go Fishing Parramatta & Lane Cove Rivers and Go Fishing Middle & North Harbour now join our Go Fishing Sydney Harbour’s Wharves, Piers & Parks booklet to provide a comprehensive guide to the fantastic landbased fishing opportunities available around our biggest city.

These Sydney-based guides are the latest in a series of free fishing access resources DPI has been developing since 2016. So far, the series includes guides to fishing in the popular Lake Macquarie, Botany Bay, St Georges Basin and Tuross Recreational Fishing Havens as well as Jervis Bay, Blowering Dam and the Snowy Mountains lakes and rivers. If you’d like copies of any of our current Go Fishing guides, including the new Sydney booklets, send your name and postal address to fisheries.info@ dpi.nsw.gov.au and we’ll get them in the mail for you.

The guides are also available as digital downloads on the DPI website.

so far. If you’d like to get involved, phone (02) 6691 9602 or email gamefish.tagging@dpi.nsw.gov.au. The GFT Program is yet another great example of your fishing fees at work!

Population Boost For Murray Crays!

Book An Estuary Charter For Fun, Local Fishing!

Charter fishing presents a great opportunity to take the family out for a fun fishing experience in your local estuary or river.

You don’t even need to travel as most NSW coastal towns and ports offer a range of estuarybased charter fishing options to suit all tastes and budgets. NSW DPI works closely with our fleet of professional charter operators to ensure they fish sustainably, are fully licenced and operate under national safety standards, meaning you get to enjoy safe and productive fishing with the best skippers and crews in the business! Licenced operators are also operating under strict COVID-19 safety plans to keep you and your family safe.

Booking an estuary charter means you’re sure to enjoy a fun day out on the water with a bonus being that you’ll almost certainly pick up valuable fishing tips and hints from your experienced estuary charter operator. Check out the estuary charter

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SEPTEMBER 2020

Photo: Nick Whiterod (Aquasave – Nature Glenelg Trust).

fishing options, including a booking feature, on the new “Go Charter Fishing” page on the DPI website.

Book now to enjoy superlative estuary angling action for popular species including bream, flathead and mulloway in calm water in some of the most spectacular river and estuary environments in the world!

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

NSW DPI recently completed another round of translocating Murray crayfish to help boost the population in the Murray River.

More than 200 crays (including adult females with eggs) were moved from an area where they’re abundant to a site downstream in the Murray which suffered a significant decline in the local population due to blackwater events in 2010-11.

We run these translocations as part of the conservation program for Murray crayfish because they have very low dispersal abilities and occupy small homeranges, which means they struggle to recolonise areas where their population has declined. The translocation project is being run by DPI and Aquasave – Nature Glenelg Trust with funding from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trust. Find out more about these unique freshwater crustaceans at the DPI website.

dpi.nsw.gov.au/artificial-reef

DPI’s ground-breaking approach to artificial reef design is providing reef structures that will not only last for decades but which are scientifically shown to be among the most productive habitats in our coastal waters.

A series of reefs of varying designs have already been installed, with two off Sydney and others off Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Wollongong, Shoalhaven Heads and Merimbula Bay. More are being planned for the Tweed coast, the Batemans Bay region and off Jervis Bay. The reefs are designed to provide habitat for key recreational sportfish such as kingfish, snapper and mulloway, as well as abundant bait species.

A key goal of DPI’s artificial reefs program is to increase recreational fishing opportunities for current and future fishing generations.

Download the DPI FishSmart App or visit the NSW DPI website for GPS coordinates to our artificial reef network.

These reefs are built using funds from the Recreational Fishing Trust.

SEPTEMBER 2020

45

Sydney

NSW

Superb September fishing PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

September is one of my favourite months to fish along our beautiful coastline. This month we should start to see the waters warming, creating a lot more fish activity, which is exciting.

Every year is different, but with high expectations I will be hunting down kingfish along Pittwater and our coastline as well as catching some of those bottom feeders such as snapper, flathead and maybe even a few mulloway.

Along Pittwater the hunt is on once again to catch some squid, and at the moment most squid are large, which is great for the table but difficult to use for kingfish. Smaller kingies will generally steer away from these large baits, although you may entice a hoodlum or two.

These larger squid have been getting caught around the ocean side of Barrenjoey Head as well as over the weed beds at Palm Beach. Squid are reacting well to the natural colours of greens and blues but make sure you have a couple of fluoro colours ready

to go in case they are being tentative. The best size to use at the moment seems to be 2.5g, used with a violent technique. This means that

you will make the line slap on the water during a retrieve.

While out in Broken Bay make sure you keep an eye out for working birds giving

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There have been some tailor schools as well as salmon to keep everyone amused first thing in the morning or around the high tide change.

At the moment both tailor and salmon can be caught using 15g metal lures, just make sure that you are in stealth mode when you approach the melee. It is always best to position your boat upwind of these working schools, turn off your motor and drift back towards them.

When having fun around these schools please remember that there are others trying to enjoy themselves as well so do not cut them off when repositioning your boat.

There is normally plenty of water for everyone to enjoy themselves.

Don’t forget that underneath all of the surface activity working along the bottom can be quite a few fish. These fish can be mulloway, flathead or even bream picking up the scraps and eating fish that come to close to them. With this in mind don’t forget to place a line in a sturdy rod holder and fish the bottom whilst drifting around these schools. Good baits include whole pilchards, pilchard pieces or even a strip of tailor or yellowtail. All these should tempt whatever is lurking on the bottom.

Chasing flathead is also becoming a little bit easier with the drop-off outside of Mackerel Beach as well as Careel Bay being the best spots in Pittwater at the moment. I also recommend drifting from Patonga towards Lion Island. This area does see the pros using their nets so please give them room if you are fishing during the weekdays, they do have right of way. They are generally targeting squid and not trying to catch flathead, bream etc.

Soft plastics hopped along the bottom will work quite well for those wishing to stay active, and dragging baits such as pilchards or prawns will also see a fair

Not a monster size, but an excellent meal. few being caught.

When targeting kingies along Pittwater, the best areas to try are along the eastern side of Pittwater or around Scotland Island as all have seen large fish lurking in recent weeks. Please don’t get disappointed if you don’t hook up on one of these larger fish, as they can be very hard to tempt; you need to be in the right spot at the right time with the right bait on any given day.

Recently we have been chasing reef species along our wonderful coastline and been finding snapper, morwong and flathead just to name a few. I have been surprised at how many tiger flathead have been up on the reefs but the anglers have loved it.

The areas to try seem to be the reefs in the 50-60m depths which include Long Reef. Drifting these areas is a great way to track down a feed. Don’t forget to find bait before deploying your lines and make sure you have your plotter turned on. By using the plotter you are able to go back

and drift through the same area again for more success.

On our last couple of trips the most productive bait has been squid closely followed by the humble pilly. One of the best snapper baits that I have found, if you can get them, are Sergeant Bakers.

These reef fish can be filleted and sent back down to the bottom and it’s amazing how many times you can drift over a reef and not catch a snapper but after putting on a small strip of Sergeant Baker you come up with some snapper.

This may be due to their red colour. It was explained to me many years ago that the colour red can be seen by predators down deep but can’t be seen by the baitfish, so it makes sense to use these red fillets of fish as bait.

So as you can see there are still some fish to catch, and September can be a great time of the year to go fishing.

• Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www. estuaryfishingcharters.com.au

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SEPTEMBER 2020

We can look forward to tangling with some great fish this month.

NSW

Sydney

Blackfish are biting NTH SYDNEY

Steve Winser

In recent weeks the bigger kingfish have slowed up a little in the upper reaches of the harbour, but there are still reasonable numbers of fish to around 80cm with the obligatory stack of rats between them. Once again, the kings are focused pretty much solely on fresh

squid and cuttlefish, with only the odd fish coming on yakkas. At the moment they’re feeding pretty close to the bottom, and they should continue to be caught all through September.

Two of the best species to target this month are bream and blackfish in the lower harbour, as the fishing for them has been outstanding with bream to 40cm taken every trip. We

Anglers have been experiencing great fishing off the rocks lately.

recently went for a walk along the shoreline, and brought a fly rod with some green weed flies, to see if we could catch a fish or two off the shore. It was just a casual expedition but before long we had caught eight fish to around 1kg.

On charter we have been using the bread and float technique, which has been resulting in mixed bags of bream, trevally and blackfish, up to 30 fish in a session. We should see this continue all through this month, and possibly all the way through to Christmas.

Wash fishing for drummer and groper has been outstanding in the lower harbour. The washes leading out along the front of the heads have produced some very large fish recently, with drummer to 4kg, groper to 6kg and some even bigger fish that have smashed us up. The numbers of fish have been very consistent too. When targeting these fish we use a float and prawn and bread, and upsize the outfit to 10-15kg.

The surface schools of tailor and salmon around the lower harbour have dwindled. There’s the odd

One of the best species to target this month is rock blackfish. school of salmon outside the heads down to Bondi and a few tailor around the lower harbour. Some of the tailor are a good size though, with specimens up to 1.5kg, mostly a by-catch when you’re targeting kingfish. Tailor can be tough on live bait because they often chop it in half and miss the hooks. If you do come across good

numbers of tailor, and want to specifically target them, fish a strip bait or pilly on gang hooks and you can get good results.

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FISHING NEWS

The Great Northern Australian Flathead Challenge Calling all flathead anglers – join us on 24-25 October for the Great Northern Australian Flathead Challenge!

This event is Australiaʼs only nationwide online flathead competition, and it’s sponsored by some of the fishing worldʼs biggest names. Itʼs pretty simple - you can fish anywhere you want and five flathead is all it takes.

This is an individual event. You’ll be competing with anglers from your own state (NSW is divided into north and south) and fishing for your local flathead species, with the ultimate goal being the title of State Champion.

There will be five major winners over five divisions bagging amazing prizes, and to make sure that everyone is in with a chance there are heaps of random draw prizes.

Entry includes your unique angler ID, Great Northern brag mat, soft plastics, plus an entry into all random draws including a $2000 cash prize.

Prior to the event you will receive your Great Northern brag mat and angler ID. At the beginning of the weekend we will

release a Challenge code to be displayed on your brag mat photos. Simply submit your photos with our easy-to-use Reel It In app.

One of the highlights after the event is the interactive live presentation on Instagram where you can join us with a beverage and see all the results, leaders boards, winners’ fish and watch as the random prizes

are drawn.

So join us for a cracking weekend - no matter what you catch you’ll be in the running for some awesome prizes and if youʼre in great form you may even walk away with a State Champion trophy!

Entries close on 5 October. For more information or to enter the competition, visit www. reelitin.com.au. - Reel It IN

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Series SEPTEMBER 2020

47

Sydney

NSW

Anglers bagging tasty by-catch SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

Hi to all! It has been a tumultuous winter with a lot of erosion, especially in the mid to northern sections of ocean beaches, which have copped the brunt of the big southeast swells.

The sand dune and beach vegetation barrier,

which separates civilisation and the open ocean, has been getting more and more eroded. Currently it is forming almost vertical sand walls which collapse and get washed into the ocean whenever the swell gets massive, especially if it coincides with big high tides. If you have very rough sea conditions and a big tide, the waves impact the dunes and wash the sand away from the

bottom section, creating an unstable wall which collapses to release tonnes of sand, which then gets washed into the ocean. It also makes the angle of the beach very steep – around 25° – which then causes more erosion as there’s not enough metres of beach sand between the ocean and the sand dune to reduce the wave energy.

The main reason for the increase in erosion this

For most rock anglers, silver drummer can be an enigma. They can be in plague proportions in a particular spot some years, and non-existent there the next.

They’re a good sportfish, and the smaller models can be reasonable eating.

year is because the East Coast has copped several more massive swells in comparison to past years.

Also, the swell has been more from a SE-E angle compared to a S-SE angle.

The good news is that as we are drawing towards the warmer months we will start to get more northeast swells which will gradually push the sand back in, so the beaches can hopefully reclaim the flatter sand areas.

OCEAN ROCKS Big pigs are being caught at the moment, along with a by-catch of sizeable silver drummer. Both of these species generally like the same territory. They both like to feed in amongst submerged boulders and ledges which have kelp beds, cunjevoi, sea tulip and barnacles. They also like green, brown or red covered, semi-submerged rocks with all of the other weeds they like to eat as well – green, brown, red and pink weeds.

Inspecting the stomach contents of a silver drummer and a rock blackfish will show a vast difference in their diet. In a blackfish’s intestines you’ll see red, pink, and some green weeds and a small amount of kelp with the odd shrimp, baby lobster and crab section.

With silver drummer the vast majority of food in the intestine is kelp, like what you see washed up on ocean beaches.

Rock blackfish, also known as pigs or black drummer, are a ledge/ cave dweller coming out

Daniel Dekell is a big guy and this rock blackfish still looks sizeable. At 59cm (4.2kg) it is nearly as big as you will catch these days in Sydney. of cover to have a feed before going back to the cave where they reside.

Rock blackfish are known to be a sedentary species, while the true drummer (silver drummer) is a free swimming, migratory species which does not live in a cave. The silver drummer is a seasonal species, and is generally found on the mid to lower part of the East Coast off the ocean rocks. The best

months for this species are between late June to mid October.

Rock blackfish and silver drummer love a wellpresented cunjevoi bait, or a large peeled king, banana or endeavour prawn. A well presented cabbage weed bait is also great for rock blackfish. You will catch some silver drummer also on bread baits, and the occasional one on a green weed bait meant for

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Both silver drummer and rock blackfish are powererful fish, but they behave very differently once hooked. When you hook a rock blackfish it will swim doggedly for cover back to its cave or ledge, trying to sever your line on the sharp reef/ rock. A silver drummer, by contrast, will not swim for cover like a pig does.

Still, it may cut you off by swimming over a ledge or around a boulder, which is something most species off the rocks can do.

When it comes to locations worth fishing for these species, Bangally Head is a relatively good spot in amongst the boulders, and you can have success at the main ledge near the lookout near Marine Parade and North Avalon Road. Luderick are there as well in the gutter to the right side of the main ledge. There’s plenty of green weed at this ledge and it’s quite good for collecting crabs for bait as well. It’s a dangerous ledge though, really open to a S-SE-E swell.

Another location is Long Reef in Collaroy, which fishes well for a mix of silver drummer and rock blackfish. Try the ledges on the north, south and southeast front. There is a vast area to fish here.

Although it’s very open to the ocean swells it’s a lot safer to fish in comparison to the much higher energy ledges, and so is a better option for a lot of rock fishos. Luderick, groper, leatherjackets, purplebanded wrasse, some trevally, bream, and even the odd snapper can be caught whilst fishing for pigs.

OCEAN BEACHES The run of salmon is

continuing off our beaches in Sydney, although reliable sources tell me that the salmon stocks are getting hammered up around the Central Coast to a point that they are becoming scarce. Another indicator is that the salmon are in the smaller size range. Hopefully a run of big salmon will turn up towards the end of this month and next month in that area.

The predicted migration of bream off the breach should be arriving by the middle of this month.

They can turn up in good numbers off the Sydney beaches and it is not uncommon to catch up to half a dozen good fish or sometimes more. If you’re fishing with fish baits like half pilchards, mullet strips or slimy mackerel strips you will be in with a good chance of catching a feed of bream, and a few salmon may smash your bream bait as well. Sand flathead can also be part of the mix when fishing for beach bream.

You can use a paternoster rig like the Bellissimo 2-hook paternoster seen on my YouTube channel ‘Alex Bellissimo’, or you can use one hook if prefer.

Alternatively you can use basic rig consisting of a bean or ball sinker from 0.5-2oz sliding up and down the line onto a small swivel 15-20kg test suitable for 5-6kg main line. For the trace, I use 30-45cm of Wilson fluorocarbon leader approximately 12-15lb, with a Mustad 1/0 92554 hook.

If your target is salmon, change the hook to a 3/0-4/0 set of three gang hooks and present a whole pilchard. I recommend upsizing your fishing outfit, line class and rig; around 30% heavier is good, especially in rougher

Sydney

NSW

Sydney

conditions.

This time of year is generally considered to be too early for a mulloway, but it’s still worth having a crack at them. If you’re after some fresh bait like tailor, you’ll be disappointed as it’s the worst time of year for tailor. The best you can hope for is a quick 15-30 run at dawn or dusk.

Catching southern calamari can be a better option off the ocean rocks or deeper clear water estuaries. There’s also an early migration of whiting that often turns up in mid September, which provide good fish baits. A whiting fillet, or a large butterflied whiting or a whiting head works well, and is a natural food sauce to a beach mulloway.

Another reason to fish for early season mulloway over the next couple of months is that there will be fewer dusky and bronze whaler sharks around to steal your rigs. The by-catch at this time of the year is mostly salmon or the odd decent-sized flathead.

Even though the days are getting longer and the weather is becoming more stable in this early spring period, the water temp can be at its lowest. A small water temp difference from 15-17°C to 17-19°C is all it takes to make a substantial difference to your success. Try to fish those times when there is a swell direction change or slight rise from the S-SE for warmer water.

• For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www. bellissimocharters. com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com.au or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.

When you’re targeting bream, mulloway or salmon you can encounter sand flathead, silver trevally or other by-catch.

SEPTEMBER 2020

49

Sydney

NSW

Dusting off and diving in BOTANY BAY

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

As September starts to bloom, the weather starts to warm up and the grand finals are being played out in many winter sports, many anglers will start to dust off their fishing and boating gear and get out on the water. If you’re like me

Some of the reports coming in have been from anglers targeting mulloway at a variety of locations, and who are struggling. My advice is to make sure that your gear is in tip-top condition, that your bait is fresh and your lures swim correctly. It’s these fine details that will turn an unsuccessful day into a successful day.

One thing I prefer not to do when targeting mulloway is to fish out of a boat in the

to keep me happy.

When it comes to bait, I prefer to use fresh whole yellowtail, slimy mackerel, squid, mullet and garfish.

Macs Bait Bar at Blakehurst cryovac a lot of freshly caught bait that they get in, but I do my own.

Mulloway reports have been coming from Stanwell Park, Wanda and Maroubra beaches. I have a number of places that I fish for mulloway

I will cryovac whole and put them into the freezer.

Bream, flathead, trevally, tarwhine and whiting will start to increase in numbers throughout the Port Hacking, Botany Bay, Georges and Woronora rivers this month.

A good place to find out what is on the chew is to visit your local tackle and bait shops.

Owning a boat is not always the best way to go about fishing. There are so many places that you can go and land-based fish to have some fun and get a feed or two.

It’s just a matter of doing a bit of research and pinpointing your techniques to suit the fish that you are going to target.

With that in mind, I have added a couple of land-based fishing spots that you may like to try.

As to what fish species you want to target and the research, I will leave that up to you.

Bare Island is situated on

The author and Carl ventured out on Port Hacking to pick up a feed using peeled prawns as bait. Don’t forget to berley when anchored. target while here are bream, bonito, drummer, kingfish, luderick, pan-sized snapper, salmon, silver trevally, squid and tailor.

Once there you will see that the surrounding rock areas of the island is very close to

lightly weighted bait to fish the number of washes that are found here.

Don’t forget to take along a few metal slices for the salmon and tailor that frequent this area. You can also catch drummer and

Bare Island is in the Randwick area so you’ll need to wear your life jacket if you’re fishing there. though, you’ve been fishing all through winter. Those of you who know me will know that I fish all year through thick and thin, whether it’s raining, blowing, sunny or downright miserable.

middle of the night, as I don’t like driving in the dark on the water. Sure, you may be able to catch more mulloway during the dark, but I get enough fish during the early morning, daytime and on dusk

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in Botany Bay and the Georges River, and if you want to find your own places you need to look for areas that have structure. This structure may be in the form of a bridge pylon, pole, rock bar, drop-off or eddy.

Even though you can catch kingfish throughout the year in the Southern Area they will start to show up in small numbers throughout September and slowly increase during the following months. Hopefully they will be in bigger numbers than last year.

Live baiting with squid, yellowtail, slimy mackerel and garfish seems to be the main way that many anglers target kingfish and there is nothing wrong with that. Personally, I like to go out and catch my squid, humanly dispatch them and then cut the body into four strips and the head into two.

This will give me six baits out of one decent squid. The rest

There is a cleaning table beside the ramp, which is a great place to get poddy mullet for live bait. These little morsels can be used to catch bream and dusky flathead. the northern side of the mouth of Botany Bay. To get to one of the best land-based spots in Botany Bay you will need to cross the wooden bridge and go down a few stairs. Due to the fact that the island is very open you will need to keep an eye on the conditions as the swell can get very large here at times.

Fish species that you can

the water. Care will need to be taken here when fishing.

Rock shoes and lifejackets are a must. If the seas are very big you can fish off the bridge or the rocks on the northern side of the island.

Try suspending a whole pilchard or garfish under a bobby cork, as the water is very deep on the northeast side of the island. Use a

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Time to catch a feed

around the close reefs off South Ballina.

Most of the fish are in the 35-50cm range with the There have been some odd bigger fish of around nice catches of mulloway 70-80cm thrown in. offshore and in the river The best baits for in recent weeks, with snapper would be cut the best coming from bonito or squid, however the night expeditions. the bigger fish have been Live bait, like mullet or coming on soft plastics like slimies, have been by far the Atomic Jerk Minnow the standout. in ghost pearl, white or ba Prawn Blade 6” s”radioactive rooster.

“Ya mThere have also been some snapper in good Don’t be caught up in numbers and quality size chasing the snapper in close BALLINA

Joe Allan

on good days. Instead, if the weather allows, get out to the 100 fathoms and try for some blue-eye trevalla and bar cod.

Good baits for these guys are fresh squid and cuttlefish. It can be a hard work on traditional tackle fishing this deep, so electric reels are essential.

On the 32s there are good numbers of pearl perch and trag jew, and if you’re after having your arms pulled off, try

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jigging for some amberjack around the 48s.

September marks the opening of the Australian bass season in NSW. This time of year can bring with it some of the most aggressive strikes as well as good numbers of fish.

The bass are generally on the move in most tidal systems and looking to head back upriver after their winter spawn.

Searching and fastmoving baits, like spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits, can be some of the most productive choices for this time of year.

If you’re worried about the treble hooks of a lipless crankbait snagging up, try swapping out the trebles for either a single size 1 single hook on the belly, or size 4s on the both belly and rear hook points.

This way you can slowly retrieve your lures over timber without as many problems. I like to go for 2 x size 4 Gamakatsu

A crankbait-crunching bream from the rocks that took an Atomic Crank 38 in silver wolf.

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Dean Overhall with a quality snapper.

52

SEPTEMBER 2020

NSW

Single Lure Hooks.

Bream will be around in very good numbers through the middle reaches of the river around Broadwater and Wardell. Fresh prawns and yabbies are always the best baits at this time of year, and the fresher the better.

If you’re into throwing lures, the best thing to start with at this time of year is throwing 1/4oz blades deep and working your way shallow up the rock walls until you find the active fish.

If there has been some pressure on the fishery, drop your line size to possibly 6lb and 4lb leader (6-7ft). This should bring on a few more bites.

Keep your crankbaits handy as well as the fish should start to hold on the rock walls rather than the deeper holes.

Towards the end of September we should see some mud crabs show up, and the best baits for these this time of year are

your leftover blackfish skeletons.

Off the beaches and headlands there are some quality tailor showing up, so it’s time to get out your spinning gear and throw metal slugs for these fish.

It can be a great way to spend a morning and catch some fresh fish for breaky.

At night, try some cut bonito and blue pilchards on gang hooks.

There are some good numbers of dart and whiting along the gutters of South Ballina. You’ll come across some pretty nice snowy bream too.

Towards the end of September when the westerlies start to blow the swell flat, it’s worth throwing some soft plastics into these gutters. You’ll get everything from flathead to whiting, tailor, bream and dart. It can be great fun with young kids.

The blackfish numbers have started to dwindle but there will still be a few good fish around this month.

From page 50

Tyler Rogers with a beautiful mulloway.

here can be hard at times and you may have to park in a side street.

Another great land-based spot is the old Woronora River bridge. It can be a bit tricky getting to the eastern side of the bridge, but if you miss the turn-off you can always turn around and go back across the new Woronora River bridge.

As you come off the bridge you will need to look out for the turn-off on the left that will take you down onto Menai Road that leads down to the old Woronora Bridge. Proceed onto the eastern side of the bridge and turn off at Prince Edward Park Road, right into Thames Street and then right into Liefey Place.

On either side of the western side of the old bridge there is a sandstone retaining wall that will give you easy access to the river. On the south-western side, you will find a slippery and rather rocky area that can be fished on the run-out tide.

The main fish species that are targeted here are bream,

dusky flathead, luderick, mullet and sand whiting.

The best months seem to be February to May for bream, November to April for dusky flathead and whiting, luderick during the cooler months of the year, and yearround for mullet.

Cast out wide into the deeper water and towards the base of the pylons of the new bridge on the run-out tide. When the tide is rising cast a lightly weighted bait or soft plastic towards the base of the pylons of the old bridge. Walk the shoreline upstream of the bridge casting out lures for bream, flathead and whiting.

This is a great place to come and learn how to use those soft plastics and blades that you have had gathering dust in your tackle box. It maybe shallow, but it can be very productive during the high parts of the tide.

Don’t forget to keep those reports and photos coming in on how you have been going to gbrown1@ iprimus.com.au.

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53

NSW

Seeking September snapper COFFS HARBOUR

Dayne Taylor

September is my personal favourite month of the year to get out offshore here on the Coffs Coast, and I intend to do

a lot more of it now I have just received my new Formosa!

Snapper are plentiful at the moment, and the larger models are in the shallow water early in the morning and late in the evening, as expected. You

will not necessarily get a lot of big fish from the one spot, so do not be afraid to move around a bit after you land a couple.

If it’s numbers you are after, rather than quality, try the deeper reefs and gravel grounds around

Dale Johnson and Jye Taylor enjoying a day on the river with a nice bag of winter bream.

that 30-60m range. Slow pitch metal jigs, octo/squid style jigs and of course strip baits dropped in these depths will all provide great numbers of snapper along with a plethora of other mixed reef species schooled up together.

Some great pearl perch along with teraglin are a welcome by-catch whilst fishing these same depths.

A quality GPS/sounder makes finding and staying on these deeper water fish much easier.

We can expect the XXL size kingfish to become more prolific over this month, off course we have a staple population all year round, but traditionally we see some better numbers of 1metre plus kingfish through our winter months and into spring time.

Topwater stick bait lures and big knife jigs are a great way of tempting one of these bigger fish. A live bait dropped to marked fish on the GPS/sounder on a downrigger is very irresistible though.

RIVER AND ESTUARY Bream and Luderick are continuing to plague the artificial rock training walls in our larger rivers

Jye Taylor caught this shallow water snapper late in the afternoon.

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to spawn. Both bait and lure fishos alike are getting good results fishing with prawn and crab-style baits and lures.

The hard-core luderick fishos are doing extremely well, with quality bags of fish over 1kg not uncommon. The shallow

September means bass season is open again!

Michael Goodwin caught this fish on fly.

sand flats and edges are still holding good numbers of flathead and whiting too.

In the deeper water around the front of the estuaries you have a good chance of picking up a river mulloway, especially after the rain has coloured up the rivers a little. These fish love to come in and chase the mullet, bream and luderick.

September marks the highly-anticipated opening of the NSW bass and estuary perch season. The Coffs Coast is spoiled for options when it comes to our native Australian bass.

From the upper reaches of the Macleay River around Kempsey in the South all the way up to the North on mighty Clarence River and all of its tributaries are home to bass, and the landscape and terrain these rivers run through are something special. Grab a few friends and the family, get yourself a canoe or some kayaks, and go and explore these rivers, And to be honest, if you catch some bass it’s just a bonus.

BEACHES AND HEADLANDS We are still having a good run of tailor on the beaches and around

FISHING NEWS

Carp and Tilapia competition has been postponed After much consideration, the Logan & Albert Fish Management Association has announced that the Carp & Tilapia Eradication competition, scheduled to be held at Wyaralong Dam on 24 October 2020, will be postponed until next year.

“At our recent general meeting, the current issues surrounding COVID-19, the requirement for a COVID

Safe Plan to operate our Carp & Tilapia Eradication competition, and other issues concerning the competition, were discussed in full,” said LAFMA representative John Cumberland. “It was finally decided that the competition should not be held this year, but put off to a time at the end of 2021, possibly in October.

“The date has not been set in concrete as

The author with a cracker bream from the Bellinger River. headlands and, for the first time in almost nine years, we have seen some schools of salmon too. Both metal slugs and ganged pilchards have been doing the trick on both species. If you have not tried a smoked tailor, I suggest you give it a go. Bleed and ice them

quickly, and either fillet or smoke them whole. They are delicious!

Off the headlands some great sized mulloway have been taken in recent weeks.

Paddle-tail plastics and shallow diving crankbait lures around the 6” size work well to mimic a mullet or

tailor in the washes, which the mulloway are feeding on. Be sure to upgrade the hardware to handle these big, powerful fish. And of course, your line and leader will need to handle some serious abrasion so a leader and line class around 60lb or more is necessary.

yet, as Seqwater has to be consulted. The date will be advised once a booking has been confirmed. All sponsors will be advised and consulted regarding carry over of prizes.”

More information on the Logan & Albert Fish Management Association’s volunteer work in these rivers, or to become a member, visit lafma. org. – LAFMA

The annual Carp & Tilapia Eradication competition has been rescheduled for late 2021. Image courtesy of LAFMA. SEPTEMBER 2020

55

NSW

Bottom fisher’s paradise SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Paul Martin

Cool crisp mornings and cracker days are the go in this part of the world as we slowly head out of winter for another year.

At this time of year it’s a bottom basher’s paradise.

Snapper have been in good numbers off Grassy Head, with the best results in close from about 15-30m of water. Floating a pilchard down in a berley mix has been very productive.

Alternatively, ZMan, Gulp and an assortment of other 7” plastics have done the

trick early in the morning.

With the water temperature sitting around 20°C, July saw a straggling spotted mackerel or two landed out of this area.

There are a few pearlies about a little wider but once you get to around 60m the leatherjackets will tear you apart. A little further north to Scotts Head there have been good reports of snapper and the odd samsonfish coming in.

Down south off the Gaol to Green Island and Fish Rock, kingfish have been around in very good numbers. Knife jigs in close have been working

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a treat but if you prefer to fish with bait – such as garfish, pilchards or live bait – there are plenty of fish to be caught just off the 200m zone around the Rock. Black Rock has been producing some nice snapper if you are up for an afternoon session.

THE RIVER We have had one of the better months with the majestic Macleay mulloway. The hot spots have been the north and south walls towards the mouth of the river, and you’ll need to rug up because these fish mainly bite at night. Although they are not the monsters of years past, 15-20kg fish have been landed in our river system.

Downsize your tackle and you can be part of a sensational luderick season here in the Macleay. Most fish have been caught around Jew Bite upriver to where they call the wire fence. Weed has been tough

Local fisho Matt Rafton with a 10kg+ snapper. to find but like last season the artificial weed flies are working really well, both off our walls and in the creeks at Hat Head.

Good numbers of bream are about along the walls as well as the Oyster Racks around Clybucca and

Rainbow Reach. We have also had some monster flathead caught through winter in a stack of locations throughout the system.

Trevally have been around Jerseyville and Rainbow, and these fish go hard and are a lot of fun on light gear.

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Mica Saunders with a nice king taken off the rock ledges.

OFF THE LEDGES This year we’ve had one of the best drummer runs we have seen for years. Some of these fish have been thumpers up to 3kg cleaned, with numbers all the way down to Port Macquarie.

Tailor have been plentiful, taking metal slugs, garfish and pilchards. There are also a few schools of salmon heading north, sadly not much chop to eat but good fun to catch.

Off the ledges around the Lighthouse there has been some kingfish action, with reports of the odd tuna in the mix.

LOCAL BEACHES Smoky Beach has been fishing well for tailor early in the morning, with some cracker winter bream in the bag as well. There are a few whiting about but nothing of any size. Gap Beach has a few tailor on the north side, with a bream or two in the gutters.

Back Beach has fished well for flathead on the run-out tide where the creek meets the ocean, while on Main Beach you will get a feed of bream around the boulders.

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Emily Laughton caught this fantastic 42cm bream in the Hawkesbury River. She dedicated the catch to her pop, Alan Cull, who she sadly lost that morning.

NSW

Getting back to bass-ics!

THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

September is certainly an exciting fishing month for sport fishos with the start of the bass season. I really look forward to it after a few months of no bassing. Last bass season was an extremely difficult one for our native fish, with a drought leading into the season, then extreme fire throughout the region, followed by fish kills when we finally did receive flooding rain. The Macleay River was hit hardest of our local systems.

As always in the beginning of a new season we will have to have a few methods and tactics to fish for our bronzed friends. First up is nearly everybody’s favourite method, surface lures. There are so many options out there, including cicada patterns, surface paddlers, fizzers and walk-the-dog style lures.

All are proven fish catchers, and casting them over weed beds or in tight to structure should see a bass or two come out to play.

Other useful lures early in

the season are vibration lures, both soft and hard. They are ideal if fish are moving back upriver in deeper water, and can get you into some good

action. Look at your sounder when going through deeper holes as this can be big fish time, and you can catch them in good numbers too. Other

Scott Campbell with a nice bass from last season. We’ve all been hanging out for the opening this month.

lures I consider essential early in the season are spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and diving jerkbaits.

One more technique which probably doesn’t get as much attention is the use of beetle spins. These little contraptions are very versatile, and with a willow or Colorado blade on them all you need to do is attach a jighead in the necessary weight you want and then you can play around with plastics to find a colour or style that is working. Last year using these with a fire tiger colored curl-tail was extremely effective. With the water at present looking a lot better we can hope that the Wilson, Hastings and Macleay rivers all produce some excellent bass fishing this year.

FLATHEAD September is also the time of year to dust off your big flatty gear with some real serious fish ready to play the game. Flathead fishing has gone to a new level the last few years, with specialist big fish techniques and some good refined flatty tactics in general. Big fish are actively taking some massive offerings.

Large surface lures such as Bent Minnows and Sugapens

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Mandy with a good flatty taken on a hardbody. in the bigger sizes have proven to get results and are good fun. Seriously, who doesn’t like 70-90cm+ fish exploding from the shallows onto your lure? It’s heart in the mouth fishing fun!

Other big lures like glidebaits and swimbaits are also engaging big flatties in the shallows, and for this style of luring you will need a heavier rod setup to cast the lures.

Flathead fishing with jerkbaits, such as the Daiwa

Double Clutch or Samaki Redic will be more in vogue moving forward into summer.

After using mostly plastics in recent years it is great fun to see flatties actually smacking your lure, and at times leaving the water on the strike. Yes, flatties do jump!

So there you have it – a couple of the options available this month in what is the start of good fishing times in the mid north coast region.

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57

NSW

Warmer water will mean more active fish FORSTER

Luke Austin

September is a very exciting time to be fishing in the Great Lakes Area.

The days are warming up and the water is following suit, which translates into much more active fish and generally more productive fishing.

The flathead that have been hiding in the deeper areas of the system have started to wake from their winter hibernation and should only get better as the month goes on. The fish have really started to spread back out again now, and quite a few fish have been caught down around The Paddock and Fish Co-op which may indicate that we are in for a great season.

Unfortunately, most fish caught have been fairly

small (25-35cm) but they are about in great numbers and if you fish through the small ones you will end up with more than enough legal fish for a feed.

For those wishing to focus on quality rather than quantity, targeting the flats and weed beds on the top of the tide this month is a good way to snag a trophy flathead. Big surface lures, Bent Minnow-style lures and swimbaits will work a treat and you may be surprised by just how many fish you run into fishing this way!

There are some very nice tailor ripping about in the deeper areas up around Wallis Island at the moment. Most fish are only 40cm or so but there have been some huge fish lost and plenty of fish up to 1.5/2kg. Trolling hardbodied or metal lures

this month but you can really find them just about anywhere in the bottom section of the system (between Wallis Island and the mouth of the river).

This year is shaping up to be a bumper year for prawns and crabs. We have had good winter rain and there have already been

of the month. With a bit of luck we will score some very nice early season school prawns.

September on our local beaches can be very productive, providing we score some OK weather. We often get a run of really nice tailor over the first couple of weeks this month; it’s

A nice yellowtail kingfish for Ash. is the easiest way to locate the schools and once you find them it’s really good fun casting lures at them on light gear.

Trumpeter whiting are schooling up very nicely now. They are yet to gather in big numbers at the usual spots but if you do a few extra kms and hunt about you will be rewarded with some very nice bags of good-sized early season fish. You can troll for tailor while you look for the schools of whiting.

Luderick are still about in solid numbers.

We often get a good load of fish schooling up on the southern rock wall

September is prime time for big crocs. plenty of blue swimmer crabs caught by local rec fishers. I can’t wait to see what the new moon produces around the middle

not unusual to hear of fish up around the 80cm mark with plenty of 60-70cm fish hanging about with them.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

September can turn on some great weather and snapper fishing. This fish was caught by Brett Cameron.

To page 59

NSW

Action on the upswing PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

I love it when September rolls around, putting the fishing on the upswing and sending winter into the rear view mirror.

live baits around the new and old bridge as well as any deeper holes or drop overs, especially on the tide changes.

Luderick still remain thick along the Nelson Bay and Anchorage break walls as well as over the

nippers and berley on the tide changes the best way to catch them for the bait fishos. Lightly weighted 2” plastics and small crankbait style hardbodies are doing the damage for lure enthusiasts.

More great bream

Mulloway should come on strong this month.

Flathead become more active as the water warms.

It only takes a small spike in water and air temperatures to spark some great new fishing opportunities that weren’t there just a few weeks prior.

Inside the estuary dusky flathead will spring to life once that water temp rises, especially up the Tilligerry and Karuah river systems.

While I usually prefer a natural coloured lure when chasing duskies, the water clarity upriver can often be poor at this time of year so a white, pink or motor oil colour is often best. Hardbodied lures with rattles in them also produce excellent results when fishing in dirty water.

Mulloway are another fish that should come on strong this month up Karuah. Try fishing lures such as soft vibes and large paddle-tail plastics or From page 58

Unfortunately, the tailor season up until now has been patchy at best so it will be interesting to see if these big fish show up or not.

Bream, whiting and flathead will make up most catches of the beach at this time of the year, and as the month wears on we should see the odd dart turning up.

The local stones continue to fish fairly well for traditional ‘winter species’. Black drummer, bream and luderick are still about in really good numbers, and if you find a hole with a decent bit of wash you are almost guaranteed to

racks, rock bars, rocky shoreline and islands, especially points that jut out and create eddies for baitfish to hold.

Whiting will begin to move into the shallow oceanic estuary beaches such

gutter and fish it with live worms on the high tide, preferably late afternoon or early morning. Doing this should not only produce whiting but also a few bream, dart and even the odd mulloway.

If you’re after tailor you won’t be wasting your time flicking a metal lure or whole pilchard around Fingal Spit or Box Beach during dawn and dusk periods.

Off the rocks, drummer have not yet slowed down, continuing to be caught in excellent numbers by those fishing the wash zones from Rocky Point to Fingal Bay. The best way to catch them is with fresh cunjevoi or large peeled prawns rigged on a 1/0 hook, either suspended under a small float or simply unweighted.

Monster squid are still

holding in the protected bays, from Boulder Bay through to Kiddies Corner at Fingal, with size 3.0 jigs in whites pinks and greens working best.

Tailor and salmon can be spun up off the stones right now, with the points around Fingal, Tommaree and Sunny Corner highly productive areas to do so.

Outside, snapper fishing has been hot with plenty of quality reds to 7kg being caught on both plastics and bait. While there’s no doubt the big run up to Edith is often worth the effort, you certainly don’t need to run that far to catch a snapper. The shallow reefs around Fingal Island, Tomaree, Big and Little Island are often overlooked due to their convenience, but don’t let that fool you – they can produce consistent results.

CRESCENT HEAD HOLIDAY RENTALS There are still some big squid around. other side of the bay around the short cut and Winda Whoppa rock walls.

Bream are also in these same areas, with live

fishing can be had around the Soldiers Point through to Garden Island area – just look for typical breamholding habitat such as

get a feed of fish.

If you feel like stretching the arms, throwing metal lures and stickbaits about will produce some nice tailor as well as the odd kingfish up to 10kg, particularly down around the Elizabeth Beach/Charlotte Head area.

Offshore fishing in September can be loads of fun providing we don’t get too much wind. The toothy critters that we all dread have started to ease off a little now which is giving us a much better chance to fish our favourite reefs properly. September snapper fishing is generally best on reefs sitting in 40-80m; for some reason the real shallow reefs tend

to be a little patchy this month. Teraglin are often schooled up in really good numbers on the same reefs as well, and while their average size is only small at the moment, they are still a very welcome addition to any box of fish.

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as Jimmys and Shoal Bay. Live worms and high tide is the key to catching them, as well as very light leaders of around 4lb in the clear water.

The ocean beaches will start to see an increase in numbers of whiting as the water warms. Look for a

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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NSW

Plenty of hot sessions around the washes and I’d be very confident in finding a few. By far the most effective coloured soft plastic lure for salmon is a clear plastic. Generally a flick bait style in the 3-4” range is a great option.

Moving a little deeper into the lake and the fishing has remained consistent.

There has been a large amount of rain over recent weeks and the lake has had a great flush which is often healthy for our system. And it seems it’s done some good this time around as well. The mulloway bite is steady with good fish reported daily, which is always a plus. The deep sections that I often find productive on the mulloway have not been giving me much joy this season though. It’s great to see a good number of these fish coming from the shallower

SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

bream are a favourite of mine but I’ve found them a little frustrating lately.

The weather is my only saving grace with them recently. A nice southerly front seems to be the magic recipe to get them on the chew so every time I see a front moving through I load up the boat and fast track to the nearest flats to chase a few. Shallow running hardbody lures are my go-to for this situation.

I like a lure around 3g in weight and 3-4cm in length, and one that dives to around 0.3-0.6m As for colours, I certainly lean towards a brown or black colour combo as I have good runs on the board with these options.

So the next time you see that southerly approaching, don’t automatically pack the gear away.

When it comes to flathead, white soft plastics have been the author’s saviour once again this season. washes has produced some great light tackle sportfish action with the mighty Australian salmon keeping anglers entertained.

If you prefer to stay within the lake itself you’re in luck. Salts Bay is a great location to take the kids out to chase some light tackle speedsters on soft plastics.

The birds are generally a good indication that the salmon are about, but even if the birds don’t appear you can slow troll a pair of soft plastics around the general area and work the way to Swansea bridge and back towards the mouth again,

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While we are out on the ocean there have been some great catches coming from a few of the wider reefs.

Kingfish have been a little hit-and-miss but when they are on they are certainly on with some great bags still about. Live baits are producing the goods for most anglers who are targeting them.

Moving a little closer to home and the washes have been turning on a few hot sessions for anglers. Moon Island has turned on some great pelagic action this past month. Throwing a variety of soft plastics around the

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What a turnaround we’ve had in Lake Macquarie region. Although our tuna season is generally VERY short, it’s making up for it in quality this year, that’s for sure.

As is often the downside of any tuna run in our part of the world, these fish are very wide out and a long long run even on a good day. On most days the temp break and hence the tuna bite has been well wide of the Norah Head canyons.

Now that’s the bad news out of the way. The good news is that once you’re there the fishing on occasions has been sensational, with some crews scoring half a dozen or more YFT in a trip – and these YFT are no jellybeans, with some real crackers going 60kg+.

Most of these fish have been falling to a variety of trolled lures but there has been a great emphasis this season for targeting tuna on topwater lures. From what I’ve seen it looks like hard work but the rewards have been there.

If you’re looking to head out to target these YFT and you’re not overly experienced offshore, take a few extra safety precautions to ensure the trip is as safe as it is enjoyable for you and your crew. Have a good working radio, log on/off with authorities and make sure you have a lot more fuel than you think you need. It may take you 50L to get out there in nice weather at the start of your day, and then double that to get back home if the weather turns sour.

waters this season. Kayak anglers and boaties are scoring equally well, with both live baits and lures producing the goods.

Many of the mulloway are in that smaller size bracket (yet still great fun) of around 70-80cm but there have been a few real slobs of 1m+.

Those anglers that love a feed of fresh seafood are also in luck with plenty of tasty squid about for those willing to work for the feed. The squid on offer at the moment are not large but they do make for a tasty meal and they are certainly ripe pickings for a mulloway live bait. If you find yourself out there chasing a few of these tasty critters then I’d suggest loading up on a few small squid jigs in green or pink.

Lake Macquarie

NSW

Getting the timing right CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

What’s already been a tough year got even tougher through July and August, with more wind, rain, swell and generally poor weather hampering our efforts.

That’s certainly not out

for beachside properties, it certainly doesn’t help fishing either.

At the opposite end of the spectrum though, September is notorious for persistent westerly winds which flatten out the seas. This creates other problems, like a lack of decent gutters and hardly any whitewash. When

they are likely to show up just about anywhere from Umina up to Catherine Hill Bay. Sure, some readers may not want catch any salmon, but to my way of thinking, fishing can still be a bit tough in September, so hooking into these hard fighting fish has got to be better than nothing!

It may sound a tad

The lower rock ledges around Norah Head can produce groper, luderick and drummer at this time of year, but it’s important to fish when conditions allow. This looks about right – reasonably calm seas with a bit of whitewash close in around the rocks.

A few silver trevally may be encountered within the Brisbane Waters system this month, as well as around the rocks and inshore reefs. of the ordinary for that part of the year though, and sometimes such unfavourable conditions linger well into spring.

Local residents would be well aware of the severe beach erosion as low pressure systems whipped up very powerful swell in mid to late winter. While that was obviously very bad

to take a swipe.

ROCKS Rock fishing obviously suffers from similar problems at this time

beaches are like this it can be very hard to tempt any fish closer to shore.

However, if we’re lucky enough to get the timing right and the swell and winds are favourable, there will definitely be plenty of salmon on offer. The bigger beaches like North Entrance or Budgewoi tend to attract more sambos, but

Although September can be notoriously tough in this part of the world, flathead can still be quite a reliable target species. Try your luck around The Entrance or the lower end of Brisbane Waters.

Fin Pryor had an awesome day with his dad, Mark, chasing YFT off Port Stephens. The pair headed out and trolled unsuccessfully for four hours covering 70km before eventually crashing into birds working and getting their hit.

After 40 minutes and two failed gaff attempts, Fin brought the 1.24m tuna to the boat.

boring, but the most reliable approach this month will be the good old pilchard on ganged hooks. If sambos are within casting range and a pilly bait lands near them it pretty much guarantees a quick hook-up. Despite the decades of beach fishing behind me, I still enjoy casting a pilchard into the surf and regard that as the first weapon of choice.

However, many of us, myself included, also enjoy lure casting. So if you haven’t got any pillies on hand or would rather use lures, go for the smaller to mid-sized slim profile metals in the 20-45g range.

Simple chrome or white lures often work better than anything else and they also cast like bullets. There’s nothing too exotic about the technique either. Just cast out, let the lure sink a bit and start cranking it back in. Faster retrieves often work better and sometimes a few sudden stops or pauses during the retrieve can encourage fish

of year, with the ocean swell having the greatest influence on things. Too much swell and it’s simply too dangerous to fish.

Too calm and you may be struggling to get a bite.

If all goes well though, you shouldn’t have a problem finding a few salmon moving within casting range and once again, pilchard baits and small metal lures are two of the best options for the sambos. If there’s enough whitewash close in around the rocks then luderick and drummer could be tempted with baits of green cabbage, bread, peeled prawns or cunje. Of these baits my preference is for green cabbage or bread, as I find prawns and cunje also attract too many pickers like toads and mados.

If the seas are dead flat and you’ve got heavyduty tackle, our local ledges are always worth considering for a shot at groper. In this case, the red crabs found close to the

low tide mark are the gun bait, but if you’re having trouble finding those then other crabs will still tempt groper. While you certainly don’t need flat seas to catch groper, it’s safer and easier to catch the crabs needed for bait.

ESTUARY OPTIONS While this month can still be a bit tough around the lakes and Brisbane Waters, a few fish shouldn’t be too difficult to come by.

I would mainly be targeting flathead at the moment,

particularly at places like The Entrance and Woy Woy. A few bream, luderick and trevally are also likely to take a bait or lure, but by specifically aiming for flathead you’ll still be in the running for other fish if they’re in the vicinity.

Overall this isn’t a month to expect red hot fishing. By keeping a close eye on weather and swell forecasts though, it’s still quite possible to score a few fish for a feed or some fun.

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Top targets are on the move ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

September has always been a good month for the rock hoppers who love to target drummer. It’s a little warmer now and the weather and ocean are a little more stable but not too calm, because to find drummer you need some waves to create the white water that they love.

Every headland and rock shelf in the Illawarra holds a good population of black drummer, and there are plenty of good fish up to 3kg on all the rock spots at the moment. Technically they should be called rock blackfish, because ‘true’ drummer are the silver drummer that regularly

grow to 10kg+ and are sometimes hooked while chasing black drummer.

While black drummer are renowned for pulling hard and dragging you through every piece of sharp rock and cunje, silvers pull twice as hard but fight clean. They use up time as you just let them go again because even the strongest of stomachs cannot tolerate the taste of a silver. Black drummer, on the other hand, are top tucker, when bled straight after capture and skinned.

The rocks north between Stanwell Park and Austinmer are excellent, as is the area around Bass Point and Kiama, while everyone has their own special spot in the areas in between.

One of the joys of chasing

drummer is the by-catch you encounter when using different methods to catch them. Some anglers use a float and green cabbage weed for bait, found on the platforms you are fishing from, and you can catch many if not more luderick when fishing in this manner.

Alternatively you can use some bread for berley and use more bread, cunje or crabs and prawns for bait fished in the berley trail.

This way you’ll not only get drummer but bream, trevally and even groper.

Trevally and bream are about on most all rocky points and headlands, taking ganged pilchards and pilchard pieces, while the deeper ledges have some good salmon and the odd legal kingy starting to show.

Live baits of yellowtail and mackerel will score both and might even pick up an early bonito.

The estuaries are slowly picking up but don’t get too excited just yet. The odd flathead is starting to come

shouldn’t expect great results as yet.

Bream are around the bridge pylons in the evening with a falling tide. Peeled prawns fished on light line without any weight the best way to score the most bites.

A few salmon can be picked up on the inside of the lake break walls on the rising tide, with most fish falling to small, shiny metal lures cast and brought back across the current. A few blackfish will be hanging around the break walls as well. Fish the falling tide, and remember that good weed is essential.

Offshore the snapper have mostly moved out into deeper water. While it is still worth chasing a few smaller pan-sized fish over the inner reefs, and you will score the odd better fish that decided to hang around as they do every year, the bigger fish are now out in 40m+, so getting back to drifting with plastics is the way to go. Bear in mind fishing

Garry with a typical sized red that can be found on the reefs at the moment. about every reef as well, so take plenty of plastics and heads with you.

If the current is minimal then a berley trail will bring them up if you are fishing a good reef with fish over it, then drift down

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Find the birds and you will find the fish. With this many birds it shouldn’t be too hard. out of hibernation, but they are probably best pursued at the end of this month.

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plastics at this time of year can be expensive, with hordes of leatherjackets and barracouta on just

the attention of any little makos in the area and there have been a few about.

A few of the smaller pelagics should be about this month – just keep an eye out for the seagulls and terns flocking over the schools of fish. The tiny eel-like baitfish appear at this time of the year, with mostly salmon taking advantage of the easy pickings.

Mixed with the salmon will be extra small kingfish, bonito, striped tuna, mackerel, big yellowtail and tailor, while under the schools you will find heaps of trevally and barracouta and a few small snapper.

Very small metal or baitfish imitations work well on the surface feeders, and micro jigs work below them. The fish are all along the coast, just keep your eye out for the splashes or the birds.

Further offshore it was a good winter for the bluefin, with lots of very big fish taken locally when the weather was favourable between the big east coast low weather systems. As is typical with bluefin though, it was hit-and-miss with

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NSW

Spring has sprung after great winter run BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

Winter! How good was it?! We’ve been tested with fires and floods, and then Batemans Bay was in the news again for all the wrong reasons, being a coronavirus hotspot!

We just can’t get a break.

Except our winter break.

lobsters, a steady run of squid and great fishing. The bream, snapper and tuna run was top shelf!

Throughout winter the bream move out the front and around our oceanic rocky bays and beaches to spawn. They can also be quite active in our estuary and lake systems, as they were this year. Winter saw a great deal of bream in the

are only looking better for the bream fishing, and as spring kicks in the bream will be returning to the river systems and lakes, chasing all the bait coming in.

The snapper bite is looking like a good 12-month run with spring here now. At this time of the year they can school in good numbers and spawn throughout October and November. Generally you’ll find good 2-5kg fish in that 50-80m depth and in good numbers. These snapper are nice shiny, healthy fish, and you can find them in one area for a week or two. There will be large congregations of fish in that depth all up and down the south coast. I only take what I can eat fresh and release the rest.

What also spawns in spring is squid, and last spring had a thick showing.

Hopefully this spring will be just as good. The hoods make great calamari rings and the heads make great snapper and mulloway bait.

The estuary comes alive with mulloway during spring and some years are better than others. Last year we had a few, but in 2018 the spring fishing was off its chain.

Here’s hoping for a good spring mulloway run in 2020.

Live mullet, freshly caught squid or lures cast from our wharfs or break wall at night during a tide change will put you in the game.

The tuna run was fairly consistent from May until now. The yellowfin kicked it off, and this was followed by a good run of bluefin with some jumbos over the 100kg mark thrown in. The albacore visited in solid numbers at times, and all in all it was another year of tuna fishing at its best – world class at times.

Good numbers of tuna can be around until October, so keep the hooks sharp and look out for the weather windows.

Tuna fishing can involve very long days and coming home empty-handed, and it’s not the best feeling, especially when you look at your fuel

bill. So what most boats have done these days is the obvious answer: spend more money on fishing gear! (Isn’t that the answer to everything?) If

the different outfits available, drop in and see us at Compleat Angler Batemans Bay. Springtime is a beautiful time of the year where the

Nell and Cali with a couple of bluefin from another good year off the Batemans Coast.

Zoe O’Connor with a 106kg beast.

It was fantastic. We had a very sunny winter and great fishing which took our minds off the world’s problems.

Our winters are usually quite mild for how far south we are, and surprisingly warm during the day, considering Australia’s snow resorts are just over the hill.

We are a very blessed little pocket of the world, and what makes it even more special is our sea life. It didn’t fail to impress over winter, and we can only expect spring to continue the good run.

Winter had an amazing whale migration, plenty of From page 62

some boats managing to troll over a school getting 5-way hook-ups, with those only a few hundred metres away got donuts.

You just have to be lucky.

An added bonus was the solid yellowfin that were out there as well.

Fish to 80kg were captured but usually only single or double random fish so you had to be lucky, but that’s the way it is these days, you put in lots of hours and fuel and cross your fingers. The fact that you usually don’t start fishing until you are at least 40km offshore doesn’t seem to deter many anglers heading to

40cm and above range, and they were big fat ones too.

Some of our southern lake systems produced and so too did our beaches. It was great seeing so many large bream getting around. Even better, a couple of east coast lows produced enough swell and rain to open up some of the lakes which were in need of a good flush out, especially after the bushfires.

The lakes that opened, including Durras, now have a happy, healthy ecosystem that prawns can enter over spring, and which is also a great nursery for fish, including bream. So things

Georgia Poyner finding the bream run big and beautiful.

GPS co-ords that scored fish the previous day. It can be like a parking lot out there with boats as small as 4.5m trying their luck. It’s all good while the weather is perfect but hell on earth if it turns nasty.

You have to wonder, is a fish really worth it?

There should still be a few yellowfin around this month too if the currents are favourable, and you never know – a few stray bluefin might show. They used to be a September fish 60 years ago, and with numbers improving every season who knows? Some solid albacore could be a consolation prize and there will be plenty of makos,

blues and whaler sharks about if that’s your thing.

If the current is slow there are always the blue-eye and gemfish down deep around Kiama Canyons at this time of year.

Closer in, the bottom has those smaller snapper over most of the reefs with mowies on the improve and plenty of pigfish and heaps of leatherjackets, and if you lose you rig you have found the barracouta.

They don’t mind sand either, snipping off flathead rigs as well. As for the flathead, good-size fish are just starting to move and should be much more abundant in a few weeks’ time.

you follow their lead and get an electric reel set-up, you can really make the most of your time on the water. Tuna fishing is usually done in good conditions which suits deep dropping, so you can always pull up and drop down to the bottom for a chance of blue-eye, hapuka, gemfish, ling or the ever reliable ocean perch. This way you don’t go home empty handed, and you get to take a break from trolling around and mix things up a bit.

And while you are deep dropping you can kick back and listen to the radio and let the others find the fish, and you never know – with a bit of cubing at the same time you might get the tuna coming to you. If you’d like to know more about deep dropping and

sun starts to turn up the temperature and the currents start to turn downhill, bringing bait and new life. The tuna will slow down and the big spring kingfish will move in as well as the mahimahi out wide before the striped marlin make their entrance around December. Exciting times!

Spring means a bit of a break in the weather and the transition of species, and I’m looking forward to it. Stay safe everyone.

• For more up-to-theminute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff.

They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

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NSW

Good news, Wallaga has finally re-opened BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Wallaga Lake, just north of Bermagui, is a renowned fishing destination for local and visiting anglers, with great van parks and camping grounds along its foreshores. However during periods of drought it unfortunately closes to the ocean, which prevents the lake from getting that

influx of ocean water that brings with it the many fish species that anglers enjoy catching. Sadly, this has been the case in 2020… but not anymore.

Following recent south coast rains due to the low pressure systems in recent times, Wallaga has reopened to the sea.

So what is this going to mean for anglers? Well, the last time the lake had closed for a substantial period, the fishing was amazing for several years,

Wallaga re-opens to the ocean.

There will be good numbers of quality bream over the flats in Wallaga Lake now it is open to the ocean.

with all types of species making their way into the system. The reason it attracts vast amounts of fish stocks is the amount of food available when this lake becomes tidal.

Walking over the flats at low tide reveals all the food sources that are available, and what fish species are feeding on them.

Shellfish like cockles, pipis or oysters are one

such food source which bream are particularly partial to. You will find these shells often crunched and upturned from the bream. Note where the shells are, go back and fish for them on a rising tide when there is enough water to cover the flats.

Nippers (yabbies) are another readily available food source, and there are vast flats within the lake

that are home to these crustaceans. Nippers not only provide food for fish, but also provide anglers with a ready bait supply.

These flats also provide the right habitat for squirt worms, which whiting, mullet and luderick just can’t refuse.

Squirt worms are easily accessed with a bait pump used for nippers, although with the worms you should

use a slower, purposeful pull on the pump.

The lake might be open but don’t expect it to fish its head off right away. As we come into spring and summer it should start to pick up, and by the time the weather warms it should be in full swing.

This lake will hold just about any estuary species that anglers wish to target. Now the lake is open when the tide starts flooding the flats, here you can target whiting, bream, mullet, luderick or flathead on those baits mentioned earlier or with lures or fly.

In the channels bream or flathead will be more predominant and joining them you are likely to encounter tailor, salmon or trevally.

For those traditionalists, luderick will congregate around the bridge pylons where they can be fished for with green weed and floats on a going out tide. The lake itself is particularly good for flatties on either lures or live mullet where the occasional mulloway or snapper may also turn up and for those who like some tasty smaller fish there is plenty of garfish over the sea grass beds.

Nectar from the gods TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

The Bega River that enters the ocean at Tathra has a massive catchment, including the Brogo River where Brogo Dam is established, and recent heavy rains has had the rivers in flood.

Although these rains can be devastating it is also nectar from the gods for

the environment and for all of the river systems. When the flood levels drop they leave the rivers and lakes flushed clean, providing a refreshed waterway for our many fish species.

However, these rains may have come at a bad time for the bass of Brogo Dam. It’s spawning season, and if they still have the urge some fish may go over the spillway to make their way to the saltwater. As we have found in the past though,

these escapees are not lost.

On the contrary, they are replenishing the Brogo and Bega river stocks, allowing for some excellent river angling. With the efforts of the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association along with NSW DPI Fisheries, Brogo Dam is assured of good fish stocks of both Australian bass and estuary perch for the future, with many thousands of fish due for release later this year.

For the saltwater species

Brogo may flood and some bass may be lost over the wall but they will replenish stocks in the rivers.

Salmon are one species that will take advantage of flooding conditions.

64

SEPTEMBER 2020

of the estuaries, the rain event has allowed plenty of stock and juvenile fish to enter back into the systems.

After a flood, there is a vast amount of food available for fish of all ages. The angling at first may not be full on as water temps are still cool, however as spring progresses most of the regular estuary species should start to chew.

These rains not only improve the estuaries, there is a follow on to other areas like beaches, adjacent rock platforms and all the way through to the bluewater.

For the immediate fishing try the beaches adjacent to any waterways flowing into the ocean, as for those food sources washing into the sea will attract predators. At the entrance to the Bega River there have been plenty of bream fossicking in the dirty water, along with mullet, whiting and salmon. Of a night you are also likely to find quite a few tailor in the suds, or maybe the odd mulloway or gummy shark.

Offshore, out from where these rivers or lakes are flowing into the ocean, boaties can expect

some interesting angling.

Flathead will be one species that will take advantage of what is being flushed into the ocean, and this is where we anglers can take advantage of these fish congregating within an area. Mixing in with the flatties are gummy and whaler sharks along with some other bottom feeders like gurnard, snapper and morwong.

All in all there are exciting times ahead for angling in the near future, so bring on the warmer months.

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NSW

Goodbye winter, hello warmth!

ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

September. For those who hate the cold, this word brings back a small piece of happiness. While winter does offer some good rewards for effort

temperatures still being relatively low in most places, the first month of spring can still require a fair few hours on the water to successfully land fish. Water temperature, particularly in lakes, can be one of the biggest driving factors to either turn golden perch on, or switch them

from them.

Key factors on catching golden perch vary widely in different locations, and things to consider include depth, flow, weed/reed, bank types, water clarity, wind/ breeze direction, water levels and the list goes on. For this reason it’s a good idea to do

each to their own and if it catches you a fish (provided it’s legal, of course) and you enjoy it, who cares? Some of my best fishing memories are catching fish on bait, and if you have kids or are just taking friends or family out that don’t know much about fishing, this can be an easy and enjoyable approach.

3. The main food sources for the particular body of water. Yes, going to a new waterway and just casting any lure will often catch you fish, and often it’s the best way to find out what they are after. But if you have to really break things down to succeed, figuring out what food supplies are there for fish can really help you. This can be as simple as noting whether there’s newly flooded ground, schools of smaller baitfish, exposed banks showing crustacean holes, weed beds and so on. Food sources can come from anywhere, so look around and see what’s happening!

But most importantly, just go out and have fun – don’t get too focussed on whether you’re catching fish. Time on the water is

Walking the banks of rivers and casting into backwaters is one of the author’s favourite fishing styles. Small hardbodies are a great search bait for golden perch. precious, so soak up every chance you can get. COVID has helped many of us to appreciate this. Fishing here on the border has been tough with the restrictions. It’s been hard to get to some places I really want to fish (and also the water conditions have been a bit on and off from rainfall, although this will be good in the long run).

I’m super excited for when

restrictions ease up again, but in the meantime we have to accept the challenges and face them together. The sooner we all do our part and get through this, the sooner we can freely move around and fish wherever we like. I hope you can get onto a few this month, but if you’re in lockdown, don’t stress too much as soon you’ll be back doing what you love!

FISHING NEWS

The bigger fish are there, and sometimes the slightest change in technique can make a world of difference. when it comes to Murray cod fishing, spring brings its own rewards with another prized native fish: golden perch.

Coming off the cooler months, and with the water

completely off. They can be such an easy fish to catch when they are active and on the chew, but on other days you can throw every lure in existence and not even remotely have interest

Lake golden perch sometimes take a lot of persuading, so persistence is key.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

a bit of homework on the location you are visiting to hopefully land a few fish, especially at this time of year.

Some of the main factors I look into before fishing a new area for golden perch are divided into three sections.

1. Is the lake, river or creek rising, dropping, or at a stable level? A lot of the time this will affect a golden perch’s feeding habits. For example, if a lake is on the rise, fish will often feed on grassy banks, sandy flats or clay banks because new feeding zones can now be accessed. A rising water level can work to your favour very effectively, not only for golden perch but all freshwater species.

2. Water clarity. Water clarity can work to your favour or be your worst enemy. If a body of water is usually quite clear and then you get a flush of water coming through, it can make the clarity quite poor and that will probably reduce your chances of catching fish on lures. In some cases it can work to your favour, but most of the time when lure fishing it can make things a bit difficult.

Bait fishing in dirty water however is sometimes an absolute killer way to catch golden perch. For many keen lure fishos, bait fishing isn’t all that appealing, but

Solitary Ranger hits the water Illegal fishers have nowhere to hide in NSW waters following the launch of the NSW Government’s largest ever offshore patrol vessel.

Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall officially named and launched Solitary Ranger at Coffs Harbour, and said the $3.3 million vessel would be a valuable tool in the NSW Government’s arsenal.

“This is the largest and most technologically advanced vessel we’ve ever had at our disposal, and it will allow us to crack down on illegal fishers from Sydney to the Queensland border and even out to Lord Howe Island,” Mr Marshall said.

“With a greater capacity for long-range patrols, and the ability to handle rough offshore conditions, the Solitary Ranger can head

further out to sea where more and more commercial and recreational fishing is taking place.

“Fisheries officers will have the latest mapping and surveillance equipment at their fingertips, such as infrared cameras, to help catch anyone doing the wrong thing.

“It’s critical we maintain a strong compliance presence in NSW waters to ensure we have sufficient fish stocks for generations to come.”

The Solitary Ranger can undertake a range of activities including ocean patrols, surveillance activities and targeted compliance operations.

Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said Coffs Harbour is the perfect location to house the vessel, situated ideally between

Sydney and Tweed.

“Our region is home to some of the State’s best fishing spots, so it’s vital we protect our aquatic resources and tackle the issues of illegal fishing head on,” Mr Singh said.

The Solitary Ranger is 20m long and was built by the family-owned North Coast company Yamba Welding and Engineering.

This rigid hull inflatable boat has been named after devoted Department of Primary Industries fisheries officer Wayne Currie, who passed away in 2019.

People are encouraged to report all suspected illegal fishing activities by calling Fishers Watch on 1800 043 536 or via www. dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/ compliance. - NSWDPI

NSW

How good is spring?

BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

After another long, cold winter we finally have some temperatures that will have you keen to get out of bed and get amongst some great fishing. These warmer

smorgasbord of food being engulfed by the margins of the dams as the water rises and covers new ground.

Remember, the fish also move in to sun themselves, and if there isn’t enough sun to warm the water up enough for them they often won’t feed until the weather comes good again.

This behaviour can make

you are almost guaranteed there will be fish or two present, and they will almost definitely be active.

Alternatively, if this isn’t working for you it can pay to head out even deeper and target redfin with jigs, blades, plastics, tail spinners, rubber vibes, spoons or ice jigs.

If you are bait fishing

Jounama Dam is a great land-based fishery that fishes best during the spring months.

The golden perch fishing will really start to fire in September. Grab your favourite fishing partner and go get amongst them. weather conditions are a trigger for some fish species, and none more so than natives like golden perch.

In the lakes like Blowering Dam, Jounama Dam and Burrinjuck Dam the resident goldens will move into the now warming shallows, both to warm themselves up after a long cold winter and also to take advantage of the now abundant food that these shallow margins are home to.

Most of the dams will be slightly on the rise, meaning there will be a

for some frustrating times on the water, as you can see these giant football-shaped goldens sitting there but they just won’t open their mouths and have a feed.

It can challenge the wits of even the most seasoned anglers. I don’t mind too much though, as seeing them is almost as much fun as catching them.

When they are in this hard to entice mode I generally fish deeper areas and/or find a bank or point that is being swept by wind – the more windswept the better. If there is a milk line created from the wash then

this month, hit the areas I just mentioned and try to keep your bait moving as much as possible. If you are using small yabbies (which will be hard to beat this month) try to use them actively. Rig them tail-first on a hook with no sinker if possible, or the smallest sinker you can get away with. Cast your yabby into a likely looking area, let it sink and then, after it hits the bottom, give it a short time to rest in case a fish

fixed bait, just make sure you use a paternoster rig to keep the yabby from burying itself on the bottom and also to keep it up kicking about in the fishes’ faces.

JOUNAMA DAM With all the creeks

coincidently fire right after the official close to the trout streams. This is a bonus for those addicted to trout fishing in the area as you can successfully fish for plenty of good size trout all year round.

Casting lures or flies

Golden perch can get as deep as they are long at this time of year, and these fat footballs will be at the top of most anglers’ lists this month.

Golden perch will be up in the shallow margins of our dams this month, and can be targeted either from a boat or the bank.

watched it sink.

If you don’t get a bite, lift the yabby up off the bottom a metre or so. This will give any fish in the area another chance to notice the yabby before it sinks, and if there was a fish sitting on it or near it from the initial cast it will think that the yabby is trying to flee, and the fish will smash it before it gets a chance to hit the bottom again. This technique can work incredibly well and out-fish most other techniques at this time of the year. The key to it is to stay in contact with the yabby as it sinks, as this is when the goldens will hit it most often.

If that sounds like too much hard work you can still have success with a

It doesn’t get much better than catching giant fish from the bank. and rivers closed, anglers that are keen to get a trout fix have only one option and that is to hit the lakes – and what better lake to target big trout, both rainbows and browns, than Jounama Dam. This picturesque little lake is a great place to take the family for a fun-filled day beside the water. The big trout this lake is associated with

from the bank is very productive and is my preferred way of fishing the lake, but bait fishing with PowerBait, grubs or worms is also a great way of hooking into a trout or two.

On top of the great trout fishing in the lake there are also good numbers of at times trophy-sized redfin, golden perch and Murray cod, so you just never know what you will hook next.

SEPTEMBER 2020

69

NSW

Fish go into spring mode HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

It’s nice to see the long range forecasts were correct in predicting some winter rains. The lakes had been holding

steady and a couple of low pressure systems managed to make it inland enough to give them all a top-up.

This is great news for the impoundment fishing.

Hopefully after I write this more rain will be on the way. We still need a

lot more follow-up to get them right up again.

This month brings a transition for the fish into their spring patterns. It also opens the bass and estuary perch bag limits up for the river and streams. While the start of September will

Emmett Campbell and Kaden Young with a double hook-up of schooled fish, one on a plastic and the other on an ice jig.

still be very much like winter fishing, by the end of the month the water will be warming as the days get longer.

The impoundment fishing can be a bit of a mixed bag this month. All three of the lakes should fish fairly similarly, with the main determining factor being the water temperature.

From the start of the month towards the end you should see temperature vary from around 15-20°C – obviously depending on rain, warmer days, wind and cold nights.

All these factors influence the waters warming, and can be hard to predict at the time of writing this column. I like to use 17-18°C as my reference.

When the surface water temperature is below this I opt for finesse winter-style techniques. When the water warms above this range, spring-style reaction lures start to come into play.

Keep an eye on that temperature as you move from spot to spot. It’s fair to assume the water temperature would be cooler in the morning, and

Sam Phelps had a good run at Glenbawn recently, catching bass on soft plastics. this would be a perfect time to break out your finesse tackle. A jerkbait fished tight to cover as the sun comes up is a great way to find any active fish up

shallower in the water column. Follow the jerkbait up with a slow rolled plastic out of the edge.

These two techniques are To page 71

Spring is the perfect time to hit the water NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

The 2019/2020 Murray Cod season officially closes from 1 September to 1 December for the annual spawning period.

This means a zero bag limit rule is in effect.

Targeting or being in possession of Murray cod at this time of year can result in a big fine, and your fishing gear and car/boat can be confiscated too, so make sure you do the right thing on the water over the next few months. I find between now and then is the perfect time to get out, travel and explore new waterways or even go dial in on other fish species the New England area has on offer.

The smaller streams or known ‘trout breeding’ waterways, including the Beardy River, are still currently closed until the October long weekend. However, there are still plenty of other larger bodies of water that are still fishable around the area.

The Severn River stays open all year round for fishing. However, with cod season now closed, lures up to 70mm in length are fine for targeting perch but anything longer 70

SEPTEMBER 2020

or with a bigger profile could be classed as a cod lure. It might take a bit of explaining to Barnsey, the local Fisheries officer around the Tablelands area.

If I had to pick three lures that I would be confident to catch any perch species this season, they would be a Mazzy Vib, Jackall TN60 and a

A healthy skinny water redfin perch taken on a Vibration-X swimbait.

This 54cm PB silver perch was caught on a small blade-style lure.

ZX blade. It is no secret how effective these lures can be at this time of year, when fished right; they will work in every waterway with the proper technique.

Having said that, smaller profile lures such as swimbaits and spinnerbaits can never be overlooked.

Both Copeton and Pindari dams are perfect for such lures, and lipless crankbaits work particularly well when fished properly.

Anyone can go out and catch the odd perch on a reaction bite casting the

edges without a sounder, but if you really want to dial in on big numbers than good electronics are usually a must. Pindari Dam has always been known as more of an edge bite dam, having good numbers of fish in the solid trees out wider, and this is usually where you can get away without electronics.

However, some of the best light tackle fishing I have ever experienced has been out on the open, grassy, flat banks at Copeton Dam during these warmer

months while fishing with Timmy Mutimer a few seasons back. Tim was so dialled in on his Lowrance sounders that he could pretty much call when a fish would be active enough to eat his Mazzy Vib. It was insane to see considering I had never used a sounder before that point.

If you can find yourself on the right patch of active fish at the right time, and are confident in your gear and techniques, To page 71

NSW From page 70 (Phelps)

your best bet for catching any fish feeding on finesse presentations.

As the morning wears on you’ll notice the temperature increase, and the fish may respond to different presentations.

A bladed jig/chatterbait or spinnerbait is great searching reaction bait in spring. Fish these at the back of warming bays and pockets. The closer to the bottom and slower you can roll these, the better. A 3/8oz chatterbait or 1/2oz spinnerbait are ideal for keeping your lure close to the bottom. A 1/4oz blade is another option in September. Hopping these close to bottom with small single or double hops is an all-round retrieve. Dark natural colours work well, and assist hooks off the back add some action to the blade. They help it look like a small shrimp or crustacean or even the tail of a baitfish. The swinging

assist hooks also help with tentative bites, pinning the fish sometimes on the outside the mouth.

Another popular technique that will start to produce this month will be the skirted jig. The ideal weights this month are 3/8-1/2oz as the fish should be starting to push up shallower. Rig these with a craw plastic and you’re all set. Throw skirted jigs at specific cover like timber, whether it’s a lay down or standing trees, rocky edges, and weed holes. Fished nice and slow along the bottom is an ideal retrieve for jigs.

As the bag limits open up on the river and streams it’s a great time to get out and chase some bass or EPs. As it is only the start of spring and the water is still cool, a lot of fish will still be downstream after the spawn. The tidal regions should be teeming with hungry fish. Soft plastic paddle-tails fished straight on a jighead or on

a jig spinner are killers on river bass at this time of year. Target the rock walls and deeper sections in the lower Hunter, Paterson and Williams river. Small blades hopped around in these areas and deeper diving crankbaits will catch the fish that are holding in these deeper sections.

At the top of the tide into the run-out, target drains and shallow cover that breaks the current flow.

Shallower crankbaits, small spinnerbaits and paddle-tail plastics will work on these fish holding against cover looking for their next meal.

As the water warms, most likely towards the end of September, topwater lures will come into play.

I love a buzzbait on tidal bass in spring. These lures allow you to cover water quickly to locate active fish. Once an area has been found you can slow down and fish slower surface presentations like cicadas, poppers and frogs.

From page 70 (Townsend)

there is some pretty cool fishing to be experienced at this time of year. It is not uncommon to hook the female golden perch of the group and have several males competing for her, follow her right up to the boat and into the net.

As the weather starts to heat up more and the waterways get warmer with it, the bait life will become more active, creating a roll on effect to get the predatory fish active and on the hunt, so now is the perfect time to get out and enjoy the spring weather. If you do manage to hook a by-catch cod this month, make sure to look after it and get it back to its nest as soon as you can, to reduce the stress and increase breeding chances.

Good luck outdoors and on the water this month.

NSW

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Golden perch are awesome fun to target during the cod spawning period.

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Throwing micro swimbaits for perch is a fun and effective technique during the warmer months.

SEPTEMBER 2020

71

Canberra

ACT

Hitting the edges CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

Cod season wrapped up last month and, as always, there was a flurry of activity at the end of August as anglers tried to catch one last greenfish before season’s end.

There were some great fish caught this season but they were few and far between due to fires, COVID and large amounts rain which kept the river running hard right up until 31 August.

Cod season 19/20 was not without controversy

inspection by a few sharpeyed anglers, the fish appeared to be the same 130cm fish from a week before, given away by a distinct marking on the gill plate. Suffice it to say, social media lit up and the debate is still ongoing as to whether it is the same fish or not.

I do want to mention the South Coast in this report.

I am not sure whether we will still be able to visit this wonderful place in the coming months but, if the borders are open, I recommend having a visit as it is one of the best places to cast a line anywhere in the country. September

on those cold early spring mornings) and will readily smash a surface lure. The flatty, bream and whiting by-catch are also always very welcome additions to any day on the water when targeting EP, and they often all turn up in big numbers.

So, if it is safe to visit and the roads are open, hit the Clyde River in early spring for EP and pump some tourist dollars into an area that desperately needs a helping hand right now.

LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin has been a little quiet of late which is a bit of a change from the epic winter fishing

Cod season was a lot of fun and, as always, was not without controversy.

If you’re fishing from a boat or kayak, try the reed-lined banks along the Molongolo. either, with one lucky angler landing a 130cm cod out of Lake Burley Griffin near the end of July only to then catch a 135cm specimen a week later near the same spot. However, upon close

is my favourite month in which to drive down the highway, drop my kayak in at the Clyde River and chase estuary perch. These amazing fish almost always seem to be on the bite (even

anglers have switched to the light gear and are targeting golden perch in a variety of locations, but only a few lucky fishos have been successful.

Most of the small number of golden perch caught have been coaxed into striking small, lightly weighted creature-style soft plastics fished using almost a drag-and-twitch style retrieve along the bottom.

The best locations to try for a yella with this method include behind the museum, at the entrance to the Molongolo River and along

redfin. Though the reddies have been a little skittish of late, they can still be found hanging around the area near the old police jetty and won’t refuse a wellplaced ‘wriggler’ style plastic hopped along the top of the weed beds. There are some really big reds in this area along with golden perch, so make sure you upsize your line and leader as the fish usually run into all manner of snags. As always, carp can be found right across this waterway and in massive numbers.

Bread baits, corn and small

the College and along the sunken willows which lead off that particular rock wall. Most of the fish have been fooled by paddle-tail plastics. This is great area to cast for golden perch on warmer, overcast days as the bank drops away sharply and the yellas hang off the ledges looking for an easy meal.

SURROUNDS Googong Dam is always a little slow to start when spring rolls around. The golden perch are still shut down and the big redfin haven’t started patrolling the

action experienced by so many local anglers. The big redfin have moved away from the flats and are sitting deep, while the large schools of smaller reds are proving hard to find. All responsible

An EP by-catch. This whiting took a liking to a Bassday Sugapen.

If the borders are open and it is safe to do so, try the Clyde River this month. The EP fishing is epic.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

the willow-lined banks at Weston Park.

Speaking of the Molongolo, if you’re fishing from a kayak or boat, hit the edges in the lead up to the bridge and flick plastics and TN50s near the halfsubmerged reeds. Big yellas love this area.

Lake Ginninderra is fishing reasonably well for golden perch and

bunches of garden worms have produced carp to 80cm while several anglers have also caught mudsuckers on plastics and small, shallow running divers.

Lake Tuggeranong is still a bit quiet but there have been some really nice captures in recent weeks.

Anglers have picked up plenty of good-sized redfin along the rock wall behind

edges in search of baitfish.

It is only a matter of time though before we get to experience the best golden perch action that occurs in ACT waters. That said, there have been a couple of solid early captures including a 50cm golden perch which took a liking to a jig spin fished slow about 10m down from the entrance to Shannon’s Inlet.

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73

Welcoming the high hopes of spring fishing A hot tip from WIRF Leader Kelly Derks, is to use your own homemade aniseed dough and use it as berley! The fish can’t resist the homemade dough and will keep coming back for more.

WIRF

Cara Cummings

We welcome spring with open arms! Victoria’s waterways are plentiful across the State and we have many great inland lakes, rivers and streams, as well as amazing coastal areas to fish and peruse.

Mindful of COVID-19 restrictions and adhering to these, there is bound to be a fishing hole waiting to be explored near you.

Trout fishers surface as the season re-opens. I have always been in awe of fly fishers. The art of flyfishing is so graceful and majestic, the tranquillity of the streams and rivers, being one-on-one with nature and completely switching off from everything around you. Flyfishing is most definitely a game of skill and not chance.

Just before the closure of the season earlier this

Fish change their feeding habits daily so changing it up with different lures is key. What may have been successful one trip, may not work the next. When choosing the colour of the lure, the

Rouw family who have all competed in the Women’s Dartmouth Fishing Classic since 2013. Her two young daughters have taken out the junior’s title, 6 out of the 7 years. Roz shares her trout trolling tips below.

Cara’s first fish on the fly. that’s because they do the job! It’s your set up that is really going to make the difference.

Rod and reel: 2-4kg spinning outfit, 7ft in length matched with a 2500 size reel. Line: between 6-10lb mono or braid.

Leader: 6-10lb mono or fluoro carbon.

Use very light sinkers and small hook (for bait fishing) and match your hook to your bait.

Lydia Cahill with her hardbody lure caught brown trout.

LURE FISHING Lures of choice are the small hardbodies, Tassie Devils (winged lures), spoons, and soft plastics.

The consensus within the WIRF network is that using bright pinks and oranges seem to be the winning colours.

Jenine Anderson caught this rainbow using a simple worm on a hook, orange bead with a metre leader with a swivel and small sinker. year, I booked in the services of renowned fly fisher Charley May and was blown away with her wealth of knowledge and precision fishing. We had an amazing day (and workout) in the Yarra ranges. As quickly as the day started, it had come to an end (time ‘flies’ when you’re having fun).

Not only was learning to fly fish incredibly rewarding, we left feeling so refreshed. Some may call it luck, but I believe it was having a great teacher 74

SEPTEMBER 2020

and was thrilled when I finally hooked a lovely little brown on a nymph.

Now there are lots of other trout fishing styles and I have some wonderful tips to share with you from our WIRF members. These women have caught some lovely looking trout, mostly browns and rainbows and caught with a mix of lure and bait fishing.

TIPS FOR TROUT Bait fishing Worms and powerbait are the go-to for trout and

Emma-Jean Sommer with her catch at Eildon.

Nonna (Lynette Costa) at the Dartmouth Classic.

general rule of thumb is that if the water is murky, a darker lure is best (fish see the darker colours as the silhouette of the lure stands out), if the water is clearer, try a brighter coloured lure.

WIRF member Roz Costa certainly knows a thing or two when it comes to trout fishing. She is the middle link of three generations of the Costa-

• Trolling speed should be between 2.5-3km.

• Alternate depths with 1-2 bean sinkers in front of a fender to get them down.

• Troll along the shadow line in the afternoon (big trout like to pounce from the dark water, they are very clever).

Have you ever tried trolling from a kayak before? WIRF member

Ruth Beeby is a passionate Hobie angler and is a great role model for women in kayak fishing. She caught a whopping trout while trolling a simple black grub soft plastic on Lake Jindabyne.

Coinciding with the School Holidays, the VFA have undertaken trout stockings to family fishing lakes across the State, so now is a great time to head out with the kids to try your luck fishing for trout!

For more information on stocked waterways, please visit the VFA website vfa. vic.gov.au/recreationalfishing/fish-stocking/schoolholiday-trout-stocking.

it come to fruition is most rewarding.

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS The pandemic that we find ourselves living in is not easy and we have all had to adapt in the best ways we can and this isn’t the same for everyone. Supporting one another is the best we can do. This means that for some us, we aren’t able to fish at our regular haunts and we are discovering new places to go. Change isn’t always a bad thing. There have been many great discoveries of new fishing locations by our members that they had not previously explored.

We are also having to

WIRF Leaders during their live Zoom talk at the Melbourne Virtual Boat Show.

Ruth Beeby with her Hobie catch.

MELBOURNE VIRTUAL BOAT SHOW Hopefully you had the chance to attend the recent Melbourne Virtual Boat Show. For all you non-Victorians this was a treat as the show was available internationally because of COVID-19 restrictions. The show was a great mix of interactive displays, stands, a plethora of information and, most importantly, live talks and discussions with those in the industry.

Four WIRF Leaders were thrilled to be able to deliver a live ‘Zoom’ talk and share to the world a little more about the WIRF network.

The talk was a huge success and we received some great questions, mainly around how to include and encourage more women and families to take up fishing and how to make them feel welcome in club environments.

We are seeing more ladies out on the water and joining their local angling clubs. To see this movement and growth on the rise in our state is fantastic. A little bit of encouragement and support can go a long way and seeing

maintain our health and safety and face masks have certainly become a new fashion statement, something which we fishers were already ahead of our time with – cue the neck buff! (Please refer to COVID-19 safety guidelines to determine if your face covering of choice complies.)

To stay up to date and see what else has been happening within the network and for upcoming events, please head to our Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/ womenrecfishing/ or via the VFA website/Facebook page.

Are you a WIRF member? If not, we’d love to have you on board! Join us on FB today.

RECIPES THAT ARE ‘WIRF’ IT

Tasty Spaghetti Marinara INGREDIENTS

(SERVES 4) 500g medley of fresh seafood (salmon (diced), prawns (peeled), calamari, mussels, etc.

MARINADE Juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme Salt and pepper SAUCE 1 onion diced 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 tins diced tomato 1 tbsp. tomato paste Splash white wine Handful fresh basil Couple of sprigs of thyme 1 tbsp. vegetable or fish stock paste Salt and pepper Fresh spaghetti (to serve 4)

METHOD

1. Sauté the onion in the oil over a hot pan and add in the remaining sauce ingredients. Let it come to the boil, stir well and let simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Make up the marinade by combining all ingredients together and coat seafood mix for 10 minutes.

3. Bring a large saucepan with water to the boil, ready for the pasta.

4. Depending on the time recommended to the cook the pasta, time it in with the cooking of the seafood so that both components are ready at the same time.

5. When the pasta has two minutes remaining, add the seafood to the tomato mix and let simmer. Remove from heat immediately after 2-3 minutes.

6. Mix through the spaghetti to coat the pasta well. Divide into 4 bowls making sure there is an even mix of seafood to each serve. Finish off with a wedge of lemon. Buon appetito!

WIRF member Amy Day, fishing COVID-19 safe with a good size squid.

SEPTEMBER 2020

75

U Who represents your views to the Government?

GEELONG

Ross Winstanley

Perhaps 10% of the Government’s estimated one million recreational fishers know who represents them: which body the Government looks to on matters relating to their interests and their views. There are two main contenders, VRFish and the Statewide Recreational Fishing Roundtable.

After a decade when governments recognised VRFish as representing all Victorian fishers, during the 2000s its role was redefined as representing members of its affiliated clubs and associations. At about the same time, the Roundtable was established by the Bracks Government to meet its responsibility to engage with all recreational fishing stakeholders, including fishing tackle, charter and media – not just fishers.

While many fishers are aware of VRFish, few have ever heard of the Roundtable which, for 14 years, has operated as a discussion forum between government and the recreational fishing sector. Despite this, the Government now treats this unelected group of industry and fisher members as the sounding board

‘representing’ Victoria’s recreational fishers.

It is no wonder so few fishers have heard of the Roundtable; its membership is not publicised and the most recent ‘Chair’s summary’ sits 12 months out of date on the VFA website.

With the Government assigning more and more influence and responsibility to the Roundtable, maybe it’s time to review its purpose, membership and accountability to fishers – or replace it with a duly constituted consultative and advisory body to represent fishers.

WHAT IS THE ROUNDTABLE? Throughout the previous century, consultation, advice and liaison on recreational fishing was largely carried out between fishers’ organisations, the fisheries agency and the government. Then the 1995 Fisheries Act officially recognised VRFish as the sole body representing all Victorian recreational fishers, making it the focal point for all consultation and advice. Today, VRFish is in regular contact with more than 100,000 affiliated and online members and social media followers.

During the early-2000s, recreational fishing-related business interests became keen to be part of the

Brandon Scott caught this 42cm bass in the Latrobe River on a Rezbait Grub soft plastic.

76

SEPTEMBER 2020

‘conversations’ between the government and fishers. Industry leaders worked with Fisheries Victoria to broaden the Government’s recognition of the recreational fishing sector to include the fishing tackle, charter, guide, media and boating industries.

This led to the formation of the Recreational Fishing Roundtable in 2006.

The informal constitution provided “for a range of recreational fishery stakeholders views to be expressed” on high level and strategic issues. This was aimed at shifting issues away from divisive political contests and improving relationships within the recreational fishing sector and with Fisheries Victoria.

It began as a Fisheries Victoria forum, chaired by the Director, with members he selected “on the basis of expertise and position of influence within the recreational fishing sector”.

After resistance among some industry members in 2007, while Fisheries Victoria continued to host and provide administrative support, the role of chairman shifted from the Director to an industry nominee who presided until 2018.

While the Roundtable’s terms of reference have been revised from time to time, its intended role is unchanged. Its purpose is to provide “a forum for the exchange of information and specialized input about recreational fishing which will assist Fisheries Victoria in the management of Victorian recreational fishing. It “also provides an opportunity for constructive interactions between leaders in the recreational fishing sector.”

ROUNDTABLE PERFORMANCE It is difficult to assess the ‘performance’ of an informal body like the Roundtable where fisher and industry members attend voluntarily. From time to time, members have set goals such as: • engaging regional fishers; • attracting female and multicultural members; • generating more discussion of non-government members’ issues; • achieving a balance between freshwater and marine issues.

Since the terms of reference were amended in 2010, the Roundtable has been expected to include “a good mix of males and females and age range to reflect the demographics of the broader recreational fishing community in Victoria”. This expectation has never been met in terms of female and multicultural

members and members under 50 years of age; all regular fisher and industry members continue to be older males.

Also since 2010, members have been expected to have ‘background and knowledge’ of aboriginal fishing. There is no evidence that this has been achieved.

After the 2009 inclusion of ‘Statewide’ in the title, Fisheries Victoria set out to increase the Roundtable’s profile among fishers and to encourage female and multicultural members.

As part of a Bailleau Government initiative, they began to hold annual “regional roundtables” around the state. To a degree, this improved fishers’ awareness of the statewide Roundtable, made members more identifiable and gave fishers the chance to discuss matters of interest or concern. A small number of forums focused on female and multicultural fishers.

However by 2015, limited attendances combined with a change of government ended these regional roundtables. They were replaced by Fisheries Victoria’s own regional events, such as the Wild Trout, Codference and dusky flathead forums.

Since 2015, the only sign of success in encouraging female members has been the occasional attendance by the Women in Recreational Fishing (WIRF) network.

In terms of subject matter at meetings, freshwater fishers have consistently brought discussion and information material to the Roundtable. In contrast, issues raised by saltwater fishers have tended to be specific and short term in nature, such as protecting access to mako sharks and opposing supertrawlers.

Otherwise, agendas have relied heavily on Fisheries Victoria/VFA and other government programs.

ATTENDANCES Perhaps a measure of the Roundtable performance could be seen from the consistency of recreational sector members’ attendance at meetings. By the eighth meeting, in 2008, participation had settled at seven fisher and five industry members, plus Fishcare. Through the years, one additional industry and six additional fisher bodies have become regular members, along with one independent member. Over the 14-year period, VRFish, Native Fish Australia, Australian Trout Foundation and Fishcare have attended

most regularly.

During the past five years, some longstanding fisher and industry members have ceased to attend. It would be unfair to judge these organisations in terms of their interest in and commitment to the Roundtable as most had relied on either passionately interested elderly individuals or men with demanding businesses.

The point here is that, if the Roundtable is to become the sector’s formal consultative and advisory body, representing all groups who make up the recreational fishing sector, much more rigorous membership arrangements will be needed.

ACCOUNTABILITY Fishing sector members may report back to their respective fishing and industry associations on Roundtable meetings.

However, the few unrepresented fishers and industry people who are aware of the Roundtable must rely on chair’s summary reports on the VFA website vfa.vic.gov. au/recreational-fishing/ statewide-recreationalfishing-roundtable. The chair’s summaries appear well after the event and are currently 12 months in arrears.

ROUNDTABLE’S RISING STATUS Unlike the other states and territories, Victoria has no recreational fishing representative, consultative or advisory committees.

The Roundtable’s terms of reference make it quite clear that it neither represents Victoria’s recreational fishers, nor has any consultation or advisory status on their behalf. Two previous fisheries directors have reinforced this point explicitly. However, this is exactly how the present Minister and the VFA now see this body. It has become their focal point when consulting or seeking advice on behalf of Victoria’s recreational fishers.

While previous governments had used the Roundtable as a sounding board and an informal advisory body, recent governments have taken this further. In 2014, the Napthene Government initiated a review of the Recreational Fishing Licence fee arrangements.

A ‘Stakeholder Reference Group’, comprising Roundtable members, oversaw the review process (which was not completed).

In 2016, the advice from the same group “formed the basis of the new fees... and the various alternative options considered”

when the Andrews Government reviewed and adjusted RFL fees.

In 2019, the Government engaged Marsden Jacob Associates to conduct a review of the RFL Trust Account. The VFA set a tight time limit on consultation on the most far-reaching review of the RFL arrangement in 20 years. The consultant’s report indicated that this effectively restricted fishers’ input to the Roundtable, its members and a small number of well-connected fishers. The 200,000 or so unaffiliated licence holders were offered no input.

A key recommendation of the review was that the VFA should work with the Roundtable to develop a strategic plan to set directions and priorities for the investment of RFL revenue. In response, the Government plans “to work with key stakeholders” to develop the plan. In setting a November 2020 target date for a draft plan, it seems that the Government will again look to the Roundtable to play a prominent role, acting on behalf of fishers.

The breadth of membership and regularity of members’ attendance suggests that the Roundtable continues to satisfy its original purpose in bringing the wide range of recreational fishing interests together. However, these recent examples of fisher consultation indicate that the Roundtable has moved a long way beyond such a role.

In the Government’s recent fast-paced review and regulation processes, consultation with fishers has become effectively focused on the Roundtable and its members’ organisations.

The question for one million Victorian fishers is whether this unelected and unrepresentative forum is the right body to represent them on matters such as the development of the RFL strategic investment plan.

Industry members can make important contributions, but it is recreational fishers who will be paying up to $10M annually. They have a right to be fully and directly involved in setting the RFL investment directions and priorities.

With the Government assigning more and more influence and responsibility to the Roundtable, it may be time to review its purpose, membership and accountability to fishers, or replace it with a duly constituted consultative and advisory body dedicated to representing fishers.

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Industry News

The SBT debate continues!

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

If the aim of the SBT article in the last FM issue was to stimulate debate, that’s definitely happened.

In the article I sought feedback from several players. In this follow-up, I hope that I have captured most of the rest – including

comments from FutureFish, BIA Victoria and some social media grabs.

As usual, you can have your own comments at the start of the cover month on the Fishing Monthly Magazine’s Facebook page. We’ll post this article and we encourage constructive debate.

Let’s start with David Kramer from Futurefish.

FUTUREFISH – David Kramer “Futurefish Foundation holds serious concerns for Victoria’s recreational fishery for southern bluefin tuna [SBT] after seeing

78

SEPTEMBER 2020

the publication of results of the Commonwealth Government’s 2019 National SBT Recreational Catch survey.

“For more than a decade, Victorian recreational fishers have feared the Commonwealth Government and the commercial SBT farmers of South Australia [SA] would somehow influence the reduction of recreationally caught SBT in

Victorian waters. By doing this, they will maximise the amount of fish allowed to be caught by the commercial sector in SA. “While we recognise this highly prized species contributes to a prosperous commercial export industry for SA; it also contributes significantly to the Victorian economy through its popularity as a target species for recreational fishing. SBT attracts the highest spend by recreational fishers for any Victorian target species in regards to fishing gear required and fuel to access

the fish. Some regional Victorian economies would suffer without recreational fishing for SBT. “While we do not want to fault the methodology or result of the 2019 survey led

by Assoc. Prof. Sean Tracey from UTAS; we should all be concerned that the survey was only a snapshot of a limited area of Victoria and a limited timeframe. It appears that the survey results will now be used to set the national recreational quota for SBT and be reported as the normal recreational catch to the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna [CCSBT] which equates to 5% of Australia’s total catch.

“The survey results do not represent an accurate normal catch of SBT over the whole of Victoria in any given year. In fact, the survey totally missed the ever-increasing amount of fish that are caught just outside the entrances to both Port Phillip and Western Port. Outside of the survey timeframe; January and February of 2020 saw the most SBT in decades in areas within 20km of each entrance, and early evidence post the COVID-19 related ban on fishing suggests that the tuna are still in abundance in this area now,” concluded David.

BIAV – Ben Scullin Likewise, Ben Scullin from BIA Victoria had this to say about the value of the SBT fishery to that industry: “Southern bluefin tuna and recreational boating go hand-in-hand. As the Advocacy Manager for the Boating Industry Association of Victoria, I am well aware of the importance of this fish species to the growth of the marine industry. You don’t have to look too far to see it either.

“New boat brands, such as Southern Formula [Vic], and new models

from established builders specifically built for offshore Bass Strait, game fishing, such as Edencraft [Vic], have been entering the market over the past decade, and with the powerhouse boat brands located in Victoria, it’s a safe bet that one of the key drivers is fishing for southern bluefin tuna.

“That is not to say that boat manufacturers and suppliers, dealers and chandleries across the country aren’t tapped into the economics of southern bluefin tuna. You’re just as likely to see a Cruise Craft [QLD] or Northbank [SA] at the Portland ramp mid-winter, as you are a Haines Hunter [Vic], Evolution [Vic] or Bar Crusher [Vic]. These boats, especially the new hard top, multi-outboard rigs can cost as much as half a house and the economic multipliers from recreational boating activity and industry related to southern bluefin tuna is staggering.

“For perspective, all recreational boating activity and industry in Victoria delivers a $4.5 billion dollar contribution to the State economy and employs around 17,000 full time positions.

“So when it comes to the debate that is currently raging about who gets a share of the southern bluefin tuna and why, it’s disingenuous for both recreational fishing advocates and the Commonwealth Government to be spouting a ‘status quo’ management arrangement for recreational fishing into the future.

“This is simply not the Commonwealth Governments stated ‘constrain and reduce’ policy position on recreational catch of southern bluefin tuna, nor is allocating an equitable catch share to recreational fishing. Instead, its only legal requirement under the Fisheries Management Act

Image courtesy of Scott Gray.

1991 to manage the fishery at Maximum Economic Yield [MEY] - a way of saying ‘to maximise commercial industry profits’. Recreational fishing need only be ‘considered’.

“From an experienced advocate dealing with policy and politics every day, I can clearly see the 5% ‘allocation’ to the recreational fishing sector is simply the next bite of the elephant. That the recreational fishing sector is currently fighting amongst themselves, instead of screaming from the rafters, ala mako shark ban or super trawler issue, will only make the Commonwealth’s next bite of the elephant that much more palatable. So keep an eye out for the new resource sharing policy being delivered by the Commonwealth Government shortly,” Ben said.

STARLO Rec fishing identity, Steve Starling weighed in on his Facebook Page [Starlo’s Fishotopia].

“Huge kudos to Fishing Monthly Magazines for

their intelligent, balanced role in the southern bluefin tuna [SBT] management debate. They’ve done a great job here of presenting the facts and opening up the discussion to the wider rec fishing community. It’s a discussion we ALL need to be involved in, whether we fish for SBT or not,” he said.

PAUL CARTER Finally, Paul Carter wasn’t shy in letting rip on the social pages.

“We warned that this was coming back in 2015, no one listened and just called us trouble makers. Here we are in 2020 where the head of the Tuna Barons Brian Jeffries got everything he wanted to the letter. Rec anglers do not have a secure allocation. The entire allocation is given to the commercial sector who have promised to leave 5% for us. This means that if the commercial guys do the wrong thing and have their quota reduced as a penalty, then rec anglers also get penalised by proxy,” he said.

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East Coast

VIC

Settling in to spawn WEST COAST

Brett Carson

As I write this article the winter rainfall hasn’t been anywhere near the normal levels so the river is cleaner than it usually is and the fish are still preparing for that spawning journey.

The angling has been exceptional with all species in good number and size playing the game.

Large swells along with high tides have ensured sea water inflows, which have

been acting as important triggers for bite periods, with these inflows pushing well up into the system.

Nature’s pull to a point has made these fish predictable but the variables around that remain. The best anglers can work through those variables and get a step ahead of the fish.

The Glenelg River is known for the mighty mulloway, and for good reason. They are mainly targeted this time of year in the lower stretches of the river where the water remains saline. While the

Young Hunter did well to land this 76cm ripper.

bite periods stretch out due to a slower fish metabolism, on average the biggest fish of the year is landed at this time. Live mullet are the best bait fished low in the water column, with berley often your best friend to bring the fish both to you and onto the bite. Fishing dead baits such as mullet strips, squid or sauries will also bring results. Little to zero weight is best on a running sinker type rig, and targeting the obvious slack water on the top of the tide is a good starting point.

The lower reaches around the estuary and poles are a gathering point for good numbers of mulloway in the spring, and lure fishos can target them on jerkshads and vibes. Matching the size of the bait in the area can often be the key, with a seemingly unimportant change from 7” jerkshads to a slightly smaller 5” being the answer.

Bream have been in the estuary gorging themselves for their long journey upriver to spawn, and anglers have been cashing in. Locals bait fishers have been doing the best on pod worms and crab. It’s best to cut the crab prior to casting them to let a bit of juice and scent attract the fish.

Upriver the fish are well away from the edge finding their happy place at a depth and salinity level of their choice. When the urge comes they will track upstream and do their thing to further the species.

Annoyingly for lure fishos like myself, the fish are at their hardest to catch this time of year, with bait fishos flogging us. The poor bream fishers that takes up

Paul Bingham with a 97cm mulloway from the Glenelg River. lures in winter for the first time must think someone is pulling his leg that lures actually work. Cut mullet or pilchards are worth a crack upstream if things are slow. Sometimes you’ll find big numbers on the sounder but they won’t play the game. At this time of year finding schools upstream isn’t always the issue, it’s triggering the bite.

Perch are schooling in the lower reaches milked up ready to breed, and the schools are tight and partial to a vibe at times. Perch love a live bait or lure, and a few are normally targeted at this time of year by lure fishos for the authorities for milking and stripping of eggs for hatching out fish for stocking inland fisheries. Fisheries are created and towns thrive on the back of 30 or so

male and female fish due to the much-improved mortality rates that come from a highly researched and refined process.

Some exceptional gummy and school shark are being taken of late from the surf and offshore in the region when calmer seas allow. The constant weed has been frustrating on the beaches for those few who brave the cold of winter, but I’m sure as the spring weather comes and swells ease, the weed will back off. Catching some salmon or mullet when you first arrive and putting fresh strips straight back out is as good a bait as you can present to a shark.

So good luck and feel free to come and see us at Nelson Boat Hire for the latest info, we have the local live bait licence

meaning we stock live mullet, crabs and pod worms along with all the frozen bait, tackle and lures you need for the area. We’ll do our best to give you some local knowledge and get you on the fish quicker.

Remember you can hire any of our boats without a boat licence, including our very popular houseboat.

• Good luck and feel free to come and see us at Nelson Boat Hire for the latest info, we have the local ‘live bait licence’ meaning we stock live mullet, crabs and podworms along with all the frozen bait, tackle and lures you need for the area.

We’ll do our best to give you some local knowledge and get you on the fish quicker.

Remember you can hire any of our boats without a boat licence, including our very popular houseboat.

Expect ripping reds on the reefs this spring APOLLO BAY

Craig Rippon

What a frustrating year we are having! Thank God for fishing, it’s the only thing keeping me going at the moment I feel sorry for all our Melbourne friends who can’t fish at the moment. We miss seeing all you guys at the boat ramps. Hopefully we can all get on top of this, and things can get to be half normal again sooner rather than later.

Since being back on the water, the fishing has been quite good in Apollo Bay. The snapper fishing on the reefs has been really good. Mick Aladice, a well known character who knows his stuff, recently caught a 80

SEPTEMBER 2020

Mick Allardice with a cracking Apollo Bay snapper.

cracking snapper just off Apollo Bay while fishing for flathead. He dragged a big bait and got the big bite.

There have been some good numbers of flathead coming in, and there have been some good sizes caught as well. There are a lot of small fish about but once you find the bigger fish you’ll get a great feed.

Whiting have been on and off – one day there’ll be there and the next day they’re gone.

There haven’t been many tuna reports but the weather hasn’t helped either.

Snapper have been plentiful on the outer reefs, with some anglers bringing in good bags. There are also some nice sized nannygai which is great to see.

Blue morwong and queen snapper have been about

too. They fight well, and the colour of these fish when coming out of the deep is amazing. Fresh bait has been the go, with salmon and couta working the best.

Gummy shark also love fresh bait, and there have been a few on the chew as well.

All the local rivers have had a good flush out. There have been a few bream around and mullet as well. I hope we have spent our time at home doing up all our gear, cleaning the boat, checking the battery and doing all the maintenance needed so when restrictions are lifted we can travel again to all our favourite fishing locations. Let’s all do the right thing and I’ll see you at the ramp.

VIC

East Coast

Good weather favours bottom fishing anglers WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

September can be an unpredictable month here in the south west. At times we’ll get a taste of fine, sunny conditions and feel the anticipation of the impending warm months, or it can still be super cold and wet and still feel like the depths of winter.

As in the previous report, we’ve had a continued run of cold, but generally

calm, winter weather.

Offshore bottom fishers have continued to revel in the frequency of days where they can successfully get out on the fish. Some winters you can go weeks or even months without getting a run of weather conducive to do this style of fishing, but this season there have been plenty of windows, and many even on weekends!

Gummy and school sharks are the major focus of any offshore trip, be it from 40-100m, and shark have been turning up from

these depths and everywhere in between. Targeting the trumpeter and blue-eye in 100m+ waters has continued to be an attraction for those anglers who are set up to fish those depths.

Closer inshore some excellent quality snapper, blue morwong and nannygai have been welcome additions to many bags. This month all these species will still be available, along with usually the best quality size of snapper for the season – if the weather continues to cooperate.

Hopefully some September rains will bring on big floodwater browns.

Harry Linke with one of the quality gummies that offshore anglers have been encountering recently.

The downside to the good weather offshore has meant there has been very little rain recently, keeping the rivers at a fairly low level. Trout anglers waiting for some heavy flows to fire up some floodwater fishing have had to be patient.

September though can often be one of our wettest months so hopefully those big floodwater brown trout might still be an option.

Spring can also be a great time to try some of the local smaller lakes like Gillear, Ellingamite and Aringa as the water levels are often

at their best for the season.

Trout and redfin are best targeted by cast or trolled lures from small boats or kayaks in these locations.

Lake Pertobe receives an annual family lakes stocking of rainbow trout, and these fish can provide some fun for young anglers at this time of year.

The estuaries have remained fairly clear and cold which hasn’t led to many exciting angling opportunities. As always, the cooler months do produce some occasional good bags and quality bream well

over 1kg, it’s just there are often plenty of quiet times in between. As September rolls round the fish should be progressing upstream depending on how much rain we’ve had, and should be schooling up in preparation for spawning.

September is often a good time to fish for salmon along the local surf beaches like Levies, east, Killarney and Yambuk beaches. Squid will also begin moving along the inshore reefs and can provide a tasty treat or a stockpile of bait for the season ahead.

Patience and perseverance save the day COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Australian salmon schools have invaded our surf beaches en masse in recent times, and some thumpers have been hooked and landed. Most of the salmon are around 800g, but some have pulled the scales down to over 2kg.

Besides chasing the salmon from the beach where they congregate just behind the breakers, boaters are spotting schools close to or on the surface just after launching into the briny in search of other species such as tuna.

Silver spoons and chrome slugs retrieved at speed are catching many, or you can use bait pinned to single or double paternoster rigs cast out just beyond the breakers. Adding berley into the wash helps. Squid pieces pinned on either a small tuna circle or larger

Two good Curdies River bream taken close to the bank using Damiki Vibes in black fished slow off the bottom.

baitholder hook weighed down with a 2oz star sinker seems to be the favoured set-up employed by many.

Reports of gummy and school shark of a reasonable size have come in, with depths of 40m and above being worked. Similar depths have also seen some school bluefin tuna chasing bait schools on or near the surface. Those who venture out to depths exceeding 100m have caught sizeable snapper which are wintering in slightly warmer water temperatures. Reds up to an amazing 4kg have been boated recently.

The Hopkins River has been quiet but bait anglers using live shrimp and practicing patience and perseverance have picked up a few decent bream over the course of the day.

Moving every half an hour if nothing happens is out the door. Sitting in one spot for at least an hour is required, apparently. More bait anglers are using oily cut baits such as mullet or

mackerel if you can get them, and reports are that this bait is working well on the bream. Back the drag off and sit on your hands is the call of the day when a take occurs.

The Curdies is up and down due to the mouth opening, closing over then reopening again. It’s all down to rainfall. As we haven’t seen much downpour in recent weeks, another southerly buster could close the mouth again.

What bream are biting are a mixed bunch, both in size and weight. Some are being taken in the river on bait and lure whilst others are working the shallow lake. By the time this goes to print the bream, should be entering the river en masse to begin their spawning run. The best baits have been local live shrimp, greyback minnow and/or frozen packet river whitebait. The best lures have been metal vibes in dark colours worked deep.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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Big snapper on the bite GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

It’s been as cold as a motherin-law’s glare around Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast.

Frosty mornings will give way to some September warmth as we head into another snapper season.

This and many following years should be better than the last as there have been swarms of pinkie snapper inside Corio Bay now for a few years running. Past fisheries surveys have suggested some good times ahead as well.

Cash Sunderland and Chris O’Toole fished near Corio quay on a cold night hoping for a snapper. Using pilchards, garfish and squid, their first bite came at 7pm on half a gar which turned out to be a cracking snapper of 7kg! Things went quiet so they tried another spot without luck and soon found their way back near the quay.

Around 10pm two rods buckled with a double hookup, one fish weighing 7.5kg

Chris and Cash with their snapper haul from a cold night on Corio Bay.

Maynard spends his days teaching dad how to fish. This whiting measured 41cm.

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and another just on 4kg!

Two minutes later, another rod took off and they landed another solid fish of 4kg.

Eight-year-old Maynard Loney fished with his dad Mark from St Helens rock wall. They first tried pilchards and squid with no luck so switched to pipis.

Straight away they got bites and not long after Maynard got a big hit which turned out to be a 41cm whiting.

Mark said, “Excitement is an understatement and he was over the moon. It was the biggest fish he has caught and a proud dad moment for me. We have both only been fishing since the start of the year.”

St Helens rock wall can be a great spot to fish as you can get your car very close to the fishing action.

Flathead and snapper are a real chance right on dusk all along this rock wall. Try pilchard pieces or bluebait, and you only need to cast out around 20m.

Shane Inglis and James Schafer from Bacchus Marsh launched their kayaks out of Moorpanyal Park and headed to the old pylons beside Graincorp. Using a ZMan StreakZ in the opening night colour, Shane hooked into a few snotty trevally and a few pinkies around 20-25cm.

Working down the drop-off

from 4m into 9m, his lure was hit by what he thought to be a sizeable snapper.

Two minutes into the fight, the unmistakable release of tension of a hook pulling signalled the end of the

Stephen with a quality Lorne gummy caught in 30m of water.

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fight. Not long after, Shane had another solid hook-up which stayed connected. The snapper ended up weighing in at a very respectable 3.86kg and 71cm. A third fish was hooked and three

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1/8oz jig head straightened rig with size six Black 8.5kg snapper! Mick says and the fish took off. The Magic hooks, 30lb Black the big snapper really gave wind got up a bit so they Magic Tough Trace leader Scott a work-out. headed to the northern side and 20lb braid on his two 12’ Traditionally, the Surf of the dock to find snotty surf roads. This time of year Coast gets a solid run of trevally in abundance hard can see solid salmon along school sharks mixed in with up on the structure. The fish Fairhaven Beach. This is a the snapper about September. were eating plastics in all very long beach and great Try anchoring on deeper colours from 3-5”. for walking along, casting reefs areas around first light Snotty trevally have been lures into the various gutters. with large baits like salmon found in large schools inside Corio Bay. Most have been quite small from 20-30cm, but great fun to catch if you find them. Geelong water front and Cunningham pier has seen plenty caught on soft plastics, raw chicken and pipis.

Whiting have been a solid performer in the region of late, with cricket score captures coming from 6m of water off Leopold.

While these fish are not big, they make up for it in numbers and we’ve enjoyed some great family dinners with them as special ROCKLEA NORTH ROCKHAMPTON guests lately. They’re happy KAREE MARINE RIFEN BOATS to climb on a pipi, squid 1776 Ipswich Rocklea 6 Dooley Street North Rockhampton strip orRoad mussel.

Most have maxed1600 out at about 35cm P: (07) 3875 P: (07) 4927 9150 bet a few around 40cm E: sales@kareemarine.com.au E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com have been coming over the W: www.kareemarine.com.au W: www.rifenboats.com.au gunwale on dusk.

They’ve been a bit NORTHERN AIRLIE BEACH hit GOLD and COAST miss around ONSHORE MARINE WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE Portarlington, St Leonards downMarina, to Queenscliff but Horizonand Shores Woongoolba 17 William Murray Drive Cannonvale the gun anglers are getting P: (07) 5546 2480 P: (07) 4946 7286 some big whiting over 45cm E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au down the southern end of W: www.onshoremarine.com.au W: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au Port Phillip Bay. Amelia Dangaard has EVERTON HILLSfishing around the CAIRNS been Mick and Scott with a ripper 8.5kg snapper.

Bellarine with her father HOLT MARINE AUSSIE MARINE GaryRoad chasing whiting AllardyceStreet has been fillets, whole pilchards, scad 25 Queens Everton Hills and Mick 5 Hannam Bungalow getting plenty. Most have fishing out off the Great and fresh squid or cuttlefish.

P: (07) 3353 (07) 4033 been 1928 from 8the 6m mark OceanP:Road and 8800 nabbing In past years, there have E: info@holtmarine.com.au sales@aussiemarine.com.au and from various locations some E:ripping flathead to been snapper approaching including Portarlington and 50cm. W:Mick has a 10kg caught along the Surf W: www.holtmarine.com.au www.often aussiemarine.com.au Clifton Springs. big bait out the back when Coast in September so make Luke Freeman has been driftingKARUMBA just in case a gummy sure your gear is up to it.

CAPALABA getting stuck into some or something is hanging Stephen Hill from MIKES MARINE JONES MARINE cracking salmon up to 3kg about. Well, this turned out Born2Fish ventured out 9 Smithfishing Street Capalaba 38 Yappar Street Karumba along the Great OK one day when fishing off Lorne recently. Stephen P: (07) 3390 P: (07) 4745 when 9159 the trolled around hoping for a Ocean3418 Road. Luke has been with Scott Schmidt E: sales@mikesmarine.com.au E: jonglo@bigpond.com tuna but lucked out so sent down a big bait. The bait was W: www.mikesmarine.com.au W: www.jonesmarine.com.au scoffed by a ripping gummy that weighed in at 21kg.

NOOSAVILLE IPSWICH Anglers fishing out off SUNSHINE COAST MARINE IPSWICH MARINE Lorne have enjoyed a few 122 Eumundi Road Noosaville 45 Huxham Street Raceview pinkie snapper, nannygai, flathead and morwong on P: (07) 5449 7633 P: 07 3294 3944 deeper reef areas. Solid E: sales@sunshinecoastmarine.com.au E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au flathead between 40-50cm W: www.sunshinecoastmarine.com.au W: www.ipswichmarine.com.au/ have also been caught by anglers drifting in 30-50m of water, as well as the odd gummy and school shark.

Lorne Pier has been fishing well with some solid snapper being caught as well as trevally, salmon, calamari and whiting.

• Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterfish@gmail. com with “VFM” in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least How’s that for an Ocean Road salmon?

1mb (file size).

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SEPTEMBER 2020

83

VIC

When the going gets tough PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

After getting through total fishing bans in March, April and May we were slowly getting back to a variation of normal, but now we find ourselves in unchartered waters. Social distancing, congregation restrictions, facemasks and travel restrictions have become the new normal.

Local anglers have been confused about some of the rules, and many anglers turned to social media platforms for answers, but the landscape is constantly changing. Please remember that each person is entitled to their opinion in these challenging and unclear times, and duking it out on social media will not bring comfort or resolution.

Just hang in there everyone, we’ve done the hard yards and we’ll get

through it.

Before the lockdown the fishing was very tough as the water temperature became steadily colder (it’s currently sitting around 10°C). Our

local bread and butter species that we often catch in big numbers such as pinkie snapper, flathead, whiting and squid were very inactive.

It created some challenges

and I have received lots of messages from readers expressing their frustration with many uneventful sessions on the water.

September is usually

Mornington squid are still going strong.

Jet ski fishing is growing in popularity.

117 Northgate Drive THOMASTOWN VIC

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this time of year I find myself travelling outside of Melbourne fishing areas which are a little more productive, venturing to fish locations around the greater

Mornington and Geelong.

Before the restrictions were in place I and many others had enjoyed travelling to Beaumaris, Frankston and Mornington to catch big numbers of garfish, targeting them off the piers and even on the kayak. Rob Wortho travelled up to Mornington before the restrictions with

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Cold mornings for kayak anglers.

a good mate. They took their kayaks near Mount Martha and fished the shallow weedy zones between 2-4m deep. They anchored up and berleyed heavily using homemade breadcrumbs mixed with tuna oil. Within 20 minutes there were flashes of silver surrounding them – garfish schooling up in the thousands. Both guys bagged out in one hour, using light rods, small hooks rigged with quill floats and making minor adjustments of the depth of the hook using a split shot to ensure the bait was in the right strike zone. The best performing baits were small pieces of silverfish and live maggots.

The boys then drifted, bagging out on squid within another hour. Brightly coloured squid jigs in white, red and orange were the best performers.

Anthony Spiteri also travelled outside of

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Fish are enjoying the lack of fishing pressure PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

The cold, wet and windy conditions that we normally experience at this time of year continued for most of last month on the bay, but the change into an early spring pattern seems to have taken place even earlier than usual.

Nothing has come as a surprise this year though, as at the time of writing this article, Metro Melbourne is still in the middle of Stage 4 lockdown measures, and no fishing is allowed right along the eastern side, and the majority of the northern side of the bay as well. The effect of COVID-19 restrictions has certainly had a massive impact on recreational fishing on our bay this year.

Normally in September,

the bay’s anglers are all secretly getting excited about the upcoming annual snapper migration, and many would have already started their seasonal assault on the bay.

The AFL footy finals would also continue to be the main focus for many anglers until the end of the month, and then the fun really begins.

This year, nothing has been ‘normal’ and nothing has gone according to plan, and that goes for the whole state of Victoria. And with the constant changes to our way of life and the way we all live recently, there’s not much use in making plans anything further than a couple of weeks ahead. Especially when one of the questions is “when can I go fishing again?”

What I can be sure of is that when the current restrictions are lifted, and we are able to head out on the bay again, the food chain

Before the lockdown many anglers were concentrating their efforts in close and enjoying the best run of gars we have seen in years. will be very strong and will have enjoyed a long period of being virtually undisturbed.

From page 84

Melbourne, venturing up to Port Lonsdale Pier. Fishing a cold and windy day on the pier was productive, catching many snook and salmon on both bait and lures. It does highlight that if the fishing is quiet in your immediate area to not be afraid to travel in search of fish. Of course, that’s when the travel restrictions are lifted.

With the travel restrictions in July, I had to stay local and slog out some long and cold hours to find the fish. To keep the fishing interesting, I have been venturing out with my mate Mark on his SeaDoo Fish Pro jetski. These custom-built fishing jetskis have built-in Garmin sounder, accessible storage, rod holders and coolers. It’s hard to explain the feel of the chilli morning winter breeze on your face as you’re zipping from spot to spot at speeds of almost 100km/h, getting from Point Cook to Williamstown in about eight minutes. In doing so we have managed to catch our fair share of pinkies between 30-40cm using brightly coloured soft plastics. We have also caught flathead, leatherjackets and garfish near the surrounding reefs.

We have also caught plenty of squid but have had to put the long hours in to bag out.

Kayak fishing has also been quite challenging.

Local areas such as Werribee, Campbells Cove and Altona have been very quiet. I have been out there battling bitterly cold early morning launches and, on several occasions, thick heavy fog. It’s not ideal

Anthony with some decent catches at Point Lonsdale. as visibility when you’re on a kayak is incredibly important to stay safe and let others know you are there. The rewards haven’t been plentiful, but we have managed to catch a few squid, flathead and mid-40s snapper with much effort.

Gummy sharks should still be around the Wyndham harbour rock wall, especially at night. The biggest I saw caught there before the lockdown was around 1.5m, taken on a full unweighted pilchard midway casting opposite the channel. It’s always fun trying to land a decent gummy along the slippery rocks in the dark and cold conditions. A big well done to those who fish there regularly in the

early season reds, especially offerings like salmon, garfish and slimies. Luckily, the most consistent in our part of the bay before the current lockdown was the exceptional run of garfish and salmon around the local areas, especially Mornington, so many anglers would have been stocking up on these baits, and are ready to go.

The squid fishing had also started to improve after a slower start but seemed to be confined to the sheltered and protected bays closer to shore during the consistent wind.

Expect these areas to be more populated as well, and for much bigger numbers of squid to be around. Fresh squid is also a go-to bait for a large majority of the bay’s serious snapper anglers as well.

colder months.

• If you would like to share your fishing experiences around Melbourne that can be added to next month’s article. These need to be around Melbourne & Port Phillip Bay. Anything from Werribee through to Port Melbourne and lakes around Melbourne. You can contact me by email at alan@fishingmad.com.au.

Also don’t forget to follow my fishing adventures through my website www. fishingmad.com.au, YouTube channel www. youtube.com/c/fishingmad, Facebook page www. facebook.com/fishingmad. com.au, Instagram page w w w. i n s t a g r a m . c o m / fishingmad.com.au.

The bay’s target species will have benefited from the lack of fishing pressure, and in September the main species on anglers’ minds is red, and called snapper. There are plenty of other opportunities to target bread and butter species as well, so let’s talk about what to expect over the next month when we can all get back on the water.

By the time you are reading this month’s edition of Fishing Monthly, the snapper die-hards will already be champing at the bit to get out on the water, looking for an early season red. Many have predicted that the coming snapper season will be the best for some time, due to strong recruitment in past seasons, so there’s plenty to look forward to as the days get longer and warmer towards the end of the year.

Land-based anglers tend to get amongst the action earlier than the boat-based anglers too, so there’s plenty to look forward to for all the bay’s anglers in the month ahead, when we can get out on the water.

Snapper tend to stay closer to structure during the early season. The bigger reds are frequently caught from the

Before the fishing ban was reinstated in Metro Melbourne, the bay’s anglers enjoyed the improved squid fishing, masks and all. shore and around the inshore reef areas, so this is where you should focus your efforts at this time of year. This also explains why many big snapper are taken in shallow water during September, and why they are also taken by lure fishers targeting pinkies on the inshore reefs as well.

Fresh, local bait is a real key to success on the

All the bay’s estuaries and creeks will also have been given a rest during the lockdown period, so expect them to fire.

As we move towards the warmer months, let’s hope we can see an end to the current COVID-19 situation, and a return to our normal way of life on the bay. Stay safe, happy and healthy everyone.

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VIC

Like buying a lottery ticket PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

When you buy a lottery ticket, you go in with the anticipation of winning some life-changing money, although it rarely happens.

Fishing is no different. It’s rare to win the fishing lottery, i.e. easily getting a bag of fish and being home just in time for lunch. We have a lot of people come into the shop and ask us what they’re doing wrong because they

The inconsistency of the fishing continues, and it’s difficult to get any sort of patterns or to advise customers where to fish. Every time we get a report it’s from a different spot or a different time of the day. The only consistent with the reports is the quality of the fish, which is excellent and typical of winter fish.

The weather has been almost perfect most of the winter and hopefully it continues well into the spring and summer, providing plenty of opportunities to fish. Because

There are always some good winter whiting to find with enough time on the water. can’t find the fish. In reality, the only thing they’re doing wrong is expecting to win the lottery. They shouldn’t get discouraged due to a poor day’s fishing because there’s no such thing as a poor day’s fishing, especially when you could be at home mowing the lawn. You’ll be happier if you just go fishing for the enjoyment of being on the water and a day out with the family – and any fish you catch are a bonus.

One thing we have seen through the pandemic is a change in attitude of our customers who now are just grateful to be able to head out for a fish and for a little while forget about the madness of the pandemic. Out of disasters they say there is always some type of positive, and a positive we have seen from current times is we have outfitted more families with fishing gear than at any other time. With many unable to work it has meant more time together as a family and also created a need for something to do.

It’s going to be a very different season ahead with the COVID-19 far from over, but it’s important not to become too overwhelmed by it and fishing, where and when you are allowed to, is a great relief and a way of taking your mind off things for a little while.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

had several reports from both San Remo and Cowes jetties but they were caught outside the usual times. Because there have been several anglers fishing who are either new to it or new to the area, there have been people fishing at odd times of the tide. The boats were a little more consistent in where they caught the squid, but the when was still all over the place – Cleeland Bight and off Cowes on the Ventnor side.

The beaches were best for reports at the usual times.

In the evening on dark and Ventnor was the best with Cleeland Bight not far behind.

The squid were caught on a mixture of baited and artificial jigs, and while no one managed large numbers the quality was good with several 45cm hoods showing up.

Whiting slowed considerably and have been very patchy, and like the calamari the numbers are low, but the quality is very good.

We have still had reports from all the normal places and unlike the calamari the times and tides have been about right for them, it’s just been a bit of luck picking the right spot on the right day. The reports have come from both regular whiting customers and those who don’t fish all that often for them, and the results were the same from both, suggesting it was just a case of luck. We did have a handful of reports of whiting from those fishing for snapper

without fish than caught fish.

The pleasing part is the tuna have now become a regular capture off the island with a run of school fish to around 30kg in January/February then very small school fish around June and the barrels into July/August. Because they have been regular over the last few years, we now get plenty of anglers looking for them so naturally the more people chasing them the more the chances of someone catching them.

In the bay the odd snapper has shown up. They’re not in big numbers as yet but the average size is good at around the 5kg mark though. We have seen a few snapper offshore as well from those chasing gummies off the Windmills, and the usual 10kg+ gummies have been caught in the Windmills/Powlett River area.

Flathead have been patchy and it has been hard at times to find a quality feed but short drifts over an area until you find a patch has been the best method. The best area during winter was in front of the Woolamai surf club in 30-50m of water.

Part of fishing in the cooler months is catching fish like seven gill sharks.

Filthy water won’t deter LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

The East Gippsland region has received a large amount of rain, with the major rivers such as the Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo running filthy, and looking like iced chocolate.

The lower lakes have been slightly dirty, with all that fresh water runoff making its way down to Lakes Entrance, but this discoloured water hasn’t put the fish off. There have been schools of Australian salmon on the move chasing baits, especially in areas such as Rigby Island

One of the best silver trevally the author has caught for a long time. It measured 54cm and put up a hell of a fight on 4lb line.

Calamari have been a little slow this year but perseverance pays off. of the weather the reports we have received came from both in the bay and offshore.

Bait collection has been the focus of land and boat fishers getting ready for the season, with calamari the main target.

‘Frustrating’ is probably the best way to describe calamari this winter; although they are being caught it’s been difficult to pick the right time. We have

or gummies in the deeper channels.

Offshore has at times resembled Portland when the bluefin are on, with plenty of people putting in effort and mileage chasing bluefin. We did see a couple of barrels caught again this year and several reports of good sightings of school fish, but more anglers went home

The colder months can produce some of the best quality bream in the lake, although it can be hard to get them to bite.

and Reeves Channel.

They can often be seen smashing helpless whitebait off the surface in the early hours of the day. Small metals such as the Major Craft Jigpara in the 5-15g size are ideal trolled behind the boat. They are deadly on these aggressive hunters, and this kind of fishing is a great way to locate the schools.

With the netting out of the Gippsland Lakes we’ve seen a much better run of winter whiting. The King George whiting are holding in good numbers throughout the many weed beds that the lake has to offer, and slowly To page 87

VIC

Big bream and dirty water GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

Whenever anglers hear about an approaching east coast low, it usually means days of soaking rain and flooded rivers. Up to 150mm of rain hit parts of the Gippy Lakes catchment recently and then another low hit soon after. Even weeks later the five big rivers are still flowing exceptionally well with coloured water. Bait anglers have been rewarded with sizeable bags of bream, and those throwing lures have pulled in some of the biggest bream the area can produce.

RIVERS RUNNING BROWN Some would call the last three months a normal wet winter, and it was nice to see my local Avon River nearly break its banks twice in two weeks. Even the Nicholson River was flowing fairly well, and the much-needed flush of water got the bream biting flat out. The Tambo River has continued its high flow of fresh water and the mighty Mitchell River has basically run dirty for about seven months now.

Gino and Spock used Bass yabbies to catch a heap of bream in the Nicholson River.

All this water will rejuvenate the massive lakes system and over the next few months provide excellent spawning conditions for our treasured bream stocks.

BAIT ANGLERS HAVE BEEN BUSY While fishing the Nicholson River recently I watched some keen bait anglers catch a steady run

of really nice bream from 34-40cm. I bumped into a couple of characters from South Gippsland, Gino and Spock, who booked their accommodation and spent a weekend fishing the lakes area. Before they left home the pair pumped a heap of Bass yabbies from an estuary down by the south Victorian coast.

It’s about a 3-hour drive from

From page 86

but surely all manner of other species are making their way back up onto the weed beds. Over the next couple of years we should see the Gippsland Lakes become a fish haven, and the popular whiting beds should begin to produce just about everything.

LAKE TYERS The lake has taken many forms this year, and within a month the water levels rose extremely high with the possibility of Lake Tyers opening to the sea. With the water level rising rapidly the lake is discoloured and many schools of fish have made their way down in the main lake basin hoping to escape the lake once it opens to the sea.

The main basin of Lake Tyers is a large amount of water, so making the best of a side imaging sounder is invaluable, cutting down the time you spend trying to locate fish schools.

Large schools of bream and silver trevally have been prevalent in the bottom, with some 50cm+ trevally working their ways around many of the weed beds and drop-offs.

These same areas have been holding good schools of bream, and either grubs or blades have been a ideal option to target these fish. Bait anglers have had good success with live shrimp

Local gun angler Bobby Sproule with a 70cm flathead caught in knee-deep water on a jerkbait. and prawn fished along the weed edges.

Further upstream, the shallow mud flats have been producing some great winter flathead action with small suspending hardbodies twitched across flats being deadly for these lazy cold water lizards.

Areas such as Crystal Bay and the mud next to the island in the Nowa

Nowa are great places to start when chasing these winter lizards.

HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If restrictions allow you to get out for a fish, and you have a great pic, please send it to stevenprykefishing@ gmail.com with short description and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Fishing Monthly.

home so the boys went to a lot of trouble keeping the nippers alive and in good condition for hungry bream to attack.

Now these fellas were up to some really neat tricks and I watched them carefully rig whole yabbies onto a hook and catch cracker bream with nearly every cast. They parked their boat on one of the many rock walls upstream and cast in tight to the bank. They had caught about 10 bream during the first few hours after dawn and also dropped many others. It was nice to see that they released all their bream.

Thanks Gino and Spock, you taught me a valuable lesson in using bait that other anglers probably don’t ever consider.

Interestingly another angler was parked just 100m downstream and he was using live shrimp. I saw him get one 34cm bream but this was his only catch for the session.

Other bank anglers I talked to were using frozen prawn with fewer bites for the day, so if you can source Bass yabbies they may be well worth a try.

The Mitchell River has been fishing best in the lower reaches, with fresh mussel baits the best. The Tambo has been very hit and miss but most bait anglers are having success between the boat ramp and the river mouth.

Looking ahead I can see the rivers will all remain a little dirty with good flows, but this will provide excellent conditions for bait anglers as the fish push upstream for the breeding season.

BIGGER BREAM ON LURES The lure fishing has been challenging but persistent anglers have been rewarded with some real thumping bream. Once again the Nicho has been the river producing the best results, and there are huge schools of bream from the bridges down to the river mouth.

When I sounded up some of the bigger schools it was hard to believe the number of fish that were filling up my screen. It was painful to drop lures down to these thousands of bream without a single bump! I had to chase those bream away from the big schools that were holding up in the shallows. Even then they weren’t really attacking the lure and I pulled the hooks on my first four fish and they were all big bream! So my first two trips to the Nicho saw most of my bream come off the edges using a small pink 40mm Stik Minnow in powder prawn colour or a Sprat 65 soft plastic in the tomahawk pattern.

As the bite shut down around midday I jigged and very slowly finessed blades down into the schools of bream and finally pulled up a nice tally. I ended up releasing 27 bream to 1.42kg over the two

Another ripper Nicholson River bream. Jason Deenan caught and released this 1.73kg truck deep in the snags on a soft plastic. days, and a lot of those fish were mostly around 34-40cm.

On a third trip my first bream came in during the half light of dawn and was a cracker bream at 1.77kg and just over 45cm – a very fat fish that swallowed my Hurricane Stik Minnow down deep nearly out of sight. Surprisingly the small hardbody lure popped out easily and after I released the big girl I thought I was going to have a ripper day.

Sadly over the next six hours I only landed three more bream that were all very squeaky and under 25cm. It was a tough and frustrating day while casting to those huge numbers of bream showing up on my sounder.

Jason Deenan had a much better day and I was reduced to his camera man for the day and took pictures of his best bream, including a 1.73kg horse that measured 46cm long. He also released another nine bream with three of them

42-43cm. He used soft plastic grubs and paddle-tails on a very light jighead and worked the big tree snags for the best fish. And boy, they were fighting dirty, as he busted off a couple of real trucks and was nearly shredded on the timber a few more times.

Jason also hooked something on a highway bridge pylon that was unstoppable. After it ate his plastic grub the very heavy fish took off at high speed and eventually destroyed the leader. Judging by its behaviour after hook-up I’m thinking it was maybe a pretty good mulloway.

LOOKING AHEAD The next few weeks will see more anglers heading to the middle and upper reaches of the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicho rivers. I’m thinking a lot of big bream will want to spawn early this year to take advantage of the very high water flows and lower salinity levels.

The author with a 1.7kg bream caught at dawn in the lower reaches of the Nicholson, right up on the river’s edge. It fully engulfed a small pink Stik 40 lure.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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Good flush equals good fishing MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Another wild month has passed with Mallacoota experiencing heavy rains along with the rest of the far south coast of NSW. The rains opened all the smaller estuary systems naturally

with good catches reported from the local beaches, offshore and in the lakes and rivers.

The beaches have fished well, with plenty of good gutters due to wild weather conditions. Salmon are about, with both bait fishers and lure tossers getting amongst the fish. There were also reports of some good gummy sharks

get out there and try their luck, but once things start to settle down there should be more to report.

The lake fished well prior to the big rains with anglers reporting good catches throughout the lake. There have been good reports of fish coming from well above Gypsy Point. Black bream along with dusky flathead had been in the upper reaches of the rivers, but then the rain saw the fishing move to the Bottom Lake as the fresh flushed them out.

The Bottom Lake has been fishing well, with the back of Goodwin Sands through to Cemetery Bight providing

anglers with good catches of both yellowfin and black bream, along with dusky flathead. Good catches of silver trevally and tailor were also been had in the area around John Bull marker and Harrisons Channel.

The months ahead should see the fishing really fire up once this water clears up with the improved tidal flow, and everything settles down. And with spring on the way it should be all systems go, as a good flush is always good for the fishing. Let’s hope this virus gets under control as at the moment it looks like something we just have to live with.

The water was well over the main launching ramp and cleaning tables just prior to opening.

Time for anglers to show skills MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

Mickey Vucic strikes again with a great silver trevally caught in the Bottom Lake. along the coast. With Mallacoota again opened by heavy machinery, the water roared out to sea but the heavy build up of sand inside the entrance is still there and is something we’ll have to get used to. A week after opening, follow-up rain saw the local rivers go into flood once again.

The fishing over the past month has been productive,

being caught in the same gutters prior to the big rains.

The fishing offshore has seen good catches of both sand flathead and tiger flathead coming from the local flathead grounds. Plenty of gummy shark have also been caught, and there have been some big fish amongst them.

Due to the recent weather conditions there haven’t been too many days for anglers to

At this time of year the fishing is always a little slower than normal. Along with the cold weather the water is also colder, and the fish seem to have little interest in biting.

However, it’s also the time for the good anglers to go out and show their angling skills to outwit the fish, goading them to take a bait or lure.

Two gun local anglers have done just that. Dave Shanahan, the current Hobie

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Hobie champion Dave Shanahan with a quality 43cm bream. champion, and his fishing partner Allan Lavell decided to try their luck fishing the lake at Tamboon Inlet using lures. Allan reported that they had a great outing, capturing several bream over 40cm. They struggled to get a couple under 33cm to take home, as they have a pact of only taking bream under 33cm for the table.

The local fishing has been a bit hit and miss, but recently an east coast low entered into our area which produced some very good rain, filling the rivers and streams and giving the estuary a well-deserved flushing out that will hopefully bring some new fish into the estuary.

The surf beaches as

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Allan Lavell with a 41cm bream caught at Tamboon Inlet.

usual have been fishing well, with good reports of anglers getting plenty of big winter-run salmon on spinning metal lures fished on light shore spin rods. As well as the salmon there are many reports of good size tailor being taken. For bait fishing enthusiasts who fish with surf rods and heavier tackle the fishing is also good, with plenty of salmon and tailor, and lots of different rays and gummy shark.

Fishing offshore, when the weather permits, is OK, but not as good as it could be. Some anglers have been reporting getting just enough flathead for a feed, while others have been getting plenty. It seems you just have to be in the right place. There are other reports of anglers going out and getting plenty of flathead, gurnard, octopus, barracouta and gummy shark. Hopefully as the weather warms the fishing will improve.

Your fishing licence fees at work High country fish habitat Four tributaries of Lake Eildon now boast more fish habitat for popular freshwater target species like trout thanks to your fishing licence fees and the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority.

The Upper Goulburn, Delatite, Jamieson and Howqua rivers have received 312 boulders and 8 log jams to increase flow variation, scours and shade.

Lower Goulburn snags Large snags are providing new homes for native fish at three sites along the lower Goulburn River near Echuca.

A total of 150 snags were sourced from Regional Roads Victoria projects and will provide shelter and food for iconic Murray cod and golden perch.

Merri River ‘fish hotels’ A stretch of the Merri River near Warrnambool has welcomed ‘fish hotels’.

The Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority built and installed the structures along with 40 red gum root balls salvaged from bushfires at Lake Elingamite.

Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

VIC

Corona catches Karen in the shallow end ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

In angling terms, the shallow end of any pool is always good for a cast and often produces a trophy catch. Unfortunately, in the human gene pool, the shallow end has produced a string of self-absorbed morons that might best be tasered full voltage to the forehead. Anything but a great catch, these social media grandstanders breathe valuable oxygen that could better be used by those they are likely to infect. If all it took to wet a line was to don a face mask I would strap on a box of the buggers and complain not one word.

On again off again is the tune Victorian anglers are forced to march when it comes to casting a line in the Murray River. With the incursion of the coronavirus, Vic fishing was put on hold and then several weeks later it was reopened, with numerous anglers hitting their favourite spots along the Murray, eager to connect with a cod or two. While the water clarity was fairly poor there were some good fish caught from Swan Hill through to Mildura and

Masking up is by no means a new thing for fishos. beyond, mostly on bait.

As the lure brigade patiently waited for the clear flows and their chance to wet a line, COVID resurfaced big time with the aid of some dodgy security guards, and the Murray River was once more put back into lockdown.

As best as can be understood,

it is illegal to launch a boat from the Victorian side into the Murray River to fish.

You can, however, fish from the Victorian bank as long as you are above the high water mark. This in itself is quite confusing as the high water mark on the Murray River can be viewed as the edge

of the water at its present height or at flood level that would see your longest cast fall well short of the drink. My in-laws built their

house many years ago and had to add a metre of soil before they could build to be above the high water mark, and they are every bit of a

kilometre from the river.

In saying that, many anglers are drowning a bait from the Vic bank of the Murray, and although the bite is slow some good fish have been landed. In Swan Hill several cod up to a metre in length have been caught on bait. Scrubworms, cheese and yabbies are working best.

While we are in the Swan Hill area, the regulator at Kangaroo Lake has been producing some good sized golden perch on bait and lures. Lake Boga also has a few redfin on bait and small vibes and plastics.

Wemen has some good sized perch on bait in the Murray River, and just the odd small cod to speak of.

Downstream around Mildura the Murray River continues to be a little on the quiet side with just a few cod and golden perch falling to bait.

With any luck the next report will be of better times where the bug has calmed down, the Karens have disappeared and the fish are once more on the chew.

Until then, let’s mask up and get on with it.

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The author has been rigging up some of his favourite lures for better times ahead.

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Fat fish in springtime WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

Trout season is upon us and I am super excited! Trout opening is Saturday 5 September this year. Before I talk about the upcoming trout season though, first

TROUT I have my fingers crossed for a great trout season this spring. I am hoping that decent autumn rainfall and good flows of water all winter will have enhanced trout spawning and food supply, leading to more and fatter trout when the season

the amazing memories that I have of catching big trout there every year in my childhood and my youth.

Lake William Hovell has been fishing slowly all winter, but that’s not to say that it won’t fish well in September. It will definitely be worth a try as the

Worms can be an excellent bait to catch trout in September when the streams are still high and flowing well.

Crayfishing season closes at midnight on 31 August. It has been a fantastic crayfishing season in the Wangaratta area. a quick recap on how the fishing has been lately…

During winter the fishing in the Wangaratta area was very slow. The trout fishing has been slower than usual in Lake William Hovell, and Murray cod reports have been as rare as rocking horse poo.

I have been having a lot of success catching carp in various waterways, with Lake Moodemere being the standout spot to target these scaled whales.

The Murray cray fishing has been excellent too, although by the time you read this report the cray season will probably be closed (it closes at midnight 31 August).

opens in September.

That is what I am hoping, but whether or not it happens is anyone’s guess.

The usual spots will be worth trying – the Ovens River upstream of Bright, the King River upstream of Lake William Hovell and many of their tributaries.

One spot that I wouldn’t recommend is the 15-Mile Creek. In years gone by that was one of the best little streams in the region to go trout fishing, but in recent years it has struggled for water so badly that drying up during summer has become a regular sight. I would almost class the 15-Mile Creek as a seasonal stream these days which is really sad given

trigger insect hatches around the edges of the lake which may stimulate a decent fish bite.

Also, the region’s Family Friendly waterways will be stocked with platesized rainbow trout in time for the September school holidays. They will all be well worth fishing and offer easy access.

REDFIN The redfin fishing is usually quite slow around

Lake Moodemere has kept the author’s fishing cravings fed all winter while he waited for trout season to open in September.

can sometimes produce redfin in September though.

YELLOWBELLY Yellowbelly numbers are limited in this area but there are a few, and recent stocking of yellowbelly back into the Ovens River has started to deliver results.

Last summer I managed several small yellowbelly in the Ovens River between Wangaratta and Peechelba, and with further stocking this should only improve.

I know that I will be out there trying to catch a yellowbelly in September. I will be using a bunch of worms with a small hook, light line and a paternoster rig and paying particular attention to the sunset time of the day.

Anywhere downstream of Wangaratta will be the most likely place to produce yellowbelly with Peechelba being a known hot spot.

MURRAY COD Murray cod are off limits during all of the spring months. It is illegal to target Murray cod at this

worms and shrimp. If we all do the right thing the cod will still be there in December when the season reopens.

CARP It’s no secret that I love carp fishing. My YouTube channel is testament to this!

September can be a good time to target carp as the weather warms up.

Try fishing in direct sunlight in shallow water.

Lake Moodemere is a perfect example of this, with shallow water that warms up quickly with the sun. Lake Moodemere will be a definite carp hot spot during September and if you’re lucky you may even catch a yellowbelly as a surprise by-catch.

My favourite carp bait at Lake Moodemere is corn. Carp love corn, but the problem is that it is not great bait for redfin or yellowbelly, which are both present in the lake. You will increase your chances of catching a carp by using corn, but limit your chances

spawning trout move back down into the lake from up in the river. Also, warmer September weather may

The Family Friendly waterways will be stocked with rainbow trout similar to this one in time for the school holidays.

Winter and spring carp can be very fat, such as this one caught in July on a bunch of worms.

the Wangaratta area in September. I would consider a redfin catch to be a bit of a fluke in Lake William Hovell or Lake Buffalo.

Lake Sambell in Beechworth

time. My advice is to leave the lures at home with the large yabbies, bardi grubs and cheese. Enjoy angling for yellowbelly and carp with small baits such as

of hooking a more desirable fish such as a yellowbelly or redfin as a by-catch. For this reason I will most likely be using worms at Lake Moodemere in September.

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Locals finding new hot spots SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

Life without restrictions didn’t last long for us in regional Victoria, and as I write this article we are again back in Stage 3 restrictions with Melbourne on Stage 4.

If all goes to plan, halfway

this in a report: the Shepparton Lake is currently the local hot spot. I think with restrictions in place many locals have changed their mindset and now see the lake as a quick and easy location to get an hour of fishing in to scratch that itch.

Those bait fishing have had luck using PowerBaits, either on a lightly weighted rig or floated about 20cm under

come on the bite and I would probably upsize my soft plastic to a 3” Easy Shiner or a black Gulp. You can rig these on a weedless jighead or even a beetlespin and run across the top of the weed. The yellowbelly seem to hold in deeper water so you may need a kayak or boat to increase your chances.

KIALLA LAKES Kialla will now start to produce more regular reports of Yellowbelly being caught

football jigs will work in Kialla in the spring and especially after a downpour of rain. You can make a bit of a game plan at Kialla and target areas like the willow trees, sand banks and rocky banks to work out where the fish are holding.

If you get a fish in one of the spots you can normally fish the same type of banks in other areas of the lake and have the same success.

WARANGA BASIN The Basin now has

The author and son Nate with his first ever trout caught on Powerbait under a float

Tom Hanning with a trout caught on a Strike Tiger Nymph. through September we should see some of these restrictions ease, and I can only hope for all of us that’s the case.

Prior to the restrictions, fishing locally in our rivers was super tough, which is normally the case for that period. Fingers crossed the rivers will fire up for the spring time yellowbelly bite.

I can’t remember the last time we had a great yellowbelly bite in both the Goulburn and Broken rivers, but if we can get some early warm weather and a few spring storms it should light right up.

If this is the case, casting lures around the flowing water in areas such as the weirs and rock walls locally should help you catch good numbers of yellowbelly.

You will now find a few shrimp and yabbies moving around, so if you’re a bait fisher make sure you get your hands on some fresh live bait for your springtime yellowbelly sessions.

With so much being unknown moving forward and reports getting thinner please don’t hesitate to send me some of your experiences on the water locally, good or bad, as it’s tough to spend as much time on the water, being so restricted.

SHEPPARTON LAKE This would probably be the first time I have ever said 92

SEPTEMBER 2020

the float. Casting these baits in the weedless pockets or on the weed edges is the key as you don’t want the baits to get hung up in the thick weed.

Lure fishers have been catching plenty of trout and redfin in many different areas around the lake. I recommend early morning and late afternoon sessions casting soft plastics like the Strike Tiger Nymph or a 2” Keitech Easy Shiner. I tend to cut my Easy Shiner down a little and use 1/16oz or 1/20oz jigheads.

I have been using a 7.3ft Miller UFLC rod with a 1000 spin reel for this, and just either slow rolling the Keitech or shaking the tip of the creature baits on the bottom. I use the longer rod as it’s a lot easier to get a decent cast out, plus you get a good feel of the lure in the water.

Later on in the morning when the sun comes up, the fish seem to go off the bite with the plastics. At this time of day I lean towards using something with some flash, either a Double Clutch jerkbait or a basic spinner just to get some reflection from the sun.

There are plans for more trout to be stocked in the lake in September for the holidays, but I am not 100% sure if this will go ahead with the stage 3 restrictions.

During spring the yellowbelly should also

Josh Dohnt caught this redfin on a 2” Strike Tiger soft plastic in orange spawn colour. and the deeper into spring the better it will get.

Slow rolling lipless crankbaits, soft plastics even FISHING NEWS

plenty of water and after a few months being high it has cleared up. This has resulted in some red hot redfin fishing

for those who got on the water over there.

I haven’t fished the Basin during Stage 3; I just feel it’s a tad too far to travel. However, a couple of local basin residents have reports fish being caught near the Caravan Park and along the wall.

Slow rolling soft plastics and blades has worked best for those casting, and those trolling have had great success using the 15ft diving Codgers in a pink colour and also the RMG Crazy Deeps in the Trelly’s white and orange colour.

Bait fishing from the bank has produced a lot of smaller fish, and using worms has been the best bait for redfin. Some anglers have targeted carp on corn with some success.

The springtime is great at the basin and more yellowbelly seem to get caught each year. The only downfall to the Basin in spring is that the wind seems to blow harder and more regularly, and it can make the Basin extremely unsafe. Fingers crossed this isn’t the case once restrictions lift, and we all get a chance to chase some good sized redfin.

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VIC

Bring on the rain BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

The Bendigo region is currently at a crossroads.

There is good potential for a great season of fishing ahead of us.

Water levels have been slowly rising in our local impoundments, there is a reasonable amount of regrowth around the edges. Our river systems have received some reasonable flushes over autumn and winter.

However, the rainfall that the region receives over the next three months will be critical in determining how productive the next fishing season will be. If the region receives below average rainfall we will be set for an average season of fishing. If we receive a good amount of rainfall, above our monthly average for the next three months, we will be set for a cracking season. Let’s keep the fingers crossed and bring on the rain!

LAKE EPPALOCK The fishing in Lake Eppalock remains slow for most anglers, but there is a small number of experienced anglers who are still producing some consistent results.

Redfin are making up the majority of catches.

The most productive technique for the redfin

continues to be casting and retrieving soft plastics along the bottom in the depth range greater than 10m of water. Vertically jigging soft plastics and ice jigs are also a good option at the moment.

The limited numbers of anglers who are doing well know that you must hunt around in order to find a good concentration of redfin. If you fish an area for more than five minutes without a strike from a redfin, move until you find the concentration of fish you are chasing.

There have been a couple of recent reports of trout being caught at this destination.

The majority of these have been a by-catch by anglers trolling small hardbody lures chasing redfin. If you want to target trout, trolling winged style lures and small hardbody lures around the edges of the lake is a worthwhile option.

The occasional Murray cod is still being caught, usually around the standing timber during periods of low light.

I have not had any recent reports of golden perch being caught at Eppalock. This can change very quickly though, and hopefully we will receive some good rainfall over the next month. Water levels will then start to rise over a good amount of regrowth combined with increasing

water temperatures, and we should see the golden perch start to fire up!

CAMPASPE RIVER The fishing in the Campaspe River continues to be very poor. In the majority of the systems the water clarity remains below average due to inflows from feeder creeks after rain events. If you do plan to fish the Campaspe River with lures, the section of river where the water clarity is currently the best is from below the wall at Lake Eppalock to the Barnadown Bridge. Fishing along the edges of cumbungi-lined banks and along the edges of weed beds will often produce small numbers of quality redfin at this time of year. Bladed spinners, soft plastics and small hardbody lures are all good options. The occasional golden perch will also be caught in the area as the water temperatures start to increase.

Further downstream in the dirty water, bait fishing becomes the most productive option given the current water conditions.

CAIRN CURRAN Water levels are slowly increasing and the water clarity still remains average at this location.

The fishing has been slow for most anglers.

Bait fishing with worms and small yabbies around the standing timber has been the most productive

During spring, golden perch become the target species for many Central Victorian anglers. method, with redfin being the main species currently being caught.

There haven’t been many reports of golden perch, but this should start to change over the next couple of months.

With increasing water temperatures we should start to see increasing numbers of golden perch being caught. The golden perch fishing in Cairn Curran was very good last season, and this season they should be bigger.

LODDON RIVER The Loddon River has been a productive location in the Bendigo area. Small

numbers of redfin have been landed, with the occasional larger one weighing up to 1kg. The majority of redfin have been caught by anglers targeting the edges of the weed beds.

Small numbers of golden perch are currently being caught in the Loddon River. A good lure option is to cast and retrieve lipless crankbaits very slowly.

Small numbers of golden perch are also being caught by anglers trolling medium sized hardbody lures. We should see the productivity in the golden perch fishing continue to increase as water temperatures increase.

At the time of writing this report the water clarity is very good at most locations along the system.

If you are planning a lure fishing trip, talk to a local tackle retailer to check on the current conditions before heading off.

Remember that the closed season for Murray cod runs from 1 September to 30 November inclusive.

If you do hook a Murray cod while targeting other species, please release it unharmed as soon as possible. I encourage all anglers to do the right thing and not target Murray cod during the closed season.

Trout fishing is going off in the South West CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

I’m proud and humbled that this report for freshwater fishing in the South West is my 100th for Fishing Monthly. I hope I’m good enough for another ton.

The salmonoid fishing is currently going right off in the southwest.

Where to start?

Lake Bullen Merri’s ramp has had another repair carried out in time for the long weekend, making it easier once again to launch and retrieve. Along with boaters, plenty of bank anglers are working the north shore and the main catch is Chinook salmon with a few rainbows thrown in for good measure. The best baits have been Powerbait in pink and red and scrubworm, and even frozen packet whitebait has picked up a few. Boaters are mainly flatline trolling a variety

of lures including Loftys Cobras in 4-8m depth.

Purrumbete continues to see trout and redfin

taken on bait and lure.

There’s been plenty of tiger and cheetah trout taken but as they aren’t

exactly on the big side yet. Carry a wet soft towel to aid in de-hooking prior to release so they swim

Shane Stevens with a stonker brown from Lake Elingamite. Image courtesy of Shane Stevens.

off unharmed.

Redfin continue to be taken at depth using live minnow sourced from Bullen Merri. With the harvesting of minnow from one lake to be used at another, it’s a wonder there isn’t a viable population of minnow at Purrumbete. Has anyone soaked a minnow trap there lately?

Elingamite has good redfin and trout taking a variety of lures cast and trolled. Ballarat angler Shane Stevens loves to travel down to this lake and cast his Bent Minnows about hoping for a hit or two. On his last trip Shane nailed a brace of browns along with plenty of follows to boot.

While our rivers are out of bounds, our lakes – both big and small – more than make up for this. Lake Gillear near Allansford has solid browns, rainbows and redfin on offer taking both bait and lure.

North of Warrnambool, Lake Cartcarrong has seen some solid browns taken on lure and fly. If you’re

launching a boat from here it pays to cast whilst drift fishing rather than troll, even under electric power. The lake is shallow and the boat’s hull will certainly spook any nearby fish.

The lower section of the Merri River is classed as a sea-run trout fishery, just like the Gellibrand, and boats can be launched from the ramp and pontoon situated next to the old Nestle factory. Casting, trolling and bait fishing is the go here, and venturing downstream could see you easily hook a bream as well as a trout. Boats cannot pass the old railway bridge but this section up to the Bromfield Street weir can be accessed from the bank.

The Hopkins is also a sea-run trout fishery right up to the falls. Some excellent brown trout to 6lb have been taken lately casting shallow to medium diving minnow lures from the bank.

SEPTEMBER 2020

93

VIC

Game on for trout BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Spring marks the start of a new trout fishing season.

The daylight hours are getting longer, the weather is slowly

due to COVID. However, those guys who have ventured out have been rewarded for their efforts.

Lake Wendouree has seen quite a few anglers over the past month walking the shoreline casting soft plastics and

starting to snoop around the edges in search of food.

There’s limited pickings at the moment, but as we move into the next few months that will change with insects starting to hatch. This will open the doors up to anglers fishing with bait and fly in Lake Wendouree.

Tom Jarman had been nailing some excellent brown trout on fly until the metro COVID restrictions came into effect. Tom is one of Australia’s best fly fishers, and he said one of the keys to success at Newlyn in winter has been having your flies, lures or

Luke Gercovich has been catching some magnificent brown trout casting lures land-based at Lake Wendouree. Image courtesy of Luke Gercovich.

Jason Mackley has been putting in the hard yards on Tullaroop Reservoir catching some thumping big redfin on Blue Fox lures fished down deep. Image courtesy of Jason Mackley. starting to warm up, and our lakes and reservoirs are filling, slowly rising over fresh ground. The trout will be moving in the shallows, feeding on freshly drowned worms, grubs and so on.

The insects will start to appear out of their winter slumber, and it’s game on for us anglers.

The anglers around the Ballarat and district are blessed with quite a few different waters to fish.

These include Wendouree, Hepburn, Newlyn, Moorabool, Cosgroves, Bostock, Dean, Wombat and Tullaroop, all with 30-40 minutes’ drive. All these waters have been well stocked with trout by the Victorian Fisheries Authority over the past few years, funded by recreational angling fees.

The start of the fishing season this year will be a bit quieter than normal because the COVID restrictions will reduce the number of metropolitan anglers heading our way to fish our waters. When the restrictions are lifted, however, I’m sure those guys and girls will head our way to catch a few fish.

The fishing around the district has been a bit patchy over the past month, with angler numbers well down 94

SEPTEMBER 2020

hardbody lures, with mixed results. It takes persistence to succeed. Young gun Luke Gercovich has landed some ripper browns casting DUO Realis 80mm minnow type lures, as has John Greengrass. The trout, post spawning season, are just

Tom Jarman landed some absolute beauties from Newlyn Reservoir this winter, including this ripper on a small Damsel Fly pattern. Image courtesy of Tom Jarman.

the winter months for trout and redfin. However, anglers like Jason Mackley and Craig Mitchell, who braved the cool conditions and rugged up, have been rewarded for their efforts.

Jason has been catching some magnificent redfin using Bluefox Spinners in the deeper water, while Craig has been drifting the edges using Woolly Bugger flies on a sinking line for the best results. The fishing at Tullaroop this spring will be similar to other waterways.

Moorabool Reservoir has been frustrating over the past month; I have been out walking the shorelines casting flies and lures with limited results. The fish are feeding on midge and smelt most days, but they are either a long way out

plastics ready to go when you come across feeding fish. Tom has walked the entire shoreline of Newlyn

John Greengrass nailed this beauty casting small hardbodied lures at Wendouree. Image courtesy of John Greengrass.

Craig Mitchell landed this ripper brown trout casting a Woolly Bugger on a sinking flyline, drifting the shorelines of Tullaroop. Image courtesy of Craig Mitchell.

some days and only seen a couple of fish, then other days he has had plenty of opportunities.

The water level in Newlyn is on the rise, so the fish will move into the shallows to start feeding on worms and grubs. If you

are a bait angler, a tip for early season fishing is to use a bunch of unweighted worms cast out. This will bring the trout undone because they will already be on the lookout for worms.

Tullaroop Reservoir has been hard work over

or not interested at eating your presentation, whether it be a fly or lure. This will definitely change moving forward though – with water levels rising the fish will once again focus on feeding on the worms, grubs and mudeyes.

VIC

Persistent anglers are being well rewarded Trout were very active during winter and will remain active this month.

Larger brown trout are often a by-catch when flicking and trolling for Murray cod.

Greg Saville and I were having fun testing one of the new Cayman B trolling motors and managed to land a nice brown trout whilst slow trolling a size 1 StumpJumper in the middle of the Jerusalem Creek Arm.

EILDON

Peter Burtchell

When the new travel restrictions were announced, the public boat ramp at Jerusalem Creek reduced from 100 boats per day to a mere two or three being launched to get amongst the trophy fish of Eildon. Lake Eildon Houseboat Hire customers were about the only visitors left on the lake, and they caught many a Murray cod bait fishing from their rear decks whilst taking in the scenery and serenity. Prior to the restrictions, daily 1m+ Murray cod reports kept rolling in for happy anglers, thanks in part to the advice from the staff at Café 501 Bar and Grill.

Greg Saville and the author with a winter brown trout caught during water trials.

Albert Spencer with a solid 105cm fish off the top.

Albert Spencer braved the cold to land a 105cm model during a full moon phase night fishing. The Kingfisher Abela in purple range colour was the attractant. Albert said it was the biggest surface take he had ever experienced, and that he’ll be back for more in the months to come.

Dylan Anderson, who has been catching good numbers of Eildon metre fish, recently persuaded his cousin Cody to join him for an early morning session at 7am. Cody had paused the retrieve of his Jackall Gantia (rainbow trout colour) for two seconds when it was smashed by an 80cm Murray cod. It had been Cody’s fourth trip to Eildon with the goal of landing and releasing one of the lake’s Murray cod.

Brendan Spitzers and friend Andrew Colston

be releasing the broodstock (known locally as ‘stonkers’ due to their size) from the Snobs Creek Hatchery.

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travelled all the way from Wangaratta to Jerusalem Creek to try their luck.

Andrew was well rewarded,

swimbaiting through the fog to land, photograph and release an 81cm Murray cod that had devoured his slowly

retrieved Jackall Gigantarel.

To support the growing number of Murray cod enthusiasts, Jerusalem Creek Bait and Tackle has added another Australian manufactured range to their lure selection after Peter Fedke from Dino Lures showcased his High Glow spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. They are well suited to the deep, dark waters below the many rock walls around the deeper ends of the Lake. There are also smaller lures that will catch springtime yellowbelly and redfin. Predictions are that we will have above average rainfall during spring which will bring the redfin and yellowbelly close into shore to feed amongst the inundated weed beds.

John Mitchell has been bait fishing the newly inundated weed beds around Taylor Bend Inlet during July, with multiple yellowbelly and redfin catches on worms and small yabbies. Like Taylor Bay Inlet, many of the grassy areas are now inundated, providing some great bait fishing action from the banks.

Andrew Colston with his plump 81cm fish.

Trout will be the major attraction this September as the trout season officially opens here at Eildon.

Unfortunately the festival will not be going ahead due to the pandemic, but Victorian Fisheries will still

For more information on all of these services and other attractions in the area, visit jerusalemcreek. com.au, or give them a call on (03) 5774 2585 or email info@jerusalemcreek. com.au.

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

Open for breakfast from 6am 7 days a week (Closed Mother’s Day)

Coffee Light meals Pastries Cakes Bread Cody with his first ever surface Murray cod landed at Eildon.

10 Main St, Eildon Victoria 3713 03 5774 2362 0438 881 629 SEPTEMBER 2020

95

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

Winter in the rearview mirror HOBART

Andrew Large

What a month it has been in Tasmania! SBT are still on the chew and our trout opening has been and gone. All fishers, whether venturing into salt or fresh, have been treated to some fantastic fishing.

Local angler Kathy Buttigeig noticed only recently higher than normal amounts of seal and dolphin activity in the River Derwent, her experience telling her that

healthy populations of baitfish are present. Another angler Charles has reported healthy whitebait runs in the Huon River with sea trout feeding heavily on them.

All in all, the lack of winter rains (aside from a week of snowy, drizzly weather) has seen last season’s bait hang around longer into winter than usual. Most the water has remained 2-3°C warmer than usual.

Tasmania bore witness to some insane white pointer activity this winter. To start with, a father and daughter

A selection of trout lures that are working for Tasmanian anglers at the moment – a mixture of bibs, spinners and cobra-style lures.

fishing team in the late stages of a fight with a SBT at the Hippolyte Rocks had a fur seal latch onto their prized catch, and a tug of war for the fish ensued – and suddenly a commotion erupted in front of them both. Looking up they saw a great white leaving the water with the seal and their tuna in its mouth! The 4m shark crashed back into the water where the duo quickly retrieved their lure and left.

Within a fortnight a 12yo was plucked from a boat off Stanley in the state’s north, and this was followed a short time later by an attack on a 6m runabout. The shark lunged from the water and grabbed the bow anchor before letting go and then giving the stern of the vessel a tail lashing, all caught on film.

What these stories tell us is that our coastlines are alive with wildlife and subsurface activity.

Southern bluefin have been caught now every month for over four years and have been with us in good numbers since February. Jumbos for the moment have gone quiet.

Calamari are available from the southeast around Bruny Island to the northeast tip at Musselroe Bay. Tiger flathead have been reported

GULF RUNNER 550

from Bicheno and Freycinet Peninsula in 80m of water, and sand flathead haven’t really tapered off from summer. They are patchy but still available to the persistent angler.

Striped trumpeter, right up until the closure, ran well in most areas with fish being caught in the relatively shallow waters; 6kg fish from 40m about half the desired depth.

Morwong perch have provided anglers with consistent action in peninsula waters around Fortescue Bay and Munro Bight.

The winter run of Australian salmon has entertained anglers brave enough to fish in the scattered weather during Aug/Sept along the southeast surf beaches. Some fish have nudged 3kg.

TROUT The trout season opened on 1 August, and what a month it has been, with nearly all waters producing fat, fit fish right from the very start.

Arthurs Lake seems to be back after a 7-year slump, and frog feeding action should begin shortly for fly fishers. Troll and spin fishers have been doing well with Tillins 2” Ashley spinners in colour 43 and 44. Trollers are using the Tasmanian Devil in colour 131

A freshly caught Arthurs Lake ‘frog feeder’ taken on a Woolly Bugger Mk 2.

– spotted dog.

Great Lake has fished well all winter season, and although open for 12 months it saw fair patronage to mark the new 2020-21 season. Wellconditioned browns were picked up around the shores.

More recently rainbows are now being taken by trollers in open water. These fish are in great condition and are about to spawn.

Sea-run trout have been chasing whitebait as mentioned above in the Huon estuary, and

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this will get better in October.

The River Derwent hasn’t seen as much whitebait activity but trout are still smashing bait opportunistically.

Whitebait runs should peak during October.

In short, it’s all happening, so get out there! We are through the dead of winter, and to be honest things subsurface didn’t get too cold. From here on temperatures will begin to rise for summer, and the fishing action will simply get better and better.

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SFT - They’ll swiftly find their way into your tackle box I enjoy testing products for the magazine, but it does come with its challenges, mainly when the products are a little left of field or out of my comfort zone. When Steve Lewis from SFT Australia asked me to try some SFT (Super Fishing Tackle) lures out, I was keen, but knew very little about them. I had, however, seen them at the 2019 AFTA Trade Show, so I had a little bit of an idea of what I was getting myself into.

and heavy-duty Owner hooks that the lures are fitted with. It is always nice to be able to fish a lure straight out of the packet.

As far as field testing goes, it is still a work in progress and will have to wait until a later issue. The lures are destined to be swum in the waters around Hervey Bay and Fraser Island, so I will let you know how they go.

And now for the rest As mentioned, the Little Smart jig, the Fisherswift and the Swiftbait have a

Just a few of the colours in the SFT Fisherswift 70mm range.

There are plenty of fishy options to target with them too.

This was what a typical hook-up looked like when the fish hit the lure on the drop.

This one has a Fisherswift 90mm smile.

(weedless) or dropped to the depths and slow rolled through a school of fish. The addition of a plastic is up to you. I swam the jig in my pool and the skirt definitely provides enough action in combination with a bit of a roll that the head creates to catch fish. I prefer to have the plastic, because having a weedless presentation gives you the confidence to cast at the kind of structure that you normally wouldn’t dare to.

So far it has been around the edges that the lure has been most effective.

Lake Kurwongbah is a small kayak-only waterway in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, and one of the challenges fishing

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The parcel from Steve arrived and there was quite an assortment of lures for me to try. They included the Takumi, Seahunt and Seadream lures that are bluewater or orientated towards larger fish, and then there was the Little Smart Jig, Fisherswift (70mm and 90mm) and the Swiftbait, which have much broader applications in both the fresh and saltwater. You will find a fact box on this page that provides a snapshot of all the versions the lures come in (weights, floating, sinking etc).

SFT Takumi, Seahunt and Seadream When I was researching the SFT lures, the one lure that I could find plenty of information about was the Takumi. It comes in a number of sizes and weights and it seems anglers in South Australia and Victoria have taken a liking to them.

Tuna and kingfish seem to be the common theme, and some seriously big fish have fallen to these lures.

Stuart Dowie-Bridges is the man I call upon when it comes to everything bluewater. I value his opinion when comes to this type of tackle, and we both agreed that it was great to see lures with hooks and wire to suit Australian species. This relates to the through-wire construction

you will find as you read on.

Little Smart Jig The best way to describe the Little Smart Jig is a weighted head with a worm hook stinger enclosed in a silicone skirt. It is available in five weights and has a range of colours that appeal to most anglers.

My first thought was to rig a soft plastic on the worm hook, making the rig virtually weedless. I intended to fish the mangrove margins looking to pick up a flathead or two, but another opportunity presented itself. Our Southeast Queensland bass fisheries have been in transition for the last couple of months, meaning that the bass will slowly work their way from the

Left: This 45cm Lake Kurwongbah bass was caught by the author on the 70mm Fisherswift. Right: Stuart Dowie-Bridges had every reason to smile. He was catching multiple fish like this on every drift; no wonder the author didn’t get the lure back. broader spectrum of use. Anglers targeting bream, flathead, whiting, mangrove jack and trevally in our estuaries and inshore waterways will really see the potential of these lures. Freshwater anglers should also take note, in particular Australian bass anglers, as all three are great options, as

edges and structure in our lakes and head to deeper water as the weather cools.

In many cases this results in them being found in large schools and converging on the lower reaches of the waterway.

During this transition you can find fish staging anywhere from the edge to these schools, and the Little Smart Jig offers the flexibility to be cast in and around structure

this lake is the abundant weed. It is not unusual to be in the middle of a bay and still have weed only a foot or two below the surface. It may well be why most anglers fish the deeper water and not the margins, however it is the areas that have space within the weed that I like to fish, and the Little Smart jig is a great option to do this.

Cast and slow rolled in and around the

The SFT Takumi has become a very popular lure amongst anglers targeting tuna, kingfish and the like in our southern states.

The author added a soft plastic to the Little Smart Jig to make it weedless so he could fish in and around the weed towers and structure at Lake Kurwongbah.

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weed towers, it is unlikely to snag up, and the fish hiding in these areas just come out and smash it. The bonus I have found with the worm hook is that most fish are hooked in the corner of the jaw, so any fish that bricks you in the weed can generally be carefully extracted, as it is well and truly hooked.

Fisherswift 70mm and 90mm At the start of this test I mentioned products that provide a challenge for me.

A stickbait is one of them. The floating models not so much – worked across the surface targeting bream, bass and whiting seems pretty standard. Even a mangrove jack isn’t out of the question on the larger model, but a sinking stickbait is not something I have considered before. ‘How do they sink’, and ‘what retrieve do you use’ were the two key questions that came to mind, so off to the pool I went.

The next 15 minutes was a bit of a light bulb moment for me. The lures themselves do not have a lot of action, but on the drop A Little Smart Jig was the undoing of this little bass.

Stuart Dowie-Bridges the SFT Takumi and not have him try out the other lures with me. Our first outing (Lake Kurwongbah) had seen us throwing the Little Smart Jigs around the edges early before heading a

again. The one thing I know is that when they hit it, they meant it! The number of times the fish had the lure hooked across its mouth, showed they were lining it up as it wobbled down and jumping all over it.

I still had the Swiftbait to try but Stuart continued with the 90mm Fisherswift, and at one point got seven fish in one drift. No wonder I didn’t get that lure back from him.

Swiftbait The Swiftbait is a more traditional bibbed shallow-running hardbody lure.

It comes in floating, suspending and sinking models. It does have a feature that I hadn’t seen before, which is the Swing Lip System. The bib basically folds up under the nose of the lure to help reduce air resistance, allowing you to cast a little further.

The action of the lure is a little wider than I expected for a bib of this size, but it has plenty of fish appeal.

Suspending lures can be deadly during the transition period I have been talking about. Bass don’t seem to be able to help themselves when a lure is swum in front of them and then paused. At times the longer the pause the better, as the temptation becomes too great and they have to eat it.

The Swiftbait is spot on for this, and if anything it slowly sinks, which is preferred to slowly rising. However, so far it is the

The SFT Little Smart Jig is an interesting combination of a jighead and worm hook wrapped in a silicone skirt.

This bass really wanted the SFT Swiftbait. There is not a lot of lure left hanging out of its mouth.

This was the result of the author’s second cast with the smaller Fisherswift.

It was worth a quick paddle to shore for some pics.

little wider to find active fish. We found them, but any bites we got were tentative to say the least.

It was time to bring out the Fisherswifts.

Surely this slower, more in-your-face

SFT RANGE Lure Sizes Weights Style Takumi 75mm, 95mm, 125mm 20g, 40g, 65g Sinking Seahunt 115mm 21g(f), 24g(s) Floating and sinking Seahunt 135mm 30g Sinking Seadream 115mm 21g(f), 27g(s) Floating and sinking Fisherswift 70mm 4.3g(f), 10g(s) Floating and sinking Fisherswift 90mm 7.5g(f), 17g(s) Floating and sinking Swiftbait 90mm 8g(f), 8.3g, 13g(s) Floating, suspending and sinking Little Smart Jig 3g, 5g, 7g, 10.5g, 14g Sinking is where it’s at. As both descend through the water, they gently shimmy and wobble and I couldn’t imagine any fish seeing this happen in front of them, not biting it. This kept the retrieve pretty simple. You just cast it out, let it wobble to the bottom and then either slow lift it or use a couple

of quick winds of the reel to spring it off the bottom, let it wobble back down and repeat.

Plenty of light bulb moments have been dashed when you’re on the water and fishing, but it is oh so sweet when everything comes together. I couldn’t show

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presentation would bring these fish undone.

Any doubt it would work was blown away on the first cast. My 70mm Fisherswift was smashed three quarters of the way back to me as I worked it up a gradual incline. I lost this fish, but the next 15 minutes saw Stu and I have a number of double hook-ups including a 45cm fish for me. They hit them on the drop, on the hop and when you were winding in to cast

sinking minnow that has had the best results. Like the Fisherswift it has an enticing wobble as it drops and can be retrieved in a similar manner. It however has the bonus of the action created by the bib on the retrieve.

Back at Lake Kurwongbah the change from the Fisherswift to the Swiftbait once again resulted in a hook-up first cast. The only noticeable change to the bite was that more of the fish came on the retrieve rather than the pause, but the hits were just as violent.

How sweet it was that a theory conjured up while swimming these lures in my pool had worked so well!

Try them yourself This Testing Booth has been a bit of an eye-opener for me. It has been great to think outside the box and successfully put a plan together for a scenario that in the past I would have left fish because they were switched off. I now have another option and the lures to do it with. These SFT lures get a big thumbs up from me.

Look for them in your local tackle store or check them out at www.sftaustralia. com.au. Trade enquires can be made with Steve Lewis on 0422 177 828.

- Peter Jung SEPTEMBER 2020

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WHAT’S NEW DAIWA HRF PE SPECIAL

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A baitcaster reel developed for long casting performance with braid, HRF PE Special combines a special PE tuned Magforce Z cast control system with Daiwa’s TWS system for unparalleled casting performance.

This reel is as strong as it is refined, with a heavy-duty brass drive gear making this reel fit for purpose in Australia’s north. A high-speed PE tuned level wind is specifically made to lay lighter braided line evenly, avoiding line dig and preventing unwanted break-offs.

A waterproof ATD carbon three layer drag dishes out 5.5kg of consistent smooth max drag performance. Fitted with a rubber gasket adorning the top of the stack, ATD eliminates water intrusion into the drag and significantly improves drag durability.

A newly designed 150 size Duralumin spool is equipped into a compact 100 size frame, maximising line capacity without a physically greater size and weight.

HRF PE Special is made specifically to perform with PE lines, and is the ultimate highspeed baitcaster for saltwater conditions. www.daiwafishing.com.au

SHIMANO ANTHEM SW

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The new Shimano 2020 Anthem SW series is built tough and designed specifically for Australian anglers. These dedicated sportfishing rods feature 12 purposebuilt models that include two overhead, six spin, two stickbait and three jigging models across varying line ratings.

Incorporating premium components and technologies, the blanks are built from Shimano’s durable and lightweight TC4 blank construction which creates an extremely durable, yet light rod that performs incredibly when casting, jigging or popping. TC4 is based on double inner layers of advanced dynamic T glass which are then over-wrapped with a spiral of high-modulus graphite. This allows the Anthem SW blanks to deliver incredible strength and durability, with actions that are inspired by the original TC4 Terez and Ocea Offshore series.

The Anthem SW series further incorporates premium Fuji K Faz Lite guides which allow for optimal casting ability and distances. The Faz Lite guides also disperse heat from the line around the inner which helps to reduce damage to the line.

To further improve handling and performance, the rods feature specially designed, custom shaped EVA moulded grips and Fuji reel seats.

Price: SRP $299 www.shimanofish.com.au

DOMETIC CFX SERIES

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Dometic has launched the new generation of its CFX series of portable fridge/freezers. The new models achieve impressive energy efficiency, and one of them – the 55I model – is equipped with a world-first ice maker. It has a dedicated section that creates ice in ice-trays while you run the main compartment as a fridge.

Combined with its capability of consistently maintaining refrigerated or freezing temperature, the CFX3 allows outdoor adventurers to go even further and stay longer.

Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and more are easily accessible.

Features include an enhanced user interface, easy to open latches, rugged yet lightweight construction, improved LED lights, and solid anchors to secure the unit in vehicles.

The CFX3 series is equipped with Bluetooth 100

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and Wi-Fi remote control functionality for increased usability and lower power consumption, and the new control panel is weatherproof. The app has graphs to monitor temperature and power consumption.

Price: SRP $1199-$1899 dometic.com

MAXRAP WALK’N ROLL

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The ‘do-all’ topwater bait, the Rapala MaxRap Walk’N Roll spits, bobs, skitters and slides across the surface in all conditions.

Developed in partnership with pro anglers fishing the Atlantic, this lure is weighted for maximum casting distance and ultimate stability in bad weather and rough seas. Under a steady retrieve the MaxRap Walk’N Roll spits and rolls from side-to-side; or you can try a twitch and pause to create a walking action.

You can crank it in fast to imitate a fleeing baitfish, or when at rest with your rod tip down, twitch it in place for a head-down bobbing motion.

The MaxRap Walk’N Roll measures 13cm, weighs 29g and is fitted with VMC 7554 2X-Strong Ti coated inline treble hooks. It is currently available in eight colours: FG (flake green, GHS (ghost sandeel), HDBSRD (HD blue sardine), HDFFU (HD flying fish UV), HDRHU (HD red head UV), MUL (live mullet), NIA (night aurora), and PPGH (pearl purple ghost). www.rapala.com

EGILICIOUS SQUID JIG SCENT

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When the squid won’t eat or it’s time to make your squid jig stand out from the crowd, you can turbo charge it with Pro-Cure’s Egilicious Ultimate Squid Jig Scent.

A breakthrough in bait scent technology, Egilicious Jig Scent is made up of water soluble fish oils that completely dissolve into the water column, travelling further and faster than regular fish oil, creating the ultimate attraction to your squid jig.

Application is quick and easy with the 115mL spray bottle design, and the cloth of the squid jig holds the water-soluble oils, releasing a cloud of scent and a scent trail upon contact with the water, drawing squid in to investigate. A UV enhanced formula and powerful amino acids assist in attracting squid to the jig, while also triggering strikes. All these factors combine to maximise your chances of catching more and bigger squid.

There are two flavours to choose from – Shrimp (#0556) and Pilchard/Sardine (#0557).

Price: SRP: $29.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

ZEREK DEFIANCE

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The Zerek Defiance is the ultimate, slowfloating jerkbait minnow.

This new lure features a unique tapered profile that allows a supreme wide wobble action. There are two models available, the first diving up to 1.2m with a straight retrieve and the second getting down to around 2m.

Adding a few rips and twitches gives the defiance an erratic all-direction darting action.

Internally structured with a chamber that has two ball bearings, loud rattles can be created during the retrieve. The bearings also act as a weight transfer system during a cast, allowing the Defiance to be cast a greater distance and with more accuracy.

Available in two variations, a shallow version and a mid-ranged version, the Defiance is equipped with durable BKK hooks and will bring a tough and dependable minnow option to the range. www.wilsonfishing.com

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Garmin Force Review: six months later FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

At Fishing Monthly we really like to test products thoroughly before we bring you a Testing Booth style review. For the last six months we have been putting Garmin’s Force electric motor to the test.

Currently, it is the only cable steer style electric in its class that has a saltwater warranty. It’s a good one, too, at three years.

Previously, the Fishing Monthly BassCat Pantera Classic was fitted with a MinnKota Ultrex trolling motor. Because we use the boat 80% of the time in saltwater, this motor had received the Minn Repairs saltwater upgrade. Despite this, there is still no warranty for an Ultrex motor in saltwater and if you use it without the upgrade, you WILL kill the steering head in time, regardless of how well you maintain it.

Using both motors (the Garmin after the Ultrex) we

were able to get a real feel for both motors and to give some objective feedback on the differences between the two.

And let’s face it, neither of these motors are particularly cheap with the Garmin coming out at around $5,000SRP and the Ultrex between $4,500 and $5,500, depending on the model. They run on different mechanics – Ultrex is basically a powerassisted cable steer electric while the Garmin is a servosteer motor that emulates a cable steer controls.

For me, that’s important.

I’ve grown up with cable steer motors and to me it’s essential that I don’t have to look at the motor while I’m fishing.

I (and you) can do it all by feel. I’d never been a fan of an electric that has infinite left and right steering, the heading is dependent on a control position on a cable steer but it’s not with a standard servo steer motor.

In a typical pre-tournament scenario, the plans to install the review Garmin before a big Victorian BREAM road trip were hindered by lack of

time and some freight delays.

It did arrive, though, and we loaded the big box into the van for the 2000km journey.

As a side note, the trip down was pretty interesting.

Post-bushfires (and when bushfires were the biggest of our worries) the quickest route to Gippsland Lakes was through Mt Hotham. I’m not planning a route through there towing a boat again any time soon.

You also may remember Mallacoota, the epicentre of bushfire publicity. We’d relocated that event to Gippsland Lakes and run two events in a row there. This gave me a sneaky day to install the Garmin between events.

But as we all know, wheels can fall off at any time and they did for fellow competitor, Mark Saric on Day 1 of the first event. His Ultrex threw in the towel during the day and he reached out for help.

Easy! Pull off the Ultrex from my boat and install the Garmin that night. And any of you who have been upside down in a boat in the darkness the night before an event will know that nothing is ever easy.

Big thanks to Rhys Harris for the assist.

Regardless, by about 10pm, my Ultrex was on Mark’s Skeeter and the Garmin was on the BassCat. Nothing like going into Day 2 of the event with a brand new, untested electric motor! As an after thought, I threw in the instruction book.

I got an inkling of how quiet the Garmin would be when we finally connected the power. We hit the button and the first thought was that it wasn’t working.

“Crikey, that’s quiet,” were the comments from the peanut gallery. The Garmin features a brushless motor and I really didn’t give that a second thought until we turned it on. Most electric motors will emit a noticeable hum from the armature out of water.

From previous experiments with Hydro Nuts (see the QR code for the link to the video nearby) I’m quite aware that electric motors aren’t silent underwater.

Indeed, anything over 30% of power during these tests was quite distinct. At 100%,

electrics can be damn loud!

The next review video will include underwater sound recordings from the Force and its competition.

Does quietness above the water equal quietness under the water? We will see in due course.

On the water on the tournament day, I powered up the motor and it ran fine right out of the box. The servos were very quiet and responsive. I’d added a couple of batteries to the wireless foot pedal and also some to the hand held control. There was no need for pairing. It all just worked.

Spot lock, however, wouldn’t. I didn’t need it for the first few hours of competition, but when I did, I had to get out the instruction book and power up the remote control. To enable the spot lock feature, you have to calibrate the compass. It may have looked crazy when I had a single power pole down on a sandbank and was doing 360s with the electric in opposite directions, but it got the job done and from that point on, the feature worked perfectly.

Like all virtual anchors, it works best when there’s some wind or current to work against, but to date, it’s performed flawlessly and without a need for an external heading sensor install.

I’m running the Force electric off a Torqeedo 26-104 lithium battery. With the Ultrex, there was always a narrative from the distributor that the motor wouldn’t be

wireless connectivity between the two devices and the ability to deliver waypoints and routes to the motor and use them in practical fishing situations.

Of course, there’s an inbuilt system that houses a Garmin transducer on the Force. It’s not compatible with other branded units like is available in some MotorGuide and MinnKota generic transducers.

As part of this build, there’s also relatively cheap and expendable nosecones and skegs that can be replaced if damaged without having to work on the full armature.

If the build of the sounder units and transducers is anything like the Force, then I’m in for some quality technology that will last me a long time.

To see a breakdown of the basic features in action, watch the Video Review by scanning the QR code hereby.

Subscribing to the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube channel will ensure that you don’t miss any of our review, fishing and boating content.

I’ll be back to you in another few months when we have a handle on the complementary electronics and have learned how to use it.

At the moment, though, we love the Force and if you’re after a motor in this style, we know that you will, too. The Force is available in two models. Both are 24-36v capable. Ours has a 50” shaft while a 57” shaft model is also available.

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Does the Hydro Nut Actually Work?

warranty covered when used with a lithium battery. Since the Force operates anywhere between 24-36 volts, the motor actually rewards voltages slightly higher than 24 with increased thrust!

This was one of the things I noticed immediately, at maximum thrust there was an increase in speed. It’s not that I spend anywhere near most of the time at full thrust (in fact I’m conscious of the fact that thrusts over 30% are increasingly noisy) but it’s nice to be rewarded for a few extra volts rather than punished.

I was also a little sceptical of the wireless foot pedal.

“This will definitely blow out of my boat and run out of battery,” I thought. Then I found out that you can screw it into your deck and hardwire it to your 12v battery.

I haven’t done that yet and it still hasn’t run out of its first set of batteries … or blown out.

Six months down the track – and with a couple of months COVID-19 time-out in the middle – we’ve managed to give the Force a real flogging, mainly in saltwater. The stainless steel hardware across the motor build is spotless and anyone who has fished in the boat comments on how quiet the unit is.

To enter the next phase of testing, we have a Garmin with LiveScope on the way.

I’m really looking forward to learning about using the

Garmin Force Review.

Torqeedo 26-104 Battery.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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South Coast

WA

Sportfishing in closer ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

We have enjoyed some great weather over the past month, and the fishing has continued to improve.

The salmon run has continued, with great catches around town and

also both east and west of town. Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach have both seen consistent fish to 6kg, with some herring mixed in. The occasional flathead and night-time mulloway are being caught too.

Jetty fishing around town at Taylor Street and James Street has seen everincreasing numbers of

big squid, with some of the tubes measuring up to 45cm. The choice squid jig at present is the the Daiwa Emeraldas in 3.5 mango shrimp and neon glow.

Boat-based anglers have been using a paternoster rig with a sinker to get their squid jigs deeper.

Bream fishing around the lakes has started to fire up with the water coming into the lake systems.

There are good numbers of bream being caught, with many over 40cm. The choice lures are still the 2.5” ZMan Slim SwimZ in mood ring and 3” GrubZ in motor oil.

Further out of town, Stockyards has seen skippy around the 1kg mark, plenty of herring and the occasional salmon. There

Lachy Warren has been slaying the salmon lately on the local beaches.

Just about every afternoon after school he can be spotted down at West Beach with a rod buckled over. Image: @olistevensonn are some good sand whiting and flathead as well.

At Dunns Rock, anglers have been catching gummy

A nice samsonfish caught by Trent Worth. Warmer weather will see the samsons come closer to town.

Jesse Smithson was happy with this quality samsonfish.

sharks up to 20kg. You can also pick up salmon, skippy around the 2kg mark, and plenty of herring. The beaches are still cut up from the late winter swells, so please exercise caution when driving along them.

At Thomas River there have been consistent catches of skippies around the 4-5kg mark, along with plenty of salmon. There are also soapy size mulloway, around 4-5kg, and the occasional gummy.

A particularly good location lately has been Israelite Bay, where fishers have been consistently catching mulloway, with one lucky angler getting a 40kg fish. There are plenty of salmon and the occasional tailor out there too, plus skippy and herring.

Moving on to boatbased fishing, the focus for boaters in the bay is still primarily squid, and it’s not unusual to get your boat limit of 20 squid.

Sand whiting are also being caught.

In around the closer islands there are reports of plenty of queen snapper, small nannygai and breaksea cod.

Anglers heading further out are still seeing consistent numbers of nannygai ranging from 50-55cm. You can also pick up the occasional dhuie, and there are still of samsonfish, yellowtail kingfish, and Breaksea cod. The use of jigs is continuing to increase in popularity, and a standout in recent weeks has been the 150g Storm Koika in orange zebra pearl.

SEPTEMBER Warmer weather will see the samsonfish come closer to town so the tinny brigade can target them in the bay. Squid will continue to be caught in good numbers. Bronze whalers will become more common catches, while salmon numbers will dwindle as the water warms.

Herring will continue to increase in numbers and size this month, while the skippy will be smaller on average, but plentiful.

Migrating whales typically start to come through around September, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for them. You can sometimes see them off the beach just 50-100m from the shore.

Hit the beach BREMER BAY

Fisho Morris

Brad Martin caught this dhufish at the back of Rottnest Island using a Vexed Bottom Meat baited jig. This fish weighed 20kg and was 1.2m long.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

A good option this month is Reef Beach, which has salmon, herring and skippy at the moment, with a few tailor as well.

The beach has been washed out because of high tides so care should be taken when driving here, as with all the beaches in the area.

At Fosters there are salmon, skippy and herring, and once again the beach is washed out.

Dillon Bay has salmon, skippy, herring and flathead, and Bremer Bay

has salmon and herring.

Peppermint Beach has salmon, herring and sand whiting; Doubtful Beach has herring, skippy and sand whiting; and Triglow Beach has salmon, skippy, herring, gummy shark and sand whiting.

In other news, holidaymakers have been to some of these amazing places and left piles of rubbish in the sand dunes, and have caught salmon and left them on the beach. Sharks have been caught just for the jaws, too. We work to keep the beaches clean, and I hope others can respect our coastline and do the same.

A beautiful day at Stream Beach.

WA

South Coast

Fishing on a sheet of glass AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

Winter has resulted in some of the nicest weather of the year so far, with perfect, flat days making for some very pleasant trips. In fact, some occasions were so flat that the whale watching boats looked like they were sitting on a sheet of glass. The only thing that was disturbing the

to the fish that can be caught, entertaining the kids with a great fighting fish and spurring their interest and keeping them occupied for that little bit longer.

There have been many reports of small pink snapper being caught at the jetties, especially the Old Town jetty and Ellis Street jetty.

Unfortunately I have been told of instances where people have kept fish that are well

Another great effort – dhufish for dinner in Flinders Bay. water was the spy-hopping, breaching and tail slapping of the numerous southern right and humpback whales that everyone had come to see.

The flat conditions were mimicked in the Hardy Inlet and up the Blackwood River as well, which meant that there was plenty of action returning to the area after the enforced inactivity caused by COVID restrictions. All day long, all manner of watercraft were observed winding their way up and down stream to the skippers’ favourite fishing spot. Then, with the sudden onset of darkness that occurs at that time of the year, and the resulting chill in the air, everyone disappears back to the comfort of the heater.

Those who were lucky enough to snag some time off in the good fishing weather made the most of it, with plenty of herring, squid and skippy being caught in the Hardy Inlet.

Some big blue swimmer crabs made their way down to Colourpatch right through winter. Catches of crabs remained small, but those caught were large and full of meat.

The Blackwood River has been extremely active with black bream, salmon and squid being caught right up to Alexandra Bridge. The infrequent but heavy rain for some reason has not had the usual effect of pushing everything downstream towards the ocean. The only noticeable change is the fact that black bream have been found right down to the Ellis Street jetty. Although small they are a welcome addition

undersized. Please be aware of the size limits, and if you are unsure what some local species look like, download the Recfishwest app and you will have no doubt what you are catching. Taking babies

deep water, especially around Westbay and the Irwin Street areas. They respond well to soft plastics and will aggressively chase 2-3” grubs when jigged along the bottom in front of them. Both are exceptional eating and a welcome addition to the catch.

When the water was flat it allowed plenty of fishing activity in the reefy areas of Flinders and Hamelin bays, and this resulted in big numbers of demersals being landed. Dhufish in particular seem to be very prevalent, with many more being caught than pink snapper or Breaksea cod, which are usually the standard catch.

Sharks are also making their presence felt, probably because of the increased food in the area from the whale migration after the salmon run. Gummy and small bronze whalers will often show up in a berley trail and can be caught on bait or lures. Try using a handline out the back of the boat with a float, heavy trace and piece of salmon, mackerel or mullet on a solid hook.

Floated out into the slick, this will often pick up a hungry shark of a perfect eating size. Berkley and ZMan soft plastics or Vexed Head Bottom Meat jigheads continue to be the go-to for picking up nice fish from the bottom, with mulies and squid being good

fish short as many people do – snook have firm, white flesh that lends itself nicely to frying or smoking.

Beach fishing conditions have been hit and miss, with some infrequent large storms resulting in large weed banks and dirty water. When clear, the whiting, herring and skippy remain in good numbers.

Skippy are especially large at the moment, and fish around the kilo mark are common.

Whiting sizes are variable, with a plethora of small picker sand whiting annoyingly taking baits on a frequent basis. Finding the right spot however, results in some nice King George whiting in the 30cm range. Some thumper

Leeuwin Marine deckhand Blake Muller takes a well-earned break to land a dhufish for himself.

Have a look at the perfect fishing conditions in the background that resulted in this pink snapper going home with this happy fisher.

40+ King George have been caught out in the boats and some heavily-guarded spots around the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. Blood worms, squid strips or mulie pieces on a long shanked hook are the best baits, however whole river prawns have also worked when the pickers are not around.

As the weather gets warmer, the opportunities to go fishing increase and the fish get that little more active.

Instead of sticking to the same old techniques, try something new. Yellowfin whiting numbers increase as it gets

towards summer, and there is a new trend towards chasing them on poppers with very light gear. Augusta has the perfect environment for sight fishing the shallow flats, and the large numbers of fish that haunt the area between the Sticks and Dukes Head provide excellent training grounds for refining the skills required as they hit their stride at Christmas. You will be amazed at the fight put up on light gear by not only yellowfin whiting but flounder, small salmon, large herring and flathead that are also looking for a feed.

There’s a plethora of lures

to use, and the easiest way to find what is working is to drop into the tackle shop where the staff will point out the flavour of the month. I like the Berkley Scumdog as not only does it catch fish, it is versatile and easy to use and comes in a good range of colours.

Rock fishing can be very productive in Augusta, and with some smart use of berley it doesn’t take long to bring the usual bread-and-butter fish around. Choose a spot that gives you the chance to seek refuge from any king waves, and don’t let calm conditions fool you into thinking you are safe. Rogue waves are just that, and people have died here after being washed off.

Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the conditions, and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant, wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire a PFD for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports.

• Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports is located at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta -the local tackle shop and font of all local fishing knowledge.

Look for the big green sign on the roof, it’s right next to the Better Choice Fuels service station.

The Augusta marina is growing into an excellent environment for a multitude of fish, such as this skippy that smashed a soft plastic. will only result in a decline in fish numbers and smaller bag limits, so let’s all do the right thing!

Flounder and flathead have made a concerted effort to maintain a presence in the area, with some very nice fish being sighted at night time, camouflaged amongst the weed and grasses in knee-

alternatives to artificials.

Snook remain a good alternative for those who want to catch a quick feed and get back in with huge numbers around the Dead Finish channel. A short trolling session with a 5” stickbait like a Halco RMG Scorpion or Laser Pro will usually result in a bag-out. Don’t sell these

Flinders Bay has been producing the goods lately, like this nice midsized dhufish caught on a trip with Leeuwin Marine Charters.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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West Coast

WA

An exciting time of year BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

At this time of year, the fishing in the Australind area can get really exciting! The waters are warming and this brings the waves of whiting

grazing our flats. While the water temperature is rising, small vibes and bottom lures catch more fish. However, when it gets to that prime temperature, the whiting will be slurping surface lures all day.

Those of us who have already been walking

Josh Luvera with a healthy lure-crunching bream.

the flats are noticing a definite increase in the blue swimmer numbers, and sizes are looking even better than last year. There are always crabs to be had from the jetties in Bunbury or the Koombana Bay areas while you’re waiting for the temperature of the estuary to rise. There is a boat limit of 10 crab nets which leaves you plenty of nets to set a good prospecting line through your area of choice. A friendly reminder – there have been changes in the crabbing rules for our area, with a 3-month ban introduced this year. This should see an increase in numbers and size for the future of our crabbing industry.

The boaties have been absolutely killing it offshore from Bunbury, with great sizes and numbers of King George whiting being reported in 17-26m beyond the shipping channel.

As usual, the artificial reefs have had their fair share of sambos giving anglers a good run for their money. These hard fighting, low blowers can’t resist a nice fresh squid or a fastpaced metal jig, and can really be a great sportfish, especially when your gear is matched to the fish

Josh Italiano caught this nice southern bluefin tuna. you’re catching. With the new concrete modules that were added to the Bunbury artificial reef earlier this year, there seems to be a real increase in numbers calling the area home.

Bluefin have been in surprisingly close lately and have made for some great fun. Casting small metals onto a busting ball of tuna is something any angler will enjoy, and they really can give your arms a stretch. A trolling lure between spots like those pictured wouldn’t go astray, potentially picking up fish from a school that’s hiding below the surface.

Divers have been bagging out regularly on

the crays now the season is open all year round. We’re also seeing plenty of dhufish and pink snapper cruising the bottom waiting for the demersal season closure to end so we can get back out there and hassle them again.

Squid have been around in great numbers as well as size. The winter thumpers aren’t all gone yet. Numbers are higher than ever for the boaties that take the time to target these delicious cephalopods, and there are plenty of land-based spots to target them as well. Night sessions on the weed banks through Koombana Bay or from the local jetties will produce a feed.

Black bream are a

species that we find to be very underrated. They are an excellent sportfish, especially when targeted on lures. They can be caught all year round no matter the weather, making them a great target for taking the kids on a quick afternoon flick. The new bridge joining Treendale and Millbridge has held a lot of good-size bream throughout the year.

• Any questions on something you have read or just want to have a chat?

Duck into Whiteys Tackle and Camping in Treendale, WA. One of the guys or Whitey himself will be happy to help get you on the right path to that next trophy fish.

Tight lines!

recfishwest A chance to win a trip to the Montebellos WA recfishers have a chance to win a fishing trip of a lifetime to the Montebello Islands for donating dhufish, pink snapper and baldchin groper frames to the Send Us Your Skeletons campaign.

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) scientists are

collecting fish samples for their next stock assessment of West Coast demersal scalefish in order to gauge how well the fishery’s ongoing recovery is progressing.

Demersal species from the West Coast Bioregion are not the only fish skeletons in demand, with researchers also wanting herring, tailor and King

Previous winner Ryan Satinover enjoying fishing at the Monetebellos.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

George whiting frames from the State’s West Coast and South Coast bioregions.

Donating fish frames will put fishers in the frame to claim a charter trip to the magnificent Montebello Islands with renowned charter-operator Montebello Island Safaris – how good is that?

Aside from possibly winning the annual top prize to the Montes, fishers contributing to the assessment have a chance to bag rod/reel combos donated by Recfishwest.

The other prizes include four impressive Daiwa Revros MX 4000 reels and Crewsaver lifejackets, also donated by Recfishwest.

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland encouraged WA recfishers to get on board with the DPIRD-led program and donate fish frames.

“Good data underpins good science which supports good fishery management,” Dr Rowland said. “As stewards of the

The top prize for donating samples to DPIRD is a trip with Montebello Island Safaris, where you can catch trophy fish like this trout. Image courtesy of Montebello Island Safaris. resource, recfishers have a critical role to play in supporting this important citizen science project, to ensure the department has a solid sample base to enable them to better understand the status of our fish stocks.”

Why donating demersal scalefish frames is important Last December, DPIRD

released a recovery research summary that showed there were some good signs in the recovery at the halfway mark of its 20-year recovery plan.

It found that there were more small dhuies caught in the West Coast Bioregion in the past few years, showing that recfishers’ good stewardship – sticking to bag and size limits – was

paying dividends.

H o w e v e r, the summary showed there were only small numbers of large demersal fish frames being provided in the Mid West region and Kalbarri areas.

The study also found there were fewer, older dhufish and pink snapper in DPIRD’s samples from across the whole West Coast Bioregion, which extends from Kalbarri south to Augusta.

“This showed while there are grounds for cautious optimism there is still a way to go and we need to keep doing what we’re doing to ensure the recovery stays on track,” Dr Rowland said. “A big part of that is to ensure that the Department’s scientists have good numbers of fish samples, i.e. frames – on which to base their stock assessment.”

Wanted: Big dhufish and pink snapper heads!

Despite many photos To page 107

WA

West Coast

No need to travel far MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

During August, fishing reef structures leading out to the 5 Fathom bank turned up a good mixed bag for anglers. Those species on offer have varied depending on the ground fished, but have included pink snapper, dhufish, tuna, samsonfish and King George.

and average external weather conditions tend to change the rivers significantly. Black bream are a likely capture when heading up the river, and there are reports of some good sized mulloway and the odd whiting too, proving that there is plenty of activity upstream.

While the winter conditions are still lingering, we can expect to feel the presence of more spring days and comfortable missions out

built-up bulk has gone and freed up a lot of the water that had previously been difficult to fish. If you’re targeting mulloway or pinks from the beach you will want to get the freshest bait you can, with the preference being mullet, herring or whiting.

When rigging up for your outing, focus on good bait presentation, proud hook exposure and look for small signs like bite marks. Fishing

Beach fishing often results in little action, but sometimes you are greeted with beautiful views.

Saiya landed this chunk of a pink snapper, dropping out his bait with a DJI drone.

Land-based fishing with heavier gear has been paying off for anglers, with a lot of catches reported from White Hills all the way through to Singleton beaches. Utilising your bait chasing rigs will turn up a good feed or bait supply of herring or whiting in most cases, and they also provide a lot of fun. Depending on when you are fishing, as well as what you are using as bait, there are also plenty of sharks, rays, pink snapper and the odd mulloway getting about.

Increased water movement

on the water during September.

Targeting fish can still be difficult as usual, but at this time of the year you certainly don’t need to travel as far in order to achieve success.

Noting the larger numbers of fish coming in closer, drone fishers should do quite well when fishing from some of our more southern beaches during this time.

Beach fishing becomes much more viable for those who may have packed their rods up during the weedridden season. A lot of the

snells is beneficial in most cases, but sometimes it can’t hurt to try a triple or even a single to cover your bases and find what may be working on the day. Ensuring that you are adapting to the situation will allow you to make the most of it and hopefully assist you in walking away with a prize catch.

Heading inland, a trip out to Waroona Dam for the day is a great option at this time of the year. Not only is there some great camping with comfortable conditions,

From page 106

of whopping dhuies and pink snapper caught in the West Coast Bioregion regularly posted on social media, DPIRD is not seeing many big dhuies in its research samples.

However, DPIRD is now accepting the heads of large demersals for sampling which will ensure recfishers can keep frames and wings for the barbie or berley, and still help the stock assessment.

So, if having a big dhuie frame taking up space in your freezer has put you off giving DPIRD your frames in the past, now there’s no reason why you can’t donate the big dhuies or pinkies you catch.

Or, if you love to keep your fish frames for the barbie or berley, you can still help with DPIRD’s

Reece Harvey with a dhufish at Rottnest Island. Larger dhufish and snapper can be up to 40 years old, so it’s important to evaluate how well their populations are tracking. stock assessment.

It is important to remember that for fisheries scientists to develop the most accurate stock assessment possible they need a range of samples including larger fish.

DPIRD Senior Research Scientist Dr David Fairclough said species like WA dhufish and snapper can live for 40 years, so understanding the age structure for these species was vital in evaluating how

but there is also plenty of fish on offer. Remembering to pack your freshwater fishing license, you only really need a couple of basic lures and you are all set for some landbased fun. Taking things a step further, you may want to drop a kayak into the water and tow a lure behind the kayak, and you will quite often find that the redfin or trout find it irresistible.

Looking ahead, anglers should familiarise themselves with the demersal ban and

You will find some stray tailor ahead of the larger quantities, getting their feed in before the bulk of the competition arrives.

Releasing quality black bream ensures that we have plenty to enjoy going forward. well they are tracking.

“The larger the number of fish of all ages in the population of these species, the more sustainable they are likely to be, and this is what we’re looking for,” Dr Fairclough said.

“The more frames of all sizes that recreational fishers can donate, the greater the quality of our assessments.”

How to donate your frames Fish frames can be handed in at a range of DPIRD regional offices and participating tackle stores across WA, with a complete list found on the Department’s website.

Frames can be donated fresh or frozen, if you can’t immediately donate the skeletons the day the fish was caught. You will also need to provide: • your name, phone number and email address (so DPIRD

can send you research feedback and put your name in prize draws); • the date of your capture; and • the location of your

how it may impact their upcoming trips in October.

Though offshore fishing is not totally off the cards, inshore fishing tends to get a lot more attention during this time and a lot more fish appear to get caught. We can expect the tailor fishing to start to fire up really soon, with numbers of good-sized mulloway not far behind them. Though the beaches can produce quite well for mulloway when the tailor turn up, you will also find that there is plenty of action throughout the canals, estuary and river systems too. example 3nm west of Hillarys; for shore catches, the general location).

Information you provide to DPIRD about

You can either donate heads and frames to be in the running for a range of great prizes. capture (for boat catches, the latitude/longitude or distance and bearing from port and the name of the port, for

the location of your catch is confidential, so all your prized secret dhuie spots will be safe.

SEPTEMBER 2020

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West Coast

WA

King George whiting are on the spring menu also highly effective when fishing from the sand.

Snapper and mulloway are still going to be around this month, and live baiting using herring has been the

METRO

Jacob Crispe

Although the fishing around Perth metro is never really quiet, September is a month when we need to work a little harder for our fish.

Having said that, one of the best eating fish in our waters, the King George whiting, will be accessible in good numbers to most metro anglers. Read on to find out more.

SWAN RIVER The main focus in the Swan River continues to be mulloway. You will need to work a little harder for them, but the reward for effort is fish that are 20kg+. Freshwater Bay and Mossies have been two areas that have consistently produced fish.

There is plenty of artificial and natural structure that provides sanctuary for baitfish, and the predators are never too far away.

The key has been too hold close to structure,

Young gun Sam ‘Sambo’ O’Donnell with his first sambo – and what a cracker! to them once found. They are great sport and not bad eating if you bleed them and put them on ice when first caught. Being an oily

to be fishing the rock walls in the area. King George whiting push right up into the shallows which makes them easily accessible to rock wall anglers.

The best baits are fresh squid (make sure you tenderize it first to make it even more attractive to the fish) and peeled coral prawns. Don’t make the baits too big, as you want the whiting to be able to just suck them in.

The unfortunate thing at this time of year is the presence of blowfish, which are around in plague proportions and can pinch your bait before your target species gets a look in. Fishing at night or during low light periods can reduce the blowfish mayhem and help you get a

feed of whiting.

As always it pays to have a squid rod handy as squid and whiting tend to be found in similar areas.

Anglers fishing at night also increase their chances of picking up other species that frequent the rock walls like snapper and small sharks. Fishing the water around lights that shine on it can produce some nice squid as well.

BEACHES Herring and tailor will be your prime targets through September. They should be in good numbers along the beaches from Cottesloe through to Trig.

Berley is the key to keeping the fish in your area.

Standard star sinker rigs with a ganged mulie or cast metals and stickbaits are

Basel Hassoun with his first land-based snapper caught from a local beach after chasing his target species for a year! He said it fought like a horse! use a little bit of berley and fish either large soft plastics or live baits. Tailor are your best live baits at the moment as there are plenty of chopper tailor about. Just make sure you are using legal size fish.

The tailor themselves are a great target. Many anglers will troll gangrigged mulies, small metals or bibbed lures until they find the fish, and then cast 108

SEPTEMBER 2020

preferred method. Catches have been reported from Rockingham all the way through to Wilbinga, so you have plenty of options if you want to catch one

fish they are also great cooked in a smoker.

The lifeblood of the Swan River is the black bream and they will always be around. The area between Point Resolution and the Causeway would be my starting point through September.

FREMANTLE ROCK WALLS In my opinion, September is the best month

Kepler Weber with a monster West Aus dhuie.

Paul Coelho showing us how to catch the 5-star prized King George whiting from the Freo rock walls after dark. of these species from the beach.

INSHORE GROUNDS Like the rock walls, our inshore grounds will be teeming with King George whiting and the ever-present squid. Sand patches and broken ground will always be the key, as well as using fresh bait and a bit of berley. Don’t be surprised if you pick up a cuttlefish at this time of year in the same areas, as September tends to have them mingling around the squid.

You will also find pink snapper throughout the inshore reefs and within Cockburn Sound, making them very accessible to many anglers.

Heading a a little wider, the 30-50m mark seems to be the magic number.

Dhufish, baldchin grouper and breaksea cod have been the main captures, and this should continue through September. Rockingham

WA

West Coast

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

PRIME MONTH TO HIT need a freshwater fishing

through to Yanchep has been the hotspot.

OUT WIDE I always like to mention the deep drop fishing, as there are not too many better table fish available.

This style of fishing is very reliant on the weather, but when you get reports of hapuka, bass grouper and grey band cod being caught

WA

West Coast

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THE FRESHWATER Harvey and Waroona dams are about an hour’s drive from Perth and there is no better month than September to go and chase trout at these locations. Small soft plastics, hardbodies and trout nuggets work really well on our WA trout.

Alternatively, if you can get

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Thank you to Max Sampson at Anglers Fishing World for helping me put this report together. He and the team there are always great at going out and finding what’s biting and

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Shaun Beard has been catching lots of these leatherjackets around the old Mandurah bridge!

SEPTEMBER 2020

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Top time for tailor and mulloway LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

This month we can look forward to some great fishing weather. On those glassy days it’s great to open up the throttle to travel well offshore for some of those deep drop demersals. Keep an eye on the forecasts and be ready to make the most of any opportunities that arise. The countdown is also on until the demersal ban on 15 October, so now is a good time to get some tasty fillets in the freezer while you still can.

Crays are moving in and professional pots will soon be inside the White Bank. It’s a good

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Now is the time to target mulloway on lures. This fish fell to a Rapala X-Rap cast into a near shore gutter.

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time to chase some dhus in the shallows, as some will follow the crayfish in. In deep water dhufish bloat from barotrauma, and pretty much float to the surface, but when you hook one in under 10m of water it’s like catching a completely different fish.

They fight all the way to the surface, giving several powerful runs, especially at the sight of the boat.

You can target them by dropping some big curl-tail plastics on a 1oz jighead on 10-15kg gear. Some of my preferred tails would be the Berkley Nemesis, Squidgies Prawn Wriggler or the ZMan GrubZ, all in the 12-15cm range in pearl white.

You will be just as likely to snag a snapper on the inshore reefs, and there are always a few breaksea

The 30s have been productive of late, as Tracy Carter demonstrates with this nice dhu.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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cod to be found on the heavy ground.

The further out you go, the better the species mix.

The water is still a bit cool so fish like baldchin will be become more predominant into the 30s. Dropping in the 80s could turn up some red snapper, pink snapper,

queen snapper and some large dhufish. It is a long way to go for a bag limit of two fish though, and not a depth anyone should be catching and releasing fish.

Barotrauma mortalities are extremely high. Once you get your demersal bag, look for some birds working on

West Coast

the way back as the bluefin tuna should be around.

Another option on the way back is to hit up some of the skippy schools along the White Bank or inshore reefs. There will still be some spawning aggregations of big fish to 60cm for most the month.

It’s the best time of year to be lure casting for tailor. This 74cm fish fell to a Reef to River popper cast to a reef break.

Few people associate crabs with Lancelin, but drop netting from the jetty or boat can usually find enough chunky blueys for a feed.

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Within the bay, dinghy fishers have been finding both snook and squid over the seagrass beds. Snook will take unweighted pilchards or lures that are cast or trolled, and they’re great fun on light gear. The snook are pretty good at messing up your quality squid jigs too!

Rubble and sand holes between the seagrasses To page 112

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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them. The season has started early and looks to be a cracker. I spend a lot of time chasing them on lures, and it’s great fun though it can be tricky in the surf.

Here are a few tips.

• Often the first stretch out from the beach can be 20m of breaking waves, so you need to get out a big cast into the clear, deeper water.

The longer the lure swims in the ‘fish zone’ the more you will catch! Use a wellbalanced combo for the lure size and line.

• Pick your days. Fishing mornings with offshore winds is the easiest opportunity to get the lighter lures like poppers and stickbaits out furthest.

If the breeze is onshore, use metals to punch out into the wind.

• Make things happen!

Don’t just plug away with the same lure at the same spot. Some spots will work better with surface lures and others subsurface, so use a mix of stickbaits, poppers, bibbed hardbodies and soft plastics to work the entire water column and mix up the retrieve. If it is not happening, move on.

Certain spots will fire up as the tide changes, so don’t be afraid to go back over ground you have already tried, later in the day.

• Look for structure. If

From page 111

are holding both tarwhine and King George, though pickers have been terrible to get past. Of late, trumpeters, butterfish and blowfish have been in plague proportions.

I have found it best to keep moving – just drop a few casts in each hole as the first few casts can usually find a decent fish or two before the pickers cotton on.

Plenty of herring are along the beaches, bay and jetty although most are small.

As usual, the new and full moon will be the best opportunity to score a mulloway. School-size fish can be in good numbers along the near-shore beach gutters, so an opportunity is there to target some on lures from the sand.

Small whaler sharks have been coming inshore as the sun sets. Fishing from sunset into the evening using a berley bag in the wash helps bring them into casting range.

For me, the big event that is usually at its best from September to November is the spring tailor run. We will be getting much better fish, with 50cm+ specimens common and a few bigger fish to nearly 1m amongst

Breaksea cod are always a welcome catch, and are one of best tasting fish in the sea. you find gutters or reefs where waves are breaking and foaming over deeper water, you will find the bigger fish. You will need to time the cast to lob in behind a breaking wave so it can be worked in the ‘zone’ before the next wave catches the lure.

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fish, don’t be afraid to use big lures.

• Make noise. Lures that rattle or make a big splash like a popper will attract tailor’s attention in the noisy surf. The splashdown from the cast is often the best opportunity to get some attention, so don’t be in a rush to move the lure along.

After splashdown, wind out slack line as it settles from the cast and just use the rod tip to pulse the lure a metre or so 3-4 times before commencing a retrieve.

Often several fish will home in on the splashdown and hit the lure while paused.

• Once you’re onto a school, keep them interested and the action on. When you’re fishing with bait, each bite releases a burst of scent to the water. Because lures give no scent, keep the fish interested by tossing a berley bag of fish frames into the wash or throw chopped pilchards out regularly.

Pinkies on the prowl KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

The lifting of restrictions has seen a large increase in visitors to town, and quite a few with boats. There have been plenty of stories of good catches from a wide area of ground.

Pink snapper are still like piranhas in most areas.

North at the Sand Patch out in 20m has been very good, and the occasional baldchin groper has also been taken in the same area. Close inshore has produced some nice skippy and some big, fat yellowfin whiting.

Anglers traveling south down to Natural Bridge and

Bluff Point have had to fight their way through the large patches of baitfish, with tuna often smashing through the bait. However, trying to hook one has been very hit and miss, with some boats working all day for a zero tally.

The river is producing plenty of black bream from around the jetties and upstream, with whiting and small bream all along the flats by the boat hire and around to the sand spit.

Tailor and mulloway are still coming from Chinamans and a few mulloway were caught by Bird Rock in front of VMR. Some nice tailor have been taken off Oyster Reef on the rougher swells.

Plenty of white water has

brought the big fish in, and gars are proving to get the best results.

Some nice coral trout have been hooked in some of the shallow broken ground just north of the river mouth, and the rough weather and Oyster Reef claimed two boats so please be careful around the Murchison mouth.

Warmish water is still hanging around and so are the Spanish mackerel in the very healthy weight range of 15-20kg. Your best bet for a mack this late is still down south out in front of Natural Bridge lookout. Try in 20-30m of water with deep diving lures, but watch the swell and pick your days.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

A pink snapper taken at the Sand Patch.

WA

West Coast

Make the most of good weather GERALDTON

Graham Maunder & Michael Triantopoulos

Early morning starts or late evening sessions on the beaches have not been for the faint hearted, as the cold easterlies and bigger than usual swell patterns have held on a bit later in the season than most of us would like.

Local tailor, herring and whiting catches have been dropping off around the local beaches, rock walls and shore-based reefs, but as usual there are always a few local anglers prepared to put in the time and eventually go home with a reasonable mixed bag of fish.

This year’s squid season has been exceptionally long, and even this late in the season there are still squid being landed around the local rock walls and jetties later in the afternoons and after sunset once the harbour

Jeremy Hosken was fishing out from Geraldton in 70m when he hooked this 75cm coral trout. most consistent catch, with regular bag limit (2 fish) catches of 60-100cm fish.

Again, tailor have been harder to find, but there are nearly always a few fish along the reef edges and channels/gutters.

The beaches and reefs south of Coronation Beach are usually reliable tailor, mulloway and whiting spots, but there have been very few good sized fish, and even trying for baitsized whiting has been hard work. Fortunately, fishing from just before sunset to just after dark has been good for early season pink snapper up to 5kg, and a mix of manageable through to unstoppable school sharks.

The beaches south

of Port Gregory towards Hutt River and north to Shoal Point are also having their problems with weed movement. However, when the area has been clean enough to fish, mulloway, large tailor, pink snapper and sharks have been bitting well. It’s a long time since I’ve heard anglers complain about too many mulloway, or tailor being a bit big to be good eating.

You just can’t please some people!

BOAT The offshore fishing over the last month has been reasonably reliable, with most anglers making the most of the weather we’ve had.

African Reef area has reports of WA dhufish,

Nathan Podmore caught this dhufish in the shallows at African Reef. pink snapper, coral trout, baldchin groper and samsonfish. Most of the fish have come from the shallower water, around 10-20m.

Southwest of town (15-20nm), pink snapper have been in prolific numbers with most fish being around 500-800mm.

There have also been dhufish to 12kg, baldchin groper, coral trout to 750mm, samsonfish,

Nathan Podmore with a solid baldchin groper caught close to town. lights take effect.

The beaches south of Flat Rocks have been affected by weed and sea grass banking up, but over the last month the weed has mostly moved on and the fishing has been much easier. School-

sized mulloway from 600-800mm have been reliable most afternoons as well as some reasonable sized dart, whiting, tarwhine and occasionally a few larger chopper tailor.

North of West Bank, mulloway have been the

Young Lucas Podmore fishing with dad Nathan with a pretty baldchin groper.

amberjack and still the occasional late season Spanish mackerel.

West to northwest of town (5-10nm), there have been pink snapper to 700mm, baldchin groper to 5kg, dhufish, and goldspotted estuary cod to 15kg.

Some gold-spot cod have been over the maximum 1m mark and have had to be released.

The area out from Coronation to Horrocks has been fishing well for pink snapper, WA dhufish, coral trout, baldchin groper, sweetlip and the very occasional red emperor.

The lumps have still been holding lots of bait, with some Spanish mackerel still being captured.

The fishing inside Pensioners Bank late afternoon into the evening, the pink snapper have been fairly consistent with some fish up to 700mm, baldchin groper, WA dhufish, morwong and schoolsized sharks.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS S FOR SPRING FISHING

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The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

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SEND ENTRIES TO: FMM Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

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FMM SEPTEMBER 2020

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SPANIARD

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The Find-a-Word winner for July’s issue is T Burge of Bathurst, who won a Fishing Monthly prize pack.

Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for July was G Sprott of Glenlee, who won a Fishing Monthly prize pack containing a Fishing Monthly shirt, neck scarf, stubby cooler, carry bag, 3 AFC DVD and a Rapala Maxwell Reel valued at $300.

Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

FIND THE DAIWA LOGO

The Find the Daiwa Logo prize winners for July were: S Ward of Curlewis, S Abernethy of Horsham, M McCabe of Berserker, P Gravina of Glenhaven, K Purcell of Upper Coomera, G Rankin of West Mackay, T Edwards of Castlemaine,B Delphine of Emerald, L Miller of Warrnambool, P Moody of Kingston, W Forbes of Nambucca Heads, A Kross of Glenvale, G Thomson of North 114

SEPTEMBER 2020

SPOT THE

Geelong, E Lezuchowski of Darra, M Gillett of Boonah, J Blackmore of Clunes, E Turner of East Ballina, S Bolin of Nambour, S Gallacher of St Clair, M Schoumburg of Tewantin, E Dix of Hamilton, N Burge of Swansea, I Necic of Glenfield, R Coombes of Vermont, J Darch of Altona, K Cook of Bli Bli, M Tomlinson of South Ripley, D Bosher of Smythes Creek, J Drummond of Moe, J Titter of Werribee, J Cupitt of Sanctuary Point, K O’Brien of Burrum Heads, A Scott of Proserpine, C Renz of Crestmead, J Paul of Inverell,

B Pitt of Yakamia, B Huenberg of Greenbank, B Johns of Griffin, W Shields of Seymour, H Dillmann of Southbrook. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

10 DIFFERENCES

ORIGINAL

NEW FIND THE LOGO COMPETITION LOCATIONS

The answers to July’s Find the Daiwa Logo were: 10, 17, 25, 36, 38, 44, 56, 61, 71, 85, 94, 101, 109, 112, 128. – FMM

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This month’s Guess the Reel Answer: Penn Spinfisher 650SSM Spinning Reel

FIND-A-WORD

Complete the Find the Word and go in the draw to win a Fishing Monthly Prize Pack containing a limited edition neck scarf and a Fishing Monthly environmentally-friendly tote bag.

GUESS THE REEL?

Answer:

WA

Business Profile

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There are many great reasons to visit Lancelin, not eight anglers. The main targets are dhufish, pink snapper, least of which is the amazing fishing you’ll experience baldchin groper and Breaksea cod in depths of 10-90m. on Reel Force charters.

Children fish for half price when they share a line with their Reel Force is a family business owned by Brendon and parent, and provide an extra bag limit.

Amy Shinnick, who both love to help create unforgettable Amy and Brendon said this is a fantastic activity for experiences for their customers. With 24 years’ experience parents to do with their children. fishing off Lancelin, Brendon knows the fishing grounds “Many of our regulars tell us their kids have had their like the back of his hand, and has a large database of best fishing experience with us, and that’s so great to hear,” productive spots.

Amy said. “These parents know we’ll look after them and As well as superb offshore fishing, Lancelin has activities help their kids to catch fish.” for the whole family – there’s 4WDing and sand-boarding Anglers who want to fish in extreme depths are also in the dunes, windsurfing, kitesurfing, as well as swimming catered to, with Deep Drop Fishing Adventures. These last and fishing along the beach. This beautiful, small beachside up to 12 hours, unless the bag limit is reached earlier, and town is close enough to Perth for a day trip, or you can the number of anglers is capped at six. On your Deep Drop make a weekend of it, escaping from the rat-race to relax Adventure you’ll be fishing in depths of 200m+, targeting and unwind, and bring home a feed of fish. grey-banded cod, hapuka, blue-eye trevalla, bass groper PERSONALISED SERVICE and more. Electric reels are supplied, and generally only If you’ve been on a reef charter before, you may have three lines are deployed at a time to minimise tangles, and experienced being crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with to ensure you can fish comfortably. If you like you can bring over a dozen other anglers. There are snapper leads your own electric reel (with battery), and jigging is also swinging everywhere, tangles are common and one-on-one permitted if you have the right gear to fish these depths. service is rare.

EXCLUSIVE FISHING ADVENTURES Reel Force Charters couldn’t be more different.

If you want a party that everyone will love – whether “We cap our numbers to eight people at all times, that’s a Christmas party, social club, buck’s night or hen’s so there are no more than eight lines in the water,” Amy do – then a Reel Force Exclusive Fishing Adventure is for explained. “This approach delivers the absolute best fishing you. You’ll get the whole boat for the exclusive use of your experience for the customer. There are fewer tangles, and friends or family. Reel Force is licenced to carry 15 anglers, we are able to give anglers the time and attention they but recommends restricting the number of lines in the water need. For example, we help novices with baiting up and to 10. As well as reducing tangles, this allows people to rest fighting the fish, and we give specialised advice and tips to their arms and kick back with a beverage. experienced anglers who are trying something new.

Amy and Brendon have many regulars who book an “Of course, many of our customers don’t need any Exclusive Fishing Adventure every year, and they often advice – they bring all their own arrange informal competitions gear and lures, and they know to make the day even more fun.

When you step aboard we are the best people to help “One of the groups that them succeed, because we know comes every year is a group Reel Force you can where the fish are biting.” of 10 guys who do it on their see why they call it a When you step aboard Reel social club,” Amy said. “They Force you can see why they call always have a ‘Best Fish of the ‘fishing machine’ – it’s it a ‘fishing machine’ – it’s the Day’ competition, and there’s the perfect platform to perfect platform to head offshore often at least one PB on every in search of trophy fish. The team trip. The most recent PB was head offshore in search incorporate specialist techniques a huge dhufish, and they were of trophy fish. to target all of the popular species ecstatic!”

Lancelin has to offer.

Because of the diverse range Your trip can also be customised to suit your of species in these waters, no two days are ever the requirements. For example, if you’re keen to catch a same – and there’s nothing like that feeling of excited particular species, the team know exactly where to take anticipation of what the day might bring. On one trip you you, and what bait or lures to use. Alternatively, if you want might be reeling in Dhufish and the next trip you’ll be to graduate from bait fishing to using jigs or soft plastics, having a ball on Pink Snapper or Baldchin Gropers. you’ll be shown the most effective way to do it, so you can One thing’s for certain, it’s an amazing fishing use these skills when you get home. destination!

There are two main types of charters to choose from: To find out more about packages and availability, head Demersal Fishing Adventures and Deep Drop Fishing to www.reelforcecharters.com.au, give them a call on Adventures.

0458 004 411 or email fish@reelforcecharters.com.au.

Demersal Fishing Adventures last up to nine hours, Brendon is the perfect person to put you onto the fish of unless the bag limit is reached earlier, with a maximum of a lifetime, as he has done for so many other anglers.

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SEPTEMBER 2020

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North Coast

WA

Grand slam on September billfish catches EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

There are still a lot of billfish around at the moment, and a few lucky anglers have been getting grand slams.

Staff member Scott Owns got one recently – a sail, a blue and a black – and one of the other blues they got was on gear that was far too light. They got the fish to the leader and estimated it at 700-900lb. It’s a bit unusual to see the big blues around so

early, as they normally start around November.

The sails in the gulf should make their presence felt very soon because the gulf mulies starting to show up now, and it’s the mulie aggregations that bring in the sails. September to October is typically the prime period.

Bottom fishing been pretty good in recent weeks, with most of the bottom bashers catching the usual share of different snapper species, Rankin cod, reds and so on. Most fish have been caught in around 30-50m

of water.

If you’re a bait fisher who’s never tried a lure on bottom fish, I recommend using the Vexed Bottom Meat jig, which combines bait with a jig. You can use it with half a gardie or a strip of mullet, and it can be drifted without movement or you can move it up and down like a jig. Once you are confident and catching fish on it, you can then graduate to using other jigs, and you’ll discover that lure fishing for demersal species is a lot of fun.

As always, coral trout, red emperor and spangled emperor are on the cards.

If you’re after reds, try focussing your efforts on the sandy edges next to bommies. The spearfishers say they see more reds on these sandy edges off to the side of bommies, rather than directly on the bommie.

There are still a few good fish coming from the deep water, including rubies and 8-bar cod, with most fishing coming from the 200-300m areas.

Good size Spanish

mackerel are still around, averaging 15-18kg, but they’ll wind down towards the end of the month as the water warms, when they are replaced by billfish.

A popular trolling lure for Spanish at the moment is the 3-5m Strada Tracka in 140mm or 200mm.

If you can’t get offshore, there are always queenfish, trevally and spangled emperor to be caught from the shore. Lures to try include the Nomad Madscad stickbait, Halco Roosta popper, and metal slices such as the Arma

Radico and Arma Twist.

• For all the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop in to Tackle World Exmouth at 3 Maley St, Exmouth or give them a call on (08) 9949 1315. You can also view the range at www. tackleworldexmouth.com. au, and see the latest catch photos on their Facebook page. This family business stocks a large range of tackle, from light spin to big game. The staff have a wealth of local knowledge and expertise, and are always happy to help.

Millpond mayhem DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

In the Karratha region during July and August, one thing’s for certain: you’ll enjoy some of the best weather conditions in

Sailfish, marlin, wahoo, Spanish mackerel, mahimahi, queenfish, GTs and golden trevally were about in big numbers to keep the pelagic and sports fishers busy. Sailfish were and are currently hitting just about anything in the

Hard-fighting golden trevally can be found over the tall bommies in the archipelago.

Dropping jigs straight in a large school, the author got amongst a few large goldies and fished until his arms couldn’t fight any more. the country. August saw the Dampier Archipelago islands surrounded by waters that can only be described as a bed of blue silk. There was next to no swell or wind, the average temperature was a pleasurable 28°C, and with the islands in the backdrop the waters were visually stunning.

Add to that the huge numbers of humpback whales, dolphins, manta rays and sea turtles and you have a tourist operator’s dream. It’s a very special part of the world that should be a part of every traveller’s northwest itinerary.

While the conditions were waiting for postcard photographers to do their thing above the water, it was a different story below with the widest variety of marine life in Western Australia putting on a show for every angler lucky enough to be here.

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water, from trolled lures and skirts to livies, garfish, small queenies and mac tuna. Finding the sails is easy over many of the

archipelago shoals from Legendre island, around Rosemary and southwest to Enderby and Eaglehawk.

Depths range from as little as 4m to 40m out around the iron ore ships waiting in the anchorage zone.

If battling the bruising golden trevally is more appealing, look for the large schools on your sounder over tall lumps in 10-20m behind Eaglehawk, Enderby and Rosemary islands. You will not miss the trevally on the sounder, with the schools generally 5-10m in height.

From peak to slack tide they will hit just about any jig or soft plastic dropped into the school. If you are not hooking up, increase the speed and intensity of your jig action to stir a bit of life into them. Heavier tackle is recommended here, such as 8000-10000 size reels and PE4 to 6 rods. Golden trevally fight hard all the way to the surface and on clear days you will see other members of the schools following up the hooked fish which is great to watch.

With the perfect conditions also came many free diving opportunities for

Bluebone (blackspot tuskfish), like this one caught by the author, prefer good structure for both protection and food, such as oysters and molluscs.

If you want to fight bluebone on light tackle, try dropping jigs close to the many shipping channel markers in Dampier and Cape Lambert. those wanting to bag some crayfish for the BBQ. There were lots of reported catches during August and this will only increase as the water temperature rises over the next couple of months.

The demersal fishing scene in Karratha continues to impress, with huge numbers of the iconic red emperor being boated in waters off Dampier, Point Samson and 40 Mile. The waters are still cooler which tends to bring the red emperors and Rankin cod in

closer to the archipelago, so you don’t have to travel that far to find good fish. With the wet season fast approaching the water temps will begin

trout can be caught using a wide variety of methods, from dropping baits on paternoster rigs, jigging chubby lures and soft

Coral trout are regarded as one of the tastiest fish in WA waters, and there are plenty to be found out from Dampier and Point Samson.

Steele Hawken is one of the few fly fishers in the Karratha region. There are many areas of flats around that provide a fly fisher’s dream environment, and it was on one of these flats recently that Steele landed this monster of a blue morwong.

to rise and that will push the larger demersals out wider into the 40-50m zone.

Coral trout are also being found in both good numbers and sizes. They are being caught from as little as 5m depth in the shallow reefs and coral surrounding the islands to much deeper waters of 40m or more. Coral

plastics, through to trolling minnow lures or casting stickbaits over the reefs.

September to December will be prime time for chasing coral trout, and if you are using lures then I highly recommended incorporating a fluoro green colour into the To page 117

WA

North Coast

Opportunities are opening up BROOME

Troy Honey

It is great to see things opening back up for Broome and the wider Kimberley, because the region is heavily reliant on tourism and the restrictions put a lot of pressure on businesses.

Included in the opening up are the fishing clubs, which are kicking off their annual comps again after halting all of them during the lockdowns.

If you are in WA and wanting to book a fishing holiday, please get in touch with the Broome and Broome North fishing

clubs and plan your trip around a comp or two. It will not only give you a great fishing experience, but it will go a long way in supporting the clubs that put so much into a great fishing community which consists of both local and anglers abroad.

The sailfish and marlin continue to show their presence, with the sails in huge numbers as always in Broome at this time of year. The Broome Fishing Club held its annual billfish comp at the start of August and even though it was shortened to just two days of competition, there were still 872 sails raised, 577 hooked and 386 tagged.

It’s further proof that Broome is the premium billfish location of Western Australia.

And no less so is the demersal scene, with report after report during late July and August of red emperor, saddletail seaperch, coral trout and bluebone. As usual, the majority of the red emperor and saddletail have been coming from the deeper waters of 40-60m, 20 nautical miles or more offshore. If you are looking for big numbers of these fish, you will need to do the miles.

Closer in is where you will find plenty of coral trout, blueline emperor, Spanish flag and bluebone.

The waters will be starting to warm in September, but you will have no problem finding these species in depths of less than 10m right through the approaching the wet season.

If you are new to fishing Broome or planning a trip to the region and want to be successful fishing for demersals, the first thing to consider is what the tides are doing and what depth you will be fishing in. If you are fishing the larger tides and deeper waters you will have to match the weight of your sinkers or jigs to the current to ensure you fish the bottom successfully.

As always, fishing as light a weight as possible is the more successful option, but if you are fishing in a 10m tide in 40m of water you will need some pretty hefty sinkers. That being said, there are also windows during the turn of the tide and mid-tide where the tidal current becomes slack, enabling you to achieve bottom or a good jig action. Planning you trip around neap tides is recommended for your first Kimberley fishing adventure, and if it is around 10 days or more you will get to experience a few days of the larger tides.

As they say though, ‘no run, no fun’, so don’t think the spring tidal fishing for demersal fish species is a dead end. There is great fishing to be had during spring tides. Always drop in to the local tackle shops or fishing clubs for a chat as they are more than happy to pass on a few tips to get you on your way.

While you’re there, please consider buying a lure or entering a comp to support local businesses.

We will start to see barra catches increase rapidly from September to October as the daily temperatures increase. If you haven’t been one of the few anglers chasing dry season barra, which has been a very rewarding season in 2020, it’s time to dust off the barra rod and lures and start exploring the local creek systems, or venture out to the Fitzroy River where you are more likely to find larger fish.

October is the start of the barra comps for the Broome and Derby fishing clubs, and I will cover this more next issue.

Plenty of mud crabs, both brown and green, are being caught around Broome, with drop nets from tinnies reporting the most captures. Crabbing the falling tide generally produces better results, and for a great day out this works in well with fishing the creek systems entry points for threadfin salmon on the last few hours of the incoming tides. Larger tides are more productive for mud crab and threadfin fishing, and what better way to come home from a day’s fishing than with a couple of mud crabs and a nice thready in the esky.

With warmer temps and stronger winds approaching, there are still plenty of ways to get amongst some solid fish. Try fishing with fresh caught rock crabs from any of the rocky outcrops in the region for a chance to hook into bluebone and large cod.

crab as they are a lot more active on the darker nights.

The darkness allows them to forage for food with a lower risk of being taken by predators such as cod.

Crabbing the more remote creeks is recommended over the easily accessible ones such as the Nullagine and Turners rivers in Cossack and Point Samson. You will catch the occasional crab here, but these rivers are heavily fished.

Heading north of Cossack or south of Dampier, there are an array of creek systems to try and it is in these creeks where not only the mud crab numbers are higher but also the mangrove jack are prevalent.

The winds always increase as the land temperature rises. Land

heats quicker than water, and when the land warms up each day from the sun it causes a rising convection which drags the wind in from the sea and causes the dreaded westerly winds.

As we head towards November when the daytime temps really start to increase, so too will the winds, making it more difficult to fish the open waters. Make the most of the last month or two of cooler weather if you want to get the boat out – and a little secret if you’re planning ahead is to not necessarily look at the wind forecast, but look at the temperature forecast.

If there are a couple of cooler days forecast in the longer-term outlook, those days are most likely the ones that will provide good boating.

Will Burns always knows where to find good size coral trout. These fish can be found in water as shallow as 2m right through to 50m+. Look for good structure such as reefs, bommies or pylons at jetties or channel markers.

From page 116

equation. I have had great success on trout with fluoro green. Often when I am jigging and being hit by the blueline emperors I will switch to a fluoro green colour and hook straight into a coral trout that was previously not hitting my jig with other colours.

Mud crabbing has been slow in the creeks, but gold and black spotted cod numbers have been up. The creeks will start heating up fast from September onwards, and with the tourist numbers down this year due to the pandemic the scene is set for a great wet season chasing muddies. The first few days preceding the new moon through to the week following are a great time to hunt for mud

Broome is known for its barra and threadfin in and around the creek systems, but they are not the only trophy fish to be found there. Will Burns consistently lands monster mangrove jack, such as this great example caught recently.

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WA

Low levels don’t deter trout FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

September was the traditional opening of the trout fishing season in WA before this was abolished some years back in favour of a year-round season. With warmer days in conjunction with rising water levels in the dams, trout find it more comfortable and come in close to feed on drowned insects and other morsels caught in the rising waters. River levels generally settle down and access to the runs become easier.

The good winter rains that were predicted unfortunately did not occur, leaving many dams extremely low as we head into spring. This has not affected the fishing though, with some good catches of trout and redfin being reported throughout the whole southwest of the state.

A couple of freshwater events are taking place in early October, with the annual Troutfest planned for the first Saturday of the month. This has been pushed forward from the usual date in September.

This event is mostly an educational day, with the Pemberton Trout Hatchery releasing a number of trout in various sizes being the main attraction. Other activities include fly fishing lessons and displays from various groups. It is usually a licence-free weekend to hopefully promote trout fishing in this state, so get your family together and head down to Drakesbrook Weir just out of Waroona

for a fun day.

The second event is more of a competition called the Harvey Dam Redfin Bash. It will be run over two days on the weekend after the Troutfest in early October. I have been following this event closely as it’s run by a good friend of mine, Didier, who

not surprising it only took 24 hours to sell the 50 kayak and boat positions.

There are still bank angler positions available at this stage.

It’s not just a redfin competition as trout are included, but for the first time brown trout are not included and must

I’m finding that a lot of WA freshwater anglers are frustrated with the lack of enthusiasm the authorities have given these species because they are not native to our state, but this is short sighted as most of our inland waters are teeming with redfin, and annual non-native trout

Our northern dams hold decent redfin. This one fell to a trolled lure with Tom Henderson being the lucky angler.

A very productive section of the upper Warren River. Look for good runs with moderate water levels. started it back in 2016 with only a few entries. It has now grown to include 100 anglers competing in various categories from kayaks, boats, and shorebased as well. The event has attracted great sponsors with prizes totalling $10,000 dollars in cash and various fishing related apparels, and there’s even a night’s accommodation for two in Harvey, so it’s

be returned to the water unharmed. This is a great move forward to conserve this rare species we have here in WA. I am hoping to be at both events so come up and say hi.

AUSSIE NATIVES With the warmer days these species generally become more active and I have noticed more activity in the shallows of late.

stocking occurs every year by a government hatchery.

I believe if action is not taken then trout will find it harder as conditions

DAMS Waroona Dam A number of trout have been caught by both those trolling and anglers walking the bank casting lures. Those fly fishing have had success using Woolly Buggers and Killer patterns as it gets dark in the various bays around the dam. Most of the redfin have been caught from boats and kayaks, however those casting soft plastics

waterway, however the increase in the number of browns caught has been encouraging. This is no doubt due to the increased amount of people now choosing to release brown trout in our northern dams.

As mentioned, this will again be the location for the annual Troutfest planned for October this year.

Logue Brook Dam This water continues to frustrate some anglers,

Brown trout like this one are targeted by a growing band of dedicated freshwater anglers that are choosing to release them to fight another day.

Didier Blanquart runs a great freshwater event called Harvey Redfin Bash. He’s pictured here with Angas Nobel (L) and Curtis Milne (R) with a couple of redfin from last year’s event.

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becomes hotter and drier, which will leave us with a limited freshwater fishery in the south of the state.

If you want to try your skills on these species then there are several lakes around. If it looks fishable then chances are there is something swimming around, even if it’s only carp.

have also accounted for a few from the steeper banks.

The lakeside camping is still suspended until further notice which I find quite sad as locations like this one are rare and it is putting stress on other dams nearby.

Drakesbrook Weir Similar reports have come in for this little

with one particular lure fisher spending a whole day for no result. The fish are there but I have also had days when you could swear they weren’t.

Harvey Dam Very low water levels compared to other years, however there have been some really good catches of redfin reported of late.

WA

It’s possibly our heaviest fished water, with good numbers of rainbows getting stocked again this year as well as a small number of large browns.

This water will again host the Harvey Dam competition on the second weekend of October although I would imagine entries would have been filled by the time this goes to print.

Wellington Dam The usual small band of keen freshwater anglers that fish this dam are reporting that they must move around to find the fish. A few redfin in the mid-40s are being caught from boats but bank anglers are working hard for less results.

Glen Mervyn Dam No reports but redfin are always on the bite.

Norilup Dam No reports.

Big Brook Dam Good numbers of both rainbow and brown trout

recently by both fly and lure anglers. Remember that good mapping is essential if you are new to the area, as it can be a hard river to master.

Redfin are more reliable target for the beginner, with almost any technique working recently. Some impressive results have come to those using kayaks on the bigger pools. Both species are being caught from upstream at Regen Road and lower down at Moons Crossing. A monster brown was hooked down from Barker Road but lost on a snag close to the bank.

Lefroy Brook This is my favourite time to fish this pretty little stream that meanders its way along the quiet town of Pemberton.

My preference is to use a fly but it can be difficult

The proposed extraction point on the Donnelly River where water will be drawn to fill a 15GL dam on Record Brook. as the water settles. Soft plastics are working well in the deeper pools, but the average size has been on the small side. A few trout have

been down for the second year. Some people are questioning the viability of a new dam proposed to be constructed on Record Brook in these times of reduced rainfall.

This scheme will draw water from the Donnelly and then pump it to a new dam on Record Brook for farmers around Manjimup and Pemberton. My concern is the amount of farm dams being constructed in this area that are having major impacts on our trout rivers, as they are holding back good flows. The evidence is already obvious in stream flow figures available today, so just how bad things will get is alarming. I believe large public dams could be beneficial if they are managed correctly and a allocation is set aside for

before fishing this stretch.

Collie River above Wellington Dam Around the vicinity of the township of Collie lies

A couple of well-conditioned rainbows caught on fly from a dam where redfin are absent.

Vince Gervasi is well known for his freshwater skills and is a main sponsor of the Harvey event through his tackle business. go into this little dam with some people suggesting that it is being overstocked. I investigated this and found that it’s under 1GL and only covers appropriately 13 hectares when full, so I can understand their concerns.

Spring is a good time to fish this dam, with reasonable catches getting recorded each year.

RIVERS Murray River A few more redfin are appearing in the likely spots

been caught in the streams that flow into the main river on small flies and lures.

Northern Jarrah streams It is surprising how many fish are in these little streams, but most flow through private property so permission must be granted beforehand.

Collie River below Wellington Dam This water does not normally fire until the irrigation starts in late October so most anglers wait

PREDICTED DAM LEVELS The good rain that was predicted didn’t occur, leaving many of our waters suffering from low stream flows and lower than normal dam levels. Harvey, Glen Mervyn and Wellington Dams are the ones suffering the most.

WAROONA DAM 68 %

DRAKESBROOK WEIR 92 %

LOGUE BROOK DAM 68 %

HARVEY DAM 39%

WELLINGTON DAM 46%

GLEN MERVYN DAM 55 %

BIG BROOK DAM 104%

a productive stretch of river.

Some impressive redfin are occasionally caught from the little weir below the town all the way up to the township itself. Most anglers use soft plastics and lures, with anything with red being preferred. Using a kayak or small tinny is beneficial as more water can be covered.

Capel River No reports of late but redfin are available with the right approach.

Blackwood River above Bridgetown Water levels must be right for success on the redfin that reside in this stretch. Move around until you find them but do not expect big numbers.

Blackwood River below Bridgetown Again, water levels will determine success with trout being the main target species. Big lures and flies work well in

the stronger flows, and the opposite applies when flows recede. Reports have been limited of late.

Warren River Late rains can result in high levels so you need to keep an eye on this water and only fish it in a moderate to low flow. Big stockings have resulted in particularly good numbers of both browns and rainbows being caught

around the timbered areas.

Most anglers fish the section known as Thompson Flats downstream of the hatchery but it cops a hammering with the trout becoming very wary. Look for less popular spots away from the town for more reliable success.

Donnelly River Trout move well upstream at this time of the year, but stream flows have

environmental flows over the summer months.

Still, the Donnelly is a exciting place to fish so get down and have fun in this truly magnificent place we have here in WA. You need a freshwater licence to fish for trout or any freshwater species. Just a warning: snakes become active in spring so be careful around water, even at night!

Tyson Groom holding a superb redfin. After a number of rejections it finally hit a popper in the midday sun.

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119

BASS Series presented by

BASS PRO SERIES

abt

Browning king of Wivenhoe BASS Pro Wivenhoe Dam hosted the Ecogear Qualifier for Round 2 of the Sufix Bass Pro series and unfortunately it lived up to its nickname of ‘Lake Misery’.

Fishing was extremely challenging, but David Browning proved he is hard to beat when the going is tough.

He took his maiden win in the Boater division with a 9/10 bass limit for 6.46kg.

they reached the point, they would school to feed and that’s were he capitalised and filled his well.

Dave’s technique was textbook for shut down fish – hopping a Smak ice jig in their face until they got agitated and struck at the lure.

Browning’s tackle was key for this technique as his Edge 703 was the perfect action to impart the short, sharp rip in the ice jig without moving it too far from the strike zone.

Moving into day two with the lead, Browning knew he needed a kicker fish and, just as the ABT Team arrived and starting filming, he hooked up right on cue to what would

Scan the QR code to see Day 1 Highlights on the water.

This was the key bass that Dave caught to seal the win. You can see him catch it by scanning the QR code below.

Browning spent the majority of his weekend on a small point in the middle section of the lake where he had located fish during pre fish on his Garmin Livescope.

The fish would patrol along the natural bank and once

be the fish that won the tournament for him.

Browning explained that the Garmin Livescope was crucial to his win, “Being able to see the fish come along the bank and sit under the boat gave me the confidence

Dave Browning was stoked to break through for his first ABT win and he nearly did it with a full 10/10 bag on a tough weekend. He missed the perfect mark by a single fish.

I needed to stay on them long enough to put them in the boat,” he said.

Dave used an Edge 703 spin rod, Daiwa 2500 Luvias reel spooled with 8lb Daiwa J-Braid, 12lb Sunline FC Rock leader and a Smak ice jig to do the damage.

And although he only landed four bass on the last day of the event, it was enough to maintain his top placing.

BALE SHOOTS TO SECOND Mr Consistent Jono Bale made a run with a couple of

Scan the QR code to see Day 2 Highlights on the water.

quality bass on Day 2, but fell short with his 6/10 for 5.76kg.

Bale used his electronics to his advantage by locating active fish on the flats where he would make long casts with his Dobyns Champion Extreme outfit and slow roll back a baby bass coloured Slider Grub rigged on a 5/8oz jighead.

Once the fish flatlined and sat tight to the bottom, Bale opted for a vertical approach, also working a Smak ice jig with sharp rips. While Bale only brought two fish to the weighmaster on the second day, they were enough to send him right up the leader board.

BRIDGETT GIVES THEM CURREY In her first year as a Non Boater, Bridgett Currey took out the win with her 6/10 limit for 5.36kg. Fishing with Tom Deer on Day 1 and David Browning on Day 2 she was destined for a great weekend, and she got the fish to bite as well.

Currey implemented the same technique as Browning, which was short sharp rips with an ice jig to annoy the fish into a bite. This is another great example of how great the shared weight format is and how effective the anglers work as a team.

CONDUIT BAGS BIG BASS

Patrick Conduit snuck into 4th place on the back of the biggest bass caught at the event. It ate a 30g Palms Slow Blatt near Logans inlet.

We have rarely seen anyone as excited as Bridgett Currey when it was announced that she’d won her first ABT event from the back of the boat.

BOATER RESULTS Place Angler 1 Dave Browning 2 Jono Bale 3 Shea Williams 4 Patrick Conduit 5 Mark Petersen 6 Jake Schwerin 7 Steve Kanowski 8 Jordan Stoddart 9 Bill Rose 10 Tom Deer 120

SEPTEMBER 2020

Bag 9/10 6/10 7/10 3/10 6/10 6/10 6/10 5/10 5/10 3/10

The VMC $500 Big Bass prize went to Patrick Conduit with a 2.1kg cracker he caught on Day 1 close to the

start line.

Conduit tempted this bass with a 30g Palms Slow Blatt metal jig in green and gold colour.

NON- BOATER RESULTS Weight(kg) Payout 6.46 $2,100 5.76 $1,400 4.86 $1,000 4.42 $1,300 4.30 $700 4.14 $600 3.95 $500 3.57 2.81 2.80

Place Angler 1 Bridgett Currey 2 Brad Wickson 3 Allan Price 4 Trent Collins 5 Travis Payne 6 Mick Horn 7 Shane Richards 8 Pearson Hart 9 Michael Thomas 10 Adam Wilson

Bag Weight(kg) Prize Pack 6/10 5.36 Bassman 6/10 4.08 Megabass 6/10 3.90 VMC/TT Lures 6/10 3.85 VMC/Sufix 5/10 3.78 Sufix 5/10 3.60 TT Lures 5/10 3.50 TT Lures 5/10 3.29 EJ Todds 2/10 3.20 Daiwa J-Braid 5/10 3.08 Ecogear

Cashman cashed in for first ABT victory The last time Peter Cashman fished a Bribie Island ABT BREAM event, a late penalty spoiled his chance at the top spot.

Fast forward a year and he made up for his mistake by winning the Garmin Bribie Island BREAM Qualifier, supported by Moreton Bay Regional Council.

With the Bribie arena fishing particularly well, three of the top four anglers chose to make the run to Caloundra to chase the spawning-run fish Scan the QR code to see the Peter Cashman Interview

BREAM SERIES

abt on the first day with fish biting freely, but on the second day he had to expand his range and fish the shallows as well, although his Day 2 kicker (the event’s Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream of 1kg) did come from deeper water on the 65mm Cranka Crab in olive.

“It’s scary running through the shallows of ‘The Skids’ each day on the way to Caloundra. High or low tide – it doesn’t matter – you know you’re going to hit the bottom,” he said, although all anglers made it up and back who chanced the run.

Peter joined a long line of new ABT winners in 2020

Peter Cashman stepped up to take his first ABT win and a pile of cash and prizes.

Here’s Peter’s kicker fish that was also the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream of the event. that congregate in the area. Pete used a variety of baits to tempt these fish and outdistanced Jamie McKeown by 390g.

He used a variety of techniques over the weekend and credited all four in combination to be able to follow the fish as they moved between environments in the far northern part of the arena.

“I used a 2.5” ZMan Grub in motor oil, a ZMan StreakZ 4” Curly Tail in the same colour, the larger Cranka Crab in olive and a deep diving Jackall Chubby in brown suji,” Peter said, “And I wouldn’t have been able to catch the limits I did on any one of those baits by itself.”

Peter fished deeper water

BREAM Series presented by

and took home $2,250 in prize money on the back of his Day 2, 3.50kg limit.

MCKEOWN’S CANAL PATTERN FELL SHORT Red hot Queensland BREAM angler, Jamie McKeown also braved the daily run to Caloundra, although he tackled the canal system there instead of

spawning fish. Ultimately, he fell short, but had two great sessions crankbaiting the pontoons in the system.

“I caught one fish on a Gulp Crabby and one on a Cranka Crab,” McKeown said, but he did nearly all of his damage on an unnamed small, deep crankbait.

“I don’t twitch the lure like others do, I just use a slow roll right next to the structure and wait for them to bite.

Jamie threw the cranks on a variety of Samaki rods, including the Zing Gen 2 7” Light and the C4. On them he had Daiwa Silver Creek Presso spin reels, braided line (brand unknown) and a length of fluorocarbon leader.

BOATER RESULTS Place Angler 1 Peter Cashman 2 Jamie McKeown 3 Denis Metzdorf 4 Mark Saric 5 Alan Lister 6 Tom Deer 7 Blake O’Grady 8 Michael Thompson 9 Scott Wilson 10 Steve Morgan

Bag 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

The canals were a productive location. He shared the system with roommate, Mark Saric, who ended up in fourth place.

TYSON HAYES BEST FROM THE BACK Kayak bream champ, Tyson Hayes, beat Brisbane’s Michael Maas by the narrowest of margins to take the Non-Boater title for the weekend. He fished at opposite ends of the arena over the event, landing limits in the Brisbane River one day and Caloundra the next.

Hayes uses his Okuma Helios rod for everything he threw, including ZMan motor oil GrubZ and Gulp Crabbys (camo) on TT jigheads.

He matches them with Daiwa Certate reels spooled

with braided line and straight through fluorocarbon.

“On the first day I lost a lot of fish as they were lunging near the boat on my Scan the QR code to see the Tyson Hayes Interview

braided line, so I switched to fluorocarbon straight through on Day 2 and lost fewer fish,” Tyson explained.

He was rewarded with an epic ProLure prize pack, trophy and immediate qualification into the Costa BREAM Series Grand Final to be held whenever COVID lets us travel interstate again.

Tyson Hayes is a gun whether he is in a kayak or a boat. He took the win by 10g from Michael Maas.

NON- BOATER RESULTS Weight(kg) Payout 6.59 $2,250 6.20 $1,250 4.70 $875 4.63 $500 4.49 $75 4.35 4.35 4.22 4.16 4.03

Place Angler 1 Tyson Hayes 2 Michael Maas 3 Grayson Fong 4 Glen Sturrock 5 Stephen Maas 6 Mitch Maddison 7 Chris Golding 8 Sam Peck 9 Nick Penprase 10 Steve Crawley

Bag 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 10/10 9/10 7/10 6/10 5/10

Weight(kg) Prize Pack 4.47 ProLure 4.46 Daiwa 4.11 Costa 4.02 Sufix/VMC 3.90 EJ Todds 3.66 Samaki 3.46 TT Lures 3.34 Cranka 3.06 Ecogear 2.98 Keitech SEPTEMBER 2020

121

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Lure colour selection: A fish eye view PART I SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

Does colour matter in lure selection? Most fishers will answer with a resolute yes and can list the colour combos they prefer.

However, it’s a little more complicated than that, and it helps to understand how colour works underwater to explain why.

I have read a large number of articles on lure colour and depth before but overwhelmingly they translate back to how humans perceive colour. In this two part article, I will look into the physics of water and colour, what scientific literature has to say on how fish see colour and look at a live dataset where colour and light conditions are relevant.

THE LURE COLOUR DEBATE The importance of lure

Phoenix preparing the training data from the Kogha dataset. digestible concepts.

A LITTLE PHYSICS OF LIGHT AND OCEANS The uppermost, sunlit layer of the ocean where 70% of the entire amount of photosynthesis in the world takes place is called the euphotic zone. It generally extends to a depth of 100m.

Below this is the disphotic zone, between 100-1000m

10m of the water’s surface, and almost none penetrates below 150m, even when the water is very clear.

COLOUR AND DEPTH Water selectively scatters and absorbs certain wavelengths of visible light.

The long wavelengths of the light spectrum—red, yellow, and orange—can penetrate to approximately 15, 30, and

diverse colour palettes in all of nature, which is habitat dependent. Reef species have a very broad colour palette, reflecting the diversity of colour in the environment where as pelagics that typically live in open water have a much smaller range of colours.

In assessing the colour palette of fishes you need to consider the eyes ability to separate colour. In the terrestrial world, even at some distance humans get good colour separation.

Think about an orchard filled with ripe apples. Even at quite some distance you are going to be able to tell it’s an apple tree or orange tree on colour profile alone.

On the other hand, printers and painters rely on the close proximity of colours to create shades and tones, it’s only when you get right up close you can see the separation. Our eye has good spatial separation, which means we can differentiate colours that are in close proximity.

There is a famous story from eBay, where the original site was a yellow colour and they wanted to go back to white. They did so in one jump only to face a massive backlash from users. In response they went back to the original colour then changed the colour by one shade of yellow each day until a year later it was the desired white. While this is an object lesson in people and change, it’s also a great

demonstration of our ability (and inability) to resolve difference in colour.

Fish have a much lower spatial resolving power than we do, many typical reef species have around 10 times less than our eyes, which makes patterns of two colours merge into a single shade more than it does for us. For example, the butterfly fish have yellow/blue stripes that are distinct in the air but to many other fish this translates as singular grey.

Consider a particularly bright fish family, such as a coral trout. Its colouration ranges from a light brown to a bright red with blue spots.

Out of the water the blue colouration is easy enough to see but underwater, unless a fish is very close, the red/ brown colour dominates, translating to a black/darker blue similar to the rocky colouration of the reef.

From an evolutionary standpoint, up close colour plays an important role in behaviour such as mating.

At a distance, colour plays a greater role in survival and matching the background habitat.

Keep this in mind with lures that have more than one quite separate colour to our eye – to many fish species it will translate to a singular colour. Understand that if you are creating the Picasso of lures, fish probably aren’t appreciating your skill. However, that doesn’t mean colour has no value or that colour combinations don’t work.

HOW TO SEE LIKE A FISH There is actually a simple way that you can ‘see’ like a fish, even in the tackle store and it doesn’t require any surgery. Going back to how the ocean modifies light, unless you are in very shallow water, everything becomes shades of blue to grey to black. If the fish’s actual colour is blue against a water only background it will be hard to see, if it’s against a reef it will stand out.

Similarly, if a fish is a darker red it will standout in open water but less so in rocky environments.

In other words, you need to assess the lure colour as a function of contrast in the habitat, not colour itself.

This isn’t just a ‘conceptual’ statement there is actually mathematics behind it and maybe the best way to explain it is by looking at the maths. If you need the full breakdown read the source paper from Fig. 1 A representation of how a Barracuda (Sphyrena helleri) ‘sees’ a Royal Dottyback (Pseudonchromis paccagenelae) - Marshall, N. (et al.)

As a real-world analogy of the maths, think of cricket.

Cricket has sight screens that provide a maximal contrast colour background so that the batsmen doesn’t loose the ball in the crowd. That is what the fishes eye is doing in this case – trying to search out for a ball in against a crowd of similar colours. With a good contrasting background, the

Out of the water the blue colouration is easy enough to see on a coral trout, but underwater the red/brown colour dominates. colour has been a topic of discussion for about as long as fishers have been fishing but there is not a lot of solid data on it. Last year we did the backend for a lure competition in New Zealand where we had four different lure colours and, in order to enter, anglers had to have the lure in the photo.

This provided us with the opportunity to build a dataset based on lure colour, which is used in this article.

Lately, we have become more interested in the subject of lures, and started training Image Recognition Systems for detecting them. Given we have nearly 45,000 odd images to work with, there is a lot more data we can derive from them if we can automate the process.

Before we look at the Kogha dataset and start to speculate on what it means though, a little science is in order. I will do my best to include the scientific details and translate back to easier to 124

SEPTEMBER 2020

deep, which is dimly lit.

Some animals are able to survive here, but no plants.

The next layer is called the aphotic zone, where depths are more than 1,000m and it’s in this layer where sea life starts getting weird, light comes from bioluminescence and you get chemically driven ecosystems, like black smokers. Aphotic zone accounts for about 90% of the ocean, which means that recreational ocean fishing occurs for the most part in just 10% of the ocean.

Light that penetrates the surface of the ocean is refracted due to the fact that light travels faster in air than in water. Once it is within the water, light may also be scattered or absorbed by solid particles and microorganisms, which means that the sea is generally murkier in shallower water closer to land and rivers.

Most of the visible light spectrum is absorbed within

50m, respectively, while the short wavelengths of the light spectrum—violet, blue and green—can penetrate further, to the lower limits of the euphotic zone.

Blue penetrates the deepest, which is why deep, clear ocean water and tropical water appear to be blue most of the time. Dive down to around 40-50m and everything you see will be shades of blue unless you bring a torch. In other words, the underwater world doesn’t look a bit like the world above even to humans.

FISH AND COLOUR The topic of fish and colour is a complex topic.

Some species are understood but the vast majority haven’t been studied and for those we rely on modelling.

If colour did not matter, then fish would be like humans with a relatively narrow colour range in skin tones, yet we know that fish come in one of the most

Fig. 1 A representation of how a barracuda ‘sees’ a royal dottyback.

Marshall, N. (2003). The Design of Color Signals and Color Vision in Fishes. Sensory Processing in Aquatic Environments (pp. 194-222)

prey standsout.

With that in mind, sight alone is not always a great hunting strategy but that is for a different article.

If you want to ‘see’ a lure in the same way that a fish does, go down to the newsagent and buy a set of cellophane pages in a range of blues, browns and greens that approximate the water you fish in. Then in the tackle store hold the lure behind the cellophane and add a coloured paper background that approximates the background colour. If you need a ‘sea substitute’ background, the sky on a clear day is a good substitute but you can also put blue coloured paper in behind. It’s not going to be a perfect representation of how a fish will see it (remember human eyes are better) but it will give you an idea of what the fish will see and how the lure will standout relative to the background.

FISH AND DISTANCE OF VISION In terrestrial environments in good conditions, humans have a great range of vision but underwater is a whole different matter. Comparing

getting a lure close to a target is essential.

PHOTOSENSITIVITY Noting that distance is a function of good conditions, many fish species move through different parts of the water column, experiencing different ambient light intensity, as well as water quality.

Like humans, fish’s eyes have a way of accounting for this. Their eye has two main light detecting cells, rods and cones. Cones, as used in the above example, perform better in ambient light conditions, whereas rods are highly sensitive to low light conditions.

This means that lures will contrast differently based on available light, as rods have a different light response than cones. The only way as a human to replicate the profile for a lure in low light conditions is essentially to do just that. Using the same cellophane filter and background in normal light, turn down the light, allow your eyes to adjust and notice the difference.

MOVEMENT There is another complicating factor in the

detection is better in good light but it’s a little more complex than that as there is a point where the light arriving on the eye is insufficient for cones but exceeding that for rods. In that light zone, motion detection is near on impossible. Nevertheless, rods will take over and motion detection, while less than optimal, is possible.

Even so, FFF for fish is typically lower than humans.

Swordfish for example operate around 5Hz at 10oC, many species lower. Humans tend to see ‘continuous’ motion at around 60Hz. Think of this as a frame rate, that fish see a lot less frames per second than humans.

Interestingly, predators like swordfish and tuna have a ‘hack’ around this limitation.

FFF is also impacted by eye temperature, most fish have an eye temperature around the same as the ambient temperature of the water but Swordfish have a special heating system that keeps the eyes and brain 10-15oC above water temperature. In the example of water at 10oC above, the swordfish has a FFF of around 40Hz, much

Fig. 3 An example of sight range, prey size graph for different sizes of Walleye Pollock. Arimoto, Takafumi & Glass, Chris & Zhang, Xiumei. (2010).

Fish Vision and Its Role in Fish Capture. 10.1002/9780813810966.ch2.

a fish’s range of sight is not quite as simple as in people, you need to know something about the eye of the fish.

Fig. 2 shows the basic model of the eye where the key elements are the focal length density of the cone cells. This means that a fish with a larger eye (with more light detectors) can see further, therefore target size plays an important role. As an example, Fig. 3 is a table of range of sight for Walleye Pollock with different prey sizes. Unfortunately there is no standard way of knowing the range of sight for a fish, but the table shows that even with a reasonable sized prey (10cm) the range is around 35m which is not all that far.

Also, 35m is at the edge, good sighting is probably half that distance, so closer to 20m.

Add to that closing distance (ability to catch something 20m away) and you add another level of complexity.

I suppose the lesson is that

real world – how fast is the prey moving? Species such as tuna and swordfish feed on fast moving prey, which means that not only do they need to pick out prey against the background, they need to do so with the object changing position far more than say ambush predators like bass or barramundi.

Detection of movement is dependent on visual acuity (good vision in the conditions) and persistence time (the time taken to process the image).

The frequency at which flickering images fuse to produce a continuous image is referred to as the flicker fusion frequency (FFF) or critical flicker frequency (CFF) and is dependent on light intensity, temperature, and flash duration.

Photosensitivity plays a role in movement detection, the processing time to assess an image in good light is less than in poor light. It makes sense to say that motion

closer to human performance.

FORM Form detection becomes a much more complex discussion but comes down to the combination of lens quality, focal capacity and ability of the retina to resolve the image. In terms of colour detection, the elements of form that matter in fish are target recognition and gap detection. This is true both at a distance (ability to detect specific fish in a school) and up close (patterns on fish).

Target separation is nowhere near as good as humans and is variable by species. Species that rely on hunting have a better target separation at a distance (eg. tuna) and species that rely on colour for mating and other behaviours (reef species) have good target separation up close.

OPTOMOTOR RESPONSE One last interesting part of fish vision, not relating to

colour but it does round out the discussion is Optomotor response – the ability of the fish to maintain a fixed position of the image on its retina. While that is a little esoteric, this ability plays a very important role in things like maintaining a fixed position in flowing stream or

our brains and our on board ‘software’ that makes all the difference because we can not only see an image, we can contextualise and interpret. Take a human onto an alien planet and while things will be unfamiliar at first, our brains would get to work, using pre-existing

the basic hardware to detect UV. Is UV important to bream? There is no evidence so far, but given bream are largely scavengers the ability to detect UV might widen the feeding options. Steve Morgan relayed to me that a decade ago (when UV paint came into bream lures)

Fig. 2 How the minimum separation angle works. Arimoto, Takafumi & Glass, Chris & Zhang, Xiumei. (2010). Fish Vision and Its Role in Fish Capture. 10.1002/9780813810966.ch2. a fish’s position in a school.

Think of Optomotor response as the fish version of spot-lock.

Optomotor response is not something that influences fish and lures (beyond understanding behaviour).

However commercial fishers have explored hacking the Optomotor response to influence fish speed – that is to influence the fish to swim into a trap.

STREAMS For shallow, clear water environments with fish that hunt on or near the surface (trout streams), the same rules still apply, but there are a couple of variables to consider when it comes to colour.

If you are using spinners for example, which sit lower in the water, the contrast is against the habitat (rock) that is brown/green, but for surface lures like a fly, the contrast will be the blue sky.

In different light conditions, the fly will appear quite different to the trout, there may be some conditions where the fly is not visible at all. Trout are a great example of a species whose eyes are finely tuned for their environment.

Like all animals, fish have a certain amount of genetic programming for their environment. Fish eyes are more ‘hardware’ than ‘software’. Going back to humans to explain.

Human eyes have similar performance but are designed less specifically than most animals. Cat’s eyes for example have a range of physical adaptations that allow better sight in low light. Human eyes have balanced out the attributes of performance, such that they provide good (not excellent) vision over a range of distances and light conditions. Our ability to separate colours is one of our big advantages and there is a reason why. It’s

knowledge to ‘infer’ what an object might be.

In contrast, fish’s eyes are ‘hard wired’ for their environment and life cycle.

While they have a range of light conditions they can operate in, the arrangement of rods and cones are physically optimised to detect the things that are important – prey, mates and so on in a specific range of light conditions.

There is limited on board software to interpret the images, the eyes do most of the work.

That is why fish eyes have so much variation in design, functional ability and location on the body, they are a part of a fish’s adaption to the environment it lives in.

UV OR NOT UV? THAT IS THE QUESTION. One of the other elements of modern lure making is the addition of UV paints and materials. If the science around fish and colour is lacking, then UV light and fish is even more so. I have done a number of speciesspecific searches of the literature and there is limited information available. There have been studies of reef fish species for example and on the sample species taken it was something like a 50/50 split on species that could and couldn’t see UV. While the literature on UV is a long way from complete, it does help to explain some of the purpose of UV light to fish. UV reflective patterns on fish serve in some species as unique identifiers, with no two fish having the same marker.

In some species this seems to play a role in breeding and there is consideration that UV may operate as a ‘secret’ underwater communication channel so that some species can operate covertly from their non-UV detecting cousins.

AIMS have looked at a range of species and determined that bream have

several lures that used UV outperformed others. If I was to speculate, UV objects are uncommon in bream territory and will stand out.

That bream pay attention to UV lures at all suggests at some point in their evolution they have targeted prey that have used UV. One thing to note that black lights are not a good indicator of how fish see UV, it’s not a fluorescent effect.

Colour detection in fish is similar to humans with cones that process red, green and blue light. UV detection requires the presence of a forth cone for UV so it operates similar to the other cones. All the same rules for distance, light intensity, water conditions, depth and so on apply. UV lures probably don’t work well under heavy cloud for example. The one advantage of UV detection in fish is when it comes to contrast, UV probably stands out.

Should you use UV? I don’t think it’s a magic cure all. If the species being targeted does have UV detecting cones, UV materials might make some difference. Even if it does, you are still going to have to put the lure in the right place under the right conditions.

It’s not a cure for sucking at the basic fishing techniques.

ONTO DATA AND LURE DESIGN I know that’s a lot to cover but I will refer back to this discussion in part two. I do recommend reading some of the scientific literature, it won’t answer your questions on what colour lure to use but it does provide some key clues on how fish see.

In the next issue I will look at lure design, colours and some real world data to put some of this knowledge into practice.

Hopefully this will at the least inspire you to see the world through a fish’s eyes.

SEPTEMBER 2020

125

Understanding the truth about lithium batteries BRISBANE

Mick Johnson

Over the last few years a lot of interest and conversation has been sparked regarding using lithium batteries in boats.

New technology and higher quality designs have come onto the market, but there is still is a lot of misleading

and workshop electrical goods ever since. Their large storage capacity, light weight, safety, high discharge life cycles and the ability to be recharged fast makes them the perfect solution for powering anything from electric cars to hearing aids.

Although the chemistry make-up of lithium batteries can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, there are

One of the biggest key factors that sets lithium and lead acid apart is lithium’s constant output voltage.

As shown in the diagram hereabouts, the voltage in a lead acid battery begins to fall almost immediately after it starts its discharge cycle – and most electronic devices will start to shutdown at around 10V (on a 12vdc circuit). This is well known

There are lots of models to choose from on the market today. of the battery’s capacity to your electrical device. Once the battery reaches its safe discharge level (usually 80%-90%), it cuts all output

power, leaving you with no ‘brown power’ and no low voltage spikes. This is why lithium batteries cannot be measured with a voltage

day using your motor, the voltage in your battery bank is slowly dropping every minute you use it, lowering the efficiency of your motor

By switching from 2 x 12V lead acid batteries to a 24V lithium, and removing the on-board charger, Steve Morgan took 60kg of weight out of the back of his boat, improving its performance. The complete system cost around $4,000, but Steve says he’d rather pay that than fork out for a bigger outboard. information filling the social media airwaves.

There are certain questions we get almost daily on the subject of using lithium batteries in boats.

In this article I will compare lithium ion phosphate (LiFePo4) against the most commonly used battery in marine applications, the Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM). These two battery designs may look somewhat the same, but that is about where the similarities end!

Since the early 1800s lead acid batteries have pretty much been the only reliable option when it comes to portable, low voltage power storage. The chemistry across all lead acid batteries is basically the same: positive anodes (lead) and negative cathodes (also lead) are submerged into an acid solution which stores power for you use at your discretion until the voltage becomes too low to run your appliance, and needs to be recharged.

Over the years there have been a number of issues with the practicality of using heavy lead acid batteries, and manufacturers have been without the technology or resources to rectify these problems… until now!

Lithium-ion batteries were first produced and commercialised in the 1990s, and have been the driving force behind nearly all your household, commercial 126

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a few common components that make up majority of them. Graphite (anode) and Li-metal-oxide (cathode) make up the electrodes, and are encased in an electrolyte formula. Without getting too technical, the way that the lithium ions react in the charging and discharging processes is what makes these batteries much more efficient than their lead acid counterparts.

to cause component damage due to ‘brown power’ or low voltage burn out. Not only is it damaging your components, but you are only getting around 40-50% usage out of your battery before it runs out of ‘safe’ power and your electrical device switch off.

Lithium, on the other hand, has a consistent output supply voltage, delivering full voltage for up to 90%

This graph shows the decline in performance of a lead acid battery, compared with the steady output of its lithium counterpart.

A high quality battery. All termination points are bolted and locked into position to assure nothing vibrates loose or breaks off internally. The inbuilt Bluetooth system lets the user check on the battery’s health plus a wide range of other functions including current input/output, voltage, capacity %, cell temperature, charge status and a battery protection log.

The integrated BMS system allows the cells to be directly disconnected from terminals in the case of a short circuit or other emergency.

A cell vent ensures that in the case of cell failure, each cell can vent any pressure and prevent thermal runaway.

meter, rather a percentage meter must be used (like on your mobile phone). Lithium is designed to deliver a full, steady voltage across its discharge cycle.

ELECTRIC MOTORS When a good quality LiFPo4 battery is used in an electric motor application you can expect to notice a big difference in the motor’s performance, and here’s why!

Your speed setting on your trolling motor controls are governed by a potentiometer. This means the higher the number on you controller, the higher the voltage delivered to the motor, the lower the number the lower the voltage.

Let’s say you motor operates at 100% @ 13vdc (voltage direct current), 50% @ 8vdc and 25% @ 4vdc. Because the voltage discharge curve of lead acid starts to decline as soon as you start to use it, you can expect your trolling motor efficiency to do the same. As you begin your

almost immediately. What you think is 100%, now starts to decrease and within the first hour of your day, your motor could be running at as little as 80% (depending on battery capacity). But you get the picture!

We often get complaints from anglers about how in windy conditions their electric motor will no longer hold on spot lock, and the angler drifts off their waypoint. In some situations, this has become dangerous.

This is because at the start of the day they were running on 80-100%, then the motor worked hard during the day and the batteries were low.

The motor was trying to give 100% but the batteries only had enough voltage to give, say, 25%. That’s not enough to keep you on your spot, and you get blown away with the wind.

Because lithium does not have the big voltage discharge curve like lead acid, you can expect to be getting 90-100% of the

battery’s voltage throughout its discharge cycle. So, at the day’s end you can expect to still have the same voltage output that you started the day with.

CRANKING Similar to the examples given for the trolling motor batteries, when cranking your motor with lithium batteries, you get an even

All electrical components run off a minimum wattage (volts x amperage). If the voltage is decreasing the amperage must increase to compensate. This puts more strain on your whole system. Although starter motors usually don’t have sensitive circuitry, the constant low voltage and

a lead acid battery is discharged at a high rate.

Because of lithium’s design characteristics, it has very low resistance when both charging and discharging. This enables it to accept a much higher charge/discharge amperage without compromising the battery’s integrity. In most cases a good quality LiFepo4

manufacturer depending on the quality of their components and battery design.

SAFETY Researchers and developers of high-end LiFePo4 batteries have now shifted to a non-metallic lithium using lithium ions. Although slightly lower in energy density, the lithium-ion system is considered to be one of the safest batteries produced.

Over the years, poorly constructed/ designed batteries have been the main factor in certain types of lithium batteries experiencing ‘thermal runaway’. This is when a cell starts to fail and gives off gases as it starts to heat up, and pressurizes the cell. If the cell has no ventilation and is sealed tight, the pressure and heat get greater and greater until the case cannot hold any more, and it ‘vents’ itself. As you can imagine, to keep the lithium batteries small and compact, some

lithium batteries do not have any venting or protection devices integrated into them.

This means the quality of the batteries’ components is the only protection offered in most cases to prevent thermal runaway.

This quality issue is the same with larger lithium batteries. High quality manufacturers will only use quality materials and components for their batteries. The safest batteries on the market should have integrated a BMS (Battery Management System) into the battery. This vents the cells in case of thermal runaway, and they also have a multitude of circuit and cell protection components.

Some manufacturers even give you the option of an in-built Bluetooth system that allows you to check the status of your battery via an app on your smart device, but don’t get this confused with the BMS. Bluetooth does not mean it is any safer or any better quality than the next.

different standards and rules around manufacturing and safety requirements of their batteries. Don’t believe for a second that they’re all as good as each other. I have heard numerous stories of online purchases that have gone horribly wrong, all because the customer didn’t do their homework and thought they were getting a ‘great deal’. To avoid this, make sure you get your battery from a company that complies with Australian standards for what you intend to use it for, has a reputation for producing a safe and reliable product, stands by their products and provides good back-up service.

Like all batteries, quality LiFePo4 batteries still require the owner to provide certain precautions are met when charging and discharging. While they are maintenance free, your wiring and all circuitry still needs to be in good condition to ensure your safety is never compromised. So

Here’s what’s hidden inside a cheap battery. It has thin, soldered terminals that can shake loose, and to save money it’s been put in a large case meant for a bigger model, making the footprint larger than it has to be. The small BMS (Battery Management System) is ineffective and unable to directly disconnect power in the case of a short circuit. The case is also poorly sealed, allowing water to enter. output voltage without the big voltage drop like that of a lead acid. Electrical components such as starter motors, graphs, sounders and pump controllers rely on a steady voltage within set parameters.

Most 12vdc components have a threshold from around 10.5 to 16.5.

When you are cranking your combustion motor with a lead acid battery you will notice a high discharge voltage drop. This affects all components running off that battery; if the voltage falls below that of the set parameters the component will no longer operate, and switches off your device.

When this voltage drop problem is not corrected it is often followed by starter motor and device failure.

high current draw eventually wears them out.

CHARGING/ DISCHARGING If a lead acid battery is charged at a high rate it builds up resistance, due to the chemical reaction going on inside the battery. This is given off in the form of heat, which not only does long-term damage to your cells, but it also gives your system a ‘false float voltage’, which tells your charging system that it is fully charged prematurely.

Once the battery has cooled and the float voltage drops, it then continues to charge.

However, a hot battery can take hours to cool, and the whole process takes a lot longer than you may anticipate. This resistance issue is also present when

battery can be charged/ discharged up to four times faster than that of a lead acid.

High quality LiFePo4 batteries have an extremely low self-discharge rate and without memory build up, this enables LiFePo4 batteries to sit unused for long periods without discharging and without storing a low voltage memory like lead acid batteries commonly do.

Basically, this equates to a battery that is lighter, has greater storage capacity, lasts much longer, delivers cleaner power, provides up to eight times more life cycles and can be charged quicker than a standard lead acid battery.

This makes the total cost of ownership much cheaper than that of any lead acid. All these factors will obviously vary from manufacturer to

A comparison between lithium and lead acid batteries.

Some battery systems come with a monitoring app for your smart device.

Lithium-based batteries have been around for some time now, and come in many shapes and forms. There are lots of different manufacturers and wholesalers more than willing to sell you a battery.

However, unless you ask the correct questions and do your homework on the product, you may not get the safety and reliability you are looking for. The saying ‘a poor man pays twice’ runs true when it comes to purchasing a safe, reliable product.

Different countries have

many people spend tens of thousands of dollars on the latest and greatest electrical components, fish finders, GPS systems and electric motors, only to skimp on the main force that is driving it all: batteries!

I hope this article has helped a few people out, answered some questions, and made you keen to find out more!

For more information do a Google search for ‘Sealed Invicta FAQ’, or visit the M&J Auto Electrical website at www. mjautoelectrical.com.au.

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Horizon 525 SunRunner with Mercury 115hp ProXS

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before, they can be a little weight-sensitive while underway. Understandably it didn’t like all three of us on the starboard side while trying to film running shots while underway. Move a person to port, however, and the problem is solved.

There’s a neat bimini top

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

At Fishing Monthly, we like getting the first look at new ranges of boats. Horizon Plate is a new line-up from Horizon Aluminium Boats, sister brand to Stessl, which is built in the same, growing factory in Coomera, South East Queensland.

The two brands have merged together nicely under the management of Scott James. Incidentally, they also build boats for other brands and plenty of commercial workboats. It’s a busy factory that’s already spreading into their second block of land next door.

Horizon boats have been built for years, specialising in a range of affordable runabouts that have been historically built with pressed aluminium.

And you would assume correctly if you thought that Horizon Plate boats were a

PERFORMANCE

Main: The new Horizon Plate models mimic the existing pressed Horizon runabout offerings - just in a plate look and build with their new Grid Core construction.

Above: For someone coming up from a basic tinnie, the Horizon runabouts offer shade, comfort and a mountain of deck space to enjoy a day on the water. what you would expect from a plate boat.”

And if you think that the upgrade costs an arm and a leg, you’d be pleasantly surprised.

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................................5.4m Beam..........................................................2.4m Depth .......................................................1.35m Bottom.sheet ............................................4mm Side.sheet..................................................4mm Hull.weight ..............................................700kg Rec.HP ...........................................................90 Max.HP ........................................................ 115 Capacity ............................................ 5 persons similar line-up of craft - built with plate aluminium.

“The Horizon Plate boats feature a Grid Core underfloor construction,” said Brand Manager, Mark Johnson, “They have full height bulkheads in both directions under the floor which give an extremely solid build - just 128

SEPTEMBER 2020

wouldn’t fit into a standard suburban garage.

Overall, the ride of this boat feels solid. You can see the rig in action on the video boat test that’s available by scanning the QR code on the main pic of this article or be searching for the test on the Fishing Monthly Magazines

Depending on the model, it’s a ‘couple of grand’ and you can find out exactly the difference at your local Horizon dealer.

The 525 tested is a true, basic runabout configuration.

There’s easy access to the anchor well up front, a couple of comfortable helm seats, some simple dividers to keep

your gear stashed under the front and then a mountain of cockpit space from there back.

The way the anchor well access has been built is a great treatment of the access to the bow.

There is a small, two-person foldable lounge along the transom, but this easily stows when not underway to maximise fishing room.

Also on the transom is a (standard) transom door that leads out to the boarding ladder.

Both on the water and on the trailer these features are a must.

Because the hull sits over the top of the wheel guards, you’ll need to climb in and out of the boat through here.

Powered by a 115hp, 2.1L Mercury Pro-XS 4-stroke outboard, this was always going to be a responsive package. Top speed was 66km/h at wide open throttle, where it reached 6,300rpm and yielded 1.5km/L. Drop the

stick back to 3,500rpm and economy jumped to 2.4km/L while cruising at 32km/h.

Remember that if you haven’t driven runabouts

RPM.....SPEED.(km/h)..........Economy.(km/L) 1000 ...................... 6.3 ...............................2.6 2000....................... 10 ...............................1.6 3000....................... 18 ...............................1.8 3500 ....................... 32 ...............................2.4 4000....................... 36 ...............................2.0 5000....................... 50 ...............................1.7 6000....................... 60 ...............................1.5 6300 ....................... 66 ...............................1.5 that sits over the helm and this is essential no matter what part of Australia you are from. You can fold it down to squeeze into certain garage situations, however, I’d suggest that this boat

YouTube channel.

There are around 30 Horizon Boats dealers nationwide. They can help you get a quote for YOUR ultimate Horizon Plate rig. As tested, this rig came in at $49,990.

What better way to show you what the bottom of the hull looks like than to go on a run through the Pin bar.

With a broad beam, the hull sits above the guards when it’s loaded on the single axle trailer. This means that a solid boarding ladder and transom door are important. Both are standard features.

There’s no denying that the new Horizon Plate boats look the part.

This one has graphics matching the Mercury 115 Pro-XS 4-stroke.

There’s broad duckboards either side of the outboard that give the kids somewhere to climb on when the boat isn’t running.

The internal layout of the Sunrunner is pretty simple - a couple of seats, some bars to hold back your gear and a pathway up to the anchor. The rest is cockpit space.

There have been plenty of solutions to the “how do we build a pathway to the bow” issue for runabouts over the years. This solution is pretty neat.

The helm is simple and can hold large electronics flush-mounted. It would have been nice for somewhere to rest your arm while adjusting the throttle.

From the inside, here’s the access to the anchor well. The front flap folds away as well to let you anchor with ease.

We didn’t expect to have an underfloor fish box, but there’s one back near the transom.

The transom door is a standard feature in all Horizon Plate boats and is a necessity for getting in and out while both on the trailer and on the water.

Top: Looking back from the bow, you can see the massive amount of cockpit space in this rig. This is a 5.25 metre boat!

Above: A small area up for’ard holds your gear in place.

The small, fold-away lounge seat can seat an additional two people while underway. When folded away, there’s a mountain of room back there.

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New South Wales Tide Times

Victorian Tide Times

2020

EY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA (FORT – NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES – VICTORI LAT 33° 51’ SSYDNEY LONG 151° 14’ EDENISON) LAT 38° 18’ S POINT LONGLONSDALE 144° 37’ E

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2020 2020

LAT 33°S51’ SLONG LONG 33° 51’ 151° 151° 14’ E14’ E LAT and 38° 18’ S Waters LONG 144° 37’ E Times and Heights of High andLAT Low Waters Times Local andTime Heights of High Low and Heights of High and Low Waters AUGUST Time TimesTimes and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time andLocal Heights of High and Low Water JUNE JUNETimes JULY MAY JULY AUGUST MAY JUNE JULY OCTOBER SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER m Time m Time Time m SEPTEMBER Time m OCTOBER Time N Time m m TimeTime m m Time m TimeTime m m Time m

327 010 630 214

1.50 0.62 1.37 0.83

423 053 715 312

1.49 0.60 1.45 0.77

513 1.49 131 0.57 755 1.53

Time Time m

m Time Time m

m

Time Time m

m Time Time m

m

m m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time Time Time m Time Time m Time m m Time m Time

m

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0423 1.39 1.36 0.40 06230013 0049 0346 1.66 0430 1.48 04520437 1.41 1.25 0557 0041 1.40 0.49 0046 0.69 0034 0.51 1 10151 16 1 16 16 1 16 16 1038 1031 0.62 1148 0.55 0735 1.300338 0630 1018 0.42 1036 0.461 1041 0.38 1158 0.58 1.23 0735 0327 1.50 0149 0013 0.491.47 0423 1.39 0437 1.25 0041 0.40 0155 1.63 0346 0430 1.481.30 0110 0.22 0.60 0217 0.16 0313 0.290603 0.43 0302 0.51 0454 0.32 0.35 1.66 0304 0.43 0245 0.47 0432 0.5616 0748 0406 0.47 0.57 1 0136 16 1 1 16 1 16 1 16 16 16 1 16 1MO0748 1 1709 1710 1.58 1900 1.50 1137 0.56 1245 0.801013 1257 1204 1641 1.61 1711 1.75 1748 1.58 1.54 1245 16 1 16 1 1010 0.621 0755 0603 1.230.75 0.60 1031 0.62 0630 1.30 0857 0.56 TU 1018 0.42 1036 0.460.52 0712 1.46 1.54 0830 1.71 0940 1.99 2.01 0932 1.77 1.37 1.48 16 0926 1.67 SA WE FR TH1038 SA MO 1904 SU TU 1029 1.37 1149 1.38 TH 1 1122 1.43 1145 1.37WE 0718 2328 2351 0.63 1935 0.52 1.44 1922 1843 2244 0.60 2343 0.50 2319 0.74 1928 1630 0.73 1.37 1137 0.561.54 1709 1.54 1.58 1.72 1204 1508 1.29 1641 1.61 1711 1.751.83 17101812

SA 0.34 FR 0.46 WE 1258 TH TU 1329 1.89 0.83 1954 2038 1.74 0.78 1920 2214 0515 1.38 0449 1.65 1117 1107 0.40 0423 1.49 0306 1.65 0152 0226 0.31 0.15 0.59 1750 1733 1.74 1053 0.60 0959 0.50WE 0824 1.41 0756 1.56 1.62 TU 1.39 2348 0.50 0.44 0.26 1.45 SU 1715 SA 1614 WE 1408 TH 1348 FR 2030 2154 1.72 0.71 2007 2312 1.92 0.77 0018 0.65 0547 1.64 0513 1.49 0414 1.71 0233 0257 0.32 0.11 1.37 0603 1155 0.39 1131 0.57 1053 0.42 TH 0859 1.43 0841 1.65 0.58 1156 1823 1.86 WE 1755 1.53 0.44 1.52 0.21 1.70 1829 MO SU 1710 TH 1445 FR 1439 SA 2104 2300 1.68 0.60 2056 1.89 0102 0.58 0048 0.41 0001 0.70 0514 1.76 0315 0327 0.34 0.12 1.37 0648 0645 1.61 0557 1.49 1143 0.35 FR 0931 1.45 0927 1.72 0.57 1233 1242 0.40 TH 1207 0.55 1800 1.66 0.45 0.20 1.77 TU MO FR 1521 SA 1531 SU 1907 1912 1.95 2137 1.61 2145 1830 1.80 1.61 0143 0.51 0145 0.34 0045 0.63 0000 0.48 0359 0356 0.38 0.18 1.38 0731 0740 1.56 0637 1.49 0609 1.79 SA 1005 1.46 1015 1.75 0.57 1311 1329 0.44 FR 1241 0.54 0.31 0.48 0.23 1.84 WE TU 1230 SA 1600 SU 1627 MO 1945 2000 2.01 2211 1847 1.54 1.79 2236 1905 1.66 1.68 0238 0.30 0224 0.46 0125 0.57 0058 0.38 0443 0426 0.42 0.28 1.38 0834 1.51 0815 0717 1.48 0702 1.78 1040 1.47 1103 1.75 1415 0.49 1350 0.57 SA SU 1313 0.55 1315 0.30 0.52 1726 0.30 TH WE SU 1639 MO 2048 2.03 2024 1.88TU 2245 1934 1.45 1.91 2330 1938 1.49 1.75 0330 0.31 0305 0.42 0203 0.53 0153 0.30 0529 0457 0.47 0.40 1.37 0928 1.45 0859 0756 1.46 0756 1.74 1116 1.47 1156 1.72 0.55 MO 1432 0.57 SU 1501 1345 0.56 0.33 0.57 0.38 1.91 FR TH 1359 MO 1723 TU 1830 WE 2135 2.00 2105 2012 1.80 2324 2021 1.35 1.98 0421 0.34 0348 0.39 0530 0247 0.53 0.27 0030 0242 1.33 0.49 1020 1.40 0945 1.37 1157 0849 1.45 1.66 0619 0836 0.52 1.44 1548 0.61 1516 0.58 MO TU 1418 0.62 0.39 1.66 0.58 FR 1443 SA TU 1813 WE 1254 TH 2221 1.93 2149 2109 2.02 1944 2047 1.84 0.45 1.92

1609 1351 0.83 MO 0.43 FR 1435 SA TU 0.22 WE 0.40 TH 0.15 SU 1546 MO 1615 TU 0.85 WE 1537 TU 1643 0.63 1.28 0.50 2215 1.82 0.73 2145 2343 1.52 2215 2204 2002 2244 1.60 0.60 2046 2328 1.42 2301 1.31 2351 0.74 0.34 00430058 0533 1.44 05340533 1.38 1.26 0023 0130 0.65 0.39 0721 1117 0.600334 0656 1.29 0.47 0300 1121 0.42 1.40 1.30 0515 1.38 0533 1.26 0449 0533 1.441.33 0359 0.370650 0337 0217 1127 0.35 1.65 0.15 0.46 0515 0.46 0735 0403 0.47 1254 1755 1.67 1231 0.65 1.85 1836 1.52 0.68 0.49 0.59 1117 0.60 1107 1127 0.470.50 1029 1.991226 1009 0827 1.53 0.40 0915 1.81 0958 1.69 1220 1.47 1131 1.42 SU FR1117 SU MO WE TH 1804 SA TU 1256 1755 1.67 1804 1.85 1930 1947 1.44 1.51 1709 0.17 1648 1427 0.41 1.74 0.16 1.62 0.40 1753 0.75 1654 0.74 SU WE 1750 FR 1959 TU 1733 TH TU1.86 WE1.82 SA 1528 MO 1624 WE TH1858 2311 1.43 2332 1.37 2245 2036 2348 1.57 0.50 2136 1.76 2222 1.37 0.75 0.31 01440140 0044 0.42 00010039 0.75 0.55 0116 0214 0.59 0.29 0018 0.65 0039 0.55 0547 0044 0.421.35 0447 0.450735 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05300114 1.28 0.34 3131 11100709 0.54 1.33 FR 1751 1.78

MO 1246 0.49 1915 1.74

0.34 0.53 0046 31 0114 31 0318 31 0628 0709 1.33 0951 1.84

1.35 0110 0.69 0832 0.49 1.32 FR 1324 0.34 MO 1246 TH 1633 SA 1245 1.74 0.48 2229 1915 1.32 1848 1954

31

© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia Bureau of Meteorology © Copyright Commonwealth of Meteorology Australia 2019,2019, Bureau of Meteorology © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorolog monwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide ns is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Timestime are in(UTC local +10:00) standard or time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings tim standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC Times+11:00) are in local whenstandard in effect daylight savingsortime (UTC +11:00 Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter New LastMoon Quarter First Quarter ols Moon Phase Full Moon Symbols Full M Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

130

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*Based on testing done by Mercury Marine’s Product Research & Development team. Torque data collected on a Dynamometer at cruise speed, an average of 3500-4500 rpm. Fuel economy testing done using a 23 foot Centre Console boat for both 200hp engines, while a 21 foot Bass boat was used for the 250hp testing.

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