Fishing Monthly Magazine | December 2020 by Fishing Monthly

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER December 2020, Vol. 1 No.8 TAS

QUEENSLAND Gold Coast 16 Brisbane 20 Northern Bay 22 Noosa 24 Hervey Bay 28 Rainbow Beach 29 Gladstone 32 Bundaberg 34 Mackay 36 Whitsundays 38 Townsville 39 Lucinda 40 Hinchinbrook 42 Cairns 42 Port Douglas 44 Cape York 44 Cooktown 45 Freshwater 46 NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater 52 Sydney North 53 Sydney Rock 54 Sydney South 57 Ballina 58 Coffs Harbour 60 Hastings 62 Forster 63 Port Stephens 66 Swansea 66 Central Coast 67 Illawarra 68 Batemans Bay 69 Bermagui 70 Tathra 70 Albury/Wodonga 72 Batlow 73 Hunter Valley 74 New England Rivers 74 Lithgow/Oberon 75 Canberra 76 VICTORIA West Coast 80 Warrnambool 81 Cobden 81 Apollo Bay 80 Geelong 82 Port Phillip East 84 Port Phillip West 86 Western Port 87 Phillip Island 88 Lakes Entrance 88 Gippsland Lakes 90 Bemm River 90 Marlo 91 Mallacoota 91 Robinvale 92 Yarrawonga 92 Bendigo 94 Ballarat 93 Wangaratta 94 Shepparton 95 Nagambie 96 Crater Lakes 96 Eildon 97 West/South Gippsland 98 TASMANIA Hobart 99 6

DECEMBER 2020

From the editor’s Desk...

Will we see boat shows in 2021?

Dieteer Haage caught this beast of a 1.2m diamond trevally on a hardbody and light line while visiting the Whitsundays. A Mick Underwood image. Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

One of the biggest casualties of COVID in our industry was the Boat Show. Love them or hate them, most areas around the country have their local show. It might be one in the local showgrounds with some local dealers attending or it might be the behemoth Sydney International Boat Show, but kill the crowds and you kill the show. Ironically, not too many manufacturers I talk to lament the passing of their local show. Shows are an expensive part of a boat store’s marketing budget, and the competitive selling environment means that often they’re paying a premium to sell product for the lowest margin of the year. It’s good news for customers but not necessarily healthy for business. It’s like a sugar-rush of sales with not much nutritional value. Combine this with a boating industry that’s currently running red-hot, and the result is that some marine businesses aren’t interested in lining up for that sort

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance 104 Augusta 105 Bunbury 106 Mandurah 106 Metro 108 Lancelin 110 Geraldton 111 Kalbarri 111 Exmouth 112 Broome 112 Karratha 113 Freshwater 114

REGULAR FEATURES Mackerel Island Adventure 8 Peter Faust Dam 12 Starlo’s back to basics 14 Sheik of the Creek 27 Tech Tricks 28 Victoria’s eastern snapper stock 78 WIRF 98 What’s New Fishing 100 Testing Booth: Wilson Steel Smoker 101 Recfishwest 116 Track my Fish 117 Tournaments 118 Trades and Services 122 Test: Stessl Funseeker Bowrider 124 Test: Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 126 Tide page 130 COMPS AND OFFERS Find the logo Sub page Fun page

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of punishment. Especially since some manufacturers are talking six months plus worth of orders on the books to catch up. If you want a new boat in the short term, you’d better find one in stock somewhere! And that’s great news for the industry. If you’re sitting on the sideline, you may be wondering why the boat builders don’t just employ more people to get them out the door quicker? The thing is that skilled builders are hard to get. I was talking to one recently who had 40 boats made and sitting in the yard, waiting for painting and fit-out. You know it’s red hot when you can’t keep up with the fit-outs. Plenty of tackle stores are also experiencing consistently strong sales. It seems as though COVID has not only taught keen anglers to enjoy the basics close to home, but there are plenty of new anglers finding out what it’s all about. And that’s also great for the industry. Both industries are starting to struggle with supply chain shortages as well. What’s the take-home message for you? Want a boat? Be organised, research and order early. Want the latest tackle? You might have to wait just a little longer than usual to get it done. I expect holiday accommodation to be the next shortage. With international travel off the cards for the short to medium term, let’s see how the local providers go over the summer holiday period. And let’s hope it happens without any bushfires, floods, COVID outbreaks or anger. Be nice to each other in these trying times – there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

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Adventure among the atolls – Mackerel Islands the reef structures with bibbed minnows, soft plastics or small stick baits. Use bright colours such as green, orange or pink seem to attract the coral trout, spangled emperor, Spanish flag, bluebone and, if you are lucky enough, the ultimate prize of a yellow edged coronation trout. Flyfishing from any of the Mackerel Islands has become immensely popular amongst those chasing the prized trophy fish, permit.

BROOME

Troy Honey

The beautiful Mackerel Islands, located a short 22km off the spectacular Pilbara coast of Western Australia, comprise of 10 island atolls. Two of these islands, Thevenard and Direction, provide both accommodation and the perfect base for the fishing adventurer. Other prominent islands include Rosily, Tortoise, Ashburton, Surrurier (Long Island as known to the locals) and Ailie. The islands of Thevenard and Direction are easily accessed from the town of Onslow, which has a wellprotected boat ramp. Facilities

Thevenard Island is perfect for a spot of beach fishing.

Jake Maciaszek with a beautiful Spanish mackerel. at the islands provide mooring only, with loading and unloading the boat partaken on the beach. But a word of warning, it can be quite breezy at times with little protection, so unloading and loading the boat can become challenging. I would recommendation taking your own inflatable tender and a few strong mates to assist with the task.

Once you are all set up, the variety of fishing opportunities are endless. The range of species, both land and boat based, truly is an angler’s dream. If you are staying on either of the islands with accommodation, one of the advantages is being able to choose the best fishing option to match the day’s weather. You certainly don’t need to

miss out on any fishing time if the wind blows up, which it can at anytime of the year, by simply leaving the boat on the moorings and fishing for some of the vast array of landbased species on whichever side of the island offers the most protection. Thevenard Island landbased fishing offers species such as trevally, queenfish,

flathead, whiting, longtoms, longtail tuna, mackerel, coral trout, Spanish flag, bluebone, spangled emperor and various cod. You can fish from the jetty on Thevenard Island where there are always plenty of squid and the chance to catch a mangrove jack. Working the pylons for the latter with bait or lures, such as minnows and jelly prawns works well. Fishing the nights for squid will produce the best results. You can walk around the entire island of Thevenard and cast your line. Various sections includes both sandy flats and shallow reefs, and if you work the two different types of bottom with the appropriate rigs on the tide changes you will certainly see

Reuben Bufton caught this coral trout while spear fishing the shallows of Thevenard Island.

Rankin cod are one of the best eating fish from the islands.

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The flats surrounding the islands offer the perfect environment for sight casting on those clear and windless days into the turquoise north west waters and, as mentioned previously, using the island as a wind break. Fishing on the opposite side to the oncoming wind is a great trick to finding clear water. Permit like to feed in the gully’s close to the shoreline on a rising tide. Always be aware to look

OPTIMAL USE: • Boating and fishing in deep water • Open reflective water • Harsh sun

some action. The sand flats and weed beds are best for whiting and flathead with the balance of species found over for the reefs. Popping for GTs and queenfish is a fantastic way to get into to some pelagics. They can both often be seen busting up on baitfish on the tide changes. The way to target these species is to walk around the islands until you see the surface action, then concentrate your casting in these area. If you prefer to chase some tasty seafood then work

right in front of you when searching. MACKEREL The Mackerel Islands, as their name suggests, is home to various mackerel species such as Spanish, spotted, grey, shark and school mackerel. Many fishers come here just for the chance to land some exceptional examples of mighty Spanish mackerel that are not only in good numbers, but also of enormous size. In late August 2020, the annual Ashburton Anglers Mack 10 Fishing Competition was held, which saw 70 boats present 129 Spanish mackerel with the heaviest weighing in

Michelle Maciaszek with a pretty red emperor.

Tim Maciaszek found this spectacular coral trout while fishing the reef structure. at 29.56kg. Many of the fish were well over the 10kg mark, which unquestionably shows just how good this mackerel fishery is! Working any of the reefs and ledges around the islands and atolls, with the most popular being Rosily Cay, is where you find the Spaniards. Fishing 5-25m depths is recommended with any number of large minnow style lures working well. If you have a good spread of rods, try using different colours and diving depths until you

find what is working best on that day. Sunny or overcast conditions play a big part in colour choice, with my preferred option of bright or shiny colours on sunny days and the old faithful red and white on the overcast days. If you are not gaining any hook ups it is time to try different trolling speeds. Start off in the 5-7 knot ranges, and work up to 8-12 knots if you are not seeing any strikes. Often you will have Spaniards following your lures, but it is the speed that is putting them off.

Imposing a bit more speed into the troll is generally all it takes to induce a strike. BILLFISH While out trolling, especially if you are geared up with some teasers and outriggers but not needed in most cases, then you cannot go past the opportunity to get stuck into the billfish action around the Mackerel Islands. Sailfish are the more prominent species over the marlin, but both can be found in good numbers. On one morning on our recent trip we were punching out at around 14 knots to the 70m mark off Thevenard in moderate seas when we noticed a large marlin following the boat, and that was without any gear in the water at all. Black marlin are usually found in waters from 20-70m,

along with the sailfish. The much larger blue marlin are found in the deeper waters further out over trenches and gas pipelines in depths of 50-100m and beyond. At least one of the three

birds as this is the area to concentrate for both billfish and pelagics alike. MAHIMAHI While still on the subject of pelagics we can’t go past the amazing mahimahi that are

Dylan Bilutawas is pleased with his tomato rock cod.

There are so many different species to target, like this golden trevally.

species can be fished no matter what time you visit the Mackerel Islands – there is always billfish action to be enjoyed. Blue marlin season is October to May, back marlin are a year-round occurrence, as are the sailfish, but sailfish are more prevalent from June to November. Always keep an eye out for baitfish and feeding

found in abundance in the clear waters of the Mackerel Islands. Mahimahi, or dolphin fish as they are more commonly referred to, can be fished yearround in these waters with no set high or low season. They are encountered when trolling for billfish or pelagics as well as when To page 10

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From page 9

drifting for demersals where they will often start circling the boat in search of a quick feed. It is here where small stick baits or soft plastics can be cast at the excited mahimahi and retrieved at speed in order to entice a strike. If they are in feeding mode it is only a matter of moments before someone is hooked up. This is the moment for your fishing mates to keep casting, especially next to the mahimahi that is already hooked as they will be hot on his heels for a taste of whatever he has taken. Mahimahi are a visually stunning fish, they make for the perfect fishing holiday photo and, combined with

will find all of the most sort after fish, such as coral trout, red, spangled, blueline, longnose, red throat and yellowtail emperors, bluebone, coronation trout, chinaman, saddletail, darktail, rosy and gold band snapper, rankin cod, tomato, blackspotted, goldspotted and greasy rockcod, Spanish flag as well as endless variations of smaller snappers, emperors and cods. It truly is a heavenly place to demersal fish. As with fishing for demersals elsewhere, the Mackerel Islands are no different with any form of structure, be it ledges, reefs or bommies, as well as thick

Overlooking the boat moorings on Thevenard Island. accommodation providers will give you some spots to get you started but these are regularly fished, so it

more active. Changing spots frequently and fishing with jigs are two recommendations to adopt straight up. If the sharks really become problematic, upping you fishing gear size enabling you to surface your fish at a faster rate is another option. Some days they simply become too much and these days it is best to switch over to trolling for pelagics and billfish or heading back for some land-based action on the islands. You can even snorkel for crays on any of the shallow reefs, which you wont regret with the abundance of them. Do not forget that these waters encounter irukandji from November through to

James Maciaszek with a saddletail snapper.

There’s a good reason why it’s called the Mackerel Islands with captures like this specimen. superb eating qualities, they are a welcomed addition to any fisher’s day out. DEMERSALS With the abundance of island and atoll reef systems, gas pipelines and deep-water ledges and bommies, the warm Mackerel Islands waters are a demersal fisher’s paradise. The species list is far too extensive to list them all but it is here you

DECEMBER 2020

sea grass all offering the best place to start. Being in the north west shelf of WA where oil and gas are extract from offshore rigs, the pipelines leading to the Onslow stations from the rigs also provide the perfect structure to attract the many species of demersals. These pipelines are marked on your sounder maps and easily found when motoring with your sonar over them. The

is recommended to spend some time on your maps looking for areas to search for your own ground with the possibility of finding areas fished less. SHARKS By far your biggest challenge will not be finding the demersals but escaping the dreaded sharks that plague these waters in huge numbers, especially in the warmer months where they are much

May so best to remember the stinger suit if diving during these times. During our trip in late August this year we managed to get amongst some fantastic demersals with both jigs and baits working well. In most instances it did not really matter what we dropped at them along as we had fish on the sounder. The sharks were our biggest challenge, so we concentrated on continuously moving over trying to beat them to the top. Using this method, we lost far less fish and did our bit

Cobia are a highly sought-after species as they are great on the plate.

for the populations of these sought-after fish. We found the goldband snapper and rankin cod to be the best on the plate and there was never a night where we did not get to enjoy the offering of this majestic part of Australia. When you throw in the endless whales breaching, turtles, sea snakes, dolphins, bird and reptile life we encountered over our stay it really made the way for that perfect mid-year trip escaping the cold weather to the south of the state. While the Mackerel Islands are a big trip for most, it is one that I highly recommend you tick off your bucket list at least once in your fishing lifetime.

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Peter Faust Dam: bag a barra without a boat BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

Few barra anglers need to be reminded of the significance of Lake Proserpine, aka Peter Faust Dam. For over a decade, it has been a terrific draw card for those

of us that are spell bound by these magnificent fish. Its reliability as a fishery has seen consistent catches, along with huge sizes of this spectacular fish. That said, the lake’s boat ramp has always been a sticking point. It is a narrow single boat lane with a dodgy gradient that makes launching in the dark only

possible for the thoroughly experienced and a headache for first timers. The issue is caused by the level approach area dropping away into the never-never, with the ramp out of view from both the rear view and side mirrors of a vehicle until the slope becomes engaged. Also, there are nasty tyre-shredding rocks decorating the sides,

No boat? No worries, why not try for a barra from the lake’s new pontoon?

Lake Proserpine’s fabulous camp grounds are free to all comers.

so a misplaced wheel is a real issue if you misalign the approach. Evidence of small shards of tyre tells this story. Apart from that small matter, Lake Proserpine is a beauty. It features great weed beds, hectares of standing timber adjoining small side creeks and bays. Out the back of the dam, the main riverbed of the Proserpine River is in a class of its own, especially for fly anglers as there’s a bit of room in which to swing the rod and play a fish to a standstill. And there have been some significant upgrades: good has become even better! We can give credit to all of this to the Whitsunday Regional Council, which has upgraded a lot of lakeside infrastructure, including the ramp, picnic and shelter areas around the lake, provision of pontoons, plus the establishment of a very good camping ground not far

from the main boat ramp. RAMP’S RAMPED UP! Admittedly, the ramp’s gradient is unchanged, as is the width, but the southern side’s edges have been levelled extensively to cater

for off course tyres. There’s also now a row of small solar lights set into each outer edge of the ramp to guide a trailer and car down in the dark. These changes alone are a big improvement.

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Tie the boat up or have a fish? Anglers are spoilt for choice at the camp ground’s pontoon. 12

DECEMBER 2020

A pontoon now graces the northern side of the ramp and extends past the ramp’s current launching area for some distance. The addition of the pontoon sees several benefits for boaters at the ramp. It shelters the ramp from the northerly winds, and prevents the boat being swept off the ramp in a stiff southerly blow. It also makes a fabulous place for shorebased anglers to score a fish of a lifetime!

NO BOAT, NO WORRY In the event of the boat ramp pontoon being a bit busy, angler wise, there is also another one around the corner back towards the dam wall and this one is also a great place to fish. A parking area is provided, plus there’s a picnic table nearby as well. The end of this pontoon, with its floating platform, currently rests upon quite deep water but it’s the weed beds along the base of the pontoon which will

see most angler activity directed towards barra. On a recent trip there I scored a decent barra on fly which, unfortunately, was not recorded as the phones were back at base and rain was starting to fall big time. No matter, it was only a small fish of around the metre mark… FREE CAMPING Yes, that’s right, free camping! The Whitsunday Regional Council has established a good sized

Who’d believe Peter Faust’s boat ramp would ever look this good? A pontoon sheltering it provides a great place to fish for shore based anglers.

Even a fly angler can score a decent barra in Peter Faust.

camping ground about a three minute drive south of the Peter Faust boat ramp with a sealed road affording all weather access. It was first kicked off last year and some areas were cleared with a sprinkling of occupants last October ,but this year it’s at full throttle with a host of people enjoying the facilities. Driving around the campgrounds I saw plenty of room for all comers,

whether they choose to stay in a caravan, swag, tent, or simply sleep in the car. Camp fires are allowed, dogs on leashes are kosher, there’s no checking in or out and in the fashion of many a good campground today, first in will be best dressed. Well set up showers and ablution blocks are on hand and maintained daily to a high standard. Also, these very wide grounds feature lake frontage on their northern side so boats

can be left in the water over night. There’s a boat ramp and an impressive pontoon extending out into the lake for people to tie a boat up to or cast for a fish. In all, Peter Faust has a very impressive set up, which is sure to go ahead in leaps and bounds as word spreads of its convenience and user friendliness. In my view, a huge leap forward for Proserpine and its infrastructure and long over due.

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Our feathered eyes in the sky NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Most of us know that birds can be a great indicator of the presence of fish, but you might not have realised just how complex and subtle these featherto-scale connections can be at times. There are few better signposts to the presence of a school of actively feeding pelagic fish than a wheeling, squawking mass of seabirds circling, dipping and diving over the water. Those fish might be yellowtail kings in Sydney Harbour, tailor off a Queensland beach, southern bluefin tuna along the Tasmanian or Victorian coasts, Aussie salmon in the south west, or queenies and trevally anywhere up north. The relationship between seabirds and fish is fairly obvious: as aquatic predators drive the bait they’re feeding on toward the surface, birds are able to cash in on this sudden bonanza, scooping up whatever they can from above or — in the case of some species,

where the action is, but when it commences. Of course, some types of seabirds are more accurate indicators of

fishers I met in Fiji years ago who swore they could tell how deep cruising tuna and billfish were in any area from the height of the

QR CODE

Scan this link to watch a short video about ways we, as fishers, can help protect our shorebirds. seen this proven on many occasions. Other game fishers have learnt to follow the birds well before they can see them, by looking for the vague shadows of their concentrated flocks on finely-tuned radar screens!

The jacana or lotus bird is an amazing little feathered hunter and forager that’s often seen hopping delicately from one lily pad to another on our tropical billabongs. shag droppings and fish under them. The presence of these perpetually hungry birds not only indicates

like to hunt. Egrets and herons standing stiffly to attention, or dipping their heads suddenly to snatch a

An egret fishing the edges of a tropical billabong. Barra and saratoga will be hunting the very same small fry it is seeking. Observe the signs! fishing fortune than others. The humble seagull can often give us a bum steer by getting all worked up over a discarded chip… or even an empty chip packet! By contrast, savvy avian

circling frigate birds. If the frigates were way up, the fish were down deep, but when those black-winged buccaneers swooped, it meant the big fish were coming to the surface. I’ve

The dawn patrol.

Switched-on AFC competitors like Carruthers and Silvester understand the synergies between birds and fish on waterways like Queensland’s Eungella Dam. such as gannets, albatross and shearwaters (mutton birds) — actually diving beneath the waves to join the mayhem. Thanks to their excellent eyesight and ability to cruise high above the water looking for signs of action, seabirds often locate these feeding events long before we have any chance of spotting them. In many cases, birds can actually see the hunting packs of pelagic fish swimming well beneath the surface and track them as they hunt food, only dipping down when the melee begins. In this way, birds act as our eyes in the sky, telling us not only 14

DECEMBER 2020

hunters such as terns, petrels, prions, gannets, boobies, frigates and albatross are generally far better indicators of action, and some switched-on anglers become adept at reading their body language and interpreting their signals. When searching for kingfish off the far south coast of NSW, my mate Bushy will observe the direction the majority of birds are flying first thing in the morning. “If they’re all going south,” Bushy explains, “then I go south! Somewhere down there will be bait and fish.” In a similar vein, some very switched-on game

Feathered connections aren’t limited to the ocean, either. Pelicans and cormorants give us valuable clues on the estuary, or even in freshwater environments. At Eungella Dam, in the ranges above Mackay, clever fishos hunting sooty grunter look for trees with the thickest coatings of

concentrations of baitfish but, believe it or not, the fish-rich droppings themselves are actually a favourite snack for sooties! Elsewhere in the sweetwater, swallows will announce insect hatches on highland streams well before the first trout rises, while kingfishers eat the same things bass

Aggregations of fish-eating birds such as pelicans on a particular stretch of an estuary point to abundance in that area.

hapless rainbow fish from the fringes of a tropical waterhole, signpost prime feeding areas for barra and saratoga. There are so many feathered messengers out there, if you simply take the time to look. Finally, no discussion of birds and their role in our angling world would be complete without mention of the importance of protecting these airborne fellow fishers. We have a duty of care to avoid hooking or entangling birds, and that means never deliberately discarding line, hooks or other gear, and taking a moment to pick up litter left by others. We also need to be sensitive of the nesting grounds of shore and wading birds. I recently presented a short video discussing exactly this important subject, which you can watch by scanning the accompanying QR code, or by searching for “saving our shorebirds” on YouTube. The birds are our friends. Please treat them as such.

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DECEMBER 2020

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Time to swap from the bottom to the top David Green

This month the East Australian Current arrives off the Gold Coast. It is time to change tactics from bottom fishing to targeting pelagics. There have been good numbers of juvenile black marlin off the Central Queensland coast throughout spring, and these fish should arrive on the Gold Coast this month. Most of these are smaller fish from 10-30kg. There hasn’t been a lot of bait schools off the Gold Coast so far but hopefully this will change when the current starts to run. Early in the season I like to work the 40-50me line east of South Stradbroke, the Gravel Patch off Burleigh Heads and Sullies east of the Jumpinpin bar. Look for bait and birds, and marlin on your echo sounder. There should be plenty of mahimahi around this month and the offshore FADs have been producing well when the current slows a bit. Trolling skirted lures or dead baits is a good tactic this month, so try to keep your lures over reef or where

you find bait schools. If the bait is balled up, trolling live baits or drifting is often more productive. There should also be a few wahoo turning

up as well. Out on the wider grounds beyond the continental shelf there should be some good blue marlin fishing.

In mid-October the water temperature was up to 24º on the wide grounds. December should see an increase in the strike rate as the current

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to the back. On the inshore grounds there are usually a few spotted mackerel, mackerel tuna and the odd Spanish mackerel at places like Palm Beach Reef, and some seasons see a quite good inshore run of cobia on the inshore reefs. Chopped pilchards and a lot of berley will bring the fish to you, but you need a bit of current for this method to work. Bottom fishing in December can be tough, and can be very restricted by strong current. In general, the snapper run is over and pearl perch become scarce, but there are often a few pigfish and rosy job fish on the 36 and 50 fathom line as well as the odd amberjack. If the current runs hard, heavy metal jigs are a good option as they still get to the bottom in fast current. RIVERS AND ESTUARIES On the weekends the Broadwater has been crazy with hundreds of jet skis and boats charging around. Everyone who owns a boat has been out there! Flathead catches drop off in December as the water warms, but they are still worth targeting on early morning high tides. If you get out early around

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increases. From a small boat, this type of fishing is a great challenge. The fish average around 140kg and when they grab a lure the take-off is at blistering speed. I use 37kg stand up tackle and troll a spread of five lures with two of us on board. When we hook up, I drive after the fish straight away and clear the rest of the gear later. The first few minutes are quite chaotic and very busy. What I’ve learnt is to not leave the wheel. If you get caught winding in the other lines and leave the wheel, there is a very good chance of losing all your line and getting spooled. Spanner crab season reopens on the first of the month, and if the current isn’t too strong it is a great time to get a good feed of delicious spanner crabs. The 50m line east of Surfers is a good place to start. These crabs are, when cooked fresh, the best I’ve had. Don’t leave your traps down too long as turtles and sharks commonly raid your pots. Just be careful that the current isn’t running too hard as it can suck your floats under. The bag limit is 20 crabs per person and the minimum legal size is 10cm from the front of the shell

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Spanner crab season reopens on the first of the month. dawn, the fish are generally quite active. Whiting catches improve this month and mangrove jack, trevally and estuary cod become a lot more active. It is also a great month to dust off the crab pots in anticipation of a good feed of mud and sand crabs. It has been an excellent whiting season so far, with plenty of good fish, some over 40cm, turning up in the Nerang River and on the flats around Jumpinpin. I really

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enjoy targeting whiting on poppers in December. Unlike most types of fishing, whiting bite better in strong winds, particularly on surface lures. Work weedy sand edges where the tide is pushing up onto the flats and work small poppers and stick baits along the edges in 15-100cm of water. It is amazing how aggressive a whiting can be. The retrieve needs to be a fast wind, and if you see a whiting chasing your lure

do not slow the retrieve down. It is an interesting and challenging way to fish, and the average session produces 3-8 fish plus a few bream and flathead. Like most things, the more you go, the better your results will be. I like the Bassday Sugapen and the Splash Prawn. December is a great month for mangrove jack, particularly if there are humid, stormy conditions. Casting paddle-tail plastics

around floating pontoons is the most popular method, but hard bodied lures are also very effective at times. Live baits such as mullet and herrings can be deadly at times, particularly after a bit of rain. There seem to be more and more jacks turning up each summer. Poppers fished in the early morning before sunrise are also often very effective this month. In the Seaway and Jumpinpin entrances there are usually quite a few big eye and giant trevally and a few mulloway about in December, as well as the summer run of chopper tailer. Live baits, soft vibes and plastics are all very effective, and the run in tide is generally the most productive time to fish the entrances. A few big flathead also turn up in the deep water. Mud and sand crabs are on the move in December, particularly after heavy rain. The last mud crab season was quite poor, and some normally productive spots, such as Coombabah Creek, were nearly devoid of crabs. I like to crab on the run in tide and work areas where there is a bit of current flow. I check my pots every 30-60 minutes and move them around a bit until I find the right depth. Crabs move a lot this month and you often find that the second to third

hour of the run-in tide is the most productive time. 2020 has been one of the most difficult years we have faced. Fishing is always

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good for your mental health, and look after your self this summer. There are plenty of great fishing options this month on the Gold Coast.

Matt Pierce with a beautiful dolly. The offshore FADS have been producing good catches of mahimahi.

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50% and 60% more display pixels, respectively, compared to previous models. For existing Garmin customers who want to upgrade to the new GPSMAP x3 series, a retrofit kit is available for easy installation. The premium processing power found in the GPSMAP x3 series benefits all onboard

sensors. Fast and responsive, these systems reference 10Hz GNSS (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) for accurate positioning and smooth speed as well as course over ground (COG) data. The increase in processing power also delivers Garmin’s fastest mapping capabilities, so there’s hardly ever a delay, even at high speeds. There is built-in support for 1kW traditional CHIRP sonar so anglers can see superior target separation, up to 1000ft (305m) below the boat. These new combos also have built-in support for Ultra High-Definition SideVü and ClearVü scanning sonars featuring Garmin’s new highcontrast vivid color palettes, making it easier to distinguish fish from structure. They also support the full Garmin Panoptix all-seeing sonar product line. Garmin’s exclusive BlueChart g3 coastal charts with integrated Navionics data and Auto Guidance4 technology are preloaded. The GPSMAP x3 series

is fully capable with NMEA 2000 and the Garmin Marine Network. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, it’s easy to take advantage of the free Garmin ActiveCaptain mobile app for access to the OneChart feature, community data and more. The new GPSMAP 7x3, 9x3 and 12x3 series will be available in 7”, 9” and 12” models. STRIKER VIVID FISHFINDERS Featuring industry-leading Garmin CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonar technology, Garmin’s new Sriker Vivid fishfinders ensure that anglers see crystal-clear fish arches and remarkable target separation. Seven new vivid colour options make it easier to distinguish fish from structure based on the user’s preferences and fishing conditions. The Vivid series comes with a built-in high-sensitivity GPS receiver, so not only can anglers see fish and structure below the boat, they can also quickly mark favourite fishing spots. Built-in GPS allows users to plan and create routes and view their boat’s speed. The built-in Quickdraw Contours software makes it

easy to create and store up to 2 million acres of HD maps with 1ft contours. Once it’s turned on, users will see contours with labels generated on the screen as the boat moves – no need to stop fishing. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, Striker Vivid users can connect to the free ActiveCaptain app2 to transfer waypoints and receive smart notifications delivered right to the screen. Available with a 4”, 5”, 7” or 9” colour display, the Striker Vivid series is built to withstand the harsh marine environment. It comes with a tilt/swivel mount and transom- and trolling-motor mounting hardware. GT56/36 TRANSDUCERS Garmin’s new GT56 and GT36 transducers deliver the ultimate in sonar versatility. They offer UHD ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonar, so anglers can see stunningly clear images of structure and fish below and off to the sides of their boat. Garmin’s UHD

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Ho, ho, holidays ahead BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Christmas is almost here again and many people will be on holidays over the next few weeks so the waterways will be a degree busier. Increased fishing pressure can make it a little harder in some areas but there will be plenty of quality fish, crabs and possibly prawns for all those making the effort. Warm weather means plenty of

plentiful in recent months, and towards the end of December we should see a few spotted mackerel making an appearance. With an increase in baitfish numbers throughout the bay over the coming months, surface feeding action should become more common. This will make locating mackerel a lot easier as the tell-tale surface slashes are generally detected from some distance away. Additionally, birds are often in attendance at these surface feeding melees, and these can usually pinpoint the mackerel

Chris Deeks with a solid Moreton Bay longtail taken wide of Mud Island. pelagics on offer throughout Moreton Bay and loads of other species with increased appetites due to warm water temperatures. For anglers, this will mean some hot fishing action ahead. Let’s explore some of your options. MACKEREL A staple food source for many bay anglers during the warmer months are mackerel. School mackerel have been

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from a kilometres or so away, even in rougher conditions. Generally, the easiest way to score a few mackerel in this situation is by using chromed slugs and slices. When retrieved flat stick through the water, these imitate a fleeing baitfish which excites the mackerel into chasing and engulfing the morsel. Reels capable of returning a metre or more of line to the spool per turn of the handle are

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highly recommended. 7-15kg braid is commonly used however you will be able to land mackerel on even lighter line if the sharks or dolphins aren’t on the job. Spinning for mackerel can be highly addictive due to the mackerel’s aggressive nature and screaming runs once hooked. Additionally, they are exceptionally good on the plate with a high yield of meat per fish. Other ways to get connected to a few mackerel will include trolling spoons behind paravanes, drifting pilchards, jigging beacons with slugs, and trolling minnow lures. The Measured Mile beacon is generally a hotly fished area due to its productivity. This can often be reached by smaller craft exiting the Brisbane River on a decent day. Anglers commonly drift pilchard baits out under balloons. The mackerel travel around the area in schools and it can often be pandemonium as every bait in the water goes off in unison with screaming mackerel. Early morning rising tides seem to be productive, but this area can turn on the action at any time. The same can be said for the other beacons along the shipping channel. Drifting pilchard baits or high speed vertical spinning will usually produce the goods if there are any mackerel in attendance. Mackerel will also work along the edges of major banks systems on the lower tidal stages and then venture up on the banks on the higher stages. Trolling spoons such as the Halco Barra Drone, Halco Kimberley Spoon or Macka Spoons in the 3” and 4” sizes behind a paravane are great for working the channel edges. Minnow lures are a great option for trolling the tops of the flats during the higher tidal stages when the mackerel are in this precinct chasing gar, hardiheads, whiting and any other hapless bait species that crosses their path. PRAWNS Whether or not prawns turn up to grace the Christmas Day smorgasbord will depend on rainfall. Rainfall creates lowering water salinity in the upper reaches of the creeks and river systems which flushes the prawns down. The Caboolture and Pine rivers generally start to produce first but the Brisbane and Logan are also serious contenders. Prawns are generally found in the deeper holes, with their prominence in certain areas often changing with every tide. For this reason, prawners will need to search around to locate the prawns at times. Usually the prawns will lift and become visible around the tidal change with the action often lasting

Experienced anglers like Matt Mundy know that hot days and nights can produce some awesome jack action. an hour or three. Usually if the prawns are on the boat ramps of that river system will be full, and a trip upriver will usually locate a cluster of boats with nets being cast sporadically. Fingers crossed that the prawns show up for the Christmas festivities but even if they don’t, they shouldn’t be too far away. THREADFIN The arrival of prawns will also stir up the threadies however these fish aren’t entirely dependent on them. The lower reaches of the Brisbane River, plus the Logan River and most other larger systems, will all hold good numbers of threadies over the warmer months. The prawns can coerce larger numbers into an area although this doesn’t make them any easier to hook. In fact, they can often get infatuated with the prawns and are difficult to tempt with many other offerings. However, live baits (herring, gar, banana prawns, pike and mullet) can turn the odds in your favour when the lure bite

is tough. Small soft vibes to around 100m are usually on of the better artificial offerings for tempting threadfin but an array of lures can produce. Some do well by dropping micro jigs, especially oval or leaf varieties that will flutter on the decent. Blades, minnow lures and numerous jighead rigged soft plastics can be put to good use. Sometimes it is a case of trying different offerings until you find one to their liking or biding your time until they decide its dinner time. Often during periods of high barometric pressure, such as when thunder storms are building, the threadfin will school up and be very active. Often almost any decent offering cast towards them will be engulfed. Early morning rising tides can offer some quality fishing for threadies and they can often be found in areas such as the Oil Pipeline drop-off, the swing zone near the grain wharf, the fronts of the shipping terminals (adhere to distance restrictions), the

Hopefully the banana prawns will turn up in the Caboolture or Pine rivers in time to get an invite to the Christmas feast.

rocky ledge just upriver from the sewerage chute and along the declines into the main river basin. Quality, side-imaging sounders are invaluable for this type of fishing and will easily allow you to detect the areas where threadies are present. SHARKS A popular target for many anglers during the warmer months are sharks. The majority caught are one species of whaler or other, however the occasional tiger and hammerhead will also be around. Out in Moreton Bay, shark numbers are out of hand and often it is difficult to get a hooked fish to the boat without a shark taking it. This is particularly the case around the pelagic schools. With the maximum size being 150cm length (tip of nose to tip of tail) to keep a shark, many anglers simply target the smaller specimens if they are after a feed of flake. Around the bay islands you can catch sharks of all sizes yet there is a good proportion of these smaller specimens which are ideal for eating if bled and skinned soon after capture. Fishing at anchor or drifting can both be successful however I prefer the latter. Deploying a slow continuous slick of tuna oil will soon have a whaler or two making their way towards your craft. I generally have one bait suspended a metre or so below the surface about 40m back and another just drifted with no float or sinker about 20m aft. Plenty of different baits will work, with whole mullet, gar, pike, yakkas and slimy mackerel working well when pinned on a snelled hook rig. This rig is generally made by snelling two 8/0-10/0 hooks onto a metre or more of 90-135lb nylon-coated multistrand wire. Between this rig and the main line I like to have 3-5m of 100-150lb monofilament (generally a wind-on-leader). The main line can be anywhere between 4kg (if you want some fun) to

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24kg if you prefer the comehere approach. A big landing net is best for sharks up to around 1.2m if you are going to release them, however larger models will need a tail rope system generally. You will also encounter some superscary-sized models at times, although these are hard to subdue unless you have heavy tackle and experience. In the Brisbane River (and most other river systems) there is also a healthy shark population with the majority being whalers such as bull sharks, dusky whalers and spinner sharks. These can be caught with the aforementioned method however live offerings such as large mullet and small catfish will reign supreme. These can be fished on the bottom in the muddy areas or under a float. I like a small catfish under a float as they will continue to struggle to get back to the bottom and will soon get the attention of any shark nearby. Ensure you have at least one hook in the tail as the shark will sever the cattie behind the pectoral and dorsal spikes and only consume the tail section. Plenty of quality sharks can be caught by land-based anglers along the river’s length with the higher reaches above the city being your best bet. BAY DEMERSALS For anglers fishing the

margins of the bay islands, artificial reefs and wrecks, there will still be a good array of species on offer over the coming months. Snapper, sweetlip, cod, morwong, tuskfish, bream and numerous others will be taken. Specific fishing for some species will definitely pay dividends, however many will be caught periodically by anglers employing the usual techniques of bait fishing at anchor or drifting and casting plastics and soft vibes. Tuskfish, for example, are one species which are not common captures unless you are fishing with crabs as bait. There are a lot more tuskfish getting around at many spots than you would think, but because anglers rarely use crabs, they aren’t caught. Small live baits, like yakkas, mullet or slimy mackerel go well on snapper, mulloway and other quality demersals. A whole, locally caught banana prawn can be presented on a jighead and drifted close to the bottom. This presentation is dynamite on big snapper at times. Quality, fresh fillet baits from mullet, pike, bonito or slimy mackerel make great offerings for grass sweetlip when fished lightly weighted around the bay island margins. Early morning sessions with a high tide soon after dawn

Zara Jensen with a great Moreton Bay school mackerel.

are prime for targeting sweeties, however you will get hook-ups on snapper, cod, sharks, morwong and others in these zones. CRABS Crabbing will be great over the next few months with plenty of sand crabs (blue swimmers) and mud crabs about. Setting safety pots well up the creeks in harder-to-reach areas is often the key to scoring the larger rusty bucks. Deep holes, collapsed mangrove banks and the mouths of drains and gutters leading out of the mangrove expanse are key areas to target. Fish frames, chicken carcasses whole mullet and other fish work well as bait. Even a dead cattie in the pot will score you a few crabs. Out in the bay your pots are best set around the margins of the bay islands, along the edges of contour lines and gutters, the small channels leading off the sand flats and deeper holes up on the flats. Fisheries officers will be out in force over the holiday period so ensure your crabbing apparatus meets regulations in relation to labelling and type. I still see a lot of crabbers using milk bottles and similar hollow containers as floats. Even if these meet size regulations, they aren’t allowed. The reason for this is simple – if

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someone happens to hit the float and hole it, the bottle will sink and the pot will become a ghost pot if it isn’t retrieved. This will pose a problem for marine life, especially turtles. To prevent this from happening, fill any hollow float with expanding foam or just buy a Styrofoam ball that is a minimum of 15cm across. In many areas it pays not to venture too far from your pots because having your pots raided or stolen is way too common. CONCLUSION Plenty of anglers will be out on the water over the coming weeks due to school holidays and annual leave. This can cause some extra congestion at the ramp and more boats at popular fishing spots however there should be plenty of opportunities for all to return home with a decent feed. A stop off during the day for a swim at one of the bay island beaches is often a welcome relief after a hot period on the water, and it’s something the kids will look forward to. There are a lot of great fishing opportunities in the bay and Brisbane River over the coming weeks. Hopefully Santa will bring you some great new tackle and you can get out and use it. Enjoy your Ho, Ho, Holidays and stay safe when out and about in the Great Southeast during December!

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Hectic highs on heaving waters NORTHERN BAY

Steve Nash

December can be the most hectic month on the water. Along with the Christmas parties, family catch ups, school holidays and presents from the man in the big red suit, there is also the onslaught from those of us who own a boat and pulls

the estuary anglers, with the Pumicestone Passage being the prime pick to get yourself a good feed of fish. With the ability to find some water that’s not getting as much pressure as the other smaller creeks. Live or fresh dead bait have been the effective methods of baits while lure anglers can use small paddle-tail plastics or small light blades. Flathead will still be the

time, if you’re not casting it out every 2 minutes. And you might even get a few casts out there for yourself as well. If you’re lucky enough to get out for a fish at night, this can produce better results this time of year. It can be pretty hectic on the water during the day. Great news for the prawn anglers as the prawns will begin to start their run in this

school feeding on the prawns. If you’re keen on trying your luck on these fish, then getting into your prawning spot early and having a quick throw of some prawn imitation lures or even soft vibes may net you a lucky catch of threadfin salmon. But be sure to show up early before all other net throwers turn up and spook them. This may mean all the difference. Mud crabs are another species that will be worth the effort this month. Muddies love the warmer water and do turn on. With the recent rains and freshwater running into our waters and some rain will make them move around a lot more now. BAY The mackerel are now in

Dante Sollazzo with a quality flathead from the bay.

Flathead are easy for kids to catch. them out from the covers to hit the water. With the potential of more than usual traffic on the waters, also means that safety and vigilance is of upmost importance whilst being out on the water for the next couple of months. RIVERS Good catches of whiting, bream and flathead have still been the main focus of

best to target over this month and are easy for the kids to have a go at targeting these holidays. Keep the anchor in the hatch and try methods of keeping your boat on the drift. This is an effective method and one of the easiest ways to find schools of flathead and other lurking fish in our creeks. Letting the kids just hold the rod on the drift while covering ground will save you fishing

month. Depending on how much freshwater our river gets over the month, as good numbers and size are starting to appear towards the end of the month. Along with the prawn run, will also bring on the threadfin salmon. While our northern rivers are not considered as a hot spot for these mighty creatures, they do get frequented by the odd

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Shaun Ezzy has been landing quite a few bass from the edges of Lake Samsonvale. full swing around the bay. The shipping markers are the usual hot spots but these fish can turn up anywhere. Following any busting up and bird activity on the surface are indicators that these fish are nearby and feeding. Metal slugs and similar fast burning lures on the surface can produce a pounding bite and run! Snapper are also still on the chew, with great reports

coming off Scotts Point and the main shipping channel. Remember to maintain stealth when approaching and setting up fishing stance on your spots. Keep the clanging noises of your anchors to a minimum and try and work your areas by drifting with the current. DAMS With recent inflows of water into our local dams, the water quality has slightly

dropped. However, this does not mean the fishing has dropped. Branch out and use some brighter coloured lures. This may well work to your advantage attracting fish when the water is dirty. Bass will continue to scatter and head for the edges with the summer water temperatures. Concentrate on working the edges hard with spinnerbaits and small crank lures. You’ll likely to be rewarded with some cracker bass or even a saratoga. The morning and afternoon top water bite is now in full swing! Keep an eye on the weather patterns. Throwing cicadas, frog and insect imitations lures are the best choices, especially a day or so after a good rain or storm in the area. Otherwise, using poppers on small walk-the-dog style lures will work at the best other times. So throw on your Santa hats and power up your vessels! Make sure that you pack all the correct safety gear on board your boat, especially when taking the kids out these holidays. Merry Christmas and hope that you all get yourselves a u’beaut seafood feed for your Christmas lunch!

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Lure fishers are cleaning up can be found feeding out on the flats. Large paddle-tail soft plastics, such as ZMan SwimmerZ, worked slowly can produce some great jacks. Make sure you use a scent to help improve your strike rate. Try areas like Munna and the Sheraton Bridges and Tewantin Boat Harbour and around the river mouth rocks. Make sure you upsize that leader as these fish will have you round a snag before you know it. If you’re not a night owl and prefer an early start, fishing the mouth of the Noosa River has also been paying off, with bream,

NOOSA

Peter Wells

Fishing around Noosa and surrounding areas at night has really been producing the goods. A lot of people don’t realize how good the fishing can be at night, particularly with lures and light gear. Stealth is the key, with little or no light. If everyone is quiet on board the boat, you can really target those larger fish. One of the species that responds well at night time is the mangrove jack.

plastics such as the ZMan ShrimpZ or Gulp Shrimp on a 1/8oz or 1/6oz jighead. Make sure you use plenty of fluorocarbon leader. Whiting are also in good numbers, and freshly pumped yabbies and worms have been the go to baits. Fishing the start of the run-out tide around the dog beach and the Frying Pan has seen some nice fish. For the lure anglers who love chasing whiting on the surface, the MMD Splash Prawn has been a huge success. This lure has been claiming some big fish when worked with a constant walk

Greg Allan caught this very nice snapper just off Coolum. Jacks hide in their snags all through the day but come out to feed at night, and

trevally and queenfish being claimed in recent weeks. Try using prawn profile soft

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the dog retrieve. Flathead are still in good numbers, with some monster females feeding on small baitfish and prawns, predominantly on the run-out tide. These fish are in the later stages of spawning or have just spawned, and are feeding hard. Try fishing small baits like whitebait, hardiheads or small frogmouth pilchards. I like to use a 2/0 long shank bait holder hook for this. I pull the hook all the way through the eye of the bait and set the hook midway down the body of the bait so the eye of the hook lines up with the eye of the fish. Of course, flathead are also one of those fish that are easy to catch on plastics too. The Keitech Easy Shiner works well and is very popular with flathead anglers. Mud crab numbers are also improving as the waters warm and there is a bit of fresh in the system. Set your pots in those deeper holes with mullet as bait. Don’t forget the bag limits have changed for mud crabs from 10 down to seven, with a maximum of 14 crabs in the boat no

matter how many people are on board (and of course in Qld you can only keep the bucks). With summer just around the corner the beaches are the place to be. If you get there nice and early and time it with an incoming tide, you are in with a good chance. Noosa North Shore to Double Island, and all the way up to Inskip have been the place to be, with some excellent catches being reported. Make sure you look for the deeper gutters. Bream, whiting, tailor and plenty of dart are around. A few of the most favoured baits for the beach are a lightly weighted peeled prawn, small pillies, and strip baits of mullet or salted mackerel fillet. Cast out into a surf gutter and allow your bait to drift under the foam to where the fish feel safe and will feed. For the night angler there have been some of those bigger rogue tailor still making their way back from the Fraser coast. These fish have just spawned and are feeding hard. This is the time of year when we get the bigger fish, with some weighing in at more than 5kg. There are plenty of anglers who have thought they were fighting a big mulloway only to be surprised to see a big tailor. The most productive time has been the bigger tides around the full and new moon. Mackerel are really starting to show up, with schools of both school and spotted mackerel tearing through baitfish schools around the closer reefs. The

Brother and sister duo Khy and Indy Lawrence picked up a pigeon pair of quality flathead from the Maroochy. good old floater or live bait has been working well for the bait anglers, while the lure anglers have had success with slugs and stickbaits. Keeping an eye out for bird action is also a great way to find the bait schools, and as every mackerel angler knows, find the bait find and you’ll the fish. You will usually find mac and longtail tuna pushing the bait to the surface, with the mackerel tending to hang a bit deeper. With a bit of luck you may also pick up a nice Spanish or wahoo.

Michael Coppleman was fishing the upper reaches of the Maroochy River when he picked up this 47cm jack.

The reefs off Double Island have been worth the steam out, with good cobia, Moses perch, red emperor, sweetlip and the last of the snapper. Soft plastics and flat fall jigs are working really well with the bottom bouncers, and in some cases are starting to out-fish bait. The great thing about using artificials is that you tend not to get the pickers that you’d get with bait, and you can catch those quality fish. Sunshine Reef has been great for sweetlip, squire-size snapper and that perfect table fish, coral trout. The Barwon Banks have been worth the trip when the weather has allowed, with red emperor, snapper and plenty of mixed reefies on offer. Up on North Reef there have been some large lateseason snapper, with fish over the 70cm mark being recorded as well as pearl perch in numbers. These fish are smashing large baits such as mac tuna fillets and large pilchards on very large leads to withstand the strong current at this time of year. For those anglers who prefer a soft plastic, a very bright fork-tail shad such as the Gulp 7” in nuclear chicken has also produced big fish. Don’t forget to check in to www.fishingnoosa.com. au for all the latest up to date 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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like a slips fielder or like has got a few more holes than an AccaDacca song, but it should have and is a 12ft like a virusy-catchy-thing. after I lost me temper with And because it’s a catchy- that snag. Dear Santy virusy-thing it’s made heaps Also, my tinny must have Just a little note to touch of people pretty crook so the caught that catchy-virus too base and let you know I’m government stopped people ‘cause my tinny’s covered in thinking of you before the big going anywhere. holes. Some are from sinkers, dance later this month. Luckily where I live Santy, some are from rocks and one You probably haven’t they stopped us doing a lot of is from Skipper’s groin but I noticed, being stuck things but not fishing. They won’t go into that in case your somewhere up in the North said it was… I can’t remember wife reads this too. Or those Pole for the last 12 months or exactly the word they used but little dudes read it. So a new so but it’s been a really strange it means really, really, really, tinny would be great. Also year. I thought I should make really, really important and so you get threadfin up there you aware if you weren’t we can keep doing it. right? So your best choice of already so that you can plan I think fishing is actually thready lure would be great. things properly. more important than that; like In say 20 or so colours? The last thing I want is for really, really, really, really, Also, don’t take any you to come out of your little really, REALLY important. notice of that letter that might icehouse or igloo, or wherever Like State of Origin. Anyway, have arrived in January, it is that you and your wife some people in Australia which might have had some and all them little dudes live, have people in charge that swear words and threats and find there’s all these rules have really strange ideas, and about Rudolph and venison ALBERTON MELBOURNE about where you can and can’t they weren’t allowed to go in it, because I didn’t send it MARINE MELBOURNE MARINE go. And then ALBERTON not be able to get fishing AT ALL. (It’s true. I even though youCENTRE didn’t give 39me. Johnson Street 92 Hallam South Road HallamI asked my presents to Presents – Alberton know right?) me any of the presents please note the plural.2344 So I’ve been fishing lots last2003 Christmas, especially P: ‘s’ (03)is 5183 P: (03)for 9703 See, what’s happened is since your last trip down here the new tinny. Someone else F: (03) 5183 2219 W: melbournemarine.com.au that there’s been this virusy and there’s lots of things I’ve must have sent it… maybe W: albertonmarine.com.au sort of thing that’s called accidentally modified that MORNINGTON are Manboobs? He does stuff PENINSULA a ‘covered’ virus probably going to need replacing. For like that. BENDIGO because it covered the whole instance, since my trip upMY to MARINE Anyway, give my best to Cnr Highway BENDIGO MARINE & OUTDOORS of the world. Or people the Mary to catch a thready Nepean your lovely wife &and I hope that get it 160 need to keep last week, that 7ft rod one to seePlace you in a few weeks. Ponderosa Dromana Midland Highway Epsom covered withP: a(03) blanket and piece rod is now 6’6” two you don’t get virusy. 5448 3988 P: (03)Provided 5987 0900 it’s very catchy. Not catchy piece, and the 10ft cast net Yours in hope, Sheik. W: bendigomarine.com.au W: mymarine.com.au BRISBANE

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Trevor Callanan with a tidy 46kg yellowfin tuna taken on a recent trip to the shelf from the Gold Coast. DECEMBER 2020

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December is hit and miss for offshore anglers HERVEY BAY

Dane Radosevic

I always find myself getting to this point in the year and thinking ‘where did the time go?’ and ‘I really didn’t get enough fishing in!’ Followed by the usual, ‘next year….’

with life, both on the surface and sub-surface. The surface action is what really draws most anglers’ attention and gets the adrenalin pumping. Flocks of birds’ dive-bombing, showering baitfish and spotty mackerel and tuna ferociously feeding can make for some actionpacked fishing. Targeting

Grunter pound for pound put up a great fight on light spin tackle and are suckers for soft plastics! They eat exceptionally well too. December can be a little hit and miss with the possibility of continued northerly blows, making life difficult to fish the bay’s waters. However, if the weather does play the game there is some red-hot fishing to be had. Platypus Bay by this time of year is often teeming

spotties, they will provide non stop action for the kids, are easy to locate and catch and will get them hooked for life! It pays to wear good quality polarised sunglasses so that you can watch all the action as literally hundreds of mackerel will be snout to tail as they work the bait balls. Try and position yourself as close to the schools as possible, keeping the casts short to maximise your chance of landing the fish from the ever-growing threat of being sharked. It seems the shark issue continues to get worse year on year. If the mackerel don’t get the kids excited then I am sure a big hungry bull shark or whaler will. If this season is anything like last years you may not even need to venture right up into Platypus Bay, saving fuel and time, as good schools of fish were located as far south as Coongul Creek. With bag limits achievable quite quickly when they are on, you may then want to focus your efforts on the

A tasty inshore coral trout the author caught while tea bagging a soft plastic over one of the artificial wrecks. alternatives such as mac tuna or longtail tuna all working in similar areas. These species will pull harder, run faster, and release far better if just chasing them for sport. Once again try and keep the fight short and sweet to maximise your chances of landing them instead of losing them to the men in grey suits.

these speedsters is relatively easy with a high geared 5000-6000 size spin reel spooled with 30lb braid on a medium to medium-heavy spin stick able to lob small metal slugs and soft plastics into the working schools. If taking the kids fishing these school holidays then look no further than the

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A subdued threadfin salmon that came from fishing the flat out the front of River Heads, targeting the drain mouths.

Mixed trevally species, broad bar and Spanish mackerel, queenfish and cobia can all be caught down below the spotties and tuna schools as they opportunistically pick off the scraps floating down after the carnage. Dropping metal jigs or soft plastics down and then rapidly worked up through the water column is often a very successful method to get a response out of the species listed above. The wider reefs including the Gutters and across Break Sea can be challenging to get to with the winds and the shark activity at their peak making fishing quite difficult. However, if we do manage to have a few days of reprieve trout, cod, hussar, job fish, mixed emperors and tuskies may help to fill the box. Moving inshore the islands, their fringing reefs and the man-made artificial wrecks should be teaming with life. Sweetlip or coral bream as referred to by locals will be the main target species and should be abundant in most areas, with the better quality fish often coming from the deeper structures. Coral trout, cod and blackall will also be prolific over these same reefs and respond

well to a variety of live and dead baits such as pike, herring, pencil squid and banana prawns. Tea bagging soft plastics is another very successful technique and will also account for its fair share of trout. Pencil squid will be a major draw card for many, as they not only make exceptional bait but are fantastic to eat. Anglers will be able to target them throughout the bay from the Urangan channel, across the arti to the main shipping channel and down the straits. These squid can be successfully targeted during daylight hours while targeting them at night is enhanced with a good quality light to draw them in from far and wide. Smaller sized Yamashita and Daiwa jigs around the 1.5 to 1.8 are proven performers and often are best fished using a single or double patternoster rig, weighted accordingly for the depth and current. Adding additional glow sticks or Optia flashing lights last year increased the conversion rate. Pelagics will be another option inshore this time of year with the bay’s islands attracting species such as GT, golden trevally and

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DECEMBER 2020

A typical inshore golden trevally caught hopping a curly tail soft plastic along a current line.

To page 29

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scattered reefs. The creeks on the western side of Fraser and the flats should produce good catches of jacks, grunter, salmon, flathead and whiting. Barra will be ever present in all these areas and you are quite likely to cross paths with one or two, particularly whilst targeting salmon or jacks. Take upmost care of these fish and make sure that you release them safely to keep future stocks alive and healthy. Over to the Burrum, this river has been looking great for months with good water quality and an exceptional amount of bait. Jacks have been one of the main targets with many anglers experiencing success on both lures and baits while targeting the many rock bars and snags throughout this massive system. Be careful in and around the Islands within this system if you’re new to the area as it can get very shallow very fast and there are numerous rock bars that become nearly exposed on the larger tides. Flathead, whiting and grunter have made up for the remainder of the action with reports coming from the middle reaches out to the river mouth. Those fishing under the cover of darkness have been producing the better quality specimens.

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Load up on the live baits RAINBOW BEACH

Ed Falconer

There’s great weather and great fishing to match at the moment. Offshore it’s all been happening, with the fishing quite consistent on the close reefs. Recent trips have yielded pearl perch, snapper, sweetlip and cobia. The best fish have been caught on live yakkas, which are in good supply, so take the time to pick up a few before you start bottom fishing. Out wide, tuskfish, hussar and Moses perch are thick, with good catches in

There are plenty of big cod around like this pair caught by Aaron and Harry. the nice weather we’ve been having. A slow drift and fresh cut baits have been

An absolute horse pearl perch measuring 70cm caught on the Keely Rose.

filling iceboxes fast. There are also quality Maori cod and some nice red emperor on offer out wide. On the beaches, summer whiting have been a good target around Double Island Point and on Teewah Beach, and live beach worms are the best bait. Quality dart are in big numbers heading towards Inskip Point – just pick the deep gutters and you’re all set. In the Great Sandy Straits it’s well and truly mangrove jack time and these fish are everywhere, even at the boat ramps. Fresh cut mullet is good, but live baits of potties or herring are even better. Flathead,

bream and whiting are also an easy catch at the moment around Carlo Point. December last year performed well on the reefs and we should see our first run of mackerel late December. Well it’s the last month of the year, and what a year it’s been! I think most people would like to see a fresh start in 2021. In the meantime, have a great Christmas and stay safe. • To enjoy a day on the water with Keely Rose Fishing Charters phone Ed Falconer 0407 146 151 or visit www. keelyrosefishingcharters .com.au.

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queenfish. The larger tides around the moons will often fish the best as large back eddies and current lines are produced by the water pressure deflecting off the points of the Island. This in turn traps masses of helpless baitfish that can’t swim into the currents and the predatory fish take full advantage of it. Top water offerings like poppers, sinking stick baits or pencil poppers are a very exciting method for fishing these areas and make for some spectacular strikes. Alternatively, you can opt to work a variety of smaller soft plastics or metal jigs down deeper with great success. The straits, rivers and creeks can be a good option this time of year to escape the winds and still get out on the water. The River Heads area itself can fish exceptionally well this time of year for flathead, grunter and salmon. Particularly over the larger tides targeting the rock bars, flats, smaller creek mouths and drains. On the neap tides it will be worth searching further up river in both the Susan and the Mary. Look for the cleaner water and bait, in particular prawn! Out the front and down the straits the options are varied with sweetlip, cod, trout, blueys and jewies all possible from the ledges and

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From page 28

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DECEMBER 2020

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a magnet for these fish, with large bait shoals everywhere, and in the calmer water you should find it easy to find the fish. It helps that there will probably be 20 other boats out there catching them for you to work out where they are! I recommend trolling pink squids at first light for the However, of first hour,I wouldn’t then findbeashy good throwing swimbait lure, patch andaeither drift style or anchor such the Barambah Bony whileasfloating pillies out the shad Live mullet, back or in the yourZerek berley trail. particularly the the fish first are Headingwhen south, high column. patchinofthe reefwater just past Angourie in about I know a few guyswill doing 30m of water be the early morning a good place to start.topwater There is bite and, boy, are they a lotasofwell good trolling ground having some fun! These down here. Troll from fish the

Prime time for jack attack to the moon is where many anglers have had their joy. Fish over the metre mark are becoming common captures, What a season Awoonga especially after dark with is turning on – it’s on fire! plenty of healthy 90cm+ to Anglers from all over the keep everyone entertained. country are chomping at the Most of the larger fish have bit for a piece of should the action. beenof falling to and slow rolled There be plenty Spanish As always, the build up 5-8” paddle tail soft spotted mackerel around this month. plastics. GLADSTONE

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have mostly been around the 60-80cm mark, but any fish taken on topwater is a win in my books. There is just something about barramundi on surface that hasCurtis you always (14yo) from Wollongong with his first mulloway. wanting more. ESTUARIES  Barra are off focus for closed season, but CQ still has plenty on offer for the summer months. Healthy numbers of grunter continue to be showing up through the South Trees and The Narrows systems with some absolute crackers up over the 70cm mark. As I have mentioned in previous reports, grunter often like a making tide where they can Offshore fishing has been producing well for forage for food such as mullet, those who have managed to get out. herring, crabs and prawns. Mangrove jack have really to move so keep an eye out From those getting out there started to fire up with the hot for them on the run into has been some beautiful red days. If you’re not keen to Christmas, especially if we see throat emperor and coral trout battle the heat, then fish early some rain. That small amount along with some beautiful big morning and late afternoon. we did get saw some prawns red emperor. This time of year is your best getting about, which in turn Even the close in spots shot, as they often become often fires up the fishing. seemed to have had a rest. harder to catch once we start Offshore fishing has also Speaking to a few people that to get rain and freshwater rewarding forfrom the people have fished Tommy in with been a nice snapper the southern reef. rock cod and it the systems. who have had the chance; has produced red throat and of rain, some unfortunately opportunities large tuskies. bottom while you are float Heading edgeTalking of the reef to Freeburn out Also to themake FADsure willif quality haveandstarted been and far between. you’re wide youpretty have baiting thefew mackerel, as there find Rock (thecrabs bommie) back have youheading plenty of those squid jigsfish, packed the reports for the first two hours to find are good snapper on these jumping theasmahimahi. from month the lastusually few patches of where they are and, as with reefs in March. This produces weather are that there is plenty When you have had our the north ground, float bait biggest specimens, with around. What atheyear 2020 has for them after. Be sure to have your fill of the mackerel, the some pushing 10kg mark. been we hopeare everyone has a a couple of lines out on the options this month are endless. They really the ‘sport great Christmas break filled with many fun times out on the water enjoying the festive period with family and friends. Stay safe and Merry Christmas. Y EAS • For all the latest info on G IN PARK what’s biting and where, drop into Pat’s Tackle World at 23 Lord Street, Gladstone or give them a call on (07) 4972 3692. The team have their finger to the pulse to what is happening in the area, and are sure to point you the right OPinEN direction. You 7can DAYalso S find news, catch photos and special deals on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ PatsTackleworldGladstone) or check them out on Instagram It’s all about jacks this month! (@patstackleworld).

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DECEMBER 2020

A beautiful day on the water delivered this tasty coral trout.

DECEMBER 2020

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an extra foot of line to give the fish a chance to properly eat it, so the hook can set. The last thing you want to do is move the bait before the fish eats it. If you put the fish off you’ll put them all off, and will have to move somewhere else. The red emperor are still there. They haven’t been firing like they did in winter but they should start feeding more actively soon. If last year is anything to go by, we should enjoy good fishing right through to January. Unfortunately the sharks have moved in, so you’ll need to fish smarter. If you

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picking up. Anglers have been doing very well fishing the shallow reef areas, often bagging out in just a few hours. Most of the trout have been caught on half pilchards on a running sinker rig. When you’re fishing the shallows (10-25m of water), the trout are mostly smaller fish, but you will get sharked much less often. If you get your trout up quickly with a handline, you’ll be fine. Rods are not as effective as a handline in shallower water. If you’re new to using a handline, don’t be scared to use heavy mono – 60-80lb is what I use. And always use

DECEMBER 2020

You could put a saddle on this trout. What a horse! a running sinker directly to your hook. You should also move your bait as little as possible. You can rig your bait on either a single hook or a gang, but if you’re using a gang I strongly recommend putting swivels in between the hooks because it presents the bait much better. If you feel that you’re getting a nibble, don’t strike right away. Instead, feed out

get sharked, move. If you stay you’ll just continue to feed the taxman. One thing we’ve seen recently is truckloads of small tuna, mostly mac tuna, which make excellent bait. A friend of mine was chasing them when he saw several 50-70kg yellowfin swimming on the surface next to the boat, he thought they were dinosaurs! He hastily deployed a mac tuna to catch one of the big yellowfin. In the past he’s also had good success with extra large stickbaits for yellowfin. When you’re bottom fishing it’s good to always have a rod rigged with a slug in case you come across a school of tuna busting up. When you are casting out a slug for tuna, you should retrieve against the wind. This is because you can cast double the distance with the wind, giving you a greater chance of getting over the school, and your lures will swim better against the chop. That’s it for this month. Remember to get out and fish whenever you possibly can, because the weather won’t always play the game. The reef fish don’t stop biting so make the most of every weather window! • Truansea Charters specialise in 10-hour day

trips chasing prized reef targets such as coral trout and red emperor, as well as arm-stretching pelagics like Spanish mackerel. The maximum number of anglers is 6, so you’ll never feel crowded. The price is $300pp (or $275 pp if you book the whole boat), which includes all gear, fuel, bait, ice, chilled water/soft drinks and laughs! You’re welcome to bring your own reef fishing gear if you prefer. Other charter options include half-day reef trips, half day river trips and private guiding. To find out more visit www.truansea.com.au, or you can Like them on Facebook or call Luke on 0423 015 490.

Caiden caught this impressive GT off Swains Reef on a recent fishing trip with his father and brother in law.

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Treat yourself to Xmas barra MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

That’s it – 2020 is done and with a bit of luck we’ll see the end of all the COVID restrictions some time next year. In the meantime let’s make the most of December and get out on the water. As saltwater barra are off the radar until February, Mackay anglers and visitors have been enjoying the fruits of MAFSA’s continued

– which can often mean several hours of nothing at all then a short bite window when all hell breaks loose! There are so many lure types around these days that anglers can just about take their pick. I suggest sticking with the well credentialed ones like Reidy’s, Halco, Rapala, RMG, Lucky Craft and suchlike if you’re using hardbodies. If you’re using plastics, Squidgies keep getting results, but any big paddle-tail or swimbait will work. Remember that the

the barra is that they can be so frustrating at times but during the hotter, summer months they are way more active. Another good time to fish is around tide change times for Mackay Harbour. The various guides based on moon phases are often pretty near spot on. Sooties are an incidental catch in the two closer dams to Mackay but Eungella is the home of the big horses and they are on the chew. Spending a couple of days camping at the dam and tangling with those beaut sooties is a pretty

are off limits in the salt, our creeks and rivers offer plenty of options. Top of the list on those really hot humid days is mangrove jack, which are way more common here than a lot of people realise. You won’t often find jacks out in the open. These fish like to be right in the really snaggy stuff, and a live bait drifted down to the snag is the best method – then you have to keep the fish from getting back in there. Freshly fallen mangroves are always worth a try, as is any rock bar or isolated lump of rock. The trainer walls in the river produce a few, and there are good numbers in the harbour. Just remember that they know every nook and cranny in those rocks. Probably the next most prominent species at this time of year is the flathead, which are about in good numbers. We don’t get the huge ones like further south, but a 65cm

Kim Palfrey tossed a jug under a marauding school of tuna off Mackay harbour and came up trumps with this lovely spotted mackerel, which measured 82cm to the fork.

Jono Clarke loves Teemburra Dam and nailed this 110cm barra working a 95mm Zerek Fish Trap along a weedy point. The dam fish are in magnificent condition this summer. stocking programs with huge barra being consistently caught in Kinchant and Teemburra dams, with the odd one from Eungella also. It is no longer such an epic event to catch a 1m+ barra in our dams, but no matter how many times you catch one, the awesome thrill just doesn’t go away. Having one of these monsters smash a lure is surely one of the best angling experiences around. It’s even better if the hit is on a surface lure within meters of the boat and in full visibility. Anyone with a dicky heart though should be careful as those awesome surface strikes will definitely get the adrenaline flowing at top speed. But our dams aren’t just about 1m+ fish as MAFSA stocks top-ups at least once a year, so there are plenty of smaller fish in the dams also. Those smaller barra up to around 80cm are top fun; most of them seem to have had a turbo charger installed as they can really rocket and provide some anxious moments in and through the timber. Dam barra mainly feed on bony bream around the 75-110mm range, so if you start with a lure around that size you can’t go too far wrong. Many local anglers use larger plastics and swimbaits up around 200-300mm, and obviously a lazy barra won’t pass up a feed when in the mood. And finding barra in that mood is the key to success 36

DECEMBER 2020

lure must have a good, strong action at slow speed. Vibes like the Zereks and Reidy’s work well too, and don’t forget surface lures like Zip N Ziggys and Tango Dancers. For visitors or first timers on the dams, in the last issue I gave some general tips on where to fish in each dam, pointing out that while they are all different in terms of layout, the barra behave in the same way. Look for prominent points, laydown logs, old stumps, lilies and weed beds, islands, and ‘fish lanes’ like clearings along old fence lines etc. One common theme with

special way to escape from the everyday issues we all face from time to time. Highly recommended therapy that to blow away the urban ‘blues’! Sooties will often smack anything that comes close enough, but spinnerbaits and vibes are good standbys. Plastics and smaller hardbodies with good hooks are also welcome in the sooties’ home snags. Sooties will also smash a surface lure on daylight and at dark, and this is another awesome experience. Leaving the freshwater for the moment, while barra

Oscar and Balin Tweedle made a pre-dawn start on Eungella Dam and scored a double hook-up of solid sooties on vibes cast and allowed to sink down beside the trees. The fish were 48cm and 43cm. lizard is fun on lightish gear and yields a good feed also. Chase the lizards around the sand flats, drop-offs and

Kirsten Jordan with 88cm of Teemburra barra caught on a 6” Berkley Hollow Belly slow rolled around the lighter timber in the late afternoon.

run-out gullies with live baits, strip baits or lures. Prawns and yabbies are the best all round baits. Whiting are along the beaches together with good numbers of swallowtail dart and the odd oyster cracker (aka snub-nose dart or permit). Fresh yabbies, worms, or fine strips of squid will tempt any of these, and don’t be surprised to turn up a flathead or two. All the beaches are accessible and easily fished on foot, making them ideal spots for young kids to learn some of the art of fishing. During December the bait schools will come right in on the beaches, and the doggie and spotted mackerel will follow them and can be caught casting from the beach. Mac tuna will also herd the bait right into shallow water only 30cm or so deep. When this happens, and the tuna and mackerel rip in, the noise is incredible. Through October

and November the small mackerel and tunas have been everywhere along our coastline, and even into the mouth of the Pioneer River. The schools of 30-50mm baitfish have been getting absolutely smashed by some really nice-size spotted mackerel, along with the odd heavyweight longtail tuna. Most of the tuna though have been mac tuna, which on spin gear are great fun, but they need to be horsed to the boat quickly to make releasing them easier. A 6kg spin outfit with a decent drag, some slugs, shinies or jigs like Raiders and you are in business and set for a whole heap of fun. A boat is ideal, but these fish can be hooked and landed from the south break wall of the harbour too. On a good day with flat seas and light winds, the ocean from Lamberts Beach lookout area to Hay Point is alive with bait schools getting monstered, birds diving and wheeling, and anglers frantically trying to land fish. It’s absolute mayhem and tonnes of fun. I expect the mackerel madness to continue through until around Christmas, provided the conditions are right and the bait hangs around. Apart from the big tides early, mid and late December, there should be plenty of reef fishing opportunities around. Many anglers are now stocked up on mac tuna flesh for bait, so the reddies and sweetlip will get targeted for sure. Trout in the shallows will also be a welcome addition leading up to Christmas. So that’s what Mackay can turn on during December. Yes it is hot, but from the dams to the reef everything is on the chew, so why not come and join us? See you at the ramp and have a happy and safe Christmas.

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Ripper reefies smashing lures WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

Another year is drawing to a close, and what a year it has been! Twelve months of utter craziness where

a back up we had an insane bite on golden trevally and monster queenfish going on in sheltered waters. This went on for weeks and I lost count of how many fish that were caught. These guys hung around well into

Ross Johnson with a fat longtail caught trolling a hardbody along a current line. we all had our lives turned upside down and shaken vigorously. As we are now slowly exiting the pandemic crisis, some people’s lives and occupations are still in turmoil whilst others amongst us have been more fortunate and have been able to get our lives back on track. I have been lucky enough to be one of the fortunate few. As restrictions in Queensland began to ease a few months ago, Reel Addiction hit the ground running hard and we haven’t looked back since. It’s not only the business side of things that has been positive, either – the fishing in general the last few months has been red hot, and I have savoured every minute of it. As we began to come out of restrictions, it was right in the guts of our Spanish mackerel season and it was a pretty good season at that. The weather was the only hindering factor there. We couldn’t get at the Spanish every day but when we could it was game on. I wasn’t too sad on those days where we couldn’t get at the mackerel because as

spring and provided us with countless hours of quality light tackle entertainment. As the water temps started to climb, estuary anglers came out of the woodwork everywhere in an attempt to get their share of our barramundi and mangrove jack

DECEMBER 2020

all foraging species, and as such spend a lot of their time on the move, normally down current of a piece of structure, sometimes up to a couple of hundred metres away. They won’t necessarily go chasing their food, they’ll sit casually downcurrent somewhere and wait for it to come to them. I typically drift for these fish, and when I start the drift I normally make sure that we cover any structure that is present, and then let the drift continue onto no

Summer time is trout time. This coral trout caught by Jaydan Kerr was one of 27 trout boated using hardbodies in just four short sessions.

The deeper patches are starting to fire up with some quality table fish, such as this nice largemouth nannygai caught by Howard Hathaway. life like a little beauty, and this bite should continue for awhile yet. Close to home, locations such as Saddleback island, Georges Point and straight out in front of Dingo Beach are all well known haunts. Through this period of the year they are not too hard to fish land-based either. When these fish are turned on they will eat whatever you throw at them – they really aren’t hard to catch. Soaking pilchards is an age-old favourite ploy for a lot of

do. If the fish are up shallow, try casting mid-sized poppers or stickbaits. As with any type of surface fishing, the visual aspect of this is a blast. If you are a newcomer to the lure fishing side of the game, don’t get discouraged after just a few jigs or casts. Confidence will come with time, and sure as hell once you’ve got your hooks into a couple you’ll be a convert too and your pilchard bill will go down. There we go, that’s a wrap for this month. I hope there is some good juice in there to help you with catching a nice fish or two. Wherever you go and whatever you do on the water this month, stay safe and I wish you the very best. Have a great Christmas and may Santa bring us all plenty of cool fish-catching goodies. • Reel Addiction Sport Fishing Charters specialises in light tackle fishing for all tropical sportfishing species on fly, lures and bait. Reel Addiction operates from the beautiful Cape Gloucester Beach Resort, 40 minutes’ drive north of Airlie Beach. Combined fishing charter and accommodation packages are available. For

Young Amelie Kavanagh with a good example of a grey mackerel caught trolling hardbodies.

Sharon with a nice goldy caught drifting baits behind an anchored trawler. 38

population, and most were fairly successful too. The barramundi are now obviously off limits but the Whitsundays is home to one of the best mangrove jack fisheries that I have come across, and I’m sure these hard-fighting fish will keep creek anglers entertained right through the summer. Close inshore on the fringing reefs that surround all our inner islands and mainland headlands, the coral trout have decided that it’s time to play, and on Reel Addiction we’ve certainly caught our share. As is normal for me, the vast majority of these fish have been caught on lures, and it’s been hardbodies in particular that have been the star performers. I’ll get into December now and look at the piscatorial offerings we’ll hopefully be able to get our hooks into over the next few weeks. THE MONTH AHEAD Here at Hydeaway Bay, December for me is all about chasing reef species, both on the shallow reefs and out in the deep. Out on the deeper reef and rubble patches, species

such as golden snapper (fingermark), large-mouth nannygai and grunter will begin to appear more regularly. Fingermark in particular are a personal favourite not only to catch but I am drooling as I write this as they are one of the best fish that you can put in front of me on a plate. I have a little tip for you here for targeting these guys in the deep. You will catch fingermark, nannygai and also grunter on heavy structure for sure, especially if there’s any bait activity present, but they won’t always be hanging in tight to any structure. They are

man’s land and make sure that I cover a good amount of that country as well. If the first drift doesn’t reveal what I’m looking for then each following drift I’ll start on a slightly different line and keep repeating the process until we find that stud fish or two. Be patient, let your drifts go for longer and you’ll catch more fish – simple. Off the deep reefs now and onto the shallow fringing reefs, and these will be prime areas to give some attention to during December. As I’ve already mentioned, species such as coral trout have sprung to

Gavin Stapleton with a quality cobia. This fish put on a heck of a show after being hooked in 3m of water on light gear. locals, but there’s more than one way to skin a cat. These fish love lures too, so if you are one of those anglers who are yet to give it a go, why not make this summer the big occasion? Jigging soft plastics, vibes and micro jigs claims plenty of fish. Casting or trolling hardbodies is stupidly effective too, and so simple to

more information, contact Mick Underwood on 0413 882 153 or email mick@ reeladdiction.com.au. Resort enquiries can be directed to Julie Houston on (07) 4945 7242 or at info@capeg.com. au. To stay in touch with what’s biting, check out the Reel Addiction Sport Fishing Whitsundays page on Facebook.

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Fortune favours the brave TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

For the next couple of months the silver-sided slabs that draw so many tourists to the north are off the hit list, aside from the impoundments, which are still a massive drawcard.

very dedicated fisher to brave conditions like these. The upside is that you’ll find very few anglers in there, so it’s a great way to get away from the crowds – which is part of the reason why we do it. The other reason is the fact that it’s all close quarters encounters, and a big percentage of our fish

close range. Your rod should also have a very soft tip for the close quarters casting of smaller lures, and still have the guts in the butt section to extract the majority of your fish. My two favourites are the 5’6” Samurai Refraction in the 12-16lb class, and the 5’6” Atomic Arrowz Casting in the 8-16lb class.

pointing in the right direction. Once the fish is a reasonable distance out from the snags you can back off a little and get ready for the net. The whole process takes about 5-10 seconds on average once the hook is set. Short but intense battles is what this stuff is all about, and even a just legal sized jack (35cm) can stitch you up if you’re not quick enough. By-catch species include barra, big pikey bream, archerfish and cod. A decent-sized cod is a handful on the lighter gear, that’s for sure. The fluctuations in water clarity make it necessary to muck around with lure colour selections depending on the day. When using 4-5” soft plastic prawn imitations in dirty water, I recommend using bright colours such as pink or orange. You can also customise your jigheads with brightly coloured powder paint. When you rig

The barra fishing before the closure was exceptional, thanks to the floods a couple of years ago. Barra this size made the mozzieinfested walks in the scrub worth it.

Tom Gillies with a cracking jack to open his lure casting account. A white Atomic Prong with the tail dipped in Red Quick Coat to add contrast was his chosen tool and was very effective in the dirty water. It’s been quite a season, and barra pics have been coming in thick and fast. Some big fish have been caught in the deeper water, with vibes and bigger soft plastics being the most successful, but quite a few have been trolled up in the local rivers as well. Even though wild barra are now off the target list, I believe jacks more than make up for this. True, barra are bigger and the fight lasts longer if it’s a decent one, but there’s something special about a comparatively small fish that can do you over in just a split second! Luckily for us the jacks are still a goer on all fronts during the barra closed season, so here are a few tips to help you bend a rod. GETTING THE JACK As with all species in the northern estuaries, tide and habitat are important considerations. Yes, some jacks will be biting no matter what the tide does, but if you choose your time and location carefully you’ll have more consistent results. Depending on your local waterways, the last of the run-out tide may be the best in the smaller drains, as long as there’s enough water to float your boat, and you don’t end up stranded. A metre or so at low is perfect. During summer, these smaller drains can be some of the hottest, most uncomfortable places you’d want to be. The hordes of sand flies and mosquitos are annoying too, and it takes a

are sight cast, which adds to the excitement. People commenting on our YouTube channel (Hodgie The Barefoot Fisherman), often ask how the hell we can spot them before we cast. The truth is it’s just about impossible without a good pair of polarised sunglasses. I use Tonics with a photochromic copper lens, which are very scratch resistant, but there are other reputable brands that will work well too. If you’re keen

Reel-wise, a low profile baitcaster with a very light spool will give the best performance, because the heavier the spool, the bigger the lure needs to be to revolve it, and there goes your presentation. If you’re into skipping soft plastics or want to get into it, the light spool is another thing that makes it easier. Bigger reels also take more momentum to cast, and a faster harder cast lands the

Golden snapper are often caught in the same areas as their relative the mangrove jack. Golden snapper are an excellent eating fish, and the fight never disappoints.

Although smaller than barra, jacks will put a big smile on any angler’s face. Tannhym Hodge catches his fair share right up tight in the snags. to try on a pair, don’t do it in the fluorescent lighting of the shop – take them outside into the sunlight to get a true idea of their quality. Tackle wise, you’re going to find a shorter rod much easier to deliver a lure at

lure heavily on the water, spooking a large percentage of your fish. Hook sets need to be quick, and a short pump-andwind action is commenced as soon as the weight comes on, to keep the fish’s head

your plastic on the painted jighead, I suggest choosing colours that don’t match. This contrast (e.g. pink plastic rigged on chartreuse jighead) makes it easier for the fish to be more accurate with their attack in dirty water. That’s

the theory, anyway – and in my experience there’s been an improvement in hook-up and strike rations with this presentation. As far as line and leaders go, I use 20lb braid and 30lb fluorocarbon leader, and this is the best combo I’ve found yet. Lastly, the lure skipping tight range snag casting is just about impossible to do effectively or thoroughly without an electric motor, and being quite a substantial outlay, you need to do you homework on which is the best for you. The two brands I have used are Minn Kota and Motor-Guide, and they both have pros and cons. At the moment I have a 55lb Motor-Guide on my 4.1 Poly and it suits what we do. I did have a Minn Kota on the front for a few years until I snapped the shaft on it as I went over a wake and it self deployed at speed. My Motor-Guide has had serious corrosion issues, and I’ve had to repair the side plates several times as the plastic has broken

out. I’ve also had to replace the battery wires with heavier gauge, and replaced my neck remote control four times. Having said all that, the Motor-Guide was significantly cheaper to purchase than an equivalent Minn Kota. It’s up to you to decide whether the cheaper price is enough to make the extra maintenance worthwhile. BEATING THE SHARKS Last week I went to the reef with a couple of mates to get some table fish and mix it up a bit, but every hook-up we had in the deeper stuff was eaten within 2m of the bottom. We moved several times, but in the end we would have lost about 30 good trout and reds with not a single one landed. We ended up over the top of reef casting plastics to the gutters and bommies and pulling a bag of buffalo emperor and red throat which saved the day. It was the first time any of us had been to the reef without bringing home a trout. Shark numbers are out of control, with shark attacks on the increase as well, and the situation is only going to get worse unless something is done. On a positive note, getting a good feed of mackerel hasn’t been hard. Trolling lures (e.g. Halco Laser Pro or Max) is a reliable way to score a few, as is trolling wolfies or gar on chin rigs or rigged on wog heads. I’m sure there are plenty of YouTube videos on the rigging, so I won’t go too far into this. As I write this report we are having our first of the build-up weather for the wet. By all predictions it’s going to be a doozy, so hang onto your hat and let’s get ready for what eventuates this year. Good luck and good fishing. DECEMBER 2020

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Hinchinbrook running high on red captures LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

How crazy is it that December is already upon us and another year is drawing to an end. There is no point in talking about what a mixed up year 2020 has been, and I’m certain that

everyone is keen to see what 2021 has to offer. Around Lucinda the fishing has been good and consistent results were pretty easy to come by. So far the weather has been dishing up some hot days and the odd storm brewing up late afternoon has certainly switched the fish on. As always over summer, the weather is very important and dictates

pretty much everything. Heaps of rain will have rivers and creeks running high and the waters around Hinchinbrook will be brown. It is this time of year that weather windows to get out to the reef can be more frequent with winds down in the morning, picking up when the heat soars around lunchtime, which brings the fierce northerly sea breeze in.

Unfortunately this is a very common sight these days.

Surface munching jacks is what summer is all about.

HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL Barra closed season continues and hopefully we get some good rain that assists these fish in breeding up. The last few years have been great in terms of numbers of barra. On the right day and right tides, double figure days were no problem on school size fish. But enough about barra, summer is all about chasing jacks in the tight snaggy country. Plenty of travelling fishos visit Hinchinbrook every year and a lot of them do it to hopefully experience some great jack fishing. I

know a lot of people from down SE Qld that chase jacks and although they get some massive fish they normally lack the numbers. We are very lucky here as on a good tide it is very possible to get into double figures and, although size wise most fish are in the 35-45cm mark, they are a lot of fun. There are many ways to catch jacks and the trusty old half pilchard unweighted and drifted into snag piles is one of the deadliest techniques when done correctly. When I first moved here I got the chance to go jack fishing with a guy who has

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called the place home for 60 years. His technique wasn’t very sporting (50lb handlines) but it sure was effective. For most of us these days mangrove jack fishing is all about artificial lures and soft plastics, rigged correctly and fished close to structure they are a great way of getting into these fish. No matter what lure or plastic you are using you MUST get it in close to the structure you’re casting at. Jacks sit very tight to their chosen ambush spot and face into the current, so casts need to be close and in front of the snag or you are wasting your time.

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It is very important for there to be some tidal movement as well, moving water means baitfish are being pushed along the bank and past waiting fish. Surface lures are by far the best fun and in my opinion the deadliest way for catching these fish. Jacks are aggressive fish by nature and the best thing about a snag proof top water lure is it can be thrown deep into snags and worked out. I make no secret about my all-time

bigger fish out to feed. JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF Hopefully there will be plenty of windows to get out into the blue water over December. During summer the wind normally drops out late at night only to pick up around lunchtime meaning quick runs out into the boat passage or closer reefs are possible to get a few rods bent. There have been reports of great nannygai catches in the

it’s simple and a fun way of getting into the trout. Trout hit hard and you must turn them straight away before they bury themselves deep into their coral homes meaning instant bust offs. Bigger fish really take some stopping and for this reason using medium to heavy gear is recommended. A 30-50lb braid and tough 60-80lb leader would be my tip to help survive the harsh environment you will be fishing into.

A classic mid-40cm jack for Toni. favourite surface lure and that is the 2.75” Finesse Frog from ZMan. This is so easy to use and the fish just can’t resist chasing them down and smashing them. The only difficult factor is that they are small and light so it is crucial to choose a light but powerful spin rod and reel to fish them. If the major rainfall stays away, which is the normal scenario for December, then the channel will still be clear and chasing both fingermark and grunter in the deeper holes will be a great option. Live bait or at least fresh caught bait will mean better chances of catching decent fish, and fishing around sunset or into the night seems to bring the

shipping channel but sadly, as always, the sharks are about in packs and normally ruin the fun. There used to be a theory that sharks were worst around the week of the full moon but not sure if that is correct anymore as sharks seem to be everywhere you go. Coral trout have been the highlight of the last few months with some reports of boats bagging out in an hour and only fishing a spot or two. As the water warms up these fish get active and move deeper for comfortable water temperatures, I like to fish water in the 25-30m range for the next few months just dropping down strips of tuna under a ball sinker,

As it is now summer the inshore wrecks should be loaded with cobia and trevally which are loads of fun for those wanting to do some sports fishing. Cobia are suckers for large bright soft plastics worked over the top of wrecks and rubble. They can normally be seen free swimming under the boat, especially if there are a few fish coming up as they will normally follow them. There inquisitive nature is their undoing as you normally can just cast anything at them and they will eat it. The mighty cobia is a stubborn brawler that will never give up with long runs and circle work under the boat with their heads down.

Swayne Lund-Beveridge caught this huge diamond trevally on super light gear at Mackay Harbour breakwall on dead low tide using peeled prawns. DECEMBER 2020

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December’s red dog madness HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

So far the heat hasn’t been too bad compared to previous years, but it sure still does get hot

out for storms this time of year, which can build up and come out of nowhere. You will have to make a fairly quick decision if you have to travel 20 or 30 miles to shelter! With the incredible heatwaves in between

lure or weedless plastic to a live bait, it can be a real challenge to turn them if there is structure nearby. In saying that, they can be caught even out in areas on mudflats adjacent to areas of timber being left high and dry at low tide.

lately of the presence of sharks, they are just everywhere and it can be quite difficult if your fishing deeper water for species like golden snapper (fingermark). I find it’s best once you lose a fish or two to sharks to just move on somewhere else. In recent weeks I’ve experienced a lot of fish captures that have shown bite mark injuries from sharks. Makes me wonder if now they are more pack hunting/harassing schooling fish as well as

This poor bitten queenie was another victim to the grey suits.

Matt with pair of hard fighting jacks. out there on those calm days with no wind around for those who fish the daylight hours. Heading out at night can be a more pleasant than being baked during the day. If you do, keep a keen eye

rain periods this time of year, it sends our water temperatures soaring, and one particular species loves that – mangrove jack. Close encounters in timber can be interesting upon hook up. Whether from a retrieved

Recently, back in October, clients had a double hook up on mid-40cm sized jacks while fishing on the flats on charter. It caught us out by surprise, but a welcome one! We’ve been extra wary

We will start to see more jack catches as the water warms up.

chasing injured fish, which are being fought on a fishing line. Talking of sharks, fishing a little wider out the front has been quite frustrating with so many anglers losing good fish to sharks. On some spots I’ve found that one day you can pull up quite a few good fish no problem at all, then returning the next day, everything gets pounded by a large number of very large bull sharks. It’s hard to find an area anywhere these days that aren’t impacted by sharks, clearly the number of bull sharks have exploded over To page 43

Summer skip casting CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

With summer in full swing in the Trinity Net Free Zone, the estuary fishing will be on fire for anglers. The barramundi closures will still be in place this month, so anglers will

be best to target other species such as mangrove jacks, golden snapper (fingermark), grunter or king salmon instead. The Trinity Inlet has been the pick of the systems for both quality and quantity for mangrove jacks lately, with fish up to 50cm taking both baits and lures. When targeting these fish in the Inlet

this time of year it’s best to target shaded areas, especially during the middle of the day. Water temperatures can get well over 30°C at this time of year, which can be a little warm for the fish so they will seek the shaded areas that are a little cooler. Target areas include under the shady overhangs of mangroves, tree roots or snags.

David Taylor showing off a solid Cairns golden snapper.

This mangrove jack was taken on a Tiemco Skipping minnow. 42

DECEMBER 2020

In some cases, it can be a little difficult to get your lure in these areas so learning how to ‘skip cast’ certain plastics will be a good idea. Skip casting is not that difficult and it has the same concept of skipping a stone. First, you need the right lure, and one that is buoyant always helps. Personally, my favourite skipping lure is the ZMan FrogZ or PopShadZ because their shape and weight make them very easy to bounce under structure. When rigging I like to use a worm weedless hook with some weight, usually in the

belly of the hook not at the eyelet, to help with casting. My other all-time favourite is the Tiemco Skipping Minnow which is perfect for skirting mangrove roots. If you do not want to fish the surface then you can still skip plastics such as paddletails and grubs. One method I have been playing with recently is pitching lures into tight areas. Pitching is where you use your non-casting hand to pull an arm’s length of line off the reel. You then use the rod to swing the bait into the area you want to fish. This

is a great way to target the shade at this time of year. ZMan CrossEyeZ Finesse Jigs are perfect for this type of fishing. Whilst the jacks are chewing, so too will the golden snapper, and these fish are best targeted in deeper water around 6-8m on isolated structure or rubble bottoms. They can be caught casting at snags at this time of year but are more consistently caught using vibes, prawns or other plastics on isolated rubble. To page 43

OLD From page 42

the years since protection measures were put in place. There has been the occasional thready kicking around but they haven’t been anywhere near as thick as years gone by. My theory is there have been quite a few years of poor wet seasons, which they seem to thrive on. Areas like near the Bluff

down the southern end of the channel used to be riddled with them, but these days hardly see many, if at all. I hope you all have an awesome Christmas and Happy New Year and indulge on plenty of fine seafood we have to offer here on our doorstep. See you in the New Year. • If you’re looking to do

a charter with us during January or the start of the 2021 open barra season in February, Bookings are filling up quick so now is a good time to get in and get your name down on some good dates. For bookings please email us at info@ ianmoodysportfishing.com or phone myself directly on 0402 339 459.

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The best tides to chase these fish are over the neaps that allow you to fish this deeper water for longer. Once again, the Cairns Inlet has some great areas. Sounding around using a quality sounder, such as a Hummingbird Mega, will help you find the structure and fish. If the rain comes early then the prawns will run, and this will mean threadfin or king salmon. We had an awesome run of these fish early this year out the front of the creeks all along the NFZ, so here’s hoping they come back again. The best spots include along Machans and Kewerra beach as well as the mouth of the Barron River.

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Red hot holiday fishing PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

Right on cue this year the air temperature went from comfortable to hot around the end of October. As expected, water temperatures also rose moderately. Calm water conditions should remain stable for a while to come, allowing anglers to explore the vast opportunities available in the area, including night fishing opportunities. We’ll start with the ever popular reef fishing on the Great Barrier Reef itself. It has been quite sensational, and the post-spawn catches have been through the roof. Coral trout, large-mouth nannygai and extra large red emperor have certainly made their mark, not only in size but in significant numbers. As the days move

forward they will move back down into deeper waters to 30m+, and ride their time out during the hotter periods. The season to this point has been one of the best we’ve seen in quite a few years, and hopefully this will continue. Interestingly, the Spanish mackerel seem to have dried up on the reef itself and are only being caught intermittently, although the average size is larger. For those anglers who are a bit more adventurous, GT popper fishing and stickbaiting across the pressure points of reefs has been very productive, and the calmer conditions at this time of year certainly aid in spotting the nervous bait schools. We’ve seen a lot of models around 15-20kg and up towards 25kg on occasions caught by guides and keen anglers. Going up a notch or

two, the heavy tackle marlin season really has taken off since mid October and that initial run of great weather ignited the big black marlin into gear. Reports have been solid from the north along the Ribbon Reefs right down to our famous Linden Bank. It has been common for these Formula One vessels to complete up to 3-4 tags a day on average, or even more. The season this year is really demonstrating why we are the best big black marlin fishery in the world. Put it on your list as a ‘must do’ experience. For the small boat brigade, the coastal and river fishing has been awesome and really great value. The bottom fishing has been exceptional in regards to large-mouth nannygai and bar-cheek trout. Certain coastal reefs have been holding good bait and are also seeing good

Red emperor are being caught in good numbers and sizes at the moment. numbers of GTs, which have come up out of the surrounding deeper waters. Estuary fishing has been good for the likes of mangrove jack, and proper river systems have been littered with a run of good-sized trevally, which are a heap of fun on the light gear. Add to

this tarpon schools, golden snapper (fingermark) in the channels and accidental barra amongst the snags, the rivers have been on fire with some great tides at this time of year. The upper reaches such as the Daintree have been seeing fish way further up the system than normal.

Moving forward, we really hope the tourist trade picks up. Most businesses up here have been running at around 30-40% for a long time now, and it has been a real challenge. If you get the chance get up here before the wet season takes hold, join us and enjoy some great fishing tropical FNQ style.

We’re all waiting for the wet CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

With the heat ratcheting up to near stifling and the barramundi season closed, anglers will be questioning the amount

storms are showing up. Any serious rain might give barramundi and saratoga a chance to make it out of their hidey holes and into the salt or brackish water they need to breed. In early summer the food webs that have been charging all the bays and estuarine

lakes will make stragglers fight for survival. The Gulf to the west of Cape York will become a vast reservoir for all manner of marine creatures over the next four months, from tiny prawns to vast anchovy schools. Most of the queenfish and trevally schools which had been so ravenous in rivers throughout the winter and early spring months dissipate at this time of year. They are replaced by patchy, ravenous schools just off the coast. Some of the larger models will still be accounted for late in the year; a few memorable captures include large solitary brassy trevally and 1m long queenies caught over the flats in clear inshore waters. Threadfin salmon should be around in good numbers hunting their smallish crustacean prey in the form of shrimps, prawns and little baitfish. Shallow mangrove-studded banks with protruding propagules

(seedlings) with high concentrations of bait on an incoming tide, tend to be prolific areas. Mangrove jack can also be found on harder mangrove banks and tend to favour leading current edges, indents in the bank and small pieces of structure shielded from the stronger currents. Over on the east coast, the outer reef can be expected to fire on all cylinders with warm, clear water and prolific baitfish concentrating around the reef gaps and openings. Following the Coral Reef Finfish Closure in November, there’s good fishing to be had over shallow reef and shoal areas for a wide variety of species. On the outer reef edges, December catches will include jobfish, large coral trout, red bass, chinamanfish, emperors and sweetlips. Giant trevally, mackerel, wahoo and dogtooth tuna are some of the larger predators expected

Queenfish move out of the rivers at this time of year, and can be caught just off the coast.

A beautifully marked bar-cheek trout. of time they spend up the creeks and rivers during December. With scientists predicting an early start to the wet season, we could see some cracking thunder and lightning 44

DECEMBER 2020

systems up and down the length of Cape York start to slow down during the wet season build up. Water temps will be high and stagnating water in the pools, billabongs, swamps and estuarine

The author with a nice jewie that couldn’t resist this enticing jig.

around areas of high current and concentrated baitfish. The large black marlin found over the southern Cape York reefs typically begin pushing south towards Cairns at this time of year, however each year produces slightly different migration patterns. Some of the most glamorous sea conditions will be found throughout December, and trailer boats can find themselves in some distant and far-flung reef and island locations well east of their usual haunts. Enjoy December for these once-in-a-year boating conditions.

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Building up to a big wet COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

Things are heating up, not only with the temperature but the fishing as well. The weather at this time of the year is hot but the winds are down and everyone is heading to the reefs to catch plenty for Christmas. Coral trout, red emperor and nannygai are in great numbers and mackerel have been around in numbers. A seafood Christmas, what could be better? The storms are no doubt on the way and rain is needed to replenish the land, rivers and sea. Barramundi are hopefully all meeting up and breeding and looking to venture upstream when the river starts to flood. Prawns will also be reproducing and generating new stocks. The only downside is that jelly fish will also be doing the same and as flood waters push them out of the river systems they will no doubt be spread far and wide along our coastline.

The reef is firing and all accounts are that the fish are hungry. Targeting bait schools will produce, as these are the supermarkets for hungry fish. Birds also working over bait schools can be an indication of pelagic fish on the feed and trolling lures around the front edge can produce results. Sharks also frequent these locations and can sometimes look to steal a catch from you. It can be an interesting tussle but usually once a shark commits there’s not much chance of getting your fish in and usually the only portion left will be the head. The local wharf has been inundated with herring and pike, as well as the breeding barramundi. With the water so clear, barra can be seen swimming around the pylons taunting the fishers. However tempting, leave them alone and see if you can catch a mackerel with some live herring instead. They will be back on the menu in two months

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The reef fishing has been on fire, as Justin found out with this tasty coral trout.

Jacinda and her friend Cam with a metre barra caught off the beach prior to closure. However, you have to take the good with the bad. Mud crabs will also be aware of the increased freshwater in the river systems. This is a great time to target them as they don’t like freshwater and will be actively moving downstream and even further out to sea as the floods come. It’s almost too easy to catch them when this occurs. So time to get your mud crab gear ready and, with calm weather around, it’s easy to have the fresh fish frames ready when needed. Fresh fish heads are the best and regularly changing baits is key – it also makes it less unpleasant when checking pots as rotten fish all over the boat, and ultimately all over you, isn’t nice.

time. Hopefully in that time they will have breed and spread throughout the river systems as they flood and recede bringing in future stocks to replenish what has been captured previously. Fish stocks were great this year and will be interesting to see how the barra fishing is once it opens again in February. Anyway, Merry Christmas and I hope a lot of seafood finds it way onto your dinner table. I’m looking forward to a new year of possibilities. Until next month!

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Marcus caught this 72cm morwong while fishing the artificial reef off Moreton.

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MORE INFO

DECEMBER 2020

OLD

Hotter days bring them on TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

As a crazy year comes closer to ending, we can at least be thankful that the fishing we have here in Queensland hasn’t changed. It’s great to be able to get out there and have a crack at catching some awesome fish. The summer months will change things up a bit. The long days and warmer water temperatures will likely see the fish responding better in the

mornings and afternoons. Those night impoundment barramundi are fun during the closed season in the rivers. The barra don’t mind feeding during the night when conditions are also cooler for fishing. It has to be one of my favourite ways to fish. Being a fair skinned, freckled, ranga supermodel, I love being able to head out late in the afternoon and not worry about the sun’s rays. There’s something about the anticipation of waiting for a bite in the dark that adds to the excitement. At this time of year, I usually

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST The bass are getting harder to find of late as the schools break up and scatter. Some fish can still be found around the points near the ramp and camp ground or up the arm past the pump tower. These fish come and go and some days it is hard to find something worth throwing at. When you do find a school, they should be keen to take G2 Gang Bangers or Halco 20g Twisty slices. Smaller offerings tend to work well over summer but don’t be afraid to mix it up and show them a bigger chunk of metal like the Raptor Jig or Palm Slow Blatt. Trolling hardbodies out in the deeper water will start to produce as the fish are more willing to suspend. Try deeper diving lures like the Halco Poltergeist Crazy

Deep, Blitz Baga or locally made Little Rippa. Trolling up the middle or in over 10m of water will be the way to get the bites out in front of the ramps and at the start of the arm past the pump tower. Don’t be afraid to mix things up and troll slower with an electric motor at 2-3km/h and use spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and tail spinners. These lures can be deadly if you work out the correct speed and distance behind the boat to have them tracking past the suspended fish. If you can secure some live shrimp for bait, you will stand a really good chance of whacking plenty of fish. Bass tend to school up below boats so just drop them straight over the side in over 8m of water and suspend the bait at the depth the fish are showing. There have been a few golden perch getting caught around the points north of the camp ground. Now the dam level

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don’t think about too much else fishing related. It really is that good so make sure you experience it. We’ve all seen how vulnerable the lake barramundi stocks are when flooding rain allows them to escape. Hook into them now! With plenty of Covid making the news and changing the way we live, we need more than ever, something in life to look forward to. I love to plan ahead and have a fishing trip or two that is special throughout the year. Some years, we head to the gulf country, other we do an

impoundment barra road trip. This year is extra special, or at least I hope the weather allows it to be. The planning has been in place for over 9 months and when I get the chance to fish for 2-3 weeks, I want to make some lasting memories. We are headed north to Cooktown with the big boat and spending plenty of time on the reef flats. Mixed in will be some impoundment barra fishing on the way to and from our destination. Between these two styles of fishing, I don’t think it gets any better. Bring it on!

has dropped, you have good deep water access from the shore from the first point. You’ll see the fish attractor

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surrounding dams, call in to see Fish’n’Bits in Alderley 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 Somerset has left anglers

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on end at some point of the year but good catch rates have been hit and miss. The bass schools are still relatively easy to find around The Spit, Pelican Point and all the way up to Queen Street. Some days they’ll chew spoons but lately soft plastics like the 3” Slider Grub have been getting the job done. Don’t mess around with light jigheads. Rig up with

a 1/2 or 5/8oz jighead to ensure you are spending plenty of time where the fish are. They will be holding pretty deep most days and 10m is always a good spot to start searching. At this time of year, the comfortable depth the fish prefer can be quite specific so venture between 8 and 13m at each location to see if you can pinpoint the most likely depth to find them. Reaction lures come into their own sometime this month. Casting spinnerbaits and chatterbaits or trolling hardbodies will account for most of the fish. The Spectre Vibration jig started to dominate catches around the end of the month last year. Some anglers preferred to cast these lure and had good success. I love to wind drift with them or slow troll them at 1.5km/h while taking half a dozen winds before dropping them back until they touch bottom before repeating. Golden perch number around the Kirkleigh area will pick up. You can troll the main drop offs and humps with medium diving lures that reach 6-8m deep. If you venture up into the timber north of Kirkleigh for a troll remember it is a 6 knot zone. • Somerset Fishing has

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scratching their heads a bit this year. Usually you strike a consistent pattern and good fishing for weeks

There’s still a few good fish getting around at Cressbrook Dam. This bass fell to a slowly hopped Raptor Jig.

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Reaction lures will start to excel this month. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits will get plenty of bites from bass and golden perch.

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To page 47

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OLD From page 46

their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Thursday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www. somersettackle.com.au . They have an excellent

the lake. Try starting your search just short of the Junction and head up the feeder arms from there. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits have been slaying the fish. As the days get hotter, the midday action will slow down as the fish retreat to deeper water. Concentrate efforts

around the mornings and afternoons when flicking towards the edges of the dam. The heat may drive the bass back into schools on the deeper flats around The Junction area. These schools can be worked with the standard bass arsenal but don’t dismiss the Spectre Vibration Jig. These

lures were designed with summer schools in mind. You can certainly toss them at edge fish but the heavier 5/8oz model is ideal for deep schooling fish. Wind drifting or trolling while winding and dropping back can make a huge difference to results and keep the fish biting a lot longer than just

sitting stationary on them. • 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.

was yet to have an inflow. If a gully-raker falls in the right spot, the dam is sure to rise and dirty up. If this doesn’t occur, December is a prime month

for golden and Murray cod trolling. The golden perch really fire up with the warmer weather. They have been quiet here over the last couple of years but water colour is

favourable at the moment. Medium sized hardbodies are great for the murkier waters of this dam. The Halco Poltergeist 5m and StumpJumper No2. Are good options for both golden perch and

Murray cod. Lure casting is tricky at the moment with the fish spread out along the drop off to the old river beds and up on some of the deeper humps out from the dam wall.

Bait fishers can try their luck on the humps and drop offs. Try positioning the boat in 5m of water. Sometimes you can catch live shrimp from the rocky wall leading up to the dam wall.

movements. Rather than using hardbodies, we ran the Zerek 5.5” Live Mullet at 2.2 to 2.5km/h. I’m pretty sure it was the right decision as the numbers slowly racked up each session and we caught more each day as we learned the fish movements better. The fish tended to bunch up better in the afternoons, through the night and earlier in the mornings. This is the time to cast at them. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the barra need to feed on the edges of this lake. Sometimes the better concentrations are in more

than 7m of water. After running the sounder over this area, it was evident there was more than enough food out there to keep them happily feeding in the deeper areas. Positioning the boat deeper and casting shallow will allow you to work a range of depths in one retrieve. It is hard for me to go past the Zerek 5.5” Live Mullet based on their recent success at this dam, Awoonga and Monduran. Another great lure is the 140mm Molix Swimbait. These lures are a bit heavier and track deeper. Let the fish help you decide which lure to use by gauging their depth and working lures accordingly.

range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch. BORUMBA CLOSEST TOWNS: IMBIL, NOOSA The edges of the dam at Lake Borumba have been firing. Bass, toga and the occasional golden perch have been caught all over

DARLING DOWNS REGION COOLMUNDA CLOSEST TOWNS: INGLEWOOD There have been a few storms about but at the time of writing, the dam CAPRICORN REGION CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA I had a great taste of the Callide barra action last month. We boated 18 fish with 4 over a metre long. With falling levels, locating the fish is now much easier. We found a few up around Pelican Point but most of the fish seemed to be within sight of the dam wall. These fish were actively roaming about so it was hard to stay with them all the time. This being the case, we opted to troll quit e a bit to keep tabs on their

Adam Krautzy caught this cracker of a barra from Callide Dam on a Zerek Live Mullet.

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And that’s why barra bite you off! Quality leader of at least 60lb should be used when chasing these fish. Time for the long pliers! AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE It has been steady fishing so far this year with inconsistent results. Some sessions are crackers with plenty of bites while others are just tough. The fish are usually easy enough to find but sometimes they just refuse to eat. This is all set to change. Last November was when the switch flicked and the fish started biting all over the lake. This should continue right through to January. Late arvos are the time to be on the water and in your

chosen spot. The windblown main basin points are the prime areas and if you aren’t early enough, you could miss your chance to fish your honey hole. Plenty of boats will be on the water this year so exercise caution and use your navigation lights out on the water and make sure you can be seen when travelling. Soft plastics like a 6” Hollow Belly rigged on a 1/2oz jighead are ideal. The Zerek 5.5” Mullet, Barambah Bony Shad and Molix Swimbait are some of the other proven lures on this lake. We are starting to see even more of these swimbait style

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plastics and hardbodies so I am sure there are plenty more standout offerings out there. • 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 gladstoneflyandsportfishing. 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, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033.

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Tech Tricks

How to make DIY lanyards for all your needs BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Whether you fish from kayak, jetski, boat or landbased, it is not uncommon to drop something and have it disappear into the drink. Scissors, pliers, de-hookers and even entire rod and reel outfits can end up in Davy

Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s locker in an instant. Securing your tackle to either yourself, the boat, jetski or kayak attachment point can save you a lot of grief and dollars. Even whilst travelling, rods and reels can eject from rod holders and rocket launchers. Today we are going to make some easy lanyards that can be used for securing all

sorts of items in an array of ways. I initially discovered the method of making these cords on an internet forum and though it was too good not adapt to the fishing scenario and share it with you. Hope you find it useful too! Whether you call them spiral cords, coil cords or curly cords, retracting cords like this are very useful. The item is secured yet the cord

To make this lanyard you will need some whipper snipper cable (2mm used here), some large stainless steel key rings, a pair of cutters, crimps to match the cable, crimping pliers, a jug of boiling water, some sturdy cloth tape and some form of tube to wrap the cord around (I am using a large screwdriver). Various clips, shackles, carabiners and snaps can be used when making lanyards for other uses.

Begin wrapping the monofilament around the tube (a large screwdriver in this instance). Hold the wraps against the tube between your thumb and forefinger between wraps. The monofilament will have a slight backbone so it is important that you allow it to coil around without twisting it. Releasing your grip on the tag end between wraps will stop this twisting.

I also tape the tag ends along the tube at each end so this section of the monofilament will keep relatively straight once completed. 48

DECEMBER 2020

can be stretched out so the item can be used and then retracts when the item is returned to its initial position. This keeps it secure yet neat. The material we are going to make these cords out of is heavy, stiff monofilament. The easiest type to source is whipper snipper cord, which comes in an array of thicknesses and some rather bright colours.

Most monofilament fishing line will probably not be stiff enough to maintain the coiled shape. How big you make the coils will depend on the use of the item you are making the coiled lanyard for. Use thicker monofilament for larger coils and thinner for smaller coils. How big the coils are will depend on what you are coiling the item around when making.

All manner of steel rods, curtain rods, conduit and dowel can be used. I often use screwdrivers as they are easy to grip whilst you are wrapping the monofilament around. Today I am making a lanyard to secure a pair of heavy-duty snips to the pouch on my decky belt but you will find a lot of used for these lanyards. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get started!

Cut a length of monofilament around 1m. This will allow the finished product to stretch to a bit over 60cm, which is enough for this purpose. About 15cm in from one end, tape it to the tube as shown with some sturdy cloth tape, which will withstand the boiling water and not come off.

Continue along the tube until you are approximately 15cm from the end of the monofilament. Use some more tape to secure this end to the tube as shown whilst keeping the monofilament wrapped tightly.

Fill a large jug or saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Pour this slowly along the spirals of monofilament plus each end. Pour the hot water up and down the length and make sure you heat all the monofilament fairly evenly so the coils remain uniform once completed.

Tech Tricks

Now we need to cool the monofilament. This can be done by submerging it all in some iced water or just putting the freezer as I have done. I usually leave it in for a good ten minutes or so in the freezer.

Once cooled, take it from the freezer and remove the tape securing the monofilament to the tube. You will notice that the coil size will slightly enlarge as the tension is taken off.

Because the head of the screwdriver is slightly larger than the shaft, you will need to twist the coiled monofilament off it in the same direction that the coils are going.

With a loop crimped in each end and a stainless steel key ring added the lanyard is now completed. I drilled a hole in the handle of the snippers to accommodate the split ring and attached the other end to the snipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pouch. There is enough stretch in the lanyard so that the snippers can be used however I will now never lose them.

You can make these lanyards out of any of the whipper snipper monofilament sizes. However, the thicker monofilament will need to be used for larger coils and the thinner for tighter coils to have them work appropriately and recoil well. After you have done a couple you will soon work out which to use for your chosen task.

These lanyards can be used for securing all sorts of tools and making rod savers. I even made one out of the 2.7mm monofilament to use as a paddle leash on the kayak. They are exceptionally strong, fairly UV stable and can be completed with all manner of snaps, carabiners, clips, key rings and shackles to secure them. I thought they were a cool idea and hopefully you will find some uses for them also. DECEMBER 2020

Recreational Fishing Update First Metre Trophy Flathead Tagged!

The first metre-long dusky flathead – the Holy Grail for all keen flattie fishos – has been tagged as part of DPI’s Trophy Fishery Program! This popular citizen science initiative involves targeted tagging of 70cm+ flathead in the St Georges Basin, Lake Macquarie and Tuross Recreational Fishing Havens plus promotion of best practice handling and release

Changes to Recreational Cockle Harvesting

The NSW Government has reduced the possession limit of Cockles from 50 to 20 per person, effective from 14 October 2020. This change has been implemented following consultation with and support from the NSW Recreational Fishing Advisory Council. The change is to ensure a balance between managing Cockle numbers into the future while still providing a sustainable catch for recreational fishers. The rules now allow for a combined recreational possession limit of 50 Cockles, Mussels and Pipis, of which only 20 can now be Cockles. The new possession limit applies per person across the whole State. The new rules have been implemented through the Fisheries Management (Possession Limit) (Estuary Cockles) Order 2020, which was issued under Sections 227 and 228 of the Fisheries Management 1994 and published in the NSW Government Gazette. Information on legal fishing and marine invertebrate collecting is available through the free FishSmart NSW App. Please report suspected illegal fishing activity by calling 1800 043 536.

DECEMBER 2020

techniques. Keen fisho Col Couchman landed the trophy-sized flathead in the Basin in late October. It measured 100cm on the dot before Col tagged and released it. To date, a total of 745 trophy flathead measuring 70cm and above have been tagged and released in the three RFHs as part of the Trophy Fishery Program.

Mulloway Recaptured … For The Third Time!

A school sized mulloway originally tagged and released in the Shoalhaven River by Chris Cleaver on 31 March 2020 has been recaptured…. for the third time! Including the original tag and release, the fish has now been caught an unbelievable four times in just 186 days. The recapture summary is as follows: • Originally tagged by Chris in the Shoalhaven River on 31 March at 80cm. • Recaptured and released 32 days later in the Shoalhaven River on 2 May at 81cm by well-known local angler Guy Jamieson (pictured). • Recaptured and released 93 days later in the Shoalhaven River on 3 August at 85cm by Ben Trautman. • Recaptured and released 61 days later on 3 October north of Wollongong at 85cm by Tommy Ivanovic. Overall, the fish spent 186 days at liberty and travelled more than 50 nautical miles (~90km) between release and recapture locations. These multiple recaptures highlight that mulloway are resilient to catch and release as long as good handling techniques are implemented.

A total of 87 fish have been reported as being recaptured. The information from the recaptures contributes valuable data on flathead movements, growth rates and post-release survival. Search “Trophy Fishery” on the DPI website for more info, including what to do if you catch a tagged flathead.

More Weird Catches

DPI has recently received info on a couple of “weird catches”. First up, keen fisho Andrew Hooke (pictured) let us know about the cracker 60cm King George whiting he caught while targeting snapper and flathead on the South Coast. Andrew followed up with a 50cm KG in the same location the following day. KGs have previously been reported in NSW waters but are more commonly encountered in Victoria, Tasmanian, SA and WA. The KG captures were followed up by a report from DPI’s Clay Hilbert, who caught a tarpon while fishing in the Kalang River, just south of Coffs Harbour in northern NSW. Tarpon are common in northern Australia and are a popular, albeit niche, target for estuary sportfishers in SE Queensland. They’ve been recorded as far south as Sydney but generally aren’t a regular catch in NSW waters. Let us know if you’ve encountered any weird or interesting catches lately. We’re always interested to hear about your catches! Send the details – including photos – to fisheries.info@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

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Where do my fishing licence fees go? Funds raised from the NSW recreational fishing licence are placed into special trusts, and spent on projects to improve recreational fishing. Committees of anglers provide recommendations on expenditure from the trusts: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Fish stocking Artificial reefs Fish aggregating devices (FADs) Recreational fishing havens Fishing facilities e.g. fishing platforms and fish cleaning tables Kids fishing workshops Fishcare Volunteers Gamefish tagging Get Hooked...it’s fun to fish, primary schools education Fish habitat restoration

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au DECEMBER 2020

Sydney

NSW

Go hard or stay home! PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

The silly season has arrived and our waterways are starting to get a little bit busier as the weather patterns change for the better. Over the coming month we should see the water temperatures rising and fish activity becoming more apparent especially early in the morning and late in

fishing gear. To have your chance at tangling with some of these fish try using small metal lures in the 10-20g range and cast towards the edges of the school with your motor turned off. By positioning your boat upwind or upcurrent of the melee your boat will silently approach the mayhem. Vary the retrieve speed to find what the fish like to chase and attack. Some mornings it requires a very fast retrieve, with the lure

This flatty didn’t have a chance with this young pro fisher. the afternoon. Most of this activity will be seen on the surface and can be located by the working seagulls and terns. Recently there has been a lot of activity around the Broken Bay area and most fish encountered have been either bonito or kingfish which, is always great fun, especially when using lighter

splashing across the surface, while on other mornings the fish prefer it a lot slower. Another great lure to use, especially when tackling kingfish, are Slug-Go soft plastics. Providing they are worked correctly, the colour doesn’t seem to matter too much the moment. The 6” Slug-Gos seem to get most of the attention and

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once again, vary the speed of your lure to make sure it is working correctly. Under all this surface activity are some other species feeding deeper, and these include bream and flathead, and sometimes tailor or mulloway. To try for some of these deeper species, use freshly caught yellowtail stripped up into smaller pieces. Cast your running rig out so it bumps on the bottom, and make sure that you put into a strong rod holder. Back along Pittwater we have been seeing some nice kingfish being caught but there is no one area that is working best at the moment. The kingfish we’re tangling with are around the 85-90cm mark, and have they been getting caught in different areas each day. Areas to try are along the Western foreshore between Soldiers Point and Long Nose Point, along the Kingfish Highway and around Barrenjoey Head. The better bait to use at the moment seems to be squid, preferably live, and the best technique is to use a downrigger. Quite often we will catch live squid and use one live squid on a downrigger, and on the other downrigger we will use frozen squid that has been thawed out carefully. I do this because quite often when you find the school you will get a double hook-up and one live squid can excite more than one fish. By having the second squid in the water, some of the other kingfish will take the easy feed as they are still excited from the squirting, panicking live squid that they have just seen. When fishing along Barrenjoey Head, yellowtail can be used as well as thawed frozen squid. Most of the fish encountered along this area are smaller kingfish but there are some decent ones to be tangled with at the moment too. Patience is required, and covering ground can see you encounter a great bite. If you do go at West Head and catch some yellowtail make sure you hook up your first caught yakka and place it just out of sight from the surface, because kingfish have been lurking around this area as well. This area also accounts for mulloway from time to time, but you will need to set your baits at the bottom instead of mid water. Areas to catch squid at the moment seem to be most of the bays that have weed. These areas include Palm Beach, Mackerel Beach, The Basin and Careel Bay. The better size jigs at

This king couldn’t resist live squid on the rigger. the moment seem to be the 2g sizes and the better colours to use seem to be the fluoro colours. As normal an aggressive retrieve will see more squid being caught than those casting and is lifting rods slowly. It really is important to use that aggressive retrieve as the old saying suggests go hard or go home. By using an aggressive technique you are putting a lot more vibration through the water and squid will pick it up as a dying prawn or baitfish. It’s the pauses when squid attack so make sure you let your lures sink

for 3 to 4 seconds during the retrieve. For those wishing to chase whiting and flathead they are starting to show up in good numbers and can be encountered around the weed beds at Palm Beach as well as at Mackerel Beach. Most of the bays actually have a flathead or two to target, just make sure that you find a drop-off or work the edge of the weed beds with lures or baits. There are also plenty of flathead lurking around Broken Bay area, with my favourite drift being from Patonga through to

One of those great catches on a thawed frozen squid.

Lion Island. This area is great to drag some bait along the bottom whilst casting soft plastics out the other side of the vessel. Along our coast there are some kingfish being caught along most headlands and reefs, and the better baits are yellowtail and slimy mackerel. In these areas you can also use frozen squid but just be wary that you need to check your baits often as there are many sweep willing to devour the frozen squid. The better areas lately have been Newport reef as well as Long Reef. Out in the deeper water around the 50-60m mark there are some snapper to be caught as well as some very decent flathead. As usual, make sure that you find baitfish before you start deploying your lines as this will be where you’ll catch the most snapper, and other species as well. So as you can see there are many species to be tangled with at the moment. However, if you think you can just throw out your anchor and expect fish to find you, you are probably better off staying at home! If you fish hard though you will get the results. I’d like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope the big fella in the red suit puts lots of fishing gear under the Christmas tree with your name on it. • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www.estuaryfishingcharters .com.au

NSW

Cracking Xmas catches NORTH SYDNEY

Steve Winser

There have been some nice kings caught in the harbour lately, around the 90cm mark, but they have been sporadic. Most have been taken on squid, with a few taken on Slug-Go soft plastic stickbaits in pale green, brown/gold and also the standard white, rigged with a worm hook and a small weight, no jighead. Most of the good kingfish we’ve caught lately have been in the lower harbour; plenty of fish marked but it can be tricky to get them to take. The back end of the harbour is starting to quieten down a bit, as is normal for this time of year. Surface schooling fish (salmon, tailor and smaller kingfish) have been reasonably consistent from west of the bridge through to the heads. For the salmon and tailor, walk-the-dog surface lures have been working better than metals lately. The baitfish they’re feeding on are tiny, and trying to match the hatch with metals is difficult. One of the best lures lately has been the 4” Sugapen. The standby at this time of year are the bream, blackfish and trevally in shallow water, and the fishing has once again been outstanding. It’s one of the best seasons I’ve seen for them. We have been catching both blackfish and bream in the same sessions, using a little bobby cork with bread baits in a bread berley trail. Again we have caught numbers of bream over 35cm and quite a few over

40cm. The larger bream have mostly come from shallow water around rock shelves and ledges. I’ve noticed that most of the 40cm+ bluenoses have been regurgitating bits of black rock crab, so if you’re lure or fly fishing for bream, I would be looking at those shallow rock ledges with crab patterns. Blackfish are still in swarms pretty much everywhere over the ribbon weed beds and edges with current/tide pushing along them. There are fish to 1.5kg amongst them. Flathead are starting to appear in the backs of the bays in the estuaries as the water temperatures rise. Most flatties have been taken on 4-6” curly-tail and shad-tail soft plastics. The standard flathead colours are chartreuse and pink, but other colours also take their share. Black drummer and blue groper are still on the chew because the water temps are still low for this time of year. The best method for drummer lately has been float fishing in the washes with bread or prawns. You’ll catch groper by-catch when using prawns for drummer, but if you’re serious about groper you’ll want to go to the effort of getting crabs. Squidding has been consistent in recent weeks over both kelp beds and the ribbon weed beds. There have been good numbers of whiting in the shallow weedy areas in recent weeks, with the best time being on the top of the tide. Bloodworms have been the most reliable way to catch them, although you can get a better class

of fish on walk-the-dog surface lures on those shallow banks. As water temperatures rise, the whiting fishing should continue to get better. DECEMBER FISHING With the La Niña style weather pattern at the moment and the resulting cold currents, it’s a tough one predicting the timing and quality of the return run of kingfish in the harbour. Typically we start seeing numbers of school-size fish appearing mid to late December, although the crystal ball is cloudy at this point! Usually the bream, blackfish, drummer and groper taper off as the water temps rise, but I can see this season going longer. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the bream and blackfish fishing extend through to the end of December, or possibly even longer. And the flathead and whiting will only get better. • Fishing Sydney Tours takes pride in tailoring every trip to the customer’s preferred species, style of angling, and level of expertise, all within a friendly and relaxed atmosphere at competitive rates. There are some excellent fishing spots that can be accessed straight off Sydney, and we will show you where and how. We offer harbour, wash and offshore fishing for species ranging from kingfish through to snapper , deep sea reef species and mahimahi. For more info go to www.fishingsydneytours. com.au, look up ‘Fishing Sydney Tours’ on Facebook or call 0481 120 600.

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Holly Midson with a nice mulloway caught on 10lb line in the Hunter River. DECEMBER 2020

Sydney

NSW

Do the jingle bell rocks this festive season alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

Predicting seasonal fish movements and bite patterns is easier some years than others. This year, the upcoming summer season isn’t easy to predict because there was a horrific drought last summer. Now a consistent nutrient run-off from the harbour, rivers and lakes is creating a situation that’s the complete opposite of last season. The freshwater run-off can make a season later or even change circumstances slightly. For example, the really wet seasons can put a dampener on the snapper season for rock anglers to an extent. Additionally, the kings may not frequent the coastline as much, because the sliver of freshwater that

hugs the coastline might keep the warmer water just out of reach. Of course, none of this is set in stone; it’s influenced by a wide range of factors including dominating swell directions, currents and so on. The upside is that the mulloway, whiting and bream can be in better numbers as well. When there’s plenty of freshwater run-off, the nutrients feed the first line of the food chain, resulting in healthy populations of bait and predators. OCEAN ROCK FISHING As mentioned, the snapper fishing off the rocks is slightly less predictable compared to last season. Some of the locations that fished more consistently in the summer of 2020 have been a little different this summer – at least so far! In addition to this, Bluefish Headland has been shut off to the public, although this headland is

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still accessible providing you don’t access from the end of Bluefish Drive. The Hat side of North Head at the suburb of Manly is open, and yes you can catch some snapper there. It is not a great snapper spot but you can catch some pan or larger size fish here. This location is better known for the luderick fishing, bream, rock blackfish and of course pelagics like bonito, tailor, salmon and kings. By the way, the luderick are in good numbers providing it is not super flat. There are some rat kings at the moment too, and on occasion a monster king may turn up, so be prepared with at least a 24kg outfit. If you’re hoping for a snapper, it’s best to fish the wash and berley up during low light periods for the occasional snapper and good numbers of bream. You will also catch salmon, tailor and small kings on your 6-10kg wash fishing outfit. Around south Curl Curl/ Freshwater, at the car park next to Lumsdaine Drive, the washes fish relatively well for snapper, both wash fishing and distance casting. It is also a good area for kings but you should fish it in a swell preferably less than a metre, especially around the high tide period. It’s also OK for a pelagic spin as well. About 200m west of there, try Flat Rock off Carrington Parade. Park about 80m north of Lumsdaine Drive, and you will see a relatively large area to fish and probably several anglers there. There is a small chain climb of about 3m vertical but it’s easy. The luderick have been in quite good numbers here. There are also Aussie salmon, tailor in the evenings, and some kings. You can cast out with a beach rig, a single hook or 2-hook snell, and live bait it

with yackas. Poppers, gars and metals work OK, but it seems that the live baiting works best here. You cast out onto sand just in front of the cave. This spot is heavily fished, and if you find it a bit too crowded, consider a fish

About 80-90m north of the swimming pool the pelagic fishing can be really good and the kings can be on there as well. Once again, it is heavily fished, especially on the weekend. OCEAN BEACH FISHING The crowds of people at

many people, but don’t let that put you off (unless of course there is a nippers comp or a major surfing comp), because you will be able to find a 50m patch with fewer people. This area has been producing a mix of bream, whiting and some sand flathead. If you get

Even though it is December and anglers get diverted to the summer run of fish, it’s wise to keep rock blackfish as a standby just in case your target species is not playing the game. Prawns are a great back-up for a lot of species, including blackfish. at north Curl Curl. It is more dangerous to fish here, so I recommend fishing in a swell size of 1m or less. It’s not as good for luderick there but the rock blackfish fishing is quite good. Distance casting for snapper can be quite reliable there, and there are some snapper caught in the washes as well.

Manly Beach can be a real pain in the neck sometimes! Although in saying this, if you have a really close look along the entire length of the beach you will note some cracker gutters on the Queenscliff/ Manly Beach length that are not inundated with a zillion surfers and swimmers. You may think there are just too

the opportunity to fish during the week, take it because there are a lot less people bassco boats there. Also, when the swell is a metre or less there are fewer surfers. The South Steyne stormwater pipe south to within about 50m of the surf club has been a good producer when there is a

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strong southerly blowing. You can also get out of the south swell fishing towards that end. On the opposite end at Queenscliff you can fish right up next to the swimming pool to about

want these times to coincide with low tide, but sometimes that’s not possible on your weekend off. However, if the swell is well below a metre, and there are some deep, low tide gutters then you

Sydney

to the ocean and that fishes great there. It’s normally only a shallow wade out to fish. Of course, the better time to be there would normally be two hours before until about one hour on the run-out from

These summer specials are up to 3.5kg. They were caught distance casting from South Avalon rocks using fresh squid strips. Some spots are better for distance casting and others for wash fishing. If you’re unsure, take both outfits. 100m south to get out of the northerly swell and wind. If you want more serenity, try up around Collaroy Beach from the stormwater pipe to a large block of flats called Flight Deck. Both of these beaches have been producing choppers and some reasonable tailor as well just before and after dark, and just before sunrise and on sunrise. Ideally you

may be in for a good session regardless. It is about putting in the homework first, i.e. checking out the right beaches with the deeper gutters before you decide to fish them. Alternatively, you can fish at the end of a sand bank which is well exposed at low tide and cast out to the left or right, depending on what side the entrance of the gutter is

the high tide. Everyone have a safe holiday period, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! • 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.

One of five snapper from the sudsy white water. They use the deep vertical walls to feed just in front of the ledge you are fishing. Crabs, limpets, baitfish and more that are in close to the ledge are fodder for a red. DECEMBER 2020

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From its conception, the company has been led by an overarching business model of ‘Boating Made Easy’, which still drives the progression of its products to this day. Most recently, Quintrex released its Apex Hull. Formulated through years of proven research and development, the Apex Hull is not only built tough, but also delivers unparalleled on-water performance and stands out as one of the most modern hull designs on the water. Over the years, the brand has been awarded ‘Aluminium Boat of the Year’ more than ten times as a direct result of the success of Quintrex’s innovative designs. “Because we partner with the 60 best boat dealers in Australia, who are spread across the country, we are proudly able to offer the Quintrex boating lifestyle to every person, living in every part of Australia,” Sam Heyes said. “We now also export to over 15 countries, including in the South Pacific and Asia.” Quintrex is a proudly Australian built brand, owned by BRP; a global leader in the world of powersports. To find out more about the Quintrex range, perfected over 75 years, and to start exploring your Dream Destinations, visit www.quintrex.com.au/ or contact your local dealer today.

Sydney

NSW

Xmas options yule love SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Over the past month or two we have been experiencing wild weather in the form of big seas, driving rains, flash flooding and wind that would blow a dog off a chain. And

For the boaties you could anchor up on the outside of the drums, the Fisheries marks in Yarra Bay, Trevally Alley, the ends of the first and third runways, the middle of the bay, off the sand spit at Dolls Point, the sticks, wide off Towra and at the entrance to Woolooware Bay. A couple of mates of mine

These blue-spot flathead were caught while fishing with All at Sea Charters in Bate Bay. that’s just in the Southern Sydney area. Hopefully in December and beyond the weather won’t be as unpredictable as it has been. December will be a very busy month for many of us, with work, family commitments, parties and the Christmas holidays. Hopefully all the borders will be open so that anglers can travel to other states. With that said, you don’t really have to do much travelling to get amongst a few fish when you have it right at your back door. Starting with Botany Bay there will be dusky flathead, bream, whiting, flounder, silver trevally, slimy mackerel, salmon, bonito, tailor and kingfish numbers starting to to increase. For those of you who are land-based, it’s worth trying the rock walls at the entrance to the Cooks River, anywhere along the stretch of beach from Brighton to Dolls Point, the southern and northern ends of the Captain Cook and Toms Uglys bridges, the groynes off Silver beach at Kurnell and the rocks at Sutherland Point. On the northern side of the bay you could try the boat ramp wall at Port Botany, the small beach in the back of Yarra Bay, Frenchmans Beach, La Perouse, Bare Island and Browns Rock just inside Henry Head.

have been getting a number of bream and flathead fishing the racks and the shallow areas in the back of Woolooware Bay and the patches off Towra. Try using lightly weighted soft plastics, blades and small hardbodied lures. While out in your boat keep an eye out for those working birds, as this usually means that the tailor, salmon, bonito and kingfish are getting stuck into the baitfish. My suggestion would be to not throw large metals and hardbodied lures at them. Instead, try downsizing to 10g, 15g and 20g metals or 3-4” soft plastics. Blue swimmer crabs will also be on the march in the bay. Try putting out a few traps while you are chasing other fish species. Remember to check the NSW Fisheries website as to how to identify them and how many you can have per person. The Georges and Woronora rivers will also be picking up on the fishing front. Land-based anglers could try Bald Faced Point, the southern end of Como bridge, either side of the old Lugarno ferry, Kelso Park, the Cattle Duffers and the Milperra Bridge. Bass and the odd estuary perch have been caught from Chipping Norton and up to the Liverpool on surface poppers, stickbaits and soft plastics. The upper reaches of the Woronora River are also worth a shot,

The author had a chance to fish with Glenn Loveday while carrying out some Lowrance training on his boat, and Glen managed to get a couple of fish for his troubles. but you will have to do a bit of bush bashing to get into the good spots. Remember there is no vehicle access in. The beaches from Bondi and down to Stanwell Park have been holding tailor and salmon in the early hours of the morning and just before the sun sets. The trick is to find out which beach they are at, and this can be tricky. If you are located on the northern side of Botany Bay you will need to keep your ear to the ground to find out where the fish are. Social media is a good way of doing this. The same goes for the southern side of the bay and beyond. Be prepared to travel if you don’t find the fish at the first beach you try. Offshore as the water temperature starts to warm up you will find the FADs will start to hold fish. Check where they have been positioned by checking out the NSW Fisheries site for the GPS marks. If you don’t have a boat you could give a few of the local charter operators a

call and book a session out with them. Don’t forget to keep those reports and photos coming in to gbrown1@irpimus.com.

au, and if you are down my way at Taren Point call into the BCF store and say hello. I am usually there on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am.

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NSW

Fun off the surface BALLINA

Joe Allan

The whiting have shown interest in surface lures in recent weeks and that’s not surprising as the water temps are up and perfect for these guys to get active, especially in

to why differences such as the aforementioned water temp, sunlight, water clarity and probably the biggest one would be the wind strength and direction. Bassday Sugapens are the lures that have been producing the best and these can be retrofitted with either Atomic Trick Bitz

Charlie from Evans Head caught this bream upstream on a Muddy Prawn Atomic Shiner 45. some of the shallow areas such as North Creek and Mobbs Bay. Each day has been different, with the level of aggression towards the lures changing constantly. There could be a few reasons as

assist hooks or Gamakatsu Treble Wide Gap hooks to improve hook-up rates, so check out these hooks next time you are in your local tackle shop. Offshore fishing has been in that transition

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from winter to summer and only recently have we seen the latter really come through. A few snapper, big mulloway and trag have been haunting the close ground such as Lennox and Riordans reefs, and they have happily taken soft plastics, micro jigs and live baits. As the warm current starts rolling down the hill we will see some mahimahi hanging around the FAD and may even get a few early season mackerel showing up around Christmas. Good numbers of small kingfish have been hammering live baits and knife jigs on the wider grounds. Most of the fish are between 60-90cm, but the odd larger fish has also shown up. A few snapper and small amberjack have also been mixed in among the kingfish, so it has been a bit of a lottery at times to see what you are going to pull up next. While the odd gutter is visible on South Ballina and Angels beaches, the numbers of fish they are producing has been fairly low. Some of the better action has come from Boulders and Seven Mile beaches, with quality dart and bream taking pipis and beach worms during the run-up tide. At this time of year we usually see a few of the straggling tailor make their way up the coast. Late in the afternoon it will be worth throwing a pilchard, mullet fillet or bonito strip out in a likely looking gutter. You may not see any large numbers of these razortoothed eating machines, but the ones that do come into the gutters at night are generally quality fish, so be ready and have wire traces handy because these larger fish can do serious damage to your rigs. The bass are on the chew and are spread out

Mick Beddoes with a PB snapper of 95cm caught on a 7” Atomic Plazo Jerk Minnow. all over the system. With the balmy evenings the surface bite will really hot up towards Christmas time and all the way through the end of January. If you haven’t tried this style of fishing for our aggressive freshwater natives, get some poppers and have a crack. You might be surprised how much fun and how addictive it can be. Look for any overhanging trees that have cicadas making an awful racket. You don’t even need to be accurate with your casting as when the cicadas fall, they’re generally out from the bank, not right up the back in the shadows like you need to get to with spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Most poppers and walk the dog style lures will also work well. I like the Atomic Hardz K9 Bulldog in rock crab colour and the Bassday Backfire 65 popper. Some of the betterquality whiting have been

Nicole Bower with a really nice red caught at North Evans Head in 32m of water.

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Terry Klante from Nyngan caught his first bass around Coraki on a spinnerbait.

coming from the beaches rather than the Richmond River of late. As with the dart, pipis and beachworms have been the gun baits for these tasty little critters, but if you can’t get your hands on either of those baits, you could try strips of squid or peeled prawns. Just remember that when fishing the beach for whiting they don’t need a lot of water, so don’t be obsessed with finding the deepest gutter you can. Quite often the whiting are right at your feet in some of the skinniest water imaginable, particularly at night. We have still seen quality flathead from Pimlico Island to the mouth of the Richmond in recent weeks. Most of the larger fish have taken live herring and the smaller fish have fallen to dark-coloured soft plastics, prawns and white pilchards. Have a great Christmas, stay safe and tight lines until 2021.

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NSW

Catching a Christmas feed COFFS HARBOUR

Dayne Taylor

I am glad to see December upon us – bring on the Christmas break where we get to catch up with

on days when the weather forecast is looking red hot! Even the past 2-3 months have seen waits of up to 45 minutes at the ramp. Be mindful of inexperienced users who aren’t as fast as you are, or who aren’t the

the rivers. Small baits like beachworms, pipis and pilchards cast into beach gutters are a great pastime. In the estuaries, similar techniques work equally as well, and small topwater lures such as the OSP

– and nobody is going to knock back a feed of mud crabs come Christmas Day! These steamy hot days and stormy afternoons are making for ideal conditions to chase a few mangrove jack and giant trevally up our creeks and rivers. Live poddy mullet baits are the most effective way to get a result on the jacks. A lot of BIG trevally have been caught recently, and most are coming on soft vibes and small swimbaits that replicate herring and mullet. These fish can be great fun on light tackle, often reaching a couple of kilos in size. Further upstream the bass and bream are going bananas for topwater lures. Cicada imitations are a go-to with the buzzing in the trees at this time of year; these lures are hard for any bream or bass to refuse when presented

There have been some good pearl perch around lately, like this one caught by Brent Stuart.

Luke Tinson with a tasty pan-size snapper. family and friends. And there is always the chance of a few extra days to sneak in a bit of fishing! Coffs Harbour has always seen a massive influx of tourists over the Christmas holiday period and I would expect the 2020/2021 season to be no different. Here’s some advice for both locals and visitors – if you’re planning an early morning fish offshore and intend to use the main boat ramp in Coffs Harbour, I urge you to allow up to one hour extra

DECEMBER 2020

best at reversing. Please be patient and courteous, as this is often a stressful experience for people who don’t use the ramp very often. And if possible, offer to help by holding a vessel while someone parks the car. A little kindness goes a long way! The Coffs Coast has plenty to offer for the whole family when it comes to fishing. Whiting and bream are plentiful in the beach gutters and throughout the sand flats on the lower reaches of

Bent Minnow and Bassday Sugapen are great for all skill levels to try to tempt a few bream, whiting and flathead on the flats. It makes for a tasty mixed bag of fish for dinner. If you have access to the river then be sure to get a few crab traps in. A collection of your filleted fish frames or a whole mullet cut into halves makes for great bait and you can have hours of fun chasing muddies and blue swimmer crabs with the family and your friend

A tasty big mud crab.

NSW

A mixed offering of both pilchards and squid on a paternoster rig are sure to produce the goods. If you can collect some fresh baits such as bonito, mullet and even slimy mackerel these also make excellent strip baits for reef fishing. In a little closer and shallower (15-30m reefs) I have found a single small ball sinker and a single hook with a nice fresh slab of bait drifted down is accounting for some very nice snapper. If lure fishing is more your scene, then slow pitch metal jigs are working very well on these deeper fish. Another great option is a heavily weighted curly-tail soft plastic such as the Berkley Gulp Nemesis or Jigging Shrimp dropped to fish holding near the bottom. In shallow water the snapper are still actively

Oliver Wilkins with a nice kingfish.

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with quality hardware are a must. These fish fight dirty when hooked and there is nothing worse than losing a $50+ lure in the reef or the fish of a lifetime due to dodgy terminal tackle or light leader and braided line. The game fishing has been positive around Coffs recently, with a number of striped marlin tagged by local boats. The FAD is also producing good numbers of mahimahi, and the wahoo and odd mackerel are sure to be making an appearance any time now. Until next month, cast like there is no tomorrow and retrieve like you have all the time in the world.

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up in the shade of an overhanging tree at any time of the day. Once your lure lands, leave it to sit still for 10 seconds, then give it a little jiggle, trying not to move it too far, followed by another pause. If this does not get a bite then retrieve and repeat. It is a simple and effective method, and it works great at this time of the year up above the gravel beds towards the fresh water. We recently had a cracking session in the middle of the day using reaction-style baits such as chatterbaits and spinnerbaits, as well as skirted jigs pitched in around snags and structure. Nothing huge hit the brag mat but we got a heap of fish in the 35-45cm range. Offshore, the deeper reefs in the 30-60m range have been the more productive for bottom fish such as snapper, pearl perch and tuskfish.

taking an array of wellpresented soft plastics early in the morning and late in the evening. I like the jerkbait profiles and smaller paddle-tail plastics, and 1/6-1/4oz is the ideal size jighead to keep the lure in the water column for longer to entice that bite. On the kingfish scene there have been some nice fish taken on both topwater lures and jigs, as well as live and dead baits dropped to marked fish around that 60m mark. The lighthouse is an obvious choice for trying your luck at a bit of topwater action early in the morning and late in the afternoon, and 80-120mm size stickbaits

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How to beat the crowds THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

December is upon us and it’s shaping up to be one of the busiest Christmas periods the Mid North Coast has seen! We all are aware of the importance of tourism to the region, especially after the last 12 months, so I think we all need to show a bit of

a fish and be back before the north-easterly winds and the late starters arrive. In recent times the fishing has been good with offshore anglers getting some excellent results on the snapper, pearl perch and flathead. Snapper hopefully will continue into this month, and fishing the patches between lighthouse to Lake Cathie will usually turn up a few reds. Beach fishing this month

North Beach and Camden Haven Beach are favourites at this time of year, with plenty of room to find a location to fish. Afternoons can be problematic with the prevailing north-easters so a sheltered corner near a headland can help. Beachworms, nippers and fresh cut bait are the go for an outing on the sand, and it’s good to bring a few metal spinners in case the tailor show up.

Sean Doyle with a whopping snapper he recently caught off Port Macquarie.

Scott Wilson with a good Hastings River mulloway. patience at boat ramps and be responsible and courteous on the water. This will make everyone’s holidays better. A great tip for beating the crowds is to get up before dawn, go for

again will be worthwhile, and whiting, bream, flathead as well as schoolsize mulloway are always a possibility. Morning fishing with beachworms on Lighthouse beach,

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In the rivers the fishing can be good but also a little patchy at times due to the increased boating activity. Again, it pays to get out early and have a plan. There will be a fair few options this month, with most shallow flats holding whiting, bream and flathead. There are lots of ways to target these fish but a 90mm Bassday Sugapen on the flats at this time of year is very versatile and can see you catch all these species in a single outing. Pelican Island, Blackmans Point, Big Bay and Limeburners Creek are just a few of the places to try, and should keep you entertained for a few hours. Dusky flathead are a perennial favourite among most anglers and should dominate catches in the rivers over Christmas. My tip is to look for the weed bed edges, shallow drop-offs and sand

Steve Clarke recently caught this nice mulloway on a Samaki Redic. flats then cast a 3-4” plastic, either a paddle-tail or prawnstyle lure on an appropriate jighead. This will usually see you get a nice feed of flatties. The trick is to keep moving, covering the water until you find the fish. Hopefully this summer we’ll also have a few cicadas out and singing, as this can bring on some exceptional surface action for bream and bass. If you are on the

water and cicadas are about, try casting your lure near the edges of overhangs and structure, and hold on! Maria River and up around Rawdon Island fish well when the cicadas are on. If bass are your target, try the Wilson and Maria upstream to Pipers Creek. You still encounter bream but the bass fishing can be outstanding. Accurate casting is usually essential. For those of us who like

to take on the mulloway, early morning or evening sessions are prime time. Yes, you can still get them through the day but with a high level of boating activity over the relatively shallow holes we fish it will be a bit tougher than usual. Maybe try a night session when everyone is back in. OK, that’s a wrap for 2020. Have a great Christmas and let’s hope the new year is a much better one!

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Jeremy with a nice flathead caught while casting around weed beds.

NSW

Sensational summertime snapper sessions can also take a lot of time and patience! Most beaches are fishing well for your typical summer species now. Bream, whiting and dart are about in good numbers on 7 Mile Beach, 9 Mile Beach and Cellito Beach, while Main Beach in the heart of Forster is producing plenty of stud whiting. We do have the odd school of tailor still moving up and down the coast, but unfortunately most fish are barely legal at best. Offshore fishing in December can be unreal when the weather plays its part. Most mornings are fairly calm and anglers will often get out nice and early so they can come home with the northeast winds chasing them. The shallow water snapper fishery has been really good lately, with good numbers of

FORSTER

Luke Austin

December in the Forster/ Tuncurry region is an angler’s paradise. The fishing is amazingly good and the species on offer are very accessible. At this time of year our cool, clear waterways and beaches offer some respite from the scorching hot summer sun, and this can result in large numbers of boats, jetskis and other watercraft on the water. However, this doesn’t seem to affect the fishing at all – indeed, some of the best summer fishing options are sitting in and around the bridge where boat traffic and noise is at its highest! Flathead are by far the most sought-after summer species here in the Great Lakes. Over the warmer months the majority of the fish that call Wallis Lake home will position themselves somewhere between the mouth of the estuary and the back of Wallis Island/Coomba Park. They like to congregate in the lower reaches of the system over the warmer months to spawn which is great news for anglers because spawning fish are hungry fish! Flathead have been caught on all sorts of offerings lately. Soft plastics and vibes have been the most successful methods, however other lures like the Daiwa Double Clutch and large surface lures are also accounting for plenty. For

fish coming from just about any reef complex in 8-20m of water. As is often the case, the further you travel the better the fishing you will find! The deeper reefs out the back of the Marine Park off Cape Hawke have been consistently producing mixed bags of snapper, teraglin and pearl perch, and the reefs down off Boomerang have been great for teraglin and pearl perch. • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle, your local bait and tackle store. We only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where you can go to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! We are open 7 days in the main street of Tuncurry. Call us on (02) 6554 9541 or find us on Facebook to see what we have been up to!

There will be plenty of flathead on the chew this month down around the mouth of the estuary. time to chase your own live baits, try drifting with some whitebait, brined bluebait, small pilchards or even a good old prawn. You may not get quite as many fish but you should find more than enough for a feed. Sand whiting are also a highly sought-after species in December and they have been absolutely amazing of late. The warm, shallow sand flats are loaded with small prawns and baitfish over the summer

very successfully with baits of worm, yabbies or prawns, but by far the best way is to throw surface lures about. Stickbaits and poppers are irresistible to a hunting whiting, and the strike and fight of a 40cm whiting on light gear is hard to beat! The song of the cicada is now well and truly echoing throughout parts of the Wallis Lake system. This means the local bream will be belting these amazing insects off the

also holding some nice fish but you will have to fish through a lot of smaller fish to find them. The local rocks have been producing some nice tailor, with fish coming from Jaineys Corner, North One Mile, Booti Booti and Shellys fairly regularly. Mixed in with the tailor are loads of small kingfish up to about 60cm, which can be annoying but still great fun on the lighter gear. While it’s still a bit early to try for a tuna, floating live baits out in December can be worthwhile as there is a very good possibility that there is a larger kingfish or possibly even a cobia sneaking about! For the early birds, there have been some nice snapper up to about 3kg taken from the rocks to the north lately. Catching a land-based snapper can be very rewarding but

Flathead are absolute suckers for a well-presented soft plastic.

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Summertime reds can be awesome fun! bait fishers, taking the time to gather your own live bait is absolutely worth it. Drifting Tuncurry Channel with a live herring or mullet has been insanely effective lately, with plenty of nice fish caught. If you do decide to fish this way please respect the big fish, look after them and release them unharmed. If you don’t have

months and this translates into lots of large hungry whiting gorging themselves on each high tide. The sand flats and patchy weed beds down around Lani’s, Wallis Island and Yahoo Island have been fishing particularly well, as have the much smaller areas up around The Cut and Jonnel Park. You can chase these fish

surface so it’s time to dig out the surface lures. All of the main tributaries are fishing well for bream at the moment, but the upper reaches of the Wallamba River are holding some particularly nice fish eagerly waiting for the next cicada or moth to fall into the water! The weed beds in the southern part of the lake are

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All I want for Xmas is jew PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

I can’t believe summer is here already. What a great time of year to fish in Port Stephens! If you’re local be sure to make the most of the early part of December before school holidays start, as it tends to get pretty hectic on the water after that. If you’re visiting Port Stephens during the school holiday period, there is still plenty

all good places to cast a few surface lures around, especially when the tide begins to drain off the flats. Bream are also worth targeting on surface, with quality fish to over 1kg being caught around the rock bars and racks from the Myall system through to Pindimar and Soldiers Point areas. The local break walls are producing plenty of thumper bream too, with bait fishers casting unweighted nippers or

Nest holding quality elbow slappers. Try to fish the gutters around the high tide with pipis or live worms. Don’t be surprised if you pick up a few bream and dart when fishing for whiting at this time of year. Stockton and Hawks Nest beaches are also going to produce some good mulloway this month after dark for those putting in the hours. It’s best to use larger baits such as mullet and tailor fillets or live tailor

reported from Fingal. Broughton Island through to Seal Rocks has also been holding some great fish, with both soft plastics and bait fishing methods around dawn and dusk producing the goods. The ever-reliable sand flathead have been thick in 40-50m of water straight off Fingal Island, with Snapper Snatcher style paternoster rigs proving deadly. Charter boats have been catching plenty of trag, and December is also one of the best months to get stuck into some offshore mulloway on reefs like Looking Glass. Out wide along the edge of the shelf should see a good bite of marlin this month, and really spark the start of the game fishing season.

Flathead will be in full force through December.

December is a great time to target some beach mulloway. of great fish to be caught just try get out super early before the all the activity starts. Inside the bay, whiting can be found are on the chew anywhere from the Boulders to Pindimar on the northern side of the Port, or Shoal Bay through to Corlette on the southern side. The trick inside the estuary is to fish the shallows on the high tide with live worms on long shank hooks using a 4lb leader. Surface lures are also working well for whiting further upstream where they are actively feeding on prawns. Places like Tahlee, Taylors Beach and Sunset Beach are

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peeled prawns on tide changes doing very well. Dusky flathead are also in their prime months as they move down to spawn over summer. For this reason, the best areas will be down the lower end of the bay from Soldiers Point through to the Heads. Keep an eye out for birds working and surface activity as schools of bonito and tailor should start to appear in the bay soon. They are great fun on light tackle or fly gear. OCEAN BEACHES Whiting will be your main target off the ocean beaches, with just about all of the beaches from Stockton through to Hawks

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or whiting. ROCKS The rocks are a little bit slow at this time of year however you should be able to spin some up some tailor and bonito from the deeper Points on first and last light using light metals around 20-40g. Some of the best places to try will be Tomaree Headland, Fingal Point and Box Beach. OFFSHORE There have still been some good reds getting caught in recent weeks. Troy Finlay and his mate Troy Horgan have landed some ripper fish down at the boat harbour including an impressive 8kg model. Good fish have also been

Ron with a good sized mulloway.

Food chain gets boost SWANSEA

Jason Nunn

During the November prawn run out of Lake Macquarie, the prawns were of good quality and good sizes, and the December run should be no different. The prawn run will start on 6 December and will continue for around a week. When it comes to catching prawns in Lake Macquarie, having a boat is a big help. Although you can get prawns from the shore, you’ll generally get only enough for bait. If you want to catch a feed you’ll need a boat. If you’re fishing out of a boat, anchor in the Swansea channel on the run-out tide, outside the navigational channel. You can anchor from the dropover down to the beach. The prawns will come down in waves, attached

to the weed that’s leaving the estuary. All you need to catch them is a headlamp and prawn scoop, and you just scoop them off the surface. Some nights are better than others, so I usually try to do a couple of nights in a row to ensure that I get a good feed. The prawn run acts as a trigger event for the aquatic food chain, boosting fish numbers throughout the channel area. Species such as bream and whiting will now build in numbers to coincide with the prawn run, migrate into those shallow reaches around the channel to feed on the prawns during the evening. The huge feast spreads throughout the channel, from the heads through to Marks Point drop-over. When fishing for bream and whiting, live prawns and live tube worms are always the best baits. Having said that, this

time of year creates an excellent opportunity to start using surface lures for whiting. Good areas to try include the sand flats around Marks Point and the island area, and Swan Bay. The dredging activity in Swan Bay is a magnet for whiting, as they love to forage in the stirred up sand. The best times to fish are early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when the fish are more responsive. Lures like Sugapens and Jackson Panics are very good with a quicker retrieve. Already we’ve seen some good numbers of fish being caught, and December will be even better because the water will be warmer. If bream are your target, slow down your retrieve and intersperse it with pauses. Good areas to try include Salts Bay To page 67

NSW

Rains bring rewards CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

As we edge closer to the end of what has turned out to be a year of complete and utter madness, fishing in our part of the world should hopefully climax in a positive way. With the warming weather and more recent rains, it’s certainly looking that way. As mentioned last month, a rainy year tends to kick the Tuggerah Lakes prawns into gear and it’s still looking like

that at this stage. Although I do enjoy a good feed of prawns, I’m not so much into scooping or dragging a net myself. What I enjoy more is what the boost in prawn activity does to the bream fishing here – it makes the fish feed more aggressively and in a more predatory manner. This translates directly into first-rate surface lure casting around the lakes. The entire lakes system and of course, the endless margins and tidal shallows throughout Brisbane Waters

If surf conditions are favourable, try fresh bait and a rising tide early in the morning or later in the day for bream, whiting or tailor. From page 66

and Spectacle Islands, on the western side of Pelican and down towards Nesca Park. If you’re casting over weed beds, rather than sand flats, you can expect a by-catch of flathead. The flatties like to sit in the shallower water at this time of year, and they’re only too willing to jump on a prawn. The fishing has slowed down

a bit on western side of the lake, with most fish being caught towards the middle of the lake and up towards the Bolton Point/ Warners Bay area. In the lake there are still a few mulloway getting caught. As a bonus, squid numbers increasing as a result of the prawn run. A fair few kingfish have been getting caught in and around the bridge in recent weeks. Swansea

A solid 40kg yellowfin tuna caught last month.

provide awesome summer bream territory, where surface and other lure types can be extremely effective. A few vital tips here are to set the alarm and be out on the water before sunrise, concentrate mainly on the early morning period, and don’t be afraid to cast adjacent to thick weed beds, especially if you can spot some clearer sandy pockets between the weeds. We are very much spoilt for choice when it comes to surface lures for bream, and different anglers will have their favourites. Some of mine are the Ecogear PX45 and 55, Lucky Craft Sammy 55 and the locally-made Viking Pop ‘n’ Cranks. I mainly stick with Owner treble hooks for these lures, but when fishing around the more weedy areas, such as North Entrance I may swap over to W-style hooks and fit them with the points facing upwards. This way they are more inclined to ride over the weed, instead of scooping it up. Brisbane Waters and the lakes have a lot of floating strands of weed at times so it’s well worth trying some W hooks. Remember to fit them so they face up. Some surface lures, like the PX55, come fitted with

trailing stinger or assist style hooks at the rear end these days. I’ve found this configuration pretty effective when specifically chasing whiting, as these fish have quite small mouths and tend to ‘tail nip’ lures more often than bream do. However, I haven’t found this type of hook set-up any more effective when bream are the main target. So some of the more dedicated surface lure addicts may like to

bridge is a popular spot but boaties need to understand you can’t anchor on the seaward (eastern side) of Swansea bridge, although you can idle. There have been some good kings getting caught there on live squid, and surface stickbaits and poppers. Offshore, the ocean currents are warming up, and one of the first species that tends to turn up offshore in December is bonito. The arrival of the bonito seems to start the ball rolling for other species such as snapper and trag. The numbers of these two bottom species should increase on both the inshore and offshore reefs, if past years are any indication. Mahimahi usually don’t show up in numbers until around mid-January. There is odd one on the shelf but not on the offshore reefs or around the FAD as yet. We are already starting to see signs of striped marlin off the coast, so signs are good for the month ahead. There are a few blue swimmer crabs around but they get a lot of pressure at this time of year, so I personally prefer to target them at quieter times of year. Regardless, remember that you can use only two styles of crab traps in Lake Macquarie: witches hats or drop dillies. You are not allowed to use rectangular or round style enclosed

crap pots. Make sure you retrieve your crab traps or they’ll turn into ‘ghost traps’, ensnaring and killing marine life. A word of warning on the Pelican ramp – it has fairly fast tidal flow through it and it’s not suitable for all size vessels. The maximum size is probably around 17ft. When at a busy ramp, be mindful of others and be patient. If someone is struggling with their boat or trailer, please hop out and lend them a hand; perhaps offer to reverse for them. The waterways get so busy during holidays that it can make novice boaters feel anxious and flustered, so be understanding and offer assistance. • Fisherman’s Warehouse Tackle World has a large range fresh and frozen bait as well as a huge range of rods, reels, lures and accessories. They also sell and service outboard motors, and have a competitivelypriced selection of new and second-hand boats. The friendly staff are all experienced local anglers, and they’re always happy to share their knowledge, whether you’re a novice or experienced angler. Drop in for a chat at 804 Pacific Highway, Marks Point, or give them a call on (02) 4945 2152. You can also find them on Facebook, or check out their website at www. fishermanswarehouse.com.au.

The summer months are excellent for bream around the shallow margins of Tuggerah Lakes and Brisbane Waters. Rainfall throughout the year should translate into some awesome bream fishing. be armed and ready with lures fitted with trebles, W hooks and the trailing single hooks. Having gone into detail about using surface lures on bream, let’s not forget that metal vibes, softies and hardbodies, as well as natural baits will all score bream through the summer months. In reality, a live prawn is going to be the single deadliest thing you could offer a bream at this time of year! WARM CURRENTS Offshore options also start to open up a lot more from this point onwards. While it’s still a bit too early in the season to make any major predictions, I’ve been keeping an eye on the sea surface temperature maps and it looks quite promising. At the time of writing there’s a nice warm finger of water moving down the Mid North Coast, but it’s

still a bit cool off the Central Coast. That’s all very typical though, and normally the best of the season starts to kick in after Christmas. Rock and beach fishing also kicks into gear more as December moves into January, but at the moment it’s still pretty decent. There are a few average bread-andbutter species around like bream, whiting, tailor and blackfish so it’s probably best to target those in the coming weeks. Still though, if surf conditions are favourable, it could be worth trying after sunset for mulloway, mainly from North Entrance and Budgewoi beaches. All the best to everyone for Christmas and the New Year, and fingers crossed 2021 turns out to be a lot better than the craziness we’ve experienced this year!

Although regarded as a winter species, luderick can still be caught around the rock ledges this month. Mornings are often best off the rocks at this time of year, to avoid the strong afternoon north-easterlies.

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NSW

Super summer run of fish ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

At the moment there are plenty of nice whiting on the beaches but worms have been a bit scarce. Maybe the cold water has a bit to do with it and they will probably start sticking their heads out of the sand for your stinky bait when the water picks up a couple of degrees – and that could be tomorrow. If you are struggling to catch any worms, try the local tackle stores for them.

get right into summer. The trick to catching whiting on local beaches (or pretty much anywhere) is to move from gutter to gutter until you find a school, then you should get enough for a feed. If they are not thick this may take a few gutters, but if you hit a good school you will score fish on every bait almost as fast as it hits the water. A few dart have started to arrive early, and down this way when you hook one you might think you have a whopper whiting. Further up the coast the dart are more prevalent so

through. I spotted a school off Woonona the other week that was so thick I thought it was a big weed patch, but it split when a surfer unknowingly paddled through it, then it moved up the beach a bit. A few bream are in the gutters, and flatties are on most beaches. Many of the flathead are on the small side, but they will grow over the coming months. There are also some goodsized tailor on the beaches just on dark, with plenty of 1kg+ fish on the move. The main attraction this month and next are the

There will be a few dart starting to mix with the whiting this month. Just remember that they disappear pretty quickly when they do come on sale because everyone knows that no worms means no whiting. The gutters and sandbanks on the beaches around the lake are the go-to spots but the whiting will be on most beaches in ever greater numbers as we

they don’t come as such a surprise. Salmon make an even bigger impact when they grab a worm but there aren’t any whiting that fight as hard as a sambo of a couple of kilos, so you work them out pretty quickly. There are plenty on the beaches with some big schools moving

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There are some good mulloway on the beaches, and just behind them too if you don’t like standing on the sand. water about a few striped marlin should be on the cards as well. The odd spearfish and large mahimahi are always on the cards this month, and now we start the countdown for the arrival of the black marlin. Usually they don’t arrive until the new year or half way through January but every few years or so they show up early and catch us by surprise in mid-December. Let’s hope that happens this year. There have been a few striped tuna about from

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large mulloway that move along the beaches during the evenings. They like a feed of whiting and tailor too, with fish over 20kg regularly showing up. There are good numbers of schoolies between the bigger fish for those anglers who fish hard for them. The estuaries are now in full swing but not yet at their peak with good catches of flathead all through the lake and Minnamurra. Next month will really see them cut loose but so will the

holiday makers so get in now before the crowds make it hard work at the ramps and chaos on the water. Whiting are in good numbers in the lake too with worms the go-to bait, but the early risers will pick them up on poppers when it is quiet before the boat traffic picks up. The sand flats around the entrance and up the main channel are the best spots. Chopper tailor will make a mess of your plastics around the drop into the lake but they are fun for the kids on little chrome lures. Blue swimmer crabs are making a move so be careful when motoring around the lake as there will be hundreds of pots and markers waiting to tangle around your outboard prop. On the southern stones a few bonito have started to show, along with rat kings. Bigger kings have been on the deeper ledges but you must be early and have live squid or mackerel for a chance. A live pike might do the trick as well. Later this month, current allowing, there may be a marlin or two poking around in close. Next month will be better, but it’s still worth a try in December; without a bait in the water you will never know. The marlin usually show when the frigate mackerel arrive. A few mackerel tuna and salmon will be mixed with the bonito to keep the lure tossers happy. In the washes all along the coast, bream and trevally are still grabbing prawns and pilchard pieces, with drummer taking cunje. Offshore improves every day but is still hit and miss with cold water pushing up some days to displace the warm water that is on its way down the coast. This month should see a few yellowfin tuna out wide. They have been on and off for a few months now, and with a bit of warm

Lures will score good kings if you don’t mind the expense of losing them, which happens often in shallow water.

close in out to the shelf, so a few smaller lures towed around will score some excellent bait. Some nice snapper are about over the reefs, and they are showing up from 20m out to 60m+, with plastics and bait both scoring. The leatherjackets are giving the plastics a hiding and it can be expensive when they chew everything to bits in a few minutes. Kingfish are on the usual reefs like Bandit and Wollongong, with a few showing up around the islands. Down rigged live baits are the way to go, and when a king is hooked it’s time to send down the jigs to pick up any followers. The Banks off Currarong would be a better option this month like last month if you love your kings. The drifters are scoring plenty of nice flathead on all the sand patches along the coast and they are good fish to 60cm. The reefs have better numbers of smaller snapper and some big knobbies as well, with mowies, sweep, pigfish, small samsonfish and even the odd trag starting to show, so a good summer run of fish is on the cards. Good luck!

NSW

The heat is finally on! BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

After an up and down spring with freezing, cold, warm, hot, warm, cold and dirty water, the heat is finally on. Eventually the warm blue current that is the Eastern Australian Current will prevail. Some things have started a bit late as we are experiencing a change of weather patterns. Predictions are suggesting an end to the drought conditions we have been experiencing over the last 4-6 years on the coast,

to a good start, and that will remain pretty good throughout summer. Out the front of the estuary and on our inshore reefs it has been cold and dirty, and just when that was looking to get warmer, clearer and meet up with the warmer upstream waters, we had a ton of rain and it was back to dirty water again, which put the mulloway run out the front of the estuary off a bit. We should see the estuary organising itself coming into December, and the bait and mulloway should be in swing by then. November was the

by-catch when chasing sharks at night. Off the rocks and headlands you’ll encounter the regular salmon, tailor, groper, drummer and snapper. Over summer there’s also the chance of a kingy as schools of them frequent some of our ledges. Kingfish at this time of the year are also targeted from boats on our inshore reefs or trolling past a number of ledges, headlands and bommies. Downrigging with live baits or baits would have to be the most successful way tempt a kingy. Snapper,

Jake and Jed found some inshore gold fishing with Harry Young from Offshore Adventures. but it also means to be a bit patient as it will be crowded and stocks are low. So take it easy and go fishing.

• 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).

Inshore yellowfin action with Sam DeGraaf. and even longer inland. This weather pattern, known as El Niño, is warm and dry, and can last for some time. Now, however, it seems to be changing into a La Niña pattern, which is cool and wet. At the moment we are experiencing the instability of this change. The weather and water temps are very up and down and it has been very wet lately. What this does to the fishing is somewhat the same – instability and very up and down. This will stabilise and La Niña will find its groove, but for now it’s looking like a bit of a later season for some things. The cold dirty water inshore throughout spring meant a bit of an absence with the squid and bait run, or made it harder to find them. And when the bait is hard to find, the fish can be scarce too. Before the rain we had some warm water upstream and the estuary perch, flathead and bream fishing was really good. Further upstream the bass were off

best month of spring, but it’s December when the estuary heats up, and all of the species that it’s famous for are there. Bass, perch, bream, flathead, whiting, trevally, flounder, luderick, garfish and the prized mulloway will all be available. We are starting to see some prawns and crab activity in the estuary and lakes also. We’ve been seeing a few muddies in the crab traps since October, and now blue swimmers will be in the mix too. Quite a few lakes opened with all of the rain, which means we will see some prawns in them this summer. The beaches are great at this time of the year with the weather heating up, the water warming and a chance to get your feet wet and catch some whiting on light gear. Salmon, tailor, bream and flathead can also be present during the day, and at night there usually is quite a bit of shark activity for fishos chasing them with heavier gear. Mulloway are a great

mowies and flatties will be the easier targets for the boats though. Spring is also known to have smaller tuna species schooling in and offshore at this time of the year. November saw some goodsize school yellowfin tuna feeding on inshore bait in as shallow as 25-50m of water, which was a lot of fun for anglers chasing them down and casting stickbaits at them. We will be very happy to see this activity continuing for December. Would be great seeing schools of yellowfin tuna still around whilst chasing mahimahi and kings around inshore structure and out to the FADs. By the end of December bait will be stacked out at the Continental Shelf and the striped marlin will be happy out there feeding. I’m expecting a good season this year with a good marlin run, and a lot of people around due to COVID travel restrictions and having to travel local. This injection into our local economy is much needed,

There’s nothing more fun then casting lures at inshore yellowfin – just ask Louie Pantelic.

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NSW

Hopefully the rains will produce the goods at Bermagui, the Three Bothers near Cuttagee or Goalen Head further south. Most of the action is at

BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Rain is liquid gold to anglers. Already the effects of wet winter plus late spring rain has the estuaries firing, with some great angling for many different species, along with the beaches and rocks also producing some great captures. What will the rain produce for the offshore game fishers though? It is well known in the game fishing fraternity that a wet lead up to the game season on land will often result in a good season, mainly due to the fact the rain has come from the warm water temperatures creating moisture on the land. So December may be a good time to be out on the water pursuing

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the island where jigs and live bait are producing the goods. There is the odd To page 71

Will marlin beside the boat be a common sight this season? Let’s hope so! gamefish. There aren’t many anglers chasing them at present however there is enough activity out there to keep you entertained. This activity comes in the form of vast striped tuna schools, providing some excellent light tackle action whilst we wait for some of the larger tuna in the form of yellowfin, bluefin or albacore that are patrolling

in these cooler water temperatures at present. Out over the Continental Shelf and beyond is the place to be, although keep an eye on the weather as the north-easters are the prominent wind force at present. Following these schools of tuna are sharks. There are a few different species like whalers, hammerheads,

blues or more likely makos. Berley trails of oily fish, especially striped tuna, will often bring these sharks within range of anglers. It’s definitely a good time of year to target this species. Another good angling target at present is the kingfish up at Montague Island as well as some surrounding headlands like just off the water tower

For the game fishers there is no better sight than a marlin rising out of the water.

Let’s make it the year of the bass TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Following what has been a disastrous year with the worst fires ever recorded, through to mid-year floods followed by heavy spring rain with more minor flooding, and we won’t even mention COVID! Out of the ashes has emerged the phoenix of our native fish species, the Australian bass. Whatever has caused the explosion of bass numbers in the Brogo, Bega or Tathra regions doesn’t really matter, what does matter is the amount of fish being encountered by anglers and big fish at that. It’s shaping up to be one of the best seasons for bass! The hot spot is the lower Bega River just above where the sweetwater meets the salt. There is plenty of water there at present which is easily accessed by a small boat or kayak. There have been many reports of bass in excess of 50cm only too willing to eat what an angler may present to them. Upstream the Brogo River also has plenty of fish to be found, especially downstream from Brogo

Dam Wall. With recent stocking of both bass and estuary perch, the dam itself is in good shape for the future. Into the estuaries that surround Tathra, all the species you would expect to encounter are on the chew. Flathead are responding well to soft plastics and baits early of a morning, as

prawns within the estuaries have the flatties feeding intently. There are plenty of bream, luderick, whiting and mullet also searching over the flats which may respond to a lure. These fish are also often happy to take a well-presented nipper, worm or fresh prawn. When the sun sets of an evening, another

sounds you will hear in the estuaries and lakes is the distinct noise of prawns skipping across the surface. This is the time to ditch the fishing gear, grab the waders, lights and prawn nets and cash in on the amount of prawns now available. With the weather now warmed up, most beaches

There is great action to be had on the beaches around Tathra.

within the area are fishing well for species like whiting (which seem to be in very good numbers), bream and mullet, while the ever-present schools of salmon are providing some excellent sport. Now the weather has warmed up, night-time is a prime time to target the beach where fish like tailor, sharks (especially gummies and whalers) as well as the odd mulloway all become active. December means school holidays are nearing, and the hive of fishing activity will centralise around Tathra Wharf, with a whole array of fish species either calling it home or visiting. Everyone loves catching slimy mackerel, and there are plenty of them this season. Mixing with them are the everpresent yellowtail, plenty of trevally and garfish on the surface. The larger pelagic species have also returned, and by using some of these smaller yellowtail or mackerel there is a better than even chance you are likely to mix with species like kingfish, bonito, the occasional small hammerhead To page 71

NSW From page 70

bonito mixing in with them, and these fish are seemingly increasing along with the water temperature. For those anglers wishing to chase the tasty fish that dwell along the bottom, it is definitely time for targeting tiger flathead. These fish can usually be found in a depth of 40-60m just over the edge of the Four and Six Mile reefs however if it is the really big tigers you are after, try out around the Twelve Mile Reef in a lot deeper water. Anglers using electronic reels have been getting some very interesting captures coming out of 200-300 fathoms of water. The main species out here are blue-eye trevalla, hapuka, ghost cod, gemfish and perches. Often you’ll pick up other species you’ve never seen before which will have you diving for the ID books to work out their names. From page 70

and the ever-prolific Australian salmon. Small tuna species like frigate mackerel and stripies are a great lure option here, and when it’s drawing towards dark you can expect to find some tailor closer to the surface. With all the pelagic

Back closer to the shore, the other reef fishing is hotting up with a variety of species now on offer with the warmer water.

Pink snapper are most sought-after, along with the morwongs both blue and jackass, which are in extremely good numbers at

present. Throw in a few pigfish, nannygai, ocean perch or leather jackets and most anglers will end up with a lovely seafood

Bonito are just one sportfish found along the coast in summer. action the offshore fishing has really picked up. There are kingfish up and down the coast where it’s only a matter of being able to locate them. Mixing with the kings are quite a lot of bonito and striped tuna, and trolling is probably the best way of finding them. Once found, you may wish to

revert to jigs or bait. The striped tuna are turning up anywhere from close to shore to beyond the continental shelf, and the further you get out the greater the likelihood you will also find albacore, yellowfin or the occasional big-eye tuna. If you are into sport or game fishing, lures

James Caves with an average Bega River bass taken on fly.

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are the best way to find these species. A variety of bibbed and skirted lures are all that is needed to produce, just make sure you have at least one large skirted lure out because there’s always the chance of a billfish being present. There are a lot of sharks around following the tuna schools, with makos and blue sharks being extremely dominant at the moment. A good berley trail of tuna is all that is required to bring these fish to your baits. Sadly, one of the sounds of summer is the northeast winds increasing. However, on most days you have a window from early to mid-morning when you can go to sea and make the most of the reef and bottom fishing. This form of fishing has been popular in the Tathra area for many a generation, with species like morwong, snapper, pigfish, kingfish, ocean perch and many others gracing anglers’ bags – and then there’s the most sought after bottom-dwelling fish out from Tathra, the flathead. The two main species are sand and tigers, with the latter often of larger size the deeper you go. I can assure you that now is definitely time to target these fish because they’re in a hot feeding mode.

basket by the end of the day. Onshore the beaches are starting to improve, with the main target being salmon which are in good numbers. They are easily accessed on the beaches surrounding Bermagui. Whiting, bream, mullet and trevally are also making their presence felt while of a night around the full moon gummy sharks are increasing in numbers along with some very nice school-sized mulloway and tailor. As a result of the rains earlier this year all the estuaries are in excellent condition and fishing extremely well, especially Wallaga Lake. In the main part of the lake, flathead and tailor are the predominant catch, and both lures and bait are working well. The rocky points on the western side of the lake are areas to target as they create a perfect ambush point. Over the flats and

adjacent weed beds there are lots of bream, luderick or whiting patrolling these areas, which are suckers for a well-presented nipper or worm. Using berley around these weed beds will attract some sizeable garfish, providing a tasty evening meal. This is pretty much the scenario for most of the lakes and estuaries along the coast, especially the Bermagui River where the riches of the flood are providing plenty of feed this season, especially in the form of prawns. With all the rain, Brogo Dam is 100% full with plenty of food and the resident bass population are on the chew, providing some excellent angling. The Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association has been stocking 20,000 fish a year into this system, with the most recent stocking taking place in November. Tight lines and a very Merry Christmas.

Lewis caught this 110cm, 35kg cod while fishing with his family at Split Rock Dam.

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It’s December, so cod opening has arrived! ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

It’s December, and we all know what that means: cod season has finally arrived. In a world that’s slowly getting back to normality, I think we can all agree that this cod opening is bound to be a special one.

and not even necessarily catch a fish; just being there is a privilege within itself. If there’s anything that COVID has taught us (other than being hygienic), it’s definitely that the things we adore doing are so special, and that’s why every trip should be enjoyed as if it’s our last. Cod opening is a very

has caught a cod, big or small, will understand why they are such a popular species. The hours spent to catch these fish are totally forgotten once that fish is landed, and the excitement of just holding it is near second to none. I’ve never experienced such a love for a particular species more than Murray cod. They

A clear water cod from last cod season. Hopefully recent rainfalls will support healthy flows this season.

Golden perch are still about. This solid fish was caught at Lake Hume. A lot of people have had so much time away from the water, making it hard to enjoy weekends and time off work. Anyone who’s a keen fisho for whatever species will understand the urge to just get out,

exciting time for this reason – think about the people you might catch up with, the stories, memories and whatever else it is that you love about being on our special waters. And of course, anyone who

are just such an amazing fish, and remembering everything that they have been through in recent years makes you realise just how precious they are, just like all our native fish species.

As well as the cod open season, December also marks the beginning of summer. It’s a very hot time of year, and this makes it particularly important to handle your fish with care, no matter what species you catch, and regardless of whether it’s big or small. When you hook your fish and land it, try to keep the fish in the net in the

want to do the best we can do to protect our fish. All of this advice of course, comes second to actually having the success of hooking up, and that’s where the constant battle begins. We all know that at times cod can be especially difficult to catch, while at other times you can have sessions that see you reach double figures of

earned with effort. Whether you’re on foot or fishing from a boat, challenges on these fish are always present. Breaking down each fishery is your best bet to unlocking these fish, and once you start to piece bits and pieces together, it can be all up from there. These puzzle pieces can be as simple as time periods we fish, or the methods

Sometimes staying out past dark can be rewarding. Fishing in the heat of summer can be slow during the day but come alive at night.

A perfectly marked river fish. 72

DECEMBER 2020

water as much as you can. Those few minutes it might take you to get your phone for a photo, or the pliers to unhook the fish, are crucial, particularly in the summer heat. Try to put it into perspective – if you were fully submerged in hot water, you wouldn’t cope with that very long. It is so simple, but we all

fish landed. Summertime is generally a good time of year to smash out numbers of cod. With recent rain in our local area, many waterways have had the much-needed flushes to freshen them up again. This cod season should be a fairly good one, but as I always say these fish are

we practice. Again, it’s time on the water and like they say, they Murray cod are the fish of a thousand casts. Use what you have confidence in, but also don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. You won’t catch them at home, so get out there and have fun. The results will not be far away! Tight lines.

NSW

Score big in the silly season BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

December is normally a great month to be on the water, with many fish species in full swing, and

down the ever-reliable Tumut River. Fishing the Tumut River whilst it is in high or fast flow can be difficult and a lot of anglers just don’t bother when it gets to over 2000ML of flow. This is not to say that you can’t catch

‘and/or’ is that PowerBait used with worms or even a grub can be a very effective trout bait in the fast flows. When the river is in low flow pretty much all techniques work well, but the use of much lighter line is an absolute must.

Jounama Dam is a picturesque little lake that offers great fishing, beautiful surroundings, is family safe and lets you get away from the crowds at the large lakes. the seasons are all open no matter what your target species is. After the crazy year we’ve had, I expect this

fish whilst it is in high flow, it is just a bit harder but still doable for those willing to persist and work hard. The best technique in the high

The shallow crystal clear water makes the fish much spookier then they are whilst the river is roaring, and a much stealthier approach is required if you want to catch fish all day rather than scare fish all day. Start by using a lighter line or extralong leader around 1-3kg breaking strain, then use the lightest lure, sinker or fly possible for the conditions, and finally finish it all off with some natural coloured clothes that blend in with your surroundings. Those who know me know that I am rarely seen without some sort of camo-style clothing on, and successful fishing alone is the reason I wear it almost religiously these days. GOLDEN PERCH TIPS Golden perch fishing has

been great at Blowering Dam this spring. Good numbers of fish have been caught and it has been pleasing to see plenty of little ones around for a change, indicating that stocks are healthy. The majority of fish have been caught on ZX style blades or lipless crankbaits like Mazzy Vibs and Insanity Tackle Slap Walkers. Casting lipless crankbaits has certainly out-fished trolling with them. The reason for this is that when casting you can get your lure into all sorts of nooks and crannies that you just can’t get into when trolling. Early in the season fish were being caught in the treetops in the backs of bays but of late most of the fish have been caught deeper around the rock walls and steep points, mostly up around the wall area of the lake. Casting and hopping lures like rubber vibes or blades has also starting working really well now that the fish are holding a bit deeper. If you’ve never used

Blowering and Jounama dams have some of the clearest and cleanest water in the country and provide some spectacular visual fishing no matter what you’re targeting.

Some of the fire-affected creeks fished poorly at the beginning of the season, but others fished exceptionally well, so it pays to do a bit of exploring.

Expect to see good golden perch numbers increasing in our impoundments this month. holiday period will be one of the busiest in living memory. Many people will finally be able to appreciate their freedom again, and go out and enjoy the great outdoors. TUMUT RIVER Although the opening of the trout season wasn’t as good as it could have been, especially in some of the fire-affected creeks, the fishing was still great

flows is to repeat downand across-stream casting with lures that hold in the water without blowing out and without smashing bottom. My preferred lures for this are the 55mm Sso Minos and Rapala CD5 and CD7 models. The next best technique for the high flows is repeat bait drifting with wood grubs, PowerBait and/or worms. The reason I say

Suns out, guns out. Blowering Dam holds some big fish, and that’s one of the reasons it is super popular with anglers from across the country.

this style of lure before it is worth learning, because on those tough days when the fish just won’t hit a rattling or flashing lure, these silent assassins can often clean up. The technique is quite simple – just cast the lure out into the area you have sounded fish, or where you suspect the fish are holding, and allow the lure to hit the bottom. Next, wind up the slack and lift your lure about a metre or so off the bottom, then allow it to free fall back to the bottom – but try to stay in contact with it as it sinks because this is when 90% plus of the hits will occur. As soon as you feel a slight tap on the line, strike like there is no tomorrow and you should get struck into a fish or two. If you’re heading to Blowering Dam this holiday period, remember that Blowering Dam offers free camping not free rubbish dumping, so if you do head up there to camp over the holiday period please take everything back out with you. A lot of fishing is done in December, especially over the Christmas break, and not just by the diehard fishos but also by a lot of people who only wet a line once a year. This makes December one of the busiest times of the year to be on the water, but with a lot of fish species very active at this time of the year you’d be crazy not to get amongst it. No matter where you decide to fish this holiday period, I wish you all luck and a safe and merry Christmas and New Year. DECEMBER 2020

NSW

Aquatic life going ballistic HUNTER VALLEY

Nick Price

Over the last month there has been an influx of water into the top of both Glenbawn and St Clair, and both dams have risen considerably. The tributaries

surface lures such as Micro Pompadours or other noisy lures at night and you will be rewarded. Don’t be afraid to use surface lures during the day if it is overcast or you see fish rising. I keep a Soft Shell Cicada style lure ready for the opportunity, and if a see a boil at any time I throw

bass surface strike. The bass are always aggressive at this time of year and the reaction bite is on. Throwing lipless crankbaits such as the ever reliable TN60, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits to the edge is producing good fish and lots of them. Make sure you are using at least 10lb

Caleb and Dylan from Tamworth with some nice Glenbawn bass. above the dam that feed the Hunter, such as Stewarts and Moonan brooks, have had a considerable steady flow for

the lure out. Be patient and pause the lure before you give a few twitches and another long pause. Nothing beats a

Tubby Taylor dropping into the shop in Aberdeen to find out what they are biting on before heading out to Glenbawn. the first time in five years. Unfortunately due to the drought there are no trout in the lower streams and I have not heard of anyone catching any for a considerable time. There are still trout being caught up on the Barrington Tops though, and Celta-style lures and worms are your best bet. Glenbawn has been on fire with the fishing getting better and better. With the water rising, new ground has been covered and the aquatic insect life has gone ballistic. This in turn has given the small gudgeons and other forage fish a much-needed boost with their population exploding, and the bass have followed suit, hunting aggressively on the edge. With all the new insect life, the topwater bite has been the best for many years. Throw 74

DECEMBER 2020

braid and leader as the fish are super aggressive and will break you off with anything less. For those in the know, swimbaits are being used to catch bass in Glenbawn and are working well at the moment. There are some small 3.5-4” swimbaits that Biwa have just brought out that the locals have been using. Fish them like you fish swimbaits for cod and you’ll be rewarded with big bass. Once the sun is high the best two options are trolling with deep divers and throwing skirted jigs. When the sun is up and the wind is still, skirted jigs are the best option for picking up fish. Fish the jigs around rock or timber. Make sure you put on an appropriate trailer and keep them on the bottom. They catch a lot of fish at this time of year.

There were reports coming through of fish dying in St Clair over previous months and the fishing was very slow. The fishing is gradually picking up now. The surface bite is not as good as Glenbawn but it will fire up as the water warms. The fish have been holding in the submerged weed. Like Glenbawn, the reaction bite is on with the bass taking lipless cranks, spinnerbaits and beetle spins. Be up early and you will get the fish. One thing to note if you’re chasing yellowbelly, St Clair has been producing many more than Glenbawn, and some big brutes. • If you’re after up to date advice on how both lakes are fishing drop in and see us at Aberdeen Fishing and Outdoors. In Aberdeen at the turnoff to Glenbawn Dam. We have a huge selection of gear and the latest advice. If you haven’t dropped in before you will be surprised.

Aberdeen local Curtis with a good swimbait-caught Glenbawn bass.

Gotta match the hatch NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

December, along with the festive season, brings joy for many people, with lots happening around this time of year. Murray cod season officially opened

everyone to enjoy. Copeton Dam has slowly risen in water levels throughout the month of November (sitting around 17%) which seemed to have the fish on the bite fairly consistently. There were plenty of cracking fish caught during the AYC Cod

This yellowbelly was taken on a big hardbody intended for a Murray cod. The fish will be a lot more active and aggressive as temperatures rise.

Liam and son Jasper with a St Clair bass.

on 1 December, after the annual 3-month spawning closure, and the school holidays are about to start up again – and Christmas is just around the corner. All this couldn’t be happening at a better time as the New England area has received some massive downpours of rain which has freshened up the rivers, as well as adding some muchneeded water back into the local impoundments. This has not only benefited the wildlife that live in and around these waters, it has also helped anyone participating in water activities during these hotter months, with more water for

Classic, and December should not be any different when it comes to finding good results on both cod and golden perch. As the water levels rise, it seems to make the fish more comfortable, which sees them feed more actively and aggressively. They like to feed on the fresh food, such as insects and worms, which can be found up on the edges, which have been exposed away from the water’s edge for a while now. However, it is not only the insects and other smaller bait-life that can be found on the edges – the warmer weather brings out bigger reptiles as well, such as lizards and snakes, which are a big cod favourite, especially in Copeton Dam. Casting shallow bays or the open points in lower light conditions right into the cover of darkness is one To page 75

A healthy Murray cod taken off the surface on a lizard-style surface lure.

NSW

Good to be back LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

I took the liberty of a little Fishing Monthly writing hiatus when COVID threw a spanner in the fishing works. I didn’t stop fishing, far from it – I just needed a break from writing about it locally.

courteous towards others – has taken a nosedive. Social media feeds are a contributing factor to the increased pressure on waterways. The balance between sharing and oversharing on the socials is a fine line; overstep that line today and it can mean literally dozens more boats on the same water tomorrow, sometimes on the very

circumstances, but there is a point where oversaturation starts to push people away. I cannot tell you how many people I’ve heard mutter the words recently, “I’m not going back”. This surely is not what we need. Unlike social media, magazine articles don’t result in instant crowds of people converging on a given spot. It may be old but I believe it

The spring season on yellas was a good one, if not a little crowded in some locations.

Cod season is upon us. If your preparation has been up to scratch, anything is possible. It’s been interesting watching the effects hereabouts on the fishing scene when it comes to COVID. The uptake and pressure applied to popular waterways has definitely lifted a notch. I’m guessing that less travel abroad has concentrated efforts closer to home? The increased boat traffic has had its consequences, boat rage being one of them. The un-written etiquette of fishing – basically, just being From page 74

of my favourite ways to target impoundment cod at this time of year. I also like slow retrieving swimbaits

same spot. If you are keen to share your photos on social media, I recommend avoiding location tags or the background detectives will work it out. You can also try flipping photos, run with lower ‘f’ stops on your camera (to blur the background), jumble your pics, or hold back a month or so before posting. I do understand the need for local tourism operators to promote what they have, especially under such

works better in the interests of everybody. BASS Local waters are a little finicky when it comes to bass, as the altitude means the weather can change a little quicker. It’s best if you’re travelling to the area to give yourself a few days to allow for more good weather windows. Humid, stormy afternoons can bring about a pretty intense bite period, and the need to juggle reward with the risk of an impending

and chatterbaits later on in the day. Late afternoon is preferred in summer because the water temperatures will have risen during the day

which sees the bait very active, and the predators will never be too far behind them. Pindari Dam is very much the same when it comes

storm should be kept at the forefront of your mind. Catching bass on topwater lures is the ultimate adrenalin rush, although hook-up rates are well down on most subsurface presentations. Some things to try to increase the percentages include a soft hands approach, along with a monofilament leader, and a softer, more forgiving rod. Mix up the retrieves, too. Sometimes no retrieve is best. TROUT Water temps at depth remain pretty cool despite the warming December air temperatures. Cloudy days could still offer the opportunity of spotting brown trout feeding in the margins. Pelagic feeding rainbow trout in Lake Lyell will be well and truly on the move, gorging themselves on redfin, pin fry and the like. Casting lures such as spoons with a likeness in both shape, size then colour is key. Vary your depths and count the spoon down. Keep a semitaut line on the drop; bone jarring strikes are not out of

the question. The nocturnal activities of bigger brown trout should be well and truly on your radar during December, especially in TCD (Thompsons Creek Dam). This usually coincides with the first of an ongoing

Local bass can be a little finicky, partly due to the changeable weather at altitude. If you set aside several consecutive days to chase them you’ll have a much better chance. mud-eye hatch (dragon fly larvae). Fly fishers love this time of year and for good reason – some of the biggest fish get caught while imitating these little

Casting lures into the cover of darkness can be very rewarding, with nights being a lot more comfortable to fish in than the middle of the day.

After the spawn period, Murray cod like to eat each other. For that reason, ‘matching the hatch’ of those small fry, even to the same colour, can be productive.

to the approaches to targeting the natives that call this waterway home. However, the thicker standing timber in Pindari can make the task of targeting fish that little bit

parcels of food as they propel themselves slowly towards the bank. MURRAY COD With a December season now open, it’s all systems go on this iconic Australian species. Hopefully all your

harder than the more open impoundments like Copeton. Trolling lipless crankbaits or hardbodies is a very effective way of covering lots of ground because these

pre-season prep has paid off. Waters locally offer much, and part of the journey involves homework. The reward for doing so is a gift that keeps on giving. lures deflect off snags quite well. They are a good option for getting down into the thermocline or cooler water at least where the fish tend to sit during the hotter months. Just remember, natives do suffer from barotrauma when brought up to the surface quickly from deeper water. Looking after your catch and getting it back into the cooler water as soon as possible can really increase survival rates. Release weights can also be a huge help in getting fish down quickly when practicing catch and release. Pindari is currently sitting at around 16% at the time of writing. All in all, the countryside is in a much better condition than at this time last year, and with more rains predicted, it’s shaping up to be another epic season for targeting our beloved Murray cod, with healthier river systems and impoundments. Tight lines! DECEMBER 2020

Canberra

ACT

Canberra’s Codundrum CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

Cod season is here and I know that there will be plenty of anglers out and about at midnight 1 December on the hunt for a big greenfish.

is starting to fish well despite the lake still being discoloured from recent rain. Anglers have caught plenty of golden perch using a variety of lures and methods, ranging from slow rolling beetlespins along the weed edges through to hopping a ned

Gallipoli Reach. Late afternoon is a great time to go for a walk along the footpaths at Carillion and cast small hardbodies and plastics. It is possible to catch carp close to the island, redfin near the edge and then golden perch just before the bridge. There are plenty of big cod on offer but they sit at the mouth of Molonglo and often have lockjaw, making catching one difficult even during low light periods. Lake Ginninderra is fishing particularly well at present with all three lure targets (cod, yellas and reddies) on the chew. As with LBG, the points are producing because the fish are holding in these areas and hitting the baitfish which venture out from near the bank. Small to medium sized spinnerbaits slow rolled deep out from the points is the best method if you’re chasing a cod or golden perch but, as the light wanes, switch to jig and work the edges

The Bidgee is a work in progress. for massive yellas as they come in off the points. Redfin are cruising the edges behind the college and along the boardwalk

up the mall and will hit plastics in paddle-tail or grub-tail hopped parallel to the concrete paths. Lake Tuggeranong, like

A few lucky anglers worked out the flooded water last season. What has been disappointing (for me at least) has been seeing significant numbers of cod caught throughout the close season through posts on social media. I am always appalled by photos of big cod lying on a gravel bank with a giant deep diver hanging from the jaw. Those fish won’t breed, and the lifecycle of these amazing fish is disrupted by selfish fishos who give the rest of us a bad name. The one big bonus, however, has been the amount of anglers who have commented on such posts expressing their collective outrage at those who did the wrong thing through spring. I think the start of cod season will always be a conundrum for myself and many other anglers, because we are excited at the prospect of new water and big fish but also disappointed that many of the fish we’ll catch may not have bred during the closed season. Unfortunately, until a small pocket of anglers start following the rules, this will always be the case. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin 76

DECEMBER 2020

rig along the flats. Kayak and boat anglers have been particularly successful by targeting the points and slow rolling wriggler-style plastics near the edge of the reeds. The redfin are also on the bite. They can be found in a variety of locations but are especially prevalent in their usual haunts like

A nice little bit of LBG gold.

Murray cod season begins this month!

Lake G and Burley Griffin are firing. The carp are almost everywhere and are sitting close to the surface, and will hit unweighted, creature-style plastics on the drop. Anglers using this method have also caught redfin and golden perch. Speaking of golden perch, there have been some great fish landed a few metres out from the footpaths behind the college. The points are also yielding some good fish, especially in the lead up to the dog park. There is a distinct late afternoon/ evening bite of around an hour where the reddies hit surface and it is possible to run up big numbers if you’re targeting the overhanging trees which line certain areas of the lake.

The Murrumbidgee River is still running hard due to recent rain and the water clarity is almost non-existent. The river needed a good flush but has almost been completely reset due to the constant flood, with new snags and pools appearing over the last few months. The river was in a similar position at the end of last season and I know of a few clever anglers who worked it out and caught some great fish. However, it may be some time before we see significant numbers of cod being caught in the Bidgee. SURROUNDS Googong Dam is the pick of the fisheries this month. The golden perch and redfin are once again on the bite and there are plenty of big cod on offer for anglers willing to put in the time on the water. Googong holds a large population of stud golden perch to 70cm and cod to well over 130cm. At present, it is possible to walk the bank and target both cod and yellas by casting small vibes using a light spin outfit and large spinnerbaits with a baitcast outfit. The fish are hunting the flats so be prepared to walk a long way and cast for hours, but the rewards are definitely worth it. The South Coast bass fishing has kicked up a gear since the cicadas arrived in big numbers. I’ve been in areas where the noise has been deafening but the surface action more than makes up for a little ringing in your ears. I simply cast my surface offering out and then jig the lure on the spot, as this best mimics the first moments of a cicada’s struggle after falling into the water.

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Vic’s eastern snapper stock’s place in the world GEELONG

Ross Winstanley

During the past 50 years, tagging studies have described the distribution and movement patterns of Victoria’s western snapper stock in increasing detail. They have also established Wilsons Promontory as the boundary between the eastern and western stocks. What has never been clear is the relationship between snapper off eastern Victoria and those off the Australian East Coast and, in recent times, off Tasmania. It has now been clearly established that the eastern Victorian stock is genetically distinct from the East Coast stock that occurs off NSW and Queensland, with

Port Phillip Bay, around Wilsons Promontory. First, two snapper tagged in Port Phillip Bay were recaptured off Lakes Entrance. Second, a study of the chemical ‘signatures’ of snapper otoliths or earbones, showed that snapper originating in the bay contributed to the eastern stock. MOVEMENTS OF EASTERN VICTORIAN SNAPPER The 1950s tagging

OVERVIEW OF SNAPPER STOCKS • The East Coast snapper stock, occurring off NSW and Queensland, is distinct from snapper occurring off eastern Victoria and Tasmania. • The East Coast stock is rated as ‘depleted’ in Queensland waters and as “sustainable in NSW waters. • Victoria’s eastern snapper stock is rated as ‘indeterminate’.

Movements of snapper tagged in Victorian waters in the 1950s and 1960s (M J Sanders, 1974). a boundary zone that has shifted, over time, along the NSW south coast. While Victoria’s eastern and western snapper stocks are genetically similar, in terms of their distribution, the eastern stock is largely isolated from both the western stock and the East Coast stock. EVIDENCE OF SEPARATE EASTERN AND WESTERN STOCKS Snapper tagging studies during the 1950s and 1960s provided the first evidence of Victoria’s separate eastern and western stocks. The western stock was shown to occur between Western Port Bay and Kingston, SA. Recaptures of fish tagged off eastern Victoria suggested that the eastern stock extended to the NSW north coast, as far as Yamba. Further tagging studies during the 1970s and from the 1990s confirmed the separation of the eastern and western stocks, either side of Wilsons Promontory. Despite the evidence of these separate stocks, there were also indications of a low level of west to east movement of snapper, from 78

DECEMBER 2020

1998 and 2001 were recaptured in the same region, four moved as far as Forster on the NSW coast (850km to the NNE). THE STATUS OF EASTERN AUSTRALIAN STOCKS For practical purposes, Victoria has managed the fisheries based on the eastern and western stocks separately. At times, there have been concerns about the western stock due to

work appeared to show that Victoria’s eastern stock extended a long way up the NSW coast. As the chart from a 1974 report shows, all 59 snapper tagged in Mallacoota Inlet and recaptured outside the inlet were taken off the NSW coast, as far north as Yamba. None of the small numbers tagged in Corner Inlet and Lake Tyers in that early work were recaptured. Looking back now, those observations, combined with the lack of Victorian recaptures from the 1041 snapper tagged in Mallacoota Inlet, present the question: were the Mallacoota snapper part of Victoria’s eastern stock or a separate East Coast stock? This question was confounded when a more recent study reported that: • snapper tagged in Mallacoota Inlet in 1999 were recaptured to the west as far as McGaurans Beach (260km to the SSW) and along the northern NSW coast, as far as the Solitary Islands (870km to the N); and • while most snapper tagged off Corner Inlet between

periods of low recruitment (spawning success), the impacts of scallop dredging in Port Phillip Bay (until 1997) and fishing targeted on spawning aggregations. Despite this, aided by a number of management interventions, 20 years of stock assessments have repeatedly shown the combined impacts of commercial and recreational fishing to be sustainable. By comparison, the snapper off eastern Victoria are lightly fished and the ongoing impacts of fishing pressure on the stock there are of no concern. As the graph of recent catches shows, annual commercial catches taken off eastern Victoria rarely exceed 25 tonnes. Recreational fishing catch estimates have been 21 and 60 tonnes, but being a relatively small fishery, few fishers were interviewed meaning there is some uncertainty surrounding the accuracy of these estimates. About 15 years ago, there was growing concern about the Australian East Coast stock, which appeared to include snapper off Victoria’s east coast. Participants at a 2007

Queensland snapper stock assessment workshop raised the importance of ‘a unified east coast approach’ to managing snapper fisheries. The 2013 national Stock status determination for snapper, considered snapper from Queensland to eastern Victoria to be a single stock and listed its status as ‘Undefined’. This arose as both Queensland and NSW ranked their respective snapper fisheries as being overfished, in contrast to eastern Victoria where fishing pressure was considered to be light and sustainable. Following a 2013 national snapper workshop, fisheries managers and researchers from Queensland, NSW, Victoria and the Commonwealth collaborated in developing a 2016 ‘tri-state’ project to assess the structure of the East Coast snapper stock, and to provide advice on the best management of the fisheries. The project’s first clear finding was the existence of two genetically distinct biological snapper stocks, between northern Queensland and Tasmania. The northern or East Coast stock ranges from north Queensland into southern NSW and is genetically different to the southern stock that extends from southern NSW and Victoria to Tasmania. Between these two stocks, there is an area of overlap in southern NSW, around Eden. A previous study had identified a genetic overlap zone about 400km to the north, suggesting that the boundary between the East Coast and southern stocks has moved southwards over time. This might explain the recapture of snapper, tagged in Mallacoota Inlet, off the mid-north coast of NSW during the 1950s, 1960s and early 2000s. For practical fisheries management purposes, the tri-state study recommended

that Queensland and NSW stock assessments should address the whole stock, examining data from both states, but excluding data from Victoria. The 2018 national stock status report ranked

separate stocks. While the latest genetic study found a close similarity between them, the results of tagging studies indicated that there is little movement of snapper between the two regions. The tri-state study noted that

Image courtesy of Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

the Queensland stock as ‘depleted’, the NSW stock as ‘sustainable’, and Victoria’s eastern stock as ‘Indeterminate’ (because of the lack of data). FINDINGS FOR VICTORIA From Victoria’s viewpoint, perhaps the most interesting finding from the tri-state study was the genetic similarity of snapper off western and eastern Victoria and Tasmania. This touches on the question: what is a stock? In biological terms, the snapper occurring from south eastern SA around Victoria to southern NSW and off Tasmania appear to belong to a common stock, genetically distinct from the East Coast stock. But, in practical fisheries management terms, snapper in Victorian waters east and west of Wilsons Promontory continue to be regarded as

Catch history from Victoria’s eastern snapper stock. Image courtesy of VFA.

off eastern Victoria, snapper spawning takes place in coastal waters, and larval fish move into the eastern inlets where they develop as juveniles for at least their first year. This pattern is similar to that of snapper on the East Coast and contrasts with the western stock for which spawning and larval and early juvenile development are largely confined to Port Phillip Bay. WHAT ABOUT SNAPPER OFF TASMANIA? The tri-state study was only able to examine 29 Tasmanian snapper samples, collected from three separate locations. As a result, while the study grouped them as part of the ‘southern genetic stock’, it is not possible to clarify their possible relationships with snapper from Victoria’s western and eastern stocks. There are indications that at least some snapper in Tasmanian waters originate from local spawning. About five of the snapper sampled for the tri-state project were females with roes in advanced pre-spawning condition. Also, the presence at St Helens of 10cm snapper, likely to be less than one year old, strongly suggests local spawning. A current project, led by Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, is examining the southward extension of the ranges of snapper and other species into Tasmanian waters. This may shed more light on the relationship between snapper either side of Bass Strait.

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The Victorian fishing is bouncing back well Mark not so much. Well, it seems things are nearly back to normal and I’m sure by the time you read this with the onset of summer conditions the river will be firing on all fronts, so get amongst it. 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

WEST COAST

Brett Carson

Seems we may have got ahead of ourselves on the low rainfall this winter and spring. No sooner had I written the last article, the heavens opened, sending a flush of dead water down the river and causing a natural fish kill like the one that last happened in 2008. While Hawthorn won the premiership that year and everything seemed rosy, there was panic and rumours of ‘the end of fish in the Glenelg River’. I’ve been shown plenty of ‘all the fish are dead’ Facebook videos in the last little while. However, while the videos show numbers of dead fish, mostly perch and bream, it’s only a small percentage of the total fish population in the river – probably less than 1%. The panic was soon forgotten in 2008 as fish catches returned to normal, and the same is happening now. The river is still brown but the large 1m+ spring tides will soon drive saltwater back up into the system. The large river mouth created by the heavy rains will help with more inflow and speed up the process. Bream are already biting well on the tides in the estuary, with pod worms and crabs accounting for plenty of fish. Some exceptional bags of large fish came soon after the fish kill, showing there are plenty of fish still about.

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

Ben Cunnington holding a nice perch taken on a lure. The bream fishing upriver has been best on soft baits, and those anglers who move around are finding good numbers. Being prepared to shift is key, and quite often you don’t catch them in the same place two days in a row. The fish are still away from the edge at this time of year, especially while the water is still clearing from the heavy flows, so mix up the depth that you fish. Perch have been quieter of late but at this time of the year the lure fishing that accounts for most perch is slow anyway. Lure fishers at this time of the year often wonder what the hell they

are doing wrong, and yet the same technique will slay them in the months to come. Mulloway will start to fire up in the coming months and I suggest that the estuary up to the caves will be the best starting point. The edge of the mud lake holds big numbers at this time of year, and with masses of mullet out in the surf soon to enter the system they will soon be on the feed. Mullet can be seen swimming and feeding in the shallows of the local beaches. These fish usually show up in the lower reaches just before Christmas, and when fished live they are the bomb when it comes

to catching the elusive mulloway. Mark Hann, my boy Charlie and I took the opportunity on a flat sea to get a dive in for some crays and abalone at one of the South Australian bays just over the Victorian border. The diving here is exceptional when the sea abates, and the reward is a feed fit for a king. A simple snorkelling kit is all that’s required, but thick gloves are a must on the sharp and spiny crayfish. Mark’s finger was grabbed by one of the larger specimens that refused to go quietly without drawing blood. We laughed,

Mark Hann and Charlie Carson sporting a great bag of crays from snorkelling. and pod worms along with all the frozen bait, tackle and lures you need for the area. We are happy to give you some local knowledge to get you on the fish quicker.

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.

Snapper are on fire APOLLO BAY

Craig Rippon

The weather has warmed up and so has the fishing. With a couple of long weekends enjoyed out of lockdown, there was plenty of fishing to be had by all. The weather allowed us to go to our favourite spots, and it was great to see so many people on the water. The beaches have been producing the goods, with some nice salmon at Wild Dog, Marengo and Johanna beaches. At Johanna there have been some nice gummies taken as well at night. The best bait is fresh salmon fillet. Offshore there have been good bags of flathead taken, with plenty of good-sized fish about in 35-45m of water. There has also been the odd gummy in those depths. Out wide the snapper have been on fire as well as gummies. Down the coast all the reefs have been producing some really good fish up to 80

DECEMBER 2020

The crew aboard Apollo Bay Fishing Charters had a good day out fishing in 50m of water.

Tash McPherson with a pair of nice nannygai.

6kg. Fresh bait has been the best, as always. We have found that anchoring with berley is a must, and a change of tide is best. The larger tides have been particularly good. There have also been some really nice nannygai in amongst the snapper. They are spread along the coast so if your boat doesn’t allow you to travel big distances, they can be caught very close to Apollo Bay. The whiting have still

been a bit hit and miss, but with the water warming up I expect them to get firing soon. I will try to target these fish in the next month so I have a better report for January. In other news, Hit and Run Charters has been taken over by my good friend Daniel Kent, so if you’re coming to Apollo Bay and want to go fishing, let Daniel put you onto the fish. Give him a call on 0428 376 426 to find out more or book a trip.

With the holidays coming up it’s time to make sure your licence is up to date, as there are fisheries officers out there checking people. Also make sure your safety gear is up to date and your boat is safe. That’s it for this month. If you have any photos you would like to share, or want more info on fishing in Apollo Bay, send me an email at snagga02@ gmail.com.

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Summer pelagic season has arrived in SW WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

The massive dump of rain the South West received in October is still causing all the local rivers, and a fair bit out to sea, to run brown. This has curtailed a lot of plans and angling action recently, but this month it should help to contribute to some great fishing. The mouth of the Hopkins River is very large and deep and should hopefully lead to the river remaining open and tidal

throughout the summer, which usually promotes good fishing. Bream and estuary perch should be up on the edges feeding hard on a rising tide, and that can lead to some exciting sight fishing and/or surface fishing with lures. Casting lightly weighted plastics or surface lures in tight to any structure, rocks or cliff edges can be an exciting way to fish at this time of year. The aforementioned conditions should lead to some decent mulloway fishing in the local estuaries over summer. A school of mulloway can all turn

up in any of the Hopkins, Moyne, Yambuk and the Fitzroy rivers at this time of year, either to anglers specifically targeting them or as an exciting by-catch while fishing for bream. On the freshwater scene, the Hopkins will probably have fallen to a perfect height to target brown trout by the time this goes to print. However, the high chance of snake encounters due to it being so late in the year will be a significant deterrent to making long walking expeditions. Whilst the heavy rains have put paid to the local

Recent rains fired up the big lake trout, like this beautiful brown.

December marks the beginning of the summer pelagic fishing.

river trout population for the time being, the lake trout fired up with some exceptional 3-4kg salmonids being taken out of lakes Purrumbete and Elingamite in particular. Perhaps the best thing about December is the start of summer pelagic season. Come the end of the month hopefully the first local kingfish captures will have occurred. Last season there were some good fish around but the weather

windows required to best target them were few and far between. Some of the best southern bluefin fishing in the last few seasons has occurred during the warmer months. Many of these fish are in the 15-30kg range and are relatively close to shore around the 30-40m mark, sometimes mixing in with the schools of kingfish. Hopefully the waters will clear up soon and we’ll get plenty of

calm, flat days which are the conditions required to spot the schools of kings or tuna on top. Come December the cray season will be in full swing, with both divers and hoop netters hoping for some flat conditions to target their quarry. Don’t forget the tagging system for amateur taken crays. Last year’s tags are no good, you will need to apply for new season ones.

Hope you have a very fishy Christmas break COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Much of spring has seen above-average rainfall which has kept all of our local estuaries’ mouths open to the sea by being in a constant minor flood. However, as we enter into summertime, the rains have dissipated somewhat, allowing all and sundry to target the bread-and-butter species in our estuaries. The Curdies River has had a great flush out, and much of the lower reaches including the lake has oxygenated sea water flowing throughout. The bream are still in spawning mode and are gathering around the river mouth so they can do their business. They can be finicky at times but are responding to both bait and lure on a given day. The bream are going for soft bait such as local shrimp and greyback minnow.

King George whiting like this one are now prowling around the weed beds not far offshore. Squid strips and soft plastics, such as 2” Magbite SnatchBite Shads in white are working.

Soft plastics in minnow, prawn and worm patterns are also taking a few. By the time you read this I’d expect the spawning run to be over, but if it’s still in full swing, please limit your catch to allow future generations of anglers a chance at catching a bream. The local estuary perch are also spawning near the river mouth, and can be either very easy or extremely hard to entice to bite. The Hopkins River at Warrnambool remains viable despite coffeecoloured water from the recent rains still pushing downstream. The bream are wanting to move upstream to spawn but most captures are occurring within 2km of the mouth. Bait such as shrimp, brown shell and whitebait are working on a given day, along with various soft plastics with prawn/shrimp patterns preferred. The perch are still congregating downstream and often

stay there until the new year. The odd mulloway capture is still occurring, with fish ranging from 80-100cm in length. The offshore scene is buoyant as long as the wind behaves itself. Any reefs and rubbly ground around the 40m mark is being favoured by many, with snapper to 4kg being caught on fresh squid. There are also plenty of school and gummy shark about, with one specimen pulling the scales down to a whopping 29kg recently. Blue morwong, nannygai, leatherjacket and calamari squid are also plentiful. Closer inshore, some good flathead to 1.8kg are being caught, often over ground that’s also suitable for King George whiting, which are averaging around the mid to high thirties in length. The way things are going it’s looking like a great season to be had, especially offshore so bring on summer! DECEMBER 2020

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A cracker snapper season GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

It’s been a heck of a month for snapper in the region, with solid captures of fish either side of 7kg. Masses of undersized pinkies continue to strip baited hooks but there are some quality fish to be had for those anglers who dodge the toddlers. The Barwon River in Geelong is still coffee brown thanks to above average rainfalls in the region over the last few months. However, December can really see the carp fire up if you’re after some fun. As soon as the water clears up, give

Hugh grassed this rainbow at Stony Creek reservoir on a dry fly.

Maddy has caught a wide variety of fish out off Anglesea. the redfin a go using lures and you may even land an estuary perch or two. Wurdee Boluc reservoir near Moriac is also quite discoloured but anglers are pulling a few small trout out of it using minnow lures. Stony Creek Reservoir near Ballan is near capacity and crystal clear. The fish here are super fussy and are best targeted dawn and dusk. Hugh Hanson had a go out there recently and found the trout working the surface for insects. He piffed Bent Minnows all over the place for zero then he remembered he had his fly rod in the ute. He got it rigged, sent out a fly and it wasn’t long before he had a few hook-ups and eventually landed a pretty little rainbow trout. Three new rocky reefs are being built inside Corio Bay thanks to the Victorian Government’s Target One Million commitment. There’s one at St Helens 82

DECEMBER 2020

within a cast for landbased fishos, one north of the shipping channel and southwest of Point Wilson, and another halfway between Portarlington and Kirk Point. Once installed, the rocky reefs will be seeded with native oysters and mussels to accelerate their development and encourage colonisation by other marine life. Small fish bring big fish so I’m sure they will be popular with both anglers and fish. St Helens has been going well for snapper of late, with quality fish up to 4kg being caught on pilchards and squid by anglers fishing from the rock wall here. Wayne Tempest fished with Angie Bela inside Corio Bay near Point Henry a few times over the last month. They fished near the shipping channel using fresh squid

on Elkat ganged hooks with a sinker on top of that. Wayne berleyed with cubed pilchards and it paid off with a hectic snapper bite that saw multiple hook-ups

The Surf Coast produces quality snapper, as Aaron well knows.

Wayne and Angie enjoyed a hectic session on snapper not far from Point Henry in Corio Bay.

Collan with 6kg of Corio Bay snapper.

and fish to 72cm until the tide changed and they went off the bite. Jake Cutajar fished Corio Bay early one morning with his daughter Charlotte hoping for a snapper or two. Jake says conditions were perfect but very quiet early on. They eventually found a school of hungry fish that were willing to eat their ZMan JerkshadZ soft plastics on the edge of the shipping channel and it was a frenzy!

They caught around a dozen snapper in a fast paced session, releasing all but a couple for the table. All the fish were over 3kg, with the biggest weighing in at 5.2kg. Exciting stuff! Collan Erard and his son Brooklyn fished Corio Bay chasing snapper recently. Starting off near Point Henry, things were pretty quiet so they headed towards Clifton Springs, sounding the channel as they moved along. They

dropped the anchor where they saw some promising marks and right on the tide change Collan’s rod bent over, surrendering line at a rate of knots. After a torrid battle, they hauled aboard a snapper that weighed in at 6kg. Luke Freeman fished the rock wall at Clifton Springs during a strong northerly recently. Using a 2.4m rod, 10kg braid and fresh squid on a no. 4 Black Magic hook, Luke caught a ripping snapper of 2.5kg. He said it wasn’t easy landing it with a short landing net and waves crashing over the rocks! Snapper will move in close to the rocks at Portarlington pier as well so keep an eye out for those northerlies. If you’re keen on snapper you should give the shallows a go for squid before you head out because a lot of reds have been caught on this bait of late. Standard baits such as pilchards and silver whiting are also catching fish, so take some as a backup. Plan your assault to coincide with a tide change around dawn or dusk or into the night to give yourself best chance – especially when fishing bait. Soft plastic fishers have caught pinkie snapper to 55cm during the day over rubble in 7-10m of water using minnow imitations fished slowly on light jigheads. Squid have been busy from St Leonards to Queenscliff with some absolute honkers amongst them. Bigger squid have fallen to skewered fish such as gars, pilchards or silver whiting, but plenty are falling to conventional

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squid jigs. St Leonards pier in particular has been busy right on dusk with plenty of ink flicking about. The Queenscliff boat harbour has been fishing very well for pinkie snapper, small salmon, calamari and silver trevally. Calamari can be caught

here right in amongst the boats where allowed, and most of the fish species are best targeted during slack water with no to low tidal flow. Single-tailed grubs in motor oil and pilchard fillets have been working best here. The Barwon River

estuary has seen plenty of discoloured water flowing out to sea due to the rains, which has been making fishing difficult. Your best bet here is to fish the incoming tide when the sea water enters the system, where silver trevally and whiting have been caught.

The beaches along the Surf Coast have been quiet apart from a few small salmon up to 1kg on dusk, but offshore has seen some quality snapper to 5kg caught over the shallow reef areas out to 20m of water. Anglesea and Torquay have both been producing snapper and gummy sharks on a regular basis since the end of October. Maddy and Aaron Worrall from Anglesea Rusty Angler’s Club report the fishing around Anglesea has been great in the last month. Some quality snapper have been caught in around 10-12m of water, while flathead and gummy sharks have been caught at the 30m line. Maddy and Aaron have caught snapper in various Luke with a cracking land-based sizes up to 76cm, gummy snapper from Clifton Springs. sharks and some good size flathead, while other they are high and flowing Caught a few around anglers have caught quality fast but remain clear. This Geelong, Bellarine squid between Anglesea is ideal for fly fishing and Peninsula or Surf Coast and Aireys Inlet. well worth a look before to Lorne recently? Send stacer.com.au Lorne Pierstacer.com.au has seen the heat of summer hits in a report to slaterfish@ schools of Australian them. The trout aren’t gmail.com with ‘VFM’ in salmon to 1kg hanging record breakers but they the subject field or give about as well as the odd are fussy and feisty, often me a call on 0408 997348. calamari. Further offshore getting airborne several Please include where has seen one of the better times when hooked. Small (without giving away your flathead seasons with solid minnow lures will do the secret spot!), when, what fish over 55cm being caught job for lure fishos while fly on and who caught the fish. MORNINGTON RACECOURSE – 12-15TH MARCH,2020 in depths from 30-50m. casters should try any dries Pictures are always great, Charlotte and her dad Jake caught these rippers using The Otway streams are or brown or black nymphs but please make sure they soft plastic lures out off Clifton Springs. also well worth a look as if they are not rising. are at least 1MB (file size).

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Summer on the bay is all about snapper PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

After a much cooler spring, and late lingering winter earlier this year, the bay has been a different beast in many ways over the past month for anglers. Months of no fishing pressure due to fishing being banned during Melbourne’s recent COVID lockdown, many of the seasonal trends from last year have continued into this season as well. Water temperatures have been much cooler than at the same time in previous years, but the warmer air and water temperatures are not far away and will certainly be welcomed with open arms by all the bay’s anglers. Much the same as last year, the start to this summer’s season has been strange in many ways, with a few of the trends that we were used to experiencing both on the bay and farther afield, not being as prevalent as in past years. The snapper ‘run’ has only really started in earnest in our local areas in the last few weeks, and with water temperatures increasing gradually through the last couple of weeks in November, some prolonged periods of good fishing are

expected, which is all set to continue right through the summer months as well. Summer on the bay is all about snapper, especially the early summer months. And while many local anglers have been catching good numbers of snapper further north in the bay for the last month or so, traditionally

and the Gut Way at Mt Eliza have all been producing fish in varying depths from 6-9m of water. Good reports have also been coming from anglers fishing out wider from Carrum and Seaford, although these fish have reportedly been much sparser than those in close,

The greater Mornington area has produced some ripper snapper fishing over the past month. Image courtesy of Brendan at IFISH.

December is when the local areas really start to fire up for snapper. Image courtesy of Brendan at IFISH. December and January are when our local areas really start to fire up. Local snapper reports have been a little patchy recently, but the amount of quality fish coming from the greater Mornington area is a very encouraging sign for the months ahead. Specifically, shallower areas like the Mussel Farm, Royal Reef

Pinkie snapper like this, and some larger models as well, have been taken from the rocks during the rougher weather

but this will all change as the water warms up. Many anglers have reported finding big numbers of snapper on the sounder nearby to large areas of bait, and areas of broken reef and rubble, but with cooler than normal water temperatures, bite activity has been slow at times. This has been the trend, especially out from the deeper marks out in 18-20m, but some great by-catch of solid flathead and gummies has kept anglers happy. Encouragingly, consistent reports of bigger snapper still seem to be coming from land-based locations, especially from Mornington Pier, which is having a blinder of a season so far. The nearby local rock platforms have also been producing well, and are best fished during the worst weather, the rougher the better. No fish is worth risking your life for though, take it from me when the bite is hot it all happens in a hurry. It’s best to fish

the rocks with a mate and be prepared to get a good soaking from the waves and above. A long handled net is very handy as well, and removes the need to get too close to the water to land the fish. The whiting have already turned up in our local areas and have been amazing for the past couple of months down further south in the bay, and in Western Port as well. The size and the quality of the fish is the best it’s been in years, and I am expecting the local whiting fishing to keep going strong right through the summer months and beyond. Same goes for the squid fishing around the local inshore reef areas which after a slower than usual start earlier in the season, continues to go from strength to strength. Predominantly windy weather has made the water on the shallower inshore reefs a little dirtier than usual, so 4-5m depths have been the most

productive. The shallower areas will fire up as the water warms and clears over the next month or so. With the continued presence of massive amounts of bait and other

forage species, I’m also expecting all the other bread and butter fishing to improve over the same time as well, so there’s plenty to look forward to over the bay this coming summer.

Spectacular whiting like this one caught by Chris Garnar have been a big focus for anglers in both bays over the past month.

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DECEMBER 2020

With cooler than normal water temperatures, snapper activity has been slow at times. This will change as the water warms. Image courtesy of Brendan at IFISH.

Your fishing licence fees at work Better access to Corio Geelong’s Rippleside Jetty is now much safer thanks to your recreational fishing licence fees and the City of Greater Geelong. Better seating, decking and ladders have made it easier for fishers without boats to target King George whiting, snapper, silver trevally and salmon. Located within Rippleside Park, the jetty provides convenient access to Corio Bay, which is now free of commercial net fishing.

More homes on the Snowy Fish habitat in the Snowy River near Marlo has been boosted by 25 large snags. The East Gippsland CMA oversaw the project, immediately upstream of the Snowy River’s confluence with the Brodribb. Australian bass, bream, luderick and estuary perch will find new homes on the snags, which offer shelter and food. Each snag comprises of a pile driven into the riverbed attached to two logs with a root ball. They were placed strategically to complement existing fish habitat immediately upstream of the river junction so migrating fish can seek refuge.

Tagged whiting secrets A Melbourne University study has revealed another secret about King George whiting! A 30cm fish caught off St Leonards in August 2019 was recaptured in May 2020 at St Leonards. The fish had grown to 38cm, an increase of 8cm in nine months, which is considered high. The average growth rate for recaptured whiting in the study is about 7cm per year. It seems a lot depends on when whiting are tagged and recaptured because most growth occurs during summer, which is exactly when this fish was at liberty. If you catch a tagged King George whiting, record the tag number, length of the fish, date and location, and call the phone number on the tag. You’ll be doing your bit to reveal more amazing secrets like this!

vfa.vic.gov.au/feesatwork Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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We’re back, Melbourne! PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

Finally, after months of lockdowns, the chains have been set loose. We are once again free to venture back into the great outdoors and get back to some level of normality

Bourke Street there have been long wait times, flared tempers and little to no available parking. Infrastructure shortfalls are a real problem locally, due to a growing population and Target 1 Million initiatives which sees fishing growing rapidly but no additional boat ramp infrastructure to support this growth. For that reason,

The author’s first fish after the lockdown. New rule changes have included the 5km travel restriction increased to 25km, and the 2-hour allowance for exercise and recreation has been extended to unlimited time. These rule changes are just in time for the start of snapper season, which is the mecca of fishing around Melbourne. I must admit that on the first week of these rule changes I went a little crazy. After four months of no fishing I took the week off and fished every day. I felt a burning need to catch up and become connected to fishing again. And boy, was my first week of fishing full of adventure! The boat ramps are a mess at this time of the year. At

at this time of the year I often resort to fishing on my kayak to avoid the chaos at the ramps. On my first session I went to my closest launch spot at Port Phillip Bay. I was greeted with sunny, calm and flat conditions. It felt so nice to be back out on the water, connected to nature. The fishing for the first hour was slow but that was quickly forgotten in the second hour when the soft plastic I was flicking in shallow waters was smashed by a big angry snapper. My new 2500-size reel spooled with 15lb braid started screaming. After an intense battle that lasted about six minutes, I landed a 68cm snapper. It was my first of the season and I was so excited.

Five casts later I was once again locking horns with another big snapper. My 4-6kg spin rod was bent to the max, and after a slightly longer battle, I landed a 75cm snapper. With this second snapper in the net, a school of salmon started surfacing right next to my kayak. One salmon in particular caught my eye; it was huge and resembled a juvenile kingfish. I cast my soft plastic exactly where the salmon surfaced, and seconds later my reel was screaming. Pound for pound, salmon are one of the best fighting fish in the world, making big runs and leaping out of the water. This salmon fought harder than both the big snapper. After a 10-minute battle, I landed this brute of a salmon which had a massive girth and measured around 70cm. Over the next hour I landed a few more salmon and got busted off twice by two big fish that were no doubt big snapper. I lost one monster near my kayak but I didn’t mind. After four months of lockdown, it was amazing to have a session on

When boat ramps are busy it’s good to fish from the kayak. the water that was completely insane. I have uploaded the footage to my FishingMad YouTube channel. Before the 25km restrictions, most Melburnians were limited to travelling up to just 5km for a maximum of two hours. For many anglers there was no fishing destination within 5km of their home, which was a tough pill to swallow. Other anglers had the opportunity to get creative, hitting lakes and rivers close to home that they would usually not fish. Steve Vessey made the

There are some decent sized captures in close.

most of having the Werribee River within 5km from home, and spent multiple sessions walking the banks or venturing up and down the river with his kayak. The Werribee River is a challenging fishing destination but Steve has done remarkably well flicking Savage Gear 38cm shallow diving Fat Head cranks along the shallows and catching many estuary perch. The biggest was just under 40cm. Steve has also done well casting Damiki Monster Miki plastics hard into the structure and working them very slowly. Yes, this does mean you will get snagged up in the timber and reeds from time to time, however the rewards have been EPs and redfin between 25-40cm. You’ll find there are often small windows of frantic activity then quiet periods without a touch. I did enjoy following local anglers’ creativity during this time. Many fished local residential lakes that they had walked past hundreds of times and never thought to fish, and managed to catch big carp and redfin. On several occasions I rode my pushbike like a kid on school holidays to a few residential lakes within a few kilometres from home. Armed

with one rod and a tin of corn I was surprised at the size of some of the carp in these lakes. The fish always drew a crowd of onlookers. Anyway, it looks like we’re finally moving forward and many of the restrictions being lifted. The fishing in the coming months as we move deep into snapper season should be exceptional. This is the time of year when most local species such as snapper, squid, whiting and flathead are firing. Until next time, good fishing everyone. If you would like to share your fishing experiences around Melbourne, I can add them to next month’s article. These need to be around Melbourne and 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, and Instagram page www.instagram.com/ fishingmad.com.au.

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Steve Vessey with a 35cm EP from the Werribee River.

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On for young and old WESTERN PORT STH

Jarrod Day jarrodday@iprimus.com.au

We are back! Oh my gosh, what a year. With fishing totally put on hold for the best part of six months, followed by our radius limit where some could

as the Middle Spit so you can plan your trip to go and catch some calamari over the weedy banks, then head into the deep to catch the tide change with some delicious fresh baits. Doing this will increase your chances tenfold as we all know that snapper love fresh calamari. Buoy 15 has already

Fishing the tides is resulting in some very impressive snapper being caught. Image courtesy of Justin Blythe. venture out for two hours, the restrictions have finally eased at the time of typing this report. The fishing in recent weeks has been exceptional. Why? Because our fish stocks haven’t been inundated with boat traffic, berley and bait in the water, so they must have been starving. Around Western Port the fishing has kicked off with a BANG. The Top End of the port has seen some really solid snapper caught, especially around Joes Island, with reds averaging 5kg. Furthermore, from Joes to Crawfish Rock there has been a lot of snapper activity, with the first and last few hours of the tide changes being the best bite times. There have also been some good fish being caught in 17m of water along Lysaghts, which in recent years hasn’t really fired as it used to. This year however, that seems have changed. The bottom throughout this section of the North Arm has some really good reef structure that has been holding fish throughout November. One of the best things about fishing off Lysaghts is that you’re close to the Quail and Tyabb banks as well

fired up and there has been a report of a solid school of fish in that area. Before setting your anchor, have a scout around looking at the bottom contour and set your position to fish back on the edge of the drop-off into the deeper water. This means getting up just slightly to the east of the buoy. Fishing here during the last of the run-out tide will see fish run along the edge, either heading towards Corinella or up the North Arm. This is also a top location to snag a good gummy, providing

you’re fishing with fresh calamari baits. Justin Blythe took advantage of the 2-hour fishing window as soon as it was allowed and had no trouble fishing fish around the bottom end of the North Arm. After catching a solid feed of whiting, Justin then headed down the Western Entrance in search of a snapper and ended up with a cracking red along with a solid gummy shark. The Western Entrance has had a good run of snapper come through and it is a great location to fish. However, if you’re not experienced in fishing there, don’t attempt it – unless you’re with someone who has fished there numerous times. It can be a dangerous piece of water at times, and even in calm conditions the tide runs its hardest here than anywhere else in the Port. Without the right anchor/ chain you won’t hold position and can easily drift without realising. Then you have the area around McHaffies Reef which is the most turbulent section, and the waves can really stand up. Despite that, the snapper fishing has been quite good off Buoy 12 and 14 along with some really good gummy sharks which don’t hesitate to take a free offering. Spit Point and Corinella are also fishing well as they normally do at this time of the year, but not to the extent that you’d normally see during a snapper season. That’s mainly because the run of fish here tends to be during the early season and well, we missed that while being locked up. So where do you head at this time of the year? Observation Point and The Corals, that’s where. Jason Jennings from T-Cat Charters flicked me a few text messages recently saying that the fishing around the Rhyll area is insane. Amongst the schools of snapper in the deep water, the whiting fishing has been

There are some good gummies on offer. Image courtesy of Justin Blythe. off its head. Since the restrictions eased and Jason could once again take budding anglers out, he has been putting them onto plenty of snapper and whiting. This area will continue to fish extremely well right throughout December and with the holidays not so far away,

more and more anglers should easily find some really good fish. Another top location, especially for those fishing from the beach is from both Ventnor on Phillip Island and Cleeland Bight. With the warmer water temps and warmer evenings, fishing from these two beaches for

The banks are full of whiting and it doesn’t take long to get a good feed. Image courtesy of Justin Blythe.

calamari is very productive. Though relatively shallow, fishing with a baited jig under a float is the best setup. You’ll want to fish the last hour of the run-in tide and first two hours of the run-out. If you can time that during the night time hours, you’ll see some big calamari about. Providing the weather conditions are calm, now is the time for anglers to be heading offshore either through the Eastern or Western Entrances into Bass Strait. While mako shark fishing is just kicking off, we should also see an influx of kingfish around the headlands and rocky points. Hopefully this year has been like the past eight years and they are once again are back in numbers and size. I look forward to seeing the reports and photos of people’s catches for those venturing offshore and hooking into one of these beasts. So to round out what’s been the toughest situation us Victorians have had to experience in my lifetime, let’s just hope that we never have to experience another lockdown and the fishing continues on as strong as it is.

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Jason from T-Cat Charters has been doing exceptionally well on the whiting and snapper around the Rhyll area.

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Business is bouncing back PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

Businesses around the island have endured almost 12 months of changing rules and

regulations, and hoping that doors can open again sooner rather than later. It started all the way back in January with the bushfires having a big impact on local tourism, and then COVID-19 hit.

Calamari have all been quality this year once they turned up.

Businesses tend to be resilient in small communities like ours, due to the support given by that community. Businesses here have told me they are extremely grateful for the strong local support over the last few months. However, there is now a real need to welcome people from outside the area in the lead up to and over Christmas to help them survive. We have seen many visitors over the last couple of months from regional Victoria coming to the island for a change of scenery, and many Phillip Island people heading to other parts of regional Victoria for the same. If you are heading to the island for the Christmas holidays, welcome! And thank you for helping to keep our economy afloat. Don’t forget to head into San Remo, drop into the shop and say hi and we will help to put you onto some fish. We have had one of the wettest years on record, and while we have seen plenty of quality fish, it has been difficult to identify any patterns on the best place and time. In a normal year we see the undersized pinkie snapper turn up around Christmas, but this year they have been around since last January and at times in plague proportions.

It made it difficult keeping baits in the water, but those anglers who persevered managed to find some quality snapper. The early reports we had of big snapper came from all over the place, even from the shallow water on the mud. Then the reports settled to the areas you would expect early fish – Spit Point, Observation Point, Silverleaves and Elizabeth Island. Now the reports are back to all over the place as the snapper go into spawning, but the corals and the shallows seem to be the best. As the sun gets a bit warmer, look for the days where the low tide is in the mid afternoon, then fish the evening run-in tide on the mud and shallow corals towards Coronet Bay. Daytime fishing will be difficult during the hotter days with clear skies. If you are heading out, fish the deeper water in the channel along French Island. We have seen a lot of snapper this year around the 4-5kg mark and only a small handful of 6kg and above. Calamari, while improved over the last month or so, started off worse that we can remember. Reports were very slow through August/ September. Even when

Good bags of whiting can be caught with enough time and perseverance. reports started coming in it was anything but normal, with most of the calamari well over 1kg and many closer to 3kg. The usual mixed sizes just didn’t happen, and at one stage I didn’t get a report off San Remo jetty for almost a month; the best reports were coming from 40m of water offshore. Thankfully, things have normalized a bit and reports

are now regular, with good numbers and mixed sizes. The jetties are a little slow still but the beaches at Ventnor and Cleeland Bight are reasonably consistent, and those in boats and kayaks have been having no trouble finding them. One theory (and there are plenty) is because we had so many couta, pike, and salmon in the To page 89

Exploring the options LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

With the limited travel over recent months, many anglers – including myself – have begun to explore different fishing types. I have begun to dive into land-based shark fishing, and I’m enjoying that sheer panic and craziness that comes with any type of gamefishing. LAKE ENTRANCE The lake has taken on its summer patterns with King George whiting becoming one of the dominant catches in the lower lakes areas such as Rigby Island and Nungurner. Those locations have produced extremely well throughout the winter and it’s a great start to this year’s whiting season. The way it’s shaping up it’s going to be amazing season. Fresh baits are always the best, and mussel and peeled prawn will produce some great results, especially on the tougher days. Australian salmon have been a common 88

DECEMBER 2020

Mikayla Young with her 10.5ft bronze whaler.

Bobby Sproule with a 95cm flathead caught during the Reel It In Flathead tournament.

sight throughout the lake as far as Metung. These aggressive hunters will smash a lure any chance they get. Trolling has been a great way to locate these active predators as they move around, chasing the plentiful schools of whitebait. The surf beaches are becoming a major attraction with good numbers of sharks making their way down the coast. From Marlo to Seaspray, bronze whalers have been on the hunt, and anglers have been there day and night in search of these amazing

sharks. Any keen angler who has invested the time has been rewarded for their efforts, with most bronze whalers measuring 7-9ft long. Keen local angler Mikayla Young was lucky enough to get her first ever bronze whaler going 10.5ft. A big thanks to Lucas Smith and James Wickham who supported and talked Mikayla through the whole capture. Massive congrats to her for landing that big shark, and hopefully there will be many more to come! LAKE TYERS The lake is a completely different system as every

week goes by the lake seems to increase in water level, slowly flooding the surrounding forest and roads. With the water temperature increasing these flooded edges have become great areas to target species like bream and flathead. All manner of fish have pushed their way into the flooded maze of timber. Early or late in the day are the best times to fish these flooded areas, preferably with a small topwater lure like a Sugapen. These flooded edges are lined To page 89

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE… changes. We went through Other areas

around bay during the early squid a period where the whiting Tortoise Head to Long period that maybe the fishing was excellent for Point jetty have also been smaller squid just stayed about a week, once you producing, and when you closer to the weed beds. found them. One morning get an evening tide the The reports now are they would be below the bank just out of the Rhyll still a mixture of baited jigs bridge in Cleeland Bight, channel also worth a look and artificial ones, with then the next morning, at late in the afternoon. colour anybody’s guess. the same stage of the tide, We have been getting Something that has been they would be in Dickies several land-based reports common to many of the Bay – then next morning as well. You can try the boat and kayak reports is to they’d be back in Cleeland beach at Ventnor, preferably let your jig sink almost to Bight. It has made things at high tide on dark. The jetties at Cowes and Rhyll have also produced a couple of whiting, along with the beach in Cleeland Bight and the rocks at Sunderland Bay at low tide. However, the catch of the season so far came from the Newhaven jetty where a lucky angler landed a 54cm whiting, fish of a lifetime. Offshore has been a little slow with the southeasterly winds, but it won’t be long before the conditions change and ROCKLEA NORTH ROCKHAMPTON many more start to head out and look for some flathead KAREE MARINE RIFEN BOATS and other fish. We have 1776 Ipswich Road Rocklea 6 Dooley Street North Rockhampton had the odd report, and the fish have been of a good P: (07) 3875 1600 P: (07) 4927 9150 size, just not a lot of them. E: sales@kareemarine.com.au E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com Those heading offshore are W: www.kareemarine.com.au W: www.rifenboats.com.au telling us there are good schools of baitfish but no NORTHERN GOLD COAST AIRLIE BEACH sign of anything chasing ONSHORE MARINE WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD them CENTRE yet. There has been shortage of baitfish in Horizon Shores Marina, Woongoolba 17 William Murray Drive no Cannonvale the bay either, and plenty P: (07) 5546 2480 P: (07) 4946 7286 of anglers were able to fill E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au the bait freezer with fresh W: www.onshoremarine.com.au W: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au salmon, couta and yakkas. If you are heading EVERTON HILLS CAIRNS down our way over the school holidays or during HOLT MARINE AUSSIE MARINE the summer period, drop 25 Queens Road Everton Hills 5 Hannam Street Bungalow in and say hi. Let us P: (07) 3353 1928 8 P: (07) 4033 8800 know you are reading the E: info@holtmarine.com.au E: sales@aussiemarine.com.au A typical bag of snapper. reports and keep an eye W: www.holtmarine.com.au W: www. aussiemarine.com.au on our Facebook page for the bottom then just bounce confusing and difficult for competitions and specials it off the bottom. anglers, albeit a little easier that we will have over CAPALABA KARUMBA Whiting have also working withMARINE another boat. that period. MIKES MARINE JONES to join into the There 38 were a lot Street of quality If you are new to the 9 Smithdecided Street Capalaba Yappar Karumba unusual season, with whiting in the mid to high area we have plenty of P: (07) 3390 3418 (07) 4745 9159this information sheets that will reports all over the place, 40cm P:range during E: sales@mikesmarine.com.au E: jonglo@bigpond.com and just when you think period, with plenty of boats help you find a few fish you have it sorted it bagging while you are here. W: www.mikesmarine.com.au W: out. www.jonesmarine.com.au From page 88

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NOOSAVILLE shrimp SUNSHINEwith COAST MARINEand small prawns, and the active 122 Eumundi Road are Noosaville predators very tuned P: (07) 5449 7633 in to any struggling prey on the surface. E: sales@sunshinecoastmarine.com.au Lake Tyers is known W: www.sunshinecoastmarine.com.au for its trophy flathead, and the recent Reel It In flathead comp saw some monster flatties caught from the system. Mitch Jones and Bobby Sproule both fished the Lake Tyers system and caught some true giants. I fished with Bobby for the whole event and saw him put big glidebaits to work on some monster flathead. HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If you have been out for fish lately and 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.

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Small topwaters like the Bassday Sugapen are ideal for working the edges, especially the natural prawn colours. DECEMBER 2020

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Bumper bream stocks after lockdown blues GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

We made it! The year is nearly done but boy, has it dragged on and on. Is it possible to wipe 2020 from our memories? And maybe the last 12 months should be deleted from our aging process too! Apart from all the usual virus grief, poor old Gippsland is still hurting from bushfires all those months ago, and a brand new fire season is nearly upon us. Apart from all that, I do have some great news about local bream stocks but first up, an inspiring story about the recent Victorian metro fishing restrictions. LOCKDOWN BLUES Hardly a day goes by where we hear about anxiety or depression, and this year has pushed nearly everyone to their limits. I want to

Tony Pettie with a 40cm Hollands Landing bream caught before the flooding rains. talk about one angler who has found a unique way to battle the Melbourne Metro lockdown and beat the ‘no fishing blues’. For nearly three months now, Dylan Brennan has made a daily post on social media and shared his anguish at being locked in a 5km bubble

Dylan Brennan beats the lockdown blues by drawing an estuary perch stalking a Plapper surface lure.

around his home. Most anglers suffer after just a few weeks of no fishing, let alone three months. Dylan found a way to create some humour in his daily post and has entertained so many of us with his quirky wit. Each daily picture told a different story as he presented his creative evening meal, an exotic craft beer, flies tied, his favourite ice-cream or junk food, rods being fixed, sitting forlorn in his dusty garaged boat or kayak, pranks on his partner, even accomplished works of art like sketches of fish or clever poems. A man of many skills finding ways to battle the extended lockdown. I asked Dylan to draw me an estuary perch and he promptly delivered a stunning reproduction of an EP about to attack one of my very own homemade lures. Thanks mate for lifting the

spirits of so many anglers, you deserve a medal. Living in regional Victoria outside the metro lockdown, I’ve been lucky to be able to fish for quite a while now. So I dedicate to Dylan my recent capture of a PB 55cm estuary perch that went 2.34kg. I hope that released fish ends up in your net one day mate. Oh and by the way, don’t lose your ‘COVID beard’, grey hairs and all! BREAM STOCKS ON THE RISE A recent netting survey of black bream by the Victorian Fisheries Authority has shown some very promising results and recorded its second highest spawning level of the last 10 years. CEO Travis Dowling said the survey results are terrific news for the Gippsland Lakes system. Spawning variation from year to year is normal and influenced by environmental factors such as river flows and waterway health, however the trend over the last four years is significantly better than the six years prior. Black bream take about six years to reach the minimum size of 28cm, which means this relatively strong pulse of small bream will enter the fishery in 2026/27. Mr Dowling said that recreational fishers won’t have to wait that long though because the strongest spawning year of the last 10 was in 2017, and those fish will enter the fishery from 2023/24. These scientific surveys are done annually at 50 sites

in the Gippsland Lakes to provide information, year on year about the spawning success of different species.

Land-based surf anglers have also turned their attention to the nearby 90 Mile Beach and landed

A thumping South Gippsland estuary perch at 55cm and 2.34kg. FLOODED RIVERS, ANGLERS SEARCH WIDER After even more recent heavy rainfall, my report is very light on this month. The fishing has been incredibly challenging, with limited reports from very few anglers across the Gippy Lakes. The rivers have turned to chocolate once again, and most anglers have turned their attention to nearby Lake Tyers. That lake is also filling up with flooded water but the fishing has only improved. The flathead numbers and sizes there have been astonishing, with dozens of thumping duskies from 75-92cm. The bream have continued to also show up in big numbers as well.

stonking bronze whaler sharks between 6-10ft long. That makes for some epic land-based game fishing. I recently headed to South Gippsland and the Port Albert area while waiting for my local flooded and dirty waters to clear up. I caught a lot of stunning estuary perch from 40-49cm and a real trophy 55cm truck weighing in at 2.34kg. The run of King George whiting there has been excellent this spring and early summer, and each trip I’m bringing home a nice bag of six or eight fish, all around 36-41cm. Finally I want to wish everyone a special Merry Christmas and a very fishy and happier new year.

Bring on summer! BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

We have experienced one of the wettest Spring seasons for many years,

which has enabled our lake system to be thoroughly flushed out following the fires. The entrance has been open for quite a few months so we are expecting brilliant fishing

David Cameron has been getting some good catches lately. 90

DECEMBER 2020

throughout summer. When the weather has permitted, anglers have been rewarded with excellent catches of bream, perch, tailor and luderick, with the odd flatty thrown in. Hot spots have been at the mouth of the river, the mouth of Swan Lake and the mouth of Mud Lake, with all varieties of bait being accepted, including sandworm, prawn, cut crab and yabbies. The water level remains low due to the entrance being open, and this has made it difficult to fish with hardbodied lures. Having said that, anglers who are familiar with the sand beds are having success. The surf beaches are all producing with good catches of salmon, tailor and yellow-eye mullet. I want to put out a warning to all anglers – we have a rogue seal that has become aggressive, especially to anglers who leave their catches in nets

Cooper Cameron with a quality perch. on the side of their boats. Finally, please be vigilant with the dates on your flares, and check your lifejacket and fire extinguishers prior to your boating holiday. The authorities check on a regular basis, and they’re

not in the habit of letting people off with a warning. For now, let’s kick up our heels and enjoy our summer season. Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year. • For on the spot and up to date fishing reports check

out Robyn’s website: www. bemmaccommodation. com.au or ‘like’ us on Facebook – Bemm River Holiday Accommodation Phone: (03) 5158 4233/ Mob. 0427 584 233 Email: bemmaccomm@ bigpond.com.

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Flatties on the chew MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

As we head into summer it’s been great to see the town start to liven up. The caravan park is busier, along with holiday rentals, as people are starting to get out and about after being cooped up due to COVID restrictions. It has been nearly a year since the bushfires burnt through the area, and it’s been good to see things greening up after the rain we’ve had.

The water temperature along the beach is starting to warm up to around the 16-17°C mark, and it’s also warmer out wider at this time of year, which sees plenty of whales moving past Mallacoota on their annual migration. Unfortunately the Eden Whale Festival had to be cancelled due to COVID restrictions, but it will return next year. Offshore fishing is starting to liven up with reports of sand flathead and tiger flathead on the bite. The flatties have been caught in all the normal flathead locations. Keep on the move

until you find fish, and it won’t take long to get a feed. Gummy sharks are also being caught, with the front of Gabo Island a good area to try. The weather at this time of year can often be a bit iffy so pick your day and get an early start and you should be back with a feed before it’s too windy. Out wide, this time of year can see some good fishing for yellowfin tuna as fish start moving along the coast, with yellowtail kingfish closer to shore. Salmon are still being caught from the gutters on the local beaches. A few

Prawn imitation lures are always worth a try over the summer months.

The flathead fishing has been good in recent weeks.

tailor are also about, with the top of the tide the best time to fish. The fishing in the lake has been good in recent weeks. There are plenty of fish to be caught and with the lake open to the ocean we should see more yellowfin bream and sand whiting entering as the water warms over the coming months. The Bottom Lake has been fishing well for a variety of species. Plenty of

trevally and tailor are being caught, with some good size fish about. The flathead fishing has been good too. They are being caught on soft plastic lures of various colours and styles; talk to 10 different anglers and you’ll find fish are caught on many different lures. The most important thing is to find the fish. Some good catches of black bream along with yellowfin bream have also

been reported, with good fish also being caught in the Top Lake. Upstream around Gypsy Point, flathead and black bream are on the bite, with plenty of good fish being caught in the rivers. With summer on its way and good flow in the rivers, it’s time to dust off the bass fishing gear. The lower stretches of the river are worth trying around dawn and dusk as the fish move upstream.

Plenty of water for bass and EPs on the bite perch and local bass being captured. There are also plenty of reports of bream being taken with anglers using frozen prawn, pipis, sandworm and black crab in several location throughout the whole estuary. Along with the bream, plenty of mullet have also been on the chew, with lots of anglers getting plenty for the table. Along the sand flats that run from the Marlo jetty all the way down to Frenchs Narrows, anglers are still

MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

We have gone from drought to plenty of rain events, giving our area a much-needed drenching. All the creeks and small streams running into our rivers are making our estuary a prime fishing destination. With plenty of water, the entrance at Marlo is remaining deep and wide, pumping huge volumes of water into the system – and with all that water, plenty of fish are entering the estuary. Quite a few of the young gun anglers have been taking advantage of the great fishing and have been capturing some huge estuary perch. Nick Davis and his mates have been getting plenty, all catch and release. Another memorable capture was a cousin of the estuary perch, a local Australian bass caught by Mitchell Fenner, which he released to fight another day. There have been plenty of other reports of big estuary

catching some ripping big estuary flathead. Some have measured over a metre with heads on them like shovels. There are also plenty of salmon and tailor coming in with the tide, and they are giving anglers plenty of action on light gear using metal lures. Not many luderick have appeared; maybe next time. The surf beaches are firing as usual with plenty of salmon, tailor and flathead being taken using surf rods and bait fishing,

and gummy shark are on the chew in the evenings. Plenty of salmon and tailor are being caught by anglers using light gear and spinning with metal lures. The other popular surf fishing target is bronze whalers. Anglers are paddling their baits out and using game fishing gear to get some great captures of big bronze whalers, and last month a lucky angler caught an 8’6” mako. All sharks are caught and released.

MARLO

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Mitch Fenner with a nice bass. There have been good catches of both EPs and bass lately.

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www.marlocamping.com.au DECEMBER 2020

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Thank cod for the open ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

High rivers, big rains and dirty flows have shifted the angling focus from lures to bait this past month. Anglers fishing the Murray River around Swan Hill have had a mixed bag of success

themselves solidly bogged. The Murray River at Swan Hill has bounced back as a recognised cod fishery the past few seasons after the first of the blackwater flows set it back in 2010-11. With plenty of water flowing at present we are hoping to dodge another blackwater event should we get a late flood. I guess only time will tell, so until then

past month with perch biting on both bait and lures. Good mate Nev Plant snagged his first ever perch on a lure at 52cm casting from the bank. I received a call later that evening from Nev saying that Fisheries had rung him and asked him to use nets instead of lures because he catches too many! A loud burst of laughter on the other end was the departing jest as he hung up the phone. Let’s see how he goes next trip. It’s not hard to go from a rooster to a feather duster in a short period of time. Further downstream to Mildura along the Murray and local tackle proprietor Kym Sykes says good numbers

Jock Mackenzie caught this golden perch bobbing fresh river shrimp amongst the snags.

Bait anglers have had to contend with the voracious appetite of countless silver perch that are common at most locations mentioned in the report. on both golden perch and Murray cod in the lead-up to the open. The best baits have been scrub worms and local river shrimp, which are currently easy to catch with a baited trap. Good-sized perch to 50cm have kept most fishos keen between downpours, which have now taken on an almost weekly schedule. Access to some river tracks has been dodgy with many “she’ll be right” attitudes finding

mark Swan Hill as a go-to destination for the cod opening or a worthy trip further into the season. Downstream to Robinvale where anglers soaking baits are catching some ripper perch in the pool water and good numbers of small Murray cod. Carp too have been biting as the water continues to warm, and amongst them are some real tackle testers in the timber. The Murray River at Wemen has fished well this

Nev Plant caught this 52cm golden perch in the Murray River at Wemen on a Bassman Tubby Native Minnow.

of golden perch and small Murray cod have been biting on bait both above and below Mildura in the run up to the cod open. Shrimps, scrub worms and small yabbies have all accounted for fish. Sykes is optimistic that it should be a good cod season if it parallels the last couple where there were some ripper cod caught locally. He mentioned Curlwaa as a hot spot from last season with some good fish taken on lures. Sykes was also impressed with the number of small cod reported recently, which is good news for the future should our rivers continue to run clean. It’s been a good mixed bag on bait in the run up to the cod season, and with all the crap that’s gone down this year all I can say is thank cod for the open.

Open season coming up YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

It looks like we are returning to a little bit of normality in this part of the world. A few fishos are starting to return to Mulwala chasing a yella or two that tend to turn up this time of year. Mulwala is not known as a ‘great’ yella fishery but they are there to be caught if you put in the time. Traditionally the top end of the lake up around Bundalong and the backwaters produce the best results. Hardbodied lures up to 70mm, Jackallstyle lures or small profile spinnerbaits/chatterbaits are your best bet. Another option around town is near the weir behind the old police station or the outlet to the Yarrawonga Channel. Getting a spot to fish here is on a ‘first in, best dressed’ basis, as usually it’s shoulder to 92

DECEMBER 2020

shoulder with anglers when the fish turn on. Downstream in the Yarrawonga Channel around any bridge or weir also produces some good results from time to time, and should be visited if you get the time. The popular Golden Dollar$ tournament was held late October with a small field of anglers gathering (socially distant) at Bundalong for a day of fun. Wind and rain made the fishing tough with only five yellas being caught for the day from the 10 boats in attendance. There were a few stories of what could have been, but at the end of the day Team Wilson (Ian Rogers and Vanessa Bennett) took home the cash. Once again Vanessa carried ‘Painter’ and landed both their winning fish. Second place went to 2 Stooges (Jamie Kelly and Steve Hogan). Their single fish measuring 445mm was also the largest for the day. A creditable 3rd went to Jamie Beer who fished alone.

All the above mentioned doesn’t excite too much as Mulwala is the home of the Murray cod. With less than a month to go, cod opening will sneak up on us. With no Cod Classic this year due to the coronavirus, it may give a few fishos a chance to fish the Mecca itself without running into huge crowds. It will be interesting to see how the lake fishes as there’s been little to no pressure on it for the last six months, something the cod aren’t used to. If you’re visiting Ya r r a w o n g a / M u l w a l a , especially for cod opening, I urge you to call in and see us at our two locations, opposite the Post Office in Mulwala with the big green fish out the front, or find us at our Yarrawonga store located between Rivers and One Zach. We’re your local Murray cod fishing specialists and specialise in all things green! For up-todate fishing reports or for further information call 03 5744 1667.

Vanessa Bennett with a 43cm yella from the recent Golden Dollar$ event.

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Weather impacts the fishing BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

The weather certainly impacts our fishing, and this year has been no different. We are currently going through a La Niña weather pattern all over Australia, which has meant we’ve had increased amounts of rainfall and overall cooler temperatures. This has been fantastic for a lot of our lakes and reservoirs, where water levels have risen higher than in previous years. This in turn means more food for the fish to eat, and gives us a greater chance of catching more fish. The overall cooler temperatures have slowed many of the insect hatches down. As I mentioned last month, snowfalls had zapped the life out of some of those insects. We are still feeling the effects of the cooler temperatures, which has meant our fishing season I believe is later than normal by about 2-3 weeks. Mayfly hatches have been late, mudeye hatches have been late and the water temperatures are still quite cool, which is a bonus for anglers who chase trout around

and the fish moved out into the deeper water, as did the smelt. Then GM Water stopped letting the water out of the reservoir and the levels rose again, this time higher than the previous few months. This has meant food galore – the smelt

released to fight another day, and I swapped over to the C-47 colour. I saw a trout chasing smelt, and I cast my lure in the general area and bang – he nailed it straight away. I released him as well. I then saw another trout chasing smelt, and I decided to grab my fly rod to see whether I could catch one on fly. I fished the general area where I had seen the trout smelting for a short period of time before something grabbed one of my flies and took off like a freight train, and I hung on. The tug of war lasted for an hour and 15 minutes before I finally landed a filthy 20lb European carp. I was disappointed to land such a species, especially as we all know what damage they do to

Rodney McNeight caught this feisty Tullaroop rainbow trout casting a Bent Minnow from the shore. Image courtesy of Rodney McNeight.

James Laverty, the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President, with the winning fish from the 2020 Wastell Trophy. James landed this 60cm brown on a Green Woolly Bugger on Lake Wendouree. Image courtesy of James Laverty. have moved back into the shallows, there are more grubs and worms, midge, damselflies and dragonflies hatching, and most importantly the water temperatures in the shallower bays are still cool and the fish

The author snagged this 48cm redfin casting an OSP Bent Minnow on Lake Wendouree. Image courtesy of Ben Young. Ballarat and surrounding districts. Tullaroop Reservoir has had a stellar season, with the current climate proving to be a win-win for anglers. The trout fishing generally in Tullaroop slows down around mid to late October, due to changing water temperatures and potentially irrigation usage. Tullaroop is located to the north of Ballarat, on the other side of the dividing range, and generally the weather temperatures are a lot warmer. This year is a bit different. Initially when we had plenty of early spring rain the reservoir water levels rose up over new ground and the trout were in feeding on worms, grubs and beetles. The small baitfish (smelt) moved in to join the feast as well, and the trout ate them too. Then unfortunately the water levels started to fall,

few months and have seen first-hand how our weather pattern has impacted the fishing in a good way this year. I would suggest that Tullaroop has been and is our number one fishery around the district at the moment. I know this

are feeding with gusto. All angling methods – fly fishing, casting lures or bait fishing – are catching quality brown and rainbow trout. I have had numerous trips up to Tullaroop over the past

will change when the summer arrives, but we are making the most of the good fishing whilst we can. The Victorian Fishing Authority over the past few years has stocked Tullaroop heavily with trout and now yellowbelly, and we are definitely seeing the dividends pay off now. Rodney McNeight has been fishing Tullaroop over the past couple of months catching some lovely rainbow and brown trout, fly fishing and casting lures land-based. Rodney said one fly fishing session he had, he landed only a couple of trout, which included a lovely rainbow around the 4lb mark, and lost another four fish. Rodney said the trout were all over the Tom Jones fly pattern like a rash. He has also landed rainbow trout casting Bent Minnows. Over the past few months I have caught some absolute rippers at Tullaroop on flies and lures. On one of my most recent trips, I was road testing some new OSP Bent Minnow lures in colour PP-43 in a bay which I like to fish, and I managed to land a magnificent brown trout of a bit over 6lb. After a few photos he was

The author competed in a tug of war for over an hour to land this 20lb European carp whilst fly fishing Tullaroop Reservoir.

Steve Angee caught this magnificently conditioned rainbow trout on Lake Wendouree casting a 76mm Bent Minnow in sunny gill. Image courtesy of Steve Angee. our fisheries, but at least it was a good fight. Tullaroop will continue to fish well as long as the water and weather temperatures stay cool. When the weather does warm up the redfin will start to bite, and there are plenty of anglers who love to chase the reddies. Lake Wendouree hasn’t hit top form as yet, but it has certainly shown a glimpse of what it can produce. Ben Young has been hitting Wendouree up with his trusty fishing partner Wayne Rigg. The boys have been catching some lovely brown trout casting lures out of a drifting boat, and recent catches include browns ranging in size from 40-55cm. Ben and I fished recently on an overcast, windy Ballarat day. I have a theory of ‘wind up, fish up’, and on this particular day it proved to be true. Ben had four trout try and eat his Bent Minnows, but unfortunately he wasn’t able to land one. I, however, snagged a small redfin and then nailed an absolute ripper at 48cm on, yes, a Bent Minnow. Steve Angee and Andrew Pearson have been out casting lures as well, being selective weather-wise on the days they have been out. They have caught some ripper rainbow trout around the 3.5lb mark on Bent Minnows as well.

The mayfly hatches were rather disappointing throughout November and even more disappointing was the actual lack of fish that were feeding on them off the surface. In the past Lake Wendouree has been renowned for its mayfly hatches and feeding trout sipping the mayfly off the

shore or out of a boat will do really well. The best times to fish are early mornings, evenings, and overcast days. Fly fishers should focus their efforts on evening and after dark with mudeye patterns, such as Mrs Simpson, Craig’s Nighttime, Muddler Minnows and Floating Mudeye. Moorabool Reservoir has been relatively quiet over the past month, with minimal insect activity to bring the fish into the edges to feed. The water is as high as I have seen it for a long time, and over the lush green clover there should be an abundance of food for the trout. I have ventured out quite a few times, mainly during the day, with limited success. I will change tactics as the weather warms up and start heading out in the evening in search of the trout coming into feed just on and after dark. Hepburn Lagoon and Newlyn Reservoir have both been producing some quality trout over the past month on flies, lures and baits. Once

Ben Young landed this 55cm Wendouree brown trout on an OSP Bent Minnow. Image courtesy of Ben Young. surface, but in recent years the trout, for whatever reason, do not feed on them from the surface like they used to. Over the next couple of months we will see the mudeye hatches in full swing. Anglers fishing mudeyes suspended under a float fished from the

again, as the weather warms up, fish the mornings and evenings for the best results. This is especially the case at Hepburn when the mudeye hatches are in full swing. There are zillions of them in there and the trout love to feed on them. DECEMBER 2020

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Gold bonanza at Eppalock BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

It is amazing how quickly things can change when it comes to fishing. The current situation in the Bendigo region is quite variable depending on the location you are planning to fish. Given the current La Niña weather forecast, the variability in the conditions will probably continue for the next couple of months. LAKE EPPALOCK Wow, how good has the fishing been at Lake Eppalock lately? Water levels are still continuing to slowly rise. These rising water levels are the key ingredient for sending the food chain into overdrive. Currently the three reservoirs which are on the southern catchment of Lake Eppalock are at capacity. Any good rainfall is producing some good inflows into Lake Eppalock. Lake Eppalock is currently at 48% of capacity and

continuing to slowly rise. The chance of the Lake Eppalock capacity reaching significantly higher water levels is looking very good. The higher the water levels reach will directly relate to how productive the fishing season will be. It has been a real gold bonanza at Lake Eppalock in recent weeks; the numbers of golden perch being caught has been super impressive. The size of the golden perch has also been amazing, with some fish measuring up to 69cm. Golden perch measuring over 60cm are being caught regularly by those anglers who are putting in the time targeting these fish. The most productive fishing for goldens has been during periods of low light. The first two hours of the day and the last two hours of the day have often been the most productive. In the periods of low light the golden perch push in close to the banks to feed, and can be caught in less than a metre of water. When the day gets brighter the fish move further off the banks,

and are more often caught in depths of 5-6m. A wide range of lures has been working well, with lipless crankbaits (silent and rattle versions), blades and small to medium hardbody lures being the most successful lure choices. The most productive fishing has been in the bottom half of the lake where the water clarity is the best. In the top section of the lake at Twin Rivers the water clarity is poor, but this section should fish well several weeks after inflows reduce and the water clarity improves. The redfin fishing has been slow, but it will start to improve soon – and if the lake receives some more good inflows by the time I do the next fishing report, they should be on fire. CAMPASPE RIVER The number of anglers fishing this location has been low due to the average water clarity in the system at present. The poor water clarity is due to an environmental flow and inflows after good rain events.

During those periods when the water clarity has improved, small numbers of golden perch have been caught, with the average size being in the mid 40cm range. It hard to predict what will happen with the water clarity in the short term. If we do receive some more significant rainfall events and the water clarity stays poor, the productivity will be lower. When the water clarity does improve we should see a significant improvement in anglers’ catch rates. CAIRN CURRAN Good numbers of golden perch are being caught at this location, with an average size of around 30-40cm. Water levels are continuing to slowly increase and the reservoir is currently at 50% of capacity. Most of the golden perch are being caught by those anglers bait fishing around the edges of the lake. Worms and yabbies have been the most productive baits. For those anglers targeting the goldens with lures, the bright fluoro coloured lures

Daniel Bongiovanni caught this sensational 69cm golden perch at Lake Eppalock on a lipless crankbait. or dark silhouette lures have been working best. Lipless crankbaits and small hardbody lures and spinnerbaits have been good options. LODDON RIVER The productivity in the fishing in the Loddon River has also been low over recent weeks. A significant environmental flow was recently released down the system and this, combined with inflows after recent rain events, has resulted in poor

water clarity. Since then the water clarity has started to improve, however, so we have seen a slight improvement in anglers’ catch rates. Again, it is difficult to predict what will happen with the water clarity in the system in the short term. With rising water temperatures combined with improving water clarity in the next month or two we should start to see a significant improvement in the fishing.

Catching double figures of cod WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

December is all about the Murray cod fishing in the Wangaratta area. Cod season opens on 1

river flowing out of the mountains such as the Ovens River upstream of Bright, the Buckland River, upper Buffalo River, or upper King River. The reason for this is because trout like cold water, and many of the

This Murray cod was caught on Murray cod opening last year on an orange Predator lure nicknamed ‘Mr Orange’. December, and every year keen Murray cod anglers are up early and on the water by sunrise, keen to catch their first Murray cod of the season. As I type this report the rivers are high and dirty as a result of above average rainfall. With more rain forecast, I can only predict what the fishing will be like on an average year. Let’s break down what I expect December to fish like in the Wangaratta area. TROUT December can be a very good time to go trout fishing. My advice is to head to a larger 94

DECEMBER 2020

smaller, more rural flowing streams may be too warm by December. Once the water in these streams warms up the trout will often go into a ‘damage control’ type of mode where they will sit in the shade in the bottom of the deep holes and just lay as still as possible to conserve energy until conditions are more favourable. The larger rivers should still be quite cool in December and should be fishing well, with most trout fishing techniques working. Bladed spinners, small minnow lures, soft plastics and fly fishing should all work well in the larger rivers during December. REDFIN Thanks to the summer heat December can be a great time to chase redfin in many waterways. I find Lake William Hovell and Lake Buffalo both tend to be a

little slow in December, but a few redfin can be caught. Lake Hume can fish very well for redfin in December, with shore-based anglers catching plenty of small specimens while people fishing from a boat are more likely to catch the larger ones. Lakes Sambell and

December can be a great time to target redfin. This one fell to a Tassie Blade bladed spinner last summer.

This yellowbelly was caught back in August in the middle of Wangaratta. It’s great to see yellowbelly in the Ovens River again.

The trout fishing can be very good in December, but head to the larger rivers where the water is likely to be a bit cooler.

Kerford in Beechworth can both be worth fishing for redfin in December, with Sambell likely to produce the larger fish. Kayaking and boating is banned on Lake Kerford, limiting access to just a few spots, but it is permitted on Lake Sambell. Last December I caught a couple of really nice sized redfin while fishing from my kayak in Lake Sambell. Both

were caught on a Strike Tiger soft plastic in whitebait pearl colour, and one of them was over 30cm in length. Also, there is always the added bonus of catching a yellowbelly in Lake Sambell while chasing redfin. YELLOWBELLY So far this spring has been a memorable one for many anglers targeting yellowbelly across North

East Victoria. I have had a dream run at Lake Nillahcootie, while others have been catching some monsters in Lake Hume and Lake Eildon. The Wangaratta area is well known for its Murray cod and trout cod fishing, but not so much its yellowbelly fishing. This could all change soon though as the Victorian Fisheries Authority have been stocking 50,000 yellowbelly per year into the Ovens River from Wangaratta downstream. Already we are seeing increased yellowbelly catches in the Ovens River which is just fantastic. Throughout December I expect to see more yellowbelly caught than last year, and I also suspect that pretty soon some of these yellowbelly will be big enough to start attacking our Murray cod lures, making a welcome by-catch to any keen Murray cod fishers. MURRAY COD Murray cod are the hot topic in the Wangaratta area during December. Wangaratta To page 95

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A different cod opening SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

Just like that it’s cod season again, but this season is different for so many of us who normally make our annual pilgrimage to the Cod Classic for cod opening. This does, however, give us the opportunity to focus on the rivers closer to home, and lets hope it’s a bumper cod opening for all of us

will be going for the ever reliable Codger, Old Mate or StumpJumpers, especially in the Goulburn River. For those wanting to cast I would go down the spinnerbaits path using lures such as the Bassman Codman in purple/ black or the locally-made Pirate Spinnerbaits. Moira Park and towards Toolamba has been a hot spot in recent seasons for those casting lures, with bait fishing at the Rafterys Road area being a stand out.

the dirty water colour it’s more a ambush strike then the fish getting a look at the lure and making up its mind. Casting spinnerbaits or hardbodies works well amongst the timber in the Broken, but be sure to downsize the weight of the spinnerbait and look for shallow diving bibs on your hardbodies. Bait fishing the Broken River can be a great way to catch cod and there’s normally a abundance of shrimp around if you’re looking to catch fish on live baits. Don’t discount the yellowbelly as they can bite all through December, especially if there is some decent water flow. LOCAL CHANNELS The channels have gone through a cycle of smaller redfin and yellowbelly but now the main species caught is the Murray cod. I have had reports of fish well over 70cm being caught in some of the smaller channels off the main, with one cod pulling a rod in from the bank. The local spent a hour casting a hook around to find the cod still attached to the rod so I tend

Josh Dohnt with a cod from Kialla Lakes. to let the drag right off when bait fishing, especially with the kids, this way if a cod grabs the bait and runs you won’t need to go swimming. I just hold the spool when I lift the rod to strike on a bite, and tighten the drag during the fight. Lure fishers have reports of good numbers of fish on Jackalls in the faster flowing water below drop bars or casting chatterbaits around

Jayme Hawthorne-Smith caught this nice yellowbelly trolling at Waranga Basin. targeting the mighty Murray cod in December. Leading into cod opening there was plenty of reports of cod being caught while chasing yellowbelly in all areas around town. Bait fishing will switch from worms and shrimp to things like bardi grubs, cheese and chicken. These baits have taken off over the past few years with many people now using random baits like chicken nuggets and dim sims – almost anything to target cod. Those looking to go down the lure sides of things

We didn’t get the early spring rain that was predicted but hopefully we do get a natural river flush-out. The natural higher flows are much better than the manufactured river rises when it comes to a decent bite period. Those fishing from the bank in the Broken River will be focused heavily around the surface bite, and the most popular topwater lures in recent years have been the Jackall Pompadour, Bassman Aussie Crawler and the Codger surface lure. Colour doesn’t usually matter with topwater in the Broken; with

Nelson Rouw from Trellys with a Codgercaught yellowbelly from Waranga Basin.

From page 94

is not known for its trophy-sized Murray cod, but it is known for its abundance of smaller Murray cod, as well as its healthy population of trout cod. This makes the Wangaratta area the prime spot for people wanting to catch their first cod. The experienced Murray cod angler with their long swimbait rods, massive lures and big boats generally drive straight past Wangaratta on their way to the Murray River or Lake Mulwala, the more renowned ‘big cod’ fisheries, while heaps of younger people, newer anglers and families make their way to Wangaratta. Pretty much every snag, every rock and every ledge holds huge potential of having a Murray cod sitting

Brett Corker caught this Murray cod on a spinnerbait early last season in the Wangaratta area.

the bridge pylons. The next month the cod fishing should really heat up in the channels and I think there will be plenty of bigger models caught. Hopefully I can land a few cod on the top out of the channels this summer because I think that just gives us another option when fishing into the evening in the channels. WARANGA BASIN The Basin was on fire during spring, and surprisingly it’s been reports of yellowbelly not redfin that have dominated my email inbox. Trolling has been the most successful method in recent times with the smaller Codger being a stand-out lure. I recommend trolling in around 12-15ft of water, sometimes scuffing the bottom when you go over a point that could come up to 7-10ft. I tend to not go around the points but go over them as sometimes you can find the fish holding on either side as it drops off. Bait fishing has been a bit quiet in boats but there have been some reports of floating worms around the

edges for smaller redfin in the evenings. Casting lures like the Jets Tail Spinner, Keitech soft plastics or Smaller Bassman Mumblers has worked on the yellowbelly, especially if you can find some structure on the bottom. If not just keep targeting all areas around points until you find a perfect depth to land the fish. KIALLA LAKES It’s yellowbelly time still in Kialla Lakes with a number of reports of good legal-sized fish being caught around the willow trees. This spring was probably the first I can remember that cod were reported from Kialla, and this is due to the relocation from the channel systems. TN50s with a beetlespin are my go-to but lures such as football jigs or soft plastics will also work well, especially around the rocks. Slowly dragging these along the rock walls and the drop-off will be the best method. Bait fishing with shrimp and worms will work best either under a float in the shaded areas of an afternoon or a very lightly weighted bait under the willow trees.

under it in the Wangaratta area. Drifting down the river casting lures at snags can see anglers catch double figures of cod in a single day. Most of the cod are small; I catch dozens and dozens of Murray cod each year in Wangaratta, and usually only two or three of them each year are legal size (I prefer to release legal cod anyway). My biggest ever Murray cod caught in Wangaratta was 98cm, but given the thousands of casts I make each year, and the decades that I have spent doing it, I think it is safe to say that cod that large are rare around Wangaratta. If you’re fishing in the Ovens River during December, provided the river is not too high and dirty, all known Murray cod techniques will work.

If you’re bait fishing, try bardi grubs, worms or cheese and ensure that you are fishing at either sunrise or sunset. If you’re lure fishing, spinnerbaits, diving lures and surface lures will all work. Look for a lovely snaggy area, and cast your lures into the thick of the snags. If you avoid the snags to prevent losing lures, you may also avoid the fish because that is where they are. By far the most popular technique to catch Murray cod in December will be using surface lures. Look for some water in the Ovens River with heaps of structure such as snags, steep banks or undercut banks, and on sunset make persistent casts into that area. As close to the snags as possible… and hold on tight! DECEMBER 2020

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December is the best time to catch Murray cod NAGAMBIE

Sunny Martins

December is here and the wait is over! Murray cod season is open and the fishing should really ramp up from here on out. With reports of decent water quality and an abundance of baitfish, the Nagambie fishery is set to be a must on any Murray cod angler’s list of places to go this season. December is known for being one of the better times to target cod as they still remain quite aggressive post spawn. MITCHELLSTOWN Mitchellstown is always

A Murray cod caught near Kirwans Bridge on a Kuttafura Diver.

XL yabbies rigged on a 2/0 circle hook will be ideal. Lures are the best technique for targeting the bigger fish as its much easier to upsize. Trolling 180mm+ divers is an awesome method of fishing around Mitchellstown, especially something like size 1 StumpJumpers, AC Invaders, large Kuttafurra divers or large Cod Dog divers. Spinnerbaits and surface lures are great options for anglers casting the banks. The Obsession Spinnerbaits Cod range, Bassman Spinnerbaits, Koolabung surface lures and Barambah surface lures are some fantastic options.

traffic is concentrated around the area. However, you can still have success early in the morning and in the evening. Some fantastic golden perch, redfin and small cod get caught around Nagambie township, particularly on scrub worms and fresh caught shrimp. The key is patience and focusing your efforts on the morning and arvo bite windows around the less popular boating areas like the Nagambie board walk, the rowing club and in behind the regatta centre. KIRWANS BRIDGE The fishing around Kirwans Bridge at the

Rest ye Merri fishermen CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

The freshwater scene saw many anglers out on Lake Bullen Merri catching mainly Chinook salmon, with a few rainbows thrown in for good measure. Many anglers have been flat line trolling in 6m+ of water, following the lake’s perimeter, whilst other visitors have been bank fishing, mainly from the northern bank, using PowerBait, local minnow, mudeye and earthworm. Plenty of fish from 800g to over 1kg have been caught. And yes, there are also plenty of smaller fish out there to frustrate anglers. Please use a damp rag when handling these small fry destined for release. Lake Elingamite continues to produce plenty of both rainbow and

brown trout, with most fish weighing in around 900g with a few larger specimens measuring in excess of 60cm and 1.8kg. The depth at the boat ramp has exceeded 70cm which is excellent for this lake. Thanks to all the winter and springtime rainfall, this smallish waterway should be well open to most trailer boats well into the new year. Again, many fish have been taken flat line trolling a variety of minnow lures close to the surrounding weed beds, and also on the cast. A few intrepid fly anglers have also had success of varying degrees. A few good redfin to 1.3kg have also responded to the above tactics. Some big old brown trout in excess of 8lb and the odd rainbow are being caught out of Lake Purrumbete. The new release tiger and cheetah trout are now being caught, weighing in at just under 1kg. These specimens are being mainly caught by lure casters

working the weed beds. The big browns along with some solid Chinook salmon are also responding to lures cast towards the weed beds, with the northern and eastern shoreline favoured. Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Fishing Charters has been right in the action of late, either putting clients onto some cracker fish or catching them solo in his spare time. Some redfin are still available at depth using soft plastics, live minnow and jigs. It’s just a matter of finding a school on the sounder, anchoring up and going for it! Most are on the small side but a few over 30cm are about. Mount Emu Creek’s flood waters have finally abated but the trout are hard to entice. This is probably due to the fact that the fish have feasted on the surrounding flooded paddocks and are currently resting on their laurels.

This golden perch was caught near Mitchellstown on a lipless crankbait. a go-to area for anglers fishing the lower Goulburn/ Nagambie, and this season its no different! This being said, the area is known for tough fishing, especially when there is a lot of water

A this time of year, shade and cover is key for targeting Murray Cod. As the weather warms up those fish will be hiding in ambush tight against the cover and in the shade.

Local young gun Regan Gardner with a nice Murray cod from Nagambie.

Wayne Rigg with a 66cm, 8lb brown from Lake Elingamite taken on a Bent Minnow. Image courtesy of Shane Stevens. 96

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being released down the river from Lake Eildon. At this time of year it’s mostly a numbers game instead of quality. So anglers wanting to specifically target bigger Murray cod should upsize their presentations to ensure less by-catch of smaller cod. Big bait presentations like large chunks of chicken or

Large trees and undercut banks will be the most productive. NAGAMBIE LAKES At this time year unfortunately the fishing for natives dies down slightly around the main lake area, especially for anglers casting lures. This is due to the fact that most of the summer boat

moment is really starting to fire up with some good reports coming in of some fantastic Murray cod and golden perch being caught. The stretch between Kirwans Bridge and the Nagambie township in particular has been producing some absolute cracker fish as reported by a few local young guns. As mentioned, one of the areas producing the best fishing is upstream of Kirwans, and most anglers have been catching them casting lures along the reedy and willow tree lined banks, paying close attention to any laydowns or structure. For anglers bait fishing, the best baits have been small or large yabbies, fresh shrimp and cheese. The lures doing the damage right now are hardbodies, especially on the cast, but trolling them works as well. Any diver that dives to roughly 15-20ft will be in for a chance. Spinnerbaits, swimbaits and topwater are always great options too. Some of the most successful are Obsession Spinnerbaits in the Mini Spin or Cod range, Jackall Gantarels or Gantias, and any Koolabung or Barambah surface lure.

VIC

It’s time for a jailbreak EILDON

Peter Burtchell

At time of writing, my thoughts are with our many metropolitan Melbourne angler friends who are eagerly planning their jailbreaks as restrictions lift, allowing them to head north for their overdue fishing adventures. The Lake as always in December will fish well for Murray cod, yellowbelly,

from Gisborne and were rewarded with a nice surface strike at 6:30am close to their Boatel. Geoff used a 170mm Harro’s Bad Boys Surface lure whilst Kate caught and released her healthy Murray cod trolling an Oar-Gee diver during midday. The couple have a few pet Murray cod on their property and in our conversations it was great to hear their stories from their observations of how their hand-fed Murray cod behave in relation to light

conditions. Their larger fish always remain in deep water when direct sunlight or other bright light is present. Many successful Lake Eildon anglers

full moon. Released from regional travel restrictions, Dallas from Horsham and a two of his mates spent a 5-day angling

Dallas’s fishing mate from Barham.

Dallas over from Horsham to chase the legends.

Kate with her well-earned midday Murray cod from the depths. trout, redfin and carp. This December is shaping up to be one of the best ever fishing periods due to the reduced fishing pressure experienced during the travel restrictions. The above average rainfalls that saw the lake level reach 69% at the start of November and the continual stocking of the lake by Victorian Fisheries. Late spring brought some cold snaps and eager country anglers not affected by the ring of steel were rewarded while surface fishing over the freshly inundated grassy beds. Geoff and partner Kate travelled

take advantage of these natural territorial ambush predator traits to land and release larger trophy Murray cod by using stretches of mountainshaded or deeper water during the middle of sunny days, or extended midday fishing times on overcast days and night fishing adventures on nights that precede and succeed a

Geoff Smith with a nice early morning surface predator.

adventure from Jerusalem Creek targeting most species of fish that Lake Eildon can provide. With multiple catches of Murray cod, yellowbelly, brown trout and redfin the trio have many great memories of their fishing trip. Daniel, a saltwater fishing guide, is a regular visitor to Eildon and had some great fun on a recent trip concentrating his fishing prowess flicking for trout along the vast stretches of the Goulburn River. All of his catches were a result of flicking his Ecogear MX48. All rivers, streams and creeks around Lake Eildon fish very well for trout during the winter and spring rains, with some great natural environments to fish from. Lately many angling friends have been in contact asking why the yellowbelly fishing has fired up beyond all expectations. The Delatite, Goulburn, Howqua and Big

River Arms, including most other parts of the lake, are producing large catches. Higher than average spring rains providing more runoff feed, continual stocking and natural breeding are what make Lake Eildon a must-fish destination when chasing the goldens of the deep during late spring and summer. • Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park is a friendly, family-orientated caravan

park, and makes the perfect home away from home. While there you can opt to hire one of their Boatel floating apartments, hire a boat or book a fishing guide at competitive prices. 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 i n f o @ j e r u s a l e m c re e k . com.au.

Danga, the saltwater fishing guide, with a nice Goulburn River rainbow.

FISHING NEWS

Visiting Eildon Bakery Café is part of the Eildon experience No one needs to explain the challenges that COVID 19 has sprung on us in 2020. Thankfully as we head towards the festive season the ability to spread our wings a little further afield is becoming a reality and Lake Eildon will be a popular destination, not only for the fishing and

on water activities, but also for many other things that the area offers. While you are there drop in and visit the Eildon Bakery Café, a long time supporter of Fishing Monthly Magazines. They are open 7 days a week from 6am to 3pm offering everything from a sweet treat and a coffee, to

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality. fabulous pies, sandwiches, wraps and a breakfast menu served until midday. Don’t forget, fresh breads, rolls and the like. There is limited in store dining available as well as catering and meal options that can be pre-ordered and picked up prior your planned activities for the day. Bookings are recommended, especially for larger groups. I can personally vouch for the order and pick up options. I ordered a chicken

Caesar wrap and blueberry muffin and then grabbed a coffee when I picked them up. Is there a better way to start the day? The Eildon Bakery Café can be found in the township of Eildon, you can keep up to date with them on Facebook and they can be contacted on 03 5774 2362. If your in the area, drop in, pick up a little something and support a business that has been running in the area for over 30 years. – FMG

Open for breakfast from 6am 7 days a week (Closed Mother’s Day)

Coffee Light meals Pastries Cakes Bread 10 Main St, Eildon Victoria 3713 03 5774 2362 0438 881 629 DECEMBER 2020

VIC

Festive fishing is finally here WST/STH GIPPSLAND

Steve Haughton steve@habitatcreations.com.au

With restrictions easing, borders opening and the silly season approaching, now is the time to reward yourself for what has been a challenging year. If you’re not familiar with what this region has to offer or you’ve spent so much time in isolation that you can’t remember what this region looks like, then here are the hot tips and places to be for the summer.

Firstly, the streams and rivers of West and South Gippsland are best fished from the banks or wading. If you want to wet the kayak or boat, then Blue Rock Lake is the place to be. Blue Rock also offers plenty of open shoreline and good access for landbased anglers. West Gippsland features picturesque tall damp forests, dry Australian bushland and open farmland. To escape the summer heat, Noojee is a great place set in a valley shaded by tall forests with the refreshing streams flowing through. These trout streams offer good

It is common to encounter snakes sunbaking by the streams, so please be careful when out and about. Gumboots, gators or waders will go a long way to helping if you do get a bit too friendly.

fishing for small wild trout and they are inviting on a warm summer’s day. In Noojee you have a choice of three rivers to fish from but the most familyfriendly spots are dotted along the Latrobe River in town. There is a large playground (good back-up if the fish are not biting), toilets, undercover rotunda with free BBQs and picnic tables. There’s also a couple of good drinking holes, good pub tucker and a café in town. Upstream from the main picnic area are picnic tables dotted along the river and car parking close to the water. Access to the Latrobe River is ideal for children wanting to wet a line. For the big kid at heart, the river presents ideal wading conditions to cover fishing ground. Baiting up a worm on a hook and casting out in a slow-moving pool is the most relaxing form of stream trout fishing. For those keen to burn a bit of energy, hardbody minnow lures with small bibs, soft plastic wrigglers or small spinner blade lures work best cast into slow moving water. Dry flies to match the hatch are best fished in the evening when the trout are rising to feed, particularly on a barometer change. During

the day beaded nymphs with dry indicators are the most productive. Closer to Melbourne is the Tarago River featuring some great fishing, picnicking and swimming holes at Picnic Point, Longwarry North and Fisher Road Reserve, Drouin West. The Tarago below the reservoir flows from Neerim South down to Longwarry North entering the Bunyip River. It holds some good trout and even through the busy times can trout be caught near active swimming holes. Picnic Point has everything you need for a family day out including BBQs, picnic tables, rotunda, toilets and playground. Fisher Road Reserve is a little smaller with only a rotunda and parking but does have a nice swimming hole and offers good fishing below and above the weir and fish ladder. Heading a bit further away from Melbourne, Rokeby Reserve is a little unknown access point to the Tarago River which has some picnic tables set on a nice lawn area besides the river. Blue Rock Lake is also a welcoming place throughout the warmer months. Swimming is a must for any angler during the heat of the day when the fish go off the chew. The Old

A nice stream brown trout caught and released, just before the author had an encounter with a tiger snake. Tanjil Road Blue Rock Picnic Area has seen a very new upgrade to the picnic area with a new all-abilities playground installed along with some other upgrades to facilities. Blue Rock Lake fishes very well into the summer with bass being the main target species. There is some cracking bass in the lake now with many anglers topping the 40cm mark on both baits and lures. I am yet to see the evidence of a 50cm bass despite a few fish coming awfully close! Blue Rock is a popular destination now that boat and engine size restrictions have lifted. The water temperature is spot on for hungry bass feeding up at the surface. Late afternoon in to the evening is the best time with most fish caught in

the shade. Worms and other live baits such as yabbies have been received well by bass too. Redfin are also very active at the moment and some decent sized fish are being landed. Trout will go quiet as the water warms up and will likely be caught in the evenings as they feed off the surface. While carp might have a bad name, they are highly active this time of the year too and can be a lot of fun for the family and on light gear. A reminder that the River blackfish season re-opens at the end of the month and offers another target species for the streams and rivers of West and South Gippsland. Feel free to send me a report or photo. Please email me any questions too.

WIRF: WOMEN IN RECREATIONAL FISHING

Vic rewarded after lockdown WIRF

Cara Cummings

This last month has been a breath of fresh air for most Victorians. With more Melbournians able to dust off their gear, they have been rewarded with some outstanding catches. Saltwater has seen a great number of snapper as

New Leader Robyn Cleggett with a healthy trout she caught from her kayak.

New Leader Amy Day was ‘tingin’ all the way home with her very successful catch and is also looking fabulous in her WIRF shirt. 98

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well as flathead and we are all going crazy for whiting! Freshwater anglers are catching some nice yellowbelly and the trout are still a topic of great conversation. A topic that has been particularly a real novelty for metro Melbourne, thanks to the impromptu stocking program implemented by Victorian Fisheries Authority. The hiatus for Murray cod fishers is over and with cod season open once again, we look forward to seeing numerous catches and hopefully some PB catches. Our new 2020 WIRF Leaders have also had some great luck on the water and are only too happy to share their wisdom, techniques and tips within the WIRF Facebook group. WIRF MEET UP GROUPS Coming soon, we are excited to announce that some of our Leaders will be

running virtual local meet up groups (within Victoria) for likeminded women who are keen to take up fishing, learn new skills or perhaps impart their own knowledge. Initially these groups will be run virtually. The ultimate goal however, is to be able to meet up throughout the year at individualised locations and get together for a fun fishing day out. To stay updated on this new and exciting project, please make sure that you are a member of our Facebook WIRF group.

New leader Chantel Meehan with her lovely flatty!

WIRF Leader Izzy Sesto was out on the Bay as soon as the restrictions eased and was rewarded with this great snapper.

HOLIDAY SEASON I am sure that we are all looking forward to a break and hopefully that means a getaway at a fishing destination you love. Please remember to refresh your knowledge of bag and size limits and fish responsibly. Here’s hoping that 2021 brings us a year with a little more normality than this one. Be safe, look after your loved ones and Merry Fishmas! • 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.

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

We can see clearly now HOBART

Andrew Large

Finally the weather has cleared, allowing anglers to access clearing waters in both the salt and fresh. SALTWATER Sand flathead are continuing to bite well as inshore bays, inlets and rivers start to produce fish and water temperatures

rise, whereas tiger flathead continue to pick up for the season in deeper 50m plus water. Striped trumpeter have been fishing well since the opening of season closures last month. The fish were a little slow to start with but have become more constant as temperatures rise for the year. Widespread schools of Australian salmon have

A healthy Atlantic salmon caught in the River Derwent recently.

been reported from most areas. With good captures coming from Cremorne and Channel areas. Bigger fish are available behind the surf at Pirates Bay and Adventure Bay on Bruny Island. King George whiting are going well in the north of the state and have been for sometime. In the south sand whiting are still available in good numbers in Storm and Frederick Henry bays. Shore-based anglers will do well on these fish. Silver trevally are taking baits, lures and soft plastics at St Helens. Smaller fish have been encountered further south around Orford and Marion bays further to the south. In the River Derwent and Huon estuaries we have sea trout running late again with huge whitebait runs firing them up. Atlantic salmon continue to make their presence felt with a 4kg specimens being taken in both the Huon and Derwent rivers. These fish are very scattered and we are not entirely sure where and when they have escaped. Drift spinning and lure casting from prominent points around New Norfolk and Huonville have produced

Chili and Lime Barra Salad (SERVES 4) 2 (small) barramundi fillets 1/cup corn flour Salt and pepper Vegetable oil for shallow frying 2 cups Bean shoots 4 sprigs fresh coriander 5 bell peppers or 1 capsicum ½ red onion 2 cayenne red chillies 2 limes (juiced) 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp brown sugar

more consistent results. We have found that 60-80mm bibbed lures are getting the job done. Brightly coloured with a splash of silver should be chosen – in this way both salmon and sea trout may be taken with all bases covered. Calamari were a little patchy but have picked up with the abating freshwater. Storm Bay, Fortescue, Marion and Orford bays are producing good cal action. Anglers have been pretty excited about southern rock lobster and have been open in different regions around the state for up to six weeks now, although the eastern region opens on 5 December. Early reports indicate crayfish have been moving well in some areas and not others. FRESHWATER Arthurs Lake continues to give up fish to the fly in the shallows while spin and troll anglers have been taking their fair share of fish as well.

Great Lake has finally come online for the year with some magnificent fish being caught drift spinning into shore. Hardbody bibbed minnows seeming to be the best option. As with most lakes, this year these fish are fit and fat! Bronte Lagoon continues to astound anglers with the quantity and quality of both the browns and rainbows it also is producing this season trolling and drift spinning working well. Penstock Lagoon is fishing well but tapered off tad through November. Dry fly activity has captivated fish for a few weeks now. Woods Lake is high and fishing well to all methods as most lakes do in December. Size has picked up a bit this year with some fish nudging 2kg. Lake Leake remains constant with some quality brown and rainbow trout being caught predominantly

by spin and troll anglers. As weed grows throughout the month fly anglers will have great potential to take fish along the shorelines that have long been the domain of spin anglers who now find increased weed a problem for successful spinning. Lake St Clair fished well through November and continues to do so throughout the remainder of this month as well. Food is not plentiful in this water and fish really do rely on daily thermals to bring an array of terrestrial bits and pieces in the form of flying ants, gum beetles, ladybirds, spinners and the odd mayfly and dun. During these 2-3 hours, usually around midday, trout are at their most active and can be targeted by all methods, including spin and troll. All the best for Christmas and the New Year guys – stay safe and tight lines after a testing year for everyone.

FISHING NEWS

RECIPES THAT ARE ‘WIRF’ IT

INGREDIENTS

Megabass 80mm bibbed minnows have been taking both sea trout and Atlantic salmon in recent weeks.

METHOD

1. De-bone the barramundi and cut into approximately 4cm cubes. Coat well in the corn flour and a little salt and shallow fry 2-3 minutes each side until crispy. 2. Roughly chop the coriander and place into a mixing bowl along with the bean shoots. Thinly slice the onion, chillies and peppers and add to bowl. 3. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar and lime juice. Pour over the salad and toss through well. 4. Add the barramundi just as you are ready to serve and gently mix through the salad. Garnish with fresh or charred lime.

This recipe was seen on the weekly Ch 31’s ‘Talking Fishing’ TV show, or catch up via YouTube.

Funding a better boating future for all Victorians Victorian boaters have long called for the revenue from marine licenses and boat registration to return to the boating sector, and we’re delivering on our promise to provide that financial certainty. That’s why the Andrews Labor Government has created a system that re-invests every single cent of annual fees back into the boating community. All the money Victorians pay in boating licences and registration will go into a dedicated trust fund, which will be required to be re-invested straight back to improving boating. The result will be a far more transparent system, a far more efficient system and a system which puts boaters first. The Better Boating Fund will ensure upgrades to infrastructure and improved boating safety are guaranteed into the future, making time on the water and the time getting on the water much more enjoyable. The Fund will guarantee boat ramps are maintained properly, education programs are funded and more promotion is done to increase participation.

Boating stakeholders will help us co-design a new strategy and there will be extensive opportunities for public engagement during its development. Every year we will report on what boating fees are used for so people can see exactly how much is collected and where every dollar goes to. We’ve already made tangible improvements for boaters. We’ve made the use of public boat ramps free across Victoria and we are investing $40 million to upgrade boating facilities at Queenscliff, Rhyll, Mordialloc, Hastings, Cowes Jetty and Point Richards. We have also recently completed a review on boating facility management, which will help us improve

management practices. But the Better Boating Fund will be the biggest improvement of them all. It is a long-term, sustainable system which will support Victorian boaters the industry for decades to come. It will give Victoria the best facilities in the country, thanks to continued and transparent investment. It’s a game changer for boating in this state, and it means that when the time comes for you to pay your fees and rego for the year, you’ll know exactly where that money is going. It’ll go right back into the sector we all have so much passion for – boating. – The Hon. Melissa Horne, Minister for Fishing and Boating DECEMBER 2020

WHAT’S NEW HUMMINBIRD SOLIX G3

Humminbird’s new SOLIX G3 models feature a powerful new dual-core processor, delivering lightning-fast responsiveness from either the touch screen or keypad. Users can create custom screen views and save up to ten as favourites in a quick-access sidebar menu, along with the ability to modify data overlays, waypoint settings and more. Anglers can choose from 10.1”, 12.1” or 15.4” high-definition, sunlight-viewable displays. The G3 Series provides an expanded range of MEGA Imaging+, allowing you to view the highest quality imaging sonar on the market, now at deeper depths and further distances. Humminbird’s Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar is built-in to every model, and they’re also compatible with optional Airmar CHIRP transducers for deeper water, and now include Airmar transducer ID. A built-in GPS and Humminbird Basemap provide depth info and navigational aids, and SOLIX G3 models are also compatible with Navionics charts, and include AutoChart Live. Simply turn the feature on and watch as depth contours and even vegetation and bottom hardness layers appear on-screen. Other features include advanced networking capabilities, and compatibility with the OneBoat Network to integrate compatible fish finders, trolling motors, shallow water anchors and downriggers. www.humminbird.com.au

DAIWA BAIT JUNKIE

Bait Junkie is the culmination of years of collaboration between Daiwa engineers from Japan and Australian R&D teams, and is developed specifically for Australian conditions. Made from Daiwa’s Elastomax material, Bait Junkie baits are stretchy, durable and buoyant, with Elastomax allowing thinner designs to be created to optimise swimming action and performance at slow speeds. Amino-X, a natural based flavour and scent, masks any unnatural plastic odours or smells, while the baits and packs are also loaded with Shrimp Power-Oil, a powerful shrimp-based formula to make sure that the moment your lure hits the water it’s working. The range includes six of Australia’s most popular soft plastics models, including 2.5” and 4” Grub, 2.5” and 3.2” Minnow, and 5” and 7” Jerkshad. Packaged in a double clam tray to keep each bait straight and true and kink-free, Bait Junkies are available in an extensive range of fish catching colours, with UV colours prominent throughout the range. Built tough and designed for Australian anglers and species, Bait Junkie is available in stores. www.daiwafishing.com.au

LUMICA IKE SHINKE SPIKE

Lumica Japan are the developers and inventors of the chemical light stick, and have now developed an outstanding fish spike (ikijime). The Ike Shinke Fish Spike is a humane way to kill fish and squid by spiking them in the brain to kill them instantly. This quick death also helps with the quality of the meat by reducing any stress. The Ike Shinke Spike comes with two spikes, with two different purposes. The 5cm long spike is ideal for piercing the air bladder in the belly of the fish, to help reduce barotrauma for any fish you want to release. The second spike is 20cm long, designed for piercing the brain. The Lumica Ike Shinke Fish Spike also come with a carabiner so you can clip it anywhere for easy access. www.jurofishing.com 100

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PRODUCT GUIDE

MERCURY 1ST MATE

Mercury 1st Mate is the world’s first engine-integrated ‘man overboard’ and proximity-based theft deterrent system. 1st Mate is composed of a hub, wearable devices, and a mobile app which integrates with a boat’s propulsion systems. If the captain falls overboard, the device sends alerts to the system’s hub, its app and the passengers’ wearable devices. The system cuts the engines and sends instructions to the passengers’ phones, guiding the passengers through restarting the engines and steering the boat to the location of the incident. If a passenger falls overboard, the captain receives heading instructions to return to the location of the overboard event. If a boat’s captain is alone and falls overboard, it sends a distress message to emergency contacts detailing the GPS location, time and date. To deter thieves, the system requires an ‘unlock’ command from the captain’s app or wearable device, and engines removed from the boat must detect a ‘system handshake’ before they can be started. www.mercurymarine.com

OKUMA JAW SPINNING REELS

Okuma’s JAW Spin range puts the smooth, balanced and solid feel of much pricier reels into the hands of anglers who are looking to step up their fishing performance. A sleek, corrosion-resistant graphite body and rotor house 3BB+1RB quality stainless steel bearings, precision machined gearing, and a silky-smooth Japanese multi-disc felt drag. The result is a capable spin reel that has the sturdy, rock-solid feel of much more expensive reels. JAW Spin is finished in a striking matte grey metallic and burnt orange colour scheme. Other features include: CFR (Cyclonic Flow Rotor technology); machined aluminium, anodised spool; corrosion-resistant stainless steel bail wire; and RESII: Computer balanced Rotor Equalising System. Available models are the JAW-30 (5.0:1 ratio; 233g weight; 7kg drag; 0.20/300, 0.25/200, 0.30/130 capacity mm/metres); JAW-45 (290g; 9kg; 0.30/240, 0.35/170, 0.40/125), and JAW-55 (4.5:1; 422g; 14kg; 0.30/300, 0.35/220, 0.40/170). Price: SRP $59.90-$89.90 www.okuma.com.au

BONE SALT FINESSE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The Bone Salt Finesse series expands on the brilliant Voyage concept delivering a series of rods that will cover any light line application. There are six models in the Salt Finesse spin range, all incorporating the highest quality components matched to superior design and function. The highlight feature is the elimination of uneven spread of weight across the joints, achieving an ultra-smooth bend when the rod is loaded, yet maintaining the rod’s durability and strength. These fast actioned, 4-piece rods are equipped with high modulus TorayCA carbon fibre layers with cross weaves, which makes the blank much lighter and stiffer without compromising strength. Fuji K-Alconite guides for ultra-sensitivity, and a Fuji TVS reel seat are essential parts of the design that stand these travel rods above others. Each Voyage rod comes with an individually constructed soft pouch for the ultimate in protection while travelling, ensuring your rod is undamaged in transit and ready to perform. www.wilsonfishing.com

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PRODUCT GUIDE

TESTING BOOTH

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Firing up the Wilson stainless steel smoker Anglers can be notoriously difficult to buy Christmas presents for. They either have everything (or so it seems) or you need to have a degree in fishing to understand what they want. With that in mind, I decided to test something that not only rewarded the angler, but the rest of the family as well. Enter the new stainless steel smoker from Wilson Fishing. This was my first foray into smoking fish and meats. There have been numerous cook-ups at the Fishing Monthly office over the years, involving smoked tailor, mackerel and various sausages, but up until now I had never been responsible for the process from go to whoa. I was really looking forward to it. The Product The Wilson stainless steel fish smoker has a dual burner system and is a little more compact than any I have previously seen out there (height rather than capacity), and most importantly for me it had some basic instructions on the best way to use it. The first thing that appealed to me was that it had an upper and lower grill. It meant that it had the capacity to hold enough food to comfortably feed my family of four, with a bit left over for me the next day.

Very little assembly is required. Once done the fun begins. smoked, but fish that have a higher oil content tend to be better to smoke. When it comes to saltwater species, good choices are tailor, mackerel, tommy ruff (Australian herring),

items to be smoked in the smoker and put the lid on, it is just matter of lighting the fuel pans, placing them in the fuel pan tray and letting the smoking process happen. Remember that it will get very hot, so put it on a nonflammable surface. I would also suggest an outdoor area that is well ventilated. Here are a few things that I have learnt as I have been testing the Wilson stainless steel smoker. A little bit of wood chip or sawdust goes a long way. It is very easy to use too much of either and have your smoked items take on too much smoke flavour. I was very surprised at how quickly even a large chicken breast or piece of salmon cooked. I found that 8-10 minutes was more

than enough time for them to cook through. I then extinguished the fuel pans and left them in the smoker for another 2-3 minutes. Doing this I found that both the salmon and the chicken didn’t dry out too much. I thinly sliced the chicken and we had it with salad, and I pulled the skin off the salmon and did the same. Around 3-5 minutes with smaller items did the job, and that resting process also worked really well for them too. Another tip if using fish fillets is to place them on the grills flesh side down. It reduces the cooking time and ensures a subtle smoky flavour. Important to clean It seems like an obvious thing, but it is important to clean the smoker after you use it. The drip tray and grills can be rinsed off and put through the dishwasher, while the rest just needs a good wipe down to ensure any oils, juices and smoking material is removed, otherwise you may be in for a nasty surprise next time you use it. All up to you now While doing this Testing Booth, I really enjoyed smoking the fish and meat, and experimenting with different flavours. I’m looking forward to doing more of this in future. As mentioned, salmon and chicken are great mixed into a salad, and the mullet I have smoked has been lovely on cracker biscuits. Last but not least, a smoker would be a great present for any angler out there. As this is the December issue I would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year. It is a great time to spend some quality time with our families and look forward to better times in 2021.

If you are looking for something a little different for Christmas, this may be it. A Wilson stainless steel smoker. Let’s get ready to smoke Not a lot of assembly is required and any that is, is pretty self explanatory. You will need to buy some smoking sawdust, and in my case I brought wood chips and some fuel for the two burners. It is then a matter of catching/buying what you are looking to smoke. Any fish can be

Once in the smoker, its time to put the lid on and let the smoke and heat do their work.

snook and mullet. In the fresh, good options are trout, eel or salmon. Other meats can certainly be smoked too, with great results. As previously mentioned, sausages are great, but I decided to try smoking some chicken breasts. The preparation of the meats to be smoked was the first variable I came across. Some people say with fish you need to soak them in a wet brine (generally sugar, salt and water) for a period of time or ‘dry brine’ them with the same products before smoking. Others say, like other meats (chicken and so forth), a spiced rub is all that is needed prior to smoking. I tried all three methods, and found with fish, a simple salt rub was best and with the chicken a salt rub with a little spice (little being important) added an additional flavour profile. There is a bit of trial and error with this side of it, but I think that is half the fun. Once your meat or fish is prepared, the next step is to fill the fuel pans, place some sawdust or chips on the bottom of the smoke box and place the drip tray over it. Now you are ready to fire up the smoker. Time to smoke Once you have placed the grills with the

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au

Salmon, chicken breast and mullet all prepared and ready for the smoker.

The end result. Smoked chicken breast sliced and ready to be added to a salad. Salmon crumbling apart, also destined for a salad and mullet just needing a cracker biscuit to go with it. DECEMBER 2020

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FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS THINGS TO DO AT CHRISTMAS L

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EXPLORE FEAST FISH GIVE GRAZE LAUGH LAZE OVEREAT OVERINDULGE RELAX

REST ROUGH-IT SHARE SIGHTSEE SLEEP SNOOZE SOAK SWIM UNWIND WADE

Fishing Monthly has two copies of The CLAW to give away for Christmas!

Fill out the Findaword competition to be in the running!

I Name: Address:

T P/Code: Phone (day):

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: FMM Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

FMM DECEMBER 2020

CAMP CAST CHILL COOK CRUISE DIVE DOZE DRINK EAT ESCAPE

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

For more info about this great book, go to page 106.

SPOT THE

10 DIFFERENCES

ORIGINAL

The Major prize winners for October’s Find the Logo was B Delphine of Emerald VIC who won 1st place ($1000 worth of product), D Reeves of Windsor NSW who won 2nd place ($500 worth of product), and L Comerford of South Penrith NSW who won 3rd place ($200 worth of product). Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE The subscriber prize winner for October was G Dean of Broadbeach Waters, who won a ZMan prize pack containing a $300 of epic ZMan gear. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM

FIND THE BAIT JUNKIE LOGO The Find the Bait Junkie Logo prize winners for October were: C Deland of Forster, R Gill of Lake Munmorah, J Farley of Belmont, D Bosher of Smythes Creek, D Drayton of Moore Creek, T Tippet of Nurrabiel, E Lezuchowski of Darra,G Ball of Tatura, W Forbes of Nambucca Heads, J Bowyer of Blackall , C Sullivan of 102

DECEMBER 2020

Salamander Bay, C Davey of Pretty Beach, Z Mosessen of Wanniassa, R Shrimpton of Rosebud, L Greaves of Doreen, M Beckett of Woollamra, G Higgins of Eaton, J Butcher of Basin View, R Price of Mildura, J Beer of Williamstown, L Vitelli of Epping, G House of Ferntree Gully, D Cave of Cambooya, M Fryer of North Balwyn, J Polly of Tinonee, R Dixon of Comboyne, A Honey of Oldbury, B Howieson of Wrattonbully, I Dando of Tuggerawong, B Hawkins of Wynnum West, M Markham of Hunterview, T Grice of Caboolture, K Aldridge of Rockville, B Pitt of Yakamia, P Gravina of Glenhaven,

S Jones of Elimbah, E Boettcher of Tivoli, M Gillett of Boonah, K Purcell of Upper Coomera, N Burge of Swansea. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMG NEW FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION SEE INSIDE

The answers to October’s Find the Bait Junkie Logo were: 12, 18, 20, 25, 35, 36, 48, 58, 59, 70, 79, 86, 92, 101, 109. – FMM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS O K

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This month’s Guess the Reel Answer: Shimano Stradic Ci4+ 2500FB Spinning Reel

MAJOR FIND THE LOGO PRIZE WINNERS

GUESS THE REEL?

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DECEMBER 2020

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South Coast

Warm waters bring change ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

As summer begins, anglers are continuing to catch salmon in smaller schools, particularly at beaches such as Roses, Alexander, 11 Mile and Poison Creek. We are also seeing numbers of tailor up to 80cm, sitting just below the salmon schools. Both salmon and tailor are taking chrome slices, and it’s recommended to add a small length of wire trace. The local beaches are still producing plenty of good herring, smaller flathead, 0.5kg skippy and the occasional night-time gummy shark. We are also seeing some soapy mulloway to around 85cm turning up. When fishing for gummies and mulloway, most anglers use dropper rigs with 3/0-5/0 hooks baited with a piece of squid, mulie or strip of herring. Another bait that’s good is scaly mackerel, because it’s a bit firmer and stays on the hook for longer. Fishing off the jetty at Taylor Street and Jane Street is still producing good numbers of squid and plenty of herring, and the average size of the herring is increasing. There are also

small skippy, the occasional King George whiting, plenty of snook and the occasional small bronze whaler. Bandy Creek boat harbour is still producing good King George whiting, plenty of herring, flounder and the occasional black bream. The bream lakes in town have now settled with the rain gone, and in the warmer water the fish are becoming more active. The biggest fish caught lately have been

over 40cm. The best baits have been river prawns and pieces of herring. For lure fishers, good options are the 2” Berkley Gulp Shrimp in natural shrimp and the 2.5” ZMan Slim SwimZ in mood ring. You can also pick up flathead as a by-catch. If you want to specifically target flathead in town, a good spot is at Bandy Creek along the front foreshore, and the other really good spot is 10 Mile Lagoon. The sandy

The local bream have started to feed more actively. Image courtesy of @olistevensonn

drop-offs where the current swirls around are where the flathead like to lie in wait for prey to swim past. The trick is to keep moving and find the fish, not have them find you. Anglers fishing from smaller boats in the bay are still picking up good numbers of squid, plenty of snook, lots of bigger herring, and plenty of queen snapper and sweep around the close islands. Guys heading out wide are still getting plenty of nannygai going 55cm, mixed in with big schools of swallowtail. Samsonfish are still being caught, although they’re small fish around the 10kg mark. There are still plenty of breaksea, harlequin and and groper. If you haven’t targeted bottom fish with lures before, a good one to try is the 6” Gulp Paddle Shad in pearl white or pink belly shrimp. You can also try slow pitch jigs, such as the 150g Storm Koika in zebra or orange. FISHING IN DECEMBER As the water temperatures continue to rise this month we’ll see the salmon in bigger numbers, and bluefin tuna should also turn up. Bluefin can be trolled up within 5km of town, but the bigger schools will be sitting out wide. A standard way to catch them

Landing a queen snapper isn’t nearly as difficult as taking a photo when you’re fishing solo! Image courtesy of @olistevensonn is with 6” skirted pushers trolled at around 6-8 knots. We like the 150mm Black Magic Jetsetters rigged with nylon with a double forked hook, trolled 20-50m behind the boat. The best colour skirts are pilchard colours or anything with pink in it. Hardbodies such as 120-190 Laser Pros are also working, particularly in red head, chrome tiger, or pilchard colours. If you can’t spot any birds working, just blind troll your lures back around Charlie and Cull or out near Woody Island and you may hook a tuna. Most of the bluefin are 4-6kg, with the occasional one around 10kg. The most common by-catch is snook,

and there’s also the odd barracuda or even squid. Squid will slow down a bit more this month but we’ll still get the residentials hanging around. This month we’ll also see more mulloway, and gummy sharks should keep getting caught in good numbers. • Established in 1986, Southern Sports and Tackle specializes in the supply and servicing of fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from beach, jetty or boat. Come and chat to the friendly staff at Shop 16, The Boulevard, Esperance or phone 08 9071 3022.

Railblaza easy attach to new Stessl and Horizon It’s rare that we see truly innovative solutions to boating problems nowadays. And when we do see them, we usually say ‘why hasn’t anyone done this before?’. We definitely thought this when Mark Johnson

Stessl and Horizon aren’t the first boat manufacturer to use these extrusions as standard on aluminium boats American-built Tracker boats have been doing it for a while, but they’re definitely the first Aussie manufacturer to offer this kind of functionality.

“This system is being incorporated into all new boats we are making at the moment,” said Mark, “and it solves the problem we have of customers all using their boats differently. If a user doesn’t like the position of a standard rod holder, you then

It’s a great idea that lets you mount Railblaza accessories, non-permanently, exactly where you need them at the time.

Railblaza extrution runs the length of the cockpit area, port and starboard sides. from Stessl/Horizon Boats first showed us the extruded gunwale system that took a variety of New Zealand designed Railblaza mounts. Imagine a system where you could attach rod holder, cup holders, phone mounts, camera and accessory clips wherever you wanted them along the inside gunwale of the boat? That’s what this system does. 104

DECEMBER 2020

Scan to see how easily Railblaza assessories attached to new Stessl and Horizon boats.

Some of the many Railblaza accessories on offer.

have to drill a new hold and you’re left with an existing hole in the hull.” Railblaza sockets (both vertical and horizontal) fit into the system which can be fitted, tightened and loosened

without any tools. You can do it with your hands. Insert the socket, slide it into the preferred position and tighten. You can then add the Railblaza holder of your choice. It really is that simple. Stessl and Horizon are including this system in all hulls from November onwards. We’re sure that other manufacturers will follow, but currently, the Gold Coast factory has the lead on the rest of the pack. For more information check out the Stessl, Horizon and Railblaza sites or see your local Stessl/ Horizon dealer.

South Coast

Hot fishing through the rivers and inlets AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

The borders are opening to everyone, somewhat slowly, but it is happening as the COVID menace slowly recedes from our shores. This is allowing more movement between the states, which means we can see family and friends that we have been separated from for half a year. It also means that there is much more fishing being done around the state. As the weather heats up, so does the fishing. Not just in the ocean but also Hardy Inlet and the Blackwood River. The whiting have really come on strong lately with King George whiting numbers increasing dramatically as spring progressed. Many in the river have exceeded 30cm+

Brayden Warnke with a solid pink snapper taken from deep water out in Flinders Bay using squid for bait. wind the line in and you will get an aggressive strike from any yellowfin that are around. If you are lucky you will get the odd King George

has been suffering from a lack of water lately, however, some of the sand appears to have moved and is a pretty safe location to take small

A nice feed of Blackwood River black bream taken near Molloy Island on river prawns, these are an ideal size for baking whole. however, these are babies compared to some of those that are out in Flinders Bay. For some reason the yellowfin whiting have become pretty scarce not only in the river but out in the ocean as well. The commercial net fisher in Augusta has also been experiencing a drought in the usually plentiful yellowfin so it’s not a matter of wrong bait or timing but just a lack of numbers. Hopefully they will turn up towards Christmas time and the holidaymakers will get the benefit of their late arrival. Both King George and yellowfin whiting will take strips of squid, fresh fish strips or prawns, however, glass shrimps are by far the favourite of yellowfin whiting. Try scooping with a net around any rocks on the shoreline, the jetty pylons or any sort of weed growth and you will soon pick up enough to thread on a long shanked number 8 hook. Use as light a weight as possible and slowly

whiting that will give you a run for your money on light lines. The jetty fishing has been pretty good lately with a good array of species being caught, especially in the early mornings and during the nights. There have been some really good-sized herring, salmon trout and skippy turning up with predawn being the perfect time to catch breakfast. If you want to have some fun with tailor then they seem to be most prevalent in the afternoon and night, especially under the lights of the Ellis Street Jetty where they dart in and out of the light smashing everything that moves. Have a go with a gold or silver twisty lure in the smaller sizes and if the tailor are around you will soon have them crashing the lures with the force of something you expect to be much bigger than what ends up flipping around on the jetty timbers. The jetty at Colourpatch ( bottom of Turner Street)

children to get a handle on the fishing. Berley out in front of the jetty with oil and pollard and you will find an assortment of fish turning up. The herring don’t take long to appear and often this is the first fish that a child catches. The acrobatics performed on light line by these little speedsters will have a kid hooked for life. A bonus might be the sighting of some of the resident dusky morwong mooching around in the crystal clear water. Just remember that although they look like they would make a great meal they are best left alone as they taste worse than eating an old shoe. With the demersal closure not ending until December 15 there have not been too many reports of big fish out in Flinders Bay, the sand whiting however have as usual been the main go to for those wanting to get a feed. These little delectable delights are a staple for the locals during the closure and never fail to provide. They

are always around on the sand flats and if you can get a drift that takes you along the edge of the weed beds you will also pick up the odd nice sized flathead and King George. Just remember that during the closure period it is discouraged to fish for non demersal species using rigs or jigs that will result in a certain amount of demersal by-catch. Department of Fisheries officers who observe you with what could be construed as being set up for demersal fishing will not look upon it favourably. Try trolling a lure for a samsonfish or kingfish instead or float a line in a berley trail for sharks. It is only a short period of time before its back on for the bottom dwellers, so be patient. The reports of big sharks in the deeper waters are a bit concerning, especially as they are showing up in some of the better dive locations. There have been plenty of bite-offs for those targeting the smaller shark species, such as gummy and school sharks that can only be from the larger bronze whalers and possibly the odd great white. I suspect that there is a permanent population of whites in the area that primarily feed off the seal colonies out at the islands. These turn up fairly frequently and instant biteoffs of heavy gear and big baits are the usual result. The Molloy Hideaway Holiday Park Bream Fishing Competition was held in October and as usual there were some great fish caught. The first day of the competition turned out to be the best for good-sized fish with winners fish exceeding 1kg. Sunday proved harder

going, however, overall the numbers of fish caught and released is certainly an indication of the health of the bream population in the Blackwood River. A combination of bait, soft plastics and hardbodied lures worked during the competition with baits proving more successful for numbers landed; lures

whiting with Dead Finish Beach and Ringbolt Bay having a pretty hot run of big fish. Herring, skippy and tarwhine will make up the usual bag to take home for a feed and can be caught on the same rigs. If you keep losing baits when using worms then just switch to squid or fish strips. Small circle hooks are also good

Steve Mills takes a break from the Colourpatch Cafe to show some of his staff how it’s done, with a nice 20kg+ blue groper released to grow even bigger. seemed to result in bigger fish overall. Beach fishing continues to be quite fruitful for sand whiting with bloodworms and sand worms or their soft plastic counterparts being very successful. Squid strips and especially tentacles have turned up the King George

A nice 44cm King George whiting taken off the rocks by casting into a small sand patch with a squid tentacle for bait.

in these circumstances, just remember to let the fish take the bait and swim off to hook themselves. Striking at a bite using circle hooks will result in a missed fish. Rock fishing can be very productive in Augusta. Choose a spot that allows 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 can quickly result in being thrown into the water. People have died here after being washed off by king waves. Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions, and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports 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 locations mentioned are all well-known and are marked on most vehicle GPS units, especially if they have HEMA maps or a list of locations can be obtained from the local tackle store, Augusta X-Treme Outdoor Sports. DECEMBER 2020

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West Coast

Excellent estuary escapades BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

The warmer weather, and especially the warmer water, has certainly fired things up!

The local Leschenault estuary is full of yellowfin, whiting, these magnificent fish are able to be targeted with bait (usually bloodworms) rigged with a simple long shank hook and small running sinker or

with lures. Targeting whiting on lures is a great option as they hit a variety of lures from vibes and plastics, to surface lures and flies. The local beaches are producing plenty of

This beautiful and decent sized samsonfish was caught by Matt Lane.

A change in focus MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

With the warmer weather now upon us and with it the increasing water temperatures, the angling focus around Mandurah changes from the cooler water species to what will be our main target species through the summer months. Having said that, there will still be some salmon around the local rock walls, but most anglers will be focused on the abundant tailor, whiting and herring that should be spread throughout the system. December is also a great time to focus on the fishing our beaches have to offer. Mulloway are a prized capture at this time of the year and the local beaches offer every opportunity to catch one, while many anglers fishing the local beaches will also look to target gummy shark and bronze whalers, as their numbers tends to increase with warming water temperatures. For the more dedicated beach fisho our southern beaches, White Hills, Tim’s Thickett and Secret Harbour offer the opportunity to jump in the 4WD and explore. There are also more options as far as the type of water you want to fish and therefore the number of species available. There are plenty of sandy stretches offering the species already mentioned, but there are also some reefs and ledges 106

DECEMBER 2020

that can be fished which may require heavier outfits and a bit more stopping power from an angling perspective. DEMERSAL BAN LIFTS Mid December sees the end of the demersal ban closure and there will be many who will venture out in search of a feed of pink snapper. One of the biggest mistakes many people make when doing so at this time of the year is to head out too far. You will find that good congregations of fish closer in than you would expect. The lure of the wider ground will be the bigger dhufish that will be on offer. Although many anglers will target them using paternoster rigs baited with mullet, ocky or squid (make sure you have correct sinker size for the conditions) it has been the soft plastic brigade that excelled throughout the year. Vexed Bottom Meat heads rigged with white, natural or pink soft plastics have been a deadly combo all year. Nuclear chicken has also been popular when the naturals have not been producing. Either a paddle tail or grub style plastic is the way to go. Although most will be hoping for a dhufish, sambos, Breaksea cod and many other tasty species can also be caught using the same method. Tuna will also continue to be an option in areas 15m deep and deeper. They are great sport and good eating if bled and put on ice correctly. Trolling skirted lures is one way to target them, but most will look

to find schools of fish and cast metal lures into them. Halco Twistys are one of the most popular options and their size tends to match the size of the baitfish the tuna are chasing. Just remember to vary the speed of your retrieve until you find the speed that the fish want and then hang on. FRESHWATER AND ESTUARIES The freshwater scene will definitely be tougher in December; warming water is not the friend of our local trout. Although that may be the case, early morning and late evenings are worth a try if you want to get your trout fix and of course the everpresent redfin are there too. The Murray and Serpentine estuary systems will be well worth a fish, as the bream tend to push up the system and congregate in the deeper holes. Targeting them can be as simple as using a running sinker rig, baited with prawn or mullet cubes. For those anglers preferring to use soft plastics, prawn imitations or grub style lures rigged on either a 1/16oz or 1/20oz jighead (depending on water depth and current) will also work well. The key to finding these fish is bait; so keep your eyes peeled for signs. Disturbed water or sprays of baitfish are a sure sign that predators are lurking nearby. Another fish that is often in the same areas are mulloway, you will need to up the ante a little bit gear wise if you want to target them. Have a great Christmas and New Year and I’ll catch you in 2021.

chopper tailor to around 35cm, using a mulie on a set of ganged hooks or casting a metal slice on sunset is a sure fire way to get amongst them. We have had some cracking reports of mulloway around the 10-15kg mark, if you’re wanting to target the elusive mulloway you’ll need a nice gutter to cast into, a well presented bait (fresh is best) and lastly, patience! The local divers have been getting their fair share of crays. The guys who are a little keener diving the 30m patches have been getting great bags of jumbo crays. There are plenty of smaller crays in the shallower regions as well. The local blue manna crab fishery opens back up on 1 December and if it is anything like the last couple of years, it should be a cracker! After two months of letting the crabs get down to business the onslaught of boaties and scoopers will be trying their luck for these tasty morsels. Last year the people willing to get their feet wet and wander around the flats were getting exceptional results with numbers easy to come by, especially in the afternoons generally coinciding with the high

Mitchell Cooper caught this whiting on the surface. tides. The boat anglers were getting their fair share also, but it’s worth moving around if the numbers aren’t great. Another little tip that worked for me last year is don’t be scared to get your pots right on the drop-off. You may only be setting the pots in 50cm-1m of water but it seemed to be the hotspot on a lot of days. When selecting your bait options keep in mind the dolphins and stingrays will show preference to fish type bait. So, when dropping pots shallow, try mullet or mulies and

when setting deeper, spleen seems to keep the undesirables at bay. When the numbers are through the roof, remember to stick to bag and size limits and only take what you need to ensure the continuation of the crab population. Get out there and enjoy the sunshine and if you’re having any issues with your gear or techniques or just need some advice come in and see the boys at Whiteys Tackle and Camping they have a wealth of local knowledge that they are always happy to share. – Grant Teede.

READER COMPETITION

The CLAW Giveaway Fishing Monthly has two copies of The CLAW to give away for Christmas! Go to the FUN page and fill out the Findaword competition to be in the running. The CLAW is an adventure story about a crab on a mission to stop a greedy fisherman from catching all the crabs in the bay. Written by Karen Witt and illustrated by Aaron Pocock, it’s a rhyming book and suited for children aged between 3 and 8 years of age. After losing one of his nippers, Clive – an Australian mud crab, needs to find the strength to save his fellow crabs, gaining new friends along the way. The CLAW explores themes around difference, acceptance and self-worth. This is a debut book by local Author, Karen Witt, who was inspired to write The CLAW after many fishing trips on the local Brisbane Water, catching crabs. The CLAW hosts both mud and blue swimmer crabs as loveable characters at the mercy of hungry fisherman, and locally inspired character,

To enter the comp go to page 102

Mr. Norman Beerbellio! “With this book, I wanted to create a story that was fun and engaging for both adults and children. It gives families a chance to read and laugh together”. Captivating character, Mr. Beerbellio, is a fisherman sporting hilarious and relatable antics. This book is wonderfully illustrated, featuring hot rods and tinnies. The subtle overtones of humour for adults make The CLAW an amusing read, and finding

Salty the starfish in the illustrations is entertaining for the kids, making it fun for everyone. If you like Shrek, then you’ll love The CLAW! There are also educational elements within The CLAW as readers learn about crab behaviour – that crabs actually do throw their nippers when they are frightened. The CLAW is available in hardcover and e-Book in time for Christmas.

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107

West Coast

Looking forward to the December festivities patrolling the walls. An absolute key for me when targeting these species is berley. The correct

METRO

Jacob Crispe

December is a month that will see our waterways bustling with activity. The holiday season is a great opportunity to spend some time on or near the water and it is a pretty good time to wet a line in our local waters. SWAN RIVER December should see the continuation of our estuary species migrating into shallower water. This is great news for those anglers who enjoy casting small hardbody lures, surface lures and lightly weighted soft plastics around the Swan. Flathead will be the high on the

Max Sampson landed this beauty using a 5” Halco Madeye Paddle Prawn near south Perth in the Swan River!

Little Ayden Zahradka (with help from dad) caught this flatty from the lower reaches of the Swan River. target list of species for many anglers and areas like Point Walter, Matilda Bay and Balkeich are good locations to explore. Look for sand flats that don’t have too much weed and slow retrieve hardbodies through likely areas. Soft plastics or vibes are also good options in these areas, just remember to fish them slowly, giving the flathead time to search them out. Yellowfin whiting are also a prime target when fishing the flats. Small poppers/surface lures and lures that swim just under the surface are great to target these fish. December is prime time for this type of fishing in the Swan and anglers have really taken to this form of fishing. You only have to look at the number of lure options available in 108

DECEMBER 2020

rocks walls, so having a squid jig on hand is a must. For those anglers that prefer to fish the rock walls

your local tackle store to see how addicted people have become. As I mention each month, black bream are a constant in the Swan River and they can also be found in the shallows at this of the year as well. Low light periods will be best as once the sun gets higher in the sky, they will return to the deeper water or to their favourite snag. It is not just the shallows that fire either; tailor will be around in good numbers, just find the bait and the tailor will not be too far away. Our friends the mulloway are also still around in good numbers. They will be a little harder to find as traffic on our waterways increase, but areas like the E-Sheds that have deep water and plenty of structure, will definitely hold mulloway. Live baits have been the best producer of fish, however Madeye Paddle Prawn soft plastics have

been the go-to lure for those anglers preferring not to use bait. Blue manna crabs are also back on the cards just in time for Christmas. Good areas to try for crabs are the deeper water along the Black Wall reach, Clairmont or near the old brewery. Is there anything better than a feed of fresh crab?

The author’s dad, Ken Crispe, with a massive female blue swimmer crab he caught at the Como Jetty. This big girl was released after a quick photo.

Perter Zahradka with a Swan River croc! Big flatties like this are a common catch for Pete a.k.a ‘The Z-Man!’

The famous Hools Orifici with a lovely Freocaught southern calamari! Judging by his hair style this was a early morning capture!

ROCK WALLS The various rock walls throughout the metro and Fremantle area will be popular places in December and there is a very good reason why. All of the key bread and butter species will be on offer. Herring, skippy, bream and King George whiting should be around in good numbers

berley (pellets for whiting, pollard for herring, etc.) will bring the fish to you and hopefully keep them there, rather than vacating the area. One last tip, my preferred bait is a peeled coral prawn. I have better success with them than any other bait. Squid will always be about when fishing the

and the beaches for that matter, during the hours of darkness, there have been some good gummy shark caught recently and this should continue through December. It will pay to have some wire handy as well because there have also been some bronzies and reef sharks about. There is no reason flake shouldn’t be on the menu in December. INSHORE WATERS Boat traffic will mean the fish will be a little harder to find. If you want to target King George whiting and squid the key is to find weedy broken ground. Normally I would say to search areas until you find fish, but with the added boat traffic, it may be best to find a likely area, anchor, berley and fish a variety of baits. A little patience may be rewarded with a nice bag of fish. Sand whiting are also a popular target at this time of the year. They are best targeted by drifting the edges if the shipping channel, by doing this you will come across the schools of fish as travel along. The yellowtail kingfish bite should be in full swing by the time you read this report. Plenty of boats will be lined up on the South West side of Rottnest targeting them. Most will create a berley trail of mulie cubes and once there is some interest, a loaded cube will get put into the trail (a cube with a hook

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hell will break loose when a kingy takes it. Another option once the fish are in the area, is to use stick baits or soft plastics to get a bite. Kingfish are aggressive so something moving and splashing about can be just what is required to get a strike. Always keep your eyes peeled when out on the water for birds or schools of baitfish, as there have been some good Spanish mackerel around and they will hang around the bait. Just keep some wire handy, as not using it, is likely to result in disappointment. The demersal ban finishes on the 15 December (please check the regulations as Cockburn Sound has further regulation – Recfish West app has all the information you require) so our beloved ALBERTON ALBERTON MARINE 39 Johnson Street Alberton P: (03) 5183 2344 F: (03) 5183 2219 W: albertonmarine.com.au

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Luka helping grandad, Ian Moyke, gather some Christmas crays! MELBOURNE MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE 92 Hallam South Road Hallam P: (03) 9703 2003 W: melbournemarine.com.au

MORNINGTON PENINSULA MY MARINE Cnr Nepean Highway & Ponderosa Place Dromana P: (03) 5987 0900 W: mymarine.com.au MORNINGTON PENINSULA NAUTICAL MARINE 141 Hotham Road Sorrento P: (03) 5984 1666 E: info@nauticalmarine.com.au W: nauticalmarine.com.au TOORADIN P&J MARINE SERVICE CENTRE P/L 101 Tooradin Station Road Tooradin P: (03) 5998 3107 E: pjmarine_services@bigpond.com

MORWELL James Closey knows where the black bream like to lurk in the Moore River. GEELONG CRAWFORD MARINE PORTSIDE MARINE CENTRE dhufish and snapper can 71-77 Chickerell Street Morwell 36-38 Geelong Road Portarlington again be targeted. These P: (03) 5134 6522 P: (03) 5259 1110 fish will generally be F: (03) 5134 6455 E: info@portsidemarinecentre.com.au in 20-50m of water that contains reefy/corally W: crawfordmarine.com.au W: portsidemarinecentre.com.au structure. These areas ECHUCA MELBOURNE will also produce other delicacies like Breaksea EADES XTREME MARINE THE MARINE SHOP cod and baldchin groper. 24 Sturt Street Echuca 6 Holland Drive Melton Crayfish fishing is also P: (03) 5482 2333 P: (03) 9747 0588 improving and will only get better as we get further into F: (03) 5482 2133 F: (03) 9747 3999 December. It never hurts W: xtrememarine.net.au W: themarineshop.com.au to have some crayfish in the freezer for the festive BRAESIDE MELBOURNE season, so get out and give JV MARINE WORLD TRIPLE M MARINE it a go. Anglers Fishing 878 Springvale Road Braeside 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown World has an extensive range of crayfish gear and P: (03) 9798 8883 P: (03) 9465 8787 up to date information on F: (03) 9798 7554 F: (03) 9466 1418 where they are, so stop W: jvmarine.com.au W: triplemmarine.com.au in and see them before you head out. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a save and enjoyable Christmas and Edmund Liu having some fun with the New Year. Go fishing, have ultra light game fish! Yellowfin whiting are fun and I will catch you in extremely active this time of year! the New Year.

CANNING VALE AQUASPORTS MARINE 189 Bannister Road CANNING VALE P: (08) 9250 3339 F: (08) 9250 8339 E: info@aquasportsmarine.com.au W: aquasportsmarine.com.au BUNBURY BLUEWATER MARINE 18 Hawkins Street BUNBURY P: (08) 9791 1499 F: (08) 9791 1497 E: bluwater@bigpond.net.au W: bluewatermarine.com.au

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EXMOUTH EXMOUTH AUTOMOTIVE & BOATING 5 Griffiths Way EXMOUTH P: (08) 9949 2795 F: (08) 9949 4795 E: exautomotive@bigpond.com W: exmouthautoandboating.com.au

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WANGARA HI TECH MARINE 12 Uppill Place WANGARA P: (08) 9309 2888 F: (08) 9309 2397 E: sales@hitechmarine.com.au W: hitechmarine.com.au

DECEMBER 2020

109

West Coast

Take only what you need LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

Midnight 15 December the demersal ban ends, on the 16 we can catch those prized table fish again. With modern technology and efficient, reliable

engines, recreational boaters are traveling much further and fishing with great efficiency than previous generations have. Although some might not like the demersal ban, it is an important tool to limit the recreational sectors take to its Total Allocated

Catch (TAC) or fair share of the resource. Something we should all keep in mind when the season reopens is to fish to a limited take. Bag limits are set to a sustainable level. Some people fish demersals for sport and up grade for large fish, but

releasing the smaller fish in totally inappropriate depths. Mortalities are very high for baldchin – nearly 100%, even in relatively shallow depths. Dhufish and break sea cod caught >20m suffer significant mortalities that increase expediential as the depth increases. Pink snapper fare better but still the mortalities start to significantly increase over 30m. The mortalities from barotrauma impact the sustainability of recreational fishing’s TAC. Fisheries WA are expected to account for these in the calculations of the recreational TAC. Best practice is to keep all legal sized demersal fish releasing only the undersized fish, and to stop fishing once a bag limit is met. In the longer term everyone will continue to be able to bring a reasonable

Dhufish will be back on the menu from midmonth. Shenton French finished off last season with his first fish on a soft plastic.

Young Jacob showed everyone how to score a feed of tailor on a recent fishing trip with a good haul of choppers.

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December is a good month to be casting lures to the bay’s reef breaks for yellowtail kingfish and large tailor. feed home. Enough of the nagging, most people do fish responsibly. It is just I have met a few people of late who had no idea about these issues, wanting to make the most of a day out and justify fuel cost, releasing excessive amounts of fish in very deep water. Also with the

COVID making changes in the way people holiday, the commercial sector has raised concerns over the impacts of increasing recreational impact to fish stocks. At the end of the day bag limits are set to a sustainable level and no one should feel guilty going out to score a few fish to take home for a feed.

The white crays are in full swing, that brings a lot of those tasty demersals inshore. Dhufish and pink snapper were regularly caught inside the white bank in depths of 10-15m season’s end. Later in the month as the inshore run slows and the crays move out deep, a lot of people will keep pots in the 26-30m range and pull every few days scoring some thumping big jumbos. Sharks, sharks and more sharks. December is a very sharky month, inshore there are lots scavenging around the white bank. They follow the boats around to eat the old cray bait as it’s thrown overboard – some can be quite large tiger sharks. Hammerhead sharks will cruise the surface and are very adept at finding any floater or ballooned baits intended for mackerel. Makos follow the tuna schools and may pick off small tuna once hooked on

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Lancelin & Ledge Point Phone: 0427 941 126 Email: info@tailored treks.com.au Web: www.tailoredtreks.com.au 110

DECEMBER 2020

Striped and bluefin tuna have been abundant through a wide range of depths. Try to use a lure to match what they are feeding on.

To page 111

West Coast

Good results found all around GERALDTON

Graham Maunder & Michael Triantopoulos

Squid fishing is still producing good results around the rock walls and some of the reefs and weed beds from Southgate to Pages Beach. But as it has been all year, the north side of the Batavia Marina after sunset is still the local landbased hot spot. Productive styles, colours and sizes of squid jigs seems to be an endless search for perfection, but as with most lure fishing the variety available today will cover most situations. Land-based anglers are still enjoying an excellent run of large jumbo tailor from almost all the local beaches and reefs both north and south of Geraldton. By this time of the year the normal run of smaller chopper tailor in the 30-40cm size would be a big part of the average catch, but good quantities of 40-65cm

tailor are still about and don’t mind whether you are using lures or baits. Anglers using smaller tackle more suited to estuary species have done well on whiting for most of the season, but herring catches have only just started to improve and not at all the usual spots. Some reasonable catches have been taken from Flat Rocks and north of Drummonds through to Woolawar Gully by anglers chasing tailor and bigger species of fish. Over the last week or two, big schools of herring have been seen of Point Moore aggressively chasing squid jigs wound quickly across the surface. Out from St Georges Beach, where the anglers who saw them, but didn’t have any fishing tackle with them. In the mid-west we are fortunate to have access to many of Western Australia’s most iconic fish species. WA dhufish, pink snapper, coral trout, big mulloway, jumbo

tailor, 55cm King George whiting and bonefish over 70cm are some of them. Many fish used to have distinct season starts and finishes but over the last few years the overlap have got longer and longer. We currently have a two month seasonal closure for demersal species that would normally be further offshore. In breeding mode, there are still pink snapper being caught and released by anglers chasing tailor and mulloway. The summer mulloway season is not in full swing yet but the beaches at West Bank, Cape Burney, South Gates, Tarcoola, Okajee and Coronation have all had mulloway most of the fish have been a metre or less but some lucky anglers are getting an occasional mulloway over the 15kg mark. Roll on summer! Boat With the seasonal demersal closure still in affect and the run off windy summer weather anglers haven’t been

very active. With the water temp on the rise and small schools of tuna turning up our run of pelagic species might be an early one. Spending the time rigging baits, such as garfish or pike, and slow trolling them last year got a couple of dedicated keen anglers consistent numbers of Spanish mackerel to 20kg. Spanish mackerel, long tail tuna, striped tuna and the occasional school sized yellow fin tuna usually found in consistent numbers from Drummonds Cove north to Coronation and south to Southgate’s trolling lures along the Pensioners Bank edge 15-16m. Proven lures such as the Laser Pro 160/190XDD, Rapala X Rap 20/30, Samaki Pacemakers 180DD, Nomad DTX 140/165 in the chromed and natural bait fish patterns. The use of long heavy traces isn’t needed as all you’ll need is a short single strand traces

Rocco Ryall with a nice WA dhufish caught before the demersal ban. to prevent bite offs and will help prevent affecting the lures swimming capabilities. The squid fishing has slowed up a little, but some anglers putting in the time and effort still managing enough for a feed. Schools of herring have been prolific around Point Moore to Pages Beach with the occasional samsonfish and yellowtail kingfish causing havoc hooking them on ultra-

light gear. Until next month tight lines and screaming drags! • Geraldton Sports Centre is the Mid Wests specialist Fishing tackle store. Drop in and see the friendly professional staff for local advise and knowledge and browse the extensive range of Fishing equipment on show at 204-208 Marine Terrace Geraldton WA, Phone. 08 99213664.

Fresh bait has been delivering KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

It’s that time of the year for whiting to make a good showing on the sand flats behind Oyster Reef and along the river foreshore from the boat hire up to the jetty. Some good catches have been taken recently with sizes getting close to 25cm. Be mindful not to spook these skittish little critters as they will shut down on you. With a La Nina declared we can look forward to an early run of macks and wahoo. There are good signs with bait balls half the size of a footy oval already forming to the north of From page 110

the line. Along the beaches there are plenty of small whaler sharks, most are a perfect eating size around a metre. Sunset or very early morning is the best chance to catch them. December each year, the guitarfish turn up in good numbers and remain abundant for several months. Each year they seem to be gathering a following as a bucket list fish to catch. They certainly account well for themselves as a worthy opponent on standard beach fishing gear, some go upwards of 40kg. They have an impressive turn of speed and they use their bulk and shape well making it difficult to gain the line back onto the spool. Beach fishers have

the sand patch and west of town about 9km. Things have been a bit quiet on the tuna side of things for

a while, but I’m still in hope that yellowfin will soon be here to play with the heavy gear.

Hon-Su caught this decent 37cm black bream up river. been doing very well on the tailor, fish have been a great size with plenty around the 50cm mark. Green backs to 80cm and some school mulloway have been coming from the gutters along the bombing range. Some good fish have come from the reef breaks too. December normally produces good numbers of tailor but the average size is much smaller, greenbacks also get harder to find. With warming water temperatures and hot days, the shallows fish well for flatfish. The stretch from south of sea rescue through to Edwards Island provides a great little habitat for chasing them. Small soft plastics bumped along the bottom are effective on the flathead. Occasionally

The river has performed very well for the usual black bream and mulloway with local Robbie Leck bagging a nice fish around the pens. Regular visitor Hon-Su Chin also picking up a good size black around 37cm on lure just up river from the pens. Good bait is always the difference between just getting regular catches. If you are not getting any action try a shift or different bait. In the river, prawns are normally a sure bet but for mulloway I prefer strips of mullet that have been salted, this toughens it and I think sweetens it. One night I saw this type of bait pull in over 30 little soapies, things were

Daniel with a solid 64cm tailor that smashed a popper cast to a reef break.

Robbie Leck always does well on the mulloway around the pens. very hectic. With the possibility of cyclones we may get a river and this would flounder will chase the lure in and drop at your feet, switching to a small 10g Halco twisty will quickly catch a hungry flounder. Last year I watched someone having a ball there with fly gear landing some flatfish and herring in the shallows. First signs of mackerel started early this year. School mackerel have been harassing garfish inside the white bank. Shark and Spanish mackerel often swim with the tuna schools, it’s wise to have a short length of wire on the lures. There have been stacks of small bluefin and striped tuna to date, yellowfin and possibly longtail now all a chance as the waters warm. Dinghy and kayak fishers can find plenty to

trigger another spawning run of big fish, in the river and offshore, just getting hopeful for Christmas. do in the bay. Snook to a metre can be caught casting or trolling lures and baits. Good numbers and size squid and blue swimmer crabs can be expected throughout the month. Herring can be a bit hit and miss. Try the sand holes in the southern shallows trolling or casting small lures will find where the schools are hanging. You can then drop the anchor and throw a berley pot over the side to get them to the back of the boat. King George whiting are always a popular target for those looking for a quality feed, fish around the seaweed sand holes or the broken bottom. I prefer to use a prawn bait shell on to keep the small pickers at bay until a decent whiting finds the bait. DECEMBER 2020

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Hook into something big EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

The Exmouth Game Fishing Club’s Sailfish Shootout was held last month, and although the sails weren’t as plentiful as in previous years, the comp was still a success. The best competitors ventured to places they wouldn’t normally go in search of fish. Champion Team Overall went to Pussee Galore with seven sails, followed by previous champion On Strike with six fish. Pussee Galore also took out the Champion Team Amateur section to walk away with over $10,000 in prizes. On Strike was Champion Team Pro. In the junior sections, Max Grasso won Champion Small Fry and Trent Gregory was Champion Junior. There haven’t been many good weather windows in recent weeks, but those who have gotten out have been getting good fish. On Strike Charters took out a pair of locals, Marco and Kim, and they released a 550lb blue marlin and followed that up the next day popping for GTs around the Muiron Islands. Kim ended up hooking a GT estimated at 35kg on a light jigging rod, which she brought in to us for repair the next day. A once in a lifetime fish.

FISHING IN DECEMBER We are coming into big marlin time now. November to January is the best time for big blue marlin, and there have already been a few caught and released – and there would have been more if it wasn’t so blowy. At this time of year guys also occasionally encounter massive yellowfin, usually taken as by-catch in 500-1000m country by guys

chasing blues. If you’re lucky you’ll see the tuna busting up and can cast lures into them. As the water warms up in the gulf we’ll get more whiting along the beaches on the changes of the tides. Popping for whiting is a lot of fun, and two of our shop favourites are the Jackson Ebi Panic and Pygmy Popper in transparent colours. A lot of queenies have been sighted in the gulf. At

the time of writing this report they’re a bit shy of lures, possibly because they’re breeding, but at least we know they’re there. As the water continues to warm we’ll get a lot more of that inshore action casting metals, poppers and stickbaits. The best performing stickbaits lately have been the Halco Slidog and Nomad Mad Scad, which have been catching GTs, queenies, spangled emperor and more.

On two days fishing with On Strike, Kim scored some memorable catches, including a 550lb blue marlin and this 35kg GT. The GT took a Nomad Madscad in gold buster. Image courtesy of On Strike Charters.

Perfectly stitched bait dressed in Richter skirts – candy for blacks and sails. Image courtesy of On Strike Charters. GTs become pretty active around the shoreline at this time of year, and Christmas is a really good time to catch them walking around the end of the cape. The marina holds a lot of mangrove jacks, and it’s fun to go there after dark and float out an unweighted dead bait at this time of year. A bit of berley gets the little fish in, and then the jacks move in for the kill. Typical tackle for this is a 6ft spin rod or barra baitcaster with 30lb braid. There are tons and tons of yellowfin bream in the marina too, which are great for the kids. The bream will take a variety of baits, including a cube of mulie, a whole or half prawn, or chopped up pieces of squid. The important thing is that the bait is unweighted and allowed to move with the current. You can fish for bream at any time of day, but if you’re after jacks you should head down at sunset and fish into the night.

We also get schools of trevally in the marina from time to time, along with the odd huge cod, sharks and a smattering of other species. Even spangled emperor turn up sometimes. There are plenty of places to fish in the marina – you can fish off the rock walls and boat pens, and even fishing near the filleting station is good because the run-off attracts predators. If the wind is up, the marina is the place to be. • 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.

Big tides, full moons are ideal for big barra BROOME

Troy Honey

It goes without saying how big the tides are in the Kimberley region and the effect it has on fishing. Learning how these tides work in conjunction with the moon and fishing feeding habits is critical to unearthing prosperous formulas. The Broome North Fishing Club held its Barra Away comp on the Fitzroy River about 130km inland from Broome recently where the barra fishing was all but easy going. Extreme temperatures and humidity were endured by a large group of local and visiting competitors all keen to get amongst the action and win a few prizes at the same time. With such a large amount of anglers working the river from Langes Crossing to down past Telegraph Pool and towards the river mouth, you would expect to see many fish caught in the rising water temperatures that start to fire the barra 112

DECEMBER 2020

up at this time of year. With the full moon silhouette each night over the water the scene was certainly set for plenty of bait fish to be caught and rods bending in every direction. Not so, only eight fish were caught over the entire two-night event. What went wrong? Barramundi fishing is challenging and that is why they are held high on the trophy fish species list to

catch. Everything can be in place, but the fish just simply aren’t biting. Over the event I tried a vast array of lures with only the old faithful Gold Bomber being the one to get the only hit for me and then rewarded with a sizable barra spitting the lure a few moments later. For the first time fishing those waters, I saw more crocs than I did barra, even a healthy 3m+ specimen coming up the

Andrew Sippe caught the biggest barra for the first day of the comp that came in at a massive 102cm, clearing the magic metre mark by 2cm.

bank each night to gain a better view of what I was up to. It made for some light sleeping in the swag I tell you! Roof top tent only from now on as the croc numbers are really starting to get up there on the Fitzroy. While some of the smaller of the barra caught were during the day, the largest fish for the comp were caught at night. The days were extremely hot and humid and tested even the most acclimatised of competitors, which can impact the effort put in to barra fishing. The heat can cause you to take easy options of fishing such as trolling under the bimini to escape the suns belting rays and get a bit of a breeze brushing past. Barra love the heat but with the sun high in the sky the larger fish will be working areas where they are not as visible in the water to predators. This can be lower down in the deeper areas sitting on the tail end of snags or under the shadows of the trees lining the riverbanks. Working these areas with the right lure to match

Live bait are plentiful in the Fitzroy River and larger fish, such as these mullet, are perfect for enticing big barra during the day or night. their position and depth is a great way to start to find the fish and then tailoring your rig and lure choice until they start biting. With many competitors fishing the day and overcome by the heat and feeling tired by night, my guess is the fish just weren’t on the bite during the day during this full moon. With night fishing being the most successful for the landed barra over the comp, if you are venturing out on a barra mission it certainly pays to plan your fishing during this cooler

time. Generally, the two days before and after the full moon are the most successful bite nights and even if you are fishing an area not affected by the tides, focusing your fishing period around the tide changes. Live baits are the go-to for night fishing but if you are fishing under a well lit full moon then lures come into their own. Using bright and shiny colour lure lures work best here with gold and silver being amazingly To page 113

North Coast

Changing it up before the cyclone season DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

By far the greatest challenge fishing the Pilbara region during November and December is escaping the daily southwesterly winds that are often around 10knots in the morning before building to 18knots or more in the afternoons. While there are some days of exception, they are few and far between and having one line up with your day off is a dream come true. That being said, there are options a plenty for fishing other than heading out wide on the boat. With the Dampier Archipelago and other islands in the region, as well as bays and headlands that allow an angler to cast with the wind

All of the local Karratha creeks are holding good numbers of threadies as Mitchell O’Driscoll proved last month with this beautiful example of the prized table fish. on the move. For myself I prefer to use this time of year to keep the boat parked up and complete any maintenance required,

When it comes to bucket list fish you cannot go past the mighty giant herring. These fish are a spectacular fish to target, which is done most commonly by fly fishers. Landing one on a soft plastic is by no means an easy feat and a credit to Mathew Howards fishing skills. to their back, there are always places to fish with ease, combined with the change in water temperature during this period, there are plenty of fish From page 112

effective. Large live baits of locally caught mullet are what is needed to catch big barra if you go down this path and the Fitzroy River is full of them. The 2020 Barra Away comp biggest fish winner, Brad O’brien who landed a magnificent 112cm barra at night shows just how good the fishing can be on the Fitzroy if you put the hard work in. It did not come easy though with the landed net tearing through and his decky risking the murky croc infested waters and jumping in straight after the fish and wrestling it ashore.

unless of course there is a day worth getting out on. The rising water temperature kicks many pelagics, estuarine and nearshore species into gear Fishing the wet season in Broome is heavily focused around barra but that is not the only fish to catch for Christmas dinner or holiday trophy photos. Threadfin salmon are at their peak during the wet season and they are joined in the bay by good stocks of northern jewfish. Amongst them you will find trevally and queenfish busting up on baitfish during the tide changes and these are always susceptible to a silver or gold Twisty lure or stick bait being cast amongst the feeding frenzy. The Broome Jetty will be fishing well for big GTs and multiple nearshore and demersal species such as

and a land-based session out chasing the likes of mangrove jack, flathead, whiting, queenfish, threadfin salmon or trevally from a wind protected bank somewhere is most welcomed when escaping the long work days this region is well known for. Headlands that produce good fish can be found at 40 Mile, Hearsons and Cowrie Coves, Cleaverville, Anketell Point, Point Samson and Cossack. There are plenty of other spots to explore where you can escape the wind, especially if you have a 4WD with high lift, such as up past the Jump Up on the Burrup Peninsula. I am just gearing up to chase flathead at Cleaverville off the Northern end of the campground at time of writing this article so hope to have a success story for you next month. Those that have managed to time a day off on a lighter wind day or have a larger boat to get out wide have been finding plenty of blueline and spangled emperors in the 20-35m mark. We are just coming into the preferred bluebone fishing time, which will run until March before it cools down. Although you can catch tuskies all year round, they really fire up in the warmer months coming in to eat the oysters off the rocks as the tide rises past them and I have had most success during

these warmer months. There have been two reports in the last month of barramundi cod being caught, which is not a commonly caught fish in the region although they do exist here. Barramundi cod are a prized fish both to land and on the table, so this is exciting to hear. Sailfish are still around in good numbers out the back of the Archipelago through to the oilrigs and around the ships. Among them you will find plenty of Spanish mackerel as well as other mackerel species and this will only increase as the daytime temps warm even further. Fishing the tide changes for mackerel is critical as they are predatory feeders who target anything that feeds on schools of baitfish, as well as the baitfish. Knowing the feeding of these fish is around the tide change the mackerel tend to school and ignite into a frenzy at these times. Having your lures trolling or casting over reefs and shoals or anywhere baitfish are schooling on the tide changes will almost guarantee you a mackie during a Karratha wet season. One of the tricks to ensure success is matching your lure size to the size of the schooling baitfish so taking out a range of sizes with you is essential. Two items that are not often spoken about in fishing

magazines are octopus and oysters. The Karratha region is full of them with the wet season being the prime time to get yourself a feed or even one of the best baits to drop for demersals being octopus. For octopus I like to walk out on the rocky flats at low tide where you will find them in rock pools. You can use a pair of tongs or an old fishing knife to pick them up and

The Dampier Archipelago is home to great numbers of monster GTs, such as this black beauty Kevin Ugle landed. straight into a bucket. They will be close to their home which is simply a small hole in the ground and if they are too quick for you and escape down the hole, you can entice them out with a mulie or prawn placed just near the top as they cannot resist the smell and will come out in no time

For Mathew Howard it has been a year of PBs, and his success continued last month by landing this thumper of a threadfin salmon that went just shy of the metre mark.

Brad Obrien with the winning 112cm barramundi he caught during the 2020 BNFC Barra Away Comp at night on the Fitzroy River.

to feed on the bait. Oysters are plentiful on all the rocks in the region and the ones to eat are the larger oysters below or as close to the low tide water line as possible. Armed with some snorkelling gear and a strong flat blade screwdriver simply paddle around to find the larger ones worth eating and pry them off the rocks. The oysters here are an absolute delicacy and

Spanish flag, Moses perch, big bluebone, the odd coral trout and plenty of pelagics, such as queenies and mackerel. Working the pylons at night around the tide changes with lures is where you will find the closest barra to be caught in town over the wet season. Make sure you have a good landing net and someone to help you when fishing the jetty as this is when most fish are lost. Willie Creek is producing a few big green mud crabs while all the other creeks surrounding Broome are holding good numbers of smaller brown mud crabs. There is the odd blue swimmer crab

well worth putting the effort in to gather some. Be mindful we are in stinger season now and combined with the onshore winds that can blow the stingers in, make sure you wear full body protection while diving in the water. Threadfin salmon are coming in thick and fast in the creeks with a few good reports of barramundi amongst them if the tides and moon phase are right. If you are out targeting creek fish species then throw a couple of mud crab nets in the water as we are also in peak season for muddies and you can’t go past a couple of these for the Christmas dinner table. I prefer to work the upper reaches of the creeks for muddies in the deeper holes and stretches just after the high tide change or in the pools that are formed on the spring low tide. Flathead fishing time for me, enjoy the last of 2020 and hopefully we can all end this challenging year on a high fishing note! between the Broome Jetty and Dampier Creek mouth in the sandy area of the bay, which are few and far between the muddy flats that can be seen at low tide on the spring tides. Make sure you are equipped with your mozzie repellent when out fishing as the little flying pests are out in force at this time of year, especially out near Crab Creek and the Fitzroy River, but besides the odd fly there isn’t much stopping you from getting out and catching some superb trophy fish in Broome during December and January. DECEMBER 2020

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Fishing in warmer waters FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

This month normally marks the end of the trout fishing season in our northern dams due to elevated water temperatures. Early mornings can still produce around the shoreline, but better success comes to those who fish deep from boats or kayaks. The exception is if we have a

from other countries who are experiencing similar warming trends. A future export market would bring much-needed dollars to a hatchery that struggles for funding. These funds could be used to expand pond space and grow out bigger fish, as is already planned for the future. It’s also alarming that an east coast fisheries department has predicted they will lose up to 50% of their trout streams in the next 20 years

summer along with the ever-increasing jetski numbers making fishing unpleasant at times. It is disturbing to see the 5 knot zone being reduced at my last visit. Both the McNeil Marsh and Cosy Corner legs have been altered to give the skiers more area yet no consideration has been given to the anglers and the family kayakers that also use the water. Drakesbrook Weir Jonah Chiera reports

up, and by the weekend we were forced off the water by no less than two dozen jetskis on the dam. I would avoid the weekends if possible. HARVEY DAM The fishing has been slow this year, with redfin making up the majority of the catch. This was reflected in the recent Harvey Dam Bash held on this water in October. Although it was a great event with 100 anglers fishing over the two days, only 29 rainbow trout and three brown trout were landed. Two of the browns were released but sadly the other couldn’t be revived. It is encouraging to see the organisers adopt a catch and release policy this year, and with a bit of innovation it could include the rainbows in the future, as is the case in other competitions around the country. A healthy 298 redfin were caught during the

Chelsea landed this nice rainbow during the Hervey Bash, and happily released it to fight another day.

Cool, clean irrigation water keeps the Collie River flowing through the summer period, providing an ideal environment for trout. string of cool days in the low 20s, resulting in trout becoming more active and likely to feed. Alternatively, the better option is to travel further south to the Pemberton region and fish the rivers and streams that normally remain cooler this time of the year. Redfin are active throughout the warmer months for those still keen to wet a line in our dams and rivers. Aussie Natives This time of the year is when native species benefit freshwater anglers, as they love the warmer waters. It was great to see the Recfishwest article in the October issue with enthusiasts recognising the importance of a better suited species needed to combat the problem of the rising temperatures we are experiencing. Recfishwest also stated that our freshwater fishery relies on non-native species like trout and redfin, so it’s logical that we look to an Australian native species to also complement stockings in the future. The trout program will never cease as we have local genetics bred over many decades that have a higher heat tolerance. Our strain of trout are in demand 114

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due to climate change. DAMS WAROONA DAM A few x brood rainbows have turned up, with the better spots being Fish Tail, Cosy Corner and McNeil Marsh. The yearlings are still small enough to be taken by the small cormorants that seem to be in larger numbers this year. Redfin are still showing up but the ski boats will be active throughout the

the lake has receded and the fishing has slowed down as a result. Long hours fishing from his kayak has resulted in small returns, unfortunately. A few redfin have been caught and the occasional trout early in the morning have come to a lucky few. Logue Brook Dam I fished this water for an extended period a while back for little result. Only small yearlings turned

Redfin will take a well-presented fly. Simon Holland regularly targets them in the Pemberton region.

Murray cod are still getting caught in increasing numbers in WA despite the government not having a official stocking program.

event, which kept most anglers occupied. The organisers are planning for a better stocking program for next year with possibly 100 tagged trout, with prizes also awarded to the public after the event. A redfin comp is planned for December by the same organisers, however trout won’t be included and must be returned unharmed. WELLINGTON DAM This water has dropped off the radar of late with a few anglers blanking, resulting in lost confidence in this dam. A decent stocking is required to lure anglers to our biggest accessible impoundment. Redfin are active over the warmer months, but you must move around for success. GLEN MERVYN DAM Not a lot to report but

redfin are always willing to chase lures. BIG BROOK DAM Some nice rainbows have turned up in this water but most are hatchery broods and small yearlings. Early mornings and late evenings are preferred over the warmer months, with fly fishing late at night giving you real chance to encounter a large brown patrolling the edges of the dam. A few reports have come through of some nice browns being landed but some individuals still choose to kill these in large numbers over repeated outings. Rivers MURRAY RIVER This river fished reasonably well in the later part of the season with a few trout coming out of the rapids. Redfin would be

your main target though the warmer months. NORTHERN JARRAH STREAMS Some of these waters can fish well this month, especially if they are spring fed. A recent inquiry was conducted into reduced flows in one of the main trout streams in this area. This little stream was possibly one of the best waters a decade ago but has been suffering from low water flow of late. The finger was pointed at mining and farm dams in the headwaters,

this water fires with the increase of irrigation water being let out of the dam. It cops a hammering over the weekend so try midweek if possible. Both brown and rainbow trout sit in the fast runs but they sometimes sit close to the bottom so adopt your technique to suit. CAPEL RIVER Redfin are still getting caught but please limit your catch on this small waterway. BLACKWOOD RIVER We are heading to

redfin fishing has been particularly good, with some nice specimens being caught on most techniques including the fly. LEFROY BROOK Cool water let out of Big Brook Dam will result in a small constant flow over the summer period. I would suggest you head out to timbered areas that offer some shade, resulting in cooler water. Small lures and flies are the go in the small runs that offer well oxygenated water for trout.

A range of hardbody lures used in our freshwater. Select the deeper divers to get down to cool water in the warmer months. tough for most freshwater fishers. The yearlings stocked have been smaller than previous years and the fishing has suffered as a result. There are plans to grow bigger angler-ready trout for next year so that is a positive. The ever increasing number of avocado

plantations going in around Pemberton is a concern as they require huge amounts of water and the building of dams go unchecked. This results in reduced flows to our rivers that are home to our sportfish, marron and native species. With the predicted rainfall in the next 20 years

due to reduce by 20% its logical we look to stock a better adaptable species to supplement our trout for future generations. I would like to thank all my readers for all your support and wish everyone a happy Christmas and a great 2021.

Water levels can be low at this time of the year. Look for cool, well oxygenated water where trout tend to sit. but the eventual outcome was reduced rainfall, a curse of all trout waters in WA. COLLIE RIVER ABOVE WELLINGTON DAM Redfin have still been caught around the town itself with soft plastics being the preferred method. Numbers have been low, however quality has been high. COLLIE RIVER BELOW WELLINGTON DAM This is the month

the tail end of the trout season for this river but a few still get caught around Nannup area. Redfin are active above Bridgetown throughout the warmer months. Warren River Simon Holland reports this season has been tough for trout however a few are still being caught through the system. On the upside, he says the

Donnelly River A few trout have come out of this river this season, which is encouraging to hear. I’m not sure how it will fish leading up to Christmas but if you’re going to give it a try keep an eye on the water levels and move downstream until you find reasonably good flows. To wrap up on this year’s season, I must say it has been

Wendy Jane was happy with this rainbow caught on her favourite hardbody lure trolling Harvey Dam.

Angus Noble holding two nice redfin. One of them still had Didier Blanquart’s soft plastic lodged in its mouth from a bust-up the previous day.

Darren Bow took advantage of his time off and caught this great looking snapper off Denham. DECEMBER 2020

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recfishwest Get set for a crazy summer of crayfish! WA divers and potters are enjoying a bumper cray season, with recfishers catching plenty of crays ahead of the Christmas and festive period. The State’s annual crayfish migration, dubbed by the fishing community as the ‘whites run’, usually gets underway in late November or early December as crays begin their migration from nearshore habitats to deeper waters. Recfishwest Operations Lead Matt Gillett said the yearly event was a fantastic time for recfishers to get among the action and catch a feed of crays. “The run provides unrivalled fishing opportunities for potters and divers at many reefs relatively close to shore,” he said. “Given the nearshore proximity, boat ramps along the WA coast are usually a

Brenda Chua is among divers who dips below the surface to catch a feed of crays.

Pots are an effective cray fishing method. hive of activity in the early mornings of the summer months as crews aim to get a bag of crays before heading to work. “The amazing fishing opportunity during the annual whites run is the main

factor as to why more than half of total recreational cray catches occur from December to February. “It’s also why more than 50,000 West Aussies took out a recreational lobster fishing licence last year – quite

simply, catching crays for Christmas is an integral and much-loved part of the WA lifestyle. “It also show the social and economic importance of the recreational rock lobster fishery as well and why the rec sector always needs to be a part of the fisheries management equation and any decisions made about the future of the fishery.” DPIRD’s crayfish crystal ball At the time of going to press, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Principal Research Scientist Dr Simon de Lestang forecast the 2020-21 getting underway in mid-November. He tipped this season to be a very good shallows run for recreational fishers. “There are a lot of crays in the shallows at the moment which are ready to

go and will walk out pretty strongly – it will be a bumper season, that’s for sure,” Dr de Lestang said. To forecast crayfish abundance each season, DPIRD collect the puerulus – a juvenile stage of a cray – using specialised ‘settler’ buoys mimicking natural algae habitat where juvenile crayfish like to settle. Through this method, DPIRD researchers determine how many puerulus have concentrated on these buoys for each new moon period, and then determine recruitment trends and patterns. The settlement information has a strong correlation with crayfish catches in three to four years, once the crays have matured to a legal size, allowing DPIRD to make accurate seasonal forecasts. Over time, WA’s rock lobster scientists have refined this method into a fine art and have a pretty reliable forecasting ability. According to Dr de Lestang, the puerulus settlement for the 2016 season was well above average, meaning fishers should enjoy plenty of catches in the next

Recfishwest’s Operations Officer Aaron Moses with a western rock lobster.

The latest metro puerulus count. You can find more information courtesy of DPIRD at fish.wa.gov.au/ Species/Rock-Lobster/Lobster-Management.

Tim Grose, of Recfishwest, loves setting pots for crays. 116

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few months. “We had a good puerulus settlement in 2016 and it’s set to be really pushing through in the upcoming whites run,” Dr de Lestang said. “It is a very positive outlook and fishers should definitely get a lot of catches. “This year, we’re expecting a lot more catches of smaller sized crays closer to 76mm, compared to last year when we saw catches of bigger crays.” Why is it called the

‘whites run’? For those who have ever wondered why the annual migration has been coined the ‘whites run’, Matt said the question had a simple answer. “A ‘white’ cray is a colloquial term describing crayfish which have freshly moulted with their new soft, pale shell,” Matt said. “Pre-moulted crays are easily distinguishable – they have a hard, dark red shell. Juvenile crays settle along seagrass beds and rocky habitat close to shore and when they

reach sexual maturity – at about three to four years – they migrate from this inshore habitat. During the migration, crays venture to deeper offshore reef platforms in a north-westerly direction, hence the ‘run’ in ‘whites run’.” How you can catch a cray There are two main methods to catch crays – potting or diving. Matt said potters are most effective during the whites run, while divers tend to be more consistent than those dropping pots year-round. “As crays are on the move from under their usual nearshore reef ledges, they will seek food and shelter along their migration path – which is generally a northwesterly direction,” Matt said. “A well-set cray pot provides both of these needs. Keep dropping pots further out to sea as the migration continues and check your pots every day during this period. Crays can travel many kilometres each day, so don’t be afraid to spread your pots out to get an idea of where good numbers of crays are. “There are plenty of crays for everyone to enjoy during the whites run, so let’s look after each other out there and we can all come home with plenty of crays for Christmas!”

Monitoring the shark depredation SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

‘Shark Depredation’ is a hot button topic for fishers. Offshore fishers in particular have had to deal with more regulatory impacts than any other anglers, from bag limits to marine park zones. Offshore fishers are all too aware that their impact on the fishery is under constant scrutiny, when the ‘taxman’ is also taking his cut, you can understand why the frustrations might be bubbling out. Game fishers are very nervous when they bring in a shark or marlin, sometimes doing so at night to avoid controversy. The reality is there is a portion of the community that equates taking big marlin or sharks as being the same as hunting lions or other game. There have been death threats over taking sharks. Equally there are often calls in the opposite direct to remove sharks when people are attacked. One thing is certain sharks are a polarising critter and very few people I have talked to have a neutral view. Having said that, we really don’t know very much at all about the frequency of interactions between sharks and fishers. I am pretty confident interactions between fishers and sharks constitutes the overwhelming majority of interactions between man and shark. Fishers have a genuine concern that in calculating bag limits, the ‘taxman’ isn’t being taken into account. I think that getting a sense of the scale of the problem is pretty important. I have had more than one meeting with the conservation movement where I have criticised their use of the word ‘shark’ as a catch-all word because it makes it easier to raise funds. The reality is this is effective marketing strategy, there is a sizable portion of the community that is genuinely concerned about the status of sharks. I am not opposed to those concerns. I am just not convinced that sharks as a whole set of species are in trouble. I am even less convinced that the bulk of ordinary fishers are encountering endangered shark species with any regularity, much less targeting them. I haven’t seen any evidence that there is widespread use of poor practices in targeting sharks in the recreational sector. If there are ways to minimise the chances of an interaction then that’s a good idea. Equally I don’t think

that fishers commercial or recreational should be going near genuinely endangered species of shark and using ‘incomplete science’ as a defence is a poor one. When you have genuine concerns on a stock of any species, erring on the side of caution has no downsides. After two years of conversations several things are clear: a) we need a better picture of what is going on and b) I think the lack of data is robbing the industry of the possibility of investing in solutions, and c) this issue is not just local, it’s global. WHAT IS SHARKD? This wasn’t a project I wanted to do, to be honest Infofish has a lot of projects on the plate. That said, when we have people coming forth saying this is a major pain point – we listen. It’s been a year of reflection on how to approach the problem, even with COVID we had a lot on so freeing up the resources took time but also I wanted to get it right. I know it’s kinda trendy to build an app for a problem but we did exactly that with a key twist – feedback and control. SHARKD, due out late November/early December has three key features: • Use without or without an account • Ability to report interactions with sharks and share via the app or keep to stats only • Access to maps of reports and stats for the local area updated every 24 hours In the design of the process, we aim to provide privacy options with the trade-off of a higher bar of evidence to count a report as credible. We don’t want to just accept large numbers of anonymous reports on face value but we respect that some people won’t want to be identified. We want to provide transparency so that when planning fishing activity, fishers are aware of what’s happening and if reports are high have choices

to head to other areas. In this way, users and communities are in control of how they want to adopt the SHARKD process. FISHERIES MANAGEMENT The first question I get always when we do projects like this is “How will fisheries use this data?”. Being honest, Fisheries departments have a poor track record when it comes to using citizen collected data. Bluntly, they don’t trust it. That said, if there is strong participation in SHARKD at a community level I doubt that fisheries managers could ignore what is going on and then initiate their own processes. How successful that will be remains to be seen. What SHARKD does do is provide communities and individual fishers options – be that advocacy, investigating new technologies to avoid depredation or just being aware of the what’s going on and finding somewhere else to fish. There is also the possibility that participation is strong but area reports are relatively limited and in that case, there isn’t much to do. Knowing that an area is relatively free of shark interactions is also a good result. Should we trust the community with data? I am a fan of data democracy, that is transparency around the data collected and what it’s showing. In my experience there is a mix in the community approaches when it comes to data but if something is important to a community they will take the time to get their heads around the data. We fully expect that there will be people who use the data for advocacy purposes, but if they go early or misuse the data they should expect pushback. On the other hand, there is a long line of fisheries interventions and science that

the community has failed to accept because they didn’t have visibility to the process. I am happy to put my faith in the community. If this is a bad project, the community will stay away it’s that simple. If the community feels the project is delivering useful results, I think they will be patient enough to allow a picture to form. At some point, if the picture is showing a problem, solutions will have to be sought. I don’t think that the solutions all lie with government. There are innovations that we haven’t thought through yet in equipment, and also visibility to data will reduce interactions over time. What I am confident on is the do nothing approach will achieve nothing. COMMERCIAL AND CHARTER FISHERS One of the key things we are aiming for is a ‘fishing community’ response to the issue of shark depredation. It’s pretty clear from feedback that charter operators and commercial fishers are also experiencing a lot of interactions with sharks. SHARKD is open to all sectors to report their interactions to help provide a more complete picture. I suspect that as these sectors are regulated fisheries departments will implement their own reporting procedures but until that happens we are more than happy to provide a repository. The one big advantage for commercial fishers and charter operators participating is it will give the rest of the community some visibility to their challenges on the water. Depredation might be one of the only issues all three sectors share. Can Groups/Communities get involved with SHARKD? There isn’t a scope limitation on SHARKD. As with commercial and charter fishers we are more than willing to work with

Fishing Clubs or other groups or communities and help groups to build additional online dashboards that track. Solving the problem of the ‘taxman’ is not something that should be restricted to a small group. As a part of the project we will be releasing any research or tactics that we find or are provided that helps fishers to successfully avoid sharks We will have any information resources we find available in the app so if groups want to share info we will happily work towards getting it added in. PUSHBACK It will probably come as a shock to hear that the second we put our first toe in the water on this project we got pushback from researchers who to quote ‘have more PHDs’, because don’t you know having PHD means you are qualified to talk on subjects? Please note that I don’t take you seriously when you quote how important a PHD is in an online comments section. Peer review, citation and all that. Infofish is always happy to work with researchers who come to us genuinely. I am hoping that this project generates work for researchers – if this helps uncover areas where there is a need for further work then I would see that as a win. LEARNED BEHAVIOUR? Let me get to nub of the issue. One of my ‘true believer’ moments came in Kalbarri where Steve Wiseman, long time president of ANSA WA and Westag took me for a run to check out cray pots. We were several hundred metres out from the string of buoys that marked the field of pots when a quick glace backwards revealed we were no longer alone. Travelling at 8-9 knots half a dozen whalers were hard on our tail. I am not sure whether I should have been amused or not but Steve took

This is a common sight for offshore fishers.

time out from lifting the pots to playfully slap the water and stir them up. By this stage more than a dozen had gathered in a tight cluster under the boat. This ritual would be repeated. I don’t know exactly what goes on in a sharks mind but I do know Australia is not the only place on the planet that has experienced this sort of phenomenon. There does seem to be a link between the activity of fishers and sharks beyond random chance. I suspect that the relationship between sharks and fishers is very long lived and will be variable based on the number and type of sharks in the area, as well as fishing frequency. Beyond that hopefully SHARKD will uncover patterns in their presence, is there peaks and troughs? Are there safe windows to avoid them? I am sure that there is a mountain of community knowledge and wisdom on this topic and we welcome any observations that will help us to understand what’s going on. BEYOND SHARKD What do we do as the picture forms? Well for a start ignoring the phenomenon won’t make it better. One of my personal objectives for collecting data comes win the hope/trust that once we start to see getting an idea of the scope of the problem, industry will respond. In the end the objective is to reduce the taxman’s cut of the take, if that can be done through changes in motors or some other innovation then I would take that as a massive win. In fact I would far prefer to see the fishing industry take ownership of the problem and reduce the interactions with sharks because that would demonstrate that the fishing industry as a collective can take a serious stewardship head on. I think this is an opportunity to send a powerful collective message to fisheries managers that the Rec sector is doing its part. This is a project we don’t want to claim success for, if it works well then the fishing community should own that success. If it doesn’t I will wear that, it’s my job to make these things work. By the time this goes to print the app should be nearing release, so you can find it the various stores and we will have a facebook page as a point for people to get in touch with us. SHARKD is our positive start to 2021. I think it’s going to be a massive year. Stay safe all and once Christmas lunch is done – practice some healthy social distancing and go fishing. DECEMBER 2020

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BASS Series presented by

BASS AUSTRALIAN OPEN

abt

Timmy’s Tiny Tinny Tops Qld BASS Open 2020 is definitely the year of the small boat and the first-time ABT event winner. Bundaberg’s Tim Steenhuis ticked both of these boxes on the way to his maiden ABT BASS Pro event win and the $5,000 payout that accompanied it. The Rapala BASS Queensland Open was spawned from a border lockdown between Queensland and NSW. The scheduled BASS Australian Open on Lake Glenbawn was changed to a NSW Open, and the Queensland Open was born to offer locals the opportunity to compete in a big money, boateronly event. Fished at the everpopular Cania Dam in Central Queensland, the Open attracted 22 of the state’s keenest tournament bassers fighting for their share of the $11,000 in cash on offer. Each angler’s biggest five bass for the day - weighed alive - counted towards their final totals. Bass were then released back into the lake. Fishing from his trusty Aquamaster tinny and fishing within sight of the boat ramp the entire event, Steenhuis not only won the event but dropped the biggest two bags of the derby onto the scales, as well as picking up the 1.82kg Big Bass prize on the way. This added a 13 Fishing baitcast reel to his hoard. It was a good weekend. “I used 7L of fuel for the three days and I reckon that I did 5 of those on the practice

day,” Tim said. “I did have a plan B that involved fishing other areas, but the fish bit for me all weekend in the main basin,” he said. Overall, he landed around 30 fish per day in that section of the lake. Tim fished a couple of different baits to accumulate his bags: a John Deere coloured Slider grub rigged on a lime green Dam Deep Nitro jighead and sneakily fitted with a small stinger hook on 8lb braid in the tail and a blue and yellow G2 Gang Banger HotBite spoon. He fished both on his favourite spin combo – a Daiwa Wild Weasel rod paired with a Daiwa Aird

Tim Steenhuis dominated the Rapala BASS Queensland Open field by bagging the two biggest limits of the weekend – all out of his little Aquamaster punt within sight of the start line. saw a lot of boats running around and they seemed to be moving a little too much.” You can see the full interview about his win that ran on ABT Lockdown Live by scanning the QR code hereby. To Tim Morgan from Rapala VMC Australia, the last minute change from an Australian Open to a pair of state-based opens was a COVID success story. Scan to see the full interview about his win that ran on ABT Lockdown Live.

Tim fishing from his trusty Aquamaster tinny and fishing within sight of the boat ramp the entire event, 3000 reel, 8lb Nippon braid and 10lb Sunline FC Rock leader. “I got real good at counting to 5 and 10. I’d

cast the lure, sink it for 10 seconds, retrieve it for 5 winds of the handle, sink it for another 5 seconds and so on. The fish were

sitting down between 30-40ft in 60-80ft of water,” Tim continued. Tim’s sounder was a basic 7” Lowrance Gen 2, but it gave him all of the information he needed to get the job done amongst a field of quality anglers. “I think that because I stayed put and worked through the fish it helped me,” Tim commented, “I

“We had over 50 boats on the water between the two venues and that’s what we have come to expect from the Open format. It pays well and the boater-only format is one that’s popular with anglers the times we get to run it,” he said. You’ll see us back here next year with bells on,” Tim concluded.

BIG BASS BONUS

Bundaberg’s Jordan Renz won $3,000 for second place.

RESULTS Place Angler 1 Tim Steenhuis 2 Jordan Renz 3 Matt Langford 4 Matt Johnson 5 Tim Morgan 6 Brad Wickson 7 Mick Johnson 8 Shaun Falkenhagen 9 Steve Kanowski 10 Keeghan Painter 118

DECEMBER 2020

Full results at abt.org.au

Bag 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

Weight(kg) Payout 11.460 $5,000 10.325 $3,000 10.295 $2,000 9.785 $1,000 9.595 9.315 8.885 Big Bass: 8.815 Tim Steenhuis 8.485 1.82kg 8.340

Tim added to his domination by securing the Big Bass for the event and adding a 13 Fishing baitcast reel to his booty. It weighed 1.82kg and was released back into the lake, alive. Tim added to his domination by securing the Big Bass for the event and adding a 13 Fishing baitcast reel to his booty.

It ate the G2 spoon cast parallel to a steep bank anchored the biggest bag of the event for the Bundaberg resident.

were issues with backlash on

abt

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somersaults.

were

Then

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Year 2018.

abt.org.au An Tournament

abt.org.au Guide Tournament Angler

FISHING FOR A

Lake Awoonga Ver. 3.0 PROFITABLE PROPERTY PORTFOLIO?

any anglers’ adrenaline Day weekend floods of 2013 rush into overdrive! saw the spillway go over by However, as quickly as an incredible 8m+! the conversation peaked, it In April 2016, Lake As barramundi addicts, we plummeted back to Earth, Awoonga spilled one last sit back and think about with spillover comments time, which had anglers far Lake Awoonga in its glory bringing misery to the barra and wide watching with days! ‘Pre-flood 2011’ is a fishing fraternity. nervous excitement as the conversation that’s passed Between 2011 and 2016, next chapter of the lake’s around many campfires, the lake’s levels remained history unfolded. October boat ramps and tournament reasonably high, with strong 2016 saw an opportunity D i s cofo vmonsoon e r I n sseasons ider S t r a for t e gmyself i e s to turn my briefings. The stories being 30 fish sessions, and 1.3m prominent, forcing several recreational fishing obsession beasts that go bump in the spill events during this period. into a career of guiding in night, were enough to spike The record-breaking Australia the Gladstone region. During GLADSTONE

Justin Nye

555,864 this financial year! And there are huge things to come for the hatchery, as the GAWB have been allocated funding to build a state-of-

abundance of 85-95cm fish, which are the real deal when it comes to barra impoundment angling. These fish are 3-4 years old, and they are

quick as a hook-up comes with these fish, it can all end just as suddenly if they get the better of your angling ability in tight country.

This ﬁsh was caught on a Molix Swim Shad.

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the-art hatchery at Lake ruthless at this size! They are Apart from bulk numbers Awoonga itself, which would known for blistering pace and of these 2-year classes, there have the capacity to produce acrobatics, and will give you are plenty of smaller fish in 1.2 million fingerlings a year. the full run around wherever the 50-65cm bracket given CURRENT FISH SIZES structure is involved. the massive numbers stocked Currently, there is a clear The next year class is last year, and metre class fish defining presence of year the 75-80cm models, which will also be on the cards for class in the lake. From the Area to theWater bass Board or bream angler broodstock. September. Gladstone hatchery To page 14 top down you will see a large will blow your socks off! As the summer of 2016/17 I reached maturity and were team took over the reigns recorded good numbers of hungry! In the period from of the GAWB hatchery and 50-65cm fish, although larger September 2018 to March developed a program that fish were rare. 2019 I recorded almost 600 would allow them to get the The 2017/18 spring and boated barramundi for clients best numbers of high-quality summer saw the lake gain onboard Gladstone Fly and barramundi out of the facility momentum, attracting more Sportfishing, with an average they had in Gladstone. anglers to try their luck. size of 82cm. Every Lake Awoonga Good numbers of 60-75cm HIGHEST STOCKED barra is spawned from fish were being captured, BARRA IMPOUNDMENT local wild-caught Central with some quality 80-85cm The flood events over Queensland broodstock, fish mixed in. the period of six years was and the fry and fingerlings It was in August 2018 heartbreaking, but it didn’t are graded every 2-3 days that I witnessed the rebirth stop the tireless work of to maximise numbers, which of Lake Awoonga! An the Gladstone Area Water maintains the efficiency of

WORK HARD FISH HARDER. 12

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DEALER ENQUIRIES the program. Since the flood CONTACT BADEN of 2016, there haveON been 1.12 million barramundi stocked 0408into802 987 the lake, including

Josh Butler caught this nice barra on a jerkbait. abundance CofUS70-90cm fish Board RODSin restoring the best TOM FISthe HINGimpoundment were spread throughout barramundi lake, and their presence was fishery. In 2014, stocking mind-blowing. They had guru Thomas Hayes and his

DECEMBER 2020

119

BARRA Series presented by

BARRA SERIES

abt

Tinaroo impresses as ABT returns

Last visited over a decade ago by ABT, Lake Tinaroo on the Atherton Tablelands truly impressed as a tournament venue by providing the arena for one of the most exciting Zerek BARRA Series events we have seen to date. A combination of a healthy population of catchable barra and near total cellular coverage of the lake allowed competitors to enter fish in their ABT App and create a live scoreboard that was not locked down until the very last cast was made in the round named by Edge Rods. Ultimately Team Spearn-Tackle (Daniel Goodhew and Nathan Ruth) took the trophy from a consistent SC Marine Electrical Doctor (Rob and Tommy Wood) with an after dark flurry before the end of the session that included a 110 and 111cm fish that added 36.25kg to their final bag of 8/10 for 107.99kg. And, they did it from one of the smallest boats in the field on a combination of a homemade jerkbait, topwater and a soft plastic presentation. “It was a crazy end to the second session,” said Goodhew, “I’d let our fifth fish jump off the deck back into the water before I had the chance to record it but straight after that we landed a 111cm barra and then hooked a 110cm that we had to untangle from sunken tobacco bush with a dead electric motor. That was intense, especially since I’d forgotten to retie after the

previous catch.” Luckily they converted both of those kicker fish to hand them the win and a $1,500 winner’s cheque. It wasn’t the first time that Nathan Ruth had tasted an ABT BARRA victory, taking a win over a decade ago in the period where we last visited the arena, albeit with a much leaner collection of fish. “The lake is fishing great at the moment and there’s a wide range of barra available. You can catch 60-120cm fish in the one spot and there’s a great class of 90cm to metrelong fish,” Ruth said, which augurs well for future events. The three key baits for

Team Spear-n-Tackle showed that you don’t need the biggest boat to win the biggest prize. Their competition limit was 8/10 fish for 107.99kg.

Tommy Wood’s come of age as a barra angler and does a lot of the heavy lifting for the old man. the pair included a homemade jerkbait, a Shimano Triple Threat topwater and a Castaic 7” soft plastic with a stinger-rigged 1/2 or 3/4oz jighead. The jerkbait was nicknamed ‘super glue’ with three trebles that hook barra and timber equally well. Daniel fished his on an outfit acquired from their

Goodhew and Ruth registered fish in both the day and night time parts of the session.

sponsor, a 6’9” Kistler with a Curado DC baitcast reel, 30lb braided line and 60lb Sunline FC Rock leader. WOODS DUO A SOLID SECOND Father and son team Rob and Tommy Wood were rewarded for the homework that they put into the lake. They hadn’t been there before and Tommy spent a week practice fishing and mapping key areas on his Garmin electronics. By the end of that time, he’d identified 10-15 spots with great potential and they rotated through the best of these during the event to amass their 10/10, 95.61kg bag. “There was a particular set of trees that we found that has a rubble bottom underneath that was our best spot for the event,” said Rob, “At the times we were able to rest it and go back, we’d usually have a barra in the first 10 casts.” Their lure of choice

RESULTS Place Team 1 Spear-n-Tackle 2 SC Marine Electrical Doctor 3 Humminbird/Edge Rods 4 Anita Barra 5 Tolga Traders 6 Crooked Brothers 7 Venom 8 Fishing Monthly 9 BME/Humminbird/Jackall 10 FNQ Fish Hunters 120

DECEMBER 2020

was the old faithful gold and black 130mm Slick Rig with a stinger hook.

They used both spin and baitcast tackle to deliver it, and chose Samaki C12 rods for both (7’, 10-17lb) spooled with 30lb Sufix 832 braid and a 50lb Varivas fluorocarbon leader. “The Garmin mapping and LiveScope has really taken our fishing to the next level,” Rob said, “By the time I got up to the lake, Tommy had mapped all of the spots we wanted to fish and we could easily assess the position and mood of the barra. We haven’t had that much insight ever before.” They were fishing the Hotel Tinaroo section of the lake.

BIG BARRA TOPS 20 KILOS

It was expected that there may be a 120cm+ barra capture at Tinaroo, but this 114cm fish won the Big Barra award. A 20.70kg barra (114cm) by Ben Tunsted won a Wilson Bladesn-Tails rod and the Big Barra prize. It ate a Molix swimbait in the Barron River arm of the lake after dark on the second

session. “The fish was in the boat in less than 30 seconds,” said team mater Dylan Briar-Mills, “And that’s when hell broke loose. It was pretty green and I ended up with a hook in my finger.”

Full results at abt.org.au

Anglers Goodhew/Ruth Wood/Wood Griffiths/DeRidder Robinson/Wilson Brown/Browning Ferraro/Hapgood Dixon/Luckus Morgan/Williams Briar-Mills/Tunsted Pritchard/Johnson

Fish 10/10 10/10 9/10 8/10 7/10 10/10 7/10 6/10 9/10 5/10

Weight(kg) Payout 107.99 $1500 95.61 $1000 82.45 $500 81.30 77.14 72.93 Big Barra: 66.52 Ben Tunsted 63.33 20.7kg 62.58 114cm 61.28

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Stessl Funseeker Bowrider 6.3 with Yamaha F200

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SPECIFICATIONS Length:................ 6.3m Beam:.................. 2.5m Depth: ................. 1.7m Bottom.sheet: .... 4mm Side.sheet:.......... 4mm Hull.weight: ...... 880kg Max.hp: .............200hp Max.transom.wt:240kg Capacit:y .... 7 persons

There’s also plenty of room to wet a line in this rig. It’s a pretty good option to come home with if the instructions are to come home with a ‘family’ boat. The Platerix 2 hull is identical to the ones in Stessl’s serious fishing rigs. 124

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You might think that boat companies just take a fishing boat hull, whack a bowrider deck on the top, and presto an instant bowrider! That’s exactly what Gold Coast boat builder, Stessl Boats have done with this 6.3m Funseeker. “The 630 is a great hull and yes, it’s exactly the same as the fishing version of the boat,” said Stessl boss, Scott James, when we joined him and the kids for a morning on the water. In fact, there’s no reason to change the Platerix2 hull. They’ve been built with an extraordinarily strong subfloor frame and have a reputation for taking all of the punishment that you can dish out. It’s just that the Funseeker’s not a hardened workhorse, it’s all dressed up to impress on a Saturday night.

Moving back, there’s a classy, curved windscreen that opens in the middle for easy access up front. Both the driver and passenger have pedestal seating. The kids get the back foldable lounge, or the deck under mum’s feet. Depends on how old they are. Under the rear deck there’s a couple of wet storage areas that help swallow up the salty mess that eventuates after the kids are sick of swimming. Covering it all is a small-ish bimini top. There are a couple of really cool features before we

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

And there’s no questioning the fact that this is a big boat. Apart from the 6.3m, 4mm/4mm hull, it sports a maximum-trailerable 2.5m beam that forces you to put it on a trailer and over the guards. This means that access is really important, both on the water and off it. Stessl include a transom door and industrial strength ladder for exactly this reason. The kids need to be able to climb back in after bombdiving from the gunwale and mum needs to be able to jump on while the boat is on the trailer. From inside the rig, there’s plenty of space for all but the largest families. The padded seating up the bow is generous and there’s cavernous storage underneath it. I will mention that there’s an infill board available, which turns the front seating area of the Funseeker into a very effective casting platform.. Maybe don’t show mum the ticked options box for that … yet.

Steve Morgan

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Main: Make no mistake, the 630 Funseeker by Stessl is a big boat that goes hard when you drop the hammers with a Yamaha F200 strapped on the back. Just make sure you strap the family in. Above: The key to a family friendly boat is to make it easy to get into and out of the boat when you’re at a destination. Mum’s sitting in the walk through and there’s a fold down set of heavy-duty ladder/stairs hinging off the duckboard below her. get back to the 200 Yamaha. One’s the special extrusion that’s standard on all new Stessls that fits a sliding mount system for Railblaza accessories. From drink and phone mounts to rod holders, it allows you to customise your accessories per-trip and not permanently. The billet ski pole is also removable and a bait board fits in its place. This is pretty cool for someone who may be trolling a lake one day, skiing another and then snapper fishing the next. The other is Stessl’s new console. Standard throughout all of their new ranges, they’re good looking and practical. It’ll hold exactly the electronics you want in a boat like this. And if you want a cool, offset colour in there, just ask. Turn the key, though, on this rig and that’s where the real fun starts. With a

recommended motor of 150, this hull has a maximum rating of 200, and that’s exactly what the test rig had fitted. Revving to 6000rpm, the Funseeker delivered 78km/h at a thirsty 1.0km/L, plenty quick enough to have the kids holding on rather than complaining. Drop the rpm to 3,500 and you’ll cruise at 39km/h and get 2.2km/L doing so. Combine that with a 250L underfloor fuel tank and you’ll find a suspiciously

massive 500km+ of range, which is much further than a family day trip would require. Just think about that! As tested, the 630 Funseeker was bound for NSW and cost its new owner around $85,000. Packages start from mid $70,000s, however. Visit www.stessl.com.au to track down your local dealer or for more information. Or scan the QR code hereby to watch this boat in action in the video boat test.

PERFORMANCE RPM......Speed.(km/h). Economy.(km/L) 600 ...........................4 ....................... 3.6 1000 .........................7 ....................... 2.5 2000 ....................... 14 ....................... 2.0 3000 ....................... 30 ....................... 2.2 3500 ....................... 39 ....................... 2.2 4000 ....................... 46 ....................... 1.8 4500 ....................... 53 ....................... 1.4 5000 ....................... 61 ....................... 1.4 6000 ....................... 78 ....................... 1.0

There’s a built-in anchor well and bowsprit that’s very easy to access with the bowrider configuration.

A foldable rear lounge, small side pockets and built in rod holders are common in most boats we test…

There’s the real estate up front. Plenty of padded areas to sit on, travel in or entertain around. But the angler in me yearns to pull off the cushions, add a deck infill and drop on an electric motor. These are all options.

… but the extruded rail that holds a swathe of Railblaza accessories is new to us. It’s a great idea that lets you mount accessories, non-permanently, exactly where you need them at the time.

And here’s the real estate down the back. The 6.3m hull gives you miles of space for playing, lounging, swagging or fishing.

Stessl’s fit-outs are evolving constantly. Passengers are now treated to somewhere to keep your valuables, some drink holders and a grab rail.

There’s a couple of wet storage areas under the hull. Since I’ve had kids, I now am aware these are for more than fish.

Stessl’s new console layout is fitted in the 2020 Funseeker. Oodles of flush-mounting room for all of your favourite electronics.

The curved windscreen matches the style of the boat although some drivers will dislike the height. It depends on how you sit as to whether your view is split.

In the house, this is called the Naughty Corner. In a boat, it’s a foldable rear lounge.

With a 2.5m beam, it’s just as important to have easy access while the boat is on the trailer, as it can’t sit between the wheels. The transom door and ladder are standard.

The Yamaha F200 is the maximum horsepower allowed on this hull. She’s a fun unit to drive with it on, that’s for sure. Add 250L of fuel and you have serious range. DECEMBER 2020

125

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 605 and 695

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We love head-to-head boat tests at Fishing Monthly and we’ve done several over the years. Combine this with the fact that none of us have been out in a European-built Jeanneau trailerboat before and we had the elements of a great day on the water in Moreton Bay, Southern Queensland.

605

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

comparatively Spartan 605. Both are trailerable, although the 695 needs an OVERSIZE sign and kit to keep within regulations with a beam of 2.53m. The 605, at 2.45m beam, is good to go without it. And beam is a big part of the equation to help describe the ride of these boats. Are they a 100km/h rocket ship of the sea that’ll get you to the shelf in record time? Nope. Are they a super deep-V wave cutter? Nope. They are designed to travel with

Steve Morgan

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695

SPECIFICATIONS 605 695 Length: .................... 5.64m .................6.72m Beam: ...................... 2.45m .................2.50m Hull draft: ................ 0.46m .................0.51m Hull weight: ............. 1027kg ................1552kg Max hp: ................... 115hp ..................175hp Fuel: ......................... 100L ...................200L Freshwater: ............. 20L .....................50L But it wasn’t two Jeanneau boats we had for the day, it was three! We also had a 795 Marlin as a cameraboat. Let me say this, you rock up with over half a million dollars worth of trailerboats at the ramp and you turn heads. We’re sure you’ll hear more from us about other models in the range in due course, but this test focuses on the smallest two Merry Fisher Marlins in the range, the 695 and the 126

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605

Top Pic: These are the two SMALLEST Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin rigs. We found some calmer water at the northern end of Moreton Island to take a few images of them running. There’s a handy set of roof racks on the top of the 695’s Hard Top. It gets bulky items like surf and paddleboards out of the way. Above: Both boats have an offset cabin. The 605 is set up next to the gunwale width on the port side to allow an easy walkaround on the starboard. The 695’s offset is smaller, meaning the starboard side walkaround is complemented with a ‘shuffle around’ on the port. 695

Both rigs offer fishing space in the cockpit, walkaround and on the bow, although neither can be described as a full casting deck, there’s lounging space and room for one to drop a line.

lower horsepower at slower cruising speeds and offer awesome stability at rest with wide, high gunwales. So it was an interesting trip across to Moreton Island in a solid 15-20 knots of southerly to find a location where we could film these boats in action. Even though the keyboard warriors reckon every boat test should be done in gale force winds, you still need to be able to take photos and videos without trashing tens

of thousands of bucks worth of gear. We pushed the limit this day and got it done. Both the 605 (powered by a 115 Yamaha) and the 695 (with a 175 Yamaha) are a hard top, cabin boat with a fully enclosed cabin and side sliding doors on the larger rig. The smaller boat’s offset cabin and to offer proper walkaround (on the port side only) is augmented with a unique helm that’s slidable between the front of the cabin and the rear. Whether you’re moving back to traverse rough water or to stay close to your tackle while trolling, it’s a concept that is unique

It didn’t take much to get the surfers of the group excited about the small break at Cape Moreton. The 695 really is an SUV of the sea.

out of the strong southerlies, and that’s where these rigs come into their own. Anchored in the lee of the headland, a couple of the group lifted the surfboards down, a few went for a paddleboard and others just took in the view. It’s easy to get in and out of the water with these rigs and a windlass made anchoring and retrieving in the wind pretty easy. After a swim and a surf, it was around to the reasonably exposed Tangalooma wrecks via a drone shoot to have some lunch and catch a few fish

(note that the snapper there seemed to prefer cheese to bread). It’s also worth noting that these sized Merry Fisher Marlin models aren’t like a standard Aussie half-cab boat, you can’t really stretch out and sleep in there if you’re an adult. Worth keeping in mind if you’re into your overnight trips. Plenty of room for swags in the cockpit, though. When the wind finally swung to the east, it was time to cruise back to Clontarf and enjoy a little more wind versus current. To page 128

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605

It doesn’t take much horsepower to get a Jeanneau Merry Fisher up and going. The smaller model was powered with a F115 Yamaha 4-stroke while the 695 only needed a F175 to get the job done. These are the maximum horsepower ratings for the respective models. They sound a little underpropped in the water, but both rev out to only 5300rpm. as it is well executed. Interestingly, both boats run with 20” (L) rather than the more common 25”(XL) legs in boats of this size. So, how do they ride

Dave Cheveaux from Northside Marine (who supplied these test boats) is pretty accurate when he describes the Jeanneaus as the SUVs of the sea. It rings

he is an expert in cruising boats, selling Whittley at the dealership for years before their swap to the Jeanneau brand. “You set the throttle and

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sentiments with a slight warning. There’s always a comfortable speed to travel. Push these hulls too far and fast for the conditions and you’ll be like every other hull, beat up. Get it right and you’ll do it in comfort. Economically and from a comfort point of view, these were both achieved at reasonably low revs, with the hulls enjoying the best of both worlds at between 25-35km/h. Obviously on a flat day, you can just let them rip, but like all boats, economy takes a beating as you drop the hammers. So relax! You’ll get there cheaper and in better shape to enjoy your day. Our test day ended up behind Cape Moreton to get

605

This is genius and the first time we’ve tested a boat with a slidable helm. You can drive it in the forward position for shelter or way back for being near your gear while trolling. It takes less than 30 seconds to switch between the two. You can see it happen in the video boat test after scanning the QR code hereby.

This is what Jeanneau are all about, comfortable cruising that the whole family will enjoy (on a trailer). on a nasty day in Moreton Bay with wind against tide? They’re like everything else – wet and nasty, although there is plenty of space to get away from the spray in the cabins of each boat and still have the ability to let plenty of air through on the downwind sides.

especially true when you see them with loaded roof racks. The surf- and paddleboards that we took for the test day looked just like the family wagon loaded for a week’s holiday at Fingal. “These boats are all about cruising in comfort,” Dave explains. After all,

point them where you want to go, knowing that they’ll get there in safety and comfort,” he continued. And he said it while we were traversing Moreton Bay on a day where the 15-knot forecast was looking decidedly optimistic. I’d mirror those

Brisbane has plenty of hidden gems like this – clear water anchorages with plenty to do and catch. It’s hard to drag the guys away from places like these (Cape Moreton). DECEMBER 2020

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The cockpit seating in the 605 (L) consists of a couple of fold-down tables. The 695 is more luxurious, with a drop in table and L-shaped bench seating. Combine this with generous duckboards and boarding ladders and you have the beginnings of a great day at anchor. From page 127

Made it back home dry as the sun set. If you’re seriously interested in these boats, do yourself a favour and go to your local Jeanneau dealer to check them out for yourself. They’re refreshingly different in design and have too many features and options to list here. 605

One of the small things that stood out to me was the outboard cover plate that was fitted with a roller wheel to help it lift out of the way without damaging anything while you’re trimming the motor right up. In the absence of the trim limiter (yes, they are options and not standard on some outboards), this maximised

PERFORMANCE 605 Marlin RPM ....... Speed(km/h) ....Economy (km/l) 1000 ......................... 5 ....................... 2.4 2000....................... 10 ....................... 2.2 3000....................... 15 ....................... 1.2 3500 ....................... 23 ....................... 1.4 4000....................... 33 ....................... 1.8 5000....................... 45 ....................... 1.3 5300 ....................... 53 ....................... 1.3

695 Marlin Speed (km/h) .....Economy (km/l) 6 ........................................2.5 14 ........................................1.7 22 ........................................1.3 32 ........................................1.5 28 ........................................1.3 52 ........................................1.0 58 ........................................1.0

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functionality and minimises damage. Nice one, Jeanneau. EXTRA What everyone wants to know, though is pricing for these rigs - after all, they’re the new kid on the block in Northside Marine

and have an Australia-wide dealer network. As tested, the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 605 weighed in at $117,755, with packages starting from just under $100,000. Step up to the Marlin 695 and you’ll have to part with $165,873 to take home the test boat. Basic BMT packages for this model start at $126,623. And although we didn’t cover it here, the Jeanneau Merry Fisher Marlin 795 with a 200HP Yamaha weighed in at $192,208, although $138,019 will get you the basic boat, motor and trailer package.

605

Neither of the boats are speed-demons and the fuel tanks are a little on the small side (especially the 100L in the 605), but a Jeanneau is all about slow-and-steady winning the race. And doing it in style and comfort. 605

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You can fit five rods upstairs in the 605 and an extra two up there in the 695. The 695 also has a cool, slide-out shade awning that we reckon every Australian will love. It’s the marine version of those awnings you see on every 4-door ute in Australia. 605

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Can you cruise at the bow? Yep. Fish? Just. Anchor? Certainly. As usual, the 695 is a little roomier than the 605. 128

DECEMBER 2020

You mightn’t spot them straight away, but both models have a secluded sink that pairs with an on-board freshwater tank. It makes a day on the saltwater just that little more comfortable.

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The 695 has plenty of hidden gems, like a rod holding tube, 240v power and a fridge.

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605

If anyone complains about the visibility from the cabin, throw them overboard immediately. Both models feature excellent 360° viewing. The 695’s sliding side door, though, is super convenient. This became evident the more time we spent on board. 605

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605

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The 605’s cabin is simple and spacey, if a little short to stretch out in. The 695 will get a tick from the family with a fully enclosed toilet for’ard of the helm. 605

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Jeanneau’s designers value a safe and functional walkaround. Here’s what they both look like. And those gunwales are pretty high. 605 You’d think that the helm would be cookie-cutter between the rigs, but the movable nature of the 605 means it has a different design. We like plenty of flush mounting space on the dash and these rigs have it. 605

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695 This helps explain the boats’ stability at rest and their behaviour through rough water – a shallower Vee and plenty of beam push the compromise towards stability than sea-cutting. 605

Jeanneau are all about easily getting in and out of the water. Both models have excellent duckboards, folding ladders and rails.

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Just a quick comparison of ‘she-wasn’t-flat’ images. When the boats move this much water, the cabin is your friend. DECEMBER 2020

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New South Wales Tide Times

Victorian Tide Times

2020 2020 Local Time of High and Low Waters Times and Heights

EY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA LES – 18’ NEW WALES LAT POINT 33° 51’ S LONSDALE LONG 151° – 14’VICTORIA E SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) LAT 38° S SOUTH LONG 144° 37’ E

2020 LAT 38°of18’ S andLONG 144° 37’ E Times and Heights High Low Waters

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POINT L

LAT 33° 51’ S LONG 151° 14’ E LAT 38 Times and Time Heights of High and Low Waters Local TimeWaters Local and Heights of High and Low Local and Ti POINT LONSDALE –Times VICTORIA AUGUST JUNE JULY MAY JUNE JULY Times LAT 38° 18’ S LONG 144° 37’ E OCTOBER DECEMBER EPTEMBER NOVEMBER MARCH FEBRUARY APRIL JANUARY JANUARY Rme m DECEMBER Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time mTime m Time mTime m Time m Time m 0013 T Time m Time TimeTime m m Time m Local Time m Time Time m 1.48 Time m m m Time m 1.360041 Time0.49 m m m 1.40 m 1.50 Time Time m Time Time m 1.39 m TimesmTime and Heights High andTime Low Time 327 0423 0437 1.25 0.40 0346 1.66Time Time 0430 0557Waters 0046 0.69 0049 0.58 0452of m 1.41 0623 0034 0.51 010 0603 1038 0.60 1031 0.62 0630 1.30 1018 0.51 0.42 1036 0.46 0005 0 0457 0.51 0111 0455 0.50 1.47 03190558 1.67 0.32 1.35 0400 0.53 0520 0420 0238 1.60 0337 1148 0.550.44 0735 1.30 0748 1041 1.45 0.38 1158 0.58 0735 0.47 0432 0.56 1.64 01511.23 1.71 0.33 0148 1.53 1.45 0.47 0.62 0454 0338 0.57 0136 0313 0.29 0245 0302 0.43 FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL JANUARY

2021

1 16 1 1 1616 16 1 1 16 10.520557160.56 1610.56 1 0.751.5716 0850 160.621.58 11609171 1 160818 16 1029MO 1 16 1 16 1 16 1126 1.83 1104 1032 1143 1.84 1.89 1137 1709 1.54 1710 1.58 1204 1641 1.77 1.61 17111.85 1.75 1 16 1900 1.50 1245 0.801 1748 1.58 1.54 1245 0.751 1203 1.37 1149 1.38 0642 0.67 0717 0.73 0728 0.76 1145 1.37 0718 0.67 SA SU TU WE TH 1013 2.01 0932 FRm SA MO 1904 TU 1040 WE TH 1257 0.87 Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time Time m Time m 1209 1 1805 0.34 1712 0.48 SA 1457 1.43 0.45MO1.42 1714 1814 0.28 1703 1413 1.33 1530 1812 2328 0.73 2351 0.63 1843 1.83 2244 0.39 0.60 23430.34 MO1.45 TU MO1.72 TH 1757 FR SA 1.35 FRTU 1935 1.44 1922 2319 0.74 1928 1.54 1537 0.85 1720 FR 0.58 1324 1.43 0.23 1.31 1.55 0.65 1324 0.20 TH 1734 FR MO 1300 TU 1316 WE SU0.50 TU 1609 WE 1658 2 2325 1.58 2312 0.26 2119 0415 1.59 0230 1.48 2100 0.21 03090.49 1.511930 2311 03151.65 1.59 2016 03371.33 1.62 0227 1.521928 1828 2215 2204 1.28 0238 1856 0.17 0.11 0.32 1927 0.40 1.38 1.67 1.33 1.60 2257 0319 0.34 0058 0.39 0515 0533 0449 1.650.75 16 0533 0.56 1.44 1 16 1 1 1 0023 0.740130 0135 0133 0.57 0534 1.38 0043 0130 1007 0.421.26 0.340.47 0850 1.38 0.62 09010.65 0.43 0906 0.68 0.22 16 0832 0818 0917 0808 0.59 16 0043 0022 1.85 1.37 0 0006 1.36 0533 0.53 0404 1.67 0022 0511 1.64 0415 2 1.49 171.44 170428 17 20337 20444 17 1721.30 17 21.43 21.33 0721 0650 1117 0.59 1117 0.60 1107 0.401.33 11270.54 0.47 0207 1.76 1.61 0244 1.76 0.47 0000 1.33 0020 1.43 0216 1.54 0656 1.29 1.32 0848 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0849 1624 1.46 1516 1.671.50 1457 1.43 1530 1.50 16000.34 1.76 0318 1530 1430 1.430225 0.54 0.49 MO TU MO TH0842 FR2 FR 1413 SA TU 17 2 17 17 17 17 2 2 2 2 0641 0.62 0659 0.38 1 0542 0.56 1139 1.48 0940 0.55 1114 1.84 0612 0.47 1126 1.81 0858 0.69 0959 17 2 17 17 0403 2 17 2 2 17 1254 0.50 1226 0.49 1750 1.62 1755 1.67 1733 1.74 1804 1.85 0739 0.64 0807 0.72 0811 0.67 1131 1.42 0555 0.55 0556 0.56 0759 0.64 2211 0.38 2058 0.64 2100 0.21 2115 0.46 2134 0.51 2016 0.26 2119 0.27 2019 0.36 1231 0.65 1336 0.89 1347 0.95 1836 1.52 1256 0.68 1345 0.85 1009 1.78 1100 1.95 SU WE FR TU TH SU WE 1744 0.28 FR SA TU 1245MO TH 1.37 1.44 TU1.38 1 1205 1.72 1740 0.53SU 1546 1.43 1757 0.34 1229 1458 1617 WE FR 1300 SA SU 1.38 TU1.49 TU1.82 SAWE 1351 1358 1.35 1.44 1418 1.46 1.40 1654 0.74 1.40 0.25 1.44 1400 1930 1.86 1858 2348 0.38 0.50 1947 1.441.75 2019 2009 1959 1.51 2023 1.50 TU WE TH FR 1232 SA 1245 SA MO WE 1648 TH 1748 2 1844 2359 1.57 0.25 0.57 2358 1857 0.25 2202 04460.41 1.57 03400.55 1.522022 2357 03561.68 1.60 2054 0300 1.48 21461845 04151.33 1.64 03090.33 1.582005 1900 1948 0.09 0.28 0.11 2332 2245 1.37 0318 1824 2348 0.560404 1828 0.42 2002 0.34 1.30 1.64 1.34 1.67 170048 2 2 08581.640.69 170018 20530 2 0940 0.65 0.55 1043 0.370.55 09360.59 0.37 0952 0.65 0.15 17 0905 0.330.43 0959 0.46 0852 0.45 17 0214 0.31 0140 0.29 0039 0547 00440.55 0.42 0116 0.75 0230 0223 0.55 0001 0.75 0144 0230 1.35 0123 0615 0.58 0444 0116 1.65 1.79 0 0112 0604 1.66 0451 1546 1.43 1704 1.46 1608 1.54 16470.37 1.79 0357 1547 1.671.55 1617 1.48 1522 1.540300 3 1.51 181.43 180517 18 30415 31158 18 18 18 3 3 0300 1.83 1.66 0333 1.77 0.44 0053 1.41 0126 3 1.58 0251 1.61 SU WE WE FR0945 SA3 SA 1458 TU TU 0807 1.35 0735 1.37 0603 1.37 0624 1.28 1155 0.391.37 06331.80 1.42 0.57 0.55 0808 1.26 1.36 0949 1.40 0628 1.34 0858 1.44 0958 18 3 18 18 18 18 3 3 3 0729 0.68 0806 0.46 3 1 0627 0.62 1215 1.39 1025 0.49 0708 0.51 1215 1.68 0936 0.63 1039 2146 0.25 2246 0.43 2150 0.49 2219 0.53 2130 0.65 2054 0.25 2202 0.30 2106 0.35 18 3 18 18 0519 3 18 3 3 18 0829 0.60 0843 0.69 0900 0.61 1225 1.50 0643 0.53 0704 0.53 0834 0.62 1341WE0.49 1314TH0.42 1156 0.58 1201 1823 1.78 1.86 TH 12170.35 1148 1.86 1321 0.751.62 1438 0.36 0.96 1449 1209 0.48 1402 0.78 1453 0.92 MO SA WE1047 FR MO0.58 SA SU0.48 FR 1.39 1326 TU 1.33 1405 1.31WE1.01 1 1245 1.60 1809 0.60MO 1634 1.42 1841 1318 1826 1542 1704 MO TH TH SA SU SU WE WE SU 1441 1.52 1439 1.38 0.61 15091.91 1.47 1.37 2131 0.25 1758 0.59 0.40 1310 1.43 1336 1.501855TU1.92 1433 0.32 2014 1.86 1943 1829 1.70 1838 1.75 WE TH FR SA 1.66 SU 2036 1.380.40 2108 2102 1930 1.41 1.47 2058 1.48 2124 1.47 TH 1730 FR 1838 1936 0.68 1.35 1921 0.48 22281940 0.31 1942 2245 0444 1.65 0514 1.54 0408 1.51 0435 1.60 0332 1.47 0357 0451 1.64 0348 1.61 2036 2038 0.06 2041 0.26 2111 30.13 1902 18 0.47 1922 0.27 2329 180.29 3 1.27 30046 1115 0.340.46 3 0935 0254 1037 0.12 18 0938 0.34 1025 0.58 0.49 1009 0.33 1039 0.37 0.33 18 0102 0122 00480936 0.410.63 01381.34 0.35 0.31 0221 0.21 02200205 0.751.53 0329 0.61 0320 0052 0132 0.74 0252 0.51 0338 0.39 0218 0209 1.42 0 1.34 0035 1.55 1.61 0045 1.66 1.72 0.53 0527 1741 1.45 17351.68 1.76 0435 1619 1.65 0519 1634 1.42 1643 1.56 1542 1.39 1704 1.51 1611 1.61 MO TH TH SA SU4 SU 0.60 WE WE 0348 1.84 0335 1.68 0420 1.75 003740457 1.50 0137 1.49 0223 4 1.71 0323 1.66 19 19 4 4 19 19 19 19 4 4 0040 1.30 0648 1.37 0711 1.31 0645 1.61 0730 1.41 0849 1.37 0820 1.44 19 19 19 19 19 4 4 4 4 0922 1.27 1044 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04160.46 1.57 2210 1851 0.44 2037 19 0.401106 2013 0.15 2109 0.27 2127 4 0.08 0.25 1927 0.41 0.45 19 19 4 4 1015 0.57 1121 0.29 1018 0.232115 1023 0.15 19 1009 0.36 1147 0.33 1041 0.312159 40.19 0219 1.34 0117 1.52 05500231 1.56 0139 0139 1.64 1.66 0.48 0305 0303 0602 0 0143 0204 0145 0.341.40 TU 0331 0304 SU 0.16 02291.37 0.32 0330 0.711.56 0426 0.56 0422 0157 0.70 0402 0.43 0445 1.52 1659 1.65 0.33 17231.67 1.69 0512 1817 1.430.38 1.610.36 1719 0.51 1.40 17151.42 1.57 FR MO 1655 FR MO 1625 TH 1753 TH 20 20 20 5 5 5 20 5 20 0435 1.80 0412 1.68 0503 1.70 013550015 1.62 0314 1.55 0315 5 1.80 0356 1.68 1.25 0131 1.27 20 20 5 20 5 0808 0.73 0754 0.68 1145 0.42 0719 0808 0.50 1053 0.52 0926 0.59 0938 0.74 0938 0.53 5 1203 0 20 20 20 5 5 5 0731 1.38 0756 1.35 07402210 1.560.28 0929 1.37 0905 1.50 08210.61 1.40 1030 1.32 1137 1.51 1147 1.52 0900 1.35 1122 1.64 1205 1.67 2330 0.43 2235 0.42 2245 0.61 2355 0.56 2237 0.70 2306 0.39 2256 0.55 20 5 0955 2014511034 20 0716FR 5 20 200.570848 TU0.50 5 0942 5 1000 0.63TH 0.53 1.37 0.40 0859 0.53 0.60 1409 1.36 1345 1.21WE 1804 1.37 1336 1406 1709 1.41 1522 1523 1.15 1.24 FR0.99 1845 1 0542 0700 0.68 WE MO FR0.32 TUSA FR0.56 SA MO 1546 TU 1311 1330 0.51 1329 0.64 0.44 1504 0.50 13541.65 1539 0.891.34 1701 1.00 1709 1418 0.66 1636 0.88 1720 0.92 SA WE SU WE SA MO TU0.51 FR SU 1613 1.51 1.39 16451.96 1.43 1357 1.61 1512 1.48 1508 1.58 1543 2040 0.58 1926 0.74 23442109 0.47 2017 2001 0.33 2130 2119 0.78 1.352 1.71 1.62 FR SA SU MO 1.64 TU TH1.58 0550 1.56 05050.73 1.48 0502 1.611558 04590.57 1.52 2251 0602 0611 1.46 0441 1.411.47 SA 1213 SU 1322 1945 1.84 2004 1.90 20000512 2.01 2131 1.78 2115 20300.40 1.96 2215 1.350.54 2255 1.37 2308 2137 1.43 1.43 2300 1.50 2331 2215 5 0.14 0.26 1940 1903 0.30 2110 20 0.351145 2101 0.09 2142 200405 5 1053 50236 200.27 0.44 0.52 2015 0.48 0.42 1112 0.312244 50.27 1101 0.172148 1107 0.21 20 1039 0.38 1203 0.24 1219 0.33 1.48 0347 1.63 0.43 1.41 0310 1.36 0410 1.60 0239 1.61 1.51 0015 0 1804 0.46 1.37 17461.43 1.55 1746 1.65 0.36 18141.64 1.60 0547 1845 1.50 1856 1.410.32 1733 1.560.33 0406 0346 0.15 0238 0.301.41 WE 0224 0315 0.31 0245 0432 0.64 0313 0.62 0507 0.34 0516 0.50 0545 0520 SA TU 1709 FR MO FR SA 621 2121 61.73 21 61.56 621TU0208 21 0620 21 0900 0.71 1045 0.52 6 0823 0912 0.77 1048 0.57 1058 0.72 0924 0.46 1220 0.41 0640 0 0520 1.66 0545 1.63 022860107 1.71 0346 1.60 0404 6 1.83 0430 1.67 1.24 0224 1.27 6 21 21 6 21 6 6 21 6 2344 0.47 2330 0.60 2319 0.480449 23290.55 0.66 1133 2311 0.741.72 1007 1.38 0952 08342251 1.510.33 0815 1.38 09110.63 1.38 0841 1.38 1129 1.40 1025 1.44 1224 1.74 1225 1.59 1301 1240 1.59 6 21 21 0805SA 6 21 21 6 1449 1.15 TH 1849 1433 1.56 1503 21 1.27 1045SA0.55 1642 1.26 1645 1519 1756 1.41 1.33 1.29 SAWE 1246 1 6 1030 0.62 1.12 1119 0.51 1.25 0.41 0931 0755 0.54 0934WE 0.51 1015 TU 1655 TH 0.60 SU SA0.31 WESU 0634 0.73 1544 0.53 1542 1415 0.67 0.49 1350 0.57 1440 0.54 1415 0.48 1656 0.90 1541 0.72 1746 0.86 1758 0.96 1822 0.87 1807 0.93 TH 0.58 SA 2228 FR SU MO TU 0.62TH WE SU 2104 MO TU 0.74 2024 0.80 2225 2109 0.42 2128 2233 0.74 0.65 2335 0.40 1943 2 0536 1.45 0545 1.45 0547 1.61 0620 1.51 0015 0.52 0030 0.63 0539 1.58 0516 1.37 1659 1.46 1637 1.38 1732 1.38 1438 1.63 1542 1.48 1551 1.58 1618 1.42 1.67 1411 1.49 SA SU MO TU WE FR SU 1302 MO 1.71 2202 1.90 2048 2.03 2024 1.88 2115 1.93 2048 1.95 2304 1.362207 21 2240 1.46 2359 1.52 2349 1.39 21 6 1133 60336 21 1144 0.322326 60.36 1153 0.30 0640 1.53 0642 1.41 1145 0.142222 0.28 1110 0.42 2300 6 0.23 2028 1957 0.20 2142 21 0.321220 2149 0.08 2214 0.28 0.45 0.46 2101 0.53 0.41 1.47 0405 1.40 0516 1.66 0510 0348 1.56 0100 0 0311 1.46 00200454 0.56 1.64 18221.47 1.52 19101.63 1.51 0625 1849 0.42 1.33 0.22 1252 0.340.27 1.61 0.40 1.501.49 SU TU0601 WE 1756 SA 1246 SU 0.49 SA 1836 WE 1816 0441 0430 70.18 0330 0.311.41 TH 0305 04000.63 0.34 0329 0522 0.570.51 0604 0.28 0.44 0030 0010 1.39 0428 7 7 22 7 22 7 22 22 22 0650 1.45 1140 0.49 7 0935 1026 0.76 1208 1209 0.66 1047 0.55 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2251 1.44 0107 2253 2246 0.19 1.85 19532223 0.29 0018 0507 1.49 1.43 0437 1.440509 0001 0622 1.46 0010 0341 1.59 01591.57 1.47 2011 0141 1.570.59 0214 1.52 0231 1.490053 01480.70 1.49 300.45 30 1050 15 15 30 30 15 30 1159 15 1.290928 1.34 0.49 1.34 1045 1.34 0530 0.70 0642 0.80 0615 0.78 0648 0.86 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 0858 1.74 0923 2.01 0912 1.80 15 15 15 30 15 30 0624 1.27 830 09560757 0.610.70 0944 0944 0.62 1012 0.53 1045 0.62 110730 0.45 1023 0.4315 0630 1.32 1151 0650 0.49 0800 0.64 0.37 30 0735 0.181.35 30 0726 1.51 0751 0.76 0822 0.52 0730 0.48 0.43 0501 0.28 1.58 1801 WE 0.57 0.89 1.39 0.74 1602 0.70 1203 1232 1.28 1225 1.39 1232 1.25 1531 0.41 0.18 1554 0.37 FR WE 1627 TH 1.40 MOSA TU WE 1158 444 1624 1.46 1615 1.65 1622SU 1.51 1654 1.71 1.62 1230 0.75 1815 1.40 1.58 1731 1.64 1200 0.70 1212 1.44 1445 1.58 1.64 FR 1445 1.870.79 1350 1.30 1445 1.44MO 1416 1.56 TU 1606 WETU SU MO TH SA 1723 MO 1540 TH1838 FR 1403 SA MO TU TH FR TU0.54 31 0432 31 WE 31 0257 1059 1.90 1847 1111 1.72 0836 0.67 1.25 0.75 1.26 2303 2147 1.30 1757 0.38 0.16 18521.72 0.33 2124 1.35 2256 2204 1.42 1.31 2132 2025 0.63 2013 0.661.47 1953 0.29 2035 19591.49 0.51 1830 020 22302011 0.790.19 2234 0.59 2254 0.33 0.72 2342 0.48 1900 1.52 2336 0.29 0.71 2305 0.72 0.4518321857 1842 SU 1732 0.26 WE 1713 0.35SU 1443 1.37 2335 1.47 2333 1.87 2037 0.27 0046 1.35 0157 1.54 0318 0257 0.53 1.58 1.55 0114 0.34 240 1.67 0530 1.28 0526 1.42 0110 0.37 310.67 31 31 0233 31 31 0628 0.69 07361.33 0.80 0819 0.34 0951 0836 1.84 31 31 31 31 0709 925 0.46 1110 0.54 1107 0.49 0832 1.50 1245 1.32 0.34 SA1.37 TH 1324 1.29 SU 1443 WE 1510 1.68 TH 1633

630 1.43 1.37 0940 1.99 214 0.83 0.83 1615 0.15 WE 1.31 1.52 2215 423 1.49 053 0.46 0.60 0359 0.37 715 1.47 1.45 1029 1.99 0.75 0.77 312 1709 0.17 TH 2311 1.43 513 1.49 1.35 0.57 131 0447 0.45 0.44 1.53 755 1118 1.94 1.51 0.24 1805 FR 0.66 001 0.70 1.40 1.49 0007 1.34 557 0.43 0.55 0537 0.55 207 1.54 1.61 1210 1.85 SA 830 0.58 0.32 1903 045 0.63 1.45 1.49 0106 1.27 637 0.44 0.54 0631 0.63 241 1.55 1.68 1302 1.74 SU 905 0.51 0.40 2003 125 0.57 1.49 1.48 0208 1.23 717 0.46 0.55 0730 0.71 313 1.55 1.75 1359 1.61 MO 938 0.45 0.47 2103 203 0.53 1.52 1.46 0313 1.22 756 0.49 0.56 0836 0.75 345 1.54 1.80 1500 1.51 TU 012 0.41 0.51 2159 242 0.49 1.53 1.25 0415 836 0.53 1.44 0946 0.76 418 1.53 0.58 1604 1.44 WE 047 1.84 0.39 0.53 2249 321 1.53 0.47 0509 1.31 917 0.58 1.41 1055 0.74 455 1.50 0.60 1704 1.40 TH 125 1.85 0.38 0.52 2334 403 1.51 0.47 0556 1.39 001 0.63 1.38 1156 0.69 533 1.47 0.64 1757 1.38 FR 205 1.84 0.38

0.49 1815 1.59 2020, Bureau 0.84 MO 1246 FR 1751SU1.78 FR 1324 Commonwealth of Australia Meteorology © Copyright Commonwealth of Austr 2048 of 0.50 19351.74 0.29 1915 2351 0.69 1954 1.47 Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astro Times are in2020, local standard (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC Times +11:00) are inwhen local standard in effect time (UTC © Copyright of of Australia Bureau oftime Meteorology right Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau Meteorology monwealth of Australia 2019,Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology New Moon First Quarter Last New Qu M Moon Phase Symbols Moon Full Phase Moon Symbols Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide of Lowest Astronomical Tide nsPredictions is Lowest is Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or(UTC daylight savings (UTC +11:00) when in effect re in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time +11:00) when in effect 11:00) when in effect standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when intime effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) wh New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols FullLast Moon New First Quarter Quarter hase Symbols Full Moon LastMoon Quarter First Quarter Full New Moon Last Quarter ols Moon FullSymbols Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Full Moon

545 1.48 134 0.69

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

DECEMBER 2020

131

MERCURY

NO SACRIFICES NO COMPROMISES NO APOLOGIES

BETTER ECONOMY

MORE TORQUE

V6 3.4L 200HP FOURSTROKE

12-16% BETTER

FUEL ECONOMY

12-15%

LEADING COMPETITOR

20%

VERADO

TORQUE

V8 4.6L

250HP PROXS

16% BETTER

FUEL ECONOMY

LEADING COMPETITOR

TORQUE AT 3500-4500 RPM

FOURSTROKE

LEADING COMPETITOR

TORQUE

200HP

4.6L

300HP

LEADING COMPETITOR

V6 3.4L

*Based on testing done by Mercury Marineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Go online or contact your nearest Mercury Dealer to find out more about the Mercury V6 / V8 range, taking performance, efficiency and reliability to the next level.

mercurymarine.com.au