Fishing Monthly Magazine | March 2022 by Fishing Monthly

• TOPWATER TECHNIQUES • ALL THE LATEST LOCAL REPORTS •

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Species Spotlight

Bob Thornton brings us topwater bream

Tested

•

13 Fishing Concept C2 • Whittley FF1950

Features

Scratching the surface with topwater bream • How sustainable are the outer-shelf stocks? • Back-to-basics: Tools of the Trade • Kayaking at Hays Inlet •

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER March 2022, Vol. 2 No.11 VIC

TAS

QUEENSLAND The Tweed Gold Coast Jumpinpin Southern Bay Brisbane Northern Bay Noosa Bundaberg Mackay Whitsundays Townsville Hinchinbrook Cairns Port Douglas Cooktown Lucinda Cape York Freshwater

14 18 20 24 26 28 30 34 36 40 42 44 45 44 46 47 46 482

NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater Sydney North Sydney Rock Sydney South Ballina Coffs Coast Hastings Forster Port Stephens Swansea Central Coast Illawarra Batemans Bay Bermagui Tathra New England Rivers Hunter Valley Batlow Albury/Wodonga Lithgow/Oberon Canberra

56 59 58 60 62 64 66 67 68 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 74 76 77 75 78

VICTORIA Warrnambool Portland Cobden Apollo Bay Geelong Port Phillip West Port Phillip East Phillip Island Marlo Gippsland Lakes Lakes Entrance Bemm River Mallacoota Robinvale Bendigo Ballarat Wangaratta Shepparton Crater Lakes Eildon Yarrawonga Gippsland Freshwater

84 84 85 85 86 88 90 92 92 94 95 95 94 96 96 98 97 99 103 100 103 99

MARCH 2022

From the Editor’s Desk...

The Queensland Fisheries ‘Green Paper’ was always going to ruffle some feathers on the way through. It was a strategy that created a framework to assess various fisheries’ health and set in place triggers to help them recover. It also is meant to give the Fisheries Managers the ability to enact changes through good science and management rather than having to go through Parliament to get anything meaningful done. In theory it’s a great plan to get stocks to where everyone needs them to be, but there was inevitably going to be some friction when the rubber hits the road. Currently, Queensland’s hot topic is Spanish mackerel and there are rumours aplenty about the fishery being closed due to low stock levels. Under 20% of original biomass, so action needs to be taken.

Autumn is the perfect time to fish for salmon off the beaches. A Neil Slater image. Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

TASMANIA Offshore Hobart

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance Augusta Bunbury Metro Mandurah Geraldton Kalbarri Lancelin Exmouth Karratha Broome Freshwater

115 116 117 118 119 121 121 120 122 123 122 124

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REGULAR FEATURES Topwater bream Starlo’s back to basics Sheik of the Creek Kayaking: Hays Inlet Sustainable outer-shelf stocks What’s new fishing Testing Booth: 13Fishing Concept C2 WIRF Tournament Calendar Tournaments Trades and Services/Tide page Boat test: Whittley FF1950

Here’s what the current status is: The East Coast Spanish Mackerel Working Group most recently met on the 7-8 February 2022 to discuss the stock assessment and rebuilding options for this fishery. It is important to note that no changes have been made to recreational or commercial fishing rules for Spanish mackerel at this time, and none will be made without public consultation with recreational and commercial fishers. The East Coast Spanish Mackerel Working Group will continue to provide advice on appropriate management options, and develop a harvest strategy for this fishery, consistent with the principles of the Sustainable Fisheries Strategy 2017-2027. A public consultation process is planned for early 2022 to allow commercial fishers, recreational fishers and other stakeholders to have their say on proposed management arrangements. Future management action and the potential impacts of any such action will be considered by the Queensland Government before a final decision is made ahead of the 2022 fishing season, that commences on 1 July. The stock assessment of Australian East Coast Spanish mackerel report, review and response to the review is available at era.daf. qld.gov.au/id/eprint/8226/ You would assume that fishing in some capacity would be allowed… otherwise how would managers get future data to assess when it’s time to re-open it? Time will tell.

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Topwater bream: scratching the surface BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

Throughout their range, yellowfin bream are a challenging but reliable adversary year round, with summer and autumn being the pick for topwater action. During this time, prawns of various species make their way down rivers and creeks, usually assisted by the extra fresh pumping through these systems. These nervous morsels eventually take up residence in the estuary. Down in this more saline water, they are an important food source for many hungry critters, with yellowfin bream being just one of their regular tormentors! At the same time, heightened insect activity sees food falling from above. Crawlies such as cicadas, dragonflies, butterflies and beetles are all on the yellowfin menu. FIND THE FOOD As with most fishing, finding the food source is critical to success, and there are things you can look for to get you into the action faster. Generally speaking, this fishing is done in sheltered

Storm Morgan landed this topwater terror in the Gold Coast canals using a small stickbait. This highly active and visual style of fishing is perfect for kids who can cast a spin rod comfortably. and towns will probably be heavier on the prawns, while brackish creeks with thick native vegetation hanging over the water will likely offer more in the way of insects, so adjust your approach accordingly. We will discuss presentations later on.

– and more likely a group of bream – chasing food in the shallows. Speaking of the shallows, this is where the vast majority of topwater breaming happens. Prawns and other crustaceans like to push up shallow into nutrient-rich mangrove forests where they can feed, with the shallows providing some safety from their hungry assailants. I say ‘some safety’ because bream are determined little customers, and will push up super shallow, sometimes turning on their side to get at a few tasty prawns. Insect activity is usually linked to vegetation, which grows on the banks lining the waterways. Following this logic, bream seeking insects will do best under or nearby this vegetation in – you guessed it – shallow water!

In fact, I seldom venture into water more than 1ft deep when topwater fishing for bream. To a fish that often struggles to reach 40cm in as many years, deeper water is a scary place! Just like their prey, yellowfin bream spend a large portion of their life escaping the jaws of predators. This is why I never shy away from exploring the shallowest margins in search of these little battlers. TOOLS FOR THE TRADE There are people who spend a mint in pursuit of bream, and I believe that with the amount of technique specific equipment available now you will have a huge advantage if you spend a little extra. You can, however, still catch plenty of topwater bream using mid-range and even cheap gear. What matters more is that you apply what

In the heat of summer, heading further into the shaded creeks can be a good move. You can bet there will be plenty of food up there for the bream!

Good size summer whiting are a regular and welcomed by-catch when working the shallow flats. salt or brackish waters, and it’s usually not difficult to find suitable habitat. Mangrove creeks, sandy inlets, small sheltered islands and even heavily built-up canals will all harbour the soft, squishy baby prawns (often called jelly prawns) and flying insects that bream love to chomp. Heavily built-up areas like canals and rivers running through major cities 8

MARCH 2022

In any case it pays to be observant, and luckily with bream, their feeding behaviour is often very obvious and doesn’t require expensive technology to reveal. When motoring through mangrove creeks on hot summer days you’ll often hear that tell-tale surface sucking sound from feeding yellowfin. This exaggerated kissing sound indicates that there is at least one bream

knowledge you have built up for your chosen venue. For rods, anything in the 1-5kg range of spin rods is perfect. Major brands such as Atomic, Daiwa and Shimano actually build rods specifically for topwater bream fishing. These rods are usually around the 6-7’5” range and are relatively soft, which helps keep tiny trebles and assist hooks pinned while fighting fish. Spin reels in the 10003000 size range are standard for yellowfin bream, and I believe that light braided lines are the way to go for topwater breaming. There are anglers who like to use fluorocarbon straight through, and I have done this when employing other techniques for bream. The reason I don’t like using straight through fluorocarbon for surface work is that braid floats,

Rigging up can be as complex or as simple as you like, but it’s important to have a few presentations on hand to make adjustments to your approach as the session unfolds.

while fluorocarbon sinks. Braid allows long, accurate casting under pontoon walkways or overhanging mangroves. Braided lines between 2-6lb will handle most bream swimming. A good rod length of monofilament or fluorocarbon leader is fine, and my choice of leader material depends on my choice of lure. Fluorocarbon, which usually sinks, is helpful when using lures that need to be pulled under the water momentarily to achieve their optimum action. Bent minnow design lures, fizzers and some poppers work best when they are stabbed under the surface and allowed to float back up. Having the trace sink in front of the lure a little bit can help you get the most out of these retrieves. Fly fishers who want their surface flies to ‘dive’ should also use a fluorocarbon tippet.

If I want my lure to stay on the surface and not get pulled under by the leader, monofilament is a better option. Presentations such as stickbaits and surface crawlers definitely work better with monofilament leaders. Leaders should be a similar poundage to mainlines, with 2-6lb being a good range, although I have

ended up in proper Jurassic bream country where 12lb leaders were standard, so it always pays to have something heavier in your arsenal as well! LOADING UP ON LURES Some anglers literally do load up on small topwater for this caper, because it is just so much fun! It’s possible to spend thousands of dollars filling plastic

boxes with jelly prawn and insect imitations, and the nice thing is that these same presentations will be snapped up just as readily by whiting, bass, mangrove jack, trout, sooty grunter, jungle perch and many others. True to my usual form though, I’m always looking for ways to do things cheaply, and smart bream anglers can do the same.

Shallow flats are a great place to toss topwater prawn imitations for bream. This Bassday Sugapen with retro-fitted assist hooks did the damage on this Moreton Bay flat.

When imitating prawns, which can range from small rice grain-sized juveniles to banana-length adults, stickbaits, bent minnow styles, poppers and fizzers will cover your bases. Anything that ‘spits’ water as it is worked across the surface is perfect for replicating the panicked fleeing of a prawn, something yellowfin bream are wired to zero in on! If you find yourself a little further up the system where insects dominate the menu, lures such as cicada imitations, poppers and fizzers made to look like grasshoppers, bass flies such as Dahlberg Divers and Muddler Minnows, and even lightly-rigged soft plastics worked along the surface work great. Hook configurations are an interesting point of discussion amongst bream anglers. Small trebles are fairly standard on most lures, and size 10-16 is a good range to have on hand. Retro-fitting assist hooks to lures has become common practice in bream circles in recent years, and these hooks are particularly handy when bream are short striking, which they often do. I have had success using ‘W’ style or double hooks, rigged with the two hook points facing backward. A configuration like this is at

In the more northern edge of their range, mangrove jack can be an exciting way to break up bream captures. Models larger than this are seldom landed on standard bream gear! its best when fishing amongst thick mangroves with lots of roots just under the surface. Rigged like this, lures will tend to ride over structure and not get hung up as often. If you do want to

retro-fit your own hooks, make sure you test the lure out before you fish with it. With such small lures, such a miniscule change in the weight distribution can affect To page 10

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the action of the lure very easily – sometimes for the better – but it pays to be in tune with your lures! Knowing which presentation to apply in different environments is important to success, so let’s look at a few common scenarios. ON THE WATER Canals Canals are a classic environment for feeding bream at any time of the year, however during summer and autumn when there is more rain, prawns make up a large part of a yellowfin bream’s diet. Jelly prawns will seek shelter in the shallow water under or behind pontoons and jetties, and casting realistic presentations to these areas can see packs of silver gluttons shouldering one another for the first shot. At higher stages of the tide, prawns will push back into the shallowest water possible, often behind structures such as pontoons, rock bars and walkways. Up in these areas they have a better chance of escape, and they can feed on the nutrients that rainwater and consistent sunlight provide. The bream, of course, will follow them into the shallowest margins. As the tide drops, bream and their prey will fall back into the deeper holes, and will often sit under any structure that still has water in it. In canals everywhere, layers of scum and debris will collect at the dead ends, and these clumps of matter, often made up of leaf litter, dust, oil and rubbish will often have prawns and bream sitting under them. They are brought up by the tide, and given the lack of current at the back end of canals, they can stay in these areas for a long time. If you find one of these curious phenomena, it’s always worth a cast or two. Bridges will also see prawns seeking shelter from

Larger bream, like this 1kg+ Sydney model, are as good as anything on the surface in the author’s opinion. The plethora of artificial structure around Sydney Harbour provides ideal habitat for this highly adaptable species. the current around the pylons, and these can be hotspots for bream. Working your way along the bridge, methodically fishing your topwater presentations as close to each pylon as possible, can be very satisfying. Sometimes there’s bream on every pole! Moored boats and virtually any floating artificial structure shouldn’t be ignored. If you notice activity in these areas, it makes sense to offer a few speculative casts as you move by. Flats Sand and rubble flats are another productive arena for topwater enthusiasts. Flats that don’t get more than 1ft of water over them at high tide, with a good amount of current and at least the odd piece of structure in the way of rocks, coral, weed or dead wood, are perfect. Prawns will end up in these areas, and make for a relatively trouble-free fishing experience, as there’s no tricky underarm casting required to get at the fish. It’s not all smooth sailing though, as the open nature of

these environments tends to make bream more wary than usual. Bream are constantly on the lookout for birds and bigger fish when out in exposed areas like this, and will scatter at the first sign of danger. For this reason, it’s important to be as quiet as possible, which means treading quietly if you’re wading, and keeping your electric speed low if you’re in a boat. Long casts with small, translucent presentations are the key to success, and if you can get the wind at your back, even better! A handy hint if you’re finding the action a little slow on the flats is to switch to a straight-through fluorocarbon rig. This is the only scenario where I prefer fluorocarbon to braid while topwater fishing. The nervousness of the fish can sometimes be such that your braid – which casts a clear shadow when the bottom is 30cm away in full sunlight – can alert their already heightened senses. Fluorocarbon, on the

other hand casts minimal or no shadow. Steve Morgan taught me that! Fishing in these areas, anglers will often run into trophy summer whiting. If you notice whiting chasing your lures and you want to catch them, employing a fast, constant retrieve rather than the stop-start cadence of a bream retrieve could see a few tasty whiting fillets in the bag! Mangrove Creeks Getting up into the mangroves isn’t always a pleasant experience. Mosquitoes, oppressive humidity, and the constant threat of snagging makes it a challenging arena to fish, but this is where some of the best topwater bream fishing can be had! Juvenile prawns, which seek food, shade and safety, can find all of these things in the mangrove forests, but when the tide rises high enough, yellowfin bream will venture into these zones in search of a feed too! From above, insects such as cicadas and beetles will

also be clumsily going about their business, providing a smorgasbord for the hungry bream. Tide is very important when fishing the mangroves, as many mangrove forests will only have water through them at the highest stage of the tide. At low tide, the prawns can hole up in puddles and even settle into the mud, however as the water floods into these areas bream will take their chance to score a feed. The water may only be up there for an hour or so, meaning your timing is critical. Casting your lures into mangrove habitats with 1ft or less of water through them is a great way to find hungry bream. These fish are up there for one reason, and that reason is food, so they are generally quite willing to chase down topwater lures. Given the abundance of structure in these areas, I find these bream to be less spooky than those in more open areas. Tree cover limits shadows, and the cover that they use to hunt also helps to obscure the angler from the fish! Packs of argumentative bream will often follow a lure right back to the boat before they realise something isn’t quite right, and because bream will gather in the mangroves in big numbers, you should get plenty of chances. GENERAL RULES I have a few general rules when working the surface for bream. Starting with retrieves, I like to mix it up when just searching. Once I locate bream, I pay close attention to their feeding behaviour. Sometimes they smash lures without hesitation, and other times they will follow them for 20m and never look like eating them. Experimenting is the key, and sooner or later you will work out which retrieve is best on the day. If there are groups of bream chasing my lure, I’ve found that a constant retrieve will encourage at least one of them

to strike, whereas a single fish will probably require time and plenty of pauses to commit. One thing to remember is that you will miss a lot of strikes. These little fish can get a bit erratic when they sacrifice their own safety to venture out in the open to pursue something food-sized but foreign. Short strikes and misses are part of the game, but luckily they should give you plenty of chances! If one area shuts down after too many short strikes, move on to the next good bit of water. Hooked fish can have many following fish, curious to see what the fuss is about. I have even seen them attempting to remove the lure from the hooked fish’s mouth! In this scenario, a second angler can toss a slow sinking presentation in, such as a lightly-weighted soft plastic, and in the chaos I believe it resembles a piece of flesh that has broken away; fair game to a hungry yellowfin! If you own a boat with a livewell, boxing your fish can be a good idea. Bream are notoriously spooky, and tossing each frightened fish back to tell its friends what’s going on can put them down. Just be sure not to exceed your legal limit of bream, as live fish that you intend to release still count as fish in possession. SCRATCHING THE SURFACE Topwater breaming in the warmer months is a great option to have. In wet times, like those we’ve seen in the last few months, waiting for waters to clear up can be an anxious time. Luckily, it’s after these wet times that insect and prawn activity is at its highest! And if you’re champing at the bit to fish the freshwater like I am but can’t because of flooding, the estuaries lower down will become fishable sooner after major rain events. What better way to scratch the itch?

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MARCH 2022

There are many many surface lure options available for targeting bream. Here are just a few popular models.

Tools of the trade NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Adding a few simple tools and little tricks to your line-up can make a world of difference to both your fishing results and your enjoyment of the sport… not to mention saving you money! The more you fish, the more value you’ll find in having a few simple time and money saving tools on hand. One of the most basic is a couple of offcuts of PVC pipe with one end cut at an angle. These can be easily pushed into the sand when beach fishing, or jammed into a crack or crevice on the rocks, breakwall or jetty to hold your rod and reel combos: either spare outfits, or your main set-up while you’re baiting up and re-rigging. Using these simple tools will greatly extend the working life of your reels by keeping them up out of the sand, grit and salt. There’s no excuse for not having a couple!

Another essential but often-overlooked tool is a lure de-snagger. Having an effective de-snagging

tool on board your boat or kayak can literally save you hundreds of dollars a year in the form of recovered

Fine-tuning the buoyancy of your floating/diving lures can help tweak their actions and catch more fish. There are several ways to add weight, from mold-able putties to stick-on weights.

Two different approaches to tweaking lure buoyancy: lead foil SuspenDots (left) and Knead-It putty. These are old Bushy Stiffy Minnows, which are sadly no longer made.

Starlo is a stickler for sharp hooks. Carrying a couple of fine files or hones like this handy Eze-Lap model can make a world of difference to your catch rates.

lures that would otherwise have been lost, and left in our aquatic environments to potentially entangle wildlife or endanger swimmers. There are several effective forms of de-snagger. Heavy weights fitted with short chains or loops and attached to a length of strong cord can be quickly clipped to a snagged line and slid down to (hopefully) entangle the lure and pull it clear. These work well, and offer the advantage of being applicable in deeper water (limited only by the length of the cord). However, these sliding weights can’t be used to reach up into trees if your lure is snagged above the waterline! For that purpose, telescopic poles with a pigtail of spring wire at the

end that can be twisted onto your snagged line and used to poke the lure clear are perfect. These also perform well on snags below the water line, but are limited to the fully extended length of the pole. For this reason, many keen lure fishers carry both types of de-snagger. Split ring pliers are another immensely handy bit of kit, and almost essential for quickly and easily replacing or upgrading the ‘hardware’ on lures. But there are good and not-sogood split ring pliers. I was first put onto the Xuron brand some time back by master lure-maker, Paul Kneller, and I now regard them as an essential addition to my fishing tool kit. Adjusting the weight, balance and buoyancy of lures – especially floating/ diving minnows and plugs – is a very handy trick than can boost your strike rates in many scenarios. There are several ways to add a

A few offcuts of PVC pipe make excellent beach fishing rod holders, and will greatly extend the life of your reels by keeping them out of the sand.

Split ring pliers make replacing or upgrading lure hardware much easier. These Xurons are the best Starlo has used.

An effective lure retrieve can save you a small fortune in lost lures over the course of a few years. 12

MARCH 2022

little bit of weight in order to slow the ‘rise rate’ of floating lures on the pause, or even to turn them into ‘suspenders’ or slow-sinking offerings. Upgrading to heavier hooks and rings may do the job, but sometimes you need a tad more weight. This can be

added in the form of moldable putties or adhesivebacked lead sheet, such as SuspenDots. I always have a few packs of these nifty little add-ons in my lure boxes. Finally, there’s simply no substitute for having sharp hooks in every form

of fishing, regardless of whether you use baits, lures or flies. Check your hook points regularly by touching them lightly against the ball of your thumb, or dragging them across a fingernail. They need to be ‘sticky sharp’: in other words, instantly grabbing at any surface they come into contact with. If they’re not sticky sharp, replace or sharpen them! Sharpening stones, emery boards, fine grained files and purpose-made hook hones of varying coarseness grades (often using diamond-based abrasive coatings) are perfect for touching up hook points. Pack at least a couple of these in your kit: ideally one in each major tackle box or tray. Carrying and regularly using the sorts of simple tools described in this column are exactly the sort of cutting edge habits that separate the ‘ten percenters’ – those who consistently catch 90% of the fish – from the rest of the fishing pack. Get on it!

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Southern

OLD

Pelagic season is in full swing THE TWEED

Leon McClymont

The warm water has well and truly arrived with temps of 26.5ºC in close on the inner reefs, 27.5ºC

chasing pelagics then it’s all about temperatures and currents, as this is where you are most likely going to find the fish. So, be sure to check these as it can be often overlooked. If the current is pushing

which is an angler’s dream. Once you have decided on where you are going to target and you’ve got your spread out, then there are a few other things to keep an eye for. To give you a better chance of a hook

things can count for big things in the boat. The inner reefs have been producing good spotties and Spanish mackerel with several local anglers making the best of the brief good weather windows and hitting the water between rain showers and work hours. Don’t forget the humble bread and butter species, such as snapper and pearlies, whilst everyone is tossing berley overboard in the hope to lure in schools of mackerel the bottom feeders take advantage of these free offerings. I’ve caught big mulloway and huge snapper as Spanish by-catch trolling dead/live baits in shallow water. As for the rivers and estuaries they have all had

Blake Hawkins with a big Tweed River mulloway.

Local anglers have been making the most of the recent good weather windows to catch decent sized Spaniards. at the 36 fathoms, and 28ºC at the 50s. This has seen the arrival of plenty of juvenile black marlin, mahimahi and the odd wahoo terrorising anglers trolled baits, skirts and hardbodies with reports of several hook ups and strikes making for some exciting action. The fish have been showing up from 30m all the way out to the shelf so it can be hard to find the fish on any given day. Like most fishers, the night before I check the swell/ wind predictions, tides and bite periods. If you’re

MARCH 2022

offshore the cool water will be mixing with the warmer water out wide where the bait will be pushed as well. The pelagic fish will be congregating on current lines, up dwellings, and drop offs in search of a feed. If the current is pushing the warmer water onshore then the pelagic predators will be sure to transit the inner reefs in the search of bait. On rare occasions these pelagics have even been sighted from shore breaching and feeding on bait or, even rarer, catching one of these trophy fish land-based,

up, look for birds working in the distance, debris in water, such as logs and other floating items, and bait balls on the surface/or below. Keep one eye on the sounder for the bait balls as you could be passing fish sitting deep and not interested in coming up for your offering – this is when it can pay to pull the spread in and send a pre-rigged dead bait or a live bait down to the desired depth. All these may seem like random little bits of useless info but when the time comes all the little

A pre-rigged dead bait for trolling and dropping. a good flush and are starting to recover with the dirty water pushing out over the last month. Mulloway have been the number one target

for Tweed anglers with catches of 20kg+ models coming in daily from the beaches, headlands, break walls and even up in the

rivers, which has seen some absolute beauties like Blake Hawkins specimen caught in the Tweed River recently.

MONSTER STOCK DISPLAY!

Southern

OLD

Tough time to predict GOLD COAST

David Green

March is normally a great month for billfish, wahoo and mackerel but it is hard to predict what this year will be like due to the seemingly endless bad conditions and strong prevailing current. The current was running to the south throughout January at speeds up to four knots and a lot of migrating fish seem to have missed the Gold Coast and headed to Sydney! This season so far has been quite erratic, with good numbers of marlin showing up early in the season on the inshore grounds one day and being absent the next. In March most of the black marlin action takes place on the wider grounds on the 70-80m line around the areas where big schools of slimy mackerel,

pilchards and yellowtail are found. At times, on the few days when the weather is calm, there have been up to 60 boats fishing ‘Spot X’. Slow trolling live baits and deep live baits are generally the most effective options but through the month the black marlin diminish in numbers as they migrate south on the East Australian Current. Most of the fish encountered in March tend to be bigger ranging from 40-100kg. There have also been a few striped marlin. Mahimahi become less common this month but wahoo numbers often increase. These are the main two by-catch species encountered when chasing billfish on the troll. If you are lucky enough to find a floating object out at sea there are usually mahimahi and wahoo close by. The FADs have been holding a lot of mahimahi but they are mostly small.

Out further beyond the 100m line March is a great month to chase blue marlin. Trolling a spread of big-skirted lures on 37kg tackle is the usual method. These crazy fish average around 140kg and fishing for them from a small boat is one of the greatest challenges in fishing. They can empty a reel in less than a minute, so it is important to chase the fish with the boat immediately after the hooks go in. I’ve caught quite a lot of blue marlin from my 6m tinny and every one of them has been a challenge. In closer to shore, March is a great month to chase both Spanish and spotted mackerel. Areas such as Palm Beach Reef, Mermaid Reef and the Gravel Patch off Burleigh Heads produce a lot of mackerel this month. Anchoring up and berleying with chopped pilchards can

Most of the black marlin action has been taking place on the wider grounds on the 70-80m line.

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Spaniards will be around in March from 24 fathoms. be an effective method to bring mackerel around your boat, and spinning with metal lures, floating pilchards and live baits are all effective methods. Slow trolling rigged dead baits, such as tailor and bonito, is another very effective method. Perhaps the best method of all, particularly when the fish are shy, is to slow troll live baits using a downrigger. At times, trolling hardbodied minnows and skirts can be very effective, but over the last few seasons this has been the least productive method I know of. There should be a few wahoo starting to appear this month off Tweed. Trolling high-speed skirts, slow trolling live tuna and jigging can all be effective. The spot requires a fair bit of current to fire up, but when the blue water runs hard over the Nine Mile Reef there are usually wahoo around, with quite a few good specimens over 20kg turning up. It is hard to troll too fast for a wahoo, and some Tweed Heads locals commonly troll at around 15 knots! The 36-fathom reef also produces wahoo. Bottom fishing is generally slow this month and is usually affected by current. There should still be a few juvenile snapper, pearl perch, teraglin, mulloway and parrotfish around on the 36 fathom line. Small live yellowtail are a good bait to use. ESTUARIES March is a good month to target whiting, mangrove jack, mulloway and both sand and mud crabs. There should also be plenty of big banana prawns in the lower end of Moreton Bay. The water cools down towards the end of the month and this sees an increase in fish activity. It is also a common time of year to see big dumps of rain or the aftermath of cyclones and rain depressions. This can produce great crabbing and

fishing once the dirty water settles down. After a wet summer crabbing has been good this year. In March the mangrove jack often start to move towards the seaway area. Big schools of adult fish form along the rock walls with most fish being over 50cm long. These fish will eat live baits and jigged soft plastics but are notoriously difficult to get out from their rocky lairs. Further up river, March is a great month to chase mangrove jack on surface lures early in the morning. In the hour around dawn mangrove jack are very active and

month. Small stick baits worked over the flats and good live baits like baby soldier crabs, yabbies, bloodworms and shrimp are all very effective. The run-in tide generally fishes well. As well as whiting expect a few 40-50cm flathead and bream as a by-catch. Casting unweighted yabbies on a rising tide is a great way to work the shallow flats around the Seaway and commonly produces whiting over 40cm long. The Seaway and Jumpinpin entrances produce reasonable numbers of mulloway from

Danny Sands with a nice jack. They will start to move towards the seaway this month. often move considerable distances from cover. Poppers, such as the Storm Chug Bug or the Lucky Craft G Splash, all attract plenty of attention from mangrove jack. Whiting should be in good numbers in the Nerang River, Pimpama River, Coombabah Creek and on the flats around Wave Break Island this

70-100cm this month on live baits and deep soft plastics. There have been a lot of mulloway caught in the last few weeks at the end of the north wall of the Seaway. March is a good month to chase mud crabs and the banana prawns have already started to show in numbers so it all points to an excellent prawn season ahead.

Southern

OLD

Fishing improves as the system cleans up JUMPINPIN

Bo Sawyer

With summer leaving us we can now start expecting things to cool down as we head into autumn. I couldn’t

fishing to improve as well. Mud crabs have been on fire recently and there’s been some good size to them as well. Plenty of fishos have been getting great feeds and the ones I’ve seen have been full and heavy. It’s definitely

Benno has been smashing the crabs around the Pin area.

Benno with a decent flatty caught flicking the shallows. welcome this change enough and I’m really excited to see temps, wind and rain dialled back a little. The fishing has

worthwhile chucking a couple of pots out on the way to your fishing spots, it adds a little excitement to the session knowing you

really well and fresh fish frames or chicken carcasses are a great option. I’ve been seeing thousands of prawns flicking this month, the size isn’t there just yet but it shouldn’t be too far away before we see some good catches. Whiting catches are still going strong. Fishing the lagoons on the northern side of South Straddie has yielded good results using lightly weighted yabbies. Gold Bank or the yabby banks south of the Powerlines are great options as well. Try and keep your bait moving even if that means slowly retrieving your line in the slack water. Light leader is key and I’ve always found

Most of the fish have moved back up the system at the time of writing and, because the water is still dirty, it’s been hard fishing. I’ve still been getting

Mick has been getting onto some nice jacks at the moment.

Jack and Jordan with a tasty feed, great job young fellas.

Mick with a horse flathead caught on a soft plastic. been tough work for the last few weeks, but once the upper system starts clearing up expect the 20

MARCH 2022

might have some big bucks to collect on the way back to the ramp. The whole system has been producing

4lb fluorocarbon to be really good. The flathead fishing has been really tough.

onto a couple of double digit sessions but I’ve had to work a lot of ground and fish hard for those numbers. My pick are the ZMan paddle-tail plastics in the lure department and pilchards, fresh prawns and herring for bait. Google search barometer forecast, I find the bigger fish are more quiet and sitting a little deeper when the barometer is below 1010. If the barometer forecast is predicting levels around 1020 then expect a good bite. With the increased swell it’s been a little tricky chasing jewfish around the pin entrance. If you

do manage to get out on a good day then fish the tide changes in the pin bar and the deeper water off Swan Bay. Soft vibes or 5-6” plastics work well otherwise live mullet, fresh pilchards and big strip bait will get them biting. More often than not though the bigger live baits will get you the better quality fish. Plenty of sharks getting around at the moment as well for the adrenaline junkies. I’ve been losing a lot of live baits to them recently but fresh eel works wonders as well. I’ve had several 2-3m sharks cruise past me in very shallow water out in the pin but you’ll find them anywhere from the Pin mouth all the way up in the Logan. That’s it from me this month everyone, tight lines. • To see more of my fishing adventures on Instagram, follow The Bobo Boat (@ thebobo_boat)

The author with a mid-70cm flatty caught on a 4” ZMan paddle-tail.

Leslie Dam stocked with gold Golden perch fingerlings were recently released into Leslie Dam at Warwick. Warwick District Recreational Fish Stocking Association (WDRFSA) released around 90 000 fingerlings in the dam near structures, providing them with the best chance of survival. Four boats were used in the release, including a Department of Agriculture and Fisheries vessel. Leslie Dam is one of 63 stocked impoundments around Queensland, which provide a sustainable fishing option that reduces pressure on wild fish stocks.

Your SIPS permit fees at work

Know your limits A fisher has been fined $7500 in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to going well over the Spanish mackerel catch limit on two occasions.

The limit for recreational fishers is three per person, and the offender was found on two separate occasions with 14 and 13 excess fish. The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol use a range of resources and techniques to detect such offences, including checking market distribution points to monitor compliance for important species under a quota.

Visit qld.gov.au and search ‘SIPS’ to learn more about fishing in stocked impoundments.

Net-free zone fan

Did you know there are special net-free zones in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton that are closed to all commercial netting? These zones were introduced in November 2015 to increase recreational fishing opportunities, supporting tourism and economic growth in regional areas. Chloe sent in this photo of her 10-year-old son, Taz, who loves to catch-and-release and hook a few grunter and whiting to feed the family occasionally too. “He has experienced first-hand the benefits of the net free zones at St Helens Beach – the size and quality of the fish has improved drastically,” Chloe said.

Species details

Spanish mackerel have a possession limit of 3, or 6 per boat of 2 or more people. Check the rules before going fishing and download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play.

Visit qld.gov.au and search ‘net-free zones’ to learn more about the zones, including maps and regulations.

Download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play

DAF1611 04/2022

fisheries.qld.gov.au 13 25 23 FisheriesQueensland FisheriesQld DAFQld MARCH 2022

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Simon Jukkola caught this nice saratoga in the Brisbane River close to Lowood, on a chartreuse spinnerbait with DieZel MinnowZ trailer. MARCH 2022

Southern

OLD

A good flush of the rivers SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

With plenty of rain around the last month the river systems have had a good flush. Prawns, mud crabs, flathead and whiting are all on the move towards the Jumpinpin and snapper, mackerel and maybe the odd tuna getting around central to northern bay. Summer whiting are in great numbers around the Lone Pine in the Logan and around the sand flats in the power lines area at the mouth of the Logan River. Light lines with fresh baits have been working best. Pumping your own yabbies or gathering small soldier crabs as well as fresh worms will do the trick. If you can find some clean water around the bottom of the tide, long skinny poppers worked fast on top up in the shallows can be a great visual technique and seems to get the

Aquatic Paradise have been producing good numbers. Live baits have been accounting for the majority but there have been a few caught on prawn imitations, like the Zerek

pontoons should see you in with a chance at a fish. The closer to the structure, the better the chance of a bite. School mackerel have been around in a few numbers. The

few reports of some spotties and longtail tuna more north of Harries. Keeping a small slug on the ready is a great idea. The Mustad Mezashi casting jig in the 15-30g sizes

Luke Cameron with a lovely black spot tusk fish.

Jason with a nice soapy on a Zerek Fish Trap. beacons, Rous and Rainbow channels and the northern side of Peel Island are all areas worth a look. There’s been a

have been the standout for me the last couple of months. If you are finding most of the fish are holding deeper then try

trolling the areas holding lots of bait with your slugs behind a paravane. The bay islands have been producing plenty of pan-sized snapper and grassies. Low light periods of dawn and dusk have been the best times around the shallows. Unweighted baits or very lightly weighted soft plastics have been the go. The use of 3-4” lures will get a lot more attention up in

Gold spot cod taken on Mustad Ink Vader. better quality. Mangrove jack have been active this month. The canal systems in Raby Bay and

oat B d e r u t a Fe

Live shrimp fished close to structure. Hardbodied lures or paddle-tailed soft plastics burned along the edge of the

Dan with a cracker Brisbane River thready.

the shallows and help tick the numbers over. Majority of the bigger quality fish have been coming from the deeper water. Harry Atkinson artificial reef, the sunken houseboat or the west artificial reefs at Peel are all worth a try. There’s been a few tusk fish around the shallows of Peel and Mud. You have to make the effort to get the right bait before heading out. Small live black crabs are best bait with big fresh green prawns a close second. If looking for some bigger fish look for some of the isolated coffee rock up the Rainbow channel or any of the coffee rock ledges up around the top of Moreton Island around Cowan. If you’re keen to have a crack on artificial lures, prawn imitations work well, I’ve caught a few on Fish Traps fished really slow or the Mustad Ink Vader’s are a deadly Lure on them on the deeper ledges. If you have a great capture from the southern bay you would like to share email them through to nick@techfishing. com.au. Till next month, Tech-it-easy.

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Southern

OLD

Searching for stability BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

The summer so far has been fairly disappointing weather wise, however anglers have generally achieved good results when they have been able to get out. Wind, rain or both combined have hampered anglers’ chances and enthusiasm to get out onto the water. Many have resorted to a quick land-based fish between bad weather bouts but the boaties have been limited in opportunity, especially those who like to venture further offshore. Hopefully March will offer more stable conditions and anglers will be able to get out and have a crack at some of the prime species on offer. SWEETLIP The last few months have been great for those chasing sweetlip around the bay islands and the shale, rubble and coffee rock patches throughout the Pearl, Rainbow and Rous Channels. There has been a lot of fish in the 30cm to 40cm range

MARCH 2022

Mark with a neat snapper destined for a dinner invite.

Increased baitfish presence will also result in better numbers of pelagic species in the bay during March. Longtails can often be fussy and it pays to try numerous profiles when casting lures.

but a few better models have also shown up. Even a 40cm fish is a chunky little specimen with tasty fillets so these are well worthwhile targeting if you are after a decent feed. Grassies can be caught on both baits and lures. I have scored quite a few recently on soft vibes in the Mud Island and Rous Channel locales and whilst I haven’t bagged out I have scored half a dozen fish at times over 38cm in length. Bait wise, I prefer fresh fillet baits (mullet, pike, gar, tuna or bonito) but squid strips, squid heads, banana prawns, whitebait and hardiheads are all good offerings. These are best fished lightly weighted with the period before dawn often producing the best results on an ebbing tide. The areas around Mud, Green, Peel, King and Goat Island will all produce quality specimens. Those fishing with the lighter leaders and more finesse rigging will generally get the most bites from quality fish however this will also often result in more bustoffs as grass sweetlip are a tough, strong fish that will head straight for structure once hooked. For many, the Qld government size and possession limits can be fairly difficult to follow. It states that sweetlips and emperors both have a minimum size limit of 25cm and a bag limit of 5 per species with the exception of red-throat emperor, longnose emperor and spangled emperor in the category of Coral Reef Fin Fish. Most would read no further and assume then that grassies are 25cm with a bag limit or 5 per species. However, if you continue going through the list then you would see there is another category under Other Tidal Species that lists grass emperor

(sweetlip) with a minimum size of 30cm and a bag limit of 10. Confusing, isn’t it? Anyhow keep this in mind when you are next wanting to look up the size limit for this species. TUSKFISH March is a great month for those chasing tuskfish throughout Moreton Bay. Another prime table fish, tuskfish are around in better numbers than you might think, however you will need the right approach and tackle to have any chance of scoring them. The favoured food source of tuskfish is crabs, although they will occasionally eat other flesh baits and banana prawns. If you are serious about scoring one of the larger

specimens then crabs are highly recommended. Any crab species can be used however be sure to adhere to the relevant size and bag limits. Even a half or quarter sand crab will produce but a whole crab is better. Minimum 50lb line is recommended for tuskies but many serious about catching the larger fish will opt for 80lb to 150lb line. Even on this tackle they still get busted up more often than you would think. In Moreton Bay, tuskies can be caught around the fringes of all the bay islands, along any ledges, wrecks and areas with rubble or coffee rock. Even the more popular artificial reefs hold good

With a good prawning net, you should have no problem scoring a bucket of these tasty morsels during the coming month or two.

OLD

numbers of tuskfish, however few bother fishing it with crab baits and the occasional fish hooked on other offerings will often gain its freedom as anglers are not fishing suitable tackle. The bite from a tuskfish it often fairly delicate but once you strike and set the hook all hell breaks loose and you want a heavy drag and some serious rod work to get the odds in your favour. MACKEREL The prevalence of school and spotted mackerel has been minimal of late, possibly due to the frequent rain that has kept many areas of the western bay fairly dirty. Cleaner patches of water in the eastern side of the bay have often held decent numbers of fish but it has been sporadic. I cant see March being a lot different but it still pays to try your luck jigging beacons with chromed slugs and floating out a pilchard or small live bait when fishing around the island fringes and shipping channel beacons. The Measured Mile beacons are often popular during March for floating pilchards out to target mackerel. Whether it fires this year will depend on water clarity and bait prevalence but at the time of

writing the water was still a little too dirty here, even on the higher tidal stages. Trolling spoons around the Sand Hills area, Lucinda Bay, Rainbow Channel and upper Rous Channel should see a few schoolies landed, especially towards the latter half of March. LONGTAIL TUNA March can often be a great month for longtails with some real quality amongst those landed. A few decent surface feeding schools can be found however many of the better specimens are often taken on live baits. These are fished around the shipping channel beacons north of the Four Beacons, along the Cowan and Comboyuro Ledge and also the Western Rocks area. Surface feeding specimens can randomly be located almost anywhere however try around Gilligan’s Island, Kianga Channel and along the front of Bribie Island. Have an array of offerings at your disposal as you can never be sure what profile they will respond to on any given day. Chromed slugs and slices, stickbaits to around 120mm, pencil poppers, baitfish profiled flies, weighted casting minnows and jighead rigged jerkshad plastics

can all be put to good use. Longtails will often follow the trawlers when they are working so ducking behind the nets and dropping a live bait will often reward. However, also expect

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Whilst most larger tuskfish are caught on crabs, some smaller ones will succumb to other baits and lures. Andrew Tennant caught this tasty specimen recently.

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Southern

OLD

Plum time for prawning NORTHERN BAY

Tackle World Lawnton

After being rather scattered over the early to mid summer season due to fluctuating weather, the prawns have finally decided to turn up in good numbers. What a great way to get an A+ feed for the family.

easy to unsnag a prawn net without damage and a new one can be expensive. As always make sure you stick to the regulations with what you can keep. Currently it’s 10L per person, or 20L per boat, which is a lot of prawns to feed you and the family. Also, there have some good reports of mud crabs and sand crabs moving through the estuaries after

offshore over the next few months to spawn. As time goes, the prawns will become less common further up the creeks and better catches will come from places like out the front of Clontarf Beach and Nudgee Beach. We should also continue to get some good crab catches. There has been some good flush outs due to the storms and rain over summer so hopefully this will continue to get the crabs on the move. Unfortunately for the estuaries the heavy and somewhat frequent rain we received over summer has keep the creeks and waterways a little dirty the further up the systems. Hopefully this should start

to clear up and improve the fishing. In saying that, there have still been some good catches of the regulars such as whiting, bream and flathead. This time of year, bream will be quite active feeding up before they spawn and are a great fish to target on both bait and lures. It’s a great time to try catching bream on surface lures as well. This method has worked well throughout the last few months and March will be no different before it gets colder. Try lures like the Bassday Sugapen, Daiwa Slippery Dog and MMD Splash Prawns for best results. Flathead are still a popular catch this month and should be found scattered throughout the estuaries.

Jamie Rule got a good haul of prawns this month. Most people chasing prawns these days use a 10-12ft chain bottom cast net with the top pocket. It takes a bit of practice, but once you have your casting down pat you will increase the size of your catch. Make sure you keep an eye on your sounder to see what the bottom looks like – it’s not

the rain. Fish frames work great for bait, and make sure you give the pots a good soak to increase your chances of a good catch. RIVERS AND CREEKS This month we should continue to see prawns scattered throughout the estuary but they will start to thin out as they head

Emma Smith with a tasty sand crab.

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If you’re having trouble finding them when using soft plastics, troll around using small hardbodies along the edge of the flats. Once you hit a pattern and find a few. Anchor up and fan cast through that area. A favourite trolling lure for flathead is the Zerek Tango Shad. A nice small profile that seems to get the hits. Just make sure when trolling your diving lure is bouncing off the sandy bottom. This flicks the sand up and attracts the fish. If

Family prawning with the Smiths! it’s bouncing off the bottom you’re in the right spot! This time of year when the prawns are running, it’s also worth sounding around for some larger predators like mulloway and threadfin salmon. If you find them try throwing a prawn imitation lure as that will most probably be what they are feeding on. BAY Even through the weather hasn’t been the best, there have still been some good catches of school mackerel in the usual haunts. It’s always worth heading to the shipping markers and doing a drift by. Floating down a gang pilly is always worth a go. However, I like throwing small metals, like the Halco Twisty lures. Cast to the zone, let it sink to the bottom then a quick retrieve back to the boat. If the fish are present they won’t be able to resist it! Coming out of the hotter months we should also start to see better numbers and size of snapper and grunter turning up on the rubble patches and inshore reefs off Redcliffe. Floating down a pilchard, strip bait or squid should see you getting some action. It’s also worth targeting them on some plastics. Try a big ribbon tail grub plastic or a jerk shad type plastic. If snapper are around, they will be sure to have a go at these. DAMS As mentioned last month

the bass have started to spread out over the dams as they transition a little from the edges to more in the deep as we move into the cooler months. At the moment bass can be caught throughout the systems so the best thing to do is get out there and find them. Bait fishos have been doing well on live shrimp (even though they have been a little hard to get recently) and live African crawler worms. For the lure fishos, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits and small plastics are still the more preferred lures used in the dams this time of year. Lake Kurwongbah is at 100% capacity after all the rain we received, and Lake Samsonvale around 65% (due to water releases), so the dams are looking rather healthy coming out of summer. Hopefully we get some good weather over the next month so we can get out on the water more and enjoy this great time of the year. • For more up to date information on fishing in and around Brisbane call into the guys at Tackle World Lawnton and they can point you in the right direction. The friendly staff at Tackle World Lawnton cater to all levels of experience and offer the widest range of brands at the best prices. They are located at 640 Gympie Road Lawnton (07) 3205 7475 or find us on Facebook and Instagram.

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Terry Davis caught this good Pumicestone Passage bream on the surface.

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Southern

OLD

Plenty of reefies on offer NOOSA

Peter Wells

With the weather not quite playing the game over the summer season many anglers are looking forward to those gentle offshore breezes that we normally get at this time of the year.

are quite often under the schools of tuna feeding in the leftovers. Another option for something a little different is stick baits, take a look at the range of Fish Inc flankers and Shimano Ocea stickbaits. It is always worth changing the hooks over to inline singles for a stronger hook-up and if you want to, a safer release.

coral trout, then live baits are your best bet with a large sinker right at the top of the hook getting that bait right into the reef. Make sure you use heavy leader and that drag is done up tight as you will have to work hard and get them up before the sharks get them. The estuaries have been fishing well, especially in

Archa with a prize jack. There have been come nice catches towards the river mouths.

Jayden Bruckner with a cobia. There have been some standout catches recently. The charter boats have been heading out far and wide when conditions allow and coming back with standout reef fish, including snapper, Moses perch, tusk fish, some quality mulloway, pearl perch, cobia and quality trout. Most of these fish have been taking bigger fresh baits on paternoster rigs and snapper sinkers in 40-60m of water. For mackerel anglers, reports have been a bit hit and miss with some anglers finding a purple patch and others not being able to boat a fish. Most fish have been taken on slow trolled pilchards, gar, sauri or slimy mackerel on Chin Guards or TT Bait trolling rigs that are trolled at very slow speeds. For those in bigger boats that can handle a bit of messy water, the run up to the reefs off Double Island has been worthwhile with large schools of tuna, with plenty of long tails amongst them. Smaller slug to 40g cast to the edges of the schools has been a very successful approach. Another option has been to use flat fall jigs, like the Samaki Choona or Ribcage Jigs. As the name suggests, these jigs will flutter as they fall and look like a dying baitfish and an easy meal for a circling tuna. Letting them sink that bit further may see you with a bigger mackerel that 30

MARCH 2022

For those in smaller craft fishing out of Noosa, the fishing on Sunshine Reef has been very good. Species have included snapper, trout, pearl perch, Venus tusk fish, parrot fish, sweetlip and longtail tuna hitting the decks. If you are after those elusive

the lower parts towards the river mouths. Jacks have been on most river angler’s minds and fishing with live herring on smaller Mustad Ultra Point Hooks has seen some great hook ups. Best times to fish these areas have been early morning or into the evening, and

Harry Haladay with a decent sized 33cm bream.

Mel Ottaway was very pleased with this 51cm jack she caught on a night session.

if you can time this with the start of a run out tide all the better. For the soft plastic angler try using ZMan StreakZ curly tail in the 4” size or the Keitech Easy Shiner in the 4-5” size. Another great way to target these species is to use deeper diving lures, especially if in a boat. Great options to use are the Zerek Tango Shad and the new Rapala Jack Deep lures with 15-20lb fluorocarbon leaders. Trevally and queenfish are making their presence known around the creek and river mouths. These fish are a great target species, and if you love

using surface lures or a fast-moving jig you will be in your element. Be sure to keep your lure on the move and fish over sand flats into the deeper water during a run-in tide. Flathead have been in great numbers throughout the lower reaches of the river, ZMan opening night and motor oil in 3” minnows have been working well. For the bait anglers, white bait has been deadly taking the majority of fish, make sure that you fish your whitebait on small gang hooks this will increase your hook up rate dramatically. For the plastics anglers the second

half of the run out seems to be the most productive. Casting upstream and working back with the tide has bee the best approach. The New Power Pro range of soft plastics have been a hit with the flathead and come in a great range of sizes, shapes, and colours. On the beach things have really improve after some big swells hit the coast over the last couple of months created some great gutters in close. Whiting and dart will be in great numbers feeding on all the exposed pipis and beach worm. This is great new for the younger anglers as most of the gutter are close and an easy cast. Using light rods and line is the fun way to tangle with these fish. A 3-5kg light surf rod and 6-10lb lines to makes casting easier is ideal. Cast to the back of the breaker and let that bait wash under the white water. Dart and whiting love to use this white water as cover and will happily feed on worms, pipis and yabbies. Mulloway and tailor numbers should also improve with the bigger predatory fish feeding on those plentiful whiting and dart. Fishing the incoming tide early morning or into the evening should see the better results. Best baits for those bigger species are mullet fillet, pilchards, bonito fillet and squid. • 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 Tackle World Noosa and Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

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Central

OLD

Grassies on the bite BUNDABERG

Luke Truant

Overall, the fishing has been good over the past month. Unfortunately, the taxman has been a problem on most days, although on Australia Day, most sharks kindly took the day off. I was fishing on a patch a long way from our normal area, and I assumed this isolated area was the reason why we weren’t getting sharked as much as usual (we lost only the very biggest fish). However, it turned out that anglers everywhere had the same positive experience. I’m not sure why the sharks took a back seat, but it was greatly appreciated by everyone who fished that day! We’ve been enjoying some great fishing for Venus tuskfish, with a lot of extralarge fish. We’ve been catching plenty of 5kg+ tuskies, which are good fish in anyone’s book. When it comes to bait, there has been no clear winner for these fish. We have been catching tuskies on a range of different baits, including mullet strips,

hussar fillets and one on a hussar head. In winter it’s a different story; that’s when you get the really large tuskies on live baits. Most of our tuskfish were caught in 40-45m of water on very scattered, very light reef. When you’re sounding around, you should look just for 1-2 pixels of colour (which denotes light red fern or light scattered reef) over a flat, sandy bottom. We were drifting through that kind of country with fantastic results. Bear in mind that small

picker fish, such as whiptails, can be a problem. If you want your bait to last long enough to attract a larger fish, you should put the hook through the bait multiple times. I recommend putting the hook through at least three times, and then push the top of the bait up over the eye of the hook. Start the first hook insertion at the fatter end of the strip, and work your way down to the middle. This will allow your bait to waft and flap about in the current in the most natural way possible,

Anglers have been enjoying some great fishing for Venus tuskfish.

Grassy sweetlip are a prime target in March.

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and your catch rates will increase as a result. Recently I have started using the same 13/0 tuna circle hooks as the pros use for deep dropping, and I can report that these hooks work very well. You can buy a box of 100 for around $30, so they’re pretty cheap, and they hold their sharpness very well. If you haven’t used circle hooks before, they are well worth a try. They make it significantly easier to de-hook the fish, and the fish rarely get deep hooked. We also seem to catch fewer undersize fish on these hooks; it’s nice to not be wasting time with small cod and other undesirables. When using circle hooks, it’s important to resist the urge to strike. If you do strike,

you’ll often pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth. The circle hook can pin the fish all by itself if you give it a chance. Just do a slow lift, and the hook will pivot and pin the fish in its lip. Then it’s game on! When using a J hook, there are also times when you shouldn’t strike. If you’ve got a big bait on and you’re getting what feels like small bites, it’s either a smaller fish nibbling or a big fish being cautions. Either way, you don’t want to strike and get a small fish, or pull the hook out of a big fish’s mouth. Spanish mackerel are still there if you want to put in the effort, and they’re in good sizes too. The average size is 8-10kg and the biggest we’ve caught lately was 16kg, which is a nice fish for this time of year. It’s exciting fishing – so long as you can get them to the boat without the sharks getting excited. You’ll encounter fewer sharks than you would when bottom fishing, but you still have to accept the fact that you’ll lose some of your fish. Most of our Spanish have been caught on Halco Laser Pros, both the 2m and the super deep versions, trolled at 6 knots. The colour doesn’t

really seem to matter, it’s more about what you have confidence in. I prefer bright colours, but that’s just me. If you had to focus on just one species in March, it would have to be grass sweetlip (grass emperor). They will be crazy thick this month – you’ll get them just about everywhere, and the action will continue through April as well. They really love squid, but they’ll eat anything, including whole and half pilchards, mullet and prawns. These fish can be caught in anything from 7-50m of water, generally on scattered reef bottoms. One week they might be in 15m, and the next week they’ll be in 40m. Once you find the depth they’re congregating in, you’ll do better. If you’re targeting grassies and you’re finding them a bit hard to get, you can try fishing a lighter leader, such as 40lb fluoro trace. I recommend you don’t go lighter than that or you’ll just be wasting hooks. Red emperor are still biting, but the sharks are so thick that it can be pointless targeting reds. If you don’t want to feed the sharks, you can target trout in the shallows instead. A depth of

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If you’re having trouble with sharks, try fishing for trout in the shallows.

around 15m is a sweet spot for avoiding the sharks from taking your trout… mostly! As the water cools down in late autumn, you can return to targeting reds in 35m+ of water. When you’re fishing for red emperor I recommend using a rod that has a really soft tip while still having good strength in the mid-section (as opposed to a rod that bends all the way to the butt). The soft, sensitive tip allows you to detect more bites, and the strength lower down lets you impart more pressure and more uplift to set the hooks. When it comes to reels for bottom fishing, my personal preference by far is overhead reels. If I’m getting nibbles I let the rod tip down a bit, and if that doesn’t work, I click the lever and let a metre out and then click the lever back. With a spin reel you’d have to open and close the bail arm, which is less practical. I fish with a Shimano Torium 20 and I’ve never found a bottom fish that I couldn’t stop with it, barring a groper or massive cod. Finally, moving to the estuaries, there is still really good mud crabbing at the moment, and the banana prawns can be targeted in the neap tides, high or low. • 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.

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OLD

Barra action continues MACKAY

Cameron Christian

Barra action will continue through March and high rainfall can be worked around to produce

like the Pioneer River. Additionally, continued rainfall may see crab hauls increase as they move to the mouths of creeks to avoid the freshwater coming in. Fishing guide, Jason from Inshore Fishing

undersize bread and butter species. Big lazy barra will often selectively feed on only the best and juiciest offerings. Meanwhile, salmon can become fixated on jelly prawn, hence Jason suggests ganging up the small prawn or imitating them with curly tail plastics preferencing the natural colours. Prawns may be floated in deep holes or simply noticeably deeper sections in creeks for barra and tight to the structure for jacks. Significant structure at the base of rock walls like those in the Pioneer River can often hold congregations of finger mark and can produce great results with live baits fished tight to the bottom. For persistent lure fishers, neap tides will help to work over solid structure

Patrick with a nice barra caught using a ZMan DieZel Minnow guided by Inshore Fishing Mackay. protected from the run where fish can comfortably congregate both in and around the structure. Using trolling motors with spot lock functionality or heavy weights to anchor

March as conditions begin to transition into winter and the rain finally clears anglers should expect results when trolling for mackerel in areas like the fronts of the Pioneer River,

Peter and Luke Vella with a double hook up of barra and king threadfin salmon. great results. Barra tactics can be tweaked to target other species including jacks, grunter, salmon and fingermark prevalent during March in Mackay systems. High rainfall will continue to boost prawn stocks throughout systems and, consequently, live baiting often produces the best results in systems,

Mackay preferences the neap tides focusing on the bite time around the bottom to incoming tide, using the outgoing and bottom of the tide to gather bait and find where the fish appear to be feeding. Jason recommends matching the hatch for the prize March species, especially when avoiding spending the abundance of prawn on

Diane and Ivan with a couple of quality grunter caught using fresh herring while on charter with Inshore Fishing Mackay. away from the structure is essential to spend a good while and annoy the fish to bite. Alternatively, lure anglers may produce results around rocky headlands like those seen around Seaforth, Shoal Point and Green Island remembering to check zoning. Lures can be trolled slowly using deep divers tight to the bottom for fingermark or at the surface for queenfish noting that it may take several passes to achieve results. Large tides can be productively fished on the flats throughout systems, such as the Pioneer River, Eimeo Creek and the Seaforth area. The flats may be fished for barra, grunter, golden trevally and permit or snub nose dart focusing on the shallowest waters on the incoming tide. Anglers should look for tailing golden trevally and barra and offer surface lures, shallow divers or lightly weighted soft plastics. Toward the end of

MARCH 2022

Eimeo Creek and Mackay Harbour. Flathead will also become prominent during this transition period, casting soft plastics or

flies on the flats mentioned above can produce great results, especially when focusing on the edges of rubble patches with a sandy or muddy bottom adjacent. The most important result of high rainfall through February and March will be the beginning of the breeding season for sooties. As the freshwater begins to flow, the sooties will roe up, get even angrier and congregate in the flowing water. Casting small lures in and around the flowing water can produce serious results with high numbers able to be caught. Through February MAFSA will be gearing up to breed sooties in the hatchery and members will be hanging around the known flows in Kinchant Dam, Teemburra Dam and the upper reaches of the Pioneer River around Marian looking for big females full of eggs. MAFSA are also currently waiting on an order of 40,000 sooties from Barra Bass and Barcoo hatchery, another massive boost to Eungella sooty socks using SIP funds.

Sooties can be so easy to catch when the water is flowing even the author’s infant brother can manage a monster like this on an old piece of stirfry steak. But remember to always try to support the belly.

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OLD

Expect instability in the weather WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

As I sit to write this it’s blowing oysters off the rocks, the sky is dark, angry and threatening to dump its watery contents on us once again. The tropical monsoon is at its annual peak and it should continue for a while yet. Here in the Whitsundays, March is traditionally the most unstable month of the year with regards to the weather and the way this wet season is shaping up, this year should be no different. Before getting into March in depth I’ll have a little re-cap on the last few weeks. As

Chinaman, not a desirable species for most anglers but at this size and on light line this was a cool fish.

Summer is tough for pelagics but luckily there have still been a few of these guys about. is typical for summer most pelagic species are scarce and the few pelagics that we’ve caught have been opportunistic captures, as in they haven’t been specifically targeted. One of the few pelagic species that I can normally single out and have a good go at through summer is grey mackerel and this season they have been noticeably hard to find. A few golden trevally, the occasional mediocre sized queenfish and a couple of tuna have been the only pelagics to find the hooks in recent weeks. It’s been all about reef fishing to put a few fish in the esky. The ‘kill and grillers’ have enjoyed it, that’s for sure, there have been some nice feeds coming home. As far as what species we’ve been getting is concerned, there has been a little of everything coming aboard. One fish that I thought we would have caught more of is fingermark, but they are currently hard to come by, hopefully this month we will get amongst them. At the opposite end of the scale, one fish that we have caught more than normally expected has been large mouth nannygai. On the inshore grounds they have been scarce since Cyclone Debbie but just recently they have started to appear again, and in good numbers. This is awesome to see and I sure hope this trend continues. I haven’t come across any real monsters just 40

MARCH 2022

That’s a good indication of how much attention those tasty little morsels are getting at the moment. And why not, there’s plenty of them to go around, they really are a sustainable species when caught recreationally. It’s just a shame that we only get to enjoy them for a couple of months of the year. There are presently plenty of mud crabs to be caught also and they are also commanding a lot of attention from fishers. There are pots everywhere from both recreational and commercial sectors. With the continual hammering they get all year

is the fish at the top of the discussion list amongst local anglers. So far this wet season we have had good regular rain but no major deluges, meaning that to date our local river systems have been consistently fishable. Also it means that there are still good numbers of barramundi residing in the creeks and they haven’t all bolted for the ocean. When these fish are in the estuaries they are a lot easier to locate and catch than when they are out in the open. However, I really enjoy hunting these fish when they out on the beaches and rocky headlands as they are lean, mean and go like scolded cats, but it can be hard work trying to locate them. As I write this, the barramundi season has only just hit full speed but already there are some cracking fish getting caught. This won’t last

Grey mackerel have been hard to come by this summer.

Get into the coral trout this month, they should be right up in the shallows.

Sweetlip will be a pretty reliable target species this month. nice honest table fish around the 50-55cm mark and there have been plenty of them, which has kept anglers happy. The other area attracting a lot of attention from our local angling fraternity recently has been the estuaries. Especially now that the barramundi season is open, the ‘tinny’ brigade are hitting the creeks in force. Moving onto March now and I’ll continue with the creek scene as that’s where a lot of action is going to be this month. The last couple of decent southeasters have blown the prawns in, and in big numbers at that. I was in town a few days ago at the tackle shops stocking up on various items and it was noticeable everywhere I went that the cast net shelves were akin to that of the dunny roll section in the supermarkets.

round it just amazes me as to how much of a resilient fishery it is. They keep reproducing and coming back providing us all with feed, year after year. Let’s move onto barramundi now and that

forever so if you’re keen to get your hooks into a saltwater barramundi now is the time to do it. Once the water temperatures start to drop these fish will start to become less active. Righto, let’s get out of the creeks now and get into what’s going on around the islands. I don’t expect there to be lot of change to what’s been happening recently except for hopefully the fingermark firing up. I won’t be devoting a lot of time to pelagics until the water temperatures start to cool. Once the water does start to cool, however, they should fire up like a little beauty. For the moment though, around the islands, it going to be

about reef fish. In the Whitsundays it doesn’t matter where you go around the islands or the mainland there are fringing coral reef everywhere and on any of that reef there are piles of coral trout and sweetlip.

holding tight to any structure. They could be out and about anywhere searching for their prey so as anglers hunting them we have to be doing the same thing. There we go, I hope the weather is kind to us all this month. I’m sure we won’t get through it all without a deluge or two and some wind, so when the good days are there be sure to make the most of it and enjoy some time on the water. • 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.

Notice how half the caudal fin is missing. It didn’t seem to worry the fish though, as it still provided a hell of a challenge for the big fella.

Nannygai catches are finally on the rise again since they copped a flogging from Cyclone Debbie.

Out a little further around the outer edges of any offshore islands, I am hoping that there will be some activity on the deeper rubble and fern patches. Nannygai, grunter, black jew and hopefully a few fingermark should also be around. When you are targeting any of these guys remember that they are all foraging species and, as such, they won’t necessarily be

For 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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OLD

A good mix of species TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

With just enough rain to make the rivers dirty, but not flood, we somehow avoided most of the serious weather that was predicted for the opening of barra season. For a rec angler, this was bad news because we often count on there being enough rain to stop the nets going in while the barra do their spawning. Not this year that’s for sure, and commercial fishers from all over converged on the Townsville area as it became open season. I know, I know, the pros have to make a living and I do agree with that, but I don’t like the concentration of nets in a reduced area. I’d love to see the season opening pushed back a month, as the decent rain associated with the spawn is usually in February. Anyway, on with the report. Apart from the productive mangrove jack fishing we have had over the last couple of months, it’s the grunter that have been the main talk in recent weeks. For me, the lures are the way to go, and I rarely fish bait these days unless I chuck one out the front of camp. Surface lures have been producing plenty of spectacular bites, and my young fella Tannhym has been braining them on his favourite 60mm Roosta Popper. He is pushing the limits with his tackle though; he’s getting lighter and lighter with his gear all the time, with surprisingly consistent results. The last of the run-in has been working the best for us on the smaller tides, and when the water hits the right height, it’s game on. Another lure that plays a big part in our selection is the Bassday Sugapen, which is a 90mm stickbait. There seems to be a pattern as to which lure will work better on a particular day. The dirty stuff typically sees the Roosta reign

supreme, while in the clearer stuff the Sugapen seems to do very well. That’s not a hard and fast rule though, just a general pattern. For the grunter hunters, live and dead baits have been working well. With the prawns finally showing up in more reasonable numbers, they’re going to be the best you can get. Slab baits of squid and mullet fillets have been catching larger fish, but numbers wise, it’s the livies that win. Old school specialists love the greenback herring butterfly filleted, and big gar fillets rigged on two 4/0 suicides, so which rig and bait you use is up to you, just make sure it’s

in blades. I use blades in the deeper stuff because they hold down a bit better in the run. Obviously with barra season open now, the deep stuff is going to put you in contact with plenty of barra also, but the lighter leaders needed for the grunter may give you a few tense moments. Fingermark too will get in on the deep action, and once they get used to the initial fresh and you can find the deeper holes in local systems, they’re usually quite easy to get a bite from. A big one for the creeks is over just 50cm, but my god there isn’t a better eating fish in my opinion. Salmon schools have been

Shannon Hanson with a beautifully marked trout. Offshore fishers are cleaning up at the moment.

For some reason the red and silver colour scheme on the Atomic Twitcher 110 is a great barra colour in the fresh. often caught. Plenty of people love the taste of bream, and on light line these fish give a good account of themselves. Many people up north say that barra are way overrated on the plate, but I’d have to disagree. We are, however, quite picky about the barra we do neck for the table. The fish has to be silver chrome with a yellow tail to make its way onto our dinner plate. These characteristics are an indication that they’ve been in the salt for an extended period of time, and it makes all the difference. This extended time in the salt purges any residual traces left over from the fish’s days in freshwater. Barra should be bled instantly and put straight on ice, and if treated properly they will freeze well. IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ‘EM, EAT ‘EM Thankfully, people are starting to realise that shark

as fresh as you can get. It does prove though that they’re more catchable than you may think if they’re around your area. If lures are your thing, then small prawn imitations, small vibes and blades are very hard to beat for grunter, and the this is our go-to method when the barra and jacks are up in the unreachable snags on the bigger tides. I’m a big fan of the Atomic Semi Hardz 40mm for grunter and the same size

MARCH 2022

pics of are around 3.5kg and bigger, which is a bloody good tricky. When you find them, you can get your bag limit in quick time. There are reports of massive schools hammering the reef fishos, and that’s just awesome to hear. Red-throat emperor have beautiful white flesh when treated in the right way, and they also freeze well, so it’s win-win when you find them. Apart from the traditional

A big jack taken by Tannhym Hodge on a 60mm Roosta popper cast in tight against the mangrove roots. Quick reflexes are needed to get these fish out.

This salmon couldn’t resist a 70mm Bill’s Bug fizzer.

When the water clears up, natural coloured presentations are very effective. This 4” Prong in Carolina pumpkin is a consistent colour for us, with orange Protec powdercoat on the lead weight.

usually not needed these days. When it comes to the taste of shark flesh, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Just remember that sharks, as with any fish, need to be treated well if you want to maximise their culinary potential. There are many YouTube videos on shark preparation, so it’s not difficult to learn from experienced sharkies. Offshore the electric revolution is well and truly

quite regularly intercepted if you keep your eyes open (they are often mistaken for tarpon schools). They’ll take a wellplaced plastic prawn imitation, small diver or even surface presentation when they’re feeding, and they put on quite the show with hard runs and high jumps. Salmon are regarded as a medium quality eating fish, and we release all of ours. Another species that meets with mixed opinions is the good old bream. Up north, it’s the pikey bream that’s most

flesh isn’t too bad either. With the amount of sharks stalking the rivers, creeks, reefs and bays nowadays, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting a good feed of them. Legally, you’re allowed one shark per person under 1.5m in length, and there are plenty of them around so go for it! Usually the easiest way to find one is to hook a fish you really want to land, and a shark will promptly eat it. However, if you want to specifically target sharks, they respond very well to a slight amount of berley, though it’s

underway, and with each passing week more and more anglers are gearing up with powerful electric outfits to beat the sharks in offshore locations while chasing more desirable species like nannygai, trout and red emperor. Catch rates on average have increased by over 80% according to our customers, so there’s no arguing with the worth of the financial commitment. Just a quick note though on appropriate hooks for the deep dropping thing. Strong circle hooks in 8\0 to 10\0 sizes are ideal due to the fact that you don’t get to strike with the rod in the gunwale, and circles load up in the corner of the mouth nicely. Red-throat emperor (also called trickies and red-throat sweetlip) have shown up in huge numbers, and they are good size fish too. The average we’ve been seeing

bait fishing techniques that have always worked on them, red-throat emperor are suckers for a jig, soft vibe or soft plastic put anywhere near their nose. Their fighting ability is renowned, with 30-40lb jigging or soft plastic outfits considered sporting. Back when I used to target them a bit, it was 30lb braid and 40lb fluoro leader, and I’d still get done regularly enough to call it challenging. The upside to this style of fishing is that your by-catch of trout and other desirable species is quite high, so expect a mixed bag. As you can imagine, the faster you can land them the better, before they get eaten by a shark. All in all it should be pretty good fishing up this way for the foreseeable future – just make sure you check bag limits and other regulations, because there have been a couple of changes in recent times.

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OLD

Barra on the move HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

It’s that time of year again where the rain is very unpredictable and patchy. Some calm weather periods have been inviting to get a little further out, but the incredibly high humidity levels help create those isolated squalls that can develop right on top of you.

rivers. If you want to chase those bigger models (from 80cm to 1m+) you will have to venture out in more open areas and use the larger tides that get them holding in backwaters or travelling headland rocky spits. Quite often this time of year, a lot of Cardwell locals catch some real stonkers off the main foreshore. Setting live baits of mullet or large herring out into current or into a backwater or casting shallow divers into the dirty fringes is where you

mark have come on board in February but nothing much larger than that. Live baits of mud herring and mullet have been working the best as well as vibes. Anglers chasing fingermark are probably better looking in areas around the outer Hinchinbrook Island, Gould and Garden Island areas. Freshwater inundations from recent weeks will push them further out from the coastline as they are a species that don’t

A beautiful example of a March chrome specimen.

Barra have been on the bite during the good weather periods. At the time of writing, I would have thought we would have had more rain and flooding events than what we have had currently; but you never know, the end of the wet season could go out with a bang with some very heavy rainfall. Barra have been on the bite during the good weather periods with some good-sized ones being caught. At Hinchinbrook during March you will find that the smaller male barra will start to head back up the creeks and

will get a better chance if you want to crack that larger fish. Obviously watching what bait schools are doing in the area and if any surface activity from them feeding is a big thing to keep an eye out for. This time of year sees a lot more large tidal runs than say July or August, so these open water tactics will be your best bet. Threadfin salmon have started to show up here and there but getting the bite out of them has been quite difficult. Some models around the 70cm

like freshwater that much. Anglers should also be careful of this time of year during the large high tides and also if any flooding occurs with presence of logs and debris floating on the surface. Can be a nasty experience to encounter if fishing at night. I have been a little more occupied off the water this year while working on my new offshore charter vessel project, which is very frustrating to say the least with logistic problems

Smaller male barra will start to head back up the creeks and rivers this month. created by Covid. There are so many hoops to jump through with these sorts of things that it isn’t funny. I’m sure it’s just a little short term pain for long term gain, but in the end there is bound

to be a stack of fun, fish and photos to come out of it. • If you’re looking to do a barra charter with us for this year’s barra season, 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.

All good on eastern front PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

Since the New Year we enjoyed some much needed traffic from the tourism sector, and we are glad to report it delivered in spades in FNQ. Reef fishing was extremely popular and our vessels produced all and sundry aided by mostly great weather. It was a mixed bag of species led at the top by red emperor, nannygai and coral trout as the preferred target species. Then it was backed up by an array of species including gold spot and golden trevally, cobia, reef mangrove jack and spangled emperor. To add to the equation and pretty much out of the ordinary, we 44

MARCH 2022

also experienced a run of the exotic tomato cod (as colourful as strawberry trout but even prettier), schools of honeycombe cod to 45cm, and also 70cm gold band snapper species in numbers as well. These last three mentioned species are typically the exception rather than the norm. It never ceases to amaze what the Great Barrier Reef can produce on any given day. If the good weather prevails we can’t see much difference in what we are able to achieve. However, our next month or so may throw a spanner in the works if the weather pattern decides to change. Light tackle efforts surface fishing, once again aided by mostly calm days, produced some ripping giant trevally to the 20kg+ mark as well as shallow reef trout, long nosed emperor and red bass.

There’s always something for the elite sport fishers to have a decent crack at with our selection of quality vessels. It is a very popular request nowadays but it is a very much one-on-one experience between angler and guide. As many would already know, we have had our fair share of rain to rejuvenate our rivers, creeks and coastal beaches over a few serious downpours. Typical 10” rain in 24hrs has occurred at certain times. But what it has done is move around a dormant fishery into a lively one. Our guide on the World Heritage Daintree River has seen the vast improvement before his eyes. Barramundi are ignited, mangrove jack are super aggressive and there’s been a typical run of big fingermark and javelin fish. It has been a plethora of top quality sportfishing. To page 45

Further research is going into shark deterrent mechanisms to avoid things like this happening.

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Monsoon March sparks great fishing in NFZ CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

March is always a top time to be fishing the net free zone. February usually sees the biggest amount of rainfall and this will start to ease in intensity as we move into March. This will mean the creeks and rivers will begin to slow a little and even begin to clean up if the rain stops for a while. This can really spark the fishing up, especially in places like the Trinity Inlet, which always cleans

are in the right spot. I love picking out the big tides this time of year and fishing the run out in the drains. It’s a sure-fire way to get hooked up on some great barra and even the smallest drains can hold some awesome fish. Barra aren’t the only fish on the run this time of year and the threadfin salmon continue to build in big numbers out the front between Machans Beach and Trinity Beach. It has been a cracking start to 2022 for these fish, which have been in big numbers. The Net Free Zone has seen big numbers of these

Big threadies love the rain and they have been chewing hard on the beaches.

Use your sounder to find the schools of threadies before casting. up quickly due to having no catchment intake. If this does happen, the barramundi will be feeding hard along the dirty water lines, drains and mud banks. Look for signs of creek prawns flicking along the edges and if you find them you

fish return to the area and lots of recreational anglers are enjoying these trophy fish. They are best targeted using vibe style lures but prawn imitations or slowly worked soft plastics are also a great option. I prefer to fish around the tide changes and to target larger schools

hard. Jacks love to sit in these slack water areas and wait for bait to come past before ripping them apart. Make sure your leader and line is up to the task as these fish will blow you away if they get a chance. I have been using the new Sunline X Plasma of late and it is an awesome braid. Doesn’t hold water, is super thin and tough and is so awesome to cast. Getting your lure in the right spot is three quarters of the challenge and this stuff makes it so easy. Next month we should see even further easing of the monsoon unless we have a late burst. If the place dries up the fishing will become much easier and more consistent, which would be awesome. If not, it’s more of the same from this month.

of fish. I take my time scanning around on my Humminbird Gen4 Helix to find the bigger schools before wetting a line. The other fish that will be firing is the mighty mangrove jack. These guys are going to be tight to structure this time of year so a well-aimed cast with a 3-4” plastic paddle-tail will be ideal. You may have to use a little bit more weight this time of year if the creeks are running. This time of year is all about targeting the backwater of snags, which aren’t running

Jacks will be tight to structure, so cast accurately and make sure your line can hold up to these hard running dirty fighters.

705 Sportsfish Arvor 705 Sportsfish NOW IN STOCK! HEAVILY FACTORY OPTIONED

Barramundi will be feeding hard, especially in the drains on the big tides. From page 44

Once again, rainfall is important but not over the top. We remain in the laps of the weather gods but if we get our way, look out. To finish up I’ve been part of the QLD Fishery Advisory board for nearly two years and glad to announce that with the assistance of Chad Ludrow and Jaeden Vardon we have secured

a grant to research the shark depredation problem we have noticed considerably in tropic waters over several years. On our Dragon Lady charter vessel we will use a shark deterrent mechanism this year to help prevent losing valuable fish stocks to our toothy counterparts. We are already set up to supply critical information to research in regards to building this database in

relation to shark species analysis of depredated fish retrieved to the vessel. The next exciting step is to see if the devices prevent this shark activity occurring and ultimately see that they will reduce the amount of incidents that have grown considerably as mentioned. At the end of the day, we wish to sustain our fishery best we can as a recreational sector.

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MARCH 2022

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Harvest time in the rain COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

So much rain, and the rivers are flushing out lots of tasty mud crabs with great captures of some monster specimens. The pots have produced well with feast after feast of these great tasty crustaceans. We have had lots of family meals of chilli mud crab that have been divine. This month should still see lots of rain and it can be our biggest rainfall month for the year so getting out and putting a few pots in is a must. One of the advantages of this time of the year is that there are usually lots of fresh bait provided by the endless trips out to the reef. Coral trout frames fit nicely in a crab pot but the favourite bait would have to be trevally; I suspect it’s because I don’t fillet it and it has plenty of meat on it to attract them. Don’t get me wrong I’m not wasting fish, as some trevally can be so red inside and taste so fish oily that they are best to use for crab bait. In fact, the only one I eat is the golden trevally, which has some nice white meat but it still needs a lot of trimming. There also seems to be so many trevally around so taking some for crab bait would be fine. I only take a few and release the rest. Trevally are very easy to release and that’s why poppering for them is such a great sustainable fishery. One

some trophy fish have been around. Although numbers are low, some great fish have been caught. Recently we had a 10.89kg trout caught

to the fish, so unsure how it would work. There has been some talk about nannygai being the next to be looked at, which

A decent sized GT for Dan. is great to see some concern about our future fish stocks, as long as it’s done correctly. I’m all for fishing for the future generations, as I often worry about whether we are contributing to the demise in stocks for some species to critical levels. Let’s look at sustainable practices that are from in-depth research. The local wharf has been

The family love eating seafood, especially chilli mud crab. and there are not too many times a fish of that size is seen. So there are still some monsters out there. The mackerel fishing has been hit and miss lately but still producing some nice fish. It’s been reported that the fishery is going to get a shake up and will proposal a ban to Spanish mackerel fishing after June this year. I know there has been some debate about it but I’ve noticed a big drop in their numbers over the years and acting now might be a good

inundated with fresh run-off running down the river, which makes it hard to fish as bait is very scarce. Throwing a cast net is the best option but it will take some casts to find the bait. Once things settle down then the fishing will improve and should see some nice fish getting caught there. There will still be some nice barramundi around

and active due to the hot weather, so although fishing windows will be small they will also produce. Anyway, lots of options available at the moment and I can’t wait until the roads north start to dry out and the opportunity to go check out some of my favourite areas to lure for barramundi become accessible.

Get out before the wind blows CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

March is perhaps the last month in the Cape we can expect light winds to be able to go boating offshore. Come May and heading into the winter months, the dry season trade winds begin to pick up. So let’s

head offshore for a last look at what might be happening. The east coast of the Cape will have some very good fishing on the inshore reefs and shoals during the mornings, especially around the change of tide. Largemouth nannygai and fingermark will be two species in high pursuit. Both feed veraciously in 12-25m

Black jew hang around the river mouths post wet season.

Expect grey skies and light winds in March.

of water over on the east coast and between around 5-20m in the Gulf. If baitfish are hanging around the deeper shoals, expect to run into queenfish, cobia, tuna and a host of

All this rain has flushed out the mud crabs. new arrival to Cooktown, Dan, loves chasing them and was rewarded with a great specimen recently on one of the local reefs. What a great way to get welcomed to town. The reef has been a little slower lately but 46

MARCH 2022

thing. However a blanket ban is hard to swallow but even a temporary closure for a year or 2 might be good but trolling would need to stop as I haven’t seen too many mackerel released easily and most would result in death

A trout taken on a plastic in 20m of water.

trevally species. Fishing jigs, vibes and soft plastics can be very effective combined with modern spin outfits. Locating bait on the sounder before vertically fishing them below the boat. In particular on the Gulf side of the Cape, schools of fish move around in rocky and shoal country, foraging as they go and smashing up midwater bait. Following the contour lines can be a sure way to locate both the bait and predators. As with most types of fishing, having some run should increase the amount of activity. There is something about finding small amounts of structure in wide open spaces. These paddocks, as we like to think of them, with quite desolate stretches of flat sandy or muddy substrate To page 47

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Magic March marvels LUCINDA

Jeff Wilton jeffwilton83@hotmail.com

It’s March already and you can bet it will be pretty damp here in North Qld. The fishing can prove slightly difficult with potentially plenty

channel will be dictated by the amount of freshwater pushing out of the Herbert and Seymour rivers. Both these rivers have the ability to pump out loads of dirty freshwater making the channel resemble a brown un-fishy looking area. If this is the case then it is a great idea to head north towards

Vinnie locked up in the deep. of freshwater pumping through the channel as the mighty Herbert River does its thing. It is still worth throwing some rods in the boat and getting out there though, as the unstable weather can do wonderful things in terms of fish wanting to feed. HINCHINBROOK CHANNEL The fishing in the From page 46

actually hold plenty of food for foraging fish. Some piece of structure in the vicinity, regardless of how small it is, will often concentrate schools of fish. Getting them to bite is sometimes a different story. On the east coast as you head out towards the outer reef, contours, depressions, deep gutters and shoals will concentrate a lot of fish, usually in that 20-40m zone. This is prime area for coral trout, red emperor, Chinaman fish, red bass and a range of trevally and cod species. Fishing areas of concentrated fish then moving around from spot to spot will help keep fish feeding actively when they are in the mood. A switch up to bait might be needed if you are staying put. Some of the shallower reef country might be a little challenging throughout March. Warm water temperatures up on top and in the shallows often drives fish a little

the Cardwell end in search of clearer waters. Normally you can find okay looking areas in the middle of Benjamin flats so pack some extra fuel and explore a little. Be on the look out for areas that have distinct colour lines, where clear water meets dirty water pushing off mud banks and drains. This is the type of water fish feel comfortable in as it gives them cover from deeper off the edges. Some of the inshore pelagic fishing might also be a little quiet. But as things settle down into dry season patterns, expect this activity to really pick up. The barra fishing throughout March is usually excellent, but a lot will depend on the status of the wet season. Late heavy rains can often spoil the party this time of year and a cyclone is also very much on the cards. Generally, however, the creeks and rivers along the west coast of the Cape will be charged with freshwater and typically the barra fishing will be very good. Pay particular attention to drains and colour changes in the rivers where side branches enter main systems. Make use of March to reach and fish some of the places that will become more challenging throughout the dry season. Quite soon, you will be lamenting missed opportunities when those sou’easters and southerly winds start their inevitable engines for the next six months.

predators and the perfect spot to ambush baitfish. Small creek mouths are perfect examples of this and also double as fish highways where they will move around with the tides. The hot humid days are perfect for chasing barra and jacks, and Hinchinbrook is re-known for dishing up some great action on both. The jack fishing here can be first class with plenty of fish sitting up the creeks waiting for a well-presented lure or soft plastic. Jacks are also easy to target with baits, and tying up or anchoring whilst drifting some baits into the snags can be a very enjoyable way to land a few fish. It has been many years since I chased jacks on bait as I am now 100% into soft plastic fishing but drifting unweighted half pilchards into big snags was really good fun and also a deadly technique. The summer run means warm water and also the chance to tangle with some big grunter as they are one species that does not mind the influx of fresh water. Fishing the smaller tide changes on dark with fresh baits should see rods getting bent. Grunter can be found up the creeks and in the channel itself, look for bottom that is rubbly and if your anchor is bringing up shell grit then you’re in a good area. Also, if you are catching catfish, which although annoying, also means there should be grunter around as well. Fresh squid, prawns or sardine baits are deadly and use smaller hooks as grunter have smaller mouths. Also,

Toni always seems to find solid jacks. when they are biting they tend to pick the bait up and move away with it whilst swallowing so giving them a little slack line before setting the hook should see better hook-up rates. JETTY, ISLANDS AND REEF The jetty will have plenty of boats anchored up, especially over night as anglers chase the run of

grunter that will move with the tide. Getting comfortable setting a few baits and waiting for a rod to buckle is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours and bring home some tasty fish for dinner. The odd fingermark bream will also make its way into the esky, especially if you’re using live sardines or squid for bait. For the fishos that enjoy chasing

Molly-Rose with a classic Hinchy barra, only small but lots of fun. fish on lures then targeting the resident trevally and queenfish is hard to beat. Use your sounder to locate bait schools and put some

popular for escaping the heat and going for a swim, keep in mind it is well into stinger season and these guys can be found out there. Stinger suits are a must and every boat should have a few litres of vinegar on board at all times. Summer months can mean the longtail tuna or northern blues can show up and if you’re lucky enough to get a small lure in front of feeding fish then hold on. These fish rip plenty of drag and will do circle work around the boat for hours if you don’t have gear that can turn their heads towards the boat. They also make great sashimi if dealt with properly, bled well and put straight onto ice they are a real treat. Hitting the reef shouldn’t be problem as normally the winds are pretty good. No matter the forecast the northerly sea breeze will blow up around lunchtime everyday and can be pretty uncomfortable. The chance of very nasty storms building up overnight and charging out towards the reef can turn a perfect night into chaos very quickly. It is always a good idea to have a safe anchorage planned inside a reef or in the lee of a reef in case something nasty

Nannygai are suckers for a well-presented plastic.

Saratoga will be fired up and feeding.

time into working that area as the predators won’t be far away. Make sure you’re prepared as big fast fish and hundreds of pylons is a recipe for plenty of bust-offs. The islands will be most

decides to rear up. The reef fishing is always good up here obviously some days are better then others but in most cases it’s not too hard to find a few fish willing to eat a bait. MARCH 2022

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Fishing alters with the changing season We will soon start to see some changes in fish behaviour across the lakes. It may be the change of season this month but the weather will

TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook has fished well and it was the best summer period for many years. Don’t be fooled into thinking catching them is easy as the fish can still be tough. They have their preferred bite times, which are often shortened when they are under angling pressure. The better than average action should

fish taking more interest in bigger profiled spoons and slow jigs. You’ll need to pack the whole tackle box full of different presentations this month and play around until you find what they prefer. Around the edges of the lake, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and lipless crankbaits will still produce but mix it up and try hopping blades and rolling soft plastics as well. I find a good inbetween lure is a 3”

dictate how soon the shorter days and environmental influence takes effect on our watery friends. Fish, like barra and

cod, will spend more time venturing up into the shallow cooler waters. Bass tend to change their feeding habits from the past few months

and golden perch will slowly taper off and be less willing to chase faster presentations. This can make fishing a bit harder but there are will be

some lakes where the fishing is slower to change and they just keep chewing. Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel.

caught by anglers rolling and hopping the Rator Jig. The 30g Slow Blatt would also do the trick if these bass are liking the bigger baits. Again, it’s that tricky time of year so mix it up and try smaller 20g offerings to see if a reduction in size helps. • Fish’n’Bits in Toowoomba has all the gear and tips on how to chase the Cressy fish. They are an excellent store specialising in all freshwater lures and tackle. If you want an early or late session, don’t forget the longer open hours

and they will return to the flats and drop offs near the old riverbed. This means the start of a Somerset session could involve an hour or two of sounding to find where the fish are. Looking around The Spit and Pelican Point should locate either suspended fish out deep or close to the bottom in 8-9m of water on the flats and drop offs. Where you find them will help dictate lure selection but we should soon start to see a mix of techniques working again. Trial and error can certainly pay off as the fish transition between seasons. When the bass are found closer to the bottom in under 10m of water, try casting and trolling chatterbaits. The Spectre Vibration Jig in the 5/8 size and darker colours is a favourite of many anglers. Spinnerbaits can also work well on these schooling fish. At times they’ll be a bit tricky to find but if you

tails around the 3” size are perfect. Spoon fishers can’t go past the 18g Nories wasabi or 20g Hot Bite Gang Banger. There’s a range of good tail spinner options but I’d opt for the Nories or Hot Bite ones again in the 18g weights as they seem ideal for reaching the fish and staying in the zone. Regardless of lure choice, the critical element is lure presentation and placing it at the correct depth. Suspended bass can be very particular about where they sit in relation to the thermocline. If you are too shallow, too deep or only passing through the productive zone briefly you will be greatly reducing your chances of catching fish. Once their holding depth is established, learn how to count down your chosen lure and keep it in the zone. This could mean driving away from the fish to find some bottom the same

boat speed or alter the amount of line you have out to alter the depth of the presentation until you get it spot on. Hardbody trolling is usually still good at time of year. If the bass are focused on smaller baitfish, the action will be a lot slower and you may need to switch to plastics or tail spinners. When choosing hard bodies, try to match the lure depth to that of the fish. Up around Kirkleigh end the golden perch numbers will be higher. Trolling hardbodies along the drop-offs to the main river to the north of Kirkleigh should produce a mix of goldens and smaller bass. You can even venture up into the standing timber and work similar drop off edges. Golden perch numbers should be pretty good for

It will be worth a look for suspended bass this month at Somerset. As it cools they should move back onto flats and hard structure. You’ll need to fish each location differently to maximise your catch. continue but with the change of season, they will change their mood and different techniques may come into play. Lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits and vibration jigs were dominating catches but there were already signs of things starting to change with

paddle-tail soft plastic rigged on 3/8oz jighead and a beetle spin. It offers the fish a little of both lure styles but is still more subtle than your standard sized spinnerbait or chatterbait. Out deeper on the points, schooling fish should be keen on spoons and metal jigs. Some good numbers were

are to 6am to 8pm. SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Somerset bass made a move last month and suspended in deep water. Sometimes these fish are happy to stay out there and feed up while other times their stay in the deep is brief

Gary’s Marine Centre

3201 6232

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL 48

MARCH 2022

It’s not a bad month to target Murray cod in the Queensland lakes. The shorter days will see them spending more time in shallower water. look in the usual spots and focus on any form of timber or rocky structure, the fish could be there. They seem to like feeding up on crays at this time of year. The fact the fish had moved out wide and suspended could be due to a fresh hatch of smaller baitfish after the continuing rain events. If this food source can keep up to them the fish could just stay out there where they will suspend at the most comfortable level around the thermocline. These deep water suspending fish like a different approach and will be keen on presentations like soft plastics, spoons and tail spinners. When using plastics, rig them on 1/2 or 5/8oz jigheads. Paddle-

depth as they are holding and counting down and working lures across it to learn how to maintain the same depth out in the open water. Trolling soft plastics and tail spinners is another option, especially when the fish are scattered through the deep areas. Working them at around 2km/h will give them a good action and get you close to the zone. You can either play around with

the next couple of months before they start to taper off. • Somerset Fishing has 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. somersetfishing.com.au . They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch.

DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA The lake was closed last month by Toowoomba Regional Council due to high algae readings.

Pressure has been placed on the council to update their out-dated levels to be in line with other water controlling bodies. We are hoping to see some progress this month.

OLD

CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE The barra have been a bit harder to tempt over the last few months. The taller weed bed strands are difficult to fish and chances are big numbers of barra are hiding in them. There have been less fish just outside the weed beds with a most being found out suspended in deeper water. As the days cool off a bit and get shorter, the fish

should start to push back into the shallower areas of the lake. Points and bays will again come back into play. This transition may take some time. The deeper water areas should produce well until the fish are ready to move. Try to find points or bay entrances very close to the main river channel. These are far more obvious where the water is shallower up past Dingo Island in the Boyne River arm. Look for similar areas around the mouth of the

Iveragh Creek system. Casting soft plastics and swimbaits will get the bites when the fish are located. The best action is likely to be early morning or late in the afternoon. Trolling hardbodies and soft plastics to deeper fish should also do the trick. Out from the dam wall and in the mouth of Iveragh Creek is a good place to start. You will need to cover a lot of water in this vast area to locate the fish. If you manage to find good numbers, expect some good sessions. Midmorning

Blake Ehrlich hooked this 113cm Callide Dam barra trolling. The hit was unreal, it snapped the rod and rod holder on the strike. He was lucky enough to grab it before it went overboard.

Awoonga barra should start to move in a bit shallower at night this month. The points close to the riverbeds will be worth a look.

Maryann Bonello had the best day on the water when she caught her first ever Spanish mackerel on lure at Karumba.

through to afternoon is a good time to try your luck. Start with hard bodies like the Predatek Viper, 5m RMG Scorpion and 10ft Barra Classic. These can be trolled at 6km/h to cover heaps of water while studying your sounder. Side image is the best tool for locating fish at this speed. You’ll need to scan wider to see the fish than you would in the shallower areas. I like to run my Simrad at 50m either side. If good numbers of barra are found in a particular area, try slow trolling soft plastics. You can opt to rig your own or just choose a swimbait like the Zerek Live Mullet 5.5” or Molix Shad in the 140 or 180 sizes. The Molix can work at slow speeds but you’ll need to be doing at least 2.5km/h with a Zerek Live Mullet. If you find them in really good numbers, give casting a go. • 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) 49750033. CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA The Callide Dam barra are well spread out through the dam. While this can make it a bit harder to bang big numbers of fish, it suits the average angler who just wants to catch a fish. If a big barra is your dream fish, head to Callide and give it a go. Trolling anywhere from the dam wall buoy line up into the start of the treetops will

put you in with a very good chance. You don’t even need a big boat. If the winds are light, you’ll get away with a kayak provided you feel comfortable battling big fish in open water. The Molix Shads and Zerek Live Mullets have been doing the damage on the open water fish. The barra are very mobile and can be found just about anywhere due to their nomadic nature so covering heaps of water is the secret. The mornings seem to be more productive for this style of fishing so aim to fish from first light to 10am. With plenty of big fish to 120cm on offer you could secure yourself a trophy specimen. Lure casters can try tossing into the deeper treetops lining the old creek channel. It is a hit and miss affair as the barra are nearly always there but not always in the mood. Suspending jerkbaits like the Jackall Squirrel 79 and Super Squirrel are very popular. On

AWOONGA GATEWAY LODGE

“ Right on Awoonga’s doorstep. All set up for fishos, with tranquil surroundings. “

our last trip, we had several bites on the Samiki Redic as well. You’ll need to be on your game to extract these fish when they eat tight to the trees. Unlike other timbered lakes, the majority of the trees are lighter and very spindly; the type that just love to tangle up and eat fishing line when fish run through it. Use 50lb braid and at least 60lb leader to give yourself a fighting chance. The bites in the trees seem best during daylight hours and seem to taper off in the dark as the fish move out of them. You can stay close to the dam at Lake Callide Retreat. The park has basic camping, powered sites for camping and vans and also selfcontained cabins. There is a well-equipped camp kitchen and toilets and showers up in the main part of the park near the office. Make sure you bring all of your fishing tackle. The kiosk has a limited amount of fishing gear but it is well suited to the lake.

k pin a a rr ch Cat ed Ba 00! g tag in $20 to w

• Minimum 3 night stay • BBQ areas • Saltwater pool www.awongagatewaylodge.com awoongagateway@bigpond.com MARCH 2022

Kayaking

OLD

Surface paradise at Hays Inlet BRISBANE

Mathew Fenton

As a local to the Redcliffe Peninsula, Hays Inlet has become one of my regular haunts these past couple of years. It continues to produce on most occasions, weather permitting. For anyone that has researched the area or travelled via the bridges to Redcliffe, the first thing you will notice is the large channel that runs north up from the Houghton Highway and Ted Smout bridges and past the now called Hornibrook Pier. The channel runs up into Kedron Brook and the green zone, which is signed. Another large feature that stood out to me the first time seeing it was the large sandbanks

Hays Inlet on a glassy day. Days like this are a surface fisher’s dream. Every little slurp, bump or nudge on the lure can be seen and heard.

A nice sized bream caught on the flats close to the bridges using a Bent Minnow. and weed beds that are exposed during low tide. There are also hundreds of metres of mangrove banks that can be fished during high tide. The area can be accessed from a few different launch spots depending on tides, weather and location. Main launch spot is Pelican Park at Clontarf, which if you’re an early bird, has plenty of parking for single cars with no trailers. Pelican Park offers a double ramp with a small sand patch either side, plus toilets. If launching from here, it is a couple of hundred metre paddle/pedal or motor until hitting the bridges. When travelling under the bridges be aware it does get a little choppy under there and, on a few occasions, I nearly had to change by undies, shorts and leggings. Dolhes Rocks ramp is another option if you’re up for a trek. And there’s also a tiny ramp at the end of 50

MARCH 2022

Haysmouth Parade if you don’t mind trekking over the flats. With large tides you will find some strong currents in the channels, so if heading out prepare yourself to move with the tides. On a few occasions I’ve noticed kayakers struggling to get back to the ramp, which I try and avoid if possible. I enjoy targeting flathead up here, but I’m constantly getting distracted by all the surface action and I find myself throwing poppers, splash prawns and bent minnows most of the morning. The MMD Splash Prawn is a favourite of mine. The lure casts well and you can execute different retrieves with ease. My main target species

A fat 38cm bream pulled out from under the mangroves. lately has been trevally on surface and the area hasn’t disappointed. Once the high tide has pushed in, these fish seem to just switch on. Following the

and when I eventually cast at them got no strike. You will find plenty of whiting on the sand flats during the low tide. Plenty of little tackers, but

Patrick Hinds landing a nice high 36cm trevally in his new kayak. Pat was using the 95mm MMD Splash Prawn.

The author with a nice little trevally caught on a MMD Splash Prawn. These fish put up a great fight, no matter the size.

mullet schools seems to work the best so far. Or if you’re lucky, have a school bust up right in front of you. This happened to me, and all I could do was babble around, tangle rods

occasionally you can entice a larger model to have a slurp. For whiting I find replacing the stock treble with assist hooks increases the hook percentage, and lure tangle.

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The weed beds and banks will produce plenty of bream on the surface. With bream I like to move in with the tide, as they do, and pepper them as they feed. Again, you will find plenty at the smaller end of your brag mat, but I have landed a few in the high 30s and on light gear, it’s a blast! Once the tide has pushed up into the mangroves the hunt for bream and mangrove jack begins. Throwing up into the shadows produced by the mangrove trees is a

A couple of the RKC (Redcliffe Kayak Cartel) boys checking out new grounds.

Kayaking

reside in the mangroves. I usually soak myself in Mitchy Itchys before attempting to explore the mangroves. End of March and onwards sees an increase of tailor action in the area as well. Larger poppers will entice these guys to strike. And if you’re as lucky as me, you might even hook a sea mullet, which felt like I’d hooked a tuna. Make sure you upsize your leader and line as running 4lb might see you lose a few lures to the 40cm tailor that can be found up there.

A mangrove special, not a monster but still a challenge when the fish is up in the mangrove trees.

A few feathered locals waiting for the tide change.

Houghton Highway Bridge in the early morning.

favourite of mine lately, which regularly gets me a strike. Just be aware as most of the time you may be lifted out of the kayak by the 400 million midges that

The bridge pylons can produce some nice fish on surface as well, depending on the tides. You will find plenty of bream here, and other species such as

estuary cod and Moses perch. The pylons create a nice structure and feeding station for fish, and you will find them most of the time right next to them. Hays Inlet is generally protected from high winds and swell due to the bridges, but always be prepared and

ensure you have all your safety gear handy. I always try to fish with another kayaker, for safety reasons, and the laughs. For any keen kayak anglers who are looking for a fishing location with such a diverse marine life, Hays Inlet will not disappoint.

Suzuki unveils new DF115b and DF140b mechanical-drive outboard motor range Suzuki Motor Corporation have today unveiled a new mechanical range of mid-sized outboard motors, the DF115B and DF140B, due to arrive in Australian dealerships from March. Superseding the ever-popular DF115A and DF140A outboard motors, the new “B” series feature a host of updates, many of which are shared with the highly acclaimed DF115BG, and DF140BG Suzuki Precision Control (SPC) drive-by-wire outboard motors released last year, albeit in mechanically driven form. The compression ratio has been increased from 9.7:1 to 10.6:1 to achieve greater top speed and acceleration produced by the 2.0-liter displacement inline fourcylinder engines. Lean Burn fuel efficiency has also been significantly improved compared to the outgoing “A” series models. Tests have demonstrated as much as 10% improvement across mid-range to high-end cruising speeds.

The redesigned cowl features a sporty, streamlined profile, sculptured to complement any type of boat with its smooth exterior appearance. It also incorporates a new air intake structure for improved water separation and a silencer-resonator system to attenuate engine sounds and provide a pleasant boating experience at all engine speeds/RPM. An optimised gear oil passage contributes to lower gear oil temperatures with greater cooling efficiencies increasing the durability of the pinion gear. A large capacity fuel pump, optimised o2 sensor mounting location and use of zinc-coated rustproof fasteners further contribute to Suzuki’s renowned durability. For ease of maintenance, it is now possible to replace the oil filter by simply removing the upper engine cover. A new oil spill catcher surrounding the oil filter mount allows for filter changing without making a mess. A water

detection fuel filter has also been added to help protect the engine against contaminated fuel. Available from March 2022, the DF115B and DF140B range will be available in both 20-inch and 25-inch shaft lengths, exclusively in Suzuki’s Pearl Nebular Black livery, and backed by Suzuki’s 3+3 year recreational warranty.

ADVERTORIAL MARCH 2022

Sustainability of popular outer-shelf fish stocks MELBOURNE

Ross Winstanley

During 2019, teams of fisheries scientists around the country conducted the fifth in a series of assessments of major Australian fish stocks. Among the species covered in the Status of Australian Fish Stocks 2020 report were species taken by commercial and recreational fishers in two or more states. These included assessments of popular line-fishing species of the outer continental shelf: • bastard trumpeter Latridopsis forsteri

In NSW, recreational surveys in 20013/14 and 2017/18 reported catches of 208 and 508 trumpeter, respectively. Commercial catches were low, historically, and averaged less than three tonnes between 2014 and 2019. Similarly, trumpeter have not been targeted commercially or recreationally in Victoria and SA. The stock status off NSW, Victoria and SA is reported as ‘negligible’. Tasmania In contrast to those three states, trumpeter are targeted by Tasmanian recreational and commercial fishers on coastal reefs and kelp beds,

Juvenile blue warehou or ‘haddock’ are commonly taken around southern harbour structures. Photo courtesy of Steve Cooper. • blue warehou Seriolella brama • ocean jackets Nelusetta ayraudi • redfish Centroberyx affinis • bight redfish Centroberyx gerrardi BASTARD TRUMPETER Bastard or silver trumpeter occur as juveniles on inshore reefs, and as adults to depths of at least 60m, from New South Wales to South Australia. Popular among spearfishers, most trumpeter are taken from state-managed fisheries where current and historic catches are reported as ‘negligible’. The exception is Tasmania, where the species is also a popular target species taken in amateur graballs or gillnets. As little is known of the stock status, and management varies from state to state, the assessments were conducted at the jurisdictional level. NSW, Victoria and SA 52

MARCH 2022

principally by gillnetting. Catches by both sectors are almost entirely of juvenile fish, and the legal minimum length (38cm) is below the size at first maturity (>45cm). It is hardly surprising, then, that commercial catch records show a decline from about 60 tonnes in the mid-1990s, to three tonnes in 2018/19. Despite tightened catch limits, estimates of the recreational catch reflect such a decline: from 7.5 tonnes in 2013/14 to 3.4 tonnes in 2017/18. All the evidence leads to the classification of bastard trumpeter in Tasmania as a ‘depleted stock’. BLUE WAREHOU Blue warehou have been subject to targeted commercial fishing, mainly by trawling, on the outer continental shelf and upper slope. Interestingly, after a pelagic larval stage, they are targeted – as juveniles – by Victorian anglers fishing from piers and

wharves, and as adults by recreational fishing on Tasmanian inshore reefs. Further interest comes from the high regard Victorian anglers hold for this species, from both sport and eating qualities, when it is not so well regarded as a marketable species. There are two separate stocks of blue warehou: one occurs from southern NSW to southern Tasmania, and the other from western Tasmania to the Great Australian Bight. After peaking at almost 2500 tonnes in 1991, the catch from the combined Commonwealth-managed fisheries declined to below 500 tonnes through the 2000s. Classified as ‘overfished’ since 1999, both stocks have been subject to a rebuilding strategy since 2008. The annual cap of 118 tonnes, applied across both stocks, aims to prevent targeted fishing and to limit bycatch. Under tight controls. total commercial catches hit their lowest level, 10 tonnes, in 2016 and have risen slowly since then. Landings from Commonwealth fisheries totalled 52 tonnes in 2019/20. Eastern stock Since 2000, NSW commercial catches have been below 2.5 tonnes; blue warehou have not been identified in recreational catch surveys. Recent annual commercial catches from Victoria have not exceeded two tonnes. In Tasmania, since peaking at 318 tonnes in 1991, commercial catches have fallen to 1.5 tonnes in 2018/19. Taken mainly in gillnets, recreational catches have also shown a declining trend: 33 tonnes (2010), 15 tonnes (2012) and one tonne (2017). Two thirds of Tasmanian catches come from the eastern stock.

Geelong’s Cunningham Pier is a hot spot when the ‘haddock’ are on. Photo courtesy of the Geelong Advertiser. Despite recent years of low catches, under ‘remedial’ catch limits, there are no signs of stock recovery. All the evidence supports the classification of Eastern blue warehou as a ‘depleted stock’. Western stock Recreational fishers target juvenile warehou (referred to as ‘haddock’) seasonally, from piers and wharves in Geelong, Apollo Bay and Portland. Warehou are not identified in SA’s commercial fisheries records or in the 2013/14 recreational fishing survey. Blue and other warehou species are not identified in SA commercial fisheries landings and the catch from this stock from Tasmania’s state fisheries is included in the 1.5 tonnes reported in 2018/19 Taken overall, the evidence points to classification of the Western blue warehou as a ‘depleted stock’. OCEAN JACKETS Extending around southern Australia, from

Bight redfish are popular offshore species off the southern states. Photo courtesy of Marty Ellul.

southern Queensland to North West Cape, WA, ocean jackets occur across and beyond the continental shelf. Juveniles occur in estuaries and bays before ranging across a variety of habitats out to depths of 250m. In the absence of information on stock structure, the assessments are conducted at the management and jurisdictional levels. Ocean jackets are a by-product species in the Commonwealth-managed Great Australian Bight and Southeast Scalefish and Shark fisheries. While catches have declined, catch rates have stayed ‘relatively stable’ in recent years and ocean jackets in both fisheries are classified as ‘sustainable stocks’. New South Wales Ocean jackets are an important part of the combined leatherjacket catches by recreational and charter fishing. Mainly hook-caught, the NSW recreational combined catch totalled 53,000 fish or 23 tonnes in 2017/18, down from 246,000 fish in 2000. Over the past century, the commercial trawl and trap catches have gone through ‘boom and bust’ cycles. Since peaking in 2012, annual catches declined to 235 tonnes in 2018/19. However overall, the evidence indicates that the stock and its reproductive capacity are sound. On this basis, the NSW ocean jackets are classified as a ‘sustainable stock’. Victoria Commercial and recreational catches of leatherjackets are small and records do not distinguish between species. The 2019

commercial catch was 17 tonnes and there are no records of the recreational catch. In the absence of adequate information, the ocean jacket is classified as an ‘undefined stock’. Tasmania Commercial and recreational leatherjacket catch records combine species and there is no sign that ocean jackets have been targeted or form a part of these fisheries. The 2017/18 recreational catch of leatherjackets, combined, was five tonnes, and annual commercial catches during the past decade have not exceeded five tonnes. The 2019 assessment concluded that ‘the stock status for Ocean Jacket in Tasmania is assumed to be ‘negligible’. South Australia Ocean jackets are a minor commercial species and are ‘not heavily targeted’ by recreational and charter-boat fishers. The 2013/14 recreational fishing survey showed that the catch of all leatherjacket species, combined, totalled 75,787 fish. SA’s commercial offshore trap fishery for ocean jackets began in 1984, peaked at 972 tonnes in the early 1990s, and has since followed an up-anddown pattern similar to that seen off NSW. In 2018, the commercial ocean jacket catch was 95 tonnes. Based on the available evidence, SA’s ocean jackets are classified as a ‘sustainable stock’. Note: While ocean jackets occur off WA, the SAFS assessments did not examine the stock there. WA’s 2017/18 survey of recreational fishing showed that fishers retained 1145 leatherjackets, all

species combined. REDFISH OR NANNYGAI Despite regional variations in growth and other characteristics, redfish are regarded – and assessed - as a single

stock, occurring on the continental shelf off the east coast, from northern NSW to Tasmania. Redfish feature prominently as a coastal and offshore target species for NSW anglers, with

Bastard trumpeter are a favourite target for spearfishers.

4.4 tonnes, or 17,018 fish, retained in 2018/19. At 14% of the catch, charter fishing records showed this to be ‘the most abundant species’ caught during spring months. While this species does not appear among catches recorded in surveys in the more southern states, the related Bight redfish is popular among anglers in SA and WA (see below). Redfish are subject to commercial fishing off NSW and, sporadically, off Tasmania. After peaking at around 2000 tonnes in the early 1980s, total annual catches from this stock have fallen to 36 tonnes in 2018/19. Catches by the NSW-managed fishery have declined from 30 tonnes in 2009 to four tonnes in 2018/19. Since 1992, the redfish stock has been assessed as ‘depleted’ and is subject to a ‘stock rebuilding strategy’. The Total Allowable Catch for the Commonwealthmanaged trawl fishery is set at a minimum level of 50 tonnes, to allow for incidental, but not targeted catches. This fishery landed 29 tonnes of redfish in 2019/20. With the adult stock severely depleted, and s pa w ning c a pa c ity depressed, the redfish is classified as a ‘depleted stock’. BIGHT REDFISH Bight redfish occur as

a single stock where it is fished by recreational and commercial fishers, from western Bass Strait to southern WA. Just to confuse things, they too are popularly known as nannygai. Catches of 19 tonnes (2013/14) and 16 tonnes (2017/18) indicate the popularity of Bight redfish among anglers in SA and WA, respectively. After peaking at 1407 tonnes in 2007/08, catches from the Great Australian Bight Trawl Fishery have come down to between 120 and 320 tonnes since 2008/09.

Size limit

Bag limit

NSW Leatherjacket species

–

20 combined

Victoria leatherjacket species warehou species

– –

20 combined 20 combined

Tasmania Bastard trumpeter Blue warehou Leatherjacket species

38cm 25cm 20cm

5 10 10 combined

SA Bight redfish, redfish and swallowtail

30cm

10 each

WA Leatherjacket species Redfish species

25 cm 8 combined refer to rules.fish.wa.gov.au/

Current daily recreational catch limits around southern Australia. Note 1: additional fishing restrictions, apply in some states.

LOW

B STA ILI

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TAT LO IO

S NOIS ES

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IL TAB IT

Fish Stock Reports are a series of assessments of the biological sustainability of a broad range of wildcaught fish stocks against a nationally agreed reporting framework. The two-yearly reports examine whether the abundance of fish and the level of harvest from each stock is sustainable. Definitions of ‘sustainability’ and quoted passages in this article are taken from the SAFS 2020 Reports. More details about the status of Australian fish stocks are available at – www.fish.gov.au/reports.

SPECIES LIMITS State/Species

B O A T S AINTEN M

Ageing of fish sampled from WA’s commercial and recreational fisheries show most Bight redfish caught there to be between 40 and 70 years old. WA’s commercial fishery recorded 58 tonnes in 2018/19, taken mainly by line fishing. SA’s multi-method commercial fisheries reported a total catch of 17 tonnes. At current levels of fishing, the Bight redfish is classified as a ‘sustainable stock’. NATIONAL REPORTING The Status of Australian

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WHAT’S NEW X-BRAID FULL DRAG

The all new X-Braid Full Drag X8, from YGK, utilises the latest in braid filaments, making it 60% stronger than its predecessor. A mixture of new technologies delivers a high-quality product that really performs. New GD-P technology reduces stretch, and new WX braiding technology produces a tight body of braid with a smaller diameter, offering the ultimate in strength. The super-smooth silicone line surface coating creates less friction as well as less stretch, allowing you to set you hooks at speed with efficiency. The super-thin fibre offers a much longer life expectancy than other premium braids; where you may normally upgrade your braid within a few months, you can expect a longer life from X-Braid line. Full Drag X8 isn’t just a casting line – it has superior abrasion resistance and very high knot strength when you have to lock up big species, making it the ultimate saltwater all-rounder line. X-Braid Full Drag comes in 300m spools in PE3, PE4, PE5, PE6 and PE8. www.xbraidygk.com.au

NEW OKUMA CELILO MODELS

Whatever your ultralight passion, the range of Celilo Finesse Spin rods have you covered, with their softer, balanced actions and quality materials. Angler requests have led to an almost doubling of the available models, expanding the angler applications for this affordable rod series. Sensitive graphite composite blanks and quality cork grips have made the Celilo range a favourite for anglers chasing a range of species, including trout, redfin, bass, whiting and bream. Other features include aluminium oxide guide inserts, and a stainless-steel hooded Okuma reel seat. The actions of these rods allow them to transfer easily from bait fishing to casting ultralight lures, especially when making accurate casts in tight country. Celilo Finesse Spin rods have a classic look and feel, with a modern performance and affordable price tag. They are available in seven models, all 2-piece for easy transport and storage. Price: SRP $69.90 www.tackletactics.com.au

STRIKE PRO GLIDER COLOURS

Strike Pro has released two new fishcatching colours in its popular range of Glider lures. The Glider is built tough, and resembles a bony bream or a baby redfin to a tee. Each lure features a double joint with a bike chain linking system, and features an outstanding lifelike swimming action. The Glider slowly sinks so it will stay in the strike zone and in the fishes’ face for longer. The Glider is only 6.6cm long, weighs 6.2g and it dives to approx. 6ft. This lure has been highly effective for anglers targeting Australian bass, yellowbelly, estuary perch, redfin, trout, bream and more. To find out more visit the Juro Oz Pro website, or look up “Strike Pro Glider” on YouTube. www.jurofishing.com

MARCH 2022

PRODUCT GUIDE

DAIWA 22 EXIST

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The flagship spin reel in the Daiwa light tackle range again elevates spin reel design to a new level with the release of the 22 Exist. The original Exist was released in 2006, and now the 22 models introduce new designs and technologies to deliver anglers their most advanced light tackle Daiwa spin reel to date. The foundation of the 22 Exist’s design is Daiwa’s new Airdrive Design, a four pillar (Airdrive Rotor, Airdrive Bail, Airdrive Spool, and Airdrive Shaft) design concept that reduces weight, and enhances rotational smoothness and responsiveness. The new Airdrive Rotor and Airdrive Airbail combine to reduce weight at the top of the reel to improve rotational smoothness and start-up speed, and to minimise rotational resistance and inertia. These design benefits are further enhanced thanks to the Exist’s new weightsaving, optimally-balanced Airdrive Spool. Airdrive Design and Airdrive Shaft feature a low-contact structure between the mainshaft and pinion, resulting in reduced internal friction and improved rotational smoothness. A leap forward in Daiwa light tackle spin reel design, Daiwa’s Airdrive Design concept combines with proven Daiwa technologies including Monocoque Body, Magseal, Tough Digigear, ATD, and Twistbuster, to deliver anglers their most advanced Exist reel ever. www.daiwafishing.com.au

ZEREK FLAT SHAD X WEEDLESS

At the heart of the Weedless Flat Shad X is the patented belly slits that allow the plastic to easily compress in any direction, exposing the hook to ensure solid hook ups. The Flat Shad X also incorporates a Kevlar webbed tail that is segmented to provide incredible movement from the boot tail. This creates a rolling action as well as a beautiful undulating movement that fish can’t help but attack when retrieved at the slowest of speeds. The Weedless Flat Shad X also has a stinger eyelet attached on the weighted worm hook, giving anglers the option to add a treble stinger or attach a flashy blade. There is also a further stinger attachment eyelet above the eye of the lure on the head. This allows anglers to place a treble up on top in weedy or snaggy country and swap out the bottom stinger for a flashy blade or similar. Available in 11 colours that include natural patterns and attractor colours, the Jighead Rigged Flat Shad X is available in a 130mm/23g, 145mm/30g and 170mm/44g option. www.wilsonfishing.com

VMC MANGROVE INLINE

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VMC’s new Mangrove Inline Hooks are a great option when fishing around weed beds. These hooks can be retro fitted to lures to increase snag reduction and produce better hook-up rates. Mangrove Inline Hooks have a needle-sharp point and are coated with a new PTFE coating, which increases penetration speed by 50% and is five times more corrosion resistant than a classic PTFE coating. Other features include a micro barb, vanadium wire construction, and a Technical Locking Curve (TLC) shape designed to lock fish in place, delivering consistent, solid hook-ups. Mangrove Inline Hooks have been designed to equip hardbodies from 60-120mm. For more information check out the Rapala Australia Facebook page or look up ‘VMC Mangrove’ on YouTube. www.facebook.com/rapala.australia

visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

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PRODUCT GUIDE

TESTING BOOTH

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

13 Fishing Concept C2: A reel for all occasions One of the testing booths I did in 2021 was on the 13 Fishing Concept Z2 Slide baitcast reel (July 2021 issue). It is a very impressive reel, which now has pride of place as part of my favourite baitcast outfit. However, what do you do when a couple of your local fishing locations (Enoggera Reservoir and Lake Manchester) have fish that are increasing in size, but prefer smaller profile lures, which this outfit isn’t overly suited to?

be. I caught a number of larger fish that day and never felt underpowered, either in in line class, the rod, and certainly not the reel. It was a very exciting first impression. Facts about the reel Firstly, the Concept C2 reel is a very distinctive white colour and has a serious list of features (if you want to check those out go to www.13fishing.com), however the key specifications are: 9 ball bearings, 10kg of drag, weighs a tiny 162g, and is available in both left- and right-hand

The two outfits the author tested. The only difference is the retrieve ratios of the reels. 8.3:1 on the reel at the bottom and 6.8:1 for the one at the top.

Small lures like this Rapala Rippin Rap can easily be cast with 13 Fishing Concept C2 reel. This is the ultimate result; a solid 42cm bass comes to the kayak. You have a word to 13 Fishing’s Australian distributer Rapala Australia and see what may suit within their range. The answer, a 13 Fishing Concept C2 reel spooled with 10lb Suffix 832 braid and matched to a Storm Adventure Xtreme 662L rod. An outfit designed to cast lures between 5g and 12g and hopefully ideal to use on these small profile lure eating fish. The first time I was able to put this outfit to the test was at Lake Manchester and, I won’t lie, I did bring a back up spin outfit with me – better safe than sorry. Would my right thumb be educated enough to feather the spool and allow me to cast these small light offerings! A 50mm, 9g Rapala Rippin Rap was the first lure I cast with the outfit and although I was tentative as first, I needn’t have worried as with some minor adjustments of the spool tension, I was off and casting like a pro in no time. The eye opener for me was just how powerful a finesse outfit can

wind. There are two models in the right hand wind range with varying retrieve ratios (6.8:1, and 8.3:1) and one in the left (6.8:1). Approximately 120m of 10lb braid went onto the reel I tested. To summarise, you have a lightweight reel that can be used for either light line or heavy line applications and with 10kg of drag it has more stopping power than most people will ever use. Back on the water After such a successful first outing, I was keen to get back on the water again. Nevertheless, the reel I was provided had an 8.3:1 retrieve ratio, which caused no issues for me in the more open waters of Lake Manchester, however at Enoggera Reservoir I tend to fish small pockets of water amongst lily pads and weed beds. My lures were in and out of the zone way too quickly, so I wasn’t fishing as effectively as I would have liked. Slowing down helped, but I really wanted to try

Heavier lures and tackle are no issue for the Concept C2 reel. This golden perch ate a 5/8oz spinnerbait meant for a Murray cod.

the same outfit with a 6.8:1 ratio reel. A quick look online and I could buy the exact outfit from Freak Sports, which I promptly ordered and received in three days. What you hope after making this kind of investment is that the solution works and, yes, it did. The difference is approximately 15cm of line retrieved per wind, which made all the difference fishing tight country. So as much as I had my light lure baitcast dilemma sorted, the Concept C2

The right set up is essential and the reel is a massive part of that. Being lightweight with good casting systems the Concept C2 offers the option to put it onto a finesse set up, perfect to cast and use these lures. Like the Concept Z2 Slide I am very impressed with the Concept C2 reel and I

The author’s first outing was at Lake Manchester. It provided a great first impression for what the Concept C2 combo was capable of. isn’t just a finesse fishing reel. The specs for the reel suggest that it will comfortably deal with heavier lines and the species that go with it. For me, that generally sends me down the native fish path: Murray cod, golden perch, Australian bass and saratoga. In the salt, barramundi and mangrove jack spring to mind, but I am sure if I thought hard enough there are plenty more. I wasn’t able to target the later species however, Christmas in Canberra offered a few opportunities and the Concept C2 dealt with casting 5/8oz spinnerbaits and surface lures for cod without blinking an eye. Another discovery was the advantage of a higher retrieve ratio reel when casting skirted jigs. That extra 15cm of line makes a big difference when fishing these lures. Picking up slack line quickly is super important when fishing these lures. Final thoughts Prior to testing the 13 Fishing Concept C2 baitcast reel, I don’t think I would have considered a baitcast outfit to cast the types of lures I have been (an image of a few of them is hereabouts). Many would have considered them spin tackle only.

believe if you are in the market for a new baitcast reel they are well worth a look, even more so if you are looking to fish smaller lighter lures. To find out more about the 13 Fishing range of baitcast reels go to their website www.13fishing.com or check them out at your local tackle store.

Many of these lures were not considered by the author as baitcast tackle options. He has since changed his mind.

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au MARCH 2022

Sydney

NSW

Swinging temperatures PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

Once again this last month we experienced some very sporadic fishing. Some mornings the water would be 23°C, and that very afternoon, all of a sudden it could be as cold as 17°. This colder water has come from Warragamba Dam; they have been letting out large volumes of water as the dam has been full.

flathead and flounder, and occasionally jewfish as well. All these species have been caught whilst drifting using a paternoster rig with a variety of baits. I have found the last part of the run-out tide to be the most productive right up until an hour into the rising tide. We have been using fresh caught squid strips, prawns and pilchards, and recently we were lucky enough to find slimy mackerel. Slimy strips can produce some very nice fish.

Will with his first ever fish. He travelled from way out west to tangle with this flathead. All the freshwater can be seen out in Broken Bay, where there has been a distinct current line and change of coloured water. The distinct current line is where we’ve been fishing, and with great reward. Along this line there have been tailor, decent

Other areas to catch jewfish at the moment around Broken Bay seem to vary from day to day, but Juno Point, Flint and Steel and the pressure wave at the entrance of the Hawkesbury River will put you in with a great chance at tackling one or two silver ghosts.

Fishing along Pittwater has been great one day and tricky the next, but the bottom fishing hasn’t been too bad. Once again, drifting to cover ground has been required, and the better area to do this at the moment is towards the mouth of the river. The drop-off that runs from Mackerel Beach to Palm Beach Ferry Wharf is a great place to start. On the run outside you will drift from the deeper water up the large drop-off and into shallow water. You have to know what part of the tide you are fishing to make sure that the wind is not blowing in the wrong direction. Most of the action in this area is again happening near the tide change. Another area to drift in Pittwater is the hill located behind Scotland Island. This area can see keeper snapper, whiting as well as kingfish that pass through, and flathead. In this area it really doesn’t matter what part of the tide you fish as there is very little current, and a light breeze is required to cover ground. For the whiting fanatics the shallows at Mackerel Beach can be a prime location to catch a few of these shallow water species. Using very small poppers can also be a great way to locate and catch a few, especially around the edges of the weed beds. The shallower grounds can also be fished by anchoring and drifting unweighted lines with the current. I have found over the years a breadcrumb berley trail can work well to bring these fish close to you, and it will also bring in

These fish put up a great fight on lighter tackle at Barrenjoey Headland area. bream and other species as well. The better baits to use are live ghost nippers or blood worms, and both can be purchased from Narrabeen Bait & Tackle most of the time. For the kingfish fanatics like myself there are still a few to be caught. Most of the activity has been happening around the mouth of the river and towards Barrenjoey Headland. As usual, squid has been accounting for most captures, but outside on the ocean side of Barrenjoey Head, yellowtail will work quite well, and so do squid strips. Some bigger fish have been showing up on the odd day and cruising the Kingfish Highway, so this is an area that needs to be targeted as well. Catching squid at the moment is a lot easier than it has been in previous months, which is a blessing

for us all. The better areas to target them have been Careel Bay, Mackerel Beach as well as the large ribbon weed beds near Palm Beach. The better colour at the moment seems to be orange but make sure that you have a few other lures ready to go in case you find a few tentative squid. I have found over the years a lot of the time if you find wary squid to reduce the size of the lure. This can have a profound effect on those smaller timid ones. Once you do have enough squid, the usual technique of downrigging will put you in with the best chance of catching some of the bigger kings. So, as you can see, there is still is quite a bit of activity along Pittwater and Broken Bay to enjoy. Fishing offshore the moment has seen some pretty good captures of

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Kingfish are still attacking downrigged squid at Pittwater.

blue-spot flathead as well as nannygai, snapper, kingfish and morwong, just to name a few. This still seems to be a lot of current offshore so our areas have been differing from week to week. I would love to be able are say to go to reefs in 50m of water, but unfortunately strong currents can make it impossible to fish. I have been starting in 30m of water and working my way out to the deeper water until I find the stronger currents. Once the stronger currents have been found, I know to go back into shallow water and fish those reefs along the coast in that particular depth of water. It really can be difficult to fish strong currents, and 8oz sinkers have not been enough to keep our baits on the bottom to target anything. For those of you who want to target snapper, try early morning starts and go to areas that have plenty of kelp beds and fish the edges of these areas whilst berleying and floating down lightly-weighted lines. You will find that as the morning progresses, bites will be harder to come by. Usually that is when we go out to the deeper water to target them. If you can’t seem to catch any fish on Pittwater or Broken Bay, give me a call on 0410 633 351 so we can book in a charter for you to target your chosen species. You will gain a lot more knowledge in a very short period of time. I hope this report sees you excited and grabbing your fishing gear to enjoy our wonderful part of the coastline. • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www. estuaryfishingcharters. com.au

Recreational Fishing Update Record Number of Murray Cod Stocked!

Photos courtesy of Col Gordon

The hatchery staff at DPI’s Narrandera Fisheries Centre have produced and stocked a record number of Murray Cod in the 2021-22 season. More than 1.27 million juvenile Murray Cod have been released into impoundments and rivers across the State as part of DPI Fisheries’ Native Impoundment Stocking and Drought Recovery programs.

Now that all the Murray Cod have been stocked, hatchery staff will be dedicating their time to stocking Golden Perch, which should be underway by the time you read this. The Fisheries Facebook page will be a good source for updates on these stockings. Our native fish stocking program is another great example of your recreational fishing fee at work!

The Millpond – A Great New Public Fishery! The project is now complete and open for fishing, with some great trout on offer! Google The Foundations website for more info and access rules. This is yet another great example of your recreational fishing fee at work.

We Want Your Mackerel Frames!

With warm northern waters heading down the NSW coast, it won’t be long before “mackerel madness” hits northern NSW! Once again, the Research Angler Program is keen to collect your mackerel frames! If you’re lucky enough to catch a legal Spanish or spotted mackerel, please drop the frame (the entire frame or just the head with total length of the fish indicated) to one of our participating drop-off locations. The fish don’t need to be trophy specimens as we’re are looking for all size classes. Data collected by this program will contribute towards ensuring continued quality recreational fishing opportunities for mackerel and other key species into the future. Each frame donated earns an entry into the monthly lucky angler prize draws. To find out more about the RAP, including your closest drop-off location, head to the DPI website and search “Research Angler Program”. The RAP is another great example of your license fees at work!

Need A Fishy Holiday? Free public access for anglers has been secured for a new fishery, The Millpond, located at The Foundations precinct in Portland, across the Blue Mountains to the west of Sydney. The site has undergone installation of infrastructure to ensure public safety. This project was funded from the Recreational Fishing Trust following a successful application by the Wallerawang Branch of the Central Acclimatisation Society.

If you’re in need of a fishing fix with family and friends, why not take advantage of DPI’s Eco Fishing Huts? Thanks to the Recreational Fishing Trusts, a 33% discount is available across the full range of Eco Fishing Huts till 31 December 2022. If you hold an NSW recreational fishing licence (or a valid exemption), you can jump online and book your fishing holiday today. Just go to the DPI website and search “Ecohuts”. Two great new locations have been added to the Eco Hut list! Redbank Homestead on the Darling River and Creel Bay Cottages at Lake Jindabyne are now available to book. With the higher-than-average seasonal rainfall west of the divide, these locations are booking out fast so get in quick for some great fishing in amazing locations!

With these two new huts, there are now 21 amazing fresh and saltwater Eco Fishing Hut locations available to book! When booking, make sure to use the code “ECOHUTS” and include your recreational licence number or your fishing fee exemption details in the comments section to receive your discount. The Eco Fishing Hut initiative is a great example of your fishing fees at work!

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au MARCH 2022

Sydney

NSW

Get ready for what’s on offer SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

The fishing scene is hot at the moment. You can target just about anything that Sydney has to offer and be in with a chance to catch most species when you target them. For me, fishing is like exercising. It’s better

go home fishless? Having the heavy rock gear for a king (24kg+ size outfits) will likely be suitable for a groper as well. Harvesting crabs at the location you’re fishing for kings may be an option (always check that you’re allowed to harvest bait at that location). Another option is having lighter spin outfits suitable for pelagics such as salmon, tailor and, at

Iyad Jayyousi with a 43cm whiting caught off the beach. This fish was released, and the smaller 2933cm whiting kept for a feed. Having live beach worms will greatly increase your chances of success. to have frequent, shorter exercise sessions than it is to have rare, long exercise sessions. If you want to maintain your fishing ‘fitness’, it’s a similar story. Keep your gear at the ready in your car or at home, and pick it up and just GO! Even if you fish for just a short period, at least you’re getting out there, maintaining your knowledge, learning new things and, as bonus, maybe catching a few fish for a feed or sport. Here’s what’s been caught lately around Sydney off the rocks and the beaches. ROCK FISHING When you target kingfish, remember they can be one of those species that might let you down on the day – sometimes for no apparent reason. True, the kingy fishing can be great on a lot of days, but if it’s quiet you should have a backup plan. The same deep ledge you are fishing for kings may be a suitable location for a groper as well, so why 58

MARCH 2022

this time of the year, frigate mackerel, mac tuna and of course, smaller kings. Spinning with metals like the 40g SureCatch Bishop is a good happy medium – small enough to entice fussy feeding pelagics focusing on little baitfish, and heavy enough to still get distance in a punchy wind. Sometimes the pelagics won’t be within 50m off your rock ledge so you need to be able to cast it out a longer way. A 7-15kg outfit like the Daiwa Over There 109MH will be suitable, with 10kg braid like J-Braid Grand and 20-25lb fluorocarbon leader and a suitable reel like the 500D BG MQ. This rod is also great for spinning metals and plastics, and is also a good outfit for wash snapper and rock blackfish off the rocks. For the bonito, I like the Shore Spartan Break Through 120mm in the sardine colour, and the Shore Spartan Power Splash popper 140mm in the dekanago colour. Kings up to nearly a metre long have been caught by some anglers off the rocks. A client caught one recently that went near 80cm on a whole sea gar on a set of Mustad 6/0 gangs with an occy skirt that goes over the garfish beak as an added attractor. I’m not sure why it works well; maybe the king thinks that the gar has grabbed a squid or small octopus, or the occy has grabbed the garfish? Luderick are in good

numbers at the moment, with bags of 6-10 fish being quite common. Many anglers assume that luderick are solely a winter species, but these fish can actually be caught at least nine months of the year and, in a lot of cases, all year round. Some quality groper are showing up as well. A solid 78cm fish was caught by a client of mine, and it was his very first fish – how crazy is that! The big blue groper was estimated at least 10kg, and was released. Two more fish to 57cm were caught as well, and the brown groper were kept for a feed. I have a new policy that any blue groper over 70cm are to be released. That’s because they are a residential species, and the big blues gets fished pretty hard in Sydney. The Fisheries bag limit is two fish per person, with one blue groper over 60cm and one brown groper. At the end of the day it is up to you whether you want to keep a big blue when fishing on your own trips. Snapper have thinned out a little but they will increase in numbers again. I recently caught a nice 50cm+ fish on a fresh slimy mackerel fillet distance casting with 5oz snapper sinker, casting out approximately 100m at North Avalon rocks around the front near St Michaels cave. There are also good numbers of rock blackfish. Peeled prawns (king,

Chris Minehan with a beautiful 80cm king. When these fish are on the bite, the action can be chaotic!

The author caught this snapper distance casting up to 100m out to reach the sand/rubble patches. Fresh slimy mackerel fillet was the bait. endeavour or banana) in the larger size are preferred compared to the smaller school prawns. On some occasions the sweep, mados and yellowtail are so prolific you are best not peeling the prawns. The shell acts like a temporary shield against these baitevaporating pests. Some spots to fish for kings, bonito, frigate mackerel and mac tuna are the deeper ledges like The Hat and Bluefish below the climb, both in the suburb of Manly. Luderick, bream and groper can be caught from there as well. Other areas include Flat Rock at South Curl Curl for luderick and pelagics, and for rock blackfish North Curl Curl and Mona Vale headland. BEACH FISHING Beach fishing for the smaller species like whiting, bream and flathead has been quite good. The crowds at Manly Beach don’t seem to deter the fish too much, although it often deters anglers because they think that fishing on a crowded beach is out of the question, except for night fishing opportunities. Look at it this way – Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay can be very crowded with lots of activity from boat traffic and commuter water craft, but the fish get used to it and still feed as usual. Fishing Manly beaches South Steyne to Queenscliff you have several options to fish. You can normally find a patch where there is a good gutter away from the surfers, surfing school, swimmers and walkers on this beach. I often take my clients here and have some great catches despite all of

the activity that’s going on. Whiting up to 40cm, sand flathead to 42cm and bream to 34cm have been coming off this beach of late, caught on live beach worms. Manly can be a very good tailor beach in March. Chopper/tailor are active and quite reliable just before sunset and after sunset as well. Tailor from 32-40cm are being caught on a set of three 3/0 or 4/0 gangs and a whole pilchard bait. Salmon are also in the mix and are very often caught whilst fishing for tailor. Other beaches you can fish for good results are Curl Curl and Dee Why (although kelp weed can be a problem) and Bungan Beach. ESTUARY FISHING Kings have been biting of late, along with other pelagics like tailor, salmon and small tuna species like frigate mackerel and mac tuna. Some bonito are still around although they will become fewer as the month progresses. You will find that the pelagics can be fussier about the food they eat in the Harbour. These predators can be focussed on smaller baitfish, and matching a lure to suit can be challenging. One method that can work is using a small plastic occy skirt, no. 1/0 or 2/0 hook, approx. 60cm of 20-30lb fluoro leader tied to a 30kg swivel, then a size 2-4 ball sinker then a turnip float (you can also purchase the weighted version) and a float stopper approx. 1m above the float. A 3-5g metal works well too because it is matching the size bait that the To page 59

NSW

Sydney

Kingfish on the chew SYDNEY NTH

Steve Winser

Well we appear to have gotten off to a reasonable start to the year, despite the arrival of the ‘all new and improved’ COVID. At least we have seen no lockdowns here so far (touch wood). Wi t h water temperatures on the rise and the persistence of the La Niña cycle and the associated wild weather swings, we are facing some ‘interesting’ conditions for fishing this month. As predicted, the kingfish action in the harbour has ramped up again, with good numbers of fish in the lower reaches in the 70-90cm range, with the odd metre-plus fish amongst them. These fish are very well fed, which means that they have been From page 58

pelagics are eating. Cast and retrieve at a fairly fast rate for good results. The reason for this rig is so you can cast out the small occy skirt or tiny metal at distance, otherwise you would be not able to cast it out more than 10-20m except with really light 2kg outfit. A light outfit is often not realistic because you’ll be fishing up higher or in rough rocky terrain

picky. Primo squid baits are your ticket to success. True, the odd fish has been coming on live baits, but you want squid for your best chance. Many kingfish headed offshore to do the spawn thing earlier this year, but now they’re moving back and this month should fish well for them in the lower reaches. By the time you read this, the larger breeders should hopefully be showing up in catches. Squidding has been sporadic, and a concerted effort is needed some days to catch them. The ribbon weed beds have been producing the best for us, with smaller jigs in the size 2.0 to 3.0 range in orange or green being our go-to at the moment. The surface fish (salmon, tailor and bonito) have been present in the upper and lower reaches,

but have been laserfocussed on very small bait. To tempt them, I recommend using small metals (7-10g range) or 2-3” soft plastics. The fly guys have been doing well on them too, and a live bait tossed into the schools has proven effective also. The old reliable summer flathead have finally woken from their winter slumber. Fishing the edges and drop-offs, particularly running off shallow banks on the dropping tide, is a good way to catch these fish. Curly-tail soft plastics in the 3-5” range, in orange or natural colours, have been working for us. Next month should see an improvement across all the aforementioned species, and fingers are crossed that the weather will give us a bit of a break! • Fishing Sydney Tours

in some cases. A client recently landed a nice king on the ever-reliable sea garfish bait. Whole squid suspended 2-6m under the float are working well also. The inside Of South head approx. about 200m into the harbour southward can fish well for these species. It’s also quite good for bream and some rock blackfish as well. There are whiting at Camp Cove and Watsons Bay beaches, along with

bream and some flathead. It can fish best at night because it’s quite crowded during the day. Balmoral Beach in from of the Pavilion in Mosman is also producing these species. Please note: there have been quite a lot of rock fishing fatalities off the Ocean Rocks in recent months. Remember that it’s mandatory to have a lifejacket, and steel spike shoes are absolutely necessary as well. If

Daniel with a nice kingfish from the lower reaches. 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. We offer harbour, wash and offshore fishing for species ranging

from kingfish and mulloway through to snapper and mahimahi. For more info go to www.fishingsydneytours. com.au, call 0481 120 600 or look up ‘Fishing Sydney Tours’ on Facebook.

you’re going rock fishing and you’re not sure about the sea conditions, I recommend that you go beach fishing or estuary fishing instead. There are always other safer options on the day. You can also take a trip with me and I’ll

teach you how to fish the rocks safely, and prevent a bad situation from happening. Be safe, fish smart and have fun! I could write thousands of words about rock fishing safety. • 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.

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Bonny and Rod Won with their kids Olivia, Rose and Lawrence enjoyed a fun outing on the beach chasing whiting. There were several more fish landed and released as well.

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Series MARCH 2022

Sydney

NSW

Good fishing continues SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Over the past few months, the fishing in the southern areas of Sydney has been going off and I feel that this will continue into the next couple of months. My theory as to why this has been happening is that the weather has been fairly stable and the water temperature has been great inshore and offshore. Sure, you may have to put in the hard yards to get the fish on the chew, but that’s what I like about fishing – the challenge to get the fish on the bite. You don’t need to own a boat to get to the fish, as there are literally hundreds of land-based spots that you can easily get to. One of the best tools I use to find new fishing locations is Google Maps. All you need to do is think of a

place you suspect will hold fish, and Google it. To give you a bit of a start, I have listed four spots that you may like to try. I have thrown in suggested times, tides, baits, rigs and techniques. SPOT 1 There is a small break wall and a rocky point situated east of the Yarra Bay sailing club that is worth a shot for bream, flathead, whiting and squid. Salmon and tailor can also be caught from here. It’s a great place to fish in a northerly wind. This would have to be one of my favourite squid spots at the top of the tide. Once the tide has gone halfway out, I change over to using soft plastics for flathead. Then, when the tide is just about all the way out, I will switch to using blades. The best baits by far for the bream, flathead, flounder and whiting would be bloodworms and pink

Port Hacking has been producing some quality bream. Both lures and baits have been working, so pick what you like to use and give it a go.

nippers. You could also use pilly tails, strips of mullet and tuna. Chicken breast also goes well here. It’s also a great place to work the shoreline with soft plastics and blades, as there are very little snags. Cast out as far as possible and slowly work your lure back to the shoreline. Small 20-40g metals work well here for the tailor, too. Early morning and late afternoon seems to produce the better catches. If it is overcast you can fish right through the day. Night-time fishing from the break wall can be brilliant at times, you just have to keep an eye out for the water rats, as they can steal your baits. SPOT 2 There is a stretch of sand at low tide on the downstream side of the Georges River Sailing Club that can be fished during the day and at night. It’s a great place to take the family for a fish. There is a small nipper ground adjacent to the sailing club. If you are fishing at low tide, be sure to keep an eye on the water as it can rise around the back of you. Maybe take two rods and set one up in a PVC rod holder for whiting and bream, while you work those lures for the flathead and bream that can be caught here. The odd flounder can be caught here during the warmer months. At low tide, you could try pumping a few pink nippers here. If not, I would try either blood or beach worms for whiting, bream and flathead. It’s also a great place to have a go with soft plastics and blades because you can cast out wide into deep water. Remember to work them back to where you are standing in small, slow hops.

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There have been plenty of kingfish about in both Botany Bay and Port Hacking of late. Try trolling, casting, jigging, live and dead baiting for them. SPOT 3 Both the northern and southern side of the Tom Uglys bridge can produce fish during the day and night. The main thing I would worry about at night is the big bait- and fish-stealing rats that live here. On the southern side, there is the old ferry ramp that is now a boat ramp that can be fished from, but you will need to take care as it can be extremely slippery. There is also a wharf that extends out towards the bridge pylon. The best rig to use here would be the paternoster, as the bottom is very snaggy under the bridge and on the upstream side. A running ball sinker down onto the swivel and a long leader would be OK on the downstream side. Pink nippers, blood worms, pilchards and strips of squid, mullet and tuna would be the go here. All these baits can be purchased from Mac’s Bait Bar on the northern side of the bridge. You can fish here during both the run-in and run-out tides. You will just need to position yourself so that your lines don’t run across the boat ramp. SPOT 4 Every suburb needs a

great family park, a place where you can take the kids for a day of fun in the sun. For residents of Bonnet Bay in Sydney’s south, Lakewood City Reserve is just such a place. This small reserve has a number of small sandy/muddy beaches from which you can cast out into deeper water. This is one of those places where at high tide the water level will be up and in amongst the mangroves, while during the lower tide you will find that you have a small sandy beach to fish from. There are a number of spots dotted along this shoreline that you can fish from. A rod length between 1.8-2.1m is ideal here. Try using a running ball sinker down onto the bait or the running ball sinker down onto the swivel with a long leader. The best baits by far for the bream, flathead, flounder and whiting are blood worms and pink nippers. You could also use pilly tails, strips of mullet and tuna. Chicken breast also goes well here. It’s a great place to work the shoreline with soft plastics and blades, as there are very little snags. Cast out as far as possible and slowly

work your lures back to the shoreline. At low tide, you will see a sand bank that is about 30m from the shore. Remember where this is at high tide and direct your casts towards this, as the water is fairly deep between you and the bank. Try casting blades and soft plastics (I like Switchblades and ZMans) to the shallow areas out in the river and then slow hop them back to the shore. This can be done in an umbrella fashion so that you can cover a wider area. For those of you fishing out of a boat in Botany Bay, you may have come across some patches of cold dirty water. If you are not getting any bites, I suggest moving to find some cleaner and warmer water. The usual places like Trevally Alley, the drums, the oil wharf, Towra wide and the end of the third runway will be producing trevally, dusky fathead, whiting, bream and a few crabs. If you don’t know the areas too well, I would suggest that you drift until you have caught a fish and then mark it on your sounder so you can come back time and time again. You’reIfgoing to love n you don’t have your a sounder,toyou could always You’re going love your new S name Australian boatin drop in a heavy weight over the name in Australian side with a milkboating, container strong, thatkn a tied toreliable it. This willunits then mark strong, reliable units that are a w where you got the fish and the you water. They’re built to can come back to it. tough t the water. They’re built The to beaches you want go andoffthen Maroubra, Wanda,get b you want to go Coogee, and then Harbour, Cronulla, youBoat need to be. With a g you need toand be.Stanwell With aPark great d Garie andhave funbeen inproducing between. bream, and fun whiting in between. and dart during the and at night. Beach and Timeday proven design features o Time proven design features offer str worms would be my and tube safety at prices that seem first thenthat live nippers, and safety atchoice, prices seem like ‘ followed by half pilchards. In conjunction with Australian Fishing Network, I have put together my sixth book. It has 60 land-based fishing spots in the southern Sydney area. AFN are putting the final touches so that it can be published. Keep Silver trevally have been on the chew most days an eye out for it in your local and there have been some big ones caught. tackle shop.

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NSW

Mulloway come out to play BALLINA

Joe Allan

The Richmond River has been well and truly flushed in the last few months. This has caused some species to go into hiding and others to come out and play big time. There have been some big jewies caught

the town stretch and up Emigrant Creek were producing some good numbers of quality bream on light crankbaits. The fish seem to have moved now and are schooled along the deeper drop-offs and rock walls. You will come across a few of our red friends, the mighty mangrove jack, so be prepared to either beef up your gear or go back to

caught along the porpoise wall and in Mobbs Bay. Live baits and heavy plastics on the last half of the run-out are always worth a shot, and small crankbaits and plastics up on the flats in Mobbs are solid performers. Especially when the water is dirty towards the bottom half of the run-out. The surface action in the freshwater reaches has been going well of late. Unweighted soft plastics imitating a prawn or small frog are working well when skipped under trees, and it’s a really fun way to fish. The old favourite Atomic Cicada and Slappa 90 are still working great,

as well as any imitation frog lure. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits are also producing good fish, as are Bassman 3/8oz jigs. When the drains and creeks are running, try big spinnerbaits or big noisy crankbaits – the more disturbance the better. There are some good numbers of bream getting caught off the beaches when the swell isn’t pumping too hard and the water isn’t too dirty. The dart and tailor have been a little quiet, however you can start to try the gutters around Boundary Creek along South Ballina for some good size flathead. Blades, slugs and heavy soft

Nicole Bower with a mulloway of about 14kg caught south of Ballina.

Odette Bleakley with her first self caught bream on a live worm. off the rock walls both the tackle shop with your north and south of late up wallet. Still, as they say, to 150cm in length. Some if you’re not losing lures, n Blfish. real b quality a Prainwthese ades you’re not catching and “YamBefore the massive ”having fun. deluge around Christmas, There are some goodthe rock walls along size flatties still being

Father and son fishing trip with Adrian and Anthony Melchior. I don’t know who’d win in an arm wrestle out of these two, but I do know who’s taller and has more hair!

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plastics will do the trick if you can’t come across some fresh bait. Offshore there have been some quality snapper on the 32s as well as some good size trag. The mahimahi (dolphinfish) have still been very consistent off the FADs, and mackerel have recently started to show up more consistently. They have been all over place though – one day at Black Head and the next at Riordans Reef. They can be hard to keep a track of, but once you find them, send out some livies (use wire) and you’re sure to catch yourself a feed. Until next month, tight lines.

Ethan Clark of Evans Head with a beautiful estuary perch caught in the Richmond River.

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NSW

Salt and fresh firing COFFS COAST

Rob Taylor

Anglers have been enjoying the much-anticipated arrival of summer pelagics, and plenty of fishos have reported good catches of Spanish and spotted mackerel, mahimahi (dolphinfish), marlin and wahoo. The creeks and rivers have also been hotspots, with both the salt and fresh firing for those chasing flathead and jacks in the salt, and bass and cod in the fresh. Several bouts of

rain saw a few jewfish being taken as well, particularly around river mouths and rock walls. At the time of writing, the ocean temperature was pushing 26°C right next to the beaches, so we’re looking forward to a bumper March. CREEKS, RIVERS AND ESTUARIES The month of March is probably one of the best months to be wetting a line in one of the many Coffs Coast creeks or rivers. The upper reaches of the freshwater systems will be producing good numbers of bass, with mornings and evenings being the prime bite windows.

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Surface lures will be both popular and spectacular. In the salt, flathead, mangrove jack, trevally and whiting will all be worth chasing with both baits and lures. Now is the time to target big jacks around the mouth rock walls and snags in the upper reaches. GTs and bigeye trevally will be patrolling anywhere from the mouths right up into the brackish waters, and live baits or surface lures will tempt these hard fighters. For the bread and butter fishos, whiting and flathead will be cruising the flats and drop-offs, and you simply can’t beat a live yabby drifted over likely-looking areas. ROCKS AND BEACHES Some solid Spanish mackerel and longtail tuna have been taken by the LBG brigade, and you can expect some good catches of these

To increase your chances of catching mackerel, a downrigger is invaluable. sought-after fish throughout the month of March. North wall in a south wind is the pick of the locations, or otherwise you can do the hard walk over Muttonbird and

fish the front ledges, which are renowned fish producers. Live yellowtail and garfish are the choice baits. There have been some surprisingly solid tailor

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numbers being caught off the rocks, along with bream and drummer for those anglers willing to put in the time. Tailor and jewfish will be feeding in the beach gutters, along with flathead and summer whiting. OFFSHORE Fishing offshore on the Coffs coast during March is a veritable smorgasbord. If the weather plays ball, you can expect everything from marlin, mackerel, tuna, cobia, kingfish and wahoo to be caught on live baits and lures. The inshore reefs tend to fire up for pelagics at this time of year, which equates to smaller fuel bills and less travel time for boaties wanting to get stuck into some big fish. It’s not all surface action at this time of year though as there’s still plenty of worthwhile bottom fishing to be had out on the 60-80m lines in the form of kings, pearl perch, snapper and bar cod a bit further out. Fingers crossed El Niña is not too harsh on us in terms of rainfall, as that is the only thing which stands between Coffs coast anglers and a bumper March of fishing!

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MARCH 2022

Fishing news

Repairing a river In 2015, the Richmond River in north-eastern NSW had a D minus eco-health rating from UNE (University of New England). This assessment took into account factors such as water quality, aquatic insects, fish and riverbank vegetation.

Services said that its $4.25 million Marine Estate Management Strategy Project had prevented at least 2,800 tonnes of run-off. More than 100 ‘snag hotels’ have been installed as part of the 2.4km of bank stabilisation works, preventing 1,300 tonnes of

that offers quite an amount of significant aquatic habitat for both recreational and commercially sought fish species,” Mr Morris said. FARMERS RESTORING HABITAT Macadamia and beef cattle farmers have been using bush regeneration

Snag hotels deflect wave wash and increase aquatic habitat. Image courtesy of North Coast Local Land Services.

Log fillets protect a newly formed mangrove nursery from boat wave wash. Image courtesy of North Coast Local Land Services. To tackle this problem, 34 farmers on the Alstonville plateau have been restoring habitat, fencing off stock and addressing bank erosion. Specifically, the works to improve the state of the river have included the restoration of 38km of riparian habitat, preventing 2,800 tonnes of run-off through sealing dirt roads, stabilising banks, and installing 100 log ‘fillets’ in positions that both provide fish habitat, and reduce the impact of boat wake on the banks. It’s still a work in progress, but locals are already reporting seeing more fish, and signs that the mangrove habitat is recovering. Shaun Morris from North Coast Local Land

sediment run-off. “We’re basically mimicking a natural log jam that would normally occur as a consequence of natural riverine function, but we’ve spaced these apart and placed them on the bank in such a way as to dissipate boat wave energy as it comes across the bank,” he said. “With that dissipation of energy we get to develop these small micro-habitats that benefit a range of aquatic animals.” An additional 1,500 tonnes of run-off has been avoided thanks to Ballina Shire Council sealing 11km of road. “We’ve got roads right alongside Emigrant Creek, and as part of the estuary

works to stem the flow of sediment and nutrients entering the river. “We’re doing a lot of weed-control work, and that promotes the natural recruitment of native vegetation back into the stands, but we’re also doing a lot of revegetation itself,” Mr Morris explained. “Also, we’re doing some very highly concentrated intercept plantings using species like lomandra to help capture that overland flow of sediments and nutrients, and stopping it before it gets the chance to hit the river.” Mick Bell has been supervising these efforts on a macadamia farm at Teven, and the work there

has included relocating the entrance road 10m away from the river, restoring 2km of river frontage and installing fish hotels. “I was starting to get a little bit worried about the erosion under the camphor laurel trees and the lack of mangroves and fish habitats along the river,” Mr Bell said. “The river is right next to [our entrance road], and there was no buffer zone,

no riparian zone, there was nothing. “We’re hoping to improve the water quality by stopping the sediment washing back into the river by giving it … a sediment fence between the baring paddocks [i.e. paddocks with bare patches] and the river. When the floods come through, there’s not a lot there to hold it back.” While it may take time

to clarify how the works have enhanced the water quality, Mr Bell already sees a difference. “Just in seeing how many mangrove seeds we’ve caught in the bank, and how much it has brought the fish life back in the couple of months since they’ve finished the first stage, I do believe they’re on the right path.” -Fish Habitat Network

The team plants bankside vegetation along Pearces Creek. Image courtesy of North Coast Local Land Services.

MARCH 2022

NSW

Rainy repercussions THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

In recent months the weather gods have been at it again, and the fishing in the Hastings region has been tricky at times. Plenty of rain has been washing

we need to look at things we might do to catch a few. When we get floods, whether they’re major events or even just dirty water, the majority of fish and bait seem to head to the front of our river systems. This pattern of behaviour is fairly consistent, and these periods are known for sometimes producing

There are other species to target this month, and bream are a fish that will bite well in a fresh. However, it has been my experience that bait fishos will do a fair way better until the slightly cleaner water starts to come back in. The use of worms and soaked baits in tuna oil can catch you some great fish, but it pays to fish the backwaters like the back channel or in the canals around the canal bridges. All this can be done from shorebased positions. A few things happen when the green water stats pushing back in against the dirtier water. It creates a great feeding line for predators, with bait usually plentiful. However, we need to change our normal lure tactics at this time of year. It becomes very similar to a winter bite in the Hastings in my experience. Most of

Jayson with a bream that fell to a soft vibe with added scent. during winter. However, catching up to 10 some trips (and 2-3 regularly) on soft plastics and 1/0 hooks has been interesting and welcome while chasing bream. If you put in a bit more effort with smaller jig hooks and worm-style plastics you may find a good bag of these after the rains. Hopefully though by the time you read this we are back on the sand flats chasing

the whiting with poppers. It usually takes a few weeks (barring more downpours) before things start to get back to normal. I tend to follow the cleaner water upriver and find that once the bait such as mullet, herring and whitebait have moved upriver you can start getting more consistent fishing. Also, water temps start to become more normal for this time of year, and you can fish in a wider area.

First day out for Lachlan after dirty water and he scored a nice mixed bag of fish on soft plastics. down our rivers, turning them into muddy waters, plus heavy seas have been punching the coastline – let’s even throw in a tsunami for good measure! This is all a part of our present weather pattern, and

excellent mulloway fishing off the break walls. Bear in mind that this kind of fishing is not for everyone, and you should bring someone along with you, preferably someone who has prior experience.

Miles was happy with this cracking whiting.

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MARCH 2022

the time in this situation you’ll find good quantities of bream, along with flathead, whiting and mulloway along the coal wall and in some of the deeper drop-offs. This is where your sounder comes into play; when you find bait and good schools of fish, persist with plastics or vibration lures, soft or hard. And make sure to scent them up, it helps. In the last few summers where floods have been regular it’s been interesting to see the quantities of whiting we have been catching in the deeper water. Yes, I know not that unusual to get them on bait in the deep, especially

Rhett with one of a few flatties he got after recent dirty water.

NSW

Anglers spoilt for choice FORSTER

Luke Austin

Autumn is an insane time of the year to fish here in the Forster/Tuncurry area. The options are endless and the number of species on offer is just ridiculous, from sand

walls are producing more and more bream (and stonking big leatherjacket) as the days go on, and this trend should continue for the next couple of months as the fish move down the system as they prepare to spawn. Wallis Lake is nice and warm so it’s no surprise that

Chris Ekins was lucky enough to land a very nice March Spaniard. whiting and flathead in the estuary through to Spanish mackerel and wahoo offshore, and everything in between! The estuary fishing just keeps on keeping on. Flathead continue to fish very well, and while the number of large fish being caught has slowed somewhat, the numbers of fish between 35-50cm are still great. As is often the case, the most successful way to target a few flathead is by throwing soft plastics about. You will find fish all over the system now, with some very good reports coming from the flats and drop-offs south of Green Point, as well as the odd fish up in the Wallamba. There has also been plenty of action throughout the lower sections of the system; the holes and flats in around the bridge and The Paddock have produced plenty of big fish up to 98cm. Nearly all of the fish have fallen for lures or live baits, with prawn and grub style soft plastics proving to be particularly effective. The local bream have been performing well for weeks now, in both numbers of fish caught and quality of the fish caught. Anglers fishing the flats and weed beds down south are hammering huge numbers of fish, with sessions of 30-40 fish not uncommon. Most fish are up around the 27-35cm mark, with the odd 40cm stud mixed in. The rock

the sand whiting have been super active. The trick to finding these little speedsters is to make sure you don’t travel too far up the system looking for them. The usual haunts up around Wallis Island, Lani’s, The Cut etc have all been a little on the slow side, while the flats down around the Bridge and The Paddock have all

produced some great action of late. Poppers, stickbaits and live yabbies or worms will all work well on these tasty little fish, and you will also run into plenty of bycatch in the way of bream, flathead and tarwhine. The local beaches have been really good lately, and most have produced consistent catches of tailor, whiting and bream. Gathering a handful of worms or pipis and hitting the gutters is a sure-fire way to land yourself a great mixed bag of surf fish. The tailor action that we have seen over the summer months is hopefully a sign that we’re in for another cracking season. Anglers have been amazed by how many are about and how big the average fish is for this time of the year. With the warm water that we have lapping the coastline it’s no surprise that there are all sorts of pelagics getting about, so if you want the ultimate land-based test get out onto the rocks and have a crack at finding a silver speedster! Mixed in with the big pelagics have been some very nice tailor, bonito and cobia. On the days that we get hammered by onshore winds, take advantage of the choppy conditions and hit the washes. There have been some very nice drummer and bream ready to pounce on a piece of peeled prawn, cunje or crab tossed into the suds! Offshore continues to fish very well on most fronts. Spanish and spotted mackerel are about in really good numbers now, and can be found on just about any inshore reef complex. With bycatch species including cobia, longtail tuna, snapper,

It’s mackerel time! Cooper Sypher pictured here with a nice spotty. spangled perch and mulloway it’s an insanely exciting time to be hitting the shallow reefs. You just never know what you might run into! For those wanting to concentrate on the demersal species, snapper, pearl perch and flathead have been biting well on just about any reef out to about 70m, with the reefs to the south fishing particularly well. • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle – your ‘local’ bait and tackle store. They 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! They are open 7 days in the main street of Tuncurry, and you can phone them on 02 6554 9541 or find them on Facebook to see what they have been up to!

It’s not all about offshore in March – there are plenty of big bream about!

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NSW

Peak fishing season PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Autumn sparks the start of the best time to fish the waters of Port Stephens. It represents the peak of fishing opportunities from all sectors, regardless of whether you’re fishing offshore, off the rocks, inside the estuary or on the ocean beaches.

Longtail tuna can also show up at this time of year, feeding on those small baitfish too, so it will pay to have a larger outfit rigged up ready to throw if these torpedos start jumping around. A 15-30g lure tied to 30lb leader and 30lb braid and 5000-6000 sized reel should be enough to slow them down. Dusky flathead are still in great numbers along

the keys to success. Mulloway will be well worth fishing for in those deeper areas around Soldiers Point from 20-30m, as well as the Nelson Bay rock wall with both live baits and soft vibe lures. BEACHES The ocean beaches fish really well at this time of year. There have been some great catches of whiting coming from the gutters along Fingal Bay and Samurai beaches, with crackers to 40cm being reported. If you’re not using live worms, pipis or at the least dead worms, you’re simply not in the game when it comes to whiting. Bream are also increasing in numbers off the ocean beaches, and should only get better as we move into traveling season. ROCKS It’s the time of year again that every land-based game fisher looks forward to in Port Stephens, as longtail tuna scoot along the headlands terrorizing schools of garfish, slimy mackerel and yellowtail. A live bait suspended 2m

Mac tuna should find their way into the bay this month. under a float is by far the most effective method to hook up to one of these speedsters. Although longtail tuna are the main target for LBG fishers at this time of year, you’ll also catch a stack of fun by-catch species, ranging from bonito to mac tuna to a prized trophy cobia and even the odd snapper! Spinning the stones is also very effective,

especially on those smaller pelagics, with 20-30g metals your best bet. OFFSHORE Live baiting around the offshore islands and shallow reefs is a real lucky dip at the moment, with longtail tuna, cobia, kingfish and black marlin all overlapping the same areas. Look for areas that are holding plenty of baitfish and either slow troll through them or drift

some baits back suspended 2-5m under a float. Snapper fishing has been pretty good around Fingal Island, right the way through to Seal Rocks, with 5-7” jerkshad-style plastics rigged on 1/4-3/8oz heads accounting for plenty. Bait fishing, especially late afternoon sessions around Little and Broughton Island, has also been knocking over some good reds up to 6kg.

Winter/summer species blend SWANSEA

Jason Nunn

Ben Lennon with a quality bream from the ocean beach. In the estuary, vast schools of whitebait and frogmouth pilchards are moving into port, sending pelagic species such as bonito, frigate mackerel and mac tuna into a frenzy. Keep your eye on any bust ups and bird activity, and use small metals around 5-10g to match the hatch.

Port Stephens Estuary Charters

Corlette to Jimmys Beach, with the sand meeting weed edges fishing well, especially early morning and late afternoon. Whiting still haven’t slowed down, with good numbers along Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and The Boulders. High tides, live worms and light leaders are

We are in the midst of marlin season, but our biggest problem at the moment is the ocean temperatures and current. At the time of writing, the current on the shelf is 27.4 °C, and it’s running at least 3 knots downhill out wide. In sterile conditions like these, whatever bait you can find is glued to the bottom. The predators have no choice but to follow it down deep, so you can’t troll them up. You could attempt to bomb them with a live bait, but with 3-4 knots of current your bait would get

swept away from the fish. As a result of these conditions, we’ve had an abysmal marlin season so far. It would appear that the south coast has got everyone’s fish! We need a dramatic improvement this

month or our season is just about done. On a more positive note, out in deeper water we’ve had a bit of a run of nice quality snapper around the 90-100m line. The guys on the Farm have been doing

well fishing paternoster rigs with an 8oz snapper lead, 25lb trace, 30lb braid and a couple of 5/0 suicide hooks baited with squid or pillies, just drifting the reefs.

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A nice black marlin caught on a Sandy Bottom Boat Charter trip. Image courtesy of Sandy Bottom Boat Charter.

To page 69

NSW

Prime time for anglers CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

Autumn is my favourite time of year for two reasons. Firstly, because it’s almost always the most stable season as far as the weather goes and secondly, it’s often our best season for fishing. In other words, it’s pretty

hard to beat! Bream are normally around in big numbers during March, and from what I’ve seen and caught myself lately, I’d say we are in for a very good month ahead. Brisbane Waters and the lakes are chock-full of bream at the moment, but you’ll also run into them in the smaller coastal lagoons. So if you live

anywhere from Wamberal down to Avoca, don’t neglect these local spots this month. I was recently walking around the shoreline at Gosford and spotted quite a few very large bream, well over the 1kg mark. It was the top of the tide and the water quite clear, with the sun shining overhead. Clear water, right on high tide, during the

For some light tackle fun, head to Terrigal Haven this month and chase frigate mackerel, bonito, tailor or squid.

There have been a lot of small mullet along our beaches in recent weeks, attracting larger predators. Mulloway are the first prize, but anything from sharks to oversized tailor are also likely to take a bait or big lure in the coming weeks. From page 68

We have also seen the return of bonito along our coast, finally. They are a bit lacking in size, but they make up for that in numbers. Just offshore we are seeing a lot of trag continue, along with a few reds. Bonito, mac tuna and frigate mackerel are being encountered in relatively good numbers along the coast, but they are small fish. We are also seeing a few rat kings (55-62cm), which are good sport. A few tailor are starting to make tracks in now. This increase of tailor along the rocks and beaches started a tad earlier than usual, perhaps because we had a cooler than usual summer. February into March is our change of season, and it’s a really important time of the year. It’s when we see the last of our summer species overlap with the arriving winter species, creating an amalgamation of both. March into April and even into May, is the peak time of the fishing calendar, not only for offshore fishing but also for beach and estuary fishing, because migratory fish such as tailor, salmon, bream and the like are on the move. There will also be

mullet runs as we start to head into April, with a bit of luck, which makes for great fishing. There are tailor on the beaches, still a few whiting, and bream and mulloway which is great for our coastal strip. We are seeing good catches from Belmont, Blacksmiths Beach and down towards Catherine Hill Bay. The whiting are starting to thin out a bit, but that’s made up for by the increase in bream numbers in the estuary and the tailor influence as well. Mulloway will be in the lake in reasonable numbers, too. The beaches will further improve as the month progresses, with a lot more tailor and a few flathead as well. Some of the tailor that have been along the beaches have started to move into the lake. Most are being caught on trolled deep divers, but some are also being caught on chrome slices. A lot of anglers have been casting lures for flathead and seen the tailor busting up, and then switched to 40g chrome slices and started spinning the surface for them. The tailor will generally bust up only 10 minutes or so before they go down, so you’ll want to be quick. If you don’t have the energy, put out a deep diver like a Tail Dancer and see what you come up with. And of course, along

with the tailor have been quite a few school mulloway. They are being caught on both bait and lures, mostly vibes such as Zerek Fish Traps and Samaki Vibelicious, and soft plastics such as 5-7” jerkshads and paddle tails. We have seen a real resurgence in squid numbers, and this should continue in the coming weeks. You can catch them drifting, preferably over sand in 5-8m of water, in areas such as Belmont Bay, Murrays Beach, Wangi etc. I recommend that you use smaller jigs from around 1.5 up to size 2.5, no bigger. Yamashitas work well, along with Shimano Flash Boosts and the old faithful YoZuris. • 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.

middle of the day is not a good time to expect to catch big bream. Unfortunately for me, neither was the following morning when I returned with the old kayak. Yes, I did score a number of bream, but those solid specimens I’d spied the previous day wouldn’t touch my lures. Typical fishing isn’t it. Flathead and whiting are also very active around the Brisbane Waters system at the moment. You’ll find bream, flathead and whiting virtually anywhere at this time of year, from the upper reaches of Narara and Erina or

flathead and whiting. A few squid show up here at night, and the occasional jewfish certainly isn’t out of the question. Crabs and prawns have also been going well through the warmer months and they’ll still be worth chasing this month. I’ve seen quite a few locals putting their witches hats out for the crabs around the lakes, and they’re scoring quite a few good-size mud crabs, along with the more common blue swimmers. The Entrance is getting back to normal now, after the summer crowds turned this

tailor, bream and jewfish after sunset. At this time of year we can also expect just about anything to turn up along our beaches, including salmon, sharks, eagle rays, snapper, flathead, dart, frigate mackerel and even the odd bonito and kingfish. I’ve been seeing big numbers of small mullet in the more sheltered spots lately, and that is a major attractor of predators ranging from bigger tailor to jewies and sharks. So I can highly recommend bringing out the big gear and hurling out a live mullet, pike or tailor around sunset or

Flathead should be relatively easy to score this month. The Entrance is the main place to try when fishing the lakes, but the flatties are more widespread throughout Brisbane Waters. Patonga Creeks, right down to Ettalong and into Broken Bay. However, I always recommend Woy Woy as one of the best places to start, especially if you’re visiting the Central Coast. Woy Woy is very central itself, and with excellent launching facilities at the Lions Park, it’s extremely convenient for all craft, ranging from little kayaks up to larger oceangoing vessels. No boat, no problem, as there are a number of quite reliable shore-based spots to try this month. The road and rail bridges just north of the town and the next to the Fishermen’s Wharf are well worth trying for bream,

place into a bit of a circus at times. March is possibly the most productive month to fish around here, anywhere from the mouth to the bridge and further west or north, around the islands. Once again, bream, flathead and whiting are the prime targets. The previous two years we experienced serious flooding at the end of summer and early autumn, so fingers crossed that doesn’t happen again. If it does, you can still catch fish soon after the water levels drop back to normal, but really, it’s something we certainly don’t need. The beaches are firing right now, with bream and whiting during the day, and

at night. For those inclined to do so, casting oversized poppers, large swimbaits or big soft plastics can also be worth a try, especially in the more sheltered spots adjacent to rocks or reef. Bonito and kingfish are also the primary targets for those fishing offshore or from the rocks right now. Thankfully those strict travelling rules imposed upon us last year seem to be a thing of the past. This means that the more serious offshore anglers can also head up the coast to chase marlin, mackerel and other big fish in the coming weeks. Regardless of exactly where you fish this month, it looks like being a good one! MARCH 2022

NSW

Great action on all fronts ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

March is the best month of the year fish-wise, and they are out there and ready to go. It doesn’t seem to matter what your angling preferences might be, there is a species ready to go just waiting for you. The action on the rocks is fantastic, with everything from bream to beakies on the menu. The deeper ledges are the place to be if you want some pelagic action. Honeycomb, Bass Point,

Bass Point is renowned for this at this time of year. Live baits like yellowtail and slimy mackerel will take most of the above, with the addition of some solid kingfish, larger mac tuna and longtails. The chance of a marlin is also on the cards, even this late. If you want to soak a few baits in the form of pilchards or prawns, there are bream, trevally, salmon and tailor in the washes and shallower bays all along the coast, with most headlands producing fish on any day. Wollongong, Bellambi,

the month. Don’t forget the frigate mayhem this month in most of the harbours like Bellambi, Wollongong, Port and Kiama. The schools roll in chasing tiny baitfish and they’ll grab any very small lures in their path. It can be standing room only and it can be fun to watch as a school comes through and everyone casts in the same place, resulting in some epic tangles and choice words. Offshore it is heaven, with warm water and all those northern visitors giving you so many options you

There are plenty of fish on the beaches – even a few dart. Windang Island, Bombo, Kiama and Marsdens are the place to be for bonito, mackerel tuna, frigate mackerel, salmon and tailor on lures. If we get a solid late north-easterly then the northern sides of most headlands will have schools of pelagics chomping on the baitfish driven in on the wind. The northern side of

Sandon Point and all the ledges to the North seem to be fishing well, with Windang Island, Bass Point and Kiama and the rocks to Gerroa the same in the south. There are even a few solid drummer on the bite even in the warm water, with the devoted blackfish anglers getting plenty of action towards the end of

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just don’t know what to chase first. Inshore, if you like chasing the speedsters they’re about taking lures. There are striped tuna, bonito, frigate mackerel, mac tuna, salmon, tailor, kingfish, rainbow runners and trevally. Just look for the birds and any surface activity. Take a few live baits for larger yellowtail kings in among the schools. Most kings of late have been 70cm+, with not a lot of throwbacks. There could

even be a stray cobia in close mixed in with the kings, although they are usually found in small schools by themselves. A couple of spotty mackerel have been caught on pilchards in close but most just bite off the unsuspecting anglers. Further out there are dolphinfish (mahimahi) around the traps and FADs. Dollies to 10kg are not uncommon but you have to be early and have large slimies or yellowtail so the small fish don’t get them straight away. Small yellowtail and pilchards should get you as many as you want. Over the inshore reefs and beyond there are still a few marlin, mostly blacks with some monster blues out around the canyons with the odd stripe hanging about. A grand slam is not out of the question this month, particularly around the canyons at Stanwell Park and Kiama. Stray sailfish and the odd wahoo are always on the cards, along with a few striped tuna and yellowfin, so keep a smaller lure or two in the pattern for good measure. Back in over the reefs in 30-40m the snapper have started to show, with fair catches of 1-2kg fish with some better reds to 5kg thrown in. Tuna pieces fished lightly weighted in a berley trail are scoring the best results, with the ever-popular plastics and micro jigs getting their share as well. A few teraglin have been mixed in with the reds but they have been few and far between. Samsonfish have been a little more common, and the odd pearl perch has been popping up in the mix as well. Over the sand, flathead have been in plentiful supply and they are good-sized fish again. Whilst drifting over the reefs you will pick up a few mowies, jackets, samsonfish, trevally and trag. On the beaches it is

A nice snapper always brightens up a gloomy day. heaven, with calm evenings and warm mornings making it extra pleasant at the peak fishing times. However, you won’t have time to take in the scenery, as there are too many fish about keeping you busy. Get some beach worms and head to just about any beach for whiting, bream, dart, salmon and flathead. Throw in a few pilchards and the tailor should be co-operative, particularly in the deeper gutters in the evenings. A feed of tailor is nice but a fresh slab of tailor fished in one of the deeper gutters should produce a jewie or two if you are patient. It may not be a monster as there are heaps of schoolies around at the moment, and the schoolies just keep your appetite whetted while you wait for the big one. Take plenty of hooks, as the whalers have been very

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With a bit of luck you might stumble over one of these this month.

active on most beaches, particularly those with extra deep gutters, maybe they li a feed of jewie. There is no way I would swim or surf on any beach at this time of the year after the sun goes down, and that goes for anywhere along the NSW coast. The lake and Minnamurra are still firing with plenty of action on all species. Flathead are on the bite just about everywhere with the usual plastics and the ever-reliable live poddy mullet scoring well. Good whiting are over most of the sandy patches with the entrances providing top fishing with nippers and worms working well. Bream are around the bridge pylons during the evenings with fresh tuna pieces doing the damage. A few trevally are mixed in but they generally find the oysters pretty quickly. If you want some quiet time pick a bay and berley with some bread and bran and use small pieces of prawn to get among the mullet and garfish. Not much tastes better than fresh gar and the mullet are tough fighters on light tackle and aren’t bad on the barbie in their own right. Your fun could be spoilt though as the chopper tailor move through putting the mullet and gar off the bite. The prawns should put in a late run on the next dark and there have been quite a few about this year for not just bait but a good feed as well. And remember if you can’t catch fish this month give the game away and buy some golf clubs.

NSW

Best month of the year BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

March would have to be the best month of the year. It’s just the right temperature and not too windy, it’s not too busy with crowds, the fishing is fantastic with a tonne of options, and best of all it’s my birthday! If your partner isn’t interested in fishing, March is when you can get them to come along with you because the weather is usually perfect and it’s great to be outdoors. By March the bait is loaded up out on the continental shelf, and marlin

are just not on for the day. However, if it’s the middle of the season and there is reasonable bait in the area, then using a sounder to catch that bait or noticing surface action is key. Having a good sounder is very important for marlin fishing. When chasing marlin and finding bait, I focus on the upper water column and have my sounder set to 150m below the boat, sometimes 100m if there is plenty of activity in that zone. You want to be able to see the bait, and better still see the marlin. As soon as you find bait on the sounder, immediately drop the bait jigs with heavilyweighted snapper leads.

you have slimy tubes, then that’s even better. If you alternate between skip baits and live baits in an area that has enough bait to attract marlin, it’s only a matter of time, especially if you are seeing marlin or marking them on the sounder. If you’re not seeing those signs, it doesn’t hurt to explore a bit to try to see if there’s more bait in other areas that does have the attention of predators. But never leave lots of bait that have predators around – sometimes it takes some work and patience or a tide change until things kick off. For the lure draggers out there, we are seeing more moving towards the lighter gauge hooks that are more prickly and more likely to stick when getting a marlin strike. I have been promoting them in store, as well as Black Pete’s shiny tinsel, Christmas tree-like lures with the fish head imitation. The lighter gauged hooks are great to get the hook-up, but go easy on the pressure when fighting to avoid straightening them. Check out the BKK Kajiki and VMC’s 7116 and Black Pete’s Pelagic Pirate Saury and the various flashabou colours. They will be a hit this season. Closer to shore we have had some kingies getting around, but mostly rat kings as usual. There are reports

The author, Rob Pax and Damo smashing the snapper on micro jigs. get amongst some 15kg+ blue mahimahi. We are used to seeing the green ones and it brought Nath some joy to hook up to a larger blue model until the gaff shot at the boat wasn’t so successful. When gaffing dollies it needs to be quick and swift, and you have to get them straight in the boat as they are extremely lively fish and know how to flipflop off a gaff. Inshore reef fishing has still been relatively productive, and we have

Louis bringing home dinner from his local beach. fishing is in full swing. The bait is inshore with kings on the chase. The bait is throughout the estuaries too, and the anglers are following the bait to find the predators. One of the keys to finding the fish is finding the bait, especially when marlin fishing. When it comes to chasing marlin, it’s a big ocean and people always want to know where the grass is greener. It’s easy to succumb to the urge to cover as much ground as possible. You drag lures or pick up bait and nothing happens, so you move on, still have no success, and you keep combing the ocean. You can spend your entire day looking for the perfect place, and if you’re lucky you’ll pick up a bite on the way. It’s not an ideal approach. To be fair, there is always some ocean combing involved, and sometimes the bait is very thin or the water has turned and marlin

Using colour-coded braid can help with knowing how much line to put out. If the bait is 40m then I usually count five colours, 10m per colour to ensure I have it down far enough to be in the school after some drift or below the school and coming back up through them. Once you have some bait on board you can immediately rig one up and send it out if you’re marking marlin at the time, or it’s looking like there’s a chance of a bite. When I have enough live bait, I use the bigger or damaged ones to rig up as skip baits. Now we are ready to start catching. Time to get out the teasers and troll some skip baits behind them, and work the area. Whilst trolling I prepare the live baits and have them rigged and ready to go at the drop of a hat, or when I see a marlin on the sounder making a bee line up to the teasers. If

thick run of these pelagics. Spinning metals, stickbaits and all kinds of lures from headlands is a blast when these guys are on. The beaches are going well with whiting, bream, flatties, salmon and tailor catches, with some averageto-great reports depending on the beach at any given time. Our longer beaches have had plenty of worms and some pipis, and when using these fresh baits, you are bound for success. The estuaries and lakes have been going OK. It’s the estuaries’ time of the year to shine, but I think the offshore, inshore and beach fishing have been the most consistent lately. Still, if you persist there are some bream, flathead, whiting and estuary perch to be found. Juvenile mulloway still seem to be in big numbers throughout the system also.

Upstream the bass can be found at certain sections of the river system, and Ray Smith has been having some fun with them during some night sessions. The river system to offshore all seems fairly productive, and it’s been another good summer. With all the rain and swell at times it was surprising to see a good run of squid, and that will continue or improve as we go into the best month, March. We should also see prawns and crabs as options as well, so get excited and get out and enjoy the best the best month of the year. • For more up-to-theminute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

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Jem Abbot with a nice Clyde River flatty. of the bigger ones getting caught further south. There are a few bigger models up to 15kg lurking around, but they’re not holding in the kind of numbers we’d like to see. The FAD has been holding plenty of rat kings and small to medium dollies (mahimahi). Some larger packs of larger dolphinfish have been roaming the shelf, and Nathan Forrest was fortunate enough to

seen three good summers now. Micro jigs are as popular as plastics, and both are as popular as bait these days. March will be an improvement on summer, and this autumn I expect to see more bonito and mac tuna. Last year there were greater numbers to the north of us and I’m hoping we’ll see them push down a bit more this year. It’s been seven or so years since we’ve had a

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Catches close to home BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Whether you live in Bermagui or are just visiting, the best part is the ‘close to home’ options you have for a variety of fish and fishing methods. Within a mile of the entrance to the harbour you can access some of the best flathead grounds to be found, or you can go a little further south where there are plenty of reef options. Out wider within 10 miles of shore you have the Twelve Mile Reef, hosting some of the best marlin grounds available, and then there is Montague Island to the north, spectacular beaches and rock platforms gracing our coastline. There are numerous estuary systems too, along with the freshwater of Brogo Dam, all within an hour’s travel of Bermagui. The start of autumn usually sees good numbers of larger snapper frequenting the coastline. The reefs south of Bermagui such as The Brothers, Lobster Patch and Goalen Head area are attracting good numbers of these fish. Most anglers prefer to drift with conventional paternoster rigs using squid

and cut fish bait, however more anglers are anchoring and berleying using large drift baits such as whole and half slimy mackerel, which have been producing fish in the 7-8kg bracket. Other reef fish are also very plentiful, with morwong

(both blue and jackass), tiger flathead, ocean perch, pigfish, leatherjacket plus many more species also featuring in regular bags. Fishing the deep water off the Twelve Mile Reef will produce most reef fish in good numbers. Those

This 40cm whiting came from the flats of Wallaga Lake, minutes from Bermagui.

The Bermagui River hosts some very large duskies right on the doorstep.

anglers who feed a live bait out under a balloon may be pleasantly surprised with a hook-up to a billfish. Marlin are in their best numbers in March, concentrating on the Twelve Mile Reef area. All species can be encountered at this time of the year, feeding on the vast baitfish schools that congregate over the reefs. Also feeding on the baitfish are short-billed spearfish, mako and other sharks, dolphinfish (mahimahi) and usually plenty of schools of small to mid-range yellowfin tuna. The preferred methods at this time of year are to

troll live slimy mackerel or (my preferred bait) a live or skipped frigate mackerel. Frigates can often be acquired by trolling a small fly a long way out the back whilst you troll live mackerel for the predators. Another preferred method is switch baiting with lures and teasers without hooks, attracting the marlin to the boat where the lure is replaced with a live bait. This is a very spectacular way in which to catch marlin. Kingfish around Montague Island are in good numbers at present, averaging around 6-7kg with some fish up to 15kg

being encountered. Most fish have been taken with the traditional methods of using jigs, squid and live bait, however don’t be frightened to troll bibbed and bibless lures over the western reefs as this will also produce fish. Large schools of southern yellowfin bream are frequenting most estuaries surrounding Bermagui at present. Fish up to 46cm are not uncommon, with most fish averaging around the 40cm mark. Berleying with striped tuna on the start of an incoming tide will account for a lot of these beautiful chrome-plated fish. To page 73

Action after the wet TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It has been one of the wettest seasons on record for the catchments feeding into the rivers and streams in the Tathra region. Metres of rain has fallen during the spring and summer months,

often resulting in exciting although tough angling. So much fresh pushed down these systems that it was possible to drink the water where the rivers meet the ocean, thus concentrating fishing activities close to the entrance. Now, although still receiving rain falls, most of the rivers or lakes have settled down, and some fantastic

angling has followed the fresh flows. There is so much food around since the rains it’s hard to remember seeing the waters so alive with new life, and because most of the lakes or rivers are still open to the sea, fresh fish stocks are able to enter these systems, resulting in some spectacular angling. Anglers in the Bega River using soft plastic prawn imitations have had lots of

Flathead are just one species that has prospered as a result of the wet.

Trevally are hard-pulling, fun fish in shallow water and on light tackle. 72

MARCH 2022

success on large flathead and the occasional jewfish. Other lures, both hard and soft, are also working well in the lower part of the river, especially early in the morning. If you’re really keen, get up before daylight and catch some fresh prawns to use live as bait. This form of fishing can have spectacular results when used over weed beds, along the drop-offs and rock bars. Further up the system, bream and estuary perch are a regular catch on lures, with the best areas being around Thompsons Wall and the entrance to Black Fellas Lake. Wapengo, north of Tathra, is producing very mixed bags

when bait fishing. Drifting the lake with live mullet is a good way to drum up a few flathead, and the use of fresh nippers and worms over the flats at high tide will produce a variety of different species. Although not noted for its game fishing, Tathra is capable of producing some very nice fish from its waters in March. Small black marlin often frequent the coastline and are in range of the smaller boats. They will often be shadowing the mackerel schools and are therefore easy to target with live bait. Further out you can find all species of billfish that visit our area, and the best way to encounter them is with a

spread of lures. Not only does this allow you a chance of a marlin, there are also plenty of tuna on offer as well. Large hammerhead sharks are visitors in these waters, and the best way to target them is by trolling live striped tuna. Rig these baits on heavy mono or wire and simply work the areas where the stripies are, as the predators shouldn’t be too far away – and don’t be surprised if you find a marlin doing this. Close to shore around the rocky headlands, light tackle anglers are enjoying some good sportfishing in the form To page 73

NSW From page 72 (Bermagui)

However, baits like nippers, prawns or worms are encountering their fair share of fish as the tide creeps over the flats. Lures, both hard and soft plastics, will also take fish, however they’re not as effective as fresh bait. Large flathead are also being encountered, especially in the Bermagui River, on lures, live bait and in berley trails whilst fishing for bream. Good size trevally are also getting in on the act, along with some very large mullet. Luderick are plentiful around the bridge, boat ramp and rock walls towards the harbour. Cabbage and green weed are producing most fish on the last of the run-out tide and the first of the coming in. Also, reasonable numbers of luderick are still being taken on nippers further up the estuary around the weed beds. Some very nice whiting are making their presence felt in the shallow water over the nipper flats. Calmer conditions are allowing anglers to fish the rocks more often, producing some excellent catches. Fishing of an evening as the shadows of the cliffs move over the water, berleying with bread and using cunjevoi as bait has produced some excellent catches of black drummer. Fish around the 2kg mark are the average, with some very nice bream and trevally From page 72 (Tathra)

of smaller predators. Bonito, kingies, salmon and frigate mackerel are providing most of the entertainment, while jigging soft plastics in the deeper water is accounting for some nice snapper. Reef and bottom fishing is very good in general, with some excellent bags of tiger flathead coming from down south off Bournda. Just north of Tathra out from White

featuring as well. Spinning off the rocks with large metal lures has produced very nice salmon and tailor, with the odd kingfish making a pleasant surprise. Small frigate mackerel have also been a regular catch using lighter line with small metal

sharks being captured on the full moon. Large numbers of black crickets have exploded in the Brogo area, providing the bass with a regular food source. Anglers using these crickets on light line are having some fantastic fishing

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NSW MERCURY DEALERS Nine different species, all caught within 2 miles of Bermagui Harbour. lures retrieved at a fast rate. Bream that have not yet moved into the estuaries have been encountered regularly on most beaches adjacent to the rocks. Again, berleying these areas with striped tuna will produce more fish, however using more traditional baits like beach worms and pipis will produce both bream and nice-size whiting. Salmon and tailor fishing is also excellent at present along most beaches, with some very nice gummy Rock, good-sized mowies are a regular catch, with an odd good snapper as well. To the north on the bottom, nice bags of sand flathead have been taken out from Wapengo, with some lovely gummy sharks thrown in for good measure. The beaches are producing too, with good numbers of whiting, bream and salmon. Worms are preferred for both bream and whiting, while pillies, fish strips and lures

Garfish can be found in lakes, rivers, off the rocks or wharf, and are great fun.

in Brogo Dam at present. Cricket imitations in both fly and lures are also having their fair share of success. Surface lures, especially of an evening, are producing some very exciting topwater fishing. Anglers through the daytime are having limited success using deeper lures such as spinnerbaits around the weed beds. Brogo River is still producing good fish below the dam wall, with most popular techniques being effective. are used on tailor and salmon. Most beaches in the area are fishing well so just find a good gutter and have a go. Groper and drummer are favoured by many rock fishos, and down behind the pub and around Kianinny Bay areas there are signs that there are good numbers around. Using fresh crabs or cunjevoi will surely see you with a good bag. It’s also good for live baiting from the stones, with those warm currents coming right into the coastline. Northern bluefin tuna may visit at this time of year and can be targeted in this way. Fish to 20kg may be encountered, along with a host of other species including those small black marlin. These fish species may also visit the waters surrounding Tathra Wharf, allowing the not-so-nimble anglers a chance to try their luck from a shore base. This area has mackerel schools around it, and with this they will bring the predators, not only fish but human predators as well. When the mackerel invade, it’s on for young and old. Whether you catch them for bait or for the hell of it, you can be sure it’s a heap of fun. Trevally will be caught, along with yellowtail, while long raking casts with baits fished on the bottom will account for some nice sand flathead, and keep an eye out for those succulent garfish as they will hold closer to shore.

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Shore-based action NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

Autumn is officially here and I suspect that this year, the fishing in the New England is going to be very different compared

this time of year. The fishing opportunities should be better than ever, with many different species to target as well as plenty of places to get out and explore. Although the Tablelands area is generally known

A healthy New England rainbow trout caught on fly.

in the smaller creeks and streams, especially where the waterways are stocked a lot more. The perch species such as redfin, yellowbelly and silver perch are abundant and can also be caught this time of year, especially on smaller presentations. I find as the weather starts to get cooler, the perch tend to like lures that don’t have a massive vibration, and this is where a more subtle approach is needed. You can try jighead-rigged soft plastics or even silent lipless crankbaits worked a lot slower than you would in the warmer months when the fish are most aggressive. The bigger waterways have also been fishing really well of late and should continue to do so with this good weather around. At the time of writing, Copeton is currently sitting at 96%, and Pindari is at 100%. With both impoundments being up around full capacity for a while now, there has been plenty of time for the incoming water to settle, which has been very productive for fishing.

Walking the banks of the impoundments can be very productive when throwing swimbaits and surface lures during low light periods. Murray cod at Copeton) being more comfortable up shallower. However, with so much structure along the dam’s edge and littler places to camp now, it does make it a fair bit harder. Still, if you can find a nice open bank that is accessible to fish from the land, it will definitely be worth a few casts. Focusing on the lower light periods both early

morning and late afternoon will be your best bet when throwing surface lures and swimbaits for the bigger cod, especially around the 3rd of this month with the new moon, while it’s dark and the fish are comfortable up in the shallows. I always used to think to myself when I fished out of a boat, we cast at the banks anyway so why not stand on the

bank and cast out to where the boat would have been? The full moon is also worth a mention and will be above on the 18th of this month. There have been many times where impoundment fishing has been very quiet until the moon pops its head, however being out on the water is the main game and part of the fun, so it’s time to get out there.

Goodies down deep HUNTER VALLEY

Nick Price

This month I will continue with hints for fishing deep, particularly when the bass just won’t bite and need to be enticed. Before that

though, here’s a reminder of the ethics and laws when it comes to trout. The trout season on the Barrington Tops has been the best for years, but I’m getting lots of reports of people doing the wrong thing and taking many trout,

Silent lipless crankbaits with a more subtle approach work well on the perch species at this time of year. This redfin was caught working the lure slowly along the bottom. to previous seasons. The rivers are flowing nicely, with little weeds about and the impoundments are still up around full capacity, which is not typical for

for its Murray cod fishing these days, there are plenty of other awesome species to target this time of year also. The trout fishing can be really fun at this time of year

In previous years, autumn has always proved to be an awesome time to leave the boat behind and do some bank fishing, with most fish (especially the bigger

It’s hard to beat being outdoors. Autumn is a good time to be out camping, exploring and enjoying the mild weather. 74

MARCH 2022

Local trout are a finite resource that need to be looked after.

including undersize trout. The trout fishing has really tapered off, with many anglers now going out for the day and catching no fish. This is a direct result of people doing the wrong thing and exploiting a limited resource. This includes both locals and people coming from away. Both the browns and rainbows are stocked by Scone Fishing Club and Barrington Fishing Club. These volunteers raise money to purchase fingerlings and then stock the streams with these fingerlings. It’s a great service for the community, and these blokes really need to be congratulated. The trout need to be looked after. They are a finite resource in a put-andrelease fishery. WHAT’S BITING The Hunter River below Glenbawn has been fishing really well, with some big bass being caught. There have been many people coming into the shop and showing me photos of wild river caught bass over the magic 50cm mark. When fishing the river the bass love a beetle spin on a small plastic. Spinnerbaits and small bibbed lures also catch a lot of fish. My favourite To page 75

NSW

Marching onwards and upwards LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

It’s hard to find fault with the month of March, especially from a weather perspective. I guess that’s why camping and fishing is high on the agenda for many of us at this time of year. Like you, I have some trips planned as the wideopen spaces beckon. It could be a COVID lockdown hangover but I don’t want to waste a single opportunity to venture forth. With so much water around it will be hard to pick a spot. Back-to-back seasons such as this are rare, and we’ll be reaping the fruits of such inflows for years to come. DAMS FIRING Wyangala will be hard to go past this month, with plenty of wide-open expanses that cater for hundreds of campers. The lake, when full, offers plenty of water to accommodate such an influx of people. The bait fishing right out the front of camp can keep you very busy, so make sure you take plenty of bait. After dark, surface lure fishing opens the possibility of catching some cod, sometimes in the same place as you might have been bait fishing just hours before. From page 74

is using a small cicada lure and casting under overgrown vegetation – just let the lure run with the current and float under the vegetation, and then twitch the lure to create ripples. It’s an exciting way to catch hard-fighting wild river bass. Getting the bass out of the snags, against the current is the hardest part when catching them.

That said, access to a boat does open a pandora’s box of opportunity when it comes to chasing cod and yellowbelly that’s hard to ignore. Casting edges and flats after dark while quietly drifting is hard to beat. A lesser-known tactic that I rarely see used is to anchor and swing. It works a treat when used on a windblown point or bay. I first learnt it from the guys up in QLD when chasing impoundment barramundi. You’re basically waiting for the fish to come to you or move into a feeding zone. Multiple fish can be caught in the same location.

Slight adjustments can be made quite easily by letting more rope out or tying off midships to shift the boat to either side of the bay or point. Hitting spot lock on the electric motor works a treat, but for ultimate stealth nothing beats a soft rope, some lead in a hubcap and a long drop. My sources report that Windamere has been a little hit and miss. Adjusting techniques to suit the weed and slime growth has been critical. Recent water inflows may have lifted the level above the weed beds, which will help no end. Golden

perch cruising weed bed and slime edges can be caught on midwater offerings such as jerkbaits and soft plastics when they are in the feeding mood. Grubbing the trees is always a good fallback, just keep in mind that the slime depth around limbs stops at a certain level. Keeping the plastic below this is important. Burrendong redfin captures have in some cases reached cricket sore proportions. It’s great if that’s what you’re chasing, but annoying if you’re after some golden perch. Upsizing lures can help, and changing

Paddler-style surface lures that move at a snail’s pace can trigger bites in low-light conditions.

Catching golden perch on surface lures is a lot of fun. Lake St Clair has been fishing well, and Glenbawn has been hot and cold. There are lots of small fish on the edge, with bigger fish out a bit deeper. With the continued influx of cooler water from the Barrington Tops running in and the ambient air temperature not being as hot as previous summers, the water temperature has not reached the extreme temperatures of

locations is another tactic. SURFACE LURE GOLDENS Interestingly, I have been catching golden perch on surface lures lately. The breeding season of ducks has pretty much been continuous, and add to that the bumper season we saw in mice, and the result is more surfacefeeding fish. What would normally be an occasional meal has suddenly become the norm in some environments. Light levels and timing

previous years. The fish have been hanging in 30ft of water. They can be caught rolling lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits through them, and I have been working my lures slowly and applying lots of scent. A slow retrieve and lots of scent seems to get more bites. I have been using the locally-made Dizzy Scent or S Factor. Dizzy scent has flavours that are made

A nice bass from the Hunter River.

A plump Glenbawn edge bass.

specifically for Aussie bass and yellowbelly, and that’s a real advantage I think. When fishing Gulps for deep bass there are a few tricks that increase success. Have a good sounder, watch your lure and the bass, and see how the bass react. Wind slowly. Remember not to strike but have a soft rod so when the bass suck in the Gulp, the rod slowly loads up. You can use a light leader because you’re fishing in

open water and the bass can run to their heart’s content and there is nowhere to get busted off. These are the basics; if you’re unsure of any of the above, drop into the shop and I can show you. There are two tricks that I use to get finicky bass to bite. First, if the bass are following and not sucking in the curly tail, lift the bass above the school and then stop the Gulp. At this point, tap the

are critical when it comes to catching goldens off the surface locally. It can literally come down to minutes, depending on cloud cover and the like. Wing-style paddlers (ones that move very slowly) have been my go-to, but I’m sure other styles will work. It’s still very much a work in progress for me, but gee whiz it’s fun! Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines. back of the rod gently to make vibrations. The Gulp will sit there and vibrate, often enticing otherwise reluctant bass to bite. Dead sticking the Gulp also sometimes works if the bass are really shy. Admittedly, I find this particularly boring and will go and find another more active school. The other trick I use is a reel with a reverse. If the fish are following and not taking, try winding slowly in reverse and sending the Gulp down. It takes a bit of practice but works. Remember to only take what you need and preferably release your fish so others can also enjoy the sport. It’s also up to all anglers to man up, and if someone is doing the wrong thing to make them aware of it. Next month I will continue with hints for what I refer to as the transition bite, the bite in between the summer and winter bite. This can be a difficult time but I find the trick is to keep an eye on water temperature and fish accordingly. Remember, if you’re heading to Glenbawn or St Clair, please drop into the shop at the turnoff to Glenbawn in Aberdeen and ask about the different techniques and what they are biting on. We stock all the quality tackle that you need. MARCH 2022

NSW

Finding the right structure BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

As expected, Blowering Dam was a very popular spot over the summer months, with

constant boat activity has been difficult at times, but those anglers who persisted have been rewarded with some very good catches. The main species being caught all over the lake at the moment is the good old redfin, but there have

specimens up around 2kg being caught amongst the plagues of tiny fish. Bait anglers, both land-based and boatbased, are doing well off points on small yabbies, maggots and/or worms, but bigger yabbies around

There have been plenty of natives like this golden perch being caught amongst the plentiful redfin at Blowering Dam of late. Landbased anglers have been lapping it up whilst it lasts. many families taking advantage of the easing of restrictions/lockdowns and the freeform camping that the lake has to offer. Amongst all the water sports happening on the lake there have been just as many anglers trying their luck. Dealing with the very warm weather and the

also been plenty of natives caught which always helps keep interest levels high. REDFIN Redfin seem to be in plague proportions in some areas of the lake at the moment. Anglers have been catching these aggressive fish all over the dam on bait and on lures, with a few bigger

productive. If you’re having no luck off the points, look for some sort of snag or tree and not just the big obvious clumps of snags that everyone notices. Try to find a single solitary tree because more often than not even a small spindly tree can hold 20 or more fish. Also, it’s less likely that these types of single snags have already been flogged from other anglers like the more obvious snags are. Trolling with almost any small hardbodied lure should see you stumble across a patch of redfin, and once you have located a school try to position your boat within casting range and keep casting to them until they stop biting or move on. This is one of the best ways to get big numbers of redfin. The best lures to troll whilst searching for redfin are lures that run comfortably at around the 3-5m mark such as the locally made Stuckeys, size #3 StumpJumpers, Trollcraft Double Downers,

The constant high water levels at Blowering Dam have been a godsend for anglers and for fish.

8-10cm are a good option as they keep the pesky little redfin from stealing your bait. The little reddies can be a real problem at this time of the year. Casting small lures like blades, Rooster Tails, Bling Spins, small soft plastics and small lipless crankbaits from the bank around points can also be

Over 30lb and nearly a metre’s worth of carp. You just never know what you’re going to hook when soaking a bait or flicking a lure around the banks of Blowering Dam.

Sophie and Mackenzie Garner have been making the most of the red-hot redfin action. It’s easy to get your kids hooked on fishing when you can almost guarantee them a few fish. 76

MARCH 2022

AC Slim Invaders, Viking lures and the good old lipless crankbaits. Jigging is another popular way of targeting redfin, and it can be very rewarding when the right tree or patch of rocky bottom is located. The best lures to jig for redfin include soft plastics, lipless crankbaits, spoons, redfin jigs, blades, rubber vibes and ice-jigs. There have been plenty of jigs made over the years, and all have worked and still do work to some degree on redfin. However, I am yet to see a jig land more fish on a

consistent basis then the ever-popular ice-jig. These are the greatest jigs ever invented in my opinion, and they have caught me thousands of redfin over the last few years alone. If your tackle box doesn’t already contain a heap of ice-jigs, I strongly recommend adding at least one to your arsenal. GOLDEN PERCH Most golden perch at Blowering Dam at this time of the year are holding in fairly deep water, which can make targeting them fairly difficult at times. When there is a lot of

boat activity to add to the stresses of high water temps and dropping water levels, a lot of the golden perch seek out cool, deep water that has structure of some description. Their favourite structure during the warmer months seems to be standing timber, as this provides shade throughout the entire day. These tree-hugging fish can be targeted jigging with either bait or lures. Bait anglers using yabbies have been clued onto this for years and are normally the only ones consistently To page 77

NSW

The end of summer ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

As we turn the page on the calendar to say goodbye to February and a welcome to March, we

very different from the past few seasons gone by. Very wet, high flows for all the rivers and creeks around the area has been the new normal for months now! This has made fishing some of these systems much more

and rivers. Once the wet weather pattern of La Niña does eventually pass, these water levels will drop, clear up and go back to normal, and I predict that this will make fishing boom. Flushes of large amounts of

A true giant fish from the shallow depths of Lake Mulwala. This 115cm cod was caught on a Zerek Ruby. more. With that much water around, all of our lakes are high, and as I write this Lake Hume is sitting at a massive 99%. It remained in the high 90s all summer. Lately, my focus has

can be difficult to navigate through the weed, it’s still definitely worth fishing it, and for good reason. Fish definitely aren’t shy of feeding and living in the weed, and they don’t really

confident in what you’re using, the results will come, especially when you least expect it. That’s the joy of cod fishing. On a recent trip down to Mulwala, I was fishing

An exceptionally well conditioned Lake Mulwala cod. Fishing during the heat of the day can be difficult but you can still get the bites with persistence. open the chapter of the cod season into autumn. March is a really exciting month, especially towards the end where the weather becomes just a touch cooler and it makes it that little bit easier physically to fish in. This season has been

difficult, because with high levels of water also comes the clarity factor; the water is much more dirty, making it harder to lure and fly fish. While this can be irritating at the present time, be patient because this is actually a fantastic occurrence for our creeks

water are such a good thing for our water systems – it’s the natural ecosystem’s way of freshening the waterways up. In areas across the region, we’ve seen downpours almost weekly of up to 100mm at a time, and in some places even

From page 76

catching golden perch during the hottest months of the year. Slow rolling soft plastics up the sides of standing timber that is either adjacent to a drop-off or is in 5-15m of water will put you in with just as big a chance of landing a yella as the bait fishos. There are all types of yabby imitation plastics on the market, and all these when rigged and used correctly will catch fish. However, minnowstyle plastics and the ever-reliable curl tail soft plastics just slow rolled are deadly on shutdown golden perch. Slow rolling spinnerbaits and even lipless crankbaits in the same areas is also worth a shot. Trolling the shallower banks super early and late in the day with small to medium sized lures can also get you in on some golden perch action during March.

Lake Mulwala at sunrise and sunset is a magical place. It’s something everyone should experience with a rod in hand.

Big redfin are well within range of land-based anglers in most of our impoundments at the moment, but this won’t last so make the most of it before they start their annual retreat to deep water.

been downstream from the local Lake Hume, to Lake Mulwala. This is mainly because it’s been fairly difficult to fish most of the rivers and creeks around the region, due to the heavy rainfall. The clarity at Mulwala hasn’t been fantastic of late, however the lake is never perfectly clear, so fishing it with a bit more colour than usual isn’t game over. The amount of weed in Mulwala, however, is the most weed I’ve ever seen in there over the time I’ve fished it. In most areas, it’s very thick. While it

have a choice! If you ever get the chance to fish lake Mulwala at night, shine a torch into the weed and just see the amount of life that litters the weed! If you’re not so confident in fishing the weed, this may just change your mindset on it. It often comes down to how you fish it too. Obviously if you aren’t using appropriate lures to fish the weed, it may be a bit more difficult. There are stacks of tackle stores down at Yarrawonga/ Mulwala, so finding your poison isn’t far from the lake. If you persist and are

a few different areas and doing some prep for upcoming competitions held at the lake. I was lucky enough to bump into my second metre-plus cod for the season, measuring 115cm. This fish was caught on a Zerek Ruby, which is a crankbait-style lure measuring only 75mm. I’m not surprised that a large cod would eat a small lure, but I just thought I would write that the unexpected is always a possibility. After all, elephants do eat peanuts! Best of luck to everyone fishing this month, and I hope to see you on the water! MARCH 2022

Canberra

ACT

Bust-ups at Googong CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

I caught my first ever golden perch during the month of March almost 20 years ago. It is one of the clearest fishing memories that I have, and one that I don’t think I will ever forget. I was fishing along a steep edge with a mate and we had caught piles of redfin on deep divers. My mate had a punnet of scrub worms because his favourite way to end a session was to battle big carp on light gear. I grabbed one of the worms, attached it to unweighted hook, cast and within an instant, the rod loaded up and I was on. I remember the flash of gold in the water and the euphoric feeling which came knowing that it wasn’t a carp or a redfin. Since then, I have been

back to that spot many times through March and caught plenty of other yellas to 60cm. It is just one of those classic golden perch hangouts where the bank levels off up near the shoreline and the goldens

hang around this area, but I find that they are more prevalent at this time of year in places like the entrance to the Molonglo River next to the hospice, or along the shallow side of Black

Redfin are in plague proportions at Googong.

Ben Lane with a solid South Coast flathead.

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MARCH 2022

move in to feed as the water cools. Now, with the weather looking a bit more settled, this coming March should provide ACT anglers with bumper golden perch fishing but also plenty of other dynamite opportunities to tussle with cod and reddies. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin is fishing really well. There are schools of redfin holding close to the bank across a number of locations, with the run from the bottom of Weston Park up to the start of Yarralumla Bay producing some superb angling action. I often talk about this little section of the lake, although other people scoff at stories of large reddies sitting almost at anglers’ feet near the sunken reeds. Often it

clear colours) through the heavy weed is the best way to connect with a big yella. If you upsize the plastic, there is also a good chance of landing a solid cod, especially if you’re fishing from a boat or kayak and

your leader if you’re chasing one of the resident metre length carp. Lake Tuggeranong continues to provide solid fishing, and this is in part due to the last of the heavy rain which came through

Sam Hancox with a chunk of Googong green. hitting the points. As always, the carp are an ever present and can be caught using a variety of methods, from casting plastics into the shallows and slow rolling the lure or simply using a running sinker rig and some corn. There are some truly enormous ‘mud marlin’ in Lake G, so upsize

the area in the middle of February. Those with boats or kayaks have fared best recently, with many big cod coming to the net near the middle of the lake. Most of these larger fish have been caught by anglers using live tech and slow rolling spinnerbaits or swimbaits along the bottom. However,

The redfin fishing on LBG has been excellent, and this will continue. takes a quick scroll through the photos on my phone to prove to a lot of keen fishos that Weston Park is one of the best places to cast plastics for reddies in March. The golden perch also

Mountain Peninsula. Lake Ginninderra is producing good numbers of native fish for those anglers willing to mix it up. Fishing unweighted paddle tail plastics (in green or

The river cod are firing up.

there have also been plenty of reddies and yellas caught by anglers targeting the pylons underneath the bridge or the small rock wall behind the college. The Murrumbidgee River is really starting to fire. There has been plenty of surface action for those fishing the faster water, but the cod have also been hitting spinnerbaits and swimbaits in the back eddies away from the main flow. I have landed plenty of cod targeting the slower, wider pools, with the condition of the cod being particularly interesting. Clearly some cod have thrived in the flood conditions of the past few months and have grown round, while other fish are very lean. Usually there is some consistency in the condition of river cod, but that’s not the case at the moment. SURROUNDS It is ‘March Madness’ on Googong Dam. The reddies are feeding on the surface, with the bust-ups sometimes resembling a bubbling mass of bait and red fins. I love this time of year at Googong, especially when the redfin packs cruise close to the shore and can be caught with surface lures like Bassday Sugapens and small poppers. The native fish are also on the chew, with cod being particularly prevalent in the middle section of the dam. Spinnerbaits cast close to the sunken shrubs and then hopped and paused can elicit a strike from a big Googong Green, and Jackall TN60s remain the lure of choice for anglers targeting golden perch. Don’t forget the South Coast this month. The flathead fishing has been incredible of late, with anglers landing 20-30 fish in a session. Plastics and surface lures seem to be getting the best outcomes, but blades like the Ecogear ZX 35 in Dark Knight have also accounted for some really big lizards.

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Tasmania

Marlin, what marlin? OFFSHORE

Kelly Hunt

In last month’s report I made mention of marlin. This sparked a few questions and some keen interest, so this month we’ll look further into how we might catch a Tasmanian marlin – the golden chalice of Tasmanian offshore game fishing. The species most likely to be encountered in our

take a few tries, and don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen perfectly the first two or three attempts. Much like any fishing trip, the weather is going to be crucial. To catch the bait in close and to find bait schools on the edge of the shelf and beyond is a lot easier in good sea conditions. Little or no chop and very little swell and wind will increase your ability and comfort in going about your business. It doesn’t hurt to have a

schools and catch a marlin. It all sounds so easy (and sometimes it can be), but in reality it takes a crew a bit of time to get the skills and techniques together when there are a few fish around in places like Port Stephens and Bermagui. The limited opportunity afforded in Tasmania makes it problematic, so let’s go through a typical series of events that will be a rough template for getting your marlin game on. First of all, get out on the water and off the back of some inshore drop-offs or reefs, and find some live bait. You are looking for some yellowtail scad, jack mackerel or blue mackerel – all of these are marlin candy. Until the excitement of the big show, you will probably skip bait your livies. If you haven’t done this before, go out and catch a couple and get on YouTube and learn how to stich them up to skip. Don’t panic if your first attempts aren’t very good. No one needs to be an expert and rig one up like a 10-year Lizard Island veteran. Practice and then practice some more, and it will be fine. WHAT NEXT Head out to your grounds and drag some skirted lures once you get there, as this allows you to throw down a search pattern at 6-7 knots. What you are trying to do is find some bait on your sounder – a big collection

You are after bait schools getting shaped by squiggles. of bait on the edge of the shelf or just over the edge in 200-300m. While you troll about, mark up any bait you see and move about looking for more. If you are happy that you have found some good pockets of bait here and there, drop down to 3 knots and set out two skip baits in your riggers. While you are at reduced speed, readjust your sounder and really try to get some good returns. Now it’s on and you are looking for any sign of the bait being fed on. The beauty of this is you are fishing while you search. Traveling at a slower speed means you are not covering as much ground. Yet you have found some bait and the skip baits you have rubber-banded out in

Julian Overton with his 60.6kg marlin caught out of St Helens. Tasmanian waters is the striped marlin. These fish are magnificent and, being the smallest of the three big marlin species we chase, grow to 4m long and 260kg. In Tasmania we see them more commonly in the 80-120kg range. The limited opportunity we have to target these awesome piscatorial marvels means we have to have our heads around what we can do to increase our chances. I say ‘target’ because it’s a form of fishing that needs some attention to detail and planning. You can just waltz out on a normal fishing trip and be lucky enough to hook and catch a marlin in Tasmania. This, however, is rare and if you really want to tick one off your bucket list you’re going to have to spend some designated time and effort. This is going to 80

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look at some sea surface temperature details as well, and look to come out of a boat ramp that allows you to access a temperature break or strong push of the East Australia Current. The weather and currents in March mean it’s as good a time as any to get out and have a crack. The area in and around Schouten Island is a great place to start, as well as the traditional grounds off St Helens. Once you have your day and area picked out, you can organize a meeting with your crew to discuss the plan of attack. Fishing for marlin is a team sport, and your crew needs to be on the same page. Make sure they understand this is a targeted mission. SOUNDS EASY Catch live baits, head out to shelf, find bait

Michael Haley with a Tasmanian marlin caught a few seasons ago.

the riggers are fishing and could be hit at any time. The bait school shapes on your sounder will change and move in the water column due to tide and current, but any big changes and having them tighten up and form pillars can mean they are being fed on. If this is the case, do some runs past a little slower and try and get a sounder screen showing an arch or a wiggly snake. If you come across such a thing it may be a marlin or two feeding on the bait and balling them up. ACTION STATIONS Now it’s time for the crew to come into their own. They need to bring in the skip baits and swiftly clip on a live bait rig and attach a live bait. We use some good quality 80lb fluoro leader and Owner circle hooks. On your sounder you will be able to reference a few things – what depth the bait starts, where the bait school ends and what depth your suspected fish arch is. Now that you have two live baits ready to deploy, the skipper will call out two numbers. As an example, if the fish arch was at 60m he may call out “port side 40” and “starboard side 70”. The depth depends on the snapper sinker size to rubber band to your leader junction. In this case I’d use a 4oz. With the rod in the side rod holder, the port side crew member can reach over and, from the rod tip, strip line to the water level and let go and repeat, hand over hand. Having the rod in freespool with the clicker on to stop and overrun is the key here. This will be about a metre at each strip and he can count out 40 of them. The starboard side team member can do same but strip from tip to water level, hand over hand 70 of them. Now what we should have is the live baits down at roughly 40 and 70m, with their eyes wide open thinking, “why me?!”

So now you have the trap set, with drags set super light, and you should be drifting along with the bait school with two very nervous baits in the mix. Rubber band the lines up high into the riggers as quick as you can and then each crew member is in charge of watching their side with an eagle eye. You are looking for that rubber band to stretch under load or even for the mono line to start to coil loosely on the surface. This means the fish has bit and has felt the hook, and may be coming up for a jump. If this is the case, swiftly take up the slack and then look for some load on the line gently as the circle hook finds a home. The water pressure that the fish puts on the line when swimming up normally has the hook in a good spot. If the marlin has taken the live bait and is moving off slowly, point the rod tip to the water and slowly push the drag lever forward. This will draw the circle hook around, and with good luck set in the fish’s jaw. If all goes to plan, good times are to follow. Hooked marlin are a lot of fun and often jump several times in spectacular fashion. Work hard on keeping nice and tight to the fish and use the flex of the rod and stay loaded. Monofilament is the best line to use in this case, as it allows a nice stretchy buffer between angler and fish. With a marlin’s ability to jump and put on a turn of pace, you need the elasticity to stop bust-offs. It is a bit to take in for sure. However, if you are keen and willing to try a new targeted approach, there are fish out there. Possibly more than we even realise, it just needs a few more keen anglers to get out and have a few days specifically targeting marlin in good weather. Until next time, tight lines and be safe.

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

Action in early autumn HOBART

Andrew Large

The East Australia Current has been making its influence felt in Tasmanian waters in recent weeks. Southern bluefin tuna have been in peninsula waters since early January. These fish seem to be in reasonable numbers, with schools being encountered both on the shelf and inshore around Fortescue Bay and The Lanterns. The

size seems to be around 15-27kg, and they are seeking out the cool water that had been pressed against the coast by warm currents out wider. Mako sharks fished well during January and February, and the action seems to continue into March. Fish to 260kg have been caught in recent weeks. Striped tuna have been encountered by those out wide, and yellowfin are rumoured to have been seen wide of Freycinet and

Makos to 260kg have been caught recently.

Vale Tony Robinson

On behalf of the Alvey Reels family and team, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart to announce that our friend and longest serving team member of over 40 years, Tony Robinson, has suddenly passed away. Tony was employed by Alvey Reels Australia when he was 15years old and soon became a valuable part of the Alvey team. At this time of grief, our prayers go out to Jan, his family and his extended family and friends at

Alvey Reels. Tony will be sadly missed and in our hearts and thoughts forever, his passion for fishing and his love of Alvey was well known throughout the fishing community and will not be forgotten. Tight lines forever Tony, we will miss you. – Alvey Reels

Maria Island. These are very occasional visitors to Tasmania, but temperatures are such this year that a run is imminent. As temps nudged 19°C, an influx of yellowtail kingfish has been seen from the northwest coast to coastal towns as far south as Dover in the southeast. Northwest Bay has been fishing really well early. Recent years have seen this bay fish well first up and then go quiet as the day progresses. This seems to be the magical temperature for these fish. Snapper are running well, with the Derwent River and Pittwater areas seeing unusual runs and high numbers of mainly undersized fish. It’s surely a sign of a healthy future ahead for these areas. Coles Bay has been a long-standing hotspot on the east coast, and it seems to be this year as well. Fish have been caught in and around the moorings in recent weeks, and anglers have been doing very well at times. Sand flathead continue to bite well, with size seeming to be up a tad recently. Tiger or king flathead are still fishing well early in the day over traditional beds in Storm Bay, Peninsula and Bicheno areas. Blue-eye a have made themselves available to those deep dropping in 250m+ of water along the east coast in recent weeks. Striped trumpeter have been ticking along nicely, mainly in the far south

Fresh calamari have been available in many areas. around The Friars and Pedra Blanca. Fresh squid baits have been working the best. Arrow squid have appeared in most areas, even as close to the CBD as the Derwent estuary itself. Further abroad, healthy captures are being made wide in Storm Bay, Fortescue, Eaglehawk Neck and Marion bays. In the channel Zoo Pool reef area there have been nice schools as well. Calamari have tapered off a fraction as water temps hold in the high teens. These fish will be found further to the south or seeking depth and cooler water. Australian salmon for the moment are still rather

quiet. Occasional schools of fish to 2kg are being encountered, usually by those chasing kingfish. Anglers have enjoyed a healthy run of sand whiting in Storm and Lewisham Bays. Rock lobster are still potting well in most areas, which is a tad unusual for this time of the year. In the highlands we have Great Lake producing good browns and rainbows to spin and troll fishers. Fly fishing has been a little tough due to the constant easterly weather patterns we have been having. Escapee Atlantic salmon to of around 2kg continue to be captured high in the River Derwent and Huon systems.

Penstock Lagoon has faltered somewhat with many anglers becoming frustrated with the dry and reverting back to the wet in order to entice a fish. Lure fishers are doing extremely well at Bronte Lagoon, Lake Leake, Tooms and Arthurs Lake. Fly fishers are holding their own on these waters too with the use of tiny dry flies. Those fish which found it too hot to feed during the middle of the day have been taking mudeye patterns fished slow on twilight. Good luck over the coming month. Great game fishing lies ahead, along with the remaining weeks of the brown trout season.

of the box. The ultimate Australian crankbait, the Steez RPM Crank Mid-10 is the perfect size and depth to target a host of Australian native species, including bass, yellowbelly and sooty grunter. Designed and tuned to deliver a high cadence and wide swimming action, the RPM equally excels as a slow rolling bait that can be walked over structure or as a faster-actioned open water search bait.

The Steez RPM Crank dives to 10ft which is perfect for hitting that mid-depth range that Aussie natives love to hold at, especially when sitting tight to cover. Designed for optimum performance, the RPM Crank’s rounded lip excels in deflecting off cover, triggering reaction bites as the lure changes direction. Whether it’s hitting Lake Eildon for yellowbelly, working the rock edges at Glenbawn for bass, or fishing the flooded trees at Eungella for sooties, the Steez RPM Crank Mid-10 has you covered. For more information on these and other new releases, check out the Daiwa Australia website at www. daiwafishing.com.au. - FMG

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System has been installed inside the Current Master 93SP-DR enabling incredibly long casts while keeping a subtle and silent presentation. The Mag Lock system also creates perfect lure balance delivering a super-consistent swimming action in still waters, heavy current or faster retrieve speeds. Fitted with ultra-strong split rings and BKK Viper treble hooks there is no need to upgrade any of the hardware which comes standard on all Current Master 93SP-DR and is ready to fish straight out

MARCH 2022

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Summer pelagics still on the go WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Even with March being the first month of autumn it’s still all about the summer species, probably even more so than in December. Fishing has been productive recently, despite a prevalence of east in the wind, which is usually not a good thing

because locally it results in choppy and stirred-up waters. Fortunately, it has coincided with some stretches of low swell, which has made conditions become fishable a little quicker than usual. All the summer pelagics have been out in force when conditions have allowed, with some quality kingfish, tuna and salmon being taken. The best king I have heard of this season so far was a 128cm,

19kg beast taken by Nick Alexeyeff. Fishing with Dean Beckman, the boys saw a shower of garfish and managed to put a Slug-Go through the area quickly to obtain the hook-up. There have been a number of other kings over a metre taken, as well as plenty of medium fish and rats, which is a good sign for the future. Interestingly, we had a kingfish we tagged last season recaptured this season. Phil Pirotta

Summer tuna have been providing plenty of action offshore.

landed the 89cm fish which had grown from 73cm last season. The fish had returned to the same area as last year so it goes to show it’s probably not a good idea to be consistently taking bag limit captures (and five kings is a pretty generous limit) as they will be potentially the bigger fish you might catch next season. The summer run of tuna has once again been productive. On a flat day it can be easy to spot school after school of these fish, which can range from 4kg rats right up to 20kg+ fish. Getting them to bite can be the issue though. We have been finding small to medium poppers working well on the tuna when they are in cruise around on top and ignore everything mode. For those who have been fishing the bottom, the snapper have been excellent in the 25-35m range off most of the local ramps. King George whiting have been steady all summer, and March is still a great time to target them on a calm, warm evening. Fishing shallow waters in the 2-3m depth around Killarney, Lady Bay and Point Fairy can produce some excellent fish in the 40cm+ range. Add to that some quality squid, and an inshore session can produce some great table fish. At

A 128cm, 19kg king taken by Nick Alexeyeff. night, spotlighting and dip netting gars is another productive thing to do on a warm March evening in the shallows. The Hopkins estuary

has remained fairly quiet on the bream front. Some good perch have been taken in both the lower regions and up in the fresh during low light periods.

Expect better weather ahead PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

G’day everyone, hope you all have had a great summer. The last couple of months have certainly

been very busy here in Portland over the holiday period, with plenty of new faces in town. We had some very good fishing periods, with good feeds of kingfish and school tuna, but unfortunately there were

The author and Braden caught this nice mixed bag off Julia Reef.

A beautiful spot at Port Fairy to fish off the rocks. It produced a tasty Aussie salmon for the smoker.

MARCH 2022

Ayden Nolte with a very nice 69cm snapper from the North Shore area.

quite a few easterly winds which made it harder to target these great fish. However, with March upon us, we should hopefully see the winds settle and more opportunities for anglers to get out and enjoy some great fishing. In the coming weeks we can still expect to find kingfish and tuna lurking around the North Shore area, mainly due to the warmer waters. Tuna will also be encountered around the anchorage.

If you want to catch kingies, you can use live or fresh baits, troll small skirts, small hardbodies, squid strips etc. Smaller stickbaits and soft plastics can also work well. Tuna at this time of year do generally still like smaller skirts and small hardbodied lures. Stickbaits and plastics can also do the job. The lee breakwater has been fishing well. When the conditions are right we To page 85

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Good numbers and sizes APOLLO BAY

Craig Rippon

The weather has been a bit up and down and the wind has had some say in our fishing days, but when we’ve been able to get on the water the fishing has been solid all along the coast. To start with, close to home the harbour in Apollo Bay has been fishing unreal, with nice catches of good-sized King George whiting. Some people have been picking up between 10-15 fish, and those are great numbers off the pier and jetties. Also trevally, squid and garfish the odd flathead have been caught. It was awesome to see so

many families fishing in the harbour as it’s very safe for kids and people who don’t own a boat. There are a lot of species to catch in there and you don’t need to break the bank on tackle. There have also been some kingfish swimming around the entrance, which would be good fun if you were able to hook one. Outside the flathead have been in good numbers and sizes, with plenty of bag limits coming in. The snapper have still been really good, as have the gummies and school shark. If you can get nice, fresh bait, you’re nearly guaranteed a good feed of gummies. I have seen some fish coming in around the 25kg mark, and those are

good size fish. There have also been a couple of nice makos caught around the 100kg mark. There’s plenty of bait in the water, and I am expecting them to be around a bit more as anglers are catching a lot up the coast. I had a look for kingfish down the coast with no luck, but I have since had a report from a diver that he saw a nice school of kingies while diving. He said they were about 10-12kg fish. This is the time of the year they get around here, so hopefully I’ll be able to go and have another look as they are one of my favourites to catch down here. The tuna haven’t turned up yet but there are a lot either side of us at Portland

and Barwon Heads. They could turn up at any time. Last year was one of the best seasons I can remember for large tuna down here; I can remember a lot of people getting 100kg fish. During the summer holidays it was great to finally see so many people fishing in Apollo Bay. The fresh water has been a bit slow, and the water is pretty warm at the moment and there are plenty of mullet getting caught off the bridge. At the Aire River a few bream have been caught, but nothing of any size. One camper got a feed of eels, which not many people fish for these days. Eels are nice put through the smoker, and are also a great gummy bait.

A change of saltwater scene COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

In recent times the saltwater scene switched over to summertime mode, with plenty of school yellowtail kingfish to 16kg predating in our inshore waters. Mixed in amongst the kingfish catches are southern bluefin tuna to 12kg. Trolling large minnow lures and occy rigs amongst feeding fish, as well as jigging lures such as knife jigs, has caught plenty of sizeable fish. Live or dead baiting with slimy mackerel has also attracted hook-ups. Anywhere where inshore reefs exist there is the distinct possibility that kingfish are on the prowl. Recently I paid a visit to Boat Bay at Peterborough and it was extremely busy, with traffic launching and retrieving throughout the day. Some vehicles and trailers were parked out on the Great Ocean Road which indicated that the car and trailer park were full at one stage. One From page 84

can still see kingfish caught in March but we generally see whiting, pinkie snapper, squid and the odd gummy, schoolie or bronzie. This is still one of the best landbased platforms around. Fishing the bay in March can be very productive, with good whiting numbers and pan-size snapper. Blacknose Point, Water Tower and North Shore are easy areas to get to for a good feed of whiting. You can either anchor and berley up for these guys or, on the very good days, drifting is a great option. Both options can get you a good mixed bag. Baits and soft plastics are the go. Kids and families are

Stephen Toose with an Apollo Bay gummy caught on a fresh salmon fillet on a 10/0 circle hook.

A decent Curdies bream taken on a Tassie Strike Tiger plastic near the river mouth. enjoying the new Town Jetty inside the harbour and we are seeing some good feeds of squid, whiting, salmon, pinkies and so on. Smaller squid jigs tend to work best in the harbour. Trawlers Wharf and Canal are also great family fising areas. Now that hopefully the weather is more settled, trips to the deeper awters are on the cards. Bridgewater is a very popular fishing spot for great size flathead and gummies, and when cruising home, Cape Nelson Lighthouse area is also a popular spot for snapper, nannygai, and sharks – schoolies, gummies and (the most popular sportfish) makos. Use berley and big baits to entice these big fish.

big boat that would have measured 8m had just been retrieved when we paid a visit mid-afternoon. Quite a feat for the vehicle towing the boat up that steep ramp. Plenty of divers were seen working the inner reefs, no doubt with crayfish being a top target on their fishing lists. On the estuary side of things, only the odd boat attempted to launch from the town boat ramp into the lake. Low water levels and an abundance of weed has made launching further upstream at Boggy Creek the better option. W e visited the boat ramp at Boggy on the same day and found the park full of vehicles and trailers. An angling club from (possibly) Warrnambool were commencing their weigh-in when we arrived. I noted that some nice bream had been caught, which is great to see.

Rabih Assafiri with a very healthy thresher shark.

Other reports point to fish as long as 40cm being caught on quality bait and lures. The average size of the bream coming onboard is more like 34 but that’s still a reasonably sized fish. Grayback minnow freshly netted using hauling nets in the lake remains the number one bait. One angler was targeting estuary perch by suspending a greyback minnow under a float and away from the bank, and he was quite surprised to have bream swim up from the depths and take the bait as well as perch. Soft plastics in minnow and shrimp patterns in light colours have also worked when hopped slowly over the bottom near the bank. Small salmon and mullet freshly filleted with the skin left on and fished in strips is also attracting bream bites. The big boys will also get more chances to head to the shelf for some deep bottom fishing. Popular targets include blue-eye trevalla, pink ling, gemfish and more. Plus, at this time of year out at the shelf, the chances of seeing tuna and albacore could be on the cards. So all in all, March is usually a very good time to fish. • For all your bait and fishing needs call in to Portland Compleat Angler and say g’day to the Fisher crew. You will find them at 61 Bentinck Street, Portland right next to the Gordon Hotel. You can also contact them on 03 5521 1844 or via Facebook Messenger. MARCH 2022

VIC

Great opportunities offshore GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

It’s been an indifferent month on the Bellarine, with strong winds keeping most anglers inshore. A dousing of storms and a splash of heat has also kept us on our toes. All the local dams are full,

single-tailed grub soft plastics. Kel says mornings and arvos are best. He also noted that during periods where the river rises rapidly, the EPs can slow down while the carp come on the bite. Carp to 5kg have also been biting on bread baited running sinker rigs or floats. If you cast just out the front of weed beds you should find a few.

Darcy looks pretty pumped with his PB tuna.

Darcy and Sel caught these tuna busting up inside the heads, not far from Bell Reef near Queenscliff. and Wurdee Buloc near Moriac has been producing redfin with consistency. Most range from 20-35cm but the odd fish is over 40cm, so it’s well worth a trip. Keep your lures near the bottom and use a slow retrieve. The best lures for this method include soft plastics and weighted spoons around the 5-8cm mark. Bait fishos should try a live minnow on a running sinker rig, but be prepared to be pestered by smaller fish. The Barwon River in Geelong is discoloured at the time of writing, but estuary perch and redfin are still taking lures. The estuary perch are fish stocked by VFA in 2018

grandson out in Corio Bay recently. Fishing in 8m of water, 8yo Charley boated a 7kg gummy shark! Offshore in Bass Strait has been nothing short of spectacular, with southern bluefin tuna and kingfish schools providing plenty of opportunities for anglers. There are lots of schools to cast at, but getting them to

a whole day outside the Rip chasing two footy field sized schools of salmon in the hope of getting a tuna or kingfish between Point Lonsdale and the Barwon River mouth. The day was getting long and their arms about to drop from endless jigging and tackle testing new stickbaits. They decided to call it a day around 1pm and

Rocco loves fishing with his dad Mario, out off Clifton Springs. solid salmon as well. It’s hard to drive past schools of tuna while offshore, but the Bass Strait sharks

Gabrielle Costa fished with Connor, Doug and Oscar Glover trying their luck down at the Barwon River recently. It was Doug’s first time using a spin reel and Oscar’s first time with a Tadpole Spincast. They used bread on floats to lure in a few massive carp before they landed a neat little 30cm carp. Gabrielle said that both boys are excited for their next fishing adventure. The Barwon River estuary has seen a fair flush of fresh water heading down most run-out tides, so the incoming tide has been best for saltwater species such as whiting and trevally. Pinkie snapper and whiting

Grant, Dean and Harvey with their Barwon Heads captures taken while riding a jet ski.

Gabrielle and the Glover brothers with their Barwon carp. and doing very well. Kelvin Baldwin of Vic Trout and Redfin Fishing has caught plenty of redfin and estuary perch using lime green 86

MARCH 2022

have been solid inside Corio Bay. Mario and his son Rocco have been getting stuck into a few and been having a ball. Tony Broad took his

bite your lure is another thing! Larger, noisier poppers seem to be preferred by the kingfish, while slimmer stickbaits will take both species. The tuna seem to prefer these retrieved at higher speeds. Trolling skirted lures has been very successful – especially when fish are not visible on the surface. The better kingfish have been approaching 1m and about 9kg while the best tuna are around 25kg. Heavy jigs have also been successful if the kingfish are holding down deep. Speaking of tuna, Sel Kay and his mates Darcy and Andrea found them busting up just off Bell Reef inside the heads! Sel says they spent

head back to Queenscliff boat ramp. However, they spotted a school of bluefin busting a bait ball off Bell Reef! Luckily the rods were rigged! They sent out a Bezel topwater lure and got an almost instant hook-up as Darcy pulled up two turns of the handle. The fish went hard and took them out to the middle of Victory Bight, but they managed to get it aboard eventually. Sel said most fish were around 15kg. Exciting stuff! Dean McDonald fished with his son Harvey and his mate Grant out off Barwon Heads on their jet skis recently. All of them managed a few quality tuna trolling and casting and Harvey nabbed a

have been biting well too. Gummies to 10kg have been caught out off Breamlea in 50m, and the odd mako shark has been caught by fishos laying a proper berley trail and prepared to get away from the other boats, head out to 70m wait it out. The local beaches have been producing salmon either side of 1kg and down the Great Ocean Road, there have been pinkie snapper to 45cm taken from the rocks around dawn and dusk. Pilchards have been by far the best bait but can get picked over by wrasse. If the wrasse are thick, try raw chicken or squid as both of these hang on a bit better. Fish HARD – die happy! • Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterfish@ gmail.com with “FMG” in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1mb (file size).

Charley caught this ripper gummy while fishing with his grandad Tony.

More fish habitat and perch for Maribyrnong Your fishing licence fees are helping revive the Maribyrnong River’s native fish population through stocking and the installation of 34 new habitat structures. The habitat, placed between Avondale Heights and Flemington Racecourse, provide new homes for some of the 320,000 estuary perch fingerlings stocked into the river since 2018. Along with reinvesting fishing licence fees, the project was funded through the State Government’s $35 million Go Fishing Victoria plan and by Melbourne Water. The structures were made from repurposed felled timber and concrete and built with the help of prisoners at Hopkins Correctional Centre. Hundreds of tonnes of rock was also donated by the Cherry Creek Youth Justice Centre Project. The partnership project also received support from Essendon Anglers Club, Parks Victoria, the Department of Justice and Community Safety, Moonee Valley City Council, City of Melbourne, VicForests, VRFish, Melbourne Anglers Association and John Holland.

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Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

March is a wonderful time of year and you can target a lot of different species all around Melbourne and the greater Victoria. Currently, you can target anything from kingfish and tuna outside the heads and closer to Portland and Port Fairy, snapper in the deeper sections of Port Phillip Bay, gummies in Western Port and no shortage of your bread and butter species inshore shallower waters. This time of year is a kayak angler’s dream, as those with a kayak can reach productive grounds without too much effort and go home with a great feed. Years ago, I wouldn’t have believed the idea of catching a kingfish or tuna on a kayak with stickbaits, soft plastics and poppers, and yet this is something we are now

consistently targeting. I had a recent trip up to the greater Warrnambool fishing with good friend Russell Elton. We spent a day fishing in the Portland harbour chasing bread-andbutter species such as squid, snook, pinkies and trevally. The following day we set our sights on some bigger fish, specifically targeting kingfish and tuna trolling strips of squid, 7” BaitJunkie Jerkshads in pilchard glow colour and some stickbaits. Schools of kings came through in short bursts; there would be 15 minutes of chaos followed by hours of nothing. In the end, persistence paid off as Russell hooked a nice size kingfish trolling a 7” jerk at 4 knots on his Hobie Passport. After five minutes of reel-screaming action, Russell landed a beautiful 80cm kingfish. We fished through the day and dropped a few monsters but managed to catch our fair share of

rat-size kingies. That 4-hour drive from Melbourne seems all worthwhile when you get amongst fish of this quality. My trip ended before it started when my Hobie had a busted drive system and busted steering system, leaving me stranded and surrounded by many big boats. I was forced into the shallows but found massive schools of trevally to keep me very occupied. I’ll be getting necessary repairs and venturing back as soon as I can to get amongst the kings and the tuna again. The tuna was another kilometre out from where we were fishing but certainly accessible from a kayak in the right weather conditions. Closer to Melbourne it’s peak time to chase your bread-and-butter species such as pinkies, squid, whiting, flathead, and trevally. You can stay in close and catch these species in good numbers and in a variety of ways. Techniques

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The author onto another local flathead. working well include picking a spot, anchoring and putting out berley and spread of rods, which have been working well for whiting and gummies. Or you can stay on the drift and flick lures and jigs for flathead and squid, which is my preferred method just because it’s fun and effective. I’ve also picked up a lot of whiting using this technique. Local estuaries and lakes are also fishing well. It’s one of my favourite times of year to rip out surface lures and head to the Werribee River, Barwon River, Albert Park or Maribyrnong River. It’s great fun working cicadas, bents and micro tappies on

the surface waiting for those boofs that always seem to catch you by surprise. The Werribee River has been fishing well for bass and estuary perch in the evening, but watch out for snakes because they’re very active at the moment. The Maribyrnong River continues to grow from strength to strength. We’re starting to see the benefits that estuary perch stocking has had in this system, and a big kudos to the VFA for their continual efforts here. I’ve had productive evenings flicking blades, soft plastics and shallow diving hardbody lures on estuary perch and bream. Along the banks, you

will see many bream holding the edges, and estuary perch seem to smash lures and plastics as soon as they hit the water. It’s a system that can shut on and off very quickly. That’s fishing, and you have to put in the hours and be ready at the right time. The bay has been really interesting. The snapper fishing had been inconsistent, then the water temperature rose and now the snapper fishing is again inconsistent due to the water temperature being too high. Don’t worry, we are still seeing snapper caught in decent numbers around Mt Martha, Carrum, Mt Eliza and Beaumaris. The west hasn’t been quite as

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productive but you will still find snapper in the middle between P2, T14 and outside the shipping channels. Head deep as the water temperature is hovering around 21°C and snapper will seek the coolest water conditions which are optimal for spawning and feeding. Squid are fishing well in Point Cook, just make sure you stay out of the

marine park. There have also been good catches around St Leonards, Indented Heads and Clifton Springs. Remember that optimal squid fishing is in clear waters. The clarity allows the squid to see your jig from further away, and in calm, clear conditions the squid fishing can be frantic. Flathead are biting well just about everywhere, and in

most of my travels flicking soft plastics along the sandy flats between 6-12m has accounted for many flathead. The stand-out soft plastics for flathead have been the Berkley 3” Paddle Shad in black and gold, the 4” Turtleback Worm in pumpkin seed and the Savage Gear 8.4cm fat curl tail. That being said, most 3” and 4” soft plastics work well, including

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stacer.com.au Trevally on the yak are good fun. grubs, minnows, jerk shads or worm imitations. Until next time, good fishing everyone. Feel free to reach out to me directly to share your fishing experiences and catches around Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and beyond, which we can feature in next month’s article. You

Russell ‘King of the Kayaks’ Elton with a nice kingie.

can email me at alan@ fishingmad.com.au. Please consider becoming a FishingMad member at www. fishingmad.com.au/member for fishing workshops, detailed reports and exciting monthly giveaways. Also, don’t forget to follow my fishing adventures on the FishingMad YouTube

channel (www.youtube. com/c/fishingmad) and on social media on my Facebook page (facebook. com/fishingmad.com.au), Instagram (instagram.com/ fishingmad.com.au) and on Channel 31 Tuesday evenings at 9:30pm and Saturday afternoons at 3:00pm.

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Whiting win the day PORT PHILLIP NE

Jared Standish

Hot weather has brought even hotter fishing this past month on the eastern side of Port Phillip, especially with bread and butter species such as flathead, calamari and whiting. The rule of fishing in peak times, first or last light, has somewhat been thrown out the window. A perfect example is the fun and tasty species calamari. Plenty of squid have been caught in the middle of the day in reasonable sizes and numbers off Mornington Pier. Also, if you are fishing for them along the weed and reef patches between Olivers Hill and Safety Beach, you are sure to have some success. Over this past month we have had some great weather and water conditions to suit squid, so the colour of the jig hasn’t been of significance. However, there has been more than one conversation about red foils doing the damage with anglers who are focusing their efforts on the calamari. There are some weed patches that have developed in deeper areas around Mt Eliza and Mornington. So

anglers that usually cast smaller sized jigs in 2.5 size, are now stepping things up to a 3.0 or even 3.5 and looking for those deeper broken ground areas, especially to adapt to the slightly bigger sized squid. King George whiting

This year has been one of the best whiting seasons on the bay.

Ben on a great whiting session off Mt Eliza.

numbers of fish incredible, the size of fish anglers have been reporting means the average size coming in is comparable to our next door and notable whiting fishery, Western Port. Fishing for whiting amongst the weed and reef is key but the kicker, as I mentioned before, is working hard. Be patient in the same spot, especially if you are catching lots of fish that aren’t your target species, as this has proven the bite will happen. Alternatively, anglers

have also achieved results by moving, as you could be missing the mark by a short distance, so be sure to work the area if you’re up for the challenge. The tide has been rather slow in the best part of these areas. Nevertheless, it hasn’t been so much about the flow, although it can help, but more about the time of day to getting great results. For anglers fishing on the water, the bite window is best between first light to morning tea. Anglers fishing on land

have described late night as the best time. This might have something to do with how busy the beaches have been. Bait such as pipis and squid strips are nothing out of the normal but mussels have been a standout. Over the past few years, warmer weather patterns seem to hang around well into March. If the wind allows us to spend time on the water, we can expect another run of snapper usually in the deeper water from Frankston to Mt Martha.

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Identifying autumn patterns PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

Finally, the move is complete and we are up and running in the new shop. Now the focus is on getting through the rest of the season and then expanding our range ready for next season over the winter period. In between everything that’s been going on we have been doing a lot of background work on our Good Friday Easter fishing competition. Again, sponsors have been very generous and the prize pool is growing daily. For updates, entries and the prize list, follow us on Facebook. If you haven’t heard about the tuna over the last few months, you must have been living under a rock! The tuna would quieten down once the moon fell away, then come back with vengeance as the moon neared full again, and this has been the pattern for a couple of years now. Many people say the moon makes no difference at all, but reports indicate there is defiantly a pattern. Is this a pattern solely to do with the moon, or is this when we get the best weather conditions for offshore? It doesn’t really matter, let’s just concentrate on the fact that we have a genuine bluefin tuna season. This is easily the best of the seasons so far, with the tuna even coming as far into the bay as the San Remo Jetty, with several caught in Cleeland Bight and even land-based off Foots Beach. Many of the reports were in under 20m of water, and the spearos got in on the action too, spearing several. They tuna have been taking everything this year; for every 100 reports we had there were 60 different lure types/colours reported. As with all fishing there are just as many people missing out, and some anglers who chase these fish regularly over the years haven’t turned a reel as yet, despite several attempts. On the flip side, other anglers with less appropriate gear have landed several; that’s just fishing, I guess. One thing we can say with

confidence is that Westernport Bay and Bass Strait have been swarming with life. There’s an abundance of baitfish, which of course bring down the predators, which in turn attract bigger predators. There’s been an absence of sharks reported over the last couple of years, but this could be more to do with the fact there are some very juicy live baits swimming

This is where the tracing on your GPS helps. Once you have found them, hit the man overboard and work that patch. In the bay the numbers aren’t as good but they will be found right across the corals. There are a lot of very small ones but we get regular reports of six or so quality ones in a whiting or snapper session. Whiting reports are

few anchor drops and you will find them. You will need to make a few changes to your gear for these fish, and the obvious one is sinkers that are heavy enough for the tide, and rods may need to be upgraded to a slightly heavier one. We find circle hooks, 1/0 and braid works best, and we use cocktail baits like a squid strip laced with pilchard fillet, pipi or mussel. We will all see that change of seasons and weather around about now. Many people say it’s the best time to fish around this area, not because you will catch the biggest of fish, but because you get those days that start out perfect and are still perfect when the sun goes down. You can also get several in a row, and that’s when table fish offshore fishing comes into its own. The flathead offshore will be in close, and the snapper

Regular ladies charters operate out of San Remo, and with quality catches like these no wonder they book out early. will be on the reef around Kilcunda. Kingfish could be anywhere, and gummies won’t be far from them. Tuna will still be here, and the makos and bronze whalers also. In the bay, the pinkies

Trophy fish on offer MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

Denver and his family regularly enter local competitions, and he won a rod and reel recently and christened it on his very first bluefin. around, and why would they take a dead bait floating in the water? We did get several reports just before the tuna showed up, and then only a handful since. Flathead have also been back to some type of quality, both in the bay and offshore, with plenty of 45cm+ models reported. They have been a little hard to find but once you work out the pattern you will pick them easily. If we’ve had a big blow and big swell, for the few days after they will be found out and closer to 60m of water. Then, as things settle look in the 20m to 30m areas. You will need to do a bit of a grid search, and don’t waste your time drifting for six hours. Around 30-40 minutes will be enough, then move over 100m and do the same.

always patchy at this time of year for those anglers who simply follow the crowd to the usual spots. During holiday periods the whiting typically get pushed into the deeper water, trying to escape the noise from all the boats buzzing around. Once things settle down during the week, the fish come back to the shallows. True, you will find some in the shallows during busy periods, but they tend to be very small and not worth taking. At times like these, look for the bigger fish in the deeper areas, up to 14m of water. The best deepwater area we have found is not that hard to find – line up the top of the Rhyll channel and Ram Island then about in the middle you will find around 12m of water. Search around and make a

MARLO

OCEAN VIEWS CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK

The estuary is in magnificent condition after the wettest summer we have had for a long time. Whenever the river gets back to normal river heights, it rains in the catchment again and the Snowy rises to flood level again. Luckily there is a good entrance allowing to flood water to run into the ocean quickly, enabling the estuary to get back to normal in a very short time. With the entrance deep and wide it is a perfect gateway for many fish species to enter the estuary in big schools and make the fishing even better. With all the conditions right, the fish have moved throughout the entire system up both rivers. They can be caught from Marlo all the way up the Snowy River to the highway bridge at Orbost and up the Brodribb River up past Lake Curlip and into the old Brodribb. The Brobribb farming area

Chad Morgan with a nice Brodribb bass. is producing some incredibly young and talented lads; two local boys on either side of the river have both managed to bag a trophy bass each. Young Chad Morgan and young Webb landed a monster each, and they must have had to angle their catch into the bank. Estuary perch are schooling along the structures and river snags in both rivers, with the best results coming

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will be driving everybody crazy, and elephantfish will start to show up. That’s how it normally happens, but if there’s anything we have learnt over the last few years, expect the unexpected.

Young Webb loves catching bass.

on live prawn and lures. Luderick are schooling along the rock groynes that surround the islands and along the riverbanks, mostly on baits of sandworm or shrimp. Salmon and tailor are in good numbers down towards the entrance and are taking metal lures. Big flathead are in good numbers along the sandflats, with the best results coming on lures. The surf beaches are fishing well, with plenty of salmon, tailor, flathead, bream, and gummy shark on the chew. The shore-based game fishing brigade are still catching and releasing plenty of big sharks. Offshore the fishing is good with plenty of flathead, gurnard, barracoota, squid, pinkie snapper, salmon, morwong, and gummy shark being taken. The kingfish are a bit haphazard because the water is a bit cold for baitfish to be in good numbers, but anglers are still managing to land a few from Marlo Reef.

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Perch provides a golden reward GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

The Gippy Lakes are starting to really settle down now after a year of floods, and the fishing is starting to return to somewhere near normal. It’s hard to believe but the whiting numbers are now better than ever and seem to just keep rising. March and April have always been busy months for local anglers and there’s plenty to look forward to. GOLDEN TAG When the Victorian Fisheries Authority first launched the Golden Tag

program back in 2020 I saw it as a tremendous idea that would provide a huge economic benefit to Victorian towns, my local Sale community included. The program went on to provide incredible joy to many anglers, and I’m proud and just plain lucky to now be one of them! I recaptured a 42cm estuary perch in the Latrobe River recently that was tagged near Lakes Entrance back in February 2020. It had travelled roughly 80km from its release point and had grown 4cm in that time. My $2000 reward is most welcomed but I’m probably more excited to just have recaptured this perch, a species I’ve been intrigued

by for so long. They continue to amaze me, and after 23 years of passionately chasing EP, what a great thrill to get one with a Golden Tag! There were only 12 perch tagged and released into the Gippy Lakes, and I can’t believe I found even one of them! The lakes are a huge estuary system and research has proven that EP are well known for swimming out into the ocean and even moving to new far away estuaries. Most other winners thought they had to keep their catch to claim the prize, but this is not true. I knew I could first take pictures of my tagged fish, then remove the tag and set the fish free once again. I took a close-up

pic of the tag numbers and these photos are all the proof you need to claim your golden reward! I have also now learnt that my perch was first released personally by the Fisheries Minister at the time, Jaala Pulford, to launch the whole Golden Tag program! People have told me they saw the event and my fish on TV that day. Then two years later I catch the same fish again. What are the odds of that? It’s a perfect twist to my story considering Jaala was so instrumental in securing the Gippy Lakes as a net-free zone. Finally, I send personal thanks to CEO Travis Dowling, project manager

The author hit the jackpot, recapturing a golden tagged perch worth $2,000.

While chasing whiting in the Gippy Lakes you could also find a by-catch of flathead, trevally or even the odd leatherjacket. Craig Ingram at the VFA, and to all those involved in the Golden Tag program. BREAM Slowly the reports of decent bream numbers have trickled in over the last month, and although they are still being rather elusive, that is improving with every passing week – as long as the flooding rains don’t turn up again! The lower Tambo has produced nice bream to 43cm, and the best places to target them have been in the river mouth and just out into the bay. The lower Mitchell River should also be on your radar as the river cleans up and irrigation starts slowing its upper stream flow. The upper Nicholson remains fairly quiet but it’s well worth a look out onto the flats where it enters the lake. There are still very few reports from Hollands Landing or Seacombe. KING GEORGE SOLDIER ON The whiting story has gone beyond incredible and they are still being caught in big numbers from Kalimna right up past Metung. King

George whiting are now the star of the show within the Gippy Lakes and have well and truly dethroned bream and dusky flathead. The stories of happy anglers hooking so may fish are endless and here’s just one but a perfect example. A dad coaxed his wife and daughter out for a trip on the whiting at Nungurner assuring them he could show them how easy it is to catch these tasty treats. In the end the girls excelled and easily out fished dad as the trio put together a ripper bag of about 50 whiting between 30-37cm. Now that is stunning enough but the real surprise is this. From leaving the caravan, launching and retrieving the boat, travelling to their chosen part of the lake and returning back to the holiday park at Lakes Entrance, it was all done in three hours! Now that’s what I call a ripper day out fishing. The real challenge would be once you get back home there would be maybe an hour and a half cleaning, filleting and storing all those fish. Best problem anyone can have!.

Keeping on the move MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The end of the summer holidays has seen the town quieten down somewhat, although we’ll still have some visitors here through until easter. After that, it will really quieten down as we head into winter. The past month has seen some great summer days but the weather has been unpredictable, with some days feeling like winter. The fishing has been great though, with plenty of action offshore. Sand flathead and tiger flathead have been caught in good numbers, with plenty of good-sized fish being caught. Out around the Ariels has been good, with good patches of fish also out around Gabo Island. If you are struggling to catch fish, or are only catching smaller ones, keep on the move and you will come across better quality fish. 94

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The same can be said for the gummy sharks – keep on the move until fish can be found, then concentrate your efforts in

these areas. Really good water has been out of Mallacoota over the past month, with cold water in close and hot water

A great sand whiting caught on a soft plastic while chasing bream.

Plenty of good eating size fish are being caught throughout the system.

out wider. This has seen an abundance of baitfish attracting bigger fish to the area. Striped marlin have been about in numbers, with plenty of reports of people encountering fish but not too many landed. Kingfish are also about, with some good fish being caught over the past month once again. Being in the right spot at the right time makes all the difference. As long as the baitfish are about, there will be bigger fish to be caught. The next few months should see the

southern bluefin make an appearance too. Some good tailor are about on all the local beaches, with the deeper gutters on the local beaches producing fish on the rising tides. Some great fishing has been had in the lake system, with the Top and Bottom lakes producing fish. Good size fish are being caught right through to Gypsy Point and above. Yellowfin bream are being caught over the shallow sand flats, along

with dusky flathead and black bream. Fish are being caught on fresh bait, and also a variety of lures such as hardbodies, soft plastics and surface lures. When fishing the shallows, a bit of wind ripple makes the fish a lot easier to catch as they don’t spook as easily. Good fish are also being caught in the deeper water. If you can spot baitfish schools on the sounder, that is a great spot to try blades or soft plastic lures.

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East Coast

The freshwater fallout LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

The coffee-coloured Gippsland Lakes has slowly begun to clear after masses of rain. Our local lakes have been flowing hard with all the freshwater runoff, and this has brought about many changes and made the fishing challenging at times. LAKES ENTRANCE Over recent months the Gippsland Lakes has been very dirty, and the

huge amount of rain we’ve received has changed up the fishing massively. The dirty water slick can be seen kilometres offshore during the run-out tide. This dirty water has presented many challenges, but decent fishing has still been on offer. King George whiting have become something that many anglers come to target at Lakes Entrance. Since the removal of commercial fishing our whiting fishery has recovered extremely well. With the added freshwater, the majority of

the whiting have been in the lower end of the lake, with areas around Fraser and Rigby Island being ideal areas. A key to success lately has been to focus your efforts on the run-in tide when the clean ocean water pushes back in to the lake system. Combing the clean water and deploying a good berley trail has been the best bet to get you into some great fishing action. LAKE TYERS The lake has been extremely productive lately, with many species on offer.

Another cracker Lake Tyers trevally.

Prawn pattern hardbodies, like this little Atomic, have been highly effective when twitched across the flats.

Monster silver trevally have been the talk of the town, with anglers catching 50cm+ trevally daily, including fish up to 65cm. These large trevally have been concentrated in deep holes around the edges of the sand bar. Bait anglers have struggled, but wellworked soft plastics have been triggering aggressive responses and hook-ups. Pretty much all the fishing

action lately has been on soft plastics. These monster silvers will test out your skills with light tackle. It’s been a very common sight to see anglers getting busted of consistently personally I’ve upped my tackle taking a light bass rod down spooled with 15lb Unitika braid and leader to match. The many sand bars up the Nowa Nowa arm

have offered plenty of fun sessions chasing bream, prawn patterns jerk baits have been a deadly option HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If you have been out for fish lately and have a great pic please send to stevenprykefishing@gmail. com with short description and you could be featured in the edition of fishing monthly Cheers Steven

Bream dominate catches BEMM RIVER

Robyn Sturgess

What a season it’s been – incredible weather, influx of families and lots of anglers in addition to amazing fishing! The entrance remains open at time of

writing and has been open since June 2021. Bream have been the dominant fish, with reports of catches up to 47cm. After speaking to anglers in recent weeks they have reported amazing catches of flathead, tailor and salmon. Small paddle tail and grub imitation

soft plastics worked along with the tide on the dropoffs in the channel have produced some great results, with some quality bream, flathead, trevally and the odd large salmon being landed. The tailor and salmon have mainly been on the turn of the tide in the channel.

Darren Dennys with a nice Bemm River bream.

The perch are still around the edges of the lake in their normal hiding spots. The fishing in the lake has been a little slow, but as the water clears we should see the fishing fire up again. Bobs Bay area has seen spectacular aerials from big 3kg+ tailor hunting mullet and small baitfish. For those willing to brave their surface lures, there is some great sportfishing on offer, and the odd large bream amongst them. There haven’t been many reports for the river due to the amount of fresh water and the discoloration of the water following the intense rainfall, the streams are still holding a lot of water and flowing strongly. The surf has been producing any amount of salmon on all beaches, with also a report of large trevally caught at Ocean Beach. Bobs Bay and Siberia have been a hot spot for bream and flathead on frozen prawn. At the time of writing the entrance remains open so water level is low. One

Charlie caught this trevally on a grub tail soft plastic. Image courtesy of Charlie Brookman. of our customers has been fishing the channel catching flathead around 50cm+ and bream around 43cm using frozen prawn. The lower reaches of the Bemm River have seen good quality bream being caught, all around the 35cm mark, with the main bait being frozen prawn. Please also ensure your safety gear is in order for your boat, and that your fishing and boat licences are current. Fisheries

visit often and check these details in order to maintain safety on our waterways. • 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. MARCH 2022

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Cod bite not too shabby ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

The summer cod fishing in our local waters has been pretty good, with most anglers managing to put a score on the board. The Murray River around Swan Hill has fished better than it has for many years, with plenty of small fish lining up to be caught. In saying that, amongst the many small ones a few rippers are biting also, with numerous 1m+ cod caught this past month. Bait anglers are doing well, with some anglers landing a dozen or more fish in a single session. However, although bait is producing good numbers of Murray cod it seems that most of the bigger ones are munching lures. Casting the shallow snags at first and last light has been very productive, with trolling working best during the heat of the day. A few cod have also been landed on surface

lures, and this bite should only get better as we head towards the change in season. Golden perch too have been keen to snatch a lure or chomp a bait, with some good fish to 50cm landed in the Murray also. The Wakool River at

Kyalite has sprung back to life, with numerous reports of Murray cod on bait and lures to 90cm. It’s been a few seasons now since the cod fishing was this good, according to many anglers enjoying the fishy action on the Wakool River. Some nice-

Donna Mackenzie with one of seven cod landed on bait in a session on the Murray River near Swan Hill. be a 104 specimen. It’s a common practice of newbie anglers to measure their fish in millimetre increments after

mostly taken on lures. Holidaymakers fishing baits of corn and bread are having a ball catching big carp, and

This solid Murray cod was caught using chicken as bait.

The Hann kids showing dad how it’s done with this monster Murray cod from the Darling River.

sized perch have also been in the mix, with smiles all round from locals and visitors alike. Downstream and it’s a similar story at Boundary Bend, with good numbers of Murray cod being taken on bait and lures. It seems there’s no shortage of small cod in the system, which bodes well for the future of our fishery. Robinvale is producing some good-sized Murray cod, both above and below the weir, on bait and lures. There’s been talk of a ripper catch at 140cm, but it’s yet to appear in a picture, and I suspect it’s more likely to

A good boil of yabbies from the Menindee Lakes. the metre mark. The Murray River at Mildura continues to fish well with some goodsized Murray cod to 80cm,

while it isn’t for everyone they seem to be having a great time. If you are looking for a feed of yabbies the Menindee

Lakes are producing some absolute thumpers now they are full with water again. Golden perch too are on the chew at many locations up that way, with heaps getting caught on bait. What a great thing it is to see these lakes full again, and even better for the future of our golden perch populations. The Murray cod that survived in the Darling have enjoyed a ripper breeding season thanks to flows downstream from these lakes. For those departments that managed to drain the lakes empty in a few short seasons last time they were full, we hope you have learned a lesson. As we are through the worst of summer, the coming change of season should see the Murray cod bite get better. Topwater presentations will be boofed with gusto, and a few well-placed lures are sure to tempt a strike from a few of the resident monster cod that inhabit our local waters.

Doing the right things BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

The productivity in the fishing continues to be good in most of the popular destinations in the Bendigo region. The local river systems are fishing very well and the local impoundments continue to produce good numbers of fish. This time of the year can be a very good time to walk the banks and fish the local river systems. Unfortunately, over recent weeks I’ve been receiving a number of reports from anglers regarding people doing the wrong thing. I encourage all anglers to do the right things if you are accessing a local river system via private property. If possible, ask permission from the property owner, and leave the river as you found it. If you open a gate, you must 96

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close it behind you. If you find a gate open, leave it open because it will be open for a reason (e.g. allowing stock to access water). Most disturbing is the increasing amount of rubbish that’s being left at the sides of the river. The rubbish is not only being left by anglers, but other people using the river too. It’s a good idea to take an extra bag with you, and if you see some rubbish just pick it up and take it home with you after your day’s fishing. This gesture will be appreciated by the property owners, and helps keep our rivers in pristine condition. LAKE EPPALOCK The fishing remains good at this location. Water levels are still dropping but at a slow rate. At the time of writing this report the water authorities are currently letting an increased flow out of Lake Eppalock for an environmental flow down the Campaspe River.

The productivity of the redfin fishing has improved in recent weeks. The good redfin fishing should continue for the next few months at least. The best concentrations of redfin are currently in around 6-10m of water. Deep diving hardbody lures such as Australian Crafted Invader, Halco Crazy Deep and Custom Crafted BassHunter are all very good options at the moment. Soft plastics and soft vibe lures are also catching their share. Metal blades and ice jigs are producing reasonable numbers of redfin as well once a good concentration of fish is located. For those anglers chasing golden perch, the productivity has been OK. Casting around the edges of standing timber has been a good option. Lipless crankbaits and blades have been the most productive lures for this scenario. Trolling for the golden perch has also been productive. The most productive trolling

Greg Ermel caught this 41cm golden perch in the Campaspe River. The fish was caught casting and retrieving a Jackall TN65 next to heavy timber. depth for goldens currently is between 4-6m of water. The good news is that the lake is now seeing a significant reduction in ski boat and jet ski traffic. The weekend’s boat traffic can still be fairly busy, but the majority of

weekdays the boat traffic is now pretty good. CAMPASPE RIVER The productivity in the fishing in the Campaspe River has been very good recently. There have been very good numbers of golden perch

being caught in the system. The average size has been 40-45cm, with the occasional quality fish over 50cm being landed. Good lure options for the golden perch have been lipless crankbaits, To page 97

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Great fishing in store WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

This year I am looking forward to March more than any other year that I can remember. A wet spring and summer has seen the streams hold a healthy flow of water throughout the

experiencing an amazing summer of Murray cod fishing, with lure and bait fishers all experiencing some great cod fishing. As we head into March, I expect the cod fishing to start slowing down a little bit as the water cools, and so does their appetite. I find March to be a bit hit-and-miss with my Murray

Brett Corker with a magnificent trout cod caught recently in Wangaratta. summer months. The water warmed up a little bit in mid-summer, and the trout have slowed right down which is to be expected. Once the cooler nights of March arrive, and the water temperature drops, I expect the trout fishing to be fantastic. I have got my fingers crossed for a betterthan-average autumn of trout fishing in North East Victoria this year. MURRAY COD We’re currently From page 96

medium- sized hardbody lures and spinnerbaits. Reasonable numbers of Murray cod are also being caught in the Campaspe River. The average size of the cod has been between 55-65cm. The occasional larger cod has been caught, and the majority of these larger fish have been caught on surface lures or swimbaits during reduced light conditions. Small numbers of Murray cod have been caught by anglers trolling the sections of the Campaspe River below Elmore and Rochester. A few redfin are also being caught in the Campaspe River. These are a great bycatch for those anglers who are practicing catch and release with native fish. If you manage to catch a few nice redfin you can take them home for a feed. At the time of writing, an environmental flow is being released down the river. These increased flows will see water clarity reduce for a while, and a reduction in water temperatures for a week or two. In the short term these kinds of factors have a negative effect on the fishing, but it’s not long before the fishing fires again in the Campaspe River.

cod fishing, particularly when lure fishing. I seem to have much more consistent success with bait in March than I do lures. In saying that, some of my best Murray cod fishing sessions have been in March. In March the consistency drops away, but if you happen to be casting lures on a good day, you will be glad you went. Most of the usual techniques should work in March. Surface lures are good during the low light times of the day, and diving/ CAIRN CURRAN The productivity in the fishing remains very good at this location. Good numbers of golden perch continue to be caught, with an average size of 28-38cm. A few methods are working well on the golden perch. Reasonable numbers of fish are still being caught by anglers fishing off the banks, and worms and yabbies are good bait options. Fishing around the standing timber is still a good choice, either casting lures to the edge of the timber or bait fishing around the standing trees. This has been producing good numbers of both golden perch and redfin. Trolling small to medium sized hardbody lures in the 3-5m depth range has been productive on golden perch, Murray cod and redfin. Some good lure choices for this depth range are small StumpJumpers, small Oar-Gee Plows and Custom Crafted BassHunters (shallow bib). LODDON RIVER The productivity in the fishing in the Loddon River has remained good, with a mixture of both Murray cod and golden perch being caught. The cod have been taking a wide range of surface lures, with frogs, paddlers, fizzers and poppers all producing

sinking lures during the brightest times. TROUT This is what I am most excited about at the moment – autumn 2022 trout fishing. Without a crystal ball I have no way of knowing what March will bring, but I predict that we will experience some great autumn trout fishing this autumn, beginning in March. Depending on the weather late in summer, the March bite could start early, or later in March. Given the cooler, damper summer we’ve had, there’s a chance that early March could see some great fishing. All known trout fishing techniques should work in March. Minnow-shaped lures are a great place to start, and don’t be afraid to tie on a minnow that is much longer than what you would normally use for trout. In the autumn,

Lake William Hovell is a very popular spot for kayaking, including kayak fishing in March. particularly later in autumn, trout can become aggressive as they prepare to spawn, and will hit a larger minnow more out of aggression than hunger.

biggest lakes in the Ovens River catchment, Lake William Hovell and Lake Buffalo. Both lakes have great numbers of redfin in them. Most fish are small, but there are some larger redfin in both lakes, and if you put the time in, you are more likely to find the bigger fish. Redfin are a funny fish. Some lakes fish well in spring and summer, and others in autumn. I find both William Hovell and Buffalo are better fished in the autumn,

lakes. Drop-shotting with soft plastics brought me quite a lot of success in Lake Buffalo last year. I prefer brighter coloured soft plastics for redfin. The Strike Tiger in banana shock colour is definitely a standout. YELLOWBELLY Yellowbelly are usually a bit of a by-catch in the Ovens River system… for now! Recent fish stocking has seen their numbers really increase in the Ovens River to the point that many anglers are picking up a few here and there.

Fishing with bait can be a very productive way to fish for Murray cod in the Wangaratta area in March. some reasonable captures. Swimbaits have also been a good option when targeting Murray cod, and spinnerbaits and large lipless crankbaits have been working well too. The Loddon River has continued to be a good option for those anglers targeting golden perch. Lipless crankbaits and hardbody lures have been producing the goods recently. The water clarity continues to be variable at present, depending on water releases being let down the system. This is often hard to predict as it can change from one week to the next. My advice is if you are fishing the Loddon River at the moment, be flexible on what section of the river you want to fish. If you go to fish the Loddon River below Laanecoorie and the water clarity is poor, try Newbridge area. If that’s no good, try above Bridgewater or Serpentine. If you go to an area one week and the water clarity is no good, don’t write it off forever. Go back in a couple of weeks and you may be surprised at the improvement in clarity. If an area has been dirty for a while, it has probably received less fishing pressure. If you are one of the first anglers to fish it when the clarity improves, you often can be rewarded with some very good results.

Anything black will be worth a try too. Small, black soft plastics such as the Strike Tiger nymph, a mudeye, a black Celta or a black minnow lure will all be worth trying. March is when we start to see more black crickets getting around, and the trout just love crickets! The fish will be on the lookout for crickets, which are black, hence why I suggest using something black. Bait fishers should try live crickets or grasshoppers of you can find them. I find worms to be quite ineffective as trout bait during March most years, unless we get a LOT of rain and the streams are high and dirty. REDFIN March is a great time to target redfin in the two

Whatever lure you choose to use in March, black is always a great colour choice. It is the author’s go-to colour in the first half of autumn each year. starting in March. Small diving lures like the Halco Crazy Deep are always a great option. I also like the Damiki Disco 38. It’s a very small lure, and it catches a lot of small fish, but bigger fish will also hit them. Lipless crankbaits and soft plastics are both very effective in both of these

Although not targeted by a lot of anglers, freshwater blackfish are a lot more abundant than many people think, and are great fun to catch. March is a good time to target them.

You may encounter a yellowbelly in Lake Buffalo, Lake Sambell (Beechworth) or the Ovens River in March. However, if I was suggesting somewhere to go fishing with the specific goal of catching yellowbelly, I would recommend Lake Nillahcootie or Lake Hume, both of which are only a little bit further away. OTHER SPECIES The yabbying usually starts to slow down pretty quickly each March, as soon as the water temperatures start to drop. The small blackfish in the streams usually bite like mad in March, and the region’s carp generally bite well at most times of the year, except in the depths of winter. Lake Moodemere will be well worth a fish if you wish to tangle with a big carp, and so too will the lagoons that line the banks of the Ovens River. MARCH 2022

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Ripper redfin on the rise BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Fishing around the Ballarat and district has certainly been tough over the past month, with only a few scattered reports filtering through. I mentioned last month that our lakes and reservoirs around the district were at higher levels than previous years due to the La Niña weather pattern. The rains have not stopped coming; one storm that ripped through the district dumped up to 150mm of rain in some areas, and caused widespread property damage and flooding. As a result of the flooding, some of our waters including Moorabool, Cosgroves, Hepburn, Newlyn and Dean reservoirs all overflowed, and a lot of water finished up into Tullaroop, which is now at its highest level for a long, long time. Is this the reason the fishing is quiet currently? I’m not sure, but I do know the very hot weather we’ve had over the past month has increased, with water temperatures reaching up to 25°C in some waters. The high temperatures have certainly impacted the trout fishing. The trout have

has been Micro Chatters (a very small version of a chatterbait). Ben works the Micro Chatters very slowly. The small spinning blade on the front of the lure catches the eye of the hungry redfin, and they find them irresistible. As Ben works the edges of the weed beds, not only in the rowing channel but other selected spots, he might work one area

channel, which happens to be the deepest part of the lake, cooler water. I’d suggest the fishing will improve over the coming month, as we moved out of the hot weather, cooler conditions will cool the water temperatures down to a more comfortable level and the trout will once again start to feed freely. Pykes Reservoir approximately 30

Lake Wendouree redfin, like this 48cm specimen, can’t resist a Micro Chatter. Photo courtesy Ben Young.

Wayne Rigg with a Lake Wendouree redfin which devoured a Micro Chatter cast along weed beds. Photo Courtesy Ben Young. minutes down the road from Ballarat, has been producing some excellent catches of redfin and the odd trout. Adam Hewitson has been catching plenty of redfin trolling lures, casting soft plastics and also fishing small yabbies and garden worms, slowly

jigged just off the bottom. Adam said he has been sounding the schools of redfin up before catching them on bait and plastics. There are lots of little ones with some rippers in amongst them, up to 40cm. Adam also caught his new PB trout at Pykes. He said he was trolling some deep diving lures for the redfin when a very plump 48cm brown trout nailed his lure. Pykes Reservoir has been heavily stocked over the past few years by Victorian Fishing Authority with trout, yellowbelly and now Murray cod, so there are some exciting times ahead for this fishery. At Tullaroop Reservoir,

the water level is at its highest for a long time. The trout have been very quiet all season, but there have been some good bags of redfin being caught on yabbies, worms, gudgeon and lures by anglers fishing from boats, hobbies and kayaks. The use of fish finders certainly improves your chances of catching a feed of redfin. Once you sound them up, drop your baits or plastics into the school and generally it’s game on. The action can be very fast and frantic at times, while at other times you can see them there and they won’t touch a thing. That’s fishing. If you are after a feed of yabbies, Tullaroop

Adam Hewitson caught his new personal best (PB) trout from Pykes Reservoir measuring in at 48cm. Photo Courtesy Adam Hewitson. moved out into the deeper water where it is colder and more comfortable for them. On the flip side, the warmer temperatures have brought the redfin on the bite. They prefer warmer temperatures and are eager to eat flies, lures and baits. Early mornings and evenings are the best times to target the redfin. Ben Young is an expert at nailing the big redfin on Wendouree casting lures and plastics out of a boat. Ben targets the edges of the weed beds, casting hardbodied lures and soft plastics, and recently his weapon of choice 98

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with no success move onto another, same result and then go back to the first spot and the redfin could have moved into the area to feed and bang its game on, it’s a matter of trial and error until you find them, they can be very elusive at times Ben said. On recent trips Ben has nailed some excellent-sized redfin up to 48cm as well as quite a few other small models. The trout on Wendouree are very quiet currently, however a few have been getting caught in the evenings by anglers trolling lures behind boats or hobbies in the rowing

The author nailed this big redfin from Lake Wendouree whilst casting a Bent Minnow surface lure. Photo Courtesy Ben Young.

is producing excellent catches of these very tasty crustaceans. Anglers have been dropping their pots in water depths varying from 10-15m. Ensure your pots have your name and address on them, and that you don’t exceed the bag limit of yabbies. The rules and regulations on pots that can be used, along with bag limits, are available at www.vfa.vic.gov.au. Fisheries officers have been patrolling some of our local waters checking licenses, bag limits and safety equipment. Moorabool Reservoir, as I mentioned, recently overflowed for the first time for many years. The fishing has been very quiet lately, with only the odd fish being caught. Nick Whelan has been out flyfishing Moorabool in search of the mudeye feeders on evening and after dark. He said it was quiet; he saw three fish just on dark, hooked all three and landed only one small rainbow. He had expected the fish to be mooching around the margins feeding on mudeyes migrating to hatch into dragonflies, and he said it was disappointing they didn’t appear to come in that night. Darren Lyle has been fishing Moorabool as well, searching for the mudeye feeders, and had a similar experience. He said you could see the mudeyes swimming through the water, but the fish weren’t on them. Maybe that’s due to the water being so warm. The fishing in Moorabool will improve as autumn progresses, when the water temperature cools down. This waterway is certainly on my fishing radar as we move into the autumn months.

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Weather fires up the fish SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

Over the past month we saw some changing weather conditions, plenty of stormy weather followed by cod and hot fronts, and these conditions

really fired up the fish in the Goulburn. There weren’t many reports of tough fishing this past month, with plenty of cod around the 45-70cm range being caught. I have been getting good reports from those fishing up towards Murchison, Moira Park, in the heart

Night crawler worms have been working well on carp and yellowbelly.

of Shepparton and down towards Bunbartha, with all areas producing plenty of fish. Chicken and scrub worms have been the stand-out baits for cod, with yabbies also working well for yellowbelly. Lure fishing off the bank has been a successful way to catch cod, especially using spinnerbaits and surface lures. BROKEN RIVER The river has also fished well this past month, and bait fishing has been a stand-out upstream of Caseys Weir and lure fishing down towards the Broken Goulburn Junction. Yellowbelly have been very active up towards Benalla on scrubworms and shrimp. There have also been reports of success in casting diving crankbaits and Old Mates for both cod and yellowbelly. Surface fishing is still a great option in low light hours from Benalla to Shepparton. KIALLA LAKES When there are dramatic changes in weather, especially storms, Kialla Lakes just seems to fish well. This has again been the case, with reports of

yellowbelly and redfin being caught, mostly on lures. Soft plastics rigged with a beetle spin and TN60 Jackalls have been working well when cast around the willows and sand banks. There has been the odd carp and yellowbelly caught on bait, with night crawler worms being best. IRRIGATION CHANNELS Lipless crankbaits seem to be the lure of choice in the local irrigation channels around Shepparton and out towards Waranga Basin. Jackall TN50s and 60s have been great for redfin, cod and yellowbelly. Casting around the drop bars has been the go-to location, with both above and below producing fish. Bait fishing has been a little slow. Those anglers who have been catching fish on bait have been using small yabbies or scrub worms. WARANGA BASIN Double hook-ups haven’t been uncommon over at the basin, with some anglers reporting two redfin smashing the same lure. Those anglers running a soft plastic trailer above the lure have also reported plenty of double hook-ups. Trolling in the 12-15ft

Catching small cod is great fun for kids. mark has been great for this, with the standard bibbed RMGs and 10ft Codgers working well. Another great way to catch redfin is trolling ZX40s and then stopping and casting on schools.

Drifting small yabbies or worms in the same depth has been great for those bait fishing. If you’re fishing off the bank, worms are working best for both redfin and carp.

More action on the way WEST/SOUTH GIPPSLAND

Billy Auldist

It’s been another productive month of fishing for anglers of South West Gippsland. Once again the weather has been good and the fishing even better. Plenty of fishos found success, and there is more to come. The waters around Noojee saw a lot of pressure over the break, with anglers seemingly everywhere. The water has been up and down with the rainfall this past month, but that didn’t slow down the fishing too much. The water clarity wasn’t prime with all the run-off, but anglers were still successful in finding trout. In the dirty water most success was found using an anchored bait like a worm or a grasshopper. Lure fishers still found fish, mainly using brightly coloured spinners retrieved downstream. The Loch, La Trobe and Toorongo will all be clearing up again soon enough, and the fishing will fire. The Tarago and Bunyip rivers have been fishing well all

throughout, but the higher reaches have been exceptional. Fishos have been catching good numbers of trout on a wide range of techniques such as soft plastics, divining minnows, spinners and of course drifting baits. The river blackfish season has opened so anglers who fish a worm, cricket or yabby in

either of these two rivers are definitely in the hunt for a blackie. Ideally you would fish an unweighted bait, but in most situations you will need a small splitshot or even a light sinker. Casting near a snag on dark is your best bet. Blue Rock Reservoir has turned the bass fishing on, much to anglers’ delight.

A typical West Gippsland brown trout that took a liking to a WildBait hardbody.

Dylan Powis with a stud land-based Aussie bass caught on a Tiemco cicada.

Both boat fishers and bank fishers have been reaping the rewards of the years of VFA stocking. Soft plastics, hardbodies, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits have all been working well, along with surface lures like cicadas and poppers. Bass, redfin and carp are being caught all over the lake and in good numbers. Dylan Powis fished the top end of the lake on dark with a surface cicada recently and landed a monster 46cm bass from the bank! This shows that you don’t need a boat to find the quality fish. The warm weather

makes the fishing for introduced species like carp and redfin really turn on. Redfin and carp are found in almost all of our local waterways, and both can be caught relatively easily. An unweighted worm will catch both species without an issue. It’s prime time to fish local estate dams in search of redfin. Many of the local dams will hold reddies, it’s just a matter of getting out and trying a couple. A soft plastic fished on a light jighead is my preferred technique, but as most of you would know, when

the reddies are on they will eat almost anything. This type of fishing can be very rewarding if you find a spot that hasn’t been pressured too much, and some exceptional fish can be found. Heading into March, the fishing should be quite similar, the rivers will be clear and trout will be firing, the water will still be warm keeping the bass and redfin active. More good fishing to come. If you get out fishing in our region and have success, feel free to send me a photo: billy. auldist@gmail.com. MARCH 2022

VIC

Catching fish in bed EILDON

Peter Burtchell

During the warmer months, Lake Eildon transitions into a summer holiday paradise. With six times the water volume of Sydney Harbour and a foreshore

totalling in excess of 520km, skiers, wakeboarders, wake surfers, swimmers, kayakers, picnic boaters, anglers and houseboaters alike can always find their own secluded area amongst the mayhem of the peak tourism season. Lake Eildon is home to

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

over 700 houseboats and the houseboat industry provides staple employment for many local designers, manufacturers, repairers and service technicians all year round. The industry has some challenges, however, when it comes to environmental sustainability. A review of the Houseboating Regulations is currently underway, and it’s hoped the outcomes (due to be released in early 2023) will include some world-leading and sustainable houseboat environmental practices. Many anglers look

Wombat holding Kobe’s catch from within the Jerusalem Creek Marina and Holiday Park’s foreshore. forward to their summer fishing adventures from the rear decks of their owned or hired houseboats. One local group of anglers hired a houseboat to celebrate their gold medal wins in the Australia Awards for Excellence for their locally produced crème fraiche, mascarpone and vintage cheese. The duo of Kelly McLeish and Dave Wareham have been winning awards for years for the Yea Brand Dairy, and they decided to hire a houseboat and get amongst the fishing. A great thing about a houseboat is that you can bait fish through

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

Shane Bardsley with a nice brown trout from Jerusalem Creek.

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the night from the window of your sleeping quarters whilst resting. As you can imagine, there was slight mayhem when Kelly hoked into a 97cm midnight Murray cod that required all hands on deck for the landing, measuring, photographs and safe release. Owner and operator of the hired houseboat, Mike Naughton from Lake Eildon Houseboats, has many customers who have never fished Lake Eildon before, and who ask him where the fish are and how to target them. To address this, he took the time out to target Murray

LET’S GO CATCH MORE F I S H B Y. . Upskilling your knowledge of Lake Eildon’s Seasonal Fish Feeding Habits to target and catch more fish.

A Guided Tour will assist you to; Eliminate fishing in unproductive seasonal areas

Identify daily fish feeding, schooling and movement activity

Decide on the best Angling methods to use based on the season and daily weather Choose the best fishing tackle, rigs and fish care equipment based on your targeted species

ESSENTIALS TOUR

Fishing & Boating Safety, Baits, Rigs, Tackle,

Lures and Fish Care

or 8 hour tours for up to 3 Anglers

INTERMEDIATE TOUR Weather, Sounder, Trolling, Flicking, Productive Areas, Known Structures

4 or 8 hour tours for up to 3 Anglers

ADVANCED TOUR

Weather, Sounder, Trolling, Flicking, Productive Areas, Known Structures, Tackle Outfitting 1 to 3 day Tours Including Accommodation

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100

MARCH 2022

VIC

A POWERFUL PACKAGE

Mike Naughton, co-owner of Lake Eildon Houseboats, takes a guided tour to learn how to target large Murray cod.

40-60HP FOURSTROKE cod with the local fishing PERFORMANCE

guide, and now Mike sure has some new skills! They were targeting larger Murray cod just on dusk along the rock walls in the wind. With such a variety of landscapes, from mountains and hills through to rivers, ROCKLEA creeks and flats, anglers BRISBANE BOATING LEISURE never know &what they may 1713 Ipswich Road Rocklea be in for when fishing Lake Eildon. Just as the late P: (07) 3875 1600 January humidity and rains E: sales@kareemarine.com.au intensified, a major hatch of W: www.kareemarine.com.au cabbage butterflies descended from the mountains. Many NORTHERN GOLDbutterflies COAST attempted of these ONSHORE a MARINE foolhardy low flyby over lake,Marina and the resident Horizonthe Shores Woongoolba brown2480 trout were quick to P: (07) 5546 take advantage of the easy E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au meals. Anglers were treated W: www.onshoremarine.com.au to a magical display of trophy-sized brown trout EVERTONbreaching HILLS the surface to catch the floundering butterflies HOLT MARINE that Road were still in flight 25 Queens Everton Hills – it sure was an event to see. P: (07) 3353 One 1928 angler aptly named E: info@holtmarine.com.au the natural display ‘Madam Butterfly’. If you told a Lake W: www.holtmarine.com.au Eildon veteran to flat line a clown-coloured Tassie Devil CAPALABA in January, they may have MIKES MARINE thought you’d been hit in the 9 Smithhead Street by Capalaba too many butterflies. P: (07) 3390Due 3418 to the unfavourable river levels in Northern E: sales@mikesmarine.com.au Victoria, one keen angler W: www.mikesmarine.com.au headed to the Eildon instead. was well rewarded with SLACKS He CREEK

many generations of anglers to follow. Predictions that this summer would be wetter, windier and stormier came to fruition, with similar conditions predicted to prevail through to early spring. The conditions will make it very easy to determine where the fish will be feeding during March. Based on many catch reports during summer, anglers will concentrate on points and banks where wave action is at its greatest when targeting redfin and Murray cod. Out in the main arms of the lake,

QLD MERCURY DEALERS NORTH ROCKHAMPTON RIFEN BOATS 6 Dooley Street North Rockhampton P: (07) 4927 9150 E: rifen.boats@bigpond.com W: www.rifenboats.com.au AIRLIE BEACH WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE Another beauty from the back deck of Heath Clarke’s Houseboat, aptly Cannonvale named The Boardroom. 17 William Murray Drive

P: (07) 4946 7286 an afternoon’s fishing in the large brown trout will be seen woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au small E: Jerusalem Creek, with feeding though all the debris www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au eight W: brown trout and four blown from the rivers and rainbow trout. The creeks river arms. Yellowbelly will CAIRNS are often overlooked during be best targeted on the flats summer, but fish very well or in the flowing backwater AUSSIE MARINE for all5 species trout Bungalow due along the flowing river inlets. HannamofStreet to the cold water flowing It’s hoped that the 4033 8800after pandemic remains under from P:the(07)mountains E: storms. sales@aussiemarine.com.au summer control so that the 2022 This year the Victorian angling competition season W: www. aussiemarine.com.au Fisheries Authority released can return. The first social their KARUMBA first batch of the gathering, the Lake Eildon endangered Macquarie Fishing Challenge, will take JONES MARINE perch fingerlings into the place on 13-15 May, followed 30 Yappar Street Karumba Goulburn River downstream by the Lake Eildon Cod P: (07) 4745 from Eildon. It is9159 hoped Masters, which is scheduled that the species will once to run from 25-28 May. Later E: jonglo@bigpond.com again W:thrive and become in the year, the Central Vic www.jonesmarine.com.au another angling attraction Lure Casters Super Series of theIPSWICH Eildon Districts for pro series will be held from 11-13 November. Be sure to AUSTRALIAN MARINE CENTRE IPSWICH MARINE lock in the dates in order to 3491 Pacific Highway Slacks Creek 45 Huxham Street Raceview join some fantastic angling competitions. P: (07) 3808 7333 P: 07 3294 3944 To keep up to date, E: sales@amcboats.com.au E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au you can join the following W: www.amcboats.com.au W: www.ipswichmarine.com.au Facebook pages: Lake Eildon Fishing Challenge NOOSAVILLE GOLD COAST for the Lake Eildon Fishing SUNSHINE COAST MARINE TR MARINE Challenge; Lake Eildon cod Masters for the Lake Eildon 122 Eumundi Road Noosaville 167 Currumburra Road Ashmore cod Masters; and Central Vic P: (07) 5449 7633 P: 07 5532 5812 Lure Casters Super Series for E: sales@sunshinecoastmarine.com.au E: shaun@trmarinegc.com.au the Lake Eildon Round. W: www.sunshinecoastmarine.com.au W: www.trmarinegoldcoast.com.au • The Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park is a friendly, family-orientated annuals cabin park, and makes the perfect home away from home. While there you can opt to hire one of their floating apartments (Boatels), hire a fishing vessel, or book a guided fishing tour. For more information on all of these services and other attractions in the area, visit jerusalemcreek.com. au, give them a call on (03) Cheesemaker Kelly McLeish amongst the action 5774 2585 or email info@ during a Yea Brand Dairy Staff get-together. jerusalemcreek.com.au.

A POWERFUL PACKAGE 40-60HP FOURSTROKE PERFORMANCE

VIC MERCURY DEALERS ALBERTON ALBERTON MARINE 39 Johnson Street Alberton P: (03) 5183 2344 F: (03) 5183 2219 W: albertonmarine.com.au MELBOURNE BL MARINE 612- 614 Plenty Road Preston P: (03) 9478 1420 F: (03) 9470 4638 W: blmarine.com.au SHEPPARTON BOATS AND MORE 207 Numurkah Road Shepparton P: (03) 5822 2108 F: (03) 5821 2908 W: boatsandmore.com.au MORWELL CRAWFORD MARINE 71-77 Chickerell Street Morwell P: (03) 5134 6522 F: (03) 5134 6455 W: crawfordmarine.com.au ECHUCA EADES XTREME MARINE 24 Sturt Street Echuca P: (03) 5482 2333 F: (03) 5482 2133 W: xtrememarine.net.au BRAESIDE JV MARINE WORLD 878 Springvale Road Braeside P: (03) 9798 8883 F: (03) 9798 7554 W: jvmarine.com.au

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 MELBOURNE THE MARINE SHOP 6 Holland Drive Melton P: (03) 9747 0588 F: (03) 9747 3999 W: themarineshop.com.au MELBOURNE TRIPLE M MARINE 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown P: (03) 9465 8787 F: (03) 9466 1418 W: triplemmarine.com.au

MARCH 2022

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Bagging brag-worthy catches WIRF

Cara Cummings

After an unusually hot and long summer, it will be interesting to see what autumn has in store for us and how it will affect fishing and seasonal trends.

Timeout Fishing Charters. “My first ever gummy charter and we landed two gummies, loads of flatties and mackerel,” Allison said. “We honoured our catch by making a toast to it and ate a fabulous dinner of flake tacos.” Deborah Johnston took

Chantel with her brag worthy snapper. Summer has provided us with an abundance of fish, and catches have been plentiful, with many landbased success stories. The saltwater scene has been showing off, with some brilliant catches including tuna, kingfish and snapper. Our freshwater ladies have also had great success with Murray cod, yellowbelly and trout cod! BRAG MAT WIRF Leader and Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club Secretary, Chantal Meehan was delighted to head out on a clinker boat with fellow club member Harry Tsoumbakos on Australia Day for an early morning fish. Although Harry is the current in-house leader in their annual fishing competition, Chantal managed to land several more pinkies than him, including the beauty pictured on this page. Ness Hubbard entered the Golden Beach Surf Fishing Competition, which was her first-time surf fishing, and she landed this wonderful Aussie salmon. “I was using fresh bluebait from one of my favourite local places, Bass Strait Bait & Tackle Lakes Entrance,” Ness said. “The weather had an easterly wind, and I caught the Australian salmon around 6:20am, right as the sun came up and before the sea fog settled in. I weighed it in at the competition and it came in at 1.7kg.” Allison Smith said she had a great day out with 102

MARCH 2022

a little road trip and had a great fishing session along the Great Ocean Road. “We went back to one of our favourite spots, Point Roadnight near Anglesea, and I caught this pinkie from the beach,” Deborah said. “It was low tide, so we had to wade out into the surf to the edge of the gutter. It was caught on chicken just after sunrise.” Now, for the freshwater fans! Lee Vasic caught and released a number of nice Murray cod whilst on holiday at Barmah. Lee is a very passionate angler and has seen many changes to the quality of waterways and fish

numbers in her fishing years. “Victorian Fisheries are doing an amazing job and the system is working really well,” Lee said. “It’s an exciting time now, and for the future for all fishers, with the great stocking of waterways.” COMBATTING SEA SICKNESS WIRF leader Amanda Keilar shares some very helpful tips to help you avoid and treat sea sickness: “The worry of sea sickness is often a barrier that stops people going out on the water. Not everyone gets seasick but for some it cannot be cured, and there’s no magic bullet. However, there are steps you can take to help prepare and give your body a fighting chance. You will also feel confident knowing you have done everything you can, and put you in a great frame of mind to get out and have a good time! Sea sickness (motion sickness) is caused by a continuous unnatural movement that conflicts with your visual perception. Your brain and motion senses become conflicted. This can cause dizziness, fatigue and discomfort leading to nausea and vomiting and a spoilt boat trip! People with inner ear imbalances seem to be more prone to these symptoms. Here are some tips for avoiding sea sickness: 1. I recommend taking 1-2 Kwells, (available at most chemists) 30 mins to an hour before venturing out on the water. 2. Some people use and recommend Sea-Band wrist brands for nausea prevention. They apply pressure on

Allison with a gummy shark caught on a trip with Timeout Fishing Charters.

an acupressure point on your wrist that aids nausea prevention. I haven’t used them but have heard they work for some. You can also massage these pressure points (located three fingers wide above the wrist) when feeling sick to get a similar effect. 3. Get a good night’s sleep the night before. 4. Eat lightly the night before, nothing spicy and avoid a greasy breakfast on the day or citrus fruits that put acid in your tummy. 5. Avoid alcohol, both the night before and when on the boat. 6. Stay hydrated the whole time and keep your head out in the fresh air. 7. Avoid looking down whilst on the boat for extended periods of time (e.g. at a mobile phone or at a sounder). Anytime you feel queasy, stop what you are doing and stare at a non-moving object in the distance. Keep this in your line of sight until

Lee caught this nice Murray cod while on holiday at Barmah. you feel rebalanced. Looking straight at something helps regain your composure. 8. Face the direction the boat is travelling if you feel queasy. 9. The centre of the boat is

usually the most stable for motion sickness. 10. Dress freely in clothes that allow the breeze to get onto your skin. Overheating and restricted clothing don’t To page 103

RECIPES THAT ARE ‘WIRF’ IT

Tandoori fish with Naan INGREDIENTS

(SERVES 4) Olive oil ¼ cup tandoori paste ¼ cup natural plain yoghurt 4 x naan bread (individual serves) Sauce ½ cup natural plain/Greek yoghurt ½ red chilli, finely diced ½ Lebanese cucumber, diced Handful roughly chopped coriander or parsley Salt and pepper Juice of ½ lemon

(approx. 3-4cm wide). Stir through the marinade and cover well. 3. Splash a little oil in a hot pan and cook the fish for 2 minutes, each side. 4. Whilst fish is cooking, to prepare the sauce, add all ingredients together and mix through. 5. Once the fish is cooked, wipe the pan clean and turn the heat to low. Add the naan bread and allow to gently warm. 6. To present your dish, add a couple of generous spoons of the yoghurt sauce to the naan bread, and place the fish on top. Garnish with a little coriander and serve whilst hot!

Tips: You can use any type of fish for this recipe, but I would suggest choosing METHOD a firm flesh fish that doesn’t have its 1. Mix together the tandoori paste and own unique delicate flavour, as the yogurt to form the marinade. tandoori will take over. Flake or salmon 2. Cut the fish into finger length strips particularly work well for this dish.

VIC

Cod aplenty this month YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Without wanting to sound like a broken record, heading into autumn is the prime time to be hitting Lake Mulwala in search of a mighty Murray cod or two. Mulwala continues to produce cod, day after day, regardless of weather conditions, fishing pressure or other variables. It’s definitely living up to its reputation as ‘the home of the Murray cod’ and the country’s number 1 cod hunting ground. There are no ‘best methods’ for fishing Mulwala, it’s more about what you’re confident doing, and putting in the time on the water. Whilst you’re out there, if you can experiment with a new technique, you never know what may turn up, and you

could improve your fishing skill base. When casting or trolling, be it a hardbody, surface lure, crankbait, swimbait or spinnerbait, you will be in with a better than average chance of encountering some action. An important factor at the moment seems to be the area you’re fishing, and the ability to deal with the ever-increasing weed. The top end of the lake around the Everglades or Majors Creek area is pretty thick with weed, but it’s still producing fish for those who have the patience to fish through it. The majority of fallen timber has small clear pockets around it, and this may be all you need; a short well-placed cast retrieved no more than a metre or two. Around the centre of the lake, the north side around the Tarramia area seems to be a better option compared to the Skilands area on the south

side, which is where the weed is most prevalent. Closer to town, the water deepens and the weed is sparser. The most productive fishing in recent times has come from around the Kiffin’s area, with plenty of cod in the 40-60cm bracket being reported. If you can find the edges of the weed beds or large open pockets you will see yourself in the prime fishing areas. The best times of day are your low light periods, both morning and evening. One thing I have found though is that if you’re not out there you can’t catch ‘em! Looking back, reports were many and consistent throughout January. With the return of tourists through the holiday period we were hearing many fishing tales on a daily basis. The ‘scopers’ tended to encounter some bigger cod up around the 125cm mark, whilst the ‘standard’ angler averaged greater numbers but generally

Will Green with a magnificent 122cm cod. If you’re visiting town, I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski (opposite the Post Office) in Mulwala or Yarrawonga Fish Camp Ski (between Rivers and One Zac). We are

your Murray cod specialists in Yarrawonga/Mulwala and specialize in all things ‘green’! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give us a hoy on 03 5744 3133.

Fish first and last light

From page 102

help when you feel sick. 11. Don’t stay in the sun for a long time and get too hot or a dehydration headache. Wear a hat and sunglasses and take a break from the sun. 12. Eat light snacks and keep your tummy a little full. 13. If you feel nausea, don’t panic! Take slow deep breaths to help your diaphragm. 14. You can soak ginger and mint in water and take sips throughout your trip. It helps combat nausea and keeps you hydrated at the same time. 15. If you really want to give yourself an edge, try taking vitamin B6 in the weeks leading up to a trip. It’s commonly prescribed to combat nausea in pregnancy and may also help you find your sea legs. Chickpeas, tuna, salmon and chicken

smaller fish, with the average being around the 50cm mark. Down below the weir in the Murray River, there were heaps of smaller cod. Despite their size, they provided good entertainment for the holidaymakers, especially the kids. Mixed in with the smaller fish were a few true monsters, with a couple around the 130cm mark being reported. The best bet for the river fishos was to use bait. Competition season is upon us, and there are a couple more coming up in the near future. The next is the His & Hers Partners Classic (5 March), a great day for angling couples to share time together in the boat. To round out the comp season is the Cod Nationals (16-19 March), four days of serious tournament fishing for the dedicated green fish angler. It’s guaranteed that once you have fished a Cod Nationals you will never miss it again.

CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Ness holds up her PB Aussie salmon. are full of B6, or you can take supplements.” Other tips from other WIRF members include: “Be aware that hormones play a huge role in making ladies feel seasick. This can be around ovulation or close to their period or

Deborah loves catching pinkie snapper.

just after. Also, ladies that have endometriosis are more likely to experience seasickness. Taking a ginger vitamin C supplement (which is generally located next to seasick tablets) will help settle that.” - Michelle Brittain (WIRF Leader and myotherapist) “Placing a cotton ball in your ear can help reduce seasickness – apparently it tricks the brain into thinking the ears are no longer working, so it ignores signals from them. Instead, it uses the signals received from the eyes, thereby removing the sensor conflict which causes the sickness.” FINGER ON THE PULSE 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/, @ wirfnetwork Instagram page 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.

A few intrepid lads who have been taught well by their fathers have cracked the estuary perch code in the Hopkins River. They have been fishing below the falls up to the township of Allensford using surface swimbaits on dusk to attract perch bites, and boy, have they ever! Solid fish to over 1kg have come their way, and well done to them. The Hopkins is the only known river in the state where estuary perch reside in totally fresh water except when heading down to the mouth to spawn. These are the traits of Australian bass, and the boys have also caught one of these as well. Bass don’t naturally

reside in Western Victoria, so these bycatch fish are escapees from dams or incorrect stocking of waters upstream. All it takes is a major flood to allow these fish to enter the nearest waterway. That’s why the Hopkins has golden perch, tench, redfin, trout and bass, all have been introduced and are not only surviving but apparently breeding. Possibly also carp; large goldfish and mirror carp have been caught here in the past. Lake Purrumbete is still fishing well, with late afternoon until dusk being the prime time to cast or troll around the lake’s fringes just out from the weed beds. Some trout and salmon have been taking anglers’ offerings during the evening. Plenty of redfin are still residing deep, and jigging baits and lures is still working.

The Mount Emu Creek has brown trout and redfin in the deeper pools, with the entrance and exit areas hot for trout. First and last light are the go for surface baits and lures. The reddies are taking plastics and bait off the bottom. Lake Elingamite is still fishing well, and at the time of writing the water levels at the ramp remain adequate for smaller craft. Some good redfin have been taken lately during the day on lures trolled and cast near the bottom and near any weed growth. Browns and rainbows to over 1kg are active early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Staying out after sunset until almost dark has been productive for some anglers as the surface action finally fires up.

An Elingamite reddy taken on the troll using a Damiki Saemi in red. Redfin seem to love this pattern. MARCH 2022

103

Tournament Calendar 2022 DATE

Tournament

Location

State

Contact

1-3 Mar

Daiwa BREAM Australian Open

Sydney

NSW

www.abt.org.au

6 Mar

East Coast Bream Series R1

Sydney Harbour

NSW

wsbreambass@gmail.com

12-13 Mar

BASS Pro Lake St Clair

Singleton

NSW

www.abt.org.au

15-16 Mar

BASS Pro Lake Glenbawn

Aberdeen

NSW

www.abt.org.au

18-19 Mar

BREAM Derwent River

Hobart

TAS

www.abt.org.au

22-23 Mar

BREAM St Helens

St Helens

TAS

www.abt.org.au

27 Mar

BASS Electric Coldstream River

Grafton

NSW

www.abt.org.au

10 Apr

East Coast Bream Series R1

Lake Macquarie

NSW

wsbreambass@gmail.com

23-24 Apr

BASS Pro Clarence River

Grafton

NSW

www.abt.org.au

23-24 April

BASS Electric Toonumbar Dam

Kyogle

NSW

www.abt.org.au

Mandurah

www.abt.org.au

MARCH

APRIL

30 Apr-May 1 BREAM Mandurah MAY 4-5 May

BREAM Swan River

Perth

www.abt.org.au

15 May

East Coast Bream Series R1

St Georges Basin

NSW

wsbreambass@gmail.com

21-22 May

BREAM Hawkesbury River

Sydney

NSW

www.abt.org.au

5 Jun

East Coast Bream Series R1

Hawkesbury River

NSW

wsbreambass@gmail.com

5-6 June

BASS Pro Cania Dam

Monto

QLD

www.abt.org.au

12 Jun

BASS Electric Lake Macdonald

Cooroy

QLD

www.abt.org.au

18-19 Jun

BREAM Tweed River

Fingal

QLD

www.abt.org.au

9-10 Jul

Humminbird BASS Electric Aus Open

Hinze Dam, Nerang

QLD

www.abt.org.au

16-17 Jul

Samaki BREAM Queensland Open

Brisbane

QLD

www.abt.org.au

Rapala BASS Australian Open

Somerset Dam

QLD

www.abt.org.au

9-11 Sep

Venom BARRA Aus Open Lake

Awoonga, Gladstone

QLD

www.abt.org.au

10 Sep

BASS Electric Wyaralong Dam

Beaudesert

QLD

www.abt.org.au

17-18 Sep

BREAM Gladstone

Gladstone

QLD

www.abt.org.au

18 Sep

East Coast Bream Series R1

Botany Bay

NSW

wsbreambass@gmail.com

3-4 Oct

BARRA Lake Tinaroo

Yungaburra

QLD

www.abt.org.au

5 Oct

BARRA Tinaroo (all night)

Yungaburra

QLD

www.abt.org.au

9 Oct

East Coast Bream Series R1

Sydney Harbour

NSW

wsbreambass@gmail.com

4 Nov

BARRA Teemburra Dam

Pinnacle

QLD

www.abt.org.au

5 Nov

BARRA Kinchant Dam

Kinchant

QLD

www.abt.org.au

7 Nov

BARRA Faust (all night)

Proserpine

QLD

www.abt.org.au

8-9 Nov

BARRA Faust

Proserpine

QLD

www.abt.org.au

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST 27-28 Aug SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au Just supply a date, venue, tournament name, telephone number and contact name. 104

MARCH 2022

ADVERTORIAL

2022 Fishing Challenge Australia’s Biggest National Fishing Challenge Saturday and Sunday April 23 and 24

This year, the Challenge is offering a record $280,000 in CASH AND PRIZES

Australians across all states and territories are being encouraged to prepare their fishing gear for the 2022 PIRTEK Fishing Challenge. The challenge is an online national fishing competition open to all ages and experience levels. All competitors receive a limited-edition cap, brag mat and sticker with junior competitors receiving a bonus packet of Berkley soft plastics. This year’s challenge will be a two-day event taking place on Saturday and Sunday April 23 and 24. Competitors will fish for their favourite species, photograph their catch on the brag mat with their angler number and codeword clearly visible; then upload the photos to the website for judging. The Challenge is a major fundraising initiative assisting to raise funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). More than 19,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Australia every year. PIRTEK has been partners with PCFA since 2009 to help raise vital funds for prostate cancer research, awareness initiatives and support programs by hosting Australia’s biggest single day fishing competition. The challenge is also a major fundraising partner for the Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit, which has recently been lauded as the number one Neuroscience Research facility in Australia. The focus of the Unit is to study adult stem cells and their role in causing and exacerbating neurological diseases. The goal is to find and apply new neuroscience techniques for patients suffering from diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s, and other neurological infections and stroke. There are 22 target species nationally covering all states and territories both fresh and saltwater. This year, the Challenge is offering a record $280,000 in cash and prizes. PIRTEK together with Berkley, BCF, Stacer, ABU Garcia, Lowrance, Valvoline, Sea-Doo, Club Marine, Minn Kota, BAR Group and Mako Eyewear have delivered a fantastic prize pool of over $280,000 for this year’s competition. PIRTEK are keeping all competitors in the hunt with twenty-two $4000 cash mystery length prizes totalling $88,000. The mystery length is awarded in each category for the fish measuring closest to a secret measurement determined by the event organizers. This length is generally an average sized fish giving everyone the opportunity to win. Every competitor is also entered into the $100,000 ‘On The Water’ prize draw proving you don’t have to catch big to win big!

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MARCH 2021

• Forget the anchor with a Minn Kota/ Lithium electric motor package. Valued at $11,275 • Find more fish with a Lowrance LIVE 9 sounder and GPS unit. Valued at $3,899 • 1 x $2000 and 4 x $1000 Berkley/ABU Garcia tackle packs to make any fishos day. • Along with a host of prizes from Valvoline, BAR Pressure washers and Mako eyewear. Promotion authorised under NSW TP/01590; ACT TP 22/00081; SA T22/2. Michael Guest, Event Director, commented, ‘the Challenge is designed to allow people of all ages and experience to get involved and enjoy a couple of days on the water. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an experienced angler or picking up a rod for the first time. The PIRTEK Fishing Challenge is all about getting together with your friends and family, having fun and supporting our charity partners.’ Competing anglers can look the part by purchasing from the extensive range of merchandise available on the website, including fishing shirts, t-shirts, neck buffs, shorts, broadbrim hats and head torches. For more information and to register visit pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au Registrations cost $25.00, plus postage and handling.

PIRTEK FISHING CHALLENGE 2022 TARGET SPECIES State

Target Species

ACT/ New South Wales

Tailor Flathead Bream Whiting Luderick

Queensland

Barramundi Whiting Trevally (all species) Flathead

Victoria

Bream (all species) Flathead

Murray Darling Basin

European Carp Golden Perch Redfin Murray Cod (no bait, only lure fishing permitted)

Mountain Trout / Tasmania

Trout (rainbow or brown)

East Coast

Australian Bass

Tasmania

Australian Salmon

South Australia / Southern WA

Whiting (all species) Bream (black, yellowfin and pikey)

Top End (NT and North WA)

Barramundi Trevally (all species)

Peter Duncan Neurosciences Research Unit

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TO REGISTER PIRTEKFISHINGCHALLENGE.COM.AU & RECEIVE A LIMITED EDITION CAP, BRAG MAT & STICKER

For full terms, conditions and licensing, log on to pirtekfishingchallenge.com.au. Permit Nos: NSW Authority No TP/01590; ACT Permit No ACT TP 22/00081; SA Permit No T22/2. * Plus postage and handling. MARCH 2021

BREAM SERIES presented by

Queensland raiders take Mallacoota trophies The two anglers who travelled furthest to fish the opening round of the 2022 Daiwa BREAM Series took home the trophies. The Maui Jim round was won by first time ABT BREAM competitor Tommy Wood on the non-boater side and veteran Steve Morgan in the boater division. It was like the 2021 BREAM Grand Final where two Victorians – Mario Vukic and Jesse Rotin – won on the Clarence River, but in reverse. Both used a topwater technique to put fish into the boat, albeit in different parts of the lake. To dovetail with the subsequent event, this round was run on the ABT Tournament Series app, with anglers measuring, photographing and releasing their bream at the point of capture. Overall, over 1,000 bream were logged between the competitors.

Two Queenslanders, Steve Morgan (L) and Tommy Wood (R), took top honours in the season-opening event of the Daiwa BREAM Series 2022, the Maui Jim Qualifier at Mallacoota. Steve Morgan’s win, self-admittedly, started very slowly. “I only landed one decent fish during practice on a pink grub, and that was sight fishing on a bright, sunny day, so I was a bit lost when it dawned overcast,” Morgan said, “I couldn’t see any fish with the clouds so I just went

From then on it was quality fishing, twitching a white O.S.P. Bent Minnow in 1-2ft of water and racking up the weight,” Steve said. He fished the topwater on a 6’8” Daiwa Infeet rod and MQ Caldia reel loaded with 6lb J-Braid and 7lb

Yamatoyo Chinu Harris leader. On the Sunday he swapped the outfit out to the 7’3” Infeet with a 3000 Revelry to gain a little extra casting distance. Paired with Stuart Walker on Sunday, the pair landed just under 30 bream that weighed more than 600g. Quality fishing. You can watch some of it in the highlights by scanning the QR code hereby. “It was all about a toned down retrieve. The black bream, in particular, like a bit of time to commit to taking the topwater bait, but they usually sip it down when given the opportunity. It was definitely a slower retrieve than I’d use further north,” he concluded. The win was his 10th in ABT BREAM Qualifiers. HODGES SLIPS TO SECOND PLACE Day 1: 5/5, 4.942kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.209kg Total: 10/10, 9.151kg After leading the event on day one with just under 5kg of Mallacoota yellowfin bream, perennial Victorian placegetter, Brad Hodges slipped to second place when fishing finished. Dropping just 450g behind the winning pace.

Scan the QR code to watch the Non- Boater Winner Interview

Morgan relied on big black and yellowfin cruising in the back of shallow bays in less than 2ft of water to secure the win. Lengths are converted to weights to create a live scoreboard, which was viewed thousands of times by spectators all weekend on the ABT website. It was the start of a fourevent tour that encompassed two BREAM events and two

BASS events in Victoria in which nearly $30,000 in cash and $20,000 in prizes were awarded. MORGAN RODE TOPWATER PATTERN Day 1: 5/5, 4.894kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.715kg Total: 10/10, 9.609kg

to the bank when I knew I was struggling and fished everything.” That realisation was at Fairhaven, and he immediately lost a good yellowfin on a Bent Minnow and broke another off on a stick minnow. “After finding those fish cruising shallow, I focussed on the Bent Minnow and just covered water,” he said. An hour later he had a limit and then he hit what was to be the winning spot around halfway through the session. “As the Fairhaven arm shallowed at the end, the shallow flats were loaded with a mixture of big yellowfin and black bream.

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 108

MARCH 2022

Angler Steve Morgan Brad Hodges Liam Carruthers Grant Oliver Jason Mayberry Byron Hill Peter Breukel Jarrod Healey Scott Towner Jesse Rotin

Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10

It didn’t take Tommy Wood long to translate his barra skills into bream skills. He caught a string of cracking bream from the back of Brad Hodges’ boat.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 9.609 9.151 8.896 8.740 8.691 8.628 8.255 7.851 7.837 7.739

Payout $3,100 + $250 Mercury $1,500 + $500 Big Bream + $125 Mercury $1,000 + $75 Mercury $900 $800 $700 $600 $500 $500 -

BREAM SERIES presented by Hodges found good yellowfin on the weedy flats in the lower lake near the entrance of the system and a 38cm fork length fish cemented his choice. On day one he fished a C’ultiva Zip-n-Ziggy quite aggressively for the first part of the retrieve after casting it as far as possible. Once a fish showed interest, he’d slow Scan the QR code to watch the Day 1 Highlights

it sown and talk them into eating it. His prime outfit was an Abu Garcia Salty Stage Light Casting 722UL rod paired with an Abu Garcia ALX 2000 sized reel spooled with 8lb Berkley X9 braid and a 4lb Vanish leader. Day two saw the

registered nearly a dozen bream over 30cm, all on topwater. Quality fishing in anyone’s books. WOOD BEST FROM THE BACK Day 1: 3/3, 2.452kg Day 2: 3/3, 2.987kg Total: 6/6, 5.439kg If you are wondering whether the name Tommy Wood is the same angler that’s part of the current BARRA Team of the Year pairing, you’re correct. The BARRA champ won his first ABT BARRA event in November 2021 and his first BREAM event in January 2022. In doing so he simultaneously knocked back Stuart Walker into second place and quelled any doubts that he was a Barraonly specialist. And you can’t deny his passion; when his planned traveling partner couldn’t make the trip, he jumped

How’s that for a cracking Daiwa Infeet hard bait prize pack for the winning non-boater? No need to re-stock for Tommy. 4lb leader. He fished with Scott Towner and Brad Hodges over the two days and used a variety of techniques to put together his three-fish bags. Non-boaters are fishing for a 3-fish limit in 2022. “Scotty was smashing them on day one on plastics, so I used a Samaki 2.5” grub in motor oil on a 1/16oz jighead and got a good one on my first cast,” Wood said. He also used Daiwa Spike cranks to add to his limit.

Day two with Brad Hodges, though, was all topwater. “Brad was catching them on a larger topwater, but I used the Daiwa Infeet Slippery Dog (65mm), fishing it quite fast until I got a boil behind it, then I’d slow it down,” Wood said. Scan the QR code to watch the Day 2 Highlights

“Bream might be a lot smaller than barra, but anything you catch in a tournament is exciting. I’m stoked to do so well in my first BREAM event,” he concluded. It was a tight finish in the end between Wood and Walker, with a kilo-class fish in the last hour proving vital. “Brad swapped locations in the final hour and that’s where I caught the winning fish,” Wood said. All of Wood’s fish were yellowfin bream on day two.

BUCK-N-BASS BIG BREAM

Stuart Walker has nudged plenty out of top spot over the years, but was on the other side of the equation at Mallacoota. fish a little spookier and responding the pressure of several days fishing. He dropped to a Berkley Slurp 65mm as the fish were more responsive to smaller baits. Even though the fishing was tough, he still

in his car and drove the 20 hours to the events solo. A Samaki-sponsored angler, Woods had just taken delivery of a 7’ C-12 rod, which he paired with a Shimano spin reel, 16lb Oltollos braid and a

Brad Hodges won the $500 and Buck-n-Bass gear for the Big BREAM award. The 1.31kg yellowfin ate a C’ultiva Zip-n-Ziggy on day one over shallow weeds in the lower part of the system.

NON- BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Tommy Wood Stuart Walker Matt Perry Bobby Sproule David Shanahan Neil Fleming Jason Lane Ruth Beeby Col Wilson Haydan Fitzgibbon

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 5.439 5.372 5.114 4.868 4.765 4.706 4.603 4.388 4.272 4.212

Payout Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Samaki pack Atomic pack ProLure pack Rapala pack Ecogear pack Keitech pack Toadfish pack MARCH 2022

109

BREAM SERIES presented by

Paynesville piers secret to Gippy Lakes The second of the Victorian rounds for the year took us to the expansive Gippsland Lakes system for the Mercury sponsored round of the 2022 Daiwa Bream series. Renowned for its thumping big black bream, many anglers travel big miles interstate to try and take out this event, however

the Gippsland Lakes system plays host to a number of artificial structures in the form of piers, wharves, boat docks, pontoons and moored vessels. Two particular piers were where Baird focused his efforts for the two days. Upgrading his leader to 8lb Berkley Vanish from his typical 3-4lb after getting a quick dusting on

Darryl Baird has been a familiar face at ABT events for around 10 years now and he claimed his first victory as a boater fishing piers with a technique he learnt in his time as a non-boater. down the front of the pier and they’d either eat it on the drop or you’d only give it the tiniest movement and the fish would load up.

Daiwa’s anglers had a strong showing at the Gippsland event. the crown stayed in Victoria this year with local angler Darryl Baird taking out first place with 10/10 fish for 10.775kg. Second place in the boater division went to Jesse Rotin with a 10/10 limit for 10.113kg. In the Non-Boater division Richard Patterson from Daiwa Australia won with a 6/6 limit for 5.652kg. WHO SHARES WINS Darryl Baird has been on the ABT circuit for many years as both a boater and non-boater. In this time,

moved off the pier from day one and onto the next pier over. Once more, he was able to work his way around the pier with his UV Cranka Crab and catch his entire day two bag without having to move from the one pier. On the tackle side of things, Baird used a 7’ Samurai Inflict together with a 2500 sized spin reel spooled with 8lb

Scan the QR code to watch the Non- Boater Winner Interview

Daiwa J braid that he used exclusively for the whole event. Mr Baird would like to thank his wife Heather along with Matt and Karen from Struddy Marine for

Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winner Interview

he has learnt a lot from fellow anglers and different arenas. In a twist of fate, he went out and used a Cranka Crab technique that he learnt from Jesse Rotin at the Grand Final in Yamba last year, then leapfrogged Jesse on day two to claim first place from the day one leader. The Paynesville area of

Brad Hodges had a slow first day, but added three kicker fish like this to finish fourth. day one, Baird went on to catch his entire 5.198kg bag off just one pier in Paynesville. Pitching the crab tight along the front of the pier and half a dozen poles back along the pier to catch his bag. “I’d just let it drift

At times it was like the less movement the better,” Baird said of his technique. After receiving a replacement crab off Andy Moore at take-off and heading to Paynesville again, Baird quickly discovered the fish had

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 110

MARCH 2022

Angler Darryl Baird Jesse Rotin Gary Carruthers Brad Hodges Tom Slater Brett Crowe Alex Franchuk Scott Towner Grant Oliver Daniel Kent

Fish 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 7/10 9/10 7/10 5/10

Ruth Beeby proved that ABT is inclusive for keen female anglers.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 10.775 10.113 7.853 7.088 6.344 6.225 5.775 5.285 5.219 5.212

Payout $3000 $1500 $1000 + $250 1st place Merc owners bonus $900 + $125 2nd place Merc owners bonus $800 + $75 3rd place Merc owners bonus $700 $600 + Maui Jim mystery weight prize $500 no payout no payout

BREAM SERIES presented by supporting him to get out on the water. PATTERSON GETS THE WIN Richard Patterson from Daiwa Australia got stuck into the fish from the back Scan the QR code to watch the Day 1 Highlights

of the boat and was able to score himself first place in the Non-Boater division with nearly a 1kg fish average. Drawing Tom Deer as his day one boater, the pair set off to Paynesville where he was able to fill his limit late in the day fishing a 2.5” Daiwa Baitjunkie grub in motor oil colour with a 1/8oz jighead, along with a Daiwa Steez blade. Fishing in 10-12’ of

A Daiwa man through and through, Richard Patterson put a beat down on the southern black bream from the back of the boat to take 1st place in the Non-Boater division. water with a strong wind meant he had to lean towards the heavier baits to remain in contact with the lure and feel the bites. Setting off for Paynesville again on day two with boater Dan Kent, it was a small 100m stretch of bank with three pontoons that held all the fish for their day. Throwing a UV Cranka Crab around the end of the piers and their poles to secure his bag. Working for Daiwa Australia certainly is

not without its perks, as Patterson gets to fish with some of the finest bream tackle in the country. It was one particular outfit he leaned on: a stout Daiwa Infeet EX 702LFS paired with a 2500 Caldia MQ and with 6lb J braid with a 5lb leader. Scan the QR code to watch the Day 2 Highlights

Going light to get the bite was required on day two as Patterson was unable to get the bites on 8lb leader, before moving down to 5lb and instantly started to catch fish. “I was throwing 8lb all morning and the instant I picked up my rod with 5lb on it, I had a fish first cast,” Patterson said. Expect to see some more great content from Daiwa over the coming weeks and months from Richard and all the team!

BUCK-N-BASS BIG BREAM

A true giant of Gippsland Lakes. People travel from far and wide to try and wrestle with these fish. Alex Franchuk landed this 1.430kg monster and landed him the $5,000 Buck-n’-Big Bream in the process.

Like every ABT BREAM and BASS event, Mercury pay the top three owners extra cash for using their product.

NON- BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Richard Patterson David Shanahan Harry Young Allan Morrison Tommy Wood Lindsay Pryke David Morris John Parkinson Neil Fleming Kevin Beams

Fish 6/6 6/6 4/6 6/6 3/6 5/6 6/6 6/6 4/6 4/6

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 5.652 5.159 4.096 3.827 3.697 3.659 3.585 3.317 3.233 3.170

Payout Daiwa Prise pack Daiwa prize pack Daiwa prize pack + $500 Buck n’ big bream Samaki prize pack Atomic prize pack Prolure prize pack Toadfish prize pack Ecogear prize pack Keitech Prize pack Toadfish Prize pack MARCH 2022

111

BASS SERIES presented by

Reigning AOY kickstarts his 2022 campaign The ABT BASS tour has ventured further south in recent years, thanks to successful stocking efforts in some of the smaller impoundments in Victoria, and anglers are reaping the rewards in the form of good sized, hard fighting Aussie bass. Scan the QR code to watch the Boater winner interview

Many anglers travelled a long way interstate to fish the first round of the 2022 13 Fishing BASS Pro Series on Lake Blue Rock in Victoria, sponsored by Ecogear, with some well-travelled anglers achieving top results. Matthew Langford from

DO THE MILES GET THE SMILES Our reigning 2021 BASS AOY Matthew Langford got his 2022 AOY campaign off to the best possible start with a first place in the first round of the year. Langford ran away with the event too, winning by a margin of just over 2.5kg. After flying down from Queensland and borrowing a boat from Dave Lawson (for which he is very thankful), Langford set to work figuring out the bass in Blue Rock via LiveScope technology. Using the Livescope to find the fish holding deep on trees, together with his knowledge of the smelt type of bait the bass feed on in Blue Rock, Langford refined his baits down to

Reigning angler of the year, Matthew Langford has kicked his 2022 campaign off in the best way possible, taking out the first event on Blue Rock Lake in Victoria. Stradic. Alternatively, for the Gulp technique he used a custom-made Millerods JigFreak that he got made by Ian Miller when he first began bass fishing. “Admittedly I’m not

Scan the QR code to watch the Non-boater winner interview

This 2.048kg Blue Rock behemoth won Matthew Langford the Buck-n-Big bass prize of $500 and gave himself a nearly 3kg lead on the opposition. sunny Queensland once again found himself in the money with a cracking 10/10 fish bag for 7.450kg, finishing in 1st place with a huge 4.941kg bag on Sunday, which included the 2.048kg Buck-n-Big bass. Closely following him in second was good friend Mitchell Cone with another 10/10 fish limit for 4.933kg. Leading the Non-Boater division was new-comer Wil Stockton with a 4/6 limit of bass for 1.533kg in his first event as a non-boater.

the majority of the big fish bites for the weekend. “I found the smaller legals between 27-30cm were eating the spoon and as soon as I hooked one and got it in the boat, I could see the bigger fish come across on the sounder and I’d drop down a Gulp,” said Langford regarding the Gulp technique. Both very specific techniques required technique specific tackle. For the spoon, Langford used a Millerods VibeFreak with a 2500 sized Shimano

just two key lures. The first was a 7g Jig Para spoon that was almost identical in profile and colour to the smelt that the bass were feeding on. He fished this with really fast, jolting hops right on the fish’s nose to really stir up a bite from the smaller, bag-filling models. That technique was the segway to his second lure and technique, which was a black 3” Berkley Gulp minnow grub on a 1/4oz Bassman jighead, which was responsible for

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 112

MARCH 2022

Angler Matt Langford Mitch Cone Declan Betts Collin Robinson Mick Johnson Graham Ford Tim Oakley Corey Goldie Alan Mcnamara Dane Pryce

Fish 10/10 10/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 6/10 10/10 7/10 10/10

2021 BASS Pro Grand Final Champion, Dane Pryce found that Blue Rock bass love chatterbaits.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 7.450 4.933 4.423 3.635 3.537 3.448 3.015 2.989 2.815 2.766

Payout $2500 + $250 1st Merc bonus + $500 Buck n ’Big bass $1200 + $125 2nd Merc owners bonus $1000 + $75 3rd Merc owners bonus $700

BASS SERIES presented by a huge fan of Gulping, however I found they really liked the Gulp in this dam and the JigFreak is perfect for it. It has a really soft tip so when the fish eats it you see the tip load up and you set the hooks,” said Langford. Seeking shaded banks early in the morning and hopping between them to stay shaded until well into the morning was a crucial part of Langford’s strategy. This allowed him to stay targeting those feeding bass that felt protected by the shade. Each day along these banks he found a different submerged tree that happened to be stacked with fish, and where he was able to do a lot of upgrading. About 12:30pm

in at a whopping 2.048kg, not many (if any) have seen a fish of this calibre out of this dam before. Hopefully a sign of what’s to come in future years. Scan the QR code to watch the Day 1 Highlights

YOUNG GUN COMES OUT FIRING Wil Stockton has only just turned old enough to legally enter an ABT event and he wasted no time in climbing straight to the top of the podium with a 1st place in the Non-Boater division at Lake Blue Rock. Fortunate enough to

Wasting no time in his first ever event as a non-boater, Wil Stockton put a chatterbait to work for the weekend to secure his win from the back of the boat. rod spooled with 14lb Daiwa J braid and 12lb Sunline invincible leader. Fishing for his best three fish, he caught his whole bag on Saturday, however Sunday was a grind with only one fish coming on

his second last cast of the day and with only a few grams separating him and second place Non-Boater Luke Gilbert, it was that one fish in the dying hours that ultimately claimed him his first win.

From left to right: 2nd place Mitchell Cone, 1st place Matthew Langford and 3rd place Declan Betts were all using Mercury motors, earning themselves a nice little bonus on top of their winnings. on day two, Langford stumbled across one of these submerged trees on LiveScope and was able to upgrade his whole bag off it in about a 1.5 hour time period before weigh-in. This included the 47cm fork-length 2.048kg monster that took out the Buck-n-Big bass prize. BUCK-N-BIG ONE The Buck-n-Big bass for this event not only won Matt Langford an extra $500 from our sponsors at Buck n’ Bass, it also blew apart all preconceived ideas of how big a ‘big bass’ out of Blue Rock Lake actually is! Coming

draw two prolific NSW anglers in Mitch Cone and Simon Marchant, Stockton slotted in seamlessly at the back of the boat and went about catching his bag Scan the QR code to watch the Day 2 Highlights

with a relatively simple chatterbait technique. Throwing his chatterbait out into a depth of 15-20ft, he would allow the lure to sink to the bottom before beginning

a slow rolling retrieve back to the boat. “You want to roll it so you can only just feel it start to chatter,” Stockton said in his winner’s interview. Obviously a hardcore Daiwa man, a ghost shrimp coloured Daiwa Steez Cover chatter in a 3/8oz size rigged with a baby bass coloured 2.5” Daiwa Baitjunkie trailer was his choice of lure for the event. Throwing his chatterbait on a matching Daiwa combo of a Tatula 100H Baitcast reel and a 6’6” 2-5kg Daiwa Tatula 19 (661MLB) baitcast

NON- BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Wil Stockton Luke Gilbert Leigh Mirams Daniel Holder Tony Neal Taj Duff Jake Hardie Kelvin Hatton Bradley Turner Nick Brown

Fish 4/6 5/6 6/6 5/6 5/6 5/6 6/6 5/6 3/6 3/6

Weight(kg) 1.533 1.498 1.485 1.441 1.020 0.703 0.630 0.499 0.445 0.426

Mick Johnson was one of several Queenslanders who made the big trip down south and loves the Victorian bass lakes.

Full results at abt.org.au

Payout Rapala prize pack + $250 1st Rapala bonus Rapala prize pack + $125 2nd Rapala bonus Bassman Spinnerbaits prize pack + $75 3rd Rapala bonus Maui Jim prize pack Ecogear prize pack Prolure prize pack Keitech prize pack Toadfish prize pack Toadfish prize pack MARCH 2022

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Recfishwest on the run for the 2022 Salmon Slam West Aussie salmon – they’re truly an iconic southern sportfish! Spotting massive schools of salmon while standing on a postcardquality beach in WA’s south before casting your favourite lure in its direction and inevitably hooking-up is simply awesome. And, these fish are big too – a size our eastern states fishing counterparts are no doubt envious of – with salmon measuring more than 80cm regularly caught during the annual autumn salmon run. It’s no wonder tens of thousands of WA fishers spend $331 million annually on chasing these hard-fighting fish. AN AWESOME ANNUAL RUN If you’re not a WA-based fisher and are not familiar with the annual salmon run, let us quickly get you up to speed. The annual salmon migration, colloquially called the salmon run, sees massive salmon schools travel from WA’s south coast northwards towards Perth each autumn. With big schools of salmon found relatively close to shore along easily accessible beaches, fishers are provided with unrivalled access to an amazing and world-class

WA salmon fishing is for everyone. Josh Mitchell is only 5yo and he caught this beautiful fish from Bunker Bay. sportfishery. And, it is why Recfishwest hosts the Awesome Autumn of Salmon, to celebrate the safe and accessible sportfishing WA salmon provide. The 2022 edition of the Awesome Autumn of Salmon will be held in partnership with Western

awesome prizes. This year’s Slam will be divided into three phases, with prizes awarded at the end of each phase – for categories including ‘four longest salmon’ – and overall prizes at the competition’s end. It’s easy to take part – just take a photo of your catch with the ‘tournament code’ written in the sand or on your brag mat. The code will be distributed on 1 March, so keep an eye out on the Recfishwest website and social media channels to see what it is. Also, visit Recfishwest’s website to read the competition rules, buy an exclusive Recfishwest Salmon Slam fishing shirt and see the many awesome prizes up for grabs. JOIN US ON THE RUN If you’re a new fisher or a seasoned angler, Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland

abundance that underpins the awesome fishing experiences enjoyed by so many fishers in the Great Southern, South West and when we get a good run in the metro. “Recfishing for salmon does generate $331 million, which is obviously a terrific boost for local tackle, retail and hospitality outlets. “However, the fishery’s real value lies in the pleasure it gives to tens of thousands of anglers from a wide range of backgrounds – the time spent fishing with family and friends is simply priceless. “This is a true worldclass sportfishery which is accessible to so many West Australians – that’s why we’re committed to protecting it. “Along with a wider range of other industry supporters sponsoring this Salmon Slam, collectively the celebration sends

Angler again and, in very exciting news, Shimano is also coming on board as official partners! SALMON SLAM! One of Australia’s biggest app-based fishing competitions will again headline the Awesome Autumn of Salmon – the FREE 2022 Salmon Slam. More than 1,600

Zach Relph getting in on the action at Manypeaks’ Back Beach.

Sarah Harris is excited that the ‘salmon run’ is beginning again this autumn. 114

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salmon chasers took part in the Slam last autumn, catching salmon and simply submitting photos of their catch via the official app. To take part in this year’s free competition, download the Salmon Slam app from the Google Play or Apple stores to enter your catches for a chance to win a host of

encouraged fishers to take part in the Salmon Slam and get involved in the terrific fishing. “We will continue to raise the profile of this important sportfish to make sure they’re recognised and celebrated as one of the WA’s icon recreational fishing species,” Dr Rowland said. “It’s WA’s salmon

a powerful message to decision-makers that salmon abundance must be protected to ensure West Aussies can continue to enjoy these fantastic sportfishing experiences.” • The latest version of Recfishwest’s popular fishing rules smartphone app is now out. Be sure to download it from the Apple or Google Play stores!

South Coast

More opportunities mulloway, and even still the occasional night-time salmon. Choice beaches for that sort of fishing are still With summer behind Roses, Alexander Bay and us, Esperance is finally Thomas River. experiencing more settled In recent weeks the weather, with less wind, tanker jetty has been calmer days and better yielding plenty of small fishing opportunities. hammerheads, stingrays, Anglers fishing the plenty of decent size beaches have been getting herring, and still the stuck into the salmon occasional squid. Garfish schools, with plenty of are also coming back at fish over 6kg featuring in night; all you need is a 40-60HP FOURSTROKE catches. The old standard size 10 or 12 hook, pencil paternoster rig, baited with float and gents (maggots) PERFORMANCE

need is a bit of green lumo tube over a no. 4 longshank hook. Garfish are also being caught at night. With the lower winds at this time of year, the tinny brigade is able to get a bit wider out to the islands, getting access to inshore samsonfish, queen snapper, nannygai, breaksea and harlequin. There are plenty of guys heading wide at this time of year chasing nannygai to 65cm, and there are still good numbers of samsonfish going 30kg+. Mixed in are groper, queenfish and plenty of breaksea cod. We are also still seeing plenty of dhufish being caught, with some samples now reaching 85-90cm. As the warm current continues MELBOURNE ALBERTON to makes its influence felt, MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE ALBERTON MARINE the dhufish are now being 39 Johnson Street Alberton 92 Hallam Southcaught Road further Hallam south of town rather than just west of town. 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We’ll also groper off some of the safer on the troll using a jethead see the return of reasonable headlands, as plenty of fish skirt, with a popular one size mulloway and plenty sitting in close to shore. For here being a Black Magic of bronze whalers. the samsonfish, good lures Jet Setter in burple. You can • Established in 1986, have included Halco Slidogs also try trolling a shallow Southern Sports and Tackle and Nomad Madmacs. If diver like a Halco Laser Pro specializes in the supply you haven’t caught groper 160 or 190 in blue/silver. and servicing of fishing before, you can get them There are good numbers equipment. They have an on octopus and crab baits, of snook around, taking extensive knowledge of the using a fairly heavy outfit trolled gold lures like the local area and provide all running a circle hook, and a Bomber Long A or Twisty, brands, whether you’re sacrificial breakaway sinker. or you can try a hardbody fishing from beach, jetty or Night-time fishing Maria Squash or a Lunker boat. Come and chat to the off the beaches has still Killer cast or trolled. friendly staff at Shop 16, been producing plenty of Herring are being caught The Boulevard, Esperance bronze whalers, smaller off the shore, and all you or phone 08 9071 3022. ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

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MARCH 2022

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West Coast

Looking forward to the cool, calm weather appearance. Bait fishing has been successful on most common baits, however, flounder, flathead and tailor have responded better to soft plastics and hardbodied lures. Anything resembling a prawn or bait fish bounced off the bottom have been snapped up by the ambush bottom dwellers whereas tailor have been hitting metal slice lures and small hard

AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

The next time I start wishing the weather would warm up I think I might give myself a slap across the head with a wet fish. After months of stinking hot, dry heat I am quite looking forward to the cooling off that comes with autumn. The only good thing about the heat was that it made the flies drop like flies (literally) so at least there was a reprieve from those buzzing menaces for a while. Now that school is back Augusta has quietened to a semblance of what we locals are used to for most of the year. There seems to be much more room on the river to drop some crab pots

Sumi showing off a decent example of a southern rock lobster destined for a gourmet meal. The Blackwood River and Hardy Inlet provide any number of ideal locations to throw a bait or lure and it was a matter of time before you picked up a hot spot. Some spots were a fish per cast so I can only imagine how many are about. River prawns were by far the best bait with paddle-tail grubs in natural colours working almost as well. If you are into catching for a feed, those fish living in the saltier

Denny managed to land this feisty Black Point pink snapper while on a charter trip with Leeuwin Marine Charters.

A typical Flinders Bay mixed bag caught by Augusta Xtreme staff member Campbell Muir and his family on a recent day trip. in or hunt for a few whiting. I’ve even seen a few of the locals venturing out in public who generally go into hiding until the tourist tide recedes. With the WA border opening being canned for February it became obvious that West Australians had decided to continue the spirit of having stay-cations in the lower half of the state with record numbers venturing into Augusta. It was good to see that not only were they coming into town, they were also catching fish and enjoying the pristine ocean and river environment locals sometimes take for granted. The river has been a hive of fishing activity with large tidal movements (relatively speaking) ensuring that the water in Hardy inlet was crystal clear and a real joy to be in on and under. Black bream have come all the way downstream to the ocean now and some really thick shouldered specimens have been taken 116

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into the southwest where things also got off to a slow kick off. That being said, there are signs that it is picking up and some of the few caught have been exceptionally sized. Try using chicken wings, necks or spleen to avoid having a tug-of-war with a monster stingray of which there are many. Easter looks promising! The whiting fishing

right up to the cut out into the ocean. Being one of my favourite fish to target I did the odd kayak sortie into the river to suss out

where they were. It wasn’t difficult to locate them as they seem to have taken over anywhere that contains rocks, snags or drop offs.

Campbell Muir showing a typical example of a Hardy Inlet black bream caught on a hardbodied lure.

Blake Muller seems pretty happy with a stonker King George whiting and dinner-sized rock lobster after a quick dive near Hamelin Island.

water of the Hardy Inlet are far superior in flavour. Jetty fishing is currently pretty hot especially on the Ellis Street Jetty where it has been a raffle as to what species would turn up next. The normal herring and whiting have been joined by flathead, flounder and bream with salmon and tailor also making an

bodied lures close to the surface. Berleying with pollard, oil and mulie pieces improved catches significantly. The Augusta crab fishing scene has been pretty quiet so far with a really late start to the season. This is in line with the crabbing right down from the Perth metro area

continues to be very good not only in the Hardy Inlet but the cut at Colourpatch and along the beaches and rocks all the way around to Boranup. Yellowfin whiting, sand whiting and King George whiting have been pretty much everywhere with a bit of sand. By the sheer number of people crowding the area it has been pretty obvious that the channel at Colourpatch is producing the goods. Currently there are several really big sandbars from the Hardy Street jetty area through to the Dead Water and the yellowfin and King George whiting have been easily visible traversing through the clear water while on the feed. They are smashing cockles and prawn pieces with glass shrimps and worms also showing to be their kryptonite. Light lines are key and keep the weights as light as possible. Slowly retrieving your line is key and you will be amazed at the increased amount of hits compared to letting it sit on the bottom. The inshore and offshore fishing conditions have been variable to say the least, flat calm for a few days punctuated by gale force conditions To page 117

West Coast

Surprise salmon assault BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

This has to be my favourite time of the year for a landbased assault. Whether you’re fishing the local beaches, the cut or inside the marina our famous Australian salmon can pop up out of nowhere and in huge schools. I’ve spent many mornings and afternoons chasing the salmon up and down jetties, rock walls and beaches around Bunbury just to feel that screaming run on light gear. We don’t always have the opportunity to experience fishing land based locally. If you’re fishing the jetties and rock walls I’d suggest a well balanced soft plastic around the 6” length

This salmon was caught at Dunsborough on a minnow lure.

Whilst fishing the beaches I’ll take the heaviest metal slug or minnow profile hardbody lure that my rod will allow. Having that bit of extra weight with a well matched line can be

the difference of 20m on your neighbour’s cast and ultimately first punt at the school of bruisers. With no surprise, shark catches have escalated lately with the salmon running up

the coast coaxing the toothy critters along with them. Plenty of tigers and bronzies have been taking the baits recently, particularly around Dalyellup beaches making for some exciting sports fishing. A slab of stingray has been the most popular bait otherwise the Mandurah mullet we have delivered weekly has been enticing them well. Blue swimmer crabs are still on offer in the Leschenault estuary. If you’re happy to get your feet wet and spend a bit of time walking the flats you should be able to manage a feed. For you boaties out there, try dropping your nets on the edge of the sand bar drop-offs. The Collie River has been fishing really well with reports of black bream over the 40cm mark. Fishing river prawns as bait rigged on a 1/0 baitholder hook with a small running ball sinker is a simple but effective way to target these fish. If lures are your thing then the Keitech plastics seem to be out fishing everything else! Harvey Dam has been

ice slurry as soon as caught to make the most of them. They have a thick firm fillet that cooks up very well and are suitable for most types of fish meals. The fish in Augusta waters seem to be less affected by the parasite kudoa, which makes the flesh go mushy on cooking. Compared to warmer water this is a very small percentage. Just in case I always cook a small piece of fillet from each fish to make sure it is okay. This goes for kingfish as well which also occasionally suffer from the same parasite. Dhufish numbers remain good with most boat trips resulting in a bag limit of the first rate eating

fish. There are plenty in the low 50cm range and due to their poor survival upon release it is always best to keep the first size fish you land rather than trying to upgrade. Baits of whole squid, mulies and herring or mullet fillets on a bottom rig will always get enquiries from demersals. Vexed bottom meat jig/bait combinations outstrip just bait for hit rate and if you want to keep your hands clean then soft plastics are the way to go. Try any of the 6-7” paddle-tail lures in white, orange or lumo with an appropriately sized jig head to match the conditions as they seem to be the most effective. These will work for all the

demersals who share the traits of being aggressive feeders with big mouths and an appetite to match. Beach fishing has been really good and there are plenty of sharks around to make it almost a guarantee that you will score one if you put a few hours in with a big bait soaking. Try the beach north of Dead Finish for some great bronze whalers. Just look for the wide sand channel heading east west in the reef several hundred metres from the carpark. It is a natural passage for the sharks to use as they come in from the bay and run up or down the beach. It is not unusual to see a couple of 2m bronzies cruising along

Lachlan Atkinson caught a beautiful pair of salmon off the beach. as I find those areas to have more sharp drop offs or ledges. You will benefit from having your lure get close to the bottom, something a diving lure can’t always accomplish. From page 116

making the ocean scene fit only for kite surfers and wind surfers. Some absolute monster samsonfish have been making life either great fun or an absolute nightmare depending on your prospective. Taking jigs, dead and live baits as well as soft plastics meant for other denizens of the deep they have been unexpectedly stretching arms and backs all over the place. Not renowned for their eating quality they are frequently written off as second rate. However, if treated correctly samsonfish are not bad eating at all. Spike, bleed and place on a saltwater/

Luves with a decent dhufish. fishing well for redfin perch, look for rocky banks with plenty of structure as this is where the redfin hide out. The norm is generally spinners, but don’t discount soft plastics. I rig a slightly heavier jighead (around the 1/8oz) to ensure my plastic is getting down where the fish are. Beach Fisho’s can expect to find good numbers of yellowfin whiting cruising the beaches. A simple running ball sinker down to a long shank hook with either bloodworm or sandworm as bait is proving to be most successful. A tip for chasing yellowfin whiting from the beach is not to cast too far! They normally sit in

the wash only 8-10ft from the shore line. We are still getting good tailor reports from south of Buffalo Beach, these fish have not been in huge numbers but the size are certainly making up for it with most fish well over the 40cm mark. On those still nights when the wind is behaving I find it best to baitcast a mulie or scalie with little to no weight and use a very slow retrieve. • Call into the shop at 1/143 Grand Entrance, Australind for the latest fishing reports and what’s biting, or simply to have a yarn. Until next time, tight lines and screaming drags!

the beach in an afternoon so you can imagine what it is like at night time. Early morning and early evening is the perfect time to sight cast a bait in front of a shark whereas night time is a case of cast it out and wait. Try keeping the bait off the bottom for less chance of a stingray spoiling the show. Rock fishing this time of the year is generally pretty safe with winds dropping off and seas calmer. It can be very productive in Augusta but it can also be deadly. 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 BP Service Station in the centre of town. MARCH 2022

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Anglers enjoying metro fishing METRO

Jacob Crispe

The warm weather has continued around Perth, and in turn the fishing has continued to blossom. There have been plenty of anglers taking advantage of the weather. It is so good to see anglers of all ages and skill levels out there trying their hand at fishing.

section of the river. There have been plenty of fish about for everybody. As we push later into the flathead season, anglers will switch from soft plastics and baits to hardbody lures to target them. This isn’t because the first two options don’t work – it’s just that the toadies are around in such big numbers that a plastic or bait can get cleaned up before a flathead has a chance to see it. Tailor will also be plentiful, although the size

Other species that are associated with these bait schools are mulloway and giant herring. The mulloway no longer seem to be uncommon capture; I feel like I have been reporting their presence for a very long time now. March is a great time to target them because they spread out in the river. East Fremantle to the Narrows bridge offers some great mulloway fishing. Bull sharks have been a common bycatch for anglers targeting them. Fish up to 2m in length (and bigger) have created some mayhem for the odd mulloway angler. I mentioned giant herring. More and more reports are coming in about anglers hooking these fast, strong, acrobatic and hardmouthed fish in the Swan. Are they becoming the

squid also a popular target in the same locations. Most areas will hold fish, but areas with broken bottom nearby (weed, rock, it doesn’t matter) are the more likely areas. There will the everpresent group of anglers who fish at night and during the low light periods. In March their main target species are tailor and gummy shark. The best set-up for this is a float with a glowstick attached with a ganged pilchard below it. See the glowstick disappear and more than likely you’ll be hooked up to one of these species. Our beaches will also fish well this month, and mornings and evenings will be the best times to fish. Larger tailor, whiting and herring will the main species available. Mulloway are also about, with anglers keen to catch

Max Sampson with the look of blue steele with a solid mahimahi caught out at the FADs. INSHORE Our inshore grounds will continue to produce plenty of squid, skippy, King George

The author’s niece Kaila Williams with a lovely big pink snapper caught on a ZMan plastic in 20m of water. SWAN RIVER The areas that are producing fish in the Swan continue to expand as the saltwater pushes further and further up the system. Bream tend to be the main species that push toward the upper reaches of the system when this occurs. Any structure, whether it is manmade or natural, has the potential to hold bream. Fresh baits or soft plastics thrown in and around this structure can be highly effective when targeting them. Often there are a number of fish around each structure, so they are fighting with each other to get to your bait or lure first. As an angler, all you can hope is that the biggest fish gets there first. Or if you are like me, you just keep trying! Flathead will continue to be a main focus in the river. It’s not unusual to see number of anglers fishing a shallow

of them tends to be a little smaller. The average size will be around 30cm. They are always fun to catch, with small stickbaits and metal lures being your best options to target them with. Usual story – find the bait schools and the tailor will not be far away.

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Hools Orifici and the big Kahuna always know where to find a feed of these 5-star treats. Swan River blue mannas are at the top of the list! one. Taking a fillet from a tailor or taking a freshlycaught whiting, putting a hook into it and returning it back to where it was just caught is a good strategy. The mulloway hold in the same areas, and fresh baits will always give you the best chance of hooking one.

Dom Magoo from Dom’s Fishing Adventures has become a tailor master! whiting and tailor. Broken ground and weed patches in 3-5m of water are preferred for the squid and the KGW,

Dwayne Robinson is no stranger when it comes to finding top-shelf fish like this monster King George!

A nice yellowfin whiting caught by Han Yeoh. Han is like the ghost of the shadows when it comes to stalking whiting on the flats, a true master!

while reefy rocky ground will be better for the tailor and skippy. A little exploring may be in order to find productive

new mulloway? Blue swimmer crabs continue to be on the move. These tasty crustaceans will be well worth targeting in March, whether you are using nets or scooping. The section of the river between Como and the Causeway will be a good place to start. ROCK WALLS AND BEACHES There is great fishing from the rock walls at present. Herring, skippy and King George whiting have been plentiful from the walls from Fremantle to Cottesloe. March should be no different, with

Shane Brown with one of the hardest-fishing fish available from our shores: the white-spot guitar fish. It’s an excellent shore-based capture, and was released to fish another day.

water, but when you do, mayhem could ensue. There will be plenty of sand whiting anglers out drifting the edge of the shipping channel off Fremantle in the coming weeks. It’s a great time of the year to target them and they are a great feed. OFFSHORE Demersal anglers are licking their lips as the offshore fishing continues to be a standout for Perth metro anglers. Pink snapper are widespread, and other prized species like Breaksea cod, baldchin groper and harlequin fish seem to be abundant. In March these species will inhabit reefy ground in 25-50m of water. Don’t be afraid to move around a bit until you find fish. While you are moving, pop a trolling lure in the water because there’s every chance of picking up a southern bluefin tuna, a bonito or a Spanish mackerel between locations. To page 119

West Coast

Magnificent March in Mandurah MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

March is a great month to get out around Mandurah, as the options are endless and most anglers can find a way to keep themselves

entertained. The warmer weather begins to slowly fall away, making days on the water more comfortable and allowing us to stay out there that much longer. Crabbing is still proving to be productive, with

Land/beach caught dhufish has to be at the top of the list of many shore-based anglers

Black bream are abundant up both of the river systems at this time of the year, sometimes you just need to change lures a few times before you find what they like. From page 118

It’s a nice little bonus to a day’s demersal fishing. Dhufish are another popular demersal species at this time of the year. Some BIG specimens have been caught and this should continue. The northern side of Rottnest is always a good place to start you quest for this species. By far the most reported fishing on our offshore

grounds has been the fishing around the FADs. They can be very popular places for local anglers to concentrate their efforts. Dolphinfish (mahimahi), wahoo and Spanish mackerel tend to be the main species associated with the FADs. Live baits are the most popular option to target them, however cast stickbaits or even trolling can be effective at times. Deep dropping continues

scoopers and drop netters finding some success throughout much of the estuary. Although results can vary, reports also indicate that there are quite a few blue swimmers up the rivers and you can always have a bit of a fish whilst waiting for your pots to soak. Much like the earlier part of the season, those targeting blue swimmers have been finding that there are still quite a few smaller specimens around and that you need to work at times to reach those bigger models. Yellowfin are still very much around, with plenty of anglers still targeting fish on top water and sub surface presentations. If you are thinking about anchoring around the flats on your boat, a lightly weighted presentation with a small chunk of bloodworm will do wonders. If chasing

whiting in the estuary, finding some nice sandy ground surrounded with weed patches is ideal, and be sure to also try targeting areas with drop-offs or channels running through them, as they will produce quite well. If you are seeking a spot of relaxing yet productive fishing, it is well worth heading up the rivers and seeing if you can put yourself onto some fun. If chasing

Sometimes you cannot help but be plagued by flathead when heading offshore, with them often smashing lures almost their own size.

to go from strength to strength. Weather permitting, dropping a line in 200-500m of water can produce fish like greyband cod, hapuka, blue-eye trevalla and more. All are fabulous table fish. There you have it – another month with plenty of fishing options for you. Everywhere seems to be firing, so why not get out there and give it a try? Catch you next month. Plenty of great fish are getting around, with decent pink snapper like this one available to both land and boat based anglers.

A lovely bag of tailor caught casting lures in the Swan by the legend Paul Coelho.

bream on lures, natural coloured soft plastics with a grub or paddle-tail will produce well. When fishing hardbodies, shallow running options are always favourable, though some of your deep diving options like spikes or dunks will produce well when fished in a deepwater application. Black bream are well spread throughout our systems, with mid-stream being a great starting point and a likely producer. Be sure to move around if you are struggling to find fish, try to focus fishing first

thing in the morning prior to mid day, or the few hours before sun down as fish can be shut down during the days and reject even the most well presented bait or lure. At this time of the year, beach fishing is still a great option for those looking to wet a line. There is still good numbers of tailor around, although compared to previous months you will find that it can be a bit harder to find numbers of quality fish and doing so may require a bit more work. With that being said,

plenty of herring or sand whiting are still around and willing to go for simply presented baits like prawn or squid. With the warmer weather tapering off, our fishing targeting options shift further away from warm water species and more towards species that prefer cooler, more turbulent waters. For those setting out larger baits, local fishers report that there is still some good sized mulloway being casted up, also some big pink snapper and the odd dhufish being droned up off the local beaches. If you are going to head offshore the 20-60m mark is ideal and will produce a great variety of fish provided you are on the right ground or one that the species prefers. Anglers are reporting that there is plenty of dhufish, breaksea, pink snapper, bald-chin and a few good kingfish getting around. Plastics, metal jigs and the old trusty paternoster are doing a lot of damage for those catching great fish, though it seems equally as important to put yourself onto the fish with your electronics. If fishing a bit deeper, anglers are using more durable baits like octopus or fresh squid which can deal with the pickers for longer durations and allow the bigger fish to get a look in at the bait before its completely stripped. In shallower waters, drifting lightly weighted baits like scalies or mullet fillets in 5-20m will yield good results. MARCH 2022

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West Coast

Best time to be in a boat LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

March to April presents peak water temperatures for the year and some of the best boating weather.

year. You don’t tend to get a lot at these latitudes but are well rewarded on landing a good size one. They yield a huge amount of high-quality meat, relative to similar sized demersal fish, and

Keep in mind dhufish are now spawning, so carefully look after those that need releasing. There have been great catches of bald chin, pretty much right through the depths out from the 25m. They are the

with some fish in excess of 400g. The best way to find the schools is to troll some small lures around the southern shallows. It doesn’t seem to matter what type of lure metals, plastics, vibes all work, just keep them in the size range of 4-6cm. Once the fish are found drop the anchor and cast to the school. Tailor have been very active in the bay this year too, with a few usually caught while chasing the herring throughout the daylight hours. They more actively feed towards sunset. Plenty have been caught off the jetty and the north beaches of the bay have been productive too. Large samsonfish, and skippy usually turn up in the bay during March.

Small hooks on the drone can catch some nice fish, Tom pulling 50cm+ of King George whiting!

Samsonfish have been moving in closer to the shore from the offshore breeding grounds. It is the prime time to be looking for some of those tropical pelagic species that visit our waters each year. Calm weather gives

they can be a worthy and powerful opponent. It’s very important to fish a light drag on the initial stages of the fight, a third of the breaking

easiest of the demersal fish to find, just head out around high 20s or deeper and set up a drift. A paternoster rig with two 7-8/0 hooks loaded with octopus bait is ideal, they will often pick at the bait before taking it properly, octopus stays on the hook during the picking. Mutu style circle hooks work extremely well for the baldies. BAY Herring in the bay have been a huge size and great condition this year, it just keeps on giving they have been there for months

Graeme Doodsons was not disappointed with this by-catch while casting for tailor! Sambos can be caught fishing with large poppers from the jetty early in the mornings. Fishers use gear more akin to popping for

A cracker breaksea cod caught by Chris Hartanto during a recent LAAC comp. more opportunity for larger boats to head out wide for a deep drop, after bagging a few bottom dwellers. It’s well worth to look out for some bait schools or sit back and take it easy on the way back in towing a few lures. Wahoo, large yellowfin tuna and marlin can all be on the cards out wide. A spread of some larger sized skirted lures can be towed 8-10 knots on the cruise home. Spanish mackerel are always my number one target species this time of 120

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strain or less. If the mack takes off on a sideways run there is enormous amounts of extra strain put on the tackle by the line simply being dragged sideways through the water at speed, enough to easily straighten hooks or pop the line. Upgrading the hooks on lures will give a much higher chance of landing larger fish. Using mono or having a long mono wind on gives a bit of stretch to help keep the hooks tight in the bony jaw in the closing stages of the fight.

Blue spot flathead don’t come much better than this nearly 2kg and 68cm specimen.

GTs up north, 37kg line and locked drags. Skippy look for some deeper areas of the bay with structure and burly to bring them to the boat. Early mornings and sunset have been best to chase up a few squid off the jetty or from the dinghy. BEACH Tailor fishing has been fantastic this season with plenty of choppers right along the beaches. March usually sees in some better size class fish around the 50cm. They will be in top breeding condition full of roe or milt, so limit the catch rather than catching the limit, giving some a chance to do their thing. Both herring and dart have been taking the pilchard baits as well, so it pays to keep the hook size down to get a mixed bag. Using a gang of 4 Mustad tarpon hooks in 3-4/0 size will get much better hook up rate on the smaller species. Dart are mainly caught north of town they love to hang just at the back of where the waves break at the edge of where the sandy

water meets the clear. A good berley trail off the beach will usually keep the session going well into the morning, transforming from a tailor bite into herring and dart. Once we have a good rain the mullet will start their run north, which will attract some of the larger fish close to the beach. Big baits cast out at night have been picking up whaler sharks and guitarfish. Late this month we can look forward to increasing numbers of large mulloway along the Lancelin coast. Drone fishers have been doing well targeting pink snapper from the nearshore reefs, once a bag limit is caught think about down sizing the hooks to some #1 circle hooks and drop in some broken sand holes for some King George whiting. March new moon is always abundant for lobster along the nearshore reefs, just make sure to get the pots into some nice heavy ground and you should be seeing the pots full of reds.

West Coast

Early anglers will always catch the fish GERALDTON

Graham Maunder & Michael Triantopoulos

The midwest costal tailor run has started to slow down a bit, but changing from excellent to just really good is something we’re happy live with! As summer season moves on, the traditional strong southerly winds have come and early morning fishing sessions have become much easier to fish than the evenings. The strong winds and swell patterns have also pushed quite a lot of sea grass and weed onto our local beaches and into some of our best beach channels. However, some locals are used to these annual conditions and are still catching plenty of tailor, dart, pike and reasonable amounts of whiting and occasional bags of very nice herring (25-35cm). The Port Denison north wall and platform is normally weed free and has good numbers of tailor, whiting, herring, dart, sharks, shovel-nosed rays and unstoppable fish

Kev Waterson caught this 18kg, 1.23m mulloway at Flat Rocks. of unknown species. As the wall and platform face to the north-northwest, even the afternoon strong winds are mostly from your back, making evening both enjoyable and productive. Even though last season’s squid is over, there are still a few squid coming in under the lights after dark. The beaches between Flat Rocks and Cape Burney have become difficult to fish due to weed movement but when you can fish the reef holes and gutters, they are still producing.

The first and second points at the mouth of the Greenough River have rock ledges projecting far enough and high enough to allow casting into mostly clean water. Early mornings sessions of lure casting, or if there is a little too much weed for lures, bait casting with pilchards, scalies or strip baits of mullet or pike have been very productive. Over the last few weeks there have been some big pelagic mackerel, cobia working the tailor schools. Geraldton beaches

have been productive most mornings. The afternoon winds have meant that the rock walls of the harbour and marina, Pages Beach, are your best chance. While the rocks have not been as productive, there are enough herring, tailor, slimy mackerel, whiting, pike and the occasional squid to make the effort rewarding and worthwhile. Reports of Spanish mackerel at Horrocks, Port Gregory, Lucky Bay and Wagoe through to Kalbarri are regular enough to make

a ballooning, drone or kite fishing trip worthwhile, especially as there have been mornings with a bit of an easterly wind, and they will only get more regular as the season moves on. BOAT Pelagic season has started on a high with good numbers of Spanish mackerel, tuna and the occasional cobia. Good numbers of Spanish mackerel have been from Drummonds Cove to Kalbarri, with early mornings fishing the best. Seaweed has made trolling challenging but the ones persisting are the ones getting the fish. Mackerel to 20kg have been captured with the majority of them being school sized fish to 10kg. Smaller yellowfin tuna and good quantities of striped tuna have been a bit of fun for anglers putting in the time casting at the schools. Bottom fishing has been hard work over the last few weeks with the strong Leeuwin current. SW Bank has had some WA dhufish to 10kg, pink snapper, bald chin grouper, coral trout

and sweetlip. Fishing NW of town, reports coming in of WA dhufish, estuary cod and bald chin grouper. Glassy calm conditions with no swell have allowed anglers to get amongst the areas where you can’t often get because of the swells. Anglers have been successfully getting reasonable amounts of coral trout and the occasional WA dhufish all on deep diving minnow lures trolled slow around 4 knots. Pages Beach, Separation Point and St Georges has had really good numbers of herring, occasional whiting, pike and squid in amongst the weed/sand holes. Getting a good berley trail going is a must and throw a small heaped handful in periodically to keep them around. • 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

Return of the macks KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

Warm water flowing from the north has seen the macks return. Some nice fish are showing at the sand

patch to the north and some very nice fish along the cliffs. Keep the drag up and wind fast to beat the ever present sharks. Deep diver lures have produced the most strikes with 8m plus being the best. On a recent trip out

The author was delighted with this bald chin at 6.5kg, a PB for the angler!

from Kalbarri on Graeme Kruger’s boat, along with Frank Zanatta, we all caught some decent fish. Frank with a few nice pink snapper and baldchin, and something special for me on my first drop. After a small tug and a short run my thought was a small bald chin, then the line peeled off and my instinct said shark so I locked up the drag and went for broke to stop the run. This worked but to my surprise when a shimmer appeared just below the boat I soon called for the net as my PB bald chin came into view –

Frank caught this beaut snapper on a session out from Kalbarri.

Wayne thought he’d got snagged, instead it turned out to be this decent dhufish.

it was a beast at 6.5kg. Dredge work is still on the go in the river, which is still bringing the mulloway in for a feed. Some nice 10-15kg fish have been taken from the sand spit. Be careful at the end of the sand spit due to a sharp drop off caused by dredging. The river has been quiet for whiting but the crabs have been on the move with some of the best mud crabs being caught for a long time. Up river has produced some very respectable black bream. The best spots have been up around the barbecue areas, and the best bait is river prawns. After completion of a full top half refit to a cat, I

was invited out for a fish with the owner. The new top and windows get the nod and seal of approval from the owner so it was lines over for fishing. Within minutes the lines came up tight with good solid fish, except Wane the owner, he was snagged. I offer to wind his line in while he backed up on the snag. After a while I felt the snag come loose with a bit of a shake, this was a nice solid type snag that I thought might be a dhu. Wayne soon realised that I was winding up a nice fish and wanted his rod back! The end result was a nice dhufish in the esky, Wayne is now called ‘Snagger’! MARCH 2022

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North Coast

Speedsters on the hunt EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

The fishing has been pretty good over the past month, and we have seen a few a fair few marlin around the place. At the time of writing, most anglers are targeting blue marlin, but we are starting

to get a few reports of blacks and sails moving in closer, with a few fish around the 80m mark. There have been a couple of yellowfin mixed in as well, including one fish around the 50kg size, taken on trolled skirts. Inshore the mackerel fishing has been pretty good.

Connor Luff with a decent GT caught on a Nomad Macscad 95. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh.

A couple of our boys went out recently and did quite well trolling around the back of the reef in around 25m of water. The fish were caught on DTX Minnows and Samaki Pacemakers. The average size was 1.3m, with a couple of bigger ones in the mix. For the shore-based guys, there have been plenty of whiting on the beaches. A reliable way to catch them is on prawn baits on a size 8 long-shank hook on a running sinker rig. You can also throw small poppers for them. There have been a few mangrove jack getting caught in the marina, with fish around 45cm and bigger. Although they’re mostly getting caught on mulies and strip baits, there’s no reason they wouldn’t take a lure if you presented it right. Any time of day will work, but dawn dusk and throughout the night are the best. It’s good to get a berley trail going, and create a bit of activity around the back of the boat. A few spangled emperor are still getting caught around

Josh Cheong got stuck into the jacks on a quick trip after work. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh. the west side on small stickbaits and plastics. Good options include Nomad Mad Scad 95s, Slidog 105s, and 5” Bait Junkie Jerk Shads. I have heard of a few permit kicking around the bottom of the Gulf for the fly guys, mainly on crab patterns. MARCH FISHING This month the water will still be quite warm so the fish should still be quite active. We

will hopefully see a few more marlin move in closer, which will make it a bit easier for anglers in smaller boats to go out and target them. And of course, GameX is coming up this month! It’s running from 18-26 March, and you can find out more at the Exmouth Game Fishing Club website at egfc.com.au. • For all the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop

into 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.

Broome rains are here BROOME

Troy Honey

After a very dry start to the 2021-2022 wet season in Broome, February came and with it so did the torrential rains causing widespread flooding, road closures and the creek systems were allowed to spread their fingers far and wide giving the barra larvae the perfect opportunity for survival. Between September and March in the shallow mudflats of the creeks and rivers, barra have the most favourable temperature and salinity conditions for spawning, because of the build-up of the wet season. Spawning tends to take place at night around the time of

the slack tide and appears to be related to the lunar cycle. Nights following full and new moons are the periods of greatest spawning activity. High tides and wet season floods like Broome has experienced in February,

Live baiting with mullet at night on the Fitzroy is one of the best ways to entice a barra, which is exactly what Sally Rossiter did to land a few last month, including this good fish. Geoff Rossiter with a solid night barra on the Fitzroy.

A secret spot not far from Broome is where Geoff Rossiter uses his Ian Millar T-Curve TK3G rod and Shimano Chronarch 150HG bait caster reel to land many barra, such as this solid example. 122

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wash the eggs and larvae into mangrove and wetland habitats. As we come to the end of the wet season next month in April, floodplains begin to dry and most juvenile barra migrate upstream to freshwater in rivers like the

Fitzroy. Some remain in estuarine habitats such as the ones around Broome. The barra that are spawned and survive the many challenges of their first few months of life will take around 18 months to 2 years to reach 50cm+ in size and start delighting the many anglers who travel to the West Kimberley region to target the iconic species. The male barra will go on to travel up to 80km or more from their place of spawning over the next few years as they grow and will the return to the river and creek mouths and muds flats to restart the life cycle again. With another good wet season Broome will continue to experience good years of

barra fishing such as the one we are having this year. The month of January saw many good catches of barra around

Broome, up the coastline of Cape Leveque and in the Fitzroy River. While plenty of smaller fish under 50cm were

Fishing a spot on the Fitzroy River, Sally Rossiter landed this beautiful barra on her Shimano Trevala 6’3” rod kitted out with a Shimano Thunnus 4000 reel.

caught, there were good numbers around the 70cm to 80cm mark with the odd fish over 90cm, which were reported in the Fitzroy. Throughout February it was only a matter of the water cleaning up in the second week after all the rain and the barra fishing was back on in full strength. Those that were most successful were fishing with live baits of mullet working the many new banks and snags created by the fast flowing water in the river or the banks being soaked and collapsing from the rains in the creeks. Threadfin salmon continue to be a welcome by-catch when barra fishing in Broome with their solid To page 123

North Coast

Rains with a pinch of trout DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

The first couple of weeks of February saw most of the Pilbara receive welcomed heavy falls that managed to give some of the coastal creeks enough water to flow, but for the better part it was inland around the Karijini

Spangled perch are native to WA. They are a small freshwater species that can grow to 300mm in length but most commonly around 150-200mm. They are edible, although usually taken only for survival purposes. They are found right across the Pilbara in the creeks, rivers, billabongs, and gorges. Fingers crossed we see

along with threadfin salmon, flathead, bream, queenfish, trevally and the occasional mangrove jack. The two most caught fish over the last month were without a doubt bluebone and coral trout. The Karratha region has very healthy stocks of both species, and due to most catches coming from shallow waters of 15m or less, anglers are getting them past the sharks. If you catch undersized fish or exceed your bag limit, you can safely release the unwanted fish because barotrauma is of little concern in these depths. Bluebone will continue to be active throughout March in the warmer waters. It’s on the larger tidal days that they

While Karratha is well known for its bluebone fishery, it is the coral trout that is really making its mark of late. All around the islands in the archipelago, north past Point Samson, south past 40 Mile and Mardie and out wide around the Monte Bellos, the entire region is alive with coral trout, which are arguably the best table fare of all fish species in WA, if not Australia. Coral trout can even be caught from shore right along the coastline in the Karratha region, often by anglers targeting species such as bluebone with baits or chasing species such as giant trevally with poppers, or spangled emperor with lures liked bibbed minnows. Barred cheek coral trout are common throughout the Dampier Archipelago. The author caught six in less than 20 minutes while drifting soft plastics in 15m of water. cheek and common coral trout. Footballer and passionfruit coral trout are found in the region, but they’re rarely caught. It is a very healthy coral trout fishery in Pilbara waters and one we are very

A 74cm bluebone will put any angler and gear to the test. However, Scott Medling made light work of this horse when making the most of a windy day and using the islands for protection. and Chichester national parks that received enough water to really get going. Although this wasn’t quite enough to stir up the barra creeks it was certainly enough to help spread the redclaw and spangled perch around some more. Redclaw are a pest in WA, with the only area where they were legally introduced being Lake Kununurra in the Kimberley. They are a welcome pest in the Pilbara, with most people able to enjoy both the fun of catching them and cooking them and to date, have no known risk or damage to the local ecosystem. From page 122

numbers, strong runs when hooked and excellent table fare. Most fish came from Roebuck Bay along with a few reports of tripletail and northern black jewfish. Wind was challenging for the demersal fishers up to the first week of February and from there it was smooth sailing allowing many anglers to finally get out wide and chase a feed. Sharks continue to be the predominate challenge though and travelling that bit further to deeper, cooler, less fished waters is the key to a good days fishing. Those that have headed out past the 40mtr mark and into the 50m mark have been rewarded with good catches of red emperor, saddletail snapper and ranking cod. March will continue to produce the same environment for demersals with the warmer water closer to shore which intern drives shark activity higher. There are fish to be

many more days of good rains as we head into March as the creeks and rivers still need a lot more rain to really get going, and many species need this to complete their breeding cycles. Barra catches around Karratha have been patchy. There have been a few reports of great catches in both size and quantity, but they are few and far between. Further north around Port Hedland there have been some very good catches, with several fish over a metre being caught on a regular basis during February. In Karratha, Airport and Nickol Creek have produced good barra

really start feeding strongly, especially in the lead-up to high tide when they move in close to shore around the rocks in search of crabs or to get stuck into a feed of oysters. Crabs and oysters are the bluebones’ most preferred food.

caught in waters of 20-30m such as coral trout, bluebone, golden snapper and blueline emperor to name a few but the key to catching them will be to move around and not fish the same spot for too long and attract the sharks. Also finding less commonly fished ground can prove to be worth the extra travel time as these areas don’t often see the build-up of sharks that learn to follow the boats. The rains will bring out the mud crabs that bury themselves in the mangrove flats normally waiting for the full moon to come out and feed where they can see during the night. The rains will confuse their cycle up a bit, so it is worthwhile dropping a few nets, along as the water is not muddy. Another crustacean to target will be the cherabin, which will be being flushed in rivers such as the Fitzroy. Using cast nets, work the pools along the riverbanks that have formed from rains. The next couple of months of March and April will be prime times

to chase these Kimberley delicacies. Lots of options for everyone and, as always at this time of year, be extra vigilant of crocodiles in the warmer waters. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has read my Broome reports over the last nearly four years and equally thank the support from all the Broome anglers who submitted their photos and tales of their catches, I couldn’t have done it without you. This is my last Broome report as my other life commitments have grown. I am very happy to be handing the Broome reporting over to one of the best Kimberley anglers there is and I am sure many of you know. I feel safe knowing he will do an outstanding job. I will let him introduce himself in the next report. If you see me on the Broome jetty chasing bluebone or anywhere along the coastline fishing, be sure to come over and say hi.

lucky to enjoy. Like bluebone, coral trout become extremely active in the warmer wet season waters and unlike many other demersal species, they don’t head out to deep waters in search for cooler

Fishing for red emperor during the wet season is certainly more challenging, but they are still around as Scott Medling proved on a trip out in February to deeper waters off Dampier. There are some great shoals in the archipelago such as Hammersley & Courtenay that hold good numbers of trout. Some of these trout exceed 700mm in length and are well known for taking large poppers and stickbaits being cast by GT anglers. Trout will rise over 10m of depth to hit lures, even ones being retrieved at speed. Coral trout legalities in WA are one per person bag limit, and they form part of your demersal quota. The size limit is 450mm. Trout varieties commonly caught here in Karratha are barred

When targeting barra in the Karratha creeks it’s anyone’s guess what other species can be enticed. Phil Anderson found this out when a thumper of a brassy trevally decided he wanted his lure.

Even the kids are getting amongst the coral trout action in Karratha. Leith Medling caught this ripper in February between the islands in the archipelago.

conditions. Blue swimmer crab time in Karratha is just around the corner, with the official kick-off being Easter weekend. Not to say they aren’t around, but finding ones over the 127mm size limit is challenging. Dropping your nets in bays such as Nickol or Dampier at this time of year is always risky too, as the sharks are prevalent and can destroy all your nets in a matter of minutes. Once the water cools 5°C or more in May and June, the shark numbers will drop in the shallow bays as they head out to cause terror for the anglers chasing red emperor and rankin cod. MARCH 2022

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Plenty of summer reds FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

A few reports have been coming through over these warmer months with some freshwater

get amongst them. AUSSIE NATIVES It’s interesting to see a number of Murray cod showing up in some of our dams and rivers. This is no doubt a result of private stockings as we don’t have

in this state and remove the red tape and out-of-date policies that have been in place for some time now. Until we stock a suitable species like bass, golden perch, Murray cod or at least our locally bred silver perch, which would have a minimal impact on the ecology compared to the redfin and the earlier mentioned species, then we will continue to have an inferior fishery compared to those on the East Coast. If something isn’t done soon then I believe we may lose a number of freshwater

Summer evenings can result in some fantastic sunsets on our inland dams. Unfortunately, trout fishing can be difficult as trout move to deep water and are reluctant to feed on occasions.

Damien Gansekoele is no stranger to big trout and Aussie natives. It only took him and his mate one hour to secure these large marron from a public water. He also catches huge sharks for a tagging program for Victorian Fisheries. anglers getting onto a few trout and redfin, while others have found it hard. The recent marron season seemed to be a success with some nice specimens showing up in the catches. Redfin are still being caught in all the usual locations however, most have been very small and not worth putting a blade to. Good fishing was seen down around the Pemberton area with mainly redfin dominating the catch, which included some nice size models. Trout were harder to locate, no doubt due to the extreme summer we experienced recently. I choose not to fish the freshwater through summer as I believe it puts stress on the trout and I find it hard to revive them in the higher water temperature. I find it exciting chasing a range of saltwater species, like hard fighting dhufish and snapper on trolled lures in very shallow water as well as a range of other species. They are all willing to hit minnow style lures and plastics on very hot days. The good news is towards the latter part of March we will see cooler days and the return to better activity on our inland waters so I will once again 124

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a government stocking program in place as yet. A number of dedicated freshwater anglers have put in some hard work chasing these Aussie iconic species with some impressive results being achieved. I cannot stress how important it is that the authorities act

A nice redfin from Harvey Dam. Although they don’t put up much of a fight they would match any of the best saltwater species on the plate.

Trolling using an electric motor (as this is the only form of propulsion allowed on this water) has been productive on occasions. The other method is to drop plastics down deep, and a favourite that is growing in popularity is the dropshotting technique. This involves using two plastics with a weight on the bottom similar to an offshore rig and can be deadly if you can locate the schools of redfin that tend to congregate from late March. Trout have been harder to find and we will not know if they pulled through the summer period until late April. Unfortunately, Watercorp has blocked off a number of access points around the dam but this didn’t deter the marroners that fished this

anglers in this state. DAMS Waroona Dam Very quiet of late on the trout scene, however, a few dedicated anglers have been getting into the redfin

The Collie River below Wellington Dam offers cool water let out for irrigation. This results in a near perfect condition for trout.

Redfin offer the only reliable sport for our freshwater anglers over summer. Ethan Look, and many like him, are hoping that one day Fisheries will stock better suitable species that will offer year round angling.

in among the hordes of ski boats and jet skis that seem to crowd the water on the weekends. Drakes Brook Weir Things have been very quiet judging by the reports of local angler Jonah Chiera. He noted that only a few trout have shown up on occasions. Redfin have been more active but the few anglers putting in the effort have returned empty-handed on occasions.

Logue Brook Dam Most anglers avoid this water in the warmer months as ski boats and jet skis make it difficult and, at time, dangerous to fish. Harvey Dam A few redfin are still turning up in the deeper water around the main basin as well as the exposed timber area to the back of the dam. It’s handy if you can get on the water as shore bashing can be frustrating at times.

water until the season ended in early February. Glen Mervyn Dam Not a lot of reports, but redfin are being caught in varying sizes. Wellington Dam This dam is a complete opposite to what it was like this time last year with the water encroaching the time making access fairly difficult. This is our largest accessible impoundment in our South West, at around 200 gigalitres

when full. Being around 10 times smaller than those on the East Coast of the country, it still offers many kilometers of water to fish on. Unfortunately, most successful anglers have boats and cover lots of water constantly monitoring their sounders to locate fish. Do not expect big numbers of redfin but size can be good if you happen to get lucky. Dropshotting in deep water with plastics has been popular here recently. Big Brook Dam Unfortunately, Simon Holland reported a number of dead trout floating on the surface on a recent trip, this is the cost we pay on very hot summers like this one. The environmental flow out of this dam has been on the spotlight because of the

Warren River The Warren has turned on some impressive redfin lately. This has confirmed that this water is arguably the best redfin water in the state. Trout have been harder to locate over the warmer months, however a few are

still showing up in all the likely areas. Lefroy Brook The Lefroy has been hard going at times, but fish can still be found if you are prepared to bush bash and get to areas that don’t see a lot of angler pressure.

Brown trout don’t seem to dominate the catches in the West. There is a push for tighter regulations so every angler can experience the thrill of catching one like this. Rohan Smith is happy with this one he landed from his kayak. trout in this water can be hard to locate and success comes to those that study the river and constantly move to different areas. Blackwood River Very quiet on the trout front however a few redfin have been reported from the upper reaches above Bridgetown.

The very hot summer has resulted in many stressed trout in our waters. This one has changed colour as a result.

Redfin almost always play the game in the hotter months. Wendy caught this one using a deep diving lure trolled slowly. lack of flow let out when it stops overflowing. The failure of Watercorp opening the valve resulted in a number of trout and native species perishing around Christmas. This is on the agenda at the next FFRG meeting so hopefully an agreement will be reached to stop this occurring next year. RIVERS Murray River A few redfin have been caught around Dwellingup with the better sizes coming out of the deeper pools further upstream. Trout have been harder to locate with one of the flowing feeder streams holding a few small fish. Northern Jarrah Streams

A local angler sent in a photo of what looked like stressed trout swimming in shallow water, they took on a yellowish colouration caused by the high temperatures. Some sections have cool spring water so hopefully they will pull through until autumn. Collie River, above Wellington Dam Some nice redfin have been caught around the town and below near the small weir by kayakers using a variety of lures and soft plastics. Collie River below Wellington Dam Fed by cool irrigation water let out of Wellington Dam this section of river

has been fishing constantly throughout summer. A nice brown was caught recently along with a few small rainbows. Do not expect big numbers as the

It pays to have a reasonable sounder to locate fish holding areas. I tend to troll along until I find the fish, then circle back and drop plastics down to them.

PREDICTED DAM LEVELS SW WA Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities are currently 68.3% as at the end of January 2022, compared to 37.5% at the same time last year. The extremely hot conditions have resulted in an increase in irrigation and subsequently more water usage. WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM

58% 81% 76% 69% 76% 73% 85%

Marron are the second biggest freshwater crayfish in Australia behind the Tasmanian crayfish. Around 10,000 licenses are sold annually. With tight restrictions and a short 4-week season, including a restocking program. We should see a secure fishery for the future.

Donnelly River It’s seems the Record Brook Dam proposal is back on the agenda. This scheme involves placing a dam on Record Brook and pumping water from the Donnelly River at times of high flow. The first proposal was rejected because of the fight by a local group of farmers and anglers arguing that the figures used of stream flow were not current and there would not be enough water to fill this storage. This was confirmed by the authorities but now a new proposal has been put forward so the fight may not be over for those opposing the project. Meanwhile the fishing has been reasonable with a few trout showing up in sections that has a bit of flow. Be mindful that snakes are also active around water and fire is a real risk in these dry months with total fire bans in place until we get decent rains. MARCH 2022

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Fishing Monthly Magazine | March 2022

Articles inside

Boat test: Whittley FF1950

Mandurah

Lancelin

Metro

Tournaments

Karratha

Augusta

Bunbury

Freshwater

WIRF

Ballarat

Tournament Calendar

Wangaratta

Port Phillip East

Geelong

Albury/Wodonga

TASMANIA Offshore

Lithgow/Oberon

Batlow

Bermagui

Illawarra

Central Coast

Sydney North

Sydney South

Sydney Rock

Sustainable outer-shelf stocks

NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater

Kayaking: Hays Inlet

Testing Booth: 13Fishing Concept C2

Lucinda

Townsville

Cairns

Whitsundays

Brisbane

Northern Bay

Southern Bay

Starlo’s back to basics

Noosa

QUEENSLAND The Tweed

Gold Coast

Mackay