Fishing Monthly Magazine | October 2024

• ALL THE WINNERS FROM AFTA BEST OF SHOW INSIDE • TESTED

Stabicraft 1850 Super Cab with Yamaha F130

QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

WA

FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION

Features

AFTA Best of Show Winners • How to catch TNQ flathead • Vic Fisheries Stocking • What tournaments teach us • Review: Shimano SLX 150 HG and Curado 200HG bait cast reels •

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Joseph Nugent gives us the lowdown on catching flathead at the top

October, 2024 ISSN 2652-5798

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NEW

RIPTIDE INSTINCT QUEST

35FT BOAT. TRUST YOUR INSTINCT. Riptide Instinct™ QUEST with it’s unmatched torque and up to 100” Shaft will hold bigger boats than ever. The New Drift mode is set to revolutionise fishing and be even more popular than our famous Spot Lock. Network ready to Humminbird for full motor control and unlock Coastmaster mapping to follow a contour or return to your favourite fishing spot time after time. Remain at your helm thanks to the auto stow and deploy and power trim. Minn Kota Instinct is the most advanced Bow Mount Electric Motor ever produced and will revolutionise your offshore fishing.

5

MPH

1.4

MPH

RIPTIDE INSTINCT QUEST

Saltwater trolling motors available in white or black.

DRIFT MODE

S P O T- L O C K W I T H J O G

Gives you point and shoot navigation for superior boat control in any direction, at any speed without the need of drift socks, kicker motors, or manual operation – even in the heaviest wind and current.

Spot-Lock will hold you in place with unparalleled GPS accuracy. Spot-Lock gives you the power to stay right on top of any productive fishing spot, without touching your trolling motor. With the built-in heading sensor, you can use Jog to move your Spot-Lock location five feet in any direction.

O N E - B O AT N E T W O R K Out of the box, Minn Kota motors come standard with everything you need to connect to select Humminbird fish finders, unlocking more advanced navigation features without needing to remember additional adapters or complicated set-up procedures.

M I N N K O TA . C O M . A U

H O L D FA S T W I T H A 1 0 0 ” S H A F T Riptide Instinct comes with shaft lengths up to 100 inches to give saltwater anglers stability to control, manoeuvre and position even the biggest boats. Also available in 60”, 72”, and 87”.

boatinglifestyleadventure

“ FREE SWIMMER BR IS THE ULTIMATE BAIT FISHING REEL.”

FREE SWIMMER BR GEAR UP FOR THE SUMMER SEASON!!

Bite’N’Run is a key technology for keen live or dead bait anglers allowing fish to take baits under minimal line tension to ensure a solid hookset is achieved.

The FREE SWIMMER BR’s internals have been carefully sealed to an IPX6 rating through innovative design and implementation of rubber seals to make a true Saltwater Bite’N’Run reel.

FREE SWIMMER BR is equipped with a host of regular Daiwa technologies including Air Rotor, ATD Drag, Tough Digigear & more to round out the best performing Bite’N’Run reel Daiwa has ever produced.

WATCH THE AIR ROTOR

TOUGH

BITE ‘N’ RUN

REEL IN

ACTION

TOURNAME NT TIC MA

LAR GE R

DI

TE

ET

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AG DR

AU TO

DIGIGE AR UGH TO

‘N’ RUN STYL TE E BI

AM

E T E R • BIG G

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TWE

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daiwafishing.com.au

YA M A H A O U T B OA R D S

VIEW CURRENT OFFERS SCAN THE QR CODE

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QUEENSLAND DEALERS AIRLIE BEACH

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DUNSBOROUGH BOSUN MARINE

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MELBOURNE WEST

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Our Cover

Contents

From the Editor’s Desk...

As I mentioned in last month’s editorial, the AFTA Show happened on the Gold Coast in August and what a cracker it was.

There was a record number of exhibitors and a record number of the public showed up to check out the latest and greatest in fishing tackle from the 75 exhibitors on site.

As always this is not a selling show where companies truck out all of their old stock for special prices.

It’s at the other end of the spectrum where you could get a sneak peek of

everything that’s new and cool and that will be turning up in your local tackle store in the near future.

It also lets you check out gear that your local may not stock - all in one place.

Whatever your reason for attendance, we saw over 3,000 of you on the free Public Day. Massive thanks to the Queensland Government for their sponsorship of the day, which made the free entry possible.

And you’ll see in this issue all

of the winners of the Best of Show awards for the trade and public days.

There’s a mountain of new gear and we’ve distilled it down for you to the best of the best.

As this issue goes to press, BARRA tournament season is starting up and the lakes look prime to produce the goods. Queensland really is the big barra capital of the world at the moment.

You can read about that in a future issue.

A Martin Auldist image.

QLD NSW

VIC

TAS

WA

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE Published by:

INSIDE This Issue

Qld Fishing Monthly Pty Ltd

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance

96

Bunbury

96

Metro

98

Mandurah

100

Lancelin

102

Kalberri

104

Exmouth

104

Karratha

105

Freshwater

106

20

New England Rivers

66

Jumpinpin

22

Hunter Valley

67

Brisbane

24

Batlow

68

Northern Bay

28

Albury/Wodonga

69

Sunshine Coast

34

Canberra

70

Bundaberg

36

Mackay

38

Townsville

40

Hinchinbrook

42

Cairns

42

Port Douglas

44

Cooktown

44

Cape York

45

Freshwater

46

VICTORIA Portland Warrnambool Cobden Geelong Port Phillip Phillip Island Port Albert Gippsland Lakes Woodside Marlo Mallacoota Bemm River Robinvale Wangaratta Yarrawonga Shepparton Bendigo Ballarat Gippsland Freshwater Eildon Crater Lakes

Sydney Rock

50

Sydney South

52

Ballina

54

Coffs Coast

56

South West Rocks

57

Forster

59

Port Macquarie

58

Port Stephens

60

Swansea

60

Central Coast

61

Illawarra

62

Batemans Bay

63

TASMANIA

Bermagui

64

Hobart

74 75 75 76 78 80 82 83 84 84 84 85 86 87 88 88 89 90 92 92 91

REGULAR FEATURES AFTA Best of Show

8

Starlo: tournament

16

TNQ Flathead

18

Phases of the moon

43

Sheik of the Creek

49

Review: bait cast reels

72

Vic Stocking Management 93 Fun page

108

Tournaments

110

Tournament calendar

114

Tide page

115

Test: Stabicraft 1850

116

Trades and Services

118

All material is © copyright, and cannot be reproduced in part or in full, by any means, without written permission of the Managing Editor. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Business Office: Unit 1, 11 Knobel Court, Shailer Park, Qld, 4128

FREECALL: 1800 228 244 Managing Editor: Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au Editorial Manager: Jacqui Thomas Editorial: Nicole Penfold Field Editors: Peter Jung Publisher: Steve Morgan Advertising Enquiries: Nicole Kelly: nkelly@fishingmonthly.com.au Phone: 0407 369 333 Peter Jung: pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au Phone: 0410 662 927 Printing: Printcraft (QLD) Pty Ltd Production: Jacqui Thomas Website: www.fishingmonthly.com.au Distribution: Are Direct Subscriptions: Kym Rowbotham Accounts: Marie Dykstra

COMPS AND OFFERS 71

Subscription

108

Find the logo

109

SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE FREECALL 1800 228 244 $75 for twelve issues (GST inc.)

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FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2024

64

The Tweed

NEW SOUTH WALES

ABN 72-010-542-195

Tathra

ISSUE: VOLUME 5 NO.7

QUEENSLAND

6 OCTOBER 2024

Steve Pettenon with a great haul of King George whiting from Western Port.

GEN III

The Ultimate 115HP & 140HP Outboard Motor Range now fitted with the Suzuki Micro-Plastic Collecting Device.

Suzuki’s third generation 115hp & 140hp outboard motors boast more torque, quicker acceleration, and improved top speed thanks to revising the cylinder head and piston design and increasing the compression ratio to 10.6:1. The new cowling and semi-direct air intake greatly reduce intake noise resulting in quieter operation. Suzuki’s Micro-Plastic Collecting Device (MPC) is part of Suzuki’s Clean Ocean Project initiative, which collects micro-plastic without any effect on performance when boating. The third generation 115hp & 140hp are available in both Suzuki Precision Control (Drive-by-wire) and mechanical-drive variants and backed by Suzuki’s 3+3-year recreational warranty.

AFTA Trade Show: best of show awards The AFTA Trade Show on the Gold Coast has wrapped up for another year, and it’s been another successful event. Run by the Australian Fishing Trade Association, the show attracts tackle wholesalers, retailers and media from all around the country.

There was a huge variety of gear on display, with exciting releases from many big brands – and some promising smaller brands, too.

For the first two days, the show was open exclusively to wholesalers, retailers and media. Then, on the

final day, the show threw its doors open to the public, giving everybody a chance to see the latest and greatest gear.

The biggest highlight of the Show, of course, was the Best of Show Awards, where products in 19 categories were judged by over 100 tackle retailers. The Awards are a great recognition of the ingenuity and effort that goes into developing new tackle, and we’re excited to share all the winners with you in this feature.

On top of that, members of the public also got to have their say by

voting in the popular AFTA People’s Choice Awards, and we have included those winners as well. Read on to see which products were voted as the best of the best for 2024!

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS Here’s where things get interesting! Sometimes the public and the retailers agree on which products are best, while at other times they have very different opinions.

We’ve listed the winners and runners-up that the industry chose and then alongside we included the

People's Choice awards. Who do you think got it right? Read on!

The Best of Show Awards precinct was generously sponsored

by NSW Fisheries and Shop for Shops, and run by Dale and Pam on behalf of the Somerset Wivenhoe Fishing Stocking Group.

NB: Despite our best efforts, some products are just too 'new' and there isn't any public information available.

But rest assured, we will bring you all the latest product news in our What's New section in coming months. As soon as we know, you'll know!

BEST FLY FISHING PRODUCT BEST TERMINAL TACKLE BEST TERMINAL TACKLE

People's Choice

RU: TERMINAL TACKLE

BEST FLY FISHING PRODUCT

8 OCTOBER 2024

People's Choice

BEST TERMINAL TACKLE WINNER RU: FLY PRODUCT

BEST COMBO WINNER

Enforcer Jigheads (TT Fishing) Built for taking on big fish, TT Enforcer jigheads have a heavy-duty Owner hook and include a ‘head lock’ keeper to lock your soft plastic in place. On the underside, there’s an integrated stainless-steel loop, giving you the option to add a treble or blade. Enforcer jigheads are currently available in 1/2oz, 3/4oz and 1oz weights, with 9/0, 10/0 and 11/0 hook sizes. You can see them in action, along with the matching Enforcer soft plastics, on the ‘Tackle Tactics TV’ YouTube Channel.

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Lure Us In Reaper Rig (Lure Us In)

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE TT Fishing Ceramic Scissors (TT Fishing) The ultimate scissors for cutting braid and mono fishing lines, TT Ceramic Scissors have extra-sharp zirconia ceramic blades for a clean and effortless cut.

They also feature corrosion-resistant construction, making them the perfect choice for saltwater anglers.

BEST COMBO WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE 24 Saltiga 15 & 25 Saltiga SJ S62-3 (Daiwa)

BEST FLY FISHING PRODUCT

Premium Japanese technology, components and blank design, and specialised Australian designs, actions and tapers makes these the best slow jigging rods Daiwa has ever released.

High-elasticity SVF Nanoplus graphite gives the blank more rebound, allowing the rod to work the jig quicker and allowing the angler to input smaller more refined movements for maximum jig control.

A new slow jigging specific Zero Seat reel seat improves comfort for long jigging sessions and heavy drags, while the Complete Control (CC) grip design gives increased comfort and control during the fight.

The Fuji Titanium Framed SiC guides have double-foot construction all the way through the tip, preventing damaged guides from heavy, long fluoro leaders.

The new Saltiga 15 overhead reel is suited to a variety of light jigging situations.

The compact size and newly designed thumb rest frame make the reel comfortable to palm over many hours of repetitive jigging. Hyperdrive maximises the reel’s performance under heavy load, with Hyperdrive Digigear increasing gear strength and efficiency, making this reel incredibly easy to wind.

Hyper Armed Housing and Hyper Tough Clutch create a solid feel, maximising reel confidence. The Saltiga 15 has 13kg of ATD drag with click mechanism.

WINNER

RUNNER UP

The Reaper Rig is designed to be used with dead bait such as pilchards or slimy mackerel.

Simply slide your dead bait to the rig and lock it in place using the Grim Reaperinspired scythe, and watch it come to life when it hits the water with a hyper realistic swimming motion. Thanks to that super simple attachment mechanism the Reaper Rig is very easy to use.

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE VMC Grip-R Jigheads (Rapala) VMC Grip-R Jigheads have a chemicallysharpened, needle tip hook point for exceptional sharpness and durability.

The unique keeper design secures TPE and other soft plastic materials on the jighead for prolonged use.

Current models include Hidden Weight Finesse, Solid Lead Wire Keeper Finesse, Solid Lead Wire Keeper Heavy, Split Lead Wire Keeper Finesse, and Split Lead Wire Keeper Heavy.

Sea Pro Xtreme 140mm Plier (AFN)

RU: COMBO

RUNNER UP

The Sea Pro Xtreme 140mm Plier is constructed from 420 surgical grade stainless steel, ensuring longevity and reliability in harsh saltwater conditions.

These pliers have an ergonomic handle with a forefinger locking grip, for superior comfort and control.

Equipped with long-nosed split-ring plier jaws, a tungsten carbide gelspun line cutter, and crimping capabilities, the Xtreme 140mm Plier is designed to handle a wide range of tasks, from rigging and lure preparation to hook removal and line cutting.

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Hardy Averon 5000 Titanium (Pure Fishing)

The Hardy Averon is the centerpiece of the Hardy freshwater performance reel range, boasting an ultra-lightweight disc drag system that exemplifies the quality and reliability of the Hardy brand.

Available in both half-frame and fullcage models, this reel offers unparalleled performance and versatility for freshwater fly anglers.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Stradic SW 4000XGB & TCurve 7’10” Extra Heavy (Shimano) The Stradic SW series is designed to conquer big game in the brutal saltwater environment. Featuring the robust X-Tough Drag system, innovative Infinity Drive, and X-Ship technology, the Stradic SW series offers up to 16kg of drag force and smooth, powerful winding.

Built to last with superior waterproofing and high-quality materials, the Stradic SW series sets a new benchmark for performance and durability in offshore fishing.

Shimano’s iconic T-Curve rods have received a comprehensive upgrade for 2024. These new rods incorporate the advanced Armour 40-5 blank technology, offering enhanced strength and reduced weight.

The range includes 13 rods with brand new KR Alconite ring guides, improved Fuji reel seats, and comfortable EVA and cork grips. The sleek design, with a black finish and gradient dark blue paint fade, makes these rods both visually appealing and high-performing.

OCTOBER 2024 9

BEST OUTDOOR/CAMPING

BEST GAME FISH ACCESSORY

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Daiwa Insulated Tote Bag (Daiwa)

Designed with durable materials, the DaIwa Insulated Tote Bag features thick wall insulation to ensure your catch stays colder for longer, giving you more time on the water.

It has ample storage space, a waterproof interior, and sturdy handles and carry straps for easy transport. It also has an integrated hard base to ensure your snacks or fish stay put if it gets a bit bumpy in the car or boat.

RUNNER UP Gerber Dredge Folding Shovel (AFN)

Whether it’s fire pit maintenance, digging trenches or removing stones from a tent pad, the full-size Dredge folding shovel is essential for your campsite chores or vehicle recovery kit.

When the job is done, just fold it up and pack it away to save some space. Features include: powder-coated, high carbon steel blade; glass-filled nylon D-handle with rubber grip; glass-filled nylon shaft with aluminium rod core; large anti-slip step plate; and corrosion-resistant, all-weather design. .

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Barnett L’il Buck Archery Set (JM Gillies) This lightweight bow and arrow set is perfect for entry-level archers and usable for kids over the age of seven with adult supervision.

The kids bow comes with two arrows to get you started, and it’s designed to be used by right or left handers when adjusted.

BEST DIVE/WATERSPORT WINNER

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Oceans Legacy Fighting Gimbal (Oceans Legacy) This new release from Oceans Legacy features an ergonomic design with a fullsized aluminium 6061 machined fighting gimbal. It has a bucket cup style designed for non-metal gimbal applications, which is great for topwater fishing, slow pitch jigging and surf fishing.

This gimbal also features A grade EVA cushioning for extra comfort while battling fish, and a handy Velcro adjustable belt for easy use and adjustment on the move.

It’s available in three colours – frost white, blue, and seafoam green.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Mapheox LED Rod Tip Light (Mapheox)

BEST DIVE/WATERSPORT

These LED rod lights come with a BR435 battery which lasts over 20 hours and up to 40 hours through tests. You can see your rod tip from over 100m away, even in the rain.

BEST FISH/BOAT ACCESSORY WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Wilson Electric Assist Battery (Wilson Fishing)

RUNNER UP

10 OCTOBER 2024

BEST OUTDOOR/CAMPING

Sea Pro XTreme 200mm extra-long nose split ring pliers have an integrated braid cutter.

These pliers also have a multi-crimping tool, plunge lock for smooth operation and a no-rust lanyard. They are made from CNC Machined 420 stainless steel, hard chrome matt with no rust.

RUNNER UP This 16” x 24” bag is the equivalent of a 24L icebox. Two D rings on each side allow you to tie it down to your kayak, and an adjustable top cord securely stores your gear. These insulated fish bags are UV and mildew resistant, and the closed cell foam holds your ice as long as you need. It’s equipped with a drain plug, a non-corrosive YKK zipper, and two sturdy handles to make carrying your catch a breeze.

People's Choice

Sea Pro Xtreme 200mm Plier (AFN)

This small version of the classic Roadie Family still packs all your favourite essentials, cans, and bottles, and is Yeti’s most portable design yet.

It’s the perfect fit for a kayak, and easy enough to carry down to the beach or fishing spot. Features include: DoubleDuty Strap for comfortable carrying; LipGrip Handles that sit out of the way; BearFoot Non-Slip Feet; and leakproof, BestDam Drain Plug. The QuickLatch allows for quick, one-handed cooler access. Yeti’s Permafrost Insulation locks in that ‘just packed’ temperature, and the Interlock Lid System creates a form-fitting barrier against extreme heat.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Seapro Kayak Bag (AFN)

RU: OUTDOOR/CAMPING

RUNNER UP

Wilson Electric Assist 14.4V batteries have an easy-to-view battery life indicator that takes the guesswork out of how much time is left, and are useable on almost all modern electric reels, linking accessories and cables.

Strapping the battery onto your rod (regardless of whether it’s the 3.5, 7 or 10Ah model) allows you to hand-hold the rod during a fight or when fishing shallower water for species such as snapper and kingfish. You can also walk around the boat while fighting larger fish, unobstructed.

Of course, these batteries are just as much at home on heavier outfits that sit in rod holders. In testing, the 10Ah batteries have lasted a full day’s fishing, and with easy recharging accessories, you’ll never find yourself short of charge again.

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Yeti Roadie 15 (Yeti)

RU: OUTDOOR/CAMPING

RU: GAME ACCESSORY

People's Choice

BEST GAME ACCESSORY

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Yakin Bait Mate (Yakin Bait Mate) The Yakin Bait Mate is a live bait containment system specifically designed for kayak fishers.

This live bait bladder is built from tough, durable, food-grade vinyl and UV-rated plastics, and it’s easy to remove and clean.

Yakin Bait Mate is not a permanent fixture, so there are no tools needed to install it, and it’s 100% Australian made and owned.

RU: DIVE/WATERSPORT

BEST GAME ROD

BEST HARD LURE WINNER Rapala Shad Rap Elite 95 Heavy (Rapala) Designed in Australia to handle our harsh conditions, the Shad Rap Elite 95 is perfect for casting long distance or when you need to make an accurate cast tight to structure.

Combining a premium balsa body with modern Elite heavy-duty construction has created a lure with maximum durability without sacrificing the action.

Featuring a stainless-steel plate connecting both hook points and a reinforced bib design, the Shad Rap Elite 95 is one tough bait. It’s finished off with 3X strong sticky-sharp VMC hooks and heavy-duty split-rings.

RU: HARD LURE BEST HARD LURE

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Malosi Echo 65F (Malosi Studio)

RU: GAME ROD

The Echo has an exaggerated walk the dog swim action that is both irresistible to fish and extremely easy to use.

Experience the excitement and satisfaction of a topwater bite on your favourite estuarine and inshore species, across Australia and around the world.

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Halco Roosta 195 Haymaker KO (Halco Tackle) The new Halco Roosta Popper 195 Haymaker KO is designed for catching some of the toughest fish that swim, from giant trevally to dogtooth tuna.

This lure is built with extra heavyduty, custom-made 7xx fish rings and is equipped with two 4/0 5xx BKK trebles.

RU: GAME ACCESSORY

BEST HARD LURE

People's Choice

BEST GAME FISHING ROD WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Daiwa Saltiga Game Rod (Daiwa)

BEST FISH/BOAT ACCESSORY

It’s been a long time since Daiwa released a standalone jigging-specific Saltiga series and the wait has been worth it, with a full redesign from the ground up, featuring new technology and features like the brand-new Power Hold reel seat.

RUNNER UP RU: FISH/BOAT ACCESSORY

Penn Ocean Assassin II Game 551 24kg Roller Rod (Pure Fishing) The Ocean Assassin Game Series range features a mix of models targeting light to extra heavy pelagics, and everything in between.

These rods are built with quality Fuji and PACBAY componentry and feature Penn’s SLC construction with improved actions and crisper blanks across the range.

The Ocean Assassin Game Series has models designed for trolling, deep dropping and game spin for light tackle applications.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Sabre T10 Dredgemaster (United Tackle) This product is so new that they are still putting all the great info together!

OCTOBER 2024 11

BEST CLOTHING

BEST CLOTHING

RU: CLOTHING

WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Nomad Intercoastal Spray Jacket (Nomad Design) This new spray jacket is fabricated with a durable polyester outer fabric laminated with a TPU membrane and soft mesh lining, combined with a 10,000mm waterproof rating and 5,000mvp breathability rating for protection in harsh saltwater environments.

Other features include a double sleeve soft cuff design, waterproof chest and zips, soft chin lining, adjustable hood and waist, and a longer line for maximum protection from the rain.

RU: CLOTHING

RUNNER UP CrushCity Tournament Jersey (Rapala) The Rapala CrushCity Hooded Jersey takes sun safety to a whole new level.

Rated at UPF50+, this fishing jersey features a built-in perforated face-shield, thumb holes in the sleeves to help protect the backs of your hands, and large hood to keep the sun off your neck.

Its lightweight material dries quickly, and the mesh underarm will keep you cool in Australia’s hash summers, so you can comfortably fish all day.

RU: TACKLE MANAGEMENT

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Salty Crew Long Range Bib (Salty Crew) The Long Range Bib is an outwear bib featuring mid-weight 2.5 layer material with DWR coating, 20K waterproof/20K breathability, fully taped internal seams to prevent water penetration, zippered front entry with tricot lined front pockets, utility pocket and left leg cargo pocket and dual hand warmer pockets at bib opening.

BEST TACKLE MANAGEMENT

BEST TACKLE MANAGEMENT WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE 33L Nomad Backpack (Nomad Design) Nomad’s Large Backpack has been designed from the ground up with the land-based angler in mind. It’s made from super durable PVC materials and has plenty of space to fit multiple tackle trays, lures and more.

It also has a rod holder and a detachable front pocket with a strap. You can slide this pocket around to your hip to access lures, leader or terminal tackle. There’s also a smaller, 22L model bag available.

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE TT Split Foam Tackle Trays (TT Fishing) TT Fishing’s new Split Foam Tackle Trays are strong, locking lure trays with high-density slitted foam inserts. Constructed from UVstabilised, impact-resistant materials, with secure locking tabs to prevent accidental spills, the included high-density foam inserts feature deep slits designed to securely hold hooks, preventing them from rattling loose and tangling.

12 OCTOBER 2024

RU: INNOVATION AWARD

BEST INNOVATION AWARD

People's Choice

BEST MARINE ELECTRONICS

BEST MARINE ELECTRONICS WINNER Watersnake Stealth GPS (Jarvis Walker) The Watersnake Stealth GPS Motor, crafted for saltwater environments, boasts Anchor Mode for precise position holding, along with many more features. With an energy-smart design that requires only one 12V battery, the Stealth packs plenty of power for most trailer boats.

Under typical usage conditions and with a suitable battery, the Stealth motor provides hours of on-water operation. Its handheld remote fob enables wireless control from anywhere on your boat. It also comes with built-in voltage protection for safety and an Anderson plug system for fast and simple battery connection.

A new and improved bracket means it’s easier and smoother to deploy and stow, and its large cradle hooks hold the motor firmly in place while stowed.

RU: MARINE ELECTRONICS

BEST MARINE ELECTRONICS

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Lowrance HDSPro (Lowrance)

People's Choice

HDS Pro is the ultimate fishfinding tool.

With built-in support for the new, ultra high-definition Active Imaging HD and the new, highest resolution live sonar ActiveTarget 2, you’ll see more clearly and find more fish than ever before.

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Lowrance Recon (Lowrance) The Lowrance Recon introduces Freesteer, a lightweight, wearable joystick remote providing 360° precision steering, and giving you the ability to execute diagonal jogs in eight directions.

Best-in-class power and thrust give you the confidence to get into position, while the highly accurate GPS anchor holds you on the target, no matter the conditions, dialling into a 3ft radius.

Other features include a silent, brushless motor; weedless prop; and integrated sonar technology (with an upgradeable sonar nosecone option). The Recon is available in fresh and saltwater versions.

BEST GAME FISHING LURE

JOHN DUNPHY AWARD RU: INNOVATION AWARD

RU: GAME FISHING LURE

People's Choice

WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Penn Fathom Electric 80 Reel (Pure Fishing) The Fathom Electric is an innovative, first of its kind reel. Featuring a fully integrated and replaceable lithium ion battery pack, you never have to be worried about being tied down with cords, or limited to spots with a plug.

The Fathom Electric features a true digital line counter based on line diameter inputs, which powers the autostop feature for true hands-free retrieval.

The powerful brushless motor easily handles as much drag as you wish to run, with speeds allowing you to target a range of species. The line guide allows knots and swivels to pass easily, and the spool tension knob prevents overruns when reel is in freespool.

RUNNER UP Seaborg G1800M-RJ Electric Reel (Daiwa) The new Seaborg is the most-powerful ever produced, with a new Megatorque-G motor almost double the size of that found in the smaller 1200MJ. Equipped with 50kg maximum drag and a max hoisting force of 80kg (JAFS Standard). The 2-speed function allows for fast retrieval of rigs or smaller fish, combined with a low powergear for maximum hoisting force. Another feature is Remote Jog (RJ), which lets you see line information and control the reel via a bluetooth connected remote control.

Seaborg G1800M-RJ also features Daiwa’s new electronic drag sound, to notify the angler of any drag slipping.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Bag Out Squid Scope (Bag Out)

The Squid Scope torch has a 4-core LED component to provide unparalleled visibility in all conditions. It doubles as a charging station, so you’re never left in the dark.

The Bracket Kit ensures you can mount it securely, giving you hands-free operation. The complete package includes a torch pouch, 5000mAh 3.7V high-output lithium-ion rechargeable battery, AAA adapter and more.

BEST GAME FISHING LURE WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Malosi Vader 190F (Malosi Studio) The erratic slashing action of this long casting, rear-weighted floating stickbait has proved irresistible to large pelagics.

This finesse lure was originally designed for huge GT, but it’s equally as effective for chasing large tuna, kingfish and mackerel species.

Featuring a more traditional design and a single, carefully balanced rear weight, anglers with experience using this type of floating stickbait will appreciate the responsiveness and range of different actions this lure can perform.

This lure is crafted from solid Paulownia encapsulated in a hard resin shell, with 2mm stainless-steel through wire, and multiple layers of tough, protective coating for the ultimate durability.

RUNNER UP Halco Laser Pro 210 (Halco Tackle) The Laser Pro 210 is finally here, after years of development by the team at Halco. This 210mm lure dives to 30ft, comes with two 90 BKK inline singles, has a welded eye on the nose, and comes in 10 proven colours.

During testing, the Laser Pro 210 has proven to be very effective on big bluefin tuna, large wahoo, and many more.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Fatboy Lures Fatboy Pro (United Tackle) This product is so new that they are still putting all the great info together!

OCTOBER 2024 13

BEST LINE WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Saltiga DuraSensor 12EX Braid (Daiwa) Saltiga 12 EX Si3+ braid is made in Japan with a unique weaving technique that eliminates gaps between fibres. This exclusive feature makes this braid highly resistant to deformation under tension, for superior durability against wear and abrasion.

This 12-strand braid is made from Muscle PE yarn, which is thicker and rounder than conventional yarns. The result is maximum strength, abrasion resistance, and durability.

When combined with the new Evo Silicone 3 Coating technology, it delivers the smoothest, strongest and most durable Saltiga 12 PE ever made.

RUNNER UP X-Braid Super Jigman (Blue Fish) YGK X-Braid Super Jigman X8 boasts almost 40% more strength than standard Spectra lines thanks to high-quality PE threads braided with the famous YGK braiding technology.

This ensures minimal stretching during production, which results in exceptional sensitivity, a super smooth surface and impressive strength.

This line uses thick fibres to reduce the cost by about 30%, while still keeping the same strength of Ultra Jigman line.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Shimano Kairiki 8+ PE Braid (Shimano) Kairiki 8 from Shimano benefits from premium Japanese manufacturing, with a new tight weave VT construction that’s created by applying high tension at opposing directions during the braiding process.

During the VT Construction Method, the braid fibre is woven evenly at all angles, resulting in a smoother finish and reduced diameter. The casting performance of the line is significantly improved as the smooth finish creates less friction through the guides, and cast noise is also reduced.

Kairiki 8 is an excellent choice when high sensitivity and castability are required to give that extra edge against your target species.

BEST ROD WINNER Venom Target Spin (Wilson Fishing) Australian designed and built Venom Target rods have a hand-and-a-half butt arrangement for easy underhand casting if anglers are pitching lures ‘on the scope’ or flinging them underneath overhanging mangroves. The butt also allows for twohanded overhand casting if distance is required.

The Target Spin series features full EVA rear grip and a butt design that allows scoping anglers to place the rod in their scope poles while dealing with the beast they just landed. This design also gives trollers the ability to use this rod in metal rod holders without damaging the blank.

There are three models in the Spin range (all 6’8” long): the RLFVT1S (10-30lb), RLFVT2S (20-40lb) and the RLFVT3S (3060lb). Each rod is designed to fish different weighted lures, yet still provide ample stopping power when big fish are hooked.

14 OCTOBER 2024

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Daiwa Saltiga LC S75 2-3AGS (Daiwa)

BEST ROD

People's Choice

Designed for the toughest snapper fisheries where light jigheads and line excel and the giants don’t come out to play too often.

Suiting jighead weights between 1/8 up to 1oz makes the rod extremely versatile, and the PE2.5 maximum line rating still has enough grunt to extract a big snapper from the wash.

RUNNER UP

BEST LINE

Samaki Zing (Blue Fish) The 4th generation of the legendary Zing series, the Samaki Zing Rod features HyperKinetic Nano+ fibre graphite blanks and Samaki exclusive, customdesigned reel seats for both spin and cast.

It boasts signature camouflage hard EVA grips with red highlights and Fuji concept ‘O’ guides.

This versatile series includes models tailored for Estuary, Inshore, Travel, Egi, and Surf, ensuring there’s a perfect Zing rod for every angler, and new speciesspecific models in 7’2”, 7’4”, and 7’6” lengths.

RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Samurai Reaction The Reaction spin rods are incredibly light and well-balanced. They feature a triple-layer carbon blank formed with a customized cloth recipe, developed to deliver incredible response.

Combined with a never-seenbefore 6-axis over-wrap technology, the Reaction series has a blank with minimal lineal twist for unbeatable pulling power and superior casting.

RU: ROD

People's Choice

BEST REEL WINNER WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Vanford FA 2500HG (Shimano) Vanford FA series reels feature Shimano’s advanced Ci4+ construction, which contributes to their lightness without sacrificing durability, making them an excellent choice for finesse fishing. They have a Duracross drag washer for smooth operation with superior longevity, Anti Twist Fin to reduce wind knots and improve casting, Infintyxross, which enlarges the surface area of the gear set for maximum lifespan, and Infinitydrive, keeping all the moving parts in perfect harmony while allowing for free rotation even under torque.

The Long Stroke Spool design allows for longer and more precise casts. The durability and longevity of the Vanford FA reels are bolstered by the upgraded Hagane Gear, and X-Protect technology to elevate the water resistance of the reels to IPX8 standard.

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE 24 Certate SW 5000 XH (Daiwa) The 24 Certate SW features Airdrive Design to reduce winding resistance and the weight of the reel’s front unit.

It has a new Zaion Airdrive Rotor and a solid, one-piece aluminium monocoque (MQ) body that houses an oversized G1 Duralumin drive gear, which enhances winding power, strength, and gear durability. The MQ body eliminates flex and twisting and improves weather sealing thanks to the one-piece construction and the elimination of seams and screws.

RU: LINE

RU: LINE BEST ROD

People's Choice

RU: ROD

BEST SOFT LURE WINNER Crushcty Imposter 4.5” (Rapala)

BEST SOFT LURE

RU: SOFT LURE

The CrushCity Imposter is now available in a bigger, 4.5” size, to suit a wider range of predators. Made from Super T.P.E. material and infused with shrimp scent, The Imposter has been designed to produce subtle movements like a real prawn, fooling even the wariest of predators.

When rigged on a VMC Grip-R Jig head the Imposter will hop and dart, providing a seductive swimming action with its appendages vibrating in the water. When rigged weedless, The Imposter uses the back slit to help hide the hook, so anglers can fish it deep into snags where the predators lurk.

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE My Lure Box Paddle Glide (My Lure Box)

BEST SOFT LURE

Paddle Glides come rigged ’n’ ready to roll. There are three bodies with two fully custom rigged for big barra, Murray cod and jewfish. Two heavy harnesses, removable 1oz jig, unweighted Super EWG + variable sink inserts make it possible to retrieve at every depth and speed – topwater paddling, unweighted slow rolling, suspended glide baiting, deep rolling, trolling and burning.

People's Choice

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Molix Hybrid Swimmer 165 (EJ Todd)

RU: SUNGLASSES BEST REEL

This soft plastic hybrid swimbait is designed to search for large predatory fish. It’s easy to cast, allowing you to cover a lot of water. The tail shape creates an attractive vibration and a tight swimming action stimulates suspicious predators.

A foam core allows the lure to maintain the perfect balance, even down deep.

It’s equipped with a quality, chemicallysharpened treble, which is kept in position with a magnet.

BEST SUNGLASSES WINNER Tonic Eclipse (Tonic Eyewear) This unisex model incorporates tonics proven super lightweight Cystalite Glass, VistaView decentered lenses and Anti reflective coating to reduce bounce back on the inside of the lens.

RU: REEL

BEST SUNGLASSES

WINNER PEOPLE'S CHOICE Maui Jim Mj0663S (Maui Jim) These stylish new sunglasses from Maui Jim are perfect for anglers, with a range of lenses to suit every angling scenario, from freshwater to offshore.

RUNNER UP RUNNER UP PEOPLE'S CHOICE Spotters Renegade (Spotters Shades) The new Renegade from Spotters Sunglasses is the ultimate in comfort, style and protection for anglers. It features removable side shields, adjustable nose piece, spring hinges, flexible temples, full wrap-around design and rubber Temple Tips.

OCTOBER 2024 15

FMM

BACK TO BASICS

What tournaments can teach us Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Competitive fishing is certainly not for everyone, yet the truth is, we all benefit from its valuable lessons.

I’m guessing that of the many anglers reading this column, well under five percent will ever seriously contemplate entering a fishing tournament or competition, and perhaps two percent, at most, will actually get around to doing

wider fishing community. That’s why competitive-level fishing is so important, even if the thought of it might not appeal to you in the slightest.

I’ve dabbled in a wide range of tournament circuits and competition styles through my long fishing career.

Back in the 1970s, I was right into the various ANSA conventions, line class records and “masters” awards. A little later, through the 1980s and ’90s, I competed in a string of game fishing tournaments, while also taking part in AFCA-style

of most team sport selections at school also means that I’ll never be much of a comp’ fisher. I simply don’t have that all-important “eye of the tiger”. I’m far too easily distracted, and too quick to lose heart (and discipline) when the going gets tough. But I’m okay with all of that. I’ve come to terms with my innate failings, and I can still enjoy a bit of comp’ fishing now and again, under the right circumstances.

I also appreciate just how much it has taught me over the decades.

One of the biggest lessons to come from competitive fishing is the surprising impact that increased angling pressure has on fish stocks and their “catch-ability”.

Throw 50 or 60 boats and 100-plus keen anglers onto a specific waterway — regardless of its size — for a day of pre-fishing, followed by two or three days of intense tournament action and

Jo Starling with a cracking flathead on ultra-light gear. A welcome catch at any other time, it was actually something of a distraction during a bream tournament!

YOUTUBE

NSW SOUTH COAST

Scan this QR code to watch a recent VIC Bream Classic tournament at Mallacoota.

Yes, you can win money in tournaments — sometimes serious money. But those who get into it with this as their main aim are largely missing the point. so. Competitive fishing is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. It represents just a tiny fraction of the Australian recreational fishing scene. Yet, for such a seemingly peripheral or “niche” activity, organised tournaments and competitions have a disproportionately significant impact on

bag-weight weekend comps. Later still, I was briefly but intensely immersed in the ABT BREAM and (to a lesser extent) BASS circuits. Along the way I’ve had a crack at other disciplines as varied as casting comps, barra classics and fly fishing challenges, to name just a few.

To be brutally honest, I’ve never been especially good at any of it, although I did somehow manage to pull off the ABT’s NSW BREAM Angler of the Year gong in 2001, and captained the premier state’s team to victory against the bananabenders that same year. Ultimately, however, I have to admit that the same lack of killer instinct and below par eye-hand coordination that ruled me out

Flashback to 2001 when Starlo captained the victorious NSW BREAM team in a hard-fought state of origin against QLD. There are some great fishing identities in this line-up. How many can you name? trust me, you’ll invariably see a dramatic downturn in that “catch-ability” factor!

For this reason, tournament fishing is really nothing at all like social fishing. I’ve met so many good, local anglers over the years who are amazed when a tournament round comes to their local waters and supposedly gun competitors fail to score decent bags. I commonly hear them say things like: “Wow! You only needed five bream? Jeez, that’d take me about 20

Tournament circuits have helped to cement the place of species like bream on the Aussie fishing scene — and taught us all plenty in the process. our day-to-day social or fun fishing.

The main reason for this is the fact that competition fishing is a hot house for the development of tackle and techniques.

It spawns gear and methods that quickly wash down to the rest of the angling world, thus benefiting all of us. Cutting edge developments in everything from boats and electronics to lines, lures, knots, rigs and subtle ways of working our offerings to catch more fish nearly all originated on the world’s various tournament circuits, before being gradually adopted by the 16 OCTOBER 2024

Stephen Booth (right) presents Bushy with a pay cheque after a podium finish in a very early ABT BREAM round we suspect Bushy is doing some quick mental arithmetic about how much he spent getting there and competing in order to pick up this modest prize. Any Aussie going into tournaments with the expectation of making their fortune is destined for disappointment!

minutes!” Sure. On any other weekend, perhaps. But tournaments are a different ball game altogether. My advice to these naïve but well-meaning pundits is simple: if you think you’d do that well, sign up and have a crack! Those who do usually get a rude shock.

At one level, this tournament impact on a waterway is obviously a negative, especially as it can take weeks for a smaller system to bounce back to “normal” after the competitors and their flash boats leave town, despite the fact that such events are almost all catch-and-release these days. But it’s also no different to what happens on a long weekend, a popular school holiday period, or across the busy Christmas/New Year break. Just as at those times, the fishing gets much harder during a comp’. But you know what?

Some individuals and teams will still score extremely impressive bags and stunning results at the final weigh-in, despite all that extra pressure. As I like to say: the cream always rises. And the fact that these guns are capable of making those stunning catches under such difficult conditions is a huge lesson to the rest of us or it should be! It can be done. The fish are still there.

You just need to be smart enough to fool them. Make THAT the biggest lesson you take from tournament fishing.

PRECISION, VERSATILITY, STRENGTH

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FEATURE

Species

FMM

Lowdown on catching flathead in North QLD where fish are and how you can access them, so using the tides to your advantage is the first step to consistently catching flathead in the Far North.

During the top of the tide, flathead can move more freely over shallow sand and mud flats in search of prey. When looking for sand or mud flats, I use satellite imagery (e.g. Google Earth or Queensland Globe) to find an area where a river becomes much wider, or where the mouth meets the ocean, creating a large, shallow area. If you’re fishing an area like

NORTH QUEENSLAND

Joe Nugent

There’s no denying flathead are one of the most popular fish to target in Australia. The most notable is the dusky flathead, which are the largest of the flathead species. These fish can grow up to 1.2m and weigh 10kg+.

Duskies prefer areas with a sandy or muddy bottom where they can bury themselves and stay concealed, changing the colour of their skin to match their surroundings. Facing the current, they lie

feet. When fishing such a large shallow area, it’s important to cover as much ground as possible. In this situation, I tend to have a few casts in one spot, walk 10-15m, and repeat.

At low tide, many fish species concentrate in whatever water remains in the system. In this situation, walking along mostly dry creek beds, casting against mangroves and submerged structure, can be effective. However, much of my success in this situation has come from fishing the creeks and deeper holes in the

During low tide, many fish from the mud flats take refuge in the creek.

Bar-tailed flathead are another species of flathead found along the Queensland coast.

18 OCTOBER 2024

in wait for bait to get close to them before they explode upwards to engulf it. These feeding habits mean that duskies respond particularly well to lures and live baits.

In Southeast Queensland and the southern states, spring and summer are the prime times for duskies, when the warm water makes them more active.

In North Queensland, by contrast, the water stays warm even in winter, making it easier to catch them all year round.

After spending several years fishing in NQ, I have identified some key areas and methods that have worked consistently for me, particularly when fishing land-based.

TIDES Tides play a major role in determining

The author’s go-to lures for chasing flatties in North Queensland. this in SEQ, a common tactic is wading through the knee-deep or waist-deep water, casting lures as you go. However, wading sand flats is not recommended in North Queensland, due to the saltwater crocodiles. Instead, try walking along the exposed sand, casting lures as far as possible and working them back to your

sand or mud flats. During low tide, these areas often have a small creek or isolated pockets of water that hold the same fish that cruise the flats at high tide. Fishing these areas during the last hour of the run-out tide is particularly effective, as the last of the baitfish from the flats are washed into the remaining creek or holes

Species FEATURE

FMM as the water rapidly recedes. It’s the perfect place for a flathead to lie in wait.

LURES AND BAIT There’s a huge range of lures on the market designed to catch flathead, but when most people think of flathead lures

When it comes to hardbodies, almost any 3-5” lure matched correctly for depth will do the trick. I tend to reach for a Daiwa Double Clutch or Lively Lures Micro Mullet. They have both proven to be effective for fishing shallow sand flats when using a twitch and pause style retrieve.

Of course, you can also catch plenty of flathead on bait. Live mullet, prawns, and yabbies are generally the most effective.

However, flathead can also be scavengers, taking dead baits like mullet, prawns, and raw chicken.

ON THE PLATE As well as being great sport, flathead are excellent eating, with mild flavoured,

Watch your step. Saltwater crocodiles inhabit the coastal waters in North Queensland. they think of soft plastics. Soft plastics do provide the most bang for your buck, as they are highly effective, relatively cheap, and easy to use. My go-to soft plastics include 3” curl tail grubs, 4” paddle-tail fish, and 2.5-3” yabby imitations. I use these both in the creeks and on the flats.

Hopping them along the bottom or using a slow roll will often trigger a flathead to strike.

Flathead change their skin colour to blend with the surrounding sand or mud.

At low tide, telltale marks like this one indicate where you should fish on the next high tide.

firm white meat. They can be prepared in a variety of ways, but I think their size and shape lends them to being crumbed, pan-fried and served with chips, or grilled and served over salad as a fish wrap.

If you’re in Queensland and want

to keep a dusky for the table, it needs to be between 40cm and 75cm, with a maximum possession limit of five. Bear in mind that regulations differ for other states and flathead species, so when in doubt, check the DPI rules.

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W W W. W I L S O N F I S H I N G . C O M OCTOBER 2024 19

QLD Southern

FMM

Happy for offshore to stay blue THE TWEED

Leon McClymont

Warm currents are really kicking in now bringing the pelagics with it.

Tweed Coast and the water offshore remains blue we should see a good season and a good run of fish. Has been some good reports of yellowfin tuna turning out on the shelf.

working, sound a pod of fish up on the sounder or the drag on the reel starts screaming off and your run past a random few fish. Once you have found the fish and the area they seem to be hanging in then you can change technique to get one on topwater.

These will give you some sort of indication the fish are their and some confidence also I believe once

Ryan Ziets caught this unknown species whilst fishing a local break wall.

Big yellowfin are showing up from Southport down to Ballina.

These grounds are your best bet for a ticket to the show. The depth range can be anywhere from 250-2500m so finding them can be very difficult and time-consuming chewing fuel in the

The author displaying a nice red mangrove jack. relentless search. A few things you want to be on the lookout for are bait balls, birds working or up dwellings of cold water.

Trolling big skirted lures covering ground until you either spot the fish working the surface, or birds 20 OCTOBER 2024

an angler is confident there is no stopping him until he gets his target and I feel once your confident in your technique then it’s just any cast away now. If you have two or more on board and confident in your fishing then casting a popper or stickbait whilst your fellow angler is tight to a tuna is your best bet at a second hook up.

The other tuna will be excited and following their fellow mate around wondering what all the commotion is then they see your popper or stickbait offering and easy eat they can’t resist. This method can put quick kilos on the boat when they are fired up so only take what you need and remember to practice catch and release.

The mahimahi are also turning up in numbers and some big bull models are hanging around at the moment. Drifting pilchards or livies out the back with a bit of a berley trail is my favourite way to target the mahimahi. Plenty of pearlies and snapper still getting caught on the 24s and 36s. Slow pitch jigging is very effective for these species as these depths. The Spanish mackerel and longtail tuna are turning up and no baitfish is safe in the coming months, Spanish fishing can either be the best day on the water you’ve ever had with screaming drags, double hook ups, insane high flying aerobatic

performances or the most frustrating day you’ve ever had with several missed hook ups, countless sharkings and multiple snip offs, your just got to love it and as they say your got to take the good with the bad.

This time of year, the pilchards are running along the beaches with plenty tailor and mulloway in the mix feeding, finding the bait is key to a successful day. If the bait isn’t around the tailor and Jew may still be, spotting the gutters on low tide and returning on the incoming tide and fishing the last quarter of the incoming tide will produce jew and big tailor. Fresh cut baits are the go-to bait for targeting big jew and tailor in my opinion.

The tailor are thick in the Tweed river at the point of writing. We fished the back of Stotts island a couple weeks ago trolled hardbodies for a while managed a few nice tailor and dropped a big lizard. The last hour of the run-in tide I switched it up and threw whitebait out on small longshank hooks whilst flicking lures and I couldn’t get a cast in with the lure, every few minutes the whitebait rod was bent over and line peeling off. We caught seven flathead in the space of an hour all on Tweed Bait whitebait, kept four for a feed and let the others go. It was a great actionpacked afternoon. On the way back I lifted two crab pots and pulled a couple good bucks one going 1.5kg and was a perfect ingredient to my

Gavin Rudd with a plastic chomping snapper whilst fishing shallow reef.

Your fishing license is valid, your crab pots are correctly marked, your catch to ensure it is within the size and bay limits and be sure to check the guidelines in your region being so close to the border it can get confusing. A reminder that in Queensland female mud crabs are prohibited and must be returned back to the water but here on the Tweed in NSW we can keep a female mud crab as long as it’s not bearing eggs, if the crab is bearing eggs it must be returned to the water immediately.

Everyone has superstitions and their favourite bait for crabbing mine is mullet or fish frames from previous sessions no need to get to fancy in my opinion. This time of year

Kristen Frey pulling this jack from a tight water haunt. coconut chilli mud crab that night.

If that sounds tasty to you and your keen for a feed of muddies then be sure to get them pots in and get yourself a feed, but beware the fishery patrols are out and about checking everyone is above board so here are a few things they will be checking.

leading into Christmas/new year is your peak season for mud crabs here on the Tweed.

The upper reaches of the Tweed have been firing with huge numbers of bass, bigeye trevally, GTs and little tailor feeding on little baitfish and schools of prawns.

Until next month soak ‘em long.

QLD Southern

FMM

Make the most of the hot bites JUMPINPIN

Bo Sawyer

There’s been some excellent fishing over this last month. Bite times have been short lived but when they’re on, they’re on! Make full use of those hot bites. The northerly winds have

been dirtying the water up a fair bit, especially around the bigger tides, for this reason I’ve been spending most of my time fishing closer to

just north of the Pin this winter, however I tend to land some nice ones in the warmer months in any of the deeper water around the Pin.

Nice bit of by-catch while chasing flatties.

A cracker flatty for this young man.

the Pin bar where the cleaner ocean water is pushing through.

Water temps are on a steady increase so areas that are holding colder water are generally fishing better. With the increased temps I’m starting to see a lot more bull sharks on the sounder and don’t be surprised if you start seeing more pups jumping out of the water.

Tailor have been biting closer to the Pin bar with a lot of smaller sized fish schooling up. There are definitely legal ones running around however.

As always look for the bust ups. Small spinners or plastics will land plenty of fish as well as pilchards and whitebait.

The last of the incoming tide has been fishing best, especially when this tide lines up with the sunrise.

We had a cracker juvenile season

A nice 93cm mulloway that put up a great fight.

22 OCTOBER 2024

Flathead have been very fat and healthy lately, this one was released after a quick photo.

Ryan with a nice legal juvenile snapper caught on a 3” plastic.

There have been some decent grunter around the 45-55cm range getting caught.

Southern QLD

FMM Using plastics in the 3-4” range work a treat yet I still get a few 50s models while flicking 7” inch plastics for mulloway. They hit really hard and are great fun to catch.

Whiting are starting to bite a lot harder now around yabby banks and outside of the northern lagoon. I like fishing for them in deeper water

in areas that have yabby holes.

Plenty of big flathead are still getting around at Crusoe Island, the lagoons, Millionaires and the weed edges around Jacobs and Cabbage Tree. Flicking 3-4” plastics will work a treat in the shallows and 4-5” plastics out deep for the bigger models.

There’s been some quality

There are some solid flathead getting around at the moment.

A solid 90s mulloway caught on a soft vibe. during the day on the runout with lightly weighted yabbies. At night try shallow flats in water as low as 20cm

mulloway getting around the Pin bar and along deeper drop offs all through the area. Big paddle-tail

plastics, vibes or live pike, tailor or mullet will get these fish interested.

I let my rod holder do all the work when targeting them on livies as I find any movement from my rod can deter them from fully sucking in the bait.

Some nice bream are making their way around any areas holding baitfish. Crusoe and millionaires are a great place to fish for them and I’ll

even be throwing some surface lures at them now the water is heating up.

If you’d like to try for them on surface then look for flats that have good water flow with plenty of bait flicking.

• That’s it for me this month everyone.

Don’t forget to see Brett at Jacobs Well Bait and Tackle and follow us on Facebook at Capn’s Charters to see what we’ve been pulling in. Until next time, tightlines.

OCTOBER 2024 23

QLD Southern

FMM

October is a playground for big pelagics BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With air and water temperatures rising over recent weeks, many species of fish have become more aggressive due to their increased metabolism. Heightened baitfish numbers have also spurned some great fishing opportunities, especially for pelagics.

In Moreton Bay, school mackerel, longtail tuna, Watson’s bonito, mac tuna, bullet tuna, cobia and Australian bonito can all be caught using a variety of techniques.

The aggressiveness of estuarine species such as mangrove jack, trevally, flathead, estuary cod and others will also increase opportunity and captures. These species, as well as many other targets, will be prime captures over the coming month. Let’s check out a few of the more prominent species for October anglers.

SCHOOL MACKEREL Although available in the bay all year round, school mackerel numbers have been healthy over the last few months. Decent numbers have been caught in areas such as the Rainbow Channel, Rous Channel, Middle Bank, Kianga Channel and around the Shipping Channel Beacons. These have been caught using a variety of methods with baits and lures. Around the beacons, anglers commonly use one of two methods.

The first involves casting a chromed slug or slice (commonly 30-50g) close the beacon and allowing it to freefall all the way to the bottom. It is then retrieved back to the surface with a flat-stick retrieve. The strikes can be ferocious with this successful technique, which is a lot of fun to boot. Slugs and slices that plummet quickly to the bottom are better than those that flutter down, as these often get engulfed on the drop resulting in you getting bitten off. Whilst a short length of wire in front of the lure may seem like a good solution, this will greatly decrease the strike rate from mackerel.

The second popular method is to deploy a gang-hook rigged pilchard close to the structure. This tends to work best around the changes of tide or when current flow is slower.

Pilchards rigged on ganged hooks are also a great mackerel option around the bay islands, in the major channels and even on top of the flats on the higher tidal stages.

These are best presented in the upper half of the water column. In slow current you may need a float to 24 OCTOBER 2024

keep the bait in this zone and in fast current a small sinker may even be required. Even when targeting other species (casting plastics around the bay islands or drifting for whiting on the flats and channels) having a pilchard dragging aft can reward with a tasty mackerel.

Another highly successful technique is trolling spoons behind a paravane. Spoons such as #3 or #4 Halco Barra Drones and Kimberley spoons are commonly trolled at depths between 5m and 7m using a trolling board or paravane to drag them down. There are several trolling boards and paravanes on the market that will do the job.

These can be fished from a heavier rod and reel outfit (15kg line minimum due to the drag created by the board) or a handline. I opt for a handline with 50lb line as this is easy to store, have ready rigged when needed and it is nice to feel the strike when a mackerel hits.

You will need a decent glove when using a handline to avoid line cuts and burns. Trolling deep diving minnow lures on conventional tackle will also produce a few mackerel but is nowhere near as successful as spoons in my experience.

FLATHEAD Over the last two months the flathead fishing has been awesome with plenty of quality fish around.

Several specimens eclipsing 90cm have been caught but it is the quantity of 50-70cm fish that has been noticeable.

Anglers have been scoring on big flathead in all areas of the estuary, creeks and rivers. Even out in the bay a few quality dusky flathead have been caught (I got a 65cm specimen recently whilst live baiting a wreck in the northern bay) and there has been

Plenty of solid longtail tuna are around during the summer months and these will be caught on a variety of lures and live baits. plenty of bar-tail flathead in the channels (especially Rous, Rainbow and Small Ships).

For anglers not experienced with lure fishing, drifting baits is probably the easiest way to get connected.

Flathead hunt by ambush and don’t move around a lot therefore the more water you cover the better your chance of getting connect.

A small whole fish bait such as a hardihead, whitebait, frogmouth pilchard, bluebait, diver whiting or herring can be presented on a snelled suicide hook rig with the leading hook pinned centrally in the head with the point exiting the top of the head just in front of the eyes.

The trailing (rear) hook is pinned through the side of the bait in a manner so that the bait can remain nice and straight. Usually, this rig is on a leader about 30cm to 40cm long with a swivel to join it to the main line.

A sinker will be required to keep this bait close to the bottom, generally above the swivel so the bait can waft around on the leader.

Several baits can be dragged aft and

This schoolie was good enough to get the author in the money at the Moreton Bay Fishing Classic. The prevalence and average size of these fish will increase due to heightened baitfish numbers during October.

are best to be deployed at different lengths to minimise tangling.

Lure fishers can cover a lot of water whilst casting plastics and soft vibes or trolling minnow lures. On the higher tidal stages work the tops of the flats, as the tide recedes work the edges of the flats and drains and towards the bottom of the tide work the deeper channel edges and holes.

Visiting an area on the low tide will allow you to get a visual on the actual landscape affording you a real indication of where the gutters and shallow drains recede off the flats.

Additionally, you may find some flathead lays where they have been hunting in ambush when the water level is higher. Visiting these same zones when the tide again rises will put you in with a much greater chance of success.

Remember that flathead have a size slot between 40cm and 75cm with a combined total limit of 5 for all species. Large flathead should be handled carefully and released quickly to guarantee that they continue to breed and keep stocks healthy.

MANGROVE JACK With warming water temperatures, the aggressiveness of mangrove jack has heightened over recent weeks. During the last two months, increased numbers of mangrove jack have moved into estuarine waters from the offshore reefs.

These aggressive predators can be caught on a variety of techniques with both lures and baits. Live baits of banana prawns, herring, mullet and biddies can all work well when presented close to prominent structures such as bridge pylons, mangrove snags, along collapsed mangrove banks, pontoons, rock bars and the like.

Mangrove jack will strike with lightning precision and charge back to their refuge in the structure in the blink of an eye. Therefore, exceptional reflexes, a sturdy drag

Southern QLD

FMM and a good degree of luck goes into every fish landed. Baits are usually fished on running sinker rig with a 3/0 to 5/0 suicide or Kahle pattern hook and just enough sinker weight to get the bait into the strike zone.

Lures such as paddle-tail and prawn/shrimp plastics, soft vibes, minnow lures and topwater offerings can all work well for mangrove jack.

When cast and worked close to structure, lures can be especially effective as you can quickly work over several areas in your search.

The closer you get the lure to the structure the better your chance of hookup, however this also increases the chance of a mangrove jack getting back to their structure and most likely breaking you off. Most of the creeks, rivers, canals and harbours throughout the Moreton Bay area will hold mangrove jacks.

However, the Brisbane River is one where jack captures are minimal.

There will also be plenty of quality bycatch including flathead, large bream, estuary cod, trevally and others. Jacks will be prevalent now right throughout the summer months with the hot, humid days (often with late afternoon or evening storms) being some of the prime times to target them.

THREADFIN SALMON As the prawn schools push

are often possible during a good session of live baiting or working lures. Soft vibes are commonly hopped, an action similar to a darting prawn, to achieve results.

Obviously prawn profiled plastics work well and there are a heap of options now available for anglers to experiment with. Threadfin show prominently on marine electronics making them easier to locate and identify than many other species.

Live baits of banana prawns, herring, mullet, biddies, gar and the like can work exceptionally well. Anchoring along the edge of the main river basin decline of the Brisbane River and deploying baits close to the bottom is a relaxed way to achieve results, especially on a falling tide.

Other areas worth trying are upriver of the Gateway Bridge around the anchored yachts, near the Cruise Ship Terminal, out from any major jetties (minimum 30m when no boats are there), along the Caltex reach and many other locales. Land-based anglers also score promising results on live baits and occasionally lures as threadfin commonly move up and down the river with the tidal flow, especially at night.

Casting lures around the lighted areas in the Gateway to St Lucia

William Belcher with a quality 59.5cm flathead that earned him second place junior in the recent Moreton Bay Fishing Classic. further down the river, threadfin numbers in these zones will also increase dramatically. Prawns are one of a threadies favorite food items, however they will also eat all manner or baitfish species and small crabs. Whilst threadfin can be caught right along the Brisbane and Logan River’s length year-round, better numbers (often large schools) can be found in the lower reaches of these systems and even around the southern bay islands during the warmer months. Multiple captures

precinct at night can produce some quality specimens. There’s plenty of good opportunity to score threadies right throughout the warmer months.

BAY PELAGICS In addition to school mackerel, anglers will be able to score several other pelagic species throughout the bay. Longtail tuna are probably the most desirable and can be caught to weights over 25kg, although commonly they are caught at between 8kg and 13kg.

Longtails are a tough fighting

fish and will give a great account of themselves, even on 15kg tackle. At times when they are found harassing baitfish on the surface, anglers can employ chromed slugs, stickbaits and jighead rigged jerkshad plastics.

Getting close to feeding fish can sometimes be easy however

the live bait and then drifting away is another good ploy. Once a hookup is attained, drive close to the beacon to make the cobia go against the force of pull and away from the beacon. Otherwise, it will likely head to the beacon and bust you off. At certain times cobia can be

James with a great live bait caught threadfin salmon from the Brisbane River. mostly you will need to stalk the school, work out which direction it is feeding in and then get ahead of them and cut the motor.

Hopefully they will continue on their path and you get the chance to fire out a cast once they sound within range.

Birds are often a good indicator as to their feeding path as they are basically a mirror image of the bait on which the tuna are feeding. As the birds get down close to the surface, you know that the longtails are likely to surface within a few seconds.

Live baits can also work for longtails with anglers choosing areas where baitfish congregate such as the shipping channel beacons, artificial reefs, current lines and along ledge areas such as the Bulwer or Comboyuro Ledge.

Yakkas, slimey mackerel, large herring, pike, gar and similar baits can all work well. These are generally presented in the upper half of the water column. I like one bait close to the surface and another a third to half-way down. These baits should be set out at different lengths to avoid tangling.

Whilst live baiting for longtails you are also likely to encounter an occasional cobia. These predators can reach weights in excess of 35kg and are an extremely tough fish, even on rather heavy tackle. An addition to the previous list of favorable baits are fusiliers, sand crabs and even large grinners.

These baits are best fished close to the bottom, especially along the ledges, artificial reefs and coffee rock areas. I prefer a building tide on the lead up to the new moon in the areas I fish but cobia can be encountered almost anytime.

Driving up to the beacons, dropping

found up in the shallows around Tangalooma or cruising around bait schools herded by other species. In this scenario they can be caught on lures such as stickbaits and large jerkshad plastics. Cobia should be a serious proposition for most of the warmer months.

Schools of smaller pelagics such as mac tuna, Watson’s bonito, bullet tuna and Australian bonito are likely to be found in all areas of the bay. These can be targeted with smaller chromed slugs and slices and sometimes jerkshad plastics.

Often you will need to try an array of offerings until you find one to their liking.

Baitfish profiled flies also work well with all these species providing a lot of fun on #7 to #9 weight fly tackle. Whilst the Watson’s bonito can be rather nice when barbequed fresh, the other three species are mainly used for bait only.

CONCLUSION In addition to aforementioned species, there are a lot of others that will grace anglers capture list during October.

Good quality bream, tailor, mulloway, snapper, tuskfish, sweetlip, whiting and many others will be caught. Setting a few pots will generally be beneficial for sand crabs in the bay and muddies in the rivers, creeks and estuaries.

Some keen prawners may even be able to find a good feed of banana prawns with a bit of searching, especially in the Brisbane River at night. With the days nice and warm now, the metabolism of many species is heightened and baitfish numbers are steadily increasing.

This presents some awesome fishing opportunity so get out and get amongst it during October.

OCTOBER 2024 25

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QLD Southern

FMM

Making memories as new opportunities arise BRISBANE

Bob Thornton tackleworldlawnton@gmail.com

A couple of searing hot days in early September could have confused you into thinking we’d bypassed spring altogether! The sigh of relief as customers walked into our air-conditioned shop on those days made me giggle, but to see this so far out from summer is probably more confusing than funny.

There have been enough milder days, blooming flowers and colourful birdsong to snap us back to the reality that it is, in fact, spring. October is usually when we see tropical species take over our fishing reports, and bright sunny days without the worry of any extreme weather make it a highly-anticipated time. With the climatic chaos that’s becoming so normal, though, who’s to say how this one will pan out.

Overall, things have been pleasing on the fishing front, with plenty of exciting doors opening up as others close for the summer ahead. It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of winter, and while I do my best to make the most of it each year, the first hint of warmth always lifts my mood and gets me fishing more.

Whatever goes down this October, it’s sure to create many awesome memories for those who participate, and I honestly can’t wait!

OFFSHORE Most of the anglers who were itching to get offshore at the beginning of spring have managed to get a few sessions in between big seas. North and southeasterly winds

Bik has clocked up nearly 100 jacks for 2024. It’s an impressive feat anywhere, let alone in the pressured waterways just north of Brisbane. Photo courtesy of Bikrant Gurung. have made things choppy but mostly manageable for experienced boaters.

However, south and southeasterlies that blow in the direction of the current have lifted the swell to over 3m at times, which can be very dangerous, especially for the inexperienced.

Adding to these hazards, migrating humpback whales have been a common sight offshore.

At times, these gigantic mammals have ventured into Moreton Bay, and there is even some anecdotal evidence of the whales at Brisbane and Tweed river mouths! The things you hear in a tackle shop.

Though collisions are rare, it

pays to be vigilant when boating where there could be whales nearby.

The safest option is always to slow down and give them a wide berth if you see them.

The snapper fishing following the end of the closure has been on fire. Anglers heading out to local grounds beyond Moreton Bay and off the Sunshine Coast have consistently bagged out in a short time. Grassies, Moses perch, hussar, tuskfish and cod have often been there to fill out the esky, with pearlies usually making an appearance once you pass 60m or so.

Systems like Sunshine, Murphys, Halls, Currimundi and Caloundra Wide reefs, as well as isolated marks

through the North West Channel and around Cape Moreton, have been holding plenty of fish lately.

Paternosters and floatline rigs have secured the big fish most consistently, though 5-7” soft plastics hopped (and sometimes dead-sticked) around reef edges and wrecks have proved deadly at times as well.

Out deeper, amberjack, jobfish, along with big pearlies and snapper have been worth trekking out further for. Barwon Banks, the Gneerings and The Hards have been very productive for anyone able to get out there, with a mixture of paternosters, deep-dropping rigs and jigs getting the job done.

Pelagics aren’t usually a focus of October, but with Spanish captures continuing through winter and early spring, along with a better billfish season predicated for the 2024-25 season, they definitely deserve a mention.

Spanish have been picked up around larger offshore reefs receiving plenty of current, with Hutchison Shoal and Sevens Reef two prime examples. Trolling with dead baits or hardbodied lures has been productive on some days, though sifting through pesky mac tuna has been the norm. Casting big poppers and stickbaits around the edges of the reef has claimed a handful of bigger models as well, with jumbo GTs also quite happy to nail these presentations. Using the latter technique, Spanish will become the dominant capture as we march toward summer, with GTs taking a backseat. For now though, GTs are outnumbering the Spanish according to the stickbaiting and

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After wading into a creek to retrieve this bass from under a log, the author realised his phone was in his pocket. With the phone still working after its minute-long soak, he snapped a pic.

Southern QLD

FMM popping crowd.

Billfish have started making sporadic appearances in our part of the world, with a few small blacks reported around the northern Sunshine Coast and Cape Moreton, and blues occasionally showing up around current lines and baits schools out near the Continental Shelf. With numbers quite low for now, trolling a mixed spread of skirts and baits is a good way to improve your chances when bites are few and far between.

MORETON BAY Over the past month we’ve heard lots of good news from the bay, no doubt helped by a run of good boating weather. Despite many daytime temperatures climbing over 30C, anglers are still reporting plenty of tailor all through the bay.

Everywhere from the flats near river mouths, to shipping beacons in the middle of the bay and the reefy edges around the islands has hosted these toothy slashers feeding aggressively, often accompanied by mac tuna and schoolies. Land-based anglers at Woody Point and Shorncliffe jetties have enjoyed many mornings and afternoons where schools of feeding pelagics have come close enough to cast a metal slug or pilchard into the melee.

Tuna have also been unusually

prevalent around the bay, and although it’s mostly mac tuna at the moment, a few longtails have stuck around for the season. These resident fish are usually quite large and travel in small groups of 5-6. Tuna schools have been spotted busting up very close to shore at times, including near the above-mentioned jetties, off Scarborough only 100m or so out

from the sandbar, under the Bribie bridge, around the Bongaree Jetty, and even inside the Brisbane River mouth. Tuna feeding close to shore can be very flighty, but a little bit of murkiness in the water and a slight breeze can work in the angler’s favour, and such conditions can be expected in October.

The deeper reefs and wrecks in

Mitch caught this mid-60s model casting a soft plastic in 4m of water just a stone’s throw from the Redcliffe foreshore.

the bay have been producing steady action, with nothing crazy to report on right now. School mulloway have been consistently reported at Harry Atkinson and West Peel artificial reefs, along with other wrecks scattered through the area. Big snapper have been gun-shy in the same areas, occasionally coming to the party to eat a floatlined pilly or soft plastic, but far from consistent.

Black-spot tuskfish (otherwise known as bluebone or blueys) frequent some of the gnarlier wrecks and ledges, and those in the know have chalked up a few crackers lately, almost always with crab baits, either live or cut into pieces. Monofilament lines of at least 40lb are needed for these dirty fighters, and a thick-gauge hook between size 2 and 4/0 pinned or glued to the shell is standard.

Some anglers use handlines spooled with 100lb line, and even then, they report the dustings by unstoppable blueys. These fish taste absolutely amazing and are well worth the effort that goes into collecting the bait and finding good ground. If you’re after a new challenge in Moreton Bay, this might be it!

Up in the shallows, things have been very exciting. Big snapper have been very active over inshore reefs and rubble patches, and I’d even go as far to say that more

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QLD Southern

FMM

big snapper have been caught in under 5m than out over wellknown marks in deeper water lately.

Fish in the 60s and 70s have been common following the end of the closure, but they certainly haven’t been pushovers, rewarding those who employ a stealthy and tactical approach.

Drifting with baits of squid, pilchards and any other fleshy dead bait will get the attention of big, wise old snapper, but it’s important to focus your efforts around the mornings and afternoons, especially if this coincides with a tide change.

Equally important is anchoring or spot-locking a short distance off the reef edge. After this, you can cast your lightly-weighted or unweighted baits back toward the edge. If berleying, make sure the boat isn’t swinging with the wind or tide. Otherwise, your berley trail will be inconsistent, and fish won’t be able to trace it to the source.

Lure fishers also need to think ahead when chasing big snaps up shallow. Early or late starts are even more important, and fishing with light tackle is the key to making long casts with light presentations. My standard is a 2-4kg spin rod with 10lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader that ranges between 8-14lb. Yes, this is very light tackle for snapper of this calibre, but by taking your time and letting the fish tire itself out, you’d be surprised what’s possible.

Soft plastics are the go-to for Scarborough, Woody Point, southern Pumicestone Passage, the northeastern side of Fisherman Island, the edges of Mud and Peel islands, and Wellington Point and Ormiston. Anything between 2-4” long rigged on 1/12-1/8oz jigheads is worth tying on, and smearing scent on your plastic every 10-15 minutes increases the likelihood of a bite. I always carry a tube in my

pocket while snapper fishing.

Sand crabs have steadily picked up in numbers, and by now you should be able to reliably pot a few around Deception Bay, southern Pumicestone Passage and just off Redcliffe, especially near any seagrass beds in 3-5m of water.

Leaving them in overnight can be very productive, but with theft so common these days, it’s better to fish near your pots and check them every few hours if you can.

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES How the rivers and creeks will fish through October depends on rainfall. This time last year we’d yet to receive any decent rain, and so most estuary predators were hanging out upstream toward the tidal limits of our systems. With the water so clear, mangrove jacks and barramundi were feeding tentatively on small bait items like jelly prawns and finger-length mullet. Once the

Soft plastic frogs, rigged weedless, can work well in places unfishable with other lures. This bass attacked the frog as it skated through debris on the surface of a pool.

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Snapper like this have been in good supply on the inshore reefs, so there’s no need to travel far. Photo courtesy of Mitch Easton.

rain came in through in November, local estuaries clouded up with sediment and nutrients, which saw bait activity and size increase. With this sudden change, the predators dropped their guard and started smacking all sorts of presentations.

My fingers are certainly crossed for some early-season storms in October.

Despite most rivers urgently needing a good flush, the start of this spring saw mangrove jacks and barramundi ready for action on the warmer. Muddier systems like the Caboolture and Mooloolah rivers, along with Bells and Elimbah creeks, fared well for jacks and barra through September. Among these captures were a smattering of small threadies and school mulloway as well, particularly in the Caboolture.

Lure casters have found success using small soft plastic prawn

imitations and paddle-tails around 3-4” long, suspending jerkbaits in the 60-80mm range, and similarly sized topwater lures early and late in the day. Accurate casting, while always important, is even more essential when fishing for jacks and barra in clear water. Fish can become hesitant to leave their snag and don’t like to risk exposure, even for a tasty snack. If you can deliver that snack right to their door, you have a far better chance of getting a response.

If we do get a fresh flush, the North and South Pine, Mooloolah, Maroochy and Noosa rivers should start fishing better. Canals like Pacific Harbour, Newport Waterways and Raby Bay will also start to fire up, with bream, jacks and estuary cod always keen to eat after rain.

Following a flush, larger prawn imitations and paddle-tails around 4-5”, 80-100mm jerkbaits, weedless frogs, and larger topwaters like poppers, stickbaits and fizzers up to 120mm will be worth throwing.

Faster retrieves that imitate the panicked fleeing of a prawn or baitfish work well when the vis is low, and anything that emits noise can often improve your chances, too.

Live baiting is another highly productive trick for jacks in October, and at the moment you might also nail a decent chance of a barra, mulloway, threadfin or bull shark as by-catch. A proven method is a mullet, gar, herring, legal whiting, or large prawn fished live under a float or on the bottom. To give yourself the best odds, position your bait near prominent structures like fallen trees, rock bars, bridge pylons or pontoons, and make sure you hold your rod; lots of jacks are lost when rods are put in the rod holder.

If live baiting, your trace should be 40lb monofilament or

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QLD Southern fluorocarbon at the very least.

Octopus, suicide or live bait style hooks between 3/0-6/0 (depending on the size of the bait you collect) are the standard hardware.

Bream have become more active in the shallows with the warming weather, and topwater lures are a great way to get a bite out of these voracious little pack hunters.

Pontoons, bridges, underneath walkways, fallen brushes and rock

FMM murky water to hunt successfully, relying more on their flat bodies and sandy colouration to stalk whiting, mullet, gar and other larger baitfish over the flats.

Crabbers were finding good quality bucks last month, with better numbers coming from pots positioned near or even inside the mangroves.

Overnight soaks produced better results, as big muddies prefer the cover of darkness when leaving their

flood, especially when the water starts to clear but is still running high, is my favourite time to fish the streams. The fish are usually active, hungry and willing to chase down all manner of prey items. During these times, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits and topwater lures, as well as weedless soft plastic frogs, prawns and paddle-tails, are all good options.

Bass will use these conditions to access some surprisingly small systems at times. Decent flows permitting, the minor tributaries of the Brisbane and Pine rivers, along with a number of the Pumicestone Passage creeks, can offer top-quality small water bass fishing. I regularly fish streams small enough to clear with a broad step, and it never ceases to amaze me how often bass can live in what looks like trout water.

Our local lakes have really stepped up in the past month.

Kurwongbah has been on fire, with spinnerbaits fished along the weed

in the streams below the dam wall if access is permitted. It doesn’t take long for stocked lake fish to revert to their wild ways, quickly resuming their ceaseless search for food in the running water.

While low on many peoples’ lists, carp are another feature of spring in SEQ worth mentioning. The Brisbane, Logan and Tweed systems have plenty of carp in their upper reaches, with Wyaralong Dam near Beaudesert offering some amazing sight-fishing opportunities for those who fly fish. Each spring, I visit Wyaralong and the nearby streams to tangle with big carp, known to their admirers as ‘mud marlin’. I regularly cross paths with fish over 70cm, which fight harder than most of our freshwater natives.

They might not be the most glamorous fish, but anything that grows that big, feeds in shallow water and can be sight-fished is pretty damn good, at least in my books. If you’re looking to try something new

Any fly angler who doesn’t chase carp is doing themselves a disservice. These fish tick all the boxes for fluff-chuckers, and conditions in October usually suit this visual style of fishing. bars often hold bream on high tide, and quite often it’s just a matter of tossing something small in tight and seeing if they want to play ball.

Poppers, stickbaits, fizzers and topwater prawn imitations between 40-70mm long are all fair game.

I like to experiment with my retrieves to see what they want on the day, mixing it up with some long pauses, a few quicker retrieves and sometimes a complete deadstick after the lure lands. Once you get a vibe of how they want it, you can refine your approach and really get stuck into them. All tidal rivers, creeks and canals have good populations of bream in them, and October is a good time to hit them with topwaters!

Local flathead fishing is reaching its crescendo, with plenty of fish over 80cm landed through September. The Lower Caboolture, Pine and Brisbane rivers, as well as Cabbage Tree Creek and Kedron Brook, all fished well in early spring, producing plenty of legal duskies.

Those looking to chase the big models in the shallows found success around Jumpinpin, the lower Maroochy River and throughout Pumicestone Passage.

Clear and warm water seems to be the key for this game, so it will be a good option prior to any major downpours. Flathead don’t need 32 OCTOBER 2024

mangrove lairs in clear conditions.

A splash of rain should see them moving downriver, so putting your pots adjacent to the channels in 4-6m of water will get better results if this happens.

FRESHWATER Wild bass season has been ticking along nicely, despite most local streams still being very low at the time of writing. Once again, rain is a big determining factor as to how the rest of the season plays out.

If things stay dry, most fish will be hanging around in the upper tidal limits, with the North and South Pine, Caboolture, Brisbane, Logan and Mooloolah systems all holding good bass in their tidal freshwater stretches.

September saw plenty of action, with locals fishing on foot and in kayaks reporting fish to 50cm taking a variety of lures. The freshwater pools further upstream will still hold fish, but often tend to shut down as things become stagnant and the dissolved oxygen dwindles. They will still eat, but you’ll need to keep your lures small and retrieve nice and slow.

Following substantial rain, fish in the tidal water will use the extra flow to push upstream into the now oxygen-rich pools, feeding mostly on shrimp, yabbies, insects, small fish and frogs. The days after a minor

October is a prime month to go looking for an elusive SEQ barra.

Fish like this and bigger haunt estuary systems across the region; it’s just a matter of putting the time in. Photo courtesy of Mitch Stokes. edges and soft plastic frogs skated over the lilypads getting the job done for bass and toga respectively.

Further north, Ewen Maddock, MacDonald and Borumba have reported similar action, with the addition of yellowbelly up the arms in Borumba. Working small, darkcoloured blades around the bases of sunken trees is a productive method for yellas during spring. Moving from tree to tree in depths of 4-8m, you’ll quickly work out where the yellas are hanging out.

All of these dams should dish out topwater action for both bass and toga if we get a few storms, although with many dams in the region sitting at near capacity, they risk spilling and losing more fish. If a dam spills, there can be fun fishing

this October, why not give these suckers a chance?

WR AP-UP As is often the case in October, we’re waiting to see what sort of summer season it will be. With any luck, early-season storms will prime our fisheries for the summer ahead – fingers crossed! If this doesn’t happen, there are still plenty of options to wet a line in our great region. You’ll just need to be flexible.

• Thanks to all our wonderful customers who send us photos and give us intel over the counter. If you’re in the Brisbane North/Moreton Bay region, make sure you swing by Tackle World Lawnton on 640 Gympie Road and check out our range. We stock everything you need to chase local species, plus a great selection of fresh bait as well.

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QLD Southern

FMM

A great time of year for land-based anglers NOOSA

Peter Wells

The local beaches, including Marcus, Peregian, Sunshine and Teewah, have been producing tailor on the high tide and whiting on the low.

The Noosa Headland has been producing snapper off the rocks, with dusk being the prime time. You can catch them on pilchards and squid, and it’s best to use berley to keep the fish in the vicinity.

Offshore, snapper are still very

active at Sunshine Reef, Chardons Reef, North Reef and the Hards. There are also plenty of longtail tuna, with many taking unweighted pilchards meant for snapper.

Trout are being caught at Sunshine Reef using livies, and cobia can be found at Halls Reef, taking livies or floating pilchards.

At this time of year we start to find a few mahimahi around the FADs, and there are mulloway being caught around North Reef and the local wrecks.

In the Noosa River, there are good numbers of flathead and whiting in the lower reaches, taking both lures and bait. Live yabbies are the go-to bait, but frozen prawns will also work.

If you prefer to throw lures, one good option is the Gulp Nemesis Prawn 3” in pearl white and pepper prawn.

We’re finding quite a few mulloway in the deeper holes further up the river system. They are being caught on live herring and soft vibes worked slowly through the deep holes. There are plenty of tailor in

the river, too.

On the freshwater scene, the bass fishing has opened in the local freshwater rivers, and we’re seeing good catches on hardbodies and surface lures.

• Don’t forget to check into www. fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest info on fishing and bar crossings. And if you’re in town, the knowledgeable teams at Tackle World Noosa and Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right gear, bait and advice to ensure success!

Getting stuck into some springtime snapper KAWANA

Adam Austin

Over the past month, snapper anglers have been getting some great results on the close-in reefs at Currimundi and Murphys. A stand-out plastic at the moment is

the Crush City Imposter in the 4.5” size, rigged on a lightly-weighted jighead. If you’re drifting, throw them ahead of the boat and let them slowly sink. The snapper often hit them on the drop.

At the Caloundra 12 Mile, there have been some nice cobia caught on

Cade has scored a few decent snapper, like this one, from his new boat.

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34 OCTOBER 2024

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Staff member Mitch and his mate have been getting into a few nice snapper. floating pilchards on a 3-hook gang.

Bass season has begun, and anglers have been out chasing them in the local impoundments and tidal waters.

This month, I recommend trying the shallower impoundments like Ewen Maddock and Baroon Pocket. The water in these dams is warmer, so the bass become active sooner.

Around the local canal systems and at the Kawana Weir, anglers fishing with live mullet have been catching some nice jacks. As temperatures continue to rise, the jacks will become more active, and we’ll even see even barramundi here on the coast.

At this time of year, there are lots of big flatties on the flats. This month,

I recommend using swimbaits like the PowerBait Nemesis 5” or 7”, or the Zerek Affinity 160.

Along the beaches, there are still reports of tailor at Cotton Tree and the sandbags at the Maroochy River mouth, taking 40-50g slices and pilchards.

• Tackle World Kawana Waters has been servicing the Sunshine Coast for over 30 years. The store stocks the most up to date tackle, with staff skilled in its use and able to meet all your needs in product and advice. For local advice and the right gear, see the team at 8 Nicklin Way, Minyama or give them a call on (07) 5444 0714. You can also find them on Facebook.

QLD Central

FMM

Success offshore is the luck of the draw BUNDABERG

Luke Truant

The fishing has been hot and cold over the past month or so. We’ve had some of the best fishing I’ve ever experienced off Bundaberg, interspersed with some of the slowest days I’ve ever had.

It’s been a very slow red emperor season so far; we usually get half a

live baits are around. Put them in bags of 5-6, in a single layer, and vac-pack them to stop freezer burn. Then you can thaw them out a bag at a time, and I guarantee they’ll be the best bait you’ll use through summer. They’re much firmer than a pilly and hold on the hook really well.

You can rig them like a livie with a single 8/0 hook through the nose, or with a snell rig with a second hook.

Cobia have been a welcome catch on live baits.

Trout have been around in big numbers lately. dozen per trip during September, but this year I’ve had a few trips without a legal red. Tuskfish are also in low numbers. However, by the time you read this, the reds should have turned up as they usually do, and hopefully in good numbers.

The trout have been around in record numbers much later in the season than usual, and have been taking both livies and flesh baits. Trout are typically less enthusiastic about live baits at this time of year; if we swim a live bait next to a butterflied scad, most of the time it’s the butterflied scad that is eaten. Whole fillets of hussar or iodine bream also work very well.

It’s still worth fishing with livies, though, and now is a good time of year to stock up on them before they become scarce (just remember to stick to the in-possession limit of 20 per person).

I recommend freezing them because they’re very good in summer when no

Snell rigs have a better hookup rate but you do need a heavier trace to compensate for the weaker line due to the knots (but no more than 100lb fluorocarbon).

The trout in the shallows (17-20m) and in the deeper rubble patches

A lovely arm-stretching amberjack.

36 OCTOBER 2024

(40-45m) are still biting at a mid-winter rate, which is surprising considering the water temp is currently around 22°C (up around 3°C from mid-winter).

On recent trips I’ve been targeting red emperor over rubbly areas closer to the Breaksea Spit, and live baits have been really effective (but unfortunately, many have been eaten by big goldspot cod). We’ve caught some random catches of pearl perch to 50cm in 30-35m of water, which is unusual out from Bundy. Some nice snapper have also been turning up recently, with our biggest measuring about 74cm, caught in about 60m of water.

The Spanish are still ginormous along the coast, with 30kg specimens coming in close. As I write this report, the summer run of smaller fish hasn’t begun yet, but by the time you read this,

A nice-size snapper caught after the closure. we should have started catching them.

ESTUARY FISHING The estuaries have been going off for flathead, which are in spawning mode and congregating around the river mouths and the coastal fringing reef. You’ll often see five to seven males around a 70cm+ female when you’re drifting the river mouths, and it’s very common to catch oversize fish at this time of year. Just target the river mouths, find some current lines, and fish the slack side of the current line.

You can catch flatties on a whole sprat with a pea sinker, retrieved

slowly. If you prefer to use plastics, I recommend using curly-tail grubs in any colour that takes your fancy. The flatties don’t care about the colour; they just want it to be in the right place. During the retrieve, make

Red emperor should be more plentiful this month. sure you do nice, solid pauses so the plastic comes to a complete stop. The flathead will eat the plastic on the pause nine times out of 10.

When pausing your plastic, ensure you don’t drop all your slack out of the line, or you won’t be able to feel the strike. Even a large flathead will sometimes have two or three bites at a plastic, so don’t strike on the first bump. Instead, wait until you feel solid weight and then set the hook.

In the coming weeks you can look for grunter up the river on the large gravel beds. You can catch grunter with a shad style plastic, or flesh baits like a long strip of mullet or whiting.

• Truansea Charters specialises in 10-hour day trips chasing prized reef targets such as coral trout and red emperor and arm-stretching pelagics like Spanish mackerel. The maximum number of anglers is 6, so you’ll never feel crowded. The price is $370pp (or $350pp 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 learn more, visit www.truansea.com. au, look them up on Facebook, or call Luke on 0423 015 490.

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QLD Central

FMM

Only a few weeks left to catch barra in the salt MACKAY

Tackle World Mackay

How good has the weather been over the recent months! There are no complaints from anyone in the north, other than deciding where to go and what to target.

OFFSHORE/INSHORE Rising temperatures should mean we have seen the last of the whale migration for another year. It’s a huge relief for anyone travelling inshore or offshore; it’s one less obstacle for those evening fishing trips.

spawning closure. A fun way to target these hungry fish is throwing lures up on edges and coral flats. Stickbaits and poppers are some of my favourites as the fish will come from quite a distance to eat the lure. Venom V-Swims, V-Sticks and Westin Swims stickbait-style lures will all work – just make sure the drag has been tightened up.

Bait schools have pushed in along the coast, and they’re keeping the run of mackerel in good supply. Areas that are worth a look are Shoal Point, outer Newry Island, Fish Reef at Seaforth and all the

Jett Thompson with his personal best GT. Image courtesy of @jett.thompson2022.

There have also being some good king threadfin salmon getting caught.

At this time of year, they can be found schooling up in the creeks; Constant Creek in particular is always worth a look.

Zerek Fish Trap vibes, Zerek Live Shrimp 3.5” and Daiwa Steez Vibes are some of

Flynn with a king threadfin salmon. Image courtesy of @flynnsfishing.

Reports have been coming in thick and fast from the shipping channel and reef over recent weeks. Red emperor, nannygai and grassy lipper (grass sweetlip/ emperor) have been in good numbers in the channel. If the fishing is a little quiet, you can get good results using Vexed

way down to Hay Point.

When you’re planning a trip, be aware that we have a Reef Fin Fish Closure (30 September to 4 October) and a Spanish mackerel closure (30 September to 21 October).

CREEKS There are only a few weeks left for anyone wanting to catch a barra before the end of the season in the saltwater (the closed season runs from 1 November to 31 January). Judging by all the reports we’ve been getting, catching a last-minute barra shouldn’t be too hard as the water warms up for the end of the season. Live bait has been getting results, usually a live mullet or big legal whiting fished on a running sinker rig. Some of the creeks I would try at this time of year would be Mystery, Home, Reliance and Sandy creek, which will all have warmer water at this time of year.

Fishing around the lily pads and timber edges with jerkbait-style lures is great fun, as you don’t know what size of fish will come next. It could be a 40cm rat or one of the metre-plus models, which will hit the lures with gusto. Daiwa Steez, Duo Fangbaits 100mm and Hank Tunes will all work at treat. Just crank them down fast near the edge, then let them pause in the water column. The fish find this hard to resist.

If you want to fish the dams, make sure you have an up-to-date Queensland Stocked Impoundment permit (SIP) as the money goes back to stocking more barra and sooty grunter for our dams.

• Tackle World Mackay has one of the largest ranges of fishing and boating

A CrushCity Imposter was the undoing of this barra. Image courtesy of @bens.fishing.

my go-to lures when fishing some of the deeper holes.

Crabs have gone a little quiet, but the ones that have been caught have been good quality.

DAMS Teemburra and Kinchant are both fishing well as the cold weather has killed back some of the weed around the edges.

Nate Doran was very happy with this nice 60cm flathead.

Eliza Ellis baited a whole gar on a whiting hook and caught this queenie all by herself.

Bottom Meat jigs or Berserker Meathead Jigs with a slab bait attached to the 3-hook gangs. Some lucky anglers have even been catching two fish on the one rig.

Coral trout and red-throat have been on the chew at the reef after the recent 38 OCTOBER 2024

Spanish mackerel are back on the hit list from 22 October.

Image courtesy of span@embracethecourse.

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QLD Tropical North

FMM

Creek and estuary fishing kicks into top gear TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

With a terrific run of weather we’ve had in recent weeks! The boat ramps have been hectic and heaps of fish have been getting caught, finally.

Yes, the sharks have also been out of control, but with the fish being so active, and the weather being so good, all you have to do is move to the next spot after you’ve caught a few fish. This leapfrogging from spot to spot has

While on a recent camping trip, Tannhym caught some nice jacks on herring baits.

40 OCTOBER 2024

become a common tactic now to lose fewer fish to sharks. At the first sign of predation, move to another spot – otherwise you’re just wasting fish and teaching the sharks that it’s worth heading to a boat for an easy feed.

Trout and red emperor have been exceptional lately, with bigger numbers and sizes than usual gracing locals’ ice boxes. Plenty of nannygai, red-throat emperor and more have been coming aboard as well, but it’s the trout and reds that seem to be more common and bigger than usual. Just be careful about the size of the trout you’re keeping and eating, as ciguatera can be common in those big trout, especially once they get over 60cm.

ELECTRIC REELS One of the fastest-growing offshore techniques is the use of electric reels and bent butt combos. There are three reasons for this trend. The first reason, of course, is to beat the dreaded sharks. Secondly, more anglers want to catch more ‘exotic’ species, such as flametail, which are the jewel in the crown of deep-dropping target species. They are spectacularly coloured fish, and are highly sought after for their eating qualities. Electric combos are by far the easiest way to get them up from depths of 200-300m of water.

Other anglers targeting fish like trout, nannies, red emperor and red throat, typically in 30-100m of water, are using electric reels for a different reason: injuries or disabilities. Those of us who are aging (and not wanting to admit it!) are discovering we aren’t as bulletproof as we thought. Many anglers have serious shoulder, back or neck injuries that stop them from being able to pump and wind a fish from the depths, and for these

October is a great time of year to get your surface fix. Tannhym got this feisty barra on an 80mm Halco Roosta popper worked quickly over a weed bed. guys, electric reels have been a godsend and allowed them to keep on fishing.

If you want to give it a try, there are several reels that can be mounted on straight-butt rods, such as Ugly Stiks, which can be held in the hand, and not fixed in the gunnel rod holders. This is a great option if you want to feel that rod bend and buck, but not need to lift and wind down. It also allows you to strike and set that hook – something that can’t be done when the rod is in a holder.

If you’re wondering why you shouldn’t hold the bigger model reels, which are mounted on bent butt rods, it’s simply because they’re too powerful to hang onto. If you crank up the drag on a bigger Shimano or Daiwa model, you’re likely to have it ripped from your grip, or you will take a dip with it over the side. You might think I’m joking, but absolutely not – they are that powerful.

This is why we tell people to use a tether strap to secure the combo.

If jigging isn’t your thing, don’t stress, as most models have a jigging function that will do that for you.

A fishing industry worker came through the Fishing Warehouse the other day and said he’d never seen a display of electric combos like ours before, which was nice to hear. It’s all about providing plenty of options, so everybody can find what’s right for them.

Plenty of our regulars have enthusiastically rejected the idea, but a week later they’ll come back to the shop, shaking their heads as they get us to pull a combo down for them! Their change of heart usually comes from fishing with someone who has an electric, and whose catch rate is exceptionally in their favour.

While you won’t beat every shark, you’ll beat far more than with conventional

gear. This means that rigging needs to be quite specific, with protective and sacrificial elements included to bust a shark off if he does connect. There’s plenty of online tuition and YouTube footage of this sort of thing, so it could be worth a look.

CREEKS, RIVERS AND BAY Jacks, barra, grunter, grassies, fingermark and more have kicked back into top gear thanks to the increasing

When the water is clearer, the chartreuse colour works very well on the northern lizards. The jighead weight varies depending on the depth and current, but 1/4oz with a 4/0 hook is a good starting point. water temperatures. Some impressive fish have been getting taken in recent weeks, which is great to see.

Surface action At this time of year, the surface popping action can be excellent, and it’s

Tropical North QLD

FMM the most exciting way to catch any fish.

There is a difference, however, between getting the bite and actually hooking up, so if you’re using soft plastics, be openminded about what plastic to use and how to rig it. The lure’s buoyancy and action plays a big role.

Frogs have been promoted as the ultimate way to get these bites, but I’ve found that the hookup ratio can

sometimes be frustrating. We use a lot of the Halco Paddle Prawns in the 4”, 5” and 7” sizes rigged on unweighted EWG Hooks, with a couple of small alterations to get the best bite and hookup ratio.

When rigged correctly, we can use our Paddle Prawns as a cross between a popper and fizzer, with a great hookup ratio. The slimmer profile and central hook rigging location is the main reason

Sugapen stickbaits are a jack favourite.

The bigger barra are starting to play very nicely. This beast ate a 5” Halco Paddle Prawn rigged weedless on 20lb braid and 35lb FC leader.

for this, I believe. The unweighted 4” is best cast on a spin rod, but the other two can be used on either baitcaster or spin, depending on your preference. They can be skip cast or gently landed amongst the snags and worked through country where no hardbody diver can, so it opens up a lot of snag-dwelling species options.

If you do find that your hookup ratio sucks, I recommend trying a weighted EWG Gamakatsu hook in the appropriate size, and sink them just under the surface. This usually fixes that problem.

Our favourite lure for this approach is the Atomic Prong in 3” and 4”.

That said, no matter which lure design you choose, you can have a ball surface fishing. Even the bites that don’t stick are a lot of fun.

So, at this exciting time of year, the options are unlimited for anglers willing to experiment with rigging, tide times for specific areas, and lure types. It’s a great time to be in the north, that’s for sure.

Until next month, cheers and stay safe.

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OCTOBER 2024 41

QLD Tropical North

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Barra soon off limits HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

After enduring one of the coldest water temperatures for winter here at Hinchinbrook (in my living memory), I am hoping that we get some very quick ocean water warmth coming into the last month for the barra season.

Typically, it is fantastic barra fishing in October as aggregations accumulate in greater numbers readying themselves for the spawning season ahead. After starting September off with a chilly 19-20oC water temperature, here’s hoping for 26oC+ for the end of the season. Besides, the little males will be out to fatten themselves up to impress the ladies.

We have been finding some good numbers of barramundi throughout the channel, but most are suffering from

stubborn lockjaw with the cold and unstable weather patterns. Most anglers are still picking off those 60-70cm size models from out of the snags using weedless frogs and other plastics casted way deep up into the timber on the mid to high tides. They can be hit and miss hookups with lots often bricking you into the timber.

Mangrove jack are very often encountered when fishing this style and can keep you on your toes on such a very short leash. They too will pick up in numbers in the coming months as they are one specie that loves the heat, those still and very hot and humid days in summer are the best time to go target them in the timber. However, those occasional big metre-ies will occasionally show up in areas you didn’t know they would be.

This month I anticipate it’s going to be erratic due to the constant windy weather

Grant Tucker caught a big 105cm barra.

Awesome fishing ahead CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

October in the Trinity Net Free Zone spells one thing – awesome fishing. The wind begins to back off, afternoon storms build, and the water is warm.

fish select areas that aren’t windblown but aren’t as productive. When the wind backs off and the creeks glass out, it allows anglers to fish the best spots in the creek and even out on the headlands and open beaches.

The open beaches off the Trinity Net Free Zone are the home to our biggest barramundi and threadfin salmon. With the nets out, we have seen a huge explosion of barra and thready numbers out there, which has been terrific for both land-based fishers and boaties. It really becomes

When the wind drops, the open beaches become calm and the barra are easy to catch.

Let’s start with the wind. During the winter season Cairns is pretty much pummelled with strong south easterly trade winds. These winds make fishing extremely hard as the chop on the water or along normally productive banks really shuts down the fishing. Fishers are forced to 42 OCTOBER 2024

Jacks will be biting hard and paddle tail plastics are the way to go.

Brett Murrie with a pretty coral trout. This is a great species for an October session. patterns. Making the most of the areas in the early morning before the wind jumps up will be a factor I will be using a lot during October. Also, a shift to a more northerly-based wind direction will open up some other favourite spots of mine that I usually love to fish from February onwards. I have been getting my clients casting the Holt Productions 4” and 5” Swim Prawns in two very different scenarios of late and found some great success in tough times over live baits or hardbodies. I like to slowly retrieve them in deep water or holes where there is an aggregation or even in dirty water lines in the shallows. Similarly, to that I would while using a hardbody lure has been producing some nice fish of late.

This month keep an eye (and ear) out for those surface feeding boofs during the day, as quite often if you cast your lure close to the same area where one occurred there is a high chance there is a barra still very close to the spot. October also sees the tide patterns increase in size, which

I find makes for more enjoyable lure fishing scenarios. I much prefer the larger tides at Hinchy as quite often it helps us interact with the larger fish travelling out on the flats a lot more and getting into backwaters and current lines.

If you’re looking to try your luck at ticking that metre-plus barramundi off your bucket list, it is best to get in and book early for 2025 as the good tides often get snapped up by my regular clients. February, March, April and May are also prime times for large barra at Hinchinbrook. Hopefully this year for November onwards I will have my new offshore vessel up and running for reef charters. Keep an eye on my Facebook page for updates of that.

• Gift vouchers can also be purchased if your looking for birthday or Christmas gifts. You can email us at info@ ianmoodysportfishing.com or phone us on 0402 339 459. Barra season closes midnight 31 October, so get in early to secure a booking for this year or for the 2025 season.

This is the last month to target a barra so get amongst them. a special fishery with some trophy fish on offer. It’s best to fish these open beaches and headlands on the incoming tide as the fish will move up into the shallower water to feed. This makes them prime targets for lures, such as suspending hardbody lures, vibes and big paddle-tail and prawn soft plastics.

Some of my favourite lures include the Halco TBarra 80, ZMan Quake vibes, Molix 140 shads and the new ZMan Prawn Extreme. All these should be fished slowly.

One of my favourite fish to target in October are jacks. They really come on the bite hard, especially as those storms begin to brew up on the other side of the tableland ranges. Whilst

these storms rarely make it over the range they are close enough to get that barometer moving and get those red fish biting hard. When it all comes together the results can be amazing even in those creeks that see a lot of traffic. When the jacks are feeding this hard, you want to be throwing lures which you can move with speed. You don’t want to be fishing slow, as a fast-paced burn will get the best results. I’m partial to any style of paddle tail and my favourites would be the Molix RT Shads and the ZMan Paddle Tail, in particular the new Mulletron.

October is all about awesome fishing so make sure you get amongst it.

Tropical North QLD

FMM

Blue ribbon calendar period in North QLD PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

With a continued persistence of strong southeasterly winds this year, it’s pure and simple, with weather on your side you can go far and wide to the most productive grounds on the Great Barrier Reef. Avoid fishing right on the full or new moon is the main advice from our end. Outside of this it is usually quite responsive in dealing with a variety of reef fish.

The large mouth nannygai in deep 35-40m water have been our friends and they’ve tended to be the solid types from 5-7kg. A combination of old-fashioned pilchard and squid is all you need. A bit more squid on the hook will help as they can slurp as opposed to strike and you need them to take it in their own time.

There’s been some good-sized coral trout up a touch in shallower water, 25-30m of depth, and you can’t argue with 4-5kg models. Naturally in the same territory you come across other usual suspects, such as spangled emperor and cod varieties.

As days go by the trout will congregate on certain parts of the reef up into the shallows in preparation for spawning.

With the first run of reef closures starting at the beginning of October this call looks

on the money as water temperatures have quickly increased.

Interestingly in recent times we’ve pumped out quite a few Spanish, spotted and school mackerel just inside the reef. Trolling between spots, floating pilchard whilst at anchor and also the school mackerel were keen on the bottom fishing rigs. At legal size all these mackerel pretty much taste the same on the plate, crumbed, battered or natural on a light fry you can’t knock back mackerel as one of our best fish to eat in the Far North. They are also a heap of fun to tangle with on the end of a line.

Inshore and particularly on the

doesn’t take much to turn them belly up if not dealt with efficiently and properly.

Down toward the river mouth where there’s a sandy river base the golden trevally have added value. They will come into the system digging up crustaceans and the like with their big trumpet lips. They will take a live bait but also typically a nice quality peeled prawn or squid always seems to work. They’ve been getting up to 5kg and you can always pick up a nice javelin fish or two applying the same approach.

Back amongst the snags our wonderful system of fingermark rarely disappoint and there’s been some nice estuary cod in amongst the mix. Live sardines are a premium for this style of fishing. Fingermark to 55cm and cod to 50cm have been common.

At certain times the barra strike rate has continued to roll along nicely. They were staying in certain holding patterns but are now venturing around as the water temperatures have jumped up. Quality fish to 80cm have been encountered consistently. October is a real focus for the barra before their closed season on 1 November.

Hold onto your hats we are entering into our heavy tackle season for the big black marlin as well, so there’s plenty on the cards in tropical Far North QLD.

Daintree River, there’s been a mixture of species to keep everyone entertained and it’s coming into that time of year where’d you expect that.

We’ve seen a return of some great big queenfish come back into the system, which did go missing for a bit. They tend to stick to that deeper channel section and like an incoming tide right up to the top. Suspended live sardines and even at times a surface popper has done the trick.

Typically, they travel in a pack so when they are in the mood you can pick up a few of them. As always, it’s a quick photo, handled with extreme care and released before you can say, ‘how’s your father’! It

October is the last month to tangle with a barra.

Phases of the moon October 2024 The best moon phase for fishing typically revolves around the new and full moon phases.

During the new moon (when the moon is not visible in the sky), and the full moon (when it’s fully illuminated), the gravitational pull of the moon is at its strongest, resulting in higher tides.

This increase in tidal movement often triggers feeding behaviour in fish, making them more active and easier to catch. Additionally, during the new moon phase there is less moonlight, which can make it harder for fish to detect anglers, providing a stealthy advantage.

Use this calendar as a guide to help choose the best days of the month to increase your chances of a catch.

SUNDAY

Brought to you by BEST FISHING DAYS BASED ON LUNAR PHASES

MONDAY

6

TUESDAY

7

1

WEDNESDAY

2

THURSDAY

October 2024 3

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

4

5

A A 0 Z Z 8

9

NEW MOON

10

11

12

Y X W V U T S 13

14

15

16

17

FIRST QUARTER

18

19

R P O N @ @ @ 20

21

22

23

FULL MOON

24

25

26

M K I H G G F 27

28

29

30

LAST QUARTER

E D C B A

31

KEY: BEST GOOD FAIR POOR

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OCTOBER 2024 43

QLD Tropical North

FMM

The air and water have started to heat up not land them.

That said, I have a friend who loves cheap vibes and he fishes some very snaggy areas. He said you can play a fish with cheap hooks, and explained that if you snag a lure it’s easy to straighten them and get your lure back. I’m not sure I totally agree as I like to put some force into stopping fish from stitching me up in snags, then trying to play fish with soft hooks. Fair enough if it’s in the open water, but in fallen trees it’s a maze of sticks that a trophy fish can use to its advantage to escape. I think I’ll stick to quality hardware.

The reef opportunities are only going to get better this month. There should be some awesome days out on the reef, due to the limited access so far. The coral trout should be around

COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

At this time of year, the water levels are low, and chasing hungry fish in the larger waterholes can get you some incredible action. The river systems are heating up, the bait schools have thinned and the barra are getting active again, moving a little more in search of a feed. The snags at the end of the waterholes usually are the ones that hold fish.

The upper areas are great when there is an influx of freshwater with bait flowing through, as happens in the wet season. However, as soon as these flows stop, the hungry fish aren’t going to be there because nothing is entering the system. I’ve found the fish migrate to the back ends of the water holes, seemingly waiting for the rains and water flow so they can get the hell out of there.

I can imagine them feeling almost desperate, as they can’t travel until the rains come, so they sit and wait.

A nice-sized barra caught on a lure. my lures, they still produce. It goes to show that a nice paintjob catches anglers more that it does fish! Don’t get me wrong – I like a nicely painted lure, and it’s also important for me to see a lure so I can walk it around and

Jono was very happy with this nice barra.

A healthy freshwater barramundi.

Feeding can be intense for the fish, as they take a crack at anything that’s silly enough to swim past. Lure fishing can be explosive when you find these fish-holding areas. You can experience multiple hookups and action aplenty as the fish fight for your lure. It’s so much fun.

I’ve always been a fan of timber lures, and I always have my favorites in my tacklebox, including some Leads and my own Cape York Lures, which I use regularly. There’s something special about catching fish on a lure you made yourself. I think it’s because of the time you put in to make the lure, and the satisfaction of seeing that it works well, and lasts a long time.

Interestingly, I’ve found that even when most of the paint has come off 44 OCTOBER 2024

over a snag. However, when it comes to fine details in the paintwork, I don’t think the fish care.

Having quality hooks and split rings on your lures is a must, otherwise you’ll simply hook fish but

The author’s favourite timber lures for barra.

in good numbers, and hitting up your favorite pressure points should produce like always. The mackerel should also be active, both out at the reef and in the river mouths. Live bait at the wharf will see the fishing improve this month, and as it’s the lead up the barramundi closure on 1 November, the barramundi fishing will also be exciting as they start to show up in numbers. The pike and herring schools will be continually harassed, so having a well-placed live bait will get results. The bait fishing can be a great way to entertain the kids and also can provide some good reef bait when the weather drops.

Sometimes the herring schools are so thick it’s hard not to catch multiple fish at the same time on a bait jig.

So, lots of great fishing to be had this month and I’m just about to take some time off to get amongst some nice barramundi with my lures. I can’t wait to see how it all goes. I’ll report back on that next month, and I’ll also report on our Cooktown Barramundi Comp.

Tropical North QLD

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Fantastic fishing for most coral reef species CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

What a topsy-turvy year it has been throughout the tropical north and Cape York regions! Something tells me we could be in for a pretty warm, fire-riddled end to the dry season

world. It is a pity this fishery seems to taper off just north of the Ribbon Reefs, and doesn’t continue all the way up to the Tip. Of course, there are still fisheries waiting to be discovered in the vastness of the Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Free divers, spear fishers and reef fishing enthusiasts will start to have

Queenfish are plentiful in Far North Queensland. will likely still be fantastic fishing for most coral reef species. Getting that mid-morning spring bite is what it’s all about, and quite often the fishing is over by lunchtime. Then it’s time to turn the boat around before the wind starts blowing onshore again.

Some of the reef flats fishing should still be solid before waters start warming up considerably in November/December.

Drifting over vast coral gardens, trying to extract fish on surface lures, divers and soft plastics, is epic fun when

There’s not much time left to chase barra in the gulf before the season closes on 7 October. this year. October is the beginning of all that, so let’s just wait and see.

Hot, sticky days are what typifies Cape York at this time of year.

The hotter and stickier it is, the more likely the weather is calm and

a blast at this time of year. The reefs are generally clear and warm.

Barring any coral bleaching, stinger or jellyfish outbreaks, it’s generally a nice time to be in and around the water. Just watch out for the Coral Reef Finfish Closures at either end of the month; it’s easy to forget about the closures if the weather suddenly improves. The barramundi season in the Gulf also closes on 7 October.

These closures serve the purpose of avoiding peak spawning times for these species. Interestingly, these periods overlap between spring and early summer.

Outside of these closures, there

A feisty little trout caught on fly. the fish are hungry. The offshore brigade might even be lucky to jag a long weather window somewhere in October.

Late October will see teams do battle on giant game boats in the 2024 Lizard Island Black Marlin Classic.

This area is rightfully known as the 1000lb black marlin hotspot in the

James with a beautifully-marked blue Maori cod.

A lovely little saltwater barramundi. it all comes together. A few of the coral trout species, a bunch of cod, emperors, sweetlips, jobfish, red bass, chinamanfish and wrasse will all try their best to brick you back into the coral. It is heart-in-yourmouth fishing and usually in the most spectacular environment possible.

The vast Great Barrier Reef section running along the east coast of Cape York is a marvel with its sheer diversity of fishing options.

Over the west coast of Cape York, the endless beaches stretching right up to the Tip should be a wader’s dream this month. Clear water, especially on the neap tides, can combine with brilliant early morning periods of cool and breezeless conditions.

Hopefully the dusty scent of smoke haze won’t ruin the sight fishing for those keen to work the flats.

OCTOBER 2024 45

QLD Freshwater

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Many reasons to hit our freshwater waterways QLD FRESHWATER

Peter Jung

How good has it been to see our freshwater waterways come to life and no matter what the size or dynamic of the fishery, the fishing has been good. It all kicked off in early September, when a slightly early spell of warm weather hit our South East corner of Queensland.

This began to increase the water temperatures of our lakes, which also

tends to spark an increase in food for the fish and then they become more active. The beauty of this seasonal change is that it seems that no matter the fishery or the species, the fishing improved. The barramundi in Awoonga and Monduran fired up. All our bass lakes from Bundaberg to the border have fired up and the golden perch in our most southern fisheries awoke from their winter slumbers. The only species that bucked the trend was the Murray cod. The larger cod started to think

more about reproducing than feeding and their activities slowed. Having said that waterways like Glenlyon and Leslie continued to produce Murray cod captures (these fish still need to eat), but it tended to be juvenile fish, with the odd bigger model mixed in.

Will this continue into October? It most definitely will. If anything, it will only get better until the water temperature change that has sparked the change gets to the point where it will again change.

Generally, the times that the fish will feed

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND LAKE KURWONGBAH The transition of the bass moving from their deep schools to the edges is well under way at Lake Kurwongbah.

There are still good numbers of fish holding along the drops offs in the main basin and in the kayaking zone. The best way to target these fish has been with medium to small metal spoons or by rolling 3-3.5” paddle tail plastics through any schools of fish you find.

At times they have been hard to fire up, so a little scent of some sort (garlic is a popular one) rubbed on your lure can make a difference.

Early in the day and late afternoon, when the sun is lower in the sky,

Enoggera Reservoir is a small urban fishery that is starting to fish well. Although many of the fish caught are small, there are some bigger fish in there as well.

Somerset Dam is renowned for being a big bass fishery, but in recent years saratoga have become a more regular capture. has been the better time to target the schooled up fish.

For the anglers who prefer to focus their efforts on the edges. The fishing has definitely improved, but at the time of writing it still has been fickle. There is no consistency on where the fish are sitting or what lure they will eat. I had a trip there recently and caught some lovely fish on a mix of spinnerbaits and 5cm lipless crankbaits. The amount of weed and how far from the shore it extends was frustrating, as it was difficult to consistently fish an edge line. However, when I did, I got enough bites to ensure I will go back and spend more time on this waterway. With a bit more time on the water can only help me figure out

Gary’s Marine Centre

3201 6232

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL 46 OCTOBER 2024

the idiosyncrasies of the channels within the weed and should help me get many more bites.

October should be a great month to fish Lake Kurwongbah.

• Lake Kurwongbah is a paddle craft only fishery. There are launching and zoning rules in place. To find out more about these

and the preferred depths that they will sit. However, this change will more likely occur in late October and into November.

For now, however, it is time to get out and enjoy your local or not so local freshwater waterway.

Don’t forget if you have any news you would like to place in the news section of this report please email it to pjung@ fishingmonthly.com.au and I will do my best to get it into the report.

Until next month, see you later from PTP Fishing. did get to the net, it is no surprise that a few found their way back to the timber. Most fish caught came on hardbody lures or lipless crankbaits.

The key is heavier drags and leaders in the timbered areas.

The lower reaches of the lake will also fish well. The various undulations and drop offs can hold schooling fish and these are well worth trying to catch.

Vertically jigging small metal blades or soft vibes has been your best option.

October is generally a prime month to hit Wyaralong, so why not go and check it out.

• Lake Wyaralong is an electric motor and paddle craft only fishery. No fuel powered motors may be used on the waterway. To find out more about these rules go to the SEQ Water website and look up Lake Wyaralong.

SOMERSET DAM My prediction for Somerset dam in October is that it will be a very busy place. In early September the bass schools really started to fire up and some BIG fish were being caught. An ABT event held early in the month saw most anglers catch some amazing

If you can find the drop offs at the edge of the weed at Lake Kurwongbah, you will find the fish. rules go to the SEQ Water website and look up Lake Kurwongbah.

LAKE WYARALONG Wyaralong is another waterway that although it is relatively young as a fishery, can and does produce some excellent fishing.

At the time of writing, it had started to fish well, with plenty of stories of anglers losing more fish than they caught in the timbered zones of the lake. When you look at the quality of the fish that they

fish including a five fish bag of 13.24kg caught by the event winner Mark Reinbott. The biggest bass for the event was a 3.88kg monster caught by Peter Mazey. All sorts of ABT records were broken during the event and this excellent fishing has the potential to just get better as we head into October.

The best part about this time of the year is that you do have a number of options and techniques to go and target these fish. For many it will be to

Freshwater QLD

FMM go and search for the school fish around the contours of the old riverbed.

Red rock, Happy Clappers, Pelican Point and the Kirkleagh Flats are just a few of the locations to check out. Paddle tail soft plastics, metal spoons and extra deep diving lures rolled through the fish will produce results. The key is to find an active school and enjoy the mayhem.

This may take a little bit of moving around, but when the potential is to catch a nearly 4kg bass, it is well worth the effort.

Trolling these areas can also produce plenty of fish. Ultra deep diving lures trolled well behind the boat will be the key to success.

The bass are not the only target species either. The golden perch are coming out of their winter slumber and tend to be found around structure (timber or rocks). Hardbody lures, spinnerbaits and mumblers cast around the timber or towards rocky banks can be deadly options. Bait anglers will also do well fishing shrimp or worms in the same areas.

The Somerset Wivenhoe Stocking Group has been working hard to DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT COOBY DAM The warming trend certainly has the fish in Cooby fired up. As soon as the consistent warm weather hit, the golden perch in Cooby came to life.

There has been a distinct pattern to the fishing, and I would suspect that this will continue in October. The fish have tended to be up shallow early morning and late afternoon, while pushing to the drop offs/edges of the old creek bed during the day.

The usual suspects have been best way to target them. Saltwater yabbies CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA DAM Spring came early in the region and the transition from the winter patterns to the summer patterns is well underway.

What does this mean? Basically, topwater lures become more of an option in the early morning and

establish a saratoga fishery at Somerset and anglers are now seeing the rewards from all their hard work. There seems to be captures reported from all around the lake, so don’t be surprised when one of these guys grabs one of your hardbody lures or spinnerbaits. They can be hard to stay attached to (they have very hard mouths) but are fun to catch and just another reason to visit this waterway.

I know I have several trips planned for Somerset this month, so I will see you on the water.

• For up-to-date information on what’s biting and where to go see Somerset Tackle and Boat Hire at Kirkleagh (right near the boat ramp). You can hire a boat or just pick up some tackle. Open 8:30am – 5:00pm Friday to Sunday.

ENOGGERA RESERVOIR This small waterway on the outskirts of the suburb The Gap has only been stocked in recent times by the Brisbane Valley Anglers Stocking Group. Recently it was announced as one of the waterways that QLD Fisheries will be doing a trial stocking

of jungle perch in. I think that they will prosper in Enoggera as it generally remains very clean and is yet to show any signs of pest species being present in it.

These two things and the fact that not a lot of bass have been stocked in it, should see any jungle perch that go in have a great chance of surviving.

The fishing in Enoggera until recently has been very tough, but like the rest of our waterways, the warmer temperatures have started to fire up the fish. Most fish caught come from casting lures along the lily pad lined edges of the dam. As the fish are still quite small, smaller profile lures are the best option to target them with. 5cm lipless crankbaits like the Rapala V-Blade or the Live Target Sonic shad are my favourite options, but I believe the 5cm profile is the key to any success, if you are looking to fish Enoggera Reservoir.

• Enoggera Reservoir is a paddle craft only fishery. There is a launching area a small walk down from the Walkabout Creek carpark. There are rules relating to launching about on water activities. To learn more about these rules go to the SEQ Water website.

and worms for the bait anglers, with lipless crankbaits like Jackall TN60’s or Rapala 6cm V-Blades proving to be irresistible while the fish are up shallow. Once the fish push to the edge of the creek bed many anglers are trolling medium to deep diving lures or fishing the edge hopping small metal blades or soft vibes.

Any extended settled weather should see Cooby continue to fish well.

• Cooby is open to paddle and electric motor-powered craft. The gates are open from 6am-8pm. Fish’n’Bits tackle store in Toowoomba can help you out with all your bait and lure fishing needs.

LESLIE DAM It is no surprise to see good fishing reports coming out about Leslie dam.

It has fished very well in recent history and now both its key species are on the chew together.

There have been plenty of medium to large Murray cod being caught on a variety of lures. The better fishing has been early in the morning or late afternoon and into the early hours of the night. Surface lures, swimbaits and mumblers all producing fish. Depending on how warm the weather gets, the cod fishing should continue to prosper, although I would think the numbers of larger fish being caught will reduce as they

prepare to spawn.

The cod however are not the only reason to head to Leslie. Like many of the other lakes, the recent warm spell has the Leslie golden perch fired up. Plenty of fish have been caught by various methods.

Trolling, cast lures and on baits like saltwater yabbies and worms.

There is no doubt that the local stocking group has done a great job with Leslie, and it is well worth a visit there in October.

• The local blokes at Warwick Outdoor and Sport in Palmerin Street can point in you in the right direction and hook you up with the good gear and bait to catch the fish at Leslie.

A Somerset Dam monster. This 3.88kg fish caught by Peter Mazey won the big bass prize at an ABT tournament recently held at the lake.

late afternoon and the fishing focus moves from the bays of the lake to the points and drops around the main body of water.

For most anglers the main lure options to target these zones will be medium to large paddle tail soft plastics or trolling medium running hardbody lures.

Cory Gooch from Gladstone Fly

Cory Gooch with his 100th metre-plus barramundi from Lake Awoonga for the year. An amazing 1.35m fish, a PB for him at the lake.

Happy clients from Gladstones Fly and Sportfishing.

Why not book a charter today.

and Sportfishing explained to me that this early run of warm weather will set up the lake nicely for the next several months. He said the big fish are definitely on the chew. He only recently caught his 100th metre plus barra for the year. A massive 1.35m fish. No wonder his clients constantly have big smiles on their faces.

What I took out of our conversation

was that I seriously need to have a look at getting to Lake Awoonga soon.

• Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing (0407 273 221) run guided trips on the lake.

Both cater to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. It is hard to beat time on the water and a guided trip is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish.

OCTOBER 2024 47

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THE SHEIK OF THE CREEK

Summer vs Winter I have a sort of split in my personality when it comes to summer and winter.

This relates to the two parts of my life: my false life, and my real life. My false life (everything else) is all the things that I do to allow me to take part in my real life (fishing in my boat). I write this despite the fact that it’s dangerous to put it in writing as it will give my first wife the opportunity to say that’s exactly what

winter days though, is limited. Yes, you can target squire and snapper and bream and winteries, and mulloway and barra and jack and muddies if you’re good enough. And in central and southern Queensland you can get those insanely brief windows away from the southeasterlies and northeasterlies that plague our reef trips during the hot season. But overall proper fishing is in sleep mode.

The fishing warms up when your toes warm up. Something in my head connects the belt of a jack hitting a poddy

she’s been saying and I’ve been denying for decades. But I’m pretty safe as the chances of herself, or any of her friends or enemies reading this column is about as likely to happen as something that’s really unlikely happening.

In most ways I’m a winter person.

I like the cold. That is Queensland cold, where it’s bitter, but only for a few nights. Don’t believe it doesn’t get cold up here, especially inland where I grew up. But even the brutal weather only lasts a few days up here before it reverts to chilly. By chilly I mean an indoor fire will make things comfortable. Days are generally glorious. Chuck a jumper on and you’re sweet.

The fishing in those sparkling

with sweat, storms and chillybins. There’s also that constant see-saw between uncovering to lose heat and covering to prevent massive mozzie and sandie pathology. That issue continues with the ‘do I take off the raincoat and risk getting wet from showers and storms, or leave the raincoat on and get the same effect from my own perspiration’.

And like most of life, I don’t need daylight saving to know that fishing is best done before the sun rises, and as the sun sets, no matter what the clock says.

And that despite the hour on the dial those times are liable to be warm with the promise of horrible to come. Which I sort of like, but sort of hate. That’s life I suppose...that’s fishing I suppose.

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Brett Saunders with a 97cm flathead he caught in The Hunter River on a Fishcraft Dr Prawn Lure.

OCTOBER 2024 49

NSW

Sydney

FMM

Good snapper catches when distance casting SYDNEY ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

This magnificent weather we’ve been having has made anglers very keen to get out there. Although the atmospheric temperature is warm, the water temperature is still on the chilly side – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fish for your favourite species. October can be a good month for a beach mulloway, and some years the whiting turn up in numbers this month as well. And off the ocean rocks, October is quite good for rock blackfish and trevally, and the snapper and kings may also show up, depending on the ocean current, food migration and water temperature.

Let’s look at what’s been biting recently, and I’ll share my predictions

The first rock blackfish for Mark George. He also caught his first silver drummer on this trip. to a warmer current that comes in periodically. At this time of year, you need to be fishing on the right days and the right places compared to the peak of the season later in the year.

To give yourself a better chance of success this month, your best bet is usually distance casting.

When distance casting for snapper, I recommend using a tough bait. Good options include salted fish baits like slimy mackerel fillet or striped tuna fillet. And of course, fresh squid strips, squid heads and (if you can get hold of it), cuttlefish

very uneven bottom? The answer is yes! But the problem with distance casting on a very uneven bottom is the snag ratio. For distance casting snapper anglers, it’s common practice to cast over the reef onto the sand or gravel edge, where the chances of snags can be much less.

When distance casting, I recommend a minimum of 13ft rod and 13-15kg braid with 40lb leader connected to the braid. This may seem like overkill because most of the snapper you’ll encounter will be 30-40cm. However, if you fish light you are bound to hook a monster, and then your fish of a lifetime will become very difficult or impossible to land, depending on the location you’re fishing.

Spots that fish well in flatter conditions for snapper are South and North Curl Curl, North Narrabeen Point, and the Mona Vale basin front ledge area in front of the swimming pool.

In rougher conditions, it’s best to be up on a well elevated rock ledge. South Curl Curl high ledge and Warriewood high ledge are good in these sorts of conditions.

These ledges are about 7-9m above the ocean.

Luderick and rock blackfish are still a good option at this time of the year; some days they can really come on the bite in the warmer conditions.

When chasing luderick, you don’t need to fish the lower light periods

The author caught this snapper on a three-quarter pilchard bait early in the morning. for the coming month.

ROCK FISHING October can be good for snapper fishing, particularly distance casting for them. In the whitewater zone in closer to the rocks, there can be a

degree or two difference compared to 90-120m out. The slightly more temperate water licking the coastline can produce a swag of reds, while right in close the snapper may be absent. Of course, this is subject

COHOE MARINE PRODUCTS John Halford with a 47 and 48cm snapper. Distance casting for them is often the best option at this time of year, depending on the current.

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50 OCTOBER 2024

strips are very good.

If want to use a softer, mushy bait, you’ll need to wrap it up with bait thread. Good mushy baits include pilchards and soft fillets of bonito or tailor.

When it comes to distance casting, a frequently asked question is: do snapper feed on undulated,

when the sun is on a low angle. You can get up late and go to your local rock ledge, pick up cabbage or hair weed where you’re standing, and have a ball fishing for them throughout the day. The standard way to catch them is with a well-balanced, long stem float and a no. 8 hook.

Rock blackfish can also be caught

Sydney NSW

FMM far easier if you’re wearing hi-vis!

BEACH FISHING This month we can expect some sizeable salmon in the 2-3.5kg range, and it’s not unusual to catch a bigger 70cm+ model as well. Salmon have a lot of stamina when hooked; they just go and go and go, especially on 3-4kg line.

When using light gear it’s generally better to spin metals in that 20-30g size. The OT Jig is my go-to metal, and my favourite colours are sardine glo, silver and gold. I recommend bringing three colours as a minimum when you’re fishing with metals for salmon.

My preferred rod is a 4-8kg Sea

A beautiful 2kg+ rock blackfish caught by James Fereday.

Bass matched to a 4000 Saltist MQ, spooled with 10lb Expedition braid and 10-12lb X-Link FC fluoro leader.

It’s a nice outfit for salmon and also an ideal beach outfit for whiting and bream. I recommend using it with my Bellissimo paternoster rig. To check it out, head to my YouTube channel and type in ‘Paternoster rig’.

October can see decent numbers of whiting caught, especially towards the end of the month. Water temperature plays a big part; you ideally want the water to be 20°C or higher. As usual, the best baits are beach worms. If you can’t catch them yourself, you might be able to buy them from a tackle shop that specialises in live bait.

A good alternative is yabbies, which you can pump on a low sand bank in the estuaries.

Here’s a quick tip when you’re fishing for whiting /bream off the beach. Gutters can be carved out parallel (or nearly so) to the stormwater pipes. Manly Beach is a classic example, as the pipes are 20m+ out into the surf. On the stormwater pipes there is a big variety of food for the fish, including cunjevoi, barnacles, limpets, crabs, weed and more. Fishing near these pipes (providing there is a gutter near them) will give you another option when the gutters are sparse on the beach.

Beach mulloway are also a good option this month, and there are fewer dusky and bronze whaler sharks around at this time of the year.

• Alex Bellissimo is an experienced rock fishing guide with proven

FISHING NEWS

Large rainbow trout stocked in new Central West fishing spot To enhance recreational fishing opportunities and improve fishing access at popular locations across NSW, there has been a release of 250 rainbow trout into Orange’s Spring Creek Dam. The ex-broodstock rainbow trout – each weighing more than 2kg each – were stocked into the dam, which for the first time will soon have a section of its foreshore opened for lure and fly only fishing in the coming months, providing an exciting new location for local and visiting anglers.

This new fishing spot will complement other popular local fisheries such as Gosling Creek and Lake Canobolas.

The NSW Government will work with Orange City Council to stock popular native sportfish species including Murray Cod

and Golden Perch into the local water ways, including Spring Creek Dam. The ex-broodstock trout released into the dam were used to breed millions of fingerlings at the NSW Government’s Dutton Trout Hatchery, located at Ebor.

This stocking event is one of many that happen across NSW as part of the NSW Government’s program to boost recreational fishing opportunities for trout and native sportfish in dams, creeks, rivers and other waterways.

The Spring Creek Dam release is one of several stockings that have taken place across the Central West over the past month including: • 5,000 advanced size Rainbow Trout stocked at Lake Wallace at Wallerawang; •5,000 advanced size Rainbow Trout stocked at Oberon Dam;

•260 large ex-broodstock at Carcoar Dam, near Blayney; •2000 advanced size Rainbows Trout at Wyangla Dam, near Cowra; •4,000 advanced size Rainbow Trout at Lake Lyell, near Lithgow; and •1,500 advanced size Rainbow Trout 26 released into Ben Chifley Dam, near Bathurst.

In total around 2.5 million rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, Atlantic salmon and tiger trout will be stocked across NSW this year with funding support from the Recreational Fishing Trust.

Fish stocking in NSW is carefully managed to ensure sustainability and supports some of our most important inland fisheries for recreational fishers.

For information on the Government’s fish stocking program visit the website – NSW Fisheries

teaching formulas. If you’re an experienced angler, he will bring your abilities to new heights. And if you’re new to rock fishing, Alex will teach you all the fundamentals so you can consistently catch fish -- and stay safe at the same time. All tackle and bait is supplied. To find out more, visit www.bellissimocharters.com.au, email alex@bellissimocharters.com.au, or call Alex on 0408 283 616.

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in the middle of the day but lower light periods are better. The best times are early in the morning and a couple of hours before sunset.

Good spots to try for the luderick and rock blackfish are Old Man’s Hat at Manly, South Curl Curl, Long Reef Collaroy and North Whale.

If you want to hit the rocks this month, don’t underestimate how dangerous it is. Get yourself a wellfitted lifejacket, steel spike boots and a hi-vis rain/spray jacket. Some anglers seem to think that jackets and PFDs are fashion accessories, and prefer to wear dark colours. This isn’t a good idea. If you get into trouble, and rescuers need to locate you, it’s

OCTOBER 2024 51

NSW

Sydney

FMM

Families having a ball during the school holidays SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

During the school holidays in NSW/ Sydney, we see the coming and going of families who want to wet a line. Many of them have prepared and organized their fishing gear with gusto, hoping to get amongst a fish or two. Regardless of whether you fish with bait or lures, there are plenty of places to go and try to catch a fish or two.

Back in September there were still

have fairly deep water and it would be worth a shot at anchoring up and berleying for bream, trevally, slimy mackerel and kingfish at this time of the year. Peeled prawns, live or dead squid, half pilchards and strips of mullet would be the go. Fish as light as the conditions will allow.

Another place that’s worth a shot is the end of the third and first runways. You can also drift these areas, but remember to keep out of the way of the boats that are anchored (especially out of their berley trail).

If you’re land-based you could

Deb Loveday has been catching plenty of bream on live pink nippers and peeled prawns. She uses a running sinker down to a swivel with at least a metre of leader.

Joel Cook likes working his favourite soft plastics along the edges of the mangroves. a few places in the southern Sydney area where the water temperature was hovering around the 17°C mark.

This caused some of the fish to be a bit sluggish – until the day started to heat up. On some of my recent trips, the main place I found a few decentsized dusky flathead in the shallows was from 10am to 2pm, when the water had warmed up and they had become more active.

Glenn and Deb Loveday were among the many customers who came into the shop bragging about their great catches. They not only managed a few good-size flathead but also got a few bream and Australian salmon.

The bream and salmon were caught on half pilchards and the dusky flathead were caught on soft plastics.

A place that will be worth a shot this month in the bay for dusky flathead, bream, whiting and flounder would be along the beach from the entrance to the Cooks River and down south to Dolls Point. Try using live prawns, half pilchards, whitebait and live beach or tube worms. Don’t forget to put in a couple of small metals for the tailor and salmon and a few soft plastics for the flathead.

Mono Point, Yarra Bay, the oil wharf, Bare Island and the Drums 52 OCTOBER 2024

try the rocks off the western end of Frenchmans Beach, Browns Rock just inside Henry Head, the point at Kurnell, the groynes along Silver Beach at Kurnell and the north

Deb Loveday with a well-conditioned Australian salmon caught while fishing in the southwest arm of the Port Hacking River.

and south ends of the Captain Cooks Bridge.

The Captain Cook, Tom Uglys and Como bridges are holding a number of mulloway and bream.

Try using either live or dead squid, yellowtail and mackerel. If you can’t get those baits you could always call into Mac’s Bait Bar at Blakehurst and pick up some Hawkesbury River prawns. Sometimes they even have them live.

Further upstream in the Georges River you could try your luck at Lugarno, the Moons, Alfords Point Bridge, Picnic Point, the Cattle Duffers and the Milperra Bridge for bream, whiting, flathead, mulloway and luderick.

Even though the Woronora River is relatively small, it can be a great place to fish at this time of the year as the water starts to warm up.

The lower section of the river has a number of great land-based spots for bream, whiting, flathead, mullet and luderick.

This month, check out Google Maps and you will be able to suss out a few spots that you could try. The BCF store and Fergo’s Tackle at Taren Point also stock a couple of books that will give you some suggestions of where to try.

Salmon, tailor, bream and salmon can be lured up in the main channel or the Port Hacking River, the deep water off the Lilli Pilli flats, southwest arm and any of the deeper bays in the Port Hacking.

Offshore, there are still a few snapper, morwong, pigfish, trevally and sweep about. Those who have been drifting for flathead have been getting amongst a few sand and tiger flathead. The best baits have been half pilchards and slated slimy mackerel.

• Starting from October, the BCF store at Taren Point will be running a

fishing photo competition each month for 12 months. All you need to do is catch a fish (it doesn’t have to be big ), bring in a photo of you with it and

Glenn Loveday caught this 65cm dusky flathead while working a 4” ZMan DieZel MinnowZ in Houdini on a 2/0, 3/8oz jighead. what you lure you caught it on, and you will go into a monthly draw of a ZMan/TT’s prize pack. If you also make a small donation to Ozfish at the shop, you will receive an extra entry. Plus, if you also catch the fish on a ZMan or TT jighead, you will receive another entry. The winner will be drawn out of a hat at the shop.

NSW

Eden Coast

FMM

Throwing topwater lures early in the morning BALLINA

Anthony Melchior

We’ve had a pearler of a late flurry on the snapper, and we should still see these fish in good numbers around the bait grounds and on our shallow coastal reefs this month.

Don’t be surprised if you get a bit of bycatch out there, with reports of some big mulloway starting to make their way out of the river system and back into the shallower waters along

water temperatures are on the rise, bringing our good mates, the Spanish mackerel and spotted mackerel, into our region. A good way to catch them is with a live slimy mackerel on a live bait rig, consisting of wire trace with two trebles or two single hooks in 3/0 or 4/0 size. Pin one hook through the nose and the other through the back, about halfway down. Use at least 30lb-50lb mainline down to a wire trace, and hang on because these fellas can pull some string.

Josh with a line burner.

This small mulloway took a ZMan Slim SwimZ in Houdini that was meant for a bream. the coastline.

Plenty of pelagics are also moving in, with a fair few longtail and mac tuna in good sizes still getting around.

There are other pelagic species on the cards, too. With the warm weather we’ve been having, those READER’S

RIVERS DOWNSTREAM With this warmer weather, we are starting to see the bream spread out to all reaches of the river, with anglers catching them as far up as the Broadwater-Woodburn area.

This weather has also sparked up the big flatties on the sand flats, with

weighted jighead (around 1/8-1/4oz) with a 5-7” jerkshad-style soft plastic, to mimic a little poddy mullet or small whiting. Any natural baitfish colour will work. If the water is dirty, don’t be afraid to throw bright colours; the fish don’t mind and will still eat them.

RIVERS UPSTREAM Australian bass are a great target at this time of year, and this bass season is ramping up to be an awesome one. Right from the get-go, on day one of the open season, we were already seeing these fish up on the top, aggressively chasing baitfish and frogs off the surface.

I’ve been catching these guys on locally-made Bassman TW spinnerbaits in the 3/8-1/2oz size.

Colour 25 seems to be the best, and

with 12-16lb leader. This will give you a lot more control over the casting distance and accuracy of where you want these lures to land.

The bass have been moving their way up substantially; the amount of decent weather we have been having has allowed them to have a good spawn season downstream and make their way back up quickly with the nice

PICTURE

The Daiwa Kicker Curly mimics a small frog.

Will Jones, 14yo, was delighted to land his first fish on his new Daiwa rod. He used 10lb braid, fresh prawn, and drifted with very light sinker. He took the fish home, filleted it and made himself fish tacos to rival GYG!

54 OCTOBER 2024

The author with a nice double hook-up. increasing numbers being caught.

They are ready to feed and will eat just about anything you throw at them. If you are targeting these bigger flats-dwellers, try throwing a lightly-

it’s been a favourite of mine for years in these local rivers. I recommend using a baitcaster combo ranging from a 3-5kg rod 6ft-7ft rod, with a 100-150 size reel using 20lb mainline

clean water. You can catch these guys around the Coraki-Lismore area of the river, and even up the Richmond arm from Coraki. I recommend throwing topwater lures early and using spinnerbaits and hardbody lures as the day gets warmer.

I will also be giving the jigs a workout this year, and I will report back in the November edition about how these have been working for me.

Until then, tight lines, and go and catch a big one.

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NSW

Coffs Coast

FMM

Hectic sessions on spring snapper in close lures are the most popular methods for chasing jacks, and you can use either small yellowtail or poddy mullet for livies. Live prawns are also a top bait when floated into the snags.

When it comes to lures, plastics and traditional crankbaits are the pick, but

COFFS COAST

Rob Taylor

There’s been some solid striped marlin fishing off the Coffs coast this past month. A few boats have reported pack attacks of hungry stripies crashing spreads out past the 100m line, and while it may take a few trolling hours to find them, a pack of striped marlin entering the spread certainly gets the pulse racing.

There have also been some fairly good-sized yellowfin turning up out wide, with fish up to 50kg being taken trolling, cubing and on topwater. The only way to find ‘fin is to head east and look for signs such as temperature breaks, birds on bait or bust-ups. If that all fails, an old sold-school trail can sometimes bring the fish to you.

Yellowfin tuna fishing has always been a

Snapper are a big hit at this time of year as they’re in so close you only need a kayak. hit-and-miss affair off Coffs, but if you can find those days when the schools are out there and on the chew, you can strike gold.

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Closer to shore, there have been some great snapper catches in around the 20-40m reefs on both bait and plastics. Plenty of pearlies and trag are out a bit wider, and there have been a few reports of sambos down around The Patch. Pre-dawn sessions with live baits and berley is the usual way to find sambos, and you may need to sound around a bit to find exactly which rock they are sitting on. They’re an often overlooked fish but trust me on this: when you come across a hot sambo bite with 15kg-20kg fish smashing livies, you’re in for one hell of a session.

On the land, bass season has

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October is one of the best months for striped marlin. officially opened, mangrove jacks are starting to fire, and some big flatties are turning up in the estuaries. There’s also been plenty of tailor and drummer off the rocks and loads of bream in the beach gutters, so spring has definitely arrived and the fishing will only improve as we leave winter behind us.

CREEKS AND RIVERS As always at this time of year, mangrove jack fishos start getting twitchy as the first reports of red devils start filtering through the local pubs.

There’s been some great fish taken already this season, and by the time you read this we’ll be heading into the start of jack season proper. Live baits and

A typical mixed bag for this time of year. jacks will smash pretty much anything if presented correctly. Look to the rock walls around Urunga and Nambucca or try the snags in the upper reaches of just about any local creek or river system, and you’ll find jacks. The marina at night holds some truly monstrous fish for those brave enough to drop a livie down amongst the pylons. Good luck getting them out.

If wading the flats with big glidebaits chasing that elusive big flattie is more your pace then October is one of the best months to be doing it. Again, any of the local systems can hold big flathead. I recommend walking them on dead low tide and look for lies, structure and drop-offs; the fish will return to these spots when the tide fills in. Understanding where flathead like to lie, waiting for their prey, is key to determining what areas to target.

There are so many lures on the market these days specifically for flathead that you really need to head into your local tackle store and pick what’s best for you. Otherwise, live poddy mullet are a gun bait for big flathead. Drift them lightly weighted so they are at or near the bottom, and you’ll find a fish without too much trouble.

ROCKS AND BEACHES It’s a funny old time off the rocks at this time of year as it can be dead as a doornail given the pelagics have largely gone, and although the weather is warming, the water temp can still be quite chilly, leaving limited options. Old faithfuls such as drummer, tailor, bream and luderick can still be relied on for an entertaining session, and if it’s

Coffs Coast NSW

FMM

Rising temperatures provide new opportunities SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Vic Levett

Things are starting to heat up now, both on the land and at sea. October on the mid north coast means the first push of warm ocean currents, and with it, hopefully plenty of big mahimahi. The river fishing should also improve, with the return of some big flathead.

100m and beyond have been holding big schools of slimy mackerel and the marlin have been gorging on the abundance of baitfish. I heard of boats getting double-digit shots while skip baiting around the bait balls. These fish should stick around until at least November, and then we should see some blacks moving in. Like all fishing, find the bait and predators won’t be too far away.

October should see the first of

Snapper are on offer throughout October.

Snapper and pearl perch have been going well on the deeper reefs, with slabs of slimy mackerel doing the job.

Most of the headlands have had goods

the local tackle shops, along with pre-rigged floats and leaders. The last of the incoming tide is the best time to catch luderick, and any of the deeper

The big girls should be out and about with the warmer water.

There have been plenty of luderick caught along the break walls.

the mahimahi being caught, and the DPI FAD will be your best bet in the coming weeks. At this time of year, water temperatures can determine whether they bite well or not. Early in the season, cool water of 19°C can make the fish finicky feeders, and only the liveliest of baits and reasonably light leaders will attract a response.

There have been good reports from anglers targeting kings around Fish Rock in recent weeks. October should see plenty of surface activity for anglers stickbaiting and popping for kingies around the rock.

a big fish you’re after, mulloway are certainly on the cards this month.

Big crankbaits such as a Jollip Cunje Buster or oversized paddle tail plastics are great lures for finding

a big mulloway. Keeping them in the whitewater, and retrieving with a slow roll, is all that’s needed to get a jew to strike. The country they are found in makes it very challenging to extract the

OFFSHORE September saw some great striped marlin caught, along with the odd yellowfin tuna. Reefs in depths of

Mahimahi always turn up at this time of year, so bring some livies if you’re heading out wide. A live slimy is deadly on these big bulls.

Spring on the mid north coast means mahimahi! numbers of tailor and trevally on offer.

A few offshore mulloway have also been turning up.

ESTUARY The river has been producing good numbers of luderick, with some quality fish amongst them. Green weed and cabbage is available from big ones, but that’s half the fun.

There will be some good tailor fishing off both the rocks and beaches this month, and I for one will be on the sand chasing choppers as it’s bloody good fun.

OFFSHORE Offshore can be quiet this month for pelagics although, as mentioned, striped marlin are plentiful out on the shelf. October usually sees good numbers of yellowtail kingfish turn up at the islands, and some of these fish can be quite large.

There will also be a few mahimahi turning up at the FAD and wave recorder buoys, and the early-season fish tend to be larger. There’s usually the odd bull mahi getting about this month and an unweighted live slimy flicked at the FAD is a deadly effective way to target these fish.

It wouldn’t be a Coffs report without mentioning snapper, and this month is traditionally a good

sections of the river wall should hold good numbers this month.

October is big flathead time on the Macleay, with plenty of good fish taking both lures and live baits. Just be mindful of the slot limit. If in doubt, check out the rules and regulations online or with the DPI app.

Bass season is now open and October is a great month to chase them. month for chasing reds. Any of the reefs in 20-40m of water should hold reds, and there have been some hectic floatline sessions lately, so don’t overlook a good old bait session. You can have a ball when the reds are on.

OCTOBER 2024 57

NSW

Macquarie Coast

FMM

Prime time fishing on the Macquarie Coast PORT MACQUARIE

Kate Shelton

The start of spring has provided multiple opportunities for anglers to capitalise on the favourable weather conditions on the Macquarie Coast. The local waterways were bustling with activity as enthusiasts

David Henry landed an impressive snapper off Port Macquarie using soft plastics. Image courtesy of @davehenro.

taken advantage of optimum conditions.

Australian bass, renowned for their ravenous appetites, are not overly picky when it comes to lures. A wide array of surface lures, including poppers, divers, frogs, cicadas, and more, can be highly effective. To maximise your chances of success, target shaded areas, overhanging branches, submerged logs, and rocky structures. Remember, the early morning and late evening hours often prove to be the most productive for bass fishing.

In the Hastings River, the luderick activity has slowed slightly in the lower reaches. However, the break walls continue to yield results when targeting with green weed or sea cabbage. Bream fishing has seen an increase in fish numbers, with Limeburners Creek boasting some impressive specimens.

Yabbies and mullet gut have proven to be effective baits. Flathead numbers remain consistent, and good-sized fish can be found between Settlement Point and Rawdon Island. Lures and whitebait have been successful for these elusive predators.

Additionally, there have been reports of mud crabs emerging in the deeper

have been consistent, with early-morning anglers enjoying the best results. Offshore, kingfish numbers have been on the rise, with mid-week anglers landing fish up to 8kg. Live bait has been the preferred method, although leatherjackets have occasionally posed a challenge. A few nice snapper have also been caught, with lures proving effective for the larger specimens.

Heading south to the Camden Haven River region, the beaches have been intermittently visited by schools of salmon, which have been readily attracted to small metal lures. Tailor have also been accompanying the salmon, although in smaller numbers. Both North Haven Beach and Rainbow Beach have been holding reasonable numbers of bream and whiting. For those seeking mulloway, the Lake Cathie area has continued to

Brett Fuller with a fantastic snapper he caught on a soft plastic off the Camden Haven.

Olly Henry loves out-fishing his dad on snapper. Image courtesy of @davehenro.

of all ages took to the water in search of their next catch.

Freshwater fishing was particularly popular; with the bass season opening in September, many local anglers have

sections of the river. For those fishing off the rocks, Point Plomer and Queens Head have delivered above-average tailor, while the area under the Lighthouse has produced respectable catches. Bream

produce the best results for school-sized fish. Offshore in the Camden Haven area, snapper have been plentiful on most reefs, with a mix of plate-sized fish and larger specimens up to 6kg. Soft plastics and anchoring and bereyling have been the most successful techniques for targeting the bigger fish. Further offshore, kingfish numbers have increased, with knife jigs

Mud crabs are on the move at the moment, and fresh out of their winter hibernation. Back Creek and up around Stuarts Point are good areas to focus on.

There have been plenty of garfish in the river and they should stick around for most of October.

ROCK AND BEACH Big tailor have been patrolling the headlands, and there have also been some nice GTs and bigeye trevally mixed in with them. Bream and drummer continue to turn up in good numbers. If bream are your main quarry, try around any of the wharves.

Hopefully, October will produce some low swell periods that will allow access to some lower ledges

where the mulloway have been holding. Try fresh, lightly-weighted squid in amongst the deeper sections of wash.

With Christmas only a couple of months away, now is the time to visit the mid north coast while the crowds are at a minimum and the

Rocco Robinson hauled in this great kingfish from the depths off Port Macquarie, fishing in 150m using a Bay Explorer Marine deep drop rig.

58 OCTOBER 2024

Spring is a great time to target offshore mulloway.

and live bait resulting in the best catches.

• Kate Shelton is the proud owner of Bay Explorer Marine Services, and she specialises in making deep-drop fishing rigs for blue-eye trevalla, bar cod, kingfish, and bass groper. For more info look up ‘Bay Explorer Marine Services’ on Facebook and Instagram, or find her store on eBay. land temperatures aren’t too hot.

While you’re here, be sure to drop in to our local tackle shops to keep up with what’s biting, and most of all, stay bent.

• Vic Levett and his son Zane run Oceanhunter Sportfishing charters out of the beautiful South West Rocks.

They target all manner of sports fish from king fish, mackerel, cobia and all way through to the famous black marlin of Trial Bay. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced angler, the boys will put you onto the best fish available. To find out more visit www.Oceansportsfishing.com. au, Insta Ohsportfishing, Facebook Oceanhunter Sportsfishing. Email vic@oceansportsfishing.com.au, or call 0414 906 569.

Macquarie Coast NSW

FMM

Plenty of fall-back options on windy spring days FORSTER

Luke Austin

Wind, wind and more wind has been the status quo of late. It’s to be expected at this time of the year, and anglers are used to it, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying!

On a positive note, there are plenty of fish about, particularly in the estuary.

If you can get out early and beat the wind, you will enjoy some great fishing.

The flathead fishing has been amazing within Wallis Lake lately.

There are loads of fish spread all over the place and plenty of big girls on the move, if you are keen to chase that trophy fish. It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re fishing the rivers up near the fresh or the rock walls down near the mouth – you have a good chance of finding a flathead just about anywhere.

By far the easiest way to score a nice bag of lizards is to flick some lures about. If you tie on a 3-4” soft plastic or soft vibe style lure and target dropoffs and weed edges on the run-out tide, you are almost guaranteed to get results! If you prefer bait fishing, drift the same areas with whitebait, prawns, pilchards or strips of mullet, and you should run into a few fish.

Unfortunately, the bream fishing has been a bit tricky to figure out.

Finding numbers of fish isn’t hard but finding the better-sized fish is difficult.

There seem to be fish spread all over the place but not many over 30cm.

Your best bet for the larger specimens still seems to be way down low on the rock walls or in The Paddock complex of oyster leases. This is not unusual for spring; the fish are still settling back down after their winter spawning run.

We should see the river and flats fishing pick up in the coming weeks.

Local luderick anglers are

It’s flathead time! Alan caught this nice fish from the northern rock wall.

continuing to enjoy what has been a fairly drawn-out season down along the rock walls. While the fish are not quite as thick as they were, there are plenty of big fish schooled up in the bottom quarter or so of the estuary.

This year’s trumpeter whiting season really kicked off with a boom, with boats reporting some great catches on most days. The fish are taking all sorts of baits, from worms and yabbies through to more unusual baits like strips of tailor! Sand whiting have also kicked into gear now, and while they are not super active on the surface bite, those anglers drifting a bit of worm or yabby have found some very nice fish.

Aussie bass are a great option this month.

There’s nothing better than early morning sessions on big reds.

Charlie had a ball landing this beautiful fish as the sun came up.

A great option on the windy days is to sneak away from the coast to explore some of the local freshwater creeks.

We are lucky to have some really good Australian bass fishing right on our doorstop, and September is a great month to start targeting them. Fishing for them is fairly easy; a light-ish spin rod running 8-12lb braid and 10-15lb leader is a good way to start, and most of your bream/flathead lures will work fine. If you would like to pick up some more specific bass lures, you could try an imitation cicada or mouse, small spinnerbait or football jigs. Like all fishing, the key to bass fishing is to fish structure. As long as your offering is close to the timber or rocks, you are in with a chance.

We’re in the middle of an ‘in between’ period along our beaches, but there have still been a few anglers hitting the sand in search of a feed. The tailor season was an absolute cracker this year, with loads of fish and a great average size, which made for some very happy anglers. While the bulk of the fish have moved on now, there are still some very nice tailor to be caught for those wishing to put the time in.

Fishing the low-light times is your best bet, with big slab baits or pilchards working well once the sun sets.

Soaking a worm in the gutters is

always a good option during spring, and it’s hard to beat a tasty mixed bag of whiting, bream, dart and flathead.

Reports from the stones have been non-existent of late. For those wishing to have a crack there is the odd kingfish about down south, but this time of the year is generally fairly lean when it comes to rock fishing.

Getting offshore has been difficult

with the incessant winds we’ve had to deal with. Those early morning windows of opportunity have been fleeting but definitely worth doing if you have the chance, with some great snapper fishing to be had in close.

The shallow bite window is still fairly narrow, with some great fish to be caught right around dawn and dusk.

Outside of those times you are much better off heading out into the deeper stuff to chase a nice mixed bag. Reefs out in 40-80m continue to deliver some great fish; snapper, trag, pearl perch and flathead are all fishing consistently well, with trag being a stand-out among the species. I have also heard a few whispers of some early season mahimahi out there, so make sure you pack a few lures just in case!

• Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle - your ‘local’ bait and tackle store. We only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where you can go to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! Open 7 Days in the main street of Tuncurry Ph:02 6554 9541 or find us on Facebook to see what we have been up to!

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OCTOBER 2024 59

NSW

Hunter Coast

FMM

Flathead numbers rise around Port Stephens PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Inside the estuary you’ll find good numbers of flathead, which are only getting better as we approach the summer months. Early-season lizards are still working their way down the system for their spawning run so you’ll find most of the fish upstream around Karuah, Oyster Cove, Tilligerry Creek and the Myall River.

Flathead catches are increasing as we approach summer.

The mouths of feeder creeks are always a hot spot this time of year as flatties know there is a constant source of food, especially on the run-out tide when prey is sucked out into the main channels. Prawn-style lures like Squidgy Prawns and Pro Lure Clone Prawns are often dynamite at this time of year in these environments. As the tide drains and the water gets shallow, don’t be afraid to throw surface lures right up there as flathead will often be holding in less than 20cm of water.

Surface lures will also begin to fire for other species such as bream and

whiting, and it’s a really exciting way to fish. For whiting, focus your efforts on top of the tide over intertidal zones like Corlette, Tahlee, and Taylors Beach areas with lures like Sugapens and Splash Prawns. You will catch some flathead and bream as by-catch doing this form of fishing. If you want to specifically target bream on surface, you want to zero in around shallow structure-based areas, such as rock bars, oyster racks, sunken timber and wrecks.

Mulloway are starting to wake up, and the Karuah Bridge on a tide change is as good as anywhere to catch one right now. Set yourself up with a 20lb outfit and a 5-7” paddle-tail lure rigged on a 3/8oz jighead or a soft vibe style lure and you’re in with a real shot.

If you’re bait fishing and land-based you can’t beat the Nelson Bay rock wall and Marina. There are always quality bream hanging around these parts and mulloway and kingfish are also options at this time of year. Luderick are starting to slow a little bit but they’re still a productive target species – you just need to work a little harder this time of year.

BEACHES From now on the beaches will start to fish really well for the likes of bream and whiting as well as mulloway. One of the best ways to fish the beaches is a double paternoster rig with #4 longshank hooks, with live worms or pipis.

Fishing this way, you can quickly rack up a mixed bag of species, especially around those times when the high tide is corresponding with early mornings or late afternoons.

Dawn and dusk periods you should be able to find plenty of tailor on Box Beach, Fingal Bay and Samurai beaches by throwing out and retrieving ganged pilchards or garfish. Alternatively, and my preferred method is a 20-40g metal lure or stickbait as it will have similar success without having to change your bait all the time.

OFFSHORE Offshore charter boats are

There are some nice bream getting around at the moment.

60 OCTOBER 2024

The author with a quality snapper. reporting good numbers of trag and nice size snapper coming from the Gibber, 21 and Vee reefs. Nothing special as far as techniques when fishing these places with the good old-fashioned double paternoster rig rigged with a 5/0 suicide hook baited with a bit of squid or slimy mackerel.

While you’ll catch snapper on soft plastic lures on the deeper reefs too, they really come into their own fishing

10-25m of depth on reefy pinnacles and reef edges of our offshore islands.

Depending of current wind and depth and drift speed jighead size should be from around 1/4-1/2oz and lure size around 5-7”. Perhaps the most iconic snapper lure is the Gulp Jerkshad variety but plenty of others work amazingly well like Squidgy Prawns and Flick Baits and Pro Lure Prey Minnows.

SWANSEA

you don’t have an aerator, you’ll need to replace the water regularly, especially in hot weather. You can also opt to dip the worms in metho and freeze them. You might think the smell would deter the fish, but that hasn’t been my experience.

I have caught some smoking whiting off the beach on metho worms.

If you can’t get tube worms, you can use live prawns or yabbies (pink nippers).

Just remember there aren’t many yabbies around in Lake Macquarie, so you’ll have to gather them elsewhere and bring them with you.

In recent weeks we’ve started to see a lot more flathead as they transition back to the channel, settling in shallower water in the estuary. Vibe lures may work well in deep water in winter, but at this time of year I recommend switching to soft plastics in 1-3m of water. I prefer grubtail and paddle-tail plastics because their tails have a great action at slow speeds.

You can use a jerkshad-style plastic if you prefer, but it does need lots of angler input, or it just looks like a stick in the water. A good size for jerkshads is around 3-4” on lighter jigheads from 1/8-1/4oz.

A good size for paddle-tail/grub-tail plastics is 4-5” on a 1/4-1/2oz jighead, depending on the depth and current.

You can slow-roll them with light pauses, keeping in contact with the bottom.

Make half a dozen winds, pause, give a slight flick, another six rolls, pause, and so on. The pauses let the jighead touch the bottom and create puffs of sand (with weed, you obviously want to keep above that). Remember, if you’re

A feast in the estuaries Jason Nunn

The prawn runs are paramount for species like whiting, bream and flathead, and in early September, we were already seeing small prawns along the shoreline of Swansea Channel and Lake Macquarie.

An early prawn run in September means that whiting will start to increase throughout the estuary and on our beaches. Throughout winter, a lot of sand whiting lose condition, often becoming so thin they aren’t worth keeping.

They may reach 40cm in length, but if you fillet them they’re like a rolled-up Sunday Telegraph. However, after 4-5 nights of eating prawns, they quickly gain condition.

We may see a small prawn run from 28th September through until 6 October, and then a better run from 25 October until 1 November). Prawning is good for the kids in the holidays; just take a couple of scoops, walk the edge and scoop them up. On the bigger runs, you can soon get a few kilos of eating-size prawns.

Bream and whiting are good targets over the flats at this time of year. The best bait is tube worms, but none of the stores sell them now. At the time of writing, the only way to get some is to order them from Tube Worms To You, and have them delivered. You can order them at www.facebook.com/tubewormstoyou or text 0461 570 856. The minimum order is $30 for a delivery, or less if you buy direct at the boat ramp.

To keep your worms alive, keep them in saltwater in a cool, dark place. If

Hunter Coast NSW

FMM

October marks a turning point for many species

The run of salmon along our rocks and beaches will continue this month.

the year, but now is the time when I get more serious about targeting them. I have a few of my own flatty spots close to home where it’s not too much trouble to score a few 50-60cm fish – a perfect size for the fry pan. Nowadays, I release most fish species that I catch, but unfortunately for the flatties, they’re at the top of my culinary list!

Flathead are widespread around our local waterways. If you’re not sure where to start, I would suggest The Entrance, Toukley Bridge, Woy Woy and the Gosford end, and out from the mouths of Erina or Narara. Chances are, if you fish near a bridge, you’re likely to catch a flathead.

There’s an enormous variety of soft plastics and other lure types around these days, with more coming onto the market all the time. You get different sponsored anglers heaping praise on this or that, and yes, I do the same. If a lure works well, I’m quick to let people know. However, the truth is, your specific lure choice is rarely as important as timing your outing during a peak feeding period, being persistent and putting in a lot of casts, moving around and thinking about your tactics as you go. Some anglers who seem to be lucky may simply be fishing twice as much as the average person, or they might live right next to an awesome spot. The lures they choose obviously get the job done, but when you look at their pics, just remember that the lure in the fish’s mouth may only be a small piece of the puzzle.

Having said that, there are obviously

some lures that work more consistently than others, depending on what species you’re targeting. The lures to use for flathead in our part of the world are typically 80-140mm plastics that resemble the profile of a baitfish or prawn, ideally in light or natural colours.

Some anglers also like sinking vibes, with two treble hooks. While vibes certainly work well, I strongly favour the typical plastic/jighead combo for flathead, as it makes de-hooking the fish so much easier. These is also much less chance of a fish being hooked deeply down the throat, whereas a lure fitted with treble hooks becomes a real issue and detrimental to the fish.

Bream have also become more active in recent weeks, and I’ve been into quite a few fish in the lakes already. With reasonably good rainfall this year and the water temperatures increasing now, we’re

not picking up the odd bit of weed or shell on your hooks, you’re going too fast. The slower, the better.

Throughout September, salmon numbers were incredible, not only along the coast but in the estuary itself. Airforce Channel has been very productive for salmon, and no doubt that will continue throughout October.

At this time last year, while fishing for whiting with worms, we were inundated with salmon.

Quite a few mulloway were caught in September, which is typical for early spring.

Tailor numbers have dwindled, and we have to wait until the new year before they move back into the estuary.

There are some very nice blue swimmer crabs around, and their numbers will increase throughout October and November as temperatures rise. The crabs began to leave the deeper water in September, and will move into shallower water in summer. In the meantime, 6-9m is the best depth.

While fishing for blue swimmers in Lake Macquarie, you are still allowed four witches hats and two enclosed traps.

The circumference of the entrances must be no more than 60cm, which equates to around 30cm wide for your typical flattened entrance. Rectangular

traps can kill green sea turtles, so I prefer circular traps. If you do have rectangular traps, ensure the entrances are cable-tied to decrease the width.

BEACH When it comes to beach fishing, October is tough. Salmon are still in reasonable numbers, but there’s not much else until the end of the month, when we should start to see bream and a few whiting as the water warms.

Mulloway tend to be bigger on the beach (around 12-15kg) than in the lake, and their numbers will increase as temperatures rise. The full moon falls on 17 October, so if you’re after a beach mulloway I’d get into it from then. If you can coincide your trip with a low barometer, so much the better. Big strip baits or squid are the go for these fish, and at this time of year, your baits are less likely to be stolen by tailor, etc.

ROCKS There are still a few drummer, bream and trevally around, but we shouldn’t expect too much this month because the water temperature isn’t ideal. This is typical of spring, and the ever-increasing northeasterly winds can be frustrating.

OFFSHORE October is a hard month for offshore anglers, with the northeasters rolling the water over and changing the

temperature. Some days you’ll catch a few reds, flatties and mowies, while on other days you’ll really struggle. It’s not my preferred month to fish offshore, but if the northeasters back off there are still plenty of opportunities to go out to the Farm or Texas and fish the deeper water for snapper and kings. Just be mindful of the dreaded northeaster, because when it blows in spring, it’s often 25 knots and can blow for days.

Out wide, we had a good run in early September for yellowfin around 30-35kg. We’ve already been seeing striped marlin as well, and in the coming weeks their numbers will hopefully increase off our part of the coast.

• Fisherman’s Warehouse Marine, run

by Patrick Nunn, is your one-stop shop for outboard sales, repairs and servicing. They are the local Honda outboard dealer (sales and service), and also service Yamaha, Mercury, Suzuki, and Tohatsu outboards, and sell spare parts. For more information call 02 4945 2152, email enquiries@ fishermanswarehouse.com.au, or drop in and see the guys at 4/2 Suite Street, Warners Bay. Subscribe to the Swansea Fishing Report YouTube channel or the Fisherman’s Warehouse Marine Facebook page for weekly Swansea fishing reports.

CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

Aside from the fact that it warmed up a bit earlier this year, we’ve had a pretty typical spring so far, with a bit of everything thrown into the mix. We’re also starting to get out of that ‘between seasons’ period, which means more reliable fishing ahead.

Flathead are normally the best bet around Brisbane Waters and the lakes this month. I catch a few right through

The author has enjoyed some excellent rock fishing lately, with some solid bream hooked on baits and while fly fishing.

going to see more bream on the chew, and they’ll be willing to take a lure, fly or bait. Prawns, shrimp and baitfish are all increasing in numbers now so there’s more food for the bream and flathead to get excited about.

Of course, whiting also get in on the act and we’ll be seeing more of those in the coming weeks. Although they will smash lures at times, it’s definitely hard to beat good quality baits like beach worms, blood worms, pink nippers or freshly caught local prawns. The Entrance and some of the tidal flats around the middle to lower parts of Brisbane Waters are prime whiting locations.

BEACH FISHING Salmon have still been the main catch off the beach lately, and that trend will continue this month. While numbers of sambos may start to dwindle a bit in the coming weeks, we often see some bigger models caught around this time of year.

A lot of them have battle scars from seals, dolphins and sharks.

A few bream, tailor, flathead and mulloway can also be expected in the surf zone this month, so it’s a mixed bag, but salmon are definitely the main player.

ROCKS The rocks have been fairly productive lately, with salmon, bream, luderick and drummer caught along the length of the coast. I’ve scored a few solid bream from the rocks at Norah Head and Munmorah, and have also had a few failed trips, which can be expected in late winter and early spring. Although there are fish around, October can still be a bit patchy along the inshore stretch, as colder currents and westerly winds don’t do anglers any favours.

OFFSHORE The fishing has been going well out wide, with a good season for tuna, and a number of bigger fish caught this season.

Back in the middle grounds and closer to shore, kingfish, bonito, snapper,

Smaller sand flathead are common along the surf zone at this time of year. This one snatched a lure from a local rock ledge while the author was chasing salmon. trevally and salmon have been the main species caught. October is a real turning point though, with most keen offshore anglers shifting their attention to the upcoming warm water pelagic season.

So, keep an eye on that all-important east coast sea surface temperature on the internet, or via your chosen phone app.

OCTOBER 2024 61

NSW

Illawarra Coast

FMM

It’s time to set sights on a better class of fish ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

Let’s not get too excited, but this month we can start thinking bigger for many of the species we’ve been waiting for over the cooler months.

The water is starting to get warmer, bringing the baitfish, and following them well, you know how it goes.

The improvements are everywhere, from the wide offshore pelagics to flatties up the creeks, so this month we can really sink our teeth into some good fishing.

With the warmer water, the mulloway really get cracking on the beaches and have an appetite for large soft plastics. One thing we have learnt over the past few seasons is that they are not as fussy about time and tide,

Quite often when you hook a fish there will be more than one in the area. Jewies travel in schools and they will hang around on the same beach, even holding in the same gutter for days at a time. It’s best not to let your ego get in the way if you find a few fish. It doesn’t take long for the word to spread and you won’t get a toehold on the beach the next day if you say too much.

The tough part is finding where they are. To do this, you often have to put in one heck of a lot of casts. Some of the more switched-on anglers have found that dropping in line class has improved their catches markedly as they are now getting more distance to work the deeper parts of the gutters further from shore, resulting in more hook-ups. Sure, you lose the odd fish, and the fight lasts a little longer, but

Light lines and small lures will produce a whole lot of fun this month. when using plastics as they seem to be when using baits, be they alive or cut.

I suppose we have become accustomed to lobbing a bait into the surf and hoping one of the sensors of a mulloway will find it when they are in hunting mode. Then, with a bit of luck, it will actually eat that bait.

This is directly opposed to the active pursuit of your quarry by working casts to every part of the gutters, holes and rock edges in and around the surf zone with very lifelike artificial imitations of what mulloway like to eat.

You are now placing a food source right into the strike zone of a predator that will, on most occasions, have a crack at your presentation through instinct rather than hunger (but hunger is probably a factor, too).

All fish have to be ready to strike on impulse when something resembling food comes into range. If they don’t it could mean the difference between having the energy to keep healthy or going hungry and losing condition.

If it is not to their liking they can always spit it back out as they often do with baits.

62 OCTOBER 2024

that is way better than not hooking anything at all. You only need one fish now and then for a feed anyway; the fun is in the fishing.

Then there is the by-catch.

Some monster flatties live on the local beaches, and they are rarely taken on baits; they get wiser with age. However, there has been a remarkable number of large flatties falling for large soft plastics during spring and early summer, particularly if we get a bit of rain to flush the creeks out. It is surprising how many big fish live in the small local creeks.

Once flushed, they move around, looking to get back into an estuary.

Many of the small creeks get very shallow quickly after a flush, and the bigger fish can’t get back in, so they sometimes have to travel quite some distance.

If you want a feed of flatties, head to Lake Illawarra as they are starting to get moving now the water is warm in the shallows, and the baitfish and prawns are on the move. The main channel and the drop-off area are the places to target.

While you are there you might

want to swap the bottom bouncing soft plastics for a little surface popper and see if you can score a surface smashing whiting. It seems to be the way to go these days, and you don’t catch small ones. The entrance has been producing a few whiting on worms, so why not try your hand at some popper practice?

If you prefer something a bit more sedate there are some nice blackfish along the edges of the weed beds taking both weed and squirt worms, if you can get them, and if something smashes your float as you wind in, it could well be a salmon as there have been a few between the bridge and the entrance on the rising tide.

Bream have also become a bit more active as the prawns start to move. The rocky shorelines around the islands and the reef at Mt Warrigal have been producing some nice fish, as is the deep water around the main bridge pylons late in the afternoon.

Minnamurra is much the same as the lake – there are flatties on the move, whiting are starting to feed on the flats from the entrance to the bridges, and some nice blackfish along the weed beds on the falling tide.

Apart from the mulloway on the beaches, there are plenty of salmon willing to take pilchards on ganged hooks. The bonus is there have been some extra-large tailor mixed with them, particularly during the evenings.

Coniston Beach behind the golf links, Fairy Meadow and Coalcliff have thrown up some good tailor over 3kg of late. Fish this size are not a certainty but the smaller fish are on the chew most evenings.

Whiting are about and will improve over the coming weeks. The best beaches are Windang and Warilla with beach worms (although you will still get more salmon on the worms at the moment than whiting). Throw in the odd bream and it’s worth a look

Snapper are still about, particularly during the evenings.

A few mulloway will be around this month. on most beaches this month.

While the water is warming it is still cool enough to keep the drummer on the bite. Most of the ledges hold good fish at the moment with prawns, cunje and cabbage weed all producing. The deeper ledges have a few trevally hanging about. If you use a bit of bread and tuna oil for berley, you may even score the odd snapper, too.

For a bit faster action, schools of surface feeders have been active along the break walls at Port Kembla and the deeper ledges like Bass Point, Bombo, Kiama and Hill 60 so an early morning session tossing lures could pay dividends in kings, bonito, trevally, salmon and even a mackerel or striped tuna. Put in a bit of time gathering some live yellowtail or slimy mackerel and there are some better kings and the odd larger mackerel tuna about as well.

Offshore the action is really starting to get moving even for the bottom bouncers, as the flathead get their heads out of the sand and start feeding as the baitfish start moving along the coast.

Over the reefs there are a few small snapper and the odd larger fish that liked what it saw in the area and stayed around after the cuttlefish run.

Throw in a few samsonfish, mowies, pigfish and a few sweep, and you will get a feed. leatherjackets and barracoota are still a pest over most flathead spots but you just have to learn to live with them.

Things are starting to heat up on the sport and game fishing scene.

Along the coast, schools of salmon, bonito, kings and tuna are feeding on small baitfish providing plenty of fun for those tossing lures about.

Further offshore, it gets better, with yellowfin tuna and albacore still making a show out on the shelf.

Finding them is not hard because

Batemans Coast NSW

FMM

The flow-on effects of an early start to spring BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

When we experience temperatures at 20-29°C on the South Coast from mid-August on, we can say spring has already begun.

We had a fairly good winter up until the beginning of the unseasonably warm temperatures.

One of the most popular predators is the metre flatty. Everyone wants to catch a metrey, and spring is the time of the year for it. Now that the shallows are warming up with some decent sun, fishos will be tying on expensive glidebaits to their medium to medium-heavy set-ups. You can use a 3000 to 4000 size reel on a 7’6” to 8’0” rod that can cast larger lures long distances, or a cod set-up

Phil caught this blue mowie when drummer fishing.

Flacky gets excited when it’s snapper season.

You could always get a bream or flattie in the estuary, salmon and tailor on the beach, drummer, bream, snapper from the rocks, snapper and flattie inshore reef fishing and tuna very wide, or trevalla, ling or perch around the shelf. However, most things pulled up by mid-August. At that point, many anglers switched to chasing luderick, which showed strong consistency along our break walls, estuaries, lakes and ledges.

Now we have early hot air temperatures and water quickly warming up, we are already seeing signs of life. There are lots of baitfish around; yellowtail scad (yakkas) are already schooling in the estuary and there are plenty of big schools of slimy mackerel inshore. This provides a great food source for predators.

like a Curado 300 or 13 Concept A3 on a 7’6” swimbait rod, such as a Zodius, Expride, Miller or G.Loomis.

There’s a lot to pick from these days.

You don’t need the most expensive lure either; the Powerbait Nessies are great and come in 5”, 7” and 9” sizes, and cost between $10-$15, plus they are scented.

If you do want to spend a bit more money on a hardbody you can’t go past the Molix Glidebaits in the white and whiting colours. For surface junkies that want that strike off the top, I recommend the Berkley Pro Tech Bender, which comes in three sizes and is also inexpensive.

We should be seeing whiting show up more and more from now on.

They tend to be quite frisky and take surface lures as early as September,

the birds give them away. Even though you can’t see any fish, you will see terns, shearwaters, gannets, and albatross gathered over one area in the middle of nowhere. You need look no further. Troll or set up a cube trail, and hopefully it won’t be long before the action starts.

Often when trolling, you won’t see any surface action. However, shortly after you stop and it gets quiet again, the fish will often come to the top and start feeding again, and you can get right on top of them with a cube trail. They can be frustrating when they are feeding on sauries, but with a bit of persistence you will catch good fish.

With so much food about, this

is traditionally big mako time, and it’s not uncommon to have several large sharks visit your berley trail on any day. Just remember to take a few live baits out when you head wide because a big yellowtail set back will often tempt a big yellowfin tuna that is boat-shy and wary of cubes. There could also be a few striped marlin hanging about looking for an easy meal during October.

Don’t forget that the first dark of this month heralds the first run of prawns in the lake. Their numbers are not like they used to be before the lake was opened permanently, but you can still get a few for bait, and some nights you can catch enough for a feed. Happy fishing.

so we should see them move into the estuaries and along the beaches in greater numbers in the coming weeks. As we move into the warmer months, worms and nippers will be the most popular baits.

Mulloway is another species that picks up in the estuary during September and October. Spring and/ or Autumn are the best times in the estuary for these great fish. They tend to congregate up the front of the estuary and use the town’s lights to prey on baitfish at night, especially during tide changes either side of a new or full moon. A lot of fishos in years gone by and up until now have used live mullet, yakkas and tailor, or strips of fresh squid or fresh fish fillets with great success. If you are tying on a lure, then hard and soft baits around that 4-5” will do the trick. The Squidgie 100mm Fish in black and gold or silverfox is a classic.

Moving out onto our rock ledges, we have had a great run of luderick, drummer and the odd snapper. This should continue throughout spring, and you can expect salmon, tailor and bream as bycatch. Also in our rocky bays, on the ends of beaches where there is weed, and at our boat ramps you can expect squid to be in reasonable numbers from September and into October. It is a good time of the year for them, whereas in the summer months they tend to slow down.

Inshore reef fishing from the boat starts to really pick up for snapper as we move into a heavy spawning period. This is probably the best time of the year for snapper in good numbers in 60-80m depths. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: October and or November could be a great time to put a restriction on this species so we can ensure that we have them in the future. But until that happens, fishos will be out making the most of the good fishing while

the snapper are congregated in great numbers. All you need is a 40-80g micro jig and they’ll climb all over it when you find a decent school.

On the game fishing front, we have experienced a bit of a lacklustre season in comparison to recent years,

Plenty of snapper can be expected this month. Naite Turner has been getting some good catches lately. so I’m not sure if we’ll see that crazy inshore yellowfin tuna bite that can occur throughout spring. But you never know, we’ll keep our eyes peeled and I’ll keep you posted. If anything, we might see some tuna action out near the shelf as in previous years, and it may be in the way of albacore if not yellowfin or bluefin.

After that, we can look towards the marlin season that kicks off at the end of December.

• Anthony Stokman is the owner of Fish Batemans Bay, your one-stop shop for tackle, bait and valuable advice on how to catch more fish. The crew are always happy to chat about what’s been biting and where, so drop in and say hi. You can find them at 65A Orient Street, Batemans Bay, or give them a call on (02) 4472 2559.

OCTOBER 2024 63

NSW

Eden Coast

FMM

Hot weather and hotter fishing in Bermagui BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Already this spring, the weather is hotting up and so too are the estuaries within the Bermagui area.

At this time of year, you should look at getting into the upper reaches of the estuary systems. This is where the warmer water is, and that’s what the prawns like. These prawns, in turn, provide food for predatory fish in the form of flathead, bream,

whiting, luderick, trevally and many more. This is great news for all anglers, whether you like lure fishing or prefer to soak a bait. All you have to do is match the hatch and you should have some excellent angling.

OFFSHORE Not to be outdone, the offshore scene is pretty active as well, and spring means it’s time to chase tiger flathead. In around 50m+ of water is where you are likely to find these fish. Within these depths are many scattered reefs, which not only hold

This is what you can expect in our estuaries at present.

The early start to the season has been great for young and old.

flathead but a variety of other reef fish. As you drift over the reefs, snapper are a likely encounter, and so are morwong, nannygai and perch.

Kingfish are also starting to make their presence felt.

Out wider over the shelf, a few gamefish are being reported. Most have been albacore or striped tuna, but the odd yellowfin has been turning up here and there. A bigger focus for offshore anglers at the

moment is berleying for mako sharks as they follow the tuna schools. While you’re out there, you can use electric reels to fish the canyons for those deepwater blue eye trevalla, ling, hapuka, gemfish and many more oddball species from the abyss.

BROGO DAM Thanks to the efforts of the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association, this fishery has now been stocked annually with an

Bega River: Where’s the best place to fish?

TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Where’s the best location in the Bega River? Well, this is a good question as there are so many options at this time of year, and with the early hot weather where do we start?

If you like to use a lure or fly, then try up towards the sweet water where the salt meets the fresh. Here, bass that have been downstream spawning are now migrating back up the rivers. Add some terrestrial critters like galaxias or beetles, and the stage is set for some exciting topwater fly or lure fishing. It is also well known that bream also patrol

Following years of good rainfall, it is not hard to catch a bass in the Bega River.

64 OCTOBER 2024

this area and will feed on the same food source as the bass. If you’re on the water during one of those steamy evenings when the ants hatch and start falling on the water, you may also have a chance of catching some of the many mullet that inhabit this river. Throw in a few estuary perch getting in on the act, and it’s happy days.

The estuary sections of the rivers are producing some fantastic angling.

All your usual species are on offer, with common catches of large flathead, plenty of bream, some whiting, luderick, tailor and the odd mulloway.

The estuaries are definitely primed for summer. You should also start looking around in the lakes or rivers because the prawns are becoming active.

Already the beaches are fishing well, with plenty of salmon, tailor, whiting and bream turning up, along with the odd mulloway. Some of these fish can also be found around the local wharf and rocks where they mix with other popular species that are on the chew.

These include luderick, drummer, silver trevally, mackerel and yellowtail. A few garfish are starting to show as well.

As the freshwater disperses into the salt, it brings nutrients that contribute to excellent offshore reef and bottom fishing. Those juicy tiger or sand

Often the ladies show the blokes how it is done at the annual Brogo Bass Bash. flathead are a popular target, and this is the time of year to target them. Most areas are producing, with the 30-40m line popular for sandies while the deeper 50m mark or

Eden Coast NSW

FMM average of 20,000 baby bass, and now some 60,000 estuary perch over the last six years.

As you would expect, with so many fish in the impoundment it’s not hard to catch a bass, and you have the bonus of fishing in beautiful surroundings. If you can drag yourself away from admiring the scenery, try working a variety of lures around the weed beds. In the weeds, aquatic life abounds in the form of shrimp, galaxias, gambusia, nymphs

you can often get spectacular results.

For those who are interested, the annual Brogo Bass Bash comp, now into its 24th year, is being held in December. It’s run by the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association, and anyone wishing to enter this fun weekend can contact me on 0427 934 688, FSCBSA Secretary Jan Redman on 0427 934 857, email fscbsabrogobassbash@hotmail.com or go to www.fscbsa.weebly.com and you can download your application

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There have been plenty of salmon in the Bermagui River. and mudeyes. Keep a watchful eye on the sounder to find the warmer water, and fish with surface lures during the evening as the sun fades. You’ll find beyond is best for the tigers. You can encounter the odd gummy shark or red gurnard there, too.

On the reefs, morwong (both blue and jackass) are the most common catch. Throw in a few snapper, ocean perch, and the odd pigfish or nannygai, and life’s good.

Now that the warm weather is here, Brogo Dam is definitely on the ‘to do’ list. The bass and now estuary perch that have been stocked in here are all fired up after winter, and only too willing to chew. More fish are due

form from there. You can also check out the Stocking Association’s Facebook page at www.facebook. com/fscbsa. to be stocked in the coming months.

The annual Brogo Bass Bash comp, now into its 24th year, is being held in December. It’s run by the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association, and anyone wishing to enter this fun weekend can contact me on 0427 934 688, FSCBSA Secretary Jan Redman on 0427 934 857, email fscbsabrogobassbash@hotmail. com or go to www.fscbsa.weebly.com and you can download your application form from there. You can also check out the Stocking Association’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fscbsa.

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The stunning beauty of an early morning fish on Brogo Dam. OCTOBER 2024 65

NSW

Freshwater

FMM

Streams looking in prime condition NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

The wattle is in full bloom, the weather has really warmed up now, and the fish are on the bite. It’s the perfect time to get outdoors around the New England Tablelands area.

The perch also seem to thrive during the spring months, and this is where some of the best fishing trips can be had. All three species of perch – red, yellow and silver – all school up in the warmer months. When a school is located, sometimes it can be one fish after another, making for some pretty exciting memories, especially

Warmer temperatures usually make for a more aggressive bite. Small spinnerbaits/beetle spin type lures work really well on fired-up golden perch at this time of year.

The fishing season for trout will re-open this Saturday, 5 October, coinciding with the start of the long weekend. With the creeks and streams looking in prime condition as we approach the middle of spring,

when you’re with the family.

On that same note, if you are fishing around the impoundments, especially during the day, be mindful of other boaters with water activities going on such as skiing and tubing etc.

With Murray cod season remaining closed until the start of December, please do the right thing and leave the cod alone. If you are fishing with smaller lures (70mm or less) and still manage to hook a by-catch cod, try to get it back in the water as soon as possible. Copeton Dam still remains open in New South Wales for targeting Murray cod all year round, and is the best place to head if you want to target cod during the spawn closure period.

Two of my favourite techniques for targeting spring perch would have to be hopping noisy vibration lures or blades down rocky outcrops and weed edges, mimicking a crayfish. I’ve also had good results slow trolling Mazzy Vibes through the bait schools and tree tops, trying to replicate baitlife such as spangled perch and carp, which that are abundant in the New England waterways. Walking the banks of the impoundments early in the morning and late in the afternoon, casting lures

The trout season in the rivers and streams will open in NSW on 5 October. With the current weather, it’s shaping up to be an awesome season on the river bank.

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Malpas Dam

100%

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Lake Keepit

57%

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98%

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62%

*Copeton Dam

74%

* Levels current at the time of writing. *Available to target Murray cod all year round

Targeting redfin perch on lipless crankbaits can be very productive as temperatures rise.

Young local angler Carter Swaffer with a healthy Murray cod he caught in a small stream while targeting perch.

It was released after a quick photo.

I would say it is going to be a pretty good season for the trout this year, especially with all of the re-stocking efforts happening around the area in previous seasons.

There are many ways to target the trout species, including using the same tackle as you would for the perch species. However, if you haven’t tried fly fishing for them yet, it is definitely worth having a go.

66 OCTOBER 2024

Jye Townsend with one of the many awesome conditioned rainbow trout the New England Tablelands is known for.

or even soaking a bait, can be very productive as well. Most predatory fish are usually up in the shallows, ambushing prey in the warmer waters.

European carp are not to be forgotten about either at this time of year. With them being a massive pest and in such big numbers, they are definitely a fun fish to catch and remove, so the waterways remain healthy and clear for years to come.

There will be two special moons this month, the micro new moon, which will fall early on the 3rd, as well as the super full moon, being above on the 17th.

Good luck to all getting out on the water this month, enjoy the warmer weather and some awesome spring fishing.

Tight-lines.

Freshwater NSW

FMM

Spinnerbaits start coming into their own HUNTER VALLEY

Nick Price

October is a great month to go fishing.

Cod fishing is closed but trout season opens and the big, hungry bass in the lakes and rivers are becoming more aggressive as the water warms up.

Yellowbelly are generally getting ready to spawn, moving to the edge and becoming a lot of fun to catch. A great month to fish!

Some exciting local news: Jared who worked at the shop for a few years, with his partner Nicole has just introduced

There are some big, strong bass coming out of Glenbawn. two little fisherwomen into the world!

Exciting times for everyone, and it looks like a bigger crew for the local Family Bassin comps.

Before I start with the fishing, it’s important to keep an eye on water temperature, because that determines your technique at this time of year. When the water is cool, stick with plastics and jerkbaits. Once the water starts to warm up, move to spinnerbaits. Once the water is 21°C, spinnerbaits start to come into their own.

When using spinnerbaits at this time of year, I recommend that you choose a

spinnerbait with a single large Colorado blade in your favourite colour. I always make sure the spinnerbait has a stinger.

The large single Colorado blade can be used slowly and gives off lots of vibration and flash. As the water warms, this technique will fire up those bass that are not in full reaction mode.

The advantage of a spinnerbait over other reaction techniques is its ability to not get snagged! Fish the spinnerbait in timber at this time of year. Generally, the bass have not moved to the grassy banks like they do in November. The big single Colorado, worked slow, thumping its way through the timber, bouncing off branches, is a great way to catch bass in both Glenbawn and St Clair in October.

But remember, if it’s not working, revert back to a plastic or a plastic on a beetle spin.

The Hunter River is now open and you can go chasing wild bass. The Hunter is full of bass and they can be easy to catch.

Walk up the river using a surface lure, a small crank or a beetle spin. Cooper, who works in the shop, fishes the river a few times a week so come in and get some advice off Coops. If he is not in the shop he can be found around Aberdeen somewhere walking the Hunter River.

TROUT Trout season has opened and the trout on the Barrington Tops have had a rest from lures and flies. Unfortunately,

Bass are fighting hard, and skill is needed to extract these big fish from cover. there was a fish kill late last year in the more marginal streams down lower so we will need a few years of reliable summer rain for the trout to get back to the size and numbers in Stewarts and Moonan Brooks as we found two years ago.

Therefore, most trout will be caught up on the Barrington Tops this season, which means more walking through Broom in the National Park. If only cattle were still allowed to keep the noxious plants down!

CARP There are still plenty of carp around in most waterways of the Upper Hunter.

Carp are a great sportfish, and I enjoy

Jared has expanded his fishing team by two!

chasing them on the fly. Carp are also a great species to teach people how to fly fish. They can be finicky to hook, they fight hard and they are large. Catching these mud monsters in small mountain streams is very addictive.

Talking of carp, the annual Carp Muster is going ahead again in February.

Keep an eye on Facebook and please support this great event. There are lots of amazing prizes, it’s child friendly, and lots of fun. The carp have taken off in Glenbawn so you are guaranteed to catch a few using worms and corn for bait.

LOOKING AHEAD November is reaction time, so spinnerbaits with willow blades, chatterbaits and lipless cranks are the go-to lures. More and more fish move to the edge, amongst the timber and grassy flats so November is a great time to fish!

Next month I will focus on full-on reaction in Glenbawn and St Clair. If you’re heading up to the Barrington, Glenbawn, Hunter River or St Clair, drop into the shop and talk to Nick or Cooper.

The shop is located 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.

OCTOBER 2024 67

NSW

Freshwater

FMM

Excellent golden perch fishing in the lakes your lure down to them. The best lures to chuck around the trees and weed beds for goldens are easily lipless crankbaits.

The Insanity Tackle Slap Walkers, when rigged on the back tow-point, are the best on the market for fishing weed and timber as they ride more vertically than other lures. This makes the Slap Walker swim with the trebles behind the lure, meaning you can ride it over structure and through weed more easily than with conventional lipless crankbaits.

BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

Spring is most freshwater anglers’ favourite season. On top of the nearperfect daytime temperatures, the fishing is nothing short of sensational.

From polaroiding monster golden perch in shallow water through to trout in our streams, there is something to whet most anglers’ appetites.

BLOWERING GOLDENS Every year more and more anglers converge on Blowering Dam in spring for the chance to tangle with some of the biggest golden perch in the country.

Another reason anglers converge on this unique fishery is the water clarity, which allows you to watch these monster golden perch and Murray

The Tumut River always fishes well early in the season and is always worth a visit, especially if it’s low. if the lake has continued to rise there will be an abundance of drowned weed beds in the backs of bays and along shallow banks. This is when you’ll find the fish spread out around the margins of the lake.

On the other hand, if the lake hasn’t risen enough for the weed to be drowned, the fish will be seeking shelter in the trees rather than the weed pockets. In this scenario, it

This is what anglers travel to Blowering every spring for: big, beautifully conditioned golden perch. cod cruise around in the shallows of the lake. Even if the fish aren’t biting, you’ll find that watching these monsters cruise around the shallows sure gets the adrenaline flowing. This alone draws anglers back to Blowering Dam time and again.

As the air and water temperatures are still on the rise and the nights are still cool, most of the goldens will be seeking the warmer water near the surface, so you won’t have to fish too deep to get some action this month.

By the time you read this report,

Lipless crankbaits like the Insanity Tackle Slap Walker are perfect for targeting spring goldens around the weed beds and trees.

The Eucumbene River should produce some late-spawning rainbows for anglers starting their trout season up there.

68 OCTOBER 2024

will pay to concentrate on any timber, especially standing timber. You will often see the goldens and sometimes Murray cod sitting in the tops of the trees not far below the surface. These fish aren’t looking for food – they’re just warming themselves in the sun – but they can still be caught. Goldens are opportunistic feeders – especially after a lean winter – and a good cast in their direction often brings them undone.

If you can’t see the goldens in the treetops, don’t despair. They will have just moved further down the tree and are still catchable; you just need to get

The trout lakes like Tantangara will fish really well this month, with lots of post-spawn trout returning to the lake, looking for a good feed.

Alternatively, you can rig your favourite lipless crankbait with swinging assist hooks, which will also create fewer hang-ups and snags.

Generally, the best time of the year to target golden perch in our lakes is during the Murray cod closed season (September through to the end of November), and it makes sense to hit the goldens whilst they are fishing at their best. Sure, you will get a few goldens in the rivers during spring, but you may also catch a breeding Murray cod, which we don’t want if we want even better fisheries in the future. I personally give the rivers a rest during the closed season, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.

In any case, the golden perch fishing in the lakes is about as good as it gets, so go and get amongst the lake monsters whilst the going is hot, and let the cod do their thing. Sure, you will still catch a few cod in the lakes, even whilst using the smaller profiled lures, but the lakes depend heavily on fish stocking, so you will do less harm catching a lake cod than you would catching a river fish.

Blowering Dam is one of the state’s year-round Murray cod fisheries, meaning it has no closed season so anglers can legally target them all year.

However, just because you can target them, doesn’t mean you should. These fish will sit on their nests and guard them, making them far easier to

Freshwater NSW

FMM

It’s mid-spring mayhem right on our doorstep!

ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

October is always a brilliant time of year, and our region has so much to offer, from locations to species to target.

Yellowbelly in Lake Hume are

Finding yellowbelly is always the biggest challenge during spring. Once found, they usually aren’t hard to catch – it’s just tracking them down that can be tricky.

This season will fish a little differently than last season because the water is a little bit lower. Fish may still be in the same areas depending

A golden football from Lake Hume.

A very healthy river trout caught downstream of the weir wall.

always a massive drawcard during spring, and for good reason – we have arguably the best yellowbelly fishery at our back doorstep. The quality yellowbelly caught in Lake Hume are hard to beat; there are some absolute monsters lurking in our home lake, and they are in quite good numbers, too.

on water temperatures, but typically with a significant level change, fish will adjust their spawning and feeding patterns to suit.

Temperature is always the biggest factor with yellowbelly; areas of the lake that warm up quickly will usually hold better numbers of these fish.

Look for areas on your sounder that are significantly warmer than others.

If you don’t run any tech, looking for baitfish can also be a giveaway on areas that are warmer, because bait often move into these areas.

I usually find that areas around the 6-8m mark will hold good numbers at this time of the year. As we move into November, they tend to prefer slightly deeper water. There are no guarantees though – the fish can be holding in random areas for different reasons.

The trick to finding yellowbelly is to keep moving and not get too caught up on the one area. If they are in an area

catch than at other times of the year, especially in the crystal-clear water. Not much skill is needed to catch them, and I believe they should be left to try to do their thing. It’s up to the individual angler to decide what’s right, but those using Live Scope technology to annoy these nesting fish into biting should consider what impact they’re having on these magnificent fish.

TROUT SEASON OPENS Finally, river and stream trout fishing will be back on the cards when the season opens on 5 October

(the beginning of the long weekend).

I and many other keen anglers will be out in force trying to get our first running-water trout fix for the season.

The Tumut River will be a good location if it is low, and the Eucumbene River could still have some big rainbows in it so it would be worth a visit, too.

If you’re like me and don’t like the crowds, the small streams will be your best bet. Not only are there fewer anglers but there’s generally a lot more fish, albeit smaller fish.

There will likely be some late spawners around, so fly anglers will do

Finesse gear helps you to get more bites from yellowbelly.

and are active, they won’t be hard to convince to bite.

There have still been decent reports of trout caught in Lake Hume, and from what’s been reported, most have been caught deeper down. This is usually the case with trout in the lake as it begins to warm up. Below the spillway is also always a good option for a cast; good numbers of trout usually get picked up below there this time of year. And as trout

season opens back up for the streams and rivers, fishing the Mitta, Kiewa, King, Swampy and the countless other trout rivers and streams around the region is great if that’s something that interests you!

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a very successful spring, with plenty of reasons to be out enjoying the sunshine. It’s exciting to see what we have in store for the rest of spring.

Bring it on, and tight lines!

Double hook-ups are common in spring. well deep drifting with a nymph and glow bug combo. The fish that have finished spawning will be hungry, and won’t have received fishing pressure for a while, so they will be quite aggressive and generally easy to catch.

Lure anglers should do well this month, too, and your usual spinners and minnow-style hardbodies will do the job. Bait anglers should also get good results drifting worms or dough baits like PowerBait.

The trout lakes will be worth hitting this month, with the pick of the lot being Jounama Dam. Jounama’s

trout should be going well, as will the redfin and golden perch, which both attain trophy size in this lake. I love fishing everywhere at this time of the year but especially Jounama Dam, as you don’t know what will smash your offering next.

As you can see, there are plenty of options for freshwater anglers this month. The only problem we have is deciding what species to target and what waterway to fish – a good problem to have.

Until next month, good luck, good fishing and tight lines.

OCTOBER 2024 69

ACT

Canberra

FMM

Exploring the happy hunting grounds in October CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

I can’t help but stand and applaud Stuart Cattanach, his partner Leanne and the rest of the team behind the Whitehead Memorial Challenge.

This fantastic competition just wrapped up for the 10th year, and in that time, Stu has managed to raise over $250,000 for brain cancer research.

I was there for the very first Whitehead Memorial Challenge, which Stuart created to honour his friend Greg Whitehead, who passed away from brain cancer. That first comp was memorable for a variety of reasons, but the thing that stuck out for me was the sense of camaraderie, the community spirit and the amazing sponsors. I haven’t been able to attend for the past two years, but I still support the competition by providing sponsors.

Over the years, the clientele and prizes have changed, with pro

Don’t forget about the bass this month.

is too much for them to resist.

Yerrabi Pond is a real mixed bag at the time of writing. While I did have some good sessions on the pond over the winter months, it seems like the action is slowing up through the day and is only really picking up late into the evening. This is to be expected as the water is so clear the fish have become skittish. If you’re after a yellowbelly or a big redfin, head over to ‘Blue Chair’ after sunset and drop plastics right at the edge of the concrete wall and jig the lure on the spot. The fish usually pop out from the dense weed in this area and hit the plastic as it descends towards the bottom.

Lake Tuggeranong has been my

don’t know if this had something to do with the run of warmer days in the middle of September or the rain, which only lasted a few days and didn’t seem to affect the clarity of the water. Whatever the reason, I have been pleasantly surprised by the early onslaught of football-sized yellas

It is cold in Canberra but the fishing action is heating up.

The South Coast is worth a look. fishing teams now attending and tens of thousands of dollars in gear on offer. Despite this, the community feel remains, and the family-friendly nature of the competition makes for an amazing weekend. I have heard this may be the last Whitehead Memorial Challenge, but I hope that’s not the case. Yes, Stuart and Leanne have achieved their goals in honouring Greg’s memory and raising so much money for a worthy cause, but I feel that if this comp does finish up, there’s nothing else like it. It provides such an amazing competitive experience on Lake Burrinjuck.

LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin has been a happy hunting ground for me lately. I have found that the golden perch are switched on, and they actually came on the chew pretty early this year. I 70 OCTOBER 2024

hitting Jackall TN50s and TN60s, as well as 3” wriggler-style plastics on a 1/8oz jighead fished slow around the pontoons behind the yacht club. I have also landed some decent reddies in this area. You always know when

you are onto a good thing when four or five boats with Livescope move in close to the area where you are fishing as has been the case for me during most Saturday mornings since the beginning of spring.

There are some other great spots to try, especially when the water starts to get really warm, with the concrete wall behind the museum representing one of the better spots to try for a big golden perch as there are some great weed beds here interspersed with lots empty pockets, meaning the yellas sit just on the edge of the weed looking for an easy meal. A well-placed plastic

The yellas have switched on.

Small redfin can be found in a variety of locations.

go-to in recent weeks. While the action and size of fishing in LBG can’t be beat, Lake Tuggeranong’s consistency has kept me coming back again and again. I have rarely used the word ‘consistency’ when writing about Lake Tuggeranong, but there has been a really productive period every afternoon from 5-6pm,

Hobart TAS

FMM

Temps rising in salt and freshwater fisheries HOBART

Andrew Large

Anglers have enjoyed varied weather during the latter part of winter and, for the large part had plenty of species running well. Spring is shaping up to be more unsettled than normal, but calmer angling pockets can be found and planned for, with many species remaining with us or continuing to move.

Tasmanian Devil spoons have been working well throughout inland waterways.

SALTWATER Sand flathead are starting to move in most areas, although recent influxes of fresh water have curbed activity a tad near coastal bays, lagoons and estuaries.

Offshore is still fishing reasonably well.

In deeper waters off the northeast, east and southeast coasts in depths of 60m or more, tiger or ‘king flathead’ have started to move. In fact, these fish even made an appearance last month in September off Cape Pillar on the when I have landed plenty of medium-sized golden perch and lots of small redfin. The lake is still tannin in colour, but I think Tuggeranong is in that peak period that happens every once in a while, when the oxygen level doesn’t drop too low for a while and the water level drops a touch. I will say that the spillway has been fishing really well and is a great place to try right on dusk with a Jackall TN50 in peacock.

Lake Ginninderra resembles Lake Tuggeranong in that the water is tannin in colour, and the bite window, while quite short, is producing consistent results for anglers fishing the edges of the dam

Tasman Peninsula.

Southern calamari have been reported from the Maria and Bruny Island regions. In recent weeks, Storm Bay, around Betsy Island, which is only 15km from the Hobart CBD, has also been producing fish.

At around 1kg we thought Australian salmon fishing couldn’t get much better this early. This species was fishing well before the fresh, these fish did disappear for a few weeks but returned in short order and a little bit conditioned. Cremorne and South Arm areas have been producing the odd fish to 3kg in recent weeks. Surf beaches further up the east coast have come alive as well.

Winter runs of sand whiting are well underway in parts of the Derwent and wider Storm Bay, and are continuing right into spring. When the latest influx of freshwater subsides, Lewisham sand flats and the Carlton River mouth will fish well.

Tuna, in particular southern bluefin, are still available in Peninsula waters and off Bicheno on the East Coast. Pedra Blanca has been a little patchy recently.

Greenback flounder have been quiet for the moment mainly because of strong winds and rain not being conducive to a flat calm surface. As a result, anglers have stayed put and chased other species.

Bream are enjoying all the water about at the moment, with a spring run making its way into browns River in the south. Larger runs will continue to chase whitebait throughout the Derwent and Huon estuaries, as do the sea-run trout at this time of the year – find one, and you generally find both. October and November will be peak months.

Sea-run brown trout suffered early and were predominantly found scrounging on bits and pieces they were able to find during the southeast floods of September. So far this month, things are slowly returning to normal, with

A close-up of a 1.53kg rainbow trout caught in Great Lake recently on a Tasmanian Devil Spoon. plenty of trout and whitebait turning up. With predictions of a drier-thanusual spring action should pick up during this month and next.

FRESHWATER September saw a week of low-pressure systems hit the state and almost unpretentious levels of rain that followed, causing statewide flooding but also topping up many of our storages to capacity with many spilling for the first time in a number of years.

This has set our season up for good fishing, and already we are seeing some fit, well-conditioned trout being caught by anglers statewide.

Lake Leake is arguably the best water in the state at the moment and is producing both rainbows and browns to lure and fly. Fish are averaging 1.4-1.6kg, with 2.3kg specimens of both species being landed as well. The Black Magic BM Minnow has been taking fish amongst the sticks. Stay the night at the Chalet and enjoy a great counter meal for lunch or dinner at the end of the day.

Great Lake is a little quiet for the moment. This is not unusual considering the inflows, but it seems to have dragged a little into October

Kayak anglers have been enjoying success.

this year. Inactive fish, combined with weather conditions that only the bravest of anglers would tolerate along its exposed shorelines, have kept trout and anglers at a stalemate.

Penstock Lagoon is fishing really well and providing quality bags, with rainbow trout being caught here earlier in the month. Boat and shore anglers have both been sharing the action, with Woolly Bugger patterns working well.

Bronte Lagoon has been fishing well all season with both lure and fly.

Drift spinning seems to be topping out at the moment, with both Cobras and bibbed lures working well. Trollers are also taking good fish, and a spun bibbed minnow in the 60-65mm bracket can also pick up fish in the shallows on the right day. Choose a lure with a bit of shine because recent snow melt has marked clarity up a tad, and lures need to stand out at the moment.

Temperatures are rising throughout our salt and freshwater fisheries, and this bodes well for the continued arrival of summer species and the proliferation of aggressive and well-conditioned brown and rainbow trout throughout our lakes and river systems. Get out there – you don’t want to miss this one. wall and the area directly behind the dog park. I like working the points at this time of year with a Squidgy Wriggler 80mm in redrum attached to a 1/8oz jighead. Even though I get plenty of weed turning up on the end of the line, it is well worth it. When a fish does take the lure at this time of year, more often than not it’s a good-sized golden perch.

One last thing: now is the time to head to the NSW South Coast and get stuck into some bread-andbutter species like flathead and bream on the Clyde River, and if that doesn’t work, there are always bass that won’t be hitting surface just yet but will readily take a well-placed plastic or shallow running diver.

OCTOBER 2024 71

TESTING BOOTH

Spotlight on the Shimano SLX 150HG and Curado 200HG bait cast reels FISHING MONTHLY

Peter Jung

Adding a bait cast combo to your arsenal of outfits can be a big step in expanding your fishing options and target species, especially for lure anglers. Until recently the idea of a bait cast outfit was to enable an angler to cast bigger and heavier lures accurately. In Australia it is our iconic species like Murray cod and barramundi that lead to equipment change and then as the reels themselves improved (predominantly in

This Somerset Dam golden perch was the first fish the author caught the Curado 200HG/Zodias combo.

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY 72 OCTOBER 2024

castability) many of our other lure fishing targets could be focused on using smaller and lighter lure options. The next level these days is BFS (Bait Finesse System) which is fishing ultralight lures using bait cast tackle. This is a very exciting trend, but not what this testing booth is about. What I would like to cover here is, having made the decision to go down the bait cast path, what is your best option to get started? Do you buy an expensive reel, a medium price point reel or an entry level reel?

What is the difference?

There are plenty of other questions that I am sure that I will cover, but the main thought for me when the reels arrived at the office (Shimano SLX 150HG and Shimano Curado 200HG) was that this was a great opportunity to compare the two and give you the reader an insight into where they fit into the picture and also to put them through their paces.

Comparing the two I wanted to offer my insights on as level a playing field as possible and the way I have gone about this is to fish with both reels using the same fishing rod, both spooled with 20lb braid. The brands of the braid were different. The SLX was spooled with Shimano Kairiki 4 braid, while the Curado was spooled with Shimano Grappler 8 braid. As mentioned, both were 20lb and there are similar diametres. The range of lures I used

This fish was caught on a 1/4oz lipless crankbait using the Curado 200HG reel and Shimano Zodias rod. varied in weight from 1/4oz (7 grams) to ½ oz (14 grams). The leader used was 10lb.

Where do these reels sit in the pecking order Somewhere within this testing booth there will be Fact box showing a basic side by side comparison of the two reels. As you will see from that, the SLX is one of Shimano’s entry level price point offerings at $189.00 while the Curado 200HG is one of their medium price point reels at $355.00. Both come with a Shimano 10 Year reel warranty and they are a low profile bait cast reel.

The rod that Shimano provided to test the reels on, was one of their JDM Zodias 6’6” medium light rods.

An ideal option for me to target some

of our Queensland impoundment bass with, using spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and various other lures in the weights mentioned.

The biggest differences Although not blatantly obvious, the SLX is a slightly smaller reel (150 size to the 200 size). It does not necessarily feel smaller in the hand, but it does effect line capacity, so if line capacity is important in your decision making process, then the Curado may be a better fit for you.

The number of ball bearings is significantly different between the two reels. The SLX having 3 + 1BB while the Curado has 6 + 1BB. For me there are two questions I ask myself when it comes to the importance of ball bearings. How often are you

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

TESTING BOOTH

These reels easily cast lures ranging from 1/4oz to 1/2oz in weight. going to use the reel and when you do, is it hours upon hours of casting or shorter fishing sessions?

More bearings make sense if you are fishing often and casting a lot.

They help (with a little maintenance) provide longevity and a smoother use of the reel. If your fishing sessions are shorter and less frequent, fewer bearings will have a minimal effect and save you quite a bit of money.

The last thing I want to mention is line retrieve ratio. Both reels have quite a high retrieve ratio (SLX 7.2:1, Curado 7.4:1) and although this was fine for the types of fishing I did, if you need your lure to run at a slower or faster speed (without you having

bass and many have become world class fisheries. This is a time of the year I get to fill my boots as far as targeting our local bass and what better time to have two new bait cast reels to play with and a rod that is perfectly suited to use for them.

Two trips come to mind during the testing period, keeping in mind I swapped reels in the middle of each day’s fishing. Somerset dam offers anglers the opportunity to target large schools of bass in open water or the option to fish bankside structure and standing timber in the upper reaches of the lake. The latter option is one of my favourite things to do using spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits or suspending hardbody lures. The key is to roll your lure along, over or around any structure hoping a bass will smash it as it swims past. Hopefully you can stop them before they get back to the structure you have just caught them from. Another advantage of a higher retrieve ratio in this situation is that little bit of extra line you get per wind, may be the difference between a fish in your net or you telling a fish that got away story. The bass did not cooperate that trip, but a few lovely golden perch did and the few days on the water was a nice introduction to fishing with the two reels.

The most memorable day however was at Lake Kurwongbah. A small urban lake located in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. It is a kayak only waterway and at the moment it is also a hand to hand combat fishery as the weed in the lake is growing

If you are looking to buy your first bait cast reel, the SLX 150HG is a great option and it matched up well with the Zodias rod pictured. to adjust your wind speed), then be aware of the difference the retrieve ratio of a reel makes. As an example, there is a 9cm difference (more) in the line retrieved per handle turn between the Curado and the SLX. Time to get out on the water Right now is an amazing time of the year to be fishing our South East Queensland freshwater dams. For many years they have been stocked with large numbers of Australian

out of control and any fish hooked, if given an inch, will bury you in the weed. Long accurate casts along weed edges and across points are

required and as mentioned a little heavy handed rod and reel work to keep any fish hooked, out of the weed, they have just come charging from to eat your lure. It was a great day, and I won the majority of the battles I had with the fish.

What did I learn about the two reels?

It is important to set up the casting control systems according to your skill level on any bait cast reel. I set up the casting adjustments prior to getting on the water.

This is easily done by opening the side plate and adjusting the braking system either according to your skill

to make minor adjustments on the go easily. This helped to avoid frustrating over runs and to maximise the castability of the reel.

I was very impressed with the drag on both reels. Both have around 5kg of drag pressure, which should be more than enough in most situations.

Both were very smooth, and I can’t separate them as far as the drag systems go, for this testing booth.

Final observations I truly believe as anglers we are now spoilt for choice. I know that when I first dipped my toes into purchasing a bait cast outfit, it was a far more daunting task to choose

The external cast control system on the Curado reel made it easier for the author to adjust to different lure weights and sizes without having to open the side plate of the reel. level or to the weight of the lure you are using. The SVS (Shimano Variable Breaking System) is an upgrade in 2024 for the SLX reel and is a big win for the end user.

The Curado has a similar system as well as an external increase/ decrease adjustment (you avoid the need to open the side plate). This ability to make minor adjustments while fishing is a great feature if you are constantly changing lure weights and sizes like I did during my fishing sessions. Again, a big win for the end user.

The only other adjustments that need to make, is done using the spool tensioning knob on the handle side of the reel. I tend not to adjust this too much once set, but I did use it on the SLX to avoid opening the side plate when on the water. This was more than enough to allow me to use whatever lure style and weight I preferred.

Both reels cast beautifully. The Curado came out slightly on top.

I think purely due to your ability

SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON Model

Retrieve Ratio

Drag

Reel Weight

Ball Bearings

Line per handle turn

SLX 150HG Curado 200HG

7.2:1 7.4:1

5kg 6kg

195g 215g

3BB +1 6BB +1

72cm 81cm

a reel than it is today. Even more daunting using it for the first time.

Having the opportunity to test these two Shimano reels side by side has been a great insight into just how much has changed. First and foremost, in how much more user friendly these reels now are. You can now purchase a reel to fit your skill set and needs and know that it is fit for purpose.

As far as these two reels go, I would happily fish with the SLX anytime. It easily dealt with the fishing I did and at no point did I feel out of place using it (I certainly cannot say that about the first bait cast reel I owned). It would be a great reel to start your bait cast fishing journey with. If you wanted to go that next step, the Curado is a fantastic option. The additional bearings and the finite ability to adjust the casting control mechanisms make this a pretty special reel and not only a great first bait cast reel, but one that you are likely to continue to enjoy for many years to come.

Hopefully this has explained some of the key differences for you and will make taking that first step into the bait cast realm a little easier.

To check out the full range of Shimano products go to www.fish. shimano.com or drop into your local Shimano retail stockist.

OCTOBER 2024 73

VIC

West Coast

FMM

Snapper from the stones and from a boat PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

It’s that time of year again here in Portland when we start seeing some great snapper off the Lee Breakwater. Year after year, we get some great quality snapper; most average between 4-7kg but there are some bigger ones in the mix, with some models tipping the scales at around 10kg.

looking for an easy meal.

Catching snapper off the Breakwater can be done in a few ways, with the most popular being bait fishing. You can use a

possible without snagging.

A good common size plastic is 3” up to 5” in size, with a really good tail action to get the snapper’s attention.

Some colours do work better on

Jimmy had a ripper run last season with quite a few snapper like this one.

Mark Green with a decent snapper from last season.

It can certainly get busy on the breakwater when big snapper are about.

From mid-September through to January, the bigger fish are quite common, along with a constant flow of pinkie snapper – especially as the water temperature gets warmer. A particularly good time to target the big snapper is when we cop a good storm cell, with large swells pushing along the rocks. This stirs up the sea bed and whatever is trapped around the rocks. This stimulates the food chain and brings out the snapper,

good old-fashioned paternoster rig or running sinker rig, with a wellpresented bait like squid, pilchard or yakkas, just to name a few.

A key to catching a good snapper is getting your bait in the right place.

You don’t need to cast as far as you can; it’s actually better to have your bait closer to the rocks because that’s where the snapper are feeding. You also need to make sure your sinkers go all the way to the bottom before setting your bail arm and drag setting.

This will help avoid getting snagged in the rocks.

Another great option for targeting snapper is soft plastics. As you know, there’s a huge range of soft plastics these days and they are only getting better, with sizes, colours and of course, action. Grab a few and start working the rock areas as close as

Guru Ash Rawlings with a very nice quality snapper.

74 OCTOBER 2024

certain days but the good-old nuclear chicken colour always seems to be popular.

The Breakwater is also quite deep so running certain size and weight in your jigheads can play a big part, too.

So for the fishos who haven’t had the pleasure of catching a big landbased snapper in Portland, you may want to put this on your wishlist.

• For all your snapper information, bait and tackle, you will find us at 61 Bentinck Street, Portland. You can also contact us on 03 5521 1844 for any updates, or you can check us out on Facebook.

FISHING NEWS

Fees help reduce carp at Lake Wendouree Fishing licence fees are being reinvested to reduce carp numbers in Lake Wendouree as part of a joint project between the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), Ballarat Fly Fishers, Ballarat District Anglers Association (BDAA) and City of Ballarat.

Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Chief Executive Officer Travis Dowling said Wendouree was one of Victoria’s marquee trout fisheries and increased carp numbers had been reported by anglers in recent years, prompting the clubs to take action.

“The BDAA has got on the front foot and applied for one of our Recreational Fishing Grants to fund a carp investigation and removal project while City of Ballarat have also contributed $10,000,” Mr Dowling said.

“Wendouree is one of the best trout fisheries in the state with good access with several boat ramps, regular stocking, the productivity to grow trophy trout and it has been home to international fly fishing competitions for trout.”

The VFA will manage the electrofishing operation, which will be undertaken over several days from Monday, 9 September. Electrofishing is both highly effective and has minimal impacts on other fish. Carp that are

removed are likely to be transported to facilities where they will be made into a range of products including garden fertiliser.

City of Ballarat Mayor Des Hudson said the important environmental initiative has been proven to be effective in reducing the carp population with flow-on benefits for other fish like trout.

“The City of Ballarat is pleased to contribute to this VFA-led project which will work to control carp and improve water quality and ecology while also enhancing existing fish populations at Lake Wendouree,” Cr Hudson said.

The project has been timed to occur after the period in which spawning trout regularly congregate at an outflow pipe near Windmill Drive and before carp begin to spawn in spring.

“While the work isn’t aimed at eradicating the carp here, the plan is to reduce their numbers to a level that doesn’t impact other fish or water clarity in the lake,” Mr Dowling said.

“This a great example of recreational fishing licence fees being used by local clubs to fund really meaningful work that will protect one of our state’s premier trout fisheries.”

For more information, head to www. vfa.vic.gov.au/wendouree. – VFA

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Fingers crossed for some good spring rainfall WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

The dry winter continued here in the south west, with low rainfall affecting many local fisheries.

The estuary scene has been a bit dismal of late. Fishing in the Hopkins River continues to be hard work. The mouth has been frequently closed, which is usual for this time of year, due to the low flows. High, clear, cold water levels haven’t been conducive to good fishing. The Curdies and Fitzroy rivers have also been blocked, with high water levels making boat launching very difficult.

Conversely, lack of rain has

caused low water levels at Lake Elingamite, making launching boats difficult as well. This is a shame because it is often a good freshwater fishery during spring.

Whist some trout are been taken by those fishing the rivers, the fishery definitely isn’t producing like it usually does at this time of year.

The dirty-water river monsters that keep popping up on my Instagram memories, from this time in previous years, have been far sparser this season.

We will probably get some good spring rains with a bit of luck.

However, sometimes this can happen so late in the season, and the weather has warmed up so much, that all

Cam Anders with a Merri River brown trout. the snakes have woken up. This makes long treks along the river not particularly appealing.

On the positive side, salmon fishing has picked up a bit along the coast. Good schools of fish have been traveling along the east beach area at Port Fairy. School sizes vary from very small (but great for stocking up on bait) to around 1.5kg.

Offshore fishing has continued to produce the best fishing results locally, when conditions have allowed.

The great gummy and school shark fishing of the past few months has been joined by a good run of snapper in the 2-3kg range.

October has been known to throw up some good weather and flat seas,

but it’s too early for kingfish, and crayfish season doesn’t open until November, so a better option may be to try surf fishing. If you get a patch of good weather, places like Logans Beach, Childers Cove and Yambuk Beach can produce good gummies. Those salmon you’ve been stocking the freezer with over the colder months are great bait for this type of fishing.

The inshore reefs should also see a few squid around for you to stock up on for bait for the summer ahead. Shallow reefs around Port Fairy and Lady Bay, as well as the Warrnambool breakwater and Port Campbell jetty, are good areas to target the squid.

for the bait soakers, while shrimp- and caught. The larger specimens seem to be a tad shy at present. worm-patterned soft plastics fished slow Rod Shepherd A few bream have been caught in on the bottom are doing the job for the chuckers. However, it’s all about the perch depths around two metres and cast in So far spring is shaping up to be very close to any rock walls. Kings Head seems at present. volatile when it comes to the weather. to be a top spot, as well as opposite the Large schools of Australian salmon It seems like we are still in winter, with institute. Prawn and glassies have worked are still hanging off our many beaches one big storm after another emanating from Antarctica and pounding our southern shores. The rain is welcome even if it is falling sideways, but the wind is simply atrocious and has almost put a stop to fishing. A low barometer is not helping things at all.

However, some intrepid anglers who can pick and choose their days to venture out are experiencing some success.

The estuary perch are beginning to school up in our estuaries, and when located, fall victim to flies, lures, and plastics fished shallow or topwater. The more outlandish the lure or fly, the more it seems to aggravate the fish into biting.

The Hopkins has been fishing very well An average Hopkins estuary perch. These fish are quite for the perch, with fish to 35cm being prolific once a school has been sounded.

just out beyond the breakers. Most fish are weighing in between 500g and 1kg with only the odd fish coming in heavier.

Metal slices, along with tough baits such as squid strips fished using a single or double paternoster rig, are working for some. Dispersing a bit of berley into the wash about an hour before high tide has sparked things up, especially when it comes to the duration of the bite.

Offshore, the outer reefs sitting as deep as 50m have seen some excellent shark in the form of gummies and school come up off the bottom. Along with the shark, some excellent snapper to 2kg are being caught. Nannygai, terahiki, latchet and leatherjacket are rounding up the species worth keeping for the table.

Further out wide, knifejaw, trumpeter, blue grenadier and shark are taking tough baits near the bottom, such as whole squid or whole fillets (skin on) of mackerel, salmon or mullet using ganged hooks.

Light sticks attached to the line above the bait also help attract bites at these dark depths.

Dan Grixti with a quality school shark.

Anglers catching fish despite the weather COBDEN

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For locals, nothing says October like snapper GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

The wind leading out of last month was nothing short of horrendous. The west coast of Vic was flogged and it was forecast 8-11m seas! The beaches can be choked with weed after a big blow, which pretty much counts out surf fishing.

October is a peak time for snapper,

you’re giving yourself the best chance at a solid snapper.

Land-based fishos should try Limeburners, Geelong waterfront, Cunningham pier, St Helens or North Shore after dark.

Bass Strait holds some epic snapper reefs but they definitely bite best at first light and sometimes completely shut down when the sun pokes its head up.

Once these shallow reefs shut down for the day, head out to the 30-50m

Willis with his solid mullet from the Barwon estuary.

It’s a great time of year for targeting snapper. so get amongst them. This year there should be swarms of fish from legal length to 50cm invading the bays.

These are a great size to target with soft plastic lures.

Bait fishes should ping pilchards out along the shipping channel and spoil grounds in Corio Bay, while those fishing out off the Bellarine Peninsula should try the deeper areas around the 15-20m mark and drift about. First and last light has always been good and if you can time this with a tide change,

effective this time of year when the larger squid are about. Bait them with any fish you like, but I’ve found tommy rough and small, legal salmon to be pretty good as they’re tough.

Corio Bay’s piers have been fishing well, with some producing pinkie snapper, salmon and flathead.

Portarlington Pier has seen big schools

beds just north of Queenscliff, while St Leonards has a few fish about but not so many 40cm models. Clifton Springs has seen a few whiting taken, with the best times being first and last light.

COMPETITIONS The Bellarine Fly Fishing Association, along with the Council of Victorian Fly Fishing Clubs, hosted

mark and drift around. There have been some great captures to 5kg and more by anglers drifting out off Barwon Heads.

XXL calamari have made their way into lower Port Phillip Bay and there are some real whoppers amongst them.

Nick Powell found a few including a beast of 50cm hood length. Nick says it was a slow start, but they came on the bite as the tide changed to flood. Nick had success in 4-5m of water using a red foil size 3.0 and a white size 3.5 jig.

Skewer-style jigs can be very

An estuary perch caught during the Bellarine Inshore Fly Fishing Competition.

A ripping silver caught on fly during the Bellarine inshore Fly Fishing Competition.

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of salmon showing up at random times of day, with anglers enjoying great sport casting lures and baits catching fish up to 50cm.

Snapper have been caught to 45cm from Limeburners and St Helens, while smaller fish have been caught by soft plastic anglers walking the Geelong waterfront.

Whiting have been a little hard to pin down with plenty of moves needed to locate a school lately. Better fish to 40cm have been caught from the grass

the Bellarine Inshore Fly Fishing Competition. Steve Attard reports that It was an awesome couple of days of competition. About 30 competitors fished in blustery winds and very average weather, and managed to catch a multitude of species including pinkie snapper, Australian salmon, silver trevally, estuary perch, yellow-eye mullet, and cowanyoung (mackerel).

Clubs from all over Victoria competed including competitors from Wangaratta Flyfishers Club, red Tag Flyfishers

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FMM Club, Calder Flyfishers Club, Ballarat Flyfishers Club, Northern Flyfishers and the hosts, Bellarine Flyfishers Club.

The end results were: Biggest Trevally: Craig Bolch red tag Flyfishers Club; Biggest Salmon: Craig Bolch; and Biggest Snapper: Andy Congram from the Bellarine Flyfishers Association.

The Biggest Mystery Catch prize was for a tailor caught by Robin Unger from the Bellarine Flyfishers Association.

Champion Angler went to Craig

Bolch, while the encouragement award went to Sai Schmidt-Sefrim, whose persistence did not go unrewarded.

Leopold Angling and Aquatic Club are hosting the Geelong and Bellarine Snapper Classic again this year. The competition goes from 2-16 of November and boasts over $27,000 worth of prizes. For more info, head over to leopoldaac.com/2024snapper-classic.

The Association of Geelong and District Angling Clubs are hosting

A nice mullet caught on fly.

the Ron Nelson Memorial Junior Fishing Clinic on Sunday 27 October, from 9 to 12:30 at Lake Lethbridge in Lethbridge. For more info, phone Glen Rippon on 0409 358 162 or John Hotchin on 0418 178 555. Entry is free (BYO bait).

Willis Hanson (5yo) has been fishing with his dad Hugh in the Barwon estuary lately. Using pipis for bait, he caught a real mix of fish, including silver trevally, Australian salmon and whopper yellow-eyed mullet which he took back for dinner.

Commodore of Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club, Keith Miller, says snapper were scarce last month, but if you can find a school they are hungry and biting well. There have been plenty of big flathead out off Lorne but King George whiting have been scarce.

A few gummy and school sharks have been landed when boats have been able to get offshore, and there have been lots of Australian salmon in close.

The Lorne pier has been fishing very well, with decent catches of salmon, trevally, snapper, calamari, King George and grass whiting.

Fish hard – die happy!

• Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send 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

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Nick Powell with a beast of a calamari. away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1 MB ( file size).

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Better class of fish for anglers this October their entire lives. Despite being a trophy fish, Tyler chose to release this absolute beast. When you consider that bream typically grows around 1cm per year, that is a fish that has been swimming in our waters for half a century and will continue to do so.

Well done, Tyler!

Moving over to the freshwater, Pykes Creek has continued to fish incredibly well, with some fantastic brown trout caught by many anglers.

Young gun angler Dylan Smith and his father Michael have been seeing healthy brown trout on every single trip they have made and are pleased to inform us that the fish there are incredibly well-conditioned.

In previous years, the brown trout from Pykes have been rather skinny looking fish, so to see catches of thick-bodied salmonids is very

PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Jordan Mathews

Spring is one of my favourite times of the year to be fishing in Melbourne.

The snapper season has arrived, drawing many an angler out of their winter hibernation, but these fish aren’t the be-all and end-all.

Spring is a transitional period; the typical winter species haven’t quite disappeared yet and the summer species are starting to show up and make themselves known, so there are plenty of options.

The author with a yellowbelly from Melton Reservoir.

Tyler Kenny with a big 50cm bream.

We’re already seeing the early run of snapper in the shallows of Port Phillip Bay, presenting a great option for land-based and kayak fishers to catch. Tiana Pete has been doing well on the winter pinkies at Geelong waterfront lately; however, mixed in amongst them has been the odd bigger snapper to 50cm that have been happily taking small grubs and paddle tails. At the time of writing

this, we haven’t seen too many larger fish come in from the ocean yet, but those big reds won’t be too far away!

The squid fishing has been phenomenal in recent weeks with plenty of anglers getting amongst the local cephalopod populations and coming back to the ramps with full bags of big calamari. Location has not been too critical for finding these tasty, tentacled targets; find an area with clean water along with broken sand/weed patches and you’ll soon find some good patches of squid – just remember to mark on your chart plotter an area you have drifted through and caught a squid as there will often be a lot more with it! Good mates Nathan Williams and Alex Antonopolous managed to get their full bag of squid in short succession fishing Wedge Spit with white and

black/red jigs doing the damage on hoods up to 45cm.

The usual winter run of bream has been very consistent this year, with many fish being caught around the Maribyrnong River, the Werribee River, Sanctuary Lakes and other locations known to hold this iconic bread-and-butter species.

One particular bream caught recently was the class of fish that doesn’t come along very often around the Geelong area. Tyler Kenny was fishing with his family, using chicken for bait when an absolute HORSE of a bream snaffled down his offering and gave him a battle that had him thinking it was a snapper. When he laid it out on the brag mat, the fish hit the magic 50cm mark. Fish of this calibre are searched for but seldom caught by many bream anglers over

Alex Antonopolous with a calamari from Wedge Spit.

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Dylan Smith was happy with this Pykes brown trout.

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FMM encouraging. Dylan’s lure of choice has been the old faithful Tassie Devil in blue/pink and the clown colour patterns, which also happens to be one of my picks for trout.

Melton Reservoir has also begun to awaken from its winter slumber; water temperatures are coming out of the single digits and into the teens along with improving water clarity, thus causing the natives to make their way from the deeper sections of the reservoir and up towards the shallow banks. Trolling is without doubt the number 1 way to find the resident yellowbelly and Murray cod, while size 2 and 3 StumpJumpers are the most popular lure to drag behind a kayak or boat. Use your sounder to ensure you’re fishing 4-5m depths along the edges, as your lures will then be travelling just above the structure and will tempt one of these iconic species. Lately, a few good mates and I have managed some yellowbelly doing this, and while they aren’t numerous yet, there is plenty of

Tiana Pete with a quality Geelong snapper. size to them, with some magnificent specimens cracking the 50cm mark.

The Murray cod are still a little quiet, with only two fish measuring 66cm

and 75cm caught in the last few months. However, as the temperatures get close to 20°C, we will see more of them if the water clarity continues

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to improve. The great thing about Melton is that it is south of the Great Dividing Range and not part of the Yarra River system. That means that it is open for cod fishing during the closed season!

Further down in the Werribee River, the local bass population have already started to show themselves.

Both bait and soft plastics have been catching these tough little fighters.

With so many days in August cracking the 20°C mark, the water temperatures will be higher than they were this time last year, which hopefully means the bass season will start a lot earlier than it did last year when the fishing didn’t really pick up until close to December.

With water temperatures in Port Phillip Bay continuing to rise each day, I will be getting out both in the boat and on the kayak to try and find some of the snapper that make Port Phillip Bay so famous for its fishing and will be bringing you all the reports over the next few articles!

FISHING NEWS

Man cops heavy penalties for illegal fishing A man from Melbourne’s western suburbs has received heavy penalties, including a $20,000 fine, five-year ban on fishing, and the loss of his ute, for illegally fishing in Victoria’s northeast and Melbourne in 2023.

Victorian Fisheries Authority Acting Director of Education and Enforcement Paul Shea said the man, in his 60s, had faced several charges relating to an illegal haul of golden perch from Lake Hume and the possession of a commercial quantity of abalone in spring last year.

“The man was already serving a two year prohibition on fishing when Fisheries Officers apprehended him and another man at Lake Hume

with more than twice the daily bag limit of golden perch,” Mr Shea said.

“Officers had inspected the pair in a boat at the lake’s northern end, where they presented 10 golden perch as their catch of the day. The bag limit is 5 per person so all appeared well.

“Further investigation however revealed another 12 golden perch concealed under the boat’s floor, making a total of 22 goldens ranging in size from 39cm to nearly 60cm.

Officers seized their 5.1 metre boat on the spot, along with their fishing gear and fish.

“In the days that followed, two subsequent search warrants in Melbourne located more than 200 abalone meats in one of the premises.

“In the Sunshine Magistrates

Court last week, one of the men pled guilty to five charges and was convicted, fined $20,000, banned from fishing for five years, and had his 2014 model Toyota Hilux worth $25,000 forfeited.”

The other man had pled guilty to fewer charges earlier this year in the Wodonga Magistrates Court and was ordered to pay $850 to the Court Fund. He also gave an undertaking to be of good behaviour for 12 months. His fish and fishing gear were forfeited.

Mr Shea said Victoria is home to world-class fisheries that provide sustainable seafood and cherished recreational fishing opportunities, and we want to keep it that way.

In the same court last week, a couple

also in their 60s, were convicted and fined $7000, ordered to pay $5000 costs and had their fishing gear and $1370 in cash forfeited. The husband and wife were also banned from any recreational fishing for five years.

The pair had been taking squid and tailor at Queenscliff and Lakes Entrance under the guise of being recreational anglers, then selling them illegally on the street and to a restaurant in Melbourne’s western suburbs. Only licensed commercial fishers can sell their catch.

If you see or suspect illegal fishing in Victoria, call our 24/7 reporting service, 13FISH (133474), to speak directly to a Fisheries Officer. You can remain anonymous.

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Unpredictable snapper fishing season for 2024 PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

With the unusually warm end to winter, and the early warmth in spring, the reports of snapper began.

Westernport Bay comes with a large degree of uncertainty. It’s almost impossible to accurately predict the tides, and it is difficult to predict the conditions from day to day. And targeting a certain species of fish without bycatch? Forget it!

Anglers always used to be confident about snapper season; you’d look out the window and within a breath of the blossom on the trees and the calendar turning to October, they were there. Unless you were at either Newhaven, Rhyll or Corinella boat ramps prior to the sun rising, you would be stuck with where to park your boat trailer and car. You would almost get no boat space on the water, and you could almost walk from the land to French Island, crossing the long stream of boats that were crowding the Corals.

This scenario has progressively changed over the last five years, particularly in the last couple of years.

The snapper’s movement in and out of the bay has become unpredictable and they’ve become difficult for anglers to target, and this year has been no different.

The blossom on the trees began before the arrival of spring, and by late winter we started to receive reports of snapper in the main channel, not on the Corals but on the move. Early in spring we started to get a lot more phone calls and the impending hype that follows snapper season really ramped up, and so did the reports.

In recent weeks we have been receiving more sizeable fish, with a variety

Richard caught a nice bag of whiting in under two hours. of larger ones from 3kg-8kg around the Corals, a lot towards Tortoise heads and as far up the channel as Corinella. So far there have been no emerging patterns in baits used, but the usual suspects are still proving to be effective when targeting the reds, i.e. whole pilchards and large squid strips.

Bay squid have continued to be more popular off the shore than from boats or kayaks. If you’re a Westernport Bay squid fisher you’ll know that for the last year the squid fishing has been horrible. There was even a period when we didn’t get a single report for almost a month. It wasn’t for a lack of trying – many people did their best – there was just nothing. No squid could

be seen even drifting in the water.

Since the start of this spring season the reports have been on the rise, with a lot of anglers finding success from the land-based options around the island.

The places producing the most suitable options are Cowes and San Remo jetties, San Remo during the tide change, and Cowes into the evening.

If beach fishing is your thing, really take the time to try out the patch of beach where the public moorings are in Cleeland Bight. It’s a very underrated area of Westernport Bay. This one patch of flatwater beach produces good numbers of calamari, plus salmon in the winter and spring/summer whiting.

Whiting reports are mixed. Some anglers have been finding only exceedingly small ones and struggling for a good amount to take home, while other anglers couldn’t get away from 40cm fish. There is no reason as to why, where, or when; sometimes it’s simply that you were there 10 minutes too early or late. Try all the usual spots and if they are terribly, busy maybe head to somewhere quieter and find a new spot. There are hundreds of places to catch whiting in this bay, and most places you find weed with a sandy edge you will find whiting and possibly calamari.

The weather hasn’t settled into any pattern other than unpredictable spring, which is making it difficult to predict an enjoyable time to head out for a fish.

The forecast bad days have been turning out good and vice versa; it’s just a case of looking out the window, I think. The reports have matched the conditions, and when opportunities have arisen, the fishing has been good. We are starting to see some particularly good early season land-based fishing. The boats are patchy, but the quality of the fish is what you would expect to see this time of the year.

As usual, there is a lot of unpredictability when it comes to Westernport Bay and fishing Phillip Island, just like our weather. Give it five minutes and it will have changed yet again. Don’t let a bad day’s fishing put you off another day’s fishing, though. You never know what you might miss.

Reports from offshore will ramp up once the weather comes good, and we would expect mako and kingfish to join the list, plus many other species.

FISHING NEWS

Cast a line and dine at Portarlington’s festival Seafood lovers and recreational fishers can celebrate National Gone Fishing Day in style, thanks to the Victorian Government’s support for Portarlington’s Hooked on Bellarine Festival this October.

Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos today announced that the free annual event will take place on the Portarlington foreshore on Sunday 13 October, with fishing activities for the whole family and fresh Victorian seafood available to buy – including the area’s famous blue mussels.

Hosted by the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA), the Hooked on Bellarine Festival is part of the Victorian Government’s $96 million investment in improving fishing, boating and piers – encouraging more people to get into the great outdoors and give fishing a go.

Angling club volunteers and Fishcare will offer fishing lessons for youngsters through ‘come and try’ 80 OCTOBER 2024

VicFishKids sessions – with rods, and bait provided to make it easy for newcomers to reel in a new hobby.

Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating Network leaders will demonstrate knot-tying techniques and share tips to help anglers improve their catch rates for popular Bellarine species like King George whiting, calamari, snapper, and gummy shark.

Expert filleting demonstrations will

teach participants how to turn their catch into a delicious meal, with cooking presentations and seafood recipes giving real life inspiration to home chefs. Other event attractions include: • Stalls selling freshly cooked seafood and local produce, including mussels • Educational talks from the VFA team about snapper, whiting and calamari, fish anatomy and aquaculture • Better Boating teaching trailer reversing

at the nearby Point Richards boat ramp • Kids activities from the VFA Education Team – such as fly fishing demonstrations, casting clinics, giveaways, virtual reality fishing, and selfies with VFA’s ‘Pinky the Snapper’ mascot • Fishing simulator with Knox Boat Fishing Club and Kelly Sports activities for children • Animal experiences with reptiles and native species • Food and live music by local artists, while enjoying waterfront views.

In celebration of Gone Fishing Day in Victoria, and to encourage newcomers to give fishing a go, a recreational fishing licence will not be required on Sunday 13 October anywhere in the state.

To reserve a spot in a kids’ fishing clinic or boat reversing clinic, or to learn more about the event which runs from 10am till 4pm, go to www.vfa.vic.gov. au/hookedonbellarine. – VFA

Tourism takes off at Rocklands A report into the value of Rocklands as an outdoor recreation destination over the past five years has found its economic contribution has grown 164% to $5.5 million annually and visitation has grown 50% to 25,000+ people.

Alongside Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and Wimmera Southern Mallee Development we commissioned a report to assess the impact of our fish stocking and facility improvements on tourism.

The report estimates visitors spent over $3.4m in the regional economy and 80% of people fished during their stay.

As part of our record-breaking fish stocking program, we’ve stocked more than 5.25 million Murray cod, golden perch, estuary perch and trout since 2016.

Rocklands has also benefitted from facility improvements at the Hynes boat ramp and upgrades to camping amenities over the last decade.

Fishing continues to improve too, with anglers reporting golden perch up to 50cm, Murray cod to 75cm, plus redfin and some trout.

Most visitors came from further afield including 37% from other regional areas, 17% from Melbourne, and close to 7% from South Australia.

More fish will be stocked into Rocklands this summer, including 500,000 Murray cod and 500,000 golden perch, giving families even more incentive to visit in years to come.

Read the full report at www.vfa.vic.gov.au/about/publications-and-resources

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Spring means time to target squid and salmon PORT ALBERT

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

This spring will go down as one of the best squid seasons on record. The numbers and sizes have gone to a new level unmatched for maybe a decade.

The Aussie salmon are also providing excellent sport, and even a few early flathead are showing up.

one of her huge squid looked about 45cm hood size and would feed a family of four.

The hubby and wife team were holding up some very impressive models and caught over 20 big squid in two hours, releasing those over the bag limit. As Wayne said it certainly was a glamour day.

When the weather has behaved itself, other squid anglers have had no trouble finding a bag of calamari at Welshpool.

In fact, I’ve seen quite a few newcomers visit the area and on their first try, much to their surprise and delight, they land plenty of large calamari. It goes to show just how plentiful the stocks really are.

PORT ALBERT The area from McLoughlins, Manns and the Port Albert entrance also have squid, but you need to know the prime spots and work the optimum tide windows.

My good buddy Brad Stokell loves a challenge to explore and discover. We toyed with going to Welshpool and almost guaranteeing a bag of squid, but we decided to launch at the Port Albert ramp and start our search there. In the past we have discovered new areas close by so we

Brad Stokell recently got a nice bag of 10 large calamari.

SOUTHERN CALAMARI Every year, from late winter until the end of spring, an army of anglers dig out their favourite squid jigs and start chasing the best-tasting critter in South Gippsland. From the entrance at Port Albert and especially to the larger Welshpool areas, the squid have been thick, and it looks like they could hang around until mid-summer.

Wayne and Kerry brown sent me pics of some of the biggest Welshpool squid this season and probably as large as they get in this area. Kerry is a gun angler, and

Chasing big squid is some of the best lure fun you can have with a rod and reel.

Taming big salmon with a fly rod can raise a sweat even on the coldest of days. gave them attention first. I’ve even bagged out on squid right near the main jetty.

Sadly, we only plucked a single squid after a good hour at each location.

Evidently, they were not home. It was time to look elsewhere, and after a tip-off from a mate, we headed to a brand-new location. After our super-slow start, we weren’t expecting much joy.

We were wrong. Within 90 minutes we had bagged out with 20 squid to 38cm hood and plenty around 35cm. It was chaos, and at one point we had four rods all hooked up at once! We were casting our favourite jigs out as far as we could but also had a rod each as ‘sleepers’, with those jigs out the back of the boat just mooching around as we drifted along.

Another crazy time, we both had squid on without knowing it. I was unhooking a squid and rested my rod against the side of the boat, and my jig was dangling over the side, barely 2cm underwater, right next to the boat. You guessed it – a squid grabbed it, and it was pulling hard enough to make me worried I’d lose my rod. I quickly saved the rod and also landed the squid.

Then the same thing happened to Brad, which made it twice as funny.

At another point in the trip, I had to wind in my jig super-fast so we could

make a move after drifting too deep. My jig came in as fast as I could wind my reel – almost quicker than when luring for salmon or kingfish. To my disbelief, a large squid followed close behind all the way to the boat, travelling as fast as any fish could swim. I thought maybe I was dreaming; surely squid can’t travel that fast? But when I casually flicked the jig back in the water, just a metre from the boat, a squid came up and immediately attacked it. I netted the same sized ‘rocketpowered’ squid I saw just seconds before.

Incredible.

To round off my squid report, I have to mention two kids, Lachie and Lexie, who went fishing with their dad, whose nickname is Frog. The two young guns caught about 14 big squid in about an hour, got covered in slime and ink, and laughed their head off. I loved the picture.

SALMON Schools of salmon are still patrolling the entrance areas at McLoughlins, Manns, Karneys and Port Albert. Right now is when their numbers peak, so get the soft plastics ready and you will have even more fun with surface lures. Be brave and keep some for a feed for making fish patties or try a few school fish in your smoker.

Rising temps draw visitors back to the area MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

It’s the time of year when things start speeding up! Spring has sprung and things will only get better as we head towards summer. The town always comes to life as we leave the cold winter weather behind, with more visitors to the area to enjoy the good weather. Over the past month or so there hasn’t been much rain in the area, and the warming weather has seen the fishing in the lake start to fire up.

Offshore the water temperature is still pretty cool, but it will start heating up over the coming weeks and months. Sand flathead and tiger 82 OCTOBER 2024

A beautifully conditioned bream caught on a hardbody lure.

flathead are being caught by those anglers prepared to put in the time, and keep on the move to find patches of fish. We should see increasing catches of these fish as spring progresses.

A few good gummy sharks have been caught lately, and again, the fishing will only improve in the months ahead.

Salmon and the odd tailor are still being caught on all the local beaches. The good gutters along Tip Beach and around the lake entrance have been producing plenty of fish, particularly on the rising tide. The warming water sees a bit more variety to the beach fishing, with yellowfin bream and sand whiting also being caught. Fresh local

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Local anglers having big fun on little bream GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

Right now, we are seeing an explosion in bream numbers and schools of juvenile fish are everywhere. There are still bigger bream around for those willing to search the upper rivers and even a few big flathead around with them.

BREAM RECRUITMENT There has been some serious bream breeding going on over the last few years, and the endless schools of young bream around 22-26cm are astonishing.

My first example of this comes from James Boyce (7yo) who was on a family holiday staying at Metung. He took Dad fishing down to the local jetty right in front of the pub with a bag of local prawn bait, and within 30 minutes he had caught seven bream. He was even catching them two at a time with his double hook rig, and you can’t beat that! These huge schools of fish have been gathering around jetties for months now from Lakes Entrance, Metung, Paynesville and through to Newlands Arm. Another example of these abundant juvenile bream comes from brothers Lawson and Mitchell Ware and their

mates Isaac and Linden. While using Hurricane soft plastic lures like the Sprat 75 and 85 patterns they were walking the jetties at Paynesville and returning between 30 or even up to 50

baits such as worm and prawn are the best for catching a feed of fish.

The lake has been fishing well over the past month, with everything starting to fire up. Good catches of dusky flathead have been reported, with plenty of fish being caught in the shallows sunbaking in the warm

the same areas.

From now right through until Easter, mulloway will be caught, particularly around the full moon. This doesn’t mean you have to fish all night though, as plenty of quality fish are caught during the day around the time of the full moon. Good numbers of

The author has been having success with his homemade shell lure on bream around the jetties.

bream a session. The bream were so thick they told me at times they were pulling up a fish with nearly every cast. Just about every single bream was around 24cm, with a bycatch every so often of mullet, small tailor or salmon.

These four gun bream anglers also used live crab baits and crab lures to land much bigger bream to 45cm.

BREAM ON SHELL LURES My third and final example of these massive packs of bream is also back at Paynesville. After hearing about so many fish being caught there, I was due for a look. I took the Hobie for a run and fished between all the local jetties and moored boats. My sounder was showing thick schools of fish everywhere I searched, and I mean mountains of bream – sometimes they were so deep on the bottom they looked close to a metre thick. They were also quite hungry but only with certain lures. I tried soft plastic grubs but couldn’t interest a single fish, so I tried tea-bagging small blades and immediately started pulling bream in about 3-4m of water. It was almost ridiculous to count my tally of the constant procession of bream between 23-27cm, and a few around 32cm long.

I tried everything to find bigger models without success.

So, to change things up a little, I tried a heap of lures and eventually pulled out my latest homemade creation, a mussel shell lure. And yes, a straight copy of the marvellous Muss lure, but I use the real thing. I collect the appropriately sized live mussels from the local pylons and then dunk them in steaming hot water. After they open up I clean the insides out and polish the outside shell. I then use epoxy adhesive to fill the shell’s void, place a set of stinger hooks between the two halves, and glue it tight again. The adhesive adds enough weight to make it sink and stops the shell from being

Salmon have been caught in good numbers in the lake. As the water warms the fish will leave the lake system. water. The early season often sees good numbers of fish in the shallows facing the north. Once these areas start to warm up, the fish will drop back to the deeper water. Both yellowfin bream and black bream are starting to spread out, with good numbers of fish being caught in and around the margins of the lake. Once again, keep on the move until fish are found. Sand whiting, luderick, tailor and silver trevally will all be caught in

fish are being caught on lures fished around schools of bait located with a depth sounder.

The spring months are also a good time to target estuary perch. This involves putting in the time to find the areas where fish are lurking. For those keen anglers that like chasing bass, this is the time of year to head upstream looking for the action with the best days being those hot days that end with a southerly change.

There’s a special catch for James Boyce at Metung catching two bream at a time.

punctured. They are so simple to make, and they work a treat! I caught about 12 bream on my shell creation before trying another lure.

It was good fun catching so many bream but the real joy is seeing so many young fish around. It proves the Gippy Lakes are in great shape and providing the perfect nursery to millions of juvenile bream.

MITCHELL RIVER The stand-out stream that’s been fishing the best by far is the mighty Mitchell River. Some of the best reports are from above the highway bridge.

Jai Rykers caught a new PB bream at 41cm and then a cracking 69cm flathead and although fairly new to the lure fishing caper, it’s fair to say Jai is now hooked. His mentor, Lucas Smith, is also in form and somehow wrestled in a huge bream that went 46cm to the fork on a super light 2lb leader. He sent

Jai Rykers with a new PB bream at 41cm. me a video of him releasing the huge bream, and I estimate it was close to the magical 2kg mark.

Matt White also spent a session chasing bream in the Mitchell but this time at the bottom end of the system, around The Cut. He and the better half released 47 bream to 37cm between them by jigging blades amongst some schooled-up fish.

LOOKING AHEAD We are now moving into that transition time where bream start to think more about reproduction and will move right up into all the major streams. Even now, as I’ve already mentioned, some big adult bream are heading high up into the stream.

At this time of year, the dusky flathead start to wake up and head back down to the lakes after spending winter in the rivers. I wonder if that elusive 1m dusky will be caught here this spring? The odds are looking good.

Check the VFA website for details of the Gippsland Metrey Competition and the $1000 prize on offer.

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Local fishery responds to the seasonal change MARLO/ORBOST

Marlo Ocean Views

Seasonal winds in September (some much stronger than anyone would want) have brought change with them, including the fishing. In recent months, the luderick fishing has been at the forefront of the fishing here in

(Honeymoon Island as well) and the mouth of Lake Corringle will be good locations to try.

As we push into October and the weather and water begins to warm, other species like estuary perch and dusky flathead will come on the bite.

The Brodribb River tends to be a bit of a hot spot for the lure anglers targeting the EP’s, while the flats around the mouth of the Snowy River and the area around Frenches Narrows are great places to

Estuary perch and bream will be the main focus for many anglers this month.

Marlo, closely followed by the bream, of course. Luderick numbers slowed through September, and that trend will continue into October.

The bream fishing continues to be good, with many anglers getting good bags of fish. Sand worm remains your best bait option, and fishing the current lines around First and Second Island

Is there a better place than Marlo to get up early to go fishing? We don’t think so.

target the flathead. There is nothing better than wading the shallows, casting small plastics and hardbody lures for flathead. There can be some big fish around, and they go hard in the shallow water. Plenty of bream also reside on these flats and they too are more than happy to grab a lure.

On our offshore grounds, you should start seeing better numbers of sand flathead and some better-quality gummy shark. Pearl Point has been the hot spot for the gummy shark in September, and I imagine that would continue to be the case in October as well as along Marlo Reef.

Our beach anglers have been having a lot of fun with Australian salmon along our beaches. There are plenty of them and there are also some goodsized fish in the mix. Gang hook rigged pilchards or metal slugs have been doing the damage. It can be a fish a cast at times, and October is generally a month when the salmon fishing only gets better.

Bring on the warmer weather and we look forward to seeing you here in Marlo.

• Les and Kathy Heyne are the owners of the Marlo Ocean Views Caravan and Camping Park. It has 13 acres of beautiful grassed parkland just a short stroll from the beach, with both powered and unpowered sites, and cabins available. There are two undercover

The bream fishing is always good in Marlo. Sand worm baits are the key in October.

BBQ areas, a full kitchen, and an onsite kiosk and LPG refills. For more information, visit marlocamping.com.au or call 03 5154 8268.

Woodside mixed bags in the spring months WOODSIDE

Peter McCoy

The crew at Real McCoy Fishing Tours recently headed down for a midweek session on the beach, which delivered the goods. A nice gutter had formed, running right along the beach, and fishing the incoming tide as the gutter got deeper and deeper was superb.

Kitted out with our 12ft surf rods, we cast over the breakers into deep pockets on the beach. The rigs of choice were green/blue surf popper

There are plenty of salmon in the gutters at Woodside.

MARLO

OCEAN VIEWS CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK

rigs with size 4/0 gang hooks. Using full pilchards and a size 4-star sinker, wasn’t long until we were hauling in a nice mixed bag. The green/blue poppers perfectly reflect baitfish, and target species like tailor, salmon and even flathead can’t resist them.

The highlights of the trip were a heap of tailor and salmon which we cooked up for dinner, along with a nice flathead. Early morning also saw a nice small gummy landed, which was returned.

Woodside is a favourite of ours and not too far from Melbourne.

21 Marine Parade MARLO VIC HOSTS: Les & Kathy HEYNE

03 5154 8268

• Deluxe cabins • Cabins with ensuite • Budget cabins • Premium ensuite vans • Powered & Unpowered sites • Pet friendly • Boat friendly • Undercover BBQ areas in Marlo Largest park • Large oval • Kitchen • Camp fires • Kiosk the beach Short walk to • Coffee shops

www.marlocamping.com.au 84 OCTOBER 2024

A nice tailor caught on a green surf popper.

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Great bags of Bemm River bream on offer BEMM RIVER

Brian Isbister

Greetings from Bemm River, the Bream Capital of Australia. Well, we certainly think so!

My name is Brian Isbister and I’m semi-retired jack of all trades, and together with my brother Peter and mum Helen, we manage Cosy Nook Holiday Accommodation.

We first fished the Bemm 48 years ago, and have been coming back two to three times per year ever since. When we heard that Cosy Nook was up for sale we couldn’t resist. After purchasing the cottages a couple of years previously and investing heavily in getting them up to scratch for holiday seekers,

both anglers and other visitors to our picturesque area.

Bemm River has been without a report in Fishing Monthly for a while, and I’ve decided it’s time for readers to get regular updates again. I’ll combine my own info with input from the inimitable Robin Sturgess from Bemm River Accommodation, Mick and Leesa Tutty of Hooked on The Bemm, The King’s (Craig and Julie) of The Bemm River Caravan Park, and Paul (Keg) and Shantell Soulier of The Bemm River Hotel. We are all banding together to bring more recognition to this amazing little fishing hamlet that we all love. We hope to see some of you here in the future.

Mick Tutty from Hooked on the

Rennie with a very nice 39cm bream.

Is Bemm River really the Bream Capital of Australia? Come and find out!

Beach. At this time of year, however, it’s understandably more popular!

• Real McCoy Fishing runs half-day tours out of Melbourne, full-day tours up the 90 Mile Beach, and weekend trips away at their favourite surf beaches up the East Coast. These tours give you a solid foundation for your surf fishing journey, showcasing all the skills and equipment you need to succeed, and get hooked on the addiction! To find out more visit www.realmccoyfishing.com or look them up on social media.

Flathead will sometimes take a popper in the surf.

Just look for a nice gutter and fish the incoming tide, and you have a good chance of success.

If you want to visit this location, the cooler months see plenty of room in the free campground at Reeves

A little gummy shark caught on a whole pilchard.

Bemm tells me there have been some nice luderick caught on sandworm off Pelican Point.

Chris Egan and Glenn Hester caught a couple of really good bags of bream on fresh sandworm, just outside the channel to Mud Lake and near the river mouth. Rennie Hester (8yo), Glenn’s son, caught his age in fish at the same time.

Mullet (Bemm River Whiting) are in abundance at Py-Yoot Bay. Dave and Hazel (Whalen) fished the rising tide in very calm conditions using bluebait pieces on bream gear. They caught enough for a substantial feed, and had to leave whilst the fish were still on the bite!

Wayne (Prez) and Daryl (Dazza the Chef) also had a great time at Py-Yoot Bay on the mullet, along with Australian salmon, also caught on bream gear using pilchards and pipis, aided by the Chef’s own berley bomb.

Wayne tells me he was a bit peeved as he couldn’t get a beer in edgewise due to the continual bites!

Australian salmon and tailor are still being caught on the incoming tide on Halcos, heavy metal lures, plastics and hardbodied lures in the channel.

Numbers seem to have slowed down a little from their peak a couple of months ago, although a few nice bags were reported recently, so things appear to be looking on the up again.

Accommodation houses are steadily gaining clientele after a slow winter.

Water levels are low as the entrance is still open, fish numbers are quite concentrated and good catches are being made.

The best bait is fresh sandworm in the lake, and heavy metal lures and soft plastics in the channel. Bluebait, pilchards and pipis are the gun baits off the beaches.

Tight lines!

• East of Orbost and about half an hour from the Cape Conran, Bemm River has some of the best beaches in Australia.

Located on the edge of town, surrounded by unique bird life and landscape gardens. Cosy Nook Accommodation has seven fully self-contained units and

Rennie Hester on Sydenham Inlet on a beautiful sunny day, with just a slight breeze to cause a ripple, giving the fish a little cover. two cottages. All are very well appointed, and one of the cottages is even pet friendly. For up-to-date fishing reports and reservations, contact Peter or Brian Isbister on 0487 307 446 or 0488 672 260, or email cosynookbemmriver@gmail. com. You can also get up-to-date fishing info and tips from Mark and Jane at Bemm River Bait & Tackle, who stock all the gear you need.

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Anglers seeking out golden opportunities ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

As I write this, the promised warmth of spring has burst the wattle trees to full bloom. Fruit orchards paint the landscape a carpet of pastel shades as the earth finally begins to thaw. In angling terms, spring is a bittersweet season where wild cod from the rivers are now off the list, but the warm flowing waters bring a promise of golden perch. These feisty native fish have bit well the past few seasons, and with recent reports, this one should be no different.

Is it just me, or does the size of the perch seem to have increased in our rivers? Fish of 50cm are almost the norm, and are being caught in far better numbers than I can ever recall.

Somewhere along the line, they have had optimal conditions to breed and grow, and it’s refreshing to see them about in such good sizes and numbers.

In the Murray at Swan Hill, Jim Credlin says that perch are being landed on both bait and lures. If you

The perch are yet to run below the Euston Wier, but when they do the fishing is great. Brent Martin caught this one casting a Bassman spinnerbait.

sitting just off the current line in wait of an easy meal. Plenty of large perch have been reported, and once again, many of these have been up to 50cm+.

Downstream to Robinvale, it’s a similar story, with some solid golden perch taking bait and lures above the weir upstream to the Nine Mile and beyond.

The great run of big fish seen below the Euston weir last season has yet to happen, with anglers catching just one or two per session, mostly on bait. Perhaps the numbers will build at his location as the water continues to warm.

Moving downstream to Mildura, tackle proprietor Kym Sykes says the fish slowed down a little during winter, but they never really stopped. He says it should be a great season for these fish. As the temperature continues to

can get them, river shrimp have been the go-to bait, followed by scrub worms. When it comes to lure selection, small hardbodies, spinnerbaits and the smaller Zerek Mullet have all been working well. It’s a similar story in the Wakool River at Kyalite, with plenty of

Perch this size are becoming the norm in our stretch of the Murray.

This fish was taken on the troll on a Native Lolly lure.

A great haul of solid golden perch.

good-size perch being caught on the same range of baits and lures.

The Murray River at Boundary Bend has some good-sized golden perch on bait with worms, shrimp and small yabbies all working well. The best spots seem to reside on the edge of the backwater where the perch are

increase, the bite should only get better.

Below the weir at Wentworth, a few perch are running on bait and lures, with the bite expected to get better over the coming weeks. So, with that said, enjoy the warm spring weather and the great fishing opportunities it provides in our local waters.

water temperatures can lead to the yellowbelly becoming a lot more active. Lake Nillahcootie is my favourite place to head in search of October yellowbelly. I like to take my kayak and troll small to mediumsized hardbody lures.

My favourite lure for this type of fishing is the smaller-sized Old Mate lure. It displaces plenty of water, is the right size and dives quite well.

From my kayak, I will cast the lure about 20m behind my kayak and then just paddle really slowly, about walking speed. The lure just swims in a straight line, and when it swims

past a fish bang!

It does not have to be a small Old Mate lure; that is just my favourite.

A Number 2 StumpJumper is another great option. Any 50-60mm diving lure that swims well will work, as long as it can dive to 8-9ft when it’s being towed behind your kayak or boat.

Angling off the bank at Lake Nillahcootie is also a great way to catch yellowbelly. Using worms or small yabbies as bait is best. If you can find them, and keep them alive, it is hard to go past live shrimp as yellowbelly bait. The

Golden perch more active as the water warms WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

October is possibly my favourite time of the year. The weather is warm but not too hot, and the fishing is great for many species.

Let’s break them down.

MURR AY COD Murray cod season is closed all spring because that’s when they spawn (while the large cod guard their eggs, they become quite vulnerable). The good news is that there are a couple of lakes not too 86 OCTOBER 2024

far away that are now open to yearround cod fishing. They are Lake Eildon and Lake Nillahcootie.

Research has shown that natural Murray cod recruitment is very poor in these lakes, so they need to be stocked annually with cod. Because of this the closed Murray cod season was lifted so that we can now get a Murray cod fishing fix in during the closed season without having to harass the fish in the rivers that are actually spawning.

YELLOWBELLY October is a great time of the year to fish for yellowbelly. Warming

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FMM to Lake Hume can also deliver some good redfin fishing.

There are redfin in a number of the region’s smaller creeks, and they always seem to fish well in October.

The hardest part is finding them.

Redfin are a mysterious fish. Some years they will turn up in one creek,

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TROUT October is the best month of the year to catch trout in North East Victoria, in my opinion. The streams are usually still flowing well, the water is still usually quite cold, and the warm October days can bring out all kinds of insects for the trout to feed on.

A small yellowbelly trolled behind the author’s kayak at Lake Nillahcootie on a Tubby Native Minnow.

Ovens River in Wangaratta now has a healthy yellowbelly population as well. I do not target them with lures because I do not want to catch a spawning Murray cod. I will instead sit on the bank and angle with worms.

I often pick up a yellowbelly or two while doing so.

I do still catch a few Murray cod on worms but these are usually smaller fish that are actively feeding, as opposed to spawning fish that attack lures out of aggression.

If you are after a monster yellowbelly, a big fat slimy trophy fish, then Lake Eildon or Lake Hume are the places to head. These lakes seem to be home to some massive yellowbelly. I caught my biggest yellowbelly of 62cm at Lake Hume in October many years ago. I have seen photos of them over 70cm long up there. Wow! For anybody wanting to eat a feed of fresh yellowbelly, 50cm seems to be the maximum size. They do not have a maximum size limit, but once they get too big they get very fatty and taste terrible. A 40cm yellowbelly is the ideal eating fish, but by 50cm long, they are starting to turn bad. They taste even worse in the lakes, where they tend to be fatter due to not having to swim against

strong currents.

REDFIN October can be a great time of the year to catch redfin in some waterways, while other waterways can be very quiet. The two main lakes in the Ovens River catchment – Lake Buffalo and Lake William

A Lake Nillahcootie yellowbelly caught angling off the bank using worms as bait.

A nice springtime brown trout caught on a soft plastic.

This year we have not had a lot of rain, which is quite a concern as far as trout fishing goes, but I suspect that October will still be really good, especially the first half of the month.

I suspect that anything will work well on the trout this October. Fly fishing, spinners, soft plastics, small minnows etc. They should all work well.

Due to a lack of rainfall, anglers bait fishing with worms might struggle a bit with drier than usual conditions.

This will vary a lot from stream to stream, though.

OTHER SPECIES There will be carp everywhere in October. It’s a great time of the year to catch carp in any water that contains

Hovell – often fish poorly during spring each year, and don’t come to life until autumn.

In contrast, Lake Sambell in Beechworth can fish well for redfin in October, and a trip up the road

October can be a good time to catch a feed of fresh yabbies.

A lovely brown trout caught on a Strike Tiger Micro Minnow.

October is a great month to go trout fishing.

and then the next year they won’t.

Try fishing in the deeper, warmer pools in the lower reaches of the region’s many trout streams, where the creeks really slow down and warm up. These can be great places to find springtime redfin.

them which is most waterways.

Yabbying is also usually very good in October. The yabbies usually start biting in September, and by October we should see some good yabbying, particularly later in the month when things are a bit warmer.

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Cod season is done YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett

The final siren for the 2023/24 Murray cod fishing season has well and truly blasted. From 1 September through to 30 November inclusive, targeting Murray cod is not permitted, and the crays are off-limits until next June.

Please keep in mind the Murray River below Yarrawonga Wier, downstream through the Cobram area to the Tocumwal traffic bridge, is totally closed to all forms of fishing for this period, too.

If you missed out on your dream of catching a mighty green beast over the past nine months, it’s time to regroup.

Make some new plans, restock your tacklebox and start preparing for the new season, which is only a couple of months away!

In the meantime, the best northeastbound anglers can hope for is a good dose of sunshine to bring on the annual run of spring yellas. Fishing the top end of Lake Mulwala around the Bundalong area is traditionally more productive than the open waters of the lake itself.

If you do encounter a cod over the next couple of months, it should be released unharmed as quickly as possible. Using lures smaller than 80mm will minimise cod encounters.

August’s cod fishing petered out slowly, with the cooler water slowing reports. Those who chose to troll over casting lures were rewarded more consistently with some nice cod up to 75cm. The ‘scopers’ continued to target the bigger fish and found plenty. I find it funny that nowadays, those catching cod via scoping tend to keep their catches quiet because the pushback against this method is growing. Five years ago, if you caught a cod of 1m+ you were treated like a national hero!

At this time of year, I usually award an ‘Angler of the Season’. With the playing field changing a bit nowadays, I would like to award this to a large group of local kids, 8-15 years old.

They are always out in search of a fish or two, regardless of species. Keep up the great work, kids!

Coming up on 26 October is the Golden Do$$ars fishing competition, an event that focuses on targeting

Vanessa Bennett and Ian Rogers with a pair of nice yellas caught around the Bundalong area. golden perch. Entry forms are now available.

Organisation for the 25th Anniversary Cod Classic is well underway, with this iconic event promising to be huge once again. With five boating packages up for grabs, and a prize pool totalling well over $100K, this event is not to be missed. Check out www.codclassic.com.au for more info, or give me a call on 0439 441 667.

Until the next edition, happy fishing.

• If you’re visiting town, call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (Opposite the Post Office) in Mulwala or our Yarrawonga store located between Rivers and One Zac in the heart of town. Were Yarrawonga/Mulwala’s fishing specialists and specialise in all things ‘green’!

It’s time for anglers to focus on going for gold BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

This month, we should see a good increase in air and water temperatures.

The warmer the weather, the better the fishing will be.

Golden perch fishing is usually very good at this time of year, and many anglers are shifting their attention from other species to focus on the goldens.

LAKE EPPALOCK At the time of writing this report, water levels are at 89%.

Water inflows into the lake have been minimal and the water levels remain steady, as they have for the last few months. The water clarity is very good. The catchments have been receiving some rain but not much, and there’s been no significant run-off. Ideally, if the catchment receives slightly belowaverage rainfall, the water levels will rise slowly and remain clear in most of the lake.

Spring is traditionally when the region receives its heaviest rainfall events. The long-range BOM forecast is for below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures, but we all know the forecasts aren’t always correct, and things can change quickly. It only takes a couple of major weather systems for the rivers to run high and dirty, and 88 OCTOBER 2024

the water levels in our impoundments can increase rapidly. Still, it seems unlikely that will happen this year.

For those anglers chasing golden perch in Lake Eppalock, there are a few key structures to focus on. Rocky shorelines are often very good in spring, and submerged saplings are also a favourite habitat for goldens.

If there is a good rise in water levels over the next couple of months, fishing the edge of grassy banks can also be productive.

Good lure choices for the golden perch are blades, small hardbody lures, and small profile spinnerbaits.

Early in spring, when the water is

colder and the fish are less aggressive, I prefer to use silent, 50-65mm lipless crankbaits. As the weeks pass and the water temperatures rise, I switch to rattle lipless crankbaits and mediumsized hardbody lures.

CAMPASPE RIVER Conditions are looking very encouraging in the Campaspe River.

The water clarity is improving nicely in Lake Eppalock and there’s a steady flow of favourable water being released from the lake. Rainfall has been below average, with minimal inflows from smaller streams. As a result, the water is slowly becoming clearer in the Campaspe River. If this

Large golden perch like this one can be caught while fishing during the spring months.

continues, we should see some very good lure fishing for goldens over the next few months.

When targeting golden perch in the river, you can get good results fishing the edge of the weed beds or along cumbungi-lined banks.

When fishing the edges of the weed beds, look for pockets where you can cast your lure further back into the weed. Also look for where the weed is denser.

When fishing submerged timber, target those areas where two sections of timber cross over each other (I refer to them as ‘cross ups’). These areas create a good shady area for the goldens to hide in and ambush from.

Submerged timber with tight, spindly branches will also hold golden perch. Trees that have recently fallen into the river often create this type of habitat. Bear in mind that this kind of structure is not easy to fish; the spindly branches can be very snaggy, and it’s easy to hang up a lure.

CAIRN CURR AN Cairn Curran is currently at 69% of capacity, and the water clarity is poor. We can expect the water level to rise this month, and potentially over the next couple of months as well. Hopefully, these potential rises will be caused by steady rainfall, rather than heavy rainfall events. Heavy rain would cause large inflows into the

Freshwater VIC

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LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

Fun sunnyCONTROL days ahead INTUITIVE

the deeper ledge starts. Don’t let this put you off though, because the fish are still Nick Brown on the chew. You just need to focus a bit teamriverrats@hotmail.com deeper than usual, as the fish are holding Spring is here, and the early yellowbelly a bit further out. ZX40 blades in black season reports continue to come in. have been effective with a long cast and a Plenty of locals have been heading to the hop-and-pause technique. Slow rolling a Goulburn lately, with some good-sized TN60 has also been a great way to chase fish reported. both yellowbelly and redfin.

Yellowbelly up to 45cm have been Bait fishing with worms around the caught, with scrub worms being the sand bars has been great lately, with redfin best way to chase yellowbelly from the and carp being reported. banks. Medlands, Jordan’s Bend, behind SHEPPARTON LAKE Aquamoves and Moira Park have all been There are still plenty of active trout in the lake with small soft plastics being great spots for those using bait. Some a great way to chase them. The Strike anglers have been catching yellowbelly Tiger soft plastics in almost any style casting and trolling small Codgers out have worked at the Shepparton Lake the towards Toolamba and Murchison. As key has been to either rig them weedless the weather gets better, this will be a great or on a super-light jighead. Some locals way to chase yellowbelly up and down the ORTHERN GOLD COAST AIRLIE BEACH have even been using an unweighted Goulburn. worm hook and CENTRE just letting it drift deep NSHORE MARINE BROKEN RIVER WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD into the weed, followed by a slow rolling Both weirs have been fishing well Murray orizon Shores Marina Woongoolba 17 William Drive Cannonvale recently, (07) 5546 2480 with casting TN60s downstream P: (07) 4946 retrieve.

7286 Bait fishing around the boat ramps of the weirs working well. Brown dog, onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au and Grass Hill has also been great peacock and HL black have been the : www.onshoremarine.com.au W: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au lately, with both PowerBaits and worms recent stand-out colours but as the days get warmer, they will get less fussy on colour VERTON HILLS KARUMBA working well.

WARANGA BASIN and become very active.

Up towardsMARINE OLT MARINE JONES The yellowbelly are starting to turn Benalla, some legal-sized yellowbelly have 5 Queens Road Everton Hills 30 Yappar Street Karumba on at the basin, with more and more been caught on small spinnerbaits and (07) 3353 1928 P: (07) 4745 9159 reports coming in. The key to yellowbelly chatterbaits with a slow roll working best. info@holtmarine.com.au E: jonglo@bigpond.com fishing at the basin is finding structure In Shepparton, we have had some : www.holtmarine.com.au www.jonesmarine.com.au such as trees, larger rocks or old fence reports of yellowbelly being W:caught posts, because yellowbelly love to hold on casting 55mm Old Mates in the golden APALABA IPSWICH these structures. Vertical fishing a blade, frog and olive reed colours. The walking MIKES MARINE slow rolling a black gulp or hopping track along Broken River Drive is IPSWICH the best MARINE Smith Street 45 Huxham Street aroundRaceview a football jig have all been great accessCapalaba point.

(07) 3390 3418 P: 07 3294 3944 ways to chase yellowbelly in these areas Bait fishing has been producing and we would expect this to be the same plenty of carp, with the odd yellowbelly sales@mikesmarine.com.au E: enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au this spring. reported amongst the big carp numbers. : www.mikesmarine.com.au W: www.ipswichmarine.com.au Trolling has been a great way to target Both scrub worms and night crawlers LACKS CREEK redfin lately, with some nice numbers have been working well. If you GOLD can getCOAST smallMARINE yabbies, they will also be productive USTRALIAN CENTRE TR MARINEof fish sitting in around 15ft of water around theAshmore caravan park. Bait fishing in Highway spring. Slacks Creek 491 Pacific 167 Currumburra Road from the banks or drifting in the shallows KIALLA LAKES (07) 3808 7333 P: 07 5532 5812 has also been a great way to chase redfin, The levels are still low at Kialla, which sales@amcboats.com.au E: shaun@trmarinegc.com.au as they’re still feeding shallow in the has taken away the shallow edge bite or : www.amcboats.com.au W: www.trmarinegoldcoast.com.au mornings and afternoons. the ambush zone just off the bank where

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

INTUITIVE CONTROL

SHEPPARTON

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dirtier than it already is.

Dooley Street North Rockhampton If you want to visit Cairn (07) 4927 9150 Curran this month to target the rifen.boats@bigpond.com resident golden perch on lures, I : www.rifenboats.com.au recommend bright UV colours such as pink, orange and chartreuse.

These colour schemes are good options for dirty water. If these colours are not working for you, try dark colours that create a defined silhouette, such as black and purple.

Regardless of which colour you use, you need to be patient when lure fishing in dirty water. Fish slowly and put plenty of casts into your chosen spot so the fish can see/sense the lure and get stirred up enough to strike.

The water clarity will probably get worse for a while, before it slowly starts to improve again later

in the season. For that reason, whether you’re targeting Murray cod, golden perch or redfin over the next few months, bait fishing rather than lure fishing will be a better option.

LODDON RIVER The water clarity is average in the Loddon River at Bridgewater and Serpentine, and very poor at Newbridge and Laanecoorie. Unfortunately, the clarity didn’t settle as much this winter as it has done in other years.

Given the current conditions and the chance of more rainfall, the Loddon River will probably remain dirty for the next few months. It doesn’t help that Cairn Curran and Laanecoorie will be releasing dirty water down the river during irrigation season.

However, you can still experience some good fishing if you adapt to suit the poor clarity.

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OCTOBER 2024 89

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Signs El Niño weather pattern is taking hold BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

The El Niño weather pattern is starting to impact our fisheries around the state, with above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall. There was very little rain in winter, and now the spring months are showing the same signs.

if we got some serious rainfall in a short period.

NEWLYN AND HEPBURN The water levels in a couple of our good spring fisheries, Newlyn Reservoir and Hepburn, are very low.

This has already impacted the fishing.

My main concern is for Hepburn Lagoon, which is low and very weedy and shallow. We could once again lose this fishery like we did during

Max Stevens has been catching some excellent-sized brown trout land-based, including this 50cm model which ate his orange bead-headed Magoo fly.

Craig Howlett has been targeting the deeper areas of Moorabool Reservoir for redfin. He caught this 46cm model on a Berkley T-Tail Minnow 2.5” in pink glow. Photo courtesy of Craig Howlett.

Generally, at this time of the year we are talking about trout feeding in flooded margins feeding on worms, grubs, etc that have been flooded out of the ground. This year it’s different,

the millennium drought, when it completely dried up. Fingers crossed this doesn’t happen because there’s a good population of brown and rainbow trout that have been released by the Victorian Fisheries Authority.

On a positive note, in Hepburn there are a few small areas that are clear of weed where you can fish. Craig Howlett has put in a few trips targeting these areas with surface lures (Bent Minnows), and has managed to nail a few nice-sized rainbow trout. However, he has expressed his concerns about Hepburn as well.

Newlyn Reservoir will get through, as it’s a bit deeper than Hepburn. The real issue will be the weed, which will choke most of the fishery, making it difficult to find clear pockets of water.

Newlyn is one of our go-to

Blake Herrick has been getting amongst the brown and rainbow trout at Moorabool Reservoir on orange Woolly Bugger and gold Humungous fly patterns Photo courtesy of Blake Herrick.

with many of our waterways receding, some for domestic use and others just evaporation. It’s not something you would think of at this time of the year.

I’m painting a grim picture, but I do know things could change very quickly 90 OCTOBER 2024

Vern Barby nailed this magnificently conditioned brown trout fly fishing at Greenhill Lake at Ararat.

springtime mayfly fisheries for the fly fishing fraternity, with many anglers travelling up the Western Highway to fish Newlyn at this time of the year. I suppose we will just have to wait and see. It would be great to have a crystal ball and see what’s going to happen over the next few months.

of trips out there, averaging catching one or two brown or rainbow trout every trip. The pleasing thing is I’ve had plenty of other opportunities to catch fish, but for whatever reason, they haven’t eaten my flies.

Blake Herrick, like me, enjoys walking the shorelines of Moorabool fly

Craig Howlett landed this rainbow trout from Hepburn Lagoon on a Bent Minnow. The future is uncertain for Hepburn Lagoon with water levels moving forward. Photo courtesy of Craig Howlett.

MOORABOOL Moorabool Reservoir is my favourite land-based fishery around the district.

I always look forward to my 20-minute drive out there, wondering if I will latch onto the fish of a lifetime.

Like other waters in the district, Moorabool has been severely impacted by the dry winter/spring months. Central Highlands Water are transferring water from Moorabool currently to the White Swan Reservoir for domestic use in Ballarat. The water drawdown has left us with muddy banks, where a couple of months ago, the water was slowly rising over the shallow banks, which saw trout moving into the shallows to feed.

The receding water hasn’t impacted the fishing much, but it has reduced the amount of fishable water, exposing weed beds we haven’t seen for a few years.

Over the past month, I have had plenty

fishing. Blake has also been doing very well catching both rainbow and brown trout up to 4lb on orange Woolly Buggers, Magoo and gold Humongous fly patterns, generally stripped pretty quickly.

Blake and I have discussed whether we will get good mayfly hatches at Moorabool this spring, given the drawdown of the water. The jury is out on this one. Fingers crossed it does happen.

Moorabool has seen plenty of anglers recently with lots of footprints embedded in the muddy shorelines, casting lures, bait fishing, and fly fishing. One group of guys I spoke to one morning had landed two nice rainbows and a brown trout on PowerBait and mudeyes.

Craig Howlett has been out casting lures and plastics at Moorabool, targeting the deeper areas of the reservoir. On one recent trip, Craig got stuck into the redfin, bagging some nice ones including

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Troll divers and livies for springtime fish CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

The Merri River at Warrnambool has been solid for browns over 50cm long, but they’ve been a bit on the lean side compared to their lakedwelling cousins. Anglers walking the bank along the lower reaches casting

When it comes to big browns, Lake Purrumbete has really switched on, with fish to 11lb (5kg) taken recently.

Well, we are having a late winter down here, with welcome rainfall and unwelcome high winds plaguing all anglers. The browns are cruising and feeding in the shallows, looking for outgoing streams (which don’t exist here) in which to complete their

Damiki Saemi 70s have been working well lately.

shallow-diving hardbodies have had many a lure snaffled by a wild brown.

The best times to fish have been early mornings, evenings, and overcast days. Keeping a low profile can also help you to land a fish or two.

spawning run. We can safely assume that many trout are attacking lures and bait more out of aggression than hunger.

Recently, two visiting anglers capped off their day with two good browns being boated, weighing 10lb 2oz and 9lb 2oz.

Trolling a live minnow hooked through the jaw is a good approach, or you can use Lofties Cobra winged lures in pinks and reds.

Lake Elingamite has been producing reasonable catches, mainly for browns in two distinct sizes - either close to 900g or nearly 2kg. A few nice redfin to 1kg have also been caught on trolled lures worked close to any weedy structure. For some reason, the rainbow trout population has been quiet, with very few fish being caught.

Lake Bullen Merri has been a tad average over the past month, but a few Chinook salmon from 300g to almost

a ripper 46cm model caught on a Berkley soft plastic T-Tail Minnow 2.5” in pink glow.

GREENHILL Greenhill Lake at Ararat has flown under the radar over the past month or so. In early/mid-winter it fished extremely well, which saw plenty of anglers up there trolling lures and fly fishing. There were good reports of some ripper rainbow trout around the 3.5lb mark and browns around 2.5lb.

Angler numbers have dropped off significantly, probably due to the cooler weather. I expect this will change as temperatures rise.

Vern Barby and I headed up for a session recently fly fishing. We fished the jail end of the lake, where I’ve had plenty of success during the winter, with no luck.

We ventured down into the main body of the lake, drifting along the weedy edges and casting, hoping a feeding trout would eat our flies. Before long, one did just that – a ripper well-conditioned brown inhaled Vern’s orange Magoo.

What was very noticeable was the number of dragonflies that were buzzing around everywhere, laying their eggs.

It appeared to be a very early season, at least a month earlier than usual; maybe a sign of the El Niño pattern that the insects know about? I’m sure that the trout and redfin in Greenhill Lake will

make the most of the mudeye migrations and feed up on them.

I recommend that you put Greenhill on your radar. It’s definitely on mine, given the excellent fishing I had a few months ago.

WENDOUREE Lake Wendouree where do I start?

Unlike other waterways in the district, it is full of water and the fish are feeding around the edges.

I have been out in the boat a couple of times, catching some nice-sized browns on fly, but a change of plans over the past month saw me fishing land-

based on the shore and jetties. I have had some ripper sessions, averaging two or three browns a trip, and plenty of other opportunities as well. The best sessions have been on windier, cloudy days. I have fished the rougher water, as that’s where I have found the fish feeding. It makes sense with the wind pushing the food into those areas.

My son Maxi and I had a great session recently, with Maxi nailing a couple of nice browns around the 50cm mark on orange bead-headed Magoo flies. I only landed one brown in the mid-40s, but I had many opportunities

A Chinook salmon taken at Lake Bullen Merri on the troll.

Shane Jeffrey is leading the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club Len Walker Trophy competition with this magnificent 56cm brown trout. Photo courtesy of Shane Jeffrey.

2kg have been taken, along with a few rainbows and the odd brown to a similar weight close to the shoreline. Flat-line trolling a variety of medium divers has been the go-to for most anglers. Other anglers have been taking fish from the bank, mainly along the north shore on live minnows fished under a float, or on soft plastics in minnow patterns using a steady retrieve.

There are still plenty of huge tiger trout about but they have been reluctant to commit to a strike. They’ll often turn away at the last minute, which can make for a frustrating day on the water. with trout whacking my flies and not hooking up or following them, which has made me focus on land-based fly fishing for a while.

Shane Jeffrey has been getting amongst some nice brown trout fly fishing on Wendouree, including a big 56cm model. That fish puts Shane on the top of the leaderboard for the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club ‘Len Walker Trophy’, which is fished on Sundays from 6am to 6pm. Shane said the fish were up and about on one of his last sessions. He had five fish on and only landed one, with plenty of others looking at the flies and not committing to eat them.

Shane, like a lot of other fly fishers, is full of optimism for the upcoming mayfly hatches on Wendouree. This will see a lot of fly fishers from all over the state converge on Wendouree, given the low water levels and uncertainties of whether the hatches will occur on them.

Lake Wendouree’s fishing will go from strength to strength over the next few months, not just for the fly fishers but also for anglers casting lures/plastics or fishing baits. We will see the shorelines full of anglers on a daily basis, and trout leaping freely, eating insects that are hatching. Lake Wendouree will be the talk of the freshwater angling scene once again.

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Fishing amongst the weekend warriors these areas on their way to the heavilyfished Delatite arm! I like to get away from the crowds and find the active schools. Be very quiet when trying to locate a hungry school because your presence will easily spook them.

EILDON

Daniel Piazza

The rivers have been open since the first Saturday of September for targeting brown and rainbow trout, and many rivers are producing good numbers of fish, attracting visitors from far and wide.

Murray cod are currently off limits in the rivers, including the rivers that feed Lake Eildon, but the main lake is open for business. Although the Murray cod are plentiful, I’m more excited to chase the yellowbelly population at this of the year. I’ve been chasing yellowbelly at Lake Eildon for a long time and scored some great catches over the years, and you can, too.

LURES When I was younger I loved bait fishing trees, but now I prefer lure fishing and love making spinnerbaits. The colour combinations were endless trying to fool a

Julian with a trolled-up silver bullet.

A large yellowbelly caught on a Primal Spinbaits spinnerbait near Briar Cove. fish with something my imagination and hands made was just so cool.

I have been working on a 67mm, 12g lipless vibe lure for three years now, and the prototypes have been catching lots of fish. We have just produced the second batch of the Rattle Kush range, and I have slightly changed the weight of the ball bearing system inside. It now has a more direct, sharper and straight connection with the lake bed while not jeopardizing the vibe and rattle on the uplift of the retrieve. Four colours are available and these are very popular with lake, river and creek anglers when chasing natives.

LOCATIONS You can chase the natives all over the lake, as they are constantly moving and finding schools of roach and redfin to feed on. Obviously, the new Live technology takes a lot of guesswork out of locating the schools instead of doing it the old-fashioned way. My favorite areas are around Fraser Inlet, Italian Bay, Briar Cove, Honeymoon Bay and Woodbridge Point. I watch punters drive straight past

enjoy your session.

Murray cod are the main target on the lake and they continue to be the trophy fish there. To get results, home in on the key bite times (first and last light) and keep casting.

As you all know, the lake is going to start getting busy with ski boats and jetskis. Keep a look out for the weekend warriors and to enjoy your time on the mighty Lake Eildon. Jump online to primalspinbaits.com to get all the favourite lures for lake Eildon.

• Daniel Piazza is the creator of Primal

A healthy lure-caught brown trout.

Winter was short but intense and bitterly cold this year, and the trout have been very active a little late in the season.

I still like to fish for trout in late spring as they feed up after running up the feeder rivers. Trolled winged and diving lures are your best friend when it comes to lure choice. Putting a scrub worm on the lure’s hook can convince a fish to hit the lure without hesitation.

As the lake warms up the redfin will start to feed more aggressively. On the really windy days, just pick a bunch of trees, select your bait or plastic, and

The author’s Rattle Kush range of vibes.

Spinbaits – quality handcrafted, Australian-made spinnerbaits with a wide range of coloured heads and skirts. These spinnerbaits feature heavy-duty wires and high-quality finishes, and are proven effective on our native fish. Google ‘Primal Spinbaits’ to see where you can buy them.

Gippsland trout anglers spring into action WEST/SOUTH GIPPSLAND

Martin Auldist

As I write this, the 2024 open season for river trout in Victoria is only hours old, so I’m unable to bring you any reports from the field.

Nevertheless, the local streams of West and South Gippsland have stable water flows and are in good, fishable condition, having recovered from the atrocious weather of recent times.

West Gippsland, and the Warragul area in particular, have been pummelled by heavy rain and gale-force winds that brought massive Eucalypts to the ground all over the district. Keen anglers heading out to wet a line early in the season should not be surprised to find their favourite fishing spots looking vastly different to last season. It will likely take a few sessions to work out the best spots in the newly configured rivers 92 OCTOBER 2024

and streams.

Nor should anglers be surprised to find, like always, the waterways of this scenic region full of small but feisty trout more than happy to accept bait, lure or fly. The often sunny, bluebird days of October provide an enjoyable and productive time to target them.

Anglers should expect to encounter abundant brown trout of 20 to 25cm, with occasional specimens stretching the tape to 35cm or even more. Some waters, notably the larger Latrobe River, also give up surprising numbers of good-sized rainbow trout at times.

All techniques will work. Bait fishing is still a favourite when the water has some colour, but it is great when the water is clear, too.

Anchoring earthworms to the bottom of the deeper pools with a small sinker will work, of course, but I prefer a more active form of bait fishing. Try casting an unweighted worm upstream on a small hook, then winding in the slack as it drifts back towards you. It’s like lure fishing but with bait. Your

Colourful bladed spinners like this Mepps Black Fury will work well on early-season trout. offering will commonly be greeted by an enthusiastic strike from a trout that has been waiting for prey items to drift past them in just such a fashion.

Small lures will work as well, obviously, with bladed spinners, hard-bodied lures and soft plastics all having their devotees.

Casting upstream, as you would when bait drifting, is usually the most effective, but don’t be afraid to put in some cross-current and downstream casts, too. These will often get attacked as the lure swings across the stream on the retrieve.

Flyfishing can also be very effective early in the season. At this time of year, I like to hang a small bead-head nymph beneath a high-floating dry fly that acts as an indicator. Again, cast upstream for best results and don’t be surprised if it’s the indicator that connects to the trout!

Hopefully, by this time next month, these pages will be filled with reports and photos from happy anglers enjoying prime trout season.

If you do have success, please send me the details and a pic to martin. auldist@gmail.com.

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Changing goals of Vic’s stocking management MELBOURNE

Ross Winstanley

For more than a century, Victorian governments managed freshwater recreational fisheries for the benefit of anglers. Annual reviews with angling bodies and other stakeholders assessed the condition and recent performance of each stocked water to determine the numbers of trout and native fish required for the coming fish stocking season.

Since 2014, the Victorian Government’s vision has broadened from securing and sharing the resource, to ‘growing social, economic and cultural values’ beyond recreational fishing.

From matching the numbers of fish bred and released yearly for

local clubs or to Fisheries Officers. Based on the expected lead-time before anglers saw results, stocking trials were conducted over several years.

While maybe not scientific, this was an objective evidence-based process that built on decades of research, shared commitment and experience, paying particular attention to limiting factors, such as the presence of predators (eg redfin) and threatened species, and exposure to drought.

THE POST-DROUGHT YEARS Between 2010 and 2015, following recovery from the Millenium Drought, FV resumed annual releases of around 600,000 salmonids and two million native fish to inland waters. In 2010, FV had engaged a NSW Fisheries scientist to review Victoria’s freshwater fish stocking

Figure 1. Annual salmonid release numbers in Lake Purrumbete, 1996-2023 recreational fishing to the condition and fishing pressure on each water (based on research, monitoring, surveys and consultation) annual stocking has become about increasing the numbers of stocked waters and fish, to boost angler numbers and a range of community benefits.

STOCKING-BASED FISHERIES TO 2014 For decades, much of Victoria’s inland recreational fish stocking was on an evidence-based approach, developed, assessed, and advanced jointly by Fisheries Victoria’s (FV) freshwater fisheries staff, anglers and other agencies. Each year, FV’s recreational fisheries management team met with regional stakeholders to review the recent performance, expected condition and proposed stocking levels for every public water in each region.

At the end of this, the required trout, salmon and native fish numbers were totalled up, published and used as the basis for planning fish production at the Snobs Creek hatchery and purchases from hatcheries elsewhere.

For each water, variations to the sizes or numbers of the usual species, or trialling new species, were discussed and proposals to expand stocking to new waters were also considered. Tied to the more significant initiatives were monitoring measures ranging from netting surveys to structured angler records reported to

strategies and procedures. Foremost among his recommendations was the need to institute effective monitoring and assessment programs to evaluate and apply stocking results to continually improve procedures, cost effectiveness and sustainability of the stocked fisheries.

The performance of stocking-based salmonid fisheries in terms of angler satisfaction and cost-effectiveness were the subject of a series of investigations during this period. While the longterm success of the evidence-based and consultative underpinnings of the annual stocking program were regularly reflected in fishing media, opinion surveys of Victorian anglers often recorded ‘increase stocking numbers’ as a popular response.

Between 2014 and 2017, FV’s freshwater fisheries managers and scientists published a series of reviews of fish stocking, largely focused on Victoria’s experience, linking stocking variations with the results of monitoring and assessments. A 2014 paper noted the challenge of balancing angler catches of few large fish or many smaller fish.

Experience showing that stocking more fish does not necessarily result in greater angler satisfaction, highlighted the importance of managers working with anglers to plan fish stocking to deliver what they value most. Research had shown that releasing fish as fingerlings or

fry, in waters containing predatory redfin, was wasteful. A 1985 FV study in Lake Burrumbeet found that, within 48 hours of release of rainbow trout fingerlings, 35% of redfin stomachs contained up to 28 fingerlings each.

The report writers observed that stocking-dependent fisheries are particularly at risk of overstocking. These studies seem to draw a straight line, from the political sensitivity surrounding fish stocking, to the tendency to see stocking as a panacea, and to experience showing that ‘culture-based fisheries are particularly susceptible to overstocking’.

While angler involvement in stocking decisions is valued, the responsible use of stocking often suffers from debate in a “data limited and politically charged environment”, pointing to the importance of scientific information to underpin management decisions.

Stocked with trout since 1879, Lake Purrumbete was cited as an example where “many years of research, monitoring and adaptive management” have yielded stocking strategies that reliably deliver a trophy trout fishery as well as a popular grass roots range of social and economic benefits. Until that 2014 report, Purrumbete had been receiving about 30,000-45,000 trout and salmon yearlings annually over the five years since the drought. Then from 2016, two things occurred under the accelerated Target One Million stocking regime: total annual numbers increased (including 28,000 fry in 2018) and two new species – brook trout and cheetah trout – were added. Over the same period, statewide annual salmonid releases reached 1.9 million (see Fig.1).

Annual native fish release numbers had dipped slightly to average half a million through the Millenium Drought, then rose around two million until 2015.

TARGET ONE MILLION AND BEYOND The Government’s 2015 Target One Million program promised to increase stocking numbers to five million annually.

This progressed to the 2018 Target One Million Phase 2 promise to stock 10 million fish annually by 2022. Thus began

Figure 2. Annual numbers of salmonids and native fish stocked for freshwater fishing in Victoria, rising from the long-term 2.5M level.

the stocking-by-big-numbers approach, aimed at shifting the focus of inland recreational fisheries management beyond conventional services to freshwater fishers. Instead, the Government’s key focus broadened to regional tourism, employment and other wider social and economic objectives.

As part of its goal of encouraging new fishers and helping to increase fishing participation to one million by 2020, the Government’s 2015 promise was aimed at “attracting more visitors to our regions for new fishing opportunities, boosting local economies and helping businesses grow and create jobs”.

Under previous governments’ ‘small waters’ program, rainbow trout of catchable sizes were released into small urban waters accessible to children and people with disabilities, during the April and July school holiday periods. Today, about 70,000 trout are stocked in more than 80 waters. In October 2015, the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA, formerly Fisheries Victoria) announced an expansion of the ‘family fishing lakes’ program, to extend fishing opportunities, attract new anglers and contribute towards the annual stocking target of five million fish. This helped the VFA to reach a new record in 2016, with more than 844,000 trout and salmon released. When added to more than four million native fish released over the following summer, the Government had reached its goal of stocking five million fish in a year.

The records continued, year by year.

In 2017, 1.2 million trout and salmon were stocked, plus almost five million native fish, totalling more than six million in a year. This continued in 2019, when the Government announced “Our fish stocking program is smashing records and now stocking more fish than any other state in Australia”. In April 2022, the Government announced that the target of 10 million fish stocked had been reached, stating “Victorian fish stocking breaks national record”. This was ‘smashed’ in June 2024 with the announcement of “a record-breaking stocking of 11.5 million this year” (see Fig.2).

With the VFA’s new Arcadia native fish hatchery entering production – and further development under way – how far might this stocking journey go?

NATIVE FISH BONANZA As shown in Fig.2, while trout stocking numbers have increased by more than 200% since 2014, the large and rapid increase in stocking numbers has come from native fish. In the post-drought 2010/11 summer, 77 waters received a total of 2.1 million fish. By 2014/15, fish numbers were unchanged, averaging two million annually, but by 2020/21, 115 waters received 7.1 million fish.

Two factors seem to account for this: increased numbers released in large traditionally-stocked lakes, and expansion into previously unstocked waters.

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On that second point, releases of Murray-Darling native fish – notably Murray cod and golden perch – had previously been restricted to waters within their natural range, north of the Great Divide. Under Victoria’s Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, the introduction of fish outside their natural range was listed as a “Potentially Threatening Process”.

However, with decades of experience and development of risk management protocols, exceptions have enabled increasing numbers of southern waters to be stocked with cod and golden perch.

Notably, these include the massive Rocklands Reservoir where a total of more than four million cod and golden perch fry and fingerlings have been released since stocking began in 2018. At the other end of the scale, new native fish fisheries have ranged from small artificial waters around Melbourne (e.g. Ferntree Gully quarry), and parks and camping grounds in southern regional and country towns, to a camp site waterhole in the Little Desert.

HOW DOES STOCKING-BY-BIGNUMBERS APPROACH STACK UP? The Auditor-General’s assessments In 2013, Victoria’s Auditor-General (AG) found that the program was overly “output focussed” and responsive to angler demands, but at the expense of meeting its obligations to “the protection and conservation of ecological processes, habitats and supporting ecosystems”. It lacked a consistent strategy linking key objectives with performance indicators, backed by monitoring and assessment measures, and a harvest strategy for recreational fisheries.

In June 2018, the AG conducted a follow-up to the 2013 ‘performance audit’.

This audit suggested that, after a slow response, the VFA’s proposed Freshwater Fisheries Management Plan for the period 2018 to 2028 should finally address the lack of strategic fishery objectives linked to performance indicators, and other measures leading to the completion of a harvest strategy by 2023.

Why is this important? As the VFA acknowledges, stocking fish requires a large investment, and “improving stocking effectiveness will deliver better fish stocking outcomes and value for money”. So, at a time when annual stocking numbers have risen by more than 500% in eight years, if implemented, a completed plan should include measurement of cost-effectiveness.

However, I was unable to find a report indicating its progress.

In particular, in 2013 the AG had observed that the department “did not use robust scientific information or reliable data to support its stocking decisionmaking framework”. As this issue too was still unaddressed by 2018, the AG further recommended that the VFA “engage with fisheries’ stakeholders to collect robust and scientific data”. Despite the efforts of promoting the GoFishVic app, it has not delivered the vast information they hoped for, unlike the previous success of

Freshwater

VIC

the Angler Diary Program.

ANGLERS’ PERCEPTIONS For many years, Victorian anglers regularly demanded ‘stock more fish’ in response to surveys on their priorities.

But when almost 5000 anglers responded to VRFish’s 2022 and 2024 priorities surveys, the leading response on inland fisheries was “Trial new ways for stocking fish”, indicating a general view that the procedures used for releasing fish into stocked waters had deteriorated under the expanded program. More significantly, “evaluating the success of fish stocking programs” featured prominently among statewide concerns. To all appearances, nothing had changed since the AG’s 2013 recommendations.

Anglers like to see that fish are distributed around stocked waters. Those responding to the 2024 survey ranged from casual to seriously committed anglers, with 49% indicating that, overall, they are satisfied with the quality of their fishing. Among issues affecting satisfying and quality fishing experiences, two common responses addressed fish stocking. First, “not enough stocked waterways” may have reflected a generally slow public recognition of the VFA’s achievements in expanding the stocking program across the State. Second, “too many stocked fish, rather than ‘wild’ fish” pointed to the need to assess and evaluate the benefits of the untested increase in stocking numbers, mirroring the AG’s criticism of possibly excessive stocking practices.

The recent boost to Lake Purrumbete stocking, outlined above, is an example of where the long term tried and proven annual numbers have recently been increased by about 60%, however there is no measure to gauge the gains/ losses to fishing or other social and economic benefits.

IS THERE A NEW STANDARD? If, instead of meeting anglers’ expectations, stocking-by-numbers to promote wider social and economic community benefits is the new norm, when might we see some serious measurements of performance and success? And, with Victoria’s budgets tightening, how much of the expanded stocking costs will the dwindling numbers of licence-paying anglers be expected to bear on behalf of the 300,000 who fish inland waters each year?

For about a century, Victoria’s freshwater fisheries were largely developed and managed by and for anglers. Today, under government initiatives, fishing for a widening range of salmonid and native fish is being brought to accessible urban and rural waters to attract and introduce families and would-be anglers to fishing. Ministerial and VFA publicity proclaims success in response to the Government’s $96 million Go Fishing and Boating initiative program; now it’s time to set out how performance is to be assessed and the program funded for the long term.

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2024 Troutfest highlights WA’s love for freshwater The eighth annual edition of Troutfest produced the biggest turnout yet, with beautiful weather and a lively crowd of around 400 people providing a fitting celebration of our South-West freshwater fishery!

More than 300 larger rainbow and brown trout from mid-sized yearlings up to larger ex-broodstock sizes were hand-released into their new home, resulting in hundreds of beaming smiles for the scores of mums, dads and kids who all rolled up their sleeves and got in on the action.

With DPIRD agreeing to our request to declare the weekend freshwater ‘licence-free’ for fishers, eager families tried their hand at flicking lures or fly-fishing, with volunteers from the Western Australian Trout and Freshwater Fishing Association (WATFFA) kindly and enthusiastically spending hours teaching eager attendees the peaceful art of fly-fishing.

The fishing is better when there’s more fish biting, and with around

66,000 more trout set for release into our South-West fresh waterways over the coming months, the future of freshwater fishing for West Aussies looks bright.

Recfishwest’s Operations Lead Matt Gillett – who has been at all of the previous Troutfest events – said this year’s crowd was easily the biggest out of the eight editions.

“Watching excited kids wade into the water to have a go at handling these fish with care before releasing them into their new home is always a great sight,” said Matt. “Troutfest epitomises the value of fish stocking and our South-West freshwater fishery – it’s a fun, safe and accessible fishery underpinned by the great work DPIRD does rearing such healthy fish at their Pemberton hatchery.

“It is always a pleasure watching this event continue to grow each year 96 OCTOBER 2024

food on offer.

The licence-free weekend was a good incentive for many to try their hand at chasing trout or redfin perch with picturesque backdrops, contributing to the growing $37 million in economic spending each year in regional economies from freshwater fishers.

Waroona Troutfest is part of a carefully managed South-West troutstocking program supporting a fishery enjoyed by around 10,000 freshwater fishing licence holders who venture to picturesque streams, rivers and dams throughout the South-West.

Recfishwest, through its Freshwater thanks to the tremendous help from the community and all our Troutfest supporters and a special shout-out to the Shire of Waroona for backing in this great community event.”

Now a highly-anticipated attraction on the South-West community calendar, this year’s Troutfest was once again made possible by the Shire of Waroona, Alcoa, our stocking partners

Daiwa and DPIRD’s freshwater hatchery in Pemberton.

Budding fishers were also able to tap into the knowledge of experienced freshwater fishers, with free fly-casting tuitions and fly-tying demonstrations on offer, along with an array of stalls packed with freshwater fishing merchandise and delicious Fisheries Reference Group, offers advice to DPIRD on where to stock each year’s cohort of hatchery-bred trout to the best benefit of freshwater anglers.

Missed out on the 2024 Waroona Troutfest? Don’t worry – we’ll be back in Pemberton on Sunday, 13 October for the third edition of Pemberton Troutfest!

To see a full list of trout stocking numbers and locations for 2024, visit recfishwest.org.au. - Recfishwest

South Coast

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WA

Spring fishing gets exciting BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

This time of year the waters in the Australind area get real exciting! The freshwaters are still flowing from the Collie River catchment, which in turn bring the big bream down into the lower reaches of the system out to grazing areas on our flats. Although water clarity is a little dirty, small vibes and bottom lures are definitely proving to catch more fish, however,

artificial reefs have also as usual had their fair share of sambos giving anglers a good run for their money. These hard fighting, low blowers can’t resist a nice fresh squid or a fast-paced metal jig and can really be a great sport fish, especially when your gear is matched to the fish you’re catching. With the new concrete modules that were added to the Bunbury artificial reef earlier this year there seems to be a real increase in numbers calling the area home.

Bluefin have been in surprisingly

taking long to fill a bag so best make the most of this prime time to target these delicious cephalopods. Not to despair if you are land-based, nighttime sessions on the weed banks through Koombana Bay and local jetties are also producing well.

Whilst there are still periods of nasty weather it’s a great time to consider hitting our local freshwater systems such as Wellington and Harvey dams. Good numbers of large redfin are being caught with some nice rainbow trout for those prepared to wake up early, for the dawn bite. Red bladed spinners seem and motor oil soft plastics in a fish pattern seem to be accounting for a majority of the redfin captures whilst small, slim trout-coloured minnows are unlocking the trout.

• Any questions on something you have read or just to have a chat, duck into Whiteys Tackle and Camping in Treendale, WA. One of the staff or Whitey himself will be happy to help get you on the right path to that next trophy fish. Tight lines.

Emilio Gianfrancesco from @ willznmillzadventures with a samsonfish taken on straight hook off Mindalong Beach.

Ashley Merema copped a solid bend in his Dobbyns rod from this hulk of a redfin perch. when it gets to that prime temperature the bream will be boofing surface lures hard.

The boaties have been absolutely killing it offshore from Bunbury, with great sizes and numbers of King George whiting being reported in the 17-26m beyond the shipping channel. The READER’S

PICTURE

close lately and have made for some great fun. Casting small metals, plastics and onto a busting ball of tuna is something any angler will enjoy and they really can give your arms a stretch. Trolling a lure between spots wouldn’t go astray to pick up on a school that’s hiding below the surface.

Snapper and dhufish are a prime target during the small demersal opening that we have this month, but get to the ramp early and try your best to take advantage of the good days when you can!

Squid are now in spawning mode!

This is our favourite time of year to target squid as they will often aggressively come to the surface chasing jigs. With the high number of squid around boaties aren’t

‘Big’ Harry Thompson with a prehistoric 45cm bream.

He now holds the Whitey’s staff shop PB!

Great weather for boating ESPERANCE

Esperance Diving and Fishing

A cracking trout caught last month from the waters off Bundaberg.

There have been some good reports coming in from land-based anglers over the past month. Those fishing out near the Duke of Orleans have been getting a decent amount of skippy around the 30-40cm mark off the rocks.

Closer to town, the Tailor Street jetty has been producing a lot of herring, with most being caught on coral prawns.

Anglers fishing from the Tanker Jetty have been getting a decent

amount of squid, garfish, and herring.

There are some salmon being caught off Fourth Beach, and that should continue this month. One of our customers recently came in and said he’d been catching some nice fish on squid and pilchards on gang hooks on a paternoster rig.

Boat-based anglers have also been doing well. The weather has been really good for the start of spring, with a bit of swell around but not a lot of wind, so we’ve had plenty of charters going out.

We’ve been fishing in around 60-70m primarily, and have been getting red snapper (bight redfish), swallowtail

nannygai, blue morwong (queen snapper), harlequinfish and more.

• Esperance Diving and Fishing, operating since 1983, runs single-day and multiple-day charters. Tackle, bait, ice and a BBQ lunch are provided, and most times you will be fishing in 40-70m of water 20-40km offshore. The trip costs $300p/p, or $120 if you share a rod with a full-paying passenger. For more info or to make a booking, visit esperancedivingandfishing.com.au or call (08) 9071 5111. You can also book a charter at the Esperance Diving & Fishing tackle store, located at 72 The Esplanade, Esperance.

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Get in early before the demersal closures begin The shallow flats of the Swan should also start to come alive this month.

Mullet tend to be the first fish to venture onto the flats, and they can be great fun to catch. A little bit of bread as berley and dough baits are highly effective. Mullet fight hard and are not bad to eat, either.

ROCK WALLS AND BEACHES There is a lot more activity on our rock walls at this time of the year. This

METRO

Jacob Crispe

From 15 October there will once again be a demersal closure in place. The upside to this, I guess, is that we have at least half the month to enjoy all the fishing options that the Perth Metro area has to offer.

SWAN RIVER With us now moving into a warming trend, your options in the Swan River broaden. Although towards the mouth of the river will always be a focal point, areas like Guildford are now starting to improve. This trend will only get better as we push into the warmer months.

For October, I expect the tailor in the system will be a focus for anglers. There

Isabell Tan with one of two pink snapper she caught from North Mole. She said fresh occy and live herring were the go-to baits. any unsuspecting tailor that lets down its guard. The E-Sheds, The Causeway, Mosman Bay and near the Narrows Bridge are all good locations to try for a mulloway, and the presence of tailor will only improve your chances.

Bream are a constant option in the Swan, and are the first species to jump at the chance to push further up the system. Any artificial or natural structure is likely to hold bream. Prawn baits are effective on these fish, and I like using shiner or wide-gape hooks when fishing for bream. When using these hooks, you tend to avoid gut-hooking the fish, so it’s easier to release any fish you don’t want.

The Fish Tucker Man, Dom Magoo, with some lovely Swan tailor.

James Ancell with a lovely west Oz dhufish caught on an Ocean’s Legacy jig. are plenty of tailor in the system, and with an average size of 30-40cm, they are well worth targeting. The zone between Fremantle and The Causeway offers the best opportunities. Zones where shallow water drops quickly into deep water, or where you find concentrations of bait, are likely to hold tailor. Fishing unweighted mulies and casting metal slugs are always good ways to catch a few.

All this tailor activity tends to fire up the mulloway in the system. They love picking up the scraps that the tailor leave behind, and will pick off

Young gun Jordy Z with an absolute freight train white-spot guitarfish!

These fish fight extremely hard.

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Sean Lawless with a clean looking mulloway caught on a fresh bait at Guilderton.

Nolan went on an early morning raid down at Cott, and got this lovely mixed bag from the sand.

is partly due to the warmer temperatures and angler comfort levels, and also because the squid fishing is generally at its best, with plenty of good-size squid.

Herring and skippy are also around in big numbers. Remember, a good berley trail will always improve your fishing.

The Fremantle rock walls are always a good place to start. If we have a run of poor weather, North Mole will be a popular location for rock fishers targeting snapper. Many anglers focus on the end of the wall, but the truth is the whole wall will hold fish when the

FMM

West Coast

WA

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

INTUITIVE CONTROL

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

INTUITIVE CONTROL

An excellent mixed bag caught inshore just out from Freo by Ian Moyle. snapper are about.

Mulloway can be a bycatch when fishing for the snapper. It is never a bad thing when a 10-15kg mulloway decides to eat your snapper bait.

BENDIGO There are plenty of angling targets BENDIGO MARINE & OUTDOORS from our beaches this month, including 160 Midland Highway Epsom tailor, skippy, herring, sand whiting, P: (03) 5448 mulloway, and3988 pink snapper, just to W: bendigomarine.com.au name a few. Make sure you take the time to pick a good gutter on your favourite SHEPPARTON beach, set up a berley bag in the wash, AND MORE useBOATS fresh baits wherever possible and 207 Numurkah Road Shepparton fish the light changes or tide changes P: (03) 5822 2108 Port Beach, Trigg, whenever possible.

F: (03)Swanboune 5821 2908 Floriet, and Mullaloo are W: boatsandmore.com.au good beach fishing locations.

MORWELL INSHORE Snapper (not in Cockburn Sound), CRAWFORD MARINE King George whiting and squid will 71-77 Chickerell Street Morwell be the main focus for anglers fishing P: (03) 5134 6522 our inshore waters. Weedy, broken F: (03) 5134 6455 ground in 3-6m of water will be ideal for W: crawfordmarine.com.au targeting squid, while similar ground in 10-15m of water will be best for the King ECHUCA George whiting.

Windmills EADES XTREME MARINEis always a great area to try.

24 Sturt Street Echuca inshore P:Most (03) 5482 2333reef systems will hold skippy (silver trevally), and any reefs F: (03) 5482 2133 that have breaking water on them will be W: xtrememarine.net.au a good place to pick up a few tailor.

Samsonfish are another species that GEELONG

frequent these locations. Sambos are a great fish to catch; they fight hard, test your angling skills, and are better eating than many people will tell you. The zone just north of Fremantle to Mindarie has MELBOURNE plenty of reefy options to try, and don’t MELBOURNE CENTRE be surprised ifMARINE you hook up to the odd 393-399 South Gippsland Hwy yellowtail kingfish as well.

Dandenong South OFFSHORE P: (03) 2003 As9703 mentioned, you have many E: info@melbournemarine.com.au demersal options prior to the 15 October demersal closure. This ranges from W: melbournemarine.com.au species like blue-eye trevalla and hapuku MORNINGTON PENINSULA in the deep water, to dhufish, baldchin

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Some 5-star eating, King George whiting caught by Dom Magoo just out from Freo.

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A whiting caught

by Donatello 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown McAngelos on fresh squid. He was P: (03) 9465 8787 surprised at the size of some of the F: (03) 9466 1418 whiting from City Beach groyne.

W: triplemmarine.com.au groper, pink snapper, and many more on our offshore grounds.

Once the closure is in place, many people will focus on the big King George whiting that can be caught on our offshore grounds, or target the large samsonfish (15kg+) in the deeper water.

The tuna should also start to show up, and trolling skirted lures or hardbodies can get you into a few.

For many anglers, however, it will just be a matter of waiting for the demersal season to open before they head out wide.

That’s it for another month. I hope you have opportunities to get out and wet a line, and I will catch you next month.

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West Coast

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Too many choices to list MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

October offers a multitude of fishing opportunities, whether you are up the river, offshore or inland chasing freshwater species. If you are fishing waters influenced by tidal movement, spring is a great time to fish as you can potentially catch both

there for anglers of all skill levels.

Those heading offshore will want to make the most of every opportunity to get out before the demersal closure, which comes into effect on the 15th of the month. October is a great time to chase demersal finfish as the temperatures are comfortable and the seas are forgiving enough to give you more than a few windows of opportunity to fish. When it comes to

Even if you don’t catch fish, you will often be rewarded with beautiful scenery when fishing at the beach.

Kayak fishing is a great option when fishing up the rivers as you can cover ground and maintain a stealthy approach to picky fish. cool and warm water species due to it being between both winter as well as summer. Regardless of how serious you are, there is something READER’S

PICTURE

Lucas Scott and his dad headed to Glenaladale in the upper Mitchell River north of Bairnsdale with the sole purpose for Lucus to catch his first bass.

He used a cicada lure, as he has seen on YouTube that bass like insects, and after just a couple of casts he landed this impressive 34cm specimen.

100 OCTOBER 2024

locating your species, you will find fish scattered through various depths and even when you have a small vessel you are likely to be kept busy if you are fishing on the appropriate grounds for your target species.

It is worth noting that when targeting demersal species, many local anglers tend to be responsive to larger, more noticeable structures and it can be very effective at times. Whilst targeting these larger structures can

be productive, it is often an even better option to look thoroughly over smaller structures as they are less pressured and generally overlooked but can often hold some quality fish.

If you are locating fish but cannot get them to bite, alternating between both artificial and bait presentations will account for hunter bites as well as aggression strikes.

If you are looking for a relaxed fishing mission with the potential to hook into something a bit bigger, you will find it hard to look past the local beaches and what they have to offer during the month. Beach missions are great at this time of the year as there is plenty of herring and whiting available which will keep both young and old enthusiastic.

Not only will you come across an abundance of these smaller fish, but anglers fishing more seriously will start to see smaller quantities of tailor and mulloway start to make their way

Baldies are starting to become more of a frequent catch when fishing offshore locally, as Bunyip shows with this beautiful specimen.

through our beaches as the water becomes warmer.

Targeting the warmer water can be difficult during spring, though the fish will eventually start to show up provided you are both persistent and consistent in your attempts to intercept migrating fish. Though it is applicable to various forms of fishing, if you are hoping to be amongst the first to catch these fish as they make their way down the coast, you will want to fish baits that are fresh and abundant in the area. Migrating fish can be quite picky, so baiting your hooks with something like herring, whiting or mullet has more appeal to these picky fish when compared to fishing with something like squid which is likely to look out of place and unnatural.

River fishing will produce as usual, though you are going to want to focus your efforts between the mid to lower reaches of both systems if you are hoping to catch black bream or the occasional mulloway. Although you will find some residential fish far upstream, fishing further up can be extremely hard going this time of year as numbers of fish will both follow their prey and school where there is a sense of consistency in their environment.

Bait fishing is effective when it comes to catching in the river, so long as you keep in mind that you are better off fishing with smaller lead weights and lighter line classes.

Catching bream can be quite easy when fishing with bait, but anglers still need to approach the cautious nature of these fish correctly to maximize their chances at catching. If you are fishing lures, weight choices as well as lure choices are very much up to the angler. Similarly to bait, you really want to fish to your conditions and ensure that what you are fishing with is presenting itself in a natural manner which is going to appeal to the more cautious fish.

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www.bluewatermarine.com.au OCTOBER 2024 101

WA

West Coast

FMM

Last demersal sessions until Christmas LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

There’s only a few days available this month for demersal fishing from boats, season closes on the 15 October, the next time we can go bottom bashing will be the Christmas school holidays on the 16 December.

Offshore there has been a lot of

through the 20s and 30s, the FADs should be deployed sometime later in in the month and likely to quickly start to attract some mahimahi.

Most the tuna are smallish bluefin with the occasional school holding fish around 6-7kg. Recent years has larger yellowfin tuna in excess of 30kg shadowing the schools with several hooked as they swallow a whole bonito or small bluefin as its being played

The author has been getting onto some cracker greenback tailor, thanks to the long casting ability of the GT ice cream lure.

King George from the shore! It’s not at all uncommon to gather a feed of several species from the southern bay’s shallows. baldchin groper in the mix with the odd by-catch of gummy or whiskery sharks. Dhufish and snapper have been abundant inside the white bank, well within range of the small tinny or even the kayak.

Finding a good patch of ground and pumping out a berley trail on the anchor is one strategy used by the inshore specialists. The idea is to bring the fish to you. It is best to be set up on some good ground early morning preferably have the berley trail pumping as the sun is still below the horizon. Depending on conditions and depth baits are floated down unweighted or just enough weight as required to allow a slow sink through the berley trail, pilchards or squid are prime baits for this method. Bonus is the bycatch, skippy and samson fish are common on the inshore reefs at this time of year school and gummy sharks will be attracted to the berley and the activity generated. Mackerel are also often hooked on a floating pilchard, so use a gang rather than snelled hooks in the warmer months, I also add a swivel to the top eyelet of the gang giving just that little extra protection from sharp teeth.

Once the demersal season ends there’s still plenty of action offshore.

Tuna and bonito have been around in ridiculous numbers in recent years 102 OCTOBER 2024

to the boat. There have already been some fish around the 15kg mark landed earlier this season.

Lancelin Bay waters are crystal clear at this time of year, it’s one of the best time of year to enjoy a day on the water exploring the bay. There are plenty of species on offer that respond to a wide array of lures or baits. Of late the King George whiting have been in good numbers and it’s hard to find a

better eating fish in the sea. They can be caught along sand holes or weed to sand edges. We have even been catching them off the beach along the southern side of the bay where the weed edge is within casting distance of the shore. Weather fishing from the beach or a small boat it is best to hold off on the berley for fear of bringing in the unwanted hordes of butterfish trumpeters or the dreaded blowies. Throwing a few squid jigs around the seagrass beds is very likely to accumulate a few calamari tubes to go with the whiting fillets.

A lot of fishing effort goes into the white cray run in a few months time, few seem to take advantage of this period the crays are moving into the shallows in preparation for the mass moulting event. Near shore pots will have great catches.

October to November is my personal favourite time to be fishing

Tuna, tuna, tuna! They are on, with schools galore offshore.

off the sand, the tailor are abundant and rampantly hungry coming out of winter and developing eggs to spawn.

You can have sensational sessions casting lures to fish that can average 50cm and exceed 80, at times they can be shouldering each other out the way to get to the lure first! Remember to fish for the future, rather than take advantage while the fish are at their most vulnerable. Tailor numbers are nowhere near what they once were and do not freeze well for long so only take what you need for immediate needs.

Stick baits and poppers are my go-to at this time of year for the near shore reefs and to reach those just a little further out plugs like GT ice cream or Dr Hook long tom will get an extra 20-30m reach.

School mulloway are also prevalent in the beach gutters, downsizing bait and hooks work best for the schoolies baits to use would be squid, pilchards or strip baits. It’s a hard decision to use wire, or not with so many tailor about with snell setups even 100lb fluorocarbon won’t last more than a few seconds on a 50cm+ tailor.

Sometimes a 2-hook gang is a good compromise. A lot of mulloway fishers have started using the Vexed Dingle Dangle to add extra movement to the baits in the surf with great effect.

Late in the month floating sargassum weed becomes a problem as it washes into the beaches each afternoon with the sea breeze so mornings can be more comfortable fishing. Pictures were hard to come by for this month’s report due to relentless swells we are always looking for quality current images for publication, if you capture a great Lancelin fish picture please forward them with any relevant information to peterfullo@gmail.com Happy fishing and may the luck be with you.

FMM

PRODUCT NEWS

Plenty of new releases from CrushCity Everybody knows about the awardwinning new CrushCity Imposter 4.5” (see the Best of Show feature at the start of this magazine), but you might not know about some of the other new releases from this brand: The Heavy Hitter 3” and 5.5”, and the Jerk 5” and 7”.

CRUSHCITY HEAVY HITTER 3” AND 5.5” When you need to get it sorted, send in the Rapala CrushCity Heavy Hitter. Now available in 3”, 4” and 5.5” models, there is no predator big or

small that is safe from the Heavy Hitter.

Utilising the fish-catching properties of Super T.P.E material, Rapala has created a paddle tail soft plastic with a difference. Ultimate body roll coupled with the thump of the unique paddle-tail produces an action that drive fish crazy.

An infusion with both baitfish scent and salt directly into the material of the Heavy Hitter adds that cherry on top of the cake.

You can rig the Heavy Hitter on a weedless hook, standard jighead

or even unweighted and use it as a topwater. It’s available now, and its priced at MSRP $12.95.

CRUSHCITY JERK 5” AND 7” Taking the 3.75” Rapala to a new level the Rapala CrushCity Jerk has been supersized. Now available in a 5” and 7” model to cater to anglers targeting larger predators like offshore pelagics, demersal reef fish or even barramundi in the impoundments.

Made from the same Super T.P.E material as the smaller Jerk, it features all the same fish-catching properties that made the 3.75” Jerk so deadly.

Super supple and reactive to even the slightest rod twitch, the Jerk comes alive underwater.

When rigged on a standard jighead, the Jerk will dart and twitch erratically, sending out wounded or distressed baitfish vibes. When cast and burnt back to the boat, the Jerk behaves like a fleeing baitfish, attracting predators like mackerel and tuna.

Infused with salt and bait fish scent the Jerk is priced at MSRP $12.95 - $14.95.

For more information on these and other new releases from CrushCity, visit www.rapala.com.au. – Rapala Australia

OCTOBER 2024 103

WA

North Coast

FMM

October options open up for Kalbarri anglers KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

After a long break due to ill health I am glad to be penning articles for FMM of what’s on offer for those travelling along our great coast in the west and calling in on my local ground of Kalbarri. While this may be a brief insight on what is available for visitors the shear enjoyment of fishing is half the fun.

With the wettest winter on records the Murchison River has been running brown for months and changing the norm for fishing in the river and outside the mouth.

Big bream are abundant around the commercial pens and up river around Castle Rock.

One local has been getting a good feed opposite the Anchorage Caravan Park by the rocks and also losing a few good hook ups thought to be mulloway. Best bait has been prawn for bream while mullet strip is still a

long time favourite for mulloway.

For those targeting mulloway be prepared to put in the long hours, like local Pete and son Leigh who often spend from midnight until 2am chasing the silver slabs from under the town jetty. Over the past few weeks they have managed a couple of fish close to the metre-plus.

With the continuing runoffs into the river, whiting have been hard to find with some fish being taken on the change of tides as some clear water pushes in and along the flats at the back of Oyster Reef. Best bait for a try would be prawn pieces and patients.

For those venturing offshore in boats, the reefs are littered with pink snapper from a very nice 50cm to some big honky heads of 80cm+.

Keep a check on local closure dates for demersal fin fish species.

Tuna have turned up around the 3 Mile Reef and up to the north around the sand patch and all the way to bald face, pick your days as

Leigh and his dad have had a lot of success chasing mulloway during the midnight hours. the winter pattern can change and leave you with a long bash home if you venture north.

Reasonable catches of crays are

still being taken along the inshore reefs but just pick the drop in swells after the fronts push through for safety.

Plenty of opportunities for anglers inshore EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

This month’s report has been supplied by Kyle Daniele.

Over the past month we’ve had a fair few windy days, but the fishing has been good when the weather has allowed.

The inshore fishing is still going well, with reports of blacks and sails being taken on Richter Soft Grassies and Soft Oscars.

while jetheads and skirts have been scoring numbers of wahoo and tuna.

There are plenty of good longtail tuna in the Gulf and queenies in the warmer water, plus all your usual reef species such as trout, black snapper, spangled emperor, reds and rankin.

The Vexed Bottom Meat hybrid jigs have been accounting for plenty of fish, and the Nomad Squidrex vibes have also been catching their share.

Out wide, the deep-droppers have been getting the usual gold-band, ruby snapper and so on.

Land-based anglers have been catching some nice-size Charlies, spangoes, black snapper, trevally and more. Lure fishers have been getting good results on small stickbaits like

These fish were part of a mixed bag of spangos, GTs and mackerel, including a shark mac. Image courtesy of @maccydave.

There have been good numbers of sailfish around. Image courtesy of @daveyjohnn.

On the sportfishing scene, anglers have been getting good catches of mackerel, wahoo and tuna on the back edge of the reef on the west side. Trolled divers have been catching most of the mackerel, 104 OCTOBER 2024

A quality bycatch wahoo caught on a Bonze Rambo. Image courtesy of @daveyjohnn.

the Mad Scad or Keeling, and small, soft plastic jerkshads and paddle-tails.

The grey nomads have been getting plenty of whiting off the beach using small prawn baits. A few fish have also been getting caught on Ecogear ZX30 blades and surface lures, such as Pygmy Poppers and Bassday Sugapens.

LOOKING AHEAD In the coming weeks as water temperatures change, the queenies will fire up in the Gulf.

The focus on inshore fishing for black marlin will shift out wide for blue and striped marlin, weather permitting, as we transition from light tackle game fishing to heavy tackle game fishing.

North Coast

FMM

WA

Threadfin salmon season fast approaching DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

It is difficult to imagine that the milder months are almost over and that days with temperatures consistently above 40oC are quickly approaching. We love it though, and that’s why we live in such a vast landscape with the widest variety of fish species in Western Australia on offer. The demersals are still firing and that will continue for a couple of months yet before the big numbers disperse into the cooler depths and the sharks make fishing unbearable in closer.

Continuing from last month’s article, the pelagic and sports fishing is right in the zone with Spanish mackerel and sailfish both about in huge numbers.

Behind the islands and around the ship’s anchorage is the go-to spot if you are chasing a sailfish to tick off the bucket list before your holiday ends. Spaniards are being caught around Hammersley Shoal, and in between Bare Rock and Rosemary Island. You can also try along the pipeline that runs adjacent to Angel and Gidley Islands. The mackies run up and down the pipeline picking up an easy feed of baitfish, so this is a good place to start or if you have a smaller boat.

October and November in Karratha will see plenty of reds, rankins, mackies and sails caught but we will start to see the wet season species pop up and one in particular is the superb eating threadfin salmon. Threadies can be caught all year round in Karratha but catching one during the cooler months is a rare occurrence. Scientific studies have shown that although the threadfin can be caught from Karratha right up to the top of WA (and around to Queensland), the fish are many different strains, or families for e better description. This points to the strains keeping in the same location

and not migrating, which is interesting as they are rarely seen for many months and then become prolific during the warmer months.

In Karratha, threadies are found mostly around the mouths of creeks and over the flats. To locate them, look for shallow water bait schools, as this is where they will be spending most of their time feeding. The threadfin’s favorite meal is poddy mullet or prawns, and Karratha is stocked with both. While prawns are more difficult to spot visually, they are abundant in the streams and over the flats of Nickol Bay. Poddy mullet are easily located since they jump out of the water when startled or pursued.

To land threadies it is recommended to either use their natural foods for bait by catching either with a cast net or mimicking with lures or soft plastics.

Working the banks for mullet or head up the creeks as they start to shallow, and water becomes dirty for the prawns if live bait is the preferred option. For

• For the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop in to Tackle World Exmouth at 3 Maley St, Exmouth or call them 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.

Catching barra in the Karratha region in the cooler months is no easy feat but local fishing guru Taj Hicks knows the secrets to get the job done with the great example of a night barra.

Zak with a mac from the yak. Image courtesy of @maccydave.

the water warms and crab population becomes sparse, bluebone switch their focus to other foods such as rock crabs, oysters, octopus, clams and prawns.

Similar to threadies, the larger tides work best for tuskies if fishing nearshore with the run up to high tide being the optimum fishing time. This is when the water rises over the rocks and allows access for the bluebone to the oysters, crabs and octopus. I can’t count the number of times I have been sitting quietly on a rock an hour before high tide and watching the bluebone come right up to my feet to gnaw an oyster off with their powerful oversize teeth. It is an amazing experience seeing such a stunning fish up so close, one move or a bit of noise and they are off, which is something to keep in mind when landbased fishing for tuskies, keep it quiet and still.

There are plenty of reds firing around Karratha right now including these solid emperors caught by Shannon and Kody Bernard off the back of the archipelago. lures, white, silver and black soft plastic mullet / paddletails work well or brightly coloured greens and pinks in prawn style.

Don’t go too big on the plastic length or same if using hard body lures. Five inch would be the largest generally as both poddy and prawns are found in this length or less, remembering the key is to match the threadies preferred bait and that includes size.

When the water is murky from flowing across the mud flats, threadies enjoy feeding on the incoming tides. To help them locate the mullet and crustaceans in the murky water, they have incredibly long feelers. This is when trolling, casting, or floating baits should be done.The larger spring tides are preferred as this will see dirtier water and the optimum opportunity for the threadies to hunt.

Another key target species as the water warms, besides the barramundi of course, is the blackspot tuskfish, aka bluebone as commonly referred to in Western Australia. Bluebone start to fire up nearshore as the water warms and this is partly attributed to the blue swimmer crab population teetering off, which is a main food source for bluebone around Karratha during the cooler months. As

Barramundi will start making more of an appearance over the next couple of months as well. Night fishing for barra is a great way to increase your chances, even during the cooler months as barramundi are predatorial feeders and use the darkness to assist in cover while feeding.

The warmer nights already setting in will fire things up and we will see the usual haunts such as Nickol and Airport creeks as well as all around Point Samson being targeted by the locals. Balla Balla is a better option for larger barra early in the season and reports are we are seeing a few come out of there already. Balla Balla is also producing good numbers of mud crabs at the moment so well worth the extra effort to head up there for an overnighter.

Plenty of squid are being caught along Dampier and Point Samson coastlines as well as around the islands over the weed banks and shallow bommies. Neap tides is best to find them, or they find you as the clearer water on the neaps allows them the visibility to spot jigs from further out and start attacking.

Great time to be fishing the Karratha region with almost the full range of species coming in, or still in the zone.

OCTOBER 2024 105

WA

Freshwater

FMM

Mixed reports on spring trout FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

The trout fishing has been patchy over early spring with a few anglers struggling to get attached to quality fish.

On the other hand, some anglers have been reporting good catches of both rainbow and brown trout. The majority have been hatchery stocked x-brood fish, however, some nice wild rainbows have also been caught in less popular areas.

This month will see some good dry fly-fishing in the streams and rivers with lures also accounting for a lot of the action.

completed with a total of 1700 rainbows and only 400 x-brood browns available for stocking this year. A very low number of rainbow yearlings totalling 8,600 will be available because of a massive lost due to an unfortunate incident occurring at the hatchery over summer. The positive is a record 11,300 brown trout yearlings should be stocked this year. This is a record and is a positive step forward.

The fishing won’t get any better than this month if you are keen to tangle with a trout or two.

REDFIN A good amount of these tasty species have been caught in both our rivers and

fishing them.

A couple of paid fisheries are around with the one in Baldivis being well known.

A few of our northern dams hold a very limited number of silver perch, cod and the occasional bass, however encountering one is rare. I have hooked a few very large fish while targeting redfin on larger lures in very deep water which ended in straighten hooks, or broken 8lb lines suited to smaller species. It seems these days it’s a better option to travel thousands of kilometres across the Nullarbor to states that offer fantastic fisheries, than to put yourself through the stresses of trying to convince a government that refuses to appreciate the benefits this would bring to the general community and regional towns. A trial of a very limited stocking into a couple of highly modified dams, that are overrun with a specie that has

getting behind it as usual. A good turnout occurred with all stakeholders displaying their dedication to the sport with Fisheries WA putting on a good stocking display for the kids. This water suffered from extremely low levels in June then it went to full capacity in only a few weeks after heavy rain.

This little water also received 350 x-brood rainbows and 75 x-brood browns along with 200 small yearlings and 600 brown yearlings so hopefully it will fish well again until the onset of the hotter weather in late spring. I had success casting flies around the shallower areas as did a few anglers out on kayaks.

Drakesbrook Weir is a pretty little fishery that can be productive when stocked with trout. It was again the location for the annual Troutfest held in early September.

Most of the trout normally retreat back to the dams after their spawning endeavours upstream so better fishing should occur.

The weather is normally pleasant with nice warm days triggering better insect activity right through the state.

The shallower bays on the dams should continue to fish well right through the month and rivers with good rapids will be the preferred areas if you have a liking for this style of fishing. Most of the x-brood stocking should have been

After a very dry start to winter the rivers started flowing nicely. This is the month when water levels are normally perfect and trout move to key lies around rapids.

106 OCTOBER 2024

dams over the last few weeks by those specifically targeting them. They have been harder to find in the top column of water where most of the trout have been caught but rather in the deeper areas by those using deeper diving lures and plastics on heavier jigs.

The rivers normally flow at a slower pace which improves access to structure along the big pools where the larger redfin tend to hold. I am often asked what are the best lures to use on redfin and my answer is one that you don’t spend half of your time trying to unsnag. Most lures catch redfin with one working well today not necessarily working well tomorrow. A soft plastic with a weaker hook that bends under extreme pressure is a great choice in snaggy water as recovery is more likely.

AUSSIE NATIVES This is the month when these Aussie icons start to really fire. It is sad to see just how under privileged we West Australians are, when it comes to having a stocking program in place like our cousins do on the East Coast. We are limited to a few locations that sadly, are not available to the average freshwater angler in this state.

I am lucky enough to have a few private waters that are stocked with mainly silver perch and a limited number of Murray cod. The main public fishery is made up of metropolitan lakes and although, some are very large, most are restricted with authorities not taking kindly to anyone

I get to meet some truly dedicated flyfishers on my travels. Dan Bulstrode @westyboys is one such flyfisher who has mastered the sport and is a strong advocate of catch and release of all brown trout in WA.

Wendy was happy with this rainbow she caught trolling at Drakesbrook Weir. The fishing can be good following hatchery stocking. caused more damage to native minnows, being the controversial redfin perch would benefit many in this state. The fact that they can’t successfully breed over here would render the stocks over time should any ill effect occur, with further stocking ceasing at the authorities discretion.

DAMS Waroona Dam This dam received 350 x-brood rainbows and 75 x-brood browns plus a small token of 300 yearlings this year.

This is a very small stocking however, given that the water is only around 50% capacity it shouldn’t be hard to find a fish or two around the dam. A few have been spotted by local angler Jonah Chiera but he was unable to get them to commit.

Better success has come to those on boats trolling the deep areas. Redfin have not featured in the catches so I put it down to most targeting trout closer to the surface .

Drakesbrook Weir The Troutfest was held here in early September with the local council

Yellowbelly are one species that we lack in WA. It seems the only way to fulfil the joys of tangling with these, is a long drive across the Nullarbor with boat in tow, as I did recently.

Logue Brook Dam The few keen anglers that have fished here had their work cut out for them as they had to work very hard for their fish. Unfortunately, most of the trout are lacking condition which could be the result of low water levels and spawning through the winter.

This dam is classified as a semi wild fishery so it’s a strictly no x-brood stocking water that only receives fry and a small yearling stocking of 300 rainbows and

Freshwater

FMM DAM LEVELS South West WA Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities are currently 52.7% at the end of August compared to 58.3% as of the same time last year.

Extremely heavy rain fell in August with a lot of coastal areas breaking all time records. Some districts received double their August rainfall like Margaret River and Bunbury with Pemberton breaking a long held record set in 1955 of 335.2mm. DEPIRD Pemberton recorded 359.6 this August.

Unfortunately the hills areas closer to Perth where most of the dams are located didn’t do as well with Glen Mervyn, Waroona, and Wellington dams still very low. Thankfully, Drakesbrook, Big Brook and Harvey Dam have risen considerably.

WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM

56% 98% 69% 89% 57%.

58% 100%

600 browns this year. It is a tricky place to fish with better results coming from other dams that receive large hatchery fish. Please release any brown trout as they are in their experimental stage for this water .

Harvey Dam The water has come up considerably from its low state earlier this winter which is great for the food supply. The flooded bays are fishing better with fly anglers reporting some good action around the section of the first causeway through to Wokalup inlet pipe, Cattle-yards flats and the grassed area around the Harvey River Causeway. If you have a boat or kayak then Quarry Bay is the single best fly-fishing bay on the dam as it’s a shallow area adjacent to the deeper water near the wall.

Some good lure casting can be had in this area as well. By this time most of the 750 x-brood rainbows and 150 browns should have gone in. A further 1500 yearling rainbows and 1000 browns will probably offer some sport next year given we get a cool summer. A few redfin are being caught by those specifically targeting them.

Wellington Dam Due to its large area this dam can be daunting to fish. It is small by east-coast standards but being 20km long it can be frustrating to find where the fish are holding, as one time they can be down near the wall and next time up the Collie arm. The few that have mastered this have been getting a couple of trout recently.

There should be 1,600 rainbow yearlings and 3,400 brown yearlings stocked this year so hopefully, they will be at catchable size by next autumn. Rumours of a few 50cm redfin have been circulating recently, however, I have only seen one photo of a redfin this size that was caught

back in 2018.

Glen Mervyn Dam No reports recently with water still very low.

Lake Kepwari A few redfin are being caught around the top end near the inlet part of the dam.

Trolling deep diving lures have been the winning technique.

Norilup Dam Most people don’t visit this very small dam because it doesn’t produce on every visit. It is on the stocking list and receives around 100 rainbows each year. It is an interesting fishery set amongst farmland and natural bushland. The best area is the deep drop-off formed from early mineral exploration many years ago.

Big Brook Dam Some good reports are coming through of both rainbow and brown trout showing up in the whole dam. They are mainly stocked brood fish from recent stocking. Redfin are also being caught by those casting lures off the bank.

Farm Dams Dozens of farm dams are situated right through the southern region of the state. Some are quite small although, many are very large and can be daunting to fish.

Trout do well if redfin are not present with 3kg fish being caught on occasions.

Permission is required before access with clubs like WATFAA having a number available if you become a member.

RIVERS Murray River This is the month to fish this water as the rapids are at a perfect level. It hasn’t produced as well over the last few years with mainly small fish coming out of the feeder streams. Around 700 rainbow and 700 brown yearlings should of been stocked this year. Redfin are prolific in the pools .

Northern Jarrah Streams Most of the trout have fallen back to the dams by now so only spring fed creeks are holding fish. I was sent some nice photos of wild self-sustaining rainbow trout from waters that haven’t been stocked for half a century. Unfortunately, I am unable to feature them in this edition because of guarded location.

Brunswick River A few small trout have been caught just upstream of the highway bridge by a

WA

The vivid crimson colouring in this trout is typically seen in wild strains from our Northern Jarrah streams. couple of freshwater anglers fly-fishing.

Around 120 rainbow yearlings are allocated for this water.

Collie River below Wellington Dam Still a bit early at the beginning of October but things will pick up when the irrigation season starts later in the month.

This river will get 450 rainbow and 1300 brown trout yearlings this season.

Collie River above Wellington Dam A few trout have been spotted in the fast water near the dam and good redfin are being caught above the small weir by those launching kayaks under the bridge.

Good water is available all the way to the town past Circular Pool. Casting any soft plastic towards the bank is the best method in this area .

Preston River No reports with only 150 rainbow yearlings allocated for this water.

Blackwood River The best section is from Bridgetown to below Nannup if you are chasing trout.

Unfortunately, this river is not fishing as well as previous years although, trout are still there if you are keen to pursue them.

Only 600 rainbow yearlings are available this year which is way to little numbers to sustain a fishery. Fry will be stocked into some of the feeder streams.

Warren River After a slow start to winter the Pemberton region received record rain in August with around 350 mil falling in the catchment. Only 1000 rainbows and 1000 brown yearlings will be stocked this year although with huge flows they should do well .

Farm dams throughout the south-west of WA can produce some fastgrowing fat trout. These two rainbows were stocked as yearlings in May and were caught in November at 18 months old.

Lefroy Brook October is the month to fish this pretty little stream that gently meanders past the town of Pemberton. If you are into fly-fishing then this is the month to cast a fly over the gentle rapids. Although most fish the farmland next to the town it’s better to find quiet areas away from here. Around 150 rainbow and 50 brown x-brood trout and 600 rainbow yearlings

Blair Hutton Fishing YouTube with a typical redfin from one of our South West rivers. Soft plastics are deadly in the heavily timbered sections. along with a healthy 1000 brown yearlings should be in by now .

Donnelly River The upper reaches are fishing better however, the water was too high so this month will be the pick. A nice big brown trout followed a large Rapala style lure to the feet of an unexpected angler only to turn away at the last minute. This river should receive 600 rainbow and 900 brown trout yearlings this year.

Although the stocking numbers are well down due to complications at the hatchery (apart from brown trout yearlings) there should be reasonably good fishing available in your area. Please try and conserve stocks by releasing your trout (especially brown trout in our northern dams ) leave only footprints and enjoy your chosen sport .

Until next time Stay Connected.

OCTOBER 2024 107

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BREAM SERIES presented by

Healey Dominates Richmond and Secures AOY After an impressive year on the ABT circuit, Mark Healey entered part one of the Northern Rivers double header with one thing in mind: to secure Angler of the Year. After seven rounds this year, there were several anglers who were in a position to take out Angler of the Year at the start of the Atomicsponsored Richmond River round. However it did end up being the battle of the ‘Marks”!

The two Marks, Mark Healey and Mark “Crommo” Crompton battled it out on the sea walls at the entrance to the Richmond River.

EXPERIENCE CONQUERS THE RICHMOND Mark Healey had never fished the Richmond River before.

“I did a bit of research leading up to it on Google Earth and all the usual type of things,” Mark explained, “I thought the style of fishing might suit me if I could find the right fish and convert opportunities, and tournament fishing is all about that.”

Day 1: 5/5, 3.315kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.340kg Total: 10/10, 6.655kg On day one, Mark headed to the entrance of the system, securing a position on the northern wall upstream of Crommo. Mark used Cranka

Mark Healey’s dream run continued on the Richmond River securing his third win for the season.

Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winner’s Interview

“You had to literally, you drag in your crab across the rocks and they were covered in barnacles.”

Day two started with a hiccup before getting his boat to the water. Due to the strong currents on day one, Mark had depleted his batteries so much that they only charged to 25% leading into day two.

With this in mind, Mark knew his best chance of a good result was to catch his fish early while.

“No excuses, get out there and get it done” Luckily for Mark he was able to secure a bag by around 8:30 am. He also landed a kicker fish of around 37 fork to anchor his bag.

Mark fished the last 3 hours with no electric motor. He “drift fished” the wall, using the main motor to adjust position. Using this technique Mark was able to catch a couple of upgrades to complete his bag.

Mark used his beloved Shimano T Curve rod, 2-5 Kg, 7’ paired up with a 2500 Shimano Twin Power. His Twin Power was spooled with

Crabs, targeting fish by casting the crabs tight to the rock wall and allowing them to drift naturally down the boulders and rock faces. After filling his bag, Mark changed to the bigger 65 mm Cranka Crab to target bigger fish.

Mark did lose a few lures because he found the fish holding extremely tight.

Mark used a 65mm Cranka Crab to land his bigger fish.

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 110 OCTOBER 2024

BOATER RESULTS Angler Fish Mark Healey 10/10 Mark Crompton 10/10 Peter Breukel 10/10 Jamie McKeown 10/10 Liam Carruthers 10/10 Drew Griffith 10/10 Charlie Saykao 10/10 Joe Darmody 10/10 Paul Langley 10/10 Michael Horn 10/10

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 6.655kg 5.985kg 5.910kg 5.865kg 5.765kg 5.765kg 5.690kg 5.405kg 5.205kg 5.190kg

Payout $4,000 $2,000 + $250 Merc Bonus $1,500 + $125 Merc Bonus $1,000 $900 + $75 Merc Bonus $800 $700 $600 $550 $550

6lb Kairiki Braid and 6lb Ocea Fluorocarbon leader.

CROMMO WORKS THE WALL TO FINISH 2ND Day 1: 5/5, 3.210kg Day 2: 5/5, 2.775kg Total: 10/10, 5.985kg Mark’s pre-fish approach was relaxed and strategic. He focused on confirming the presence of fish in known productive spots using his Lowrance rather than aggressively fishing.

Mark began at the northern rock wall, a spot he had successfully fished in previous competitions. He started with crabs but quickly switched to using BaitJunkie grubs. Mark preferred the subtle presentation in the high tide wash zones, aiming to catch bigger fish that often hold in white water. He experienced moderate success and moved around to find calmer waters when conditions became too rough. He ended the day with a solid bag anchored by a 34 cm fork-length fish.

On day two, Mark stuck to his strategy of targeting wash zones at the leading edge of the rock wall, focusing on higher areas with BaitJunkie grubs. He adjusted his jighead weights (ranging from 1/16 to 1/4 ounce) according to the current speed and tide conditions, switching between lighter and heavier weights to keep his lure in the optimal strike zone. Despite losing some good fish, he maintained a consistent approach, trying to catch numbers in hopes of landing bigger fish among them.

Mark ran four-pound leader

BREAM SERIES presented by with eight-pound mainline and used a combination of Daiwa rods, including the 6’10” Infeet Z for crabs and a Infeet EX 7’3” rod for plastics.

MAUI JIM BIG BREAM PRIZE

consistently. Within half an hour, McKenzie had his bag, consisting of a 30 cm, a 27 cm, and a 29 cm fork-length bream, easing the pressure for the rest of the day.

Steve Lampsakianos landed the event’s Maui Jim Big Bream.

He caught this 1.075kg fish on a heavy 50mm brown Cranka Crab thrown on a custom Brawler Millerod. He won $500 cash and a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses for his efforts.

Daiwa’s BaitJunkie grubs were the winning bait for Mark Crompton on the Richmond River.

MCKENZIE EARNS MAIDEN NB WIN Joel McKenzie’s Richmond River win was well earned after two and a half years of near misses, with many second and third-place finishes under his belt.

Day 1: 3/3, 1.645 kg Day 2: 3/3, 2.1 kg Total: 6/6, 3.745 kg On day one, McKenzie joined Mark Healey and headed straight to the North Wall, known for its challenging conditions. The swell was significant, with the boat bobbing up and down as they

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

SUCCESS AT SHORES BAY BRIDGE On day two, McKenzie was paired with Liam Carruthers, and they began their day at the Shores Bay Bridge, where they managed to secure prime position on the pylons.

McKenzie quickly filled his bag which included a 29 cm and 30 cm fork-length bream,

The Cranka Crab was key to Joel’s success on the Richmond. positioned themselves near the end of the wall. Despite the rough waters, McKenzie adapted quickly, throwing crabs into the wash and letting them drift down the rock face.

He secured his first fish,a 30 cm fork-length bream, early which set the tone for the day.

By keeping his casts tight and allowing the crab to settle on the bottom, he felt the familiar ticktick of a crab bite, landing fish

After many, many top five finishes, Joel McKenzie secured his first ABT Non-Boater win. plus a 26 cm tarwine that he later upgraded.

After leaving the bridge, McKenzie and Carruthers moved back to the North Wall, but unlike day one, they fished tighter to the rocks due to stronger currents and wind.

The key was casting as close as possible to the rocks and feeling the crab drop off ledges which led to quick strikes from bream waiting in the tight structure.

McKenzie used Daiwa INFEET rods, a 722 and a 6’1” model with five-pound Daiwa X-Link leader, preferring the light line for its sensitivity and ability to handle the aggressive bream. He primarily used

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

Angler Joel McKenzie Scott Scicluna Mathew Cameron Jordan Armstrong John Glover Ethan Glover David Yuill Ben Gohl Duncan Jameson Judd Kirkland

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 5/6 6/6

brown and UV Cranka crabs, with heavier weights to maintain contact in the rough conditions.

Reflecting on the event, McKenzie appreciated the opportunity to fish alongside and learn from top anglers like Healey and Carruthers.

His perseverance over the last few seasons has paid off, and he proudly took home a Daiwa prize pack filled with gear he regularly uses and, most importantly, his first trophy.

“I’m stoked to finally get the win,” McKenzie said. “It’s been a long journey, but to have that trophy sitting at home now makes it all worth it.”

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 3.745kg 3.375kg 3.365kg 3.155kg 3.150kg 3.030kg 3.020kg 2.920kg 2.895kg 2.870kg

Payout Daiwa pack Daiwa pack Rapala pack Daiwa pack Samaki Pack Tackle Tactics pack Cranka pack Cranka pack Ecogear pack Atomic pack OCTOBER 2024 111

BREAM SERIES presented by

Healey Secures Fourth Series Win on the Tweed Mark Healey has been on an impressive streak this season, securing his fourth win at the Tweed River Daiwa BREAM Qualifier. This win not only adds to his impressive tally for the season but also secures his Angler of the Year title with 497 out of a possible 500 points.

This year has showcased Healey’s versatility, with wins on waterways new to him.

He attributes his success to a deep understanding of different fishing systems, emphasizing the importance of reading water conditions, tides, moon phases, and other environmental factors that affect fish behaviour.

Day 1: 5/5, 3.440 kg Day 2: 5/5, 2.845 kg Total: 10/10 6.285 kg On day one, Healey made the strategic decision to start upriver, away from the crowded downstream spots.

After a slow start and with only four small fish in his live well, Healey adjusted his approach, moving to a reef in Terranora Creek. The move paid off as

A fourth win for Mark Healey was the icing on the cake of a stellar season and a well deserved AOY title.

Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winner’s Interview

Healey’s tactics involved using crabs on a reef, where fish were actively feeding. As the water slowed, he switched to Z-Man grubs on lightly weighted jig heads, using his forward-facing sonar to sightcast to fish suspended just below the surface.

Day two presented new challenges with slack tides and less cooperative fish.

Healey stayed committed to the reef, grinding through the session with crabs and plastics.

Despite a slower bite, Healey’s persistence paid off with a few critical fish, including a solid 36.5 cm fork-length bream.

Mark used his Shimano T Curve rod, 2-5 Kg, 7’ paired up with a 2500 Shimano Twin Power. His Twin Power was spooled with 6lb Kairiki Braid and 6lb Ocea Fluorocarbon leader.

Reflecting on his performance, Healey acknowledged the impact of forward-facing sonar, saying, “It’s probably the first time in my tournament career that the technology directly helped me catch fish. It’s an incredible

Healey quickly filled his bag and upgraded several times which had him leading the event at the end of the first session.

Mark fished a patch of reef in the Terranora arm.

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112 OCTOBER 2024

BOATER RESULTS Angler Fish Mark Healey 10/10 Wally Fahey 10/10 Liam Carruthers 10/10 Peter Breukel 10/10 Steve Morgan 10/10 Jamie McKeown 10/10 Alan Lister 10/10 Joseph Gardner 10/10 Paul Langley 10/10 Drew Griffith 10/10

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 6.285kg 6.200kg 6.000kg 5.950kg 5.665 kg 5.595kg 5.580kg 5.495kg 5.485kg 5.460kg

Payout $4000 $2000 +$250 Merc Bonus $1200 + $125 Merc Bonus $1000 +$75 Merc Bonus $900 $800 $700 $600

tool, but it’s just one part of the bigger picture.”

Looking ahead, Healey is excited for the Grand Final, eager to continue his journey and enjoy the competition without the pressure of the season standings.

With four wins this season and unmatched consistency, Mark Healey’s unstoppable run continues to inspire and set a new standard in the Daiwa BREAM ABT circuit.

“UNCLE” WALLY FAHEY SECURES SECOND Day 1: 5/5, 2.920 kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.280 kg Total: 10/10, 6.200 kg It was Wally Fahey’s first time on the Tweed River, and he made the most of his pre-fish, exploring various spots and identifying productive areas like the front wall and the long rock wall upriver.

On day one, Wally started at the front wall where he filled his bag on Cranka Crabs. To upgrade his bag Uncle Wally headed up river successfully using Daiwa Wave Minnows.

Wally cast in tight to rock wall where he hopped the plastics down the steep drop-off using the current. He noted that accurate casting was key Day two saw him sticking to a similar strategy, quickly securing a bag of fish early at the front wall. Conditions changed around 10am with a lot of sand moving in and shutting down the bite. Wally decided to move back to the upriver rock wall for upgrades.

Wally had good success with the Daiwa Wave Minnow using 1/12 – 1/6 Daiwa jig heads.

BREAM SERIES presented by active. Switching to a heavy olive Cranka Crab, Justin landed his last significant upgrade coming just half an hour before the session ended.

Day two saw Eagles team up with Wally Fahey, where they initially fished the south break wall and later moved to Scan the QR code to watch the Non-Boater Winner’s Interview

the north side of the Fingal Wall. Starting with the crab he was able to fill his bag quickly.

Eagles again changed tactics to use the Sprat 75 and worked through multiple lure colours adapting to the conditions.

Despite some challenges with murky water and tide changes, Eagles managed to secure a solid bag, including a standout fish at 35.5 cm fork length.

Justin used Daiwa Infeet Rods, TD Black reels and Daiwa Finesse 4lb Flourocarbon line.

Justin Eagles had a great day two on the Tweed to secure the Non Boater win.

Wally is aware of the importance of timing and location. He noted, “Sometimes it is about being on the spot at the right time,” highlighting how crucial it is to be adaptable and observant.

His strategy of using lighter jig heads with the Wave Minnows allowed him to present his lures effectively in the fast currents of the Tweed.

Wally’s approach was methodical, yet relaxed. He avoided dwelling on lost opportunities, focusing instead

saying, “It definitely wasn’t expected, but I’ll take it for sure.”

On day one, paired with Adam Kennedy, Eagles began fishing bridge pylons and reefs between the two bridges.

Although it was a slow start, he gradually accumulated fish using Cranka Crabs and Hurricane Sprat 75’s. When using the Sprats he adjusted the weight of his setup from 1/16th to 1/12th jig heads which helped him get deeper, where the fish were more

A combination of Cranka Crabs and plastics helped Justin on the Tweed.

MAUI JIM BIG BREAM PRIZE

Chris Greensill landed the event’s Maui Jim Big Bream using an Atomic 7’ 6” Bream Flats Crank rod paired with a Daiwa Silver Creek LT2000S reel. Slow rolling a Zipbait Khamsin Jr DR colour 223 got the job done. This bream weighed in at 998g and won Chris $500 cash and a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses.

Wally Fahey loves his bream fishing and follows the Daiwa BREAM Series around the country. on making the most of each cast.

This mindset, combined with his extensive experience and solid strategy, earned him a total of 6.20kg, just shy of the top spot.

EAGLES SOARS TO NB VICTORY Day 1: 3/3, 1.670 kg Day 2: 3/3, 1.770 kg Total: 6/6, 3.440 kg Competing in only his third ABT BREAM event, Eagles expressed his excitement,

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

Angler Justin Eagles Lance Marsh Scott Scicluna Nestertsov Maksym Grant Painter Chris Hokin Duncan Jameson Chris Curtis Judd Kirkland John Glover

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) 3.440kg 3.380kg 3.275kg 3.160kg 3.140kg 3.135kg 3.135kg 3.135kg 3.025kg 2.990kg

Payout Daiwa Pack Daiwa Pack Crushcity Pack Daiwa Pack Samaki Pack TT-Zman Pack Cranka Pack Cranka Pack Ecogear Pack Atomic Pack OCTOBER 2024 113

FMM

PRODUCTS NEWS

Shimano Ascenza: precision craftsmanship Shimano, renowned for its commitment to innovation and quality in fishing gear, presents the Ascenza series of rods, meticulously designed for light tackle anglers seeking precision, strength, and versatility. These rods represent the pinnacle of Shimano’s craftsmanship, combining advanced technology with premium materials to deliver top-notch, light tackle performance without denting an angler’s wallet.

The Ascenza series features seven distinct rod models tailored to different fishing scenarios and preferences. One of the standout features across the lineup is the use of a 30 + 40 Ton blank, a cutting-edge material that offers superior strength, sensitivity, and responsiveness.

This blank composition, combined with the latest technology, ensures that Ascenza rods excel in detecting subtle bites and delivering precise casts.

Craftsmanship is at the heart of every Ascenza rod. The rods are carefully constructed with attention to detail, featuring Fuji Alconite K frame guides. These guides, known for their durability and smooth line flow, enhance casting distance and accuracy, essential for anglers targeting finicky species like bream, whiting or flathead in the salt or trout, bass and yellowbelly in the fresh.

The handle design of Ascenza rods is another defining feature. They boast Fuji DPS SKSS reel seats, otherwise known a skeleton grip providing a secure and comfortable grip during long fishing

sessions but also aimed at anglers that fish with their index finger forward touching the blank for maximum sensitivity and bite detection. The combination of EVA handles and aluminum/carbon wind checks offers ergonomic comfort and exceptional control, even in challenging conditions.

Ascenza rods are designed with aesthetics in mind for anglers who appreciate stylish and attractive gear. The dark blue finishing between the foregrip and stripper guide, coupled with a simple gloss black blank finish, adds a touch of elegance to these high-performance tools.

In terms of versatility, Ascenza rods cater to a wide range of fishing applications. Whether you’re using finesse techniques or targeting heavy structure for light tackle targets , there’s an Ascenza rod to suit your needs. For example, the Ascenza 691L-SP with a weight range of 2-4kg is perfect for tournament-style bream fishing, while the Ascenza 802L with a weight range of 2-5kg offers more power and extra length for versatile fishing situations.

Portability is another aspect that Shimano prioritizes in the Ascenza series. Some models feature a 2-piece design, making them easy to transport

SYDNEY (FORT Time

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m

LAT SYDNE SYDNE Times a

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Time

m SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER

0519 0.58 0.36 1 0554 1155 1.39 16 1117 1.28

Time m Time Time mm

SA 1725 0.65 2359 1.88

0700 0.43 1300 1.31 SU 1825 0.74

2

0100 0809 MO 1414 1934

3

1.77 0.49 1.28 0.80

1Tim S Tim

1

SA

0125 0.39 0.39 0125 0.39 16003003 16 110125

0.75 SU 1640 0720 063 0720 1.31 TU 0720 1.31 1.31 063 2314 1.71 121 1256 0.52 MO 1256 0.52 0.52 MO121 SU1256 MO SU SU 1921 1.72 1.72 1921 1.72 1921

22

184 184

SU S 0608 0.61 012 0157 0.37 0157 0.37 012 0.37 1207 0157 1.25 072 0755 1.37 0755 1.37 072 1.37 0.80 MO 1726 0755 131 1335 0.48 0.48 WE 1335 0.48 131 1335

17 22

1723 17

TU MO TU MO TU MO 193 1957 1.71 1.71 1957 1.71 MO 193 1957

3

M 0000 0227 1.66 0227 0.36 020 0227 0.36 0.36 020 0702 0827 0.62 0827 1.41 080 0827 1.41 1.41 080 1412 0.46 WE 140 1412 0.46 1.24 0.46 140 TU1412 WE TU WE TU TU 1303 TH TU 2030 1.69 202 2030 1.69 1.69 202 1822 2030 0.83

18 33

1834 18

4

0254 0.36 0.36 024 0254 0.36 024 T 0056 0254 1.62 0859 1.44 1.44 085 0859 1.44 0859 085 0800 0.61 1447 0.46 145 1447 0.46 145 WE1447 0.46 TH THWE WE TH WE 1.26 WE 1407 2101 2101 1.65 FR 210 2101 1.65 210 1.65

1.68 44 4 0209 0914 0.53 19

1945 19

55

20 6 20

66

21 76 21

TU 1525 1.30 2050 0.82 1929 0.84 without compromising on performance.

0321 0.38 0.38 032 0321 0.38 0321 032 0930 1.47 093 0930 1.47 W 0930 1.47 093 0158ideal 1.61 This 0320 makes 1.62 Ascenza rods for TH 1524 0.47 FR 154 1524 0.47 TH1524 FR154 0.47 TH FR TH 1012 0.55 0858 0.58 anglers on the move or those looking for 2133 1.58 1.58 215 2133 1.58 215 1.33 SA WE 1626 1.36 TH 1512 2133 convenience quality.

2203 without 0.79 sacrificing 2043 0347 0.81 0347 0.41 040 0347 0.41 0.41 040 1001 1.50 1.50 102 1001 1.50 Whether you’re a seasoned angler or 1001 102 FR T 0423 1.59 0304 1.62 1601 0.50 SA 164 1601 0.50 FR1601 SA164 FR SA 0.50 FR just starting, investing in an Ascenza rod 2207 1.50 225 2207 1.50 1100 0.55 0950 2207 0.52 1.50 225 ensures years1.44 of enjoyable and successful 1.44 TH 1716 FR 1609 0415 0.45 0.45 SU 044 0415 0.45 044 0415 2307 0.74 To view2154 0.74 fishing adventures. the full of 1034 1.51 111 1034 1.51 111 SA 1034list1.51 1643 0.53 0.53 SU 174 1643 0.53 SA1643 SU174 SA SU SA models and specs, F 0516 1.57visit www.shimanofish.

0407 1.65 2243 1.40 1.40 234 2243 1.40 234 2243 1142 0.54 Australia 1039 0.45 com.au.

– Shimano 0444 0.50 MO 053 0444 0.50 1.57 0.50 053 FR 1759 1.52 SA 1700 0444 SU 1110 1.51 120 1110 1.51 120 1.51 120 2259 1110 0.63

5 6

20

5

5

6

21

77

22 87 22

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22

1727 0.58 0.58 MO 185 1727 0.58 185 SU1727 MO185 SU MO SU 2321 1.30 1.30 2321 1.30 2321

Tournament Calendar 2024

0515 0.57 0.57 005 0515 0.57 005 0515 005 MO 1150 1.49 1.49 062 1150 1.49 062 1150 062 1818 0.63 0.63 TU 130 1818 0.63 130 MO1818 TU130 MO TU MO 201 201 201

DATE

Tournament

Location

State

October 1-3 Oct

13Fishing BASS Pro GF

Lake St Clair

NSW

12-13 Oct

Vic Bream Classics R5

Marlo

VIC

13-14 Oct

Zerek BARRA Series R2

Lake Tinaroo

QLD

15 Oct

Zerek BARRA Series R3

Lake Tinaroo

QLD

20 Oct

ECBS Grand Final

Sydney Harbour

NSW

11 Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R4

Teemburra Dam

QLD

12Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R5

Teemburra Dam

QLD

14 Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R6

Peter Faust Dam

QLD

16-17 Nov

Zerek BARRA Series R7

Peter Faust Dam

QLD

23-24 Nov

Vic Bream Classics GF

Nelson

VIC

29 Nov-1 Dec

Daiwa BREAM Series GF

Lake Macquarie

NSW

November

TU 0007 1.20 1.20 020 0007 1.20 020 0007 020 073 0554 0.63 0.63 0554 0.63 073 0554 073 141 1237 1.47 1.47 WE 1237 1.47 141 TU1237 WE141 TU WE TU 213 1921 0.67 0.67 1921 0.67 213 1921 213

WE 0106 1.12 1.12 033 033 0106 1.12 0106 033 0644 0.70 0.70 084 0644 0.70 084 0644 084 1335 1.45 1.45 TH 153 1335 1.45 153 WE1335 TH153 WE WE TH 2040 0.67 0.67 224 2040 0.67 224 2040 224 TH 044 0223 1.08 1.08 044 0223 1.08 044 0223 100 0752 0.73 0.73 100 0752 0.73 100 0752 164 1446 1.47 1.47 FR 164 1446 1.47 FR164 TH1446 TH FR TH 233 2200 0.61 0.61 2200 0.61 233 233 2200

FR

053 0349 1.09 1.09 0349 1.09 053 053 0349 110 0912 0.71 0.71 0912 0.71 110 110 0912 173 1600 1.54 1.54 SA 1600 1.54 173 SA173 FR1600 FR SA FR 2303 0.51 0.51 2303 0.51 SA 2303 0459 1.17 1.17 001 0459 1.17 001 001 0459 1024 0.64 0.64 061 1024 0.64 061 061 1024 1702 1.66 1.66 SU 115 1702 1.66 115 SA1702 SU115 SA SU SA 2354 0.39 0.39 181 2354 0.39 181 181 2354 004 0551 1.28 1.28 0551 1.28 004 004 0551 065 1124 0.53 0.53 1124 0.53 065 065 1124 124 1756 1.78 1756 1.78 1.78 MO 124 MO SU SU 124 1756 MO 185 SU 185 185

SA 1600 0.71 2232 1.75

0.66 Commo TU SU 1709 © Copyright 2341 1.91 Datum of Predictions Prediction Datum of

Datum of Predictions www.vicbreamclassics.com.au Times arein localsta st Times are ininlocal local sta 0642 0.42 Times are Moon PhaseSymbol Symbo Moon Phase Symbo 1244 1.34 abt.org.au Moon Phase

31

MO 1807 0.73

© D © Copyright Commonwealth of Au T Datum of Predictions is Lowest As M Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au Times are in local standard time ( New Just supply a date, venue, tournament name, telephone number and contact name. Moon Phase Symbols 114 OCTOBER 2024

New South Wales Tide Times

Victorian Tide Times

2021 2024 Times and Heights of High and Low Waters20212021 Local Times andLocal Heights of Time High and Low Waters T 33° 51ʼ S LONG 151° 14ʼ E Times and Heights of High and Low Waters LAT 38° 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ WALES ETime SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA EY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALESPOINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA SYDNEY (FORTLONG DENISON) – NEW LAT 33° 51ʼ S 151° 14ʼ E SOUTH WALES LAT 38° 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ E T DENISON) – NEW SOUTH LONSDALE VICTORIA LATSOUTH 33° 51ʼ S POINT LONG 151° 14ʼ E SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – WALES NEW WALES POINT–LONSDALE – VICTORIA LAT 33° 51ʼ S

LONG 151° 14ʼ E

2024 2024

EY (FORT (FORTDENISON) DENISON) –NEW NEW SOUTH EY –and WALES MAY andSOUTH Heights ofWALES HighJUNE and Low Waters and Heights of HighTimes Low Waters

LAT 38° 18ʼ S

LONG 144° 37ʼ E

2024 2024

JULY AUGUST JUNE Time Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time JANUARY FEBRUARYTimes andMAY MARCH APRIL Heights ofLocal High and Waters LAT 33° 51ʼSSSTime LONG 151° 14ʼLow 33° 51ʼ LONG 151° 14ʼ LAT 38° 18ʼ LONG 144° 37ʼ EEE Time LAT 33° 51ʼ S LONG 151° 14ʼ E LAT 33° 51ʼ S LONG 151° 14ʼ 33° 51ʼ S LONG 151° 14ʼ E Time m Time m m Time m m JULY Time m TimeLAT m Time m m JUNE JULY MAY AUGUST Time m Time m Time m Time JUNE MAY Time m Time m Time Time m Time Time m Time m Time m Time m JUNE JULY AUGUST Times andJUNE Heights of Highmand and LowWaters Waters TimeTime m Heights of High and Low Waters LocalTime Times and Heights of High Low Local MAY JULY Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m 0519 0.58 0633 0.53 0006 1.68 0145 1.34 0150 1.26 0554 0.36 0037 1.78 0057 1.60

JU

m

0557 0.69 0034 0.51 0052 1.48 Time 02080452 1.63 1.41 01341.36 0205 1.57 0046 DECEMBER 01220623 1.60 1.40 0034 1.26 0113 1.39 0028 1.52 m1.30 Time Time m1.71 Time m0.49 m Time m OCTOBER SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER OCTOBER SEPTEMBER NOVEMBER 1155 0740 0744 0.54 1117 m1.280037 1238 0646 0.43 0750 0.51 0807 0.62 Time m08351041 Time m 1.34 Time Time m0150 Time m Time m 0735 0557 1.36 0046 0.69 0.58 Time 0452 1.41 0623 1.40 0034 0.51 m 0049 0006 1.68 0633 0.53 0519 0.58 0145 1.26 0554 0.361.39 OCTOBER 1.78 0057 1.60 OCTOBER NOVEMBER RTime OCTOBER DECEMBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER 1148 0.55 1.30 0.38 1158 0.58 0735 1.47 0821 0.65 0637 0.48 0.56 0825 0.55 0923 0.65 0601 0.67 0706 0.68 0642 0.62 1148 0.55 0735 1.30 0748 1041 0.38 0.58 0735 1.47 0646 0.43 1238 1.30WE 1117 1.28 0750 0807 0.62 1155 1.39 0740 0.49 0744 0.54 1725 0.65 1345 1.33 1358 1.38 1640 0.75 1804 0.76 1.43 1430 1.59 1446 1.43 Time m Time m 11580.51 Time Time m 1245 Time Time Time m 1303 Time Time Time m Time Time0.80 m Time m Time mm Time mm Time mm 1.35 0.75 Time m Time mm Time mmm 1.54 Time m SA SU TU TH FR SU MO 0006 1.68 0633 0.53 0145 1.34 0150 1.26 0037 1.78 0057 1.60 me m Time m Time m Time m Time Time m me Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m 1412 1.18 1257 1.79 1430 1.31 1416 1.22 1533 1.18 1225 1.62 1307 1.42 1238 1.37 1900 1.50 1748 1.58 1904 1245 TU TH FR FR SA MO MO TU FR SA MO TU WE 1900 1.50 1245 0.80 1257 0.87 0207 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 1245 0.75 05571.38 1.36FR FR 0.691.59 2114 0049 0.58 0452 1.41 0623 1.40 0.51 WE 1303 1.43 1804 0.76 1430 1.43 0046 0.651.88 SA1446 1848 MO S TU0034 TH TH 1358 TU 1345 1.33 1911 WE A 1725 SU 1640 0.75 SU MO 2314 1.71 0.66 2110 0.56 0.76 2359 0.79 1940 0.78 0740 0.490117 0744 0.54 0646 0.43 1238 1.30 0750 0.51 0807 0.62 1935 1932 0.32 2028 0.60 1949 0.71 2042 0.88 1910 0.51 1928 0.56 18350356 0.59 1935 1.44 1922 2319 0.74 1928 1.54 1.35 0039 0.27 0144 0.19 0259 0.48 0233 0.34 1935 0039 0.27 0144 0.19 0.481.42 0938 0233 0.34 0125 0.39 0117 0.40 0.76 02260.78 0.45 0735 0220 0.54 0125 0.39 0117 0.40 0226 0.45 0145 0.45 0335 0.58 0031 1.59 0114 1.65 0108 1.49 0306 0.51 0.64 0057 1.39 1848 0.66 2314 2110 2114 2359 0.79 1940 0.78 2319 0.74 1928 1.54 1.44 39 0.27 1.88 0117 0144 0.19 0.19 1911 0259 0.48 0220 0.54 0117 0.40 0.40 1.71 0226 0.27 0144 0259 0.48 0233 0.34 0220 0.54 0226 0.45 39 0144 0.19 0233 0.34 0259 0.48 0.40 0226 0.451041 1148 0.55 0735 1.300.56 0748 0.38 1158 0.58 1.47 1345 1.33 1358 1.38 1303 1.43 1804 0.76 1430 1.59 1446 1.43 0637 1.40 0754 1.67 0935 1.99 0901 1.98 0637 1.40 0754 1.67 1.99 0901 1.98 0720 1.31 0724 1.45 0850 1.67 0856 1.78 0720 1.31 0724 1.45 0850 1.67 1038 1.37 1101 1.31 0638 0.76 0937 1.34 1100 1.35 0557 0.77 0635 0.84 0645 0.87 TH FR WE SU MO 37 1.40 0.430.43 0754 1.67 1.67 01380850 0935 1.99 0856 1.78 0724 1.45 1.45 0.61 0850 1.40 0754 0935 1.99 0901 1.98 0856 1.78 0724 1.67 0724 1.45 0850 1.67 37 0754 1.67 0901 1.98 SA 0935 1.99 1427 1900 1.50 1245 0.80 1257 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 1245 0.75 0608 0.61 0030 1.68 1.18 0301 1.25 0138 1.66 0148 1.47 1.58 0700 0534 1.38 00230100 0.74 00431.25 0.650255 0135 0.68 0130 0.47 0.870133 SA MO FR TU WE TH 0030 1.68 0700 0608 1.66 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 0255 1.18 0301 0146 1.50 0307 1.60 0233 1.63 0225 1.58 1.52 0118 1.27 0158 1.41 0108 1.52 1218 0.41 1358 0.28 1624 0.24 1539 0.19 0135 1218 0.41 1358 0.28 0.240.57 1539 0.19 1256 0.52 1317 0.48 1514 0.43 0.65 15380.68 0.40 1256 0.52 1317 0.48 1514 0.43 1541 0.92 0.75 1237 1.30 1430 0.90 0.64 1212 1.40 1.38 1222 1.27 0.66 2110 0.56 2114 0.76 1911 0.79 1940 0.78 MO WE1627 MO1235 FR SA0317 SU TUTU1652 WE FR SA SU MO TU WE SUSU FR SA SU 0023 0.74 0534 1.38 0043 0130 0.47 18 0.41 1.31 1358 0.28 0.28 0835 1624 0.24 1538 0.40 1317 0.48 0.48 WE 1514 0.41 1358 1624 0.24 1539 0.19 1538 0.40 1317 0.43 1317 0.48 1514 0.43 18 1358 0.28 1539 0.19 1848 1624 0.24 TU WE MO FR1514 TU MO FR SA SUSU TU WE FR SA MO 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0849 1.50MO 0656 1.29 0842 1.32 0848 1.37 2057 0724 0.52 1300 1207 1.25 0.54 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 0858 0.65 0853 0.56 1207 1.25 0724 0.52 0858 0.65 0853 0.56 0835 0.54 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 1300 1.31 2319 0.74 1928 1.54 1935 1.44 1922 1.42 0739 0.54 0955 0.62 0941 0.61 0938 0.65 1021 0.65 0648 0.71 0801 0.73 0733 0.67 1845 1.88 2010 1.79 2221 1.33 2138 1.47 1845 1.88 2010 1.79 1.33 2138 1.47 1921 1.72 1927 1.59 2108 1.41 2129 1.31 1921 1.72 1927 1.59 2108 1.41 2104 1.26 2332 1.37 1815 0.22 1849 0.17 2205 1.26 2315 1.26 1847 0.46 1843 0.37 2129 1.31 45 1.88 0.74 1927 2010 1.79 1.79 14472108 2221 1.33 1927 1.59 0.80 2108 1.88 2010 1.33 2138 2129 1.31 1.41 1927 1.59 2108 1.41TH 1335 2010 1.79 21381.47 1.47 2221 1.33 1836 1.52 MO 12561.64 0.68 0.85 FR 1347 1231 0.651.29 1336 0.89 0.95 1.50 0656 0842 1121 0.42 0735 0849 SU SA SU1542 TU WE 1.40 TH 13451.32 1.34 1825 1726 1.35 1451 1.41 2221 1359 1.49 1.47 1538 U45 MO 1.59 WE FR SA TU 1726 0.80 1335 1.34 1542 1.47 1538 1.64 1447 1.35 1451 1.41 1359 1.49 1825 0.74 1350 1.62 1544 1.17 1534 1.13 1531 1.17 1636 1.24 1305 1.54 1353 1.31 1323 1.27 MO TH MO TU WE FR SA SU WE SA SU TU WE TU FR SA 0030 1.68 0255 1.18 0138 1.66 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 0301 1.25 1959 1.51 2019 1.40 2023 1.50 2009 1.38 1947 1.44 1906 1.38 0.77 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 2227 0.720502 2230 0.50 1231 0.65 0.89 1836 1.52 1256 0.68 1345 0.85 SU WE SA TU TH 1.70 0120 0.17 0347 0.52 0225 0.18 03180.47 0.40 1336 0157 0.37 0145 0.38 0255 0.48 0130 0120 0.17 0225 0.18 0318 0.40 0257 0.56 0.57 0.52 0157 0.37 0145 0.38 0255 0.48 0302 0.48 0209 0131 1.72 0149 1.57 0423 0.53 0.62 0142 1.49 0023 0.74 0135 0.68 0133 0315 0534 0043 0.65 1906 0.77 2227 0.72 2230 0.50 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 2021 0.40 2126 0.68 2053 0.79 2052 0.81 2157 0.85 0.54 2007 0.61 19130510 0.660.63 20 0.17 0.54 0145 0.38 0.380724 0225 0.18 1948 0255 0257 0.56 0347 0.52 0.17 0347 0.52 0318 0.40 0257 0.56 0145 0225 0.18 0255 0.48 20 0347 0.52 0318 0.40 0733 0145 0.38 0225 0.18 0255 0.48 0.52 0858 0.65 0835 0828 0.58 0.45 0853 0.56 1947 1.44 1.40 1959 1.51 2023 1.50 0722 1.53 1023 1.96 0839 1.80 0949 2.00 2019 0755 1.37 0754 1.51 0922 1.71 0849 0722 1.53 0839 1.80 0949 2.00 0933 1.81 1.960.55 1043 0755 1.37 0754 1.51 0922 1.71 1045 1.38 0733 0.78 0702 0.74 0730 0.83 1142 1.39 1.34 1200 1.39 0725 0.74 0116 0.75 0230 0.65 0223 0001 0.75 1152 01441.22 0.59 0230 0.43 1.37 22 1.53 1.77 0754 1.51 1.511335 0839 1.80 02390922 0922 0933 1.81 1023 1.96 0656 1.29 0842 1.32 0848 0.42 0735 1.40 1.50 1.53 1023 1.96 0949 2.00 0933 1.81 0839 1.80 1.71 22 1023 1.96 0949 2.00 1359 0754 1.51 0839 1.80 0922 1.711121 0100 0000 1.66 1.56 0126 1.63 0245 1.37 0200 1.48 0406 1.16 0422 1.34 1542 1.47 1447 1.350754 1451 1.41 1.49 1538 1.64 MO FR SA TU 0628 1.34 0858 1.44 0958 1.55 TU 0808 1.26 0945 1.36 0949 1310 0.30 1713 0.28 1451 0.20 1633 0.20 0422 1335 0.48 1354 0.440200 1551 0.41 1345 1310 0.30 1451 0.20 1633 0.20 1617 0.38 0.281.40 1542 1335 0.48 1354 0.44 1551 0.41 1554 0.82 1334 1.41 1307 1.45 1310 1.30 1710 0.86 0.65 0.48 1315 1.33 1.52 0206 1.29 0243 1.53 0248 1.42 0415 1.58 0156 1.50 0343 1.56 0342 1.59 TU TH1743 SU0421 MO MO WE1749 SA TH SU MO WE SA TUTU SU MO MO WE TH SA 0809 0702 0.62 0.57 0815 0.50 0911 0.61 0825 0.47 0953 0.66 1001 0.57 10 0.30 0.49 1354TH 0.44 TH 1451 0.20 0.20 0925 1551 1617 0.38 1713 0.28 0000 1.66 0406 1.16 0239 1.56 0245 1.37 1.48 1.22 0100 1.77 0126 1.63 0.30 1713 0.28 1633 0.20 1617 0.38 1354 0.44 1451 0.41 10 1713 0.28 1633 0.20 1957 1354 0.44 1451 0.20 1551 0.41 WE TH SA1551 MO TU TU SU MO WE SA 1231 0.65 1336 0.89 1347 0.95 1836 1.52 1256 0.68 0.85 TU SU WE TH SA SU WE FR SU SA TU TH 1906 0.77 2227 0.72 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 0.67 2230 0.50 1209 0.48 1402 0.78 1453 0.92 1321 0.75 1438 0.96 1449 1.01 MO TH SA MO SU WE FR 1932 1.93 2311 1.31 2100 1.74 2233 1.39 1957 1.71 2000 1.57 2145 1.37 1932 1.93 2100 1.74 2233 1.39 2210 1.30 1.31 1957 1.71 2000 1.57 2145 1.37 2236 1.32 1944 0.16 1910 0.13 1924 0.31 2318 1.28 1925 0.38 1414 1303 1.40 1.41 1543 1.46 2311 1458 1.57 1637 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TH FR 1512 FR SA WE FR 1750 1.35 1515 1800 1.22 1750 1.35 1.221.63 0405 1335 1.45 1532 1.54 1512 1.51 1700 1.471.48 1659 1.61 1335 1.45 1532 1.54 1512 1.51 1700 1.47 1659 1.61 1733 1.46 1642 0.42 1600 0.48 0.61 1538 0.25 1618 0.39 1646 0.13 1615 0.171611 1600 0.46 1728 1.45 0.68 1246 0.66 1404 0.62 0.45 1411 0.48 1642 1.46 1.37 1602 0.46 1509 0.45 1401 0.59 0.45 1544 1.80 1.76 1600 1.70 1430 1.87 1416 1.73 1.47THMO 1659 1.610123 1750 1.35 1449 1733 1.46TH 1800 1.22 321345 1.54 0.62 1.51 1411 1647 1.75 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 1735 1.56 TH 1730 TU1518 TH WE SA1236 MO WE1331 TU FRFR1748 SA MO WE THTH SA MO TU WE WE FR MO TH FR FRTU SUWE MO TU1.51 WE TU SA SU SA MO TU WE TH FR WE TH SA SU0259 MO TU TH WE TH FR SU MO 1.58 0230 1.55 0214 1.49 0246 1.53 0115 1.45 1133 1.40 1142 1210 1.45 0945 1.50 1015 1.32 1120 1.39 1036 1.35 0913 1.41 0202 0.55 0407 0.28 0441 0.38 0259 0.50 0334 0.23 0318 0.42 0403 0.25 0153 0.31 42 0.52 2225 0.54 2345 0.53 2334 0.35 2343 0.41 2348 0.62 2225 0.54 42 0.52 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1.93 0900 1.31 1012 1.27 1013 1.36 1041 1.24 1028 1.36 1023 1.23 1226 0.86 1.35 0755 1.73 16 1.31 0715 1.46 0727 1.79 0745 1.66 0755 1.93 0623 1.38 2351 0.690.52 1954 1.47 1724 1244 1.34 0723 0.58 0800 0.70 1820 0.64 1715 0.59 1737 0.50 1521 0.51 1540 0.68 1649 0.61 1608 0.59 1450 0.62 1317 0.57 1348 0.31 1419 0.50 1442 0.28 1444 0.45 58 0.58 1206 0.51 1603 1.82 1704 1.68 1634 1.71 1704 1.61 1532 1.75 1652 1.68 SA WE FR FR SU MO TU TH 1317 0.57 1348 0.31 1419 0.50 1442 0.28 1444 0.45 58 0.58 1206 0.51 TU TH FR SA SU MO 0527 0.33 0544 0417 0.50 0519 0.32 0437 0.40 0528 0.38 TU FR0.83 SA SU WE MO WE 1.40 0627 0.40 1.47 1221 1.540.78 1139 1.40 0708 0.55 1.26 1116 2.01 1120 1.690.50 SA 1158 0.58 1317 0.57 1348 0.31 1.42 1419 0.50 0.50 0430 1444 0.43 0.45 1702 1.66 1206 0.51 1419 0.50 0.45 1702 1.66 1158 0.58 1206 0.51 1317 0.57 1348 0.31 14421.49 0.28 SU 1350 0.72 1600 0.46 1707 0.27 1835 1.32 1444 0.45 58 0.58 MO 1317 0.57 TH 0.31 FRFR 1419 1442 0.28SU 1206 0.51 TU TU1555 TH FR1206 SA1641 SU1656 MO1354 FR MO TU TH SA SUSU TU FR SA SASA MO SU1200 TU TH 1348 SA MO1.79 1807 0.73 1353 1.41 1448 TH 1.42 0338 1.55 0315 1.48 0446 0510 MO 1.73 SA TU 1917 1.47 1759 1950 1.602127 2006 1.33 1133 2035 1.38 2030 1.27 15 1.59 1.32 1828 1.731120 2331 1.64 2347 1.60 2154 2.08 2213 1.81 1.87 2235 2119 1917 1.47 1.60 2006 1.33 2035 1.38 2030 1.27 15 1.59 1828 0.67 2235 0.70 2212 0.66 2110 0.76 2245 2331 1142 1.51 1210 1.45 1015 1.39 1036 1.40 1238 1.69 1804 0.53 18172032 0.471.25 1724 0.60 1303 1.20 1725 0.76 0.19 1751 0.44 1815 1.59 1917 1.47 1950 1.60 2256 20060.62 1.33 2030 1.27 2354 0.39 1828 1.73 2006 1.33 1.27 2354 1815 1.59 1828 1.73 1917 1.47 1950 1.60 2035 1.38 0.43 2038 1.21 2252 1.20 2324 1.45 2030 1.27 15 1.59 1917 1.47 1950 1.60 2006 1.33 2035 1.380.39 1828 1.73 WE2318 TH TH 1.81 FR SU0.68 MO SU 1950 MO1.35 2001 0.76 2148 0942 0.28 0906 0.37 1042 0.52 1014 0.46 1053 0.62 © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology 1737 0.50 1540 0.61 1608 0.59 1855 0.36 23520.64 1.66 1818 0.80 2356 1.37 FR SA 1820 TU WE 0157 0.58 47 0.42 0.68 0130 0.45 0149 0.30 0.59 0145 0.53 1715 0101MO 0.261649 0210 0.46 0145 0.53 0157 0.58 47 0.42 0101 0.26 0130 0.45 0149 0.30 0210 0.46 0015 1.28 0609 0.38 0500 0.51 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0606 0.45 0355 0.52 0443 0.28 1647 1.75 1611 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 1735 1.56 0157 0.58 0047 0.42 0130 0.45 0149 0.30 0145 0.53 0551 1.28 0101 0.26 0.58 0047 0.42 0130 0.45 0149 0.30 0145 0.53 0551 1.28 0101 0.26 0210 0.46 0021 1.40 0023 1.42 0045 0.42 0233 0.60 0410 0.76 0436 0.77 0217 0.51 0012 1.58 0157 0.58 47 0.42 0130 0.45 0149 0.30 0145 0.53 0101 0.26 0210 0.46 WE TH SA SU MO 0338 1.55 0315 1.48 0519 1.55 0607 0446 1.42 0430 1.49 0510 1.40 Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 2347 1.60 2213 1.81 2318 1.87 2235 1.81 2331 1.64 0835 1.80 51 1.38 0747 1.53 0814 1.91 0820 1.73 0709 1.53 0845 1.98 0820 1.73 0835 1.80 51Copyright 1.38 0709 0747 0814 1.91 0845 1.98 Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Bureau of Meteorology 0835 0.96 1.80 0651 1.38 0747 1.530.460100 0814 1.91 1053 08200.62 1.73 2257 1124 0.53 0709 1.53 1.80 0651 1.38 0747 1.53 0814 1.91 0820 1.73 1124 0.53 0709 1.53 0845 1.98 0.55 0619 0.59 1232 1.54 1059 1.30 1213 1.37 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 0952 1.37 1.43 0835 1.80 51 1.38 0747 1.53 1.53 0814 1.91 0820 1.73 0709 1.53 1.53 1044 0845 1.981.34 0546 0.90 0546 0825 1002 1.29 1105 1.26 1113 1.37 0956 1.33 0525 0.88 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 2318 0.70 0.61 2332 0.60 1.65 0006 1.71 0000 1.46 0114 1.64 0043 1.77 0626 0.58 0537 0.59 0942 0.28 0906 0.37 1053 1141 1042 0.52 1014 1524 0.39 40 0.52 1359 0.51 1445 0.23 1459 0.44 1302 0.39 1534 0.24 Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in 1459 0.44 1524 0.39 40 0.52 1302 1359 0.51 0.23 1534 0.24 MO WE FR1445 SA TU SASA TU WE FR SUSU 1524 1.23 0.39 1240 0.52 1359 0.51 FR 1445 0.23 SA 1459 1.25 0.44 1756 1.78 1302 0.391804 0.39 1240 0.52 1359 0.51 1445 0.23 1459 0.44 1756 1.78 1302 0.39 15341.43 0.24 MO 1524 0.39 40 0.52 13590.40 0.51 1445 0.23 1459 0.44TU 1302 0.39 0.39 1534 0.24MO 1131 1125 1318 0.90 1525 0.82 0.65 1712 0.34 0.74 1.36 MO MO WE1711 FR SA0713 SU SU1131 WE FR SA TUTU1504 SU 1838 0.55 1622 0.71 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 0.66 1524 0.66 1614 0.59 MO WE FR TU SU SU MO WE TU SU atum Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 0816 0.62 0.59 0540 0.43 0727 0.48 0716 0.46TH 1221 1.32 1154 1.62 SU 1254 SA MO WE FR SA 0015 1.28 0500 0610 0518 0.41 0.45 0609 0.38 1.75 1611 1.73 1730 1.63 1759 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 1735 1.56 2113 1.29 53 1.60of 0.51 1955 1.46 1.46 2044 1.541647 2047 1.32 0606 1919 1.79 1.79 2130 1.35 2047 1.32 2113 1.29 53 1.60 1919 1955 2044 1.54 2130 1.35 WE TH TU TH SA SU MO Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter 2113 1.29 1853 1.60 1955 1.46 2044 1.54 2047 1.32 1919 1.79 1.29 1853 1.60 1955 1.46 2044 1.54 2047 1.32 1919 1.79 2130 1.35 2113 1.29 53 1.60 1955 1.46 2044 1.54 2047 1.32 1919 1.79 2130 1.35 1758 0.43 1756 0.38 1941 1.27 2202 1.20 2202 1.27 1748 0.21 0421 1.50 0355 1.46 1.37 1.47 1919 2331 0.69 0.39 0558 1.37 2254 1.78 2319 2155 22461.37 2.01 1.17 2332 1.24 0521 1206+10:00) 1.93 1.49 (UTC 1315in 1.36 0.66 0.61 1821 0.47 savings MO 14160534 TU 1310 0.60 MO TH 1330 FR 1.76 SA 17570.59 TUor mes are1.30 in1.78 local standard time (UTC daylight time when effect 0619 1059 1213 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 1232 1.54 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 +11:00) 2318 0.70 2257 0158 0.45 1845 0.24 0239 0.55 19241120 0.86 0.61 1827 0.80 1101 0.54 1939 0.66 0.48 1900 SU 0.60 1254 0158 0.45 0239 0.55 1025 0.36 0943 Last 0.39 1131 0.70 1.43 1622 0.71Symbols 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 First 1804 1838 0.55 0158 0.45 0239 0.55Moon 0158 0.45 0239 1.49 0.55 0158 0.45 0.55 0000 1.28 0115 TU WE TH SA New Moon Quarter Quarter oon Phase Full 0819 1.61 1.61 09161.85 1.85 0041 0558 1.46 1.37 0007 1.74 0013 1.50 0542 0.34 0545 0.53 0601 0.421.37 04351.78 0.54 0106 0620 1.17 1.53 0819 0916 1731 1.67 1650 1.69 1819 1.55 1754 1.63 1806 1.51 TH FR SU MO TU 0819 1.61 0916 1.85 0819 1.61 0916 1.85 0819 1.61 1.85 0533 0.78 0649 0.91 1919 0.69 2254 2319 1.76 0421 1.50 0355 1.46 0006 0534 0521 1.47 0032 1.64 1.38 1436 1.38 0.46 16030.340.34 1436 1603 TH 0657 0.45 0658 0.47 0645 0.52 1143 1146 0033 1.29 12110.69 1.39 1033 1.32 0703 0.56 0.65 TU TH TUTU 1436 0.46 0.46 1603 0.34 1436 0.460.54 1603 1.25 0.34 1436 0.46 0.34 2252 2225 0.74 2344 1154 1.27 1227 TH TU TH TU TH TH 1025 0.36 0943 0.39 1141 0.65 0658 1120 0.61 1101 1131 0.70 2031 1.45 1.45 2155 0717 0.62 0619 0.64 WE 1305 1.36 2155 2031 1.311.31 1.56 MO 1346 1.42 1304 1.40 1709 0.66 17100.42 0.73 17491.46 0.64 FR 16000.53 0.71 SU SU 1328 1806 TU TH SA 20311.74 1.45 1.31 2031 1.45 2155 0.33 1.31 2031 1.45 1.31 1805 0.56 1848 0013 1.50 1.692155 0041 0545 0007 0601 1.17 1731 1.67 1650 1.55 0106 TH FR WE 1813 FR 1220 SU 1819 MO TU 0.70 13101754 1.24 1229 1.53 SU WE 1948 0.57 1.51 0622 1839 0.73 1859 0.72 1.63 0001 23410.47 1.91 2339 1.73 22321.29 1.75 2030 0.70 1.58 0010 0507 1.43 0437 1.44 1.46 0.59 0645 0.52 0657 0.45 1146 0658 1211 1.39 0703 0.65 2252 2225 0.74 1836 18382344 0.73 0.56 1853 0.69 0.51 onwealth Australia 2023, Bureau ofMeteorology Meteorology onwealth Bureau ofof 1107 1023 0.43of 0630 1.32 1151 0.64 0650 1.35 1328 0.45 1.56 1710 of 0.73 1305 1.36 1.42 SU WE2023, TH 1749 0.64 FR 1304 ©1.40 MO 1346 onwealth ofofAustralia Australia 2023, Bureau Meteorology ©Copyright CopyrightCommonwealth Commonwealth Australia 2023, Bureau Meteorology 2023, Bureau ofofMeteorology Meteorology ofofAustralia 2023, Bureau 0642 0.42 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 0.72 1.44 1948 0001 0.57 0.70 2339 1.73 1839 1.58 1731 0.70 1.64 1.46 1200 0.70 0.59 1.58 0.37 0.79 ns Lowest Astronomical Tide 0.73 FR 1815 SA 2030 TU 1838 WE 1212 0045 0507 1.43 1859 0437 0622 isisLowest Astronomical Tide 1244 1.34 0723 0.58 MO 1857 0010 0800 0018 0.70 ss is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum Predictions isLowest Lowest Astronomical Tide Astronomical Tide Datum ofofPredictions isMeteorology Astronomical Tide © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2023, Bureau of 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1.49 1842 1.47 1107 0.45 1023 0.43 0630 1.32 0650 1.35 0726 1.51 0753 1151 0.64 tandardtime time(UTC (UTC+10:00) +10:00) ordaylight daylight savingstime time(UTC (UTC+11:00) +11:00)when when effect andard oror savings in in effect 0.73 1353 1.41 savings 1448 1.42 MO 1807 SA TU 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 andard time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Timesare are localstandard standard time(UTC (UTC +10:00) daylight savingstime time (UTC +11:00) when +10:00) oror daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when effect Times ininlocal time +10:00) or daylight (UTC +11:00) when ininTH effect 1815 1.58 1731 1.64 1200 0.70 1212 0.79 1230 0.75 1304 1838 1.58 Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide FR SA MO WE SA TU 2001 0.76 2148 0.68 New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter ols Full Moon New First Last Quarter ols Full Moon 0.58 0800 0526 0.70 1.42First ls Full Moon 0723 2305 New Moon Moon FirstQuarter Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols 1857 FullMoon Moon New Moon FirstQuarter Quarter Moon Phase Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last1.52 Full Last Quarter 2336 0.71 0.72 1.49 1842 1.47 1900 1921 Times are in local standard (UTC +10:00) orSymbols daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when inQuarter effect 1353 1.41 1448 1.42 SAtime TU 1107 0.49 2001 0.76 2148 0.68 Moonof Phase Symbols 2020,New Moon Moon First Quarter SU 1815Full1.59 Last Quarter 0526 of1.42 0110 0.37 © Copyright Commonwealth Australia Bureau Meteorology 2351 0.69 0.49 0832 1.50 Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 1107 SU 1815 1.59 FR 1324 0.84 ustralia 2020, Bureau of Meteorology Times Tide arepredictions in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time Australian (UTC +11:00) in effect 2351 0.69 1954 is1.47 for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Bureau of when Meteorology, Copyright reserved. 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© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology stronomical Tide New Moon First Last Quarter Moon Phase Full Moon good faithSymbols and is believed to be correct.

It is supplied on the condition thatQuarter no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) whenDatum in effectof Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian of Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss © Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology w Moon First Quarter Quarter Full Moon Times are inLast local standard purposes. time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (U or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions shouldAstronomical not be used for navigational Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to Datum of Predictions is Lowest Tide Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter include acceptance of the above conditions.

Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effec Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter

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Stabicraft 1850 Super Cab with Yamaha F130 FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Over the years, we have tested many Stabicraft boats. In that time I have seen them develop from a basic, functional craft to an aluminium work of art. Made in New Zealand, the Brisbane dealer for these hulls is Northside Marine. They sell plenty of Stabicraft and brought the 1850 Super Cab powered by a Yamaha F130 outboard to Moreton Bay for us to test.

Mark Golden is the Stabicraft man to see at Northside Marine.

“We sell plenty of these hulls,

and Stabicraft owners seem to love their rigs,” Mark said. “Depending on your budget, you can fit them with a standard trailer or a top-of-the-line rig, like the GFab aluminium trailer under the test boat.”

Although the 1850 seems like the smaller brother to many of the bigger Super Cabs in the Stabicraft range, it’s a supremely capable hull that you can tow with most family cars, and is well within standard towing regulations.

Like all Stabicraft, it features the 360° foam-filled pontoons that aid safety and stability. Over the years, the integration of these pontoons has become more and more streamlined.

Also, Stabicraft have refined

their use of internal space; the current models seem to have storage everywhere.

From the ground up, the twinaxle GFab trailer is impressive. Built out of aluminium in Australia by the NZ company, they offer an option for boaties who like the very best in their gear. The aluminium trailer also offers a lighter BMT package, so you may be able to tow with a vehicle that would be overweight with a standard steel trailer.

Full rubber decking on the floors, gunwales and steps seems to be standard nowadays, with the coverings being easy on the feet and super easy to maintain.

“You can get these boats with bare aluminium, but hardly anybody orders them like that,” Mark said.

Seventeen degrees of transom deadrise helps keep the ride soft, yet the pontoons make the roll while cornering much less than in a standard tinnie with the same angles. And with the sponsons now foam-filled, the ride is noticeably more quiet.

With a 150L fuel tank underfloor, you need an economical outboard to PERFORMANCE RPM Speed

(km/h)

Main: Here’s a great illustration of how the Stabicraft hull works – the reverse chines under the life ring channel the spray down and away from the boat.

Above: 130hp isn’t maximum horsepower for this rig, but it’s a great balance between performance and economy.

116 OCTOBER 2024

Economy

(km/L)

600 ............................ 3 ........................3.5 1000 .......................... 6 ......................... 4.1 2000 ........................14 ........................2.6 3000 ........................21 .........................1.6 3500 .......................29 ......................... 2.1 4000 .......................39 ........................2.2 4500 .......................45 ........................2.2 5000 .......................53 ......................... 1.7 5800 .......................62 ........................0.4

SPECIFICATIONS Length ............................................. 5.69m Beam ................................................ 2.29m Transom deadrise...........................16° Hull........................................................4mm Sides ....................................................3mm Hull weight.................................1,362kg Capacity.................................6 persons Fuel ........................................................150L Max hp..............................................140hp keep good range, and the Yamaha F130 fitted to this hull delivered good economy over quite a wide range of speeds. Anywhere between 3500 and 4500rpm saw economy between 2.1 to 2.2km/L. Even at wide open throttle at 5800rpm, you still get 1.4km per litre of fuel burned.

The helm is comfortable and able to hold all of your electronics flushmounted, and the helm seats have cooler box storage underneath in this iteration.

The cabin is comfortable, but it’s definitely not a full-length design for stretched-out sleeping.

At the end of the day, this rig offers miles of cockpit space and a stable platform to make your dream fishing trips come to life – and you can be confident that the rig will get you back in one piece.

Northside Marine supplied a Stabicraft 1850 SuperCab for testing at Clontarf on Moreton Bay, fitted with a 130hp Yamaha 4-stroke and on a fancy G-Fab trailer. As tested, the package came in at $138,888, with package prices starting from $111,500.

FMM

BOATING TEST

Top: There’s a large, neat workstation in the centre of the transom.

Above: How do you like the modified cup holders to take paternoster weights?

The 1850 is all about cockpit space.

This 1850 was matched with a GFab trailer, which is undeniably a work of art.

Top Left: Although you can get this boat with a bare aluminium floor, the rubber decking makes it comfortable and fishable underfoot.

Top Right: You can also get to the bow through the for’ard hatch from the cabin. Bottom Left: This is the right cooler to have stowed under the helm seat – one with split-lid access.

Bottom Right: A close-up of the walkaround slot.

Top: The best economy was between 4000 and 4500rpm, delivering 2.2km/L. Above: The recess at the bottom of the cabin makes walking around it to the bow more achievable.

There’s 17° of transom deadrise to cut through the chop.

Left: There’s plenty of space at the helm to flush mount your favourite electronics combinations. Right: The boarding foldaway stairs are rugged and functional for getting into the boat on the trailer and in the water.

OCTOBER 2024 117

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