• FESTIVE FISHING FEVER • SUMMER SMORGASBORD •
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• Getting jacked for summer! • Starlo’s freshwater bait fishing • Kayak: Biggera Waters blunder
Species Spotlight
Bob Thornton is chasing summer jacks
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CONTENTS
OUR COVER December 2022, Vol. 3 No.8 VIC
TAS
QUEENSLAND The Tweed Gold Coast Jumpinpin Southern Bay Brisbane Northern Bay Noosa Bundaberg Mackay Townsville Hinchinbrook Cairns Port Douglas Cooktown Cape York Freshwater
16 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 40 42 44 48
NEW SOUTH WALES Pittwater Sydney North Sydney Rock Sydney South Ballina Coffs Coast Forster Port Stephens Swansea Central Coast Illawarra Batemans Bay Bermagui Tathra Albany/Wodonga Hunter Valley Batlow New England Rivers Canberra
60 60 62 64 66 68 70 71 73 72 74 75 76 76 78 81 79 80 82
VICTORIA Warrnambool Portland Cobden Apollo Bay Geelong Port Phillip West Port Phillip East Phillip Island Marlo Bemm River Gippsland Lakes Lakes Entrance Port Albert Mallacoota Robinvale Bendigo Ballarat Wangaratta Shepparton 6
DECEMBER 2022
From the Editor’s Desk...
WA
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Sometimes it takes someone from out of the country to make us aware of just how good some of our fisheries are. We’ve just come back from the Zerek BARRA Tour, which is four barramundi tournaments that are held back-to-back on North Queensland impoundments. They’re held in succession because it’s not the easiest place in the world to get to – unless you already live in the MackayProserpine area. The Bruce Highway to the south must be in contention as Australia’s crappiest stretch of road and it’s about 11 hours drive from Brisbane. Over 20 from Sydney and about 30 hours from Melbourne.
Troy Honey with a 73cm bar cheek coral trout he caught at Dampier. A Troy Honey image. Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.
Gippsland Freshwater Crater Lakes Eildon
101 99 100
TASMANIA Hobart Offshore
103 102
WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance Augusta Bunbury Metro Mandurah Lancelin Exmouth Karratha Freshwater
108 109 108 111 110 112 115 114 116
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Yet every year, keen barramundi anglers make the journey to partake in some mighty fine barramundi fishing. This year, ABT organised for a couple of professional North American anglers to attend and fish. One was expatriate Aussie, Carl Jocumsen. He’s got barra experience. His Bassmaster Tour mate, Canadian Jeff ‘Gussy’ Gustafson, was visiting for the first time. We paired them up together and they sure held their own against some of the best barra tournament anglers in the country. That’s not the important bit, though… the important bit was being reminded about what a special fishery we have created and enjoy. “Australians need to realise that this is a world class fishery and that you need to keep looking after it,” said Jocumsen at the final presentation. Gussy, who is used to beautiful Canadian lakes and fisheries, was definitely bitten by the barra-bug. “These things are insane,” he said after his first barra bruised a rib on the strike. He is right, they definitely aren’t a largemouth bass, which is what both of these guys catch for a job. Tournament largemouth top out at around 5kg. A big barra is usually 20-30kg. If you get a chance to visit Queensland and experience it, you should take it. They’re a very special fish and fishery that we have within driving distance, albeit a long one.
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Getting jacked for summer! BRISBANE
Bob Thornton
As the mercury climbs to a near intolerable level across the northern two thirds of the country, some of the toughest and nuttiest in the angling community come out to play. When we see their supreme casting skills, pimped out boats and seasoned angling ability on social media, it may seem like a hard club to break into.
60cm or so. Consequently, fish of this size in the creeks and rivers are considered a true prize. What this means for estuary anglers though, is that they’re essentially chasing a reef fish up a creek. The jack’s preference for heavy structure and protein-rich meat makes them a very tough adversary. Their canine teeth, bloodlike colouration and aggressive demeanour only add to their image as the toughest animal in the rivers. On top of this,
search for jacks, there’s much more to it than that. There are things that will bring these fish to an area, and many factors that influence the viability of the fishing. There are well-known systems such as the Nerang River on the Gold Coast and Baffle Creek near Bundaberg that are synonymous with mangrove jack. This certainly doesn’t mean the fishing is any less viable in the other systems around them, however. In fact, lesser-known rivers and creeks
concrete jungles. Some of the best habitat in these places is made of concrete and metal, with bridges, pontoons, retaining walls and any other artificial structure all great real estate. Tidal systems still unaffected by human development also harbour good jacks, and the natural structure in these places makes equally good habitat, however these areas are few and far between near our major population centres. As you venture north on the east coast, fewer people living around the water means there is less canals and the human infrastructure that go with it. Natural structure includes fallen timber, mangroves, rock bars, undercut banks, and really anything that interrupts the current and gives them a place to wait for food to drift by. It’s also worth mentioning that in the south, jacks will tend to seek out cleaner
Live baiting is a good way to secure your first jack, and although this isn’t Elliot’s first, it certainly won’t be his last. Photo courtesy of Simon Goldsmith. water with better visibility, and seem to turn up less in dirtier systems such as the Brisbane and Mary rivers. In the tropics, where a lot of
these predators. BAIT FISHING FOR JACKS Bait fishing for mangrove jack is an awesome way for
Live bait rig for mangrove jack Fixed stytofoam float 40lb braided mainline
Fly fishing is very effective but a rarely used method for jack fishing. Not all areas are suited to this technique, but it’s a good trick to have up your sleeve. Granted, bagging your first mangrove jack is no mean feat, but you certainly don’t need to be a swashbuckling fisher pro with all the gear and experience in the world. I will disclose early on that I am no jack expert. My infrequent jack trips have taken me all up and down the East Coast, but each time it seems I have to relearn almost everything from scratch. Because of this, I’ve caught my ‘first jack’ quite a few times, and now I want to help you do the same. Summer is when adventurous anglers are looking to bag their first red dog, so with all this in mind, let’s look at our target. JACK BIOLOGY Mangrove jack belong to a large family called lutjanidae, which also includes golden snapper (fingermark), Moses perch, red bass, red emperor, and many more around the world. Like all the members of this clan, jacks are a tough animal, and their fight for survival begins right at birth. Adult fish spawn around offshore reefs, and soon after the larvae migrate inshore to nearby estuaries, and sometimes even up into freshwater. Juvenile fish will spend the first several years or more feeding and growing in this environment, before eventually migrating back to the ocean. Tagging data shows that this migration back to their birthplace tends to happen when they reach around 8
DECEMBER 2022
they are well-known to snap their jaw open and shut (often referred to as ‘barking’) when they’re out of water. Anglers relishing a challenge seem drawn to not just jack fishing, but also to the fish themselves. And while they make awesome table fare, most choose to release all the jacks they land, more so out of respect than anything else. Like many structureorientated fish, they can sometimes take up residence on one snag pile for several years or more. There have been multiple instances of tagged jacks being caught repeatedly in one area, with one animal being landed 12 times! Don’t let this fool you though, jacks can be elusive quarry, especially in the southern limits of their range, but they make up for their lack of numbers in subtropical waters by being larger on average than their northern relatives. Regardless of what part of the coast they inhabit, though, they can generally be found in similar environments. Most jacks will prefer the intertidal estuary, so basically anywhere from the tidal limits and downstream to the system’s mouth. This isn’t a hard and fast rule though, with the freshwater and coastal headland environments also harbouring good jacks in certain places at certain times. FINDING JACKS NEAR YOU While any tidal system is a good starting point in your
can offer fantastic fishing at times thanks to less angling pressure. On the East Coast, these fish can be found from just south of Sydney in NSW all the way to the tip of Cape York and across the top. In WA they can be found down to about Kalbarri. East Coast jacks in southern waters, and especially around bigger metropolitan centres such as Sydney, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, are perfectly at home living among the
Swivel
30lb mono or fluorocarbon trace (80-100cm)
4/0 suicide hook
Ball sinker
80-120mm poddy mullet
The author’s preferred rig for live baiting.
Various species of trevally also make up a good portion of the by-catch, and their sizzling runs provide great entertainment between jacks.
systems are more stirred up (thanks mostly to larger tides), jacks can’t afford to be as picky, and will live in systems with less visibility. With that said, jacks in the tropics also seem to venture into the freshwater reaches more than their southern siblings. This is probably to do with the better clarity this environment offers. Anglers chasing jungle perch and sooty grunter often have run ins with freshwater jacks, and I’ve never heard of anyone complaining when this happens! In the top end and over on the west coast where estuaries have endured far less human interference, they will tend to hang out in the hidey holes provided by nature. With less people around these fish also don’t get targeted as often, and this combined with the generally greater numbers found in the north can result in some magic sessions on
a newcomer to nail their first one, but don’t think for a second that this is the ‘easy way’. Bait fishing for jacks takes preparation, dedication and skill. Jacks will respond to a huge variety of baits, live and dead, so to find a bait that works in your area you need to think about what they’re eating. A general rule that many bait soakers adhere to is that jacks in the tropics will happily eat dead baits, while further south live baits are often needed to get the desired result. Down south, jacks are massively outnumbered by other species, and a dead bait is more likely to attract scavengers like sharks, catfish and eels before a jack notices it. By-catch is still inevitable with live baits, but greatly reduced. LIVE BAITS Livies such as gar, mullet, legal whiting, herring and
prawns are fairly standard baits in the estuary. Fishing closer to the coast I have also caught them on live squid! Gathering bait is extra work, but well worth it if you want to give yourself the best chance possible. In Queensland where cast netting is legal, bait can be collected easily, however in NSW anglers will have to resort to bait traps or bait jigs to gather a bucket of livies. Looking after your live baits is very important, because you want them to be strong and kicking for when a jack comes over to inspect. Having
a live bait tank with aeration or a submersible bait bucket will keep oxygen flowing through their gills while they await their sentencing. Alternatively, collecting baits throughout the session as they are needed (if you are in a location where this is possible) is a good way to ensure healthy livies, and as a bonus you don’t need to worry about storing them. DEAD BAITS In the northern creeks and rivers where jacks are often the dominant species, one snag pile is likely to have many hanging off it.
Estuary cod are a regular by-catch for jackers in both northern and southern waters. They hit hard and dive for cover just like jacks, but lack the stamina and usually come to the boat a little easier.
New
Smartly rigged dead baits are enough to get the attention from these ‘pack jacks’. The competition between these fish is sometimes so fierce that they will shoulder one another to get to the bait, so it certainly isn’t necessary to go to the trouble of collecting quality live baits when they’re this thick. Fillet and flesh baits of the same bait species mentioned above, as well as whole dead baits will turns the heads of northern jacks. Such is their willingness to eat sometimes that I have heard of whole frozen pilchard baits purchased from a servo taking quality jacks! BAIT RIGS Whether you’re fishing with live or dead baits, keeping the rig simple is the way to go. Jacks attack their prey very quickly, and aren’t going to spend a lot of time examining your rig. Generally speaking, keeping your bait off the bottom is a good way to go, mainly because of the amount of undesirables that lurk on the bottom, but also because jacks tend to prefer feeding up the water column a bit. Fishing off the bottom also makes snagging less likely, and should you get hung up it’s easier to retrieve your rig and save a few bucks. A simple float rig with a sinker and swivel is favoured by a lot of anglers. Fixed
Even though they are top quality table fare, most anglers choose to release all of the jacks they catch. Photo courtesy of Simon Goldsmith. styrofoam or cork floats that leave about a metre of drop are perfect. Hooks between 1/0-5/0 are fine, and I would tend to go for a thicker gauge hook to avoid any bend-outs. Single hook rigs are my preferred way to rig for jacks, because less hook points means less chance of snagging, tangling, and weighing down your bait to the point where it can’t swim. Traces should be at least 30lb mono or fluorocarbon, with 40-50lb a safer option for
first timers. PRESENTING BAITS Fishing your baits is where the fun really begins, because you want to get your bait close enough to the structure to draw the fish out, but far enough off it to ensure you have a chance of extracting them once they eat the bait. It can be a bit of a tight rope! A good way to present your baits is to anchor your boat up current from a goodlooking piece of cover, and
use the flow to drift the bait back as close as you dare. The current will help you to hold your presentation in place while you wait for a jack. Using this method, you can fish comfortably at any stage of the tide, except on the changes. As a general rule, I’d tend to stick to water between 10-20ft. Jacks attack their prey quickly, so if you want to give yourself a fighting chance, you’ll want to hold your rod! Live baits will tend to swim and kick around a little bit, so holding them a metre or so off the snag will help make sure they don’t go in there and tangle up your rig. Live baits will often become really animated when a jack is nearby, and it can be very exciting watching your little float dance around before being ripped under the surface. Fishing submerged structure without a float is another method, but this takes a little more skill and guesswork as you try to get your rig close to structure you can’t physically see. Really skilled anglers will sometimes fish their bait completely unweighted, and rigging for this couldn’t be simpler: just a trace and a hook! An unweighed rig presents very naturally, but also puts your bait at risk of drifting into a snag without To page 10
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you realising. For first timers, you really can’t beat a float rig drifted back onto a snag pile. With a float, there is a visual cue for the angler to strike or engage the reel. Once a jack does eat your bait, there’s no time to lose. Jacks generally try to eat their prey whole and head straight for home, so being able to stop them in their tracks and break their spirit early is the key to winning a jack fight. A hesitant response or a rod left in the rod holder will give them enough time to bury themselves in cover – and they only need a fraction of a second to do it! Most ‘bust-offs’ happen in less than two seconds, so you can see how crucial this early stage of the fight is, and why heavy gear is favoured over finesse presentations. Bait fishing can realistically be done at any time, but fishing on hot and humid mornings or afternoons with a rising barometer is hard to beat. Tides do play a role, but the best times can vary a lot from system to system. Soaking baits for jacks throughout a tide cycle will help you work out when that time is. LURE FISHING FOR JACKS For those who want their first jack to be lure-caught, rest assured you aren’t severely disadvantaging yourself. Lures used in the right way are incredibly deadly on jacks, and one of the best ways crack your first one is by trolling. Trolling Trolling has a bit of a bad name and conjures images of ‘lazy’ anglers aimlessly dragging lures behind the boat hoping for a fish. In reality, trolling for mangrove jacks is an active pursuit where you need to be on the ball at any given moment and anticipating a strike, otherwise you’ll become a victim jack bust-off!
Jacks have a reputation as the toughest fish in the estuary, and it’s not hard to see why. Photo courtesy of Simon Goldsmith. lined bank or canal with rock walls and pontoons along it. A run might only be a 100m long (sometimes less); what’s important is that there is plenty of cover for jacks to find shelter and wait for their prey to come to them. Good jack trollers have excellent control of the boat, weaving in and out along the run as they aim to get their lures as close to cover as possible. Some anglers will occasionally knock the engine out of gear to allow the lures to linger in good areas for a few seconds. A speed of around 2-3km/h is perfect for this species. There are a few things that make for easier and more effective trolling. Firstly, keep your line fairly short, with around 15m a good distance. Running at 10m might not allow your lure to dive to an appropriate depth, but 20m will give a jack enough rope to get you into trouble. Secondly, you want to feel your lure knocking into
Never be afraid to use larger baits or lures 120mm or larger. This fish of around 40cm ate a 120mm fly intended for barramundi with no problems at all. Firstly, heavier gear than normal is a good idea. Sturdy baitcast tackle with 30-40lb mainline and 40-50lb leader is not considered overkill, especially in southern waters where 60cm fish aren’t uncommon. The idea is to find a good trolling ‘run’, ideally a snag10
DECEMBER 2022
structure occasionally. This indicates that your lure is getting close to cover and likely drawing the interest of the fish that live in it. Diving lures between 60-120mm, preferably those that float up backwards, are the ideal tools for this trade. Thirdly, make sure your
run has adequate depth. Too shallow and your boat will spook the fish you’re trying to catch, but too deep and you might not reach the fish you’re targeting. In the canals, I’ve always found between 10-20ft to be a good depth. Further north jacks will often sit shallower, so being stealthy with your boat, and even trolling with an electric motor will benefit you. Lastly, have a plan! Given that your boat is already in motion, this puts the angler at an advantage. Driving the boat away from cover once a hook-up occurs will help you enormously. Keeping the boat on its trolling trajectory, or even just knocking the engine out of gear, means the hooked jack only has a short distance to travel back to cover during the fight. Quickly changing that angle so that your line is more or less perpendicular to the bank gives them fewer chances to bust you off. If you’re fishing with someone, make sure you’re both adequately drilled for action stations when someone hooks a jack! One person can drive the boat while the other fights the fish – taking jacks on the troll is very often a team effort. Doing it on your own presents an extra challenge, but it’s not impossible by any means. Driving a boat while fighting an angry lutjanid is an artform, and once again, having a plan to manoeuvre the boat into a good position is crucial. Snagging your lures is inevitable when trolling, but I’m a firm believer that if you’re not snagging up every now and then, you’re not fishing properly. A good tackle retrieval tool like a prodder or lure retriever is a worthwhile investment. A lot of the time though, simply driving back over your snagged lure and applying pressure from another angle will bring snagged lures unstuck. Lure casting Throwing artificials for this species is a much more
targeted approach, in the sense that generally there is less by-catch, plus you are appealing to fish that are actively hunting. Casting lures into snags allows an angler to quickly cover likely-looking pieces of structure. If there’s no jacks home in one spot, or at least none willing to eat straight away, lure casters will move onto the next spot. Fishing in this way means you can effectively cover good-looking territory from a few different angles, and find where the hungry fish are! The first thing to remember when casting lures for mangrove jack is that it rewards accurate casting. If you’re not a confident caster, it might be worth practising in the backyard or at the local park. Accurate casting can literally mean the different between a red-hot session and no fish. Just like with trolling, jack casters will want to find a run. On this run should be a string of good-looking real estate that lures can be cast into at a few different angles. As you cruise along a run, look for any little pockets or gaps that lures can be cast into. In the canals, the classic example is fishing around pontoons. With each pontoon, an angler can put a cast along either side of the pontoon, one along the front, and one along the back (if it’s possible) before moving to the next one. Generally, the side of the pontoon receiving the current is the ‘money shot’, as this is where dominant fish are going to be waiting for their next feed, however the same applies to fallen logs, pylons, rock bars and literally anything that interrupts the flow. I always make sure to fish the current-receiving side of a snag first. While current isn’t necessary, it certainly helps work out where the jacks are likely to be on a piece of cover. The current will wash their prey past them quickly and ignite an opportunistic response in the fish where they think ‘I better eat that before I miss out!’ Both spin and baitcast tackle is suitable, however most casters prefer baitcasters for their accuracy and their fish-stopping qualities. Spin tackle does have its place though, especially if a finesse approach is required to flick smaller lures into tight nooks and crannies. Anglers will tend to go a little lighter when casting lures for the simple reason that it makes casting easier. Good quality 20-30lb braid and 20-40lb leader is my preference, and while it might seem a little risky, casting jack-sized lures on heavier gear can become a little awkward and tiring. It’s worth remembering too that a lot of hook-ups will occur away from structure when casting, as jacks will commonly chase lures out of their lairs before striking, giving anglers a slight
advantage. Speaking of lures, there’s a whole bunch that will work, it just depends what you’re looking to imitate. Jacks will eat a variety of prey, but will sometimes focus on a particular prey type if it’s prevalent in the area. After big rain events systems will often fill up with small prawns, and this is where soft plastics, topwater lures and other prawn imitations will really shine. Prawns are usually on the smaller scale for jack prey, so about 80mm and under is a good size. Soft plastics can also be skipped up into tight pockets where other lures simply can’t, and if rigged weedless can be dragged through just about anything without getting hung up! Rigging plastics on standard jigheads is popular among those who fish around pontoons and other artificial structure. A well-known trick is to cast a plastic along a pontoon and quickly wind it back just under the surface, allowing the current to sweep it underneath the pontoon. If there is a jack home and
fish species that jacks love to eat, swimbaits and glidebaits can’t be beaten for their realism, and although a tad more expensive than other lures are yet another staple for a lot of modern jack nuts. Sinking lures such as vibes and lipless crankbaits have less uses in jack fishing, however they are good to have should you need to fish a little deeper. Fly anglers aren’t forgotten about either. I once had a goal of nailing a few jacks on fly and managed to do so on a trip to North Queensland a few years ago. A whole range of flies will catch jacks. Classic baitfish patterns such as Lefty’s Decievers, Pink Things and Gold Bomber flies can be fished a lot like soft plastics, especially if tied with a weed guard. Good fly anglers will be able to shoot their flies into really tight spots, and the added length of the fly rod means you can steer and ‘mend’ your line to get the fly close to good territory. I found the fly rod to be a good extraction tool as well, because it’s basically a handline you can cast things on. Just make sure you don’t
A jack is a jack. Even smaller specimens are an exciting part of this pursuit – but where there are little ones there are always bigger ones nearby! hungry, this should trigger an aggressive response. If no luck, just move to the next pontoon! Topwater lures can be anything, however those that ‘spit’ like a prawn trying to flee danger are going to get more attention. Walk-the-dog baits, poppers, fizzers, bent minnow style lures and even frog imitations are great when the light is low and the jacks are keen to venture a little further from structure to grab a feed. In shaded areas such as amongst mangroves, jacks will sometimes feed on the surface all day. Hardbodied lures such as jerkbaits, swimbaits, glidebaits and crankbaits are great to have on hand as well. Crankbait style hardbodies that can be floated over snags during the retrieve are particularly handy around natural structure, while jerkbaits designed to suspend can be paused to sit in the fish’s face and turn a looker into an eater! For imitating the small
go any lighter than an 8wt with a 20lb tippet! THE FIRST ONE’S THE HARDEST Every mangrove jack enthusiast remembers their first one, and the hours and perseverance that went into it often makes it all the more rewarding. The silly season in Australia is the best time to be chasing jacks and, given the extra time many of us have on our hands, it really would be silly if you weren’t trying for your first jack! This La Niña cycle will make fishing difficult this summer, however fish activity will be very high outside of flooding events. The constant inflow of nutrients will increase bait activity and the predators, like jacks, will be there looking to take advantage of the smorgasbord. Trust your instincts, make a plan, and don’t give up! The estuary’s toughest fish will reward your hard work. Good luck!
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Bait fishing in freshwater NSW STH COAST
Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com
Don’t be shy! Getting your hands dirty while gathering and soaking a few natural baits in the fresh will teach you so much about our inland waterways and their inhabitants. I caught my first Australian bass on a bunch of wriggling earthworms cast close to a bridge pylon
dozen or so times since, but it remains a supereffective way of catching these Aussie natives, along with most of our other freshwater species: both indigenous and introduced. These days, the vast bulk of magazine articles, YouTube clips and TV segments devoted to freshwater fishing tend to concentrate almost exclusively on lure and fly-fishing strategies. That’s fine, and I love my fly and lure fishing. But
When they’re hooked in the lip like this yellowbelly, it’s easy to release anything you don’t want to keep and eat. the fishing process itself, especially as obtaining the best baits usually involves some sort of advance effort in the form of catching, gathering or harvesting. This could be as simple as digging a few worms out of the home compost heap, or a little more involved when it takes the form of trapping shrimps and yabbies, collecting mudeyes (dragonfly larvae), or even extracting bardi grubs from their deep bank-side burrows using
Rigging two live shrimp on a hook creates a bigger, more attractive offering, and the two crustaceans will click and rattle against each other to add an audible element to the bait.
Starlo with an eel-tailed catfish or tandan. This fascinating species is much more commonly taken on bait than it is on lure or fly. in a little creek on the far south coast of NSW. That was almost 50 years ago, and I must admit that I’ve only deliberately fished for bass with bait half a
we should never forget the importance or the immense popularity of bait fishing, nor the fact that it
bait can be a game changer. Apart from anything else, there’s typically a bit more to bait soaking than
QR CODE
Scan this QR code or go to the Starlo Gets Reel channel on YouTube to watch a short how-to video about catching yellowbelly on bait.
Scan this QR code or go to the Starlo Gets Reel channel on YouTube to watch a short how-to video about catching trout on bait. 12
DECEMBER 2022
One potential drawback of bait fishing is the increased likelihood of deep-hooking fish you’d prefer to release. However, if you hold your rod and strike fairly quickly, deep-hooking is less likely, even on smash-and-grab customers like Australian bass.
A lovely golden perch perfectly pinned… although actually, if you catch them on bait, you should probably call ’em yellowbelly! teaches us so much about the absolute basics of our passionate pursuit. With the summer holidays fast approaching, bait fishing in freshwater is also well worth considering as an extremely viable option for kids, other non-fishing family members, and more casual fishing friends who may tend to quickly become bored with fruitlessly flicking or trolling a lure hour after hour for little of no result. Getting them onto
all manner of innovative methods. Sometimes these pursuits will become even more fun-filled and rewarding pastimes than
the fish catching part! All manner of baits will tempt freshwater fish, and the humble garden worm makes a great starting
A bait bucket bristling with tasty freshwater shrimp. Few fish can resist these morsels!
point. But for better and more consistent results on many species, it’s much better to use naturally occurring local organisms that comprise a significant part of the target species’ daily diet. That might mean mudeyes or grasshoppers for trout at this time of year, shrimp for yellowbelly and bass, or yabbies for Murray cod. Don’t rule out oddball, non-natural offerings like cheese, chicken and even boiled eggs, too! You can also use various saltwater baits in the fresh, but as a rule, it’s better not to translocate organisms from one environment to another. It may even be illegal to do so in your jurisdiction. Carefully check the rules first, and never use imported seafoods and marine baits in our freshwater environments, as they could potentially introduce exotic diseases. Sitting in delicious anticipation alongside an inland waterway clutching a baited rod, eyes fixed on its quivering tip or a bobbing float, is an Aussie rite of passage that every kid – big or small – should experience at least a few times in their lives. It’s almost guaranteed to reconnect you with your childhood and evoke some great memories. If you’d like to learn more, scan the two QR codes accompanying this column, or go to my “Starlo Gets Reel” YouTube channel to watch my how-to clips on bait fishing for yellowbelly and trout. Tight Lines!
Southern
OLD
Enjoy the outdoors this season THE TWEED
Leon McClymont
With the Christmas holidays just around the corner, let’s hope we have seen the back end of the La Niña season and we get some good weather.
spotted mackerel will be the top pick for most anglers this month. I predict a busy season here on the Tweed, with the new Queensland closures coming into place. I’m guessing most, if not all, mackerel fishers within an hour of the border will travel down
hardbodies are great ways to find where the fish are hanging. You can continue trolling to catch your worth/bag limit, but some choose to anchor up or drift for them. Livies and half unweighted pilchards would have to be the best techniques for this. Throwing spinners/
Andrew Strong getting amongst the red ones as usual. I’m sure everyone will be enjoying the outdoors and getting some fishing done. Here are some species and techniques for you to try this summer. First off, Spanish and
to NSW to fish. The mackerel should be firing on the inshore reefs over December and the next six months. Slow trolling skirted pilchards, garfish, bonito, livies or fast trolling
Troll bait options for pelagics this summer. This range of bait will catch tuna, mackerel, mahimahi, wahoo, marlin and much more. 16
DECEMBER 2022
metal slugs, stick baits or poppers from the boat whilst anchored or drifting can also be very effective as some days they won’t seem to want to eat a bait but will hit a lure; then other days it’s the complete opposite. Being patient in the mackerel game pays off. If you’re marking fish and plenty of bait around then persist. Just keep passing/circling the fish and they will tend to fall to temptation and take a trolled bait or lure. Many other species can be caught doing these techniques, many mulloway and snapper have been caught this way, or on trolled baits meant for mackerel. I have also caught tuna, wahoo and marlin doing this. The FADs have been producing most days with half pilchards or cut baits in a berley trail or livies being the ticket to the show. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, stopping approximately 100m above the FAD and drifting down into or just past the FAD fishing zone is the best technique. The bigger fish will hang deeper and further from the FAD as they are more comfortable feeding away from it, where the smaller rat fish will hang close to it in large numbers for safety from larger predators. Once you’re ready to motor back up for another drift you can choose to run lures back past where you want to fish, but risk spooking fish, or you can run your bait a little wide like a horse shoe and leap frog
back up in front of your fishing zone as to not disturb your targets. Some days it can only take one or two boats to do some circle work round the FAD, thinking the closer they get the better chance they have at getting one, but this will tend to just spook the school of fish and they will move down the chain deeper and are more reluctant to feed. If you have been thinking of heading wide? Then December is the best month for trolling big marlin off Tweed and surrounding areas. The big yellowfin tuna, wahoo and mahimahi are also about so it can be very action-packed days out wide this time of year. Some good hardbody lure options are the Gillies Blue Water minnows, Zerek Speed Donkey, Halco Laser Pro, Nomad DTX, and Rapala XRap Magnum. As for skirts, I don’t really have a favourite brand but I have two colours that have proven to perform in the past: pinkish and green tones. I would have to say running a range of different types and colours so you have all bases covered is your best bet, so you can switch it up to suit if one seems to be the hot pick on the day. Giving the fish different options is the way to go. If the fish shies off one, as that lure didn’t tickle its fancy, it might change its mind seeing a little different style/
This jack slammed a MMD Splash Prawn off the surface. ones at that. Live bait is a great option for jacks, but catching live bait can be a hinderance, especially in NSW. Going the extra mile can produce great results in the fishing game, but I would have to say cut baits such as mullet, bonito and mac tuna are just as good if not better on some occasions when chasing the elusive red devils. I have had livies out for long periods without a touch then put a strip of cut mullet out and away it
or lures, such as vibes and plastics, is the ticket to the show for these fish. Most anglers have the perspective that mulloway are a winter species only, but here on the Tweed you can catch them all year round – some of my greatest captures have been during summer. So if you’re chasing that big mulloway (as every committed angler will have on their bucket fish list) a 20kg land-based specimen is the benchmark. A lot of
A 54cm mangrove jack for the author, taken on cut mullet. colour zoom past. So don’t start with 4 of the same lures out the back. There are still plenty of snapper, mulloway and other reefies being caught in good numbers, so don’t forget to give the bottom a go whilst most boats will be on the troll chasing the pelagics. The Tweed River has been fishing exceptionally well considering the amount of rain it has had. The temperature of the river at time of writing was 24ºC and I assume will rise another 2ºC or so. It had the jacks fired up with plenty of captures, and goodsized
goes, moments later it happens again. So don’t rule out the easy options, always have a back-up plan. Flathead are in abundance, but I haven’t seen many or large specimens caught recently. I struggled to find any whiting last river session, I think it may have been still a bit fresh for how far up I was fishing the river at the time. It should have cleared up by December, unless we have heaps of rain. Plenty of juvenile mulloway are in the river finding drop-offs or schooling baitfish. Either dropping baits
anglers out there at the top their game and are yet to tick off this iconic sport fish. It baffles me how anyone can just continue catching the same species in the same zone, I love the challenge of taking on a new species and a new zone it pushes me to the limits. Even on the days you don’t succeed, you always learn and take the experience in. That’s one of the best things about fishing the Tweed is the wide range of species that it holds. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, until next time all the best and soak ‘em long.
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Offshore fishing heats up GOLD COAST
David Green
The water should warm up to around 25ºC on the inshore grounds this month as the East Australian Current moves in close to the coast. There have been plenty of juvenile black marlin in Hervey Bay in October and by December these fish should have moved south to Gold Coast waters.
As well as black marlin, this month should see mahimahi and hopefully wahoo. It is a good month to troll on the inshore grounds. The bottom end of North Stradbroke Island, the Cotton Reef and Sullies are good places to start. I prefer to troll skirted lures but dead baits, such as gar and mullet, are also very effective. If there are big bait schools of slimy mackerel and pilchards around, drifting live baits is often a better option. Most
There should be plenty of juvenile black marlin in the Gold Coast waters by December.
of the inshore run of juvenile black marlin are small fish between 10-25kg, which makes them manageable on light tackle. Occasionally bigger fish up to 80kg are encountered but I think this season will see a lot of small marlin being caught quite close to shore. Out wider there should be an increase in blue marlin action this month. The bite slowed a bit in October but there were still a few shots most days and most of the bites were on tide changes. December is generally one of the best months of the year to catch a blue marlin off the Gold Coast and there should still be a few striped marlin around as well. It pays to look at the sea surface temperature charts and work areas where there is a temperature break or an eddy. In general, the best depth to troll is between 200-400m. Out beyond the thousand metre line there may still be a few yellowfin tuna. Some big ones were caught throughout spring and fish over 50kg were common. Other by-catch on the wider grounds includes big mahimahi and the occasional wahoo. In closer to shore, the first run of spotted and Spanish mackerel should turn up on Palm Beach Reef in mid- December. The recent completely flawed study on Spanish mackerel numbers has lead to seasonal closures that will start on the first of February. The bag limit is now one Spanish mackerel per person and a maximum of two fish per recreational vessel. This is despite record catches over the past few seasons. The best approach in December is to berley and fish with pilchards, concentrating on
the smaller spotted mackerel. Mackerel tuna and the odd cobia should also show up on both Palm Beach and Mermaid Reef. As the current starts to run and the water warms up bottom fishing activity slows down a lot on the wider grounds. There should still be a few kingfish, snapper and pearl perch around and deep water jigging in up to 300m has produced a surprising number of kingfish in late October. Jigs can still get down even in heavy current but when it runs at over 2 knots things can get a bit difficult. RIVERS AND ESTUARIES The recent heavy rains throughout spring have left the rivers and the main body of the Broadwater in good condition with plenty of baitfish. This month the flathead drop off in numbers but there will still be a few big fish present on the top of the flats at high tide. Casting big soft plastics, shallow running hardbodied minnows and swim baits can still be effective this month, particularly if there is a high tide peaking around 7-9am. Bigger tides tend to fish better. As the water warms up, whiting become a lot more active and casting unweighted yabbies to them on the first of a rising tide can produce excellent results. The flats around Wavebreak Island are a good place to try, but any flat that has yabby holes will hold whiting on a high tide. Fish over 40cm long are relatively common at times. Another
You can expect decent catches of mahimahi on the wider grounds. method is to cast small clear poppers and work them back quite quickly. This is a fun way to fish and whiting can be surprisingly aggressive, particularly when they are chasing small jelly prawns. Other good baits, include small soldier crabs, blood worms, beach worms and small jelly prawns. Jelly prawns can be found around mangrove fringes at high tide and can be caught with a fine mesh net. Three hooked onto
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Ross McCubbin with a nice whiting.
a number 6 Aberdeen hook work well on whiting. Mangrove jack will be active this month in most canal systems. Poppers work well early in the morning and small white paddle tail soft plastics are effective when cast alongside floating pontoons. They also respond well to live baits and strip baits. Big ones are quite challenging to land as they crash into any nearby structures and bust ups are common. The Nerang River system fishes very well for jacks in December and they are at their most active early in the morning or at night. There are mulloway in the seaway and around Jumpinpin in December. Live pike are probably the most effective bait but yellowtail and slimy mackerel also work well. In recent times there have been plenty of yellowtail in the seaway area, which makes catching live bait a lot more convenient. White 7” jerk shads are a good alternative to live bait and need to be fished on or close to the bottom. As well as mulloway, these methods produce a few big flathead, giant trevally and tailor. The best tide to fish is the last two hours of the run in. Lately there have also been a few hairtail in the seaway area, even when the water is quite dirty. Overall, December is a great month to fish the Gold Coast. The offshore action hots up and I think there will be plenty of black marlin on the inshore grounds this season.
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Silly season in full swing JUMPINPIN
Bo Sawyer
The silly season is in full swing now and it felt like just a few weeks ago I was writing the December issue for 2021. Time flies! I’d like to start the report off by saying Merry Christmas to you and your family and I hope you all have a happy and safe holidays. Let’s quickly go over what’s been happening
in easterlies and westerlies as well. Water quality is still pretty ordinary around the low at the moment but the later part of the incoming has been bringing some nice water up the system. The tailor haven’t skipped a beat this year! They have been working hard most of the way up the system and the best times still remain around the last of the incoming. If you are keen on chasing them then try around the Pin bar, Kalinga Bank,
Andy got a nice feed of tailor while fishing on artificial lures. nuisance though. For the lure fishos big plastics and vibes are the go, and you’ll want to fish these around the slacker parts of the tides. Don’t
Suzanne has been doing very well with the whiting. Caught on Brett’s live worms.
There are still some solid flatties getting caught. in the Pin area and the conditions. There’s been plenty of wind and rain and, unfortunately, I don’t see this easing much over the summer. Take note of the wind directions before heading out and bring up Google maps so you can plan areas out of the wind. If it’s blowing northerlies, places like Kalinga can offer some shelter but just remember that it can get a bit rough along there, especially in big tides and large swell. If it’s blowing southerlies, you’ll often see me fishing on the northern side of Crusoe tucked out of the wind. There’s plenty of places to get out of the wind
northern and eastern side of Crusoe and along millionaires, which are your best bets. As always, look
Nathan with a huge mulloway – his arms would have been sore after that one!
Andy got a nice feed of sandies and flathead.
Max Boothey with a dinosaur flatty. It earned him biggest flathead for the juniors in the AFC. 22
DECEMBER 2022
out for the diving birds and baitfish getting chopped on the surface. Pillies and whitebait for the bait fishos
and Halco spinners and 4” plastics for the lure fishos. I’ve been getting some big ones as by-catch chasing flatties on 5” plastics so don’t be afraid to up the size of your lure but be prepared to lose a few tails. There’s still been some cracker mulloway out deep in the bar and along the deeper water off Swan Bay. Big livies are definitely the go at the moment, including legal tailor (you can’t use undersized tailor as bait per the Queensland regulations), live pike and mullet. As the water warms up further, the sharks will become more of a
forget you can chase that slacker tide up the system and fish multiple tide changes if you’re willing to move around a bit. My favourite fish, the mighty flathead, have still been going strong. It’s been harder fishing the upper system for them in the dirty water, but what I’ll generally do is target them around the low in the smallest areas possible. What I mean by
that, is instead of fishing large banks I’ll target them on smaller banks and drains. Because the visibility is so low on the bottom of the tide I want to target them where they’ll be the most concentrated. Just think, what areas will have the highest flatty count per square metre? Entrances to coves, shallow creeks and drains are a great starting point. Then for the high
Elijah with a cracker flatty caught out in the Pin. You’re supposed to net the fish, not your kid David!
I’m straight back out in the Pin area fishing the cleaner water for them. For the lure fishos, UV plastics have been gold and the dirtier the water I’m fishing the more aggressively I’m flicking those plastics to create water dispersion and vibration. Whereas in the cleaner water I’m working my lures much softer. For bait fishos, try live mullet, herring, pike, pilchards and fresh prawns. Now is a great time to chase whiting. If you are pumping yabbies along the banks then these are also some great areas to fish for them. I get the bigger whiting out deeper during the day and then in shallow in low light hours. If you have a bad back like me, then Brett has you covered with fresh live worms. Fish as light as possible, try along Kalinga, mouth of the Logan, the lagoons and gold bank. I haven’t heard many reports of the muddies going off at the moment but I’d be chucking the pots out anyway. Fresh bait is best, believe it or not, I’ve tried everything from rotten cow spleens to cat tins but have had more luck on fresh chicken or fish carcasses. Try placing your pots outside of snake drains that come off mangrove lines and be mindful of the tides. You don’t want to add to the collection of abandoned pots that are already out there. That’s it from me guys. Hope you all get some amazing catches out there and feel free to send some pics through for the mag. I’ll see you next year, tight lines. • Don’t forget to stop in at Jacobs Well Bait and Tackle to stock up before heading out. Ryan from Capn’s Charters has some availability for charters as well and I highly recommend him.
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Fish firing in the heat SOUTHERN BAY
Nick Whyte
The Jumpinpin bar has produced some nice fish over the last month. There have been a few mulloway
change will usually see the best results. The best lures have been the 5-6” McArthy paddletails, with my go-to colour being the atomic mullet. It’s been slaying even in the super clear water.
up super shallow so don’t be scared to cast up to 100mm of water. Large swimbaits and hardbodies are accounting for the larger models on the flats. Mangrove jack have been firing of late. Plenty of fish have been caught on lures and live bait in the canals at Raby Bay. The smaller creeks, like Tingalpa and Eprapah have also been fishing well. Logan River has been producing at the moment with some nice jacks reported on live baits around all the rock bars. There has also been plenty of small mulloway littered throughout the system. Fishing all the deeper rock
A big mulloway caught on a 5” McArthy paddle-tail. likely to find them closer to the bottom and using vibes, like the 95mm Zerek Fish Trap, should see you with a shot. If thinking about targeting these magnificent sports fish and looking to release them, you should always have a
Up in the super shallow water you can target these big fish using long skinny poppers. This is an awesome visual technique that really gets the heart pumping and these little guys punch above their weight. It’s great to hop
Broughton Philp with a cracker flatty on a 7” McArthy jerk shad. and plenty of nice sized flathead coming from the deeper water. Fishing the hour each side of the tide
There are also some good flathead coming from the areas around Tipplers. Some of the fish have been
There are some big flathead getting around the Jumpinpin bar at the moment.
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bars will see you in with a shot at both of these fish. The bay shallows are firing at the moment. Plenty of pan size snapper, grass sweetlip and big bream are being caught around the shallow reef edges. Small plastics or small hardbodies have been doing all the damage. Larger top water lures have been accounting for fish as well. Top water fishing the reef edges is so much fun as you will see a lot of the fish bow wave your lure before hitting it. Early mornings on dawn or late afternoons will see the most action. The threadfin salmon are starting to show their faces throughout the Brisbane River over the last month. Lots of fish have been coming from the middle reaches with the better quality coming from around the mouth. Fishing at night around the lights and fishing shallow diving hardbodies is a great way to target these fish. During the daylight hours you’re more
Mangrove jack are firing up this month. release weight with you. The threadies will suffer from barotrauma when pulled from deep water and if you want to release them in good condition this is a must for anglers. Summer whiting are in great numbers throughout the Logan River and sand banks close to the Pin bar.
out of the boat and walk the bank and fish that shallow water near the top part of the tide on the last of the run in over the yabby banks. • If you have a great capture from the southern bay you would like to share email them through to nick@ techfishing.com.au Till next month Tech-it-easy.
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Ho, Ho, holiday action ahead BRISBANE
Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com
Many anglers look forward to December as it offers them annual holidays and the opportunity to get out and chase their favourite species. The warmer months offer a broad array of pelagic and demersal species throughout Moreton Bay and the filtering waterways. Prime offerings will include mackerel, tuskfish, snapper, mangrove jack, threadfin salmon, estuary cod, flathead, longtail tuna, crabs and many others. With
move through in schools and every bait in the water will be eaten almost in unison, especially in areas such as the Measured Mile. This can offer some high adrenalin action plus some tasty fillets as a bonus. Trolling spoons behind paravanes or dragging deep diving minnow lures will also work a treat and offers better water coverage. Species such as tuna, mulloway, bonito, snapper, cod and others will also fall for this approach. Surface feeding schools can usually be seen from quite some distance away, especially on the calm days. Birds are the eyes in the sky, often signalling the
Tyler recently caught this quality flathead. They are always a reliable capture in the rivers and estuaries. greater numbers of anglers on the water, a little more courtesy is often needed, especially around the more popular spots. However, everyone should be able to have a great day on the water and return home with a few fish to grace the table. MACKEREL School mackerel numbers should remain healthy throughout December. With any luck we may also be graced with numbers of spotted mackerel as well. School mackerel aren’t always located in surface feeding schoolsthey are often deeper in the water column within the major channels and around the artificial reefs. Drifting pilchards throughout these areas is a proven ploy, with aggressive bites and screaming drags the norm. Often the mackerel will 26
DECEMBER 2022
presence of surface mayhem well before you can see it. They are often commonly a mirror image of the pelagics below. When the birds are high in the sky, the pelagics are deep in the water column. As the bait is herded towards the surface by the predators, the birds will lower towards the water’s surface, ready to attack the bait when the opportunity arises. Surface feeding action can include school and spotted mackeral, longtail tuna, mack tuna, bonito and bullet tunas. Although not all are great table fare, they all offer some awesome sport. Chromed slugs and slices, jighead rigged jerkshad plastics, baitfish profiled flies, stickbaits and many other offerings can be used to tempt most pelagic species. Chromed slugs and slices generally offer the easiest
proposition, especially for mackerel, as they cast well and generally get pelagics excited when retrieved at break-neck speeds. Most of the shipping channel beacons will hold mackerel throughout certain stages of the tide and anglers commonly hop from one to the next, having several vertical drops at each one. Pilchards rigged on ganged hooks can be deployed close to the beacon and wafted through the water column as you drift away. Chromed slugs and slices can be cast out – freespooled until they hit the bottom, then retrieved as fast as possible back to the surface. These actions are repeated several times at each beacon before you move on to the next. Unsuccessful beacons may produce at a later stage of the tide so don’t be afraid to have a few drops on the return journey. THREADFIN SALMON As water temperatures rise, threadfin salmon action will increase. Rainfall will also heighten action as it flushes prawns down from higher in the system. These are a prime food source for threadfin and large schools are often found in the vicinity. Threadfin show prominently on most marine electronics, which makes locating them easy. However, they can be pedantic biters and will only come on the chew for a short period, especially for those using lures such as soft vibes, paddle tail and crustacean profiled plastics, blades, micro jigs and the like. Live baits are usually more readily accepted offerings with herring, gar, mullet and banana prawns the most readily used. The Brisbane River offers some world class threadfin fishing, with metre-plus specimens very common. The lower reaches are usually the best during the warmer months, with the Gateway Bridge to outer leads beacons being the main zone. After prominent rain, which scatters prawn schools, the flats either side of the river mouth can also produce good numbers. The Swing Zone, fronts of major jetties, Oil Pipeline, area around the International Terminal and the dredge zone near the mouth can all produce the goods on any given day. These areas can be fished with both lures and baits and will also produce by-catch, such as mulloway, estuary cod, snapper, flathead and big bream. Obviously, those using live baits are often harassed by catfish, sharks and rays also. JACKS AND COD Lure casting prominent structure in the estuaries
will often reward anglers with mangrove jack, estuary cod, trevally and others. Many exclusively target jacks at this time of the year as warmer water and air temperatures make them increasingly aggressive. Building storms offer rising barometric pressure which will skyrocket this aggressiveness. Whilst these are good times to be chasing jacks and cod, waving around a graphite rod is probably not advisable when lightning is prevalent. Casting lures close to prominent structure, such as mangrove snags, bridge pylons, jetties, pontoons and rock bars will put you in with a great chance. Both jacks and cod reside and feed in these areas, darting from cover to engulf any hapless morsel. Heavy drag settings, good angling skills and a degree of luck is required to land every decent fish. Early morning and late afternoons offer great opportunity, especially on those exceptionally hot days. The darkened hours are also prime times. Many fish around lighted areas as the illumination attracts baitfish and prawns, prominent food sources for many species. The waterways are also a lot quieter at night and a stealthy approach under electric motor power will allow you to get very close to resident fish. CRABS Crabbing in the various creeks, rivers, estuarine and bay areas can be productive during December. The upper reaches of the estuaries, as well as creeks and rivers, will regularly produce mud crabs for those setting safety pots baited with mullet, fish frames, chicken carcasses and the like. Pots can be checked every couple of hours or left for longer periods, such as
Decent snapper will be available in the bay during December, such as this quality table fish that Chris caught. overnight. Unless we receive good amounts of rainfall, which is likely, the better quality muddies will be deep in the mangrove expanse. Taking the effort to place your pots in the more out of the way pots will reward for the better quality crabs. However, rainfall will lower salinity, forcing the crabs further out into the estuaries and towards the mouths of the rivers. This makes them a lot easier to access and several quality bucks can be caught each session. Sand crab numbers have been good for a few months and this prevalence should continue, providing we don’t have a mini flood. Setting pots along the contours surrounding the bay islands, the edges of major channels, and the mouths of the drains leading off the sand banks
is usually a successful technique. Numerous crabs are often taken in a single pot and returning home with a dozen or more sand or blueswimmer crabs will guarantee a tasty feed for several people. The same pots and baits will work for all crab species however each possess varied size and bag limits so ensure you know the difference before setting out. There are also rules relating to crabbing apparatus so ensure yours are still legal. SNAPPER Snapper will continue to be caught during the warmer months although they are not as prevalent as during the colder periods. Lures and baits fished around the bay islands, artificial reefs and wrecks will still produce. Additionally, mulloway,
Setting a few safety pots in the bay will likely reward with a decent haul of sand and blueswimmer crabs.
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sweetlip, morwong, school mackerel, tuskfish and others will be taken. Any quality fresh baits will increase the likelihood of scoring a quality snapper however the humble frozen pilchard and squid will still produce. Baits should be fished in the lower third of the water column with a minimum of lead and rigging. Chemically-sharpened hooks buried well in the bait, with just the point exposed, are advisable. Lure fishing is commonly done with soft vibes, jighead rigged plastics, blades and micro jigs. Trolling deep diving minnow lures are another good way to score a few snapper, especially around the shallower artificial reefs and the bay island margins. The Brisbane River will produce some decent snapper at times, with most taken as bycatch by those targeting threadfin and mulloway. TUSKFISH Moreton Bay offers some incredible tuskfish specimens of varied species. Whilst these are often taken on baits and lures targeted at other species, specific targeting will greatly increase results. Crabs are the favoured food source of tuskfish so it makes sense to fish these baits. These can be entire live crabs or even pieces of deceased
offerings. Ensure any crabs used are of legal size to avoid getting fined. Tuskfish inhabit a broad array of locations including rock and reef ledges, artificial reefs, coffee rock areas and wrecks. Baits are generally fished close to the bottom utilising simple rigs of a sturdy hook, minimum lead and a heavy leader of 100lb to 200lb. Main line is commonly in the 60-100lb range however those who specifically target the XOS specimens (which can reach weights in excess of 15kg) will often use 150lb or even heavier. Tuskfish are very powerful, offer a real angling
challenge. Heavy handlines can work well when used with care. However, many prefer to use rod and reel outfits. Reels with low gear ratios are preferential as they allow you to exert a lot more torque when fighting tough fish. Whilst tuskfish offer exceptional table fare it is recommended to only remove a couple of fish from each spot to preserve stocks. Heavy drag settings, serious rod work after the hook up and a good degree of luck is required to land each quality tuskie. LONGTAIL TUNA A highly desirable
Moreton Bay sportsfish is the longtail tuna. These can reach weights in excess of 25kg yet even 10kg fish are a tough adversary on the average 10-15kg spinning or stickbaiting outfits. Often in December the baitfish on which they are feeding is still quite small. They will often get very tunnel-visioned in their choice of possible food sources therefore an imitatethe-bait approach is required. Small chrome slugs and slices will often work, however, when the baitfish is only a centimetre or two long, it is often near impossible to cast an offering lacking weight the required distance. This
School mackerel are a staple all year round in the bay, however the summer months see heightened numbers of these tasty creatures.
is where the fly fishers reign supreme. With fly fishing you are casting the weight of the fly line, not the weight on the end, in this case a fly the size of the resident baitfish. Small, almost clearbodied flies with a prominent eye, often called ‘Eyes Flies’ will imitate-the-bait well. Profiles are easily altered by trimming the fly with scissors if necessary. Other patterns that can be put to good use when the bait is slightly larger include surf candies, polar fibre minnows, bay baits, silversides and glass minnows. When they are feeding on small baits, longtails may still respond to larger profiles, but not always. You can try offerings such as chromed slugs and slices, pencil poppers, stickbaits, jighead-rigged jerk shad plastics and even soft vibes. Alter retrieves and try to cast to the fish leading the onslaught, not the rear of the pack. Longtails will often only rise and smash bait on the surface for a few seconds at a time therefore having a rod rigged with a possible lure and ready to cast can make a big difference when transiting the bay. A quick cast into a feeding pack of fish can result in a lot of fun, or even a tasty feed of sashimi or lightly grilled tuna steaks. When well-
cooked, tuna will be very dry however when eaten raw or lightly seared it is a succulent and very tasty treat. One decent fish will provide a lot of great meals. CONCLUSION The conditions can be very hot during December and with so many inexperienced anglers and their families on the water during the holiday period it can be easy to get a little hot under the collar in some situations. However, it isn’t worth spoiling your outing by getting into an altercation or argument so take a chill pill and move on. The air and water temperatures will be warm but the fishing action will be hot. The Caboolture and Pine rivers may produce a few prawns and the crabbing should be good in the bay for sandies and blueswimmers or in the creeks, rivers and estuaries for muddies after regular rains this year. Plenty of quality fish species will be available in the bay and its filtering waterways and canals- what you target is your choice. December fishing can be excellent so get out and get amongst it. Remember to slip, slop, slap and slurp to avoid the effects of the heat, ensuring a great day on the water. Enjoy the Ho, Ho, Holiday action ahead.
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Flexibility is key to success NORTHERN BAY
Tackle World Lawnton
Welcome to the silly season! It’s fair to say that we have definitely had a very abnormal year in the fishing
table this Christmas. RIVERS Expect to see summer whiting in their prime this month, up on the flats foraging and fattening up. Areas like Hayes Inlet and Bakers Flats up the Caboolture River are
literally the perfect storm for a good session on the jacks. A rising or falling barometer increases their activity, seeing them being more aggressive and, most importantly, a lot more likely to cross paths with. These fish love structure, the
Ryan Limpus with a couple of big bucks. world with many hurdles and more than our share of rain events and bad weather. But, as always, fishers have done what they do best and adapted accordingly to still bring in some fantastic catches for 2022. And, it’s not over just yet! With the weather warming up over the past month, we have seen some great catches coming in from anglers taking advantage of the conditions and longer days. There have been cricket scores of summer whiting, bream and flathead coming in from our estuary anglers. The rains in the later parts of October have definitely contributed to the start of a cracking crab and prawn season with some good hauls coming in already. It looks like we will be seeing some cracking seafood feast on the
some favourite hotspots for many anglers. Whiting will feed up in the shallows on an incoming tide picking off an abundance of food sources left from the previous low tide. A stealthy approach is always best as the bigger models can become quite smart and shut off. A longer rod allowing for a further cast is a great way to keep your distance whilst still getting in on the action. A well-presented worm or yabby on a long shank hook, lightly weighted is a longtime favourite but, being opportunistic, whiting aren’t too fussy and can generally be tempted on a variety of bait presentations. Remember, fresh is always best! There’s no better time than now to be out on the hunt for mangrove jack. Hot summer days with a brewing afternoon storm are quite
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School and spotty mackerel will be in good numbers this month. tighter the better. When fishing pontoons, pylons or timber, jacks generally prefer to sit on the leading current edge.
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It’s a fantastic place to start but it is best to explore all options as sometimes they will surprise you. Both the Pine and Caboolture rivers provide some great structures for mangrove jack, with an abundance of mangrove-lined edges, fallen timber, rock bars and rock walls. A paddle-tail or hardbody cast deep into structure and rolled out is a great option or, if bait is more your thing, a lightly weighted mullet strip is hard for any jack to resist. These fish can be few and far between at the best of times but expect to be kept entertained by an abundance of by-catch ranging from cod, trevally, flathead and even sometimes the elusive barramundi! It’s time to dust off the cast nets and start filling your bucket with prawns. Keep an eye on the deeper holes in your local river as the prawns will be showing up this month. Expect to see size and numbers increase leading up to the new
year. Find the boats, find the prawns is generally the saying this time of year with everyone out chasing a feed of these tasty crustaceans. DAMS/ FRESHWATER We have seen an improvement in our local impoundments after a slow year with countless dam releases making for tough fishing. The warmer weather
Fishing surface early morning and late afternoon will lead to best success on the bass. Cicada and frog imitation lures are often a favourite and catch the attention of saratoga too, which also take advantage of the warmer days to feed off the top. Spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits are other great ways to fish the edges
this time of year once the sun is up. BAY Summer in the bay means pelagics! School mackerel have been consistent lately on the shipping channel markers and we should start to see numbers of spotties not far behind in the coming weeks. Metal slugs, like the Halco Twisty in the 30 and 40g sizes are a favourite. Drifting past the pylons, sinking slugs to the bottom and burning them back up will have you into a few in no time. It is important to keep hopping between markers until you find fish and bait. Keep an eye on the horizon too for a school of longtail busting on bait throughout the bay! From the team at Tackle World Lawnton, we thank you for tuning in this year and we wish you all a safe and relaxing Christmas Holiday on the water. We look forward to seeing you all again next year in 2023! • For more up to date information on fishing in and around Brisbane call into the guys at Tackle World Lawnton and they can point you in the right direction. The friendly staff at Tackle World Lawnton cater to all levels of experience and offer the widest range of brands at the best prices. They are located at 640 Gympie Road Lawnton (07) 3205 7475 or find us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Summer catches on their way! NOOSA
Peter Wells
With the summer months upon us a lot of people are looking forward to that camping trip up the beach. The Noosa North Shore is a very popular spot at this time of the year for beach anglers, and hopefully we should see plenty of action. With a good tailor season this year I would expect to
see some nice fish taken off the beach as they make their way south after spawning. Usually, the heavier seas at this time of the year push them a little further out but there are always those rough tailor that seem to be around at this time of the year. Mulloway is another option and a lot of anglers won’t waste their time fishing during the morning, but rather opt to fish late into the evening chasing
Rob Baurer picked up his personal best whiting from the Maroochy River. The elbow slapper went 43cm.
a big fish. Tailor, mullet, squid or clumps of beach worms are all great baits for these fish. For the kids, the gutters have been full of smaller dart and whiting, this is a great way to get the kids into fishing as these fish are usually holding in the closer gutters, so a big cast is not necessary. Beach worms, pipis, and prawns are all ideal baits and easy for the kids to bait themselves. The past months have certainly seen good catches of crabs in the creeks and river systems. Plenty of bucks have been taken in Sunshine Coast creeks and rivers, as well as better than average catches in the Noosa River system. If we see more rain, a good tip is to place your pots in the deeper holes. Remember to mark both your pot and float and if you are tying off to a tree, there must be a tag with your name and number above the water line. The Noosa River seems to be the jack hot spot with plenty of fish between 40-50cm been taken. If heading upriver wanting to chase a jack, live bait of poddy mullet have been dynamite, rig them on a snelled rig for the best results. The many sandbars around the Noosa River mouth have been the whiting hot spots with worms, peeled prawns and live yabbies being the best bait. Don’t forget if the whiting are a little timid, drop your hook size and place red tube above the hook, this will improve your hook up rate.
Woods Bays are still producing trevally and queenfish in good numbers, these predatorial fish are feeding on baitfish brought down with the influx of freshwater or brought in on the tide. Fast moving slugs and plastics have been very effective for lure anglers, while live herring have been quickly gobbled up for the bait anglers. In the Maroochy River, flathead continue to be the number one species with plenty of legal fish reported. The whole system has seen good catches but the most productive has been around Bli Bli Islands on the run-out tide. For those looking to get into lures, flathead are one of the easiest fish to catch on a lure. Casting at the back of fallen trees where there are eddies is a great place to find fish. Flathead will hold here and pick off bait as it is dragged into the eddie. Another way to target them is to troll for them, deep diving hardbody lures that run close to the bottom will quite often be picked up by a big flathead. Trevally numbers are still strong around Twin Waters weir and the river mouth, most of the fish have been taken on the incoming tide while feeding on smaller bait fish brought in with the tide. Offshore fishing, as always, is dependent on the weather but with a little luck we should get plenty of good days in over the summer months. Sunshine Reef is my favourite in summer, as not only is it a shorter journey but the list of species to be caught here is very impressive. Coral trout of course is the
Benji Smith got this very solid queenfish from the Maroochy River on a live bait. first on your list when you get to Sunshine Reef early morning. As the sun comes up hopefully the Spanish mackerel and tuna come out to play. Trolling in this area can be very rewarding and with a good spread of lures you can quite often pick up some good Spanish, wahoo or tuna. Speaking of tuna, always keep a look out for surface bust ups with plenty of tuna usually feeding on smaller bait fish, like frog mouthed pilchards or hardiheads, in this area. This is the time to get the casting rod out and cast smaller
Noah Brown with a solid 63cm mangrove jack from the Twin Waters area. 30
DECEMBER 2022
slugs up to about 40g. North Reef has been a hot spot for big cobia and there have been plenty of big fish hooked in this area so check your gear is up to the job. Cobia love to swim with sharks and other schools of fish ‘even whales’ so if the sounder lights up there will usually be a cobia amongst them. The Sunshine Coast is becoming famous for its small black marlin fishery that has showed no signs of stopping. Chardons Reef is the spot to find these juvenile marlins and finding the bait schools on the sounder is the key. A well-presented live yakka or slimy mackerel fished deep next to the bait school will put you in good stead to find that nice bill fish. A trip up to the reefs off Double Island is always at the hands of the weather gods but this is where our big red emperor is the target fish. Along with the reds it is not unusual to find big amberjacks, nannygai and some very solid snapper and pearl perch, often the run is pretty strong so make sure you have plenty of larger sinkers on board to get to the bottom. • Don’t forget to check in to www.fishingnoosa.com. au for all the latest up to date info on fishing and bar crossings. The knowledgeable teams at Tackle World Noosa and Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!
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Cool random encounters BUNDABERG
Luke Truant
Over the past month the fishing has generally been good. However, as I have stated in previous reports, it’s different from previous years in that there is a real lack of medium-size fish. For example, we can do a day’s fishing and catch maybe 20 hussar, one or two tuskfish, a lone sweetlip, and then several big emperor and/or coral trout. I’ve even had a couple of lousy half-day trips where
mackerel have been larger and less numerous lately. The day before I wrote this report, we pulled the hooks on an estimated 25kg+ Spaniard at the side of the boat; it had to be around 1.5-1.6m. In recent weeks, the red emperor have been averaging 6kg+, with the biggest caught lately weighing in at around 9.5kg. That’s not a massive red, but it’s still good fish. The majority of the trout have been in the 3-7kg size range, and the biggest we caught recently was around 7.5kg. Obviously, we can’t be sure why the fishing
We can expect some great trout catches this month. we literally caught 1-2 very large trout or red emperor and very few other legal fish. It’s totally unlike any fishing I’ve ever seen in my lifetime; in a normal year you would normally get lots of small to medium fish – often around 20-30 or so – and maybe one larger fish. Even the Spanish
is different this year, but there are theories. Perhaps a contributing factor is the current we’ve had. For example, on a recent trip we visited an area where we’d normally have an incoming tide as a west-flowing current, and outgoing as an east-flowing current. This time, by contrast, we had a tide for the entire day flowing
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southerly at 1.5 knots through both the incoming and outgoing tides. Also, the water was 4.5°C warmer than on the trip before. Some of the pros say they’ve seen it only several times over the past 20 years, which could indicate that maybe the EAC is inside the reef. This hot water from the north, coming down somehow, occurred just after a really strong northwest wind. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2023. OFFSHORE If you want to catch stacks of livies through December, well… you’re dreamin’. You might find some little trevally schools, but yellowtail numbers have really gone down. Out of Bundaberg, the only reasonably consistent places to get livies (especially now that we have floodwater running out of the Burnett again) have been around the FADs, which are 10 miles northeast of Burnett Heads. While you’re getting bait it’s a pretty good place to vertically jig for school mackerel. We have been picking up some good schoolies lately, with fish up to around 4kg. A popular way to catch them is with chrome lures dropped to the bottom (around 20m deep), which you retrieve as fast as your arms can go at a 45° angle. Knife jigs can also catch a few when retrieved at a similar angle, or vertically. If you don’t end up getting any livies, that’s OK because dead baits have been catching good fish. Ideally, I recommend that you use long strip baits. My favourites are hussar, iodine bream and variegated emperor (variegated is just about the best trout bait you’ll get). Whole pilchards and whole fresh local squid will also catch their share of fish. Some of the tuskfish we have been catching recently have been particularly keen on the squid. Unfortunately, the sharks have decided it’s time to become predators again. Like other anglers, we have had bad losses on a couple of trips. All you can do is instantly move as soon as you get sharked once. If you really want to stay, you can push your luck and see if you get sharked twice, but definitely don’t stay after that. There’s no point. When it comes to the distance you’ll need to move, it can vary. Sometimes you can only move 500m and it’s enough, while at other times you can move miles and still run into them. We once had a tiger so aggressive it was eating fish under the boat, darting around to snap up any fish it could get its teeth into, even hussar. We have been catching
some cool, random mixed bags lately, and these unexpected species always liven up a trip. One of the more unusual catches last month was a pearl perch caught in 30m of water (on a live yellowtail scad), and yellowtail kingfish (also on a yellowtail scad) which weighed in at around 9kg. The day before I wrote this report, a client caught a little black marlin on a livie. The black was only around 12kg, but the client was thrilled, and let it go to fight another day. It was the unluckiest marlin in the sea, because the hook fell out and it still got caught. The fish had the leader wrapped around its snout around 20 times as it kept jumping and tying itself in knots. When I untangled the leader I discovered the hook wasn’t in the fish. There’s a reason I use Schneider – it has such good abrasion resistance, and the marlin’s sandpaper-like bill wasn’t able to wear it through. The unusual catches don’t stop there – we also caught five gorgeous tomato cod on scad and fresh local squid as well. It just goes to show, you never know what you might run into out there. ESTUARY AND INSHORE The fishing in the estuary is similar to last month, with some massive grunter getting caught in the creek prior to the flooding. At the time of writing, there’s a lot of fresh in the river, but by the time you read this things should have cleared up, and the fishing should have improved – barring more rain events. If things have cleared up by December, you can fish for flathead with plastics, or whiting with beachworms. Obviously we can’t fish for barramundi until the season opens in February, but you can still have a lot of fun catching mangrove jacks. These fish love the heat, and they tend to feed well at this time of year, taking lures with gusto. The average size summer jack is around 40-45cm, with the occasional donkey over 55cm showing up. I use 50lb braid and 60lb fluorocarbon leader for these fish. I love to fish the rock bars for jacks in the upper reaches, focusing on the first metre or so from the edge of the rocks. Whether you’re using a vibe, paddletail plastic or hardbody, you want to make it dance in that first metre or two from the rocks. It’s good to mix up your retrieve to find what works best on the day. Try an erratic retrieve to start with, and if that doesn’t get a bite, try a smooth retrieve on the next cast. The good news is, you don’t need to get up early
Good size red emperor are on the chew. to target jacks, because the hotter it is, the more the jacks like it. You can even fish for them in the middle of the day, as they don’t seem to mind full sunshine. With all the rain we’ve had there have been a few crabs stirring about, and that influx of fresh water might possibly bring on an early season. Normally, the crabs don’t really kick in until the new year. Moving to inshore fishing, the longtail tuna have arrived, and are within reach of smaller boats. Most of the schools are within 5 miles of the coast, and at this time of year you can just zigzag along the coast looking for schools. We have been seeing some schools of big longtails in recent weeks, with an average size of around 10kg, and some 20kg+ models in the mix. I often find that the best longtail feeding schools don’t have birds. You may just see the boil on the surface, with up to 1.5m of spray above the water indicating the mayhem below. When you see a school of tuna busting-up, you can tell which species it is because the longtail’s surface feeding pattern is different from how mac tuna feed. With longtails you’ll see really long slashes through the water, as opposed to the smaller chops that mac tuna make. The longtails will slice the surface for a metre and a half in one go sometimes, while mac tuna tend to slice for around half a metre. The longtails have have been taking small slugs, as small as you can cast, and you can catch them on stickbaits as well. Once you have found a school, you’ll want to go upwind of them so you can cast with the wind; you can more than double your casting distance sometimes. I like to have the motor turned off, as usually that lets the school come a little closer. Cast over the top of the school if you can, and pull your slug right through the feeding frenzy. You’ll want to use a high-speed spin reel for this, and a high-speed retrieve. Sometimes pausing your retrieve in the middle of the school, very briefly, can help. If the fish are feeding
hard enough you can even let your lure sink through the school for around 5-7 seconds, provided you’re close enough and have the time to let it sink through the school. Longtail tuna traditionally hang around until after summer, so they’re a great target during the holiday season. DECEMBER FISHING In December we usually get really good trout and red emperor fishing. Remember that shark issues are usually worse at popular, wellknown spots, where the sharks are used to getting fed, so try to stay away from these places. Take the time to sound around and find your own spots. You can also try fishing heavier line and heavier gear so you can get the fish in faster, before the sharks can reach it. Fishing in shallower water for trout can also reduce the number of times you’ll get sharked. Finally, remember this: there is no bait too big! Predators like red emperor and trout are particularly greedy and opportunistic. At times we’ll use a slab of iodine bream that’s too big for a human to eat in a single sitting, and this monstrous meal will catch a 4kg trout. One trout we caught the other day had a whole fusilier in its stomach, and there’s no way it could have fit our bait in its stomach as well. That certainly didn’t stop this trout from having a red-hot go! • Truansea Charters specialise in 10-hour day trips chasing prized reef targets such as coral trout and red emperor, as well as arm-stretching pelagics like Spanish mackerel. The maximum number of anglers is 6, so you’ll never feel crowded. The price is $350pp (or $330pp if you book the whole boat), which includes all gear, fuel, bait, ice, chilled water/soft drinks and laughs! You’re welcome to bring your own reef fishing gear if you prefer. Other charter options include half-day reef trips, half day river trips and private guiding. To find out more visit www.truansea. com.au, or you can Like them on Facebook or call Luke on 0423 015 490.
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Early morning creek bashing before the storms MACKAY
Cameron Christian
December means hot humid weather with plenty of afternoon storms and, as a result, early mornings and night fishing can be a great option for fishing this harsh weather. The wind and rain typically dictates offshore activity, however with plenty of beaches, creeks and dams there are heaps of back up options around Mackay. With the reef closure now over, many boats will be looking to head offshore to target species like red throat emperor and coral trout. Reds are usually available in deeper waters
like the shipping channel while plenty of coral trout can be targeted in the shallower reefs like those around Round Top and Flat Top islands. Pilchards are a reliable bait and rigging them with a small sinker can help the bait waft down to the shallow reefs. Anglers should pay close attention to currents however and adjust lead accordingly. Speaking with local tackle shop staff will find the best spots where the offshore species are feeding and the best baits and lures to target them. With the barra closure still going, the next prize target in the creeks will be jacks and the really hot, humid and calm summer days are ideal for snag
Darcy McFarlane from the winning team,The McFarlane Boys, with another monster barra from the Teemburra comp.
Aaron Darr with a decent coral trout caught just off Round Top using a Nomad Rip Tide.
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bashing for jacks. Both lures and live baits worked near dense structure like rock bars, mangroves and shopping trolleys will catch fish. Jacks will also readily reside in very shallow water, particularly around mangrove roots. Some can also be found around the rocky headlands and inshore islands like those around Eimeo and Shoal Point. Live or fresh baits like mullet, herring and prawn placed as close as possible to the structure will typically work best however lures may be used to cover more ground and locate the resident jacks. Good lures are those which can be worked as close as possible to the structure and therefore weedless prawns and swimbaits are a popular option while divers, like Killalures or Warlocks, are great for working structure like mangrove roots. Fingermark are also usually found in good numbers during the summer months and can typically be found schooling in the deeper holes in the creeks, toward the mouth or just offshore. The harbour walls can be a great place to target both jacks and fingermark with plenty of good cod also thrown into the mix. The harbour walls typically fish best at night around the lights for these species with live baits and lures both working well. Ensure good tackle however as these hard fighting species will need to be muscled from the rocks. Flathead, grunter and whiting will also still be hanging around the flats despite the warmer weather. As usual, look for the rubble or mud patches or yabby beds toward the high
tide with grunter typically favouring the larger tides. Using fresh baits like prawn or yabbies will score fish around the structure mentioned above while small soft plastics, shallow divers and soft vibes are also a great option remembering to cast at any nearby gutters or drains particularly as the tide falls. The summer months are typically best for impoundment barra, however large influxes of cold rainwater could upset the barra this year. For the persistent angler however, there are still fish to be caught, particularly around common bite times including around the afternoon storms after a sweltering summer day. A recent MTA barra comp at Teemburra showcased the effects of inconsistent weather on
impoundment barra with 20 teams fishing and many teams not catching any fish and only five teams making the three fish bag. The dam potentially fished poorly due to a significant dump of rain and a wind change in the week leading up to the comp. As always, however, some teams were able to find the fish and pick up on the feeding pattern to score great barra. Successful techniques included using suspending divers, like Jackall Squirrels and Samaki Redics, thrown at weed edges on wind-blown points, working them in typical jerkbait fashion leaving long pauses and getting hits on the long pause. Other teams worked swimbaits, such as the Thready Buster 140s, by throwing them up high onto weedy wind-blown points
and working them down the tapered edge to the deeper water. Bonus fish were also reported being picked up by jigging above fish swimming directly under the boat whilst patrolling these wind-blown weed edges. When consistent weather patterns do occur, barra fishing in all the dams around Mackay should really boom over the summer months. The barra will typically avoid the heat of the day and fishing very early mornings and night will be the best times. When the water cools off at these times, barra can readily be found up of the shallow weed flats like those found in Kinchant and Faust. If attempting the catch barra during the heat of the day, look for the fish taking refuge around the thermoclines in the deeper sections of water. MAFSA have been busy lately releasing 100 tagged barra at an average size of 350mm into the Gooseponds and 188 into Teemburra. With tagged barra now released into both Kinchant and Teemburra it will be extremely exciting to see the growth rate and catch data coming from our dams in the years to come. After an unsuccessful attempt in September, MAFSA will soon try to breed sooties again in the hatchery and, with luck, there will be fingerlings in the hatchery by the time this report is published. December can be a harsh time of year around Mackay, however many species hanging around our creeks, reefs and dams really thrive off these hot, humid and stormy months so why not have crack at an early morning creek bash, a mid-morning reef jig and a late afternoon impoundment barra.
Keegan Hayden from second placing team Mullet Mayhem with a great barra from the Teemburra tournament.
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Weighing up the options TOWNSVILLE
Dave Hodge
There have been some mixed results for the end of barra season. There was some disappointment,
but also some victories. At one stage, a system that we frequent was just getting going again after an onslaught of nets. It had been decimated over a few weeks to absolutely bugger all barra of legal size.
Species that fitted through the nets like grunter, jacks, smaller fingermark etc were there, just not legalsized barra. BARRA ON FLY Towards the end of the season the young bloke and
During October the odd storm got the fish biting well. The fresh runoff can focus the fish around drain run-offs, which makes them easier to find.
Tannhym Hodge was over the moon with this nice fish that he pulled from very tough timber on a 7” Halco Paddle Prawn rigged weedless on a EWG 7/0 Atomic Seeker 1/4oz jighead.
I decided that we might go and have a look in some of the freshwater lagoons and billabongs that are relatively common throughout North Queensland, though most are on private properties and need permission to access. If you’re lucky enough to know someone
who will allow access, the fish are pretty much sporting targets only anyway, not really meant for the table. The end of the season is when the water is at its warmest for the year, and they can really fire up, and this helps, particularly with the fly fishing.
I had some flies made up for me by a great fella named Ben Chambers, and they’re proving to be an absolute winner in the barra environments, with slow and fast sinking, as well as surface stuff proving a hit. The flies he sent were tied on Gamakatsu SL12s
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in sizes from 1/0 up to 4/0. As a happy medium for the barra, I opted for an 8wt outfit, which will carry the bigger flies in a bit of breeze. My leader consists of a step down from a metre of 50, down to a metre of 40 and then a metre of 30lb fluorocarbon, ending in around a 9’ long leader which rolls out quite nicely, and is tough enough for most fish. I use weight forward lines the majority of the time, and this helps me to work the flies up and over sub-surface structure, but allow them to sink back down again once I’ve cleared it. I also seem to have less ‘belly’ in the line, which helps me to set the hook a bit better. My young bloke also uses an 8wt with the same format line, and we can still sink them down at least 3m if we’re patient. DECEMBER OPPORTUNITIES The forecast of an early and quite big wet season has everyone watching the weather intently to see what eventuates over the next few months, in what is obviously the wettest time of year. If rivers and creeks are not flowing too hard, then sooty grunter and jungle perch may scratch that casting itch that sets
in when barra season closes. Smaller lures like little sneaky RMG 35mm Scorpion, the 52mm Scorpion and the Tilsan Minnow all cast well and pull fish consistently. The Atomic K9 and the Bassday Sugapen are also great topwater presentations that get hit pretty hard by these
small sportfish. On the soft plastics front, the Atomic Plazo minnows, and 3” and 4” Paddle Prawns rigged on tiny jigheads and leader of between 8lb and 12lb should stop the majority of what you’ll encounter, while still being light enough to not spook the
finicky ones. Reef fishing should be very exciting for those with bigger boats, and while the bait fishos still make up the majority of anglers heading wider, the jig and soft plastics brigade are increasing in numbers quite rapidly. The more anglers that give it a go, the more
The end of season produced some beautiful fish. Not huge, but well-conditioned, perfectly proportioned, fat, energetic barra. What every lure caster dreams of.
are realising that it really does work. The smaller jigs in the 40-60g range are good for the shallower reefs, and most anglers use braided line in the 30-40lb line class. The deeper it gets, the heavier the jig needs to be, along with leaders. That said, 60lb fluorocarbon is usually enough to stop the majority of fish without risking the bite rate dropping off. Overhead or spin outfits are a personal choice, but the overheads do make it easier to put in gear and strike if you get hit on the drop, instead of trying to flip the bail arm on a rampaging fish determined to reach the bottom. If the sharks are bad, the jigs and vibes should be packed away and the plastics used instead. If you’re going to cast softies over the shallow reef, then spin outfits in the 30-50lb class are much more versatile, and deliver a better casting range depending on the lure of choice. Personally, I throw the 4” Atomic Prongs and the 5-7” Paddle Prawns. Jighead weights depend on the depth of course, but they’re usually around 1/3oz for the shallower stuff and 1/2oz for the 4-5m stuff, depending on the run. One thing’s for sure
though, and that is your reflexes need to be on the money or you’ll lose a fair few. There’s nothing gentle about this style of fishing, and you have to go hard on them from the first contact with a fish. This style of fishing is nothing new, by the way; it has been done for at least 30 years, it just wasn’t publicised as much as it is nowadays. If the fish are a bit finicky, then you can drop your leader to 40lb and this will get you more bites, but you’ll lose the odd one too. Surface stickbaits, Roosta poppers, bibless vibes (both hard and soft) plus a lot of your barra-style lures all produce the goods, but just don’t get attached to your lures as they may not be with you for that long. All in all, it’s anyone’s guess as to what will happen over the next couple of months or so, but weighing up your options is recommended if you’re to keep yourself entertained and occupied. Honestly though, between the creeks, reef fishing, inshore lure casting and trolling, impoundment fishing for barra (as long as you have a SIPS permit), what more could you ask for as an angler? Are we spoilt? Maybe. Appreciative for sure.
DECEMBER 2022
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Hot bites for Xmas HINCHINBROOK
Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com
There’s definitely been a big change in seasons this year compared to previous ones. Much more early
can be caught even out in areas on mudflats adjacent to areas of timber being left high and dry at low tide. They are generally the last ones to leave the snags on an outgoing tide and first ones to push up onto the flats on an incoming tide.
charters finished and put into operation for the 2023 year. A few friends of mine have been doing quite well out on the reef with some quality coral trout and sweetlip, particularly around the Otter Reef area. Fishing in the shallower patches
Jacks love the soaring water temperatures in December.
Beware of sharks when fishing deep for species like fingermark. wet weather is sometimes associated after colder and longer winters. Soaring hot days have been hammering us when that wind drops out, even a mobile phone of mine died because it got fried in the heat. With the incredible heatwaves in between rain periods this time of year, it sends our water temps soaring and one species loves that, which is the mangrove jack. Close encounters in timber can be interesting upon hook-up. Whether it be from a retrieved hardbody or weedless plastic to a live bait, it can be a real challenge to turn them if there is structure nearby. However, in saying that they
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Been extra wary lately of the presence of sharks, they are just everywhere, and it can be quite difficult if your fishing deeper water for species like fingermark. I find it’s best once you lose a fish or two to sharks, to move on somewhere else. In recent weeks I’ve experienced a lot of fish captures that have shown bite mark injuries from sharks. Makes me wonder if now they are more pack hunting/harassing schooling fish as well as chasing injured fish that are being fought on a fishing line. I have been off the water more so this month, as I am focusing on getting my new boat for offshore
around bommies has been doing the job and helping prevent losses to sharks. There has been the occasional threadfin salmon kicking around, but they haven’t been anywhere near as thick as years gone by. My
Aubrey with a pretty coral trout.
theory is there have been quite a few years of poor wet seasons, which they seem to thrive on. Areas like near the Bluff down the southern end of the channel used to be riddled with them, but these days
hardly see many if at all. The flats out the front of Meunga Creek across to Dallarchy are the better areas to try at the moment. I hope you all have an awesome Christmas and Happy New Year and indulge on plenty of fine seafood we have to offer here on our doorstep. I hope Santa brings you that much wanted baitcaster or spin rod under the tree! See you in the New Year. • If you’re looking to do an inshore charter with us during January or the start of the 2023 open barra season in February, bookings are filling up quick so now is a good time to get in and get your name down on some good dates. Offshore Reef charters will be available soon so please enquire for those if you’re interested as well. For bookings please email us at info@ianmoodysportfishing. com or phone myself directly on 0402 339 459.
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DECEMBER 2022
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Rain or shine, keep fishing CAIRNS
Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com
December is one of those months where the fishing will be dictated by the amount of rain we receive. If the monsoon hasn’t arrived and rainfall is minimal, then the estuary fishing in the Net Free Zone will be at its best. Clean water will enable fish to see lures much better and when combined with warm water temps and the odd thunderstorm the fishing will be at its best. The number one target species if these conditions remain will be the mangrove jack. Mangrove jack love this time of year as they pack up and feed ferociously. You
can score multiple fish off a single snag this time of year, which makes for some pretty epic fishing. When it comes to lure choice it’s hard to go past the Biwaa Submission in the 4.5” size. This softy has
been braining them of late due to their awesome roll action and large paddle-tail. I also find that adding a bit of weight to your plastic is really beneficial this time of year as you can burn the plastic back at speed but still
The Biwaa Submission in 4.5” has been the go-to soft plastic for jacks.
keeping it below the surface enough to be in the strike zone. Hardbodies and jerk baits are also very effective this time of year. Whilst twitching and suspending lures are great for barra and to an extent jacks I believe a straight retrieve this time of year catches more fish. The other way to snare some angry jacks in December is off the top. If you can find those snags, which are a foot or so underwater giving your popper a clean run over the top of them then you will be in the strike zone. My popper of choice is the ever-reliable Lucky Craft G Splash. The G Splash allows for plenty of noise on the smallest of pops which is perfect for stirring up an angry jack sitting in a snag. If the monsoon does
The Lucky Craft G Splash popper is an excellent choice for chasing jacks off the top in December. arrive early and the creeks are running brown then the coast will be the place to be fishing. We typically see some calm northerly wind days this time of year which makes for perfect conditions to hit the mouths of creeks and coastal drains for threadfin and blue salmon. Since the start of the Trinity Net Free Zone, these fish
have exploded in numbers, especially this time of year when the bait is washed out of the creeks and onto the coast. Vibe lures are the best way to target these fish. If you do get onto a few it is best to release them boat side if you are planning on letting them go. This way you can guarantee they will survive for someone else to catch.
Sizzling summer conditions are expected PORT DOUGLAS
Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au
This year our typically warmer conditions took hold a month ahead of schedule, as early as September and continue to dictate proceedings. This has had various effects on the fishing in the Far North, some good and others not so good. Water temperatures are at a high and there is some speculation that we may receive a cyclone warning as early as December this year. But this is all a bit of talk at the moment, bearing in mind the Coral Sea is ripe for such an event. The black marlin season is ticking along steadily with some big fish caught around 1000lb and everything
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in between down to 200lb models. This style of fishing got off to an early start this year and there are predictions it may well wind up a tad earlier as well by mid-December. There’s been some great sideshow game fishing using lighter gear attracting the likes of yellowfin tuna, wahoo and big Spanish mackerel. The mahimahi haven’t turned up as yet in numbers but we expect they will at some point. For the lure surface enthusiast, on top of the reef and with general calm conditions on hand, there’s been some cracking fish caught, including giant trevally to 20kg and big red bass to 15kg. It is hardcore fishing and made that bit more difficult in the testing daytime temperatures. Good current movement and working pressure points of specific reefs where bait accumulates
is where the knowledgeable anglers get the results. The bottom fishing on the reef has to an extent got a tougher with a bit of exploring required to satisfy
sufficient numbers. This has a lot to do with the escalating water temperatures and variable winds at times making anchoring more of a challenge. Nevertheless, with
a bit of determination there’s still plenty of coral trout to be secured. Nannygai are a bit sporadic but there’s ample bread and butter species to be had, including Moses perch,
There have been lots of speedsters out wide this month.
stripeys, cod and trevally species. Boating conditions have been mostly good and not too much will change in the near future. The rivers and estuaries have become somewhat tougher to fish, especially during the day. Like most people in the extreme heat, the fish too don’t mind a siesta during the hot parts of the day. Early morning, late afternoon and after dark are now critical times to fish for the likes of fingermark, mangrove jack in the mainstream and javelin fish across the flats. Live bait has become a lot harder to find, especially sardines, and sourcing live mullet is now a focus that will deliver results. Here’s to good times ahead but there needs to be a bit more strategy in the way bassco boats you go about your fishing.
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Crystal clear waters COOKTOWN
Justin Coventry
Temperatures rising, and calm days sees so much opportunity to fish the reefs. This time of the year would have to be my favourite with
so many chances to head out wide and get some great fish and experience the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The only downside is the temperature. It doesn’t take long for me, when the fish start to go off the bite, to look
Chase Hunt caught this large mouth nannygai.
to jump into the water to cool down. I love to go spearfishing and it can be a good option when fishing is slow on a hot day. Often when the coral trout go off the bite you find that when you jump over the side with a speargun then they appear. It is much easier to choose what you would like to eat with a speargun, and there is the bonus of crayfish as well. Christmas seafood feast with coral trout, crayfish and mud crab goes down such a treat. Who would want to live anywhere else? The large mouth nannygai have been showing up in large numbers and great size. They are such good fun on a rod and can put up a great fight. Quite often they can be so strong you feel it could be a shark but then turns up a 10kg specimen that would make any angler’s day. The best option I’ve found for these fish is the pilchard stuffed squid. Squid big enough to have a pilchard half placed inside with the squid presented with head and tentacles freely moving at the base of a 9/0 hook – not much can refuse that offering. I have used soft plastic squids and had success, and the squid jigs, like the Savage Squid, seem to produce. My favourite would be the
The author with a summertime nanny. ones that glow and seem to get more strikes. These work well in large schools of fish as competition for food can see them smash almost anything when they are feeding. The stuffed squid, however, releases so much scent it would be hard to refuse for any hungry nannygai in the area. The mud crabbing will be at peak once the rains come and the freshwater forces them to move more. Get the pots ready and waiting as the first flush can produce the best catches for the year. Having such good reef weather, the freezer should be full of nice fish heads and it’s amazing
how much bait you go through when the crabbing is hot. I usually set around eight pots and run them over five days, so that’s 40 heads. I always use fresh bait in them each check and find that works well. Anyway, when the first flush of flooding occurs in the river you need to be ready to go. Make sure you have a good supply of heads on hand as it’s disappointing having no bait when the crabbing is hot. The local wharf has seen some big schools of herring and are great bait for the reef and the schools attract some nice trevally and mackerel into the harbour. When the is baits
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DECEMBER 2022
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there, so are the fish. The big female barramundi can be seen regularly cruising around, especially when the water is clear and tide is not running strong. Let’s hope they produce many more offspring for years to come. We still see some of these fish caught by our locals and it’s sad to see that people still target them. Hopefully more can be done to protect them over this closure period. It does seem we are seeing more and more closures and rules change but the future of our fish stocks needs protecting and we can all do our part to ensure our children have some fish to catch.
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Epic fishing opportunities CAPE YORK
Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com
Right up the Queensland Coast, reports will be coming in from epic captures during December. Heading out of spring and into summer the fishing can really fire up. Culminating in the very far north receiving a huge proportion of December with calm, hot mornings. This translates into epic sport fishing opportunities. Many will aim to tickle the offshore itch during
A remote cay can be a haven for a variety of fish. so very remotely. Despite all the doom and gloom posted about the health of the Great Barrier Reef, this stretch of outer reef remains vibrant with life and colour. Up on top of the reef will be a host of colourful characters. Coral trout are
up here are bar cheeked, blue spot, passionfruit and coronation trout. All of them spectacular fish and the bigger specimens growing their largest out in these parts. Dependant on mood, tide and time of day, coral trout can
Archie with a pretty little blue spot. this lengthy pocket of calm. You just never know when it’s going to end! The opportunity along the entire East Coast to get out on the Great Barrier Reef is truly a wonder. Residents of Cape York who get to participate in this boating marvel pre-Christmas are blessed. Let’s look at some of the offshore options available along this magnificent east coast of Cape York. Heading north and east from Cooktown, a never-
ending chain of barrier reefs commences with the Ribbon Reefs and ends in the Torres Strait. Like a huge spine stretching north. You would need lifetimes to explore every reef system. These outer reefs are where the water funnelling in and out tends to be the cleanest. Where big predatory fish are only ever a tide change away. Anyone patrolling the outer edge of the Barrier Reef up in these parts is doing
Mark with a red emperor.
Greg with a coronation trout he caught on a popper. reef edges. Both fish are quite aggressive towards anything encroaching on their space and can really charge at surface lures. Battles are very short but very intense. Chinaman fish quite often move up onto the flats and mommies to feed. They are another large, colourful red patterned fish that seriously pull line. Giant trevally work the reef edges and current, but also swim up on top of the reef happily. Especially on small tidal periods, they can be sight cast when cruising fish are in relatively shallow water. The fights are also pretty epic and usually short lasting. A
be caught up on top of the reef, but those living on shoals and deeper reefs can reach epic proportions. Anyone vibing or jigging in the 20-40m range are sure to get stretched by a huge cod at some stage. Your rod butt will usually bruise your kidney somewhere in these battles. Red bass, paddle tail, Chinaman fish and Maori wrasse are on the no-take list and should be returned unharmed back into the drink. Every species helps maintain this reef vibrancy and less desirables need to be well handled. There are too many other fish to cover in such a short piece. December is
perhaps the best known for their outrageous good looks and eating quality. The main species we encounter
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Cape York’s creeks will be crystal clear in December. be super aggressive and smash surface offerings with gusto. Maori wrasse and Maori sea perch are two of the more vivid coloured specimens on the outer
little luck is needed pulling big GTs out of shallow, coral encrusted reef top. A range of cod species grow to some quite epic proportions up in these parts. Fish up to 20kg can
just one of those months where nearly everything worth catching might be on the hit list. There is a fair old chance of storms and river rises also, so stay ahead of the weather.
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Volunteering can be a fishy business
Region
Number released 2021–22 (estimate
rounded to nearest 1000)
Central Queensland
362 000*
Murray Darling Basin
828 000
Each year millions of juvenile fish (or fingerlings) are released into Queensland waters by volunteers.
North Queensland
174 000*
Fisheries Queensland has a proud history of working with community-based stocking groups to deliver world class, sustainable freshwater fishing opportunities in more than 100 waterways, dams and weirs across the state. Places as diverse as Wyaralong Dam in the south east, Peter Faust Dam in the north and Gil and Miles Weir in the Western Downs.
Wide Bay Burnett
South East Queensland
Species
1 093 000 861 000 Number released 2021–22 (estimate
rounded to nearest 1000)
This dedicated volunteer workforce improves regional liveability and economic activity — while at the same time achieving positive environmental outcomes.
Australian bass
1 216 000
Barramundi
249 000*
Last year, community stocking efforts supported by the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (including contributions from community groups) released more than 3.1 million fingerlings including Murray cod, Mary River cod, barramundi and golden perch.
Golden perch
1 533 000
In light of International Volunteer Day on the 5th of December — Fisheries Queensland would like to thank all volunteers who make the Queensland stocking program a success.
Sooty grunter
110 000
Silver perch
107 000
To find your local group, contact Freshwater Fishing & Stocking Association Queensland via ffsaq.com.au
Mary River cod
52 000
Murray cod
50 000
*Note barramundi are often released at larger sizes than other fingerlings and would be roughly equivalent to the Bass or Golden Perch number in an equivalent size class.
Meet Richard – the
spanner man He was drawn to fishing as a kid after watching the trawlers setting out to sea through the Broadwater.
DAF1827 11/2022
Richard started as a deckhand on prawn trawlers in the 1970s. By 2005 he was operating a spanner crab boat and began a small direct retail business with his wife – selling boxes of crabs out of the back of their car.
Richard has been spanner crabbing for more than 30 years and runs a successful business based at the Gold Coast Fisherman’s Co-op.
Back then spanner crabs were mostly exported and weren’t well known domestically. Richard had to work hard to create interest in his product — through talking directly to customers who came to buy fresh prawns. As more people began to appreciate the quality product, he soon diversified into cooked crabs as well as live.
When COVID-19 hit, this community role became even more important. Buying fresh seafood from the wharf was a good reason to get the family out for a walk, and kept people connected to local produce straight off the boat. A highlight of Richard’s career was winning the National award in the ‘From the Sea’ category at the Delicious magazine Produce Awards where he competed against all seafood types nationwide. He hopes when he eventually retires, the iconic place he has made for spanner crabs in the local community will continue on. For more info on the Co-op freshestcatch.com.au.
He describes the Fisherman’s Co-op as a great place for the local community, where customers engage with the producers and each other — about all things seafood.
Download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play 46
DECEMBER 2022
The ears have it … Scientists from around the world recently joined Fisheries Queensland staff to learn about fish ears – and their importance in research. While maybe not the kind of ear you might see on other animals, bony fish have otoliths — ear bones. These bones allow the fish to hear and sense vibrations in water. They also help with balance. Fish lay down annual growth rings in their otoliths and scientists count these rings to estimate the age of a fish. This information is important in determining the health of a fishery. The otolith workshop, part of this year’s Australian Society of Fish Biology conference, gave visiting scientists practical hands-on training in dissecting fish skeletons, removing their otoliths and collecting important biological data like length and sex.
The attendees were also shown how to cut and mount otolith sections, view them under a microscope, photograph them and interpret their age.
What you
need to know Spanner crab CLOSED 1 November to
15 December 2022
Fisheries Queensland staff were thrilled to teach new skills, share knowledge and build professional relationships with such a diverse group of scientists passionate about fisheries.
Barramundi
How old is your fish? Find out the age of your latest catch — download the free Qld Fishing 2.0 app via the App Store or Google Play.
Gulf of Carpentaria
CLOSED
East coast Qld
1 November 2022 to 31 January 2023 7 October 2022 to 31 January 2023
Tropical rock lobster CLOSED
Queensland east coast north of latitude 14˚S and Gulf of Carpentaria waters 1 October to 31 December 2022
Spanish mackerel CLOSED Otolith of a 23 year old barramundi caught in the Southern Gulf of Carpentaria
East coast north of latitude 22˚S
21 November to 12 December 2022 For more info go to the Qld Fishing 2.0 app
Faces of fisheries Dallas has been working in fisheries management, stakeholder engagement, science and policy for more than 25 years. In November 2021, he was excited to re-join Fisheries Queensland as Executive Director to help deliver sustainable fishing outcomes for the community and shape the future of fisheries in Queensland. The passion for fishing started young for Dallas. When he was 13, he caught a Murray cod on the Murray River. At the time it was considered such a rare catch in that part of the river that it made the front page of the local paper. He now shares his love of fishing with his family — seeing his son catch his own Murray cod is something neither of them will ever forget. Dallas is proud of the work his team does to ensure fish for the future — including creating new, high quality fishing experiences all over Queensland. He encourages all fishers to get involved, provide feedback, and check out the Qld Fishing 2.0 app to help make fishing even more enjoyable. 50,000 fishers have the app already!
fisheries.qld.gov.au 13 25 23 FisheriesQueensland FisheriesQld DAFQld DECEMBER 2022
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Deeper summer fishing TOOWOOMBA
Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com
The last months of summer will be a great time to get out and have a fish. The dams are good, but the rivers and creeks are also going to be worth a look as they settle down from the rain and flooding over the past few months. Google Maps and the
internet are your friends so use them to find access via reserves or roadway launch sites. It doesn’t hurt to do a bit of detective work each time you visit a new area. You never know who you might bump into on the side of the road or working out in a paddock. Striking up a conversation with a local farmer could give you the contacts needed to access some private property and good launch sites. December is a good
SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook Dam is open to fishing at the time of writing. The water is looking good and the lake has had only a small rise in level. The weed beds around the edges are flourishing and in some areas come all the way out into 5m of water. Cressy can be a tough fishery over the summer months due to scattered fish. This summer, the fish have been scattered but are still holding in little schools all over the lake. The healthy weed edges and points are prime fish holding country. Bass can be seen on the sounder just outside the weed edges and out into 8m of water. There is also the
occasional suspended fish out in the open water. Some of these look pretty big on the sounder but they are very spread out. Trolling would be the most effective way of targeting them. Around the edges the bass can be caught by casting reaction baits. The Spectre has dominated catches with multiple fish over 50cm. This clear bladed chatterbait seems to perform a little better than the standard metal bladed ones. Spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits will also be effective when cast into the schools. There are plenty of smaller bass mixed in with the big ones. Undersized bass are common and pretty suicidal and if you are lucky, you may come across a few solid golden perch as well.
DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Cooby reopened just before Christmas last year. It has been annoying how quickly the local council is to shut the lake down to high algae
levels. A few locals have banded together and are questioning the council’s regulations and procedures around these closures and looks like there will be a review later this year. It is frustrating considering the Toowoomba lakes are closed so often compared
month for most species. It can be hot and water temperatures will reflect this. Fishing deeper or basing sessions early and late in the day can pay off. Bite windows tend to be a bit shorter at this time of year. Some species and locations may fish well all day but as a general rule, dodge the middle of the day period and rest yourself somewhere in the cool. Buckled rods from The Colonel. Lure trollers can also get in to the action with the bass around the weed edges. Trolling using an electric motor would be the preferred option in the shallower water. Lures which dive 3-5m will easily reach the fish. Fish’n’Bits in Toowoomba has all the gear and tips on how to chase the Cressy fish. They are an excellent store specialising in all freshwater lures and tackle. If you want an early or late session, don’t forget the longer open hours are to 6am to 8pm. SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY The big bass are really playing this summer. Angler trolling hardbodies and fishing chatterbaits and spinnerbaits are catching plenty of fish. Another alternative is to long line
deep diving hard bodies. This involves casting the lure out and driving over a school of fish while letting a whole lot of line out. When you reach the other side of the school, snap the reel back in to gear and start cranking. Some lures will easily plough into the bottom so work these with a stop start motion created by sweeping the rod back and forth and taking in the slack line. Shallow lures can just be cranked back with a bit of action imparted. It’s a labour intensive way to catch fish but if they are positioned over a particular area, it works.
A lot of schools can be found around the Pelican Point area. There are also a few either side of Kirkleigh on the flats near the old creek bed. This year has been a bit different so far. Often the fish will be very focused on a particular depth on the drop off and you need to be spot on with lure presentation. This year they seem more willing to explore different depths. They can be found out in the deeper water over 12m where they will suspend or up on the flats in as little as 6m. Sounding to find the good concentrations is the key. I have noticed a
lot of bass holding over structure either in the form of rocks or timber laydowns. I have been busting to try skirted jigs on these fish but haven’t yet had the chance. • Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Thursday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www. somersetfishing.com.au. They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch.
to every other lakes in Queensland and NSW. The constant closures take away a good, close fishing spot we are paying to stock and access through
our SIP permits. What this does mean is you’ll need to check the Toowoomba Council website before heading to the dam to ensure it is open to fishing.
While it is open, the golden perch fishing should be pretty good over the next month. Fishing the edges of the weed and the deeper water will produce golden perch and the occasional Murray cod. Bait fishers should try a mixture of live shrimps and frozen saltwater yabbies. Drop these bait straight over the side of the boat in 4-6m of water. Lures will also produce and you can troll, cast and jig. Trolling can be annoying due to the amount of floating weed dictating where you can drag a lure through successfully. The water birds rip it up and it floats around with the wind. Smaller divers like the Halco Poltergeist 3m or Stump Jumper are ideal. You’ll also find plenty of locally made timber hardbodies at Fish’n’Bits suited to the task. When trolling try to follow the weed contours keeping as close to the weed edge as possible. With a bit of colour in the water the action should be good right through the day. Casters will do well on lipless crankbaits. The TN60 Jackall is one of the best and easiest to get your
hands on. When casting to golden perch I like to find good numbers of fish around the weed beds or out in the open. Watch the sounder closely and if possible split your screen into normal sonar and down image. Golden perch don’t show as good as bass on sonar but down image is a good way to locate them and separate the fish from the weed they can be so close to. The same approach can be used to find fish to jig to. The ZX40 blades are still the number one seller for this dam and there’s a good reason for that. Hopping them around the boat or even vertically will get the bites. Murray cod will be encountered and you could up the size of your lures if you want to target them. Smaller fish will take lures intended for golden perch and you are always the chance of hooking a bigger one. The big fellas aren’t all that common but there are some giants in this lake. • Fish’nBits in Toowoomba will have you covered for all the gear you need and any updates on the fishing and dam status. The store is in Alderley Street and has one of the best ranges of freshwater tackle around.
River and creek bass are worth chasing in the waterways below the dams. Make sure you stay out of the closed areas around dam walls and weirs. Blake caught this topwater bass well before the sun set.
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Changing out the back hook on a TN60 Jackall to an assist hook is pretty deadly on Cooby Dam’s golden perch.
OLD
CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE The barra fishing has been a bit inconsistent with fish spread out around the lake and holding a little deeper. The deeper edges and open water around the old creek and riverbeds is where I’d start my search. Bigger or heavier swimbaits will be the go when casting for these fish. Knowing their position will help to find nearby areas they are likely to move into to feed. This can happen during the day or at night so you will need to spend the time on the water and work out the most productive periods. Weedy points and humps near the old riverbed will
deeper in the flooded weed beds where they are very hard to see. Once this weed pushes its way back to the surface and thickens up, the fish should move outside it on a more regular basis. Trolling will be a great way to target the deeper, open water fish. Hard bodies which dive 3-5m are ideal and you can pull them with the electric or the outboard. Another alternative is to troll plastics. The key to success here is to travel at the right speed and weight the lure to reach the depth the fish are sitting. • Justin Nye from Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing runs fishing charters on the lake. He caters to the needs of the angler and can do fly
Adrian Ehrlich had a ball working his own handmade ‘Sticks & Wood’ timber vibes in the deep trees at Lake Proserpine. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 49750033. CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA Big barra are still on the prowl out at Callide Dam.
The dam rise last year hasn’t stopped the fish chewing. It takes quite a bit of effort to get them to bite but the size of the fish makes it all worthwhile. The biggest beast of a fish caught last year went 126cm in length with a ridiculous girth. Fishing the main basin points and the deep water near the dam wall buoy line will give you a chance of hooking some of the biggest
barra on offer in southern Queensland waters. Casting swimbaits like the Molix Shad 140 or Zerek Live Mullet is always a good option but there are many other paddle-tail plastics out there which can be rigged to do the same job. When trolling I have a real soft spot for the Zerek Live Mullet 5.5” pulled at 2.5-3km/h. Further up the lake, the water rise saw an increase in fish caught. The timber lined drop offs are probably the most reliable areas to find the numbers of fish. Again plastics can draw the bites but don’t discount the effectiveness of a suspending hard body. The Jackall Squirrel, Samaki Redic and Lucky Craft Pointer are some of the better known models. • You can stay close to the dam at Lake Callide Retreat. The park has basic camping, powered sites for camping and vans and also selfcontained cabins. There is a well-equipped camp kitchen and toilets and showers up in the main part of the park near the office. Make sure you bring all of your fishing tackle. The kiosk has a limited amount of fishing gear but it is well suited to the lake.
Gary’s Marine Centre Monduran barra are big and strong. Fish like this 110cm model will be pretty thick through the basin and Bird Bay this month. Both trolling and casting are effective at this time of year. be worth sounding to see if the fish are there. The rise in water level last year has made it difficult to find the fish in the basin on the usual weed points and bays. In this area very few fish are showing on the sounder. They may have either moved or just buried themselves
or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. He successfully guides clients onto fish right through the year and has a good understanding of fish movements. It is hard to beat time on the water and this is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish.
You can contact him on 0429 223 550 or visit the website gladstoneflyandsportfishing .com.au. • Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby.
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49
Kayaking
OLD
Biggera Waters blunder BRISBANE
Troy Brown
Kayak fishing has been one of the most rewarding pastimes I’ve ever engaged in, but it’s not without challenges. Like any form of fishing, as John Denver so lyrically put it, “Some days are diamonds, some days are stones”. If the ‘stones’ he referred to were as painful as a kidney stone and as stinky as the day after a bad curry, I’d have to agree! It’s great to review those good days on the water, but when you get a run of poor results, you start to question why we persist with our sport. Luckily, when the fishing is poor, we still have the allure of being at one with nature, but even that can be interrupted when Lady Luck plays its hand. I’d normally fish an area in my kayak for 3-4 consecutive weeks, to get a balanced view of a
knowledge, helping you find ways to get the most from a shut-down waterway and extracting at least a small reward. When you’re consistently fishing new areas, unless you have a knowledgeable local guide, you need to adapt quickly, have reasonable fishing skills and a sizeable helping of luck. That latter factor really comes into play for those lacking the other two attributes (like me). If you can’t successfully combine these essential attributes, you’re most likely to deliver what I would call the ‘Seinfeld’ article: an article about nothing. I’m not a fan of the show, yet the same concept is steadily unfolding on the page in front of you! Since an article about nothing is hard to slip past the eagle-eyed editor, I’m faced with three prospects. The first is to admit I’m a beaten man. I fished a creek and the creek won. Perhaps I could invent some success; I wouldn’t be the
a dog to look after. My wife and kids wouldn’t care if I disappeared, but my dog really likes me. Please don’t hurt me, as my dog would be sad, until someone else fed her). As I’m somewhat cowardly, plus my Photoshop skills are lacking and I couldn’t fudge the photos, I really had no choice. Man up! Admit that I am rubbish and the creek won! I’ll blame my ridiculous work commitments, Mother Nature with her mis-timed deluges, frustrating winds and some freak equipment failures for my disappointing outcomes. If you add a healthy dose of my own ineptitude, sunburn (which could be seen from the moon), overwhelming fatigue and a broken spirit to those challenges, there really could only be one result. I was presented with tough fishing situations on each visit and I wasn’t good enough to overcome them. On my best day, when
Some days the big fish just won’t come! new fishing spot. External factors have meant that my foray into the canals of Biggera Waters stretched over a much longer period, however my timing was awful. Only I, with my incredible organisation skills, could target a new location after every big rain event, during 30 knot winds and generally poor fishing conditions. I love fishing from my kayak, but when you’re running out of time to meet a magazine deadline, you’re often one trip away from total failure. Magazine deadlines aside, real people have jobs, the weather is always great during the week and terrible on the weekends, the fish sometimes aren’t active, and humans aren’t always at peak performance. When you’re writing about locations each issue, you also can’t continuously fish your favourite spot, as you quickly run out of content. When the going gets tough, nothing beats some local 50
DECEMBER 2022
first! Throw in some generic tips, grab some photos from another location, trim them so you can’t determine the whereabouts, then proceed to spin a believable tale. Alternatively, I could borrow some photos from other kayak anglers, use their tips and successfully hide my own incompetence. The third option is to hide. If I disappeared for a while, the issue would go to print, then I’d slip away quietly. I’ve heard rumours of what happened to writers who tried that tactic, but sadly none are alive to tell me if it’s a wise move. Strangely, these same fishing writers all suffered strange disappearances, or incredibly unlucky accidents. They all seem to have died perfectly natural deaths, such as falling into a meat mincer, so it was a tempting option. Perfectly explainable, natural demises… (Note to editor: We love your work! I have a wife, 17 kids and
I’m not fighting fatigue as well as the conditions, I’m confident the result would have been improved, but I doubt it would have been a significant change. Why? When you enter a system and NOBODY else is fishing there, something is wrong. If the locals aren’t patrolling the area in boats and kayaks, or simply sitting on their pontoons with a rod in hand, the area is doing it tough. I had the inevitable ‘How’d you go?’ discussions with the few boaters I encountered each day at the ramp, but apart from those who went out of the canals, the results were uniformly terrible. When you can’t control the days you hit the water, you take what you get, for better or worse. While my fishing days were dismal, I will return and I’m certain the results will improve. The canals fished poorly, but there were many external factors creating those unfavourable conditions. I contributed to
This beautiful waterway has so much potential but without proper preparation the author had to call it quits. the fiasco, as life caught up and my fishing brain turned to mush, but the waterway was also at its worst during my visits. Incessant weed, dirty water flowing into the system, weird tidal runs and many other influences were at play. Biggera Waters crushed me this time, but it also showed me enough promise to entice my return. My last visit was typical; I had a vast number of solid strikes, of which I managed to land none. I caught a couple of smaller fish, but easily failed to hook over 90% of the strikes. When the big hits came, they invariably occurred at times I was least alert, with the inevitable result of lost fish. Several bust-offs, some of which I can confidently say had to be mangrove jack, left me dispirited yet hopeful. When your drag is locked and your lure screams under a pontoon or towards a rock wall, even a bust-off will give you an adrenaline rush. As a kayaker, the lack of boat activity, plus the fact that ‘no wash’ areas seem to slow down the limited amount of traffic, this location has much to offer. The Lands End ramp is an easy launch, has plenty of parking if you arrive early and is also a gateway into the Broadwater. If you’re likely to start fishing from the moment you hit the water, the sand flat on the corner opposite the ramp should receive your attention as you enter the canals. With a good tidal flow over the bank and nice drop-offs to the sides, it is a flattie hotspot. I only managed some very modestly sized specimens, but when the water is clear and a soft wind provides a ripple across the surface, your first fish of the day should come moments after you launch. If I regret anything from my recent visits, it would be the fact I didn’t take more time to explore deep into the system. Fatigue and fishing aren’t a great mix, so I spent far too much time working the same areas near the mouth, rather than engaging the pedals on my Hobie
and fully reconnoitring the prototype designs, rather possibilities. When I finally than using my proven lures moved further inland, it or commercial offerings. was too late, as my time It was a poor decision, was limited and it was which I incredibly repeated only a visual inspection, on three consecutive trips. as opposed to a fishing Some of those new designs expedition. Unusually, I showed promise, but when was fishing alone and my the conditions are tough, fishing logic was over- or when you’re not at your ridden by an overwhelming peak, always pick up your desire to relax. It’s counter- ‘confidence’ lures. We all productive to beat yourself have at least a couple of up about results, when you ‘go-to’ lures, or at least we didn’t give yourself a chance should. Typically, we’ve to succeed, but that’s what a used so often, we know how tired mind can do. to get the best from them When I did venture under all conditions. Prior further to look, rather than to making my own designs, to fish, I found some stark every time the fishing was contrasts. I had essentially tough, I’d tie on a ZMan given up at that point and Trick SwimZ or a 2.5” was simply filing away GrubZ. On the toughest information for later, but a day, because I used them side creek gave me some so often, I always caught visual indications of what fish. Since making my own could be found. Moments designs, I have a few lures after a large mangrove jack that give me the feeling of swam tantalisingly close confidence, but instead of to my Hobie, seemingly deferring to those, at Biggera oblivious to my presence, Waters I doggedly persisted I encountered what looked with the new designs. The like an Australian bass. I’m untried lures resulted in nearly certain it must have many timid strikes, along been a misidentification, as with short-strikes caused by I’m not aware of how far imperfect hook position. I the side-creek extends and can design the shortcomings what feeds it, but it was a out of the lures, but I singlevery familiar body shape. mindedly persevered with For now, I’ll err towards them, as I wanted them tiredness and eyesight like to work on the day. Many Elmer Fudd, assuming it was would say it was a crazy a poorly identified grunter, tactic. They’d be right! You’reIfgoing love your n or similar saltwater species. you’re to a beginner, If you’d prefer You’re to launch going I’d recommend you follow to love your new S name in Australian boatin deeper into the system, the same route I did, after Australian you can save somename time by inan otherwise boating, fruitless strong, reliable units thatkn a using a makeshift ramp on introduction to lure fishing. strong, reliable units that are a w Kilmartin Esplanade. At low hardbody lures, until the Avoid water. They’re built to tide, the mostly rock wall you have someone to teach the water. They’re built Buy tough t is exposed along with some great to technique. youyou want go and then larger slabs of flat you concrete, 1-2toquality soft then plasticget b want go and youlures, need be. advice With a g which allows you to launch get to some need to be. With a great d nearly under the you Morala on matching the lures to fun in between. Avenue Bridge. It can beand a compatible jighead sizes, fun then in between. bit tricky, so don’tand consider learn how to fish those Timelures proven features o this unless you have some until design your technique Time design features offer str assistance, as well as proven a is automatic. You can and safety at prices that seem kayak that is easilyand handled. diversify yourthat tackle box like ‘ safety at prices seem I’d recommend you inspect later, but don’t fall victim the area from the water, after to the temptation if a shiny launching at Lands End, new lure until you have two before deciding if you can reliable performers. It’s a make use of the shortcut on great tactic, but I routinely future trips. Safety is always ignore my own advice while the first priority. product testing. My only As for lures and how to other advice? Check out fish the area? I compounded Biggera Waters. It’s a system my woes by choosing with great promise and I to test some of my own may even see you there!
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handwriting. If I was a suspicious man, I’d ...never mind. put that in my wife’s Ha! How crazy was handwriting and include that thought! Dear Fat Bas Santa all those pretty nasty I suspect you don’t Once again Christmas has rolled around and I remarks about my teeth, have 5m tinnies in the want to concentrate on the and cleanliness habits. north pole, otherwise good things about this year. So, I just wish you you’d have given me wouldn’t spend so much one after the last 20 I want to congratulate you time talking to her and polite requests. But for all the things you gave me that I asked for last spend some time on me. I’m going to ask again. year...Oh wait a minute, You must take hours given Please can I have a 5m no I don’t. the amount of detail on tinny. With a four stroke. Perhaps you had other laundry and toilet paper And an electric. And an you include in your notes. anchor winch. And dual people who deserved presents more than I did, Again, cleverly disguised batteries. And a live tank. or maybe you’re just a in her handwriting… And a floor. little caught up in your Anyway, I’m willing What you said about own problems and don’t to let bygones go under what happened to my last have time to look after the bridge and start afresh. one might be technically the little people that But I need you to join true, but it was Stuffer really count. in this, and promise me that got in front of me in Not that I’m little, you’ll start listening to his boat. Yes, maybe if only maybe me, and taking notes MELBOURNE on I hadn’t thrown a tanty ALBERTONwhen compared to you, you fat the things I’m asking for. I’d still have it but you ALBERTON MARINE MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE This might involve weren’t there. If I hadn’t enor crazy funster. 39 Johnson 393-399left South you moving away from it Gippsland on that Hwy sandbank And I’m not Street fat Alberton P: (03) 2344 the same tired old Dandenong shaming you; I’m5183 hardly andSouth walked home it might in a position to 5183 criticise have2003 sunk. And then where F: (03) 2219 arguments and nasty P: (03) 9703 given my W:considerable remarks about what I’m would we be? I know you albertonmarine.com.au E: info@melbournemarine.com.au girth. It’s more a comment asking for that sound so said my family, the Dudds W: melbournemarine.com.au similar to my wife. and the entire world on your PR department. BENDIGO You trade on the jolly And in her might be better off if I OUTDOORS MORNINGTON PENINSULA vibe but I BENDIGO don’t seeMARINE that &handwriting. had met with some nasty MY MARINE 160 Midland Highway Epsom side, only the ‘sorry-IAnd again, cut back life-threatening accident, but again, in &my wife’s can’t-give-you-what-youCnr Nepean Highway P: (03) 5448 3988 with the personal attacks. asked-for-because-youAgain, in my wife’s handwriting? Fair go! Ponderosa Place Dromana W: bendigomarine.com.au BRISBANE
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Maui Jim sunglasses have an option for every angler Anglers are very difficult to buy presents for (particularly if you are not an angler yourself), so at a time of the year when we are looking for options for the ‘angler that has it all’ or for somebody who just likes being out there enjoying fishing, sunglasses can be the perfect option. Maui Jim offers an outstanding range of sunglasses to suit either a male or female angler, with every model and lens 100% polarised (PolarisedPlus2), an essential component when fishing. I had the pleasure of catching up with Nathan Fisher and Robert Garrett at AFTA this year where they were showcasing some of the new models that will be on offer for 2022/23 from Maui Jim. Here are a few of the things that I took away after speaking to them. PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO With a motto of “Our sunglasses won’t change the world – They’ll change the way you see it”, Nathan and Robert explained that Maui Jim is the third largest sunglass brand globally and are recognised as the fastest growing premium sunglass brand in the world. Their focus has always been to produce industry leading lens technologies, ensuring you get to see the world’s best views, full of colour, clarity and detail. All of the Maui Jim sunglasses are produced in Italy or Japan and there are 500+ unique sunglasses to choose from. With such a large range, you can expect there will be a pair to suit people of any
The eight pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses the author had to test. All are the Southern Cross frame (in various colours) with eight different lens colour configurations. He was spoilt for choice. age or gender. Prescription sunglasses are also a big part of what Maui Jim do. They have been recognised with a number of global awards (Best Prescription Sun Lens company and Best Prescription Sun Lens brand) on numerous occasions. No doubt in recognition of the fact that the majority of the range is offered with prescription
Aaron Dunlop, one of the author’s fishing buddies, loves his Maui Jim sunglasses (he is up to his 6th pair). He is also a fan of the Hidden Reader that is available. The pair he is wearing here is the Makoa frame in the Brilliant Hawaii Blue lens that is fitted with the Hidden Reader. 56
DECEMBER 2022
lenses. Their prescription lens labs in the USA and Germany have also won multiple awards. Customer service plays a big part in the success of any brand and if Robert and Nathan’s passion is anything to go by, you can see why the brand continues to grow and has many happy customers around the world and in Australia.
WHY SUNGLASSES ARE AN ANGLER’S BEST FRIEND Aside from the obvious reasons of reducing the glare from the sun (directly and indirectly) and with the assistance of a polarised lens being able to see into the water more clearly (so you can see fish/ structure etc), there are many long-term health reasons to wear a quality pair of polarised sunglasses. UVA and UVB rays can cause irreparable damage to your eyes and this can happen whether it is a clear bright sunny day, or cloudy and overcast. Whatever lens/lens colour Maui Jim sunglasses you purchase, all of them offer maximum UV protection for your eyes, no matter the conditions. Something that should resonate with every angler. In fact, sunglasses cause your pupils to dilate, allowing more light to get in, so wearing a pair that does not offer UVA and UVB protection (standard tinted glasses) is likely to cause more damage than not wearing glasses at all. Having said all of that, lens colours, base colours do change what the wearer can see depending on light conditions (low light, full sun etc) so I have included some information within this review to help you choose what may suit you best. Just remember no matter what you choose, you will be getting maximum protection and visual clarity for your eyes with Maui Jim. NO POLYCARBONATE LENSES AT MAUI JIM Although protection for your eyes is and should be one of your major considerations when purchasing sunglasses, what lenses
The two favourite configurations in the Jung household. The Maui Rose lens in the Southern Cross frame for the author and the grey lens in the grey tortoise Relaxation Mode frame.
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PRODUCT GUIDE are made from should also factor into your thought process. Many brands offer polycarbonate lens to reduce price point and the physical weight of a pair of glass lenses. Although improving affordability, it does come at the expense of longevity.
in low light situations or when it comes to threading fine lines through the eye of small hooks, tying knots etc. Maui Jim has a solution that I believe very few people would be aware of (certainly I wasn’t), which is the Hidden
Another great all round lens was the Maui HT. Like the Maui Rose, the author found it to be great in all light conditions. These lenses are highly susceptible to being scratched and to the wear and tear that saltwater, sunscreen and cleaning your glasses has, meaning you are less likely to get the years of use you are hoping for from them. Maui Jim offers two types of lenses, a precision Italian-made glass lens and a Japanese made proprietary synthetic lens (MauiBrilliant*). Impressively the synthetic lens offers the same optics as the glass option, with minimal reduction in scratch/ wear and tear resistance (compared to well over a 30% difference in a polycarbonate option). A few other reasons that Maui Jim has been recognised worldwide for their lens technology (outside of their patented PolorisedPlus2* lens technology) is their patented Anti-Reflective backside coating that block reflected light and bounce back glare from behind and below, and their proprietary hydrophobic and oleophobic lens treatments that displace water and repel oil and grease. Award winning reasons to consider Maui Jim sunglasses. HIDDEN READER OPTION As an aging angler one of the most frustrating things is having to remember to bring my pair of reading glasses with me when fishing. Although I am in denial, I definitely need some vision assistance
The author liked the Southern Cross frame as soon as he tried them on at AFTA. Comfortable to wear and pretty stylish too.
TESTING BOOTH
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As a global leading brand of sunglasses, Maui Jim’s range is extensive. The author is confident that there will be a frame and a lens to suit people of all ages and genders. His daughters loved the new Relaxation Mode model that has been released for 2022/23.
HCL® BRONZE
NEUTRAL GREY
MAUI HT™
MAUI ROSE®
Reader. Reader material is placed on the base of the backside of the lens (only visible to the wearer) and comes in three add powers +1.50, +2.0 and +2.50. There are a number of ready to wear styles that are available in three lens colours and the above mentioned add powers or, for a small fee, a hidden reader can be added to most of the frame range as well as the other lens colours and mirror options that are available. IT IS ALL ABOUT CHOICE The one thing that you begin to understand when you speak to people
Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au
about sunglasses is that there is a diverse range of thought that comes into play when choosing a pair of sunglasses. For some, it is purely based on functionality, others it is lens colours (base and overriding) due to the type of fishing they do (freshwater, saltwater and time of day), frame style also is a factor, then there is fit and of course style and look may well be at the top of the list. No matter what you base your choice on, Maui Jim will have something to suit your needs. There will be a picture within this testing booth that is of part of the display that Maui Jim had at the AFTA Trade Show. This is only a ...Continued over
A small selection of the range on display at the AFTA show. There are many more options available.
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TESTING BOOTH ...Continued from previous page third of what they had on display and only a small portion of the range they produce and it is already impressive. While I am discussing this image, what should also be noted is the number of frame style options for men and women, and this is just a small sample of what is available! The reason I took this image was to show my daughters at home some of the new offerings. I quickly got a string of messages
PRODUCT GUIDE bronze lens was a no brainer and I also liked the tortoise frame it came in. Looking from a saltwater-based fishing prospective I couldn’t go past the Blue Hawaii and Hawaii Lava lens colours with Maui HT (High Transmission) getting an honourable mention. I felt the Maui HT was better in the low light (early morning / late afternoon) or when cloudy and overcast component of my saltwater endeavours, but I loved the mirror look the others offered.
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BLUE HAWAII Blue mirror coating is applied to the frontside surface of our PolarizedPlus2® Neutral Grey lens. Available in prescription. Relaxation Mode
MAUI SUNRISE Pink mirror coating is applied to the frontside surface of our PolarizedPlus2® Maui Rose® lens. Available in prescription.
me wearing a rose-coloured lens” when they took me through the range. Well, I am prepared to eat my words. It was easily my overall favourite. In my opinion a great option for salt or freshwater fishing, low light, full sunshine, no worries and pretty stylish too! As far as the glass lens versus the MauiBrilliant* lens, I really couldn’t tell the difference. Of the five lens colours
different focus than mine. While I had to spend time on the water going through the options, their process was a little different. Let’s say a few selfies were required and your sunglasses spending more time towards the tip of your nose than the bridge of it. But from a parent’s point of view it was great to see them wanting to wear a pair of sunglasses that I know will protect their eyes better than anything they normally wear.
The author’s favourite lens colours: Maui Rose (front), Bronze (left middle), Hawaii Lava (right middle) and Blue Hawaii (back). An honourable mention needs to go to the Maui HT lens that isn’t pictured, it’s a cracka too! MAUIGREEN™ Green mirror coating is applied to the frontside surface of our PolarizedPlus2® Neutral Grey lens. Available in prescription.
Southern Cross
back with what they liked and an underlying message of “See dad, you can look good too while you’re fishing!” The end result for me has been the offer to do this testing booth based on having a single frame style (Southern Cross) and getting eight of the lens colour options (some in glass and some in the MauiBrilliant* synthetic lens). My girls have also been spoilt, getting to try the new Relaxation Mode frame and four different lens colours. As I said, it is all about choice! TIME TO TEST I firmly place myself into the functional choice category when it comes to sunglasses (generally a black frame and bronze-based lens), so having eight pairs to wear and play with has been a novelty and it has been a lot of fun and an eye opener. Firstly, the Southern Cross frame. I love it. Light weight, with a super comfortable nose piece, comfort pads at the ends of the arms and available in a number of different colours (check out the image herewith). I feel they suited me, and from an end users’ point of view it can only be a good thing if you feel like you are wearing nothing. Secondly, lens colours. This is where the biggest surprize came. The straight 58
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HAWAII LAVA™ Red mirror coating is applied to the frontside surface of our PolarizedPlus2® HCL® Bronze lens. Available in prescription.
The biggest surprize however, came with my overall favourite: The Maui Rose lens. I distinctly remember saying to Nathan and Robert at AFTA, “I cannot see
My girls had a different concept of what testing the sunglasses was. Selfies were a big part of it, it seems.
One thing with having eight pairs of sunglasses on board when you are fishing is that everyone can try them. Nicholas Willett wearing the Maui Rose lens Southern Cross glasses with a nice bream. mentioned above, one (bronze) was in the glass lens and the other four all in the MauiBrilliant* synthetic lens. I have to admit that the testing done by my daughters may have had a slightly
I did get them out on the water with me too, and I finally think they now understand what a difference a quality pair of sunglasses makes. The girls gave the new Relaxation Mode frame a big thumbs up and, surprisingly for me, the plain black frame and lens proved to be the favourite. Although, my youngest (Emily) seemed to have the pair with the Blue Hawaii lens colour on more often than not. CHECK THEM OUT YOURSELVES As mentioned I have been completely spoiled putting this testing booth together and I am not surprised that the Maui Jim stand at AFTA was very busy. It is very rare to be so spoiled for choice when it comes to your sunglass options and needs. No matter what you want, Maui Jim will have a quality pair of sunglasses to suit. So, if a pair of sunglasses is on the cards for Christmas (as a present or for yourself) go and check them out at www. mauijim.com. You can see the full range there and find a retailer near you. Mahalo - Peter Jung
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LATEST VIBELICIOUS COLOURS
13 FISHING OMEN BLACK
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Samaki Vibelicious has landed a new collection of colours ready to get wet, ready to entice the bite, ready for you to get on the water and into the action. A tightly constructed body allows the Vibelicious fish to perfectly mimic the tight shimmer of a baitfish, luring in a variety of predator species. Renowned for its fish catching ability the Vibelicious is constructed of a 10X super stretch material, super strong Decoy and BKK hooks, premium Japanese through wire and 5 insane fish catching sizes 70mm, 85mm, 100mm, 125mm & 150mm. Welcome to the line-up Cleopatra Tiger UV, Sandstorm UV, Lime Tiger UV, Grey Ghost UV, Phantom Craw, Pearl Perch and Pink Lady. Designed for speed, action and ultimate attraction whether it is for inshore reefs, coastal estuary fishing, freshwater impoundments or the Northern run-off the Vibelicious will be the stealthiest lure in your tackle box. For information and stockist visit the Samaki website or like them on Instagram and Facebook (@samakifishing). www.samaki.com.au
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Long respected and perceived as the OG of the 13 Fishing rod line-up, the new Omen Black continues the lineage and domination of the new school. 13 Fishing has listened to anglers and produced a range of rods that includes new lengths, actions, and powers to cover new and emerging techniques. Every Omen Black Rod is built on a 36 Ton Japanese Toray blank, utilising the new Poly Vector Graphite technology. This translates into a lighter, stronger, more sensitive rod. Finished off with full 4A premium Portuguese cork handles, Fuji ‘K’ Guides and Evolve custom ported reel seats, you will find no better value for money tournament grade rod on the market. 13 Fishing Australia has released 14 models within the Omen Black range, covering both baitcasters and spin options. This range covers many of the fishing situations and techniques within our environments. Price: SRP $249-$279 www.13fishing.com.au
22 FREE SWIMMER BR
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Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au
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Daiwa returns to the bite ’n’ run reel scene with the release of the 22 Free Swimmer BR. Designed in collaboration between Daiwa USA, Daiwa Australia, Daiwa New Zealand and alongside Japanese engineers, Free Swimmer BR is a reel five years in the making. Bite ’n’ Run is a key technology for keen live or dead bait anglers that allows fish to take the bait under minimal line tension to ensure a solid hookset is achieved. Bite ’n’ Run tension is set by adjusting the dial on the bottom of the reel. With a wide range of settings available, tension can be lightly set to suit unweighted baits for finicky feeders such as whiting, up to a strong setting suited to live baiting large baits for hard-fighting predators such as kingfish and mackerel. The Free Swimmer BR features a strong and sturdy carbon composite frame, while the internals have been sealed through careful design and the implementation of rubber seals. This makes the Free Swimmer BR a true saltwater bite ’n’ run reel. Meticulous attention to detail was paid throughout the R&D design phase, with the Free Swimmer BR built and constructed to handle the toughest fish going. www.daiwafishing.com.au
ZMAN 2.5” PRAWNZ
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Everything eats a prawn, and the ZMan 2.5” PrawnZ is a lifelike, bite-size prawn profile that will appeal to a wide variety of species in the fresh and salt. The body design allows the angler to create a natural prawn flick and glide, while thin legs and antennae quiver with the slightest movement for added realism. Increased bulk in the body allows the plastic to rig effectively on a jighead, before tapering rapidly to a thin, segmented tail, designed to encourage that natural tail flick. Legs extend from each side of the PrawnZ body that, when combined with ZMan’s natural buoyancy, allows the plastic to slowly parachute down, holding in the strike zone longer. Alternatively, you can increase the weight and sink it down with that signature prawn flick and glide. Available in 15 popular ZMan colours and already a winner on the bream, this versatile presentation can be rigged on a wide variety of jigheads, including TT’s HWS (Hidden Weight System), HeadlockZ, NedlockZ, SnakelockZ Finesse and more. 2.5” PrawnZ are available now in 15 popular ZMan colours, with six per pack. Price: SRP $12.95 www.z-man.com.au
TACKLE CLUB BOX
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If you don’t know what you want for Christmas this year, a Tackle Club subscription box could be just what you’re after. Tackle Club is a popular fishing subscription box that sends anglers the best lures from the best brands from around the world every month. It is a fun way to discover new lures and save money along the way. Each month you will get a variety of quality fishing products from both large and small manufacturers. The boxes introduce beginner and expert anglers alike to new fishing lures and tackle, and the best way to use them. Tackle Club currently offers six boxes: Estuary; Barramundi and Jacks; Freshwater Bass and Yellowbelly; Cod; Saltwater Inshore; and Freshwater Trout and Redfin. Each box comes with 5-7 fishing products curated by fishing product experts and contains 40%50% more value than you pay, so you know you are getting a great deal. Tackle Club boxes are available as oneoff purchases, gift packs of 3 months, and a monthly subscription. Visit the Tackle Club website to choose your box. www.tackleclub.com.au
SENSHI EGI PRO SQUID JIGS
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Senshi has released eight new colours into their popular and affordable range of squid jigs. Each Senshi jig is perfectly weighted and balanced for a precise, lifelike swimming action with a high-quality lead keel. Senshi Egi Pro Series Jigs feature high quality cloth materials, oversized eyes, foil bodies, and UV finishes that attract squid. They are armed with super sharp nickel prongs. The Senshi range of Squid Jigs are available in three sizes – 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5. To find out more on the Senshi range, visit the Juro Fishing website or search for ‘Senshi Egi Pro’ on YouTube. You can also find more new product info and catch photos on the Juro OzPro Facebook page, YouTube channel and Instagram. www.jurofishing.com DECEMBER 2022
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Summer species on the chew PITTWATER
Mark Ternen
The fishing has been very tough due to the weather, but things are improving. The water temperature has gone up a few degrees on the beach, which is good news, and the water temps in Pittwater and the harbour are starting to rise as well, so fish are starting to show. We are seeing the usual summer species such as bream and whiting, and there are also some bonito starting to show in the harbour as well. In Pittwater, some goodsize flathead and flounder have been caught on the drift from Barrenjoey to Palm Beach. Also McCarrs Creek and Browns Bay have been yielding good flathead catches, mainly early in the morning on fresh unweighted pilchards or mullet strips. Some nice bream are starting to show around Clareville Wharf, Careel Bay and Mackerel Beach in amongst the moorings and jetties. Most of the bream are
of good size, and have been responding to live worms, fresh Hawkesbury prawns, and small hardbody lures such as Double Clutches and Sugapens. The sand flats in Morning Bay and Elvina Bay are starting to provide some nice-size blue swimmer crabs on mullet baits. Crabs are also being taken on the Palm Beach grounds to Stokes Point. For the early morning guys there are plenty of salmon schools around the mouth of Barrenjoey and West Head in close towards the Pill Boxes. Most of these fish are being caught on small white flies, unweighted whitebait or very chrome small slices. Fish up to 3kg in size have been landed. Kingfish have been taken from Browns Bay, McCarrs Creek, and Bayview along the public wharves. Most of the fish have been taken on live yellowtail, live squid, fresh squid, or yellowtail strips. BEACHES Avalon, Mona Vale and Narrabeen up to Collaroy
Beach are all starting to hold small to medium size whiting in reasonable numbers, with most fish around the 30cm-35cm mark. By far the majority of whiting have been taken on worms, either fresh or preserved. Some nice-size surf bream up to 1kg in size are being taken amongst the whiting. Dee Why beach has yielded several reasonable size jewfish (mulloway) up to the 3-5kg mark, once again on whole squid, either fresh or live. Anglers fishig Mona Vale Beach and Avalon Beach have been catching some big black bream up in the southern corners. Most of the fish have been taken on worms or peeled Hawkesbury prawns, and the best time has been from late afternoon into the night. OUTSIDE The outside flathead drifting grounds are providing nice size fish, up to 55cm, in reasonable numbers. Mona Vale hospital drift around the 40m mark is providing good fish, as is the Barrenjoey to Palm
Beach drift in 40-50m, and Dee Why wreck. Most fish have been taken on whole pilchards or mullet strips. Long Reef at White Rock and the boulders in 15-25m are holding snapper anywhere from 2.5-4kg early in the mornings. Jurassic Park and Palmers Reef are also holding pan-size to medium size snapper. Once again, fishing early in the morning usually produces the best results. To maximise your catch rates, use plenty of berley and fresh whole pilchard or squid. ROCKS Freshwater, Curl Curl and Avalon in front of the pool are all providing kingfish of medium size. Most of the kingies have been caught spinning with stickbait lures (e.g. Halco Slidog or Sea Gars in the 40-80g range) or large metal lures such as pilchard patterns. For the bait fishers, floating out fresh whole squid with bobby corks has been getting good results as well. North Narrabeen rock pool and Mona Vale rock pools are providing nice
Chris was happy with this nice snapper. size drummer and bream on unweighed prawns, with the best time to fish being late in the afternoon. • If you need fishing gear, quality bait or a chat about what’s biting, head to Narrabeen Bait and Tackle. Owner Mark, his son Marc and long-time staff member Chris have been local fishermen for 30 years – so there’s not much they don’t know about Pittwater or
Northern Beaches fishing, and they are happy to answer any questions you may have. The store stocks an extensive range of tackle, and their live and fresh bait range is renowned as one of the best in Sydney. It is sourced locally and includes live beach worms and nippers. Drop on and see them at 1469 Pittwater Rd, North Narrabeen or phone (02) 9970 6204.
Estuary & Nearshore Sportfishing Heating Up!
Not easy being green SYDNEY NTH
Steve Winser
With the cooler water still prevalent inshore, and that big anti-clockwise kicker sitting off Sydney sending the warmer current from
the north offshore, we have been going through a tough period of the year. My old mate Craig McGill calls it the ‘November Green’ which, thanks to old mate La Niña, has seem to show up somewhat early this season. The king fishing has
Quality squid have been coming from the 30-40m depth range.
been patchy in the harbour. There have been some good fish around but they have been feeding properly only one day out of three. As a result, I have been sticking with my wintertime staples of the washes, snapper and the shallow water harbour bream and blackfish for consistency. I will switch my focus back to kingfish when the ‘Green’ finally relents. The washes have had one of the best seasons I have seen for a long time (provided the relentless weather will let you in there, of course). We have been catching solid black drummer to that 4kg range, and some gear-smashing XOS blue groper. We had one trip inside the harbour recently (we were chased in there because of the big swell in the ocean washes) where we never actually managed to get a fish
Some solid bream are still being caught in the shallower harbour areas. to the boat! The snapper in the deeper 50-60m areas are still consistent, with a few better
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A nice shallow water red.
fish starting to appear in the shallower areas. This should only continue as the season wears on. We were plumb bombing in the deeper areas and fishing baits down cube trails and plastics in the shallower areas. The cooler water has still been producing some thumper squid in deeper 30-40m areas. We got one the other day on an inchiku jig while fishing for snapper. Big bream are still being caught in the shallower harbour areas, although the blackfish have slowed up somewhat. That’s it for this month. For the moment, we just have to push through the ‘November Green’. Hopefully it will break this month, and we should see the beginning of the summer kingfish run in
the harbour, along with the summer staples of flathead, whiting and more. Tight lines all. • Fishing Sydney Tours takes pride in tailoring every trip to the customer’s preferred species, style of angling, and level of expertise, all within a friendly and relaxed atmosphere at competitive rates. There are some excellent fishing spots that can be accessed straight off Sydney, and we will show you where. We offer harbour, wash and offshore fishing for species ranging from kingfish and mulloway through to snapper and mahimahi. For more info go to www.fishingsydneytours. com.au, call 0481 120 600 or look up ‘Fishing Sydney Tours’ on Facebook.
Recreational Fishing Update Booking a trip on one of the many NSW Charter fishing boats is a safe and fun way to get the family together for a day’s fishing. Book your next, or first charter fishing experience today using the Go charter Fishing in NSW page on the DPI website.
Reminder Anglers to Return Tag Cards! With the warmer water beginning to track south along the East Coast, the beginning of a new game fishing season is upon us. Anglers fishing offshore can expect to come across a variety of billfish species and other warm water sportfish like Dolphinfish. Recently, skipper Don Cummings and angler David Conway managed to tag and release this solid Blue Marlin offshore of Coffs Harbour…a great start to the season! This is a great time to remind all anglers and boats to return completed tag cards to their game fishing club or directly back to the tagging program. All tag cards have a replied paid on the back so they can simply be placed into your closest mailbox, alternatively, completed tag cards can be emailed to gamefish.tagging@dpi.nsw.gov.au We are still awaiting the original release information for many tagged fish from past seasons. Please have a look around and send back your completed cards, even if they are several years old as they may still match up with a recaptured fish in the database. The data and information on every individual tag card plays an important role in understanding the movement and distribution of game and pelagic fish species. Also if you are lucky enough to catch a tagged fish, be sure to report it online by using the online recapture form on the DPI website. The Game Fish Tagging Program is a great example of your fishing fees at work!
Gaden Trout Hatchery Ex Broodstock Release!
Flatty Insights – Record Longest Distance Travelled!
Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon, whilst Lake Eucumbene received Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout. These fish were 4-5 kg on average, with the largest Brown trout weighing in at a huge 10kg! This is a perfect opportunity to throw in a line and try your luck for one of these fish of a lifetime!
Estuary & Nearshore Sportfishing Heating Up!
In mid-September approximately 100 ex-broodstock were released from Gaden Trout Hatchery. Lake Jindabyne received a mixture of Rainbow
With the water starting to warm along the NSW coast, licenced charter fishing boat operators are reporting good catches of Flathead, Snapper and other nearshore fish species such as Kingfish.
The trophy flathead tagging program is continuing to provide interesting information to both fisheries researchers and recreational fishers. With a small team of dedicated and passionate anglers, there have been over 1,405 Dusky Flathead tagged and 191 reported as recaptured. While most flathead recaptures show only small and localised movements (less than 1km travelled between release and recapture location), there has been a recapture that highlights that individual fish are capable of larger scale offshore movements between estuaries. Interesting recaptures like this one continues to add to the knowledge base and understanding of this popular recreational species. The recapture that features below has set a record for the longest distance travelled by a Dusky Flathead in the program. The trophy ‘dusky’ was originally tagged on 20 February 2021 by passionate angler and local fishing charter operator Paul Lennon. Paul, who owns and operates Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters, caught the 80cm fish within the Port Stephens estuary. On 12 December 2021 the tagged fish was then recaptured some 115 nautical miles north (215km) at the mouth of the Macleay River by angler Matt Doyle. After a quick measure and photo, the fish was re-released again in excellent condition. The dusky had grown 1cm to 81cm during its 287 days at liberty. Each reported recapture contributes to our understanding of particular fish species. If you are lucky enough to recapture a tagged fish, please ensure you report it using the online recapture form, which can be found on the DPI website. This is all part of ‘Fish for life – Building a healthy fishing future’.
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au DECEMBER 2022
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Cracking Christmas catches SYD ROCK & BEACH
Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au
December is the first month of the hotter water period and the first month of summer. From now on we can expect all the warmer water species to be more consistent. OCEAN ROCKS Bonito are showing up on the deeper water headlands, and accompanying the bonito are kings, salmon and tailor. If you are able to start fishing really early, just before the crack of dawn to about sunrise, the tailor are in good numbers. I’m going to outline a relatively easy rig to set up suitable for tailor fishing, with a whole ganged pilchard on a set of three 3/0, 4/0 to 5/0 hooks. The rig incorporates a glow light is for fishing in the dark, so you can see how far you are fishing, and to keep your bait suspended off the bottom. To start off with, you will need approximately
A nice 2kg rock blackfish and a first for Nazeeb Pareedutty. You can still successfully target this species during the warmer months. fish. They will easily sever a pilchard in half, especially when in they’re in that size range between 0.75kg to 1.2kg, which is the regular tailor run we get off the Sydney rocks. They are super fun fish to target. My advice is to not go rock fishing for the first time in the dark. Tailor can be caught when there is light, and up to an hour after sun-up is OK. You may run into other species like salmon, tailor, and the bonito and kings in the
daylight period on this rig. Then other alternative is fish from the dawn period to a few hours after light with metals like the 40g Sure Catch knight. These are also suitable for the bonito. A spin outfit in the 8-10kg range with 10-15kg J-Thread FC Fluorocarbon leader will enable you to lift fish up as well, which is often required when fishing the rocks. XL sea gars rigged on a set of 6/0 hooks with an occy skirt and a sinker above the occy skirt is deadly on the kings. You will also catch all of the other species mentioned. For the best results, this should be used as a spinning bait, rather than a stationary bait. Kings up to a metre have been caught on some of the headlands. When fishing for kings you need an outfit that can handle the larger models you may encounter. I like the Daiwa Saltist Hyper Heavy Rock Special S96-4-6 coupled with a 8000 to 1000 BG MQ, and 50-80lb J-Braid Grand and 80-100lb J-Thread FC leader. It’s a formidable set-up which will handle small to medium size kings, even the larger fish! Spots to fish are Bluefish Point Manly, The Hat Sydney harbour entrance, heading north, South and North Curl Curl and heading further north, South and North Whale rocks. It has always been argued that the rock blackfish are not available for the rock angler during the warmer months. Well… yes, they are. The majority
Jasper Schwaz was rapt with his snapper distance casting. When distance casting for snapper, the cast can vary from 60m to as far as you can throw. You need to get your bait out to the sand/gravel grounds. of rock anglers have ‘pelagic fever’ at this time of the year, and their efforts for the warmer months are spent fishing for these speedsters, rather than rock blackfish. However, if you bring some prawns, bread baits on standby and a 8-10kg spin outfit, you can still catch rock blackfish this month. When fishing for this species, especially in the deeper water spots, it’s good to fish right in close. There’s no need to cast out too far because they are a ledge/cave dwelling species. Anyway, it’s just another option to add to your fishing trip.
Rob Marich with a stud 45cm whiting. There were quite a few fish from 40-43cm landed in this trip as well, with live beach worms the gun bait. 30-60cm of 30-50lb leader, a swivel in the 30-50kg size, a ball sinker of variable sizes, a torpedo or turnip float with a glow light with a firm slider of clear tube which is normally in the packet. So first you have the tube slide up your main line, then your glow stick is inserted in the tube. Slide the tube up the line between 62
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1-2m. The clear tube with the glow stick is used as a float stopper. Then add your float, and then your sinker. Use a ball sinker between 0/1 to 3, suitable for light to moderate sea conditions. Then add your swivel, connected to the nylon or fluorocarbon leader and gang hooks. Tailor are an aggressive
A 50cm snapper that the author caught distance casting recently. You’ll know when you have a good snapper bite, as they are an aggressive fish. It’s a great feeling when your rod tip buckles over.
Snapper numbers are good this month, and they are a pretty reliable species in the washes and distance casting. I have had reports of fish to 68cm. Converted into weight, these fish are around 3.5-3.7kg, which is a nice snapper for the rocks. Most fish are between 32-40cm, while on some outings we have encountered fish to well over that size. You preferably want to fish the low light period for this species, as they generally don’t like the bright sunlight. When wash fishing it’s good to use half to three quarter pilchards, king prawns or fresh squid. These are the three most popular baits, and they all catch their share. While distance casting I prefer a robust bait like a squid strip, salted baits like slimy mackerel, striped tuna, and salted fish like tailor. Deep water and mid-deep headlands are good for this species. Bluefish, South, north Curl Curl, Dee Why, and Mona Vale swimming pool front ledge are some of the spots this great species is being caught. OCEAN BEACH The whiting are on! Some quality fish are being caught on most beaches, but some locations are producing more than others, which is typically the case. There have been whiting up to 45cm showing up, with most in the 29-36cm range. Mixed in with the whiting are bream, flathead and of course, dart. Dart can be a pain in the butt in this part of the world, but when they get over the 32cm+
NSW
range they pull hard, and I reckon they are pretty good on the plate too. Bait can be frustrating for the whiting angler. They are a fussy species, preferring live bait such as beach worms, pink nipper and, if you can dig them, blood worms are the ultimate bait. At this time of the year you can go to some of the fishing tackle shops that supply live bait. To avoid possible disappointment, it’s best
prawns you see at tackle shops, normally in a 200g bag, can work pretty well when rigged on a no. 2 bait holder hook. I prefer to peel these small prawns. Another alternative is the salted or methylated spirit preserved worm. When it comes to rigs, I recommend that you check out my YouTube page, Alex Bellissimo, for the Bellissimo 2-hook paternoster rig. Big salmon are on the
increasing off the beaches as well, so you may encounter them this month. They generally run in the chopper size from 30cm to about 40cm. Locations for the salmon, tailor and whiting are Manly Beach (preferably avoid the weekends and when there are surf competitions on), Dee Why Beach, North Narrabeen Beach, Bilgola Beach and Palm Beach. Thanks for reading this
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Tournament Series How’s this for a cracker Aussie salmon! Derek Pang caught this quality fish using a whole pilchard on a set of three 4/0 hooks. to call the store and order your bait ahead of time, rather than just rocking up and hoping for the best. If you make an order and pay for it the day before, you can go up to the tackle shop the following morning or afternoon and pick up your bait. There are decent alternatives to live bait (just don’t expect quite the same results as you’d get on live baits). Those tiny
beaches at the moment. We are heading towards the tail end for this species, but that can depend on the water temperatures. If it gets too warm they will generally move on. If you read my columns regularly you would know I praise the Aussie salmon! They’re a great sportfish, and I find them quite good on the plate up to about 2-2.5kg. Tailor numbers are
great mag over the year and thanks for reading my column, it’s super appreciated! Wishing all of you a safe, fun Christmas and a happy New Year. I will be back in 2023. • For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www.bellissimocharters. com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com.au or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.
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A:1-13 Mangrove Lane, Taren Point NSW 2229 T: (02) 9524 0044 E: sales@marinabayside.com.au www.marinabayside.com.au Brandon Scott and his mates had an awesome land-based session at 90 Mile Beach. They scored 8 sharks from 10 hook ups, resulting in 7 bronze whalers and a 5.5ft school shark. Brandon landed two of the 8 fish, with a PB of a 9.5ft specimen.
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DECEMBER 2022
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Early birds beat the crowds SYDNEY SOUTH
Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au
How time flies! It’s December again and everyone is eager to get ready for those upcoming Christmas holidays. So, what will be on offer for anglers wanting to get out and have a fish in the Southern Sydney area this month? First of all, the kingfish should start to show up in numbers in both Botany Bay and the Port Hacking River. Places that are worth a look would be the end of the third runway, Trevally Alley, Yarra Bay, Bare Island, the oil wharf and Sutherland Point. One of the ways that I try and locate the kingfish is to troll either a couple of live baits or lures around these areas. Once you have located the fish, you could either keep trolling or anchor up and start feeding out those live baits. Squid seems to be the best bait to troll with. Whether it’s live or dead, whole or cut into strips, will depend on the day what the kingfish prefer. The only problem lately has been getting enough squid. Maybe this is due to how much dirty water we have been experiencing over the past couple of months. You could also try trolling yellowtail, slimy mackerel and poddy mullet. Alternatively, you can troll lures such as Halco CD 7s and 9s, Fish Inc. 115mm Flanker Winglets, or even a 5” or 7” jerkshad (e.g. scented ZMan Jerk ShadZ) rigged on a 1/2oz, 5/0 jighead such as a RevlockZ. The bream will have started to move around
the bay, fattening up to get ready to spawn off the coastal rocks and beaches. All of the above spots that I have listed for kingfish will also hold bream. It will be just a matter of anchoring up, setting up a small and steady berley trail, and either fish with a small running sinker down onto the bait or a running sinker down onto a swivel and at least a metre of leader. Baits to try are live nippers and worms, peeled
day to day. Berley will be an essential element in your arsenal to get them on the bite. For those of you who prefer to drift around the bay you could try the stretch of shoreline from Brighton to Dolls Point for flathead, flounder and whiting. Keep an eye out for those schools of tailor and bonito that pop up every now and then. Strips or mullet and squid, half pilchards, plus live
Offshore, the FADs will start to produce dolphinfish (mahimahi), tuna and kingfish. It will just be a matter of beating the crowds. If you want to avoid a host of other anglers, an early start would be on the cards. Sand and tiger flathead can be caught while drifting the 30-50m depth. Try using a paternoster rig and mix up your baits. The odd good-sized snapper can be caught on the drift out
Glenn Loveday with a 51cm dusky flathead destined for the pan.
The author has been getting good results on the new 2.5” ZMan PrawnZ. prawns, half or a fillet of pilchard, mullet and chicken gut or small strips of skinned yellowtail fillets. The trevally will also be on the chew this month. It will just be a matter of locating them as they will move around the bay, and the size will also vary from
hold them. This is why I make sure to keep myself mobile, with a set-up that allows me to move quickly from gutter to gutter. To achieve this, I will have only one outfit, a single small tackle tray that fits into a shoulder bag, my bait (usually beach worms) and a knife.
dusky flathead are always on the cards if you stick to this simple of effective way of fishing. The kingfish should be on the chew in the coming weeks. If you can’t get a few squid, I would suggest that you try catching yellowtail, slimy mackerel and those Port Hacking
nippers and poddy mullet are the go. Don’t forget to also try those soft plastics that you have in your tackle box. They may not work every time, but they are a great way to stay active and get yourself a feed at the same time.
There should still be numbers of Australian salmon about. Try casting soft plastics, blades and half pilchards in and around any of the schools you see or drop-offs in the Port Hacking River.
An Ecogear ZX35 blade was the undoing of this salmon. The lure was slowly hopped down and over the edge of a drop-off in Gymea Bay. 64
DECEMBER 2022
from Coogee, Maroubra and Jibbon Point. Whiting, bream, and dart can be caught off most of the eastern beaches from Coogee to Stanwell Park in the south. It’s just going the be a matter of working out which beach is going to
The Port Hacking has always been a harder place to fish. That is why if I am bait fishing, I will always anchor up at my chosen spot and have a small and steady berley trail going. Bream, trevally, tailor, whiting and
pilchards. They can be used dead or alive. There will also still be a few luderick about this month, so keep an eye out for them. Don’t forget to keep those reports coming into gbrown1@iprimus.com.au.
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NSW
Surface fishing in summertime BALLINA
Joe Allan
On the beaches the odd gutter is visible on South Ballina and Angels, the
larger tailor can do serious damage to your rigs. If you want to fish the beach for whiting, just remember they do not need a lot of water, so don’t be obsessed with
get active, especially in some of the shallow areas such as North Creek and Mobbs Bay. Each day has been different, with the level of aggression towards the lures changing
The results of a fun birthday fishing trip. Image courtesy of Fozies Fishing Adventures. numbers of fish they are finding the deepest gutter producing has been fairly you can. Quite often the low, but the quality has whiting can be found right been good. Some of the at your feet in some of the better action has come skinniest water imaginable, from Boulders and Seven particularly at night. Mile beaches, with quality Good numbers of dart and bream taking small kingfish have been pipis and beach worms hammering live baits and during the run-up tide. knife jigs on the wider At this time of year, grounds. Most of the we usually see a few of fish have been between the straggling tailor make 60-90cm, but the odd their way up the coast. Late larger fish has also shown in the afternoon it will be up. A few snapper and worth throwing a pilchard, small amberjack have also mullet fillet or bonito strip been mixed in among the out in a likely-looking kingfish, so it has been a gutter for one of these fish. bit of a lottery at times to You may not see any large see what you are going to numbers of these razor- pull up next. toothed eating machines, The whiting have but the ones that do come shown interest in surface into bthe night lures in recent weeks, and rawn atBla a Pgutters des”that’s not surprising as the amgenerally quality fish, “Yare so be ready and have wire water temps are up and traces handy because these perfect for these guys to
constantly. There could be a few reasons as to why their behaviour is so changeable, such as the aforementioned water temperature, sunlight, water clarity and, probably most importantly, the wind strength and direction. Bassday Sugapens are the lures that have been producing the best, and you can retrofit them with assist hooks such as Atomic Trick Bitz, or Gamakatsu Treble Wide Gap trebles, to improve hook-up rates. The bass are on the chew and are spread out all over the system. With the balmy evenings, the surface bite will hot up towards Christmastime and all the way through until the end of January. If you haven’t tried this style of fishing for our aggressive freshwater natives, get some poppers and have a crack. You might be surprised how much fun and how addictive it can be. When you’re surface fishing, look for any overhanging trees that have cicadas making an awful racket. You don’t even need to be accurate
A nice bag of trag, pearl perch, and tuskfish caught last December. Image courtesy of Fozies Fishing Adventures. with your casting because when the cicadas fall, they’re generally out from the bank, not right up the back in the shadows like you need to get to with spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Most poppers and walkthe-dog style lures will also
A tasty mixed bag caught on a trip with Fozies Fishing Adventures. Image courtesy of Fozies Fishing Adventures.
work well. Things like the Atomic Pop 75” in black beauty colour as well as the Bassday Backfire 65 popper are reliable fishcatching lures. We have still seen quality flathead being caught from Pimlico Island to the mouth of the Richmond. Most of the larger fish have taken live herring, and the smaller fish have fallen to dark-coloured soft plastics, prawns and white pilchards. On the crabbing front, it has been a little quiet since the floods throughout the year. Normally November and December are two of the better months of the year as the water warms up. The larger tides around the moons are a better time to get the pots in, because the more water moving means a better chance of catching crabs. Mackerel frames seem to be one of the better crab attractants. Have a great Christmas, hope the big fat fella brings you some quality fishing tackle. Stay safe and tight lines until 2023.
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A nice pan-size snapper caught at this time last year. Image courtesy of Fozies Fishing Adventures.
NSW
A great start to summer COFFS COAST
Rob Taylor
Despite La Niña’s best efforts to stifle early summer fishing on our part of the coast, the waters
recent floods. In the saltwater creeks and rivers, the jacks have turned up right on cue, with red devils being caught from snags in the upper reaches to the rock walls and bridge pylons down around the
dropping out wider. There have been plenty of kingfish around the islands with the majority being rats. The occasional bigger model has been cruising under the rats. Further out and the gamefishing season has
There should be some solid reds around over the Christmas new moon period. local creeks and marina are good places to start. Floating live mullet or casting lures into snags will find jacks, and also drifting the break walls with bait or lures will no doubt turn up some fish.
Other man-made haunts such as the local marina and Urunga train bridge at night is a sure-fire way to find them, and I find the larger fish tend to come from these places. Live baits are deadly.
Also worth targeting at this time of year are big flathead and whiting. Quite often these two species will be in the same area: sand flats. I like to drift with a live yabby behind the boat
Rhea Taylor with a beautiful mahimahi taken from fish traps. started strong, with most boats raising billfish when the weather permits. I’ve already boated a few stripes and had an epic 3-hour struggle with a 180kg+ blue that won the day in the end. Hooking it on a mackerel rod didn’t help. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for December. CREEKS, RIVERS AND ESTUARIES As mentioned, the fish on everyone’s lips at the moment is jacks. Plenty of local fishos wait in anticipation for summer to arrive so they can target mangrove jacks, and the
There have been some epic striped marlin captures already this season. Expect this to continue throughout December.
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mouths. The mangrove jack bite will pick up as we head into Christmas, so now’s the time to bag a jack if that’s your thing. Big flatties have also been taken on the flats now the water is warming up, and there are plenty of summer whiting also falling to baits and lures. Offshore has seen a cracking start to summer, with several species really turning it on for boaties. Snapper have been consistent although we haven’t seen many huge fish coming over the sides, and pearlies and trag have both been filling fish boxes for anglers bottom
A
around Coffs have been producing some pretty consistent bite windows for those willing to put in the time. From bass up in the hills to marlin out beyond the continental shelf, it’s actually been a solid start to summer. With the bass season now in full swing and the cod rivers officially opened, it’s been a great time to be in the sweet water hunting natives. The Clarence has been on fire, and rivers such as the Mann, Nymboida and Bobo are now all open and hopefully returning to fishable levels following
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while I work a lure for flathead. This allows you to cover ground and have a presentation out for both species. Big glide baits will also prove deadly this month for big female flathead, but please remember the rules on these precious fish. In the freshwater, recent flooding put a pause on what had been an epic bass season start. So many big fish were taken, and it was great to see a lot of people getting their PBs before the rain hit. It’s anyone’s guess as to how the fishing will be now that the rivers have receded, but these are resilient fish and you just have to find where they’ve moved to. The Nymboida and Mann rivers are now open so there’s plenty of good water available to get out amongst them. ROCKS AND BEACHES Aside from bread-andbutter species such as bream and whiting, our local rocks and beaches are generally quiet at this time of year as the winter fishing dies down and the summer run starts to kick into gear. You’ll still find tailor and jewfish but you might need to work for them. At the time of writing, the solid run of mid-size mulloway was showing no signs of slowing down off our beaches, and I daresay these fish will still be here through December.
The exciting news is that by the end of this month it will be time to dust off the LBG gear, change the aerator batteries and get ready for the pelagics. I, for one, can’t wait for this time of year to roll around and bring with it pods of longtails cruising the local headlands. OFFSHORE The big news offshore this month will be the start of the gamefishing
season proper. There have been plenty of blue and striped marlin action out wide, and we can expect the little blacks to start moving in to our part of coast and hang around the bait schools. Look for big schools of balled-up bait on the sounder and slow troll bridle-rigged slimies for blacks, ranging in size from 20kg to 80kg. There’s usually a
good run of snapper in the lead-up to Christmas, so don’t overlook reds in close and with a little bit of luck we should see the first spotted mackerel and Spanish mackerel caught before the man in the big red suit arrives. On that point, I wish you all a safe and merry Christmas with lots of fun and fishing. See you in the New Year!
Lachy Sullivan with a huge bass.
A solo river hike in the central west of NSW produced this once in a lifetime catch for Sam Barnes – a 10-15kg yellowbelly from the Macquarie River. A 1/4oz yellow spinnerbait was the weapon of choice and this absolute monster golden perch couldn’t resist the temptation.
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There are more than just flatties FORSTER
Luke Austin
The beautiful Great Lakes area has been reasonably busy for a couple of months now, steadily getting busier and busier as we approach the holidays. The crowds will hit a peak over the next few weeks as we move through Christmas and into the New Year. Still, while our local waters do become all but choked up with all manner of aquatic craft and holiday makers, the local fishing remains very good throughout the busy period. Estuary fishing is almost too easy at the moment; catching a flathead now is about as close to ‘shooting fish in a barrel’ as you can get. They are being caught in great numbers in just about every corner of the Wallis
Chris with a cracking December mulloway. This month is perfect for chasing the bigger fish. Lake system. Walking the bank down towards the rock walls or bridge throwing 3-4” soft plastics on a 1/6oz-1/4oz
This month is perfect for getting the kids out for a fish.
jighead will guarantee you a fish or two, and once you get the hang of it you will get a fish every few casts! There are some monstrous fish mixed in the schools, with reports of fish up over 80cm very common. Fishing strips of mullet, bonito or slimy mackerel in the same areas will also get their attention, but for numbers, you can’t beat covering ground using lures. Other areas that are producing plenty of fish include The Paddock, Breckenridge Channel, The Cut and Tern Island, however you will pick them up all over the place! Sand whiting are loving the nice, warm ocean water that is pushing into the estuary with each tide. The clean high tide really gets them fired up, and they have been up on the sand flats feeding hard on just about anything they can hunt down. Baits of beach worm or yabby are working great, but it’s hard to beat fishing these areas with surface lures. The action can be heart stopping
in ankle-deep water and you never know what you might find cruising about in the shallow stuff! There are still some cracking bream hanging about the rock walls and bridge pylons, and they are in amazing condition. I caught a very solid fish while chasing flathead recently which was probably only in the high 30cms, however it was the fattest bream I have seen in a very long time, and fought like it was possessed! There are fish up on the weed beds as well as the odd one up the rivers, however the amount of rain that we have had seems to be keeping a lot of the fish out of the tributaries. The mouth of the system has been getting a lot of attention over the past couple of weeks as there is some insane fishing on offer down there. Mulloway and kingfish
It’s not all about the flathead over the warmer months. numbers are really good at the moment, and there are some absolute beasts sitting in the schools. If you do decide to have a play down around the channel, please be respectful and responsible towards other users and the fish themselves. These fish are a finite resource, please only keep what you need and look after any fish you intend to release! Local beaches have hit summer mode now, and most are producing great mixed bags of whiting, bream, dart and the odd flathead. 9 Mile
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Mitch Cronk with a quality flathead that was caught and released close to the estuary mouth.
and 7 Mile beaches are both fishing well and we even had a great report come through from an angler that managed to bag some big whiting off Main Beach in the centre of town, however for the best fishing you may have to travel as far as Pacific Palms or Seal Rocks. There is still the odd salmon and tailor cruising about, however not quite in big enough numbers to make it worth targeting them in earnest. Reports from the stones are typically very slow at this time of the year. There is still the odd snapper being caught up to about 45cm, along with the seemingly ever-present bream and luderick. Offshore reports have been relatively positive lately. There have been some great pearl perch landed out in the deeper stuff, snapper numbers have been very consistent on reefs from 30m-80m, and early morning or evening sessions are seeing anglers hit their trag bag limits with ease. With ocean temperatures on the rise, mahimahi have now well and truly settled out at the FAD. While there are a lot of smaller fish there, those anglers that fish smart and put in the time have been finding the odd fish up over 80cm. • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle - your ‘local’ bait and tackle store. They only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where you can go to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! Open 7 Days in the main street of Tuncurry, you can call them on 02 6554 9541 or find them on Facebook to see what they have been up to!
NSW
Fish are more active PORT STEPHENS
Paul Lennon
Summer is here and it’s not just the weather heating up – the fishing is hot too. The rising water temperatures will see whiting become far more active this month. You will
Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and Little Beach all great areas to try. Live worms are a must when targeting whiting in these parts, and light leaders around 6lb will also greatly improve your catch rates. The most exciting way to catch whiting, however, is to use surface lures like small poppers and floating
environments are what you want to look for, such as the areas around Taylors Beach, Tahlee and Pindimar up to Tea Gardens. Still on surface lures, and bream will also be on the chew, with the shallow rock bars around Soldiers Point to Myall River fishing well on the high tide. If you like fishing for
The FAD has been holding dollies to 5kg, and larger models have been taken as by-catch by anglers chasing marlin.
Soft vibes and plastics have been accounting for some good mulloway. find good numbers of them along the shallow beaches towards the bottom end of the bay, with Jimmys,
Shoal Bay, Corlette and Taylors Beach. Karuah has been turning it on for mulloway, with soft vibes and plastics accounting for good fish up to 1m long around the pylons of both bridges and rocky shoreline drop-offs. Live baiting around the deeper waters near Middle Island and Fame Cove as well as Corlette Wreck is another really good option if you’re chasing mulloway.
BEACHES Most of the beaches at this time of year will fish particularly well for bream, whiting, dart and the odd flathead. It’s important to not just fish anywhere along an ocean beach; you want to find an appealing looking gutter or trough of deeper water. Once you’ve done this, your chances of success will increase dramatically
pencil-style patterns, which are lethal when fished in the right areas. Shallow flats
There is the chance of a few kings this month.
Tommy Magnussen, 8yo, with an 80cm long tom he caught in North Creek, Ballina on a prawn.
flathead, December is right up there with the best times of year to catch them, especially a really big girl. 90-120mm paddle tail or grub type plastics, as well as hardbodied lures around the same size that dive to around 1m, are extremely effective. Most of the time, they will significantly out fish bait. The trick is to be constantly on the move, with a dozen casts fanning an area before moving along to fresh ground. Karuah and Tilligerry are great areas for this, but if you’re land based you will still find some around
Port Stephens Estuary Charters
when you combine the right baits such as live worms or pipis with a late afternoon/ early morning high tide. ROCKS Bonito should start to appear this month, and can be a load of fun with a 20g metal spinner casted and retrieved from a point or headland. If the bonito aren’t there you still have a good chance of coming across a few tailor, salmon or a rat king too. Calamari are yet another option from the rocks, with a 3.0 sized jig the best way to go. Squid prefer calm conditions, so protected bays and coves are often hotspots for them. OFFSHORE FAD has been holding plenty of smaller dolphinfish (mahimahi) to around 5kg, and there have been some impressive early season models to 20kg taken as marlin by-catch on the shelf lately. It’s already shaping up to be a good year outside, with reports of striped marlin on the shelf and some big blues pushing 200kg a little wider. Snapper are being caught inshore around Broughton to Seal Rocks, as well as some nice pearl perch.
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Keep fishing flexible CENTRAL COAST
Jamie Robley
Amazingly, the year is heading towards the finishing line. Fingers crossed, we still have plenty of good fishing to squeeze in before it’s over. December is
tailor, bream, whiting and mulloway. The inshore water temperature at the time of writing is about 19°C, which is a pretty good temp for most species. One of the biggest problems we’ve endured this year, aside from too much rain, is big swell. As far as
enough calmer weather and safer sea conditions over the coming weeks to allow us to enjoy a bit of rock fishing. The two main styles of rock fishing that are likely to bring success this month are casting a whole pilchard on ganged hooks for tailor and salmon, or dropping baits close in
Bream have been very active throughout the lakes and Brisbane Waters lately, and this should continue. A wide variety of baits and lures will interest bream at this time of year. month, but it’s certainly worth going if conditions and sea temperatures seem favourable. Offshore fishing can be a mixed bag this month and once again, it largely depends on ocean currents, temperature and weather
conditions. Thankfully, technology these days means we’ve got a much better idea of weather and ocean currents than the old days, but fishing is still fishing, which means it’s not always a sure bet. All going well though, keep an eye out for
kingfish and bonito closer in over the shallower reefs and adjacent to the main headlands and bommies. If that sort of fishing isn’t working then try baits for snapper, trevally and other bottom species around the To page 73
The author with a late season silver trevally that took a soft plastic aimed for flathead. Although trevally are more of a winter species, you can still encounter them here in almost any month of the year. normally one of our better months here, so let’s take a closer look at the local situation. Just before sitting down to type up this month’s column, I got out for a quick fish at the beach this morning. The period from 30 minutes before sunrise, to about two hours after sunrise produced half a dozen salmon and a few other missed bites, which I’m also assuming were salmon. That’s very typical of fishing the surf zone along our local beaches for this time of year. A few sambos may linger on through this month, but should be joined by more
fishing goes, it makes things difficult for beach fishing, but if you’re into rock fishing then it can totally wipe out any fishing plans altogether. We do have quite a few sheltered bays and beach corners that allow for safe and productive rock fishing if the seas are a bit on the rough side, but unfortunately, a lot of the big swell we’ve had this year is the really big, bad stuff. So I wouldn’t alone in feeling a bit ripped off by a lack of good rock fishing opportunities along our home patch this year. However, I’m reasonably confident that there will be
the washes for luderick or drummer. The odd bream and trevally may also move in to take a bait this month as well. A few smaller kingfish and early season bonito are also very possible at the deeper ledges like South Avoca, Wybung or Snapper Point. Keep an eye on water temperature charts, and if the water right on the coast is up around 20°C then head out with some heavier lure casting tackle or live baiting gear. December is still a bit early to expect red hot action, and I wouldn’t get too serious about this sort of fishing until next
Flathead should be very cooperative this month. This 60cm fish fell to a small vibe worked over the shallows while the author was targeting bream.
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There’ll be snapper on the Christmas menu SWANSEA
Jason Nunn
Over the last month or so we have started to see a few marlin off the coast, which indicates that in December we should see an array of gamefish. At the time of writing, the water temperature on the shelf is around 20.5°C, and it’s a good colour. Striped marlin are starting to make an appearance, as are a few mahimahi on the shelf. Along with this, anglers have been encountering an array of sharks, including quite a few tiger sharks, a few mako and more off the shelf. There’s not a lot of current, and we’re hoping this will continue in the coming weeks.
There are some big girls swimming around at the moment. Image courtesy of @hook__in.
It’s pretty cool when your brother catches a fish that you had tagged months earlier. Image courtesy of @hook__in. From page 72
washes, like rock fishing techniques, or head a bit wider and deeper. It really pays to have an open mind and be flexible at this time of year. Estuary fishing has been going very well in recent weeks. All that rain throughout the year may not have seemed so great at the time, but it’s good for the general health of our waterways, and often sparks a good summer season. I’ve enjoyed a few good shallow water lure casting sessions lately, with bream and flathead being the main players, but a few trevally, tailor and whiting have also come my way. Get out early and hit the shallow flats and bankside
structure with shallow running hardbodies, surface lures, small vibes or soft plastics. Tides aren’t so critical in the lakes, but in most cases a rising tide works best around Brisbane Waters when casting lures around the shallows. Soaking a bait at night is another excellent way of scoring some good estuary fish at this time of year. Fresh mullet, tailor, squid, pike, prawns or pink nippers will all do well. If you want to get more specific about things then try blood worms or beach worms for whiting, or even a live mullet or pike for mulloway in Brisbane Waters or the lower Hawkesbury. A live prawn fished around illuminated structure like a bridge or public wharf will also score flathead in quick time!
In on the inshore reefs such as the Farm in the deeper water, around that 100m line, there have been some pretty good snapper. We’ve had a nice spring/early summer run of snapper, with a lot of fish in the 2-3kg size range, which is great to see. Through November there were some kings still getting caught down south, but in the coming weeks we’ll see that lessening. At present there have been no mahimahi on the Swansea FAD, but it will be worthy of a look closer to Christmas. Inshore it’s been a real mixed bag. As I write this report, there has been a band of cold water all along the coastline, from Norah Head up to nearly Crowdy Head, and this cold water has taken the edge off some of that inshore fishing (if you see dark, brown water with a lot of sediment, that’s typically the cold water). Fortunately, it’s starting to clear up, and this month we should see more moderate water temperatures with a bit of luck. As a result, the snapper fishing on the inshore reefs should pick up again. The fishing along our beaches been a little bit quiet, but as we get closer to Christmas, we can expect to see a lot of whiting along our beaches. Mixed in with these guys have been quite a few dart and bream. There have been a couple of mulloway caught lately by night time anglers. When targeting these fish I prefer either the build-up to a tide or coming off the tide. Up to a full moon is good, but I tend to like the first quarter to half of the moon. A water temp of around 20°C
or a bit better, combined with a little bit of swell, is perfect. As the month progresses, we may see a few coastal schools of tailor, and if that happens it will enhance that mulloway situation.
the inshore reefs and rocks, providing a reliable food source for predators like kingfish. Hopefully this month, we should also see snapper being caught off the rocks, plus trevally and kingfish. Estuary-wise, the fishing been pretty good. Whiting catches have been boosted by the prawn runs, with good catches in the Marks Point dropover area, and Salts Bay, which tends to fire up in December. There have been good numbers of bream throughout the system in the wake of the November prawn run. Anglers have been catching increasing numbers of flathead in the lake and in the channel, and this month a lot of the larger flathead will move into the shallower water. Remember there’s a no-take on fish above 70cm. If you catch an oversize fish, please don’t hold it vertically with lip-grips. When dangling vertically, a bigger fish can suffer internal damage that will eventually kill it,
crabs, and as we move into Christmas that should continue. In the lake, you are currently allowed two round, enclosed traps and four witches hats per person. Female crabs with eggs must be released. As I write this report, larger vessels still can’t Our problematic with entering the channel at the moment we’re into November there was supposed to be maintenance dredging at the moment larger vessels can’t get to the ocean, or in from the ocean. Hopefully they’ll clear a passage before Christmas to allow our Christmas visitors to come in. problem for bigger game boats. Only around 1m or so at high tide. • Fisherman’s Warehouse Tackle World has a large range fresh and frozen bait as well as a huge range of rods, reels, lures and accessories. They also sell and service outboard motors, and have a competitivelypriced selection of new and second-hand boats. The friendly staff are all
Dr Nick with a few snapper and trag. Image courtesy of Sandy Bottom Boat Charters. The presence of whiting is good for mulloway too; these big predators will snap up a whiting as readily as a tailor. Through spring the rock fishing continued to be very good for luderick and drummer, although at the time of writing we’re waiting for the warmer current. Hopefully in December, coastal bonito should start coming into
even if it initially swims away strongly. Support the fish under the belly instead. It’s also best to use a damp towel to hold the fish while dehooking it, and moisten the brag mat. These matures help to stop the fish’s protective slime from coming off, so it doesn’t become vulnerable to parasites and bacteria. We have had a really good run of blue swimmer
experienced local anglers, and they’re always happy to share their knowledge, whether you’re a novice or experienced angler. Drop in for a chat at 804 Pacific Highway, Marks Point, or give them a call on (02) 4945 2152. You can also find them on Facebook, or check out their website at www. f i s h e r m a n s w a re h o u s e .com.au. DECEMBER 2022
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Catching a Xmas feed ILLAWARRA
Greg Clarke
It’s time to hit the beaches and actually get a feed of quality fish. Last month was a good start, but this month is better. The water is warming so your toes don’t get cold, and the fish have spread out over all of the local beaches. Whiting were a bit hit-and-miss last month
many anglers make is hitting the beach and setting up camp in the one spot and hoping there are fish in that spot. However, when chasing whiting it is best to be mobile. With a bag over your shoulder and the worms on your belt, you can walk the beach casting into likely gutters and flats until you find the fish. They are usually in schools. It’s a similar situation
A few nice reds are about over the deeper reef areas in 30-50m. but are now pretty much a given on all the beaches, so a few beach worms and a bit of walking should get a few. One of the mistakes
with the bream. They are not on every centimetre of beach but they’re in schools, so you must find them and when you do, happy days.
Chasing the big jewies (mulloway) that will be about this month, particularly around the Christmas/New Year big tides, is a different kettle of fish (sorry, bad pun). These guys tend to actively hunt during the evenings just after dark, when they move from their day time hiding/ layup spots to chase down the whiting, tailor bream and whatever else they can find along the beach, often while travelling along the coast. For this reason, picking a good, deep gutter and setting up for the long, dark hours on the rising tide is the key. You will also score some tailor and salmon as they like to move in after dark too, and even a few bream. A good sign is when you are getting a few fish, particularly tailor, and then they suddenly stop biting. There is usually a reason for them suddenly going off the bite, and often that reason is a big mulloway has just moved into the gutter and is hunting them. They also get active on heavily overcast and rainy days with a bit of chop on the water, so put on the raincoat and have a look. It’s not like we haven’t had much rain this year, so you should be used to it. Flathead will be about and grabbing whatever comes past their nose, but flicking a few plastics in the gutters is always a good way to pass some time. The rocks are on the up and up as well, with schools of salmon, small kings, bonito and tailor working the headlands hunting schools of baitfish. Port Kembla break walls, Honeycomb, Windang
This 65cm brown trout was a PB for Neal Morgan. He caught the stonker fish while fishing Tullaroop Reservoir during the flooding rain!
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Schools of tailor and bonito are about grabbing lures cast into the feeding masses. Island, Bass Point and all the deep water points around Kiama will fish well this month. Spend some time catching live yellowtail, mackerel or squid as the big kings are back lurking close in the washes in the early mornings and late afternoons. They are great to hook but hard to land. Alternatively, you could try big poppers cast on a heavy threadline outfit for maximum excitement value. For something more sedate there are still plenty of drummer, bream and a few trevally in the washes if you just want to walk the edges and cast into likely-looking spots with unweighted baits of prawn and cunje. Something to remember too it is now mandatory to wear PFDs while fishing on all Wollongong council area rock platforms. There is a 12-month grace period at the moment before fines are imposed. We have one very dangerous platform in the area, notably Honeycomb, but making this law a blanket for the whole coast is ridiculous because most of the local ledges are formed, so it is virtually impossible to get washed in. Still, that is the way things are these days. Offshore it can be a bit hit-and-miss over the coming weeks, with cold water welling up from down deep, turning everything off the bite. Water surface temps of 15°C are not uncommon at this time of the year, before boiling through the next day at 22-23°C and full of life, before settling down after Christmas and getting sensational. The FADs are always
worth a look for any early dolphinfish, and the early ones are generally bigger than the hot water schoolies. Kingfish are what many anglers are looking for, and these fish don’t mind a little cooler water. As long as the current is running they will have a crack at your baits. Bellambi Reef, the islands and Bass Point are key spots close to shore, while Wollongong Reef, Bandit and the Hump in the north will be the pick of the deeper spots. Down rigged squid and mackerel seem to be the method of choice these days to hook big kings, but in the deeper water spots, big knife jigs are lethal. Just bear in mind that leatherjackets can prove costly to the jig stocks if they are about. Further offshore there have been a few school yellowfin up to 30kg about, but they have been patchy and a long way out. A few striped marlin have been sighted and hooked while chasing the ‘fin but it won’t be long before the blacks arrive. If they are early a few should show up on the last week of December as they pass through, because we know they will be in Jervis Bay for the LBG guys right after Christmas, as they are on most years. If you need some bait there are a few striped tuna getting about out past 50 fathoms, and the odd school blowing up in closer, along with the schools of salmon and bonito in the bays and headlands. Some nice snapper have shown up over the reefs in 30-50m of water, gabbing plastics and micro jigs. Fish to 6kg are not uncommon,
with 1-3kg the norm. For the bottom bouncers there are plenty of flatties about over all of the sand patches, with some of them pushing 60cm particularly up on the northern sands. However, they will not last as the trawlers put the cutters through them during the nights in the run up to Christmas. When they disappear and they are still on the smaller sand areas, that is why. Mowies are around in good numbers and if you want to put the pick down and do a bit of berleying, there have been good numbers of small snapper to around the kilo mark about over the closer reefs and gravel. As mentioned earlier, the bigger fish are in the deeper water, and will this be the season that the trag make a return. It seems to be every four years or thereabouts, so a look at the trag bumps on warm moonlit night could pay dividends. There were a few fish about last year so this may be the one. The lake and Minnamurra have whiting over all the flats, grabbing squirt worms and nippers. Flathead are now just about everywhere but will get even better as the month progresses. Plastics and poddy mullet are the baits, and a feed is just about guaranteed. Bream are in the feeder streams to the lake and around the bridges in the lake, and Minnamurra during the evenings. The feeder streams are also holding some fair-sized mullet, and it’s great fun for the kids. Throw in a few tailor and blackfish around the weed beds and there is plenty of fun in the estuaries.
NSW
Festivities and surface lures December is here, and we are still alive and kicking. The media loves painting a picture of doom and gloom, as if we are walking through a minefield all year. However, here in Australia during summer we turn off the telly and go catch a flattie, have a barbie and down a beer while we complain about the in-laws. It’s a great month of sunshine, seeing family and friends, beers, BBQs, food, wine
the bass fishing goes on. Because of the rain we are seeing more worms and frogs (and also more lizards, eyeing off the frogs). With this in mind, it could be that worms or frog lures are a good lure choice for bass before the cicadas come on. These days there’s a whole host of terrestrial lures on the market, from lizards with interchangeable tails, to mice and budgies. It shows fish like bass and cod will take most things off the surface. If lure design continues down this track, who knows – next year
the lure they notice on social media, but realistically it doesn’t matter whether it’s an Ecooda prawn, a Zerek, a Berkley Shimma or a Chasebait. Regardless of which one you choose, prawns are a great presentation, especially the weedless options that don’t collect weed or get snagged, which are becoming more and more popular. Even weedless hooks, or Tackle Tactics Chinlockz hooks with weight or adjustable weights, are becoming more popular as fishos expand their options. The old Carolina rig seems to be making a comeback also. Now that it’s summer, it’s the estuaries’ time to shine. Although the rain and the La Niña weather system is trying to dampen it, conditions have settled somewhat, and the estuaries will take any break in the weather to build on. I believe it will be a good summer in the estuary, it just might mean most of the fishing will be up the front. If the rain holds off, then we might see it fire up more upstream, and that will be a bonus. And by next month we should be talking about whiting coming to the party to make summer complete. The beaches have had some good salmon, tailor and trevally catches in recent weeks, and this month the whiting will be starting to show up and steal the show. There’s nothing more Aussie than walking the beach, catching worms
and casting paternoster rigs with small red worm hooks at whiting during summer. To turn it up a notch, add a PVC pipe rod holder, and a beach chair with a cold stubby in it. Maaaate, it doesn’t get better. Fishing the stones, rocks, ledges or headlands could get you a kingfish if you know what you are doing. Fishos who love lures, expensive 10ft rods and fishing reels are out and about looking for the elusive kingy. Places like Snapper Point, Pretty Point, Tabourie Island etc will have these die-hard anglers casting thousands of different lures, thousands of times. You can use livies under a balloon or opt for bait at times, but it’s a real rush catching a good king on a lure. Divers have sighted some big fish moving down the coast, so they are around. As the summer goes on, we can expect bonito, mac tuna and other pelagics to turn up also. The inshore reef fishing can continue to be good throughout December, with snapper available and now the chance of kingfish also. Land based restricts you to one spot, whereas the boat can troll lures past several spots like headlands and bommies. The FADs will be in as well, and should be starting to hold fish. The artificial reef will be getting a fair share of visitors this month, as it has been for a year
Jake Cooper has found some nice mulloway lately. and fishing. December is a “don’t stress” month. And if you have a history of getting irritated behind the wheel when battling holiday traffic, just have a beer and get your partner to drive. I’m a problem solver. It’s also generally a warmer month, which can make fishing more comfortable, but the La Niña weather system brings its moisture, so it’s the same story for the last couple of years: expect some rain. Still, that doesn’t put an end to the fishing. December is typically a good month upstream chasing bass, and this season should be is no different – even after all the rain and dirty water,
we’ll be throwing the new possum, cockatoo, magpie or kitten lure at angry Australian native fish! I’m quite confident we’ll see some bass action this month, and as we move downstream things should get better. If the rain happens to ease up a bit, we could see estuary perch, mulloway, bream, whiting and flatties moving into the upper reaches of the estuary. If the rain persists, these fish will be chasing the tidal saltwater towards the front of the estuary, so keep that in mind. Prawn lures are all the craze at the moment, and to be honest they are all as good as each other. Sometimes fishos get fixed on the marketing and chase
Snapper will be a target species this month, just ask Louis.
Jake has also had good success on the snapper. now, and recent underwater footage is showing life and fish congregating. The coordinates are 35°.53.169’ S, 150°.12.178’ E and 35°.53.126’ S, 150°.12.211’ E. The reason there are two sets of coordinates is because there are two reefs near each other. I mentioned the DPI website because it has the FAD coordinates also and some good information if you haven’t already discovered it. Offshore we are anticipating marlin in the coming weeks. The odd one has already shown his beak, and if the currents favour December, more beak faces will show up, particularly towards the end of the month. Over the last few years we’ve had a great run of yellowfin tuna, and after a great winter of larger models and the typical spring run of smaller fish, there still is the possibility of yellowfin on the shelf and beyond with the way things have been the last few years. Keep an eye out for them when marlin fishing, or even go out over the shelf for a look every now and again. The Tollgate Classic is Batemans Bay’s annual game fishing event held in mid-January. It’s a great event for marlin fishers, and definitely one to put on the calendar. So come and see us here at Batemans Bay – every day is paradise. • For more up-to-theminute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).
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DECEMBER 2022
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Expect the unexpected because of all the rain BERMAGUI
Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com
We all know rain or floods are great for the environment in the longterm, but when is it too much water? Well again, the East Coast has copped a hammering, with nearly all the freshwater catchments full to capacity, rivers are running bankers, and freshwater is basically meeting the ocean. As for the clarity… well, it is brown. So what should we anglers do? Sadly, some of the good things we were looking forward to, like the prawns, are likely to have been flushed out into the ocean. This has an effect on how the fish will perform, especially in the estuaries and lakes. The fish will still be there, it just means they will start to focus on other food sources that are available. Shellfish like pipis, cockles or small oysters are sought after by bream and whiting. These fish also have a taste for nippers and squirt worms, which seemingly have thrived as a result of
the rains. Other predator fish like flathead, trevally, tailor and jewfish (mulloway) thrive
in these result of plenty of of small
conditions. As a the rains, there is new life, with lots fish on the menu
Tuna of many species can be found in the waters around Bermagui.
Bad hair day, great fishing day.
for these large ones. Lure fishing can be great in these conditions, especially for the flathead, where many types of gold, flashy lures are working best. The good news is the offshore scene. Along the coast there is some pelagic action happening in the form
of salmon schools patrolling the coastline. Anglers have been having lots of fun with these fish from the beaches, rocky platforms and out on the ocean. Once located, it’s likely that you will catch many a fish in a session, providing lots of entertainment.
The reef and bottom fishing is an area that definitely has benefitted from the rains. All the nutrients, along with the many food sources for bottom-dwelling aquatic creatures, settle not far from shore after these rain To page 77
Historical Tathra wharf is getting a rebuild TATHRA
Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com
When in Tathra, most people like to visit the wharf, either for the fishing or just to have a look at this historic landmark. The wharf is currently undergoing
a total rebuild, and apparently this will be a gradual process, maybe taking up to two years to complete. This is not bad news for fishos or tourists though, as it is going to take place in stages, thus allowing the public access during the rebuild. Once finished, the wharf will apparently
be restored back to its original stature, with safety in mind, making it a great viewing and fishing platform for all to enjoy. So, this summer when you are visiting the wharf, your usual candidates should be there for you to encounter. Starting with the basics, slimy mackerel or yellowtail are a staple for
Historical Tathra Wharf is in the process of getting a rebuild, but you can still visit.
Family holidays fishing together, and another one in the net! 76
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anglers with a light spin rod, providing hours of entertainment. Throw in some trevally as well, and it’s happy days. Another little lightweight species that is popular here is the tasty garfish. Floats with a little bit of peeled prawn in combination with some berley is all that is needed to catch these fish. While on the float
scene, there are other species here that you may also think about targeting. You can catch luderick on cabbage weed close to the rocks, or drift out a live bait (like one of those mackerel or yellowtail) and you may find yourself connected to a salmon, tailor, bonito, kingfish, tuna, or small shark. You can also try long, raking casts with heavy sinkers
to get onto the bottom, where flathead will be an option. Now for those who like to cast lures around, those passing schools of salmon are a target species along with frigate mackerel, tailor, kingfish, or bonito. Come night-time come the squid, this is likely to be the best chance at To page 77
From page 76 Bermagui
events. This provides an abundance of tucker for many fish species. Tiger or sand flathead feast on what is washed out, while gummy sharks, flounder or gurnard will all get into the act. On the reefs themselves, your usual suspects are here in the form of snapper, morwong, perches and nannygai, along with those extremely tasty pigfish, you may need to move around a bit to find them although there is plenty of new
ground to be found as a result of big seas pushing sand off covered rocks exposing new rocky areas where fish will be only to eager to explore. Out further afield, warm currents are already pushing along our coastline. Early season tuna in the form of albacore, stripies or the occasional small yellowfin and bluefin are there to be found. Most of the tuna being encountered are out over the canyons, mostly in 1000 fathoms. In
recent weeks, trolling has usually worked the best, although stopping to berley may work as well, and give you a greater chance of raising a mako shark. While berleying, if you have that deep water gear, fish like hapuka, big-eye trevalla or ling will be on the short list, along with other oddballs. Finally, by the looks of the currents bringing that warm water for those diehard bill fishers, it is looking like the marlin will not be far away.
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Fishing for whiting over the sand flats on ultra-light spin tackle is great fun. From page 76 Tathra
acquiring some of these tasty morsels either with jigs or bait. Due to some major rain events leading up to Christmas, most of the estuaries and lakes have had a good flush, which in turn took most of the prawn stocks with them.
This is not all bad news, however, as with these systems being open to the ocean there are plenty of fresh fish stocks coming into them from the ocean. The Bega River, Nelsons Lagoon, Wapengo and Wallagoot Lake area all choice areas for estuary fish.
Although there may not be a lot of prawns around to feast upon, there are plenty of other aquatic food sources following the floods. These prey items will be snapped up by flathead, bream, whiting, luderick, trevally plus many more this season.
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School holidays, kids catching fish, it doesn’t get any better. DECEMBER 2022
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Celebrations for cod ALBURY/WODONGA
Connor Heir
ACod anglers, it’s time to dust off the heavy gear, tie those fresh leaders and get stuck into it. It really is an exciting time of year as a Murray cod angler. The 3-month season closure not only gives the species time
the constant high and dirty water has made it hard to fish in a lot of local areas, particularly the rivers and creeks where I would usually spend my opening few months of the Murray cod season. If the rainfall does back off as previously predicted, we could be in for an awesome cod season in the
happen with forecasting the weather and future rainfall, but experts are predicting La Niña to pass into the early year. And let’s be honest, we are all hoping that this is correct. Putting cod season aside, the wrap-up of spring time was a really exciting time to be fishing. We saw amazing numbers of
Walking the banks small water cod fishing is where it all started for many keen cod anglers. For the most part, into the cod season for this time of year we can usually expect pretty good results on catching numbers of fish. Walking banks, kayaking or boating – it doesn’t matter, our
region offers some really fantastic places to do any of these styles of fishing. For me personally, cod opening is all about going back to basics and fishing the way that first got me hooked: walking the banks
of the small water systems. However, no matter what style of fishing you prefer, it’s definitely an exciting time of year just to get back into what we love doing. All the best for this cod season, and good luck.
It’s hard to beat the patterns on these amazing fish. to breed, but also it gives we anglers time to reflect on how much we really love chasing these amazing fish. And now the wait is over – cod season is here! As I write this article in advance, it can be difficult to predict what flows are going to be like going into the end of December and into the new year. La Niña has stuck around for a long time now, and we had one of the wettest springs in a long time, and certainly the wettest I’ve ever seen in my life. While consistent rainfall can do good for ecosystems,
upcoming year. After any floods and flush-outs of our rivers, the fishing is always just better after it (once it returns back to normal flows and clarity). Summertime is always a really good time of year to chase down good numbers of fish. You can have sessions that exceed into double figures of fish landed on most outings, if the conditions are right. I think cod anglers around our region should be excited for what’s to come once the weather patterns do return to normal. It’s never fully guaranteed what will
yellowbelly pulled from Lake Hume, and the trout fishing in the river below Lake Hume was nothing short of epic as well. The yellowbelly fishing in particular was some of the best yellowbelly fishing I’ve ever seen personally in my life, the numbers of fish caught were high and also just the quality of most of the fish caught was amazing too. And if cod season isn’t shaping up to being good for flows and clarity, like always Lake Hume is also on our doorstep to fish, no matter what time of year.
The calm before the storm. A quality Lake Hume golden perch from late spring. We should see golden perch numbers fire into the warmer months.
Fishing mad 5-year-old Lexton landed this impressive 46cm trevally while fishing along the Mooloolaba River.
A quality brown trout caught before mega water releases below Lake Hume. 78
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Breaking out the big guns BATLOW
Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au
Now that the Murray cod season is finally officially open in all waters, it’s time to break out the big lures in hope of that fish of a lifetime. The target species over the last few months has been golden perch but this will change this month as anglers switch from small lure and bait presentations to large ones to increase their chances of hooking into a Murray cod or two. There were some absolute cracking Murray cod caught last season, with the pick of these being caught by persistent night fishos. Good numbers of smaller fish can be caught during the day, either casting or trolling, but the really big fish are very hard to entice whilst the sun is up, and hence the big fish are best targeted at night. COD TROLLING Trolling for Murray cod during the day requires a different technique to trolling for Murray cod at night. The reason for this is that most cod will sit either close to the bottom or right on the bottom, and they almost
The smaller trout streams in the area have been running a banker for months, and the result is huge numbers of well-conditioned trout. The small streams make a great alternative to the larger rivers in the area. in the shallows. So it makes sense that during the day it is best to troll your lures as close to the bottom as possible to give you the best chance of enticing a strike, whereas at night a lure that runs shallower and even in mid water should
casting a go. If you have never tried it I highly recommend it, as the reaction strike from a big Murray cod whilst retrieving your lure is second to none. Sometimes it feels like you have been electrocuted or even slapped hard, the hits are that violent. If you are
the ever-reliable spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and large soft plastics. Large swimbaits and glidebaits are another great casting lure for big Murray cod, especially in less snaggy areas. These fish see a lot of spinnerbaits, so if you’re using spinnerbaits I strongly recommend the use of singlebladed spinnerbaits. These spinnerbaits will still have enough flash and vibration
The Tumut River has been living up to its reputation as the most consistent trout fishery on the mainland of Australia, with countless trout of this size littered throughout the entire river system. to attract the fish, while not scaring them in the process. For anglers that have caught Murray cod in every
Casting lures like this Insanity Tackle DDG glidebait for Murray cod is one of the most addictive ways to target these iconic fish. always will be near some sort of structure during the heat of the day. That being said, they will still feed if something comes close enough, but they generally will not chase anything too far from the safety of their chosen snag. Under the cover of darkness Murray cod feel much more at ease, and will leave the safety of their snag and cruise around in search of food. They can be found hunting in mid water at times, and they are frequently encountered gorging themselves right up
give you a better chance of connecting to a fish than a lure that is running along the bottom. There are certainly exceptions to this, like all things in fishing, but at Blowering Dam in particular this trend is pretty consistent. COD CASTING Casting lures rather than trolling them is becoming much more popular on the freshwater fishing scene. This is most evident at Blowering Dam where 10 years ago you would rarely if ever see someone casting lures, and now it seems every third or fourth boat is giving the
faint-hearted I probably wouldn’t recommend it as the adrenalin goes into overdrive and the heart almost always skips a beat or two when the cod first hits, or you first see the true size of the beast you have hooked. In saying this, I still haven’t really described just how awesome the feeling is of that first big strike from a big native. Trust me – once you start this type of fishing you will be hooked and will find it hard to go back to trolling. Fly fishing for Murray cod is nowhere near as difficult as Some of the best lures for some people will have you believe, and it is a great way casting at Blowering whilst of fishing for these iconic fish. Once you hook a fish or targeting the Murray cod are two this way, you’ll find it hard to fish any other way.
conceivable way and are looking for new challenges, why not try catching a Murray cod on fly this season? Fly fishing for Murray cod is not as hard as people would have you believe. You just cast the flies into exactly the same places as you would your lures, and retrieve them in a similar way. Simply cast to your chosen snag, weed bed, drop-off or other suitable fish-holding structure and allow your fly to sink into the strike zone, then slowly and methodically strip the fly back to your feet or the boat, the same way you would a lure. Some days, fast constant strips are what is needed, but generally a slow, steady strip is all that is needed, interspersed with the odd pause to allow your fly to sink back down into the strike zone. It is also worth noting that when fishing for Murray cod, more often then you only need to cast short distances to cover the small snag etc. that you think the fish is holding on. You don’t need to be able to cast a million miles when fly fishing, and you can teach yourself the fundamentals by watching an instructional DVD or YouTube clip. You’ll learn to cast the short distances required for catching Murray cod on fly in no time at all. Just like lure casting, once you start this form of fishing you will find it hard to do anything else. Until next article, good luck, good fishing, and tight lines. DECEMBER 2022
79
NSW
Leaping lizards in December NEW ENGLAND RIVERS
Adam Townsend
It is all about the cod this month! As of 1 December, in NSW, all Murray cod waterways are now re-opened for fishing. After a 3-month rest, the cod should be ready to fire up again and willing to eat most types of lures and/or bait, if you wish to target them that way. Although I do love chasing those extralarge winter fish, there is something about the summer months that is hard to beat when targeting Murray cod. There always seems to be a bulk amount of wildlife around in the warmer months, both above and below the water’s surface, which always seems to keep the adventures outdoors very interesting. This season could be very different from the past couple, with the amount of water the country has received this year after the record rainfalls we have had. Although the New England area has not been in complete flood like many places along the coast, it has definitely had its share of rain. Many of the rivers have broken the banks several times, seeing the local impoundments reaching well over full capacity and with more rains predicted for this summer season, I would imagine the
Two of the author’s favourite lures and outfits: Megabass Vatalion, Cod King 250mm ‘Bony Bream’, Murasame 751M 7’5’’ Medium 2-6oz 15-35lb, and Murasame 7101H 7’10’’ Heavy 3-8oz 25-50lb rods. The reel is an Abu Garcia Toro 300 spooled with 40-50lb line.
Lizards, waterhens, snakes, birds, mice, frogs, craybobs, shrimp, baitfish and Christmas beetles are abundant at this time of year, so replicating them will give you a good chance at catching cod and golden perch. and late in the afternoon would definitely be one of my favourite fishing styles at this time of year. As mentioned, there is plenty of wildlife about, and lizards such as skinks, bearded water dragons and blue-tongue lizards can be found very abundantly in the summer months, especially along the water’s edge. This is another perfect reason to keep something very similar in your tacklebox. Two other lure types I would recommend to keep
that pretty much all waterways across NSW are now opened back up to fishing for bass and trout. Bass season opened on 1 November in the smaller systems, and trout season opened up several weeks beforehand. With so many species to target and many waterways to explore, it will
be a cracking month to be on the water. The full moon will be above on the 8th of this month, with the new moon falling on the 23rd. Good luck to all getting out on the water this month, and fingers crossed for another awesome season ahead.
closed during the Murray cod spawning period, and is now opened back up to targeting of Murray cod again. With so much flood water about and lots of debris floating into the dam, be mindful when boating around at full speeds. The same thing will go with Copeton and many other dams around NSW at the moment. All in all, it should shape up to be another awesome month for fishing, and just getting outdoors in general, especially as the weather
Matching the hatch with reptile-style lures, such as this ‘water dragon’ wake-bait, can be very successful at this time of year.
This chunky Murray cod ate a prototype swimbait close to 200mm long, right before dark on a stormy afternoon. rivers and dams will stay full and overflowing for a while yet, and with the creeks and rivers flowing harder than normal, targeting the back eddies and slower-flowing parts of the systems should give you a pretty good chance at finding an active fish willing to eat a bait. Throwing topwater lures around early in the morning 80
DECEMBER 2022
close at this time of year are a nice medium-sized swimbait you are confident in, along with a chatterbait of some type. With only these three lure types, you can pretty much cover all levels in the water column, from the surface, all the way to the river bed. Pindari Dam is one of the many waterways that
continues to warm up. One thing to keep in mind though with the dams being at full capacity, is that it does limit the camping spots a lot. For this reason, it does pay to be respectful when finding camping spots and fishing around other people. Although it will be mainly all about the Murray cod this month, it is worth mentioning
Baitfish are the main food source for many big fish at this time of year, so finding a swimbait you are confident in is a must. This cod could not resist a redfin look-a-like swimbait.
NSW
Surface fishing is hotting up HUNTER VALLEY
Nick Price
The fishing in Lake St Clair has been consistently good for a few months now, and during November the water temperature in Glenbawn finally rose and the fishing improved exponentially for anglers fishing the edge with lipless crankbaits and chatterbaits. The fishing into December will
will make short work of any poorly tied knots and light line. I like to start the morning by fishing the grassy banks, casting lipless cranks and chatterbaits to the bank. As the sun comes up I move into more timbered areas where the fish are more comfortable as they can access shade, ie cover. When using lipless cranks and chatterbaits, size and colour matters, and bigger is not always
that has a little less vibration and is a bit less aggressive. Size can also make a big difference, and there are some really good small chatterbaits on the market today. When hopping chatterbaits I like to use something that is snag resistant! I hate getting snagged. There are a few chatterbaits that rarely seem to tangle with bottom structure, and this saves both time and money.
unsure don’t be afraid to drop in the shop and ask. But, as always, throw something that you are confident with, and again feel free to come into the shop and ask so we can help. There have been a few trout being caught in Glenbawn from up the back to down at the spillway. The trout have been a bycatch as I don’t know anyone particularly targeting trout in Glenbawn. Most of the trout have been caught by fishers using plastics. The rivers and streams above Glenbawn up in the Barrington have been fishing exceptionally well for trout. Celta type lures and fly have been the standout. As the weather has warmed up, the insects have started hatching en masse, and the dry fly fishing has been exceptionally good. When heading up chasing trout, keep an eye on the weather. As well as the nasty storms that can crop up at this
A fat Glenbawn bass. time of year, the creeks have been flowing hard and are often too dirty or too high to fish. The ground is
Dry fly fishing is very good at this time of year. continue to be sensational, with the reaction bite continuing, and early morning and late evening surface action hotting up. When fishing the rection bite, make sure you use heavy enough line and leader to stop the fish. With all the food in the dams there are many fish over the 3lb mark, and these fish
better. There is a vast array of different chatterbaits and they all have a different purpose. When the bass are very aggressive, I like to use a chatter with a blade that puts out a lot of vibration and really excites the fish. Conversely, if the fish are not as aggressive I change the chatter to something
Always make sure chatterbaits have a stinger. This helps with bass that short strike the chatter, and also when they are super aggressive and swipe wildly at the lure. The stinger helps, and is often lodged in the side of the head! There are a few different stingers on offer, and multiple ways to rig them, so if you’re
It’s a great time of year to be out fishing with mates.
full of water, with springs seeping water everywhere, so it does not take much rain before the streams become unfishable for a few days or so. If in doubt, give us a ring at the shop and we can let you know about the river conditions before you venture to the Upper Hunter. January is a month where the fish are still hitting surface lures and reaction baits, but as the water heats up the fish go deep and the deep gulp bite comes into its own. Next month I will start to discuss deep fishing over the summer. • If you’re heading up to the Barrington, Glenbawn or St Clair, drop into the shop at the turnoff to Glenbawn in Aberdeen and ask about the different techniques and what they are biting on. The team stock all the quality tackle that you need.
FISHING NEWS
World first 1,000,000 tagged fish On 3 November 2022 the Infofish volunteer fish tagging database became the first citizen science tagging program in the world to achieve 1,000,000 tagged fish. The database, managed by Infofish Australia, includes data from the Suntag program in Queensland, AFANT tag in the Northern Territory, Westag in Western Australia and Saftag in South Australia. “It all started back in 1986 when Fisheries Queensland handed over responsibility for the Sportfish Tagging program to the Australian National Sportfishing Association Queensland branch and then the
program separated from ANSA and morphed into Suntag Australia in 2016.” said Bill Sawynok, secretary of Suntag Australia and Infofish Australia co-ordinator of the program since the start. Since then, data from the other state programs were added so that data can be consistently maintained and analysed across those states. To provide some sense of the magnitude of that achievement, over the past 36 years it involved over 17,000 taggers contributing over 198,600 days or 544 years of effort. Add to that 76,000 recaptures of tagged fish reported by 23,000 fishers and another 460,000 fish from catch records and competitions and it
results in a long timeline of valuable fisheries data. A conservative estimate is that amounts to a $30 million contribution to the knowledge base of our fisheries. “Not bad for a volunteer citizen science program” said Mr Sawynok, “But it is what the program has contributed to knowledge gain in the fisheries space is its greatest value.” Over the years the data has been used to inform such issues as range shift of species due to climate change, planning for marine parks, basic biological information on species, performance of regional and impoundment fisheries, survival of released fish, the impact of management changes and much more. It
has managed tagging data for and provided tagging data to many research projects. Currently data are available through over 50 dashboards that have over 1,200 maps and graphs that are regularly updated and provide near real time information. Traditionally tagging programs have focused on collecting data on fish. When Covid hit, the focus was extended to determine if the impact on fisher activity could be measured by looking at those tagging and recapturing fish. This showed that changes in fisher activity could be measured in terms of effort, travel and change of fishing locations. This work has been extended to look at the impact of
This tagged barramundi is just one of 76,000 recaptured fish that have a story to tell. flooding and can be used to measure change due to other things that impact on fishing such as changes in technology. “The great work of all those 17,000 fishers voluntarily contributing
their time, fishing equipment and money to tag fish needs to be acknowledged as without that what has been achieved would not have been possible.” Mr Sawynok said. – Suntag DECEMBER 2022
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Canberra
ACT
The going gets tough for locals CANBERRA
Toby Grundy
I can perfectly encapsulate the fishing action in Canberra over the last few weeks with one word, and that word is ‘slow’. The heavy rain over the last few months has had a significant impact on the fishing here in the ACT, with many anglers ignoring the local waterways altogether and looking interstate to get their fishing fix. While I have fished locally in recent weeks and have caught a few fish, I have also been seeking angling opportunities further afield and have found plenty of pelagics down the South Coast. The wild weather on the coast has had a negative impact on the rivers but the fishing from the beach, the stones and out wide has been as good as it gets. I’ve
The surface action on the coast has been fantastic.
It is possible to catch yellas down the river despite the flooding. That said, a few local anglers have landed medium-sized golden perch while fishing from kayaks at the entrance to the Molonglo River next to the hospice. This area is always worth a look at this time of year
The bay offers protection from the wind, and it is possible to catch golden perch by targeting the sunken reeds near the shoreline with wriggler-style soft plastics in natural colours. Lake Ginninderra has
waterway has been affected by heavy rain, and the weed issue still persists, which is putting a lot of anglers off. It isn’t all doom and gloom though, as I have landed a couple of reddies and a few carp while slow rolling plastics along the rock walls opposite the mall. If (and it is a big IF) we get a week or two of clear skies, Lake Ginninderra could really fire up, and creature baits fished on ned rigs will produce plenty of big golden perch and Murray cod. Lake Tuggeranong is a weird fishery. I often write about how frustrating this lake can be, and that there’s no real
Spinnerbaits are the go if you’re fishing the river. been focusing my attention on the rocks and have caught plenty of salmon, trevally, tailor and the occasional small kingfish, all on surface, which has helped me forget about the lack of fishing action closer to home. With the rain set to continue long into the summer months, cod season 2022/2023
butter freshwater natives. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin is very hit-and-miss at the present time. I have fished the lake a few times over the past couple of weeks, and while I have caught plenty of small redfin along the rock wall behind the yacht club, I have yet to land a big golden perch. Usually, by
The South Coast is the place to be at the moment. often been my go-to fishery during November and December. This year, however, the lake just hasn’t produced the big numbers of yellas and reddies that I’m accustomed to seeing, and the cod are yet to come on the bite. Again, this
pattern to bite. At the moment, the water is very discoloured and the oxygen levels on the lake continue to fluctuate dramatically. However, the unpredictable nature of the lake makes it an exciting place to fish. I have experienced
some good fishing action here in recent weeks, but I have also had plenty of fishless sessions. My suggestion is to fish the lake on calm, overcast/ rainy days. The fish seem to be more interested in taking a lure during rain events, even when the water is dirty and high. Bright, flashy lures have worked best for me, with the Jackall TN70 in peacock getting the better bites. At the time of writing, the Murrumbidgee River is in flood and will most likely be for some time. It is possible to catch smaller cod in the slower pools using spinnerbaits, but until the rain eases up, fishing the river will continue to be very tough. SURROUNDS Googong Dam is at 100% capacity, which has made casting a lure from the bank very difficult. There is so much sunken foliage in close, and plenty of timber has been washed to the sides. This issue is so bad that some anglers have started wearing waders, and have been fishing in waist-high water in the hope of connecting with one of the giant cod which inhabit the dam. Boat and kayak anglers have been faring much better, and there have been some superb captures at Googong of late. Local gun Ryan Milsted landed several massive golden perch to over 60cm during one eventful trip to the dam, and a few big reddies. The fish are on the bite and it is a case of casting lures like the Jackall TN60 which makes plenty of noise in the water and can draw fish in despite the water clarity.
The author with a good-sized salmon. in Canberra could be one of the toughest yet. I expect more and more local anglers to spend the majority of December and January driving the two hours to Batemans Bay and chasing saltwater species, as opposed to our bread and 82
DECEMBER 2022
the end of November, social media is lighting up with anglers posting pics of 50cm+ golden perch from LBG but this year, that bumper end to spring just hasn’t eventuated. This is mostly due to the turbid water and fluctuating weather.
as the natives push the bait into the shallows, and it is possible to entice a good fish by using a beetle-spin attached to a small paddle-tail soft plastic. Yarralumla Bay is another good spot to cast a line if the weather is particularly nasty.
The big cod are yet to come on the bite.
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83
VIC
Summer fun in Portland You can also muster up a good feed of whiting off the lee breakwater, town jetty and trawler wharf which are great land-based options. As the water warms up more, the North Shore beaches are also a fantastic option for big whiting. Land-based fishos are very excited that we have seen some ig snapper off the breakwater, with most reaching between 60-80cm. I have also spoken to a couple of guys that have scored some fish off Pivot Rocks in similar sizes. This is great to see, and certainly fills the breakwater quickly when they are on fire. Reports of squid, couta, pilchards, and strip baits are proving popular on the big reds. By the time you read this the
PORTLAND
Nigel Fisher
First up, we at Portland Compleat Angler would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and stay safe over the holidays. Here’s hoping that we get some better weather ahead, as we don’t really need any more rain! Over the last month we have seen the fishing improving greatly in between the weather. For instance, we have had another run of large tuna caught, well over the 100kg mark, and multiple hook-ups. These fish have been caught around Lawrences Rock from 40-60m. The bait balls have been incredible, with lots of animal life feeding off them. I’m not sure if the tuna will still be about this month, but we generally see our school tuna in the more shallow waters like the boat anchorage and North Shore, which is great for anglers with smaller boats and lighter set-ups. It’s a lot of fun. The whiting have certainly moved in with
Mac Mac, Abs and Bachar with a ripper barrel tuna.
Ben with a solid snapper off the breakwater. good boat numbers. We have found them in their normal areas such as North Shore water tower and Blacknose to Pivot. These spots are easily accessible but other spots may require larger boats and
good conditions. When boat fishing for whiting you can either anchor up or, in better conditions, drifting is a great option. Pipis, squid and sandworms are great baits to entice these awesome fish.
A nice feed of whiting drifting in 17-12m of water out from the water tower.
A cracking shark off the breakwater.
chances of kingfish caught toff the breakwater is also high. We have seen pinkie snapper in the boats, with the odd larger one in the bay. We have certainly seen some large snapper in the deep water. Again, as the water warms up, so do the reef lines along the North Shore. This improves snapper sizes and numbers.
Kingfish and school tuna will be high on many anglers’ agenda as summer sets in. Through the months of December, January and February, the bay and North Shore can fill with boats when these fish really fire up. We often see the boat ramps full at these times, which is an awesome sight. You can catch the kingfish in a variety of ways, such
as trolling lures and squid strips, live or fresh baits under floats, and casting stickbaits and soft plastics. Smaller hardbodies, skirts and stickbaits will generally entice the school tuna. On those great summer days when the sea is right, you can have some good sessions at Bridgewater for flathead and gummies, then anywhere in between there and the shelf for a big range of deepwater fish. You can encounter a wide range of species, from sharks to blue-eye trevalla, and anything in between. We are also surrounded by some great rivers and lakes, so if you are a local or you’re thinking of coming to Portland over the coming months, call in and see the crew at Portland Compleat Angler for all your bait and fishing needs, plus any information on what’s biting and where. You can also contact us on 03 5521 1844 for any reports, or you can follow us on Facebook.
Good catches from offshore WARRNAMBOOL
Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com
After a reasonably dry winter, the rain gods hit back with a vengeance during spring. The results of the deluge will probably still be felt, in some fishing situations, in December. Whilst escaping the serious damaging flooding like many parts of the state, most waterways are still super high, full and pumping out dirty water. The Hopkins in particular has blown right out. In the long run it will hopefully be a good flush for the system, but in the short term 84
DECEMBER 2022
The first kingfish of the season will hopefully show up in late December.
Plenty of brown water has been pouring out to sea through the mouth of the Hopkins River.
it has severely restricted any angling options. Some of the local systems with smaller catchments haven’t been as affected, and have
provided keen bream anglers with at least some productive fishing during these times. To page 85
VIC
Local waters loaded with fish APOLLO BAY
Craig Rippon
With all the bad weather we have had there has been limited time to get on the water. However, when we have been able to get out, the fishing has been good. There have still been some good tuna around. It’s strange to still have big fish here this late in the year. They have been here for a while now so who knows what will happen? They could be a yearly thing. All the reefs are loaded with snapper, as you should normally expect for this time of year. There are also good numbers of gummy shark and school shark about. Some have been around the 25kg mark, so they’re good fish. The water temperature has risen quite quickly and with a good spell of warm weather ahead, hopefully we
It’s well worth trying for squid in Apollo Bay.
can get out more coming into the holiday period. I have had a crack at the whiting lately, with one great trip with good numbers of big fish. However, last trip the water colour wasn’t great, with a bit too much fresh water running into the sea out of the flooded rivers. This does tend to slow them down but I think it all lines up for a very good season on the King George. They are lovely to eat so it’s well worth chasing them. You can catch them in the harbour as well as a feed of squid. The squid seem to like the warmer weather, and white Clix jigs have been working well. There have also been good sized flathead on the go as well. The local Vic Tuna Classic was a great success in Apollo Bay this year, and it was great to see it happening again after COVID. There were some great fished
Local fisho Dave Merry with a nice school shark. weighed in around the 130kg mark, and the first morning was the best with about 10 barrels recorded. With Christmas just
around the corner, it’s time to knock the dust off the fishing gear and hopefully we’ll get some nice weather to hit the water.
Here come the holidays COBDEN
Rod Shepherd
La Niña is taking a great toll on much of southeastern Australia, and the southwest of Victoria is no exception. Plenty of rain has kept the rivers in flood, meaning any estuary fishing is more or less out of the question. The salt is the only
option, but there haven’t been many breaks in the weather in which to head offshore or battle the surf. However, some intrepid anglers with time on their hands are getting out and wetting a line. Offshore the squid are moving in close so they can breed, lay and guard eggs, then die as their life cycle has ended. This is a snapper and shark fest, so in the near future there’s no
need to bottom bash for the above species, plus more. When squid die they float to the surface, so sending out an unweighted bait and allowed to waft and slowly sink down through the water column can and will produce results especially leading up to the Christmas break. In saying that, right now in 30-50m depth over a rubbly bottom (not necessarily reef)
The Eumeralla River that flows into Yambuk Lake is rather on the small side, but still very fishable.
The bream are responding to slow fished hardbodies that possess maximum movement when the water settles down. From page 84
Unfortunately, some of the lakes that often fish well when the rivers have blown out, have been a little quiet too. In the past when the Hopkins has blown out big time, some good bream fishing could be found around the boat ramp area. However, this time, with the works going on with the new ramp, that
hasn’t been an option this time. The Warrnambool ramp is scheduled to be finished and open in December, but it will be interesting to see if all this bad weather delays these intended plans. Using the Port Fairy ramp to access offshore fishing has obviously been the pick of local reports recently, when anglers
could get a weather window. Some quality gummy and school sharks up to 20kg have been encountered, as well as a late run of 80-100kg tuna that popped up in late October between Port Fairy and Portland. Looking ahead to December and hopefully some summer conditions – or at least, spring-like conditions. The Killarney
sees the boater in prime position to catch the above species. Fresh squid, either stripped or whole (if small) along with yakka or slimy mackerel fillets are working well. Nannygai, rock flathead, rock cod, morwong and leatherjacket are other species taking baits. Watch out for schools of barracouta surface feeding along with Australian salmon, and over the sand and weed beds the whiting are starting to fire up, and catching a silver trevally or three is not
out of the question. Pipi meat remains the number one soft bait to attract the whiting and trevs. Schools of baitfish are beginning to congregate not far offshore, which means there’s a distinct possibility of yellowtail kingfish turning up again, hopefully in good numbers, in the not too distant future. Yambuk Lake has put on a show recently, with an estuary perch weighing 1.5kg and bream to 41cm available to those lucky enough. Using soft plastics
and hardbodies fished deep or bass yabby for live baiters have done well. This system floods quickly after heavy rain, but it soon settles down when there is a break in the weather due to its small size. The Hopkins is running hard and dirty, and the fish are sitting in 3m+ where any saltwater remains. It’s recommended to take smelly baits only such as quality frozen prawn or pilchard filleted.
area and the inshore areas just out from the Moyne at Port Fairy and in Lady Bay at Warrnambool can produce some good whiting in the 40-45cm range at this time of year. Silver trevally, squid and pinkie snapper are also common when fishing for whiting in these 4-8m waters. The first kingfish of the season should also show up later
in the month if we get some decent weather. The summer run of bluefin usually shows up in late December as well. These fish can be encountered very close inshore, sometimes in as little as 10m of water. Keeping an eye out for surface action wherever you are can lead to some unexpected encounters.
What happens in on the estuary scene will be anyone’s guess after the big rains, although December has traditionally been a great month to fish the Hopkins before the influx of summer tourists. Wandering local trout streams can be great after big floods as the power of the water can eliminate lots of previously restrictive bankside vegetation. DECEMBER 2022
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The snapper are turning it on rock walls, the jetties at St Leonards and Portarlington, plus the Geelong waterfront. Keep your plastics deep and slow to keep in the strike zone. Snapper are real suckers for berley, so it pays to send some down to a) attract a school and b) once they’re in the area, keep them there. Rod Beer is a gun fisho who lands plenty from the local piers. Rod fishes St Leonards pier after dark and has landed some ripping snapper this season. Rod has also caught some solid calamari fishing out of a boat locally. The Barwon River in Geelong and all the way through Barwon Heads is like coffee with the heavy rains we’ve had. This does make it difficult to fish – especially if there is a bunch of freshwater streaming out during the outgoing tide. If you have to fish it, try earthworms after
GEELONG
Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com
We’ve had a wet lead up to summer which has filled the local dams, and turned the rivers brown, but the fish don’t care a great deal and have been biting well around the region. Snapper are well and truly turning it on again this year, with good numbers of fish around the 3-5kg bracket taking baits and lures worked deep. Calamari haven’t really stopped and have been consistently good over the last few months. Anywhere there is a decent weed patch is worth lobbing a jig. King George whiting have been around in waves; some weeks they are quiet while at other times they bite their heads off. Schools can be quite localised too, so if you’re not getting a bite, keep moving. They’ve also been showing up in a wide
Rod was rewarded for the long hours he put in with a solid snapper from St Leonards pier after dark.
Rod Beer proves snapper can still be caught land-based during the day on the Bellarine. range of sizes, from baitstealing pencils to 40cm+. Again, keep moving and try a wide variety of depths from 2-8m. I had a day out with my 14yo lad off Clifton Springs in glassy conditions. It was a bit too flat as it turned out, as we could only boat a few small calamari. Anyway, I had a bit of fun grabbing his leg and shouting when he was tentatively reaching into the black water of the live well to retrieve a squid. My work colleague Wayne Gibson fished out off Portarlington where he boated a few solid calamari and bagged out on King George whiting in 3m of water. Wayne says they caught stacks of undersized and just legal-sized fish, but said they moved heaps 86
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Solid calamari have been caught around the Bellarine, as Rod can attest.
and that was the key to find some better fish around the 40cm mark. Good news for those
seeking a few snapper, as these fish have been biting well in the region. St Leonards and Indented Head anglers have found snapper a fair way out, around the 20m mark, while those fishing Portarlington to Point Henry have found quality fish near the shipping channel. In the past, anglers have caught quality snapper trolling along the shipping channel using downriggers and deep divers, so that could be worth a shot. However, bait fishing for them does have the runs on the board, and with good reason. A big, fat, stinky pilchard is pretty hard to resist for Mr. Red, so it pays to have a pilly out there, even if you are fishing with other baits like squid. Solid snapper are caught every year by soft plastics enthusiasts. The grass beds from Clifton Springs to Point Henry hold fish, and this stretch is a favourite for lure flickers. Land-based anglers should try St Helens and Limeburners
Michael looks pretty pumped catching an estuary perch from Painkalac Reservoir near Aireys Inlet. dark for bream as far upstream as you can go around the Sheepwash. The Queenscliff boat harbour has been going off with silver trevally and pinkie snapper to 40cm. Jake Thomas found Swan Bay a bit windy so he poked around the holes near the yacht club until he found a few schools of trevally and pinkies tucked hard against the structure. Lots of fun using his own South
Coast Soft Plastic worms and grubs. Jake says he has also caught a few salmon inside Swan Bay. He locates the school prospecting with soft plastic lures first, then sends
extended from Black Rock to Point Nepean, and there was no bird life. We headed west until we found some green water out off Torquay where there were birds everywhere diving on dolphins working bait. We trolled around the bait schools for hours without luck. We managed a few reef fish bottom bashing, but nothing to write home about. We did see some humpback whales getting into the bait too, and the dolphins surfing the bow wave made for a pretty cool day. Nathan Wring had a day offshore as well and boated a solid pinkie snapper while fishing in 30m of water with a large chunk of salmon meant for a gummy shark. Salmon should start to school up out off Barwon Heads and in the Rip over summer. They can be in big numbers and can be anywhere from 500g to 4kg. They are such a great sportfish – it is really worth flicking a lure into
Gotta love a surface salmon! Jake has caught a few inside Swan Bay.
Nathan boated this quality snapper on a salmon bait meant for a gummy.
them a few surface lures which is great fun. The calamari have been in good numbers around Queenscliff, with a few over the 2kg mark in and around Victory Bight. I fished offshore from Barwon Heads in an absolute glamor day with Andrew Sertic. The brown water
the school. It wouldn’t be summer without kingfish – I have to be honest, 10 years ago I thought I’d never be saying that as they were pretty much non-existent in Victoria. The last year, there were some true brutes over 20kg lost and landed in the Rip and along the Surf Coast, and a To page 87
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Fishing for all our favourites PORT PHILLIP
Gerry Morsman
You can always feel the hype around the boat ramps at this time of year, as all our favourite species are on offer and generally in pretty good numbers. The snapper are going strong, the squid are everywhere, and King George whiting fishing just seems to be getting better and better every year. Gummy sharks are still around too. They tend to be there all year so you don’t
Scott Humbles with a very chubby and healthy snapper out from Carrum during the month.
SNAPPER By far our most iconic fish down here in Melbourne is snapper, and it’s easy to
see why. They are big, they fight hard and when they are on the bite you need a second set of hands. There are still plenty of fish hanging around the Black Rock area in around 10-11m of water. Squid, pilchard and silver whiting are the go-to baits as per usual, and don’t forget to berley! The idea is to berley a little bit at a time, but often. Black Rock is also the ideal place to use lures, as it’s not overly deep which makes it a lot easier. Fishing plastics or real imitation baits such as the Atomic Real Baitz have been ideal. Moving down the bay towards Carrum and Frankston, you will find very good numbers of fish at this time of year in around 18m of water. There are plenty of dumps which are artificial reefs that hold very good numbers of snapper. One of the more popular ones lately has been the old plane wreck, and you should be able to find the GPS coordinates on the internet. The most popular baits are the same as always – pilchard, squid and silver whiting. If you have fresh flesh baits like salmon or cuda, don’t be afraid to use that either.
Lorne Aquatic Club, Keith Miller, reports there have been some quality flathead biting out off Lorne. Larger snapper had been inconsistent at the time of writing, but there were plenty in the 30-40cm size range. Big gummy and school sharks around the 20kg mark have been caught out deeper along with nannygai
and morwong. The good news is that yakkas have been everywhere so with the influx of bait, the larger predators like kingfish and tuna should move into the ‘hood. Keith says the pier has been fishing as well as it ever has, with good numbers of large silver trevally biting. A wide variety of other species
Garry Nortan with a quality feed of southern calamari. really hear much hype, but there is still a lot being caught down the southern end of the bay. From page 86
few around 80cm turned up inside Corio Bay. This time last year saw a few tuna poking about off Barwon Heads, so make sure you pack a few bigger fishing sticks and keep an eye out for birds if you’re planning a day offshore. My new work colleague Michael Helwig was in search of a few new possies to wet a line, so I suggested Painkalac reservoir at the back of Aireys Inlet. The reservoir was stocked with perch and trout before it was opened, so I was excited to see Michael land a perch on a revolving blade spinner. It was only small, but good news for the future of this fishery. Michael fished the reservoir a second time but the heavy rains had turned it brown. The Commodore of the
The Queenscliff harbour has produced some quality trevally and pinkies.
Mornington has been starting to get some good reports lately also. The hospital is holding good fish, along with Ansetts Reef. KING GEORGE WHITING What a season we are having on the King George whiting! Every year just seems to be getting better and better. It seems to be that way across all areas in the country that hold King George whiting. I’m hearing good reports all the way from Port Lincoln in South Australia to Lakes Entrance in Victoria, which is great to see. Down here on the Peninsula there have been really good reports around Rosebud in around 10m of water over the patchy ground. It doesn’t seem to matter if it is an incoming or outgoing tide; as long as the tide is moving well, the fish should be there. Pipis seem to be the bait of choice around this area, with squid strips getting a mention also. Blairgowrie is a spot that doesn’t get mentioned all that often, but let me tell you it has been producing a lot of fish on the run-out tide near the green poles just outside the harbour.
It’s a great time of year down the southern end of the bay if you want to target big squid. You shouldn’t berley hard here, as this will bring in all the fish you don’t want, like toadies, small pinkies and leatherjackets. Pillies in the berley pot without mashing them will do the job, as they still have enough oil in them to give off a scent but don’t create a huge trail. Squid strips as bait
King George whiting are in big numbers and sizes. such as snotty trevally, mullet, flathead, grass whiting, snapper, salmon, King George whiting and calamari are all on offer from the Lorne pier. Anglers should be focusing on the Great Ocean Road rock ledges this summer as some quality fish are caught off the rock every year. Just be sure to keep an eye on the swell and when in doubt, hit the Lorne pier! Fish HARD – Die Happy! • Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterfish@ gmail.com with “FMG” in the subject field or give me a call on 0408 997 348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1MB (file size).
will get the job done, but make sure to always bring pipis as this could be the game changer. Getting in around the moorings off Sorrento and Portsea is always a sure bet at this time of year. You just have to make sure there is plenty of flow in the tide. Again, don’t berley too hard or you’ll attract more rubbish fish. SOUTHERN CALAMARI As always there are very good reports of southern calamari coming in from across the bay. They live for around 12 months, breed very well in our waters and with a bag limit of only 10 per person I can’t see this fishery going anywhere anytime soon. The southern end of the bay around Rye is producing very good numbers of squid. Although the consistency of
big squid aren’t there, there are still plenty to keep you entertained and will leave you going home with a good feed. Fishing in around 3-6m of water over broken ground is the key. If you can’t see the bottom in this depth it would be best to move around and find some cleaner water. Moving down to Sorrento just outside the moorings will put you in with the very good chance in around 4-5m. Using the bigger 3.5-sized jigs is always key down the southern end of the bay for two reasons. First, the squid are generally bigger so using a bigger jig just makes sense, and second, there is a lot more current and the bigger jigs have more weight to them, allowing you to get them to bottom quicker. Portsea is also fishing very well near the pier. It is closed during the week due to repairs, so there hasn’t been a huge amount of pressure there. It’s a very good place to start if you are in this area. GUMMY SHARKS The south channel is always your go-to spot for gummy sharks if you are fishing inside the bay. Most reports this month have been coming in from Rye. The key is to get in close to the edge of the channel. Gummy sharks will swim along this edge, moving up and down with the tide. Some people like the run-in, some like the run-out. Honestly, I hear plenty of reports from both, and it seems to be more important to be there either in the dark or at first/last light as these are more general times for them to feed. Using fresh bait is always key, especially if you are chasing the big ones. Gummy sharks have an extraordinarily good nose. This means they will be able to detect your bait from a long way away, and if it isn’t fresh there is a good chance the gummies won’t come over to enquire. DECEMBER 2022
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Summer snapper fishing inshore hits its peak PPB WEST
Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au
What a crazy month it has been. After waiting patiently for some decent weather and some decent fishing, things just went bang. The season is later than normal due to La Niña weather patterns, and cooler-than-normal temperatures and recent flooding has seen inconsistent water temps and challenges getting on the water. However, just like that, snapper season is here and we have just hit peak fishing time. As an avid kayak fisher, I love this time of year. It’s that smallish window where you can target big snapper on your yak only hundreds of metres from shore, ideally during the evening around the shallow reefs. All you need is one spin rod, one spin reel and
several packets of soft plastics. I generally fish a tad heavier at this time of year, with a 2-5kg or 3-6kg spin rod paired with a 2500 or 3000 size reel. I recommend using a highquality, thin diameter braid, anywhere from 12-20lb. This is particularly important when fishing these shallow reefs, as these big fish will test your gear and will also reef you from time to time. The soft plastics I like to cast include Munroe’s 3.75” paddle-tail in filthy pilchard colour, the Keitech Easy Shiner and the Berkley Turtleback worm in 4” and 7” versions. Snapper and pinkies find these plastics irresistible, and so do many other local species. Around Port Phillip Bay these accessible areas include Black Rock, Ricketts Point, Avalon, Altona, Williamstown and many more – anywhere with a decent beach launch
The author with a snapper off the rocks.
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and shallow reef areas. These are easy to identify with a decent sounder or apps like Navionics with relief shading. In these areas, I like to cover ground but also keep a keen eye on the sounder which does an amazing job at helping you to find the fish. I will say straight off that we have had quiet days on the water, and also
where I’ve landed only a few pinkies, and other days bagging out on snapper between 3-6kg. That’s snapper fishing for you, there are no guarantees. However, great intentions and attention to detail at this time of year on fishing those more productive windows can be key to success. I have also been
Pier, and many others. If you need some land-based fishing suggestions, head to ww.fishingmad.com. au, which has plenty of details. I have had multiple good sessions around Port Melbourne, Werribee and Bellarine peninsula. Just remember, land-based fishing around Melbourne means you need to be prepared to fish amongst crowds and to be patient. The standout rig has been a paternoster rig, which provides better casting distance and presents two baits at different heights. The best bait for me this past month has been strips of squid or squid rings. Like on the kayak, the keys to success have been fishing around tide changes, early mornings, evenings and sudden shifts in the barometer. If you’re bait fishing, also make sure you have fresh bait. I often use fresh squid or salmon, which I have caught plenty of whilst out on my kayak for this sole purpose. Also, ensure you bring a variety of baits with you. This might include pilchards, silver whiting, squid, salmon, yaks, snook, raw chicken and so on. If you’re using a paternoster rig, mix up the baits on each rig and see if you can follow a pattern of what’s working better. As
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Snapper don’t have to be huge to be a lot of fun. chaotic days on the water with non-stop catches. Those chaotic moments generally are aligned with a tide change, sunset or spike up or down in the barometer. I’ve had days
catching my fair share of snapper land-based. Around Melbourne, there are many good options, including Webb Dock, Wyndham Harbour, Sandringham rock wall, Mornington
I mentioned earlier, most of my catches to date have been on squid, which is great as it doesn’t fall off the hook. It’s always awesome To page 89
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Finally we’ll see more consistent fishing ahead PHILLIP ISLAND
Craig Edmonds
Another 12 months have passed, a season has come and gone and a new one is about to start. The wind has blown over Westernport Bay in every direction possible, and even two at the same time. The four seasons in one day have come and gone many times over. The one consistent thing throughout this year has been the fishing. Not
we were excited for those living in Metro Melbourne, who for the first time were able to travel to the island for the summer and a lot were finally able to fish. In contrast, this year the lure to Westernport Bay has been year-round, with the tuna catches growing from a schoolie to a barrel. Not just one, not two but numerous large catches of tuna, with the majority over 80kg and all within a stone’s throw of our little island’s shoreline. It was truly wonderful to see the
ways, and detoured in the shop from just buying hooks and sinkers to looking at lures and different skirts, and changing their fishing styles. Another strong season for the whiting this year began during winter with those large winter whiting we expected to see. This trend did continue well into spring as the water took a very long time to come up to temperature, as the consistency of hot days to cold/rainy ones was almost non-existent.
There have been some quality snapper being caught lately.
Liam was stoked with this solid snapper. every single trip, but the majority of anglers are finding fish all year round. The major contributors to peoples’ bags this year have been the tuna and the King George whiting. This year has definitely been one to remember, with both size and bag quantities. This time last year From page 88
to see the local landbased legends catching quality size fish, often with quite basic gear but lots of willpower and determination. The variety of gear used is fascinating. For me, I like to stick with a 9ft, 6-10kg rod when using bait, and a 7ft, 2-5kg rod when flicking lures and soft plastics from the banks. The next month will continue to fish well for land-based anglers, and we will also see the pinkies and flathead come on strong as the water temperature rises. All in all, it’s a great time for land-based fishing and to get your kids out fishing with you. All the boats are certainly out and about now. I have had multiple sessions fishing areas such as P2 and Black Rock where boats were packed
joy in anglers’ faces again after it had been depleted for so long. Everyone had a real passion for fishing again, and those who weren’t normally excited or passionate about bigger gamefish all of sudden wanted to learn. People started looking at their fishing gear in different in their hundreds. All the boats are congregate here because they are known snapper grounds which fish well at this time of year. Don’t be afraid to find your own grounds away from the crowd; it’s rewarding and also less frustrating. It may mean spending a bit more time covering ground and staring at the sounder, but it’s awesome when you find a good patch of fish to yourself. As I write this we are finding that the majority of catches are still happening towards the more shallow side. As the water temp rises the fish will start to head deeper, and areas surrounding the fishing channels will start to fish well. All in all, it’s an exciting time so get in the action. Stay safe on the water, and I hope you catch plenty of good ones! Until next time, good
Once the water did warm up, the whiting began to drop off a bit and the average 40-50cm ones we were getting did begin to dwindle. Still, anglers are catching the odd decent sized one, mostly early in the morning and before the sun rises and the heat starts to be felt. The variety of
fish caught has been good, with the majority of fishers finding a mixed bag instead of the odd toadfish. Calamari fishing started off worse that we can remember; reports were very slow through August/ September. Even once reports started coming in it was anything but normal, with most of the calamari well over 1kg and many closer to 3kg. The usual mixed sizes just didn’t happen, and at one stage we didn’t get a report off San Remo jetty for almost a month. The best reports were coming from 40m of water offshore. Thankfully, things have normalized a bit, and reports are now regular with good numbers and mixed sizes the norm. The jetties are a little slow still, but the beaches at Ventnor and Cleeland Bight are reasonably consistent, and
Nights are also fishing well.
anglers in boats and kayaks are having no trouble finding them. Land-based fishing has been equal with catches when it comes to those fishing from the boats. The fish being caught out in the bay are showing up around the jetties. There have been some decent 6kg snapper off of the jetty, and the squid have been bigger and more consistent lately. Not everyone owns a boat, so it has been nice to see that those fishing from the jetty, rocks and beaches have been rewarded with some decent fish. Back in Spring there were some really nice-sized flathead coming from Rhyll jetty during the day, with a lot of smaller just legal ones in between. Overall, a lot can be said about the health of Westernport Bay, Bass Strait and the fish in. It has been
top notch this year. The fish being caught have been all round in good numbers, the size of the fish have been bigger, and the condition of the fish has been exceptional. We have even been having a lot of new species of fish or variations of fish showing up that we have never seen before. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come in 2023. If you are heading down our way over the school holidays or during the summer period, drop in and say hi and come check out our new store. Let us know you are reading the reports and keep an eye on our Facebook page for competitions and specials that we will have over that period. If you are new to the area, we have plenty of information sheets that will help you find a few fish while you are here. fishing everyone. Feel free to contact me at alan@fishingmad.com. au to share your fishing experiences, photos and catches around Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and beyond, which we can feature in next month’s article. Please consider becoming a FishingMad member at www.fishingmad.com. au/member for fishing reports, workshops, podcasts, and exciting monthly giveaways. Also, don’t forget to follow my fishing adventures on the FishingMad YouTube channel (www.youtube. com/c/fishingmad), Facebook (facebook. com/fishingmad. com.au), Instagram ( w w w. i n s t a g r a m . c o m / fishingmad.com.au) and on Channel 31 on Tuesday evenings at 9:30pm, and Saturday afternoons. DECEMBER 2022
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Adrenalin-pumping action LAKES ENTRANCE
Steven Pryke
The warm summer days are finally here, and Gippsland, like many places, is in need of some sun to help dry everything out. After all the recent rains, a lot of the waterways are still running dirty but they have begun to improve. LAKES ENTRANCE With the wet winter
blues behind us and the water quality improving, anglers have got plenty of options to explore. King George whiting are a species that Lakes Entrance has become known for over recent years, and this location continues to produce. More recently, larger whiting have been a little harder to locate, but the mid-35cm fish have been relatively easy to locate around the many weed beds scattered around Rigby and
Fraser Island. Recently a big key to good success is to work the run-in tide. The dirty water flowing down the lakes has affected the bite so making the most of the clear high tide has been working the best. Good tidal flow matched to a strong berley trail has been recipe for success. Add some fresh mussel and pipi and you’ve put everything you can in your favour for success.
The author’s first bronzie for the season – definitely a great way to kick it off.
Australian salmon continue to be thick throughout the lower lakes, making for some great fun for anglers, especially when they eagerly climb all over your lure and smash it. Areas such as North Arm bridge and Nungurner have been very popular, with large schools of salmon frequenting these areas. Whitebait pattern soft plastics have been the go, with Gulp Minnows, Squidgy Flickbait being deadly offerings. Our local surf beaches have begun to get very busy. The big game shark season is here, and it’s common to see anglers waiting on the beach with 50 and 80 wide game reels in search of big sharks. Bronze whalers are a common catch with these anglers, but each year other species like hammerheads and the odd white shark make an unexpected appearance. This is typical of game fishing – hours of boredom then minutes of shear panic and adrenalinpumping action. LAKE TYERS The lake has risen rapidly due to recent rains, and has been on the edge of
Solid luderick have been starting to reappear. This one was taken on fly. opening recently. It won’t be long until Lake Tyers will be open to the sea once more. The bream fishing in the lake has been very consistent this year. With a slightly warmer winter we didn’t see the monster schools of bream in the deep as much as we would have expected. Instead we saw large schools on the flats where they’ve been eager to climb over a well worked hardbody lure twitched across the flats. Lures such as the Atomic Shiner and Daiwa Double Clutch have been solid producers. These same lures have
held their own lately on the estuary perch, with anglers having good success fishing the many snags and log piles throughout the system. Perch were once a fish you rarely heard about in the lake, but after Fisheries stocking they’ve begun to make the presence known. HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If you have been out for fish lately and have a great pic please send to stevenprykefishing@ gmail.com with short description and you could be featured in the edition of Fishing Monthly.
A happy New Year ahead GIPPSLAND LAKES
Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com
Merry Christmas everyone and a fishy New Year. Thanks to all the readers making contact with me and sharing reports and pics. I really appreciate and enjoy it. Since I last reported in we’ve had a lot more rain, and sadly I think Gippsland has nearly caught up with the northern Victoria floods.
So once again we’ve had some very testing times, but keen anglers always find a way to beat the odds. Let’s hope all the rains are behind us, and now delve into where the best options are for the holidays. MITCHELL RIVER The beauty of this river is that it clears quickly and is accessible for land-based anglers for the entire section from Bairnsdale to the river mouth. The lower reaches of the Mitchell River along the silt jetties to the mouth has been holding good numbers of bream from 30-38cm.
Often the sounder fills with schooling bream, and the odd big fish will fall to a bait or lure, but most of us are finding them a real challenge to catch. The best lures in this area at the moment are black blades and soft plastic grubs, both worked extra slow with long pauses. Bait anglers have been doing quite well with frozen prawn and shrimp, and these baits will be your best options during the holidays. Concentrate in the area downstream of Two Bells near the bends of the river where the water has a few
Nikki Bryant with a cracking Gippy Lakes bream caught on her favourite Hurricane Sprat 85 soft plastic. 90
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deeper holes. In town around the highway bridges you may find a massive school of little estuary perch that have been in the area for months now. They move around from the butter factory jetty up towards the mouth of Clifton Creek. If they bite freely you could get a fish with every cast on small blades or 2” soft plastic grubs. They are in water around 3-4m, so use heavier jigheads and long casts out into the middle of the river. Every now and then a big bream may surprise you so I suggest you still use 8lb leaders or better. PAYNESVILLE AND METUNG JETTIES Local anglers have caught some terrific bream in these parts for a while now, and these areas are must-fish spots for your holiday visit. One hotspot is Lake Victoria and Duck Arm, where impressive bream (mostly from 35-46cm) are close to the jetty pylons and even the shallow areas. This year some thumping dusky flathead have returned to these lake areas that have been missing over the last few years. Once again Justin and Brayden Kohte have found the biggest flatties, mostly 50-80cm, and in good numbers. No wonder I call them the B-Double brothers, because they always pull trucks! They
This big 46cm truck Gippy bream took a liking to a little 2” grub in the snags. mainly use soft plastics and also Cranka Crabs. The structure at Paynesville and Raymond Island is also worth a try, especially in 2m or more. Quite often the bream will sit right up under the boat hulls so it pays to run a floating hardbody or a lightly weighted soft plastic along the side of moored boats. In the deeper areas I jig blades and soft plastics
right next to the pylons while walking the jetties. Newlands Arm is holding fair numbers of bream, and yellow-eye mullet will be there too, but they may be patchy. It’s best to use sandworm to chase them. SPAWNING BREAM As we all know, it’s been the wettest three years in Gippsland on record, To page 91
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Here come the holidays PORT ALBERT
Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com
It’s hard to believe, but it’s time to wish you all a merry Christmas. Where did those 12 months go? My job now is to get you into some holiday fishing, so let’s explore the options. But first up, a weed warning.
nets, and recreational anglers were struggling to catch a single fish. The weed eventually spread to Port Albert, and a lot of us virtually had to abandon the fishing. There seemed to be an improvement towards low tide, but even then it proved rather trying. The weed is as bad as I’ve ever seen – a result of our wet weather and nutrients from high
This yummy flounder took a soft plastic lure meant for a rock flathead. WEEDY WOES For over two months, a thick, nasty snotty weed has persisted in this area, and at times it’s made fishing nearly impossible. It started off at Welshpool and the whole inlet was affected. It was a pain to fish baits, and difficult if not impossible to lure fish with squid jigs and soft plastics. The local professionals were finding it challenging to use mesh
stream flows. The weed should eventually fully disappear as the days get longer, and the warmer water hopefully kills it off. If it persists into the holiday season, try fishing different times of the tide cycle or fish areas with little flow. SNAPPER AND SQUID Water temperatures have been a fair bit lower in recent weeks, which
has meant the squid are still hanging around. Even though weed hampered most of us, we still managed to get a few each trip – it just meant spending more time on the water to look for weed-free areas. The water is essentially very clean, despite the snotty weed, and you could actually sight fish to three or more at a time. I expect squid to still be around until Christmas, but keep in mind they generally disappear in the warmer months. The snapper were slow to get going this season, but I managed some nice pinkies on lure in early November, and they were perfect plate-sized 36-40cm fish. The last two hours towards low tide in the deeper channels is by far the best time to target pinkies around Port Albert, if you can keep the rat flathead from continuously pinching baits. I use heavy weighted soft plastics for the pinkies, and they respond to a fairly aggressive retrieve. Just be prepared to do battle with tailor and big snook, as they can’t resist a fast swimming lure. WHITING AND FLATHEAD The rock flatties fired early this season, and I’ve been getting a feed every trip. Despite what many anglers think, the rockies respond to lures quite well, and I definitely get more on blades and soft plastics than bait. The trick is to downsize your lures to 37mm blades and 70mm or 80mm soft plastics and then you also increase your bycatch. While chasing rockies I often pull in whiting, leatherjackets, mullet and even garfish or flounder. It’s the best problem I’ve ever had! On a recent trip I caught more King George whiting on blades than I did using bait, but generally
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and some rivers seem to have been constantly flooded every few months or so. I can’t remember a time when most of the streams have run so high and dirty for this long. Even creeks that rarely flow have once again filled up and are still running. As I predicted, a lot of bream spawned back in August and they will probably spawn again about now. With these increased flow rates in the rivers, the bream should stay in the upper reaches of these streams, even into the new year. So far this year about 650mm has been our total rainfall, compared to an average of around 500mm.
Most of the rivers feeding into the Gippy Lakes have thousands of small estuary perch after three record spawning years due to above average rainfall.
Pinkies are good sport on lure, and this one attacked a Hurricane Sting 37. speaking the whiting were very slow to get going this summer. Yank flatties have also taken a while to wake up, and I’ve yet to find any big girls between 50-70cm, but I’m sure that will change when water temps rise further. SURF AND OFFSHORE The 90 Mile Beach shark fishing is now in full swing, including one bronze whaler just over 2m long that was recently recaptured after swimming all the way from the Sydney area in NSW. The shark travelled that distance in under two months, and it proves they handle capture and release quite well. Other bronzies have been released, and some have been going 10ft or better. There’s nothing more spectacular than seeing an angler kneeling down next to a thumping shark on the sand just prior to release. A few snapper are showing up on the surf and we can only hope it’s as good as last summer, when it was absolute mayhem with big reds up to 80cm and more. The gummy sharks
offshore have turned up again, and their sizes have not disappointed, with plenty well over 3ft long.
KING GEORGE WHITING The whiting are back for another summer and they are getting bigger this year. It seems most anglers are talking a lot about 38cm and 43cm fish, so they will be your goal for the holidays ahead. Once again, the usual areas from Metung to Kalimna will be your hotspots. Live shrimp and fresh mussel work just as well as pipi baits, and if you add a strip of squid that will make a yummy cocktail. Strangely, squid alone don’t seem to work as well on our Gippy Lakes whiting, but I’m thinking that may change with these bigger whiting. For those willing to try whiting on lures, your best bet is to try Hurricane Sting blades and work them with
small constant hops, and every so often let the lure pause for a few seconds. The best thing about that lure is your bycatch of snapper, bream and flathead. They will keep you very busy. SANDWORM FOR SALE Holiday anglers should be aware that Bairnsdale Bait Supply in Mcleod Street shut down earlier this year. For those wondering where to get your best bream bait, here are two options. First, there’s the Nicholson store near the highway bridge. This store has been open for over a year now and sells live worm and probably shrimp too. It may pay to pre-order your fresh live sand worm as stocks may disappear quickly during the
With better weather and calmer days, I also expect to hear of more kingfish turning up as well.
Hopefully this weed will fully disappear from the inlets with the warmer weather. holidays, so give them a call on 5156 8288. You can also get the same bait at The Black Stump store in Johnsonville at the turn-off to the Tambo River boat ramp. LOOKING AHEAD The lower rivers are your best options over the next month and the Nicholson should be on your hitlist for sure. One last mention needed is The Straits between Hollands and Seacombe, because the news there is a little grim. After months and months of constant dirty water flows, hardly anyone has been fishing there and probably for good reason. The area is probably full of carp. DECEMBER 2022
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Fish feed on flushed out food MALLACOOTA/EDEN
Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com
The holiday season is nearly upon us, and the weather is starting to warm up. Without a doubt it is the best time of year to be in the Gippsland area. The Christmas weather sees everyone out and about enjoying the activities the area has to offer, with fishing both in the lake and offshore on the top of the list. The recent rains have really dirtied up the lake system, and the brown water can really make the fishing tough. Locating fish that are on the bite can be a real challenge, both for black bream and yellowfin bream. For those of us who have fished the system for a very long time, it has become obvious that the floods are something that’s
really needed to clean out the system. A good flush benefits the system in the long term in so many ways.
All recent reports have indicated the fishing hasn’t been easy. Although anglers have been locating fish,
Mario Vucic with a great bream caught on a soft plastic.
getting them to bite has not been easy. If you are lucky enough to be on the water as the flood is setting in, this will make sense as the fish can really be on the go as they take advantage of ample food been flushed out with the freshwater. Those smaller critters and baitfish, which have been affected by the sudden change of salinity, become easy pickings for the predators. The best action has been out in the top lake. The fish have been moving to find the right salinity, sitting in deeper water out of the flow and under the fresh. Fish will often be found in around 12ft of water, sitting hard in against the drop-offs, basically resting up with a full stomach after the recent smorgasbord. That is why they become hard to catch in the days after flood events. Once they start moving and spreading out, the fishing will start to pick up again.
Soft plastics fished slowly have worked well in the dirty water. Flathead are similar with their approach, choosing to build up in numbers in areas where there are plenty of prey items going past in numbers. This is an advantage for an ambush predator, as the baitfish will scatter from the predators they can see, and then swim down the mouth of the ones they don’t see.
This is why when you find a fish or two you can be sure there are more in the area. The coming months will see the fishing really fire up, both offshore and in the lake. The water temperatures are increasing, and the water is clearing up. This will be the key to some great fishing over the Christmas period.
Hoping for better weather this summer MARLO
Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au
As I write this report, I’m sitting here looking out at the rain and wondering if this wet spring will ever end and let summertime begin. We need the rivers to subside enough and
the riverbanks to dry out enough to enable anglers to access the river without getting their vehicles bogged. With all the flooding rain, anglers have been coming into my shop and buying supplies to repair their equipment as well as renewing older fishing gear, so they will be super ready when the weather allows.
When eventually the fine weather arrives, our estuary takes only a brief time to get back to normal, and will again be the fishing mecca of Victoria. Anglers also have other options – the beaches are close and plentiful, with good access for all types of anglers, and seem to produce great fishing all year round. Schools of
salmon and tailor constantly move along the coastline, giving anglers plenty of action, either spinning with metal lures or using surf gear and bait fishing accompanied with a surf popper. Other species such as snapper, bream, flathead, mullet, gummy shark, and several other species can be caught in good numbers. For the land-based
game fishing fraternity, it is the season for big bronze whaler shark to be caught and released. With all the dirty water flowing out from the estuary, the entrance is deep enough to navigate but it is hard to locate sand bars and other obstacles, so if you decide to go offshore be very careful. The boat ramp at Cape Conran is nearing
completion and is estimated to open around 12 December, all going well. In the interim, if you’re interested, Google ‘Cape Conran Boat Ramp Cam’ and you can see the progress being made. That’s it for this month. Sorry for the lack of news on the fishing, but the weather is to blame. Tight lines.
Fishing in the festive season BEMM RIVER
Robyn Sturgess
As always at this time of the year, the Bemm is humming with holiday makers and anglers, and the fishing hasn’t disappointed. Some of the best quality bream have been abundant throughout the estuary. At the time of writing, the entrance remains open and the tailor and salmon are still cruising around. They
are a great by-catch on bream gear. The river has been producing quality bream and perch for those anglers who can manoeuvre over the shallows quietly. The most popular bait has been frozen prawn, and lures have also been catching their share. At the mouth of the channel, as the water warms, we can expect to have a good run of flathead. The surf beaches continue to fish well
The river has been producing quality bream.
MARLO
OCEAN VIEWS CARAVAN & CAMPING PARK
www.marlocamping.com.au DECEMBER 2022
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for a number of species, including trevally, salmon, tailor, gummies and mullet. A warning to all landbased anglers as the recent significant rainfall has created thick undergrowth around the edges of the riverbank and lake, so please be mindful of snakes. That’s all for this month. As 2022 draws to a close we would like to take this opportunity to wish our readers all the best for the festive season. • For on the spot and up to
It’s a great time of year to visit the area. date fishing reports check out Robyn’s website: www. bemmaccommodation. com.au or ‘like’ us on Facebook – Bemm River
Holiday Accommodation Phone: (03) 5158 4233/ Mob. 0427 584 233 Email: bemmaccomm@ bigpond.com.
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Back in the black as rains hit ROBINVALE
Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au
Rain, rain and more rain. We have been seeing rivers in flood, communities inundated, and many of the flows running black as crays crawl free of the water and fish turn belly up. In the lead up to the opening of the Murray cod season, everything has been tipped on its head, and for many waters the fishing has been put on hold. I penned my blackwater concerns
A good net full of yabbies from the Darling River.
A large Murray cod dead in the blackwater flows of the Murray River. a few reports back, and unfortunately it looks like it’s come to fruition. At the time of writing, the water temperature has been pretty cool, but it’s expected to climb in the coming weeks, and this could spell disaster for a fishery starting to recover from the last blackwater flood.
These events have been explained away as natural events, global warming and a squillion other excuses, but is this really the case? I haven’t been able to find any written or photographic proof of massive blackwater events along the Murray River pre-environmental
flooding of the forests. Employees involved in the forest-flooding scheme have said that this lack of historical accounts is due to the fact that fewer people were on the river back then to see these massive kills. To this I say, rubbish. People were living and working on the river in large numbers, and never reported massive blackwater fish kills running for several hundred kilometres of the width and depth of the mighty Murray River. Wentworth on the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers was the largest inland port in Australia, with up to 400 boats that carried goods along the length of both rivers. If such events happened, they would surely have been noted in captains’ logs and by other river users, including professional
fishermen that worked and made a living along the river from top to bottom. Surely they would make mention if their livelihoods were taken away by such events. Sure, small localised blackwater generally occurred in a follow-up flood that picked up the lagoons of blackwater left in the bush from the previous flood – but never on the catastrophic scale are we now witnessing. And why is it the moment I post something of this nature on my social media I am instantly inundated by experts in the field that speak fluent MDBA and are no doubt on the payroll? They are on call at the drop of a hat, and if you paint them into a corner they delete their account and another takes its place. If these blackwater events are natural and there is nothing to hide, why do this?
Murray crays leaving the water were the first signs the river was in for another blackwater event. For anyone and everyone on these rivers, take photos of these events and ask the hard questions. After all, these are your fish, and at the rate they are being wiped clean, the future doesn’t look that great. One saving grace is the
The Darling River is producing good numbers of golden perch on bait.
freshwater spilling down a Darling River in flood. This will at least provide valuable oxygenated water that will help shandy the toxic flow from there down the main body of the Murray River. It did this in 2010-11, providing some sanctuary for native fishes, although not all. While we are on the Darling River, the only bit of good news is that the water, while very dirty, is in great condition and full of life. Yabbies are running full bore, and the perch have been on the chew. There were even some reports of good-sized Murray cod being landed on bait in the lead up to the open. I hope to provide better news in my next report on the state of the Murray River, but as the weather warms up I’m not holding my breath on this one.
Dark lures doing the damage SHEPPARTON
Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com
Over the past month we have yet again we have seen both the Goulburn and Broken rivers
in flood, and it’s still an unknown when fishing with be back on the agenda in these rivers, especially around Shepparton. We did get the odd street fishing report come in, and it’s great to see that some locals’ spirits are still high in
these tough times. Hopefully December and January we see the rivers get back to their normal heights, or at least at a level that is safe to access by boat or bank. KIALLA LAKES There has been some good news regarding the
Nate and Ayden Brown have been enjoying some street fishing during recent floods. 94
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fishing at Kialla lakes. It’s looking like the lake hasn’t been majorly affected by the floods, and the fear of fish migrating to the river hasn’t happened like past floods. There has been a heap of reports of some big yellowbelly being caught up to 50cm. The exciting thing is some of the yellas caught post-flood have a bigger class of fish, and look more like a river fish, not the thinner, milky-coloured yellowbelly we catch at Kialla. Slow rolling blades or soft plastics has worked well for those lure fishing, and so too has the new Daiwa Steez Soft Shell vibes. Kaleb from Relentless Fishing Co on Facebook put these lures to the test, finding the black and yellow version worked well. Bait fishing has also been good, with redfin, yellowbelly and also catfish reported. Scrub worms fished around the drop-off edge have been working the best. IRRIGATION CHANNELS The water isn’t the cleanest in the channels around Shepparton, but this hasn’t turned off some
Dirty water hasn’t deterred locals from catching yellowbelly. Shepparton locals who have managed to land a couple of yellowbelly in recent weeks. Dark lures seem to be the colour of choice, with a base colour of black working best on both lipless crankbaits and also small divers. We have been getting reports that the best retrieval method is 3-4 cranks and a long pause. Bait fishing along the edges has also been successful, with small yabbies and night-crawlers working around Pine Lodge. WARANGA BASIN There is plenty of water at the basin with it now steady and sitting around the 96% mark. These higher levels have pushed a lot of fish around the edges,
and we have had reports from both land-based and those fishing from a boat or kayak. With the shallow fall in the banks, you need to fish light or with lures that won’t crash dive, especially from the banks. Lightly weighted soft plastics and Rapala X-Rap 6s are perfect at this time of year, with worms or corn being great baits. Trolling TN60 Jackalls around the 6-8ft mark has been great lately, and so has hopping blades along points. Yellowbelly have been hard to find recently, but with warmer conditions to come we would expect them to become more active.
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Catching tucked-away cod WANGARATTA
Robbie Alexander
December is a time of year where we see quite a lot changes to the fishing in North East Victoria, and by far the biggest news item each December is the opening of the new Murray cod season. MURRAY COD Thursday 1 December is the opening day of the 2022 Murray cod season, and I have no doubt that there will many keen anglers gathering at their favourite cod fishing spots as there is each year… provided they can get to them! We have had a very wet spring here in North East Victoria which has led to widespread flooding right across the region. To make matters worse, the forecast (as I type this) is for more flooding rains, so who knows how the rivers will look in December. My prediction is that the Ovens River will be quite high, but fishable (fingers crossed). I have a feeling that those fishing with bait will have the most success, but in saying that I have caught cod in high water on lures before. When fishing in high water, the key is to look for pockets of slower water right up tight against the bank. Recently I was bait fishing with worms in the Ovens River, trying to catch a springtime yellowbelly. The river was very high but not
have not caught a yellowbelly in the Ovens River all spring, but at the same time I have only been bait fishing in
good redfin sessions in both Lake William Hovell and Lake Buffalo in December in the past, although they
try and pick up a few smaller fish. Something like a Damiki Disco 38mm is ideal. Once you have caught a
This yellowbelly was caught on worms in Wangaratta just before cod opening last year when the river was very high and dirty.
Anglers using bait to catch Murray cod should do well when the season opens on 1 December. In this case, the bait was fresh chicken in the lower Ovens River. the Ovens once thanks to regular flooding. The one time that I did go was in between flood events! The Ovens River can be fished during times of high water flow, provided you can find a slow backwater. When it is flooded it is near impossible, but as soon as it drops a bit and you can get a line in, it will be worth doing so. Most of the yellowbelly that I catch in the Ovens
Buffalo, using that lure has a real possibility of catching a by-catch Murray cod. TROUT December is often a time of change for the region’s trout streams. As the summer heat warms the water up, and the stream flows drop away to their summer levels, the trout will often make their way upstream in search of
doesn’t happen at all. I am expecting this December to be a fantastic month to go trout fishing in North East Victoria. There should be more water than usual, and it should be cooler than usual. And with cod season opening, there will be fewer people on the streams harassing the trout. Bait, lure or fly will
usually fish their best after Christmas. Lake Hume always fishes very well for redfin in December, although that is a bit further away. If you don’t like the idea of choppy water or lots of boats, as are usually found at Lake Hume, lakes Buffalo and William Hovell will be worth fishing for redfin in December. I would try trolling a small deep-diving minnow close to the edges to
This yellowbelly was caught in the lower Ovens river on a large Wilson Slickback lure intended for a Murray cod last year.
This lovely fat Murray cod was caught in Lake Buffalo last December on a small OneWell Lunch mini lure while targeting redfin. flooded. I caught a Murray cod around 50cm hard up against the bank – I am talking 30cm from the edge of a steep bank. If you think about it, it makes sense that the fish would behave this way. When it rains we seek shelter, when it is really windy we try and stand behind a tree, or a building to escape the wind, and I suspect that Murray cod are no different. When the river is running hard, they will be found tucked away in pockets of slowermoving water. YELLOWBELLY At the time of writing I
River are caught using worms as bait, although I have picked up the odd one on a lure while targeting Murray cod. Nearby Lake Nillahcootie on the Broken River is probably the most popular yellowbelly fishing spot for many Wangaratta anglers, with Lake Hume being a close second. REDFIN Redfin are a funny species; they are very hard to predict, and local knowledge is always an advantage. They vary so much from waterway to waterway. I have had some very
couple of small redfin and increased your confidence a little bit, try switching to something larger and deeper diving, like an RMG Crazy Deep 8+ and then troll some deeper water. In Lake
cooler water. There’s no saying when that will happen on any given year, but I suspect that it will be later rather than sooner this year. Some years it happens in October, and other years it
I am predicting that December will be a very good month to go trout fishing in North East Victoria thanks to cooler and wetter spring conditions than usual.
all be worth trying this December. I suspect that any of your favourite trout fishing techniques will work. OTHER SPECIES December is a great month to go yabbying in North East Victoria. Try and look for really dirty water, and a dam that hasn’t been inundated with too much fresh water. Wet years tend to lead to an expansion in the carp population, so I am expecting carp numbers to increase dramatically and quickly. Lake Moodemere will be worth a try for those anglers wanting to tangle with a mud marlin. Just keep an eye on the Murray River water levels as the river floods into lake Moodemere. The carp fishing will be best once the Murray River at Corowa drops below minor flood level. DECEMBER 2022
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Finally, cod season is here! YARRAWONGA
Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com
Footy grand finals, Bathurst, the Melbourne Cup and any other event held over the past few months have been nothing more than a ‘stocking filler’ for cod fisho’s who’ve had to down tools and wait for the new cod season to open. The anticipation any genuine cod fisho feels at this time of year is on par with a kid at Christmastime. Sure, there have been other waterways open where you can target stocked cod, but nothing beats being at the home of the Murray cod – Lake Mulwala – come opening weekend. When November rolls around each year, we all know it’s time to arm ourselves and get ready for the cod season opening on 1 December. For those fishing the lake early in the season, it may
be most productive to seek out slightly quieter waters that don’t get excessive boat traffic. Sneaking out into the timber via the use of an electric motor should put you amongst the fish. Lure choice is always interesting, if you have confidence in something that has worked before, stick to it. All things surface and sub-surface have been the rage in recent years, and I’m sure this trend will continue. In saying this, don’t discount any of your traditional methods of casting or trolling either hardbodied lures or spinnerbaits, as these will be as productive as ever. For the ‘scopers’, it will be the everpopular Gantarel, Gigantarel and big plastics that will do the majority of damage. For those anglers who prefer the use of bait, options are endless. Bardi grubs, scrub worms, yabbies, shrimp and cheese are safe bets. Alternative, baits like chicken,
chicken chips and dim sims are favourite for some anglers. Looking back, the lead up to cod season has been a bit of a wash-out. Unusually high water levels, along with limited warm weather, has seen the yellas being pretty hard to find. A few have been picked up in their usual haunts, mainly around the Train bridge and the Mulwala Canal, but not in the normal numbers seen throughout spring. One interesting and unusual report I received recounted a couple of boys working in town who decided to drown a few worms one evening in search of a yella or two. Nothing outstanding was happening until Isaac Waite noticed his line had gone fairly tight for no apparent reason. Upon winding it in to see what was going on, Isaac was amazed to find a dead brown snake wrapped around the bottom of his line. Upon closer inspection he could see that it had been hit by a boat
propellor. Something that you don’t catch every day. Well done Isaac! Organisation is well underway for the iconic 2022 Yamaha Cod Classic at Lake Mulwala. December 3 and 4 will see an expected 2000+ anglers descend on ‘the Home of the Murray Cod’ to celebrate the opening to the new 22-23 cod season, with likeminded fishos. The Cod Classic promises to celebrate a great return from COVID, with something to offer for everybody. Prizes include five boating packages plus plenty more, over $100K in prizes! Enter online at www. codclassic.com.au. For more information call in and see us at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the official Cod Classic shop (opposite the post office) in Mulwala or find us at our Yarrawonga store located between Rivers and One Zach. For up-to-date fishing reports or for further information call 03 5744 1667.
Isaac Waite with his unusual catch of a dead brown snake.
Fishing after the floods BENDIGO
Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com
Unfortunately, the Bendigo region has had large volumes of rain since my last fishing report. The volume of rainfall was record setting, and is significantly higher than the previous record for the month. It was a recipe for disaster, with our water catchments already at capacity, and water catchments saturated, and these large volumes inevitably created some major flooding in the region. This major flooding has done a significant amount of damage for farmers who own property near our river systems. Towns such as Rochester, Echuca and Bridgewater and many other townships have experienced varying degrees of damage, with many houses being inundated with volumes of floodwater running throughout their homes. With most of our catchments at or above capacity and our catchments still saturated, there is still a high chance the region will experience some more flooding events in the next month or two. We can only hope that if we receive any flooding it is only minor to moderate levels to limit the damage that is done to property. LAKE EPPALOCK The water levels are currently at 106% of capacity at Lake Eppalock, and the spillway is still running and is releasing 96
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large volumes of water into the Campaspe River. During the peak of the floods the water levels in Lake Eppalock had risen to over 130% of capacity. There was a huge volume of water running through the main spillway, and the secondary spillway also had a large volume of water running over it. All this water has done significant amounts of damage to the road which runs over the dam wall, and this is currently closed to traffic. The floods have not been a good thing for the fishing in the short term as the water clarity is very dirty around the whole of Lake Eppalock at the moment. The volumes of water running through the lake, combined with the rising water levels, will be producing a huge bonanza in the way of food sources for the fish in Lake Eppalock. Bait fishing around the edges of the lake has been the most productive method. The best baits have been small yabbies and worms, and catches have consisted of carp, golden perch and small redfin. Unfortunately, the way the current conditions are looking it might take several weeks for the water clarity to settle. When this does occur, we should see some productive golden perch fishing, and in the next couple of months the redfin fishing should be very good. CAMPASPE RIVER For a couple of weeks before the rain there was some good fishing in the Campaspe River at the spillway below Lake Eppalock. Some good golden perch and small
redfin were being caught in this location. Unfortunately, due to road closures from the flooding, access to this area is now very difficult. During the peak of the floods there was an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 ML/D running down the system. This was a huge volume of water, and in some sections of the river where there were flat flood plains, the river was over a kilometre wide. The flood levels have now reduced significantly and there is currently 5,900 ML/D running down the system. This is a significant reduction compared to the peak of the floods, however compared to the normal flows running down the system, this is still significantly higher than normal. Again, with the current conditions of high water levels in our impoundments combined with saturated catchments, there is still a good chance we may see more flooding down the Campaspe River over the next few weeks. If you are planning a trip to fish the Campaspe River over the next couple of months, always check the conditions before going and keep a close eye on the weather forecast. Also, if you are planning to boat the river in the sections at Elmore and Rochester, do so carefully. With the flood water that has come down the system, large volumes of structure will have moved around a lot, and boat owners should proceed with caution. While the productivity in the fishing will be slower in the short term, when the water clarity does settle the
Local Bendigo angler Gary Scanlon displays a beautiful Murray cod. productivity in the fishing should be good. We will see an increase in the numbers of redfin being caught in the Campaspe River this season. There will have been a good recruitment of golden perch and redfin which have come over the spillway at Lake Eppalock, and are now residents of the Campaspe River. CAIRN CURRAN Water levels are currently 94.5% of capacity at Cairn Curran. This location has had large volumes of flood water running through it in recent weeks. The water flows have now reduced, however the water clarity is still very poor in the lake. The most productive fishing has been by those anglers fishing around the shorelines with bait. Small yabbies, shrimp and worms have been productive bait options. Catch rates have mainly consisted of carp, small to medium sized golden perch and small redfin. The water catchments are still saturated so the chances are high
that we still may see more flooding events in this area over coming weeks. Again, like other areas once the flooding events finish and water clarity settles, there should be some very good fishing at this location later in the season. LODDON RIVER The Loddon River has also experienced major flooding over recent weeks. At the peak of the flow there was 1400,000 ML/D running down the Loddon River at Laanecoorie Weir. The water clarity is still very poor in the Loddon River and current flows are still significantly higher than normal. The majority of the fishing has been slow due to the poor water clarity. The exception to the rule is in those areas directly below a weir. Anglers fishing from the bank have been landing good numbers of golden perch and redfin. Lipless crankbaits and suspending hardbody lures and small profile spinnerbaits have been working the best. These areas below Cairn
Curran and Laanecoorie are popular at the present time, and it is not uncommon to see large numbers of anglers there at the one time. As is often the case, those anglers who get there early and get the prime spots are being rewarded with the best fishing results. If you are planning a trip to these areas it pays to be patient and, as always with a large number of anglers, there will be some novices in the bunch. Tangled fishing lines can be common, so give the angler next to you some space and hopefully everyone can have a good day trying to catch a few fish. Now we are moving into the month of December, the Murray cod season is open again. Many anglers will upsize their lures in the hope of landing a fish of a lifetime. When the water clarity settles there should be some excellent fishing opportunities to be had by those anglers willing to put the time in.
FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS FISHING DURING THE XMAS HOLIDAYS P
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Tagging Tales
SUNTAG Suntag is a world leading citizen science volunteer fish tagging program that is part of an Australian program that has tagged over 1,000,000 fish and was the first volunteer program in the world to reach that milestone. Data collected through the program is used to improve our knowledge base of recreational fishing by providing near real time information on the status of coastal estuaries and inland impoundments. Thanks to the fish, we can provide you with some interesting stories that they tell.
The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack. SEND ENTRIES TO: FMM Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129
OUR LONG DISTANCE TRAVELLERS The longest distance travelled by one of our tagged fish was Tag number 62552. This was a Samsonfish tagged off Perth in 2006 and recaptured in 2013 (2,643 days or 7.2 years later), off the South Australia coast, 2,160km from its original tagging location. Surprisingly the fish was 1150mm when tagged and when recaptured. However, it is not only pelagic fish that travel a long way. In Apr 2020 a Barramundi was recaptured in the Proserpine River measuring 1150mm. This fish had been tagged as part of a stocking of the Bedford Weir on the
FIND-A-WORD WINNER The Find-a-Word winner for October’s issue is K Nykvist of Boonah, who won a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM
SUBSCRIBER PRIZE WINNER
The subscriber winner for October is A Wright of Tannum Sands, who won a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses valued at $319. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM
FIND THE SUFIX LOGO The Find the Sufix Logo prize winners for October were: 1st Z Mosessen of Wanniassa , 2nd J Northam of Mudgeeraba, 3rd C Couper of Chinchilla. Prizes delivery can take up to 8 weeks. – FMM
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LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS
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LOGO COMPETITION
The answers to October’s Find the Logo were:. 8, 16, 24, 37, 38, 47, 50, 58, 62, 77, 88, 98, 105, 110, 115. – FMM
Brought to you by Mackenzie River in 2014. At the time of tagging it was 170mm. Therefore, this barramundi had found its way down the Mackenzie and Fitzroy Rivers, before heading north along the coast, travelling 1,050km to where it was recaptured. So, in a six year period it had grown by almost a metre and had seen all of Queensland’s Capricorn coast. WHAT TO DO IF YOU CATCH A TAGGED FISH The information you will need to report your recapture is. The length of the fish and the location it was captured. Get a photo if possible. To report the details of your recapture you have two options: Call 1800 077001 or go to http://crystalbowl. infofishaustralia.com.au/ suntag/recaptures/recapture_ form_1.html and fill in the form. In return you will receive a certificate providing the details of the tagging and recapture of your fish, as a thank you for providing the information. DECEMBER 2022
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Mayfly madness set to hit Ballarat waters the Wastell Trophy fishing local waters around Ballarat, including Lake Wendouree, Hepburn Lagoon, Newlyn Reservoir, Tullaroop and Moorabool reservoirs. The Wastell is a catch and release competition open to everyone – you don’t need to be a member of a club to participate. If you catch a trout, you just take a photo of it on a brag mat, then send the photo to a central point.
BALLARAT
Shane Stevens
Fishing around the Ballarat District waters has been exceptional over the past month, mainly due to the mayfly hatches. A lot of fly fishers from all over the state were desperately waiting with anticipation for these to start, and weren’t disappointed. The hatches this year seem to be a little later than normal, most likely due to the cooler weather we experienced throughout our spring months, and the excessive amounts of rain we received. This, in turn, has ensured the water temperatures have been a lot cooler, thus delaying the mayfly hatches. When the water temperatures reached the optimum level for the
Nathan Anngee landed seven fish in a session on brown nymphs during a mayfly hatch on Lake Wendouree, including this 50cm brown trout. Image courtesy of Nathan Angee.
Shane Stevens nailed this magnificent 55cm brown trout on a Possum Emerger fly pattern on Lake Wendouree during a mayfly hatch. mayfly to hatch, they have hatched in large numbers. The trout in our waters have been feeding on them with gusto, and given us as anglers the opportunity to cash in on the feeding trout. On a disappointing note, one of our top fisheries – Tullaroop – which had been fishing exceptionally well for trout in early and late spring, has fallen foul of the La Niña weather pattern, which drenched the state with rain causing widespread flooding. Tullaroop reached a level around 120% full at one stage, with well over a metre of water spilling over the spillway. The massive amount of water pouring out of the reservoir has turned the pristine, clear water of only a couple of months ago into a muddy looking cesspool. Visibility is down to only a couple of inches or less. I have been fishing the muddy water to see if the trout 98
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Wendouree is the talk of the fly fishing fraternity, especially after a recent round of the Victorian fly fishing championships. Fly fishers from all over Australia descended on Ballarat to fish Lake Wendouree in the second round of the Victorian Championships, and fish for the inaugural Vern Barby trophy. Vern is a Ballarat Fly Fishers Club member who has represented
were still in the shallows, gorging themselves on all the newly accessible food supplies available to them, but haven’t seen or caught a trout on any of the trips. Hopefully when the water levels even out the water will clear once again. The Ballarat Fly Fishers Club recently ran the Wastell Trophy, which has been running since before World War II. The ‘Wastell’, which is sponsored by Andrew Summers from Mayfly Tackle, is the most prestigious and sought-after fly fishing competition to win in Australia. The aim of the Wastell Competition has always been to bring likeminded people together to enjoy their passion of fly fishing, and it continues to do so. Fly fishers from all walks of life participate in the Wastell. This year 57 fly fishers registered for
Nick Roche was the recipient of the Gerald Armitage Trophy for the longest fish by a Ballarat member in the Wastell, with a 55cm Wendouree brown trout. Nick also won the John “Wacka” McKay Trophy which is fished between the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club and the Mornington Peninsula Fly Fishers Club. Image courtesy of Ross Goyne.
A Moorabool 60cm 6lb brown trout found this Brown Nymph too irresistible not to eat. This year’s winner was Bryce Younger, who caught the longest trout – a 60cm brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir. Bryce’s winning fish earned him a magnificent Orvis fly rod, reel and line combo. A total of 19 trout were caught and released for the competition. Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President Nick Roche won the Gerald Armitage Trophy for the longest fish by a Ballarat member at the Wastell, catching his new PB 55cm brown trout on Lake Wendouree. Nick also won the John ‘Wacka’ McKay Trophy, which is fished between the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club and the Mornington Peninsula Fly Fishers Club during the Wastells Trophy. Lake Wendouree has been one of our fisheries that has reached lofty heights over the late spring months, due to the mayfly hatches.
Australia on the international fly-fishing scene, including world and commonwealth championships. As mentioned, Wendouree really turned it on for the championships, with 446 trout caught and released throughout the competition. This is a record for any round of the championships since their inception some 20 odd years ago. A pat on the back to the Victorian Fishing Authority and their stocking program for Lake Wendouree. Congratulations goes to Daniel Ringer who won round 2 and the Vern Barby trophy. Wendouree’s shorelines have been lined with anglers, and boat ramp car parks have been full, with the word spreading around the traps, which is great to see. I have been out as much as I can to cash in on the mayfly feeders, generally fly To page 99
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Latch onto the lakes as rivers are out of action CRATER LAKES
Rod Shepherd
Because of the current weather pattern that’s causing an inundation of flood water due to excessive rainfall, all of our rivers are basically out of action. That leaves our impoundment lakes open and full to any anglers who brave the all-too-often wet weather conditions. The freshwater scene has seen many out on Lake Bullen Merri catching mainly Chinook salmon, with a few rainbows and tiger trout thrown in for good measure. Most anglers have been flat line trolling in 6m+ depth following the lake’s perimeter, whilst other visitors have been bank fishing, mainly from the northern bank. Using PowerBait, local minnow, mudeye and earth worm, From page 98
fishing out of the boat. I usually have a couple of rods set up with nymphs on one rod and dry/emerger fly patterns on the other. I start off fishing with the nymphs until the mayfly hatches really get going, and then change over to the dries, which generally are a Shaving Brush on the dropper and a Possum Emerger on the point. They have proved to be deadly
plenty of fish from 800g to over 1kg have been caught. Yes, plenty of smaller fish are out there to frustrate anglers, but please use a damp rag when handling these small ‘fry’ when destined for release. Lake Elingamite continues to produce plenty of both rainbow and brown trout, with most fish weighing in around 900g, with a few larger specimens measuring in excess of 60cm and 1.8kg. The depth at the boat ramp has well exceeded 70cm, which is excellent for this lake. Thanks to all the winter and springtime rainfall, this smallish waterway should be open to most trailer boats well into the new year. Again, many fish have been taken flat line trolling a variety of minnow lures close to the surrounding weed beds, plus also on the cast. A few intrepid fly anglers have month have been a 55cm brown and a 50cm rainbow, both of which fell to Possum emergers. Hopefully the mayflies will continue to hatch into the early summer months, due to the lateness of them starting to hatch. Young gun Nathan Angee has turned his hand to fly fishing after a frustrating session on Wendouree where he couldn’t tempt the mayfly feeders on lures. Nathan happened to have his fly rod
This Elingamite redfin took a Damiki Saemi medium diver on the troll. on the fly fishing, judging by the very large number of reports I have received. However, other anglers who have been out catching trout and redfin have been using lures, soft plastics, and baits, which include mud-eyes. The trout will change their attention from mayflies when the hatches slow down and the mud-eyes really start to move in large numbers. A couple of the trout that I have kept have had small
Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President Nick Roche and Wastell Sponsor Andrew Summers from Mayfly Tackle presenting Bryce Younger with the 2022 Wastell Trophy. Image courtesy of Ross Goyne. at the end of the hatch, when the bigger fish seem to come out to play and mop up the last of the mayfly. Generally, the smaller stockie rainbow trout are smashing the mayflies at the start of the hatch. A couple of notable trout caught over the past
in his boat, and he started casting brown nymphs at the mayfly feeders, who showed no hesitation in at eating them. Nathan is now hooked on fly fishing as he landed seven trout in that session, two being around the 50cm mark. At Lake Wendouree, most of the focus has been
bug/spider mud-eyes in their stomachs, so there is a hint that this could have already started to happen. I enjoy fishing mud-eyes from either the shore or out of the boat, it’s one of my favourite forms of fishing. I’m looking forward to some exciting times ahead. The fishing in
Moorabool Reservoir really fired up in late spring, once again due to the mayfly hatches. The reservoir is full and overflowing, which it has been consistently for a couple of months. Generally, the water clarity is crystal clear but, in some areas, where the little creeks run into the reservoir it has generally been a little discoloured. However, this has not stopped the rainbows and browns in Moorabool from feeding, and making the most of the available food sources which are around. The mayfly are at the top of the list now, just like Wendouree. Fly fishers have been having a ball, catching some true trophy brown trout over 10lb. These are not easy to catch by any means, it’s about having all your stars align, the right fly or lure, right weather conditions and your tackle holding up when you latch onto one of these big ones. Well done to the guys who have been lucky enough to catch them. I have been fly fishing Moorabool myself, hoping to catch one of these trophy trout while they are feeding on mayflies. I have seen them mooching down mayflies but unfortunately, they have been too far out to reach with my flies. One session at Moorabool I had, the weather wasn’t ideal, with bright blue skies and a southeasterly wind. As a rule of thumb, the best mayfly hatches occur in overcast conditions, but sometimes you have no choice but to fish in sub-optimal conditions, and that’s the situation I found myself in. I arrived at Moorabool where I had planned to fish with the wind direction. There were no other anglers in the area.
also had success to varying degrees. A few good redfin to 1.3kg have also responded to the above tactics. Some big old brown trout in excess of 8lb plus the odd rainbow are being caught out of Lake Purrumbete. The tiger and cheetah trout now being caught are weighing in at well over 1kg. These specimens are being taken mainly by lure casters working the weed beds. The big browns along with some solid Chinook salmon are also responding to lures cast towards the weed beds, with the northern and eastern shoreline favoured. Some redfin are still available at depth using soft plastics, live minnow and jigs. It’s just a matter of finding a school on the sounder, anchoring up and going for it! Most of the redfin have been on the small side but a few over 30cm are about.
Wastell Trophy Winner Bryce Younger with a 60cm brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir. Image courtesy of Bryce Younger. I started fishing a team of two different types of brown nymphs, and it wasn’t long before a few duns started to hatch, then a few more. Then all of a sudden a couple of fish started feeding on them, a couple of rippers in front of another fly fisherman who had arrived after me. I thought sooner or later one would come my way, and I didn’t have to wait long when a trout started sipping duns in front of me. I cast my couple of nymphs in area the fish was working, and retrieved my flies with a slow figure-8 retrieve. All of a sudden my line tightened and then went slack. Unfortunately, my tippet broke and the fish departed with my flies. I rerigged my leader with a couple more nymphs, and started working the area around me. Once again, my line tightened and a brown
trout around the mid 40cm mark launched out of the water. I managed to land him, take a couple of photos then released him. I continued to work the area with my nymphs when another fish started to feed on duns. My confidence was up and I thought it was only a matter of time before this trout ate my flies, which it did. My line tightened once again then suddenly, my fly line was being ripped out of my hand, I saw my backing on my reel and I knew I had a good one on. Our battle continued for a while with the beautiful brown trout leaping out of the water on numerous occasions. Eventually I won the battle and landed a beautiful 60cm brown trout weighing around 6lb, and after a couple of photos she was released on her way. DECEMBER 2022
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Best time of year for natives EILDON
Peter Burtchell
My compliments of the festive season to all. To those readers who have been affected by this year’s devastating floods,
baitfish exposed as they traverse the once higher bare banks in search of feed. With so many Murray cod and yellowbelly resident in the lake, baitfish will have no other option than to school up to provide some protection from their
predators. Finding these schools of baitfish around the main lake’s banks will be key to a successful angling session this season. The rivers will run harder than normal, which will attract schools of yellowbelly up into the
William with a late spring brown. my thoughts are with you and I hope your recovery is progressing well. Here at Lake Eildon we have been eagerly awaiting the warmer weather after a colder than normal spring, which suppressed the normal native fish activity. Yellowbelly and juvenile Murray cod remained dormant throughout much of spring, which should lead to some great fishing this December as the dormant natives catch up on their annual warmer water feeding. With a full lake, the fishing conditions will be very different this summer as most of the larger trees are now metres underwater, leaving
headwaters as feed is pushed downstream towards them. Bait and lures will both prove very successful amongst these feeding fish throughout December. Trout will remain active this summer if the La Niña conditions continue. They can be caught both by flatlining lures in the main body of the lake, and spinning for them along the river headwaters, where the cooler incoming waters will remain. During late October and into November it was great to watch the feeding action of both smaller bait and larger fish come alive across the surface of the lake. Two or more sunny days in a row had provided the right conditions for all manner of insects to hatch. The hatches provided a great reprieve to anglers, who had found it hard to entice the previously dormant yellowbelly and juvenile Murray cod. Summer is the best time to target both Murray cod and yellowbelly at Lake
Steve stuck to targeting trout during the colder than normal spring. Eildon. Fishing in the main body of the lake first thing in the morning and after 5pm in the evening will
The Captain (Dave Cross) with one of the larger Murray cod that remain active all year round.
Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.
Andrew with a rare cold water yellowbelly.
Open for breakfast from 6am 7 days a week (Closed Mother’s Day)
Coffee Light meals Pastries Cakes Bread 10 Main St, Eildon Victoria 3713 03 5774 2362 0438 881 629 100
DECEMBER 2022
away from home. If visiting Lake Eildon you can opt to stay in one of the floating apartments (Boatels), hire
Young Curtis with his catch during a recent expedition around Jerusalem Creek. It was landed from his hired picnic boat in the pouring rain.
enable anglers to avoid the jet ski, wake and speed boat wave action. During the day, finding one of the secluded inlets and coves or venturing up the rivers will provide some great reprieve for the boating action. • For more information on fishing Lake Eildon, contact the Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park, a friendly, family-orientated annuals cabin park and Houseboat Marina, that makes the perfect home
a houseboat or fishing vessel, visit the Megabass Elite Pro Store, or book a Megabass Elite Pro Fishing Tour with one of the many leading Australian Fishing guides operating from Jerusalem Creek. For more information on all of the activities and attractions that Lake Eildon has to offer, visit j e r u s a l e m c re e k . c o m . a u , give them a call on (03) 5774 2585 or email info@ jerusalemcreek.com.au.
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The warmer weather is finally upon South West Gippsland, and anglers have been taking advantage of it. There is still more water than usual for this time of year, but the fish are active and the fishos are catching. Whether fishing from a boat or off the bank, the last month has been full of success, and that will continue into December. The rivers and streams of Noojee are no doubt higher and dirtier than usual for this time of year, but there are still fish to be caught. The Toorongo ROCKLEAand Loch rivers have been producing fish on BRISBANE BOATING & LEISURE brighter coloured lures 1713 Ipswich Road Rocklea like spinners, hardbodies P: (07) 3875 and 1600 soft plastics, and of course drifted baits. The : sales@kareemarine.com.au LaTrobe, however, seems W: www.kareemarine.com.au to be more affected by the high rainfall, and most NORTHERN GOLD COAST fish are being caught on ONSHORE anMARINE anchored bait cast into Horizon aShores Marina Woongoolba back eddy or any piece of slack2480 water. P: (07) 5546 Fly fishing guru Trevor : onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au Hawkins reports catching a W: www.onshoremarine.com.au number of fish on a wet fly in the Icy Creek recently. VERTONHe HILLS also reminds us that HOLT MARINE in order to find trout with all Road this Everton rainfall Hills around, 25 Queens you need to find clear P: (07) 3353 1928 water. This could mean : info@holtmarine.com.au fishing higher altitudes or W: www.holtmarine.com.au perhaps a tributary of your favourite river. CAPALABA The Bunyip and Tarago rivers have had their fair MIKES MARINE water travel down 9 Smithshare StreetofCapalaba them in recent months, P: (07) 3390 3418have just started and they : sales@mikesmarine.com.au to turn fishable again. A W: www.mikesmarine.com.au
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AIRLIE BEACH WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE 17 William Murray Drive A by-catch redfinCannonvale caught while targeting P: (07) 4946 7286 bass in Blue Rock.
BENDIGO BENDIGO MARINE & OUTDOORS 160 Midland Highway Epsom P: (03) 5448 3988 W: bendigomarine.com.au
E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au
soft plastic or drifted bait surface lures cast into the www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au shouldW:do the trick in either timber, and of course bass waterway. Some of the are still being caught on KARUMBA biggest trout in the region spinnerbaits, hardbodies, MARINE come JONES from these waters, so spinners and soft plastics. they 30 areYappar definitely The trout front will start to Streetworth Karumba your P: while when looking slow down as the weather (07) 4745 9159 for new water. warms up, however redfin E: jonglo@bigpond.com Blue Rock Reservoir and carp are still readily W: www.jonesmarine.com.au is finally producing some caught at the lake. consistent surface fishing Local angler Matt IPSWICH for bass at the moment, Bow had a terrific session and this should pick up targeting bass on the surface IPSWICH MARINE heading into the New casting a cicada from the 45 Huxham Street Raceview Year. Anglers are catching bank near the top end of P: 07cicadas, 3294 3944 fish on poppers the lake, landing numerous enquiries@ipswichmarine.com.au and E:walk-the-dog style bass in the last hour of light during early November. W: www.ipswichmarine.com.au Picking a humid and still afternoon, and casting next SLACKS CREEK GOLD COAST to structure, is the key to AUSTRALIAN MARINE CENTRE TR MARINE catching bass off the roof. 3491 Pacific Highway Slacks Creek 167 Currumburra Road Ashmore Many of the local P: (07) 3808 7333 P: 07 5532 5812 estate ponds are producing redfin for the fishers : sales@amcboats.com.au E: shaun@trmarinegc.com.au who are willing to try a W: www.amcboats.com.au W: www.trmarinegoldcoast.com.au few locations. I find soft plastics are the best lure NOOSAVILLE to use when prospecting SUNSHINE COAST MARINE new spots, but when the 122 Eumundi Road Noosaville reddies are on they will eat just about anything. It P: (07) 5449 7633 would surprise you how big : sales@sunshinecoastmarine.com.au redfin can grow in small W: www.sunshinecoastmarine.com.au urban ponds. Often the bigger fish are found in spots with lower pressure, so get out there and find out for yourself. With all that’s going on this month, the fishing has been exceptional and this will not drop off heading into Christmas. For fishos in South West Gippsland, these next few months are as good as it gets. The water will eventually drop and the rivers will clear, water A trout caught by the author casting into temperatures will rise and a back eddy of the Tarago River. the fishing will be on fire.
VIC
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MELBOURNE MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE 393-399 South Gippsland Hwy Dandenong South P: (03) 9703 2003 E: info@melbournemarine.com.au W: melbournemarine.com.au MORNINGTON PENINSULA MY MARINE Cnr Nepean Highway & Ponderosa Place Dromana P: (03) 5987 0900 W: mymarine.com.au MORNINGTON PENINSULA NAUTICAL MARINE 141 Hotham Road Sorrento P: (03) 5984 1666 E: info@nauticalmarine.com.au W: nauticalmarine.com.au TOORADIN P&J MARINE SERVICE CENTRE P/L 101 Tooradin Station Road Tooradin P: (03) 5998 3107 E: pjmarine_services@bigpond.com MELBOURNE TRIPLE M MARINE 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown P: (03) 9465 8787 F: (03) 9466 1418 W: triplemmarine.com.au
BRAESIDE JV MARINE WORLD 878 Springvale Road Braeside P: (03) 9798 8883 F: (03) 9798 7554 W: jvmarine.com.au
DECEMBER 2022
101
Go Behind the Scenery
Tasmania
Lots of Tassie treasures for the Xmas table OFFSHORE
Kelly Hunt
It has been a long time coming, but the sun has come out and the weather is on the improve. The serious clean-outs the river systems received with the big rains and flooding has been both good and bad. Good because it improves the general health of the fishing, but bad as it has cleared away a lot of material and old habitat.
there have been plenty of these) have rewarded anglers of all styles. Bait, lures and the chucking of fluff has turned over plenty of trout, with many anglers reporting sensational action. Lake Crescent attracted a great deal of pressure early on in the season, and that will only increase as the weather improves. It is really nice to see the catch and release nature of this world-class trophy brown trout water. Lake Crescent is known for its dark and murky water,
don’t think this river caper is for me,” and head out to sea. During the year they take their chances in the open ocean, and then return to feed on the migratory whitebait runs each year. During certain times of the year, down close to the river mouths of these western rivers, these fish are in good numbers, looking to gorge themselves on the bait. They send the bait flying into the air as they chase it in the shallows, and you can often see big bow waves on the surface. It is a very exciting
Jake Howes holds up a quality sea-run trout.
Jamie Harris and one of his typical fish from the west. This is a challenge, and if you look at it in a positive way, it’s a new adventure. Learning how the fish are moving and feeding in an old fishing spot with a new look is a lot of fun. In some cases, the fishing spots can be totally unrecognisable, with the course of the river and bank structure totally changed. Of course, those anglers affected most by this are freshwater and upper estuary anglers. Not much has changed for the open ocean fishos, but I must make a special mention: be very vigilant for floating debris and logs, are there’s still a fair bit about. We were out in the 7m Surtees blowing the winter cobwebs out of her in mid-November, and saw a great deal of logs in the water. Some of these logs were massive and would do some damage if hit at speed, potentially throwing you out of the boat. So keep your eyes peeled, and if you’re roaring along at night, just be mindful. Now let’s have a round-up of what has been caught recently, and what to expect this month. TROUT LOVERS Tasmanian lakes and rivers continue to fish well. The flooded margins (and 102
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and you must put your presentation right in front of the fish. This inevitably means a lot of casting, and when I say “a lot”… I mean a LOT. This lake is not known as ‘the land of a thousand casts’ for nothing. Bigger and flashier lures than the more natural colours are often used. It is a lake where you could even throw bass spinnerbaits for good success I reckon. The West Coast rivers and their river mouths have also been fishing very well. The amount of bait pushing up these river systems against the large flow of water has been impressive. This has generated some big interest from big fish. This style of fishing for humongous trout has a solid following of dedicated anglers. These trout are not your Johhny-comelately farm-bred, pet dam fish, I may add. These are big, strong, wild brown trout, born and bred in the wild waters of the magical west coast of Tasmania. Big, broadshouldered and thick, dark fish that we call residents. These fish stay within the river systems. Then you have the magical sea-run trout. These are brown trout that have said, “You know what, I
way of fishing for trout, and when a big one gets on it’s heart-in-mouth stuff. Jamie Harris is a member of a keen band of trophy trout anglers who have a great passion for this fishing, and the area they do it in. Then there’s Mason Paull and his son Daniel, who often shape their annual leave around this
event. Damian Turner from Tassie Tackle and Outdoor in Burnie is another solid trophy trout tragic, so by all means drop in for the good oil should you get the chance. He also knows his way around Lake Crescent, and can also supply a head start of information. Drop instore and stock up on the go to lures and some hints and tips. Young Jake Howe deserves special mention. He caught a quality sea-run trout from his home river of the Forth, and it was the end result of days and evenings of after-school failure. He would not stop though, and his keenness and never-give-up attitude is to be commended. It just goes to show that hard work and honing your craft pays off
in the end. MAKO SHARK FEVER It’s that time of the year when you borrow a mate’s garden mulcher and run Australian salmon and couta through it. Just remember to wash it properly when you return it, or he may not speak to you for a while. Berley is where it’s at for attracting a mako shark to your boat, and you will need lots of it. You can purchase a berley pot and attach it to your boat, and bash away old-school style. This works as well as any method. It’s hard work after a few hours, and can leave you with Popeye arms. We have become lazy over the years and have made our own berley for many trips. We are lucky to
Damian Turner with a very nice Lake Crescent fish.
have a purpose-built berley muncher, and this turns fish frames into berley in no time flat. You can of course purchase pre-paid berley, but it can get expensive if you have a few trips without a shark turning up. It may take a few attempts early in the season (December is still classed as early). The fish are here though, and they will turn up at your boat. It just means persistence and more berley. The water of the North West coast will turn up mako sharks, but if you are looking to get one on deck and not go through too much berley, the East Coast is the place to go. Heading out of St Helens or Bicheno and finding the shelf edge gives you heaps of water column to try to find one. Ideally a drift down or up the shelf will have you in with a solid chance. You can also bottom fish as you drift along. If the wind gets up and is pushing you along a bit fast, a drogue (sea anchor) is a great item to utilise. Have a wire trace and big hook in a nice bait ready to go. Some trips you have to wait hours and hours, while on other days it is like you have parked on one’s head. You never can tell, so be ready. Summer is finally kicking off after a very wet spring. The fishing season will get into swing very swiftly and the salty seawater will overpower the freshwater that has surrounded our state. This will mean some good fishing over the Christmas period. So have a good holiday season, a great Christmas Day and stay safe.
Go Behind the Scenery
Tasmania
Summer visitors sliding in HOBART
Andrew Large
Wet weather for the moment has eased significantly in recent weeks all across Tasmania allowing anglers to pursue their chosen summer species. Tiger flathead are biting well from Musselroe Bay in the northeast to Adventure Bay, and Bruny Island in the southeast. Anglers have been experiencing good fishing on the top of the tide, just on the turn. These flathead have been taken on both fresh bait and a slowly drifted soft plastic. Daiwa Bait Junky Minnows in the 100mm size doing well.
Meanwhile, Australian salmon have begun chasing and feeding heavily on the influx of bait over the last month. Swansea, St Helens, Orford and Dunalley have all experienced great runs of fish to 2kg. Cremorne closer to Hobart has seen masses of these fish taking Halco Silver Slice lures in the 30-40g size. Sand flathead continue to fire up for summer, with some great catches being taken close to the Hobart CBD in the Derwent estuary and further afield into Storm Bay. Marion Bay on the east coast has also surprised anglers with a happy mix of both tiger and sand flathead. Drift spinning the many beaches from the shore
Matt Haines with a 1kg Great Lake rainbow, taken at twilight.
with a Berkley Nemesis is also producing good flathead as these fish feed closer to shore. The Derwent and other larger estuary systems in the southeast continue to produce bream to 45cm. The best results are being obtained further up in the mid sections of these systems. Hardbody minnows and soft plastics seem to be imitating the bait at the moment. Early rumours of kingfish abound, particularly in the southeast as they do every year around December. It isn’t necessarily too early for Tasmania, particularly in the northeast. My thoughts are kingfish are possible any time after the Australian salmon arrive for the year; this essentially coincides with water temperatures rising and starting to pass through the 14-15°C bracket in late November. Of course, an angler’s chances increase the closer we head toward 18-20°C, but I believe from 15°C onwards if you’re keen enough it’s well worth a try – particularly if you live close to Bass Straight or are persistent enough to try offshore structure in deep water along our eastern coastline. Be mindful that the peak for these fish is February to April. When I was a child, I remember abalone divers from NSW who were close family friends told the story many times of seeing kingfish around our coastlines at all times of the year, so who
knows? Anyway, a deepwater knife jigging session just might be called for during December and January! Southern calamari are now in full swing, with Storm Bay, Marion and Freycinet areas fishing well. Size has generally been small to medium, with these fish being possibly the progeny of the winter spawn session. Sea trout are now all but finished for the season. They are still around, just not in the concentrated numbers of recent months owing to the intense feeding on whitebait during their annual upstream run. Most seatrout now will have reverted to feeding on seasonal baitfish and crabs. On the Tasman Peninsula close to Fortescue Bay, good runs of SBT continue with school fish to 40kg available. They are patchy but rewards await the persistent angler. In freshwater, all our lakes are looking full in both water capacity and aquatic life, which has been getting anglers excited for the third summer in a row. A wet winter pay-off has meant nearly every lake is fishing well. Great Lake continues to amaze anglers with the quantity and quality of both its rainbows and brown trout. Some of these fish have been nudging 3kg, but the average size seems to be around 1.35kg. Bait, lure and fly are all working well around the extremely high edges, taking
The author caught this brown trout on a Bloody Ripper Tasmanian Devil. fish that are foraging over new ground. Arthurs Lake has really bounced back this year, with fish to 1.5kg being taken by anglers drift spinning through the many sunken trees covering the lake. Fly anglers have struggled a tad as the water on the shoreline has remained cloudy due to the windy conditions of late and wave action. Large stocked rainbow trout have come out of Bronte Lagoon in recent weeks, and healthy, well-conditioned browns have been caught by mainly fly and troll anglers close to the shorelines. The Tasmanian Devil lure Y106 has been working extremely well and may possibly elicit a strike in and amongst the multitude of gum beetles falling onto the water on hot days.
A little further to the northeast, Lake Echo is once again full and fish are feeding well around the newly-flooded edges. Both rainbows and browns are being taken even on the brightest and stillest of days. Value for money Black Magic bibbed minnows have been taking mixed bags of both species, both trolled and spun; the Mad Mullet is my pick. As always, enjoy the start of the new summer season for us Tasmanians, relying heavily as we do on different species making their way south in warmer currents. Please remember these fish only visit, and sometimes for only a part of summer, so get out there and enjoy what you can of the milder and calmer conditions this wonderful month has to offer.
VICTORIAN FISHERIES NEWS
Rocklands water release for Lake Toolondo
Lake Toolondo in the Wimmera will receive a water allocation from Rocklands Reservoir. Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Freshwater Fisheries Manager Anthony Forster said recent rainfall has resulted in nearby Rocklands Reservoir exceeding 56 per cent capacity, a threshold to trigger a large-scale water allocation for Toolondo. “The VFA has developed a trout stocking plan for the lake that will kick in after Grampians Wimmera Mallee (GWM) Water transfers water from Rocklands and water temperatures are cool enough to support trout,” he said. “This is expected to create a high-quality trout fishery at Toolondo for several years, enough time for stocked brown trout to grow with the right environmental conditions.” Water levels in Lake Toolondo are reliant on water transfers from Rocklands, which have not occurred in recent years. To assist in providing a productive environment for stocking, the VFA is
reducing carp numbers in Lake Toolondo in conjunction with recreational fishers, GWM Water, the Wimmera Catchment Management Authority and commercial carp fisher Keith Bell. Last year more than 70 tonnes of carp were removed from Toolondo. A further 22 tonnes of carp have been removed from the lake in recent weeks with carp harvesting to continue through to December. BOAT SEIZED FOR ILLEGAL WHITING HAUL AT ST LEONARDS Most recreational fishers do the right thing and abide by catch limits that keep our booming whiting, snapper and calamari fisheries sustainable however three men have been apprehended at St Leonards and had their fibreglass boat seized for allegedly taking more than the daily bag limit of King George whiting. Director of Education and Enforcement at the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) Ian Parks said the trio were observed retrieving their boat after catching a quantity of whiting, travelling to a nearby
house, then relaunching their boat to continue fishing in the same spot. “The three men returned to the boat ramp in the early evening and were intercepted by Fisheries Officers a short time later, back at the nearby house, where they presented a quantity of whiting for inspection,” Mr Parks said. “Enquiries saw more whiting produced from the house and confirmed as catch from that day. In total, the three men had allegedly taken 68 whiting over two trips on the same day, with one allegedly catching 38. The daily bag limit for King George whiting is 20 per person. “All fish, fishing gear and the boat were seized on the spot. “Recreational fishers are reminded that bag limits are personal, you can’t catch fish on behalf of others, and it is illegal to sell your catch.” Mr Parks said this apprehension led to a Lygon Street restaurant in Carlton where 25kg of illegitimate King George whiting and 58kg of calamari were allegedly uncovered. “The whiting and calamari
could not be substantiated as commercially sourced product and were seized by Fisheries Officers,” Mr Parks said. “It will be alleged a document to account for the whiting was falsely created by a seafood wholesaler at the request of the restaurant. “The proprietor and company associated with the restaurant will face charges relating to the sale of recreationally taken fish, providing false documents and information, and other significant offences under the Fisheries Act. A seafood wholesaler will also face charges relating to the creation of a false document connected to the whiting.” If you see or suspect illegal fishing, call our 24/7 reporting service, 13FISH (133474), to speak directly to a Fisheries Officer. You can remain anonymous. NEW SHELLFISH REEF TO BOOST FISHING IN THE BAY The Victorian Government is continuing to create more recreational fishing opportunities in Port Phillip with a $50,000 contribution to a proposed new shellfish
reef off Kerferd Road pier in Albert Park. Minister for Fishing and Boating Sonya Kilkenny said the funding will continue a partnership between the Government and the Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club, which initiated the concept of shellfish reef restoration in Port Phillip Bay. It will complement the $2.5 million already invested into shellfish and rocky reefs as part of the $35m Go Fishing Victoria plan. The new reef would be deployed about 800 metres off the Kerferd Road pier to cater for the growing numbers of kayak fishers as well as those out on the water in small boats. The proposed reef will be made up of metal ‘oyster triangles’ containing shells that mussels and oysters can attach to and grow, providing habitat and food for fish as improving water quality and marine biodiversity. It’s expected snapper and calamari will take a particular liking to the reef, with whiting and flathead around its perimeter. All are among the key recreational species
Port Phillip is known for, providing another avenue for Victorian families to enjoy the great outdoors and enjoy the freshest fish at the dinner table. Previous shellfish reef projects in Port Phillip include rocky reefs that are already attracting a wide range of aquatic life, with recent surveys of the rocky reefs showing them covered in sea sponges and home to colonies of small fish and being visited by schools of pinky snapper. Earlier this year kingfish reefs were deployed near Point Nepean to provide nutrient-rich upwellings of water that attract yellowtail kingfish, while also keeping fishers out of shipping channels near Port Phillip heads. Port Phillip is in better shape than ever thanks to the removal of commercial net fishing, record spawning of whiting and snapper in recent years and upgraded boat ramps where it’s free to launch and park. – Victoria Fisheries DECEMBER 2022
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BARRA Series presented by
Kicking off the 2022 BARRA Tour
The ABT BARRA tour is officially underway for 2022 with anglers making their way up to Lake Tinaroo in Far North Queensland for rounds one and two of the season. Round one was a two-day event from 4pm – midnight, giving the anglers the best of the day and night bite. Naming sponsor Wilson kicked in a few freebies for anglers to take into the first session, including a handy soft vibe box that may have been an omen for what was to come for the top of the leaderboard. Liam Robinson and James Wilson, better known as team Anita Barra/ Humminbird, won the Tinaroo all-nighter last year and got up to similar heroics this year, casually breaking ABT records as they went. The pair were able to set a new ABT record of heaviest 10 fish bag (2 x 5/5 fish limits) coming in at a massive 149.55kg – that’s an average weight of around
The Humminbird electronics on their tinny, which include four Helix units to facilitate MEGA Live, Sidescan/Downscan, MEGA 360 and mapping – were used to their maximum potential to target fish precisely. Scan the QR code to see the Winning team interview
“We would use sidescan at the helm to identify spots and when we found an area we liked we used the MEGA 360 at the bow to target the fish, watching them swim out and around the weed and putting their patterns together,” said Liam. “Even though we have Live now, which is unreal, and we used it to drop vibes on a few fish, I still believe 360 is the best tool for barra fishing,” he added. Once they found the
The field for the BARRA tour gets stronger every year with nearly 40 anglers making it to Cairns for the first round of the season. areas they liked, they popped them into the memory bank and kept moving, building a collection of spots to keep
Liam Robinson of winning Team Anita Barra/Humminbird pictured with one of their record setting fish. Over his left shoulder you’ll see the MEGA Live and MEGA 360 combo they used to leave no stone unturned. 15kg or 105.5cm on the ABT weight/length table. There were fish sitting both deep and shallow and with the shallow fish unwilling to bite, it was the fish in the 12-15ft range that they targeted.
on rotation. “We probably had 5-6 spots within a small area that we just hopped around all night to stay on active fish,” Liam told Steve Morgan. The boys showed the
field exactly why they have a Zerek Fish Trap colour in their name, with the ‘Anita’ coloured 95mm Fish Trap accounting for the majority of their fish. “I reckon this lure has caught over 15m of
RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 104
DECEMBER 2022
Team Anita Barra/Humminbird Robinson/Wilson Wilson Fishing Luckus/Cornelius Casting Mayhem Mears/Press Venom Dixon/Meredith Fishing Monthly Morgan/Williams Family Affair C. Sohier/L. Sohier Tolga Traders Browning/Burns Compleat Angler Cairns Bezuidenhout/Bruggemann Imakatsu/Dobyns Rods Maclean/Slade Thumb Lock McLaren/Torrisi
barra the past two days,” said Robinson, holding his Anita coloured Fish Trap up to the camera in his winner’s interview. “I’m going to retire this one once I get home.” Short sharp hops are the standard retrieve and a light yet fast rod is preferable. Liam and James both run a Shimano Zodias paired with a Shimano Vanford 4000 and a braided main line with 50lb fluorocarbon leader. BIG SECOND SESSION FOR TEAM WILSON Apart from being the naming sponsor of the tour, the Team Wilson fishing boys are pretty handy on the tools as well. Kord Luckus and Jeremy Cornelius ‘Fish Trapped’ their way into second place with an 8/10 fish limit for 114.25kg. By the second session, they had refined their soft vibe bite to where they were able to fill a full limit and throw in a few upgrades, catching fish from the beginning of the session right to the end. “We figured out that the barra were feeding on red claw and, once we knew that, we just focused on the soft vibes,” said Luckus. “We did catch a couple of fish slow rolling the LiveTarget Gizzard Shads
before we fully committed to the Fish Traps as they were producing the better fish.” They favoured the sidescan on their Lowrance units over the ActiveTarget live imaging to locate fish sitting around the 6-7m mark, sitting just off the bottom. “The fish we saw on the sounder swim under the boat weren’t actually the fish we were catching, we weren’t really dropping down to them, we were catching them casting in the depth we knew they were sitting in,” explained Luckus. The flavour of the day was the 95mm model Zerek Fish Trap in GS1 colour – a pure black colour with yellow stripes. Black is favourable in deep water as it remains visible at depth, making it easier for fish to locate. The trick was to keep the lure as close to the bottom as possible and right under the fish’s nose. There’s a reason Wilson sponsor the BARRA rounds and that’s because their gear just works, as the boys proved. They used a bevy of Bone and Venom rods paired with ATC Combat V2 Baitcast reels, spooled up with PE 3 Venom V-line braid and a light, yet strong, 40lb Wilson FC leader.
Full results at abt.org.au
Fish 10/10 8/10 6/10 6/10 5/10 3/10 4/10 4/10 4/10 3/10
Weight(kg) 149.55 114.25 71.63 57.25 55.32 43.55 42.47 40.77 33.57 26.60
Payout $1650 $750 $500 MOLIX prize pack MOLIX prize pack PROLURE prize pack KEITECH prize pack TOADFISH prize pack TOADFISH Prize pack
Big barra and broken records After three days of fishing pressure, most anglers could be forgiven for thinking that the all-nighter was going to be a grind. Well, that was certainly not the case with the fish firing up big time making for one of the most action-packed scoreboards we’ve seen in a long time. The top three teams didn’t record a fish under a metre with the round one winners, Team Anita Barra/ Humminbird, extending their winning streak, bringing in one monster of a bag in which their smallest fish measured 110cm and, once again, writing their names in the history books. On the warpath armed with their Zerek Fish Traps again, they weighed the heaviest five fish bag ever recorded in an ABT BARRA event, which included three fish at 110cm, 112cm and, the kicker, a whopping 116cm for a total of 94.85kg. Scan the QR code to see the Winning team interview
Despite scoreboard pressure from the whole top five, they held their composure to hang on for their second win of the season by a touch over 10kg. They used the technique they had found in the first-round targeting fish out wider off the weed edges, mainly using the Humminbird Mega 360 to follow the fish around. All the bites came after dark with some of the bigger bites coming at around 3am when they hit a patch of fish they couldn’t get to bite all week until they finally worked them out. If you look at the Humminbird sounder configuration on Liam’s boat, it’s a wonder any fish can hide at all. Without a doubt it is the heart and soul of the vessel and a large part of their success. The two front sounders
are Helix 10s with one dedicated to Mega Live Imaging and one for Mega 360, each with their own Rob Payne engineering pole. The two units complement each other perfectly with the 360 ideal for finding schools of barra and structure and the Mega Live for then singling out fish to target. The rear two are also Helix 10s with one unit solely for mapping and the other for down and side imaging for finding structure and fish while idling around. Liam’s 420 Renegade is just about the ultimate impoundment barra fishing tinny. “The good thing about it being a shorter boat,” James explains, “Is that you can move around the entire boat easily if they decide to play up.” Now with two unanswered wins to kick the year off, Liam and James head back to their home impoundments around Mackay in good form and gunning for that coveted Team of The Year trophy they so narrowly had to give up for 2021. BARRA MAYHEM FOR MEARS AND PRESS Tamworthian Adam Mears was a long way from home for his first BARRA
Two from two! Team Anita Barra/HUMMINBIRD secured back-toback victories and set even more records in doing so. The team used a refined soft vibe technique to bag some XOS barra. event, teaming up with friend and Tinaroo local Joe Press, fishing as team Casting Mayhem. They finished 3rd on the podium in the first round and went one better in the second round as they refined their soft-vibing technique. “Like a lot of other teams, we were really working hard to try for an edge bite but it wasn’t until I got our first good bite for a few days on a Jackall Transam that we decided to
stick with that,” Adam said. Like the winning team, they too found that the edge fish were not playing the game and instead chose to target the fish out wider. “We’d make a long cast parallel with the bank in about 30ft of water just outside the weed edge, let the lure hit the bottom and give it short sharp hops off the bottom the whole way back to the boat,” Mears explained. “We just did this as we
Captain Redbeard, aka Adam Mears, made the journey from Tamworth to fish his first ever barra event with team mate Joe Press. They were rewarded with a second place in the Tinaroo all nighter.
RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
BARRA Series presented by
Team Anita Barra Robinson/Wilson Casting Mayhem Mears/Press Venom Dixon/Meredith Imakatsu/Dobyns Rods Maclean/Slade J & D AYES NFZ Hayes/Mayes Fishing Monthly Morgan/Williams About Town Bait & Tackle Detenton/Mulcahy Ferraro Farming Ferraro/Hapgood Compleat Angler Cairns Bezuidenhout/Bruggemann 2Wards Fishing C. Ward/R. Ward
kept moving between two points they were feeding on.” The moon rose at about 7-8pm and was the major bite time for their session, with most of their fish falling within the hour or so either side of it. Although they had both rigged up, the vibe of choice for Mears was a 95mm Fish Trap in GS1 colour while Joe fished its bigger brother the 110mm model in pink eye colour. Mears used a couple of Shimano Sustain reels in 4000 size, one with 50lb Powerpro braid paired with a Millerods beast buster for throwing the 110mm vibes, and one spooled with 30lb braid paired with a custom model Millerods Barra vibe – a one off model dedicated specifically to soft vibing barramundi – for the smaller 95mm vibes. A fan of the Wilson rod and reel range, Joe used a couple of Venom and Blade n’ Tails rods paired with ATC Combat reels. “I copped a spray from Joe for fishing too light after getting rubbed off on 60lb leader so I changed to 100lb Nitlon Fluorocarbon pretty quick,” Mears’ joked, “I didn’t get busted off after that!” All up, they caught eight fish for the night with an average length around the metre mark.
Full results at abt.org.au
Fish 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 2/5
Weight(kg) 94.85 84.17 78.32 70.75 70.55 57.22 48.11 47.98 36.01 34.05
Payout $1650 $750 $500 MOLIX prize pack MOLIX prize pack PROLURE prize pack KEITECH prize pack TOADFISH prize pack TOADFISH prize pack no prize DECEMBER 2022
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BASS SERIES presented by
Braden Schuch hits the pinnacle of BASS Each year the BASS Grand Final is a culmination of the hard work and efforts of the most consistent performing boaters and non-boaters on the 13 Fishing BASS Pro Series, representing the pinnacle of bass fishing success in Australia. As well as officially crowning the 2022 AOY Champions, we also have the pleasure of giving away some fantastic sponsor prizes, including the big one, an Alloycraft/Mercury boat, motor and trailer package to the tune of around $50,000 that goes to our boater champion. This year anglers travelled to the Clarence River at Grafton on the NSW Northern Rivers where the heavy rainfall have seen the rivers flooding almost weekly. It wouldn’t be a Grand Final without a bit of adversity, and it was with a
1ST PLACE BOATER Braden Schuch 5/5 fish 5.188kg One of the most consistent performers on the BASS pro circuit, DAIWA Staff member Braden Schuch, has been trying to take out this event for some years now and in 2022 he has made it his year, sneaking in ahead of second place by just a few hundred grams. He admits to not following the scoreboard throughout the day and was pleasantly surprised, if not a bit shocked, at the end of session one to learn that his bag of 5.188kg was the only 5kg+ back of the session and enough to cinch the lead. “I don’t like to follow Scan the QR code to watch the Boater winner interview
A fairytale finish to the year for Clarence Local Beau Eveleigh winning the non boater category. He punished the bass on Maclean Reef with his finely tuned crankbaiting skills. He positioned himself to where he could cast tight to the ramp and around the submerged ferry cables once the ferry took off. Almost straight away this yielded the events Big Bass, a 43.5cm fish. It wrapped him around the cables before he could wrestle it out over the top with no dramas thanks to the new 10 lb X-Link fluorocarbon leader from Daiwa. As well as the new leader, Braden ran some other new Daiwa spin gear, including the new Infeet AGS model rod paired with a 2500 Revelry and J-Braid Grand.
Junk fishing became the flavour of the day after the bite died at the ferry, however there was one bait that stood out above all else – a Daiwa Steez Spinnerbait. However, this isn’t an out of the packet Steez. Braden ties an orange flare to the skirt and swaps out the kicker Colorado blade for a bright orange blade, making it a lot brighter lure. “I don’t know if it actually does anything to them but it’s definitely a confidence bait for me on the Clarence,” remarked Braden. His set up for spinnerbait
Brad Wickson was on fire on the Maclean Reef, using his active target to hunt bass with a crankbait and land himself in second place amongst the boaters. heavy heart that ABT had to abandon the second and final day of the Grand Final due to severe weather and flood warnings, after an already wet and wild pre-fish/ first session. As such, our day one standings became the finalised results and Braden Schuch From Daiwa Australia took home the amazing boat and motor package from Alloycraft, while Beau Eveleigh in the non-boaters took home the massive $4000+ Tackle pack.
the scoreboard throughout the day, but I couldn’t believe that someone hadn’t knocked me off. This place always produces big fish and I thought for sure someone would bring a 50cm in,” said Schuch. He laid the foundations for a successful comp with a good pre-fish, fishing the arena right before the pre-fish ban and locating the areas where the fish were sitting. Starting the day on the Lawrence ferry, Braden was throwing a Prolure Clone
BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 106
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Angler Braden Schuch Brad Wickson John Noble Mick Johnson Keeghan Painter Collin Robinson Adrian Melchior Mike Nelson Nick Anderson Brett Hyde
Fish 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 5/5
prawn on a 1/8oz Daiwa Baitjunkie jighead to ‘match the hatch’, imitating a prawn. “I noticed when the ferry would take off it would stir the prawns up and you’d see them flick across the surface, the bass were sitting under them feeding.” Scan the QR code to watch the Non-boater winner interview
Schuch’s Big Bass came off the ferry cables at Lawrence and weighed in at 43.5cm or 1.593kg. It fell to a shrimp imitation soft plastic rigged on the new Daiwa BaitJunkie jighead.
Full results at abt.org.au
Weight(kg) 5.188 4.854 4.800 4.561 4.329 4.254 3.895 3.821 3.804 3.770
Payout Alloycraft/Mercury package
fishing consists of a Daiwa TD Zero 722MLXB paired with a Steez A Baitcast reel, spooled with J-Braid Grand and 10lb X-Link FC leader. The key was to pitch the spinnerbait in tight to the reed edges and slow roll them back out to the boat. The final touches on the bag came from a bank he found in pre-practice a few weeks prior. “I found an otherwise pretty featureless bank but
BASS SERIES presented by during the floods a heap of timber must have washed down and was sitting on the bottom out off the edge,” Braden said of his final spot, adding “The reason I knew it was there, was thanks to the Humminbird Mega 360 up the front, which I use to find the structure the fish are sitting on”. A 3/8oz Pros Factory Motion jig rigged with a Berkley Maxscent Creature Hawg trailer dragged over the deeper timber in 10ft of water was all it took to secure the final upgrade from a 23.5cm fish to a 39.5cm fish. Steve Morgan called it the $50,000 upgrade and he was right on the money there, as the final upgrade shot him into the lead which he would go on to retain. Only catching 6 fish for the session, Braden definitely played the quality over quantity game and it paid off in a big way. We look forward to seeing him defend his title in 2023.
the weekend after he hooked a couple of really solid fish, and seeing even more on the Lowrance ActiveTarget swimming around. The AciveTarget on his Lowrance units played a major role in how Wickson approached the reef. As the fish moved up and down in the water column, he changed between two lures to target them effectively. Scan the QR code to watch the Event Highlights
“When we first arrived there was bait jumping everywhere and the bass were chasing them up high pushing them out of the water. The fish were fired up, we had double hook ups all morning,” he explained. With the fish high in the water column, Wickson chose an Ecogear SX40 suspending crankbait in
in front of the fish’s nose like an injured prawn. “They really only wanted the suji shrimp, they wouldn’t look at any other colours that I tried,” said Wickson. An electric motor failure nearly put him out of the comp just days beforehand, however thanks to the boys at Fish n’ Bits who got a new Lowrance Ghost on his boat, he was able to make it. Lucky they did, as the Ghost ended up being crucial, holding him on Spotlock on the reef for most of the day. Recently he has been trialling a new set of ‘Standout’ Model rods from Legit Designs due to be released through JML Anglers Alliance next year. The model Wickson used was the SOS69ML at 6’9” in length and 3-6lb, he found it perfect for throwing the small suspending crankbaits. It was paired up with an Abu Garcia MGXtreme 2000 spin reel spooled with 15lb Famell Jigging braid and 12lb Yamatoyo Harris Fighter leader.
Soaked to the bone but you couldn’t wipe the smile off Braden Schuch’s face! A year of hard work and dedication goes into an ABT Grand Final win and the rewards are certainly something to smile about. 2nd PLACE BOATER Brad Wickson 5/5 fish 4.854kg A spot that has proved a consistent performer the past few ABT BASS rounds is the Maclean Reef downriver from take-off. Brad Wickson is one of the few anglers with the know-how to capitalise on it, which he did on day one catching big numbers of fish right throughout the session to bring in a full 5/5 limit for 4.854kg. Good success in pre-fish only bolstered the idea of where he needed to be for
colour 525 – a type of shrimp pattern. As the run-out tide slowed throughout the day and the fish slowed down, they moved down the water column to sit just off the bottom so a deeper option was needed. For this, he chose a Daiwa Infeet Spike 53SP in brown suji colour. With the reef only about 7ft deep the whole way across, the Spike 53 was perfect for when the fish moved deep as it only dives to around the 5-6ft mark and suspends off the bottom right
NON- BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Angler Beau Eveleigh Jake Hardie Bradley Turner Rodney Thorpe Cameron Hall Tim Jones Christina Tschutura Anthony Melchior Marcus Schembri Sean Muxlow
Fish 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3 3/3
1ST PLACE NON-BOATER Beau Eveleigh 3/3 fish 3.404kg Grafton angler Beau Eveleigh charged ahead of the field to take out his first ever Grand Final win from the back of the boat. On home soil in front of friends and family, with a 3/3 limit for 3.404kg, he was just a few hundred grams ahead of second place Jake Hardie. Beau walks away with around $4k worth of tackle from a stack of different brands thanks to
Tony Neal took out this year’s Non-Boater AOY trophy after his consistent efforts all season. their continued support of the ABT Bass Pro Series. Beau had the pleasure of fishing on second place boater Brad Wickson’s boat down at the Maclean Reef where they had the crankbait bite tuned up. Like Wickson, Eveleigh was also using the Spike 53SP in brown suji to get his bites, however it was later in the day when the bites slowed up that he switched it up and really came alive. Eveleigh had one of the new 7’10” Millerod Crankfreak AU model rods paired with a 13 Fishing Concept Z Slider, which he had put aside with a Rapala DT8 crankbait tied on. When the fish went down deep and the bites slowed, he changed it up from the spike to the DT8, which he would crank down to the bottom, bang it into the reef and let it pop back up where the fish would nail it as it was bobbing up off the bottom. “It just stirs the bottom up so well and draws the fish in, and once they’re looking at the commotion on the bottom, if it bobs up past their nose they just nail
it,” he said of his technique. “I would compare it to longlining in Somerset only you’re not fishing anywhere near that deep.” He credits the 13 Fishing Concept Z Slider reel with helping him keep fishing through the extremely strong winds that got worse as the day progressed. “I could just adjust that magnetic slide cast control on the fly depending on how bad the wind was, and I don’t think I had a backlash all day.” His set up for the Infeet Spike 53 was a confidence setup, one that he’s been using a long time and has a lot of faith in. It consists of a 702VLXS model TD Hyper spin rod from Daiwa paired with a 2500 Shimano Stradic and all of Beau’s reels are spooled with Sufix 832 and tied to that is Sufix Invisiline fluorocarbon leader. He now has the experience from the back of the boat, perhaps in years to come we will see him step into the boater category and experience another Grand Final victory from the front deck? Only time will tell!
Full results at abt.org.au
Weight(kg) 3.404 3.393 2.951 2.844 2.452 2.393 2.379 2.370 2.334 2.269
Payout $4000+ Tackle pack
Matt Langford took home his third consecutive Angler of the Year (AOY) title after an epic battle all year with Mitchell Cone. DECEMBER 2022
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Land-based summer opportunties abound ESPERANCE
Murray Johnson
Summer is always a great time in Esperance with plenty of sunshine, and great opportunities to get out and enjoy the coast during the holiday season. Salmon are always in great numbers at this time of year, with fish ranging up to around 8kg being caught on most beaches along the coast. The best locations around town this month would be Salmon Beach and Fourth beach. Often you can sit in the carpark and you’ll see the schools swimming through the waves, so you don’t have to worry about whether the fish are there or not. Further out of town, great beaches for targeting salmon are Roses, Munglinup, Stockyards, Duke of Orleans, Alexander Bay, Thomas River and Poison Creek. The best times are traditionally dawn and dusk. However, our coastline has a unique double tide, and the built-up to those high tides is normally a good time to fish, even in mid-morning through to lunchtime. The typical way to
target salmon is with a paternoster rig with a gang on the top and a circle on the bottom. I like a 4/0 Tarpon gang on the top on paternoster rig, double hook with a gang hook eg. 4/0 Tarpon gang, the reason being that these salmon are often big fish and will open up a limerick hook. For the lower hook I like a Black Magic circle. During the day, I’ll run a 3/0 to give me the chance of catching a herring, and at night I’ll up that to a 5/0 so I can use a big bait to attract a mulloway or gummy. The standard sinker is a star, with the weight depending on the rod and line class. If you use a ball sinker, the side current can soon wash your rig up on the beach. If there are bigger swells or weed, it’s better to use a surf sinker (grapnel sinker), so it can bury into the sand a bit better and keep your bait in the zone for longer. It’s great to fish in the late afternoon for salmon and skippy, and stick around to fish after dark for bigger targets. At this time of year, catches of mulloway, bronze whalers, and even gummy sharks are not uncommon. Most high
tides tend to finish around midnight, and it’s good to fish an hour after high tide. At this time of year we can also expect plenty of herring, which tend to be bigger, up to 500g. You can catch them from the local jetties at Taylor Street, the Tanker Street Jetty, and even Bandy Creek Boat Harbour. Further out of town, a good location for herring is Stockyards, or even Lucky Bay. You can catch herring on a simple lumo tube rig with a berley blob float, or a baited no. 6 long-shank hook or suicide hook, again with a blob float. To maximise your catch rates, don’t wait to feel the bite – just watch your float. When a herring bites, that brief line tension can take valuable seconds to transmit all the way along the line to your fingers, and by that time the fish may already have gone. To see your float better at night, put a cyalume glow stick just under your float (or drill a hole for it in your float). When fishing off the jetties at night there’s still the opportunity for squid, and also plenty of big garfish come around. The
squid are less plentiful now, but they can still be caught on heavier 3.5 size jigs that are low to the bottom. Let your jig sink down to the top of the weed. The squid won’t come to the surface until after dark. For the die-hard LBG guys, there are still a few bronze whalers around the jetty at this time of year, along with the occasional samsonfish, bonito and the odd bluefin. Bandy Creek Boat Harbour is producing plenty of King George whiting, with a bycatch of herring, flounder, flathead and small skippy. The standard way to catch the whiting is with a standard paternoster or running sinker rig, 1/0 circle or longshank hooks baited with peeled coral prawns. The bream lakes are starting to dry out but they’re still producing plenty of fish. Your best chance is to fish deeper holes, normally in the middle of the lakes. For boat-based anglers, the bay is producing plenty of herring which can be taken on either bait or lures. Two of the best lures are the little Halco Twisty or even a Tassie
Devil in blue/silver. Other Tassie Devil colours don’t seem to work well. You can cast your lures or troll them at around 4.5 knots. Even a simple lumo tube behind the hook gets plenty of success, used in conjunction with a berley blob. At this time of year the bay starts producing bluefin tuna, with good numbers of fish around that 3-5kg mark. Mixed in with the school-size fish you’ll find the occasional model up to 20kg. Out wide, we can expect plenty of nannygai up to around 65cm in big schools this month, along with plenty of breaksea cod, sweep, queen snapper and the occasional harlequinfish mixed in. Anglers can also get their arms stretched by samsonfish up to 40kg and yellowtail kingfish up to 15kg. When out wide, look for the birds working because there are normally lots of big schools of bluefin at this time of year, with some schools up to 1km wide! Most are 3-5kg fish, and they’re good fun on light year. They’ll take just about anything that’s
shiny or splashes. Laser Pros in that 1-1.5m depth are good in baitfish colours, although the tuna will still take red-heads. Black Magic Jet Heads are also taking their share. Aside from casting lures, you can also troll for the bluefin at 12 knots with lures like Jet Heads, Nomad Mad Max, and Halco Max. FISHING IN DECEMBER In the coming weeks, plenty of salmon still continue to school around, and this should continue right through summer until probably Easter. The tuna are getting bigger in both numbers and sizes, and there will still be plenty of herring around all through summer. This month we will also see few tailor coming into the area as well. • Established in 1986, Southern Sports and Tackle specializes in the supply and servicing of fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from beach, jetty or boat. Come and chat to the friendly staff at Shop 16, The Boulevard, Esperance or phone 08 9071 3022.
Summer squidding success BUNBURY
Whiteys Tackle and Camping
The lift of the demersal ban in December will see keen boaters getting into some deep drop action. The anglers who put in the long miles and time will be rewarded with
catches of big bass grouper, blue eye and hapuka. Fishing in the depths of 160-500m on ledges or plateaus when targeting these deep water delights use fresh whole fish baits on large 15/0-17/0 stainless circle hooks with 400lb mono leader. Cray divers, as usual,
Delicious crabs on ice. 108
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are picking up great numbers with plenty of jumbos to help fill the bag. The boaters dropping pots that were in a bit earlier have been rewarded for their efforts, as the crays made the beginning of their walk earlier than what was expected. Between spot changes or cruising in or out of the jetty, be sure to have a trolling lure or bullet out the back as the chances of a school of tuna or bonito is common this time of year, and can be really tasty. Alternatively, they can make a nice oily bait to top up the cray pots. Squid have been around in great numbers as well as size, as the winter thumpers aren’t all gone yet. Numbers are higher than ever for the boaties that take the time to target these delicious cephalopods and there are plenty of land-based spots to target them as well. With the water cleaning up, the season is only going to get better. Night sessions on the weed banks through Koombana Bay or from the local jetties will produce a feed. Boaties aren’t having all the fun, black bream are firing in the Collie River, along with some late night mulloway and bull shark captures. This makes for some great fun, especially by
the weedy snaggy banks of our beautiful yet relentless Collie River system. The most productive way to target these guys at night is to present a nice live mullet on a light setup as mulloway can be fussy eaters. A good few throws with a cast net in the estuary should gather you enough baits for a night. Keep them in a bucket with an aerator and you will find they are still alive at the end of the expedition. Beach goers can expect to find some good numbers of tailor patrolling the beach and the odd mulloway in between cruising the gutters. Like all beach fishing, you don’t always need to cast the furthest to find a fish, quite often a metre-long mulloway can be in behind the wash on the drop off with in just a stone’s throw. Berley up for your herring and keep a few for dinner and the rest presented butterflied or a live bait can be presented as irresistible bites for the mulloway. Worst case, you have a tussle with some rays or banjos but it’s all good fun! After the local crabbing ban finishes in December, the crabs will move into the estuary in full force. The easiest and most enjoyable
Squid have been around in great numbers, as well as size. way to get your quota has got to be scooping. It is truly great fun, whether it be alone or as a family during a BBQ by the water as it’s great interactive fun for the kids. Look for nice patchy weed beds on a high tide where the crabs will be burying themselves alongside the weeds waiting
for a passing meal. I recommend an old pair of sneakers or reef boots for this job as they can be sneaky critters and when you step on one, most the time it’s just a fright but if they manage to snag a toe, it can put a dampener on the trip. Remember if you To page 109
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To ban or not to ban? AUGUSTA
Anthony Gillam
Well, here we are, in the midst of the normal demersal closure for the year while we wait for the state government to make a belated decision in regard to the proposed 9-month ban. Punters are placing bets on the ban being reduced from
the actual target ban the government desired in the first place. Onto the actual business of fishing, there has been a mixed bag of conditions that meant that some weeks were unfishable with absolutely abhorrent weather conditions meaning that no one even considered picking up a tackle bag. Luckily a mid-month calm patch with
at night were pretty bleak with only spasmodic catches of herring and tailor reported by those braving the freezing nights to have a go. The water was pretty filthy due to large amounts of runoff and has only recently begun to clean up which may be part of the reason. There are plenty of King George whiting out in the Deadwater and up into the Swan Lakes for the kayak and small boat fishers, however, they have definitely eased from the early spring numbers where it was easy to bag out
A 43cm King George with a few leatherjackets thrown in. Rock fishing in Augusta means lunch is sorted.
Hardy Inlet produces an excellent bag of whiting, with a few herring and salmon, for the author while floating around in a kayak. the ridiculous proposal to a more palatable but still unwarranted 6-month period. It is expected to be designed to appease the massive amount of recreational fishers and associated businesses affected while achieving
low winds and flat seas gave everyone the opportunity to catch a feed. Unfortunately, jetty fishing dropped off with many of the usual species taking a bit of a break from the good numbers previously showing up. Advice from those fishing
The beautiful colours of a leatherjacket just landed from the rocks at Ringbolt Bay.
The Deadwater is the reason we love Augusta – you can’t get water any flatter. in less than an hour. That being said, the average size is around the 30cm mark so not too bad at all for river whiting. They are taking baits of river prawn, cockles and squid with blood worms and sand worms also being readily devoured. Soft plastic worms are still working a treat and small hardbodied lures will pick up whiting as well as the odd lurking black bream. Speaking of black bream, they definitely eased lower down the inlet but further up river near Molloy Island and Alexandra Bridge the numbers have been good and sizes have been well into the mid 30s. The recent Augusta Volunteer Marine Rescue Annual Bream Fishing Competition had 172 competitors across the various classes with many of the better fish topping 40cm.
From page 108
think you’re walking in a colder area, not only is it unpleasant for you but also the crabs, so pick up and try a new location as the chances of crabs deciding to feed there are low. • For any info, tips or advice on anything you have read, heard or dreamt about or to have a brag, duck into Whiteys Tackle and Camping, 1/143 Grand Entrance Treendale and say hello, we are always more than happy to help and love a good story!
Harry Fowler caught this whiting on the surface.
The number of competitors is extremely encouraging and with many participating in catch and release the future looks bright. With the demersal closure happening mid-month, most people that ventured into the bays were trying for one last fish before a possible very long wait until the next opportunity arises depending on the result of the governments pondering. Plenty of dhufish and pink snapper were around the usual locations in the bay and were definitely on the bite. It was noted that many of the boats hitting the water were from out of town with many people realising that Augusta is pretty hot fishing at the moment. Some good numbers of bight redfish and breaksea cod added to a healthy bag for most boats. Both bait fishing and soft plastic fishing gave good results and as usual Vexed Bottom Meat jigs were deadly. Squid and mulies are working well for those using bait and white or orange 6-7” soft plastics jigged near the bottom have been smashed. Sand whiting and King George whiting are still active throughout the bays and were ideal for those who only had a short window of opportunity to get a feed, especially with the changeable weather making it imperative that smaller craft remained close to shore. Anywhere around the abalone ranch in Flinders
hit and miss, however, some nice fish have been caught, especially off the rocks near the lighthouse when the weather was dry. Herring, skippy and whiting as well as some really nice King George whiting in the 40cm range were the main catch. There have been some large numbers of pink snapper biting from the rocks but most are under sized and need to be released. Horseshoe leather jackets are an annoying bait thief but once you work them out a few can also grace your dinner plate as a welcome addition. As I always say the use of a good berley slick is key to bringing the fish to where you are. • Rock fishing is dangerous
Blake Gillam with another jigged dhufish from near the islands in Flinders Bay. Bay has given up the goods especially for sand whiting with patches of King George also turning up. Squid and worms were by far the most favoured baits. Drifting through the sandy areas soon turned up where the fish were and if the average was too small a short trip further out would usually find the size you wanted. Beach fishing conditions were not really very good for the month and as a result there were not many catches reported. Hopefully as spring progresses then the beach fishing will get better. Rock fishing was very
at times and careful consideration of where and when you fish must be done. Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta – the local tackle shop and font of all local fishing knowledge. Look for the big green sign on the roof, it’s right next to the BP Service Station in the centre of town. DECEMBER 2022
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There is plenty of cheer in the air tailor fishing. Plenty are already being caught and some quality fish have been amongst them. Trigg, Floriet Drain and Whitehill will be good options for beach anglers. When there is tailor in the area, there is always a chance to pick up a shark or a mulloway as bycatch, so maybe have a heavier outfit with you just in case. Our rock wall anglers are a little spoilt for choice in December, there will be plenty of squid on offer, but as their size is a little smaller at this time of the year, it can pay to play around with your squid jig sizes. Many use smaller jigs (3.0 down to 2.2) to get better results on the smaller squid. Check the sink rates on your jigs too (or ask your tackle shop for advice), I prefer a smaller jig that also sinks a little quicker.
METRO
Jacob Crispe
As I put this report together the fishing in the Perth Metro area is already on fire. With the weather warming, people are taking advantage of the longer days and it seems the fish are cooperating. I am confident that this will continue through December. SWAN RIVER The one thing anglers have not been able to do (due to the crab fishing closure) is go chasing blue swimmer crab in the Swan. This all changes as of the 1 December and without a doubt it will be worth the effort once the closure is complete. My go to zone is the area between the Canning Bridge and the Narrows bridge, but everyone has their own favorite areas. It will just be nice to be able to get out crabbing again. As to be expected the bream are spreading further up the system, with good numbers of fish being reported up as far as Guildford. There is plenty of good structure in that part of the system and that is the key to the bream fishing as the water warms. It provides cover for the predators and somewhere to
The man, the myth, the legend, Peter Zahradka with another shallow water flatty from the Swan.
Ayden Zahradakas with a big Swan River flounder. warmer months is fish the water along the edges before I start wading. It is always better to catch them rather than spook them, and these shallow water fish go so hard when you hook them. The flats will also be
tailor numbers are like they have been, their sharp teeth can be the end of a fishing session pretty quickly if you don’t have backups. Mulloway anglers will also enjoy the fishing as the weather continues
Sam Smith is always up for the challenge when it comes to big fish on light gear with this cracker samsonfish! Yamashita does a fast sink 2.2, which is my favourite. Herring, skippy and King George whiting will all be on offer. Burley is
the key to get them biting in your location, with the Fremantle Sailing Club rock wall being my favourite fishing option.
Max Samson just can’t stay away when it comes to big hard fighting fish, another great yellowtail kingfish from the southwest side of Rotto. hide for their food. Flathead fishing is in full swing in the river, which is not surprising as the flathead love the warming water. It is not unusual for them to push up into very shallow (ankle deep) water at this time of the year, making for some exciting fishing. Like most people, I like to wade the shallow banks and flats, as this is a very productive way to target the flathead. What I do ensure I do through these 110
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popular locations for yellowfin whiting anglers, especially those fishing with small top water lures. Don’t be surprised if a flathead comes and hits your top water offering intended for a whiting! Tailor are also about in large numbers, so any deep water beyond the shallows, is likely to hold them. Small metal lures and stickbaits are popular ways to target them. It pays to have a few lures with you, as when the
to warm. It makes it far more comfortable to be out during those low light hours and the fish seem to be more active with the warmer water. Mosman Bay is always a great place to target them. It has lots of great structure and baitfish to attract the mulloway to the area. ROCK WALLS AND BEACHES Most of the beach fishing in the metro area will be focused around
This is what you can expect at this time of year fishing inshore, plenty of squid and whiting!
North and South Mole walls are always worth checking out as well. Crabbing from our jetties is also a great option in December. There are plenty of jetties in the area between Rockingham and Hillaries that it is worth giving drop netting for crabs a try. INSHORE/OFFSHORE At the start of the month (with the demersal closure still in place) most anglers will focus on the squid and King George whiting. Find weedy broken ground and more than likely you will find these two species. Windmills and Middle Ground will be good places to explore. Once the demersal ban lifts on the 16 December more fishing option open up, with many angling favourites back on the cards. Just remember that the Coburn Sound remains closed to snapper fishing. You can keep up to date with closure information through the RecFish West app. December is generally To page 111
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Promising fishing ahead MANDURAH
Jesse Choy
December holds a lot of promise when it comes to fishing around Mandurah, with options opening up for a variety of anglers and many species willing to chew on a good-looking presentation. If you are looking to make the most
keeps shadows to a minimum whilst also giving you a better chance at easily spooked fish in shallow water. Crabbing is finally back as an activity, with scoopers appearing on the flats to take advantage early in the season before the foot traffic increases. Drop netters as usual have a great chance at securing a feed, with their mobility allowing them to find
Colours on trout never cease to amaze, displaying the sheer beauty of nature.
Bloodworm grubs are a never-fail when it comes to river fishing, for big fish and small. of the finer weather, it really is an excellent time to get out with your crew, though the warmth can quite often dictate when and what we do. Yellowfin whiting remain abundant throughout the peel, with large numbers of anglers finding success on top water lures and sub-surface vibes, like the ever trusty ZX Blade by Ecogear. Although boat or kayak fishing for whiting can be achieved with lures, it is always wading that seems to achieve the best results and for good reason. Opting to wade, your presence is decreased significantly, which From page 110
when crayfish fever hits the West. A bit like gold fever, it seems every angler wants to get in on the act and catch
good patches of hard-shelled crabs that are well beyond the legal minimum size. With the temperatures increasing steadily, beach fishing becomes a great prospect for those looking for a relaxing fix of fishing. Our local beaches truly come alive during the warmer months, with an abundance of whiting, herring and tarwhine getting
Whiting on surface have to be the most fun way of catching yellowfin in the estuary!
around. A simple running or paternoster rig with a long shank hook is ideal when paired with prawn or small cubes of squid. If chasing something with a bit more fight, summer brings great numbers of tailor into the gutters and mulloway are usually quite close behind them. When targeting tailor, a standard three-way beach rig and ganged hook paired with a pilchard is ideal. With the mulloway starting to show up more, bigger baits, excellent presentation and patience play a huge part in whether or not you will succeed at catching. In the rivers, bream are pushing further up into the systems with the increase of water temperature, hoping to find less contested residency and food sources too. With the warmer temperatures it is certainly worth trying top water lures and seeing if you can tempt fish into visually showing you their aggressiveness. Plenty of grunter will ensure for fun for the family, with some smaller
themselves some crayfish to have as a Christmas treat. It can feel like it is easy to do this, but knowing the water depth the crays are in is the key and that can take
A great shot of a tailor coming on board taken by Dom Magoo.
Dom Magoo, aka ‘The Fish Tucker Man’, with a very healthy and 5-star eating sand whiting!
some finding. My advice has always been to source some knowledge from your local tackle store. They have their fingers on the pulse and can be a great source of information re the depths and movements of the crays. December is also a fabulous month for Spanish mackerel fishing. Warming water brings them closer to the coastline and to anglers. Finding bait balls is the key. Find them and the Spaniards won’t be too far away. Trolling is a great
Many would argue that the cod taste just as good as a dhu and they wouldn’t be wrong! mulloway getting around the deeper pockets too. Boat fisher will be rejoicing as the annual demersal ban is lifted as of the 15 December, with many anglers looking to make the most of it before the highly controversial rule change may come into effect. Though there is quite a lot of potential catches when heading out on the big blue, most anglers will aim to scratch their itch on a good dhu or pink snapper. If targeting dhufish, you will find plenty of fishing in depths to 60m, though many will prove that you do not need to go further than 25m to find a few. If chasing pink snapper, you are spoilt for choices when it comes to choosing locations that fish will pass through or be holding on. Starting from depths of 5m, lures, un-weighted pilchards
or scalies will work well and out to the 40m mark your standard paternoster rig will work efficiently. Increased bug activity directly related to warmer weather means freshwater fishing is well and truly a great option for those looking to wet a line. As with most fishing, a change of light is the ideal time to be wetting a line where you will find good redfin and trout roaming reedy edges looking for a feed. During the peak mid-day heat, it is worth trying deeper pockets of water where a lot of fish will seek refuge in attempt to get away from the warmth. If you are looking to challenge yourself, do not be afraid to try top water lures for an exhilarating change, though in most cases you are likely to catch redfin rather than trout
option to search for them and then once you find them, have some live baits on boards to fish for them. Land-based Spaniards are also an option from the Ammo Jetty. There are plenty of anglers that love chasing them from there, when they show up. Speaking of Christmas treats, our deep drop species are right up there as far as table fair is concerned. There are plenty of tasty fillets to be had from the
deep water (200-500m) like eight bar cod and blue-eye trevalla just to name a couple. So, with crayfish, blue-eye trevalla or blue swimmer crabs all on the cards, as that something special for the table at Christmas, all I can say is go out and enjoy the fishing on offer Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I will catch you next month.
Gung-ho Max Sampson never misses when it comes to targeting Swan River mulloway this time of year. DECEMBER 2022
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Dreaming of a white cray-mas! LANCELIN
Peter Fullarton
Number one target species this month would have to be the white crays. The beach is busy every morning with boats coming and going checking pots often near dawn while there is a lull in winds.
you are due back. Don’t forget to log off! DEMERSALS When will we be able to fish? That was the question at the time of writing, there was much uncertainty to the future of the fishery. Lancelin Angling and Aquatic Club competition calendar was certainly hanging in the balance with no forward planning due
current. Currently, it’s a La Nina period, which suggests a stronger and warmer current, perhaps another good
up plenty of herring, skippy, snook and pike. Fishing baits can be at risk of finding hoards of wrasse, butterfish, trumpeter
Griffin slaying some solid tailor, two on one bait!
Geordie almost cracked the 60cm while fishing the saltwater for the first time.
The Roberson family had a great day out chasing tuna and dhu fish. This is young Harry with a nice tuna. It’s a great social time of year with fishers comparing catches and depths they have been coming from, a social event on the beach! Lancelin has lots of room for everyone to park and make a leisurely launch. A totally different scene to the long queues, parking
to the uncertainty! If the season does open in December this year, baldies should have improving numbers and be found in shallower depths. Dhufish will be schooling up on the lumps. Snapper can be attracted to boats feeding on the old bait
mackerel season on the way – woohoo, something to catch big enough to pull some string during the ban! There are usually plenty of tuna just outside the white bank 25-7m and often another band out from the 30m line. Southern blue, striped and yellowfin perhaps still some bonito around too. More towards the end of the month start thinking about Spaniard, school and shark mackerel as the water temperatures go upwards of 21ºC. The larger mackerel potentially shadowing the schools of bonito and smaller bluefin, activity will peak during next year when the temps near 24ºC. Small boats and kayaks can find plenty on offer to keep occupied during the school holidays fishing within the bay. Trolling small lures can pick
or blowfish, so it is probably a better idea to keep the burly in the boat. If you can get past the pickers in addition baits might find tarwhine or King George whiting. Casting lures to the sand weed edges and
Donatello with a nice mulloway, posing for a quick pic before release. So good to see so many people releasing these prized catches these days.
Snook will respond to a rage of lures trolled or cast, mainly found over the seagrass areas. fees and crowded frustration of the metro boat ramps. It’s not hard to come unstuck pulling heavy pots, especially solo. Log into Sea Rescue if you are heading out later in the day, otherwise make sure someone knows where you are going and when due back. If you don’t have someone you can trust, you can leave details with Sea Rescue via a SMS before the radio room opens stating call sign, boat and vehicle rego, bearing, number of people on board, fuel litres and when 112
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discarded from lobster pots along the white bank. You can drift along different areas with the engine running watching the sounder for the fish attracted to the boat looking for scraps, no need for stealth the more noise on the boat the more likely something will come for a look. Beware though, there will likely be sharks following the boat too! In late December water temperatures are warm enough for the more tropical species to start to reach our latitudes on the Leeuwen
Jack getting returns from an early start casting the surface popper over a shallow reef at dawn.
using a lift and drop retrieve to keep the lure near the bottom flathead are more active in the shallows of the bay on warm days. I prefer a hardbody or vibe lure any blowfish will demo plastic tails in seconds. Additionally drop netting can find some sweet blue swimmer crabs or try drifting the weed beds casting jigs for squid. No boat, no problem! The jetty can be productive platform to fish from, although I advise to fish at night. Holiday season there is a lot of boats, jet ski’s etc coming and going throughout the day and the professional fishers have boats docking unloading their catch to trucks. With all the disturbance you’re only likely to catch blowfish. Night-time the jetty transforms, fish and squid move in under the lights. Small scented soft plastics are very successful on the big schools of herring that can gather. Tailor can be caught baitcasting pilchards off the northern end of the jetty. Beach fishing, we have seen some great mulloway over the past weeks, they become less common through December, school size fish 60-75cm more likely. The big baits are still worth a go, small whaler sharks have been active during the evenings, perfect eating size around a meter or so in length. Make sure to bleed them soon as they hit the beach gut, remove head fins thoroughly washing off any skin slime and get them on ice. You will be rewarded with fine meat and little ammonia odour. Guitarfish come with the warming waters too, they do eat well if treated the same. Although only keep what you need, one goes a long way to feeding a family for months. Winter green tailor are finishing up now, a lot more smaller choppers and bull herring along the beaches.
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Pilbara nearshore and estuarine heat up DAMPIER/KARRATHA
Troy Honey
It certainly has become hot over the last few weeks with the wet season well and truly upon us here in the Pilbara, and with it the nearshore and estuarine species
and he starts jumping out of the water, chances are high that one of more sharks are hot on his tail fins. Among the mackies and out a bit deeper there are a few longtail tuna about as well as plenty of mac tuna, just keep an eye out for the feeding birds and you shouldn’t have too much of
This northern black jewfish was caught using a live baited mullet approximately 7” in size. have started firing. This is such a great time of year, fish species that have been non-existent for many months have shown up in nearly every creek and bay along the Pilbara coast. Last month I went into detail about the predicted weather events for this season and closing off the demersal and sports fishing scenes for the year so this month will be all about the species that have been in hibernation and are now out in force. Out wide first, there are still a few straggler mackies being caught around the shoals but boating them has been challenging with the increase in shark activity. If you are battling a mackie
a challenge finding them. If it is more of a big fight that you are chasing this wet season, then the Dampier Archipelago is the place to find it. All around the islands there are several spots such as Legendre Island, Hammersley Shoal, Bare, Roly & Nelson Rocks to name a few. Best when there is water movement creating a bit of whitewash or ripping tide. This is where the GTs will be hunting their prey and using the water movement as a visual screen. Big popper and stick baits work best here, you will need at least and 8000 size reel and PE4 rod but larger combo of 14000 size reel matched with a PE8 rod is a better starting point. While you can go bigger,
they do become tiresome casting and retrieving for a period of time. High quality gear is better due to lower weight as you will find the cheaper large reels are heavy and not as balanced which makes work a lot harder. Queenies will be amongst the mackies and GTs, and also around every island rocky outcrop and creek mouth. Around the creeks, on larger tides as the last couple of hours of tide runs out of the mouth, you will always find queenies herding schools of mullet towards the back where they can have greater success of a feed. Around the islands rocks outcrops and shallow reefs, queenies can be found on the tide changes again chasing the many schools of baitfish. Casting lures, stick baits and poppers around the 100-120mm work very well plus just about any live bait matched to what they are feeding on. Catch the live bait with either cast net or small rod combo and small baited hook. What excites me most about the wet season in the Pilbara is the threadfin salmon. They are an amazing estuarine species in terms of both sport and table fare. At times they can be almost a pest when targeting barra and other times they can be extremely elusive. Fishing with baits is popular from both shore and boat with prawns being the go-to for most anglers or live poddy mullet. Various types of lures work from minnows to stick baits but the most commonly used are vibes or soft plastics. Lure size in the 75-125mm are recommended and as
Top and bottom: John Palermo caught these two giant threadfin salmon by casting a Raptor Jacks Snax Live Series suspending lure on two different colours, mullet and prawn. threadies tend to forage for food such as crustaceans in the muddy and coloured water of the incoming tide over mud flats, using shiny or bright coloured lures will work best. Threadies have already started firing up in most of the creeks along the Pilbara coastline and it is around
the mouths where you will most likely encounter them, although they can be caught upstream, it is usually only 1-2km at best. Local Pilbara
winds. John’s go-to tackle is a Samurai Runoff 5’9, 16-25lb rod paired with Abu Garcia Revo Beast baitcaster spooled with
John with another giant threadfin salmon using a Samaki vibe lure on the cast.
One of the keys to John’s success in the creeks is his sounder setup, which you can clearly see how well it allowed him to get onto the fish. Lowrance HDS live 7” and Lowrance FS Elite 7” running active target and 3 and 1 sidescan transducers. 114
DECEMBER 2022
angler, John Palermo has been getting amongst some great threadies as well as northern black jewfish, which are another nearshore hard fighting fish. John has been targeting the threadies and jewfish on the rising tides, 2-3 hours before the peak, around midday. John’s success mostly came on days above 30ºC , water temp around 24ºC and moderate 15-20 knot
30lb braid and 60lb leader. My next favourite wet season fish in the Pilbara would be the bartail flathead and I am looking forward to some early morning land-based sessions over the next couple of months, casting lures across the flats. Hopefully by next article I can bring you all some photos and what lures have worked best for the Pilbara flatties this season.
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Josh Cheong
There is some pretty good mackerel fishing at the moment up around the islands and on the west side as well. We have had a fair bit of fun chasing these speedsters on stickbaits. The Nomad Riptide in 200 size works well, but most stickbaits in that size range seem to be getting the fish’s attention and big poppers are working well. If you want to catch some mackerel this month, you can look for bait schools and fish around them, or fish a drop-off that creates a pressure edge. In areas like these, the mackerel usually ALBERTON aren’t too far away. ALBERTON MARINE The sailfish started 39 Johnson Street Alberton P: (03) 5183 2344 F: (03) 5183 2219 W: albertonmarine.com.au
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MELBOURNE Brody Sutton with a Wilderness Island queenfish MELBOURNE MARINE CENTRE on fly. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh. 393-399 South Gippsland Hwy Dandenong South around the bottom of the Gulf has started to increase, P: (03) 9703 2003 along with other species like E: info@melbournemarine.com.au giant herring. W: melbournemarine.com.au FISHING BENDIGO IN DECEMBER BENDIGO MARINE & OUTDOORS MORNINGTON PENINSULA Blue marlin numbers MY MARINE 160 Midland Highway Epsom should continue to improve throughout Cnr Nepean Highway & summer, and the P: (03) 5448 3988 Gulf will continue to fish Ponderosa Place Dromana W: bendigomarine.com.au well as that water warms up P: (03) 5987 0900 and the baitfish congregate. MELBOURNE W: mymarine.com.au As summer progresses, BL MARINE the sailfish fishing should MORNINGTON PENINSULA 612- 614 Plenty Road Preston continue in the Gulf too. • For all the latest news on NAUTICAL MARINE P: (03) 9478 1420 what’s biting and where, drop 141 Hotham Road F: (03) 9470 4638 A Ningaloo red bass comes to the surface. in to Tackle World Exmouth at Sorrento W: blmarine.com.au Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh. 3 Maley St, Exmouth or give P: (03) 5984 1666 them a call on (08) 9949 1315. offSHEPPARTON a bit slow but we have have been getting caught in You can also view the range E: info@nauticalmarine.com.au BOATS AND MORE been hearing more and the Gulf on trolled deep- at www.tackleworldexmouth. W: nauticalmarine.com.au more eachRoad day Shepparton from diving lures, soft plastics com.au, and see the latest 207reports Numurkah anglers them in the and vibes worked around catch photos on their P: (03)chasing 5822 2108 TOORADIN Gulf. There have been a few bommies and other structure. Facebook page. This family F: (03) 5821 caught 2908 lately, I like the BaitP&J MARINE CENTRE P/La large range sails getting Junkie 7”SERVICE business stocks W:most boatsandmore.com.au Road Tooradin of tackle, from light spin to with falling to live baits Jerk Shads and101 theTooradin Nomad Station like small yakkas. Vertrex 150 vibes. big game. The staff have a P: (03) 5998 3107 MORWELL A few blue marlin are The waters E:inpjmarine_services@bigpond.com the Gulf wealth of local knowledge starting to getMARINE caught now, have started to warm up and expertise, and are always CRAWFORD and71-77 theirChickerell numbers should Street Morwellso the queenfish fishing happy to help. only improve as summer P: (03) 5134 6522 MELBOURNE progresses. F:There (03) 5134 TRIPLE M MARINE has6455 been some good queenfish action up W: crawfordmarine.com.au 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown around the top of the Cape P: (03) 9465 8787 as ECHUCA well, often caught by F: (03) 9466 1418 skipping lures across the EADES XTREME MARINE W: triplemmarine.com.au surface in depths anywhere 24 Sturt Street from 2-4m. YouEchuca can get P: (03) 5482casting 2333 a small good results stickbait (up 2133 to 120mm), F: (03) 5482 ideally one that’s nice and W: xtrememarine.net.au slender, and you then wind it as quick as you can with BRAESIDE the rod tip up, so that the JVskips MARINE WORLD lure across the surface. 878 Springvale Braeside You don’t want Road a skipbait P: too (03)much 9798 inbuilt 8883 action, with as F:you to retrieve (03)want 9798 it 7554 straight. We have been W: jvmarine.com.au getting good results on the Nomad Rip Tide i105 heavy sink model, and also the Jackson Muscle Shot. We had some good sessions fishing for longtails and mac tuna as well out a bit deeper around the top of the Cape. Hooked up while fly fishing the flats at Wilderness A few trout to 75cm+ Island. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh.
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Where are the trout? FRESHWATER
Peter Fragomeni
The unseasonably cool weather that has plagued the East Coast has also occurred over here in the West. This has provided ideal conditions for our
southern waters around Pemberton, with above average numbers showing up in some locations, which has led to speculation that this area is receiving more stocking than the heavier fished areas closer to Perth, where most of the freshwater licensed
showing up in the social media pages with mainly silver perch dominating the catches. This has stirred some anglers into questioning why our Fisheries Department are not offering this species of perch as an alternative along with the trout in our
Flynn King holding a superb example of a Wellington Dam redfin. He is an avid young angler that has a burning passion for fishing. available food if the right species were to establish. Meanwhile, a few intrepid dedicated anglers are finding a few Murray
caught recently. Redfin have been caught from the deeper sections, however, jet-ski activity has been high
getting caught by those out on the water. Local angler Jonah Chiera landed a nice brown from the shore but he reported that prior to
Ben Kelly from South-West Kayak Anglers competed in the recent Yak Hunters event at Harvey Dam. He was hoping for a nice rainbow like this one he caught previously, which would have given him a top place finish, but only 3 small yearlings were caught by the 8 anglers competing. trout in the northern dams, however, from all the reports coming through it seems redfin are the only species turning up in numbers.
anglers reside. Whatever the reason, I can confirm that apart from one dam I visited recently, I found the trout fishing very difficult with not many showing up
dams that are dominated by the highly destructive redfin perch. I can only say that I have spent a lot of time in the last five years trying to
A good quality lure retriever is a must if you are trolling the dams. It has saved the author hundreds of dollars over the last few years. cod, bass and silver perch in both private and public lakes throughout the state. DAMS Waroona Dam This dam has suffered, with not a lot of trout being
Some fantastic sunsets can be experienced on the Inland waters on occasions. I find this strange as a record number of trout have been produced by the Pemberton Hatchery over the last few years. This is not the case in our 116
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on the sounder as well. AUSSIE NATIVES This is the time of the year that these species really fire. There seems to be an increase in numbers
convince them that silver perch would pose little threat to the ecology of these highly modified dams and, in fact, would possibly improve the biodiversity of
over the weekend period making fishing hazardous on occasions. Drakesbrook Weir With the recent stocking at the Troutfest weekend it seems a few trout are
PREDICTED DAM LEVELS FOR SW WA Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities are currently 74% as of the end of October, which is well down from 82% as of the same time last year. Although they are down from last year there is enough water to cater for anglers and irrigation needs throughout our hot summer conditions. WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM
73% 87% 80% 90% 79% 88% 98%
this stocking things were very quiet, apart from some redfin turning up on most days. Logue Brook Dam A few trout are showing up on occasions, which seem to be a stocking from the advanced yearlings. This has made it difficult to get to the bigger resident trout that normally show up this time of the year. I managed a few on the fly in the dark but again the yearlings made it hard to get to the bigger fish. The boat traffic is horrendous on the weekend and the speed of the jet-skis is frightening at times. Harvey Dam One of the most disappointing waters this
WA
year for trout (to the point that I haven’t even bothered fishing it this season) is Harvey Dam. Reports coming through suggest that things have been very quiet with lots of anglers blanking after putting in a long 2-hour trip from Perth.
as a perfect day weather wise. No large trout were spotted, however, I can say the redfin numbers have increased which could be a combination of the lack of angling pressure, or the absence of large trout, particularly large
those using minnow style lures whilst a few good browns are showing up around the big farm bay in the mid-section. Redfin are increasing their presence up around Hamilton Junction and further up the Collie leg is
The author with a colourful little brown trout caught trolling a Tassie Devil at Waroona Dam.
A well-conditioned brown trout that fell to a slim minnow style lure. Brenton Stitfolds is pleased with this new brown trout water that was only recently created. A mate of mine fished the Yak Hunters competition in October and reported that out of the 8 experienced anglers that fished hard for the whole day, only three yearling trout were caught on what was classified
brown trout. Wellington Dam This water has bucked the trend this year with some nice trout coming out of all parts of the dam. Some nice rainbows have been trolled up in the Yabberup Brook leg by
Macey McGlade, 5yo, caught a squid while landbased fishing in her hometown of Albany.
another place worth trying for bigger models fishing in 10-20m using Berkley Grubs on a drop-shot rig slowly rolled up the timber Glen Mervyn Dam Some nice redfin are still being caught by the few anglers that fish this little water, however, trout have been slow recently. Bigbrook Dam This little dam has fished well recently and I am not surprised as it receives a huge amount of stocks for its little size. The fishing should be hot after the recent stocking for the Pemberton Trout Festival held here in early November. I would encourage you to get down to this dam before the summer sets in and sends the trout to deeper water. RIVERS Murray River Very slow in the main section for trout so give Nanga Brook a go as a few small rainbows are turning up. Redfin are always ready to take lures even in the summer period. Collie River above Wellington Dam This section around the town of Collie has been fishing very well for redfin with some nice size models taking a variety of lures and soft plastics cast next to structure Collie River below Wellington Dam December is the time to fish this section as they start to let water out for irrigation. It fishes best at
medium flow so keep an eye on this as if it’s flowing faster, then you must get your tackle down to where they lie. Both brown and rainbow trout are the target species with the occasional large redfin coming out of the deep pools.
Warren River Good reports of both rainbow and brown trout coming out of the whole length of this river but mainly from the fast water. This is one water that has seen an increase in the number of trout being
heavier timber downstream from the highway bridge next to town. Donnelly River A few brown trout have turned up but the going can be tough in the upper reaches. The section just below Boat Landing is
Trout are fun on the fly rod. This rainbow fell to a brown nymph fished on a very long fine leader. Capel River Some nice redfin have come out around the area known as The Brewery by those in kayaks and small boats. Some cast and others slowly troll lures out the back using a variety of different types of lures. Blackwood River By far our least fished water for some reason. November and December is the best time to fish the section from the mouth of Hester Brook all the way to Nannup. The trout only seem to be in certain sections but can be large at times.
caught over the last few years however, size is well down to what they were many years ago. There are plenty of redfin being caught with some nice size fish above 40cm lurking in the big dark pools that are taking a variety of soft plastics flicked hard up against any structure. Lefroy Brook This little stream has had a lot of angler pressure recently so the trout will be easily spooked in the shallower water that normally occurs in December. Try finding a section through the
worth a look if you have a boat or kayak with trolling the edges and flicking lures into a number of streams that flow in along this river. As we run into summer the trout fishing can be tough but redfin are always willing to take lures. You need a Inland Freshwater Licence to fish any freshwater in the south of the state and snakes are very active around water. Fire restrictions apply in most areas so be careful and enjoy what our great outdoors have to offer. Until next time keep your lines tight. DECEMBER 2022
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POINT LONSDALE – VICT SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES 38° 18’ S LONG 144° 3 LAT 33° 51’ S LONG 151° 14’ E –LAT POINT LONSDALE VICTORIA SYDNEY DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES PROVEN(FORT WORLD LEADING SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA MARINE ACCESSORIES
20212021 2022
Times and Heights SYDNEY of High and LowDENISON) Waters Times and Heights of WALES High and Low POINT – VICTORIA POINT Y (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES – NEW SOUTH LAT 18’ (FORT S LONG 144° 37’ ELONG LAT 33° 51’ S LONGLONSDALE 151° 14’ LAT 33° 51’E S LONG 151°38° 14’ E LAT 38° 18’ S 144° 37’ E
ANCHOR DESIGNS
2022
LAT 38° 18’ S LONG 144° 37’JUNE E LAT JULY MAY A MAY JUNE LAT 33° 51’ S LONGTimes 151° 14’and E 51’ SandLocal LONG 14’ E Heights of High and Low Waters Time Times Heights LAT of 33° High Low151° Waters Times and Heights of High and and Low Waters Local Times and Heights of High and Time Low Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time Times Time mLocal Time Time m Time of High m Time Time m Power Time am Times of High Lowtype Waters Times and Heights and LowTime Waters m Time m Time m Time mTime m The and SARCAHeights EXCEL and SUPER SARCAand are certified approved Super High Holding JULY m JUNE JULY MAY JUNE AUGUST MAY JUNE JULY JUNE AUGUST MAY MAY JULY SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 0037 1.78 NOVEMBER DECEMBER 2023 OCTOBER MARCH NOVEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY 0006 JANUARY 1.68 0519 DECEMBER 0.58 06332023 0.53 0150 1. 0554 0.36 0057 1.60
Time0452 m Time Time m Time m m 0.69 Time m m Time 1.40 m Time mSuper Sarca Time m Time Time1.41 m Time Time m Time m 0557m 1.36 0046 0623 Time Time Time Timem m m0.43 Time m0.49 Time m Time Time Time m Sarca Time mmTime Time m mm1.28 Time m Time Timemm0557 m1148 Time m Time Time Time Time 0646 1117 1238 0807 0. 1155 0744 Time Time mm m Time m m0633 m0150 Time m Time m 0.361.39 Time m0037 Time Time mmTime Time mm 1.68 Time mm 0145 TT 0735 0.55 1041 0.38 1158 0.58 Excel 1.36 0046 0.69 0452 1.41 06230.54 1.40 0034 0.51 0.53 0006 0519 0.58 1.341.30 1.26 0554 1.78 0740 0057 1.30 1.60 1303 1.43 1640 0.75 1804 0.76 1446 1. 1725 0.65 1345 1.33 1358 1.38 TH FR SA SU TU WE SU 0735 1.30 1148 0.55 1041 0.38 1158 0.58 0735 1.47 0807 0.62 1238 1.30 0646 0.43 1117 1.28 0750 0.51 1155 1.39 0740 0.49 0744 0.54 0006 1.68 0633 0.53 0519 0.58 0145 1.34 0150 1.26 54 0.36 0037 1.78 0057 1.60 1245 0.80 1900 1.50 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 0403 1.66 0510 1.66 0636 1.48 0546 1.55 0557 1.53 0620 1.61 0304 1.55 0330 1.69 0543 1.66 0043 0.52 SA MO FR TU W 0115 1.13 0.58 1.45 03410049 1.60 0244 1.14 0253 1.24 0338 1.33 0515 0.51 0246 1.20 1.5206230346 0614 1.57 0.690516 1.64 0034 0435 0.51 1.49 0557 1.36 0458 1748 0046 0.500 0452 1.41 1.40 1245 0.80 1900 1.58 1904 1.54 1245 0.75 TH 1446 1.43 1804 0.76 1303 0.75 1.591.44 1725 1345 0822 1.33 1358 1.38 1.50 1848 0.66 2359 1.88 1911 0.79 1940 0.78 2314 1.71 2114 0. 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WE TH design 0.61 and leave 0030 1.68 0255 1.2 0138 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 0700 0.43 2155 0.26 2253 0.28 2330 0.40 2335 0.48 2113 0.400.43 21190.61 0.21SA 1900 2325 0.23 2030 1.390301 2222 0.41 2201 0.56 2215 0.73 2135 2125 0.54 2342 0.61 2154 2315 0.55 2258 0.79 0023 0.740.74 0135 0.68 0534 1.38 0043 0.65 0130 0.47 0023 0135 0.68 0534 1.38 0043 0.65 0608 0030 1.68 0255 1.18 1.25 07000.41 1.66 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 1848 0.66 2110 0.56 59 1.88 1911 0.79 1940 0.78 2314 2019 1.71 2114 0.76 the mud behind 1935 1.44 1922 1.4 23190.61 0.741.250138 1928 1.54 0724 0.52 1207 0858 0. 0835 0724 0.54 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 1300 1.31 1207 0842 1.32 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0849 1.50 0656 1.29 1.25 0.52 0858 0.65 0853 0.56 1300 1.31 0835 0.54 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 1.32 0656 1.29 1121 0735 1.40 0444 1.17 1.62 1726 0543 1447 1.59 0040 0.65 0623 1.48 0004 0.3612561.41 0631 1.48 03451825 1.58 0.74 05120.80 1.68 06301836 1.570.42 0130 0.65 0842 1.15 0214 1.09 0445 1.66 00 1.41 0350 0349 1.30 0623 1.76 0551 1.58 0029 1.23 0403 0023 0.68 0542 1.51 1336 0.89 1.52 0.68 1345 0.85 FR 1231 0.65 SU1.53 WE SA TU TH0500 1335 1.34 1542 1. 1.35 1451 1359 1.49 1726 0.80 0439 1335 1.34 1542 1.47 1538 1.64 18251.240.74 1447 WE 1.35 1451 1.41 1359 1.49 MO TH MO TU SU WE FR SA TH MO MO FR SA SU 0608 0.61 0030 1.68 0255 1.18 0138 1.66 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 0301 1.25 00 0.43 Designed and manufactured in Australia POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA 1336 0.89 1231 0.65 1836 1.521117 1256 0.68 1009 0.80 0.58 1116 0.77 0.62 0711 1.43 1202 0.67 0709 1.530.67 1219 0.58 0926 0.68 0.55 1048 0.65 0.60 1156 0.64 0814 1.452230 0 SU WE SA TU 0.66 0731 0.77 0.65 1202 0.48 0T 1028 0912 0930 1319 0.38 1231 0.62 0706 0.60 0929 0704 1.62 1247 0.63 2019 1.40 1959 1.51 2023 1.50 1947 1.44 0.74 0135 0.68 0133 0.5 0534 1.38 0043 0.65 0130 0.47 1906 0.77 2227 0.72 0.50 2019 0023 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 1906 0.77 2227 TH0. 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 1207 1.25 0724 0.521.52 0858 0.65 0835 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 0.56 00 1624 1.43 1.51 1722 1.41 13100848 0.37 1812 1.27 1244 0.531.32 1841 1.260853 1551 1.57 0.54 1658 1.50 MO 1810 1.39 1418 0.36 2019 SA 1532 TU1805 TH1704 FR SA1915 FR 1600 SU WE1815 MO1847 1.47 1.31 1412 1.26 1.26 11 1642 1534 1.40 1.30 1346 1.62 1400 0.54 1.16 1.40 LAT 38°1.23 18’ STU LONG 144° 37’ E 1947 1.44 1959 1.51 Check out the1.63 holding power figures1.45 on www.anchorright.com.au MO FR SU TH FR0.42 SA0656 FR SU WE MO TH TH 0842 1.3 1.29 1121 0735 1.40 0849 1.50 0116 0.75 0230 0.65 0001 0.75 0144 0.59 0230 0.43 0.291335 2329 0.33 1.41 2014 1.36 1915 1.341.48 2147 0.351.77 2300 0.21 2134 1.380422 2334 1726 2127 0.800.63 WE2257 1.340.42 1542 1.47 1447 1.352230TH 1451 1359 1.49 1538 1.64 25 0000 1.66 2312 0406 1.16 1.22 01000.39 0239FR2213 1.56 0126and 1.63 0245 1.37Low 0200 0.65 0.74 2046 0.56 0.66 12 0.56 0.53 1950 1.20 MO0.49 MO SA TU Times Heights of2259 High and Waters Local Time 1336 0.89 1347 0.65 1836 1.52 1256 0.68 1345 0.85 0000 1.660925 0406 1. 0239 1.560.50 0245 0200 1.48 0100 1.77 0126 1.63 0628 1.34 08581.37 1.44 TH 0958 1.55 0.9 0808 1.26 0945 1.36 www.anchorright.com.au | 03 5968 5014 SU 1231 WE FR SA0702 TU 0.62 0953 0.66 0.50 1001 0.57 0809 0.49 0.57 0815 0911 0.61 0825 0.47 1906 0.77 2227 0.72 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 2230 0116 0.75 0001 0.75 0144 0.59 0230 0.65 1209 0.48 1402 0.78 1453 0.92 1321 0.75 1438 0.96 0127 0.75 0003 0.47 0057 0.49 0013 0.56 0427 1.591.280.49 0523 1.55 1.24 05550.62 1.63 0617 0925 1.51 0013 0.32 02221.50 0.761645 MO1.64 TH2023 SA SU WE FR0610 2019 1.40 2009 1.44 1959 1.51 0702 0953 1.3 0. 0.57 0911 0.61 0825 0.47 0809 0815 0.50 MARCH JANUARY FEBRUARY APRIL 1637 1.52 1.72 1414 1544 1947 1.40 1.41 1543 1.46 SU 1458 1.57 0543 1.76 00 0533 1.49 0449 1.24 0443 1.39 0047 0000 0.58 1.07 0243 1.16 0329 1.08 1.32 0112 0.65 0004 0.75 TU 1303 TU0.53 WE MO0509 TH FR 1433 SA 1930 1.471229 20580723 1.48 2124 1.47 2108 1.37 2036 1.38 0628 1.34 0858 1.44 0808 1.26 0945 1.36 0750 1.38 0703 1.42 0800 1.47 0709 1.44 1005 0.600.801.28 1045 1822 0.64 11281.24 0.64 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0028 1.48 0348 0.85 0052 1.34 0702 0.62 0953 0.66 1001 0.57 0925 0.57 0911 0.61 0825 0.47 09 0.49 0815 0.50 0513 1.17 0339 2259 1.49 0.50 0228 0344 1.31 0310 1.41 2011 0534 2117 1.25 1.38 02090.36 1.59 1900 1.22 2038 1.32 1937 1.25 2224 0.311.68 2316 2307 0056 0.33 1.62 2358 2342 0.44 0.23 1908 1.33 2237 1.40 2359 0.54 12 0.51 1.40 1912 1.22 0.66 2208 0.47MARINE 2233 0.61 2350 2030 1.25 1931 1.23 1930 1.47 2058 1.48 2036 1.38 2108 1.37 0735 1.33 1014 1.53 1103 1.61 0922 1.27 1044 1.42 1048 1.21 1020 1.15 1133 1.34 0632 0.62 0953 1.34 0536 0.86 1015 1.27 0623 0.87 0628 1.34 0858 1.44 0958 1.55 0808 1.26 0945 1.36 0949 1.4 MECHANICS 0800 0.61 1.41 1009SA0.59 1046 0.66 1.72 1106 0.54 0954 0.62 TU 0919 0.49 0914 0.53 0905 0.48 1637 1.52 1645 1.40 FR 1543 1458 1.57 14 1.28 1433 TU 1303 1.24 WE TH 1544 SU 1307 0.57 1517 0.85 1608 0.94 1422 1550 1.00 1717 0.41 1.46 1623 0.55 17100513 0.71 SU 1302 1.40 16001.62 0.28 1150 1.31 1630 0.36 1212 1.18 0.83 TU1.59 FR1453 TH SASA WE1632 TU0152 SU WE 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1749 0.64 1600 1346 1.42 SU WE FR SU TH SA MO 1730 0.58 1644 0.47 1500 0.66 1557 0.56 1523 0.58 1627 0.53 19 0.58 1430 0.45 FR TH SA SU MO TU TH 1603 1.82 1704 1.68 1634 1.71 1532 1.75 1741 1.36 1618 1.41 1626 1.47 1633 1.35 1715 1.48 1444 1.62 1542 1.51 1516 1.49 1412 1.52 1908 1.50 1 TU FR SA2030 WE 0526 TU 1.42 1.48 0343 1.49 02541.91 1.48 0425 1.5 SA MO TU1530 WE TH WE 1240 FR1.58 SA0236 TH SU1548 TU0. 1400 1.43 1.25 12540.25 1.582339 1349 1.450400 1.581.75TU 1323 2341 1.79 1403 1.67 0.37 1830 0.49 SA 1827 0.32 MO 1.24 1521 1.22 1.11 1S 19480426 0.57 1839 0.73 1859 0.72 1.73 0417 2232 0.70 0527 0.50 0519 0.32 0437 0.40 0528 0.38 0345 0316 0.51 TU WE TH SA FR SU WE FR 0343 0.29 0.90 0400 0.66 0234 0.81 0200 0.76 1.842127 0200 0.811.722308 0220 0.79 02110.49 0.85 2332 1.39 2300 2133 1.832025 2229 0.21 1.990.54 2154 2250 1.78 46 2102 2.10 2319 2222 2226 0.17 2231 0.35 0.28 2037 0.29 2141 0.21 2111 0.15 2004 0.31 1107 0.49 0.67 2235 0.70 2212 0.66 2110 0.76 1941 0.68 1948 2023 0.53 1940 0.56 0.34 2046 0.39 1.45 1.78 2134 0.62 2115 0.64 2100 0.86 2 1000 0.44 0929 0.40 1016 0.54 0856 0830 0.36 1006 0.4 1.32 1036 1.40 0945 0913 1.41 0642 0.42 0950 1.19 1120 1.39 10491142 1.38 1. 09011.50 1.30 0817 1015 1.39 0808 1.25 0850 1.30 11330852 1.19 0058 1.37 1.35 0213 1.10 FR SU 1815 1.59 1419 1616 0.46 1620 0.74 1.6 1516 0.42 1427 1540 0.25 0.46 1452SU 0.451704 1424 0.66 1704 1.68 1634 1.71 1.61 1603 1.75MO 1652 FR FR1.82 MOTU TU TH 1737 0. 0.68 1649 0.61 1608 0.59 1715 0.59 1521 0.51 1450 0.62 FR1.61 TU1244 WESA1532 MO FR SU MO WE FR TH 0513 0523 1.57 0320 1.68 0.50 0436 1.71 0415 1.77 0533 1.68 0250 1.67 0604 1.65 0603 1.53 0024 0.54 2351 SA 0.69 1.34 0723 0.58 0800 0.70 0544 0.52 0527 0417 0519 0.32 0437 0528 0.38 16 0345 0027 0.251.30 0157 1.21 0141 1.14 0.43 0.51 0026 1.20 0232 1.29 0303 1.42 0416 1.51 0405 1.56 0227 1.59 0346 1.47 00 0338 1.55 0315 1.48 0446 1.42 0430 1.49 23511.38 1.30 2303 1.42 2249 1.33 2202 1.42 0.400252 2145 1.280.33 2231 1.37 2200 1.31 2235 0.70 2212 0.66 2256 0.62 2127 0.67 2110 0.76 2245 0.4 0.73 1353 1.42 0.69 2347 1. 2213 1.81 2318 1.87 2235 1.81 2331 1.64 2154 2.08 2119 1.79 1052 0.73 0.631133 1109 0.611.41 0854 0.48 1.32 1006 0.57 0949 0.61 1.35 1101 0.57 0830 0.551120 1148 0.411210 1159 0.451448 1103 0656 1.53 MO 1807 SA TU 0721 0.75 0657 0.77 1.69 1.41 0554 0.64 0800 0.65 0846 0852 0.64 1100 0.69 1058 0.62 0924 0.62 10 1.45 1142 1.51 1015 1.39 1036 1.40 13 0945 0558 1.500.57 0942 0.28 0906 0.37 1042 1014 0.46 2001 0.76FR 1814 2148 0.68 1654 1.37 1713 1.32 1519 1.60 0.68 1615 1.49 SU 1557 1.49 1715 1.44 1446 1.69 1.531649 1.44 1825 1.36 1301 0.250.56 SA 05001.36 0.92 0507 0333 0.88 0259 1.51 0.85 SU 0251 0.87 0339 0.80 0.52 0327 0.80 TU1444 TH TH 1330 SA 1342 WE1644 FR 1428 SU1516 MO1713 WE11 1.51 1.51 0.41 0.62 1502 1.15 1647 1.19 1.18 1.14 TU TH SA 1231 SU 1233 WE FR MO WE WE TH 1820 0.64 1737 0.50 1540 0.61 1608 0.59 1715 0.59 50 1521 0.511.78 SU © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology SA FR MO TU WE FR1.58 11000.55 1.16 1156 1.49 1.5 0951 1.24 0915 0500 1.34 09060.65 1.19 1021 1.270510 1017 1.23 1647 1.75 1611 2228 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 2257 0.34 2302 0.41 21160355 0.26 0.52 22170.28 0.23 2155 0.14 2315 0.25 2041 0.25 2356 0.40 2358 0.56 2004 1.45 WE0.51 TH SA SU M 0606 0.45 0609 0. 0443 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0338 1.55 0315 1.48 0519 0446 1.42 0430 1.49 1.40 2036 2036 0.59 1.34 1.79 1920 0.56 2109 2137 0.46 2230 0.67 2049 0.73 2222 0.86 21 2347 1.60 2213 1.812126 0.38 2318 1.870.55 2235 2331 1.64 19 2154 1930 2.080.37 1731 0.46 0.75 0.43 SU 1530 0.26 1.81 1513 0.52 0.52 TU2209 SA 1734 SA 1615 TU 0.75 WE 1616 FR 1542 0.71 Datum of 1213 Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 0.67 2146 2318 0.70 2257 0.61 1218 1.40 1232 1. 1.43 1059 1.30 1.37 1122 1.36 0952 1.37 09421044 0.28 0906 0.37 1053 0.5 1042 0.52 1014 0.46 1053 0.62 © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Bureau of Meteorology 2355 1.44 2347 1.36 2316 1.43 2253 1.27 2339 1.37 2300 1.34 0459 1.47 1.73 0647 1.58 or daylight savings 0105 0.64(UTC + 0132 1.23 0401 1.54 0500 1.48 TimesTU are in0516 local standard time (UTC +10:00) time 18041.28 0.66 TU 1838 1.6 0. 0.59 1622 0.71 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 1524 0.66 1.75 1.73 1730 1.61 1714 1.68 1735 1.56 TH SA SA MO FR 0015 0609 0.38 0500 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0606 0.45 55 0.52 0443 0658 0.280.64 WE 1647 TH 1611 SA 1743 SUWE MO 1030 0.61 1238 0.37 0734 1.45 Datum of 0.51 Predictions is1614 Lowest Astronomical Tide 1005 0.67 1215 0.650355 1202 0.65 0413 0.89 0514 0.74 0421 1.50 1.46 0534 1.37 0521 1.47 New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols 2246 2.01 2254 1.78 2319 1.76 2155 1.78 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 2331 0.3 2318 0.70 2257 0.61 2332 0.60 1638 1.48 1920 1.41 1343 0.29 0619 0.59 1232 1.54 1059 1.30 1213 1.37 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 52 1.37 1044 1.43 1028 1.31 1148 1.30 MO SA TU 1334 1.71 1606 1.38 1800 1.13 1815 1.21 MO SA +10:00) or daylight TU FR Times are in local standard time (UTC savings time 0943 (UTC +11:00) when 1120 in effect0.61 0.36 0.39 1101 1647 0.26 0.611025 1804 2239 0.17 21000.54 1.40 MO 2226 TH 1745 0.51 2328 0.69 2334 0.81 1254 Last 1.43Quarter 1838Moon 0.55 1622 0.71Symbols 0.67 1656 0.66 24 0.66 0.590.41 MO SU0.55 SA 1.69 TU 1744 WE TH 1.67 SA 1614 2043 New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Full 0041 1.5 1.T 0013 1.50 0542 0.34 0545 0.53 0007 1.74 0601 0.42 0435 0.54 1731 1650 1819 1.55 1754 1.63 TH FR SU MO 0421 1.50 0355 0620 0534 1.37 0521 1.47 0558 0.69 1.37 1919 2254 1.78 23191.46 1.76 55 1.78 2246 2.01 0657 0.6 0. 0645 0.70 0.522344 1141 1.38 1146 1.29 06580.61 0.47 1211 1.39 1033 1.32 10251143 2252 0.69 2225 0.74 0.56 0.36 0943 0.39 1120 1101 0.54 1131 © Copyright Commonwealth of©Australia 2021, Bureau of Meteorology © Copyright Au wealth of Australia 2021, Bureau of Meteorology © Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2022, Bureau ofFR Meteorology Copyright Commonwealth of0.73 Australia 2021, Bureau of of Meteorology 1328of 1. 1304 1.40Commonwealth 1709 0.66 1710 1305 1.36 1749 0.64 TU 16000.53 0.71 SU SU TU WE TH SA 0041 1.46 0545 0007 1.74 0601 0.42 0013 1.50 35 0.54 0542 0.34 0106 1.17 1731 1.67 1650 1.69 1813 1.5 1819 1.55 1754 1.63 1806 1.51 TH FR WE SU MO Datum of Predictions Lowest Astronomical Tide 1211 Datum of Predictions is 1948 Lowest As 0507 1.43 0437Astronomical 1.44 0.70 0622 1.46 s Lowest Tide1.38 Datum of Predictions is 0.73 Lowest Tide 0001 0703 Datum of Predictions Lowest Astronomical Tide0.52 0. 1859 0.72 2341 1.91 1.73 1839 2232 1.75 is 2252 0657 0.56 0.45 1146 1.29 0658 0.47 1.39 0645 33 1.32Astronomical 1143 0.65 0.69 2225is2339 0.74 2344 1107 0.45 1023 0.43 0630 1.32 0.64 Times are in local time (UTC +10:00) or1.40 daylight savings time (UTC when in effect Times are (UTC in0.73 local standard time +10:00) orstandard daylight time when in(UTC effect Times are(UTC in 1151 local standard time ndard time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings time +11:00) in (UTC effect Times are in(UTC local+11:00) standard time +10:00) or +11:00) daylight savings time +11:00) when in e(U 1328 1.56 1710 1305 1.36 1749 savings 0.64 1304 00 0.71 1709or 0.66 1346 1.42 SU TU WEwhen TH FR SU MO 0642 0.42 Symbols 00580.70 1.37 1815 1.58 1731 1.64 1200 0.70 1.58 0.3 New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Full Moon FR SA MO TU 1838 W 0507 1.43 1.44 0.70 0010 0.59 0018 0622 1.46 1948 Last 0.57 2339 1839 0.73 1859 0.72 32 1.75 2030 New Moon Quarter Quarter New Moon Phase1.73 Symbols Full Moon Moon Phase Symbols New Moon 2341 1.91First Quarter Last 0437 QuarterFirst New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Moon Phase0001 Symbols Moon 1244 1.34 0723 0.58 Full 0726 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1857 1.49 1107 0.45 1023 0.43 0630 1.32 0650 1.35 1.5 1151 0.64 0.73 13531.10 1.41 MO 1807 SA 0642 0.42 0058 1.37 by TU 0213 1.58 1731 1.64 HeadsMO 0.70 1212 0.79 1838 Tidal 1.58Centre, WE FR 1815 Tide SA for TH 1230 0.7 predictions Port Phillip have1200 been formatted the National Australian Bureau of Meteorology, 2001 0.76 0526 1.42 1244 1.34 0723 0.58 0800 0.70 2336 Copyright 0.71 reserved. 2305 0.72is supplied in1857 1.49 1842 1.5 All material good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the1.47 condition that1900 no 1107 for0.49 1353 1.41 1.42 and that the MO 1807 0.73 warranty is given in relation thereto, thatSA no responsibility or liability errors or omissions TU is, or1448 will be, accepted 1815 1.59 2001 0.76 2148 or0.68 SU of 0.3 0526 recipient will holdof MHLAustralia and 1.42 the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility liability and from0110 all © Copyright Commonwealth 2020, Bureau Meteorology 2351 0.69 should not be used for navigational purposes. Use 0832 1.5 1107as 0.49 loss or damage incurred a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tideacceptance of the above conditions. 1815 of these predictions will1.59 be deemed to include FR 1324 0.8 SU opyright Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Bureau oftideMeteorology 1.4 2351 0.69 Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in1954 effect
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© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau DECEMBER 2022 of 119 Met m of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter of Predictions iseffect Lowest Astronomical Tide s are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings timeDatum (UTC +11:00) when in
Merry Fisher 795 Sport Serie2 with Yamaha 250HP - SC
TENT -
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Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au
I am pretty sure that this is the very first boat test I have done on a rig that lives in the marina. We have done several tests on trailered Jeanneau boats before, but the 795 is definitely new to us. Brisbane’s Northside Marine have been importing Jeanneau boats for several years now and have experienced remarkable success with this European style family and fishing boat. Jeanneau hulls are a particularly beamy and deep
Main: This is my favourite version of Jeanneau boat I have tested to date. It is a nice compromise between fishing and comfort. Above: Fitted with Yamaha’s 250hp DES outboard with full Helm Master EX kit, this boat was a pleasure to drive.
Dual transom doors are a standard feature and allow easy access to the duckboards. sided shape that carry their beam a long way to the bow. They corner very flat and are a very stable hull at rest. They are definitely not a slender, wave piercing boat that is designed for triple digit speeds. However, they are a great platform to fish, entertain family and stay out of the weather. The test boat was fitted with Yamaha’s 250hp DES 4-stroke outboard engine, complete with Yamaha’s Helm Master EX system. “We find that most 120
DECEMBER 2022
purchases of rigs like this choose to incorporate the Helm Master system,” said Bill Hull, sales chief at Brisbane’s Northside Marine. “In the broad scheme of the total cost of the boat, Helm Master is a fairly natural choice. It gives you joystick steering, autopilot and the smooth, responsive digital controls,” he continued. There is 280L of fuel under the deck (as well as 100L of freshwater) and when we ran the economy figures, the best we could get out of
it was 1km/L. This is fairly standard on a boat of this size. Top speed was 63km/h at 5800rpm. At the speed you get 700m/L burned. Best economy was at 4400rpm and 43km/h. The helm is comfortable and everything is flush mounted. We were expecting gusty NW winds and cloudy skies on the test day, however the Bureau got it wrong again. Calm, sunny skies meant that it was a very pleasant day on the water. It also meant that we couldn’t run this boat in any of the rough stuff. We have, however, run this boat’s siblings in some nasty conditions. They are a little wet, but the enclosed cabin makes the ride very comfortable. We assume that
the 795 is no different. I really liked the build of the cockpit. A removable table takes 20 seconds to pack away and leaves a great fishing area. You would expect this in a boat with a 2.8m beam. Seats on three sides fold down without the need for any legs or other support. They deploy and stowaway in seconds meaning that the configuration of carrying passengers is infinitely customisable. The deck is fully selfdraining and I can see this
rig being at home in some reasonably nasty conditions. It takes a little while to get used to the asymmetric walkaround. The starboard side walkaround is much wider than the port. Both sides lead to a front deck that is designed for socialising rather than fishing. You can see in the images that there is room for one person but no more than that. This is unusual in a boat of this size. This model also comes with a side dive door as standard. It has a neat, kid-proof latch to make sure that the young’uns don’t go swimming when they’re not supposed to. There is also plenty of storage under the cockpit
deck for fish, ice or wet gear as well as a plumbed live bait tank on the port side. Unique to the Jeanneau boats are the roof racks mounted on the hardtop. These are ideal for various boards and kayaks and keep them securely locked away when not in use. With a price tag around $300,000 as tested you would expect a very well appointed and functional rig. And this rig will be an excellent compromise between function and comfort for many anglers. Hull and motor packages start from around $180,000. See Dave, Bill and all of the team at Northside Marine to secure a test ride.
PERFORMANCE RPM ............Speed (km/h) ... Economy (km/L) 700 .................................. 5 ......................... 1.4 1000 ................................ 8 ......................... 1.4 2000.............................. 13 ......................... 1.0 3000.............................. 17 ......................... 0.7 3500 .............................. 20 ......................... 0.7 4000.............................. 30 ......................... 0.8 4400 .............................. 43 ......................... 1.0 4500 .............................. 46 ......................... 0.9 5000.............................. 53 ......................... 0.8 5800 .............................. 63 ......................... 0.7
SPECIFICATIONS Hull length............ 6.97m Beam .................... 2.82m Hull weight........... 2.82m Draft...................... 0.58m Fuel ..........................280L Water .......................100L Max HP......................250
The 795 features twin, side, sliding doors that allow great airflow and shelter when it gets nasty.
Top: There is a live bait tank with clear lid built into the port side transom. Above: Instead of a rear sliding door, this rig features a centrally mounted outdoor gallery with stove and plumbed sink.
Top: These are pretty cool, roof racks on a boat that can take stand-up paddle boards, surfboards or kayaks. Above: There is a small, 12V fridge sequestered inside the cabin that will keep items cool and readily available.
Top: The dashboard features ample room for flush mounting your displays and gauges, as well as space for all of the Yamaha Helm Master accessories. The throttle position is very comfortable. Above: Deck floodlights below and rod storage above, all with a walk round grab rail means the back of the hard top is very efficient.
There is broad access to the front bunks, however, it is a cosy fit for two people. With the infill in, you need to lie diagonally. All around visibility is exceptional.
This is the cockpit with table up and seats stowed. Remove the table to maximise fishing area.
Left and Top Right: Mini Jeanneau boats feature this drop-down table, which slides down the central pole when in use and stores near the ceiling when not. Bottom Right: The internal rear lounge is a comfortable space for two people or an area for a single person to lie and rest.
Left: Toilet and sink in the bunk area are private and functionally designed. Top Right: The front deck is definitely not a spacious fishing area. You can fish one up here, or seat several people in a social setting. Bottom Right: With the side door open and a broad walkaround, the helm area is a great place to enjoy captaining your purchase. DECEMBER 2022
121
FIND THE LOGO COMPETITION
THERE ARE 15 LOGOS HIDDEN THROUGHOUT THE PAGES OF FISHING MONTHLY. FILL IN THE ENTRY FORM BELOW WITH THE PAGE NUMBER OF EACH LOGO LOCATION AND GO INTO THE DRAW TO WIN!
MAJOR PRIZES PAGE NO: 1
1ST PLACE
2ND PLACE
SAMAKI ZING XTREME V2 + HARDLICIOUS PACK 2
3
4
5
6
3RD PLACE
SAMAKI ZING GEN 3 + HARDLICIOUS PACK 7
8
9
10
HARDLICIOUS PACK + SAMAKI SLIT FOAM CASE 11
12
13
14
15
NAME TAS
ADDRESS
WA
MAIL ENTRIES TO:
122
FMM Find the Hard Licious Logo Competition,
SUBURB
PO BOX 3172, Loganholme QLD 4129 Entries must be received by 31st December, 2022 Original entries only. NO PHOTOCOPIES.
PHONE
DECEMBER 2022
P/CODE
DECEMBER 2022
QLD NSW VIC
DECEMBER 2022
123
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