Fishing Monthly Magazine | December 2023

• SUMMER TACTICS • DRIFTING FOR SQUID • LOCATION SPOTLIGHT

Revisiting the rocks: hone the stones

by Toby Grundy QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

WA

FIND THE

LOGO COMPETITION

Features

Summer surface techniques • Starlo is fishing the bridges • Testing Booth: DUO lures • Hone the stones • Drifting for squid •

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DECEMBER 2023 1

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Our Cover

Contents

From the Editor’s Desk...

Thank you to all of the readers and advertisers who called or messaged about the new magazine format – we appreciate the support. There’s no denying that our vast volume of information that’s presented monthly now REALLY looks the part.

And we bet all subscribers loved the ‘thump’ of their mail on the table when the magazine and the inserted Suzuki Outboards catalogue arrived. I know that Australia Post loved it, it weighed over 500g which meant that it cost nearly $4 an issue to mail out!

We’re back to normal size this month and remember that if you’re suffering cover-price shock, then subscription

means that you’re still getting it at less than the OLDER cover price.

Kym will sort you out on 1800 228 244 if you want to lock in pricing and save about 50% on the cover price each issue.

GILL NET FREE GBR GETTING CLOSER It’s a matter of weeks now until most of the gill net licence symbols disappear from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Big congratulations are due to Queensland DAF for helping facilitate this process. It’s a thankless task with plenty of commercials, who will be compensated for their licences, savaging the hand that’s feeding them.

Don’t listen to the rhetoric about local seafood supplies drying up. The gill net proportion of the catch is only a few percent of overall production (less if you include aquaculture product).

What it will mean is that there’ll be a better chance for the 90% of anglers who catch 10% of the fish to be able to catch their own barra.

Tired of copping the narrative that there’ll be no way for those who don’t go fishing to be fed by local seafood? Tell them to set up their operations as an NPO (nonprofit organisation). That way they’ll be able to feed more people for their efforts.

Minister Furner – stay strong and let’s finish this job! The Gulf is next.

INSIDE This Issue

78

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

24

New England Rivers

80

Esperance

105

26

Hunter Valley

82

Bunbury

106

Brisbane

28

Batlow

82

Augusta

107

Northern Bay

30

Albury/Wodonga

81

34

84

108

Noosa

Canberra

Metro Mandurah

109

Bundaberg

38

Lancelin

110

Mackay

40

Kalbarri

111

Townsville

44

Exmouth

111

Hinchinbrook

46

Karratha

112

Cairns

48

Freshwater

114

TAS

WA

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE

86

Warrnambool

87

Cobden

87 88

Port Douglas

48

Cooktown

50

Port Phillip

90

Cape York

51

Phillip Island

92

Freshwater

54

Gippsland Lakes

NEW SOUTH WALES

REGULAR FEATURES Hone the stones

8

94

Drifting for squid

12

Port Albert

95

Starlo: Build a bridge

14

Lakes Entrance

94

Summer surface techniques 16

Marlo

96

Sheik of the Creek

53

Mallacoota

96

Testing Booth: DUO lures

56

Robinvale

98

What’s New Fishing

60

Bendigo

99

OzFish news

61

Yarrawonga

99

Fun page

89

Wangaratta

100

Tournaments

116

Shepparton

101

Tagging Tales

120

Eildon

101

Trades and Services

122

Ballarat

102

Tide page

123

Crater Lakes

103

Test: Mercury Avator

124

Gippsland Freshwater

103

Sydney Rock

62

Sydney South

64

Ballina

66

Coffs Coast

68

South West Rocks

70

Hasting

71

Port Macquarie

72

Central Coast

73

Port Stephens

74

Swansea

74

Illawarra

75

Batemans Bay

76

TASMANIA

Bermagui

78

Hobart

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

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FEATURE

Location

FMM

Revisiting the rocks: hone the stones CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

In February’s issue of Fishing Monthly, I wrote an article about rock fishing. I focused on a few general and simple elements that had, in the past, helped me land a lot of good sized pelagics on the South Coast of NSW. These elements included what structure to look for, the types of lures and also a few different retrieves.

Over the past few months, I’ve

spent a lot of time on ‘the stones’ and have honed several of the techniques I wrote about in February. I’ve also uncovered a few extra bits and pieces which have improved my rock fishing game. So, for this feature I’m going to delve a bit deeper and unpack more of what fishing from ledges is all about including new lessons I have learnt since I last wrote about pelagic fishing.

ADAPTABLE JERKBAITS I came late to jerkbait fishing from the rocks. I’m sure it has been around forever and a day but, for me, I only

discovered how effective these lures are near the end of last year.

I remember standing on a rock platform and watching a salmon school

anything else. First cast, I watched two salmon peel off the school and smash the lure. From that point on jerkbaits have become my go-to for fishing off

Main photo: A 4-8kg rod with a fast action is essential! Above: David Heaton landed this nice salmon while using a rip-stop retrieve.

Ben Lane with a small bonito that took a liking to a small jerkbait.

8 DECEMBER 2023

move closer and closer to my location.

The fish weren’t touching any of the metals I pitched into the school and I couldn’t get any of the plastics in my tackle box to move fast enough. I had an old pink Rapala 90mm jerkbait (sadly discontinued) on the second shelf of my tackle tray gathering dust so I tied it on more out of frustration than

the rocks and I have at least a dozen in different sizes and colours, and brands that see plenty of use each session.

Nevertheless, a lot of jerkbaits only have one action (especially jerkbaits that dive 1-2m below the surface) and that is a tight shimmy as it travels through the water at speed. The tight shimmy is very effective for the most

Location FEATURE

FMM part but there are times when this one action isn’t enough to trigger a bite from a roving pack of pelagic fish. After one particularly frustrating session using jerkbaits and watching the pelagics chase and then turn away from my lure, I started doing some research into jerkbaits that produce a variety of very different actions when fished at different speeds. The jerkbait has to be adaptable to mimic the forage that the fish are focused on rather than the fish adjusting their feeding to jump on a passing lure.

pelagics but also those that might be more shut down but could be coaxed into a strike by the ‘wobble’ rather than the ‘shimmy’.

THE RETRIEVE I have honed my retrieve style to suit some of the new jerkbaits I have been using. In the past, I was focused on getting as much ‘shimmy’ out the lure as possible and getting the lure back as quickly as possible, however, now I’m concentrating more on producing the ‘shimmy’ for the first 10 winds of the reel followed by a ‘wobble’ out of the

There are very few angling experiences that compare to battling a king off the rocks.

Small to medium sized salmon indicate that larger fish won’t be far away.

With this in mind, I’m now fishing jerkbaits that have a tight shimmy style action when retrieved fast but when I slow the lure down, they have an exaggerated wobble. I have found that the majority of the fish in any given school will be looking for a bait which is moving incredibly quickly or a bait that is wounded, even if may not be the preferred food source at the time.

By having a jerkbait that is capable of two different actions, it means that I can fish the lure by amalgamating two different retrieval styles and target not only the active fish in a school of

lure for the next 10 winds.

To do this, I start the retrieve by cranking the handles as fast as I can with the rod tip pointed down towards the water. This produces the ‘shimmy’ action as the jerkbait dives to its maximum depth and ensures the lure is travelling as quickly as possible.

Once I’m 10 winds into the retrieve, I start raising and lowering the rod from facing straight down to up past my hips at a medium pace to get the lure to ‘wobble’ instead of a ‘shimmy’. Basically,

The Jackall Squirrel 79 is a great choice for this type of fishing.

I think of it as a 10 and 10 and then I ‘rinse and repeat’ the process until I’ve wound the lure all the way back to my location.

Increasingly, I’ve become more and more interested in chasing kingies whereas I was once interested more in catching a lot of different pelagics in one session. I have found that this retrieve where I am mixing it up and switching from ‘shimmy’ to ‘wobble’ and then back again is far more likely to get the kings interested.

If I haven’t had any interest using the shimmy/wobble retrieve then I switch to a rip/stop retrieve combined with a figure-of-eight retrieve. Again, this is about trying to get the lure to mimic either a fleeing bait fish or a wounded fish.

To start, I wind up the slack after the cast and then once the line goes tight, I rip the rod from waist height down to my feet without winding and then return the rod to waist height before winding up the slack and repeating the process for 10 winds. I then point the rod down so that the rod tip is facing the water and for 10 or so winds, trace

DECEMBER 2023 9

FEATURE

Location

a small (imaginary) figure-of-eight on the water while winding in the lure.

This makes the lure swim erratically as it follows the pattern being traced by the rod tip. This retrieve is really effective with not only jerkbaits but also other types of lures like plastics, vibes and blades.

LOCATION, LOCATION I’ve shifted my thinking about the best locations to target pelagics off the rocks. Where once I would try and reach the most isolated ledges I could find with the deepest water, now I look for areas where I can fish multiple types of water on 10-20m of ledge.

FMM a beacon that I re-register every year because with a flick of a button on the beacon, I can send a distress signal and get help. I also always wear a life jacket, spikes for walking on the rocks and I wear light clothing.

Smaller pelagics will appear in between the salmon and kings.

David Pidcock with a solid bonito.

If I can fish a point with deep water on one side and shallow water with plenty of wash on the other then this is my preferred scenario. The fish will be sitting in one of these two areas and, often, I find that different species switch between the two areas throughout the day depending on where the bait is located.

TACKLE I take two outfits with me when I head out onto the rocks. I use a 3-6kg Rovex Inazuma 7’ spin rod matched to a Quantum Reliance 30 spooled with 20lb braid and 30lb leader. This is a really light outfit but it is perfect for throwing 90mm jerkbaits and the reel has 10lb of drag meaning I can stop some really serious fish (and have done).

The second outfit is a Rovex Inazuma 4-8kg spin rod matched to a Quantum Reliance 40 reel spooled with 50lb braid and 60lb leader. This heavier outfit is reserved for lures ranging from 130mm jerkbaits and up. Both the rods have a fast action, which means I can work the lures using several different (and some very rapid) retrieves. Both reels are fully sealed so I don’t have

to worry about sand and salt getting caught in the internals of the reel. A sealed reel is a must when fishing off the rocks.

If I’m fishing an area where I know there are a lot of smaller pelagics, I sometimes leave the 3-6kg rod at home and switch it out for a 2-4kg light spin outfit matched to a 2500 sized reel.

The reel is spooled with 10lb braid and 15lb leader. I do this because in some circumstances, it pays to run up a score of smaller fish to work up the larger fish, which will be close by. The smaller fish, once hooked, will send out distress signals and these signals bring in the bigger model for a look.

Once I see a few larger fish tailing the smaller fish, I switch to my heavier 4-8kg outfit and keep casting.

LOW-FI VS HIGH-FI There is a lot of debate in the angling community at the moment around the use of technology, like live scope. The best part about fishing the rocks is that it is about as ‘low-fi’ as you can get. It is literally a rod and reel, a handful of lures and a few educated guesses. That said, I have found that some preparation is important before I head out for a session on the stones as my safety is paramount.

I have a couple of apps that give tide times, moon phases, wind direction, swell, water temp and wind wave. I will say that the ‘low-fi’ component of rock fishing for me is only possible because I am able to check the ‘high-fi’ component (apps) before hitting the water. The safety part of rock fishing is worth considering, especially if fishing particularly tricky areas. I always carry

• Westin Jerkbite 11cm or 13.5cm • Jackall Rerange 11cm or 13cm • Jackall Squirrel 79 • Samaki Redic 90mm 10 DECEMBER 2023

The other ‘high-fi’ element to my stones game would be my polaroid glasses. I use Spotters Morph with ice blue lenses and they really are a game changer. This type of fishing is all about observing fish behaviour as the pelagics follow the lure towards the ledge and so a good pair of sunnies are essential.

CONCLUSION Since February, I’ve started to hone my stones fishing game. I was focused on deep water and cranking as fast as

Safety first: A life jacket, spikes and lightweight clothing are essential.

AUTHOR’S LURES

• Rapala Ripstop 90mm

When the ledge is shut down, switching to a super light set up like this 1-3kg rod and 2500 sized reel can bring results.

The author’s largest bonito to date caught as he switched the lure action from a ‘shimmy’ to a ‘wobble’.

I possibly could to get the fish to latch onto whichever lure I was pitching. Now, I’m all about the shimmy and wobble.

By switching retrieve styles midway through the retrieve and slowing things down to maximise the wobble I’m catching more fish in locations where in the past, I have struggled to land a decent kingie. The trick is picking the right lure that has the adaptability and can be fished in a variety of ways.

Lure makers are constantly evolving the jerkbait so keep a look for new lures that have that shimmy but also a seriously exaggerated wobble when fished slow. Take that new shiny lure to the rocks and watch it get swooped by a cruising pelagic.

FEATURE

Species

FMM

How to drift for squid: keeping it simple opportunity to go squidding, but there are some very cool looking jigs amongst them. Nevertheless, you don’t need to spend big to catch a feed.

In this article I will show that if you have the basics covered, success will not be too far away.

ROD, REEL AND LINE Although specific egiing rods are available, they are not a must-have. A 7’ rod rated at 2-4kg or 3-5kg is perfect for the job. I prefer a full graphite rod, however a composite rod will also do the trick. I match this with a 2000 or 2500 sized reel. No need to spend a fortune, there are plenty of reels

FISHING MONTHLY

Peter Jung

For me, any holiday in the southern states, or in Western Australia for that matter, will at some point involve chasing some squid (southern calamari mostly) and one of my favourite ways to target them is in shallow water drifting around in the boat.

It has well and truly become a family affair as both my daughters and my wife always want to join in on the fun. It is generally only a couple of hours and the reward is that fresh calamari is on the menu.

SIMPLE WILL GET YOU RESULTS Like any fishing, squidding or egiing can be made more complicated depending on how much you get into it and the gear you want to have.

I know my collection of squid jigs far outweighs how often I have the

This means you need to be able to tie a competent braid to leader knot, which isn’t something every angler knows.

My preference for braid is the feel it offers you when fishing. You quickly know if your jig is fouled, or if something isn’t quite right at the business end of your line, allowing you to fish effectively whenever your jig is in the water. Having said that, monofilament line is more than suitable for squidding (there are some low stretch options that I would look at first) or even casting fluorocarbon line that removes the need to know that braid to leader knot. Line in that

The author favours squid jigs with a red foil base. This jig is several years old and has been the undoing of many squid.

Main photo: First light is a prime part of the day to go drifting for squid. The sun coming up is pretty special too. Above: The selection of jigs the author takes for a morning drifting for squid. available in that $50-80 price point that will do the job nicely.

Your line choice offers a few challenges. Braid 6-8lb would always be my first choice with a 10-12lb leader.

12 DECEMBER 2023

8-12lb range is ideal.

SQUID JIGS Walk into any good tackle store and the range of squid jigs available can be daunting. Multiple sizes, a huge

Species FEATURE

FMM range of colours and pricing from as little as $3 up to $30 and more. All of them will catch squid, but how do you narrow down what to buy? There is no

As far as jig size goes you can’t go wrong with either a 3.0 or 3.5 sized jig.

ON THE WATER Choosing a location to go drifting for squid is purely based on depth and bottom structure. Squid can be caught in surprisingly shallow water (as little as 4ft) and where they are on any given day is what drifting for them is all about. Once I find an area of broken bottom (a mix of sand, weed, rock etc) I will bring the boat to rest in deeper water (15ft maximum) and allow the tide/wind to gently drift me into shallower water, constantly casting while doing so. Once I get too shallow, I just motor back out and do it again. It is always important to note what depth you catch any squid in, as it will narrow down the drift lengths

It just wouldn’t be a fisherman’s basket without some squid in it.

A solid squid from the first drift of the author’s most recent outing. easy answer, but I can offer you a few observations that will help.

Although inexpensive jigs work, the tines (the hooks that catch the squid) are often poor quality, the felts/ foils covering the jigs have a very short shelf life and the longevity of the jig is the same. So, my preference is to buy a jig in the $10-20 price point.

They will last longer, tend to have a bit more research and development behind them and consistently get better results too.

Jig colours are always an interesting talking point, some anglers prefer bright colours, some natural, while others (the author) base their selection on the foil base of the jig. On some days certain colours will work better than others, however whatever your favourite or chosen colour is, it will catch you a squid.

A morning drifting for squid has become a family affair for the author. His daughter and wife (taking the photo) often join him. as you zero in on the prime depth for that day.

Generally, you can get squid at any time of the day, but first light seems

to produce better than most – there is also something special about seeing the sun come up. I have always found an incoming tide to be a better tide to fish for squid, however most of the time water depth and bottom structure trump tide movement.

RETRIEVE OPTIONS The most important thing to note with any retrieve for squid, is that they are hiding in and around the structure you are fishing over, so having your jig close to the structure will likely provide better success. The simplest way to do this is to drop a jig out behind the boat and let it drift along with you. You can also fish more actively by casting forward of the boat and hopping the jig over the structure as you retrieve.

These, and almost everything in between, can work. And, where there is one squid there is likely to be others, so don’t be afraid to drop a jig near a hooked squid, as you have every chance of hooking one of his mates.

GIVE IT A GO Drifting for squid and the gear required does not need to be sophisticated or complicated to be effective. A few basics and your squidding journey can be up and running. Why not give it a try?

This was the result of a couple of hours drifting for squid.

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FMM

BACK TO BASICS

Build a bridge NSW SOUTH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Bridges can be wonderful fishing spots, especially once you work out how best to take advantage of them.

Artificial structure in our estuaries, lakes and rivers represents a great place

possible exception of some suspension bridges, almost every other style and design of bridge offers close to the perfect combination of cover, shelter, current breaks and ambush points.

Bridges typically span narrower and relatively deep sections of an estuary or river, and these would already be hot spots for many fish, simply because of the way

The author plucked this chunky little Murray cod from the narrow strip of shade under a bridge on the upper Murray River during the very middle of a swelteringly hot summer’s day, when not much else was happening, fish-wise. crustaceans… They are literally fish aggregation devices! Throw in some lights to attract even more life after dark, and they also become action-packed fishy night spots.

Fishing a bridge really well isn’t

vortices and back-eddies form. However, as the flow slows (either towards the tide change or nearer the shore), more active fish that are eager to find a meal may well move in front of the pylons, riding the current pressure wave and getting first

Bridges take many forms. Most hold fish. to start looking for all sorts of catch-able fish. Retaining walls, breakwaters, boat moorings, channel markers, wharves, oyster leases, culverts, flood mitigation gates, canals the list is long and varied. But one form of man-made structure really stands out when it comes to providing made-to-order habitat for fish: bridges.

Some popular species, like the estuary

they funnel and concentrate food. But by providing overhead shade and a bunch of vertical pylons for cover and to break up the flow, bridges really take things to the next level. Also, once they’ve been in place for a year or two, most bridges begin to support all manner of growth and life on their submerged supports: from vegetation to various molluscs and

Estuary perch are just one of many species that love hanging around under bridges.

Bream, bridges and crabs — real or artificial — are a bit of a no-brainer combo. perch, are so fond of hanging around under bridges that I sometimes wonder where the heck they lived before we came along and built those structures! Seriously, EPs certainly do love a bridge, but so do many other species: notably bream, mulloway, luderick, leatherjackets and even some of the more pelagic types like tailor, salmon, kingfish and trevally. Further north, barra, jacks, fingermark, grunter and black jew can be all added to the list, while inland, everything from trout to Murray cod will at least occasionally take up temporary residence “underneath the arches”, as the old song goes.

When you think about it, with the 14 DECEMBER 2023

always as easy at it might seem. You need to stop and think hard about where the fish you’re targeting might be holding, and what they might be doing. A lot of this comes down to assessing the influence of current or flow. In the salt, when the tide is running really hard, the only way some fish will be able to stay close to those food-rich and cover-providing pylons (especially out in the main channel) is to tuck tightly in behind them, where little

Mulloway frequently hunt the shadow lines, current breaks and eddies under bridges and around their pylons. At night, bridges with fixed illumination can be especially productive.

bite at anything tasty that sweeps by.

Always probe different levels in the water column, too. Some fish, like bream, will often hold just under the surface beside, behind or in front of a pylon.

This is especially the case if there are cross members or supports providing additional cover from above. Other fish like those bridge-loving perch or mulloway may be halfway down the pylon, in mid-water, while still others such as flathead and estuary cod often hug the bottom, where the pylon enters the sand, mud or gravel. Probe every level!

Fishing from the bridge itself can sometimes be an option for land-based anglers, too, but always observe and obey any no fishing signs, and be aware of the safety of others and yourself. Oh, and don’t fall for the mistake of many, who cast well out from the bridge! Remember, the fish are likely to be right under your feet.

I rarely drive past any bridge – in salt, brackish or fresh water – without slowing for a look and thinking about how I might best fish it. Make a habit of doing the same.

FEATURE

Technique

FMM

Surface techniques for summer species braid mainline should be ideal. Suitable leaders can be either nylon mono or fluorocarbon. To be honest, I’ve been using the same brand and type of leader for all my light tackle lure fishing over the past 10 years and that is Sunline FC Rock fluorocarbon. I’ve stayed with this for years because in my early days of using it I

CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

There are a variety of different species in fresh or saltwater that can be tricked into hitting a lure on the surface. Although it’s possible to tempt a fish on the top at any time of the year, the warmer months tend to be best. As with all forms of fishing though, there are the usual tricks of the trade so to speak.

GEARING UP When I first started casting topwater lures, the choice of which type of line to use was simple. It was either nylon mono or nylon mono! Nowadays we still have nylon mono, but there are all manner of different braided lines and fluorocarbon

Lure choices are endless, but when it comes to common species like bream, bass, perch and whiting it’s often best to stick with lures in the 45-55mm size range like these.

Typical bass lures like these may also interest bream and estuary perch or even barra. However, sometimes the hook sizes or the way the hooks hang off the lure mean that fish like bream for example won’t always connect properly.

16 DECEMBER 2023

to choose from. Without going into extreme detail, the best approach when choosing lines for casting surface lures is to generally stick with big name brands such as Daiwa, Sunline, Shimano, Berkley and so on. There are plenty of cheaper alternatives, but the more unknown the name, the more likely you’re taking a gamble with it and it could simply end up being a bad investment.

In most cases, when chasing fish like bass, bream and tailor, it’s fine to just use a standard light spinning outfit. That means a reasonable quality, light action rod about 2.1m long, with a 2000-2500 spinning reel. Once again, I highly recommend sticking to bigger, more reputable brand names when purchasing rods and reels.

If your most likely target species are bream and whiting then a 3kg, or 6lb,

Estuary perch are present in many estuary or lakes along the NSW coast and Victoria. They love surface lures and the thin profile stickbait type lures can be particularly effective when used around sunrise or sunset.

Technique FEATURE

FMM managed to land a few big bream, bass and flathead that I really should have lost after they drilled me through some extremely gnarly obstacles. The FC Rock was very good to me, so I just keep using it.

Sometimes though, when casting smaller lures, under 50mm, nylon mono can actually be a better choice. The reason is that fluorocarbon is more of a sinking line and it can actually drag the nose of a small surface lure slightly downwards

or under the surface. It may depend on the specific lure and even the salinity of the water, as lures are less buoyant in freshwater. So, I’d say start out by using fluorocarbon leaders as a general guide but consider nylon mono as a leader material for some situations.

I normally use 3kg or 6lb fluoro for general estuary fishing when bream and whiting are the primary target species.

If flathead, tailor, smaller mulloway or

Bass in most waterways absolutely demolish surface lures. As with all forms of fishing though, there are certain techniques or tricks we need to learn in order to successfully target them with topwaters.

Tailor and surface lures make for some very entertaining fishing.

These fish were caught in Lake Macquarie just before sunrise.

bigger bream are on the cards or if I’m fishing particularly snaggy places, I’ll use 4-5kg (8-10lb).

Baitcasters may be preferred by some anglers, particularly when chasing bass, cod or barra in impoundments. In my younger days I was a big baitcaster fanatic and I still own a number of baitcasters, however, I mostly prefer light spinning reels these days. Of course, if your target species are larger barra, cod, kingfish or queenfish then you’ll probably be going up a few line classes in order to deal with these beasties. Still though, in most cases a 10kg mainline and 12-15kg leader

should be fine.

THE LURES There sure are heaps of different surface lures around and they range from el crappo cheapies that you’re better off ignoring, through to overpriced exotics that I would never personally tie on the end of my line. Once again, to be practical, it’s normally best to stick with known brand names. Daiwa, Ecogear, Heddon, Maria, Rapala and Lucky Craft are some that come to mind, but there certainly are plenty more worth considering.

Let’s also not forget what goes between a lure and a fish and that’s the hook.

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FEATURE

Technique

FMM

There’s no point casting a premium quality lure if the hooks are blunt or rusty.

Anyone who does a lot of lure casting for bream will be constantly reminded of the need to replace hooks that bream have crushed or broken. Despite their

the humble tailor. Some waterways house more tailor than others and it seems the larger lakes often have better sizes and numbers of tailor than rivers, particularly around the southeast part of the country.

Because tailor have a mouth full of

A key point to remember when casting surface lures for bream or others like whiting and flathead is that there’s no such thing as water that’s too shallow!

Bream are perhaps the most highly sort-after lure fishing target around the southern half of the country. Although they’ll respond to surface lures during any month of the year, summer is the best surface season for them. relative size, bream have very powerful, crushing jaws and they make quick work of even the more expensive hooks. So, when buying lures, also consider buying a pack of replacement hooks and perhaps some small split ring pliers. I also use small size 8 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks to replace trailing, stinger style hooks that some lures are fitted with.

Aside from the budget factor, we all live in different places and have preferences when it comes to which species we want to catch or what lure colours grab our attention. So rather than start rattling off specific names, sizes and colours, I’ve broken up the rest of this article into species, providing tips on lure choices and how best to use them.

TAILOR Perhaps the most aggressive species and easiest to tempt with a topwater is

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razor sharp teeth it’s not a good idea to cast expensive lures their way. However, a short length of single strand wire trace can be employed to guard against bite offs. If

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you’re specifically chasing tailor and likely to run into a few bigger ones then I would definitely recommend the wire. If they’re more of a bycatch whilst targeting other species than it’s probably best just to be cautious, especially when it comes time to extract the hooks. Even small tailor can slice into your fingers very easily.

Tailor feed more aggressively just before and just after sunset. They often hunt baitfish around illuminated bridges, wharves or boat ramps at night and they’re also quite active after heavy rains have discoloured the water.

They’ll take an interest in most forms of surface lure, but the more a lure resembles a small fish like whitebait or mullet, the more attractive it is to tailor.

I prefer stickbaits, pencil style lures and poppers in the 65 to 100mm range.

BREAM Bream will hit a very broad range of surface lures, but if you really want

to be consistently successful then stick with either small poppers or pencil style shaped lures. Lengths from 45-60mm are the most successful sizes to use. If forced to be more specific I’d say 55mm is the best length. Clear, natural or translucent colours are generally very reliable, but black lures are another good option to have in the tackle box.

Bream will hit a surface lure at any time of the day and during any month of the year. However, the primes times, regardless of where you’re fishing are 20 minutes before and up to an hour after sunrise and an hour before and up to 20 minutes after sunset. The warmest months from October to the following April are best, but in my part of the country the peak months are from November till the end of March.

Bream will hit a lure during any stage of the retrieve, but pauses are a big thing I can highly recommend. From the instant the lure splashes down it can be worth letting it sit there for 20 seconds before commencing the retrieve and at least once more during the retrieve let the lure pause, motionless for 10 seconds or so.

WHITING Much the same applies to whiting, with the same style, size and lure colours.

However, whiting also seem to respond well to slightly longer lures, up to 80mm.

Whiting also seem to be more catchable throughout daylight hours, particularly over shallow sand flats that house a lot of natural food items like soldier crabs, pink nippers and worms.

Although whiting will hit a lure on the pause, it’s very definite that a constant, steady retrieve, without pausing is generally the best way to go. The pencil or stickbait style lures work very well with a side to side ‘walk the dog’ sort of retrieve.

Poppers work best with a constant, subtle ‘chugging’ motion, keeping the lure going in a straight line.

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FEATURE

Technique

FMM

very broad range of lures will tempt bass, including all the bream or whiting lures I’ve just mentioned. Yes, bass love pencil or stickbait type surface lures.

They also love paddling lures such the old favourite, the Jitterbug and the more modern varieties of cicada imitations.

Fizzers, which have rotating blades fitted at either end of the lure, are also highly effective and entertaining to use.

Just like bream, bass are generally more active and willing to hit surface lures closer to sunrise and sunset. Heavily shaded pockets, under big trees, undercut banks and gaps between rocks or boulders, with some current flowing past are prime

areas to cast surface lures. Pausing the lure is almost always important, although there are times when bass will totally demolish a lure the instant it lands or right at the end of the retrieve just as you’re about to lift the lure from the water.

So be ready at any time!

PERCH Estuary perch are the closest relative of the Aussie bass and you could say they’re the saltwater version of bass.

Although they do respond to the same lures, times and retrieve techniques as bass, they are more inclined to hit what you would normally cast at whiting for example. By that, I mean pencil or

stickbait lures in the 45-80mm size range.

As I said with bream, about a specific size, I think 55mm is right on the mark.

They’re also more active around sunrise or sunset and also in dirty water or when the weather is a bit unstable, wet or even difficult for us to fish in.

Cast lures in the darkest spots with the most shade and commence the retrieve immediately. Much like whiting, perch will hit a lure when you pause it, but a constant, steady retrieve with plenty of movement generally works best.

FLATHEAD Perhaps the oddball of the surface fishing targets, flathead respond well to everything I mentioned about whiting.

Shallow flats are the main places to start looking for flathead and the word ‘shallow’ is the real key here. So concentrate more in water less than 30cm or let’s say ankle deep. Cast close to the shore and pay particular attention to any drains or adjacent feeder creeks. Flathead love drains and run offs.

Aside from that, just re-read the section on whiting here and it all applies perfectly well to flathead. One main point though, flathead aren’t always the easiest fish to fool with surface lures and they’re not always going to hit a lure on the surface, so if success isn’t coming your way, don’t be hard on yourself. Simply keep persisting and eventually you’ll catch one.

Of course, barra, tarpon, trevally,

It’s all good to be using the latest and greatest lures, but it’s equally important that sharp hooks are attached to the lure. So buying the occasional packet of hooks and a small split ring tool is a good investment.

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salmon, queenfish and a whole lot more are amongst the list of species that will hit a surface lure over the warmer months or at other times of the year. There is no one magic bullet or particular secret of success.

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QLD Southern

FMM

Tropical water pushes predators south tow baits prepped and ready. The long tail tuna and massive schools of mack tuna are plaguing the shore breaks and inshore reefs from Fingal to Byron feeding on schools of pilchards and white bait. I have found over previous years the Spanish mackerel are never too far behind the schools of mack tuna, they are generally a week or two behind them. We also usually will see a run of spottie mackerel for a week or two before the Spanish seem to turn up.

THE TWEED

Leon McClymont

Things are starting to heat up in the Tweed with the EAC in full swing pushing hot tropical water filled with all sorts of line burning predators. Each and everyone of them making their way south.

These predators can be found beyond the continental shelf all the way up to the rocky headlands and sandy beaches of East Coast Australia. At the time of writing conditions for big yellowfin tuna have been great with hot water mixing with the cool rich nutrient water and creating up dwellings, which has had the tuna congregating in big numbers and feeding furiously. Many seasonal offshore fishers have stated it’s the best run of yellowfin seen in many years, if not the best they have seen ever!

This mangrove jack was as thick as a red brick. It was caught by the author on a recent late night session.

Ryan Ziets with a solid Northern NSW GT. If you read my last few articles I mentioned the El Niña that had been predicted for this season well it has been confirmed that we are in an El Niña and this will typically give us above average hot weather and waters. With a look of how the season is kicking off it could be a great start to the season. With this push of warm current it has brought the juvenile black marlin along with it. There have been reports of large numbers of hook ups from the Gold Coast down to Cape Byron all in shallow waters and has the inshore fishos excited. The bigger models seem to be found from the 36s out beyond the shelf.

Plenty of mahimahi are hanging around the FADs, with some good-sized ones amongst them. The ticket to the show seems to be plenty of berley, cubing pilchards or cut bait to get the fish excited and feeding. Then either sending a piece of berley rigged with a hook back in the mix or a livie.

24 NOVEMBER 2023

Good reports of pearlies and tuskfish being caught on the 36s using squid and cut bait on paternoster rigs or jigging slow pitch jigs 120-220g.

This time of year the bigger schools of snapper should be pushing into deeper water along the East Coast, but don’t let that ruin your plans for an inshore snap this summer. I have found some of the biggest snapper captures in recent years on shallow reef over the summer months, especially in the north coast area. The big resident fish will move in on an easy feed by feeding on scraps of bait balls left behind by fired up schools of pelagics, such as tuna and mackerel. So having a bait on the bottom whilst targeting the pelagics this summer can really pay off.

The mackerel still haven’t turned up at time of writing but I can only imagine that the first for the season off Tweed shouldn’t be too far away.

So be sure to get your wire traces and

Kooper Dale with an 80cm flathead bycatch he caught while fishing for jacks.

Cayden Hardy is no stranger to the red danger.

Hopefully the weather gods look after the Tweed region this season and the whole East Coast for that matter.

Finger-crossed we don’t get as much rain as predicted. It could put a huge delay to the start of the season or, even worse, major flooding to the region once again and a season write off.

The river temperature has also risen bringing the mangrove jack on the chew with plenty of early season jacks showing up, which is good to see. There are still schools of tailor and trevally in the river hunting small baitfish as well. Top water surface lures or hardbody divers are great for targeting these species, which will tend to be feeding more on dusk, dawn or overcast days.

Flathead have been plentiful throwing divers or bent minnows in the shallows. If casting lures ain’t your thing then white pilchards and blue bait is a great option for easy river fishing.

In the coming months, land-based pelagics are on the menu for summer in the Tweed region and I’ll be covering a few things, such as weather, currents and some techniques to target them from baiting/live baiting and spinning lures from break walls and ledges in the next issue. So, if you’re looking to tick off your first land-based pelagic be sure to check out the next couple issues.

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QLD Southern

FMM

Fight for dominance begins GOLD COAST

David Green

December sees the East Australian Current start to push a big blanket of warm water in close to the coast and the pelagic fish arrive off the Gold Coast. Every season is different, and it is a waiting game to see which species dominates.

Juvenile black marlin should start to show up on the inshore grounds such as Sullies, the Cotton Reef and the Paddock. If there are big schools of pilchards and slimy mackerel then marlin shouldn’t be too far away. The number of juvenile black marlin encountered in Central Queensland grounds in spring

trolling is a good option. I like to troll a spread of skirted lures roughly 15-20cm long on 100lb mono leader and one Halco Laser Pro. The Laser Pro is rigged with single hooks and, while it is in the spread to catch wahoo and stop them chewing up expensive skirted lures, it catches a surprising number of marlin as well. Troll speed is generally around 7 knots and I also use a mirrored teaser just in front of the lure positioned in the short corner spot. Line is generally 10-15kg. Before going out I usually look at the sea surface temperature charts and look for areas where the water temp is over 25oC. In December, mahimahi are our commonest capture and most of these are between 6-8kg. At present the FADs off the coast are holding thousands of

The author with a decent shallow water flathead. was quite poor this year so there may not be many migrating fish. As well as marlin, mahimahi, wahoo and striped tuna should start to turn up in numbers this month and spotted mackerel often show on Palm Beach and Mermaid Reef.

If you can’t find a bait school, lure

mahimahi. While most are small, a few over 10kg have been caught. They are superb eating and need to be handled with great care at the boat as they are one of the wildest things with fins when you get them aboard.

If you find a school of slimy mackerel

or pilchards it is important to work the area closely, the tactic is to slowly troll live baits. When marlin are focused on bait schools they often ignore lures completely.

I like to troll a pair of baits from the outriggers at around 1-2 knots.

Out on the wider grounds, December is a good month to target blue marlin in depths between 150-400m. Using large lures on 37kg tackle is the most effective method in my experience. The blue marlin average around 140kg and take roughly an hour to land on a standard fish from a small boat.

December can be a tough month for bottom fishing on the 36 and 50 fathom reefs as the current tends to run hard to the south. If the current slows down, there are still plenty of pearl perch, amberjack, pig fish and rosy jobfish to be caught.

Closer to shore there should be a few mulloway on the inshore reefs at night and teraglin and tailor should be around, as well as a few early season mackerel.

ESTUARIES December sees the water in the estuaries warm up and whiting, mud and sand crabs and mangrove jack become a lot more active. There are still a few big flathead around on the sand and mud flats and mulloway in the deeper parts of the estuaries. Up in the canals there can be some good fishing for trevally, cod and jacks.

Whiting bite best on a run-in tide when fishing the central part of the Broadwater. As the water pushes up onto the yabby flats big schools move up to feed. Casting unweighted yabbies is a very effective method and by casting down wind and using very light line good numbers can be caught most days. If there are small prawns around surface poppers and small clear stick baits are also effective, and the key to this method is to wind

Aleesha Bowman releasing a black marlin. well for jacks and as the water warms the fish become more active. Working minnows and shad tailed plastics close to the edge of pontoons works well, and there is often a fair bit of action on surface poppers in December. There are a lot of trophy jacks in this area and fish over 50cm are relatively common. Jacks also respond well to whole squid baits fished unweighted and drifted with the tide.

While December usually marks the end of flathead season, there should still be quite a few big fish up on the shallow sand and mud banks around the Seaway and Jumpinpin. Large shallow running hardbodies and big soft plastic stick baits are still worth trying this month. The last of the run-in tide is generally the best time to fish these spots, and most of the bigger fish in December are over 80cm long. The large Duo Tide minnow has been particularly effective this season.

December is also a good month to chase mud crabs and sand crabs. There have been plenty of decent sand crabs in

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quickly. Don’t pause the retrieve at all.

Small assist hooks are often more effective than trebles. Some of these whiting are over 40cm long and are superb eating.

My favourite whiting lure is the Bassday Sugapen in a clear colour. Translucent, clear or pale colours tend to work best when chasing whiting on the flats.

Mangrove jack will be active this month. The floating pontoons in the south arm of the Coomera have been fishing

the Broadwater throughout spring and these should continue to be in good numbers this month. Work around weed beds in 3-5m of water. Good spots to try for mud crabs, include the Pimpama River and Coombabah Creek. Chicken frames are a very reliable bait for mud crabs.

Overall, December is generally a very productive month on Gold Coast waters.

It is a busy time, so stay safe on the water.

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Volatile weather increases activity BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

With summer officially here, we’ll definitely experience rather hot conditions over the coming months.

Warm temperatures can create rather volatile weather conditions with fluctuating barometric pressure and thunderstorms the norm. This in turn promotes increased activity and heightened metabolism from many species.

For us fishers, this creates prime opportunity to get amongst an awesome array of pelagic and demersal species.

Let’s look at a few commonly encountered summer species that you can expect to encounter during December.

LONGTAIL TUNA One of the more prized Moreton Bay targets during December is the longtail tuna. These can often be located feeding erratically on the surface in a display of wanton mayhem. They will herd and attack many different baitfish species including whitebait, frogmouth pilchards, gar and many others. Often the water churns with activity as tuna smash through

profiled flies are often the only offering small enough to create interest however you will need to be able to cast a fly rod a decent distance to be able to get in the game.

Live baiting around areas where baitfish are likely to congregate, such as the shipping channel beacons, current lines and artificial reefs will often get the rewards. Yakkas, slimy mackerel, gar, pike, cowanyoung and several other prey species can be used. These are commonly pinned on a twin-hook snelled rig with the leading hook placed sideways through the nose, then deployed in the upper third of the water column. Circle hooks work exceptionally well when the tuna is allowed to run with the bait and the line allowed to go tight, without any aggressive striking.

MACKEREL Whilst there should be plenty of school mackerel throughout the bay in the coming months, we may even see some spotted mackerel begin to show.

These didn’t really appear until late January last year but can show up at any time once waters begin to warm.

Previous to last year we had very few summertime spotties for several seasons

Last year produced some quality spotties in Moreton Bay and hopefully they will show again this summer. herded schools with activity sighted from considerable distance. Birds are often be your first indicator of action. They will circle overhead, taking the opportunity themselves to score a few baitfish once the tuna push them to the surface. As the birds get lower to the water surface, you know now is the time to get into position for a cast as it’s likely the tuna will erupt from the surface soon.

Casting chromed slugs and slices, small stickbaits (the Oceans Legacy Keeling 105H are a personal favourite), pencil poppers, jighead rigged jerkshad plastics and several others will often get the rewards. Commonly you may need to try several different offerings and profiles until you get a positive result as the longtails can be rather fussy at times, only eating offerings close to the baitfish profile on which they are feeding. Sometimes when they are focussed on miniscule bait, it is almost impossible to find an offering small enough to get their interest which can cast the required distance. Baitfish28 NOVEMBER 2023

so it was awesome to see them show. They were quality specimens too with plenty of 70cm+ models and even a few over 90cm being caught. These were often found smashing bait on the surface and I caught most of mine between Wellington Point and the Hope Banks and also between Peel Island and the Naval Reserve Banks.

On any given day, anglers found them in a variety of areas although they were often only patrolling in packs of less than 20 fish and moved around rather fast and sporadically. Hopefully numbers will be improved this year with surface smashing schools a common occurrence.

School mackerel numbers should be healthy this year and anglers will encounter them in a wide array of locations including around the fringes of the bay islands, the artificial reefs, around the shipping channel beacons, along the Cowan Ledge, The Sand Hills and in all the major channels (Rainbow, Pearl, Rous, Kianga and Small Ships). Schoolies will respond to a wide array of lures and

whole fish baits. Drifting pilchards out behind the boat around the bay island margins, the Shipping Channel beacons and in the major channels will put you in with a great chance of success. When pilchards are rigged nice and straight on a ganged hook rig, hook up rates are high as the mackerel will hit the bait aggressively.

Trolling spoons behind paravanes is a deadly technique and allows you to cover a good area of ground in your search.

This is commonly done along the edges of the channels on the falling tide when the mackerel patrol these areas, intent on marauding any baitfish species being flushed from the flats with the receding tide. Other good areas to try are the eastern side of Green Island, the 7-10m zone running from Wellington Point up past Ormiston to Cleveland, the western side of Goat Island, the channel leading out from Dunwich, northern end of Mud Island and Middle Bank precinct. Small deep diving minnow lures can be deployed and trolled with good results. Successful spots should be worked over several times as school mackerel are rarely loners.

TUSKFISH Those who like a real challenge, and some of the best tasting fillets to be found anywhere, should try targeting a few tuskies. Smaller specimens can be taken on a wide array of baits at times with fillets baits and chunks of green banana prawns working well. However, for the better quality specimens, the prime baits are crabs of almost any species.

Ghost crabs, soldier crabs, hairy backs, box crabs, sand crabs, blueswimmer crabs and a host of others can all work a treat.

Obviously, you have to obey any size or bag limits to take any crab species, even if using them for bait. Larger crabs, such as the blueswimmers and sand crabs, can be halved or quartered for catching the average tuskies. Those targeting the big blue-bone tuskfish will often use these whole, however you will require some serious tackle (100-200lb line is common) to subdue one of these brutes.

Areas with coffee rock, submerged ledges, caves and undercuts, artificial reef structure and natural reef will all hold tuskies of various species. These are one of the tastiest yet hardest fight species available in Moreton Bay so they have a lot of appeal for serious anglers.

SNAPPER Many consider snapper to only be a cool weather species however in Moreton Bay they are available to good sizes all year round. There are definitely heightened numbers throughout winter when many larger specimens come inshore to breed however there is enough structure and food in Moreton Bay to guarantee a local population of fish. The artificial reefs are targeted heavily as these consistently hold decent specimens. The various structures (reef, ledges, rubble grounds) around the bay islands is also a drawcard for

A couple of prime Moreton Bay longtail tuna destined for the table.

When eaten sashimi style or lightly seared, they are exceptional. specimens of all sizes. Other isolated structures such as wrecks and ledges will also hold quality fish.

For those anchoring, baits (both live and dead) are probably the best option however some also cast and retrieve plastics whilst stationery. Baits and plastics are best cast upcurrent then allowed to sink as they drift with the current. When baits are finally behind the boat, they can be slowly free-spooled further to create a more realistic presentation. After a while, reel back in and then repeat the process.

Baits can also be used whilst drifting with a paternoster style rig offering good presentation and minimal snagging.

Plastics are best fished on the drift, which offers an ideal presentation and allows you to cover a good array of ground. The soft plastic (jerkshad, paddle tail, curltail or crustacean profile) is best cast upcurrent and then retrieved back with the flow to offer a more natural presentation. In situations where you can get a bit of a boat drift, casting out a plastic and letting it sink before simply putting the rod in the holder can be a great technique. This dead-sticked plastic can often be responsible for the better fish which just goes to show how subtle of a retrieve can be used. In addition to snapper, I have also caught longtail tuna to over 20kg, including one 23kg specimen taken on a prawn profile.

Obviously, those fishing quality baits are in with a great chance of scoring quality snapper as well as grass sweetlip, cod, mulloway and many other prime species. I prefer fresh fillet baits or salted tuna strips, however squid, pilchards, diver whiting, hardiheads, gar and many other baits make prime offerings. Keep rigging simple and as finesse as you dare utilising fluorocarbon leaders, minimal sinker weights and chemically sharpened hooks buried well in the baits with just the points exposed. Live offerings are the best for XOS snapper with gar, pike, yakkas, slimy mackerel, mullet and herring all working well. Snapper will continue to be caught in decent numbers and to creditable sizes over the coming months

Southern QLD

FMM so don’t discard them as a viable target.

THREADFIN SALMON During the warmer months, larger numbers of threadfin salmon can often be located in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River. Although you would think that large numbers of fish may present easy fishing, this is rarely the case. Anglers will often present all manner of lures and sometimes even live baits to no avail. At this time of the year, threadies are commonly feeding on schools of prawns therefore tempting them with anything else is often futile.

Anglers commonly use soft vibes, hopping them through the threadfin schools in a prawn like retrieve. This is one of the better approaches but not a guarantee of success. Sometimes you will just have to wait until there is a bite window, which can often occur within an hour or so of the tide change.

Obviously, securing a few large banana prawns and then drifting them into the schools on subtle rigging will increase chances. Live mullet, herring, biddies, pike and gar can also work a treat. If you cannot locate any larger schools, anchoring along the declines into the main river basin and deploying a few livies can put you in with a good chance.

Threadfin salmon will move up and down the river with the tidal movement, often lurking along these declines, especially on the falling tide. The Caltex Reach, Swing Zone, amongst the yacht

moorings west of the Gateway Bridge, out from the International Cruise Ship Terminal and many other spots along the river are worth trying. Periods with rising barometers often see some of the most activity. Threadfin salmon should be in healthy numbers in the lower reaches of the Brisbane River over the next few months so get out and have a go.

JACKS AND COD Activity amongst estuary cod and mangrove jacks increases during the warmer months due to their metabolism spike. This creates more aggressive behaviour, especially during periods of rising barometric pressure such as when storms are building. Whilst mangrove jack are not common in the Brisbane River, they are found in most of the creek

systems filtering into the bay and also the harbours and canal developments.

Cod are widespread with black-spot more common in the inshore waterways and gold-spot more readily found throughout the bay. The artificial reefs, wrecks, rock walls, mangrove snags and bay island margins can all produce.

I consider cod to be one of the more underrated table fish as they possess flaky white flesh that is very tasty. Cod are most commonly taken as bycatch by anglers targeting other species, however, specific targeting can increase chances considerably.

Cod adore crabs so anywhere that estuarine crabs inhabit (such as rock walls, bridge pylons, pontoons, jetty pylons, and mangrove snags) is a good

Estuary cod, such as this gold spot specimen, are a very underrated table fish and provide some great sport on lighter tackle.

place to try. Casting lures close to these structures is a great way to tempt both cod and mangrove jack but you will need fast reflexes, sturdy tackle and a good degree of luck to land any decent specimen. Live baits of mullet, herring, banana prawns, biddies and pike can all work well when deployed close to aforementioned structure.

Many bay fish are taken around the artificial reefs and bay islands as bycatch by those targeting snapper, mulloway and sweetlip. Casting lures around the retaining walls at the mouth of the Brisbane River and the eastern side of Mud Island can produce some creditable captures and great sport.

CONCLUSION As you can deduct, we are in for a great month or two ahead with many prime sportfishing and table fish on offer. Add to this the serious possibility of scoring a few crabs (mud, sand and blueswimmer) or some tasty banana prawns (the Pine and Caboolture River are usually reliable) and you could potentially score a great seafood smorgasbord for the family Christmas.

During December plenty of families are on the water due to annual holidays and the end of the school year so a little more patience and understanding is often required for a day on the water.

Ho, ho hope you have a great Christmas and Santa brings you some shiny new tackle to get out and try.

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QLD Southern

FMM

Boom after the flush BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

We certainly sped through 2023 like no tomorrow, and at the end of what was another eventful year there’s a few things I’d like to reflect on.

Firstly, we witnessed once again how massive flooding events can affect and shape our fisheries for months afterwards. Even at the beginning of this year our waterways were still booming with life from the flush they’d received almost a year before.

Secondly, we’ve recently seen just how quickly everything can change as we move into an El Nino climate pattern.

This is not to say that local anglers will be worse off in the next few years; dryer times can bring some fantastic fishing

opportunities in our area. What this does mean, though, is that things will change and anglers will have to adapt to keep catching fish.

Spring and the beginning of summer saw some excellent captures throughout the northern bay and SEQ hinterland areas, with everything from our offshore grounds and bay fisheries to our estuaries, streams and dams providing heart-stopping action. Erratic weather patterns have thrown a spanner in the works at times, and offshore fishing in particular has been severely limited by strong winds and large swells. Inshore our rivers and creeks have been needing a good dump of rain, and despite receiving a few intermittent showers and downpours, they may not get the flush they need for quite some time.

Bushfires have already torn across

Big kingies are brutal on the end of a line and Mitchell did well to land this 106cm model on PE2 tackle.

Photo courtesy of Mitchell Easton.

CUSTOM MARINE WELDING

The author with a feisty little jack from a small coastal creek.

Braving the mossies and the mud is sometimes necessary to escape the crowds, especially during summer. parts of the region, and these have been exacerbated by the dry heat, lack of rain and strong gusts over the past few months. With any luck though, the resources being poured into our emergency and environmental services will prevent the next couple of bushfire seasons from being as bad as 2019-2020.

Here’s hoping!

BAY AND OFFSHORE We’ve not had many reports from offshore over the past month, but those who do seize the few weather windows available have recorded some impressive captures.

The yellowfin tuna madness through late winter and spring seems to have dried up, however we’re starting to see the first of the seasonal Spanish mackerel and wahoo filter through. While not at their peak yet, by Christmas time these guys should be hanging around many local reefs, shoals and pinnacles. Sunshine

Reef along with Jew, Hutchinson and Arkwright shoals are all good areas to troll hardbodies and baits.

Mahimahi have been improving in size and numbers for the past few months, and December is always a good time to chase a few around the local FADs, wave recorders and any pieces of flotsam and jetsam. An unweighted pilchard tossed in the general vicinity of these structures often doesn’t last long, especially if you’re the first one to arrive at the location for the day. For a bit of sport, lures are another deadly method for these oceanic gluttons, and anything that imitates a baitfish around 10-20cm long is fair game. Remember that mahimahi relate to these structures but aren’t always necessarily tucked up right against them, so trolling in the general area can be a good move as well, especially if the fish have already received some angling pressure that day.

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Corey capitalised on a brief weather window to duck out offshore, and with results like this it looks like the effort was worth it!

Photo courtesy of Corey Warrell.

Southern QLD

FMM Other speedsters such as kingfish and cobia have taken up residence around local reefs, wrecks and pinnacles both offshore and inside Moreton Bay. Jigs in the 100-200g range have been successful out on the deeper marks, and a large slow-pitch or medium highspeed jig are good tools for targeting the deep schooling fish. Barwon Banks and The Hards offer areas where this is a good tactic.

Further inshore and even inside Moreton Bay, kingies and cobes see more angling pressure and live baits are therefore a better way to bring them unstuck. Livies also tend to attract larger fish, so make sure your tackle is up to the task if this is your plan. Slimies, yakkas and squid are the three primo livies for kingies and cobes, however others will work. Dead baits will also work well at times, especially if the fish are thick and hungry. These fish generally prefer places with good current and structure, so pinnacles, wrecks, beacons and large pylons are the best areas to concentrate your efforts.

Other offshore bounties like snapper and pearlies have been active as well, and those able to get offshore have found good quality specimens of both species on most offshore reefs and shoals. On the shallower offshore grounds such as Raper Shoal, Brays Rock and Mudjimba Island anglers have found good quality snapper early in the day. Periods of

strong winds have whipped up swells to create wash zones over these shallow grounds. These conditions often bring snapper in to feed on the crustaceans and cephalopods being displaced by the swell. Hopping a 3-5” soft plastic in a 1/8-1/4oz jighead is one of the best ways to approach these fish. Early on 4-6m is a good depth to target, however moving deeper as the sun rises may be necessary to keep the action coming.

Inside the bay snapper have also taken advantage of the lumpy conditions to terrorise bait in the shallows. The large tides at this time of year tend to make the bay a little cloudy, which only provides more cover for shallow feeding predators like snapper.

In summer it’s more important than ever to hit the bay as early as you can, and to fish as light as you can get away with, making long casts well ahead of yourself.

Tom is happy to sight fish to anything, especially with the fly rod.

This 70cm carp nearly emptied his little fly reel on the first run, but Tom kept his cool and eventually managed to land the beast.

Jigheads in the 1/12-1/8oz range will help your soft plastics to fall slowly, and light braided mainline between 6-12lb will help you to cast these out where they need to be. These big resident fish will hunt around any rubbly ground in 3-5m of water, and the larger fish will often sit right on the edge of where these flats drop away into deeper water. In these areas you can expect grass emperor, tuskfish, estuary cod and XOS bream as by-catch, so it’s pretty exciting stuff!

The bay pelagics haven’t been super active in the months leading up to December, but by now there should be spotted mackerel and longtail tuna feeding on schools of baitfish throughout the bay. Pelagic activity in the bay should remain high until at least Easter, so make sure you have a heavy spin rod with a metal slug, stickbait or large soft plastic rigged up as you travel through the bay.

They can show up anywhere!

RIVERS AND ESTUARIES The inshore fishing has more than made up for the lack of offshore reports, and despite our estuaries still needing a good dump of rain (which we may or may not get before Christmas), the fishing has been solid.

Mangrove jacks are highly soughtafter in the estuaries at the moment, and with the East Coast barramundi closed season now in effect, the red devils will be getting a bigger share of the spotlight for a few months. With little in the way

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NOVEMBER 2023 31

QLD Southern of freshwater run-off, a lot of jacks have been caught further up systems than usual, sometimes in freshwater!

I’ve already had a few sessions in smaller systems where I witnessed jacks, bass, trevally, bream, bull sharks and even one very barramundi chilling out in the same stretch of water. Talk about variety!

During these times the water can become relatively clear, so presentations such as 3-5” paddle-tails and 80mm suspending jerkbaits and weedless frogs

FMM the bottom in 3-5m of water tend to get the most attention. When trolling you can expect by-catch of big whiting, bream, trevally and more, and because of this it’s a great technique to get kids into fishing, as the action is often pretty constant.

Bream and whiting have been active in the shallows, and once we get a run of jelly prawns through our systems (an event which usually follows large rain events) this action will go up a notch.

freshwater streams and rivers are producing some excellent bass fishing.

The great thing about bass is that when rainfall is sparse they can retreat to brackish water and live quite happily alongside estuarine species. You may want to upscale your usual bass tackle if fishing in these areas though, as an angry mangrove jack, estuary cod or trevally can make short work of light bass tackle – a lesson I’ve had to learn a few times…

Larger river systems that have more permanent freshwater flows have seen bass migrating back into the freshwater holes that they prefer. Up here old faithful lures like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, weedless soft plastics and topwater lures delivered on standard bass tackle will get results. Fishing early or late in the day is paramount most of the time but is even more important in summer. Scorching temperatures can often see bass sitting deep in snags and sulking when the mercury climbs too high, and although sometimes catchable, it can take pin-point accurate casting and running lures daringly close to the thickest structures to rouse them.

The dams have been fishing very

out in the depths during the day, and this is where trolling can be a deadly technique. Trolling for bass is a great way to spend a few hours with friends and family who aren’t overly competent casters – it’s how I learnt to fish as a child.

Dams such as Samsonvale, Somerset, Moogerah, Maroon and Borumba are all good trolling dams through summer, and running a 40-70mm hardbody with a diving depth of 4-6m should put you in the money.

Other species such as yellowbelly, silver perch, tilapia and carp are also available in select dams, with bait, lures and fly all successful techniques.

Through spring and summer I enjoy heading down to the Beaudesert region to fly fish for carp in the surrounding dams and rivers. It’s all sight fishing, and with 50cm tilapia as the main by-catch I sometimes wonder why more people aren’t taking advantage of the noxious infestations in other waterways.

WRAP-UP That’s it for 2023! The boys at Tackle World Lawnton and I sure hope you’re able to find time to wet a line during these holidays. If you’re not getting away

The height of summer is an excellent time to don the boots and explore our smaller streams for bass. Deep, shady pools like this one have bass written all over them! in natural colours (brown, black, grey and dark red) work well.

Live baiting is another trick to keep up the sleeve when the water clears up and the fish become wary. A running sinker rig with a swivel is sufficient for most scenarios. The best approach in canals and urban waterways is to lob or drift your livey toward a bridge pylon, rock wall base or prominent pontoon receiving good current. In the natural systems, a fixed styrofoam float will help keep your bait off the bottom when fishing around more jagged structures like large fallen trees and natural rock bars. Live baits of mullet, herring and gar are readily snapped up by jacks, but anything around 80-120mm long stands a chance of being crunched.

Threadies are usually a feature of summer in SEQ, particularly in the deeper holes around our major river mouths, but so far this season we’re yet to hear of any decent reports. It will be interesting to see how this summer pans out for these fish, as their spawning and feeding habits are very much dependant on the amount of rainfall we receive.

Flathead have spread themselves through most systems but are still providing entertainment for lure and bait anglers in our estuaries. The heat of summer often sees fish retreating to deeper water or further up creeks and rivers, and this is when trolling hardbodies becomes a productive technique. Lures between 50-70mm that make regular contact with 32 NOVEMBER 2023

On the high tide these fish will mooch up into the shallowest areas they can get to, rounding up mouthfuls of these tasty morsels as they attempt to flee their tormentors. As the tide recedes the predators retreat to channels and holes, with bream tending to find structure to shelter. Fallen trees, pontoons, moored boats and bridges all provide cover for bream, and despite being wary of becoming food themselves, these fish will still eat.

Small topwater lures like stickbaits, bent minnow styles and poppers are great when the water is high in mangrove forests, in the shallows along rock walls and over rubbly flats. Once the water drops away and the fish seek out cover, sinking lures like 2-3” soft plastics, crab imitations and vibes are excellent ways to target these fish.

Small bull sharks are one summer target that will often fire when others don’t and are a great back up plan if your plan A is foiled by weather or time constraints. They inhabit virtually all estuaries and will bite throughout the day – what’s not to love about them?

The bullies will stay active in the Pine, Caboolture and Brisbane rivers, as well as nearby smaller systems, for several months yet. Freshwater eel (which we sell) is the favourite bait for sharkers, although other baits – live and dead – will work well too.

FRESHWATER While still in need of a rain, our

Heading well upstream has been a good tactic when the rivers and creeks are clear, and Ethan managed to tempt this cracker by skipping a weedless frog under a shady overhang up the top of a local creek.

Photo courtesy of Ethan Flowers.

well, with some quality saratoga reported at Kurwongbah, Samsonvale, Ewen Maddock and Somerset over the past month. Lakes with good weed growth around their edges like Kurwongbah, Maroon, Borumba and Enoggera have been providing good bass fishing for anyone casting lures. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits and buzzbaits have been effective, but as it heats up to almost intolerable temperatures (even in the early morning) it may pay to downsize your presentations and slow your retrieves a little. Some good options to have if it gets a little tough are small weedless soft plastics and frogs for the edges, and beetle spins and vibes for the deeper water.

Summer also often sees fish spreading

for the holiday period, keep in mind that our local region is not a holiday destination, and over Christmas we often see a brief population reduction.

What this can mean is local waterways are less crowded than places such as the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, so don’t feel that you need to travel far to find good fishing.

I’d like to thank our wonderful customers who sent us photos and gave us intel this year. You all have made these reports possible, and I look forward to hearing your stories next year!

Stay safe this festive season. Be courteous on the water and roads, protect yourself from the sun, drink plenty of water and watch out for one another.

See you in 2024!

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QLD Southern

FMM

Plenty of options over Christmas NOOSA

Peter Wells

With very little rain for the year so far, most Sunshine Coast rivers are very clear. Fishing in these conditions can be a little tough and, as the old saying goes, ‘if you can see them, they can see you’.

Whiting have been taken around the mouth and along the dog beach and the Frying Pan in the Noosa River with most fish taken on worms and peeled prawns.

Trevally have also returned in numbers and are feeding on the large bait schools around the current line and Woods Bays at the moment. Fast moving slugs and soft plastics have been the go, give the Halco Twisty is silver a try or for

the plastics angler ZMan StreakZ on a 1/4 jighead is a great option. Both these can be recovered at speed. A bit of a surprise in the river has been some big tailor and larger queenfish, these have mainly been taken around the big new and full moon high tides.

There are some great flatheads around the entrances to the lake in the upper reaches of the Noosa River, these fish are sitting in wait for prawns and bait fish brought down after the big tides. Casting small fish baits like pilchards, whitebait or hardiheads upstream and working them slowly back on the tide has been very successful. Plastics anglers have been using predominately lighter coloured prawn profile Wriggler tail plastics to give

This golden trevally was caught along the Noosa River.

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off vibration in the clear water.

Mangrove jack have been having a fine old time ambushing baits as they float past. Fishing around structure has been the prime area to find them so the traffic bridge pylons have been a great place to start. Live baits of poddy mullet or herring has been the most productive method. Those that have been up early have been picking up some nice fish on the morning bite using surface lures like the Bassday Sugapens and the Shimano Bantam Ember in the 65mm size.

Mud crabs are still moving around through the system with good bucks around Eudlo and Petre Creek areas in the Maroochy. In the Noosa, setting your pots up between the lakes and around mangroves has seen some nice bucks.

Quality baits of mullet and a tide change has been the key to potting some nice crabs. A good tip is to soak your mullet in tuna oil, this will increase the scent trail giving you better results. Just remember your size and bag limits and maybe keep an eye on your pots as there have been a few reports of unscrupulous people lifting or steel other people’s pots.

If the weather plays the game, we should see plenty of action offshore this Christmas break. Pelagic numbers have been very strong so if you have not been able to get out, there are still plenty of opportunities to bag some quality mackerel, tuna and even mahimahi. Using slugs in the 20-40g range seems to be the most popular sizes as the bait the fish are feeding on is quite small. The Halco Outcast have been a very popular slug with a nice profile that is a good match for the bait.

To the south, Old Woman Island, the Gneerings, and Handcock Sholes will all be prime hunting ground as the tuna move in to feed on the abundance of bait.

For the Spanish mackerel, try running to the deeper waters like the Barwon Banks and the Caloundra 12 Mile for some bigger fish.

For the bottom bouncers it has been a little easier to get those baits to the bottom with the run dropping with the neap tides.

There have been some nice fish coming from the reef with the North, Sunshine, Murphies and Coolum all producing trout, juvenile snapper, mauri cod,

Aiden with a decent sooty.

Roy Helling was very pleased with this Spaniard. sweetlip, cobia and the odd mulloway.

Anglers have reported a lot of undersized fish when fishing baits, so I always suggest switching to plastics or even running a paternoster rig with a bait on one hook and a plastic on the other. Squid profiles have been very popular.

For those that are happier to do a bit more travel then areas like the Hards and the Reefs off Double Island have been outstanding. Reports from the bottom have seen some arm stretching amberjacks on offer. Red emperor is also another great fish that everyone loves to target. Unfortunately, this time of year is when we see a lot of shark activity so you may find yourself having to move a quite a bit.

On the beaches, there are some great gutters forming with the larger swells brought in with this southerly changes. Nice whiting, bream, flathead and larger dart have all come from the gutters. Fishing the river mouths on the run-in tide has also been very successful, good quality trevally and bream have been taken around Pincushion Island, the sandbags at Cotton Tree and the North Shore side of the Noosa River.

Pilchards, mullet fillet and prawns have all been prime baits.

In the fresh, there has been plenty of action in the dams with both Lake Macdonald and Borumba both producing plenty of bass. In the Mary, the fish numbers have been outstanding, angler in kayaks have reported plenty of bass, sooties, perch, yellowbelly cod (which had been returned) and even some saratoga. It seems the river is at its best at the moment even though there is still plenty of colour to the water. Small chubby style lures in darker colours have been effective along with surface presentations of Cicada and frogs.

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

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QLD Central

FMM

It’s prime time for catching Spanish mackerel BUNDABERG

Luke Truant

The weather hasn’t been kind for reef fishing of late, but that’s to be expected at this time of year. We have had a few trips out wide with good results, but it’s been too windy the rest of the time.

The red emperor have been a bit quiet; we went from peak to trough quite rapidly in late October, as the fish entered spawning mode. The fishing is tougher

a ‘feel’ than braid does, but mono will out-fish braid every day, due to nylon’s stretchy, shock-absorbent properties. If a trout takes a bait and feels resistance from braided line, the trout can spook and spit out the bait before the hook can set. With mono, the trout is more likely to hang onto your bait for long enough to get pinned by the hook.

Another advantage of mono is that it helps prevent your bait from jerking around in an unnatural manner. When

There are still a few sneaky saddletail snapper (large-mouth nannygai) around the red marks. every year around this time, as many fish have big round tummies full of roe and milt. They don’t eat much because they’re so bloated there’s hardly any room for food. That’s my theory, anyway.

We have had unseasonably good fishing for tuskfish in recent weeks, with some really big specimens coming aboard.

It gets your heart pumping when they come to the surface and you see how big they are. The average size has been around 450mm, and we’ve had a couple over 600mm. That’s very big for a tuskfish.

The really big tuskies can’t resist a big live yellowtail, but these baitfish are scarce at the moment. Fortunately, the tuskies have also been scoffing mullet and iodine bream fillets.

Lately, we’ve caught most of our tuskfish in depths of around 30-45m around scattered reef areas. When the bite slows down, we start looking just wide of the main patches of reef. The tuskies love the little sand patches off the edge of the reef; I’ve often observed it over my years of diving around those areas.

CORAL TROUT As Christmas approaches, the trout forget about their recent spawn and start actively feeding again. The biggest issue in December isn’t getting them to bite – it’s getting them past the men in grey suits.

Remember that pumping and winding is not your friend; if your hooked fish stops at any stage, it will probably get eaten.

I recommend fishing the shallows with handlines, so you can get the fish up past the sharks as quickly as possible.

You need to hook them and pull them to the boat in one smooth motion, like the pros do.

Monofilament might have less of 38 NOVEMBER 2023

you’re fishing with dead baits for trout, such as a pilchard or fillet, you have to take extra care not to move your bait. If you jiggle it, or move it up and down, those big, cautious trout will smell a rat.

If you prefer to use lures, you can get good results using 4-6” prawn imitation soft plastics in orange colour. Work your plastic over the hard reef, keeping it close to the bottom. Let your plastic touch the bottom, give it a double or a triple jig, and let it sink to the bottom again. The lure will usually get hit on the drop, so try not to have too much slack in your line.

When it comes to leader, I like 55lb Schneider tied with a loop knot (perfection loop). This knot is easy to tie, and gives the lure complete freedom of movement. I advise against using a snap swivel because it changes how the lure swims, and looks unnatural.

Unlike bait fishing, braid is best for luring because you want to feel that exact moment when the fish takes the lure. Otherwise, the trout will be inside the reef before you know it. I use long leaders when lure fishing, at least 5m. This provides a level of shock absorption that will help your hooks hold.

ESTUARY FISHING The estuary fishing has been red-hot lately, which is great for those days when you can’t get offshore. Prawn imitation lures have been producing very well in the Burnett River. I recommend using 4” dark green prawns rigged on fairly heavy jigheads, around the 1/2oz size. Tuff Prawns from Shads Lures have been the stand-out lure. They are local and durable, and the results speak for themselves.

In recent weeks, we have been catching really good jacks, mainly around

the rock structures, and cod around the snags and other structure.

Anglers have also been catching dozens of flathead from the sand flats and near snags. Just remember to cast upstream and always retrieve with the current.

Plenty of the flatties have been oversized, but there have been good numbers of keeper-size fish in the mix, too. Please resist the urge to keep your bag limit on every trip. It can be tempting to take them all home, but if too many anglers keep huge catches, there will be none for the future. Flatties release well, and with plastics, they’re usually hooked in the top lip, so they’re easy to release. If you use a rubber-mesh net, handle the fish on a wet surface, and avoid rubbing off its protective slime, the flatty will release in good shape to fight another day.

There are lots of trevally and queenfish around as well, and they’re always fun to catch. You just have to find where the bait is schooling up and look for the surface commotion in the shallows.

In the river we are still catching plenty of big grunter to 75cm, mostly on big baits like mullet strips.

DECEMBER FISHING At the time of writing this report, Spanish mackerel have started to show up. Anglers have been encountering really good numbers up north, which indicates we’ll have an epic season off Bundaberg.

By the time you read this, they should be going off their heads! The traditional and reliable way to catch them is by trolling Laser Pros in clear water, at the 5-Degree or 16 Mile.

Mangrove jacks like the warm weather, and will fire really well through December. You can have a lot of fun chasing them at night, fishing a whole sprat around structure, particularly rock bars. It’s a great way to spend an evening.

In the daytime they’ll take artificials, and I prefer 4” soft plastic prawns in nearly any colour. A nice, slow retrieve usually works best, but it’s good to vary your retrieve to see what the fish want on the day.

Brad with a brace of big tuskies.

In summer the fish like to sun themselves near the surface, often right at the end of the rocks. If you make accurate casts to these fish, it’s only a matter of time before one crunches your lure. If you’re using a hardbody, the strike zone is usually the first metre or two. The best hardbodies are reasonably small and bright, 10ft divers. The goal is to jiggle your rod tip so the lure wobbles and dances in one spot, close to the rocks, without actually swimming. If you just cast the lure out and wind it back in, you’ll catch fewer jacks.

When it comes to bottom fishing in December, everything will be firing up well. The sharks will be a problem, but if you keep moving a good distance away from them you will catch a feed.

• Truansea Charters specialises 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 $370pp (or $350pp if you book the whole boat), which includes all gear, fuel, bait, ice, chilled water/ soft drinks and laughs! You’re welcome to bring your own reef fishing gear if you prefer. Other charter options include half-day reef trips, half-day river trips and private guiding. To find out more, visit www.truansea.com.au, look them up on Facebook, or call Luke on 0423 015 490.

Ian with a typical summer Spaniard.

QLD Central

FMM

Local sportfishers are luring up a storm MACKAY

Clinton Hassan

The barra season may be closed but you can still have a lot of fun targeting sportfish like threadfin salmon and mangrove jack. If you happen to catch a barra, Qld Fisheries has regulations on handling and releasing it. Check out the rules at daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries, so you’re not caught out.

The threadfin and jacks have been

sediment). The location of the lies will give you an idea of where they’re feeding.

If you’re fishing from a boat, the mouths of Murray and Mathers creeks are good spots to try. If you’re land-based, I’d try my luck around the mouth of Bakers Creek, Sandy Creek and Alligator Creek.

WHITING There are still plenty of whiting on the move in the creeks. For the bait fishers, night sessions have been more productive in the Pioneer River using live yabbies or

Andrew Trigg with a popper-crunching GT. taking livies like mullet, herring, legal whiting, and a range of lures.

In recent weeks, there have been plenty of threadfin in the creeks, especially around the neap tides. You can get good results trolling 80-100mm hardbodies around the 4-5ft mark. A couple of good performers are the Lucky Craft Pointer jerkbait and Samaki Redic SF90 jerkbait.

It’s good to fish them over the flats (or other stretches of the creek) on the run-out tide, either trolling or casting.

If you’re casting, use a slow-rolling retrieve, interspersed with pauses to let the lure float up for a few seconds. If you’re trolling, keep the rod in your hand and give it a few twitches.

Anglers targeting threadfin have also encountered plenty of fingermark and jacks. The other main bycatch has been big bream, which have been aggressively hitting smaller lures.

FLATHEAD Flathead enthusiasts have been getting plenty of fish lately; the biggest caught recently was around 76cm. If you want to chase flatties in the creeks, you can get good results fishing the bigger tides around the new moon, during the last hour of the run-in tide and the first hour of the run-out tide. Plenty of lures will work, but a couple of the standouts have been the 3-4” Gulp Shrimp and ZMan Diesel MinnowZ. One tip for flathead is to walk the flats at low tide and look for flathead lies (i.e. the depressions they make in the bottom 40 DECEMBER 2023

worms fished around half tide to the top of the tide.

Bassett Basin and Vines Creek have been working well for land-based anglers.

Small poppers like Sugapens, Ebi Panics and Rebel Poppers work well, in clear colours. The key is to fish the low tide period when the water is clean.

You can also catch whiting on the top of the tide around the rock bars and gravel beds around Cullen.

PELAGICS If you want to get your arms stretched but you can’t go offshore, there are plenty of queenfish, golden trevally and GTs around the bridges and rock bars in the river’s upper reaches. A good way to catch them is with larger poppers like the 105 size Halco Roosta or Nomad Madscad 115, or you can use mediumsize stickbaits.

When the warm northerlies set in, the mackerel will follow the bait schools into the river. Lately, we’ve had young fellas at the boat ramp catching Spanish, school and spotted mackerel on live herring and little lures, from the fishing platform.

The south harbour break wall has been producing fantastic fish since it reopened. The usual wall fanatics are back in force, catching mackerel, cobia and GTs – and one avid angler even landed a small black marlin. Most fish have been caught on live baits such as yellow pike (senate) and herring, or by casting weighted lures such as the Rapala X-Rap Long Cast or Zerek Zappelin.

Many mackerel have also been caught on the usual hardbodies and metal slugs.

On the bigger tides around the beaches, plenty of golden trevally (yellowtail) and snub-nosed dart (oyster cracker) have been caught on freshly pumped yabbies and large green prawns.

The hot spots have been East Point Beach, Blacks Beach and Bucasia Beach.

OFFSHORE When the weather has allowed, the offshore fishing has been great. You can do well fishing the bigger tides on the reef flats around Warlinds, Southampton and Credlin, working the flats with swimbaits and small stickbaits. The main target species are coral trout, red-throat emperor (sweetlip) and tuskfish.

Working the reef edges with baits or jigs has been producing good quality nannygai, red emperor and Spanish mackerel.

The action in the shipping channel has been out of control, with schools of big nannygai (80cm+) and some of the best red emperor numbers we’ve seen for years. Some anglers have been regularly getting 4-5 reds in a session. As well as the standard bait, you can get great results on jigs. One of the best performers lately has been the Nomad Squidtrex, which comes in different sizes to suit different depths.

For the smaller boats, the inshore islands and shoals have been producing good catches. We’ve been seeing large nannygai, grass emperor and red emperor being caught on jigs and vibes. There are also plenty of Spanish mackerel around Singapore Rock, Baileys Rock, and the 4-Mile and 6-Mile patches.

For inshore fishers, try fishing the run-out tide for black-spot tuskfish using large green prawns or freshly pumped yabbies. Good spots include Flat Top, Round Top and Slade Islands. If you find yourself getting smoked by extralarge tuskies, try using a handline to give yourself a better chance.

If you’re heading south, try Allen Point, Taffy Island and the red beacon around Sarina Inlet. This area has been producing some big black-spot tuskfish.

December is a perfect month for

This jack put up a great fight for Brayden Lewis.

Lakey was happy with this bi-colour sooty grunter. targeting barred grunter offshore, which are bigger than the younger grunter in the estuary. They’re being caught around Glendower and Allen Point, on the new and full moon. Be sure to use a diverse range of baits such as prawn, squid, and strips of mullet or ribbonfish.

Grunter like to hug the headlands at this time of year, but you’ll catch them up the creek, too. Rocky Dam, Boundary, and Cape Palmerston creeks are all worth a try around the big tides.

Fishing in close along the headlands with the same baits can also produce plenty of grassy sweetlip and tuskfish.

FRESHWATER The rain we got in November resulted in some cleaner water in the Pioneer Valley area. This stirred up the resident sooty grunter, and got them on the move. Anglers have been doing well in Cattle Creek and the Finch Hatton area, using spinnerbaits and small lipless crankbaits. The upper reaches of the O’Connell River have also been fishing well for sooties, along with a few jacks.

Moving to the dams, Kinchant, Teemburra and Peter Faust have been fishing well in the warm weather, with plenty of barra on the chew. At Kinchant, the key is to work the weed beds with surface lures, or fish the gutters along the weed edges with vibes or slow-rolled hardbodies.

Teemburra has been fishing well along the points and bays above the spillway. However, if you’re after a better class of fish, your best bet is to work the timber in Pinnacle and Middle Creek.

If you’re keen to get into dam fishing, consider joining the Mackay Tournament Anglers Club, or check out the boys from ABT. • Tackle World Mackay has one of the largest ranges of fishing and boating accessories in North Qld. They cater for all fishing needs, from fly fishing to game fishing. The friendly staff are all keen anglers and will throw in some great secret local fishing spots, techniques to try, and the genuine friendly assistance of real fishos who love to share their knowledge.

Drop in and see them at 318 Shakespeare St, give them a call on 07 4957 2145 or visit tackleworldmackay.com.au.

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Celebrating International Volunteer Day - 5 December - and all those

Changing seasons and catch limits

What you need to know

Spanish mackerel MANAGEMENT CHANGES*

Management changes to recreational catch limits – 1 fish per person, or 2 fish per boat with 2 or more recreational fishers on board a boat. *the boat limit does not apply to charter fishing trips.

CLOSED SEASON

Shout-out to our stocking volunteers across the state We know our fish stocking volunteers are currently busy releasing fingerlings at more than 100 locations across Queensland, but we wanted to give them a shoutout to mark International Volunteer Day on 5 December (and every other day of the year as well!).

Without their tireless energy and boundless enthusiasm, many anglers would miss out on the opportunity to take their friends and families on trips of a lifetime across our wonderful state.

DAF2104 11/23

Our stocked impoundments and waterways also support small businesses in our regional and rural communities, and are year-round destinations for visitors.

Most importantly, stocked impoundments and waterways provide fishing opportunities that relieve the pressure on wild populations. And we’re sure every barra angler is especially grateful this time of year!

“Fishing for the Future involves all of us who love fishing, and everyone who loves eating Queensland seafood,” Fisheries Queensland executive director Dallas said.

“We can’t do this alone, and all our volunteers who gladly donate their time and effort to work with us and in their local communities, make great contributions daily. They’re the unsung heroes of our fishing sector, so if you’re out and about and meet up with a member of a stocking group, don’t forget to thank them – or better still find out how you could be involved as well!”

Funds raised from the sale of stocked impoundment fishing permits (or SIPs) go directly back into fish restocking programs across the state.

Find out more about fishing in stocked impoundments across Queensland by scanning this QR code.

More info

Queensland east coast waters north of 22˚ South (located slightly north of Stanage Bay) • 10 November – 1 December 2023 Queensland east coast waters south of latitude 22˚ South (located slightly north of Stanage Bay) • 1 February – 21 February 2024 • 1 March – 21 March 2024

Barramundi CLOSED SEASON

Closed during spawning period.

Gulf of Carpentaria • 7 October 2023 – 31 January 2024 East coast Queensland tidal and freshwaters excluding selected dams • 1 November 2023 – 31 January 2024

Spanner crab CLOSED SEASON

All Queensland tidal waters • 1 November 2023 – 15 December 2023

Tropical rock lobster CLOSED SEASON

Queensland east coast north of latitude 14˚ South (just north of Port Stewart) and Gulf of Carpentaria waters • 1 October 2023 – 31 December 2023 Note: unless otherwise stated, closed seasons commence immediately after midnight at the beginning of the first mentioned day, and finish immediately before midnight at the end of the last mentioned day.

Search fisheries.qld.gov.au for ‘closed seasons’ or ‘closed waters’, or use the Qld Fishing 2.0 app to find out more.

Download the free ‘Qld Fishing 2.0’ app from the App Store or Google Play 42 DECEMBER 2023

who help Fish for the Future in Queensland

When the opportunity to help out with fish research bites…please hook up and get involved There are many researchers studying our Queensland fish populations to ensure they are sustainable.

We combine scientific biological monitoring information with a variety of other information, including commercial catch records and estimates of recreational catch to assess the sustainability of important Queensland fish species. These data are used to assess the health of fish stocks, it guides harvest strategies and the management of our fisheries.

You might see our Fisheries Queensland researchers out and about asking to measure your catch, or interviewing fishers at boat ramps.

Please get involved in this valuable research because future generations will be thankful for the time you spend helping all of us understand our fisheries and keeping stocks sustainable.

More info

Join Tracy and the rest of the team at the WIFRN fishing I have in others. Seeing the joy and excitement others have with their captures, is nearly as good as fishing itself nowadays.

“Over my many years I have picked up many fishing and boating skills, mostly through my trial and error.

Meet Tracy, one of the Women in Recreational Fishing Network (WIRFN) leaders in 2023.

“I fell in love with fishing in the late 1970’s, I have either been fishing or helping others find their passion ever since. In the early 2000’s I had a medical condition, which has left me not being able to fish as often as I like … that’s why, when the opportunity arose to join WIRFN, I applied. I wanted to be able to create, share and encourage the love for

“In 2008 my husband and I moved to the Bundaberg area and became actively involved in the Bundaberg Sportfishing Club. Using the contacts I have made from this club and the knowledge that I have learnt from us hosting events, I am keen to be able to host or coordinate events in the Wide Bay through WIRFN. “In the new year I’m teaming up with our local Tackleworld and am looking to host sessions for women in the art of fishing, from knot tying to best lines and rods and everything in between.

“Our area is so diverse when it comes to fishing, you can choose between fresh water, estuary or reef. Me, I love it all, as long as I’m on the water somewhere!”

Do you love the outdoors, have a passion for fishing or just don’t know where to start? Looking for a network that is a safe and supportive online community? The WIRFN aims to encourage women to participate in recreational fishing in Queensland, and encourages all skill levels to get involved and share their knowledge.

Join up now at the ‘Women in Recreational Fishing Network Qld’ More info Facebook group.

fisheries.qld.gov.au 13 25 23 FisheriesQueensland FisheriesQld DAFQld DECEMBER 2023 43

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Tempting mangrove jack on soft plastics TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

The end of barra Season 2023 was an exciting time for most recreational anglers, and some very nice fish were caught in both the salt and freshwater water ways around Townsville.

While not a good table fish, solid freshwater barra still hit and pull hard. They’re great fun land-based.

Lumo lures, such as this 7” Paddle Prawn, can work well at night. Just don’t glow them up too much with your torch as this can spook fish.

these things. We’ve had great results on the Atomic 3 1/4” 25 Plazo Paddle Tail, which has a subtle tail beat.

To increase the sink rate in deeper or faster water, add a small ball sinker into the loop knot when rigging them.

Just remember to ensure the weight comes up from under the hook’s eye, not on top, as this will roll the hook over and stick the hook point into the timber.

OFFSHORE The 5-day Coral Reef Fin Fish Closure coincided with the 3-week Spanish mackerel closure in mid-October, so much of the offshore fisheries were off-limits for the bigger boats. However, there’s always the option to chase grunter, fingermark, barra and so forth when the closures are on. And if the science is right, the closures will allow spawning fish to do their thing in peace, and maintain healthy populations.

MORE RESTRICTIONS? There have been a few concerning reports about surveys conducted at boat ramps by

Personally, I don’t target barra as much as I used to; we usually focus on mangrove jacks these days. The jacks’ speed and power makes them a very exciting target. And if you chase jacks in the snags with the same techniques we use, you’ll catch enough barra to keep you happy anyway.

Weedless soft plastics have revolutionised the way we fish these days. We can skip a lure into the darkest holes amongst the mangroves and get it back out, sometimes with a fish connected. In this structure, a hardbody would be doomed.

One of our favourite jack lures is the Halco Paddle Prawn in the 4” and 5” sizes, rigged on a 2/0 weedless-

Once jacks get to this size, they’re a real handful.

Mick Rennie with a beautiful barra taken on his last outing before the closed season. Fish of this size are prime table fare.

44 DECEMBER 2023

styled hooks. For the 5” Prawn, it’s a 5/0 Atomic Seeker EWG, usually with the 1/4oz weight on the hook shank to make it heavy enough to swim on the drop. Not enough weight means the plastic looks lifeless as it sinks, and the fish are less likely to be interested in it. We also get good results on 4” Atomic Prongs rigged on the same hook as the Paddle Prawn.

On those days when a 4 or 5” lure is too big for the jacks, we switch to a smaller presentation. Little paddle tail plastics are perfect for those days when the water is clear and the fish are skittish. 2/0 weighted weedless hooks are ideal for these little offerings, and you’d be surprised at the size of the jacks that will smash

Fisheries representatives. Many anglers retrieving their boats have been peppered with questions about cast nets. “Do you have a cast net?”

“What do you target with the cast net?” “What have you caught in the net?” and so on. Some anglers are hesitant to answer these questions, worried that their answers will be used to tighten restrictions without good cause.

So, what happens when the bait netters that supply fresh bait to QLD tackle shops are prohibited from doing so? From my understanding, this could be implemented by the end of 2025. We could all be forced to switch to substandard, imported bait.

Current estimates are that there

Tropical North QLD

FMM are 1.1 million recreational anglers in Queensland, and with numbers like this, we should have more say in our rights than we currently do. I believe the only way to have real influence on governmental decisions regarding recreational fishing is to introduce an affordable recreational fishing licence, like in NSW and Victoria.

You may think, “No way am I

paying to fish!” Well, if the government gains a revenue stream from anglers, the policy-makers would be motivated to cater to our requirements, respond to our concerns, and take us seriously as a whole. If our needs aren’t met, fewer people will want to go fishing, and the revenue will decrease.

Of course, there would need to be an audit on expenditure. If the funds

This jack was caught on a Plazo paddle-tail plastic. Note the ball sinker in the loop knot to increase the sink rate.

Tannhym Hodge knows the importance of rigging well, and fishing close to/ through thick structure. He regularly catches quality fish on 4” weedless plastics.

were used to create better boat ramps, pontoon jetties, fishing facilities, etc, and not lost in administration, I’d be all for it (of course, stocked impoundment permits would need to include saltwater).

It would create jobs, maintain fish populations, improve boat ramp safety, and give the government a big wake-up call regarding what rec anglers are worth to the Queensland

economy. And imagine the cost saving on surveys on serious topics like shark predation on catches, which is getting out of hand. It would be a simple questionnaire emailed to every shareholder (i.e. licence holder).

Anyway, good fishing to you all, and I hope that this piece has got you thinking about ways we can protect the pastime we love.

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QLD Tropical North

FMM

Merry fingermark this Xmas!

HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

So far, the heat hasn’t been too bad compared to previous years but it still gets quite hot out there on those calm days with no wind around for those who fish the daylight hours.

Heading out at night can be a more pleasant than being baked during the day.

If you do, keep a keen eye out for storms this time of year, which can build up and come out of nowhere. You will have to

Methods I use to catch fingermark are simple: live greenback herring and vibing them during daylight hours, and for night time they can’t resist the humble old live squid. It’s quite easy to make a floating light to attach to the back of your boat or even a giant flood light from above and usually in no time at all you will see squid rising to the light source. Best way I find is a draw string cast net and shake them to release their ink before bringing onboard.

However, there is always one sucker that will squirt you at some point! Placed back down on a circle or Kahle hook of 5/0 to

fish as well as chasing injured fish that are being fought on a fishing line.

Grunter have been thick of late and we’ve been getting some good ones averaging 55-65cm. Usually, the flats out the front of creek systems in Missionary Bay have been coughing up good numbers, as well as areas such as 5 Mile Creek up in the channel where you often see shellgrit banks at low tide.

There has been the occasional thready kicking around, but they haven’t been anywhere near as thick as years gone by.

My theory is there has 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. With a gill netting ban in place now, the 2024 season will be an interesting one to see how numbers return over time.

I hope you all have an awesome Christmas and Happy New Year and indulge on plenty of fine seafood we have to offer here on our doorstep. See you in the New Year.

Neil Simpson is never disappointed with a capture of grunter.

• If you’re looking to do a charter with us during January or the start of the 2024 open barra season in February, bookings are filling up quick so now is a good time to get in and get your name down on some good dates. For bookings please email us at info@ianmoodysportfishing.com or phone myself directly on 0402 339 459.

Brian Ellis with a decent 55cm grunter. make a fairly quick decision if you have to travel 20-30 miles to shelter!

Fingermark (golden snapper) have been the main target on the charters I have done recently, basically I prefer the opposite tides to what I would normally choose for barra during the open season.

Neap tides often get them holding up in bigger numbers on deeper ledges and structures. This time of year is a great time to chase them and they usually love those early morning bite periods on sunrise.

7/0 size will very often get the results.

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

This fingermark came from Missionary Bay.

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46 DECEMBER 2023

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Boom or bust in the Trinity Net Free Zone CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis dkaggelis@gmail.com

December is a crazy time for fishing the Trinity Net Free Zone. This time of year is either a boom or bust situation and much of this has to do with the weather. If we continue to get clear skies with a few afternoon storms then it’s all-good news.

The water will stay warm, and the creeks will still be stable and clean, which all equals up to some red-hot fishing. The main target whilst the barra closure is still on will be mangrove jack.

If we get consistent weather conditions as described above, then it’s a very likely chance that cricket score catches

the pattern and find out where the fish are hiding. Put in a bit of effort and you will reap the rewards.

There are few things you do want to try and avoid in the creeks this time of year and that is gin clear water. If the

Jacks will be firing in December.

Fishing the shade is your best option for catching a jack.

Crabs will be out and about but try and stay away from setting your pots on the king or spring tides. are not out of the question.

I’ve had some of my best sessions here in Cairns in December and I will be back up the creeks as much as I can looking for more of the same action. Fishing the run-in tide up small creeks and bends will produce the best jacks. With the stable weather comes predictability and it’s not hard to crack

offshore doldrums are in full swing, the clean offshore waters will move into the creeks, which can make them crystal clear. This can make lure fishing for jacks very hard as the clear water spooks them. It’s best to wait for the tidal run to muddy the water so you can ambush them. The other thing to avoid is fishing in the middle of the day or banks that have been exposed to the hot sun most of the day. Jacks will seek out the shade so throwing lures under the mangroves and into the shade will see some excellent results. If you are going to fish this way then make sure you stay

in touch with your line and be ready for when the strike occurs. You also need to be ready for the strike to occur the moment the lure hits the water. My pick of the lures will be the Molix RT Shad and the Biwaa Submission both in the 4.5” size. If the water is relatively clear, I will opt for a more natural colour or a light green. If its dirty, then a gold-

If the rain comes in early then fishing prawn imitations around the drains will produce good results.

coloured plastic will do the job.

Fish, like golden snapper, will also be on the move this time of year and they will be best targeted on the neap tides, especially on the rubble patches, wrecks, and headlands of the Trinity Inlet. The new TT Quake Vibe has been nailing some awesome goldies and these will continue to be my lure of choice for chasing these fish in the NFZ. December is also worth a shot this time of year but be weary of setting your pots over the bigger tides. When these king and spring tides come in they are easily strong enough to pick up your pots and drag them away or under mangroves. It won’t hurt to throw in a couple of bricks for some extra weight to counter this.

Next month we should see the start of the wet season kicking in, which means short bursts of heavy rain. This will see the drains kick into action. The prawns will also be turning up and if you can find where they are congregating then you will catch plenty of fish.

Mega fishing for mega fun PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

It is not surprising that in recent times the collective fishing world in the tropics has come together to provide a world class experience no matter your fishing style.

It’s been very exciting times in tropical Far North Queensland with the heavy tackle marlin season stealing the spotlight during this recent period. The fish are well and truly here on our local grounds along the shelf. There’s been a lot of smaller male models up to 300lb running around for quite some time with the bigger females appearing at the very end of October. These monumental fish are in excess of 800lb, with the odd one reaching the magic 1000lb mark.

Some of the best game boats in 48 DECEMBER 2023

Australia have been converging on the region for many weeks now and the marlin bite is anticipated to keep going until mid-December.

For light tackle enthusiasts the yellowfin tuna schools are working the same grounds as the marlin, plus there’s been a good run of wahoo to add to the spectacle just outside of the reef. The weather pattern has been a lot more conducive to be exploring out wide and there’s still a lot to play out in this arena.

The top water sportfishing on the actual outer reef has been superb with calmer weather becoming the norm at the moment. Big GTs, red bass, coral trout, emperor, and trevally have been providing a very stimulating experience for those who prefer to cast lures across the top of the reefs.

The bottom reef fishing has been good but there’s been a lot of issues with the shark depredation rate as the waters

get warmer. Some days trips are free of this but fishing closer to the moons the men in grey suits have been relentless to the point of pure frustration. On the bright side, there’s coral trout, large mouth nannygai plus red and spangled emperor to be enjoyed outside of the ‘toothy moments’.

The likes of the Daintree River have been awesome of late with a big variety of species on the go and some monster river fish at times. Prior to the closed season there were some great reports of barra being caught along with some surprises including big black jewfish to 8kg and giant trevally up to 20kg. This river style of fishing has been thriving as we would expect and you’ll see plenty of other quality species on the march including fingermark, javelin fish and mangrove jack. The days are quite warm inshore out of the breeze so hydrate well and keep out of the sun best you can.

There’s plenty of action with the heavy tackle marlin season.

It’s all systems on the go in our fishing world and we expect much of the same moving forward with a few bigger results still yet to develop.

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QLD Tropical North

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Sizzling summer sessions COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

It’s that time of the year when opportunities to do well outweigh the disappointment and frustration of little to show for the effort. The summer is upon on and the build up to the wet season has begun. Fish are so active and hungry it’s hard to not do well!

The reef weather windows increase

looks to be working well but some of the large vehicles and boats will still struggle to park there. The main street becomes a sea of trailers when the weather drops.

The wharf area also has had a revamp and access improved to allow access for commercial operations and help pedestrians safe passage to the beautiful waterfront precinct. So, lots of improvements and the council should be commended for their efforts.

The wharf has seen some large bait Nannygai are in large numbers at the moment.

Nobby with his first red emperor capture. as the winds are turning to the north and, although storms start to appear, the glass out mornings and crystal-clear waters make doing anything else but visiting one of the 7 Wonders of the World, the Great Barrier Reef, a must.

Cooktown is renowned for its SE winds and a break from them is so welcomed in Cooktown that it almost becomes a public holiday. The waterfront has also been upgraded to allow more userfriendly boat ramp access and parking. It

schools moving through and the fish have followed. Mackerel and barramundi have been in large numbers and does make it hard when the closure is on. It’s almost as if the barramundi know, and with the clear conditions it’s easy to see them swimming around the wharfs. This, however, is where the fish are congregating to breed and keep future stocks rising. It’s been awesome barra fishing this year with lots of fish showing up in large numbers and it’s so good to see the fishery improving. The management of the

fishery is working and it’s great to see.

Mackerel have also followed the bait and are smashing up the schools of herring. The locals have caught a few decent specimens, but numbers seem down this year.

The closures have also been in effect for the Spanish mackerel, and hopefully it will help increase numbers. I know a lot of fishers that are still saying there are plenty out there but from when I was a kid seems numbers have dropped, especially from the wharf season each year. Anything that potentially keeps this fishery healthy is a good thing. Time will tell but hopefully the science is correct and we see a healthy fishery for generations to come. I still remember catching my first Spanish out in a boat on the mouth of the Endeavour and the fight as a kid was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time! That was the day when we had mono line on rods, not braid, and reels didn’t have the drag power to really put pressure on a big Spanish. Anyway, was a fond memory as a kid and would love to have that experience available to my kid’s kids.

The reef fishing has also been next

level at the moment and it’s probably down to the fact that the SE winds have not allowed much opportunity to venture out this year. Coral trout and large mouth nannies have been in large numbers and it’s been fairly easy to get a nice feed for the Christmas period.

This month should see lots of opportunities to get out and chase some pressure points for some nice coral trout and hunt the deep for some decent reds.

There’s lots on offer and being that we are right in the best part of the world to chase marlin then there’s also that if you are keen. That’s next level fishing and does take a lot of prep and preparedness to go down that path to do it well, but it’s all achievable even in trailer boats. So many options here at our doorstep, it’s such a great place to live.

With the wet approaching and the rivers will no doubt flood then it’s a good time to get the crab pots ready and save some of the reef fish heads for when the crabs run from the freshwater and move into the bay. Lots to look forward to and here’s to a seafood Christmas smorgasbord in a few weeks’ time.

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50 DECEMBER 2023

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Tropical North QLD

FMM

Changing weather patterns CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

With the recent shift from a La Nina to an El Niño weather patterns, climate scientists are expecting quite a substantial shift this summer. December caps off the end of the current dry season and early indications suggest little rain leading up to Christmas. Of course, the usual predictions of more of less cyclones can be taken with a grain of salt as these predictions seem based more on science fiction than fact. But what seems clear is that this will be slightly different to previous summers.

Typically, the east coast of Cape York looks on most afternoons throughout December at storms and

Out on the Barrier Reef, the fishing can start to become a little patchy. As warm water moves and settles in the Barrier reef lagoon,

water temperatures can start to get uncomfortably high for many reef dwellers spending time between 5-15m. Some of the true flats can

Jacks will be on fire following last year’s great wet season.

Coral trout will be a bit deeper later in the year. become a little listless as fish move into deeper waters off the edge of the reef flat. Yet with the calm clear conditions, sight casting takes on a whole new level, making up for the doughy fish.

Fishing for pelagic species can

lunchtime with another bite period coming very late in the afternoon. The water should still be very clear around the northern creek and river mouths, producing exceptional flats fishing for fly fishers.

The current permit craze will be in full swing, with fly fishers throwing crabs around the flats like crazy people, hoping to tangle with these elusive pumpkin-headed fish. Success normally depends on catching a

A little saratoga taken late in the dry season from a tiny creek. thunderous cloud brewing inland to the West. With the abatement of the sou’easter trade winds, there will usually be one of two cracking fronts that roll off the land and give unsuspecting boaties a shellacking on

the Barrier reef coastline. December is a month which can produce day after day of breathlessly calm weather.

Those glassy days where your face gets scorched from the intense glare coming off the water’s surface.

Small jungle perch live in the Cape’s rainforest creeks.

This GT charged down a surface stickbait. be a little tougher and clean water in stronger current are good things to aim for. Mackerel will be spread out along the reef edges and shoals without the heavy concentrations as mid-year.

Fish, such as yellowfin tuna and wahoo will likely by further offshore and the calm weather will make spotting tuna schools and birds that much easier.

The giant black marlin will normally have moved further south, taking them outside of Cape York and back towards Cairns.

Over on the west coast, late dry season fires will see impressively red on pink sunsets and often a strong onshore afternoon breeze as the land heats up, drawing in the sea air. Fishing will almost always be better before

glimpse of their golden flanks glinting in the sunlight. Heavier cloud cover in December will start to put a dampener on the sight fishing opportunities with mid-morning being the best chance.

The inlands waterways, creeks, lagoons and billabongs will be very warm and the amount of freshwater will likely be at its lowest point of the year. Many of the fish residing in such places will be getting rather hungry. Short sharp bite periods might be expected very early and late in the day when water temperatures are a little lower. Nothing quite spurs a fish into action then lightning and thunder rumbling in the distance so like the fish, we wait for the bucket to fill and the rains to unleash.

DECEMBER 2023 51

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22-30make BuckleyitGrove Let me a Moolap little So really, we all know you can do P: (03) 5248 4520 clearer to you: it if you want to Santa, so if it doesn’t I WANTE: Aadmin@edencraftmarine.com.au BARRA. appear on my line I have to assume www.edencraftmarine.com.au Now I W:know that might be you’re just being difficult. something that is not in your And if that’s the case then all everyday stocking, but I reckon bets are off! if you can make your way around I’ll be investing in an antiaircraft the globe in a single night with a style piece of equipment. Then mob of flying herbivores pulling we’ll see whether you can keep the a sulky with gifts for every bloody rooftops clean. kid under the age of whatever, then Kind regards, Sheik of the Creek DECEMBER 2023 53

QLD Freshwater

FMM

Hot and dry conditions forecast ahead TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

The days are hot and it’s been pretty dry. Lake levels will be falling and this will start to pack the fish into a smaller area. Despite having less area to hide in, they aren’t necessarily easier to find and catch.

It’s weird how that works but it’s SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST The Cressbrook bass have been hard to find again. Golden perch numbers have improved and these fish are being caught from the dam’s major points. The goldens school up in good numbers on the points off the campground and opposite The Eagles Nest rock wall. Any prominent main basin point has the potential to hold them so it is worth searching them all.

Trolling hardbodies close to the bottom will account for some golden action but this is a tricky lake to troll contours due to the many points and bays. Hopping small blades like the ZX40 will be the best bet for lure tossers. Jigging around and below the boat once fish are found will produce some quality goldens and good numbers.

Try searching in 5-8m of water. The bigger bass will turn up in 7-8m and smaller fish can be found in 4-10m.

If bass are found, try casting spoons or Spectre Vibration Jigs at them.

A few had been holding around the dam’s middle reaches closer to the edges but they are likely to drop back into deeper water.

Jackall TN60s were working well but try heavier lures like soft vibes,

often the way it is.

It does mean our barra lakes will have some safety margin in case they do rise over the summer months. With so many big barra now on offer, the last thing we want is them escaping over dam walls. Lower levels will also begin to expose more boating hazards. Take care when cutting corners or travelling through trees, especially at night. It doesn’t

hurt to wear a lifejacket or kill switch when underway.

If it gets really hot, mornings and afternoons will be the prime times to fish. The heat of the day will drive the fish deeper and be less suitable.

I always like to point out surface temperatures will be a lot hotter than the water below. When it comes to releasing fish, spear them back to the depths so you’re not cooking

them in hot, oxygen depleted water.

Species like Murray cod and golden perch are the first to be shocked by hot water at this time of year. Don’t even consider using a livewell on these species if you plan to release them in the summer months. Hot, dry decks can also cause damage to fish destined for release.

Until next month, buckled rods from the Colonel.

spinnerbaits and chatterbaits if these fish move deeper.

The redclaw crayfish numbers have dwindled after quite a bit of fishing pressure. If you want a feed, try the rocky banks or up the back in some of the less touched areas.

• 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. The access gates to the ramp and day use area will be open from 6am to 8pm.

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Somerset action has started to pick up again. The fish are suckers for trolled hardbodies over the summer months. Casting gets tougher with the best bite windows early and late in the day. Out of this time, you’ll need to be very specific with lure choice.

The Spectre Vibration Jig, Jackall Derabreak and 5/8oz spinnerbaits are the best bet. Long lining with extra deep diving cranks can also be effective. Casting from a stationary boat can work but better success comes when drifting with the wind and dragging lures along with a few winds and drop backs.

Bass schools can be found on the flats around Pelican Point, Bay 13 and Kirkleigh. If trolling hard bodies, try using a lure which will reach the

bottom where you’ve found the fish.

This can vary from 6-11m deep so have a good selection and run 6-10lb braid to gain maximum depth. The idea is to have the lure just off the bottom or tracking at the same depth fish are suspending.

MOOGERAH CLOSEST TOWNS: BOONAH, ARATULA If I were a betting man, I’d say the bass will rise higher in the water column as the water heats up and the thermocline lifts. When this happens, it’s a great time to target shallower

at Maroon and Moogerah. Call in and grab your supplies and hit them up for tips on where the fish are biting. It is recommended camping be booked at least a couple of weeks in advance and you can also organise your day use barcode for the gate with Lake Moogerah Caravan Park (07) 5540 5600.

MAROON CLOSET TOWN: BOONAH It’s Spectre time again. The bass almost line up to eat these lures over the summer months. Other small bladed chatterbaits that weigh in at

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Braeden Thorne knows deep cranks and Spectres are the go-to lures at this time of year. Bass can be tricky but these lures keep the bites coming. suspending fish. The TN60 Jackall can be an awesome lure, cast or trolled, to these shallower fish. The size of the bass is getting better with plenty now well over 40cm (even up around 50) so be prepared for a tussle and a few lost lures around the timber.

The timbered areas seem to fish well in the summer months. You will still need to spend some time searching to find the better numbers of fish.

Apart from Jackalls and other lipless crankbaits, you can try crankbaiting or trolling medium divers. There will still be schooling fish closer to the bottom.

These fish will be keen on spoons, blades, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits.

• The lads at Charltons Fishing at Redbank are all over the fish activity

1/2-5/8oz will also get the job done but it’s hard to beat the clear, plastic blade sound and sticky assist hooks of the Spectre Vibration Jig. Dark colours are usually a favourite here although the fish have been known to go for the lighter ones at times. Both trolling and casting will score plenty of fish once the schools are found.

Use your sounder to search flats and points outside the weed edges with 5-8m a likely depth to start searching.

Early risers will be able to experience some of the lake’s topwater action. Throwing surface lures to the shallow weedy fringes before the sun is belting down onto the water should produce a few bass explosions.

Freshwater QLD

FMM DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Cooby has been fishing well, and it should only get better, opening up more opportunities over summer. When it’s on fire, consider limiting your catch, not catching your limit. It’s easy to exploit a fishery when the fish are biting well and stocks can be depleted faster than they can grow. There’s nothing wrong with keeping a feed and Cooby goldens actually taste good for dam fish. Just don’t pillage it and we’ll continue to have this great fishery.

Golden perch go nuts in the heat and will happily chase down lipless cranks and hard body lures. You can cast or troll these around the edges of the weed and old submerged vegetation. Straight in front of the ramp and down in front of the sailing club is a good place to start. The northern arm also has some nice submerged flats that level out after coming out of the main creek channel.

The most productive depth can vary and be influenced by weed growth, drowned CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE A lot of focus has switched to Monduran Dam over the last couple of months. This has given Awoonga barra a little more rest from boats than normal. Use this to your advantage and give Awoonga a run. Most fish are currently just either side of the magic metre mark with a few bigger models mixed in. The water in Awoonga is very clear and this makes targeting the barra a bit trickier. There are four ways I’ve found to have success in such clear water.

Buzzing plastics over the top of weed is a good way to get a reaction strike during the day. Weedless offerings like paddle tails and frogs will fool them in the shallows but stick with jighead or treble rigged plastics over the top of deeper submerged weed and learn the contour to keep them just above it.

Another way to get clear water daytime bites is to fish topwater. It’s probably

Carter Ryan was excited about using his freshly caught shrimp and converting them into yellowbelly at Cooby Dam. vegetation and the undulating bottom formation. It’s most likely you’ll encounter fish in 6-8m in more open water over dead vegetation and as shallow as 4m if the weed has taken a good hold and is healthy.

Hopping small blades and bait fishing with live shrimp will continue to pull good the fact the fish can’t see the lure as well but both barra and bass can be fooled on surface lures when water is very clean.

Next method is to head to the deeper, open water and search for barra around bony schools. The fish are now of a size where they will roam the open water and search for a feed. The tricky part is there is just so much water to explore to find them.

Up around the dam wall and in front of Iveragh arm is a good starting point. Here you can search by trolling hardbodies or heavy soft plastics. If you find numbers, live sonar will come into its own and you can pick the fish off on suspending hardbodies or plastics and vibes if they are deeper. The last is the most popular and proven method. Wait them out! Pick your spots in the daylight and stake them out before dark. As soon as the light fades and darkness creeps in, the fish will start to roam and feed where they can ambush prey under the cover of darkness. Soft plastics are hard to beat and a suitable swimbait rod is a great way to launch them out to cover heaps of water.

• Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing (0429 223

Barra have been all over the new TBarra 80 since Halco Tackle released it. The black colour (R20 Lava) slays them at Monduran.

numbers of golden perch and catfish.

Shrimp can be caught at the dam around the weedy edges in traps (especially close to dark the day before). To keep them alive, you should keep your water aerated.

• Cooby is open to paddle and electric motor powered craft. The gates are open

from 6am-8pm. Fish’n’Bits tackle store in Toowoomba can help you out with all your bait and lure fishing needs.

LESLIE CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Murray cod numbers have dropped off but the golden perch are back. Heaps of smaller fish around the legal size of 30cm are being caught.

Lure fishers will be able to troll them up with hard bodies and lipless crankbaits. Bigger lures when trolling may help to keep the smaller fish away, but good luck; there are just so many.

Hopping small blades and soft vibes will account for plenty of fish once numbers are found on the sounder. Plenty of fish can be found near the old riverbed drop off and on the deeper, rocky structure in 6-8m of water. Some schools will be stacked with bigger, better quality fish over 40cm long. They take more finding but are out there.

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

Dam barra are the go while the closed season applies to the wild fish. Spend the time finding them and you’ll be rewarded.

550) and Lake Awoonga Barra Charters (0404 151 844) run guided trips on the lake. Both cater to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. It is hard to beat time on the water and a guided trip is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish.

• Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge

always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 49750033.

Gary’s Marine Centre

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217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL DECEMBER 2023 55

TESTING BOOTH

The DUO range of lures has a plethora of options to cover your angling needs FISHING MONTHLY

Peter Jung DUO International is a well known brand to Australian anglers that has a new distributer (wholesaler), the Australian family owned

tackle supplier and manufacturer, Wilson Fishing based in Brisbane Queensland. The addition of the DUO brand further enhances an already impressive range Wilson’s distributes, you can go to www. wilsonfishing.com to see the full DUO range as well the gear they supply to

South East Queensland barramundi impoundment anglers have been quick to jump on board the 5” Boostar Wake bandwagon.

It offers maximum action on a slow retrieve and can be rigged weedless if required. Photo courtesy of Wilson Fishing

Main: Any fish caught on a surface lure is special. This saratoga came completely out of the water to eat this DUO Shinmushi. No wonder the author is smiling. Above: This blackspotted rock cod decided this DUO Realis 3.5” Boostar Wake was his before any flathead had a chance to eat it.

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY DECEMBER 2023 2023 156NOVEMBER

the Australian fishing market.

In this testing booth I would like to show you a number of DUO models that are available, some are new and others proven favourites, but one thing that I can guarantee is this Japanese-made brand of lures has all the attention to detail and technology that has inspired Australian anglers to part with a few extra dollars to buy the best option for their fishing needs. Let’s get into it.

DUO Realis Boostar Wake The Boostar Wake is a paddle tail soft plastic that is available in two sizes, 3.5” and 5”. I was given a number of the colours in the range (10 overall) to try in the 3.5” size, however it was the 5” size that found its mark first with the anglers targeting impoundment barramundi around Queensland. The profile of the Boostar Wake belies its size, as it seems bigger than it looks (it isn’t I measured it).

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

TESTING BOOTH working in and over it is pretty easy. The square bill also assists to help bounce it over structure on the retrieve. It has a tighter action than I expected, however the feedback through the fishing rod it provides, inspires confidence on every retrieve.

The first outing I had trying the Kabuki 48MR was in one of my local freshwater impoundments. Very early on in the day I had a retrieve where it felt like every wind of the reel I made, was getting a touch. Amazingly it was, two saratoga were fighting over the lure, with neither

The first thing the author spotted amongst the DUO lures sent to be tested was the Kabuki Bottom Rush Crank 48MR. Here the lure has been retrofitted with Mustad inline singles. A perfect hook up and a great colour too.

The body is split into two components, I quite wide ribbed upper section and then a flanged section that begins the tail. Two fins on the main body assist the lure to track straight. There are also top and bottom hook channels to assist with rigging the lure straight. So why have our impoundment barra anglers taken to it? The flange or hinging of the tail means that you get maximum movement at slow retrieve speeds. The body profile certainly matches many of our bait species and also allows it to be rigged standard or weedless. Although already salt impregnated the ribbing also provides a holding zone for your

your favourite spinnerbait, jig spinner or chatterbait lures.

While trying the plastics I have enjoyed plenty of success on the local flathead and Australian bass, with the bluegill,

Two saratoga had been fighting over this Kabuki Crank 48MR on the cast before this bass thought he would get in on the act.

Flathead anglers in Queensland cannot get enough of the DUO Tide Minnow Slim 140. It has been producing some big flathead out of shallow water. Photo courtesy of Wilson Fishing

Big flathead in skinny water love big lures. The DUO Tide Minnow Slim 140 fitted the bill.

Photo courtesy of Wilson Fishing favourite scent option. All good reasons why the barra have been loving them.

For me the 3.5” version offers plenty of target options from mulloway, snapper, mangrove jack, flathead and estuary perch in the salt, to bass, golden perch, trout and redfin in the fresh. Because of the hinge in the tail, and the action it offers, they are also a fantastic trailer for

green pumpkin red fleck and icefish colours quickly becoming some of my go to options. The plastics are not super strong, but they get the bites, which is really what matters the most.

DUO Realis Kabuki Bottom Rush Crank 48MR When I first opened the box of goodies that arrived from Wilsons, the Kabuki 48MR caught my eye. This square billed medium/small diving lure (dives to 2.3m or 8 feet) in my mind has a lot of potential to target many of our Australian native fish. Any of our perch species, Australian bass, sooty grunter, saratoga and English perch (redfin) all come to mind. It is a bite sized snack for most of these species.

While putting it through its paces I quickly realised the other features that make it a serious option for our native anglers. It casts very well on spin or baitcast tackle. It is very buoyant, so casting it in and around structure and

committed enough to eat it properly. To my surprise when I sent the next cast back into the same area a bass smashed it immediately. This is definitely a lure I look forward to continuing to explore with. It is available in 6 colours with the chartreuse gill halo and the matt black orange colours providing plenty of action for me.

DUO Tide Minnow Slim 140 My question to you is there a lure in more demand than the DUO Tide Minnow Slim 140 for anglers targeting BIG flathead in shallow water at the moment? I doubt that the designers of this lure had this species in mind when they were putting their concepts down on paper for it, but flathead anglers in South East Queensland have taken

Fishing with suspending hardbody lures for bass can be a lot of fun. This Enoggera Reservoir bass took this DUO Realis Shad 62DR in komochi wakasagi colour on the pause and then headed straight into the lily pads nearby.

NOVEMBER2023 2023 57 DECEMBER 2

TESTING BOOTH to it like a duck to water. Considering that flathead will become the focal point of many anglers whether you are in Western Australia or along the East coast of the country, I am confident that demand will only increase further. Who wouldn’t like to catch an 80cm+ flathead in under two feet of water, having seen it explode all over the lure as it inhaled it. I haven’t seen that just yet, but if the smaller models that decided to eat my Slim 140 are anything to go by, then I am in for a treat.

Recent modifications to the lure to further enhance its suitability to this style of fishing will only make it a bigger favourite. Improved castability and subtle action changes ensure long casts and a lure that when ripped, doesn’t blow out of the water. Lots of commotion to attract those big flathead.

The DUO Tide Minnow Slim 140 is

The DUO Shinmushi is a great cicada surface lure option. They are very easy to use and are one of the authors favourite lures.

Komochi wakasagi and chartreuse gill halo colours have quickly become favourites with morning dawn not far behind. I know on my next trout outing that at least these colours will make the trip. This very versatile lure is well worth checking out.

DUO Realis Shinmushi Of all the lures in this testing booth, this top water cicada imitation was the one I was most familiar with. It has been part of my top water arsenal since the DUO International brand came to Australian shores. The biggest reason for this (other than they catch fish) is how easy it is to use. Many surface fishing options require you to work the rod a certain way, wind the reel a certain way, to get them to duck, weave or pop.

However, with the Shinmushi it is cast out and wind in. The wings of the lure make it paddle back to you and the only

This beautiful hen rainbow trout was one of many fish caught by the author at Lake Eucumbene on the DUO Spearhead Ryuki 50MDF in the gold yamame colour.

The author was familiar with the DUO Realis Shinmushi cicada surface lures. He has been targeting bass using them in many of his local rivers and creeks for a number of years. available in 10 colours and also comes in a 120 and a 175 size.

DUO Realis Shad 62DR Suspending hardbody lures have always intrigued me as an angler. The ability to stop and start a retrieve in the right zone and have it in that zone for longer without sinking to the bottom or floating out of harm’s way, offers up many opportunities. You can have your lure sitting above weed, next to timber or sitting in that channel on a sand flat daring any fish that is nearby to eat it. A simple twitch may be all that is needed to get that bite.

The DUO Realis Shad 62DR falls into this category. It has excellent castability (a moving magnetised weight system in the body of the lure ensures the weight is in the tale of the lure when casting, or in the nose on the retrieve), gets to

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY DECEMBER 2023 2023 358NOVEMBER

its retrieval depth quickly (6-8 feet) and then suspends in salt water or rises VERY slowly in freshwater. At just over 6cm (not including the bib) it is a good baitfish imitation and the six colours it is available in, reflect that.

What species is this lure suitable for?

Well pretty much anything that eats a baitfish. During testing we caught several nice snapper on the troll, as well as flathead and bream. It has been in the fresh targeting bass that has been the most interesting. There is just something cool about a bass taking off with your lure while it is paused that is too much fun. The lily lined edges of some of my local lakes have been peppered by me using the Shad 62DR and the DUO Spearhead Ryuki 70MDF and more often than not some beautiful fish have come to the net.

Jake Williamson spent the morning at North Pine Dam with the author trying out the DUO Realis Vibration Nitro 65. The first bite he got was this beautiful 50cm golden perch.

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TESTING BOOTH real adjustment you need to make, is rod angle and retrieve speed. Make those adjustments and the lure plip plops back to you waiting to be eaten. One thing that is essential is the use of a loop knot

finesse category. Don’t get me wrong, they still punch above their weight (so I discovered), but my initial thoughts for these lures was to target trout in the freshwater and bream in the salt. The

Since then I have found that the bream do love them, but the surprize has been the number of flathead (cast and trolling) and bass that also think they are pretty special. It was no surprize to me when I saw that the winning team in this year’s Flathead Classic had used both sizes with great success during the competition.

Although the hooks on these lures are a fine gauge (very sticky too), they hold up well when something bigger comes along. When it comes to my bass fishing I have retrofitted them with Mustad inline singles. This is not because the hooks don’t deal with the fish, it is more to avoid a hook getting stuck in me and tangles in nets. Having said that, they do give you a bit more pulling power and when that bass is heading for home, every little bit helps. It certainly doesn’t affect the hook up rate of the lure.

There are six colour options in each size and not surprisingly the gold yamame colour is my favourite with wakasagi not far behind.

DUO Realis Vibration Nitro 65 I have to admit that lipless crankbaits have become a big piece of my fishing arsenal over the last couple of years. They are a great searching lure, especially if you have large areas of water your need to cover in the search for fish. They are amazingly weedless/snag proof if rigged with inline single hooks. I have been using much smaller models that the Nitro 65, so I was very interested to see what difference (if any) the larger heavier (5/8oz) 65mm DUO would have as far as fish captures go.

Not surprisingly, very little, although it did seem to weed out the very small fish bites. The bonus has really been the bycatch of some very big golden perch (by Queensland standards). They seem to enjoy these lures being lifted or hopped off the bottom. I even had a few just pick them up from the bottom without me doing anything.

I will say I would love to see a lighter smaller option in the range (I know they exist), but for moment, there is no question

You know a fish really wants your lure when both sets of hooks have found their way home. to attach the lure to your line. Anything else and the ease of use goes out the window.

In the past I have always used the Shinmushi to target bass in my local creeks and rivers. On one memorable morning I was lucky enough to pick up several large fish, including a 52cm fork model, who’s capture will forever be etched in my memories. It was a true test of the hardware on this lure and my angling skills. I have to say it has been nice to reacquaint myself with the lure and another capture has been the highlight of doing so. A trip using my kayak at Lake Kurwongbah saw me rolling the Shinmushi over its abundant weed beds, hoping the bass that live in them, would fly out and eat my surface offering. It is pretty simple fishing. Cast out, let the lure settle once it has landed, give it a tweak in case something is sitting under it and then paddle it back to you. After one of those tweaks the water exploded as a Southern saratoga flew out of the water with my Shinmushi in its mouth. Any fish caught on a surface lure is special, but this one, well I am lost for words. The image somewhere in this testing booth tells the story.

It is available in six colours. One thing to keep an eye is the body can be separated to allow you to replace the rubber legs and wings. This is done by undoing the front hook point. Prior to each use I just check this is done up firmly to ensure no failures occur.

DUO Spearhead Ryuki 50MDF and 70MDF Unlike many lures in the DUO range, that punch above their weight in size and attraction, the Spearhead Ryuki 50MDF and 70MDF sit firmly in the

first time I used them (the 50mm size mainly) was at Lake Eucumbene in the NSW snowy mountains. In fact, one of the fish I caught using a 50MDF in the gold yamame colour, was on the cover of the August issue of Fishing Monthly magazine. It was cold and windy, so to have a wander along the shoreline casting lures was a nice distraction from how cold it was. Like the DUO Realis Shad 62DR, it uses DUO Internationals magnetic casting weight system, so it casts really well in the wind and gets to its dive depth quickly (3-4 feet depending on which lure you are using).

It has a permanent space in my trout lure box after that trip, with the 70mm size also proving to be a great trolling option.

Having had a lot of success on trout with the Spearhead Ryuki in the 50mm size the author tried the 70MDF size on his local bass. He does love that gold yamame colour.

Lipless crankbaits are great lures to search open water.

The DUO Nitro 65 is a bigger option but the bass don’t seem to mind. This is the shadow OB colour.

the DUO Nitro 65 is a good lipless crankbait option, I can even see Murray cod anglers using them as a smaller offering to mimic some of the baitfish they love eating.

The DUO Realis Vibration Nitro 65 is available in 6 colours with the shadow OB and glitter shad colours working very well during the testing process.

Conclusion This is just a small selection of the range of DUO International lures that are available. You will see on the Wilson Fishing website that there are a plenty of options to suit our offshore, inshore and larger impoundment species, all made with the care and attention to detail that Japanese manufacturers are renown for.

As I said at the start of this testing booth, not all of these lures are new to us, some may already be favourites, but one thing I know having used all of these DUO offerings, they are all worth checking out.

All good retail outlets should have them.

NOVEMBER2023 2023 59 DECEMBER 4

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

SAMAKI REDIC 50

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Meet the game-changer for your estuary fishing adventures – the Redic 50. At a compact 50mm size, this lure packs a punch in the world of bream, flathead, sooty grunter, jungle perch, mangrove jacks and so on. Fitted with trusty BKK hooks, it ensures your catch stays hooked.

There’s the DF 50 version, perfect for those mid-level dives of up to 2.5m. With a weight of 4.3g, it’s the confident choice for teasing out those estuary dwellers.

For shallower waters, the MF50 is a lightweight champion at 4.0g, diving gracefully to 1.5m. Its array of colours adds a touch of underwater allure that fish can’t resist. samaki.com.au

DAIWA 23 TD SOL HD

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The iconic TD Sol reel range welcomes a new member to the family in 2023, with the release of the TD Sol HD. Designed for Australian anglers and our harsh fishing conditions, the 23 TD Sol HD’s robust design begins with a Metal Alloy Monocoque (MQ) Body, with its solid, rigid, one-piece design housing a larger than traditional Tough Digigear gearset.

The 23 TD Sol HD also features Daiwa’s newest spin reel design concept, Airdrive Design, which reduces start-up inertia to deliver more control and greater winding ease.

A new rotor design reduces weight and enhances rotational balance, while Daiwa’s Airdrive Airbail tubular construction further contributes to weight reduction, improves spool and rotor rotational efficiency and overall reel performance.

Other features including Magseal, CRBB, Twistbuster 3, carbon washer ATD Drag, Infinite Anti-Reverse, ABS Longcast Spool, and EVA Knob combine to deliver exceptional strength and refinement.

Available in four sizes (2500D-5000D), the 23 TD Sol HD is the new heavy-duty enforcer of the TD Sol range. www.daiwafishing.com.au

DIRTY SAUCE

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Welcome to the evolution of fish attractants for tournament and weekend anglers alike. Created in Australia by Dirty Sauce Products, Dirty Sauce Soft Gel Scent has taken off like a mackerel on a finesse line.

This year, the crew at Dirty Sauce Products have received a lot of feedback on PBs being caught when using Dirty Sauce in tough conditions or on shutdown fish species, and often both.

From the freshwater to the salt, the team has received many photos of bass, golden perch, barramundi, Saratoga, bream, flathead, mangrove jack, snapper, mackerel and more.

A standout moment during testing was when a product tester decided to put out a lit cigarette in a blob of Dirty Sauce, and mixed it in. The ashtray flavoured Dirty Sauce was then applied to a soft plastic, and first cast was a fish on. Clearly, this product works!

That said, the only way you’ll really know how good this scent is, is to try it for yourself. You can buy it online at the Dirty Sauce Products website.

Price: SRP $10.95 (30mL) dirtysauceproducts.com.au

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WILLIAMSON ANTIDOTE GAME ROD 4

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The Williamson Antidote rod range has been designed in Australia, and offers anglers a purpose-built rod for Australian conditions.

The Antidote Series features two models, both of which come in a spin and overhead configuration.

Equally at home trolling skirted lures for marlin as it is dropping baits onto a reef for red emperor, the Antidote range will cover all your offshore rod needs.

Antodote rods have been finished off with quality Fuji guides, a heavy-duty reel seat, and durable, high-density EVA grips to make these rods last trip after trip. rapala.com.au/williamson

TT SWITCHPRAWN+

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The TT SwitchPrawn+ metal vibration blade has a profile and action like no other, thanks to a thorough R&D program that has produced incredible numbers of fish, along with a comprehensive list of species landed.

The weight positioning and extended profile of the blade create an intense vibration, with increased water movement, while the trailing tassels and assist hooks make an irresistible strike trigger.

SwitchPrawn+ assists include ultrasharp, Owner, black nickel, chemically sharpened hooks for maximum penetration, while multiple tow points on the blade allow anglers to customise the action to suit their fishing scenario and target species. There are currently three sizes available: 37mm (5.5g), 44mm (8g), and 50mm (13g).

There are 16 unique colours in the range, including light natural, dark silhouette patterns, and more vibrant colours, complete with many UV-reactive models and 3D UV-reactive eyes to attract fish and trigger strikes.

Price: SRP $15.95 www.ttfishing.com

WHITTLEY SL 27 HT

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Whittley Marine Group has launched their new flagship Whittley SL 27 HT OB model at the Melbourne boat show. The SL 27 HT has a completely new internal layout and hull shape, with a deep vee 23-degree deadrise and advanced angles for the softest possible ride offshore.

The freshly styled dashboard layout can house a 19” Simrad multi-function screen and Brunswick’s Fathom full boat integration system option, along with the boat’s key operational functions.

The V180W windscreen design offers superior strength and increased visibility, and the sports look hard top has twin hatches for airflow, and a newly designed electric rear sun awning. The boat’s layout also enables seamless airflow to the cabin and mid-ship, unlike many imported boats.

The subfloor features the new WBGRID timber-free stringer construction, and is foam filled. The SL 27 HT has the largest rear fishing work area ever offered in a Sea Legend, with a moulded track rear selfdraining deck and fishing-focused Fish Master Bait Board option.

To check out the extensive list of standard features and options, head to the Whittley website. www.whittleymarinegroup.com.au

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

FMM

OZFISH

Anglers’ insights through habitat mapping Fishing is more than just a recreational activity, it’s an individual pursuit that allows us to connect with nature, challenge ourselves, and experience the thrill of the catch.

Yet, beneath the seemingly simple act of casting a line lies a world of complexity that can make all the difference between a successful day on the water and a frustrating one.

This is where knowledge comes into play and it’s the key to unlocking success in fishing. It’s not just about knowing how to cast a line or bait a hook, it’s about understanding the ecosystem, the behaviour of the fish, migration and breeding patters and the intricacies of each fishing spot.

Knowledge empowers anglers to make better decisions, adapt to changing conditions and ultimately increase their chances of reeling in the catch of a lifetime.

Every day, thousands of anglers rely on tools such as fish-finding devices to aid in locating fish. These devices provide the means to expertly observe underwater, allowing you to determine the fish’s orientation, the presence of bait or food, and the fish’s activity level during specific times of the day.

By peering into the water, you can gain insights into the location of snags and underwater structures, the various types of habitats available, and information regarding water temperature and clarity.

However, what truly sets apart a dedicated angler is utilising these devices for more than just finding fish. It’s a shift towards becoming a water steward, someone who actively contributes to the well-being of the aquatic ecosystem. And it’s happening more and more across the country.

of knowledge in the realm of fishing.

As a community-driven, non-profit charity, OzFish Unlimited is dedicated to harnessing the collective power of recreational anglers to participate in conservation efforts. What sets them apart is its unwavering commitment to equipping anglers with the tools necessary to make a positive influence on their local fishing environments.

CATCH MORE FISH When you understand the specific habitats fish prefer, you can target your efforts more precisely. By mapping out where fish are likely to be, you increase your chances of hooking a big one.

Recreational fishers are reaping these benefits after habitat mapping was done on 10km of the Murray River which has resulted in more than $140,000 worth of restoration work (and counting) by OzFish through various government grants.

“With that data we’ve been able to apply for various government grants to undertake installation of rocky and woody habitat,” OzFish’s Senior Program Manager Murray Darling Basin Braeden

By mapping habitats, researchers and anglers are working together to pinpoint critical areas for conservation, comprehend migration patterns and monitor changes over time.

This knowledge is pivotal in formulating effective strategies for protecting and restoring habitats of endangered and commercially valuable fish species.

OzFish Unlimited is an organisation that truly understands the potential

Lampard said.

“It just goes to show that if you do undertake habitat mapping that data can be used on numerous occasions.

“It’s a really good success story for OzFish, this has provided cheap and effective methods for habitat mapping, as the traditional approaches to gathering habitat data was seen as very labourintensive. Government organisations appreciate us helping out.”

Another project which has been a

sustainability of fish populations.

“These anglers know so much more about their fishing spots now, not only have they helped make it better - but they also know the exact GPS points of the really great snags,” said Braeden.

OzFish has taken a proactive approach by creating a comprehensive habitat mapping resource that is readily available to all Chapters and volunteers engaged in habitat initiatives.

This invaluable mapping document serves as a standardised guide, ensuring the techniques used across various local volunteer groups are standardised.

roaring success was at Bethungra Dam, 70km north-east of Wagga Wagga, where volunteers from OzFish Wagga Wagga Chapter and NSW Landcare jumped into kayaks to help undertake extensive in-stream habitat mapping late last year.

The data they collected showed that there was little in the dam that would help native fish to survive and thrive. As a result, they acquired the skills to create habitat maps using the knowledge provided by OzFish. They divided the waterway into a grid and assessed each section’s habitat, grading it based on its contribution to the fish population. In areas where habitat was lacking, they strategically installed woody and rocky structures to address this deficiency.

OzFish Wagga Wagga Chapter President Grant Higginson was one of the volunteers who helped map the dam and said it was thoroughly worthwhile because of its simplicity once you know what was happening. “It was easy. We got a couple of boats and did laps up and down,” he said.

“There was hardly any habitat in their which proved why that spot needed to be mapped. Often, we were going up and down finding nothing apart from a stick or a rock.

“I was out there a couple of months after the new habitat was put in and you could see a lot of fish in and around the new structures.”

OzFish believes that by providing anglers with the means to discover more about their fishing areas they can not only improve their own fishing experiences but also contribute to the

It guarantees that all habitat mapping, whether conducted by volunteers or experienced groups, share a common set of data and analysis procedures.

This not only streamlines the process but also enhances the reliability and consistency of the data, making it a powerful tool for informed decisionmaking and robust scientific analysis.

It reinforces the collaborative spirit of the OzFish community.

But they have gone one step further, with the support of the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts they have now made this along with other topics an online training course for anglers.

The result is the Scale Up OzFish Online Training, which is changing the way fishers build their knowledge and skills. It is a system that is simple to follow, easily understood and accessible to anyone, anytime.

The pilot program has been launched in NSW but there are hopes for it to become nationwide in the future. OzFish’s NSW Chapter members can log in, progress through the modules at their own pace, with a variety of videos and written content helping them along the way.

“We tried to keep it short and succinct, with just the right amount of critical info,” Senior Project Officer Taylah Kirk explained.

This project has been funded by the Australian Government CRC program, the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts and BCF - Boating, Camping, Fishing with support from recreational fishers.

– OzFish DECEMBER 2023 61

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Sydney

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Exciting fishing in the washes this summer SYDNEY ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

Summer is here! Everything on the bite, which is the upside. The downside is finding time to get out there during the busy holiday season – especially if you have children. Being prepared before the trip can help, and in this report, I will provide a few tips for anglers who are short on time.

ROCK FISHING Bream are in good numbers off the rocks. Rock corners meeting sand, like corners of beaches and the rocks, are one of the areas you can try for bream

Jem Rolf, 12yo, and his mum Emely Tuncturuk with some nice whiting and trevally. This bag was from the middle harbour area in Sydney.

Peter White and Graham Vesey with some solid rock blackfish. Rock blackfish can be caught in good numbers in December. Peter and Graham also caught and released a big bream and four more pigs. and to add other species. But focusing on bream for now, try off Queenscliff swimming pool rocks, South Curl Curl pool and Bilgola beach pool for bream.

The best baits are half pilchards, beach worms, peeled prawns and fish fillets like yellowtail and mullet. In fact, most

fish baits cut into a strip approx. 8-10cm long and 1.5cm wide will suit a 1/0 size hook. You can expect other species like Aussie salmon, late season trevally and on the worm baits tarwhine and even some good hauls of whiting as you are casting from the rocks onto the sand parallel to the beach.

Snapper are currently in good numbers, with fish from 32-64cm. I had a report of a 70cm fish from an anonymous angler. During summer, the fish are generally between 30-40cm, which is a good plate size. Distance casting for snapper means casting out between 60-100m to reach the sand just past the rocks. You generally fish snapper sinker weights from 3-5oz when distance casting.

I like to use robust baits like squid strips, and salted baits such as slimy mackerel, striped tuna, bonito, and tailor fillet.

These are all oily fish fillets that ooze fish oils and have a lot of scent. The bite from a decent-sized snapper is unmistakable – some firm, aggressive knocks followed by the rod tip violently bending over. With the larger fish, often the rod tip buckles

Tony Picone was thrilled with his first salmon caught after dark on a ganged pilchard rig and Alvey setup. Salmon will still be available this month. over very suddenly, with no indication beforehand. It’s pretty exciting! Wash fishing for snapper is fishing the sudsy white water on the deeper headlands.

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Berley can help a lot. Pilchard cubes, pilchard/bread mush, or you can add prawn heads and shells to the mix, too. If you have squid, prawns and pilchards for bait, add a few to the berley as well.

Some spots worth visiting are Manly- Bluefish’s east front, Freshwater headland, North Curl Curl, and Mona Vale pool, producing snapper, trevally, and some bream.

Rock blackfish are still worth pursuing. Many rock anglers may find this unusual to target this species in December, but after all, this is Sydney.

Around the mid-north coast, the rock blackfish often go off the bite because the water temperature is 3-4°C warmer than Sydney during summer. In Sydney, they are still in good numbers. Most rock anglers are diverted to the pelagics like bonito, kings and other pelagics at this time of the year.

With the sun being up at a higher angle than it is during winter, it’s very important to fish at the correct times

The result of a successful wash fishing session: three snapper kept, and several sizeable fish released. The largest went 65cm.

of the day. The lower light periods (just before sunrise, two hours after sunrise, and two hours before sunset) are the best times for this pugnacious species. My pick of the spots are Long Reef, the suburb of Collaroy, Warriewood boulders northeast face and Barrenjoey head boulders.

Kings and bonito are an obvious choice this month. The deep-water headlands are the preferred spots to target both of these species. Bluefish’s east front, north and south Curl Curl are medium-depth headlands but are great producers of both these species and north and south Whale rocks.

Spinning with OT Jigs for bonito works very well. I like to use the 30-40g size in the gold or blue colours. Hardbody stickbaits like the Rough Ride in the 160mm size work well for the kingfish.

If you can purchase sea gars, they work well on the kingfish, but they’re not cheap (around $20+ a kilo). A set of 4x 6/0 gangs is a good average for an 80g gar.

Another effective bait is a livie suspended under a foam float (e.g. a

Sydney NSW

FMM

Andrew Lu with a 1.5kg trevally, and his son Alex with a 2.5kg+ salmon. When wash fishing, you never know what you’ll hook next! torpedo float) and set to a depth between 2-10m for the really deep locations. You can catch yellowtail at the location, although it is often best in the early morning as they can often go off the bite when the sun gets too high.

BEACH FISHING Big, fat salmon are still on the hunt off the beaches, and November and December often have the largest run of Aussie salmon. If you don’t catch

any during the day, try fishing for them during the evening. I recommend fishing to at least 30-60 minutes after dark. I always have a head torch in my bag and always bring a spray jacket, in case the wind picks up and it gets a bit cool.

It’s important to stay comfortable when fishing at night.

A ganged pilchard on a set of three 3/0 to 4/0 hooks works well on the salmon, and lures are also effective on both salmon and tailor. By the way, the tailor numbers will increase this month, and those chopper-size fish are perfect on the grill or for the smoker. When it comes to lures, the OT Jig in the 30-40g size is a great casting size for 6-8kg gear, and matches the small fish in the gutters, such as 6-10cm whitebait.

Whiting numbers are good to great on some days. You can catch legal whiting on pretty much any beach on the northern suburbs of Sydney, depending on the swell size, how much kelp is on the beach, and whether there are quality holes/gutters.

Being strapped for time is typical at this time of the year, but there are ways to make things easier. Buy some preserved worms and put them in the freezer, ready to go if you get a window of opportunity to get out there. Have 2-3 paternoster rigs ready to go (check out my Bellissimo Two Hook Paternoster rig on YouTube), and make sure your beach rod/reel is rigged and ready. Your tackle box should

be filled with spare accessories and leader, and you’ll also need a cloth, bucket, scissors and a shoulder bag.

Finally, when you get the opportunity to fish, it doesn’t matter if the conditions aren’t optimal. If you keep waiting and hoping for the right tides at the right time of the day, you may not ever be able to go! Of course, this is subject to sea/ weather conditions, and if the swell is too big, go into the estuary.

Antonio Khoshabian with a beautiful snapper caught on light wash fishing gear. It was one of several snapper caught on this trip.

ESTUARY FISHING Whiting, bream, and luderick are being caught in Middle and North Harbour. Luderick are also being caught from Fairlight pool and surrounding rocks. Hair weed and weed/sand mix berley is the go. The pool area and rocks further west are quite shallow, so fish fairly shallow under the float, between 1-1.5m, preferably around the higher tide periods.

For the whiting and bream, fish the Clontarf sand bank around low tide to about half run-in tide. The back of Davidson Marina sand bank on the low tide can also be productive for whiting and bream. Both spots also produce flathead.

Live beach worms and pink nippers are the prime baits, but if you don’t have the time to source them, you can just use metho worms purchased from a tackle shop.

That’s it for this month. Have a great Christmas break and a great New Year.

• Alex Bellissimo is an experienced rock fishing guide with proven teaching formulas. If you’re an experienced angler, he will bring your abilities to new heights.

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

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NSW

Sydney

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Back into the swing of things in the silly season SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

December seems to be the start of the silly season. It’s a time when people who barely used their boat during the year decide to get it out on the water as soon as the first hot days arrive. It’s perfectly OK not to use your boat very often, as many of us are busy throughout the year. However, it’s easy to get rusty regarding safety concerns and launching/retrieving.

Here are my tips.

down, while you are waiting your turn.

• Don’t queue jump. There’s nothing worse than someone coming around in front of you and backing down.

• If you haven’t backed a trailer much before, try practising during the week at the ramp or somewhere else. I used to take my son down to the local football car park during the week and teach him how to back into car park spots. There’s nothing worse than having someone try over and over to back the trailer down the ramp, only to take up three lanes. I have actually offered to back a boat and trailer down.

Jess with a cracker of a bonito caught while trolling in close to the coast off the RNP. Image courtesy of John from Fergo’s Tackle World.

Several flying gurnard have been caught in the Port Hacking of late.

This one was caught on a TT SwitchPrawn+ in gold tiger.

• Check that the battery is working, and kick the motor over at home before you drive to the ramp.

• Before you leave home, check that the bearings have been regularly serviced.

Nothing is worse than doing a bearing on the way to or back from the ramp.

• When using a multi-lane boat ramp, stay within your lane when reversing, and ensure there is enough room for another car to launch simultaneously.

• Before backing the trailer and boat into the water, remember to take off the tie-downs or strap at the back of the boat. Nothing is funnier than watching someone trying to push or back a boat off a trailer with the tie-downs or straps still on. Many of us have done this ourselves at some point, and it’s quite embarrassing!

• When backing or retrieving your boat in the dark, don’t leave your lights on, as this makes it extremely hard for the next person backing their boat down.

• When you have launched your boat, don’t leave your vessel immediately next to the boat ramp before you park your car. Move it out of the way.

• Don’t back your boat down onto the ramp and then proceed to pull everything out of your car and put it into your boat. Do this before you back 64 DECEMBER 2023

Now that I have got that off my chest, let’s look at what’s been happening in Southern Sydney, and what we can expect to be on the bite over the next month.

WHAT’S BITING Whiting numbers have started to increase on Coogee, Maroubra, Greenhills, Elouera, Wanda and

Cronulla beaches. Further south, Marley and Stanwell Park beaches have also been producing whiting. The best baits by far have been live beach and tube worms, and live nippers.

If you can’t get your own, you could always buy some at the Mac’s Bait Bar at Blackhurst. Check them out on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ macsbaitbar.

As they say, “everything that swims eats a prawn”. December is a great time to get out there and try a bit of prawning. These prawns can be eaten or used as live or fresh bait for bream, flathead, whiting, mulloway, snapper and anything else that eats a prawn.

Try suspending a live prawn under a small float and drift it along a break wall, sand flats or a weed bed. It won’t be long before it’s eaten.

If you are like me and take the easy way out, you can call into Mac’s Bait Bar and pick them up live or fresh straight off the trawler.

The bream fishing has been a bit slow this year. Hopefully by now they will be more plentiful. Image courtesy of Carl Dubois.

There have been a few reports of silver trevally up to 56cm caught in the Port Hacking on soft plastics. Gordon from our BCF store at Taren Point told me of the one he caught while fishing off Wally’s wharf in Burraneer Bay. The run of bigger kingfish started to show up in Botany Bay and the Port Hacking last month. Places worth a shot include Trevally Alley, the end of the third runway, the entrance to the Cook River, Bare Island and the oil wharf in Botany Bay. Try the deep bays of Gymea, Yowie, Burraneer and Gunnamatta bays, in and around the boats of swing moorings.

Good baits are live squid, yellowtail, river pike or three pink nippers. Try either trolling, at anchor or drifting these spots.

Offshore, there have been some great catches of snapper, morwong and trag over the broken reefs. For those of you who like a feed of sand and tiger flathead, the 30-60m marks are the go off Marley and Maroubra.

FACT 10 We are now up to number 10 in my monthly series of fishing facts. This time, the focus is on monofilament.

When was the last time you checked the monofilament line on your reel?

Years? When you thread it through the guides on your rod, does it come off in coils, looking like one of those Slinky toys you had as a kid?

If so, this means that your line has plenty of memory. That’s not good, as it will reduce the castability of the line. Your mono line needs to come off your spool looking reasonably flat – much like when braid comes off a spool. Line with very little memory is much easier to handle and manage when tying knots.

Don’t forget to keep those reports and photos coming into gbrown1@ iprimus.com.au.

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Byron Coast

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Hot bites through Christmas BALLINA

Joe Allan

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 Christmas time, and all the way through the end of January.

If you haven’t tried surface fishing for our aggressive freshwater natives, get some poppers and have a crack.

You’ll be surprised at how much fun and how addictive it can be. Look for any overhanging trees that have cicadas making an awful racket. You don’t even need to be accurate with your casting 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).

Atomic put out some Fur Finish

Cameron Hall caught a thumping bream on the new Bassday Sugapen Splash.

eating machines, but the ones that do come into the gutters at night are generally quality fish. Be ready and have wire traces handy, because these larger fish can do serious damage to your rigs.

If you want to have a fish for whiting, remember they don’t need a lot of water, so don’t be obsessed with finding the deepest gutter you can.

Quite often the whiting will be right at your feet in some of the skinniest water imaginable, particularly at night.

As the water temperature continues to rise, the whiting should show interest in surface lures. Interestingly, over the last few summers, we haven’t seen the numbers in the rivers. Maybe that’s from a few years of constant flooding throughout.

Once these guys do get up and active, especially in some of the shallow waters, areas such as North Creek and Mobbs Bay are the best places to start searching for them. If we get some hot stretches mixed with some big tides and windy days, that could be the recipe for the ‘tings to really chew their heads off this summer.

The Bassday Sugapen has been the

Sonni Allan holding a solid mud crab caught using catfish for bait. most popular lure in years gone by, but I have also been seeing good results on the Sugapen Splash 75. It has a larger cup face than the Sugapen, with a prawn-like tail that helps it dance across the surface like a distressed crustacean.

Quality flathead are still being caught from Pimlico Island to the mouth of the Richmond. Most of the larger fish have been taken on live herring, while the smaller fish have fallen to dark-coloured soft plastics, prawns and white pilchards.

Archie Swanson with a nice bass caught on a surface frog.

Cicadas this year, and they have been taking a lot of fish across the first few months of the bass season. Most poppers and walk-the-dog style lures work well, too. Over the last few years, creature baits walked across the surface have also been dynamite. You can rig these weedless on hooks like the Gamakatsu EWG (Extra Wide Gap), and put the lure right up and into the tree or structure. Throwing soft plastic lures like an imitation frog, prawn or some other kind of bug is key here. As your lure makes its way out from the structure, that’s when all hell can break loose. Your lure will often get absolutely destroyed.

On the beaches, the odd gutter is visible on South Ballina and Angels.

The number of fish they have been producing has been fairly low, but the quality has been good. Some of the better action has come from Boulders and Seven Mile beaches, with quality dart and bream taking pipis and beach worms during the run-up tide.

At this time of year, we usually see 66 DECEMBER 2023

a few of the straggling tailor make their way up the coast. Late in the afternoon it will be worth throwing a pilchard, mullet fillet or bonito strip into a likelylooking gutter. You may not see any large numbers of these razor-toothed

Joe Ware and Adam Bradfield with a knobby snapper caught off Ballina on a pilly.

A solid bass caught on a jig close to Wyrallah.

On the crabbing front, there have been good numbers through November, but they are up in some high country because of the lack of fresh water. If you can find that sweet spot, getting a feed hasn’t been a problem. An old timer gave me a tip and said that if you can find a fork-tail catfish (also called dog fish or silver cobbler) use them as crab trap bait. They have a really good smell to them, and the crabs just can’t resist. Regardless of which bait you use though, there is nothing better than a hot summer’s night, a feed of fresh crabs and some cricket on the box, just bloody beautiful.

Have a great Christmas, and I hope the big fat fella brings you some quality fishing tackle. Stay safe and tight lines until 2023.

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All set for a sizzling season on the pelagics COFFS HARBOUR OFFSHORE

Brett Lloyd

This month’s Coffs bluewater report has been supplied by Brett Lloyd from Coffs Harbour Fishing Charters.

The size and quality of the snapper always drops off in the lead-up to Christmas, but they will still be a viable target this month.

midwater bait will often catch a better class of fish, because those big, older fish don’t feel the need to hide on the bottom like the smaller fish do. If there’s a cobia or mackerel in the vicinity, you can catch them on the mid-water floaters as well, so it’s definitely worth doing. The best baits to float out are pillies, or whole squid around the moon. On the paternosters, strips of mullet or squid are the go.

There are still plenty of tuskfish, flathead and trag around, mainly on the inshore reefs. Tuskies are one of the most beautiful eating fish in the ocean, so they’re always a welcome catch. All three species can be caught from the rubble off the edges of reefs.

When you’re heading out to catch bottom fish, you want to hit the water as soon as it’s light enough to drive a boat.

Chasing kingies in the island washes is a good option year-round.

A nice mixed bag caught aboard Coffs Harbour Fishing Charters.

When it comes to stickbaits, you want neutral buoyancy/slow sinking models, and the bigger the better, because kingies are greedy fish. Small

Summer snapper tend to be smaller than winter fish, but they’re still worth targeting.

As well as using the standard paternoster for snapper, it’s a good idea to set up a rod with a midwater floater (i.e. a lightly weighted bait wafting 10-15m off the bottom). We like to run the floater as a spare rod while the clients are fishing the bottom contours and reefs. This

We should see good catches of kingfish in the coming weeks.

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Targeting summer flathead and whiting This month’s beach/estuary Coffs report has been supplied by Darren Ryan from MO Tackle.

On the headlands, there have been a few tailor around in recent weeks, and some nice school jew as well. We are also still seeing quite a few good blackfish around the rocks and some decent bream.

On the beaches, some good whiting are starting to turn up now, and they should only get better as the water warms up. They’ll be a great target in the coming weeks, especially when

the weather is poor. Some reasonable bream are kicking around also, along with a few nice mulloway for those in the know.

In the estuaries, anglers have been catching some good flathead around the lower reaches, and some nice whiting are also starting to push in.

The standard way to catch whiting is with freshly-pumped yabbies, but you can have more fun fishing with surface lures. The standout is still the Bassday Sugapen, and it’s very effective when worked with a steady, stop-start retrieve.

In the estuary, the flatties can be found sunning themselves in the morning up on the flats. Some

good for the really big kings.

The water has been warming up early, which indicates the pelagic season should start early, too.

One of the most popular targets is mahimahi (dolphinfish), with most being caught by trolling lures around flotsam, buoys and FADs, or you can drift baits for them. It’s a lot of fun.

Looking further ahead to January, I expect the dollies, wahoo and billfish to start moving in, and it should be a strong year. There’s lots to look forward to in 2024.

• Coffs Harbour Fishing Charters runs trips for the whole family, and

caters to all skill levels. If you want to catch snapper, pearlies and flathead on the reefs, kingies and mackerel around the islands, or head out wider chasing marlin and mahimahi, we’ll show you how good the fishing is on the Coffs Coast. There’s a variety of charter options to suit every angler, including our newest charter, the Ladies Long Lunch. This fun, ladiesonly charter runs only in really good weather, is catered, and goes from 10am-2om. To find out more about this and other charter options, visit www. coffsharbourfishing.com.au or call Brett on 0459 376 290.

COFFS HARBOUR ESTUARY

Darren Ryan

A Squidtrex vibe was the undoing of this flatty.

Image courtesy of MO Tackle and Outdoors.

nice flatties have been caught lately, including a 92cm fish caught at the recent Urunga Flathead Tournament.

If you’re after a good-size flatty, try throwing large soft plastics or swimbaits on the run-in tide as the fish move up into the flats to feed. The secret is long casts and shallow water; some of these fish are only in a foot of water. One of the standout flatty lures at the moment is the 200mm My Lure Box Soft Glide in white or baby flathead colour.

Upriver, there are a lot of good trevally around, and quite a few

bass as well.

Trout season has been pretty good up the top of the mountain around Ebor, with some good rainbows and browns getting caught in recent weeks.

It’s a great option when you can’t get out offshore.

• MO Tackle is constantly adding new and exciting products to its massive range of fishing, marine and outdoor gear. To see what’s new at MO Tackle, head to www.motackle.com.au or look them up on Facebook at www.facebook. com/motackleandoutdoors.

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Pelagic predators are fired up and on the chew SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Vic Levett

We’ve had pretty ordinary weather of late, with a lot of strong northeasters making it very hard to get out consistently. Thank goodness summer has arrived.

OFFSHORE As expected, the mahimahi have turned up, but not in the numbers we’d hoped for. The average size has been good (around 90cm), but the fishing has been hot and cold. You’ll get good numbers one day, and the next day they’ll be gone. Even when the fish have been present, they have been feeding very cautiously. The best way to entice them has been to use light leader, and fresh, lively baits cast well away from

Mahimahi are a popular target during the holiday season. black marlin run coinciding with the holiday period.

Mackerel, mostly spotties, should start to trickle in by December. Generally, however, these fish don’t really kick into gear until the following months.

Once again, the bottom fishing in around 40-70m has been producing well, with good catches of pearl perch, snapper, and tuskfish. Find the concentrations of baitfish close to the bottom, and the predators won’t be too far away. There have also been plenty of

shallow water flathead, so topwater fishing has been the go of late. Bent Minnows, swimbaits and prawn imitations will all get some attention from these ambush predators. Casting a live herring, which are readily caught using small bait jigs around the wharf structures, is also a great way to target the flatties.

There are still plenty of bream, whiting and small mulloway on offer, with the best baits being nippers and beach worms. Back Creek Wharf and the Tavern area are great land-based options. Try to fish around the change of tides, when the tidal flow is at its slowest.

ROCK AND BEACH Small mulloway, tailor and bream have been in good numbers of late. The biggest problem in targeting them has been the swell, the wind or both. Rock fishing is one of the most dangerous sports, so study the ledge you’re going to fish, and wear appropriate footwear and an inflatable lifejacket. The lifejacket could make all the difference if you get swept into the water. Probably the number one rule, however, is to never fish alone.

The beaches have been producing plenty of dart, whiting and flathead, and you can get good results targeting the corner of headlands or deep gutters. Dawn, dusk and the tide change are the best times to fish the beaches, and local pipis and beach

Hopefully we’ll see plenty of these over Christmas break. the boat. Hopefully, December will see better fishing around the DPI FADs. Kingfish have been relatively consistent, with most fish being legal, and some specimens over 130cm have been caught. However, it’s been tough to get them to bite some days. Their mood is generally dictated by what bait is prevalent on the day. When the small frogmouth pilchards or whitebait are around, the kings are laser-focused on the very small bait, and are harder to tempt. It can be very frustrating watching the kings slurp

fish after fish off the top, and refuse everything you offer them.

It’s a different story when they’re feeding on bigger baits, such as sauries and garfish. Big bust-ups and big stickbaits can deliver very exciting topwater fishing at these times.

There hasn’t been much in the way of marlin or yellowfin tuna lately, with the EAC making fishing around the continental shelf a flowing highway past South West Rocks. Late December will hopefully see the beginning of an inshore

Snapper should bite well in the coming months.

70 DECEMBER 2023

Kari and his daughter Sari caught and released this great king onboard Oceanhunter Sportfishing Charters. blue-spot flathead about as well.

Bonito and small mac tuna should be plentiful from now on. Bonito bled and put on ice make excellent sashimi, while mac tuna make first-class bait for most species.

The Macleay Bar is fairly shallow at the moment, so ensure you take all necessary precautions when crossing. If there’s swell on it, try to avoid the last of the run-out – and if in doubt, don’t go out!

ESTUARY Flathead are the order of the day.

Everywhere from the mouth of the Macleay River to Stuarts Point and well upriver past Smithtown has been producing good numbers of fish. The vast mud flats in the Macleay hold a lot of

worms have been the best baits. Check DPI rules and regs regarding the use of these baits.

I think everyone is getting excited for the summer holidays. Those hot, fishy days are not far away, and some exciting fishing is in store. Hopefully the weather will behave, and we all have a safe and happy Christmas.

• After a fishing charter in South West Rocks? Vic and Zane Levett have spent many years fishing South West Rocks and its surrounding waterways, and have built up an extensive knowledge of species, locations and seasons. To find out more, visit www.oceansportsfishing. com.au, email vic@oceansportsfishing. com.au, or call Vic on 0414 906 569.

Macquarie Coast NSW

FMM

Get out there and catch your Christmas lunch mahimahi. Snapper have been around in reasonable numbers for this time of year, with some nice fish caught down south off Laurieton and Crowdy Head.

A few fantastic mahimahi catches have been reported from the Port Macquarie and Hat Head FADs, with live yakkas and slimy mackerel being the baits of choice. For the game fishing anglers, black marlin should be starting to migrate inshore off Trial Bay Gaol now, along with blue marlin out wider between Hat Head and Port Macquarie.

In the rivers, the lower parts of the Hastings River in Port Macquarie continue to fish very well for bream and flathead. Some great mulloway have also been caught off the break walls, ranging from school size to 20kg+.

There has been plenty of solid whiting activity throughout November in the Macleay River, especially in the Clybucca Creek area.

The mud crab scene is also off to

THE HASTINGS

Kate Shelton

The school holidays are upon us, and Christmas is just around the corner.

Let’s hope for some good summer fishing weather for everyone to enjoy.

Summer brings some of the best local fishing competitions to the Macquarie Coast. First up, there’s the Port Macquarie Game Fishing Club’s 40th Garmin Golden Lure on 5-13 January, 2024 – a fantastic gaming fishing tournament. There is also the Laurieton United Services Club Fishing Bonanza,

November of mulloway down south around the beaches at Diamond Head and North Haven.

For the rock fishing anglers, the best reports have been coming from the northern headlands around South West Rocks and Crescent Head. A few luderick, drummer and the odd large kingfish have been caught in recent weeks.

As we head into summer, we should start to see some pelagic catches off the rocks now that the water is warming up.

Just make sure you take time to prepare some heavy fishing gear, and hang on.

• Kate Shelton is the proud owner of Bay Explorer Marine Services and specialises in making deep-drop fishing rigs for blue-eye trevalla, bar cod, kingfish and bass groper. For more info, look up ‘Bay Explorer Marine Services’ on Facebook and Instagram, or find her store on eBay.

Power for your GOPRO or VIRB from your navigation light socket

Junior Billy Breskal with the flathead that earned him the Biggest Fish title at the Fernhill Tavern Fishing Club.

courtesy of Ned Kelly’s Bait ‘n’ Tackle.

$250 + P&H

GOPRO not included

Greg and his son Jacob with an 18kg mulloway caught on the northern break wall in the Hastings River.

Olly recently had a fantastic time catching trout on a property near Armidale.

a great start, with reports of nice crabs further up in the Macleay River and in the Wilson River – just in time for Christmas lunch.

On the beaches, whiting numbers are improving in those protected corners, with some great fish about. In with the whiting, there are a few nice bream, dart and flathead, especially further north on Gap Beach at South West Rocks. Worms and pipis are the baits of choice. We have also had a few reports throughout

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Damien Rafter (left) and Jason Troy (right) with two mulloway caught in Port Macquarie, weighing a whopping 28kg and 24kg. Image

which is also held in January, and this family-friendly fishing competition is open to all types of fishing. Check out the Port Macquarie Game Fishing Club and LUSC Fishing Club Facebook pages for more information.

For the Macquarie Coast fishing update, offshore pelagic fishing is starting to fire, and anglers who have managed to sneak out to sea in the breaks of the weather have reported some great catches of snapper, kingfish and

DECEMBER 2023 71

NSW

Macquarie Coast

FMM

Getting stuck into some solid summer flatties FORSTER

Luke Austin

The twin towns of Forster and Tuncurry are starting to get a buzz on now as we get closer to the end of the School year and the Christmas holiday break. For many anglers, the warmer months are dominated by the estuary systems, as they are full of activity and hungry predators. The estuaries also offer protection from prevailing winds, and there is always somewhere to fish, regardless of what the day’s weather brings.

At the top of the target list is the mighty flathead, and these fish are definitely the centre of attention in Wallis Lake at the moment. There are loads of flatties getting about, and anglers have been having great sessions all over the system. The better catches still seem to be coming from those areas to the east of Wallis Island, but there are also plenty of fish on offer right up the Wallamba as far as the Discovery Holiday Park and down around Coomba Park.

The areas down around the break walls, bridge and leases you can see from the bridge are holding loads of big fish. Throw some big plastics, hardbodied lures or live baits around these areas and you are almost bound to run into some good fish.

The big tides we’ve been experiencing lately have been perfect for targeting fish on the surface up in the shallow stuff. Big sand whiting and bream love getting up into kneedeep water (or ankle-deep) on big high tides to gorge themselves on prawns, baitfish, crabs and whatever else they can find! Hitting these areas with surface lures between 70-120mm is sure to get some attention. The

Curtis Chalker with a solid summer flatty. action is often non-stop, with big fish lining up to hammer your lure! Just about any shallow flat will be holding these silver speedsters this month, but if you can find areas of broken/ patchy weed, you will find the betterquality fish.

There have been some great reports coming in from around Lani’s Holiday Park, Twin Islands and even down around The Cut, where the Wallamba comes into the main system. Fishing the same areas with a live yabby or bit of beach worm will also yield some great results, and is a much more relaxing way to fish the flats!

The smaller but tastier trumpeter whiting continue to fish really well, with anglers reporting some great

catches. Reaching the bag limit of 20 of these little beauties can be very easy when they’re biting well, so please keep track of how many you’ve caught and the difference between these fish and their bigger relatives, the sand whiting.

lures and small crankbaits.

Reports from the sand and rocks continue to be a bit light on. There are still some nice tailor cruising the gutters down south, along with the odd bream and whiting. You will have to fish early or late to find the tailor, though, as the bite seems to be very short right around dawn and dusk. The stones have been producing some great bream, groper and drummer as well as the odd luderick. For those wanting a bit of fun on light tackle, there are plenty of ‘rat’ kingfish getting about.

The windy conditions at this time of year always make heading offshore frustratingly difficult! Those boats that have managed to sneak out lately have found more than enough fish for a feed.

Snapper have been about in good numbers on the shallow grounds out to about 30m. However, the bite window is fairly narrow so you will have to get out of bed early to get these fish!

The deeper reefs out in 40-80m are holding great mixed bags of species, with some cracking bags of pearl perch being landed, along with trag and snapper. The water locally has come up to about 21-22°C now, with some warmer patches out wide and to the north of us, so there should

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There have been some great bream reports coming through in recent weeks, with Wallis Lake and Smiths Lake both fishing very well.

The balance seems to have finally shifted, and there appear to be more fish now sitting back upriver, where they should be at this time of the year.

The weed beds and flats in the southern half of the system are fishing really well, with fish belting surface

be the odd pelagic getting about.

• 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 to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! Open 7 days in the main street of Tuncurry, ph: 02 6554 9541, or find us on Facebook to see what we have been up to!

Hunter Coast NSW

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Head out early to avoid the wind and crowds CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

What a tumultuous year it’s been, and it’s hard to believe we’re already approaching the end of it. Spring was typically turbulent, with unseasonal heat, some late-season cold snaps and some much-needed rain at times. It’s also been difficult to time a fishing outing with favourable weather, as things have changed from one day to the next.

Generally, though, local fishing has been reasonably good on all fronts, and it should continue on the positive path this month. Flathead and bream have been going well in the lakes and Brisbane Waters. They’re the two main species I’ve been chasing, with mostly good results.

The changeable weather has affected the fish’s behaviour. A good run of fishing can come to a halt when we get a strong, cold, southerly wind and heavy rain, which causes a sudden temperature drop in the water. You can be catching fish in 23°C water, then it suddenly drops

to 17°C, and the fish switch off. In this scenario, my advice is to try a lighter leader, use sinking lures or fresher baits and fish in a slow, methodical sort of way. Also, try to think of where the water could be a bit warmer – perhaps a large sun-warmed bay or closer to the mouth on a making tide, bringing warmer sea water in.

Flathead, bream, and whiting should be pretty much throughout the lakes and Brisbane Waters now. They’re also worth considering in the little coastal lagoons at Terrigal and Avoca. Of course, Terrigal, Avoca and places like The Entrance can be full of people as we move towards the festive season, so you’re better off getting up very early to avoid the crowds. Fish bite best in these places first thing in the morning anyway, so a quick session from about 5:30am until 8am should be perfect.

Of course, there are plenty of spots around the fringes of Brisbane Waters, The Hawkesbury and the lakes that don’t attract crowds and still house fish. So jump in the car, boat or kayak and do some exploring. Even during the peak

Plenty of bream are active around the lakes and Brisbane Waters.

This one was nudging the 40cm mark and took a soft plastic aimed for a flathead. It was released after the photo.

The author with a 55cm flathead taken on a soft plastic. This is a perfect eating-size fish. holiday period, it’s still quite possible to find a nice patch of productive water that you can have all to yourself. You just need to look around.

Crabs and prawns are also a popular target here in summer. Although the situation with the mouth at The Entrance being so narrow and the lack of rain this year tends to make for a poor prawn season, it’s still worth taking a scoop net and light out at night and trying. If you don’t score a feed, you’ll probably still have enough for some fresh bait.

WARM CURRENTS A stream of warm water has been pushing down the coast for a while now, and it’s the sort of situation that may attract marlin and other pelagics a bit earlier than normal. A few keen local anglers normally head to Coffs, Port Macquarie or South West Rocks in December, looking for their first marlin for the season, but this year, there’s a good chance you’ll be finding those fish closer to home. I know South West Rocks gets very warm water and plenty of pelagic predators moving in closer than we normally do here. Still, they also have a river bar to cross and persistent north-easterly winds to contend

with, so it’s not always the exotic angling utopia that people think it is. Ocean access from Terrigal, for example, is a whole lot easier. So consider the home town advantages.

Rock fishing from South Avoca, Terrigal, Norah Head and Munmorah could also produce some early action with bonito and kingfish. I’m reasonably confident we’ll see a few spotted mackerel and cobia turn up this season, but it depends on how the ocean currents and weather unfolds. I’d definitely be getting the gear ready, though!

Local beach fishing should largely be a morning thing this month, once again, due to the typical early summer north easterly winds being very strong later in the day. However, each day is different, so some evenings may be calm enough

A wide range of baits and lures will tempt flathead at this time of year, but it’s hard to beat a soft plastic bounced along the bottom. to fish. Tailor, bream and whiting are the main beach targets, with the odd flathead and tarwhine also around. In the dark hours, mulloway are another option.

So, on the whole, we should be in for a pretty good month of fishing. As I’ve already touched on, some key points to consider are to fish early in the day to avoid wind and crowds, and to keep an eye on the weather and ocean currents.

Stay safe and enjoy the festive season.

Stocking

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Maximise your fun by keeping on the move PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Summer brings with it some amazing fishing in Port Stephens. There are some great fish on offer this month, whether you are inside the bay, outside the heads or fishing off the beach.

The estuary is on fire for a range of species, but the most popular target is the humble dusky flathead. The flatties are making their way downriver to spawn, so this month the bulk of the fish will be found from the mouths of Tilligerry

Some big whiting have been turning up inside the estuary and on the beaches.

and the Karuah River all the way down to Shoal Bay and Jimmys Beach. You can catch them by simply casting out a bait and waiting. However, the most effective method is to actively seek out the fish by covering lots of territory. The best way to do this is by casting soft plastics and hardbody lures around 80-120mm. The trick is to fan an area with casts, then move 10m or so and repeat. If you’re fishing at high tide, try to get right up over the intertidal areas, especially those with mangrove-covered shoreline. As the tide starts to drop, try fishing zones where the fish will drain into, like drop-offs and the mouths of any feeder creeks.

Whiting are another fish that peak in numbers over the summer period. The best places to catch a feed of these tasty buggers are the clear sandy beaches down the front of the system like Jimmys Beach, Corlette, Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and Little Beach. Fish on the high tides using live worms or nippers. You don’t need to cast out very far at all. Remember, light leaders make a huge difference in the clear, shallow water, with 4lb being optimal.

Plenty of bream are being caught around the rock bars and islands around Soldiers Point. Surface lures are highly effective on them at this time of year, and the visual strikes make it an extremely fun

way to fish.

Crabs are also running well, especially blue swimmers. It’s worth dropping a few pots in the front of Pindimar Bay, Tilligerry Creek and Karuah River.

OCEAN BEACH The ocean beaches are holding stacks of big whiting, with gutters along Fingal, Samurai and Stockton all producing. The key to success is quality baits, and whiting love live beach worms and fresh pipi. I like to run a 2-hook paternoster rig with no. 4 long shank hooks, baited with a pipi on one hook and a worm bait on the other. It’s a great way to come home with a mixed bag. Dart, bream and even mulloway are all on the cards when you fish this way.

If you’re keen on having a spin for tailor, Fingal Spit is worth a walk late in the afternoon or early in the morning.

20-40g metals are the perfect size for these fish.

OFFSHORE A few marlin, mainly stripes, have started showing up on the shelf. Boats have been averaging a couple of bites a day. It won’t be long before a few smaller black marlin show up in close, especially if we get an early push of warm water moving in.

The FAD has been producing some

Benji Lennon with his PB flathead. quality dollies around the 10kg mark, although the average size will probably decrease as summer progresses. In years gone by, the bigger fish were caught at the start of the season.

There are plenty of trag and squire on the ocean reefs around Broughton, such as Vee, 21, Looking Glass, Sandbos and Mungo. You also have a good chance of catching a mulloway at this time of year, so send a live bait down just off the bottom while you fish for the other species.

A lot to look forward to as water temps rise SWANSEA

Jason Nunn

As we enter into December, anglers’ minds turn to the bluewater, and over the past month we’ve started to see pelagics come down to our part of the coast. Striped marlin have been seen off the coast, but most have been inside the shelf in around 70 fathoms, avoiding the hard-running east coast current. Hopefully as December progresses, the current will back off a bit, and we’ll start to see marlin and mahimahi turn up in numbers. The water temperature has been hovering around 22-23°C in parts, but it will start to warm up in the coming weeks.

At the time of writing, we have had no reports of mahimahi on any of our coastal FADs, which is to be expected this early in the season. This will probably change in late December/early January, as the warmer water moves into the reefs. Local anglers have been catching good numbers of snapper all spring, mostly on our inshore reefs in depths of 23-35m. Some good trag and mulloway have also been in the mix.

We’ll probably see the trag numbers build as the water starts to warm up.

At the tail end of spring, beach fishers encountered big numbers of salmon (which were around 3-4 months late). Salmon numbers have since decreased, but we are starting to see 74 DECEMBER 2023

more bream, whiting and dart along most of our coastal beaches. Beach worms and tube worms have been working well. Tube worms, in particular, are a great bait for both the beach and the estuary.

Whiting numbers have been consistent on the run-out tide in Swansea channel, on top of Blacksmiths Breakwater. Low tide is a good time to target them. Bear in mind that it can get quite crowded on those nice summer afternoons. The December prawn run will commence on the 7th, so be sure to get out there and catch some of those tasty juvenile eastern king prawns. Each evening, just after dark on the run-out tide, the prawns will start moving downstream. The run will continue for about eight nights from the 7th onwards, and each night it will start around 50 minutes later than the previous night.

The prawn runs have boosted the amount of bream and whiting throughout the Swansea channel area, and there’s been a big increase in squid numbers as well. You can get some good catches of squid early in the morning down in Swansea Channel or up at Marks Point dropover. The squid tend to hole up in these locations during the day, and then move back into the channel system to feed on the prawns during the run.

All spring there have been good catches of kingfish at Swansea Bridge. The size has varied, but it’s been a good run overall. Surface lures such as stickbaits

and poppers have been working well for shore-based anglers. If you’re fishing from a boat, the key to success is using live squid. If you haven’t got live squid, you’re not in the race.

While you’re chasing kingies, remember that anchoring on the eastern side of Swansea Bridge is prohibited.

Using an electric motor or engine in gear is the way to do it.

As December progresses, boat traffic will increase around the Swansea Bridge area, making it sometimes quite difficult to fish. It’s best to fish outside of the heavy traffic areas. The council is currently conducting maintenance/repair work at the Ungala Road ramp, and half of the ramp is locked off. We don’t yet know when the maintenance will finish, so feel free to check in with me at the store to find out what’s happening. I also ramp updates on my weekly YouTube reports (search for ‘Swansea fishing report’ on YouTube).

The main alternative to the Ungala Road ramp is Thomas Humphry Reserve (Coon Island). However, if you have a bigger vessel and want to go out to sea, you’ll need to book a bridge prior to leaving. You can make bridge bookings through Marine Rescue.

Please don’t block the ramp during this busy time, and try to vacate it as quickly as possible.

In the lake itself, the key thing to remember in December is there’s a lot of boat traffic, and the fish can switch off.

Your best option is to fish the edges very early in the morning and late into the evening, to avoid the traffic.

We have good numbers of flathead in the lake at the moment. In the latter part of December, a lot more flatties will be spawning, so be mindful of that. If you catch a big female, avoid lifting her out of the water if you can.

Otherwise, use a big soft net and release her unharmed, so she can lay her eggs.

Remember that flathead now have a slot limit of 36-70cm, and a bag limit of five fish.

A lot of guys will be crabbing in the lake this month. You can still use four witches hats and two round enclosed traps to catch a Christmas feed of blue swimmers. Mulloway numbers have remained consistent, with quite a few being caught after dark by those anglers prepared to put the time in. Live or fresh squid is the key. There are still good numbers of kingfish throughout the lake, and my tip in December is to source live squid or live yellowtail, and send them down with a downrigger.

Remember that hot temperatures on land tend to result in strong northeasterly winds. As well as lowering the water temperatures, strong nor’easters can make conditions hazardous for bar crossings, particularly on the run-out tide. The pressure waves during the run-out tide can be from the heads all the way out to Moon Island.

Hunter Coast NSW

FMM

Stick with big baits to catch the big fish

Mulloway should be on the beaches this month but, as always, the tax man will be about. This one went 13kg with its back half missing. The sharks got two fish before this one, so half a fish is better than none.

by bream and tailor, resist the temptation to target these smaller predators with smaller baits. Persist in your goal of catching a mulloway – you have to think big to catch big. The only time you scale down is to catch bait, particularly tailor.

Most beaches along the coast with a good deep gutter are worth a look this month, particularly Windang Beach, as the entrance to the lake is a jewie magnet.

Any good gutter after dark is worth a try.

Don’t be disappointed if you don’t score fish straight away, as big jewies are a waiting game. Once you put all the pieces together and get that first good fish, many more will usually follow.

If you would rather scale down and chase smaller fish, there are school jewies about, particularly on the northern beaches, plus tailor after dark and salmon in the early mornings. Throw in good amounts of flathead and some bream, and there is plenty of action.

If you want to grab some beach worms, the whiting are starting to really make their mark, with fair to good catches on most beaches.

There is some great fishing in the lake at the moment, and it will only get better over the coming weeks. Flathead seem to be everywhere, and some of them are trophy fish. A few 80cm+ flatties have been caught lately, which is excellent when you consider that 70cm fish have usually been classed as big fish for the lake.

The tidal influence has made the entrances to most creeks very shallow, even at half tide. If you do manage to get into the creeks, there are still some nice bream about. Although they will take lures, you can’t beat a live prawn. Live prawns fished into the snags under a very small float will beat lures 20 to 1.

There are also some big mullet on offer. Just take a bit of bread up the creeks, tie up to a tree in some of the deeper parts, and lay out a trail of bread on the falling tide.

Back down in the main channel, there are plenty of chopper tailor about, and even a few nice trevally around the bridge to keep the kids amused.

Minnamurra really starts to fire this month, with flatties over its entire length, and bream and the odd trevally around

Lifejackets must be worn at all times when crossing and re-entering the bar, and if you’re unsure whether it’s safe to head out, contact Marine Rescue. The good news is, if it’s too rough to fish the bluewater, there are plenty of other fishing options to keep you busy in December.

Looking ahead to January, we should have good things to report on the rock fishing front. We should see some bonito in close, and other targets like kingfish should be available as well.

Merry Christmas from everyone at Fisherman’s Warehouse, and I’ll see

you next year.

• Fisherman’s Warehouse Tackle World has a large range of fresh and frozen bait and a huge range of rods, reels, lures and accessories. They also sell and service outboard motors, and have a competitively-priced selection of new and second-hand boats. The friendly staff are all experienced local anglers, and they’re always happy to share their knowledge, whether you’re a novice or experienced angler. Drop in for a chat at 804 Pacific Highway, Marks Point, or call them on (02) 4945 2152. You can also find them on Facebook, or check out their website at www.fishermanswarehouse.com.au.

ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

Over the years, December has produced a lot of great fish off the local beaches. If you want to land a big jewfish from the beach, this is the month to do it.

Success all depends on the tides. If you fish a high tide (preferably one better than 1.7m) just after dark, you are in business. Most open beaches with a bit of surf and a deep gutter will hold fish at some time over the month, but the skill is knowing when.

Fresh, big baits are the way to go, particularly if they are alive. If you catch a tailor early in the evening, send it straight back out. It doesn’t matter how big it is; just put a hook in it and let it swim back out. Even if it stays in close, that’s OK because the jewies are often right in the shorebreak just on dark.

If you can’t manage a live bait or even freshly-caught baits, you may have to buy some. Fresh squid, tailor, whiting, mackerel, yellowtail and blackfish make great baits.

If your baits are being picked to pieces

The school mahimahi should start to get around the FADs this month, and they’ll get better as summer progresses. the bridges. Whiting and even a small salmon or two can be found down around the entrance, particularly on the big tides this month. The best baits are worms and nippers.

If you are using live poddy mullet for flatties, particularly further up the river, you may get a big run that tears line off the reel at an incredible rate, before you get busted up. The culprit won’t always be a monster flathead. Some huge eels live around the weed beds and up in the mangroves, and they tend to come out late in the afternoon and in the evening.

They can be over 10kg, so that next big run could be Mr Slippery. All in all, with the backwaters warming over the coming weeks, the estuary scene looks great for the kids and the start of the Chrissie holidays.

December is a strange month on the rocks, with water temperature fluctuations causing havoc. You can get into some great surface action with kings, bonito, salmon, and tuna in 23°C water one day, and the next day, it will be 15°C, and you’ll catch nothing. It’s a lottery, but the good days are worth it with big kings on the deeper ledges down south around Kiama. Live squid and slimy mackerel are the gun baits, followed by yellowtail and small salmon.

A few mackerel tuna could show up this month, and from now on, it is shark time, with hammerheads often taking a liking to your hard-earned livies.

There are still trevally about if you berley heavily with bread and tuna oil, and fish pilchard pieces in the trail.

While bream are not swarming, there are enough about if you fish light with prawns around the shallow washes. Just be prepared for a few bust-ups when a big drummer shows up. Windang Island should be a prime spot for most species this month, particularly at night, with the lake pouring out prawns and baitfish on the run-out tide.

Offshore, temperature fluctuations will cause havoc, with water temps as low as 16°C. This trend often lasts into January, making the fishing patchy. The water should warm at the end of the month, and we could see the first of the black marlin show up. However, it

will more likely be striped marlin over the next few weeks out in the waters of 50-plus fathoms.

There have been yellowfin about, but they have been patchy, with schools showing up on the shelf for a day, then disappearing for a few days, then showing up again. It’s very hit-and-miss. Most fish have been falling for trolled lures, but you should always carry a few packs of pilchards. When you’ve hooked a fish on your lure, toss a handful of pillies over the back while fighting your fish. The pillies can bring the whole school up to the back of the boat, and nothing is more exciting than that.

A few striped tuna have been about, and mixed in with them have been a scattering of albacore. Some of the albies have been up to 10kg, while others have been as small as a kilo, and don’t even turn the reel. Sharks are on the increase. Just about all species are on offer this month, with increasing numbers of whalers, hammers and tigers heading into January.

The FADs should see a few more school dolphinfish start to gather over the coming weeks. With water temps fluctuating, it could be feast or famine depending on the day. In closer, there is plenty of surface action as salmon, kings, bonito and even a few striped tuna terrorise the baitfish population. Small lures cast into the churning schools will keep you busy for hours.

The islands and Bass Point have been producing kings on a reliable basis, and this will continue through summer. Live baits are the key, as usual, either drifted or slow-trolled downrigged around the peaks and drop-off areas. You should see them on the sounder, or you can look for bait schools and work your offering around these areas.

Like last month, the deeper reefs will have fish down deep so dropping live baits to the bottom and lifting them a few metres will get strikes. Don’t forget to keep a spinning outfit ready for when you hook up, and cast a big soft plastic out behind the fish being landed. This way, you can pick off any mates that may be with the hooked fish. Big knife jigs worked at high speed while waiting for a live bait to get eaten will enhance your prospects, DECEMBER 2023 75

NSW

Batemans Coast

FMM

The marlin could arrive here for Christmas BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

Imagine this: marlin inside the shelf, mahimahi all over the FADs, kings along our reef ledges, whiting on our beaches, bream and flatties in our estuaries and prawns in our lakes. Sounds too good to be true? Well, not if you live on the South Coast of NSW. This region is what dreams are made of, especially if you’re a fisho.

When the warm, blue water of the Eastern Australian Current pushes down the coast, it brings many gifts with it.

Some of these gifts have arrived earlier than usual; we’ve already had quite a bit

and live baits are age-old methods of catching yourself a beak face. Not much has changed in marlin fishing in recent years, except the growing importance of teasers, such as hookless Mold Crafts, daisy chains, Witchdoctors and dredges.

They have become an integral part of marlin fishing.

Marlin love a show out the back of your boat, and the more spectacular the show, the more attendees. Now, ‘spectacular’ doesn’t necessarily mean big; it just means a well-presented spread of shiny, colourful things. If you were to put out just one teaser, you would put out a dredge with shiny fish stripes, which looks like a bait ball once in the water.

You don’t need the biggest one out there;

We’ve had an exceptional run of snapper for years now.

Dunny caught this cracker on a soft plastic. of momentum with currents throughout winter and spring. So, already there have been quite a few marlin catches along our coast since June – a surprise to the anglers out chasing tuna – and we should see good numbers of marlin by Christmas.

Dragging skirted lures, skip baits,

smaller ones can be as effective as larger ones. Obviously, bigger teasers are easier to manage with bigger boats.

Teasers can be run from corners or outriggers, and the line connected to it can be cord or heavy mono that is reeled onto a reel or electric reel.

and attract any fish nearby.

There are still a few snapper about, particularly for those anglers with fresh tuna or mackerel baits. While most snapper are only 1-2kg, a few up to 6kg have come in for those anglers who have persisted in deeper water. Jigs and plastics have been working too, but you can lose a lot of your lures when the leatherjackets and barracoota get active.

Flathead are popular at this time of the year. They are hitting their straps right now, with some nice fish coming from the northern sands up around Stanwell Park and Coalcliff, and out off Port Kembla Beach. Bag limits of good lizards are the norm towards the end of December, provided you can get past the leatherjackets, which still seem to be a persistent pest.

If you stray onto the reefs, a good variety of fish is available. Mowies are still on tap, along with small snapper, trevally, samsonfish, quite a few pigfish

and of course leatherjackets, sweep and the odd teraglin.

Finally, the raging topic at the moment is wind turbines, which are proposed to be placed everywhere off our coast from Stanwell Park to Gerroa. Apart from the visual pollution, its massive impact on migrating shearwaters and other birds will be horrific. Bird kills on the land from wind turbines are well documented, so imagine the toll on the mutton birds as they migrate down our coast in their hundreds of thousands.

Then there is the access issue – there will be an exclusion zone that boats can’t enter.

The turbines will be quite close together, so we might not have access to most of the coast or be able to travel past them – unless we use a corridor provided for large ships to enter and leave Port Kembla harbour, and that will be it. So, there’s a lot to think about if you like to head to sea for a fish.

That’s it for another year. Merry Christmas!

76 DECEMBER 2023

However, the best way to present and organise your teaser, especially on a small boat, is to run through a teaser bar that goes into a rod holder on the gunwale.

The bar sticks out from the boat enough to run the teaser between the outrigger and the short corner. This gives the teaser its own lane out of the way of everything, and you can let it run out and tie it off on the cleat on the teaser bar. Easypeasy. Then, when you run a skip bait off the outrigger, the bait is well presented, skipping a couple of metres right behind the teaser. When you want to bring it in, you untie it from the cleat, pull the cord through the pulley, and tie it off at the cleat again when the teaser is next to the boat.

WHAT’S BITING The FADs are all deployed now, and with the currents already favourable, I expect mahimahi and kingfish to be present this December. The action should only get better as the month progresses.

To get started, drive north of the FAD, turn your engine off and drift south past the FAD. As you pass, send out your livie, bait, jig, hardbody, soft plastic or metal.

It doesn’t matter what your bait/lure is as long as you drift past quietly – especially if there are other boats performing the same approach. If the fish are down a bit, sometimes a bit of berley can spice things up.

Once you drift past and away, turn your engine on and drive out wide and around the FAD so you don’t push fish down. Head north of the FAD again for another drift past.

Kingfish will be found out at FADs or pretty much any structure this month, including our Islands, headlands and ledges. From December onwards, they will become more and more prominent along our coast as the warm, blue waters pour down. Although the kings are plentiful, they have been on the smaller side, with the larger ones more north or south of us. The bigger fish have been quite elusive here over the years. Occasionally, we’ll see some decent ones turn up at land-based spots like Snapper Point or Pretty Point, but not often. Still, if you get the timing right, you could get lucky.

Live baits are the most consistent way to catch kings. True, when the kings are on, they’ll take many different lures, but often they can be extremely fussy.

Rock ledges will still have the usual suspects this month, including salmon, tailor, trevally, bream, grouper and drummer. On a good day, you may even encounter a snapper or two.

Our beaches have had patchy schools of salmon and tailor in recent weeks.

Bream, flatties, trevally and so forth have also been quite patchy along the beaches, as we keenly wait for the whiting to turn on. Let’s hope Santa will deliver them to us. We will be waiting with beachworms and nippers, which are the whiting’s favourite baits. Once they do arrive and enter our lakes and rivers, you can catch

Here’s hoping we’ll get plenty of glamour days like this during summer. The vessel Frigate knows when to take days off work. them on a surface lure with a constant retrieve.

Christmas has come early in our estuaries, with plenty of bream on the chew and some great flathead catches.

It’s good to see that the systems are still healthy, with plenty of large breeders being caught and released.

Juvenile mulloway are still plentiful, as they have been for a few years, and now we are seeing a good run of larger models as well. Many jewies have been getting caught throughout the night with live yakkas from boats, jetties and so on. Fresh baits like mullet and garfish, along with some berley, work well also, especially when the squid have been hard to get.

Upstream, the bass have been coming on slowly and steadily, and it’s looking like a good season ahead for them. One of the good things about bass is that they are not too fussy, and will take most things on any given day. Frogs rigged with weedless hooks have been a special favourite, although hardbody surface bugs are working well too, with all the cicadas around. Everyone loves tying on a surface lure.

Prawns have started to run in our lakes, and although it’s not looking like a bumper season, it should be pretty good. Mud crabs and blue swimmer crabs might make it for Christmas, with a few around of late.

I can’t believe it’s Christmas time already, but it feels that way with a new shiny fishing mag to read, and some good fishing on offer.

• Anthony Stokman is the owner of Compleat Angler Batemans Bay, your one-stop shop for tackle, bait and valuable advice on how to catch more fish. The crew are always happy to chat about what’s been biting and where, so drop in and say hi. You can find them at 17 Clyde Street, Batemans Bay, or give them a call on (02) 4472 2559.

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NSW

Eden Coast

FMM

Early summer good sign for offshore and inshore BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

This year, summer arrived early, and the warming waters have been good for the fishing, both inshore and offshore. Sadly, it is looking a bad fire season, with fires already impacting the Bermagui area, burning several thousand hectares.

Thankfully, the town was left untouched. As Maxwell Smart would

say, “missed it by that much!”

Unfortunately, a lot of the estuary systems within our area like Wallaga, Barragoot and Cuttagee Lakes are all closed to the ocean. With no tidal influence bringing in fresh fish stocks, or ocean waters entering the systems and refreshing them, these lakes will be difficult to fish.

Those waterways that are open to the ocean, like the Bermagui River, Wapengo Lake, Nelsons Lagoon and the Bega River are fishing their heads

off. All the regular species like bream, whiting, flathead, trevally, luderick, jewfish plus many more are all on the chew, providing plenty of action for anglers.

And it’s not all bad news for those lakes that are closed to the ocean, as many of them are holding good stocks of prawns. It’s great for those of us who like a bit of night-time activity, and a feed of fresh, tasty prawns.

For those who like a bit of freshwater action, there is Brogo

Dam, which is fully stocked with bass and estuary perch. This season has been producing some very large bass, with the best times being early in the morning or late in the afternoon going into the night.

Out on the briny there is plenty more fishing to be had. The close reefs, slightly southeast of Bermagui, are easily accessible for an early morning fish before the winds come up. There are many reasonable snapper hanging around them,

Left and right: In just one morning this brother and sister team accounted for 30 odd bream and luderick.

Plenty of action for boaters and LB fishers from this structure, and provide plenty of action, entertainment and bait for future excursions. Mixed in you will encounter slimy mackerel, which cause havoc when they turn up in large schools, attacking just about every bait that hits the water, and tangling lines beyond repair.

Trevally will also be around, along with garfish, which are becoming more numerous each day.

Closer to the rocks, luderick can be seen turning on their sides as they graze on the rocky vegetation, and they can be caught on cabbage weed baits.

With the use of some heavier gear and sinkers, long casts fished on the bottom

TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Out at sea from Tathra, most forms of fishing are consistently good. Out from Bournda in 50m of water, you can catch some sizeable tiger and sand flathead, with the odd shark or red gurnard thrown in.

For those wishing to target reef fish, snapper and morwong are abundant east of Aragunnu, or Goalen Head north, in a variety of depths. The northeast trade winds will give anglers a chance at catching some sand flathead out from Wapengo as they head home.

Game fishing is also hotting up, with plenty of schools of tuna around. Most of them are yellowfin and stripies, with the odd albacore thrown in. Following them are sharks, mainly makos, with the odd whaler or hammerhead making an early appearance.

Marlin have also started to show their beaks. Most of them are stripes at this stage, and the wider you go, the better.

Only a few years ago, hardy any recreational anglers used electric reels.

Now, most boats that venture out wide have them aboard. The results have been interesting, to say the least. Those anglers fishing the deep trenches out beyond the Continental Shelf have 78 DECEMBER 2023

out from the northeast corner of the Wharf will often account for a nice bag of sand flathead. It’s not very sporting, perhaps, but effective for the table.

At night, tailor will patrol the edges of the lights shining on the ocean, and will fall victim to a well-presented strip of yellowtail. Larger baits fished on the bottom should account for the occasional gummy shark, skate or ray.

With the warming water, pelagics will start harassing the bait schools, giving anglers the chance of catching them on lures or live baits. These species may include salmon, kingfish, bonito, sharks, other tuna species,

Wrestling in a couple of offshore flatties – does it get any better? been encountering those expensive, tasty blue-eye trevalla, ling, cod and gemfish.

Also on the cards are yellowfin tuna, sharks and even those ghosts of the ocean: the mighty broadbill.

Now let’s look at what’s on offer at Tathra Wharf this summer, starting with the smaller species. Yellowtail scad (yakkas) are the most common capture

There are many species of estuary fish available in the Bega River.

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FMM

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and you can also encounter morwong, pigfish and nannygai, with a few mid-size kingfish also getting into the act.

Around the fringes, or further out over the gravely, sandy areas, tiger flathead are very prevalent. Most anglers have been able to catch a good bag of this tasty fish in very little time. There are also sharks to be found in these areas in the form of gummies or small whalers, so once you have your bag of flatties, deploy some larger baits to try and find the sharks.

Up at Montague Island, kingfish catches are improving. Although most of the kingies are small (just undersize), there’s the odd better fish mixing in to keep anglers’ interests high. A few bonito are also starting to show up, along with the smaller frigate mackerel.

Out wider, towards and beyond the Continental Shelf, various tuna species are arriving for the game fishers. Yellowfin, albacore, stripies and the occasional big-eye or southern bluefin tuna are always a possibility.

Lures are the way to go at present, as they allow you to cover more water to find the fish. Try running a mix of both swimming and surface lures, to work out what the fish want on

the day. This will give you the best chance of catching an early season billfish. Signs indicate it may be a good gamefishing year, but the only way you’ll find out if the marlin have turned up is to be out there.

Finally, I would just like to wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. See you in 2024.

and every one’s dream: a marlin from the shore.

On the beaches, whiting are in good numbers and they’re being taken on worms with light tackle consistently.

expect some reasonable shark fishing around the moon.

The Bega River is in great shape, with a host of species only too willing to chew.

Those anglers throwing a lure or two

INTUITIVE CONTROL

NSW MERCURY DEALERS The prawns are active and so are the flatties.

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Salmon are a popular beach target.

The best area is the main beach adjacent to the mouth of the Bega River. There have been plenty of bream mixed with the whiting, as well as some very large sand mullet. Most beaches are holding good stocks of salmon, providing plenty of action. At night you can

9

will no doubt encounter flathead, bream, tailor, estuary perch, the odd jewfish, or a bass further up the system. If you prefer to fish with bait, you can encounter those species already mentioned, along with others like luderick, whiting and mullet.

To all our readers, have a happy and safe festive season, with many a tight line.

DECEMBER 2023 79

NSW

Freshwater

FMM

All geared up for cracking summer sessions NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

December is always a fun and exciting time of year in the New England area, with the holiday season just around the corner, and the Murray cod season starting back up again after their 3-month spawn period. As of 1 December, all creeks

impoundments, casting the banks in the shallower water can be the most productive approach in the hotter months. Many insects, lizards, shrimp, crayfish, frogs and smaller baitfish such as fry are abundant and mostly living along the edges.

Replicating those baits, and fishing in the cooler, low-light periods where the bait becomes dormant, can really increase your chances of finding a big

Murray cod season is re-opened! Time to pull the big gear back out and get into some beautiful native fish again!

The creeks and rivers have been fishing well. This chunky New England redfin ate a small 1/4oz spinnerbait. and rivers have re-opened and all species can be actively targeted.

The Perch species are schooling up and are always a joy to target in the hotter months and with the trout and Bass seasons also now being open, it makes for a lot of fun fishing opportunities, even the carp are in good numbers of late and are awesome fun on light gear too. It is just a matter of getting out and making the most of your time.

A lot of keen anglers have been getting the big cod gear out, ready to hit the rivers. I’m sure if everyone has done the right thing while the Murray cod were spawning, we should be in for another cracking season for these big green natives.

Although we are currently dealing with much harsher and drier conditions than this time last year, the cod can be very strong and can handle the lower water levels.

However, with the extreme heat, it’s important to look after your catch and keep the cod in the water as much as you can, to maximise their chances of survival. Murray cod are known to suffer from barotrauma, so those fish caught in deep water can be less resilient than fish caught in shallower water.

If you’re fishing the larger 80 DECEMBER 2023

Murray cod or golden perch.

Fishing topwater and sub-surface lures in the darker periods can be very fruitful in the warmer months, as the bigger predatory fish take advantage of the extra activity from the bait life milling around on the surface. You only have to pay attention to how

many cicadas, Christmas beetles and even ducklings to see why surface fishing can be so good during summer.

I would also recommend a decent swimbait, chatterbait and even a solid spinnerbait around the 1oz mark to have in the tacklebox, to change things up when other lures and techniques aren’t producing the goods.

The moon phases will play a big role when it comes to targeting the native fish, so it’s worth putting in your calendar. The new moon will fall earlier on in the month, on 13 December, with the full moon building up over Christmas week, being above on the 27th.

The dam levels are a lot lower than at this time last year. On the upside, this creates more camping spots, but there’s a negative effect as well – the dam has soft edges. These

soft edges can be deceiving so double check where you plan to unload/ load the boat to save yourself getting bogged. Also, be extra careful when boating around, because old structure

This beautiful buck rainbow trout is a perfect example of the quality fish in the New England area.

It’s hard to beat spending time on the river banks at this time of year chasing the iconic Murray cod.

such as rocky points and trees could be just below the surface.

At the time of writing this report, the dam levels are as follows: Copeton Dam - 84%, Pindari Dam - 72%, Chaffey Dam - 96%, Lake Keepit 81%, and Split Rock Dam - 97%.

Good luck to all getting out on the water this month and fingers crossed for some good rainfall to help with all these bushfires the country is dealing with of late.

Tight lines!

Freshwater NSW

FMM

Forget Christmas, it’s happy cod season!

ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

Yep, finally 1 December has come around which only means one thing – and no, it’s not the Christmas countdown! It’s the cod season opening, and this season is shaping up to be epic!

it any other way?

Summertime is always an excellent time to catch numbers of cod, especially in small water systems.

While a lot of the cod you’ll catch will be smaller fish, it’s still good fun to go out and catch as many as you can. While you’re doing this, you’ll learn about where they are sitting, lure selection, and depth they are

A small water trout cod caught out of the kayak.

This kind of fishing is very addictive. fish, and it’s fun to fish for them when the water is clear and flowing at a good level. We have seen our local creeks, rivers and lakes clear up a lot

options around.

This summer is shaping up to be super hot, so remember to stay hydrated while kayaking or making

A healthy summertime cod from a previous cod opening. Hopefully we’ll see a lot of fish like this one in season 23/24!

There’s something truly magical about these fish, which are captivating and addictive to target. From sussing out areas to fish on Google Earth, to playing around with gear while we aren’t fishing, cod absorb a great amount of our lives. And who’d want

attacking a lure. In past summers, I’ve had all-day topwater bites from Murray cod, just by casting into shade pockets where they feel confident enough to feed.

Fishing smaller bodies of water really does show the wild side to these

It’s not always about catching fish.

A solid Lake Hume Murray cod.

lately, which is great. It’s been quite some time since it’s been like this, so it’s very exciting for cod anglers.

There are no obvious ‘hot spots’ to hit this month, because any body of water within our region has great potential to provide some awesome fishing, whether that be the Ovens River, the Murray River, Mitta River, Kiewa River, King River, or even a lake such as Lake Mulwala. We truly are spoiled to have so many

long treks along the rivers. Watch out for snakes, too.

As always, persistence is key with Murray cod. Some days the fish will smack anything that goes past, while on other days they’ll completely shut down and refuse everything you throw at them. Still, at this time of year, with a bit of effort you should get at least a few fish on each session.

So, get out there, fish hard, and good luck!

DECEMBER 2023 81

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FMM

Hoping for better conditions for trout in summer HUNTER VALLEY

Nick Price

This month, I will look at surface fishing for bass. I categorise bass surface lures into three main types: cicada, walker and very noisy types.

The noisy types, like the Whopper Poppers travel across the surface and make a big noise while travelling fast.

Bass love them. During the mouse plague, these lures were the most productive option on both lakes. They are also a great lure for covering lots of water.

Walking-style lures, such as Taylor Mades, are also very popular, particularly early in the morning and at night. They walk slowly across the top and induce lots of bass strikes.

Most Taylor Mades are still wooden and made in Australia, and have been specifically designed and built for our Aussie fish.

A big fat yellowbelly from Glenbawn.

Cicada-style lures are my personal favourite, particularly the Tiemco Soft Shell Cicadas. They hit the water in a special way that mimics a real cicada.

Once your lure is on the water, let it sit and wait for the ripples to disperse.

Then shake your lure, make more ripples and let the ripples stop before starting the retrieve. The trick with cicada-style lures is to be patient!

The most productive times are early in the morning, late in the evening and at night, but don’t be afraid to fish surface all day. If the fish are hanging in the weed during the middle of summer, they will take a well-presented cicada lure at any time of the day. This is a great technique for Lake St Clair.

TROUT AND CARP There are many carp in Glenbawn, and fishing with worms or corn should produce the results you’re after. There are lots of big carp touching 1m long and 15lb, and these fish are incredibly fun to catch. Many people have

Cod are keen to eat whatever comes their way BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

Summer is here, and it’s time to break out the big gear and start chasing some big Murray cod.

Other than Blowering Dam, which is a year-round fishery, Murray cod have a closed season during spring, which is why 1 December is such an important day in cod anglers’ books.

The Murray cod season opens just after they have spawned, so

like soaking a big juicy wood or bardi grub. Most Murray cod can’t swim past those without having a taste.

Trolling with large to extra-large sized lures, particularly after dark, is another way of hooking into a few Murray cod at the beginning of the season. If you’re addicted to casting lures (Iike I am), you’ll fare best casting to visible structure during the day. Long, searching casts along likely-looking banks are the go when you’re fishing after dark. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, large lipless crankbaits, vibes, swimbaits, glidebaits and soft

While fishing at Blowering Dam, Grant Higginson netted three goldens at once – one hooked fish, and two hungry followers.

The hooked fish was 58cm, and other two were 63cm and 62cm. You can see footage on Grant’s YouTube channel.

Grant Higginson with some of the golden perch he landed on lures during a hot session at Blowering Dam recently. they’re generally pretty hungry and keen to eat just about anything that comes close to their lair. Most techniques will work this month, 82 DECEMBER 2023

plastics are all worth a shot, and it’s up to you to change things up to work out which lure or colour works best on the day.

GOLDEN PERCH There will still be good numbers of golden perch about this month, and they will make up a lot of the bycatch for anglers chasing their bigger cousins. If you want to specifically target golden perch this month, stick with smaller lures less than 70mm long. Try casting into and around drowned timber that’s not too far away from deep water. Jigging with bait or lures in these spots, or just trolling back and through these spots, should see you hooking into a few fish.

Golden perch can still be in large schools at this time of year, so if you catch one golden there’s a

good chance there will be more in that spot. If you’re trolling, turn back around and continue to troll through that area. If you’re casting, keep casting to that general area and if you’re bait fishing, obviously don’t move on after catching a fish.

A lot of people will leave after catching a fish, but this is a mistake.

Regardless of whether there’s a school, the disturbance created by a hooked golden can attract attention from fish that are further away, and they’ll often move in to see whether there’s something to eat.

REDFIN Blowering Dams’ resident redfin generally spread out

Freshwater NSW

FMM been out chasing them with the bow, and there are lots of reports of cricket score catches.

The trout fishing in the Upper Hunter has been difficult due to low

A nice golden caught off the bank. during the warmer months, but surprisingly they don’t take much finding. Instead of being concentrated in tight schools in small, deep areas of the lake, they are now everywhere from the shallow margins of the dam all the way through to 50ft of water.

Trolling a few lures around is always a good way of locating schools of fish. Then, for best results it pays to pull up once you find a school and start casting or jigging small lures like spinners, plastics, lipless crankbaits, vibes, ice jigs or blades.

The bigger redfin nearly always hold in deeper water than the smaller, easier to catch redfin do.

These large fish schools can be located by trolling small, extradeep diving hardbodies, or soft plastics rigged on heavy jigheads. If you have the aid of a good sounder you don’t really need to troll to

water levels. The trout streams have stopped in places, and the trout have been restricted to the pools. If things don’t change, we will see deaths in the lower reaches. This would be a shame as there are many trout over 40cm, both brown and rainbows. The trout have already been visibly impacted, and look skinny. To make matters worse, there are many carp in the trout streams at the moment, competing with the trout for food. So, if you’re after a trout, go fishing sooner rather than later.

Most of the trout are being caught on traditional Rapala cranks for pools, Celta-style bladed lures for faster water, and fly. The trout will usually take surface flies like the good old red tag all day, but if they are a bit tentative then a pheasant-tailed nymph will usually entice them. With low water levels, the trout are very spooky, and stealth is needed when approaching the pools and runs where the trout reside.

Looking ahead, the bass start to go deep in January, so in the next issue that’s what I will focus on, along with

We desperately need rain to keep the streams flowing all summer. carp. Although carp are considered a noxious pest in Australia, they are a sought-after sportfish in other parts of the world, and there’s no denying they go hard! The Glenbawn Family Carp Muster will be held on February 24, so that’s a date for your diary.

The trout fishing has been sensational this season, with good numbers of beautifully coloured trout.

• If you’re heading up to the Barrington, Glenbawn, Hunter River 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. We stock all the quality tackle that you need.

River and some of the smaller creeks in the area so far this season. The best technique to use depends on the flow rates and amount of rain we’ve had. Conditions have been variable, so it’s safe to say that no matter your preferred trout fishing technique, you’ve had conditions that suited you at some stage already.

Things might have slowed slightly since the unbelievable fishing we had at the opening of the season, but there are still massive numbers of goodsized fish on offer. Now that they’ve had some serious fishing pressure, they will be much easier to spook, so you need to be stealthy. If you wear dull clothes that blend in with your surroundings, and approach the water

find fish; simply cruise over any likely-looking areas whilst keeping a close eye out for schools on your sounder, and then start fishing with

Redfin will be back in range of land-based anglers this month, taking bait, lures or flies from the bank.

From 1 December, anglers can target Murray cod anywhere they like.

your preferred technique.

TUMUT RIVER As expected, there have been a lot of good-sized fish caught in the Tumut

slowly and quietly, you will increase your chances of hooking a few trout.

Until next month, good luck, good fishing and tight lines.

DECEMBER 2023 83

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FMM

Signs are all pointing to a good season ahead CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

Cod season 23/24 is here, and it’s shaping up to be one of the best yet. The lakes and rivers have well and truly settled, and the long dry period will keep our waterways clear for months to come.

really well. I love fishing LBG through the summer months because it’s possible to catch the trifecta (redfin, golden perch and cod) in a single session using the same lure. The fish all tail each other around the lake, so if I catch a reddie, I stick to the same spot and keep casting. Often I’ll then catch a yella and, if I’m fishing during low light periods, I might hook a cod as well.

The bass fishing has been exceptional in recent weeks.

Sam Hancox with a nice Googong yellowbelly.

I finished cod season 22/23 with a 97cm specimen that took a liking to a swimbait fished almost like a plastic, with a distinct ‘hop and pause’ retrieve. I think mixing things up and presenting new techniques and lures to the cod is the best way to connect with a big fish in the opening weeks of the campaign.

The other thing I try to do is avoid other anglers. Unfortunately, this is becoming increasingly difficult in

Summer means bream off the rocks.

Canberra due to the increased popularity of cod fishing, coupled with new housing developments that are encroaching on the river corridor. Where once I would rarely see a footprint all cod season, I now see dozen of prints almost every time I visit some of my old fishing haunts.

Sadly, I think land-based cod fishing will become too difficult soon, as the fish will wise up in heavily-fished areas, and will become almost impossible to catch. In the meantime, I’ll keep heading out in search of another metre fish off the top. Good luck everyone.

LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin has been fishing 84 DECEMBER 2023

The Jackall Doozer is my pick of the lures for fishing LBG this month because it appeals to all three species.

Also, because it can be fished close to the surface or down the bottom, it can be used in a variety of locations. I like to start by fishing underneath Kings Ave Bridge and Commonwealth Ave Bridge before moving over to the entrance to the Molonglo. This area is quite deep, but the goldens do push up to hunt yabbies and baitfish next to the rock wall. The cod tend to sit just off the rock wall.

If you’re fishing from a boat or kayak, head over to the area around 5m off the Governor General’s wharf. This area holds big schools of redfin, and where there are big schools of redfin, there are also solitary golden perch and big cod sitting just off the school, waiting for one of the smaller fish to make a mistake.

Lake Tuggeranong has also been fishing well. While not producing the same number of fish as LBG, the fish caught are of significant size, and it’s great to see the lake bouncing back after a slow winter period. The larger golden perch like to sit a few metres off the points, and

can be targeted using Ecogear ZX blades hopped along the middle of the water column. One lucky angler caught a 58cm yella and went on to hook another three of similar size, all in the same afternoon.

The carp have also been chasing lures, and will take a ZX blade in Dark Knight colour, or a soft plastic fished along the sandy edges at Greenway.

The cod have been hitting surface during low light periods. I run around

Cod season 23/24 should be a cracker.

The humble Ecogear ZX blade is hard to beat.

Lake Tuggeranong every now and then, and have on several occasions witnessed cod hitting small ducks off the surface.

The dam wall is the best place to fish surface for a big green fish.

Lake Ginninderra is starting to fire up. The lake has not been fishing to the same level as Lake Tuggeranong or LBG, but I have caught plenty of small redfin right around the edges of the lake in recent weeks, and witnessed several anglers land nice golden perch at the first point opposite the playground at

There are some big redfin about at the moment.

Diddams Close. I often use creaturestyle plastics through winter and spring when fishing Lake Ginninderra, but have started fishing wriggler plastics in recent weeks. That’s because the fish are really dialled in on mosquito fish, and an 80mm Wriggler best mimics this prey.

If you’re after a cod, try the dam wall at dusk, or cast surface lures and spinnerbaits out from the wharves which run from Diddams Close around to the bridge.

SURROUNDS Googong Dam, like many of the other waterways featured in this report, has been fishing particularly well. The golden perch came on the bite early this year, and moved into the shallows well before the middle of October. These fish have been responding well to plastics fished slow along the length of shallow points at the back of the dam, and have also been hitting vibes and blades fished parallel to the banks along the middle of the dam.

The cod are still a little shy but can be coaxed into hitting spinnerbaits fished slow near the entrance to Bradleys Inlet.

I want to finish this report by mentioning the bass fishing. With no significant rain on the horizon, now is the time to get down the Clyde and target some bass before the better pools dry up.

The bass have been hitting surface lures in the middle of the day, which makes for some exciting fishing, and it is well worth the 2-hour drive from Canberra. And, if the bass aren’t biting, keep driving past Moruya and try for a bream off the rocks.

Hobart TAS

FMM

All set for good fishing in the fresh and salt HOBART

Andrew Large

Anglers have been granted big runs of settled and stable weather in recent weeks, allowing for good fishing in the salt and up high in the fresh.

In the salt, sand flathead have been starting to bite well in most areas. The water temperatures are still down, but there’s been some action throughout Storm Bay and Tasman Peninsula waters. As temperatures continue to rise flathead will move into the shallows and start hitting soft plastics and deep diving lures.

Please remember the new sand flathead regulations. The bag limit is now two flathead (reduced from 20), with a combined boat limit of 10 in the River Derwent, Channel and Fredrick and Norfolk Bays. The limit is five per person and 35-40cm for the Eastern Zone (Cape Naturaliste to Whale Point).

In the North Western Zone there’s a bag limit of 10, and a 35-40cm size limit with a slot of 35-40cm. At Flinders and King Island it’s 35cm, with a bag limit of 10.

There’s a boat limit of 10 sand flathead state-wide, and a combined limit across all flathead species of 20 across the state. These regulations have been imposed as a result of sand flathead declining in numbers over many years.

Big runs of Australian salmon have been sighted off Sandy Bay. Cremorne and Pipeclay lagoons are experiencing a limited run of good fish to 2kg. Good

days have been a bit patchy, but the rewards are there for persistent anglers.

Huon River is also experiencing a good run of smaller salmon from Dover, and further up into the channel Barnes Bay. Meanwhile, sand whiting have been encountered around Lewisham in the south, and there have been good runs of King George along the northern coastline and northeast of the state.

In deeper waters off the east coast, the odd tiger flathead have been caught. Upper Storm Bay has also seen fish caught.

Spring snapper have been taken recently near Betsy Island and further south near Bruny Island. Deeper offshore reefs have historically given up early season fish.

Calamari are available in most coastal locations at the moment.

Patches of fish are available in the south of the state around White Beach and Adventure Bay areas. Northern and southern closures for calamari are now in effect.

Good-sized southern bluefin tuna are still taking lures in the southeast, with captures of school-sized fish to 110kg being reported. Cape Pillar and Tasman Island seem to be the go-to areas. Bass Strait has been firing, with fish nudging 110kg being landed.

Late spring sea trout are running well in southern, western and northern rivers. The Pieman and Arthur rivers have fished extremely well of late.

The Derwent and Huon rivers continue to produce nice sea and resident trout, mainly due to a prolonged whitebait season. Anglers

drift spinning the edges have done well with 70mm bibbed minnows.

The bream action has been hot in the lower to mid reaches of estuary systems. Bream are content for the moment to chase whitebait alongside.

The freshwater areas have been fishing particularly well so far this season. High water levels for the third year straight have given the trout ideal conditions to feed up and put on weight.

The highland areas haven’t been spared the good weather, and have been fishing really well, with many waters producing above-average sized fish.

At Bronte Lagoon, spin, troll and fly have all been working, whether landbased or from a boat.

Four Springs in the north has seen rainbow trout to 2.2kg landed recently.

Browns to 1.9kg have been scoffing 2.5” black and gold Berkley T Tails.

One of only two lakes on the eastern side of the state, Tooms Lake continues to fish well from last season. It’s still producing good brown and rainbow trout, which are feeding heavily on galaxias around the shorelines. All methods are working well. Presently the lake is spilling and will continue to do so for a while.

Arthurs Lake is nearly full, and has been producing good numbers of fish around the 1kg mark. Fish have been found around the edges all over the lake, with both fly and spin anglers all reporting good bags.

Great Lake has been fishing well again over the past month, with wellconditioned browns and rainbow trout caught via all methods. The Tasmanian

Rock lobsters are in full swing state-wide.

Devil in 48 and S12 has been productive around the edges, and the F9 Rapala Spotted Dog has been taking fish during the middle of the day.

At Woods Lake, spin fishers drifting the edges have taken quality fish to 1.3kg. Fly activity will increase now, as insect life in the warming shallows begins to thrive. We recently fished there, and trolled up several good fish in 40 minutes during the evening.

We are now heading into what looks like a supercharged summer season, with a warm water event just around the corner.

Good luck this month guys.

There are new flathead bag and size limits around the state. Image courtesy of Fishing Tasmania DECEMBER 2023 85

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West Coast

FMM

Portland is the place to be these holidays PORTLAND

the Town Reef and North Shore. We should also see better numbers of calamari of the Town Jetty, Trawlers Wharf and other small landings.

Pinkie snapper have also been turning up throughout the bay, with some good-size fish making for a nice feed.

This month we should see more catches of kingfish around the bay in the shallow, warm waters. Last year there were plenty of kingfish caught around the Town Reef, abalone farm and Julia Reef. Using a fresh bait is the most reliable way to catch kingfish, such as squid, slimies and yakkas.

Trolling teaser strips with livies, small hardbodies and skirts has also proved successful.

The summer season also turns on the deep-water fishing, rom Lawrences Roc to the shelf. We can see a huge variety of fish in this area, including blue-eye, ling, blue grenadier and

Nigel Fisher

Portland is really starting to fire up, with some great quality fish on offer.

For anyone still chasing tuna, we have seen some big fish caught when the weather has permitted. It’s awesome to see these big fish so late

gemfish on the shelf, to snapper, morwong, nannygai and sharks, and everything in between. We generally see some big makos making their presence felt at this time of year also.

Anglers have been encountering good-size gummies, flathead and plenty of whiting around Bridgewater Bay. We’re also getting reports of bream, estuary perch and the odd mulloway from the Fitzroy River, and bream, mullet and salmon in the Surrey River.

• The crew here at Portland Compleat Angler would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a safe holiday period. Plus, if you are making Portland a holiday destination these holidays, call in and say g’day and check out what we have on offer. You can find us at 61 Bentinck Street, 7 days from 7:30am to 6pm. You can also give us a call on 03 5521 1844 or look us up on Facebook. Happy fishing.

Jimmy with a very nice snapper off the breakwater.

Young Jarvis was happy with this 113kg tuna. in the year, and not miles out. It will be interesting to see what happens with big tuna catches for the rest of the year.

At this time of year in Portland, one area that’s on every land-based fisho’s mind is the lee breakwater,

and the big snapper that can be caught there. So far it has produced the goods, with some nice size fish.

The main baits have been salmon and couta strips. Squid, pilchard and yakkas have also caught their share of quality fish.

Hopefully, by the time you read this, the mighty kingfish will have also made their presence felt on the breakwater. As a bonus, the breakwater has also been producing some very nice gummy sharks, squid and King George whiting, just to mix things up.

The bay has also been fishing a lot better for good-size whiting, either drifting or at anchor.

Plenty of calamari have been coming from the shallows around

Rhys with a trifecta off the Breakwater.

READER’S

PICTURE

Ethan was happy to catch this tasty tomato cod on board Truansea Charters from Bundaberg.

Mark with a very nice quality breakwater snapper.

86 DECEMBER 2023

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Anglers anticipating an exciting month WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

December is an exciting time for anglers, as we look forward to see what summer will bring. We have had a couple of early tastes of summer recently, with warm temperatures and flat seas making a welcome appearance.

These good weather windows have been helping offshore anglers to get out there, and the waters of the South West have been producing some great captures. This should continue as we head into December.

The quality deep-water shark fishing has continued to produce

school shark and gummy sharks, as it has for the past couple of months.

Snapper numbers have begun to increase as the season progresses.

Amazingly, even as we head into November, big southern bluefin are still being encountered and captured by anglers right along the southern coast. Late December usually sees the first of the inshore summer school tuna appear. Will all the big tuna move on, or will there still be a few around to give someone a big surprise if they hook up on light school tuna gear?

Late December should hopefully see the first kingfish of the season show up, which is a highly-anticipated event. The forecast warm summer

The first kingfish of the season should show up in late December.

should be a bonus for those who love to chase summer pelagics.

December is a great time for fishing the Hopkins River before the holiday crowds really come out in force. Warmer conditions often see shallow water and surface techniques providing some spectacular luring action. Surface fishing with pink grubs, Slippery Dogs, Bent Minnows and the like can be super entertaining as the fish slurp, slash or boof the lure.

Mulloway are often a good chance at this time of year, but at the moment they are conspicuous by their absence. Hopefully things will turn around and we’ll get a fresh run of these exciting fish. You’re probably more likely to encounter a sea-run trout than a mulloway at the moment, which is rather unusual.

Sea run trout are usually pretty rare in the Hopkins, but there have been quite a few encountered recently.

You might not be focussing on trout at this time of year, but a sudden rain event can freshen up the rivers, which often brings the trout on the bite. It’s also a good option if the weather prevents you from heading offshore. Bream and estuary perch can also push up into the lower freshwater reaches as the waters clear, making for some worthwhile sessions.

Jumping in a kayak and cruising up the lightly-fished freshwater sections of the Hopkins and Merri is a great way to spend some time, and the

Jimmy Lombardo with a fantastic late season tuna. rewards can be good. If you opt to fish from the bank, be sure to pick those cold days when the snakes are less active.

Hot bream sessions on bait and soft plastics COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

Recently, I paid a visit to the Hopkins River at Warrnambool with a fishing mate, Bruce. The water visibility was low, but it wasn’t flowing nearly as fast as it had been a few weeks before.

We concentrated our efforts in the shallows, working the flats with bait and soft plastics.

It turned out to be one of those days when you couldn’t put a foot wrong. We only moved three times but caught over 30 legal bream between us, all of which were released.

There were no huge, blue-nosed bream amongst our catch; the biggest measured 34cm, and all the others varied from 28cm upwards.

We didn’t include undersize fish in our tally, so we probably landed over 50 fish.

The bream responded to various baits, including squid strips, fresh shrimp, frozen prawn and pipis, as well as scented soft plastics

in shrimp/prawn patterns. It was definitely a day to remember.

Speaking of the Hopkins, estuary perch enthusiasts using minnow lures and soft plastics have caught some good perch in recent times. Plenty of

perch are still down near the mouth wanting to spawn, but there are still some thumpers upstream near Tooram Stones. Go figure.

Offshore has been good for snapper, with the bigger specimens

A nice early summer bream taken in the Curdies River around ‘The Island’ on a Damiki plastic.

averaging around 2.5kg+. Some nice gummy and school shark to 19kg have also been brought onboard. Freshly caught squid is the number one bait.

Closer inshore, there are plenty of squid to be caught while you’re waiting for a King George whiting to bite, as well as the odd flathead.

The weed beds interspersed with sandy patches are the areas to focus on, and don’t forget to lay down a berley trail. The whiting have also been responding to squid strips.

Port Campbell jetty has seen schools of pinkie snapper actively moving about in the bay. Many have been caught using pilchard and squid baits fished on a paternoster rig. Most fish have been small, but there have been some better specimens in the mix, sitting at around 32cm and 600g – a nice plate size.

Crayfish season is well underway, and anglers using nets or diving in the shallows around the shallow reefs have been picking up some good specimens. These crays are out of reach of the pro boaters.

DECEMBER 2023 87

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Land-based anglers bagging quality snapper GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

December around Geelong and Surf Coast has seen some hot fishing over the last few years, and this year should be no different. Once we’re done with the pressie unwrapping

around Corio Bay. Dawn and dusk around a tide change has always been best, but plenty have been caught outside these known bite times.

Something I noticed around the start of this year’s snapper mayhem has been the amount of land-based fishos bagging quality fish. Anglers fishing land-based from St Helens,

Raza Gulzar fished the outgoing tide at Artillery Rocks near Lorne recently. Soaking a pilchard for bait, he managed to land a ripper snapper of around 3.5kg. Raza says he fished for nearly six hours, catching a few salmon as well, but the snapper made the day.

Rod Beer fishes in some putrid conditions from the local piers around the Bellarine Peninsula, but is often rewarded with some quality snapper.

Rod says this is peak time for landbased fishos to target snapper, and he has already caught plenty to 4kg.

Fadi Alnajar has had a couple of

Bill has been doing OK on pinkie snapper using plastics out off Clifton Springs. and eating too much food, it’s time to squeeze in some fishing or head off for a camp somewhere with a pile of leftover roast treats.

Kelvin Baldwin has been catching a few estuary perch in the Barwon River in Geelong lately. Kelvin has caught a few up over 30cm now, and swears by a lime green soft plastic worked slow and deep near the weed beds. Estuary perch also love worms

Cunningham Pier, Limeburners rock wall, Portarlington and St Leonards, and the rock platforms along the Great Ocean Road, have caught quality snapper around the 4kg mark. Don’t forget the Geelong waterfront either, as this has been a soft plastic hotspot for pinkie snapper for years. I expect it will produce this December as well.

Bill Hartshorne took his mates Ben, Mark and Robert out in his boat in hope of finding a few snapper.

Bill’s guests hadn’t done much fishing and were super keen, which loaded Bill up with pressure since he was the expert on board. Well, Bill really kicked a goal, landing on a patch of hungry pinkies around the 2-3kg mark. The lads had an absolute ball fishing out of Clifton Springs.

Mark managed a few decent pinkies fishing out off Clifton Springs with Bill. cracking sessions fishing the pier at St Leonards, with some solid fish around the 4kg mark caught on the incoming tide.

December is the time we start looking out for yellowtail kingfish in the region. These hard-fighting bullies are showing up further and further inside Port Phillip and Corio Bay. Over the last few years, kings have been fairly random inside the bays, with some lucky anglers landing them, and other anglers losing them.

Of course, everyone is grateful for any encounter.

Kings love live squid and small

Fadi with some cracking snapper from St Leonards. and minnow-style lures. VFA stocked thousands of perch in 2018, 2019 and 2021, totalling over 220,000 fish, so the perch fishery in the Barwon looks good!

Over the last month, it has been all about the snapper, as they’ve been biting their heads off. Snapper up around 7kg have been caught by anglers soaking pilchards in and 88 DECEMBER 2023

How’s that for a rock fishing snapper? Raza put the hours in for this fish, and deserved it!

Ben jumped aboard Bill’s boat to nab a few pinkies. fish such as garfish, small legal salmon, and tommy rough. If you can nab a small-ish one and send him out under a float, it will give you a good chance at a kingfish. They’ve tuned up in the past around the bay’s man-made structures and of course, the artificial reefs.

The Rip is a different story. Here the kingfish congregate around the many underwater shear points, dropoffs and cliffs around the entrance to Port Phillip Bay. Anglers pack in pretty tight with jigs and live baits, trying to connect and remain that way, as there are some big kingfish available in and around the Rip.

Rod fishes all weather for snapper around the Bellarine, and deserves every fish he gets.

Out off Barwon Heads and the Surf Coast, the kings can turn up at any stage like, the bloke that brings no beer or meat to a BBQ – unannounced. I’ve seen kings caught trolling in the middle of nowhere in 50m of water on the surface, in 50m of water on the bottom drifting for flathead and, of course, around the rocky reefy areas.

VFA has installed FADs (fish aggregation devices) off Torquay, Aireys Inlet and Lorne in the past, and these should go in again this year, all going well. These FADs have been known to attract baitfish and in turn, predators such as kingfish.

I’ve fished the Torquay FAD a few times, and caught barracouta

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YOUR WILL WITH THE NEXT PUBLISHED ISSUE around the Bellarine, andSUBSCRIPTION December the 100kg markSTART being caught by anglers Wilson’s Reef: 38° 03.436’ 144° 36.588’ SUBSCRIBE TODAY

and pinkie snapper.

Some solid calamari have been biting in the region, with some calamari approaching 2kg. Your best bet for squid has been fora feed of XXL issues inc. gst Queenscliff, but they are widespread.

AnglersName: have been doing well right aroundAddress: the Bellarine, mainly in aroundSuburb: 2-4m of water.

King George whiting are always

does see larger ones caught – with the right kit. The weather has (datum/format: GDA 94/degrees particularly Torquay, Barwon Heads been a bit breezy, keeping most anglers decimal minutes) and Queenscliff. Further around inshore, but as soon as it settles, get • Catch a few around Geelong, * the have or Bellarine, whiting issuescaptures inc. gst amongst it! been fair. Most of the whiting have BETTER BOATING FUND Name: RAMP UPGRADES been under 40cm, but it’s still worth checking out.

Limeburner’s Boat ramp has had 56 Address: The XOSP/Code: tuna out in Bass Strait are additional car parks added where the Suburb: P/Code: well worth a look, with a few around small gravel overflow park was located.

Daytime Contact No: Daytime Contact No: Clifton Springs will get a much-needed Email: Email: additional 30 car and trailer parking spaces, and St Leonards boat ramp is As the buyer, do you wish to receive annual subscription renewal notifications?

Yes No PAYMENT DETAILS in for some modifications including Cheque Money order Mastercard/Visa Signature: two extra boat ramp lanes, six rigging Credit Card No: Credit Cardrealigned Expiry Date: CCV: bays and exit, jetty extensions and wave attenuators.

The project is Card Holder’s Name: Daytime Contact No: being funded by the Better Boating IF THIS IS A GIFT - PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING AND A GIFT CARD WILL BE MAILED TO THE LUCKY ANGLER OR THE GIFT BUYER! Fund, which reinvests boating licence Kelvin says lime single-tailed grubs Mail voucher to: Subscriber Buyer or Email blank voucher to: (20 the characters max) perch’s favourite. and registration fees into projects and Otherare Barwon To: From or Love From: programs across the state.

Those Fathers of youDay! visiting the region Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Happy Birthday!

Happy ____ Birthday!

Happy Fishing! Merry Christmas!

Happy should check out the artificial reefs that Lorne recently? Send in a report to have been constructed inside Corio Bay. slaterfish@gmail.com with “FMG” in OR visit They have been there for long enough the www.fishingmonthly.com.au subject field or give me a call on OUR GUARANTEE 1 800 228 244 and follow the links to isubscribe Every now and again, to establish a food chain, and they’re 0408 997348. Please include where a copy may not arrive Mail Coupon to: well worth a look. Coordinates for the (without giving away your secret through the Australia Post FM Subscriptions Free Delivery PO Box 3172 Loganholme Q 4129 reefs are: spot!), when, what on and who caught System. If this happens to you, a quick call to us and Merv’s Reef (St Helens): 38° 07.228’ the fish. Pictures are always great, but Entry into the monthly draws we will post out another Email details to: 144° 21.658’ , Moolap Reef: 38° 06.374’ pleaseOnline make sure they are at least 1mb - ANYTIME Save $$$ FREE OF CHARGE subscribe@fishingmonthly.com.au Robert had a blast fishing with Mark, Ben and Bill out off Clifton Springs.

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The holidays are here and it’s fishing chaos!

SNAPPER I have been fishing so much locally by kayak and boat, I can’t even count the number of hours. Every opportunity that I get and that the weather allows, I go fishing. I’ve fished at all times of day and night, and I’ve found that the evening bite seems to be the most productive.

On a couple of occasions, I have fished through the night, launching at around 10pm and fishing through to

PORT PHILLIP BAY WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.aua

I love this time of year, but it can be super chaotic when you’re juggling a large volume of fishing and travelling, and sometimes fishing events as well.

The water temperature is at its peak, and the fishing community has woken from its slumber and for good reason – the fishing locally and widespread has been excellent.

FRESHWATER Last month I left the local snapper bite and headed away for a few days for a camping and kayak fishing at Lake Eildon, one of Victoria’s largest freshwater systems. It’s a magnificent location with great scenery, and it’s home to some off Victoria’s best Murray cod and yellowbelly fishing. We spent three days and two nights here.

After setting up camp along

Sam Nguyen with his first snapper. the water’s edge, we prepped the kayaks and hit the water. I decided to troll some old-school mid-diving StumpJumpers along the timber in 5m

The pinkies and snapper have been on the chew.

deep. After doing this for 15 minutes, my rod buckled. I managed to catch a magnificent yellowbelly (golden perch), which was the girthiest one I’ve ever caught. These big ‘footballs’ with their strangely shaped head can put up a decent fight on light spin gear. It almost felt like I’d hooked a cod. I trolled for a few more hours, picking up a handful of smaller redfin and trout.

That night we set up a campfire, started cooking and threw out some bait rods rigged with scrub worms and yabbies on a very light running sinker rig. This session was the highlight of our trip, as we caught countless yellowbelly, carp, and redfin. Good mates around the campfire, a couple of cold beers and irresistible land-based fishing action – what could be better?

The fishing was a bit slower over the next few days. We vertically jigged along the timber, threw soft plastics and trolled lures, and managed a heap of smaller size redfin and a few trout.

By this stage we were keen to head home and get stuck back into the local snapper fishing.

Check out the girth on this yella.

4am. On one of the nights, good mate Ozzie landed a beast of a snapper which had the reel screaming after taking a full pilchard on a double snell rig. We had several huge runs that night, but dropped some big fish.

Over the coming weeks, the snapper will be more widespread and biting throughout the day. We’ve just been waiting for the weather to settle, and

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at around 17°C. It has been a real slow burn this season.

I have caught many snapper in recent weeks, mainly in the shallow

away with.

It’s not just the boats and kayaks that get all the fun – the land-based fishing for snapper has been exceptional. The

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Ozzie with a huge night time PPB snapper.

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W: www. brisbaneboatingleisure.com.au www.rifenboats.com.au reefs on soft plastics. I’ve beenW: using fishing around web dock, Portarlington,

tools like Navionics to identify reefs, Mordialloc and a few other places have ORTHERN GOLD COAST AIRLIE BEACH and moving around staring at my been next level, with many good-size NSHOREsounder MARINEtrying to find schools.

WHITSUNDAY CENTRE We redsOUTBOARD being caught consistency. Again, orizon Shores Marina Woongoolba 17 William Murray Drive Cannonvale have had some awesome action near the best bite windows have been during (07) 5546 2480 (07) 7286 Williamstown and Altona Reef P:on the4946 the evenings, but you’ll need to get there onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au E: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au snapper, and also found ourselves in early as most of these land-based spots massive bust-ups of Australian salmon. fill up quickly, especially once some W: www.onshoremarine.com.au W: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au They were some of the biggest bust-ups posts find their way onto social media.

VERTONI’ve HILLS KARUMBA I was fishing with mate Sam at ever seen.

OLT MARINEI’ve been flicking 3” and JONES 4” softMARINE Port Melbourne recently when he landed his first ever snapper, and it 5 Queens Road Everton Hills 30 Yappar Street Karumba just so happened to be a huge one. It (07) 3353 1928 P: (07) 4745 9159 shows that putting in the hours and info@holtmarine.com.au E: jonglo@bigpond.com persistence really does pay off.

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USTRALIAN MARINE CENTRE TR MARINE Until next time, good 491 Pacific Highway Slacks Creek 167 Currumburra Road Ashmore fishing everyone.

(07) 3808 7333 P: 07 5532 5812 • Feel free to contact me at alan@ sales@amcboats.com.au E: shaun@trmarinegc.com.au fishingmad.com.au to share your fishing experiences and photos W: www.amcboats.com.au W: www.trmarinegoldcoast.com.au 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 Al with a night time yellowbelly. adventures on the FishingMad YouTube channel (w w w.youtube .com/c/ plastics in the shallow reefs, rigged fishingmad), Facebook (www.facebook. on a 1/12oz or 1/8oz jighead. When com/fishingmad.com.au), Instagram I’m fishing deeper, I use 5” jerkshads (w w w.instag ram . com/ fishing mad . rigged on 1/6oz and 1/4oz jigheads. com.au) and on Channel 31 Tuesday The areas I typically fish in Port Phillip evenings at 8.30pm and Saturday Bay aren’t too tidal so I always use the afternoons.

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Big range of species keep anglers on their toes PHILLIP ISLAND

Craig Edmonds

As we head into another Christmas, it’s full steam ahead preparing the shop for the holiday season, which will no doubt be another unique one.

If there’s one lesson we have learned from past summers, it’s to expect the unexpected, and be prepared for anything.

During the cooler months we have an idea of what to expect while out fishing, but in summer there are so

Koby has been fishing since he was four, catching toadies off the jetty, and now is perfecting his whiting techniques.

many species around that anything is possible. Our customers regularly report landing various species in a session, and it’s not uncommon for someone to land eight or nine species.

If you are whiting fishing, you should have a squid jig out and a heavier rod with a bigger bait. While snapper fishing, even in the deep, have a squid jig out down deep, and while you’re waiting for a snapper or gummy to come along, grab your whiting rod and drop it over. Just remember, you will need to hold your whiting rod because it’s a much lighter set up. Also, you should always have a set up to the side with a lure on it in case a school of salmon comes along. There’s nothing better than fresh bait.

Offshore, if you’re drifting for a snapper or gummy, don’t forget the squid jig. If you are chasing flathead, besides the squid jig you should also drop a bigger bait over in case a gummy swims past.

Inconsistent weather has led to inconsistent reports. However, with the season being a little slower to build up, we could see an extended season, if past years are anything to go by.

If the long-range forecast is accurate, we’ll get the kind of summer when you need to head out very early or very late, and spend the middle of the day hiding inside somewhere. During hot weather, the fish prefer to head to deeper water during the hotter part of the day, and come back into the shallows during the evening. What often works is to fish the bay early in the morning, then head offshore once the sun gets up and chase a feed of flathead. Then you can head home around lunchtime, hopefully

plenty of fish over the 1kg mark reported from the beaches and boats.

Woolamai at Anzacs has been the best, but we have had salmon reported from most of the open beaches on the island as well as the Kilcunda beaches when the weed isn’t very thick. Almost all the salmon from the beaches have been caught on baits, while boat-based

An excellent mixed bag of fish. with a feed of fish. Obviously, this all depends on the tides and winds, but it’s better than office hours on the water.

Barrel tuna have been encountered for longer than last season, but in fairness the weather was far better this year. Last year the southeasterlies started in late October and didn’t finish until well into December, and we all know there isn’t a worse wind around the bay. Last year we saw some impressive sounder pictures of schools of tuna, with some quality arches underneath them. We also had several reports of people getting smoked and unable to slow fish down. These types of reports continued into February, so it might pay to take the heavy gear with you and keep a closer eye on the bottom part of your sounder.

What you also need to do is have a set-up that will allow you to get a bait, either live or dead, or a lure down deep so you can trawl it past their nose.

These big fish will rarely compete with a school for food. They are a bit smarter than that.

Salmon have been very good everywhere so far this season, with

This 6kg fish was a personal best for Travis. anglers have been doing well using 25-40g lures.

Salmon make excellent baits for everything, but if you want to eat them yourself you must prepare them correctly, or you’ll never eat them again.

Salmon must be bled when you catch them and then, like all fish, put on ice.

We have plenty of customers that eat salmon in many different ways. They’re not great as a fried fillet, but they are excellent as patties or in a curry, or even cooled whole in foil with a few herbs.

Rising water temperatures get the fish fired up LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

We are finally getting warm summer days, and all this heat has increased the lake temperatures.

This has created plenty of flats fishing opportunities.

LAKES ENTR ANCE Everyone has been out and about making the most of the warm weather, and we have been spoilt for choice with many fishing opportunities. The King George whiting are becoming more consistent, with anglers having success fishing around Rigby and Flannigan Island. Fresh bait is always best, with local mussels being a great option.

The many wharfs scattered through the lower lakes in areas such as Metung and Nungurner have held some quality bream lately, 92 DECEMBER 2023

Anglers have been catching good numbers of bream lately.

and this should continue through the summer months. Cranka Crabs and the ever-popular mussel vibe are good producers – just make sure to up your leader strength, or you’ll find yourself donating a lot of gear.

Bait fishing is also highly productive for these jetty dwellers.

Fresh mussel or peeled prawn fished on a slack line, or the tiniest sinker is probably the best approach. Your offering doesn’t have to make the bottom; it’s best for it to slowly sink and float around like a piece of mussel that fell off the jetty naturally.

Offshore anglers have found success fishing the 6 Mile and 8 Mile reefs. Pinkie snapper, leatherjackets and all sorts have been showing up.

The trusty paternoster rigged with either a pilchard or squid is highly effective and rarely passed up by feeding fish.

More fish habitat at Waranga Basin Your recreational fishing licence fees have helped create lots of new homes for golden perch at Waranga Basin.

The $100,000 project, led by the Goulburn Valley Association of Angling Clubs, has seen more than 50 tonnes of timber material installed at 80 sites.

The finer branches of brush piles, sourced from the Campaspe Shire’s Rushworth Rail Trail project, will provide ideal habitat for 750,000 golden perch fingerlings to be stocked by Fisheries over the next three years.

The project is another great example of collaboration between agencies,

fishing clubs and the private sector including Goulburn Murray Water, Wedge Group, the Nathalia and Kyabram angling clubs, Safe Transport Victoria Maritime, Arbor Dynamics and Xtreme Marine.

Recreational fishers and other waterway users of Waranga Basin will also benefit from the upgraded boat ramp at Harriman Point, completed by Better Boating Victoria in 2022.

Learn more about projects just like this one at www.vfa.vic.gov.au/fishinggrants

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FMM

Lots of squid and flathead: Xmas has come early!

A few days before in my kayak, I actually landed two nice squid on that blade, and it was a miracle the small stinger hooks hung onto the soft tentacle flesh. Sadly, we couldn’t buy a whiting or trouble a gummy, but that just means we need to go on another trip in the near future. We did come home with a dozen good flatties though, adding to the great feed, and it was a memorable day in near perfect weather.

Welshpool is also really firing up, with three anglers stacking 27 for the session and a lot of big squid amongst them.

OTHER SPECIES Every trip I’ve made lately has resulted in a lot of different bycatch.

I’ve been finding good numbers of large perch, and it’s been great to see them in very healthy post-spawning condition. On most trips I’ve been getting between 10-20 EPs, mostly 38-48cm, with the majority caught on the Tomahawk Sprat 85.

YANK AND ROCK FLATHEAD By early November, I generally know whether we’ll get a good summer flathead season. This year, I was already hooking a heap of flatties by late October, and since then the numbers have pretty much exploded.

This year is a little different because the number of tiny flathead from 15-25cm are just incredible. This is a wonderful thing to see, and tells me two things: first, the estuary environment is

in great condition, and second, over the next few years I’ll get scores of flatties finding my lures.

I joined Rhys Smith in the kayaks recently at Port Albert and we had an absolute ball. Right where we launched, I pushed out just 100m and landed five ripper flathead with my first eight casts, all keepers, and one a nice 40cm rocky.

This set the tone for the day, and in the first two hours I released at least 20 keeper flathead to 48cm. Rhys was doing exactly the same. We couldn’t believe how fast they were jumping on the hook, and the sheer number of fish was almost shocking us. We were both using Sting 37 blades, and I can’t stress how deadly they are. The Sting has a unique vibration, and it when it comes to flathead, it outscores soft plastics by 5 to 1.

By day’s end we had kept good count, and we ended up with just over 50 flathead. Eight of them were rockies, and Rhys got the biggest yank at 59cm.

We also caught 22 perch to 46cm long, plus small salmon, trevally and even a few pinkie snapper to 34cm.

CALAMARI I finally got to go fishing with my mate Brad Stokell, and it was a stunning weekday with about 40 boat trailers parked at the Port Albert boat ramp. Whiting and flathead were on the agenda, but our first mission was to find the squid.

It’s fair to say the squid took a bit of finding, but slowly we caught more as the morning rolled on. In the end, we nearly bagged out with 18 ripper squid for our hungry families back home. Once again, we proved that when you hook a squid it pays to throw a jig in behind the one hooked, as it will often have one or two mates following. This proved to be the case three times during the day, with two squid in the net at the same time.

Of further interest was watching squid attack or follow my small blade lures. Brad was able to drop his jig in behind my blade and catch the squid that were following it. I was using the Hurricane Sting, like a squid teaser!

A silver trevally, rock flathead and pinkie snapper, all caught on a Hurricane Sting Blade.

Some very long snook to at least 80cm have also been grabbing my lures, and those toothy critters take some rather delicate handling! It’s nice to see the pinkie snapper numbers slowly growing each trip, but they don’t seem to be as thick they were in the last two years.

The King George whiting have been extremely slow to show up, and this may just be one of those seasons where for some reason they remain rather absent.

It’s a pity, because the last three years have produced amazing big whiting bags from September to about early January.

As usual, the salmon have disappeared for now, but some big tailor have stuck around. It was very interesting to hear that two large mulloway were caught near Port Albert recently. That’s the first time I’ve heard of them turning up in my years fishing the area.

Next up I’ll be chasing flounder; reports are telling me there are some big models already coming in.

LAKE TYERS In Lake Tyers, the increasing water temperatures have fired up the fish. The many weedy and mud flats

scattered throughout the lake have held good numbers of bream lately, and anglers have had great success on surface lure patterns such as Bent

Minnows and Sugapens. It’s good to cast your surface lure up tight to the edges or snags, and work it back with walk-the-dog action and plenty of pauses. Often, the bream have been up super shallow, making for plenty of sight fishing opportunities.

Small prawn pattern jerkbaits have produced the goods when the surface bite has been tough. Atomic Jerk Minnows and Lucky Craft Flash Minnows are great lures to start with.

HAVE YOU BEEN FISHING? If you have been out for fish lately and have a great photo, please email it to stevenprykefishing@gmail.com with a short description, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of Fishing Monthly.

Small shrimp pattern flies can be productive.

PORT ALBERT

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

The best way I can describe the recent fishing is that Christmas has arrived early. Santa has delivered a bounty of flathead, and the squid numbers are well up on the last few years. It’s been super busy, with lots to look forward to, and I think you are going to enjoy this report.

Brad Stokell with his 10th squid for the day in rare, calm Port Albert weather.

A quality Lake Tyers bream taken on a surface lure.

94 DECEMBER 2023

Rhys Smith is fast becoming the flathead whisperer. This 59cm yank was one of 20 for the day, all caught on blades.

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Catching gummy sharks in the Gippsland Lakes be another feature this summer and build on the last three epic seasons.

Use mussel or pipi baits or even try cured or fresh sandworm and I’m sure the King George fish will not disappoint. Best areas to try will be from Kalimna to Metung.

Last summer saw some of the biggest dusky flathead caught in years and I mean fish to 90cm.

Fingers crossed that they will be back again and probably a bit bigger and maybe a 95cm or even a metre fish might turn up.

Hot spots will be from the North Arm near Lakes Entrance all the way up to Raymond Island. As for bream I reckon we should be concentrating out in the lakes, at places like the Mitchell Flats, Jones Bay and the Metung area. And finally Merry Christmas and a fishy new year to all.

Thank you to so many readers who have sent me all those pics and reports. And on that subject special thanks to the Ware family, Brayden and Justin Kohte and Nikki Bryant.

GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

With so much dirty water around, I’ve had very few reports in recent weeks, but conditions will be better by the time you read this. To that end, I will give you my predictions and tips for the holidays.

First of all, I have an amazing story for you. Sometimes you hear things in fishing that stop you dead in your tracks, and I have one such story, which you’re going to find hard to believe. Here it is.

GUMMIES AT KALIMNA JETTY Chris Ware is a keen local fisho with a long history of catching everything from trout, big bream and flathead to thumping snapper and sharks offshore. He has been a family friend for over five decades, and angling genes are now spread over three generations. His grandson Lawson has now discovered and started a new fishery right here in the lakes.

One night with average weather, Lawson persuaded his mum Amanda to take him gummy fishing off the local jetty. Targeting gummies anywhere inside the Gippy Lakes is virtually unheard of. Bream, salmon, flathead and whiting are what people usually chase.

The Kalimna jetty is close to the entrance, so it’s plausible a gummy could show up, but the whole system was in flood at the time, and chocolate water could be seen far into the distance.

Lawson cast in his first bait at 8pm, and what transpired was a fishing miracle, showing that dreams really can come true. By the end of that session, not only had he landed one gummy, he had caught a mindblowing five gummy sharks. The best

Lexie with a nice bream. She’ll be out to catch more bream this summer while walking the bank. one measured 1.1m, and went home as a great reward.

I was astounded that Lawson caught these fish off the jetty, and I wasn’t the only one. I shared this news with a lot of people, and all of them couldn’t believe it. Even after we saw the photos of Lawson holding up a gummy next to the Kalimna Jetty sign in the dark, we still wondered how it could be true!

Owen Pierce knows that big bream live in very shallow lake water. They should still be there in the coming months.

Lawson with one of the gummies he caught while fishing off the Kalimna Jetty.

Some thumping big duskies should once again be a Gippy Lakes feature into the new year.

and target more gummies and my tip would be to also try the Metung and Nungurner area.

I’m pretty sure the whiting will

For the record Lawson, used squid heads for bait, on a 6-8kg spin rod, with 40lb braid, a 60lb mono paternoster rig with two 5/0 circle hooks and 8-10oz sinkers. There have been multiple trips to the area since and so far no more gummies, just skates, rays and some big flathead.

LOOKING AHEAD So with the holidays coming up I will try and crystal ball the fishing for the next month or so. On the strength of my opening report, why not try

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Great variety of species are on offer MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

It’s that time of year where everything comes to life. The town has gotten busier, and the fish have woken up.

As summer progresses, things will really fire up.

Visitors to the area have plenty of options over the summer months, with a number of beaches for swimming, surfing and fishing. You also have the option to fish offshore, or spend a day on the lake boating

and fishing. It’s up to you.

On the beaches in summer, we get a greater variety of species than what’s available over the colder months. In summer you can catch yellowfin bream and sand whiting, and some years (depending on how much the water warms) you can catch dart on the local beaches as well. Gummy sharks are also on the cards, and Quarry Beach is a great spot to try, with deep water only a good cast away. You never know what you might catch while fishing early in the morning or into the night.

The boat ramp at Bastion Point

As is often the case, the flathead have been easier to catch than the bream have been.

gives good access for the offshore fishing, and an early start the go. This should see you back before the wind really gets blowing. If you head out to the east towards Gabo Island, this will give you a good run home with that typical summer wind behind you.

When heading offshore it pays to have a variety of baits on hand, because the fish sometimes have a preference on the day. Sand flathead and tiger flathead are the main target species, and we can expect good fishing for these species over the next five months.

Gummy shark are also caught, along with yellowtail kingfish. Keep an eye on the bird activity because this is often a good hint as to where you should be fishing.

The lake has really come to life, particularly the flathead. At present the fish are being caught throughout the Bottom and Top Lake, with a variety of lures producing the goods.

Yellowfin and black bream are both being caught, but finding numbers of fish hasn’t been easy. As the water warms the bream like to move to shallower water around the margins of the lake, and in these areas they can present more of a challenge because they’re more easily spooked.

Greg with a lure-caught flathead.

Regular visitors to Mallacoota have been having no problems getting amongst the fish.

Sand whiting are also about, with numbers increasing as the water warms.

For those anglers who like chasing bass, the summer months are a fun time. Every summer we see some great bass caught by those fishos prepared to put in the effort. Even better, most bass anglers practice catch and release, ensuring that the great fishing should continue for years to come.

Fishing will only get better in the coming weeks There has been the odd trevally mixed in amongst them, and amazingly a few yellow-eyed mullet have also been caught on small hardbody lures as well.

Flathead are the other species that will start to show up in bigger numbers.

Again, it seems to be the lower end of the system that fishes best for them.

Frenches Narrows is always a popular

MARLO/ORBOST

Marlo Ocean Views

As the weather has begun to improve, the fishing in the lower Snowy River estuary has really started to improve as well. I suspect this will only get better as the month progresses.

It is not unusual to see schools of tailor and salmon patrolling the shoreline in the early mornings and late afternoon periods in the lower estuary. There seems to be endless amounts of these fish in the system, and quite a few anglers are taking the opportunity to target them using small hardbody lures and metals. Plastics work well too, but the tailor tend to make short work of any plastic, no matter what it is.

The offshore fishing out of Marlo has been excellent. The sand flathead are in good numbers here.

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Jo Grech with a nice gummy shark caught from one of the local Marlo reefs.

place to target them on lures or bait.

The bream fishing also continues to improve. First and Second Island are always worth stopping at and flicking a bait in and around the current lines, but there are plenty of good options in the Snowy and Brodribb rivers to pick up a feed of bream. Fresh baits are your best bet.

For the luderick anglers out there, both the Snowy and Brodribb have produced plenty of good fish. The key seems to be to fish sandworm baits tight to the rock walls. No water seems to be too shallow.

Fishing from Motts Beach is always worth the effort as well. There are generally plenty of tailor and salmon to play with.

December is always a very busy time of the year in Marlo, with lots of holidaymakers and people enjoying what the area has to offer. The fish always seem to come to the party, so come and enjoy it with us.

• Les and Kathy Heyne are the owners of the Marlo Ocean Views Caravan and Camping Park. It has 13 acres of beautiful grassed parkland just a short stroll to the beach, with both powered and unpowered sites, and cabins available. There are two undercover BBQ areas and a full kitchen, as well as an onsite kiosk and LPG refills. For more information visit marlocamping. com.au or call 03 5154 8268.

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Anglers get a golden run up to the cod open ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

It’s been all about the gold this past month, with good catches of golden perch along most sections of the Murray River.

While the perch seem to be on the chew almost everywhere, anglers

Brent Martin with a solid golden taken on the Bassman Compact spinnerbait.

The Bassman DT with orange blades is always an early-season winner. fishing bait and lures below the Euston, Mildura and Wentworth weirs have seen a particularly good bite. The fish have been stacking up in huge numbers in those spots. Fisheries officers have been out in force, keeping an eye on anglers, checking bag and size limits and, of course, making sure everyone has a

current and correct fishing license.

With good flows this past month, the best lures have been those that hold depth in the current. The Bassman Compact spinnerbait range perfectly suits this scenario, tracking straight in the flow while holding depth and smashing the fish. In one particular session, casting from the bank to a large swirling, an angling mate and I had several double hook-ups, catching multiple goldens to 55cm+. Rigged with a single small Colorado or willow blade, these lures found the zone and got hit on nearly every cast.

Hardbody lures have been working as well, particularly the smaller StumpJumpers, vibes and the Bassman Tubby.

Bait anglers have also been getting in on the action, catching perch on a variety of baits, including scrub worms, shrimp, yabbies and prawns.

Of course, when you’re fishing baits you get unwanted attention from

carp, and their numbers far outweigh the perch. The stench of decaying carp carcases continues to be a problem in heavily-fished areas, where anglers discard them in piles on the bank and leave them to rot.

Perhaps Fisheries could release something encouraging anglers to dispatch their carp humanely, and return them to the river or bury them. It would improve the angling experience for everyone.

In the Kerang Lakes, redfin continue to bite, with good sizes and numbers caught consistently over the past month. Plastics, vibes, spinners and hardbodies, either cast or trolled, have all caught fish. Bait anglers have also been getting good catches of redfin on worms, shrimp and small yabbies.

With the Murray cod season opening on 1 December, anglers have been gearing

Tony Bennett

98 DECEMBER 2023

This month, you could do worse than try your luck trolling StumpJumpers.

Bring on the cod!

YARRAWONGA

Plenty of good-sized goldens were caught in the run-up to the cod open. This one was taken on the Murray River at Easton on a Bassman spinnerbait.

up in anticipation of the big bite.

Our tackle boxes are stacked and packed with a range of whizbang lures and other hook-clad paraphernalia that might tempt a big one.

As I write this, the Murray River locally is still running a tad dirty, so it might be a slow start for the lure brigade.

However, bait anglers won’t mind because water clarity is not crucial when soaking baits. Grubs, yabbies, scrub worms and chicken are all choice baits for Murray cod, especially when fished close to the timber in the flow.

When it comes to prime locations to wet a line, it’s up to you to get out and look around. It’s all part of the fishing adventure.

Here’s to the Murray cod season, and may you finally catch that one you’ve been looking for.

The wait is finally over for anglers who love targeting the mighty green fish at Lake Mulwala.

Sure, there are other options to get your fix before the cod open, but nothing beats fishing the Cod Mecca itself come December 1.

If you’re planning a trip to ‘Cod Central’ this month, I recommend entering the iconic Yamaha Cod Classic, and share in what promises to be a magnificent weekend with 2500+ other likeminded fishos.

Targeting Murray cod early in the season can be rewarding.

Getting off the edge of the deeper channels and casting in depths of 1-3m can be productive. Any style of lure – be it a hardbody, spinnerbait, crankbait, swimbait or

something else – will see you in with a good chance.

Trolling probably turns up more cod than casting in the lake, and the options are limitless.

While trolling, you want your lure to be somewhere close to the bottom, without constantly ploughing into it.

For the bait brigade, as long as it’s in the water you have a chance at catching a cod. Nothing beats a fresh grub, but yabbies, scrub worms, cheese and chicken baits can also produce the goods.

The popular Golden Dollar$ tournament was held in late October, with 26 anglers taking part. Based around the Bundalong area and its myriad of backwaters, Golden Dollar$ competitors are rewarded if they crack the code to where the yellas are hiding. The

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Mixed fortunes in the Bendigo region BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

One thing you either love or hate about fishing is its unpredictability. Just when you think the weather forecast is for below-average rainfall, Mother Nature whips up a weather system that proves the forecasters wrong.

Unfortunately, this happened to me just after writing last month’s report; the region received a significant rainfall event, which affected the water clarity in our local river systems.

However, these higher flows have subsided, and the water clarity is slowly improving again.

LAKE EPPALOCK The fishing in this location has continued to improve in recent weeks, and redfin have been the main species caught. Most of the redfin are small, but if you’re prepared to hunt around, you can encounter better quality fish up to 40cm.

Trolled hardbody lures have been productive over the past month, and a good depth range when targeting the redfin is between 4-6m. Bright colours have been working well. Once you’ve found a good concentration of redfin, you can get good results casting soft plastics and blades.

Golden perch catches haven’t been great, but they are steadily increasing.

A good approach is to cast the rocky shorelines with lipless crankbaits and blades, or you can cast suspending hardbody lures over the top of submerged saplings.

Weedless-rigged plastics will catch both redfin and golden perch. Trolling small to medium-sized hardbody lures

fishing was fairly tough this year, with only 16 yellas returned to scale for the day. Rick Goward and Rick Doyle easily won the morning session, returning four yellas for measuring. A lot of work needed to be done by the rest of the field if the two Ricks were to be caught.

Fortunately for the youngest team in the field, Ben Howell and James Phillips, they had a wonderful afternoon finding the yellas, and there were some quality fish amongst them. James’s 544mm fish was the biggest for the day, and helped the boys snare the victory. The morning’s leaders failed to land a scoring fish for the arvo session, and held onto second place. Third place was taken out by the consistent Pejkovic brothers, Matt and Brendan.

Locally, some young guns have been fishing the channel and canal outlets for some pretty good

over the top of submerged saplings in deeper water has also been successful.

There has been a small increase in the number of Murray cod being caught, with most fish measuring between 45-55cm. The condition of the cod has been excellent, with some very fat fish dining on the plentiful food in Lake Eppalock. This is a result of the great stocking program of Victorian Fisheries, and it’s a sign of good things to come.

CAMPASPE RIVER After a significant rainfall event, the Campaspe River received higher flows and reduced water clarity, which didn’t help the fishing. The good news is these higher flows have reduced again, and the water clarity is slowly improving.

If you are planning a trip to fish the river with lures, your best option currently is upstream from Barnadown to the bottom of Lake Eppalock. This section is where the water clarity is the best. If you head further downstream from Barnadown, the water clarity reduces. How long it takes to clear up will depend on how much rain we get.

Good lure options are spinnerbaits, lipless crankbaits and brightlycoloured hardbodies.

CAIRN CURRAN At the time of writing this report, Cairn Curran is at over 93% of capacity, and the clarity is still poor.

Water levels have started to recede slightly in recent weeks.

The fishing has been slowly improving over the past month. Bait fishing with worms and small yabbies has been working on the redfin. Small numbers of redfin are also being caught on soft plastics, with bright

This golden perch was caught on a Cod Hunter Flathead lure, cast close to a steep, rocky bank. colours working the best.

Catches of Murray cod and golden perch have been slowly increasing. Bait fishing has been the most productive option lately, but lures are also catching their share. Casting blades, lipless crankbaits and medium-sized hardbody lures has been producing a few native fish.

As the water continues to warm up and the water clarity improves, we will hopefully see this trend of increasing catch rates continue.

LODDON RIVER The fishing has been slow at most locations due to the poor water clarity, but there has been some good fishing in the areas directly below the weir along the Loddon River. The

David Arzuhaldzic with a monster carp.

two most productive areas have been below Laanecoorie Reservoir and below Cairn Curran Reservoir. Golden perch have been making up the bulk of catches, with small numbers of Murray cod also being landed.

Good lure options for the golden perch include lipless crankbaits, small hardbody lures and small profile spinnerbaits. Due to the dirty water, brightly coloured lures have been working the best.

Hopefully, the water clarity throughout the river system continues to improve, and the fishing will improve in more areas. However, given the poor water clarity in the impoundments in the Loddon River system, this will be a slow process.

returns. The best performer has been Jarmin Zanker, who has been catching both yellas and redfin up to 40cm. Elsewhere in the lake, local character David Arzuhaldzic got a surprise when his small bait offering was engulfed by a monster carp. After a good fight, David landed a beast that measured close to the 1m mark, estimated at well over 20lb!

If you’re visiting Yarrawonga/ Mulwala for cod opening, call in and see us at the shop opposite the Post Office in Mulwala (with the big green fish out the front), or find us at our Yarrawonga store located between Rivers and One Zach. We’re your local Murray cod fishing specialists and specialise in all things green!

Were also the official Cod Classic shop. For up-to-date fishing reports or for further information, don’t hesitate to call 03 5744 1667.

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Don’t be scared to just sit and drown a bait WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

December is the best time of the year to fish in North East Victoria. It is also the busiest time on our waterways, and the easiest time for a fishing reporter to pen an article because pretty much everything is biting.

will be worth trying on cod opening.

December really is a great month to go Murray cod fishing.

If by chance (bad chance) the rivers are flooded again like last year, your best bet might be to head to the lakes or irrigation channels, where the water is more regulated. We don’t have any irrigation channels near Wangaratta, so you may have to travel to fish them, but

Holly Alexander caught this Murray cod on worms in a channel recently while targeting yellowbelly. The fish was released.

Tim Galley with a nice Murray cod caught on the season opening last year. You can see just how high the river was in the background.

especially in the second half of the month when it’s a bit hotter. Size can be a problem though, as small redfin make up the bulk of my catch at this time of year.

As I get older, I enjoy sitting on the bank drowning worms more and more.

This technique is great for redfin fishing in both of these lakes in December, and can result in a very welcomed by-catch.

MURRAY COD Murray cod season opens on 1 December. Usually, conditions are great at the start of December, but after two years of above-average rainfall and high water levels, I am hesitant to give a forecast on how the rivers will look.

Last year on cod opening, the rivers were very high, just below minor flood

Trout cod are often caught while targeting Murray cod. Trout cod are protected and must be released unharmed.

Ovens River yellowbelly tend to be very rich in colour thanks to the clear dark water. They are usually on the bite in December. level. My friend Tim and I managed to catch just one Murray cod.

Well, Tim did, anyway. I caught a carp.

My advice for this cod opening is that if the water is high and dirty, don’t be scared to sit and drown some bait. Kitchen baits have become very popular over the last decade or so.

Cheese, chicken and even kabana of all things, have caught plenty of Murray cod, along with traditional baits of bardi grubs, yabbies and live shrimp.

If the water is at a more respectable level, then lure fishing will be very popular. If water conditions are good, all of your favourite Murray cod lures 100 DECEMBER 2023

we do have several lakes with Murray cod in them. Lake Buffalo, Lake Hume, Lake Nillahcootie, Lake Mulwala and Lake Eildon are all within an hour’s drive of Wangaratta.

YELLOWBELLY December is a terrific time to target yellowbelly in North East Victoria.

Every creek, river or lake that has yellowbelly will be worth fishing in the coming weeks. Lake Nillahcootie is my favourite yellowbelly fishery, but the Ovens River is really starting to turn it on as a yellowbelly fishery now, too.

As I’ve said before, Lake Eildon and Lake Hume are the places to head if you want to target a trophy-sized yellowbelly, and December is a great time to do that.

REDFIN The redfin fishing can be a bit hit-and-miss in December, with some places fishing better than others. I’ve found that our two main redfin fisheries, Lake Buffalo and Lake William Hovell, often fish well for redfin in December,

In Lake William Hovell, the by-catch is usually a trout, but in Lake Buffalo it can be a trout, Murray cod or yellowbelly. A couple of years ago, I even managed to catch a Macquarie perch while fishing with bait there.

TROUT December is usually a great time to target trout, although warm water and low flows can really slow them down in hot, dry years. To be safe, I recommend that you head up high into

the headwaters of the streams where the water is cooler. During hot years, the trout will often head upstream in search of better flows and cooler waters. This is particularly common in streams that offer marginal conditions and have a tendency to warm up.

Places that usually fish well for trout in December are the Ovens River upstream of Bright, the Buckland River, the Buffalo River upstream of Abbeyard, and the far upper reaches of the King River around Pineapple Flat. This area is only accessible by 4WD. OTHER SPECIES December is a great time to go yabbying because the dams usually still have plenty of water in them, and that water is becoming quite warm.

If you want to catch carp, your opportunities are endless. Lake Moodemere is probably the easiest spot to catch a carp, although any lagoons along the Ovens River will be worth fishing. A bit further afield, Broken Creek is absolutely infested with carp.

The small blackfish (often called greasies) always bite well in December.

Anglers rarely target these little native fish as they are usually too small. However, they can be a lot of fun to catch and are a great way for kids to learn about native fish. These fish are found in the same areas as trout, and typically inhabit deep, dark holes with plenty of cover, such as rocky ledges and snags. Blackfish are far more abundant in streams than many people realise.

Freshwater blackfish, otherwise known as ‘greasies’, are more abundant than many people realise, and are a lot of fun for kids to catch.

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Lots of good reports coming in from lure fishers SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

The Goulburn River has continued to settle and, like always, this means good fishing. There have been heaps of reports from those who fished Cup

Nate Brown with a Kialla Lakes redfin.

Weekend, with some solid yellowbelly being caught. Trolling has been best in Shepparton, with Old Mates and Codgers working well.

There has been no real hot spot part of the river in Shepparton, with fish being caught straight up the middle on the troll, as well as closer to the banks. Casting spinnerbaits has worked well out towards

Toolamba and Murchison, with a superslow retrieve working best. Bait fishing has been consistent up and down the river, with small yabbies and scrub worms working well.

BROKEN RIVER The river is now reasonably low, but don’t let that put you off because the fish are on the chew. Yellowbelly have been caught in many different areas between Benalla and Shepparton. The standard spots below both weirs have fished well, with TN60 Jackalls working best.

Anglers have been doing well in other areas of the river with small square bills and soft vibes, slow rolled from the bank or a kayak.

Bait fishing near the junction and around Broken River Drive has been good, with shrimp and worms working best for those chasing yellowbelly.

WARANGA BASIN More good reports have been coming from the basin, with some big yellowbelly and redfin being caught. One of the best methods has been trolling, with the standout lures being the RMG Scorpion and Poltergeist in the Trelly’s white and orange colour, and also small StumpJumpers.

Vertical fishing blades or spoons for redfin and yellowbelly, has worked well, with fish being caught on both the pause and the lift. Don’t be worried if your lure sits on the bottom for a long period, because some yellowbelly will eat lures off

the bottom.

Bait fishing has also been a great lately, and land-based fishing with worms is a great method to land high numbers of fish. If you’re fishing out of a boat, keep your baits close to the bottom because the fish are feeding deep and hard on the bottom.

KIALLA LAKES The water seems to be all over the place at Kialla lately. It fished really well after the flood while levels were high, but became a little tougher when the water was low.

There have been reports of all kinds of techniques used to catch both redfin and yellowbelly at both high or low levels.

The stand-out lures have been beetle spin

Ayden Brown loves catching redfin.

Nick and Nate Brown with a Kialla Lakes yellowbelly. rigged soft plastics, Bent Minnows, XR6 jerk baits and TN50 Jackalls. The rigged plastics and Jackalls have been working best with a slow retrieve, and the other two lures have been working best on the pause. It’s good to give a few flicks of the rod tip and then a 2-3 second pause.

Often, as you go to flick the rod, you’ll find the fish has already taken off with your lure.

Bait fishers haven’t been doing quite as well. I’ve had only a couple of reports of redfin and yellowbelly caught on scrub worms right on the drop-off around 4-6ft away from the banks.

Productive summer hours EILDON

Daniel Piazza

Let me start by wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It’s been great returning to the magazine after a short break.

Now let’s all get out to Lake Eildon and surrounding towns.

If I had to choose one area to camp for a night and fish land-based with worms (or your bait of choice), I’d pick Fraser National Park. Jump on the Parks Victoria website for all your bookings and info.

A spot further away from the main race is where I’d pull up stumps and soak a few worms from the afternoon onwards. Use a running sinker with the smallest pea sinker that keeps your bait on the bottom, ready for a fish to notice it.

Remember that trees and laydowns are everywhere under the water, waiting to snag your hook. You can map these obstacles by dropping down a small sinker tied to leader line. Once you have found a good clear spot using your exploratory sinker, it’s time to drop your worm in.

When you find that honey hole, your next step is to be patient; don’t

give up on a spot too quickly. I give my baits 15 minutes before I move them.

While you have a bait in the water, I recommend also throwing a lure in, to maximise your chances of getting a fish’s attention. A range of lure types will work, but my go-to is a spinnerbait. I like to start with bright colours, like chartreuse, and go from there.

I have many favourite spots, and it’s great that when the water level fluctuates, you get to experience different features of those areas. I’m taking a strong liking to fishing the Mansfield side of the lake, Goughs Bay, and Howqua Arm, and I

Ben from Summit Outfitters has been out doing what he does best.

have caught most fish species over in these areas. Because of the inflow, there is an abundance of moving trout. If you’re chasing Murray cod, the best lures are willow spinnerbaits around 200mm in size, or even a glide bait in trout pattern – and you can’t go past a trolled diving lure over the tops of a submerged treeline in 6m of water.

In summertime, the best times to target lure-crunching cod and yellas are in the morning and late at night. Many people prefer throwing surface lures during low-light sessions, but I like throwing a small, light spinner bait to search around and see what’s up and about.

If you’re using your sounder to locate schools of fish, I recommend using small soft plastics. Just be open to changing your technique to catch the monster of the deep.

Also, if you’re fishing in depths over 10m, remember that the fish could suffer from barotrauma. To avoid releasing a fish that will soon die, you can use a priest (fish bat) or a needle, depending on whether you’re ‘releasing’ the fish into the esky, or into the water. It’s always good to put some back for another day.

The dam wall is another great landbased and boat-based area, with lots to offer all types of anglers. If you need

Lachlan Culican with a very healthy cod. worms or lures, be sure to check out the local Eildon tackle shop for service with a smile. And remember to take 20 minutes to ensure your boat and gear are ready to escape to the most beautiful place on the planet.

That’s it for this month. I will continue with more about my other areas next issue.

• Daniel Piazza is the creator of Primal Spinbaits – quality handcrafted, Australian-made spinnerbaits with a wide range of coloured heads and skirts.

These spinnerbaits feature heavy-duty wires and high-quality finishes, and are proven effective on our native fish.

Google ‘Primal Spinbaits’ to see where you can buy them.

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Wendouree is the talk of the town BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Lake Wendouree and waters around the Ballarat district are the talk of the town for anglers who fish the freshwater scene, especially those who chase trout.

Over the past month, some fishing competitions have brought together fly fishers from all over the state to fish our local waters.

WASTELL TROPHY The first competition was the 82nd annual Wastell Trophy, Australia’s oldest and most prestigious fly-fishing competition. This tournament was created by Ballarat Fly Fishers Club founding member Victor Wastell, with the aim of bringing like-minded people together, through their pursuit of fly fishing.

Competitors had to take photos of their fish on a brag mat, and send the photo to officials, and catch and release was encouraged. A dinner was held on the Saturday night at the Ballarat Fly Fishers Clubrooms, where anglers shared stories of their catches and the tales of the ones that got away. Victor Wastell’s goal of bringing like-minded people together is still being achieved 82 years on.

This year’s event was one of the best, with 109 trout being caught and released from Wendouree, Moorabool,

three hours each. All competitors fished out of boats, with names randomly drawn to fish with different competitors throughout the four sessions.

The competition is catch and release (with barbless flies), and the only eligible species are rainbow and brown trout.

Competitors have their fish measured by the other angler in the boat, and the length gets added to their scorecard.

The competition is not always won by the competitor who catches the most fish; rather, it’s the competitor who is

Nathan Angee nailed this 58cm rainbow trout on a Bent Minnow surface lure. Image courtesy of Nathan Angee.

to the excellent work of Victorian Fishing Authority and Ballarat District Anglers Association, and the trout stocking program.

Jacob Young, a very keen young angler, has been fishing Wendouree after school and on weekends with his mates, generally casting soft plastics and small hardbodied lures from the shore. The boys have been doing extremely well, catching plenty of rainbow and brown trout and some excellent-sized redfin.

Donnie Rogers continues to catch quality brown and rainbow trout from the small rivers and streams around Ballarat. Image courtesy of Donnie Rogers.

Vern Barby landed this golden midgefeeding brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir. Image courtesy of Vern Barby.

This year’s Wastell Trophy saw 60 competitors register online to fish local waters around the Ballarat District, and the competition times were Saturday 6am-6pm and Sunday 6am-12pm.

Newlyn, Dean and Hepburn Lagoon.

Craig Mitchell was the winner, with a magnificent 67cm brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir, caught on a Black Cruncher nymph just 45 minutes into the competition. For his efforts, Craig was awarded the Wastell Trophy, Gerald Armitage Trophy, Wacka McKay Trophy, and an Orvis combo worth $1800 from Mayfly Tackle.

VERN BARBY TROPHY The second competition held around Ballarat was Fly Fish Victoria’s Vern Barby Trophy, held on Lake Wendouree. Fly fishers from all over the state converged on Wendouree to fish for the trophy, and accrue points towards representing Australia on the international scene.

The competition was run over two days, with four sessions consisting of

consistent throughout the four sessions.

This year’s Vern Barby Trophy saw 40 competitors catching and releasing 556 trout over the two days –unheard of on the fly-fishing competition scene in Australia. The winner was Daniel Ringer, who also won last year’s competition.

Daniel also caught 36 trout over the four sessions, averaging nine per session, which is a great effort in anyone’s book.

Ballarat Fly Fishers Club President Nick Roche presenting Craig Mitchell with the 2023 Wastell Trophy.

Jamie Beaton, a new member of the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club, with his first brown trout on fly.

Image courtesy of Nick Roche.

Jacob Young has been fishing Lake Wendouree with his mates after school and on weekends, catching trout and redfin on lures and plastics. This redfin was caught on a Bent Minnow. Image courtesy of Jacob Young.

102 DECEMBER 2023

WHAT’S BITING Lake Wendouree is the talk of the town within the angling fraternity. You can drive around the lake at any time of the day and find an angler fishing from the shore or a boat. This is due

Nathan Angee has also been hitting up Wendouree, and getting some good fish. On a recent trip, Nathan struggled to tempt the fish on the fly so he changed over to casting Bent Minnow surface lures. This proved to be an excellent decision, and he couldn’t keep the trout off his lures. One ripper rainbow trout measured in at 58cm.

Lake Wendouree will fish very well over the next couple of months. With the trout and redfin turning their focus onto mud-eyes, anglers using mud-eye baits or flies will do exceptionally well, either land-based or from a boat. Exciting times ahead.

Moorabool Reservoir continues to fish well for trout and redfin,

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The fish are stacking on the summer weight CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

Recently some friends from Ballarat way ventured down into my neck of the woods for a few days’ fishing.

After a couple of quiet days on Lake Elingamite, they launched on Lake Purrumbete for one final session.

Their fishing fortunes changed from zilch the previous day to a piscatorial bonanza the next. The highlight was a fat Chinook salmon for one angler, as well as two huge tiger trout, and the low lights were two solid brown trout dropped boat-side. The boys cast Bent Minnow surface lures towards the bank-hugging weed for their fish, and also picked up at least 40 redfin of various sizes in between the salmon and trout strikes. Although there are plenty of redfin taken deep at Purrumbete, there are just as many hiding and hunting in the shallows amongst the surface weed growth.

A nice Bullen Merri Chinook salmon taken trolling a Pontoon 21 lure in around 6m of water.

In saying that, overall Lake Elingamite has been indifferent fishwise, and it may have something to do with the water discolouration. Recent strong winds have stirred up the water and, as a rule of thumb, fish don’t like irritants passing through their gills.

I’m sure a few days of light winds will turn this on its head. The water level at the boat ramp currently sits at 90cm, which isn’t too bad when heading in or out in boats 4m and under.

Lake Bullen Merri has been solid for tiger trout and Chinook salmon, which

hardbodies and soft plastics will catch fish, and bait fishing has also been productive. A lightly-anchored worm is bound to succeed.

Most of my own trout success this season has come from fishing small feeder streams branching off larger known rivers. This naturally means less fishing pressure, and in the right streams it can mean better fishing. I usually fish these smaller tributaries using a lightly-weighted soft plastic or an unweighted worm. Both are gun

Rick Rosser with a standard trout for our region.

techniques for fish that haven’t seen fishing pressure for a while. So, when you’re heading out in search of trout in our region, consider turning away from your favourite or most reliable spots in search of untouched water that has plenty to offer.

DAMS Blue Rock has started to fire up in recent months, with bass returning to the fore in the numbers the lake is known for. Warmer weather is only going to keep them going, so it’s a great time to head out to the lake, both land-based and off the boat.

Topwater lures have been turning up reliable numbers of fish, with the bass smashing cicadas, poppers and ‘walk the dog’ style lures. Of course, hardbodies and soft plastics are reliable as well, and will regularly turn up bass and redfin.

Trout in the lake tend to go a bit quiet during the hotter months, although they will still show up every now and then. Bait fishing becomes red-hot at this time of year, and will produce all species the lake has to offer.

Local estate dams are still worthy of some attention over the coming months.

Redfin will hit just about anything at this time of year, so it shouldn’t matter what you use. It’s usually just a matter of trial-and-error until you find a spot that produces. Soft plastics and vibes are a good starting point; these lures are good for prospecting new water and are reliable fish catchers.

Overall, the fishing has been red-hot recently, and we should expect this to continue over the coming months. Coming into December we should expect waters to remain in peak condition, and the fish to be active and ready to be caught.

what food is around, feeding on midge given any opportunity, and whatever else lands on the water.

I have fly fished at Moorabool on numerous occasions looking for mayfly feeders without seeing any. However, when the weather conditions are right, the midge start hatching, the birds start eating them, and soon after that trout come up and start feeding. You must make the most of the window of

opportunity when this happens. It’s exciting to watch the big trout noses and dorsal fins pop out of the water feeding on these little insects. Pop your little midge pattern in front of them and slowly move your fly. Hopefully, the trout will eat it.

Donnie Rogers continues to catch quality rainbow and brown trout from the local streams and rivers around the Ballarat area, and small soft plastics and

hardbodied lures have been doing the damage. Donnie said he couldn’t believe how good the fishing was.

“All the talk is about trout in our lakes and how good the fishing is,” he said. “What is in our streams and rivers is unbelievable, and I’m totally hooked on this sort of fishing. It’s not easy – stealth is required, and you also need to be prepared to cover some miles by foot, but the rewards are there.”

Waterways are in peak condition WEST/SOUTH GIPPSLAND

Billy Auldist

The hot weather has set in, the fish in South West Gippsland are active, the waterways are in pristine condition and there have been many successful reports from our local anglers. The fishing will be hot for a while yet, and it’s an exciting time of year in the region.

The Bunyip and Tarago rivers, which don’t receive a lot of fishing pressure, are still a viable option in our region. On both of these rivers, finding untouched water shouldn’t be too hard, and there is good fishing to be had in both waterways. I find soft plastics to be the best method in both rivers, and a lighter jighead is beneficial as it keeps the lure in the water column for longer.

Noojee’s surrounding Loch, Toorongo and Latrobe rivers have been reliable as always. With the water cleared up, all the usual techniques are finding success. Spinners in metallic colours are cleaning up on trout for many anglers, with large numbers making up for the lack of size. Most with some big brown trout being caught on flies. Other anglers have been catching trout on lures and baits, with mud-eyes being dynamite.

A notable absence out at Moorabool over the past month was the mayfly; there have hardly been any. I’m not sure why, as there have been plenty on other waters around the district.

The lack of mayflies hasn’t worried the trout, though. They have adapted to

have mostly been taken on the troll in around 8m+ of water, not far out from the bank. Many fish have been taken on Lofty’s Cobra style winged lures and medium to deep minnow stickbaits trolled way out back, preferably under electric power. The tigers are seriously stacking on the weight, with some fish exceeding 3kg, whilst the Chinooks are being landed in several size and weights depending on release dates.

The Hopkins River has seen several sea-run brown trout taken on the fly near the mouth by anglers targeting estuary perch.

Below the falls, some solid trout over 2kg have been caught in the turbid water, all on shallow diving lures and soft plastics.

The Merri has trout to 900g and some good redfin. All are being taken upstream from the railway bridge by bank anglers either using scrub worm fished shallow under a float, or minnow lures cast in and around any structure.

Cooper Faith with a typical Noojee brown trout.

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Summer in Esperance means plenty of nice, warm weather plus our usual bit of wind, with southeasterlies blowing from lunchtime until late in the afternoon.

The standard trip involves fishing early in the morning, and then packing up and getting back by lunchtime — or you can settle in for the afternoon and continue fishing at night.

The salmon are starting to school up again, and good beaches around town are Salmon Beach and Fourth Beach.

Further out of town, you can try Roses and Warrenup, and heading east there’s Alexander Bay, Thomas River and Poison Creek. All have been producing big numbers of salmon, along with bronze whalers and the occasional small, soapysize mulloway.

The local beaches have been

been catching good numbers of herring, plus sand whiting and the occasional squid.

We are also seeing plenty of snook and the occasional bluefin tuna in close. The usual queen snapper, smaller nannygai, harlequin and breaksea are being caught around the islands. Squidtrex lures in 130 and 150 sizes have been doing well on the bottom fish lately; just let the lure hit the bottom, bring it up a bit and let it flutter naturally in the water.

Heading out wide, we’re seeing plenty of nannygai being caught over 50cm, with anglers often getting their bag limit in a short time. There are also plenty of samsonfish, small yellowtail kings, and good numbers of queen snapper and breaksea being caught.

Some bigger schools of tuna have been showing up, with plenty of samples up around that 10kg mark. The tuna don’t spook easily when they’re like this, and they will sometimes take just about

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Lachy Warren with a nice soapy mulloway. Image courtesy of @lachywarren. producing the goods, with plenty of goodsize herring being caught at West Beach, Blue Haven and 14 Mile. Anglers have also been picking up some smaller skippy, and the occasional sand whiting. 14 Mile has also been producing a few gummy sharks.

Heading further out of town towards Thomas River and Israelite Bay, we’re seeing plenty of bigger skippy, herring, the occasional tailor, and the usual salmon and sharks. If the winds are strong out of those areas, there are plenty of other areas to fish around Cape Arid.

Around town, the jetty is still producing the occasional squid and lots of herring, which are slowly getting bigger. There’s still the odd small skippy being caught, along with garfish. We are also seeing the occasional bonito coming through.

At Bandy Creek Boat Harbour, there have been lots of King George whiting, along with small flounder, flathead, and herring.

Anglers fishing the bream lakes have been getting good catches of fish to over 30cm. As the water recedes, the bream will start schooling more in the hollows in the lakes, making them easier to catch.

Boat-based anglers in the bay have

anything thrown at them. Aside from the usual chrome slices, good lure options include the Ocean’s Legacy Keeling 105s, which have enough weight to get a good distance, or the Laser Pro DD 190 or 160 in pilchard/mackerel colours or redhead.

DECEMBER FISHING The coming weeks will continue to be warm and windy, and we’ll see the salmon schools continue to form.

Big bull herring will become more plentiful, providing a lot of fun for everyone off the beach. A small Halco Twisty, or anything with a bit of flash in it, will bring them undone. If you’re chasing the herring out of a boat, you can troll them up on a Tassie Devil in colour 13. The other way is to anchor up with a lumo tube on a hook cast out behind a no. 2 berley blob. That works well off the jetty, too.

• Established in 1986, Southern Sports and Tackle specializes in supplying and servicing fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from the beach, jetty or boat. Come and chat to the friendly staff at Shop 16, The Boulevard, Esperance or call them on 08 9071 3022.

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Big bags are back!

BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

Warmer days are here and the fish have responded! Southern bluefin tuna have been abundant this year with some of the best numbers on

record with big footy oval sized schools busting up the thick bait schools.

The SBTs have been caught as close in as the shipping channel and as far out as 30m. The key to catching these speedsters is to keep an eye

Harry Fowler caught this 44cm brown trout from one of our local dams! Casting at rising fish this time of year is a great way to have some heart pumping freshwater fun!

Left and Right: Sophie and Hudson with some epic bream caught in the Blackwood River fishing comp.

out at all times for signs of activity, whether it’s the birds circling and diving or the tuna themselves getting airborne in their ferocious attack on their prey. Once you have located the general area, try and sneak up on the side of the feeding school in casting distance and cast and fire in a metal or stickbait, crank it hard and hold on!

If they are being tricky and keep going deep before you can get near them your best bet is to get out the trolling lures and hang around the area and you will eventually come across them. A bibbed trolling lure is a great option but for covering ground quickly, a small skirted lure can be ripped along at 12-15 knots (fast enough to have it skipping every

Plenty of species variety on offer AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

Here I am sitting at the foreshore writing this article while pondering what life would be without recreational fishing. I realised this morning that the life of a rec fisher in Western Australia is so different now compared to when I was a child over five decades ago. Some of the changes have been good, others I am still waiting to see the merit of (if any) or if the changes actually have been put in place with little consultation or thought, or in fact with an ulterior motive.

When I was a small child, there was no thought to the possible environmental impacts caused by the thoughtless or uneducated dumping of various effluents into the rivers and oceans. The slow cessation of these actions were in no doubt for the better

with detrimental chemicals no longer entering the food chain unabated. The most recent decade however seems to have had restrictions put in place without any meaningful engagement with the fishing public. There is nothing worse than being treated like a moron by the various governments who put sanctuary zones, fishery closures and lockouts from coastal and waterways.

It has become increasingly obvious that there are a small number of people that believe they will make decisions that affect hundreds of thousands of people in this state. The most recent closure was the sudden ceasing of the greenlip abalone harvest for recreational and commercial fishers. There has obviously been some talk in the past about abalone not recovering to the extent expected in a time frame that someone appears to have pulled from the air. If the stocks are not returning in numbers expected, as there are currently farmed greenlip abalone

A first-grade mixed bag from the river caught by the author while kayak fishing.

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being grown in Flinders Bay with the stock coming from a breeding facility in Bremer Bay would not the solution be for the government to purchase stock or take part in a seeding program to ensure that the wild stocks will recover? This can be also said for pink snapper and dhufish stocks, why is there no stocking program in place that can ensure that there will be plenty of fish in the future.

Instead of the government spending the taxpayer’s money on committees, groups and advertising telling us that we need to catch less, this could be put into fixing the problem. Marron fishing is restricted to one month of the year to preserve wild stocks yet there are stocking programs in place for trout that are not even native to the waters. Aquaculture is producing stock in vast numbers so the question we should be asking the powers to be is “why can’t this be expanded to take up the slack?”

Anyway, that is my current whinge and doesn’t have too much to do with what you can currently catch when in Augusta so let’s get onto more positive things.

The river is producing just about everything that you would expect for this time of the year. There are plenty of whiting of the yellowfin and King George varieties everywhere in Hardy Inlet but navigating the area has become pretty difficult with sandbars currently growing by the day. It would appear that the cut at Colourpatch is going to close over in the near future as the channel narrows and the beach grows. This will mean that the river waters will no longer be able to empty into the ocean.

In the past it has resulted in an increase of nutrient buildup creating an algae problem in the lower reaches. On the

Stacey Veitch scored another cracking pink snapper on soft plastics in Flinders Bay. upside it provides a closed system for the fish and crustaceans, which as a result breed up into big numbers. The crab’s population in particular explodes with numbers rivalling those that you would see in Mandurah and there have been times previously where scooping crabs has been as simple as walking to the water’s edge and picking the biggest blues you see. Everything has its good and bad points, so it is a matter of taking it as it comes. Hopefully better nutrient retention efforts upriver will mean that the problems are outweighed by the benefits.

The Town Jetty and Ellis Street Jetty are currently fishing well for whiting especially at nighttime and

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FMM now and then) can really get the tuna fired up. It is also a great option while moving between spots without having to slow down too much.

Yellowfin whiting have been in massive numbers on the local Leschenault flats. Fishing the rising tide with small poppers and stick baits seem to be all the rage. Fishing these types of lures using a slow continuous retrieve with small twitches is your best bet. Long casts are essential so make sure you are always casting with the help of the wind even if you have to walk out first and start casting back into the shore. Even though knee deep water is usually optimal, don’t be scared to cast right up into the skinny water along the shoreline as whiting will feed in water only just covering the backs.

As well as the whiting on offer in the estuary, it has also been producing some quality herring, especially around the cut area. These speedsters respond well to a variety of techniques, including metal slugs and old favourite the small length of

tube under a float.

Crays are in full force and as usual the guys dropping the pots seem to get great results as the crays

are on the move. Straight out from Bunbury seems as good as anywhere but the ever-reliable Binningup area will produce better results as

early morning as is the beach at Colourpatch. Tidal flow can be strong at times, so it always pays to try and get down there when the change of the tides corresponds with sunrise or sunset for the best chance of a feed.

That being said, people catch fish all day long in these spots. I’m a firm believer is that the best time to go fishing is when you are able to, which doesn’t always correspond with the tides. Berley up when fishing and it will invariably attract fish to you.

Black bream fishing is red hot at the moment, with fish all throughout the system. I have caught them right into the Dead Water which is currently very shallow in most areas. They are

cutting through the water like a shark on the hunt. Anything shaped like a prawn will disappear in a splash reminiscent of barramundi boofing mullet with the black bream fighting just as hard as a barra lb-for-lb.

The Sticks area is producing whiting, black bream, tarwhine and crabs with those fishing into the channels from the outer edges getting the best results.

Unfortunately, over the last month many King George whiting were about 1cm off being legal. They lack the bulk of the yellowfin of corresponding length and are a fair way off being suitable for a feed. They are feeding more aggressively than the yellowfin however, and chances are more will be hooked and released.

summer of windy afternoons to contend with; hopefully, they will hold off until after Christmas!

Demersal fishing was on and then before we knew it, the next period of closure was happening, and dhufish and pink snapper were off the table again. A few people took advantage of the short chance to get out in the bay for something a bit more substantial than whiting. After having a few good fishing days, it was pretty clear that the dhufish were about in good numbers. Soft plastics were dynamite and with low swell and calm waters it allowed for some nice days on the water. White glow 6-7” paddle tails were the go-to but as usual bait also went well. 35-45m depths were very productive with some bag-outs happening after only one or two drifts.

Beach fishing has been pretty quiet with only a few isolated reports of whiting and herring being caught on the regularly fished spots. It is always worth having a wander along the beach looking for gutters, holes or isolated reef as there will generally be something lurking about.

Tossing a metal slice lure around will generally elicit a response eventually and it will just depend on what is hungry.

Cosy Corner and Deepdene are my go-to beaches but any of the small areas of beach in the Augusta area produce. If you want to try a small, sheltered area then Ringbolt Bay is ideal as it has a small beach with rocky areas at each end, so you can often go from beach walking to rock hopping without much effort.

Speaking of rock fishing it has been dependant on the prevailing winds with south easterlies making it miserable most rock spots but with some calm days and gentle northwest winds have also allowed some solid rock fishing sessions. There have been plenty of tarwhine and herring off the rocks but skippy have thinned out

“Have you ever run over a brick while mowing the lawn?” Jake recounted as he described his harrowing experience with this Collie River ghost.

No-one will complain when the common by-catch is a great eating leatherjacket. aggressively feeding in water that is barely able to cover them and smash lures or bait cast in their vicinity. I find that kayak fishing is probably the best way to sneak up on them to within casting range as they seem to be oblivious to the silent approach. It is not unusual to see a group of fish targeting baitfish with their dorsal fins

Slowly retrieved lines with squid strips, worms or cockles are best of the baits currently but glass shrimps are definitely the favourite of yellowfin whiting.

Mild northwest winds have given us some very nice fishing conditions but lately the swing has been to the summer pattern of southeast winds. This is possibly going to result in a long hot

WA

summer kicks in. Bait choice for these delectable morsels is always a hot topic but you can’t go wrong with a combo of tuna heads and blue mackerel.

The local beaches have been good of late. Belvedere Beach has been producing some cracking tailor up to 50cm. As the weather warms the size will usually drop a little but the numbers of fish will increase.

Binningup and Myalup fishos have been getting good catches of yellowfin whiting early mornings, remember to not cast too far for these tasty fish as they are usually right on the edge.

Bunbury’s back beach has been going off with herring in the arvos. Plenty of berley is required to get them into a feeding frenzy but when you do, it’s on for young and old.

• Any questions on something you have read or just to have a chat, duck into Whiteys Tackle and Camping in Treendale, WA . One of the guys or Whitey himself will be happy to help get you on the right path to that next trophy fish. Tight lines.

Archie Newbury, 11yo, from Seville Grove with a 46cm flathead caught on the last cast for the afternoon at Augusta Marina. somewhat. Berley as always is the key to concentrating the fish.

The rock-walls at the marina are always a good bet as depending on the wind direction you can generally find a section where it is protected. Even on a windy day the inside of the marina will produce a nice calm environment to catch whiting, herring and flathead.

• Rock fishing is dangerous 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, boat hire 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.

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Not long now until demersal closure ends rock wall options.

The squid fishing is always good in December. The average size might be a little smaller, but the numbers should be increasing. At any size, they are a tasty treat.

Our beaches will also see more

METRO

Jacob Crispe

This month, Perth metro anglers will have all fishing options available to them – at least from 15 December, when the demersal closure ends. Many anglers have had their patience tested with the closures, but your Christmas present is that you can fish for all species.

A double hook up by Luke Mcgowan and good friend Lance Cooper.

They landed these two at the same time from the beach while chasing tailor. A sandbar whaler and a white spot guitar fish.

The Fish Tucker man, Dom Magoo, strikes again! This time on the 5-star inshore KGs. SWAN RIVER As mentioned in last month’s report, the flats of the Swan are on fire, and this will continue in December.

The bonus this month will be the addition of flounder. They are generally a bycatch when fishing for flathead or bream on the flats, and will take all the same lures and bait, including plastics, small hardbodies and blades, and prawn/ worm baits. Flounder have fantastic eating qualities. Once you’ve scaled and gutted your flounder, rub a little olive oil over the flesh, and season with salt and pepper.

Place the whole fish belly-down in a hot frying pan, cook for 4-5 minutes, then

place under a griller to cook the top of the fish. Once cooked, add a squeeze of lemon juice over the fish and enjoy.

Aside from catching flathead, bream and yellowfin whiting on the flats, you can get good catches in the deeper water beyond them. The tailor fishing will be excellent, with the best times to fish being first and last light. Where you find tailor there will usually be plenty of bait, and this attracts other predators like mulloway and the highly sought-after giant herring.

These fish are amazing to catch; they’re tough, fast, and extremely hard to keep hooked. Their speed needs to be seen to be believed, and heavier gear is a must.

There are plenty of “the one that got away” stories from anglers targeting them using light gear.

With the warmer evenings at this time of the year, fishing into the night is a good option. All you need is deep water coming off a flat, and some signs that there are some baitfish about. In this scenario,

ROCK WALLS AND BEACHES There will be lots of traffic on our rock walls this month, as they’re popular areas for families to fish from. All the usual species will be on offer – herring, garfish, skippy tailor and whiting. Berley is a must to improve your success, and if you

traffic (the non-fishing kind), but the fishing should continue to be good. Your main targets will be tailor, pink snapper, mulloway and whiting, with the odd shovelnose and guitarfish mixed in. Take your time and pick the better gutters before you commit to an area. Don’t

The same night as the shark double catch, Lance hooked this beauty!

After some solid runs he got this chrome slab to hit the sand. haven’t fished for these species before, there are plenty of pre-made rig options available. Hit up your local tackle store for advice and what would best suit your needs. Fremantle Sailing Club, South and North Mole and Cottesloe are good

Peter Zahradka is an absolute weapon when it comes to chasing these predators of the flats. FYI, did you know you get four fillets from one flounder?

Another excellent shot taken by the master Han Yeoh. He caught this whiting while wandering around some ocean beach flats.

disregard the close-in gutters either – you will be surprised at how well they can fish.

Good beaches to try will be Port Beach, Cottesloe, Trigg, Floriat Drain and, for those keen mulloway anglers, Mullaloo.

INSHORE Our inshore fishing in the Perth Metro has been very good in recent weeks, and this is a good sign that December should offer good fishing on these grounds. There have been plenty of reports of good King George whiting fishing in 8-12m. Small Samsonfish, skippy, herring, and even the odd yellowtail kingfish will also be in

Young gun Ayden Z with an absolute ripper of a flathead he caught while out with his dad Peter.

Young Jordan Z with a prime example of a Swan River tailor. He looks proud as punch, and so he should be!

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What an absolute haul by legend Shaun Beard. He says these fish just couldn’t resist his trusty Ecogear ZX35.

all three species are on the cards. There are plenty of good areas to try between Fremantle and the Causeway and even beyond that. Well worth exploring.

December is also a great month for blue swimmer crabs. They tend to push further up the system, and are a popular option for many people. The zone between the Old Brewery and South Perth is a good place to start.

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Warm waters provide new options MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

If getting out during the warmer months is something that interests you more than the cooler ones, December has a lot of promise when it comes to inshore and offshore fishing. Although you will have slightly different options as compared

going to be a great fishing prospect, as the abundance of smaller fish like herring or baby tailor tend to roam and hunt for food consistently. Even though you will generally find more of those typical sized fish when opting for less substantial baits, many anglers lean towards casting out larger baits attempting to target larger tailor and mulloway, which are never far behind.

When picking the appropriate rig, you are in most cases best to go off your daily encounters with regards to fish behaviour and beach conditions like swell or current.

Anglers can be assured that there is plenty of good fish on offer if you are willing to spend some time up the river figuring out what the fish are taking preference to and how they are behaving.

The fish will not be exceptionally picky when it comes to bait fishing, but artificial anglers may find it a bit harder to tempt fish out of their comfort zone due to the conditions aiding their ability to cautiously approach and access a presentation before making some sort of commitment.

Some great sized bream or mulloway are there for the taking throughout, but Josh from Bunyip_Fishing is a local legend that puts in some seriously hard yards during the demersal season to come up trumps with fish like this beautiful dhuie off Mandurah.

Mulloway are a fish that many anglers target in the warmer months. Great fish, like this one Ryder caught, are there for the taking if you put in the hours and persevere. to cooler months, the warmer waters provide new opportunities and species for anglers who are willing to brave the summer conditions.

Those looking to wet a line with some sand between their toes will find the beach an excellent option this time of the year, especially when fishing around first and last light. Inshore gutters are always

If you are fishing from the beach for some fun, you will find success baiting up smaller long shanked hooks and pairing them with a fixed star sinker. When targeting the bigger species, you will find a lot of luck fishing bigger baits with both fixed or running sinker setups and will find it hard to pattern consistency based off your previous experiences.

this zone.

Squid anglers will also be rewarded this month. You can get good results drift fishing over broken ground in 3-6m of water, and there’s a great area on the northern side of North Mole to do this. If you have never done it before, check out the feature my mate Peter Jung wrote on this. You can find it somewhere in this issue of the magazine.

OFFSHORE The deployment of the FADs on our offshore grounds is timely for our offshore anglers. The tuna, which have been a popular target in recent months,

have all but disappeared, and the FADs will attract other species like dolphinfish and the odd wahoo. Dolphinfish (mahimahi) tend to concentrate in large numbers around these structures, offering a fantastic fishing option.

Spanish mackerel anglers will also be excited, as the numbers will increase in both our inshore and offshore grounds.

Trolling a garfish is by far the most popular method to target them. Cockburn Sound is renowned for its mackerel fishing, so why not give it a go?

The demersal closure finishes on 15 December, meaning all your favourite

Black bream can be hard to target during summer, but the ones that are willing to eat can be quite ravenous with their increased metabolism. you may also find that unusual catches like tailor and giant herring are making their way around the active bait schools.

During the warmer months, river

Han Yeoh means business when he has an egi rod in his hand. A great pic of our southern calamari.

The young gun Unwins are taking home this lovely feed of herring caught with the luxury of sand between their toes.

target species are back in play, from snapper and dhufish to deep-drop species like grey band cod and blue-eye trevalla.

With all the closures and changes to fishing regulations, it will pay to keep up to date using the Recfishwest app. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

That’s it for another month. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. Enjoy the festive season, and I will catch you next month

residents tend to spread throughout the rivers and as a result you can expect to find them as far as you are willing to travel upstream. Although the hotter days can make lengthy river sessions unpleasant at times, it is a great time to make the most of exploring some of the different grounds, which do not typically hold fish in the cooler months due to lack of salinity.

Locals chasing a fix of offshore fishing will be anxiously waiting for the 16th of the month, when the demersal fishing season opens and many of the tasty species are targetable for locals once again. Even though there is so much more to target including the Christmas crayfish, most anglers heading out wide will find themselves targeting species like dhufish, break sea and pink snapper in depths of 15-60m of water.

Targeting any of the previously mentioned species, you will generally find that artificial presentations will work just as well as baited jigs and standard rigs alike. If you are opting to go for one of the baited options, anglers always have a varied preference with regards to bait choices when heading out. There seems to be endless options varying from caught to store brought, there definitely seems to be a reoccurring pattern when it comes to the use of octopus, squid and mullet regardless of the presentation it is attached to.

Lure choices will vary based largely on the depth range you are targeting, along with current and drift speed. When using lures offshore, it is less about what colours fish find appealing and it is much more important to find a good weight that will naturally fall to the bottom with given conditions considered. Keeping contact with the bottom without plummeting past fish and appearing unnatural to them in the process is often overlooked, though lure contact is equally as important when it comes to feeling the most critical of bites.

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Lots on in Lancelin LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

The white cray run is in full swing creating a busy beach early every morning with lots of boats heading out to pull full lobster pots. The water begins to warm as more tropical species start to return to our waters.

On the 15th of December the demersal season opens for the start

There’s been so many schoolies this year. Steve with a one of the many we have seen hit the beach. of school holidays and on the 27th Lancelin angling club hold the Johnny Bray fishing competition.

It’s a huge event with thousands of dollars worth of prizes to be won. A great activity for the kids during the school holidays, the comp is open to all junior anglers to 16yo and every competitor wins a prize. It is held in the protected waters of the bay, fishing from the beach, boat or jetty. Registrations at the angling club on the day.

While the whites are running, people will be inclined to head out in conditions they might not have otherwise, knowing the pots will be full and the need to gather some lobster for Xmas lunch. It’s a great shame on the Department of Transport after years of lobbying we still don’t have a 24hr LOLO (log on log off service) in Western

Australia! Other states have had one for many years including optional coverage with GPS tracking of your boat throughout the day. All we get in WA is hollow promises year in year out. So basically it is up to you to ensure someone you know and trust knows you have gone out early to pull the pots before the wind picks up and will alert the authorities if you fail to return back to the beach at a pre allotted time. As the month progresses the white lobsters continue to move out deeper where some fishers will follow them, or alternatively set pots for multi day pulls for jumbo’s out from the mid 20’s or deeper depths.

When the demersal season opens we will see a lot more baldchin compared to the September season.

At the close of last season there was a spate of dhufish captures in the 8-12kg range inside the white bank, so don’t overlook an inshore session.

Pink snapper should be active on the inshore reefs too, so some great options for the small boats, kayaks and drone fishers.

On the game fishing front, it is still a bit early to see mackerel, but tuna have been great with a mix of striped, blue and fin yellowfin. Some big yellowfin have been stalking schools of bonito or smaller blue fin, even stealing them of the lures at the boat! Bridling up a live bonito

for a slow troll around the schools could be a great way to entice a really big fish.

In the bay itself, the fishing has been red hot with lots of options and crystal-clear water. Best to make the most of it now because we are heading quickly towards a summer mode where low swells and hot days reduce the water quality due to seaweed accumulating and rotting along the shoreline. The bay’s been very productive trolling and casting small lures. Chris Hartanto introduced me to the Dawia Double Clutch lures, fishing the bay I have been out fished on multiple occasions and certainly been converted to a fan. The big snook can be fussy at times to both baits and lures, but seemingly can’t

a session is not at all uncommon.

There’s been a few good size mixed in with them in the 15-20kg range.

The larger fish along with small whaler sharks have been coming from deeper holes or open beaches vs the schoolies have been in the wash of shallow gutters. Through this month we can expect the tailor sizes to fall

Marty with a whopping 140cm mulloway, from a fresh tailor fillet.

Huxley Taylor (what an apt name) with a greenback he caught while casting surface lures to reef breaks.

Bonito have made a resurgence in recent years, they are great fun on light gear.

110 DECEMBER 2023

There’s been some solid tailor along the beach gutters.

John pulled this 60cm fish on a pilchard bait.

resist the Double Clutch! Which has been a great little lure on tailor, pike, skippy etc. Aside from fish there’s always a few tasty blue swimmer crabs along the shoreline and squid can be caught over the sea grass beds or casting jigs from the jetty.

If you prefer to keep the sand between your toes, the beach fishing has been pretty good too. We have been getting some solid tailor and the mulloway have just been insane this year. Mostly schoolies in the 50-75cm range but the numbers have been the best I have seen in nearly 15 years. Catching half a dozen in

to an abundance of summer choppers along the open beaches. The gutters up Wedge way tend to hold larger fish year-round. The big brute guitar fish will also be patrolling our beaches so be geared up to handle these tackle destroying monsters!

If you are just looking for a feed, whiting can be small along the beaches this time of year south of town. Heading north of town tends to find a better-quality fish, why I have no idea but I never seem to get onto good ones south? Setting up a berley trail early morning on the east winds should get some herring into casting range too. Larger bull herring have been taking pilchard baits cast for tailor and dart have been quite abundant early this season so well worth throwing some small metal slice lures along the near shore wave break or in the gutters.

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Get up early to avoid the wind KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

The normal wind pattern has well and truly set in so get an early start if you want to have a couple of hours wetting a line.

The cliffs are fishing well for pink snapper ranging from 50-80cm with a variety of other fish taken.

Last week a local Tom was catching pink snapper from Pot Ally and thought his bait had been picked clean so wound in his rig fast to get over the rocks only to be hit on the way in by a spotted mackerel – the first of the season that I’ve heard of. Tom was using rock crabs as bait and getting smashed on every cast, so it’s well worth using bait that’s local.

With warm water pushing down from the north we could get an early start to the mack run and with yellowfin tuna smashing bait schools just offshore from Red Bluff and up the coast to north of Jakes Point. All the signs are looking good but none have been reported as being caught. However, there were not many boats out in the wind.

North of the river, for those with transport, the big tailor are around and a few early mulloway have been on the chew. The best bait is mullet strip or live whiting if you can catch a few.

The whiting are in reasonable numbers in the river with anglers catching a feed on the sand flats from north of the boat hire to in front of the IGA. If you can get them, river prawns are the preferred bait to entice these tasty morsels.

Further up river from the Pens is best for black bream. These tough fighters are doing their best to get back to a snag to bust you off. The average five at the moment is down a little, with most of the catch being in the 20-28cm size range but still a great fish to catch.

The river mulloway are getting active with some nice fish to a metre being taken well up river near rocky crossing. However, you have to put in the time as it can be a long night waiting for that one fish.

Boaties will be waiting for the end of the demersal ban to get out for a feed from the bottom, chasing the dhufish and other species. Nevertheless, it’s worth looking for other fish like fat whiting and pelagics to get Sunday lunch.

Pete, a local and a cliff specialist, with a nice 4kg baldy.

It’s starting to heat up on the west side EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

This month’s report has been supplied by James Fitzgerald.

The 2023 Billfish Bonanza has been run and won, with a lot of competitors catching sails on the topside of the Gulf, mostly on live baits.

Team On Strike ended up coming first and second, with two different boats. One boat caught eight sails, and the other caught 10, all in the Gulf.

Quite a few people went out deeper in search of blue marlin, and some decent blues were trolled up on skirts like the Bonze BTK. The sails have now disappeared in the Gulf, and the blue marlin have really started to show up out wide on the west side. Quite a few people have been getting good catches of blues; one guy caught seven from 12 the other day,

which is better than we had all last year.

Anglers on the west side trolling the back side of the reef in 10-30m have been catching nice mackerel, while out deeper, quite a few wahoo and yellowfin tuna to 60kg have been turning up. Most have been caught trolling skirted lures like Richter Soft Grassies and Soft Oscars.

Gulf fishing has been going off, too, with bigger queenfish, golden trevally and GTs all around Kings Reef and the shoals like Cooper Shoal. These sportfish are all in good numbers and sizes, providing a lot of fun for anglers.

The shore-based fishing has been pretty good for those who know what they’re doing. Fishing low tide at Bundegi Flats has been productive for little trevally and queenies.

If you’re after a spangled emperor, you’ll want to hit the west side, from Yardie Creek to Mildura Shipwreck.

The spangos have been taking soft

the warmer months.

A couple of flyfishers have been catching permit from the shore, mainly on the west side, just past Tantabiddy, heading south.

Some boat-based anglers have been catching blue swimmer crabs near Learmonth Jetty, which is unusual for this time of year, but a good thing to see. You can get some crabs from Learmonth south using drop nets in around 3-6m of water. The crabs can

Mark Hourn with a 7.6kg queenfish caught off Learmonth jetty. Image courtesy of James Fitzgerald.

Connor Luff with a gorgeous black-spot tuskfish tricked into taking a fly. Image courtesy of James Fitzgerald.

plastic paddle-tails and jerkshads in bright colours, slow rolled or twitched.

Generally, when you’re fishing on that side for spangos, you don’t want the lure to hit the bottom. Just work the lure in and keep the fish excited.

Good hardbodied lures for spangos include the Nomad Madscad and Ocean’s Legacy Keeling. And, of course, you can have some great sessions on bait.

We are seeing lots of nice yellowfin whiting the Gulf, plus bream and flathead. While these bread-and-butter species are available all year round, they tend to be in bigger numbers in

The author with two barramundi cod – a highly sought-after table fish in WA. Image courtesy of James Fitzgerald. sometimes be found shallower as well, in as little as 1m of water. The Bay of Rest is a good location.

Spearfishers hitting the Gulf down near the islands and bommies have been shooting some solid coral trout, the odd bluebone and some really nice Spanish flag.

DECEMBER 2023 111

WA

North Coast

FMM

Dry fishing in the wet DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

November has proven the BOM may be on the money for once with both El Nino and positive Indian Ocean Dipole occurring together, which tends to increase the severity of rainfall events.

There were moments early in November with overcast conditions that looked like we would get some rain, but Karratha remained dry. Further north in Balla Balla and beyond to Port Hedland did see a small amount of rainfall but nothing to really get the gauges moving.

We are desperate for some rain, everything including the upper creeks are very dry

Another superb Pilbara barra. and brown. Hopefully a few small tropical events come through during the holidays or later in the season.

If anything, the warmer weather has fired up the fishing with the barra, jacks and threadies coming in from all angles. We are seeing the local Karratha

are being caught on the incoming tides by anglers trolling the shallows or flicking vibes and soft plastics. Threadfin are a 5-star table fish and well worth putting the time in to target these for a feed.

Threadfin will continue to be caught throughout December and right up to

Queenfish are on the bite in Karratha and can often exceed 100cm in length and put up a visually fantastic fight. Ricky got onto them on a recent creek bash chasing barra.

You can still troll up a few mackerel in the Gulf, but at the moment it’s more broad-barred Spanish mackerel and school mackerel, rather than narrow-barred Spanish mackerel.

DECEMBER In the coming weeks, the Gulf will be firing for golden trevally, gold-spot trevally, and GTs. Quite a few people have been catching giant herring on the Bundegi flats, so that’s on the cards in December, and we

can expect bigger queenies to come through with the heat as well.

• For the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop in to Tackle World Exmouth at 3 Maley St, Exmouth or call them on (08) 9949 1315. You can also view the range at www.tackleworldexmouth. com.au, and see the latest catch photos on their Facebook page. This family business stocks a large range of tackle, from light spin to big game. The staff have a wealth of local knowledge and expertise, and are always happy to help.

Connor Luff with a beautiful blue swimmer crab caught south of Learmonth.

It was one of a full bag limit that day. Image courtesy of James Fitzgerald.

112 DECEMBER 2023

The Pilbara region offers some exceptional mangrove jack fishing. Ricky Mclean finds them regularly up the creeks. creeks, such as Nickol and Airport, both producing fish for anglers willing to spend some time over the tidal patterns and working them accordingly. There are a lot of barra starting to be caught, although most are in the smaller range of 55-75cm there are a couple of fish caught that exceeded 90cm.

Threadfin are running hot, and most

end of March next year.

The annual Nickol Bay Balla Balla Barra Comp & Camp out and King Bay Estuary Challenge were held on 4-5 November and both events were a great success with many competitors earning points for their catches. There were plenty of barra caught up to the 90cm mark, threadfin salmon to 95cm, mangrove

One of many barra between the 70-80cm range landed in the local Karratha region creeks in November.

FMM

North Coast

WA

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE… start casting big poppers and stick baits

jack pushing the 50cm barrier and queenfish to 90cm. Both events proving that the creeks are running hot and the barra have fired up now the water

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

INTUITIVE CONTROL

INTUITIVE CONTROL

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This solid thready pushing the metre-mark was caught a couple of weeks ago.

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DECEMBER 2023 113

WA

Freshwater

FMM

It’s heating up out west FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

The unseasonable warmer conditions we experienced throughout October was alarming. This resulted in water temperatures being well up on normal. Temperatures in my region in the Western wheat-belt were up nearly 5oC on average for the month, with hot dry winds persisting on many days.

The coastal areas weren’t as bad with 3-4oC above average experienced in a lot of the Darling Scarp, where most of our dams are located. The very dry spring has also resulted in low river levels, which is not good for our trout leading into summer.

There is a concern out there, that our authorities are turning a blind eye to the fact that a better suited freshwater species needs to be incorporated into the trout stocking plan, to safeguard our freshwater fishery into the future.

It’s great to see the much-needed funds being used to upgrade the Hatchery, however, having a mono species to work with will not realise the full potential of our waters in this state. The reports coming through still indicate that this year was the poorest trout season in our northern region. I can confirm this with my records listing only 30 trout caught

Hopefully, we will see it run again next season.

REDFIN PERCH We are lucky to have these invasive species to fall back on, as they seem to persist in all but a few of our waters. It is a shame that their fighting skills are not up there with other species but their five-star eating rate makes up for that.

Good reports are coming through, with the better sizes coming from the rivers and the dams producing smaller specimens.

AUSSIE NATIVES The hot dry conditions have favoured these tough species that have adapted to our conditions here in Australia and they are now well established in Western Australia as well.

It’s sad to see so many anglers over here yearning to catch one of these Aussie icons.

The cold hard fact is that if you don’t have access to private waters or know where they exist in a few public lakes and dams, then you may never get the opportunity to experience the thrill of landing one. My advice is to look at the quality of fishing they have over the East Coast on reports written in this very magazine, and save your pennies for an epic trip East, as I did last year.

Things can be tough over there as well but a keen approach will reward you

Cool clean water let out of Wellington Dam offers an ideal environment for trout in the river below. Heavy fishing pressure can occur this time of the year so good leg work is essential for results. well if you are in the right location.

DAMS Waroona Dam A few small yearling rainbows are turning up in the mix by those targeting redfin, however, they seem to be smaller than usual for this time

work commitments but I did manage to get there the following week for a fish. Reports of low stocking numbers and below average size fish compared to last year had a few concerns from freshwater anglers, but this is all due to Hatchery revamps so hopefully things

Murray cod are more common than most realise in WA.

Scott Middelbosch from Fishing Mission WA put in a long session before being rewarded with this solid brown trout from one of our dams . for the season compared to close to 200 the previous year and well short of the 286 recorded back in 2018. Most of these 30 trout were small yearlings that lacked size and condition resulting in a poor fight. The southern region did a lot better with good numbers of trout being caught around Pemberton albeit, a lot being x brood stock.

The well run South West Kayak Anglers Freshwater competition rapped up after six weeks. A variety of keen anglers tried to secure some of the prizes put up by local sponsors Prestige Tackle, Razor Edge Lures and big thanks to Fishing Monthly Magazines for donating a couple of yearly subscriptions to a great magazine.

114 DECEMBER 2023

of the year. Redfin numbers have been down recently with a few larger ones sitting down in the 8-10m range.

Drakesbrook Weir This little waterway was again the venue for Troutfest with good numbers turning up for the event.

I was unable to attend due to farm

Ben Kelly from South West Kayak Anglers runs a great freshwater competition. The lack in size of the trout was evident this year with a 38cm rainbow taking out first place in the trout division.

will be up for next year.

Fisheries showed off their new fish transporter and there were lots of activities and displays from within the industry for all to enjoy. The fishing has been hard with lots of good fish showing up on the sounder but they were hard to tempt.

The big surprise was the unpopular decision by Waroona Shire to close part of the dam off to the public, which includes the barbecue area. They are upgrading the parking facilities but the timing is unfavourable as it’s just after the stocking occurred. Anglers should be able to access the northern end of the weir via the gravel road and launch any vessels.

Logue Brook Dam It’s very busy with ski boats and jet skis in the warmer months. A few incidents over the last 5 weeks may jeopardise camping to this dam and end up like both Waroona and Harvey Dam with only day use to the water. The fishing has been inconsistent with possibly the traffic

Freshwater

FMM putting the fish down.

Wellington Dam A few good trout are coming out of this largish water with the biggest dilemma being which end to fish. The Hamilton arm can fire better than the Yabberup arm although on occasions I’ve had better luck well up on the Collie arm where the first farm starts.

dams and get down there if you are keen to tangle with a trout or two.

This dam receives a huge stocking ratio compared to other dams and can fish well on occasions.

RIVERS Murray River A few small yearlings have been caught throughout the river with

Preston River No reports, however trout are widespread throughout this river nowadays.

Capel River Good redfin are being taken in the downstream section around the highway on a variety of lures.

Blackwood River A good time to explore this large river with redfin widespread well up from Bridgetown, and trout are more common closer to Nannup. It was good to see a nice brown caught near Nannup next to where I spotted one a few months ago so it seems our decision made by FFRG to stock brown trout may have paid off.

Warren River This river is becoming famous for its constant catches of good size redfin all the way upstream from South

WA

Predicted Dam Levels for South West WA Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities are currently 60.2% at the end of October compared to 74.2% as of the same time last year. The very dry spring and well above average temperatures is a concern as the early demand on irrigation water is stressing existing low levels. Drakesbrook Weir, Harvey, Logues and Big Brook Dam are faring better than other dams.

WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM

64 % 90 % 73 % 80 % 57 % 50 % 98 %

Redfin are the only reliable freshwater species in southern WA. Getting onto a decent sized one can be challenging at times.

Trolling hardbodied lures at a reasonable speed can be effective or casting from the bank using a heavy lure to get out into deeper water is also productive. Redfin have been patchy with some nice ones coming out in certain sections.

Silver perch are now widespread in private waters throughout WA. They are great fighters and are easily targeted on light fly gear. It’s a shame they aren’t incorporated into our stocking plan.

Glen Mervyn Dam Water is very low with a few redfin hitting a variety of lures.

Lake Kepwari Nice redfin are being caught in some areas if you know where to look.

A boat or kayak is essential to properly explore this water.

Big Brook Dam This pretty little dam was the venue of the Pemberton Trout Festival with a good turn out on the day. This is the heart of trout fishing in WA and my advice would be to avoid the northern

redfin dominating the catches around Dwellingup.

Northern Jarrah Streams Most of the trout have dropped back into the main dams but the permanent spring fed sections are still holding good trout.

Collie River below Wellington Dam This is the time of the year that this water really fires. Cold clean water let out for irrigation creates an ideal environment for trout with fast growing rainbows dominating the fast sections, and browns preferring the slower sections. Keep an eye on water levels and fish deep if it’s running high.

Collie River above Wellington Dam Trout are now common in the lower section just above the dam and redfin are widespread further up around the town of Collie. Good catches of redfin have occurred by those casting lures and plastics around structure in the deeper pools.

The Blackwood River is now home to brown trout. The right water level is essential for good results.

West Highway down to the sea. Trout are being caught in the faster runs, however the lack of spring rain will have negative impacts on this once famous trophy trout water.

Lefroy Brook Good trout are being caught right through this waterway. The construction of Big Brook Dam has

All the right gear is irrelevant if there are no fish. A long hard day’s fishing Harvey Dam only resulted in two very small yearlings and three small redfin.

saved this brook as the water let out has created a limited flow throughout the summer. A few WATFAA members had fun catching little rainbows and browns casting flies in the gentle rapids around the hatchery.

Donnelly River Very low upstream with a few trout being caught in the lower section around Boat Landing by those paddling around casting in the number of small streams that flow in. Slowly trolling lures all the way to the section where the river flows into the small estuary is a sure way to catch a trout or even a trophy size black bream.

Summer can be challenging if you want to chase trout in this state and my advice is to switch to saltwater fishing unless you are lucky enough to travel to the Pemberton region. Please consider releasing any brown trout. Be aware that total fire bans are in place and it seems that above average snake numbers have been sighted this year, especially around water. Leave only footprints.

A big Merry Christmas to all my readers.

Until next time Stay Connected.

DECEMBER 2023 115

BREAM SERIES presented by

Long run gets Crompton Grand Final win In 23 years, no angler has won the ABT BREAM Grand Final twice. Each year, multiple anglers with a title under the belt vie for their second title, but none have been successful. The 2023 iteration of the season ending event of the Daiwa BREAM Series was no different Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winners Interview

Wilton plumber, Mark Crompton amassed the biggest limits presented to the weigh master on days one and two and coasted to victory on Day 3, earning a $50,000 Alloycraft/ Mercury boat package for his

Winning the BREAM Grand Final is special - winning a $50K boat to go with it adds to the experience. his final day bag, he needed only 0.29kg to overtake second placed Scott Wilson, and he did it with over 2kg to spare.

Day 1: 5/5, 4.935kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.790kg Day 3: 5/5, 2.335kg Total: 15/15, 11.060kg Starting each day at the Ferry at Bombah Point, Crompton put together quick limits each day on a combination of soft plastic offerings, including the Juro Firebait rigged in a TT

HWS Jighead and a Bait Junkie Flick 2.95” attached to a Daiwa Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

1/20oz jighead.

After that he would move upstream and fished isolated structure with an Ecogearaqua (50mm, salt and pepper) on a sturdy worm hook to upgrade

Mark Crompton burned all of his big fish spots on day one and built a lead that was never run down. efforts, fitted with Garmin trolling motor and LiveScope system and Green Marine Lithium batteries and charger.

Taking the time to come and prefish the entire length of the system several months before the event, Mark figured that if the fish he’d found held up until the November event, then winning was a real possibility.

“I was getting over 5kg bags each day in practice in the

Myall Lakes system, starting an hour and half travel from the event site. I lost at least three hours a day to travel but had all the time I needed to get a quick bag and quality kickers for the first two days,” he said.

Day three slowed down a lot for Crompton, weighing only the 14th biggest bag for the day, but his 2.5kg lead ensured that he had the title secured on his first cast of the day. Presenting

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 116 DECEMBER 2023

Angler Mark Crompton Scott Wilson Mark Healey Alan Lister Steve Morgan Cameron Whittam Jason Mayberry Ahmad Mahfoud Kris Hickson Brett Crowe

Fish 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15 15/15

The very last qualifier into the Grand Final, Newcastle’s Scott Wilson was the best of the rest.

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 11.060kg 9.015kg 8.660kg 8.640kg 8.445kg 8.365kg 8.045kg 8.005kg 7.740kg 7.205kg

Payout Boat Package Millerod Daiwa INFEET rod

to bigger fish.

“That first day everything was loaded with big fish,” Mark said, “it was the kind of tournament day you dream about, with big fish tying me up in structure and then swimming back out again.

Although Crompton’s bag dropped by over a kilogram on Day 2, it was still the heaviest bag weighed for the day, giving him around 2.5kg lead on the field for the final day.

BREAM SERIES presented by Ultimately, he needed only 0.29kg at the final weigh-in, which he happened to catch on his very first cast of the day.

Leading a toast for his good mate, Grant Kime, a previous BREAM Grand Final champion who passed earlier in the year at the event briefing, Mark was pretty sure there was some divine intervention when it came to this event.

“I’m sure that Kimey is up there pushing a few buttons for me,” he explained.

Being a Daiwa angler, Crompton used an array of Daiwa combos, that are outlined in his comprehensive interview that you can watching by scanning the QR code hereby.

WILSON BEST OF THE REST Newcastle’s Scott Wilson was, literally, the last of the invitees to the season ending event. Fishing four qualifying events through the year, he scraped in at the last minute when another angler had to withdraw from the final.

Day 1: 5/5, 3.160kg Day 2: 5/5, 3.085kg Day 3: 5/5, 2.770kg Total: 15/15, 9.015kg Making the most of his opportunity, Wilson, who lives close to the arena found an abundance of quality fish in the area of the ferry at Bombah Point in the Myall Lakes and rode that pattern to a top finish.

“I’ve done a lot of prawning in the lakes, but not that much bream fishing,” Wilson said, “so I concentrated on places where there was the most current, and for me, that was the channel and flats around the ferry.”

He spent all three days fishing there and his most productive bait ended up being the BaitJunkie Flick that he got in his SWAG bag from Daiwa at the briefing.

“Ryan Vandeburg (Day 1 NB leader) was my draw on Day one and he was smashing them on the Flick, so I got into the act and switched from the Strike Pro blades I started with.

He fished them on a 1/20oz HWS jighead on an Atomic Arrown rod and Daiwa Fuego spin reel, 6lb Daiwa J-Braid and 4lb FC Rock leader.

“I started fishing 6lb leader but the Flick definitely caught more fish with the 4lb - it was sinking more naturally,” Scott said.

Scott did venture further upstream but retreated to the ferry to fill out his Day 3 limit with Taka Kawasaki.

“As the current flow increased, I did switch the

Taka Kawasaki capped a magnificent year from the back of the boat with a first place in the non boater division at the Grand Final.

Sydney Suji colour Infeet Kodachi and caught plenty on fish on that crankbait, too,” he concluded.

KAWASAKI CAPS OFF STELLAR YEAR Non-Boater Angler of the Year, Taka Kawasaki, backed up his stellar year at the back of the boat with a Grand Final win.

He did it fishing three different techniques, highlighting the versatility you need to take the title in a three day event on a diverse waterway.

Day 1: 3/3, 1.390kg Day 2: 3/3, 1.945kg Day 3: 3/3, 1.290kg Total: 9/9, 4.625kg Day one was fished with Alan Murray around rocky shallows and islands where he used an Infeet shallow Rolling Crank in weedy suji and sunnygill on 4lb J-thread fluorocarbon. He fished it on an Infeet Z 702 rod and Infeet 2500 reel.

He sat in 7th place.

Day 2 with Mario Vukic, Taka slid up to 2nd place thanks to a kicker fish and a last minute limit fish in the racks. For most of the day, he fished deeper with a 2.5” BaitJunkie motor oil Grub and a 1/12oz jighead, but this time on Expedition 6lb J Braid

Kicker fish like this gave Taka the weight needed to take the hotly contested title. and X Link leader.

But Mario was determined to make sure Taka had his limit, taking him to a oyster rack close to the finish and setting Taka up for his last minute limit.

“I used a shallow rolling crank and it swum just over the top of the baskets and it cot eaten,” he said.

On Day 3, boater and non boater results lists are aligned, so Taka headed out with 2nd placed Scott Wilson.

Fishing the Myall lakes, Taka switched up the presentation again, casting a Bait Junkie 2.95” Flick on a 1/30oz jighead.

“At the end of the session,

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

Angler Taka Kawasaki Ryan Vanderburg Nathan Booth Michael Sammut Glenn Hoskin Richard Hadlow Scott Scicluna John Glover Neil Kelly Colin Wilson

Fish 9/9 9/9 9/9 7/9 6/9 9/9 7/9 7/9 7/9 7/9

both of us were short of a limit by one fish, so we drifted in to water shallower than we’d fished all day and had a double hookup to get our limits,” Taka explained.

Right after that they had to leave to make the weigh-in time.

Rumour has it that next year, Taka is likely making the jump to the boater division, where we are sure all of his skills will be tested as the best bream angler at Daiwa.

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

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 4.625kg 4.540kg 4.460kg 4.240kg 3.795kg 3.765kg 3.680kg 3.610kg 3.445kg 3.375kg

Payout $4,000 tackle Millerod Daiwa INFEET rod

DECEMBER 2023 117

BASS SERIES presented by

Braden Schuchs in 2nd BASS Pro Final Win Sydney’s Braden Schuch completed a rare feat - he has become the first angler to win back-to-back ABT BASS Pro Grand Finals after topping the field in the 2023 iteration of the event on Queensland’s Lake Boondooma.

Last year, he won a flood-shortened event in the Clarence River after he led the field after Day 1 and rising water levels wrote off Day 2. At Boondooma, he came home strongly with a bigger bag than his Day 1 result to pip Queenslander, Matt Johnson, at the finish line.

“I have a fairly hefty drive home and it will probably sink in then,” said Braden as he came to terms with the 70g winning margin over Matt Johnson.

The prize was an Alloycraft 463 bass boat, powered by a Mercury 60hp 4-stroke outboard and fitted with Humminbird/ MotorGuide electronics and Green Marine Lithium batteries - worth around $45,000.

Schuch had a poor Scan the QR code to watch the Boater Winners Interview

Braden Schuch is a chronic boat collector. This is the second Alloycraft/ Mercury package he has won in the last two years. practice, with only three bass coning to the boat, but he’d checked out the area that he’d done well in during the qualifier earlier in the year and it seemed that the fish were still there in numbers.

Day 1: 5/5, 4.640kg Day 2: 5/5, 4.795kg Total: 10/10, 9.435kg Day one saw Schuch’s historical spot pay dividends on a crankbait (Imakatsu IK800) and a chatterbait

Braden had four kicker fish like this and a 750g fish in his day two bag. He thought the small fish would cost him the win.

BOATER RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 118 DECEMBER 2023

Angler Braden Schuch Matt Johnson Mitchell Cone Matthew Langford Ben Hay Shaun Falkenhagen Mick Johnson Tony Thorley Steve Morgan John Noble

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

Don't mention to Matt Johnson that the winning margin was only 70grams...

(Jackall 1/2oz), yet he was still half-a-kilo short of Johnson, who placed the only 5kg+ limit on the scales.

On Day two, Schuch slid around the corner from the scrum of anglers on the front of the ledge and found a small island and flat that showed potential.

He set up there and did the damage on the chatterbait and a Hideup HU-400 deep crankbait, given to him be Shaun Falkenhagen the night before.

“The weigh in was going to be close, but I thought it would fall the other way,”

Full results at abt.org.au

Weight(kg) 9.435kg 9.365kg 8.360kg 8.270kg 7.890kg 7.765kg 7.545kg 7.415kg 6.995kg 6.920kg

Payout Boat 13 Fishing combo Millerod

Scan the QR code to watch the Field Highlights

Braden said, “I had four kiloclass fish in the bag and 750g one that I couldn’t upgrade.”

Ultimately, Johnson ended up 70g short and Schuch went back-to-back.

For the chatterbait, Braden used a Daiwa Tatula 712MLFB paired with a Steez A 6.3:1 reel and braid/leader.

With the crankbaits, he used 10lb fluoroczrbon straight through on a Daiwa 7’6” medium-heavy regular taper rod with a Tatula 100 reel.

“There’s something about the casting distance with fluorocarbon - the mass of the line seems to make it go further, but it hard to get used to the springiness of the line,” he continued.

“I’ve got my sights set on the BASS Pro AOY title next year,” Braden said, “I’m going to give it a solid shot and we

BASS SERIES presented by will see if we can interrupt Matt Langford’s streak.”

JOHNSON SECOND BY 70 GRAMS Queensland basser, Matt Johnson is a gun at the local tournaments and qualified for the Grand Final with a win on Boondooma in the Qualifier event only months before.

As such, he was considered one of the favourites for the event and fell just 70g short of Schuch after the dust had settled.

“I’d located plenty of good fish in the shallows in a practice session a few weeks before the event, but come the practice day on the Friday, most of these fish had moved,” Matt said.

He re-located quality fish in deeper water about 200m from where he’d won the event, and caught a couple of these on deep crankbaits at the end of the practice day.

Like the previous iteration, Johnson did a lot of damage on crankbaits, like the Imakatsu IK800, but this time, added a chatterbait into the mix. And like most fishing the area, he’d replaced a single hook with a pair of smaller, stinger hooks to maximise hookups from finicky bites.

“The chatterbait was good for some late upgrades on the gravelly bottom I was fishing and it helped my to my first day 5kg bag,” he said.

Taking a lead into the second day, he initially caught

Imagine taking home a tackle board like this! Maz has done it twice now and made a lot of new friends in the process.

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

a limit in 10 casts, casting the deep crankbaits on an 8’ G Loomis CBR 968 rod and Shimano Curado HG DC reel.

He mixed it up between the IK and the Hideup 400.

He spent the day upgrading, but only by 50g at a time. He needed just one more bigger upgrade to seal the deal and that bite never came.

Visibly disappointed after the final weigh-in, he said before the bag hit the scales that he thought he was 50-100g short and the scales proved him right.

The Fab-5. (L-R) Ben Hay, Matthew Langford, Mitchell Cone, Braden Schuch and Matt Johnson.

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

Angler Paul Mazaroli Adam Mears Alan Murray Phil Nix Bridgett Currey Barry Reynolds Troy Lowe Garry Wilton Reece Winters Nick Brown

Fish 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 6/6 5/6 6/6

Weight(kg) 6.870kg 4.950kg 4.825kg 4.730kg 4.640kg 4.560kg 4.290kg 3.910kg 3.780kg 3.760kg

Paul Mazaroli seems to land the big bass in the big events when it matters most.

The Grand Final is unashamedly a winnertake-all event and he claimed a 13 Fishing baitcast rod and reel as a consolation prize.

MAZAROLI TAKE SECOND NB TITLE Harrington’s Paul Mazaroli qualified for the BASS Pro Grand Final by winning the Somerset Qualifier earlier in the year - on the back of a 3kg+ bass that he boated from open water. The roll continued in Boondooma as he drew two lake-legends, but importantly, converted his opportunities to big bags at the weigh-in.

Full results at abt.org.au

Payout $4,000 tackle pack 13 Fishing combo Millerod

“I must have caught 35 legal bass today,’ Maz said when asked about his day with Matt Langford, “ I was looking for 41cm fork length fish to upgrade and threw back a string of 38 and 39cm fish.”

Mazaroli predominantly fished a Hot Bite chatterbait that was fitted with a pair of stinger hooks to pin the finicky bites. He fished it on a Daiwa Zillion rod paired with a Daiwa Caldia reel, 10lb J-Braid and 10lb Daiwa X-Link leader.

“We were fishing in 24’ of water and you’d cast the bait out, let it sink and then slow roll it off the bottom. During the retrieve, you’d stop it and let it fall back down and try to hug the bottom and that’s where it’d get eaten,” he concluded.

This wasn’t Mazaroli’s first Grand Final win from the back of the boat - he also won the most recent BASS Pro Grand Final on the Richmond River and the bounty of tackle it yielded. His must have quite the tackle room.

DECEMBER 2023 119

FMM

TOURNAMENT NEWS

LAFMA Carp & Tilapia Eradication Fishing Comp What an amazing day we had Saturday 21 October at the LAFMA Carp & Tilapia Eradication Fishing Competition. We had good weather this year and a great atmosphere, lots of laughs and lots of fish removed.

Firstly, a big thanks to everyone who supported our competition. Our

generous sponsors, we couldn’t do this without your support! Each and every one of you help make the day special, and it was so fantastic to see so many Juniors and Teens walking away with a prize and a big smile. Thank you all! Please help us in thanking our sponsors if you’re in their store or talking to them, their generosity really does make this event.

Our government support, Cr Virginia West - Div 3 Scenic Rim Regional Council, Miriam and Anna from Scenic Rim Regional Council, Paul and Ben Fisheries Patrol Officers, Tim Lucas from Fisheries Queensland, and the Rangers from Seqwater.

And of course, all of the fantastic competitors who entered the competition, bought our BBQ, our worms, and removed these pest fish.

You’ve all helped us not only remove a significant amount of pests from the waterways, but the funds raised will go directly to restocking the waterways with our natives. Thank you!

Onto some numbers: 298 entrants removed 198 carp and 1237 tilapia,

Tagging Tales

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.

TWO BARRAMUNDI WITH SIMILAR STORIES Lake Tinaroo has always been a popular location for anglers to visit in search of trophy sized barramundi.

There has always been a strong tagging

RESULTS JUNIOR: Most Carp: Biggest Carp: Most Tilapia: Biggest Tilapia:

12 3.485kg 23 1.51kg

Dorina Gyurcsik Enoch Zhang Lucas Trad Jack Turner

TEEN: Most Carp: Biggest Carp: Most Tilapia: Biggest Tilapia:

5 2.355kg 55 2.035kg

Krisztian Gyurcsik Liam Hopkins Kobe Benstead Isaac Zhang

SENIOR: Most Carp: Biggest Carp: Most Tilapia: Biggest Tilapia:

68 4.48kg 136 2.405kg

Chunhau Ji Mark Bartlett Keiran Dau David Smith

nearly filling two bins for a total weight estimated around 2 tonne.

We hope you all enjoyed the day and will be back to join us next year. Our aim is to make 2024 bigger and better than ever. We hope the online ticketing made your sign in a little easier this year. If you have any feedback for us to improve the event, please send us a message or email, we’d appreciate that.

If you would like to become an active member of LAFMA, please send us a message or attend a meeting.

We desperately need some new faces on board to help do what we do. We’re a small bunch of like-minded people trying to make a difference in our local waterways and we could certainly use some more help! – LAFMA Thanks so much and see you all next year!

Brought to you by effort in this waterway and recently two recaptures had us wondering “has this ever happened before”?

Two barramundi originally tagged within a day of each other have been recaptured over 13 years later within a day of each other. Both fish were now over a metre long (originally just under 20cm when tagged) and were released to thrill some other anglers down the track.

Had it ever happened before? Not in our records.

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 077 001 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.

120 DECEMBER 2023

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2021 2024 Times and Heights of High and Low Waters20212021 Local Times andLocal Heights of Time High and Low Waters LONG 151° 14ʼ E Times andDENISON) Heights of High– and Low38° Waters Time LAT 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ E SYDNEY (FORT NEW SOUTH WALES POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA POINT POINT LONSDALE LONSDALE –– VICTOR VICTOR

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALESPOINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA SYDNEY (FORTLONG DENISON) – NEW LAT 33° 51ʼ S 151° 14ʼ E SOUTH WALES LAT 38° 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ E T DENISON) – NEW SOUTH LONSDALE VICTORIA LATSOUTH 33° 51ʼ S POINT LONG 151° 14ʼ E SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – WALES NEW WALES POINT–LONSDALE – VICTORIA

T 33° 51ʼ S LAT 33° 51ʼ S LONG 151° 14ʼ E LAT 38° 18ʼ S LONG 144° 37ʼ E LES MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST JUNE MAY JU and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time Times and Heights of High and Low Waters and Heights of HighTimes and Low Waters Local Time JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCHof High and LowAPRIL and Heights Waters LAT LAT 33° 33° 51ʼm SS Times LONG LONG 151° 151° 14ʼ 14ʼ EEm LAT LAT38° 38°18ʼ 18ʼ S LONG LONG144° 144°37ʼ 37ʼEE LAT 38° 18ʼ S m LONG 144° 37ʼ E51ʼ Time m Time Time m Time mS Time Time MAY m Time Time mm JUNE JULY AUGUST Time m Time m Time Time m Time m JUNE MAY JULY Time m m Time m2024 Time m Time m Time m2024 Time m Time m 2024 2024 JUNETime JULY AUGUST LocalmTime Times Times and and Heights Heights of High HighTime and andTime Low Low Waters Local Time Time Times Timesand and Heights Heights ofHigh High and andLow Low Wate Times of High and Low Waters LocalmTime Time MAY JUNE m Waters Time m Time Time mand Heights Time m of Time m Time Time m Time m JULY Time m Water m Time m m Local Time m of

2023

2024

2023

0519 0.58 0633 0.53 0006 1.68 0145 1.34 0150 1.26 0554 0.36 0037 1.78 0057 1.60 1 16 16 1 16 1 1 16 1 16 1 16 1 16 1 16 1 16 1 1 16 16 1 1 1 16 1 0.80 11307 1.68 16 SU0633 1MO 1225 TU 16 1SA 1SA0037 16 17251.78 0.65 1345 1.33 13581.26 1.38 16400.53 0.75 1804 0.76 16 1303 1.43 1430 1.59 16 1446 1.43 WE TH FR SU1904 MO 1245 0006 0145 1.34 0150 0057 1.60 1412 1.18 1257 1.79 1430 1.31 1416 1.22 1533 1.18 1.62 1.42 1238 1.37 1900 1.50 1748 1.58 1.54 0.75 TU TH FR FR SA MO TU FR MO TU WE 0557 1.361 1940 0.69 0.58 1245 0207 04520.79 1.41 0623 1.40 18480046 0034 0.51 2110 0049 2314 1.71 0.66 0.56 2114 0.76 2359 1.88 1911 0.78 1 16 16 16 0740 0.49 0744 0.54 0646 0.43 1238 1.30 0807 0.62 1932 0.38 0.32 16 20282319 0.60 19490.51 0.71 1.301935 0.78 2042 1.47 0.88 1935 1910 0.51 1928 0.56 0.55 18350.58 0.59 0750 0.74 1.54 1.44 1.35 1928 1110938 1 1158 1 1041 16 11616 16 1148 0735 0748 0735 1345 1.33 1.38 1.43 1616 0.76 1430 1.59 1 11 1.43 16 1 1 1 16 1 16 1 1 16 16 16 16 1 1 1 16 TH11358 FR 1303 WE 1804 SU 1446 MO 16 1427 1900 1.50 1245 0.80 1257 0.87 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 1245 0.75 0608 0.61 0030 1.68 0255 1.18 0301 1.25 0138 1.66 0148 1.47 0100 1.58 0700 0.43 SA 0.47 SA MO 1.38 FR 0.78 TU WE 0146 1.50 1848 03070534 02330.56 1.63 02250043 1.58 0.65 0317 1.52 0135 1.27 1.41 0108 1.52 2110 0.66 2114 0.76 0.7917 17 1940 0.74 2 17 171928 172 0130 21.60 2 1.44 2TH 0.68 17 20.67 2 2 0118 20158 17 17 221911 20735 17 21121 170023 1207 1.25 0.52 0858 0.65 0.56 1.42 0.54 0828 2 0.58 0733 0.45 1300 1.31 2057 2319 0.74 1.54 17 17 17 2 0739 0.541720724 0955 0.62 09411935 0.61 0938 0.65 17 102117 0.65 0853 1922 0648 2 0.710835 0801 0.73 073317 2 2 0656 1.29 0842 1.32 0.42 1.40 0849 1.50 17261.68 0.80 1.34SA 1544FR 1.47 1447 1.35 14511.18 1359 1.49 TU MO 18251.66 0.74 MO 1350 1.62 TH 1.17 15341.25 1.13 1531 1542 1.17 WE 1636 1.24 1.54 1353 1.58 1.31 1323 1.27SA TU 1538 1.64 SU WE1.47 SU TU 1305WE FR1335 SA 1.41 0030 0255 0138 0148 0100 0301 1231 0.65 0.89 1.52 0.68 0.85 SU WE SA TU TH 1345 0315 0023 0.74 0135 0534 1.38 0043 0.65 1906 0.77 2227 0.72 2230 0133 0.50 0.57 2019 0.82 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 0.68 2021 0.40 2126 0.68 20530.56 0.79 20521256 0.81 0130 2157 0.47 0.85 1336 1948 2007 0.61 191317 0.66 0853 220.54 17 17 2 1836 0858 0.65 0835 0.54 17 0724 0.52 0828 0.58 0733 0.45 1947 1.44 2019 1.40 1959 1.51 2023 1.50 17 2 17 17 17 17 2 2 2 2 17 17 17 17 2 2 2 17 17 2 2 2 2 17 17 2 2 17 17 2 2 2 2 0656 1.29 0842 1.32 0848 1.37 1043 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0849 1.50 1542 1.47 18 1.3518TH 1335 1.34 1451 1.41 SA 1359 1.49 1538 1.64 MO FR 1.29 TU 3 0.890342 0406 181345 3FR 1347 18 3 3 3 0206 3 18 18 3 1447 18 0421 0.85 1.52 0422 0243 1.53 0248 1.42 0415 3 1.58 01563 1.50 WE 03431336 1.56 1.59 00000.77 1.66 1.16 0239 1.56 0245 1.37 0200 1.48 1.22 0.95 01000.82 1.77 0126 1.63 1231 0.65 1542 1836 1.52 1256 0.68 SU SU SA TU TH 1906 2227 0.72 2019 2045 0.81 1957 0.67 2230 0.50 18 18 08470.570.601830815 18 3 18 3 0116 0.75 0230 0.65 0001 0.75 0144 0.59 0230 0.43 1109 0.63 0.750925 0908 0.75 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1649 0.61 0.59 1855 0.59 0.36 23520.64 1.66 1818 0.80 2356 1.37 FR 1647 SA 1820 TU 1608 WE 1715 0015 1.28 0609 0.38 0500 0.51 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0606 0.45 0355 0.52 0443 0.28 1.75 1611 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1.68 1735 1.56 WE 2347 TH SA SU MO 0338 1.55 2331 0315 1.48 0519 1.55 0607 1.42 0430 Astronomical 1.49 0510 1.40 Datum0446 of Predictions is Lowest Tide 1.60 2213 1.81 2318 1.87 2235 1.81 1.64 29 29 14 14 29 4Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2020, Bureau Meteorology 15 15 15 151141 15 15 30 30 15 29301044 30 of1.43 1513 30 150906 3014 15 30 0619 0.59 0.55 2332 1232 1.54 1059 1.30 1213 1.37 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 0952 15 1.37 15 15 30 15 30 15 30 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 2318 0.70 2257 0.61 0.60 0100 1.65 0006 0.62 1.71savings 0000 1.46 0114 1.64 0043 1.77 06261014 0.58 0537 0.59of 28 13 28 13 28 13 0942 0.28 0.37 1053 1042 0.52 0.46 1053 Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight time (UTC +11:00) when in 15Moon 15 30 15 15 301804 1.43 1.63 0.55 1622 0.71 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 0.66 1.68 1524 0.66 0.59 atum of 0.51 Predictions is1614 Lowest Astronomical Tide 0816 0.62 30 0713 1.56 0.59 0540MO 0.43 0727 0.48 07161.61 0.46TH 12211.28 1.32 1154 1.62 TU SU 1254 SA 1838 FR SA 0015 0500 0610 0.40 0518 0.41 0606 0.45 0609 0.38 1647 1.75 1611 1.73 WE 1730 1759 1743 1714 1735 WE TH TU TH SA SU MO Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New First Quarter 0421 1.50 0355 1.46 1.37 1.47 1919 2331 0.69 0.39 0558 1.37 2254 1.78 2319 2155 22461.37 2.01 1.17 2332 1.24 0521 1206+10:00) 1.93 1.49 (UTC 131529 1.36 0.66 0.61 1821 0.47 14+11:00) 29standard 14 29savings MO 14160534 TU 1310 0.60 MO TH 1330 FR 1.76 SA 17570.59 TUor mes are1.30 in1.78 local time (UTC daylight time when in effect 0619 1059 1213 1122 1.36 1218 1.40 1232 1.54 2209 0.67 2146 0.75 2318 0.70 2257 14 14 1131 0.70 19241120 0.86 0.61 182729 0.80 1101 0.54 1845 0.24 1939 0.66 0.48 14 190029 0.60 1254 1025 0.36 0943 Last 0.39 1.43 1622 0.71Symbols 1744 0.67 1656 0.61 First 1804 1838Moon 0.55 SU TU WE TH SA New Moon Quarter Quarter oon Phase Full 0041 31 1.46 1.37 0007 1.74 00130.69 1.50 1.47 0542 0.34 0545 0.53 0601 0.421.37 04351.78 0.54 0106 0620 1.17 1.53 1731 1.67 1650 1.69 1819 1.55 1754 1.63 1.51 31 31 31 TH FR SU MO TU 1806 0006 1919 2254 2319 1.76 0421 1.50 0355 1.46 0534 0521 0558 31 31 31 0032 1.64 1.3830 0658 0.47 15 5 1033 1.32 30 1143 1.38 15 0657 0.45 30 2344 0645 0.52 15 14 1146 0033 1.29 12110.69 1.39 30 0703 0.65 2252 2225 0.74 0.56 14 29 14 29 29 14 1025 0.36 0943 0.39 1141 0.65 0658 1120 0.61 1101 0.54 1131 0.70 31 31 0717 0.62 0619 0.64 WE 1305 1.36 1.56 MO 1346 1.42 1304 1.40 17091.74 0.66 17100.42 0.73 17491.46 0.64 FR 16000.53 0.71 SU SU 1328 1806 TU SA 0013 1.50 1.69 TH 0041 0545 0007 0601 1.17 1731 1.67 1650 1.55 0106 TH FR WE 1813 FR 1220 SU 1819 MO TU 0.70 13101754 1.24 1229 1.53 SU WE 1948 0.57 1.51 0622 1839 0.73 15 0507 1859 0.72 1.63 0001 23410.47 1.91 15 1211 2339 1.73 22321.29 1.7530 0658 2030 0.70 1.58 0010 30 30 1.43 0437 1.44 1.46 0.59 0645 0.52 0657 0.45 1146 1.39 0703 0.65 2252 2225 0.74 1836 2344 0.56 1838 0.73 1853 0.69 0.51 15 1107 1023 1.42 0.43 15 0630 Commonwealth 1.32 30 1151 0.64 1.35 1.40 15 1328 0.45 1.56 30 1710 0.73 © WE 1305 1.36 1749 0.64 FR 1304 SU TH MO 1346 ©©Copyright Copyright Commonwealth of ofAustralia Australia 2023, 2023,Bureau Bureau0650 ofofMeteorolo Meteorolo Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2022, Bureau ofof Meteorology © © Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of Australia Australia 2023, 2023, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology 0642 0.42 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 1859 0437 0.72 1.44 1948 0001 0.57 0.70 2339 1.73 1839 0.73 2030 1815 1.58 1731 0.70 1.64 1.46 1200 0010 0.70 0.59 1838 0018 1.58 0.37 1212 0045 0.79 FR SA MO TU WE 0507 1.43 0622 31 31 31 1244 1.34 07230.72 0.58 Datum 0800 0.70 Tide Datum ofofPredictions Predictions isLowest Lowest Astronomical Astronomical Tide 1842 Datum of Predictions is©Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum Datum of of Predictions Predictions isis Lowest Lowest Astronomical Astronomical Tide Tide Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2023, Bureau of Meteorology 2336 0.71 1.32 2305 1857 1.49 is1.35 1.47 15 30 15 30 15 30 15 1107 0.45 1023 0.43 0630 0650 0726 1.51 0753 1151 0.64 1807 0.73 time (UTC +10:00) or daylight 13531.10 1.41 Times 1448 1.42 SA TUtime 0058 1.37 0213 Timesare are ininlocal localstandard standard (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00)0.75 orordaylight daylightSA savings savings tim t TimesMO are in local standard savings time1.64 (UTC +11:00) when intime effect Times Times are are inin1815 local local standard standard time time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or or daylight daylight savings savings time (UTC (UTC +11:00) +11:00) when when inin effect effect 1:00) when in effect 1731 1200 0.70 1212 0.79time 1230 1304 1838 1.58 Datum of FR Predictions is1.58 Lowest Astronomical Tide SA MO WE TH TU 2001 0.76 2148 0.68 31 31 0723 0.58 0800 0.70 0526 1.42 Moon Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols New New Moon Moon First First Quarter Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Times Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1857 1.49 1842 1.47 1900 1.52 1921 New New Moon Moon First First Quarter Quarter Last Last Quarter Quarter Moon Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols Full Full Moon Moon ull Moon Last Quarter are in local standard (UTC1.41 +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect 1353 1448 1.42 31 SAtime TU 1107 0.49 2001Moon 0.76 1.42 1815 1.59 Moonof Phase Symbols 2020,New Full0.68 Moon First Quarter SU 2148 Last Quarter 0526 0.37 © Copyright Commonwealth Australia Bureau of Meteorology 2351 0.69 31 31 0110 0832 1.50 Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide 1107 0.49

0557 0034 0.51 0052 1.48 Time 02080452 1.63 1.41 01341.36 0205 1.57 0046 0.69 01220623 1.60 1.40 0034 1.26 0113 1.39 0028 1.52 Time m1.30 Time m1.71 Time m0.49 m Time m MARCH MARCH APRIL APRIL FEBRUARY FEBRUARY R Time JANUARY JANUARY FEBRUARY FEBRUARY SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY JANUARY 1155 0740 0744 0.54 1117 m1.280037 1238 0646 0.43 0623 0750 0.51 0807 0.62 Time m 1.34 Time Time m m m 0735 0557 1.36 0046 0.58 Time 0452 1.41 1.40 0034 0.51 m 0049 0006 1.68 0633 0.53 0519 0.58 0150 1.26 0554 0.361.39 DECEMBER 0057 1148 0.55 1.30 0.38 1158 0.58 0735 1.47 0821 0.65 Time 0637 0.48 0.56 0825Time 0.550145 09230.69 0.65 0601 1.78 0.67 Time 0706 0.681.60m08351041 0642 0.62

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1330 WE TH 1455 SA SU 1708 MO TU SU SU1332 MOTU MO MO1325 TH TH FR FR1252 SU 1646 MO 1642 MO TU TU 1.51 TH FR FR 1518 TH TH 1538 FR FR 1133 1.40 1142 1210 1.45 0945 TU 1.50TU 1015 1.32 1120 1.39 1036 1.35MO 0913 1.41 2209 0.67 0.75 2318 0.70 2257 0.61 2332 0.60 2331 1738 1931 1931 0.26 0.26 2030 2030 0.44 0.440.39 1917 191 1746 0.30 2149 1909 1909 0.34 0.34 032 1.43 20082000 1.34 1.25 21121918 1.28 1.30 22472352 1.58 1.581.29 2247 2247 1.48 1.48 2222 2222 1.76 1.762146 2214 2214 1.63 1.630.28 2227 22271746 1.93 1.930.30 2149 1.80 1.80 2130 21302146 1.37 1.37 1.15 2213 22132156 1.33 1.331.29 2247 FR 1737 0.50 SA 1820 0.64 FR 1521 0.51 SU 1540 0.68 MO 1649 0.61 TU 1608 0.59 WE 1715 0.59 H 1450 0.62 2331 1.641.50 0006 2347 1.60 21540.53 2.08 0122 0.41 2213 1.81 2318 0326 1.87 0.60 2235 1.81 2119 1.79 0421 0355 1.46 0620 1.53 0534 1.37 0521 1.47 0558 1.37 0527 0.83 1.42 0242 0242 1.59 1.59 0311 0311 1.48 1.48 0209 020 0212 0332 0.66 0123 0123 1.53 1.53 0227 0227 1.51 1.51 0022 1.56 0100 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0.66 0.36 WE 1624 0.20 SA 1650 1650 0.40 0.40 MO 528 0.30 1.37TU 1505 1602 0.590.59 1.40 1232 1.54 0952 1.43 1.30 1213 11220.17 1.36TU SU TU MO 1435 1.46 TU1515 TU1430 TU 1044 WE 0.35 1059 TH 0.20 FR 1.37 FR FR SA SA 0.66 MO MO 1730 TU 1709 TU TU WE WEWE FR FR 1643 SA 1554 FR FR 1624 SA 2252 0.69 2225 0.740.49 2344 0.56 2030 2030 0.26 0.26 2109 2109 0.45 0.45 2016 201 1849 1849 0.24 2229 2000 0.33 0.38 0.55 2311 1.171744 1835 0.26 12542314 1.43 1804 0.66 2308 1838 1524 1614 0.59 1622 2220 0.71 0.67 16561.62 0.61 2318 2335 1.62 2318 1.51 1.510.26 23081738 1.80 1.80 2244 2244 1.66 1.66 2314 1.86 1.860.24 22292000 1.79 1.790.33 1.34 1.20 2220 1.40 1.40TU 2246 22462323 1.34 1.341.38WE2335 1.37 0.66 2055 21562045 1.28 1.28 SU TH 1808 SA R122 SA2111 MO 0507 1.43 0437 1.44 00010.69 0.70 0622 1.46 0010 0.59 0018 0.37 1919 2155 1.78 2246 2.01 2254 1.78 2319 1.76 0326 0326 1.64 1.64 0338 0338 1.51 1.511.51 0254 025 0216 1.60 0515 0308 0308 1.54 1.54 1.66 0.45 0154 1107 1023 0500 0.43 1.32 1151 0.64 0650 1.35 0726 03530503 0.42 0.42 0.69 0420 04200454 0.54 0.540.64 0530 05300048 0.33 0.331.41 0516 05160120 0.54 0.54 0519 05190100 0.29 0.291.52 0500 0.51 0.511.61 0630 0605 06050216 0.46 0.461.60 0515 0.54 0.54 257 0.48 02280326 0.50 0.57 03180241 0.56 0.47 0353 0041 0545 1027 0.53 1.74 0601 0.42 0013 1.501.58 0435 0542 0.34 0106 1.17 1815 1731 1.46 1.64 1200 0.70 1838 1.58 1212 0.79 TH 1230 0907 0.45 0.45 0938 0938 0.46 0.460.75 0844 084S 1153 0742 0742 0.81 0845 0845 0.69 0.69 WE 0907 0634 0.81 1126 0.77 0.90 0718 FR SA MO TU 1112 1027 2.04 2.04 1.260007 1047 10471142 1.75 1.751.38 1148 1148 1.87 1.87 11260651 1.56 1.56 1130 11300636 1.72 1.72 1101 1101 1.48 1.480.80 1202 1202 1.29 1.290.81 1112 1.30 1.30 930 1.90 0.54 09051054 1.89 1.30 09551018 1.84 1.37 0657 0.45 1146 1.29 0658 0.47 1211 1.39 0645 0.52 1033 1.32 1143 1.38 0703 0.65 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1857 1.49 1842 1.47 1900 1.52 1532 1.56 1.56 WE 1553 1.45 1.45 WE 152 1345 1345 1.35 1438 1.31 TU 1314 1712 0.18 0.18 0.71 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0149 1.61 0242 1.63 0024 0024 1.65 1.65 0557 0557 0.57 0.57 0004 0004 1.76 1.76 0610 0610 0.58 0.58 0445 0445 0.41 0.41 0458 0458 0.56 0.56 0616 0616 0.36 0.36 0541 0541 0.54 0.54 337 0.53 0359 0.58 03130444 0.50 0642 0.42 0058 1.37 0213 1.10 SU 1815 1.59 FR 1324 0.84 0956 0956 0.31 0.31 1009 1009 0.40 0.401.47 0930 093 0832 0832 0.70 1206 0926 0.61 0808 06270721 0.40 0.400.78 1200 12000743 1.47 1.470.73 0708 0.55 0.550.70 12060926 1.26 1.260.61 11160620 2.01 2.01 0.68 1120 11200614 1.69 1.690.65 0627 12210726 1.54 1.540.84 1139 1.40 1.400.75 013 1.87 10331120 1.81 1.42 1116 09501150 1.94 1.34 2351 1139 0.69 1954 1244 1.34 0723 0.58 1221 08000708 0.70 1627 1.62 1.62 TH 1629 1.50 1.50 TH 161 1443 1443 1.41 1523 1.35 WE 1404 1.35 1238 1.69 1.691.33TH 1804 0.53 0.531.42 1303 1.20 1.201.41 1725 1725 0.76 0.761.35 1759 0.19 0.19 1.30 1751 0.44 0.441.43WE 18171314 0.47 0.471.32FR 1724 0.60 0.60 700 0.34 1719 0.40 0.62SU 0.27 0.81 WE1627 TH1629 TH1619 TH 1734 SA 1239 SU SU MO1523 FR 1657 SU 1237 TU 1308 WE TH FR 1807 0.73 1353 1.41 1448 1.42 WE 1238 TH 1804 SU SU 1303 MO MO MO SU 1759 MO MO 1751 TH TH 1817 FR 1724 FR TH 1637 MO SA 1341 TU 2209 2209 0.33 0.33 2215 2215 0.51 0.51 2153 215 1849 0.60 2356 2039 2039 0.18 2124 2124 0.36 0.36 1946 1919 0.23 2352 2013 20010.17 0.76 21481818 0.68 18551915 0.36 0.360.33 1818 0.80 0.800.18 23561836 1.37 1.370.31 1855 2352 1.66 1.660.25 257 1.27 1.27 1.45 22332335 1.34 1.24 23152339

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0446 0446 1.67 1.67 1042 1042 0.21 0.21 1720 1720 1.65 1.65 TH TH 2254 2254 0.41 0.41

0415 041 1016 101 1708 FR FR 170 2236 223

0439 0439 1.56 1.56 1037 1037 0.49 0.49 1643 1.39 1.39 WE WE1643 2233 2233 0.45 0.45

SU 1815 1.59 FR 1324 0.84 ustralia 2020, Bureau of Meteorology Times Tide arepredictions in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time Australian (UTC +11:00) in effect 2351 0.69 1954 is1.47 Tidal Centre, Bureau of when Meteorology, Copyright reserved.

All material supplied in © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology Astronomical Tide for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National New Moon First Last Quarter Moon Phase Full Moon good faithSymbols and is believed to be correct.

It is supplied on the condition thatQuarter no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) whenDatum in effectof Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian of Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss © Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2019, Bureau of Meteorology w Moon First Quarter Quarter Full Moon Times are inLast local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (U or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission.

Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes.

Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter include acceptance of the above conditions.

Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effe Moon Phase Symbols Full DECEMBER Moon2023 123 New Moon First Quarter

BOATING TEST BOATING Test

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Can we get the Mercury Avator 35e to plane a 4.5m Alloycraft boat?

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Ever since Fishing Monthly’s sister company, Australian Bass Tournaments, has run electric motor only events, anglers have been searching for the fastest electricpowered craft they can put together.

And it always comes down to the law of diminishing returns. The bigger your motor, the bigger your battery system needs to be, the heavier your boat is, and the slower you go.

However, the broad acceptance of lithium-ion batteries is changing the playing field. You can now get large-capacity battery systems that weigh only a quarter of the old lead acid equivalence. Of course, lithium

Main: I never thought I’d see the day where I’d be planing across the electric-only waters of Hinze dam! Although expensive, the Avator 35e electric outboard system lets me do it. Above: Griff is the expert on all things Mercury at the Coomera facility and runs us through the motor specifications before the on water testing.

The 35e runs a 7” pitch composite propeller that’s primarily designed for high thrust.

124 DECEMBER 2023

batteries are expensive, but as time goes on their price reduces, and they become more accessible to the general public.

At the same time, outboard motor giant Mercury has released the first of the range of Avator electric motors. We got to play with the very first 7.5e that came into the country. You can see the results of that range test in videos on Fishing Monthly’s YouTube channel.

The test boat was FM’s new Alloycraft P445 punt - this will ultimately become our new small water boat.

FMM More recently, the more powerful versions of the Avator have been released. After bugging Mercury for weeks, we got hold of the 35e – the biggest one in the range to date. Mercury advertises this as having the same acceleration as a 9.9hp

BOATING TEST only one way to find out.

Both the 35e and its smaller sibling, the 20e, run on the same lithium-ion batteries. They’re a 2,300W module that basically fits the footprint of a standard, red portable fuel tank. The 20e can run on just one

Up to 4 of the 2.3kW batteries can be added to the junction box to increase range. A minimum of two are required for the 35e operation. combustion outboard.

Now, let me say upfront, from a power-to-weight and price point of view, electrics are still nowhere near being a wholesale replacement for your standard 4-stroke outboard.

However, there are many situations where combustion outboards aren’t allowed, or boaties want the amenity and ease of use of a petrol-free system.

Recently, Fishing Monthly took delivery of a P445 Alloycraft punt. It is a flat-bottomed, 4.5m long fishing platform that weighs only 160kg. We were keen to try to plane it with an electric outboard. We hypothesised that the Avator 35e could, indeed, get this boat on the plane, but there was

of these, but the 35e needs at least two, joined with the proprietary junction box. This box adds up to four of these batteries in parallel, to increase the range of this motor.

On the test day, we got hold of the motor, a junction box and two of these batteries. The RRP of this kit is around $15,000AUD, and the extra batteries are around $2,800 each – so the price

Top and above: Mercury does do motor mounts right. The Avator mounts tilt like the rest of their small outboards. The whole motor assembly can be removed with a simple spigot mount system. It takes one button and three seconds. batteries in the system automatically – just plug in and let it do the work.

The moment of truth happened at Hinze Dam behind the Gold Coast. It’s an electric-only lake full of Aussie bass, and a favourite amongst

With a maximum speed on 17km/h, the Avator is heading in the right direction to bridging the gap between combustion and electric motors, even though electric is only for niche applications.

It was fun trying to fly the drone and steer a planing boat on Hinze!

is still up there. Maxed out with power, the rig is just over $20,000.

Installation was pretty easy. We clamped on the motor mount and found that all Avators have the same, spigot mounting system that lets you remove the motor from the boat in about three seconds. You then plug in the box and plug the batteries into the other side of the box. Five minutes, and it was all done.

We left the gear all up on the deck for weight distribution trials, although the box comes with a bracket to mount it out of the way.

As an aside, you can actually plug a single charger into the J Box and it will manage the charging of the

SEQ anglers.

I dropped the rig in and full throttled it.

Holy cow! In seconds, I was planing for the very first time in an electric-powered boat! In most BASS Electric events, you’re going fast when you crack the 10km/h mark. I was planing at 17km/h and loving it.

Traditional theory in electric boating is to weight your boat nose down, to reduce the turbulence from the square transom. Less turbulence = less drag and a higher speed and better range. However, this wasn’t the case with this rig. You could run the batteries basically anywhere and she’d still plane. The turbulence isn’t an

issue when you’re going that fast.

Like all electric systems, however, the next consideration is range. I graphed the power draw and range (with the batteries at about 90%), and like most curves, the slower you go, you get exponentially more range.

Creep around at 5km/h, and you get 56km. WOT it the whole time, and you get 12km.

It was interesting that at wide open throttle (1,500rpm), the range was slightly better than 15km/h. This may be due to the hull planing and being more efficient.

Dropping this through the prop slip calculator, it’s only slipping 6%, which is quite efficient. It’s supplied with a 7” propeller, which is the only one available. The next step, of course, would be to see whether a larger pitch prop would give substantially more speed. (I wonder whose arm I have to twist at Mercury to find that out?)

So, is the Avator 35e an economical replacement for a 4-stroke outboard yet? Nope. Is it a lot of fun on electriconly lakes? Yep! We’re definitely looking forward to seeing how the Avator concept merges with the traditional Mercury range.

PERFORMANCE Speed (km/h)

Draw (kW)

Range

(@90%)

5 ........................0.30 .................. 56km 7 ........................ 0.62 .................. 35km 9 .........................1.20 ................... 21km 11 ........................2.00 ................... 16km 13 ........................2.80 ................... 14km 15 ........................3.90 .................... 11km 17 ........................4.60 ................... 12km DECEMBER 2023 125

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