Go Behind the Scenery
Tasmania
Making the most of winter weather windows OFFSHORE
Kelly Hunt
When most people think of June in Tasmania, they assume there is no fishing to be done. Yes, the days are short and it can be bitterly cold, but there is a great deal of fishing to be done. Find a weather window and make sure you have all the right wet weather gear, and you will enjoy some great days out on the water offshore, or poking about your local estuary. SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA June in Tasmania is when a peculiar kind of sickness starts to spread. It starts with reports of a few people coming down with it. All the 37kg tuna outfits will come out as a precautionary measure to fight against
disappointment. Lures will be rigged heavier and with bigger stronger hooks to fight the symptoms. I speak of the sickness that sweeps anglers across Tasmania at this time of year: jumbo fever! We have seen the first few dustings of snow on Hobart’s Mount Wellington, and the old timers would always say this was sign to start looking for tuna. The usual haunts of Southport and Whale Head, and to Eaglehawk Neck and around the Hippolyte Rocks, are traditional grounds to try your luck at hooking a jumbo bluefin tuna. Success story The southern bluefin tuna, commonly called SBTs, used to suffer under the weight of heavy fishing pressure, with the reported catch reaching 80,000 tonnes in the 1960s. In the mid-1980s it was looking pretty dire
for the species, and numbers of fish had drastically reduced. At that point, the main SBT catching nations got together and applied strict quotas on their fishing fleets in 1985, and then in 1994 this voluntary management arrangement was formalised, and the Conservation of Southern Bluefin established. This led to the fishery growing from strength to strength, and in Tasmania I have witnessed this recovery with my own eyes. Back in the olden days when I was a young man, I used to fish for SBT and not even look like catching one. Then we started to pick up a few schoolies, and the fishing continued to improve each year. Fast forward to today, and we have an all year, around the calendar southern bluefin fishery here in Tasmania. The jumbos are a lot
Pedra is a great destination for southern bluefin in Tasmania on the right weather window.
PRODUCT NEWS
New releases from Daiwa
Four of the latest releases from Daiwa for 2023 are the Tanacom 800, Tanacom Braid, Rainmax Stretch Rainwear and the Infeet Spike 53EXDR. TANACOM 800 2022 delivered a reworking of the Tanacom electric reel platform with the release of the Tanacom 1200, and new for 2023 is the smaller Tanacom 800. Featuring the design, and advancements in
feature in the Tanacom 800, while a 25kg drag, PE6/800m spool capacity, and an aluminium ball knob combine with other significant features to see the new Tanacom 800 set the bar on what is achievable in smaller size electric reel design and performance. TANACOM BRAID Designed and developed specifically to match to Daiwa’s growing range of deep-drop electric reels such
Tanacom 800
technologies and features that made the 1200 a major evolution of the Tanacom platform, the 800 model shows that quality, performance and power can come in a small package. The Tanacom 800 sports the new design incorporating the motor housed inside the spool giving the Daiwa engineers the ability to increase the efficiency of the powerful motor, the same reliable unit that’s been used on Tanacom 1200. An aluminium body, DOT LCD Display, Line Counter, and Power Lever 92 JUNE 2023
as Tanacom, Seapower and Seaborg, the new Tanacom Braid is the perfect match if you’re looking to dominate the deep this winter. Built around 8 strands of the finest quality Japanese fibres and made to the highest tolerances in Japan, Tanacom Braid is the perfect partner for spooling electric reels. Available in either 60lb and 80lb test in 1000m spools, the 80lb is the ideal length for larger electric reels like the Tanacom 1200 and Seaborg MJ 1200, while the 60lb is perfect for the smaller 750 and 800 size electric reels.
Spooling your electric reel is made super simple with Tanacom Braid the perfect length spool. Simply program the reel to spool your desired length and hit the button. RAINMAX STRETCH RAINWEAR Daiwa’s Rainmax wet-weather gear has gone up a notch, with the introduction of Rainmax Stretch, a lighterweight, thinner material with inbuilt stretch, making rainwear more comfortable than ever. Rainmax Stretch as the name implies has a level of inbuilt stretch to the fabric, enabling unencumbered movement better than ever before. No longer will you
feel bound and restricted by a tight wet weather gear or be bogged down by something thick and heavy. Rainmax Stretch is super lightweight, by increasing the waterproof rating to 27k/7k Daiwa has been able to reduce the number of layers required, making the garments lighter weight and cooler, making them much more suited to the
warm climate of Australia. The Rainmax Stretch Jacket features YKK AquaGuard zippers and an ergonomic 3D cutting pattern to minimize that annoying ‘flapping’ when you’re out in the elements, while double cuffed sleeves minimise rain seepage down your forearm and a 3-point adjustable hood can be sinched down for highspeed boat rides. Rainmax Stretch pants also feature YKK AquaGuard zippers in a flapless front fly design, while a gusseted crotch area maximises movement for long days on the water. A zip open bottom allows pants to be slid over boots with ease, while a D-Ring on the front of the pants allows for the attachment of tools or lanyards. Available in a stylish dark-blue indigo colourway, and sizes S to 3XL, Daiwa’s new Rainmax Stretch Rainwear will sure to be a hit with the anglers looking to stay comfortable and dry on the water regardless of the
Infeet Spike 53EXDR
weather and conditions. INFEET SPIKE 53EXDR An addition to the popular of Infeet Spike lure range, the new 53 EXDR is the deep diving crankbait many people have been waiting for. The
same great profile from the original 53SP, the EXDR (Extra Deep Running) version now hits depths of up to 4m (12ft) when fished on light line. Perfect for chasing bream, bass, estuary perch and more light-tackle
Rainmax Stretch Rainwear
Tanacom Braid
species holding in deeper water, the Infeet Spike 53 EXDR weighs 6g, suspends in freshwater (slowly floats in salt) and features a shifting weight inside to make casting a breeze despite the extra-long bib. Fitted out of the pack with BKK Spear 21SS treble hooks, it’s ready to fish out of the pack and comes in a variety of awesome Australian designed colours to appeal to a host of predatory species in both fresh and salt water. – D&S Media
