Fishing Monthly Magazine | September 2021 by Fishing Monthly

• FREE 40 PAGE MAGAZINE INSIDE: BOATING EXTRA • Species Spotlight

John Loeskow takes us coral trout fishing out yonder QLD

NSW

VIC

TAS

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Unstructured: coral trout fishing • Searching for spring gold • Mackerel under the microscope • Sustainability for snapper stocks • Citizen Science during COVID •

VIC

QLD

September, 2021

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CONTENTS

OUR COVER September 2021, Vol. 2 No.5 VIC

TAS

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

12 14 16 18 20 21 22 26 28 30 31 31 32 32 33 36

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

44 47 46 48 49 50 52 54 55 58 58 59 60 61 62 62 64 65 66 66 67 68

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

74 74 75 75 76 78 79 80 82 82 83 84 84 87 86 88 88 89 89

TASMANIA Offshore Hobart

70 71

SEPTEMBER 2021

From the Editor’s Desk...

Sydney reporter, Gary Brown, with a 69.5cm flathead caught on a ZMan 3.5” Trick SwimZ in motor oil. He was on Port Stephens Fishing Charters run by fellow contributor Paul Lennon.

“Can we Fish?” This is the question that’s causing the most confusion in the industry at the time the magazine goes to print. And as it stands, it’s a lucky dip depending on what state you live in and what part of that state. It’s obvious that the new Delta variant of COVID is very challenging and very transmissible and governments are doing what they can to slow the spread or keep it out of their states. Often the challenge is what’s allowed and what’s not when it comes to health orders. Those lucky enough to live near the water are often allowed

A Gary Brown image. Come and visit Fishing Monthly Group’s official Facebook page for all your monthly fishing information. Download QR Reader to access.

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

93 94 95 97 96 98 99 99 100 100 101 102

REGULAR FEATURES Freshwater Unstructured: coral trout fishing Starlo’s back to basics Mackerel under the microscope Sustainability for snapper stocks Sheik of the Creek What’s new fishing WIRF Recfishwest Track My Fish Trades and Services Tournament Calendar Tide page

112 6 10 38 40 41 42 90 92 104 106 109 110

COMPS AND OFFERS Find the logo Fun page/Sub page

27 108

90 WIRF

20 46

to participate in fishing as a form of exercise or food gathering. Those who live away from the water aren’t often as lucky. And I know lockdowns are a balance between physical and mental health. Get it wrong either way and everyone suffers. My opinion, for what it’s worth, is that if you’re chasing some loophole to let you do what you normally do, you probably shouldn’t be doing it. As a part of the long game, COVID is only a short blip in most of our lives and if we do what we can for the greater good, then we should bite that bullet. It seems that vaccination is going to be a pathway to greater freedom. The data shows that it will free up our hospital space and let us get back to something resembling normal, sooner. I’ve been vaccinated, and I’d encourage you to do the same when it’s your turn. It doesn’t hurt and it adds to all the other things you get a jab for. And importantly, it’ll let you get back travelling and fishing ASAP. After all, we often define our happiness by our ability to participate in things we love doing. We hope y’all can get back on the water soon. * Please check with your local and state authorities before you go fishing for all the latest COVID updates.

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Unstructured: coral trout fishing out yonder QLD

John Loeskow

Coral trout would have to be one of the most soughtafter fish species across the top half of Australia. From the Sunshine Coast in Queensland to Shark Bay in Western Australia, trout are often the target for anglers chasing demersal fish in shallow to medium depths of water off the coastline. A hard fighting fish that combines spectacular looks, an attraction to natural and artificial presentations from top to bottom, and a welldeserved reputation as one of the tastiest fish on the planet, it’s little wonder coral trout are such a popular species. Although trout are usually associated with hard structure, like shallow reef and ledges, some of the bigger specimens can be found (and successfully landed) well away from significant bottom structure. Trout are generally more prevalent through the warmer months, but we’ve caught trout every month of the year and some of our biggest have been through late autumn and early winter. In this article I will outline some of the effective techniques and

A stunning bar cheek trout caught by Mike Dunning on a live bait in 115ft of water.

frequent angler exposure. Regular anglers will confirm that while sharks may ignore less desirable species like triggerfish, trevally and remora, as soon as a trout takes a bait, they will hone in like an Exocet missile. I’ve seen a couple of trout heads come to the surface after shark intervention and have come to the conclusion that sometimes it would be better not to know… As the country we fish is generally devoid of obvious structure you normally won’t get too many clues from a standard chart or map. Fishing away from obvious structure may seem counterproductive but is essential for finding locations that go under the radar. The more time you spend looking for new spots, the better. I

away from the bottom they generally give up the ghost, but the experienced angler will recognise this as typical trout behaviour. Nevertheless, as soon as a good trout comes in to view all attention on the boat goes underwater until the landing net slides under the fish. AREAS TO TARGET Looking at a contour map or Navionics chart, the typical locations to target

A glassed out winter afternoon run home makes for a perfect end to the day.

Sharks are pretty common wherever good fish are found and this is the unfortunate result. areas that bigger trout like to call home. In the regions we predominantly fish out from Bundaberg, the vast majority of trout caught are bar-cheeked coral trout (Plectropomus maculatus). Occasionally we’ll catch common trout (Plectropomus leopardus) but these fish are normally encountered closer to hard reef in shallower water under 25m. Their colours can vary quite a bit, but the distinct horizontal blue bars on the side of the head are a key distinguishing feature. Unlike fishing in shallow water under 20m, we rarely see fish under 3kg and a trout isn’t regarded as a big fish until over 5kg. Fish this size put up a great fight upon hook up, and the first 10 seconds are where the fight is either won or lost. Once pulled 6

SEPTEMBER 2021

coral trout are pretty obvious. Shallow reefs, steep ledges and gutters all show up well on charts and can’t be discounted as potential spots to try and catch a trout. But with ever-increasing fishing pressure you can be assured

away from structure so search the surrounding area for clues as to where the bigger fish might be located. Despite what many people may say, trout will range a reasonable distance from isolated structure to feed because the bait schools in these patches are highly mobile. This is especially true at the top and bottom of the tide when predators move away from holding points. RIGGING TECHNIQUES The majority of coral trout line fishing uses a single or gang hook rig fished below a running ball sinker. In shallow water, fishing with dead and flesh baits is a very effective technique. Concentrations of small and medium sized fish are high and competition for food is at a premium. In deeper water, where numbers are much lower but average size increases, you will need a bigger carrot to get their attention. We do catch a few trout on dead baits and their appeal to other species, like grass sweetlip, red emperor and tuskfish, mean they should definitely be a part of your fishing arsenal. The best baits are fresh fish slabs, whole scad and cocktail baits like pilchard and whole squid combos. But looking back through the last few years, over 90% of the trout we’ve caught have been on live baits. Every trip we do these days we will have at least one angler fishing a live bait, and if we expect the fishing to be good, we’ll put a live bait down on each side of the boat.

if something looks productive on a map or chart, it has no doubt been fished extensively. The additional problem of high levels of shark activity seems to be directly related to well-known drop-offs, gutters and ledges that experience

Not many fish put a smile on the dial like a solid coral trout. Lorne with another ripper.

Lorne Stuppart with a distinctively marked coral trout. This black pigmentation shows up fairly regularly.

know this is hard for anglers that don’t fish as much as they’d like but it’s the only way to get ahead of the game. If you have a few marks that see more pressure than you’d like, identify some adjacent areas that could potentially hold productive ground. In flat country you won’t need to see big variations in depth to hold fish. Concentrations of bait are the key. Bait will often hold

There are a range of rigs that can and do consistently catch coral trout on live baits. The particular method you use will depend on how you plan to fish other baits at the same time. Some anglers will fish a live bait in a rod holder while fishing smaller baits for other species like sweetlip, tuskfish and hussar. In this situation an 8/0 to 10/0 circle hook pinned through the upper lip will

allow a bait to swim freely and prolong its lifespan while waiting for the bite. After a fair bit of trial and error we have decided that live baits should be fished with the angler on the rod ready to go. While sweetlip and

to-go angler is generally the difference between success and failure. Anglers’ preference will dictate the outfit used for this type of fishing. Both threadline and overhead setups are suitable, but both

50lb braid for this fishing but if you are exclusively fishing live baits, I’d bump that up to 80lb. During the warmer months we use about 4m of either 80 or 100lb mono leader and, although this sounds like overkill, it

standard paternoster rigs will both catch fish, but fishing a modified paternoster is very effective in areas without prominent structure. A dropper loop in the leader 20-30cm long allows the angler to alter sinker size as the tidal run changes. From the dropper we generally run 1-2m of leader before the two hook snelled rig. Longer leader lengths allow the live bait to swim more freely in low current situations but can let the bait swim around or under structure and get snagged. For most of the bigger live baits a two hook snelled rig will always outfish a

The striking blue bars on the cheeks are what give this fish its common name.

Big grass sweetlip are a common by-catch and aren’t shy about eating live baits. red emperor will often ‘play’ around with a bait before eating it, nine times out of ten a trout will simply engulf the bait with a buckled over rod the consequence. As the first few seconds are so crucial, a switched on and ready-

will need to be up to the task to get the job done. Reels don’t need to be able to hold a huge quantity of line but will need a heavy drag to dictate the early stages of the fight. I would recommend a minimum of

doesn’t seem to deter trout from eating. In late autumn and winter, we may drop that back to 60lb fluorocarbon if the water is extremely clear or the bite slows down. Running ball and

Make sure that drag is set tight. Shaun Rissman showed this big trout who’s boss.

single hook. On the days where the fish are really smashing the baits, a single hook will get a reasonably good hook up rate. But obviously the fish don’t always play that way. On big baits like mackerel scad, pike and whiptail, we have found a two-hook system that has produced big coral trout consistently. The front hook is a Shinto Octopus 8/0 that is pinned sideways through the nostrils for scad and through the top lip for other bait species like whiptails. These hooks are seriously sharp and we haven’t had a hook bend out under load yet. This hook is snelled to a 6/0 To page 8

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From page 7

Mustad Big Gun with a gap of about 15cm. Likewise, the Big Gun is an extremely solid hook that will hold up to any punishment that gets dished out. It’s important to maintain a degree of slack line between the snelled hooks when the

and red emperor. As the water starts to cool trout can get a bit more selective about what they choose to eat. Fortunately, this coincides with the arrival of big schools of mackerel scad. Mackerel scad are basically the northern version of the slimy mackerel and they are irresistible to just about any

big scad as live baits either as we haven’t found one big enough not to get eaten, especially by XOS coral trout. If you are lucky enough to catch scad over summer and early autumn you’re pretty much guaranteed to get a chance at some impressive fish. Just make sure you can

Isaac Schipper with a cracking trout that ate a live pike fished hard on the bottom.

In the cooler months, channel markers and pylons can hold good schools of bait. live bait is pinned to give the bait the maximum amount of movement. We’re looking at a few modifications to this rig involving a solid ring and split ring setup but this is a work in progress. PREFERRED LIVE BAITS In any given area up and down the coast there is a big variety of live bait species that are suitable for coral trout. The area we fish between Elliott Head and 1770 has a few options that will usually tempt most fish. We’ve found in the past couple of seasons that the warmer the water temperature, the less fussy trout are about what they will choose to eat. Blue-faced whiptail, pike, and just legal sized hussar and lancers make good baits for trout. They are pretty hardy and at this size even trout in the smaller size range will not pass them up. Generally, the smaller whiptails make much better live baits than bigger specimens and will get the attention of some tasty by-catch like big grass sweetlip

SEPTEMBER 2021

and for some this may sound like too much effort. However, it is usually the days when the bait is the hardest to get that they produce the best results. The quality of fish that this will put in the esky more than

require a high volume of water exchange to keep them in optimum condition, especially at higher water temperatures. If all this sounds too hard, fishing live bait when reef fishing may

The author with a small trout that was wrestled away from a trawler wreck.

This nice trout is typical of the size you can expect when fishing slightly deeper water. big predator swimming. We’ve had days when all other live baits have been ignored but the scad just seem to produce the goods. Don’t discount the

The business end of a coral trout – baitfish beware! 8

mackerel and big tuskfish. Please be aware that you may need to spend a decent amount of your fishing times getting enough live bait for the trip. While some days we can load up pretty quickly on other days they can be a real bugger to catch. We can often spend up to two hours trying to get the right species we’re chasing

try and keep them ahead of the sharks… EXCELLENT BY-CATCH In addition to trout, live baits will account for a range of other tasty critters. Big grass sweetlip won’t turn their nose up at a well-presented livey. It’s surprising how big a bait even a medium-sized fish in the 40-50cm range will happily engulf. Red emperor are highly regarded in all waters and fishing live baits will usually weed out most of the undersized fish that can be in plague proportions in some spots. While not highly regarded by all anglers, smaller gold spot cod in the 5-10kg range are excellent eating and will nail pretty much any baitfish they can fit down their gob. Other common by-catch includes cobia, both blue and brown Maori cod, Spanish

makes up for the time it takes to procure them. Another important component is a well set up livewell that can accommodate a large number of baits. We run a live bait pump non-stop on the water as the scad in particular

not be for you. The ice box at the end of the day will tell the story. The results speak for themselves. If you want any more information on rigs, baits, general fishing, check out our YouTube channel. Just search Whiplash Fishing.

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Searching for spring gold NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

From Victoria to Queensland, spring marks the peak time to target XOS yellowbelly or golden perch in our dams. Golden perch or yellowbelly are our second largest inland native after

when water temperatures rise through the 16 degree Celsius mark and continue climbing towards 18 or 20 degrees. This can occur as early as August in some low altitude Queensland impoundments, and as late as December in Victorian waterways, especially those at higher elevations. Yellowbelly are generally more catch-able

Burrendong, Windamere, Somerset or Boondooma that may have rarely seen more than a couple of boats a week 20 years ago are now fished regularly… and hard. Perch and other fish that live in these waters get to see lots of baits, lures and flies

and some of them are caught (and often released) in the process. The effect of all this pressure is an increasingly cagey and cautious fish population. As a result, they become harder to catch, meaning smart anglers have been forced to modify their

Jo with average yella taken during the morning bite period.

Yellas of this size are just ‘average’ in many of our dams these days, and we are coming into the prime months for chasing them. Murray cod, and one of the country’s most popular freshwater targets. They can be caught all year on baits, lures and even flies, but the next three months are recognized as the peak

at this time, but they’re often far from a pushover. Angling pressure on goldens is ramping up every year. Likely bays and points in big dams like Eildon, Eppalock, Burrinjuck, Wyangala,

Starlo’s e-book about targeting big yellowbelly in our dams has become something of a ‘bible’ among those chasing these fish. Scan the QR code accompanying this column to find out how you can obtain a copy. tackle and techniques in order to maintain catch rates. Mostly, this has involved using lighter gear and different lure styles to those more traditionally associated

Gun golden perch specialists like the Hardman family, Kevin Savvas, Murray Stewart and many others have refined their ‘shake-and-shuffle’ retrieves with blades and vibes to incorporate subtle nuances that can make all the difference on the day. Most of the more effective presentations combines a slow rotation of the reel’s handle with a shaking of the rod tip, interspersed with the occasional pause. These shaking strategies can be deadly on goldens. Where to begin looking for yellowbelly in dams varies from one impoundment to the next, but at this time of year, most will be caught in a band between the bank and a depth of about 6 or 7 metres.

Soft vibes have a place in the tackle box of any angler targeting yellowbelly, although many now swap out the standard trebles for smallish assist hooks.

Early starts can be a tad chilly in September and October, but it’s worth getting out of bed for the morning bite. period for chasing these fish, especially in the many dams where they’ve been stocked. Almost without exception, the best fishing for golden perch in these dams will take place during September, October and November, and is closely associated with pre-spawn behavior, despite the fact that they rarely reproduce with any great success in man-made dams. The peak bite period for yellowbelly in most of these dams tends to occur 10

SEPTEMBER 2021

Metal vibes like the Ecogear ZXs have transformed yellowbelly fishing in dams.

with yellowbelly. Metal and plastic (hard and soft) vibes have become ‘go-to’ choices for many anglers targeting goldens, especially from boats and kayaks. These sinking lures are often retro-fitted with small, super-sharp assist hooks that pin fish better and also foul up less often in the weed beds and aquatic vegetation favoured by goldens. They’re typically fished with a lift-drop-lift jigging action, although they can also be ripped more violently, presented with a constant, steady retrieve (horizontally or vertically), ‘shuffled’, ‘shaken’, ‘dragged’ and even trolled.

Look for concentrations of fish in and around aquatic vegetation, but particularly along the inner and outer edges of weed beds and in any defined gaps or channels running through those beds. You should also learn to QR CODE

Scan this QR code to find out how you can obtain Starlo’s e-book on catching yellowbelly in dams. recognise ‘good’ weed, which is typically healthylooking and vibrantly coloured. Brown, dying or dead and ‘slimy’ weed is less attractive habitat for fish and the things they eat. Beyond these absolute basics, one could literally write a book on catching golden perch in our dams, and I’ve done exactly that! If you’re interested in knowing a lot more, the QR code with this column will tell you how to obtain a copy.

Seemingly featureless banks can be highly productive, especially if weed beds are present.

SEPTEMBER 2021

Southern

OLD

Uncertain times for everyone GOLD COAST

David Green

As I write this all of South East Queensland has been placed into lockdown, and working in the public hospital space and seeing the cases of the Delta Strain I feel this may be a prolonged situation until we achieve our

vaccination targets. As such it is a bit hard to predict what the fishing will be like this month, and there is also the real possibility that the upcoming Gold Coast Flathead Classic may have to be cancelled. Hopefully the lockdown will end and we can resume our normal fishing. September is always a difficult month to predict from a fishing point of view.

On the wider offshore grounds target species include striped marlin and blue marlin and big yellowfin tuna on the wider grounds. There are often schools of sauris around at this time of year, and if you find good bait stay in the vicinity. While trolled skirted lures are the commonest method used, switchbaiting using hookless lures with a belly strip from a

Franco Martinese with a pretty tailor.

Zali Boyd with a nice flathead.

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tuna sewn in generally gives a much better percentage of bites to successful hook-ups when chasing striped marlin. These fish can be notoriously hard to hook on lures as they tend to swipe the lure with their bill a lot. Out wider, there can be good yellowfin tuna action beyond the 1000m line, roughly 80km east of the Gold Coast Seaway. Most of these fish fall to trolled lures but casting large stick baits can also be effective. Most of these yellowfin are between 35-60kg and it is quite common to have multiple hook-ups. For those interested in chasing broadbill swordfish, September is a good month to try as the current is generally fairly minimal. This month should also be a good one for deep dropping chasing flame snapper, bar cod and big pearl perch. A lot of anglers are investing in electric reels to chase these fish in 200-400m of water. Local charter boat, Lucky Strike, has refined this method during the closed snapper season with great results. Just about everything caught in these depths is great eating. In closer to shore the 50

SEPTEMBER 2021

Regal Marine

OLD

fathom line should produce snapper and pearl perch with yellowtail kingfish, amberjack and samsonfish

have spawned by this time and feed aggressively as they try to put on condition. Pilchards, tuna strips, soft

A good 80cm flatty caught from Jumpinpin. as well. Deep paternoster rigs, jigs, soft plastics and deep-fished live baits are all very effective. The 36 Fathom Reef, particularly at the northern end, should fish well for snapper this month. A lot of the fish

plastics and jigs are all effective. Slow jigging is also a very effective method. On the inshore grounds the westerly winds make for good fishing conditions. It has been a good year for mulloway, and the inshore

reefs should produce plenty of mulloway in the 90-120cm range this month. Live baits, such as pike and slimy mackerel are generally the most effective option. Jerk bait soft plastics are also effective at times in daylight hours. The fish are generally at their most active in the hour after dark and it is usually not too hard to catch your two mulloway fairly quickly when conditions are good. ESTUARIES AND RIVERS This month is a great time to chase flathead as the bigger fish move towards the mouths of the estuaries. The flathead generally begin spawning in late August through to October, and this month should see plenty of large female fish move into the deeper water around Jumpinpin and the Gold Coast Seaway. These big fish are generally surrounded by large numbers of smaller males that often follow a hooked female right to the boat. Fishing large soft vibes, big soft plastics and live baits is usually very effective in the deep water. The last half of the run in tide generally has the best fishing and it is more productive if the water is clean. On the flats trolling small hard bodied lures like the famous Lively Lures Micro mullet, the Zerek Tango shad

and small Strads and Pig lures is a very reliable way to catch a feed of flathead. Work weed edges, mangrove fringes and mud beds for best results. When you find a productive area stop and cast. This season we have had excellent results on Gulp Nemesis, ZMann and the Zerek Absolute Shrimp. Use brown, black or white when the water is clean and brighter colours when it is turbid or muddy. Water quality is the key to flathead fishing in September. When the wind blows hard from the northwest it tends to shut the fishing down and creates blooms of mid water weed that can make trolling almost impossible. The ‘snot weed’ has turned up early this year and makes trolling difficult. September sees the mulloway numbers drop off a bit as the run of mullet comes to a close. There should still be a few fish in the deep water on a change of tide and deep live baits and soft plastics can be effective. Some really big mulloway do turn up in September but it can be a long while between bites. I tend to find that when the flathead are in good numbers in the deep water there are few mulloway. There have been a lot of good-sized tailor around in the Broadwater at the time of writing with some fish over

60cm long. As conditions warm up a bit the mangrove jack make an appearance, and September is the first good month after winter to deliberately target mangrove jack around the floating pontoons and canals using soft plastics and hardbodied lures. There seem to be more and more jacks

Southern

every season, and with most anglers practicing catch and release it is a fishery with a good future. Hopefully we will get out of lockdown quickly and I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Flathead Classic but it remains a time of great uncertainty. Stay well and stay safe.

This Bass groper was lifted from 300m.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Forward planning will help JUMPINPIN

Bo Sawyer

At the time of writing the wind and lockdowns have been making fishing opportunities a little bleak, but a windy day’s fishing is always better than a good day’s work! There are plenty of spots around the Jumpinpin area

to find a bit of shelter, I recommend looking at the wind forecast before heading out. If it looks fishable, take note of the wind direction and fish on the opposite side of any islands. The fishing will generally be a lot better and much more enjoyable out of the wind so do a little planning to get the most out of your day. Local anglers have been

getting some great scores of flathead along the drops offs, banks and drains in the area. Low tide has definitely been the best time to chase them, but as the tide gets higher they’ll spread out over the banks more, and the wind chopping up the water and discolouring it has made it much more challenging on the flats. I’ve been keeping at least

Benno with a solid mulloway.

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two rods rigged with plastics, one with a natural style and the other with a pinkish colour. I’ll quite often use both styles in the same spot, working the natural colour in the cleaner and deeper water off the drop off, and the pink colour right on the drop off where the water is a little dirtier. Works a treat! The size of the flathead should really start improving this month. Try fishing south of Russell Island, Kalinga Bank and as the weather gets warmer the big girls should be biting in the deeper water around the mouth of the pin. Reports of tailor have

The author with a flathead caught on a Gulp plastic.

Norton caught this great feed of tailor. been very favourable. Try targeting them on dawn before the wind picks up. Small spinners have been accounting for some fantastic catches around the Jumpinpin mouth and Kalinga Bank. I haven’t heard of any monsters being caught but plenty of tablesized fish have been reaching the eskies. Tailor require some care if meant for the

table, so quickly bleed them and place them in an ice slurry if possible. Bream have been plentiful and I’ve been constantly sounding them bunched up in massive schools, especially near big bait balls. The five ways, Kalinga Bank and the eastern side of Crusoe Island are great spots. They will also be around any yabby banks but

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Young Jai with a cracker flatty.

the better quality fish will be in the deeper water. Lightly weighted mullet strips are my favourite choice, but cut up pillies, prawns and yabbies will get them biting as well. There have still been some nice whiting caught. My favourite spot to fish for them are the sandbanks between Cabbage Tree boat ramp and the Powerlines, this is where I caught my elbow-slapper that won first place in the males whiting category for the King of the Pin comp. Other great spots are Kalinga Bank, the lagoons at the north tip of South Stradbroke Island and the northern side of Crusoe Island. Mulloway have been a little shy with these big tides, but if you can fish around the tide changes for them you will greatly increase your chances. Try the deeper water in the Pin bar and Swan Bay along the drop offs. If the tides are running, scan the deeper holes as you may come across a school of them. • Don’t forget to pop into Jacobs Well Bait and Tackle to stock up on your gear and fresh bait. We’ve also got the Gold Coast Flathead Classic coming up so keep an eye out for that as well. Take care on the water everyone and you can message me on Facebook or Instagram at ‘the bobo boat’ if you’d like any pictures featured. Tight lines.

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Southern

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Flatties will flourish this spring SOUTHERN BAY

Nick Whyte

Mulloway will once again will be prevalent this month. With September being one of my favourite months to chase them in the bay and Jumpinpin areas. Work the bigger tides around the moons, as more water flow will get the fish hungrier around the tide changes.

different! Leading up to the Gold Coast Flathead Classic there will also be heaps of boats out on the water chasing them. Lures, plastics or baits it doesn’t matter, as long as you have one in the water you should see some activity. There are plenty of fish around the mouth of the Logan River, Jacobs Well channel, Pandanas Island, along the eastern side of Garden Island and

be released. Snapper have been in great numbers the last couple of months and should continue. Trolling hardbodies is a great way to target these fish at the moment. Lures like the Zerek Tango Shad 89 have been doing really well for me at the moment. The deeper water in the bay around Harry’s and the Peel artificial reef balls have been producing better quality, with

islands and are a great target on larger topwaters poppers. I find cup-faced poppers in the 100mm range will attract the larger fish. Working the edges and flats of the shallow reefs are the best starting points. South West Rocks, hole in the wall and the spit beacon at Peel are all worth a look, as well as Green and Mud islands. There are still plenty of winter whiting around at the moment. The best reports have been from the flats in the Rous Channel. There are still a lot of fish on the Pelican Banks as well. Fresh worms will make a massive difference to your catch rate, so make the effort to dig your own or make sure you’re buying fresh. • If you have a great capture from the southern bay you would like to share email them through to nick@ techfishing.com.au Till next month Tech-it-easy.

This is an average sized southern bay pinky.

These tasty flatties were caught on the 50mm Zerek Tango Shads. Try and work the current lines down the Pin and find those isolated structures or reef points in the bay. With the smaller tides look for the big bait schools and concentrate your efforts there. Live baits have been accounting for the larger models with some good fish around the 110cm bracket been reported on plastics. Zerek 5” Flat shads have been producing and 110 Fish Traps in the faster moving water. There’s been plenty of flathead around last month and this month wont be any

SEPTEMBER 2021

the weedy edges along the Rainbow Channel. Flathead are all on the move for their annual spawning run. Fish will move into the deeper water around the river mouths and bar entrances sometime during the next month. It’s the time of year when a lot of oversized fish are caught and these fish are our breeders, so please take care when handling. Use fish friendly nets, keep them off hot dry carpet, and support their body weight when taking photos. These tips should be followed with all species looking to

the reef edges around Peel, Mud, Green and Macleay producing the numbers. Just remember you don’t have to run big lures to catch big fish when it comes to snapper in the bay. The 3” lures account for more than their share of big fish, matching the bait size they are feeding on is more important. There are still plenty of tailor getting around with truckloads of choppers inside the Pin bar, especially on the top of the tide. There have been some better quality around the Central Bay

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Southern

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More action through Moreton BRISBANE

Gordon Macdonald masterbaitertackle@hotmail.com

Air temperatures are finally starting to rise and warmer times are ahead. Early morning starts are a lot easier to tolerate now that the bite of the westerly wind is gone. With warming water temperatures, many fish species have become more active or prevalent throughout Moreton Bay and the filtering waterways. Cephalopods will still be on offer and crabbing will be improving over the coming month. Prime estuarine targets are

flathead, mangrove jack, bream, threadfin salmon and mulloway. In Moreton Bay, anglers will find many of these species as well as snapper, sweetlip, tuskfish, school mackerel, bonito and numerous others. The sun will shining and the fish will be biting so you should get out and do some catching. SCHOOL MACKEREL Although they are virtually a year around proposition in Moreton Bay for informed anglers, school mackerel numbers will be greatly increased over the coming month. They generally begin streaming into the bay during the latter part of August and

Chris has scored some thumping snapper from the bay in recent times, mostly on soft plastics. The next few months often produce the best quality bay knobbies.

are firstly noticeable in the main channels such as the Rous, Rainbow, Kianga and Northeast. Whilst not visibly smashing bait on the surface, they are patrolling these channels feeding on baitfish and other food sources. Popular ways to target them include trolling minnow lures, drifting pilchards and dragging spoons behind paravanes. In areas such as the Rous Channel, commercial fishers are often seen trolling spoons to target the schoolies. This is a dead giveaway that they are on the chew. Now that Yamashita have discontinued production of their No.6 and No.7 trolling boards anglers have had to find replacements such as the Hookem Boards, Blueline paravanes and numerous others. These all work well although some tend to provide a lot more resistance than the Yamashita boards. Anglers mostly troll these at speeds of 10-12km/h (5.5-6.5 knots). Behind the paravane there is a leader around 4-5m then a swivel (or small ball-bearing snap swivel) and then the spoon. Popular spoons include the Halco Barra Drone, Halco Kimberley and the Macka Spoons in the 3-4” sizes. On the rising tide, mackerel will enter these channels and then disperse out onto the flats to feed on all manner of morsels. As the tide begins to fall, they will again move back into the channels to patrol the edges and wait for food sources flushed from the surrounding banks with the receding tide. The size of the tide will depend on the timing of

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SEPTEMBER 2021

the mackerel’s movements, however if you get it right you can score good numbers in quick succession. Other areas of the bay will also hold schoolies with the surrounds of the bay islands and the artificial reefs producing decent numbers. Anglers drifting the flats, plus the Rous and Small Ships channels, chasing whiting are advised to deploy a ganged hook rigged pilchard aft. You want to keep the pilchard several metres up off the bottom to avoid the grinners, toadfish and other pickers demolishing it. This may dictate the use of a float on the smaller tides or when you have a slow drift. Trolling the tops of these banks with spoons or deeper diving minnow lures can also produce at times. Dropping pilchards adjacent the Shipping Channel markers around the changes of the tide or jigging vertically with chromed slugs and slices will also get you a school mackerel or two. Brain spike and bleed mackerel immediately after capture and you will have tasty white fillets for the table. The coming months should see increased numbers of school mackerel throughout many areas of Moreton Bay. FLATHEAD One of the favoured targets for estuarine anglers is the humble flathead. Throughout spring, larger numbers of flathead congregate throughout the bay shallows, estuaries and rivers as they prepare to breed. Larger females are often followed and surrounded by numbers of smaller males. Therefore, subsequent passes over an area where you have caught one flathead will often produce several others. Trolling brightly coloured minnow lures along the edges of major banks and the declines into the main river basin is a good way to prospect for flathead. Lures should dive deep enough so they get close to the bottom, preferably banging and rattling across it at times. Flathead lie semisubmerged in the sand, mud and silt – often their eyes are the only thing protruding. Their lateral line acts like an ear and detects any morsel haphazardly meandering close by. Obviously, these same zones can be worked over with cast and retrieve offerings, such as jighead rigged plastics, soft vibes, blades and minnow lures. Using an electric motor to position, or even just drifting with the current, will allow these lures to be worked through productive zones. In some areas you can even pull the boat up onto the bank and get out and work the

Andrew Tennent knows how to find and catch big bay mulloway, like this monster taken on plastics recently. area on foot. For those not confident with lure trolling, drifting baits can also be highly productive. Small whole fish baits such as diver whiting, frogmouth pilchards, whitebait, hardiheads, herring mullet and gar make great offerings. Even a fillet bait from a mullet, gar, pike, herring or bonito will get the bites. Twin snelled hook rigs are best for presenting any of these baits as it keeps them straight and offers maximum hook up potential. For the fish baits, the leading hook should be pinned up through the head from under the chin area with the hook centrally placed. The trailing hook is best positioned near the tail so that the bait remains nice and straight. A running ball or barrel sinker should only come to within about 30cm of the bait. The sinker will drag on the bottom and get the flatheads attention due to noise and the puffs of mud and silt it stirs up and the bait will waft along with minimum fouling. These baits can be drifted across the tops of the flats towards the higher tidal stages or in the channels on the lower tidal periods. Sometimes the bite is really noticeable yet at other times the line will just get taut as the boat drifts away, especially with larger specimens. An upward strike will set the hook and the fight is on. By-catch can include rays (including shovelnose), bream, whiting, pike, trevally, tailor and others. In the deeper channels you might even score a mulloway, which are always

welcome by-catch. Flathead numbers will be healthy over the coming months so get out and target them now. Remember there is a slot limit between 40cm and 75cm for the taking of dusky flathead and a bag limit of five per person. Other flathead species such as northern bar-tailed, tiger and fringe-eyed have differing bag and size restrictions. SNAPPER Since the snapper closure finished on 15 August, plenty of anglers have been out targeting them again in Moreton Bay and the lower reaches of the Brisbane River. Some respectable specimens have been caught with several fish over 80cm reported. Decent numbers of fish in the 40-60cm have been around and these are the better size to keep if you are after a feed. The artificial reefs, bay island surround and numerous wrecks and gravel patches in the bay are prime areas to target snapper. They will commonly roam these areas searching for numerous food items including baitfish, crustaceans and cephalopods. Anglers deploying quality baits or casting lures in these areas can score during any time of the day. However, the dawn and dusk periods often see greater movement, especially around the bay islands. Results can be heightened during these times. Larger specimens will often roam open water areas wide of structure as they hunt down baitfish such as gar and hardiheads. Sometimes snapper can be found underneath feeding schools of mackerel and tuna

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as they slurp up wounded baitfish. Some decent snapper can be caught well inside the Brisbane River on baits and artificial offerings. A live herring, banana prawn, pike or mullet is generally well received in areas such as the retaining wall at the mouth, Clara’s Rocks, the Caltex Reach Wall and around the major docks and jetties. These same zones can be fished with soft vibes, jighead rigged plastics and numerous other offerings. Some anglers also manage great results whilst casting flies on fast sinking fly lines. Clousers, bendbacks and weighted deceivers generally get the job done although many have their own creations. Snapper are very opportunistic feeders and will eat a wide array of offerings most of the time. Although the colder months produce the better numbers of snapper, I generally find that the last few months of the year offers some of the best quality for anglers in SEQ. MULLOWAY Moreton Bay anglers get some awesome mulloway during September, especially around the artificial reefs and wrecks. Schools can often be found cruising these precincts and micro jigs, soft vibes and numerous plastics can be put to good

• • • • • • • •

use. Several fish can often be taken in a session, providing the sharks don’t get in on the act and engulf your hooked fish. Usually if you lose one fish to sharks you are best to leave the mulloway alone and go and chase something else

as every subsequent fish will get taken. Mulloway are commonly taken by anglers chasing snapper as they reside in much the same areas and will respond to the same offerings and techniques.

There are always plenty of school sized flathead to be caught during September. Multiple fish are often caught from one spot as numerous smaller males all congregate around a large female.

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However, specific targeting can increase your chances. For larger fish, quality live baits reign supreme but you can still target them on lures. The Brisbane River can produce mulloway up past the city reaches. Anglers often encounter them around the lighted areas at night. For shore-based anglers, the deeper water under the gateway bridge is a good spot to deploy a live bait during the darkened hours. Mullet, herring, banana prawns and pike are commonly used offerings. Large soft plastic paddletail shads cast and retrieved slowly or hopped across the bottom will also produce a few fish. You will most likely need a 1/2oz to 1oz jighead for this pursuit. Boaties deploying these same live baits at Clara’s Rocks, the ledge in from the Sewerage Shute, near the shipping terminals and docks, the Oil Pipeline and in the deeper dredge holes out from the retaining wall at the mouth are also likely to score. CEPHALOPODS Both squid and cuttlefish should still be around in decent numbers over the coming weeks. Casting egi around the shallows of the bay islands, the weed beds along Moreton and Stradbroke islands and the weed beds and discoloured

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

edges in the Rous and Rainbow channels are likely to meet with success. The upper stages of the tide and start of the falling are generally best around the bay island shallows and weed beds. Along the edges of the channels I prefer the latter part of the falling tide. However, don’t be afraid to try any likely looking spot at any time as squid can often be in residence over weed, rock, rubble or reef at any time. Land-based anglers should still be able to score a few squid around the foreshore at Wynnum, Manly, Wellington Point, Victoria Point, Scarborough and Redcliffe. Night sessions are generally more rewarding as the squid are more likely to be in the shallows during low light periods. Cuttlefish numbers have been awesome this year with a lot more anglers getting out to target them than ever before. The deeper channels out the front of Wellington Point, the eastern end of the Small Ships Channel, western end of the Rous Channel and out from the Naval Reserve Banks are just some of the productive areas. Drifting egi close to the bottom is one of the most successful methods. Anglers often present egi into the depths using a paternoster

Southern

style rig or by attaching around a metre of line to the front of the egi and then a small bomb sinker below so that it drags along a few feet off the bottom. Softer tipped rods are best as they avoid the barbs tearing out of the cuttlefish as they lunge and try to escape. When retrieving both squid and cuttlefish, keep the rod tip high and wind slowly. Do not pump the rod as you would with a fish as they can expel the egi with the slack line. CONCLUSION Plenty of great angling targets exist for those getting out in the warming conditions during September. When the winds are low the conditions will be prime for those to get out and wet a line in Moreton Bay or the surrounding waters. The Brisbane River should see increased numbers of threadfin in the lower reaches and there will still be a few decent snapper and mulloway to be taken here as well. Quality snapper, squid, cuttlefish, sweetlip, school mackerel and several others will fill the creel. Setting a few safety pots in the rivers and creeks or out in the bay is likely to see some succulent crabs for the smorgasboard. There is a lot on offer during September so set your sights on success and go wet a line.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Southern

OLD

It’s the best time of the year! NORTHERN BAY

Steve Nash

It’s that time of the year again to put away the warm winter apparel and get prepared for the best time of the year for our awesome spring season! Our local winter species are slowly beginning to phase out but some of the local anglers are still scoring decent snapper from around the Bribie bridges and up through the passage and the rumble grounds along Moreton Island. Tailor are still good on the menu with the odd school popping up in minor numbers. The schools of winter whiting have all but gone

RIVERS Flathead Large numbers of flathead are due to return to the mouths of the estuaries. Spots along the front of the Pine and Caboolture River entrances are perfect places to start hunting. A lot of these areas will see some of the large 70cm+ size females in these areas. It’s always a good idea to implement large baits and lures while chasing flathead around this time. You may get lucky and catch yourself a trophy fish. Bream Bream will be in their mass numbers around now with many and more bream hanging around bridge pylons and the rock walls along the creek. The higher

on a small 1/0 hook lightly weighted with a small sinker drifted passed will quite easily do the trick. Mangrove Jack The lead up to our warmer weather may see some early spawns come into our river systems. It may pay to not get too over keen on bulking up the heavy gear just yet. But you never know your luck casting deep into the snags and tight into the rock walls. You might just get lucky! THE BAY The peak of snapper season may be at its end, but don’t give up hope altogether if your still keen for a crack at them. Check the deeper drop offs in the northern bay and the rubble grounds

will certainly do the trick if the mackerel are there. TOP WATER ACTION As this warmer weather kicks in, the top water bite will be surely become on point. Bream, flathead, bass and even whiting will begin feeding heavily from the top, which brings on some of the most exciting fishing for us anglers. Throwing Bent

Jack season will kick off this month.

Spring is a perfect time to work the edges of the local dams for yellowbelly.

The northside of Brisbane has some wonderful wild bass habitats. from the usual hot spots, but don’t let that stop you from still checking out the areas out the front of Queens Beach or the shallow areas out the front of Bribie Island.

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tides will see bream hanging closer into the mangroves as well so don’t be afraid to chuck a few sneaky casts within the sticks. Prawns or small strips of pilchards

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at the front of Scarborough when the boat traffic is down throughout the week. If you’re keen to shoot out and the weather is good, take a run to the shipping markers for some early school mackerel feeding on the edge of the channels on the incoming tide. Slugs, soft plastics and your live bait

Minnows in the shallows for flathead to small popper in the mangroves for bream will be a good start to see how the top water bite is fairing on the day. The way these fish will hunt down a lure is a massive adrenaline rush and visually exciting. Drifting across the flats in a boat or wadding the shallows on a making tide anyone can get the addiction. Walk-the-dog lures require a lot of wrist action with short quick flicks and winding up the slack line making the lure dart from side to side, while poppers can be a lot easier to get a handle on with a simple flick of the rod tip that is kept low

Mackerel are worth looking for in the shipping channels. to the water level. Making small splashes with pauses while mixing up the speed of retrieves till you find the

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one that works. Each day will be different depending on the mood of the fish. FRESHWATER The winter bass schools have most certainly died off again for another cool season. However the 1st of September sees the opening of the wild bass season both the North and South Pine and Caboolture rivers. These stretches of fresh water contain good numbers of wild bass. While these are in the upper reaches and not accessible by boat, paddling a kayak or even walking the banks of these areas are great way to explore some beautiful parts of this region and chase

The larger females will be starting their spawning this month.

these bronze creek brawlers. These river bass have some serious street smarts that fight dirty and often win the battle by back to the cover of logs and fallen trees. Our dams should see the bass starting to move back to the edges but as most have gorged themselves over winter it can be a better time to chase a few of the other species that call the edges home, yellowbelly will start to become very active and enter their spawning cycle working the edges with shallow dives or hoping small blades like ZX40s amongst the weed beds will bring them undone every time. Another target this time of year is a fish that everyone has a special place in their hearts and memories, the prehistoric saratoga. There is something very special with these fish not only are they highly allusive but they have a special set of skills to throw hooks with the greatest of easy being able to leap and shake and almost fold themselves in half to avoid being photographed.

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Now is a great time to head out NOOSA

Peter Wells

With the lead up to the full moon it is the best time to chase snapper, so anglers will be out in force. With the month long closure we have been having over the last couple of years the fish stocks and quality have seemed to improve.

the south all reporting good fish. Using a live bait rig to get some live baits, like slimy mackerel or yakkas, has proved to be worthwhile as these baits seem to be getting inhaled as soon as they get to the bottom. Large strip baits have also been popular with mullet and hussar working well. Those that have larger craft have done the run to

to the bottom and ripped up at speed or slow falling has seen plenty of monster fish leave the bottom in pursuit of these jigs. On the beaches, good schools of tailor are really starting to show up in numbers, using gang hooks with strip baits of mullet, bonito fillet or whole pilchard baits have all worked perfectly.

Luke Becroft with this beautiful blue eye trevalla from the deep water off Moreton Island. For those in smaller craft, quality snapper have been coming from Sunshine Reef, Jew Sholes and Halls Reef. These reefs are also perfect for fishing soft plastics. Plastics fishing is a great option at this time of the year as there can be plenty of smaller picker that will destroy a bait as soon as it gets to the bottom. Some anglers have been fishing both bait and plastic on a dropper paternoster rig, with the bait at the bottom and a plastics on a lightly weighted jighead on the top dropper. This keeps you in the game if the bait has been picked clean before the bigger fish arrive. Popular colours are the nuclear chicken, coconut ice, and bubblegum pink. Further out, the Barwon Banks has been the pick of the reefs with good snapper, pearl perch, Moari cod, mulloway and cobia all on the menu. Best baits have been flesh baits, large squid and floated pillies. With all these reefs, is key, don’t overdo it as all you will do is bring the sharks around, smaller bait chunks seem to be working better than large amounts of chum or oil. Coral trout, mulloway, sweetlip, cobia and tuskies are also plentiful, with reefs like North Reef, Double Island Reefs and the Gneerings to

the outer reefs. There was plenty on offer with some big amberjack, kingies, cobia and cod climbing on any live bait down close to the reefs. Slow fall and knife jigs have also been working well. Jigging is a great way to get amongst the bigger fish without using bait. Dropped

Fishing along the Noosa North Shore has been very popular with the Double Island end seeing some bigger fish on the morning and afternoon tides. Mulloway are also about and love a feed of tailor so if you get a legal chopper take the sides off him and send it out

the back. Mulloway tend to love the darker conditions so fishing the new moon or the period between sunset and moonrise is the better time. There is still a strong presence of whiting in most of the close gutters so make sure you call into the shops and check out the range of Whiting Wacker rigs, these rigs are dynamite on the whiting and loaded with worms or squid tentacles work a treat. Other option from the beaches are dart, goodsized bream and some solid flathead, small fish baits, like hardiheads, whitebait and herring have been working well around the top of the tide. In the Noosa River the fishing has been outstanding with a lot of different species on offer. Starting down towards the mouth. Some nice whiting have been on the chew just inside the mouth, area like the Frying Pan and the Dog Beach have been great, and fishing with live worms or freshly pumped yabbies as bait this should see you with a feed. There are a few undersized fish amongst them so don’t forget they must be over 23cm. Mangrove jack have come on strong as the waters start to warm. Lure anglers have had success around structure, like pontoons and moored boats in the Noosa River, especially after a warm day that brings the water temperature up. Casting Surface lures, like the Lucky Craft Sammy and the Atomic Bulldogs first thing in the morning has been good for a surface bite. As the sun gets a bit higher, diving suspending lures like the Smiths Cherry Bloods and the Bassday Sugar Deeps are perfect for the job. Live bait anglers have found

Abe Andrews with a very solid 83cm snapper from the Barwon Banks. good fish along the rock bars between the lakes by using herring and poddy mullet. September/October is always a great time for flathead as they tend to nest up as they get ready to spawn. Popular locations to tangle with a flathead has been down towards the mouth fishing the edges of sand bars, and the mud banks around Weyba Creek, with the run out tide being very productive. Prawns and small baitfish like frogged mouth pilchards and hardiheads have been very productive baits. Soft plastics have also claimed some quality fish. The Powerbait range of plastics

have been a favourite, working the lure slowly along the bottom seems to be the most productive. Mulloway are still around with some bigger fish being taken up river in the deeper holes around the entrance to Lake Cooroibah. Most fish are coming from live baits and larger paddle vibes and paddle tail plastics. • Don’t forget to check in to www.fishingnoosa.com.au for all the latest up to date info on fishing and bar crossings. The knowledgeable teams at Tackle World Noosa and Northshore Bait & Tackle at Marcoola can provide you with the right equipment, bait and advice to ensure success!

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OLD

Trout are turning it on BUNDABERG

Luke Truant

When the baitfish arrive in numbers every winter, we anglers get to enjoy a ‘honeymoon’ period when the predators have a laser focus on eating them. It’s a time when live baits are irresistible to big red emperor, trout and other desirable species, so I highly recommend gathering some livies before you head out. In recent weeks we have been bagging loads of big coral trout, with some specimens over 7kg. We have been catching fewer red emperor than last year, but the ones we have been catching have been of a good size. The trout have been showing up in a range of depths; some days we’ve been cleaning up in 20m or so of water, while on other days they’re just as thick in 40m. Lately, we have been bagging out on hussar in the same areas, with good size fish up to 48cm. Hussar are one of the best eating fish in the sea, and you can target them with smaller 4/0 or 6/0 hooks and smaller baits. If you

head offshore more than 10 miles out, and fish over pretty much any reef area, there’s a very good chance you’ll catch plenty of these fish. For most of winter we were catching loads of good grass sweetlip, but their numbers have now tapered off, as is usual at this time of year. Lately we’ve been catching only a few 5kg models here and there, all on live baits. As expected, big goldspot cod to 16kg have been chewing their heads off, and it’s been great to introduce our clients to the excitement of catching these huge fish. Just

Trout have been biting well on both live and dead baits.

Aleisha holds up a hard-pulling red emperor.

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remember that hooking a big cod is one thing, and landing it is another. Many cod will make it back to the reef, but all is not lost – if you give the fish a bit of slack, there is a chance it will swim out and you can land it. True, it only works around 10% of the time, but it’s better than instantly writing off the fish and busting it off. The trick is to not let out too much line. Don’t drop your rod tip down and create a belly in the line, just slacken off the pressure so that the cod feels safe to come out. Of course, it’s important that your leader is abrasion

resistant, and you should check it after every fish. I use 55lb Schneider mono for this. As far as live baits go, we’ve been using mainly yellowtail scads, but there are other baitfish that will do the job too. Just remember to have at least one rod rigged with a dead bait, to maximise your chances of attracting fish. On my boat I have only one person fishing a livie at any one time, and everyone else using dead baits. It seems to put the fish off if there are too many livies. You have to fight against your instincts and excitement when you’re fishing with live baits, and not strike too early. When you feel the bait have a wiggle and get more excited, do the opposite to your instincts – drop the rod tip down and give it half a metre or more. That allows the bait to move a little more freely, which often fires the predators up a bit more. We use Elkat 8/0 Live Bait hooks, which are really thick so you have to go hard to set the hook. If you’re using hooks like these and you get a hit, give a slow lift until you feel solid pressure. Once you feel the full weight of the fish, go as hard as you can. If you don’t have live bait, try butterflying a dead bait (I leave the tail on). It can be just as effective as a livie, and on some days it’s even better. My theory is that a butterflied bait attracts smaller fish like hussar, and the bigger, more wary predators will see the commotion and race in. Regardless of which bait you use, you must use

the correct technique while fighting the fish or you’ll lose heaps of them. DON’T do a furious pump-andwind like the jigging anglers on YouTube. You’re not jigging for kingies, you’re bait fishing for big, stubborn bottom species. You MUST keep constant pressure. If you drop the rod tip and give the slightest bit of slack – especially if you’re using braid, which has no stretch – the hook can dislodge and your prize fish is gone. If it gets too tiring to just stand and wind (which can happen when you’re catching a lot of fish), stick the rod in the holder and wind it in from there. That’s what the pros do. Spanish mackerel numbers have tapered off, but there are still a few big fish around. If you want to catch one, try sending out a big live bait – the bigger the better – and slow troll it. We are moving into bonito season, and if you can get them they make excellent baits. Last year we got some good snapper catches around this time, but this year we haven’t experienced the same numbers and sizes. Hopefully we’ll have a late season at the start of September. Try inshore areas in about 40m of water that are really rubbly, and use long strip baits that waft in the water; snapper seem to love really long baits. Coral bream fillets are good

for this. We use a running ball or barrel sinker down to a hook, because the snapper seem to prefer to feed at the bottom, but you’ll get them on paternoster rigs sometimes too. Just remember to make long loops on the paternoster to allow movement of the bait. And of course, always keep a float line out the back because snapper like that too. Perhaps that’s why we haven’t caught many snapper lately; we’ve been too busy catching trout to send out a floater for snapper!

around there. And now a final word of advice: if you don’t own a sabiki rod, you need to drop everything, go to a tackle store and buy one now. A sabiki rod is hollow and has a small, trumpet-shaped opening at the tip, so you can wind the rig inside it. This kind of rod typically costs around $80, and it soon pays for itself. Why? Because your rigs aren’t getting tangled or stuck in someone’s fingers etc, so you aren’t discarding nearly

Brian with a dinosaur coral trout. SEPTEMBER FISHING Live baits should still work well this month, and there’s still a crazy amount of bait around the end leads. Go to the yellow special marker and you should find them

Kahn was stoked to catch this trophy gold-spot cod.

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OLD

Spring warmth shines MACKAY

Keith Day habdays@bigpond.net.au

Spring warmth, sunshine, northerly winds and fish on the chew, that’s September in Mackay when the last of the ‘winter’ weather has gone and the really hot humid heat is yet to arrive. Good times for anglers! Over the last couple

and chase reef fish like trout, reddies, nannies and red throats. If a northerly is forecast, then by noon the wind is usually up and means a rough, slow and wet trip home. If in doubt, stick close to the shore, as there are plenty of spots around the close islands where trout, cod, grass lippers, stripies, and such, can be caught. The close islands produce plenty of blueys and

newbies should have a chat to the guys at Tackleworld on tactics, spots, baits etc. Moving into the creeks and estuaries, the run of good sized whiting should continue through this month, with the Pioneer River being the best spot for a feed. Land-based anglers can get among the action around Sarina Inlet, McEwans Beach, and the beaches to the north of the city and up into the NFZ. Freshly

Mac Cowelly fished the NFZ with Inshore Fishing Mackay and was rewarded with this beautifully marked black spot estuary cod. A top catch and tops for the table too!

Sooties in the river or dams are always great fun and Matty Richardson loves getting up the Pioneer River and nailing a few like this ripper on lures or fly. of months there has been a smattering of small mackerel and tuna species throughout the district, but this month should see the winds swing more E, ENE, NE, and N, and when that happens huge schools of baitfish come close inshore and, of course, the predators follow. And they won’t all be small macks either, as generally speaking our Spanish mackerel bite is best during the winter months, there will still be plenty around chasing the bait schools. A great angling experience is to drift around on a glassed out sea near Mackay harbour, with tuna smashing bait balls on the surface, and macks and trevally patrolling underneath scoring all the injured baitfish and the leftovers from the carnage above. The noise is awesome, and the mac tuna in particular get so focused, I have had them hit the side of the boat, and even had one jump across the boat once! Casting shinies and jigs on spin tackle gets massive hook-ups and runs with maximum fun for the angler. Letting a jig sink below the mayhem often gets a bigger doggie, spotted or Spanish mackerel and multiple hook ups are common and comical with anglers swapping positions, and lines going over and under one another! Great sport and the end result, if you look after them, will be top meals of the freshest fish. The expected calm seas will also give smaller boats a chase to get out further 26

SEPTEMBER 2021

September will be a great month to have a crack at them. Blueys feed up in the shallows hunting small crabs, but they are very alert and wary fish. Most local ‘guns’ chase them using live or very fresh prawns and sometimes use a bunch of yabbies to get the bite. Blueys seem to know every rock in the general area, and specialise in getting in and around those rocks at breakneck speed once hooked. More are lost than landed, but if you get them turned and landed, you will have one of the best eating fish in the ocean. Visitors or

pumped yabbies are the prime bait, but Tackleworld sometimes have live worms available. Flathead, grunter and pikey bream will feature among the estuary/creek systems during September. Flathead in particular should be in good numbers through this month and have really been on the chew all winter. Drifting the sand flats in Sarina Inlet or on the north side of the Pioneer River is a very relaxing way to spend a few hours flicking small lures or flies for flathead. Plastic minnows, curl tails, and prawns will all find favour with the flatties,

and deceivers, pink things, clousers and prawn style flies will work equally well. This is great fishing in clean clear water and the chance of getting a lovely fresh feed of flathead, no wonder it is so addictive. The spring weather means barra will be way more active and close handy spots like the V and the road bridges on the Pioneer will get plenty of attention from live baiters and lure anglers alike. The fact that you are in with a chance of landing a metre salty right in the middle of the city shows how good the system is. The mangrove forests on the north side, the Gooseponds and the many kilometres of freshwater all contribute to the health of the system, despite the number of weirs, all of which prevent migration of the barra, mullet and other species. Barra will be on the chew from Rocky Dam in the south to the top of the NFZ, and every creek no matter how small will have some barra at various stages of the tides. Many of these dry out to a few holes at low tide, and that is the spot to chase barra. I expect there will be plenty of action around the neap tides in places like Constant Creek’s

barra hole, Murray Creek and the creeks in the St Helens area. Victor Creek at Seaforth will also come in for plenty of attention with the deeper bank just upstream from the moorings often producing good barra. The warmer weather will also liven up the dam barra, and anyone who doubts the success of MAFSA’s stocking

weed bodies should also be targeted. Stick to water up to about 5-6m deep and place accurate casts along the weed edges or around weed islands. Work your lure right to the boat as often hits come just as the angler goes to lift the lure from the water. Teemburra is a ‘points’ fishery and a timber’s fishery. The points are

A beaut 65cm bluey caught by Tim Swann on a live crab bait fished up in the shallows around the close inshore islands. Tim got smoked by several others during the session.

There is nothing better than taking young kids out fishing, especially when they catch lovely flathead like this one landed by William Swann while soaking a fresh yabby.

program, only has to check the ramps at Teemburra and Kinchant dams around the full moon to find parking areas chockers with trailers. Kinchant now has lots of artificial structures to attract baitfish and barra. The co-ordinates for these are listed at the dam boat ramp and on Mackay Regional Council website. Trolling large minnows, paddle-tails or swim baits near these structures is a great way to connect to one of Kinchant’s famed monster barra. If you prefer casting, stick to the shallower waters and work any weed islands or fish lanes through the weeds. Any ‘inlets’ in the main

generally fairly open and don’t have much if any timber although cut off stumps may be nearby. The timbers are much harder to fish because of the amount of timber, but sneaking along on an electric and firing casts in and around timber, fallen logs and lily pads is about my favourite way to chase barra. In the open areas, plastics are hard to beat but in the timbers, hardbodies or surface lures are the go-to tools. I have only scratched the surface of what’s available to anglers in Mackay during September, when we have great weather and red hot fishing from the rainforest to the reef. See you at the ramp.

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OLD

Pelagics on form WHITSUNDAYS

Mick Underwood

We’ve been fortunate enough the last few weeks to be able to enjoy a bit of a pelagic paradise in the Whitsundays. As you can see by this month’s photos, I haven’t

Out at the outer reef, as always, there have been some good bags of coral trout and red throat emperor caught. Judging by the tales that I have been told, the Spanish mackerel population have also been on fire out there. On the fringing reefs around any inner islands,

like picking fruit off a tree. Okay, it is time to get into September now and I for one are excited about that. It is the change of seasons and spring is in the air. I have noticed over recent years that other contributors to this magazine from all over the country all get excited about the spring fishing on their turf as well. All over Australia, both in the fresh and the salt, multitudes of species will be starting to awaken from their winter slumber and begin to get active. Active also means hungry and that’s the important thing for us

The author with a metre-plus acrobatic queeny on fly.

Simon Young was rapt to catch this trout, they didn’t play the game too well last month. bothered too much about any reef fish particularly on the inshore grounds, for me it’s been all about big tropical speedsters. To add to the goodness of it all, the weather hasn’t been too bad either. We’ve had a few blustery patches but in general the conditions recently have been mostly ideal and we’ve all been able to fish in open water on most days.

the reef fishing is struggle street but that is kind of typical for the middle of winter. There are a few astute and super keen trout anglers about who are still getting a feed but they are having to work fairly hard to get the results. The inshore pelagic fishing though is a completely different story – it is simply scintillating! The leaders in the charge at the

Tuna have started to show up. They are still a bit cagey but around the turn of the tide they have been a feasible target. Reel Addiction we caught our first one in June this season and we have been getting tangled up with them regularly since. In the Whitsundays, spring is prime time for little black marlin and sailfish. Given how good and early the bite has started this year I have high hopes that plenty of these stunning fish will be caught through September, October and

November. Each year during the billfish bite I notice that there are quite a few guys and gals out there successfully breaking their billfish virginity. This is awesome and I love to see it. But what I notice each year is that a lot of virginity breaking anglers choose to kill their first fish or allow it to die by either being poorly handled or being left out of the

water for too long. If you are not aware, they are not quality table fare, in fact in my opinion they are pretty average. Where possible, get a quick couple of photos, leaving the fish in the water is best if possible and then release the fish again. If the fish has had a hard fight and is showing signs of fatigue, swim the fish next to the boat first until it is ready to go again. You will know when it’s time to release, the fish will give a little kick or two to let you know. It is as if they are telling you, ‘righto, I’m good now you can let me go’. They may not be the best deep fried in a bit of batter but as a sports fish they are one of Mother Nature’s best gifts to us. So if you haven’t got one on your caught list yet why not put a bit of time and have a go, you won’t be disappointed. It’s not all about sports fish this month there will be plenty of other tasty offerings to target. We still get to catch a pile of Spanish mackerel in September, but this is generally the last good month for them. As the water temps begin to climb these fish will

Sometimes you just have to be lucky. Anglers on board Reel Addiction have caught plenty of these guys recently, and Tyler caught his on a piece of pilchard and no wire drifting on the bottom. I have mostly chased pelagics recently but there have still been plenty of reef fish caught. They have come mostly from the deeper shoaly patches out in the shipping lanes or the outer reef. Some of the nannygai that I have seen coming home from the ‘shoals’ have been huge and there have been some nice red emperor mixed in with them as well. 28

SEPTEMBER 2021

moment are some monster queenfish and golden trevally. A couple of days ago I was trolling lures and jigging plastics on a school of queenfish that I would have to guess at being 500 to 600 fish in quantity and not one animal was under a metre in length, that was pretty cool. It can be insane at this time of the year and when you come across fish in numbers like that, it’s

anglers. Not only will there be fresh species coming on the chew, the winter bite will still also be there. For me that means I will still be able to keep chasing Spanish mackerel and, as an added bonus, billfish will be a more feasible target as well. On that one for a moment, the local billfish season has got off to a solid and early start this year. On

Big golden trevally haven’t been hard to come by and they continually surprise people as to how strong they are.

OLD

migrate south for their summer adjourn. On any of the deeper rock and rubble patches to the east of the islands the bite for red fish should continue nicely and as a bonus any similar country around the outer islands will hopefully start to fire up. Typically in September a few nice grunter and fingermark get caught. If we get some of that action this month I for one will be happy, they are both two of my favourite dinner species. The fringing reefs

around the inner islands should also start to show signs of life this month. Species such as coral trout, which have been tough as hell recently, will start to giddy up and provide us with some entertainment. Looking back through my photo records most of my decent September trout are caught on hardbodies. That’s probably because that’s how I choose to target those fish most of the time but it is amazing how successful that ploy is. The beaches are one area that shouldn’t be

this time of the year is world class. Quite often September is the month where I sight the most permit for the year. They are not an easy quarry but if you’re prepared to put in time, the opportunities will be there. There we go, there are plenty of options for all

sportfishing species on fly, lures and bait. Reel Addiction operates from the beautiful Cape Gloucester Beach Resort, 40 minutes’ drive north of Airlie Beach. Combined fishing charter and accommodation packages are available. For more information, contact Mick Underwood

Jenny was thrilled to catch this golden trevally, especially as it was bigger than her husband’s!

John Black holding up a nice queenfish. They can’t be located everyday but on the days they have been found, anglers have been rewarded well.

left without attention this month. If I get any personal fishing time this month, that is where I will be, on a beach somewhere sneaking along quietly in stealth mode. Bread and butter species, such as flathead and whiting, will be around but this will be close to the end of them as they will get tougher as the water warms more. Another critter to get after off the beaches this month will be tiger squid. They might not be line burners but sight casting to them in the shallows is exciting and the rewards are scrumptious. For those who are prepared to put in the effort, the sight fishing off our local beaches

Paul with a hardbody-munching golden trevally. this month, get out there, have a go and see what you can come up with. As always I wish you all the best out there on the water and I look forward to chatting to you again soon. • Reel Addiction Sport Fishing Charters specialises in light tackle fishing for all tropical

on 0413 882 153 or email mick@reeladdiction. com.au. Resort enquiries can be directed to Julie Houston on (07) 4945 7242 or at info@capeg.com. au. To stay in touch with what’s biting, check out the Reel Addiction Sport Fishing Whitsundays page on Facebook.

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OLD

Downsized lures, upsized fish TOWNSVILLE

Dave Hodge

I think it’s timely to talk about the mackerel fishery offshore from Townsville, and the conflicting reports on mackerel numbers versus the assumptions made by the Spanish Mackerel Task Force. The Task Force biomass ‘estimate’ completely contradicts what’s being reported by the fishers who spend time on the water. It’s the same story with the shark number estimations dealt out to us a couple of years ago, when they told us that shark numbers had dropped by 92%. We need more evidence, not just a figure plucked from the air. I also have an issue with an escape clause called a ‘situational scenario’, which allows the figures to be adjusted by up to 50% to sway the figures in a particular direction, depending on the agenda. In this case, figures didn’t seem to match the claims of a supposedly decimated

It took around 20 casts in the exact same spot to get this nice barra to have a go. the results depend on each angler’s experience and range of techniques employed, the locations fished, knowledge on species and location. However, most anglers are catching their fair share of all

none the less. Another way of capitalising on every opportunity is to have a chrome slice or slug ready to drop on those deeper schools that are often down and out of reach from trolling lures and

‘Blue Box’ Squid are the choice of big grunter specialists. Unfortunately, those squid are as scarce as rocking horse poo at present, but fresh gar fillets are almost as good. I use snelled 4/0 and 5/0 Gamakatsu Octopus suicide hooks on the bigger baits. If you can get past the sharks, this kind of presentation will put you in with the best chance. BARRA AND JACKS There have been a quite a few locations where big barra have been schooling lately. However, finding them and then getting a bite out of them are two different things. Going against every natural instinct, downsizing your lures can often be the secret to getting at least a few bites from the dormant sloths. The lighter lines needed to cast and then fish them effectively can be a bit off-putting for many anglers, but it can be

Mick Rennie with a flathead that intercepted an Atomic 4” Prong meant for a jack in the shallows. Radioactive rooster is an effective colour in winter on a range of species. a very productive approach. There have been quite a few instances in recent weeks where small lures have by far out-fished the standard sized offerings that we normally chuck. Lately we have been using 3” Atomic Prongs, Plazo paddle-tails in the 3 1/4” size, and 4” Halco Paddle Prawns rigged on 1/4oz Atomic Seeker heads with 1/0 heavy

When you get those glassed-out mornings and the water clears up nicely, jacks can be pretty active. The Halco Paddle Prawn in pink has been the author’s go-to of late. biomass (populations of adult-sized, sexually mature specimens). It’s this sort of ‘escape clause’ that discredits legitimate research done by non-biased experts who work to determine an honest estimate. I also believe that the head of a particular task force should have no affiliations with extremist and powerful movements who are historically anti-fishing, and I’m sure you’d agree. MACKEREL ON THE MOVE So, how are the mackerel going? Well, judging by what we are hearing many times a day through the doors of the Fishing Warehouse in Townsville, they’re going very well thank you. Obviously, 30

SEPTEMBER 2021

species of mackerel. Recently we acquired some of the biggest, fattest, mutant-looking 5-spot gar from one of the local bait suppliers and they’re proving to be highly successful on the Spanish mackerel when rigged on a weighted chin rig or woghead trolled in a likely area. Trolled lures are also pinning plenty of Spanish. For the big fish specialists, chin-rigged wolf herring trolled slowly and slightly deeper are accounting for some massive fish, with the biggest I’ve heard of going an incredible 40kg, verified by one of Townsville’s most creditable game skippers, Mickey Meirs. I wouldn’t be keen on trying a meal of this one, but it’s an impressive fish

baits. It’s actually very simple to put this into practice – it’s simply a matter of spotting the fish on the sounder, dropping a slice down to their level, and cracking back flat knacker. This technique has been a day saver for some anglers, and the fish that are taken in this manner are generally the best table sized fish at under 10kg. A short piece of wire may be needed if the bites are aggressive, just remember that the addition of wire may reduce the amount of strikes. CREEKS AND BAYS Grunter in the XOS size range have been reported very regularly over the past month, with fish up to 75cm being quite a bit more common than in recent previous seasons. Traditionally the Lunds

Night time expeditions can deliver some nice fish, but keep your wits about you when you’re in croc country.

Gamakatsu hooks. We often chop the heads down a fraction on the Paddle Prawns to make a more compact presentation. About 10mm off the nose can make all the difference. Obviously, downsizing lures calls for a downsize in leader too, and I’ve been using the Dangan 25lb FC and am very happy with its abrasion resistance and diameter for more subtle presentations like this. For us, the jacks seem to be a bit more difficult to find at present, and similarly to the barra, they’ve been sitting a little bit deeper. Surface presentations just haven’t delivered the results we were expecting, but that will change quite soon as the water warms and their aggression levels are re-ignited. Small surface lures such as the 60mm Roosta Popper and the walk-the-dog style stickbaits are very successful options to throw. All in all, there are heaps of options for the North Queensland fisher at the moment, and if you want to just kick back and soak a bait off the beach there plenty of bream, whiting and flathead getting caught, not to mention those unexpected interactions with predators like golden trevally and GTs to keep you entertained. It’s a pretty cool time to be a fisher in the north of the state, so get out and make the best of it, while we can.

OLD

Hook in before it’s over HINCHINBROOK

Ian Moody info@ianmoodyfishing.com

Hinchinbrook’s temps are now starting to slowly rise and the weather becomes generally quite good this time of year.

work. Bites have been very finicky and fish not really wanting to eat properly. On one occasion we let a barra in the mid 80cm range take a mullet for a good 10 minutes before trying to set the hook. Upon the initial winding up the slack on the line, the fish felt the weight and immediately

lottery due to the fluctuations in wind patterns that shift the water temperature a little lower or change that barometer a little too much. So lately I have been using all techniques and tricks, using various lures of different depths and actions. I have been finding the late afternoon bite most

The barra are hanging around the shallows on the headland.

Even though the golden snapper are small at the moment, there has been the odd 75cm specimen, like this one, found in the channel. Many good weather windows recently have allowed a lot of anglers to get out to the reef and give the winter Spanish mackerel a shot before it warms right up. Plenty of big large mouth nannygai and red emperors have been keeping angler’s arms stretched along with plate sized coral trout adding icing to the cake. On the barra front recently, charters have been fairly hard

became airborne spitting the mullet high into the air. They can become very difficult to hook when they behave like this, when they don’t inhale their prey but pick up the bait in their lips and swim forward towards you. However we have been getting quite a lot of rats on the flats in that 50-60cm range with an occasional 80-90cm thrown in. From one day’s charter to the next has really been a

rewarding, especially around those last 2 hours of run-out tide happening during that part of the day. Golden snapper have been in good numbers in the channel during August, with them mostly being just smaller school sized ones with the odd 75cm one thrown in. Great to see them coming back in numbers over the past year or two. Looking ahead into

September should see things heat up so to speak. As the water temperature rises the barra activity increases as well. Last year’s September and October months were pretty awesome for my charters as a lot of the larger barramundi start to show up in big numbers. The last few years they have done this without fail where sometime during these months they show up in numbers almost overnight at all the usual locations for barra to aggregate. They usually increase the urge to feed more ahead of their spawning season, sometimes we catch them on headlands in as little as half a metre of water hugging the edge as they sometimes look for those popeye mullet cruising next to the water’s edge on rocky headlands and mud banks. You would be surprised as to how shallow those big metre-plus models actually swim in and quite often when you land that lure in front of them, the smash on the surface

is incredible in shallow water. I’ll be making the most of these months before the barra season closes or if Covid plays havoc with us. • I still have a handful of good barra dates left for this season. Gift vouchers can

still be purchased if you’re looking for birthday gifts. You can email us at info@ ianmoodysportfishing.com or phone us on 0402 339 459. Barra season closes midnight 31 October, so get in early to secure a booking for this year.

The barra activity should increase with the warming temperatures.

You just gotta get here! PORT DOUGLAS

Lynton Heffer www.fishingportdouglas.com.au

Once again in the tropics we find ourselves in turbulent times with the Covid situation. For several months we were tracking nicely and now we have found ourselves watching tens of thousands of dollars of bookings fall by the wayside with cancellations from right across the country. It has been one step forward and two steps back for tourism and our recreational charter industry. It’s a damn shame because the fishing has been nothing short of exceptional and will continue in the same vein for the next few months including offshore and within our larger river systems. We are just so

keen to show off to visitors who are lucky enough to get up to FNQ. The days have notably warmed up to a very comfortable level, which brings all manner of fish on the bite. It is a very enjoyable and productive time to be angling here. We’ll start with the reef fishing exploits, which have been impressive. Barring the ultra neap tides and fishing right on the moon, it has been fairly plain sailing to secure a good feed of fish. With water temperatures favourable for most and some really settling weather, there’s no better place than to be fishing on the Great Barrier Reef. We’ve seen it all when it comes our main target species, the high end as we call it: big red emperor, quality coral trout, thumping large mouth nannygai and lots of Spanish mackerel. All these fish have tipped the scales and many anglers

have secured personal bests and a fish of a lifetime. When you start to top up the esky with an array of other hard fighting and excellent eating fish it has been a smorgasbord coming back to the docks. These fish have included cobia, spangled emperor, cattle dog cod, baldy bream, small mouth nannygai and gold spot trevally, just to name a few. Our expert fleet of boats at Fishing Port Douglas have delivered time and time again wonderful holiday experiences for visitors and also great times for our loyal locals. Our reef trips are well suited for the beginner angler or the more seasoned type. Not everyone has the stomach to travel offshore and our calm water fishing has been great value. Once again the really neap tides and fishing right on the moons has been a bit more difficult.

The top end fishing has been fantastic, with captures like this queenfish on offer. The Daintree River is by far our best system to give you a chance at catching big 1m queenfish, golden trevally to 5kg, javelin fish to 55cm across the flats and golden snapper to 70cm on the deeper snags. All these fish go like the clappers on lighter sportfishing gear and well worth the

adventure. With the days warming up we’ll start to see barra and mangrove jack getting more active and will be targeted more, knowing they’ll be keen to play. The croc spotting has been a real bonus over the cooler months, as well as a top run on the mud crabs this year. These

last two opportunities will gradually start to taper off as the days move forward. If I had to choose a well-rounded month to go fishing in the tropics, now is right up there on the calendar. We just hope to share this with as many people as possible. SEPTEMBER 2021

OLD

It’s warming up in the NFZ my favourite time of the year to target jacks in the NFZ, this is because the water is usually just the right temperature. As dkaggelis@gmail.com we move closer to the end Spring is finally upon us, of the year the water can get that’s not to say we even really hot, which shuts the fish had a winter here in FNQ. down. All the creeks in the The water temp really never NFZ will be fishing well for dropped below 24ºC this jacks. Throwing lures tight to year, which saw plenty of mangroves along the edges of action in the NFZ. creek will be the best bet on This included some either the coming in or going awesome barramundi caught out changes. Paddle-tail plastics over the magic metre mark are always a favourite this time and many of the charter boats September will be the last month to get crabs so of year and it’s hard to go past were regularly putting clients get your pots out if you are after one last feed. the RT Molix for this type on to these great fish. While of fishing. live baits have been the best Jacks will be firing on all types of Many of the systems in the like the ZMan GOAT down see the last run of the good way to target these fish over structure, so get casting. NFZ, especially the Inlet have on these spots. Make sure mud crabs before they start lots of hidden wrecks and reef- you have a strong leader as moving back into their holes. the cooler months, now with like structures that hold fish. these fish will pull you into So if you are after a feed of the warmer water they will be If you can find these it pays structure quite easily. muddies you had better make much more active and easier to drop medium-sized plastics Finally, September will the most of it. to catch on lures. The Inlet will be your best bet and straight across from the marina along the mud flats has been proving to be a great spot on the run-out tide. In the creeks, look for deeper holes and bends where structure is found as well. The Inlet barra love to hang out on artificial structure as well, so fish any pylons, rocky boat ramps or wharves that could hold bait. Barra are not the only fish Barra will be on the chew as the on the chew, as the jacks have water warms up in the NFZ. also been firing. September is If you can find hidden wrecks and structure like this, you will certainly find the fish. CAIRNS

Dan Kaggelis

Sizzling spring sessions COOKTOWN

Justin Coventry

Although the weather has been cool, the fishing has been hot. We are experiencing unfamiliar times and the weather here has been surprising with some nice calm days, which is almost unheard of at this time of the year in Cooktown. Usually June, July, August winds rarely drop below 25 knots. We recently had a day of 0-5 for 24 hours and the fishing boats hit the water in droves. You know it is calm when you can make out the horizon due to the glass out conditions. In summer, these conditions

There have been some excellent barra catches at night, as Mark Boothey found out with this 90cm specimen. can be beautiful but hot, however they are also slow in regard to fish. Nevertheless, in winter, with little activity on the reef over the last month the fish were fired up and hungry. The

Nannygai are great eating and put up a hell of a fight, especially when they are 10kg+. 32

SEPTEMBER 2021

trout were in a frenzy and most people where reporting great captures. One friend went out by himself and bagged out on seven coral trout by 8:30am, he came home as the wind was predicted to increase quickly (and it did) but he was very happy them all in the first hour. Another friend, Scott Thomoson, had a rare capture luring the reef edges and caught two legal trout on the same lure – coral trout are very aggressive and can fight over food. Lure fishing can be a good way to cover some ground and usually produces well with hungry coral trout keen to attack. However, you must have the right gear as a tough setup helps to get them moving quickly to the boat without them turning towards the reef. Otherwise you’ll be diving to try retrieving your lures or it will cost you a

considerable amount of money for lures. Large mouth nannygai are still in good numbers with some 10kg+ models being caught. They fight so hard sometimes you think it’s a big shark until you see that red shape cruising up from the bottom. I unfortunately lost a large specimen as it rubbed under the boat and powered down and broke the leader. I wasn’t impressed but managed to hook another around the same size. They are beautiful eating and put up a hell of a fight, especially around the 10kg mark. Red emperor captures have been slim, with only the old one here and there. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any decent sized ones for a while. I have notice lots of little ones recently so stocks are still there but large specimens have been hard to find. Barramundi have also been active despite the cool temperatures. Great captures, especially at night, with tide movement the key to success and finding ambush areas seems to produce. They aren’t silly and having a spot that the bait unexpectedly move over on the tidal movements provides an opportunity for a rewarding meal for feeding barramundi. Ambush sites continue to produce as fish will seek these spots out for an easy meal. So as a fisher observing the way tide and bait move around a river

Scott Thomoson had a rare capture with two legal coral trout on the same lure. system is key to locating the great areas, so it pays to access your local areas at different tides to see what could show potential. The wharf has started to see at last some bait activity so fishing will remarkably improve this month at the wharf. Mackerel will start to chase the bait schools as they hang around the wharf, along with the trevally. The Cooks Landing café has seen up to six groupers when they feed them in the late afternoons so beware that they are lurking around waiting for

an easy meal. The grouper feeding at the Landing is a great way to see these massive fish up close, and Tom does his best to remove any hooks from their mouths as they come in to grab the fish frames. So if you are able to travel to Cooktown for a visit, check out the grouper feeding and throw in a line at the wharf for some action as it will be the month for it. Lots of fun to be had with kids catching bait and the chance to put some fish on the dinner table as well.

OLD

As the water dries up CAPE YORK

Tim O’Reilly wildrivercompany@gmail.com

As we start drifting deeper into the dry season, Cape York’s multitude of inland creeks and waterways

Barramundi and saratoga are often found together in the fresh water reaches, lagoons and billabongs. Both of these majestic fish have coexisted for so long because they fill slightly different niches. Their predatory nature

underneath your surface presentation, the culprit is most likely a barra. If you see a dark shape and a bow wave flying towards a lure, it’s probably a toga. The time of day and a host of environmental factors seem to determine

Barra are suckers for a well-placed frog imitation. differences between a barra retrieve and a saratoga retrieve once you sight a fish. With saratoga, hook-ups are generally more likely and strikes

more aggressive when the surface retrieve moves at a consistent pace out in front of the fish. You want them to chase it and gobble it up. A static retrieve will

often be closely inspected, refused or short bitten by wily togas. Barramundi require an adaptive approach to the To page 35

A beautifully coloured saratoga taken on a fizzer. how aggressive each species might be at a given time. Water temperatures will be another determining factor in where the fish are sitting. Sight casting mixed with surface lures in low light conditions can make for some truly memorable moments. Stealth is a prime factor with this style of fishing. Picture a silhouette under a log when walking high on the bank above or climbing an old stump to get a better look at a pool with surfacepatrolling saratoga. These situations require finesse, accurate casts and good balance to make everything come together. There are subtle

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and good looks are what draws anglers into an endless cycle of stalk, catch and release of these majestic critters. Despite barramundi probably winning out when it comes to fighting ability and edibility, the saratoga makes up for it in good looks and wiliness. Both are a terrible adversary to any amphibian, crustacean, small reptile or large insect found near the water’s surface at dusk. Casting surface walkers, poppers, fizzers and frogs are a great way to get a reaction bite from both barra and togas. If you see a set of gleaming eyes and an upturned face loom

AT TEST VI BO

begin to shrink. This means two things for wandering anglers. Firstly, there is more accessibility to drive and wander into remote locations, and secondly, fish are more concentrated in less water. Despite a great wet season throughout much of the Cape, the beginning of spring will likely bring dry, warm and clear conditions. These are the kind of conditions perfect for camping out and fishing remote stretches of inland waterways. Let’s take a look at two of the most recognisable inland species, especially in the westerly flowing rivers into the Gulf.

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SEPTEMBER 2021

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INTUITIVE CONTROL GBRMPA celebrate World Heritage decision Great Barrier Reef Marine “Backed by an with Traditional Owners, Park Authority CEO Mr Josh unprecedented $3 billion and Reef restoration and Thomas responds to recent investment by these adaptation activities. World Heritage Decision: governments, the plan provides • The updated draft Reef As Australia’s lead an overarching framework for 2050 Plan has a much management agency for actions to support the health stronger emphasis on climate the Great Barrier Reef, and resilience of the Reef so change and what needs to be we welcome the World it can better withstand threats done to mitigate, adapt and Heritage Committee’s such as cyclones, heatwaves build resilience of the Great decision not to place the and predation by crown-of- Barrier Reef. Great Barrier Reef on the thorns starfish. • 25 per cent of the Great List of World Heritage “The Reef is precious to Barrier Reef coastline in Danger. us all — to its Traditional covered by Traditional At its 44th session held Owners, communities Use of Marine Resources virtually, the World Heritage along the Reef coastline, agreements which outline Committee tonight amended all Australians and people how the Reef’s Traditional the recommendation throughout the world who Owner groups work and agreed to a Reactive continue to be inspired by in partnership with the Monitoring Mission this great natural wonder. Australian and Queensland visiting the Reef. “The Reef’s beauty and governments to manage ALBERTON MELBOURNE The Reef Authority astounding biodiversity traditional use activities on ALBERTON MELBOURNE will continue to MARINE work continues to inspire their seaMARINE country.CENTRE constructively people around the world • AnSouth additional $9 million 39 Johnson with Street Alberton 92 Hallam Road Hallam the Committee and 2344 the and supports thousands Owner P: (03) 5183 P: (03)for 9703 Traditional 2003 Australian and Queensland of jobs and billions in led projects to protect F: (03) 5183 2219 national revenue. W: melbournemarine.com.au governments to implement and manage Great Barrier W: albertonmarine.com.au the recommendations. “We are very clear on Reef supporting programs MORNINGTON PENINSULA coastline ‘As Australia’s lead the challenges facing the including MY MARINE BENDIGO management agency for Reef, the accelerated action management, water quality the Great Barrier Reef, we &and significant investments programs, Indigenous fire Cnr Nepean Highway & BENDIGO MARINE OUTDOORS welcome any opportunity made to ensure its longmanagement and crown of Ponderosa Place Dromana 160 Midland Highway Epsom to brief the World Heritage term protection, and the thorns starfish control. P: (03) 5448 3988 P: (03) 5987 0900 Committee’s advisers on the need for global action on • A doubling of the Joint Reef W: bendigomarine.com.au W: mymarine.com.au health of the Reef and the climate change. Field Management Program enormous amount of work “Everyone can contribute to extend conservation, MORNINGTON PENINSULA being doneMELBOURNE to protect and and make a difference. Actions monitoring and compliance conserve this wonder. taken now will matter. We actions across the vast World NAUTICAL MARINE BLnatural MARINE It is a 612collective effort.Road want people to think globally, HeritageRoad Area. 141 Hotham 614 Plenty Preston Using the best available act locally; every effort, no • A new $9.7 million, Sorrento P: (03) 9478 1420 science, the Reef Authority matter how small, matters. 24-metre vessel, Reef F: (03) 9470 4638 P: (03)Resilience, 5984 1666 that substantially is working alongside Recent key management E: info@nauticalmarine.com.au TraditionalW: blmarine.com.au Owners, actions include: increases field operations government agencies • The Reef Authority’s including compliance W: nauticalmarine.com.au and science, industry and B l u e p r i n t f o r patrols, field activities, field SHEPPARTON communityBOATS partners, to Resilience continues to drive activities with Traditional AND MORE TOORADIN protect and conserve this actions for a more resilient Owners and Indigenous P&J MARINE SERVICE CENTRE P/L 207 Numurkah Road Shepparton internationally acclaimed Reef including protecting rangers, protected species P: (03) 5822 2108 101 Tooradin Station Road icon, under the Australian and coral cover by removing management, and Tooradin incident 5821 2908 native P: (03)response. 5998 3107– GBRMP CEO QueenslandF: (03) governments’ pests, boosted Reef 2050 plan. compliance efforts, working Mr Josh Thomas W: boatsandmore.com.au E: pjmarine_services@bigpond.com

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From page 33 two fish reside! Always reasonably heavy leader so MORWELL GEELONG conditions and mood keep distance between you fish can be dragged up a CRAWFORD MARINE PORTSIDE CENTRE of the fish on the day. and the water, and fish with steepMARINE bank before release. 71-77your Chickerell 36-38 Geelong Road Portarlington Always make first Street Morwell (03) 5134barra 6522 cast at a P:sighted P: (03) 5259 1110 about a metre out5134 in front F: (03) 6455 E: info@portsidemarinecentre.com.au of the fish. Anything W: crawfordmarine.com.au W: portsidemarinecentre.com.au over the top or behind can spook a static barra. ECHUCA MELBOURNE Let your lure touch down XTREME THE MARINE SHOP and give itEADES a slight twitch MARINE 24 Sturt and WAIT. AnyStreet barraEchuca 6 Holland Drive Melton in the right mood P: (03) 5482 will 2333 P: (03) 9747 0588 swim overF:to(03) inspect the 5482 2133 F: (03) 9747 3999 intruding lure, and half W: xtrememarine.net.au W: themarineshop.com.au of those barra will boof a lifeless presentation. BRAESIDE MELBOURNE A refusal at that point MARINEtoWORLD will oftenJVchange an TRIPLE M MARINE implosion878 once the lureRoad Braeside Springvale 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown moves again. Failing P: (03) 9798this, 8883 P: (03) 9465 8787 try to retrieve consistently F: (03) 9798 7554 F: (03) 9466 1418 right up to the bank edge jvmarine.com.au then againW: pause for a W: triplemmarine.com.au moment before lifting the lure and starting again. Barra hate to miss out on a feed, so last minute (knee-trembling) takes at your feet are always a possibility. Remember that crocodiles might be This Macdonald River toga couldn’t expected wherever these resist a soft plastic frog.

SEPTEMBER 2021

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Spring into action at every chance you get TOOWOOMBA

Jason Ehrlich fishability1@bigpond.com

Spring is my favourite month to be on the water. Warmer days, without the bitterly cold winds, are much more attractive than what winter can dish out. Everything seems to come to life. The plants,

bugs and animals on land are first to show the season has changed. The fish too will change their habits but you’ll be witnessing this more through watching your sounder and how they react to your offerings. Almost all species step it up a notch this month with bigger Murray cod being an exception. They go through

SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND CRESSBROOK CLOSEST TOWN: CROWS NEST Cressbrook Dam has been fishing quite well for the past month. The bass numbers aren’t huge but there have been enough to keep most people happy. The fish are being caught around the dam from

will fire up in the deeper parts of the lake this month. The lack of thermocline allows the bass to comfortable sit in 20m of water. Big schools of fish will be found in 10-20m of water out in front of the boat ramp and on the deeper points up Beams Creek. Soft plastics and spoons will be the way to entice the

their breeding routines and have other things on their mind until that’s all over. Of all the fish on offer this month, impoundment bass are my favourite. We can also start chasing their river mates again this month from the 1 September but it is those big fat monsters in the dams that excite me most. After the breeding season, the dam fish

don’t lay their eggs so the females are still full of roe and in prime condition. Across lakes like Somerset, Cressbrook, Wivenhoe and Hinze, 2kg+ bass will be plentiful. All the other bass lakes are capable of producing similar sized fish but they are usually fewer in numbers. Somerset is the true home of the giants and there are plenty

of bass over 3kg and the occasional 4kg+ specimen to be caught. Wi t h COVID lockdowns becoming a part of life, all we can hope for is we have access to the great fishing all over the state this month. I urge you to get out and have a go at every opportunity because you never know when you won’t be able to. Support

the businesses around your fishing destinations. The small servo, kiosk, campground, pub, fishing guide and tackle shop all need to make a dollar during these tough times. If there’s a window of opportunity grasp it and enjoy the great freshwater fishing on offer in Queensland. Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel.

fish tend to hold up on the shallower areas around 10m deep. Despite nailing better numbers close to the boat at this time of year, I still like to fire out a long cast to look for these bigger fish. The Raptor Slow Fall Jig and 30g Slow Blatt will be a good options on these bigger fish. If they aren’t eating it on a slow wind, try hopping the lure across the bottom back

SOMERSET CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY Home to arguably the biggest bass in Australia, Somerset is the place to be if you want a trophy-sized fish. I love this place in September. The big bass are catchable in August but if you pick a nice September day to chase them the numbers are usually way better. The fish chew harder this month and can be caught in several locations around the lake. The biggest bass tend to hold at the top end of the lake. This has been a common winter/spring pattern over the last four or five years. Fishing the flats within sight of Kirkleigh will put you in with a good chance of scoring big numbers of big fish. The big ones can also turn up in smaller numbers right around the lake where they will be mixed in with the smaller classes of fish. Kirkleigh area tends to hold them in under 10m of water but as you venture into the lake’s middle reaches around Pelican Point, they can be much deeper in around 15m of water. Wide on Pelican Point, Happy

Clappers and out from Red Rock on the deep flats will be holding bass and there are early signs they will show up in Bay of Plenty and in the mouth of Beam Creek. These deepwater schools are best hit early in the morning. By mid-morning, they start to break up and can be difficult to find again until late in the afternoon. Spoons and soft plastics will be the lures of choice all over the lake. If plastic fishing, paddle tails and curl tail grubs around 75mm long rigged on 1/2 or 5/8oz jigheads, will get the bites when slowly retrieved. Spoons or metal jigs from 20-40g can be used and different styles will perform better under different circumstances. Gang Bangers, Halco Twisties, Nories Wasabi, Slow Blatts and Raptor Jigs are some of the more popular ones. • Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Thursday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www.somersetfishing.com.au. They have an excellent range

of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch. WIVENHOE CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, LOWOOD Boats were finding fish on the deepwater flats out from Billies Bay last month. They were reluctant to bite but spring should switch them on. Good numbers of bass will be on offer with early mornings being a great time to be on the water. Spoons are hard to beat at this time of year as the bass feed up on bony bream. You can also get them using soft plastics, blades, soft vibes and tail spinners. Trollers will also be able to get into the action but may need to dig out their deepest lures. Works were carried out to allow boats to launch from the Billies Bay area so there is no need to travel all the way around from Logans Inlet. This saves a lot of travel time as it certainly adds up when motoring at the 6-knot speed limit. If you are petrol powered, you need to have a 4-stroke or low emissions outboard and travel at 6-knots in all areas when on this lake.

You can lose the big jackets and beanies this month. Big fat bass, like Ian Ryan’s fish, will be on offer. several locations with schools fish of the same class. If you can track down the bigger ones, you can expect to nail several quality fish. The bigger bass are around 50cm long and the average one is around 40cm. A lot of smaller bass

bites. Once fish are located, I like to position myself in deeper water and fish back to them. If they choose to come over and stack up below the boat, they are usually more willing to eat in the deeper water where they will suspend well off the bottom. The bigger

to the boat. • 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. With the change of season, the dam hours change this month to 6am to 8pm.

Gary’s Marine Centre Mix it up when fishing spoons for bass to see what they want most. Some days it doesn’t matter, but other days spoon choice and technique makes a huge difference. BURNETT REGION

3201 6232

217 Pine Mountain Road, BRASSALL 36

SEPTEMBER 2021

BOONDOOMA CLOSEST TOWNS: PROSTON, KINGAROY Boondooma is fishing well with plenty of bass holding in big schools in deeper water. Searching in

around 10m through the main basin should reveal their location. Once found they are suckers for spoons and vibes. The bass bite should continue all month and golden perch will start to become a more

regular capture. Most goldens will be taken as by-catch when casting for bass. It is still a bit soon to troll up good numbers on hard body lures but they won’t say no to a live shrimp floated down in front of them.

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over the past few months. It is good to see the water already clearing up a bit. The edges of the dam will produce golden perch and Murray cod. It is one of the few Queensland lakes where shore-based anglers stand a good chance of landing quality fish. Bait fishers can try a mix of live shrimp, worms and frozen saltwater yabbies. Shrimp are ideal in these conditions and are likely to get the best response. Lure fishers should look for the clearest water, which is likely to be found down near the dam wall or right up the back. If visibility is at least 30cm you stand a chance and as this increases, the artificial action should only get better. Jigging small blades is always popular when targeting golden perch. In Leslie, I like to upsize my offering a bit and use a soft vibe jigged vertically or hopped across the bottom. The bigger profile will be easier for the fish to find in the

coloured water. Trolling will produce as soon as the water is clear enough. Try a slow troll using the electric motor to work a hard bodied lure or lipless crankbait. Cod were quite active last month and some quality

fish were fooled with big swimbaits. The Jackall Giganterel did most of the damage and accounted for quite a few chunky fish. The mornings are prime times to explore the lake edges and flats when the bigger

fish are actively cruising. The action is likely to die down due to the breeding season and fish being on the nests. You could see the evidence of this in some of last month’s fish as they were preparing them and

had red fins from fanning suitable sites. • Warwick Outdoor and Sport in Palmerin Street has all your fishing needs covered. They can set you up and point you in the right direction. GLENLYON CLOSEST TOWNS: STANTHORPE, TEXAS The dam will still be quite dirty this month as it has had good inflows in recent months. This is ideal for the future and we will see good numbers of Murray cod and golden perch caught on lures when it clears up. For now, bait fishing will be the best way to catch them. Live shrimp and frozen saltwater yabbies are great baits for a mix of species with catfish added to the list. • The Glenlyon Tourist Park is a great place to stay. You can opt for a campsite or stay in the warmth of one of the cabins. Brian and Debbie are very passionate about Murray cod and their kiosk has a good range of lures for sale to target them. You can make bookings by calling (02) 6737 5266.

would also concentrate on the windy shorelines. Even if fish numbers are low, if there is dirty water, there is a good chance they will be there to feed. The barra love hunting in the coloured water as it allows them to ambush prey. The bays would be my daytime port of call and the points more suitable later in the afternoon and into the night. Suspending lures are definitely worth using. The Jackall Squirrel and Super Squirrel or Samiki Redic are perfect. Long pauses between rips and twitches will get the fish to bite. Soft plastics can be worked outside the weed edges or over the top of submerged weed beds. Rig

them to suit the depth the fish are holding. Some fish may still be holding deep in the healthy weed beds. Weedless rigged frogs and paddle tail plastics can get the bites in the thick weed. We heard a couple of barra feeding boofs deep in the weed last trip after dark. • Justin Nye from Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing runs fishing charters on the lake. He caters to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. He successfully guides clients onto fish right through the year and has a good understanding of fish movements. It is hard to beat time on the water and this is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish. You can contact him on 0429

223 550 or visit the website gladstoneflyandsportfishing. com.au. • Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033. CALLIDE CLOSEST TOWN: BILOELA Barra were a bit quiet over winter. This is normal for this lake as it has a huge variation between day and

night time temperatures. Things will start to improve this month and I’d be happy to say you could easily bang a couple of barra each session provided the days are nice and warm and weather stable. Based on last year’s fishing and lake level, I think we’ll be in for more deepwater fishing. The big barra have learnt the bait is thick and are happy to live and feed out in the open water of the main basin. With little in the way of a thermocline this month the fish will be able to move freely through the water column. Sounding will play a huge part in establishing what depth they are holding and help in choosing your presentations.

Last year a lot of the more active fish were feeding around 3 metres deep at the start of spring. Soft plastics rigged on 1/2 or 5/8oz jigheads or the 5.5” Zerek Mullet will be ideal until they move deeper. • You can stay close to the dam at Lake Callide Retreat. The park has basic camping, powered sites for camping and vans and also selfcontained cabins. There is a well-equipped camp kitchen and toilets and showers up in the main part of the park near the office. Make sure you bring all of your fishing tackle. The kiosk has a limited amount of fishing gear but it is well suited to the lake.

DARLING DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA Cooby will still be steady this month but a few more golden perch will start to fall for lures. Slower presentations will be most effective. TN60 Jackalls worked slowly around the weed beds or a hopped ZX40 in schooling fish will get most bites. Lure trollers will get the occasional fish and can increase their catch rate by switching to a 60mm lipless crankbait and adding stops and starts to their normal troll run. During the stop the lure action stops and it sinks triggering a lot of bites. Allow just enough time for the lure to fall to the bottom before moving off again. There were a few cod about over winter. The smaller fish should still be active but the big ones may be scare if they are on the nest. LESLIE DAM CLOSEST TOWN: WARWICK Leslie had a good rise CAPRICORN REGION AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE I had a couple of short sessions on the dam over the past couple of months. Both produced fish and bites and it should only get better as the weather gets more stable and temperatures build. Good numbers of barra can be found outside the weed edges around the main basin. These fish can take a bit of finding but if you search each area using your side image on the sounder you will find the areas, which are holding them. The bays and points would be my first points of call and I

Jason Robinson scored this 109cm cod last month slow winding a Jackall Giganterel. The cod may be tougher this month but there will still be a few about.

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www.awongagatewaylodge.com awoongagateway@bigpond.com SEPTEMBER 2021

Insider info

Mackerel under the microscope NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

The online publication of an ABC News item on 14 June, 2021, marked the first time most of us had heard about a startling new assessment concerning

been updated. In other words, different modelling is now being used to come up with an estimate for the remaining biomass of mackerel. Apparently, this new methodology is still under peer review in scientific circles, and it remains to be seen if it ultimately passes muster. If

and even the underlying motivations of some of the scientists producing the figures. Like many others, I was sceptical about an apparent drop in east coast Spanish mackerel stocks from around 40% of the pre-1911 unfished biomass to just 17% in a few years.

Spanish or narrow-barred mackerel are an incredibly important species to recreational, charter boat and commercial fishers in Queensland and northern NSW. the depletion of Spanish mackerel stocks along the eastern seaboard of Australia. According to this news report, a meeting of the East Coast Spanish Mackerel Working Group in Brisbane earlier that same month had been presented with new stock assessments indicating that the biomass (total amount) of Spanish mackerel remaining in east coast waters had been reduced to just 17% of its unfished (pre-1911) levels. This is below the 20% trigger point at which a fishery is recommended to be completely shut down under the current Sustainable Fisheries Strategy. U n d e r s t a n d a b l y, this alarming news sent shock waves through the commercial and recreational fishing worlds, as well as the seafood industry and the wider public, especially in Queensland. How the hell had things become so bad so quickly? The new 17% figure was particularly puzzling in light of the fact that a 2018 stock assessment contained in a 2020 report from the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) had indicated a remaining east coast Spanish mackerel biomass of 30-50% (most likely around 40%), and listed the status of the fishery as ‘sustainable’. So, what had changed in just a few years? NEW MODELLING The short answer is that the actual methodology of the scientific process for assessing the stock has 38

SEPTEMBER 2021

it does, east coast mackerel stocks are clearly in a very bad place indeed. Not surprisingly, many observers were quick to question the alarming new figures, arguing that there had actually been strong runs and good catches of Spanish mackerel off Queensland and Northern NSW across the past few seasons. This certainly didn’t look or feel like a fishery on its knees and potentially nearing the brink of catastrophic collapse. These same critics questioned the new stock assessment methodology

It didn’t sound credible to me. However, I decided to keep my scepticism in check and do a little more investigating. One source of information and advice I reached out to was a semiretired researcher and avid Queensland fisher who has his finger well and truly on the pulse of such things. Like myself and many others, he’d also been initially suspicious of the new figures, but they had prompted him to do some more digging. In the process, he’d unearthed

several earlier scientific and academic papers that rang serious alarm bells about a dramatic, but largely unseen, century-long decline in east coast Spanish mackerel stocks. He passed the links to these papers on to me. SMOKING GUNS That 2018 Queensland Government stock assessment quoted earlier (yes, the one that came up with the reassuring 30-50% remaining biomass figure) makes a good starting point for some further digging into this vexing issue. As the assessment states: “Australia’s east coast Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson, are large offshore pelagic fish. The species can live for up to 26 years, weigh in excess of 30kg and mature between 2-4 years of age. Based on current research, east coast Spanish mackerel form a single genetic stock in ocean waters between Cape York Peninsula and northern New South Wales.” The paper goes on to explain that: “During September to November each year, Spanish mackerel school to form one of the most notable and predictable spawning aggregations of fish on the Great Barrier Reef. The aggregation occurs in reef waters north of Townsville where Spanish mackerel gather to breed mostly over a two lunar month period. Research has identified that Spanish mackerel usually have strong reef fidelity during the spawning season.” In other words, we know that these fish return to specific reefs at specific times of year to spawn. In the language

Spanish mackerel don’t handle and release as well as many other species. To optimise their chances of survival, they should be quickly unhooked in the water.

Recent mackerel seasons have been pretty good, so why should we believe that these fish are in serious trouble? of the boffins, this makes them “obligate transient aggregators”. It also renders them extremely vulnerable to over-harvesting by both commercial and recreational fishers. Furthermore, the density and predictability of these spawning aggregations tends to mask even quite significant declines in their overall numbers, as it’s still possible to go to those reefs at those specific times and catch reasonable numbers of mackerel, even if you’re pulling these fish from a smaller and smaller total ‘pool’ of spawners. Their seasonal aggregation hides the decline in numbers — a phenomenon with obvious parallels to the relatively recent “crash” of snapper stocks in South Australia’s gulfs (and the subsequent shut-down of that fishery). DECLINING COMMERCIAL CATCHES It’s worth noting that commercial landings of Spanish mackerel in the Queensland east coast fishery peaked at more than 1,000 tonnes per annum in the mid to late 1970s, with a second, slightly smaller series of peaks in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Commercial fishing effort for the species (numbers of

boats and boat days fished) hit its high point in 1998. In February, 2003 an ‘investment warning’ was issued by the Queensland Government, effectively discouraging further expansion of the industry, and commercial catch quota procedures were implemented in 2004, with an annual commercial limit of 619.5 tonnes put in place (this has since been reduced to a little over 570 tonnes). Commercial effort has declined significantly in subsequent years, and annual catches remain well below the quota limit, averaging around 300 tonnes per year since 2004. The annual commercial catch in northern NSW waters fluctuates considerably from year to year, but has reportedly never exceeded 52 tonnes. Across this same period, recreational and charter boat effort and catches have ramped up significantly. (It’s worth noting in passing that until 1990 ‘recreational’ fishers were still allowed to sell some of their catch in Queensland.) A rec’ possession limit of 10 Spanish mackerel over a minimum length of 75cm was introduced in Queensland in 1993,

insider info although an amendment to these rules the following year made provisions for anglers to retain twice that limit on an extended charter trip of more than 48 hours duration. In 2003, the recreational possession limit was reduced to three fish per person and that regulation remains in force today (with a total limit of six Spanish mackerel per boat, when there are two or more people on board). In NSW, rec’ fishers are allowed five Spaniards per day, and the minimum legal

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Another important factor to consider in all of this is the occurrence of fishingrelated predation (primarily by sharks) on hooked and recently-released mackerel in all three sectors: commercial, recreational and charter. While this fishingrelated predation has always been an issue, there’s very strong anecdotal evidence that the loss of mackerel (and other fish) to sharks has increased dramatically

the part of these predators, meaning that they’re aggregating on popular fishing grounds and actively targeting hooked fish by responding to triggers such as changes in the revs of motors and so on. Loss of mackerel to fishing-related predation is difficult to measure, but is potentially significant and really needs to be considered as part of the overall ‘harvest’ or take by all sectors. ALARM BELLS It seems that the writing may have been on the wall for some time in terms of declining stocks of Spanish mackerel. In an abstract of their 2017 paper entitled “Historical spatial reconstruction of a spawning-aggregation fishery”3, authors Buckley, Thurstan, Tobin and Pandolfi came to the following alarming conclusions about the Spanish mackerel fishery on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef: “Data were compiled from historical newspaper archives, fisher knowledge, and contemporary fishery logbooks to reconstruct catch rates and exploitation trends from the inception of the [Spanish mackerel] fishery. Our fine-scale analysis of catch and effort data spanned 103 years (1911–2013) and revealed a spatial expansion of fishing effort. Effort shifted offshore at a rate of 9.4 [nautical miles per] decade, and 2.9 newly targeted FSAs [fishspawning aggregations] were reported [per] decade. Spatial

Predation of hooked and recently released fish by sharks is a constant and increasing problem that needs to be factored into the equation. expansion of effort masked the sequential exploitation, commercial extinction, and loss of 70% of exploited FSAs. After standardizing for improvements in technological innovations, average catch rates declined by 90.5% from 1934 to 2011 (from 119.4 to 11.41 fish [per] vessel [per] trip).” Concealed within that rather dry, academic summation of this detailed scientific analysis are some truly sobering conclusions. Basically, the authors are stating that it’s only the ongoing and continued geographic expansion of

the fishery (with fishers heading further and further offshore and finding new spawning aggregations) that has allowed reasonable catches to be maintained. In their wake, those fishers (commercial, recreational and charter) have left a string of former aggregation sites that have effectively been exploited to the point of “commercial extinction”. Clearly, this pattern can’t continue indefinitely. A day of reckoning must eventually come and, with standardised average catch rates having declined by more than 90% (at least according to these

Spanish or narrow-barred mackerel can live for up to 26 years and potentially exceed 40kg in weight. length is also 75cm. Despite these reasonably strict catch limits, the total recreational and charter harvest is obviously significant. Some estimates put the current Queensland rec’ catch as high as 170 tonnes a year or more, although this is obviously difficult to measure accurately. However, there’s no denying that the amount and sophistication of rec’ and charter boat effort is considerably greater now than it was at the turn of the millennium. Nonetheless, the combined annual catch of commercial, recreational and charter fishers in Queensland and NSW would appear, at best current estimates, to be somewhere under 600 tonnes: around half of those record peaks seen in mid 1970s and late 1990s. Could one reason for this drop be a previously undetected decline in stocks?

across the past decade or so. This is likely to be related to increases/recoveries in the numbers of certain shark species (particularly some of the whalers) as a result of decreased commercial pressure on their populations, as well as ‘learned behaviour’ on

The author with Spanish mackerel from northern waters.

SOURCES Spanish mackerel stocks under threat from overfishing, government says by Tom Major, ABC Rural, 14 June 20121. Stock Assessment of Australian east coast Spanish mackerel compiled by M. F. O’Neill of Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, J. Langstreth of Fisheries Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and S. M. Buckley, The University of Queensland and J. Stewart, Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales. © State of Queensland, 2018. Historical spatial reconstruction of a spawning-aggregation fishery [Abstract] by S. M. Buckley, R. H. Thurstan, A. Tobin and J. M. Pandolfi. Conservation Biology, Wiley Online Library, Volume 31, Issue 6, December 2017. Utilising innovative technology to better understand Spanish mackerel spawning aggregations and the protection offered by marine protected areas by A. Tobin, M. Heupel, C. Simpfendorfer, J. Pandolfi, R. Thurstan & S. Buckley, FRDC Project No. 2010/007. April 2014

researchers), surely that day of reckoning can’t be too far off? Another scientific paper sums the situation up like this: “… the overall size and thus reproductive potential of the east coast [Spanish mackerel] stock has been significantly reduced… the analysis of commercial fishery data through the extensive history of the Spanish mackerel fishery clearly identifies a fishery in continual decline…” That “continual decline” may have reduced the current biomass of Spanish mackerel

off our east coast to 30-40% of its original, or to as little as 17%, depending upon whose model you prefer to believe. However, with even the more optimistic 2020 assessment stating that a “target reference point” of 60% by 2027 is required to “build and maintain” the fishery, it’s pretty clear that we are headed very much in the wrong direction… the only uncertainty is by how much. WHAT’S TO BE DONE? Suggestions for safeguarding the future of our shared east coast Spanish mackerel stock and (hopefully) helping it to rebuild over time seem to run the full gamut from “she’s apples, steady as you go, there’s plenty of mackerel” to a complete shut-down of the fishery and a moratorium on the taking of Spanish mackerel by all sectors for at least several years (as was recently done with snapper throughout most South Australian waters). Between those two extremes lie a multitude of possible measures and levers, such as spatial and temporal (place and time) closures, the creation of new sanctuary zones to protect identified spawning aggregations, reduced recreational bag limits, commercial licence buy-outs and so on. None of these possible tweaks to the status quo are likely to be universally popular. But, as American General George S. Patton famously said: “If everyone agrees, someone is not thinking.” Perhaps the one thing we do need to agree on is that there is a problem, and that means something needs to be done… and soon! This is an extract from a blog Starlo recently wrote about the controversy now surrounding the status of east coast stocks of Spanish mackerel. SEPTEMBER 2021

Science meets fishing

Sustainability: how your snapper stocks rate MELBOURNE

Ross Winstanley

During 2019, teams of fisheries scientists around Australia conducted the fifth in a series of assessments of major Australian fish stocks. Among the 148 species covered was snapper (Pagrus auratus), examined as 12 separate ‘stocks’, distinguished either by genetic or geographical separation, or by the jurisdiction primarily responsible for fisheries management. These assessments examined whether each snapper stock, and the level of harvest from each stock, is sustainable. Six snapper stocks and fisheries were assessed to be “Sustainable”, four as “Depleted”, one as “Recovering” and one as “Undefined”. EAST COAST STOCK Recent genetic studies have distinguished snapper occurring from the central Queensland coast to Eden belonging to a single stock, separate from those occurring further south. Designated biologically as the East Coast Stock, for practical purposes this stock is assessed as separate ‘management units’ under the Queensland and NSW state jurisdictions. Queensland ‘stock’ Combined, the commercial and recreational (including charter) catches from the East Coast stock off Queensland total about one third of the catches occurring off NSW. Despite this, the part of the snapper stock occurring off Queensland is classified as “depleted”. This means that this part of the East Coast stock has been reduced to the point where recruitment or spawning success is “impaired”, that is the most recent management controls have not yet been shown to be “adequate to recover the stock”.

With highly variable annual spawning success underpinning sustainability, all states limit catches of large mature snapper. The 2018 assessment indicated that the spawning stock is less than 20% of that expected from an unfished stock, with declining numbers of large fish over the previous 12-year period. More recent studies show that, while commercial fishing p res s u re d e c lin ed over the past decade, the recreational catch increased by 49% by number and 72% by weight between 2013/14 and 2019/20, despite declining catch rates. Since September 2019, snapper may only be taken by line fishing, and several new control measures now apply: a one-month closure, a commercial Total Allowable Catch of 42 tonnes, and a recreational possession limit of 4/person. The snapper off Queensland are “considered to be recruitment impaired” and there is no evidence that the stock is recovering. New South Wales ‘stock’ Most of the catch from the East Coast Stock is taken off NSW where this part of the stock has been classified as “sustainable”. This means that management measures

currently applying off NSW are sufficient to prevent overfishing and to allow, on average, s pa w ning s uc c e s s adequate to maintain the current stock size. Assessments based largely on commercial fisheries data indicate that this stock is “unlikely to be depleted” and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. In fact, from about 2008, the sizes and ages of commercially landed snapper suggest that the stock is rebuilding. EASTERN VICTORIA STOCK Snapper occurring between Wi l s o n s Promontory and Eden are recognised as genetically distinct from the East Coast Stock. While they are genetically closer to snapper west of Wilsons Promontory, tagging and other biological studies indicate separation from the Western Victorian stock. The lack of adequate commercial and recreational fisheries data continues to hinder assessment of the state of this stock, which is ranked as “undefined”. The lack of fisheries and biological data also continues to limit our understanding of the

relationship between snapper off eastern Victoria and those occurring off Tasmania. WESTERN VICTORIAN STOCK The Western Victorian snapper stock is classified as “sustainable”. This single biological stock of snapper occurs west of Wilsons Promontory, including Western Port and Port Phillip bays, and extends westwards towards the Murray River mouth in South Australia. As a result, for convenience, they are managed as separate management units by Victoria and South Australia, under collaborative arrangements. This western stock relies heavily on recruitment from Port Phillip Bay, the main spawning and nursery area. With annual spawning success being highly variable, the stock – and catches – can be dominated by strong year-classes occurring at intervals of 5-8 years. After the large stock of adult snapper spawned in 2004 and 2005 had been depleted through fishing and natural mortality by the mid-2010s, the exceptional 2018 recruitment event

is expected to rebuild the stock of adult fish and to boost the fishery for the next 5-10 years, peaking in 2024. With commercial catches from Port Phillip Bay capped at 88 tonnes from 2022, limited commercial fishing in Victorian coastal waters, and SA’s commercial and recreational catches capped, the main openended source of fishing pressure will come from Victoria’s recreational fishers. There is no recent estimate of the recreational catch in Victoria. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN STOCKS As well as the extension of the Victorian Western stock, there are two stocks wholly located in South Australian waters: the Gulf St Vincent stock and the Spencer Gulf/West Coast stock. Gulf St Vincent stock The snapper stock in Gulf St Vincent is classified as “depleted”. This means that the stock has been reduced to the point where recruitment or spawning success is “impaired”, that is the most recent management controls have not yet been shown “adequate to recover the stock” through improved spawning success. Historically, the northern region of Spencer Gulf supported the bulk of this stock, and was the nursery area for the stock throughout the gulf. SA’s highest ever snapper catches came from this gulf during the period from 2006 to 2015. The 2020 assessment found that this stock had deteriorated since 2015, despite years of increasingly tight restrictions which were intended to reduce commercial fishing pressure and boost recruitment. This included the closure of all snapper fishing in the gulf, in November 2019. Government surveys indicated that, between 2014 and 2020, the

Fig.1. Genetic ‘markers’ for individual East Coast (red) and Eastern Victorian (green) snapper. It shows mixedstock features near Eden, and the close similarity between Eastern and Western Victorian stocks. 40

SEPTEMBER 2021

spawning stock declined from 2780 to 811 tonnes. In addition, modelling showed that the “fishable biomass” or stock had increased through the 1990s, peaked in 2011, then declined by 90% by 2020. Poor recruitment while catches remained high, culminated in estimated egg production falling to 2% of that of an unfished stock. Despite the assessment as “depleted”, there is evidence that, under the current controls, this stock can be expected to recover. Spencer Gulf/West Coast stock Like the Gulf St Vincent stock, based on a substantial body of information and research, the Spencer Gulf/West Coast snapper stock is also classified as “depleted”. While the take of snapper from these waters was closed in November 2019, and the removal of fishing pressure should favour stock recovery, no “measurable improvements” have yet been detected. Like the Gulf St Vincent situation, the norther Spencer Gulf is the main recruitment and nursery area for this stock. Commercial fisheries data show that, after 20 years of cyclical fluctuations, the stock has declined in size, particularly since 2012, with all indicators reaching their lowest levels by 2019. The lack of any strong year classes since 1999 reflects 20 years of poor recruitment. Modelling suggests that the available stock declined from 5350 tonnes in 2005, to 468 tonnes in 2020. Through much of the 2000s, modelling suggests that continued high catch levels from this dwindling stock occurred while snapper egg production fell. In 2019, estimated egg production was 2% of that expected from an unfished stock. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STOCKS Snapper are divided

Science meets fishing into six separate units for management purposes. While genetically close, three biologically distinct stocks are recognised in Shark Bay: the Eastern Gulf, Denham Sound and Freycinet Estuary stocks. Snapper in open coastal waters are seen as a single “semi-continuous stock”, with biological characteristics varying gradually with latitude, from offshore of Shark Bay to WA’s south coast. For management and assessed purposes, they are treated as separate ‘stocks’: the Shark Bay Oceanic, West Coast and South Coast “management units”. Shark Bay Inshore stocks On current indications, the Eastern Gulf, Denham Sound and Freycinet Estuary snapper stocks

are each regarded as “sustainable”. Under conservative arrangements in place since 2003, combined commercial and recreational catches have been held within ‘target ranges’ and are not considered to threaten spawning success and recruitment to the stocks. In the Eastern Gulf, the commercial catch was nil in 2019 and the 2018/19 recreational catch was about two tonnes, all well within the estimated maximum sustainable yield of 12 tonnes. In Denham Sound, the 2019 commercial catch was below one tonne, and the 2018/19 recreational catch was six tonnes, together well within the maximum sustainable yield of almost 13 tonnes.

FIG.1 Current daily recreational catch limits for snapper around Australia State Queensland NSW Victoria Tasmania SA – SE region only WA West Coast Bioregion – S of 31oS, and inner gulfs of Shark Bay Western Australia – other

Size limit 35 cm 30 cm 28 cm 30 cm 38 cm

Daily bag limit 4 incl. 1>70cm 5 10 incl. up to 4>40 cm 5 1

50 cm 41 cm

2 2

Note: additional fishing restrictions also apply in some states. In the Freycinet Estuary, the 2019 commercial catch was nil. While the 2018/19 recreational catch of 13 tonnes exceeded the ‘target’ limit of four tonnes for this sector, it was “around” the maximum sustainable yield and was not of concern in terms of its effect on stock

Victoria’s more liberal size and bag limits cater for dedicated year-round pinky fishing.

recruitment. Shark Bay Oceanic stock The Shark Bay Oceanic snapper are classified as “depleted”. The most recent (2017) assessment found that the spawning stock was around 20% of the unfished level, and classified as “recruitment impaired”. As a result, the Total Allowable Catch was reduced to 51 tonnes and measures were introduced to protect spawning aggregations. These measures are expected to aid recovery in spawning success and stock size. West Coast stock The west coast section of WA’s open coastal snapper stock is treated as the West Coast management unit for practical purposes, and is classified as “recovering”. It extends from the Kalbarri coast south of Shark Bay, to the southern tip off Augusta and includes the coastal waters most accessible to Perth anglers. A series of assessments up to 2017 led to tightened catch limits on commercial and recreational fishing, and has tracked the recent signs of recovery. The evidence points towards fishing pressure being reduced to where recruitment will improve

to, “…a level that should allow the stock to recover”. South Coast stock The South Coast snapper are classified as “sustainable”, with fishing mortality and spawning potential within acceptable levels. The 2019 commercial catch was 38 tonnes, and the 2017/18 recreational catch was about 10 tonnes. With overall catches within historic levels, recruitment to the stock is not a concern. HOW SEPARATE ARE STOCKS? In recent years, genetic studies have confirmed what tagging studies have shown for many years: there are no absolute, knife-edge boundaries between snapper stocks. First, while our understanding of these ‘boundaries’ is poor, it appears that they can shift over time. For example, genetic studies of snapper off eastern Australia suggest that the “genetic break” between the East Coast stock and the stock off eastern Victoria shifted from near Sydney in 1995, to Eden in 2016. Second, while both tagging and genetic studies suggest that the majority of fish of each stock stay within identifiable ranges,

there are transition or mixing zones around the boundaries, where fish of adjacent stocks may mingle. Furthermore, small numbers of fish cross well into the range of adjoining stocks. For example, two Victorian western stock snapper, tagged in Port Phillip, have been recaptured off East Gippsland, while another was recaptures off southern WA. As a more detailed example, Fig.1 shows how genetic ‘markers’ from snapper sampled from north of Eden, up to Rockhampton, are almost exclusively of the East Coast stock. Those from the Eden ‘transition’ zone show a more even mixture of the traits of East Coast and eastern Victorian stocks. Those sampled off Lakes Entrance show a lesser degree of mixed stock characteristics, and a strong similarity with Western stock snapper from Geelong. NATIONAL REPORTING The Status of Australian Fish Stock Reports are a series of assessments of the biological sustainability of a broad range of wildcaught fish stocks against a nationally agreed reporting framework. The two-yearly reports examine whether the abundance of fish and the level of harvest from the stock are sustainable. Definitions of “sustainability” and quoted passages in this article are taken from the SAFS 2020 Reports. More details about the status of Australian fish stocks are available at – www.fish.gov.au/reports.

THE SHEIK OF THE CREEK

The way of the world BRISBANE

The Sheik of the Creek

My preferred gender is male and my preferred position is a long way away from the other genders, male or female, preferably in a boat or on a fourwheeler or bike with a fishing rod in my hand. That’s not to say that I can’t learn interesting and sometimes useful things from other people of whatever other genders there are out there. For example, the Dudds have taught me lots of male gender things that are important to my survival and my enjoyment of life… like how to put things through my skin and get them out again, how to drink lots

of liquids and get them out again, and importantly how to break lots of stuff and try to fix it with zip ties. These are all good male things to do. From my wife and other female gender persons I have learnt other things of great diversity. These include how to argue even when in the wrong, and how to say everything without saying anything but in a confusing way without committing so that you can deny saying anything at any later date. But a recent lesson has taught me a very important life skill regarding shopping. This happened when I bought three items at old mate’s place and they were all reduced from their original price. In my past clumsy male gender life, I would have ignored the obvious benefits of

recounting how much coin I saved when discussing this financial transaction with the other Dudds. So it would have gone like this: “Yeah, got a good bit back, good price ‘ay.” But with my newfound knowledge I can now discuss my shopping with my daughter, Big Al, like this: “Well, it depends how you look at it, but the lures were 5 bucks each down from 20 bucks, and the rod was 60 down from 110. So I should have paid 150 but I ended up paying 70. So I either got a 110 buck rod for 30 bucks, or you could say I got paid 50 bucks to take these lures out of the shop.” Or as Big Al says, if you’re really of the female gender person, you could say both. SEPTEMBER 2021

WHAT’S NEW XBRAID CASTMAN ABSORBER

The XBraid range from YGK has now been introduced to the Australian market, and one of the latest arrivals is XBraid Shock Leader Castman Absorber. Castman Absorber is a supple nylon copolymer made in Japan bringing you the highest level of product. It’s built for repeated lure casting, allowing the lure to work with perfection and great knot strength which in turn offers protection from mainline breakages. Castman Absorber is an intricate range including 30lb, 40lb, 50lb, 60lb, 70lb, 80lb, 100lb, 130lb, 170lb and 200lb breaking strains, ensuring there is a size for every angler and application. XBraid stems from the world-renowned YGK, and is manufactured in Japan. For more information on the range, visit the XBraid Australia website or check them out on Instagram (@xbraid - australia). www.xbraidygk.com.au

TICA SPINFOCUS SU

TiCA has released some impressive new reels for 2021, including the Spinfocus SU series reels. The Spinfocus SU series are packed with plenty of quality features and are aesthetically a smart looking reel. The Spinfocus reel features a high tensile strength body, aluminium spool with carbon lip, ISO Intelligent Oscillating System, Instant Anti Reverse, Thick Bail Arm System, Computer Balanced Rotor, Carbon Drag Washers, and 8 RRB rust resistant bearings. The Spinfocus SU reels are extremely smooth, feature impressive drag ratings and are available in three sizes – 2500, 3500 and 4500. The 2500 also is available with a Double Balanced Handle that is suited for anglers targeting squid and spin fishing. www.jurofishing.com

ZMAN 6” DARTERZ

The ZMan 6” DarterZ features a slender profile and forked tail that mimics garfish and other slender baitfish preyed upon by many inshore and offshore predators. The unique, horizontal ‘dolphin’ tail creates lift and glide, while the segmented design creates an irresistible action at speed or on a hopping and darting retrieve. DarterZ feature a top hook pocket and belly slot for those wishing to rig it weedless, for example on a 6/0 or 8/0 TT Lures ChinlockZ or ChinlockZ SWS jighead. This setup is ideal for fishing the lilies, weed and snags for barra, chasing kingies on top, working the weed flats for flathead, or numerous other applications. Alternatively, it rigs beautifully on a standard jighead in a 5/0, 6/0 or 7/0 size for targeting everything from tuna, mackerel, trevally and other species high in the water column, to reef and pelagic species in the depths. These new lures feature 10X Tough ElaZtech construction and are available in eight colours, with five per pack. To see a video of how to rig and fish the DarterZ, head to YouTube and search for ‘DarterZ Introduction’. Price: SRP $15.95 www.z-man.com.au

SEPTEMBER 2021

PRODUCT GUIDE

DAIWA 21 DEMON BLOOD

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Daiwa’s Demon Blood range has been synonymous with the tough and often brutal fishing which Australia is so famous for. In 2021, Daiwa has redeveloped the Demon Blood to bring a new level of performance and expanded the range to cater for the ever-growing demand for sportfishing actions suitable for casting and jigging for hard-fighting predators. The Demon Blood design and performance has been elevated to a new level with 3DX carbon, X45X Full Shield, and Fuji guides and reel seats, combining to create a rod series that is lighter, more refined, and stronger than ever before. If you’re looking for a new outfit to tame monsters from the deep or maybe chase some addictive topwater action on the reef, these rods are well worth a look. www.daiwafishing.com.au

BANTAM BT FORCE AND BAIT

Two of the latest releases in the Bantam range are the BT Force and BT Bait. The 190mm Bantam BT Force is a big, loud and innovative subsurface wakebait designed for aggressive, big bait eating predators. Designed in Japan, the Bantam BT Force features an aggressively-angled bib and integrated rolling weight to enhance body roll, action and sound on the retrieve. The hinged body and lifelike PVC tail creates additional noise and vibration to elicit strikes in the dark and raise fish from the deep. The BT Force can be used with a constant, steady retrieve to produce bites from monster-size Murray cod, barramundi, flathead and mulloway. The Japanese domestic market Bantam BT Bait is a jointed subsurface swimbait designed for finesse fishing applications. This 99mm lure moves through the water with a tuned ‘S’ swimbait action and features a realistic profile and lifelike hinged PVC tail section for maximum swing width. The BT Bait’s hinged body allows excellent stability through the air for long and accurate casts, allowing anglers to elicit strikes from the wariest fresh and saltwater predators. The BT Bait comes in eight natural and high contrast colours, including Shimano’s Kyorin holographic scale. Price: $34.99-$49.99 (includes spare PVC tail insert) www.shimanofish.com.au

WILSON FISHING CHAIRS

The Wilson Fishing Chairs are back with new designs and a heap of features and extras. The Wilson Fishing Chair is rated to 150kg and built with a wider base to ensure anyone can comfortably sit in it. It also has some clever extras, including a rod holder that can be easily attached to the left-hand side of the chair on the legs. This sets your rod at an easy angle, allowing you to sit back and relax while you’re waiting for a bite. The designers have also included a peg for the leg to ensure the chair is secured to the ground when you get up, and a massive strike won’t tip the chair over. There is also a drink holder and a lined cooler bag in the arms, and a small bottle opener attached to the arm on a lanyard. On the right arm, where the cooler bag is, there is a mobile phone holder pouch. Packed with features, comfy and strong, this foldable chair will be the best seat in the house on any camping trip. It comes in two colours, purple camo and grey camo. www.wilsonfishing.com

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We’re all looking forward to the new season PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

Finally, the colder weather is supposed to be gone and hopefully we can stay out of lockdown for the coming season. It’s still a bit

chilly out there but thank goodness we’ve got warmer weather, warmer waters and whole new array of species to target. Looking back through my diaries over the past decade, more often than not September has seen some good kingfish once the

warmer waters arrive. But not only will we have kingfish to deal with, but there will still be some of the winter species to catch as well namely tailor, salmon and trevally. Most of these species will be seen on the surface, allowing us to catch them with lures which is

Big squid like this one are always welcome on the boat until they cover you in ink.

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always exciting. There are not too many better things to do than hanging out with mates or family members targeting pelagic species busting up on the surface. Not only does it get you out of the house to get some long overdue exercise, but most will find they are taking home a few fish for the table as well. Most of the species will be caught at the mouth of Pittwater and along Broken Bay early in the morning. Light tackle and small lures will generally see you hooked up on many casts, but if the fish aren’t cooperating even after changing lure sizes, allow your lure to sink deeper in the water column before retrieval. Quite often

if you let your lure sink it will resemble an injured baitfish and predators will pick it up on the sink. There will also be some big squid to be caught this month. These will be normally encountered on the ocean side of Barrenjoey Head but also along the weed beds at Palm Beach, Careel Bay and Mackerel Beach. On the upside, not only should there be some large squid to catch but you should start seeing some smaller baitsized squid appearing as well. The larger size 2.5 squid jigs normally work a treat when casting for larger squid, but it is always a great idea to have a second rod already rigged up with a size 1.8 or size 2 squid jig for any smaller, less aggressive squid. For those wanting to tangle with a fish on the bottom, Broken Bay will be a place that will be quite productive when fishing around Flint and Steel Reef, Eleonoras Bluff, Juno Point and the drifting grounds between Patonga and Lion Island. The species that will be tangled with in these areas vary greatly from year to year, but there is a chance in all these spots of picking up jewfish, bream, trevally, flounder and flathead. If you are going to anchor in these areas it is always best to berley down deep with a weighted berley bucket. Broken Bay does suffer from strong currents at different times of the tides and moon phases, so a weighted berley bucket will see fish being bought closer to your boat. Using berley from the berley muncher on the back of your boat will generally see it float off vast distances, and you don’t get the benefit of bringing the fish closer to your boat. Drifting from Patonga through to Lion Island should also see some good captures of flathead, flounder and the occasional tailor as well.

The best baits to use in these areas are fresh caught squid, pilchards, prawns or filleted yellowtail that can be caught at West Head. For those of you who love catching kingies the better areas to target at this time of the year seem to be towards the mouth of the river along the western side. Just make sure that you keep your eyes peeled for the odd bit of activity towards Palm Beach. Another area to try whilst downrigging is on the Broken Bay side of Barrenjoey Head but please be careful as this area is

Hopefully there’ll be more catches of morwong on the reef charters. notorious for waves that stand up and can swamp boats, especially when vessels are less than 5m. A run-out tide with incoming

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swell and a crosswind will equal danger and aren’t much fun, so take the time to assess the conditions before heading out. Along our coasts there will be some snapper to be caught on the deeper reefs of around 60-70m, and in the same areas of course there will be other species such as morwong, nannygai, fox fish and flathead. As usual, make sure that you scout out the area first to find baitfish before deploying your lines. Along our coast in close to the headlands the reefs will start to see some kingfish moving in once the water

It’s always great to catch a decent kingy at Pittwater.

warms and starts pushing from the north and heading to our part of the shoreline. These fish can be targeted by using downriggers and yellowtail as live bait. So as you can see, we can all look forward to targeting some great fish in the near future. Please call us or your local charter operator as we have suffered greatly over the past 12 months on the northern Beaches due to COVID restrictions. Many of us charter operators will be extremely pleased to be once again out on the water and showing you and your family members or friends a great day on the water. And don’t forget the information that you pick up on that charter will benefit you for many years to come. • Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www. estuaryfishingcharters.com.au

Recreational Fishing Update PSAT Tag Deployed In 90kg Swordfish In July this year, angler Al McGlashan deployed a satellite tag (PSAT) into a swordfish of about 90kg while fishing off Mallacoota, Victoria. Tagging provides valuable data on the emerging swordfish fishery, including information on the timing and availability of swords, whether the fish tend to return to the same grounds seasonally and their suitability for C&R. DPI is undertaking the “Great Swordfish Race” project in collaboration with ANSA NSW and NSW GFA. The data from this project will also be used as part of a larger project being undertaken by Dr Sean Tracey from IMAS, with similar objectives completed in Tasmania and currently underway in Victoria. Stay tuned for exciting insights from the latest PSAT tag! Meantime, search “swordfish race” on the DPI website for more info. The Great Swordfish Race is another example of your fishing fees at work.

Quick Trip For Recaptured Kingie

A kingfish originally tagged in Victoria has recently been recaptured. Sydney-based Raptor Fishing Charters recaptured the 109cm kingie while fishing offshore of Sydney on 2 June 2021. A search of the Game Fish Tagging database revealed that the fish was originally released 57 days earlier on 6 April 2021 near Phillip Island, Victoria. The fish was released by Victorian Game Fishing Club member Jason Taylor (pictured). After a quick photo, Jason measured the fish at 108cm. The fish was recaptured more than 525 nautical miles (~970km) from its original release location, which means it was swimming at minimum of 17kms a day. It is believed kingfish distribution and movement is influenced by spawning events, food availability, water temperature and oceanic currents. The Game Fish Tagging Program is a great example of your fishing fees at work!

Flatty Caught and Released 4 Times!

In early November 2019, we reported on a quirky Lake Macquarie dusky flathead recapture involving talented angler Dan Guilfoyle recapturing a fish that he had originally tagged three months earlier. In an interesting turn of events, Dan has once again recaptured the same fish! When you include the initial tag and release of the fish, it has now been caught an incredible four times within the space of two years. The details of each recapture feature below: • Tagged & released by Dan Guilfoyle on 17 July 2019. • Recaptured and re-released by Dan Guilfoyle on 14 October 2019. • Recaptured and re-released by Stephen Ireland on 13 April 2020. • Recapture and re-released by Dan Guilfoyle on 08 June 2021. Overall, the fish has spent 693 days at liberty and grown 2cm in length. On each occasion the fish was recaptured within 500m of the original release point. These recaptures continue to reinforce that the humble flatty is a resilient species well suited to C&R fishing. Search “catch & release” on the DPI website for info on best practice fish handling and release.

Fishing Ban For Repeat Offender

Two men, a 49-year-old and a 58-year-old, were sentenced in Dubbo Local Court in July for fisheries offences. The men were apprehended last June on the Macquarie River, downstream of Warren, following a covert surveillance operation involving NSW DPI Fisheries officers and NSW Police Rural Crime Unit officers. Seven fish traps, nine golden perch, a Murray cod, a grapnel and a boat, motor and trailer were seized during the operation. The 49-year-old Dubbo man was ordered to pay $3300 in fines and costs and issued two seven-month terms of imprisonment to be served by way of intensive correction order. He was also given a Prohibition Order preventing him from fishing in NSW inland waters west of the Great Dividing Range for a period of five years. The 58-year-old Wongarbon man was ordered to pay $4900 in fines and costs. Fisheries rules and regulations are in place to protect and conserve fish stocks and fishing opportunities for current and future generations.

www.dpi.nsw.gov.au SEPTEMBER 2021

Sydney

NSW

Bait back-up plans SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

The weather is warming up, and things are looking on the up and up as September progresses. But you will note that when you feel the water it is petty cold. It may be springtime for us,

anglers as well. ROCK FISHING The fishing has been pretty good in recent weeks, with catches of trevally, tailor, rock blackfish, groper, luderick, and a report of silver drummer. Trevally are in good numbers and seem to be different size fish from one location to the next. For example, you

for the larger baits I use a 2/0 92554 hook. Plastics are also working quite well when combined with a berley trail. I like the Bait Junkie 3.2” Minnow and 5” Jerkshad rigged on 1/8-3/4oz jigheads with a 1/0 or 2/0 size hook. For the rock blackfish, peeled prawns, cabbage weed and white bread are the most productive baits. It’s up to you as to what type of bait you want to use on the day. In a lot of spots the small fish will drive you nuts, annihilating your baited hook within a minute. The answer can be cabbage weed baits. Rock blackfish feed mostly on weed baits. When inspecting the intestines of this species, you’ll see a variety of weed types, including pink, brown cabbage, some kelp, and their favourite – green cabbage weed. The small fish like sweep, mados, yellowtail and more don’t like the weed baits, mostly avoiding them, so you can have a bait that will last a lot longer. Fish your weed baits suspended below a small, foam egg-shaped float in water depth approximately 1-4m. Look for sunken boulders and submerged ledges with white oxygenated foamy area runoffs. A well-weighted foam

One of several pigs (rock blackfish) caught during an outing last month. If you find that small fish are vaporising your baits, try switching from peeled prawns to unpeeled. float will work for most rock locations. I use a ball sinker above the small swivel and a 35-45cm leader. A strong no. 2-4 hook will suit the weed baits better than, say, a larger 1/0 hook (although a 1/0 is OK when presenting an extra-large weed bait. You may encounter luderick as a by-catch but the hook size for rock blackfish is a few sizes larger than you would normally use for luderick, and the gear substantially heavier than

what you would use for luderick as well. Spots to try for luderick and groper are South Curl Curl’s ‘Flat

mackerel. North Curl Curl, Dee Why approximately 70m past the ‘goat track’ and the front of South Newport rocks are good

Steven Hull with a swag of trevally up to 40cm. Fishing was slow for the first 1.5 hours but success eventually came thanks to fishing very light sinkers, fishing a deepwater area of rock ledge with washy white water, and berleying consistently. but for the fish it’s still winter – at least when it comes to inshore water temperatures. Of course, the water temperature could change due to a tongue of current coming in, or a swell change. A southerly direction swell, for example, can suddenly lift the water temp. Having said that, with some of the species it doesn’t matter too much, especially residential fish like rock blackfish and groper. Also, there are some areas that are producing out-of-season species like whiting. Yes, whiting at this time of the year off Sydney beaches! I haven’t been doing many client guiding trips lately because of the COVID restrictions, but I am still getting out there relatively regularly and have noted some successful outings by other 46

SEPTEMBER 2021

might get smaller trevally (ranging from just legal fish to about 40cm) from Dee Why and Manly’s ‘Little Bluey’, compared with trevally up to 50cm in smaller numbers from Long Reef Collaroy. Half to three quarter pilchard baits are the go, and I like to berley with pilchard cubes (a pilchard cut into 6-8 cubes) or pilchard and water soaked white bread mushed together. You need to deploy this berley consistently. On one outing there were trevally to near 50cm, plate-size snapper, tailor and a legal out of season king. Peeled prawns like king or banana. River prawns are good but preferably used unpeeled because the sweep, mados and yellowtail will demolish your baits to oblivion. I use size 1/0 Mustad hooks for the smaller baits, and

Rob Marich with a bag of luderick from Dobroyd Head, fishing with an Alvey centrepin reel. On this day, the fish came on around the 2nd hour of running to the 4th hour of run-in.

Mixed wash fishing off the rocks for four species. The king was right on dusk and the other species all in the dark, and several fish were released beforehand. Only attempt this if you know what you are doing.

Rock’, and also along the headland to Freshwater. At Manly, ‘The Hat’ can yield rock blackfish, luderick and groper. Distance casting for snapper has been worthwhile lately, with fish to 40cm reported. I had a quick snapper fish recently and caught four snapper from 34-38cm on squid strips and salted slimy

locations to try. BEACH FISHING There is a subset of anglers, including myself, that still target whiting when they’re out of season. The beaches that are holding whiting is one of the key things you need to know. In my part of the world, the Northern Beach suburbs of Sydney, I fish To page 47

NSW

Sydney

Great catches in the wash SYDNEY NTH

Steve Winser

At the time of writing this report, the water temperatures in the harbour are extremely low, hovering around 14-17°C. The kingfish in the upper and lower reaches of the harbour have been lethargic and finicky, but this isn’t unusual for this time of year – and fish are still to be had for the dedicated.

often a metre or less. We target these with bread baits under a little bobby cork in a bread berley trail, although the lure and fly guys have been doing alright with them also. The wash fishing has been the standout of the season so far, yielding black drummer to 4kg and groper between 2-10kg. Fish in the upper end of this range are steam trains and an awesome alternative to lethargic kingfish for those looking for a real

gather crabs around the local rock edges. Next month, we should see a further improvement in the already outstanding wash fishing season along the foreshores, with the main targets being drummer, groper, bream, and blackfish. • Fishing Sydney Tours takes pride in tailoring every trip to the customer’s preferred species, style of angling, and level of expertise, all within a friendly and relaxed

Nick was happy with this nice blue. DPI NEWS

Man threatens Fisheries officer A horse groper caught on a guided trip with Craig McGill. Squidding has been good in recent weeks, with large squid taken over both the ribbon weed beds and the kelp beds. Jigs in the 2.0-3.0 size range have been doing the job. Use any colour you like as long as it’s orange or green! The bream and blackfish in the harbour foreshores in the lower harbour have been fishing very well as you’d expect at this time of year, with fish to 1.5kg in some very shallow water, From page 46

for them around south Palm Beach, Dee Why out front of surf club to the rock corner and this year there have been quite a few hanging around Curl Curl Beach as well. As you may already know, having live baits like beach worms and pink nippers will give you much better results than dead baits. Unfortunately, my local tackle shop doesn’t stock live worms or pink nippers at this time of the year. An alternative is very thin strips of squid (the white tube section). You can cut it with a knife or with scissors, and you want each strip to be around 1-2 matchstick thickness.

test of skill. My old mate Craig McGill of Fishabout Sydney Harbour sent me a pic of an absolute donkey they pinned in the harbour this week, a fish that was pushing 20kg – a dead set freight train! We have been fishing for drummer with bread and prawn baits under a bobby cork in a bread berley trail as usual, with good results. If you want to catch a large groper, fresh crab is essential. You can

atmosphere at competitive rates. There are some excellent fishing spots that can be accessed straight off Sydney, and we will show you where. We offer harbour, wash and offshore fishing for species ranging from kingfish and mulloway through to snapper and mahimahi. For more info go to www. fishingsydneytours.com. au, call 0481 120 600 or look up ‘Fishing Sydney Tours’ on Facebook.

This can work quite well for whiting. You can also use the tiniest prawns you can find, peeled and presented on a no. 2-4 short shank hook. If the seas are flat and the current slight, you can berley up with some fairly finely chopped prawns or squid and throw it out where you are fishing. Small amounts and every one or two minutes will create that berley trail and may activate the whiting and even some bream or tarwhine. So not all is lost if you cannot get live bait – you could end up with a nice mix of species on dead baits. Aussie salmon and a really late run of tailor are about as well, with

the salmon being the more dominant species at this time of the year off the surf beaches. Casting metal lures from 25-40g with a light spin outfit and walking from gutter to gutter is a great way to spend an early morning or early evening. Fish baits like ganged whole pilchards are the go-to bait. A strip of fish like mullet, or yellowtail is a successful bait for salmon. You can use a single hook rig as an alternative to gang hooks. I like a Mustad 2/0 92247 hook baited up with a strip of yellowtail or mullet. Salmon are being caught on literally every surf beach in my area. My recommended beaches are Curl Curl, North

A man has received multiple convictions and a hefty fine at Batemans Bay local court in relation to an incident at Depot Beach in 2018, including threatening a NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Fisheries officer and obstructing their duties. NSW DPI Director Fisheries Compliance, Dr Andrew Moriarty, said that serious offences such as this will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with accordingly by authorities. “The man was convicted of four offences and fined a total $4500

plus a 12-month community corrections order,” Dr Moriarty said. “Threatening a Fisheries officer and preventing them from completing their duties is a serious offence and we will not tolerate this type of behaviour.” The man was convicted and fined for the following offences: • Obstructing a Fisheries Officer in the exercising of function – failing to allow examination of fishing gear (Sequence 1) – fined $2,000. • Threatening a Fisheries Officer – with a weapon, being an axe handle with a metal spike on the end (Sequence 2) – convicted

and imposed a community corrections order for 12 months. • Obstruction of a Fisheries Officer in the exercising of function – failing to allow seizure of a weapon used to threaten a Fisheries Officer (Sequence 3); and • Failing to comply with requirement to provide information – fail to state name and address (Sequence 4) - fined $500. The public are encouraged to report suspected illegal fishing activity to the NSW Fishers Hotline on 1800 043 536 or via the online form at www. dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/ compliance. – NSW DPI

Narrabeen, Mona Vale and Avalon. Before committing to any of these beaches, take into account the kelp deposits, look for good hole/sandbank structure and make sure the swell isn’t too big ESTUARY FISHING Just a little on what’s happening in the harbour. Luderick fishing has been good, with fish to 1kg from Dobroyd head, Middle Head and a few from The Spit northeastern side, 80-100m from the bridge. Fishing Middle Head and Dobroyd Head, cabbage weed and hair weed is good. When fishing The Spit area, you should preferably use hair weed. This is because when you go further into the harbour

there is generally less cabbage weed and more hair weed, so the luderick prefer that. Trevally are in good numbers, along with some bream and tailor from Dobroyd and Georges Head. North Sydney ferry terminal is producing quality trevally as well. You will have the ferry to contend with at North Sydney wharf, but that’s no problem – just wind your lines in and be patient for a relatively short period. Try to keep out of the way of the ferry staff and commuters and it will be fine. There is the rock wall that you can fish north of the ferry wharf if you prefer. I recommend berleying up with a well mushed

mixture of wet bread, pilchards, some prawn shells/heads and use unweighted or very light sinkers with 3-5kg set-up. Having a long-handled net, especially when fishing the wall, may be necessary as you’re a few metres above the water. If you’re using a 5kg set-up you should be able to lift up your fish without too many problems as they are up to about 1kg. • For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www. bellissimocharters. com.au, email alex@ bellissimocharters. com.au or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616. SEPTEMBER 2021

Sydney

NSW

The lockdown blues SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

As I sit down to put together this report, Sydney and some surrounding areas are still in lockdown. I feel for all of those anglers who can’t get out and have a fish due to the ruling that it’s either out of their LGA or more than either 5-10km from their home. Fingers crossed, restrictions will

have eased by the time you read this report. I am one of the lucky ones as I can still get out and fish some of the close waterways of the Port Hacking and the Georges River, but I can’t get to the rocks and fish for drummer, trevally and bream – and it’s killing me. I’m sure they would be on the chew for those of you who can get there. Places that would be worth a try would be the Kurnell Peninsula, Bare Island, Boat Harbour and

A quick squid session off the rocks before our lockdown. The combination of the Egilicious squid jigs, Okuma gear and Alvey reel helped to get the author a couple of nice squid for dinner.

Jibbon Headland. Going to the beach and trying for whiting and bream during the day is another thing that I miss; they too would be on the chew early in the morning or late in the afternoon on a rising tide. In the past I have had good results using king worms. You can buy them from tackle stores such as Fergo’s Tackle World. A few of my friends that live out Camden way who usually fish the Georges, Woronora and Parramatta rivers, Botany Bay and the Port Hacking have been restricted to targeting carp in their local ponds and waterways. This is a great way of having fun with those hard-pulling carp and helping get rid of a pest out of our waterways. I teamed up with Scotty Lyons to chase luderick while he was using fresh green weed and I was using saltwater flies that I brought from the BCF store at Taren Point. The only thing that he didn’t tell me was that the small track down to the spot was not a simple hike. It wasn’t meant more for a mountain goat. To check out whether the fresh weed or flies came out on top you can go a check out the video clip on The Hook and the Cook You Tube Channel. Scotty has already put a couple of clips together on how to make a float and how to get your weed. I have received reports that Botany Bay has been fishing well for bream, whiting and trevally at the end of the third runway, the Cooks River break wall, Bare Island, the drums, the oil wharf, and the groynes along Brighton and Dolls Point. The best baits have been a mixture

Brad Chin with a 45cm silver trevally he teased up with a 2.5cm ZMan Slim SwimZ on a 28oz HWS from Tackle Tactics. of chicken breast, prawns, half pilchards, mullet gut, strips of mullet, tube and king worms. Luderick have been schooling up at the Captain Cooks and Tom Uglys bridges. Fresh green weed and a steady stream of berley will get them going. Offshore, snapper, leatherjackets, morwong and sand flathead have been the mainstay of the catches that have been reported to me. Most fish have come from the 30-50m depth while drifting, using

pilchards and striped tuna for bait. The Port Hacking is extremely clear and cold at the time of writing, and by the beginning of September I hope that the water temperature has started to increase. Pink nippers, tube and king worms are the go for bream, trevally and whiting at the Ballast Heap, the Lilly Pilly flats, Yowie Bay and Bundeena. Luderick are still schooling up along the rock shorelines. Try either fresh

green weed or cabbage, or – if you are after a challenge – why don’t you try weed flies, like I did? You don’t need to use fly fishing gear – just substitute your hook and green weed for a fly that is suspended under your float. Don’t forget to keep those reports coming into gbrown1@iprimus.com. au. And if you are looking for some more fishing tips and maybe a laugh or two, check out my YouTube channel called Gary Brown Fishing.

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Rob West managed this nice silver trevally while working the flats at Towra Point.

NSW

Bumper Ballina snapper BALLINA

Joe Allan

September brings with it the opening of the Australian bass season in NSW. This time of the year can bring with it some of the most aggressive strikes as well as good numbers of fish catches. The fish are generally on the move in most tidal systems and looking to head back upriver after the spawn of the early winter months. Searching and fast-moving baits like spinnerbaits and

either a single no. 1 hook on the belly or no. 4s on both belly and rear hook points. I like to go for two no. 4 Gamakatsus. This allows me to slowly retrieve my lures over timber without as many problems. The bream will be around in very good numbers through the middle reaches of the river around Broadwater and Wardell this month. Fresh prawns and yabbies are always the best baits at this time of year – the fresher the better. If you’re into throwing lures, a good approach at this time of

4lb leader (6ft to 7ft). This should bring on a few more bites. Keep your crankbaits handy as well because the fish should start to hold on the rock walls rather than the deeper holes. There have been some nice catches of jewfish both offshore and in the river in recent weeks, with the best seeming to come from the night-time expeditions. Live bait, such as mullet or slimies, has been by far the standout. There have also been some snapper in good numbers and quality size

Brodie McPherson with a nice snapper offshore from Ballina in the middle of winter. amberjack around the 48s. whiting, tailor, bream and the end of August and start Towards the end dart. It can be great fun of September, although of September we should with young kids. there will still be a few see some mud crabs show The blackfish numbers good fish around. up. The best baits for will start to dwindle around Until next month. these this time of year are your leftover blackfish skeletons. Off the beaches and headlands there are some quality tailor showing up. Get out your spinning gear and throw metal slugs for these fish. It can be a great way to spend a morning and catch some fresh fish for breaky. At night, try some cut bonito and blue pilchards on gang hooks. Michael Starkey with a cracker of a snapper caught at There are some good Riordans Reef on an Atomic Semi Hardz Vib. numbers of dart and whiting along the gutters of South lipless crankbaits can be year is to start by throwing around the close reefs off Ballina, and you’ll come some of the most productive 1/4oz blades deep and work south Ballina. Most of the across some pretty nice choices for this time of year. your way shallow up the fish are in the 35-50cm range snowy bream too. Towards If you’re worried about the rock walls until you find the with the odd bigger fish of the end of September when treble hooks of a lipless active fish. If there has been around 70-80cm thrown the westerlies start to blow crankbait snagging up, try some pressure on the fishery, in there. If you’re after a the b awn Blad a Prflat, it’s worth m swell es” swapping out the trebles for drop your line size to 6lb or feed, there’s plenty around.“Ya throwing some soft plastics The best baits for snapper into these gutters. You’ll get Harrison Clements can’t stop catching these things would be cut bonito or everything from flathead to along the town stretch of river when the tide is right. squid, however the bigger fish will be coming on soft plastics like the Atomic Jerk Minnow 6” in ghost pearl, white or radioactive rooster. “Yamba’s Leading Tackle Shop” Don’t be caught up in “IN THE MAIN STREET” 8 Yamba St, Yamba chasing the snapper in close on good days. If the weather • allows, get out to the 100 fathoms and try for some blue-eye trevalla and bar cod. Good baits for these guys are fresh squid and cuttlefish. It can be a hard work on traditional tackle fishing this deep so electric reels are essential in this • Stocking all major brands style of fishing. • Experienced local knowledge • Tournament bream gear in stock On the 32s there are • Snorkelling gear in stock good numbers of pearl perch and trag jew, and if you’re after having your arms pulled Zac Skyring with a solid kingfish out off Ballina. off, try jigging for some

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September is a great time to chase snapper COFFS HARBOUR

Dayne Taylor

September is my favourite month of the year to get out offshore here on the Coffs Coast. Snapper are plentiful at this time of year, with the larger models in the shallow water early in the morning and late in the evening. Remember you will not necessarily get a lot of big fish from the one spot, so don’t be afraid to move around a bit after you land a couple. For quantity rather than quality, try the deeper reefs and gravel grounds around that 30-60m range. Slow pitch metal jigs, octo/squid style jigs and of course strip baits dropped in these depths will all provide great numbers of snapper along with a plethora of other

Joel Sorensen caught this trophy-sized snapper from the shallows on a soft plastic.

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mixed reef species schooled up together to take for a great feed. Some nice pearl

perch along with teraglin are a welcome by-catch whilst fishing these same depths. Quality electronics such as a GPS/sounder and even an electric motor with an anchor lock function makes finding and staying on these deeper water fish much easier. I’d expect the XL size kingfish to become more prolific over this month. Of course, we have a staple population all year round, but traditionally we see some better numbers of 1m+ kingfish through our winter months and into springtime. Topwater stickbait lures and big knife jigs are a great way of tempting one of these bigger fish, and a live bait dropped to marked fish on the sounder on a downrigger is irresistible. ESTUARIES AND BEACHES Bream and luderick are continuing to be found in good numbers along the rock training walls

in all our river systems. Both bait and lure fishos are getting good results fishing prawn and crab style baits or lures for bream. The resurrection of luderick fishos is on the rise, with plenty of younger anglers taking up the art form lately. Even some keen fly fishos have been spotted in numbers trying to tempt a few on the magic wand around the Coffs Coast, which is great to see. The shallow sand flats and deepwater edges are holding good numbers of flathead and whiting, although it can be hard to tempt them into biting a lure after the first few hours of daylight. I believe this is due to the crystal-clear water pushing into the lower reaches of our estuaries, making the fish flighty. A stealthy approach will help; try longer casts and a longer fluorocarbon leader. It also helps to

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Sally Taylor with a plastic-munching trevally from the Bellinger River.

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explore these rivers. To be honest, if you catch some bass it’s just a bonus. We are still having a good run of tailor and salmon on the beaches and headlands. There’s also the chance of a snapper making an appearance if you are in the right place at the right time. Off the headlands, some great-sized mulloway have been taken recently. Paddle-tail plastics and shallow diving crankbait lures around the 6” size work well to mimic a mullet or tailor in the washes. Be sure to upgrade the hardware to handle these big, powerful fish. And of course your line and leader will need to handle some serious abrasion, so a leader and line class around 60lb+ is necessary. Until next month, cast like there is no tomorrow and retrieve like you have all the time in the world.

Luke Tinson with a nice night-time tailor.

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drift or electric motor into the area a little slower and stealthier than usual. In the mid sections and deeper waters of the estuaries you have a good chance of a river mulloway. They love to come in at this time of the year and chase the mullet, bream and luderick. September marks the official open of the NSW bass and estuary perch season, and the Coffs Coast is spoiled for options when it comes to our native Australian bass. These fish can be found from the upper reaches of the Macleay River around Kempsey in the south all the way up to the north on mighty Clarence River and all its tributaries. The landscape and terrain these rivers run through are something special. Grab a few friends and the family, get yourself a canoe or some kayaks, and go and

An Australian bass caught by the author.

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NSW

It’s all about the tailor COFFS COAST

Rob Taylor

Are lockdown restrictions still on? If they are, no-one has told the tailor about it. Nor do the tailor schools seem to be aware of social distancing rules as every beach gutter, rock ledge and island wash is currently a tailor hotspot. Pretty much any type of metal

hottest tailor spinning action this year. As well as tailor, the beaches and headlands have been yielding winter whiting and bream, and a 50lb jew was taken from a local beach a few days before this report was written. In the saltwater reaches of the local creeks and rivers there have been some good catches of flathead and bream for those willing to

500m line, a spattering of solid yellowfin have been taken, with fish between 30-50kg taken either cubing or fast trolling pushers and jet heads. Looking ahead, plenty of good fishing is on the cards for those keen enough to take on the last of this year’s cold starts. Estuaries will be producing plenty of bream and luderick, and some solid flathead will also be moving about the lower reaches. Drifting or wading the shallow flats is the best way to target these fish as they seek the warmth of the sun in the shallows. Hardbodies, 2-3” grub or paddletail plastics, and even surface lures will entice lizards in just 1-2ft of water. Although whiting are somewhat scarce, their absence is more

Gavin Hackett with a solid land-based red. Anything can turn up off the rocks at this time of year.

Luderick are a reliable target throughout September. Look to the headlands, rock walls or the local marina for a bag of these battlers. lure, from old faithfuls such as Tobies and Twisties to modern Raider shapes, will produce fish if cast into white water and retrieved at a medium to quick pace. Fish sizes range from 30cm choppers through to horse greenbacks, with recent weeks seeing some of the

SEPTEMBER 2021

put some time in. Offshore is all about snapper at this time of year, with some solid fish coming from both the shallow and deeper reefs. Trag and pearlies have also been taken by those anglers prepared for frosty starts before sunrise. Further out around the

The author with a solid tailor taken off the rocks. It has been a bumper year for choppers.

than compensated for by excellent numbers of bream, which will take both lures and baits without hesitation. Lightly-weighted fresh yabbies are a certainty when chasing bream. Most of the rock walls of the bigger local systems have good catches of luderick and this will continue during the winter. As always, cabbage, hair or even flies will get a bite out of a luderick. The Coffs marina is always a sure bet for a catch of blackfish too. On the headlands and beaches, it’s going to be tailor, tailor, tailor as the hot bite shows no signs of abating just yet. If you do tire of spinning tailor, some good drummer, groper and of course, bream, are also feeding in the wash zones. Avoid any sand in the wash if you are targeting drummer and groper, and remember to hang on as both these fish are tanks and don’t like

NSW

being caught. For a real tussle, some big mulloway are also cruising the beach gutters and rock washes. Live baits such as yellowtail or legal tailor, or dead baits such as tailor strips/heads or even blackfish will put you in with a chance of a silver ghost. The mulloway are ranging in size from 8k-20kg+, so fish heavy to avoid disappointment. Off the rocks the secret

fraternity of jewfish spinners will be busy throwing Croakers, Joliffes and big plastics into the washes, hoping for that big hit right at their feet. As always, fish the moon and tides for a chance at a jewfish of a lifetime. Longtail tuna have all but gone but the ever-present mac tuna will still take a floated live bait for those having LBG withdrawals as the long wait for

summer kicks in. Offshore and it’s a favourite time of year for many boaters and kayakers alike. For the yak brigade, the next month will be all about snapper in the shallows. Paddlers braving icy waves over the yak will be rewarded with some potentially trophy snapper over the next few months, and there’s no need to paddle too far; some exceptional fishing will fire on the

September means one thing for the local kayak brigade: big snapper in the shallows.

inshore reefs, and for those quiet enough, 5m and deeper is the place to start. The old faithful Gulp 7” Jerkshads or ZMans in colours such as blue pepper neon, nuclear chicken and white will find fish. Boaties will also have a ball on the snapper with before dawn starts, and solid berley trails and float lines are the way to go for some epic sessions. If float lining is not your thing, drifting over reef and gravel patches while working plastics will also produce. Just remember that engine noise will ruin a session in the shallows. Heading deeper to the 40m-50m line will also be worth a look. Pearlies and other welcome bycatch will mix in with the snapper in the deeper stuff. Don’t forget the islands this month as the Light will hold some big hoodlum kingfish, big tailor in the wash and snapper on the surrounding reefs. The Solitary group can be temperamental targets at this time of year, but if you time it right it’s mixed bag heaven. Finally, this month is not a complete write-off for the game fishing fraternity as some solid yellowfin will still be feeding out wide if you can find the bait. Good luck and tight lines!

Grant Slender with a cracking snapper caught out of Swansea last month.

SEPTEMBER 2021

NSW

Bass season opening THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

September 1 and I know where my boat will be… yep, bass season. There is always something special about the opening of a season. True, you can still fish for them in off season, but I

is shaping up very nicely for some quality fishing in the Macleay, Maria and Wilson rivers. As is typical with bass, there will be many ways to tempt a bite. Surface lures, spinnerbaits, hardbodies and soft plastics all produce, but early in the season look for fish still hanging in the brackish sections. Sometimes

well, with flathead, bream, luderick and mulloway all worth trying for. Some great flathead have been caught from the break wall all the way up to Rawdon Island. Casting hardbodies or plastics along the edges has produced good numbers, and if you are looking for mixed bags of fish it is still worth casting a soft vibe along the walls and deeper sections because bream and flatties have been willing. Jewfish have still been good downriver, and now with the bait moving back up through the system some good fish have been caught upriver. Scott Campbell recently got a surprise capture while fishing for mulloway a fair way upriver. His lure got absolutely smacked, making Scott think he had a very good mulloway on. It turned out to be a 72cm snapper, and believe me,

Matt got his PB mulloway measuring 108cm in the Hastings. and took some pics of this awesome fish. The luderick have continued to hang around, although some days they seem patchy. Still, if you put in the effort you can usually grab a feed. The town wall, Settlement Point Road and the north shore near the coal wall have been good areas. September also sees the

river’s water temperatures start to increase. This can sometimes be the month we can start getting whiting

Plomer. From what I’ve heard, leatherjackets have been a bit painful, so be prepared for this and have

Scott Campbell got the surprise of his fishing life catching this great snapper in the Hastings. prefer to wait or hit a dam and let the wild bass do their thing. Let’s face it, these Aussie icons have taken a fair beating in the last two years, with fires and floods affecting them. The good news is these fish are extremely adaptive and resilient to the conditions, and this season

schools can be found, and by casting a soft vibe into these you can catch lots of angry bass. The region’s weather is usually good at this time of year, with pleasant temperatures that make for great days on the water. The Hastings River has been fishing exceptionally

Mandy is looking forward to the start of bass season.

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Ryan Ford has been getting some decent flathead recently.

more consistently. It will depend on water temps, but a few weeks of warmer daytime temperatures will get the shallow flats firing, and if the whiting turn up then you can count on a few big flatties in the area. The offshore scene has been alive with plenty of snapper action using both baits and lures. The southern grounds to Cathie have been good, as has the grounds off Point

plenty of gear. Beach fishing for tailor has remained strong, with plenty of good catches. This could taper off this month but at present it is still fishing well. Bream numbers have been good, and some of the flathead catches from the beach fishos using lures has been exceptional. September really is the month to dust off the winter blues, get out on the water and enjoy!

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SEPTEMBER 2021

The author managed to get lucky on this mulloway that was part of a night-time double hook-up.

NSW

Opportunities open up FORSTER

Luke Austin

ASeptember is an amazing month here in the wonderful Great Lakes! The days really begin to warm up now

concentrate on the deeper areas up around Regatta Island and Green Point. Their bigger cousins the sand whiting have really started to wake up as well. It’s amazing how closely entwined sand whiting activity and prawn activity

Leroy with a cracking September kingfish. and there are loads of fishing options to pursue. Our incredible estuary is really starting to produce the goods and most anglers have well and truly waved the winter fishing options goodbye! The local flathead have been an absolute delight lately with both bait and lure anglers finding plenty of fish. Drifting the sand/ weed banks and drop-offs with whitebait, bluebait, prawns and pilchards has been working a treat for the bait fishers, and most fish caught have been perfect for the table (40-50cm). For the lure tossers, 3-4” paddle-tailed soft plastics and soft vibes have been accounting for most fish, with the odd really nice fish falling for big surface offerings. There are more and more reports rolling in now from the trumpeter whiting fishers. The fish are still very spread out but those anglers with a decent sounder will find more than enough to make up a nice feed. If you want to have a go at these tasty little guys,

seem to be. One local angler recently noticed a fair few prawns flicking on the surface so he stopped and tossed a Sugapen about which quickly resulted in six very nice fish heading home for dinner! Bream numbers are gradually improving up the lake with some great bags of fish coming from the rivers and weed beds. The tributaries seem to be holding the better fish now, while the schools calling the weed beds home are a little on the small side. The rock walls continue to hold loads of big fish, which can be targeted very easily around the high tide. They eat absolutely any kind of bait you choose to throw at them and are also absolute suckers for small, well-presented soft plastics such as the Ecogear Aqua Prawn or Gulp Crabby. The Paddock is also holding some very nice fish at the moment, which are easy enough to fool with an unweighted bait. However, pulling them out of the oyster racks is the ultimate challenge! Mixed in with the bream have been some very respectable silver trevally up around the 2-3kg mark as well as the odd tailor. We have had an insane luderick season this year, with loads of fish and great quality. Unfortunately, they will really start to taper off this month as they spread back out. If you are keen to keep chasing them, try the oyster leases throughout

September longtails are rare but a real possibility! the bottom of the estuary and Breckenridge Channel, but don’t be surprised if the average size of the fish is a fair bit smaller than we have had of late. Our local beaches have fished very well this winter, and the fishing should only get better and better as things start to warm up. While there haven’t been any outstanding reports coming in lately, just about every trip down onto the sand has resulted in a nice mixed bag of bream, whiting, tailor and salmon. There have also been plenty of school mulloway cruising the beaches to the south of town, and they are absolute suckers for a wellpresented beachworm bait. The local rock ledges have been very busy lately. Drummer and bream remain fantastic with the odd blue groper mixed in with them. The rocks down around Pacific Palms have been

particularly fruitful and are also holding some nice tailor in the washes. It’s an interesting time along the coast at the moment as there’s a lot of bait already holding in close and the water temperature is still a very respectable 19°C or so, so as well as tailor there could be all sorts of predators cruising the rock ledges including kingfish, tuna and even cobia. Offshore fishing can be a little hit and miss this month. Some boats will go out and have amazing sessions, while others will struggle to turn a reel! The shallow water snapper fishing has been very consistent with a lot of nice fish caught on soft plastics. The usual spots have all produced fish, with Dennis Shoals being the standout. I have had reports of big fish being caught up there right up until 11am some days.

The deeper reefs have been interesting; on a positive note, the leatherjackets seem to have thinned out considerably, but unfortunately good numbers of quality fish are yet to re-settle in their place. Having said that, the boats that have been willing to travel about and find the fish have managed to land some nice mixed boxes of snapper, pearl perch, trag, morwong and flathead in 45-80m. • Luke is the owner of Great Lakes Tackle - your ‘local’ bait and tackle store. They only sell the best brands and offer sound, friendly advice on where you can go to land your next trophy fish while visiting the wonderful Great Lakes region! Great Lakes Tackle is open 7 Days in the main street of Tuncurry, ph: 02 6554 9541 or find them on Facebook to see what they have been up to!

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NSW

Warmer sessions on the beach PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

Spring sparks the start of some fantastic fishing over the coming months as both the weather and water warms. In the estuary as the water temp spikes so will the flathead action up the rivers, with Tilligerry, Karuah and the Myall all great places at this time of year to get stuck into them. Soft plastic lures and hardbodies around 100mm are the most effective ways to target them. Focus your efforts in areas such as the edges of structure meeting sand or mud, and the mouths of feeder creeks and drains, especially on the run-out tide. Quality bream fishing will also be had in the bay around the rock walls and oyster racks between Soldiers Point and Tea Gardens for both lure and

bait fishers. High tide will be the best time target them, and if you’re bait fishing you’ll maximise your chances by fishing lightly weighted baits down a berley trail. Mullloway are another fish that loves spring inside Port Stephens, and the Karuah River bridges as well as Oyster Cove wharfs are a great place to find them. Soft vibes, lures or live baits fished on the tide changes around dawn and dusk should get results. The increasing temperatures shouldn’t slow the luderick fishing down too much yet, with good catches still coming from the Nelson Bay rock wall and Anchorage rock walls as well as Little Beach and Tomaree Torpedo Tubes. Squid are turning up after dark in good numbers around the lights reflecting on the water near Little Beach boat ramp, with 1.5-2.0 sized jigs working

best. The ever-productive Shoal Bay moorings are also holding squid, as are the weed beds along Jimmys Beach, with 2.5 size jigs working best there. BEACHES Some quality mulloway to an impressive 20kg have been coming from the southern end of Stockton Beach, with fresh squid or live yellowtail the gun baits. Some cracking bream are also getting along the ocean beaches such as Stockton, Samurai and Fingal Spit. Live worms or pipis are by far the most effective baits to catch them on, and you will also be rewarded with the odd cracker whiting doing this too. Tailor have been in good numbers on late afternoon high tides along Box Beach and Fingal. Whole pilchards or garfish rigged on gang hooks or 30g metals are the best way to fish for them. ROCK FISHING Off the rocks the fishing is still great. Winter species

are hanging around, with quality drummer being caught in the white water from Fingal Bay down to Rocky Point. Their smaller cousins the luderick have also been holding in the calmer bays, especially when there is a bit of swell on. Areas around Boulder Bay have been fishing best. Outside the heads the snapper are still on the chew with a heap of nice fish to 6kg coming from anglers fishing plastics around the Edith breaker lure-only zone. Light jigheads are the key, with 1/4-3/8oz jigheads working best combined with 5-7” jerk style plastics. If you’re bait fishing for snapper, try fishing the shallow reefs under 30m of water around Broughton Island. Fish late afternoons and early mornings using unweighted baits. Further offshore, Almark Mountain has been fishing well for kings on live baits and knife jigs, yielding fish to 10kg. Yellowfin are certainly worth a shot at this time of year wide of the shelf

Snapper are still in good numbers. This one was caught inside the bay. line. Trolled hardbodies such as Rapala X-Raps or Halco Laser Pros work well or, if you think you have located a high percentage area, old-fashioned drifting and cubing with pilchards is another proven method.

Finally, always have heavy 80lb casting rod rigged up with a stickbait ready to go to as you won’t want to miss the opportunity if you happen to come across any surface feeding action.

Champing at the bit SWANSEA

Jason Nunn

Some quality tailor are on the chew from the ocean beaches.

Port Stephens Estuary Charters

At the moment we are seeing luderick in big numbers, as their spawning gets into full swing. Some of the schools are 100 fish or better, and there are some really big fish amongst them. Many fish around 45cm are being caught, and one local angler caught a 55cm fish, which I’d estimate to be around 6lb. The morning before I wrote this report, I went for a walk before work and there were hundreds of luderick along the edge of the channel rolling on their sides and mingling. The spawning activity is great to see because it augurs well for future recruitment. Most anglers when they get onto

the fish have had no problem getting their bag limit of 10, but success isn’t always guaranteed. On one recent trip we caught a couple but missed a lot more. We were using cabbage weed, and the fish were grabbing it and pulling it sideways and down, but weren’t particularly aggressive. As September progresses, wire weed will probably work a bit better – provided restrictions ease enough for anglers to gather it. Another popular target in Swansea channel and the surrounding areas is Australian salmon, which are gathering in big numbers to spawn. Some of the schools around Moon Island along the beaches are truly massive, and this will continue all through September. Before

restrictions tightened, there were a lot of fish caught in the channel around the 2kg mark, with a few 2.5kg specimens in the mix. One of our staff members, Alex, went down to Salts Bay and did a video on catching a couple off the rocks, and you can watch it on YouTube by searching ‘Fisherman’s Warehouse Tackle World’. We also upload videos to our website and Facebook page, including a weekly fishing report each Thursday/Friday. We also pass on the latest information on COVID restrictions and how they affect anglers. In the lake, we’ll start to see the flathead on the move this month. These fish have been holding up in the bays

ens estuary system the beautiful Port Steph signed g charter that can be de hin fis ter wa lm ca a th wi family bait fishing to to suit your needs from hing anglers. hardcore lure and fly fis

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SEPTEMBER 2021

Kai Axisa caught this Australian salmon in Salts Bay.

To page 59

NSW

Springtime strategies CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley

It’s always great to see the start of a new season, especially when it’s also the beginning of warmer weather and brings the promise of better fishing. Hopefully this is what September will deliver and

However, there are still fish around and they do have to eat. As mentioned last month, salmon are very much a common customer at this time of year, and they’ve been hanging around our neck of the woods in typically solid numbers lately. In fact, this month it’s pretty much a sure bet that they’ll be along our main

Baits suspended under a small float, fished close in around the rocks this month should entice a few bream. Of course, luderick and drummer are also very possible. after all the westerly winds and extended lockdown we’ve endured here, we could certainly do with some better times. Make no mistake though, fishing can still be tough this month, as those westerly winds normally persist for a while yet. Westerlies flatten out the seas, which at first glance may look good, but the fish aren’t so agreeable when the ocean is so flat and calm, with an absence of whitewash around the rocks and along the beaches. From page 58

and deeper areas for most of winter, and now they’ll start to spread all throughout the lake, particularly the northern end, into the shallower water. As the weather continues to warm we’ll start to see more prawns moving into the system, and the flathead will feed on them. A few squid are also starting to turn up, and there have been some nice mulloway getting caught too. September is traditionally the peak time to catch mulloway, because it’s when many of them move from offshore into the estuary. The most popular methods are bait fishing, vibing and using soft plastics, but you can also get good results on deep divers, with the added benefit of a bycatch of tailor. Soon we should start to see a reappearance of a lot of sand whiting, and their numbers will build as spring progresses. We probably won’t see a prawn run until around October, but you might see a few fluffing around the shorelines

beaches and headlands and very catchable through the month. Still though, if you want to hook into a few it’s far better to fish a rising tide early in the morning or later in the day and into the night. With the sambos also come sharks, tailor and jewfish, so if a big mob of salmon has moved into a gutter at the beach there’s a very good chance that around sunrise or sunset some of these predators may move in. Generally, when larger sharks are around the salmon through September. That will spur on the summer species like bream and whiting. Tailor traditionally gather in numbers to spawn in September, before they leave the estuary and start to move offshore and along our coast. There have been

become less likely to feed, as they effectively become baitfish themselves! Of course, many local anglers don’t want the salmon, so is it possible to avoid them? Well the obvious way to avoid them is not to fish the rocks or beaches in the first place. Realistically though, I would suggest two things. One is to fish the rocks or from a beach adjacent to rocks, with baits like bread, cunje, crabs or green cabbage, which gives you a better chance of attracting species other than salmon. There are still fish like bream, snapper, groper, drummer, silvery trevally and luderick around at this time of year. Another strategy is to present smaller baits closer to your feet. By this I mean close in around the rock ledges or by casting baits just behind the shore dump at the beach. This is more the domain of foraging species like bream, as salmon tend to

Despite all the wind lately, there has been a sprinkling of excellent weather. This is when you’ve got to drop everything and go fishing, because tomorrow may not be so good! Spring is typically unstable and less predictable than other seasons. stay a bit wider out. FLATTY TIME Back inside calmer waters, flathead commonly spark up during September and become more active as the weather and water temps gradually warm. You can certainly run into a flathead

If you can pick the right day, expect a few luderick to be hanging around the local rock ledges this month. quite a few tailor around the 50cm mark caught lately, and they’ll probably hit their peak around mid-September before disappearing for a few months. In August we were seeing quite a few kingfish taken offshore, and some nice snapper on inshore reefs.

Salmon have been hitting a range of lures.

One of our local anglers Grant Slender caught a 72cm snapper recently on the inshore reefs. For our local waters that’s an excellent red, and Grant was stocked with it. He caught it on a floating half pilly bait down a berley trail, which is a reliable way to catch them, unlike soft plastics which don’t work as consistently. It’s always a good idea to float a bait out the back if you’re flicking plastics up the front. Finally the yellowfin turned up… and then we couldn’t access them because of COVID restrictions. After waiting for these fish all year, the offshore ban was hard to bear after we had seen the tuna smashing through the hordes of sauris, and taking lures with gusto. COVID rules are in a near-constant state of change, so I recommend following us on Facebook to keep abreast of what’s allowed and what isn’t. Hopefully restrictions will ease soon. There have been some good catches of yellowfin off Swansea in recent weeks, with most around 30-40kg. There have been a few bigger fish in

anywhere around Brisbane Waters, Tuggerah Lakes and Lake Macquarie. However, I would definitely be concentrating more around Patonga, Ettalong, Woy Woy, The Entrance and in the lower sections of our feeder creeks, around Tacoma or East Gosford for example. Because the water is still cool at this time of year it means that flathead, although keen to eat, aren’t as aggressive as they may be during the warmer months. So although I would always suggest using lures like soft plastics and sinking vibes for them, I would also strongly suggest keeping retrieves slow, with plenty of pauses along the way. We are very much spoilt for choice when it comes to suitable flathead lures these days, but I’m a very firm believer in white or light-coloured softies around 75-100mm in length. Thin, slinky sort of the mix too, reaching 70kg+, and we’ve also had reports of bluefin up to 80kg and the odd marlin. In September we should see some more good catches if the currents are still favourable. If you’re like most anglers and live further than 5km from the water, now is an excellent time to do those jobs you’ve been putting off for months, or even years. We’ve had customers tell us they’ve been doing jobs they’ve been putting off for 5-10 years, such as sorting out a cluttered shed, and that it feels good to finally get that stuff done. A good place to start is to go through your tackle boxes and discard any old rusty hooks and other busted terminal tackle. Put new split rings on, new trebles, get them cleaned up and ready to go. And after that’s done, I recommend organising your tackle to make things easier when you’re about to hit the water. Grab a permanent marker and give the different boxes labels such as ‘Flathead Lures’, ‘Tailor Lures’, ‘Squid Jigs’ etc. This task can actually

plastics are hard to go past for flathead, but any of the prawn imitations are also highly effective. Right through the winter months I’ve encountered some quality bream around the lakes. This, combined with the fact that we had floods earlier in the year, could indicate we are in for a good time lure casting for bream in the coming months. If you’re keen on bream, keep an eye on the weather. The big key at this time of year is warmth and basically, the warmer the better. So if some hotter days start creeping in early in the season, polish up your bream gear and get out there. All in all, fishing looks quite promising for the month ahead. The main things we need are some warm weather, a few calmer days and most importantly, no further lockdowns and COVID restrictions! be quite enjoyable, and it makes life a lot easier. If you have a boat, do a safety audit; make sure the flares are in date, your torch batteries aren’t corroded/flat, your instrumentation and lights are working, and so on. If you can’t do the maintenance yourself, start look at servicing requirements. And remember, we’re all in this together and we’ll get through it. • Fisherman’s Warehouse Tackle World has a large range fresh and frozen bait as well as a huge range of rods, reels, lures and accessories. They also sell and service outboard motors, and have a 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 give them a call on (02) 4945 2152. You can also find them on Facebook, or check out their website at www. fishermanswarehouse.com.au. SEPTEMBER 2021

NSW

Kickstart to hotter weather ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke

It’s been trying over the past few months with all these lockdowns and restrictions in place. You can only fish alone or with immediate family you live with, and you can only fish your very immediate local government area. I am lucky in that I live only a few minutes from the boat ramp and have great beaches and rock ledges right at my doorstep. Any estuary fishing is out though because they are beyond my allowed travel distance, so any trips to the lake or Minnamurra are on hold at the moment.

A lot of western Sydney people fish in the Illawarra these days, so you would think it would be quiet on the water with fewer people about but not so; there were droves of anglers from the west descending on the area in defiance of the lockdown rules and packing the boat ramps most with 3-4 anglers in each boat. You get to know the regulars who fish certain areas and where they come from, and this obvious flouting of the rules is pretty poor and not going to get us moving again. For those who can get out and about there are schools of salmon working the surface all along the coast from north of Stanwell park into the Nation Park

It is a good time for fly rod beginners to get a few fish too, as they are packed in large schools and feeding so enthusiastically that they will allow you to get in very close and often surround the boat when you stop to cast. These schools are not just salmon, with plenty of trevally travelling underneath grabbing any baitfish that make a dive for freedom. To catch these, it is simply a matter of allowing your lure to sink under the salmon and jig it back to the surface in short erratic jerks. Try not to let the lure get too close to the bottom to avoid the obvious snags, but also the Sargent Baker that seem to be under the schools in great numbers. They are

There are still a few snapper around on the local reefs if you put in the time. That said, it is sad to see over the past months the hub of virus lockdown has been western Sydney, with lockdowns and travel restrictions as the cases exploded in the area.

area, with the islands at Port Kembla and Bass Point around the crank shaft area putting on good shows of fish regularly. Remember small lures are a must for consistent results.

more than willing to grab a passing lure. If the surface action slows or the fish become too finicky as the sun gets higher, it is time to throw a few baits into the washes and

Raymond Parry with a lovely Murray cod caught at Lake Mulwala on a 1/2oz Obsession Spinnerbait.

SEPTEMBER 2021

bommies around the area. There are often a few straggler sambos lurking in the white water along with the odd tailor. Pilchards on ganged hooks work well in this situation, as do small pieces of pilchard on single hooks. These will not only pick up salmon and tailor, but will also score bream and trevally. If you have a few prawns handy they work well in the same situation, attracting the attention of some extra-large drummer at this time of the year. Still around the islands, and at Bass Point it is always worth the time to pick up a few live yellowtail or slimies before heading out because there are often a few yellowtail kings about under the salmon. These predators can’t resist a live bait cast into the surface activity and you will score the biggest salmon in the school on the livies. They are feeding on tiny baitfish, but a slightly larger live bait struggling in the mix always attracts attention. While all the surface action is going on, the fish that dwell closer to the bottom are getting a move on too. There are still a few snapper about if you put in the time and a bit of berley. They are out in the 30-60m water depth now with fewer fish over the shallow reefs. If you do berley the closer reefs you are more likely to get a feed of trevally, as they still seem to be almost everywhere at the moment. Flathead catches are starting to improve slowly, and next month should see them start to increase in size and numbers as we head into the warmer weather. At the moment there are enough out there for a feed if you work at it. No doubt those chasing the flatties will run into a few hook-stealing barracouta, as will the lure casters chasing the salmon. They fight alright on light line and aren’t that bad on the plate if you don’t mind picking through bones. Mowies are in the spotlight at the moment as some good catches of these popular fish have been made in recent weeks. Prawns and squid strips seem to be the preferred baits. Using these baits you also stand a good chance of scoring a few succulent black-spot pigfish, which have been about in good numbers of late. There are still quite a few leatherjackets over the reefs, along with the good old ever-reliable sweep and some good-sized calamari squid over the close-in shallow reefs during the early mornings and late in the evening. If you are putting a little

By far the most prolific species this month is the silver trevally. bit of berley out over the next few months in the hope of a snapper or a few trevally, particularly over the deeper reefs, don’t be too surprised when the little makos start showing up at the back of the boat as it is that time of the year again. Remember they are very powerful and if handled carelessly and not treated with respect by inexperienced anglers it could lead to some grief, but I suppose it’s one way to get experience. Every year someone has the inside of their boats trashed when they gaff a little mako swimming in the berley and drag it straight into the boat. A mako may look small in the water but a 25-40kg specimen pulled straight into the boat can do some serious damage to any gear within reach of its thrashing tail, and the pointy end is a weapon too. Anything over 40kg needs respect. If you don’t want them around, a bonk on the nose with the blunt end of the gaff usually sends them packing. It could be worth a trip to the shelf to have a look for yellowfin tuna and albacore. There have been a few small fish about and a few better fish usually show up this month. While there were some great fish about at the start of winter, we pretty much missed the southern blues due to lockdown restrictions, so the best bet is to keep your ears open for any reports and then make a trip at the earliest possible convenience. Gemfish should be about on the canyons off Kiama and Stanwell park, so if the tuna don’t show a bit of deep dropping might save the day.

Back on the beaches, things are slowly coming out of hibernation as a few bream, tailor and salmon start to show an interest in pilchards and cut fish baits on the southern beaches. The northern beaches have been a bit on the quiet side. The odd mulloway is about but they too are a bit patchy at the moment. They should start to increase in numbers towards the end of the month, particularly down around the southern end of Coniston Beach. The rocks are quiet with a few trevally, bream and drummer in the washes and a few salmon and more trevally on the deeper ledges, enough for a feed anyway. In the lake there are still some good bream to be had in the feeder streams, and judging by the numbers of people in yaks working these small waters with lures during the day on weekends, there must be a few fish about. For better results it could be worth spending time catching a few live prawns in the evening if there are any about, and cast them into the snags. Towards the end of this month we should see a few flathead start to show up in both the lake and Minnamurra, along with a few whiting. There could even be a few early prawns to feed the bream. That’s something to think about, while there are still a lot of nice blackfish along the weed beds in both estuaries taking both worms and weed. That’s it for another month. There is enough action around to keep the keen anglers busy and the not-sokeen interested and ready for next month’s kick-start into the warmer weather.

NSW

Hello sunshine and warmth! BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

I’m pretty glad to see September arrive. True, I go into August with positivity with the tuna on the run, snapper inshore, drummer off the stones, salmon on the beaches, cagey bream in the estuaries, and the chance of estuary perch

the bluefin either; good currents can have large schools of them show up anywhere along the coast. One of our most stable species would have to be snapper. They are a yearround fish, contrary to what some fishos believed in the past. Snapper can be caught all year round from the stones to the inshore reefs and further offshore. However, there

Micro jigging is as common as bait fishing these days. Georgia Poyner loves it. or even mulloway and squid. However, by the end of August I’ve pretty much had enough of winter. If there was ever a month that slaps you in the face, it’s August. If you would call a month rude, it’s August. And did August deliver? Well, yes and no. The eagerly awaited bluefin seemed to be quite elusive. Unfavourable currents, extremely cold, green water, COVID lockdowns and some windy days all combined to make it hard to find tuna. And although we have had a fairly mild winter once again with some glorious sunny days, it’s good to see the back end of the cold winter. So hello September, we love you! Now just show us some fish. One species that’s been going well for the last couple of years is yellowfin tuna and it made up for the patchy bluefin throughout August. September can see some larger models still getting around, but as spring progresses we usually start seeing more smaller sized school yellowfin. There have been a few albacore caught coming into spring, and some years there can be good numbers of them. Don’t rule out

are spawning periods where they school in big numbers, and it’s during spring where you can find large aggregating snapper. Out in the 60-80m depths off our coast is where you can find a lot of snapper throughout spring. There is some debate as to whether there should be a small closure on snapper during this period to help keep the numbers healthy. We have seen this in other parts of Australia, and a month or two here could be a good thing. Inshore reef fishing can become more popular throughout spring as the offshore fishing slows down. September, October and November are the months in between tuna and marlin season, and this means more offshore anglers focus on inshore snapper fishing. Anything can happen in spring, such as the odd big yellowfin or good run of school yellowfin, a good run of albacore, or a big school of bluefin could show up. It’s in the hands of the ocean and what it delivers, but we can always count on a good snapper run. The only way to know what offshore fishing has to offer in spring is to get out there. It can be very different from year to year. In September, fishing

Chambo, Stevo and crew found a couple of elusive blues.

from the stones is still very productive when you are chasing drummer, grouper and spinning for salmon and tailor. These good winter species are still a good option overlapping into spring. Squid fishing in the favourable clear winter water can go up a notch as they have a spawning period throughout spring also. When fishing from the stones you’ll start to enjoy that spring sunlight on your face as you take in the beauty of our coast. Another place out in the open where you can bask in the spring sunlight is on our pristine beaches. This year we had the pleasure of some patches of winter whiting, and it could be worth a try looking for them this month. However, it’s not usually until the end of spring until we see them showing up, taking lures off the surface at some of our more productive lakes that open to the sea at times. What you can really rely on is salmon and tailor along some of our main beaches, with the possibility of bream and trevally. Bream have seemed to have been found in good numbers and sizes at any given place over the last year or so, especially along the beaches. This month we should see our estuaries start to warm up towards the end of spring going into summer. When the sun starts heating up the shallows in the estuary, the waters start to come to life again. Late September is typically when the big flathead start waking up and laying around in the warmer patches of the sand

Rick Grinsmell and crew got a cracker 76kg tuna off the surface. flats. They have become a special target these days, with anglers chasing the big girls up to the magic metre mark with bigger and bigger lures. To make it more exciting, you can use large surface lures, seeking that big surface strike. Keen bass lovers will also be coming out of hibernation during spring, and they usually find a fish or few. So September is a bit of a lucky dip of a month. Although we are celebrating the change of season and the extra bit of warmth

from the sun, the fishing is much the same as in winter. This is mainly because the water temperature is always catching up to the air temperature, so it may be spring on the land, but it’s still very much winter in our waters. Good luck out there. • For more up-to-the-minute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

Andy Queck caught this Lake Jindabyne brown trout on a trolled Tassie Devil. SEPTEMBER 2021

NSW

Wallaga fires up BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Over the last several months the area received plenty of rain, so most of our estuary systems are in good shape for the upcoming season. Now with warmer temperatures, one such lake is heating up fast and is also starting to fire up big time: Wallaga Lake. In Wallaga Lake, places like Narara Creek, the entrance to Nelsons Bay and along the weedy, rocky western shoreline of the lake are prime areas. Here bream are fossicking for shrimp, prawns, crabs, worms and many more aquatic foods, and can often be seen with their tails protruding from the surface as they try to suck one of these delicacies off the bottom. This can provide an opportunity for anglers using either lures or bait to cash in on some exciting fishing. Those wishing to use lures may try small floating bibbed lures or poppers, placing their casts well past the fish they have spotted. Wriggle your lure on the surface to attract the fish’s attention before starting a retrieve which may result in a strike. Be prepared in the shallow, clear water to make many casts as you will possibly scare more fish than

you will hook. For those anglers who wish to use bait, nippers, prawns, worms or small black crabs randomly scattered over the area where these fish are feeding will often result in many a hook-up. To take the best advantage to gain as many strikes as possible, try light line around 1-2kg. A good hint is to use mono as it gives a bit of flex in the shallow water. There are other species there as well in the form of flathead, luderick, whiting or trevally, which are always a welcome by-catch while targeting the bream. Similar fishing can be

expected in the Bermagui River, and an added advantage here is that this system has many more shallow flats covered in nipper beds, and when flooded by the tide these beds provide a perfect habitat for fish to move over and feed. The same methods I’ve already mentioned will work here, however following the tide from the upper reaches downstream as it recedes off the flats can provide some good ambush angling along the edges where the shallow water drops off to the deeper. The use of live mullet in the river can often prove deadly for some very big early

Wallaga Lake is famous for mixed bags.

The western side of Wallaga Lake bridge is a popular flathead area.

season duskies. Another location often overlooked in our area is Cuttagee Lake, which again will be fishing much like Bermagui River or Wallaga Lake. This system is also loaded with small prawns which the fish are feeding on, and for those anglers wishing to chase prawns, start checking it out from October as these prawns should then be of catchable size. The cool offshore water has not done anything to fire up the beach scene, however our favourite stalwarts in the form of salmon are still patrolling the coastline in good numbers. Late season offshore westerly winds flatten the surf out and allow

Weather warms, flathead chew TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Now with the weather warming the estuary fishing is dramatically on the improve. Flathead can be found throughout the Bega River with the prime areas being in the shallows

up around Blackfellas Lake or Thompsons. These fish are likely to be around the weed beds in muddy areas where the warm water is starting to see some prawn activity beginning to happen. These prawns may only be small at the moment, but you can be assured by the following month they will be of reasonable size, thus resulting in the fish

getting even more active. Both lures and bait are working well on the flatties, and we can expect to see other species like estuary perch, bream, jewfish or whiting featuring in bags. Wondering further inland on the Bega River may also now see you finding some early season bass hanging around some of the many snaggy structures created following

The lakes near Tathra are all holding quality flathead. 62

SEPTEMBER 2021

anglers to sight schools of these passing salmon. Once located you can anticipate which way these fish are travelling, and a well-placed lure in front of the school will more often than not result in a strike. Several fish may be extracted from the school before it moves on, and you have to go in search of another. Bait fishing will also account for these fish, and may also entice other species travelling with the salmon, typically tailor or some very nice southern yellowfin bream. Most of the beaches with deep water frontage are holding these fish, and of a night if you wish to continue To page 63 (Bermagui)

the floods. Another lake well worth a look for flathead and other species is Wapengo Lake north, with its many shallow flats and oyster beds providing plenty of structure and food. If you visit this lake be sure to have a look down around the entrance on high tide as often schools of salmon may move in providing some excellent sight angling. Not only are these salmon visiting in the estuaries, they are the most predominant catch on the beaches in Tathra area at present. Gillards Beach, Tathra and Bournda Beach are the main areas these fish are being targeted, with plenty of fish being regularly captured. Offshore westerly winds are making it quite pleasant to fish the beaches where not only are the salmon active, other species like tailor, bream or a few whiting may also feature. And for those anglers wishing to brave the elements and fish What the Tathra region is renowned for: mega flathead. at night, there’s a good chance you’ll be rewarded with some around 20-30m of water you water depths. Areas like the excellent gummy sharks and can expect to catch reasonable main bay at Tathra, out from the occasional jewfish. numbers of sand flathead. Nelsons and Wapengo are At present offshore Mixing with them are likely the most productive grounds. flathead are starting to build to be gummy sharks or red Pushing out to the deeper in numbers, providing some gurnard to provide a bit of water is where the tiger excellent opportunities for variety. These same species flathead are starting to arrive anglers to achieve their bags. will also be found north of in larger numbers. Depths Down south off Bournda in Tathra in and around the same To page 63 (Tathra)

NSW

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

INTUITIVE CONTROL

Quality bream can be found throughout Wallaga. From page 62 (Bermagui)

you can encounter some nice gummy sharks or the odd jewfish. Around on the stones, things are also pretty quiet with the cool water, but you can expect similar fish like the salmon and tailor also visiting here, while your other regular rock species like drummer, luderick, trevally or groper are still providing some good angling early morning or late afternoon. Out at sea that cool water is still playing a role, although things are definitely on the improve, especially for the reef anglers. Out from most beaches in around 20-30m of water you will From page 62 (Tathra)

like 40-70m or beyond is where you will find the better-quality fish, usually adjacent to any reef structure. Here again the best area is probably down out from Bournda. Once located you may easily be able to fill your bags, although I expect them to be slow in early spring. As the temperatures increase, so will the fishing action. Whilst out at sea if the flathead fishing is slow you may want to try the reefs out from White Rock south

find reasonable numbers of sand flathead, gummy sharks or red gurnard. Out further on the reefs, especially south of Bermagui, regulars in the form of snapper, morwong, ocean perch, nannygai or pigfish are a constant catch for anglers. These reefs usually start in around 40m of water and can continue out to around to 70-80m in areas like the Twelve Mile Reef. Joining these species on the Twelve Mile have been some very large Tassie trumpeter, and tiger flathead are also starting to show up just off the edges of all these reef systems. These flathead should start featuring more consistently in anglers’ bags

as we enter further into the spring weeks. Out wider, anglers fishing with electric reels are still finding those lovely, tasty deepwater fish. Species like ling, blue-eye trevalla, cods, hapuka and gemfish are all on the short list, with the most popular area being the Bunga Canyons. While you’re out in the deep there is always a chance of some early season tuna in the likes of albacore, southern blue or a stray yellowfin, with the possibility of schools of stripies starting to show. This means anglers will need to be vigilant, and if these fish show you can take advantage on what’s on offer.

of Tathra or up north out from Aragunnu or Goalen Head. Here some late season snapper may still be on offer, and mixing with them will be the regulars like jackass and blue morwong, ocean perch, nannygai, leatherjacket, pigfish and wrasse. For those wishing to push even further afield to the reefs on the edge of the Continental Shelf, most of these species will also be available and of recent times mixing in has been some very big tassie trumpeter. If you really want to

be adventurous and you have the use of electric reels, try going out to the deep water of the Tathra Canyons. There are lots of tasty deep-water fish on offer in the form of blue eye trevalla, hapuka, ling, ocean perch, gemfish and alfonso. While chasing these species you may also like to put in a berley trail as there is a fair chance there may also be a mako lurking. If you are unable or don’t like going offshore, there are other ways to catch flathead. Sand flathead can often be captured from the Tathra Wharf. Big, long raking casts out from the Wharf with strip baits in combination with heavy sinkers will often produce small to mid-range fish. While on the Wharf other species may also turn up, with resident populations of yellowtail, mackerel, or trevally only too willing to eat a bait. Other species likely to be encountered here include passing schools of salmon, garfish, luderick close to the rocks or tailor at night. Around from the Wharf on the rocks, tailor, trevally and salmon are passing within range of anglers casting a lure or bait, while for those who wish to chase the more resident species like drummer, groper, blackfish or bream, there are plenty to be found amongst the suds.

Eastern blue spot, commonly called sandy flathead, are a popular offshore catch but can also be caught from the beach.

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NSW

Golden perch come out to play NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

As sad as it can be that the Murray cod season has come to a close in the rivers and impoundments for another year (excludes Copeton, Blowering and Eildon dams), it has shaped up to be one of the better seasons in many years. I am not just talking numbers of fish caught or the quality that has been

have had to battle harsh elements such as drought, algae blooms and even ash run-off from the bushfires. However, this season proved to be a whole lot easier for the fish species with little to worry them, except the odd flood from heavy rains, which sometimes can really only benefit them in the end anyway. Floods are good at flushing out debris, leading to cleaner, healthier flowing rivers in the end. And with recent rainfalls occurring of

Vibes work well on perch species at this time of year and are always recommended to have in the tackle box.

It has been another really good season on the Murray cod and, with rivers flowing nice and clear, it will be even better next year if the cod are left to do their thing.

Carp on fly is awesome fun and can make for some very exciting fishing while the cod are spawning.

targeting Murray cod in Pindari is prohibited from 1 September right through until 1 December, so if you are planning on fishing for cod, make sure you are doing it at Copeton. Golden perch, however, can be abundant in Pindari and are very fun fish to target, as well as the catfish and silver perch which

smaller baitfish at this time year. Smaller blades such as the Ecogear ZX, and vibe lures such as Jackall TNs, Megabass rattles and Mazzy Vibes work exceptionally well as both the weather and water temperatures start to

warm up coming into spring. With Pindari receiving lots of water from upstream after recent rainfalls, the dam filled rapidly and is now sitting up around full capacity at the 100% mark. It has been many years since the last time it was full. Copeton Dam also filled fairly quickly after rain events back in late July, however with a lot more ground to cover, Copeton is currently only sitting around the 63% mark and is still a long way from full capacity. The trout breeding

closure is still in effect in NSW, seeing a lot of rivers and creeks still currently closed until the October long weekend. This includes the Beardy, Mann and Swanbrook rivers as well as the Upper Gwydir, Macyntire and Severn rivers, just to name a few. Check the DPI website for more info if you are unsure. With the weather warming up quickly and the perch species firing up, it should shape up to be another cracking month to be out on the water. Good luck and tight lines.

The spring gold rush ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

Winter has finally come to an end, and coinciding with this is the end to the Murray cod season. You can’t target Murray cod

from now until December 1, with the exception of the few impoundments that do not have a season closure. With cod not being the focus for the next three months, it’s time to turn our attention to something else.

I’m predicting this spring to be an exceptionally good season for golden perch in both Lake Hume and the river locally. The past winter has been very wet, allowing plenty of water to fill

When dams are on the rise, new insect life is pushed up along the banks. Focusing on newly-flooded areas that are backed up with debris can increase your chances at finding active fish. caught all throughout the year, but more along the lines of conditions the rivers and fish have been in, compared to seasons gone by. In past years, the animals in and around the water 64

SEPTEMBER 2021

late, it’s all looking good just in time for the annual Murray cod and golden perch spawning period. Both Copeton and Pindari dams remain available to fishing activities, however

also call Pindari home. Casting smaller lures at this time of year is not only recommended to limit the cod captures being caught, but it will also increase the perch catches as they love to dial in on shrimp and

A decent sized Lake Hume trout, caught land-based. You don’t always need a boat to be in on the action.

To page 67

NSW

Chase confident fish at St Clair HUNTER VALLEY

Nick Price

The fishing in Glenbawn and St Clair is really picking up. With the warmer weather the water temperatures are rising and the fish are active, and they can be caught both on the edge and in the deeper water. When fishing the edge, plastics and jerkbaits are still the go-to lures. The fish on the edge are the

feeding fish and will be more accepting of a bait. Early morning and late afternoons in the low light conditions give the fish confidence to move to the edge. A windy day where there are small waves or ripples also changes the light as it refracts through the water and gives the fish confidence to move to the edge. I like to fish when there is a little bit of wind; it gives me confidence also! With the rising dams the water has inundated

How plastics are presented is the key! From page 66

Lake Hume. As I write this, Lake Hume is sitting at a beautiful 81%, and is still on the rise.

to late October, through to the end of November. However, you will start to pick golden perch up as early as the start of

thick vegetation and the fish are in this vegetation. I like to fish weedless. There are a few different ways I fish weedless, depending on what’s underneath the water. If the terrain is rocky then I go with a weedless ned head and fish something like a Daiwa Bait Junkie which floats, and I hop the plastic down the rocky edge. The ned head and floating tail help the plastic sit vertically, and it must look like a little feeding baitfish with its head in the mud. The bass love it. When fishing timber and weed I use a small 1/8oz or 1/6oz tungsten weight and a worm hook. Sometimes I peg the weight and sometimes I let it move freely. If fishing weed pockets I do not peg the weight as it allows the plastic to flutter down after the weight in a more natural fashion. I use any plastic that sinks, such as Sliders or Keitechs when fishing like this. I change the shape, length and colour of plastic often until I find what the fish are after. As talked about before, I will

always try a chartreuse as they work well in both Glenbawn and St Clair. The fish can also still be caught deep. Once the sun is up you should head deep, particularly if there is no wind. As per last month, fish plastics, ice jigs, blades or tail spinners. Find the fish on your sounder and then try different baits until you find what they are after. When looking for fish, go to deep water just off timber. The fish will often move out from the timber and sit in the shadow of the boat. Finding what they are biting on at that particular moment is the key! One of the best things about bass fishing in Glenbawn is the variety of techniques you can use to catch them. When fishing plastics there are many different ways the plastic can be presented, and how you fish them can be the difference between an average day, a great day and a fantastic day. We are lucky enough to have a local guide who not only was pre-COVID ABT Angler of the Year who

places, you just have to key into their behaviour and feeding patterns to really crack the code. They can be frustrating to catch sometimes because they can be finicky and short striking, but with some time on the water and trying different things you’ll be keyed in before you know it. Lake Hume usually fishes well across the whole lake. There are no real stand-out areas as such for me personally, however once you do find an area that is producing a few fish, generally there’s a reason for it and you will continue to get them there. A lot of the time it

can be a confidence factor, and at other times it can be obvious based off what is around for fish to feed on, for example, bait schools, creek run-ins or structure. Over the past few months, Lake Hume has also produced some fantastic numbers of trout. Most have been caught flat-line trolling, but some anglers have also had good results on the cast. There have been some crackingsized trout caught too; many locals are saying that it’s the best the lake has fished in years. It’s certainly shaping up to be a great spring, thanks to recent rainfalls. The whole area is beautifully green,

Going with a guide such as Fordey is not only fantastic fun but a great way to learn how to catch more fish. has won many bass and yellowbelly competitions, but more importantly he is a great down-to-earth country bloke. His name is Graham Ford and he runs Australian Inland Fishing Charters. If you are heading to Glenbawn and are struggling to catch fish, or just want to learn some new techniques, give Fordey a call. Fordey also works casually in the shop

Sight fishing for carp with minnows or small soft plastics is fun. During spring it’s not uncommon to see huge numbers of carp free swimming.

A snapshot of Bell Bridge, on Lake Hume. In this photo the lake is sitting at just over 80%. With such high levels, the lake should start to produce some fantastic numbers of golden perch, especially as it starts to get even warmer. My favourite time of year in Lake Hume for golden perch is mid

September if you’re willing to put some time and effort into finding them. Rising lake levels are always good for edge bites, and often you’ll pick up great numbers of these fish once you get onto them. Like many

so drop in and pick his brains (or mine) if you’re driving past. Next month I will focus on fishing the edge using spinnerbaits, and look at some of the different techniques and spinnerbaits to use. In the meantime, if you’re heading to Glenbawn or St Clair, you are welcome to drop in and ask about the different techniques.

Light spin rods are often the best choice for catching Lake Hume golden perch. It doesn’t hurt to sometimes back the leader weight down if the bite is tough.

and many small creeks are back flowing again after not flowing for quite some time! Over the past few months, COVID restrictions have made it very difficult for border residents to travel to fish. It’s been frustrating for all, and continues to be a challenge. As the law sits currently, we can still get out and fish, luckily. While we can’t travel great distances, it’s still better than being in full lockdown mode. At times, it’s small things such as being able to just go for a cast that we need to appreciate, so stay strong readers, and continue to dream about what’s to come. Tight lines! SEPTEMBER 2021

NSW

The best time to fish BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

You know it’s all about to happen when that wattle starts to hit full blossom. That’s right, it’s golden perch season and the beginning of

around structure. Blowering Dam is considered by many as the Windamere of the south due to its abundance of big golden perch which, just like Windamere, go nuts in spring. Blowering Dam doesn’t quite match Windamere for numbers but their size is at least on

month but it will be on the rise, and the golden perch will be seeking out any warm water that they can find. They will be sitting in the tops of trees early in the day, sunning themselves. Although they will bite during the morning, the best fishing is late in the day. This is when the water

With backdrops like this, it’s easy to see why most of us never hang up the trout gear. The greater Batlow area (the foothills of the Snowy Mountains) offers great trout fishing opportunities year-round. is at its warmest and the fish will be at their most active. At this time of the year it is very hard to beat the late afternoon bite, and the last hour of the day in particular is the best time by a long shot. Try to be on the water at this time for your best chances of hooking a few big, fat goldens. GOLDEN STRATEGIES This early in spring it pays to keep everything moving slow, and the slower the better. The best way to describe it is when

Golden perch will really start to fire this month and should be at the top of your target list. the best fishing to be had throughout the entire year. The spring season is by far the best season for fishing, especially in our impoundments. It’s not just the golden perch starting to fire after their winter doldrums; every other fish species present will also start to really fire up as that water and weather starts to warm right up. GOLDEN PERCH Golden perch will be on top of most anglers’ hit list this month, and with good reason – they are plentiful, often easy to catch at this time of the year and give a pretty good account of themselves, especially on light line or when fishing

par, and Blowering’s giant golden perch often get much bigger – and on top of that we get polaroiding opportunities which most other lakes don’t get. Being able to spot a big golden perch in crystal clear water is enough to get anyone’s adrenaline going, but when you actually get to watch them eat your offering it’s another experience again. So don’t be too deterred if you can’t make it all the way up to Windamere this year like the rest of the followers – instead, just get stuck into the XOS golden perch in Blowering. You may be surprised at just how good it can be. The water temperature will be still quite cold this

The trout fishing in our lakes is often exceptional at this time of the year, so why wait until the running water trout season opens? There’s good fishing to be had right now.

Is this big golden from Windamere or Blowering? You wouldn’t be able to tell with both lakes producing some of the best and biggest golden perch in the land. No matter which lake you decide to fish, spring is by far the best time to make a trip. 66

SEPTEMBER 2021

Insanity Tackle Yab blades and Ecogear ZX style, also work well as a yabby or shrimp imitation when slowly hopped along the bottom. Skirted jigs and plastics, both yabby and baitfish imitations, are also great lures to hop along the bottom in search of some gold. Baitos will find it very hard to beat a yabby or shrimp as these tasty morsels have been off the cards for so long that the natives are almost craving

you think you are going slow enough, slow down some more and you will be on the money. Rattling lipless cranks are always worth a shot early in the season because the fish haven’t been targeted with them for a while, and the fish will also be super hungry so anything that swims close enough to them will be eaten. Other lures that imitate yabbies or shrimp will be the best lures to use this month. Hopping lures to imitate crustaceans, especially rubber vibes like Jackal Mask Vibes, Berkley MF50s and Insanity Tackle Mini and/or Mega Vibes will be very hard to beat. Blades, particularly the

them. Keep the bait off the bottom with a paternoster rig as this prevents the yabby from burying itself in the mud or in a hole, and keeps the bait kicking around up in the fishes’ face all the time. This creates action and draws fish to your bait. Alternatively cast and retrieve your yabby actively like you would a soft plastic, rubber vibe or blade and watch your results skyrocket. All good bait anglers know that it is impossible to beat a moving bait. TROUT Trout anglers will be getting itchy feet as they await the opening of the running water trout season

at the beginning of the October long weekend. Rather than wait for the new season, why not dust off the trout gear now and go amongst some lake fish? There are so many lake options nearby including Blowering, Jounama, Tantangara, Eucumbene, Three Mile and Talbingo dams to name but a few. All of these lakes remain open whilst the streams and rivers are closed, so there is no real need to put your trout gear away at all. At this time of the year (and most of the year for that matter) the trout in these lakes can be easily targeted from the bank with either bait, lures or flies, which makes them accessible to anyone. Baitos do well with Powerbait at this time of year, but it is always hard to beat a wood grub when bait fishing for trout. Garden worms also work well, especially after any significant rain events. If you want to get the big numbers of trout when bait fishing it’s very hard to beat fishing with maggots (or ‘gents’ as they are politely referred to by some people). Berley the area you’re fishing with the maggots, and rig a couple of them on tiny hooks like the purposebuilt size 10 single egg hooks from Gamakatsu. Rig them on light line no more than 6lb – preferably 3-4lb – and if you have to add a sinker make it the smallest of sinkers possible for the area and conditions you are fishing. Keep your rod in your hand as much as possible because once the action starts it can get pretty full-on, and on a hot bite you will often find your bait doesn’t even get a chance to get to the bottom. So don’t sit around waiting for the season to open as you can see there are still plenty of great fishing options to be had, so dust off the gear and go get amongst them.

NSW

Winter still lingers LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

Calendars and seasons don’t always line up around these parts. Those Southern Ocean cold

and Wallerawang has had nowhere near the numbers of anglers it usually has over this winter period. Lockdowns have well and truly taken care of that. It’s unfortunate for out-of-town anglers, but a boon for local fishers, as the quality and

the close of the Murray cod season for most waterways. December 1st seems so far away. It’s been a different season that’s for sure, with rising water levels in the dams and fluctuating levels in the rivers and creeks. It’s

n Trout Hatchery e d a G

Gaden Trout Hatchery Gaden Trout Hatchery

Back in the day, lure fishing at Windamere was a shore-based activity. It still works, and sometimes if you’re not doing it you’re actually missing out.

See how premier sport fish are bred and raised! Jo Starling is no stranger to Windamere, and hasOpen an envious 10 am–4 pm daily. record of good captures there over the years.

8x3 Original

allGuided setting up well10 foram the and 2 pm. tours next two or three seasons. on selected days. Self-guided Resourcefultours anglers have still managed Small admission fee. to score some incredible fish, and there’s none better in my books than Andrew McGovern’s 135cm fish Rd) Gaden Rd (off Kosciuszko off Jindabyne. the bank, a 02 true6451 giant. It 3400 was nice to see it returned www.dpi.nsw.gov.au to the water by an angler with so much dedication and time invested in this big fish arena. Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, Thompsons Creek Dam has been relatively quiet in angling activity due to tight lines. COVID lockdowns. We can expect a rush of activity when restrictions ease.

ut Hatcher o r T n e d y Ga

Gaden Trout Hatchery Gaden Trout Hatchery See how premier sport fish are bred and raised!

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Guided tours 10 am and 2 pm.

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leaping fish * 4 species * aquaria, ponds, AV show * beautifulbreeding picnic–BBQ area * smoked trout sale * find out about for kids fishing workshops. *

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numbers of fish have been off the charts. Big rainbow trout in shallow oxygenated water can really turn it on, and in some cases it’s minutes between hook-up and coming to hand. As soon as lockdowns are lifted, I’m expecting a rush, so I’d get in early. Oberon Dam has had a renaissance when it comes to trout fishing. I’ve had quite a few reports of medium to small trout getting caught on a regular basis, which is great news. Full credit to stocking groups and tourism advocates for getting what was once a premier trout fishing destination back on the radar. Lake Lyell is well worth a visit at this time of year. Brown trout, although less frequent in the shallows than what they used to be (I’m not sure why), are still worth targeting. Bank walking is far and away the best approach. Spotting a trout and catching it are two very different things, but gosh it’s exciting. No two fish are the same. Some are very shy, and others will move metres to inspect your lure or fly only to turn away at the last second. You can improve your chances by using lighter, more natural presentations, soft landing and realistic colours. Fly anglers can have a ball, especially when all that’s needed is a bow-and-arrow cast to bridge the distance. MURRAY COD SEASON CLOSED September brings about

leaping fish * 4 species * aquaria, ponds, AV show * beautifulbreeding picnic–BBQ area * smoked trout sale * find out about for kids fishing workshops. *

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fronts can still have quite the effect on us as they push up along the Great Dividing Range. Lows can also form off the east coast of NSW, forcing moistureladen air upwards and over the range. Warmer days in the month of September can be counted on one hand, but it’s enough to get things kick started. Green shoots and wattle in full blossom can only mean one thing: the yellas will be on the chew. Windamere Dam will be on the lips of most avid freshwater fishers, and rightly so; its credentials as a golden perch fishery is second to none. That’s not to say it’s brilliant every day, far from it. Changeable weather at this time of year is a factor, but one of the biggest factors you need to adjust to at Windamere is fishing pressure. It’s less of an issue early in the spring season, but once things get up and moving you really need to be adjusting to suit. Things to consider are avoiding weekends, getting out of your boat, finesse fishing, finding places that don’t get hit as often, and using alternative lures or retrieves. Of course, you can avoid all of this and head to a different location altogether. Burrendong is totally underrated as a golden perch fishery, and I reckon if you’re after a trophy specimen it could be just the ticket. TROUT ARE ABOUT Thompsons Creek Dam (TCD) between Portland

Closed Anzac, Christmas, Boxing day.

PLEASE CALL TO BOOK

Gaden Rd (off Kosciuszko Rd) Jindabyne. 02 6451 3400 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au SEPTEMBER 2021

Canberra

ACT

Putting in the hard yards CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

At the end of August, the cod in Canberra did switch on, and for about a week, locals got their goodoo fix before closed season. Cod season 20/21 started so well but the steady rain through most of autumn and winter meant that the river stayed in flood for long periods, and the water clarity in the local lakes went from murky to almost non-existent. It will be a cod season remembered for all the wrong reasons, with COVID restrictions keeping most anglers off the water, and there were very few memorable moments. That said, while there weren’t many highlights, I do want to mention the 135cm cod Andy McGovern landed while walking the banks at a local impoundment. This fish was truly enormous and did encourage a number of anglers to seek out a few more fish in the final days of August. We now turn our

There was some late season cod action. which lead to the bridge. YERRABI POND Yerrabi Pond remains a good choice for anglers who are willing to put in

Hopefully the cod action in August bodes well for summer. door; I’m not sure why. I have never caught such a sickly-looking redfin out of LBG. If we get a run of warm days, the entrance to the Molonglo River will hopefully fire with large golden perch actively pursuing the bait in this area from mid-September. The walkway near Regatta

anglers started catching bulk 50cm+ yellas on a regular basis. However, since that time, those in the know have kept their

plenty of big fish on offer. Lake Ginninderra has been a source of frustration for me lately. For most of winter I was always able to count on this fishery to provide me with a fish or two each fortnight, but more recently I haven’t been able to convince anything to hit a lure. This could be because the water

The yellas at LBG remain in top condition.

The yellas are hard work but worth it. attention to spring, but with a large amount of rain predicted up until well into summer, things may not improve for some time yet. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin is hard work. I fish this lake weekly, and lately I have found it particularly tough. I would go so far as to say that the fish are almost completely shut down. Usually, I can find pockets of activity in a couple of regular haunts but even these spots have produced little action of late. I did pick up a redfin and small yellowbelly just before writing this report, and while the golden perch was in top condition, the redfin looked like it was at death’s 68

SEPTEMBER 2021

Point is also worth a look as the reddies tend to bunch up on the gravel beds looking for an easy meal. Lake Tuggeranong produced some decent cod at season’s end, and there have been a couple of solid reddies caught along with a few golden perch. As always, anglers using Livescope tech have fared the best by focusing their attention on feeding fish out in the middle of the waterway, and dropping blades and vibes next to the fish before jigging the lure up and down. Tuggeranong is always a good choice if you’re fishing in early spring, as it is possible to fish most of the waterway in an afternoon and there are

is especially turbid and cold. However, like Lake Tuggeranong, this smaller waterway is worth a crack as the golden perch grow to enormous sizes and respond well to plastics rigged weedless and hopped on the spot a few metres out from the sunken weed beds

the work for a big golden perch. This pond bucks the trend of the other local waterways, with anglers picking up nice redfin along with the XL sized yellas. This neat little fishery achieved cult status a few years back after several

We’re Australia’s

images off social media we’ve learnt one because it’s easy to identify a Yerrabi yella in a photo, Like – simple and pra due to the colouration of the andbackdrop. every model must fish and unique funhave day with your fam The goldens never stopped biting, despite whether you’re bu what social So media may we’ve got wha indicate, and Cabin a well-placed creature bait Without attachedany to of a the ex ned rig hopped close to the You’re going to edges on a cloudy day will Everything we’ve learn more often than not in getAustra a name can feel it the mom strike, as willYou a paddle-tail strong, reliable u plastic attached to a small skirted jig. The trick is the water.to They fish these lures slowly and be prepared to almost crawlto go you want the lure along the bottom you while giving the lureneed plenty to be of long pauses between and fun in betw lifts of the rod tip. If all elseTime fails, try pond desig proven hopping. There are plenty andwith safety of ponds filled redfinat pric right around the Canberra area. I don’t want to give away anyone’s secret spot but there are plenty of local wetlands around the place which contain large ponds filled with fish that will readily take a wriggler plastic, Jackall TN50 or even a fly.

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Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

Watching the weather OFFSHORE

Kelly Hunt

Praise be to the sun! I can see why the Egyptians have so many Gods created around the splendid orb that warms our planet. We have again beaten the winter and have it receding into our

local trout hot spots fishing well. The Great Lake and its many bays and stretches of food-filled banks have been very popular. The often left alone eastern shores have been producing good fish. Typically, any westerly breeze carries a range of food on the wind and deposits it on the water. The fish enjoy this

Jarvis Wall with a south east school bluefin. rear-view mirrors. Heck! Next month, we even get to roll our clocks forward and enjoy the freedoms of daylightsaving adventures, but let’s not get too far ahead. What can we expect this month in Tasmania? September is where we see some warmer water temps, and all sea and freshwater bodies start to push the mercury up. This can trigger some spawning situations in certain species as spring progresses, and there are some closed seasons to keep an eye on. Striped trumpeter are a non-take species in September and October, so we leave them well alone. In the north of the state we had trout opening kick-off in August, and as we move through the month of September the weather allows everyone to have a crack. Traditionally it is only the super-keen trout tragics that head up to the highlands early. Now we can all have a crack as the snow and chilly winds have abated and the sun makes it very pleasant up there. News has been very encouraging, with all the 70

SEPTEMBER 2021

smorgasbord, and if you get there early before they eat their fill you can have some spectacular fishing. Be very mindful that in

a typical-sized lake dingy the distance across to places like Cramps Bay and Flexmore Creek change. Yes that’s right, change. Picture this: you’re keen as mustard and the sun is out with little to no breeze, you put the boat in and skip across there seemingly in no time. Then you catch a few fish and the arvo bite hots up. The weather closes in a bit nasty and a breeze gets up. It gets dark and the wind picks up out of the west a few more knots and it seems like the boat ramp is 10km away. OK you have me, that is the exact distance it was to get there, but I’ll give you the red hot tip. Pushing into the westerly wind that has rolled over all the snowcapped mountains to get to you, with constant icy water spraying you from pounding into 2ft of nasty chop that is growing in size and it’s going to seem like 100km. So, as always, look at the weather and not just once; keep a close eye on it and dress for the worst. TROUT TIDBITS Tooms Lake did not fish well on the opening weekend. There was a big crew in there having a great time, but the fishing was slow. The fish were also in poor condition, attributed to low waters levels from last year. The water that has fallen since will have those fish feeding and putting on some condition. Spinning with hardbodies and soft plastics accounts for most fish here. Tooms Lake lies within the Tooms Lake Conservation area managed by the Parks and Wildlife

Make sure you rug up and watch the weather for comfort and safety. Service, and there is some great camping available. Getting there is pretty easy as Tooms Lake lies approximately 42km east of Ross and can be accessed from Ross via the C305 or York Plains via the C307. Four Springs in the north is fishing very well. Opening weekend saw a heap of fish caught, with plenty being the subject of some great pictures then gently released. I’ve fished this water a couple of times and if you can get there mid-week it’s a great place to throw some soft plastics about. On the weekend it can get a bit crowded, but still seems to fish quite well. Boat and wading anglers should keep in mind the lake has varying depth changes if they want to keep their props in good nick and their pants dry. The Lake is open to

all forms of fishing with fly casting and bait fishing being popular. I like to drift throwing hardbodies and work the bottom with Berkley T-Tails and Nemesis soft plastics let

is a bit of action, and if it seems slow try something different. Set three divers out long, way longer than you would normally, and come right down to 6 knots. Let the lures pull their

Jeremy West managed 20 fish from Four Springs recently.

James Smith found school fish in big numbers recently.

down deep and hopped and tip-stripped. Four Springs Lake is 20km north of Hagley via the C735. TUNA TALES Some will tell you that the best of the tuna fishing is over for the year, but actual captures from the last few seasons has put paid to that. If there is a good weather window and you have a crew to head out it is more than worth the effort. The school size fish continued through August and some bigger specimens were caught late in the month, so keep on presenting lures over them and they will keep biting. Try three skirted lures over two divers if there

chins down and the bibs do their job. Sometimes it can mean the difference between not turning a reel and having a pretty good day. When tuna are up and pushing bait about, the skirts do a great job of building on the frenzy and getting a bite. Slow days you have to ignite that frenzy by getting an erratic twitching lure right down with them. It feels weird and not ‘normal’ to pare back to fewer lines and go slow, but if what you normally do hasn’t worked for four hours, why not try a couple of hours of something different? Stay safe and until next time, Tight lines.

Go Behind the Scenery

Tasmania

Time to delve in to the deep HOBART

Andrew Large

Settled weather to finish August sees anglers head out in search of deep water, species such as tuna and striped trumpeter. On the coast popular species continue to bite well. Spearing greenback flounder over the past month has been amazing with good-sized flounder being taken right around our coastlines. For some reason this year, sand flathead continue to bite on the right day in deeper water – Fortescue, Tasman Island, Storm Bay and lower Bruny Island are all worth a try at the moment. It’s safe to say these fish might hang around until spring as sea surface temperatures will begin to rise from this month on. Huge winter calamari are building in numbers around the southeastern waters. Bright jigs are working in cooler winter waters. Triabunna, Mercury Passage and Marion Bay seeing good-sized squid. Tasty snotty trevally are available throughout the Channel and lower Huon Estuary these fish are being

caught at night amongst schooling mackerel schools around jetties and rock structures. Winter Australian salmon have been taken in good numbers around Cremorne and Clifton Beach – Halco 25 and 35g Slice and Twisty lures are matching the hatch well, imitating the many baitfish in the area presently. Morwong perch are plentiful around the Peninsula and Schouten Island. The annual striped trumpeter seasonal closure looms on 1 September and extends to 31 October 2021. For the moment, trumpeter continue their magic run of late with anglers taking fish from Pedra to Freycinet Peninsula further to the north. Some fish have reached the 10kg mark. Wider Storm Bay and The Friars have been good fish producers. Recently, in late July a southern bluefin tuna of 142kg was caught out of Eagle Hawk Neck. As usual though, for mid-August fish were very quiet with only the occasional fish caught – but later in the month saw a return of the action we had been used to on the Peninsula with fish to 28kg

being caught. Tasman Island, Hippolytes and Fortescue are the better areas. Action continues in the southern estuaries. Both the Derwent and Huon estuaries have seen sea run trout activity increase significantly in recent days. Wet flies flicked around the edges has landed fish to 2kg. While both drift spinning and spinning from shore has produced good captures. Size is still small but good fish have been lost. Large Atlantic salmon have been seen cruising rocky shorelines around Lindisfarne and Geilston bays. Bream continue to slam both lure and fly and are feeding in the same areas as the sea run trout, these fish are not as snap happy with bait, lure and fly as they were through the earlier winter months. The 2021-2022 freshwater angling season got off to a great start on the 7th with many waters fishing well straight off the bat. Craigebourne Dam is still producing nice fish for the moment and is spilling. A report of a 3.7kg brown trout a few weeks back came to light during the week. A

slowly stripped wet fly, such as an olive shrek or black and red woolley bugger, around the edges should work well. A Rapala Spotted Dog spun or trolled will also take fish in the semi murky water. Great Lake sees more early morning frosts during the week but with a magic blue sky on a winter’s day follows. This combined with water levels topping last year’s, fish have eagerly hit lures and fly over the last seven days. Bait fishers continue to do well using wattle grubs and scrub worms fished close to the bottom on a running rig. July was horrendous for snow with many quick fronts in succession plastering the central highlands – this has in turn brought good water levels for this water. Anglers fishing Woods Lake were pleasantly surprised at the water levels and fish condition over the last few weeks – those drift spinning the shores have done really well. Trolling has been successful further along the shore from the boat ramp in the vicinity of the dam. Good Luck everyone for the final few weeks of winter 2021.

After several trips trying, 13yo Jesse Anstice-Rafferty with his first ever trout. He caught it spinning at Craigebourne Dam and says the rainbow fought well after taking a pink Tasmanian Devil. It was great eating.

FISHING NEWS

Reliable Mercury engine means more rubbish can be collected by Sea Cleaners

One of the greatest threats to marine ecology is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a 1.6 million km2 collection of over 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic in the North Pacific Ocean. Globally, plastic consumption has now reached over 320 million tonnes per year. This Patch, otherwise known as the Pacific trash Vortex, represents a rapid and persistent accumulation of land rubbish entering the ocean. So, Auckland-based skipper Hayden Smith is

doing something about it - with the help of Mercury Marine. Since 2002, he has been running Sea Cleaners, a prominent not-for-profit organisation that currently operates four boats, full-time off Auckland’s coast. And his entire fleet is powered by Mercury SeaPro engines. “I can’t speak highly enough of the Mercury SeaPros – they’ve been incredible,” Hayden said. “Each of our boats are a different size, but each outboard we have is perfectly suited to the exact power specifications we need. The

One of the Sea Cleaner vessels with a Mercury 90hp SeaPro.

engines make getting up on the plane – with thousands of litres of rubbish and several volunteers onboard – feel easy and comfortable. “The ocean is a pretty nasty environment to be in day in, day out but, because of the way these engines are built, we don’t have to worry about reliability or longevity. “We’ve also seen firsthand just how fuel efficient these engines are. We get great results out of our boats, but the engines don’t need to work too hard. The savings we’ve made are significant, and obviously it really helps us in an environmental sense too.” Hayden is rightly proud that Sea Cleaners has so far collected more than 10.9 million litres of rubbish from the coast of Auckland. “We have filled 325 shipping containers with loose litter, we’ve collected over 98 million pieces of rubbish and our volunteers have spent over 160,000 hours working with us,” Hayden said. “We have recyclable rubbish bags that represent 50L of contents. Each of our four boats collect 40 bags of rubbish every working day of the year. This means we’re collectively picking up 160,000L of rubbish a month.

“One of my key ambitions from the very start was to reduce the amount of rubbish in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Given the amount of work we’ve done we feel proud that Auckland is contributing significantly less to the accumulation of rubbish in the Patch. “But clearly there’s more work to be done. So, every single day I have to ask myself, ‘how can I do more’? How can we collect more rubbish? How can we engage more communities? How can we generate more funding? “My personal mission has always been to multiply what we developed in Auckland, and to roll it out in a much

larger scale across New Zealand.” So that’s exactly what Hayden and Sea Cleaners are in the process of doing. “We are currently building six new boats – meaning that we’ll soon be able to have ten boats running full-time around the coast of New Zealand,” Hayden said. The realities of the job for the skippers of these ten boats will be labour-intensive, and the marine environment is harsh, so Sea Cleaners is grateful to be powered by Mercury engines. According to Mercury Marine New Zealand’s Manager, Dean Harris, it’s a relationship that Mercury is

proud to have. “Sea Cleaners is an amazing organisation. To be able to help sponsor such an important cause has been a great opportunity for Mercury,” Dean said. “We build our engines for tough operations. Given that these outboards are being used almost every day we know they’ll fit the job description. “As Sea Cleaners continues to expand, we look forward to giving them our full-support.” And as for how we can support Sea Cleaners and the ocean? Hayden has some suggestions for that. “The majority of the rubbish that we pick up in the ocean comes from the land. It’s as simple as people taking responsibility for their own rubbish,” said Hayden. “It may not seem significant but picking up that stray bit of plastic at the park and putting it in a secure bin is the most essential type of help that we need.” If you want to find out more about how you can support Sea Cleaners or how to sign up to volunteer on one of their vessels, visit their website seacleaners.com/ SEPTEMBER 2021

Help Protect Your Fishing Future

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VRFISH IS YOU The people of Victoria that love to go fishing. Established as the Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body, VRFish, is your notforprofit, independent voice representing Victoria’s recreational fishers since 1995. We are proud to be part of a huge and diverse community of 838,000 fishers that injects $2.6 billion each year in economic contribution to the Victorian economy.

We are not the government. We are fishers that want to make fishing better for everyone. Whether it’s fish habitat, water security and quality, fishing access and infrastructure or best practice, we aim to work in partnership to make sure Victoria’s fishing experiences continue to improve, be sustainable and more enjoyable for all generations of Victorians.To get the job done, we leverage the skills and passion of our membership and employ a small team of professional staff.

The more support we have from Victorian fishers the stronger voice we have to stand up and protect our fishing future.

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VRFish needs to be the voice of our fish. Threats to fishing are becoming more complex than ever before as we strive to look after the environment that our fish depend on and tackle issues such as pollution, water management, industrial development, diminishing fishing access, litter and illegal fishing.

We are passionate about supporting you to fish for the future by fostering the adoption of responsible fishing practices and behaviours. The next generation of fishers need our support so that they are given the same opportunities to get outdoors and get hooked on fishing as when we were growing up.

VRFish works to raise the profile of fishing as a recreational activity with significant social, cultural and economic benefits. At the same time, we are protecting our fishing lifestyle so that you can get outdoors, connect with nature, relax and enjoy quality time with your family and friends.

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Member benefits • Receive regular ‘Member First’ email updates on important issues that affect your fishing. • Be represented on key issues affecting recreational fishing at a local, state and national level. • Receive our monthly ‘Fishing Lines’ e-newsletter emailed to you with all thenews and events happening in Victorian Fishing.

• Help fund programs and projects that make fishing better. • Opportunities to formally contribute your views and expertise in making fishing better through member forums, reference groups and surveys. • Have an influence in the direction of VRFish and take part in the voting rights at the Annual General Meeting.

Here are the priorities VRFish are working on to make fishing better, for everyone:

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Fixing our boat ramps and defending your fishing rights to access our waterways.

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Improving our vital fish habitats through protection, restoration and enhancement.

WATER

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Keeping our rivers flowing and defending recreational and

Member benefits • Monthly e-news ‘Fishing Lines’ to keep you up to date with issues affecting your fishing. • Opportunity to have your say on the future of fishing through surveys and polls.

environmental water allocations.

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Promoting fishing in Victoria, creating new and vibrant fisheries and supporting the next generation of fishers.

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• Visit our website

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Supporting our fishers to take a lead role in the stewardship of our fish and waterways, fish responsibly and promote fish for the future.

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Visit the VRFish website www.vrfish.com.au to join and contact us on issues affecting recreational fishing.

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#makefishingbetter SEPTEMBER 2021

VIC

Spring trout are a treat WARRNAMBOOL

Mark Gercovich mgercovich@hotmail.com

Winter fishing can be very much hit and miss in the South West, but this year seems more of a miss than usual. Facebook memories are a great way of remembering previous captures at a certain time of year. I’ve been looking on enviously at my own and others, and realising how quiet the past month or so has been fish wise this year. The combination of poor weather and the ever-present lockdowns have caused things to be pretty tough. Rivers have been running high and hard with only the odd trout capture, once they drop hopefully some of the dirty water/big trout action will fire up. The estuaries have

also been relatively quiet. Bream haven’t marked up too consistently in the Hopkins while the nearby Curdies has been showing up plenty on the sounder. However, being there on the bite times has been the issue. Tuna fishing also remained hard work with no school fish in close for the past few months and the only captures made are by boats heading to deeper areas near the shelf. The proliferation of strong northerlies have at least made for suitable conditions to target the Australian salmon at Killarney that have continued to provide perhaps the most consistent action over the winter months this year. So let’s look forward to September and the beginning of spring, hopefully things are heating up. The Moyne River is

often a good option at this time of year with trevally, mullet and salmon all available on a high tide. The back passage area is also worth a look for some decent trevally too. Port Campbell Pier can produce some good silvers at this time of year as well as some decent squid. Squid also begin moving along the inshore reefs and can provide a tasty treat or a stockpile of bait for the coming season ahead. You can find them either off the bank at places like Killarney or in small boats in Point Fairy or Lady Bay. Beaches can also produce a few sharks, if we get some early warm spring weather that make spending an evening on the beach an attractive option again. If heavy September rains continue to make the rivers too high and unfishable, nearby lakes like Purrumbete and Bullen Merri

Spring can produce some good trout fishing if the river levels aren’t too high. can be a great alternative option. Last September saw some big browns to over 4kg taken at Purrumbete. Spring can also be a great time to try some of the local smaller lakes

like Gillear, Ellingamite and Aringa as the water levels are often at their best for the season. Trout and redfin are best targeted by cast or trolled lures from small boats or kayaks in

these locations. Lake Pertobe receives a family lakes stocking of rainbow trout every year and these fish can provide some fun for young anglers at this time of year.

All set for great fishing PORTLAND

Nigel Fisher

Once again we have been affected by COVID lockdowns, and this has

The author’s wife Fiona scored this nice squid off the troll on the town reef chasing snook.

affected a lot of business and disrupted organised fishing trips. Just before the August lockdown we saw the tuna moving closer into Cape Nelson to Bridgewater Bay, which make them easier to chase. It’s good when you don’t have to head out to the shelf and beyond to target them. Then we were locked down, and when regional was released the weather set in, with wind, rain and rather large swells. We have seen some good salmon schools around with some solid 2-4kg fish. Snook and coota are around the town reef and North Shore area, and the odd squid is getting caught too. Some of the guys braving the night and cold have had some good fights off the beaches chasing sharks, including gummies,

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Joe from Game On Charters with a very nice queen snapper.

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schoolies, bronzies and seven-gillers. Deeper water, when accessible, has been fishing well for sharks, flathead, queen snapper, and even some nice big winter whiting. The whiting are not in big numbers yet but the size makes up for it. With spring setting in, we are hoping for some good fishing ahead. September can still fish well for tuna, and in past years we have seen some big fish on the tables. Those anglers who love fishing the lee breakwater

will soon see the snapper showing up. We should see some big snapper throughout the next few months, and a good time to get these guys are the tide changes early in the morning, late in the afternoon and coming off a large swell. Spring should also kick off our whiting season, and we’ll see more squid numbers as well. Pinkie snapper and sharks should be found around our reefs also. So let’s hope the weather improves and that

our state can start moving around again safely, ready for some great fishing sessions. • For all the latest updates and news, and all your bait and tackle needs, you can find the Fisher crew at Portland Compleat Angler, located at 61 Bentinck Street – just look for the Big Snapper. You can also contact them on 03 5521 1844, or look them up on Facebook. They are they are always happy to point you in the right direction.

VIC

Looking forward to warm spring fishing APOLLO BAY

Craig Rippon

Fishing has been a little tough this month, due to both the weather and the lockdowns. It’s very hard when you can only travel 5km from home, unless you’re lucky enough to live close to a waterway. For now, however, the

lockdown has ended, and it’s great to be able to go for a fish and catch up with some mates again. There are still tuna about down here. I have seen them busting up from the shore, northeast from Apollo Bay. Word will spread fast though, so by the time you read this I expect boats to be on the water, now

that we are allowed to go fishing. A few salmon are still about, and there are some nice squid in the harbour. If you’re after some squid, using orange jigs has been the go. There is a bit of ink along the landing so those trying have clearly been having success. Also in the harbour

there have been a few nice whiting and silver trevally. Chicken has been the best bait for the trevally, with a bit of cat food for berley. It’s nice to see the days starting to get longer. Soon the weather will warm and so will the water temp. It’s very cold at the moment, which slows things down a bit. When anglers have been

able to get out, some good tuna have been weighed in around the 130kg mark. By the time you read this, the Victorian Game Fishing Club’s Tuna Classic will hopefully have been run and won. If it has to be cancelled due to COVID, it will be rescheduled for 18-19 September. Next month I’ll hopefully have more to

report with some nice photos, as it’s been though here with COVID and the cold winter months. It will be good when daylight savings kicks and the weather warms so we can fish hard, and more importantly catch up with our family and friends. I hope you are all well, and I look forward to seeing you back on the water soon.

Reel releases from Daiwa Blading for bream PRODUCT NEWS

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Emeraldas Air FC LT

punch in 2021. The first Emeraldas reel to feature Monocoque (MQ) body design, the brand-new Air FC LT is equal parts precision and power. The Zaion MQ body is not only incredibly lightweight, but also extremely sturdy. Daiwa’s Zaion carbon material is supremely stiff, and when you combine this

with the single-piece MQ body you have a reel body with zero flex. The other big benefit of MQ technology is the ability to house a much larger drive gear, in this instance a forged and machine-cut aluminium Tough Digigear which provides smooth and powerful reeling. Sporting the distinctive cosmetics of any reel in the Emeraldas family, the new Air model not only looks the part, but is outfitted with all the necessary

elements to excel. For more information on these and other Daiwa releases for 2021, visit www. daiwafishing. com.au. - FMG technology, and enables the use of this material in reels much lower in price than ever before. Zaion V is significantly stronger than Carbon Light material used in the 18 Freams LT and enables the creation of a more rigid body. Zaion V is also significantly lighter than traditional composite materials, which also means the new Freams LT is not only stronger, but also much lighter. Air Bail, Twistbuster II, MagSeal, Air Rotor, Long Cast ABS spool, a redesigned line keeper, High Grip I-Shape knobs, ATD and Finesse Drag provide design and performance enhancements, while Tough Digigear delivers superior refinement, strength, and power. The 21 Freams LT elevates the popular Freams name to a new level of design, reliability and robustness. The new Emeraldas Air packs one of hell of

COBDEN

Rod Shepherd

It’s well and truly time to target some solid winter bream in the deep using metal blades and soft plastics fished on heavier jigheads. The lower reaches of the Curdies River from Baileys Straits down to The Island, as well as the river mouth, has seen some great fish netted. Working the edges is the go, and keeping the lure on or close to the bottom has worked for many. Bait anglers are using local shrimp and greyback minnow. Some bream have been taken in the lake but it seems the fish are readying themselves for the annual spawning run upstream, which can kick off anywhere from August onwards. When one is caught, others can quickly follow. The water is murky and flowing reasonably fast. The mouth is well and truly open and the fish have already visited downstream for a taste

of salt and headed back upstream getting ready for their annual spawning run. When feeding bream and estuary perch stick close to the bank; out of the main current and close to the weed, which holds tasty morsels such as shrimp, spider crab and a range of tiny fish and minnow species endemic to this estuary. Bladed lures hopped along the bottom along with soft plastic crab and shrimp imitations have taken fish. A similar situation is occurring in the Hopkins River. The channel around Rowan’s Lane seems to be holding schooling fish. Blades and plastics worked from the deep towards the shallows has attracted interest from the bream, and perch, as well as the odd mulloway. The flats just below Mahoneys Road boat ramp and fishing platform are also holding fish. Many learned anglers fish the cliff faces opposite the boat ramp in the winter months, using live crab to entice the big bream. Instead of anchoring up

and fishing towards the bank, they do the opposite. Sitting amongst the rocky shore with the boat tied up and cast out into 2m+ depth. The bigger blue nosed winter bream use this as a highway when moving up and down the river in search of the right salinity in which to spawn. Offshore from Boat Bay near Peterborough right through to Warrnambool has seen some great silver trevally to over 2kg caught in 20-30m depth. Nannygai to 1.1kg, along with plenty of smallish but legal gummy shark and sand flathead to 800g, are also about in good numbers. A sandy bottom interspersed with weed growth has been where to find them. Soft baits are the go but topping off stripped squid or tentacles with pipi meat has been tempting many fish into striking. The by-catch has been rock cod, morwong, the odd winter whiting and leatherjacket, along with the other unwanted species such as parrotfish that annoyingly steal your bait.

Freams LT A nice bag of Curdies bream about to be released. They were taken on soft plastic Damiki Grubs in green close to the bank. SEPTEMBER 2021

VIC

Reservoirs are filling GEELONG

Neil Slater slaterfish@gmail.com

Well, lockdown again put a bit of a dampener on the local fishing. Thankfully, the weather was ordinary. It’s a good time to check over stuff to make sure it is ready for the fishing season ahead. I replaced the wheel bearings in the boat trailer, checked over the safety gear and replaced the boat’s BBQ Shapes that expired in 2016. The Barwon River went into minor flood at the time of writing. It is high and coffee coloured and best avoided. I’m sure if you sat there long enough with a bunch of worms, you’d get an eel at least but there are better options. The good news for freshwater fishos is that the local reservoirs are filling and expect them to keep doing so with wet month’s forecast ahead. West Barwon Dam near Forrest overflowed for the first time since 2014. The dam is stocked with trout, has free electric BBQs and is very picturesque. The trout here love a mudeye under a float and just about any lure will work. Wurdee Buloc (74% at the time of writing) and Stony Creek (67%) are also worth a look for smelting trout this September. First and last light is the best bet for fish activity in the shallows and Stony Creek is your best option for clear water. Soft plastic enthusiast Paul Mayer reports there has been some good schools of salmon around the mid-40cm

range popping up around Corio Bay. Paul has found quite a few pinkie snapper around the structure with plenty of small ones in the mix.

School Lagoon to Limeburners boat ramp. Trelly’s Tackle staff member Adam van der Lugt has been fishing down at the

It’s calamari mayhem around the Bellarine Peninsula in September.

Plenty of garfish are hanging around inside Corio Bay. Photo courtesy of A. van der Lugt.

while pipis has seen the odd whiting caught. Michael Galvin has been doing very well on the calamari just off Clifton Springs. Michael has fished with a few mates and had 12 bag out sessions out of 12 trips so I’d say he has the place wired squid-wise! Michael says one of his more successful jigs is the Rui KR39. Curlewis has seen a few whiting from legal length to 35cm caught by anglers fishing in depths from 4-6m of water. Moving around is the key here as they have been quite scattered. Rod Ludlow from

Snotty trevally have been caught off most of Corio Bay’s piers with early mornings being the best time. Chicken, pipis and pilchard fillets have all been popular baits while smaller soft plastics like single tailed grubs and cut down turtle back worms have worked for snotty trevally. Paul says the garfish have been thick from the Grammar

the eastern side of Port Phillip Bay get the first run of big fish but the Surf Coast also cops some whoppers either side of eight kilograms on occasions. Also found off the Surf Coast this time of year is bait stealing draft board sharks. Sometimes they’re so thick you cannot keep a bait in the water and you’re better off moving. Wayne Tempest had a go down at the Barwon River estuary for mulloway recently. Wayne doesn’t mind working for his fish and after a 1.5 hour drive, two hours to catch a few squid and three hours of endless casts with big fresh baits. Wayne says he was just defrosting his fingertips and ‘bingo’ his rod bends and reels screams and he grassed a respectable mulloway. Wayne says he has caught many larger models but this was a most memorable fish being land based! Wayne’s quote was “Easy? – Never! Worth it? – Always mate!” The Barwon estuary has also been fishing well for silver trevally lately. They were biting up as far as the thunderbolt before the dirty water forced them closer to the mouth of the river. If the forecasts of more rain hold true, there could be too much freshwater coming down the Barwon estuary to successfully

silvers that measured in from 45-49cm! Zach was using 2.5’ Bait Junkie Minnow in pearl gudgeon colour. September should see the trevally continue here while out around the corner in Victory Bight, can see some XXL calamari show up in numbers. Some are either side of 3kg and they actually pull a bit of line off a reel. Skewer style squid jigs baited with fresh fish rule here but you’ll still catch a few on artificial jigs when they’re angry enough. Lorne has seen a few snapper and school sharks out offshore and there was also a fair run of tiger flathead, which is a nice surprise. Typically, tiger flathead are a November specialist and have been missing for a few years so let’s hope we see a few show up off Barwon Heads like years past. Lorne Pier is always worth a look and anglers have enjoyed catching whiting, flathead, pinkie snapper, calamari, salmon and the everpresent grass whiting. FISH HARD – DIE HAPPY! Catch a few around Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula or Surf Coast to Lorne recently? Send in a report to slaterfish@gmail. com with “FMG” in the

Give the Queenscliff Harbour a go for silver trevally this September. Photo courtesy of Z. Groves.

Wayne put the hours in for this reward. Not his biggest, but a land-based fish will always be remembered. Photo courtesy of W. Tempest. 76

SEPTEMBER 2021

Geelong waterfront catching plenty of gars too. Adam has been using silverfish cut into small cubes suspended about 1.5m under a float and a frozen berley log to hold the fish where you are and keep them biting. Adam notes they have been awesome on the plate and now has some quality bait in the freezer for snapper season. Wangim Walk, the wave attenuator near the Royal Geelong Yacht Club has been fishing well for pinkie snapper, snotty trevally, salmon and whiting. It has been quite a consistent producer of late and salmon have come within range of lure casters with some regularity as well. Pilchard pieces or bluebait has been best for pinkies and flathead

Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports calamari have been biting but they have been scattered and of varying sizes. Governors Reef to Grassy Point, flathead have been plentiful in 8-12m of water. Towards the end of September sees snapper awaken form their cold season slumber and begin to move into Port Phillip and Corio Bay. Known Bellarine snapper hotspots include Clifton Springs and Portarlington either side of the shipping channel. Time your trip to coincide with a tide change and you’ll be in with a good chance. Top baits include pilchards, squid, silver whiting and redbait. Early on in the snapper season normally sees

Zach Groves with one of many silvers he hauled from Queenscliff using soft plastics. target freshwater species. The only hope here is if the high tide brings in some clean saltwater below the bridge. The Queenscliff boat harbour has had a solid run of silver trevally. Zach Groves flicked me a report to say he got stuck into some cracking

subject field or give me a call on 0408 997 348. Please include where (without giving away your secret spot!), when, what on and who caught the fish. Pictures are always great, but please make sure they are at least 1mb (file size).

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19 77

VIC

Feels like fishing deja vu PPB WEST

Alan Bonnici alan@fishingmad.com.au

What a rollercoaster the last 12 months have been. I can’t help but feel a bitter sense of deja vu. One minute we’re in lockdown,

outlets and for individuals weeks of being confined to your home. We were eventually allowed back out only to deal with Mother Nature’s cruel sense of humour providing us with plenty of wind and rain. This past snap lockdown had me getting

be ready when the gates reopen. Thankfully that’s behind us now and we must charge forward with a sense of optimism. September welcomes spring and says goodbye to a bitterly cold winter. From here the fishing will gradually improve as the outside

There have been plenty of salmon busting up in the shallows all around Port Phillip Bay. With big number around Port Melbourne, Altona, Corio Bay and within the township of Geelong. When you come across a school of salmon the action can be frantic and pound for pound, they are one of the most exciting fish to catch, especially on light fishing gear. Salmon love well presented soft plastics, shallow diving hardbody lures and small metal lures retrieved at a constant fast to medium pace. Our go-to setup has been a 2-4kg rod with a 2500 size reel and casting 4” curl tails in natural colours. When those schools are in feeding mode your plastic will be lucky to touch the water surface

The author with a tasty squid.

Bay trout are around in big numbers. then we’re not, then we are again. This instability and inconsistency have made fishing and future planning a very difficult task. Over the last month, Covid has risen its unpleasant head again. Melbourne has endured another snap lockdown, which was then followed with an extension. This time Victoria was not alone as other states like NSW were also severely impacted. To say it’s been challenging for our local tackle stores, charter operators and content creators like myself is a massive understatement. Our last snap lockdown meant a shutdown of all retail

up to my usual tricks. Online shopping of fishing tackle that I already have in droves. Servicing and re-spooling reels and create a heap of fishing rigs so I’ll

temperature and water temperature slowly start to rise. Around Port Phillip, it’s a great time of year to target salmon, gummy sharks, garfish and squid.

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Darren wrestling a PPB gummy shark.

before being smashed by angry sambos fighting for food. You can also catch them with baits, such as pilchard and blue bait. When in my boat or kayak I always have one rod that’s rigged and ready just in case I stumble across any salmon. I continually looking around for signs of salmon, such as bubbling water, birds congregate in

of dolphins that from the distance looked like a potential school of salmon. It truly is an awesome sightseeing dolphins surface in big numbers but generally very unproductive for fishing when they are around. Keep your eye out for them as I’ve seen plenty around Mornington and Geelong. Bay trout aka juvenile

and have been catching a countless amount casting small paddle tail soft plastics. Generally, a fish a cast but most of them are under 30cm. I took my two young kids out in my boat last week and kept them very entertained as they caught countless bay trout on light spinning gear. It was so enjoyable to just sit back and watch the carnage unfold as they caught a fish a cast. Laughs and smiles, which continually remind me that all forms of fishing have an important role to play. This time of year, you won’t catch squid in the masses, but you will catch good-sized ones with some effort. Areas around Wedge Spit and Point Cook are generally quite productive around that 4m mark. A good way of catching squid when things are quiet is to drift at a steady pace. And continually redrift

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one area or diving into the water, masses of baitfish and any surface movement. I’ve been fooled many times recently by big pods

salmon are also being caught in huge numbers. I have had several fishing trips out to Williamstown, Port Melbourne and Corio

over productive grounds when you start to get some catches. Squid congregate in good numbers, so often To page 79

VIC

Fishing pressure eases up PORT PHILLIP NE

Wayne Friebe wfriebe@bigpond.net.au

Cold, wet, and windy winter conditions have continued for a major part of the last month on the bay, providing limited fishing opportunities and small windows of calmer weather. While recent lockdown measures in metro Melbourne and across regional Victoria have altered the fishing focus and the opportunities of many anglers, fishing locations

especially important for the yearly snapper migration into the bay. So fingers crossed this continues into the coming months as well. During the late autumn and through the winter months, we enjoyed a prolonged late run of snapper out from the wider marks around Mornington and Mount Martha. This is normally a feature around the changes of seasons in late autumn. And while most anglers focus and opportunities have changed, there have been enough resident reds still around to keep dedicated

get longer and warmer towards the end of the year. Land-based anglers tend to get amongst the action earlier in the season than the boatbased anglers do, so expect to see these captures feature in reports over the next couple of months. Land-based anglers can fish for snapper during the worst weather too, so there’s plenty to look forward to for all the bay’s anglers in the months ahead. The most consistent fishing over the past couple of months throughout PPB has been for bread-and-

The squid fishing along the local inshore reefs has also been very good after a slower start but has been confined to the sheltered and protected bays closer to shore during the consistent wind. Periods of rain have tended to keep things quiet for a while, especially when this affects water clarity, but fishing deeper and slower during these times generally gets results. Once again, Mornington pier and the surrounding reef areas have been the most reliable areas. Big schools of salmon have been around our part of the bay all year, but have also been feeding closer to shore, and in the protected areas due to the persistent onshore winds. Mornington and Frankston piers have been very consistent, as well as the mouth of the Patterson River. Weather permitting, boating anglers have reported some great sessions on massive schools of fish casting lures and plastics into the feeding fish. The lack of recent boat traffic also means that these schools will often feed on the surface for much longer periods of time, much to the delight of anglers. The Patterson River has

Expect smaller pinkie snapper and larger school fish to become the big feature in the coming months. once again been the saviour for many local lure and bait anglers and has really produced over the past month. Lure anglers have been cashing in throughout the canal system and have been getting plenty of perch as well. Small vibes and soft plastics have been the best. Heaps of perch have also been reported, many of them smaller models from recent stocking by Fisheries, but some larger models have

been taken as well, once again by lure anglers. Bait fishers have been doing very well as well, accounting for most of the larger bream in the main river when the water has been discoloured. During these times, scrub worms are a very productive bream bait. There have also been plenty of mullet in the river, and schools of smaller salmon near the mouth in the rougher weather.

Both pinkies and larger snapper respond well to lures like jigs, as well as traditional bait presentations. closer to home have become more of a focus for many of the bay’s anglers. Luckily, those out there who are having a crack on the better days close to home have been enjoying plenty of shorebased opportunities for ‘bread and butter’ species. Much like the same time last year, when we experienced a prolonged period without any fishing being allowed at all on the bay, the recent weather has provided much the same relief on the bay in terms of fishing pressure. Long periods of substantial and consistent rain over the winter months have also been great for the bay’s food chain, and are From page 78

if you catch one there will be others in the immediate area. Those lucky enough with an electric motor can hold their line on productive grounds and really maximise these windows. It’s also a great excuse to get out and test some of the new squid jigs on the market. I’m in awe of some of the new colours and designs. I’ve been using the new Shimano flash boost squid jigs in cloth and nude variations and having a great deal of success. While also playing with some new UV variations from Yamashita and Inku.

anglers interested. There has also been plenty of nice gummies and other sharks around the shipping channels and further south in the bay as well. By the time you are reading this month’s edition of VFM, some of the bay’s snapper die-hards will already be in full swing out on the water looking for an early season red, but for many this will start when the footy season is finished at the end of the month. Many have predicted that the coming snapper season will be the best for some time, due to strong recruitment in past seasons, so there’s plenty to look forward to as the days

butter species, lockdowns notwithstanding. While these species might be less glamorous, they are accessible to all anglers and from many different locations right around the bay. Mornington Pier has been especially consistent for garfish and calamari, and prevailing northerly and northwesterly winds have kept the resident schools and bait inside the harbour, and anglers have been really cashing in. I’ve been talking to many of the local anglers who have all been getting amongst the action when they can, collecting bait for the season ahead, and getting amongst some great table fish as well.

I’m not sure if all these flash colours, shapes and designs are created to hook the angler or the squid but I’m certainly a sucker for this marketing hype and technology advancements. I find myself loading up on new squid jigs even though I have countless in packets never used. I’m sure many reading can relate to that. Hang in there everyone, some level of normality and consistency in our lives will be back on its way soon and so will some great fishing, I’m sure of it. Until next time, good fishing everyone. Please feel free to reach out to me directly to share your

fishing experiences and catches around Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and beyond which we can feature in next month’s article. You can contact me by email at alan@fishingmad. com.au. Also don’t forget to follow my fishing adventures through my website www.fishingmad. com.au, and to subscribe to the FishingMad YouTube channel www.youtube. com/c/fishingmad. You can also follow us on social media on Facebook page www.facebook. com/fishingmad.com. au, Instagram page w w w. i n s t a g r a m . c o m / fishingmad.com.au.

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Record numbers of big bream at Gippy Lakes GIPPSLAND LAKES

Brett Geddes b.geddes@bigpond.com

None of us expected the bonanza or even saw it coming. We were all left stunned and almost overwhelmed. Over about three weeks an incredible

NEW PB FOR MANY ANGLERS The best way to start this report is by listing some new PBs that bream anglers have stacked up recently. The first hotspot was the lower Nicholson River from the railway bridge right down to the entrance. Most lure anglers were using ZMann

weekend recently during or just before one of their private comps. Ruth Beeby got her new PB bream at 46cm and 1.6kg. Soon after Leigh Sav followed that up and I watched him landing two new PB bream that both went 46cm, taking a motor oil grub. I weighed one for him that went 1.63kg and for

It’s been a real joy to see so many bream over 40cm turn up in all the rivers. This 45cm specimen went 1.65kg and was one of 24 ripper bream released for the day.

What a pleasure to fish the Gippy Lakes during kayak friendly glassed out calm weather. The bream fishing was also spectacular with two anglers landing over 35 cracking big bream for the day. concentration of really big bream turned up and rewarded bait and lure anglers alike. Then sadly overnight they all disappeared, every single one of them! It was a real eye opener as to just how many huge bream call the Gippy Lakes home and also how extremely mobile they are. The real challenge over the next few months will be trying to find out where they go as the early spawning season ramps up.

GrubZ or Slim SwimZ in motor oil or blade lures like the Hurricane Vibz. Bait anglers said shrimp or frozen prawn was working best. A huge bag of five bream was weighed in at 7.7kg by Brett Stokes and was confirmed by a mate who used his digital scales to check them. That’s a huge bag and would challenge most bream comp records. Some of the local Nicholson Angling Club members were busy over a

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and explored the Mitchell River, especially around the silt jetties. The water was still a muddy pale brown after recent floods and very big bream sounded up in numbers I haven’t seen for years. This time I had better luck and my best trip saw me release 24 thumping bream with my best two going 46 and 45cm, two at 44cm and four more at 43cm. Incredibly most of my other fish were around 40cm and I caught all of them on soft plastics. The trick was to use heavy 1/8oz jigheads and retrieve super slow. It took me six hours to find them all but what a session! On that day I met up with a couple of mates from Stratford in Barry and Corey who were on their second visit to the Mitchell. I watched them for

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good reason he was one very excited angler! In the Nicho that day, I had a shocker when hooking seven bream in the snags and can you believe I dropped every one of them! My buddy on the day, Havo, had much better success landing a 42cm bream and another 46cm model that went 1.68kg. He also found another nine bream later in the

day that were all between 39 and 44cm. Ben Hotchkins also got in on the action landing his best bream at 44cm caught on a soft plastic. Peter Nord won that local comp with a bag of bream very close to 7.5kg and tells me another member called Frank caught one massive bream going 51cm to the tip. I’m pretty sure it would have weighed over 2kg and Frank used cut crab bait to land his trophy. Keep in mind that each and every one of these recordbreaking bream have all been released. For many years now most anglers haven’t kept big bream anyway but the new slot limits prevent any fish over 38cm to be kept. MITCHELL RIVER Soon after the Nicho fired up, some of us went

Leigh Sav with one of two new PB bream for that day on the Nicholson River. Both fish caught on soft plastic lures measured 46cm and this one left the scales at 1.63kg.

a few hours and between them they kept pulling ripper bream from about 38 to 45cm all on small blade lures. By days end they said over 50 bream had found their net with heaps missed or dropped as well. That’s outstanding sport and like me they were sounding up thousands of bream over about 2km of river. Peter Nord was also there that day with his buddy Michael Newman and they left the Mitchell after just three hours with about 15 big bream all caught on Hurricane blades. Bait anglers were lining the bank using prawn or shrimp and I saw them landing their fair share as well with some fish at least 43cm. Vic Fisheries officers were checking bags on the day and with so many anglers around they were kept rather busy. Sadly I saw them attend to one angler for quite a while and I’m pretty sure he copped a hefty fine with bream over the slot limit of 38cm total length. The upper Mitchell has also been fishing exceptionally well with bass and perch also in the mix. Ruth Beeby was again busy searching in her kayak above the town bridge and landed the perfect daily double with a fat bass at 38cm and then a real chunky estuary perch the same size. LOOKING AHEAD After an outstanding winter of steady rainfall the bream spawning run looks like being at least a month ahead of schedule. Or they may even spawn twice this year? Quite a few bream I released in early July were already ripe and ready to run. They won’t have to push into the very upper river reaches like in drought years. So keep in mind with this hasty breeding you may find bream returning to the lower rivers and maybe out into the lakes early this season even before October.

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Big rainfall means cracker season ahead LAKES ENTRANCE

Steven Pryke

Spring is finally here in Gippsland and our local waterways have begun to warm up. With all the water over the winter months, we’re in for cracker season. Lake Entrance is known for its wide array of fish but over the last year our whiting fishing

fresh muscle and pipi being some of the best options. Our local surf beaches are heating up, with big schools of Australian salmon being wide spread throughout all of our local areas. All the gutters have been in really close, so even a general bream rod will get you in to the action. Small metal lures have been the best approach lately due to the massive amount of sand crabs on the local

local beaches. LAKE TYERS With the lake shut off from the ocean, the lake level is steady. As we slowly get closer to summer, the lake has begun to warm and the monster flathead that Lake Tyers is known for, have begun to move to the higher reaches. Sheltered shallow mud bays are some of the best areas early in the season to target large flathead. These areas generally warm up faster compared to the deeper arms and the main lake. Suspending jerk baits are a great option this time of year, especially if they hit the bottom and push up the mud. This approach is deadly on bream and flathead, and will help you locate feeding flathead. Once found, you can then make the switch to larger lures and target those trophy size dusky. The middle reaches of the Nowa Nowa Arms from the island to Devils Hole have been the best places for anglers looking for bream. The many snaggy edges and deep points are great areas for anglers targeting schooling bream,

Bronze whalers are a common capture throughout the summer months with the majority around the 9ft. mark. using soft plastic grubs. In the lake, bloodworm and motor oil are popular choices by anglers and produce fish year round.

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All round fishing available MARLO

Jim McClymont mcclymont@net-tech.com.au

Big overhead combos are a common sight on the beach with anglers typically running 50-80w reels. has grown massively in popularity. The health of the lake has improved dramatically since the nets were removed and a lot of anglers who previously gave up on fishing around Lakes Entrance are back. The fishing has improved noticeably, and anglers have been catching whiting as far as Loch Sport, something that was previously rarely heard of. The same tactics apply throughout the lakes with

beaches. Anglers using bait simply haven’t got a chance at the moment, as the crabs strip the bait off in seconds. 10-25g metal lure matching the white bait have been highly productive. With summer on its way it won’t be long before we see sharks on our local beaches again many anglers are extremely keen for this season and have got all their gear sorted for a big season targeting the likes of bronze whalers of our

With the country going in and out of lockdown it is making it difficult to keep tabs on the fishing in general, but it is what it is, so here we go. With that said, I will endeavour to give you a round up of fishing in the whole of Far East Gippsland close to our estuary. Tamboon is a Cann River estuary. The Tamboon estuary is a beautiful spot for fishing and usually produces fantastic catches with lots of bream, estuary perch, luderick, tailor, and big flathead. Next on the list is well known, Bemm River. It is

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one of the best bream spots in Victoria, and I can vouch the fishing there is great – I will leave it to the local reporter to elaborate on the fishing. Moving on, the next little estuary is on the Yeeryung River that runs into the ocean at Cape Conran. It only runs after local heavy rain when it breaks out and flows into the sea. The lake might be small but at times the fishing is great with good captures of bream, estuary perch,

flathead, salmon, and tailor. Now we move to the very best fishing spot of them all, the Snowy and Brodribb River estuary that enters the ocean at Marlo. Of course I might be a bit bias but as lots of anglers that have fished the estuary will testify, it’s a great place to fish. The estuary has everything an angler could dream of, with an entrance that hardly ever closes permitting schools of fish to enter as they migrate along the coastline. Along

with the different fish species prawn larva drift in on the incoming tides and move up into the lakes and small streams to mature and move back towards the entrance around Christmas time. That’s a quick summery of fishing in our area. Making Orbost an ideal location to stay and fish the outlying estuaries all day. As I have only been back in the shop for two days, reports have been

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To page 83

VIC

East Coast

Bring on the heat MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Hurry up spring and summer as this winter weather has been bitterly cold with the best place to be at home in front of a warm fire. The town has seen

there are more restrictions on Mallacoota with travel limited but luckily people have been able to get out and wet a line. The past month has seen a few boats heading offshore and there have been some good catches of gummy shark reported. The average size has been over a metre and a half with

Mickey Vucic with a couple of great bream he caught in a recent bream comp. people still visiting, getting away from the lockdowns that are taking place in the cities. However, once again From page 82

scarce, but a couple of visiting anglers informed me of some excellent captures of bream being

plenty of bigger fish caught. This time of year the water temperatures (around 12ºC) have really shut down the taken up near Lake Corringle with the fish measuring from 38cm up and over 44cm, pretty good fishing.

flathead, with both sand flathead and tiger flathead dormant, but once that water warms things will fire up. The beach fishing at this time of year is all about salmon with plenty of fish around on all the local beaches. There are schools of small fish and plenty of bigger fish, but you need to keep on the move to find the gutter where the bigger fish are. Fishing in the lake has been great as usual. Local knowledge is the key to success in this system, it’s a big system with plenty of nooks and crannies. The entrance is looking great and the best it has for many years, with good tidal movement. The bonus is all the weed beds are returning, which is great for the fish. As the water warms we will see plenty of food around these weed beds. With the entrance in good condition and increased tidal movement, salmon are moving in and out freely. More species will join them as we head into summer.

Good readings on the sounder, with the 4m mark a great depth to consistently find fish. Flathead have been caught, with soft plastic lures working well. The advantage of lure fishing is that you are constantly on the move allowing you to come across the fish. Working the lure slowly is the key and once you catch a fish you then

concentrate your efforts in that area. It’s best to try a variety of lures. Good numbers of bream have also been caught, both yellowfin and black. Once again, keep on the move as these fish are doing the same. The bottom lake has been

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The fishing has been excellent in between the lockdowns.

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Murray cod season is one to remember ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

Between Covid lockdowns and deluges of rain, I would have to rate this year’s cod season as one to remember. In our local waters good numbers of sizable cod to a metre or more in length have been a regular catch on both bait and lures. The Murray River at Swan Hill was a standout location and one that produced consistent results for the entire season. Before the water cleared in the warmer months bait ruled supreme turning up multiple metre cod in the current rich flows. Yabbies, grubs, worms and cheese were all regular cod catchers but the standout bait this season was chicken.

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Fresh breast fillet diced and fished on a circle hook accounted for numerous big fish encounters from both boat and bank. As the water cleared enough to use lures, numerous cod of varying sizes were taken on the troll.

Shallow running lures hit the mark in a river where the average depth is less than 3m. Rock bars produced plenty of action as the cod stacked at these locations. Regular hot spots included Pental Island and Brooks Lane.

As the weather cooled the surface action started to fire with numerous metre-plus cod boofing a wide range of top water offerings. As winter rolled in the bite slowed and most activity both on bait and lures was influenced by

Clinton Hann with one of 20 metre-plus cod caught this season with the author.

sharp spikes in barometric pressure or the promise of an oncoming rise in water levels. It was a similar story at other locations along the Murray with the same bite windows and techniques producing some good cod catches throughout the season. Robinvale showed promise but still did not deliver compared to the old days. In saying that a few metre models did turn up during the season amongst a good number of smaller fish so perhaps it’s just a matter of time. A similar story on the Murray River at Wemen, it’s always productive when it comes to turning up a few perch amongst the odd good sized cod. Mildura and Wentworth were good big cod destinations this season with plenty of sizable cod landed on both bait and lures. This region has fished well for the past few seasons thanks to the refuge the Darling River provided numerous big cod during

past Blackwater events. With the Mildura Weir dropped out for maintenance towards season’s end, these same large fish should once again travel upstream towards Euston. It will be good to visit old haunts next season with the chance of loading the rod to a big cod. The Darling River had good seasonal flows that once more sparked life in a river hard hit by drought and poor mismanagement. A good population of cod managed to survive and they too have bounced back dispersing in the flows and fattening up with the renewed opportunities to feed. Hopefully this river and its fishes have turned a corner. On a side note, even with the lockdowns and bad weather, we managed enough trips to land a good number of large cod this season. My offsider Clinton Hann scull dragged more than 20 metre-plus cod to the boat on bait and To page 85

Going for gold despite the chill BENDIGO

Roger Miles codhuntertours@bigpond.com

With the closed season upon us for the Murray cod, many anglers now change their focus on targeting golden perch. For those anglers who have been putting in the hard yards with cold frosty mornings, chill blains on the tips of fingers and toes then the change in weather is more than welcome. Increasing water temperatures will help in getting the golden perch to fire up. With the improved weather we start to see more of the fair weather anglers come out of hibernation and start fishing again. The Bendigo region is currently on track for a fantastic season of fishing ahead. Our water catchments have continued to receive some terrific rainfall and our local impoundments are starting to fill at a good steady rate. LAKE EPPALOCK There are three impoundments above Lake Eppalock these are the Upper Coliban, Lauriston and Malmsbury reservoirs. These impoundments have reached capacity and have been spilling for several weeks producing good inflows down the Coliban

River into Lake Eppalock. When these impoundments are full Lake Eppalock can receive some very good inflows after any significant rainfall events. The catchments for these impoundments are currently saturated and only small rainfall events are producing runoff. The current situation is very

exciting, if we continue to get average or slightly above average rainfall over the next couple of months Lake Eppalock water levels will reach very high levels this seasons. My current prediction is that Lake Eppalock will reach over 100% capacity and we will see the spillway running this season. At the time

of writing this report, the water levels in Lake Eppalock were at 43.5% capacity and rising steadily. How productive the fishing will be in the lake this season will be highly influenced by the amount of inflows the lake receives over the next couple of months. Once the water level reaches the

Quality golden perch like this beautiful fish will become the target species for many anglers in the Bendigo region over the next few months.

high water mark from last season then there will be a smorgasbord of food for the fish as the water rises over large volumes of vegetation. These are the perfect ingredients to see the food chain explode. Thanks to some good fish stockings from Victorian Fisheries in recent year’s anglers should experience some very good golden perch fishing at Lake Eppalock this spring. Victorian Fisheries are planning a huge stocking of native fish into the Lake Eppalock this season. If the conditions happen as I am predicting it will be perfect for the newly released fingerlings. The numbers of golden perch being currently being caught has been low. We should start to see good improvements in catch rates by the end of September. Once the water warms up and water levels are going over last season’s high water level we will start to see good numbers of fish feeding around the edges of the lake. Good lure options early in the spring season will be silent lipless crankbaits, blades and suspending hardbody To page 85

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NORTHERN GOLD COAST full to It AIRLIE overflowing and numerous to see native fish numbers Fingers-crossed in the ONSHORE MARINE WHITSUNDAY OUTBOARD CENTRE northern rivers running a explode and yabbies by predicted high flows we Horizon banker Shores it’s Marina William Murray Drive will Cannonvale fair Woongoolba to assume the 17 truckloads easy see a boom of native P: (07) 5546 2480 P: (07) 4946 7286 that we will be looking at to catch. fish that will set us up for a big river this spring. AllE: woc@whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au up it’s been a many seasons to come. E: onshoremarine@ozemail.com.au W: www.onshoremarine.com.au W: www.whitsundayoutboardcentre.com.au From page 84 conditions colour choice River at some stage over lures. For those anglers in your lures can be very the spring months or early EVERTON HILLS CAIRNS targeting the redfin the important. Colours that summer period. HOLT MARINE AUSSIE best concentrations present darkMARINE silhouettes Cairn Curran has 25 Queens Hillsbeen Hannam Bungalow ofRoad fish Everton have still such 5 as black,Street purple, produced some very good found brown, dark green numbers of golden perch P: (07) 3353 1928in8 depth ranges P: (07) 4033 8800 are of 10m+. If water levels goodE: sales@aussiemarine.com.au options. Others over the last couple of E: info@holtmarine.com.au continue to rise as I am colours which become seasons for those anglers W: www.holtmarine.com.au W: www. aussiemarine.com.au who have put the time predicting then good excellent choices during concentrations of redfin reduced water clarity in at this location. The CAPALABAwill start to move into KARUMBA are colours with a high same situation applies at MIKES MARINE the shallower water to ultra JONES violet MARINE presence such this location like Lake make Capalaba the most of the new as pink, bloodStreet nut red, Eppalock. The higher the 9 Smith Street 30 Yappar Karumba food sources becoming orange, chartreuse or a UV water levels go over the P: (07) 3390 3418 P: (07) 4745 9159 high water mark from last available to them. blue or UV purple. Lures E: sales@mikesmarine.com.au E: jonglo@bigpond.com CAMPASPE RIVER with an ultra violet blue or season the more productive W: www.mikesmarine.com.au W:can www.jonesmarine.com.au The productivity purple be hard to find the fishing will be. in the fishing in the but are a good option if LODDON RIVER SLACKS CREEK IPSWICH Campaspe River has you have some. The fishing in the Loddon River has been been low CENTRE due to cold CAIRN AUSTRALIAN MARINE IPSWICHCURRAN MARINE CurranStreet water slow but by the end of water 3491 Pacific Highwaytemperatures Slacks Creek Cairn 45 Huxham Raceview combined with reduced levels have also been the month we should start P: (07) 3808 7333 P: 07 3294 3944 water clarity. steadily increasing. 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P: (07) 5449 7633 P: 07 surges of 5532 water.5812 The end Given the current saturated does reach maximum E: sales@sunshinecoastmarine.com.au jason@trmarinegc.com.au capacity and the spillway resultE:has been relatively catchment situation the starts running make sure clear W:water running into water clarity can change W: www.sunshinecoastmarine.com.au www.trmarine.com.au Cairn Curran. very quickly at this time of you make the most of the angling opportunities While the water clarity the year. this situation can present. is not crystal clear it is A couple of major The fishing does not fire currently very good and rainfall events and water up straight away when the the best it has been at this clarity will deteriorate due to inflows. spillway is going over. time of the year at this It usually takes a location for over a decade. I am also predicting week or two and then the If the lake continues to there is a good chance that fill at this steady rate it we may see Cairn Curran fishing can really fire up. There is a good will be perfect. Conditions also reach over 100% chance that we may see can change quickly and capacity and therefore some flooding down the a couple of large rainfall produce some degree of Campaspe River this events and the water flooding down the Loddon River during spring or spring or early summer clarity will deteriorate. months. If this does I am predicting that early summer. As always occur water clarity will we will see some level of with the weather things flooding down the Loddon can change quickly. be reduced. In these

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SEPTEMBER 2021

VIC

Spring starts to fire up WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

September is one of my favourite months of the year here in North East Victoria. It is not the best month to go fishing, but the fishing does improve a lot from August, the trout season opens and most species are just starting to become active. So we see improved fishing with the excitement of it getting even better as the weather warms up. MURRAY COD September is the first month of the closed Murray cod season. There is only one waterway that is open to Murray cod fishing in spring and that is Lake Eildon. So if you want to

The smaller streams may be the easiest to wade and fish in September, however the larger river will still have trout actively feeding in them. Look for a slow backwater to

find a nice backwater and just sit there angling. REDFIN September can see a few redfin start to turn up in a few places. Redfin are a funny species and can be

A lovely small stream brown trout caught drifting worms through a deep pool after widespread rainfall. A redfin caught in a small creek in the first week of September last year.

is a very similar story, so too is Lake Kerford. Lake Hume has been fishing red hot for redfin for months now and may well be a viable option during September. On the other hand… avoid Lake Buffalo and Lake William Hovell. They usually fish poorly for redfin during the spring months. I have no certainty as to why this is, but I

suspect that it may be to do with the huge volumes of icy cold water entering such small lakes. They fish best after Christmas when things are a lot more settled. YELLOWBELLY September can see the start of the best yellowbelly fishing for the year. Late October, and November are the best in my opinion, but it starts in

most success. CARP Carp can be caught all year round in North East Victoria however September definitely sees an increase in their movements in all waterways. I tend to catch more carp in the Ovens River in September and October than I do in any other month. Usually I am

Is there a prettier fish than a juvenile rainbow trout? This one was caught by drifting worms in high water. get a Murray cod fishing fix, head to Lake Eildon. TROUT The first Saturday in September is the opening day of the new trout season. Like many others I will be out there somewhere ready to wade upstream and wet a line. Where I will go is unclear at this stage and largely dependent on a few things such as the weather, water levels, and of course…covid lockdowns! Last year I missed trout opening as the rules were that we could only go fishing at our nearest fishing spot, and living in Wangaratta it meant that I could not travel too far. Hopefully this year runs a bit more smoothly. I can say with a great deal of certainty that the streams will be high, so drifting a bait of worms will be a great option. Just how high the streams are will be determined by how much rain falls between this article being written and trout opening, but as I type there streams are all flooded with just a month left until the season opens. 86

SEPTEMBER 2021

drown a worm. In these high water conditions, just fishing in the one spot with worms can often produce a number of trout as the high water volume means that they spook a lot less each time one is caught. So don’t be afraid to

very hard to predict. Lakes Sambell in Beechworth sometimes offers okay redfin fishing in September, particularly towards the end of the month. The warmer September is, the better the redfin fishing is likely to be. Allan’s Flat water hole

A brown trout caught while drifting worms in the high water after a decent rain.

The perfect sized yellowbelly for the table, caught in Broken Creek.

September and I usually catch a few yellowbelly each September. I like to fish Broken Creek and Boosy Creek to the north, and Lake Nillahcootie to the south for yellowbelly. Worms and live shrimp (if I can catch them) are usually my baits of choice. For those looking to target big fat trophy yellowbelly, Lakes Eildon and Hume are the places to go. Each year in September keen anglers head to both of these lakes in search of big fat golden perch. As with all waterways, September is the lead up month to the best time, but is still well worth a shot. Anglers bouncing soft plastic grubs and lipless crankbaits near the standing submerged timber seem to have the

just angling with the intention of catching anything, hopefully even a yellowbelly when I catch these carp. If I want to head out specifically targeting carp in September, Lake Moodemere will be my destination of choice. I absolutely love it over there. I also catch my fair share of carp in Lake Nillahcootie each year while targeting yellowbelly. YABBIES September can see the yabbies start to move in some waterways. It may be a little bit early, but as with other species they might just start to move and throwing a few nets in, especially towards the end of the month may just reward you with a nice feed of fresh yabbies.

VIC

Big brown trout biting BALLARAT

Shane Stevens

Every year during the winter months there are generally a few big trout that get caught. We hear of the odd one or two down south around the Camperdown at

Michael John ventured back to Moorabool a few days later to try their luck again. The boys used the same method, a mud eye suspended under a float. The only difference this time was the weather – it was a bright, sunny winter’s day. This didn’t matter as Michael reeled in another magnificent brown trout of

spawning cycle, they will now just focus on feeding once again. With a bit of warmer weather and warmer water temperatures the insect activity will increase and so too will the urge for the trout to feed. Jakey Young has been well tutored by his father Ben on how to catch trout on Lake Wendouree, and recently Ben and Jakey were casting Ecogear Powershad soft plastics from the shore. Jakey latched onto a ripper nudging the 5lb mark, and after a good tussle Jakey landed the brown trout. A few photos were taken by Ben and the fish was released for someone else to catch. Craig and Matt Mitchell accompanied by Andrew Wright have been fly fishing Wendouree out of a drifting

Nathan Angee has been catching some lovely brown trout from Hepburn Lagoon casting lures from his kayak. Image courtesy of Nathan Angee.

Jakey Young landed this ripper from Lake Wendouree casting Ecogear Powershad soft plastics with his dad Ben. Image courtesy of Ben Young. Lake Purrumbete or Bullen Merri, which gets anglers’ tongues wagging, but generally not around Ballarat. However, this year has been very different. Over the past month or so there have been some absolute rippers caught, all within 25km of Ballarat. Moorabool Reservoir, which I include in my report pretty much every month, is now one of my favourite waters to fish, due to increased fish stockings by Victorian Fishing Authority and also the quality and size of the fish it produces. A couple of rippers have been caught out there that I know of, nudging the 10lb mark. Werribee angler Joe Ferretto has been catching some trophy browns, fishing mud eyes suspended under a bubble float for bait. Joe said one of the keys to his success is pick the worst day weather-wise, put on your warm clothes and wet weather gear and be prepared to put in the hours. Joe said when he heads to Moorabool in the middle of winter he rarely sees another angler; he just sits there by himself and toughs it out. On a recent trip Joe landed four browns for the day, the biggest being a 71cm, 9lb 8oz female. He then followed it up with a 7lb 2oz male and a couple of other smaller browns around the 5lb mark. Certainly an awesome day’s fishing. Joe and one of his mates

9lb, measuring 69cm. The fishing at Moorabool will only improve over the next two or three months. As the water levels slowly rise over new ground, the trout will move into the shallows

Matt Mitchell nailed this lovely 48cm brown trout fly fishing from Lake Wendouree. Image courtesy of Craig Mitchell.

Michael John landed this monster brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir on a mudeye. Image courtesy of Joe Ferretto. and forage for food. We will see a few insects start to hatch, and the trout will feed on them too. I am so excited by the prospect of excellent fishing; we have enjoyed some great spring fishing over the past few years. And there’s also the anticipation of tangling with one of these big browns that reside in Moorabool. Lake Wendouree has started to produce some nice-sized brown trout, both land-based and from boats. In general, Wendouree, like most other waters in the district, has been pretty quiet. The trout have finished their

boat. The boys generally fish Wendouree on Sundays during the winter months as part of a winter fishing competition run by the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club, the ‘Len Walker Trophy’. The boys are willing to battle the elements and generally are rewarded for their efforts. On a recent trip, Matt and Andrew managed to latch onto a nice fish each. Matt’s was a 48cm brown and Andrew’s was a 63cm brown. Unfortunately Craig missed out for the day, but he was happy being the photographer. Matt and

Andrew caught their fish on Magoo/Woolly Bugger fly patterns stripped pretty fast, as I mentioned out of a drifting boat. Certainly exciting times ahead on Wendouree. Hepburn Lagoon is full and overflowing, and the brown trout are biting out there. Nathan Angee has been getting amongst them casting lures from his kayak. Hepburn is one of a number of waters that have been opened up to boating in the district, with restrictions in place, over the past couple of years. It’s certainly a win-win for anglers. Nathan said he has been using small hardbodied lures, with the most successful pattern being a Nories Laydown Minnow. He said he’d caught a few and had many more follow the lures up, including some big ones that he’s hoping to hook into at some stage.

wet flies recently to catch some nice sized brown trout. He added that as the temperatures increase, he will start targeting the trout with specific insect patterns. As an example, in a couple of months the mayfly will be up and about, so a mayfly pattern will be a good choice. Tullaroop Reservoir continues to fish well for both rainbow and brown trout. Anglers have been catching them casting lures from the shore and trolling lures from boats or kayaks. Fly fishers using smelt patterns have been getting in amongst them as well. The water level is steadily rising over new ground, and trout will be mooching in the shallow bays, feeding on flooded-out worms, grubs and so forth. Overall anglers, we have very exciting times ahead of us around the Ballarat

Werribee angler Joe Ferretto landed this magnificent female brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir on a mudeye suspended under a float. Image courtesy of Joe Ferretto.

Tom Jarman has been blind flogging wet fly patterns at Hepburn lagoon with excellent results, catching some nice sized brown trout. Image courtesy of Tom Jarman.

Tom Jarman has been walking the shores of Hepburn, fly fishing with some success. Tom mentioned it’s not easy at the moment but if you’re put the hard yards in and cover plenty of water you will eventually catch one. He has been blind flogging

district, as we move into the best time of the year if you chase trout: springtime. The water levels are rising in all our lakes and reservoirs, and all waters have been well stocked with trout over the past few years by Victorian Fishing Authority. SEPTEMBER 2021

VIC

Local fishing improves around the lakes SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

Just like that we have been plunged into even more lockdowns in regional Victoria. This has made it extremely hard to report on the local fishing. Still, even with a 5km restriction put in place, some anglers still managed to get out for a fish. As well as lockdowns restricting fishing, the weather has also played its part, with many river rises in late July/early August making fishing the Goulburn and Broken rivers very difficult. I know I say river rises are great times to fish

the Goulburn and Broken rivers, but it’s normally in the warmer months. On the positive side, if we do get a wet spring we will get those rises in ideal times. There were a few reports of wary yellowbelly being caught in the back waters in both the Goulburn and Broken rivers, mostly on bait. Down below the Gowangardie Weir is starting to also produce fish on spinnerbaits and Jackalls. I tend to take my trebles off and run singles in the Broken as they become so much more snag resistant. Remember for the next three months it’s cod closed season so please follow the rules put in place.

SHEPPARTON LAKE The Shepparton Lake was full of activity in the lockdown, with many anglers taking the opportunity to chase both redfin and trout. Small hardbodies, spinners and soft plastics have been working well, and floating PowerBait also works for those bait fishing. Both boat ramps seem to be the best spots. At the defined edge where the ramp starts and ends, you can find plenty of fish lurking around. The grass hill is also very popular for those bait fishing. Coming into spring we should see more yellowbelly being caught. You can use the same lures but I seem to find more being caught out deeper

rather than from the edges. KIALLA LAKES We will now start to see the lakes systems starting to warm up and fish much better. There are plenty of smaller yellowbelly in the main lake, with a mix of some 50cm models amongst them. Lure fishing has always been very popular in the main lake, and this spring I think lures such as TN50/60s, soft plastics with beetle spins, crankbaits and even football jigs dragged slowly along the bottom are worth a try. The two smaller lakes hold yellowbelly but just don’t seem to produce the same amounts of fish. Bait fishing for yellowbelly in the lake can actually be

easy if you can either float or lightly weight your baits to drift around the drop-off ledge. WARANGA BASIN There is now plenty of water in the basin, and the warmer weather and the continuous rise may push the fish into the shallows feeding on the grass or rocky banks. This is good news for those anglers wanting to fish from the bank, either floating worms or casting spinners. Those fishing in boats trolling Jackalls in around 6-8ft of water can get good results if the fish are up shallow. There have been limited reports due to the lockdowns, but springtime also can bring wind so make sure you check the forecasts before heading

out there. It can get dangerous very quickly. LOCAL CHANNELS The water is now up and running in the channels, and the fish are now in bite mode. I have found that the redfin are very active in early spring, but as the season progresses the yellowbelly will take over and be the dominant catch. Casting Jackalls, Rapala VX Brats or soft plastics with a beetle spin will be my go-to lures for this spring. Bridges and below drop bars are the best spots to fish all year round, so jump on Google maps and try to find three or four different spots within a short drive, so if you don’t get any action at one spot you can quickly move to another.

Waterways are in full flow CRATER LAKES

Rod Shepherd

The rain well and truly continues to fall in large amounts turning our countryside and back yards into a marsh making any winter garden preparation for the upcoming spring weather out of the question. The upside is plenty of water has all our rivers in full flow and all estuaries open to the sea. Our lakes are getting a very good top up with some of them sitting at 100% full. The obvious one here is Lake Bolac, which although sits out of our shire and is closer to Ararat than Camperdown, many anglers from down our way will often venture north to chase the plump rainbow trout population. A large, shallow lake, trolling deep diving

lures is out of the question, however shallow divers flat lined out the back is a good tactic. So too is netting the local minnow population (called galaxy minnow) and presenting them either live; hooked through the upper jaw under a float, or unweighted on the bottom. Preserved in wood shavings and fished on the bottom also works. This is one lake where a boat isn’t necessary as there’s plenty of bank available for grounded anglers to wet a line. In fact, many areas allow a vehicle to be driven close by making access a breeze. In the past, golden perch and estuary perch have been released here with varying results but its rainbow trout that are mostly stocked as yearlings, and within twelve months or so can be punching the 2kg mark. Fisheries have restocked this lake recently with plenty of fish so it won’t be long

Lake Purrumbete is fishing well for Chinook salmon.

before these trout reach a catchable size. The single lane boat launching facility is out-dated and currently flooded due to high water levels and needs to be looked at in the near future. A double lane is needed along with better trailer parking. Hopefully in the not too distant future our fishing license fees might be put to good use here. Lake Purrumbete is fishing well, especially for Chinook salmon that are fast approaching 60cm in length taking many offerings in the shallows not too far away from any weed beds. The area around the mouth of the boat access channel from the caravan park has proved to be a hots spot. In between Covid lockdowns, good mate Shane Stephens from Ballarat has ventured down with son Max to fish the lake and their latest trip proved successful in the salmon department. Using OSP bent minnows in the shallows saw some plump chinooks played and landed. Solid browns weighing in at 6lb+ continue to come onboard but not in huge numbers. Water clarity, plus the fact that these trophy fish don’t get that big without being cunning, prevents many anglers with a challenge. Bullen Merri is also fishing well with similar sized chinooks plus rainbows being taken on the troll, as well as

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from the bank using a variety of bait such as Powerbait and local live minnow. Lake Elingamite has seen both browns and rainbows either weighing in around 800g or pushing 4lb falling to flies and lures cast and trolled. The upcoming months look to be hot for salmonoids in our rivers and lakes thanks to some solid rainfall and cold weather. Not so much fun for anglers, but we can’t have our cake and eat it too!

Max with his Purrumbete Chinook salmon. Photos courtesy of Shane Stephens.

Open and shut again YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Unfortunately, having a look upstream at the Ovens River inflows, it doesn’t look like the lake will clear up any time soon. It looked like a chocolate milkshake until the end of cod season. Of recent times, thanks mostly to Covid lockdowns, reports from the ‘fishermen’ have been limited but a few of the ‘scopers’ have been doing OK. Yarrawonga local and Fish Camp Ski staff member, Ryan McMaster, has been one

of the more consistent anglers finding some quality cod with a couple stretching the tape out past the metre mark. Early mornings have been his secret. Brendan ‘Snags’ Everett has been another to put his scope to good use landing some quality cod with one amazing monster measuring in at 127cm. Another session saw him land three all measuring in the 90cm bracket. Traditionally, this is the time of year the ‘biggens’ turn up below the weir. Trolling big hardbody diving lures within shooting distance from the weir got the best results. Of late, the bait fishing

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Ryan McMaster with a 102cm cod caught on an early morning solo session.

brigade who ply their trade around the weir boat ramp have been landing a few big cod. Along with these, reports of yellas being more active with the increased flows are coming in with a few getting their bag limits on a daily basis. A reminder to all that the Murray cod season closes on 1 September and reopening 1 December. All fishing for cod in the Murray River from downstream of the Yarrawonga weir through to the traffic bridge at Tocumwal during this time in banned. What’s going on with the iconic Lake Mulwala – Yamaha Cod Classic fishing competition? The simple answer at present is, we don’t know. As per 2020, there will be a Cod Classic in some form but competitor numbers and event format depend on what Covid restrictions the government has in place at the time. For those that are keen on their tournament fishing, pencil in 23 October for the Golden Dollar$ tournament. Based at Bundalong targeting yellas/golden perch, this event gives you the chance to share in some great cash prizes with the winners taking home well in excess of one thousand dollars cash.

VIC

Thankful for the rain EILDON

Peter Burtchell

Exceptional fishing can be expected this spring as above average rainfall throughout winter kept the lake level rising strongly. September will be no different as the long-term weather forecast is for above average rains through to November. Large Murray cod were very active over winter as the wetter season progressed. The constant barrage of weather fronts and barometer

105cm Murray cod while concentrating his flicking amongst the schools of bait fish. If you are looking for some tips on how to increase your chances to get amongst these big fish, check out the team of Bill Classon and Mick Caulfield as they present their short film using Lowrance ActiveTarget at Eildon on Youtube Monster cod on Lowrance ActiveTarget Live Sonar. Trout action was also in full swing during winter with many anglers regularly

Jordan was happy with his choice of Tassie Devil colour. movements produced some monumental hooks ups for those brave enough to try their luck in the cold and windy conditions. Andrew Carey who had fished Lake Eildon ten times prior without any action, broke the ice with a nice 102cm midday Murray cod using an 8” BIWAA swim bait in redfin pattern. Two other big fish vanished back to the depths after being dropped during his daylight session and, with that much action, Andrew decided to flick into the evening when a 120cm beast took the same swim bait as it lurked in the shallows. A week later Andrew’s friend Jesse Polkinghorne used the same 8” BIWAA swim bait in redfin pattern to catch and release a healthy

bagging out as the species completed their spawning runs. Richard along with his two sons, Bailey and Jordan, spent their time on the Lake trolling the Big River Arm with some great catches. Jordan landed two trout using Tassie Devils in the clown and pink panther colours. Older brother Bailey landed a cracking brown trout using his Rapala in the spotted dog colour while trolling in Goughs Bay. In between trolling the boys were regularly checking their cray pots and managed to catch their daily bag limit with very little effort. Crays are in abundance in most parts of the Lake and can be legally caught from June to August. Jordan and Baily are now in preparation to return to Eildon in early November to participate in a guided fishing tour with Jack Harder Guided Fishing Tours. November is one of the most comfortable times of year weather wise and also coincides with the large Murray cod leaving their nests in order to gain weight in preparation for next year’s breeding season. During September, the Murray cod will be pairing up and returning to their preferred breeding site amongst some of the larger structures around

Bailey with his targeted trout.

Smiles all round handling these crustaceans.

Andrew Carey savours the day with the first of his multiple metre-plus hook ups.

This 120cm cod posed with the 8” BIWAA that was its undoing.

the Lake. On their return, the smaller inhabitants of the structures are forced out. The trick now is to remember where all the large structures are located as the big fish will be looking to repossess their favourite breeding site from where they can protect their eggs and fry. Nearly all of the Fry will not survive due to the lack of food resources available to them in such a deep Lake. This lack of food for the growing Fry is why Lake Eildon relies on the Victorian Fisheries Authority Native Fish Stocking Program. It is also the reason why there is no closed angling season for Murray cod as fishing pressure does not have any

effect on the fry’s, unfortunate but predetermined, demise. Expending energy during their forced evacuations, smaller Murray cod begin to become very active in order to replenish their spent energy stores. With the above average spring rains, yellowbelly, Murray cod, trout, redfin and carp will all take advantage of the rising lake levels. Newly inundated grass beds will prove to be the place to be angling. Worms, yabbies, cod bait, lures of all shapes and sizes will prove successful tools as the large schools and solitary predators will be regularly patrolling the grass beds looking for that easy meal. September is also a big month of fishing activities for Eildon. The first being the Victorian Fisheries Goulburn Fishing Festival is back on for Father’s Day weekend and as always there will be plenty of activities planned to make it a great family day. Keep up to date with all the activities via the Victorian Fisheries Authority website (vfa.vic.gov.au). A new land based guided fishing service has begun in Eildon where first time anglers to the area can be

guided through rig set ups, places to fish both around the Pondage and other waterways of Eildon. You can book a session and fishing gear for individuals or groups on their Facebook page (Eildon Pondage Guided Services or Eildon Bait and Tackle).

The Lake Eildon Cod Masters is also planned to go ahead during the last week of September. The Cod Masters have had to cancel their inaugural event twice due to lockdowns, it is hoped that this third attempt will be the lucky one. To find out more details of how to enter or visit the event be sure to find Lake Eildon Cod Masters on Facebook. The two other events planned for this spring at Lake Eildon include the Mountain Bay Classic (mansfieldfnc.com.au or mansfieldhuntingandfishing. com.au) and Central Vic Lure Casters Lake Eildon Round (Central Vic Lure Casters Super Series on Facebook). • If you are in Eildon during spring be sure to visit the Jerusalem Creek Bait and Tackle’s new showroom on the foreshore overlooking the Jerusalem Creek Arm Boat Ramp or keep up to date with the activities planned for the new showroom’s opening events via their Facebook page (Jerusalem Creek Bait and Tackle)

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

Open for breakfast from 6am 7 days a week (Closed Mother’s Day)

Coffee Light meals Pastries Cakes Bread 10 Main St, Eildon Victoria 3713 03 5774 2362 0438 881 629 SEPTEMBER 2021

Lull between lockdowns WIRF

Cara Cummings

In between lockdowns I headed to the Mornington Peninsula and caught up with fellow WIRF Leader Michelle Brittain and she took me on my first squid fishing pier adventure. Geared up with Black Magic gear we braved the freezing conditions and set up jigging. The persistence paid off and Michelle successfully helped me to land my first ever squid! Given I am a lure fisher, I quickly discovered that this style of fishing is rather addictive, and I am looking forward to heading back over summer in more favourable conditions! Michelle’s winter squid

Lydia, Abby and Michelle during the WIRFINAR. Simpson and Niki Duckstien have kicked off a new series of ‘WIRFINARS’. These are an online virtual presentation presented by fellow Leaders and Guest speakers, which feature numerous topics and discussions. These are free

to our Facebook WIRF members and registration is essential. The first of the series was Saltwater Basics, with Michelle Brittain and Lydia Cahill as the guests. Michelle talked us through targeting squid and

Colleen Johnstone made use of her isolation and caught this lovely brown trout.

Michelle Brittain takes author Cara Cummings out for her first pier squid fishing session. fishing pier tips: • Be aggressive with your jigging as they can be rather lazy in the cooler temps. • Go for darker colour squid snatchers/jigs. • Move spots, try all along the pier, don’t get too comfy in the one spot. NEW WIRF LEADERS 4.0 This year’s Leadership recruit welcomes five new Leaders to the WIRF 90

SEPTEMBER 2021

network. A very warm welcome to, Ruth Beeby, Caitlin Berecry, Amanda Keilar, Lee Spyrou and Catherine Watt. These passionate anglers join our current Leaders, and we look forward to seeing where their WIRF journey takes them while continuing to positively promote women in rec fishing. ONLINE WIRFINARS WIRF Leaders Abby

Kayla with her double salmon hook up.

Deborah Johnston with her Lorne Pier salmon.

whiting and what tackle and equipment to use, while Lydia focused on top water fishing for tuna and kingfish. It was a great presentation with lots of questions answered. MEMBERS BRAG MAT Kayla Chappell had a great session at Mornington

Pier fishing for salmon and was wrapped with her double hook up, landing a total of seven salmon for the day. Deborah Johnston and her husband enjoyed a getaway along The Great Ocean Road and tried their luck fishing in Lorne.

“We love fishing at sunrise, it gives us spectacular views and we caught this salmon using blue bait at high tide on Lorne Pier,” said Deborah. Colleen Johnstone shares her lovely ‘lockdown ’ b r o wn trout catch. “It was a cold but nice day. I tried a few different lures without any luck. Tied on an original Rapala brown trout colour and off I went. First cast a beautiful 40cm brown trout. I have caught this same fish numerous times over the past few years. I am lucky to have a dam that we started stocking 10 years ago. Fishing has been my saviour during five lockdowns, even if it was at home.” • To stay up to date and see what else has been happening within the

FUNNY FISHING

Rats on light gear WA

Colin Joyce

network and for upcoming events, please head to our Facebook group www. f a c e b o o k . c o m / g ro u p s / womenrecfishing/ or via

the VFA website/Facebook page. Are you a WIRF member? If not, we’d love to have you on board! Join us on FB today.

RECIPES THAT ARE ‘WIRF’ IT

Tasty Greek flake souvlaki INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

4 fillets flake Handful fresh oregano (or 2 tsp dried) 1/4 cup olive oil Pinch salt Juice of 1 lemon 1/2 Iceberg lettuce 2 Tomatoes 1 Cucumber Tartar sauce Souvlaki/Pita wraps

METHOD 1. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, lemon juice, salt and oregano to make the marinade.

2. Add the flake to the marinade, coat well and let rest for 10 minutes. 3. Whilst the flake is resting, shred the lettuce, thinly slice the tomato and peel ribbons of cucumber. 4. Heat frypan and place flake into a hot dry pan. Allow the flake to cook approx. 3 minutes each side. 5. Remove fish from pan and heat both sides of the wrap. 6. To build the wraps, start with a drizzle of tartar down the centre and then layer with the lettuce, t omato, flake and cucumber. Fold the bottom of the pita over the ingredients to seal the end and roll into a wrap. Enjoy whilst hot! As seen weekly on Ch 31’s ‘Talking Fishing’ TV show or catch up via YouTube.

Fish aside, I’ve caught some unusual things over the years. I’ve caught a bicycle tyre, more fishing gear than you could poke a stick at, and heaps of clothing items, including a shoe. And then there’s the outright unexpected, the most memorable being a rusty old kerosene lantern in deep water off the rocks at Parrys Beach in Denmark. (That’s Denmark in Southern Western Australia, not the Nordic Country synonymous with rampaging Viking hordes back in the ninth century). And no, in case you’re wondering, the lamp wasn’t still burning. I even caught a blanket, once, fishing from a tinny in 20m of water in the Swan River at Mosman Bay. It got caught up in the underwater current as I was bringing it in, and for a short while it put up quite a fight. But, for the most part, I guess you could say that it came in like a wet blanket. I’ve caught strange sea creatures, too. Green sea-urchins in Fremantle Harbour that illuminate when you touch them, and a black slimy thing off the rocks down at Margaret River, that I suspect to this day may have been some kind of an alien species. Aside from the above, two more of my unusual catches over the years are worth mentioning, mainly because they were just that, unusual. Firstly, skindivers. I’ve only ever caught one of these creatures, and that was several years ago from the end of the North Mole in Fremantle. It was nighttime, and I’d taken one of my sons fishing for kingies or whatever else might have been around. Within an hour, we and the many other fishermen around us noticed lights shining from beneath the water. A number of skindivers had converged directly in front of us. I dunno...they had the whole ocean to choose from and they decided to dive around right where we were all fishing. They knew we were there, too, because they’d parked nearby and would have seen us. And besides, there were more gas lamps hissing away up on the rocks than there were fish in the water. I was using an 80lb wire trace rig with a star sinker and a gang of 4-0 tarpons when I caught my first skindiver. It didn’t actually take the bait, but rather my line got tangled up in its wet suit. It surfaced

immediately, shining a torch right at me and shouting out obscenities. Ah yes, those obscenities, I’ll never forget them. However, for the purpose of keeping this article non-offensive, I’ll modify what was actually said and present the PG version instead: The skindiver shouted:  “Gosh! I’m so sorry, friend. I appear to be caught up in your fishing line!” To which, I shouted back: “Yes, I can see that! I’ll tell you what, old fellow, why don’t you just cut my line and set yourself free! Oh, and if you wouldn’t mind, could you and your friends possibly avoid diving in this particular area. The lights, you know, they’re scaring all the fish away!” To which the skindiver replied:  “Oh yes, of course! Sorry about that!”  And then all of the skindivers left and the fishing resumed. The second unusual catch was rats. Many years ago, I went fishing with a few mates from off the ASI Groyne in Kwinana. We’d generally had good luck at the ASI, but on this particular occasion it was a quiet night, fishing wise. The big lines had sat untouched for many hours. The water was flat calm. It was hot. In fact, it was actually so hot that I saw a couple of seagulls picking up some discarded fish bait with oven mitts. Anyway, before long we were just bored. It was one of those nights where one tends to resort to stupid little games like seeing how far you can throw rocks. Thinking back, I’m not sure whose idea it was to cast a fishing line not into the water, but along the road part of the groyne itself. What I do know, however, is that the baits were attacked the moment they hit the ground. We knew they were rats, of course, because we’d seen them scurrying round earlier, and before long, we were all into it, casting our lines out into the darkness of the road. We didn’t use hooks; we just tied pieces of bait onto the line. The action began with tentative nibbles all round, before one of them grabbed a bait so fiercely that the drag actually engaged on the reel. Then someone came up with the idea to reel the lines in as close as possible before hitting the hungry rodents with a spotlight to get a better look at them. And there they were, but far more than we had at first envisaged. Dozens of the damn things, scampering around in a wild frenzy. Sometime afterwards, I

was relaying this story to a fisherman I met on the North Mole in Fremantle, which, coincidently, has a resident rat population as well, along with numerous feral cats. Trust me, keep an eye on your bait when fishing these types of breakwaters. If you doze off, chances are that a lot of your bait will disappear from right next to you. I think the rats and cats have got us fishermen well and truly sussed out. They await our arrival, and watch our every move from their rocky little hideouts, before sneaking up and grabbing the fish bait. Some are more brazen, and run off with the bait when you move away to cast out your line. Anyway, this fisherman told me one of the most disturbing stories I’ve ever heard in my life. To this day, I shudder at the thought of it, and it seems unfair that I should be the only one to suffer in such a way, so I thought I’d share it. (Warning – read on at your own risk!) This guy told me that late one night he’d been driving around Fremantle, and was feeling a bit crook after eating a whole pizza, which, he said, ‘didn’t taste quite right’. He said that he drove out onto the North Mole to get some fresh sea air, but that this didn’t help, and before long, the inevitable happened, and a good old-fashioned chuck was his body’s way of ridding itself of a contaminated pizza. (Sorry, but it gets worse). He said that after throwing up about 20m in front of his car, he immediately felt a little better, whereupon he took some deep breaths before climbing back behind the wheel, cranking up the ignition and flicking on the headlights. And that’s when it happened. That’s when he said that he watched in horror as hundreds of rats began devouring his offering. He said they were like a school of piranhas devouring an animal carcass, frantically fighting among themselves for the tastiest morsels, and that after only about 30 seconds they all disappeared back into the rocks, removing all evidence that the chuck had ever happened. Rats – nature’s vacuum cleaners of regurgitated pizza supreme.   Sorry about that, but like I said, why should I be the only one to suffer this vision? SEPTEMBER 2021

recfishwest More barra and marron stocked across WA July marked another massive month for West Aussie fishers north and south, with major strides forward taken across two important WA stocking projects. On 18 July, the one millionth barramundi fingerling was stocked into Lake Kununurra as part of the ongoing and successful Lake Kununurra barramundi stocking program. While that momentous release took place in the State’s north, 50,000 marron were also released across Logue Brook Dam and Waroona Dam in WA’s south also during July. “These are both really exciting programs

contributing to highly popular fisheries and show how fish stocking results in fantastic fishing experiences, while also benefiting regional communities,”

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland said. BRIMMING WITH BARRA For Recfishwest and the Lake Kununurra Barramundi Stocking Group (LKBSG), it was great to have about 150 fishers and holidaymakers join us for the momentous community fish stocking event. 92

SEPTEMBER 2021

Recfishwest CEO Dr Andrew Rowland, LKBSG President Dylan Hearty and Fisheries Minister Don Punch releasing future stocks.

Fisheries Minister Don Punch was also along the lake’s banks at Lily Creek Lagoon to help release the millionth barra stocked into Lake Kununurra

through the program, which started in 2013. There were plenty of smiling faces and happy families at the release event, lending a helping hand. Everyone was eager to get involved and release the 60-day-old barra fingerlings – bred at North Regional TAFE’s Broome Aquaculture Centre – safely

into their new surroundings. Dr Rowland said fishing was always better when the fish are biting and the Lake Kununurra barramundi stocking program shows how effective fish stocking initiatives can be. “Lake Kununurra now provides a wilderness fishing experience at its best offering the angler 55km of prime barra country,” he said.

“It’s a location where anglers are able to explore and fish without the worry of saltwater crocs or without big tidal swings typical of other Kimberley barra fisheries. “Lake Kununurra is something all of us involved in the stocking program and the local community can be genuinely proud of.” FISHING FOR 1M-PLUS BEASTS The State Government has committed funds to the Lake Kununurra barra stocking program over the next three years through the COVID-19 recfishing recovery package. This should ensure the fishing enjoyed on the lake will continue to go from strength-to-strength. “If you’re looking for a new fishing experience in a magnificent, but accessible setting chasing our country’s most iconic sportfish, look no further than Lake Kununurra – it is an East Kimberley fishing gem,” Dr Rowland said. “This event would not have been possible, and this fishery would not exist,

if not for the trailblazing efforts of the original Lake Kununurra Fish Stock Enhancement Committee led by Dick Pasfield, as well as the strong advocacy of Recfishwest’s Frank Prokop to Perth-based decisionmakers in the early 2000s. “We look forward to seeing many more barramundi caught on Lake Kununurra for many more years to come.” MAXING UP MARRON NUMBERS IN SOUTH WEST WATERWAYS On 23 July, Recfishwest joined Aquafarms at Waroona Dam to release 20,000 one-year-old marron as part of an extensive stocking program backed by the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF). It came after 30,000 marron were released into Logue Brook Dam earlier in the month. The stocking program, launched with Premier Mark McGowan in 2019, will see 300,000 marron released into South West freshwater waterways over three years. “With 50,000 marron stocked into two accessible dams less than two hours’ drive from Perth, this is

great news for WA’s 10,000 fishers who hold marron licences,” Recfishwest Operations Manager Leyland Campbell said. “Fishers told us this was one of the things they wanted their licence money spent on and we’re delivering – securing the future of marron. “Building on that, we want to see this program move us closer to realising Recfishwest’s vision of an expanded marron season.” These recently-released marron will be legal size by the 2023 marron season and the first batch to be released — 2,300 marron stocked into Logue Brook Dam in February — will be legal to target in time for the next marron season in January 2022. BUILDING RESILIENCE AND FUTURE-PROOFING Marron are a south west WA icon, providing a unique and family-friendly fishing experience. However, declining annual rainfall across the South West and south coast is placing environmental pressure on freshwater species in the State’s

south, including marron populations. All of the already released marron and to-bereleased specimens are bred at Aquafarms’ aquaculture hatchery in Capel, where they are nurtured through the most vulnerable stage of their lifecycle. Releasing one-year-old marron maximises the animals’ post-release survival rates. “Supporting healthy populations and ensuring marron abundance through stocking programs such as this will go a long way to future-proofing this important fishery. And of course, more marron in the water results in even better marroning,” Leyland said.

South Coast

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

Days gettingCONTROL longer INTUITIVE

LIGHT, POWERFUL, DURABLE…

INTUITIVE CONTROL

ESPERANCE

Murray Johnson

Esperance fishing has started to improve as the typical spring fishing patterns get underway. The days are getting longer, water temps are on the rise, and the weather is improving a lot. Larger pelagic species such as kingfish and samsonfish have been moving in shallow, and anglers are making the most of this and targeting them on light gear. Samsonfish up to 35kg have already been caught so far, and one of the best lures for them lately has been the Oceans Legacy’s Long Contact Jig in blue/purple. The kingfish have been taking stickbaits and ALBERTON MELBOURNE knife jigs, and they’re also ALBERTON MELBOURNE MARINE being caught onMARINE both live and Oli Stevensonn caught thisCENTRE salmon on 39baits. Johnson Street Alberton 92 Hallam South RoadDreamcast Hallam dead the new Ocean’s Legacy P: Demersals have been stickbait. Image courtesy (03) 5183 2344 P: (03) 9703 2003 of @olistevensonn firing as well. Nannygai have F: (03) 5183 2219 W: melbournemarine.com.au been schooling up in dense shallow water. Fishing the fish around the corner at W: albertonmarine.com.au schools and big sizes, and have sand patches west of town Fourths Beach. MORNINGTON PENINSULA been caught on a mix of lures, has been most productive Anglers venturing out MY MARINE jigs,BENDIGO soft plastics and bait. for these. of town have been rewarded Cnrthe Nepean & BENDIGO MARINE OUTDOORS Oceans Legacy’s 130g& Long Mixed in with sand Highway with some great captures Contact jigs inHighway pink/purple have beenPlace of Dromana late. Gummy sharks 160 Midland Epsom whiting, anglersPonderosa have effective lately, and frequently pullingP:up(03) flathead are starting to show up in P:been (03) 5448 3988 5987 0900 Berkley Gulp 6” Paddle Shads up to 1kg, and there are a good numbers, with anglers bendigomarine.com.au W: mymarine.com.au in W: pearl white are catching some squid cruising around catching multiple gummies in their share as well. with the whiting as well. Squid one night. The gummy shark MORNINGTON MELBOURNE Anglers fishing up to 45cm hoods are getting PENINSULA hotspots so far this year have NAUTICAL MARINE MARINE have also caught, and with for BLnannygai the dirty been Roses Beach out west, encountered some most Road Warton Beach out east, and 141the Hotham 612- 614 Plenty Roadlarge Prestonwater at the moment breaksea cod, harlequin and productive squid jigs have also Alexander Bay out east. Sorrento P: (03) 9478 1420 big blue groper. been Yamashita Live Search Mixed in with these gummies (03)inshore 9470 4638 P: them. (03) 5984 F: The fishing has with the rattles in You 1666 has been some large salmon W:going blmarine.com.au E: info@nauticalmarine.com.au been really well, with should work them erratically in big numbers, skipjack anglers making the most of for the best results. trevally up to 4kg, and a few W: nauticalmarine.com.au the SHEPPARTON nice weather to get out Esperance Jetty has small school mulloway. andBOATS targetAND bread-and-butter provided a brilliant platform Coming into later spring MORE TOORADIN species. So far this year we’ve for anglers of all to SERVICE we’ll see the gummies come in P&J ages MARINE CENTRE P/L 207 Numurkah Road Shepparton had the best King George target a range of species. The nice and shallow for breeding, P: (03) 5822that 2108 101 Tooradin whiting fishing Esperance most common captures lately Station and Road that’s Tooradin when the large (03)in5821 (03) 5998 hasF: seen years,2908 with anglers have been large P: squid, good 3107 20kg fish will be caught. The regularly bringing home numbers of herring, and weed preferred method for targeting W: boatsandmore.com.au E: pjmarine_services@bigpond.com their bag limit. In the deeper flathead. Large skippies are gummy sharks is a simple patches, King George up to also getting caught in berley paternoster rig with snelled MORWELL 1kgCRAWFORD have been MARINE caught. Black trails at night. GEELONG 7/0 hooks at the top baited MARINE Magic Whiting Snatcher rigs Moving onPORTSIDE to beach withCENTRE an octopus tentacle, and 71-77 Street Morwell GeelongonRoad Portarlington have been Chickerell very popular for the fishing close 36-38 to town, the bottom a small Black P: George, (03) 5134partly 6522 because Chapmans PointP: has King been 1110 Magic KL 3/0 with half a (03) 5259 the F: KL(03) hooks bags of salted mulie. The 3/0 KL is 5134always 6455 pin the producing mixed E: info@portsidemarinecentre.com.au fishW: in the corner of the mouth, large salmon, sweep, sand large enough to withstand crawfordmarine.com.au W: portsidemarinecentre.com.au and you don’t drop the fish. whiting and skippy. Salmon large gummy sharks. ECHUCA Inshore fishers have also Beach has consistently The lakes around town been getting good bags of produced salmonMELBOURNE up to 5kg, have had a good flush-out XTREME sandEADES whiting up to MARINE 35cm in as well as a lotTHE of MARINE smaller SHOP with all the rain we’ve had 24 Sturt Street Echuca over winter, and large bream 6 Holland Drive Melton up to 45cm have been getting P: (03) 5482 2333 P: (03) 9747 0588 caught in less than 1ft of F: (03) 5482 2133 F: (03) 9747 3999 water, grazing in areas that W: xtrememarine.net.au W: themarineshop.com.au they previously didn’t have access to. The go-to lures BRAESIDE MELBOURNE for these bream are small JV MARINE WORLD jerkbaits, such as the new TRIPLE M MARINE Berkley Protec Jerk 60 in 878 Springvale Road Braeside 117 Northgate Drive Thomastown brown trout. P: (03) 9798 8883 P: (03) 9465 8787 • Established in 1986, F: (03) 9798 7554 F: (03) 9466 1418 Southern Sports and Tackle W: jvmarine.com.au W: triplemmarine.com.au specializes in the supply and servicing of fishing equipment. They have an extensive knowledge of the local area and provide all brands, whether you’re fishing from beach, jetty or boat. Come and chat to the friendly staff at Shop 16, The Team member Lachy Warren with a nice Boulevard, Esperance or harlequin fish. Image courtesy of @lachy_warren phone 08 9071 3022.

VIC MERCURY DEALERS

WA MERCURY DEALERS BUNBURY BLUEWATER MARINE 18 Hawkins Street BUNBURY P: (08) 9791 1499 F: (08) 9791 1497 E: bluwater@bigpond.net.au W: bluewatermarine.com.au EXMOUTH EXMOUTH AUTOMOTIVE & BOATING 5 Griffiths Way EXMOUTH P: (08) 9949 2795 F: (08) 9949 4795 E: exautomotive@bigpond.com W: exmouthautoandboating.com.au

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SEPTEMBER 2021

West Coast

It was time for a good clean out AUGUSTA

Anthony Gillam

Here I was complaining about how bad winter was treating us last month and thinking it couldn’t get any worse. I guess Mother Nature must have heard me and said, “Hold my beer!”

the Scott and Blackwood rivers purging themselves via Hardy Inlet. The waters exiting at Colourpatch went from the weak tea of last month to a strong espresso with the resulting push down from the upper reaches bringing black bream and yellowfin whiting with it. Jetty fishing remained as the safest option that could

the open water, well, that’s not always true. A customer came into Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports looking for a fish identification with what turned out to be a nice sized bluefin tuna. She had caught it by hand at Colourpatch after a pod of dolphins harassed it enough for it to jump out of the water onto the sand. This

and the Hardy inlet will return to the clear, clean water we have come to expect. As the black bream and yellowfin whiting have moved down to the lower reaches then it is a perfect chance to catch a feed. Bloodworms, sand worms cockles and glass shrimps will all work very well on whiting, however, they are also very good at coaxing a bite from black bream but in general most are undersized juvenile fish this far down. Further up the river around Molloy Island and towards Alexandra Bridge the sizes are much better with 30cm bream not uncommon. Try river prawns, coral prawn pieces or soft plastics. Just search out snags or cover along the riverbanks and they will be lurking nearby. As spring comes along the bream become more active and the chances of a feed are pretty secure. Spring demersal fishing is also some of the best

Blake Muller proves you don’t need expensive equipment when charter fishing. He landed this nice pink snapper on a kid’s fishing setup.

You would have to be happy with catching a southern bluefin tuna with the local dolphin pods sending it right into your hands. Storms, massive tide surges, flooding and erosion made sure we were in no doubt as to who was the boss when it comes to controlling our activities. At least it wasn’t just the southwest of WA that copped the full brunt of old MN. She made sure that the majority of the lower half of the country had a taste as well. But on a brighter note, sometimes there is nothing better than a good clean out of the system and that is exactly what we got with

be done for most of the month, with only very small windows of opportunity for any other water related activity. That being said, when people did wet a line there seemed to be plenty of fish getting about. Whiting showed up in good numbers for recreational fishers and even the local commercial netter was counting his blessings after a period of low numbers. Many people believe that if you want to get into the big fish you have to hit

would explain some of the bust ups observed recently in the cut and gives hope for the surprise adrenaline rush when whiting fishing. With the odd mulloway and bronze whaler also making appearances from time to time it never hurts to have a live bait swimming around in the channel while you pick up bread and butter species. As we move on to spring then things should calm down enough for regular fishing activities to resume

Rock fishing for whiting was a rare activity during the recent stormy weather but, as usual, was very productive.

Winter bream from the Blackwood River are often found in sizes like these beauties landed by Belinda McKinnon. 94

SEPTEMBER 2021

Augusta has to offer so although circumstances prevented ocean going trips recently, the weather must surely change for the better soon. Flinders Bay will only have benefited from the month off from fishing pressure. Heading out from the marina towards Bessies Reef, White point or The Kidneys will certainly pay off. As always large soft plastics and large bottom baits will produce big dhufish, pink snapper and queen snapper while trolled lures and knife jigs will produce yellowtail kingfish, samsonfish and bluefin tuna. Look for lumps, bumps and reef and don’t be scared to prospect as some of my best spots

came about from drifting around over innocuous looking bottom. Rock fishing recently has been very rare as the weather prevented all but the crazy from venturing out. In the very small windows of reasonable weather those that did give it a go are reported doing very well on herring, skippy and especially sand whiting. Bottom rigs with squid strips or sand worms did most of the catching. Rock fishing can be very productive in Augusta but it can also be deadly. Choose a spot that allows you the chance to seek refuge from any king waves and don’t let calm conditions fool you

into thinking you are safe. Rogue waves are just that and can quickly result in being thrown into the water. People have died here after being washed off by king waves. • Unpredictable weather can quickly affect the fishing conditions and slippery rocks are a recipe for disaster. Please remain vigilant when rock fishing; wear a life jacket and tie off to something solid. You can hire one for free from Augusta Xtreme Outdoor Sports at 66 Blackwood Avenue Augusta -the local tackle shop and font of all local fishing knowledge. Look for the big green sign on the roof, it’s right next to the BP Service Station.

West Coast

Anglers getting their dhus and pink snapper BUNBURY

Whiteys Tackle and Camping

With the worst of the weather finally getting behind us, boaters have been reporting large numbers of dhus and pinks in and outside the bay. Fishing the 30m patch south of Bunbury is likely to produce. Finding small isolated ground is key to a successful trip. Many boaters have turned to using artificials, such as metal slow pitch jigs and soft plastics. A local favourite is the Caprice jig and Haolis in pink/glow and orange/glow. A slow pitch jigging technique is sure to get results. An always welcome by-catch at this time of year are the mulloway and tailor that frequent our beaches. The last

Anglers have been finding good catches on small isolated grounds.

NEW PRODUCTS

Demand for limited edition Beyond Blue antenna After GME released the pink McGrath Foundation antenna, ARB’s Facebook page was flooded with comments asking for a version to support Beyond Blue. Beyond Blue is a mental health organisiation that focuses on people affected by depression, anxiety and suicide. They provide information and support for all Australians to achieve their best possible mental health. ARB and GME mutually agreed on the prospect of supporting a charity that has worked so hard, especially over recent times. In consultation with Beyond Blue, they have produced a blue antenna and are donating $40 from each sale directly to the mental health charity.

In a time of uncertainty, instability and isolation, the power of communication and connection has been more apparent than ever. “While mental health has always been a serious and important topic, the last 18 months have been particularly difficult,” said Mark Berger, Brand Marketing Manager.

“At ARB, we consider ourselves to be very fortunate to be associated with an activity that provides people an opportunity to escape the daily grind, to destress and to spend much needed time with family and friends. “Partnering with GME on this project was the perfect match given the importance of communication for those who battle with mental health. We can only hope that a wave of signature blue antennas on the tracks provides a reminder amongst our 4WDing fraternity to always keep the lines of communication open, start talking, and keep talking.” The 6.6dBi, 1200mm antenna has an interchangeable whip with the AS4700 series. Included in the package is the blue radome antenna, the antenna assembly, a 4.5m coaxial cable and plug as well as the FME to PL259 adaptor. It’s available from any ARB store or stockist while stocks last. To donate directly, please visit fundraise.beyondblue. org.au. If you need support, please contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or visit www. beyondblue.org.au. – GME

Pink snapper have been in large numbers, as well as large in size. few weeks have been no exception with some horse tailor sessions being had on weightless mulies, my personal favourite. Squid have been around in great numbers, as well as size. The winter thumpers

Bay or from the local jetties will produce a feed. Those of us that have already been walking the flats are noticing a definite increase in the blue swimmer numbers, and sizes are looking even

to set a good prospecting line through your area of choice. Harvey Dam has been fishing well for redfin perch, look for rocky banks with plenty of structure as this is where the redfin hide

The weather has finally settled allowing anglers to get outside the bay. aren’t all gone yet. There is a common misconception that squidding is a waste of time in Bunbury waters, which can’t be further from the truth. Numbers are higher than ever for the boaties that take the time to target these delicious cephalopods and there are plenty of land-based spots to target them as well. Night sessions on the weed banks through Koombana

better than last year. Good numbers of blue swimmers can be had all year round if you’re happy to put in the time exploring. There are always crabs to be had from the jetties in Bunbury or the Koombana Bay areas while you’re waiting for the temperatures of the estuary to rise. There is a boat limit of 10 crab nets, which leaves you plenty of nets

out. The norm is generally spinners but don’t discount soft plastics. I rig a slightly heavier jighead (around the 1/8oz) to ensure my plastic is getting down where the fish are. • Call into the shop at 1/143 Grand Entrance, Australind for the latest fishing reports and what’s biting, or simply to have a yarn. Until next time, tight lines and screaming drags! SEPTEMBER 2021

West Coast

Light at the end of the tunnel METRO

Jacob Crispe

As any Perth Metro angler would be aware of, a wet winter has reduced our fishing options a little as the Swan River looks more like a chocolate milkshake than the pristine waterway that we are used to. The upside of this is that flushes of the system always help the fishery long term and as the waterway clears the fishing can be magnificent. SWAN RIVER The main focus of the fishing in the Swan at the

Jarrad Prieto says he had some seriously sore arms after the fight with this beast sambo!

Jarrad Prieto, Joel Dinning and Marcus Hill showing us what a session on the pinks from local Perth rock walls can look like when you persist. The fish measured 67, 80 and 85cm and were caught on local herring. moment is in the lower reaches of the system. Many of the baitfish and predators have been pushed there by the freshwater from the persistent rain we have had. Black bream can always be found in the Swan, and the areas to search in the lower reaches are around the Narrows Bridge, The Causeway and the various yacht clubs based in this area. The structure in these areas provides cover for the bream and the food that they eat. The mulloway fishing should improve as September progresses. Again, focus your efforts in the lower reaches of the system. The E-Sheds, North and South Mole will be good places to try. Blue swimmer crabs will also be on the move

SEPTEMBER 2021

snapper, squid, King George whiting, skippy and herring all on offer. Like the beaches the best fishing is in the low light periods. Not only will it give you more chance of catching a feed a fish, but fishing during these periods sees less numbers

Kristian Hardie is one man who does not disappoint when it comes to producing monsters from the deep, with a massive blue-eye trevalla.

Mark Derwin with great shot of a 5-star wild card, balchin groper. These fish have to be one of the most welcome captures in these waters!

Farshad Monshizadeh with a spectacular looking mulloway from the surf.

Adam Picton has been keeping warm on these cold mornings whilst having some hot sessions on solid tailor! 96

with the fresh in the system. Deeper water areas like East Fremantle, Bicton Baths and Blackwall Reach will be your best options for a feed of crab. ROCK WALLS AND BEACHES The beach fishing in the Metro area has been the highlight in recent times and this should continue this month. Sunrise and sunset are the prime times to fish. Take your time to find a good gutter at your chosen location, set up a berley bag and tailor should be on offer in most areas. Port Beach, City Beach and Floriat Drain will be good

starting points. For those prepared to fish into the night, mulloway and various small sharks will be around in good numbers. Fresh baits are always best, but if you can’t get your hands on that, grab a bag of scalies from your local tackle store. The water around our rock walls is pretty dirty at present, making the fishing tougher than usual. When the water starts to clear the fishing will improve quickly, with fish like tailor,

of the pesky toadfish that are the bane of every rock wall angler. INSHORE As the month progresses the numbers of King George whiting should increase on our inshore grounds. Areas like Middle Ground, Success Bank and Stragglers will be good places to explore. There should be plenty of squid and skippy in the same areas as well. Head to areas like Mewstones for tailor and some better quality skippy. The key to all these areas it to get there early because the key bite period is at first light and before. Cockburn Sound is closed for pink snapper fishing from 1 September through to 31 January (please check Fisheries rules and regulations), but

there are plenty of options outside of this area to get your snapper fix. There’s plenty of good ground on the Northern side of Rottnest and off Cottesloe that holds plenty of snapper. In fact, anywhere in the area from Point Peron to Mindarie can yield good catches; look for broken ground in 12-50m of water and you are likely to find some snapper. Other common catches at this time of the year are dhufish and baldchin groper, with the occasional Breaksea cod and harlequin mixed in with them. Most will be found in 30-40m of water. The bonus when fishing these areas is that some oversize King George whiting have been caught (50cm+) as bycatch. If you want to get your arms stretched there are still To page 97

Marco Orifici from Anglers Fishing World loved getting amongst the big pinkies. This one was caught on a trip with Jazz Charters, Fremantle.

West Coast

Fishing favours the bold MANDURAH

Jesse Choy

September marks a change in season, with plenty of options for adventurous locals seeking a spot of fishing. If you are planning on heading out, we can expect to see a noticeable

prawns or squid will result in plenty of fun if you are seeking species like whiting, silver bream or herring and occasionally you will still come across the bigger fish. If dropping baits out, you are likely to encounter pink snapper, perhaps a breaksea cod or even a dhu. Persistence is key, so

lightly weighted soft plastic or shallow running bibbed diver can also be very effective for the purpose of letting the fish know you are there. Pink snapper are showing signs of aggregation on the inner reefs, reminding us that the demersal ban is not far away. As schools move in closer to spawn, numbers of fish can be found from our local beaches and will span to just beyond the five fathom bank. If pink snapper are your goal, it will definitely pay to present lightly weighted baits in shallower waters. Anglers continue to prove that fishing artificial will produce, but it will in fact require a degree of persistence if you are to stick that lure into the face of a willing fish. Picking a plastic can be thoughtless yet effective, though you will generally want to stick to a natural presentation that looks like it belongs in the surrounding environment. The estuary is worth navigating, particularly if

Great fish like this black bream are littered throughout our systems, they can just be very difficult to land. This one fell to a shallow crank. you are mobile on a boat or kayak. Though the seasonal blue swimmer ban is currently in place, there are definitely good amounts of yellow-fin and herring about to keep you entertained. If trolling in the heart of the estuary with metals or shallow bibbed divers, there is also the chance of coming across the resident salmon trout population and

the odd tailor too. Heading up into the rivers is likely to produce much more of a fun fishing session, with black bream majorly present in your low to mid-stream sections of the river. If fishing heavier or in deeper holes, there is also

up due to the potential they hold. If targeting redfin or trout on baits, a very lightly weighted worm will be ideal and particularly so if the fish are hungry rather than aggressive. If using lures, targeting fish on

Kelvin caught this beautiful dhu with his Swell Pro while fishing midday! change in comfort levels as the days fill with more sunlight and the evenings become more tolerable as a result. Although the seaweed situation along the beaches has largely cleared up, be sure to keep on the lookout and plan accordingly as there is still smaller patches lingering along the shoreline. Tims thicket, white hills and preston offer a good variety if you are keen to go check out one of the drive on beaches. If chasing something bigger, switching the smaller baits out for a fillet or whole bait may entice the stray mulloway or tailor cruising around chasing the smaller fish and bait. Casting

stick with durable baits that enable a good soak time at your chosen distance and be sure to remain attentive to your surroundings as they often offer up information. Winter tailor are scarce, but still somewhat available whilst shore bashing some of your shallow inner reefs and rock walls. Heading out in the boat to target some of your inshore reefs will increase the likelihood of turning up a few greenbacks, though there is so much else to target if you are able to get out. Targeting whitewash with an unweighted mulie or scalie is ideal and may turn up the odd pink snapper if you are lucky. If using artificials, it is worth mentioning that a

Browns are especially beautiful when they are in pristine condition and are showcasing their colours.

Tailor, although scarce at this time of the year, can still be found and thoroughly enjoyed.

From page 96

some good sambos and yellowtail kingfish about. It is a matter of trolling to find them, berleying to keep them in your vicinity once you do, and fishing unweighted baits or soft plastics and hang on. The area between Duffield Ridge and Cathedral Rocks is a good place to start. Tuna (bluefin and striped) and bonito (Watson’s leaping and oriental) can also be found in similar locations. Keep an eye out for birds as they an angler’s eye in the sky. They will give you an indication of where these fish are and then

Mark Derwin shows us his skills are no fluke when it comes to putting 5-star fish on the deck with a lovely West Aussie dhufish.

you can cast stickbaits, big minnows or soft plastics into the schools when you find them. OUT WIDE Deep dropping is a very consistent form of fishing. It’s just a matter of getting the weather window to be able to go and do it. Target species for September are 8-bar cod, grey-band, hapuka, bass grouper and blue-eye trevalla. Every one is a delicacy of the sea. So here is hoping that our local waterways have the opportunity to clear up, and the fishing will only get better as it does. I hope you have a chance to get out and I will catch you next month.

the chance of hooking up to a mulloway. Now is the ideal time to explore your local freshwater options, with places like Waroona and Harvey being very good ones at that. There are multiple bodies of water within a close drive, which are viable in terms of fishing, but these two options are hard to pass

spinners as well as decently weighted plastics will work very effectively and can be a great way of exploring during the process. Divers will work well if you are able to discern that the fish are maintaining a certain depth but will not always prove effective when fishing some of your shallow water that fish can hang in.

Friday 13th produced the goods with a couple of nice eating sharks for the ODC crew. Daniel Horner and Andy Gleeson with the double hook-up after drops with the Cuta Copter Trident, mullet chunk and herring baits, and OANNES rods bringing them home. SEPTEMBER 2021

West Coast

Spectacular spring sessions LANCELIN

Peter Fullarton

As September progresses, professional lobster fishers follow crayfish inside the white bank. Some dhufish will be attracted by activities of the crays and

of the boat for sand edges. Habitat to look for is ledges, or lumps with overhanging caves or defined reef to sand edge drop offs. A dhufish, or several, will show up quite clearly on the fish finder if they are in the open. Do not discount a spot if you can see a good ledge

resistance. In the shallows it is a different story – where you can get a nice fish to the surface, but at the sight of the boat it can charge all the way back down to the bottom! The inshore lumps will also produce some decent breaksea cod and pink snapper. This time of year, big skippy

although starting to fire up again now. Fishing will only continue to improve the next few months as the tailor become active and a great average size. The bad news is floating sargassum weed is likely to start and can be a big pain when the onshore winds blow. It is usually a good policy to avoid fishing strong westerly winds if you can when the floating weed is around. Mornings when the offshore winds are blowing, avoid the floating weed, it is a great opportunity to find a few fish on artificial lures with wind-assisted casting. The best areas to prospect would be the back edge of a reef break or beach gutters. There are likely to be smaller school mulloway and big greenback tailor, so cover both the topwater, midwater and bottom with a range of lures at

A Lancelin fishing report is not complete without another fine mulloway specimen landed by Graeme Doodson!

There have been good numbers of pan size pink snapper along the near shore reefs. baited pots as they move to the nearshore reefs. This is a great opportunity to target West Australian dhufish from small boats or even kayaks and drones from the relatively shallow nearshore waters. Blind drifting baits for shallow water dhufish, as you would in deeper waters, can

but no fish, they like to sit in the shadows of overhangs and may not show up on the sounder until coaxed out by an offering. When you do find fish, be sure to mark up the spot for future reference. Building up a library of proven spots makes the job far easier next time you are fishing. Weighted baits can be

school on inshore lumps and the odd samsonfish tests the anglers skills around the shallow reefs. Larger boats have been doing very well out at direction bank, regularly anglers have been scoring metre-plus dhufish 15kg or more. The bags are usually a mix of breaksea cod, pink snapper and baldchin groper, lately there been a few queen snapper hitting the deck as well. This month bluefin tuna start to appear in better numbers, look out for the birds that will indicate where they are feeding. For anglers who like to keep sand between their toes, beaches have started to widen making it easier to drive along them accessing the deep gutters that have formed in the regular spots, both north and south of town. Tailor have been quiet the last few months, the frequent winter storms keeping them offshore,

Dhufish are within range of kayak anglers during September.

tide, dawn or dusk at the near shore structure. Then perhaps sending a few baits out wide on a rod when the action slows to see if I can find a nice table size slab of pink to take home. If you do not have a drone there are usually some sand whiting, herring or tarwhine within casting range if you throw out some smaller hooks after session casting big baits and chumming. If the weather is making beach fishing difficult, a good back up plan can be to hit up the Lancelin jetty. The rougher the weather, generally the better the fishing at the jetty! There has been plenty of squid caught here of late and stacks of herring at night, although the size can be a bit small

each spot before moving on. Soaking baits later in the evening is more likely to find the larger mulloway, pink snapper and school sharks. Drone fishing for pink snapper has really taken off in the last 18 months or so, to

Alex Carter with a slab of silver beach ghost. and does work. Although problematic in that you can also lose a lot of gear and wasted time to snagging the reefs. The near shore reefs are typically a lot more aggressive in shape and covered with high snaggy kelp. In the shallows, it can be far more effective to accurately target spots likely to be where the fish are holding up, delivering the bait or lure aided by a sounder and GPS, while visually looking over the side 98

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dropped to the ‘spot’ and set while you drift off a little and then hold the boat in position with the motor, testing each spot until a fish is found. Soft plastics work very effectively on these shallow grounds and can be fished under the boat watching the fish finder, often you will see fish chase the lure, monitoring the take on the screen. Deeper waters once the fish is off the bottom and swim bladder expands, dhus do not offer up much further

You can look forward to some good times casting lures over the next few months, catching fish like this chunky tailor landed by Tyler Herbert.

Graeme showing it’s not only the mulloway he can whisper up.

the point where there can be as many drones as beach casters, at times even more along the popular surf beaches. I have been mixing it up myself casting some lures or baits at the prime bite times of high

this time of year. Tailor have been coming in chasing the bait that shelters under the jetty and early mornings have seen samsonfish doing some spectacular aerial bust ups on the bait.

West Coast

Mountains of mulloway GERALDTON

Graham Maunder & Michael Triantopoulos

For many land-based anglers landing, or even just hooking, a large mulloway from beach or rocks can be an ambition that only happens to others. Over the last eight to ten weeks, mulloway have been anything but elusive with many anglers posting

pictures of their first, second or more prized fish. Beaches from Flat Rocks or Coronation Beach have all been productive and even some of the rock walls and platforms around the Geraldton harbour and marina that have not produced and decent fish for a long time have been worth an effort. Early evening through to a few hours after sunset

has as usual been the most productive time. Their does not seem to be a best bait but as usual pilchards, fresh mullet fillet, tailor fillet and stripe sea pike fillets have all worked equally as well. The most consistent beaches are from Tarcoola to South Gates, but due to late winter storms stirring up the sand and sea grass, poor fishing conditions have done a good job of protecting what for us has been an unusually large aggregation of mulloway. When conditions have allowed it, fish to 10-18kg have been the average size with up to 4-14 mulloway landed some nights. A few tailor, sharks and stingrays have been active as well, and for the inexperienced great excitement has not turned

Lucky Berdia was fishing Horrocks Beach when he caught this 900mm gold spot trevally, a fairly rare capture down this far.

Geraldton’s mulloway king, Hadi, with a nice mulloway caught from our local surf beach. out to be what they expected, but that’s fishing! BOAT Huge winter fronts are continually rolling through and giving us no break to get out

for a fish. Very small windows off opportunities have arisen with anglers making the most of the time they’ve had. Fishing north west of the marina in

Visitor Pen with his first Mid West mulloway.

30-40m has been productive for WA dhufish to 600mm, bald chin grouper, estuary cod, pink snapper and coral trout. South off town, the fishing has been tough work with anglers working hard to bring a feed of fish back home. WA dhufish, pink snapper, bald chin grouper and skippy to 1kg have all come from around African Reef area. In shore fishing out from Drummonds Cove at night has produced good numbers of pink snapper to 700mm, WA dhufish, skippy and samsonfish. • Geraldton Sports Centre is the Mid Wests specialist Fishing tackle store. Drop in and see the friendly professional staff for local advise and knowledge and browse the extensive range of Fishing equipment on show at 204-208 Marine Terrace Geraldton WA, Phone: 08 9921 3664.

Beach fishing still best option KALBARRI

Stephen Wiseman

With storms rolling in on a regular basis, boat fishing has been a bit difficult and at some

times very dangerous in the river mouth. Beach fishing is still offering plenty of options from the cliffs to the south of town and up north to the Sand Patch. Snapper and mulloway

have been taken, with mulies being the best pick for bait. Big storm gars are still on the bite early morning at Red Bluff but watch the waves as they can stand up very quick. The best bait has been the good old faithful

Scott Fishoman with decent sized mulloway.

maggots, but prawns are a good back up. River fishos have been catching a good mix of tailor, mulloway, bream and whiting with a recent mulloway claiming a nice rod and real combo while he was checking his other rod in its holder. Best bait for mulloway is mullet strips, while mulie is the best for tailor around at Chinamans. Some of the tailor have nudged 800g+ and at that size can give a good account of themselves. Offshore action has been slow but some nice snapper have been the reward for those that make the dash between storms. West of the Sand Patch is the spot and further north out from Baldface has even turned up a couple of big reds. No sign of yellowfin at the moment and the mackerel have moved on and are now well North. Happy fishing, Kalbarri is open and getting back to normal. Boats still have to use the top ramp by Anchorage Caravan Park while the VMR ramp is under repair.

Rob with a pretty pink snapper. The recent storms have caused regular trips out on the boats to become possibly dangerous. SEPTEMBER 2021

North Coast

Dodging the wind EXMOUTH

Barry Taylor

Report supplied by Josh Cheong Over the past month we have been enjoying some good land-based fishing for queenies along the beaches around the Gulf. I had a session up there recently

sight-casting to them as they were surfing, chasing bait. Small stickbaits are the go-to lures for this, and lately I’ve been getting good results on the Halco Slidog and Jinda Lalandi 105. There have been quite a few grey nomads in town getting into the whiting on the beaches, more towards the bottom of the Gulf. The

There has been some great land-based fishing along the beaches lately. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh.

best rig for these is a running sinker rig with a size 8 longshank hook baited with a bit of prawn. Try to patrol the beaches and find the whiting schools by looking for the tell-tale shimmering in the water. The fish are usually in quite close to shore, so you don’t have to cast far. We had a good session in the lagoon recently chasing spangled emperor and golden trevally. The spangos were up to 60cm and the goldens 4-5kg. The outfit was a 10-17lb spin rod, 20lb line with 30lb leader, and most fish were caught on 4.5” Bait Junkie Minnow paddle-tails in about 4m of water. There is good mackerel fishing to be had up around the islands, on ganged garfish, trolled lures and stickbaits. A couple of really good fish up to 35kg have been caught off the back of the reef in recent weeks. The West Coast Popper stickbait and the new Ocean’s Legacy Keeling stickbait have been very effective. Marlin fishing is quite good at the moment, with lots of blacks and sails. They’re mainly off Tantabiddy off the west side, and are

A nice spangled emperor caught on a Nomad Madscad 150mm. The outfit was a Daiwa Demon Blood 78 matched with a Daiwa Certate 14000xh. Image courtesy of @indepthangler_josh. being taken trolling skirted lures and switch baiting with garfish. There have been some good trout caught in the bottom of the gulf trolling around the bommies around 8m of water. One of the best lures lately has been the Samaki Pacemaker in the stripes pattern. As the month progresses,

the sailfish should get better, the mackerel should still be pretty good, and whiting will stay popular. We should start to get a few windier days though, so make the most of any good weather windows. • For all the latest news on what’s biting and where, drop into Tackle World Exmouth at 3 Maley St, Exmouth or give them a call

on (08) 9949 1315. You can also view the range at www. tackleworldexmouth.com. au, and see the latest catch photos on their Facebook page. This family business stocks a large range of tackle, from light spin to big game. The staff have a wealth of local knowledge and expertise, and are always happy to help.

Super spring fishing in Broome BROOME

Troy Honey

September is the best month in Broome for targeting Spanish mackerel because by this time of year they are working the reefs just offshore for any baitfish they can find. It is also the time of year when the Spanish mackerel have grown to well over a metre in length, with

the average size being around 1200mm to the fork of the tail. Heading out from Entrance Point or launching off Gantheaume Beach, it’s only a short boat ride of less than a nautical mile and you are already in mackie country, so don’t hesitate in setting the lures. At this time of year, you want to be using lures around the 200-220 size because that’s the size of the baitfish the larger mackies chase. I recommended

Nathan with a big gold-spotted rockcod taken on a soft plastic. 100

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having a spread of lures that troll at different depths, and if you see a particular depth being consistently hit then you should change the rest of the lures to match. Lure colour choice can be a contentious topic. Many anglers swear by the red head and white body lure, while other anglers will use bright greens, pinks, and purples – and then you have the die-hard shiny gold and silver lure anglers. My experience over 20 years of targeting mackerel is on overcast days the red and white lures excel, while on bright sunny days the gold and silver lures come into their own and will outperform all other colours. If you are working areas around shoals or reefs where there is an abundance of coral and reef fish species, then the greens, pinks and purples all work well on both overcast and sunny days. Mackies can be caught in shallow or deep waters off Broome. When tolling the deeper waters look for ground that has high reefs or bommies and troll over them. Some of my best Broome mackies have been in 30m of water trolling over 10m high reefs. So, you now have your spread of lures out running at different depths, you’re trolling over good ground and have matched the lure colour to light or area you are trolling, tide change (which

is the prime time to fish for mackies) is coming up but you are still not getting a hit. Besides looking for birds, which usually indicate tuna feeding, try changing your trolling speed. Around 5 knots is a good range to start, and you can work up slowly from there. On a recent day out targeting mackies, we had a group on the boat from the southwest that were determined to catch a few. We trolled for hours with a great spread of lures at 5-6 knots and not a single hit. We then increased the speed to 8 knots and within less than 200m we were hooked up on mackies. Remember the things to work through: lure size, colour, depth, and trolling speed. Mackerel travel and feed in small groups, and once you start hooking up, replicate what is working across the entire spread. A common bycatch when mackerel fishing in Broome is longtail tuna. Longtails have been turning up in numbers right along the coast and have been caught this month as close as 500m from Entrance Point boat ramp. While longtail are not as desired for their eating quality as the yellowfin tuna, they still make for amazing sashimi or used in other dishes. They are also amazing fighters that do not give up and always

Nathan Southern headed out into Roebuck Bay after work to try his luck jigging a few soft plastics, and was rewarded with this nice coral trout. go for broke once they see the boat. The longtail tuna schools will start to really build as we head into the wet season, and they provide a great day of fishing when the demersals become a bit more challenging in the warmer water. Cobia are being caught by those trolling and bottom fishing, and a few cobia are also being taken on Cable Beach. Threadfin salmon, whiting and the odd permit are also being caught along Cable Beach right up to Coconuts Wells. Town and Demco beaches are fishing well for diamond-scale mullet,

trevally, bream, whiting and garfish. Blue swimmer crabs are also being caught along this stretch on the neap tides by anglers dropping nets during high tide. Coral trout, bluebone and cod are being caught nearshore to the southwest of Broome by boat fishers, and those heading further out into 30-50m of water are finding a few rankin cod, saddletail, red emperor and the odd chinamanfish. Further north up the Dampier Peninsula, the prized golden snapper are turning up everywhere. If To page 101

North Coast

Crustacean smorgasbord DAMPIER/KARRATHA

Troy Honey

August in Karratha, actually the whole northwest for that matter, certainly taught many anglers a lesson on the frustration that strong winds can bring. The Bureau of Meteorology officially declared there is a negative Indian Ocean Dipole, the first negative event in five years, which is known for bringing wet weather.

What is the Indian Ocean Dipole you ask? The Indian Ocean Dipole is a natural climate phenomenon that influences rainfall patterns around the Indian Ocean, including Australia. It’s brought about by the interactions between the currents along the sea surface and atmospheric circulation. It can be thought of as the Indian Ocean’s cousin of the better known El Niño and La Niña in the Pacific. Essentially, for most of Australia, El Niño brings dry weather, while La Niña

brings wet weather. The IOD has the same impact through its positive and negative phases, respectively. Negative IODs, which we are now officially in, tend to be less frequent and not as strong as positive IOD events, but can still bring severe climate conditions, such as heavy rainfall, wind and flooding, to parts of Australia. While we are seeing heavy rainfall in the lower part of the Western Australia, the northwest has been impacted by strong, relentless winds and

Using the full moon and high tide change, the author spent a few enjoyable hours on the banks of a local Karratha creek to bring home his bag limit of mud crabs, all over 1.5kg. From page 100

you have the opportunity to fish these waters to the north of Broome, I recommend targeting the goldies as they are epic fighters, release well and also make one of the best table fish going. The population of this species is ever increasing in northern WA waters, which makes for a great sport to be enjoyed by everyone. There are mud crabs galore in all the Broome creeks now and this will continue for the next few months. Mangrove jacks are also being caught in the local creeks, but you need to work to find them. The best place to start is to head as far up the creek as you can and work back from there. Most of the jacks will be found upstream, and a small tinny makes light work of fishing these areas. You can access creeks such as Dampier and Willie land based, and with a bit of searching there are tracks that will allow access right upstream. Just be prepared with a good 4WD and recovery equipment, or stop short and go it on foot. Take lots of water with you and always be very croc wise.

Bluebone are one of the fishing jewels of the Broome region. These two great examples were caught on prawns while fishing just offshore of Manari up the Dampier Peninsula.

cooler days. As challenging as it is to get the boat out on weekends and days off, there is still a smorgasbord of fishing experiences on offer in the Karratha region. What we have been seeing is strong winds in the morning, tapering off to nice afternoons and opportunities to get the boat out and chase some good fish. The afternoons also present opportunities to chase some king prawns or blue swimmer crabs. A couple of articles ago I wrote about how the blue swimmers would be tapering off by this time of year and I am the first to admit I got this wrong. It was a late start to the blue swimmer crab season, and it is a season that is still going strong even now, which is totally out of the ordinary. Nickol Bay, Cleaverville, Dampier Harbour and Cossack are all still fishing well for blue crabs so don’t be hesitant in throwing a net or two out. If you stay out after dark the crustacean fishing continues, with many people cleaning up on big numbers of king prawns in the bays. The trawlers are working the bays but that is no reason for the recreational fishers to miss out on enjoying this delicacy as well. The king prawns are being caught from land and boat, with the new moon offering the best catches. Those anchoring up in the bigger tides the new moon brings, who are using a prawn light under the water and long handled prawn net, are simply scooping them up as the tide brings them past the boat. It’s a great way to spend a few hours and come home with a very rewarding catch. Unlike most crustaceans that run for cover in the full moon, the monster green mud crabs that are found in the Karratha region come out and feed, using the moonlight to assist them in the hunting process. Mud crabs can bury themselves in the mud for days at a time and alternatively, when they come out, can stay walking for days at a time, using the mangrove roots for protection during the day. It is during the full moon period that presents the best fishing time for mud crabs. Last month I chose to target them on the last full moon when the wind was too strong to get the boat out. The full moon was a night moon, but I knew the crabs would be on the walk so I simply headed out to a local creek a couple of hours before high tide and placed my drop nets in the deeper holes over a widespread area. I used tuna oil soaked chicken wings as bait. By the

May to September is peak demersal fishing time in Karratha due to the cooler water. Reds and rankins of good size are mostly found in depths of 40m+, and finding a corally bottom over the large bommies is the key to catching good fish without high numbers of sharks. time I had placed the last net in the water, it was time to start pulling the first net; 20 minutes is more than enough time to let the baits soak in the stronger tides of the full moon. On that first round of pulls I was hauling in monster size mud crabs that exceeded 1.5kg. All the crabs caught that day were what I call a matt colour shell, rather than a shiny one. A shiny shell indicates that the crab has shed its shell recently, and is most likely not full of meat. The crabs I caught were full of meat and that generally goes hand in hand with full moon caught crabs. It was a great way to spend a day that was far too windy to get the boat out, and goes to show that it’s only a matter of exploring opportunities on these less than pleasant boating days to bring home an esky full of fresh caught treats. On the neap tides in Karratha during August and September that line up with a couple of days of low wind, there is always the option of going for a dive for the prized tropical crayfish that are abundant in the reefs and shoals surrounding the archipelago islands of Dampier. High tide change generally sees the cleanest water, where visibility provides the perfect conditions to see the white tentacles sticking out of the crevices and ledges. All you need is snorkel equipment and either a good glove or crayfish snare to pry them out. Please be careful here as the eels and stingrays that like the same shelter can be an unwelcome find once latched onto your finger or speared through your forearm after reaching into the darkness the crayfish shelter in. All the shallow reefs

throughout the archipelago hold good numbers of crayfish, and it is not too hard to find them if you put the time and effort in looking around for nicelycoloured coral and bommies and have a paddle around with the snorkel equipment. Always be mindful of sharks when carrying crustaceans or fish in bags or on belt rings, as the sharks are out there in plague proportions. The odd tiger shark is about but the bronze whalers and bull sharks are definitely more problematic as they can become very feisty when lots of action is taking place in the water. Blue swimmer crab, mud crab, king prawn and tropical ornate crayfish are all on offer in Karratha this month, and there are also shellfish such as oysters and pipis – and let’s not forget the cephalopods. Both large tiger and calamari squid are in abundance at this time of year behind the protection of the islands. Wind or no wind, there are so many options. If you do grab a break and get out wide in the boat, this is the time of year to be chasing demersals such as saddletail snapper, red emperor, and rankin cod. Troll your way out and back in over deepwater reefs, around the ships and shallow shoals for sailfish and Spanish mackerel. Work the tides and target your species. It is not like down south where the tides are less than 1m, and you can fish all day on your favourite GPS spots. Most days offer two tide changes that can be fished in one session, so look at the wind, moon, either day or night and if it is either a falling or rising tide, set your route and target your fish. You will be rewarded with a significantly better result. SEPTEMBER 2021

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Excellent spring fishing ahead FRESHWATER

Peter Fragomeni

There was a time when we would look forward to September because it was once the official opening of the trout season in WA.

I again witnessed this on a two week fishing trip down to the south of the state recently. The fishing was slow because of the swollen water, making it hard to get to the better areas to present a lure or fly to where the fish normally lie. I found using heavy jigs and

8lb fluorocarbon, resulting in recovering most of my tackle. Even the dams proved hard, as the high rainfall clouded the water to the extent that visibility was around 300mm in some waters. The few trout we ended up with were mostly wild

on farms growing avocados, although these dams would offer a great opportunity if they were stocked with trout and permission granted to fish them. I can see why our rivers suffer low water levels through the summer period in low rainfall years, as most of these catchments has been placed on vital springs that once fed the rivers. Most dams were full and overflowing well at that time, fortunately. I managed to visit the Pemberton Trout Hatchery and had a good chat to the manager Terry who has been running it for a number of years now. I have known Terry since the 90s when we electro fished one of our club dams, which was stocked with Tasmanian brown trout that were flown over as eyed ova and hatched at the hatchery

Bec Crossingham is a member of the Territory Women’s Hunting and Fishing Group and loves to get out and fish the freshwater south of Perth.

Little scenic farm dams offer some fantastic spring fishing if you are lucky enough to have access to one. Although most of the dams were open all year it was the streams that were closed for the trout spawning season. This has changed in recent times with the decision to abolish the trout closed season, so now we just look forward to the warmer days that September brings, and of cause the annual hatchery stocking of ex brood trout that are placed into our dams throughout the south of the state. The good news is the very wet winter has resulted in higher dam levels, also rivers flooded on many occasions this season. It’s something I haven’t seen since 1996, which happened to be the year I caught the state record rainbow trout in Pemberton. That year two other big trout were caught that nudged the 3.5kg rainbow that engulfed my fly in July.

soft plastics the better option as I could achieve better depth in the fast water, and it didn’t hurt the hip pocket when you snagged up on obstacles hidden by the high water. The weaker jig hooks tended to straighten when extreme pressure was applied to the

stock but lacked the condition of those on previous trips. This should change because high water means better food being available from the flooded areas of both rivers and dams alike. The redfin fishing was also slow for me, but other

Rainbow brood trout are held at the Hatchery in circular pond for two years, and are then released into our dams after being stripped of their eggs and milt.

Newly hatched rainbow trout fry being held at the Pemberton Trout Hatchery. There will be around 300,000 released this spring throughout the rivers and streams in the south of WA. anglers have been getting a few from different waters than the ones I’ve been fishing. Driving around the Pemberton area I was alarmed by the number of dams that have been placed

before being released into this particular dam. On my latest visit the staff had just finished the sorting of brown trout eggs, and although the numbers were down it seems they will have plenty for future stocking. They do a great job of providing us with trout in a marginal and sometimes hostile environment, with summer conditions not favourable to salmonoids in this part of the world. There were around 30,000 rainbow yearlings still in the ponds with 10,000 already stocked into the rivers and although still small,

PREDICTED DAM LEVELS Overall storage in our dams that allow public access and recreational activities is currently 52.3% as of the end of July, compared to 38.2% at the same time last year. This is a great turnaround, with huge rains falling in all catchments recently. Perth experienced its wettest July since 1958 with around 280mm but dwarfed the 1958 record of 450mm. I noted that Dwellingup just south of Perth recorded just over 400mm but although well above its July average of around 230mm it fell short of the 1946 record of 573mm for July.

Damian Gansekoele with a nice cod that fell to a 175mm Frillseeker fished slowly in the dark. 102

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WAROONA DAM DRAKESBROOK WEIR LOGUE BROOK DAM HARVEY DAM WELLINGTON DAM GLEN MERVYN DAM BIG BROOK DAM

to the rainbows. AUSSIE NATIVES Reports have been slow over the winter, but things should start to warm up in the coming months. I have a number of anglers asking me how the progress is going on stocking some of these species here in WA. The truth is I don’t actually know as it seems it’s been put in the too hard basket with all the red tape, and nobody is willing to pursue it. WAROONA DAM A few trout from last year’s stocking are still showing themselves, and with the brood stocking stepping

68% 100% 74% 72% 71% 87% 100%

Vince Gervasi from Prestige Tackle with a superb silver he landed on one of his many trips. These fish would offer some great summer angling if there was a controlled government stocking into selected WA impoundments. there are plenty going into our waters this year. The 500 brown broods look great as usual, and should offer some exciting sport to those lucky enough to land one this year. They are hard to produce in this state, so I encourage anyone who catches one to consider releasing it as they are known to survive better in our redfin waters, opposed

up it should improve through spring. Most of the popular lures are working but my advice would be if you are fishing from the shore then use something that will cast a long way. Water should be up so pay attention to the shallow areas, especially early in the morning and of an evening. Redfin are still being caught but not in the numbers

they were earlier in the season. Unfortunately, the camp area is still closed and the caravan park has limited spots in peak times. DRAKESBROOK WEIR This water started overflowing in mid-July, but all reports have indicated the fishing has been slow. However, this will change when it’s stocked by the hatchery. The annual Troutfest will be held here again this spring so keep an eye out for this event.

were a few large logs floating around so be careful if you are on the water. Remember this is an electric motor water only if you are boating. The annual Harvey Bash will be held again this year with big prizes and even cash prizes for tagged fish. It’s great to see Harvey Water being the major sponsor this year as they lease this water and many others from Watercorp and have been very angler friendly. Fishing has been slow, with discoloured water

shade this little water are. We fly fished it into the dark, but the beauty soon turned into eeriness when it got dark. Although a few trout were rising I was unable to tempt one with the fly. The same was the case with my partner using lures. RIVERS Murray River The river was flowing hard through winter, making like most waters with big catchments virtually unfishable. I believe with

recently and was astounded by the amount of water coming down. It was interesting to see the results of a water sample I took of the salt content that

an option but again later this month things may change. Collie River below Wellington Dam No reports but I believe

dirty throughout winter. This river fishes best in November from Bridgetown to Nannup in times of above average rainfall.

This beautiful 51cm brown trout fell to John Vickery’s lure. He releases all his browns because they are believed to compete with our redfin and offer better year-round fishing.

Big redfin occasionally turn up amongst the hordes of smaller ones. Curtis Milne targets them with a range of lures from his kayak on our larger dams. LOGUE BROOK DAM This water continues to frustrate those who try to fish it and I’m no different. One day it fishes reasonably well but the next it seems to be dead. The skiing activity will pick up, but it’s the unpredictable direction switching of jet skies that make it difficult if you happen to be on the water trolling a couple of lines. HARVEY DAM After a record low water level of around 20% at the

read 2.5 ppt. That’s 2.5g per litre of water, in comparison to sea water which is around 36 ppt. The east branch carries more salt so I’m not sure how this will affect Wellington Dam, which is its final destination. Fishing was not

making things hard. WELLINGTON DAM Not a lot of reports coming through, but rapidly rising water levels should provide the 10,000 rainbow yearlings some good pickings and also cover by late spring. GLEN MERVYN DAM I paid this water a visit in July and was surprised to see just how much it has risen after heavy rains we had through the month. Unfortunately, the water was very muddy but this will settle in time. Fly fishing Bigbrook Dam can be productive, however a strange eeriness descends on the place as darkness falls.

A quick flick in the Lefroy Brook waiting for the hatchery staff to arrive resulted in this nice little rainbow that took Wendy’s soft plastic in the high water. beginning of winter this dam rose to over 50% by mid-July. On one trip the water rose nearly half a metre in 48 hours. This has caused a lot of run off the exposed banks and very dirty water. There

BIG BROOK DAM Although this water had been fishing well through autumn, the fish eluded me on my couple of visits recently. I had forgotten just how scenic the towering karri trees that

the good rains predicted this water would only be viable when flows subside in September. Northern Jarrah streams These streams that flow into the bigger rivers and major dams just south of Perth fished well through winter as the big rains pushed spawning trout further up than in previous years. I had a look at a few and was surprised to see trout in places I haven’t seen in a few decades. These trout are unique to the northern waters as they have crimson red flanks and gill covers, no doubt brought on by the gravel bottom structure and colour of most streams in the area. All the trout were paired up, so I was reluctant to disturb them going about their natural desire to reproduce. Collie River above Wellington Dam I had a good look at the south branch above Collie

it would fish well, given that a number of streams flow in just above Honeymoon Pool resulting in better flows in high rainfall years. Keep an eye on water releases because sometimes they will open the valve to release the saltier water that sits close to the bottom of the dam. Preston River Flowing hard and very muddy through the later part of winter. It will be interesting to see how the newly stocked rainbows do in this river considering the good rains this year. This water has a steady flow let out of Glen Mervyn Dam for irrigation in the summer months so keep an eye out next year. Capel River Flooded and no reports of redfin. Blackwood River As with other rivers it was flowing very fast and

A couple of nice redfin from one of our irrigation dams south of Perth. Image courtesy of Tom Henderson.

Warren River Again, too high and not worth fishing but wait for it to drop and the trout will appear in all the usual places at the top of the pools. I’m predicting a bumper year as high rainfall results in high numbers and high average weights. Lefroy Brook I donated more lures into this water than I would have liked to on a recent trip. It doesn’t help when your fishing partner is trying to catch trout in the trees on the opposite bank. I now know why I took up fly fishing as it does not hurt as much losing flies you tied yourself. Rain was persistent and high water made presenting a lure very hard. Expect good fishing when the water recedes in spring this year. I know I’ll be back later in the year. Donnelly River This river wasn’t flowing as hard as the other major river I visited. We managed a few little rainbows in the fast water next to the bridge pylons on Celta style lures, but persistent rain dampened the enthusiasm on our visit. The planned trip down the river from Boat Landing was also cancelled due to high water levels and the persistent rain. I was sent a photo of a brown trout that was caught in this water. It must have been not long after the rainbow yearlings were stocked because it had six of the yearlings in its stomach. This shows how susceptible these small yearlings are to larger predators already in the systems. With all the rain we have had this winter I am confident that spring will be better than previous years in our state. Remember you need an Inland Freshwater Fishing Licence if you are over 16 years old, and you can check the Fisheries website for details. SEPTEMBER 2021

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Citizen Science in the era of COVID SUNTAG

Stefan Sawynok

It’s fair to say the last couple of months have been hard work events wise, we have had all of our major events (bar one) cancelled or delayed in early June, all due to COVID. If that sounds like a bit of déjà vu, that might be because it is many of the same events were cancelled at the same time last year. Last year everyone

some opportunities. The start/stop nature of the last eighteen months has presented challenges in getting out on the water, that however has left time to think about how to get more out of what data we have. Over the year that has led to interesting insights and even development of more serious tools that make citizen science more useful to a range of stakeholders. That should be good news to many fishers who feel their data should be relevant to management decisions. That however is not a simple task and there is still a lot of work

that are important to fishers, the broader community and even managers. Without going into a deep dive on the why at this stage here are some of the kinds of problems that Citizen Science is good for as a guide for fishers. I am going to separate out Tagging, Competitions and Apps. TAGGING Tagging can be considered the Rolls Royce of fisheries-based Citizen Science. Tagging offers the most options and the data quality if there is a consistent process can be high. There was a lot of work done in the

Fig.1. Proportions of catches over 30 years. was in the same boat, this year it’s more like an act of God, with almost all the events cancelled at the last moment because of sudden lockdowns. We have had a challenging time as well, with staff in and out of lockdowns, even in quarantine and having to take extraordinary steps to keep our survey team moving along so we appreciate the kinds of stresses our clients are under. I seem to remember thinking this time last year that 2021 couldn’t roll on fast enough. For those caught up in COVID lockdowns all I can say is stay patient and when you get the chance go fishing. On that note this year’s Gone Fishing Day will be focused on mental health and if ever there was a time for it, it’s definitely now. I have seen some of the categories and in a normal year I would say that it’s a pretty exciting, in the current year I would describe it as an essential outlet. Whether you are in lockdown or not – there will be options for everyone to get involved and share their best fishing memories or create new ones. CITIZEN SCIENCE UNDER COVID While dealing with COVID has been a challenge for all, it’s also provided 104

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to be done. WHAT SORT OF PROBLEMS ARE CITIZEN SCIENCE GOOD FOR? Any fishing group thinking about Citizen Science should get advice particularly from the longerterm programs as many mistakes will be avoided. The reality is any good program will take time to deliver fruit and the first objective always should be to engage fishers and get a good stream of data flowing. One of the big challenges I find in working with Citizen Science is the feeling by fishers that all data is equal. That unfortunately is not true. On the other side of the fence, one of the big complaints of the traditional management space is that Citizen Science data run by voluntary programs lacks the sample consistency to be useful. That is correct in terms of how traditional sampling programs operate – there is currently no like for like replacement between volunteer data and traditional management data. That does not render volunteer data useless, it just means that volunteer data should be used for purposes other than management decisions at this stage. There are a lot of things outside of stock allocation questions

past on uses of tagging data, but that stagnated as other methods were favoured. In the past two years though tagging has made a resurgence as a lot more time has been invested in improving both the sampling methodology and the uses of data. Here are some of the key ways tagging data can be used. • Growth and Movement. Fishers always love hearing about ‘their fish’ and where it’s up to when it gets recaptured, and this has been the driving force of most participation. • Species Distribution

and Range Changes. With Climate Change gathering steam this is an increasingly important topic. Tagging is one of the excellent ways of tracking if there are habitat preference changes, changes in ranges or • Catch rates and size class proportions. This is one of those heading into the management space and can be very useful. That said there is a caveat – you need a consistent and decent number of trips per region (we aim for 300 fisher days), typically more than traditional boat ramp surveys. Note, this can be achieved through app-based reporting as well, but the advantage of tagging is fishers tend to be more disciplined in recording data. • Trends. This is an extension of catch rates, if there is a consistent amount of effort over time that meets that minimum threshold then the data can more reliably be used for trends. This won’t tell you the number of fish in the water but if good fishers are involved can be sensitive to the proportions of change. There can be a range of reason for change, but good data can highlight potential issues and help fisheries agencies to narrow down their monitoring. • Who is fishing in the Region? This is the inverse of growth and movement where instead of focusing on recaptures to tell us something about the fish, instead we use recaptures to tell us about the fisherman. With some simple demographic data such as where the fisher comes from, recaptures can be used to detect tourism and even changes in travel habits. • Long term fishing habits. If more data is collected such is fishing method you can detect changes in habits of the fishing population. In the past that has been best focused on the taggers as they are often very descriptive of lure types and other details. Increasingly though that is being flipped to recaptures

TABLE 1. SUMMARY OF RECAPTURES Year Total Recaptures 2018 2212 2019 1977 2020 1724 and I will cover this more in my next article. COMPETITIONS Competitions like tagging data have come into and out of favour in terms of their considered usefulness. My experience is the usefulness of the data comes down to competition design, there are some formats that are excellent for capturing data, others that are less so. More and more we find event organisers discussing design with us specifically to ensure their data is useful in a citizen science context. • Catch rate and size class snapshots – It’s possible to get a useful snapshot of catch rates in an event because you know exactly how much effort is involved but a lot depends on design. If the event is for limited species and all catches are reported then it can be used. Even if all catches such as undersized are not reported then legal fish can be used as a marker. Increasingly we are seeing event managers requiring all catches for this reason. • Participation. This is an area we are looking at increasingly from the perspective of the Male/ Female/Junior context as well as distance travelled for many events. • What’s important to fishers. One of the most interesting things to come out of last year’s gone fishing day was not the photos but the comments. This was more than an anecdotal treasure trove, modern data science has provided an array of tools for textual analysis using statistical methods and provided a lot of insights into what is important to fishers. • Fish Handling. Handling covers many things such as injuries, bleeding and scale loss and applies to photo

Fig.2. Decade by decade changes in fishing habits.

Total Unique Fishers 1242 1152 1127 events. Handling assessments are very useful in a social license context. We assessed 75 events in both 2019 and 2020 and we are on track to do a similar number in 2021. Of those 75 events all came up clean with minimal to no handling issues indicating that competition fishers maintain high standards of animal care. • Fish Health. This is one area we have done a lot of work in tightening methodology and going through various rounds of peer review. Photo based competitions are excellent for fish health in all formats. APPS Apps are seen by fishers (and in some spaces management) as the Holy Grail for recreational data and on this topic I can speak with a lot of authority given we have now produced just shy of 50 apps. I want to sound a word of caution on the use of apps for fishers and managers alike. Even before apps, there has been work done on comparing fisher diaries with creel/boat ramp surveys and they have never tallied, that is the answer on the total catch varies between the methods. Introducing technology does not solve the problem because it’s a sampling problem, not a technology problem. Any reporting method that is not ‘independently’ collected (that is selfreported) is going to have a reporting bias but that is only part of the problem, there is another equation that has to be balanced. Even if you manage to get the correct number of trips in a fishery, in all the same locations, anyone who has fished in a competition will know not all fishers are equal. Everyone has had that day where their mate seemed to be fishing a different pond to them. A lot of money will be spent on solving this problem. The solution in a sense is to scale up the data collection such that you maximise the chances of generating a subsample that reliably matches but here I think is the major problem. There is a talk of mandatory reporting via app, again mandatory reporting has been tried in other countries as a condition of license and generally still only had a lower reliable reporting rate. Apps are good for: • Catch rates, stock proportions and trends. • Species distribution and range changes.

• Depredation. This is new but important. As with any early Citizen Science program we do, we are using data collection to help design what the final program will look like and keeping things flexible to see how fishers respond. As time goes on we will develop and tighten methodology and provide specific guidance. • Tackle/technology trends. This is one that has been overlooked but I think one of the most useful things apps can capture. There has been a lot of discussion of the impact of technology on fishing and there is no doubt that technology is improving fishing success but what is less clear is what is the uptake and use in the broader population. There is a good project for a fishing group when they are ready. • Fisher movement. Fishers are probably a little sensitive on this issue, but I am not talking specifically where you fish more in a generalised regional sense. If we understand the proportion of local verses tourism fishers, local governments can better plan facilities. • Fish health. As with events we do use ongoing citizen science data to real live monitoring of fish health at key sites that is used for management purposes. • Switch Your Fish. This is a new program in Queensland that is promoting fishers to target various pelagic species to reduce pressure on snapper and pearl perch. The challenge for this program is not all areas have equal access to all pelagics and Switching is likely to have local influences. Here I think app-based citizen science can play a role, helping highlight alternative species as they are available in a region. PROBLEMS TO BE OVERCOME I think it’s important to address the limitations in Citizen Science and the single biggest is volume of data and participation. One of the reasons we focus on the tournament network and tagging in our work over more generalized apps is fishers will actively report and in large numbers, once you get past that grouping you increasingly need incentives and that will distort what you are aiming to achieve. We get around 15,000 fish from Tagging and another 50,000 fish from competitions. Everything else is a drop in the ocean. Almost every problem in terms of the uses outlined above for Citizen Science data can be solved by increased reporting. Importantly, the more data you collect – the more options become available on how to use that data. WORKING WEEK A real-world question – What does Citizen Science and fishing tell us about the

Fig.3. Decade by decade changes in fishing habits. working week? As I mentioned above recaptures are increasingly important in how we look at Tagging Data, which is the opposite of the decade of Tagging from 2010-2020 where Tagging data itself was the focus. Since the start of 2020 we have focused all our energy on recaptures, and it took COVID for that change. When COVID hit we really didn’t know what was going on fishing wise and starting a new program was out of the question. One of the nice things though about the tagging program is even if the focus was on Tagging, recaptures happen anyway. Why have recaptures become more important – because they are as close as we can get to a truly random sample of both fish and the fishing population. The Table 1. gives a good summary of the most recent completed years. So think about it, if you were going to conduct a random survey of 1000 fishers each year, what kinds of costs would be involved? This is a very cost-effective survey method that we haven’t been taking advantage of enough. Onto what fishing can tell us about our working week. Irrespective of when you look at the tagging program people have always told us ‘when’ they caught their fish and spoiler alert people go fishing on days other than the weekend. Here is a look at the proportion of fish reported by day in the 30 years from 1991-2020. That however is part of the story. There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about the gig economy, increasingly flexible workplaces and changes in how we ‘perceive’ the working week. Going back to when I was a kid, the working week was set – Mon-Fri and then you got the weekend off. COVID has bought out a lot of discussions about changing work practices even more with a focus on work from home. Fig. 2 provides a breakdown of

how the “fishing week” has changed and from a solid work week/weekend divide the most recent decade has seen a lot more bleeding into a Thursday to Monday arc. Pro-tip if you want to avoid congestion on the water Tuesday is the best day to go fishing. Remember this is polling around 1,000 people annually over 30 years. While Fig. 2 has the decade on decade trend it’s interesting to see that there are larger annual variations with big changes particularly on the balance of Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday fishing. Fig. 3 shows what that looks like with the long term trend being less weekend fishing and more weekday fishing. I expect the next decade to change even more, it’s hard to imagine the post COVID world looking like the 1990s. What I find most fascinating is a process, which was never designed for a task like detecting changes in the working week is showing that something is going on. I never talk in definitive terms with Citizen Science, it’s the Canary in the Coal Mine, great at detecting changes and providing indicators for specific researchers to follow up on, rather than a definitive measure in of itself. I did look through the ABS site and while there is a lot of information on working hours and salaries there isn’t much on the days people work so this may be one of the only long-term datasets that is capturing this kind of information. ADVANCE QUEENSLAND AND HOW DO YOU GET GOING IN CITIZEN SCIENCE? One of the biggest advances in Citizen Science since we started nearly 40 years ago is Advance Queensland, which is managed by the office of the Queensland Chief Scientist. This is a massive step forward and here’s why: Citizen Science is an activity that extends way

beyond fishing into many other fields of astronomy, biology, ecology, even things like managing disease. The best programs are working with scientists and either

capturing new knowledge or increasing the ways we collect data. We may have adopted Citizen Science before it was even a thing, but in the modern era – Citizen Science is more and more becoming mainstream. I want to posit an important step in the development of Citizen Science in fishing – recognising there are many, many problems that don’t require a management focus that Citizen Science can contribute to. With that in mind, while it’s important to work with fisheries managers, I think it’s more important to embrace the Scientific Institutions, improve our methodologies and focus on peer review. What I would like to see more of is the approach that Advance Queensland has taken – to promote Citizen Science as an important tool in the future

and help organisations do better science. My next few articles will focus on methodology – how do you get a program off the ground, how do you get involved, what do you do with the data and how to design the collection program. I will break down all the different types of programs – Tagging, Competitions, Apps/Diary as well as Depredation and in the final round I will look at reporting, analysis and working with Scientists. My hope is that more fishers get involved in Citizen Science. Next article I am going to look at Fish Tagging, how you can get involved, what goes on behind the scenes and looking at a question that is very fishing focused – just how ‘catchable’ is a tagged fish. That’s a topic that should interest everyone involved in the Million Dollar Fish.

PRODUCT NEWS

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it’s available in both 150m and 300m spools in 10lb to 25lb. Its blue colour offers excellent visibility in most light conditions. This line is ideal for finesse fishing situations, including using small hardbodied lures and soft plastics as well as fishing with squid jigs where ultra-fine braids and casting distance are required. Jigging Pro 8 braid is made from 100% Japanese UHMWPE raw material to produce the finest quality 8-carrier PE braided line. Jigging Pro 8 is a multi-colour change braid that changes colour every 10m. This line features a Special Double

Process manufacturing technique that helps to increase strength, tighten the weave and increase the abrasion resistance of the braid. The special SI Coating offers a super smooth coating to create less guide friction. Jigging Pro 8 braid is available in 300m spools and is available in 50, 80 and 100lb breaking strains. This braid is suitable for deepwater jigging and casting stickbaits and poppers. To find out more about these and other lines from Tokuryo Line Lab, visit www.jurofishing. com. - Juro

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Tournament Calendar 2021 DATE

Tournament

Location

State

Contact

11-12 Sept

R9 Hobie Fishing Worlds

Georges River

NSW

hobiefishing.com.au

11-12 Sept

2021 Daiwa BREAM R6

Gladstone

QLD

abt.org.au

12 Sept

East Coast Bream Series R5

Sydney Harbour

NSW

www.wsbb.com.au

13-17 Sept

Venom BARRA Australian Open

Awoonga/Monduran QLD

abt.org.au

18-19 Sept

2021 BKK Hooks BASS Electric GF

Lake Lenthalls

QLD

abt.org.au

20-25 Sept

Baffle Creek Family Fishing Festival

Baffle Creek

QLD

Bafflecreekfishing.com

2-3 Oct

Humminbird BASS Electric Aus Open

Wyaralong Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

9-10 Oct

R10 Hobie Fishing Worlds

Burrill Lake

NSW

hobiefishing.com.au

9-10 Oct

Club Marine East Gippsland Bream Classic Metung

VIC

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

15-16 Oct

2021 Zerek BARRA R1

Lake Tinaroo

QLD

abt.org.au

17 Oct

2021 Zerek BARRA R2

Lake Tinaroo

QLD

abt.org.au

17 Oct

East Coast Bream Series GF

Hawkesbury River

NSW

www.wsbb.com.au

26-27 Oct

Rapala BASS Australian Open

Clarence River

NSW

abt.org.au

30-31 Oct

2021 13Fishing BASS Pro GF

Richmond River

NSW

abt.org.au

15 Nov

2021 Zerek BARRA R3

Teemburra Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

16 Nov

2021 Zerek BARRA R4

Kinchant Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

18 Nov

2021 Zerek BARRA R5

Peter Faust Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

20-21 Nov

2021 Zerek BARRA R6

Peter Faust Dam

QLD

abt.org.au

27-28 Nov

NS Rods Sunline Bream Classic GF

Marlo

VIC

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

2021 Daiwa BREAM GF

Port Stephens

NSW

abt.org.au

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER 3-5 Dec

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au Just supply a date, venue, tournament name, telephone number and contact name. SEPTEMBER 2021

109

New South Wales Tide Times

Victorian Tide Times

2021

POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA DNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY SYDNEY (FORT (FORT DENISON) DENISON) – NEW – NEW SOUTH SOUTH WALES WALES LONSDALE – –VICTORIA POINT LONSDALE VICTORI LAT 38° 18’ S POINT LONG 144° 37’ E LAT 33° 51’ S LONG 151° 14’ E Time

6 0519 1117

2021 2021 2021

LATLAT 33° 51’ 33° S51’ S LONG LONG 151°151° 14’ E14’ E Times and LAT 38°38° 18’18’ S 144° 37’37’ EE LAT S LONG LONG 144° Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Local Time of High Heights and Low Waters POINT LONSDALE – VICTORIA Times Times and and Heights Heights of High of High and and Low Low Waters Waters Times Local and Local Heights Time Time of High and Low Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters JULY MAY JUNE AUGUSTJUNE JULY LAT 38° 18’ S LONG 144° 37’ E Time m m NOVEMBER m Time m Time m Time m DECEMBER DECEMBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER OCTOBER OCTOBER SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER OCTOBER mNOVEMBER m OCTOBER Time NOV mN Time m Time Time Time mTime mTime Time m Time Time m m Time Time m m m m0.53 Time m m Time m Time m m m TimeTime m0057 m 0452 Time Time m Time m m Time Time m Time m m Time Times and Heights of Time High and Low Waters Local Time Time m Time m Time Time m Time m 0633 0006 1.68 0.58 TimeTime 0145 1.34 0150 1.26 0037 1.78TimeTime 1.60 0557 1.36 0046 0.69 0049 0.58 m 1.41 0623 1.40 0034 0.51 12381.19 1.30 04190419 1.28 03350335 0750 0.51 0.62 0740 0.4904300430 0744 0.54 1148 0.55 0735 1.350. 0.38 1158 0.58 0735 1.47 0055 0055 0.44 0.44 0045 0045 0.54 0114 0.54 1.19 00100010 0.390646 0.39 0.43 0651 0621 0621 1.611.30 1.61 1.08 1.08 1.12 1.121041 00030003 0.43 0807 0628 0.43 1.42 0628 1.40 06511.50 1.50 01140.38 0.38 07480112 0628 1.42 0628 1.40 0112 MARCH JANUARY FEBRUARY APRIL 1804 0.76 1303 1.43 0.75 1430 1.59 1446 1.43 1345 1.33 1358 1.38

1 16 1 1 16 16 1 1 16 16 1 16 WE TH FR SU MO 16 16 16 16 1 1 1 1 1 108350835 1 0910 1TU0910 16 16 1 1 16 16 1 16 1 16 1900 1.50 1245 0.80 0.871. 1748 1.58 1904 1.54 1245 0.75 1 16 1 16 0714 0714 1.55 1.55 0719 0719 1.63 1.63 0.62 0.62 06170617 1.32 1.32 1202 0.73 0837 1234 1234 0.49 0.49 0.72 0.72m 09570957 09420942 0.74 FR 0.74 1.38 1153 1.38 0.76 1158 0.76 SA 06160616 MO TU WE TH 1257 1202 0.73 08371.41 1.41 1153 0.76 1158 0.76 Time m Time m Time m Time m Time m Time Time m Time m 0.66 2110 1.42 0.56 2114 0.761329 1911 0.7916371637 1940 0.78 1935 1.420. 2319 0.74 1928 1.54 1329 0.53 1356 1356 0.54 0.54 1158 0.591848 0.59MO 1819 1341 1834 1.54 1.54 1554 1.45 1.45 1.47 1.47 1204 0.59 1801 0.59 1.39 1806 1.30 1355 1819 1.42 13410.71 0.71 1922 1801 1806 1355 TU TU1.390.53 TH TH1.30 MO 1204 WE 1834 WE MOMO WE 1554 TH TH 1.66 1.66FR 1614 FR 1614 SA SA 1158 WEWE THTH FR1.44 SASA FR 0319 1.67 0415 1.59 1.58 0309 0315 1.59 19410230 02380.62 1.6023322332 0337 1.62 0227 1.52 1925 1925 1.45 1.51 1.45 1941 1.291.48 1.29 0.38 0.38 18201820 1.620100 1.62 2017 22572257 0.62 23092309 0.52 0.52 18161816 1.60 0255 1.60 2039 20171.29 1.29 20391. 0030 1.68 1.18 0301 1.25 0138 1.66 0148 1.47 1 0808 120917 1617 10135 0.74 0133 0.57 0534 1.38 0043 0130 0850 0.62 1007 0.42 0023 0901 0.43 0.340.47 0906 0.68 0.22 16 0832 0818 0.75 16 0.56 0.59 16 17 1.26 2 0015 170.65 2FR10450 0724 0.52 05140514 0.65 0853 0.56 0835 0.540533 0828 0.58 0.45 17 17 17 2 2 0129 0129 0.44 0.44 0122 0122 0.541.67 0.54 0057 0.360733 0.36 0030 0.33 0042 0042 0.341.32 0.34 0212 0450 1.11 1.20 1.20 0044 0.35 0858 0.35 0.44 0009 0.45 1.29 0842 1.370. 1121 0.42 0735 1.40 0849 1.50 1457 1.26 1.43 1624 1.46 0656 1530 1.50 1516 1600 1.76 14131.11 1.33 SA0533 1.43 1430 1.43 0030 0.33 02120.48 0.48 08480208 0015 0.44 0208 0009 0.45 MO 0044 MO 1530 TU0057 TU TH FR2 1335 1.34 1542 1.47 1538 1.64 1447 1.35 1451 1.41 1359 1.49 TH MO TU WE FR SA 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 2 2 17 2 1015 2 1015 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 17 17 2 2 2 0751 0751 1.62 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TH WE MO TU 0.41 0.41 1653 0.88 1420 1420 0.37 0.37 1453 1453 0.29 0.29 1544 1544 0.40 0.40 1625 1625 0.17 0.17 1642 1642 0.41 1801 0.41 0.62 1714 1714 0.15 1812 0.15 1703 0.64 1703 0.41 1325 0.41 1.41 1323 1653 0.88 1801 0.62 1325 1.41 1323 1812 0.64 MO 1326 MO 1326 MO TU TU WE WE TH TH SA SA SU SU TU MO MO WE TU TU TH SA MO TU WE TH SA 05361.52 1.45 0547 1.61 0620 1.51 0015 0.52 0030 0.63 2304 0539 1.58 0545 1.39 1.45 0516 1.37 1.36 2240 1.46 2359 2349 1949 1949 1.82 1.82 2302 1.27 2035 2035 1.69 1.69 2105 2105 1.77 1.77 2145 2145 1.47 1.47 2227 2227 1.53 1.53 2238 2238 1.29 1.29 2315 2315 1.40 1.40 2300 2300 1.27 1923 1.27 0.41 1915 0. 2302 1.27 1923 0.41 1915 60021 6706400043 2122 6 1153 0.30 21 1110 0.42 0.421144 0.32 0540 0.41 1.52 0.60 1.65 0213 0.22 1133 0.67 0.46 21 1220 1.53 06420044 1.41 0.356 1145 0141 0.14 21 7 7 22 22 0732 1.29 0607 1.40 0626 1.28 0635 1.37 1136 0.44 0.45 0810 1.42 1822 1.52 1756 1.41 1849 1.33 1246 0.22 1252 0.34 1836 1.61 1910 1.51 1816 1.50 SU WE TH0253 SA0320 SU0340 SA 0412 TU WE 0522 0.57 0604 0.28 0601 0030 1.49 1.391. 0428 0.49 0407 0407 0.58 0.58 0445 0445 0.470.44 0.47 0426 0426 0.600.78 0.60 0253 0.30 0320 0.20 0.20 0340 0.431212 0.43 0412 0.36 1303 0.36 0210 0221 0.24 0509 0.50 0025 0052 1.40 02101.55 1.55 00100225 0225 0509 0.50 00251.42 1.42 0052 1.40 0.54 1202 0.59 1202 0.62 0.48 18120.30 1.90 1.577 0221 1349 0.40 23350.24 0.4022 1943 1.47 1939 1.377 2345 SA MO TU WE TH SU 22 7 22 7 7 22 22 22 7 7 22 22 7 22 7 7 22 22 7 7 22 7 22 7 1218 1.50 1320 1.81 1310 1.66 0639 0.31 0611 0.380. 1138 1.57 22 7 22 7 7 1040 1040 1.73 1.73 1119 1119 2.01 2.01 1059 1059 1.76 1.76 0901 0901 1.56 1.56 0933 0933 1.72 1.72 1000 1000 1.67 1.67 1042 1042 1.97 1.97 0752 0.59 0759 0822 0822 1.47 1.47 1216 1.44 0622 0.47 0638 0.56 0752 0.59 0759 1216 1.44 0622 0.47 0638 0.56 1935 1.79 1835 1.68 1840 1.71 1850 1.96 0.63 2017 1.90 0.89 1844 1844 1353 1.75 1.651. 1703 0.73 1721 1721 0.44 0.44 1811 1811 0.20 0.20 1743 1743 0.43 0.43 0.38 0.23 TH 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05000500 0.45 1344 0.45 0444 0444 0.63 0121 0.63 0013 0013 1.351.43 0150 1.35 0506 1.54 0506 0.62 0252 0.62 0.21 0.21 0009 1.35 0533 0.37 0603 0.50 0053 1.55 0123 1.50 1.441. 0009 1.35 01211.51 1.51 02521.62 1.62 01050315 0150 1.54 1938 1.31 1929 1.54 2010 1.43 2046 1.44 2029 1.34 0.46 1901 1.47 1237 0.5923 1242 0.61 12280.35 0.44 1435 0.39 0.50 1.728 0257 FR WE 1.57 MO SU 23 8 0359 8 TH 23 23 82.01 8 1132 23 23 80.47 80040 23 23 23 8 808450315 8TU0257 8 82015 23 80.40 8 23 8 23 8 23 23 8 23 1.79 1.79 10331033 1.671944 1.67 1132 1.94 1.94 1116 1116 1.70 0711 1.70 0541 0541 0.54 0733 0.54 1137 0.54 1137 1.73 0830 1.73 0901 0901 1.55 1.55 0607 0.46 1242 1.71 1300 1.60 0657 0.25 0644 0729 0.33 0.350. 0607 0.46 0711 0.47 08300.58 0.58 0659 0845 0733 0.54 1910 1.7409360936 1919 1.77 19031.57 2.01 10161016 2100 1.85 1.84 0.42 0.22 FR 0.22 1700 0.43 0.43 1820 0.24 0.24 1802 1802 0.47 1343 0.47 1.53 1214 1214 1.92 1404 1.92 1823 1.50 1823 0.45 1438 0.45 1457 0.32 1301 1.51 1301 1.51 1343 1.53 14381.44 1.44 1457 1404 1.50 1813 0.72 0.86 1411 1352 1440 1.75 1.701. 0110 0.76 00220.32 0.50 0059 0.42 0.65 0150 0.71 0147 0.78 0045 0.63 0037 0.70 0025 0.80 TH 1541 TH 1541 FR 1632 FR 1632 SA SA 1700 MO1840 MO 1820 TU TU TH1.84 WETU WE FR1.72 TH TH SASA MOMO WE 1454 WE 1454 WEWE TH FR SA MO WE TH 1414 82239 232258 80.41 232147 23 23 1.51 1.64 1.64 2258 1.330230 1.33 2036 2112 1.81 1934 1908 1908 0.270.87 1949 0.27 0.34 1844 0.65 20360.29 0.29 19422052 2052 1949 0.34 1844 0.65 19340.41 0811 1.40 0757 1.29 0.228 0701 0253 06440.78 1.36 0748 1.29 07041.81 1.512147 0722 1.39 1.46 0651 1.28 1934 1926 2005 0.75 0.760. 0144 0.56 01451.51 0.30 2239 0202 0.48 0.51 21128 0331 0.25 0.32 9 24 9 1423 14060826 0.40 1.41 0.37 1300 1.38 0.35 24 0.22 1.37 0849 0740 0.41 1.48 MO9 07520.26 1.31TU24 1.68 0933 1.47 TH 1340 0.51 FR 1231 0.52 FR0730 SA 1332 MO 1313 TU 1246 0.21 0.41 0.28 0.28 04380438 0.54 0.54 00230023 1.34 1425 1.34 0001 0001 1.22 0210 1.22 0112 0112 1.321.46 0243 1.32 0023 1.66 0023 1.251.40 0328 1.25 0105 1.45 03281.66 1.66 01570402 0105 1.45 02101.57 1.57 0243 1.66 0032 1.54 0144 1.56 0213 1.50 1.491. 0033 1.42 2154 1.41 2126 1.30 0.45 1947 1.42 2113 1.37 19520.21 1.390352 2030 1.29 2028 1.47 2001 0.46 1311 0.60 13190.41 0.45 0440FR 1322 0.60 0.37 0333 1519 0.41 TU SA 1359 MO 24 24TH0352 9 9 0440 24 24 92.02 9 0554 24 24 24 90.48 90128 90.37 24 24 24 9 909300402 9 WE 9 0333 9 92053 24 9 24 1.61 1.61 1.57 1.83 1.83 11061106 1.662033 1.66 0554 0.54 0.54 0524 0524 0.67 0752 0.67 0640 0640 0.60 0821 0.60 0550 0.52 0550 0.65 0904 0.65 0655 0.44 09040.58 0.58 0745 0930 0655 0.44 0752 0.48 0821 0.52 9 24 9 24 9 24 0629 0.26 0746 0.26 0724 0815 0.36 0.340. 0642 0.44 1.86 1945 1.7910101010 19561.57 2.07 11021102 1957 1.81 1.86 09440944 2141 1.76 0.31 0.46 0.24 SA 0.24 1740 0.46 0.46 1228 1.87 1.87 1157 1157 1.65 1417 1.65 1.54 1309 1309 1.80 1445 1.80 1218 1.54 1218 1.68 1510 1.68 1542 1343 1.57 0223 0.78 01130.31 0.61 0141 0.46 0.74 0246 0.80 0235 0.86 0131 0.71 0114 0.77 0116 0.80 15101.45 1.45 1542 1343 1.57 1417 1.54 1445 1.54 TH 1543 TH 1543 FR 1620 FR 1620 SA 1727 SA 1727 SU SU 1740 TU1339 TU 1228 WE WE FR1.84 TH TH SA1.75 FR FR SUSU TUTU THTH FR SA 1338 1.81 1459 1434 1522 1.73 1456 1.731. 1.68 TU WE TH FR SU 90.35 242223 92331 242338 9 1925 24 24 0911 1.25 07481.74 1.462223 0759 1.33 0910 1.34 0846 1.24 0.22 0751 1.38 0723 1.30 0800 2156 1.74 1.41 1.52 1.52 2338 1.270318 1.27 1925 0.31 0330 0.31 1848 1848 0.51 2011 0.51 2006 2006 0.350.82 2033 0.35 1906 0.22 1906 0.461.26 2110 0.46 1925 0.52 21100.27 0.27 20272141 2141 1925 0.52 20110.35 2033 0.22 0.40 21569 0407 0.31 0.29 0221 0.52 02411.41 0.24 2331 0241 0.44 2022 0.75 2007 2052 0.71 0.670. 1908 0.70 1919 0.83 1350 1.36 0.32 25 1525 14540915 0.43 1.42TU 1401 0.30 1.41 0.41 25 10 10 FR 1454 0.60 SA 1330 0.60 SA0812 SU 1413 WE 1322 1.67 10 1013 1.47 0929 0837 0.42 1.46 TU 08320.30 1.32WE25 0048 0048 1.19 1.19 0214 0214 1.301.48 1.30 0111 0111 1.261.38 1.26 0413 0.25 0421 0.48 0523 0.37 0.37 05110511 0.601449 0.60 01280128 1.27 1509 1.27 0250 0330 1.75 0400 0157 1.55 02501.61 1.61 04001.67 1.67 02460448 0448 0157 1.55 0330 1.75 2215 1.36 21040.25 1.400421 1.28 2303 1.41 2233 1.29 0.45 2131 1.40 2041 1.36 2104 0.37 0413 1602 0.46 0.45 0.62 14110.48 0.48 0523SA 1401 0.59 0230 1.55 0214 0259 1.49 1.531. 0123 1.58 0115 1.45 WE SU TU TH 1345 FR 2127 25 25 10 10 25 25 25 10 25 25 10 10 25 10 25 10 10 10 25 10 10 25 10 0610 0610 0.72 0.72 0743 0743 0.66 0.66 0640 0640 0.68 0.68 10281028 1.65 1.65 10451045 1.56 11501150 1.82 1.82 11431143 1.622121 1.62 06540654 0.62 0.62 0829 0.50 0906 0.52 0938 1015 0740 0.44 0829 0.50 09380.58 0.58 10 1015 0740 0.44 0906 0.52 10 10 25 10 25 25 1.98 2218 1.65 1.98 2133 1.85 2019 1.8225 20471.56 2.0910 2035 1.84 0833 0.30 0804 0.36 0859 0.41 0831 0.350. 0720 0.20 0718 0.39 02080.34 0.72 0229 0.51 0.83 0357 0.85 0336 0.91 0225 0.78 0352 0.76 0223 0.76 0156 0.82 1242 1242 1.60 1.60 1407 1407 1.66 1.66 1302 1302 1.62 1.62 0.34 0.51 0.29 0.29 1823 1823 0.51 0.51 1328 1328 1.76 1.76 1448 1.53 1526 1.56 1541 1628 1421 1.60 1448 1.53 15411.45 1.45 1535 1628 1421 1.60 1526 1.56 TH TH FR FR SA SA FR 1634 FR 1634 SA 1702 SA 1702 SU 1825 SU 1825 MO MO WE WE SA SU MO WE FR SA SU MO WE FR 1544 1.80 1515 1.76 1600 1.70 1.731. 1430 1.87 1416 1.73 WE TH FR SA SU MO 2033 10 102243 252301 25 10 25 25 08391.63 1.412301 0843 1.28 09510403 1.19 0853 1.31 1031 1.27 0924 1.29 0813 1.25 1938 1938 0.54 0.54 2102 2102 0.42 0.42 1951 1951 0.47 0.47 1.63 1.31 2033 0.37 0.37 2045 0.32 2117 0.15 2143 0.26 2230 2005 0.40 2045 0.32 2143 0.26 2230 2005 0.40 2117 0.15 0441 0.38 0259 0.50 03341.31 0.23 10 1021 03181.29 0.42 0.25 0407 0.28 0.31 2243 1957 0.68 2107 0.72 2047 0.77 2136 0.67 2113 0.580. 1957 1501 0.80 0.38 1445 1.35 0.29 26 1641 15571002 0.45 1.42 0.46 SU0852 MO 1500 WE 11 1011 SA 1616 0.65 SU 1444 0.67 TH 1407 26 11 1.63 11 1051 1.47 0932 0.43 1.44 WE 09120.33 1.33TH26 1.45 0143 0143 1.17 1.17 0203 0203 1.281.39 1.28 0.32 0451 0.55 0028 1.39 1.390.58 00210021 1.201539 1.20 0327 0416 1.78 0430 0244 1.63 02390239 1.24 1554 1.24 0315 0315 1.32 1.37 1.32 1. 22160.32 1.430451 2228 1.29 2344 1.32 0.48 2239 1.36 2315 2208 2143 1.32 03271.62 1.62 04301.66 1.66 03350536 0244 1.63 0536 0416 1.78 0.40 0453 1645 0.52 1422 0.64 15030.55 0.51 0028SU 1442 0.45 TH FR0453 SA MO WE 0315 1.52 0258 1.49 0343 1.46 1.55 0209 1.59 0156 1.47 26 26 26 26 11 11 26 26 11 11 26 26 26 11 26 11 11 11 11 11 26 11 26 11 11 0702 0702 0.75 0.75 0735 0735 0.70 0.70 11151115 1.66 1.66 11211121 1.53 1.53 06110611 0.48 0.48 05480548 0.662207 0.66 0903 0.53 0949 0.53 1012 0823 0.45 08020802 0.68 0.68 0850 0.70 0.70 1100 0903 0.530850 10120.59 0.59 11 0823 0.45 11000. 0949 0.53 2.06 2255 1.52 2056 1.83 2139 2.07 2115 1.85 1.90 2215 1.80 11 26 11 26 11 26 0918 0.36 0845 0.37 0939 0.47 0918 0.40 0809 0.19 0755 0.37 03120.38 0.81 0326 0.56 0.90 0012 1.43 0453 0.90TH 1434 0335 0.82 0249 0.86 0510 0.68 0338 0.67 1331 1331 1.55 1.55 1352 1352 1.56 1.56 0.38 0.56 1.77 1.77 1223 1.57 1.57 1517 1605 1.56 1614 1458 1.61 1.66 1.66 1508 1508 1.54 1.54 1715 1517 1.51 16141.44 1.44 THTH 1458 1.61 17151. 1605 FR FR SU SU1.56 SA 1730 SA SU 1748 SU MO 1244 MO TU TU 1223 SU1.74 MOMO TUTU SASA TH 1434 SA1.51 SA SU 1625 1556 1633 1.66 1.710. 1517 1.87 1454 1.76 111730 261748 111244 26 11 26 11 26 TH FR SA SU 16142318 MO TU 0.31 09381.48 1.362344 0936 1.23 0521 0.84 1108 1.18 1011 1.25 0918 1.21 1143 1.33 1048 2344 1.22 0.36 0.36 1913 1913 0.560446 0.56 2118 0.30 2203 0.12 2216 2033 2033 0.55 0.55 2039 2039 0.471.39 0.47 1.48 2046 0.30 2140 2140 0.41 0446 0.41 2155 2155 0.471.74 0.47 2118 0.30 22160.28 0.28 2046 0.30 2318 2203 0.12 0.29 0512 0.45 0.26 23342334 0338 0.49 04281.22 0.27 19311931 0357 0.41 2033 0.78 1055 2152 0.71 2217 2159 0.50 2043 0.67 1550 1.33 0.27 27 1140 17121048 0.45 1.41 0.45 1.48 1506 0.50 1730 0.72 0.65 MO 1606 0.710.64 MO0932 TU 1557 TH 1619 FR SU2129 12 27 12 1027 0.44 1.41 TH 09531.28 1.34FR27 1130 1.46 1.57 12 23270.41 1.4805270527 2330 1.33 1759 0.32 2347 1.36 2253 1.32 2309 0500 0.41 0131 1.27 1.27 01110111 1.151627 1.15 0.53 0359 1.76 0330 1.67 03510351 1.25 1.25 0414 1.36 0502 1.36 0625 0243 0243 1.19 1.19 0300 0300 1.331.43 1.33 03591.60 1.600414 05001.63 1.63 0330 1.67 06251. 0502 1.76 1500 0.66 15570.62 0.56 0131MO 1523 0.58 0.47 1730 0.58 0.45 0537 TH 1644 FR TU SA0537 SU 0.62 0400 1.48 0343 1.49 0426 1.43 0254 1.58 0236 1.48 0425 1.560. 12 12 27 27 12 12 27 27 27 12 27 12 12 12 27 27 12 12 27 27 27 12 27 12 12 12021202 1.49 1.49 1045 12051205 1.65 1.65 07070707 0.58 0.58 06340634 0.722250 0.72 0937 1032 0.55 0907 0.49 09180918 0.71 0.71 1000 1000 0.72 0.72 1147 0805 0805 0.77 0.77 0840 0840 0.71 0.71 09370.57 0.57 10450.61 0.61 12 0907 0.49 1147 1032 0.55 1.78 2133 1.83 2229 1.99 2154 1.84 2300 1.72 2332 1.39 2.10 12 27 12 12 27 27 0427 0.85 0438 0.93 0505 0.80 0400 0.85 0116 1.47 0047 1.37 0008 1.40 0450 0.53 1000 0.44 0929 0.40 1016 0.54 0856 0.21 0830 0.36 1006 1843 1843 0.61 0.61TU 1344 1647 1.41 1833 0.44 0.44 1344 1.70 1.70 1311 1311 1.51 1.51FR 1546 1546 1.49 1645 1.54 1533 1.61 1546 1.58 1.58 1611 1611 1.43 1.43 1805 1430 1430 1.51 1.51 1449 1449 1.49 1.49 1546 1.49 1647 1.41 1533 1.61 1805 1645 1.54 MO MO WE SU 1833 SU TU WE WE MO TU SU FR SU SU FR SA SA MO MO MO TU WE SU FR 0.471. 12 27 12 27 12 27 12 27 1045 1.34 1039 1.20 1133 1.24 1041 1.21 0641 0.77 0614 0.84 0606 0.58 1200 1.54 1704 1.68 1634 1.71 1704 1.61 1603 1.82 1532 1.75 1652 1.68 FR SA SU TU WE MO 2129 0.24 2249 0.31 2045 2045 0.42 0.42 2011 2011 0.60 0.60 2151 0.31 2249 0.13 2241 2241 0.44 0.44 2244 2244 0.51 0.51 2130 2130 0.53 0.53 2130 2130 0.47 0.47 2129 0.24 2151 0.31 2249 0.31 2249 0.13 0544 0.52 0528 0.38 0527 0.33 0.25 0417 0.50 0519 0.32 0437 0.40 1703 0.25 28 0.47 SA 1620 0.54 1251 1.31 1227 1.23 2110 1243 0.66 1.43 TU 1728 0.710.62 TU1015 2235 0.70 2212 2256 0.67 0.76 1142 2245 0.43 28 13 13 1210 MO 1.45 1133 1.40FR 1742 1.51 1.50 13 1.32 WE 1704 1120 0.42 1.39 FR 1036 2127 1.35SA28 1905 0.31 02120212 1827 0.41 04550455 1828 1.34 1.34 0034 1.14 1.111715 1.11 0415 1.68 0430 0246 1.19 1.19 1.31 1.31 0346 0346 1.24 1.24 0508 0508 1.42 0.64 0549 1.42 0357 1.69 0357 1.42 0534 1.42 0007 04301.57 1.57 05341.58 1.58 0415 1.68 00070. 0549 1.69 1820 0.64 0.59 0.50 0.51 0032 1540 0.680034 16491.14 0.61 0246TU 1608 0.59 WE SA FR 1737 SU0032 MO 13 13 28 28 28 28 13 28 28 13 13 28 28 13 13 28 28 13 13 13 0338 1.55 0315 1.48 0446 1.42 0430 1.49 0510 1.40 0519 1.551. 28 28 13 13 13 06260626 0.51 0.51 06110611 0.69 0.69 07320732 0.772331 0.77 0950 0.53 1011 1119 08140814 0.66 0.66 10321032 0.69 0.69 0915 0915 0.76 0.76 1111 1111 0.70 1116 0.70 0951 0.59 0951 0.68 0.68 0717 10110.60 0.60 11190.64 0.64 13 0950 0.53 0717 1116 0.59 1.64 2347 1.60 2.08 2213 1.81 2318 1.87 2235 1.81 0031 1.45 1.38 14541454 0000 1.35 00331.63 1.5412531253 0213 1.53 0141 1.45 0906 0051 1.39 0051 1.43 0003 1.48 13 28 28 13 28 13 0942 0.28 0.37 1042 0.52 1014 0.46 1053 0.62 1053 0.550. 1302 1.63 1.45 1408 1408 1.46 1.46 1610 1.58 1617 1.45 1722 1.37 1.63 1.63 1654 1654 1.53 1.53 1532 1532 1.49 1.49 1711 1711 1.36 1729 1.36 1554 1.50 1554 1.44 1.44 1238 1617 1.45 1722 1.37 1610 1.58 1238 1729 1.50 MO 1302 MO TU TU TH TH MO TU TH WE WE SA SA SU SU MO MO WE TU TU SA TU TH MO SA WE 281948 132203 28 1.75 13 28 130500 13 0630 0555 0.65 0.91 2203 0521 0.77 05450.49 0.841948 0747 0.67 0718 0.72 1611 0.72 28 0649 0.49 0551 1647 1.73 1743 1.61 1714 1735 1.56 1.631. 0.49 0.65 21182118 0.600606 0.60 2212 0.21 2225 0.33 2321 0.44 0.44 23322332 0.44 0609 0.44 2223 2223 0.48 0.48 2328 2328 0.521.68 2335 0.52 2221 0.19 2221 0.460.39 0.46 2225 0.33 23210.35 0.35 2212 0.21 1904 2335 0.19 0015 1.28 0.38 0.51 0610 1.21 0.40 0518 0.41 0.28 19471947 WE TH 0.45 SA SU MO TU 17301904 1147 1206 1.28 1157 1.34 1354 1.35 1332 1.32 1246 1.29 1332 1.52 1300 1.69 TH 1213 1.37 SA SU WE1059 1.30 29 SU29 SA 14 TU2257 0.61 WE 2332 0.60 14 2209 0.671218 1.40 2146 0.75 1232 1.54 231829 0.70 2331 0.39 0619 0.59 1122 1.36 1.43 14 1810 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SU0943 SU 1751 MO MO TU TU WE WE1.44 SUSU TU 1410 TU WE WE TH 1611 TH 1611 FR FR 1515 TUTU WE0.61 TH0.54 FRFR WE TH 14 29 14 14 29 14 29 0842 0.57 0726 0.42 0645 0.26 06571.61 0.781354 0700 1.41 0.85 0733 0.62 0634 0.64 2311 2311 0.43 0.43 2314 0.451.81 0.45 0.49 2104 0.64 0.42 0.42 22232223 0.570013 0.57 2256 0.22 2259 0.36 2353 1.46 0545 0.53 00070.64 1.74 23132313 0601 0.42 0.34 21112111 0106 1.17 2256 0.22 2259 0.36 23530.39 0.39 2022 1731 1.67 1650 1.69 0041 1819 1.55 1754 1806 1.51 1.581. TH FR 1.50 SU MO TU WE 18132022 1450 1.40 1412 1.63 1.59 2314 1354 13030.49 1.372104 1253 1.24 1351 1.36 1316 1.41 SU WE TH TH FR SU MO 15 30 30 0.451900 1.29 0658 0.33 0.47 15 12110.31 1.39 30 1.38 15 1146 0703 0.65 2252 0.690645 0.52 2225 1948 0.74 0657 2344 0.56 2049 1951 0.63 1925 0.67 1915 0.19 1905 0.45 0.53 00160016 0.44 0.44 0007 0.53 0022 0.53 1.16 1.16 0301 1.08 0521 1.24 1.240.64 04350435 1.171304 1.17 1.40 0554 0534 1.58 0534 1.46 1.46 0548 0.27 0548 1.66 0654 1.66 0153 01530. 0554 1.58 05441.47 1.470007 06541.45 1.45 0022 0.27 1.56 1710 0.730301 13051.08 1.36 0521TH 1749 0.66 0307 1346 1.42 FR SU 1328 TU0307 WE MO0544 15 15 30 15 30 30 150.72 15 15 30 30 30 15 15 15 30 30 30 15 15 30 15 30 06330633 1.47 1.47 0640 0640 1.56 1.56 08400840 0.64 08260826 0.77 10511051 0.66 0.66 10001000 0.761859 0.76 1116 1132 0.66 1132 0.61 1121 0.61 0734 1217 1.50 1217 0.51 1228 0.51 0910 0910 1116 0.66 11210.70 0.70 12280.71 0.71 15 0734 1.50 0507 1.43 0437 1.44 0001 0.70 0622 1.46 0010 0.59 0018 0.371. 1948 0.57 2339 1.73 18390.77 0.7315 1.91 2030 0.70 0214 1.52 0341 1.59 0148 1.49 0159 1.47 0141 1.57 02300.64 1.6530 0231 1.49 1239 0.59 0.59 1310 1310 0.61 0.61 1525 1.62 1506 1.42 1.61 1.61 1624 1.47 1.47 1730 1737 1.49 1737 1.52 1726 1.52 1.35 1246 1811 0.67 1811 1.39 1841 1.39 1444 1444 1730 1.49 1726 1.35 18411.27 1.27 0726 1246 15 30 30 15 30 15 MO1023 MO 1239 WE WE WE 1525 WE TH 1506 TH FR 1722 FR 1722 SA SA 1624 WEWE TU TU TH1.32 FR0.64 TH TH0.67 SASA MOMO 15 30 15 15 30 15 30 TH FR 1107 0.45 0.43 0630 1151 0650 1.35 1.510. 0751 1.42 0.76 0928 0.49 0730 0.48 0800 0.37 0735 0.18 07571.62 0.70 0822 0.52 1841 1841 1.47 2342 1.47 1855 1855 1.291.58 1.29 2229 0.45 0.60 23172317 0.510058 0.51 2357 0.26 2357 0.38 2332 0.38 0.40 1908 0.42 2229 1.37 0213 1.10 2146 2342 0.26 2332 0.40 19081.36 1.36 1815 1.58 1731 1.64 1200 0.70 1838 1212 12302146 0.751. 1350 0.60 1.30 1.44 1416 1.56 1445 1.64 1445 1.870.79 14030.45 1.402214 1445 1.44 SA2214 MO 1540 FR TU TH FR FR MO SA MO TU WE TH 31 31 1.34 0723 0.58 0800 0.702025 0.63 1953 0.29 2132 0.33 1959 0.51 2013 0.661.47 2011 0.19 2035 0.45 2336 0.71 2305 0.72 1857 1.49 1842 1900 1.52 00060006 0.43 0029 0.43 05310531 1.261353 1.26 1.41 00290.45 0.45 0.73 SA TU 1448 1.42 31 31 31 31 31 31 0642 0642 1.79 1.79 1107 1107 0.69 0.69 0741 1.39 0741 1.39 2001 0.76 2148 0.68 1.58 1.55 0526 1.42 0110 0.37 0.38 0.38 1.53 1.53 1306 13060.73 0.73 0832 1.50 31 0257 31 0233 FR 1322 FR 1322 SU 1725 SU 1725 SUSU 0836 0.67 0819 0.34 31 31 1107 0.49 19151915 1.40 1932 1.40 19321.22 1.22 SU 1443 1.37 WE 1510 1.68

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SU 1815 1.59 FR 1324 0.84 ommonwealth of Australia 2020, Bureau 2037 0.27of Meteorology 2048 0.50 2351 0.69 1954 1.47 ctions is Lowest Tide © Copyright © Astronomical Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of Australia of Australia 2020, 2020, Bureau Bureau of Meteorology of Meteorology ©© Copyright Commonwealth of of Australia 2020, Bureau of of Meteorology Copyright Commonwealth Australia 2020, Bureau Meteorolog ©(UTC Commonwealth of Australia 2020, Bureau of Meteorology cal standard time daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Datum Datum ofCopyright Predictions of +10:00) Predictions isorLowest is Lowest Astronomical Astronomical Tide Tide Datum Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions isBureau Lowest Astronomical Tide © Copyright Commonwealth ofof Australia 2019, of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide ymbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Times Times are in arelocal in local standard standard timetime (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or daylight or savings savings time Times time (UTC (UTC are +11:00) in +11:00) local when standard when in Tide effect in time effect (UTC +10:00) or or daylight savings time Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) daylight savings tim Datum of daylight Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Times are inSymbols local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect New New Moon Moon First Quarter Quarter New Last Moon Last Quarter Quarter First Quarter Moon Moon Phase Phase Symbols Moon Phase Full Full Moon Symbols Moon New Moon First Quarterwh Moon Phase Symbols Times areFirst in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Port Phillip Heads have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss 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 include acceptance of the above conditions. 20212021 110 SEPTEMBER 110 SEPTEMBER

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SL25 HT OB

Boat, motor, trailer package from $166,990* GOLD COAST F 8/9, 1 Boatworks Drive, Coomera, QLD, 4209 Laurie Jackson 0409 830 078 laurie@whittley.com.au

SYDNEY U 2, 2 Waterways Court, Rozelle, NSW, 2039 Brock Cohen 0478 834 753 brock@whittley.com.au

NEWCASTLE U 4, 1 Kullara Close Beresfield, Newcastle, NSW, 2322 John Cohen 0421 922 650 johnc@whittley.com.au

MELBOURNE 12 & 14 Somerton Park Drive, Campbellfield, VIC, 3061 Alan Whittley 0421 170 192 alan@whittley.com.au

*The MRRP (Manufacturers Recommended Retail Price) is the estimated drive away price for private Australian customers only, for the standard base Whittley BMT package. The estimated drive away price includes all local taxes, minimal dealer pre delivery costs, freight from the Whittley Factory Melbourne to the closest capital city in each state (except Darwin), basic marine safety equipment and 12 months registration costs on the Trailer and Boat. Images may show options fitted which aren’t included as standard.

SEPTEMBER 2021

111

Protect your

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The Worlds Leading Marine Theft and Man Overboard Safety Device. The 1st Mate marine safety and security system puts confidence in the palm of your hand with man overboard (MOB) alerts, distress messaging and theft deterrent technology. Utilising wireless communication between wearable fobs, the engine control hub and your mobile device. For more information go online at mercurymarine.com.au/firstmate or see your nearest Mercury dealer.

2021 Boating

EXTRA

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS

2021 Boating EXTRA Boating Extra, we have a YouTube channel full of boat tests and reviews. Make sure you search Fishing Monthly Magazines on YouTube to connect with our tests. You can also scan the QR codes in each of the stories and these will take you directly to the relevant tests.

FISHING MONTHLY MAGAZINE

Welcome Aboard Who would’ve thought, the Boating Extra has had its first birthday! And what started as a Boat Show replacement supplement in 2020, has quickly grown into a feature full of boat tests, new products, and added extras for your boat. We have had limited ability to get out and test boats in 2021 with the matrix of COVID travel restrictions, but we have got out enough to fill this feature with heaps of great boats. We all know that boating and fishing have experienced an increase in popularity since COVID appeared. We are particularly lucky to be in an industry that has benefited from the pandemic rather than suffered from it. Eighteen months ago it would be difficult to believe that the main problem in the boating industry was the ability to get a boat in a short time frame. But that’s where we are. Most local manufacturers have a waiting list that’s as long as your arm… And getting an outboard motor to fit it is nearly as difficult. What this means, I suppose, is that doing good research is as important now as it ever was. If we find it hard to get a boat to test, you may also find it hard to get a boat to test ride. In addition to the stories published in this

TAT LO IO

B STA ILI

D SE

S NOIS ES

IL TAB IT

AINTEN M

CE AN

LOW

B O A T S

Just like Fishing Monthly magazine, we produce and print this Boating Extra supplement in Australia. It would be cheaper for us to do it overseas, but we love supporting local industry. We hope you do too. There is an amazing array of locally built boats out there, and we want to help you discover them. – Steve Morgan

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2021 Boating EXTRA

YAMAHA OUTBOARDS

Yamaha Extends Outboard Colour Options Yamaha has announced the release of their new pearlescent white colour option across the best-selling F50, F70 and F90 outboard range. This follows the successful rollout of the F115, F150, F200, F250 and F300 pearlescent white outboards earlier in the year. Yamaha Marine, National Sales and Marketing Manager, Grant Binskin said,

“We are seeing strong growth across the industry in the average spend on boating packages, as boaters increasingly demand the latest hull, engine, boating control and display technologies to take their on-water experience to the next level. “This drive for personalisation and customisation extends to aesthetics, with more and more buyers requesting painted or wrapped hulls, to express their individual styles and tastes. “Yamaha has come on board with this trend, by allowing boaties to mix and match their outboard with their hull with the release of our eye-catching pearlescent white outboards, in addition to our ever-popular traditional Yamaha grey. “We are really excited to finally get our hands on the F50, F70 and F90 pearlescent white models, as they are well suited to 4.2m to 5.2m aluminium and fibreglass boats, which make up a large part of the Australian boating market,” Grant said. The pearlescent white option is now available across all key models in Yamaha’s mid and high horsepower lineup, from the compact F50 all the way up to their big horsepower F425 XTO. With current demand for outboards at record levels, Yamaha recommends you contact your local authorised Yamaha dealer today to lock in your order. W

4 2021 Boating EXTRA

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2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

2021 Boating EXTRA LOWRANCE

Lowrance launches new ActiveTarget live sonar

Lowrance, a world-leading brand in fishing electronics since 1957, announced today the launch of its new, high-resolution ActiveTarget Live Sonar system, revealing live-action views of fish moving in and around structure as they respond to lure presentations. This new technology delivers top-of-theline live sonar functionality to the highresolution HDS LIVE Ultimate Fishing System, as well as HDS Carbon and Lowrance’s recently introduced Elite FS displays – providing ActiveTarget Live Sonar connectivity with a wider range of displays and pricing options. The ActiveTarget Live Sonar views show high-resolution images of fish movements in real time and in detail. With this immediate feedback, anglers can adjust the presentation to trigger a strike, and know if more than one predator fish is active in the area. Offering three viewing options,

BAR CRUSHER BOATS

Bar Crusher’s 24/7 boat show No boat shows? No worries. Bar Crusher’s highly-informative website is essentially an online boat show, which you can visit every day of the year. With hundreds of pages of content – from boat buying tips, videos, news, reviews and model overviews right through to its industry-leading ‘build and quote’ system – the easy-to-navigate website also includes a search function, so you can quickly find the answer to pretty much any question you may have. Of course, don’t forget Bar Crusher’s social media channels across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, where you can access even more information about this iconic Australian boat brand. With nearly 30 models in the range, spanning 5.35m to 7.80m, these genuine

Fishing Weapons are available in a number of configurations – cuddy cabin (C), hard top (HT), hard top pilothouse (HTP), centre console (XS), rear centre console (XSR), open hard top (XT), walk around (WR), and bow rider (BR). There are also a couple of Special Edition

models available in the C and HT series. Renowned for quality construction, superior performance and maximum fishability (with a range of standard fishing-related features other manufacturers charge as extras), every Bar Crusher boat is factory-packaged on a custom-designed trailer, which ensures towing, launching and retrieving is a breeze. Self-centring and aligning perfectly every time, Bar Crusher’s innovative Bar Catch® system also allows for single-handed launch and retrieve. Check out Bar Crusher’s website and build your Fishing Weapon at barcrusher. com.au. W

barcrusher.com.au BarCrusherBoatsOFFICIAL barcrusherboats

NORTHBANK BOATS

ActiveTarget can be set to Forward, Down or Scout mode. Forward and Down views allow anglers to track fish in front of or below the live sonar transducer, and Scout mode delivers an ultra-wide, overhead view of structure and fish activity in front of the transducer – perfect for finding bait balls and big schools of fish. ActiveTarget is a perfect complement for Lowrance Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar, which includes extreme high-resolution SideScan and DownScan Imaging views for finding structure, and the superb target separation of Lowrance CHIRP Sonar. ActiveTarget Live Sonar, complete with black box module and transducer is priced at $2,299.00 AUD RRP. For more information on ActiveTarget, HDS LIVE, Elite FS or the full range of Lowrance products, visit www.lowrance. com. W

lowrance.com.au Lowrance.ANZ lowrancefishing

6 2021 Boating EXTRA

Northbank fibreglass boats experiencing amazing growth phase Who would have expected that a worldwide pandemic would create the demand that our industry has experienced over the past 12 months? During our time in the boat building industry, we have not seen anything like this with our range of Northbank boats. All our dealers nationally are experiencing an amazing growth phase, and it’s good to see that people are either coming back to boating, or getting into it for the first time. What is also exciting is that Northbank is their chosen vessel to enjoy their time out on the water. At the moment, we have build dates well into 2022 for all models 6m and above. Our 5m and 5.5m models are currently out to early 2022. This provides us with confidence going forward, we are currently in the process of expanding our boat production facility, which will allow us to increase our level of staff and boat production. In the past 12 months we have developed some great relationships with key influences for our brand.

Al McGlashan, has been very active with his 650HTF along the East Coast of NSW, and provided us with some amazing images of his experiences out in his Northbank. Aaron Habgood from Salt Guide has also been putting his Northbank 600C through its paces, both offshore in Bass Strait and in his local waters around Port Phillip. Our long-term brand ambassador Patrick Dangerfield is soon to take delivery of his third Northbank, which is a 750HT. His boat is currently at Melbourne Marine Centre for its complete fit out, but will soon be on the water. Pat’s boat will feature some gear that we have not yet fitted into any Northbank models, including the Optimus steering system from Seastar. In our home state of South Australia, we

have Ned McHenry (an up and coming super star from the Adelaide Crows) out and about in his 600C; and, Shimano sponsored angler, Andrew Harris, will soon to take delivery of his 600C. The next 12 months for Northbank will see us continue to produce high quality fibreglass boats, as we work to meet our customer’s demands. We will also continue to review features of all our models, and work towards the development of a couple of missing models in our range – watch this space! W

northbank.com.au northbankfibreglassboats northbankboats

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

• 46 Years of Ongoing Innovation •

www.stessl.com.au

$SUZUKI MARINE

www.suzukimarine.com.au

anglapro.com.au facebook.com/anglapro instagram.com/anglapro anglapro

TO FIND YOUR LOCAL DEALER VISIT WWW.ANGLAPRO.COM.AU

2021 Boating EXTRA QUINTREX

Quintrex Challenges ‘Where Next?’ with the 2021 Cruiseabout

Quintrex is prompting Australians to think ‘where next?’ with their adventures as they release an all-new line up to the public this year; inclusive of the family favourite, the Cruiseabout. As local travel booms, boating has increasingly become hot topic with sales industry-wide seeing record numbers as people explore new ways to escape their everyday. “Between cruising the waterways solo and heading out with a group of family or friends, or venturing out for a morning run and loading up for a boat camping trip, boating provides an endless source of travel opportunities and we are excited that we get to share that with so many people,” Madeline Bishop, Marketing and Communications Manager said. “It is a thrilling industry to be in, every day we help make countless people create endless memories by exploring their backyard, and as we welcome an increasing number of new boaties into the industry, we have invested our efforts towards making their purchasing process as seamless as possible.” This year, Quintrex will launch its first brand-specific Boat Bundle strategy aimed towards ease of consumer optimisation. Whilst still able to opt for individual features, consumers can now choose a boat suited to their budget and lifestyle with a group of clean-cut packages: • Cruiseabout – the most cost-friendly

10 2021 Boating EXTRA

option that features only the essentials.   • Comfort Bundle – offering optimal comfort and sun protection with a bimini and envelope, tonneau cover, upgraded seats, an upgraded rear lounge and backrest, bunk  infill cushion, cockpit table, plus a sound system and speakers.   • Fishing Bundle – to assist fishos in hooking that big catch with a berley bucket kit,  transom cutting board and ski pole duo, VHF radio, and LED cockpit lights and switches.   • Captain’s Bundle – built specially for the captain with an upgraded steering wheel and a  mechanical tilt to hydraulic tilt steering upgrade.   • Cruiseabout Pro – the deluxe model inclusive of all premium options and features  incorporated in the Boat Bundles, plus upgraded seating.

over 5m receiving hydraulic non-tilt steering and all Cruiseabout Pro models boasting hydraulic tilt steering. All Pro models will also feature the new upholstered side pockets, along with updated bow cushioning and deluxe rear

TELWATER TRAILERS

“True to our history, the 2021 Cruiseabout has been updated with family and overall consumer experience front-of-mind to deliver an all-new aluminium bowrider experience,” Madeline said.  “All changes have been derived from customer and dealer feedback, along with data drawn from an industry specific survey in order to continue building on the famous Quintrex product whilst setting new boating standards.”  The 2021 Cruiseabout will see the new 2021 transom with the duckboard positioned higher on the stern to glide over the water, a redesigned dashboard for a more seamless finish and to fit larger electronics, a fresh aluminium deck fascia design, new split bow rail and bowsprit design, dual maxi brackets, increased underfloor storage and much more. To optimise the overall experience and ergonomics for all drivers, tilt steering has been newly introduced to the Quintrex line up with Cruiseabout models 5m and under featuring mechanical tilt steering; models

Telwater trailers are set to take the industry by storm Telwater makes big movements in the trailer industry by launching its first loose trailer range, Move Trailers. This enables any boatie across Australia to purchase the handcrafted, purpose-built product for their new or used boat. Whilst the line is set to hit the pavement soon, Telwater has decades of trailer building history under its belt, first putting their tools towards the original prototype build in 2003. Following two years of Research and Development, which is said to be the ‘perfecting stage’ of Telwater’s craftsmanship, the Gold Coast built range made its public debut in 2005. As the muscle beneath the industry’s leading aluminium boat brands while on road for Quintrex, Stacer, Yellowfin and Savage. Telwater trailers quickly gained traction in the market becoming renowned for their strong, durable and dependable reputation. “Throughout our 16 years of production, we have continued to develop and improve our products in line with industry demand and the evolution of engineering, and now, we are excited to be able to afford this safety and certainty of safe trailering to every boatie with a Telwater built trailer,” General Manager Telwater, Sam Heyes said. Built from strength within, Move Trailers are crafted around a sound structure of marine grade aluminium, meaning their lifespan triples that of a steel build. Their C-channel frame, as opposed to box sections, ensures water is not retained, preventing waterlogging and weight

lounge upholstery that deliver a seamless finish due to hidden fastenings. Reflective of the new range comes an all-new look for the Quintrex brand as it launches a fresh stripe design, set to trademark all boats under the Quinnie umbrella as it rolls out across the entire range. “We hope that the stripe design will become as recognisable as the Quintrex name so our boats make a statement on the water from near and far,” Madeline said. Quintrex, owned by BRP; global leader in the world of powersports, was founded in 1945 and has established itself as the most recognised Australian-built aluminum boat brand in the country. W

quintrex.com.au quintrexaustralia quintrexboating

overload. Whereby the aluminium build results in the prevention of rust, increased durability, and a more lightweight product therefore making Move Trailers easier to tow and manoeuvre. Other key build qualities that set Move Trailers apart from the industry are: • A wide range of standard features including LED lights, moulded wheel guards and a swing-up  jockey wheel, as a benchmark for safety and functionality whilst on and off the boat ramp.   • Catch and release system – (optional extra) a carefully structured design to take the grunt out of the drive-on/drive-off experience at the boat ramp, especially built for the solo boatie or those who enjoy simplistic trailering. • Spare wheel carrier – (optional extra) to ensure that no bump in the road gets in the way of an adventure. • Trailer walkway – (optional extra) for safe movements when walking along the submerged trailer whilst at the boat ramp. “As passionate boaties ourselves, we understand the importance of keeping our boats as safe on the road as they are on the water so with purpose-built engineering, we have delivered a wide range of models to suit all trailerable boats – both aluminium and fibreglass” Sam said. Boasting nearly 30 models within the range, Move Trailer’s have almost every boatie covered, with a trailer available for boats ranging between 3.5m to 7.1m in length. The movement doesn’t stop there, with Move Trailer’s also catering to a wide range of customer needs with both braked and unbraked or hydraulic options available. Get on the move with your boat by purchasing a top-quality trailer at an affordable price for your new rig, or upgrade your old wheels, by contacting your local Move Trailer dealer today. W

moveboattrailers.com.au telwater telwater

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

“Reliability is everything.” - Andrew Ettingshausen

Australia’s only 3-Year Commercial Warranty on all outboards* *Honda is offering a 5 + 2 = 7 years domestic and 1 + 2 = 3 years commercial warranty. The additional 2 years are based on the following conditions: The Outboard must either be sold and set up by an authorised Honda Marine dealer or be sold by an authorised sales agent for Honda Marine Australia and set up in accordance with the instructions in the Product Registration & Set-up Guide (if applicable), in conjunction with the Owner’s Manual. The Outboard must be serviced for the entire warranty period by an authorised Honda Marine dealer, in line with the recommended service schedule, using genuine Honda parts and lubricants. Visit marine.honda.com.au for full terms and conditions.

2021 Boating EXTRA radio, lean seat, LED cockpit lights and switches. • Captain’s Bundle – upgrade from mechanical to hydraulic tilt steering, upgraded steering  wheel.  As the new line up hits the water, the entire Hornet range will don fresh stripes with the 2021 Quintrex design plus dual maxi brackets as standard across all base and Pro models and a modular bow aimed towards improving overall product quality.  The Hornet is crafted around the Apex Hull, which is heralded as the industry’s most innovative design, delivering an unparalleled ride experience and stability at rest thanks to its cutting-edge concept.

QUINTREX

Quintrex takes fishing to a whole new level As part of the new 2021 Quintrex line up, Australia’s ultimate fishing boat, the Hornet is getting a revamp. Reducing from nine models to five, the new Hornet has been redesigned to deliver an all-inclusive product, adapting from both the previous Hornet model and the now discontinued Stealth Hornet. The three Hornet models, 450, 481 and 500, will compliment the preexisting Hornet Trophy line up with the 420 and 440, in order to continue delivering a fully comprehensive size variation across the range. “Derived from market research and dealer feedback, the Hornet has been streamlined and recrafted to meet the needs of a wider range of fishermen, achieved by an array of design changes including an increased freeboard making it better suited to a greater variety of waterways, including lakes, estuaries and

open water,” Jorge Alejandre, New Product Development Manager said. Together with a deeper layout comes more storage room and greater possibility for more optional extras or longer adventures that serve for camping on board. In line with an all-new Boat Bundle approach, aimed towards simplifying the boat buying process for those new into the market, customers will now be gifted the ease of choice with five bundle options available to choose from. Not only easy, but also affordable, consumers can now opt for an entry level boat that only features the bare essentials with the Hornet, a range of Boat Bundles for ease of upgrading the vessel to suit a particular lifestyle or, go all out with the deluxe Hornet Pro which includes all premium features. The Hornet Pro will incorporate standard features including a VHF Radio,

Berley Bucket, lean seat, seat option upgrade and more. “Each bundle has been crafted to meet the needs of our most frequent boat buyers, for example those looking for a budget-friendly boat simply to get out on the water, a premium vessel with all the frills, or something more pointed like a Comfort Bundle for families, a Fishing Bundle for avid fishos and a Captain’s Bundle for the driving comfortability,” Madeline Bishop, Marketing and Communications Manager said. “Each option included in these packs have been carefully selected by our team, who are avid fishos themselves, to deliver the best on-water experience possible.” Options included in each Boat Bundle are as follows:  • Comfort Bundle – lean seat, seat upgrade from Angler Sport to Bass Sport, and a sound system and speakers. • Fishing Bundle – berley bucket kit, VHF

“The 2021 line up has been derived from over 75 years of industry excellence and aims to continue the strong Quintrex name within the market by enhancing our product and incorporating changes driven by customer feedback,” Madeline said. W

quintrex.com.au quintrexaustralia quintrexboating

boatinglifestyleadventure

Monitor the health and state of your battery from your phone

BLA Vertical Capstan and Pot Hauler VC900

BLA Marine Performance Lithium Batteries

Features a powerful 900W motor and is designed to withstand even the harshest environments with its 316 Stainless Steel head. Features: Marine grade sealed motor

Premium range of batteries consisting of the highest quality Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) composition. Features: 12V, 24V, 36V options Lasts 8 times longer than standard batteries 2000+ genuine cycles

Low noise Fast retrieval Max power pull of 185kg Includes footswitch & marine grade circuit breaker

Helm Seat – Luxury Luxury helm seat provides maximum comfort for those long rides. Features: Back rest reclines 45˚ Armrests flip up for ease of access Universal 126mm X 305mm mounting pattern Rear and side pockets

Less than half the weight of standard batteries Faster charging 7 Year Warranty

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12 2021 Boating EXTRA

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

MORE INFO

Check out www.ausmarine.biz for your nearest dealer PH: (02) 9792 6000 F: (02) 9772 4858 E: sales@ausmarine.biz

Alloy Boats

Trailers

• 15 years in Australia/South Pacific • Nationwide network of distributors in each state • Proven long term quality/back-up • Standard features which for our competitors are optional • Unbeatable value for money

TRAILERS from 3m to 8m (3500kg ATM)

BOAT PACKAGES

FOLDING 8

MINI TINNY 210 CAR TOPPER

From

2.1m car topper, 2 adults, max 4hp, only weighs 22kg

$1150

From

• Folds away • Suits up to 3.7m hulls • Web Strap winch • Suits caravans, campervans, small garage spaces

$1199 BOAT O

NLY

TINNY 12

RANGER 330

SUZUKI MARINE

• Suits up to 4m hulls • Roller version available •Ford Bearings & hubs • Web strap winch • Submersible LED lights

3.3m car topper, 3 adults, max 6hp

World’s first drive-by-wire 115hp/140hp 4-stroke outboard Suzuki Marine is globally recognised for making advanced technology and features available to boaters of all types, not just those who run the largest, highesthorsepower outboards. This tradition continues with the introduction of Suzuki’s new-for-2021 DF115BG and DF140BG 4-stroke outboards, the first in their class to offer all the advantages of drive-by-wire technology. By bringing its proven drive-by-wire technology to its 115hp and 140hp in-line four-cylinder models, Suzuki is providing simplified rigging for a wide range of boat builders, along with silky smooth shifting, instant throttle response, enhanced performance and superior fuel efficiency. The reliability and precision control of

From

$1599 BOAT O

NLY

PWC13

ADVENTURE 360 3.6m open tinny, 4 adults, max 15hp

• Suits Jet Skis • Tinnys up to 3.9m

From

• Ford Bearings

$6599

& hubs • Web strap winch

BOAT PACK

AGE

• Submersible LED lights

Boat & trailer & 9.9 4 stroke

AL4.2M13

NAVIGATOR 400 4m flatwater V-nose tinny, 4 adults, max 30hp

suzukimarine.com.au suzuki marine - Australia suzukiaustraliamarine

• Roller version available

From

Suzuki’s drive-by-wire technology has been proven for years on Suzuki’s popular 150hp through 350hp models. W

• Suits up to 4.4m

• Ford Bearings

$6999

& hubs • Web strap winch

AG BOAT PACK E

• Submersible LED lights

Boat & trailer & 15hp 4 stroke

AL5.2M13

SNAPPER 425 4.2m open water deep vee wide-sided fishing boat. 5 adults, max 40hp

YALTACRAFT

• Suits up to 5.4m • Roller version available •Ford Bearings & hubs • Web strap winch •Submersible LED lights

From

$9700

Yaltacraft are back A couple of years ago, Bribie Marine’s Dave O’Neal collected the Yaltacraft moulds from Gympie’s George Groth after 26 years of being made there. They moved to a newly constructed facility behind his marine dealership and have since surpassed a dozen boats from the new digs. “Every boat is now 100% composite – there’s no wood in a Yaltacraft,” Dave said, as he showed us where the 18, 20 and 22ft models begin their life. And with a strong brand and a strong Facebook owners group, the future looks bright, with a dozen more boats currently on order. “If they want to, buyers can come and see their boat at every stage of construction,” Dave said, “which is an opportunity that not all companies can offer.” Dave’s always been a boating tragic, with several boats adorning his property when he was in the smash repair game. Buying a boat dealership just made his passion his job.

BOAT PACK

AGE

Boat & trailer & 15hp 4 stroke

FISHER 490

FINANCE AVAILABLE

FIB5M14 • Suits Fiberglass boats up to 5.3m •Ford Bearings & hubs • Web strap winch •Submersible LED lights

4.9m, deep v side console, transom door, 5 adults, max 115hp

From

$29,999 AG BOAT PACK E Boat trailer & 75hp 4 stroke fwd control electric start

FINANCE AVAILABLE

AL5.4M13T

BOWRIDER 490 4.9m deep ve Bowrider

• Dual Axles

side console, transom door, 5 adults, max 115hp

You can see the demo Yaltas at the Bribie Marine yard and we’re sure that he’ll give you a great deal on a Honda and trailer to go with it.

• Suits Aluminium hulls up to 5.6m

From

•Ford Bearings

$31,999

& hubs • Web strap winch

AG BOAT PACK E W

yaltacraft.com.au Yalta Craft Boats Australia yaltacraft

LED lights FINANCE AVAILABLE

ALLOY TRAILERS RANGE FROM 4M TO 6.5M AL4.2M13A

FIB5.7M14TA • Alloy Frame • Alloy Wheels • Ford bearings + hubs • Web strap winch • Submersible LED Lights

FINANCE AVAILABLE

2021 NEW RELEASES

•Submersible

Boat trailer & 30hp 4 stroke fwd control electric start

• Dual Axles •Alloy Wheels • Skid Version Available • Ford bearings + hubs • Web strap winch • Submersible LED Lights FINANCE AVAILABLE

ALL PRICES GST INCLUSIVE, EXCLUSIVE FREIGHT, REGISTRATION & DEALER DELIVERY CHARGES.

2021 Boating EXTRA HONDA MARINE

Honda Marine world-class performance and reliability

With over 60 manufacturing facilities across the globe, Honda produces more automotive, power equipment and marine engines than any other brand. More people put their trust behind Honda to consistently power their products, whether on land, sea or air. With so much experience and global state-of-the-art research and development going into each engine, Honda Marine is able to offer Australia’s ONLY 7-year* domestic outboard warranty and is the only manufacturer in the country to offer a

3-year* commercial warranty on their entire outboard range. With an unrivalled team of R&D professionals re-defining the limits Honda has been able to produce exclusive innovations such as Honda’s VTEC™ system. VTEC gives you a broader, flatter torque curve and smooth power delivery throughout the engine’s operating range. The result is a superior combination of power, torque and fuel efficiency. VTEC is now available on several high horsepower Honda outboards. It’s the same technology that has powered Honda Formula 1 racing, Marc Marquez in the Honda factory racing team and his domination in the MotoGP. A challenging spirit and never-ending passion for racing fuels the development of every Honda fourstroke outboard.

Honda has been focused on fourstroke technology since introducing the first outboard engine of its kind over five decades ago. All Honda marine and power products sold in Australia have only ever contained four-stroke engines. In a bid to ensure impact on the environment was minimised in as many engines as possible, Honda lead the motorcycle industry by being the first manufacturer to stop production of the two-stroke engine due to concerns about their environmental impact. Honda Australia has been committed to producing four-stroke marine engines in Australia longer than any other manufacturer. Honda’s commitment to protecting the environment is reinforced by their partnership with Sea World Australia. Sea World chooses Honda engines for environmental performance and exceeding world emissions standards. Honda is proud to power the Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation vessel. The reliability and speed of these engines allows the Sea World team to reach stranded and sick marine life as quickly as possible. Honda is also proud to support Rugby League hall of famer Andrew ‘ET’ Ettingshausen, who put his trust in Honda outboards to power the Escape Fishing with ET team to some of Australia’s most remote fishing locations. Escape Fishing with ET is the longest running program of its kind in Australia and embodies Honda Marine’s

passion for fishing and adventure. All of our dealers share the same level of commitment to the Honda brand as they do their relationships with customers. When it comes to sales, service and parts, you can always rely on a Honda Marine specialist for

knowledge and advice. Every Honda Marine outboard is supported by Honda’s extensive national dealer network and dedicated aftersales support team. Thinking about a Honda outboard? Speak to your local Honda dealer or find your closest dealer. * Conditions apply. W

14 2021 Boating EXTRA

marine.honda.com.au HondaMarineAustralia hondamarineaus

GARMIN

Garmin’s Apollo Series amplifiers boost for Fusion audio systems The world’s largest and most innovative marine electronics manufacturer, today announced  the ApolloTM Series amplifiers from Fusion® Entertainment, a Garmin brand, delivering the best performance and most power for boats equipped with Fusion Digital Signal Processing (DSP)-enabled stereos and Fusion speakers. Designed exclusively for Fusion marine entertainment systems, the new Apollo Series enhance audio clarity and reduce distortion for a superior onboard entertainment experience. “With Apollo Series amplifiers on board, boaters can play their favourite songs louder and cleaner than ever before, even when cutting through the waves at full throttle,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Global Consumer Sales. “By offering an innovative amplifier range specifically designed for Fusion systems, boaters can expect to have the same quality of sound performance found in high-end home audio systems while out on their boats.” Amplify the moment Thanks to 150 W RMS per channel3, High Power Mode and reduced Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), Apollo Series amplifiers deliver clearer audio on the water and optimise audio reproduction for each individual zone on board. To protect Fusion marine entertainment systems on board, Apollo Series amplifiers also  feature Multiple Protection Modes and ignition protection. Simple installation and set up With in-the-box mounting brackets and Easy Tune functionality, the installation and set up process has never been quicker or simpler. Using a wireless Fusion-LinkTM connection, fine-tuning and adjusting complex audio settings for marine entertainment systems is no longer a problem that requires the help of outside audio experts. By simply selecting the relevant DSP audio profiles in the Fusion-Link app, boaters can sync and tune their Apollo Series amplifiers for

optimized audio reproduction, right from their mobile device. Built to last Featuring Fusion’s signature TrueMarine design and 3-year warranty, the Apollo Series amplifiers are built to last season after season with protection against harsh marine environments – such as salt fog, water and UV – enclosed in a slick, white powder-coated aluminium casing that provides a modern aesthetic to any boat. In addition to 1-, 4-, 6- and 8-channel options, the Apollo Series also offers a 2-channel Apollo zone amplifier to target and make use of zones not being amplified on board. The Apollo zone amplifier is available with 12V and 24V compatibility and features a compact design that fits anywhere around the boat.

Engineered on the inside for life on the outside, Garmin products have revolutionised life for anglers, sailors, mariners and boat enthusiasts everywhere. Committed to developing the most sophisticated marine electronics the industry has ever known, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate and a chance to beat yesterday. For the sixth consecutive year, Garmin was recently named the Manufacturer of the Year by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). The Apollo Series amplifiers are available now. For more information about the Apollo Series amplifiers and their seamless integration with Garmin marine electronics visit the website. W

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2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

NEW RELEASE

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Whittley SL22 HT with 200hp Mercury 4-stroke SPECIFICATIONS Overall length............................6.79m Length on trailer........................7.90m Height on trailer...... 2.20m (to windscreen) Width on trailer.........................2.40m Beam..........................................2.40m Transom deadrise..........................23° Fuel............................................... 210L Water.............................................. 40L Standard hp............................... 150hp Max hp.......................................225hp Capacity...............................7 persons

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

We must have tested more Whittley Sea Legend combinations over the years than any other boat. We’ve used them with inboard Volvo Pentas, Yamahas and Mercurys in soft and hard top configurations. We’ve done them with owners and with Whittley staff and dealers. And you know what? Everyone loves their Whittleys. They’re an Aussie built boat with a heritage in cruisers, but are rapidly evolving as fishing rigs as well. These Sea Legend (SL) Hard Top models will tick plenty of boxes for the anglers amongst us. Whittley’s new partnership with Mercury has come at a good time for the builder. Mercury’s V6 and V8 platforms are finding plenty of advocates as more and more enter the market. They say there’s no replacement for displacement, so we were keen to see how the SL22 went with a 200hp 3.4L V6 strapped on the back. The answer? Quite nicely, thank you! Jumping straight into the performance specs, the rig has a top speed of 67km/h at 5,850rpm. At that point, it’s burning a litre of gas for each 900m it travels. Not the most economical craft we’ve tested. But drop it back into the 4,000rpm range as your economy nearly doubles, yielding 1.6km for every litre you burn. Couple that with the standard 210L fuel tank and there’s around 300+km of range. Plenty for 90% of keen anglers.

PERFORMANCE RPM..............km/h............. km/L 600...................... 3................ 0.8 1000.................... 5................ 0.6 2000...................11................ 0.6 3000.................. 22................ 1.0 3500.................. 32................ 1.6 4000.................. 44................ 1.6 4500.................. 52................ 1.5 5000.................. 60................ 1.3 5850.................. 67................ 0.9

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Main: Just the typical Sovereign Island mansion in the background and Whittley’s SL22 Hard Top in the front. It’s a nice match with the Mercury 200hp V-6 4-stroke. Above: Even though it’s 25hp less than the maximum allowed, the SL22 has plenty of punch, especially in the mid-range, which is what the platform is known for. Subjectively, though, it’s that cruising speed punch you get when you drop the throttle that makes the grown men giggle. The hard top itself is connected to the hull with some huge windscreens. There’s ample visibility and side windows to let the breeze flow through in the warmer days. With an optional shade extender, you can add clears to make this a fully enclosed section if that’s what you want. From the transom forward, there’s a full coverage of Whittley’s EVA decking, which looks great and makes for much easier maintenance than the carpet it replaces. There’s a freshwater shower concealed inside the transom and a neat battery closet under the optional bait station. This allows easy access to the isolators and breakers. The SL series also features Whittley’s quad helm seats – with a forward (higher) and rearward (lower) for the driver and passenger. There’s a mile of storage under these. The test boat used some of the space for a slide-out fridge. Luxury! This seating arrangement does chew up a little cabin space, but if you use your rig for more than fishing, they’re very practical. The helm has evolved to take large MFDs

flush mounted. Round of applause there. There’s plenty of room to run all of your electronics as well as the digital engine gauges. The cabin can be shut with a sliding door to gain some security and privacy.

Overall, it’s more a ‘dad’s boat’ than a ‘mum’s boat’, although we’re sure that mum will be happy with the appointments and dad will be happy with the fishing chops of this rig. And if you have a 3.5t towing capacity ute, you’ll have no problems towing it – even if it’s fully loaded. For more information, visit www.whittley. com.au. The test boat was supplied by Whittley Queensland Sales and it is priced at $141,962 as tested. You can watch the video review of this boat by scanning the QR code at the start of the article.

Sometimes when we instruct the boat driver to ‘not be shy’, they really do lose lots of their inhibitions.

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

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You really do need an anchor winch on a rig like this, considering that it’s not easy to access from around the cabin or through it. Who wants to pull up and anchor anyway?

Even fully fuelled and loaded, the SL22 easily falls under the 3.5t weight rating for many twin-cab utes.

All Whittleys come with ‘rubber’ decking as standard. It’s a decent sized cockpit for the hull size and gunwale height isn’t a problem.

This is neat – a cupboard under the bait station that houses the dual battery setup and all of the isolators and breakers that you’d need to access.

Whittley’s unique forward/rear facing seat setup is great for both fishing and social reasons. There’s a pile of room under them to store gear...

... or you can add a fridge! How neat is that?

A raw water deck wash is an option, but the Sea Legends come with 40L of freshwater capacity as well with a shower at the rear.

There’s dedicated room for a toilet in the cabin and access is controlled with a sliding door. Like most Whittley cabins, it’s pretty plush.

The dash will hold huge electronics flush mounted, with extra room for your motor gauges. Whittley’s switches are a nice touch.

You can stash half-a-dozen rods up and out of the way in the rocket launchers. The LED lights are a nice touch with pre-dawn starts or for night ops.

The lid of the anchor well lifts up and away for cleaning and maintenance.

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CRUISE CRAFT BOATS

Cruise Craft Celebrate 75th Anniversary with new factory

“and the order list goes well into next year.” Sounds like a problem with production, but in reality, Cruise Craft have never been more efficient at making craft locally that can compete with boats built anywhere in the world. And the team at Cruise Craft make sure that the new factory minimises wastage, emissions and lost time. Like most in the industry, lack of continuity

Little did I know that this would be the last story we got to work on before Brisbane’s latest COVID lockdown, but visiting the new Cruise Craft factory at Hemmant was a truly enlightening experience. With a boat building tradition spanning 75 years and visible team attitude of making the best boats possible, there’s no wonder that Cruise Craft boats are selling like hot cakes, keep their resale value like no other and have a waiting list to buy them that runs right into 2022. The company had a rich history of dealerships (Wynnum Marine), tragedy (the factory burned down in 1969), family ownership and a procession of award winning boats.

Main: Everything in the new factory has wheels on it and is positioned so that it’s as close as it can be to where it’s needed. Insert: The original Nichols Bros boat shed on Wynnum Creek. Above: Attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the boat building process.

The whole factory is set up for maximum efficiency and minimal wastage and emissions.

Fitting out a Cruise Craft is a labour of love for the loyal staff. With Nichols Brothers boat building established in August 1946, current Cruise Craft CEO, Nathan Nichols was proud to show us what a new workspace, team mentality and clever planning can achieve – even during COVID. As many of you may know, the fishing and boating industries have unwitting success stories of the pandemic. The ban on international travel and the inherent social distancing provided by fishing and boating meant that many people bought boats, use boats and enjoy boats to a level possibly not seen in recent history. “We have eight dealers nationally and about eight boats in stock,” said Nathan, 18 2021 Boating EXTRA

in supply chains occasionally make it hard to keep production running at 100%, although Nathan is proud of his association with local suppliers and distributors. “Every single thing that we put into a Cruise Craft boat is sourced through a local, Australian distributor or manufacturer. Some of them have been supplying us for

decades,” said Nathan, “but we have a saying here: if it’s going to be late, it has to be great. We don’t let any bottlenecks compromise the finished quality of the products.” Recently, Cruise Craft has partnered with Yamaha to supply 100% of outboards for the factory. Every single package that heads to a dealer is factory-fitted, factory tested and factory warranted to ensure that it delivers 100% for the customer. I’ll say it again. Every single boat is water tested and checked to ensure everything works. We assume that dealers like it as well, because they take delivery of a boat and there’s not much to do before turning it

around and passing it on to the customer. We won’t go into great details about the company’s boat building trade secrets – and

Preparing a boat mould for Gelcoat. Nathan wouldn’t let us look behind the R&D curtain – but we were allowed to take a few pics of the new workspace so you can get a small insight of what it all looks like. And yes, it all smells like fibreglass resin, although Nathan says that he stopped being able to smell it years ago… we were unsure if that’s a good or bad thing! W

The impressive new factory has all the bells and whistles.

cruisecraft.com.au cruisecraftboats cruisecraftboats

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Stessl 440 Sportsman with Honda 50hp 4-stroke FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Bribie Island is a special place in Queensland. There is extensive shallow mangrove-lined estuaries where you can go to catch a feed of whiting, flathead, and mud crabs. The relatively protected waters of the Pumicestone Passage are abundant, and Dave O’Neal from Bribie Marine sells the boats to enjoy them. We got to test the Stessl Sportsman 440 matched with a Honda 50hp 4-stroke on the test day. He calls this build of Stessl a ‘Bribie Special’ and sells plenty of them to residents of the island. The rig is light enough to be supplied on a non-braked trailer, can be towed by any car and offers access to all of the shallow waters. Runabout style boats are popular because they offer shade, a large cockpit,

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................4.45m Beam..........................................2.05m Depth..........................................1.05m Bottom.........................................3mm Sides.............................................3mm Hull weight.................................300kg Max HP........................................ 60HP Capacity...............................4 persons and enough comfort to spend hours on the water chasing a feed of fish. You can also take the family out in them and enjoy swimming and some light tubing. Families and retirees in particular find them popular because of their affordability and functionality. Stessl have made a few improvements to the existing 440 Sportsman by changing the aluminium dash for a moulded one and incorporating their Delta hull design with reverse chines and improved stability. Dave adds to the package by adding a

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Main: The Stessl Sportsman 440 is a ridiculously easy rig to tow, launch and use and is an ideal sheltered watercraft. Above: With over 2m of beam, the rig is comfortable for a couple of anglers. bimini top and clears as well as a transom door. Dave is particularly impressed with the 50hp Honda strapped to the back. “Honda’s new 50 was only released a few years ago and offers best-in-class power-toweight and fuel economy,” Dave said. This hull is rated to 60hp but the 50 Honda does just fine. On the test day it returned a maximum speed of just under 50km an hour – although the weather was superb. There was no fuel metering available to measure economy, although the 50L underfloor fuel tank would offer sensational range for close fishing. The transom door allows easy access both on the water and when the boat is on the trailer. It is matched with a set of aluminium steps, which allows easy step up onto the duckboard. Given the short length of the boat, the Sportsman is quite spacious. Swivel the seats around and you have a large cockpit space to lay down a few fishing rods and wait for a bite. If you are travelling with

more than two persons on board, more passengers can sit on the fold down storage seat on the back starboard side. This compartment eats up a lot of gear and when folded over allows access to the batteries and pumps in the transom. Up for’ard the split windscreen opens and gives easy access to the anchor well, which holds enough rope and ground gear to keep you in place while fishing. Back at Bribie Marine we wash the boat down and discussed why this is such a popular boat in the area with Dave. “Nearly all of the rigs we sell come with the bimini and the transom door option. The locals just like it because it suits their style of fishing to a tee. We can’t get enough of them recently,” he concluded. For more information on the hull you can visit www.stessl.com.au or for more information about the Bribie Special version see Dave at Bribie Marine. Their website is www.bribieboatsales.com.au.

Dave O’Neal says the Honda 50hp is best-in-class for power-to-weight and economy.

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Top: Stessl have changed from an aluminium dash

to a moulded dash for the Sportsman models. Above: A small glovebox with a couple of drink folders lets you stash some gear on the passenger side.

Top: There’s some underfloor storage under the cockpit floor. Above: The 50hp Honda pushes the rig along economically, but you won’t find it easy to break the 50km/h mark. The hull is rated to 60hp.

Top: There’s a split windscreen that allows you access to the anchor well.

Above: Looking for’ard from the windscreen, there’s a built in anchor well.

The ‘Bribie Special’ build comes with a canopy and front clears.

There’s comfortable seating for the driver and passenger. Others can sit on the folding storage bin at the back of the cockpit.

Top Left and Right: How cool is the Railblaza sliding mount system? You can adjust easily the position of your rod holders, cup holders and other accessories without drilling any holes. Left: You can fit plenty of gear in the folding, rear storage box. Right: Fold the box over and you have access to the battery and pumps, and such like, in the transom.

Top Left: The Sportsman is one of the easiet boats we’ve tested to get access to the anchor. Left: Folding aluminium stairs allow access for swimmers in the water or while the boat is on the trailer. Right: The transom door is another option that Bribie Boats had added.

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Sea Jay 453 Territory with Yamaha 60hp 4-stroke FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

We’ve tested a few of Sea Jay’s Territory hulls since release. The range, released at a Brisbane Boat Show (you remember when boat shows were a thing, right?) was unashamedly a response to consumer and dealer feedback that wanted a hull with a massive front deck and a flexible console option. Ever since, they’ve been a popular addition to the Sea Jay catalogue. The 453 is the smallest of the Territory line up, which also includes a 483, 503 and 533. All of the hulls are made from 3mm aluminium bottoms and sides in their Bundaberg factory in Queensland. The Elliott River, where we were testing the rig, is only a short drive from where they’re made. The test boat was fitted with a Yamaha F60 4-stroke, part of the 1L platform that includes their 50 and 70hp models. Performance-wise, it was brilliantly economical. Cruising at 4,000rpm the Yamaha delivered 3.9km/L at 35km/h

SPECIFICATIONS Length..........................................4.9m Beam.......................................... 2.12m Depth............................................1.2m Sides.............................................3mm Bottom.........................................3mm Capacity...............................5 persons Max HP............................................. 70 Floor Ribs........................................ 10 Hull Weight................................. 442kg while a wide open throttle (WOT) run saw 58km/h on the speedo and a reduced economy of 2.7km/L. With those numbers, expect around 250km of theoretical range from the 70L underfloor fuel tank. Remember that all Sea Jay boats are available on a factory-matched Sea Jay trailer and taking this option, whether it’s in aluminium I-Beam or galvanized steel, extends the hull warranty by a year. On the water, there’s a lot of usable space. The front casting deck is made even more usable by moving the usual bow anchor well from above the deck to under

Fuel economy in this rig is remarkable – 3.9km/L burned at 4,000rpm and 35km/h. Makes current fuel prices not sting as much. 22 2021 Boating EXTRA

Main: Sea Jay’s 453 Territory is all about maximising casting room in a package that you can use all over Australia. The test boat was fitted with a Yamaha F60 4-stroke outboard. Above: The Territory is available in several options. The rig tested has a side-console, but you can also get centre-console versions. it. There’s a concealed cleat under the gunwale and enough room under the deck compartment to hold all of your ground gear. It works in tandem with your electric motor – the design of the hull makes sure that they’re not in each other’s way. Because of the height of the casting deck, there’s a pile of storage room under it, although remember that it’s not dry storage if it rains. You can easily fit a large esky or a swag up there and then some. The console is fairly basic – a small compartment for your wallet and mobile phone and lots of room up on top for a bracket mounted sounder. The set up is pretty standard for sub 5m tinny. There is the option to order this hull in a centre console build. The two seats provided are comfortable and the test boat had options to move the passenger seat around, with several bases inbuilt into the deck.

You can expect a full transom on the Territory, with the extra gunwale height keeping water, and whatever other nasties swim in tropical areas, out. Each Territory comes with duckboards and a solid boarding ladder as standard. As tested, this rig came in around the mid $30,000 mark, although with a maximum of 70hp rating, I’d be ordering this rig with the 70. It’s the same platform engine with the same capacity. You can get more information about the Sea Jay Territory at www.seajayboats.com. au. Thanks to Bundaberg Marineland for supplying the test boat.

PERFORMANCE Best Economy: 4,000rpm at 35km/h with 3.9km/L Best Speed: 5,900rpm at 58km/h with 2.7km/L

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Although the seats are offset here, there’s a mount further back if that’s where you want to travel. Also note the Territory’s full transom.

The Territory tested was fitted with an optional bait station on the transom.

Yamaha’s 1L 60HO is the same platform as their F70 and a 70hp is the maximum horsepower this hull is rated for.

Sea Jay’s consoles are typically wide, although there’s no room to flush mount a sounder in them. You need to bracket-mount on top.

The Territory is all about the enormous deck up front. And it’s elevated from the hull enough to give you massive storage underneath.

A traditional ganged switch panel operates all of your pimps and lights.

The 453 boasts 10 floor ribs and there is room for horizontal rod holders on some of the exposed ribs here.

With a full transom (and no transom door), duckboards like this are essential for boarding. The port side has fold down fishbone stairs.

There’s no anchor well intrusion into fishing space, just a hidden cleat and the rope storage under the deck.

The Sea Jay NexGen hull features reverse chines and a moderate vee.

A single axle trailer is all that’s needed to tote this rig around. The dry weight of the hull-only is under half a tonne.

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NEW

TERRITORY 4.53m 4.83m 5.03m 5.33m

• • • • • • • • •

NexGen Hull Centre or Side Console Concealed Anchor Well Mega Casting Deck Extra Ribs for Extra Strength Ultimate Edge 2 Transom Live Bait Tank Deeper Sides Reverse Chines

NEW RELEASE • • • •

Aluminium or Steel Braked or Un-Braked Quality Components 100% Australian Made

• Extra 12 Month Warranty of Sea Jay Boat / Trailer Combo

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HERVEY BAY - BUCCANEERS

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ROCKHAMPTON - RIFEN MARINE

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103 Hanson Road, Gladstone (07) 4972 0135

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117 Old Cleveland Road, Stones Corner (07) 3397 9766

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GLADSTONE - CURTIS COAST MARINE

167 Currumburra Road, Ashmore (07) 5532 5812

BRISBANE - STONES CORNER MARINE

19 Islander Road, Piabla, Hervey Bay (07) 4124 6988

95 Targo Street, Bundaberg (07) 4130 0500

GOLD COAST – TR MARINE

6 Dooley Street, North Rockhampton (07) 4927 9150

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TOWNSVILLE - RISING SUN HONDA 35 Bowen Road, Rosslea (07) 4779 0211

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NOWRA – DAVE HILL MARINE 1 Berry Street, Nowra (02) 4423 6137

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TAREE - MANNING RIVER MARINE 13 Victoria Street, Taree (02) 6552 2333

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PERFORMANCE

NEW

TITAN 5.90m 5.50m 6.30m

RANGER 4.60m

• 4mm high tensile 5083 Platebottom • Samurai Hull • Self draining deck with scuppers • Wide Body 2350mm beam • 90L Under floor fuel tank • Max 70hp • Trolling motor ready • Live bait tank • 50mm capped keel

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ALBANY – RUSTY’S MARINE 205 Chesterpass Road, Albany 08 9842 1022

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for the app) is a device that gets in between your ignition switch and your motor and can take control if your motor runs or not. There’s a black box that is called a ‘brain’ that can mount under the console or out of the way. Ours is mounted in a hatch in front of the console.

AN THE

We haven’t had a good run of luck on my local waterways. Three people have recently lost their lives on Moreton Bay, South East Queensland. Each one is a tragedy. And after each one, we consider what we can do to make sure that we don’t end up the same way. There are the tried and true methods. Wear your PFD, wear your kill switch, tell someone where you’re going and when you are expected to return home, log on and log off with your local VMR. All of these things help when things get nasty out on the water. Often when incidents happen, though, things happen too quickly to send out the call for help, radio the VMR or even grab anything. You hit an unexpected wave or object or encounter a mechanical issue that throws you overboard. Now, you can add some technology into the mix of ways you can protect yourself while enjoying your time on the water. Mercury has introduced their 1st Mate system and we have installed one on the Fishing Monthly boat to give it a try. As usual, we have made a video on how it works on the Fishing Monthly YouTube Channel and you can scan the QR code hereby to watch it. Essentially, the 1st Mate system (note that it’s 1st Mate, not First Mate if you’re searching

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It’s coupled with a primary ‘Captain’ fob, which is a wearable token that communicates with the system and up to seven more ‘Passenger’ fobs that you can give to all of the people you have on your boat. You can wear them as a wristband or you can attach them with a clip to your body. They’re housed in silicone. The system does three things. It acts as a digital kill switch, you can use it as an engine immobilizer and, best of all, it can be used to send a message when you go

overboard to whoever you want to know the location of where you have gone in. You can set it so there’s a delay in the delivery of that message, in case you set off the system accidentally. Let’s have a look at the components separately. MAN OVERBOARD The best way to explain this is that it acts like a wireless version of a safety switch from the outboard that can be linked to everyone. Usually the driver of the boat is the one tethered to the physical kill switch and moving a certain distance from the helm pulls out the cord and the engine shut down is triggered. You all wear your kill switches, don’t you? Fishing Monthly’s sister company, Australian Bass Tournaments added it to the tournament rules in 1999, so I at least know there’s a cohort of anglers out there who, like me, feel that something is wrong if they’re not wearing the red cord. It’s a good habit to get into. There’s a lot to say about boats stopping when you fall out of them. We’ve all heard the stories of

boats circling until they’ve run out of fuel. Sometimes they come back and hit the people thrown out. It’s not a fun situation. With the Man Overboard function, if any of the activated fobs go overboard, the boat cuts its power. That’s powerful if you have many people on board – no matter whether it’s a tinny or a cruiser. When the MOB is activates, there’s an alarm that sounds, power is cut and instructions are sent to the mobile phones of all passengers with instructions on how to get back to the MOB. THEFT DETERRENT The best way to think of this feature is to assume it works like a secret immobilising switch in a car. I’m old enough to have had car with a secret switch wired in that kills the ignition. If you don’t know where it is, there’s not much chance of getting the engine started. The system gives you that functionality. The captain can essentially ‘lock’ the engines with a press of the button on the Captain Fob or you can do it via the associated app. Either way, there’s little chance that a thief will be able to start you engines if you don’t want them to. We have tested this on the FM boat and it’s actually quite useful for shutting down engines remotely. Imagine loading your boat by yourself and being able to turn off the engines remotely. DISTRESS MESSAGING For me, this is the most powerful part of the system, especially for times I am boating alone. I immediately think of events where I’m travelling across Moreton Bay in a solid breeze. I wear my kill switch and PFD, but if I have an incident where I’m knocked out and floating around in Moreton Bay, where and when do people start to look for me? I can set up the 1st Mate system to send

a text message to anyone I choose that alerts them that I’ve gone overboard and, most importantly, where I’ve done it. That means that immediately, friends and family can contact the authorities or start searching. They don’t have to wait for an overdue return and they know where to start looking. That is powerful.

I can set a delay in the message, too. If I stack it and get back in the boat and can make my own way home, I can set a delay for a few minutes so I’m not sending out false alarms. Handy. As a constant user of current safety systems and protocols, I see the 1st Mate as an excellent addition to my current system. Currently, it’s available for Mercury motors, but an all-brands system is soon to be available as well. Pricing for systems starts from $1,000 SRP. – Steve Morgan W

mercurymarine.com.au mercurymarine mercurymarine

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

Other brands find it hard to compete – especially for the price. So if you haven’t owned a Stacer yet, maybe it’s time to say hello to your local dealer. And get ready to have a Stacer in your life for the next 50 years. AFMSta50 001

For 50 years Stacer has been helping Aussies have fun on the water. Whether it’s with family and friends or a bunch of fishing mates. Everybody loves our quality fit-outs, unbeatable build strength and ultra reliability.

Go to stacer.com.au to find your nearest dealer.

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Stabicraft 1450 Frontier with Yamaha F50hp

that holds a bracket mounted sounder, helm and a gauge or two. Sitting behind it, you feel that you’re not right behind it, but it matters little as it’s an easy boat to drive. Passengers will sit on the front deck or deck extentions looking backwards or on the padded ice box that’s movable around the floor. There’s some decent shelves each side, however, dry storage is limited. As tested, this kitted-our rig came in at $46,995 with plenty of options boxes ticked, but I suggest you call the team at Northside Marine to get them to quote you on your ideal rig and options. Packages for the 1450 hull start at around $27,500.

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

There’s something about Stabicraft boats that people just love. We’ve tested quite a few over the years, right up to the head-turning 2250 Centra Cab that’s broken all sorts of houserecords for YouTube views on the test video. If you’re unaware, we do video tests for all of the boat tests we publish in the magazine, they’re available on our YouTube channel or by scanning the QR code above. This time, however, it’s from the smaller end of the range. It’s a new model, the 1450, which is 4.42m long and comes in versions from a basic, unpainted tiller-steer right through to the decked out model we’re testing for Brisbane dealer, Northside Marine. Northside Marine import the hull from New Zealand and then add a locally built trailer, and a Yamaha outboard. In this case, a 50hp model, which is the largest size rated for this hull. Like all Stabicraft boats, it features their lifering construction. This is nearly 1000L of air sealed inside the aluminium pontoons. It acts to make the boat positively buoyant if it is ever submerged and the reverse chines help to smooth the ride and deflect spray. It’s always handy to know that if you ever get into trouble, the hull is basically unsinkable. Northside’s Mark Golden reckons that this hull is incredibly popular. “It’s because you can get into a hull that you can take offshore on a good day and do it in safety. You can do it in this hull without having to buy a 6m boat,” he said. Overall, though, this is a hull that will be

PERFORMANCE RPM..............km/h............. km/L 700...................... 4................ 4.8 1000.................... 6................ 3.3 2000.................... 9................ 2.5 3000...................12................ 1.9 3500.................. 24................ 3.5 4000.................. 31................ 3.9 4500.................. 38................ 3.5 5000.................. 42................ 3.4 5900.................. 50................ 2.5

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Main: Here’s the fully kitted out version of the 1450 Stabicraft – it’s called the Frontier Profish and is the top of the line in 1450. Above: Built in New Zealand, Brisbane’s Northside Marine imported the test craft and added a 50hp Yamaha outboard and a locally built trailer. able to do anything from crabbing up the creeks to chasing pelagics, and is ridiculously economically. It’s kind of strange to have a boat of this size fitted with remote fuel tanks, but when you consider that you get nearly 100km out of a tank, then you realise that you don’t need a 100L of fuel to get the job done. Best economy was at 4000rpm, where the Yamaha returned 3.9km/L economy at 31km/h. Wide open throttle yielded inferior economy (2.5km/L) but a top speed of 50km/L at 5,900 rpm. It was running an 11” Yamaha aluminium propeller. Out on the bay, the boat rode flat. And that’s not just because it was a glass-calm overcast day. It turns flat, there’s no banking into corners like you may have to do in your current boat. And in tight turns, the 15° of transom deadrise helps it hold on. Internally, my initial impressions was that it’s not spacious – that’s the other side of the lifering equation. The beam of this hull is 1.89m that decreases to 1.35m internally. The upside, though, is that all of that space is 100% usable. You never feel uncomfortable in this boat. It keeps you inside the chine lines and the gunwales are high enough for this to be easily fished in in a sea. Move up to the front casting deck and you’ll find it’s a workable size without being huge. The whole deck is covered in a foam flooring material that makes it very pleasant underfoot,

and I assume, easy to keep clean. There’s a very solid electric motor bracket that welded (not just screwed on) and a tray for the accompanying battery up the front as well. Juggling people around inside the boat on the test day and we came to the conclusion that the extra weight up front will actually help the ride. In the cockpit, there’s a small side console

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................4.42m Beam..........................................1.89m Dry tow weight.......................... 720kg Max HP............................................. 50 Max engine weight................... 165kg Transom Deadrise.........................15° Hull/sides.....................................3mm Pontoon volume......................... 960L Capacity...............................6 persons

Stabicraft have always sported a futuristic design, regardless of what they’re photographed next to.

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The Yamaha F50 is the maximum horsepower this rig is rated to. It got to 50km/h at 5,900rpm and 2.5km/L. The most economical speed was 31km/h.

In addition to the gunwale mounted rod holders, there’s some vertical rod storage near the front deck. The front deck is workable if not large.

You can get the 1450 hull unpainted, but the Frontier ProFish model comes painted.

The ice box serves a dual purpose keeping stuff cold and for passenger seating. Something you don’t see often, a handy side bait board.

Some buyers will be surprised that there’s no inbuilt fuel tanks for this rig, yet the 25L remote tank gives nearly 100km of range.

All Stabicraft hulls feature a solid reverse chine, and a vee deep enough to take the sting out of the landing on the rougher days.

This livewell sat on the port side transom step.

Rather than inbuilt passenger seating, there’s a padded chilly-bin (that’s NZ for esky) lid to sit on.

Stabicraft’s folding seating is very comfortable and definitely looks the part.

A single axle trailer is all that this rig needs and you can tow it behind nearly anything.

Yamaha’s remote control box is pretty basic for the 50hp, but it’s positioned well and comfortable to drive.

The side console feels a little like you sitting beside it and not behind it, but you can bracket-mount a decent sized fishfinder on top of it, behind the windscreen.

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Surtees 610 Game Fisher with Yamaha 150hp FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I must admit I’ve only ever been in one Surtees before. We tested the bigger brother of this rig, the 650 Game Fisher, a couple of years ago in the same location. It was Clontarf in Moreton Bay, Queensland. That day was glassy calm, hot and sunny, which is perfect for fishing, yet frustrating when you want to see how the water ballast system that this brand is famous for, rides. Fast forward a couple of years and we have a forecast for a 20 knot northerly. This time in winter. Everyone knows a stinkin’ nor-wester sucks, so we could finally fill the ballast tanks and bust some chop. Day dawns glassy. Insert facepalm emoji! So if Surtees claim to actually flatten the sea instead of taking the edge off a rough ride, I’m all for that. Seems like it does to me. Regardless, we met the team from Northside Marine at the ramp, led by Bill Hull, their appropriately named head salesman. “We’ve been doing Surtees boats for 11 years now and from day one, we had sold the first shipment before it even landed and have never looked back. We’ve enjoyed this product immensely,” he said. But let’s backtrack a little. Surtees is a New Zealand built, plate aluminium hull that features a ‘water ballast system’. This means

that at rest and with the ballast door open, it taken in over 340L of water. This drops the chines lower in the water and makes the hull more stable at rest by doing so. And although the water can drain out in just a few seconds after you power on, you can choose to retain the water in there to add mass to the boat and to have it ride like a heavier hull. And we all know that a heavy hull with a steep V will cut through chop better

SPECIFICATIONS Length..........................................6.1m Beam..........................................2.26m Bottom.........................................5mm Sides.............................................4mm Fuel...............................................200L Transom deadrise..........................19° Capacity...............................6 persons Max HP....................................... 150hp Tow weight............................. 1,450kg than a light, flat-bottomed rig. That’s the theory anyway. FYI, it rode beautifully on the glassed-out bay. Like everything. That aside, the Surtees is a beautifully finished boat that’s fitted onto a locally built trailer. Northside then adds a locally sourced Yamaha and you’re ready to go. They’ll back the 10 year hull warranty 100%.

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Main: This is how all of your Surtees dreams start – inky calm water, sun rising and headed out to your favourite fishing spot. The Surtees sure does make this comfortable. Above: With a 200L fuel tank, and peak economy of 1.9km/L, the 610 Game Fisher has a potential range of well over 350km at 36km/h. There’s also a 10 year warranty on the hull. The test rig was fitted with the maximum sized outboard, an F150 Yamaha 4-stroke, that delivered a top speed on 70km/h at 5,900rpm while achieving 1.2km for each litre of fuel burned. The rig was most efficient at 3,500rpm where that economy jumped by around 50% and delivered 1.9km/L at 36km/h. With a 200L fuel tank, that’s well over 350km of theoretical range and appropriate for a hull that’s named a ‘Game Fisher’. The boat features an innovative bait station that has both inbuilt sliding trays and the ability to securely hold standard sized plastic tackle trays in easy reach. Under it, there’s dry storage space and isolation switches behind a cupboard door. Under that, there’s easy access to the batteries under a false floor. All of the deck is covered with EVA foam that looks the part and feels great underfoot. The cockpit also features wide gunwales with rod holders and shelves underneath to hold your gear that needs to be readily accessed. Moving forward, the helm seats are comfortable with storage options underneath. In the test boat’s case, these are a cooler box and some additional tackle storage. The Surtees’ helm has evolved to a point that’s functional and capable of holding all of the electronics you’d be likely to fit your rig out with.The cabin isn’t the biggest in its class but does offer a balance between cockpit

space and shelter. It’s separated with a zipup canvas door and, when locked in, the infill bunks complete an area to get away from the elements. Supplied on a twin axle trailer, this rig will tow easily with any dual cab ute. As tested, you’ll be looking at $115,687 with all of the options fitted, although BMT package prices start from around the $88,000 mark. Give Bill and the team at Northside Marine a call if you want to organise a test ride or to get a quote for a version that will suit your style of fishing. Also, make sure you check out the video version of this boat test by scanning the QR code hereby. Subscribers to the channel may well have already seen it.

PERFORMANCE RPM..............km/h............. km/L 600...................... 5................ 2.8 1000.................... 7................ 2.5 2000...................11................ 1.8 3000.................. 20................ 1.5 3500.................. 36................ 1.9 4000.................. 44................ 1.8 4500.................. 50 ............... 1.7 5000.................. 58 ............... 1.6 6100.................. 70................ 1.2

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The trailer features a simple auto catch system for launching and retrieving, powered by gravity.

You can see the water ballast system at the apex of the transom. There’s a cover that you can deploy to keep the water in there to soften the ride when conditions get rough.

The live tank is cleverly located under the transom doorstep and the door itself slides up and down rather than inwards.

The folding boarding ladder is a standard inclusion and is built to last forever.

The batteries live under the removable floor in the console under the bait station. Sounds like they’re buried, but they’re actually easily accessible.

What the cabin loses in overall length it makes up for in usable space with the infills added. It’s not lockable but has a canvas screen that zips closed for privacy.

The 2.7L Yamaha 150hp 4-stroke has well over a decade of reliable boating under its belt. The test boat was fitted with standard hydraulic steering.

Surtees’ helm seating is comfortable and boasts clever combinations of storage options.

The bait station has its own drawers and a clever space that lets you store standard sized aftermarket tackle boxes.

The rocket launchers aren’t the easiest to get rods in and out from with the optional sunshade extension added, as you’ll need to climb up on the gunwale to get them in and out.

Surtees have the helm design well refined after years of experience.

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

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GEKI: PARTING SEAS

A REVOLUTION IN INNOVATION Our award-winning flagship GEKI series of outboards boast advanced 4.4L DOHC VVT 4-Stroke powerheads, the largest displacement V6 outboard range ever produced. Loaded with innovative Suzuki technology to deliver the perfect balance of power and thrust, with outstanding Lean Burn fuel-efficiency and trusted reliability, all in a lightweight and stylish package.

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Anglapro Bandit 484Pro with Yamaha F70hp FMG

Yamaha’s F70 4-stroke is legendary for its efficiency. It’s a 1.0L engine that gets 53km/h at wide open throttle and 6,100rpm. At that speed it gets 2.3km/L. Drop the throttle back to 4,000rpm and you get much better

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

When I was a teenager mucking around in tinnies, the next boat I thought I wanted to progress to was a centre console tinny. After all, at the time (and this was 30 years ago) all you needed was a ton of gas, plenty of oil to mix it with, and a couple of MBSS (Moreton Bay Spin Sticks) with Shimano TSS4s on them, and there was virtually nothing you couldn’t catch. I did get distracted along the way and ended up making a boat with a bow mounted electric motor… but that’s beside the point. The centre console tinny is still where it’s at when it comes to stretching your legs into water where you just wouldn’t go to in a 12ft tinny. And the thing is, nowadays, you can do it with a bow mounted motor, casting deck, sweet electronics and all of the things my homemade boat had back in the day. And you can tow it all with the family car. Anglapro’s Bandit centre consoles are aimed squarely at anglers at this end of the market. Ones that want more range when they can pick their days, but haven’t got $100K to spend on their ultimate bay boat. In fact, you can pick up one of these boats and a trailer for just over $20,000 and add whatever motor you like (up to 75hp) and that’s definitely affordable for many anglers wanting to step up. The other thing with the Bandit is that you can fold down the bimini and the console to slip it into a garage, if your place suits that.

PERFORMANCE RPM..............km/h............. km/L 1000.................... 7................ 5.4 2000...................11................ 4.0 3000...................16................ 2.2 3500.................. 24................ 2.7 4000.................. 32................ 3.1 4500.................. 37................ 2.8 5000.................. 43................ 2.6 6000.................. 52................ 2.3 6100.................. 53................ 2.3 * Yamaha GP AlloySDS Prop 14”

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SPECIFICATIONS Length..........................................4.8m Beam..........................................2.27m Max hp............................................. 75 Fuel................................................. 85L Capacity...............................5 persons Hull................................................3mm Sides.............................................3mm

Main: Here’s what $31,300 worth of ally Anglapro centre console looks like. For that, you get the bimini, the electric motor and Yamaha’s F70 34-stroke, and a 5-year boat warranty. Above: Even on a day of white capping westerlies, safe harbours like the southern bay’s Peel Island are an easy trip. And being on a single-axled Dunbier trailer makes manoeuvring easy. While we’re talking about trailers, you’d be crazy not to pick up your Bandit on a factorysupplied and fitted trailer. If you do, it extends the warranty to five years. That’s pretty big for a tinny. Like most sub-5m aluminium boats, you’d still have to pick your days to have a comfortable day’s fishing. A white capping cross breeze means that you’ll need to drive clever to stay dry. They like it straight into and downwind, but quarter anything rough and you’ll need a spray jacket. That aside, you have a garage-able boat that has a casting deck, shade, rear cockpit for fishing and a centred helm. There’s not many inshore species that you can’t chase in it. And there’s plenty of storage in this rig. You have a massive area under the helm seat that will swallow a lot of your safety gear and there’s even more space under the casting deck that will hold a mid-sized esky. Just remember that this isn’t dry storage if it buckets down rain. The rear lounge seat folds out of the way when you want to fish from the cockpit. Plus,

it is an added luxury to have a place to sit while travelling. There’s dry storage under the console and plenty of options to store the keys, wallet and phone. It’s not the fastest rig on the water, but you sure do get bang-for-buck at the bowser.

economy at 32km/h. At that speed, you’ll get 3.1km/L and your 85L underfloor fuel tank will get you a theoretical 250-ish kilometres. You can see the Bandit in action on the video-test of this rig – just scan the QR code hereby to get taken straight to our video. If you want to be notified of all of our video boat tests, just subscribe to the Fishing Monthly Magazines YouTube Channel and you’ll get notifications when they go live. Otherwise, see your local Anglapro dealer or connect with the company on their socials (search Anglapro on Instagram or Facebook). As tested, this rig weighed in at $31,300.

You won’t win many on-water drag races, but the economy of the Bandit is exceptional. The 85L tank will give you well over 200km of range.

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The console is quite narrow, but it does allow easy access to the front casting deck. It also folds down to get it into a garage.

Rob Gaden seemed to enjoy driving the test boat while we captured the moment. It’s a tough job.

You can run with the bimini extended for shade or you can fold it away for easier 360o casting – your choice. Some will order it without the top at all.

The rear bait station is simple and removable for days you don’t need it or want to tow the kids around on a tube.

The handrail design chews into your sounder flush-mounting space a little, but there is plenty of dry storage underneath the console.

You’re covered for both options when anchoring with a MotorGuide Xi5 fitted GPS locking and traditional anchoring. This rig fits both.

There’s plenty of room up front for lure casting – either in calm water or offshore.

The rear lounge looks like it will get in the way while fishing, but it folds away neatly under the transom.

Yamaha’s F70 is an in-line 1.0L 4-stroke outboard that has fans all over the world.

The traditional anchor well holds plenty of bottom gear.

There’s two hatches under the front casting deck. The main one will hold a mid-sized esky when needed. The smaller one gives access to the electric motor battery.

Imagine what you can shove in here! Anything from easily accessible safety gear to a pile of camping gear for a weekend getaway.

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Stessco Bowrider 520 with Yamaha F115hp

trailer and the hull together is that you get a 5-year warranty on the hull by buying the combination. “A factory trailer means that it’s fitted right and that’s how we can extend the warranty in this way,” said Jones. As tested, the 520 came in at $53,550, but with no options and a 90hp, you can start at $46,000 for this package. The smaller 490 Bowrider begins at around $42,000. You can tow any of them with a standard, family car and manoeuvre it easily with the single axle trailer. Search for more information at your local Stessco dealer or by visiting www.stessco. com.au online.

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

If you’re an active angler, the bowrider platform is probably your best compromise boat when it comes to picking something that is family friendly as well as fishing friendly. They have a front deck full of casual seating that can be converted to a full front deck by adding a deck infill and removing the cushions. Head aft and the situation is the same – this Stessco has a removable ski-pole and you can drop in a bait station into the same hole to complete the change, while still having a bimini top amidships that offers shade for the helm seats. Stessco have been making bowriders for a while now, but this is the first we’ve seen with a new pearl-white Yamaha 115hp bolted on the back. In the afternoon sun at Redcliffe, the metallic paint matched nicely and the photo shoot drew a few spectators. Not bad for a rig built a short drive north at Narangba, north of Brisbane. Stessco’s Owen Jones joined us for the test, which you can also watch on the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel. Since y’all are COVID check-in trained, you can watch it just by scanning the QR code above on your smartphone camera. “This boat is the type of rig that a family would buy as their first comfortable boat,” Owen said, “They’ll usually come from owning a tinny and be looking to spend around the $50K mark for something with more range and comfort.”

PERFORMANCE RPM..............km/h............. km/L 700...................... 3................ 3.1 1000.................... 7................ 2.9 2000...................12................ 2.2 3000.................. 27................ 2.7 3500.................. 36................ 3.0 4000.................. 42................ 2.8 4500.................. 50................ 2.6 5000.................. 57................ 2.4 6300.................. 71................ 1.7

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Main: In the afternoon, winter sun, the Stessco Bowrider looked great with the new pearl white Yamaha 115hp. Above: With the front deck infill, you can use the front casting deck as a fishing platform as well as the rear cockpit space. Fitted with the maximum sized outboard, a Yamaha F15 4-stroke, the Bowrider got up and moved with a top speed on 71km/h at 6,300rpm. At that speed, it got 1.7km/L. Drop down to the most economical cruising speed of 36km/h and that economy rises to a neat 3km/L. That’s a range of over 300km with a 110L underfloor fuel tank. The new, white Yamahas are proving popular with local builders and customers alike and, at the time of testing, they’d just released the colour in engines down to 50hp. The hull liked a little trim as well and when you get a little air under it, the mechanical steering lightens and you really feel like you’re driving a speedboat. The transom door and heavy duty, folding boarding steps are standard, as is the folding rear storage compartment that doubles as a bench seat for a couple of passengers. It takes a little room from the cockpit, but adds a lot of storage. Folded, it offers access to the transom hatches, and batteries and isolators. The helm is simple and effective and able to hold a mid-sized sounder, flush-mounted,

and the passenger side has a glove box for valuables. The test boat is supplied on a factory-fitted Stessco trailer. The advantage of buying the

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................5.29m Beam..........................................2.29m Depth..........................................1.20m Max. hp...........................................115 Bottom.........................................3mm Sides.............................................3mm Capacity...............................5 persons Fuel................................................110L

Wide open, the Yamaha 115 delivered 71km/L at 1.7km/L. Drop back to 3,500rpm and 36km/h and the economy rises to 3km/L. There’s 110L of fuel underfloor.

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Here’s the front deck with the infill fitted and the cushions on. You can remove the middle section to turn the deck into bowrider-style seating.

Couple the transom door with the rugged, folding boarding steps and there’s solutions for getting on-board, on the trailer or in the water.

There are two main helm seats behind the windscreen and a starboard skewed storage box for extra seating.

Looking for’ard, you can access the bow area through the folding windscreen section.

The rear seat box folds over to give access to the sealed transom hatches.

There’s a clear-doored glove compartment for the passenger as well as an indented section to stop your valuables from sliding off the dash.

The helm is simple and can hold a mid-sized sounder flush-mounted.

Stessco boasts a rib-count higher than in standard plate aluminium boats.

The bimini top on the test rig was an optional extra but a necessity in most places in Australia.

Here’s what it looks like with the seat infill listed. Plenty of room for socialising.

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WHITTLEY MARINE GROUP

Whittley expands to Newcastle Australia’s largest trailerable fibreglass boat builder, Whittley Marine Group, have announced Whittley New South Wales Sales Newcastle as the Group’s new boat retail sales and service facility in Northern NSW. The new facility is conveniently located in the central transport hub of Beresfield, in between Australia’s largest inland waterways of Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens in the Newcastle region. The new dealership strengthens the Whittley Family’s commitment to the NSW market and builds on the success of the factory-owned Sydney based dealership, launched early last year. Unlike many boats built overseas, every new Whittley boat is legally trailerable without over-width towing restrictions, enabling customers to tow virtually anywhere, anytime with a suitable set up tow vehicle in Australia. Whittley Boats are sold through the Whittley Family and the company’s own retail dealerships and offer new and existing customers a complete boat buying experience, from the build to ongoing service and warranty support, which is unique to the industry. The Newcastle and surrounding waterways are widely regarded as one of New South Wales’s premier trailer boat destinations, both offshore and through the lakes’ systems. The establishment of the new Newcastle-based dealership, ensures

38 2021 Boating EXTRA

Whittley will have an increased presence in a focal boating destination. Neville Whittley, Managing Director at Whittley Marine Group, had this to say about the establishment of the new dealership: “Buying from Whittley NSW Sales Newcastle ensures that customers in Northern NSW can enjoy a close link with the product and the factory in Melbourne. Long time industry identity, John Cohen, will be overseeing the centre and he brings a wealth of marine industry experience in both trailer boat sales and service. “John will be joining his two sons, Damon and Brock, who head up the Whittley NSW Sales and Service team across two great

locations in Sydney and Newcastle. We look forward to continuing to grow and expand the Whittley brand in the Northern NSW market. With twelve new boats already sold prior to the new yard officially opening, we are very excited with what Whittley NSW Sales Newcastle will offer to customers in 2021 and beyond.” As we always do at Fishing Monthly, we decided to dig a little deeper into the Newcastle Whittley operation, so Peter Jung caught up with Brock Cohen (NSW General Manager) to ask a few questions about this Whittley Marine Group expansion:

So why did you pick Newcastle for Whittley NSW’s new service and sales centre? As soon as we opened the Sydney site in August 2020, we had tremendous interest from the Newcastle region for our cruising and fishing range of boats. There was an existing close link to the Whittley brands and products, so it made sense to give the region a family-owned Whittley sales outlet. What can people expect from the Newcastle showroom? We offer a positive experience to our customers. The showroom will house 10+ boating packages at any one time. John Cohen runs the site and he possesses an in depth knowledge of the Whittley product range, as well as over 35 years in the marine industry behind him. He also has extensive experience on how to meet and exceed our customers’ needs when they purchase a boat from us. Chandlery, full service, used consignment boat sales, in-house finance and your insurance needs are all catered for at the one place. Tell me more about the boating packages? The new Newcastle facility stocks a large display of new Whittley packages ranging in price from $53,000 to over $250,000. Exclusively supplied with the Group’s premier partners: Volvo Penta stern drives, Mercury outboards, Mackay trailers and Garmin and Fusion electronics. On site finance and insurance are available through Mercury Financial Services, as well as post purchase service facilities. In these uncertain times, what if I can’t get to the showroom? Customers can also enjoy an in-dealership

experience online, via the Whittley website where potential buyers are able to build a boat, choose colours and options, see dealership stock boats, apply for finance and see each Whittley model onscreen via the unique virtual tour feature. The way consumers buy boats has changed, and either through a dealership or online experience, Whittley is at the forefront of the new boat buying experience. What’s the edge you hope to bring over other dealerships in the area? The Whittley Company have been building high quality, handcrafted Australian-made boats for over 65 years, designed specifically for Australian boating conditions. The new business will sell the complete range of Australianmade Whittley turn key boat-motor-trailer (BMT) packages and offer onsite boat maintenance and service, chandlery, used boat sales and Mercury Finance and Insurance. What are the hours of operation? The current opening hours are 9am – 5pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through to Saturday. We are closed on Wednesday and Sunday. What is the best way to contact the Newcastle showroom? Drop in and see John at Unit 4, 1 Kullara Close in Beresfield. He is always happy to show people through the range and discuss their on water needs. He can also be contacted on 0421 922 650 or via email johnc@whittley.com.au. W

whittleyboats.com.au whittleyboats whittleyboats

2021 NEW RELEASES • BOATING • MARINE • ELECTRONICS • ACCESSORIES • KAYAKS

HOME TO NSW #1 SELLING FIBERGLASS BOAT BRAND

www.whittleyboats.com.au www.whittleyboats.com.au

www.whittleyboats.com.au

OLD COAST SYDNEY Whittley NSW is family owned and operated 8/9, 1 Boatworks Drive, U 2, 2 by the Whittley Marine Group &Waterways Family, theCourt, omera, QLD, 4209 Rozelle, NSW, 2039 ST SYDNEY actual builders of the boats. WithCohen two factory urie Jackson Brock ks Drive, U 2, 2 Waterways Court, dealerships across NSW, the753 brand has a 409 078 0478 834 4209830owned Rozelle, NSW, 2039 urie@whittley.com.au brock@whittley.com.au growing reputation both sales and service. Brockfor Cohen

com.au

0478 834 753 brock@whittley.com.au

NEWCASTLE GOLD COAST U 4,F 18/9, Kullara 1 Boatworks Close Beresfield, Drive, Newcastle, Coomera, NSW, QLD,2322 4209 NEWCASTLE John Laurie Cohen Jackson U 4, 1 Kullara Close Beresfield, 0421 0409 922 830 650 078 Newcastle, NSW, 2322 johnc@whittley.com.au laurie@whittley.com.au John Cohen

0421 922 650 johnc@whittley.com.au

MELBOURNE SYDNEY 12 U& 2,14 2 Waterways Somerton Park Court, Drive, Campbellfield, Rozelle, NSW, VIC, 20393061 MELBOURNE Brock Whittley Cohen Park Drive, 12 & Alan 14 Somerton 0421 0478 170 834 192 753 Campbellfield, VIC, 3061 alan@whittley.com.au brock@whittley.com.au Alan Whittley

0421 170 192 alan@whittley.com.au

THE ULTIMATE MID RANGE PACKAGE 75-115HP FOURSTROKE Mercury’s 75-115hp FourStrokes offer 2.1 litre displacement providing superior mid-range fuel economy, quick acceleration with smooth overall operation and sound quality... along with the lightest weight 115hp available. • Unbelievable Power and Torque • Lightweight and Compact Design • Outstanding Reliability • Low Maintenance For more information go on-line or see your nearest Mercury dealer. mercurymarine.com.au

Fishing Monthly Magazine | September 2021

Articles inside

Track My Fish

Freshwater

Karratha

Mandurah

Lancelin

Metro

Bunbury

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Esperance

Augusta

Recfishwest

WIRF

Ballarat

Wangaratta

Mallacoota

Port Phillip West

Gippsland Lakes

Port Phillip East

Geelong

Offshore

Canberra

Hunter Valley

New England Rivers

Central Coast

Batemans Bay

Illawarra

Ballina

Coffs Coast

Sydney North

Mackerel under the microscope

Sydney Rock

Sydney South

Sheik of the Creek

Sustainability for snapper stocks

Freshwater

Townsville

Jumpinpin

Mackay

Starlo’s back to basics

Noosa

Northern Bay

Southern Bay

QUEENSLAND Gold Coast

Whitsundays