New South Wales Fishing Monthly April 2019 by Fishing Monthly

HOP INTO SOME ROCK FISHING THIS EASTER!

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Boating & Kayaking • • • •

Pedalling at Pebbly Beach Prepping for those winter woes Three Savage boats put to the test New Polycraft 300 Tuffy

Tried & Tested • • • •

Strike Pro Guppie sinking glidebait Bone Voyage rod series Bassco Tornado with 115hp Mercury Pro XS Stessco Breezaway 460 with Yamaha F90hp

Features Wrangling fish from the rocks • Victory on vibrations Planning for the Darling’s future •

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April 2019, Vol. 24 No. 9

Contents 26

From the Editor’s Desk...

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the years, including from companies that court events to come to specific council areas, estimate the spend of tournament competitors at around $1000 per competitor per event. That’s a big boost for a weekend in some regional areas. I’m all for commercial fishing – just not for longlived species, with nets, in areas that rely on tourism. GREENBACK TAILOR COMP Speaking of tournaments, the 32nd Lions Greenback Tailor comp is being held on 8-9 June, at Pottsville in Northern NSW. You can fish any tidal waters in Queensland or NSW, as long as you bring your catch back to the tournament venue at 9am on the Sunday. If you buy an earlybird ticket you’ll be in the running for a Fishing Monthly subscription, and you can find out more at www.lionsgreenback.com.

they start calling you names! If the pros created their Facebook page to help build their flagging social licence, they definitely need more compelling arguments. In any case, we are sure that the local businesses, accommodation providers and food outlets loved that fact that the travelling roadshow came to town, spent money and left with 100% of fish caught returned to the water. Numerous studies over

for their licences. I don’t know about you, but if and when my business becomes unviable I won’t be baled out with public money. It’s far more likely that the ATO will take my house! Of course, the online discussion went the same way as all discussions go on social media: first propaganda, then a bit of fake news and then playing the man and not the ball. You know you’re getting the upper hand when

We’re fresh back from a couple of weeks on the road, including some boat tests and BREAM tournaments in Victoria. The weather was great, the fishing was pretty good and the locals were friendly, no matter where we were. The only negative feedback we got was from the nameless complainer behind the Australian Professional Fishermen’s Facebook page, who thought that our sharing photos of caught-and-released fish from a tournament weigh-in showed that the Gippsland Lakes net fishers have been hard done by. The fact is that the net removal was an election policy, the people voted for it and now it will happen. Even better, the remaining netters in the increasingly unproductive fishery will be compensated

APRIL 2019

AUST

REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 49 Black Magic Masterclass 29 Cooking 84 Dam Levels 74 Fun Page 82 Tides 88 Trade Directory 86 Tournament News 62 What’s New Fishing 58 What’s New Boating 90 SPECIAL FEATURES Landing fish from the rocks 8 Lure vibration success 26 Darling’s plan for recovery 83

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BYRON COAST The Tweed 30 Ballina 32 Yamba 34 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour 36 Nambucca 38 South West Rocks 39 MACQUARIE COAST The Hastings 40 Harrington-Taree 43 Forster 44 HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 45 Erina 46 Swansea 47 Hunter Coast 48 SYDNEY Sydney North 12 The Hawkesbury 14 Sydney Harbour 16 Sydney South 18 Pittwater 20 Botany Bay 22 Sydney Rock and Beach 24 Western Sydney 25 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 50 Nowra 51 BATEMANS COAST Merimbula 52 Narooma 52 Batemans Bay 56 EDEN COAST Bermagui 54 Tathra 54 Mallacoota 57 FRESHWATER Batlow 73 Lithgow-Oberon 74 Snowy Mountains 75 Orange 75 Hunter Valley 76 New England 77 Albury-Wodonga 78 Yarrawonga 78 Robinvale 79 Wagga Wagga 80 Canberra 81 BOATING AND KAYAK 89

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Successful fishing off the rocks SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

I have been fishing off the rocks since I was a kid, and have learnt so much from the many anglers I have fished with over the years. This knowledge has enabled me to catch Australian salmon, bream, drummer, groper, luderick, mulloway, silver trevally, snapper, squid, tailor and yellowtail kingfish.

we’ll look at how you can improve your casting and retrieving techniques, and when should you strike to maximise your hook-up rates. TIMES TO GO FISHING Groper can be caught year-round, but I have found that the best time to target them in my area is when there has been an offshore wind for a couple of days. This will usually flatten the seas for a few days and clear up the water, giving you a chance to get closer to the edge, and also make it easier

throughout the day at all tides (bream, drummer and luderick). At low tide it has about 50cm of water, and if you use a small bobby cork and have the bait suspended about 25cm below it you can still pull fish out. Early in the morning as the sun starts to rise there is still enough shadow on the water to allow the fish to feed in close. Late in the afternoon when the sun has gone behind the cliff and a shadow starts to form, the fish come back into the shallows to feed. When the

bream, trevally, drummer, snapper and luderick to snack on under the white water. Berleying with green cabbage and weed for the drummer and luderick, smashed up sea urchins and crabs for the groper and snapper, and bread and old pilchards for the bream and trevally work a treat. Safety is something that should be on your mind at all times when you are fishing off the rocks. Before you start fishing at your chosen spot, check out the conditions of the swell for 10-15 minutes before you start your fishing. Ideally you want no signs that waves have come over the rocks. At the very least, if they are coming over the rocks, you want to be sure they’re not the kind of waves that could knock you off your feet. Berley plays an important role when come to fishing off the rocks. It can come in many different forms – bread, chicken pellets, old squashed pilchards, finely chopped green weed or cabbage. Make sure that you berley, as it does make a lot of difference. It doesn’t matter whether you are fishing in a wash, gutter, off sloping rocks or a flat platform, there needs to be some kind of water movement when fishing for

At 77 years old, Bill Lyons has still got it. This 1.15kg bream was eased out of the wash on 3kg Schneider Klear line. BAIT FISHING When targeting bream, drummer, silver trevally, snapper and groper off the rocks I use a variety of baits. One option is to thread two half pieces of cunjevoi onto a hook, and push them over the eye of the hook onto the line, then put half a cut crab onto the hook by going through one leg hole and out another on the opposite side. This combination of baits is deadly for drummer, bream and groper. The smaller fish pick at the cunje, creating a bit of berley and commotion,

resealable plastic bag. Then, if I am going for a quick fish off the rocks, I only need to take one bag. This saves a lot of waste and money. Keep an eye on the water’s surface for baitfish that have been herded to the surface. Cast either a lightly-weighted pilchard or small metal lure around the edges of the school and then retrieve it. If you don’t get a take, allow the pilchard or lure to sink for a few seconds and start your retrieve, as the larger fish are usually below.

A nice brace of bream that were caught in the washes. Running 00 ball sinkers down onto peeled prawns and Alvey reels were the choice of tackle for the morning’s session. In this article I will share some of the important things that I have learnt over the years. We’ll look at the best times to go fishing and, when you are there, some of the critical things to look for. I’ll also discuss the tackle and accessories that I bring, and explain how to maximize your fishing time. Finally,

for you to gather those red crabs that groper love to eat. It also means that you don’t usually have to cast as far to get to the fish, giving you less line out in the water for the fish to snag up. I live on the South Coast of NSW, and there’s a place that I fish which faces the south which can produce

day is very overcast you can fish right through the day. When there has been a bit of an onshore blow for a few days and the swell is up too much to fish off the rocks, I wait until the seas have abated slightly so that it is safe to fish. During a rough spell the seas dislodge plenty of food for

Prepping your gear before you start fishing is essential when it comes to fishing off the rocks.

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APRIL 2019

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luderick or drummer off the rocks. This comes in the form of the change of tide and the swell. Most of the places that I fish for luderick and drummer off the rocks you will find small tufts of either green, brown or black cabbage. It is this growth that you not only use for bait, but scrape off with the cleats or spikes on your shoes. The swell and tide will carry the berley away from the rocks and hopefully bring the fish to where your float is. You should scrape some off before you start to get your gear rigged, and then every time that you move about on the rocks.

and this attracts the attention of any passing bigger fish. The half crab has the added benefit of helping to hold the cunje onto the hook. If you are going to use frozen baits, one tip is to have a look at the build-up of ice on the inside of the bags. If there is a lot of ice it means that the bait has been in the freezer for too long or the bag has broken somewhere. This will lead to the bait drying out and getting freezer burn. A good option is to buy your bait in bulk and then re-package it. As an example, I buy my pilchards as IQF (individually quick frozen) and then put 10-15 in a

WHAT TO BRING When fishing off the rocks I like to bring as little gear as possible, so that I can move about with ease. To this end, I take only enough tackle for the session, contained in two tackle trays. The first tray has hooks, swivels, sinkers and a metal or two. I keep them separated in film canisters, but old pill bottles would also be good for this. The other tray has six compartments in it with six different ganged hook set-ups. They are as follows: 6/0s in sets of three and four hooks, 5/0s in sets of three and four, and 4/0s in sets of three and four. This will help

you accommodate different sized baits. I also wear a belt with a knife, pliers and a bait bucket. Slung across my shoulder is a tailor bag that holds my tackle trays, spare baits and any fish that I catch. Every time I need to grab another hook or swivel, I

so caught up with catching fish that I forget to keep the small and steady berley trail going. You can avoid this by putting your berley into a small meshed bag and tie it close to where you are fishing. Alternatively, you could try using the filleted frame of an oily fish like

Cubing is not just a technique used by offshore anglers who are fishing for yellowfin tuna – it is also extremely effective off the rocks. The most critical part of cubing is the size of the cubes that you put into the water. For example, if I am targeting bream off the rocks

An essential piece of tackle when fishing off the rocks is the shoulder bag. You can store a small tackle tray and bait in it, freeing you up to easily move from spot to spot.

The wash in this shot was sweeping from the right to the left, causing the waves to wash our berley into a small, sandy gutter. All we needed to pin the bream and trevally were 00 and 0 ball sinkers and 1/0 hooks. spray a couple of shots of Inox or Tackle Guard into the film container where they are kept. This will stop them from rusting and it will not put the fish off from biting. MAXIMISING FISHING TIME Berleying can become very tedious at times, and on a few occasions I have gotten

tuna, bonito, salmon or tailor and tie a rope around the tail, and secure it to the rocks where you are fishing. The filleted frame washes around, causing small pieces to break off every now and then. This berley will go out with the tide and current, drawing the larger predators in closer.

with half pilchards, I will cut the cubes into about 1cm pieces. Just before I cast, I will throw three cubes out into the wash. Every five minutes or so I’ll flick out a couple more pieces. If I am using tuna or bonito strips off the rocks, I will thin the thickness of the fillet down and then cut up

the leftover flesh into small pieces. I throw these small pieces into the water, the same as the pilchard cubes. CASTING AND RETRIEVING It is paramount that you are able to cast properly, as this will allow you to cast very lightly-weighted baits like pink nippers and peeled prawns at those times when you need to get a lightlyweighted bait or paternoster rig out wide. This is where you will need to refine your casting techniques. When I first started out,

I went down to the local football field for a couple of hours to perfect my cast. I find that if I have one hand at 90° to the reel and the other hand up as far and comfortably up the rod. My feet are spread apart so that I am balanced. It is just a matter of casting straight over your head so that your left hand will end up just behind you, and your right hand will end up out in front of your body (or the opposite if you are a left hander). Once you have mastered the cast you will be amazed at how far you can cast a bait or lure.

Drummer can live in some very nasty terrain, and can at times be very hard to get out. They love to feed under and around washes, rock ledges, kelp and boulders. This is where the use of a running ball sinker down onto the bait needs to be calculated to suit the conditions. Sometimes you will only need the weight of the bait to help you cast into the wash. Fishing as light as possible will allow the bait to wash around. When using To page 10

APRIL 2019

From page 9

this method, it is critical that you stay in contact with the bait at all times, and this can be done by slowly winding up any slack and keeping your rod at around 45° to the water’s surface. This will allow you to keep the bait off the bottom, avoids most of the snags, and will also allow you to feel even the smallest

whole time. This will mean that you will need to lower and raise the rod tip and at the same time slowly wind in some slack line. If you feel a slight weight or small bites you will need to lower the rod and allow the trevally to suck in the bait. Once it has started to load up, slowly strike to hook the fish. There have been

Drummer will test out anyone’s gear as they pull like a train. Bill Lyons loves catching them on his new Alvey sidecast reel. of bites and give you enough angle to strike when the fish has taken the bait. TO STRIKE OR NOT TO STRIKE? Trevally can be caught year-round off the rocks in Sydney, and they respond well to a berley trail of either bread, chicken pellets or smashed up pilchards. My

times when the trevally will pick up the lightly-weighted bait and continue moving on through the berley trail. If you haven’t felt a bite or a slight pull, and you haven’t been snagged, you will need to slowly wind in the line. Once again, when you feel a bit of weight you will need to strike as

one – even though we both had the same rig, a similar outfit and what looked like the same bait. When I asked him what he was using for bait, he just shrugged his shoulders. It wasn’t long after that he snapped his rod in two trying to lift out two mullet at once. After trying to tie a stick to the side of his rod with fishing line to act as a splint and not having much luck, I suggested that he try some of my electrician tape. As he took the tape, he stated that he had put crushed up garlic in his dough. Have you ever seen a whole school of baitfish swimming nervously on the surface of the water? If so, you should cast out either your bait or lure and allow it to sink for a few seconds and then start your retrieve. There is a big possibility that there will be predatory fish herding them up to the top so that they can attack them. A number of years ago I was taken to a new spot by a good mate Alan Perry at low tide to target drummer, and I was amazed at how much kelp was there. Wondering how we were going to fish this place, I watched as Alan put on a small running ball sinker down onto a peeled blue-tailed prawn, and without hesitation cast it out into the kelp. Even though it landed high and dry, Alan flicked it off and as it sank a drummer smashed the bait. The 25kg line was used to skull-drag the fish out of the kelp. We proceeded to have a great session that day, and the biggest that we managed to get out pulled the scales down to 4.5kg. Have you ever been

using a whole pilchard on a set of ganged hooks while slowly spinning for tailor, salmon or bonito off the rocks, and felt a small bite that you thought was pickers attacking the bait, only to find that when you retrieved the pilchard you noticed that the guts or a middle section had been bitten out? When that happens it’s time to downsize your hook to a single 1/0 or 2/0, and put on a pilly tail. The culprit that bit the piece out of the whole pilchard could have been a bream or trevally feeding under the school of surface fish. Alternatively, if you have a ‘V’ section taken out behind the head it usually means there are squid about. Time to get those squid jigs out! THE AUTHOR’S TOP 3 OUTFITS 1. 12’, 15kg composite rod and 5500 size threadline with 10kg mono Whether it’s a paternoster rig, running ball sinker onto the bait or a running sinker down onto a swivel and a leader, this outfit will handle it with ease. The rod length gives you that extra casting distance, which is important. For this kind of fishing I like my rod to have a solid fibreglass tip to give that extra feel when the bites are a bit slow, and if you do hook up to a decent fish you want low-down power to allow

distance when it comes to punching out 85-170g lures. This outfit also doubles as a great bait rod where you are fishing with heavier rigs and baits for snapper, groper, salmon and tailor. I use a

in place for a while now when fishing off selected areas. In these locations, anglers must wear an appropriate lifejacket. This includes people helping you to rock fish, and

What more do you need when fishing off the rocks than an Alvey, a 3.6m rod, tackle tray full of essentials and a shoulder bag? 3-piece, 10-15kg Okuma Trio Rex Surf Rod and 5500 Azores threadline. 3. Bruce Alvey Special 3-5kg, 3.6m and Alvey Light Surf Elite sidecast reel with 6kg mono This outfit is perfect for casting unweighted and lightly-weighted half

children. Failure to wear an appropriate lifejacket while rock fishing in a declared area may result in a $100 on-the-spot fine. Declared areas currently include Randwick City Council local government area, Northern Beaches Council local government

There are plenty of spots up and down the coast where you can try fishing beside rock pools that will only hold fish when the seas are up.

A mixed bag from a session in the Royal National Park. Peeled Hawkesbury River prawns were the bait of choice. preferred baits are mediumsized peeled prawns, half pilchards and skinned pieces of fresh yellowtail. Because silver trevally don’t have teeth as such, they tend to softly suck the bait down. This can sometimes lead to missed hook-ups. It is best to have a small running ball sinker down onto the bait, and to stay in contact with the bait the 10

APRIL 2019

the fish has most probably swum towards you. KEEP AN EYE OUT If there are other anglers fishing near you, and they are catching fish and you aren’t, try to check out what they are using (without being too intrusive). I remember a time when I was catching mullet alongside an Italian gentleman, and he was out-fishing me at least six to

you to steer the fish towards you. If you can get a good multi-piece rod, so much the better because you can pack it in your car. My preferred outfit is an Okuma 7.5 to 15kg Flexi Tipz and 5500 Azores threadline. 2. 13’, 10-15kg graphite surf rod and 5500 size threadline with 15kg braid The length of this rod gives that extra casting

pilchards, large peeled prawns, cunje, strips of bait and lightly-weighted pink nippers for bream, trevally and medium-sized drummer. It can also be used when using a float or bobby cork fishing for luderick, bream, drummer, squid, tailor and salmon. STAY SAFE On a final note, the Lifejacket Law has been

area and Richmond Valley Council local government area, and more areas may be added in the future. In any case, it is safest to wear a lifejacket whenever and wherever you are rock fishing. For more information on lifejackets and other valuable rock safety tips, go to www. watersafety.nsw.gov.au and click on Rock Fishing Safety. Good luck!

MONTHS TO FISH IN NSW Month Species J F M A M J J A S O N Aust. salmon 3 3 3 3 3 3 Bream 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Drummer 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Groper 3 3 3 3 3 3 Kingfish 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Luderick 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Mulloway 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Trevally 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Tailor 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

D 3 3 3 3 3 3

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Expect a variety of big pelagics this month SYDNEY NORTH

Alex Qasabian

We are experiencing quasitropical oceanic conditions both inshore and offshore around Sydney at the moment, with water temperatures exceeding

26ºC – certainly well above average for this time of year. While the EAC roars, the fishing can be a bit fickle, with transient pods of fish moving past briskly. As the current starts to slow, we will see some bait, in the form of slimy mackerel and flying fish, stack up

around the shelf region, and perhaps a good game fish bite. Blue marlin, shortbilled spearfish and wahoo will be common captures in the warm water, and things are looking promising for a run of yellowfin tuna. Closer inshore, there should be a black marlin or

two hanging around, with reports of them being sighted in coastal washes along the northern beaches of late. A live bait set under a balloon, on suitable tackle, either from the ocean rocks or from the boat while anchored up snapper fishing could turn up a solid hook-up. If nothing else prevails, you’ll get to meet some of the transient shark population, with

battle on heavy gear ensued the capture. Expecting a kingfish, what surfaced in the wash was instead a snapper, going just over the 15lb mark, cleaned. A number of reds in the 35-55cm range have been taken on wash and bottom baits lately. Bonito, kingfish and the odd mac tuna will feature as more common spinning targets, along

column, in the Pittwater and Hawkesbury systems. Setting fresh baits on the bottom around sundown, or actively searching for bait aggregations mid-water and jigging a soft plastic or a blade lure underneath will produce hook-ups. Expect the odd big flathead to inhale a deep-fished offering as well. The clear conditions have

Hayden Webber with a beautiful 15lb red taken off the rocks.

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A healthy kingfish taken in Sydney Harbour. These fish make for an awesome day after getting onto a school. hammers in the 15-40kg range comprising the bulk of the runs. Some bruiser snapper have been in prime feeding mode with the amount of baitfish about, and a particular standout capture made by Hayden Webber. While spinning for pelagics off the rocks one morning, a lure was crunched on the drop and a short yet torrid

with some nice tailor at dawn and dusk. In the bays and estuaries, shoals of kingfish, bonito and tailor have been attacking bait visibly in the calm of early morning. Small, translucent surface stickbaits have been an effective lure to cast into the midst of the bust-ups. Mulloway have been on the prowl, again hunting bait, often lower in the water

been prime for chasing squid, for best results try an early morning high tide. If you’re on the boat, motor quietly through the lower bays and cast back over the ribbon weed beds, slowly working a jig back into deeper water. As the squid could be either small, large or anything in between at this stage of the season, jigs in the 2.5” size make a sensible choice.

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A prime short-billed spearfish taken trolling a skirted lure off Sydney. 12

APRIL 2019

MAJOR PRIZES

FIND THE

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There are 15 logos hidden throughout the pages of Fishing Monthly.

Find the logo and page number, fill in the entry form and go in the draw to win!

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The first 40 correct entries drawn at the end of each month will win a packet of the world’s finest hooks from

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Clean water is the key THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

The dry conditions mentioned in last month’s report have provided the perfect environment for a foreign marine

like weed, it’s not actually a weed as it appears, but a bryozoan or moss animal. It has been a bit of a challenge for recreational anglers to keep a line in the water for any given time without it floating past and fouling up your bait or lure presentations. The main

anglers should fish the smaller tides and around the tide changes when the current is at its slowest, which allows the amathia to settle on the bottom and become less of an issue. Alternatively, you can drift with baits, which will have you travelling at the same pace of the current

This school mulloway fell for a well-presented live yakka 10 minutes before the tide change.

Kingfish are still active on the headlands and into Pittwater, with live baits the best way to encounter the bigger legal-sized fish. invertebrate called ‘amathia verticillatta’ to thrive in the unseasonably warm water we have encountered over the last 18 months. Although looking

problem areas are from Gunderman to Mooney Mooney but the bigger tides have seen it travel further afield. To combat this problem,

and amathia, to result in reducing the likelihood of fouling your lines and bait. Another option is to head up to some of the side creeks

unweighted baits of crab or prawn and cast along the rock walls while drifting. This should see you amongst some nice bream, estuary perch and flathead. March was the start of my mulloway season and it started with a great session getting five good runs but only landing one school fish of 82cm. At the cleaning table this fish had a veritable smorgasbord in its stomach cavity, including a school prawn, a mantis shrimp, an octopus, some berley and the whole yakka it ate for its final meal!

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patience is required to catch these fish of a lifetime. As predicted, the frigate mackeral and mac tuna moved into the Bay, Pittwater and Cowan late February and early March to join in with the late arriving bonito and were found absolutely smashing the left over anchovy schools. Spinning with metal slices is the preferred technique, as you can really cast them a good distance. Anglers need to retrieve their lure a warp speed to entice a hit from these species. Kingfish have been in good numbers and size along the headlands, with live baits of squid and yakkas being the standout fish producers. Down rigging, drifting and flat lining baits have all been effective when a good school of fish has been located using your sounder. Squid fishing along

the kelp laden foreshores along Barrenjoey and West Head should see some good catches of bigger southern calamari this month as they start to pair up for breeding. The key to catching squid around Broken Bay is to find cleaner water and keep moving until you find it and your success rates will raise exponentially. Back towards lower Portland, the bass and estuary perch will be feeling the urge to feed up as the daylight reduces and the water temperatures drop off. Small vibes, deep diving crankbaits, soft plastic grubs and minnows are all standout producers of trophy bass and EPs in the reaches above and below LP. Search out the major eddies on the run-out tide along the weed beds and rock walls and you should be in for a lot of light tackle fun.

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APRIL 2019

Autumn is always a favoured time of year to target bream on baits or in this case on a soft plastic grub. like Berowra, Mooney, Cowan, the McDonald River and Webbs Creek and try your luck there. Sometimes a change of tactics can see you back into a few fish. Try surface lures for bream over the shallow flats in Berowra, Cowan and Pittwater. Alternatively you could try

Fishing lower in the system around Broken Bay this month will see some impressive fish landed as they move in to take advantage of the schooling behaviour of the preliminary winter spawn runs of mullet, bream and blackfish. Heavy tackle, big baits and lots of

Kai Onley with his PB snapper caught and released off the rocks. Kai says when you don’t have a photographer, you have to resort to selfies!

Entries On Sale 30th November

We are talking three days of fishing the Goulburn. We’ve got camping covered; bars covered; bands and BIG FISH are all covered. It’s got everything you could possibly want and more than you could poke a stick at! GoFish Nagambie has got your ANZAC long weekend plans sorted. Here is the long and short of it. THE FISHING The GoFish Nagambie tournament zone is situated on the Nagambie Lakes and Goulburn River system. The area reaches from the Goulburn Weir and includes everything upstream to the junction with Hughes Creek. Anglers will be chasing Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Redfin and Carp in this cracking catch, measure and release tournament (carp not to be released) adjudicated through the official tournament app. The Goulburn River at Nagambie always delivers fast and furious action with fishos having the option to switch between boats, shore and kayaking to hook the mighty Murray Cod. With 13 ramps and 20km of bank fishing locations, including exclusive access to otherwise inaccessible ramps and bank fishing spots outside of the tournament, there are going to be some absolute rippers reeled in left, right and centre. THE PRIZES The excitement can’t be understated with half a million dollars’ worth of cash and prizes to be won! And it’s all guaranteed to be given away. With over 400 prizes up for grabs, one in every eight people who enter the comp will

go home a winner! You’ve got to like those odds. The top 10 prizes for the Tournament powered by Mercury Marine totals $315,000, and the remainder of the prize pool will be split so that anyone can win. THE CAMPING We are setting up the greatest of campsites to go with the great fishing within our tournament zone. Located right on the banks of the Goulburn River, this will be ground zero for the keenest of competitors getting out on the water. The campsite will be set up especially for convenience, security and fishing, with staff available 24 hours. Both powered and un-powered sites are available and we’ll have an exclusive boat ramp only available for campers staying at the site, ensuring you’ll be on the water as fast as possible each day. THE FESTIVAL The Festival Hub is an awesome gathering place where fishos, foodies and families can gather, relax and chill-out. By day, we’re talking casting competitions, education sessions and workshops, fishing gear, outdoor gear, lots of food and wine tastings, kids’ activities and live music. By night, we’re talking food trucks, the best bar to grace the shores of Nagambie Lakes, daily presentations and prize winners and night-time entertainment including bands and fireworks. THE LOCATION Nagambie is 90-minutes from Melbourne. It’s an hour south of the Murray on the Goulburn River. It’s an easy 30-minute

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drive from Shepparton. It’s 120km east of Bendigo. It’s under 3.5 hours’ south of Wagga Wagga. It’s a hop skip and a jump from Echuca. It’s an easy 550km from Canberra and less than 500km from the Murrumbidgee. It’s close to EVERYTHING and EVERYWHERE!

TIPS FOR FISHING NAGAMBIE This waterway is an angler’s paradise with plenty of heavy timber, standing trees, overhanging structure, willow trees, thick weed beds and a river channel that provides the lake system with depths varying from 0.5m down to 11m deep in some locations. Whilst there are plenty of bank and kayak entries available, boat spots are motoring out the door. Head to gofishnagambie.com.au to book your boat in, check out the prizes and book a campsite.

APRIL 2019

Kingfish for breakfast, lunch and dinner! SYDNEY

Paul Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hagan

For our fleet of game boats, there has not been a lot of action around Sydney, with some fishing comps being cancelled due to bad weather and water quality going from cobalt blue to murky green, making it a very poor season so far.

There have been a few recent reports of legal-sized mahimahi being sitting on some of the FADs, and with any report the race to get out there at first light is on. For some boats (usually the bigger ones) going beyond the shelf there have been a few fish on the chew, but nothing to get excited about. Using electric reels around the Browns Mountain

area is still working well for some anglers, who are getting a feed of some decent blue eye cod. Closer in around the Twelve Mile Reef there are good kingfish on the bite for those using deep jigs as long as they can get past the wall of leatherjackets that will destroy any lines that are dropped within their reach. In and around the Long

Clayton Brown fishing some superb Sydney kingfish conditions.

Andrew Beatty, a happy angler, with his quality kingfish.

APRIL 2019

Reef area, there are a lot of good fish to be taken on a variety of methods. Using live yellowtail or squid and trolling with the aid of a downrigger has accounted for some very nice kingfish along with a lot of smaller ones. With the amount of baitfish available at the moment it was not long

before the predators turned up to get in on the action. Lots of anglers are having constant hook-ups with some large whaler sharks as they take the live baits and even hooked fish. For those anglers who like to drift with bait and work soft plastics between the reefs, there are some

good flathead and mulloway. Inside Sydney Harbour it has probably been the best fishing there has been for years and it is still going well and producing the goods. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re fishing from the rocks inside the Harbour there is the opportunity to pick up anything from a humble tailor to bonito

and kingfish while using a variety of methods. Some days the fish are very eager to pick up a fresh yellowtail and other days you need to be fishing live squid or slimy mackerel to have a chance of a fish. While the live baits seem to be accounting for most of the bigger fish, using

worthwhile putting a bit of time in to catch them for bait or for a feed of fresh calamari. Fishing on some of the beaches has been very good for a few anglers, whereas others are struggling to even lose their bait. While in recent years there have been great reports of

Fishing up the back end of Narrabeen Lake is still producing some good flathead in the evening while using prawns and live poddy mullet in the shallower areas. Small hardbodied lures and vibes are working just as well. Further up the lake and closer to the ocean, the

Deep jigs will get past the leatherjackets and increase your kingfish catch rate, as Rhys Johnson proves with this quality fish. surface lures such as the large Bassday Sugapens and some of the white jerk shads. While kingfish are dominating in the Harbour, some anglers are finding great success using a light spin outfit with small metals and catching bonito and salmon . Fishing for squid has become very popular, as they seem to be in good numbers at the moment. Anglers using some of the smaller squid jigs in the evening around the spit bridge and over near Little Manly Point. Being one of the top baits it is always

fish such as salmon and tailor being taken in the evening in good numbers, all through the summer the reports have been very poor, with a few fish being taken here and there in low numbers. With the amount of food in the water and the perfect temperatures, there doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be a reason for the small number of fish being taken. Mulloway reports so far have also been very scarce, although there seems to be a decline in the amount of anglers that are prepared to put in the hours through the night to try and pick up one of these elusive fish.

small Bassday Sugapen lures fished on the run-in tide are working very well to pick up a feed of sand whiting. Manly Dam has become very popular, with some anglers using sweet corn fished on a float with very light outfits to tempt some of the goodsized carp. These fish are available all throughout the dam and for others the chance of picking up a few bass around the weed beds casting small surface lures is a very attractive way to spend an evening. As always stay safe and enjoy the fishing.

Sean Hannah braved the windy conditions and he was rewarded with a nice kingy. APRIL 2019

Sussing out land-based locales SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

In this month’s report I will give you some information to four good places that are worth a shot during the month of April. They are all land-based spots, but to all you boaters out

there, don’t worry – I will be giving you four spots that you can go fishing in the Southern Sydney area during May. LILLY PILLY BATHS Lilly Pilly Baths is situated on the eastern side of the Port Hacking and is mainly a deepwater spot. Sure, you can cast over to the Lilly Pilly sand flats, but you

will surely get picked up by a passing boat. You will need to park above the baths and it is a short walk down past the toilets (remember that there are gates on the entrance that are closed at night). Here you can target bream, silver trevally, kingfish, Australian salmon and whiting on the rising tide, and when fishing in

John caught this spangled emperor on a Jackson Bottom Magic lure near Lilly Pilly. INDUSTRY NEWS

Stacer Dealer of the Year Stacer Boats Australia recently crowned its 2018/19 National and State Dealer of the Year awards. A thorough analysis of the extensive dealer network was done in order to identify the top performers, and with over 50 dealerships across Australia, the competition was stiff. Cameron Wood and Dominic Smith, Stacer’s National Account Managers, had the tough task to choose each award winner. The award criteria included customer satisfaction ratings, dealership growth, presentation and cleanliness of their premises, team dynamics, marketing

and a thorough physical representation of the Stacer range. One of the most experienced aluminium boat dealers in Australia, Blakes Marine, achieved NSW Dealer of the Year in one of the most competitive boating areas. Blakes Marine was the first dealership to present the new Revolution Hull to customers at the Rose Hill Boat Show in 2018. The company participated in the show with positive approach and received excellent feedback from their customers. This was backed up by a very successful Sydney Show. This award follows a major expansion at the Blakes

closer to the baths on the northern and southern ends you can target luderick, leatherjackets and live bait. Targeting squid from here is another option. Try using whole pilchards on ganged hooks for the salmon and kingfish if you can’t get live yellowtail or squid. Prawns, blood worms, strips of mullet and squid are great baits for bream, whiting trevally and dusky flathead. The wharf and the stairs can get a bit crowded, but if you arrive to find there’s no space you can always take a short five-minute walk downstream to the point. There you can fish either in the 8-knot channel or the main channel around the corner for bream, whiting and flathead. There is a small sandy beach with rocks either side that is worth a shot with blades and soft plastics for dusky flathead. WALLYS WHARF Wallys Wharf is situated on the western side of Burraneer Bay, and there is a boat ramp directly beside it. There is very limited parking, and on the weekends you will find that you’ll need to park a long way away. Bear in mind that this is a small pontoon and it will have a lot of boat traffic during the day.

There are plenty of leatherjackets in the Port Hacking, you just need to downsize your hooks and bait to catch them. with soft plastics and blades. You could try walking the bit of the shoreline that leads out into the main part of the river with hardbodied deep diving lures. BYMEA BAY BATHS The baths at Gymea Bay are nestled right in the back corner of Gymea Bay and can be a very cold place to fish during autumn and winter. Still, this shouldn’t deter you from fishing off the walkway beside the baths. From the baths you can cast out into 4-5m of water for bream, whiting, dusky flathead, flounder and the odd pan-sized snapper. Kingfish, Australian salmon and tailor will patrol these baths at

Marine dealership about two years ago. The family-owned business moved in a purposebuilt undercover showroom that can house 50-60 boats, plus dedicated areas for accessories, chandlery and other boating bits. “We are proud of the way we are able to present the Stacer boat packages to customers, from the research stage to the handover stage to the aftersales stage,” said Lee Blake of Blakes Marine. Dominic Smith said that Blakes Marine give a family feel to their large marine business, adding that they are always looking for innovative ways to help their customers. - Telwater Andrew Humphries and his dad Rob caught the squid that was used to catch this mulloway just off Lilly Pilly baths. This is a great deepwater spot for bream, dusky flathead, whiting and squid. Tailor, kingfish and Australian salmon will also frequent this area at times. Think about taking a small berley bucket and tie it off to the pontoon. Chicken pellets mixed in with white bread are the go. This wharf is a great place to target dusky flathead, bream and whiting

APRIL 2019

times too. If you rest your rod up against the hand rail and wait for the bites, make sure that you don’t have your drag done up to tight as a salmon or kingfish may take a liking to your bait. This is a great place to go squidding. It’s also a great place to berley, as it will bring the fish in closer to the wharf. Try fishing in close to the wharf for leatherjackets with longshank hooks

and either pieces of squid or prawns. COALCLIFF POINT The platform at the southern end of Coalcliff Point is very flat, and during any kind of sea the waves can wash over the front. Care needs to be taken when fishing from here. At the northern end of the point you will come across a concrete saltwater swimming pool. Fish from the back of here and direct your casts into the gutter that runs from the beach and out to sea. Bream, whiting, tailor, Australian salmon, silver trevally, drummer and luderick can all be caught here. Either use a paternoster rig or have a running ball sinker down onto the bait. It is best to berley here with bread for the best results. You could also try using a whole pilchard on a ganged hook that is suspended under a bobby cork. Allow the current to take the rig out past the white water. As you move around to the front of the point you will find that the water deepens and the rocks will become very slippery. Rock shoes or cleats are a must. A decent cast will get you out to bream, silver trevally, groper and snapper. Try using strips of mullet, squid, tuna and whole pilchards for bait. The paternoster rigs and the running ball sinker down onto the bait will keep you away from most of the snags. From here the point will wrap back around into the shore and you will find that the rock ledge is much higher off the water. If the seas are up a bit this is a good place to get. Squid, garfish, mullet, tailor, Australian salmon and the odd bonito can be caught here. While standing on the southern side of Coal Cliff Point you can look south and you will see the Seacliff Bridge. If you are feeling energetic you can walk along this bridge to the end and back. I would suggest that you look over the side, as it will give you a good idea of what the point looks like from above.

News

Clean4Shore People’s Choice Clean4Shore has won the People’s Choice Award in the National Landcare Awards 2018, for their efforts in cleaning up the coastlines. The group runs about 70 field trips a year, involving the community, school and business groups in the removal of plastic, polystyrene and other rubbish around the Hawkesbury River, Brisbane Waters and Tuggerah Lakes, NSW. While removing garbage from waterways, the volunteer groups simultaneously educate themselves about the Central Coast’s foreshores and mangroves. In one year, 554 volunteers removed 182,800 items of litter, including 33,360 plastic bottles, 26,818 bits of plastic bag and 26,393 pieces of polystyrene. These items are often found deep in the mangroves, unseen from the foreshore. One field trip saw the removal of ten thousand plastic bottles and

David Reed from Floating Landcare assisted Clean4shore on Rileys Island. Plenty of bread baskets and small oyster baskets were found, along with other litter items. In all, 220kg of rubbish was deposited at Woy Woy tip. our world’s obsession with plastic and polystyrene foam that got Clean4Shore into action,” Graham said. “The politicians are chasing me now to see how many new plastic bottles are in the water. I’m telling them nearly none, which is a great effort!”

and acknowledged their invaluable work. “The People’s Choice Award winner shows who in the Landcare community has made the biggest impression on the Australian public,” Shane said. “It is a huge honour to win, and I’m pleased to see it

In the mangroves west of Bar Point, 20 dinner plates and bowls were found – obviously dumped, together with TVs, a vacuum cleaner, sound system and other hard plastic items. polystyrene from a small area close to the Gosford central business area. Graham Johnson from Clean4Shore said that the NSW Government’s container deposit scheme seems to be making a difference. Under the government’s ‘Return and Earn’ initiative, cans and bottles can be deposited at a collection point for a 10c refund. “It’s the nation and

Clean4shore has joined forces with Landcare to promote Floating Landcare, a program that provides community volunteers with a unique wilderness land management experience, in the Hawkesbury River and Brisbane Water. Landcare Australia chief executive officer Dr Shane Norrish praised Clean4Shore for being chosen by the Australian public from among the 65 finalists,

go to such a deserving group. Clean4Shore serves as an inspiration to the thousands of Landcare and Coastcare volunteers all over the country.” For more information on Clean4shore, visit their Facebook page at w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / Clean4shoremacs, email Graham Johnston at jonomacs@bigpond.com or phone 0411 184 642. Newstreams & Landcare

LIMITED QTY OF EX CHAMPIONSHIP OUTBACKS AVAILABLE FROM HOBIE KAYAK DEALERS THROUGHOUT NEW SOUTH WALES hobie.com.au The Kincumber High School year 11s, ventured up the Hawkesbury for a survey and litter removal in Mooney Creek. One of the tasks was to attempt to lift an aluminium punt stuck in the mangroves.

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Change tactics for bigger and better kings PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

With only a month of the autumn fishing season left, get out there and enjoy our wonderful coast and estuaries. Last month was one of those months when the fishing really picked back up. Squid and kingfish were the main targets and

We have been gathering squid, yellowtail, the odd cuttlefish, and to my surprise, the humble yakka, which was being hit almost three times more than the squid. Cuttlefish were on another level above yellowtail and this surprised me, as we don’t normally see the kingies going past other baits to smash them until May or June. So if you are going to go hunting the bigger fish around Pittwater

the boat and work it across the surface. Creating surface activity all the way back to the boat will see a chasing fish have a chance at your live baits if it veers away from your lure. Some bigger kings are often seen while we trying for cuttlefish in areas such as Soldiers Point, Sinclair Point and Stokes Point. If you are going to try for cuttlefish in one of the above-mentioned areas,

This fish played up as much on the boat as it did in the water.

When all else fails, head for the washes. on most occasions it was a great choice. There were a couple of tough days in there, but that’s just fishing. Squid along Pittwater have been easy to catch, with good numbers of squid over the weed beds at Palm Beach. These feisty ink shooters are normally a 90% chance of being smashed by a kingfish, but unfortunately they aren’t at the moment.

over the next month, try different baits and tactics. Instead of downrigging around the wrecks, try along the deeper edges where there are weed beds and dropoffs or channels with some rougher ground nearby. As well as downrigging a cuttlefish, try surface trolling or flatlining your yellowtail. Another thing that you should try at the same time is to cast a lure out the side of

make sure you keep your jigs close to the bottom and watch your lure, as they will often be seen before they are hooked. Please be aware that cuttlefish are not like squid. They don’t have big numbers in their favour, so

it is important to only take one or two from an area and bulk up your supplies from your local fish monger. If they don’t stock them ask them to order some for you. The cuttlefish that we are catching and using are mourning cuttlefish. These are not the friendly giant ones you see when scuba diving. Starting early in the morning can make all of the difference. When the water is calm it is easy to see baitfish schools that are being pushed towards the surface by predators. As usual, the working sea gulls and terns are showing the way and most activity has been between Lion Island and Barrenjoey Headland. We have been

seeing good schools of tailor, some kingfish, bonito and the odd frigate mackerel. If you are skilled at rigging bigger live baits such as frigates or small bonnies, now is your time. The odd bonito has been getting smashed out of a working school by a bigger kingfish. These fish are not what you want to try and catch on any of your lighter gear, as it will just end in tears. Downrig either of these baits and you run the risk of them tangling your gear, so flatline troll them around the outer zone of the feeding schools. To catch the bonnies and other small pelagics has been pretty easy, with 10-15g metal lures being the most productive option.

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This beautiful kingfish decided it wanted to eat a squid bait.

Don’t forget to try for some bottom dwellers as well while the surface activity is happening. A fillet of tailor, or strip of bonito fished on the bottom will see a great chance at a big flathead, decent bream or even a big mulloway. It is hard to ignore the surface feeding frenzy to set up a rod to fish on the bottom, but it can be worth the effort. You will never know until you give it a go! The fishing along our coast has been pretty consistent on the reefs of 30-60m, and the captures have been pleasing. There have been some nice snapper being caught around Long Reef and the Mona Vale area. The sand is still seeing some nice blue spot flathead being caught in water depths of 60-70m off the Avalon area. Closer in, the bigger kings are still being tangled with, but they seem to be on the move. Yellowtail, slimy mackerel, bonito and frigate mackerel are all awesome baits for this time of the year along our headlands and closer reefs. They are worth catching and should be treated as gold when you have them. So as you can see, the air temperature may be getting colder, but fishing along our part of the coast has been red-hot. I hope it continues. I hope this report gets you excited and you join us for a great day on the water targeting your chosen species. I love to help people improve their fishing so they can go home with a lot more knowledge and confidence, which normally results into more and better quality catches. Support your local fishing guide over the coming months, as a day with a local guide can save you years of frustrating fishing!

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Bring on the bream action BOTANY BAY

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

There will be plenty going on during April in the Georges and Woronora rivers, Botany Bay, off the rocks, beach and offshore. It will be

of the river on a rising tide, The Moons on a run-out tide and just downstream of the 8-knot sign at Lugarno. Chicken breast, nippers, strips of tuna and mullet will all get you bites. The odd big dusky flathead can be caught on live poddy mullet in these areas as well.

of the bridges and the drop-off just upstream of the Como Bridge. The Woronora River will be holding whiting on the flats and bream along the edges of the mangroves. Pink nippers, tubeworms and strips of fresh squid would be the best baits. Mullet will also be starting

Bic Fox with a couple of cracker bream that were caught in the Georges River. a matter of deciding on what you want to do. As for me, it will be all of them! The only problem will be finding the time to fit them all in. The Georges River will be producing bream from Picnic Point to the Captain Cook Bridge. Places to try would be Alfords Point Bridge on the southern side

The luderick will have come in from the ocean rocks and will be feeding along the rocky foreshores from the Moons and down to the Captain Cook Bridge. Fresh green weed and a steady stream of berley will do the job. Leatherjackets are worth a shot at Kangaroo Point and at the bases

to school up in the river. Try using bread for bait and bread crumbs for berley upstream of the bridge at Prince Edward Park. The entrance to the Cooks River is a great place to bring the family for a fish, as you have a number of options. On the

small sandy beach that you will see joggers running along early in the morning. On the southwestern side of the bridge that goes over the Cooks River you will notice a grassed area that leads up to the Mutch Avenue Boat ramp at Kyeemagh. This stretch of shoreline is a great place to bring the kids, as they don’t have to cast out that far and there is a set of toilets near the ramp. Tailor, salmon, trevally and bream will be on the chew at the end of the third runway, off Brighton Beach, Dolls Point, the middle of the bay, Towra Point and Towra Wide, the Drums and Trevally Alley. The best two baits that I have found are live pink nipper and peeled Hawkesbury River prawns, followed by strips of chicken breast, mullet and tuna. The best two rigs are the ball sinker running down onto the bait or a running sinker down onto the swivel with a 1-1.5m leader. The NSW Fisheries reef in Yarra Bay will be worth a shot for dusky flathead, bream, trevally, tarwhine, mulloway and the odd kingfish. Live yellowtail and poddy mullet would be the best baits, followed by pink nippers and peeled prawns. Make sure that you have a steam and small stream of berley going. Blue swimmer crabs will still be crawling about

There will be plenty of bream on the chew throughout Botany Bay, so make sure that you have a small but steady berley trail going. peeled prawns and cunje. Make sure that you fish as light as possible or with a small bobby cork. Browns Rock is a slightly out of the way place, and I would most probably not bring the kids, as there can be a few snakes about during the warmer months of the

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This young angler is hooked up to a solid kingfish at Trevally Alley. southern side you will find a sandy beach that leads all the way to the Captain Cook Bridge. As you walk along the beach for around a kilometre you will come to a small park that has a great set of play equipment for the kids. On the northern side there is also a

at the patches and along the weed beds of Brighton Beach to Dolls Point. So don’t forget to put those crab traps out! Tailor, salmon, trevally, bonito and bream can be caught in the washes off the Kurnell Peninsula on metal lures, whole pilchards,

year. Depending on which way you walk, you may come across naked people, as there is a nude beach situated in the corner of the bay. But with this aside, Browns Rock is worth the walk in as you may come across a bit of wildlife as you walk in. There are also

a few walking tracks from Browns Rock and over the Henry Head and out past the golf course that are worth a look at. Great views of Kurnell can be had from here. During the weekend, Browns Rock can get a bit crowed at times, especially during the warmer months of the year. I would suggest that you take in a couple of outfits. I’d take one for targeting Australian salmon, tailor and kingfish, while suspending a live bait or pilchard under a bobby cork. The other outfit would be for the bream, trevally and odd pan-sized snapper that can be berleyed up. Berley is essential to get the fish feeding in this area, so take in a bucket to mix the berley up in. Some old pilchards and bread would be a good idea. Try fishing with either a whole pilchard on a set of ganged hooks or a half pilchard with a small ball sinker running down on top of the bait. Don’t forget to bring along a couple of metal slices and squid jigs. Maroubra and Coogee beaches will be worth a shot for some stud whiting on either beach or tube worms. You could also try using live pink nippers and strips of freshlycaught squid. Talking about squid, don’t forget to take along those squid jigs, as there will be plenty of squid about. Not only are they good on the plate, they make great baits!

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Ducking out for a quick fish SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

When anglers of all skill levels hit the water, they often stay out for extended periods – six hours or more per session. Most anglers would agree that the more time on the water the better, as this helps you get a measure of the fish’s movements and behaviour. This, in turn, allows you to catch fish on a more consistent basis.

fish up to well over 2kg. Recently I went out for a quick fish and had very little time to spare. I thought what the heck, just get out there! With an abating sea after a moderate to near rough sea, I knew that I had a good chance of catching a snapper. I quickly checked out the weather report – a SE swell reducing from 2m to 1m or less, and S-SE wind reducing from 25 knots to 10-15 knots. A low tide at 4pm was enough to ‘berley’ me up for a snapper outing off the rocks!

This nice red from a Sydney rock platform was one of four landed in a quick 1.5-hour session. The fishing isn’t always this good, but you have to admit that a quick fishing trip is better than none at all! However, with the demands of work and family, it can be hard to find the time for these long sessions. You can find yourself fishing less often, going from once or twice a week down to once a month or even less. There is a way you can fish more often – you just need to beat that old mindset that says a fishing trip should last for many hours. You can have a productive session in only two to three hours when you’re well prepared. Add your driving time to and from the location and you could have a great fishing trip that takes up only three to five hours of your time, max! Now let’s get into the fishing report. I will mention a few outings that were relatively short, and a few tips that may inspire you to get out there more often with shorter hours on the water, if you’re strapped for time. WHAT’S BITING April is a great month for all manner of rock species. The snapper fishing has been consistent, with some great

I packed my gear and fished for one and a half hours for a nice swag of snapper from a relatively deep low tide ledge at Long Reef Collaroy. I was back home within three hours. True, I am local, but anglers who have to travel a bit further would still spend only four to five hours on a trip like this. I would not have landed a 53cm snapper and several from 33-35cm if I’d kept wondering whether I had enough time. The bait on this outing was squid strips, but you can also get good results on three quarter pilchards, salted slimy mackerel fillets or striped tuna fillets. Other locations producing further south of Long Reef are North Curl Curl off the boulders facing to the south (producing some plate to squire size snapper), and South Curl Curl’s Flat Rock off Carrington Parade. Further north, you can try North Narrabeen Head on the ledge in front of the swimming pool, and the front of Mona Vale swimming pool ledge. These spots have easy access

and involve only a five to 15-minute walk, which is a much shorter walk than you’ll find at some other locations. Other fish on the chew are kings to 85cm, big late season bonito, frigate mackerel and good numbers of tailor. I recommend fishing early in the morning or just before/on sunset at one of the deeper water rock ledges with unweighted ganged pilchards (three hook chain) with relatively heavy gear, just in case you hook a king. A 15kg outfit, even though it is an overkill for the tailor, may be wise choice. Obviously take your 24-37kg king gear if you’re fishing for more sizeable kings. The eastern front of Manly’s Blue Fish Point, Little Bluey first main ledge area, North and South Curl Curl and South Whale, and The Ovens are all producing good results. You can take your luderick gear if you like, as there are some good catches of this great fighting vegetarian available. Cabbage weed, and in some cases hair weed, are available on location at legal bait harvesting areas. Beach fishing is great this month, with a run of

Beach by an angler that had gone mulloway fishing for the first time. At the time I was with clients fishing for whiting in the evening, and he was only about 150m away from me using fresh squid for bait. What luck! By the way, you can get some good catches of whiting and bream in the evening as well. Dusky whaler sharks are also part of the mulloway by-catch. In fact, we can expect more whaler sharks than mulloway. It pays to have extra bait like live yellowtail as well as your fresh squid baits. When the tailor are there in good numbers while you’re fishing for mulloway, you can either continue fishing the area, go through lots of bait in the process, or move to another gutter. I recommend moving because squid are expensive (or take a long time to catch in good quantities), so you don’t want to waste them. Whiting are taking beach worms, pink nippers and even small peeled prawns. Some decent late season dart and yellow-eyed mullet can be part of your catch at times. Collaroy and Manly Beach have reasonable quantities of quality mullet around

Mark Georgis caught and released this 38cm bream at Middle Harbour’s Sandy Bay. People let their dogs run off-leash here, so keep your bait and hooks out of reach. rampaging tailor in the low light and evening periods on some of the beaches. We can expect a mixed run of choppersize fish at some beaches and a run of more solid tailor on others, especially after dark. Amongst the tailor you are in for a good chance of a mulloway. A nice 9kg fish was pulled from Dee Why

that 35-40cm size. They make terrific bait for bream, tailor, salmon, sharks and, of course, mulloway. So where should you go? You can try Manly Beach when there is a decent southerly blow, as it gets you out of the wind and moderate southerly swell, and the Dee Why southern section is good

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James Darmali’s last cast of the day snagged him his first lure-caught tailor. It was taken on a 50g SureCatch Bishop metal lure on a medium retrieve. for that as well. Collaroy Beach is another spot to get out of a moderate southerly swell. South Palm Beach, approximately 300m from the southern corner, fishes for all of the species I mentioned and allows you to fish gutters rather than featureless areas when you’re too far south on Palm Beach. Just a short report for the estuary. In the Middle Harbour areas there’s a reasonable run of kings, tailor and some late season bonito from Middle Head and Georges Head areas. Luderick and bream are there as well. Off the sandy areas like Balmoral, Chinamans and Sandy Bay at Clontarf there are great bream and whiting. Pink nippers are working a treat. For the kings I recommend using the Rapala Skitter Pop popper in the silver or red head, or sea gars ganged and spun, fresh squid or cuttlefish cast out off the deep rock areas with a good bottom. Quick and easy areas to fish are the south and north rock shores of the Spit Bridge in Middle harbour. They are easy to access and fish quite well. As of 25 January it is compulsory to wear a life

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jacket in the Northern Beaches Council area. If you go to www.watersafety.nsw.gov.au and click on ‘Rock Fishing Safety’, it will guide you as to where you need to have a lifejacket. It’s also advisable to follow these steps: • Always check the weather/ sea conditions and use common sense. For example, all good sportsman know their limits, and if you’re not sure don’t take the risk. • Wear correct footwear such as steel spike boots, stretch-on spikes or cleats to vastly reduce your chance of slipping. • Wear light clothing, preferably nylon type shorts or long pants. • Wear the correct life jacket – an AS4758 rock fishing jacket. If you follow preventative methods such as these, you can catch a few fish without a situation happening, and get home safely. • 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.

Fish like a king in April! WESTERN SYDNEY

Cameron McDonald

Bass season is coming to an end soon, with the closure commencing 1 May. The weather is definitely cooling and with that, less cicadas and other bugs are flying around. Subsequently, the surface bite has definitely slowed. The odd fish will still be hitting the top, but it’s not the optimum way to catch a bass in this part of the season. Using subsurface lures will see you continue to get some fish. For the mid-water options, rummage through your box and start with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. We are hoping for a reaction bite as the flashy blade moves past the fish’s hidey-hole. The weedless Australian made ‘HellYeah’ is an excellent chatterbait that has accounted for numerous fish. If the spinnerbaits and chatterbaits aren’t working, I’d be switching to slow-rolled deep-diving hardbodies. Start with the fatter profile crankbaits l with long-range casts and a standard slow

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ABA staff member Zach looking pretty happy with his rat king. Remember it’s important to point the rod tip at the lure for the lure to ‘turn’ on the jerk. By pointing the rod back at the lure, we create a small amount of slack line and this allows the lure to dart or turn. If this is done with the line tight, the lure will ‘jerk’ forward and not look as realistic. Upriver bass will start to make their way downstream as they get ready to spawn. While some fish won’t be interested in spawning and

fired up, the school kings can be caught on a huge variety of lures and baits. From cheap as chips metal slices, small to medium poppers, and various soft plastics – all will work. Remember the legal limit of 65cm, as it’s easy to catch a dozen fish in a couple of hours – but the average size at the moment has been around 55-60cms. A 60cm king is a bundle of fun on a 2-4kg rod, with a 3000 size reel and 10-20lb braid. Don’t be too shocked if a bigger model is lurking beneath the school, because these larger kings will give you a work out on the light gear. If this happens, bring out your bigger rod and get back into it. If you can’t find the schools busting up, be sure to watch for birds or fish other structure-based spots. Moored boat hulls, jetties, rocky points, will see you hook up to either the target king or a bream. Kings are called kingfish for a good reason – they are close to the top of the pelagic food chain, and with the distinctive big yellow tail, they hit hard, run hard, and fight all the way to the boat. Let’s not forget fresh kingfish sashimi either. I’ve seen anglers fillet a fish right on the boat, drop chunks into a small plate of lemon juice and ten seconds later pop it in their mouth. I’ve seen a lot of things fishing, but it’s not often you see someone put down their rod and bring out their own chopsticks. Some of my go-to lures for Sydney kings would be 95mm Bassday Sugapens, OSP Bent Minnows, 40g metal slices, or the new Flash Union 120. • The expert staff at Australian Bass Angler in Penrith specialise in all fields ofCRUSADER fresh and saltwater fishing. If you want to know about the latest tackle or techniques, kayak fishing, or tournament bass boats, drop into the store at 105 Batt Street, Penrith or phone (02) 4721 0455.

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wind, with the rod tip down will stay in their territory, the to get extra depth. majority will feel the urge to If you still aren’t getting travel down the Hawkesbury hits, tie on a more elongated properly and begin to school jerkbait style. This style up. The average catch size of lure needs more of an will drop too. angler’s input to get the For those who are most of them. A slow roll looking for options, Sydney combined with a ‘jerk/pause’ Harbour has been on fire retrieve is the best. Every this season. Since the few metres of the slow roll, ban of the kingfish traps point your rod tip straight years ago, the local kingy at the lure and simply stop population has exploded. VELOCITY SPORTS winding - the lure will pause, Most of them are undersize and with a slight jerk of rats, but targeting them on the rod the lure will dart to what is essentially bass the side and/or turn partially or heavy bream outfits is around. Then keep pausing a boatload of fun. When for a few seconds before you see that school busting resuming the slow roll. Most up you can’t help but get strikes will come on the jerk. excited. When they are

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I’m fishin’ some good vibrations FEATURE

Joel Edwards

With so many lures available these days, it can be sometimes be some of the oldest creations, like lipless lures, that still catch the most fish. While not always the most effective

choice, they are incredibly versatile and easy to use, and many fishless days have been turned around by using these strange lures. GOOD LIPLESS VIBRATIONS Versatility is the first word that comes to mind when describing a lipless bait. Hard, soft, rattling,

silent, sinking or floating – there is a lipless for your fishing needs. From cranking for Aussie bass to hopping a soft vibe for dusky flathead to deadsticking for yellowbelly, there is a plethora of baits, species and retrieves to explore that come under the ever popular ‘lipless’ banner.

I purchased my first lipless lure when I was a teenager; it was a gold Cotton Cordell Rattlin’ Spot. I hunted one down with Australian bass in mind. I’d begun to notice a few guys I looked up to experiencing success on a whole manner of species using these noisy baits, I had to have one and try it out. I had no idea this would start a life long obsession with all things lipless. The appeal for me was that I could work this type of bait at any depth and almost any speed. The great thing about these baits is they work for just about any angler, from tossing it out and cranking it in, to honing your techniques and increasing

Soft vibes are perfect for offshore predators like snapper.

Lipless lures come in all shapes, colours and sizes, and can be used for just about any predatory fish species.

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The rattler The first thing that comes to mind when I think of rattling lipless cranks would be stocked impoundment fishing for Australian natives. Baits such as the Jackall TN series have been a go to for weed bed dwelling Aussie

bass since their late ‘90s inception. The Maxy Vib has claimed more yellowbelly than most other baits. Having said that, these baits are equally deadly in the rivers and salt on a number of species. Our native fish are very responsive to the

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Fishing close to the bottom is the way to go with soft vibes.

whiz and bang of a rattling lipless crank. Rattlers are designed to induce a strike from a predatory fish, often the sound is tuned to mimic the sound of a fleeing baitfish or in some cases designed to sound like a predatory fish attacking a bait school. This sound attracts the predator to an area where the lipless bait can be easily inhaled. There are some beautiful lipless cranks on the market. Each bait is designed meticulously to set them apart from the already

flooded lipless market. So if you’re searching your box to find a bait that will induce a reaction, a rattler will 100% create a stir. The soft vibe In my opinion the soft vibe is one of the most versatile baits available to the modern angler. They have a silent, soft and more natural approach as opposed to the whiz-bang of the rattler. Soft vibes has become one of the most popular baits in Australian waters and the world. Soft vibes have a

completely different sonic signature to other vibes due to their soft plastic construction. This construction produces a totally unique presentation. A lifelike, soft feel helps aid in the deception of your chosen quarry. Like all other lipless cranks, these baits can be fished at any depth with a variety of speeds. Most soft vibes are produced with a through wire construction that creates strength and security in the event of an XOS model eating your bait and you having to tighten down on it.

Vibes often get eaten properly by hungry estuary dwellers like mulloway.

Vibes, particularly blades, are just as deadly in the fresh as they are in the salt.

The soft vibe, in particular the Fish Trap by Zerek, has been a deadly bait for me in deeper water. It impersonates a herring, small tailor or mullet, and these little beauties are irresistible to a host of estuarine dwellers – particularly mulloway. The blade Now for the slimmer side of the family – the blade offers a slight twist on the lipless term. They are often constructed from lead, metal and even polycarbonate.

These violent, vibing vectors are about as versatile as baits come. A good point of difference the blade has over many other lipless baits is that they often have multiple tow points. This creates an opportunity to vary the speed in which you fish the bait as well as changing the vibration level to suit your chosen application. Blades are a favourite amongst bream and bass anglers, and it has a place

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in many tournament anglers’ tackle bags. The blade is designed to be fished slowly and close to the bottom, inducing strikes from even the most timid of adversaries. I’ve even seen blades manipulated to mimic a piece of shell that has been dislodged from structure and simply come to rest on the bottom. If the angler ‘deadsticked’ the bait for a length of time the bream would mistake the bait for To page 28

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From page 27

a shell and pick it up off the bottom. The blade is a lipless presentation you should never leave home without. TOP 3 TIPS TO LIPLESS SUCCESS Line control The biggest mistake anglers make when fishing lipless lures is not staying in contact with the bait. A good lipless crankbait angler will be in contact

with their bait at all times. When hopping a soft vibe along the bottom it is vital to keep the line tort to control the sink rate of the bait. This not only ensures the lure is swimming nicely on the drop, it also keeps the angler ready for the often subtle bites that accompany this style of fishing. The same goes for medium rolling a rattling lipless – pauses need to monitored and controlled, as a lot of

the bites will come at this stage of the retrieve. Keep in contact! Lengthen your leader Lipless cranks are more often than not rigged with treble hooks. While increasing the odds of a hook-up, small treble hooks can pull quite easily. With braided mainlines being most anglers’ line of choice, including mine, I’ve found that adding an extra metre of length to my leader

Bream are an excellent target when fishing blade style lipless lures.

Blades rigged with assist hooks are deadly on fish that bite lures timidly.

gives me that little bit more of a shock absorber or cushion to assist in keeping those hooks in. A lot of largemouth bass anglers in Japan and the U.S.A choose to use straight through monofilament or fluorocarbon line for this very reason. This results in more stretch and less pulled hooks.

Vary and monitor your retrieve I’ve found that in many cases it can only take a slight change in retrieve to induce a strike when fishing a lipless. For example, smaller hops or larger hops, letting your bait sit longer between hops, burn and kill, or fast then slow – it’s all trial and error. By all means mix up

your retrieve, however, take a mental note of what retrieve you’re trying. There’s nothing worse than eventually cracking a pattern and getting that bite and not remembering what induced the strike. So, if you haven’t already, get some lipless baits in your box. They may just be the bait that fools your trophy!

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Prepare well with quality hooks When it comes to fishing regardless what of your target species is it’s often the little things that add up to make huge differences in success. Hook choice is certainly one element that if overlooked, it can be detrimental to a successful day fishing. QUALITY HOOKS There are many different things that need to be thought about when determining what size and

hooks that have never let me down are black magic as they are all made in Japan and have a hook to suit every purpose. Suicide hooks (also known as octopus hooks) are one of the most popular styles of hooks for a range of species. Starting from smaller sizes in #10-#8s for luderick to 1- 2/0s for bream, 3/0-6/0 for snapper then 7/0-10/0 for mulloway. Larger sizes are also the go to choice when it comes to

snapper and hooking fish through super tough top jaw molars, which is an area where I’ve seen other hooks tips fold over on numerous occasions. LIVE BAIT HOOKS Live bait hooks are ‘J-style’ hooks and are generally heavy duty with a short straight shank. They are particularly popular in sizes 6/0-8/0 when for live baiting for pelagic species such as tuna, kingfish and cobia – using baits such as slimy mackerel, yellow tail or bonito. When fishing this way, live baits are pinned lightly behind the shoulders, meaning there is plenty of hook being exposed so no need to go overboard on hook size. Another benefit of these hooks is you can seriously lock up on fish trying to bury you into structure without the fear

fish in the corner of the jaw, eliminating the result of a gut hooked fish. The best hook sizes for billfish are 6/0-7/0, whereas 8/0 is better suited for the fish inshore and anything above 8/0 to be fished wider. Slow trolling bridle-rigged live and skipbaits or dropping them down into bait schools with a sinker attached to an elastic band is the preferred rig when fishing this way. If you’re fishing tournaments remember your circles need to be non-offset to be legal. Black magic KLT range are the ultimate tournament hook for this kind of work. These hooks (especially the 7 and 8/0s) are also starting to gain a cult following for anglers who are livebaiting for mulloway – fishing straight up and down in deep water from boats. Black magic also does

Bait holder style hooks are great for bread and butter species, making it perfect for the kids. pattern of hook to use. Things that need to be considered are the target species and type of bait you’re throwing. Knowing what to choose will greatly improve your hook up rate, resulting in catching more fish. Before we get into the nitty gritty, first and foremost I recommend the use of quality hooks to be vital. I can’t believe how many anglers have all the best gear, lines and leaders but then put less thought into quality hooks that cost a couple of bucks a packet extra. This blows me away as the hooks are your last first and last link to that potential fish of a lifetime. It’s crazy to risk missing the hook up or losing the fish through a cheap hook straighten or bend. By far my favourite

snelling two hooks together for kingfish or mulloway when using livebaits and squid. They are a perfect hook for cut and stripbaits, and take the shape of a prawn nicely. Hook size depends on bait size and you need to find the sweet spot as too much hook exposure will turn fish off and to little hook exposure will severely impact your hook up rate. A good rule is to make sure you always have the point of the hook to past the barb out of the bait. Black magic C point are by far the cream of the crop when it comes this hook pattern. They are super strong and have a three-point cutting edge that provides maximum penetration during the hook set. The difference is particularly evident when fishing for bream and

Black Magic C Point hooks are perfect for snelling squid for mulloway, kingfish and snapper.

Bait presentation is important for best hook-up rates. of the hook straightening. This is particularly useful for big kings and also why the smaller sizes in these hooks are popular for coastal brutes like drummer and grouper. Size 1/0 hooks suit a large peeled prawn or conjevoi for drummer, whereas the 3/0-4/0 sizes are ideal for a crab when fishing for grouper. For the smaller sizes I use the black magic KS range and larger sizes above 6/0 for live baiting I use the black magic DX hooks. CIRCLES While circle hooks can be used for a range of fishing situations, they really come into their own when livebaiting for billfish or bottom fishing. The use of circle hooks has revolutionised gamefishing over the last 20 years, where they haven’t just improved the hook up conversion rates but also drastically aiding in catch and release survival. This is due to the hooks almost always hooking the

the KL series which are based on the same pattern but go down to much smaller sizes – making them perfect for bottom fishing species such as snapper, flathead, nannygai, pearl perch and

Black Magic KLT hooks are lethal on deep water mulloway. trag. Circle hooks also need to be fished differently to normal hooks, as the point needs time to find its mark and roll into the corner of the jaw. If you strike a fish and you’re using circles, you will almost certainly miss that fish. When bottom fishing, a slow vertical lift up on the rod until you feel weight is all you need to do to set the hooks or you can leave it in the rod holder and let the fish hook themself. When live baiting, it’s best to fish the reel in free spool and when you get a hit be sure to point the rod at the fish and gradually increase drag pressure, then slowly lift the rod tip once you feel the fish’s weight. LONGSHANK/ BAITHOLDERS These style of hooks are great for bread and butter species such as bream, whiting and flathead, fishing from the beach and local

estuaries. The most popular sizes for this type of hook are from size #6 through to #2, which are perfect for delicate slender baits such as small peeled prawns, live nippers or worms. These should be carefully threaded up the inside of the bait before coming out and leaving the barb and hook point exposed. The longer shank allows you to perfectly present these sorts of baits with the tiny small barbs on the back of the hook shank helping it hold it in place. This really helps the bait hang on the hook and not be flung off during the cast – a common problem with those delicate baits. They are perhaps the best hook to use for taking the kids fishing as they tend to catch smaller fish as well as hanging in there if a big flattie or bream comes along!

Choosing the right hook for the job is critical for success. APRIL 2019

Rain equals movement THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

The storms have given most systems a real good shake up this month. It has a lot of different species doing different things. Anglers are having plenty of fun, although studying the tides, currents, moon phases and wind will majorly help your results.

While the offshore has had its moments this month with Spanish and spotty mackerel, most anglers have been focusing on estuary species due to the weather with one species that just keeps giving them grief – mangrove jacks. These red dogs are still running amok in most systems with the bait moving around due to the storms. One day they are up river and the next

they are getting flushed down towards the mouth – depending on how much fresh is around. The mahimahi also love conditions after the rains and storms, as it creates a lot of floating debris. Don’t forget the bass that also love to move around with the rains and storms. OFFSHORE The mahimahi have

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been loving the aftermath of the storms, as it creates a lot of floating debris, making for current and dirty water lines and stirring up nutrients which in turn stirs up the bait. Your best bet is to work the current lines until you find the debris that are holding a school of mahimahi. Fish this area with metals, jigs, stickbaits or casting plastics with a fast retrieve. mahimahi are one of the fastest growing fish in the sea and are eating machines, so anything that looks like a fleeting

or injured baitfish should get eaten. Working your lures at the right speed will always produce the gold. Black marlin are still out there, with the odd wahoo in between fish. The odd Spanish and spotty mackerel are sitting around the 36s and 50s, although it tends to fish best when we have at least two days of southerly wind for them to get going. Towing baits, working poppers and throwing stickbaits are all working and proving the best

techniques for the bigger Spaniards. Surface lures also doing some damage, catching a few smaller ones off the bommies. There’s a few spotties around the isolated rocks and small reefs in close. Floating and trolling pilchards, trolling hardbodies and throwing high-speed metals are all working. In saying that, they are still far and few between and there is only a small window before they switch off again. The snapper and pearl perch are starting to show

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up again, as well as some good mixed reef species. Jigs and drift baits are your best bet. Tweed reef systems are still fishing best for the Spanish and odd spotty, along with some mixed reefies, the odd mulloway and cobia. Wider reefs off Tweed with good current and dirty water lines have blacks, mahimahi and wahoo on them, along with the odd pack of yellowfin tuna. Hastings Point has had odd spotty, cobia and GTs hanging around. Lastly, the reef east of Brunswick has had some quality mackerel, mixed reef species and yellowfin! ESTUARY The estuaries have been the pick for most anglers with all the storms around. The jacks are really feeding up at the moment, as they stock up for their winter hibernation, eating just about anything. Live baits, large strip baits, whole

Guy Peters with a nice surface red dog taken at night. the day with various lures. The odd mulloway has been taken around the mouths with all the bait and the fresh moving around. Plastics and hardbodies are still the best bet during the day. Fishing rock junctions and the eddies of rock walls with live baits will also put you onto a nice mulloway.

Scott Isaacs with a nice brassy trevally, which munched his Bassday Sugapen off the sand flats, before pulling some serious string. fillets and even small fish heads have been catching the bigger jacks. Myself and lots of other anglers who fish heavy structure are still struggling to stop the bigger ones over 60cm, even with 60lb braid matched 100lb leader. In saying that, there are still hitting a wide variety of lures during the day. Some techniques that are working well include plastics, vibes and surface lures. Even the lure guys are loosing a few with 30lb braid and 40lb fluorocarbon leader. But remember, persistence will pay off. There’s still lots of whiting around, with surface lures and quick retrieves being a deadly combination. Bloodworms and yabbies are also catching some great fish. Be sure to work those run-in tides to ensure you catch a feed. If there is a lot of fresh in the system, fish the deeper holes for them. Plenty of trevally are still getting around. Try the bridges that hold bait of a nighttime, and the canals, rock walls and lakes during

Muddies are moving around with all this fresh, so try the deeper holes under all the freshwater or around the bridges. BEACHES The beaches have been good when it’s available to fish and the conditions are good. School mulloway, tailor, dart, bream, flathead, trevally and whiting have all been on the target list.

Work those conditions and don’t push your luck. If the swell is too big or the rock walls and headlands are too messy, don’t bother – it’s better to be safe than sorry. Beach worms, yabbies, pipis, pilchard, white bait, and even plastics are all fishing well at the right times. SWEETWATER The bass are using the storms to push their way back upstream and into the upper reaches of the most systems. Finding and working pools, rapids, over flowing drains and flooding creeks and fishing with various lures such as spinnerbaits, various hardbodies, plastics and vibes is the way to go. Cicadas and insect lures are lures are another great choice, typically working better during dusk and dawn in the cleaner pools. With yet another season change upon us, we will see the usual summer species such as wahoo, mahimahi, mackerel, billfish, mangrove jack, whiting and bass start to slow up and the winter species will slowly start to take over. In saying that, Tweed has and can experience a late mackerel run and will normally start around the start of next month. So having a few different options on hand will help keep you occupied. The bass will keep pushing upstream, therefore targeting them right upstream around weir walls will put you onto some decent fish.

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Get moving because the bait is! BALLINA

Joe Allan

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re after a feed of flathead this month, be sure to try the stretches between Pimlico Island and

Broadwater. White bait and fresh prawns are the go if you can get them. The prawns are on the move at the moment so if you can find them, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find great numbers of tasty fish. The best hooks for

these are a #1/0 and #2/0 Gamakatsu Long Shank. The longer shank in the hook keeps the line away from their teeth. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re into throwing hardbody lures try tolling the Atomic Shiner 75mm that will get

down past 3.5m easily in the holes around the Wardell Bridge and areas close by. Bright colours are best. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve found the drop offs, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a good idea to have a 3-4â&#x20AC;? soft plastic with a 1/4oz jighead ready to go. The beaches around Ballina and Lennox Head have been fishing really well and should continue to get better. Look for gutters on Patches Beach and back to South Ballina as well as the beaches along Seven Mile â&#x20AC;&#x201C; north of Lennox Head. There have been good catches recorded of tarwhine and flathead on soft plastics and blades. Both styles of these lures use 1/4oz weight. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too windy this might be a struggle. There are still good numbers of pipis around and these little fellas are a great fresh bait for most bread and butter species. Just remember that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not allowed to take these from the beach. The rock walls have produced some good size mangrove jack. While not in good numbers the better size specimens have come out to play in recent times. These guys will become less active now that the water

Fluffy-haired Anthony Melchior with a nice Aussie bass caught at Coraki. down on the walls be sure to try some big deep-diving crankbaits. Dans Lane and Pimlico Island flats have been very consistent producers of bream. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re into

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Kim Richter caught and released this beautiful big flathead from the town stretch of the river. is cooling down. The break walls have been seeing some good mulloway towards the bottom end of the tide. Live mullet seem to be producing the best catches up the river in the holes, however,

soaking bait then nippers are one of the best baits and are good fun to catch with the kids around. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re into throwing lures, small crankbaits and small topwater poppers are always my go-to.

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll pick up a few whiting, although the dirty water has hurt the numbers of these being caught. The freshwater stretches of the Richmond and Wilsons River have been patchy. Reports of people catching 15-20 fish one day and then going back the next and getting only one or two. The best lures are spinnerbaits with big gold blades and lipless crankbaits with bright colours. The noise and flash is whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attracting these fish in this dirty water. The creeks around Bangalow and Corndale are worth a cast now that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve cleaned up a little. Down size everything that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d normally throw in the main river. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be surprised how big the fish that live in these small creeks can get. Small 2â&#x20AC;? plastics and bream-sized crankbaits are what you should look for.

Â Â Â&#x20AC; Â&#x201A;Â&#x192;Â&#x201E; Â?Â&#x2026; Â&#x20AC; Â&#x2020; Â&#x2021; Â?Â? Â?

Â? Â? Â&#x2039; Â&#x20AC; Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2030; Â&#x20AC; Â&#x2020; Â&#x2021; Â&#x20AC; Â&#x201A;Â&#x192;Â&#x201E; Â&#x160; Â? Â Â? Â? Â?Â? Â Michael Starkey with a solid bass from the upper reaches of the Richmond River caught on the new Atomic Cicada in spiderman colour. 32

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See you all out on the FAD! YAMBA

Dave Gaden

April is here and although it is the middle of autumn in this part of the planet the water hasn’t started to drop in temperature significantly at all. Summer this year for those wanting to chase the mackerel was a great disappointment. With the consistent northerly winds that in turn dragged cold water up

from the south, make for the mackerel to go wide of the coast and followed the hot current past us heading south. This happens quite a bit but the upside for us is that they have to return home as the waters south start to cool. In recent years we have had a great run of mackerel during April and May when the cold water held them off in December and January. The southern grounds from one-man to the bommie would be my

pick to hunt these guys with float baits of pilchard my preferred method. This month the grounds off of Brooms Head start to fill with nice snapper, pearl perch and venus tuskfish. Drift fishing in 35-45m of water with cut baits will produce a lot of quality fish. You should always have a floater out for the mackerel this month, as they sometimes show up even in the middle of the day around the boat. Fish as light as you

can on the floater, 20-30lb leader with 20lb single wire about 200mm long should work. The close grounds off Plumbago in the south and Woody Head in the north this month will be great for those chasing the larger snapper on plastics. Even in 10m of water you will find some amazing fish, just look for the kelp beds on the sounder, they seem to love hovering over them at first light of a morning. The wider grounds in 50 fathoms are very productive this month for those who don’t mind putting in the miles to get fish. Yamba has two good reefs, one 19nm east-northeast and one the same east-southeast

Kiara with a nice pearl perch. of the bar. I really like the northern reef this month; if the current isn’t too hard the snapper show up in big numbers and are easy to see

on the sounder. We had one drift over this ground last April for 42 snapper, now that creates happy punters! It’s a bit different out there

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this month, normally the drift will give you a mixed bag of different species but I usually find I’ll get just snapper in one spot then pearl perch mixed with morwong and pigfish in another. It’s important to have a cast line ready for the mahimahi when fishing out there, as they will just swim past without notice and dropping a big handful of bait off the cutting board will hold them until you get a line to them. Speaking of mahimahi, the FAD has been very productive again this year. Check the fisheries website for the GPS location. I mentioned many times before that we positioned the FAD out in 65m of water on some productive, albeit unspectacular looking reef. If you have your fill of mahimahi or they just don’t show up, then get your bottom gear out. The reef from the FAD to 2nm south will hold some nice fish. There are times when it’s all blue spotted flathead, but others when it’s snapper

580 Quality mahimahi will be in good numbers this month. In the estuary, the flathead will be moving around the downstream section of the system this month. For those who know the area well try

One of the Yamba FAD mahimahi. and trag. Many times we get nice big mulloway on the bait shoals and big tuskfish. Mulloway will be the big target up on the northern reef this month. Black Rock to South Evans Reef will have the usual suspects of big trag and bluespot flathead, but the chance of taking a big mulloway are well above average in April. As I’ve said before, anchoring just down current from a shoal of yakka seems to be the most productive. Catching the livies and swimming them straight back down will drive the trag nuts and wake up the mulloway. These bigger fish need to be handled with care, meaning you need to fish with very light drags. They really are hard to lose if you are patient, but bullying them will pull hooks or snap light lines. You may lose the odd fish that swims back into a cave, but it’s really rare.

FUNSEEKER

the north arm on Iluka side around the entrance to the Esk River and Nihill Island. Flicking plastics here is by far the best way to get a feed. Further upstream the entrance to Serpentine channel around the old cane barges at the start of the run-out tide is another favourite. If you want to just lay back and take it easy then trolling small hardbodies around the islands at the entrance to Lake Woolawayah is just about the nicest way to spend a morning on the water and get a few nice fish for dinner. The crabs have been running well this year and even though the end of the month is school holidays and there will be thousands of people here and I’m sure we might nearly have enough crabs to go round. Blue swimmers should slow down this month (old rule: only crab in months with R in them) but with the late arrival of warm water this summer I think there will still be plenty here. Muddies won’t be a problem, with them moving downstream this month.

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Autumn pelagics are here COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

We had to wait for it, but it finally came. It may have taken until

summer was over, but the summer sessions for offshore anglers have finally had a chance to lock in. Throughout the beginning of 2019 we have had sporadic periods where the mackerel were

around, but the strong sea breezes kept the warm water, and its pelagic inhabitants, away for most of it. It wasn’t until we were at the doorstep of autumn that the warm water

returned without any conviction and we’ve been able to see more action on the mackerel and tuna front. We can expect these species to continue their presence throughout the next few months and most likely into winter. There have been loads of yakkas around on the bait reefs, but the slimies have required a little more searching. They are well worth the effort though. As per normal, slimies equal Spaniards. That is, until the longtail turn up and then you can get tied up in tuna for hours. Most of the time yakkas will get you fish, but they are not as reliable for the Spaniards and are much more likely to produce a snapper, cobia, sharks or tuna, which is not a horrid result for most anglers. All in all, if you’re after Spaniards, find the slimies.

Mixed bags of good size snapper and mackerel are one of the many angling joys on the coast. Stickbaits are the number one lure for chasing mackerel on the cast.

Slow sinking 100-150mm baits retrieved and paused around the baitfish will

Craig Hanlon managed to find a slimy among the yakkas to capture this Spanish mackerel from his kayak.

Cobia are often less finicky about bait type than the mackerel. When they show up they’re always a welcomed catch, like this nice one for Clarke Kable.

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produce results. This year seems to be a fairly even mix of spotty and Spanish mackerel so far, although there hasn’t been much of a season so far to judge. It’s often the spotties that you find schooling up in groups. Still, there have been a few very aggressive Spanish around, making for a spectacular sight when hitting stickbaits. LAND-BASED If this warm water settles in and remains tight on the coast, the land-based locations like Muttonbird Island, harbour breakwalls, and the local headlands will offer good mackerel fishing this month. Stickbaits offer the obvious choice for the land-based mackerel anger. They allow you to move around and hunt for the fish, cover more ground and be more active than fishing with live or dead bait, plus it’s super fun hitting a mackerel from the rocks on the lighter spin gear. BALLOONS Sending a live slimy out off the rocks is a time tested technique and for good reason – it will produce fish. Although it’s an age-old technique it’s important to bring it into the 21st century and be aware of the marine

environment while we’re doing it. There’s been a bit of talk online about floating live baits out on balloons and that Fisheries

to use biodegradable balloons. However, I believe that we should avoid using any balloon or float that is planned

rigged in such way that it is retrieved even if you get a fish. This topic is doubly relevant for land-based

reason I generally don’t use a balloon at all, and allow the live bait to swim free. On the odd occasion that I do attach a balloon, it’s in a way that means it cannot detach from my line, and is retrieved at some stage through the fight. It may mean slightly more risk of losing a fish, but I think it’s clear that we shouldn’t be willfully and deliberately allowing more plastic to enter our oceans. If you think about it, there is no way we would accept someone throwing their bait packet into the ocean because “it gets the bait into the right spot”, so I don’t see why would treat balloons or styrofoam any differently.

ESTUARIES As we move on from summer, the Coffs Coast hinterland will begin to cool off. Although the upstream reaches of our rivers may begin to cool down, as long as the offshore waters are warm, we can expect the lower estuaries to maintain their summer pattern. Mangrove jack and trevally should remain active over the next few months, as should the whiting and flathead that have been very active on lower sand banks and weed beds. And with the summer nor’easters mostly behind us, we can hopefully look forward to much more pleasant weather for offshore, estuary and freshwater fishing this month. Reef & Bottom Fishing Heavy & Light Tackle from Gamefishing $ 150pp Sportsfishing

Clarke Kable showing that the mangrove jack are all still very active in the local estuaries, even as it starts to cool off in the air. and police are clamping down on using balloons or styrofoam as floats. There has been some suggestion that it’s OK

on being released into the environment when a fish takes the bait. If you’re going to use a float of some kind it should be

anglers, as there is no way to chase and retrieve a balloon should it detach from the line while you’re playing a fish. For this

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APRIL 2019

Don’t pass up the ol’ bream NAMBUCCA

Riley Wilson

April is upon us and a morning chill has arrived with a hint of westerly breeze on some mornings. March in the Nambucca usually brings some, much-needed

large swells in February most of the beach and offshore fishing was a non-existent for most of the way through March, but this should be making an improvement this month. Fishing from the rocks should start to pick up this month, with longtail

of the river mouth is fairly rocky and shallow, and a good place for lure fishing for kingfish and tailor. If you can get a bait or lure out a

as dead sticking) can be irresistible to a shy but hungry bream. I know some of you are saying, “really… is he talking about bream?”

A high 50s flathead is always a perfect eating size.

Juvenile GTs are doing what they do best – slaughtering the baitfish! rain, not only for our local farms but for putting some flow in our local creeks and with that, a redistribution of our favourite species. So hopefully this April we will see the benefits of this and the fishing will start to shift. With the incredibly

tuna and cobia the most targeted. While Nambucca is not the best place in the district when it comes to land-based game fishing, it does produce some good fish for those who put in the effort. The front headland north

Mulloway will be one of the many fish in the mixed bags this month.

little further or capitalise on some cover in the form of wash, the larger species is what you’ll be dealing with; Spanish mackerel, cobia and longtail tuna. The river will be a great spot to be this month if my recent trips are anything to go by. Fun little sessions in the river up above Macksville have seen mixed bags of bream, flathead, trevally, mulloway and whiting. I have finally had the chance to fish the new highway bridge and give it a good going over. After my initial sessions it has proved to live up to the reputation bridge fishing has. One tide change is all it needed to provide some pretty intense action, with one occasion having three consecutive casts pounced upon by three separate species – now that’s variety! Fishing deep water should start to take hold as the dominant technique once the days get shorter and the weather cools off. One species that at times demands a deep slow technique with your lures is the bream. Sometimes a lure doing nothing at all drifting in the current (referred to

Yes I am! While I know some of you are diehard mulloway or jack anglers and would normally bypass the ‘brimz’ on the water, I am sure some of you NSWFM readers are keen bream addicts that know how far the subtleties of mastering the bream will take you in your angling endeavours.

Working light lures in the current, reading fish body language, and fishing stupidly light line are all things that a bream lure

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angler already has or will have to master. These small, but important skills will go a long way to working with a whole range of species and techniques in the future, and that’s only a few skills! Trying to work out some of these skills on

amazing things happen. Next time you are out on the water don’t write off the old bream fishing, for you never know what could come along! • If you are fishing on the Nambucca or just want some great gear and the

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Sensational fishing in the river SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Paul Martin rocksmarine@tsn.cc

There were certainly more fishable days this month, with the winds settling down to more stable levels. There are still the northeasters, but regular relief has been coming from the south. Let’s hope it continues through April and into May. It was late coming, but the pelagics are here in good numbers. Spotted mackerel have been caught off Grassy Head up to Scotts Head, with some nice fish amongst them. There were a few Spanish about in the mix, mainly taking live baits, but pilchards are working a treat with the spotties. At the moment it seems slow-trolled baits with chin guards are enticing the Spanish a little more. Good yellowfin up to 10kg and longtail tuna can be caught out of the same location. Unfortunately, sharks are a problem, often waiting for an easy feed under your boat. Out wider in 60m+, the bottom bashers are getting some quality pearl perch and the odd good snapper. Mahimahi have made a return to the FAD, although unfortunately there are no bulls reported. Still, there are good numbers of these tasty fish coming in. Off the jail, black marlin are about, providing a workout for the many kayakers fishing in close. Just remember that the sharks won’t be far away to spoil your fun. We have had reports of a couple of blue marlin out off the wide grounds. Good mulloway have been caught off the bottom so it’s worth dropping a live

bait deep while you wait for that surface fish of a lifetime to hit. Bonito are in plague proportions at the moment, providing great bait for those big pelagic fish. There are still a few

Black Rock has produced the odd cobia and a few snapper. Hat Head has been fishing well with a few Spanish off the Point and down towards Plummer. The rock hoppers are still doing it tough. We thought

Shane Fraser and Steve Bell from Geelong enjoyed getting amongst some wahoo. cobia coming in, with a run of wahoo making their seasonal run through. Down south towards Green Island and Fish Rock the kingfish are in numbers, but stacks of rats just undersize will test your patience.

the bigger seas from the last cyclone up north may have stirred things up, but not yet. Off the jail ledges we’re seeing a run of small tailor, while our famous Cow Hole has produced the odd mulloway. Off the lighthouse some kings

have been hooked, with a few tuna coming in as well. There are whispers down at Hat Head that a few Spanish have been caught off the ledges, but rock hoppers like to keep that info secret. On the beaches it’s still hit-and-miss, with whiting not playing the game at this stage. Bream and dart are common, with a few flathead in the mix, but we could do with some rain to push out the whiting from the river to the beaches. There has been some sensational fishing in our river through the month, with cobia and kingfish running up along the north and south side of the break walls with the incoming tides. Cobia will take both live and dead baits, but the kings are a little harder to catch, with most fishos throwing poppers and shallow divers at them. Upriver there are plenty of bream and Moses perch to be caught along the walls. Both land-based anglers and boaties are getting some quality flathead out of many locations. Local Graham Allen caught a tagged 87cm flathead, which had been caught two months earlier from a nearby location, and released it to be traced again. In hot weather the flathead can be found in the deeper water, so a little more weight on those favourite plastics has been doing the trick on those hot days. Over the last month or so the mangrove jack numbers seem to have been increasing along our rock walls. Australian bass numbers also improved through the month, with some quality fish coming in from Kempsey and further upstream. With surface lures around the snags proving irresistible in the early mornings and late afternoons, it’s well worth a trip.

Luke Wright with a nice 50cm mangrove jack out of the Macleay River. • For the very latest information on what’s biting and where, drop into Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle at

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There are some monster catches about northern bluefin run and this month can be excellent. BREAD AND BUTTER Most of the local rivers have been fishing well for bream, whiting, flathead and some reasonable numbers of luderick. These fish have have been caught hanging around the town walls and jetties. Bream have been taking surface lures in and around

THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

Recently one of the biggest bream of recent times was caught in the Camden Haven River. Young Macey Hutchinson landed a 2.745kg fish measuring in at 560mm. Her brother Billy had just landed a cracking 440mm fish that went 1.228kg. They are both serious bream, and the kicker was they were both caught on handlines! It just goes to show you do not always need the most sophisticated gear to catch trophy fish. Well done to both Macey and Billy, but also dad for getting the youngsters into some top fish. OFFSHORE Recently, offshore has been unpredictable, but there have been some good catches coming in from our offshore charter

the bankside structure, but also over some of the shallow rock bars in the Hastings River. This has been quite entertaining and it’s pretty simple fishing! All you have to do is cast your prawn imitation surface lure over or along the shallow rocks, twitch it a few times, and pause, then repeat throughout the

Mandy Saxon caught one of her creek pets recently. vessels with pearl perch, snapper, mulloway and flathead making up the

catches. Danny, fishing on a local charter, got a very big surprise when his bait

some impressive mahimahi. There are also small blacks getting around inshore, and

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Zac Watts has been getting some great cobia off Port Macquarie. was taken by a cracking mulloway while fishing for reds. The Spanish mackerel are hopefully in the bay by now; they have been patchy over the last month. Cobia have been taking live baits and Zac Watts has had a good run on these as well as

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some decent current may hang around this month. Land-based crews should be getting ready for the

A local charter recently put Danny onto this great offshore mulloway.

FISHING NEWS

New Port Macquarie wharf Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair announced $100,000 towards a new fishing wharf to be constructed at the former Hastings River Fishermen’s Cooperative building site at Port Macquarie. “Not only is recreational fishing around Port Macquarie a popular familyfriendly activity, it also brings a significant amount of business to the region, so these improvements to the local fishing infrastructure will have far reaching benefits,” Mr Blair said. “Being located next to a shopping plaza, restaurants, cafes and tourist attractions,

we anticipate this wharf will contribute immensely to the lively community precinct. “Fishers with limited movement will be able to access the wharf, and pedestrians will be able to walk past and watch people fishing to ensure the community gets maximum enjoyment from the facility.” Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams welcomed the funding announcement, saying it was a significant boost for anglers. “The North Haven fish cleaning table is around 30 years old and in poor condition,” Ms Williams said. “More than $16,000 will

be used for its demolition and replacement, with a new six-person stainless steel table as well as a new shelter and solar lighting to increase its use outside of daylight hours. $10,000 will also be allocated towards a wheelchair-accessible fish cleaning table at Aqua Reserve on Aqua Crescent at Lake Cathie.” The wharf is set to be open to anglers as early as October this year, with tenders for the project having closed in January. This project makes up part of the Port Macquarie Fisherman’s project, and is funded by the Recreational Fishing Trust. - DPI

retrieve. If the bream are around you’ll find it won’t take long until you hook up to one.

matter of covering the water, with the odd lure or bait change every now and then to maximise your chances.

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Macey Hutchinson with a whopping 560mm bream caught on a hand line. The whiting were patchy with the red weed about, but they have improved since then, and good catches are being taken in Limeburners Creek, Pelican Island and the sand flats in the Maria River. Flathead again have been a lot of fun, but they too

MULLOWAY Mulloway anglers will be getting their gear ready now, because the next few months should be the time we can get these iconic fish throughout the local systems. The rock walls will produce mulloway, and catches can

I have had great results on the 100mm Samaki range at this time of year. I prefer to use either a 3-5kg or 4-6kg rod, and both of these have 3000 size reels with 10lb braid matched with 15-20lb leader. You will stop most fish with these outfits,

Matt enjoying the recent run of whiting in the Hastings. can shut down, so if you’re out chasing these excellent sportfish, be sure to keep moving around until you find them. Most of the banks have a certain amount of flathead on them, especially the banks that are 3m or less. It’s just a

be made up to all the deeper sections upriver. Use your sounder to find the holes, and if there’s bait present then all the better. To catch mulloway you can either anchor up and use live or fresh dead bait,

including some big lizards that make these holes their homes at times. Enjoy and make the most of your fishing in April, as it will soon be time to get out the winter woollies for our colder months!

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The mullet are running HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

The past month has not been a good one for fishing. Strong nor’easters followed by raging southerlies, rain and heaps of red weed have made offshore, beach and rock fishing very difficult for all anglers. Thankfully the seas have abated and the water temperature is back to 23-27º – much better than 17º. The red weed has been the most disruptive to fishing, with the changing winds moving the weed north and then south. Some days you could fish the beach in beautiful conditions and the next day the red weed has taken over that part of the beach. The anglers don’t like it and neither do the fish. Through all the winds and bad weather the river has been the best spot to drop a line. Big schools of white bait have been coming into the river and have been attacked by gulls, cormorants and chopper tailor. They have even moved into the backwater behind the wall and have copped a beating from the birds and small tailor. School mulloway to 10kg have been landed from the wall on soft plastic lures, hardbodies and livebait. Small kingfish to 5kg have been spotted around the gantry, but none have fallen to bait or lures. Bream to 1kg have been bagged from the river wall on mullet strips and yabby baits. The best time to fish for these beauties is around the slack of the tide at night. Flathead are being caught in all parts of the

river right up to Wingham. All sorts of bait and lures will catch fish. Whiting have been scarce, and so too have blue swimmers and mangrove crabs. Fishing on the beaches has been poor, with only occasional catches of tailor and bream being made. Now that the winds have abated and the water temperature has picked up, fishing on the beach will get much better. Over the last couple of

north to spawn on ANZAC Day and it should prove to be no different this year. So for the next month or so, live baiting or floating a fresh slab from the wall, the rocks or beach should entice a big mulloway to take the bait. Bear in mind that the sharks will be following the mullet and will certainly pick up a livey or a slab bait. Usually the fight is short as the shark has a set of very

Aaron Billingsley with a nice Manning River bass caught on a surface cicada. Image courtesy of Harrington Bait & Tackle.

days the seawater temperature has risen to 27º out wide and the baitfish have turned up in droves. Slimy mackerel are everywhere and bonito are becoming increasingly plentiful. Good catches of snapper have been made on the northern grounds as well as trag and flathead on the drift. The mullet usually make their move from the river out to sea and start their trip

sharp teeth, but if you are using a wire trace then you could be in for an exciting 20 minutes or so. Depending where you hook the shark determines how difficult it will be to land. On the beach poses no trouble but on the rocks it can be difficult if you do not have a mate with a decent gaff. Never the less it will be an exciting few minutes until you get the fish to the gaff.

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NSWFM reader Chris DiMarchi enjoyed a great day on the water aboard Sea Fever on a holiday to the Whitsundays. APRIL 2019

Goodbye, farewell and so long FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

Well after almost 25 years writing for NSW Fishing Monthly and over 300 reports and features, I have decided to take a break from my monthly duties, so this will be my last column, for now. From next month Luke Austin, from Great Lakes Tackle, will be heading the reports and will have an endless stream of info filtering through the shop and into the pages of FM. To everyone who emails looking for spots to fish during their visits to the area or just want to say g’day my email address won’t change, and I’ll still reply, as I have, to every email or message. April is a fantastic month for fishing in the Great Lakes area. There are a few things that happen in the next two months that contribute to the prospects throughout the winter. The first is the aggregation of mullet in

mullet run and available to anyone willing to put the time in. If we get a fresh in the rivers early enough the chances of big mulloway on the wall increases even more. THE LAKE With the mullet, a significant number of bream

Big bream on surface is still a feature this month but be quick. and blackfish also run the gauntlet of the run-out tide and some even mix it up in the beach hauled nets that drag many of the mullet school to the sand. Until

The unmistakable noggin of a big flathead caught in the shallows at Forster. the close surrounds of the entrance and the eventual mullet run that triggers other fishing opportunities. Big mulloway from the breakwall are a consequence of the

with seasonal conditions shifting their travel itinerary forward or back, depending on water temperatures. The bream will be looking to put on some condition for the spawning run so the fishing can be good until they shift out

the bulk of the bream and blackfish make a move, they will be aggregating around the leases, weed and structure close to the entrance between now and the end of May,

onto ocean rocks. Like all species they don’t all go to sea, but fishing through the winter months in the lake can be tough, so make the most of the bream while they are still hanging around. The surface action will start to taper off from the height of summer, so slow cranking hardbodies along the edge of the racks, or soft plastics and crabs around the structures and bridge are more likely to yield results. The weed flats down near the sailing club are worth a look for a sedentary big bream or two, and they fish well with a bit of wind rolling a few choppy waves over the area. Crabs will be thinning out from this month, but still well worth a pot or two in the water while you go fishing for a few hours. This year has been particularly bad for predation by octopus, or perhaps I just found the

mother load of occies. The blue swimmers have been so plentiful that I caught one that pincered the rear treble of a swimbait and would not let go, until he hit the net. FLATHEAD There has been some big flathead caught this summer and definitely more to come in autumn now that the bulk of their spawning has been done. I’ve heard a lot of talk of metre plus fish and guestimations aside, the stories are true. Almost every trip in the last month I either encountered or saw a big flathead, or three, blow off the sand and cruise away. The place is healthy and big swimbaits or plastics are the go. I’ve managed a few good fish on Zerek Live Shrimp (the big ones) and also the 5.5” Black Magic Dartspins. Much of the action has been in The Paddock, but some have come from the mouth of the Wallamba too. OFFSHORE The number of mahimahi frames at the Forster cleaning tables suggests they are decent sizes around out at the FAD. While many will be chasing the spotties and Spanish for the short time they visit our area, a run-out

Big flathead should still be around and ready to feed after their breeding season. to the FAD would be worth a change up. Mixed reef species and some shallow water reds have kept most anglers happy and close to the coast. The reef at Black Head surrendered a few good snapper and after any big seas it is worth a look. Slimies and squid are around Haydens Reef off the back of the Forster

pool, making for perfect live bait for the kings and mulloway on Forster wall, or further afield. Make the most of the mild weather and sea conditions before the winter months roll in and good luck. ROCKS The rock fishing should start to heat up this month with more and more guys fishing livies from the stones. Mac tuna and bonito will no doubt steal baits but the chance of a big cobia and the first of the longtail tuna will see the baits reset. Lots of garfish schools will be making their way along the washes and with them come the predators. A few pigs have turned up on the deeper rock spots along with schools of chopper tailor attracted to the baitfish. Soon the big bream and blackfish will show and by then the weather will have cooled.

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It’s peak fishing time around Port Stephens PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

April for me is when the fishing out of Port Stephens peaks. The weather is generally pretty stable and the fish are chewing their heads off from the bay to offshore. Inside the estuary, frogmouth pilchards and

at this time of year, and they can be caught in good numbers around the mouths and entrances to most of the tributaries. It’s travelling season now for fish like bream and luderick, which will start to move out of estuaries and travel north to spawn before entering new systems. This will not only spark some great fishing for both

or pipis. I recommend using long shank hooks, because they will also pick up any whiting still hanging around. With large schools of mullet, luderick and bream moving along the beaches, predators like mulloway and sharks will be on the prowl, especially after dark. Beaches like Stockton Samurai and Hawks Nest are ideal places to find a good looking gutter

and longtail tuna in season, as well as the odd prized cobia. Suspending a live bait a couple of metres under a float from the deeper rock ledges and points is the best method to get connected to

stickbaits or metals around the 30g mark. OFFSHORE The headlands and coastal islands are great places to live bait around this time of year, with

find them is to slow troll live baits around schools of bait holding over deeper inshore reefs and temperature breaks. Snapper have been fishing well around the islands up to Seal Rocks, and both plastics

Mulloway can also be caught at night around the Nelson Bay and Anchorage rock walls. larger pelagics like these. Smaller pelagics like bonito and tailor are also around. They are providing plenty of fun on light spin gear for anglers throwing The deeper water around Soldiers Point should produce some nice fish this month. whitebait are being harassed from Shoal Bay through to North Arm Cove by everything from frigate mackerel, tailor and bonito to longtail tuna and sharks. The birds (particularly frigates and gannets) will help you to find the action – just be

species, but it will also mean predators like mulloway won’t be far behind them. The deeper water holes spread throughout the bay, as well as the wrecks and rock walls, will all be worth dedicating some time to this month in search of mulloway.

and spend few hours after sundown soaking a large bait. You can get good results using squid, or even better a live legal tailor or whiting. ROCKS First off, it’s important to note that Port Stephens Council have opted to make

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kingfish, cobia, mac tuna and longtail tuna all high percentage targets. There are still a few inshore billfish getting around, and the best way to

and bait fishing techniques are doing the trick. Anglers are also picking up trag on the 21, Vee and Gibber reefs, as well as a few nice reds.

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Big flathead will continue to be caught through April. careful not to drive into any bust-ups as this will usually spook your targets and send them down. Instead, find the action and try to anticipate the direction it’s heading in, and silently wait for it to come to you. Dusky flathead start to make their way up the rivers

Concentrate your efforts on the changes, especially those on dawn and dusk. BEACHES As mentioned above, it’s travelling season, so there will be good numbers of bream on the beaches this month. These should be fished for with live worms

the wearing of lifejackets from the ocean rocks law. There will be a 12-month grace period focusing on education, rather then fining anglers. Back to the fishing. It’s the time of year that land-based game anglers look forward to, with mac

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Anticipation builds as weather cools down OFFSHORE Offshore there have been plenty of mahimahi around the FADs, with most of the bigger specimens falling to a well-presented live yellowtail or slimy. Due to the hard-flowing current, it has been hard to fish the bottom, resulting in very few snapper and kingfish. In saying that, as soon as the

ERINA

Aaron Donaldson

The fishing has been average recently, where one day it’s good, the next day not so good. It really comes down to persistence and preserving through those days when it doesn’t seem like anything is going your way. Rock fishing has been good at times, although bonito are becoming scarce and their sizes are coming in below average compared to past seasons. Spinning the ledges has still been well worth the effort and there has been some nice-sized kingfish hooked amongst them as well. Moving into April, things

Luke Hughes with a monster mulloway caught recently off the beach. will start to take off again as the colder waters move back in. Blackfish and drummer

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current slows it should really fire up the bottom fish. Game fishing has been a bit of a fizzer this season, where the inshore black marlin yet to show numbers and out wide the current has been running hard, making it more difficult to fish. Hopefully we get a decent run of yellowfin tuna to keep the local game anglers happy!

will then become the main targets as those cold months really set in. Brisbane Waters has been holding some nice fish and it’s still a great time to use some surface lures up in the shallows on the high tides for the main target species such as bream, whiting and the odd flathead. The action is usually not hard to find, and with a high tide comes a run-out on the turn. This turn makes it a perfect time to swap the surface lures for soft plastics and hit up some areas where the water is

draining off. Flathead, being the predominant species in this situation, will hunt by ambushing baitfish as they come off the flats. My favourite flathead lure at the moment is the Samaki Vibelicious 70mm, and it’s a perfect presentation on those drop-offs. Also worth a mention are the local mulloway, which will to start to fire as the water begins to cool and the mullet start to move about. Be sure to get the heavier gear ready and give it a go.

Young angler Tom Hay with a nice snapper he caught while fishing with his dad Ben.

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Leroy landed this big mulloway while fishing for flathead with his Poppy in the Richmond River. He caught it on 12lb line and a whiting hook!

APRIL 2019

Mercury goes down and brings on the bite SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

Summer may have been a little late this year, but when it hit it did so with a good dose of high temperatures. The good news is that it is well and truly done for now and things have settled down. Temperatures are now much more pleasant, with most days seeing temperatures in the mid 20’s and the water temps should remain pretty mild at this time of year, which can be great for the lake. It hasn’t been the greatest season for game fishing anglers off our part of the world, whereas on the other hand the fishing has been fairly consistent inshore, with the lake producing the goods for many anglers. Staying confident, there is still time for a late run of fish for those offshore crews. We are moving into one of my favourite seasons for fishing Lake Macquarie. The day and water temperatures are generally good and the fishing can really turn it on especially for lure anglers. As the temperatures start to drop, the flathead will move into the deeper sections of

flathead. The fish will lay deep under these schools and feed on the scraps that the feeding tailor leave behind and this makes the ideal situation to target flathead. Make sure your gear is in good order as well, as there is always a few nice mulloway in these same locations and your flathead methods will work equally well on these fish. For those anglers happy to throw a few hardbody lures at the bream you too should see your share of the action. Although the bream theoretically start to move off these shallows as the temperatures drop, there are certainly exceptions to the rule. Sure, a lovely clean, calm day and some weekend boat traffic with cooling waters and the flats might not be the go-to choice for bream anglers but the very next day with a change in the weather and those very same locations can really turn it on, so put the hours in to crack some patterns and you will enjoy some great fishing at this time of year. As I mentioned early in this report, the tailor schools will increase in numbers over coming months and although they provide a great food source for big

A nice Lake Mac flathead for local kayak angler Dom Perrone. For those who love nothing more than a great feed of fresh squid, you’re in luck. Squid are about in good numbers throughout the lake and although not huge, they are a reasonable size and in good numbers so it’s not too difficult to put together a good feed. Moving out the channel to the offshore waters things have not been so rosy. Recently we had seen the cancellation of the Port

been well down on previous years. At this time of year anglers will be turning their attention to the mighty blue marlin and hoping a good bite will help save an otherwise disappointing game fishing season. Techniques change quite a bit for crews chasing blues specifically over the usual inshore black and striped marlin. The blue marlin is a different beast

altogether. A tough fish for anglers and captains and it’s rare for any other fight than a drawn out tough battle. The main thing to note here if you want to target blue marlin for the first time, up the gear. Big reels, heavy lines and large lures is the key. More and more crews are realising these days that by rigging their lures with a large single hook rig instead of

the often used twin hook rig is seeing much better hook-up ratios. The other main thing to note is the general grounds to work. For the summer run of black and striped marlin, many fish are caught within a reasonable distance from shore and often easily accessible even to small trailer boats. However, that is certainly not the case for those wanting to have a crack at a blue marlin off our part of the world. The main locations are wide and as a starting point getting out and about on Norah Head Canyons is as good as any spot to hit. The other good thing about being prepared with the right gear and working these wide grounds is the real possibility of coming across a few yellowfin tuna or even some very large late season mahimahi. End of season usually sees some of the better mahimahi each year and no one ever complains about a big mahimahi for the table. So make sure you check the weather, take extra fuel and if it’s safe to do so and you’re confident doing it, then give it a go!

Tall fish tales told here. Experience the best bluewater, rock, river and beach fishing on the NSW north coast.

With plenty of squid around at the moment, good feeds like this are not too hard to come by. the lake and this is when I start to target big flathead in the deep sections on soft plastic lures. It’s a style of fishing I really enjoy and it’s always nice to score a couple of mid size fish for the dinner table as well. It’s that time of year that I really put the effort in to try and notch up a PB flathead, which is my aim every year. As the water cools you will find a greater number of tailor schools appearing on your sounders and this is the perfect spot to target the

flathead and mulloway, they also provide hours of great fun for the whole family. Soft plastics are as good as any lure to throw at these tailor and easy for the kids to flick out. Obviously the tailor destroy soft plastics, so try some of the more durable plastics that are on the markets these days. Very small metal lures are also a good option and trolling small diving lures around the outside edge of these schools is also productive and fun for the family as well.

Stephens Inter Club game fishing tournament due to terrible weather conditions. It’s not a decision the committee took lightly but certainly the right decision for anglers’ safety. As they say, “no fish is worth dying for” and there is always next time. The offshore fishing has not been crash hot this season to be honest. There has been the odd boat having a good day here and there with multiple marlin for the day, but overall it has

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Offshore water producing despite nasty wind down for the winter. Again, live worms or prawns are the best of the baits to nail a feed.

HUNTER COAST

Shannon Malone

Can you believe it’s almost Easter already! There’s plenty of good fishing to be had over the coming months, so let’s have a look at what’s on offer. The harbour has been putting out the goods, and some nice fish have been landed both by land-based anglers and boaters. We’re still seeing some quality flathead coming out of the river, along with bream and a few nice mulloway. Soft plastics are doing a lot of the damage for anglers drifting the stretch from the Stockton Bridge down to the basin, as well as Tourle Street bridge down to the loader, with plenty of legal-sized fish about and some quality big girls also. Bream are also coming to the party, with the bait fishers favouring chicken breast seasoned with garlic and parmesan cheese. Other consistent baits are mullet fillets, mullet gut and prawns. Most of the wharves will hold good quality specimens in good numbers. Some cracking whiting are still about, but it won’t be long before they too hunker

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temperatures and currents all over the place. Still, there are some decent fish for those putting in the time, just not in the numbers that many of us were expecting. Some local tournaments have been run and won, with Lake Macquarie Game Fishing Club’s Big Fish Bonanza, which ran in February, seeing 38 boats take on the trying conditions, with only a few fish tagged or captured over the two-day event. Les Binkin’s vessel The Captain (LMGFC), skippered by Aaron Hampo, taking out Champion Tag and Release, and Ross Ireland on All Zeros taking out the Heaviest Gamefish Capture trophy with a 295kg tiger shark landed after a two-hour battle and also the Champion

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is the preferred method, but spinning with chrome slices or stickbait type lures is also effective if live baits are scarce. It’s always good to have a second rod rigged with a lure in case you see some action bust up and your live bait is swimming in the opposite direction. REEFS The inshore reefs have been yielding some nice snapper, kings of all sizes, mulloway, morwong and trevally, with all of the usual haunts holding fish. Keep an eye on your sounder, especially where the sand meets the reef, which is easily visible on the screen. If the wind and current are favourable, try to anchor on the sand and the boat should settle right on the edge of the

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That can get annoying when you’re presenting live baits, especially squid; those razorsharp teeth destroy baits and leaders in no time. BEACHES The beaches generally fish well at this time of year. Bream and whiting are the main targets, but there are also some good-sized tailor, and we can expect a few Australian salmon too. The best baits off the beach at this time of year are mullet for the bream, and prawns and worms for the whiting. Live tube worms work very well, and you shouldn’t be afraid of using frozen beach worms, as they also put plenty of fish in the bag. Last month’s report said the limit for whole/part beach worms was 50, but the limit

Mitch Watts with a mulloway caught off a reef on a recent outing. At 122cm and around 19kg there will be plenty of anglers salivating over this beast.

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There are a few nice tailor around as well, although a lot of them are little choppers.

Phil McCloy and crew with their winning catch – a 215.5kg blue marlin on 60kg line. is actually 20, so please be careful that your worm pieces don’t add up to more than 20. For those anglers chasing mulloway, there have been reports of a couple of decentsized specimens taken on live mullet and slabs of mullet. ROCKS Off the stones, the longtails should be in full swing at this point as well as the other likely suspects like black cobia, mac tuna and of course, plenty of sharks. Let’s just hope the shark numbers are down on last year as many anglers found it difficult to land fish without the tax man stepping in. Live baiting a slimy mackerel under a balloon

reef. Put some berley in the pot and keep watching the sounder and wait for those rods to buckle over. CRABS There will still be some good crabs about this month, but unfortunately a lot of anglers have given up putting witches hats and traps out because they keep getting stolen. It seems that the last couple of generations feel the world owes them something – even if it is someone else’s crab pots. OFFSHORE It hasn’t been the greatest season compared with previous years, with unfavourable wind conditions, ocean

Boat Capture trophy. A fortnight later the Newcastle Port Stephens Game Fishing Club’s Billfish Shootout was held, again struggling with conditions. Phil McCloy’s entry Zanzibar (NPSGFC) took out the $12,500 first prize with a 215kg blue marlin on 60kg line. Phil and his everconsistent crew, skippered by Chris Jolly, took out yet another tournament. Phil’s trophy room will soon need a second storey added to house them all! All in all, there are plenty of choices at this time of year, so make the most of the mild conditions, remembering that winter is coming!

A few tips for playing fish NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Landing that whopper is about keeping your cool, having a game plan and understanding exactly how your gear works. I’ve detailed the basics of hooking, fighting and landing

the ‘high’ that keeps bringing us back for more — but it’s what you do in those vital seconds or minutes after setting the hook that will ultimately spell the difference between landing a good fish, or adding another sad story of the “one that got away” to your growing collection! If the fish you’ve just hooked is relatively small

extreme cases, your rod might even snap! Strong, active fish like tailor, salmon, snapper, trout, barra or tuna are all capable of breaking a line with a rated strength greater than their actual body weight. Many anglers are surprised to learn that a fish of less than 3kg can easily snap a 4-5 kg line in a direct pull, but they certainly can! That’s exactly why larger, more active fish need to be ‘played’. ‘Playing’ a fish doesn’t mean mucking around simply

slightly more. Game fishers chasing line class records often set their drags against calibrated scales. But very few of us carry spring balances or weights around to test our drags. Instead, we develop a ‘feel’ for the right setting, and learn how to sense when the drag is too tight or too loose. If the line whistles and sings in the breeze, there’s a good chance your drag is set too tight! If in doubt, it pays to err on the lighter side. On the other hand, if the drag’s too loose, the fish may be

This is about as high as you should ever lift the rod when pumping and winding to recover line.

Even a modest trout like this could snap light line or tear free of the hooks if your drag is set too tightly. fish a couple of times over the seven years I’ve been writing this column (yes, it’s really that long!). However, it’s one of those critical but often overlooked subjects that’s always worthy of a quick refresher, especially considering the fact that

in relation to the gear you’re using, you can simply raise the rod to about 45º above the horizontal and crank smoothly on the reel handle to bring it in. However, landing bigger, stronger fish require a bit more thought and skill. Attempting to use sheer

Your rod acts like a giant shock absorber to soak up the lunges and dives of a hooked fish. This is fly gear, but conventional tackle works much the same. new readers are constantly coming on board. As I’ve explained here before, hooking into a fish is one of the most thrilling moments in angling — it’s

muscle to haul in a fish that’s heavy and strong in relation to your tackle is very likely to result in disaster. The line might break, or the hook could tear free or straighten out. In

When a big fish is running hard and taking line against the drag, keep a bend in the rod but don’t try to crank the reel. Wait until the run comes to an end, then smoothly pump-and-wind. to prolong the fight for our own entertainment. Instead, the term means taking your time and bringing the fish in slowly and smoothly while using the flex of the rod as a shock absorber to protect the line and hook. It also means, if necessary, allowing the fish to run, or take line against the reel’s drag mechanism, which you should set every time you go fishing. As a rough rule, your drag should be set somewhere between a quarter and a third of the rated breaking strain of the line, measured in a direct pull from the reel. In other words, if you’re using 4kg breaking strain line, the pre-set drag pressure at the reel should be around a kilo or

angle, begin turning the reel handle as you smoothly lower the rod towards the horizontal. Repeat this process to bring the fish in. Be careful to maintain tension at all times. If you don’t, loose line can wrap around the rod tip, or create slack that might allow the fish to throw the hook. The best way to avoid slack is to start turning the reel a split second before you begin lowering the rod. Maintain enough pressure to keep at least a slight bend in the rod right through the down stroke. Most importantly, stay cool and have a game plan in mind… It’s amazing just how large a fish can be landed on light gear if you keep your head!

Lift without winding until the rod butt is angled about 45º above horizontal or a little higher, then wind the reel as you smoothly lower the rod to recover line.

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impossible to bring in, or it may even strip all the line from your spool. It’s about finding the right balance. As soon as the fish you’ve hooked stops pulling line from your reel against the drag, you need to begin recovering lost line and bringing that fish in. The best way to recover line is to ‘pump-and-wind’, which means lifting the rod without cranking the reel, then lowering the rod while turning the reel. Begin by smoothly lifting the rod from just above the horizontal until the butt or lower portion is angled up at least 45º above the horizon. Don’t crank the reel as you lift or pump, because that’d put unnecessary strain on your gear. When the lower portion of the rod passes that 45º

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Berley is the key ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

Southwesterlies are now prevailing winds and they often blow during the night, although most are only light and drop off during the mornings to leave the ocean calm, and the days warm and pleasant. This is when you can get into many of the shallow bays and bommies all along the

boat competing for the free feed. The key is to not get too eager and nail the first fish that shows up, as it can often be straight away, but to watch and wait by just trickling the berley out. As more fish arrive and start competing for your offerings, they start to let their normally cautious guard down and become more brazen, often competing just a few metres behind the boat. By observing them in

good catches, with a number one hook being all that you need. Pieces of mackerel, tuna, bonito or fillets of pilchard cast out among the berley will usually only last a short time before being taken. The good thing about this type of fishing is that the word down there soon spreads and it is amazing what turns up in the shallow water. Apart from the trevally it is surprising how many snapper are available,

The FADs are holding some mahimahi. They seem to stay longer each year.

April is kingy time. You can always find them around the islands. coast and lay down a berley trail in the shallows for all number of species. Bream are the main target at the moment and there is no shortage of them, with up to 20 fish at times swimming around in the shallows behind the

this manner you can learn a lot about how they work and approach your bait. It gets even more interesting when the trevally arrive, it then gets hectic as both species fight for the best bits of berley. Light line is the key to

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from little 0.5kg fish to the bruisers of 5kg and better. They generally hang about on the edges and pick up what they can – particularly if it is late in the evenings or very early in the mornings just on daylight. It shouldn’t be long before the salmon and tailor come darting through, grabbing what they can before heading out and turning around and making another run back through the berley. Even mulloway and kings will come through and there will always be the eagle and sand rays in the area. I usually have a larger fillet on 6kg line cast well out the back for the stray snapper and mulloway, but when the rays show up, I usually wind this in, as you don’t want to waste your time on the rays and hook the poor buggers. Some places I’ve fished the rays come right to the back of the boat and you’re able to hand feed them – not fishing, but still very cool! Then there are the little and not so little whaler sharks that inevitably show up and make a nuisance of themselves. Keeping in mind, all this is happening in 3m or less of clear, calm water! Just remember that even on calm days with little or no swell, the odd larger wave can and does pop up from nowhere, so just be aware and have enough anchor rope out to cope or be in a spot that the waves

won’t break on you. There are plenty of places all along the coast that produce fish but just about any bay or shallow area with a bit of rock and sand mixed together is a good spot to start. The area around Port Kembla and Bass Point are standout spots to hit. Further offshore, the fishing is still pretty hot and with Easter and ANZAC Day almost blending into each other, you get a pretty fair crack with plenty of time off work to chase them. Kingies are around in good numbers, with April always being a good month to target them. Livebait as always is the key to getting the better fish, with squid and slimy mackerel being a close second, whereas some days the humble yellowtail will out fish all of them, so it always pays to have a few different live baits on board. The drop offs around the islands, particularly Gap, Bass Point and Rangoon, always hold fish, but the seals can be a nuisance… they are cute for about five minutes until they keep stealing your baits and fish. Big bonito up to 7kg will be around grabbing kingy baits too. If there are a few about try fishing light line, as it is as close as you will get to dogtooth tuna around here. The full moon in April (which is usually Easter) will see plenty of good snapper come into the shallows on the reefs and bommies along the coast. The evenings are the best time to target them as the big bright moon rises. Being in close means there will be plenty of tailor, trevally and salmon mixed in with them. There is still the chance of some warm water visitors hanging about, particularly with the warm water arriving late this year, it may hang around a bit longer. These visitors include cobia, spotty mackerel and longtail, which

will be on the cards. Further out the odd black marlin will be found on the inner reefs, with the earlier part of the month the best shot. The blues and stripes will be found further out. Yellowfin tuna will be in the mix as well this month and a few may trickle in closer, but it is all in the lap of the currents, so take some pillies and few live baits with you when heading east. Bottom fishing is still great, with flathead over the sand along with a few flounder even showing up. On the reefs there are good numbers of snapper, mowies, small samson, the odd trag, pearl perch and sweetlip mixed with them. Throw in plenty of

If you are chasing bream and whiting, go with beach worms, as you pick up solid numbers this month. Whiting are not as numerous as the summer months, but they really make up for it in size and put up a good scrap in the suds. The rocks are fishing well, with a few snapper gracing the deeper and shallower ledges during the evenings. Kings are along all the deeper spots with the livebait creating more by-catch opportunities. Picking up a big longtail or mackerel tuna also thrown into that by catch mix. Bass Point and Port Kembla has plenty of bonito, small mac tuna, rat kings and salmon taking

There are still a few flatties in the lake – you just have to work harder for them. leatherjackets, trevally, pigfish, sweep and the usual other reefies. This month there can be a very mixed bag, so don’t be surprised to see a variety of species hit the deck. The beaches are fishing really well, with some nice mulloway coming from the surf all along the coast. Fish of 15kg+ are not uncommon, with plenty of schoolies about for the persistent anglers who put in the time. Salmon and big tailor are grabbing mulloway baits, and there’s heaps of bream picking them to bits as well.

lures. You know when they are about, as there will be large crowds there. The lake is slowing a little bit for flatties, but making up for it with bream in the deeper spots around the bridge and the feeder streams. As always, plastics and live poddies are best for the flatties with nippers and prawns the go-to baits for the bream. A few whiting are a chance around the entrance, with worms and nippers working a treat, whereas poppers seem to be lacking in results, as the prawns are almost gone.

Easter eggs won’t be the only thing in the bag NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

Ok, I don’t know about you lot, but I’m wondering where the first quarter of this year went! I suppose when you look back at all the magnificent fish that

however is remaining red-hot! The feeder creeks to St Georges Basin and the Shoalhaven River are producing some good bream and estuary perch for both lure and bait fishers. I always enjoy my lure fishing, but I also love sitting back in the chair by the side of the river with a cold drink, some

some nice fish being caught, but not with the regularity and consistency of today. Now I’m not saying there are more fish around, because I don’t think there is, except perhaps in St Georges Basin since it became a fish haven. I think with the technology in fish finders, fishing techniques and fishing tackle these days there are just simply more people fishing with success. FRESHWATER When people think of fishing on the South Coast I bet most think of our beautiful estuaries, spectacular beaches/rocks and our amazing offshore fishing, but there is another side a lot wouldn’t delve into. Our estuaries do have to start from somewhere and that is freshwater streams, rivers and creeks flowing into them. These all hold populations of bass and unfortunately European carp, which although are a pest are great fun to catch.

Jai Goodwin looking pretty pleased with this South Coast swamp monster caught recently. If you haven’t given bass fishing a go, do yourself a favour and call into your

The author’s nephew Ridley Nolan with a nice Wandy Creek bream. have been caught so far you can see, but it just seems to be flying! So, with the quality of fishing and anglers in our area, I’m sure there are plenty of top fish to be caught over the next few months before the winter doldrums hit and everyone seems to hibernate. LOCAL ESTUARIES The water is slowly beginning to cool in our estuary systems – the fishing

shade, have a couple of baits out with baitrunners set to free spool and waiting in anticipation for that sound when a big bream takes off with your bait. It’s good for the kids just getting into fishing too, teaching them patience and control. There are still some nice mulloway being taken in all our systems, which these days, is just about becoming a regular occurrence. Ten to fifteen years ago there were

A nice feed of snapper and flatties... the only thing missing is the squid.

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local tackle shop and get what you need. It can take you to some amazing places and the fishing can be truly explosive. A good map or GPS is also a must, showing you where you can access the river. Our major dams also hold good populations of bass and are open all year round when the rivers are closed for the spawning season. Tallowa Dam and Danjera fish well up until about the end of April, so be quick if you’re going to give it a crack. You will still get fish through winter, but with different techniques and slower fishing. The good old Euro carp are well and truly established in Tallowa now, so if you want to have some fun and do some eradication for the environment at the same time these are a pretty cool fish to catch. They pull as hard as anything

and are pretty easy to catch on the right bait, such as corn kernels. JERVIS BAY There are plenty of small to medium-sized squid around the usual haunts of Murray’s break wall and Long Beach with green or orange jigs taking better results. There are flathead on offer around the mouth of the bay, with squid a great bait or the bigger style snapper snatcher rigs. There are also are some nice reds on Longnose Bommie and Middle Ground early morning with the tide change, and 7” soft plastics fished on a 1/4-3/8oz jighead has been working well. Just be careful, as a big king may chime in on the action at any time and take your tackle, so maybe have the heavy gear on standby just incase!

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Estuaries reward hard work MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson

Those anglers visiting our shores should be happy with the variety of fishing options available. All

areas are firing at times; it really just depends on what type of angling you want to do. Inshore the fishing is exceptional, with flathead numbers being excellent at present. Most anglers are

getting their bags within a few hours, with all the usual haunts holding fish. Water depths of 28-36m seem to be the go, with Tura Head, Bournda Island and the sticks near Pambula seeing plenty of the action.

Jimbo fishing the snags with hardbodies – this session saw plenty of estuary perch from this sort of cover.

On the reefs it has slowed up, but you can still get a feed of snapper and morwong if you put in the time and use fresh bait. That shouldn’t be too hard, as slimy mackerel are thick in close just past the bar entrance. Drop a bait jig down in 12-14m and you should be in business. In this same area there’s been a few undersized kingfish, salmon and the odd bonito harassing the slimy schools, so it would be worth casting a few poppers or metal jigs around for some action. Those after bigger kings are becoming extremely frustrated, as plenty of fish have been seen on the surface, but they haven’t been playing the game in recent weeks. Yes, there’s been the very odd fish caught, but when these bigger schools decide to chew you’ll be in for some serious fun. This coming full moon might just fire them up and if you look back on this time last year it was all systems go, so let’s hope it’s the same over the coming weeks.

Frank with a typical Pambula yellowfin bream. Further offshore the marlin bite continues to be down south of Eden.

One local boat went five from six last month and so did a few others also. The

Late warm run making for mixed catches NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson

Offshore anglers have had a mixed bag of late, with the game fishing crew targeting marlin, although they have been patchy depending on the day. This has been mainly due to the prevailing conditions, with the current, tide and bait all playing a part as to how the fishing is. Some days the current is pushing hard south doing 3 knots, making it hard for the bait to school up and quite often they get deeper in the water column to combat this and spread out closer to the bottom. This will slow down the billfish action. There will still be fish there but not in the usual numbers. This should change, but when is anyone’s guess because north of us the water is hot as (25-26ºC) and if that gets here it might really slow things down along the shelf, for striped marlin especially. It would certainly help with smaller black marlin in close or at Montague Island, as these conditions are ideal for them. We’ve had it before when the water is hot enough that plenty of black marlin get caught in close. Most 52

APRIL 2019

of them are are caught trolling smaller skirts more aimed at striped tuna, however if you concentrate on mid-sized pushers you might be in business. At the moment the kings at Montague are a daily proposition. Some days are good while on other days the kings are hard to entice. Anglers using jigs and live bait on the west/ southwest side of the island have done reasonably well when the kings decide to chew. The majority of fish are schoolies in the 3-4kg bracket. The odd better fish up to 8kg has been caught but there are not many of them. Hopefully that will change over the coming days, with April generally a cracking month for kingfish. On the reefs the reds are still good. Further north of the point is the go, with those anglers drifting with fresh baits like squid getting the more consistent results. The beaches are still fishing well for salmon, even with the warm water around, with metal lures and paternoster rigs rigged with a bait/popper combination working a treat. Coila Beach would be the standout; there’s been a great looking gutter on the southern end of the beach lately. Brou is also worth a look to the south of Tuross, especially

if you’re targeting bream. This beach would be the pick too if you’re after a mulloway or gummy shark. It’s a long beach with plenty of formations so finding a decent gutter or hole shouldn’t prove too

has been good for bream, especially after a southerly. Using a mixture of beach worms and pipi will catch you plenty, with the odd whiting thrown in too. Off the stones it’s been excellent for the pelagic

close second. It might also be worthwhile putting a live bait out under a balloon or bobby cork; this might help if a bigger king is what you’re after. Look at either the golf course rocks in town or Mystery Bay’s

There are some great bream around the racks. Fishing surface lures is a lot of fun and works a treat. hard. Fresh bait like tailor or squid is the go if you’re chasing the larger variety. For those anglers who are after a feed, the southern end of Narooma Main

species such as salmon, tailor, bonito and smaller kingfish. Anglers using pilchards on ganged hooks have fared best, with chrome lures up to 50g a

high rock to the south, as both ledges are excellent land-based areas. The washes at both spots should produce a few blackfish and drummer, with cabbage

and cunjevoi the preferred baits. Using berley will also improve catch rates but use it sparsely or you will only get the pickers taking your baits. Wagonga has been a mixed bag lately, though the bream surface fishing has been nothing short of awesome. Catches of a dozen plus fish is the norm, with a few crackers over a kilo making their presence felt. The fish can be found throughout the entire system, with the weed edges certainly fishing better than the oyster racks upstream. You can expect the odd trevally, flathead and whiting also. Most days you will catch a few of each species, so it makes for great fishing. In the main basin the place is loaded with salmon and tailor, and the diving terns are a dead giveaway as to where they are. Some of the salmon are solid models. I know of a handful of fish over 3kg, which are big fish for the estuary, particularly when taken on light line. There are also a few schools of frigate mackerel poking around. These little speedsters can be hard to entice at times, so use only very small 5-10g shiners and wind fast. To page 53

majority are striped marlin in the 80kg bracket, making for good fun on the 15kg stand up. The shelf is still the place to fish but this can change daily, so it’s just a matter of being out there and trying your luck. What is exciting is the very warm water that is above us off Batemans Bay and heading south. It’s a hot 26°C and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see short billed spearfish, wahoo and maybe even a sailfish or two – I know it sounds crazy this far south but it has happened before. In the estuaries the fishing is average, so you do have to work for them. Casting a mixture of stickstyle soft plastics in natural colours has been effective on flathead, trevally and a few bream, especially in the channels upstream on the main bridge in town. There are plenty of casts between fish, however it’s still definitely worthwhile with the odd solid fish being caught. Further upstream in the main basin it’s still fishing well with plenty of flathead to be caught around the weed-fringed margins. Water depths of 4-7m are the go, with soft vibes working a treat. One From page 52

Down deeper the flatties have been unusually tough for this time of year, as have the mulloway population. There has been the odd good fish taken, but there’s certainly no guts to them. This should pick up as we head into April though, with these two

visitor I talked to caught 19 for the session with the best at 83cm, which is pretty good going in my books. He said the key was to fish very slowly, with quite long pauses between lifts; often the fish was on when the next lift was executed. He also mentioned that he caught a few legal pinky snapper, bream and a heap of tailor when they came to the surface after the whitebait schools. Over at Pambula the main basin is still producing some quality bream and flathead, mainly around the weed edges in 3-4m of water. Bait anglers seem to be having more success with fresh prawns and striped tuna strips. Fishing the afternoon into the evening has been prime time when the weather has allowed. Don’t be too surprised to see the odd mulloway caught too. I know of several fish lost lately by anglers fishing too light while targeting the eating species. On the beaches, Merimbula Main is still good for whiting, with pipi and beach worms proving the best baits. Try fishing the morning tides, and remember that

there’s no need to be too eager to get out really early as the whiting can be caught throughout the day. The key is to have the freshest of bait. If you’re after pelagic species then Tura Main has been good, as there’s a cracking gutter about halfway along the beach there. It’s a bit of a walk to get there but will be worth it. A few salmon up to 3kg have caught from this gutter, mainly on bait. If you’re after a shark from the beach, there have been a few caught from this same spot after dark on salmon fillets. For the rock hoppers it’s been very good, especially at Tura Head. Frigate mackerel are abundant at the minute with a few bigger bonito and salmon with the odd better kingfish too. Casting shiners is the go for the frigate, although the smaller 5-10g tending to be the better option for matching the bait. A few lads are live baiting the frigate mackerel and catching the odd shark, with a few kingfish as well. The best king landed over the past few weeks was around 11kg with a few bigger greenbacks lost as well.

upcoming months being the best of the calendar year in my book. Up at the Tuross the surface fishing for bream and whiting is still going strong, especially in the river system. Several local guns have been getting 20-30 fish per session, with some cracking elbow slapping whiting amongst

them. Some of these fish are 44-45cm, and are a stack of fun on the light gear. There are still a few mulloway coming from the lower sections, with the draining and ebb tide being the time to fish. If this coincides with an early morning or evening then all the better!

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There are still a few good mulloway around, with Tuross being the pick of the systems. APRIL 2019

Late season larks will produce the goods BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

This season is seemingly a late one, and with a now very hot summer behind us we are still experiencing some very warm days.

fishing, and early morning or late afternoon is the prime time to fish and enjoy this scenic waterway. If it is offshore game fishing you like, then you won’t get a better opportunity than now, with excellent weather conditions allowing anglers to venture further

continental shelf and beyond through to the Canyons or further afield. Mixing with them are the smaller stripes or blacks of varying sizes, mahimahi, yellowfin tuna and the odd spearfish. You just never know just what will present itself! Closer to shore around

put some tasty species on the table. Fish like snapper are starting to show along the coast and should keep increasing in numbers as the weather cools. Mixing with them are the usual other reef dwellers like morwong, nannygai, perch, pigfish and even that tasty curse of the ocean, leatherjackets. Most of these fish can be acquired along the southern reefs with the better ones being down towards Goalen Head. Not to be outdone, flathead are also in reasonable numbers, with sandies being more

conditions will allow you to fish this deeper water. If you have some electric reels, you can head out over the shelf into the abyss looking for those deep water critters like hapuka, gemfish, ling, blue eye trevalla and many more. Beaches in the area are also primed, and even though it is starting to get cooler it is still pleasant enough to fish into the night. Those who wish to do so are encountering plenty of tailor and salmon, and mixing with them are gummy and small whaler sharks, along with the odd

fish, if not land-locked, will look to migrate out into the ocean where they will move to another warmer system over the winter months. However, before they do so they will feed in earnest, building up body condition. This is when anglers can really cash in, making the most before the waters cool. This is also a time of year to concentrate on the lower parts of the estuaries towards the entrances, especially on a rising tide where bait is likely to be a better option. Bream, flathead, luderick and whiting along with most other species

Brogo bass vary in size due to annual stocking. With some late summer storms Brogo Dam is close to full capacity, this means a late season on the bass to us anglers, where Brogo Dam is still producing some excellent fish. What is happening out at the dam is there is plenty of black crickets on the move, which can lead to some spectacular surface

afield, with ambitions of a variety of species. It is well known at this time of year that the big blue marlin are a targeted species, with some of the largest of them captured in April. A spread of large pusher style lures is often the preferred method to drum up some business out over the

Montague Island and the closer inshore reefs, kingfish and bonito are on the short list. These lighter sportfish are providing plenty of entertainment on light gear, whether you wish to use lure or bait. The inshore reefs are also providing plenty of bottom fish for those who wish to

Stripies are still being caught, and anglers are hoping there are a few big blues around as well. predominant. To find these fish try in and around the 30-40m mark, or if you are looking for some big tigers, get out to the Twelve Mile Reef when weather

mulloway. During the day, whiting, mullet and bream will also grace the sands. Into the estuaries, it has been a brilliant season and it is not over yet. Most estuarine

will move over the flats in search of worms, prawns, nippers and small crustaceans like crabs, providing some excellent shallow water and often very visible angling.

Anglers are hitting the rocks for bigger bites TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Tathra has some superb rock platforms that can be exploited by any keen angler. The main headland, down behind the pub and around Kianinny Bay area, are the prime spots for

chasing drummer, groper, bream and trevally. Cunjevoi and cabbage weed are the preferred baits with a small ball sinker run straight down to the hook. Predators also visit the stones and it’s quite possible to catch a variety of species. Kingfish patrol along the shore feeding on a variety of baitfish, and with them are

northern bluefin, yellowfin and striped tuna along with sharks and a host of small species in the form of tailor and salmon. Drifting live baits out under balloons or bobby corks is most popular, although high-speed lure casting can also produce results. This method works well from both the rocks and nearby wharf, and

bait can be obtained by berleying the same areas you are fishing. When gathering bait at this time of year, keep an eye out for

very well, with a variety of species hanging around – this is great for families on holidays as the kids get stuck into the many baitfish

making up the bulk of the captures. Out to sea, the offshore fishing has also fired up, with both the

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APRIL 2019

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garfish, as they can entertainment and feed while you’re for the big strike. The wharf is

provide a good waiting fishing

schools that are here. Yellowtail and trevally are regular captures with the visitors, along with the everpopular slimy mackerel

game fish and bottom dwellers on the chew. Marlin are still around for the game fishers with To page 55

From page 54

all three species now in the area. If it’s a big blue marlin you’re looking for now is the time to target one. Tathra Canyons, out over the continental shelf, has in the past seen many an epic battle carried out on these great fish and probably the best way to encounter one is with a spread of large skirted lures, as you can cover more water to find where the fish are. Once you have raised a fish or two in a certain area you then can revert to live baits in the form of slimy mackerel or small striped tuna. There will be other species also encountered while chasing the billfish and anglers could expect to find anything from your sub-tropical mahimahi and spearfish through to a variety of tuna species, including albacore, and definitely a mixture of different sharks.

Bream will be one of the first fish species to enter an estuary once re-opened to the ocean. Calm conditions are allowing the bottom and reef fishos plenty of scope

to work different areas in a range of depths. The wider reefs out in 70 fathoms

(and there are some good ones out from Tathra) are producing some very

nice snapper, mowies, tiger flathead and very big trumpeter. Berleying while out in this deeper water setting baits for sharks, tuna or marlin, may produce while fishing down deep. Closer to shore, fishing for flathead has always been popular out from Tathra. Most of the grounds south of Bournda or north to Wapengo have good schools of both sand and tiger flatties, with the odd red gurnard or gummy shark to add to the catch. The inshore reefs are also hosting a variety of species, with the most popular targeted fish being snapper. Bait fishing is still the most reliable way to catch snapper off the reefs, however the use of soft plastics in shallower water is increasing in popularity. This is now being practised in a range of water depths and as long as you can get

your lure to the bottom you’re in with a good show. Late summer rain provided enough flow in the Bega River to force local council to open up the river mouth to the ocean in mid February. This has allowed fresh fish stocks to move into the river providing renewed interest amongst anglers. Up around Blackfellas Lake and the rock walls in the Thompson area is proving very productive for bream and estuary perch on lures. The drop offs and main channel down towards the entrance has seen a lot of flathead and tailor taken on both lures and live bait, with the odd mulloway also getting into the act. Down around the flats, anglers using nippers and fresh prawns have had some exciting fishing, especially around the weed beds for some very nice whiting, blackfish and bream.

BOATING NEWS

Lost Bar Crusher turns up 2000km away A Bar Crusher that was lost offshore from NSW has turned up over 2000km away on the coast of New Zealand.

the bow protruding out of the water. David dived under the boat and retrieved his EPIRB, and clung to the bow until a rescue

windscreen. The motor was still there, along with around $1000 worth of fishing gear, much of which was salvageable, aside from a

Kydd Pollock and his wife spotted the boat adrift in the ocean, and Kydd dived underneath for a closer look. Image courtesy of Kydd Pollock.

A tractor carried the boat up the beach to begin its new life in New Zealand. Image courtesy of Zak Slaughter. Blake’s Marine in Sydney originally sold the new Bar Crusher 615C to a customer in 2015. It was then sold to another owner, David Nash, in mid-2017. In September 2017, David arrived at The Peak, approximately 13km offshore from Maroubra in NSW. As he was dropping the anchor, the rope became tangled around the motor. Before he could unhook it, the anchor took hold and pulled the stern under in the rough conditions. When David jumped in the water to try to cut the rope, a large wave swamped the stern of the vessel causing it to capsize, only leaving

helicopter came about 30 minutes later, followed by the Water Police. As the boat was being towed back the tow line snapped, and the vessel disappeared from view. A 4-hour search was unable to locate it, and it was presumed sunk. The matter seemed closed until earlier this year, when the boat was discovered on the east coast of New Zealand, after floating in the water for around 18 months. One of the people who found the boat was charter operator Zak Slaughter, and he soon realised it was largely intact, aside from the damaged folding hard top/rocket launcher and

few rusty hooks. Zak offered to return David’s tackle to him, but David said he was

welcome to keep it, seeing as the cost had been covered by insurance. The insurance company agreed to give Zak ownership of the boat, and he plans to one day have it back on the water.

The clean-up begins. Image courtesy of Zak Slaughter.

“We’re going to blast off all the barnacles and get a good look at what we’ve got under there, but at this stage it’s looking pretty good,” he said. “Part of the steering system, the transducer and the trim tabs are all OK. A marine supplier has offered to sponsor some of the replacement parts we’ll need, such as electronics and wiring.” After news broke of the boat being found, previous owner Dave Nash heard from someone who had spotted the upturned boat while it was still adrift in the ocean. Kydd Pollock and his wife had seen it while fishing offshore, and they had a great session catching mahimahi from it before Kydd then decided to dive underneath.

“I was greeted by over 50 mahimahi swimming around me, and then saw ‘Bar Crusher’ on the side of the boat,” he said. “I was amazed at the amount of buoyancy the boat had to support all those huge gooseneck barnacles. I wondered if it would eventually float ashore in NZ, and later I found out that in fact it had. It was really cool to share this experience with my family, and to know that the finders of the boat are going to put it back into use.” The team at Bar Crusher have asked Zac to keep them abreast of the boat’s new lease of life, saying that its discovery is a great testament to the build quality and air buoyancy chambers of these boats. – Fishing Monthly APRIL 2019

Autumn is awesome! BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

Autumn is probably the best time of year for fishing, bringing stability in the weather, good fishing and less crowds. One thing a lot of people are looking forward to the most is the stability in the weather. It has been a long summer, with lots of wind and summer of storms and humidity. Such instability in the weather has kept a lot of boats in the garage.

there, and now what people thought was too hard once are putting into practise these techniques and finding good results. So if you would like to know more in regards to skip baiting, live baiting and switching then come in to Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and we will set you up with what you need. All the gear remains the same, except at the business end, and that is your rig. You’ll need 100lb and 130lb Neo fluorocarbon leader, circle hooks and wax thread as basics. There can

and into March saw a red-hot bite of snapper. It seemed there was a little better than usual show of reds for this time of the year, and autumn is a time for improvement in regards to reef fishing in general – so let’s hope the snapper fishing continues on as well as it has been. We had high expectations this season for kingfish and once again they were very illusive, but further south seems to be getting a good run, which has made a lot of Victorians happy. Up here on the South Coast we

Josh with another nice Clyde River mulloway going 18kg. very well for flatties, bream, whiting and the odd mulloway. A few pipis have popped up, which are quite rare these days. Along Durras there has had some exceptional beach worms and some whiting. The run of whiting will continue throughout autumn and using the beach worms and

particularly the Clyde, there is still plenty of estuary perch and there has been quite a lot of small mulloway. Prue and Josh McMahan had a fun session on small soapies, catching 16 one night on the Chasebait Ultimate Squid lures. There may be a lot of small mulloway around

There is still the chance for some prawns out of our lakes, but it’s the crabs that have been outdoing the prawns the last couple of seasons. Some real good numbers of blue swimmers and some muddies have shown themselves. What we have been spoilt with is the squid. There has been

Hilary Smith with a perch tempted by a surface lure. Now we are here in pleasant autumn, we are getting out and about, as the winds ease and the crowds fade. But! Is the fishing going to be good? Of course it is! OFFSHORE There has been a steady run of marlin and a very good bite a bit further south on the offshore scene. The bite seems to be improving off Batemans and we could still see the best part of the season if all goes well. I have noticed a lot of anglers advancing their techniques and honing their skills with skip baiting, live baiting and switching marlin. It seemed easier to just drag some lures around and anything else seemed too complicated. But today there are a lot of social media content and information out

APRIL 2019

be variations in the leader, thread and hooks, so come and see us. OUT WIDE Out wide has seen great numbers of mahimahi and as time goes, on these guys grow very quickly, and there should be some legal sizes fish around our FAD now. There has been some good numbers of larger ones all season, but they have been found out at the fish traps, floating debris or at temperature breaks. A lot of the larger mahimahi have been caught randomly, and it’s good seeing them around our FAD now, and it’s not uncommon seeing them swimming around boats in the snapper grounds at this time of the year. Speaking of snapper grounds, the end of February

are experiencing thousands of rats, with good ones being hard to find. The famous Montague Island even struggled this season, so let’s hope that autumn is the change that we need to see some improvement. A bit of a consultation prize has been a few good bonito showing up. THE STONES Anglers have been casting and casting their arms off in hope of wrangling a kingy to not much avail. The odd live bait has picked up a few small ones if a shark didn’t get there first. It really was a summer of sharks. We saw a lot of makos, bronzies and hammerheads. Every summer there is a run of juvenile bronzies, a few makos and hammers cruising down in the warm currents, but this season there seemed to be a lot more. So if you want to wrestle a shark instead of wrangle a kingy, then visit headlands, beaches and breakwalls, particularly at night with squid or livies and you are in with a very big chance. THE BEACHES Other than sharks at night, the daytime has been very good. Broulee to Moruya has been fishing

George getting amongst inshore snapper on his yak. pipis on hand will be the best choice. ESTUARY This autumn should continue seeing a good run of large whiting and some good flatties, but this time of year can be famous for good bream, so be sure to have some crab imitations, bent minnow styles, crankbaits and jerkbaits on hand. Further upstream,

of late, but there are some big ones getting around as well, and it is autumn when these fish can put on a good show in the estuary. Right upstream there has been a few bass here and there, but it’s probably one of the slowest seasons we’ve had in years. The drought would have a large part to play in this, so this year we hope to see a bit more rain to improve things.

great numbers of them. Be sure to get out and get some of that stable weather and what this coast has to offer this autumn. • Come into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and stock up on JB Lures, Jet Lures, Neo fluorocarbon, jap snaps, wax thread, needles, tag poles, tag flags. We got the lot to ensure you have the best season on the water this autumn.

Another busy time for the area MALLACOOTA/EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

With summer well and truly over the Eden/Mallacoota area is still abuzz with visitors to the area enjoying the weather, along with some excellent fishing. After the Easter break the area will once again quieten down as we head towards winter. The past month has seen some good rainfall in this corner of Australia, and it has got the rivers and creeks flowing. It’s a good start but more is needed. The Mallacoota lakes system is still closed and needs a good rainfall to open it to the ocean. This rise in water levels is really needed to flush out the amount of sand that has built up inside the entrance area to the lake, and many other rivers in the area are also closed off to the ocean. The offshore fishing in the Eden/Mallacoota area has been excellent over the past month, with good numbers of striped marlin being caught. The fishing has involved finding the bait balls then dropping a bait amongst them. Some success has also come from trolling skirted lures.

The coming months should see some yellowfin tuna caught, along with southern bluefin tuna. Yellowtail kingfish have been caught and sighted over the past month, but not in any numbers, and hopefully this will change over the coming months. Good numbers of tiger flathead and sand flathead are coming over the side, along with some great fishing for gummy shark, with good

numbers of quality fish caught. Snapper are around on the inshore reefs, with morwong and leatherjackets thrown in too. Along the beaches, salmon are being caught. The fish aren’t about in big numbers, but there are enough fish about that you can expect to catch one or two, and finding a good gutter and fishing around the top of the tide gives you the best chance of catching fish.

In the past month, flathead have really fired up. Fish are being caught in good numbers in all the estuaries in the area, with soft plastic lures working well. You don’t need to be fussy when selecting a lure, as it seems whatever colour or size lure you use, it will get eaten. In Mallacoota Inlet, good numbers of pinkie snapper are being caught. The fish are a good size, around the 35-40cm mark, and are being caught on

A closed mouth has meant that water levels have stayed fairly high.

GULF RUNNER SERIES

2 3 4

All on Stessco Softride Premium Hull offering 5 years structural warranty if purchased as factory boat and trailer package.

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

A few decent salmon have been landlocked in the lake system, and have provided a bit of sport for estuary anglers. baits of fresh prawn, with soft plastic lures also catching fish. Yellowfin bream and sand whiting have been taken in many of the estuary systems in the Eden area, with the estuary mouth area fishing well with fresh baits like nippers and beach worm fished on a rising tide. The beaches in the same area are also fishing well. BIG BREAM ARE MISSING Mallacoota was once considered the premier bream fishery in Victoria, but in recent years there seems to be a lack of big native bream in the area. The problem has gone undetected for many years, as the native black bream

numbers have been propped up by the travelling yellowfin bream population. The lake has been closed for the past year and a half, so anglers are now starting to notice. As commercial net fishing ended in 2003, mismanagement and the pressure of rec fishing would have contributed to the issue. I doubt we will ever see the number and size of the black bream in Mallacoota return to its past glory. Nevertheless, over the past few months there have been a few big bream caught with many anglers releasing their fish. Hopefully, this will give the species a helping hand.

Large front casting deck for 4 x access hatches and sub-floor Premium side console with plenty of real estate for electronics Standard with Hydraulic Steering Standard with Electrical Pre-Rig, Nav lights, Anchor lights, 500gph bilge pump and 5 gang switch panel with charging socket Underfloor Keeper Tank Underfloor Fuel Tank Fully plumbed live bait tank Large baitboard with 2 x rod holders Swim Style Transom Heavy Duty Boarding Ladder 4 x Rod holder standard 2 x Long Side Pockets Large Alloy Anchor Well, c/w structure for drum winch install

OPTIONAL Electric Motor Bracket Bow and Side grab rails

For more information or to find your nearest Stessco dealer

visit www.stessco.com.au APRIL 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING NEW NEDLOCKZ COLOURS

With the growing popularity of the Ned Rig in Australia, the TT Lures NedlockZ, ‘mushroom’ style stand-up jighead is now available in two new colours, chartreuse and orange. Originally available in black and green pumpkin colours, anglers were looking for a couple of strike trigger colours. Chartreuse and orange are popular highlight colours on hardbodies and blades, and are the perfect fit for pairing up with plastics to attract fish and trigger strikes. The orange head is particularly good for teaming up with natural coloured plastics. The team from TT’s say that the NedlockZ combine perfectly with the buoyancy of ZMan ElaZtech plastics to create a presentation that is either fleeing when retrieved or standing up vertically in a feeding or defensive pose when paused, much like a crab, yabby or prawn. NedlockZ are available in four weights: 1/15oz 2H, 1/10oz 1H, 1/6oz 1H and 1/5oz 1H. Price: SRP $9.95 (5-pack) www.ttlures.com.au

SHIMANO REVOLUTION TRAVEL 2 Shimano have refined the travel rod concept even further, with this excellent seven rod Revolution Travel series that are perfect for the highly mobile angler. Travel rods aren’t necessarily just for jet setters though. In the car, on public transport – even people who don’t know have a lot of storage space at home shouldn’t miss out on using quality fishing tackle. Like the standard Revolution series, the Revolution Travel line-up now feature soft touch reel seats for greater comfort in the hand, full and split custom shaped EVA grips where applicable, and Fuji O Ring Guides, where the insert is protected by the frame from knocks and scrapes. Most importantly in a travel rod though, the ferruling system is pretty well undetectable, and in no way diminishes the feel and performance characteristics of these great baitcast and spin rods. They all break down in to three pieces, with the 904 Spin into four. www.shimanofish.com.au

DAIWA EMERALDAS LT

Light as air and strong as steel, the famous Emeraldas name receives the LT treatment with the release of the new Emeraldas Air LT spin reel. Gifted with Daiwa’s latest design innovations, and featuring the famous Emeraldas styling the new Emeraldas Air LT is the ultimate combination of technology, looks and performance. Daiwa’s new LT Concept heralds a new age of lightness and toughness, and the new reel also benefits from Daiwa’s famous Real Four design. The Emeraldas’ Tough Digigear heralds a revolution in gear design, with its high-precision cutting technique achieving perfect gear meshing and ultra smooth performance. MagSeal protects from the elements, while Air Rotor, ATD, LT’s new Longcast ABS spool, Perfect Line Stopper, and Air Bail combine for unrivalled performance, power and precision. Loaded with Daiwa’s latest design innovations and the legendary Emeraldas swagger, the new Emeraldas Air LT is the perfect combination of style, technology, and performance. www.daiwafishing.com.au 58

APRIL 2019

PRODUCT GUIDE

BASSDAY BACKFIRE

Bassday’s expertise in the surface lure market is second to none, with the Sugapen one of the deadliest surface lures available. Bassday’s newest creation, the Backfire, was originally designed for black porgy (sea bream) in Japan, but it has proven itself in our local conditions already. And like the Sugapen, this new lure is set to be a runaway hit. The Backfire is 65mm long and through wired, making it strong and dependable. It weighs 7.5g and casts exceptionally well for a small lure. The large cupped face is capable of both dramatic pops, and subtle, rippleinducing pops, when using a slow and light touch. The slim profile produces little wind resistance. The action is that of a classic popper and will be excellent for bass, bream and other surface feeders. It works best with a ‘pop, pop, pause’ technique. The new model comes in eight colours, and all but one have been designed exclusively for Australia. For more information visit the Bassday website or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BassdayAus. www.bassday.com.au

UNIQUE ANYSINK

Brisbane inventor Creig Adams has set out to change the way Australians go fishing with his new AnySink. The AnySink lets you change sinkers easily and quickly with out having to cut and retie your line. The invention also allows anglers to change from using toxic lead sinkers to anything that sinks – hence the name ‘AnySink’. “As I entered my 40s and my vision started to deteriorate, I found that cutting and re-rigging was becoming more and more difficult,” Mr Adams said. “I set out to find a better system.” After experimenting with different designs, Mr Adams settled on a spherical plastic design that splits in half and allows the angler to place a weight inside it. “This weight can be a lead sinker, a pebble, nut, bolt or even berley,” Mr Adams explained. “Once you are ready to drop down your AnySink, you can also crush berley into the grated casing of the device, where it will slowly break off and attract fish.” Price: SRP $10 (pack of 10) www.anysink.com.au

RHINO-RACK GRAB HANDLE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Rhino-Rack’s Pioneer range continues to grow, and the latest release is the Pioneer Grab Handle. It has been designed to aid in loading, unloading and securing your gear onto all Rhino-Rack Pioneer systems. We’ve all been there – you’re shifting item upon item up onto roof racks, tying your load for the trip and being left with nothing to hold onto while you make your descent. The new Pioneer Grab Handle solves this problem. Its large and sturdy form allows for a sturdy grip when used as a handle, and provides a strong anchor point when securing gear. Made from diecast aluminium that is powder coated to prevent rust and corrosion, the Rhino-Rack Pioneer Grab Handle has a 120kg load capacity, and installation is quick and easy. For more information on this and other products in the Pioneer range, visit the RhinoRack website. Price: SRP: $59 (2 pack) www.rhinorack.com.au

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PRODUCT GUIDE

ECOODA BLACK HAWK ROD V2

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

The Ecooda Black Hawk V2 puts Ecooda in the middle of the battlefield. The fast matt black blanks are ideal for lure casting off the banks or in the boat. With striking red aluminium anodized details, the cosmetics are appealing to a variety of anglers. The ultra-hard EVA grips and custom locking rings are comfortable in the hand, while stainless steel framed guides are light enough for blank reaction and smooth enough to let your line cast effortlessly through the insert. Whether you’re targeting bream or flathead with vibes or reef species with a plastics, there’s a Black Hawk II that’s perfect for the job. It’s available in five spin models (6’10 light, 7’0 Medium Light, 6’4 Medium, 7’0 Heavy and Extra Heavy) as well as two baitcast models (6’0 Medium Heavy and Heavy). Visit the new Ecooda website for more information and stockists, or check them out on Instagram and Facebook. www.ecooda.com.au

REVAMPED CELTA

Back by popular demand is the world’s most famous trout spinning lure, the Rublex Celta. The Celta has been retooled, and is now stronger than ever before. Of course, it still offers the legendary fish-attracting butterfly spinning action that has enticed thousands of rainbow and brown trout captures worldwide. The Celta has an inbuilt, anti-line twist system that rotates on the main shaft to prevent your line from twisting while fishing. Armed with VMC trebles, Celtas come in 10 natural fish-catching colours and three sizes, incorporating 2g, 3.5g and 5g weight variations. For more information visit the Rapala Australia website, or check them out at your local tackle store today. www.rapala.com.au

SILVER CREEK LT

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

Trout fishing perfection has arrived with the release of the new Silver Creek LT spin reel. Loaded with style and gifted with many of Daiwa’s most advanced technologies, the newest addition to the famous Silver Creek family features LT design, making it feather light and ultra strong. A Zaion body houses Daiwa’s high performance, ultra-strong Digigear II gear system, while Magseal provides unrivalled protection, ensuring ultimate durability and optimum performance. The Silver Creek’s Air Rotor enhances reel balance, strength and support courtesy of the highly sensitive, ultra-light, precision engineered Zaion rotor, while a lightweight aluminium spool, ABS, Air Bail and Twist Buster technologies combine for ultimate spool performance and line control. Other features include ATD drag, washable design, and a machined ‘screw in’ aluminium handle. www.daiwafishing.com.au

BONE FOCUS 130

The Bone Focus 130 is a multi-towpoint glide bait that is an ideal size for many fish throughout Australia. Featuring 4+1 towing eyelets, each with its own unique swimming action, this lure is truly revolutionary. The ability for anglers to choose the desired swim depth when fishing in different terrains is the focus of this lure. The first eyelet serves to create a swimbait with a seductive wide wobble and roll action, mimicking a lifelike swimming action. Attaching your line to the second or third eyelets gives the lure greater diving capability. A vibration mode can be imparted when the line is attached to the fourth eyelet, as it swims in a forward position with internal bearings knocking against the body. Additional weights can also be attached to the chin eyelet without impacting on the lure’s action, allowing the Focus to reach deeper in search of your prey. www.wilsonfishing.com

SAMAKI MAHIMAHI SHIRT

Bright, bold colours erupt from the water as this big bull mahimahi swims and attacks the baitfish and lures surrounding the FAD, revealing the true nature of the species. Capturing all the attractive elements of the warmer climate, with volcanic islands in the background, crystal clear waters and abundance of wildlife above and below the water, this new Samaki shirt has been a winner with all anglers. Samaki designs are brought to you by Australian anglers. These shirts feature lightweight fabric that’s perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with Samaki’s UV50+ technology. The soft touch 100% polyester material is comfortable and very breathable, keeping you cool and dry. Samaki fishing shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes from a size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action and out onto the water. Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

BONE HOVERJET

The Bone HoverJet brings together two topwater concepts in the one lure, and is unlike any other topwater bait on the Australian market. This multifunction lure is 130mm long and weighs an easy casting 28g. Its specially designed aerodynamic shape allows the plug to cast like a bullet and reach distant targets where wary fish hold. With its flaps closed, working the HoverJet as a topwater pencil bait on the surface is effortless as it slides from side to side, creating small splashes. With the flaps open, the HoverJet transforms into a topwater prop bait that can be worked with a variety of retrieves to produce aggressive strikes. In fizzer mode, a straight retrieve creates that classic chop of the blade on the water’s surface that drives fish like jacks and barra crazy. If a louder fizz is needed, sharp rod tip rips produce a distinctive fizzing chop which will draw fish from afar to investigate. wilsonfishing.com APRIL 2019

WHAT’S NEW FISHING BLACKWOLF DIRECTORS CHAIR

BlackWolf’s new Compact Directors Chair has a strong, supportive frame, non-slip foot design for all surfaces and a solid weight capacity of 130kg, the Directors Chair is safe, reliable and able to withstand almost any environment. The chair has padded seating, wide armrests and high back support for maximum comfort, and it also features a convenient foldaway table with a drink holder. The chair also boasts an accessory pocket with a safety zipper for stashing much-needed items such as your phone, keys, camera, sunscreen, or other gear, meaning you don’t have to get back up to get them. You can set up the Directors Chair in under a minute, and when you are ready to pack up, all you need to do is fold it down flat to its very compact size, and store it away for next time. Price: SRP $139.99 www.blackwolf.com.au

NEW BOMBER COLOURS

JM Gillies has just released new colours in the Bomber Long A and Longshot models. Bomber’s original Long A design is one of the most effective lures on the market, and is arguably Australia’s most popular barramundi lure of all time. The larger BSW16A (150mm) and BSW17A (175mm) sizes are the preferred choice for anglers chasing 1m+ barra in the big saltwater rivers of the Top End, and are also extremely effective in the impoundments throughout North Queensland. The new Long A colours are BMDI (brown back, pale blue belly), and ABM3 (orange head, green body, black stripes). The Longshot range of lures feature a weight exchange system that assists in super-long casts. The body is tough and durable as well as sporting saltwater hooks and hardware. It’s available in three sizes, 125mm, 150mm and 175mm. The new XM7 colour (black back, green body) is the perfect addition to the existing premium colour range. www.jmgillies.com.au

SHIMANO TEKOTA

APRIL 2019

NEMO HORNET

A lighter tent shouldn’t mean sacrificing a good night’s sleep. Trusted outdoor equipment brand NEMO have developed the master of ultralight hiking tents to save your back, without skipping on quality, comfort and livability. The NEMO Hornet is the ultralight hiking tent for adventures demanding a lighter load. The NEMO Hornet is the ultimate lightweight tent, weighing-in at a mere 900g for the 2P edition, and an even lighter 765g for 1P. The Hornet 2P is equipped with two doors and two vestibules, for ultimate comfort for sharing the space. And better still, the Unique Divvy dual stage stuff sack makes it easy to divide the load with your travel partner. The single-hubbed pole intersections of the Hornet allow for quick setup and spend less time setting up. The Hornet can be erected without the need for ropes and a fly. If you need more space, you can also pitch the triangular shaped cords for 15% more interior capacity. Price: RRP $549.95 (1P), $621.95 (2P) www.nemoequipment.com

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

150LB PINK SHOCK 17 LEADER Pink leader has been popular with bluewater anglers for some time, given that it is seen as less visible in certain water conditions. Although fluorocarbon options are common, Black Magic’s Pink Shock Leader is produced as a copolymer trace. This provides great value for money but still gives robust performance under stress – and Black Magic has now expanded the range up to 150lb. Features include: retains the high performance in abrasion resistance and knot strength seen in Black Magic tough and supple trace; coloured pink to provide less visibility, particularly when water conditions are a little murkier; and provides a more affordable option to anglers than fluorocarbon. Current breaking strains are 20lb, 40lb, 60lb, 80lb, 100lb and 150lb. www.blackmagic.com

OKUMA DISTANCE 15 SURF ARENA

Whether you’re bottom fishing for reef fish or trolling for pelagics, the latest Shimano Tekota is a great all-rounder. This enduring levelwind overhead has just undergone a big upgrade, with a number of new features that includes a main gear upgrade that is 50% stronger than its predecessor. The Hagane Body, coupled with the S-Compact Body Design, makes it comfortable to hold while waiting for a bite or fighting a fish. Gear size has been dramatically increased, and with it comes a super fast retrieve ratio of 6.3:1. A larger handle knob than its predecessor also helps in this regard. The CoreProtect system of seals keeps saltwater away from the internals, which includes three A-RB bearings and one roller bearing, and 11kg of drag will keep those reefies’ heads up and continuing towards the surface. Shimano recommends matching the Tekota to the Taipan 661 Overhead. It has quality Fuji componentry, and its graphite integrated fibreglass tip (G.I.F.T) construction can take the knocks. www.shimanofish.com.au 60

PRODUCT GUIDE

Okuma continues to offer anglers quality and excellent value for money with the release of the new Okuma Distance Surf Arena spinning reels. Features include a Slim Blade corrosionresistant graphite body, Worm Shaft transmission system, and a Hydro Block drag system (designed to ensure water and foreign materials do not enter the system and the drag washers perform to their optimum level), and FPD (Fast Progressive Drag). Designed for casting distance and handling big fish, with their lower gear ratios and 16kg max drag, Distance Surf Arena reels hold plenty of line on their machine cut aluminium spool, with the Even Flow line roller designed to reduce line twist. Other features include 3BB+1RB, Quick Set infinite anti-reverse system for rock solid hook sets, Rotor Equalizing System for precision balance and smooth cranking, Rigid Metal Handle and TPE T-shape handle knob. Built to take on the surf and its hard fighting species, the Okuma Distance Surf Arena is available in 60 and 80 sizes. Price: SRP $119.90-$139.90 www.okuma.com.au

18 visit www.tacklejunkie.fish for the latest tackle news - AS IT HAPPENS!

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PRODUCT GUIDE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

WHAT’S NEW FISHING

TESTED

Strike Pro Guppie sinking glidebait Cooler nights and shorter days mean that the prime time to target big Murray cod on large lures is almost upon us. More and more anglers are getting out there and giving it a go using a growing range of lures, and I would like to add one to the list: the Strike Pro Guppie. This lure isn’t new but it’s very effective, and it’s well worth considering if you enjoy this style of fishing. Everybody notices I was lucky enough to receive a box of Guppies, and everybody I showed them to commented on the quality of the finish on the lures. It is exceptional. There are seven colours available and each has the ‘I would like to swim that’ appeal. The layering of

pattern and paint gives them an almost 3D effect, and also increases the durability. They are an outstanding looking lure. Strike Pro Guppie 101 The Guppie is a wooden sinking glidebait with an interchangeable soft plastic tail. The lure comes with a soft plastic paddle-tail and a curl-tail that you can interchange using the wire corkscrew on the end of the body. It is simple and easy and also allows you customise the tail if you like. On a slow, constant retrieve it glides from side to side and screams “eat me”. Changing the plastic tail doesn’t change the lure’s action, but it does give it a different feel through the rod. The paddle-tail definitely sends more feedback

At 120g and 13.5cm long it is important to have the right rod and reel to cast the Guppie.

The Guppie comes with two soft plastic tails that are interchangeable using the wire corkscrew on the rear of the lure. through the line and the rod. The other thing to note with the Guppie is its hardware. From the packet it comes with sturdy hooks and strong split rings – there’s no need to upgrade anything, just tie it on and fish it. At 120g and 13.5cm long you will need a rod and reel suitable to cast the Guppie, otherwise casting something of this size and weight will be daunting. Field Testing I haven’t yet had many opportunities to swim the lures I was sent, but I did get the chance to try them out at Lake Mulwala when I visited. There are huge expanses of water with lots of structure and Murray cod in Lake Mulwala. I quickly learnt that long casts were not the go; the hooks of the Guppie grabbed the structure, which was quite frustrating. The hooks are sticky sharp, and with how the lure swims, if they touch structure they grab it. However, adjusting my technique and throwing shorter casts beside and along the structure made all the difference.

In a matter of minutes a 52cm fish snaffled my Guppie as it snaked along a laydown. Wind and weather cut short the fishing that day, but with that initial success in mind, I can’t wait for my next opportunity to swim the Strike Pro Guppies. Check them out yourself To find out more about the Strike Pro Guppie and the other Strike Pro lures available, you can go to www.jurofishing. com or ask for them in your local tackle store. - Peter Jung

Success! It may not be a big fish, but it’s guaranteed to be the first of many cod caught on these lures.

The sky is the limit with the Bone Voyage rod series In 2017 Bone fishing rods were introduced to Australia through the team at Wilson Fishing. There are a number of ranges and models available but my interest was sparked by the Voyage series of rods. It’s a travel rod series designed for the angler who doesn’t want to compromise with the gear they use while traveling. In my mind, the words ‘travel rod’ and ‘compromise’ have always gone hand-

in-hand. In years gone by, we travelling anglers have been content to use rods that weren’t ideal, just so that we could go fishing. Having to compromise was a necessary sacrifice when venturing far from home, but not anymore. My interest in the Bone Voyage BVC704 XXH was twofold. Firstly, I wanted to jump on board the swimbait/big lures for Murray cod revolution, and secondly, I knew that my only opportunities to do this type of fishing would be travelling.

The heavy-duty soft carry case makes storage and transport easy.

The technology behind the rod The blanks used for the Bone rods, including the Voyage series, are Toray hi-modulus graphite. The key with the Voyage series is keeping the integrity of what is an elite level blank in a travel configuration. The designers have achieved this. When loaded, the rod has a smooth bend (no flat spots) in a fast taper format. Fuji K-Alconite guides complete the package. There are 12 rods in the range in spin and baitcast configurations. Field Testing I have had the rod for over 12 months and it has gone to Lake Eildon, Lake Mulwala, Canberra and Glenlyon Dam with me. I cannot tell you how many big lures I have cast with it, from large swimbaits to 3oz spinnerbaits. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have not compromised with this rod. It is well suited to the fishing I have used it for, and on each trip it has gone into a mediumsized suitcase (the heavy-duty soft case it comes with is great). Having said that, I haven’t yet caught a big fish on this rod. You can see a photo of my most recent catch in the review above (a Murray cod at Mulwala), but I am yet to really test the Voyage BVC704 XXH on a better quality fish. I will continue to try, and am planning a trip north targeting barramundi on similar sized lures to really put the Voyage through its paces. Where can you find them? Bone rods are built to a high standard so they’re not cheap. The Voyage series rods start from around $350 depending on the model you choose, and in my opinion they are worth every cent. - Peter Jung

TESTED

NSW BONE ROD STOCKISTS Australian Bass Angler - Penrith Tackle World Wagga Wagga - Wagga Wagga Motackle & Outdoors - Coffs Harbour Compleat Angler Batemans Bay - Batemans bay Outback Angler - Dubbo

Just a few of the lures the author has been casting with the Bone Voyage BVC704 XXH.

APRIL 2019

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2019

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST SEPTEMBER

6-7 Apr

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 4 Blackwood River

hobiefishing.com.au

13-14 Apr

ABT BASS Electric Round 2 Toonumbar Dam

abt.org.au

13-14 Apr

Family Bassin Round 2 Glenbawn Dam

Wayne Tiggermann 0412 634 288 or sanja@hwy.com.au

14 Apr

East Coast Bream Series Round 2 Lake Macquarie

www.wsbb.com.au or 0403 085 696

27-28 Apr

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 5 Nelson

hobiefishing.com.au

30 April-1 May

ABT BREAM Round 4 Albany

abt.org.au

4-5 May

ABT BREAM Round 5 Blackwood

abt.org.au

12 May

East Coast Bream Series Round 3 Botany Bay

www.wsbb.com.au or 0403 085 696

18-19 May

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 6 Woy Woy

hobiefishing.com.au

18-19 May

Family Bassin Round 3 Lake St. Claire

Wayne Tiggermann 0412 634 288 or sanja@hwy.com.au

25-26 May

ABT BASS Round 2 Glenbawn Dam

abt.org.au

8-9 June

Lions Pottsville Beach Greenback comp Pottsville

lionsgreenback.com

15-16 June

Family Bassin Round 4 Lostock Dam

Wayne Tiggermann 0412 634 288 or sanja@hwy.com.au

22-23 June

ABT BASS Round 3 Lake St Clair

abt.org.au

22-23 June

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 7 Gold Coast

hobiefishing.com.au

30 Jun

ABT BASS Electric Round 3 Maroon Dam

abt.org.au

6-7 July

ABT BREAM Round 6 Bribie Island

abt.org.au

13-14 July

ABT BASS Round 4 Cania Dam

abt.org.au

13-19 July

Evans Head Fishing Classic Evans Head

https://fishingcomps.com.au

21 July

East Coast Bream Series Round 4 Hawkesbury

www.wsbb.com.au or 0403 085 696

28 July

ABT BASS Electric Round 4 Lake Gregory

abt.org.au

27-28 July

Family Bassin Round 5 Glenbawn Dam

Wayne Tiggermann 0412 634 288 or sanja@hwy.com.au

10-11 Aug

ABT BASS Round 5 Somerset Dam

abt.org.au

7-8 Sep

ABT BREAM Round 7 Gladstone

abt.org.au

8 Sep

ABT BASS Electric Round 5 Wivenhoe Dam

abt.org.au

14-15 Sep

ABT BASS Round 6 Richmond River

abt.org.au

Add your tournament or competition to this list by emailing jthomas@fishingmonthly.com.au or calling 07 3387 0800 in office hours. Just supply a date, venue, tournament name and a telephone number and contact name. 62

APRIL 2019

2019 Open for registrations The 2019 Fitzroy River Barra Bash, Australia’s richest barramundi fishing tournament, is now open for registrations

Advertorial Anglers will be vying for a share of over $20,000 guaranteed cash and prizes on offer at the Rockhampton event, which runs from the 23-26 May 2019 and limited spaces are available. Frenchville Sports Club in Rocky are proud to conduct this prestigious event and Club General Manager Damien Massingham said that the 2019 event will be bigger and better, with the introduction of a number of new initiatives. “In addition to the actual two-day barramundi tournament, the event this year has three new exciting additions – a Family Fishing Competition, Family Fun Day at the Club and Iron Jack Ambassador, Nick Cummins aka the ‘Honey Badger’ will be the events special guest,” he said. “Nick will be joining us throughout the weekend, no doubt with a few of his colloquialisms and will also host an exclusive lunch on Sunday 26 May 2019 with tickets on sale now.” “Also this year we are very privileged and thankful to have the support of both the Queensland Government and the Rockhampton Regional Council for the 2019 event.” Barry O’Rouke representing the Minister for Tourism Industry Development the Hon. Kate Jones MP said the Queensland Government via Tourism and Events Queensland is delighted to support the 2019 Fitzroy River Barra Bash. “Three years ago, the State Government ended net fishing in the Fitzroy River with the aim of increasing recreational fishing opportunities and thereby supporting tourism and economic growth,” she said. “This event aligns with our strategy to build visitation and economic growth via tourism for Central Queensland.” Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Margaret Strelow also expressed her support for the event. “Council is thrilled to support the 2019 Fitzroy River Barra Bash and its aim of increasing tourism to the Rockhampton Region,” she said. “Our Advance Rockhampton team has worked hard to build awareness of our Recreational Fishing Voluntary Code of Practice so we are

delighted to see events like this further promote how great it is to fish in the Fitzroy.” The Family Fun Day will include a free Family Fishing Competition on the Fitzroy River on Sunday 26 May 2019, with prizes including Biggest Barramundi and Mystery Length Barramundi. Following the Family Fishing Competition there will be a festival on Ryan Park at Frenchville Sports Club with free entry from 2pm to 8pm. The Festival will include food, drinks, inflatables, casting competitions, virtual fishing, live entertainment, with presentations of the winners of the Family Fishing Competition from 6pm. To top it off you don’t even have to fish to be a winner! Everyone attending the Family Fun Day has the chance to win a new boat, a Polycraft 410 Challenger valued at over $24,000, by purchasing a raffle ticket, which are now available from the Frenchville Sports Cub Reception. For all the details and to book you and your families spot go to www.fitzroyriverbarrabash. com.au. – Fitzroy River Barra Bash.

SPECIAL GUEST: ‘THE HONEY BADGER’

23 - 26 MAY

The Fitzroy River Barra Bash is coming back to

AUSTRALIA’S RICHEST BARRAMUNDI TOURNAMENT

Rockhampton QLD, bigger and better then ever in 2019! Kicking off on Thursday May 23rd 2019, there is an “event” for everyone including the all-new Family Fishing Comp and

WIN A BOAT

Fun Day. Join us and IronJack Ambassador Nick “The Honey Badger” Cummins, for 3 epic days of activity and prizes... Did we mention you can WIN A BOAT!

FAMILY FUN DAY TO REGISTER & FOR MORE INFO VISIT FITZROYRIVERBARRABASH.COM.AU

APRIL 2019

Nelson goes back-to-back at Clarence River Mike Nelson completely dominated in the first round of the 2019 Sufix BASS Pro on the Clarence River with his second win in less than six months on this arena. This shows what a true river rat he is, winning the last two rounds at both ends of the mighty Clarence River.

Nelson knew the waterway like the back of his hand and that was part of his winning formula for going up against some of the best bass anglers from around the country. Nelson expected this stretch would cop a fair amount of pressure after his win up the Coldstream, this meant he needed a new game plan

when he came back. This time he fished upriver chasing the fresher water and concentrating on some schools of fish around Rogans Bridge that he found during the pre-fish. These fish were tricky and would only bite at certain times. They were sitting quite deep and hard to target, so he just sat on

Mike Nelson won the boater category with a whopping 7.72kg combined weight.

them knowing that every now and then some fish would push into shallower water to feed. Once the fish started pushing up around 10am he would pitch either a jig or ZMan Trick Swim to them and target them in a depth anywhere between 8-20ft. Running this pattern both days paid off nicely and

saw him catch 10 legal fish on the Saturday with a total bag weight of 4.11kg, and 8 fish on Sunday with that

weight going considerably lighter at 3.61kg. It was still enough for Nelson to take the win.

BOATER’S WINNING GEAR Rods Reels

ate Black Spin and an omen F green 6’8” Baitcast 2500 Daiwa Luvias and a 13 Inception Baitcast 8.1

Competitors were keen to check out the other catches as they headed back in.

BOATER RESULTS

Scan the QR code to see Boater winner, Mike Nelson interview.

Place Name 1 Mike Nelson 2 Rick Gough 3 Matthew Langford 4 Scott Sutherland 5 Taigan Heath 6 Simon Wilson 7 Graham Ford 8 Luke Draper 9 Kristoffer Hickson 10 Heath Blaikie

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 64

APRIL 2019

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 8/8 7.72 $3,500 8/8 7.08 $1,300 8/8 6.88 $1,200 8/8 6.38 $1,100 8/8 5.48 $1,000 8/8 5.45 $900 8/8 5.41 $800 8/8 5.33 $700 6/8 5.21 $600 7/8 5.06

Scan the QR code to see Clarence day one highlights.

Bass Pro Series presented by

Andrew’s first ABT win Andrew Lollback is very new to tournament fishing and has taken to it like a duck to water, proving this with a win for his second ABT tournament. Lollback fished day one with Graham ‘Fordy’ Ford. Lollback said he did as Fordy told him to and fished the surface with a River2Sea bubble pop, while Graham fished deep with a jig. They had everything covered and were working as a team

and covering the bank from top to bottom. Lollback was fishing surface most of the day in the Coldstream. He would cast his lure deep under cover and as close to the bank as he could, working his popper slowly. The fish would eat the lure within the fist 10-15m of his retrieve. If he didn’t get a hit or boil in that time he would burn the lure in and make a new cast. For his effort, Lollback managed eight legals,

BOATER’S SECOND PLACE GEAR Rod

Pagotto Custom 7ft spin

Reel

Daiwa Freams 2000

Line

15lb Daiwa J-Braid and 12lb siglon leader

keeping the biggest four resulted in a day one bag of 2.87kg. Day two saw him heading upriver with Matty Langford to the Orara River. After only catching a few undersized fish they headed out and fished around the mouth of the Orara. Catching a legal on the second cast told them they made the right choice. This spot saw them filling a bag and upgrading a few times. Lollback again mainly fished surface and Langford fished jigs, which proved once again that boater and non-boater team was a winning formula. Andrew Lollback brought in four fish for a combined weight of 3.87kg. This sealed him the win.

Andrew Lollback took out first for the non-boaters, making this his first win at an ABT tournament.

Scan the QR code to see Non-Boater winner, Andrew Lollback interview.

Rick reins in Second

Rick started his day fishing up the Coldstream about 2km short of the Tucabia Bridge. He spent around two hours there for no fish. After that he knew he needed to change his plan as time was running out, so he headed further up the Coldstream to an area he calls the ‘Forks’. When

he got up there he started pitching jigs tight to the bank, which produced a fish pretty quickly. He spent the rest of the day there filling his bag, even managing to upgrade once. Day two Rick started his day up near the Forks once again. Nearly two hours went by for nothing, but

around 9:30am the switch flicked and triggered the fish to bite. Running the same pattern as the day before he started to pick a fish off here and there filling his bag of four. After he filled his limit his non-boater caught a decent upgrade on a Whopper Plopper.

Lollback (right) and Langford (left) proved that boater and nonboater working together gets results. Both anglers placed in the top ten in their respective categories.

Garmin Big BASS Scan the QR code to see Clarence day two highlights.

Rick Gough showed that persistence pays off, and his commitment to the area known as the ‘Forks’ had him bagging out for second place.

NON-BOATER RESULTS

Scott Sutherland managed the Garmin Big Bass. Local angler Scott Sutherland took out the Garmin Big Bass with a long 1.63kg bass caught on a lure that he made himself. He and the local Clarence guys know this lure as the

‘Thong Popper’. That’s right, this thing is carved from old worn out thongs. Not sure if it’s the action of the lure or its infused foot scent that makes this lure so appealing to bass.

Place Name Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 1 Andrew Lollback 8/8 6.74 2 Craig Makings 8/8 6.40 3 Paul Mazaroli 8/8 6.25 4 Rodney Thorpe 8/8 5.99 5 Cody Banks 8/8 5.55 6 Matthew Cameron 7/8 5.46 7 Timothy Chevalley 8/8 5.43 8 Barry Reynolds 7/8 5.13 9 Mick Eastment 8/8 4.88 10 Trent Blake 7/8 4.85

Bassman Spinnerbaits Prize Pack Fishtec Prize Pack Tackle Tactics Prize Pack Sufix Prize Pack Daiwa Prize Pack Sunline Prize Pack Keitech Prize Pack Lucky Craft Prize Pack Ecogear Prize Pack Shimano Prize Pack APRIL 2019

Nord nails the first Costa Bream Qualifier Peter Nord is a local Gippsland angler and has proven his knowledge of his home waterways by taking out the win in the first qualifier of the 2019 Costa Bream Series, also being the first angler to win on our new format for little systems, with one day on Bemm River and the second day at Marlo. This was Nordy’s maiden ABT win. Going into day one on the Bemm River Pete had a game plan in mind. He fished in anywhere from 5-10ft of water. The cool thing was that all his fish were caught on his own brand of lure. The go to lure was a Hurricane vibe 37mm in camo crab. He was hopping his blade along the bottom on a very small lift, no more than 20mm off the bottom. If the lure was hopped any higher the fish would not have had a bar of his lure. He also noted he had seen guys from NSW and QLD fishing a blade and hopping them way too high. The trick with blacks is the smaller the hop the better. He also caught some fish on his

Slam 47mm as well, but the majority came on the blade. His day one weight was 4.32kg. He used a Duffrod custom made for blading, 7ft in length and very stiff in action. He used 3lb line Fireline

Crystal with 4lb leader. Day two at Marlo he had two options, he could fish the Brodribb River or Lake Corringle. He had to make a choice. He didn’t think the Brodribb would produce enough weight, so

Peter Nord took out first place at the first qualifier for the Costa Bream Series.

Peter Nord managed to secure his win by over 500g with fish like this in his bag.

Lake Corringle it was. He fished a Hurricane Twitch 50 in UV prawn colour. It took him a while to figure out what was going on. The water in there was very dirty. So he would work the lure very slowly

banging the bottom and letting it sit. Because the water was very dirty he didn’t want to move the lure very fast, so he would just leave it sitting there giving the fish time to see it and eat it. He

would find his fish on his Humminbird side scan grazing around. Nord’s day two weight was down a little bit from the day before at 4.23kg but enough for the win with a total weight of 8.55kg.

BOATER RESULTS

Scan the QR code to see Boater winner, Peter Nord interview.

Place Name 1 Peter Nord 2 Brad Hodges 3 Tristan Taylor 4 Corey McLaren 5 Declan Betts 6 Charlie Saykao 7 Peter Stephens 8 Cameron Whittam 9 Darren Weda 10 Daryl Baird

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 66

APRIL 2019

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 10/10 8.55 $3500 + $500 Mercury Bonus 10/10 8.00 $2000 + $300 Mercury Bonus 10/10 7.38 $1250 10/10 7.01 $800 10/10 6.92 $700 + $200 Mercury Bonus 9/10 6.85 $500 9/10 6.81 $500 10/10 6.65 10/10 6.42 10/10 6.23

Scan the QR code to see Bemm day one highlights.

Bream Series presented by

Brad Hodges takes second... again! Brad fished day one at Bemm River in the middle of the lake sitting in 8-10ft of water doing long wind assisted drifts. He used a 1/16-1/12oz jighead rigged with a 3” Berkley Nemesis in camo to get his bag. Once he got his bag he changed to a

Berkley Jigging Shrimp and Berkley Turtleback Worm. He caught 25 legal fish for the day and upgraded about five times. He finished with a day one weight of 4.19kg. For the second day at Marlo he fished shallow flats in Frenchs Narrow using

BREAM SERIES

SECOND PLACE GEAR Rods: Abu Garcia KRX Salty Stage 7’2” and 6’8” Reel: Abu Garcia Roxani 2000 Line: Berkley Ultra 8lb Leader: 6lb Vanish

Scan the QR code to see Bemm day two highlights.

Nord didn’t get quite as good a bag on day two, but it was still enough to push him into first place.

Boater competitor Brad Hodges claimed second place, with decent fish like this making up his bag.

a Berkley Puppy Dog in the gauge colour. He used a subtle twitch before pausing for 1-2 seconds. It was slow fishing and he didn’t fill his bag until 12pm with a couple of upgrades after that. His day two weight was 3.81kg, leaving him with a total of 8kg.

Bowen Joiner takes J-Braid Big Bream Bemm River and Marlo are known for big bream and the 1.42kg black bream

caught by Joiner was a cracking fish. As this was his first ABT event as a

boater you can imagine he was stoked with his capture. Fish was caught on a camo

Gulp Nemesis rigged on a 1/20th jighead in a shallow drain near Lake Corringle.

NON-BOATER RESULTS

Bowen Joiner claimed the Big Bream prize this tournament with a cracking 1.42kg black bream.

Place Name 1 Neil Kelly 2 Travis Ryan 3 Colin Wilson 4 Doug Badrock 5 Daniel McNeice 6 Sam Ogden 7 Greg Cooper 8 Bernard Kong 9 Shannon Hush 10 Kim McIntyre

Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Prize 9/10 7.16 Daiwa Prize Pack + $200 Hobie Bonus 9/10 6.78 Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack + $100 Hobie Bonus 10/10 6.51 Cranka Prize Pack + $75 Hobie Bonus 9/10 5.72 Tackle Tactics Prize Pack 8/10 5.39 Sufix Prize Pack 6/10 4.98 Ecogear Prize Pack 6/10 4.95 Shimano Prize Pack 8/10 4.90 Lucky Craft Prize Pack 7/10 4.89 Keitech Prize Pack 8/10 4.71 Sunline Prize Pack

Kelly bags at Bemm and Marlo Neil is a very soft-spoken man and hard to get a word from, but he can make his rod and reel talk when chasing bream. It’s not his first win, as he won the 2017

Scan the QR code to see Non-boater winner, Neil Kelly interview.

Neil Kelly is no stranger to the tournament fishing circuit, and he showed everyone there that he still has it.

Bream Grand Final, and has now taken out the first bream qualifier. Kelly fished each day at the different venues the same way. He fished a ZMan curl-tail grub in bloodworm on a 1/8 and a 1/20, depending on wind and depth. He fished this lure on a Samaki rod he won in the 2017 Grand Final and a Shimano Static CI4. The technique he used was that he would cast in after his boater and catch them. On his first day he ended with a reasonable bag with five fish tipping the scales at 3kg neat. He secured his victory on day two with a bag of four black bream weighing 4.16kg. This left him with a total weight of 7.16kg.

Joiner managed to land the Big Bream prize during his first ABT tournament as a boater. He caught this beauty on a camo Gulp Nemesis in a shallow drain near Lake Corringle. APRIL 2019

Hodges breaks his bridesmaid streak to take first Brad Hodges proved he is a gun at Gippsland Lake during Round 2 of the Costa Bream Series, the Mercury Gippsland Lakes qualifier. Hodges fished day one up the north arm targeting snags on the edge using a Berkley Puppy Dog in the 12 gauge colour. Casting as deep into the snags as he could, he would twitch them into the strike zone and pause them for as long as possible – anywhere from 3-6 seconds – leaving the lure in the fish’s faces to trigger a bite. He only caught five fish on day one, finishing with a weight of 4.10kg; but he found a bank loaded with fish towards the end of the day, which would be his day 2 plan. Day two Brad had to wait for the tide to get up so he just junk fished

WINNER’S GEAR Rods: Abu Garcia Krx Salty Stage 7’2” Reel: Abu Garcia Roxani 2000 Line: Berkley Ultra 8lb Leader: 6lb Vanish

Brad Hodges had a winning bag on day two, and the biggest bag of the tournament.

With fish like this in his bag, it is no wonder Brad Hodges took out first place.

Visit www.abt.org.au for entry forms. For general enquiries phone ABT on (07) 3387 0888 68

APRIL 2019

Cunningham’s arm until about 10am for no fish. By then, the time was right to head to a bank that was loaded with fish he found late day one. He filled his bag on the first drift with the first fish weighing around 1.20kg. After the first drift he left the bank to rest before returning two more times. Each time he came back he got two upgrades fishing a 1/24oz jighead rigged with a curl-tail grub. He cast into 4-6ft of water and hopped his grub around the darker weedy patches. The fish would usually eat within the initial sink or first hop and if they didn’t he would burn the lure in and repeat the process to the next weedy patch. His day two bag weighed in at 5.64kg and is now his PB individual bag. This gave him a total weight of 9.74kg

Scan the QR code to see Boater winner, Brad Hodges interview.

Scan the QR code to see Gippsland day one highlights.

for 10 bream. Hodges told us that in 2016 he was also left in 8th place and came

back with the win using the same technique with another 5kg+ bag.

Hodges managed to win by over 1kg, and also shared the boater Big Bream prize.

Gary Carruthers takes second place Gary seemed to do a bit of running around for his second place at Gippy, fishing locations such as the mouth of the Mitchell River, the mouth of the Nicholson River, Jones Bay and ‘The Cut’. He fished the flats of these areas using a Hurricane Twitch 40. He didn’t catch a fish until the wind blew in around 11:30am, but once it did he had his five fish by 12:10pm and started upgrading from there. His technique for the Twitch 40 was a long wind assisted cast and

SECOND PLACE GEAR

Bream Series presented by

BREAM SERIES

Rod: Smith 6’6” Reel: Daiwa Luvias 2000 Line: Sunline 8lb Leader: FC Rock 3lb to shake the rod tip with some twitches and pauses and slow rolling mixed in between. Day two he had his bag a lot earlier as it was much windier. He had his bag by 10:00am, mirroring his day one technique. Gary’s total weight was more than a kilo off Brad, but enough to hold down second place.

Gary Carruthers had to do a lot of running around to earn his bag, but it paid off when he claimed second place. Scan the QR code to see Gippsland day two highlights.

Rodney takes his second qualifier While this is not Rodney ‘Rocket’ O’Sullivan’s first win at ABT, he says he will remember it for a long time due to his new PB bag

Scan the QR code to see Nonboater winner, Rod O’Sullivan interview. being weighed in on day two at Gippsland Lakes. His massive day two bag weighed in at 5.35kg and he also shared the Daiwa J-Braid Big Bream prize as well, which weighed in at 1.36kg.

Rod O’Sullivan didn’t manage to bag out, but with some crackers in there he won the non-boater category. Rocket couldn’t fill a bag on day one, he only made it to the scale with

This fish tied for the J-Braid Big Bream with Brad Hodges.

two fish for 1.16kg. But, what he did on day two was pretty impressive. Not only catching them at the back of the boat as a non-boater, he caught his PB bag fishing behind a true bream champion, Mark Crompton. Rodney had nothing for most of the day, well nothing until the trip back and last stop of the day. He decided to use a lure he had not used in a long time, an Ecogear SX43 in the 307 colour and the first fish he caught was a 1.36kg donkey hooked in the tail. They made one more quick stop to the snags at the mouth of the Tambo River where he filled the rest of his bag. This gave him the win with a total weight of 6.51kg. Still using the first lure rod, he brought a Shimano Rack Raider, a Shimano CI4 reel and 4lb straight through Yamatayo line.

BOATER WINNERS Place Name

Total Fish Total Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10/10 10/10 9/10 9/10 10/10 10/10 7/10 10/10 10/10 7/10

Brad Hodges Gary Carruthers Tristan Taylor Steve Morgan Peter Stephens Alex Franchuk Declan Betts Christian Wardini Cameron Whittam Mark Crompton

9.74 8.33 8.32 8.19 7.98 6.73 6.37 6.18 6.15 5.15

Prize $3500 + $500 Mercury Bonus $1500 + $300 Mercury Bonus $1000 $800 + $200 Mercury Bonus $700 $600 $500 $500

NON-BOATER RESULTS

O’Sullivan was pretty happy with this day two bag weight.

Place Name

Total Fish Total Weight (kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7/10 9/10 7/10 5/10 5/10 5/10 5/10 3/10 5/10 4/10

Rodney O’Sullivan Ahmad Mahfoud Stuart Walker Neil Kelly Darren Murphy Greg Cooper Shannon Hush Travis Ryan Glen Sturrock Shaun Egan

6.51 6.05 5.11 4.93 3.93 3.52 3.31 2.91 2.76 2.31

Prize Daiwa Prize Pack Fishtec Solutions Prize Pack + $200 Hobie Bonus Cranka Prize Pack + $100 Hobie Bonus Tackle Tactics Prize Pack + $75 Hobie Bonus Sufix Prize Pack Ecogear Prize Pack Shimano Prize Pack Lucky Craft Prize Pack Keitech Prize Pack Sunline Prize Pack APRIL 2019

Ten years of champions for Hobie Lowrance day one of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series 10 Australian Championship presented by Daiwa, blasted off from the Power-Pole Starting line, in Forster, New South Wales, at 7am this morning.

They pedalled off to hit the racks, paddocks and flats around one of Australia’s premier bream fishing arenas. Anglers were fishing for three bream with a minimum size of 26cm to the tip (of the tail) 1cm over

fish with the larger one. No angler was permitted to keep more than three fish in their Hobie livewell at any one time. The first angler to land a fish was Tyson Hayes from Queensland, who amazingly

Richard Somerton won the Championship as the only angler with a combined bag weight over 6kg It was a level playing field for all anglers who were each in brand new 2019 Hobie Outback kayaks with a forward and reverse MirageDrive 180 pedal propulsion, a remote control Power-Pole Micro anchor system and Lowrance Elite Ti2 7” sounders with triple shot transducers. The 45 elite kayak anglers competing in the 10 year anniversary Championship came from New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld), Victoria (Vic), South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). All had qualified for the championship by competing in eleven qualifying rounds held across Australia in 2018.

me to get to my location and catch the fish. I had my bag in less than ten minutes from the start,” said Hayes. Conditions across the arena were reasonably good, but could have been helped by a little more cloud cover and some more breeze in some arms of the massive waterway. Nevertheless, anglers were catching fish in all parts of the arena; the risky racks were working for some and the open weedy water for others. At the end of the day Jack Gammie (NSW) was leading the championship with 2.44kg, Simon Morley (NSW) sat in second place on 2.12kg and Kane Terry (NSW) was third on 2.02kg. DAY TWO Anglers in Power-Pole day two of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series 10 Australian Championship presented by Daiwa, set off from the PowerPole starting line, in magic conditions from Breckenridge Channel in Forster, New South Wales, just before 7am in the morning. It was a beautiful morning but one with very little wind, which persisted throughout the day, particularly up in the back areas of the lake where a small group of anglers had had success on the flats on day one. For those that travelled that far, a breeze blew up very late in the session, giving them little time fishing in ideal conditions before their hour and a half pedal back to the event site. It paid off for Alex Griesdorf, one of the anglers

Jack Gammie scored the biggest catch on day one with this beauty. It wasn’t enough for him to take the win, but he still managed second place. them. But, like yesterday, there were plenty of fish in all parts of the arena and enough were willingly enticed, so that by the end of the session all anglers had caught fish. That was a reflection of the anglers’ skills, but also on the magnificence of this pristine waterway. On day one 123 fish were caught weighing in at 61.39kg and on day two 124 fish were caught and weighing in at 60.12kg, this resulted in an average weight over the first two days of the championship of 490g. Richard Somerton (Vic) moved up the top of the leaderboard with a two-day combined weight of 4.39kg. Second place finisher in the 2016 championship Alex

Australian Champion Paul Burton (WA) moved up to fourth place on 3.74kg and Queenslander Luke Rogan followed Burton in fifth place with 3.73kg. DAY THREE Day three, the final day, of the Hobie Kayak Bream Series 10 Australian Championship presented by Daiwa, headed off from the Power-Pole starting line as the sun broke the horizon around 6:45am yesterday. Anglers headed off into an arena that brings big highs and big lows, and is a huge test of skill even for the best of anglers. SOMERTON REACHED THE SUMMIT AGAIN At the end of a massively close contest the 2013 World Champion, and

Jack Gammie won the Atomic Big Bream on day one, and it wasn’t enough for him to take the title but he still secured second place. the state legal minimum. The fish were placed in Hobie livewells, and as anglers caught their bag of three legal bream they would replace their smallest

had three legal bream in his livewell with his first three casts of the day. “It took me longer to release the fish and get them in my livewell than it took

The 45 anglers were competing on a level playing field, as all were supplied with a 2019 Hobie Outback kayaks to fish the tournament.

Alex Greisdorf missed out on second place by 10g, but for his first time fishing this water he really showed his skill and managed to hold onto third place with a 5.73kg bag. 70

APRIL 2019

furthest from the event site. He was lucky enough to find fish on the edge of the grassy flats as the breeze began to waft across Wallis Lake, not long before he had to start his journey home. The anglers who hit the closer racks and paddocks had a bit more breeze in some locations, but a lack of cloud cover still worked against

Greisdorf (WA) moved in to second with 4.03kg and day one leader Jack Gammie (NSW) dropped back to third place on 3.81kg. Simon Morley (NSW) who sat in second on day one fell back to seventh on 2.55kg and Kane Terry (NSW) who was third on day one was still in with a show but now in sixth place with 3.70kg. The 2017

2016 Australian Champion, Richard Somerton from Victoria won his second Australian Championship with a day one bag of 1.98kg, a 2.41kg bag on day two and 1.94kg on day three, giving him a nine fish bag weighing in at 6.33kg, the only angler to go above the 6kg mark. The championship was Somerton’s swansong to

Hobie tournaments, after a career that has earned him the reputation as an all time outstanding performer in the Australian kayak fishing tournament scene and one of the top two in the world. Somerton tried to move around as much as possible,

Richard Somerton mainly used the Daiwa Certate 1000/2000s reel. He was using a Duff Rods rod and primarily used a Cranka Crab in light. If he had brought his heavies he probably would have smashed the bridge, as there were plenty of fish

This was the 10th anniversary for the Championship, and was one of the best events yet. he checked out a few of his favourite spots but they didn’t work for him because of the tides. So, he decided to check out a few spots a friend had recommended when he was researching the fishery and they seemed to work. The overcast day they had on the pre-fish gave him a lot of confidence, but unfortunately the skies were clear throughout the competition and that made it tough. Somerton spent most of the time in some pretty close paddocks, but he did have a couple of runs up the Wallamba River to hit a spot. He was really struggling late in the final session, sitting on about 1.3kg, which he knew wasn’t going to be enough. He had been destroyed in one of the big fish spots that he goes to. He was onto a very big fish and the braid snapped as it was under so much pressure. When he lost that one he started to get a bit worried, but he then put a 500g fish in the well and then he finally bagged out, but the final fish was only 26.5cm. Somerton kept him because he wasn’t sure how the rest of the session was going to go. Luckily, he upgraded both of these, but after that everything went dead.

around there but the tide was just raging in. He was mainly throwing the Cranka Crab Fish Fiddler lure, which caught him a few, and a couple of different Berkley Gulp products such as the Camo Crabby and the Shrimp. He was using J-Braid line with 12lb FC Rock leader. When Somerton uses a Cranka Crab, if it doesn’t get a hit on the drop he usually leaves it on the bottom for a little bit and then gives it a bit of a shake, anywhere from 10-60 seconds usually. The fish sit there and watch the crab or they may be swimming by and see a bit of movement out of the corner of their eye and then hit it. He mainly throws into structure and not as much into the flats. He says that every year the competitions are getting better and better, the level just keeps going up. GAMMIE GRABS SECOND BY TEN GRAMS Jack Gammie ended day one with 2.44kg, day two with 1.37kg, and day three with 1.93kg. This gave Gammie a nine fish bag over the three championship days and a total weight of 5.74kg. Gammie was leading the championship on the first day and dropped down to third

RESULTS Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Angler Total Fish Total Weight (kg) Richard Somerton 9/9 6.33 Jack Gammie 9/9 5.74 Alex Greisdorf 9/9 5.73 Paul Burton 9/9 5.48 Simon Morley 9/9 5.19 Tyson Hayes 9/9 4.86 Richard Patterson 9/9 4.76 Kane Terry 9/9 4.68 Danny Jobson 9/9 4.66 Tony Pettie 9/9 4.63

place on the second, and in the end that is probably what cost him the title. He pulled in the largest fish of the tournament on day one and just couldn’t get the repeat that he was hoping for after that. During the pre-fish day he went and tried a few different areas. When he went up the Wallamba River on the Tuncurry side he found some good fish, so he thought he’d leave them alone and went to other areas to look for more fish. On competition day one he went back up the Wallamba and saw some big birds cruising up between the racks, so he decided to give that a go. He had a bit of a cast and that is where he got his big fish on day one, weighing in at 1.4kg. It was a big clunker and he was very lucky to have landed him. He moved on to another area of abandoned racks and managed to land another 40cm fish. He didn’t get that kicker fish or even a kicker bite on day two. He was fishing up the Wallamba River in a stretch from the channel markers along a bank that has about 1km of racks just covered in oysters. He was mainly throwing a Hurricane Fat 37 Shallow in camo crab colour and it produced every singly one of the fish that he

There were plenty of good areas to target around Forster during the weekend of the Championship. Greisdorf had finished a close second place in the last championship to fellow Western Australian, Paul Burton (fourth this year) on his home waterway. But to perform so well in a completely new arena he’d never fished before showed that this WA angler is a true gun. He tried different stuff over the course of the three days, but the only thing that was consistently catching fish was the Jackall Chubby in a brown suji shrimp colour. Greisdorf ran it on a 7ft

Cranka Donut Dough as all anglers caught fish, but on day three the Cranka Donut Dough went to Adam Costa. Jack Gammie caught the Atomic Big Bream, the largest fish of the session, on day one weighing in at 1.40kg and picking himself up $250 from Atomic. The $250 on day two went to Richard Somerton with a 1.12kg fish, and finally on day three Jon Clisby from Victoria took home the prize from Atomic with a 960g bream.

A lucky local won themselves a Hobie Lanai kayak after entering a competition sponsored by Hobie Asia Pacific, and was presented with the kayak and an amazing package of Hobie products, worth around $1500, at the event site before the main presentation. For a review of what was happening on the water during the event, and event at the event site weigh-in each day go to Facebook.com/HobieFishing siaPacific. – Hobie

The 45 anglers competing in the Championship had competed in all 11 qualifying rounds across Australia in 2018. bagged in the three days of the championship. On day three he went up the Wallamba again and got his bag, then he came back down to the paddocks to try and upgrade, but that didn’t quite work. For majority of the weekend he was fishing 8lb with 8lb braid using a 1-3kg rod with a locked drag. But, on the final day he dropped down to 6lb just in case the system was shut down. The weather was good, the tides were perfect and the fishing was great. GREISDORF GETS TOP THREE Alex Greisdorf (WA) finished day one with a total weight of 1.68kg, day two with 2.35kg, and day three with 1.70kg. This gave Greisdorf a nine fish bag with an accumulative weight of 5.73kg, which put him in third place in the Australian Championship.

1-5kg Duff rod with a 2500 size reel on 5lb leader and 10lb braid. Unlike other anglers, when fishing for yellowfin bream Greisdorf doesn’t let them run, he keeps them up high and winds them in to keep them away from the weed. This worked a treat for him during this tournament. He found a spot where there were lots of big ones cruising around, but they just did not want to play the game. On his last upgrade on day three he lost two possible 40cm fish when a smaller one took the lure instead. Greisdorf was very happy with the tournament and his performance. Only one angler missed out on catching fish on day three, Adam Costa took home but Peter Cook from NSW still bagged himself $100 in Donut Dough. On day two there was no

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Smallest Polycraft family member gets a facelift patch up some holes, we can send a repair kit and it can easily be fixed – you wouldn’t even know it there was a hole there!” Overall, the new hull weight is heavier than the

BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

Polycraft have some news that will interest sportfishers on a budget, and this is bound to generate a lot of excitement in the fishing and boating community! The smallest member of the much-loved Polycraft family, the 300 Tuff Tender, has just been given a facelift, making it perfect as a small sportfishing boat. The name has also received a facelift, with this updated version being affectionately named the 300 Tuffy. Steve Cooper from Polycraft says that the update was a logical step, and one that has already been well-received. “Originally this boat was designed as a tender, but over time it started to develop a following as a fishing boat,” he said. With many anglers choosing to add their own modifications, usually hatches in the rear and extended deck on the front, it got to the point where Polycraft felt the need to sell the Tuff Tender with these features – and that’s exactly what they’ve done. “We added the extended casting deck up the front with

for the motor, and $2,000 for the Oceanic trailer, so this would only set you back about $7,500, and most people will then chose to add an electric,” he said. If you’re after an

The new 300 Tuffy looks sporty when underway, and is the perfect outfit for an angler who wants to take the hassle out of owning a fishing boat. Photo courtesy of Andrew Mckinstray.

storage hatch, rear seating and storage bins, we’ve also added some starboard finish on the decks, and everywhere else there’s a non-skid finish, as people like to stand up and fish in these boats,” Steve said. “The steps on the back are now bigger, making it a lot more comfortable when stepping into the boat.” Another small but fantastic feature of these boats

is in the storage, with all the hinges being made entirely out of the same poly material as the hull, yet keeping everything perfectly dry. Despite all these changes to make it more of a fishing boat, the team at Polycraft haven’t left the Tuffy’s roots as a tender for big boats. “This boat will still make a great tender for a Riviera, and we noticed with the last

version it had an exposed sprit at the front, and on that sprit was a bow shackle,” Steve said. “Being made of steel, some people were finding that the shackle would rub on the gel-coat overnight and cause some damage, so we’ve taken this into consideration and we’ve recessed this bolt, meaning it can’t come into contact with gel-coat surfaces anymore.”

There’s plenty of room to stand up on the non-slip starboard finished decks to fish. old version, with the old Tuff Tender coming in at 87kg, and the new Tuffy at 105kg, but the reason for that is surface area. The Tuffy is 50mm longer, and 50mm wider. The storage bins add some weight, and the lids to the bins are also double skinned. The boat tested on the day was fitted with a 15hp

inexpensive, trouble-free fishing boat to hit inshore water and lakes, make sure you check out Polycraft’s new 300 Tuffy. For more information you can visit www.polycraft.com.au. • Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith. Performance of

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Storage is a major factor of the Tuffy, and being of a waterproof design with absolutely no metal, the hatches won’t give any maintenance troubles at all! Another great aspect of this boat the ease with which an owner can make his or her own modifications. “You don’t ever make the perfect boat that suits every angler, so with Polycraft boats, if you want to attach a bracket, add more decking, or drill any holes in the cockpit area, you’re only screwing into the inside of the boat, and not penetrating the outside of the hull at all,” Steve said. “If you sell the boat to someone and they want to

4-stroke Yamaha and a Minn Kota electric motor, and had no trouble getting up and out of the hole, and even took on South East Queensland’s Pumicestone Passage very easily in 10-15 knots of breeze. The 80lb bow-mounted electric moved the hull effortlessly through the moored boats, and the deck provided ample space to operate it while making casts. “For the rig like this, we’re looking at $1,999 for the hull, approximately $3,500

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Transition in weather bringing fish on the bite BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

April can be one of the better months of the year for freshwater fishing as it’s one of the transition times. By transition times I mean transitioning from hot to cold or summer to winter,

are there good numbers, but these fish are all in great condition and adding tens of thousands more fish will only decrease the average size of fish and not add any extra great value to the fishery. Fisheries should keep doing what they’re doing, as

hits, this smorgasbord of options will not be available and pickings are slim to none. Therefore, some of these giant fish may not get a chance to feed for weeks on end, so they make the most of what is on offer this month. Trout also start feeding hard but not for the same reasons. The trout feed hard to pack on weight before their

I and many other keen anglers and guides on the river believe they are doing a great job. The number of natives they are sticking into Blowering Dam, however, is a different story. I believe it’s time to go back to 200,000 golden perch a year with this fishery!

Double hook-ups of redfin on the new ‘Windamere special’ coloured blades. These fish will move away from the lake edges this month, making them harder to catch for those without a boat.

The number of brown trout in the Tumut River is as high as we have seen in almost a decade. and this has a big affect on fish habits. The natives, especially the big Murray cod, will start to feed up hard as they know there are slim pickings during winter.

annual spawning run. These fish start congregating at the mouths of feeder creeks and rivers in our alpine lakes and will smash anything that fits in their mouths along the way. As

frequently. This is ideal as it gives the fish a chance to repopulate holes after being fished out at times during the lower flows. It also means that no matter your preferred technique and river height, you will have had what you wanted at least a few times this season, so everyone seems to be happy. The other great thing this season is the number of brown trout being caught and the amount of trophy-sized fish around and above the magic

ratio of browns to rainbows was 50/50. That being said, I believe that Fisheries are managing the Tumut River perfectly at the moment, with a very good number of brown trout mixed in amongst the plentiful rainbow trout. I noticed a few local fly anglers had taken a stab at Fisheries in the local newspaper, stating that more trout need to be stocked, but this is not the only way to create a better fishery. Fish stocks currently see almost every angler at least land a fish or two each session, with some anglers frequently landing 50 or more. Not only

A 90cm Murray cod caught on a blade while targeting redfin with 4lb line. Murray cod can be very opportunistic during this transition time.

There are plenty of rainbow trout in the Tumut River and they are all in great condition, as Col Robinson shows here with this stunning above average rainbow. These fish pack on as much weight as possible now while the going is good, as yabbies, shrimp and crayfish are still about and plentiful where the smaller fish in the systems are still congregating around the edges. Once winter

you can see, it is a transition period for trout and natives, which often leads to some spectacular fishing. TUMUT RIVER The Tumut has fished really well this season and water levels have fluctuated

SEASON

10lb mark. This is great, as over the last six or so years a brown trout capture was fairly rare and 90% or so of captures were rainbow trout. This season those numbers are way up and we have even had a few sessions where the

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Eager Easter anglers LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

The Easter Bunny is a little later in April this year, therefore keeping warm might take a little more tending to the camp fire, making time for one extra stubby, one more cuppa

popular, so I suggest you get in early. TSR (travelling stock routes) on the rivers out west offer a great opportunity for anglers and their families to get some fishing in. Rural communities and the towns close by really appreciate it when travellers do their camp shopping in town. So, make

BIGGER COD As waters start to cool in cod country like Wyangala, things start to change. The abundance of smaller baitfish starts to wane as predation from bigger critters from above and below has taken its toll. Protection, in the form of thicker layers of deep cooler water, starts to thin out and

Much is still to be discovered when it comes to catching big winter impoundment Murray cod, and the artificial environments we have created hold great potential.

Big hardbody lures cast around structure as the sun warms the depths is one way of narrowing down your target area. and another yarn. It’s such a great space to share and enjoy with others, even the silent moments are golden. Your senses will be charged as the flames dance and the timber crackles – I dare you not to look. Spots at Easter on western watersheds are very

sure they know and tell them where you are from. You will be surprised at how welcoming they are and you never know, you might just get a sweet little bit of camping or fishing information that changes your Easter break for the better.

their best. It’s when they have the biggest strategic advantage and it’s no coincidence they choose the coldest time in the day to do their hunting. A body built on mass and heavy structure; bigger fat stores a living-breathing insulator, not unlike a whale or walrus. In comparison, carp, redfin, bony bream and golden perch are relatively skinny, aerodynamic and built for speed, but speed does not come quickly

very in tune with their surroundings. Your boat is a soundboard, an amplifier to a watery world underneath, the movements you make, the directions and speed you go matter, believe me. If you keep hunting and stalking at the forefront of everything you do while on board chasing these bigger cod, you will be on the right track. Daytime sorties are not out of the question, especially if weather conditions are suitable.

can be tempted with a good cast. At other times they will be deeper and in the shade, just out of the sun and using this shade line as a cloak for ambush. Much is still to be discovered when it comes to these big impoundment Murray cod over winter, the environments we have created for them suit them well. Carp, redfin and, in some waters, trout are well and truly on the menu. Three species that proliferate nowadays in impoundment

this pushes what’s left into a thinner band (generally speaking) and much closer to the bank. There are many variables, but it’s something that has proved to be true the last couple of winters. Bigger cod are built for colder water temperatures and it’s when they are at

DAM LEVELS Dam............................... % Full

Dam............................... % Full

Dam Jan Feb March Blowering 36 30 26 Brogo 84 99 97 Burrendong 11 9 7 Burrinjuck 43 35 31 Carcoar 39 35 26 Chaffey 38 33 29 Clarrie Hall 99 92 93 Copeton 14 12 12 Dartmouth 70 65 63 Eucumbene 27 26 26 Glenbawn 58 57 55 Glenlyon 25 17 12

Dam Jan Feb March Glennies Creek 61 59 57 Hume 35 31 23 Jindabyne 83 83 80 Keepit 1 1 1 Lostock 96 99 84 Oberon 48 46 43 Pindari 22 9 6 Split Rock 4 4 3 Tantangara 50 45 38 Toonumbar 90 82 75 Windamere 37 35 34 Wyangala 42 37 33

(All levels correct at time of going to press. Dam levels can change at any time, so please check with local authorities to ensure safe boating and fishing.) 74

APRIL 2019

Western waters around Easter time can be busy. The author suggests you get in early to your little piece of paradise. in frigid waters. This is perfect for a well-insulated attack from underneath – timed to perfection with a glow in the east or west for a silhouette. At these times, at these moments, bigger cod are a lot more pelagic in nature – moving about quite freely they are top of the food chain and fear little when light levels are low and fishing pressure and noise is non-existent. This means anglers will need to make some adjustments. These bigger fish are

Structure in the form of logs and rocks, drop-offs and cut outs are prime ambush positions for cod in Wyangala and it can make the decision on where to fish a little easier. Be sure to approach angles and make long casts from a quiet boat. Keep in mind the angle and severity of the early morning sun will sometimes see cod on the sunny side of structure resting up in a state of digestion (just a theory). It’s happened too many times for me for it to be a coincidence; these fish

waters that were never available to the cod in a natural environment, add to that annual stockings of golden perch, silver perch and conditions that suit the multiplication of bony bream and carp on an annual basis in some waters. You start to see a much bigger picture. Speaking of pictures, you just might find yourself in one holding the biggest Murray cod you’ve ever seen. Until then, tight lines and hope to see you on the water soon!

That heat is really hard to beat this autumn SNOWY MOUNTAINS

Ant Bentley

Despite now being in the middle of autumn, it still very much feels like summer. Hopefully the coming weeks will bring some rain and much cooler weather. Unfortunately, we are still very hot up here in the mountains. With some very unseasonal warm weather that seems to have been going on forever, the fishing in both the rivers and local lakes has still been very tough. With low water and still quite high temperatures in the rivers and lake edges, the only real option for productive fishing at the moment is to head as high as you can. The Thredbo River from Skitube upwards is still providing anglers with some reasonable fishing opportunities, as the water is a little cooler. Fishing the well-oxygenated white water and the spring feeder creeks coming into the larger rivers will be advantageous. The Snowy River above Island Bend has been somewhat consistent over the summer and has been fishing quite well, as have most of

the creeks and streams at the higher altitudes, with Perisher, Spencers, and Betts creeks all producing fish on the cooler days.

would recommend resting this bit of water until the temperatures are well and truly down. There are plenty of snakes around the river

shallower water with a fly or lure, but the warmer parts of the day are going to see the fish go into deeper water. Lake Eucumbene is quite

Andrew Denham recently upgraded his rod and promptly christened it! The Mowambah River has seen very slow fishing this season, with low flow and high water temperatures making the trout a little uncomfortable and unwilling to play on most days. Fishing early in the morning or right on dusk were the most productive times of the day for the Mowambah, but I

edges as well, so be careful where you tread. Lake Jindabyne is just starting to fish okay around the edges, but it is still quite inconsistent and fishing the deeper water from a boat will give you an advantage. Early morning after a cooler night will be a good time to have a look around the

low at the moment, and is fishing very inconsistently, with boat-based anglers the only ones to be getting anything decent. Fishing the deeper drop-offs and wooded areas is giving the best results. Early morning around the edges can be worth a look, but don’t expect to see a lot just yet. I

have heard some rumours of midge emerging and balling. Hopefully this weather will cool down and we get some rain very soon! Flies to use are the Snowy Mountains Hopper in sizes #12 and #14, yellow Stimulators in sizes #12 and #14, Parachute Adams in sizes #14 and #16, elk hair caddis in sizes #12 and #14, and black unweighted nymphs in sizes #12 and #16. Lures to use are red spinners in 3.5g, gold vibes in smaller sizes, and the brighter coloured Tassie Devils also seem to be getting good results. Until we get some cooler weather and some decent rainfall, fishing slowly and carefully will give you an advantage. Limiting your fishing to the early morning or late in the evening will be favourable. The next month or so should hopefully see some early snowfalls (fingers crossed)

and hopefully the last part of the season will see some better fishing than we have had during this long hot summer. •High Country Outfitters has the largest range of fly fishing gear in the Snowy Mountains, with something for every skill level and budget. Brands include Sage, Rio, Redington, Scott, Simms, Patagonia, Loop, TFO, Vision, Hardy, Riverworks, Scientific Anglers, Airflo and McLean nets. There’s also a big range of flies from Manic, Stu Tripney, Mick Hall and Pisces, as well as waders, boots, vests and outdoor apparel. For all the latest information on what’s biting and where, drop into the store at Nuggets Crossing Shopping Centre, Jindabyne. You can also call them on (02) 6456 2989, like them on Facebook or check out their website at highfly.com.au.

Ravenous goldens prep for cold ORANGE

Michael Collison thegurusgear@gmail.com

Windamere Dam fishing is as hot as the weather, as at this time of the year the water is still very warm and the goldens will still be aggressive. Goldens will be looking

for their next meal, as they have finished spawning. In certain section of the dam you will still find goldens stacked up in schools on flats and drop-offs, and the best way to target the fish is to find them on your sounder first, then fish through them by using blades, vibes (hard and soft) and lipless crankbaits. By using these lure types, you

should put a few more fish in your boat. The fish will change movements day to day, so anglers will have to change their approach to suit the conditions. One day it will be an aggressive ‘shake and hop’ retrieve that will work, and the next day it will be slow roll getting the bites. If you crack a pattern on

the day, you can go just about anywhere in the dam and catch goldens. The dam is slowly dropping, so the fish are holding on new spots in the dam, and it might take a little longer to find the fish. When you do, however, the fishing is still fantastic, and like I always say, once you find them in one spot of the dam, you just have to look for other similar spots and you’ll find more fish! • For all the fishing gear or fishing news around the Central West pop into Canobolas Caravan & Marine and load up for your next fishing trip.

n Trout Hatchery e d a G

Darling Downs local Cody Groves caught this very impressive 103cm wild Murray cod on a deep diving crankbait during a cold winter morning on the river.

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Guided tours 10 am and 2 pm.

Self-guided tours on selected days. Small admission fee.

Golden perch will be feeding aggressively, trying to put on condition after spawning.

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Persist through the tough bite HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

April cannot get here quick enough. The drought has really taken its toll on the water levels in the local impoundments. I feel like every month this summer has been a repeat of the last. The two major local lakes are getting really low, both below 55% and dropping at a consistent rate. Lostock fared a little better, with the mountain range holding the rain and being smaller it takes less water to fill it. Around April is generally a time of rain and I hope there are some big downfalls that make their way across most of Australia. On the other hand, the air temperatures should be cooling down this month. This can generally be a tough time for the lure anglers out there and the recent conditions will not make it easy. Patience is the key this month. The fish in the lakes should start to be spread out between deep and shallow patterns as the water temperature drops. It should be back down to around 20-22ºC this month, and this initiates a time of transition for the fish as they prepare for winter. As the water cools, some of the bait will die off and the fish will be on the move. LAKE GLENBAWN I doubt Lake Glenbawn’s weed beds will have survived with the constant dropping

water levels over summer. There may still be some small patches found throughout the lake and these will definitely hold fish this time of year. Topwater is always a viable option in April, with the drought and lack of bait in the water, the fish are looking elsewhere for food. While the light is low, a fast-moving large surface lure like a prop bait, paddler or walking bait is great.

needed to allow the jerkbait to get down to its maximum diving depth. After it has landed, a nice slow roll to get it down followed by two or three hard rips and a long pause, then a 20 second wait can be what it takes. A super slow rolled plastic grub or paddle-tail worked through the edge fish may work too. Another option for targeting these suspended, shut down fish is a spy bait.

Rob Cox with one of many bass caught at St Clair on topwater early, then on blades hopped out from the weed as the sun came up. These can cover water quickly looking for any active fish. From here, a very slow and methodical approach to fishing the edge fish is key. A deep diving suspending jerkbait used with long pauses to allow the fish to travel up out of the deep or long distances is ideal. Big long casts on light line and a spinning rod are

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Nice long casts, counting down the spy bait to the desired depth and slow roll back through the fish. When the fish start to get shallow in Glenbawn they have a tendency to sit in 15-20ft of water. Low light and stirred up water are key for catching these fish up on the edge as they move freely away from structure looking for food. The skirted jig has turned into a consistent producer in recent years. There is no reason for a well-presented one to be turned down when slowly dragged over some big laydowns. Glenbawn’s steep banks are great for extending the low light bite. As the sun gets up, they cast

a shadow onto the water and you can chase these shadows late into the morning. Once that sun is out, it is hot and glassed out – therefore targeting deeper fish should allow you to continue catching fish. Generally, the back half of the lake tends to fish better this time of year, but with the levels so low this could have them pushed down towards the front. Slow rolling a plastic grub, hopping a blade or tail spinner through the fish in 30-60ft of water will work. An ice jig is another option that works well on these deep fish this month. By working the ice jig in front of the fish’s face you can sometimes force a reaction strike out of them. LAKE ST CLAIR The recent dropping water levels will have reduced most of Lake St Clair’s weeds beds this year. With not much weed to provide shelter and shade, fishing the edges will be most productive during low light or windy and stirred up conditions. April can be a real mixed bag on what the fish will eat at St Clair. Everything from topwater, jerkbaits, reaction style lures and plastics cast at the edges, to all the typical deep-water techniques. The fish should be evenly split between deep and shallow water this time of year. The weather will always be the determining factor on where you should fish. Hopefully the cooling weather brings on some foggy mornings and overcast days. These should keep the shallow water fish biting longer during the daylight hours. I would start out with topwater in the backs of bays and around any weed you can still find. Glassed out water is always best for surface as

Dylan Glover with a healthy bass caught on a jerkbait cast tight to some timber and a weed edge at Lake St Clair. they can easily track your lure from a long distance. A jerkbait would be my next selection. Fish these tight to the bank and around any structure you can find. A standard two to three rips and a short pause is enough to see if they are onto a jerkbait bite. Follow this up with a bladed jig, spinnerbait or crankbait for a reaction style bite. A skirted jig and craw dragged along the bottom will also work. Even a slow rolled grub or paddletail fished off the edge. It’s just a matter of finding out what works. The deeper fish should be more consistent to target and easier to catch. There should be fish schooled or scattered along the deeper edges in 15-20ft feet and these will eat a slow rolled plastic, hopped blade or tail spinner and even a dressed blade. You could move out even deeper and find them schooling off deep flats and points in 35-60ft. A vertical presented plastic is an easy way of getting your

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Noah and Travis Dowling with a double hook-up of golden perch and bass, caught while long lining deep plastics at Glenbawn.

lure in front of the fish at these depths. By sounding around, you can find fish and drop your plastic straight down on top of them. A nice slow roll up through them should be all it takes to get some bites. April lure fishing can be just a frustrating time to fish. Get the conditions right with the weather and moon and you will have a ball. Come back and the conditions have changed, you’ll struggle to buy a bite. The bait anglers, however, can have the best fishing of the year this month. There is something about a fresh worm, shrimp or cricket that the fish cannot turn down. Tying up to the tops of trees in water around 20-30ft deep is a good location. Lightly weighted, be sure to sink these slowly down the tree. Any fish in the area should not take too long to find your bait. RIVERS In the local rivers, the fish will be starting to spread out through the whole system now. Some bass will have started their transition downstream in preparation for spawning. All the very upper reaches and creeks have suffered from the hot dry summer and need rain to get them flowing again. If you stick to the main rivers, like the Hunter, Paterson and Williams, they have maintained flow from their vast catchments or lakes releasing water. These main rivers should hold good numbers of fish this time of year. The lack of rain may have allowed the saltwater to come up a long way in the rivers. In the Hunter, around Raymond Terrace was the crossover of salt and freshwater species. If you are chasing bass keep this in mind as that transition point may be higher up the river now.

Low water levels making fishing difficult NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

Cooler weather patterns are already crossing the country this season, and with that we should

low water levels (some parts have no flow at all leaving smaller waterholes landlocked or dried up) or fully covered with algae in most holes along the river. In saying that, there have still been some very

goes dark. If you have ever seen that purple glow from the eyeball of a predatory fish at night under torch you will understand why. They don’t miss much under the cover of darkness and this is where they feel they have the best

down to a matter of finding that area. It then turns into a ‘confidence thing’ and where you find one biting, you can usually find another biting. With water levels so low this is my favourite time to be slow sinking swimbaits down next to structure or even working big soft plastics across the bottom as slowly as I can. These methods have been proven to catch some really big fish during lower water levels at Copeton Dam in past seasons, and with the summer heat now over it is not uncommon to

anglers before we head into another really cold winter. Copeton Dam is currently sitting around 11%. PINDARI DAM Pindari Dam has slowly continued to recede its water levels in recent weeks and is almost at the lowest I have personally ever seen it. It is hard to imagine where all the water has gone in such a short time period. For the boaters, there is still access for loading and unloading boats around near the dam wall. If you follow the dirt road out to the main

and small tinnies are perfect at these lower levels, as it makes for easier navigating around structure and this is where the fish are living at these levels. There have been reports of yellowbelly, silver perch and catfish being caught off the bank recently using shrimp and worms. Some average sized Murray cod are also being caught on lures casting towards the structure along the edges of the banks, but as mentioned in the last report, with big rains I think we are

Big Copeton cod definitely get the heart racing, especially with the dam at low levels. hopefully start seeing a lot better fishing conditions to go with it. Although there has been little rainfall over the past couple of months, the native fish should start becoming a lot more comfortable with water

healthy fish caught using swimbaits, spinnerbaits and even weedless frogs. However, the weedless lures have been most effective out of the bunch as they can be presented in the thicker weeds a lot easier and can

advantage to get that easier meal, whether it is in the rivers or the impoundments. COPETON DAM Copeton Dam has been producing some very nice fish of late, but the anglers landing them are definitely

Land-based fishing can be an easier way to access Pindari at low water levels. see Copeton’s big natives (including 1m+ cod) being caught throughout the daylight hours as well. There is just something about this time of year that starts to get them bigger fish going again and they start to get caught more regularly. Another thing that makes this time of year the best time is that it is usually a lot better weather conditions for us

point below the wall there is a bitumen ramp at the bottom of the hill. A 4x4 is recommended, as some spots around Pindari can be known to be pretty soft, even if you are a long way from the water’s edge. With the lower water levels there are a lot of rocks and trees exposed, so extra care is needed especially for the bigger boats. Kayaks

still a while away from seeing Pindari fishing at its best again. Pindari Dam is currently sitting around the 6% mark. Although there is little rain predicted on the radars for the near future, we can only cross our fingers and hope in the meantime. Good luck to all getting out on the water this month and tight lines.

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Fly fishing is one of many different methods that work on these river cod. temperatures dropping and with that, start to feed and actively cruise the banks of the local impoundments and deeper sections of our rivers again. SEVERN RIVER The Severn River is in bad condition with very

be used in daylight hours as well as night. Fishing through the low light hours and into the night using this method can be very productive as this is when native fish seem to let their guard down a lot more, feeding on that last meal as it

putting in their efforts to get the bites. With dropping water levels and sulking of fish, it can prove to be a very hard combination sometimes. But with Copeton, there is always a fish feeding somewhere in that dam and it just comes

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APRIL 2019

Persistence will deliver the best results ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

April would have to be my favourite month of the cod season – the long walks, swagging it rough, boating, kayaking and everything in between. It all makes for an awesome adventure, with the added bonus of catching a big Murray cod! I’ve had my most successful fishing trips in April. Not only for numbers, but their size as well. This may be a coincidence, but it’s a month I have plenty of

This quality Murray cod was taken in tight, shady structure. that slow rolling swimbaits in a slight current is very effective for cod. I’m reasonably new to fishing

with swimbaits, so I’m certainly no expert on them, however, they have a great natural presentation and, to a hungry feeding fish or aggressive fish, these lures certainly produce success. I’ve had most my success on Jackall swimbaits, although there are many different brands on the market, so go pick your poison - remember don’t be afraid to go big! Another lure style I highly recommend is a ‘text book’ technique. Hardbodies will always be a first choice for me when packing for a cod fishing mission. I love hardbody fishing for cod because they’re so easy to use. If you’re new to cod fishing (or fishing in general) and you want to get into lure fishing,

anglers, but a consistent flow definitely helps the success rate when catching Murray cod, particularly when lure fishing. Like I mentioned last month, surface fishing this time of the year is such an adrenaline rush! However, swimbaits definitely have their place. All lures have their perks, but I’ve found

By-catch is always a welcomed surprise, just like this golden perch.

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I’ll usually go a hardbody. Keep in mind, Murray cod are predators and will scoff anything down, so you have to be ready for it.

enjoy what you’re doing! Spend time with good mates or family, or even alone, just look at what’s around you and take it in.

The cod season is in its prime YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

BOATING FISHING CAMPING HUNTING

April will reward you if you are patient enough to persist. Cod fishing is something you really need to just keep doing to get the results. You will pick up fish easily at times, others not so much. Don’t loose faith, just

Swimbaits are a perfect way to get amongst Murray cod as they provide a natural presentation in the water.

Just one powerful tail kick and they’re back to their home! confidence in for catching these wonderful fish. Depending on what the flow/height of the river is doing, river fishing is great this time of year. Good water temperatures along with consistent night and flow rates, should see some really good fishing opportunities. Techniques and theories tend to differ between most

a hardbody would be the first lure to try because they are snag-resident and easy to use. A simple slow role against some structure is all you need to do, with a little patience. When in doubt or struggling to get a bite

Autumn is undoubtedly the prime time of year to be fishing Mulwala and we are currently in the middle of one of the hottest bite periods I have ever seen. The old story of having to tie your lure on or put your bait on hiding behind a tree has never been more true! Returns of numbers of cod that range up into the teens and beyond have been reported on a steady basis. Normally the average for the Mulwala is roughly one or two cod per day, but constant effort is seeing most rewarded with at least half a dozen for a day. The anglers who are trolling the 1.5 – 4m range are producing good numbers, while the switched on younger brigade who are chucking around surface lures, swimbaits and wakebaits are getting the quality fish. There are no lures that are head and shoulders above the rest, but those in the 120-170mm range seem to be doing the damaged on a consistent basis. In store at Fish Camp Ski, Yarrawonga & Mulwala, the Barambah

Bidgeewongs and Manic Budgies are selling like hot cakes while the Kuttafurras, Zereks and Westins have plenty of fans. Looking back over February, it’s impossible for me to give everybody a mention who has landed a metery. A few that spring to mind who’ve tangled with some rippers have been Brad Stillard, Mick Crothers, Steve Cannon, Thomas Pinter, Harry Crawford, Dan Wright, Tom Stanton and even the boss ‘VB’ - Vanessa Bennett. Apologies to those I have forgotten. A personal highlight for the month was having

a visit from our world travelling French fishing friend, Matthew ‘Frenchie’ Tourneau. Frenchie spent six days with us wanting to fish every minute of his stay. We managed to put him onto plenty of 40-65cm cod but low and behold, the only day we could not get out with him we loaned him our boat and he returned home with photos of a 96.5cm beauty! The ever popular Lowrance Da$h 4 Ca$h was held mid Feb with record numbers of cod captured, photographed and released. In total, over the three fourhour fishing sessions, 142

Vanessa Bennett with a cracking 102cm cod taken off the surface.

anglers landed 117 legal fish. Team Hill Boys, Robert and Nick Hill took the cash Saturday morning with two great cod measuring 98.7 and 73cm. Lake Cargelligo Angling Club team of Derek Davis and Tony Hayward landed a ripper Saturday arvo that went a healthy 105.1cm. That along with another smaller legal helped them to the arvo session win. Sunday morning was hotly contested, it was team Reel Chase’s Craig Leehane and Daniel Bongo who got the big prize with their beauty that went a touch over 102cms and was caught sixth cast of the morning. • If you’re visiting town I urge you to call in and say G’day at Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front (Opposite the Post Office) in Mulwala or find us in Yarrawonga located between Rivers and One Zac. We are your largest Murray Cod specific shop in Yarrawonga/ Mulwala and specialize in all things “Green”! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports give us a hoy on 03 5744 3133.

Finally we’re getting some promising results ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

As we roll towards the autumn break, it’s good to see a few more anglers out on the water and into the fish. The sting of summer is gone and a day on the water should be a far more comfortable affair.

fresh bait. Small yabbies, shrimp and worms are all accounting for fish. Lake Boga is producing Murray cod to 70cm on trolled lures, and a few golden perch on bait. Good numbers of sizable Murray cod have been landed along the Murray River between Murrabit and Nyah. Several metre plus cod have been caught on

through this section of the Murray River, so trolling is mostly done with the petrol motor. Bait anglers have also landed some good size Murray cod this past month in these areas and the fishing should only get better as things begin to cool down. Further down along the Murray River to Boundary Bend anglers are catching

Mildura angler Gareth Lynch with a thumping carp caught in the Murray River on bait.

Peter Luczkowski with the 103cm Murray cod he landed on a lure in the Murray River near Mildura. In the Swan Hill region Lake Charm is producing redfin on local shrimp and white bait. While the biggest fish have been around 500g, they have been about in good numbers. Lake Merrin is also producing redfin, with some solid fish up around the 1kg mark. The redfin at Merrin are taking bobbers, trolled lures and

trolled lures, with bright coloured StumpJumpers working best. It has been common for anglers to land up to half a dozen cod per session and while they are not all monsters, most are of quality size. The best areas to troll are rocky bottoms and timber clad runs or corners. The water runs quite quickly

good numbers of golden perch on bait and lures. Several cod to 65cm have also muscled in on the lure action and once again, bright-coloured lures are working best. Reports of yabbies in the river are reason enough to break out the nets to chase a feed. While they are not running full on, there are

enough to keep the cooker boiling and the taste buds content. Wemen has golden perch to 48cm on cocktail baits of shrimp and worms. Fishing close to the structure, most anglers are catching a few perch between carp. Murray cod from very small to 65cm have also been landed in the Murray at Wemen on both bait and lures. Around Mildura, golden perch are taking bait near the weir with fresh shrimp and worms working best. It’s a similar story below the weir at Wentworth, with some quality perch landed on both bait and lures. With good flows going through the Frenchmans Creek regulator, it could be well worth a visit to this location. Good numbers of large golden

perch generally bite very well in the flow. Several cod over the metre mark have been landed in the Murray River near Mildura this past month on trolled lures. It’s a good sign and the first big fish reported since the black water a few seasons back.

Perhaps the tide has turned and cod fishers can once again hold hope of catching a good cod around Mildura in the Murray River. I guess only time will tell, but until then there are plenty of options and enough fish biting to keep us more than busy.

FISHING NEWS

Droughts, rains and fish The 2018-19 summer has been challenging for fish and their habitats. January was the hottest and driest month on record across much of Australia, following on from similar conditions in December and November. The consequences for fish have been catastrophic in some areas. The fish deaths in the Lower Darling River, western NSW, were distressing to many anglers. These deaths were likely to have been caused by several related and compounding factors resulting in low oxygen in the river: high temperatures and low or no water flow conditions led to thermal stratification and algal blooms; rainfall and an associated drop in temperature mixed the water layers, distributing

very low dissolved oxygen throughout the water column; and high algal content in water releases from Lake Pamamaroo for stock and domestic flow increased oxygen demand and consumption, which further reduced the dissolved oxygen available to fish. While increasing water flow depends on good rainfall, people have been helping fish where they can. In several systems, aerators are being used to increase the level of dissolved oxygen in refuge areas, and aeration devices are in place at priority refuge locations along the Lower Darling River. Some irrigators have reversed their small pumps to feed air into the Darling River. NSW DPI have also undertaken fish rescues in the Darling River immediately downstream

of Weir 32. Relocating fish is not a preferred solution because of the additional pressure it places on already stressed fish, but the decision was made to proceed with rescue efforts due to the need to cease flows below Weir 32. Twenty large Murray Cod were initially removed and transported back to the Narrandera Fisheries Centre to be used for future restocking. A second rescue effort saw nearly 80 native fish relocated, including Murray cod, silver perch and golden perch. Nearly half of these fish were moved to a deeper pool downstream, while 20 silver perch and 20 golden perch were taken back to Narrandera Fisheries Centre to be used as broodstock for future restocking efforts. It is hoped that the recovery of otoliths (or

‘ear-bones’) from some of the silver perch, golden perch, and Murray cod that died in the Lower Darling River will improve the understanding of these populations. From the otoliths, researchers will determine where these fish were spawned and how long they had been residents of the Lower Darling, providing important information on the recovery potential for the system, and associated management actions to enhance the recovery and protection of these fish. In the long term, continuing to improve fish passage, re-snagging rivers, addressing cold water pollution, actively managing flows within our rivers, and re-instating coordinated activities based on science, will improve the resilience of fish populations. – Fish Habitat Network

A solid golden perch caught on a Tubby Minnow lure.

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Cooler weather is producing hot results Tumut River! The flows are low and the trout action is second to none. Casting spinners, Tassies, small soft plastics, gold wobblers and small hardbodies will work wonders. If you’re after large fish and are happy to do more casts for less action, target the deeper holes and use a lure that sinks, such as a 1/6oz soft plastic. Cast into the deep hole and allow the lure to sink. Once it hits the bottom, give it a flick and slow roll it back. This is the best way to target the large browns that sit down deep in these holes.

WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

If I had to order the months in a list based on my favourites, April would take out 1st place! If you’re just a casual angler, this is the time to get out and wet a line because it’s one of the most enjoyable months ,with great weather and active fish on offer! MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER As always, this time of year signals the end of the irrigation season as the temperature begins to cool and the river reduces in height and flow. Less height means more snags are exposed, which means more room to cast lures around, making for less snagged lures. Also, the flow of the river slows, which ultimately allows for much better lure fishing opportunities. Both downstream and upstream of Wagga will fish well. Fishing below Wagga will yield more numbers of fish, especially Murray cod. Casting 5/8oz spinnerbaits is by far the go to technique.

catches of small to mediumsized Murray cod. Trolling 70-120mm hardbodies will be the best option, followed by spinnerbaits. Bait fishing at this time of year can be great, especially overnight off the bank with grubs and yabbies. It can be hit and miss but it’s still worth a visit – just try to plan your trip around a high barometer! You really can’t go wrong in April along our rivers and creeks with such good fishing opportunities available! I have also been travelling and fishing other

Tallis loves using stinger hooks on his spinnerbaits at this time of year to ensure he sticks all the hits. Running hardbodies along the length of fallen logs is another great technique. My favourite lures are Mud Guts spinnerbaits, AC Invader 70 and 90mm, Balista Dyno 90 and Strike Force 80mm Cod Stalkers. The best lure colours will vary, so make sure you have options of both bright and dark on hand. I like purple and orange at this time of year to trigger an

If you’re not keen on casting lures then bait fishing with the family is a great option. Head out to one of the local reserves and throw a yabby, bardi grubs or even some worms in off the bank. If you have a boat, find some

walk and cast for both cod and goldens. Paddlers are by far the go and the smaller lures will give you more chance of catching smaller fish. First thing in the morning and late afternoon is by far the best time to fish.

Adam Smith with a monster river golden that was sitting tight to heavy structure.

You have to love this time of year, floating down the river with good mates!

The Takacat Inflatble gets a good work out at this time of year as it’s perfect for the low flowing rivers. Make sure you cast them close to the structure and remember to let them sink in below the structure before retrieving the lure out.

aggressive fish, but also have natural greens and blacks with purple as well. You never know what will work on the day.

big logs and willow trees to tie up to and drop your bait straight down under the log. OLD MAN CREEK As well as the Murrumbidgee River running low, Old Man Creek won’t be too far behind and if you’re keen for a surface fish, this would be the place to go. There are plenty of reserves along the creek, which provide great areas to

Try to fish close to structure but keep in mind that the creek is flowing slowly, so you’ll be able to cast anywhere in the creek and retrieve your lure back. Make

If you’re after a bit more fun, fish below the rapids in the faster flowing water with spinners, wobblers and small hardbodies. Cast them into the fast water and retrieve them quickly. Rainbows love these fast flowing areas and will chase down most lures at this time of year. BLOWERING DAM The lake reached low levels over the summer but is slowly on the rise now.

areas outside the Wagga Wagga region and one I wanted to touch on quickly is Nagambie Lakes in Victoria. Australia’s largest fishing competition is being held down there at the end of this month and it has over $500,000 in cash and prizes with the angler with the biggest Murray cod taking home $80,000! It’s only a 3.5-hour run down the Hume Highway from here and is well worth

A slab of a yellowbelly caught on the frog pattern AC Invader.

Mitch Condell with a solid river golden on dusk caught on a Mud Guts spinnerbait. 80

APRIL 2019

sure you cast everywhere, as chances are there will be submerged structure below and sometimes you catch more fish off hidden structure than the stuff you can see on the bank. TUMUT RIVER Another great place to visit this month is the

It will start to fish well and now is a good time to visit, as it will have been left alone by most anglers who are fishing the rivers. Local native populations will be feeding up ready for the winter ahead, so fishing the rocky banks around the wall end will result in good

entering. I’ve been fishing the lakes lately catching some cracking fish and it’s definitely going to be an incredible competition. So there is plenty happening this April. Whether you stay close to home or hit the road, get out fishing!

Now is the time for results CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

The fishing in and around Canberra throughout March was certainly an improvement on February. A few impoundments, notably Lake Burley Griffin

and it is still possible to spot long deceased native fish floating around the margins just above the ooze. I hope that by the time this report has gone to print, the ACT Government will have taken steps to remove the dead fish and that the lake starts to clear because on its

the shallows where they can be easily targeted by slow rolling Jackall TN50s a few metres from shore or by casting paddler style plastics off the ledges along the new Kingston Foreshore development. There have also been some large cod caught by

from the dog park back towards the main lake has provided memorable action for a number of anglers with medium sized yellas hitting plastics fished using a ‘hop/ pause retrieve’. Also, those fishing shallow running divers have run up cricket scores of small redfin by targeting low light periods and shade lines. A number of anglers have also hooked and landed some large carp in the shallow bays that line the western foreshore. The cod have been a little quiet of late but that should start to change as the weather cools. In fact, if fishing the lake for yellas, it pays to bring a second outfit and cast a

The fishing down the Murrumbidgee is improving. had been murky and slow moving until the middle of March with some pools becoming cut off from the rest of the river due to a lack of rain. Now though, the river is relatively clear and the cod are on the bite with a number of anglers landing good fish using surface lures and swimbaits. Targeting submerged rocks and casting

been nonstop since late February and shows no sign of slowing up. The golden perch are feeding in the shallows and can be targeted from bank or boat/kayak using a variety of techniques including slow rolling jig spins and hopping ZX blades through the employing a ‘burn and kill’ retrieve when using a

Chris Starkey has landed some good cod at Googong recently. and Lake Ginninderra, started to really fire and the Murrumbidgee cleared up giving anglers a genuine shot at landing a decent cod on surface. That being said, there was a serious algae outbreak in Lake Tuggeranong, which affected the lake to the point where the majority of the dam looked like bright green toxic waste. Lake Tuggeranong has always been a problematic fishery but this algae outbreak was one of the worst I’ve seen

day, Lake Tuggeranong can produce some outstanding fishing especially towards the back end of autumn. LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin has to be the pick of the Canberra fisheries. The aquatic life in the lake is in overdrive at present with small shrimp and baitfish feeding along with the margins and roving shoals of small redfin lying in wait close by. This frenzied feeding has attracted large redfin and small to medium sized golden perch towards

anglers targeting the points using large spinnerbaits and medium to large soft plastics. I have fished the lake plenty of times from my kayak recently and, for me, the pick of the banks is the reed-lined edge just opposite the Scrivener Dam car park. There are plenty of redfin, small cod and medium sized goldens here, and all are feeding up in preparation for the cold weather. Lake Ginninderra is fishing well for golden perch and redfin. The bank running

Nathan Kenny and Jimmy Bollard with a Googong golden double.

Ryan Osman landed this large cod targeting fast water. surface lure around towards the end of a session with the edges of the dam wall being a prime spot to try for a big goodoo. As mentioned previously, Lake Tuggeranong is in bad shape and has been for a while. Up until the algae bloom, anglers were catching good fish and the larger yellowbelly were just starting to come on the bite. I have heard that a few brave souls have fished the lake right through the worst of the algae bloom and some even managed to land a couple of nice natives but, for the most part, anglers are avoiding the lake and waiting for the cold weather and a bit of rain to clean it up. The Murrumbidgee River is improving after several months of less ideal conditions. The river

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around overhanging trees is the best way to connect with a green fish on surface. The yellowbelly are also coming onto the bite and it is possible to land a lot of fish in a session if using plastics slow rolled around significant sunken snags. SURROUNDS Googong Dam is fishing really well. The action has

shallow running diver. There are also plenty of redfin hunting along the edges, but there are also some schools of big fish sitting deep off the points around the main island in the middle of the dam. Here, it is possible to connect with one of the mammoth cod in the dam if throwing large plastics or spinnerbaits.

The redfin have appeared in plague proportions.

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Congratulations to, Makayla Jones who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition! Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – NSWFM Due to a misprint in last month’s edition the same winner was printed as the previous month. The actual winner was M Callaghan. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

Tuggerawong, R Jones of Narella, C Muldoon of Bayview, C Portelli of Colyton, J Harvey of Fullerton Cove, J Flanigan of Winston Hills, W Forbes of Nambucca Heads, J Wicks of Forbes , D Ryall of Singleton, S Roweth of Millthorpe, D Turner of Kincumber, G Ridley of Warren, L Comerford of South Penrith, R Chown of Glendenning, B Horn of Hawks Nest, G Tasker of Belfield, H Thompson of Ermington, J Neilson of Rochester, P Stever of Austinmer, H Morrison of Forbes,

T Maroney of Gunnedah, P Henderson of Denham Court, F Bubas of Albion Park, P Brooker of Wyong, M Fielder of Goolgowi, N Lutovac of Raymond Terrace, J Szabo of Penrith, M Sutton of Bonny Hills, R Kinkade of Forster, G Smith of Werris Creek, C West of Dapto, M Markham of Singleton, G Hall of Grenfell, I Donaldson of Cessnock, R Jones of Toronto, and P Muldoon of Balcolyn. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

The subscriber prize winners for February are D Austin of Ulladulla, C Boege of Isabella Plains, and C Currie of Upper Kedron, who each won a SaltAway kit valued at $99.90. All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

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APRIL 2019

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Spanish Mackerel

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for February were: 8, 12, 16, 25, 28, 33, 38, 42, 46, 80, 99, 102, 110, 114, 122. – NSWFM The Find the Gamakatsu Logo prize winners for February were: D Hanson of Toukley, K Bright of Mt Warrigal, D Larkin of Shoalhaven Heads, S Berestov of Denman, I Dando of

Answer:

Community

The death of a river: let’s get started on a plan NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

Unless you’ve been overseas or off grid for the past few months, you’ll have seen coverage of catastrophic fish kills in outback NSW, especially along the Darling River near Menindee. The scale of this disaster is staggering and difficult for most of us to comprehend. It’ll take decades for native fish populations to recover, assuming they ever do… and that’s a big assumption. The Darling River holds a special place in my heart. Back in 1980, my first posting as a wet-behindthe-ears schoolteacher was in Bourke, in northwestern NSW. Here, along the steep banks of the twisting Darling, I discovered the “vision splendid” of Banjo Patterson’s “sunlit plains extended, and at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars.” It was here I first inhaled the intoxicating perfume of that wonderful petrichor that’s released as fat drops of rain smack onto drought-parched plains, and watched the sun slide behind a horizon so staggeringly wide you’d swear you can see the curvature of the earth. On the downside, I also witnessed the mud-sucking peak of a spreading carp plague, and watched the disturbing phenomenon of a river suddenly flowing backwards as giant irrigation pumps fired up to feed cotton crops the size of small European nations. For me, the writing was already on the wall for the mighty Darling, and the story it told was not a happy one. The Darling is officially described as a ‘dryland river’ and is characterised by ‘extreme climatic variability’. It has

The images of big, dead cod and other fish have been harrowing. been that way since well before the first humans of any colour reached its high banks and gazed down in wonder at what must have been a green-tinged artery of life twisting through the baked red plains. Even then, the Paaka or Barka (as it was known to the local Barkindjii people) was an ephemeral watercourse. For every grainy black and white print of cargo-laden paddle steamers plying a broad body of water in the 19th century, there are almost as many images of those same vessels sitting like discarded toys on the cracked bed of a dry river. This was before cotton or rice. Before today’s massive levels of water extraction for irrigation. Before Cubby Station. Before environmental flows or basin plans or political pork barreling. Between 1885 and 1960, the Darling at Menindee ceased flowing on at least 45 separate occasions, and during the 1902/03 drought, it didn’t run for 364 days straight. The natural inhabitants of the river – from the

smallest shrimp to the largest cod – adapted to its fickle nature by developing boom-and-bust survival strategies. In the hardest of times, their numbers dwindled to remnant populations in isolated waterholes or tributaries. But as soon as new floods came – often the result of cyclonic rains far to the north – they bred up in massive numbers, quickly re-populating the swollen waters by migrating vast distances up and down the river. This was long the way of things across most of our ancient continent: on land as well as in the water. A recently published 40-year study found that kangaroo numbers on the western plains of NSW varied from 18 million in good years to just five million during drought times. Fluctuations in native fish densities can be even more dramatic. Terra Australis refuses to march to the regimented, relatively predictable routine of European seasons. It lurches instead from bitter poverty to boundless plenty and back again, across a

cyclic time frame much older than humanity. Trouble is, we’ve overlaid our pervasive impact on all of this natural variability and resilience. We’ve introduced thirsty crops and livestock from the other side of the globe, let loose exotic pests, built multiple barriers to hold back rivers and block the migration of fish, sucked out water (and baby fish) and pumped toxins back in. So powerful is our impact on the natural world that we’ve even modified the underlying climate. The combined effect of all of this is a flattening out of the natural peaks and a dramatic deepening of the troughs in those ancient rhythms of boom-and-bust. And now, if you’ll pardon a biblical analogy, we’re reaping what we’ve sown. It’s not surprising that the latest fish kills have evoked so much raw, visceral emotion amongst Australians. Anger. Outrage. Sadness. I’ve felt all those things myself – often simultaneously – as the shocking story of a river in its death throes

unfolds across our screens. It’s human nature to look for someone or something to blame at these times. Drought. Climate change. Irrigators. Big cotton. Politicians. Bureaucrats. And the truth is they’re all partly responsible. But guess what? So are you, and so am I. Our cotton shirts, loaves of bread, rock melons, grapes, steaks and rice don’t just magically materialise on supermarket shelves. They’re grown somewhere on our behalf, using lots and lots of precious water. We are as complicit in their creation as we are in their consumption. It’s futile looking for one factor or one person to blame for the Menindee fish kills, and equally pointless (in my opinion) to call for an overnight change in the way we live our lives. We like our cotton and our wheat and our rice and our roads and our air conditioners far too much. In fact, we’re addicted to them. Perhaps the best way forward is a gradual modification of habits and a reduction in some of the more obvious excesses of our modern, Western lifestyle? This begins with recognising that many of these excesses are simply not good for us, nor for the planet we depend on for our survival. As an interesting aside, did you realise that for the first time in human history, we live in age when more people are dying from eating too much than from not having enough to eat? It’s a sobering thought. I suspect that incremental change will need to be driven by us – the people. Sadly, our politicians (of all persuasions) have repeatedly shown themselves to be incapable of doing the ‘vision thing’ and looking beyond the next election. We can’t rely on them to fix things, so I

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reckon we’ll have to force gradual change from the bottom up instead. I’m not talking about unplugging from the power grid tomorrow, growing all your own food, wearing animal skins or living in a cave. I like my creature comforts, too! But we can definitely do a lot better. And if we want to see ecosystems like the Darling River return to even a shadow of their former glory, we’re going to have to do a lot better… Are you up for it? I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I reckon the adoption of the following five-point plan would represent a wonderful starting point: A FIVE-POINT PLAN 1. Immediately establish a Federal Royal Commission to examine the overall management of the Murray-Darling Basin. 2. Urgently re-assess all existing barriers (weirs, locks, barrages and dams) with an eye to removing or dramatically reducing their impact on fish migration. 3. Place a moratorium on the granting of new water extraction licences and examine the viability of buying back some of the existing allocation. 4. Actively prosecute companies or individuals found to be illegally extracting water, and investigate their potential linkages to politicians and bureaucrats. 5. Mandate the fitting of effective screens on all pump inlets to prevent millions of juvenile fish being sucked from our inland rivers by irrigators. •This article was an opinion piece from Steve Starling on the recent massive fish kills in the lower Darling River. This article first appeared in the Fishotopian newsletter, which is part of an online portal run by Steve and his wife Jo. You can subscribe to their monthly newsletter for free at www. fishotopia.com.au.

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Cooking

Tuna tartare with avocado and lavosh crispbread SYDNEY

Andrew Humphries

If you want to try a refreshing new way to eat tuna, this recipe is for you. It blends the fresh flavours of lime, shallots and coriander into an irresistable combination. To start with, zest and juice the lime, while keeping aside the zest for later. Finely chop the shallot and place it in the pot along with sugar and

lime juice, then cook for 2-3 minutes until shallot turns pink. Place aside and let cool. Finely chop the coriander and place aside with the lime zest. Blitz the avocado in a food processor with a squeeze of lime juice and salt, then set aside to serve. Dice tuna into 1cm pieces and place in a bowl. Toss and coat with the oil, and then add in ½ the lime zest and half the coriander. Mix through then add

Finely diced shallot, sugar and lime. Remember to zest the lime before juicing

in ½ the cooled shallot mix. Add the kecap manis and the siracha and stir through. If you don’t like too much spice, add less sriracha. Season with a touch of salt; serve with the avocado puree and some crispbread or crackers on the side. Adding fresh lime juice to the tuna will cook the tuna and change the texture and colour of the flesh, which is why the lime juice is cooked with shallot and sugar.

INGREDIENTS 200g sashimi grade tuna ½ bunch coriander 1 lime zested and juiced 1 tbsp castor sugar 1eshallot finely chopped 2 tbsp kecap manis 2 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce. 2 tbsp grape seed oil or vegetable oil 1 avocado

The shallot, sugar and lime juice in the pan on the stove.

½ bunch coriander washed and ready to be chopped.

Lime zest, coriander and the shallot mix ready to be added to the tuna.

The 1cm tuna pieces ready to be added to the mix.

The tuna tartare with everything mixed in and ready to plate.

APRIL 2019

The ready to use shallot, lime and sugar mix.

Here you can see the tuna’s nice deep red colour. The fresher you can get, the better.

The tuna tartare with avocado and lavosh crispbread. The avocado balances the spice from the siracha and is a nice combination.

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NSW Tides

2019 2019 Local Time

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) – LONG NEW SOUTH WALES LAT 33° 51’ S 151° 14’ E

Time

1 1 0541 1208 TU

TU 1759 2358

LAT 33° 51’ S LONG 151° 14’ E Times and Heights of High and Low Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters MARCH FEBRUARY JANUARY MARCH FEBRUARY JANUARY Time m Time m Time Time m Time m Time m m 0541 1.57 1208 0.58 1759 1.33 2358 0.50 0633 1.63 1310 0.52 1857 1.30

Time m 0441 1.47 1.57 1.47 0.67 0.58 0441 1100 0.67 1.28 1.33 1100 WE 1652 1.28 0.53 FR WE 1652 2300 0.50 2300 0.53 0536 1.57 1.63 1.57 0.58 0.52 0536 1208 0.58 1.30 1.30 1208 TH 1800 1.30 0.50 TH 1800 2355 SA 2355 0.50 0630 1.69 0.51 1.69 0.45 1.69 0630 1309 0.45 1.34 0.47 1309 FR 1902 FR 1902 1.34 SU 1.30

16 16

Time

1 1 0020 0700 FR 1346 1935

17 17

2 2

0044 0.51 18 3 3 0720 1.69 18 1400

3 3

2 2

0633 1310 WE WE 1857

0044 0720 TH TH 1400 1947

4 4

0127 0803 FR FR 1445 2032

5 5 0207 0844 SA

SA 1523 2114

6 6 0245 0920 SU

SU 1600 2152

7 7 0323 0957 MO

MO 1635 2230

8 8 0400 1031 TU

TU 1710 2306

9 9

0437 1107 WE WE 1745 2344

10 10 0516 1143 TH TH 1821

0.47 1947 1.30 0127 0.52 0803 1.73 1445 0.42 2032 1.31 0207 0.52 0844 1.76 1523 0.39 2114 1.32 0245 0.52 0920 1.77 1600 0.37 2152 1.32 0323 0.53 0957 1.77 1635 0.37 2230 1.32 0400 0.54 1031 1.75 1710 0.38 2306 1.32 0437 0.56 1107 1.72 1745 0.41 2344 1.31 0516 0.59 1143 1.67 1821 0.44 0024

0048 0.46 0.52 0.46 1.82 1.73 0048 0722 1.82 0.33 0.42 0722 SA 1403 0.33 1.39 SA 1403 1959 MO 1.31 1959 1.39 0141 0.40 0.52 0.40 1.93 1.76 0141 0814 1.93 0.22 0.39 0814 SU 1455 0.22 1.45 SU 1455 2052 TU 1.32 2052 1.45 0.52 0233 0.36 0.36 2.02 1.77 0233 0905 2.02 0.14 0.37 0905 MO 1545 0.14 1.49 MO 1545 2145 WE 1.32 2145 1.49 0.53 0326 0.32 0.32 2.07 1.77 0326 0956 2.07 0.10 0.37 0956 TU 1635 0.10 1.52 TU 1635 2236 TH 1.32 2236 1.52 0.54 0419 0.32 0.32 2.05 1.75 0419 1047 2.05 0.12 0.38 1047 WE 1724 0.12 1.53 WE 1724 2328 FR 1.32 2328 1.53 0.56 0514 0.34 0.34 1.98 1.72 0514 1138 1.98 0.17 0.41 1138 TH 1813 TH 1813 0.17 SA 1.31

19 19

12 12

0151 0824 SU 1503 2056

4 4 0230 0901 MO

20 20

1537 2131

5 5 0306 0936 TU

21 21

1610 2205

6 6 0343 1010 WE

22 22

1642 2239

7 7 0419 1044 TH

23 23

1713 2314

8 8 0457 1118 FR

24 24

1745 2349

9 9 0536 1153 SA 1818

0.59

0020 1.53

0029

FR 1229 1901 1.31 0.62 0114 1.60 0708 SA SA 1321 0.47 1950 1.31 0.66 0210 1.53 0812 SU SU 1416 0.50 2041 1.32 0.70 0308 1.44 0921 MO MO 1518 0.53 2134 1.34 0.73 0410 1.37 1037 TU TU 1628 0.54 2230 1.39 0.72 0511 1.31 1152 WE WE 1740 0.55 2327

1.85 1901 0.26 0114 1.52 0708 0.47 1321 1.68 1950 0.36 0210 1.51 0812 0.54 1416 1.51 2041 0.45 0308 1.50 0921 0.61 1518 1.36 2134 0.53 0410 1.51 1037 0.63 1628 1.25 2230 0.59 0511 1.54 1152 0.61 1740 1.21 2327 0.61 0608 1.58 1256 0.57 1843 1.21

1.52 1854 0.48 0111 1.42 0707 0.63 1313 1.43 1932 0.53 0159 1.43 0802 0.66 1402 1.34 2018 0.57 0253 1.45 0909 0.67 1505 1.27 2115 0.60 0355 1.49 1028 0.64 1621 1.23 2220 0.60 0500 1.57 1144 0.56 1741 1.25 2328 0.57

Time m 0603 1.69 0.61 1.69 0.43 1.62 0603 1250 0.43 1.32 0.51 1250 SA 1848 FR SA 1848 1.32 1.24

16 16

27 27

13 13

28 28

14 14

29 29

15 15

30 30 31 31 0608 1256 TH TH 1843

SU 1230 0.26 1854 1.52 0.47 0111 1.68 0707 MO MO 1313 0.36 1932 1.51 0.54 0159 1.51 0802 TU TU 1402 0.45 2018 1.50 0.61 0253 1.36 0909 WE WE 1505 0.53 2115 1.51 0.63 0355 1.25 1028 TH TH 1621 0.59 2220 1.54 0.61 0500 1.21 1144 FR FR 1741 0.61 2328 1.58 0.57 1.21

11 11 12 12

13 13 14 14

15 15

Time

1 1 0537 1230 FR

0030 0.50 0.59 0.50 1.81 1.66 0030 0702 1.81 0.31 0.46 0702 SU 1346 0.31 1.41 SU 1346 1945 SA 1.28 1945 1.41 0128 0.41 0.56 0.41 1.93 1.70 0128 0757 1.93 0.20 0.41 0757 MO 1438 0.20 1.50 MO 1438 2038 SU 1.32 2038 1.50 0222 0.33 0.53 0.33 2.01 1.73 0222 0849 2.01 0.13 0.39 0849 TU 1527 0.13 1.57 TU 1527 2128 MO 1.35 2128 1.57 0.51 0315 0.28 0.28 2.04 1.74 0315 0941 2.04 0.10 0.37 0941 WE 1614 0.10 1.62 TU WE 1614 2216 1.38 2216 1.62 0.50 0408 0.26 0.26 2.01 1.74 0408 1030 2.01 0.13 0.37 1030 TH 1659 0.13 1.65 WE TH 1659 2305 1.39 2305 1.65 0.50 0501 0.28 0.28 1.91 1.71 0501 1120 1.91 0.20 0.38 1120 FR 1744 0.20 1.65 FR 1744 2354 TH 1.40 2354 1.65 0.51 0556 0.33 0.33 1.76 1.67 0556 1210 1.76 0.31 0.41 1210 SA 1828 SA 1828 0.31 FR 1.41

1827 2358

m 0537 1.51 1230 0.60 1827 1.19 2358 0.69 0633 1.55 1320 0.54 1916 1.26

m Time m 0432 1.60 1.51 1.60 0.52 0.60 0432 1124 0.52 1.27 1.19 1124 SA 1730 1.27 0.63 MO SA 1730 2310 0.69 2310 0.63 0542 1.70 1.55 1.70 0.41 0.54 0542 1230 0.41 1.37 1.26 1230 SU 1836 SU 1836 1.37 TU

16 16

18 18

0017 0051 0.65 0.54 0.65 1.60 0017 18 3 0644 0720 3 1400 1.81 1.60 18 0.49 0644 MO 1325

19 19 20 20

21 21 22 22

23 23

4 4 0135 0800 MO

26 26

27 27 28 28

1.57 0.56 1.25 0.57

1435 2033

5 5 0215 0837 TU 1507 2106

6 6 0250 0912 WE 1538 2138

7 7 0326 0945 TH 1608 2210

8 8 0401 1019 FR

0.54 0043 1.63 1.63 0.42 1.60 0043 0652 0.42 1.58 0.44 0652 SU 1300 1.58 0.43 SU 1300 1912 SA 1912 0.43 1.41 0134 1.59 1.59 0.51 0.58 0134 0753 0.51 1.41 1.52 0753 MO 1353 1.41 0.54 MO 1353 1958 SU 0.48 1958 0.54 1.42 0229 1.55 1.55 0.59 0.63 0229 0900 0.59 1.27 1.43 0900 TU 1452 1.27 0.64 MO TU 1452 2048 0.53 2048 0.64 1.43 0329 1.51 1.51 0.64 0.66 0329 1013 0.64 1.18 1.34 1013 WE 1603 1.18 0.70 TU WE 1603 2149 0.57 2149 0.70 0434 1.50 1.45 1.50 0.64 0.67 0434 1127 0.64 1.16 1.27 1127 TH 1720 1.16 0.72 WE TH 1720 2256 0.60 2256 0.72 1.49 0.64 1.23 TH 0.60

24 24

0051 0720 SU 1400 1958

1638 2243

9 9 0439 1054 SA 1708 2317

10 10 0518 1130 SU 1740 2354

11 11 0601 1208 MO 1814

0.49 1958 1.32 0135 0.59 0800 1.64 1435 0.44 2033 1.38 0215 0.54 0837 1.68 1507 0.41 2106 1.43 0250 0.50 0912 1.70 1538 0.39 2138 1.47 0326 0.47 0945 1.70 1608 0.38 2210 1.50 0401 0.46 1019 1.67 1638 0.39 2243 1.53 0439 0.47 1054 1.63 1708 0.41 2317 1.55 0518 0.49 1130 1.57 1740 0.45 2354 1.56 0601 0.52 1208 1.49 1814 0.50 0034

17 17

MO 1325 1.32 1930 0.59 1.64 0116 0.44 0739 TU TU 1415 1.38 2020 0.54 1.68 0212 0.41 0831 WE WE 1501 1.43 2108 0.50 1.70 0304 0.39 0922 TH TH 1545 1.47 2154 0.47 1.70 0357 0.38 1012 FR FR 1629 1.50 2240 0.46 1.67 0448 0.39 1100 SA SA 1710 1.53 2326 0.47 1.63 0542 0.41 1149 SU SU 1751 1.55

19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22

23 23 24 24 0.49

25 1.57 0011 25 0.45 0635 MO MO 1239 1.56 1831 0.52 1.49 0058 0.50 0732 TU TU 1330 1914 1.56 0.56 0147 1.40 0834 WE WE 1428 0.56 2003 1.55 0.60 0244 1.31 0941 TH TH 1536 0.62 2105 1.54 0.62 0348 1.24 1048 FR FR 1652 0.67 2219 1.55 0.60 0456 1.22 1149 SA SA 1758 0.68 2329

26 26

1.56 12 0648 27 12 0034 0648 0.56 27 TU 1251 1251 1852 1.40 1852 0.56 0120 0120 0744 1.55 0744 0.60 WE 1343 1343 1939 1.31 1939 0.62 0215 0215 0850 1.54 0850 0.62 TH 1447 1447 2038 1.24 2038 0.67 0319 0319 1008 1.55 1008 1609 FR 0.60 1.22 FR 1609 2154 2154 0.68

13 13

28 28

14 14

29 29

15 15

30 30 31 31 0556 1240 SU SU 1847

1321 1928

2 2

0633 1320 SA 1916

Time

1 1 0026 0645 MO

17 17

1.53 0.39 0029 1.41 25 0610 10 0619 25 1.67 0020 25 10 0619 0.39 1.85 0.58 25 0.44 0610 FR 1229 SU 1230

1.31 11 0559 26 11 0024 0559 0.62 26 FR 1220 1.60 FR 1220 1900 1900 0.47 0107 0107 0645 1.31 0645 0.66 SA 1300 1.53 SA 1300 1940 1940 0.50 0156 0156 0736 1.32 0736 0.70 SU 1345 1.44 SU 1345 2024 2024 0.53 0247 0247 0836 1.34 0836 0.73 MO 1439 1.37 MO 1439 2113 2113 0.54 0344 0344 0945 1.39 0945 1542 TU 0.72 1.31 TU 1542 2205 2205 0.55

0108 0745 SA 1428 2018

m 0020 0.61 0700 1.62 1346 0.51 1935 1.24 0108 0.59 0745 1.66 1428 0.46 2018 1.28 0151 0.56 0824 1.70 1503 0.41 2056 1.32 0230 0.53 0901 1.73 1537 0.39 2131 1.35 0306 0.51 0936 1.74 1610 0.37 2205 1.38 0343 0.50 1010 1.74 1642 0.37 2239 1.39 0419 0.50 1044 1.71 1713 0.38 2314 1.40 0457 0.51 1118 1.67 1745 0.41 2349 1.41 0536 0.54 1153 1.60 1818 0.44

0113 0728 TU 1357 2003

0.54 1.81 0153 0.30 0806 WE 0.30 1.48 WE 1430 1930 1.48 2036 0116 0.43 0.43 1.90 0230 0739 1.90 0.22 0842 1415 TH 0.22 1.59 TH 1500 2020 2107 1.59 0212 0.34 0.34 1.95 0307 0831 1.95 0.17 0916 1501 FR 0.17 1.68 FR 1530 2108 2140 1.68 0304 0.27 0.27 1.95 0344 0922 1.95 0.17 0952 1545 SA 0.17 1.75 SA 1600 2154 1.75 2213 0357 0.25 0.25 1.88 0323 1012 1.88 0.22 0930 1629 SU 0.22 1.78 SU 1531 2240 1.78 2148 0448 0.27 0.27 1.77 0404 1100 1.77 0.30 1009 1710 MO 0.30 1.78 MO 1605 2326 1.78 2226 0542 0.33 0.33 1.63 0448 1149 1.63 0.41 1052 1751 TU 0.41 TU 1642 2307 0011 1.74 1.74 0.42 0538 0635 0.42 1.47 1141 1239 WE 1.47 0.53 WE 1724 1831 2355 0.53 0058 1.68 1.68 0.51 0635 0732 0.51 1.33 1237 1330 TH 1.33 0.64 TH 1815 1914 0.64 0147 1.60 1.60 0.59 0050 0834 0.59 1.23 0742 1428 FR 1.23 0.74 FR 1345 2003 0.74 1920 0244 1.53 1.53 0.64 0158 0941 0.64 1.17 0856 1536 SA 1.17 0.80 SA 1503 2105 0.80 2039 0348 1.49 1.49 0.65 0312 1048 0.65 1.18 1005 1652 SU 1.18 0.81 SU 1618 2219 0.81 2158 0456 1.48 1.48 0.63 0422 1149 0.63 1.23 1105 1758 MO 1.23 0.78 MO 1719 2329 0.78 2305 0556 1.51 1.51 0.58 1240 0.58 1.30 1847 1.30

3 3 4 4

5 5 6 6

7 7 8 8

9 9

10 10

11 11

Local Time APRIL APRIL Time Time m

m 0026 0.72 0645 1.55 1321 0.53 1928 1.38 0113 0.65 0728 1.59 1357 0.48 2003 1.45 0153 0.58 0806 1.63 1430 0.45 2036 1.52 0230 0.53 0842 1.64 1500 0.43 2107 1.58 0307 0.48 0916 1.64 1530 0.42 2140 1.64 0344 0.46 0952 1.62 1600 0.43 2213 1.68 0323 0.45 0930 1.58 1531 0.46 2148 1.71 0404 0.45 1009 1.52 1605 0.50 2226 1.72 0448 0.48 1052 1.45 1642 0.56 2307 1.71 0538 0.51 1141 1.37 1724 0.62 2355 1.68 0635 0.54 1237 1.30 1815 0.69 0050

m Time m 0524 1.78 0.72 1.78 0.33 1.55 0524 1159 0.33 1.58 0.53 1159 TU 1812 TU 1812 1.58 1.38

16 16

0.65 0005 0.47 0.47 1.83 1.59 0005 0619 1.83 0.28 0.48 0619 WE 1246 0.28 1.70 WE 1246 1900 1.45 1900 1.70 0.58 0100 0.38 0.38 1.84 1.63 0100 0712 1.84 0.27 0.45 0712 TH 1331 0.27 1.79 TH 1331 1945 1.52 1945 1.79 0.53 0154 0.32 0.32 1.80 1.64 0154 0802 1.80 0.29 0.43 0802 FR 1414 0.29 1.86 FR 1414 2030 1.58 2030 1.86 0245 0.30 0.48 0.30 1.72 1.64 0245 0851 1.72 0.35 0.42 0851 SA 1455 0.35 1.88 SA 1455 2114 1.64 2114 1.88 0.46 0335 0.32 0.32 1.62 1.62 0335 0940 1.62 0.44 0.43 0940 SU 1534 0.44 1.87 SU 1534 2157 1.68 2157 1.87 0426 0.37 0.45 0.37 1.50 1.58 0426 1029 1.50 0.53 0.46 1029 MO 1614 0.53 1.82 MO 1614 2240 1.71 2240 1.82 0.45 0516 0.44 0.44 1.39 1.52 0516 1116 1.39 0.63 0.50 1116 TU 1653 0.63 1.75 TU 1653 2323 1.72 2323 1.75 0609 0.52 0.48 0.52 1.30 1.45 0609 1206 1.30 0.72 0.56 1206 WE 1734 WE 1734 0.72 1.71

17 17

18 18 19 19 20 20

21 21

22 22

23 23 24 24 0.51

TH 1300 1.68 1822 0.54 1.30 0058 0.69 0802 FR FR 1401 1921 1.65 0.56 0157 1.26 0901 SA SA 1510 0.73 2033 1.63 0.54 0303 1.27 0958 SU SU 1613 0.73 2146 1.66 0.48 0406 1.35 1048 MO MO 1705 0.68 2249 1.72 0.41 0500 1.46 1131 TU TU 1747 0.58 2342

26 26

1.65 27 12 12 0742 0.56 27 1345

13 13 14 14 15 15

1.26 1920 0.73 0158 1.63 0856 0.54 1503 1.27 2039 0.73 0312 1.66 1005 0.48 1618 1.35 2158 0.68 0422 1.72 1105 0.41 1719 1.46 2305 0.58

0008 1.66 0.59 1.24 1.24 0.80 1822 0.80 0058 1.58 1.58 0.64 0802 0.64 1.21 1401 1.21 0.85 1921 0.85 0157 1.51 1.51 0.66 0901 0.66 1.23 1510 1.23 0.87 2033 0.87 0303 1.48 1.48 0.64 0958 0.64 1.28 1613 1.28 0.84 2146 0.84 0406 1.49 1.49 0.61 1048 0.61 1.35 1705 1.35 0.78 2249 0.78 0500 1.51 1.51 0.57 1131 0.57 1.44 1747 1.44 0.71 2342 0.71

1.66 25 0704 1.37 0008 25 0.59 0.62 0704 TH 1300

28 28 29 29

30 30

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Bureau of Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) 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. 88

APRIL 2019

boats & kayaks

In the skipper’s seat 91 Pebbly Beach delights Inside story...

Bassco is a new Aussie boat company operating out of Wy Yung in Victoria. Owner Mike Boag is a skilled tradesman with many years of boat building experience and an acute attention to detail. He delivers three fantastic models in the Bassco range.

Made for...

All the boats that Mike builds are suited to fishing. There are two inshore/offshore style boats, the Tornado and the Storm, and one tournament style boat, the Hurricane. All are perfectly suited to Australian conditions and anglers.

This month...

Steve Morgan checks out the Tornado, powered by a 115hp Mercury Pro XS. Check it out on page 98!

Dayne Taylor visits this beautiful area and enjoys the offshore kayaking opportunities it offers!

92 Prep for winter yakkin’ Justin Willmer provides some tips for getting your kayak ready for winter.

94 New from Savage

Wayne Kampe checks out three great new hulls from Australia’s oldest aluminium boat brand!

96 Breezaway 460

NSWFM’s Bob Thornton takes a ride in the new Breezaway 460 from Stessco, powered by a Yamaha F90hp!

98 Bassco Tornado

Editor Steve Morgan goes for a ride in an exciting new inshore/offshore rig, powered by a Mercury 115hp Pro XS!

APRIL 2019

WHAT’S NEW BOATING HDS CARBON UPGRADE

The Lowrance 18.3 software update for HDS Carbon displays includes support for Active Imaging, StructureScan 3D with Active Imaging enhancements and the LR-1 Remote Control, plus a simplified user interface and new Dual Mode WiFi capability. Active Imaging allows anglers to see structure from a greater distance, with more refined detail. The software update enables support for both Active Imaging 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 transducers. Active Imaging enhancements for StructureScan 3D include a cleaner water column with less noise, refreshed colour palettes and enhanced sonar processing to deliver maximum detail, plus a new depthhighlighting feature. Users can control an HDS Carbon display from anywhere on their boat with the optional LR-1 Remote Control. The simplified HDS Carbon interface has dedicated pages for CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan Imaging, StructureScan 3D and SpotlightScan. With Dual Mode WiFi, you can maintain a WiFi connection to HDS Carbon and still use it as an access point for screen mirroring/remote control from a smartphone/ tablet. This update is also available for Simrad NSO, NSS and GO series displays. www.lowrance.com

FUSION PANELSTEREO

Fusion has released a weather-proof (IP65) version of all-in-one marine entertainment system – the Panel-Stereo Outdoor. Offering AM/FM, USB, AUX and Bluetooth streaming source options, it provides exceptional sound reproduction from a single product, and flexibility in installation options. Panel-Stereo allows boaters to enjoy the flexibility of audio control from anywhere in or on an vessel via Bluetooth from compatible Apple or Android devices. Users can also enable stereo control from a compatible Garmin watch and Fusion ARX wireless remote, or simply use the front face of the Panel-Stereo. Designed for surface mounting with the optional 43mm surface mounting spacer, Panel-Stereo can be installed onto any flat surface with no mounting cut-out required. It’s ideal for shallow wall cavities, with only a single cut-out, where standard speakers will not fit. Both flush and flat options are available. Requiring only 12V DC power, ground and AM/FM connections, the set up is quick and easy. www.fusionentertainment.com

ALL-NEW 400HP VERADO

Mercury Marine is introducing an allnew 400hp Verado outboard - the most powerful Verado on the water. The new engine is built on Mercury’s proven L6SC Verado platform, and is suitable for a wide range of applications including offshore boats, centre consoles and pontoons. As well as the added power, owners will enjoy the smooth and quiet operation. Weighing just 303kg, the same as the 350hp Verado, the newest Verado is the lightest outboard in the 400hp+ category by more than 130kg. The 400hp Verado will exclusively use the 5.44” 1.75 HD (heavy-duty) gearcase and is compatible with Mercury Joystick Piloting for Outboards. It will be available in the same model variations as the 350hp Verado. 90

APRIL 2019

PRODUCT GUIDE

The 3+3=6 year outboard warranty provides engine owners with an additional three years of factory-backed protection against failures caused by defects in material or production. www.mercurymarine.com.au

KOVIX KVH ALARMED LOCK

1 4

The Kovix KVH alarmed trailer U lock allows you to secure your boat, caravan or trailer. Made from high strength 304 stainless steel, this lock is designed for Australia’s tough conditions. The original KVH-88 model has now been superseded by the new KVH-96. The increased width of the new version (96mm) means it fits more coupling types. It is suitable for the following couplings: standard 50mm ball, standard 70mm ball, ALKO Offroad 3.5T and ALKO Offroad 2T. On most ball couplings, the KVH can also be locked on while the trailer is attached to your vehicle (use caution when driving with the lock attached, as extreme conditions may cause damage to the lock). Features include a built-in 120db alarm system, CR2 long-life lithium battery, on and off alarm functions and waterresistant electronics. Price: SRP: $224.95 www.kovixaustralia.com.au

CREWSAVER CREWFIT 165N

Crewsaver has released a new model lifejacket called Crewfit 165N, which is a safe, comfortable and affordable PFD for the everyday recreational boater. The Crewfit 165N Sport uses the latest 3D technology, ensuring maximum comfort levels. Entry level to the 3D range, the Crewfit 165N Sport has the essential features to ensure the user remains safe when out on the water. Key features include: ISO 12402-3 (150N) approved but with superior buoyancy (165N) to float you higher in the water; Peninsular Chin support, to keep your airway well clear of the water whatever the conditions; attachment point for Crewsaver Surface Light; soft loop D-ring for attaching safety harness (with harness option); robust outer cover for durability; UML MK5 Automatic or Halkny Roberts 840 Manual operating heads; centre buckle adjuster; crotch strap (optional extra); oral tube; whistle; reflective tape; and lifting becket. www.crewsaver.com

ICOM IC-M330GE VHF

The Japanese made Icom IC-M330, with its ultra-compact body (156.5mm x 66.5mm x 110.1mm) is the ideal marine transceiver when space is at a premium. A combination of the directional keypad and soft keys provides simple, smooth operation, and the most used functions are assigned to soft keys for quick one-push function access. A new speaker design delivers dynamic and clear sound over a wide bass and treble range, and the IC-M330/G provides a distortion-free clear audio even at full volume. The radio provides reliable communication in RF busy environment like a marina. The ICM330 radio monitors CH 70 continuously, even while you are receiving another channel. The built-in GPS receiver provides your location, bearing and speed by using information from GPS, GLONASS and SBAS. The acquired position information can be used for DSC calls. Other features include an easy-to-read full dot-matrix display, AquaQuake draining function, and IPX7 waterproof construction. www.icom.net.au

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

Stop in to Pebbly Beach for a day or seven KAYAK HOTSPOT

Dayne Taylor

More often than not, the places we go to fish and the adventures we have getting to and from, or even while in these locations, are far more memorable than the fish you have caught there. Warning! Fill the four wheel drive with your hard core camping gear and load on your yaks right now, because you’ll want to be spending some time in the Yuraygir National Park camping and kayak fishing

WHERE? Station Creek and Pebbly Beach are both Yuraygir Nation Park campgrounds located on the mid north coast of NSW. To access these locations you will need to take the McPhillips Road turn off from the Pacific Highway approximately 30km south of Grafton and roughly the same distance to the north of Coffs Harbour. A 4x4 vehicle is a must to access these sites, especially if there is or has been some wet weather. Once you leave the Pacific Highway you have

free range and unmarked. There is no pre-booking, no power and there is no fresh water, so make sure you bring enough for drinking, cooking and to wash off if you plan on spending a few days. There is wood fire barbeques permitted, and usually a good supply of firewood available near the rubbish bin site for park users. The toilets are your typical national park long drop style. Both sites are monitored by a friendly park ranger who will come around and introduce themself to you and collect your fees.

just on top of the year round smorgasbord of resident reef species like snapper, pearl perch, mulloway, kingfish and Venus tusk fish. There are endless amounts of reef all within paddling and pedaling distance. But be sure to check out the marine sanctuary zones in the area before hitting the water, as there is quite a few to dodge in close proximity. Launching a kayak through the surf is sketchy at the best of times. We found the best location to do so was at the most southern end near the headland of Pebbly Beach. A paddle around the front of the headland and you can begin searching for live baits such as slimy mackerel and yakka’s to slow troll. Or you can begin your journey towards any of the reefs to begin your search of a trophy-sized snapper. A quality fish finder with a marine map is a must on

Matthew McEwan poses with a solid red from the bommie in the background. One of the most memorable catches from the trip, along with a 15kg Spanish. I urge that you only take fish you are going to eat immediately from this location. This is a special place to visit and

Camping right on the beachfront means a 20m walk with the kayaks to the launch area. after reading all about it. Pebbly Beach campground sits by a small bay north of Station Creek Beach. Getting to this remote campground is as much an adventure as staying there – you’ll need to drive along the beach and cross a saltwater estuary at low tide! Once you’re there, the fun really begins. Settle into a spacious campsite, just metres from the shore. You’ll find some great walking tracks in the area to explore and the headlands nearby are excellent for whale watching.

another 15-20km of dirt road, and even some four wheel drive dune and beach driving before you arrive at the salt water creek crossing required to access the Pebbly Beach camp grounds. If a low tide salt water creek crossing isn’t up your alley, then I recommend doing a U-turn and setting up camp back at the Station Creek camp grounds. FACILITIES Both the Station Creek and Pebbly Beach campgrounds are a remote style camping – the sites are

They require cash paid on the day, so make sure you’ve got some on you before you leave town. It cost $12 per person per night and about half that for a child to give you some indication on how much to take with you. OFFSHORE The offshore fishing in this location is mind blowing. From Christmas through to early winter, there is an abundance of warm water pelagic species on offer such as Spanish and spotted mackerel, tuna and even the odd marlin. That’s

Macca and Dale pose with the fruits of a double hook-up on snapper.

This big snapper crunched the 125mm Samaki Vibe on the drop, first cast into a bait school. board your yak up here. It will save you a lot of time finding the shallow to deep drop offs and reefs loaded with fish much easier also. To target the resident reds, a 20lb line and leader matched with a rod and reel to suit minimum is a must. These fish are brutes and the reef here is unforgiving. A selection of soft plastics such as Berkley Gulp jerkshads and the curled tailed nemesis are a great go-to bait for me. I also had great success on the 125mm Samaki Vibelicious on our last trip to the area. As I always mention with any of my kayaking hot spots that offer offshore fishing as an option, always go to sea with a group or at least one other person and take all the necessary safety gear, including a location EPIRB safety device. And check the weather forecast; if it’s going to be rough and wild simply don’t go out.

fish, so let’s make sure there is plenty here for years to come. ESTUARY The small tidal saltwater creek here is called Station Creek, ironically. It offers a great place to spend hour upon hours exploring from

the yak. And a great ‘plan b’ if the weather offshore isn’t looking too good. The creek also has also got a section not too far up from the ocean where it is also restricted from fishing due to the marine park sanctuary, so please be aware and check exactly where that is if you plan on having a flick whilst up the creek. This creek offers all the usual northern NSW species like bream, whiting, flathead, luderick and even the odd mangrove jack and mud crab. I sure hope you’ve enjoyed reading about Station Creek and Pebbly Beach as much as I’ve enjoyed spending countless weekends and even weeks up here fishing over the years. This place truly is something special and you’ve got to witness it first hand to truly appreciate how great it is. If you are interested in a trip but a bit unsure on what to take or where to go, jump onto my Facebook and Instagram social media pages @ Dayne Taylor – Little Boat Big Dream, and shoot me a message and we could possibly even organise a trip up here together sometime!

The author shows just how good the condition these North Coast snapper are in. APRIL 2019

Wind woes to prepare for winter! BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

I awoke at 4:30am to the sound of the alarm on my phone, barely drowning out the dreaded sound of the wind blowing through

tube remaining motionless in the shed while I joined a couple of mates on their boating adventures to scratch the fishing itch. I did make the most of one free morning for some kayak maintenance, getting my pedal yak back in order, ready for some glassy winter weather and

kayak would allow me to cover some ground, fish back into the wind and make my way back home against the forecast 20+ knots of breeze that gusted to well over this. Remember, safety first, and as always I had a plan – fishing areas that would be safe with the forecast

it has a rod rack set up that can securely hold four rigged rods and I had a selection of new colours in some of my favourite soft plastic models, so was hoping to have four different plastics rigged and ready to fish. Finally, it is set up with a quality anchor running rig or anchor trolley, allowing me to move the anchor line to the nose or tail of the kayak and anchor more effectively and safely in the wind. Launching at the local boat ramp I pedalled across the wind and set up a drift across a large flat. The first new plastic to get a run was one of my favourite profiles – a 2.5” paddletail, in the newly released green pumpkin colour. With the overcast sky and dull conditions I was pretty confident that this natural, darker silhouette colour would get eaten. Fishing in 1-1.5m of water, I had the little paddle-tail rigged on a 1/4oz 1/0 jighead. For many this would seem like too heavy a jighead, however there are a couple of reasons that I run this jighead weight.

The alternative retrieval point and trolley came in handy again with the wind blowing hard. small bream I was stoked to have it on board and took a couple of quick photos. It was my first cast with the new colour paddle tail and it was also my first fish in the

A pretty good bream was soon in the net, had its photo taken and was released. This better fish had me thinking about the coming cooler months and the quality

A simple kit – jigheads to suit the plastics, scents, snips and a few different leader weights. the trees outside. It had been a busy month of work and family commitments, topped off by what seemed like never ending wind and cyclonic conditions. I opened the front door and was greeted by gum trees blowing in the breeze and dark clouds moving across the sky. What to do? Go fishing, of course. A lack of free time and the poor weather had seen the kayaks, SUP and float

this inspired me to take on the wind and get the yak out while I had a few hours. I still hadn’t replaced the rudder cable on the kayak, so effectively had no steering. I set the rudder to straight, tightened up the tension screw so that it wouldn’t move and my plan was to simply dip the paddle blade in the water on either side to steer the kayak, while pedalling to power it. Even without the rudder the pedal

wind direction and I had an alternative option to retrieve the kayak, along with my trolley, should it become too difficult to make the pedal all the way back to the boat ramp I was launching from. There were a few more reasons for stepping up to the pedal kayak. Firstly, it is longer and larger than my small paddle kayak, so it would be much more comfortable and safer in the windy conditions. Secondly,

An anchor and running rig or anchor trolley make fishing in the wind much easier.

Just a small bream but good fun and first fish on the first cast with a new colour. 92

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Firstly it allows long casts, even in windy conditions, so that the lure is further away from the kayak, while fishing shallower water and often spooky feeders. Secondly I am drifting on the flat, so I am fishing fast and covering as much ground as possible, making as many casts as I can before I have drifted off the flat. With the strong wind moving in the same direction as the rising tide I was drifting fast. A long cast across the flat and slightly ahead of the drift, a few shakes of the plastic and then a fairly quick retrieve speed, resulting in a tap, tap and hook set. A short but stubborn fight and a small bream was in the net. Even though it was only a

kayak for a little while, with the run of bad weather and lack of time. Upon releasing the fish it powered off, giving me that bream release shower with its tail. I added a little more scent to the plastic and looked up to find that I was already halfway along the 200m flat… the speed of the drift was crazy. A couple more casts and the drag screamed as what felt like a better quality bream nailed the plastic and sped off across the flat. The speed that the fish travel at across the flat when hooked is one of the things that make rolling plastics on the flats so addictive. They can’t run deep, so they power off across the flat at blinding speed.

bream fishing that will be on the flats as there is an influx of bait into the system. Many anglers shy away from kayak fishing in the winter months, however, for me this is some of the best fishing, with plenty of bait being followed into the river and estuary systems by a mix of cold weather species. Winter days can also mean stable weather patterns, glassy conditions and an escape from the heat of summer. The key with fishing in the cooler months is to get your kayak fishing apparel sorted. Layering allows you to remove or add layers as the temperature changes and it’s important to invest in some quality outer layers, including lightweight

waterproof pants and top. A headscarf and hat or beanie will keep the head warm. There are even waterproof socks available that can keep your feet dry and warm, inside a pair of water shoes. A dry bag is a good idea for storing additional or unrequired layers. By the time the bream was released I was almost off the flat and with it

and ensure the anchor locks into the bottom, then slide the anchor running rig into position and prepare for any jolt as the slack line is taken up. You do not want to end up side on in current and rough conditions. I made a couple of dozen casts around the kayak and after only a couple of yellowtail pike and the wind increasing, it

and out of the water. When the weather is better I will be giving it a run over the sand flats and picking some pockets in the weed beds. Looking out of the mouth of the creek I could see that the wind had lifted to another level and conditions were quite rough. There were also some big black clouds looming in the distance. It was time to head for home.

A quick clean up in the landing net while wheeling the kayak home. stopped occasionally, where the wind had pushed seaweed and rubbish up onto the bank and collected some rubbish in my landing

the environment healthier. It had been a testing, but enjoyable morning on the water, with a few fish on some new lures and the big

rain… if I was still on the water when the torrential downpour happened the ending may not have been so happy. Make the most

Four new fish lollies, rigged and ready to go. blowing hard, I decided to pedal back up the flat to drift again at that speed was not an option, opting instead to anchor near the edge of the flat. It’s important that when anchoring in wind and rougher conditions you have the anchor line and running rig sorted before you move into position

was time to leave the flat and head for the shelter of a local creek mouth. It wasn’t so much about fishing on this trip but getting out on the water and getting the big yak back in action, so I opted to explore some new water and flick another new colour, this time in one of my go-to flathead plastics.

Hugging the mangroves as I exited the creek ensured that I was travelling in sheltered waters, until I rounded the last bend and felt the full power of the wind. The decision of whether to pedal back to the boat ramp or to pull out at the alternative retrieval point was made for me Only a small flathead, but it christened the new hot snakes colour in the ZMan 3” MinnowZ. net for later disposal. If we all do our bit and clean up on our travels, we will help to keep our fisheries and

yak back in action. I arrived home, cleaned and stowed the kayak and then the skies opened and it poured with

of your weather windows, gear up for the winter months and all the best with the fishing.

It’s nice to have the big rig back in action... just need to sort that rudder cable! to anchor. The last thing you want is the anchor line tangled around something, pulling something into the water or making the kayak unstable. Paddle back into the current, lower the anchor, clear the anchor line

After drifting for a while, I anchored on the edge of a weed bank and threw a lot of casts for only a couple of small flathead. I can see this new colour becoming a favourite as it looked awesome both in

instantly and I only had about a hundred metres to pedal before sliding the kayak up onto the bank at the closer exit point and loading it back onto the trolley for the roll home. On the roll home I

That’s a better quality fish and another on the new green pumpkin coloured ZMan 2.5” Slim SwimZ. APRIL 2019

Three great boats for families or anglers BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

It was a boat review to remember: a day in the Southport Broadwater

assessing three popular boats from the Savage range – the brand is celebrating 120 years of alloy boat manufacturing this year. We had the opportunity to assess a pair of great family craft

plus one more suited to us anglers. The three craft were sensibly sized rigs, ideal for the family or first time boater, easily towed by a family sized SUV or wagon and with enough features to

CELEBRATING

arouse interest in novice and experienced boat owners. All three craft sported 3mm bottoms and topsides and were finished with some considerable attention to detail and presentation. Savage are acknowledged

as the oldest alloy boat makers in our country and have a heritage, and reputation, that stands behind the range of Savage craft that are now manufactured by the massive Telwater conglomerate on the Gold Coast.

Founded in 1898

fitted) for some welldeserved snacks. There is carpeted floor throughout, while a family sized see-through glove box and a dash area large enough for all electronic deviced were all standard fare. Meanwhile, the cockpit table and bimini, plus a pair of rod holders were options. Power astern was courtesy of a 90hp Mercury

four stroke – maximum power – and even with four passengers aboard, the 485 Beachcomber had no problem exceeding 60km/h at near wide open throttle. Able to pull a skier? No question about it. Some useful options for the Beachcomber are a bait station, drum winch, plus a berley bucket so fishing is not overlooked.

What did impress me about the 485 Beachcomber, along with the stability at rest, was the roominess within the hull plus an easy, unfussed ride. The run out to our designated photo and test work area was far from smooth and the Beachcomber – with four aboard – acquitted itself very well in the short, sharp chop we encountered.

120 years of Boating!

BOW RIDER LUXURY, 485 BEACHCOMBER I was lucky enough to be aboard a couple of craft that could fulfil the roles of handy family runabouts or fishing craft, depending on the day’s requirements. The first, the 485 Beachcomber, was a nippy bowrider with seating for five on comfy pedestal seats up front and a wide folding lounge at the stern. Cockpit side pockets were large enough to take

care of less bulky items and there was also handy storage in the bow area within three compartments found under the plush cushioning up front. Access forward was via a port opening windscreen section. Personally, I’ve always thought bowriders to be a very versatile – and underrated – craft with up front seating just perfect for fun in the sun, plus it’s a handy fishing

station to have first crack at fish ahead. On family days, that extra seating would certainly be put to good use as well. A ski pole insert is fitted on this craft, so tow sports could well be part of a day on the water with the Beachcomber when conditions are right. The bowrider area is perfect to set-up an optional table (with a floor spigot

There’s sufficient room on the Beachcomber’s dash area to set-up one of the larger sounders, via a RAM bracket.

The Beachcomber’s aft seat was well set-up with a back rest but can be folded right down out of the way to provide more work room for fishing.

Strutting its stuff, the Beachcomber was amply powered by the 90 Mercury four-stroke.

When it’s time to relax and enjoy the ambience, the Beachcomber’s optional table would certainly come in handy.

The numbers tell the story: Savage are celebrating 120 years of boating in Australia.

A close look at the Beachcomber reveals her high sides and attractive lines throughout. That bimini is a must have extra in the author’s opinion.

THE 435 BAY CRUISER Although a half metre shorter and with less beam (1.95m against the 2.08m of the 485 Beachcomber) the 435 Bay Cruiser also did very well, even with four passengers aboard. This was especially apparent during

the run out to more sheltered waters where digital images could be later assessed as suitable for publication rather than simply trashed because of focus issues. The Bay Cruiser’s interior layout was very similar to

Anchor access within the 435 Bay Cruiser is simplified by an opening windscreen centre plus a recess in the front deck. 94

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that of the Beachcomber’s, with a port folding windscreen centre, a lean-through central screen section to allow anchor access and glove box in the dash. There was also carpet throughout, full cockpit length side pockets plus seating for five

via the familiar arrangement of pedestals up front and a three person lounge at the stern. Again, the ample cockpit area ensured there would be plenty of room for fishing tackle or family orientated items – extra clothes, ice boxes and

The Bay Cruiser’s dash area was large enough to provide room for plenty of gauges plus a big screen sounder on a RAM bracket.

the like – depending upon the day’s agenda. Like the 485 Beachcomber, the Bay Cruiser’s options included a bimini and rod holders with additional options also extending to similar fishing assets as the Beachcomber.

Set-up with a smooth Mercury 50 four-stroke, the 435 Bay Cruiser lifted onto the plane in a couple of boat lengths and cruised quietly at over 50km/h without much effort. In all, a neat and very useful runabout rig.

Four passengers aboard and the 435 Bay Cruiser with its 50 Mercury four-stroke was cruising nicely.

ABOARD THE 445 OSPREY Of the three craft I was invited to drive I thought the 445 Osprey was the more fishing orientated rig. It was a good sized open boat, with lots of work room and storage up front under the 55cm high cast deck to compliment the cockpit side pockets, the 445 Osprey seemed to be well set-up for fishing

s ﬁshing. aven’t seen. our Ultra Lift gh plate sides ng. At a price t Savage.

and crabbing. At the helm I found the Osprey had a nice feel about it underway, too, due to the tiller steer 40 Mercury fourstroke (max power is 50hp) being quite responsive and providing that sensation of unity of motion that tiller steer rigs always do. Cruising along, I felt the 40’s offset tiller handle plus trim/tilt

at the fingertips made the journey better and just for the fun of it we recorded a speed of just over 40km/h on my handheld GPS with two aboard on the run back to base at the Marine precinct. The ride of the Savage was also good, and when belting across a few pressure waves from the two accompanying Savage

The author drove the rig over some serious wash at a good pace and was quite impressed with its performance.

runabouts the Osprey surprised me with its gentleness. Driving while sitting on a metal seat without padding makes it pretty easy to gauge whether a particular craft is soft riding or not. With a beam of 1.96m the Osprey was quite beamy for length while the side height of almost 900mm would ensure there would

be ample peace of mind for Mum or Dad with youngsters aboard the craft. The rating was for up to five passengers and a nice touch was the carpeted cast deck and floor throughout. Options consisted of rod holders, glove box and most interesting, a side console was available as well. I’d see the 445 Osprey fulfilling

quite a few useful roles as a fishing rig for bay, estuary or impoundment work. CONCLUSION Summing up my Savage day I formed the opinion that all three of the reviewed craft would live up to expectations of their owners and, best of all, a 4x4 is not essential to tow any of these crafts.

Time for a break! Although not top power, the 40 Mercury was an ideal motor for the tiller steer Osprey.

The Savage 485 Beachcomber and 435 Bay Cruiser on the South Stradbroke Island beach. As useful runabout craft, either would be ideal for family fishing or boating fun.

A useful storage hatch under the front deck was ideal for out of weather storage within the Osprey.

A look at the 445 Osprey’s interior: it’s a typical open fishing rig so beloved by a lot of anglers for the combination of simplicity and inherent usefulness.

Drop in to see your local Dealer! CENTRAL WEST Find out more at MARINE CENTRAL WEST savageboats.com.au 3/52 Clarinda St, Parkes PH: (02) 6863 5481 E: sales@centralwestmarine.com.au W: www.centralwestmarine.com.au COFFS HARBOUR COFFS HARBOUR MARINE 311b Pacific Highway, Coffs Harbour PH: (02) 66524722 E: info@coffsharbourmarine.com.au W: www.coffsharbourmarine.com.au PORT STEPHENS BAY BOAT SALES 332 Soldiers Point Rd, Salamander Bay PH: (02) 4982 7899 E: bayboatsales@hotmail.com W: www.bayboatsales.com.au SOUTH COAST SAPPHIRE MARINE 2/2 Government Road, Eden PH: (02) 6496 4490 E: service@sapphiremarine.com.au W: www.sapphiremarineautomotive.com.au TAREE MANNING RIVER MARINE 13 Victoria Street Taree PH: (02) 6552 2333 E: jim@manningrivermarine.com.au W: www.mercurydealertaree.com

Fish like a king Since 1898 Savage boats have been taking Aussies ﬁshing. There aren’t a lot of rivers, creeks, lakes or bays we haven’t seen. And there’s not a lot of ﬁsh we haven’t hooked. With our Ultra Lift Hull designed to get you there fast and dry and the tough plate sides on the 385 and up, we can handle just about anything. At a price that makes our competitors blush. Be Prepared. Get Savage.

Find out more at savageboats.com.au

APRIL 2019

Stessco Breezaway 460 with Yamaha F90hp - SC

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put on a purpose-built trailer, and not just any old trailer from a yard somewhere. For extra peace of mind, the Yamaha F70hp comes with a 4-year warranty.

easily achievable if you were on your own or with people less experienced in boating. Pulling the loaded trailer back out of the water can be done with a standard

Main: The 460 is the middle child in the Breezaway range, with a 440 and 480 also available. Above: Adrian Beil from Stessco certainly made the 460 look easy to operate in a little bit of chop – probably because it was! LAUNCHING Launching couldn’t be any easier with the Breezaway, with the boat quietly sliding off the composite bunk/roller trailer with ease, with retrieval being just trouble free. Even in windy conditions, launching this boat by yourself would be

family sedan or small 4WD, with no specialised towing vehicle needed. ON THE WATER The Breezaway 460 has been designed with one goal in mind, and that is to make it easy to operate, and Stessco achieves this by making everything as open

takes a ski pole or bait board, which Stessco can provide. The working space behind the cockpit is as open as possible, with only one underdeck storage hatch, which would make an ideal kill tank. There is also storage under both gunwales to stow any small or long items out

of harm’s way. This working space is extremely versatile, and perfect for taking extra people, ski tubes, fishing tackle or camping gear. Up toward the cockpit, the new Stessco bolster-style seats are super comfortable, even with the deteriorating conditions in South East Queensland’s Pumicestone Passage, and swivel easily. There’s no rocking or wobbling, even when punching through a bit of chop, and the seats are well-padded for comfort on those longer boating trips. The windscreen provided protection from any splash that made it over the bow, and featured a design that allows quick and safe access to the anchor well. Under the front deck is enough room to put any larger items that need to be kept dry, such as camping gear. A lockable glove box is another handy feature not often seen in boats of this size. The dash layout is very simple and easy to navigate, with a flush mounted sounder diminishing the need to fit and re-fit a unit every time you launch the boat, and gadgets and switches all within flicking distance of the steering wheel. POWER The test boat was fitted with a Yamaha F70hp – the maximum horsepower for

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Length (mm) ................................................ 5054 Beam (mm) .................................................. 2100 Depth (mm)...................................................1150 Bottom sides (mm) ........................................... 3 Top sides (mm) .................................................. 3 Max. hp ............................................................ 70 Max. transom weight.....................................175 Transom height ..............................................20” Max no. people ................................................. 5 Base boat hull weight (kg) ........................... 390

and accessible as possible. The transom is an open design, meaning there’s ready access to the battery, fuel filter and splash well, which at the same time are well housed and safe from the weather. A small transom door is perfect for accessing the boat from the rear, which is also possible from the bank, as this range of runabouts draws so little water. Not only was this boat easy to pull into the shallow water transom first – we still had to stop it from drifting away! With versatility being the middle name of this boat, it also has a simple mount above the splash well that

Stessco has always produced fantastic boat/motor/trailer packages, and being an Australian boat builder, they cater very well to Australian conditions and lifestyles. While they have always built great hulls for specific purposes, some buyers just want something that will get them out on the water for a day of fishing, skiing, or just relaxing with friends and family! Perfect for this caper is the runabout style hull, of which Stessco produce many. Boaters will be pleased to know that Stessco offer not one but a range of packages for this category of buyer. This time we will be focussing on the Breezaway 460, with the tested model sporting a Yamaha F70hp at the transom. The Breezaway 460 is part of a family of versatile runabouts, which also includes the 440 and 480. Adrian Beil joined the Fishing Monthly team to take the middle child of this family for a spin. ON THE TRAILER The tested Breezaway came to the ramp on a Stessco trailer OEM built by Dunbier, which comes in either a galvanised or aluminium option. The Breezaway, being part of Stessco’s premium range, when housed on one of these trailers comes with a warranty of five years, as opposed to 24 months when not on a Stessco trailer. Additionally, being a single axle trailer, it makes the whole rig very manoeuvrable not only when towing, but also in the garage with only one person pushing or pulling. There’s no doubt that a boat will have a longer life when

SPECIFICATIONS

Bob Thornton

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this craft – and it delivered fantastic fuel economy and a top speed of 57km/h in the choppy conditions. Amazingly, there wasn’t a lot of difference between the most economic cruising speed at 43km/h (4500rpm), which delivered 3.1km/L, and the top speed of 57km/h (WOT), which delivered only slightly less, at 2.6km/L. FINAL THOUGHTS This boat, if fitted out correctly, could head offshore, however there are more suitable boats in the Stessco range for regular offshore work. Where the 460 really excels is in the bays, estuaries and lakes with general boating, skiing, camping and fishing in mind. This rig is absolutely perfect for someone who wants maximum usage out of a boat and doesn’t want to have to rob a bank to afford it. As tested, this rig would come home for around the low to mid $30,000s, with different outboards and optional additions affecting this price. If you’d like to check out this boat or any others in the Stessco range, you can jump online and check them out on Instagram and Facebook at ‘Stessco’, or visit their website at www. stessco.com.au.

PERFORMANCE RPM .................. km/L ............................ km/h Idle ........................ 6.3 ....................................3 1000 ...................... 6.1 ....................................4 1500 ...................... 4.1 ....................................8 2000 ...................... 2.8 ....................................9 2500 ...................... 2.3 .................................. 11 3000 ...................... 2.6 .................................. 17 3500 ...................... 2.9 .................................. 27 4000 ...................... 2.9 .................................. 33 4500 ...................... 3.1 .................................. 43 5000 ...................... 2.9 .................................. 48 5500 ...................... 2.6 .................................. 55 WOT ...................... 2.6 .................................. 57

That square in the middle of the windscreen opens up to provide access to the anchor well.

An uncomplicated dash layout with a flush mounted sounder makes this rig very easy for a less experienced boater to operate.

The underfloor kill tank is a handy feature, and means there’s no need to drag a stinky esky on board if you’re after a feed of fish. The anchor well is sensibly-sized and shaped, and isn’t complicted by an anchor winch. Queenslanders are tough like that!

Top: The Stessco trailers OEM built by Dunbier improve the warranty deal, and almost definitely the longevity of the boat. Above: Launching the 460 was no hassle, with the rig sliding off without any back-breaking pushing or shoving.

Having an open transom means you can access the battery on the water should anything go wrong. Although open, it was well-housed and safe from spray.

Stessco’s OEM built trailers by Dunbier come in a aluminium or galvanised option.

Side pockets offered storage for small or long items, well out of harm’s way. The work area behind the cockpit is left deliberately empty and free.

Top: Extra seating via a lounge is a great idea, and gives younger passengers the chance to feel the open air and enjoy their boating experience with safety. Above: The open transom and work area would make any onwater activity very easy and safe for all passengers aboard.

While 70hp is the maxiumum horsepower the 460 can take, it felt just right for the boat, and offered excellent fuel economy, even at WOT! APRIL 2019

Bassco Tornado CC with 115hp Mercury Pro XS - SC

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Main: The Bassco Tornado is a locally designed and built centreconsole that is a rare combination – it holds a stack of tackle efficiently and you can seriously tackle oceanic species. Above: Wayne Mauger is equally at home on an estuary of Port Phillip Bay in his Tornado. You’ll notice that Wayne has accessorised his Tornado to the hilt. boats seemingly well built, but they will hold the gear of the biggest tackle junkie for a social or tournament angler. Bassco customer Wayne Mauger brought his Tornado along to the test day. He came out of an American built Triton bass boat into the Bassco and couldn’t be happier. “This boat does

SPECIFICATIONS Length........................................................5.0m Beam........................................................2.07m Transom.Deadrise ...................................... 20° Capacity ............................................ 4 persons Max.hp ..................................................... 115hp (special build 150hp available) Hull.Weight .............................................. 690kg 98

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everything that my bass boat used to do, but I can still get out and fish offshore,” Wayne said. “I like to sit down when I drive a centre console – which is unusual – but to me, this handles like a 7m boat,” he continued. Unfortunately, the test day was glamour , with not a ripple on the water, so we couldn’t independently test the tide in nasty conditions, but we did see how much tackle this thing gobbles up. With eight rods under the deck and another six around the console, the Tornado boasts 14-rod storage along with 20 tackle trays that are actually accessible. Whether you are needing

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It’s hard not to get enthusiastic when talking to Michael Boag from Bassco boats. The Gippsland Lakes boat builder has a solid history in building big, dieselpowered fibreglass boats and only recently turned his hand to making smaller boats designed for fishing. Cleverly, though, when doing his R&D, Michael enlisted the help of anglers. “I know it’s a strange concept – actually talking to the guys who will use the boat,” he quipped sarcastically during the video interview (scan the QR code hereby for details), “but for me, layout and the ability for a boat to securely hold all of your gear and to keep it dry is a benchmark that I judge a fishing boat by.” After all, locally built craft have to compete with imported fishing boats that have had decades to evolve to a point where they are a pleasure to use. I’m happy to report that not only are the Bassco

s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

a livewell or a kill box, there’s a great, plumbed box under the console seat that serves both purposes. Powered by a 115hp Pro XS Mercury, this sure is a fun boat to drive. The 2.1L 4-stroke powerplant delivered great economy at 4,000rpm cruising speed (2.4km/L at 46km/h) but stretched out to a mid-70km/h maximum at 6,200rpm. There’s also a cavernous fuel tank underfloor, boasting 140L capacity and a theoretical range of around 350km, and that’s plenty for a weekend away! With a package price of $50,999 for the boat/motor and trailer, it’s up to you after that to accessorise with electronics and electric motors of your choosing. Wayne certainly hasn’t skimped in any of these

Steve Morgan

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PERFORMANCE RPM...... Speed.(km/h) Idle .......................... 4 1000 ......................... 8 2000....................... 12 3000....................... 29 4000....................... 46 5000....................... 61 6000....................... 74 6200 ....................... 76 areas, with top of the line Humminbird and MinnKota gear finishing his rig exactly as he likes it. For more information, give Michael Boag a call on 0417 545 593 or visit their Facebook page (Bassco Boats). They don’t have a website yet, so don’t look for them there. But if you’re considering a local alternative to an imported fishing boat, you do need to throw a Bassco into the mix!

The Tornado jumps onto the plane easily with the 115 Pro XS Mercury. Wayne likes driving his centre console while sitting down.

Top: It’s impractical to flush mount a sounder into the console, yet the Humminbird fills the console top nicely. Above: Step up to the front deck for your lure casting. From the console forwards, it looks and fishes like a bass boat (but without any carpet).

There’s plenty of room to move up front – and the grab rail is a handy place to grab while you are doing so.

I dare any angler to be unimpressed by the cavernous central rod and tackle storage. This one holds 8 rods and 14 tackle trays, while being dry and secure.

Moderate transom deadrise offers a balance between wave cutting ability and shallow water draft.

Top: Plenty of anglers nowadays appreciate a carpet-free interior. You do your cleaning with a brush and hose rather than a wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner. Left: The transom is clean with access points contained behind access hatches Right: You can store more rods in the side pockets if 8 isn’t enough in the central locker. Too many rods isn’t enough.

Top: A single-axled trailer with mechanical override brakes is all that’s needed and this rig is towable behind most family cars. Left: Single-axled trailers allow for easier manoeuvrability in confined spaces – like a standard garage. Right: Mercury’s 2.1L 115 Pro XS 4-stroke is a class-leading power plant that adds excitement to any performance craft. It matches the red hull nicely, just quietly. It delivered maximum economy of 2.4km/L, giving a theoretical range of around 350km with the 140L fuel tank.

You know that the Tornado will turn heads at the ramp and on the water. The boat drives on and off the trailer with ease. APRIL 2019

SAVE UP TO $1,500 ON 75-150HP FOURSTROKE

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