New South Wales Fishing Monthly - August 2016

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August 2016, Vol. 22 No. 1

Contents BYRON COAST The Tweed 24 Iluka 25 COFFS COAST Ballina 26 Coffs Harbour 27 Coffs Game 28 South West Rocks 29 MACQUARIE COAST The Hastings 30 Forster 32 HUNTER COAST Port Stephens 36 Hunter Coast 37 Harrington-Taree 33 Swansea 38 Central Coast 39 SYDNEY The Hawkesbury 12 Pittwater 14 Sydney North 15 Sydney Harbour 16 Sydney rock and beach 17 Botany Bay 18 Sydney South 20 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 40 Nowra 41 BATEMANS COAST Batemans Bay 44 Narooma 42 Bermagui 46

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From the Editor’s Desk...

With this issue of Fishing Monthly going to press just a week after the LNP coalition claimed a second term of government, the question you may be asking is, “How does the election result impact my favourite outdoor activity?”

As we’re busily creating publications that help enhance your recreational fishing experience, we looked to the ARFF (Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation) to help distill just what the consequences are.

Allan Hansard, Managing Director of the ARFF said, “We congratulate the LiberalNational Coalition on their recent election win and their mandate to govern for a second term. However, we also call on them to honour the election promises they made to recreational fishers and the thousands of businesses in cities and towns across Australia that support recreational fishing.

“ARFF welcomes the

commitment by the Coalition to give recreational fishers a seat at the table when it comes to the management of Commonwealth fisheries.

“We also understand the Council will allow recreational fishers to have a say on how some of our fisheries that are important to recreational fishers are managed. These include the southern bluefin, other tuna, marlin and small pelagic fisheries.

“We are also looking to the Coalition to honour its long standing commitment not to lock recreational fishers out of Commonwealth Marine Parks – unless the decision is based on peer reviewed scientific evidence of threats to marine biodiversity. We are pleased that it will not support locking away large areas of oceans to prevent fishers from taking out a boat and casting a line.

“We urge the Coalition to fix the issue of industrial scale fishing of the small pelagic fishery by the Geelong Star.

It is clear from the election result that this is an important issue for recreational fishers whose fishing grounds are affected by the vessel’s operations. We believe this activity is not the highest and best use of this important fish stock nor is it in the national interest. The fish stocks of the small pelagic fishery provide greater value to the Australian community, now and for future generations by leaving them in the water.

“Recreational fishers also welcome the commitment by the Coalition to eradicate European carp from Australia’s inland water-ways. European carp rival the crown-of-thorns starfish as an environmental threat and in their ability to destruct our aquatic ecosystems.

“We understand the Coalition will develop a comprehensive national community based plan aimed at controlling and possibly eradicating the European carp from Australian waterways,

with the potential release of a carp control virus by the end of 2018. We would like to see this initiative supported by native fish restocking and habitat restoration programs aimed at ensuring our native fish have the best possible opportunity to win back our inland waterways.

“We have one final message for the Coalition – get on with it – as three years is a short period of time to deliver these important commitments to Australia’s recreational fishing community. We look forward to working constructively with the Coalition Government on the delivery of their commitments.” Mr Hansard concluded.

In a nutshell: let us have input on the nationally managed fisheries, don’t lock us out, ban the super trawler and get rid of carp. Please!

Sounds like it’s a busy three years ahead.

– Steve Morgan

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SPECIAL FEATURES Dreaming of drummer Crack out the crabs for bream ABT BARRA Guide Sussing out structure Fathers’ day gift ideas Boating terminology explained

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REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 10 Boating 102 Dam Levels 75 Fun Page 99 Kayak Fishing 98 Tides 114 Trade Directory 113 Tournaments 94 What’s New in Fishing 90 What’s New in Boating 112

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Drummer

Drummer – a cymbal of success CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

Aussie anglers are lucky to have an enormous variety of fish to target right around the country, from small freshwater streams, through to the wide blue yonder. Some of our fish are brutally tough fighters that can rip out hundreds of metres of line in a single blistering run, while others have a habit of making a complete mockery of supposedly heavy tackle.

Among the top ten hardest fighting fish in our waters is the black drummer, also known as pigs, for good reason. A big black drummer can be almost unbeatable on any sort of tackle and even the smaller to average-sized models have a bad attitude once hooked. They rarely muck around, tending to dive straight for any nearby kelp, cave or crevice as soon as they feel the sting of a hook.

If the tackle used is light and intended for luderick or bream than chances are most decent pigs will win the battle in quick time.

There are however, times when a drummer hooked in more open water may be easier to land or an angler using light tackle simply gets lucky. I’ve seen a few big pigs landed on flimsy gear that certainly wasn’t suitable for this style of fishing, but I’ve never been that lucky.

GEARING UP A variety of different tackle can be put to use to catch drummer, but the standard outfit is generally a sturdy sort of rod around 3-3.6m matched to a 5-6” Alvey sidecast or a mediumsized threadline reel. Despite the popularity of sidecast reels for bread and butter rock fishing like this, I’ve always been more comfortable with threadlines and over the years have mainly used 3000 and 4000 size Diawas like the Freams, Certate, Caldia and Sol.

AUGUST 2016

Either system works, but it’s definitely worth considering old-fashioned mono. It still has a place in fishing, particularly with this rough and tumble sort of rock fishing.

As for specific breaking strains, 6-10kg is about right for most situations. If the water is calm and extra clear, drummer can become just as wary and timid as a brown trout or bream. If this is the case, then lighter line from 4-6kg is more suitable. At the other end of the spectrum, in places where XOS drummer are expected then it may

The presence of green cabbage around lower rock ledges is an indicator that drummer should be in the vicinity. Other things to look for are cunjevoi growth and plenty of whitewash around any points or outcrops.

This solid pig took a bread bait cast into an area that had been lightly peppered with bread-based berley. The 15kg leader was quite scuffed after the fish was landed, as it tried to win its freedom among thick kelp growth.

Top: A bait of cunjevoi, gathered just prior to fishing, at low tide. A size 1/0 Octopus hook was used for this bait. Bottom: A piece of white bread squeezed over a size 6 hook. The part of the bait closer to the hook point is left fluffy, with the point just barely exposed.

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While rods need to be strong, it’s beneficial for them to have a lighter tip, which is better when casting very light or unweighted baits. Longer is better when fishing in spots where there are a lot of rocks or cunjevoi covered ledges in front of you, as the extra length helps keep the line clear and avoids snags, which makes it a touch easier when landing fish. However, shorter rods can make it easier to fight and land fish. So if your local rock ledges drop straight down into the water it’s

probably not necessary to go longer than 3m.

A braid mainline, with a fluorocarbon leader has become the regular outfit for many styles of fishing and yes, this popular concept can also work with drummer fishing. However, a tough wearing old school mono line straight through to the hook, with no extra leader is the best way to go if you’re serious about drummer.

Straight through nylon mono means that there will be no leader knot, a common weak point in the system. The less weak points the better. I also believe that knot strength at the hook is greater when using mono, than fluorocarbon line, regardless of the fact that a good fluorocarbon can be extremely abrasion-resistant.

Lastly, because snags and bust-ups are so common when chasing pigs, there is simply less mucking around when a new rig needs to be tied up.

Of course, we’re not always going to have a dedicated drummer fishing reel spooled up with mono. So when a braid or PE mainline is used, I recommend either nylon mono or a good fluorocarbon leader, around the same length as the rod, running down to the hook.

be necessary to go up to 12-15kg line.

Drummer have a relatively small mouth, so hook sizes from 1/0 down to a 6 should be considered. Older patterns like octopus (suicide) and those based around the Mustad 540 or 542 models work well, as long as they’re

not too bendy. There are also some newer ISO style hooks getting around, which are small, sharp and exceptionally strong. I secured some of these made by Gamakatsu for the Japanese domestic market, but it may take some scouting around the internet to find them. Typing ‘ISO drummer hook’ into Google is a good starting point when trying to find such hooks.

Aside from that, a small selection of tiny ball sinkers, some split shot and a few little bobby floats and float stoppers form the basics of a drummer fishing kit. Float fishing is a good idea when the bottom is particularly snaggy and the spot being fished isn’t too turbulent. Apart from that,

it’s often best to just rig up with a hook tied straight to the end of the line, slide a small ball sinker on as well if an unweighted bait is getting tossed around too much by wave action.

HOT SPOTS Drummer are very common around nearly all rocky outcrops and headlands along the entire NSW coastline. They will also venture further out and are occasionally caught over reef in depths up to 50m or so.

Drummer favour spots around coastal rocks with a lot of structure like kelp, caves, cracks and cunjevoi growth that cop the full force of wave action. Depth is not important at all and it’s not uncommon

A point like this, with plenty of cunje growth and some consistent whitewash looks good for pigs. At places like this try dropping baits right in close, rather than casting further out.

Drummer to see or catch pigs in places where water barely covers their backs. They also have a habit of swimming up, over a ledge with a wave and swim back down to safety as the wave recedes, leaving the ledge dry again.

Perhaps the first few things to look for when deciding where to fish are the presence of consistent whitewash, clumps of cunjevoi growing around the lower ledges and some green cabbage growth. If

these three things are present then drummer should be there.

Throw in a few extras like some gnarly looking boulders, broken reef and some shade from direct sunlight, and it then adds up to a definite drummer spot.

Of course, safety is always a must when it comes to rock fishing, so regardless of how good a spot looks for the fish, it also needs to be safe for the angler. In other words, not too exposed to the full force of

waves crashing onto the rocks and preferably with some higher rock or quick escape route within a few steps of the main ledge fished.

PEAK TIMES Drummer can be caught through the day and night in some cases, however the early morning and late afternoon periods tend to be more productive. If skies are dull and miserable looking then drummer may be more inclined to take baits right

Black drummer are built tough and live in a rough and tumble environment. They also quickly develop a very bad attitude when hooked and have no regard for light tackle or gentle fighting tactics.

through the middle of the day as well. The clearer the skies and calmer the seas are, the more crucial it is to fish early and late periods.

Overall a rising tide is generally better than a falling tide, but this isn’t a definite rule that must be followed. My preference is to start fishing around low tide, up to about halfway or three-quarters of the way to the top of the tide.

Over the years I’ve often found drummer to be most active in the first half of a rising tide and that their bite tapers right off towards high tide. This sort of thing may vary from place to place though.

Average, safe seas and swell of around 1-1.5m is normally fine, although drummer will bite well in rougher conditions. It’s always a priority to make sure the spot is safe, especially if swell height is more than 1.5m or predicted to build, so keep an eye on sea conditions when fishing.

BAIT AND BERLEY I’m a big fan of bread baits and some bread based berley carefully thrown in the spot being fished. I say carefully, as a common mistake is to hurl in too much berley, thinking more berley will attract more fish. It can work that way, but it’s more likely to attract pickers like toads or yakkas, as well as plenty of annoying seagulls.

A simple and very effective way to berley is with a couple of loaves of white bread, mashed to a soupy pulp in a plastic bucket. The more mashed up it is, with minimal

Sometimes hordes of pickers will move in, while other times only drummer will attack the bait. Decent drummer don’t muck around too much, but in very calm

If green cabbage is abundant around the rocks then it could be one of the better baits to try. chunks, the better. This way is will entice fish without actually feeding them. That’s what the bait is for!

Small white bread baits wrapped around a hook, with the hook point exposed, are normally the best things to cast into a spot that’s been peppered with a bread based berley mix. However, some experienced pig specialists may prefer other baits like cooked or green prawns, cunjevoi or green cabbage. In the areas I fish, white bread and green cabbage tend to be the better baits.

or clear water they may be a bit pickier. Just let them take a few small bites and when they grab the whole bait or the line simply goes tighter, slam back hard and crank the reel as fast as possible. There is simply no room at all for taking your time once a drummer is hooked. Just go hard and try to land the fish. As long as it’s still in the water a pig will take every opportunity to win its freedom. That’s why pig fishing can be so exciting. Either you win or the fish wins!

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The left verses the right NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.starlofishing.com

It’s an argument almost as old as fishing itself: which hand should you crank your reel with?

You might never have realised it, but almost every spinning reel or ‘eggbeater’ sold in North America or Europe has its handle on the left side. Many threadline reels that reach our shores are also set up this way, although

caught on here.

I’m right-handed, but I switched to using lefthand drive eggbeaters (as well as fly reels and centrepins) almost 40 years ago. Although I can still ‘switch-hit’ reasonably effectively these days when picking up a right-handed outfit, I’m much more comfortable cranking lefthanded on the reel styles described… yet all my baitcasters, overheads and Alvey sidecasts remain righthand drive. Why is it so?

For me, it all comes down to the mechanics of casting with a spinning reel.

Most of us who use them regularly cast these outfits by wrapping our dominant hand around the reel seat, with the reel’s stem emerging between two of our fingers: usually either the pointer and middle finger or the middle and ring finger, depending on the size and design of the reel. Whether we then go on to cast single-handed, or bring our non-dominant hand in to play on the butt

The author reckons that cranking spinning reels with his non-dominant (left) hand — and therefore not having to swap hands after every cast — has caught him a lot of extra fish over the years. Having your dominant hand holding the rod can also be especially useful when finessing lures such as this Cranka Crab.

The author made the switch to left-hand drive eggbeaters four decades ago and has never regretted it. the majority of Aussie buyers quickly swap the handle to the right-hand side after purchase. But look at photos or footage of American and European anglers in action and you’ll see that almost all of them crank their spinning reels with their left hand.

This isn’t because southpaws dominate in those other parts of the world.

Right-handed people are the clear majority over there, as elsewhere. It’s simply that the accepted practice in those countries is to wind threadlines (and some other reel styles) with the angler’s non-dominant hand.

Kids learn to fish that way and it’s seen as a perfectly natural thing to do. I have no idea why it never really

10

AUGUST 2016

end of the rod to perform a two-handed cast, it makes great sense (to me and many others) not to go through the motions of swapping the outfit from one hand to the other to begin the retrieve or fight a fish. That stronger, more dexterous dominant hand can stay right where it is after the cast is completed, while the non-dominant hand comes up to perform the relatively menial and mechanical task of turning the handle.

Over the past 40 years, Having your stronger and more dexterous hand on the rod seems to make sense.

Jo Starling learnt to crank spin reels left-handed and sees it as the natural, obvious thing to do.

I reckon cranking with my non-dominant hand while holding and working the rod with my dominant hand when using spinning tackle has caught me a whole heap of fish I would otherwise have missed.

Things are a little different with other styles of reel such as baitcasters (plug reels) and sidecasts, where the ideal casting grip differs from the preferred retrieving and fish-fighting grip. A change of grip is required on these outfits, and this switch is most efficiently achieved (in my opinion) by smoothly passing the outfit

from one hand to the other…

A subject we’ll return to in a future column.

In the end, there’s no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way to hold an outfit or crank your reel, and you’re arguably better off sticking with what works best for you. That said, every angler I know who’s bitten the bullet and put up with the couple of days of uncoordinated discomfort required to switch their brain and muscle memory from dominant to non-dominant-handed reel cranking on spinning gear has said they would never, ever go back. It’s something worth thinking about…

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Mixed bags are a recipe for fun THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

Recently the weather went south with a decentsized fresh dropping water temperatures and reducing the salinity and visibility throughout most of the river. Good news for

the macro invertebrates, crustaceans and molluscs.

These are the main food items of baitfish and predators and will make for a great spring on the mighty Hawkesbury.

This month however you will still feel the grips of winter if up for an early start or fishing late into the night. Day hours are much

fishing straight away after a nice 8am start.

The key to success at this time of year is to match the hatch, fish light lines and slow retrieves in 12-14°C water temperatures. Small lures seem to get the bites, as the metabolism of most fish is at an all-time low in the stone cold water.

Adding scent or using

Fresh weed, well cocked floats and big brawling blackfish on light modern spin gear is simple, easy and a load of fun for all the family. anglers is that these fresh water inflows deliver necessary nutrients that provide plenty of food for

more comfortable! I find lure fishing helps as there is no need to source any live bait so you can get

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lures that have scent or bite stimulants built in can be highly beneficial. Small vibes are also another great option when other methods fall short of the mark.

Bream will start to filter back into the lower reaches around Broken Bay. A clear indication of post-spawn fish is small orange blotches

on the fish flanks. These fish are best targeted using small grub or paddle-tail soft plastics no bigger than 3”, quality blades/vibes with a tight vibration using small hops, and fishing the washes with a bread-based berley using unweighted or lightly weighted baits of bread or prawn. You may encounter the odd drummer and blackfish when using this approach and this can be a very productive way to fish during winter when nothing else turns the reel.

Secure yourself some fresh weed for bait and berley to have some impressive luderick sessions along the many rock walls in the Broken Bay area. You should look for larger rocks that are partially submerged in the water that create back eddies and current lines.

Anchoring suitably up current and slightly adjacent to this area will give you a great controllable drift with your float and should see you getting ‘downs’ in no time at all.

I find 8-10lb fluorocarbon leader is required to stop these super powerful fighters, and won’t put them off the bite as they are rarely targeted here. Losing fish will put them down and you will need to move to find another active patch.

Mulloway have been consistent this winter, and after the recent fresh multiple fish have come to the net during most sessions. The average is below the metre mark but the odd better fish has been found among the abundant schoolies. Smaller soft plastics and vibes are the key to getting bites and the 3-4” sizes getting the most bites. If the bites are few

Some impressive bream will filter back into our estuaries this month, fish small soft plastic lures and blades or lightly weighted baits for best results.

This is a fine example of a Hawkesbury school mulloway caught using soft plastics on light spin tackle. This month and the next couple will be outstanding if you’re looking to get your mulloway fix.

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There are a few better mulloway mixed in with the schoolies for those throwing lures, you just have to keep casting and strike at all bites – no matter how small they seem at first.

and far between try going smaller and slower with the addition of scent to try and incite a bite.

Flathead are at their slowest this month but can still be found around Broken Bay on most of the rock walls that are licked by current and hold bait. Small lightly-weighted plastics and vibes are go-to lures, make sure to complete your retrieves all the way back to boat where possible as these guys seem to follow your retrieve until it changes its action and slows down laterally when your retrieve gets closer to the boat and deeper in the water column.

The odd silver trevally, bream, EP and tailor get in on the action when flicking the rock walls around Broken Bay, so it’s a great way to spend a few hours on a mixed bag bite through the warmer part of the day.

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Winter kingfish reward lots of patient anglers PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

With the bad weather recently along our part of the coast there haven’t been many opportunities to get

during winter. This year with the flush we received, small squid and cuttlefish will be hard to find so yellowtail will be good backup live bait.

The areas to find kingfish are south of Longnose Point and near the Bayview boat ramp. At the moment these

Nice-sized flathead are still around the 70m mark. out on the water to catch fish. But for those that are able to withstand the cold winds and rain there are still a few fish out there.

It has taken a while for Pittwater and Broken Bay to settle down after all the rain we received. The system needed a flush and all of the rivers along the eastern coast of New South Wales certainly got that.

Fishing along Pittwater has been slow, especially if you are chasing the elusive Pittwater winter kingfish.

There are a few big fish cruising Pittwater, but you have to be lucky enough to be in the right spot at the right time to be in with a chance.

These big bruisers make an appearance when you least expect, so make sure that you at least have a small soft plastic ready to cast if they do show up. Normally small live cuttlefish is the gun bait to chase kingies in Pittwater

fish are cruising so everyone has a chance to cross paths with one. Another area to try during winter is along McCarrs Creek, but be careful as this area is full of moorings and often a decent hoo-up ends in tears.

SQUIDDING The areas to catch some cuttlefish are right along the shoreline of Pittwater in areas of rock and weed. These little ink machines generally hang in pairs and seldom will chase a squid jig more than 1m from its area. Trying to track down a couple of these crunchy hand-sized baits can be a task.

The smaller-sized squid jigs of 2g or less are the better ones to use. If you are after some squid for a feed there are some big models to be tracked down around Barrenjoey Head.

These larger models attack larger jigs of 2.5g and the preferred colours seem to be wintry browns, greens and blues when using clothcovered jigs. If you are using hardbodied squid jigs, use gold or pilchard coloured jigs.

BREAD AND BUTTER The other species to target are of course anything that splashes on the surface – and at this time of the year we are just waiting for the tailor and salmon

Not a monster, but any kingfish is a good one. to repopulate Broken Bay again. Once they do these fish generally venture into Pittwater and the working seagulls and other birds give their locations away.

For those of you that wish to catch your breadand-butter species, the deeper holes and weed edges will be the place to start. You will need to attract fish to your area with berley, and if

These fellas shouldn’t be far away from Broken Bay.

the water is still murky try using oily bait or bait that has a smell. Bream love the conditions that we have at the moment, and if you are able to find an area such as out in front of Palm Beach, berley and fish along the weed edge for the best results.

Make sure that if the water is murky that you do not use fluorocarbon leaders, as the dirt particles seem to stick to it resulting in fewer enquiries. Use light lines and light leaders with a minimal amount of weight so that your offerings float down with the berley out the back of your boat. Another method is to try and use a float as you would if you were catching luderick.

By using a float you can adjust the depth that you wish to fish, which is normally just above the bottom and you can effectively fish your berley trail.

The better areas to try for bream are among the moorings in McCarrs Creek.

McCarrs Creek is one of those areas that can be out of the way of most boat traffic and winds, to allow for a quiet morning chasing bream.

OFFSHORE Offshore reef fishing should be brilliant. Before all the bad weather hit there was some great fishing in water depths of 40-70m. The better fishing seem to be over areas with broken ground rather

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than hard reef, which makes it perfect to drift to cover ground and locate fish. There are patches of leatherjackets in some areas, so watch your sounder intently before making a drop.

The better areas to try have been the container, the ordinance grounds and off Mona Vale after the sun has risen. If you get out there before the sun gets too high in the sky then Avalon and Newport reefs are worth trying for a good snapper. On offer in the deeper water are morwong, plate-sized snapper, flathead and for the odd lucky angler a kingfish or two.

The better baits to use offshore changes, so cover your bases by taking squid, pilchards and even prawns to see what works better on the day. As usual if you can gather some fresh bait fishing at the reef or before getting there, your chances of catching decent fish will greatly increase.

I hope this report sees you getting out of the house and getting on the water to catch the species that are still available even after the horrific weather that we have put up with.

• Peter Le Blang operates Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters, phone 02 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351, visit www.estuaryfishing charters.com.au

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Kings checkmate on the reefs SYDNEY NORTH

Darren Thomas

Some serious water temperature drops have invaded Sydney’s north side this month with most of our winter species arriving in good numbers and all on the lookout for a feed!

Big schools of salmon, slimy

bigger boats. The westerly breezes always flatten the sea at this time of year, which gets a lot more trailer boat anglers into the action.

The local inshore reefs are absolutely alive with trevally, kingfish, snapper and teraglin.

Long Reef and the 12-Mile Reef have produced some good kings that take live and dead bait. Luke Ashley headed

range has become a popular practice with lures averaging up to 150g in weight. Floating and sinking versions of these lures are popular, but don’t forget the old popper still attracts plenty of attention – there’s nothing like a visual surface strike from a big fish.

Harbour fishers have been catching some good squid around the harbour entrance

as well as turn some off as Simon Peters found out while chasing flatties at Balmoral.

After working plastics on the bottom for an hour Simon started a berley trail, which after only 5-minutes was stacked five fish high with trevally. A quick rig change to an unweighted hook with some yakka fillet on it and a mad session commenced. A dozen trevally were landed in 25-minutes with a few kept for the plate – keeping an open mind soon turned nothing into something.

The beaches are really turning it on this winter and it is well worth rugging up and heading out for a session. Rob Haslam and Tim Ossington fished Dee Why for an early

Rob Haslam and Tim Ossington with a couple of Dee Why salmon.

Luke Ashley with a nice offshore kingfish. mackerel, tailor and trevally are frequenting local reefs and shorelines with plenty of reports flowing in. Winter is one of the better times of year to catch fish. It’s all about changing target species and tactics, follow these tips to keep you in the zone to catch some good fish during the colder months.

The offshore scene is still quieter than preferred on the tuna front but as we all know, when the fish arrive the season goes off with a bang.

Some reports of yellowfin are filtering through with fish up to 65kg. Although the fish are located quite wide, most reports have come from the

out with the Oceanhunter guys and had a mad session on the hoodlum fish recently.

Fishouttawater junior staff member Zane Levett has been getting into the fish and has landed a number of good teraglin during a midday session. Peter Binks and David Rothwell landed some goodsized winter kings using live yakkas for bait. They hooked some great fish to 102cm, while some of the bigger models earned their freedom with serious runs to the bottom.

Surface casting stickbaits has proved to be a popular winter technique, and small boat anglers targeting kingfish, spinning outfits in the 50-80lb

and some decent flathead inside Manly from Quarantine to the heads. The current conditions have the bream going nuts so be sure to fish deep and get below the freshwater to the salt using a good berley trail to entice them – strip fillet baits and half pilchards lightly weighted have been successful.

Target species aren’t always available, so be prepared to catch other fish like trevally as schools of them are moving into and around our estuaries.

Simple rig changes and line class reductions are often all that is required to have a successful trip. Dropping water temperatures will bring certain species on the chew,

Peter Binks with a wicked winter reef kingfish. evening beach trip recently and weren’t disappointed, as there were some good fish to be caught. The guys used mullet fillets for bait and landed salmon, flathead and tailor in a 3 hour session where bites were frequent. Taking a couple of outfits will double your chances when the bite is slow and it’ll give you the

FISHING FILL-ITS

option of trying different baits and working different depths.

It also pays to move around, fish are opportunistic feeders and it normally doesn’t take too long for them to find your bait.

Our rock platforms have been quiet, which I expect is due to the recent pounding from the swell. But we are still getting frequent

reports of kings, salmon and tailor. Remember, safety is paramount when you front the ocean’s angriest edge, fishing in pairs and rock boots are a given at most locations. If you seek any further information on fishing the stones don’t hesitate to call, as we are more than happy to educate on all factors involved – on (02) 9949 9488.

Fishouttawater has new store in Brookvale Attention all customers!

Fishouttawater Tackleword will be moving stores to 533 Pittwater Road Brookvale.

It’s on the western side of the road and will be a slightly more traditional Tackleworld set up with two equal levels. Fishouttawater Tackleworld will be having a Big Moving Sale starting July 8, and the new store will be open in mid-September.

We will be supplying more new products and targeting more fishing options as the seasons change. We will specialise in new and differing techniques on all species out here on the peninsular and surrounding areas.

The storefront is set to be wrapped in a full oceanic

mural to make us the most standout fishing store on the northern beaches! We will be open seven days a week with the same trading hours.

Ample parking is available at the rear of the store and as the store is only 60m from Manly Warringah’s homeground there will be plenty of parking for boat trailers in the accompanying side street and out the front.

Access to all directions is a must for any business in this day and age and this played a role in the choice of this new premise.

Everything from bream to barra, mulloway to marlin will be readily accessible in the new Brookvale store.

Kayaks, clothing, electronics and fishing accessories like tackle bags, sunglasses, nets, knives and tools are

just a some of the stock that will be readily available in numerous brands. We look forward to clearing a heap of existing stock during

our Moving Out Sale and can’t wait to see you all shopping in store for a bargain. — Fishouttawater Tackleworld

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15

Doors are open for dory SYDNEY HARBOUR

Craig McGill craig@fishabouttours.com.au

The warm water retreat has been slow this year, and as a result the winter species are only just starting to trickle in.

The upside is that kings are still hanging round the harbour and due to some huge seas, fish like snapper and drummer have been going nuts in close.

Dory have started to turn up in the lower reaches and so have salmon and some very big tailor.

Blackfish have been on fire, although the weed bait has been rare after a prolonged pounding from up to 10m seas. Trevally are also starting to show.

Trevally are a great fish to catch and very underrated as an eating fish. When they are hooked properly, which is rare, they are as good as any of the best pelagics and a very similar taste to kingfish.

Raw they are sensational, and in Japan are among the highest rating as sashimi.

They generally like deep clean water and can be found well upstream during dry conditions. I’ve seen them caught as far up as the Roseville Bridge in Middle Harbour and Cockatoo Island in the main harbour.

The upstream fish are big, however they are usually on their own and not found in the large schools common on the lower reaches.

They are mostly taken as a welcome by-catch when bream fishing Further down on

of dusk and dawn they will move into shallower regions. Sow and Pigs is a classic dark spot as is the shallows around Balmoral and Washaway Beach.

Unlike most fish, trevally are not so fussy about fresh bait and, in

a good likelihood of a tear if you go nuts.

Occasionally, you will see trevally feeding on top, at which time they can be caught by flicking small 10g metals or tiny stickbaits at them. Sometimes, they will follow salmon feeding

Dory are suckers for live baits, particularly small reef fish.

Big tailor are on the chew around the reefs and wrecks in the lower harbour. fact, I’ve found they have a preference for baits like salted mackerel, day old pilchard fillets and slightly iffy prawns, over live nippers or blood worms.

Maybe it’s a symptom of the competitiveness created by living in large schools.

Use heaps of berley and fish your baits as lightly weighted as possible. A light, 3kg eggbeater outfit works the best, as it allows you to fish with the bail open and allow a natural

under the surface and you can pick them off by letting a small chrome slice fall through the salmon and bring it back with a jigging retrieve.

For those of you wanting to chase john dory, their distribution extends around the southern half of Australia, but the main concentrations are in southern NSW. They are, however, found as far north as Bundaberg in Queensland. During

A consistent berley trail is essential for trevally. the lower harbour, they are wide spread and are found around the channels, headlands, boat moorings and deep holes. At night and the low light periods 16

AUGUST 2016

drift down the trail. Don’t rush hooked fish, as you will be using small hooks (no. 4 baitholder style hooks are great) and they have soft mouths, so there’s

summer they live out offshore on the deep reefs and according to divers I’ve spoken to, are also common around wrecks, particularly those on a sandy bottom.

Good kings are still holding in Middle Harbour, despite the cold 17°C water.

They move into the bays and harbours around May and retreat back to the offshore reefs in about September. However, early season from May to August offers the best fishing. They tend to favour the deep clear bays and harbours and are rarely taken in shallow or muddy rivers or estuaries.

Live baits are obviously the only way to go. Small reef type fish are the ultimate, but yakkas or slimies will do. If you are forced to use yakkas or slimies, then make sure you slow them down to dory speed, by trimming the tails. You do this by simply cutting the fin section of the tail with your line snips or pliers. Don’t cut the actual tail, as this will eventually kill the bait. Dory live close to the bottom and are slow moving, which is what makes reef fish a much better bait – it’s their natural food. You won’t see them in hot pursuit of a school of slimies or yakkas.

You don’t need heavy gear to fish for dory.

Having said that, I would still recommend at least a 6-10kg outfit. As I said earlier, dory are a poor fighting fish, so even on

very light line you are not going to get much out of them. Given that you are not going to get a fight out of them either way, then I would strongly suggest using heavier line due to the very real possibility of picking up a much larger fish like a kingy or mulloway on your live bait.

Fish straight down below the boat. To set your depth, drop your rig to the bottom without the bait.

When you feel the sinker hit the bottom lift it up about two metres and set your rod in the holder. Now pull the line up by hand, pin the bait and send it back to the bottom. This way you will know exactly what depth it is at. If you try and set it with the bait on you will never know exactly how deep you are due to the fact that the bait is always towing the sinker.

The rig is simple, consisting of a 40g bean sinker on the main line terminated with a swivel.

That is then tied to a nylon trace of about 10kg breaking strain, finished off with a 4\0-6\0 light gauge octopus style chemically sharpened hook.

The most effective method from the jetties

or shore seems to be suspending the above mentioned rig 10-20ft (depending on water depth) under a bobby cork with the use of a running stopper.

Right on high tide and the first hour of the run-out is prime time, especially if this occurs early morning or late afternoon, although it is possible to pick up the odd one right through the day.

Use plenty of berley when dory fishing.

Although the berley doesn’t directly attract the dory, it attracts clouds of bait fish, which are of great interest to the dory.

Dory on lures are a very real possibility. I have heard of at least one taken on fly and in New Zealand they are regularly sight fished off the jetties using big soft plastic shad tails on lead jigheads. As dory are regularly sighted lurching around the jetties over here, there’s no reason why we couldn’t do the same thing.

Good luck this month.

• If you are interested in doing a guided fishing trip on Sydney harbour with Craig McGill please call 0412 918 127 or email craig@fishabout.com.au.

Blackfish will be rocking the winter fishing SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com

There is an abundance of quality winter species available at the moment.

It’s lovely to not have to deal with the heat of a summer day. You can get stuck into some great fish without being up two hours before dawn as well. Fish like trevally still require that low light or evening fishing and the tailor are more often caught in the dark though.

Flat Rock at South Curl Curl has a few tailor cruising after dark with some good salmon mixed in. Bluefish Point has a few just on and after dark as well. Remember at Bluefish there is a rope climb of about 5m, so I would only recommend going if you are acquainted with this area or are an advanced rock fisher. You have to fish fairly high up here, about 6-7m, so I recommend 10kg+ mono or braid to enable you to lift out a quality fish.

It’s a pig fest at the moment! The pugnacious rock blackfish are on and at all headlands along the northern beach suburbs. North Curl Curl Rocks (when fishable) produce some great bags up to 55cm. I caught a dozen good pigs with one big fish. They averaged between 1.3-1.8kg. Not bad considering that this headland gets a hammering from locals. Seven were released including the big pig and five kept for a delicious feed. No doubt in my top three favourite fish for the table. They were caught on peeled endeavour prawns and white sliced bread. Bread berley is a constant producer. When using bread berley, white sliced bread is preferred rather than just ripping white bread out of a white roll. It allows you to use a neater section, and it’s easier to bait up as well.

A client recently bagged another great result with seven pigs, two bream, and a salmon of about 3kg. We fished a few locations before locating

the fish. And that’s just the way it goes. One day the preferred wash is in one area and the next day it could be in another. Some days you just pluck one or two out of each wash that you fish. I like the fact that you have to use your head to locate fish and decide to

That heavy gear that you use for spinning gars and lure casting your large poppers, stickbaits, live baits for a king is suitable for a groper. Harvest some red crabs, a 5/0 double strength Mustard hook and a deep water ledge. Most have a nasty big blue there

Paul Lubarosky with a 44cm stonker winter whiting. He said it is by far his largest! fish a specific wash rather than just randomly moving from one wash to another.

Tactics, good techniques, the right gear and bait, the right time and tide are paramount to succeed!

Trevally are still in good numbers with fish to 1.5kg at some headlands.

South Whale and the inner ovens have some good fish in the washes at the main ledge near the gutter. A few luderick have smashed bread up on the surface, so swap your pilchard bait for a prawn or bread. Using a 1/0 92554 will be good for both species and still just large enough for a maverick snapper to come along and smash your bait in the berley. Expect a few salmon as well.

By now the rock or land-based kingfish anglers is suffering the king DTs!

or close by. Great way to cure the big fish cravings.

Try Little Bluey near the end of shelly headland, South or North Curl Curl, Long Reef, Warriewood’s NE face. Remember that there is a small steep climb there so take a spare rope.

In fact it pays to have a 610m rope at least if there is a climb simply because you don’t want to rely on an old rope on a climb! Once again Warriewood is more for the experienced person.

Check out the DPI site for legal harvesting of crustaceans and do the right thing!

BEACH FISHING There has been a salmon party on the beaches lately with a few other species thrown in for fun. The salmon are on at Curl Curl Beach, Mona Vale, Bungan, Bilgolah

and Avalon beaches. Every year I take a few salmon home for a feed. I find they taste good baked, made into fish cakes, with honey teriyaki sauce, and other such recipes.

Ganged pilchards are the traditional method to catch a few. Berley up, especially if you’re by yourself. They are a schooling species that don’t hang around once they have hunted the small fish of the beach gutter that you are fishing. So a pilchard chopped into half a dozen pieces and consistently buried, not liberally is the way to go.

A surf popper combined with your ganged pilchard can make a very exciting combination. Have you ever hooked two salmon at once? The experience is off the hook – especially when they’re both over 2kg! Some tailor have been found at the crack of dawn and just around dark as well. Generally these are in chopper size, but they make for some great tucker.

The whiting fishing really tapers off at this time of the year. This could be because 99% of whiting fishers aren’t pursuing them, so it may be worth a shot at selected areas like Manly, Dee Why, and Avalon beaches. On some days there have been big whiting caught to 44cm.

There are undersized whiting as well so don’t use up your precious live

Skev Stefadauros caught this great mixed bag of seven rock blackfish, two bream and a salmon. Two rock blackfish were released.

He sent the author some traditional Greek fish dishes recently. Absolutely Bellissimo! worms and nippers. Move to another gutter and try elsewhere along the beach. They can go off the bite quickly, as they are normally in smaller schools. If the water clarity is clear and relatively calm you should use a light fluorocarbon leader at 3-4kg max to encourage the more timid whiting.

It is best for an angler to be active all year. There

are some refined techniques that can be learnt during the ‘difficult’ months when the fish are dormant, timid and not so prolific.

• For rock and beach guided fishing or tuition in the northern Sydney region, visit www. bellissimocharters. com, email alex@ bellissimocharters.com or call Alex Bellissimo on 0408 283 616.

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AUGUST 2016

17

Elbow slappers are out in force BOTANY BAY

Gabe Quercigrosse gabeandgabe@bigpond.com

Even though it has been bitterly cold, with plenty of rain to dampen enthusiasm and flush out systems.

Diehard fishos that have braved the conditions have been rewarded with outstanding catches.

The water temperature has been hovering around the 12-13°C mark in the middle reaches of the Georges River, with slightly higher readings in Botany Bay. As mentioned last month,

of a loaf of stale bread. Mix all this together while dry for easy carrying to the spot you are going to fish, then add water to the mixture.

The luderick should be around for another few months and increase in size and numbers.

If fishing the Georges River, it’s very hard to go past Blackbutt Point, both as a landbased and boat proposition.

This location has been very consistent and excellent catches have been recorded.

The whiting run has started with some outstanding specimens up to 45cm landed.

I have been fishing the cockle

your rod tip is detected. It is imperative not to strike, but to allow up to 20m of free line for the fish to get the bait into its mouth before applying any pressure. It’s not easy, but this is the only method you can use to consistently catch them. The effort is all worth it when you see a dozen or so elbow slappers over 40cm on the bottom of you esky.

These whiting prefer the deeper water of the system before venturing onto the sand flats at night on the rising tide.

Another great location that has been fishing well has been the Captain Cook bridge. I have found this time of year to

Leatherjackets are quite common at this time of year. luderick have been all the rage, with bag limits of luderick to 43cm coming from all the recognised spots. I can’t stress enough the importance of berley and would suggest a sugarbag full of dry sand, about 1kg of green weed cut very finely, and about a third

beds in front of Oatley Bay during the last two hours of the outgoing tide and the first hour of the rising tide for top catches, using bloodworms.

Big fish are not easy to catch and require finesse and considerable skill, as only the slightest movement of

be the best for bream, trevally and school mulloway. As a matter of fact, the sounder has been blackened by the number of blurters feeding on the bridge pylons.

You are not allowed to fish on top of the bridge platform itself, but from a boat

is fine. A good method is to let your rig run along the pylons the full length of the pylon.

Live nipper pumped nearby work best.

Berley works a treat one hour before a high to one hour after the change, but be careful not to over do it, as the fish can go off the bite.

For bream and trevally, I like to use 6kg of wheat, 1kg of plain flour, 2kg of bran and 4oz of fish oil. Mix it all together in a plastics garbage container, then cover it with boiling water. By this time, the wheat will begin to swell and the flour will stiffen and hold it together.

When berleying, drop it over the side in tight handballs, and it will go straight down and gradually dissolve on the bottom and thus bring fish to the area.

There have been plenty of good-sized trevally scattered throughout the bay and the estuaries providing plenty of fun for the family as well as being not too bad for the table if bled immediately. I have found trevally to be excellent tasting if smoked with a hickory mixture.

Fish over the kilo mark have been taken from the artificial reefs in Yarra Bay, Congwong Bay, Molineaux Point, the cockle bed in front of the Novotel at BrightonLe-Sands and just upstream of the Cooks River bridge at Kyeemagh. Peeled prawns, live nippers and bloodworms work particularly well with a small 00 split shots placed just behind a size 2 baitkeeper hooks.

Flathead have been on the quiet side, with only a handful of fish taken on the drift on plastics or salted pilchard. The entrance of the Georges River at Towra to Ramsgate has been the best option.

School of tailor have been working between Botany

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AUGUST 2016

Daniel with a nice 43cm Port Hacking whiting caught recently.

Head and the drums in the middle of the bay, feeding on small whitebait. Metal slices around the 20g size have been accounting for some good catches of choppers to 40cm.

I guess the best news is coming from Browns Mountain. As customary for this time of year, it is not unusual to see up to 30 boats fishing this underwater mountain 50km off Botany Headlands. Electric reels or big Alvey Reefmasters are a necessity. Bianca Fishing Charters out from Cronulla landed eight blue-eye trevalla to 26kg as well as bagging out on big gemfish, keeping the customers on their toes.

We’ve heard of similar catches right through the month from the small boat brigade, but not heard a lot on yellowfin or bluefin tuna catches.

The Peak continues to fish very well for kingfish to 85cm, both on live baits and Californian squid, while big trevally have been keeping the bottom bashers happy.

Both the 9 and 12-mile reefs have been quiet with not much reported.

Pan-sized reddies are showing up in catches with the 3-Mile Reef off Coogee being the top contributor. Mowies and flathead have made up the bulk of the catches. Blue-spot flathead continue to provide reasonable catches on the close grounds, with lizards to 45cm taken off Mistral Point, the 40m mark between Botany Heads, Cape Bailey and the southern end of Big Marley Beach.

The beaches have been

providing tailor, salmon and winter whiting along with the odd dart and bream.

South Maroubra in front of the Seals Club is a sure bet in the late afternoon as well as the big gutter in front of the Elouera Surf Club at Cronulla.

If fishing the rocks, the Terrace between Inscription Point and Yena Gap has been fishing particularly well for drummer and bream, especially when there is a fair wash working out from the rocks. Crabs, cunje and cabbage baits providing the spoils. Some tailor have been taken on unweighted pilchards rigs.

Just south from Tabbigai has also been fishing well and offers a very long fishing ledge tucked under the Cliff Tops, which is perfectly protected from bad weather. A few groper, drummer, luderick and leatherjackets have been taken on red crabs, prawns and cunje. As with other rock possie, make sure that PFDs and sensible footwear are worn at all times.

August will see prevailing westerly winds throughout with Woolooware Bay the best place to fish when the westerlies show up. The area produces excellent catches of flathead, bream and whiting. The main time to fish for bream is on the big tides, with the immediate surrounds of the oyster leases the place to be. Flathead can be taken by drifting close to the mangroves behind Shark Park, both with bait or plastics.

It’s very comfortable fishing in this area, and usually sheltered

from the wind. If chasing whiting, I would suggest the channel markers at the entrance to the bay.

The bay itself is normally very quiet at this time of year, probably the most consistent bet in this area is along the channel parallel to the new runway. This area is protected from the wind, very close to the foreshore boat ramp and offers various options if you use your sounder as a guideline. There are a number of deep holes all along this stretch, which produce good fish. Alternatively, you can troll with small metal lures for tailor and salmon.

Cooks River will produce big whiting and is an excellent land-based location. The northern upstream side of the bridge is the pick during the run-out, while the southern wall produces during the run-in.

I will be concentrating mainly on the tide changes, especially the last two hours of the outgoing tide for big whiting. The Caravan Head channel, the deep hole at Como Bridge and the cockle beds in front of Connells Point are sure bets to produce a thumper fish.

I’ve found that time is not important, but understanding the tidal movements are of

paramount importance.

Luderick will still be around and weed will become easier to get, as it will get longer with the seasonal changes.

All in all, it’s going to be a little harder to what we’ve become accustomed too. Stay safe this month!

• For all your fishing needs, as well as the latest info on what’s biting, drop into Gabe’s Boating and Fishing at Narellan (4/1A Somerset Ave), or Silvania (268/264-276 Princes Hwy). You can also call them on (02) 4647 8755 or (02) 9522 5100 respectively, or visit the website at www. gbaf.com.au.

Flathead are always a great option in August.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Operation illegal crayfishers An operation to crack down on illegal fishing offences in south western NSW has found 61 recreational fishers not complying with fishing regulations for Murray Crayfish.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSWDPI) Fisheries Compliance Director, Patrick Tully, said Operation Victor was executed last month in the areas of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers open to Murray Crayfish fishing.

“Ten NSWDPI Fisheries officers participated in the operation over two weekends in June along the Murray River between Albury and Tocumwal and the Murrumbidgee River between Gundagai and the Berembed weir,” he said.

“Those officers inspected 292 fishers and found 61 of them to be non-compliant with the regulations.”

As a result of the operation 31 penalty notices and 49 caution notices were issued.

“Penalties ranged from $100 to $1000 for those fishers who didn’t comply with regulations over prohibited size of Murray

Crayfish, exceeding the daily bag and possession limits or unlawful use of nets and traps,” said Mr Tully.

“One fisher was also fined for possessing Murray crayfish carrying eggs (ova) externally which is a significant breach of the regulations.”

Officers seized a total of 55 Murray crayfish and 34 nets and traps during the operation.

Several information reports were received in relation to illegal fishing, which resulted in the apprehension of three men and seizure of 23

Murray crayfish.

Regular patrols of the waters prescribed for Murray Crayfish fishing will continue during the season which ends on August 31.

More information on the Murray crayfish fishing season can be found on the NSW DPI website www.dpi. nsw.gov.au.

Illegal fishing activity can be reported to Fishers Watch on 1800 043 536 or online www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ fishing/compliance/reportillegal-activity.

NSW DPI District Fisheries Officer David Potter with seized Murray crayfish on the Murray River.

AUGUST 2016

19

Prime time for dusky flathead SYDNEY SOUTH

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

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August can be a bit of a strange month to go fishing. It can be cold and windy one day, and then sunny and warm the next. I find that with this irregularity in the weather pattern, it can play havoc with the temperature of the water, which in turn plays havoc with the fish.

This makes it very hard for any angler to decide when the best time would be to go for a fish.

For some of you, the only time that you are able to fit a fish in is on the weekends or when you are away on holidays. For others, it can be at anytime. I have found that what makes a good angler is time on the water. The more time you spend fishing, you better you become at it.

This is where you should think about getting out with a fishing guide and learning the tricks of the trade from them. In Sydney, you have a number of fishing guides that will cover a variety of fishing scenarios that you can choose from.

Brittany Holmes with a dusky flathead she caught while fishing with a hand line.

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It has been a few weeks since the last lot of rain that we have been experiencing in Sydney, so the Port Hacking River should have cleared up to a point where you can see the bottom in about 3-4m.

If you’re chasing flathead and mulloway, live poddy mullet and yellowtail will be your best option.

For bream, trevally and whiting, pink nippers and bloodworms have been working, and if you are after a few luderick for the pan, you will need fresh cabbage or green weed.

If you’re not into using baits and would prefer to use lures, I would suggest that you get yourself a few blades and start working the deeper areas of the Port Hacking River. Places like Gymea, Yowie, Burraneer and Gunnamatta bays would be good from out of a boat.

The trick to using blades, is to work them as slow as possible with plenty of pauses in-between. When you are next in your local tackle shop keep an eye out for Berkley Power blades, TT Switch blades and Strike Pro Cyber or Astro Vibes.

From the shore you could try Gymea and Gunnamatta Bay baths, the sailing club in Yowie Bay and off Wally’s Wharf.

Even though the mornings will be cooler, you could try fishing off the beaches from Wanda to Boat Harbour for whiting and bream. Beach worms would have to be the number one bait for this style.

The rock washes from Bondi to Garie Beach will be worth a shot for bream, trevally, luderick, drummer and the odd snapper. You could also try spinning for bonito, salmon and tailor with metals or whole pilchards and garfish.

Kirsty Holmes was happy with her dusky flathead that was caught while on holidays at Forster.

Further north in Botany Bay, there will be trevally and bream in the deep water off Trevally Alley, the oil wharf, Bare Island and the outside of The Drums.

Berley with peeled prawns or nippers would be the go.

Tailor and salmon will be schooling up around the ends of the runways and off the sand bar at Dolls Point. Try casting or casting metals or whole pilchards.

Both the Captain Cook and Tom Uglys bridges will be worth a shot for bream and luderick towards the top of the tide. The southern side should also be producing a few mullet.

Picnic Point shoreline would be worth a shot for bream, whiting and

the odd flathead or two.

You could also try using strips of mullet at night for mulloway. Moorebank to the weir at Liverpool would be worth a try for estuary perch and bream with lures.

Sure, August is going to be one of those months that it is a bit harder to get a few fish in the bag, but if you put in the extra effort or maybe try one of the guides, you will not only learn something, you will go home with a few fish too.

If you have something to report or would like to know more about how and where to fish Southern Sydney, all you need to do is send me an email at gbrown1@iprimus.com.au and I will get back to you.

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Feeling a bit nippy? Time to crack out the crabs VFM

Richard Somerton

Let’s face it, crustaceans play a large part in the diet of many fish species, with prawns, shrimp, yabbies and of course crabs. So it makes sense to use lures that imitate these common food sources. For this article I will be focusing on crabs and the lures and techniques I use to catch fish. The main species I target are bream but these techniques can be applied to any fish species that eat crabs.

The following are some basic techniques I use for fishing crab style lures.

Over the past few years I’ve had great success in fishing this lure type both socially and in tournaments and can contribute a few wins and even a Kayak World Championship to these lures.

MATCH THE HATCH Firstly, it is very important to ‘match the hatch’. As a keen flyfisher I always look at what the fish are eating and closely try to match that. So have a look around and maybe roll over some rocks to try and find the size and most importantly colour of the local population. I use crab lures that have a number of colours available, and can also refine and mix and match things with their interchangeable legs, and claws. I also carry a few permanent marker pens to add dots, stripes and such.

Of course ‘colouring in’ can be applied to soft plastic crabs as well. This approach tends to work 9/10 times! If the more matched natural is not working, try throwing something with a colour that ‘pops out,’ as this can also draw fish in. I fished a tournament last year and

after throwing the more standard, darker colours I tried a sand colour that turned out to be the key to tempt those shutdown fish.

NATURAL MOVEMENT I think a major key to unlock fish is to imitate how crabs move and act in the water. Most of us see crabs running around the sand and rocks in the ‘dry’ that look like they are going flat out.

Through my job as a diver I get a unique look into the behaviour of how crabs move and feed underwater. Most sit still unless purposely agitated and then they will flee or even defend themselves (claws up). Some just burrow down trying not to move too much and hoping not to be seen, but mostly they move pretty slow.

I work on the theory that too much movement attracts attention in the animal world!

We have all seen videos of various brands of crab lures being worked

A colour change can be the key to getting shut down fish to charge.

22

AUGUST 2016

Shallow fishing can be one of the most visual types of ‘crabbing’.

It feels great to watch a big bream crunch your crab! enticingly in fish tanks with the line running directly up to surface and of the lure hopping from rock to rock, this sure catches anglers!

But conditions are never this artificial when angling, so if water clarity allows, cast your lure a couple of metres away so you can see it and work the lure using different line angles and at differing rod tip height. This can give you a better insight into how to move the crab and give it that natural look.

ANGLE AND RETRIEVE I always consider line angle when fishing a crab lure and the substrate of where I am fishing and hold my rod tip accordingly. The key is to keep the lure in touch with the bottom, and moving the lure slowly.

With the substrate you may have to consider applying enough line angle to either move it up and over debris, rocks and such, other times consider lowering your rod tip to bury the lure a little bit such as in soft mud and sand. This can look like a crab trying to bury itself or escape and leaves a nice little plume of sand and silt.

I always change my rod tip height through the retrieve so by the time I have worked it back to the boat I have kept a constant line angle. I also prefer braid for this style of fishing as it provides me with as much feel as possible to work that crab.

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Another great place to fish ‘crab style’ are structure like jetties, channel piles, boat hulls, bridges, rock walls and pontoons. These are fish holding magnets and fish and critters of various types choose to live and feed in these areas.

Going back to the line angle method again, this is where my approach can differ.

Usually you end up being much closer and the water tends to be deeper. You can cast along and under the various structures in the style explained above, which again can be very effective.

But in these areas I like to cast to individual pieces of structure with the crab sinking hard against it. This represents a crab that’s been dislodged and is free falling towards the bottom. The take can happen anywhere from the second it hits the water until well after it has been sitting on the bottom.

So the idea is to watch the line carefully and a handy way is to know the depth and estimate the line you have out. If it is 4m deep and you only see about 3m disappear I’d probably lift up to see what’s going on!

The ‘takes’ can be as simple as the line just stopping.

When it’s on the bottom I like to leave it for a while, but this depends on how much patience you have!

I have actually watched fish in clear water follow the lure all the way to the bottom and just sit there staring at it. So I always give it a light jiggle or drag then stop again, and wait.

If you don’t feel a ‘take’, which can be explosive just give it a firm lift and you’d be surprised how many times they are sitting there with it in their mouths.

FLATS/SHALLOW WATER FISHING Shallow fishing can be one of the most visual types of ‘crabbing’. Whether casting to cruising fish or fish that are actively grubbing or mudding I take great care so as not to ‘spook’ them and landing the lure too close to

the fish can easily do this.

This is when I put away the braid line and pick up the straight through fluorocarbon to give myself every extra chance of hooking and not spooking them.

I like to ambush cruising fish, by casting well ahead and waiting them out. You need to keep track of where your crab is and where the fish is and hopefully they don’t change course! When the fish is 1-2m away I give the crab the slightest of drags or jiggles. This can be very exciting fishing and great to watch the reaction of the fish.

When fish are actively feeding you can often see tailing and clouding or mudding of the water. Again to avoid spooking, I try to cast well beyond them and do one of two things. You can then drag the crab along the bottom to the area the fish is feeding, but you need to keep track of exactly where the lure is, which can be difficult and takes a lot of trial and error to perfect!

My preferred method is to cast beyond and the second it hits the water I wake it across the surface with as little disturbance as possible.

When it’s about 1m from the feeding fish or area I just let it sink to the bottom. I find it easier to keep track of the lure this way and then very slowly work it into the mudding/feeding area or past the fish. When fish are feeding like this they are right onto anything moving but even a static presentation will work, so make sure you spend as much time as possible in that area – slowly does it.

HEAVY COVER/ SNAG FISHING Another technique I’d like to cover (and my favourite) is heavy cover

or snag fishing. I find this to be real ‘heart in your mouth’ fishing and I apply the ‘stop them or pop them’ theory. Most of the cover I fish when breaming is horrible barnacle encrusted, leader shredding snags of disappointment and full of the one that got away stories. I hear many people say you can turn most bream on 6lb and if you can’t well you probably were never going to? I go heavier and start at 8lb and mostly finish at 12lb. These fish only have to move a couple of hundred millimetres and it’s all over. Heavy leader and a locked drag greatly increase your chances and usually they are not too leader shy.

But the other problem you will run into is the lures themselves. The smaller jigheads for plastics used for this fishing just weren’t designed for this abuse with 12lb leader! But a plus for some imitation crabs is the load can be usually shared between two sets of hooks sometimes due to the design and the way fish eat them.

I snap, straighten and tear off hooks while fishing this way, but the rewards can be great. A few other points to make with this style of fishing is to slow down when approaching the snag/ cover. Position yourself to maximise your chance of

Crabbing is one of the best ways to connect with the larger models of bream. The technique is tricky though, so practice makes perfect. getting the fish out and think of the different casts you can make and what the structure looks like underwater. I cast hard against the cover and often the takes are instantaneous and crushing, so be ready!

If you don’t get hit straight away, engage a little bit of patience and wait it out with the just the smallest of jiggles but try not to drag or move the crab too much. Cover all the main points of the cover and if it’s a large laydown

then cover both sides, but keep in mind the shaded side will be the prime area.

So that about sums up a brief explanation of how I like to fish crab lures in common scenarios but there a few others such as edge fishing and deep fishing that the above can be applied to.

One of biggest complaints I hear about fishing crab lures is how slow the fishing techniques are and I admit doing it correctly can be a bit time consuming, however,

do it right and you will be rewarded with some very impressive and usually larger fish.

• I do have a sponsorship with Cranka so I will freely admit a strong bias towards this brand. However, there are a number of soft plastic lures out there like Ecogear, Baitbreath, Crusty, Enticer and Strikepro to name a few. So it’s just a matter of using a lure type you are comfortable with and that suits the environment and situation you are fishing.

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Sandy Leang with her personal best 65cm flathead that she caught in the Port Hacking River. The flatty ate a 65mm Zerek soft plastic vibe.

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23

Recent rains bring Tweed to life THE TWEED

David Solano

The river fishing has been going great guns, and the recent rains have really brought it to life!

If you’re into bream, the Tweed is the best I’ve seen it in years. I mentioned the dirty water and all the muck in last month’s mag, and I said that a good rain should flush it all out.

Well, it happened and the quality of the bream needs to be seen to be believed, as they have a shine and glow about them that’s not always there. They’re crazy fighters, and on light gear they fight like miniature snapper. You’ll find them out at the seaway walls, and pretty much throughout the river.

I’ve been in the canals chasing them on an ultra light rig and, by accident, I learnt a new and extreme way to cast. I let my finger go off the line way too early while firing out a cast, my soft plastic prawn smashed into the water a metre away from my target, but like you skip a rock as a kid the lure bounced four times, landed between

a boat and a jetty and got smashed by a 30cm bream!

It’s not just bream though, as tailor are in good numbers and quality, with plenty caught off the beaches and also off the rocks from Duranbah, all the way down to the Fingal Headland. It’s pretty crazy, as guys have been catching

snapper off the north sea wall and good ones at that.

Apparently it’s common after a lot of fresh.

Yellowtail kingfish are also showing up, and if you don’t mind fishing the wee hours, there’s some big trevally around too. Just find a bridge that has a light source shining onto

the water, and you should be in business. They love the structure, as that’s where their food is.

Now I want to share a story about an incident that happened to me the other day.

Saturday and Sunday are my days off and if I’m not scrounging a ride with a

A nice, healthy bream taken from the Tweed.

Fellow yakkers to the rescue! The author broke a pedal on his kayak and required a tow to get back to shore.

mate who owns a boat, I’m in my Hobie Pro Angler.

We tend to take stuff for granted and after years of use, something broke and I

was pretty much stuck, up the river without a paddle!

I was right up the back of Cobaki, miles from home To page 25

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Big time bonus snapper predicted for winter BALLINA

Joe Allan

These can turn into some great baitfishing fun as the Kim Fitzgibbon with a small school mulloway winter bream and whiting caught and released in the river. take a liking to them.

There are some reports of massive mulloway taken some wn Bladwinter technique. It ain’t no use if a Prathumper esPop in the river. The “ town Yambwhiting. The Atomic ” it ain’t chartreuse! stretch has had some of the 50 in yellow chartreuse or Until next issue, biggest fish taken in recent rock crab are the go for this tight lines. memory. Local gun angler Jake Stewart caught a 30kg beast while live baiting not long ago.

The river mouth has “The Home of Leavey Lures” produced some great size and numbers of bream “IN THE MAIN STREET” Shop 3, 8 Yamba St, Yamba and blackfish. Try getting there on the top of the tide • as it starts to run-out for best numbers of blackfish.

As always, green weed or weed flies are always best.

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Jake Stewart with a 30.4kg mulloway caught from the town stretch of the river.

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and wait for help.

After a lot of struggling and chaos, I made it to the Maritime Museum just on first light and went into a deep sleep, only to be woken by some fellow yakkers who were poking me to see if I was alive. They scared me, and I scared them! Anyway, to cut a long story short, they towed me home behind their Hobie Revos.

What absolute legends. I didn’t know these guys, yet they went out of their way to help.

I just hope all this goodness hangs around for a while, because the Tweed is really rocking at the moment.

EVANS HEAD

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From page 24

and my Mirage Drive snapped in half and all I could achieve with one fin was to go round in circles. I looked over at that thing I rarely use, a paddle, and tried my luck with it. I’ve got that much stuff attached to the yak that I literally had no room to move so to speak, so I ended up sitting on the bow (which made my rudder useless) and attempted to paddle home and again, it was 360º Dave. This really brought home to me how heavy my yak is as I was pretty much going backwards. There was no one around to help. All I could do was drop anchor

James Ansell with a beautiful snapper caught off Ballina at one of the close reefs.

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Offshore of Ballina has fished consistently over the last month. This should continue, and all signs are pointing towards a bumper snapper season. Areas around Riordans Reef, Black Head, Lennox Point and the close reefs around the Ballina beaches are all holding quality numbers of snapper up to 90cm.

There are some big girls out there at the moment.

The best baits to throw are horse mackerel, fresh squid and bonito floating or very lightly weighted depending on the current. Soft plastics have accounted for the bigger fish. Try big plastics around the 6” size like the Atomic Jerk Minnows in ghost pearl, white or ghost orange. This time of year, the big girls are here to breed, that’s why there are so many in such good numbers. Only keep what you are going to eat and let those trophy ones go to breed.

Further offshore on the wider reefs along the 42-fathom line, there are pearl perch, amberjack and kingfish on the move. There have been a lot of great fish caught on Lucanis Jigs and knife jigs. This is a really physical way to fish so don’t worry about going to the gym that day. Try to get in early before the wind gets up as it becomes too hard to hold onto the fish.

The beaches of South Ballina have seen plenty of tailor taken on blue pilchards.

When the westerly winds flatten the winter swell, it’s worth walking the gutters with 1/4-1/2oz blades to target flathead. You’ll get the odd bit of by-catch with some big snowy bream. These things pull hard on light spin tackle. There’s plenty of bait if you’re out for some fun with the kids catching pipis.

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25

Clarence gets a fresh start caught, especially around the river mouth with a 1.4kg fish weighed in by Rod Hudson, and many other reports of fish around the 1.5kg mark. Most anglers are using mullet gut, fillet strips and blade lures.

Snapper are on, with some fantastic fish taken off the Iluka wall, Woody Head and offshore. A 6.7kg stonker was caught off Iluka Beach by Matt Sheelah and a 6.8kg fish was taken by Greg Phillips off the wall in recent weeks.

ILUKA

Ross Deakin

We needed some rain in the Clarence area, and we sure got it! The falls around Iluka and Yamba weren’t as heavy, but up the river system got a real dumping.

This has given the river the much-needed freshwater flush and with that, the bream have been going crazy. There have been some fantastic fish

Tailor are doing well, with some very nice fish being taken off the beaches and headlands, especially in the early hours on pillies and metal lures.

Luderick are making a strong appearance with some very nice fish caught at the Bluff such as the 1.7kg fish caught by James Sorrenti.

Mulloway are around the river mouths and beaches, and the flathead are just starting to really fire up, so what are you waiting for?

The weather is great and the fish are bitting, so get out there and enjoy our beautiful Clarence River and beaches!

• For all your fishing needs and up-to-date information and tips for spots and fish drop into the shop for a chat. Iluka Bait and Tackle is located at 3 Owen Street, Iluka NSW 2466. Give us a call on (02) 6646 5217 or 0402 997 572. We are available online at www. ilukabait.com.au or visit our Facebook page.

The snapper are biting, with several stonkers like this one being taken land-based.

Breaming the bobby cork way when fishing around wash.

Wherever wash occurs around ocean walls and headlands, bream become opportunistic feeders, moving quick as a flash to devour any likely bait offering that’s become unstuck from the waves pounding in. Bream can be very finicky if they can get a good look at a bait, but if the food item is on the move, as is always the case in a wash,

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they either grab it quick or lose it to a mate.

This situation makes for easy bream fishing, providing the angler uses their head and keeps the bait from snagging up and keeps it on the move so the fish has to eat it. The bobby cork technique is perfect for this scenario as the bait is suspended to avoid snagging, and if the angler casts into the right spot the bait will drift about until a fish finds it, which from my experience is not going to be very long.

As for the resistance of the float, it’s not worth worrying about. When bream find a bait drifting tantalizingly in all those suds, they don’t pick or feel if it’s attached to anything, they just gobble it down!

IN THE WASH So what do we need to get some action? Obviously, you need an area with a wash.

Rock walls are okay, but you will need to find just the right spot to lift that fish for landing.

Select carefully, but don’t go too low or you might get very uncomfortably wet.

Usually, somewhere just behind the wave break is the right place, as there will be plenty of suds in this area.

Another really good situation occurs around the ocean rocks where little bays or coves form plenty of cover for these canny fish to dive in and out of with each wave.

The trick is to locate a small area that is hardly ever short of wash – if possible, without too much back and forth surge – and such a place is absolutely perfect. Bream will be there for sure, and waiting for some tucker to be washed free by wave action.

Crabs are high on the menu, as is any other critter washed in, but if a crab is found it’s top tucker. Even a crab leg, makes for a good bream bait.

If crabs are hard to come by, it’s hard to go past strips of unfrozen mullet. A mullet that’s been filleted with the flesh then cut into small sections, perhaps salted to toughen it up, makes very good bait. Making each bait about the length of a postage stamp, but not as wide as one

is ideal and the clue is to use a no. 4 hook threaded through the strip of mullet a couple of times and then suspend it around 1.5m below the bobby cork. ] Even if the water is 3m deep, a bream will be on that bait like a shot, as these fish are always on the lookout for anything, anywhere in that wash, that they can eat.

Prawns are also very good bait in this situation, and there’s no need to peel them, as the fish will not be fussy.

THE RIG The bobby cork needs to be highly visible at all times in that wash, so a fluoro coloured one is perfect. Understand that this is not like luderick fishing, meaning the bobby cork does not need to be well weighted at all, it’s merely there to suspend the bait. Therefore, even a fairly large one will still get dragged under when a big

Bobby cork, hook with small sinker and a bead working up against a bit of floss. It’s the simplest of rigs yet works wonders on bream around wash areas. just above the float and with a bit of dental floss or similar material tied onto the 6-8kg mainline the bead contacts this stopper, in turn, and stops the line from running further down through the float. This means that the bait’s location under the float is adjustable, and this is helpful, as bream will even feed in less than a

LOCATION IS EVERYTHING The last word is to very carefully select the right spot to fish on the rocks.

If the rocks are wet, forget it, as the next wave could cause real trouble. There are sufficient excellent spots on any headland or rock shelf on our ocean

The Kia fishing team youngsters enjoy eating bream for tea! bream latches on to the bait.

A small sinker or split shot placed near the baited hook will ensure that the bait sinks rapidly once the rig is cast into the wash, ideally with the wave or swell having just arrived and broken on the rocks. This is important, as the bait will be drifting out after the wave breaks and needs to get down quickly.

The means of keeping the depth just right is as easy as sliding a small bead on the line

metre of water if it suits them, or might be out in deeper water where a good bit of wash is hanging in.

A fairly strong rod around 3m long is required, as a big bream is not going to want to be washed up into a small gutter or pool prior to being lifted out of the water and will put up a good fight. Retying the hook after each fish is also smart, because they can scuff your line on the rocks after the fight.

front areas to find a bit of bream attracting wash, without getting into difficulties.

On a trip to Woody Heads last year I picked just the right location for my wife’s grandchildren and I to have a great time catching bream on bobby cork gear without the slightest issue, even with waves or wash. The youngsters enjoyed eating those fish for tea at night!

August action aplenty COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley worleybirdfilms@hotmail.com

The depths of winter on the Coffs Coast means shallow water snapper, big blue nose bream, silver slab mulloway and XOS kingfish!

The Coffs Coast bream have been in typical winter form. Good bream are being caught throughout the lower estuaries and right up into the brackish water.

The best opportunities for big fish though are closer to the estuary mouths as spawning fish return from their oceanic escapades.

The rock walls and oyster racks in the larger systems have been producing some very good fish, with good numbers being caught too. This time of year, it’s best to use the lightest leader you feel you can get away with. Keep your lure movements slow and subtle. Soft plastics with plenty of scent that are worked very slow or almost still on the bottom have been producing very well this last month.

The beach gutters are also full of sea run bream.

Pipis and worms are always a ‘go to’ bait for the bream on the beach, but with tailor and the odd salmon school around, using bait strips or pilchard cubes will keep the possibilities open.

Areas where the gutters cut right in close to the beach, or close by rocky structure are also a great opportunity to flick plastics and vibes

around to try and find the bigger models.

Using lures will catch you less dart and small pickers if you’re trying to avoid them, and there’s always the chance of a tailor, salmon or mulloway.

On the beaches, there is more than a chance of some decent mulloway. Slab baits, worms and squid have all been producing results.

and breakwalls. Just like the bream, the mulloway have also been providing the estuary anglers with plenty of fun and the odd horse slab for a river fish.

The deeper holes around river corners and bridges are the place to target. Try using slowly worked, but constantly moving plastics, hardbodies or vibes. Keep the lure down in their

Dale Johnson with two cracking bream from the Nambucca River.

The late night stock take shift allowed Craig Hanlon the time for this casual weekday bream.

Soft plastics and really big shallow diving hardbodies have been the real performers on the headlands

face as long as possible, but keep some kind of action going throughout the retrieve. The ‘big’

Jason O’brien has been finding the island and headland washes have been producing many good size tailor.

river mulloway is a highly coveted capture, and it’s the anglers that put in the time and effort to purely target these silver slabs who will have success.

It used to be the June long weekend, but now it’s August that sounds the arrival of the Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Classic.

Perfectly coinciding with this event, the snapper have been warming up to boiling point over the last month or so. Snapper can be found pretty much anywhere offshore at the moment, but most notably the big reds are hanging around on the very near shore reefs and shallow gravel beds along our coast.

Exceptional fish have been regular captures around the washes and land-based locations, such as Muttonbird Island, although it has been very difficult to get out to Muttonbird with the North Wall re-development occurring over the last couple of months.

As with every year, the strategy for the Snapper Classic will be very dependant on the weather.

The bigger boats can go wherever they want, and usually travel a long way north, but the smaller boats require favourable conditions to travel any distance. I fish the Dave Irvine comp out of my kayak, so I am forced to fish locally, but I honestly believe that a lot more boats should commit to a local strategy. Pick a few marks that you know that are within a short distance of the harbour and commit to fishing them very hard, rather than wasting all your time driving miles away chasing ‘easy fishing’.

I guarantee that, barring any major weather event, there will be good snapper

on every inshore reef and if you put in the time you can nut out what they’re after and you will get the fish on the mat. Although you can maybe catch more fish on grounds further away, you will have saved all that travel time leaving you able to ‘catch up’ while the others are having to drive home.

As you’re out and around the washes and inshore reefs, you will find that the tailor are there and willing to chew up your plastics and lures. If you like a fresh feed of tailor, there are some big ones around. If you don’t like

eating tailor, there are some big kingfish out there that do. There have been some jumbo hoodlums out around the islands and washes and if you want a big king, then you need to use a big bait. Big tailor and salmon are ideal baits that will troll well and stay alive for a long time while you cover the ground.

If you choose to anchor, drifting your live bait out the back in a berley trail should have you come up with something of size.

No matter what winter fare you chase this month, I hope the fishing is hot, even if the temperature’s not.

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27

There is no ‘Harbour’ at Coffs Harbour any more COFFS GAME

Glen Booth

Okay, it’s rant time.

At the start of June a massive east coast low that spun up along the Queensland/New South

Waves and swell have been doing this ever since the wall was built back in the 1920s — often the result of east coast lows or ex-tropical cyclones — but this one was a doozy.

In a show of Dunkirklike spirit, the rescue work

boardwalk for accessing the marina arms was missing.

Predictably, the three levels of government all lobbed on a sunny Monday morning to get their faces on the news and to have their photos taken while looking suitably concerned.

Above: The tattered remains of the boardwalk.

Left: A is for avalanche.

Wales border gave Coffs Harbour (and the rest of the coast all the way down to Tasmania) a nice old touch up. Lives were lost elsewhere, there were floods, beaches disappeared in the space of a weekend, and millions of dollars in coastal infrastructure was damaged.

Coffs Harbour’s actual harbour was badly hit, with waves overwhelming the northern breakwall for a couple of days straight.

come fishing at

G1S6 N I OKfor 20 O B now

conducted by the marina tenants over a pretty hairy 48 hours was magnificent.

At times, they were literally risking life and limb to save their own boats, but also those of people they didn’t even know.

A couple of yachties described two terrifying waves in the middle of the night that were as high as the streetlights along the wall. When the white water cleared, a 100m stretch of

Shame they weren’t there on the weekend to get their hands dirty helping with the clean up and to see what their constituents had been through.

The irony of this disaster though, is that the $6.7 million north wall height extension project was due to commence on the Monday after the storm. While it was too late to make a difference, the start date was delayed because, get this, some rare algae was found growing on the breakwall rocks. Spare me! If it’s not a cure for cancer, well tough luck Mr Fungus. Instead, an essential piece of infrastructure was held up.

And of course the wall option chosen, which was the cheapest, and also the least effective. If more extreme weather events are on the

SOUTH WEST ROCKS on board

cards, surely you’d choose the best option? No, not in this state or town.

Furthermore, anyone who has anything to do with the harbour scratches their heads in wonder why the Lands Department spent $19 million on raising the height of the south wall, which protects no infrastructure whatsoever, before the north wall?

Bizarre priorities, alright.

Unfortunately, large sections of the marina simply crumbled under the 48-hour onslaught, but that’s what happens given that almost no maintenance has been done over the last five years. Nothing would have prevented damage given the magnitude of the storm, but this shameful neglect made a bad situation far, far worse.

From a fishing perspective there are three significant tournaments between August and March next year that are likely to be impacted.

Additionally, the famous Pittwater To Coffs yacht race has been cancelled for the

facilities have been in serious decline for a long time now and that was reportedly a contributing factor.

With traffic down to the marina reduced to a stop-go

club will soon be in a similar situation, so will they be afforded the same courtesy?

Council want the land, that’s for sure, and to hell with the club’s 40+ year history in

Boom. A big one cracks over North Wall. Far worse was yet to come. controlled single lane while the wall height is raised, no slip, half a marina and reduced parking, businesses down there are really going to do it tough for the next 12 months.

The only good news from down on the harbour-front

the town. Their plans don’t involve having a yacht club anywhere nearby. (Why Coffs Harbour without a yacht club is about as unthinkable as not having a slipway…)

Then, just as I was finishing this column up, I heard that the Deep Sea Club

Two giant waves in succession, described as being as high as the light poles, did this. first time in its 34 year history because there’s nowhere for the competitors to tie up.

In saying that, the on-water

in recent times was that the Deep Sea Club finally got a lease extension from the council. Lease wise, the yacht

had closed its doors yet again.

Fantastic. Another kick in the guts for Coffs Harbour.

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Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

Winter this year has been a rollercoaster ride with east coast low-pressure systems giving our coastline an absolute pounding. High winds and huge swells have been very common and have caused massive shifts in sand along the beaches, around most of the headlands and in the small local creek systems.

These wind conditions have given the fishery a massive shake up and turned it into a fairly productive winter.

The beach fishing has been on fire with many catches of big bream on just about every trip.

Tailor, Australian salmon and mulloway have been a reliable target on the beaches and are awesome fun to From page 28

The rumour mill abounds with stories that there’s some great strategic plan for the harbour area. I suspect that it doesn’t exist and it’ll be the same old story with different levels of bureaucracy guarding their own patch of turf, rather than all working together for the betterment of the port.

Nothing is ever done with any sense of coordination or planning. It’s all ad hoc, half-arsed and over-priced.

This brings us to the slipway.

Despite reassurances that there would be minimal disruption to the working harbour while remediation works were undertaken, it’s now two years since we had a fully functioning slip.

It’s a given that the slipway soil was contaminated with Tributyltin, and sure it’s not great for the environment (I’m told some overseas shipping that enters Australian waters still use it), but it’s not nuclear waste

tangle with on bream gear when fishing from the sand.

Grub-tail soft plastic and soft vibe lures around 2-3” have been deadly off the beach this winter and it is amazing just how many species can be caught using them.

Offshore the fishing has been fairly good when the conditions allow safe access with pearl perch, teraglin and pigfish all coming out of 80m quite regularly of good size and in numbers.

Big snapper have been caught on the shallower reef systems of Grassy Head and Point Plommer, with early mornings during the midweek when boat traffic is low the best time to target these bigger fish.

Good catches of deepwater fish have been coming in from out wide throughout winter for anglers that are flexible enough to drop everything and go when the conditions are right.

Bar cod, bass groper and blue eye trevalla are just three species that you will encounter when fishing with electric reels out wide from our coastline.

Winter just would not be winter without big mulloway around. This species is responsible for countless numbers of fishers spending long freezing cold nights, hanging onto heavy gear waiting to tangle with these fish. Fortunately this year has not let us down. The good news is that you do not always have to brave the winter nights as plenty of good fish are spun up during the daylight hours using large soft plastic and hardbodied lures. The beaches, headlands and the lower reaches of the river have all been holding goodsized mulloway, with the latter especially productive immediately after a fresh has gone through the system. The

either. The smart, logical and financially practical solution would’ve been to encase the thing in concrete and let the harbour as in Coffs Harbour, continue to function with a slipway.

If the slipway was still open, most of the boats that were damaged in the marina would be sitting up on the hard right now, being fixed or at least in the queue to be fixed. More importantly, the money would be staying right here in Coffs. Instead, a fortune is flowing to Port Macquarie, Yamba, Iluka and the Gold Coast. Many boat owners have vowed never to return, and who would blame them? For cruising vessels, Coffs Harbour has long been a destination best avoided. Posts on some of the blogs are pretty savage, albeit accurate.

On top of this, Customs are preparing to move operations to the Clarence, so Coffs won’t be a port of entry for yachts and other vessels arriving from overseas.

A few weeks before the storm, I got talking to a gent down at the harbour that had some impressive sounding biology qualifications, and he seemed quite knowledgeable about the slipway remediation work. He said the so-called silt barrier was totally ineffective and it’s just there for appearances sake. There was a substantial fish kill in the weeks leading up to the storm, and then the barrier went walkabout at the height of it anyway. Well the genie’s out of the bottle

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now folks, with plenty of contaminated soil washing back into the harbour. Over 260mm of rain in 48 hours will do that.

Funnily enough, the marina water itself is now as clean as I’ve ever seen it, and you can see the bottom in places that have been murky mysteries for years. This is no doubt due to missing chunks of rock and concrete along the wall allowing seawater to flow through.

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river rock walls are also home to a population of big bream.

Lightly weighted fresh baits are absolutely dynamite on this exceptionally wary species of fish.

Smithtown has held a lot of flathead and a huge population of schooling bass. These fish will begin to migrate back upstream any time now as we move towards the bass season re-opening on September 1.

Consistent catches of tailor have come in from the stones and the majority of these fish are in the 1-2kg range although there is definitely fish up to about 4kg in the schools. Smaller metal lures around 3-4” in length have been the best option rather than larger lures and on some days the only way to draw a strike is by using lightly weighted pilchards and garfish either slow wound or just left drifting in the wash.

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Recent fresh turns the fish on THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

A couple of nasty east coast low-pressure systems certainly dented the coastline recently and Port Macquarie got its fair share of rain and wind, which wreaked havoc on the fishing. So what good comes from an inundated river or ocean?

HASTINGS RIVER Firstly, the fresh in the Hastings River sent the bait packing up to the front of the system. This proved to be productive when the water cleared, as the rain got the bream schooled up for spawning and fishing around the lower reaches on the north wall or coal wall has seen good results. Lure fishers have found success on vibes and plastics and baitfishers anchoring on the walls and using whitebait or nippers have seen the majority of the fish. There has also been a fair amount of chopper tailor off the walls, so the mulloway won’t be far away. I’m a little surprised that we didn’t see more of the bigger mulloway caught over the floods, but in saying that

the seas were definitely unfavourable, with swells going over the walls.

Hopefully the more settled August conditions will turn on a few big mulloway.

Upriver should be getting back to normal and school mulloway and reasonable flatties should be encountered in most of the

section. Last year we got a fair sprinkling of bass on our lures while fishing for mulloway and bream – remember to handle these native fish with care and return them, or preferably leave them in the water for a quick picture and release.

One species that has been outstanding is

Steve Marsh with a decent-sized upriver flathead.

Lincoln posed with a great school mulloway taken on a Samaki Vibelicious. deeper holes. If the Maria river clears we should have some good action in this

luderick. The blackfish brigade have caught them throughout the lower

Steve and Dan Marsh with a good bag of fish taken using vibration blades.

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AUGUST 2016

system, the walls and jetties are the place to be if you are after a feed of these tasty fish. Zac Danby, a young local angler seems to be cleaning up using a dual rig with weed flies and green weed as well.

OFFSHORE The big seas really stirred things up, and

snapper have been the main target. The boats that got out weren’t disappointed by the snapper turnout!

If you are chasing reds then the grounds from the lighthouse all the way down to Cathie should continue to be productive. I have also been told that anglers are now catching bait from the artificial reef system put in off Port Macquarie, so it shouldn’t be long before we get some serious reports of fish coming from this area.

For the boaties chasing sand flatties, good bags have been caught just north of the river mouth on the flathead grounds. If this is your go then drifting with green prawns and pillies has been very successful.

ROCK AND BEACH The rocks have fired up from the recent conditions with drummer, blackfish, bream and tailor all making the target list. On a recent trip using cunjevoi some mates managed to catch nice bream, blackfish and a couple of black drummer

Zac Danby looking super happy with his efforts after some recent blackfish action. using the simplest rig – a small pea-sized sinker to a 1/0 hook and flicking this into the wash.

Beach fishing has recently been tough considering the sea conditions and currents,

however as I pen this I have a beach setup and some pillies in a bucket ready to go this evening – you never know, I just might get a fresh feed of tailor or even a salmon for some fishcakes, yummo!

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Forster will be full up to the bream this month FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

Winter has seen a late run of luderick and tailor drawn out through the month of June and early July. The traditional

of warm water, no doubt.

Small reds have shown up close to shore around the shallow reefs and there are larger fish skirting the pan-sized snapper.

Bouncing 5-7” soft plastics on 3/4-1oz jigheads with 5/0-7/0 hooks will sort the big girls out.

time of the year. The coast has been suffering from clear water that puts the pigs off a little and makes catching them a little more challenging. Deeper water ledges like Janies Corner or McBrides haven’t been too bad but a good, steady berley trail of bread is

Big pink bream like this are available reasonably close to shore. Photo courtesy of Shane Crockett. run period of mullet was delayed and with it, the corresponding travels of other fish.

By far the most significant has been the decent run of blackfish along the walls and ocean rocks. The fish are there, but their numbers have been significantly less than previous years and I’m hopeful they will make up for it this month. I have no doubt, with a little exploring and extra effort the catches are available but they have been delayed by the long tailing season

Strip and live baits will also attract the snapper, but also encourage a mixed bag like flathead, morwong and even kingfish. Salmon and tailor are often by-catch of bait fishing and can be targeted by slow trolling out to your favourite areas, like Blackhead (to the north), Latitude Rock and the Graveyards, to the south of Forster/Tuncurry.

The rocks have been fishing well, though not up to the expected best. By far the more prolific catch are the sizable bream that infest the ocean rocks this

needed to encourage the fish over the shallower headlands like Bennetts Head or Black Head.

Tailor and salmon are targets that don’t seem to disappoint from the rocks with Blueys Beach at either end producing the goods.

The tailor are not huge, around a kilo, though packs of fish in the 1.5-2kg mark are around with persistent spinning drawing results.

Metal slices or poppers are my preference, especially if the fish are holed up in the coves and bays along the coast.

Seeing a big greenback tailor bursting behind a popper as it skids across the surface is too exciting to pass up. Rat kings also love to chase down poppers and there have been reports of small schools hunting the headlands, so be prepared for anything.

While the nights are cold and many are rugged up in their nice, warm homes, some anglers are hitting the break walls and managing good bags of decent bream. I fished it the other night on the run-out while I waited for the slack water and was surprised by the size of the bream.

All the fish were between 500-900g and were taken on cooked prawns.

Live yabbies drifted with the tide will attract the resident and returning blackfish as well as the bream. Don’t discount the school mulloway from the wall either. Bouncing soft plastics or vibes to the base of the wall is well worth the effort half an hour either side of the run-in or out. If you need to kill some time while you wait for the tide to slow, try casting a bait or lure onto the Tuncurry Beach side. The mulloway and big bream for that

Bream from the rocks are a given this time of year and there are some thumpers amongst them.

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AUGUST 2016

The bream may be far fewer than in summer but the quality sure makes up for it.

matter will hold up toward the end of the wall while they too wait to move into the channel.

The lake is still surrendering good-sized flathead and this is most evident as by-catch while bream fishing the leases.

I managed two 75cm fish in a section of the lake that drains water across a channel during the tidal run. I was targeting the bream that were bow waving across the shallow water and I guess the flathead were there feeding on the baitfish as well.

The racks are the spot to find the bream, though they may not be as prevalent as in summer, but the quality of the fish will more than compensate. Ultra slow rolling hardbodies along the racks has been doing the business in the cold conditions, and if you find racks with cross current, you’ll find the fish. Some of the bream are extra large, so 16lb leader on hardbodies in my minimum at the moment. Even with heavy leader and a locked drag, I managed to pull the lure out of one jumbo’s mouth by stretching out the split rings until they let go – never done that before!

So I guess this month is pretty much all about bream with a few other fish thrown in. Bream from the rocks, the wall, the lake and big pink bream on the reef!

Ideal fishing with warm days and winter nights HARRINGTON-TAREE

Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

We have experienced a variety of winter weather over the past few weeks.

Some beautiful warm days and cool nights have been ideal for all kinds of fishing, contrasted with rain, wind and southerly seas to 4m. Throw in a few days of northeast gales and you’ll start to see the pinwheel of weather we have experienced.

A lot of the time beach, rock and outside fishing has been impossible due to the prevailing conditions, but the river has produced good fish at all times. The heavy seas have eroded the beaches so badly that travel on them is restricted to low tide. On high tide the water reaches right back to the vertical walls of sand on the dunes at the back of the beaches. It is quite easy to get caught on the beach by the rising tide and have to spend a few hours waiting for the water to drop back and allow passage off the beach.

ESTUARY Bream have schooled along the river wall at Harrington and excellent catches of these fish have been reported. Mullet strips, yabbies, prawns and fish pieces have all caught fish. Tailor pieces have accounted for many of the larger models caught. The best times to fish have been either side of slack water and high tide has been the best. Luderick are on the bite along the wall and the gantry area is the best spot. Green weed is the bait to use during daylight hours while fresh yabbies are best at night. Fish to 1kg have been landed but 700-800g is more common.

School mulloway have taken live baits of herring and yellowtail fished from around the gantry. Most of the fish are in the 4-6kg range but the largest have gone 12kg.

BEACH AND ROCK Prior to the rough weather Crowdy Beach produced some excellent bream from the northern end, as well as good bags of tailor and the occasional salmon. As the beaches are now severely eroded it is difficult to find good water

to fish. Consequently, catches have been down.

A few tailor, some small bags of bream and the occasional whiting have been caught. The sand spit in the mouth of the river has fished well for mulloway, salmon and tailor. Most of the mulloway were in the 4-6kg range and were taken on worm baits.

OFFSHORE When conditions have been good, quality snapper have been landed from the northern grounds and south off Old Bar. The best of the fish have been up to 6kg in weight. Pearl perch have been taken in 60m of water off Diamond Head while mac tuna have taken lures.

Flathead are still being caught on the drift.

August is a good fishing month for our area. Chopper tailor can be found on the beaches and around the headlands while luderick and bream can be caught from the wall at Harrington. The beaches should be formed up by then and there should be plenty of good water to fish. Seas are generally flat and big snapper can be picked up around the close-in bommies.

Flathead are still being taken on the drift.

AUGUST 2016

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Late winter fishing will rock PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

While August is certainly not the best month of the year to be fishing out of Port Stephens, it’s by no means a write off, you just have to know what to target.

Inside the estuary there, should be schools of tailor busting up on first light anywhere from Shoal Bay through to the Anchorage.

While they are typically not monsters, a few of the better fish will be over 40cm and will provide a good bit of fun for those throwing a 10-20g metal or small stickbait at them on light gear.

Despite being absolutely caned over the past couple of months by pro netters, bream and luderick are still remain in good numbers. Luderick have been thick around Shoal Bay and Little Beach jetties, as well as both the break walls. Bream are also plentiful around the break walls, with anglers having the best success using unweighted baits on a tide change.

If you are fishing for bream from a boat, you can really take advantage of the endless amount of rock bars, oyster leases, rock islands and points that Port Stephens estuary systems offer, all of which will be holding bream at this time year.

Squid are lurking around the moorings at Shoal Bay,

and also across the other side of the bay on Jimmys Beach over the weed flats with size 2.5 sized jigs working best.

Night high tides can also prove productive on squid, especially around lit up areas that have light reflecting over the water line. Prime examples of such areas like this are Nelson Bay and Little Beach where the lights on the

all producing. If you can’t find any weed or cabbage, green weed flies are a great option from the rocks, and at times will be even more effective then the real stuff.

Plenty of drummer are being caught from Boulder Bay right through to Fishermans.

Young champ Jack Hammond has been getting stuck into them lately, catching pigs up

BEACHES Some good winter bream are holding at night in the protected corners of some of the ocean beaches like Kiddies Corner, Boat Harbour and Kingsley.

Salmon schools are moving along most of the beaches within casting range of a ganged pilchard or 40g metal.

Jack Hammond displays a quality squid taken from the rocks.

Monster drummer, like this almost 60cm model, are lurking in the white water. water attract baitfish and in turn squid, as well as other predators.

OFF THE ROCKS The Luderick fishing from the ocean rocks is fantastic at this time of year, with the Torpedo Tubes, Box Beach, Barry Park and Boulder Bay

target for anglers this month, and while the season hasn’t been as good as last year, there’s still plenty around.

The shallow reefs

your jighead when fishing for reds over these shallow reefs. I find 1/4oz and 3/8oz heads to give the ideal sink rate that big reds can’t resist.

to a clunking 5.5kg.

There is some great tailor to be caught off the rocks at this time of year, with fish up to 3kg a very real possibility.

The most popular spots to get into a few will be around Box Beach, Fingal Head and Sunny Corner.

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Luderick fishing is as good as it gets this month.

Just before dark, tailor have been ravenous according to reports coming from anglers fishing the gutters on Stockton, Samurai and Fingal.

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in 10-20m of water off Fishermans Bay and around Broughton Island and Edith Breakers have been working well for those throwing soft plastics. It’s important to not go too heavy or too light on

Unweighted baits down a berley trail has also been accounting for a stack of reds this month around Broughton Island. Other islands out the front have also been producing.

Artificial reefs to hit the Hunter HUNTER COAST

Gary Earl earlybird13@optusnet.com.au

The Fisheries Department is looking to find areas to drop artificial reefs, in the near future, which is great news for anglers.

Hopefully they will end up in a spot that is close enough for trailer boats to reach. There have been a lot of these put out in the past, off Botany Bay, Nowra, and other south coast areas. When you look north from Sydney, Swansea or Newcastle seem to deserve the reefs the most, we have a huge number of fishing clubs in this area and natural reefs exist north of here anyway.

The reefs off Newcastle and Swansea are few and far between and most are gravel patches or small reefs. The fishing clubs in this area should band together and put in an application and with the numbers of clubs here, this may give us a chance.

Don’t forget we have a shipping port and all the equipment to make the job easy for fisheries to have

this taken out to sea – let’s hope we end up with it.

The fishing lately has been sweet at times then quickly turns sour. You really have to pick the tides and day. Drummer and luderick, as well as bream have been taken off the rocks around the washes, and some big groper are hunting these areas as well.

Divers have seen a few large models off the front of Merewether Baths, as well as schools of bream and tailor around the platforms.

Salmon are travelling through, so try throwing chrome lures right out into the back of the suds and pull them through the wash to see a few hook-ups.

The beaches have been fishing well at night, and Stockton and Nobbys beaches especially have given up a few nice mulloway around the 10kg mark. If you downsize your rig, bream can be found just after dark on small cubes of mullet. Not a lot of anglers fish Nobbys Beach, as the Council has made it very hard to spend a night out fishing, with parking restrictions in the area.

Cars have been reported stolen from this area, so it

is best to be careful. You cannot park overnight and the parking officers check after midnight.

Offshore has been a hot and cold affair, with the north reef covered in baitfish yakkas, squid, and pike. You would think that the kingfish and mulloway would have escaped the fresh in the river and be thriving out there, but little in numbers have filtered through. Some big bream have been taken by fishers getting bait over the sailing boat wreck out from the Surf Club on Stockton Beach and schools of salmon in great numbers are in Stockton Bight – the birds will show you where they are. There has also been some tailor travelling with them, and sand flathead are on the sand around the Mudhole.

Drifting with slabs of any filleted fish will snag them, and some have been of good size.

An angler reportedly saw a shadow under the boat and believed it to belong to a great white shark, but it was actually an oceanic hammerhead of about 13ft long. After surfacing and giving the

two anglers a fright, off it went. Unusually for a deep-sea shark, this hammerhead was in close, but the Mud Hole often sees large sharks hanging around, so bait must be in abundance there at the moment. This should then be the place to find mulloway at night.

In the estuary, the river downstream from Raymond Terrace is returning to its natural salty state, and even with the amount of rain we have had lately the fish are on the chew – try Tomago or inside Ash Island.

Bream have been caught mainly on bait during the night with a few undersize mulloway in there for good measure – please let them go as they are the future of this fishery, they don’t taste that good anyway, which is why they are named soapy mulloway. Letting them go is better than trying to take them for a feed.

All-in-all the weather and westerly winds will determine the areas you can fish through this month, and the winds can be freezing if you’re in the brunt of it, the beaches and close offshore waters tend to be calm, so close reefs or drifting the

Fishers getting bait over the sailing boat wreck out from the Surf Club on Stockton Beach have taken some big bream. back of beaches will be the best spots. Try trolling a safe distance out from the

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Big flathead have thrown down the gauntlet it is perfect when you’re catching 45cm flathead, I have even managed a few nice bream on this lure, which did surprise me.

Salmon continue to be around in big numbers and there are some real horsesized fish in the mix. Salts Bay/Swansea Channel is the pick of the spots. Small soft plastics in the 2-3” size are perfect and make the most of these great sport fish. Get into them on light gear for the best fight and results. Small spin outfits are ideal and it’s also great to see a growing number of anglers now having a go with fly outfits.

The humble bream have been on the chew lately. Anglers have found good numbers of fish over the many cockle beds that are spread out in the bays around Lake Macquarie. The one thing that is for sure is that the bream absolutely love the choppy, windy conditions.

Regardless of whether you throw hardbodies, plastics

SWANSEA

Jason Scerri jayro@hotmail.com.au

Another winter is coming to an end – and what a winter it has been. The fishing hasn’t let us down and some fantastic fish have been on offer here on Lake Macquarie. It’s been another great season for chasing flathead and mulloway in the deeper parts of the lake, and many other species also played the game, which made the winter bearable.

Water temperatures are still very cold and will stay that way for a little while yet. This month would certainly be one of the more challenging months of the year that’s for sure, but there are still fish to be caught if you use the right methods and hit the right locations.

Offshore has produced some great fish with solid kings over 1m and no shortage of smaller ones up to 1m. Working the vast array of reefs offshore from Swansea and out off Norah Head lighthouse is the key.

Live baits are working particularly well however, hard-working fishers

This big girl went just shy of the 80cm mark for the author recently and fell for a Damiki 6” soft plastic in his favourite colour, white.

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keen to work jigs are also scoring good results for their effort. There are some nice mowies and good reds for anglers chasing a feed.

Soft plastics on jigheads with enough weight to get down work reasonably well and bait anglers are loading the eskies with some nice table fish.

The game fishing situation is not exactly setting the world on fire, but crews are being rewarded with some solid sharks. Local crews in the know are coming up trumps regularly with some nice tiger sharks among others.

It doesn’t look like we are going to see a great tuna season but a few fish here

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these windy conditions but I assure you as long as it’s safe for you to be out there then the rewards will make you soon forget about the unpleasant weather conditions.

Mulloway have been on the chew again this past month and it almost seems as though they are now a good prospect for anglers fishing Lake Macquarie all year round. That certainly was not the case in years gone by, but it’s great to see them about all year.

They are without a doubt my favourite estuary fish to target and catch. They require a little effort and planning but the satisfaction of landing a nice mulloway, and particularly on lure is sensational. I prefer natural coloured lures and 4-6” is a good size to offer. Paddletails work well but minnow style plastics also have their place on days. Many of the lake mulloway are around 80-90cm and are just a blast to catch on spin combos. I opt for a

and there have kept things interesting and some nice fin in the 20-40kg bracket has been stumbled upon.

All is not lost and we are always hopeful for a late season burst before the game fishing boats start to turn their attention to the upcoming marlin season, which is now just around the corner.

The lake fishing has been good and hopes are high that these results will continue. As a rule August will shut down a little but there should be enough to keep anglers on the water. As I mentioned, the deep water flathead has been fantastic with some cracking days out there getting into good numbers of solid fish. There have been ample fish in the 40-60cm mark and some very nice big girls to 80cm – a solid fish by anyone’s standards and really nice to see. It is such a great feeling to catch big flathead around that 80cm mark as they fight so much harder at that size and it is an amazing feeling to watch them swim away after a few happy snaps.

The standout lure this season has been the 6” Anchovy soft plastic from Damiki Lures. The white colour has been my go-to colour and has rarely let me down this year. Many anglers think it’s too large a lure, but you will soon see

Rodd managed this PB 102cm kingy recently off Swansea when the fish took a liking to Rodd’s live yakka. or blades, the bream really do turn it one when the wind blows. It can be uncomfortable to fish in

2-5kg outfit, a 2500 size reel and generally I run 8lb braid mainline and a 12-15lb leader.

Late winter sambo invasion CENTRAL COAST

Jamie Robley jrobley@iprimus.com.au

As we begin to say farewell to winter’s icy grip, so it’s natural to assume fishing will soon kick back into gear.

Unfortunately, the truth is water

It’s interesting to see that over the past few years the sambos turning up along the Central Coast have become a much smaller average size than they used to be. Yes, we’re still getting the usual 2-3kg fish, with a sprinkling of bigger models, but a large number of them are also

the rod or put the kids onto a bit of fishing fun.

However, there are a few other options worth considering, as tailor, bream, trevally, luderick, drummer and groper are all reasonably common along the rocks at this stage of winter, with a few trevally, tailor, bream and the odd

anglers in August are the wind and sea conditions.

We’ve already copped a lot of westerly wind this year and August and September are traditionally very windy.

These winds also flatten out the seas and while it’s easy to fish the rocks, the fish can become very wary and harder to tempt.

We’ve also endured periods with monstrous swell pounding the coast, which has completely wiped out any chance of rock or beach fishing at times. Overall, flat seas are more likely in the coming weeks, but either way picking the right day to get out is never an easy task as we move towards spring.

Offshore fishing is just as challenging and at times hardly worth thinking about. If weather and sea conditions allow though, the main options are to head way out to Texas or the Perch Grounds for kingfish and bonito or stick in close, perhaps sheltered from westerly winds and try to have a bit of fun catching salmon and trevally on light tackle.

Inside calmer waters, luderick are still the main species worth thinking about now, but bream, flathead and whiting are always a possibility when using high quality baits or working lures slowly and methodically through deeper water.

August is definitely not one of our better months, but if having a bit of fun with the sambos appeals to you, then by all means get out there and enjoy the action. For all other species

r o e k the La . . . n a e c O the choose when or hy

Lakean e c O e th chokosee worhen hyLa

Yes, the salmon run continues and peaks this month. Catching them along the rocks and beaches won’t be hard at all, especially when using pilchards or other flesh baits.

W ? h t o b e v tyohu ecan ha . ..

The author with a solid bream that fell to a crab bait. Rock fishing with crabs or other baits can be difficult this month, but a good class of bream is likely. temperatures are about a month or more behind land or air temperatures, which means an increase in fish activity is a little way off just yet.

The bright side is that it’s starting to be more comfortable for us to get out on the water nice and early, without our fingers turning to ice. Providing westerly winds aren’t too strong, there are also plenty of fish to be caught this month.

At any time of year a key aspect of angling success is to specifically target a certain species and this becomes even more important this month, as there are generally fewer species on offer. Colder and clearer water also means that what fish we do have may be tricky to fool unless we put some extra thought and effort into the process.

Lighter line, finer leaders, better baits or lures and a methodical approach is what’s needed in August or it’s very easy to catch nothing at all.

Much to the delight of some and dismay of others, salmon are out in full force now and they’re definitely the most abundant species along the rocks, beaches and the inshore strip up to 2km from the shore. Of course, patchy numbers of salmon also scatter themselves around the lakes and Brisbane Waters.

rats of less than 1kg or around 45-50cm. At this size they’re still fun to catch on typical bream tackle, but when you’re so used to bigger salmon, these little ones do seem a bit pathetic!

A lot of local anglers simply accept the fact that we get this salmon invasion through the cold months

mulloway mixing it with the sambos on the beaches.

Without doubt, pillies are one of the most attractive baits to salmon, so if you’re using them for bream or tailor then salmon can be expected as well. On the other hand, baits such as crabs, cunje, green cabbage or bread fished close in around the rocks are

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It’s your last chance at a cuttlefish muncher ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

If you haven’t already got among the snapper, the first few weeks of this month will be your last chance to get out and into them before they start to taper off and move further offshore and along the coast.

This is not to say that it will all be over as some will stay a bit longer, and some may even like the place so much that they hang about, but they too will be picked off over the coming weeks and into spring.

The same techniques will work this month as they have over the previous weeks, but coming to the end of the season the fish will be all that much more

cautious, with full bellies, they become more choosy about what they eat.

If your presentation is not right on the mark, or is not the cuttlefish candle, you may struggle a bit. The good old pick and berley over your chosen reef is a good option, as there are plenty of trevally moving over the reefs at this time of the year, so you should be kept busy between snapper runs.

One factor that must be taken into account is the wind and if it keeps up like the past few months, where we have had great week days and nasty weather on the weekend, then it may get difficult. If you must fish in the wind, stay in close, as this is where the better fish seem to be.

In these situations, the estuaries are an option, but you must have patience.

The water is cold and clear and the fish, be it bream or flathead, will be choosy about what they eat.

The tributaries will be worth a look for bream around the snags with peeled prawns. A canoe will be handy for this, but you can walk the banks too, with most fish encountered being better than your average summer fish.

Alternatively, you could fish around the bridge pylons of the lake and Minnamurra on the run-out tide during the evenings. It’s cold, but it can be very rewarding.

For the flatties, the lower reaches of the lake and Minnamurra are the places to target as the bigger fish gather in this area at this time of the year.

When you do get a solid fish, do the marlin thing and leave it in the water so its

There are plenty of leatherjackets over the reefs if you like a feed of these tasty morsels.

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weight is supported and take a pick from over the side of the boat if you can. If it gets off the hook, it doesn’t really matter, because you were going to let it go anyway.

Most big fish at this time of the year are breeders, so the less trauma, the better.

Or for a bit of fun, you could try the lake breakwalls for salmon and tailor on the start of the run-out tide.

It is safe and easy, unless you get right out the front, then it would be like fishing the rocks. The rocks can be dangerous in rough weather, so you will have to be vigilant this month.

However, with the westerly winds you will get a few extra calm windows, where places that normally can’t be fished will be accessible for some big drummer and groper. The downside is the ocean will come back and be violent, so be very aware when on the rocks, and at the first sign of any swell coming back, leave.

There are still a few cuttlefish-munching snapper about like this, just the right size for the plate.

The deeper ledges will have the obligatory salmon and a few tailor and with the addition of a bit of berley, some nice trevally, but it too will be tough going. When the sea is up and bumping, the sheltered bays and harbours will have plenty of blackfish and drummer with a few bream and trevally thrown in. Bellambi Harbour, Wollongong Harbour and the Boneyard at Minnamurra are worth a look, but rain, cold weather and wind generally go with a bumpy ocean, so it can be a bit uncomfortable. It’s still better than watching the TV! The beaches are worth a look, even though the species list is way down on the warmer months, and there is still enough action to keep you interested. The bigger mulloway will be about during the cold winter evenings, but they won’t be about in large numbers, so everything must be right to come out on top.

Fresh bait is the key, with a slab of fresh tailor the top bait this month. There are a few tailor about during the evenings, so turning your pilchard into a tailor and then into a mulloway is the way to go.

Turning your pilchard into a salmon, then repeating the process several times will be more likely, but if the tailor don’t show, a slab of salmon will work on the mulloway as well. A few bream are showing on the beaches as well, with some of the better spots this month being Stanwell Park Beach, Coniston Beach behind Wollongong golf course, and Windang beach.

Offshore can be tough if you are chasing anything other than the snapper and trevally in close due to the nature of the changing weather.

Out around the shelf there could well be some yellowfin tuna as they were

taken in good numbers by the long liners 100km offshore and beyond a few weeks ago, so if the currents are friendly we may get a few in closer.

Mako sharks will be about, as they are every August, with big ones out around the shelf and smaller

on light gear will test the very best in your angling ability. Even better, when the snapper start to get a bit fussy a piece of fresh stripy will always swing the odds back in your favour, as everything with fins loves to eat striped tuna.

Over the deeper reefs a few kingfish should start to show over the coming weeks with down rigged live baits and knife jigs the way to go.

Bandit and Wollongong are worth a look and the Hump up off Stanwell Park is also worth checking out, but it always seems to be crowded with boats from Sydney.

For the bottom bouncers, it is a tough month with few sand flathead about, but what you do get will generally be bigger fish. While the plagues of leatherjackets we have had over the past few years seem to have thinned out a bit, this month has always seen plenty of jackets gather over the reefs, so if you want a feed of leatherjackets then get out there now.

To add to the bite off, gear losing potential, the

While not all that huge in length, at a bit under 80cm, this lake flatty has an enormous girth. ones in around the closer reefs, and sometimes big ones come in too. They can be fun and are not bad on the chew, but they are fond of stealing snapper, so they can be a nuisance.

Stripped tuna are a good option, and big ones always seem to show up this month and are one of my favourite sportfish. A 7-8kg stripy

barracouta have also started to make an appearance so take plenty of hooks with you.

A few smaller snapper are coming in from most of the closer reefs with trevally, the odd morwong and quite a few pigfish rounding out the catches.

August is a tough month but spring is just around the corner. Bring it on.

Snap out of the cold and into some snapper!

NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

Let’s kick August off on a positive note! I’m sure it’s going to be a windy month, it’s going to be cold and I’m positive that by now we are all looking forward to spring and summer. August is typically the windiest month for NSW with cold gusty westerly winds sweeping across the state bringing icy air from the alpine region.

Sadly the south coast is right in the path of these often destructive winds, but this August with a little bit of luck we may dodge them due to the earlier westerly blows of May, June and July. Apart from these winds, we also had yet another flood. As bad as the flood was for the poor souls who copped the brunt of them, they often have a great effect for the future fishing. You’ve just got to look back to the flood last year and the fishing that followed. The Shoalhaven River has never fished so well, especially for mulloway! And what about that prawn season in Lake Wollumbulla? With the lake opening again we hopefully might see a repeat – if it wasn’t too early for the

prawn spawn. Fingers-crossed on that one!

Pre-flood the Shoalhaven upstream of the Nowra Bridge and right up past the ski park had a good mix of species on the go including flatties, bream, whiting and even the odd salmon. Now with the water beginning to clear these species are slowly making their way back upstream.

Currently the Nowra Bridge pylons on the run-in tide are

the shallower southern side, but you’ll have to avoid the trolleys, which magically find their way to the water too often.

Bream and flathead are the main targets around the bridge, however they are usually outnumbered by the hundreds of estuary perch hanging around the pylons – remember if you catch these guys accidently you must return them to the water as

The author with a dusky flathead at perfect eating size from the upper Shoalhaven River caught on a Squidgy Prawn. Photo courtesy of LenOz Photography. producing some good catches with blades on the deeper or northern side working well.

Soft plastics do the job on

soon as possible, as it is still closed season for this species.

Around Greenwell Point the river produces some

bumper blackfish on squirt worms fished on the bottom.

A simple rig of a number 6 hook with a small running ball sinker and some fluorocarbon leader of around 6lb is really all you need to catch blackfish, as long as you have fresh squirt worms.

Offshore we’ve had a pretty wild time since about May with weeks on end where nobody has been able to get out. The ever-elusive yellowfin are hard enough to find without the weather gods being so unkind! Those who have been out mainly stick in close chasing reds and having some success. There have been plenty of squid around all the rocky headlands making fresh bait easy to catch. If you’ve got fresh squid and some good quality pilchards in the esky when you head out then you will be in for a win!

By now the new artificial reef that was put off Shoalhaven Heads will be well worth a try for snapper among other species as an eco-system has started to form in this area and attracts bait schools. We all know, where there is bait there is bigger fish, and with not too much other structure nearby this area should be a growing Mecca for bigger fish to get a feed.

Tim McGoldrick with a cracking 7.5kg Jervis Bay red taken on a plastic from his awesome Feelfree kayak set-up.

Jervis Bay had a good run of squid and combined with a big stir up from the east coast low-pressure systems this has led to some good snapper showing up. Shallow water plastic fishing has become an exciting option for some anglers. The Berkley Gulp 5” Jerkshad is my number one plastic for snapper fishing in Jervis Bay and has accounted for umpteen big reds over the past seasons as well as this one! Pearl white or the BBQ

chicken colour are the proven fish takers and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that both these colours look like a piece of squid or cuttlefish drifting down through the water column when fished with a light jighead around the 1/8oz or 1/4oz size.

Hands up who’s looking forward to spring? I know I am, can’t wait to get the canoe on the water and chase some early season bass.

Until then – Johnny out!

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41

Strong winds make for some tough fishing MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

It’s been an extremely windy month so far around the Merimbula region with strong southwesterly winds being the norm.

When conditions allow, the offshore sportfishers are getting amongst it with some incredible captures being recorded. The water is

There’s been a few tuna around, with a mixture of both yellowfin and southern bluefin being caught mainly by anglers trolling a mixture of bibbed minnows and skirted pushers. The yellowfin are between 20-50kg with reports of the odd larger model winning its freedom.

It won’t be long before the jumbo SBT turn up, as the long liners have been getting them, but they are very wide. The water in

tuna bites.

Closer to shore the snapper have been a little sporadic. It takes a while to find them, but when you do some solid captures are occurring. The fish are school fish around 1kg, and there’s been the odd bigger model to 4kg caught, but there’s certainly no numbers to them. Drifting around until you find them is the go, then anchoring up and berleying hard and drifting lightly weighted

Pat Brennan with the type of black bream any angler would be happy with.

Andy Kolber with some thumping black bream he caught on a recent trip, which were released after the photo. still 20°C straight offshore from Merimbula, which is insane for this time of year. Very recently, an 85kg striped marlin was caught while trolling through a big patch of slimy mackerel, which is great to see in the midst of winter.

closer I suspect is still too warm, but this should change soon.

Albacore are also in good numbers. These awesome eating fish are averaging 13-18kg, which are solid fish and welcome captures between bigger

baits seems to be getting the bigger fish. You can expect morwong, pigfish and flatties with a few john dory thrown in to.

Anglers fishing in 50-60m off Pambula are getting tiger flathead and in good numbers. There’s

a few sandies there too, which make some nice fillets for the pan.

In the estuaries it’s fishing great guns, especially Pambula with a host of species chewing.

That latest lot of rain has really given the estuaries the required flush and the fish are responding nicely.

At this time of year with the cold water the pelagics like salmon, tailor and trevally are the main species caught.

Smaller soft plastics fished with 3g heads are the way to go in the fast water about a kilometre upstream from the mouth. This area is quite shallow, averaging 2m in depth, but don’t let this deter you, the fish are there.

In the main basin you will get flathead, bream, blackfish and whiting. I prefer to use blades in the

cold water for blackfish and whiting. I know it sounds weird, but it’s a deadly technique. You will get bream and flatties on them too, but remember to fish them slow with short hops and pauses. You will be amazed at how many fish will pick it up off the bottom.

On the beaches, it’s been a little tougher than usual with massive seas a few weeks back and the recent East Coast low, but now it’s as flat as a pancake.

This has been due to the strong southwesterly winds we’ve experienced lately, flattening out the seas and no white water to speak off.

There’s been the odd salmon and tailor caught, but you certainly have to work for them. It will pick up once the beach swell

returns, but until then it may be lazy pickings.

It’s a little same on the rocks for the eating species like blackfish, drummer and groper. They have been very hard to entice with very cold water with no wash at your feet. Again, once we get some swell they will fire up nicely.

If you’re after the pelagics, then some fun will be had. Good schools of salmon are patrolling most headlands with Tura Head and the wharf inside Merimbula Bay going pretty good at the moment.

Casting whole pilchards on ganged 4/0 hooks is working well, especially with the calmer inshore conditions. Getting the presentation a little deeper is definitely the key to better results.

Warm water still hanging around for winter NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson stuart@ausfishing.com.au

This part of the coast is experiencing some crazy currents for this time of year with 22°C water off Narooma. That’s warm, but even better still, there are marlin in it, which is nuts!

I know of several fish caught and a few others lost over recent weeks, with the best at 90kg.

These fish have been wide and caught while trolling skirted pushers. I don’t expect this marlin action 42

AUGUST 2016

A solid king caught by Jezza around Montague Island.

to last too much longer, and this warmer pocket of water will move on and be replaced with cooler water around 17-18°C. At this temperature, it’s tuna time and I think this season will last a fare bit longer and may even last the rest of winter. There’s already been some cracking yellowfin caught with most fish averaging 40kg, and the odd better fish top. Cubing has been very productive, though some crews trolling larger bibbed minnows and smaller pushers have fared better. We quite often troll first to locate the fish, then revert to cubing once

we’ve found them. This method works very well on school fish, around 30-40kg, with albacore a possibility too.

I’d expect to see a few SBT in coming weeks when that water cools down, as the longliners have been getting them, so it’s only a matter of time before the recreational fishers get amongst them too. Most of this action will happen along the shelf and second drop-off, but a lot will depend on prevailing currents, bait activity and water temperatures.

To page 43

From page 42

At Montague Island, it’s a lottery at the moment, as some days there’s kings and others it’s like a desert.

If you get a good day, then it’s quite good with fish to 8kg, mostly caught on live bait and a few on jigs.

Those fishing the bottom are getting good results on snapper with most reefs producing fish.

The southwest corner of Montague has fished well, as has the reefs off Potato Point. The close in reef at Brou in 10m of water is worth a look, as this little patch isn’t big but holds some fantastic sized snapper at times. Better baits to try are fresh squid, cuttlefish, pilchards and striped tuna strips.

Anglers casting plastics at snapper will also do well at this spot.

In the estuaries, the fishing has remained consistent without being red-hot, with the lower sections fishing better. The channels from the drop-off to the charter boat wharf in Wagonga Inlet has been the pick for bait anglers with bream, trevally, blackfish and the odd flathead succumbing to fresh baits.

Live Bass yabbies have worked, especially for trevally but the pickers do get into them. I’d prefer

something more robust like slimy mackerel fillets or striped tuna cubes fished with a little berley from an anchored boat.

If using soft plastics, go for slimmer profile plastic, as these will look more like an injured baitfish drifting through the water column.

I prefer natural colours in the 70-90mm range.

Further upstream, the main basin is alive with tailor, with bag limits reached quite easily on most occasions. Casting metal slugs or trolling deeper diving lures will do the trick with fish averaging 40cm and bigger.

We’ve caught some monsters there recently when targeting mulloway, and a few have been pushing 70cm in length, with some bigger ones lost due to bite offs. These speedsters will remain in the estuaries for the winter term and will be viable options when all else fails.

If you’re after flathead, they have been sporadic, but when you do find a few they are good size.

Local guru Hoots caught a cracker during the week that went 90cm, which was released in great condition.

I’ve heard of a few others around the 80cm mark also caught, and it looks like last month’s flush

Andy Marshall with the type of bream that can be caught in the Tuross River system. has really turned the big girls on.

Those after bream are doing it tough, particularly upstream where the water is becoming quite clear.

Long accurate casts are

needed close to structure with hardbodied fished slow scoring a few fish.

On the beaches, salmon continue to do the right thing with most beaches holding plenty. Anglers

are catching them using a variety of techniques, though bait anglers are faring better. Paternoster rigs with bluebait/ popper combination has worked a treat.

A few die-hards are still casting shiners into the washes and getting plenty, but they appear to be on the smaller side. Those using bait have got fish to 3.5kg, and at that size they know how to pull. This action will only get better through August, with XOS tailor on the cards as well.

Winter on the stones means drummer, and if early indications are anything to go by, we’re in for a cracking season.

A few locals have done extremely well at both Dalmeny Headland and Mystery Bay rocks, using mainly cunjevoi for bait.

A no-nonsense approach is required in the tackle department to get these guys away from their rocky homes, but it’s great fun.

Rock anglers can expect a few groper too, with blackfish available to those using cabbage under a float. A little sand/cabbage mixture for berley wont hurt either, but remember to only use it sparsely.

Those after the pelagics shouldn’t have too many problems with salmon, tailor and bonito abundant off the rocks.

Casting metal slugs or whole pilchards on ganged hooks should see the rod bend the right way.

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Big bluefin tuna catches hit Batemans Bay BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

Bluefin tuna have hit Batemans Bay and hit it hard. We are stoked to have them off the bay in such close proximity.

Andrew and Ro were out there on Sunday the at the beginning of July in the general area of the long liners and they hooked up to a couple of fish, but the hooks straightened, and they were thinking they lost a couple of yellowfin.

Dave Scott went out the next day to their marks and found himself hooked up to a bluefin and later landed a 95kg stonker! Once Dave found them, it wasn’t long until Stu Wensing was amongst it.

Then social media lit up! I was running out of the shop door and burning out by 2pm. I found the boys and the action subsided. We made the decision to stay out for the night. As I have written in previous articles, you’ve got to strike while the iron is hot with these fish.

We parked up near the long liners for the night, who were pulling up their lines and taking up to 200 fish per boat back to Ulladulla and Bermagui to unload. By

morning, the boats were gone and we got info from them that they were heading back out and looking at moving in.

Near first light we set lures and within 5 minutes of trolling we had a double hook up of albacore. After that we couldn’t get away from the stripies and albacore and they were becoming a nuisance.

Then we got a call from our mate Steven who had been out there for three nights waiting for them. He had a five-way hook up and then started cubing them up. The fish must have moved in over night, because by the time we got to him the surface was boiling with bluefin. It was

thick, but they were not so interested in the lures. If you’d had persevered, maybe you may have eventually hooked up, but the fish wanted food.

You could hand feed them, but drop a lure and you weren’t in the game.

Our friend Brendon found this out. Just like any fish you need to get them feeding and into action. Then you can start throwing poppers, stickbaits and even coke cans and they would smash it, so take plenty of berley when you head out for bluefin. It’s a must.

The bluefin showing up only 40km east of Batemans Bay definitely makes our travelling time a lot shorter and

What you want to see on your sounder: bluefin carving up bait down deep.

in July we won’t forget. We are hoping the bluefin will be around through August, which is a high probability while the water remains cool. They may move out, but they should stick around until September when they then begin to migrate back down the coast.

The water still holds some surprise catches while we have a lot of warm water still present in large eddies east and north to us. A nice mahimahi was caught and the odd marlin is still turning up.

Don’t rule out some big yellowfin, which are getting around. There have been a lot of albacore and stripies between tuna captures.

Inshore reef fishing has produced some kingies and plenty of snapper. The snapper are in good numbers at the moment and we are starting to see the kabura style fishing take off around here. Shimano have just put out the Rock Hopper, which is their take on kabura fishing. It’s a very unique way of fishing by having two components that catches the fish’s attention.

The weighted part looks like a fish and the skirt that follows it contains the hooks and when used, it can look like two fish swimming around.

The winter kings seem to be hanging around more and more each year, and hopefully this is a sign of numbers getting stronger.

The place to be over winter, if you are not in a boat chasing tuna and snapper, is our rock platforms and beaches. The snapper should be in close chasing the cuttlefish that should be well and truly moving into our rock ledges over August. Guys trying to catch snapper with plastics from the rocks are still

favouring 5-7” plastics with 1/4oz jigheads.

Quite often you’ll catch salmon and tailor in the process

Topcat Charters have been getting on top of the bluefin. and maybe the odd bonito or kingy. The most consistent rock species throughout winter is the faithful drummer and the old cooked prawn or cunje with a good amount of berley does the trick. The biggest changes of late would be the rods and reels. The rods are getting thinner, lighter and stiffer and reels are getting smoother and quieter.

We are seeing some real nice outfits hitting the beaches now when spinning for

Big or small, it doesn’t matter when you find bluefin.

Thomas is usually happy to catch anything.

44

AUGUST 2016

salmon. There are some nice 9-10ft rods out there that can rocket some nice expensive Japanese lures a mile, and

when matched with a nice modern compact reel, your salmon fishing becomes a whole lot more fun and easy.

Shimano have put out some nice weapons like their Dialuna rod range and when matched with a nice Stradic FK or their new Stradic CI4 reels, you are in spinning heaven.

Other species worth targeting along our beaches this winter are bream and mulloway through the cold nights.

Our lakes and estuaries have come back quite a bit after that massive storm and I have been getting good reports.

Flathead and bream are always present, you may just have to persist. I have heard of some luderick in numbers coming from the same areas as well.

Since the storm and big swells, the squid have come back on and there’s no shortage of them. The June storm switched us straight into winter, but it has also flushed everything out and opened up all the lakes to set up for another great summer. So while we are experiencing a productive winter, the building blocks are in place to continue productivity throughout the year. It might be a little bit chilly, but the fishing is hot and the rest of the year is looking hotter.

• For more up-to-the-minute information on what’s biting where, drop into Compleat Angler Batemans Bay and have a chat to Anthony or one of the other friendly staff. They’re located at 65A Orient St, Batemans Bay (02 4472 2559).

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Focus after big floods BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

It has happen again, one of those big winter lows has thrashed the coast and dumped mega proportions of rain on the area, so what will be the outcome?

I will be focusing ahead to the forthcoming season.

All the destruction it did recently will only benefit anglers in the future. This is

time to start looking in the Bermagui River. With this system never closing to the ocean, fresh fish stock enter on a regular basis at this time of year. Blackfish often lead the way, concentrating around the bridge and adjacent rock walls at low tide before heading up stream with the rising tide to feed over the flats where the seagrass beds occur. Polaroiding from the bridge, these fish can be spied in their hundreds as they await the tide.

but in this time the action can be frantic and then it will be like they never existed at all, disappearing with the tide.

Offshore game anglers are awaiting spring and the hope of an early run of tuna. At present, a few mako and blue sharks will turn up in a well-presented berley trail, however things are pretty quiet.

Reef fishing can be best described as reasonable with good catches of snapper and morwong from

Salmon are already a more common catch in the estuaries since the floods. the Canyons, anglers who are now taking advantage of modern technology and are using electric reels to fish the deep water are coming up trumps on large blue-eye trevalla, hapuka, ghost cod and gemfish on a regular basis with lots of other oddballs mixed in.

Drummer are still the main attraction for the rock anglers, with plenty of good fish being taken

at dusk and dawn around the main rock headland.

Cunjevoi is the number one bait for these fish, while cabbage weed and red crabs are also producing, with the crab accounting for some nice groper.

The beaches are quiet, with no sign of any bream or whiting, and salmon seem to be about the only fish consistently on the chew, while tailor are being

accounted for at night.

Bermagui has never been noted for mulloway coming from the beaches, however over the past few months, more and more school mulloway are taking a liking to a well-presented beach worm as anglers in the area learn more about their habits.

So don’t despair there are still plenty of options for winter!

Expect to see a lot of luderick in the Bermagui River at the moment. especially the case for our estuaries like Wallaga Lake, which often closes to the ocean, and should remain open for some time to come as a result of massive seas and rains that have widened the entrance and deepened the channel. This is already producing good estuary fishing towards the ocean.

For those who are land-based, now is the

At this stage, all that is required to gain their attention is a light 1-2kg outfit, a no. 2 bug sinker, a no. 4 bait holder hook and a bucket full of nippers.

The window you have to catch these blackfish, or the bream, whiting and trevally, may only be short, so be there right on the turn of the tide. The bite may only last for half an hour,

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the reefs, while around the fringes, tiger flathead are increasing in numbers.

Most of the reefs south of Bermagui are holding most of the stocks, with Goalen Head and Six Mile South, providing the best action.

Anglers can choose from a variety of ways to pursue fish, ranging from both shallow or deep water drifting with bait, anchoring to berley bringing the fish in range of floating baits and soft plastics, or just drifting over the pinnacles working the plastics in the direction you are going.

Further afield out around the Twelve Mile Reef, this deep water is producing most of the common reef species with some very tidy Tassie trumpeter mixed in. While if you go further out over

The view from the Blue Pool at Bermi during recent storms.

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Iconic Tathra Wharf is damaged TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

June this year provided one of the fiercest east coast lows to hit our coastline in many a decade, and it’s not since the 1970s that a storm cell has had the wave force or flooding rain that this one did.

Waves were recorded along the coast with the largest at Eden going a whopping 18m, with most averaging around 16m. Sadly this had damaging effects on the historical Tathra Wharf, where foundations and structural damage is of great significance. The Wharf has been deemed as unsafe and unusable to the public, however being an icon in the area, locals are rallying behind having it repaired and back in use in the future for both anglers and tourists to enjoy.

It’s all not bad news, the floods coming through the Bega Valley down the river to the ocean at Tathra will definitely keep the system open to the ocean for some considerable time, and this means fresh fish stocks will be able to migrant in and

out the river system and also allow fresh water species like bass easy access to the salt water sections for their breeding cycle.

Estuary perch will also benefit from this while many of the other estuarine species like bream, flathead, whiting and many more will allow their offspring back into the system,

to grow, and this is why it is important to have these estuaries open to the ocean.

The big benefit is that after the devastating storm, the season to come should offer some fantastic fishing in the rivers and lakes.

Already we are seeing luderick moving in around the bridge and adjacent rock walls, even as far up as Thompsons.

The Bega River is famous for its stud bream. where a nursery is in better shape than it has been for many years.

Many of these estuary species breed offshore, meaning their offspring come back into the system

With the river system being so open, the water is clear but cold, and it allows anglers an opportunity to see these fish along with many others, where they can be targeted with different methods.

The luderick will respond to weed along with nippers or worms, whereas most of your other species are happy to take a well-presented nipper.

For those who wish to target these fish with lures, you will have to be prepared to put in a fare effort to get a response, however, the rewards may be worth it.

Offshore, you can expect things to have changed, and new reefs may have been exposed by the wave forces along the coast, giving anglers access to new fishing grounds.

You will need to be vigilant, and work your sounders to find these areas. Some of these places are likely to be closer to shore, and if you like using soft plastics on the reefs, fish like snapper, the odd kingfish and a variety of oddballs are likely to oblige. This season is going to be an interesting one if you are fishing the reefs after the storm, but the positives should be more fish for the future.

Beaches are another area that has suffered from the weather cell gouging them out, however they have created some very deep gutters. The beaches within the Tathra area are now hosting large schools of salmon, a few tailor and the odd mulloway. The salmon

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Eden to rebuild after super low causes mayhem EDEN

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

As with the rest of the East Coast, Eden got hammered with the big low. In fact, the biggest wave ever recorded on the East Coast was during that blow at Eden, and the wave measured over 17m.

Plenty of damage was done in the area with the Chipmill Wharf smashed up by the big seas and millions of dollars needed for repairs.

As I write, the area is copping another blow and drenching from another East Coast low. Prior to the blow, good fish were being caught offshore, off the REVA G.T

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beach and in the estuaries.

The water was clear, as we had had very little rain, but with this change the water temperature has dropped and plenty of freshwater is flowing into all the estuaries.

The water was starting to clear after the first flood, but then this second dose has dirtied everything up again. With the conditions over the past month, there has been little to report on the offshore fishing scene, as the boats have not been able to get out there, and with another blow on the way it could still be another week before there is anything to report.

The big seas tore apart the local beaches, ripping sand out to sea and creating

deep gutters and with the colder water, the salmon will be about in numbers over the coming months.

Wondering the beach tossing a metal lure into these gutters is a sure fire way of connecting with a few salmon, particularly around the top of the tide.

Silver bream are still been caught off the beaches. The entrance to the rivers is an area where the fish were concentrated after the flood.

When fishing in the estuaries after the recent floods, care needs to be taken as sandbanks have moved and snags have come down the river. Also, with the dirty water, navigating can be dangerous. Fish are being taken here and there,

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The cold water has seen the black bream fire up. with black bream firing up as we head into winter. The recent rains really move the fish around and finding the fish can take a bit of time.

Flathead are still being caught, but once again finding the area where the fish are and then concentrating in that area is

the key to catching a feed.

As the weather starts to settle down and conditions stabilise the fishing should only improve.

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Wild weather blows MALLACOOTA

Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

Winter is here once again and with winter has come rain – good rain! The rivers were all in flood and at the time of writing the water was still a dirty brown colour, along with massive drops in water temperature in the lake and the temperature on the beach holding around 13°C. With the wild and woolly weather there have been no boats outside fishing and it could be a while before the water temperature rises enough to fire things up. Another east

coast low is dumping a lot of rain and whipping up big seas while I write this report.

This bad weather has scared off visitors to the area and the caravan park emptied as the conditions grew. If you are heading to Mallacoota to go offshore fishing, make some enquires about the condition of the boat ramp as the area is often closed for maintenance and this will upset your plans.

It’s no secret now that some big broadbill have been caught out wide off Mallacoota. Before all this bad weather there were a few more caught but with winter here it could be a while before any boats get out.

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The big rain really flushed out the lake entrance and along with the big seas there are some great gutters on all the local beaches. Over the months ahead the salmon will build in numbers and move in and out of the estuary, at times getting as far upstream as Gypsy Point.

Presently the beaches are still covered in soapy foam with plenty of fresh about and not so many anglers about!

Winter is black bream time with plenty of fish caught in both the top and bottom lake.

One thing that is clearly noticeable is the size of these fish in years past with big fish of over a kilo a common capture. Now many hours of fishing is needed to tangle with a big fish. With the dirty water the fish have had a great feed and catching them can be tricky, it often pays to use your lure painfully slowly to get results.

Decent yellowfin bream have been caught in both the top and bottom lake, however the cold water has slowed down the sand whiting and they won’t fire up again until the water warms up.

Some good flathead have been caught but you need to keep moving until you find the fish, then work the lure slowly.

Apply for Habitat Action Grants Habitat Action Grants are soon to open again this year, giving fishers a great chance to put some of our license fees back into improving the habitats that support the sport we love. For some of us though, applying for funding may be a daunting task, but Fisheries NSW has tried to make the application form and process as easy as possible. Here are a couple of pointers if you are thinking of applying: Before you do anything, have a look at the webpage to see examples of other projects that have been funded: www.dpi.nsw. gov.au/hag.

Projects don’t have to be massive – you are better off starting on a small patch and working to improve that, rather than trying to fix everything at once and failing. Remember, you can’t eat a burger in a single bite. For this reason there are small grants up to $2,000 available as well as grants to fund projects up to $40,000.

If you have a project idea, but aren’t sure how to go about it or whether it

is appropriate, have a chat with one of the contacts listed in the application form. This will save you time in the long run and help speed the process along.

The form itself is pretty self-explanatory – get yourself a catchy title, include your contact details, identify what you want to do is, where it is, what you want to achieve, how you will do it, how long you will need, and who will benefit (all of us!).

A budget is essential to show how much cash you will need and who else is contributing. There is an example budget to use as a guide, but again, talk with one of the Fisheries staff to see how much detail you need. Generally cover the number and cost of each item (eg. 200 tubestock @ $2.50 each = $500).

Funding is on a 1:1 ratio, meaning that for every dollar requested, a dollar of ‘in-kind’ is needed. In-kind includes time put toward the project by the applicant(s), site maintenance, use of machinery, or contribution of matching funds.

Getting the support of landowners (private or

public) and involvement or support by fishers is a key part of the application.

So get your thinking caps on and talk to other fishers, neighbours, farmers, or councils about the projects you can do to improve fishing by improving fish habitat in your area!

Make sure you include: Catchy title; East or west (Salt or Fresh); Your details; Previous projects; How long do you need; Brief project description; Where is it (map); Land ownership and approvals; Why is it needed; What do you want to achieve; Who benefits; Amount going to be achieved; How will the project be done; How will the works be looked after; Who have you talked to; Who will you tell; Budget – what costs? Where is money from; How long will each part take; What are the project steps; How should the funds be delivered through the project (as %); and have you got everything?

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49

Testing Booth

SSP Fibre Glide impresses fishing community BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

Black Magic have always been well known for their leader material and high quality fluorocarbon lines.

Now, they have come up with a low-stretch, high sensitivity PE line that’s not braided.

Black Magic’s new SSP Fibre Glide is intended for

or eight strands, hard coats or no coats… I just want it to do what I want. If it doesn’t, it generally gets stripped off the reel and into the rubbish bin.”

After spooling the line onto his reel, he was very pleased with how the line performed, and didn’t come with the problems of normal braided fishing lines.

“When casting poppers and stick baits for kingfish,

“The line itself is white with 1m markers in black, making it very handy to see when looking for bite detection through movement in the line.

Mark kept his eye out as clients unknowingly tested out the line aboard his vessel, watching how it performed under different skill levels.

“Firstly, being a single strand line it casts very well and I am sure it is giving more

This chunky little king was no match for the Fibre Glide, and allowed Greg Clarke to cast the distance to reach the feeding school.

A hefty 52cm bass pulled out of heavy cover by Mark Saxon using the 4kg stuff. use as a mainline. Despite not being braided, it has a fine diameter, casts like no tomorrow, and as a bonus it’s extremely supple and comes with 1m indicators!

Strength is not compromised with Fibre Glide either, and it has a breaking strain of up to 4x stronger than mono of a similar diameter.

Black Magic sent out spools to a few Fishing Monthly contributors for some ‘in-the-field’ and unbiased testing, putting this new line through its paces in some very different arenas.

IN THE FIELD Greg Clarke Greg Clarke was sent

tuna and mackerel, you can cast so much further, as it just slides over the runners and with zero stretch, the hooks set the instant a fish grabs the lure,” he said.

“Greater hook up rates equal more fun!”

It certainly seems that the Fibre Glide did what Greg wanted it to do, and after a few months of use it’s stayed on Greg’s reel.

“This one is a keeper and didn’t end up in the bin, far from it in fact! I went out and grabbed some 4kg for the snapper season ahead.”

Mark Saxon Mark got his hands on some Fibre Glide spools in

A 110cm mulloway caught around the pylons on 6kg line is pretty impressive stuff! Mark secretly got his clients to test the Fibre Glide out for him. a spool of 8kg Fibre Glide, with the intention of using it for throwing poppers at kingfish, tuna, mackerel and other pelagics.

“I’m not into the tech side of things, as I look for fishability,” he said.

“I don’t care about whether it is high density polyethylene, what the weight ratio is, whether it has three, four 50

AUGUST 2016

October last year and the testing platform was going to be on his sportfishing vessel for Castaway Estuary Charters.

“SSP stands for single strand polyethylene and is made from extruded high modulus polyethylene fibres.

The line itself has very little stretch and the 4kg is 0.13mm diameter, making it a fine line,” he said.

distance, as it is very smooth off the reel,” he said.

“Judging by my clients, it is certainly helping them, as I have used this line, only once have I had a dreaded wind knot which is outstanding considering the differing skill levels of my clients.”

“We have been using the FG knot as our leader connection, and this has had no issues whatsoever, again leaving me impressed by its strength.

Mark tried using it in a few different environments to really test out the capabilities of the line.

“Durability and performance results have been excellent,” he said.

“The 4kg was used for bass in some harsh environment, and accounted for at least two 50cm bass that came out of the snags, and it also performed well on the Glenbawn fish at night in amongst some very severe country.”

“The 6kg stuff has also stood up to some good mulloway, with a recent metreplus fish caught in against the pylons, giving no sign of wear after landing!”

Mark reckons that Fibre Glide is well worth checking out, and that the pricing is very reasonable.

“I know after the results I have had, we will be continuing our association with this product.”

Michael Hardy Michael Hardy is always on the lookout for something new in the world of fishing, so he jumped at the chance to wet some of the new Fibre Glide. At the time of testing, he was chasing impoundment bass land-based.

A very handsome yellowbelly that was subdued with Fibre Glide 4kg by Michael Hardy.

“My normal line of choice in this area is 10lb braid with a 15lb leader, and lot of drowned trees and other submerged obstacle courses warrant’s the use of something substantial,” he said.

“I thought to do a proper test on this line, I’d opt for 4kg and really give it a thrashing.”

Michael was very impressed with the line, and when it finally came to testing day, he was up early and trudging around the banks of his chosen dam in search of bass.

“Numerous small bass were interested in my slowly worked lure, and every tap and nibble transferred straight down the rod thanks to the lack of stretch in the line, allowing me to strike when needed,” he said.

He hauled in plenty of smaller bass without any dramas before he locked horns with a chunky yellowbelly.

Now the line was about to undergo a proper test!

“I went a lot harder to extract this fish than usual with a very tight drag, because after all this was a product test and after landing that fish, and many more since, I can say that this line is the

business,” he said.

“I’ve used a lot of brands over the years, some bad, some good, some great, some I wouldn’t floss my teeth with!”

“Let’s just say I’ll be getting more of this stuff and spooling up my other spin reels.”

Neil Slater Neil Slater of Victoria was keen to sink his teeth into some Fibre Glide, and his first impressions of the line were very positive.

“It’s a super slick line that absolutely belts through the runners and casts a mile,” he said.

“The line is smooth to the touch, and unlike those that have that ‘rope’ feel and hum or squeal through your guides when under stress, the SSP is dead silent.”

After a bit of testing around his home waters in Geelong, Neil made the pilgrimage north to the mighty Murray to test out the line’s capabilities on some Aussie natives.

“It was run around logs and came back unscathed,” he said.

“It knotted easily, although extra care needs to be made as it is quite slippery, so I just made another wrap in my knots to make sure it was

secure, but this really wasn’t an issue as it bites down well being so thin.”

“Distance and control was a notable improvement over the line I previously had on the spool, and with virtually no resistance it really flies out!

“I could not find anything that would be a drawback with the line, and said so as I handed it around the table with the lads we were staying with.”

Rod Shepherd Rod Shepherd on the South West coast of Victoria was also very impressed by how slick and smooth the Fibre Glide is.

“What I did discover as early as the first real test on the water is that the line is very slick,” he said.

“The end result is that on average I can cast further compared to braided lines and can only put this down to less friction occurring on the spool lip and through the guides.”

“This is extremely handy when casting very light weighted lures or soft plastics especially in calm, clear conditions when I need to put as much distance from my boat to any possible fish.”

Like Neil, Rod also found that he needed to make a few extra wraps with his knots.

However, once these wraps were made, the knot strength was as good as with any other line.

Rod also noticed that he hasn’t had a wind knot yet, as this line packs down quite nicely onto the spool, being very supple. He also appreciates the 1m indicators on the line.

“I often like to know exactly how much line is out there, especially when trolling or bottom bouncing, the 1m indicators are fantastic in my opinion,” he said.

“The retail price also seems quite competitive and apparently this is down to less production time as the line is single strand, not ‘braided’, so it should do well on the general market.”

“In summing up, I do believe this line is certainly worth investing in and I’m sure anglers won’t be disappointed in its capabilities.” – FMG

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BARRA TOURTournament

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• Get into tournament fishing

• Barra Tour Calendar inside

Australian Bass Tournaments

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2016 zerek barra tour calendar

The BARRA Tour returns after a record-breaking year in 2015, expanding to four events across the three northern impoundments of Kinchant, Teemburra and the barra mecca that is Peter Faust.

Zerek are the headlining sponsors of the tour this year, planned in conjunction with anglers, the 2016 tour is slated to be the best ever.

BARRA Tour debutants will have the red carpet rolled out for them on this year’s tour courtesy of Zerek.

Each Rookie Team (you are a rookie team if both anglers in the team have never fished a BARRA Tour event) will receive a Zerek Rookie Pack at their first event of the 2016 tour. In addition a

2

Champion Rookie Team at each stop of the tour and a Zerek Rookie Team of the Year will partner the overall round winner from each of the four rounds, and the Costa BARRA Tour Team of the Year, as the ultimate accolades of The Tour.

If brushing shoulders

with some of Australia’s best barra tournament anglers and learning the tricks of the trade is up your alley in 2016, plan the time off and organise your gear for a week of the best barra fishing Australia has to offer.

Entry Fee $250 per team/per event

DATE

LOCATION

EVENT

SPONSOR

8-Nov

Kinchant Dam

BARRA Tour Round #1 (Evening Event)

Spotters

9-Nov

Teemburra Dam

BARRA Tour Round #2 (Evening Event)

Zerek

11-12 Nov

Peter Faust

BARRA Tour Round #3 (Evening Event)

Sunline

14-15 Nov

Peter Faust

BARRA Tour Round #4 (Night Championship)

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Don’t be a one hit wonder John Millard

Barra fishing isn’t a one-card trick. Whether as a social or tournament angler, to be successful and consistent you must be versatile. Work on being a multi-skilled angler with many techniques in your bag of tricks and you will find your success.

In the past it seemed if you weren’t throwing Squidgy Slick Rigs, you weren’t in the game. More ABT Barra tournaments have been won using Slick Rigs than any other technique.

This isn’t likely to change soon, but as time goes on, techniques evolve and new methods find their way into the spotlight to claim their fair share of success. If you need affirmation of this look no further than recent tournament results, which in

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TAG 2016 abt

many ways reads as a roll call of tried and burgeoning tackle and techniques.

GUT INSTINCT Don’t be afraid to throw a game plan out the window and run with your gut instinct when it comes to crunch time. Tides, wind direction, water clarity, and current are constantly changing dynamics that can and will change the behavior of fish in an instant, rendering a previous day of pre-fishing or tournament preparation useless. It’s a matter of seeing and reading these elements and changes and adjusting your game plan as you see fit.

At the 2014 Peter Faust round of the ABT BARRA Tour, my teammate Ethan Farrell and I were in all sorts of trouble late in our first session of fishing. Clearing the slate and starting fresh we focused our attention on seasonal movements of fish and the constantly changing

weather we were faced with.

Going old school, slowing things down and changing to a slow moving Strike King Shadalicious swimbaits, while not as exciting as burning a plastic through the weed, got the job done and rewarded us with a first place finish.

Ethan Farrell has always been an angler willing to try new things, he believes that, “while tournaments won on a single lure are not quite a thing of the past, the growing trend is likely to be tournaments won on a multipronged approach.’’

I am constantly reminded of the value in trying and throwing something different than the norm, whether it be the latest jig, chatterbait or a hand carved swimbait. When things get tough and the run of the mill techniques and tackle draw a limited return, anglers like Ethan have the ability to fish each new creation with

Top: Slowing down your retrieve can make the world of difference when things get tough. Above: Ethan Farrell with the rewards of another successful session at Faust. the confidence that’s needed to crack a pattern. This thinking, confidence and practice can bring fringe techniques to centre and in some cases can see them become proven tournament winners.

MAKE IT HAPPEN Craig Griffiths is another

angler unwilling to wait and just watch things happen. I can remember many competitions fishing with Craig, dodging the million lures he has tried lying all over the deck.

“Many of things that have brought me success in tournaments are things

that are best described as ‘one-percenters’. Success can be as simple as a quick lure change, and while maybe only one fish is the result of the change, sometimes it can be the difference between second or first place on the scoreboard,” explained Craig.

Learning new techniques and becoming confident with them does not happen overnight. You can’t expect to simply try something new and gain immediate results.

Learning where to employ it, how to employ it, what changes to make, when to change up and why that change worked or didn’t work, are all things that can only be learnt from time on the water and time using the new technique.

Asking yourself these simple questions and learning from them will help put more fish in the boat.

TOURNAMENT TIME Tournament fishing is an arena that helps speed up the learning process, and an environment that can help you evolve as an angler much faster that purely social fishing. During tournament fishing hours, there is no hiding what is working and everything is fully visible for people to learn from each other. Information is more readily available with people willing to share and discuss their different ideas, thoughts and strategies. The pressures of competition, and the transparency of competition techniques, tackle and results are important factoors with benefits that can’t be replicated anywhere else.

STAYING AHEAD While there is no doubt,

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Tournament Angler Guide

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Trying something out of the box when it comes to lure selection can be the trigger to turn things on. watching and learning from others is a successful way to gain more versatility in your fishing, it will always pay to lead from the front. New techniques have to come from somewhere and your own personal experimentation can be as good a start as any to discover new things. I find myself constantly researching through both foreign and local fishing resources in search of

new techniques and tackle to try. Magazines, websites, catalogues, and videos are all sources of new ideas and are regularly evolving providers of food for thought. While not everything you find or try will work, it will help keep you at the forefront of anything new, and situate you that one step ahead of the pack. It is the little things that make the difference come

competition day.

Fishing, like many things, revolves around cycles and patterns. Dam levels fluctuate, seasons return and weather changes, which result in a variation of fish moods.

The only thing certain is that history repeats and past conditions will reoccur. So it is very important for an angler to remember what techniques worked under a specific set of

conditions. These conditions may change by the hour, by the day or by the year; one thing is for sure they will never only occur once. While replicating these techniques, it is not a certainty that they will prove successful, but more often than not, it is a fast way to gain results.

SWITCH IT UP Instant results are not always found when previous

techniques are replicated; sometimes it pays to vary your approach. These variations do not always need to be major changes, but more of a subtle adjustment. A good example of this is when I reach for my ever-reliable, tournamentwinning box of jerkbaits. I will always start with three twitches (pause, two twitch, pause technique) repeating this throughout the retrieve.

While more often than not this method will work, sometimes a slight adjustment will result in even more bites.

This may be to a constant twitching retrieve, slow roll or a violent erratic rod twitch.

Applying this theory to other successful lures will work and constant experimenting with retrieve methods will result in more fish.

Fishing is evolving faster than ever before, information is more readily available and easier to find. Most tournament angler’s arsenal these days is far broader than a simple gold Bomber.

Anglers must learn from the past, look at the present and look to the future.

Accumulating a complete repertoire of techniques will set you apart from the rest of the field, becoming a jack-of-all-trades, rather than a master of one is the key to consistent tournament angling success.

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BARRA Tour Bootcamp ABT

Everything about fishing for the iconic barramundi is nothing short of breathtaking.

The anticipation, the strike, the battle, and the all-important brag once the deed is done makes catching a barramundi at the top of almost every Australian angler’s bucket list. There’s no better way of being dropped into the thick of it than packing up some gear, and making the

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trip north for the 2016 Zerek BARRA Tour.

The BARRA Tour, now in it’s 11th year is without doubt the best way to immerse yourself in barramundi tactics and techniques. The BARRA Tour is held over the November full moon, and coincides with the best fishing time of the year in the North Queensland impoundments.

The BARRA Tour consists of four tournaments, over 7-days and nights and is held on Australia’s premier barramundi fishing impoundments – Teemburra Dam, Kinchant Dam and Peter Faust Dam.

The events coincide with moon phases and tide changes, to maximise the chance of all attending anglers doing battle with the 1m+ barramundi that reside in these impoundments.

The past two years have proven this formula true, with 1m+ averages in several events and a list of returning anglers lining up year after year to take on the tour.

So, if you want a slice of the pie at the end of 2016, here’s all you need to know to get prepped and ready for the Zerek BARRA Tour.

WHAT TO EXPECT If you’re a barra

Top: Big barra abound on The Tour. Above: There’s wet and wild times on the Zerek Barra Tour.

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abt.org.au newcomer looking for some 101 education, you will learn stacks of new tricks and leave the Zerek BARRA Tour a totally new angler. Likewise, if you’re a seasoned pro, you never stop learning this game, and there’s plenty to absorb about our most iconic sportfish.

The BARRA Tour is your chance to rub shoulders with a group of Australia’s best barramundi anglers. You travel with them, fish with them, fish against them and ultimately learn what makes them Australia’s best. It’s easy to write off a session as a failure when you fish by yourself, but when there are 30 boats on the water, someone will always figure out a productive pattern, location or technique.

That information immediately filters down to everyone

who’s attending, and all of a sudden you have some great information about what you can try in the next session or event.

This sharing of knowledge is the cornerstone of what ABT was built on, and our BREAM and BASS tournament trails are testament to that fact.

The BARRA Tour hasn’t been around as long, and the events don’t happen as often.

This makes the BARRA Tour a week-long information overload, and you can be sure you’ll be a better angler for attending.

The other thing you can expect is that you’re going to have one hell of a time, fishing aside. Everything about the BARRA Tour is fun, the road trip, the afternoons at the pub talking fishing, and that’s all before you’ve even wet a line.

ACCOMMODATION Name Pioneer Valley Hotel/Motel (Gargett Hotel) Criterion Hotel Finch Hatton Kinchant Waters Caravan Park Lions Camp Kanga Travelling in a group as big as the BARRA Tour is truly a rewarding experience. Oh, and you’re going to catch barra!

WHERE TO STAY Every year ABT release dates almost six-months in advance. This allows everyone time to plan, and there are plenty of options for everyone attending.

For the Teemburra Dam events, you’re going to need to stay down the range at one of the pubs. There’s the Criterion Hotel just up the road at Finch Hatton, and the Gargett Hotel a further

Address 1 Jim Moule St, Gargett, 4741 9 Mackay-Eungella Rd, Finch Hatton 4756 Kinchant Dam Rd, Kinchant Dam, 4741 2396 Crystalbrook Rd, Crystal Brook 4800

10-minutes down the road.

The Criterion is the host for the Teemburra and Kinchant events. The Criterion is where the session’s scores are posted up, and the hotel essentially serves as the headquarters for those events.

For Kinchant Dam events, you also have the option of some of the facilities available on site. There are cabins and campsites right on the edge of the water, and for those that want to stay a little closer to town the lake is less than an hour drive from Mackay.

When the tour rolls out

SHOPPING AROUND Getting supplies while on the road, especially out of standard shopping hours, can be a challenge.

Here’s a list of places to visit when on the hunt for food, fuel, tackle and general supplies.

Kinchant and Teemburra Finch Hatton General Store Meals and groceries 7am-5pm BP Finch Hatton Fuel and vehicle/trailer supplies 7am-6pm Gargett General Store Fuel, groceries and Post Office 7am-10pm Kookaburra’s Store Mirani Meals, fuel, and groceries 5am-8pm Tackle World Mackay Tackle 8am-5.30pm, 8am-4pm (Sat) 8am-3pm (Sun) Compleat Angler Nth Mackay Tackle 8am-5.30pm, 7am-4pm (Sat) 7am-2pm (Sun) Peter Faust Caltex Proserpine Fuel and limited groceries 5am-8pm BP Proserpine Fuel and limited groceries Open 24 hours Woolworths Proserpine Groceries 8am-9pm (closed Sun) Barra World Tackle 8am-5.30pm, 6.30am-1pm (Sat), (closed Sun)

and heads north to Proserpine and Peter Faust Dam, there’s only one place to stay, and that’s Camp Kanga. It’s arguably the best tournament venue we visit every year.

Plenty of cabins, great food and a short 10-minute drive to the boat ramp. If you want the

Phone Number (07) 4958 5106 (07) 4958 3252 (07) 4954 1453 (07) 4947 2600

jerkbait among timber, yet is not disadvantaged too much on an open point casting a soft plastic to a weed edge.

You don’t need to worry too much about how many million modulus the blank is, as long as it’s comfortable and light enough to cast for 8-hours

TRAVEL TIME Here’s a breakdown of some of the travel times for the Zerek BARRA Tour.

Brisbane to Mackay 12 hours Mackay to Kinchant Dam 45 mins Mackay to Teemburra Dam 1 hour Teemburra Dam to Peter Faust Dam 2 hours Proserpine to Peter Faust Dam 20 mins

easiest and most convenient BARRA Tour experience, Camp Kanga and Peter Faust are your best bet.

GETTING TACKLED Rod A medium-heavy rated baitcast around 6’6” in length would be the first item to pack for a week on the Zerek BARRA Tour.

Something of this length can be used for tip down presentations like twitching a

without fatigue, you won’t have any trouble detecting a bite from a hungry barra.

A spin rod of a similar rating around 10-20lb and the 7’0” mark would be the second stick in the quiver. This rod can mainly be used for long casting on open points and bays, but could be equally useful for slowly winding a lure through structure. A key with spin rods is to make sure the guides are To page 8

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 7

suitable to pass your chosen leader knot, if you tie a large knot like an albright choose a rod with larger guides, likewise if you’re familiar with the FG knot, (which you can watch by clicking the QR code) you open up a few more options with smaller guides.

Unsure of where to start looking? There’s a Wilson Venom to cover every scenario you’re likely to encounter on

the BARRA Tour.

Reel So now you’ve got your rods sorted, you’ll need some reels to match. Look for a low-profile baitcaster with a good smooth drag. You won’t have any problem casting the standard heavy-weight barra lure. But when a barra starts running you’ll want a reel that can dispense line smoothly without shuddering.

Same goes with a spin reel,

aim for something of 3000 size that can hold plenty of 30lb braid and not flex under heavy drags.

Lures When it comes to lures, there are plenty of options on the market. But there

Scan this QR code to watch the FG knot.

The passion of life on tour.

CAST AWAY PE • High Grade PE casting line.

• 8 carrier line made of a combination of high grade PE and high specific gravity polyester • Slick line surface: increases casting distance, reduces friction, reduces sound, reduces guide tangles.

• Excellent durability and abrasion resistance.

• Moderate specific gravity reduces wind & tide influences, improving contact with lure.

• Low stretch, high sensitivity • Excellent visibility in dark or light conditions.

• Colour: Pearl blue

are more than a few musthaves. Not surprisingly, Zerek have a number of absolutely essential lure styles for barra fishing. The new BARRA Tour sponsor saw the connection their products and brand had with the fisheries of northern Queensland and they’ve returned the favour in a big way.

Soft plastics ‘Soft plastics’ is a pretty generalized term for what is a very diverse style of lure. There are a myriad of shapes and sizes which can be perplexing on a shop wall.

From flukes to frogs and everything in-between, soft plastics encompass some of the most effective and reliable barra lures we’ve seen on the tour.

• Low stretch (max 5%) • High sensitivity • Super high strength • Excellent durability and abrasion resistance • Smooth surface manufacturing • Tight braiding for enhanced durability • 4lb to 40lb is 4 strand • 50lb to 80lb is 8 strand Available in bright green and light blue.

150m 4lb to 30lb 300m 15lb to 80lb 1800m 20lb to 80lb

Distributed by EJ Todd & Son www.ejtodd.com.au TAG 2016 abt

Thumbs up if you love barra. past few tours has been the soft vibration bait. These baits have boomed over the last few years, and have proven successful time and time again. Zerek’s Fish Trap is available in both 95 and 110mm versions, while the Jackall Transam is a must have in your box.

If you’re looking to compile the ultimate BARRA Tour box of baits then there’s no better place to look than the ‘Barra in a Box’ feature in this magazine.

BRING A MATE, BARRA TOUR AWAITS With almost five-months to plan your northern barra sojourn, there’s plenty of time to get a teammate and get everything ready. The Zerek BARRA Tour will advance your skills faster than five

SUPER PE

Available in 150m 10, 12, 16, 20, 25lb 200m 30, 40, 50, 60lb

8

Swimbaits A range of paddle-tailed swimbaits with matching jigheads will see you through the vast majority of the BARRA Tour. These can be hopped, burned or simply slow rolled. You can rig them with a heavy jighead and fish deep, or use a weighted worm hook and fish them through the weeds.

The Zerek Flat Shad is a great choice and can be rigged with exposed hook or weedless.

The Squidgy Slick Rig would also have to be a walk-up starter, but be prepared to rip it through the weed, as you can’t rig it weedless.

Hardbodies Hardbodies have been the first choice of so many barra anglers throughout Australia, and they hold their own at the forefront of tournament angling. There are so many different shapes and sizes to choose from on the wall of your favourite tackle store, and while they all have their place, you could do far worse than to have an assortment of long, slim profile minnows in both shallow and deep-diving bibs and not much else. You don’t get the adage of ‘no wobble, no gobble’ for nothing and a hard twitched jerkbait is one of the most effective ways to catch barramundi.

Soft vibes The other lure style that’s been hard to ignore over the

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years of social fishing. Think of it as arguably the cheapest barra charter in Australia, it lasts a week and you can fish with your mate.

The ABT BARRA tour is the pinnacle of competitive barra angling and attracts anglers from all over the country and world.

Travelling alongside some of the country’s best anglers, listening to them share tips and strategies, watching them as they select which lures to use and how to approach a certain location is invaluable to becoming a better angler.

So pack your gear and plan the time off, the dates and entry forms are out for what will surely be another week to remember as the Zerek BARRA Tour heads north in November.

FC100 • 100% Fluorocarbon • Non Stress Spooling to avoid crushing or flattening of the line • Designed with an emphasis on suppleness and minimum interference on lure movement. A balance of hardness & abrasion resistance is what makes FC100 so effective • Triple Resin Processing (TRP) for increased abrasion resistance • Knot strength has been boosted for light game lines. Big game lines have a harder shell to protect against PE cutting and the eye of the hook Available in 30m and 100m spools 16lb to 100lb

For stockist information tel. 02 9780 8200 www.rapala.com.au abt

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Tournament Angler Guide

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abt tackle store partners ABT joins forces with Australia’s finest tournament fishing tackle stores. Support the tackle stores that support your sport when loading your tackle box for the BARRA Tour.

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Barra in a Box Simon Goldsmith, Karim De Ridder, Craig Griffiths

Trying to condense a boatload of lures down to one box is no easy task.

With that exact goal in mind we thought whom better up for the task than current BARRA Tour Team of the Year, Karim De Ridder and Craig Griffiths.

The team that all teams fear on the BARRA Tour, Karim and Craig have boxed up their go-to barra baits for the 2016 Zerek BARRA Tour and are giving us the low down on essential baits for life on the tour. There’s perhaps more barra caught with this one box than any other box in BARRA Tour history. Look at it, study it, and learn it, because if the 2016 Zerek BARRA Tour is on your to-do list then there’s something in this box for you.

1 LUCKY CRAFT SKT MAGNUM, 5” STORM SUSPENDING SHAD The lure that became a staple in our barra box courtesy of its success in the 2015 BARRA Tour, and one of the contributors to our

Teemburra round victory, the SKT Magnum is a lure that’s suited to variety of locations.

From fishing between weed pillars, through hard stumps and on deep points this is a lure that’s at its best in 3-4m of water and worked with a constant slow roll, crankin’ retrieve.

A slow tapered rod and a slow retrieve reel such as a Daiwa Zillion Crazy Cranka is the outfit best suited to throwing the Magnum. A great lure when there’s a reaction bite on.

A long time favourite and a lure that’s perfect for fishing over the top of weed, the Storm Suspending Shad needs some upgrades out of the packet, and a size 4 Decoy split ring and 1/0–2/0 treble will make it fit and ready for action. One of the great things about this lure is its action, a regular body roll and seductive tail beat makes it a gun barra bait.

Sloping points are the prime locations to fish with this lure, with a twitch and pause retrieve down the slope and dynamite retrieve.

A great lure through weed, yet a lure that needs to be worked, rather than just chucked and wound to get

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A box of winning baits for barra catching success. the best results.

2 SQUIDGY 110 SLICK RIG, 3” STORM SUSPENDING SHAD The great all-rounder and a must have in any barra box, the Slick Rig is a lure that’s super easy to use and super effective at catching barra.

One of our go-to baits to dial in fish during the prefish (we actually fish it with the hooked folded in so we don’t sting fish), to modify our Slick Rigs we add a, 1/2oz TT Area 51 jighead or a Craig Griffiths custom jighead, Decoy Y-S21 treble, and dye the tail (orange or chartreuse), as well as trim or melt the tail wrist with a soldering iron.

Black and gold, and white and blue (a favourite night colour) are our favourites. One of the best lures going around for barra, a chuck and wind in most cases is all that’s needed to get success with a Slicky.

The little brother of the 5”, the 3” Storm is perhaps our favourite finesse barra bait.

This lure stays high in the water column, which makes it ideal for shallow water, the Suspending Shad is a great lure to reach for when things get tough.

3 LUCKY CRAFT POINTER 78 XD, & 100 XD, MARIA MJ-1 DD 90F, Every barra box should have at least one, or a dozen Pointers in it. The smallest one in our box, the 78 XD (XD stands for Extra Deep) is a gun lure when a

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smaller-sized deep jerkbait is required. We like to fish the 78XD by cranking the lure down, then working it with a series of twitches and pauses.

This is a lure that comes through weed with ease.

The Pointer 100XD is what we reach for when we need to get a little deeper and when the barra are looking for something a little bigger.

This lure is perfect in 8-12ft of water, and a simple slow wind or rip down and pause works fantastic. It’s also our go-to lure when fishing deep, standing timber. As is the case in this country, be prepared to donate a few to unstoppable monsters.

Natural coloured XDs are our preference in clear water, while we tend to go a little brighter such as the orange gold and disco

colours when the water is darker and dirtier.

By contrast the Maria MJ is a lure with a slightly different action (and very unique) compared to the XD. A great point of difference to the Pointer and lure that we find works best in white or natural colours.

4 JACKALL TRANSAM, LUCKY CRAFT LV RTO-150, CULTIVA TANGO DANCER, RICHO STREAK 9 You can’t go barra fishing these days without a Jackall Transam. The essential plastic to have, and while we’ll often use other brand soft vibes available, it’s usually only ever the original Transam that we’ll use in a tournament. Deadly on shutdown fish and capable

When it comes to catching big barra, Karim DeRidder knows his stuff!

of being ripped and fished through weed, they’re at their stickiest and strongest when the hooks are upgraded with either a number 4 or number 6 Decoy Y-S81 trebles.

Used in the same situation as the Jackall, the LV RTO is your go-to when you need a Transam with a rattle. We only tie one of these on when the barra are eating rattling lures, and just like the Transam we upgrade the trebles.

The number one topwater bait for the barra, the Tango Dancer is a lure that makes plenty of noise and is ultra easy to walk across the surface. A great early morning lure and to use in places where weed grows all the way to the surface.

Walk this lure through an alley in the weed or a slot in the lilies if you want to experience an explosive barra surface strike.

When it comes to hand carved timber barra lures the name Richo says it all. The Richo Streaker has pulled fish when many others lures, including soft plastics, have drawn a blank. With a unique action and sound that barra just love, the Richo come through timber incredibly well, withstands a lot of punishment, and when retrofitted with Owner 4X trebles become a slow

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Craig’s box of baits catches him plenty of fish like this. float lure. Crank the lure down to the desired depth, then work it with a twitchpause retrieve.

5 LUCKY CRAFT POINTER 100 SP, LUCKY CRAFT FLASH MINNOW 110 SP, LIVE TARGET 115 SMELT The Pointer 100 SP is our shallow water jerkbait staple. A lure that dives to 5-8ft, the Pointer is excellent for targeting fish moving through an area mid-water at that depth.

We use the Flash Minnow when and where many anglers use a Rapala X Rap. An excellent lure around shallow weed beds, this lure dives around 1-4ft deep and has lots of roll

THE ALL

and flash. This pronounced behaviour will draw fish from a long way making it a great searching bait. You need to keep the trebles light on the Flash Minnow though; an upgrade to heavy hooks will negate the action and the performance of the lure.

The Live Target Smelt is similar to the Pointer in many ways and is lure that we’ll often reach for when we’re looking for something just a little bit different.

Shallow diving and distinct with a walk-the-dog action this is great lure to work along deeper weed edges.

6 6. 5” BERKLEY HOLLOWBELLY, 6 ½” STRIKE KING

SHADALICIOUS, 8” HAPPY ROCK Soft, subtle, and capable of being worked at dead slow speed is the best way to describe the Hollowbelly.

With an enticing body roll and a tail beat that continues to work at slower speeds than other plastics such as the Slick Rig, the Berkley is an essential plastic for life on the BARRA Tour.

A hollow tube plastic like the Berkley, the Strike King exhibits more vibration on the roll than the Hollowbelly and is a great choice when a larger profile is necessary.

For those times when you need to go bigger again the 8” Happy Rock has you

covered. Finding a large enough jighead to go in the plastics however can prove a challenge. A homemade jighead can be used with a stinger attachment for when the tournament kicks off.

7 EVERGREEN ES FLAT, SQUIDGY BONEY BREAM A dynamite bait that barra absolutely nail when fished correctly and in the right location is the ES Flat.

It’s a big fish magnet at Kinchant. The key with the ES Flat is to throw it out, let it sink, then work it back mid-water with a slow snaking retrieve. When fish encounter this lure mid-water they’ll inhale it like a lolly.

If you’re talking barra lollies you can’t go past the now discontinued Squidgy Boney Bream. In the right hands and in the right location this lure is lethal.

In among the weed and lily channels at Kinchant this lure has few contenders.

Silver and gold are the pick of the colours and if you can track any down to buy, buy them, and buy as many as you can afford, as you can never have too many of this lure.

So there you have it, a box of some of the best, and proven lures on the BARRA Tour tournament trail. Lures

used by the best, to perform at their best. If you’re packing your tackle bag for the 2016 Zerek BARRA Tour we suggest you grab a few lures out of Karim and Craig’s tackle tray.

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The road to tournament success - tips and tricks Karim De Ridder

Most competitive tournament anglers have specific goals, whether to win that first tournament or even achieve a pinnacle AOY/TOY title. One thing is for sure, the road to glory is a path of many curves and every learning opportunity will move you closer towards your tournament goals.

Pre-fishing, whether done months, weeks or days prior to a tournament is an essential element to your game plan to maximise performance and help you achieve your goals. Outlined below are some vital factors that will give you some direction to ensure you get the most out of your preparation, and the most from your BARRA Tour.

PLANNING AHEAD The importance of simple tools such as Google Earth, seasonal outlooks, short and long term weather observations, current water levels and even historical data are often underestimated. Use them to plan ahead and you

will save time on the water.

Speaking to local tackle shops and anglers in regards to recent conditions facing you prior to arrival can also help. With the multitude of information available, draft plans can be discussed

with your team mate and provide some direction and relevant starting points to kick your pre-fish off to your advantage.

The transition of seasons will challenge most anglers. Although

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blowing in constant velocity and direction can magnify fish numbers in some areas and void them completely in others. Keep a careful eye on those factors to develop strategies that effectively raise your results to the top.

The author looked absolutely stoked with this barramundi caught amongst the trees.

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North Queensland’s barra impoundments don’t generally have the radical seasonal variations of other areas, the subtle changes should be noted and taken into consideration to locate fish. The movement between

seasons will see the types of forage change, which in turn will influence your presentations directly. The locations of major food sources such as bony bream and redclaw will fluctuate considerably depending on spawning schedules, seasonal factors, temperature fluctuations and elements such as wind direction and strength, which in turn also contributes to water quality and flow.

MOVE AROUND The mass movement of barramundi is another factor to keep in mind as the season approaches the humid summer months. Big numbers of barramundi will school and locate themselves naturally towards spillways and dam walls, and will behave on instinct – driven and feeding hard. Ignorance to such movements and behaviour could make or break your campaign; therefore implement strategies to identify these patterns as much as possible. Within these mass movements of barra, independent ‘staging’ locations of barramundi can also occur, resulting in dense schools of fish. Find these schools and increase your chances exponentially in comparison to anglers ignorant of those behaviours.

Wind directions and dam stability influenced by seasonal change is something that is easily perceptible to most anglers.

The southeast trade winds

TOURNAMENT TIME MANAGEMENT The confining time limits of a tournament are a stressor that often makes or breaks a team’s confidence.

Fish are constantly moving, so the key during your pre-fish is to identify common factors to locate feeding fish that mirrors the tournament times. It would be impractical to fish all night if your tournament is planned for daylight hours, as fish movements and bite periods will most likely be very different between day and night.

Another benefit to scheduled pre-fish sessions is the consideration of rest times to ensure you are fresh, rested and thinking straight while pre-fishing. There is

nothing worse than burning the candle short before the tournament even kicks off.

TECH HEADS When Humminbird introduced side-imaging technology to the recreational market in 2005 the tournament scene for barramundi was revolutionised in ways of unseen proportions. With competitive pricing and multiple manufacturers bringing out technology, most anglers will have a range of displays from 5-12” screens strewn across the decks in a variety of arrangements. Effectively using your technology is the key to consistency in the pre-fish phase that will lead to consistency during the tournament. Simple things such as the identification of directional fish movements from deep water to shallow, through structure or edges, or highways to and from are possible with this technology.

Next level additions such as Humminbird’s 360° imaging give anglers another step up by allowing fish movements to be tracked in a way that may help ensure cast accuracy is maximised via the tracking of movements and patterns in a set range.

Even though this technology has developed exponentially, don’t forget your developed instinct and that ‘gut feel’ factor.

A combination of usable technology and your developed instinct is a powerful weapon.

DON’T OVERDO IT – ARE YOU PRE-FISHING OR OVERFISHING? Fellow tournament anglers always ask how many fish you caught during a pre-fish to establish potential competition.

However, catching a grand number in your pre-fish is completely unnecessary – if you land a significant number of fish then you are going beyond the task.

A pre-fish is a short learning process to optimise

Craig Griffiths is thorough in his tackle preperations and his results show it.

your tactics and direction for an impending tournament.

A very common mistake a lot of anglers make is to get bogged into certain areas or just a couple of spots and land a number of fish driving their confidence and thus their direction for the competition. Realistically you have just limited your learning process and results to a very small location. It is fundamental to your success in a tournament to maximise the ability to back up areas, deal with changes and maintain consistent captures.

To know when to pack up and leave an area, or to work out the finer details of an area is a happy medium

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integral to the success of the tournament. Tournaments are rarely won by bashing the fish in practice time, and negative impacts abound.

A simple approach worth applying is presenting hookfree lures, a valuable way to avoid ‘over-fishing’ and still provide the data required to decide on the potential of a spot. A modification of the lure in regards to balance will be required to ensure presentations are still optimal.

Another important factor is to avoid making a spectacle of your fishing and avoiding other competitors during pre-fish. Those who have less public displays of action during pre-fish, will find their

There’s nothing better than the crunch and swallow of your lure by a stonking barra.

Check out the gob on this thing!

spots are much less crowded.

PLANNING THE ATTACK Once the hours or days of pre-fish are spent, it is important to make careful consideration of the plan most likely to put a limit in the boat. If a run and gun pattern of hitting multiple areas is on the cards, careful route planning is a must for safety, time considerations and effectiveness along the tournament time line. Always bank on the need for a Plan B,C, D and so on, as common areas will usually be found by other switched on anglers. If the area has a steady flow of fish over a long period of time it may be worth setting up and fishing to the tournament completion. A combination of these two strategies is effective if the areas hold differing sizes of fish and you are looking for upgrades.

Another factor often overlooked is competitor psychology. The mental dynamics of your opposition with knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses is important to take note while planning your angle of attack.

Commonly found/known areas may need to be hit first to pick the cream, prior to targeting lesser known or new areas that you may need to keep up your sleeve for different times or multiple

Craig, the author’s teammate displays the quality of barra found on BARRA Tour. day events.

The number of areas you find is important, but so is finding variety and differences between your areas, as this will drive consistency in your results. With the changes that occur on the dams constantly, your technique and area during a pre-fish may turn barren very quickly and require the variety basket to pull a rabbit out of your hat.

Do not limit yourself to a sole technique and area, as eventually your consistency will drop and damage your overall performance.

WHEN THE WHEELS FALL OFF Whether an area has

changed due to environmental factors or that you never really cracked a stable bite pattern, it is important to keep the mind open and accept changes. If you look at anglers who have maintained a high degree of consistency, the common factor in their performances is the ability to let go of preconceived strategies when the action isn’t happening.

Fishing on the fly with continual adjustments for conditions is a must-have skill of any angler dreaming of top-level achievements. Don’t be afraid to pull the electric up and start pre-fishing in a tournament, this has and will continue to win tournaments

for anglers with confidence to just catch fish.

SELF REFLECTION The tournament has ended, the winners have been crowned and most people have packed their belongings and started the long trek home. Evaluation of your tournament results and pre-fish is a must to ensure that mistakes don’t reoccur.

Pick apart you approach and strategies, discuss them with your teammates or peers, and let the lessons of the tournament sink in to develop you as an angler.

Hopefully, each tournament will get closer to achieving your goals.

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Sussing out perfect structure in freshwater a more successful angler.

For the sake of the article, we are going to skip the broad meaning of ‘location’. By this, I mean we will assume we are already fishing in a waterway that has fish.

I want to cover a few different and common styles of freshwater fishing in which location choice is important.

CASTING STRUCTURE FOR RIVER COD Casting spinnerbaits along outback Aussie rivers is becoming ever more popular. It’s a great way to consistently catch fish if you know where the fish

WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

You may have heard the saying ‘location, location, location’ in fishing circles. For those of you who haven’t, it basically means that the location is extremely important in finding success. You need to be in the right location to find fish. What is the right location? It’s a very open question and that’s what I’m going to cover in this article.

I’ll be talking more about the specifics of different ‘locations’, or more accurately, ‘structures’. Not just that you need to be fishing ‘this spot’ in ‘this waterway’, but more so I’ll be talking about ways to help you analyse specific sections of water to help you figure out where the fish will be located. Once you know where the fish are hiding out and how to approach each piece of structure, you’ll be

their target.

You know that you need to target structure – but where exactly on the piece of timber are they hiding?

This will help answer the question of where to cast.

There are three key features in snags that I look for.

Root balls These are the number one location to target when fishing for Murray cod and golden perch. Many large to medium sized snags will consist of the main tree branch, limbs and a root ball. The reason why we target the root ball is because when a snag falls on its side the tree roots

it would most likely not hold any fish.

When targeting this feature on the snag, the majority of the time you want to be casting tight in against the top of the root ball. One other tip is to ensure you repeat your cast to this location a number of times, as it is the most likely location for a feeding cod to hide.

Crossovers This is a term used for when (at minimum two) snags lay over the top of each other. The more crossovers you have in the one location, the better. A cross over basically does

Because the water is clear you can see the fork in the snag. This is the perfect water height to cast at this log. All you need to do is drop your lure as far back into the fork as possible and retrieve it straight out.

This is a deep outside bend of a trout river that has little flow. These are the locations where you will need to put in lots of casts to tempt that big fish.

Try looking for snags, deep holes, and weed beds to work your lure along.

In this picture the snags are out of the water to help demonstrate this type of structure. Crossover is where two or more logs have fallen over each other. If the water was covering these logs the circle is where you want to place your cast.

This is the perfect picture that demonstrates how the root ball works. As you can see the roots of the tree keep the trunk off the bottom creating a pocket of space underneath the log. If the water was covering this snag it would be a great hideout for a cod.

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are positioned. Murray Cod love structure! They will hide tight up against the tangled timber in wait for their food. These locations not only form the perfect home, but they are vital for the cod’s feeding pattern.

The structure aids as a prop in their ambush, which keeps them hidden from

hold the bottom end of the tree up off the bottom. This creates an arc underneath the snag right up against the root ball, which makes for the perfect native home.

It provides the fish with room between the riverbed and the structure above them. If the snag was lying flat on the river bed, then

the same thing as the root ball by providing cover and an ambush location for the fish. Most times you will find numerous crossovers from a number of snags in one pile. Make sure you cast to every crossover in the snag pile, as they are all great ambush locations for Murray cod.

This shows the patch of scum perfectly. Casting around the edge of the foam and letting your lure sink is the best technique.

Don’t cast over the scum, as you can spook feeding fish.

Vs or forks These are the last of the three types of structure you need to be looking for. A ‘V’ or fork is where the branches on a fallen tree split into two and run out at different directions.

The best and biggest form of this is where the main branch on a log breaks off from the main truck of the tree. Why is it a location you want to concentrate on? Because this break in the log creates cover either side for the fish. This not

only makes the fish feel more protected but also provides the fish with more cover from its prey, which is the same principles as the above two features.

These spots are even better when you have floating scum pushed up in the fork creating a little veranda for the fish. This provides more cover, but even better, it means the food flows down with the current and funnels into the fork. All the fish has to do is wait for the food to come

to it. These are the spots that you are most likely to find a hungry fish.

CASTING FOR STREAM TROUT Trout can sometimes be a difficult fish to find, as unlike Murray cod will swim around throughout the entire waterway. They won’t be sitting on the same snag every time you come back, they are an active fish and could be hiding in a different location to what they did last time.

So how do you know

This is a perfect little pool of water in a small creek. This is an excellent form of structure for trout, especially with the outside snaggy and undercut bank. You want to work your lures slowly through this section and this is where you will find larger fish.

Here is the perfect example of rapids for trout. You can see where the green circles are – these are called eddies. This is where the fish will be hiding. You want to cast across these zones.

where to fish? Trout still have characteristics, which means we can still predict with a high chance of success where they will be feeding. If you want to catch trout successfully, you need to target the locations in which they will be feeding.

Rapids are the number one feeding ground for trout and should always

be the location where you spend most of your time.

By rapid, I don’t just mean the super-fast white water rapids you find in rivers.

A small flow over some stones, which creates a slight ripple on the surface in a small creek works just the same!

I want to cover a few characteristics that you need to look for in rapids

and where you should be concentrating your efforts on.

Edge of the fast water This is the place you want to target first. It’s the best spot and this is where you should concentrate most of your efforts on.

These locations I’m talking about are tight in amongst the rapids, so usually to To page 70

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fish them you need to be casting into and across the entire rapid.

In a stream or river, you will always find what they call an ‘eddy’, which is a backwards flow or

the edge of the fast and slow water is perfect. That way it will hang in the zone for a longer period.

This can be difficult to achieve in some situations, unless you wade out into the water.

you find them this is where your attention should be spent.

Still back waters These are more of a forgotten location when it comes to trout. But if you ask me, I believe these are

bait that would be in the area. The baitfish would be under extreme stealth and you need to match these characteristics.

GOLDEN PERCH IN DAMS This is the last style of fishing I want to cover, and it’s becoming ever more popular among the freshwater fraternity.

When they are in the full springtime run, they can be great fun on light spin gear!

Especially when you hook into a pig that strips a heap of line, and even better is watching them inhale your

ago that soft plastics are the best lure to use, they would have laughed at you.

But now soft plastics are a must! They have become the number one lure for golden perch and there is a good reason for it – they work!

First of all, I believe soft plastics are the best lure for catching any fish, but, the conditions need to be suitable. By this I mean the water needs to be clear enough for the fish to see the plastic. The problem is many freshwater environments are dirty,

This is a standard rocky point that you will find in nearly every golden perch dam in the country. The golden perch will school up off these points down deep in the water. Casting across the point and working the lure back down deep is a successful technique. swirling water next to the fast current. The fish hold in this water because this is where the food ends up after floating through the rapids – it’s like a sushi train bringing the food right to your face. The fish save energy by resting in this still water in wait for passing food.

Like previously mentioned, to fish these locations, you want to cast across the rapid and work your lure through the still patches of water. You may hook up to the fish in the fast water, but the trout will chase it from these still patches. If possible, running a cast right along

Bottom of the fast water The bottom of rapids is the next best location to fish. What you have is the fast running water in the rapids and then below this the water should start to slow and pool up. This is where you will usually find the larger fish sitting in wait for the food to come to them.

These locations are easier to work with any style of lure. Plastics, hardbodies and bladed spinners rolled through these locations will bring trout undone. The most important part is making sure you find these fish holding locations. Once

the locations that hold the monster trout. They may be harder locations to fish, and by that I mean you need to really work the lure and cover the water you are fishing, but the results are well worth that extra effort.

You may ask why you have to work harder in these locations. It’s because the fish aren’t necessarily in a feeding mood, they may just be patrolling along a weedy edge and in this still water, you need to work your lure really well. You can’t just rip it through and get a reaction strike.

You have to impart action and work your lure at a slower speed. Match the

These are the relatively new form of structure in many dams. You want to cast your plastics tight in amongst the trees. Find the gaps between the trees to target your casts, let the plastic sink and roll it back through.

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Working rocky point in dams in a sure fire way to entice a few goldens. lure right at your feet!

Soft options in the trees If you said to a golden perch angler two years

which puts plastics to the back.

In terms of the structure, there are two

different styles of standing trees – the twiggy balls of young dead sapling trees and the more common heavy forests of flooded red gums. Both are excellent forms of structure.

The most common technique is to slow roll small plastics up the trees.

In simple terms, you come up tight to the tree, use your sounder to locate a school, drop the plastics to the bottom and slow roll them to the top. It is a very successful technique, but can sometime feel like bait fishing. I prefer to fish the twiggy standing trees by holding the boat off the trees and casting to them.

Let the plastic sink and slow roll it back to the boat. It’s a great technique that is super exciting and great fun!

Hopping Rocky Points If you have read a few articles on targeting golden perch, you will know all about fishing rocky banks for yellas. It’s a tried, tested and extremely proven technique. Golden perch are a fish of habit and love to school up on rocky points within every dam in the country. Especially points that are affected by windy weather, as the food will be pushed into the area making it a perfect feeding ground.

Your best bet will be to hop a lipless crankbait down the face of the point.

Cast in, let it sink to the bottom, lift up off the bottom and then let it sink back down.

STRUCTURE YOUR APPROACH I know that’s a lot of information, but these tips will help you succeed on the water. Just remember you need to target the spots where the fish are hiding.

Don’t waste your time in dead water – put in the effort where it counts.

Casting for Murray cod is one of the best styles of sport fishing for these icons.

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Don’t ignore shallows MILDURA

Darcy Sherger

It is common to find big fish sitting high in the water column during the winter months. Cold frosty mornings and big high-pressure systems are consistent during a Mildura winter, and this weather triggers big cod to feed up on the massive schools of bait in the area.

Having a good high definition sounder is a must

at this time of year to help locate the bait schools and target these areas. With the aid of down scan you can search easily for bait balls, which often sit in the top 15ft of the water column. The size of the bait varies between 50-100mm, and trolling and casting hardbody lures to a similar size is a successful method to entice a strike from a Murray cod. It is important to try a variety of sizes, colours and diving depths in your lures, as it is not

only the bait schools that cod target, but the golden and silver perch feed on the bait schools as well.

For anglers who target golden perch feeding on these bait schools, smaller lures such as Jackall Genes, TT blades and small hardbody lures around 50mm in length have been successful. Casting these lures on light gear in the shallows has seen perch up to 56cm caught. The most effective times of the day have been early

James Mason with a typical Murray cod for this time of year.

This nice solid golden perch was taken on the cast.

mornings and late evenings when these predatory fish feel more comfortable in the shallower water.

Yellowbelly in this size range provide great sport and are a sought-after table fish. Quality redfin up to 1kg have also been caught at Lake Cullulleraine casting and slow trolling Celta lures. Although these fish aren’t the best fighting fish they are excellent eating.

The low light times of the day have also been the best time to target the big Murray cod who hunt high in the water column

at this time of year. Casting big profile surface lures, spinnerbaits and shallow diving hardbodies has been very effective, and numbers of cod in excess of 120cm have been caught. A shallow water strike from a fish this size can be violent so you need to have good quality line, leader, knots, split rings, hooks and also confidence in your gear that it will withstand that initial impact.

Many anglers have kitted up with a beanie and a headlamp and fished the surface well into the

dark in search of big cod.

Lures such as Koolabung Cod Crackers, Wake Snakes and Jackall Pompadours have been very popular.

Hooking and landing a fish of this size can be a once in a lifetime opportunity for many anglers and extra care must always be taken when handling a fish of this size. These big fish are the future of the sport, so take a quick photo then return them safely to the water.

With the cod season nearly finished it’s time to brave the cold and go catch a big one.

Think big at Lake Mulwala for giant catches YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Rain, frost, more rain and the lingering hangover from the bluegreen algae debacle has led to an uninspiring period of fishing in and around Lake Mulwala.

Traditionally, this is the time of year to ‘think big’ and go in search of the larger models but the season has petered out pretty quickly. Don’t despair though, rug up, tie on the biggest lure you can find and who knows, somebody is sure

to tangle with something huge sooner or later – it could be you.

Looking back, reports were fairly scattered from the lake area, as most anglers did it tough. Derek and Kade Blow landed half a dozen reasonable cod over the Queen’s birthday weekend and this seemed to be the best report numbers wise. Downstream below the weir offers anglers a chance to tangle with some big cod at this time of year as they look to head upstream to spawn. Steve Hogan pulled a nice 76cm on a recent outing, while there were whispers in regards to a 129cm model…

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The Queen’s birthday holiday weekend is usually a craying weekend for most fishers, and reports suggest everybody fared pretty well. With a limited bag of two legal-sized crays per day, those that worked their nets didn’t have much trouble filling their quota.

The positive feedback was how many large females bearing eggs were caught and returned along with the number of smaller specimens.

As the fishing slows down, organisation for the 2016-17 fishing competition season ramps up. If you are keen to get your name added to the Golden Dollars (24 Oct), Cod Classic (2-4 Dec), Dash 4 Cash (18-19 Feb), His and Hers Partners Classic (4 March) or Cod Nationals (16-19 March) mailing lists then shoot me an e-mail at codclassic@ bigpond.com.

In closing, our thoughts are with local fishing identity George Jovanovic, who has a bit of a battle on his hands healthwise. I’m sure there are plenty of big cod out there

breathing a sigh of relief knowing George will be giving them a rest for a while. Hopefully we’ll see George back out there soon ‘knocking, knocking’ and telling stories of the one that didn’t get away.

Until next edition, happy fishing.

• If you are visiting town, I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish, Camp & Ski (opposite the post office) in Mulwala and say G’day. We are your largest

Murray cod-specific shop in Yarrawonga/ Mulwala and specialise in all things ‘green’!

For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports, give us a hoy on (03) 5744 3133.

Steve Hogan with a nice 76cm cod caught below the Yarrawonga Weir.

Brave the winter chill for a Murray cod thrill ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

How much do you enjoy early morning rises where cold fingers fumble at the matches as you try to reignite the overnight campfire?

It’s always a chore, but one that’s needed to boil the billy and take the morning chill from the air. Heavy dews and frost dampen clothes and dull

one, maybe no chances a day! This is how many anglers might view winter cod fishing, and why so many pack the gear away.

I guess it depends how you look at it. The warmth of the early morning fire is a joy as fingers thaw to another brilliant dawn.

The warm taste of coffee sipped to the rolling tune of butcher birds sitting high in the thickets and leaves.

Giant gums hang hidden in the half-light – a living canvas against a back drop

short and the cool night air will soon see you back at camp warming by a solid wood fire. Here the taste of beer is rolled in laughter and conversation as yarns are swapped and catches relived.

There is much to like about winter cod fishing, not least of all the fish.

As predicted, the cod have started to move shallow since our last report with most catches now coming on the cast.

Big is best, with lures over

Larger lures have been working well on the cast as the water temperature stays low. pedantic fish on earth than large Murray cod, I would be very surprised. But love them we do, so we will suffer their finicky ways and reveal in the joys of

capture when they come.

Robinvale, Wemen and Hattah on the Murray are all producing cod on lures.

Perch have been a little harder to tempt with just

a few reported on baits of shrimp or small yabbies.

I look forward to the coming month of winter cod fishing and the many joys this cooler season holds.

A cool water dip with a giant winter cod. David Mott braved it all for this memorable shot. exposed skin to the point of pain, as you make your way out onto the water at dawn’s first light. There’s usually fog so thick you can barely see in front of you, as the first minutes of the day unfold.

By lunch, a sideways breeze too lazy to go around cools the enthusiasm and has you looking for calmer shores. Before you know it, the light has dropped and day’s end is forced by a sudden drop in temperature as the night air begins to roll in. All this for possibly

of fog. A quick wipe with the towel and the seat is dry, as the ice cold air breathes life into your lungs.

Winter is a season of honesty, as it wakes you like a good hard slap. You beg the morning unfolds at a slow rate, as it always holds promise of a canning strike from a giant cod.

It’s a scene of calm that can turn to turmoil in an instant and you hang in wait on every cast for that exact moment.

The afternoon breeze signifies the days are

120mm accounting for the biggest catches.

The barometric pressure continues to dictate the bite, and with relatively clear waters the larger highs have seen the fish reluctant to play. Big highs are most often in company of clear blue days with little wind.

The clear waters are leaving the fish quite spooky under such conditions and they are biting best on a rising barometer with overcast conditions.

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The warmth of a winter campfire and good mates provides one of cod fishing’s best memories.

AUGUST 2016

73

Review of the brown trout 2016 prespawning run CANBERRA

Bryan Pratt

The massive run of prespawning brown trout in the Thredbo and Eucumbene rivers this year was one of the largest many anglers can remember and has given rise to an unprecedented number of trophy fish photographs for fishers to admire in future years.

Fishing in the streams finished when the NSW trout season closed in June and fishing will not reopen until the October long weekend. For many anglers there was almost a sense of relief when fishing ceased, because it has been hard going. At the end of the season temperatures

Trout eggs lost in bankside vegetation after river levels fall are lost to the system. had plummeted to around minus 9°C at night and were not much better during the day. The water was so cold that ice had formed on much of the bankside

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vegetation and the edges of the streams. Intermittent alpine gales added to the difficult conditions. Woe betide anybody who fell in or simply ventured too deep in their waders, as one of my colleagues did. Twice.

Bankside conditions, too, had become a bit chaotic. On one occasion there were 145 vehicles at Denison on the Eucumbene River in a single day. Many of them made an awful mess of the river banks and associated areas, carving more and deeper tracks through the soft and wet soil. Those that became bogged created even more destruction of the original landscape.

Obviously anglers cannot go on treating a National Park like this for much longer and moves already are afoot to restrict vehicular access beyond the Denison camp ground.

An interesting feature of this year’s run was the large size of the fish.

General opinion is that the fish for much of the run were much larger this year than in previous years, as evidenced by captures made by two of my flyfishing colleagues. On their first foray to the Eucumbene River they landed 20 and 10 fish respectively, fishing overnight. The smallest fish was well over 2kg and the

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AUGUST 2016

largest around 4.5kg.Other anglers landed fish to 5.5kg.

This is good news because the big, hefty trout are regarded as good breeders.

This begs the question, however, as to where these outsized fish are for the rest of the year. They are rarely caught by anglers despite the huge numbers that obviously exist.

The answer is probably that they stay deep in the lakes for most of the year, feeding on yabbies and other bottom critters, below the depth at which most anglers fish and

of catching the trophy trout of a lifetime and sometimes manners and even common sense go out the window temporarily.

It was interesting, too, to see how few fish were killed this year. The law allows an angler to retain one fish per day if it is 50cm or better, with a maximum of two in possession. Despite that, few fish were taken and on one particular day at Denison not one fish was seen to be killed despite several hundred fish being landed.

The only angler I heard of who blotted his copy book

FISHING ELSEWHERE Those who weren’t fishing the spawning run found some good rainbows in both Jindabyne and Eucumbene, using Power Bait, wood grubs and scrub worms. At Burrinjuck both the cod and golden perch have slowed but are still catchable on yabbies, shrimps, scrub worms and lures. The Main Basin, the lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee and around Wade Island are still the best places to try.

In Canberra’s local lakes a few golden perch have been taken on bait, especially live

A feature of this year’s prespawning run was the large size of the fish. This approximate 2.5kg specimen was the smallest of about 50 fish taken by three anglers on three consecutive trips to the Eucumbene River system. only emerge during the spawning run. There’s an obvious lesson for us there – if you want big fish work the deeper layers rather than the shallows and go really deep.

Another feature of interest during this year’s run is that the behaviour of anglers seem to have improved slightly. Sure there were instances of poor etiquette such as at the Thredbo River bridge pool when a fly fishermen was invaded and overwhelmed by five lure fishers who simply cast right over his line, forcing him to abandon the location. In many other instances, however, anglers collaborated with each other to allow each to have a chance at landing a trophy fish.

Instances such as simply moving out of the way when an angler with a hooked fish had to pass through were common and often there was a genuine sense of camaraderie along the crowded shoreline. It’s easy to forget how excited some anglers get when confronted with the chance

was a Canberra identity who was caught with two fish instead of one, with one of them undersized. His fine was $270. Otherwise everybody played the game

yabbies, although one angler did well using chicken breast to land some nice fish.

Murray cod in the region are still active and big-fish expert Sam Hancox landed

Fish just landed often spill eggs onto the bank but those lost are a tiny proportion of the eggs available from the masses of trout moving up to the spawning grounds and are unlikely to impinge on the eventual recruitment of new fish to the system. according to the rules. The continuing presence of two NSW Fisheries Inspectors probably helped, too.

a nice 113cm specimen on a lure during an early morning session in Secret Spot Number 46.

Think big at Blowering Dam WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

The last month of winter is finally here! This is great news for anglers, as you may be getting excited for the warm spring weather.

The big golden perch spring time run, cruising lake trout… but I want to stop you dreaming right there, because now is the time to be fishing! It may be cold, it may be wet, but if you love big cod, then you cannot beat August!

As you may have remembered from my last report, I spoke for the first time about Blowering Dam and that it would be beginning to pick up. Well, now it is in full swing and the monster cod are on the chew!

BLOWERING DAM I talk to so many anglers about this location and I hear similar comments. They all seem to be negative, and I’ll agree that it is one of the toughest locations to target cod in the entire country. In

of year. The heart of winter has just passed, which means the food and activity

big 7/0 3/4oz jighead and ensure you run a stinger hook as well.

The author with a very fat cod that took an FX Fury soft plastic.

Jack presents a 119cm Murray cod that smashed his Mud Guts Big Guts on the cast. has been at a minimal for a solid two months. The water temperature will have passed the winter minimum and will now be on the rise.

The Mud Guts Big Guts is the perfect spinnerbait for monster Murray cod in dams. saying that, if you’re keen to finally crack this place, rug up and get out there now.

I’ll explain why it fishes so well at this time

to chase the bait, or even better, your lure.

Now let’s talk lures and

This just starts to roll the activity over and the bait begins to move. The big cod need to eat and they will be switched on ready

fishing techniques. Think big! Big lures, heavy gear and big fish. The most proven technique is to troll large lures along rocky banks. During the daylight hours, try to stay in deeper water, because the water is so clear. Around the 6-8m mark is a good depth to start your search. Make sure to keep the lure right on the bottom. We like to troll the large 150mm and 120mm AC Invaders in the 40ft+ bib.

Another fishing style that we like is to cast big soft plastics and spinnerbaits. That’s right, big soft plastics for Murray cod! It’s not a lure used by many cod anglers, but they are proving to be the new weapon of choice.

If you are going to use plastics, you want to look for lures between 100-200mm in length. The bigger the lure, the bigger the fish you will be likely to attract. Rig them on a

Big spinnerbaits are also a proven monster cod lure in Blowering Dam. The all new Mud Guts Big Guts is a 1.5oz lure and has accounted for some cracking fish. Jack Zyhalak from the Social Fishing team landed a brute 119cm Murray cod casting the Big

Chris Cotterill with a monster 125cm winter Murray cod.

Guts in the early hours only a few weeks ago.

MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER Unfortunately, due to the massive amounts of rain we have received, the river has run higher than expected all winter long. It has been up and down during winter due to the large amounts of rain, which has made for a difficult season. In saying that, between the rains we have managed a few good Murray cod casting spinnerbaits tight in against the bank. This will begin to pick up before close season so definitely worth a shot.

If you’re keen on monster cod and don’t mind battling the winter elements, then head to one of your local dams as they will all fish as well as Blowering before the season closes. If you wish to find out more on targeting monster cod in dams, make sure you visit www.socialfishing.com.au for more information on this style of fishing.

DAM LEVELS brought to you by w w w. b a r g a i n b o a t b i t s . c o m . a u

The big winter cod are really taking a liking to the FX Fury soft plastics – especially the rainbow trout pattern.

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

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

Dam May June July Blowering 48 55 69 Brogo 100 100 102 Burrendong 11 11 27 Burrinjuck 32 33 60 Carcoar 8 8 18 Chaffey 36 34 64 Clarrie Hall n/a n/a n/a Copeton 16 15 17 Dartmouth 42 43 46 Eucumbene 32 31 31 Glenbawn 83 81 82 Glenlyon 26 26 30

Dam May June Glennies Creek 86 85 Hume 19 26 Jindabyne 54 56 Keepit 10 9 Lostock 100 98 Oberon 53 51 Pindari 37 35 Split Rock 5 5 Tantangara 11 14 Toonumbar 100 98 Windamere 39 38 Wyangala 39 38

July 85 42 66 18 100 60 42 6 32 100 39 59

(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.)

AUGUST 2016

75

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The mountains are now all white and the snow bunnies are everywhere. August is the busiest month for Jindabyne township, and traffic jams are common early and late in the day as everyone heads to and from the ski resorts.

If you’re coming to fish in August, you have to either book early or look at cheaper options, like what is available in Berridale and Cooma, as you may find it very difficult to get anything in Jindabyne.

Fishing on Lake Jindabyne is at its best this month, as most of the trout have spawned now and have returned to the lake and are looking for a feed.

You also have a chance still at catching one of the monster Atlantic salmon that were release by Gaden Trout Hatchery. Atlantics over 15lb have already been caught this winter and there are bigger ones out there waiting for you.

August and September are possibly your last two months to catch a brook trout. Brookies will go and hide once the water starts to warm up in October.

Over the past couple of months, the bait fishing has been very good and August is a fantastic month to have a fish from the shore. You will see quite a few people fish before and after a day in the snow, some catching fresh trout for dinner.

On the cold windy and even snowy days, you often see anglers sitting by the camp fire or even sitting in their cars waiting for a trout to bite and the ‘bite’ can happen any time of the day, so a little patience

Steve Bryan smashed this 14lb Atlantic salmon on the troll. may be necessary, but the rewards will be there.

Worms and artificial baits have always been a favourite way of winter fishing, and it always brings results. When worm fishing, use plenty of tiger worms or a single scrubworm, and fish them off the bottom using a running sinker.

There is a lot of weed about at the moment, so it is best to put muslin on your line to keep it floating above the bottom.

You can also suspended a bait under a float and if you want to use artificial bait (most will float) try a little split shot on the hook to keep the bait down.

As the fish move about the lake so much over in winter, there is no particular spot better than another, but a hint is shallow water early and late and slightly deeper water in the bright sunny parts of the days, but not too deep! Try the sheltered bays at creek mouths

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Phone: 0410 173 060 basscataustralia@gmail.com

Byron Boehm nailed this really chunky brook trout.

JULY ROUNDUP – Best method: Best lake lure: Best lake area: Best fly method: Best river:

for the brookies. Wollondibby Inlet and Rushes Bay are both worth a try.

For the fly anglers that have been struggling to catch a trout over the last couple of months, August is the start to the polaroiding season where cruising trout can been seen in the shallows as they work around the edges of the lake looking for something to eat.

You sometimes have to look for shadows, as the trout can be often hard to spot, and of course you have to be a reasonabley accurate caster and the fly has to land on the water without spooking the trout, so all of that adds up to a good challenge and that is what is so exciting especially when you see the trout move towards the fly. If the trout takes the fly, then that is the ultimate adrenalin rush, and playing out the fish is just so exciting, even if it does end up busting you off.

Some days the trout will take big flies like my Goldfish Fly, Hamills Killers, and Woolley Buggers and other days the tiniest black nymph will work best. You just have to experiment a bit.

With the higher lake levels, the fish are hanging about the bays and some areas to try are Creel Bay, Hayshed and Hatchery Bay, Mill Creek Inlet, The Claypits, and The Snowy Arm. Lure spinning from the shore any time of the day can be productive for all species of fish in Lake Jindabyne. I like to use mainly minnow lures in natural patterns. The 13g Tasmanian Devil lures are perfect on windy days, and it is always best to cast into the wind rather than have the wind at your back. You catch more trout on the windward shore and the best colours are aggression colours, like pink number 55, or yellow wing number 36 to represent goldfish and brown

number 48 or holographic, as these colours look like yabbies to brown trout.

A variety of soft plastics are also worth trying at this time, possibly due to the smell that is impregnated into these products. It’s best if they are also natural or cold colours for the inlets and orange or pink for open water. The Strike Tiger range of plastics have been great in Lake Jindabyne, especially the 3” curl tail princess pink and vodka n orange.

Winter boat trolling can be a little slower at this time of year, but winter is when we catch all the big trout, even if we have to put in the hours to get them.

Older proven Tasmanian Devil colours like pink number 55 or orange number 56 are still the best over winter.

These are aggression colours in winter and the trout will strike these hard. Also keep in mind a number y36 yellow wing for the sunnier days and Tassie Devil holographic, or a number 48 or y48 are always worthwhile early and late in the day or off three colours on lead core line.

There is still plenty of big fish at Creel Bay, and it is not too difficult to fish given there is so much more water this year.

• If you would like some personal guiding, I will be available over the coming months for fly-fishing tuition and lake trolling trips.

Lessons can be booked from 2 hours’ duration, and trolling trips from 3 hours to a full day. If you want to know more about the latest in fishing conditions, just give me a call on (02) 6456 1551 or check out my website at www.swtroutfishing.com. au. You can also see our daily Facebook updates at https:// www.facebook.com/LJTFA.

THE BEST OF THE BEST! Bait fishing with worms and artificial bait, but lure spinning is also very good.

Tasmanian Devil in pink 55 or Holographic and spotted dog StumpJumper.

Claypits and Creel Bay Williamson’s Gold Fish or Wooley Buggers and maybe a black nymph Rivers closed until October

Cray-zy times in Batlow BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

Surprisingly, it’s that time of the year again – the last month of the Murray cod season. If you’ve not already had your fix for the season, this month is the time to get it.

Now that it’s super late in the season, it’s time to mix it up and try something different, as these cod have been targeted for almost nine months straight with your conventional spinnerbaits and hardbodies. These lures will still work, but at this time of the season it often pays to give them something a bit different to try and fool them with.

Silent wooden hardbodies, Angel baits, large sort plastics, chatterbaits and skirted jigs hopped super slowly would be my best recommendations this month. Not many anglers have clued onto the skirted jigs for Murray cod, so the fish haven’t seen many, and trust me, they work as well on the cod as they do on the bass, redfin and golden perch.

On top of using these slightly different lures, try using the natural colours like golds, silvers, greens, blacks and browns to help improve your chances at fooling that fish of a life time even more.

GOLDEN PERCH If we get some warm days, the golden perch in our lakes and especially Blowering Dam will start to show up in good numbers.

This doesn’t happen every year, and it all depends on Mother Nature, but if she does bless us with a bit of

past them and bringing the lure back to them will often entice a strike and is one of the most enjoyable ways of catching these often football shaped goldens.

If we haven’t had that much warm weather and the fish aren’t sitting high, a slowly hopped skirted jig

This is what it is all about this month, the super tasty yabby. If you aren’t using it as bait your best bet will be to use one of the suggested lures to try and emulate one.

A Jounama Dam Murray cod caught on the new Angel bait. This late in the season it often pays to give the fish something a bit different to have a go at and help fool them. warm weather the goldens will often be found sitting high in the water column on the very tree tops just under the surface sunning themselves and picking off any easy meal that swims by.

Polaroiding these fish from a distance, casting

can be lethal at this time of the year as the fish are often still a little lethargic from the long cold winter and a slow moving lure that stays in the fishes face for the longest possible time will give you the best chance. Add to this that at this time of the year

Another great lure for imitating crustaceans like yabbies are twin curl tailed soft plastics like this Insanity Tackle model pictured in the beautifully marked cod’s mouth.

the crays, yabbies and shrimp are finally starting to stir after their winter hibernation and the fish haven’t seen too many for a while, so they will be looking for them. So it makes good sense to use a lure that imitates this major food source for the predatory fish you are targeting. On top of the jigs, other lures that imitate these crustaceans well are blades.

Obviously bait fishers will find it hard to beat yabbies and shrimp at this time of the year. They will still be a bit hard to find, so hopefully you kept some through the winter and if you were smart enough to do this you should be well rewarded this month. Alternatively, one of the local tackle stores should have some in stock.

TROUT The trout fishing in our lakes can be sensational this month with some trout returning from spawning and others getting ready to spawn. This can result in some spectacular fishing with the fish either really hungry or in super aggressive spawn mode.

Strikes can be crazy and come regularly at this time of the year, and often the bigger, brighter and louder the lure, the better. I love using lipless crankbaits for trout at this time of the year, as they tick all of the boxes. Cast or trolled, these lures are dynamite on trout and for the most part are highly underused lures when targeting this species.

The trout will be mostly sitting within flat line trolling range this month, so there’s

Lures that when hopped look like yabbies, crays or shrimp are deadly on golden perch this month.

This one fell to a blade but rubber vibes and skirted jigs will also be great hopping lures this month. no need for lead lines and down riggers just yet.

As I mentioned, the fish that have returned from spawning are super hungry, so bait anglers can clean up this month as well. The best baits will be big juicy grubs, but garden worms and dough baits will also be worth a shot.

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The usual trout dams like Tantangara, Eucumbene and Talbingo should all fish well this month, but if you don’t want to travel that far give Blowering a shot.

There has been reasonable numbers stocked in the last few years and these fish are now a worthy target in the lake again.

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Slowing down for lethargic bass HUNTER VALLEY

FMG

Typical of this time of year, the bass have slowed right down and are less receptive to fast moving baits.

ST CLAIR Anglers looking for active fish on point will do well this month. When selecting a good point to fish, look for points with deep water adjacent to them, and this is where the fish will be.

Presentations that are working well at the moment are deep jerkbaits, and the key

to success has been to give them subtle jerks, with long pauses in between, and this needs to be stressed.

If you find a patch of active fish, it can be a good idea to try rolling plastics and bettlespin type presentations through the school. Again, working your lures slowly will get more bites.

Because the water has been so clear lately, anglers have been favouring lighter leaders, even running fluorocarbon straight through!

The fish should become more active as the weather warms up, but St Clair is still

worth a visit at the moment for a bass fix.

GLENBAWN Glenbawn, like St Clair, is very clear at the moment and it has made the fish just a little bit spooky.

If you’re after the larger fish in Glenbawn, these fish should be scattered though tops of sunken trees, particularly early and late in the day.

If you find good school of fish, it can be a good idea to work at these fish vertically with plastics. Fishing them slowly will get you more hits, as the fish don’t seem keen to chase down their prey.

The weather at this time of year generally makes for very pretty mornings.

Like at St Clair, you should be trying to fish as light as you can get away with, because of the water clarity, and again, some anglers are fishing fluorocarbon straight through.

Those using braid have been fishing a double length leader, just for the added stealth.

If you find you’re getting short takes with plastics, you can try cutting down the profile of the bait with some scissors.

The fish in Glenbawn tend to feed on smelt at this time of year, which are a very slim baitfish. Trying your best to imitate these little fish will go a long way towards good results.

Curl-tail style grubs have been perfect all-rounders for the bass, and require very little motion to get their tails working, making them perfect for lethargic bass.

If you chose to use a jigspinner on your plastic, make sure you downsize to a smaller blade to what you’re used to.

Jerkbaits have worked in the last month, but most of these fish have been taken on deeper running models.

Away from bass, The carp have been thick around the edges, and the usual baits of corn, maggots and worms fished with coarse fishing methods have accounted for

Numbers of bass are still being taken.

Anglers putting in the effort will find fish on points adjacent to deeper water. some of these fat noxious pests. Some have even been caught on fly!

If the bass fishing is a little slow, you can also have a bit of fun on these guys with your soft plastic off cuts from when you slim down the profile,

particularly if it’s yellow! Just chuck it in front of a cruising carp and hang on!

So as you can see, there’s plenty going in the Hunter Valley, and it should turn up another notch next month.

Until then, tight lines! – FMG

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It was late August last year, water temperatures had bottomed out, the wind was howling, and small white cap waves were breaking on the rocks. I was out chasing early season golden perch in Windamere dam.

The little 3/8oz skirted jig hit the bottom in 10ft of water and with two small hops I was on. Water movement in dams can concentrate food, and when this happens all manner of species respond.

for this style of fishing. Point the bow out into the wind, and use the electric to take you forward away from the bank then allow the wind to slowly push you back. If you quarter slightly in one direction you will move in a see-saw pattern along the bank, which allows you to cast parallel with the bank – this is a deadly tactic that has caught many fish of all species over the years.

POST-SPAWN TROUT ON THE CHEW As August moves on, many trout will return back to Lake Lyell after a rigorous spawn up in the Coxes River. With no inflows

fishing in Lake Lyell includes slowly flat line trolling spoons and Tassie Devils can have you right into it. It’s also a good idea to run a deep diving minnow in the spread at this time of year as well but that will depend on how many anglers are on board at the time.

Targeting the banks by walking them is your only option in TCD, whereas in Lake Lyell you have both options. I highly recommend you get out of the boat and have a slow walk around, pick a bank with the sun coming over your shoulder if possible, scan well ahead, take it very slow and pause

been able to nail some pretty good ones around shorebased structure, on small spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits, I am not sure where they lay their eggs,

can sometimes hold loose groups of bigger specimens on or close to a break line in depth. Depending on the depth a vertical presentation will be best – use blades,

COD FOR A MONTH With just one month to go until the season closes, most of us will try to get one last fix.

The Copeton phenomenon has definitely opened a few eyes,

Down the hatch! Skirted jigs are a great option at this time of year, and wind-blown shorelines can concentrate food and fish. Bottom contact is important, so don’t be in a rush to move the lure – when you do just use small hops and drags. though it’s likely they lay them on weed strands and structure closer to the bank.

Usually where there is one large specimen there will be more, so it is well worth returning an hour or so later. The flats

This model is just the sort of cracking fish that’s available to anglers in a post-spawn period.

It’s interesting to listen to different anglers curse the elements, especially the wind, and many will avoid it at all costs – in doing so they can limit their opportunity to catch fish. Some of my best fishing sessions have come off wind-blown shores.

Apart from the concentration of food and fish that happens on these banks, the crashing waves on the shore dull any boat noise, an underestimated factor in my books. A bow mount electric motor on your boat is perfect

into Thompsons Creek Dam (TCD) the rainbows spend a lot of their time on the exposed wind swept gravel points, but these fish will slowly start to dissipate as the days get longer and the water temperature jumps up a degree or two. It can be a really good time to target these fish, they are very hungry, and quite often throw caution to the wind (of which there could be plenty), feeding in areas and at times they normally wouldn’t.

Tactics for boat-based

often. Look into the water and you just might be surprised as to what you find – you won’t catch them all, but it is great fun to try!

OVERSIZED REDFIN Early August is great time of year to target oversized redfin in Ben Chifley and Burrendong dams. The females are fully rowed up and carry a lot more weight, but it is difficult to put a radar on them at this time of year, as they can turn up just about anywhere. I’ve

Deep redfin will blow their swim bladders on their way up, this isn’t a great concern if they are destined for the esky.

ice jigs, or a soft plastic, and always up the weight of your presentation according to the wind. You want to be as direct as possible below the boat, but try to keep the overall size of the lure down – a difficult proposition at times.

so don’t hold back people, get out there and start casting and trolling the biggest nastiest critters in your box. Set your expectations low, it could be a long time between drinks but well worth it if a big cod hits the deck.

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Pursue the prey through the day TAMWORTH

Hayley Mcdonald

In the states they call it a White Christmas and the weather in Tamworth this season has been much the same with a wonderful white winter! The snow has been regular on the hills surrounding Nundle and up towards Bendemeer and Uralla. However, even

though the snow is beautiful and well worth seeing make sure you take every precaution to ensure your family’s safety and the safety of other families on the road.

If I can offer any advice it would be to visit these icy conditions in a 4WD vehicle only, as normal 2WD cars won’t handle the conditions.

NAMOI That beautiful ‘boof’ sound anglers long to hear can

be few and far between during the colder months, and you’ll have to resort to alternative fishing methods to get that bite. With the water so cold you may find you need to let the water warm up and fish the afternoons and into the night to reap the rewards. Fish preserve their energy in the winter and will strike at something they find worthy of stalking and eating, so now is a good time to hit the water with that big

perfect snags for fish to live in. You’re going to need a lot of patience to score a Murray cod at this time of year and with the churned up dirty waters think big and bright lures for your best chance.

Carp and yellowbelly tend to shut down in the winter but the right bait can draw them out of hibernation if you’re keen enough to wait it out on the banks. Carp sift through the riverbed seeking worms, shrimp and aquatic insects and yellowbelly hang low sulking in the riverbed at this time of

In high water, fish the shallows around good rocky points for results on tough days.

A healthy Peel River cod taken on a faithful chatterbait.

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Divers have been working a treat with the cod; recently I have used 70-90mm divers and have caught some nice goodoo as a result. Full Moon Spinnerbaits are still getting the reaction we are after; if you stick out the cooling afternoon and pepper the willows and snags you could find a decent Murray cod on the end of your line.

PEEL The Tamworth District has received some much-needed rain that has stirred up the fish.

Chaffey Dam is sitting around the mid-30% mark. Dungowan Dam reached 100%, which means Dungowan Creek has a very good flow pouring into the Peel River in the heart of Dungowan Village – so it’s time to get excited and hit the water. Look for logs and other debris that has been washed downstream as it makes for

This month’s author, Hayley Mcdonald with a great example of what fishing through the day can produce. year. So take a mate, have a laugh, enjoy the scenery, set your hook with some bardi grubs and throw a line in the River to coax out those lethargic winter warriors.

QUIPOLLY DAM Quipolly Dam is situated 55km south of Tamworth and was constructed by the Peel Shire Council (now the Liverpool Plains Shire) in 1955 to provide drinking water to the nearby town of Werris Creek. These days many people head out to the dam to have a BBQ with friends and family or drop in a line for catfish, Murray

cod or golden perch. There is a boat ramp at the dam but water activities using a motor are not permitted, however you can fish from the shoreline and I can assure you that the monster catfish in the Dam won’t disappoint you! Wrangle the kids, grab a rod and head to Quipolly Dam for some fun family action!

There are also some very large cod in the dam worth chasing. There are some nice rocky walls and marshy edges that look good enough to hold some decent pockets of fish. Use natural

coloured spinnerbaits to tempt the cod as these lures resemble young catfish that the cod like to feed on, or if you wish to create your own colour combination head into Tamworth Fishing Tackle and the Great Outdoors in Tamworth and see Dean and the boys to knock up a spinnerbait of your colour creation. Hardbodies also work on fish. So perhaps pack a mixture of your favourites between these two lures types to increase your chance of securing a big one and putting a bend in that rod.

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The blackfish is not a commonly found species in this part of the world but a beautiful creature that deserves our respect.

Windamere delivers gold in the dead of winter some big fat footballs (golden perch). We pulled up to the boat ramp and started to set the boat up, pulled the rods out of the lockers and tied on the lures that we thought would work for the day.

We put the sounders on and rugged up.

The first hour was slow with no hits or touches, but

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Getting out of bed is hard at 4am when the temperature is -2°C and everything has frost on it. Aaron Graham and I loaded the boat and headed over to Windamere with high hopes to land

as the sun peeked over the hills and onto our backs Aaron cast his line and his reel screamed off.

“I’m on!” he said, as I pulled the net out of the locker. We saw colour, looked at each other and said, “Good fish.”

After two good runs, the first fish was in the net at a decent 58.5cm. The

The author and his friend Aaron Graham had a cracker of a day catching yellowbelly at Windamere.

second came not long after.

I watched as my line sank, and ticked as a golden hit it on the drop. Aaron wound his lure in to get the net for my fish, when suddenly he yelled out – it was a double hook-up!

A pattern had started to form. We knew the right colour lures and at what depth the fish were sitting at. We started to look around the dam for new spots as fish appeared on the sounder and began to bite. It was shaping up to be a good day.

In the end we boated twelve fish with an average size of 55.5cm and our biggest went 59cm. We caught two fish on the Jackall Red Belly Black mask vibe, three fish came from the Jackall Squirrel 61SP in red black SC colour.

The black ZX40 got four fish, and the Gulp Banana Prawn caught three fish.

LOCATION OF FISH We found most of the fish sitting on drop-offs in 25-30ft. However, the fish that were hard up on the bank in the sun were caught on Jackall Squirrel. The deeper fish we caught were on ZX40s and mask vibes.

We convinced the fish to

This kind of football size is common in winter, however the bite can be slow. bite with little slow lifts, using about 30cm of the rod tip coupled with a very slow roll. The fish hit the lure on the drop, and the lures we

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Copeton keeps anglers busy The water level at Copeton has been rising by a few millimetres per day over the last month or so, and after the rain our official water level is back to 18% with inflow of just under 500ML. Copes Creek has just over 100ML of inflow, so it will certainly be worth checking out in the next few weeks.

The cod are continuing to bring smiles to the faces of many anglers at Copeton Waters, with the early morning bite still being the best, although evening and into the night is still good. We find that the lead up to and just after the new moon is the best period, particularly for surface action.

Mark Muggleton has been finding success on big jointed wakebaits. It seems like the bigger the lure, the bigger the cod. Photo courtesy of Mark Muggleton. and releases lots of fish using mainly wood grubs.

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Kirk Taylor, a Copeton worker, fished a few weeks ago for two fish, one of 78cm the other a great fish going 114cm. He missed another good fish that day too.

Rowan and Ryan from Wangaratta in Victoria, who are regular visitors, have been getting some nice fish. The other night they got the fish they have been chasing for about a year. Congrats to Ryan on his 116cm cod!

It’s still big surface lures that are dominating the catches of cod at this time. If you’re not sure if the lures you have are going to be up to the task, then check out the range of lures we carry at the Copeton Kiosk, these are designed to catch our monster cod!

Once the sun is up and the day is starting to warm, that’s the time to swap over to deep diving hardbodies and spinnerbaits and spend some time slow trolling in water between 15-30ft deep around timber and rock structure. This will also get you some nice yellowbelly, and it never ceases to amaze me the size of the lures that a yellowbelly will try to eat.

Don’t think that the winter fishing at Copeton is only about lures, I spoke to a dedicated bait angler a few weeks ago who comes for the cod fishing during the winter and he catches

Adam Townsend has been putting in the hours at Copeton, and the rewards have been well worth the effort. Photo courtesy of Adam Townsend.

FISHING FILL-ITS

Illegal fisher fined thousands A man found in possession of hundreds of abalone and whelks during a NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) fisheries compliance operation, has been fined $8000 in court.

The 44 year old man from Melbourne was sentenced in Bega Local Court last month for the offences committed at Merimbula in June 2015.

NSWDPI Acting Director Fisheries Compliance, Tony Andrews, said the man was inspected by Fisheries Officers at Merimbula boat ramp and found to be in possession of 83 shucked abalone and 776 whelks.

“The man was interviewed and charged

by Fisheries Officers, with possess more than possession limit of fish

which carries a maximum penalty of $22,000 or 6 months imprisonment or both, and possession of fish in circumstances of aggravation, which carries a penalty of $44,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both,” Mr Andrews said.

“All fish were seized and the whelks were returned to the water alive.

“The man faced court and was convicted and fined $4,000 for each offence ($8,000 in total).

“Over harvesting of inter-tidal shellfish has a detrimental impact on the wider marine eco-system and is disappointing to those fishers who do the right thing.

“People wishing to take shellfish for consumption should familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations which are in

place to ensure sustainable harvesting practices.”

The possession limit per person for abalone is two, with a minimum size limit of 11.7cm.

Fishers can also have up to a maximum of 20 whelks.

All fishers must also make sure they carry a valid recreational fishing fee with them at all times.

“The collection of inter-tidal shellfish is a priority area for DPI Fisheries Compliance.

Fisheries Officers will continue to monitor and enforce the regulations in this fishery,” Mr Andrews said.

“Anyone who suspects the illegal taking and sale of shellfish in NSW, or any illegal fishing, should report it to the Fisher’s Watch Phoneline on 1800 043 536.”

– NSW Fisheries

Welcome to

BEMM RIVER

Bemm River Boat Hire A great way to explore everything that Sydenham Inlet has to offer is to hire a boat. This can be done through Bemm River

Accommodation and hire boats. David Sturgess has a fleet of six Polycraft Challenger hire boats with 15hp motors on them.

David Sturgess launches and retrieves the hire boat for you, as well as taking you through everything you need to know to enjoy some time on the water.

They are available during daylight hours and can be hired for either a half or full day. The boats are licensed to hold four people and life jackets and safety gear are provided.

It’s all about the serivice – David provided excellent attention. He launches and retrieves the boat (at the main boat ramp in town); he fully explains the safety equipment and how to use the motor.

He also takes the time to provide local insight on what was biting and where, and the best techniques or baits to use.

The beauty of Polycraft boats is that they are robust, stable and provide a great fishing platform. With four anglers fishing from the boat, there is still plenty of room for everyone to fish comfortably and safely.

Even if the wind comes

There are six boats available for hire. up, you can easily get back across the Inlet with little or no fuss.

• Costs to hire the boats are $90 for a half day and $110 for a full day. You

can contact David on 0427 584 233 to find out more information and availability.

Bemm River Caravan Park Situated in the heart of town the Bemm River Caravan Park offers a range of accommodation options from unpowered campsites to self contained cabins.

CABINS The caravan park has

three fully self-contained two bedroom cabins that accommodate up to six people. Facilities include all linen, kitchen with a 4-burner cook top, fridge/freezer, TV, deck with seating and a BBQ, toilet and shower and plenty of parking.

The units are spacious and have all the creature comforts.

They are only a short walk from the hotel and café and a short drive from the main boat ramp on Sydenham Inlet.

POWERED SITES You have a choice of 40 powered sites in the park. All are grassy and the sites on the upper level of the park provide views of the lake and have fire pot facilities. The lower level sites are adjacent to the amenities and camp kitchen, which is a fantastic covered area that includes electric BBQs and a open fireplace and seating.

All sites are level, have plenty of parking space and are close to the town facilities.

UNPOWERED SITES Again, there are 40 unpowered site options, some

with lake views. Amenities are near by and fire pots are available in the area.

All sites are level, grassed and close to the town facilities.

Bemm River Caravan Park is pet friendly (dogs must be kept on a leash and under control and guests are requested to clean up after their mess). Greg and Mandy Forrester run the park and pride themselves ensuring everything is clean, tidy and well-maintained. They are also more than happy to point you in the right direction when it comes to the fishing or other things to do around Bemm.

• For enquires you can contact the park on 0428 557 438 or go to their website www.bemmriver caravanpark.com.au

If camping is not your cup of tea, Bemm River Caravan Park has three well-appointed self-contained units available to rent.

Left: The powered sites in the upper area of the park are picturesque and offer views of Sydenham Inlet. Right: The camp kitchen was recently upgraded and has a large covered area, electric BBQs and an open fireplace for guests to use.

Bemm River Cosy Nook Cosy Nook is a name that is legendary in Bemm River.

Most people will know the area through the TV and legends of the fishing

industry using Cosy Nook as their base to explore the region.

Situated on Sydenham Parade Cosy Nook has

seven fully self-contained flats available for rent. Each flat has reverse cycle air conditioning, a television, kitchen facilities with a large Left: Seven fully self-contained units are available at Cosy Nook with plenty of parking for cars, boats and trailers. Right: Cosy Nook has a beautiful bush setting and has a very relaxed atmosphere, what better way to enjoy Bemm River.

Left: There is a large camp kitchen with cooking facilities and a wood heater for larger groups to meet. Right: The recreation room has a pool table and a table tennis table for guests to enjoy.

84

AUGUST 2016

fridge and there are a number of outdoor areas for guests to enjoy. Depending on your requirements the units available are able to cater for 1-7 people, just speak to Christine about what you need. There is plenty of parking available and is ample for all sized cars and boats. Other amenities provided are a fish cleaning

station, large camp kitchen with BBQs and a wood fireplace, recreation room with a pool table and table tennis, guest laundry and freezer facilities.

Christine and Rob Foster are the owners of Cosy Nook and they have an intricate knowledge of the area and the fishing. Cosy Nook is only a short drive from both the

river (the Rex Hunt Future fish fishing platform is only just around the corner) and the town’s main boat ramp.

Cosy Nook has a great bush setting and is a very relaxing base from which to explore Bemm River.

• For all enquiries and bookings please contact Christine Foster on 03 5158 4231 or 0488 672 260.

Welcome to

BEMM RIVER

Bemm River Holiday Accommodation options Situated on Sydenham Parade, Bemm River Holiday Accommodation has a number of accommodation options available for you.

They have six two-bedroom fully selfcontained units with undercover parking.

They also have a fourbedroom house available to rent.

Linen is provided, but you will need to bring your own towels.

All the cabins have reverse cycle air conditioning, a television, a large kitchen space, plenty of

Large living spaces, reverse cycle air conditioning and a well fitted out kitchen are just some of the features you can expect at Bemm River Holiday Accommodation.

The two-bedroom self-contained units are well maintained, have great parking and provide plenty of creature comforts.

parking for your car and boat and a chest freezer, which is very handy to put your catch into.

There is also a guest laundry and fish cleaning facilities.

The kiosk provides for all those essential items you may need like insect repellent, ice, bait and tackle.

Another great feature is the camp kitchen and the Chardonnay and Shiraz decks. These areas can be used to relax and enjoy a quiet tipple, read a book,

Whether it is a cup of tea or other refreshments the Shiraz deck is a great place to unwind. discuss the events of the day (plenty of the “fish that got away stories” have been heard in these areas) or to bring a group of people together and have a BBQ. The accommodation is only a couple of minutes to the main boat ramp and also has boats available for hire.

• For enquiries please contact Robyn or David on 03 5158 4233 or 0427 584 233 or check out their website www.bemm accommodation.com.au

Many tall tales have been told in this camp kitchen.

Bemm River – Tag-A-Fish Promotion by Conducted gess iver Pro The Bemm R ement ro and Imp v c.

In Association

Over $10,000 in Prizes

The pristine tranquil location of Bemm River will be the scene of an exciting ‘Winter’ promotion this year in the form of ‘Tag-A-Fish’ This comprises 5-tagged bream, tagged by Fisheries Victoria representative, Craig Ingram.

Entry is by registration, no entry fee required. This promotion opens on June 01, 2016 and concludes 31 August, 2016.

Registration forms are available from the following Bemm River business houses:

Bemm River Cosy Nook Flats Rob & Christina Foster 93 Sydenham Parade (03) 5158 4231

Bemm River Holiday Accommodation & Boat Hire David & Robyn Sturgess 41 Sydenham Parade (03) 5158 4233

TERMS AND CONDITIONS - BEMM RIVER – ‘TAG –A-FISH’ PROMOTION 01 JUNE – 31 AUGUST 2016 1. The promoter is ‘The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated’, whose registered office is at 41 Sydenham Parade, Bemm River, Victoria 3889 2. Members of ‘The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated’ or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the competition or helping to set up the competition shall not be permitted to enter this promotion.

3. There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this promotion.

4. Registration/entry forms for this promotion are available from the participating business houses: Registration covers for days competing. If entrant returns at a later date, they must re-register.

5. Closing date for entry will be 31/08/2016. After this date no further entries to the promotion will be permitted.

6. No responsibility can be accepted for registrations not received for whatever reason.

7. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the promotion and these terms and conditions without notice in the

Bemm River Hotel Ray & Debbie Bowen 3 Sydenham Parade (03) 5158 4241

Bemm River Caravan Park

Greg, Mandy & Carl Forrester 2 Sydenham Inlet Road 0428 557 438

event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the promoter’s control. Any changes to the promotion will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.

8. The promoter is not responsible for inaccurate prize details supplied to any entrant by any third party connected with this promotion.

9. No cash alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.

10. The winners will be notified by telephone, email and/or letter within 28days of the closing date.

11. The promoter will notify the winner when and where the prizes can be collected.

12. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the promotion will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

13. By registering in this promotion, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

14. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material. Any personal data relating to the

Bemm River Bungalows

Gordon & Annie Pearl Point Road (03) 5158 4225

Bemm River Holiday Houses Lisa Fitzgerald Banksia Street 0438 525 818

winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.

15.Registration into this promotion will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.

16. You are providing your information to The Bemm River Progress and Improvement Association Incorporated, not to any other party.

17. The tag must NOT be removed from the ‘fish’ and the ‘fish’ preferably kept alive.

18. The ‘fish’ must be presented to the Bemm River Hotel to have ‘tag’ number and details recorded. This will then go into the ‘draw’ at the conclusion of the promotion to determine the tag and the winning prizes. Prize draw will be Saturday 03 September, 2016 at the Bemm River Hotel at 2:00pm.

19.The tagged fish must be caught within the Bemm River and Sydenham Inlet system.

20. The ‘tagged’ fish must be angled with the use of artificial lure, fly or legal bait only.

21. The winner of the major prize, being boat, trailer and motor combo, agrees to leave advertising details on the boat for a period of 12 months.

AUGUST 2016

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Welcome to

BEMM RIVER

Bemm River Cottage Bemm River Cottage is situated on Sydenham Parade right next door to Cosy Nook. It is a house that sleeps up to 10 people. It would be ideal for larger families

or a couple of families and bigger fishing groups.

It is fully self-contained, air-conditioned and is very spacious and comfortable.

Features include a large kitchen and dining room,

TV, front deck with BBQ, bunk and traditional style bedding, laundry facilities and plenty of parking for all styles of boats, trailers and vehicles.

Bemm River Cottage

Bemm River Cottage would be the ideal base for larger groups to explore Bemm River.

Left: The cottage sleeps up to 10 people with bunk and traditional style bedding. Right: Comfortable and spacious, Bemm River Cottage has plenty of room to chill out if you just want a day inside.

is in close proximity to the River and to the towns main boat ramp and

ticks all the boxes when it comes to a base to explore.

• Contact Christine Foster

for bookings and enquiries on 03 5158 4231 or 0488 672 260.

Bemm River Hotel The Bemm River Hotel is the social hub of Bemm River. It is a meeting place to go through the

events of the day whether it is to celebrate a great day on the water, lament the one that got away or simply

to relax after exploring everything that Bemm River has to offer.

The Hotel was opened in

The Bemm River Hotel is the hub of social activities in Bemm River.

Top Left: Inside is a dining areas as well as an area containing billiard tables, a duke box and a fireplace. Above Left: There is a huge deck and grassed area out front to enjoy a beverage or a treat from the Café. Right: I am sure plenty of tales have been told while sitting at the bar in the hotel.

2000 on the same site of the original hotel, which burnt down in 1994. It offers a full bar service from draft beers, wine and spirits to takeaway alcohol. Incorporated in the Hotel is a café, whereby you can get your coffee fix, and enjoy a beautiful piece of cake or one of the other little treats on offer.

Other than the bar facilities, meals are also available 7 days a week (lunch and dinner) and pizza’s can be ordered throughout the day. It has a huge deck and grassed area out front with plenty of seating and billiard tables, duke box, big screen TV and fireplace inside should there be inclement weather or a

chill in the air.

The Hotel also has four self-contained units available for rent.

• For more information on the Hotel and the services it provides you can contact Debra on 03 5158 4241 or check out their website www. bemmriverhotel.com.au

Bemm River Hotel Cabins The Bemm River Hotel has four self-contained cabins available for rent.

They are located directly behind the hotel and conveniently located to both boat ramps in town and have plenty of parking

for boats and cars.

Each unit has two bedrooms and can sleep up to six people. The facilities inside include reverse cycle air conditioning, fridge freezer, TV and cook top. Outside there is an

undercover BBQ area for guests to use. There is also a fish cleaning area.

• For enquiries or booking contact Debra on 03 5158 4241 or check out their website www. bemmriverhotel.com.au

Left: Each cabin has plenty of parking and sleeps up to six people. Right: An undercover BBQ area and fish cleaning facilities are also available for guests to use.

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Bemm River Hotel has four comfortable cabins that are directly behind the hotel and are conveniently located to the boat ramps and other amenities in Bemm River.

Pro XS FourStroke Performance Redefined Built on the legendary Pro XS reputation for superior hole shot, top end speed and durability. Mercury’s new 115HP Pro XS FourStroke redefines outboard performance.

aLL new 2.1L modeL Torque (Nm)

UNthiNk

115hp FoUrStroke torqUe compariSoN previous 1.7L (L) modeL

Engine Speed (rpm)

115hp produces up to 23% morE TorquE and quicker acceleration than the previous 1.7L FourStroke.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

See your authorised Mercury Marine Dealer today.

Albion Park Hi Tech Marine 40 Princes Highway Albion Park Phone: (02) 4256 6135 Email: pauline@hitechmarine.com.au Website: www.hitechmarine.com.au

Sydney North Shore Shannon Outboards 3/41 Leighton Place Hornsby Phone: (02) 9482 2638 Email: sales@shannonoutboards.com.au Website: www.shannonoutboards.com.au

Dubbo Dubbo Marine & Watersports 36 Bourke Street Dubbo Phone: (02) 6882 2853 Email: bbeandel@bigpond.net.au Website: www.dubbomarine.com.au

Port Macquarie Hastings Marine 185 Hastings River Drive Port Macquarie Phone: (02) 6583 5511 Email: sales@hastingsmarine.com.au Website: www.hastingsmarine.com.au

Sydney North West TR Marine World 44 Curtis Road McGraths Hill Phone: (02) 4577 3522 Email: sales@trmarine.com.au Website: www.trmarine.com.au

Mid North Coast Disco Marine 160 North Street Grafton Phone: (02) 6643 1199 Email: sales@discomarine.com.au Website: www.discomarine.com.au

Canberra Canberra Marine Centre Shop 1/5 Wiluna Street Fyshwick Phone: (02) 6280 6738 Email: canberramarinecentre@outlook.com Website: www.canberramarinecentre.com.au

Sydney North West Watersports Marine 11 Binney Road Kingspark Phone: (02) 9676 1400 Email: info@watersportmarine.com.au Website: www.watersportsmarine.com.au

Taree Manning River Marine 13 Victoria Street Taree Phone: (02) 6552 2333 Email: jim@manningrivermaine.com.au Website: www.mercurydealertaree.com

Far South Coast Merimbula Outboards 382 Sapphire Coast Drive Tura Merimbula Phone: (02) 6495 9634 Email: info@merimbulaoutboard.com.au Website: www.merimbulaoutboard.com.au

Central Coast Insinc Marine 278 Manns Road Gosford West Phone: (02) 4324 4300 Email: troy@insincmarine.com.au Website: www.insincmarine.com.au

Sydney West Penrith Marine 4/133 Coreen Avenue Penrith Phone: (02) 4731 6250 Email: sales@penrithmarine.com.au Website: www.penrithmarine.com.au

Northern NSW / Gold Coast Tweed Coast Marine 32 Machinery Drive Tweed Heads South Phone: (07) 5524 8877 Email: admin@tweedcoastmarine.com.au Website: www.tweedcoastmarine.com.au

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Unbridled power, unexpectedly compact, uncompromising reliability, unbelievably fuel efficient. Mercury’s all new 75-115hp FourStroke Range. Unlike anything the world has ever seen.

2000

everything you know about 75-115hp FourStrokes.

Fathers' Day Gift Guide

Gift ideas for fishing fanatics this Fathers’ Day BRISBANE

Bob Thornton

If your dad’s anything like my dad, the gifts he’ll really appreciate are the things he’ll get plenty of use out of. Unfortunately, we can’t all have a Darryl Kerrigan type dad, who have poolrooms full of ‘sentimental’ gifts and an appreciation for the simplest of things.

Fathers’ day falls at a time of year where we have some of the best weather of the whole year. Warm, windless days are common through late August and early September, and rain events are at a minimum along most parts of the East Coast. If you ask me, there’s no better time to enjoy the outdoors, especially if you like fishing, boating, 4WDing and camping. It’s even more enjoyable if you can drag the old man out of the house and spend some quality time.

Because of this, it makes sense that anything you can buy that will encourage him to get out and enjoy the Aussie outdoors will make a for a great gift this Fathers’ Day. The past few months has seen some exciting new products come out, so let’s take a look at some gift ideas for your old man.

CAMPING AND OUTDOORS Wilson Backpack Spring is my favourite time of the year to put the boots on and hike into some of the most scenic places we have in my home state of Queensland. Sometimes I’ll even drag dad down into these places! There’s nothing more important in this sort of scenario than a good pack to carry all the essentials, and Wilson have you covered with their new backpack.

The Wilson Backpack has padded straps and back

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panel, making it comfortable for old backs and shoulders, and will store everything you need for a day of hiking and fishing. The pack has a clear, water resistant front panel, which allows you to operate a smart phone or GPS while it stays dry. On

Black Diamond Moji Power Station For those longer camping trips, you may want to keep electronic devices charged. This may include smartphones, GPS, spotlights or laptops. Let’s face it, most of us like

for all the technoholic dads out there!

The Black Diamond Moji Power Station can run off either direct AC, an enclosed rechargeable battery, or regular AA alkalines, and has a USB port to charge your hand-

top of all this, it comes with two Wilson Tackle Trays to carry all the lures you’ll need for the trip.

to keep up with the news of the world when we go camping… Black Diamond have the perfect solution

held gadgets with. It also doubles as a light, putting out an impressive 250 lumens, which you can adjust with an easy-to-use dimming button on the side. The Moji is only the size of a coffee mug, so you’ll easily be able to cram it into your pack and have it ready to use once you’ve set up camp.

STYLISH FISHING APPAREL Zerek Dry Fit Jerseys No matter where you’re fishing in Australia, sun safety should always be a priority. Slipping into one Zerek’s Dry Fit Jerseys is a great way to keep the sun at bay, stay dry, and look like a pro. Not to mention, they look great, which will probably only appeal to some dads…

With a UPF rating of 25, you can rest assure that whatever this shirt covers will be safe in the harsh Australian sun. The Dry Fit Jerseys are available in sizes from medium, and the way through to 3XL.

With these great bits of kit, the old man will be able to safely fish for longer, stay comfortable, and do it all in style… whether he wants it or not.

Tonic Eyewear’s Slice lenses Tonic now boast the thinnest and lightest polaroid glasses on the market, in the Slice lens, and any dad would

which provides distortionfree vision at any angle.

The 1.3mm Slice lenses are scratch resistant, have antireflective coatings, Tonic’s own unique polarizing filter system and are 50% lighter than regular glass lenses.

You can choose from 12 different frames and four lens colours. Dad will look like he means business on and off the water with these

appreciate the ergonomics and aesthetics of these new lenses, and the stylish choices of frames.

Tonics are made in Japan and incorporate a de-centred lens technology,

bad boys, again, whether he wants it or not…

FISHING ACCESSORIES Deeper’s Fishfinder range If you want to get something that any

Fathers' Day Gift Guide

fisher-dad can put to use, regardless of whether he’s boat or land-based, then Deeper’s range of compact fishfinders are definitely worth a look. The small spherical transducer talks via Bluetooth to your smartphone and becomes a very handy little sounder.

either a wallet or a satchel.

The FG Deluxe Bait Wallet come with a removable caribiner to clip onto belts or other tackle bags. The FG Deluxe Bait Satchel comes with removable transparent sleeves, plus mesh pockets for terminal tackle.

Berkely’s tackle bags

Deeper’s newest model, the Smart Fishfinder 3.0, can be cast on most standard lines, making them very appealing for land-based anglers. How good is that?

You’re actually able to map out a waterway from the shore and save it onto your smartphone! Dad doesn’t have to be good with technology either, as setting up these devices is very selfexplanatory, so he’ll be out on the water (or the bank!) sounding up fish like a pro.

Berkely Fishin’ Gear Bait Bag Tackle storage is important when you’re out on the water, and the Fishin’ Gear Bait Bags covers a range of storage solutions to suit every angler… and dad.

Whether it’s only for a few packets of plastics, or everything needed for a day on the water. These bags are built to last, with corrosion-resistant zips and fittings. They come in

are an inexpensive way to carry your tackle, and make for a compact solution to bulky tackle boxes that dad will just love.

Black Magic Surf Waist Pack September isn’t too late to get stuck into a bit of relaxing surf fishing, and Black Magic has you covered! The Surf Waist Pack has all the accessories your dad will need to get down to the beach and wet a line.

The pack includes: Velocity Surf line; Tough Trace; Longreach surf rig; hooks and swivels; Wasabi fillet knife; Bait Buddy thread; and fish handling towel. And once you have the waist pack, you can refill it when necessary with whatever tackle you require for your next fishing adventure.

For under $100, you can get your dad kitted up and ready to tackle the

surf What’s not to love about that?

LATEST AND GREATEST FISHING TACKLE Dark Horse Bass series rods If you want to get your dad something fancyshmancy, NS Black Hole

There are six models (2 spin, 4 baitcast), and between them, they cover everything from bass and bream, right through to impoundment barra and metre-plus Murray cod!

even better just last year. The new metal frame delivers high rigidity, so there’s no flexing when under load and no loss of cranking power either.

Like everything Shimano make, all Stradics stand up to the harsh Aussie saltwater environment.

If it looks like the old man is in need of a new reel,

the Stradic FK will almost certainly fit the bill, regardless of the fishing he does. Stradic have just about every fishing scenario covered.

With all the latest technology, and a price tag that puts it in reach of most anglers around Australia, it’s a great gift idea for dad this Fathers’ Day. GET YOUR GIFT SORTED So as you can see, there’s plenty of great gift options out there for Fathers’ Day, and this article has only scratched the surface! For more great gift ideas, you can head over to www.tacklejunkie. fish and check out the latest fishing products. have recently produced one very fine piece of machinery.

With models ranging from tiny 4-8lb bream sticks, through to 10-20lb poles suitable for impoundment barra, these rods have your options covered.

Fitted with Fuji KR guides and a Fuji hook keeper, these things are built to last.

If your dad is a diehard lure chucker, these rods will definitely be right up his alley!

Leavey Lures Murray Moth While Fathers’ Day is in September, and Murray cod season in all rivers will have closed, there are some Murray cod dams that remain open during the closure. It’s still not too late to cash in on the topwater madness in the Murray Cod dams in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and this is one of the best lures to do it with. The Murray moth is a jointed walking bait that’s 120mm long, has very sturdy Owner ST56 size 2 trebles and sports a beautiful finish.

Even if it doesn’t get wet this year, it might look nice in the poolroom (if your dad has one…) with all the other ‘sentimental’ gifts.

Shimano Stradic FK One of the best all-round reels ever made was made AUGUST 2016

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What’s New FISHING

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DAIWA LAGUNA 5BI SERIES

The 2016 Laguna 5Bi series is the smoothest, highest performing budget reel that Daiwa has ever released.

Featuring Daiwa’s innovations like Twistbuster II, Silent Oscillation and Infinite anti-reverse, this reel also employs five ball bearings, a high-speed retrieve ratio and Digigear II gearing system for ultra-smooth rotation and feel.

The ABS spool has a maximized core diameter and reversed taper, meaning there is 100% useable line. There’s no ‘dead’ line buried deep in the spool, so you can fill it with line right up to the edge of the spool lip without fear of tangles. The rearward taper of the spool’s core helps prevent tangles caused by excessive loops of loosely wound or stiff line falling forward from the spool on the cast.

This huge diameter spool lets line flow freely in larger coils and produces less line memory coil. The result is less casting friction for longer, easier casting.

The new Laguna series includes 2000, 2500, 3000 and 4000 sizes, and also features a 5000 size budget surf reel. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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NEW FIVE-0 MINNOW COLOURS

With the popularity of the Bullet Lures Five-0 Minnow, there was a need for more new colours to expand the range of this effective Aussie lure – and Bullet Lures has delivered.

One of the latest patterns is the trout fry, a natural, realistic colour. This pattern, along with the new gold fish, has already made its mark on hooking freshwater and estuary fish.

The fire tiger colour, which was previously only available in the 3cm Bullet Minnow, is also now available in the Five-0. This colour was an excellent addition as the little brother in the same colour accounted for many hook-ups when other colours were quiet.

The Five-0 Minnow comes in three versions: Silent Sinking, Silent Floating and Slow Sinking/Suspending. There are now over 20 colours to chose from, including trout and redfin colours right through to prawn colours for bream and flathead. Each Five0 Minnow is equipped with two Owner #10 ST36 trebles and Owner split rings.

Price: SRP $15.99 www.bulletlures.com

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HALCO MADEYES OCTOSKIRT

Designed in Australia, the Halco Madeyes Octoskirt is enhanced with natural squid scent, and constructed with Rubber Stretch Technology – a super-stretchy compound that enables the Octoskirt to withstand repeated strikes.

This versatile skirt can be layered on top of metal lures like the Halco Twisty and Twisty Jig, can be used in conjunction with bait or in a paternoster rig, and it can also be rigged with other Madeye soft plastics to create unique combinations that maximise attraction. It can also be rigged on a standard jighead.

The Octoskirt’s strong and stretchy legs wriggle with the slightest touch, yet remain strong when attacked. And like other models in the Madeyes range, it’s enhanced with 100% natural squid scent, which oozes into action as soon as the lure hits the water. All models in the range have been rigorously tested around the country with excellent results.

Halco recommends pairing Madeye lures with Halco Catch Scent (available in saltwater, saltwater fluoro, and freshwater). www.halcotackle.com

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FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

AUSTACKLE TUFFIES AND DEEP TRIX 1 Austackle Tuffies are made using a special

formula which makes them buoyant, stretchy and almost indestructible. Tuffies stand up to the rigours of hooking toothy critters better than regular plastics.

Leatherjackets, pike, flathead and even tailor are no match for them.

The action is not compromised – Tuffies are soft and flexible, making sure of an exaggerated tail action.

There are four shapes and seven sizes in the current range: the Whiptail Grub (65mm and 85mm); Paddleworm (65mm and 100mm); Ringtail Minnow (65mm and 95mm); and Fishy Thing (85mm). Tuffies have a natural fish scent, come in packs of six and are available in your choice of individual colours or a multicoloured pack.

The tail sizes are matched to Austackle Deep Trix jigheads, which are built on Mustad hooks. These jigheads are now available in both unpainted and UV-painted versions in a large range of sizes.

Price: from SRP $9 (Tuffies), from SRP $7.5 (Deep Trix) www.austackle.com

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DTD WOUNDED FISH

DTD, a fantastic producer of fishing equipment that specialises in squid jigs has just brought out a new jig for the upcoming season.

The Wounded Fish is a powerful squid jig with some superb squid catching characteristics.

This product imitates live fishes. It is wrapped with a special strong cloth with realistic a feel and great life-like details.

The Wounded Fish look like a weak, slow fish, and makes the product like an easy prey for squid.

DTD’s double weight system gives it perfect sinking position and the inner weight produces sound while squid jig is in action.

It comes in eight and five sizes: 2.2 (7.5 sec/m); 2.5 (6.5 sec/m); 3.0 (4.5 sec/m); 3.5 (5.0 sec/m); 4.0 (3.8 sec/m).

This jig was just presented on EFTTEX in Amsterdam, where it entered Best New Product competition in the hard lures and finished on top amongst squid jigs. www.dtd.hr

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HALCO MAX 190

Halco Tackle Company is releasing the highly anticipated big brother to the awardwinning Max 130: the all new Max 190.

The Max 190 (190mm/7.5”) has an incredibly wide effective operating envelope, working well from a fast cast and retrieve speed, all the way to a 14 knot troll. This lure dives to 2m, and the slender rear profile allows for increased hook clearance, vital for effective hook-ups on pelagic species.

The larger Max 190 features #7/0 inline singles, allowing larger hook gape and less leverage on tackle exerted from the fighting fish, as well as increasing angler and fish safety when handling large pelagic species on board.

This lure is forward weighted for a long cast into the strongest of headwinds without tumbling. Weighing in at 163g (5.75oz) with ultra-thick walls and a reinforced nose for extra strength, the Max 190 is cast in Halco’s high tech polymers. This lure is the ultimate in strength and durability, reflecting the usual high quality Halco standard.

The Max 190 is available in six fish catching colours. www.halcotackle.com

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

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

What’s New FISHING

POWERED BY

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PRO JIG WORM AND T-TAIL SHAD

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GEECRACK BEAT CRAW

Two of the latest Powerbait releases are the Pro Jig Worm and 2.5” T-Tail Shad.

The Pro Jig Worm features a classic worm body profile with the unique wobbling, padded tail. The beaver-like tail creates a wide, thumping action when it is worked through the water.

On the drop or on the hop, the Pro Jig Worm tail vibrates and flutters, exhibiting a lifelike action that’s irresistible to a range of species. It comes in six colours: black ice, opening night, purple chartreuse, emerald shiner, pink ice and watermelon pearl.

The 2.5” Powerbait T-Tail Shad features a classic ribbed worm body profile, with a slim, soft body for a fuller action. The T-shaped tail has a tight vibrating action at the slowest of retrieves. It is suited to Berkley Nitro jigheads, and you can fish it for trophy trout and mega bass with confidence. There are six colours: black silver fleck, watermelon, green gold, sardine shiner, pink glitter and brown pumpkinseed fleck. www.berkley-fishing.com.au

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The Geecrack Beat Craw is a soft plastic yabby/shrimp imitation, now available in Australia through SAbased tackle wholesalers Dogtooth Distribution. Originally designed to service the Japanese and European bass fishing scene, the Beat Craw is now making a splash here in Australia, and is already having a massive impact on our native freshwater predators.

The 3” Beat Craw closely imitates the movement of its real life counterpart. Six small legs produce a spontaneous, life-like flapping and vibrating motion with the slightest jigging movement. The two large arms and thinner antennae add even more action, and provide a level of stability when the lure is lying on the river bottom or lake bed. The soft yet durable material combines with original flavour and is impregnated with salt to keep those big fish holding on forlonger. Available in 17 different colours, the Beat Craw is ideal for a Texas rig, drop shot or as a jig trailer.

Price: SRP $11.95 www.dogtoothdistribution.com.au

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SCAN THE QR CODE!

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

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ALVEY GUNNELL ROD

The Alvey Gunnell Rod is a new concept in offshore and deep sea fishing. It negates the need for a normal fishing rod, so instead of having to hold heavy game gear in an unstable boat, you can just hold onto the Gunnell Rod and wind with your other hand. It makes fishing in a rough sea safer, easier and more comfortable.

The Gunnell Rod takes the weight of the fish, so it minimises angler effort. This makes it ideal for older anglers, novices and pretty much anyone who doesn’t want to be floored by a prolonged battle with a big fish.

This clever rod alternative fits into strong metal rod holders, and can accommodate any medium to large overhead reel. It has a handle for the angler to hold while cranking the fish (you can switch between left and right hand operation), and it can rotate to follow fish movement. It’s great for recovering teasers quickly, and you can also opt to match it with an electric reel for ultimate ease of operation. www.alvey.com.au

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

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DAIWA SALTIST COMMANDER

The Saltist Commander is the ultimate light tackle jigging rod, featuring the latest cutting-edge technology from Daiwa.

Daiwa’s high strength, reduced weight HVF carbon creates a rod that is lightweight and capable of punching well above its weight. X45 wrapping technology eliminates blank twist, which increases rod sensitivity and strength.

3DX further enhances blank performance.

By creating a six-wrap rectangular weave, the power is distributed evenly in all directions, allowing the blank to maintain its form when loaded.

This new system allows the rod’s power to be located at the lower section of the rod for more power and less angler fatigue. This leaves the upper section of the blank to absorb all the weight during a battle, rather than the angler.

Fuji K Concept guides eliminates line wrap, particularly with braided and PE lines. Fuji reel seats with custom alloy components provide a rock solid connection between rod and reel, while their ergonomic design ensures supreme comfort for long days on the water. www.daiwafishing.com.au

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JURO FLASHER RIGS

Juro Flasher Rigs are professionally tied rigs for snapper, flathead, mulloway, gummy sharks and reef species.

Juro Flasher Rigs are available in two sizes (4/0 and 6/0) featuring quality circle hooks. Each rig also features high quality 70lb trace material, and large, soft glow-in-the-dark beads.

Both sizes are available in eight colours designed by Juro Ozpro Tackle for Australian species including bleeder, pinky, red devil, shiner, squidder, sunset, yakka and zulu.

These rigs are a must for any angler fishing for snapper and reef species.

Price: from SRP $6.99 www.jurofishing.com

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BKK RAPTOR HOOK

The concept for the Raptor hook began when BKK engineers were asked to design a hook to withstand all conditions and a range of applications. The job requirement called for a hook with not only superior impaling power, but an unmatched level of both reliability and durability.

The process begins with BKK-81WV steel wire which undergoes a proprietary heat treating process. Next, the hook point is meticulously sharpened by hand, and finished with BKK’s resilient Ultra Antirust coating. The final result is a hook that is unprecedented in the ease of both penetration and strength. The Raptor’s combination of curved hook point and a wide hook gape minimizes the chances of pulling hooks. With the further incorporation of compact sealing, this increases the elasticity of the hook which further reduces the possibility of it being pulled.

For more information on this and other BKK hooks, check out the Nomad Tackle website. www.nomadtackle.com

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

What’s New FISHING

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FISH INC. PROP

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TANGO SHADS UPSIZED

The latest addition to the Tackle Tactics stable of brands is the Fish Inc. Lures range of stickbaits and poppers. These lures feature quality finishes, durable construction and come fitted with genuine, heavy duty Owner trebles.

One of the latest Fish Inc. releases is the Prop. This 140mm, 62g sinking stickbait casts like a bullet, tracks well at speed when worked on the surface and can be sunk to the desired depth and retrieved with short strokes or a sweep of the rod tip to vary the action of the lure. This versatile size stickbait has already produced a range of Australian species, including mackerel, trevally, tailor, mahi mahi, tuna and more. The addition of a spinning blade on the centre hook attachment point creates additional flash and vibration, both on the drop and when retrieved, that draws fish and attracts strikes.

The Prop is available in four colours: natural sardine, bronze mullet, pink shiner (lumo) and dorri.

Price: SRP $33.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

The incredibly popular Zerek Tango Shad has grown up; there are now two new, larger models, which will be released at the AFTA Trade Show.

The two new models are the 69mm and 90mm Tango Shads, and they both come in suspending and floating versions. Borrowing heavily from the original Tango Shad, the 69mm version was designed to run at around 2.4m with the same enticing action of the 50mm version. This opens the 69mm Tango Shad up to species such as flathead, big bream, jacks, golden perch, trout and barra.

The 90mm version was designed to tackle bigger snag-dwellers like barra head-on. Built uncompromisingly tough, the 90mm version will troll down to around 3m but when cast into snags, it can be worked with subtle tweaks or fast jerks to bring the strikes.

Both new versions are fitted out with the sensational Mustad 4x Saltism treble, specifically designed for lure fishing with an inline eye to position the hooks perfectly around the lure. www.wilsonfishing.com.au

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TICA SCEPTER GTX 10000K

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LIGHTER ANGEL BAIT

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CHINLOCKZ AND SNAKELOCKZ

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POWERBAIT PRO SHAD

The TiCA Scepter GTX 10000 reel is a fantastic reel for anglers surf fishing and deepwater fishing when you need a reel with massive line capacity.

The Scepter GTX reel is crammed full of features including a high tensile body, Longcast aluminium spool with a massive line capacity, worm shaft system that makes the reel super smooth and helps lay the line perfectly, thick bail arm system, instant anti reverse system and seven of TiCA’s RRB rust resistant bearings.

The Scepter GTX reel also features carbon drag washers that produce a maximum of 8kg drag pressure, to help stop large fish in their tracks. It also features a large power handle that aids in cranking in stubborn fish, and create less fatigue on the angler’s hands.

The TiCA Scepter reel is an excellent value reel for anglers wanting a reel with large line capacity. www.jurofishing.com

TT’s ChinlockZ Finesse and SnakelockZ Finesse jigheads are new weedless jigheads for smaller plastics.

ChinlockZ Finesse are built on quality Mustad black nickel, chemically sharpened hooks and are available in sizes 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0 and 3/0 for those wishing to fish small plastics on the surface or slow sink them into structure.

TT Lures’ Chin Lock system secures the soft plastic in place when casting, working the plastic aggressively and during strikes, making these jigheads ideal for Z Man plastics.

SnakelockZ Finesse offer anglers the same ChinlockZ Finesse jighead, free-swinging from a front weight via a sturdy stainless through wire. This through wire features an easy twist clip that allows you to swap hooks and head weights, or add a different style of hook that suits the diameter of the through wire.

SnakelockZ Finesse are available in 1/12oz, 1/8oz and 1/6oz in hook sizes 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0; and 1/4oz and 3/8oz in sizes 1/0, 2/0 and 3/0.

Price: SRP: $9.95 (ChinlockZ), $10.95 (SnakelockZ) www.ttlures.com.au

In response to angler demand, Insanity Tackle has released a lighter version of the popular Angel Bait. The new 3/8oz model has all the same fish-catching features as the 1/2oz original, including the unique spinning device, which creates a lifelike flash and pulse. The 3/8oz version is ideal for slow moving creeks, rivers and estuaries, working the shallow margins of lakes or when a super slow retrieve is required to elicit strikes.

If you’ve never seen Angel Baits before, you can think of them as blinged-up plastics or very toned down and more realistic spinnerbaits.

They appeal to a whole host of fresh and saltwater species.

This new model is currently available with gold blades, with silver blade models in the pipeline. All Angel Baits come in four colour schemes, and come pre rigged with twin curl tail plastics.

For more info, contact Wayne Dubois on 0428 582 812, or like Insanity Tackle on Facebook. Trade enquiries welcome.

Price: SRP $15 waynedubois@westnet.com.au

The Powerbait Pro Shad features a wider and bigger body profile that mimics a deep-bodied baitfish, and its jointed, sleek tail profile provides realistic movements.

On the drop or on the hop, the Pro Shad tail vibrates and flutters with a lifelike action that is irresistible to fish.

Each Powerbait Pro Shad is also loaded with Berkley’s exclusive Powerbait scent and flavour formula, which causes fish to hold on for longer, so you can feel more bites and set more hooks. Having a big profile on bite-size bait makes it look particularly lifelike, and its brand new, pro-designed colours add fish catching flair. Its high energy, tight action calls fish from far away.

The Powerbait Pro Shad comes in 2.5” and 3.5” sizes. There are currently nine tried and proven colours in the range: black ice, firetiger, blue ice, chartreuse purple ice, opening night, pearl white, perch ice, pink ice and purple ice. www.berkley-fishing.com.au

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

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What’s New FISHING TESTED: Getting Atomic Lures are an Australian brand that make lures for Australian fish.

These days we import a lot of high quality tackle, so it’s nice to know that the lure you’re using has been made in consideration of the species you’re targeting.

Atomic are certainly no stranger to the Australian tackle scene, and perform up there with the most respected and wellknown brands used in the country. Where Atomic’s lures are particularly deadly is on our light tackle sportfish, and the their new range of Hardz Vib 60 Rattle are testament to this.

When I pulled the few I’d been given out of their boxes, they didn’t strike me as being much different to other lipless crankbaits on the market. Sure, they come in heaps of fancy colours and are equipped with high quality Gamakatsu trebles, but we expect these sorts of things in the modern world.

They didn’t really raise my eyebrows until I dropped one over the side of the boat while chasing schooled bass. Upon finding a good school on the sounder, I opted to tie on the curiously named ‘Tristos Proton’ colour, which I thought looked a bit like the lovechild of a bony bream and a shrimp. When it found its way to the bottom in around 40ft of water, I gave the rod tip a gentle lift.

“What was that?!” my fishing partner for the day asked suddenly, now well awake.

“That was the vibe I just tied on!” I replied, very surprised at how much noise this little lure could emit with its ball-bearings.

That vibe caught half a dozen fish before the school started to wise up and shut down, and after cycling though several changes

It would be an understatement to say that I love catching and eating squid. I have been very lucky over the years, as our family has a holiday home where the squid fishing is exceptional and every time I visit I take full advantage.

Although my family and extended family enjoy it as well, this doesn’t extend to cleaning them. This slippery and sometimes messy chore for a long time fell on my shoulders. I have to admit, this has never really fazed me, but after speaking to friends and other anglers, they tend to avoid targeting squid, not because they don’t like catching or eating them, but because they dislike cleaning them.

good vibes from Atomic’s new lures

of lures, I eventually found myself reaching for the vibe again. This time, I let it sink to the bottom, and instead of imparting erratic lifts with my rod, I wound it slowly to where I believed the school was suspending, and just let it sit in their faces.

Out of nowhere, I heard the sound of the ball-bearings in the vibe rattle, but I wasn’t moving the lure… I eventually realised that what I was hearing was the sound of the bass just bumping the vibe as it sat there motionless, about 40ft below the boat!

That’s pretty amazing, considering that by this stage a sturdy southeasterly was coming across the hills and I could barely hear my mate cursing it at the back of the boat.

After a few of these curious ‘bumps’, one finally found a hook point and I was on again. Normally, I would have left this school after they stopped eating the other offerings I was dropping down, but the motionless vibe seemed to persuade these tentative fish to come and have a nibble.

I believe that the natural colour of my chosen vibe, in conjunction with its unusually small profile for a lipless crankbait were the game changers. Having small, sharp hooks also made pinning fish a heck of a lot easier.

On top of all this, I had an audible ‘cue’ to let me know when to strike.

The school finally agreed that the big floaty thing above them was to blame for all the sore mouths, and went quiet. As we moved off to find another school, I felt a renewed sense of enthusiasm for vibe lures in general, but couldn’t help admiring the craftsmanship of these tiny lures. The realistic scale and gill patterns certainly wouldn’t hurt if the bite suddenly got a bit tough.

TESTED: Squid

This was the first cab of the rank for the Atomic Hardz Vib 60 Rattle, which kick-started a red-hot bite.

Throughout the day, I noticed that I wasn’t getting the usual tangles, where one of the trebles catches the leader, causing the lure to spin or swim unnaturally. I attribute this to the smartly designed weight distribution in the lure, which allowed it to track straight as it descended to the bottom. There was no spiralling on descent, just a straight nosedive. At 10.4g, it’s pretty heavy, but the sink rate could be controlled depending on line tension.

Simplicity is something else to consider when making lures, and the single tow

point on the vibe was no hindrance to versatility. I found I could cast, jig, and dead stick it and still achieve a life-like and tangle free action.

As much as I would like to, I can’t spend huge amount on fishing lures, and at a reasonable $20.95 RRP, a handful of these isn’t going to break the bank or turn your tacklebox into a jewellery box…

For more info about these fantastic little lures, or to check out the rest of the Atomic range, visit www.frogleysoffshore.com.au – Bob Thornton

Ezy – no more frustration cleaning squid

Not for one minute am I saying that the Squid Ezy removes all the difficulties of cleaning a squid, but it does make the process simpler and the most difficult aspects easier.

Let me explain. There are four real battles when it comes to cleaning a squid; they are very slippery, it is difficult to remove the quill and internal organs, removing the skin and wings is a slippery and painstaking job and making sure there is no guts left in the hood to surprise you (best done by inverting the hood).

The Squid Ezy immediately assists with the first of these purely in its design. The one of tools is inserted into the hood of the squid and acts as a handle, making it less likely to slip out of your hands, it also separates the

The Squid Ezy kit has three tools of differing sizes to make the process of cleaning your squid a much easier and faster one.

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quill and guts from the hood, allowing it to be removed in one piece. If done carefully, this can be done without breaking the ink sack and avoiding the inevitable black mess that comes with it.

Once the internals have been removed, the Squid Ezy tool remains in the hood and one of the other tools is used on the piece the skin at the tail of the hood, you can then easily peal the skin and wings away, continuing to use the tool as a handle. I’ve found this is the most difficult component when cleaning a squid, and a very slippery process without the Squid Ezy tool.

Once the skin is removed, it is now a simple matter of inverting the hood and removing any guts that may remain. The tip of the tool is placed on the tip of the hood and the hood is rolled down the tool inverting it.

Clean the hood and rinse, cut the tentacles away from the head, remove the beak and you now have a clean squid ready to cook.

I have watched Rod from Squid Ezy do this in very quick time (check out the QR code hereabouts), but for me, it was more about getting the rest of the family involved in cleaning the catch. I can thank the Squid Ezy tools for there being far less emphasis on me doing the cleaning, as my girls and their friends now volunteer to clean the squid, or get cross with me if I clean them and they haven’t been told.

The Squid Ezy set consists of three tools of different sizes to suit small to large squid.

There are instructions on how to use the tools and the only tips I would suggest other than the information provided, is to have a container of salt water (or to clean your squid by the waters edge) to rinse as you go, and it

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

The author’s daughter and her friend were more than happy to help clean the squid as the Squid Ezy made handling them much easier. is so much easier to clean squid if they have been on ice or in a fridge for a little while.

To purchase your set of Squid Ezy tools, go to their website www.squidezy.com.au, or check out your nearest stockist.

– Peter Jung

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

Crompton’s crab comeback CE 1ST PLA Mark Crompton is making a habit of winning on the Costa BREAM Series. The Wilton based BREAMer has claimed victory at the Atomic-presented Forster BREAM Qualifier. The victory marked his third in the space of 18 months, and has dominantly stamped his name into the ABT record books.

Crompton is known on the BREAM Series as being one of the most prepared anglers, often going over and above… the rest of the field. Crompton began his pre-fish driving through the system, looking at the racks he knew from previous trips to the arena. He used the lower tide to look around, and identify areas that had each type of oyster lease: trays, baskets and racks. Initially, Crompton retrieved hardbodies parallel to the leases but found that approach didn’t convert any of the fish he found.

Confident he could figure out a way to get the fish in the racks to commit, Crompton elected to leave the leases, and head to the lake. Spending a few hours fishing the expansive flats of Wallis Lake, Crompton quickly worked out that the slightly deeper 8ft areas were more productive. Once the tide changed in the afternoon, Crompton committed to the oyster leases, with a plan to try and visually see fish in the cleaner water of the run-in tide, relying on his ability to get them to bite if he knew where they were.

Crompton opted to start on a set of floating

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

R

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

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baskets early on the first tournament day, but was unsuccessful in converting any bites. Choosing to head to the flats of Wallis Lake, Crompton targeted the deeper areas he’d identified during pre-fish. This again proved unsuccessful, with only one undersize bream hitting the deck.

With nothing in the well at 11am on Day 1, it wasn’t

trays and the fish would grab it as it drifted underneath.”

The period from 11am until the session ended at 2pm continued to get better and better for Crompton, as he amassed a 5/5, 3.38kg limit.

With the slow start to Day 1 firmly on his mind, Crompton opted to change tactics on Day 2 and start his day on the flats in Wallis Lake.

This time, the lake was kind.

Mark Crompton was all smiles with his win at Forster. the start that Crompton was hoping for, but he wasn’t overly surprised.

“You really only had two opportunities to get a lot of bites at Forster,” explained Crompton. “The first hour of the morning when all the spots were rested, and the last hour or so when the tide changed.” With this in mind, Crompton went to his confidence spot, a set of trays on the edge of a deeper 11ft channel, with washboards on the outside. It was here where Crompton began putting his winning tournament together.

Pitching Cranka Crabs over the washboard and onto the tray, before quickly dragging the lure to the edge before it snagged.

“I had to be on my game, as I stopped the crab it would almost drift backwards underneath the

Crompton caught two quality keepers and one smaller legal by the time he looked to head to the fruitful oyster trays. His technique on the flats was one he’d used many times before, alternating between a ZMan GrubZ, Juro Firebait and a Jackall Chubby.

“I was so eager to get to the racks I actually left the lake a little early, my racks hadn’t gotten the change of tide yet so I ended up back in the lake.” The change yielded another quality keeper for Crompton and now the time and tide was right for him to launch his charge for the victory in the oyster leases of Forster.

The last few hours saw Crompton fill his bag, and upgrade three times. His non-boating partner and event runner-up Shaun Egan also caught a few good keepers

using the same technique with the Cranka Crab. Crompton believed he had enough to ensure a quality finish, but never thought he had enough to take victory.

“My fish on Day 2 were actually shorter than on Day 1, so I thought I might have had maybe 3.2kg, I was blown away when the scales tipped 3.5.”

Crompton put this extra weight down to the inclusion of a number of fish from Wallis Lake in his day 2 bag, believing the fish from the lake weighed heavier than the fish from the oyster leases.

“The fish in the lake were heavier, but were hard to come by, I could catch numbers in the racks on the change of tide.”

Crompton sought advice from Forster and rack-fishing expert Kris Hickson before the event on what equipment to use, and it was his newly purchased outfits that did the damage over the weekend.

A Daiwa Generation Black Swamp Donkey, paired with a Daiwa Freams 2500 was Crompton’s outfit of choice, spooled with 8lb Daiwa J-Braid and a 10lb Sunline FC Rock fluorocarbon leader.

“It was really white knuckle fishing, with no time for nets. Just pull them out from the tray and swing them over the washboard,” said Crompton. “At one stage I had one coming in so fast I had to move like a slips fielder to catch it in mid-air before it flew over the boat.”

Crompton took home $2500 for the event victory, and has cemented his position as one of Australia’s best BREAM angler. The 2016 Costa BREAM Grand Final is on his home waterway of St Georges Basin, and he’s definitely one to watch when the big show hits the water in early December.

Babekuhl runs and guns for second spot CE 2ND PLA Russell Babekuhl is always a favourite going into any event at Forster, and he again proved why he is one of the best when it comes to extracting fish from oyster leases. His 10/10, 6.81kg limit looked to be safe for the victory until Crompton’s bag exceeded expectations.

Babekuhl went into the event knowing the majority of the session would be a struggle.

“I knew I’d get the majority of my bites in the last two hours of the session.”

Babekuhl chose to

start both tournament days fishing the washboards of the paddock, and managed to get an early keeper before the heavy fishing pressure shut down the bite at the front of the system. His game plan from here was running and gunning, as he targeted the outside poles of oyster leases everywhere from the paddock, to the top of Wallis Island and across to the Wallamba River.

“I found most of the fish this weekend holding on the outside poles of the racks, rather than the racks themselves, so I focused on these all weekend and didn’t waste too much time fishing the actual racks.” The key to Babekuhl’s pattern was his intricate knowledge of the waterway, identifying areas that were too shallow for most competitors to bother

looking at. Babekuhl knew these areas would get neglected, and that they would offer him a well rested area once the tide had risen enough to be able to access the area.

“I purposefully saved 2-3 shallow weedy areas that had scattered poles.

These poles were only deep enough in the last hour of each session and I knew that no one else would bother looking at them,” said Babekuhl.

On Saturday, these areas produced three fish over the magic 30cm mark, and a 33cm along with a 37cm kicker on Sunday. On Sunday, Babekuhl added another piece of knowledge to his pattern, identifying where the shags or other birds gathered on top of the poles, was where the fishing heated up.

Russell Babekuhl was as consistent as ever at Forster, claiming another podium finish.

Babekuhl keeps it fairly simple when fishing the racks of Forster, opting for

Walker repeats outstanding win -BOATER 1ST NON Stuart Walker is making a habit of winning ABT events from the back of the boat. With 2 victories already in 2016, Stuart Walker is making a charge at the Power-Pole AOY, attempting to run down Grayson Fong who currently leads the race.

Walker’s 9/10, 5.69kg limit was more than enough to edge out last year’s Grand Final champion Shaun Egan. wWalker started his weekend pre-fishing with Grant Kime, where he quickly found his go-to bait for the weekend, the ever faithful ZMan GrubZ 2.5” in Motor Oil. “I tried probably eight or so different lures out on the flats of Wallis Lake, but the ZMan GrubZ definitely got the most attention of anything I tied on,” said Walker. Day 1 saw Walker paired with Mark Brown,

and again he targeted the flats of the lake.

“We’d start a drift in around 15ft of water, and drift up the gradual rise until the boat was in 4ft,” explained Walker. The bottom composition was one of mixed weed and sand, with fish sporadically moving through the area.

“I’d cast out the ZMan GrubZ and allow it to hit the bottom, then it was a matter of slowly hopping the bait off the bottom, working the lure through the weed patches waiting for the bite.” His Day 1 bag of 3.27kg was one of only two 3kg bags in the non-boater division, and put him in the hot seat heading into Day 2.

Sunday had Walker paired with Tim Vickers, and the plan was for much of the same from Day 1.

Although they had a brief stop in the paddock to start the session, the bulk of their day was spent on Wallis Lake.

“I actually had the four fish I weighed in on Sunday by 10:30, it was a real grind after that and I think the fishing pressure had gotten

to the fish in the lake, we pushed it to the last minute and Tim was rewarded with a nice fish off a rack pole with only a couple of

this position, including his workplace, Construction Control, Otto’s TW, Kris Hickson from Manning River Marine, his lovely

Atomic

bait on a 3-6kg Abu Salty Stage rod, paired with an Abu MGX spin reel in a 30 size. Babekuhl’s line choices altered throughout the weekend, though his mainline always remained as 8lb Berkley Nanofil.

“I started each day with 10lb leader, but ended each day using 6lb and even 4lb leaders to get fish to bite, it was uncharacteristically tough for Forster, and the lighter leaders helped me get more bites.”

Although Babekuhl doesn’t fish as many tournaments as he has in previous years, he’s still one of Australia’s best and he’s got the fire in the belly to hold a winner’s cheque above his ahead again soon.

WINNING NOTES

Winning Tackle

Rod: Daiwa Generation Black ‘Swamp Donkey’ Line: Daiwa J-Braid 8lb Leader: Sunline FC Rock 10lb Reel: Daiwa Freams 2500 Lure: Cranka Crab (Heavy) any colour

Winning Edge

Crompton put his victory down to having faith that the incoming tide would bring with it more obliging bream. “It was the last hour of both sessions that made this tournament for me, I was lucky to get a few key fish in the lake early on Day 2, so I wasn’t under pressure to catch five giants from the trays.”

OSP Rookie Award

ABT newcomer Isaac Golby claimed the OSP Rookie Award, courtesy of FishTec Solutions. Anglers are eligible for the award when they fish their first season of ABT competition, and are rewarded with a generous prize pack worth $160 of top quality OSP product. Golby’s 8/10, 3.99kg limit was enough to also garner him 4th place in the event, banking a pack full of valuable prizes.

Stuart Walker with a pair of bream from his non-boater winning bag. minutes to go.”

Walker favoured a newly purchased Daiwa Silverwolf outfit, spooled with Daiwa Evo8 braid and 4lb Sunline Bream Special fluorocarbon leader.

Full of praise, Walker was quick to thank everyone that had helped him get to

Austackle Big Bream

partner Mel and the generous sponsorship of Atomic and Frogley’s Offshore as the event naming sponsor.

With two wins to his name in this year’s Costa BREAM Series, Walker is a red-hot favourite for the Power-Pole AOY and the Grand Final come December.

TOP 10 BOATERS

The Austackle Big Bream was actually shared during the Atomic Forster BREAM Qualifier. Paul Mazarolli and Jason Harlock both caught 1.24kg kicker fish. They shared the $500 Austackle cheque and both took home an assortment of sponsor product.

Forster is known for big bream, and there were numerous specimens over a kilo weighed throughout the two-day event.

TOP 10 NON-BOATERS

Place Angler

Total Fish

Weight (Kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 10/10 9/10 8/10 10/10

6.88 6.81 6.49 6.36 6.03 5.45 5.19 4.99 4.91 4.85

Mark CROMPTON Russell BABEKUHL Mark HEALEY Kristoffer HICKSON Grant MANUSU Shayne GILLETT Brian EVERINGHAM Tim VICKERS Ross CANNIZZARO Daniel BROWN

a 2” Gulp Crabby in camo rigged on a 1/40oz #4 Nitro jighead. He delivered the

BREAM Presente SERIES d by

Payout

2500 1150 + 1st MB (250) 1000 800 + 2nd MB (150) 650 + YB (300) 550 500 + 3rd MB (100) 450 400

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

Place Angler

Total Fish

Weight (Kg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9/10 8/10 6/10 8/10 7/10 6/10 6/10 6/10 4/10 5/10

5.69 4.98 4.24 3.99 3.82 3.69 3.19 3.01 2.90 2.75

Stuart WALKER Shaun EGAN Paul MAZAROLI Isaac GOLBY Simon JOHNSON Shaun CHAPMAN Rebecca FAZIO Russell WINTERS Andrew HARTCHER Jonathan THOMPSON

Payout Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack Prize Pack

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au AUGUST 2016

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Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic at Hume The Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic, Lake Hume is on 22 and 23 October this year. This year’s major prize is a Quintrex boat with Mercury outboard all on a trailer; along with over $50,000 in prizes the competition is growing.

All competitors who enter the Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic at Lake Hume will go into the draw for the boat. With over 400 contestants entered last year, and over 220 golden perch, 40 redfin and 20 trout

The junior division will be hotly contested this year.

presented for weighing, the event is growing rapidly and is fast becoming a premier event for golden perch with goldens reaching in excess of 64cm being landed.

Held on the picturesque Lake Hume, the event is open to all ages, and both lure and bait fishing is allowed. The centre for all non-fishing activities is the Lake Hume Tourist Park. The boundaries for the event are the confines of Lake Hume from the Wymah Ferry on the Murray arm and Tallangatta on the Mitta Arm. There are four categories for fish, which include golden perch, catch and release only, trout, redfin and carp. There are four categories for anglers, which

are adults, and juniors, both male and female. Champion team will go to the greatest number of fish caught by up to four members of a team over the two days. Carp do not count towards the champion team.

The Austackle champion angler is open to all anglers and based on the number of golden perch caught over the two days by an individual angler. Pre-Entry for the 2016 classic is $65 for adults and $30 for juniors. Entry on the day is $70 for seniors. To be a junior you must be under 15 on the 22 Oct 2016. Entry includes a meal on Saturday night and a sausage sizzle on the Sunday at presentation.

– Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic

As well as being a fishing competition, it’s also a great meet and greet event.

Dean Pateman caught this enormous 29kg, 145cm mulloway on a plastic and 16lb leader.

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S TRIC SERIE C E L E S S BA Charles ‘Westy’ West has made back-to-back wins on Lake Moogerah after a wet and windy weekend in Southeast Queensland.

The Ipswich angler caught only one fish, however it was big enough to relegate Dean Thomson to 2nd place.

The event was reduced to a single session on Sunday, after torrential rain washed out the banks of Moogerah on Saturday.

Come Sunday morning the clouds were blown away, with blue-sky overhead but almost gale-force winds ripping across the dam. Sixteen keen anglers braved the conditions, yet only four managed to catch legalsized bass. Traditionally, the boats used in BASS Electric competitions are small, which makes them more suitable

West goes back-to-back the rest of the field just out from the day use boat ramp.

“I went absolutely crazy after I got the fish in the boat,” said West. “We’d struggled through the entire session, after having some good success on Friday. When I hooked that fish I initially thought it was a yellowbelly due to some massive headshakes. When we saw it surface Adrian had to calm me down.”

With the tournament originally scheduled to be a two-day event, West prefished the lake on Friday hoping to find something to hold him through two tournament sessions.

“Friday was pretty successful for me, I found fish in three different areas. I then tried to eliminate the areas I thought were getting too much pressure.” After settling on one area, West and fishing partner Adrian Wilson decided to

“We still weren’t marking any fish coming through on the sounder, but you’re not going to catch fish without a lure in the water,” said West.

Turning to one of his favourite

these newly found baits for Australian bass.

Thomson wasn’t immune from the inclement weather, suffering a few litres of Moogerah dam over the bow

THE FUTURE IS HERE Self-contained Electric Outboards

Charles West made it back-to-back wins at Moogerah.

Dean Thomson worked hard in the tough conditions to stay on the fish and claim 2nd place. to being propelled by small thrust electric motors. These small boats were tested at Moogerah, with swells on the dam making travelling difficult and occasionally very wet, with numerous tales of swells breaking over the bow of smaller vessels.

West waited until the last minutes to capture the fish that would seal him back-toback victories on Moogerah, and he did it in style, hooking the winning fish with only 10-minutes to go in front of

check out the area on Saturday afternoon.

“We couldn’t avoid the fish on Friday or Saturday afternoon,” said West.

However, those fish were nowhere to be found come tournament Sunday, and the pair fished almost the whole session on the flat that had been full of fish the previous two days for no result. With half an hour of the session to go, the pair drifted from the area they’d focused on, down to the day use boat ramp area.

shutdown bite bass lures, West tied on a 1/2oz jighead, and stuck it on the front of a 3” Berkley Gulp Grub in pumpkinseed colour. He employed a slow roll retreive to get the big bass to bite.

“I’d make a long, wind assisted cast, then count the lure down 10-seconds before commencing the slow roll,” said West.

West fished the grub on 5lb Gamma Touch fluorocarbon straight through, spooled on a Daiwa Luvias 2004. His rod of choice was a 13 Fishing MUSE Gold 72ML. West has now won backto-back BASS Electric events at Moogerah Dam, and will be one to watch at the Bluefin Boats/ePropulsion BASS Electric Convention, which will be held at Maroon Dam later in 2016.

THOMSON SPOON FEEDS BASS FOR SECOND PLACE Dean Thomson found himself in second place after West’s last minute heroics. Fittingly, Thomson caught his bass on a Nories Wasaby Spoon, after ABT published an article with insights from Thomson on how to effectively use

of his new boat on numerous occasions.

“At some stages I had more water coming into the boat than going out of the boat through my bilge pump,” said Thomson. Sticking it out in the windy conditions of the popular Ski Club Point, Thomson had no lack of fish activity on his sounder.

Getting them to bite however was very tricky.

Normally preferring the 12g Nories Wasaby spoon, Thomson downsized to the 8g version, hoping the slightly slower fall and smaller profile might trigger a few extra bites. With two undersize bass hitting the deck, a few missed bites and one 1.5kg keeper, Thomson was just shy of notching his first BASS Electric victory.

Thomson threw the Wasaby Spoon on a matching Nories Structure spin rod, paired with 10lb Yamatoyo Resin Sheller PE and 8lb Yamatoyo fluorocarbon leader.

The top four anglers that caught fish have qualified for the season ending Bluefin Boats/ePropulsion BASS Electric Convention to be held at Maroon Dam in October.

R

RESULTS Place

Angler

Fish

Weight

1 2 3 4

Charles West Dean Thomson Chris Osley Les Smith

1 1 1 1

1.93kg 1.19kg 1.04kg 0.96kg

For full result listings, see www.abt.org.au

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

AUGUST 2016

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Hobie Kayak Bream Berkley Round 9 comp Round 9 of The Berkley Fishing round, of the 2016 Hobie Kayak Bream Series presented by Daiwa has been run and won at Port Macquarie in New South Wales.

Round 9, The Berkley Fishing round, of the 2016 Hobie Kayak Bream Series presented by Daiwa has been run and won on the weekend at Port Macquarie in New South Wales.

P o r t Mac is located about four hours north of Sydney and is surrounded by beautiful waterways – the Hastings River, canals, creeks, bays and the Pacific Ocean.

The city also has a fivestar collection of golden beaches stretching from Port Macquarie Beach to Town Beach and north along the 16km swathe of North Beach.

The tournament director was concerned about what the waterway would look like after a massive Australian East Coast low belted the coast line over the past few weeks. As it turned out, the day and waterway performed fabulously with 48 of the 56 anglers catching fish. Some anglers reported as many as 30 legal bream on the day. While the bag size of four bream for this round were light, we still saw bags with 1kg fish at the top of the leader board. Anglers from Queensland, the ACT and NSW all made the journey and for those who had not fished the location before, all agreed the venue was a great fishery.

At the top of the leader board with a convincing

win was Steve Crawley from Queensland with a four fish limit and a total bag weight of 3.15kg.

Steve also took out the Hogs Breath Café, ‘Boss Hog’ Big Bream which weighed in at 1.18kg.

Crawley took home over $1000 in cash and a Berkley sponsors prize pack for his first place and Boss Hog Big Bream combo.

In second place was Jason Reid for New South Wales with for fish at 2.97kg, who took home $480 plus a Berkley sponsors prize pack.

Andrew Death from New South Wales took home $310 plus a Berkley sponsors prize pack for his four fish bag of 2.85kg.

WINNING LOCATION When asked of his

success, Crawley said he used Google Earth a great deal and decided on a local place called Limeburners Creek. Limeburners Creek is the home of the Hastings oyster leases and is an ideal place for bream on soft plastics or hardbodied lures. With plenty of structure, the bream hold up around the leases and readily take baits or lures that are presented well. The man-made structures of Limeburner’s Creek are complemented with plenty of natural structure. If you spend time navigating this waterway you will see man-made structure and natural structure coming together to form ideal fish habitat.

“I fished the first bend and rack systems and

stayed on fish all day. Even though I only caught twelve fish all day, as it turned out, it was enough to take out the comp,” Crawley said.

TACKLE SECRETS “The only thing I changed was to upsize the leader from 4lb to 6lb Unitika to assist me with rack fishing,” Steve said, “this place is awesome and I can’t wait to come back.”

The divisions titles went to Michelle Carmody in the Womens with two for 0.77kg. Jack Gammie and Wade Mobbs (both from NSW) won the Youth category with four for 2.01kg and Wayne Bale took out the First Time Competitor prize with four fish for 2.45kg The Mortgage Corp Monster Mover for this

round went to Kendal Soo from Queensland.

Round 10 will take us to Mandurah, Western Australia with Round 11 back on the East Coast of Australia at Lake Macquarie NSW. SPECIAL THANKS Like all of the events in the Hobie Kayak Fishing Series, this round could not have gone ahead without the great support of our generous sponsors; Daiwa, Berkley, Atomic, Lowrance, RhinoRack, Strike Pro, TT Lures, Yamatoyo, Ecogear, Power-Pole, Mortgage Corp , Hog’s Breath Cafe and ABT. Thanks also to the team from Hunter Water Sports for providing Hobie dealer support.

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2016 AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

Aug 7

BASS Electric #4 Hinze Dam

Justin Thompson 0421 476 392

Aug 6-7

Central West TackleWorld Fishing Masters Rnd 4 Lake Windamere

Ian McLean 0478083066

Aug 20-21

ABT BREAM Qualifier #7 Clarence River

www.abt.org.au

Aug 24-25

ABT BREAM Qualifier #8 Gold Coast

www.abt.org.au

Aug 26-28

Grabine Freshwater Fishing Tournament Wyangala Dam

grabinefishing@gmail.com

Aug 27-28

Rnd 12 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Wallis Lake

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Sept 3-4

Central West TackleWorld Fishing Masters Rnd 5 Lake Burrendong

Ian McLean 0478083066

Sept 10-11

Rnd 13 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Nelson

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Sept 10-11

BASS Pro Grand Final Bjelke-Petersen or Borumba

www.abt.org.au

Sept 17

Central Coast Mini Bucks Brisbane Waters

Michael Shaw 0431344656

Sept 25

BASS Electric #6 Lake St Clair

Daniel Clancy 0419 690 418

Oct 1-2

Tomakin Mighty Fishing Bonanza Tomakin

www.tomakinclub.com.au

Oct 8-9

BASS Electric #5 Borumba Dam

Steve Noble 0409 239 065

Oct 8-9

Hobie Bream Classic Nelson

www.vicbreamclassics.com.au

Oct 8-9

Rnd 14 Hobie Kayak BREAM series Bribie Island

www.hobiefishing.com.au

Oct 15-16

Central West TackleWorld Fishing Masters GF Lake Windamere

Ian McLean 0478083066

Oct 22-23

BASS Electric Convention Maroon Dam

www.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.

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AUGUST 2016

FIND-A-WORD COMPETITION NRL PLAYERS

J THURSTUNA DARIUS BUOY ASH TAILOR GREG ICEJIG JUSTIN OREEL BEN BARRA DANE GARFISH JORDAN WAHOO COOPER DONK

MATT SPLITSHOT CAMERON FISH JOSH MCGAR MATT FILLET JOSH MANSAURI ROBBIE BARRA JAMES TAMAHI GREG BAIT PAUL GAFFEM

Win a pack of Pocket Balls – instant reusable pocketsized heat packs that are safe, waterproof and available in a variety of sport themes, including footy, cricket, golf, tennis, soccer and more! Activated by simple click of the disk inside the ball. To find out more visit www.take5energize.com.au/Pocket-Balls.

Name: Address:

P/Code:

The first correct entry at the end of each month will win the prize pack.

SEND ENTRIES TO: NSW Find-a-word Competition, PO box 3172, Loganholme Qld 4129

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

NSW AUGUST 2016

Phone (day):

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to Alan Sinclair of Lalor Park, who was last month’s winner of the Find-a-Word Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Pocket Balls prize pack.

Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – NSWFM

BARRA COUNTRY by Brett Currie

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE BITE ME by Trisha Mason

The subscriber prize winners for June were: T Oakley of Maules Creek, T David of Emerald Beach, G Clarke of Padstow, B Keogh of Bathurst, R Neylon of Uki, D Nicholson of Barnsley, who won a Gamakatsu prize pack valued at $50.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

FIND THE ZMAN LOGO

GEORGE & NEV by Michael Hardy

The answers to Find the ZMan Logo for June were: 12, 14, 20, 21, 24, 30, 35, 43, 45, 58, 66, 69, 80, 85, 90. – NSWFM The Find the ZMan logo prize winners for June were: S Newcombe of Birregurra, P Gardner of Hallidays Point, P Bevan of Nambucca Heads, J Gill of Laurieton, B Gear of Coffs Harbour, M Claydon of Karuah, A Robb of Gundagai, K Carter of Shepparton, B Wyatt of Ulladulla, I Errey of Leeton, M Blundell of Wallsend, J Giuliani of Kincumber, D Spinks of Scone, P Hamilton of Uranquinty, M Ryan of Ulladulla, F Johnston of Latham, W Newall of Cumnock, T Landrigan of Grafton, M Ryall of Singleton, B Jordan of Botany, D Turner of West Pennant Hills, C Barden of West Haven, M Blake of Walcha, B Schnitzer of Cooma, J MacDonald of Petersham, D Engel of East Branxton, J Paul of Inverell, L Hosking of Clunes, W Forbes of Nambucca Heads, M MacMurray of Eglinton, D Chandler of Theodore, M Hughes of Uralla , R Bland of Forster, R Jones of Toronto, K Lee of Concord West, D Turner of Kincumber, K Batho of Quirindi, L Cupitt of Goulburn, D Harvey of Ocean Shores, E Jones of Naromine.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM AUGUST 2016

99

Trolling from the yak BRISBANE

Justin Wilmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

About 30 years ago, when I was a young tackle rat, as opposed to the older tackle rat I am these days, I picked up three cheap hardbodied lures from the boat show and loaded them into my tackle box ready for a weekend away with the family.

fitted with two trebles. We hatched a plan to troll them from his little tinnie on our Alvey reels and mono line, targeting areas where we had caught flathead previously.

The rest is history… we caught a bunch of flathead to about 65cm in length and were damned to a life of being obsessed with shiny lures, how they swim and what they catch.

We also learnt a valuable lesson about buying quality

one of those hookless lures somewhere in my shed, a souvenir of a life changing experience for a couple of young anglers.

This experience led to many years of kayak and canoe trolling for species such as bass, golden perch and cod in the fresh, to tailor, barra, flathead and a range of pelagic species in the salt.

One of the most memorable captures being a 71cm grunter landed by a mate in a small

Ronny working a weed edge and drop off.

Trolling a drop off with the rod secured in the Railblaza rod holder.

Arriving at our holiday destination, I showed my mate the treasure in my tackle boss; 10cm long minnows, silver in colour, one with red on top, another blue and the last black, each

lures as one-byone, the hook attachment points were ripped from the lures by the mouths of hungry flathead, and we’d call it a day with only one hook remaining on the last lure. I still have

A lure retriever pole is an option for those trolling in shallow water.

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AUGUST 2016

Brisbane creek when it hit a small hard body lure trolled behind the canoe. The fish ran a few metres back into the mangroves, braid rubbing as it went and after some fancy rod work and canoe manoeuvring, we were both shocked at what surfaced beside the canoe. We still talk about this freak capture and with no camera on board, we made the call to take it home to get a couple of photos and it didn’t go to waste, baked whole in the Weber.

Anyway, excuse my reminiscing, let’s get back on track. Trolling hardbodies has produced fish for many years and proven deadly on species such as barra, bass, flathead, cod, mackerel, tuna and many more, with many surprise techniques springing up in recent years, such as trolling for snapper.

Trolling a lure behind the kayak, that is designed to represent a baitfish, produces a stack of surprises though and we have often landed up to eleven different species in a session. Whether it’s trolling to and from your fishing destination, trolling to locate schooled fish and then switching to soft plastics or another technique, or a dedicated lure trolling session, there are a few things you need to consider.

ROD HOLDERS When trolling short distances to your fishing

spot in a pedal kayak, you may prefer to hold onto the rod and work the lure by pushing the rod tip forward and then allowing the rod to drop back to perpendicular with the kayak. For longer trolling sessions though, and for paddle kayakers, a rod holder is the preferred option. Many kayaks have rod holders behind the paddler, however these are not really suitable for trolling as the rod tip is high above the water, reducing the lures diving depth and also the anglers ability to see the rod tip moving to ensure the lure is swimming correctly and monitor strikes.

Mounting an adjustable rod holder on the side deck of the kayak, in front of you, allows you to monitor the action of the lure, removing weed or quickly sorting the lure if it fouls and accessing the rod easily if you hook a fish or snag. Installing a rod holder mount on the kayak allows you to switch the rod from one side to another to fish particular structure. If

A net and lip grips help you avoid those trebles.

An adjustable rod holder – a safe and secure way to house your rod when trolling.

you are only mounting a rod holder on one side of the kayak, consider which hand will be working the rudder if using a pedal kayak.

I have witnessed a few epic fails when setting up rod holders on kayaks, so before you drill a hole to mount a rod holder, ensure that you get out on the water and make note of where your paddle or pedals track when propelling the kayak. There’s no point mounting the rod holder, only to find your feet crashing into the rod butt or your paddle stroke shortened and awkward because you haven’t mounted the rod holder far enough forward.

LURES Lures vary greatly in terms of size, colour, diving depth and profile. The old saying ‘match the hatch’ rings true and it’s worth carrying a selection of lures that match the baitfish found in the area that you’re fishing. Many lure manufacturers have made lure selection easier by noting the diving depth of the lure on the packaging.

Consider the species you’re

on a handline with enough venetian blind cord to reach the snagged lure. The lure retriever is slid down your line and either the weight shunts the lure off the snag, the wire mechanism or chain grabs the trebles on the lure, or you now have the strength of the venetian blind cord to lift the old crab pot, log or other structure… sometimes

with a fish still attached! For those fishing shallow water, a lure retrieval pole is an option and can be strapped to the side of the kayak when not in use.

ACCESSORIES I’m still a massive fan of soft plastics, because of the ease of landing and handling fish, with only a single hook point to avoid.

Even small flathead smack the authors go-to Bagley Rumble B 09. be afraid to swim a lure that is designed to run a little deeper when kayak trolling.

You can also regulate the depth and, to a degree,

through a sandy section or other snag free area and you can experiment with speed and the amount of line you have out to work out the

Tracking back over the top of the lure in the opposite direction to your troll, will see many lures pop free from the snag. If the lure is still snagged, you can try loading the rod up, grabbing the line above the reel and pulling it sideways to add more pressure and then releasing the line as you drop the rod tip, effectively shocking or sling shotting the lure backward off the snag.

If all else fails, it’s out with the lure retriever, such as a Tackleback, rigged

A pan-size flathead destined for the dinner table.

Flashback to a surprise trolling capture from over 15 years ago – 71cm of grunter from a small Brisbane creek.

Ensure rod holders don’t interfere with your paddle or pedal stroke. targeting and depth of water you’re fishing and then select a few appropriate lures, remembering that when trolling from the kayak the lures may not dive as deep as when trolling at faster speeds from a boat. Don’t

the action of the lure by varying the distance that you troll it behind the kayak and you will soon get a feel for how much line to let out when trolling different lures.

If you have a sounder on your kayak, troll your lures

approximate diving depth range of your lures. This understanding allows you to more effectively drive your lures in and around structure.

A loop knot or snap clip is often the preferred option for attaching a hardbodied lure, as it allows the lure to swim more freely, maximising the swimming action of the lure.

Anglers often have their favourite colour lure, but it’s worth having a few different colours in the kit and I will swim a natural colour in clear water and on bright days, switching to a darker colour, a lure with a bit of gold in it or with contrasting bars on the sides in dirty water, and if all else fails a lure with some fluoro pink or chartreuse in it will often switch on a bite.

LURE RETRIEVERS It is almost inevitable that you will find yourself snagged at some point.

A few of the author’s favourite colours for flathead trolling.

Holding the rod in your hand while trolling is an option for pedal kayakers.

When trolling hardbodies, you need to respect those two or three trebles, ensuring that you are carrying a net, preferably one that is hook and fish friendly, a set of lip grips to secure the fish, avoiding damage to it and yourself, and finally a set of pliers to make treble removal quick, easy and safer.

Whether you are wishing to make your paddling time to your favourite fishing spots more productive, cover ground and find the schools, or get active and hunt a few fish, trolling from the kayak can be a fun and effective technique that produces a wide range of fish species.

See you on the water…

AUGUST 2016

101

Product Profile

Deeper Pro+ Fish Finder review WANGARATTA

Robbie Alexander

Not since Jesus played full back for Jerusalem has the fishing industry seen such an exciting new piece of gadgetry as the Deeper Fish Finder, or the Deeper smart sonar.

Let’s go back to the start of my Deeper experience.

Earlier this year I was contacted by a man with a very long name, so I replied back to him and asked whereabouts he lived, and his reply was Lithuania.

There really is a first time for everything!

Anyhow, this gentleman had told me about an exciting product that he had, which was a compact fish finder that fits in the palm of your hand, can be cast out onto the water and sends a WIFI signal back to your smart phone or other smart device. He told me he liked the presence that I had in the fishing industry and asked me if I would be interested in using one, and field testing it here in Australia.

Now, like a lot of fishing journalists, I get offers for different things from time to time and have learnt to keep my wits about me over the years. So rather than pounce on a new free toy, I sat on the decision for a few days while I made up my mind.

I had a look at the Deeper Facebook page and saw that this device is very popular overseas, particularly in the USA and Britain, but also in many more countries.

Based on the fact that it is such a popular device, I decided on entering into a contract with Deeper to become an Australian Ambassador for their Deeper Smart Sonar devices.

But, it was a two way contract, I had my terms and conditions to add. I told Deeper that if I did not think it was a decent product, I wanted to be able to send it back without telling anybody about it, as I have worked hard for around 10 years building up my profile in the fishing industry and did not want to give that all away by promoting a cheaply made

• Ideal for bank fishers • Extremely compact, lightweight and versatile • Quality – this unit is built to last.

• Bathymetric mapping • Does not require a phone or internet connection to operate, and uses no internet data The deeper unit is not heavy to carry around, but is heavier than most large fishing lures, so you will probably need a heavy rod to cast it properly. I use mine with a 6-10kg baitcaster rod. (NS ONES). If you are bank fishing, and do not own a heavy rod, you can open the bail up on your spinning reel and throw the deeper unit like a tennis ball. ALWAYS use a clip or swivel of some kind and do not tie the line straight to the tow point on the deeper.

When putting the cover on, it is important to ensure that the words ‘water’ and ‘proof’ line up nicely, as indicated in this photo to ensure maximum waterproofness.

AUGUST 2016

Deeper unit, this flashing light is not visible, but you can purchase a night cap for the Deeper unit. The cap is fluorescent orange and transparent, and while the unit is on the flashing red light is quite visible at night time.

On your smart device, you will have the Deeper app (a free app and is available from the Play Store and App Store). You click on the app to open your fish finder display.

To connect the Deeper unit to the smart phone via

The Deeper unit sealed and ready to use is not much bigger than a large bubble float.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DEEPER UNIT

This photo shows the small WIFI transmitting aerial, the micro USB port used to recharge the device and the tiny flashing light that looks like a black line on the unit.

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imported gadget. I also told them that I wanted to be able to use it at my leisure, not theirs. In other words, if I needed to use a fish finder, I would use the Deeper, but if I’m in a waterway where I do not need to use a fish finder, then I will not be using it just for the sake of exposing their product.

Deeper were more than happy with my terms and conditions and pretty soon my new toy was in the post!

On 1 June my parcel arrived, my new Deeper unit.

Excitedly I opened the box for a look. The first thing that jumped out at me was the quality. It is European made to European standards. This unit is extremely strong and robust. I knew straight away that there was not going to be any quality issues.

HOW DOES DEEPER WORK? Basically, Deeper is no different than any other conventional fish finder.

Most fish finders are mounted to a boat with a transducer underneath. The transducer does all of the work (sonar, temperature, speed etc.) and then sends the information back to the display unit in your boat.

With the Deeper, the small hand held ball is the transducer. Instead of being mounted on to your boat, it can be tied to a fishing line and cast out into the water from the bank, or even lowered from a bridge.

Then, instead of sending the signal back to your display screen via a cable, it sends it back to your smart phone or other smart device via a WIFI connection.

The Deeper unit does not display the speed, but this is more than compensated for by the inclusion of a GPS, built into the tiny Deeper unit, which can not only flag submerged areas which you like such as snag piles and drop offs as way points, but can also be used to create bathymetric maps, which I will explain in more detail a little further on.

The unit also has a tiny little flashing light. When you have the black cover on, which comes with the

In still water the Deeper unit can be cast out and allowed to sit stationary, keeping an eye on what is underneath. The moment a fish swims under the unit the Deeper app sounds an alarm and a fish icon shows up on the screen (If you have the fish icons turned on) to indicate the depth of the fish. the WIFI, all you need to do is turn the Deeper unit on. This is simple… just sit it in the water. The Deeper unit is water activated, and has a red flashing LED light that comes on as soon as it gets wet.

As soon as it is on it will send out a WIFI signal which your smart phone or device will detect. The WIFI on your smart will turn on automatically if it is switched off.

If you have the app open when you put the Deeper unit in the water, it will connect automatically and usually takes between 1-15 seconds.

If you put the deeper unit into the water first, and then open the app, you may have to push the ‘connect’ button on the screen. It’s very easy to connect.

The moment you have the connection, your app will look like a fish finder, displaying the information that it is detecting. Depth, structure, fish, water temperature etc.

That is the basics, you are now using your Deeper fish finder to show you where the structure is, the drop offs, the likely looking fish holding places, the fish themselves and the water temperature. And, you are

doing it all from the comfort of your favourite deck chair without a life jacket on and with a cold beverage of your choice. Awesome!

Now let’s step away from the basic uses and focus on the more in depth functions.

Possibly the most exciting function on my Deeper unit is the bathymetric mapping function. Please be advised that the Bathymetric mapping function is only available on the Deepr Pro+ model.

A bathymetric map is the same thing as a contour map, but it is underwater.

A standard contour map

the Deeper unit, and follows it, recording the depth and automatically creating the map on your Deeper app as you go. While it is doing this, it is still showing you the soundings as it would any other time. The app splits the screen in half, creating the bathymetric map on the left hand side of the screen and displaying your sonar image on the right hand side.

As with any sonar use of the Deeper app, the bathymetric map is automatically saved to your Deeper app for later use.

You can lay in bed at the end of the day and review

CHARGING Once fully charged, the Deeper unit will last for around four hours of continual use before requiring a recharge. It recharges via a micro USB port, and can be charged from your car cigarette lighter, laptop USB, wall socket or even a portable power pack. displays contours to show hills, steep terrain, etc. and a bathymetric map works exactly the same way, but under water. The closer the contours are together the steeper the bank is, or the drop off is. This bathymetric map is created with the use of the GPS receiver in the compact Deeper unit. The GPS detects the position of

your favourite waterway that you mapped out. Or next time you visit the same spot, you can look at your app to get a visual of what is under the water without even using the Deeper unit.

With the bathymetric map, you can scroll left to right with the sonar image on the right hand side of the screen, and the little Deeper icon

Product Profile will move around on the bathymetric map on the left hand side. That way, if you see a snag pile or object that you like the look of on the sonar, you can see exactly where it is by looking at where the deeper icon is on the map.

To use the bathymetric mapping function firstly you need to open your deeper app and click settings. Scroll down until you see SONAR. Underneath the sonar title you will see ‘sonar mode’, Click on that and then select onshore GPS mode (PRO=+only). When you go back to your main screen you will see that it has now been split into two sections (mapping and sonar) and is ready to go.

All you do is cast the unit out and use it as normal.

Although, one thing worth remembering is that like all handheld GPS units, the Deeper unit needs to lock into enough satellites in order to function properly.

This can take anything from 10 seconds to 2 or 3 minutes.

Usually, the longer it has been since it was used the longer it takes to lock in. This

is known as a ‘cold start’.

There is a little satellite icon on the screen, when you first cast the Deeper unit out, the satellite icon will be red.

Don’t begin your retrieve until it turns green or the mapping function will not work properly.

With each cast, look at the satellite icon and ensure it is green before retrieving your Deeper unit.

If you are making successive casts to map out an area, it usually retains its satellite connection, however it may drop out from time to time, and usually only takes a few seconds to reconnect.

The Deeper app itself is absolutely brilliant. It is free, and even without the Deeper unit it is one of the best fishing apps out there.

You can use the GPS on your phone to mark waypoints.

You can save your favourite fishing spots on an offline map, complete with photos and information. It has a fishing diary for you to record your catches, complete with photos if you wish, and has an in-built calendar. Well worth the download! It does everything you want it to do

ACCOLADES Deeper has recently won awards at trade shows in both the USA and Europe for best new device, a clear indication of the quality and versatility of this product.

without actually owning a Deeper unit, except provide details of what is underneath the water.

There are a few extras available for the Deeper unit, such as a night cover and a mobile phone holder for your fishing rod which can be used horizontally or vertically. Both of which are very handy. There is also an adapter, which can be attached to the side of a boat or kayak, enabling the Deeper unit to be used while out of the water. This adapter ensures the Deeper unit remains rigid and does not bounce around in the water as your boat or kayak is moving.

The Deeper unit has an in built battery that lasts up to four hours of continual use.

To charge the battery, you need to open the Deeper unit by unscrewing the top half and removing it. This cap is very tight and pure quality, ensuring that no water can get into the electronics.

Inside you will see the tiny red light, which flashes when the unit is on and a rubber flap covering the micro USB port which is where you charge the battery.

On the top cap you will see the word, ‘water’. On the bottom half of the unit you will see the word ‘proof’.

When putting the lid back on, you need to ensure that the

two words ‘water proof’ line up, this ensures that the lid is on properly.

One of the things that I have been asked quite a few times since receiving

around 500mb for Australia and 300mb for New Zealand, so you may wish to use a WIFI connection to do that.

But once you have the app, and the maps installed you

the lure like a steam train, make a lot of noise and have a poor hook-up rate. I have never seen a single lure smashed by a Murray cod.

If a cod cannot break a lure,

The Deeper unit sitting on the water with the night cap on. my Deeper unit, is how much mobile data it uses.

The answer is none. It does not use any mobile phone data and does not require any phone service to operate.

The Deeper unit creates its own WIFI signal which is detected by your smart device. Obviously, you will need phone service, or a WIFI connection for the initial download of the app. Then, you may wish to download the offline maps which are

no longer require any internet connection to use the Deeper to its fullest potential. In fact, I usually turn my mobile data and Bluetooth settings off on my phone while I am using the Deeper Pro+ just to avoid any interference from other devices in the area.

Another thing that I have been asked a lot is “what happens if a Murray cod smashes it?”. Murray cod are a well known aggressive surface feeding fish. They hit

it sure as hell isn’t going to break a Deeper unit, and if hook-up rates are poor on lures with 6 hooks (2 lots of treble hooks) what chance is there of a cod swimming off with a perfectly round device with no hooks? At the very worst, if a cod hits the Deeper unit it will likely only leave a few teeth marks, and even then, I doubt that will happen.

It would be exciting if it did happen though!

AUGUST 2016

103

Evinrude launch 150-200hp Generation 2 E-Tecs FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

I must admit, I’ve never been that big on attending live music events – I could count them all on one hand, even if I lost a few fingers to braided line related injuries.

On the other hand, I’ve been a fan of Apple products over the years. We have used them for over 20 years desktop publishing Fishing Monthly magazines.

Watching an Apple product launch online seemed way too over the top for the marine industry.

descending on the Milwaukee Theatre. At the entrance, a marching band crashed out favourites to applauding delegates while inside the foyer another drum-heavy ensemble shook the foundations of the local landmark.

Swept inside by the human tide, hundreds of Evinrude staff greeted the dealers with cheering, joy and a sea of rainbow coloured glowsticks.

While a country covers band belted out the best of Garth Brooks and modern dancers set the scene for the impending release.

I would have only been half surprised if Donald

Want all of your engine telemetry on your smartphone or tablet? Buy the optional E-Link and you can see all of the data as well as control certain parameters.

So I was amazed when I attended the recent global launch of new Evinrude product in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where much anticipated smaller horsepower classes of Evinrude’s second generation (or G2) were set loose at their annual dealer conference.

They’re V6, 2.7 litre iterations in 150, 175 and 200hp, but more on that later.

Trump jumped from behind the screen, loitering with intent centre-stage.

If I’d ever defended Americans from being over the top, this outboard launch made me change sides. It was way over the top, and I loved every second of it!

Cutting to the chase, Evinrude’s hierarchy pushed the button on the reveal and a dealer network of over 30 countries was exposed to a

EVINRUDE = TWO-STROKE Evinrude has taken a bold stand in two-stroke technology, whereas a tide of fellow manufacturers are pushing punters down the four-stroke path.

For the consumer, this is great. As both technologies vie for market share, engine builders push each other to make their product lighter, stronger, smoother and more fuel efficient than ever before.

Just think about it. Right now in the marketplace, you can buy a 150hp class motor in two and four-stroke, supercharged or naturally aspirated, carburetted or electronically fuel injected, with analogue or ridiculously smart gauges. You can get them in different shaft lengths, rotation directions and colours. And, of course, at a variety of price points.

There’s never been more choice or more ways to tick the boxes with features your next motor needs.

But, if you want cutting edge two-stroke, then Evinrude’s G2s must surely be at the top of your list.

Let’s have a look at why.

FEATURES At the core of the G2 philosophy is the fact that every time a piston cycles in the cylinder, injected petrol combusts and acts as a ‘power stroke’. This doesn’t happen with four-stroke outboards.

Evinrude freely admit that the incumbent 2.6L first generation E-Tecs don’t do this as efficiently as possible.

Hence a full re-design of the cylinder shape to maximise the burn of fuel happened while these 2.7L G2s were developed.

Burning fuel as efficiently as possible is at the core of nearly all of the benefits that G2 has over

Now that’s just some boat porn for you. Twin rigged 150 HOs on this Tidewater would turn heads anywhere in the world. And the performance was spectacular.

The launch was a fusion of both of these spectacles.

As media representatives, we joined over a thousand dealers in a river of humanity 104

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much sought-after product.

Generation 2 E-Tec, 2.7 litre, V6, 2-stroke outboards in the 150hp, 150 H.O. HP, 175hp and 200hp classes.

And they loved it.

G1 (and over some of the technologies on the other side of the fence).

TORQUE There’s no doubting that these E-Tecs have low

The much anticipated global release of the Evinrude E-Tec Gen 2 motors from 150 to 200hp happened in Milwaukee, USA in June.

Expect these outboards on Australian shores in December 2016.

Quiet at idle and not smoky at all. Characteristics of a 4-stroke demonstrated in a 2-stroke outboard. end grunt. Although we didn’t have the opportunity to derive our own figures in the half-day we spent on Okauchee Lake I did get the opportunity to drive a variety of craft – some that I’m familiar with and others I wasn’t.

Evinrude weren’t shy to let you comparatively test performance, either, with several doppelganger hulls docked with same horsepower engines, same propellers and staff that encouraged you to compare for yourself.

Not surprisingly, none of the comparison boats saw the G2s beaten out of the hole.

In fact, if they did, I’m sure heads would roll. Across the board, the performance on a variety of hulls was impressive. Fuel use was low and performance was high.

Where I did feel right at home, though, was at the helm of an 18ft Ranger

bass boat powered by the 150hp G2. Definitely not at the ‘light’ end of the range of bass boats, the G2 not only presented a low, sleek profile on the transom, but the Evinrude threw the hull up and out of the water within seconds of stomping the foot throttle.

And control was so light and easy that I could do it one handed… which leads me to the next point.

VIDEO

Scan the QR code for the in depth interview with Jason Eckman, Global Product Manager for Evinrude outboards.

POWER STEERING Nearly every 2.7L G2 Evinrude comes with integral power steering.

Although not the first to incorporate fly-by-wire steering into the outboard, these G2s are first to do it with a 150hp. Of course, there are after market power steering kits available, but these are bulky, noisy and expensive. Especially if you want them on motors this size.

It’s hard to explain the difference in on-water experience that power steering makes – especially if you’re under 40 and haven’t driven a car without it. Or if you haven’t driven a boat with it.

To me, the steering is lighter than in a car through nearly all positions and speeds. And I could only hear it while the boat was at idle.

With the helm and throttle only sending digital signals to the motor, the mechanism is obviously housed in the engine.

But you need more than power steering to drive a boat efficiently one-handed.

That’s where iTrim comes in.

ITRIM AUTOMATIC TRIMMING You could never honestly use the analogy ‘it’s like driving an automatic car instead of a manual’ if you had power steering and not iTrim. iTrim is Evinrude’s version of automatic trimming. Like the steering, it’s fully digital and built in to the engine.

Turn it on and it self activates when the engine is trimmed all the way down.

Then you don’t touch the trim button at all.

Not at all.

If you do, it reverts to manual mode – just like the cruise control on your car when you tap the brake.

Like all know-all boaters, I reckon that I’m the best boat trimmer on the planet – especially when it’s

on my own craft – but let me tell you that I found it very easy to let go of control of this motor function.

Seriously. After about 5 minutes I wasn’t reaching for the trim button at all. I was doing things like I was supposed to be doing, like avoiding collisions with other crazy international media and holding a camera while driving a bass boat one handed.

You can’t do that safely on any of the bass boats that I’ve ever owned. Fact!

dash mounted ICON LCD displays on your device. And you can do it from anywhere in the boat.

Engine telemetry, including RPM, trim levels, fuel use, voltage and water depth can be displayed on the main page. Another page summarises the data into useful Trip Log metrics, showing distance travelled, total fuel used and average speeds.

Pocket economists will love the Eco page, showing instantaneous and average

transmitter. It’s not a standard inclusion.

LOWEST EMISSIONS EVER You’ll probably re-read this bit, because I did a double take when we saw the graphs in the presentation. Evinrude claims these are the cleanest petrol outboards in their class on the planet. And yes, they are a two-stroke.

It makes sense when you listen to the next claim. One fill of XD100 oil will last you 50 hours with normal boating use.

Now that’s a neat setup. This 150HO was fitted to a Key West and performed admirably.

The Key West was sort of out of place on Lake Okauchee – a recreational lake west of Milwaukee where Ole Evinrude first spawned the idea for an outboard motor – but the historical significance of the marina wasn’t lost on the BRP staff.

And yes, I do understand that other media may have been saying ‘watch out for that crazy Australian’. I did it for my country. We have a reputation to protect.

I think that the industry will very quickly drive this technology down through their ranges. Competitive manufacturers already have add-on systems that are backward-compatible, but require an extra switch panel on the console.

These Evinrudes have it all built in.

E-LINK Now, while the under 40s may not have driven many cars without power steering, I bet all of them have an Apple (iOS) or Android device in their pocket.

Evinrude’s new E-Link dongle (which plugs straight into the backbone of the engine instrumentation network) allows you to mirror all of the data shown on an Evinrude

I bet you just read that bit again, too. I asked the question.

50 HOURS At Australian XD100 prices, that’s a relief to all G2 owners – current and future.

As an indicator first-up, I didn’t see a puff of smoke all day on the test engines.

Or smell the traditional two-stroke odour.

That might be a negative to seasoned two-stroke

VIDEO

Scan to watch the on-theminute launch video, which was embargoed until the global reveal. fuel use as well as data to help you get the best possible efficiency out of your engine.

You can even use it to send data from the engine to a dealer.

That might not be impressive to the Facebook generation, but it sure beats hitting the engine with a hammer, which was Outboard Repair 101 for me with my first carbied 6hp!

Of course, the app is free – you just need to buy the

The E-Link dongle connects to the data backbone of the outboard network and can sit out of sight. The app is free.

‘Ice Blue’ is a new coloured cowling that suits saltwater boats to a tee. The customisable covers are a unique option for G2s.

lovers, but the fact remains that these engines are remarkably clean.

It all comes back to the inherent efficiency in combustion. Burn the fuel properly and there’s no waste or by-products of an incomplete burn leaking through the exhaust system.

AMENITY And that makes for a pleasant boating experience all round. We found these G2 E-Tecs to be quiet, efficient, good looking and a pleasure to drive.

You’d be mistaken for thinking that they behave like a four-stroke at low revs – there’s no discernable smoke and they’re comparatively quiet – leading to a pleasant boating experience.

DISTRIBUTED

BY TELWATER It was only recently (earlier in 2016) that Gold Coast based Telwater took over the Australian distribution of Evinrude outboards from BRP. The news of the Evinrude E-Tec G2 product moving down to lower horsepower classes was music to the ears of this iconic Australian boat builder.

“We’re selling a lot of big block G2 Evinrudes at the moment and the response to this new product is going to be mind boggling,” said Sam Phelan, another Aussie at the event Stateside and part of the Telwater management team.

“In Australia these motors will come with a 3+2 year warranty. Three

years if you choose a no-maintenance pathway or an extra 2 years if you drop in to your local Evinrude dealer for annual maintenance checks.”

Telwater’s Jason Draeger – National Sales Manager for Evinrude – agrees.

“The existing G2s are well accepted by customers and dealers, but let’s face it, that 150 to 200hp range is where it’s at for us. That’s a 5-6m boat and Telwater dominates that market share, so there’s no reason that we won’t see an increase in market share for Evinrude in the near future,” he said.

Jason forecasts that these G2, 2.7L engines will be available by December in Australia. In the meantime, visit www.evinrude. com for specifications, performance data, videos and model range.

VIDEO

Scan to watch our crazy Publisher hooning around an American lake, driving with one hand and filming with the other.

Also, you can scan the QR codes hereby on your smartphone to watch the content that Fishing Monthly created at the Milwaukee event.

SPECIFICATIONS (150HP) Engine Type................. 66° V6 E-Tec Direct Injection Displacement.....................................................2.7L Gear Ratio....................................................... 2.17:1 WOT RPM................................................5000-6000 Weight...................................................225kg-232kg Starting..........................................................Electric Controls.............. Integrated digital shift and throttle Fuel induction......E-Tec direct injection with stratified low RPM combustion mode Alternator... 133A total/50 net dedicated/14A at idle Steering............ Remote (hydraulic for TRAC model) Trim.............................................. Power Trim and Tilt Shaft Lengths.........................................20” and 35” AUGUST 2016

105

Polycrafts punching well above their weight BRISBANE

Stephen Booth

Polycraft Boats is a Bundaberg-based company that has been around since 2001 and is a branch of the very successful Poly Industries company.

The boats are tough, so tough that in the early days the Polycraft team would bring a 10kg sledge hammer to boat shows and actually let visitors have a

crack at breaking one of the display boats. It was pretty impressive stuff!

My initiation into the world of Polycraft Boats began around 2003 when Jason Medcalf got his first one and I was a mad keen jack chaser. It stood to reason that I’d visit the Bundaberg area to sample their jacks and Jason was just as mad keen as myself and Trent Butler. We had some super times in Jason’s Poly and I learnt a few valuable lessons about the

boats – the biggest being how well they handled shallow water as we screamed over rock bars, sand flats and mud to the next fishy bank.

These days Polycraft has extended their range of boats significantly to include six models from the small but strong Tuff Tender through to the large 5.99 Frontier. Since moving on to Wilson Fishing in 2015, I have been re-immersed in the Poly world. The Wilson Fishing work boat is a 4.80

The Brumby handles offshore work very comfortably.

The 4.8 Brumby Centre Console has been on some real adventures, which includes a stint on a mothership!

KEY FEATURES • The unique hull design features pronounced reverse chines which contribute to unmatched stability at rest. The reverse chines also promote lift when accelerating onto the plane and allow for tighter cornering at high speed.

• Polycraft boats feature a unique, soft ride. Polycraft boats flex to absorb the impact of the sea, just like the shock absorbers on your car absorb and deflect the jarring from potholes in the road.

• Polycraft’s dual wall hull absorbs both engine noise and the noise of the sea. This results in a quieter ride and a more enjoyable day on the water. If fishing is your passion you may benefit from quietly approaching you favourite fishing spot.

• Polyethylene has natural buoyancy and will float unaided when placed in water. The unique dual wall construction traps air in the cavity between the dual walls and helps contribute to buoyancy.

• Polyethylene has been shown in independent tests to have five times the impact resistance of fibreglass. This makes Polycraft one of the strongest boats on the market providing trouble free boating for many years.

• Polyethylene is very easy to maintain, clean and repair. In addition, it is less susceptible to marine growth than many other materials.

Brumby Centre Console, the most popular of all the boats Polycraft build.

And this boat has some tales to tell.

So we thought, what better way is there to take a look at Polycraft Boats than to have a chat about one that has been to hell and back, a boat that is still producing fish and a boat that really has lived a charmed life. And clearly the best place to

The Wilson boys love their flathead, and have used this rig to fish the famous Gold Coast Flathead Classic.

POLY TRAVELS QUEENSLAND • Huge dogtooth tuna at Cato Reef • Bass, barra, goldens and cod in the dams • Mackerel, tuna and snapper offshore from almost every port in South East Queensland • Flathead in the Gold Coast • Threadfin and mulloway in the Brisbane River NORTHERN TERRITORY • Barra in the Northern Territory (6 month stint) • Black jew in Darwin Harbour • Saratoga and barra in Corroboree Billabong

• Polyethylene is an inert material that is not affected by electrolysis that may be found in aluminium boats or osmosis that can affect fibreglass boats. In the harsh marine environment a Polycraft will keep looking good for longer.

NEW SOUTH WALES • Murray cod in Lake Mulwala • Flathead, bream, whiting and crabs in Big River country • Offshore fishing from the Tweed and Evans Head for snapper, mulloway and mackerel

• Polycraft boats are manufactured from UV stabilised marine grade polyethylene designed for extended use in direct sunlight. The colour is part of the material so your boat should retain the original colour and will never need painting.

VICTORIA • Snapper in Port Phillip Bay • Whiting and squid in Western Port • Estuary perch, salmon and whiting in Andersons Inlet

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do all this is on the waters around Bundaberg, where Polycraft Boats are born.

Sounds like a perk? Yeah you’re probably right, but you get that every now and then on the big jobs.

HISTORY The Wilson Fishing Polycraft 4.80 Brumby was purchased in 2006 and fitted out with a 90hp E-Tec. This was an ideal combination for a lot of the fishing that was to be done, which included bar crossing, reef fishing and shallow water trolling.

The expectations of this rig were pretty steep to say the least.

I spoke to Kord Luckus and Troy Dixon about the boat I was currently fishing from to find out just what they had put this boat

through in its relatively short, but certainly interesting life.

“The best memory I have of this boat is one of the most recent. We took this rig out to Cato Reef with us on Big Cat Reality Charters. The Polycraft was ideal for loading and unloading on the mothership because it can take the knocks and bumps really well. That trip we filmed from the Poly in horrendous conditions and it never once let us down.

It says something about the rig,” Troy said.

“My next memory is the complete opposite.

From 600nM offshore to fishing the Jumpinpin area for flathead in the Gold Coast Flathead Classic, the Poly allowed us to troll

These days, the Brumby is mostly used for local estuarine work in the salt.

the versatility of this rig.”

Kord, who has used this boat more than anyone else, had some interesting memories of the boat.

“I love this boat. I have taken it to hell and back and even to some places further than hell. It has never faltered when I needed it and some of the bar crossing this boat has endured will live with me forever,” Kord said.

“I love fishing for mackerel offshore from the Gold Coast and most times I am crossing the Currumbin Creek Bar. This bar is not for the faint-hearted and can really test a skipper and his rig. Being airborne at times and crashing back into the sea has not phased this boat one little bit.

“Apart from the regular offshore duties during mackerel season, the Poly is my main crabbing rig. I love crabbing and a lot of the time I am demanding the boat to take me into, and sometimes through, the mangroves. I’ve done things to this boat that would wreck a fibreglass boat and leave hundreds of dints in an aluminium boat. It’s a real workhorse,” said Kord.

While I am typing this in air conditioned comfort after a day’s fishing, I can

This green machine has been a part of some memorable catches for many people. the shallows, deal with the weekend and holiday wakes and gave us the platform to finish second overall in the event.

“The difference between the two memories could not be more extreme and shows

CONTACT DETAILS Polycraft Boats Address: 89 Childers Rd, Bundaberg QLD 4670 Free Call: 1800 336 603 Phone: 07 4155 2457 Fax: 07 4155 2088 Email: polycraft@polyindustries.com

While a little beaten around the edges, it still provides a comfortable fishing experiences to those who use it. vouch for the fact this boat is quiet on the water and is not afraid of the occasional scuffle with a rock bar, of which the local Bundaberg waters have plenty. It had been far too long since I’d visited these waters and they’ve changed after years of floods and scouring and depositing.

Luckily the jacks were still there along with plenty of flatties and prawns, and even luckier was that there were barra as well, a fantastic by-product of the floods that were so devastating for so many.

There is a fact box hereabouts of the adventures the Polycraft 4.8m Brumby, and the list reads like a Guide to the Best Fishing in Australia. It’s done a lot in its 10 years and continues to be the main filming platform for Wilson Fishing as well as Kord and Troy’s product testing boat. Most recently the green Poly has been haunting the Brisbane River as the boys work out the threadfin and mulloway tricks with the Zerek Fish Trap. Needless to say, it’s been a fantastic platform for this as well.

OVERALL It’s not often you get to have a good play in a boat that is 10 years old and still going. Most boat reviews take the form of a brand spanking new one with the manufacturer or supplier making sure everything is fitted out to perfection.

It was a real treat to spend a few days playing around in this boat. The history, the fun and the work this boat has done is a clear indication of the durability of the Polycraft boats.

The Brumby is also perfect for more relaxed styles of fishing, like soaking a few baits in the estuary.

Is she a little beaten around the edges? Yes she is, but you’d expect worse considering what she has been put through.

Overall this boat is a remarkable testament to the Polycraft brand.

If you want a long term boat that is simple and easy to maintain, then take a look at the Polycraft

range. There are six models and numerous build options (centre console/tiller/cabin) to suit your needs.

They ride quietly, handle a fair amount of sea and waves, and definitely provide the buyer with a rig that, if you’re like me and are not the best at maintenance, can provide years of faithful service.

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Boating made easy with common boating terms BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

The weather is warming up. Flathead, bream and tailor are on the job! The mackerel mob are going nuts in the bay and fat bass are hitting lures in the impoundments. There’s never been a better time to own a boat.

Genuine bargains are available, but you need to understand exactly what some of those entrancing, interesting and yet confusing terms mean. Here’s some insight on how to choose a rig to suit your requirements.

CATEGORIES OF TRAILER CRAFT Outboard trailer craft come in several different

gear along on a fishing trip.

Runabouts are open boats with forward seating and a windscreen. These are great boats, but if the hull design is not up to scratch, the driver and passenger sit close to the bow’s impact area. This can make a rough ride. Windscreenheight seats tend to be fairly low as well, and can be uncomfortable on long runs.

Weather protection will be improved with a bimini, a fabric cover or shade area set up on a metal frame.

Side console craft are open boats with a small console, windscreen and somewhere to set up navigation aids and switches set to the starboard side. These offer plenty of fishing room, but no weather protection. You’ll need a

controls set up on an upright centre console. These usually offer storage space and room for measuring controls.

Seating is often attached, but many boaters prefer to remove the seat and stand.

Centre console rigs optimise fishing space and dedicated anglers love the ride quality.

A boat with centralised weight is very easily managed and rides well.

Side pockets offer storage, which is always a premium in this style of open boat. An attached shaded framework to the console can offer limited protection from the harsh sun.

Centre cabin craft have oversized centre consoles and are usually over 5m in length. Ride quality and extra storage are the big attractions, and in some

The Procraft 6.2 has a smaller cabin, which makes it a cuddy cab.

This craft features a walkaround area beside the cabin. and increase bedding area.

The central forward cabin hatch should provide easy anchor access at all times.

Due to the weight and helm further back in the craft, ride quality is awesome with half cabin rigs. Fishing is largely confined to the rear cockpit, but weather protection is brilliant! For offshore work, these are hard to beat.

Cuddy cabs are similar to the half cabin rig, but smaller with a shorter cabin.

When you look at larger

driver and first mate are further forward and closer to wave impact.

THE WALKAROUND The walkaround is a feature of some half cabin craft. Walkarounds in various craft are far less likeable in bad weather. There’s walking space around the outside of the cabin, and handholds, to access the bow area. There’s usually a non-skid area to walk on and a step at the rear of the half cabin. A great addition to any walkaround

often referred to as ‘helming’ it. If seated driving is the norm for your intended purchase, try sitting at the helm and check all-round visibility. Remember, dealers often adjust seating to suit a customer. In a half cabin or cuddy cabin craft, standing is an asset in times of bad visibility. A seat with a bolster front section, which drops down for extra bracing, is brilliant for standing drivers.

SEATING SITUATIONS In smaller craft, seats can be as simple as cross

Prominent strakes are eye-catching on the bottom of the big Sea Fox Voyager’s hull as she jumps a wave. styles. Open dinghy-style boats are common, steered from the rear seat via the engine’s tiller handle. Many fish are caught from small open boats, and these popular craft range from 3-5m or more in length. They can come in dinghy-style rigs to pointy punts, which offer exceptional stability. These craft are usually cheap, but come with compromises.

Handy storage is more costly and weather protection is not a feature, so take the rain

raincoat when driving into waves. This craft tends to lean if you’re alone in the rig.

The bowrider is another popular craft. It’s open, fun to be in and has great seating up front as well as astern of the mid section helm position.

Great for touring, skiing and other tow sports. Bowriders are also very handy fishing rigs and often come with live wells, plush seating and a great ride.

Centre console rigs are the steering and engine

centre cab craft, the cabin is large enough to feature useful out of the weather seats, possibly toilets.

They also provide lots of fishing room.

Half cabin boats devote around half of their space to a cabin up front. There are bunks with storage underneath, plus goodies such as interior lighting, marine toilets under a bunk or even a central in-fill, which is a cushion designed to stretch between bunks

The Stessco Bowrider 490 offers forward and aft seating with lots of fishing room.

This set of awesome pedestal seats with strong back rests have useful lift up bolster on the skipper’s seat.

The Stacer Outlaw is a good example of a side console rig. Features include a windscreen, instruments on the console’s face as well as a top mounted sounder.

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cuddy cab rigs, the lines can get a bit blurry. Generally, the cuddy cab will not have sleeping bunks. Some weather protection is still featured, but the ride quality can be compromised, as the

is a wide forward cabin hatch near the anchor well, for when you need to access the well in unfriendly conditions.

THE HELM This is the steering position. Driving a boat is

members, or thwarts, which serve to brace and add rigidity to the hull, set up with flotation material. In cabin and larger craft, seats also offer height adjustment, a slide adjustable base, and a swivelling capability, which is useful for keeping an eye on trolling rods or towing water skiers. If the seating feels supportive and the helm seat provides ample legroom, with good visibility, then this one’s a go.

WELL KNOWN WELLS Most manufacturers make bigger, useful catch wells. Aeration systems are standard these days, but there’s always the option of simply loading it with ice to make a slurry and keeping the catch well chilled. At the end of the day, the well needs to be drained and cleaned or it will stink. A satisfactory

drainage system won’t feed waste and debris into the boat’s under floor area – which also stinks – but will drain through a pipe. Bait wells are not standard in all craft, but are a must-have in a dedicated fishing craft. They should also be plumbed.

DON’T BE FLOORED

BY THE FLOOR In smaller alloy craft, a good floor is worth considering. A floor fitted above the bottom sheeting and cross ribs of a tinny is a lot easier to fish out of a craft with a level floor.

Sloping alloy sheet floors with exposed ribs tend to flex a bit when somebody is standing to fish, which means that things tend to get under those ribs. Move your

feet, and the ribs quietly ease back into place, so if a sinker or swivel is trapped out of sight, there’s a starting point for havoc.

COMING TO TERMS WITH TERMS Beam refers to the width of a craft. Length is the straight-line

the hull has a considerable amount of vee throughout, of a fairly light weight, there may well be leaning when the hull is at rest and passengers

SeaJay make a lot of useful boats. Check out their side console 520 Velocity Sports.

Deadrise is easily seen here, along with a central planing plank and quite prominent under hull strakes.

measurement from the back of the transom, the area at the stern where the motor is usually bolted on, to the bow extremity. Overall length is measured from the transom to the end of any bowsprit or additional fitting up front, which will naturally differ from length.

Deadrise is a measurement of the angle of the vee under the hull. It starts at the bow where it’s quite sharp, then works back to a lesser angle of vee right at the transom. Some vee at the transom area can assist in a more gentle ride, but if

move to one side or the other.

Such a hull is sometimes regarded as ‘tender’.

A pod is an extended area behind the transom where an outboard motor is bolted. Pods effectively extend the length of a boat’s water line and provide further buoyancy at the stern.

Strakes are longitudinal extrusions moulded or formed under the hull, to provide extra grip on the water at rest, and reduce surface tension underway by allowing some air to get in.

Freeboard measures the actual height of the sides that displaced water needs to traverse before coming into the hull. Ideally,

freeboard is proportional to the craft’s length. Too little can make the ride wet and too much will mean the craft is easily blown about by wind, which makes it harder to drive.

A planing plank is a flat underwater section in the centre of the hull, which is widest at the transom.

It tapers near the bow and finishes where the bow’s finer deadrise section begins. A planing plank is designed to aid stability and assist in lifting the hull out of the water into a planing situation once power is applied. This advanced design innovation is mainly seen on fibreglass craft, but some alloy craft feature it as well.

The Procraft Alloy 470 is a neat runabout craft and looks great with a bimini.

The perfect boats for barra, bass or bream

You’ll find them where the fish are... since 1967 Mako 214 CC

For more than 20 years, Nitro have continually refined and delivered serious fishing boats for serious anglers.

Nitro boats are foam-filled to exceed US Coast Guard survey requirements.

This gives you the safety of level floatation, security and comfort – and additional fishing stealth – all backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Mako 234 CC Mako 284 CC

Fishing with Nitro is a blast!

Whether you’re a tournament pro or a weekend warrior, Nitro boats will ignite your passion and pack more fun into your day. Just getting there is half the fun!

The latest offerings from Mako feature the deepest internal freeboard of any boats in their class, while still providing large underfloor fish boxes, and the huge safety benefits of a true self-draining cockpit and foamfilled hull.

You’ll enjoy your offshore fishing more knowing that Mako’s 100% composite construction is totally rot-free, enabling Mako to give you the best warranty in the business – the Mako Assurance Life Time Warranty

The world’s #1 aluminium fishing boats!

Tracker’s outstanding quality and unique manufacturing process have made them the world’s largest boat builder – producing more than 40,000 aluminium fishing boats per year. Their foam-filled, unsinkable, 3mm plate alloy hulls are robotically welded to deliver superior quality at a lower cost – and are backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Tracker’s Pro Guide series is designed with a deep-vee hull for exceptional performance, even in rough waters.

Their Diamond Coat finish is a Tracker exclusive that resists oxidation, providing protection and a shine lasting 70% longer. Standard features include a Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance colour sounder, plus tournament-ready live well systems and rod lockers.

Call Tim Stessl now on 0429 680 504 to arrange a test drive or em:tim@flboats.com.au Hopefully it will be rough, as you’ll be stunned by the performance of these boats when the weather gets challenging!

Fishing and Leisure Boats, 165 Currumburra Road, Ashmore, QLD 4214

www.fishingandleisureboats.com.au AUGUST 2016

109

Stessco SunSeeker 540 with Yamaha 100hp

FMG

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

Boat testing in Melbourne on a dark, drizzly ‘Melbourne’ day – well, it had to happen eventually. Luckily, there were a couple of boats with canvas canopies to test. One of them was the ironically named SunSeeker 540.

Chelsea Yamaha’s Rob Neely and I sat, with the rain spattering on the canvas, talking about this new model. You can watch the full interview by scanning the QR code on this page on your smartphone or by visiting the Fishing Monthly YouTube channel.

Rob’s a passionate Yamaha dealer and he loves PERFORMANCE RPM................... Km/L Idle (700)................. 4.5 1000....................... 5.3 2000....................... 2.6 3000....................... 1.7 4000....................... 2.6 5000....................... 2.1 5800....................... 1.5 *Propped with aluminium 13¼” x 17” propeller

110

AUGUST 2016

setting up his Stessco boats so that they run well and pump out plenty of tunes.

The SunSeeker 540 did both, in style. Melbourne’s weather was nice enough to fine up for the water-test part of the day.

Powered by a 100hp Yamaha 4-stroke, the Stessco SunSeeker 540 reached 56km/h, with an economical cruising range of 3500-4500rpm.

With economies reaching nearly 3km/L, the Yammy sure showed its frugality at cruising speeds. If you’re after more speed, the hull is rated to a maximum of 115hp.

If you take away the optional bait station mounted on the transom, you’d be fooled into thinking that this is a family boat. Boarding from the stern is easy, with the foldout ladder, wide duckboards and transom door. The ‘V-birth’ cabin seems larger than it actually is without a passenger side bulkhead.

Continuing the family friendly theme, this boat comes on a single axle Stessco trailer and most family-sized cars readily tow it. Priced in the low $40Ks, it also fits into

many family budgets for a boat over 5m in length.

Looking forward though, you may find it difficult to find the Stessco Sun Seeker 540 in the Stessco range. That’s because it’ll be called the 550 in future catalogues and Stessco ranges.

According to Stessco’s Adrian Beil, there are also some transom

improvements that you’ll see in the current models.

Regardless, the Stessco switches out of ‘family’ mode and into ‘fishing’ mode pretty easily. Deep gunwales allow you to nestle up to the side of the boat when dropping a line offshore, and the addition of the bait station gives you somewhere to consolidate the mess that chopping bait can make.

There’s nothing worse than a tiny hatch to access the anchor. If you get stuck in this one, seriously consider fewer pies.

SPECIFICATIONS Deadrise at transom......................................... 17.5° Hull.....................................................................4mm Sides..................................................................3mm LOA..................................................................5.55m Beam................................................................2.26m Depth...............................................................1.15m Max hp................................................................. 115 Max Transom weight....................................... 180kg Capacity....................................................6 persons Hull weight......................................................580kg There’s plenty of cockpit space for at least three to fish quite comfortably and an inbuilt, plumbed live bait tank takes the hassle out of keeping your live bait kicking.

Out on the water, the hull didn’t seem overly trim sensitive. Some boats – especially aluminium – like a lot of trim. This isn’t one of them. It cruised along nicely through most of the speed ranges with little difference to ride or economy.

On the trailer, the single axle helps to keep the price down and adds an element of manoeuvrability if you need to manhandle your boat into a tight parking space. Stessco make their own trailers and they’re designed to complement their hulls.

More information on the Stessco range can be found at www.stessco.com.au.

• Quoted performance figures have been supplied by the writer in good faith.

Performance of individual boat/motor/trailer packages may differ due to variations in engine installations, propellers, hull configurations, options, hull loading and trailer specifications.

VIDEO

Scan this QR code to see the full interview with Rob Neely from Chelsea Yamaha.

From above, you could nearly mistake this Stessco for a fibreglass boat. There’s plenty of space to get out of the weather too, which was handy on the test day.

Continuing the theme of simplicity, the helm has all of the basics. Some dry, under-seat storage is handy.

The 100HP Yamaha 4-stroke was as quiet and frugal as always. Spinning a 17” aluminium prop, the Stessco hit a top speed of 56km/h at 5800 RPM, although the best economy was between 3500-4500 RPM.

There’s nothing complicated about the cabin, and with the infill, it’s pretty beamy up there. The lack of a bulkhead in front of the passenger makes it feel very spacious, if not private.

Carrying 16.5° of deadrise through the transom softens the ride in the Stessco. Check out those duckboards. Ladder + duckboard + transom door = easy loading.

A single axle, braked, galvanised trailer keeps the costs down. Nearly all family cars will tow the SunSeeker.

The small kill tank/storage box between the driver and passenger seats can be drained into the bilge.

The test boat was fitted with a simple bait board option and a couple of rod holders. The transom door makes rear loading easy.

Rob from Chelsea Yamaha loves his sound systems, so here’s a solution – speakers in the rear seat box! I wonder if they act like a Hydrowave?

A plumbed livewell on the starboard side will keep livies kicking all day if that’s what you fish with.

AUGUST 2016

111

What’s New BOATING

1

NEW STACER NOMADS

Stacer has released two new Nomad models, the 449 and 469, building on the success of the 489, 509, 539 and 579 models. The entire range now features 4mm bottom sheets and 3mm top side sheets.

The new standard Stacer Sports Side Console has a modern sporty look with more dash space, allowing for larger sounders and electronics to be fitted. An extra seat spigot has been added to the front casting platform, taking the total to four seating positions for maximum fishability.

Stacer National Account Manager Drew Jackson said new features will keep the Nomad range a favourite among anglers.

“Fishos will love the new features like the new Shark Carpet which is soft underfoot and provides excellent grip,” he said. “These boats offer great value for money with many features coming as standard including carpeted floors, bimini and envelope and four rod holders.” www.stacer.com.au

2

COMPACT REACTOR AP

Ideal for outboard-powered boats up to 9m, Garmin’s GHP Compact Reactor autopilot is based on solid-state 9-axis AHRS technology.

The Compact Reactor Starter Pack includes the core autopilot components needed to install and use alongside a compatible chartplotter. Another configuration is available with a GHC 20 Autopilot Control Unit, and the third option adds both the GHC 20 and the Garminpatented Shadow Drive. Shadow Drive allows users to disengage the AP with a turn of the wheel, allowing them to always remain in control of the vessel.

Fully integrated with compatible Garmin electronics, the Compact Reactor series can be controlled directly from the chartplotter.

The AP can also be engaged to follow Garmin’s Auto Guidance technology, which eliminates the hassle of entering different waypoints. Simply move the cursor on the map to where you want to go and the AP will plan the route from your current location – avoiding shallow water and other charted obstructions – and then engage.

Price: SRP from $1799 www.garmin.com/en-AU

3

NEW STRESSFREE WINCHES

Stressfree Marine, based in SA, was born in the mid-1990s when engineer Dean Forster wanted a system that would allow him to release and retrieve his anchor much faster. This led to the development of Stressfree Marine’s standard drum anchor winch range, and their patented Freefall range, featuring one-touch precision anchoring at five times the speed of standard winches.

In their most recent anchor winch developments, Stressfree Marine have continued to focus on safety, durability and functionality. By increasing the size of their satin finish 316L marine grade stainless steel base plate from 6mm to 8mm, Stressfree Marine has found a way to deliver an even higher level of stability in unfavourable weather.

Further solidifying their lead with the highest torque gearbox on any drum winch, the Drive Shaft has increased from 18mm to 25mm, and the pivot bolt has been reengineered to deliver an extra 8mm of engagement. Choosing to use the Quick-50 series double anodised gearbox has also increased protection against corrosion and saltwater exposure. www.stressfreemarine.com.au

FISHING PRODUCT GUIDE

POWERED BY

4

SIMRAD NETWORK DIAGNOSTICS

Available for all NSS evo2, NSO evo2, and GO multifunction displays with GoFree connectivity, the new Simrad Network Analyzer and Service Assistant with integrated wireless diagnostics tools allow boaters to easily send system info to the service team. As long you can connect to a wireless network, this new update gives immediate access to the latest features, support and service.

The Network Analyzer tells you when new software is available, and the Service Assistant can transmit a detailed report of ethernet and NMEA 2000 network devices so tech support can troubleshoot issues more quickly. GoFree cloudenabled technology lets users receive automatic software update notifications and download and install these updates directly to their display.

These new free tools are available in the latest Simrad software release via a one-time manual download and update to compatible equipment. www.simrad-yachting .c om/en-US/ Support/Downloads

5

1

2

3

SEAFARER HEAVYDUTY X-SERIES

Australian fibreglass boat brand Seafarer and The Haines Group have unveiled a new range of heavy duty, performance-driven boats with the launch of the X-series.

Revolutionising its brand of state-of-theart, quality fibreglass trailerboats, Seafarer has transformed a selection of its standard models and beefed them up with the works. Extra resin, stainless steel and almost 100kg of glass have been added to their structural design, along with a massive increase in fuel capacity.

Included in the range are the popular Victory 6.0 and Vagabond 6.2, which have been ‘overbuilt’ to be the ultimate fishing vessels.

These boats have an impressive list of standard features including stainless steel rails and steering wheel, heavy-duty rod holders, live bait tanks and moulded seats including a tackle cupboard and hatch.

The Victory and Vagabond X-series have also been fitted with 270L fuel tanks. The max power for the Victory is 225hp, and the Vagabond is available with a twin configuration for more options. www.seafarerboats.com.au

5

4

6

MERCURY IMPROVED REMOTE CONTROL

Completely redesigned, Mercury’s new and improved Mechanical Remote Control is now available for owners who want to upgrade the handling and styling of their boats. The new look side-mount control makes boating both easier and more efficient for all drivers, regardless of their experience behind the wheel.

The re-engineering of the control box delivers an upgraded performance all around. An enhanced shift mechanism makes shifting smoother and easier, and provides drivers with an improved feel when they are at the controls.

The unit’s external cables have been upgraded to increase their flex endurance, extending their lifespan and reducing the chance of any servicing issues. A redesigned handle provides state-of-the-art ergonomics for long days on the water, and improves the aesthetics of the whole unit. www.mercurymarine.com.au

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

6

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

2016 2016 Local Local Time Time

SYDNEY (FORT DENISON) NEW SOUTH WALES SYDNEY DENISON) – – SOUTH SYDNEY (FORT (FORT – NEW NEW SOUTH WALES WALES LATDENISON) 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ MAY MAY mMAY

Time Time Time 0238 0238 0927 0238 0927 1540 0927 1540 2126 1540 2126 2126 0345 0345 1023 0345 1023 1640 1023 1640 2234 1640 2234 2234 0448 0448 1115 0448 1115 1732 1115 1732 2336 1732 2336 2336 0545 0545 1203 0545 1203 1823 1203 1823 1823

m m 1.58 1.58 0.52 1.58 0.52 1.38 0.52 1.38 0.71 1.38 0.71 0.71 1.61 1.61 0.45 1.61 0.45 1.50 0.45 1.50 0.61 1.50 0.61 0.61 1.67 1.67 0.38 1.67 0.38 1.64 0.38 1.64 0.50 1.64 0.50 0.50 1.72 1.72 0.32 1.72 0.32 1.77 0.32 1.77 1.77

0033 55 0033 0641 0033 0641 1251 TH 1251 TH 0641

0.38 0.38 1.74 0.38 1.74 0.29 1.74 0.29 1.90 0.29 1.90 1.90 0.29 0.29 1.74 0.29 1.74 0.29 1.74 0.29 1.99 0.29 1.99 1.99 0.23 0.23 1.70 0.23 1.70 0.32 1.70 0.32 2.03 0.32 2.03 2.03 0.21 0.21 1.63 0.21 1.63 0.38 1.63 0.38 2.03 0.38 2.03 2.03 0.24 0.24 1.55 0.24 1.55 0.46 1.55 0.46 1.98 0.46 1.98 1.98 0.30 0.30 1.47 0.30 1.47 0.55 1.47 0.55 1.89 0.55 1.89 1.89 0.38 0.38 1.40 0.38 1.40 0.65 1.40 0.65 0.65

11

SU SU SU

22 MO MO MO

33 TU TU TU

44 WE WE WE

1912 TH 1251 1912 1912 0130 0130 0734 0130 0734 1339 FR 1339 FR 0734 2000 FR 1339 2000 2000 0224 0224 0830 0224 0830 1427 SA 1427 SA 0830 2049 SA 1427 2049 2049 0318 0318 0924 0318 0924 1515 SU 1515 SU 0924 2139 SU 1515 2139 2139 0414 0414 1019 0414 1019 1604 MO 1604 MO 1019 2230 MO 1604 2230 2230 0510 0510 1115 0510 1115 1656 TU 1656 TU 1115 2321 TU 1656 2321 2321 0608 0608 1214 0608 1214 1749 WE 1749 WE 1214 WE 1749

66

77 88 99

10 10 11 11

0015 0015 12 0707 0015 0707 12 1314 TH 1314 TH 0707

1847 TH 1314 1847 1847 0111 0111 0805 0111 0805 1416 FR 1416 FR 0805 1952 FR 1416 1952 1952 0211 0211 0900 0211 0900 1518 SA 1518 SA 0900 2101 SA 1518 2101 2101 0314 0314 0951 0314 0951 1615 SU 1615 SU 0951 2208 SU 1615 2208 2208

13 13 14 14

15 15

1.78 1.78 0.46 1.78 0.46 1.35 0.46 1.35 0.73 1.35 0.73 0.73 1.66 1.66 0.53 1.66 0.53 1.33 0.53 1.33 0.78 1.33 0.78 0.78 1.56 1.56 0.57 1.56 0.57 1.35 0.57 1.35 0.80 1.35 0.80 0.80 1.50 1.50 0.59 1.50 0.59 1.40 0.59 1.40 0.78 1.40 0.78 0.78

LAT 33° 52’ LONG 151° 13’ LAT 33° 52’ of High LONG 151° 13’ Times and Heights Times and Heights of High and and Low Low Waters Waters Times and Heights of High and Low Waters JUNE JULY JUNE JULY JUNE Time m JULY m Time m Time m

Time Time Time 0412 0412 1038 0412 1038 1703 1038 1703 2307 1703 2307 2307 0503 0503 1119 0503 1119 1746 1119 1746 2358 1746 2358 2358 0549 0549 1158 0549 1158 1825 1158 1825 1825

m m 1.47 1.47 0.59 1.47 0.59 1.47 0.59 1.47 0.73 1.47 0.73 0.73 1.46 1.46 0.57 1.46 0.57 1.54 0.57 1.54 0.67 1.54 0.67 0.67 1.46 1.46 0.56 1.46 0.56 1.61 0.56 1.61 1.61

0043 0043 19 0632 0043 0632 19 1232 TH 1232 TH 0632

0.61 0.61 1.46 0.61 1.46 0.55 1.46 0.55 1.68 0.55 1.68 1.68 0.55 0.55 1.46 0.55 1.46 0.54 1.46 0.54 1.73 0.54 1.73 1.73 0.51 0.51 1.46 0.51 1.46 0.54 1.46 0.54 1.77 0.54 1.77 1.77 0.48 0.48 1.44 0.48 1.44 0.56 1.44 0.56 1.80 0.56 1.80 1.80 0.46 0.46 1.43 0.46 1.43 0.57 1.43 0.57 1.81 0.57 1.81 1.81 0.46 0.46 1.40 0.46 1.40 0.60 1.40 0.60 1.80 0.60 1.80 1.80 0.47 0.47 1.38 0.47 1.38 0.63 1.38 0.63 1.77 0.63 1.77 1.77 0.49 0.49 1.36 0.49 1.36 0.67 1.36 0.67 1.73 0.67 1.73 1.73 0.51 0.51 1.35 0.51 1.35 0.71 1.35 0.71 0.71

16 16 MO MO MO

17 17 TU TU TU

18 18 WE WE WE

1900 TH 1232 1900 1900 0122 0122 0713 0122 0713 1306 FR 1306 FR 0713 1934 FR 1306 1934 1934 0200 0200 0751 0200 0751 1340 SA 1340 SA 0751 2008 SA 1340 2008 2008 0237 0237 0830 0237 0830 1414 SU 1414 SU 0830 2043 SU 1414 2043 2043 0315 0315 0910 0315 0910 1449 MO 1449 MO 0910 2118 MO 1449 2118 2118 0354 0354 0951 0354 0951 1527 TU 1527 TU 0951 2156 TU 1527 2156 2156 0435 0435 1034 0435 1034 1608 WE 1608 WE 1034 2236 WE 1608 2236 2236 0519 0519 1120 0519 1120 1652 TH 1652 TH 1120 2320 TH 1652 2320 2320 0607 0607 1211 0607 1211 1743 FR 1743 FR 1211 FR 1743

20 20 21 21 22 22

23 23 24 24 25 25

26 26 27 27

0009 0009 28 0700 0009 0700 28 1307 SA 1307 SA 0700

1842 SA 1307 1842 1842 0105 0105 0755 0105 0755 1408 SU 1408 SU 0755 1949 SU 1408 1949 1949 0208 0208 0852 0208 0852 1511 MO 1511 MO 0852 2102 MO 1511 2102 2102 0315 0315 0947 0315 0947 1610 TU 1610 TU 0947 2214 TU 1610 2214 2214

29 29

30 30 31 31

1.68 1.68 0.51 1.68 0.51 1.36 0.51 1.36 0.73 1.36 0.73 0.73 1.64 1.64 0.50 1.64 0.50 1.40 0.50 1.40 0.73 1.40 0.73 0.73 1.61 1.61 0.48 1.61 0.48 1.47 0.48 1.47 0.69 1.47 0.69 0.69 1.60 1.60 0.44 1.60 0.44 1.58 0.44 1.58 0.62 1.58 0.62 0.62

Time Time 0421 0421 1040 0421 1040 1705 1040 1705 2320 1705 2320 2320 0523 0523 1131 0523 1131 1759 1131 1759 1759

m m 1.60 1.60 0.40 1.60 0.40 1.71 0.40 1.71 0.51 1.71 0.51 0.51 1.61 1.61 0.37 1.61 0.37 1.83 0.37 1.83 1.83

0022 33 0022 0621 0022 0621 1222 FR 1222 FR 0621

0.40 0.40 1.61 0.40 1.61 0.36 1.61 0.36 1.94 0.36 1.94 1.94 0.31 0.31 1.60 0.31 1.60 0.36 1.60 0.36 2.02 0.36 2.02 2.02 0.25 0.25 1.58 0.25 1.58 0.39 1.58 0.39 2.05 0.39 2.05 2.05 0.24 0.24 1.54 0.24 1.54 0.43 1.54 0.43 2.04 0.43 2.04 2.04 0.26 0.26 1.49 0.26 1.49 0.49 1.49 0.49 1.98 0.49 1.98 1.98 0.31 0.31 1.45 0.31 1.45 0.57 1.45 0.57 1.89 0.57 1.89 1.89 0.38 0.38 1.40 0.38 1.40 0.64 1.40 0.64 1.77 0.64 1.77 1.77 0.46 0.46 1.37 0.46 1.37 0.71 1.37 0.71 0.71

11

WE WE WE

22 TH TH TH

1850 FR 1222 1850 1850 0119 0119 0718 0119 0718 1313 SA 1313 SA 0718 1941 SA 1313 1941 1941 0215 0215 0815 0215 0815 1402 SU 1402 SU 0815 2030 SU 1402 2030 2030 0308 0308 0909 0308 0909 1453 MO 1453 MO 0909 2120 MO 1453 2120 2120 0400 0400 1003 0400 1003 1543 TU 1543 TU 1003 2210 TU 1543 2210 2210 0452 0452 1056 0452 1056 1633 WE 1633 WE 1056 2258 WE 1633 2258 2258 0543 0543 1148 0543 1148 1724 TH 1724 TH 1148 2345 TH 1724 2345 2345 0633 0633 1242 0633 1242 1817 FR 1817 FR 1242 FR 1817

44

55 66 77 88

99

10 10

0034 0034 11 0722 0034 0722 11 1335 SA 1335 SA 0722

1915 SA 1335 1915 1915 0125 0125 0810 0125 0810 1430 SU 1430 SU 0810 2016 SU 1430 2016 2016 0221 0221 0857 0221 0857 1525 MO 1525 MO 0857 2124 MO 1525 2124 2124 0319 0319 0944 0319 0944 1616 TU 1616 TU 0944 2229 TU 1616 2229 2229 0417 0417 1029 0417 1029 1704 WE 1704 WE 1029 2326 WE 1704 2326 2326

12 12 13 13 14 14

15 15

1.64 1.64 0.53 1.64 0.53 1.36 0.53 1.36 0.77 1.36 0.77 0.77 1.53 1.53 0.58 1.53 0.58 1.37 0.58 1.37 0.80 1.37 0.80 0.80 1.44 1.44 0.60 1.44 0.60 1.41 0.60 1.41 0.80 1.41 0.80 0.80 1.39 1.39 0.61 1.39 0.61 1.47 0.61 1.47 0.77 1.47 0.77 0.77 1.36 1.36 0.60 1.36 0.60 1.54 0.60 1.54 0.71 1.54 0.71 0.71

Time Time 0511 0511 1111 0511 1111 1747 TH 1747 TH 1111 TH 1747

m m 1.36 1.36 0.59 1.36 0.59 1.61 0.59 1.61 1.61

Time Time 0507 0507 1107 0507 1107 1740 FR 1740 FR 1107 FR 1740

m m 1.47 1.47 0.42 1.47 0.42 1.83 0.42 1.83 1.83

0015 0015 17 0600 0015 0600 17 1152 FR 1152 FR 0600

0.63 0.63 1.37 0.63 1.37 0.57 1.37 0.57 1.67 0.57 1.67 1.67 0.57 0.57 1.38 0.57 1.38 0.56 1.38 0.56 1.74 0.56 1.74 1.74 0.50 0.50 1.39 0.50 1.39 0.55 1.39 0.55 1.79 0.55 1.79 1.79 0.46 0.46 1.39 0.46 1.39 0.54 1.39 0.54 1.83 0.54 1.83 1.83 0.42 0.42 1.40 0.42 1.40 0.54 1.40 0.54 1.85 0.54 1.85 1.85 0.40 0.40 1.40 0.40 1.40 0.55 1.40 0.55 1.85 0.55 1.85 1.85 0.39 0.39 1.40 0.39 1.40 0.56 1.40 0.56 1.83 0.56 1.83 1.83 0.39 0.39 1.41 0.39 1.41 0.59 1.41 0.59 1.79 0.59 1.79 1.79 0.40 0.40 1.41 0.40 1.41 0.62 1.41 0.62 1.73 0.62 1.73 1.73 0.41 0.41 1.43 0.41 1.43 0.64 1.43 0.64 0.64

0015 22 0015 0609 0015 0609 1200 SA 1200 SA 0609

0.41 0.41 1.47 0.41 1.47 0.41 1.47 0.41 1.91 0.41 1.91 1.91 0.32 0.32 1.47 0.32 1.47 0.40 1.47 0.40 1.98 0.40 1.98 1.98 0.26 0.26 1.48 0.26 1.48 0.41 1.48 0.41 2.00 0.41 2.00 2.00 0.24 0.24 1.47 0.24 1.47 0.43 1.47 0.43 1.98 0.43 1.98 1.98 0.26 0.26 1.45 0.26 1.45 0.47 1.45 0.47 1.92 0.47 1.92 1.92 0.31 0.31 1.43 0.31 1.43 0.53 1.43 0.53 1.82 0.53 1.82 1.82 0.37 0.37 1.41 0.37 1.41 0.59 1.41 0.59 1.71 0.59 1.71 1.71 0.44 0.44 1.39 0.44 1.39 0.66 1.39 0.66 1.59 0.66 1.59 1.59 0.50 0.50 1.38 0.50 1.38 0.72 1.38 0.72 0.72

16 16

1827 FR 1152 1827 1827 0059 0059 0644 0059 0644 1230 SA 1230 SA 0644 1905 SA 1230 1905 1905 0139 0139 0726 0139 0726 1308 SU 1308 SU 0726 1942 SU 1308 1942 1942 0216 0216 0807 0216 0807 1345 MO 1345 MO 0807 2018 MO 1345 2018 2018 0255 0255 0848 0255 0848 1425 TU 1425 TU 0848 2057 TU 1425 2057 2057 0334 0334 0930 0334 0930 1506 WE 1506 WE 0930 2137 WE 1506 2137 2137 0415 0415 1015 0415 1015 1550 TH 1550 TH 1015 2218 TH 1550 2218 2218 0459 0459 1102 0459 1102 1638 FR 1638 FR 1102 2302 FR 1638 2302 2302 0545 0545 1152 0545 1152 1730 SA 1730 SA 1152 2351 SA 1730 2351 2351 0633 0633 1245 0633 1245 1827 SU 1827 SU 1245 SU 1827

18 18

19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22 23 23 24 24

25 25

26 26

0045 0045 27 0725 0045 0725 27 1343 MO 1343 MO 0725 1932 MO 1343 1932 1932 0145 0145 0819 0145 0819 1444 TU 1444 TU 0819 2045 TU 1444 2045 2045 0251 0251 0915 0251 0915 1544 WE 1544 WE 0915 2200 WE 1544 2200 2200 0400 0400 1012 0400 1012 1643 TH 1643 TH 1012 2311 TH 1643 2311 2311

28 28 29 29 30 30

1.65 1.65 0.43 1.65 0.43 1.47 0.43 1.47 0.66 1.47 0.66 0.66 1.58 1.58 0.44 1.58 0.44 1.53 0.44 1.53 0.64 1.53 0.64 0.64 1.51 1.51 0.44 1.51 0.44 1.62 0.44 1.62 0.59 1.62 0.59 0.59 1.48 1.48 0.43 1.48 0.43 1.72 0.43 1.72 0.50 1.72 0.50 0.50

11

1833 SA 1200 1833 1833 0112 0112 0707 0112 0707 1253 SU 1253 SU 0707 1925 SU 1253 1925 1925 0204 0204 0801 0204 0801 1344 MO 1344 MO 0801 2015 MO 1344 2015 2015 0254 0254 0853 0254 0853 1433 TU 1433 TU 0853 2102 TU 1433 2102 2102 0341 0341 0943 0341 0943 1522 WE 1522 WE 0943 2148 WE 1522 2148 2148 0426 0426 1030 0426 1030 1609 TH 1609 TH 1030 2231 TH 1609 2231 2231 0509 0509 1116 0509 1116 1656 FR 1656 FR 1116 2314 FR 1656 2314 2314 0551 0551 1201 0551 1201 1743 SA 1743 SA 1201 2355 SA 1743 2355 2355 0631 0631 1248 0631 1248 1833 SU 1833 SU 1248 SU 1833

33

44 55

66 77

88 99

10 10

0038 0038 11 0713 0038 0713 11 1337 MO 1337 MO 0713 1930 MO 1337 1930 1930 0128 0128 0758 0128 0758 1430 TU 1430 TU 0758 2035 TU 1430 2035 2035 0226 0226 0846 0226 0846 1525 WE 1525 WE 0846 2145 WE 1525 2145 2145 0330 0330 0937 0330 0937 1618 TH 1618 TH 0937 2251 TH 1618 2251 2251 0432 0432 1028 0432 1028 1709 FR 1709 FR 1028 2346 FR 1709 2346 2346

12 12

13 13

14 14 15 15

1.48 1.48 0.55 1.48 0.55 1.38 0.55 1.38 0.76 1.38 0.76 0.76 1.38 1.38 0.58 1.38 0.58 1.40 0.58 1.40 0.77 1.40 0.77 0.77 1.31 1.31 0.60 1.31 0.60 1.44 0.60 1.44 0.75 1.44 0.75 0.75 1.26 1.26 0.61 1.26 0.61 1.49 0.61 1.49 0.70 1.49 0.70 0.70 1.25 1.25 0.60 1.25 0.60 1.56 0.60 1.56 0.62 1.56 0.62 0.62

Time Time Time 0529 0529 1115 0529 1115 1754 SA 1754 SA 1115 SA 1754

m m m 1.27 1.27 0.58 1.27 0.58 1.63 0.58 1.63 1.63

0033 0033 17 0617 0033 0617 17 1159 SU 1159 SU 0617

0.54 0.54 1.30 0.54 1.30 0.55 1.30 0.55 1.70 0.55 1.70 1.70 0.47 0.47 1.33 0.47 1.33 0.52 1.33 0.52 1.77 0.52 1.77 1.77 0.40 0.40 1.37 0.40 1.37 0.48 1.37 0.48 1.83 0.48 1.83 1.83 0.34 0.34 1.40 0.34 1.40 0.46 1.40 0.46 1.87 0.46 1.87 1.87 0.30 0.30 1.43 0.30 1.43 0.44 1.43 0.44 1.88 0.44 1.88 1.88 0.27 0.27 1.46 0.27 1.46 0.44 1.46 0.44 1.86 0.44 1.86 1.86 0.27 0.27 1.48 0.27 1.48 0.45 1.48 0.45 1.80 0.45 1.80 1.80 0.29 0.29 1.50 0.29 1.50 0.49 1.50 0.49 1.71 0.49 1.71 1.71 0.33 0.33 1.51 0.33 1.51 0.53 1.51 0.53 0.53

16 16

1836 SU 1159 1836 1836 0115 0115 0702 0115 0702 1241 MO 1241 MO 0702 1916 MO 1241 1916 1916 0154 0154 0745 0154 0745 1323 TU 1323 TU 0745 1956 TU 1323 1956 1956 0232 0232 0826 0232 0826 1405 WE 1405 WE 0826 2036 WE 1405 2036 2036 0312 0312 0909 0312 0909 1449 TH 1449 TH 0909 2117 TH 1449 2117 2117 0352 0352 0954 0352 0954 1535 FR 1535 FR 0954 2200 FR 1535 2200 2200 0435 0435 1041 0435 1041 1625 SA 1625 SA 1041 2246 SA 1625 2246 2246 0519 0519 1130 0519 1130 1718 SU 1718 SU 1130 2334 SU 1718 2334 2334 0606 0606 1222 0606 1222 1816 MO 1816 MO 1222 MO 1816

18 18

19 19 20 20

21 21

22 22 23 23

24 24 25 25

0028 0028 26 0656 0028 0656 26 1318 TU 1318 TU 0656 1921 TU 1318 1921 1921 0128 0128 0750 0128 0750 1418 WE 1418 WE 0750 2035 WE 1418 2035 2035 0236 0236 0849 0236 0849 1522 TH 1522 TH 0849 2153 TH 1522 2153 2153 0350 0350 0950 0350 0950 1627 FR 1627 FR 0950 2306 FR 1627 2306 2306 0500 0500 1050 0500 1050 1726 SA 1726 SA 1050 SA 1726

27 27

28 28

29 29 30 30

0009 0009 31 0603 0009 0603 31 1147 SU 1147 SU 0603

1.60 1.60 0.38 1.60 0.38 1.53 0.38 1.53 0.56 1.53 0.56 0.56 1.48 1.48 0.42 1.48 0.42 1.57 0.42 1.57 0.57 1.57 0.57 0.57 1.39 1.39 0.46 1.39 0.46 1.62 0.46 1.62 0.54 1.62 0.54 0.54 1.33 1.33 0.47 1.33 0.47 1.69 0.47 1.69 0.47 1.69 0.47 0.47 1.33 1.33 0.46 1.33 0.46 1.76 0.46 1.76 1.76

0.39 0.39 1.35 0.39 1.35 0.44 1.35 0.44 1.83 1147 SU 1821 1821 0.44 1.83 1821 1.83

11

MO MO MO

22

TU TU TU

33

WE WE WE

44

TH TH TH

55

FR FR FR

66

SA SA SA

77

SU SU SU

88

MO MO MO

99 TU TU TU

Time Time Time 0103 0103 0659 0103 0659 1241 0659 1241 1912 1241 1912 1912 0152 0152 0748 0152 0748 1330 0748 1330 1959 1330 1959 1959 0235 0235 0834 0235 0834 1417 0834 1417 2043 1417 2043 2043 0315 0315 0917 0315 0917 1501 0917 1501 2124 1501 2124 2124 0354 0354 1000 0354 1000 1545 1000 1545 2202 1545 2202 2202 0430 0430 1039 0430 1039 1626 1039 1626 2240 1626 2240 2240 0505 0505 1118 0505 1118 1709 1118 1709 2317 1709 2317 2317 0540 0540 1159 0540 1159 1755 1159 1755 2357 1755 2357 2357 0617 0617 1244 0617 1244 1847 1244 1847 1847

Local Time AUGUST AUGUST AUGUST Time m

0042 0042 10 0659 0042 0659 10 1333 WE 1333 WE 0659

m m 0.31 0.31 1.39 0.31 1.39 0.41 1.39 0.41 1.88 0.41 1.88 1.88 0.26 0.26 1.42 0.26 1.42 0.40 1.42 0.40 1.89 0.40 1.89 1.89 0.25 0.25 1.44 0.25 1.44 0.40 1.44 0.40 1.87 0.40 1.87 1.87 0.26 0.26 1.45 0.26 1.45 0.42 1.45 0.42 1.81 0.42 1.81 1.81 0.30 0.30 1.44 0.30 1.44 0.46 1.44 0.46 1.72 0.46 1.72 1.72 0.35 0.35 1.43 0.35 1.43 0.51 1.43 0.51 1.63 0.51 1.63 1.63 0.41 0.41 1.42 0.41 1.42 0.57 1.42 0.57 1.52 0.57 1.52 1.52 0.46 0.46 1.40 0.46 1.40 0.63 1.40 0.63 1.42 0.63 1.42 1.42 0.52 0.52 1.39 0.52 1.39 0.68 1.39 0.68 0.68

Time Time 0046 0046 0638 0046 0638 1218 0638 1218 1849 1218 1849 1849 0126 0126 0720 0126 0720 1302 0720 1302 1931 1302 1931 1931 0205 0205 0802 0205 0802 1347 0802 1347 2014 1347 2014 2014 0245 0245 0845 0245 0845 1434 0845 1434 2058 1434 2058 2058 0325 0325 0930 0325 0930 1522 0930 1522 2143 1522 2143 2143 0408 0408 1017 0408 1017 1614 1017 1614 2230 1614 2230 2230 0452 0452 1106 0452 1106 1708 1106 1708 2320 1708 2320 2320 0538 0538 1158 0538 1158 1807 1158 1807 1807

m m m 0.41 0.41 1.31 0.41 1.31 0.48 1.31 0.48 1.74 0.48 1.74 1.74 0.32 0.32 1.38 0.32 1.38 0.41 1.38 0.41 1.81 0.41 1.81 1.81 0.25 0.25 1.45 0.25 1.45 0.35 1.45 0.35 1.86 0.35 1.86 1.86 0.19 0.19 1.51 0.19 1.51 0.31 1.51 0.31 1.87 0.31 1.87 1.87 0.17 0.17 1.56 0.17 1.56 0.30 1.56 0.30 1.84 0.30 1.84 1.84 0.18 0.18 1.60 0.18 1.60 0.31 1.60 0.31 1.76 0.31 1.76 1.76 0.22 0.22 1.61 0.22 1.61 0.35 1.61 0.35 1.64 0.35 1.64 1.64 0.29 0.29 1.61 0.29 1.61 0.41 1.61 0.41 0.41

0015 0015 24 0629 0015 0629 24 1254 WE 1254 WE 0629

1.50 1.50 0.37 1.50 0.37 1.60 0.37 1.60 0.47 1.60 0.47 0.47 1.37 1.37 0.45 1.37 0.45 1.59 0.45 1.59 0.50 1.59 0.50 0.50 1.27 1.27 0.51 1.27 0.51 1.59 0.51 1.59 0.48 1.59 0.48 0.48 1.24 1.24 0.53 1.24 0.53 1.63 0.53 1.63 0.43 1.63 0.43 0.43 1.26 1.26 0.51 1.26 0.51 1.68 0.51 1.68 1.68

16 16 TU TU TU

17 17 WE WE WE

18 18 TH TH TH

19 19 FR FR FR

20 20 SA SA SA

21 21 SU SU SU

22 22 MO MO MO

23 23 TU TU TU

1915 WE 1254 1915 1915 0117 0117 0725 0117 0725 1356 TH 1356 TH 0725 2030 TH 1356 2030 2030 0230 0230 0829 0230 0829 1504 FR 1504 FR 0829 2149 FR 1504 2149 2149 0348 0348 0936 0348 0936 1613 SA 1613 SA 0936 2300 SA 1613 2300 2300 0500 0500 1042 0500 1042 1715 SU 1715 SU 1042 SU 1715

1.32 1.32 0.56 1.32 0.56 1.39 0.56 1.39 0.71 1.39 0.71 0.71 1.24 1.24 0.60 1.24 0.60 1.40 0.60 1.40 0.71 1.40 0.71 0.71 1.18 1.18 0.63 1.18 0.63 1.43 0.63 1.43 0.67 1.43 0.67 0.67 1.17 1.17 0.62 1.17 0.62 1.49 0.62 1.49 0.59 1.49 0.59 0.59 1.20 1.20 0.59 1.20 0.59 1.56 0.59 1.56 1.56

25 25

0.51 0.51 1.25 0.51 1.25 0.54 1.25 0.54 1.65 1132 MO 1806 1806 0.54 1.65 1806 1.65

30 30

1948 WE 1333 1948 1948 0137 0137 0749 0137 0749 1430 TH 1430 TH 0749 2100 TH 1430 2100 2100 0244 0244 0846 0244 0846 1530 FR 1530 FR 0846 2212 FR 1530 2212 2212 0356 0356 0945 0356 0945 1629 SA 1629 SA 0945 2314 SA 1629 2314 2314 0500 0500 1042 0500 1042 1720 SU 1720 SU 1042 SU 1720

11 11

12 12 13 13

14 14

0003 0003 15 0552 0003 0552 15 1132 MO 1132 MO 0552

  Copyright Copyright Commonwealth Commonwealth of of Australia Australia 2014, 2014, Bureau Bureau of of Meteorology Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2014, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tidedaylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times Times are are in in local local standard standard time time (UTC (UTC +10:00) +10:00) or 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 New First Moon Full New Moon Moon First Quarter Quarter Moon Phase Phase Symbols Symbols Full Moon Moon New Moon First Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon

26 26

27 27

28 28

0000 0000 29 0558 0000 0558 29 1140 MO 1140 MO 0558 1809 MO 1140 1809 1809 0049 0049 0647 0049 0647 1232 TU 1232 TU 0647 1857 TU 1232 1857 1857 0131 0131 0731 0131 0731 1319 WE 1319 WE 0731 1941 WE 1319 1941 1941

31 31

0.37 0.37 1.31 0.37 1.31 0.46 1.31 0.46 1.73 0.46 1.73 1.73 0.31 0.31 1.37 0.31 1.37 0.42 1.37 0.42 1.75 0.42 1.75 1.75 0.28 0.28 1.42 0.28 1.42 0.39 1.42 0.39 1.76 0.39 1.76 1.76

Last Last Quarter Quarter Last Quarter

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.

AUGUST 2016

113

Trades, Services, Charter BAIT & TACKLE CLARENCE

MARINE MECHANICS SYDNEY

Yamba Bait & Tackle (02) 6646 1514

COFFS COAST Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307 Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726

MACQUARIE COAST Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

HUNTER COAST Port Stephens Tackle World (02) 4984 2144

SYDNEY Gabes Boating & Fishing Centre Narellan (02) 4647 8755 Windybanks Bait and Tackle (02) 9477 1520

Greg’s Mobile Marine 0424 046 060 Penrith Marine (02) 4731 6250 Moby Marine (02) 9153 6506 or www.mobymarine.com.au Aqua Marine 0415 600 301 or www.aquacash.com.au Cohoe Marine Products (Sydney) (02) 9519 3575 Blakes Marine (02) 4577 6699 Watersports Marine (02) 9676 1400 Neken Marine (02) 9979 9649 Boat Assist 24 - On Water Mechanic (02) 9746 6224

P T Y

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www.mobymarine.com.au COFFS COAST Jetty Boating (02) 6651 4002

MACQUARIE COAST

Graham Barclay Marine (02) 6554 5866 Manning River Marine Taree (02) 6552 2333

FRESHWATER

Dubbo Marine and Watersports (02) 6882 2853

HOLIDAY RENTAL

Specialising in “Tournament Quality Lures” 0425 230 964 SHOP 18, 29 KIORA RD MIRANDA NSW 2228

www.fishin.com.au 0425 230 964 Blue Bottle Fishing 0409 333 380 or www.bluebottlefishing.com Mo Tackle (02) 6652 4611 or www.motackle.com.au Specialty Fishing Products www.specialtyfishing.com.au U-Make-Em Soft Plastics www.u-make-emsoftplastics.com.au Adrenalin Flies www.adrenalinflies.com.au Techni Ice www.techniice.com J Roc Tackle www.jroctackle.com.au Jayro Tackle www.jayrotackle.com.au

NORTH COAST Brooms Head Caravan Park (02) 6646 7144 Calypso Yamba Holiday Park (02) 6646 8847 Iluka Riverside Tourist Park (02) 6646 6060 Wooli Camping & Caravan Park (02) 6649 7671

SYDNEY The Boat Pimpers (Sydney) (02) 9792 7799

cabins, caravans, camping & fishing … all year ‘round

Holiday Haven Tourist Parks

MACLEAY VALLEY COAST

Macleay Valley Coastal Holiday Parks 1300 262 782 Crescent Head Holiday Park (02) 6566 0261

CRESCENT HEAD HOLIDAY RENTALS

MODIFICATIONS & REPAIRS // BOAT & TRAILER Bold Trailers (02) 8544 8114 www.boldtrailers.com.au Salt Away 1800 091 172 www.salt-away.com.au

South Coast NSW

NEED REPLACEMENT MARINE ENGINE PARTS OR ACCESSORIES?

S E R V I C E S

FRESHWATER

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ILLAWARRA COAST

For all your accommodation needs, house, units & townhouses for every budget. Contact the friendly team at Crescent Head Real Estate for your free holiday brochure.

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Email: holiday@crescentheadrealestate.com.au

Culburra Beach Swan Lake Bendalong Point Lake Conjola Ulladulla Headland Burrill Lake

1300 733 026 1300 555 517 1300 733 025 1300 133 395 1300 733 021 1300 555 525

Relax. Enjoy. Explore.

6 MAIN ST, CRESCENT HEAD NSW 2440

Phone: 02 6566 0500

3Gelcoat repairs 3 Insurance repairs

3 Transom & floor repairs 312v Electrical installations 4 Aspinall Place, MULGRAVE 02 4577 3482 www.westernboatrepairs.com.au

Crescent Head Holiday Rentals (02) 6566 0500 Hat Head Holiday Park (02) 6567 7501 Horse Shoe Bay Holiday Park (02) 6566 6370 Stuarts Point Holiday Park (02) 6563 0616 Grassy Head Holiday Park (02) 6569 0742 South West Rocks Tourist Park 1800 666 264

HUNTER COAST Wangi Point Lakeside holiday Park (02) 4975 1889 Blacksmiths Holiday Park (02) 4971 2858

CENTRAL COAST

www.holidayhaven.com.au

Central Coast Holiday Parks 1800 241 342

This section in NSW Fishing Monthly consolidates the trades and services in your area that are relevant to your fishing and boating. Whether you’re a local looking for more options or a travelling angler fishing around the state, this guide will direct you to reputable businesses in the area you’re searching.

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory Jan’s Retreat (02) 4441 7000 Currarong Beachside Tourist Park 1300 555 515 Sussex Inlet (LJ Hooker) (02) 4441 2135 Riviera Caravan Park, St George’s Basin (02) 4441 2112 Killalea State Park, Shell Cove (02) 4237 8589 Holiday With Us, Sussex Inlet (02) 4441 2135 Surf Beach Holiday Park (02) 4232 1791 Kendalls on the Beach (02) 4232 1790 Werri Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1285 Seven Mile Beach Holiday Park (02) 4234 1340 Kiama Harbour Cabins (02) 4232 2707 Ulladulla Headland Tourist Park 1300 733 021

MV Capricorn Star 0408 755 201 or www.amytiadventure.com.au Mikat Cruises Fishing Charters Swains & Coral Sea 0427 125 727

FISHING EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME!

FRESHWATER Burrinjuck Waters State Park (02) 6227 8114 Providence Lodge (Eucumbene) (02) 6454 2200 Winter Keep (Snowy Mountains) www.winterkeep.com.au Grabine Lakeside State Park (02) 4835 2345 Lake Glenbawn State Park (02) 6543 7193 Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877 Bass Lodge Macleay River NSW 0433 482 325 Chifley Dam Cabins 1800 68 1000

• Reef, Deep Sea and Sport Fishing • Swains, Samurez, Cap Bunker Group • Dories available • LUXURY 20m Cat. New V8 Scanias. Large comfortable and stable.

• Air conditioned and fast (cruise up to 16 knots) • Professional crew (over 22 years experience) • Cater for groups up to 12 people from 3 to 10 days • BYO or fully licenced bar • Desalinate unit • Trips designed to suit your requirements

SATELLITE TV INSTALLED

CHARTER BOATS Phone: 0427 125 727 I Fax: (07) 4972 1759 michael@mikat.com.au

BYRON COAST Evans Head Deep Sea Fishing Charters, 0428 828 835 Sea Master Fishing Charters, (07) 5524 8849 or 0415 593 901 Reel Time Fishing Charters 0428 231 962 Coffs Coast Sport Fishing 0434 517 683

COFFS COAST

www.mikat.com.au FISHING GUIDES

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ILLAWARRA COAST

Oceanic Sea Urchin II Charters (02) 6566 6623 or 0428 650 321 The Rocks Fishing Charters 0412 074 147 Trial Bay Fishing Charters, 0427 256 556 South West Rocks Fishing Adventures 0411 096 717

Bay & Basin Sportsfishing 0413 610 832

EDEN COAST Captain Kev’s Wilderness Fishing Tours (02) 4474 3345 or 0424 625 160

KAYAK DEALERS

BONUS

Senator Multi-Tool Valued at $54.90

Hunter Water Sports (02) 4947 7899 www.southwestrocksfishingadventures.com.au

PORT & REEF SFISHING GAME ERS

CHART

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Fish Taxidermist 0428 544 841

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On board our fully equiped 38ft Randell TRIFECTA Contact: David Hayman (Stumpee) Mobile: 0411 096 717 info@swrcharters.com.au

MACQUARIE COAST Castaway Estuary Charters 0427 239 650 Ocean Star Fishing Charters 0416 240 877

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Tailermade Fishing Adventures 0411 096 717

SYDNEY Harbour and Estuary Fishing Charters (02) 9999 2574 or 0410 633 351 Sydney Sportfishing Adventures 0405 196 253

ILLAWARRA COAST

FROM ONLY

Sea Lady Charters 0411 024 402 Silver Star Fishing Charters (02) 4421 7462 or 0412 977 000 Shell Harbour Fishing Charters 0425 216 370

3 GREAT MODELS!

EDEN COAST Esprit Fishing Charters 1300 556 658 Freedom Charters Eden (02) 6496 1209 or www.freedomcharters.com.au

QUEENSLAND

MV CAPRICORN STAR EXTENDED FISHING CHARTERS

G-Clamp $44.99 Medium $59.99 Large $79.99

ads@fishingmonthly.com.au BOAT IMPORTS Import USA Boat 0435 476 177

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BOAT HIRE Boab Boat Hire (NSW) 1300 002 6221

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CHANDLERY & ACCESSORIES Anchor Right (03) 5968 5014 Korr Lighting www.korrlighting.com.au

Advertisers wanting to be involved in this directory can call (07) 3387 0800 or email ads@fishingmonthly.com.au

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