NSW Fishing Monthly February 2019

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Are you the solution to carp?

• Exploring the Myall River • Bream tips and tricks

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February 2019, Vol. 24 No. 7

Contents 14

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From the Editor’s Desk...

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A Matthew McEwen image.

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improvements in coverage in these catch-and-release events. When the general public knows that anglers are doing the right thing by the fishery and the fish, the environmentalists can focus their well-meaning but ill-informed attentions elsewhere. And that will help all anglers in the longer term.

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TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE Whether you’re a tournament angler or not, the ABT Tournament Angler Guide stitched into the centre of this issue is a quality read if you like lure fishing. Back in the day when it was a stand-alone magazine (and over 160 pages), it had the nickname of ‘the instruction book for your lure box’. Nothing much has changed.

Whether you’re scoping out a new area for social fishing or for a tournament, Joey and Jamie’s preparation article will help you succeed. And after livestreaming my entire season from the boat, there’s a no-holds-barred article on every lure I used to weigh bream across Australia.

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PRO

There’s nothing wrong with trudging the riverbanks and doing your bit for the environment, especially if it involves picking up a bagful of rubbish and smashing a few vermin on the head. I think both carp and tilapia have the same brownie points as cane toads.

Rob ‘Rupe’ Gaden Jr gets us up to speed on the best way to do this this month with a piece on his favourite carp bashing techniques. Just don’t do what he just did – slip over on some wet rocks and break your foot. Rupe says that his moon boot is as good a tool as you’d expect for sneaking up on carp: rubbish!

MEGA CHRISTMAS SUBSCRIPTIONS A big shout out to all of our new subscribers that came on board over the Christmas break – either as gift recipients or via redemption of a gift card. We

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AUST

BYRON COAST The Tweed 28 Ballina 30 Yamba 32 COFFS COAST Coffs Harbour 34 Nambucca 36 South West Rocks 37 MACQUARIE COAST Port Macquarie 38 Harrington-Taree 41 Forster 39 HUNTER COAST Swansea 42 Port Stephens 43 Erina 45 Hunter Coast 44 SYDNEY Sydney North 12 The Hawkesbury 14 Sydney Harbour 16 Sydney South 18 Pittwater 20 Botany Bay 22 Sydney Rock and Beach 24 Western Sydney 25 ILLAWARRA COAST Illawarra 79 Nowra 80 BATEMANS COAST Merimbula 83 Narooma 82 Batemans Bay 88 EDEN COAST Bermagui 84 Tathra 85 Mallacoota 90 FRESHWATER Canberra 97 Robinvale 98 Mildura 99 Albury-Wodonga 99 Lithgow-Oberon 100 Batlow 101 Snowy Mountains 102 Yarrawonga 102 Hunter Valley 103 New England 104 Wagga Wagga 105 TOURNAMENT ANGLER GUIDE 47 BOATING AND KAYAKING 113 REGULAR FEATURES Back to Basics 46 Black Magic Masterclass Bream 86 Cooking 91 Dam Levels 104 Fun Page 109 Tides 112 Trade Directory 110 Tournament News 108 What’s New Fishing 92 What’s New Boating 115 SPECIAL FEATURES Are you the solution to carp 8 Exploring the Myall River 26 Codference wrap-up 106

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CARP

Are you a better solution to the carp problem?

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Rupe Instagram: @rupeisfishing

A few of the early settlers of this great land have a lot to answer for. Beyond the mistreatment of traditional owners and land degradation, they’re also responsible for the introduction of some incredibly damaging flora and fauna species, not least of which is the carp.

Carp are not a problem that’s limited to Australian waterways. They’re now

an absolute scourge to the Australian aquatic landscape.

The habitat destruction in the Murray-Darling basin alone is enough that their introduction should be remembered as a national disaster with its own public holiday where every man, woman and child is required to catch and kill at least one carp.

Vote 1 – Rupe Is Fishing Party!

SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP? We can catch them, dispose of them, and limit their breeding capabilities

I’ve phoned around and had a chat to a few state fisheries offices when penning this article and the general consensus is to catch and dispose of as many as you can, particularly the larger breeding stock. They produce a huge amount of offspring in no time at all, so each breeder you can remove can make a big difference.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CARP As a species, they’re extremely adaptable to all types of waterways and water conditions (which is why they’re so widespread)

and they might have to get their backs out of the water to move up a rapid.

No matter the particular species of carp, of which there are many, a few things remain constant: they are clever, they have excellent eyesight and they seem to spend most of their time on the lookout doing their best to avoid any trouble.

Even the plain brown models are still relatively brightly coloured compared to naturally occurring species and would make easy targets for large birds of prey, so you can understand why their existence would be a nervous one, and that’s before you take into account the natives swimming in their vicinity – ie Murray cod – who are big enough to eat them.

Carp are omnivorous, meaning they’ll quite happily eat aquatic plants, but they do prefer a diet of insects, crayfish, shrimp and worms.

For whatever reason, they’ve also taken quite a liking to corn kernels.

Pound for pound, they’re one of the hardest fighting freshwater fish you’re likely to encounter and employ just about every dirty tactic you’d expect from a filthy, noxious pest whose ancestors cut their teeth dodging monster muskies and the like.

SO YOU WANT TO BE A CARP SUPERSTAR? I hope by now I have you so pumped up that you’re

of frustration – especially when sight-casting to them – if they’re in the right mood though, they can also be caught one after the other if you present your offering in the right manner.

you don’t want to go home with the dreaded doughnut.

One thing I must stress is to not be discouraged by the first, second or even seventh and eighth refusals.

They will eat something,

A selection of flies that will have you covered on most days.

WHAT SHOULD YOU THROW? As mentioned above, a carp’s typical diet can be quite varied and they’re pickier with food than my 8-year-old daughter some days; changing their minds on what they’ll eat and what they’ll flat out refuse. Plenty of times different schools of fish in different pools of the same river will have totally opposite requirements from you, the angler.

This means that any

eventually. You just need to stay in the game, stay hidden as best you can and keep casting. There will be times they will charge your offering with an open mouth and just as the nerve endings in your striking hand start to fire messages to your brain they will turn away. This is standard carp behaviour.

BAITS Soaking baits like worms, small crustaceans such as shrimp and crayfish

It’s hard to fathom that you can catch such destructive pests in surroundings as beautiful as these. plentiful on every continent except Antarctica and while they’re a valuable commodity in Europe and Asia (depending on the genetic strain), they are

without leaving literally millions of tons of rotting fish in the water that could lead to a dreaded black water type event. You know what, they’re bloody fun to catch!

and they breed like rabbits.

They’re also very mobile and not too territorial so will move up and down a river with ease, even in times when water levels are low

The business end of the beast. Watch for the brightly coloured lips and mouth to open and close before you strip strike to set the fly hook.

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furiously looking up the nearest infected waterway so your carp muster can begin.

But there are a couple of things you need to decide before you head out in search of the villainous creatures.

While carp can be very fussy and an eternal source

fisher wanting to actively target carp needs to have a reasonable amount of arrows in their quiver, so to speak. Because of their fickle nature, you’re going to want to be armed with as many different lures, flies, baits or a combination of all three if

offer you your best chance of success. If you can catch them in the same waterway that you’re fishing then you’ll do even better because you can guarantee they’ve eaten that variety before and they’ll be willing to do so again.

CARP If you’re wanting to sit in a camp chair and sink a few tinnies while fishing, try fishing under a float. They’re good strike indicators and it keeps your bait off the bottom, usually giving you better hook up potential before they realise there’s a hook in there.

This is your best bet when fishing with kids too.

The float is something for them to concentrate on, but by the time it bobs under the water the hooking part is already taken care of and they can just enjoy the bend in the rod.

I talk to my kids on the trip to the water and also after we’ve disposed of a carp so they have an understanding of what we’re doing and why it’s important. If you give them the knowledge now they’re sure to carry that with them on future adventures.

If walking the bank and casting at fish you can see is more appealing to you (I know it is for me) then forget the float and cast lightly weighted or even unweighted baits 1-1.5m in front of the fish. Leave some slack line so the bait sinks in a more natural fashion.

One fish feeding can lead to the others in the pool working themselves into a frenzy, like the one that amounted to this triple hook-up on three different types of fly.

LURES Many carp have been tricked into eating a lure intended for cod, bass and yellowbelly, and plenty of anglers with carp on the end of the line have been fooled into thinking they had the world record catch on before those big blubbery lips made their way to the surface.

They’ll eat any number of hardbodies, blades and vibes if you put it in the right place at the right time, but they are absolute suckers for a nice supple soft plastic in a worm, grub or craw pattern.

If you plan to throw lures at them, fish them fairly slow with plenty of pause after you hop it. Scent is also your friend; use a quality scent like SAX or Pro Cure that will last a while. Give them time to sniff it out and come over for a nibble.

FLIES Flyfishing can be very effective because you can present a small, natural looking fly and land it without too much disruption to the water. For a fish that has evolved heightened senses this extra advantage should not be sneezed at.

It’s also the most difficult because you need to either have enough space to feed a cast out or be able to competently roll cast in

Big koi carp are as clever as they are scarce. They seem to be much more switched on and picky than their brown brethren. tight cover.

If you are planning on waving the wand around, take a mix of flies with you that closely resemble the natural baits I’ve listed above as best you can. Patterns like shrimp, nymphs, worms and leeches all catch fish and flies like glo-bugs will serve you well if they’re eating berries and seeds are falling from overhanging trees.

THE SETUPS My favourite way to target them is undoubtedly on fly gear. My friends and I have had some epic days on

the water fishing rivers and dams for a variety of carp species. But there’s more than one way to skin a cat and plenty of ways to catch a mud marlin.

FLYFISHING We all use a range of fly rods and lines from 4WT to 8WT and in varying lengths.

My current setup is a 4WT, 9ft G.Loomis Eastfork rod and Shimano Biocraft reel with an intermediate Rio line while a few of my mates use a 7’11” model Sage BASS II series, which is much easier to get around with in

some of the jungle country you can find yourself in. If you’re buying a new setup, look for a reel with plenty of drag. You’re going to need it. Something like the Redington Behemoth series packs a solid punch without breaking the bank, so check them out.

As with most types of fishing, sometimes you have to go light to get the bite, so my typical tapered leader finishes with 8lb line, sometimes the carp’s eyes are so well trained that you’ll To page 10

FEBRUARY 2019

9

CARP From page 9

need to go down to a 4lb fluorocarbon leader to avoid casting too much of a shadow on the bottom. Naturally, while this can get you the eat you desire, it presents a new set of problems if they decide to shoot upstream and bury you in rocks, logs and reeds – and they will!

CONVENTIONAL TACKLE If you plan to chase them on conventional tackle, most light-medium estuary type combos will do the trick for

you, but aim for something with a fairly sensitive tip as the bites are more often than not, very subtle.

A 6’6”-7’6” rod and a 2500-3000 size reel would be ideal. Braid is fine to use but make sure you have a nice long fluorocarbon leader.

Mainly, so it’s as close to invisible as you can get underwater, but also because it buys you a bit of time if they run you into timber or other underwater structure and gives you a little bit more shock absorption on a

typical surging carp run. As I’ve already told you, they’re a dirty fighting lot and will pull out every trick they’ve got to win freedom.

TAKING OUT THE TRASH So you’ve found some carp, grabbed a rod and headed out on a carp crusade. Before you know it you’ve managed to crack that particular day’s code or pattern and you’ve now got yourself a carp on the bank or in the boat. What do you do next?

Chris Shaw didn’t mind heading into the deep to retrieve this beautifully coloured koi carp.

Walking the banks of dams is often easier on the angler but generally leaves you more exposed to the ever aware carp who feed around the shallows.

Every state and territory in Australia that has a carp population has a fairly simple policy. Humanely dispose of the animal and under no circumstances return it to the water – dead or alive. Even though they’re a pest, it is still unethical to treat them inhumanely.

I’ve seen a few people (definitely the minority) saying it’s okay to return them to non-flowing waterways, but this is wrong. I carry a knife and a fish spike in my

backpack at all times when chasing carp so that as soon as they hit the bank I can grab the obligatory picture for my social networks and then walk them 20ft away from the water and kill them quickly. Before you know it I’m looking for the next Charlie who’s silly enough to eat my fly.

They’re almost the only fish I kill these days and in a weird way I still feel some remorse for doing it, but I do think that each

and every carp removed is a small step in the right direction for the care of our native species that I love so very much.

In most cases you are allowed to keep them for food (not my taste, but whatever floats your boat) or fertiliser if you wish.

There are recipes on the NSW DPI website if you’re that way inclined – just don’t invite me around for the cook-up. I promise I’ll be busy that day.

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Summer species are playing the game right SYDNEY NORTH

Paul O’Hagan

Summer is in full swing and the fish are coming to the party!

The dominant species seems to be kingfish at the moment, from small rat kings to very large specimens.

to behold, as they tell the story of picking up their first kingfish and then landing big numbers in a session.

From Clontarf to the Mosman rowing club, the fish have been holding for weeks chasing small baitfish.

Over the last week there are reports that tailor and bonito have joined the feeding

Gregg nailed this solid land-based snapper.

With the kids all on their summer holidays there was a constant stream of reports through January of small kings taking small stickbaits while fishing light spin outfits up to about 5kg.

The excitement from some of these kids is a sight

frenzy and are taking small stickbaits and white slapstick plastics in the early morning before the sun comes up.

While there are a lot of very small fish about, there have been some reports of anglers doing the wrong thing and keeping fish that

are undersize. Not only is this illegal, it gives all anglers a bad name in the eyes of those who would like to take this sport away from us. Do the right thing, stay within the rules and help educate others so that we can have a thriving fishery for a long time to come.

Further inside the harbour, kings, tailor and bonito are being taken from the headlands and around the marker buoys. Although there are a lot of very small kings, larger fish are usually schooling beneath and downriggers are being used to get past the smaller fish and down to find these bigger specimens.

Beach fishing for some seems to be very good with whiting, bream and flathead being taken around the entrance of Narrabeen Lake while others will struggle to get a bait in the water, as the beach is usually full of surfers that seem to like going out where there is a gutter or a rip.

Fishing inside of Narrabeen Lake has been very good, and the lake was opened out to the sea with bream, flathead and whiting on the chew and estuary perch being taken in the evening on prawns and small vibes. A trip armed with some fresh or frozen worms in the early morning should see a fish or two for the frying pan.

Recent reports have come in that a few barracouta have started to show up and these ferocious predators will take almost anything that comes within range.

Further out wide there have been a few marlin showing, but a long way offshore where the warm

it will not be long before they hit the legal size and be ready for the plate. When heading out to tackle these fish it is always a good idea to take a lot of ice to keep the fish in their best condition, as they will taste a lot sweeter if they are kept cold until the end of the trip.

anything to go by, these fish will come in as close as 1km from the shore and will be willing to take small skirted lures on the troll.

A lot of anglers travel in their boats from one destination to another at high speed to get out before any other boats

Mahimahi will be moving down the warm currents, and Mark Taranto got into a few nice ones recently. current seems to be holding, and for a lot of the trailer boats it is just too far out of range.

The mahimahi seem to have turned up in good numbers, but at this stage they are still very small fish and there is not a lot of keepers among them. With their ferocious appetite

With some of the gamefishing tournaments starting over the next few weeks we hope to have a warm current pushing in closer to shore, giving some of the smaller boats a chance to get into some of the small black marlin that are due in at this time of year. If last year was

get to their marks, and by doing this sometimes they are actually driving past fish that are a lot closer to shore than they think. Just slow trolling lures from one spot to another can have some surprising results. It may take a bit longer to get there, but sometime it is worth it.

Mike Broome with one of the many kingfish that have been taken recently.

Manly Dam has been fishing well with surface lures and imitation cicadas along the weed beds, and for those who want to relax with the kids, the redfin and carp are eager to take a bit of bread or sweet corn dangled from a small float.

Fishing further out on the reefs there have been good numbers of kings and bonito mixed in with pan-sized snapper taking baits fed down a berley trail.

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FEBRUARY 2019

Kingies are usually on the go during February in and around Sydney’s waters.

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Deciding what to chase is hard…

THE HAWKESBURY

Dan Selby dan@sydneysportfishing.com.au

What a summer we have had on the Hawkesbury.

We’ve had great weather

coupled with good catches of bream, flathead and mulloway in the estuary, quality bass feeding on the surface in the sweetwater and some cracking pelagics around the headlands and bays.

The hardest decision is deciding what to chase.

Going for a walk and discovering a hidden little creek down an old fire trail in search of Aussie bass usually gets my heart rate up. A comfortable backpack

There are plenty of rat kingfish and a few larger models that are taking small soft plastics and micro jigs fished deep into bait schools you find using your sounder.

COHOE MARINE PRODUCTS

with the essentials like water, lures, pliers and a simple first aid kit is a must.

Don’t forget to let someone know where you’re headed and what time you anticipate on returning in case the unexpected happens. Better still, take a mate along, leap frogging from one pool to the next to get the first crucial cast at the best looking snag.

Boat traffic will have quietened down in the upper tidal reaches, with most heading back to work this month.

Bass in the tidal water have had a great season, gorging themselves on the school prawns from Windsor to lower Portland.

The odd flathead, bream and EP are holding in the same areas and are a welcome by-catch when using soft plastics and small blades along the rock walls and weed beds.

My all-time favourite is to cast surface lures like a cicada pattern or small popper at dawn and dusk, then utilise small spinnerbaits and shallow crankbaits once the sun gets up. If you are casting arm is getting a little tired or the fishing is slow, try trolling tight to the rock walls and weed beds with the appropriate depth lure to cover more ground and hopefully find an active patch of fish.

Wisemans Ferry has seen some great catches of flathead and school mulloway over the summer period, and this should continue for the months to

Some great flathead have been taken on lures and baits over summer. Laurie caught this 57cm fish and several others on 3” soft plastics and light spin tackle. come. Bream seem to be a little absent this year, but the odd decent specimen is being caught on bait and lures in the main river. The flats in Cowan, Pittwater and Berowra should still hold some nice fish for those casting surface lures.

Flathead have taken station on the abundant sand bars and are favouring live and frozen prawns over

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Bream on surface lures is a real treat over the summer months. This fish ate a Prolure SF62 retrieved across the shallow flats on a windy afternoon.

everything else. Lures are running a close second when the right colour is selected. The best results we’ve had on charter are a darker pumpkinseed colour around the 3” mark on a 1/4oz jighead. The windsock, Main Point at Wisemans Ferry opposite the MacDonald River mouth, Dads Corner and Upper Half Moon have all produced outstanding bags of flathead and school mulloway this summer.

Broken Bay has produced some great catches as well, with most securing a feed from the reliable flathead and flounder when conditions are favourable. Drifting with a selection of baits seems to be a consistent producer by recent reports.

Clued-in anglers will tea bag a soft plastic grub or paddle-tail lure to try and persuade that bigger flathead or mulloway.

Kingfish, bonito and the odd cobia have been harassing baitfish around Pittwater, the headlands and near shore reefs. Live yakkas and slimy mackerel are the standout baits, but a live squid will never be refused. Set your livey deep via a paternoster rig or on the surface under a float when at anchor. You could also slow troll them via a downrigger or flat line when you want to cover some water and find an active concentration.

Keep your tackle well serviced and make sure your drag is set tight, as a big hoodlum kingfish will test every knot, bearing and binding on your equipment.

Half a million reasons why GoFish Nagambie is the talk of the Aussie fishing scene

Entries On Sale 30th November For many anglers Nagambie is relatively uncharted territory, but it’s well known among the locals as a hotspot, with impressive natural waterways and healthy fish population. The tournament zone covers all the key bite-zones and provides some cracking opportunities to land big fish. Let’s have a closer look.

THE GOFISH TOURNAMENT ZONE IN SPOTLIGHT The GoFish Nagambie Tournament is situated on the Nagambie Lakes and Goulburn River system. The tournament area starts at the Goulburn Weir and includes everything upstream to the junction with Hughes Creek, a massive 30km upstream. All backwaters, billabongs, lagoons and creeks within this area are included in the competition area. These areas include the Majors Creek system and Sandy Creek.

This waterway is an angler’s paradise, with plenty of heavy timber, standing trees, overhanging structure, willow trees, thick weed beds and a river channel that provides the lake system with depths varying from 0.5m down to 11m deep in some locations.

Below the weir The Goulburn River below the weir is a classic native cod fishery, featuring high clay banks and sandy beaches, and is shaded by the river gums. In this section there is an abundance of instream structure and there are many different options for fishing. Bait fishing amongst the fallen timber is a very productive option in this spot.

The backwaters Exploring the backwaters on the Goulburn River downstream (north) of Nagambie Lake and throughout the Goulburn Weir, Western and Eastern backwaters and the backwaters to the west of the lake, there are plenty of great opportunities by boat and by kayak.

Apart from the flooded river sections the water is mostly shallow and between 1-3m for the most part, with

CROSS OVERS

VS OR FORKS

dead timber and stumps in abundance. This makes for a strong case to troll from your boat or kayak. Focussing around the drop-offs tends to pay off.

Lake Nagambie Lake Nagambie is effectively a shallow billabong on the Goulburn River. In many ways, it is like Lake Mulwala (another iconic Murray cod water to the north), in that it is fed by a premier fishing river and backs up many kilometres of shallow flats that are littered with enormous amounts of dead timber, weed beds and other fish holding structure.

MURRAY COD IN THE GOFISH TOURNAMENT ZONE – 3 BEST SPOTS TO CAST YOUR LURE! As you can see, Nagambie is jam-packed with structure and timber that guarantee good fishing spots. Here are our tips for analysing specific structure to help you figure out exactly where the fish will be located. If you can hit the spot, you’ll find plenty of success on the water.

It’s a known fact that Murray cod love structure. They’ll hide tight up against the tangled timber and wait for food.

These locations not only create 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 their target.

There are three key features to look for in a snag.

Root balls Root balls are the number one location to target Murray Cod. Many large to medium sized snags will consist of the main tree branch, limbs and a root ball. The reason we target the root ball is because when a snag falls on its side the tree roots hold the bottom end of the tree up off the bottom. This creates an arc underneath the snag which makes for the perfect native home. It provides the fish with room between the river bed and the structure above them.

When targeting this feature of the snag, the majority of the time you want to be casting tight

ROOT BALLS

in against the top of the root ball. One other tip is to repeat your cast to this location several times, as it is the most likely location for a feeding cod to hide.

Cross overs This is a term used for when two or more snags lay over the top of each other. The more cross overs you have in the one location, the better. A cross over basically does the same thing as the root ball by providing cover and an ambush location for the fish. Many times, you will find crossovers from a number of snags in one pile. Make sure you cast to every cross over in the snag pile as they are all great ambush locations for Murray cod.

Vs or forks These are the last of the three key features. A ‘V’ or fork is where the branches of 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 on either side for the fish. This not only makes the fish feel more protected, but also provides cover for it to ambush its prey.

These spots are even better when you have floating scum pushed up in the fork, creating a little veranda for the fish. It creates more cover, and more importantly it means the food flows down with the current and funnels into the fork. All the predator has to do is wait for the food to come to it.

GoFish Nagambie is putting the spotlight on these waterways across the Anzac Day weekend from 25-28 April, 2019. With more than $500,000 in prizes up for grabs, come and put these new skills to the test and bag yourself a cracking Nagambie cod. Entries are on sale now and are strictly limited, to secure your place visit gofishnagambie.com.au!

Plenty of species to choose from this month SYDNEY HARBOUR

Tom Bamforth

We have experienced all sorts of weather in recent weeks, and the resultant fluctuation in water temperature has caused

around the FADs and also shadowing bait further afield, with fish up to 10kg encountered. When around the FADs the fish may be hooked in many ways, with surface lures effective and absolutely the most fun method.

size will likely be the best method of finding the fish.

There are hordes of kingfish in all systems of Northern Sydney at the moment, with the bulk of the fish in the ‘rat’ size bracket. Still, Mike from Oceanhunter Charters

An estuary perch caught on a hardbody lure.

A healthy snapper taken from the ocean rocks. a range of species to be available.

Offshore, we currently have numbers of mahimahi

We also have striped marlin cruising the 60-80 fathom region. Trolling skirted lures in the 7-10”

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standout kingy recently was an 18kg specimen taken by one of our customers on a live slimy mackerel in close to one of our northern beach’s headlands.

You can encounter bonito inshore and from the rocks, as their numbers have increased lately. These fish are aggressive lure takers and will readily take a metal slice spun through the inshore wash.

In this same zone we have numerous plate-size snapper from both the rocks and the local reefs, and they are responding well to a lightlyweighted bait presented in a berley trail. The odd better fish in the 3-5kg range is also occasionally being caught, particularly when we have some colder upwelling water driven in by a relentless northeast breeze. These fish are possibly taking a little refuge from the cold in the close grounds.

Mulloway are being landed from the surf beaches by dedicated anglers soaking squid baits, and they are also being taken in the estuaries on fresh cut baits, live baits and a range of lures. A deep jigged soft plastic is a great way to hook a mulloway – just be prepared for plenty of flathead in the barelylegal to crocodile size range to beat a mulloway to the presentation.

Naturally, the smaller estuarine species are in full swing. Bream and whiting are taking baits and a multitude of lures, the estuary perch are turning

expert staff at Fishing Station, located on 50 Darley St, Mona Vale.

They stock an excellent range of tackle and bait, and are open every day

Pat Kovarik with a lure-caught bonito. up enigmatically of a night, and some bass are up smashing cicadas to round it off.

• For all the latest info on what’s biting and where, drop in and chat to the

except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. You can contact the team on 02 8094 9197, or see regular news and product updates at www.facebook.com/ fishingstationaustralia.

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Todd Hannigan and family with a kingfish taken recently on an outing with Justin Duggan of Sydney Flyfishing Tours.

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Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

Over the 22 years that I have been a writer for NSWFM, I have met and fished with many who have a similar obsession with fishing that I have. Well, maybe not to the same extent that my wife reckons that I have!

Once the tide had fallen, we ventured over to try casting at a few boat hulls and it wasn’t long before we got monstered by a few large bream and some undersized kingfish. What was great to see was the continual smile on Dan and Eddie’s faces as the fish were hooked, lost and landed for a few photos and then released.

Whether you are using lures or are bait fishing,

are plenty around that you can see without the use of a sounder.

If you have a sounder you could try slowly driving around near the entrances to any of the bays looking for small drop-offs and rocky reefs. Position your boat so that the berley will slowly feed out over the reefs and drop-offs.

The main two rigs that I use are the running ball

Dan Malfitana and his uncle Eddie with a few of the bream that were caught while fishing the flats and boat hulls with a variety of ZMan Slim SwimZ and GrubZ. I have also given many talks on fishing at NSW TAFE, Wollongong Uni, various fishing clubs and tackle shops throughout Australia and during that time I’ve met a young angler named Dan Malfitana who also has a love of fishing.

It was a few weeks ago that I had the pleasure of taking Dan and his uncle Eddie out onto the Port Hacking River to chase bream, flathead, trevally and kingfish, while only using soft plastics and hardbodied lures.

After showing Dan and Eddie the way that I use soft plastics over the shallows, the bream, flathead and trevally started to come aboard. The main jigheads we were using were 1/40 and 1/28oz TT Hidden weights with a variety of ZMan 2.5 and 3” Slim SwimZ and 2.5” GrubZ.

February is a great time to get out and about on the Port Hacking River, as you will be in with a great chance of hooking onto a few. As the Port Hacking is an extremely clear waterway, you will need to use prime baits. Pink nippers, live tube worms, poddy mullet, peeled Hawksbury River prawns, strips of fresh mullet, squid, tuna and chicken breast would be ideal when fishing in this system.

When bait fishing in the Port Hacking, I never fish on the drift. I always anchor and make sure that I have a small and steady berley trail. Sure, you can drift, but I prefer to bring the fish to me.

Whether you are chasing bream, flathead, trevally, leatherjackets, flounder, luderick, snapper and kingfish in the Port, I would suggest that you anchor up at the edge of a drop-off. There

a great place to have a fish as well.

The beach from Boat Harbour in the north and around to South Cronulla are always worth a shot for bream, whiting and dart.

Salmon and tailor are also worth a shot in the area while using either whole garfish or pilchards.

If you are able, the rocks from Jibbon Point to Coalcliff Point are always worth a look. Tailor, salmon, bream, trevally, snapper, morwong and kingfish should be on the chew.

Offshore snapper, morwong, leatherjackets, trevally, mahimahi and bonito will be out and about.

You could also give the artificial reef complex off the southern side of the entrance to the Port Hacking River a try. The reef is easily accessible from Port Hacking and Port Botany and is located in a sandy area about 2.5km southsoutheast of Jibbon Point in 30m of water.

It has been named in honour of the late John Dunphy (JD), a tackle industry pioneer and national fishing industry giant. The ‘JD reef’ complex consists of 36 enormous individual concrete modules weighing

sinker down onto the hook and a running sinker down onto a swivel and a leader of between 1-1.5m.

If you are only into using lures, I would try working the rocky shoreline, pontoons, wharfs, marinas and boat hulls. Remembering to be careful of where you cast and if you accidentally hook up to a boat, swing mooring or a pontoon, make sure that you get the lure or jighead off carefully and don’t just break it off. People can get their fingers caught on the hooks and trebles while using their boats.

If you haven’t got a boat there are plenty of places that you could try.

The Royal National Park has heaps of shoreline that you can fish from. You could travel over to Bundeena or Maianbar. There are wharves in Gunnamatta and Gymea Bays. Boat ramps are always

25 tonnes each and standing 5m high.

For more information and the GPS co-ordinates, go to the NSW DPI website.

Don’t forget to keep

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those reports and photos coming in! If you have anything to report or have a picture of your latest catch just email it to me at gbrown1@iprimus.com.au.

Katrina sent in a shot of her 35cm PB bream that was caught while using a pilchard head in the Port Hacking.

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Living and fishing like a king!

PITTWATER

Peter Le Blang plfishfingers@bigpond.com

Last month saw some patchy fishing, but I am looking forward to some

great fishing over the coming month.

Over the next month we should see more kingfish come to the Pittwater system, and hopefully there are some big bruisers amongst them. There are

some big fish in Pittwater, but they are very hard to tempt, and I suppose that’s why they are big!

Small kingfish are roaming around and making a nuisance of themselves when you least expect it.

On beautiful calm glassy conditions, it’s a bonus to catch fish with your mates.

The smaller kings can be caught using squid strips and lures.

If you are after a big kingfish you will be better off starting first thing in the morning, before there is too much boat activity.

The bigger kingfish seem to be around the Broken Bay area, but have been encountered at Careel Bay and The Basin area.

The bigger kings have been herding the baitfish up against the shoreline. These larger fish have been very fussy, but I am sure with persistence someone will find the right size lure to hook one up. Unfortunately they don’t seem to be staying in one area for very long, so make sure that you have a rod already rigged, otherwise you may miss the opportunity.

Tailor have also been making a nuisance of themselves, especially when downrigging in Careel Bay. If you are going to downrig in Careel Bay, I suggest that you downrig live yellowtail or slimy mackerel on one side and a live squid on the opposite side. This way you are not having all of your live squid eaten by tailor before you find a

This big girl nailed a big live squid on the downrigger 6m from the bottom. It just goes to show that they will rise to eat what they want. kingfish. On the upside, when they have been found, slimy mackerel and yellowtail have been getting hit as well.

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area to catch live bait. All you need to do is to find some yellowtail or slimy mackerel on your sounder and drift through them with a live bait jig. If you put berley into the water, quite often the school will follow you and you’ll be able to catch many yellowtail as you drift the length of the headland.

This area at the moment still has kelp as the main weed, but if too many people keep on throwing their anchors out, this area will become depleted of weed in the not too distant future.

While you are drifting the headland catching yellowtail and slimy mackerel, cast towards the shoreline with a few squid jigs to pick up some squid as well.

So as you can see,

catch squid, a very large part of the technique is to be able to rattle or make the jig flick hard, but not move very far, as a prawn would. It can take a little bit of getting used to, but once mastered this aggressive technique is quite handy to attract squid from further away by using the vibration and sounds in the water that the jig makes.

Areas to try are any spots that have some weed, but the better areas have been The Basin, Mackerel Beach, Palm Beach weed beds, and as previously mentioned, West Head while gathering baitfish.

Some other species to target while on Pittwater besides the pelagic species are flathead, bream and tailor. These bread-andbutter species can be a bit of a hit and miss affair after

Fighting fish like this one amongst the moorings can be quite a battle. this area is a great spot to load up with bait and is an important area in our region that needs looking after. Please think before deploying your anchors in this area.

To locate squid in Pittwater at the moment is not too difficult. There are plenty of squid around and most are around the size of your hand, so they are perfect for downrigging to target kingies.

The better colour jig at the moment seems to be anything with orange. The better size to use is the 2.0 size jigs and use them in aggressive manner to attract the most attention. When giving lessons on how to

the increased boat activity, but if you start early try the shallows around Palm and Mackerel beaches, as well as amongst the moorings at Careel Bay. Further up the river, Towlers and Lovett bays are both areas worth using a soft plastic to try and locate a couple of big flatties. Scotland Island also has sandy areas and drop-offs that can be used when the nor’easter picks up and you want head to a sheltered area.

If you are going to drag baits around to target flatties, bream and mulloway, try the big drop-off that runs from Palm Beach across to Mackerel Beach. The drop-off can see good

captures of flathead, the odd kingfish and the deeper hole can hold mulloway. Fish the incoming tide while drifting to have the best chance at catching a few.

Remember to use the plotter function on your sounder, so when a productive drift has been found it can be replicated easily.

On Broken Bay, fish the change of the tide at Flint and Steel, Juno Point, Walkers Point or Elanoras Bluff for a great chance of a mulloway. Fresh squid, live yellowtail, tailor strips or even pilchards will see a few silver ghosts being caught. While targeting mulloway, try some smaller baits wafted down the berley trail as well and you should see some flathead and bream being caught.

While you are waiting for the current to back off during the full run of the tide, try drifting the deeper holes and channels around Broken Bay. We have picked up some decent mulloway while drifting, and try using some 90-120g micro jigs. If used properly, they are a serious weapon when a school of mulloway has been found. During the middle of the tide flow, it can be difficult to find fish out in the middle of Broken Bay, and this is the time to fish the eddies and slack water around the points.

Fish can become difficult to find during this time, because they have moved close to structure to save their energy. This is why baitfish will move to structure or headlands and stay in areas of slack water.

Hungry predators won’t be far behind.

Along our coast most headlands and reef systems have seen lots of small kingfish being caught.

The usual white jerk shads and 15g metal lures have worked a treat. After you get tired of these smaller speed machines, try breaking out an 8-10” popper and hit the deep water headlands.

Newport Reef and Whale Headland are a couple of great areas to spend an hour or two casting for hoodlums. Just find the baitfish schools before casting and launch away!

For those wanting to head offshore, the magic depth of water at the moment seems to be 60m, with a lot of baitfish being present.

Flathead are easy to find on the sand and at the edges of the reefs. The deeper water of the ordinance grounds are still seeing bar cod caught as well as the odd pearl perch. Snapper have also been hitting 120g micro jigs in the same area.

I hope this report gets you out enjoying our wonderful part of the coastline, while fishing with your friends and families.

FEBRUARY 2019

21

Great time to be chasing PBs BOTANY BAY

Gary Brown gbrown1@iprimus.com.au

As a writer for NSWFM I receive heaps of reports from readers of their memorable exploits while fishing.

I’ve received

information about a range of fishing experiences, from the very first fish that they have caught, right through to their latest PB. As a writer for the magazine I have to come up with what species I believe would be good to target in the area that I’m reporting about.

I have just received a

report from Rob West and Sheryl Kelly who went fishing just outside the heads of Botany Bay. They were going to try for Australian salmon and kingfish along the headlands towards Maroubra, and then come back in to chase some flatties in the shallows using soft plastics, jigs, skirted lures

Try trolling small skirted lures along the shoreline off the coast.

You too may catch your PB kingfish like Sheryl Kelly did!

and hardbodied lures.

Here is how their trip went.

Rob put out two hardbody divers and two small skirted lures while trolling around Cape Banks as the sun was rising over the horizon. The lures were literally in the water for two minutes when both rods went off.

Sheryl caught her first ever fish trolling and to make it even better, it was her first ever kingfish! It measured in at 90cm and pulled the scales down to 5.5kg.

They ended up with two legals, a 90cm and 70cm, both Sheryl’s, and about a dozen undersized kingies (40-60cm in length) caught on skirts and jigging lures.

The pair shot back into Ramsgate Beach in about 4m, and while Sheryl was resting Rob got two duskies at 60 and 40cm on a Samaki Vibe.

All in all it was a top day, and they were back at Foreshore ramp by 12:30pm!

I have also had several reports from Scotty Lyons that his clients have been getting in excess of 20 kings in an outing while trolling strips of fresh squid (caught that morning) and once located, drifting and dropping baits down.

A Samaki Vibe was the undoing of this nice dusky flathead. Try working them in and around the weed beds from Dolls Point to the entrance of the Cooks River.

If you are keen to catch a kingfish or two, I recommend heading out in the bay and just outside the heads of Botany Bay during this month targeting kingfish. Both Scotty and myself reckon

the improvement of the numbers of kings in the area is due to Botany Bay having finally settled down after the expansion of the Port Botany area. The kings have found their way back in increased numbers.

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FEBRUARY 2019

If you are looking for places to try for kingfish in Botany Bay, you could try anchoring or trolling around the end of the third runway, along the channel beside the container terminal, the horseshoe in Yarra Bay, or anchor at Watts Reef and the Bare Island bommie.

If you are targeting them from the shore you could try the breakwalls and the end of the Cook River, off the groynes along Silver Beach, Kurnell Point and just inside the heads on the northern side of the bay.

When targeting dusky flathead with bait, 98% of

the time I will be at anchor.

On the other hand, when it comes to using soft plastics and blades I will always be drifting and I will only troll with hardbodied lures.

This month should see a rise in the amount of dusky flathead that will be caught throughout Botany

Trolling small skirted lures, soft plastics and hardbodied lures both outside and inside Botany Bay is worth a shot for kingfish.

Rob West just had to get in on the action as well.

Bay, Georges and Woronora rivers. Try catching a few poddy mullet and fish the channel off Bonnet Bay in the Woronora River, the stretch of water at the old ferry wharf and Kangaroo Point in the Georges River, the end of the western airport runway, Silver Beach and the NSW Fisheries markers in Yarra Bay. Bream, whiting and trevally have been a bit of a hit and miss affair over the last month or so, but catches should improve. When I am targeting them with bait, I will fish both the run-in and run-out tides and at all times will berley while at anchor.

I will only spend about 30 minutes at any particular location, and if no fish come on board I will move to my next spot.

In no particular order the baits that I prefer to use when targeting bream, whiting and trevally in the bay are pink nippers, peeled Hawkesbury River prawns, tube worms, strips of fresh mullet and squid, salted slimy mackerel, pilly tails, whitebait and small pieces of chicken breast coated in parmesan cheese.

Don’t forget to keep those reports and photos coming in! If you have anything to report or have a picture of your latest catch just email it to me at gbrown1@iprimus.com.au.

FISHING NEWS

Farewell to icon Telwater’s co-founder, Bruce Shepherd, has passed away at 75 years old.

Bruce spent 30 years as the co-owner of Telwater, the manufacturer of Australia’s leading aluminium boat brands: Quintrex, Stacer and Savage boats.

Bruce will be deeply missed by Telwater’s staff, dealers and associates who have always valued his hard work, leadership and friendship.

The iconic Quintrex brand was purchased in 1987 by Bruce and his business partner Paul Phelan.

Growth was quick with its first major expansion in the 90s followed by the acquisition of Stacer in 1999, which sparked the creation of Telwater Holding Company.

Telwater’s production expanded year over year to keep up with high demand for its boats, especially after the 2008 acquisition of Australia’s oldest boat brand, Savage Boats.

An eye for opportunity, Bruce and Paul solidified their strategic partnership with BRP Inc. when Telwater was appointed the official distributor of

Evinrude Outboards across Australia in 2016.

Open communication with staff and the entire dealer network was extremely important to Bruce. He believed in empowering people to share knowledge and take pride in their opinions, which greatly contributed to the overall success of the organization.

Current owner and Managing Director Paul Phelan said over the last 30 years, Bruce was more than a business partner to him, he was a mentor and most importantly, a great friend.

“It is with great sadness we say goodbye,” Paul said, “but he will not be forgotten.” - Telwater

For Explosive Results

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www.frogleysoffshore.com.au FEBRUARY 2019

23

Kingfish are running rampant off the rocks SYD ROCK & BEACH

Alex Bellissimo alex@bellissimocharters.com.au

Are you one of those anglers who finds it hard to sleep the night before your fishing trip? I have been fishing for 40 years and I still get really excited and have those restless sleep patterns.

There’s the anticipation of what I might hook on the outing, the strategies I will be using, the lessons learnt from previous outing and the mistakes I will avoid. The experience that you gain from time on the water is a wonderful thing.

water depth you’re fishing.

For example, set the float stopper at 6m max in, say, 8m of water.

When fishing the estuary with floats you will find that the float will tend to drift sideways to where you cast, and will also drift inwards.

Make sure you retrieve some of the slack line when this occurs. When the float drifts in too close into the shallower water, wind it in so you can avoid a snag. Cast it back out as far as you can and repeat the same process.

When fishing the ocean rocks you can keep your float in a position thanks to the sudsy white water run-off from the wave action. You don’t have the

If you like you can take out some bait like pink nippers or fresh river prawns.

If you have the opportunity you can pump nippers legally from an estuary first, or just purchase them from a good bait shop.

While you’re wading you will see some nice whiting and bream in the shallows as well.

Unweighted or very lightlyweighted nippers work a treat in these circumstances.

You can use the same 2-3kg spin outfit that you’re using for flathead, and swap from the lure to a no. 1 Mustad 92247 or Aberdeen hook.

I recommend bringing an Alvey carry bag with all of the accessories,

Allan Guo with part of his kingfish catch. Kings are a common by-catch when fishing the ocean rocks for snapper. Just berley up and fish the sudsy white water using half or full pilchards, large prawns or squid strips.

There is a saying that you learn something new on every fishing outing.

However, I believe it’s better to master what you have learnt rather than learning lots and becoming a jack of all trades. If you put your effort into your speciality, you will get more consistent results in the long run.

ESTUARIES The first bonito of the season was caught at Middle Harbour rocks near the grotto, funnily enough, not off the ocean rocks. Anglers are catching kings to 70cm and tailor to near 50cm on the Rapala X-Rap Long Cast 54g red head, Daiwa Overthere and Sure Catch Knights in 40-50g.

Ganged pilchards and pilchards with a two-hook snelled rig suspended under a float between 1-2m is a manageable casting length for the majority of anglers, but you are still fishing deep enough at those deep water locations off the shore.

Alternatively, you can use a float stopper and slide it up the line as far as you need, making sure that the stopper does not exceed the 24

FEBRUARY 2019

luxury in most situations in the estuary because of the wind, current and no white water wash to ‘hold’ your float in a good position for extended times.

Another method worth trying is to cast out and wind in your bait very slowly. I like to use Daiwa 4000 and Alvey 600 size reels, and wind in one retrieve every three seconds.

Some spots to try include the north eastern side of the spit bridge along the stone wall, Georges Head rocks and Green Point Reserve in the Eastern Suburbs.

For flathead, whiting and bream, you can try around the back of North Harbour sand flat. I have had good results wading around on the shallows using a Zerek Live Flash Minnow Wriggly.

I usually fish with a light jighead, but you should try to keep a variety of jigheads for a change of sink rates. This can give you better results.

When you are wading out, have a few casts in front of where you intend to walk.

Then wade out further and cast in a tight fan pattern with several casts.

lures, scissors, leader and terminal tackle that you need. And don’t forget your landing net and cloth to handle spiky bream and flathead. Good places to try include Balmoral and Edwards beach in Middle Harbour. It’s also worth checking out Narrabeen Lagoon; the channel near

the beach bridge on a run-in tide, and the sand flat edge approximately 150-200m west of the bridge is definitely worth having a crack.

OFF THE OCEAN BEACHES Tailor are marauding the beaches in the low light periods and after dark. If you’re really keen to get out there in the dark, aim to get there at roughly 4am and fish until an hour after dawn for best results. Alternatively, you can get there an hour before dark and fish well into the evening. Tailor are one of those species that prefer the sunset to dark period to better ambush their prey. Small fish like whitebait, gar, mullet and small whiting are in the tailor’s crosshairs. Anything that is small had better get out of the way of a hungry tailor.

The most popular way to fish for tailor is with a ganged pilchard. You can purchase ready-made gang hooks from virtually any tackle shop, and the ideal hook size is 3/0-4/0.

Generally it suits pilchards in the 140-170mm range.

A 6-8kg outfit and a 11ft+ rod which suits 6-10kg mono or braid will do for general beach use. When it comes to metals, I like the Sure Catch 50g Knights in the mackerel colour or blue reflective strip.

It’s good to have a couple in your carry bag as a back-up, in case you’d like to have a spin. You can go lighter on a metal lure weight, just remember that it’s important in most circumstances to get the distance when surf casting with lures.

Anglers are catching some nice mulloway off the beaches up to 103cm. My lovely wife recently caught one that was 1m long, and that was her first mulloway!

Anglers usually have to spend many nights soaking big baits to catch a mulloway like that. She told me she wants to catch a big blue groper now.

I had a report from one of my clients that a 120cm plus fish was caught recently.

Apparently the angler was only fishing for an hour, then cleaned up the fish and went home. I guess he got his bag limit and was more than satisfied!

Some of the anglers fishing for mulloway are catching their own bait. You

fishing for snapper and bream. Unfortunately, the small kings in that 55-62cm range are in near plague proportions at times. Still, a few just over the legal size are being caught. Half pilchards and even whole pillies are the best baits.

Try to be as gentle as possible when de-hooking an undersized king, as this

It’s worth going for a prawning session in our estuaries like Narrabeen Lagoon. A prawn net, bucket with a clip seal lid and a strong light is all you need.

Wade the shallow sand flats at night. Great fun! can catch a tailor for bait by either spinning for them or bait fishing with ganged pillies. You can then rig it live or use fillets. Even the smaller tailor heads work well. Yellowtail also make good bait. You can use them live, butterflied or use fillets from the larger yellowtail.

Whiting, bream and sizeable dart are available in good numbers. In recent weeks some good locations have been from North and Mid Narrabeen beach, Newport and Mid Palm Beach.

OFF THE OCEAN ROCKS We’re enjoying plenty of action on small to medium kings. They are a regular by-catch for anglers wash

A couple of nice snapper caught while wash fishing. The outfit consists of a 6-8kg, 12’ Live Fibre rod paired with an Alvey 600B spooled with 15lb mono.

will reduce trauma and bleeding. Some anglers try to save their hook, and will risk the fish’s survival just for the sake of a hook! If it’s too difficult to unhook a king, the best thing to do is just cut the line close to the mouth, and throw the fish well out into the water.

Sometimes I see anglers releasing a fish only for it to get belted up on the rocks!

Because of the nature of rock fishing locations it cannot be releases as gently as an estuary or boat caught fish.

Live baiting with yellowtail has also been working as well. I recommend that you use your 24kg outfit, as you may hook some larger kings. Live mullet, if you find them in the berley, is also deadly.

A Daiwa 4500 to 6500BG with a Saltist PE6 two piece rod, 50lb braid at least and 60 to 80lb Wilson or Sufix fluoro carbon leader.

That is a great set up.

Locations to try are The Hat near the Quarantine at Manly, Bluefish Point, south and north Curl Curl, and south and north Whale Rocks.

We’re approaching the end of summer now, and February is one of the warmest months of the year.

Take advantage of it!

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

Boom time for big bass WESTERN SYDNEY

Cameron McDonald

It’s been a great season of fishing in Western Sydney.

From bass to carp, bream to flathead, all have been prolific and with some decent average sizes. Maybe it was the lack of rain at the

pull the lure out instantly. Let it sit, and allow the ripples to disperse a little. If there is a nearby bass, it’ll probably come to take a look. The fish will sit under the lure, looking up at it diagonally. Make the lure ‘jiggle’ by shaking the end of your rod. Have you ever seen a real cicada in the water?

They don’t power swim to the

the weir amongst schools of big carp.

For those targeting the bigger fish, it’s hard to go past the thumpers in some of the NSW lakes. Lake Lyell near Lithgow, Glenbawn Dam, Lostock Dam, Lake St Clair in the Hunter Valley and Tallowa in the Shoalhaven are all worth the drive. Dam

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SEAHAWK

ABA staff member Zach, with a new PB caught on a Flash Union 155. The early bird gets the worm, and this one was caught at 4am before Zach went to work! start of the season (meaning a lot of them didn’t travel downstream to spawn) or some other reason, but crikey, there has been some good local fishing lately.

We recently held a catch and release bass comp, and from 25 anglers, over 250 bass were caught in just a few hours, with the winner catching over 40 fish in a small stretch of the Nepean.

On the local bass front, the trees have been full of cicadas all summer, and it’s no surprise that cicada imitations are the standout lure. Able to be used all day, they attract bass of all sizes.

We regularly get people come into the shop saying they have been tossing a cicada lure around and have not caught many fish. Upon further questioning, it’s easy to determine why. Cicadas live in trees, and trees grow on the river bank. When they fall into the water, they fall underneath the tree. That’s where the bass will be hiding, waiting for the tasty fluttering of a struggling cicada. What they don’t do (well, not normally) is fall into the waterway out in the middle of the river. There is no need for long booming distance casts when searching for bass. This might see you get a few hits or one or two smaller bass, but the bigger ones are in close.

If bank fishing, just flick your lure under the tree, as tight as possible. If there is any underwater structure there as well, that’s just gold. You just know a bass will be lurking there! Throw in a half dozen casts, all to a slightly different part of the target. If there is any shadow, all the better. Don’t

edge, they flap around and spin in little circles as they desperately seek the safety of land or air. These little jiggles are what cause the aggressive strike from the watching bass.

Often a cicada will actually fly out of the water or make it to a stick. Bass know this and will usually hit ASAP for fear of missing out. So, combine your rod jiggling with some very small turns of the reel handle.

You want to keep the lure in the zone for as long as it takes.

Once you are out of the zone, or back in the sunlight, it’s time to look for the next tree.

bass tend to be larger and definitely fatter than wild fish, and more than likely have been exposed to a huge variety of baits and lures.

One of the local fishing clubs we sponsor (Penrith Panthers Fishing Club) is having its annual ‘FishFest’.

Celebrating its 35th year, this catch and release comp is great for the whole family, with over $10,000 in prizes to be won, with lots of mystery fish prizes. Taking place on the Nepean River on 23-24 February, it’s a great social comp. Don’t let

A typical cicada caught bass from the Western Sydney area.

Photo courtesy of Nick Spiteri

At the end of the day bass are pretty easy to catch – it’s getting the bigger ones that’s a bit harder. Even a tiny fish will strike at a cicada. I’ve caught many fish the same size as my lure, then next cast caught one five times the size!

Big bass catches haven’t been limited to the Hawkesbury/Nepean, some great catches have come from the Parramatta River above

the fact that they support the wrong team put you off!

• The expert staff at Australian Bass Angler in Penrith specialise in all fields of fresh and saltwater fishing. If you want to know about the latest tackle or techniques, kayak fishing, or tournament bass boats, drop into the store at 105 Batt Street, Penrith or phone (02) 4721 0455.

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25

Discovering the magic of the Myall River PORT STEPHENS

Gary Earl

The Myall River is a long winding river that begins in the Port Stephens estuary,

southern Lake in the Myall system, then runs from the top of the Broadwater onto the northern section where it leads up past the town of Nerong and then to Bulahdelah.

Highway itself it’s a short three-minute drive that takes you into the centre of town. In town itself there is the pub, general stores, takeaway shops, and numerous businesses that

A tinny can be an advantage as you can get to the waters that the kayaks can’t reach further downstream.

The rest area is quite large and can hold a large number of vehicles.

It can become busy in holiday periods and long weekends. just before the small township of Tea Gardens.

It is the link to the Myall Lakes, and its length is vast. The river enters the Broadwater, the most

BULAHDELAH The Pacific Highway has been diverted around Bulahdelah, making the once bustling town a sleepy little village. From the

are open most weekends.

There is a club, hospital and nearly anything you need can be brought in town, or at the 24-hour service station.

The river is very popular with kayakers and people using canoes. The water is always calm.

YOUR VISIT • The rest area beside the bridge is designated for self-contained mobile homes, and a stay of up to 72 hours is permitted at any one time. You can walk across the bridge to access the toilet facilities, or to visit the pub and main township.

• There are free BBQs and picnic tables at the rest areas. The boat ramp is one lane with ample parking under the bridge, and kayaks and canoes can be put into the river right along on both sides with no obstructions in the way.

• There is a houseboat marina and craft hire for weekends to explore the Myall Lakes proper on the north side of the bridge. You can found out about the Myall Lakes proper by visiting the pub or marina. Maps are in most shops, or you can order one through the NSW National Parks and Wildlife service. There’s also an information centre. Be aware that no guns, traps or nets are allowed in the system.

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THE FISHING As you approach the town from the south, about 100m from crossing the bridge into town there is a rest area and boat ramp, wharf, camping area, free BBQs, and a shady shoreline along the Myall River. The river is fresh to brackish downstream from here, holding fish such as bass, bream, flathead, and a multitude of mullet, and at times school mulloway.

Along the top stretch of the river, bass are the most sought after fish. Steep banks with fallen trees are the places you can find quite sizable bass at times.

there’s a small feeder creek that meanders up behind the pub, and at this junction bass can be taken here at times.

About the first 5-10km downstream the water is fished pretty hard, as this is the stretch where most people fish from their canoe or kayak. Walking the banks on both sides of the river and casting lures can connect you with fish, and from the wharf and banks around the rest area you can fish with baits such as worms and yabbies, or use the live cicadas which live in the willow trees along the river bank. The cicadas aren’t hard to find, as they

prevalent, and then stop and cast to the fallen trees.

Bulahdelah Bass Bash Going back 20 years ago when the Bulahdelah Bass Bash was in its prime, the waterway gave up good amounts of fish to the contestants. The Bass Bash was cancelled for a while as the numbers of bass dwindled, but it’s back now, and the family-orientated weekend is once again a great event. The numbers of fish have gotten better year after year.

A mixed bag of species In a small tinny you can get down to where the river runs into Nerong Creek,

This bass snatched a Koolabung diving lure near the weir. At times the bass sit right up against the gates waiting for food to be flushed into the river.

The most popular way to fish this river is from a canoe or kayak, and also walking the banks. Tinnies can be launched at the boat ramp, which is great as its concrete and not very steep. There is a small weir about 500m up from the boat ramp. At times bass sit near the grates and are easily targeted with a lure landed in the right place.

Across from the weir

sing their deafening song of an afternoon.

Kayaks and canoes are extremely popular on this mellow waterway, as it’s very protected from prevailing winds. Because the water is non-tidal it’s an easy paddle downstream and then back to the rest area. Some people slowly troll a medium diver behind as they paddle along the banks where the reeds are

also known as ‘Dirty Creek’ because the brackish water is always discoloured. Around this area flathead and bream come into play, as do school mulloway at times. Many anglers targeting bass hook flathead and other saltwater fish where they think they shouldn’t be.

Fishing where the salinity levels fluctuate can be great, as you don’t know what may

jump onto your hook or lure.

One minute it could be a bass, the next a bream or a dusky flathead. This river is renowned for turning up unexpected catches. There has even been talk of school sharks in this river, which is a very long way away from the ocean itself.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS The Myall River is a very picturesque place, with

great amounts of wildlife along its banks. There’s lots of wallabies, kangaroos and the odd pack of dingoes.

The pine plantations attract black cockatoos, and sometimes they are in such vast numbers all you can hear is them screeching and crushing the pine nuts as the gorge themselves.

If you want to try something different, try

heading to the area up from the plantations. The water is nearly always crystal clear here, but even when it has some tannin colour it still has a good underwater visibility.

I like to snorkel around here, as it’s like looking at a freshwater aquarium. There are rainbow fish, small silver mullet, and huge pike eels all swimming around constantly searching for

The boat ramp is a one-car ramp, but it can handle all sizes of trailer boats. The ramp is in great condition. food. The water is always at a moderate temperature during summer and very refreshing. You can also search out trees and huge

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And with the rest area being right on the waterside and the pub a mere stroll across the bridge, it’s no wonder that people love coming here.

Cicadas in the trees along the river banks make a great bait of an afternoon. Just lightly hook them and let them flutter across the top of the water. They won’t last long.

The pub and picnic grounds across the river in the main street of Bulahdelah.

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logs that hold bass that you can later throw lures at.

All in all, the Myall River is a hidden gem, both for anglers and wildlife seekers.

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27

Blazing days, screaming reels and mega fish THE TWEED

Anthony Coughran

The Tweed is on fire. Water temperatures are high, sitting around the 25-27°C mark offshore, 27-31°C in the rivers, and around 29-33°C in the upper rivers, creeks and backcountry.

This has really fired up the summer species.

Billfish, mahimahi, wahoo, mackerel, kings, GT, jacks, whiting and even the fresh species have all been biting really well over the last month. The weather is still dictating the style of fishing for most Tweed anglers.

Southerlies and no swell sees most anglers out chasing the Spaniards and other pelagics, but the northerlies and storms keep most anglers in the rivers hunting jacks.

The high barometric pressure gets anglers out in the back country fishing for the fat natives. Pressure of 1020hPa or above has seen the bass

Richard Holmes with a solid king he caught from a jet ski. fire in the upper river, creeks and dams.

OFFSHORE Everyone is keeping their eyes peeled now for the southerlies and as soon as they show up, so do the mackerel and other pelagics.

Once this happens anglers are straight into it to reap

the rewards.

The Tweed’s close reefs are fishing well this month.

A few nice Spaniards are showing up. Troll baits, float baits, live baits, stickbaits and poppers have all been catching a few. Stickbaits, poppers and live baits around the bommies at Tweed, Kingy

Dylan Power took this big Tweed River GT.

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FEBRUARY 2019

and Hastings Point have been getting a few kingfish in amongst the macks.

Some big kings have been taken around 9 Mile, Deep Southern and any rock in 100-200m. Live baits and jigs are best out there this month.

Some big bar cod, blue eyes and bass groper are available out wide, and for these you should try areas in 400-600m for best results.

Floating baits around Fidos and Point reefs are catching a few spotties, but there are more numbers up on Palmy and Mermaid.

The 36 fathom lines have been fishing well this month.

Anglers are raising billfish (blues and blacks) mahimahi, wahoo and the odd mackerel while trolling their skirts.

More fish have been caught south of Tweed and more so east of Cabarita, but still on that 36 fathom line. Look for

buoys, FADs, trees, sticks or milk crates and you might find some smaller stick faces close by trolling smaller skirts. The odd tuna will eat those smaller skirts too.

There’s still good pan-sized mixed reefies on close reefs out to the 36 fathoms, but be sure to fish with extra weight, as that current is up. Despite this, float baits are still faring reasonably well, but bottom bashing baits and jigs and heavy plastics is turning up the best results. Pilchards, squid and combinations of both are catching good feeds. There’s lots of baits at all the usual haunts, so try Point Reef, Snapper, Kirra, Desal, 10 Minute Reef, the northwest side of Kingy, and the Snapper and Kirra bait grounds.

ESTUARY I see red, and so do many Tweed anglers! Because the red dogs are still roaming in packs, they are very hungry and are smashing anglers’ offerings. I hope you have been to the gym after Chrissy, because you will need it and you better bring your heavy gear to stop those 50cm and bigger models! Lures during the day have been catching some quality jacks up to the mid 50s, but the 55-65cm models are mainly being caught on live baits around the heavier structure of a night.

Some monster cod are also being taken at night as jack by-catch. Running double hook rigs and stingers on your livey set-up is a must to get those hooks to stick on these explosive hitting dogs.

4/0-6/0 live bait hooks are the go. Anything lighter and you will run the risk of straitening them. The length between hooks is determined by the bait size. Big baits catch big fish, so try a 20-30cm live mullet for a big jack.

Bait traps and bait jigs are the best way to get smaller baits, but small hooks, bread and dough will get you onto larger baits. I like to spend an arvo hunting bait before a night’s jack session. Lures that have been working this month are 90mm Bassday Sugapens, 100mm Lucky

Rock walls and bridges are fishing better this month, with baits best at night and artificals during the day.

Lots of good size whiting are getting around. Surface lures are getting some quality fish, but yabbies and worms, both blood and beach, are catching the numbers. Try the Piggery, Cobaki, Terranora, Kerosene Bay, Cudgen Creek, Hastings Point, Potty and the skinny water in the Brunswick River with a combo of lures and baits so you are guaranteed a good feed.

There are still a few flathead around. Try those same areas you would for the whiting, as they will be sitting up in the skinny water chasing them. 2.5-5” plastics and trolled hardbodies are currently fishing well.

Troy Pinkstone has been getting stuck into the bass up in the fresh.

Craft Pointers, 95mm Daiwa Double Clutches, Atomic Shiner 100 Deeps, 89mm Gold Bombers, 4 and 6” Lively Lures Mad Mullets, 3 and 4” ZMan MinnowZ, Samaki Vibalicous, Berkley Shimma Vibes, Zerek Fish Traps, Live Target Mullet Swimbaits, Western Hypoteez glide baits and Savage Gear 3D.

The bigger jacks will be out and about this month.

Some good trevally are pushing through the Tweed at the moment. Bridges and rock walls are fishing the best for them this month.

Live herring, vibes, blades, hardbodies, stickbaits and plastics are fishing well for these silver bullets. Vertically jigging the bar rock wall is still very productive as well.

3-5” plastics on a 1/6-3/8oz jighead should see you hooked up to a nice lizard, trevally or even a rat king.

The bullies are causing havoc in the upper Tweed this month. Showers of jumping mullet at night are an indication that they are around. The sugar mill is fishing well for bullies this month. Try freshwater eel, large live mullet, a tuna head, whole bonnies and large strip baits on multi-strand wire.

An 8/0-16/0 circle hook rig should see a corner of the jaw hook up, which makes for an easy release. If you are going to keep one to eat, try soaking the fillets in milk overnight to get rid of that ammonia smell.

Muddies are on the move. Muddies are moving around on the full moons.

Up around the mangrove lines has been fishing better with pots this month, so it’s

No real numbers have been recorded, just the odd one to tease anglers.

The sandy river mouths of Kingy, Hastings and Pottsville are fishing well

Scott Tonkin with a big can opener ready for the pot. well worth soaking a pot for some crabby goodness.

BEACHES There’s been lots of dart, whiting, bream, trevally and flathead in the gutters along the coast down to Byron.

with worms, yabbies, pipis, whitebait, pilchards and plastics and are great spots for a family fishing picnic.

Beachworms are great bait, and can be collected at low tide from Fingal,

you have strong hands and a good grip, you will be fine.

FRESHWATER The fresh is in full swing this month. Surface lures have been working well in the morning and late afternoon.

Casting at overhanging trees and slowly twitching a cicada or frog imitation should be irresistible to any bass. Most surface lures will work well this month.

Beetle spins, spinnerbaits, hardbodies, vibes and plastics are all working well in the heat of the day. Finding the right depth is crucial to finding them in the middle of the day. Google Maps is your best friend when it comes to the sweetwater.

Researching a section of river or creek before heading out will see you finding better grounds and pools without tramping through the bush randomly or paddling for miles.

NEXT MONTH Next month should see the macks thicken up, with metals and float baits coming more into play next month.

The pelagics should hang around next month as long as the water temperatures stay up, the water clarity stays clear and blue, and we don’t get too many storms!

In saying that, lots of anglers are wanting the storms to get the jacks all psyched up. Most anglers are torn at this time of year, offshore anglers want southerlies to get the mackerel and pelagics fired up, but the estuary fishers want the northerlies so the jacks fire up.

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Jacks are often released, but do make a great meal when looked after.

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I like to switch it up and fish offshore in southerly CRUSADER winds and the rivers in the northerly winds. If you follow this rule you can’t go wrong. Don’t risk it in rough seas – know your limits. Most importantly, have fun fishing, stay safe and tight lines!

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Quality water makes for good quality catches BALLINA

Joe Allan

Summer holidays are all over and everyone is back at work or school again. Some great times were had on and around the Richmond River over the holidays.

you don’t make them stick out in the sun for too long.

In the main river try Mobbs

The freshwater reaches of the river have produced some great Aussie bass fishing of late, with the water quality in the upriver reaches of both the Wilson and Richmond Rivers being very conducive to fishing.

Cicada imitations have been working really well and accounting for some great

RSL seem to be your best bet. Live bait definitely produces the best numbers

Curtis Long with an Aussie bass caught on an Atomic Cicada.

An Aussie bass caught on a Bassman Jig colour 04 with a black Atomic Prong trailer.

numbers of fish. During the brighter sunlight hours, spinnerbaits and skirted jigs have worked really well.

I’ve been adding the 4” soft plastic cut down. The tail gives off a great action even when the jig is sitting on the bottom. Some favourite colours of mine in the jigs have been black and blue and avocado.

Beaches of South Ballina

are holding good numbers of dart and whiting. When the swell is down, try flicking blades and plastics for flathead in the low tide gutters. This can be a really productive technique and you may be surprised at how many quality fish you can come up with. Take care when traveling on the beaches, it only takes a couple of idiots to spoil the fun for everyone.

Offshore has been producing some quality fish when able, around the 32s is holding snapper of average size but you can pretty much guarantee a good feed with

Scott Lems with a fish of a lifetime. A 1m flathead caught in the Richmond River on a soft plastic. This beauty was released shortly after this picture.

Bay, or the weeds flats past the ferry with the little ones.

There have been some big flatties caught

Bream love cicada imitations.

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these fish. The FADs are holding mahimahi with the bigger models coming from the 48s when the tide is really moving. Mackerel have been a bit quiet since Christmas as have the marlin.

In the river there are great numbers of whiting on the flats around Pimlico Island on surface, as well as bream and flathead. This time of year the number of families lining the river with kids just hoping to catch something is great to see. Getting kids into fishing is something that is easy to do if you use fresh bait, the right equipment and

lately in the town stretch of river. The holes from the waterslide up to the

but a rigged soft plastic can definitely bring the big mamas out to play.

Crabs are a little quiet, however the new moon should fire them up. Remember, mark your pots properly as NSW fisheries have been around confiscating unmarked equipment and issuing fines.

They will take anything either not marked or not marked as per regulations.

They are also checking fishing licences, size of fish and bag limits. If you haven’t got a licence it’s worth getting one. The money goes back into the fisheries and facilities and above all else, it’s just not worth the fines.

Rules are there for everyone to abide by so the fisheries are sustainable for everyone for the future. If you see anything suspicious please report it to the authorities.

Until next issue, tight lines.

Curtis Long with a decent whiting caught on a Bassday Sugapen 70 in colour c393.

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Fantastic FAD fishing for this February YAMBA

Dave Gaden

February is here, school holidays are over, back to work everyone goes and I get to have a breath after the busiest time of the year for those of us that are crazy enough to own charter boats. All that aside, this a great month to go fishing, especially offshore. Everything that swims can be caught in February.

Spotted and Spanish mackerel will be running thick this month. Head north

to Woody Head and Shark Bay for those big shoals of spotties that gather there every year. Troll the basic pink squid skirts around, or my go-to lure the Zerek Speed Donkey, from daybreak to about 8am then find a nice piece of reef, throw the anchor and float some pillies out the back on light wire. It won’t be hard to find the grounds; there will be plenty of other boats around if the fish are on.

Alternatively, head south to the 30m line off One-Man. From here I troll to Freeburn Rock (the bommie) and back, until about 8am.

Grounds and South Evans Reef. This beautiful reef area is productive all year round and although it doesn’t seem to return us a lot of mackerel, it makes up for it with cobia, mulloway and big snapper you would expect only to catch in August. Obviously, while you’re chasing these fish you will be filling the boat with some sizable trag,

as it is trag city up here.

Keep an eye on the current and if you get a drop in speed head to the 50 fathom line east-northeast of the bar. It’s a run of 19nm to the first part of this reef, but if you go 3nm further the fishing is twice as good.

This is quality reef fish ground. Wild big eyed and bumpy headed snapper, pearl

Jason Cambridge with a nifty pearly. Where you find wire weed, you’ll find pearlies.

Fab from Yamba with a decent mulloway. Try heading north, as they are hanging out around the reefs there.

You can anchor and float bait here as well, but if you have gathered a few livies early then set a couple out the back and troll them at dead idle a long way back and just keep going around the bommie. You will bring quite a few big Spaniard unstuck like this.

It’s time to hit the FAD! Around 12nm southeast of the bar, the fisheries FAD will be holding some great mahimahi this month as well as quite a few wahoo. As with all FADs it can get a bit crowded some days, but the fish don’t just sit under the FAD, more often than not they are up to 150m away and in several groups. I like

to troll past the FAD three or four times in big sweeping circles before flicking baits at the fish. This can quite often help you find good fish that appear to be nowhere near the actual buoy. It is also the best way to get those speed masters, the wahoo.

These crazy fish will tear into a fast lure you’re trolling and at the same time can sit alongside the boat when you drop a livey on their head and just ignore it. Frustration with fins.

It keeps getting better, as this month accounts for the most cobia we land compared to any other month. I really like the grounds north for cobia: Black Rock, the Italian

Spotted mackerel are around in numbers this month, as Don Causley found out when he landed this spotty.

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perch to 5kg, samsonfish and my favourite the black spotted pigfish.

The ground out here is pretty unremarkable to look at on a sounder as a lot of it is broken rock and gravel.

But when you find snapper they will show up brightly and nicely bunched (easy target). Pearlies on the other hand will be spread across the bottom over the patches of wire weed. You will know wire weed as soon as you bring some up, fair dinkum it looks like a piece of rusted spring wire.

Take my advice if you pull some up on your line, even if you are not catching fish, mark that spot! That’s the

ground you need to fish regularly. Pearlies love wire weed.

In the estuary crabs will be around in as good a numbers as any month of the year, that’s if they haven’t been taken by the holidaymakers over the last six weeks. Blue swimmers will be in the channels along the side of the many sand bars. Try and find a place that has a good tidal flow as they are called swimmers for a reason and will travel back and forward with the tide. Muddies on the other hand will nest in holes in the bank and like nice dark water. This season has seen muddies consistently

around the 1kg mark. Not a bad feed.

Whiting will still be around in good numbers with yabbies being the preferred bait. Try fishing the last of the run-up tide in water a little deeper than you might normally think to look for them.

February can quite often bring a few small freshes to the river and for this reason flathead gets nicely concentrated in the lower reaches of the Clarence.

All the usual haunts, Oyster ba Channel from the bridge to“Yam the entrance to the Lake, Back Channel on Iluka side and around Nihill and Esk islands, are good as always.

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Recovery month set to go off COFFS HARBOUR

Stephen Worley info@tdsimages.com.au

February is a chance for recovery. The fish, the waterways and the local

anglers can all recover from the holiday crowds.

The trout anglers will have a few more options to fish this month, without the threat of turning up at your favourite stream, only to find cars already

parked and parties already on the water. We have had some heat this summer, but the early rains have put the trout creeks in a much better position than they could have been. Plenty of insect action around in the

heat means that on most days dry flies and emergers will work, even through the middle of the day, in the right streams. On those really sweltering days, small hardbodies can be a good way to draw trout out of their shady hideaways on the more opens creeks that are most susceptible to the warmth.

Those targeting bass should also be feeling less anxiety about finding your chosen section already occupied by another group. With plenty of bass creeks in our area nobody should have any trouble finding a stretch to fish to themselves. You can improve your options by getting a little further out of the way. The cicada season, while not record breaking, has been quite strong, so the bass have been happy to hit the surface lures at anytime in the day. If using surface crawlers in the day,

Cicada imitations are the only option you need for most days at this time of year. This was James’ second bass on his first bass session ever. it pays to use the slower working lures such as the Taylor Made Basscada and

Tiemco Soft Shell Cicada.

This allows you to keep the lure in the strike zone for

Even though mackerel will be on the minds of most anglers, there’s still the option of a hoodlum to throw your stickbaits at.

This fish was a PB Christmas present for Bill Patterson.

Early season rain means the trout streams are in better condition than last year. There are still active fish around, even on those hot days.

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longer. Bass will be more cautious about leaving the safety of their cover

during the day than they would at night. At night, the bigger lures like the

Jackall Pompadour will get more attention in the deeper holes or on darker nights.

A sun safe Jim Wray slip, slop and slapped his way to finding this nice ‘bow on a hot day.

Estuary anglers will appreciate the lighter fishing pressure around the local estuaries. Less boats, less jet skis, less kayaks and fewer lines in the water mean that you’re much more likely to have your favourite stretch to yourself again.

Mangrove jack have continued to be very active in the middle to upper estuaries. Hardbodies and weedless rigged plastics have produced well throughout the summer so far, as have the popular live mullet. On the bait side, there has been a growing by-catch as the estuaries seem to be filling with bull shark pups by the minute.

It’s great if that’s what you’re chasing, but a little ordinary when you pull in your would be PB trevally, only to find it’s missing most of its body.

The sharks too have been very common on the beaches, where it can sometimes be hard to keep your bait in the water long enough to attract your target species!

Offshore anglers will be praising the opportunity to get in and out of the boat ramp without the holiday line up. There won’t be as much entertainment watching the ‘out of towners’ use a surgy and

shallow Coffs Harbour boat ramp, but it will be a less stressful and safer situation for all.

This month should see us right in peak mackerel season. Although the mackerel showed up very early last year (November 2018), they didn’t arrive in strong numbers and have mostly trickled through slowly. Even as I write, there has not been a real indication of what type of season we’re in for. Will it be dominated by the Spaniards or the spotties?

Big numbers or small?

Good size or yearlings all round? We should have much more of an answer by February.

Stickbaits are already looking like the go to bait for the mackerel, if not only

for the quality by-catch that has been around.

Quality kingfish have still been hanging around the common marks. The islands and rocky outcrops have been harbouring some real hoodlums. It’s hard to beat that for anticipation.

You ask yourself ‘will it be a jumbo Spaniard or an arm breaking kingy that’s going to jump on my bait today?’ Any of the inshore reefs will be holding mackerel, it’s the deeper ledges and drop-offs that are more likely to hold the good kingfish.

There are plenty of options for your recovery this month. No matter which option you go for, I hope your fishing is crowded with fish and not crowded with people.

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More great fishing to come NAMBUCCA

Riley Wilson

It has been a cracker summer so far, and even though it’s February, I can’t see anything changing soon! The fishing so far has been fairly consistent, with good catches of the bread and butter species that you would expect at this time.

The only negative of late has been the relentless winds during the afternoons, making early rises and short sessions a must for consistent catches. Summer storms have been pretty nasty, but if you can get out before or after these storms, the bites have come thick and fast.

Those fishing for mangrove jack have had some pretty good success, as jacks are renowned for

firing up before a storm hits.

A hot day with northerly winds followed by a storm coming from the south on dark seems to the best recipe for success. Snaggy areas full of fallen trees are a great holding point for jacks to ambush the passing bait. A bit of tidal flow will get the bait moving and serve it right to the doorstep of the best jack hideouts. This is another reason why bridge pylons are

After the considerable rain we had, the river did adopt a little coffee look for a week or two, and it was enough to fire up a few mulloway. There wasn’t many being caught, but one good catch off the beach was made by Derek Newbolt, with a 98cm model, which is a good fish.

While spinning off the headland in the dirty water you can catch some weird stuff at this time of year, from jacks to tailor, so it pays to be open minded in your approach. While the mulloway proved elusive for me during my sessions, I did manage a 2.5kg tailor at low tide in the muddy water only a few feet deep, in the middle of the day!

Kingfish have been moving along the V wall in packs, but are very fussy about what they will eat.

The most consistent baits have proved to be pillies and California squid, and most are of the rat variety. Some good specimens are lurking underneath the little pups, so it pays to persist. Lure

Michael Goodwin with a nice creek jack, which ate a soft plastic. fishing has been frustrating, with refusals common and interest waning quickly after just a few casts. In saying this, I have had them turn their nose up at everything one day and the next day get hooked up first cast – that’s just their nature.

Last month mackerel encounters were just whispers, but by the time you

read this they will be well and truly here and anglers will still have a hushed tone when mentioning them, but screaming reels don’t lie!

• If you are fishing on the Nambucca or just want some great gear and the best advice, drop in and see Riley or Rob at the Boatshed Cafe and say hi. They will be happy to help with all your fishing needs.

The author with a big midday tailor taken off the stones.

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great, they have strong tidal movement, as they are often built in narrow sections of the river, which also helps concentrate the flow of food.

Add an increased depth to provide cover at all stages of the tide, and a food source in the form of barnacles and algae to encourage the small fry to stay around, and you have the perfect recipe for a one stop shop for any hungry predator!

Derek and his son Gerry were stoked to land this monster mulloway.

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Pelagic invasion is upon us SOUTH WEST ROCKS

Brent Kirk kempsey@compleatangler.com.au

With the festive season well and truly behind us now, we move into the peak three or four months for chasing pelagic species along our section of the coastline. Whether you fish from the land or boat, now is the time when the fishing really heats up.

Warm blue water from the north has settled in now and things should remain this way through until after Easter. This water will hold a vast array of northern pelagic species over this period. Spanish and spotted mackerel catches are increasing by the day, and these fish are starting to be caught all along our coastline. Small yellowfin tuna have also been in good numbers, making for a tasty addition to the icebox.

Small black marlin are around the grounds off the gaol and down towards Green Island. Mahimahi have been in good numbers

on the FAD, although their numbers have outweighed their size on most occasions.

Plenty of good mahimahi have been picked up on the troll inside of the FAD while trolling for marlin.

Longtail tuna are beginning to show and are starting to be caught from the stones. These fish generally reach plague proportions as we move forward. Love them or hate them, they

A nice kingfish for the table slides past the boat.

Fish Rock and Black Rock have had loads of rat kingfish around them, although occasionally a bigger one is present, along with a cobia or two and some yellowfin tuna out a little wider.

definitely go hard, especially on lighter gear.

Kingfish have been around the headlands fairly regularly this year, with some big fish being caught at times. School mulloway are still everywhere around

Drew is hoping for more Spanish mackerel like this one this season.

the rock ledges from the lighthouse right through to the headlands along the back road to Port Macquarie.

Bream, trevally and even the odd tailor are also being found around the headland washes and are providing a great food source for the big kingfish and cobia that are popping up on a regular basis.

Summer fishing along our beaches can be very enjoyable, with plenty of quality table fish on offer, with relatively easy access.

Whiting numbers have been pretty good and there has also been some good flathead and school mulloway to keep you entertained, especially if you are into throwing soft plastics and vibes off the beach.

Mud crabs are throughout the Macleay River, as well as most of the creeks in the area. The large expanses of sand flats above Jerseyville Bridge and up in Clybucca Creek are holding decent-sized whiting in good numbers, with the ever present dusky flathead lurking along the drop-offs and along the rock walls.

Bigeye trevally are still popping up throughout the lower system absolutely annihilating the baitfish schools. Bull sharks are always fairly rampant in the river at this time of year, and this year has been no exception, with some massive sharks being caught this summer.

The river has had a few good rises early this summer, making the bass fishing as good as ever. These fish are spread right up and down the upper system and they are fired up. As always for this time of year, surface fishing is the way to go, with cicadas, walking baits and poppers all getting good results.

There are plenty of flathead in the lower system.

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Why not whiting?

THE HASTINGS

Mark Saxon castawayestuarycharters@bigpond.com

Whiting would be of the most popular species to target in warmer months on

one fish our the

The common yellowfin whiting are exceptional sportfish, taking surface lures, soft plastics and flies with aggression. Bait fishers can have just as good a time using some freshly-pumped pink nippers or live worms while fishing one of the

a ball chasing these silver bullets and the Hastings, Maria and Camden Haven rivers have all got sandflats where you will get onto a few. Lake Cathie is another exceptional fishery for them.

Hopefully the red weed will not cause too many

Scott Campbell with a whiting from the Hastings.

Whiting have been fun upriver, especially when using surface lures. eastern seaboard. They have a lot going for them, as they are prolific in most rivers, lakes and estuaries and beaches.

many shallow areas in the local waterways.

Anglers using surface lures such as poppers and stickbaits have been having

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problems this month and Pelican Island and our local beaches will be clean enough to wet a line. If not, move further upriver and you will find places to get away from it.

There is something special about keeping your fishing simple, and beach fishing for whiting is just that. You do not need to get too technical, just a 3m light beach rod, a medium spin reel or side cast loaded with some 5-6kg line, a few varying size sinkers, swivels and some small long shank no. 4 hooks. Mobility is a good thing when searching out beaches, so I like to carry a shoulder bag with a few necessities, such as a knife, sinkers, hooks, a rag and just one or two metal spinners, just in case a few tailor show

up. This is all very light to carry and can give you the motivation to move down to the next likely piece of water you see, rather than staying in the one spot.

Beachworms are the prime bait and if you can source your own, all the better! Otherwise the local tackle store will have them, but get in early, as fresh worms sell quickly! Beaches are plentiful in our region and you can catch whiting on all of them. The picks are North Beach, the lighthouse, Cathie and Camden Haven, but do not discard some of the smaller beaches, as they can be gems.

February should continue to produce the goods for anglers fishing for bream and flathead in the rivers.

Bream are a lot of fun and surface lures are great this time of year, both cicada and prawn imitations have been working. Flathead have been good upriver with plastics, vibes and hardbodied lures.

Crabbing this month should continue to produce mud crabs, which is always a bonus for those looking for a seafood treat. Remember to mark your traps correctly so you don’t get in any trouble from Fisheries.

In the fresh bass have been great fun, with trips to the Macleay River being standouts. Seriously, all methods are worth trying, but weedless surface frogs have been great fun. Being

so have a couple of these in the kit.

This month is a great time to visit Port Macquarie.

The holiday traffic has backed off and the fishing in our sheltered waters, as

Scott Campbell with a bream he caught fishing surface lures around structure. able to fish these in weed and heavy structure has caught us many bass that were near impossible on conventional lures due to the heavy weed.

Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits have also been productive,

well as offshore, is still exceptional. Next month I will have a full report on our 2019 Golden Lure gamefishing tournament, but until then, get out and enjoy our piscatorial playground!

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Weedless frogs have been exceptional on the bass in the Macleay River.

Humid days set in as holidaymakers leave FORSTER

David Seaman dseamo@bigpond.com

The holiday crowds are thinning out and, as they return home, they leave us with the nor’easters and

tailor, whiting or flathead makes it a fish lottery over the shallow water. In the bottom lake area, between Palms and Coomba Park, there is a chance at a legal snapper or two and plenty have been caught while anglers have been fishing

Good bream are available throughout the system and will be hitting surface lures until late autumn. humidity that make your clothes stick to your body like cling wrap.

There seems to be more and more people on the water each summer holidays, and those anglers disappearing up the rivers are being rewarded with a good and consistent surface bite from the bream. Some fish are pushing a kilo, although most are small fish up to 32cm. It’s certainly great fun and definitely worth the effort to bang along the shoreline with poppers, Bent Minnow styles and cicada imitation lures.

Once the surface bite slows down, try throwing suspending hardbodies around the snags and shoreline structure and any shade hugging the edge.

A wind and pause retrieve is always a good way of enticing any following bream to engage and hit the lure. When the lure splashes down, shake the rod tip a little and leave the lure to settle before you start winding it in, that way you’ll satisfy any lingering surface action opportunities.

The weed flats and oyster racks are also breaming targets, with many of the leases along the river’s edges holding big fish. The weed flats have a lot of smaller fish, though the chance of a big

for bream. Minnow style soft plastics on 1/8oz jigheads, hopped along the patchy sand areas will produce flathead, bream, squire and the odd flounder that seem to love the open areas of the lake.

Around the sandy lake shore, you should be able to spin up a few big surface whiting. Areas like the sailing club and the eastern edges of the lower lake will fish well for whiting, flathead and the even bream early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Drifting or fishing under electric power will cover more ground and is far more effective than anchoring and bait fishing – unless you just want to relax in the sun.

There are plenty of flathead around now, with heaps of big girls frustratingly visible. Legal fish are easy to come by with bait or lures while fishing the run-out tide in the lower section of the lake and around the many islands. The bottom half of the tide and slack water are the best bet.

Offshore the winds have restricted many anglers from staying out too long after sunrise. The northeasterly winds are expected this time of year and can make offshore fishing exhausting.

Early morning and late afternoon when the winds have eased makes for very comfortable conditions.

Snapper, flathead and pearl perch are the diamonds on the bottom bouncing scene, while some marlin are being raised wide of Forster and down toward Seal Rocks.

Mahimahi fishing is productive at the FAD, with some big bulls being hooked and lost, and anglers being compensated with smaller models hitting the deck.

Fishing from the rocks will produce a mixed bag, and while butterfish and toads can make a nuisance of themselves, getting past them will produce silver

trevally, a few bream and mixed species like leatherjackets, pigs and some big tailor. Early spin sessions from the rocks can draw the attention of

rat kings, mac tuna, bonito and tailor.

So there are plenty of fishing options available this month – get out and enjoy the lovely weather!

There is plenty of coastline to fish, and it is only a matter of how much effort you want to go to!

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It is big flathead time

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Ian Pereira ianpereira@aapt.net.au

February is a month when big fish can be caught.

Whether it is greenback tailor, blue groper to 10-15kg, or mulloway to 30kg and beyond, they are all available at this time of the year.

We experience two runs of tailor on our part of the coast.

The first run is the smaller fish, which starts around Christmas and lasts until the end of July.

The second run, which is the big fish, start to appear in the third week of February and stay until the end of July. They are caught in 40m of water off Crowdy Head, 30m of water off Old Bar and 30m of water off Laurieton. A lot of these big tailor are caught by mulloway anglers fishing live bait at night over the high tide period.

I have seen plenty of mulloway in the 12-18lb (6-8kg) class and the largest one weighed went 27lb (12kg). Not many boaties fish at night now compared to years ago; the fish are still there, but not in as great a number as previously.

Occasionally these big fish come in to the beach late at night after a high tide late or very early in the morning.

Slabs of bonito are the best baits for these big fish. We use bonito because tailor do not chase small baitfish like white bait but larger school species like bonito and sometimes small tailor. The big fish that were caught in 40m of water took live yellowtail fished for mulloway on a bottom rig.

The sinker would be 2-3m below the leader with the live bait on the hook. Most people used a heavy handline of 100-150lb back in the day.

There was no mercy given in the old days!

At present, the estuary is producing big bream to a kilo in weight from the river wall and around the oyster racks.

Mulloway to 12kg are being taken from the wall on live bait, mainly at night.

Schools of big kingfish to 15kg are patrolling the wall early in the morning.

Flathead are being caught in all parts of the river on soft plastics, soft vibes, hardbodied lures and whitebait. This kind of fishing will continue into February, unless we get a decent clean-out from a rain event.

Crowdy Beach is not formed up at present, but with the northeasterlies

On the outside scene, snapper, pearl perch, and flathead have been caught from the northern grounds while mahimahi bit well around the Wave Rider until the water became colder.

February, while a very hot month, produces some very good fishing. In the river, bream, luderick, whiting, mulloway and kingfish can be targeted as well as mud and blue swimmer crabs.

Steve Lee with a 90cm Manning River flathead.

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FISHING NEWS

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blowing from midday to dusk, it will soon have some decent gutters and sand banks to provide the white water for the baitfish to hide under.

Tailor are scattered at the present time, and are hard to find, but this problem will be solved by February when the big schools of tailor arrive.

Some mulloway to 12kg have been landed near Abbeys Creek on live baits while the beach just north of the surf club has fished well for bream on worms and pipis.

On the beaches, tailor and salmon should be available and drummer and groper should be present around the rocks.

If fishing offshore, go out in the early morning or late in the evening to avoid the northeasterlies. Big snapper and mulloway can be caught on live bait around the close-in reefs. All types of fishing are best done early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat of the day and sunburn.

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Navrin’s huge whiting On the 29th November 2018, 11 year old Navrin Redman and twin brother Thomas were fishing one of their favourite spots in Wooli NSW. With the tide quickly running in, the boys headed over to a fishing hole with a rod, a pack of worms and a little sand bucket, while dad pumped for yabbies on the other side of the sand island.

The boys were there for less than five minutes when Navrin hooked onto a monster

the boat with the catch.

Ability Abilityto tofinance finance accessorie accessor The whiting was weighed in at the Wooli BP

and andapproved approved insurances insurances (official weighing station) for a chance of ‘Fish of the Week’ in the local newspaper. It was only then, we found out it may be a record catch.

Unfortunately, not being a member of a fishing club, he cannot officially be recognised. Nonetheless, it is a great achievement for a young kid and a fun day to remember. – Leisa Redman

Simple Simpleand and convenient convenient whiting that measured 42cm.

After landing the fish into the bucket, the screams of excitement started and the boys made their way back to

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Getting back into Lake Mac SWANSEA

Jason Scerri coloratolures@hotmail.com

It was a late start to our summer this year, but gee it’s made up for it in intensity. A good solid run of hot weather and some nice water pushing down the coast has combined to provide some great fishing action on Lake Macquarie.

The other great contributing factor to the improved fishing action is the end of the Christmas holiday period and the return to normality on our waterways. The Christmas and New Years period is getting more hectic here each year, and this year was no different. Loads of visitors were enjoying what

the area has to offer, which is great to see, but as a local it is lovely when it all returns back to normal.

The fishing at present is about as good as I’ve seen it. Regardless of whether you’re land-based, hitting the lake in a boat, working the washes out the front or hitting the deep waters of the shelf region, they are all on fire and all producing great fish.

Local angler Jonathan Poole has been walking the edges of late and flicking a few hardbody lures around and has been getting into some nice fish. Bream to 35cm and perfect plate-size flathead have fallen victim to Johnno’s offerings.

Boats are also getting good results.

Bream are about in very good numbers, and there are

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producing the goods at the moment. The deeper 8-10m locations continue to be the key spots.

Mulloway are not the only species hunting anglers’ live squid offerings.

Kingfish are around in the lake for those anglers in the know. The anglers who nail these kings each year don’t just happen to find a few fish in their travels. They put the effort in every year to ensure their tackle is up to the task, they make sure they hit the right spots at the right time of tides and have the best offerings for a successful trip on Lake Mac’s kingfish populations.

At times this may be as simple as floating a live squid past a channel marker at a particular time of the tide cycle, or it could be throwing large poppers around the Swansea bridge when the time is right.

Quality gear and good drags is paramount if you want a real chance at the better kings getting about at the moment. Any flaws in an angler’s tackle will be exposed very quickly by these stubborn hardfighting kingfish.

Mick Pavlic proving he is Mr consistency, with another solid mixed bag. this technique, but for those not so confident flicking the wand around, don’t despair.

Small soft plastic lures in a clear colour or even very small chrome metal lures are all working and producing good numbers.

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some real brutes in the mix.

Topwater lures such as the Bent Minnows have been working well, and it is also one of the more exciting methods for chasing these fish, which is the main draw card for anglers opting for this technique. Shallow running hardbody lures are also proving effective and scoring plenty of good bream over the flats and around the lake’s edges.

Squid are also about in good numbers, which I imagine has something to do with the big numbers of mulloway that are being caught. The good news is there are plenty of squid about for those chasing a feed of delicious fresh Lake Mac squid rings.

Other anglers more interested in nailing a nice mulloway will have little trouble securing a good supply of fresh or live baits, which mulloway cannot refuse. Larger soft plastic lures are also continuing to produce plenty of fish. We are seeing a good steady number of mulloway landed throughout the daylight hours, but the afternoon and evening period is really

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Jonathon Poole with a very nice land-based Lake Mac bream that fell for his Prolure hardbody.

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For those anglers who love their sport fishing, you’re in luck as well. The washes around Moon Island and along the coastal rock washes are producing some great sportfish action in the former schools of hardhitting and fast-running bonito. These fish provide exceptional excitement for anglers. They are a prime light tackle sportfish for the area and despite what many may think they come up a treat on the plate when prepped and cooked correctly. Smoking them is one of the better ways to try them.

Fly fishing has been proving effective for a few anglers that have mastered

mix of these bonito schools are often some reasonable size kingfish, and on this light gear you will have your work cut out for you trying to land one, but regardless of the outcome, I guarantee you’ll love every minute of it while it lasts.

Moving further offshore and the action continues to be hot. Shark anglers are having a great time of late.

Plenty of big tiger sharks have been coming in for weighing at the LMGFC gantry and in the mix have been a few solid mako sharks over the 200kg mark.

Some of the gun crews such as the boys from LMGFC boat Redemption have been having multiple fish days

with the boats coming back to port sitting very low with hefty loads of tiger sharks ready for weighing.

The marlin fishing has not let anglers down at all this year either. Local solo gamefishing specialist Matt Zahra has kicked things off as he finished last year with a number of tagged marlin for his efforts. Matt is a regular off our waters and fishes solo from his 4.5m Polycraft. Many think this may be a risky thing for Matt, but the effort he goes to in ensuring his own safety while out there solo is the key. He is a great example of how to safely solo game fish effectively.

There is a good mix of black and striped marlin out there at the moment.

If you’re not a fan of the crowds of boats working the bait balls, then set a spread of quality skirted lures and work the current lines along the coast. Use a range of lure colours and lure sizes ranging from 10” lures in close to the boat through to smaller 6” offerings out the back.

Mahimahi are also about over these summer months, and are one of the best table fish on offer.

Live baits fished around floating debris and offshore Fishery FADs will have you in the zone and hopefully connected to a few nice table fish. Anglers trolling lures will also quite often score some very good mahimahi as they do each year. They’re a by-catch that no game fishing crew will complain about.

So there you have it.

There’s no excuses at the moment, as things are really great on the fishing front, so get the boat ready, tackle sorted and go spend a few hours with family or friends chasing a few.

There is red hot fishing across the board PORT STEPHENS

Paul Lennon

There’s always plenty of fishing action to report on in February, with every sector from the rocks to the shelf fishing well.

In the estuary flathead continue to be on the chew and are spread throughout the lower end of the bay from Soldiers Point to Shoal Bay. Medium size plastics and hardbodied lures are doing the trick, especially around the shallow flats and mouths of feeder creeks on the first of the run out tide.

Bream are in full swing on the surface, with most of the shallow rock bars and points around Soldiers Point, Garden island, Pindimar and Tea Gardens producing quality fish to 1kg, and early morning and afternoon tides best.

Whiting are also in good numbers in the lower end of the port, with quality 40cm specimens being taken on the high tide around Jimmies Beach, Nelson Bay, Shoal Bay and Corrie Island.

Without a doubt live tube worms are the best bait for whiting, with live nippers a good back up.

Big bream have been sipping surface lures around the shallow structure.

Schools of whitebait have entered the bay and schools of tailor and bonito

Bonito have entered the bay and will provide great fun on light tackle.

are right behind them.

They are most active early morning before 9am, potentially popping up anywhere from Middle Island to Shoal Bay. Small metal spinners in the 10-20g range are ideal to throw at them, and it’s usually just a case of getting a cast in the vicinity and you’re hooked up.

Mulloway are presently in good numbers, with the deep water around Middle Island at Soldiers Point well worth a crack at this time of year. Live squid or slimy mackerel are the gun bait fished on a tide change.

The beaches really hit their peak for fishing at this time of year, with excellent catches of whiting and bream from just about all the surf beaches. Live worms rigged on a #4 long shank hook and fished on a late afternoon or early morning tide change in the gutters will be deadly.

Mulloway are also a well worth a crack this month, and I would suggest Stockton or Hawks Nest beaches as your best chance for a big slab of silver. Night time will fish best for beach mulloway, with baits such as whole live beach worms, live tailor, live whiting or fresh squid all ideal.

Off the rocks, there is good action to be had.

Bonito, tailor and rat kings are all on the cards for anglers casting stick baits and metals on first

light. The best areas are those points that jut out into deeper water such as Fingal Head, Tommaree and Sunny Corner.

Squid are active in the protected bays and coves from Fishermans down to Fingal Island. Size 3.0 jigs in oranges, greens, pinks and whites have been working best.

Offshore the fishing is red hot, with small black marlin in close working schools of slimy mackerel and pilchards holding around the inshore reefs.

The shelf has also been fishing well, with a mix of blue, black and striped marlin showing up just in time for the Port Stephens inter club and Billfish Shootout tournaments this month.

Snapper will be active on dawn and dusk periods, especially around Broughton Island and Edith Breakers.

Charter boats have been reporting good catches bottom bashing over the 21 and V reefs, with trag, nanngai, snapper and the odd school mulloway thrown in the mix.

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Lots of ways to catch a feed HUNTER COAST

Shannon Malone

Going off this season’s captures so far it’s shaping up to be another good offshore season. Although we didn’t get the good water over Christmas and New Year, the water temps are spot on for targeting those

up. There’s the Big Fish Bonanza run by LMGFC in early February out of Lake Macquarie, then the NPSGFC Billfish Shootout out of Port Stephens, the NSWGFA Interclub Tournament 22-24 February, then the East Coast Classic NPSGFC departing from Newcastle Harbour on 9-10 March with cash and prizes up for grabs as

are picking up some nice reds, kings, mulloway, trevally, bonito and flathead fishing the reefs such as Texas, the perch grounds and the Farm.

There are mahimahi around the FADs, which provide some excellent fun on lighter outfits. They are great table fare, and are fairly easy to hook once you

There are plenty of quality fish on the inshore reefs, such as this school mulloway caught on a recent charter. larger pelagics out wide.

There’s the possibility you could hook up to one only a few kilometres offshore if the water temp is right.

I like that 22.7-23.8°C, electric blue water.

There are a number of exciting events coming

the entrants battle it out for tag and release and capture categories throughout the male, female and junior divisions. It’s an awesome experience doing this type of fishing. If you ever get the chance, don’t hesitate, do it!

Closer to shore, anglers

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find them trolling skirts or hardbodied lures. You can catch one after the other as you go back past their hangout a few times.

Back on shore, the main talk is whiting, bream and flathead, with all three satisfying the needs of fishos.

From the reports there’s no shortage of methods used to land a feed.

The best baits at the moment are still live worms (either beach or tube) or, even better, fresh prawns or live if you’re able to net a few. Another great option is poddy mullet – there are loads of them about in the shallows – and I rig the larger ones for flatties and the smaller ones for bream.

The flathead rig I use is just

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When using this hook, anglers do not strike on the bite, rather the fish is allowed to run with the bait and as the line comes tight, the hook will roll into the corner of the fish’s mouth. This is a great hook to use for ‘lazy’ rigs fished from a rod holder as fish simply hook themselves.

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FEBRUARY 2019

a basic running ball sinker down to a swivel, then about 60-90cm of 20lb leader and a 3/0 octopus or suicide hook.

For bream I use a 1/0 or 2/0 size hook, and the sinker size depends on whether there is any current or not.

Horseshoe Beach has been producing some nice whiting up to 35cm, and other spots like Carrington and Fullerton cove also worth a look.

Further upstream, there are reports of big bream and bass in the Williams River up around Seaham, and up around Clarence town anglers are getting bass on spinnerbaits and hardbodied lures. Lake St Clair is another place that’s producing plenty of action, especially on the surface, with the prime times being early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Cicada imitations are still doing a lot of the damage on the surface, but as the sun gets higher you’re better off switching to jigging curl-tail grubs or football jigs to encourage a strike. If you prefer to use bait, good options are live yabbies, crickets and earthworms. Alternatively, you can wander around on shore and grab a few grasshoppers or cicadas; the bass and perch can’t resist live insects like these.

The beaches are also delivering the goods, with the main targets being whiting, bream, tailor and flathead in the gutters. Good places to try include Stockton right up to Birubi Point, Newcastle, Dixon Park and Merewether along with Redhead right down to Blacksmiths. You’ll often find that the more popular gutters are already taken, but with all that sand you should still be able to find a few gutters to fish.

Some quality mulloway have also been on the chew in the areas around the

A top effort by 8yo Nicko Gyder who landed his PB bass at 34cm up near Seaham on Boxing Day with his dad. harbour, including around the coal loader, Stockton Bridge and break wall, as well as Fullerton Cove. Most anglers are using vibes and plastics through the day and baits at night, as well as trolling large hardbodies and swimbait lures.

Finding bait in and around the harbour shouldn’t be too much of a problem, with many types on offer if you put in the time to gather it. Off the pier at the brewery and the wreck on Stockton break wall are good places to get bait, but a good flow of fine berley particles should attract baitfish in most locations. I prefer finer berley when bait fishing; I use a mix of breadcrumbs and chook pellets with minced up pilchards or pilchard oil and prawns. I also like the

Neptune Fish Magnet Berley Log, which is so potent that you’ll only need to slice off a piece 1-1.5cm thick to add to you berley pot.

Lake Macquarie also provides a good opportunity to land a silver unicorn, with February being one of the better months for mulloway as far as numbers go.

This time of year normally produces some quality crabs, so it’s worth packing your crabbing gear to pick up a few of these tasty critters.

Just be mindful of placement of nets/traps, and that they are clearly marked. You also want to make sure that the ropes are long enough for the depth you drop them in, so the tidal flow doesn’t cart them away. Lake Macquarie as usual is producing some excellent blue swimmers.

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Rain kicks the fishing up another gear ERINA

Aaron Donaldson

This time of the year is an awesome time to be on the water on the coast, with recent rains really setting things up for a great month of fishing.

for mahimahi should be red hot. It also really pays to have a livebait out around the FADs because marlin are quite often seen around them chasing the small mahimahi.

Rock fishing will hit top gear this month, with areas like Avoca, Terrigal and Wybung being prime areas to run into

Flathead have been the main target over the heat of summer, and it has been great to see plenty of fish being caught in our estuary.

Most people have been using all sorts of soft plastics in the 3-4” sizes, casting them out and then just slowly bouncing the bottom.

a few pelagics. Kingfish and bonito are the main targets but you just never know what might show up along the rocks! Both live baiting and high speed spinning work well, and early starts a par for the course.

That’s it for this month.

See you on the water!

It’s a lot of fun catching bream off the surface.

Jack Olmos with a nice summer lizard.

Locations such as The Entrance and Ettalong are great places to get started, or even just to enjoy the sun!

The boat anglers have also been doing well on the troll, usually with deep diving hardbody lures. Personally I prefer a falling tide, although good fish can be caught at all tides.

Bream are feeding actively on the surface at moment, as they are mainly chasing prawns. Some great fun can

be had with surface walkers and poppers, and my favourite would definitely be a Sugapen.

You can fish from a boat or even wade along any edge and usually be able to raise some interest. Try to target the top of the tide, at least the last hour of the run-in.

Offshore the East Australian Current has really kicked in, and there are plenty of small mahimahi starting to stack up on the FADs. By the time you read this the fishing

Kai Onley got onto a hot streak of snapper when they should have been out wide.

This fish was caught and landed on rocks before a quick release.

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45

Catching flatties on fly NSW STH COAST

Steve Starling www.fishotopia.com

With the growing interest these days in flyfishing – especially in saltwater – more and more anglers are looking for readily

distance off conventional spinning or baitcaster tackle. Simple as that.

Flies are artificial baits, like any other lure.

However, they’re virtually weightless. This presents an obvious casting challenge that’s been overcome by incorporating mass into the

and forth through the air to form a travelling loop that can be extended and unfurled onto the water, presenting the fly on the end of a thinner, less obvious leader that’s attached to the thick, highly visible fly line. So, while this simplified description might offend some purists, flyfishing is no more or less than lure fishing with ultralight lures. But it’s also heaps of fun!

It’s no accident that a flathead is often the first species encountered by anyone trying flyfishing in saltwater. The only

Flathead like this dusky are one of the easiest saltwater species to target on fly gear.

Jo Starling with a typical shallow water flatty taken on fly. available estuarine and inshore species that can be effectively targeted this way. One of the easiest options for many of us is the humble flathead.

Flyfishing has a reputation for being a mysterious and difficult art practiced by crusty, pipe-smoking old gents in tweed jackets with leather elbow patches. However, times have changed! These days, flyfishing has been de-mystified, and it’s also no longer solely about catching trout… or even fishing only in freshwater.

The biggest trick to breaking down any remaining misconceptions is to accept that flyfishing is no more than a form of lure fishing where the ‘lure’ is too light or wind resistant to be cast a serious

line instead of the lure. So, a fly line is really no more than a long, skinny weight that’s used to deliver a very light lure.

The best way to throw such a long, skinny casting weight is to swish it back

Weighted flies such as Clousers and Gotchas are perfect for targeting flathead. Simply imitate a small fish or crustacean swimming erratically near the bottom.

This articulated Game Changer from Ammo Flies is deadly on flathead. Note the lead wire on the hook shank.

THE BASICS OF FLATHEAD ON FLY ROD #7-#9WT fly rod, ideally around 9’ (2.75 m) long REEL Simple fly reel with drag or clicker, ideally corrosion resistant BACKING At least 50m of 10-15kg braid (GSP) LINE WF (weight-forward) intermediate (slow sinking) fly line to match rod LEADER 2-4m, consisting of a 15kg butt, 4-8kg main section and short (25cm) ‘bite tippet’ of 15kg nylon or fluorocarbon FLIES Clousers, Bendbacks, Deceivers,

Crazy Charlies and other baitfish or crustacean patterns METHOD Identify likely areas for flathead to be lying in ambush in water shallower than 3m. Cast, allow fly to sink and begin stripping.

Pause regularly to allow fly to sink again. Vary the length and speed of your strips and the duration of your pauses

real trick to success with flathead on fly is ensuring that your ‘lure’ stays within a metre of the bottom at all times. Closer to the bottom is even better, and making occasional contact with the sand or mud is best of all.

All we really need to do with our fly gear is emulate the accepted soft plastic lure fishing strategies that are so deadly on flathead, by placing a fly of a similar size, shape and colour to those soft plastics in that same strike zone and move it in a similar way.

How best to do this varies depending on water depth and current strength.

In water shallower than about 1.5m (where a lot of flathead spend most of their time) you don’t even need sinking lines or heavily-weighted flies to achieve the desired result.

A floating or intermediate line, a leader around 3m or so in length and a fly that sinks at rest (even fairly slowly) will get the job

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done. Make the cast, wait a few seconds for the fly to sink, strip line 5-6 times, pause to let the fly sink again, and repeat!

As the water gets deeper, or the current strength increases, we need to consider moving to sinking lines, shorter leaders and weighted flies. In my opinion, the efficiency of fly gear in this role diminishes rapidly as we move beyond depths of 3-4m and current speeds above a slow walking pace.

In deep, fast water, I’d rather revert to a jighead and soft plastic. But up in the skinny stuff, fly gear

You don’t need flash fly gear to catch the humble flatty.

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is right in its element and can be at least as effective as conventional lure fishing tackle.

There’s really not a lot else I can tell you in a basic, how-to piece about targeting flathead on fly.

Certainly, there are nuances that can be explored (and you’ll find some of these on my website at www. fishotopia.com), but for now I simply want you to consider the possibilities of having a crack at catching a flathead on a fly. It’s really not that hard, but it is enormously satisfying, and now is the perfect time of year to have a crack. Are you up for it?

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Tournament Angler Guide

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Costa BREAM Series

Qualifier 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Grand Final Australian Open Queensland Open

Dates 20-21 February 23-24 February 23-24 March 30 April-1 May 4-5 May 6-7 July 7-8 September 19-20 October 29 November-1 December 19-21 March 20-22 September

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Qualifier 1 2 3 4 5 6 Grand Final Australian Open

Dates 2-3 March 25-26 May 22-23 June 13-14 July 10-11 August 14-15 September 23-24 October 26-27 October

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Location Marlo-Bemm River Gippsland Lakes Botany Bay Albany Blackwood Bribie Island Gladstone Port Stephens Gold Coast Sydney Moreton Bay

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Sponsor Bassman Spinnerbaits Sufix Evinrude Bass Cat Ecogear Lews Sufix Rapala

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Dates 9 March 13-14 April 30 June 28 July 8 September 28-29 September

Location Richmond River Toonumbar Dam Maroon Dam Lake Gregory Wivenhoe Dam Borumba Dam

State NSW NSW QLD QLD QLD QLD

Australian Open

12-13 October

Wyaralong Dam

QLD

Valley Hill

Zerek BARRA Tour

Event 1 2 3

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Dates 8 November 9 November 11 November

13-14 November

Location Kinchant Teemburra Peter Faust – Night Championship Peter Faust

State QLD QLD

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Australian Open

10-12 September

Awoonga Dam

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Location Bemm River Mallacoota Sydney Blackwood River Nelson Woy Woy Gold Coast Port Macquarie Albany St Georges Basin Marlo

State VIC VIC NSW WA VIC NSW QLD NSW WA NSW VIC

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Kayak Grand Final 9-10 November Boat Grand Final 23-24 November

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Swan River Albany

WA WA

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Guide to getting started in tournament fishing ABT

James Reid

So, you love to fish? You’re competitive against your mates, and you’re looking for a new way to explore your skills?

If that’s you, you’ll love tournament fishing. It’s a fast growing sport in Australia, and is popular with anglers

of all stripes. There’s more to it than just fishing – it’s also a great way to make friends all over the country. ABT has been running tournaments for over 20 years, and when you fish with ABT you can go to some of Australia’s most renowned fishing locations, all while learning new fishing techniques. You might think that fishing your first tournament would be

daunting, but it’s really not that hard.

The first thing to do is log onto abt.org.au and become a member for only $70 a year. Once you are a member you have the option to fish tournaments for bream, bass and barramundi from places as far as south Tasmania, all the way over to Western Australia, up to North Queensland and

At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun. A day with Anthony Wishey is always a barrel of laughs.

Top: Often the non-boater will take responsibility for returning the key tag to the board. Don’t forget to do it, or both you and the boater will cop a weight penalty.

Above: Just because you’re fishing at the back of the boat doesn’t mean you don’t catch quality fish, as Mark Saric found out at Lake Macquarie.

4

TAG 2019 abt

everywhere in between.

Once you have signed up as a member, and have nominated which tournament you want to fish, you’ll need to decide whether you want enter the comp as a boater or as a non-boater. If you enter as a boater, that means you’ll need to bring your boat with you, and each day you’ll be paired with a non-boater. If you enter as a non-boater, you just turn up with your rods and reels, and a couple of tackleboxes with lures for your chosen species.

Each day you’ll be paired with a boater.

All competitors must bring a PFD, and have a fishing permit for that state, if required. Other items to bring are sunscreen, water, a packed lunch and a rain jacket, as you’ll be on the water all day, rain, hail or shine.

If you’re fishing as a boater, there are some specifications your boat needs to meet. It must be longer than 3.7m; have a minimum of a 20hp engine; working safety lights; port, starboard, and anchor light (all around white light); a working engine safety switch,

and a minimum 60L plumbed live well. An updated copy of the insurance information for your boat will also be required.

FORMAT AND GUIDELINES The night before each tournament day, ABT holds a briefing which runs through the rules and regulations.

This is also when we pair up the boaters and non-boaters.

These briefings will give you the opportunity to meet the people you’ll be fishing with over the next couple of days.

All anglers, both boaters and non-boaters, must

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Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au abide by all ABT rules and regulations, as well as state guidelines and regulations.

Now to the formats of tournament fishing.

First of all, let’s look at bream. Bream events have boaters and non-boaters, who each fish for their five biggest bream over each session (up to 10 fish per boat). Both boaters and non-boaters weigh in their fish separately, with each competitor scored individually on the weight of their own fish.

Bass tournaments are

different. Although they also have a boater and non-boater format, they have a shared weight system. This means that the boater and non-boater combine their catches and weigh them in together, up to a combined bag of four or five fish per session depending on the venue.

Barramundi is a teams event made up of two people per team. Competitors can catch and release as many fish as they like, with all fish recorded in the ABT Tournament Series App.

So there you go – a brief run-down into getting started in Australian tournament fishing. ABT’s website has all the rules and regulations for state fishing licencing, state to state size limits of fish, and a calendar for the dates and venues we will be at throughout the year. You can also access membership forms, entry forms and contact details.

We are always happy to welcome new anglers, and our competitors are always happy to help out new blood

There’s nothing like the anticipation at the start of the day.

That’s what tournament fishing is all about.

At all BREAM events, non boaters get a free Hobie jersey that earns them money if they’re wearing it when they win.

too. ABT’s motto is ‘who shares wins’, and that sums it up perfectly.

NON-BOATERS As a non-boater the are a few unwritten rules you should know, if a friend hasn’t told you already.

Briefing questions At the briefing, ask your assigned boater if they need a hand launching and retrieving the boat, even if you’re not sure how to do it.

These are valuable lessons to learn from boaters who have done this a thousand

times, and will help you in the future.

You should also find out where your boater wants you to meet them in the morning.

Ask how much room they have in the boat and how many rods and other tackle you are able to bring. Ask what patterns they pre-fished (i.e. techniques and lures).

This is more useful than just asking where they were fishing.

You should only offer to reverse the boater’s car or drive the boat off the trailer

if you are confident and have done this before. If not, maybe ask if there’s time for some pointers to benefit you and your boaters in comps to come. If your boater tells you that they have it covered and someone else is helping them, find out where they would like you to meet them and what time. Boaters are not babysitters; if they give you a time and place, don’t be late. If you’re unsure on the area ask to be shown, it’s better asking more questions To page 6

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 5

and being in the right place and time than not.

On the boat Once you’re on the boat, treat it as your own and better. Remember that boats are worth a lot of money and are many people’s pride and joy. Once on the boat, ask where to put your rods and gear – don’t just leave it lying around.

When it comes time to fish, you should wait for your boater to be ready and let them get first cast.

They have a little more

going on than just fishing (e.g. changing sounder from GPS to sonar, getting up and choosing a rod, and dropping the trolling motor).

Stay on the back deck unless you’re told you can fish up the front with the boater. If you are asked up the front, never cast over their shoulders, and always let them have the first cast.

It’s a privilege to be up there, and if one boater invites you up there don’t expect the next one will.

Always wait for the invite.

Although most boaters

won’t accept fuel money, the offer is well appreciated and goes a long way with most boaters. If they refuse to take your money and you see them out for dinner, offering them a beer will be a good way to say thank you. Even just taking an extra drink or snacks on the boat is a good idea.

Weigh-in First things first – a good habit to get into is taking care of the key tag.

Do whatever you can to get that tag on the board before the session ends, even if that

Non-boating opens up opportunities to fish with some of the best anglers in Australia.

6

TAG 2019 abt

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Waiting for a weigh-in bag is where lots of anglers catch up and discuss the day’s catches and disasters. means doing a 100m sprint faster than Usain Bolt!

And no standing around telling fishing tales until the tag is on either. Plenty of non-boaters have been caught out like this over the years, and incurred a late penalty for both themselves and their boater. This does not get forgotten easily.

Once you have sorted the key tag out, the next thing to do is offer to collect a weigh bag for your boater.

If they want to collect it themselves you should wait at the boat to make sure it doesn’t float away and bang into other boats.

As you collect all your fishing gear make sure you

grab all your rubbish and food scraps and any leftover line or leaders you have cut off through the day.

Fair play When you’re paired up with a new boater on day 2 of the tournament, don’t tell them where you or your boater caught fish on day one. The key to being a successful non-boater is adapting and fishing the water that’s in front of you.

And don’t sulk! If the fishing is tough, don’t take it out on your boater or bag him out to other competitors. Word gets around fast; it will soon get back to your boater, and it won’t make you look

good either.

Remember it costs a lot of money to be a boater, with expenses such as boat maintenance, fuel, insurance and higher entry fees. Most boaters will not accept money, they just want a bit of banter, some assistance in netting fish and just having a good day.

As a non-boater you should take any tips and info you may receive. Always ask questions if you’re not sure what’s going on or how to fish the areas and conditions you are facing.

You will be surprised at how much information a boater may be willing to share with you.

Park your boat on the floor it deserves!

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Tournament Angler Guide

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2018 BREAM AOY: Being a versatile breamer ABT

Steve Morgan s.morgan@fishingmonthly.com.au

2018 was a good year for me, culminating in my first national Angler of the Year (AOY) title for bream. With your best five of a maximum nine events counting towards the title, you have to be able to catch yellowfin AND black bream to be competitive, and that’s what makes it special. You need to be versatile, and it all comes down to how good your worst of those top-five events is.

Like every year, there are always a couple of breamers in contention come the last qualifying event. This year, it was Victorian Cam Whittam and I who were in a position to take the trophy.

Cam needed a 3rd or higher to overtake me on points, and if Cam came in the top three I couldn’t be more than

two places behind him to keep the lead.

Cam finished 3rd and I made 2nd. If Cam has caught a couple of my kickers instead of me, the result would have been reversed. That’s how close it was – and how close it usually is.

That South West Rocks event was the first time for the season I’d weighed fish on topwater in a qualifier. In fact, most of my bag came on a couple of topwater baits that I hadn’t even thrown at an event in 2018.

This comes back to one element that all breamers need if they want to be successful at the top level, and that’s versatility. And to me, being versatile doesn’t mean that you need to be great at every single technique in the book.

It means that you need to have a few tricks in your bag to make up a Plan B or Plan C when your favourite method isn’t working, or if it’s not appropriate for the arena you’re fishing.

Imakatsu Dilemma Popper (baitfish) 8

TAG 2019 abt

Tiemco Red Pepper Micro (brown)

2018 TECHNIQUES When I tallied them up, there were 13 key baits that I used throughout 2018 across the seven arenas I fished (I missed the two Victorian qualifiers while working in the USA in February).

There was only one event where I boxed fish on only one bait (Mandurah, WA) – every other event featured two or more baits, and the Australian Open saw fish weighed on four baits, which makes sense across the two arenas of the Harbour and the Hawkesbury.

Not surprisingly, the

WATCH THE VIDEO

Cranka Crab was the most prolific bait, with 40% of fish weighed falling to it.

Still, that means that 60% of my fish for the year were fooled on lures other than crabs. In fact there were two arenas where I didn’t even fish a crab, and both of those scores counted in the AOY tally.

You might think you can do well in every arena on one type of bait, but the stats disagree. That’s why you need to be versatile.

Do you need to be good at everything? No way. I didn’t even tie on a Gulp

WATCH THE VIDEO

Crabby or box a bream on a blade this year. Other anglers are masters of these techniques and others. What you need to do is pick a few that you’re good at, and get better at them.

Importantly, get proficient at catching five legal fish on the toughest of days. Stefan Sawynok has statistically shown that the easiest way to perform better in bream events is to bring in a limit every time, no matter what the size.

Invariably, tournament days fish tough. The pressure, weekends and multiple days on the same arena make the fishing tougher than a Wednesday Warrior would encounter.

Catch ‘em when it’s tough and you will do well.

Let me run through the 13 baits and when I used them. It’s also well worth watching the video that accompanies this article on my YouTube Channel

(search Steve Morgan or scan the QR code hereby).

We’re going to go from top to bottom.

TOPWATER Imakatsu Dilemma Popper (baitfish) • Macleay River upstream sand/weed flats in <3ft of water.

If I could, I would fish topwater all day in every session. However, the fact is that it’s not always the best bait to fish. Topwaters for me work best in shallow, clear water over 20°. I had a handful of Imakatsu Dilemma Poppers for the South West Rocks event and they produced a mixed bag of bass and bream.

I fish these lures on 6-10lb braided line and a similar strength leader. I fish them fast enough so that it doesn’t really matter whether that leader is nylon or fluorocarbon.

You can walk the dog or gently pop the Dilemma

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au Popper, but remember to have plenty of pauses, because that’s when the bream like eating them.

The key to fishing topwaters effectively, either in a tournament or socially, is knowing when to strike.

Too early and you’ll spook the fish (or pack of fish) trying to clobber it. It’s better to wait a little longer and know – or see – that they’ve got it properly.

I fish this bait faster for yellowfin and slower for blacks.

Tiemco Red Pepper Micro (brown) • Macleay River, upstream sand/weed flats in <3ft of water.

When the Macleay got calm and the drizzle stopped, a more delicate surface presentation was required. My go-to topwater for finesse is a Tiemco Red Pepper Micro. These baits have a very narrow body and no real cup face to move

much water. You fish them with a gentle walk-the-dog retrieve and plenty of pauses.

If the bream are really finicky, I retro-fit some Ecogear or Atomic Trick Bitz assist hooks where the front treble sits, and leave the rear treble in place. If you’ve never fished assist hooks, you’ll find that they are stronger than they look. You can easily trust them as much as any treble on a bream lure.

O.S.P. Bent Minnow 76 (pearl) • Clear, oystery rocky edges in Middle Harbour.

The Bent Minnow has well established credentials in the bream community for excellent reason – it has an uncanny ability to attract and entice a bite from the bigger bream in a pack.

Although Bent Minnows look like a baitfish, I firmly believe that they mimic the action of a skipping prawn, and that this is what triggers the response. There aren’t

O.S.P. Bent Minnow 76 (pearl)

Duo Minnow 80SP (chrome) WATCH THE VIDEO

too many fish in a river that don’t want a live prawn, and the bream usually wants to be the first to get it.

Of all the topwaters, the Bent can be fished on the heaviest line and leader. And at mid-$30s a pop, that’s what I usually fish it on.

The other thing with Bents is that I love the original hooks.

If you wreck them, make sure that you replace them with ones just as light. Keeping this lure buoyant is what works for me, if not others.

SHALLOW HARD Duo Minnow 80SP (chrome)

• Derwent River, shallow, rocky edges early morning in <3ft of water.

There’s nothing better in bream fishing than a cracking Tasmanian black bream choking a shallow jerkbait in a couple of feet of water and peeling light, straightthrough fluorocarbon from your reel.

This year on the Derwent, I found that the Duo 80SP matched the baitfish size perfectly. It also combined a long casting ability with a bib that kept the lure shallow enough to fish over the mussel beds that bream

WATCH THE VIDEO

love so much.

Although I didn’t connect with enough big bream to make the top 10 (the Derwent was my worst event of the season at 13th), I’m waiting to fish this bait in that river on a big, high tide.

It’ll be epic.

You should fish the Duo with plenty of pauses. It suspends, which is exactly how black bream like it.

Jackall Chubby Shallow (black) • Lake Macquarie, clear windblown flats with sand/ weed in <3ft of water.

Adam from www. fishin.com.au put me on to this bait before the Lake Macquarie BREAM Grand Final in 2017.

“Use it on the flats, mate, it’ll work, trust me,” he said.

So I did, and it worked a treat. It has become my go-to crankbait for shallow, weedy water and there’s something about that black colour that just makes the

fish bite. Companies like Pro Lure also have variations of this theme, and all seem to work well.

Like all shallow, clear water techniques, the bite seems to get better as the wind picks up. Don’t be scared of the wind on the flats – it’s your friend.

This bait really produced for me at the Lake Macquarie Qualifier in 2018, including a 37cm fish on the final cast of the session on the Swansea Flats. I fish it on 2lb straight through fluorocarbon and a slow actioned 7” rod.

DEEP HARD Duel 50mm Shad • Derwent River, shallow oyster reefs in <4ft water.

There’s an oyster reef in Morilla Bay on the Derwent where I once caught 13 kiloplus bream in a row on the final day of one of the old Super Series events. Those events cut the field down to To page 10

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 9

the top 10 boaters (only) and let you loose on the third day of competition.

At one of the first events I had a Power Pole on the boat and it seemed every time I moved the boat a couple of metres, there’d be another cracking fish to slam the bait.

Back then it was a Daiwa Double Clutch, but this year, I used a smaller but still deeper diving Duel Shad 50 in the same spot. I didn’t catch 13 in a row, but I did catch my two biggest bream in an ordinary Derwent bag on this bait. You just wind it down to depth and rip-pause it. The big blacks will clobber it as it sits there.

On those oyster reefs, I use this bait on a braid/ leader combo. It’s one of the few places that I do this, as

sometimes the fish need to be bullied out of evil country.

It’s fun fishing.

Jackall Chubby Deep (brown suji) • Macleay River, deeper edges along weed in 4-8ft of water.

I never really clicked with Jackall Chubbies until this year. It seemed that everyone caught plenty of bream on them all over Australia – except me. I was much more confident with the Atomic Hardz 38 Deep.

However, after success with the shallow, black Chubby and a string of non-boaters doing well with Deep Chubbies in the back of the boat, I was tempted to give them another try.

This bait came good at the right time. I tied it on in the upper Macleay River after a slowish morning on the

Duel 50mm Shad

WATCH THE VIDEO

Jackall Chubby Deep (brown suji)

Fredrickton flats with way too many bass between the bream. And in three casts

Jackall Chubby Shallow (black) WATCH THE VIDEO

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Now that’s a way to come good!

I used the bait on 2lb straight through Yamatoyo fluorocarbon on Duffrods’ versatile Broken Bones 852MP rod with a slow, steady wind.

With all bream crankbaits I slow roll the lure until the fish hooks itself. It may take many nips and bites before it

WATCH THE VIDEO

loads up solid.

Atomic Hardz Crank 38 Deep (ghost gill brown) • Paralleling Sydney Harbour bridge pylons in 8-30ft of water.

This is the bait that won me the BREAM Grand Final in 2009 on Sydney Harbour, and it’s still my go-to boat for crankbaiting river edges and bridges. There’s something about the colour of the GGB (have a look at it under a UV torch) and the sound (yes, I To page 12

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Tournament Angler Guide

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swim in pools with them to listen) that ticks all of the boxes for bream.

I’m not shy to up the line size a little when cranking bridges. The fish seem so fixated with pinning the bait against the structure that 6lb fluorocarbon is no problems at all.

Make sure that you cast as close as possible along the pylons and bring back the bait with the current.

If you’re really clever, you can rig two baits and tune them to swim left and right to really bang the structure. I, however, like one, straight-swimming bait and clever casting.

Final tip for bridge crankbaiting? I use a specialised trout rod – as strong as I can find. The parabolic bend helps hook-ups and also helps to keep the hooks in place when you’re trying to wind

Tournament Angler Guide them out of the nasty stuff.

STICKBAITS Tiemco Stick Minnow (007) • Ripping over flats and sinking around structure in 2-12ft of water.

This is one of the baits that has stood the test of time for me. There’s a Tiemco and an Austackle version of this bait, and they both work equally well. Sometimes the Tiemco version suffers a ‘drought’ of supply.

There are two places that I fish the Stick Minnow. The first is on shallow, weedy flats. Casting it with the wind as far as you can on 2lb fluorocarbon and a rip-pause retrieve has caught me plenty of big bream over the years in a couple of feet of clear, weedy water.

The other scenario is around boats and pontoons in the same areas. There’s no better finesse presentation when bream are keyed onto

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WATCH THE VIDEO

Tiemco Stick Minnow (007)

shrimp and baitfish.

And yes, there are times when bream will 100% eat the Stick Minnow in preference to a Cranka Crab.

You just need to let the fish tell you what they’re up to on the day.

The key to fishing a Stick Minnow vertically is line management. You must lay down the line as straight as you can immediately after

Atomic Hardz Crank 38 Deep (ghost gill brown)

the cast, and then feed it a little slack. The hooks are so sharp on these baits that the bream will hook itself, and all you need to do is start winding when you see the line moving irregularly.

PLASTICS Ecogear Grass Minnow M (okiami) ‘pink grub’ • Georges Bay, St Helens, burn and kill over shallow flats in <2ft of water.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Another bait that’s stood the test of time is the okiami coloured Ecogear Grass Minnow M on a #1 worm hook. This is a killer search bait for practice days, and also a gun bait for when bream are feeding on prawns.

Most people don’t believe how fast I’ll fish the bait until they see it (there are some great examples on the accompanying video). I burn the bait fast, making it skip and jump on the surface before killing it dead and letting it sink a little. If there’s a bream (or a pack of bream) following, they’ll normally charge it when it stops.

I fish a pink grub on 6lb fluorocarbon and 6lb braided line, because you need the lack of stretch to set the hooks solid, and the floating braid doesn’t hurt in the presentation.

Having a big bream bow-wave a pink grub is one

of the best things in bream fishing. I recommend you try it at least once a season!

Ecogearaqua 50mm (salt and pepper) • Slow sinking and sight fishing around pontoons and boats from Sydney to the Gold Coast.

If sight fishing is my favourite breaming technique, then the Ecogearaqua is one of my favourite tools to do it with. It’s a versatile, castable, snag-resistant bait that both black and yellowfin bream find hard to resist.

My favourite combination is the 50mm version of the bait (rather than the 40mm) fished on a VanFook Magic Beak no. 1 hook on 6lb Yamatoyo Chinu Harris leader, and whatever 6lb braid came in the most recent ABT tournament giveaway.

Rig the bait from either end (you swap ends when the bait tears after catching a

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fish) and skip cast it to where you need it to be. It skip casts really well. The white bait sinks slowly enough so that you can usually watch the bream swim out, inspect it, and eat it on the drop if you’re fishing structure.

Make sure you set the hooks hard when you see the bait go down the piehole.

You’ll lose more fish not setting hooks hard enough rather then setting too hard.

Another variation is to fish the bait like a pink grub for the first half of the retrieve.

Skip it across the shallows to attract attention and then kill the bait and watch it get eaten on the drop.

Either way, you get to watch the bream eat it, and breaming doesn’t get better than that.

ZMan GrubZ 2.5” (gudgeon) • St Helens, Tasmania, casting to irregularities on flats in <3ft of water.

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au I’ll admit it – I’m never the instigator of a solid ZMan session. It’s usually my non-boater who switches me onto the pattern by giving me a flogging with these baits. In 2018, legendary non-boater Stuart Walker did that for me.

We were in the racks at St Helens and had worked out a pattern where we fished outside the racks on the flats beside. As we all know, Stu is a gun with the ZMan, and he was using custom-coloured 2.5” GrubZ that he’d concocted over the previous weeks. It involves putting some gudgeon colour GrubZ in with some motor-oil ones, and letting the colours leach together.

Fished on a 1/16oz jighead, the bream were quite receptive to the presentation, which we made on light braid and 4-6lb leaders. Aim for the irregularities on the flats, and hang on.

My preferred retrieve

Ecogear Grass Minnow M (okiami) ‘pink grub’ was pretty slow, with small twitches and hops.

ZMan Slim SwimZ (motor oil) • Mandurah, WA, casting to docks and pontoons in the Murray River and canals, 2-8ft.

Crossing the country, the ZMan GrubZ is often the favourite because it’s immune to the toadfish, or ‘blowies’ as the locals call them. I’ve seen blowies strip a Gulp from a jighead, bite for bite, in a couple of seconds.

Ironically, Mandurah was

Ecogearaqua 50mm (salt and pepper)

the only qualifying arena where I didn’t catch my limit for the year on either day, but I ended up winning the event.

The choice bait for here was a ZMan Slim SwimZ in Motor Oil rigged on a very small no. 4 hook and 1/24oz jighead made by Albany’s Jim Allen.

The black bream in this system loved the slow drop of this bait beside pylons and under pontoons, with nearly every fish I hooked eating the bait on the drop.

WATCH THE VIDEO

I fished the Slim SwimZ on a 7’8” rod and 4lb straight through fluorocarbon. If I wanted to impart action to the lure I’d use a shorter rod, but the pitch-and-drop technique really suited this longer rig. It also cushioned the fish, with that small hook being the only connection.

CRABS Cranka Crab 5.9g (olive) • Boats in shallow, clear water, or any bridge, anywhere!

I weighed 40% of my year’s fish on Cranka Crabs.

Nearly all of these fish took the heavy, olive model, or a different colour that I’d sprayed olive (thanks to Jamie McKeown’s painting tips).

If you watched my livestreams or highlights, you’d notice that a crabon-a-bridge was a pretty common way for me to start a tournament. There’s a good reason for this: bridges

WATCH THE VIDEO

often hold some of the biggest bream in the system, and the opening morning of an event is often the easiest time to catch them.

I nearly always fish them on straight-through fluorocarbon – anywhere between 2lb and 8lb depending on the structure (always erring towards the heavier line), and a 8’6” Daiwa ‘crab rod’.

One of my discoveries this year was some 8lb Sufix fluorocarbon that’s no problem fishing a small crab on. It’s strong and has little memory, and it often gives me the advantage in bridge structure.

As always, crabs are best fished slow. I mean really slow. Boringly slow. And let the fish load up before winding the hooks in.

The final tip I’ll give for crabs is to take plenty of spare hooks. Big bream To page 14

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 13

have a habit of crunching the floating trebles flat, and a quick replacement will keep your catch rates high.

I avoided using crabs in the first few years after Steve Steer invented them, and it hurt my results. Make sure that you have a few in your box.

ON THE SIDELINES If I was to pick a reserve bench, there’s be a few baits

in there that have killed it for me over the years, if not in 2018. In this selection, I’d include: • Ecogear SX40 (brown/orange) • Daiwa Presso Minnow (chrome) • Ecogear VX35 blade (in black) • Daiwa Double Clutch 75 (ayu).

All of these lures have won me events in the past,

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ZMan Slim SwimZ (motor oil) and all deserve a place in a breamer’s box.

I hope that gives you an insight into what you need to do to be a versatile breamer. If you get your favourite selection

and get good at fishing them, it will get you better tournament results this season.

WATCH THE VIDEO

ZMan GrubZ 2.5” (gudgeon)

WATCH THE VIDEO

Cranka Crab 5.9g (olive)

WATCH THE VIDEO

THE STATS

Fish Max Bag Place Crab Aqua Deep Shallow Pink Deep Shallow Topwater ZMan ZManSlim Stick Swim minnow Grub

Fish Weight jerk jerk grub crank crank jighead jighead

St Helens 10 10 8.59 4 1 9 Derwent River 10 10 7.65 13 4 3 3 Gold Coast 10 10 4.89 4 2 8 Mandurah 5 10 3.05 1 5 Lake Macquarie 10 10 7.45 2 8 2 SWR 10 10 5.13 2 2 2 6 Hawkesbury 10 10 5.97 6 5 3 2 Aus Open 15 15 9.65 7 11 1 2 1 Percentage 40 15 3.75 3.75 1.25 2.5 2.5 10 11.25 6.25 3.75

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Digging into jigging HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

The skirted jig has certainly exploded in recent years, and any serious freshwater lure fisher should not be caught without one.

Skirted jigs can be seriously addictive to use, and can catch fish when other techniques fail.

This article is a follow-up to my beginner article on wp.fishingmonthly.com. au, so I will assume you

have the fundamentals of fishing a jig already, such as the correct rod, reel and line set-up. You may even be catching fish on jigs already. In this piece I will take you through some of the finer details of fishing jigs, and how to get the most out of them.

THE ADDICTION Originating in the United States, the skirted jig is gaining popularity very quickly here in Australia. The jig has changed Australian bass fishing in a similar way to

what the Cranka Crab did for bream fishing. It’s a technique that when used in the right hands in the right circumstances, catches bass better that anything else. If you enjoy watching American bass tournament fishing, I can tell you there’s nothing more satisfying than feeling a fish pick up that jig and waiting a moment before swinging hard, dreaming of being KVD or Gerald Swindle!

The notion of catching bass on jigs certainly isn’t new in Australia.

The author with a bass. A well placed cast was all that was needed to undo this fat bass. It took a skirted jig on the drop cast tight amongst some timber.

Top: Two jigs showing the differences with rigging the trailer. The top option is great for skip casting and slowing the fall. While the bottom is chunk rigged. Great for deep water, forcing a reaction strike and making your trailer last a long time.

Above: There are thousands of plastic trailers out there. They all work at given times. Keep them simple and break them down into action or plastic movement.

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There are bits and pieces of information that can be found dating back years and years. However, there was a particular day when it all just clicked and made sense for me. It was October 2013 and I was fishing Lake Glenbawn. I had caught fish previously on jigs, but it was random and seemed inconsistent.

That day it was the typical NSW impoundment bite that you get in spring – bass and yellowbelly aggressively hitting moving baits, like a spinnerbait or lipless crankbait early. The fishing was hot but, as per usual, around mid-morning

it died right off. At this time you’d typically try to scrape together some more fish by targeting deeper water, but usually the bite wouldn’t pick up again until late afternoon.

On this day I opened my tackle storage and started scrounging through boxes, looking for that magical lure that might catch a fish, as we all do from time to time. I came across some round ball finesse jigs I had purchased from the United States a long time before. Throwing a plastic craw on the back, it was instant action! I missed a fish on the first cast, and

then worked on refining it over the next few hours.

Bass started to come at a steady rate, including some absolute tanks in the middle of the day.

This was my light bulb moment. There was a sensation of adrenaline rushing over me, and everything just made sense.

I now knew that there was a lot more to fishing a jig than just some random fish every now and then. I remember thinking to myself, “I’m not putting this jig down ever again” and I barely have since! There is always one rigged ready to go on my boat, if I feel the

opportunity arises.

Since that day I have caught bass on a jig on almost every waterway I have fished, from deep water flats in Queensland impoundments to the skinniest water you can find in a tiny creek. While the skirted jig was initially used to imitate a yabby, there are tons of variations on how you can use them – from swimming jigs higher in the water column to mimic a fish, to skipping them into the heaviest cover you wouldn’t be able to place any other lure. We Australians have only just begun to scratch the surface on how to use them.

WHEN TO USE JIGS When it comes to picking what lure to use, I first look at whether I want a moving bait or a stationary bait. Whether I choose a moving bait depends on the cover where I’m fishing and the main food source (e.g. with boney bream and heavy cover like timber, I’ll pick a spinnerbait).

Shallow water Australian bass are typically willing to move around and away from cover in low light scenarios, whether it’s a river or lake. In low light or windy conditions, you will find a moving bait will get eaten.

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Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au As the moving bait bite dies off, the fish generally pull tighter to cover, or move deeper. It might seem as though they’re feeding less actively, but they have probably just changed what they are willing to eat.

This is when the skirted jig comes into play. It’s great for its weedless and snagless capability, allowing you to fish it super slow in the heaviest of cover, right in front of a bass’s nose.

DIFFERENT JIG TYPES There are several styles of skirted jig, and each is suited to a different type of cover.

The football jig is shaped exactly as it sounds – two rounded cones meeting in the middle of the hook eye.

This keeps the jig upright easily, with typically a vertical hook eye.

These jigs are usually heavier, and are better suited for deeper water.

The football head shape frequently gets wedged in branches of trees, so rock, sand and muddy bottom are better suited for this jig. Surprisingly, bass don’t mind picking up a heavy jig and swimming away with it. I’ve caught fish in 50ft of water on the bottom and had them picking up an 1oz

A fairly large meal in a 5/8oz jig with a 4” craw plastic trailer does not deter even the smaller bass from getting it down the hatch. jig with no worries at all.

Casting, flipping, swimming, Arkie, finesse or round style jigs come in a million varieties, with different hook bend degrees, hook size, skirt strand counts, skirt materials, lead, tungsten, weights, colours – you name it. You can really get lost, over-complicate and confuse yourself. The best thing to do is keep everything simple when it

comes to selecting the right type. Choose your weight based on the depth you are fishing. As a guide, I’d go 1/4oz for 0-6ft, 3/8oz for 0-12ft and 1/2oz for 10-20ft of water. These style heads are better for coming through thick cover. The cone shape head and typical vertical hook eye allows the jig to slide between weed and over timber with ease.

When in comes to

colours, I keep everything simple as well. In clear water I like natural colours like black, brown and green. In stained or dirty water, I choose a colour that contrasts nicely like white, black or chartreuse. I don’t get fussed over matching the trailer exactly with the skirt I am using. The fish don’t seem to care. If they were that smart, we would never catch them.

CHOOSING A TRAILER Plastic trailers are very important, as these are where all the action comes from. They give the jig a profile, they affect the fall, and give it a texture that the fish can feel and bite down onto and hold.

When choosing a trailer, there are a few factors to consider. Generally, my craw trailers fall into two styles – a straight craw and a flapping craw.

Flapping craw A flapper style can give a lot of action and slow the fall as it swims on the way down. I prefer these styles if the fish are active and willing to eat the jig with no fuss at all.

I’m a fan of the flapper style on football jigs for deep water and covering water quickly. When I’m using a heavy football jig like a 5/8oz or heavier, I drag it with a sweeping motion to the left or right.

I focus on pulling the jig along the bottom, bouncing off cover and causing the craw to flap along the bottom.

Commonly in the warmer months when the fish are actively targeting jigs I will go for a flapper.

They are also great for To page 18

Tournament winning rods and baits for Australian Bass.

Joey Urquhart

Charles West

Available at tacklelane.com.au abt

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 17

swimming the jig up off the bottom. There may be thick weed beds around and the jig might not be getting any attention on the bottom because the fish can not find the jig. Swimming it just up and through the gaps in weed can get some bites.

Straight craw I like to use a straight

style craw during a more timid bite, such as during the cooler months, or if the fish are under pressure or a weather change has come through. Straight craws have no action at all, and require the rod tip to be twitched to get them dancing around. I like to fish them slowly.

Typically with this retrieve I am targeting

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specific cover (e.g. a laydown, standing tree or a hole in the weed), and in this scenario I let the jig land nice and softly next to the targeted structure. A lighter jig like a 1/4oz or 3/8oz is ideal. After waiting a moment to see whether a fish has picked up the jig, I pull the jig forward ever so slightly. Usually

Jigs showing the fibre weed guard differences: Bottom jig with a splayed apart guard gives the jig a softer guard. The centre jig is a standard brush guard straight out of the packet. The top jig with a pushed forward brush guard gives the jig a more rigid guard for fishing heavy timber and weed.

Jack Maunder was new to catching bass on a jig not that long ago. A quick lesson on the boat about rod setup and retrieves had him landing bass in no time flat.

the rod tip bending and the jig being dragged forward an inch is enough to make the skirt flare and move the craw legs. This movement alone is enough for a timid bite; there’s no need to aggressive work the jig.

If I haven’t got bit after two or three little movements with a 3-5 second pause in between, I burn the jig back in again and cast to the next specific target.

These two trailer

styles and retrieves are my main stayers. I throw in variations like pausing longer or dragging quicker to mix things up if I’m not getting bites.

Remember that is just a guide rather than a hard

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abt.org.au and fast rule. I’m sure if you have the patience and soaked a jig next to a laydown long enough, a fish would come along eventually.

RIGGING Next is the rigging of the trailer. If you’re fishing in a river with heavy cover and overhanging branches where you need to skip cast, make sure you choose a bulky body style plastic.

This body adds to the surface area and allows the jig to skip on the water’s surface a lot easier. The bulkier plastic also slows the fall for landing next to those prime laydowns and not spook the fish.

When I want to fish the jig deeper and give it less resistance through the water, I go to a chunkstyle rigging. Instead of threading the craw all the way down the shank of the hook onto the plastic

keeper, I cut the craw head off and thread it straight onto the hook. This allows the jig to sink quickly back towards the bottom. I use this for fishing deeper water or forcing a reaction bite on the fall.

Rigging the plastic chunk style also stops the trailer from tearing on fish.

It simply slides down the shank after hooking the fish, and lasts multiple fish.

Trimming the skirt is another thing I like to do, especially with a flapperstyle craw. I make sure the skirt is not too long to affect the craws legs from swimming. I trim back just behind where the legs attach to the bottom of the trailer. Typically I’ll make a jagged cut and maybe leave a couple of stands long to imitate antennae.

There are no straight lines in nature, so I cut my skirt accordingly.

WEED GUARD The fibre weed guard or brush guard is a funny topic. I have spoken to a lot of anglers about this topic, and some feel the need to remove the weed guard totally or trim it right down. They say they do this for timid bites, or to prevent the fish from feeling the weed guard and spitting it out.

I feel this is unnecessary. Cutting down or shortening the fibre guard makes it stiffer and harder to bend over, thus requiring a harder hook set. The ideal brush guard length is to the barb of the hook when it’s bent over.

If I really want to make the guard softer to push down, I pull apart or splay the guard to create a V shape. This leaves the guard intact, and it still has its snagless capabilities while being softer to push

down. If you want to make the guard softer again, take one strand, bend it out and trim it off directly at the head of the jig.

You must be careful when making the guard softer, as if it’s too soft it will remove the feature that makes the jig so different from other lures.

There would be nothing worse than making an accurate cast only to have the jig lodge into some structure because the weed guard is too soft, causing you to miss an opportunity for a bass.

Conversely, if I want to make my weed guard stiffer I will push it forward towards the hook eye. Fishing around thick weed or using a heavy jig in deep water around timber requires stiffer brush guards. Bend the guard to a near 90° angle to the hook shank. This will give more room for the guard to bend or flex before the jig becomes hung up in weed or timber.

TRYING IT FOR YOURSELF In every scenario, you want to be able to make every cast count with your jig. You want to fish it as slow or as fast as you require without wasting casts. Remember that the fish believes it is eating a crawfish or yabby, and it’s expecting to pick up something heavy and sharp with nippers. Once you have fished a jig for a while you will come across fish that pick up your jig and spit it out multiple times. This is the fish trying to kill the craw before it eats it. There are tons of examples of this in videos from bass in the United States.

Of course, just when you think you have the fish worked out, they up and change on what they were

Blue bird skies and clear water pulled the bass closer to cover. This is when the skirted jig really shines.

As more anglers start using jigs, we will learn more ways of catching fish on them. doing before. Each year has been different, and as more anglers come to use jigs we will learn more ways of catching fish on them. I’ve had many conversations with anglers about how they have caught fish on jigs, and thought to myself “I probably wouldn’t have thought to try that”. It’s great to see people thinking outside the box and pushing the theories behind it all.

Hopefully this article has given you an insight

into the how and why of fishing a jig. For me, fishing a jig for bass isn’t about colours, specific trailers or brands, as the fish don’t discriminate.

What matters is what you are doing with your jig, in what depth and next to what kind of structure. It’s about the jig being completely different from a moving bait. I hope this gets you thinking along the correct train of thought for your future bass fishing trips.

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Tournament Angler Guide

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Tackling a new venue ABT

Joey Urquhart & Jamie McKeown

It’s one thing to explore a new waterway when you’re fishing socially, and quite another when you’re in a tournament situation and the pressure is on. However, plenty of tournament anglers succeed on waterways that they’ve never fished before, and you can too. Read on to discover the strategies used by two successful tournament pros: Joey Urquhart and Jamie McKeown.

JOEY URQUHART It’s been 10 years since I competed in my first ever ABT BASS event, and over this time the tournament scene has evolved, with new venues each and every year. These venues present competitors with challenges that they might not have faced before.

Through this article, I will delve into how I approach a bass tournament on a venue I haven’t visited before the pre-fish.

Hopefully these tips will help you the next time you visit a new area.

Mapping Earlier this year I won the BASS Electric event at Wyaralong Dam, which is a relatively new dam and has no real information available on how it fishes yet. I knew I had to do my homework before I showed up on pre-fish day if I wanted a chance of winning.

The first step that’s crucial to your preparation for a new venue is researching maps, whether it’s Google Earth or social maps. This gives you a good look at the venue without actually being there, and it’s the best way

There’s no doubt about it, when you meet Archer, you’ll have a momentous experience.

Top: This beast unveiled Wyaralong’s secrets, and set up Joey Urquhart’s win at the dam. Sometimes it only takes one fish!

Above: Regardless of the weather or number of boats on the water, if you have confidence you’re far more likely to succeed.

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to get a look at the different structure that’s in the lake. A great way of seeing what’s under the water is to look back on previous years of Google Earth where the water level may have been lower when the images were taken. It sometimes will unveil rock piles or trees you otherwise wouldn’t have known were there.

Once I have a lay of the

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au lake I dissect it into different areas I would like to look at in pre-fish. These areas I pick are usually based on what I think look good, and which look like similar areas I would fish on similar venues.

I then mark these areas into my GPS and use different map icons to separate the areas, allowing me to clearly separate different structure types. I put these locations in

Some venues have hundreds of kilometres of edges to fish, and the thought of having to survey so much water can be overwhelming.

order from my favourite to least favourite, to eliminate time wasted on pre-fish.

Because I fish out of one of the smallest boats in the field, I often look for small feeder creeks and harder-toget-to areas that the larger boats can’t reach. Having previously found these via mapping, it allows for more fishing time come practice, and less time roaming around aimlessly.

Rigging up Now that you have a firm grasp on the areas you would like to fish, it’s time to work out a technique and what lures you’re going to throw. I look at the time of year the tournament is being held, and rely on my knowledge of what techniques work on other venues at this time of year.

I then prepare my tackle, covering the most obvious techniques. At Wyaralong Dam, I chose to rig my rods with a reaction bite approach, which consisted of lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits and some larger topwater lures.

I always rig 2-3 rods with the same lure I think will be the best choice, as the last thing you want to be doing on pre-fish is searching for lures in your tackle trays and wasting valuable time.

I always allow a few spare rods to tie on what I

call the ‘out of the square’ lures. These are lures that you know work, but not necessarily at that lake and at that time of year. Still, they could be the thing that could make the difference.

I had one of these lures tied on at Wyaralong Dam; it was a medium diving Japanese crankbait that proved crucial in my win.

Arriving at the venue It’s now time to head off to the tournament, and I always pop into the nearest tackle store on the way. Don’t expect to have everything handed to you on a golden platter, but with most purchases will come some tips or tricks that may help you on the day. Because these snippets of information are very up to the minute, I find they are more useful than looking at previous results from the same venue.

However, while getting advice can be useful, I advise against spending a lot of time listening to other people’s stories, as this can cloud your judgement and become very confusing. In any case, it’s more rewarding finding your own honey hole.

I sometimes watch videos of the venue, but I watch them to see what the lake looks like more then to look at the techniques used To page 22

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From page 21

by the angler.

Once you have reached your accommodation, it’s good to drive to the ramp to make yourself aware of how everyone will launch the following morning for practice – plus it’s nice to finally get a visual of the lake.

A valuable piece of advice is to stick to your plan with your previously rigged rods. After talking to friends at your accommodation you will have other ideas running through your mind, as those guys may have been there themselves before. Stick to your plan for the practice day, because you will regret changing it if it all goes pear-shaped!

Pre-fish It’s now pre-fish morning and it’s time to put all your research to work.

I usually head for my furthest location so I can fish it at prime time, then bounce from spot to spot, rotating through my chosen lures. As a rule, if 10am comes and I am yet to find any decent signs of fish, I generally pick up one of my out-of-thesquare lures and run and gun random spots, trying to make something happen. This year at Wyaralong Dam it was 9:30am and I hadn’t seen any signs of fish, and I did exactly that – and pulled a

2kg+ fish straight away. I moved down the lake and found an area that looked nothing like where I had caught my previous fish, but I liked the look of it anyway.

Before long I pulled another big fish. That area turned out to be where I would win the tournament, and I only achieved it by adapting throughout the day and not getting stuck in a rut.

If your pre-fish didn’t go to plan and you have absolutely nothing to go on for the first day of the comp, my advice is stay confident.

At no stage should you think you can’t work them out, and definitely never give up.

Tomorrow is a new day.

The tournament begins Tournament morning is now about to start and the rest is now up to you. If you found some sort of pattern the previous day, stick to it, although if things aren’t going to plan by mid-morning, I would definitely abandon that plan for the moment.

Try to scrape something together somewhere else to settle your nerves and keep yourself in contention.

You can never win a tournament on the first day, but you can definitely lose one. Don’t try doing what the rest of the field is doing if you’re not confident in it. At the end of the day

abt.org.au

Jamie McKeown knows that prior research is important. It’s not enough to just rock up and hope for the best! confidence is the key, and you’re far better sticking to something you know you can catch fish on.

I hope some off these tips will help you out the next

Aberdeen Fishing & Outdoors

time you’re in an unfamiliar area, and see you putting some fish in your livewell.

JAMIE MCKEOWN Tournament fishing a new venue can be daunting

to say the least. There are a lot of important factors to consider. However, with a computer and some spare time you can cover off on most of them.

WHO CARES ABOUT LIVE SCANNING SONAR?

I started fishing the ABT BREAM tournaments in 2012, and back then all venues were new to me.

I soon learned that just showing up and trying to find good areas during a 1-day pre-fish wasn’t good enough.

After having a few expensive lessons, I have learned to start my preparation for new venues months before the actual tournament is scheduled to run.

The first part of my preparation, and most important, relates to safety.

I don’t want to run my boat into submerged rock walls or trees, or injure my non-boater or myself, so I start by going onto www.abt. org.au and finding out where the launch and weigh-in sites will be. Then I go to one of the many tide and weather websites and see what the moon phase will be, and check the tides for the date of the tournament. This is not only for planning safe navigation areas, but also for planning areas to fish. The last thing I want is to get stuck on a flat with a good limit in the livewell, and not be able to return in time for the weigh-in.

Once I have done all of this, I the research and download a map (if available) from C-Map Genesis Social

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Maps. It usually provides a very detailed map of the arena, but the downside is that it’s only for Lowrance users. An alternative is to use the Navionics app on your phone. On this map you can view depth contours, channel markers and any unsafe ground. The app is not free, but $26 is a lot cheaper than having to repair a destroyed prop or hull.

After I have worked out safe navigation areas, I start

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au researching where I want to fish. I want to catch fish in areas that best suit my skills. For me it is pointless trying to reinvent the wheel for myself, and attempt to catch fish on a technique I have never used or have no confidence in, so I look for areas that suit my style of fishing.

My first port of call is Google Maps. It usually has pretty good up-to-date maps and resolution so I can see

Having a good pre-fish day allowed Joey Urquhart to put together a winning bag of 3.37kg at Wyaralong Dam.

bridges, weed flats or rocky points that I can look at on the pre-fish day.

Once I have picked out some areas, I look to see whether there has ever been a tournament held on the arena before. There usually has been, and if you do a bit of digging you can usually find the results. I like to research these results, and try to find an event that was held around the same time of year as the tournament I’m planning on fishing. This way I can work out average bag weights, and see if I’m headed in the right direction with areas I have already identified on Google Maps.

This search can be expanded depending on how much spare time you have, but this is why I start my research months before the tournament.

I then turn to social media, I use Facebook to find fishing groups or pages that have been started in the area to get an idea of how the arena is currently fishing. After all, searching old tournament results may only tell you how the system used to fish; so much could have changed since then.

I then search YouTube to see if there are any videos that locals may have posted, and also go back through old AFC DVDs. This can

sometimes give me an idea of lure patterns and colours.

The information and lures may be old, but the bream haven’t changed too much as to what they like to eat.

This brings me to pre-fish. Depending on time, money and distance, I try to plan a pre-fish about a month out from the tournament. I try my hardest to plan the trip on the exact same tide and moon phases the tournament will be on. This way I can take my time sounding around, marking safe or unsafe areas on my GPS, and of course fish the specific areas I have already identified. I don’t have to be concerned with stinging fish that I may want to be catching the following day in the tournament, I can work out if spots will replenish, spend two days fishing instead of one, and determine whether I have to go completely back to the drawing board and work out new areas.

I use a lot of technology in my research and preparation prior to ever seeing a venue, but after arriving and getting on the water, a lot comes down to instinct. Some areas may look a lot fishier than Google Maps can ever give justice to, and I’d be stupid not to have a cast, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.

It’s important to be able to

Mapping unveils hidden gems like creeks and drains that would normally be hard to find. adapt to any conditions or situations that may be thrown your way. Combine the knowledge you have gathered through technology with your past experiences and instincts, and you have a

recipe for success. Preparation can be time-consuming, but let’s face it – with the cost of fuel and accommodation, it’s always nice to try and drive home with a cheque in your pocket!

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Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au

The early days of ABT FMG

Bob Thornton

This year Australian Bass Tournaments celebrates 20 years. Two decades has seen the company go from strength to strength, helping to shape the fishing, boating and tackle industries in Australia.

These days each event sees a flotilla of sleek looking fibre-glass bass boats, each armed to the teeth with the latest and greatest tackle and gadgets, and some

of the anglers have even appeared on television.

In the beginning though, things were very different, and the road hasn’t always been a smooth one.

It’s hard to believe that the first proper ABT event was held on Lake Moogerah in Queensland’s South East 20 years ago in 1999. There were 31 boats bobbing around the ramp before a very chaotic and smoky shotgun start. There were few fibreglass bass boats, no Jackalls, no Squigies and no UPF 50+ fishing shirts –

just a fleet of tiller-steered tinnies with an assortment of Aussie-made lures, and lots and lots of sandals and short shorts. Peter Keidge won that event. He was throwing spinnerbaits.

So much has changed in 20 years, with many waves of innovation and development flooding the fishing world. Lots of these big changes came about as a result of that first event, and the many that followed in the years after. ABT truly changed the face of Australian fishing. And Set ups in the late ‘90s were simple, but still attracted plenty of competitors, as can be seen by all the cars in the carpark in the background.

Top: Early on almost all the boats at BASS events were aluminium punts with an average of 30hp. Bow-mounted electric motors were still seen as a novelty. Above: Tim Morgan dominated the early BREAM series, and was at home fishing the Gold Coast waters in the early 2000s.

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although plenty of others have tried to emulate ABT and failed, ABT remains the leader in the field.

THE VERY BEGINNING In 1998, two members of the Moreton Bay Game Fishing Club (MBGFC), with help from the club, decided to run a two-day freshwater tournament at Maroon Dam in South East Queensland. This was to be ABT’s trial event. Steve Morgan and Steve Bain had both travelled and fished in tournaments overseas, and had an idea to start a tournament series like the ones they were exposed to in the USA, Japan and South Africa.

Gordon Macdonald from

Brisbane won that event, and said the competition really opened his eyes.

“I’d fished a few tournaments with the club [MBGFC], but this was a totally different format,” he said. “There were three sessions over two days of fishing, it was cast and retrieve only, and we were required to bring our fish in live, which was very different to the tournaments I’d fished before that.”

This event also employed a system that paired those who had boats with those who didn’t, otherwise known as a boater/non-boater format, which comes from the American system.

On the day, Gordon decided to try a slightly

different approach to the rest of the field, choosing to throw spinnerbaits.

“No one else was really throwing them,” he said.

“Many people were just casting the bibbed lures they would have usually trolled with” “I knew people in the US were using them to catch their bass, and I’d been experimenting with a few myself.”

“Back then, Kokoda spinnerbaits were about the only ones you could get here, so that’s what I used.”

Spinnerbaits was the first of many crazes that started with ABT tournaments, and countless events since then have been won by casting and retrieving these curious

contraptions.

Queensland’s Harry Watson of Jackall fame was the first BASS Pro Grand Final winner in 1999, winning himself a trip to fish a BASS Event at Lake Orroville, California. Brett

abt

Tournament Angler Guide

abt.org.au Thomson from Queensland, a man well ahead of his time as far as fishing techniques were concerned, won the first Angler of The Year title that same year.

These names will always be remembered by those who

Brett Thomson, pictured here in 1999, won the first two BASS Pro AOY titles (1999 and 2000).

fished the early tournaments, but there was so much more to come.

LEARNING TO CRAWL It wasn’t long after the BASS Pro series kicked off that ABT introduced a BASS Electric series, for those who fished in the many electric only impoundments scattered throughout Queensland and NSW. As the first few seasons of the BASS Pro and BASS Electric series travelled up and down the east coast of SEQ and NSW, certain switched-on individuals began to emerge at the pointy end of the leader board regularly.

John Schofield from Brisbane was one of those anglers, and he, like many others had participated in the 1998 trial event and got a taste for it.

John has scored many event wins in both the BASS Pro and BASS Electric series, and his signature technique was fly fishing with a fly that he created.

The fly is well-known not just in tournament fishing circles, but to the wider fishing community, and even overseas. The Bass Vampire fly, so named because of John’s then job of driving trucks for the blood bank, has over time

been reproduced into many different sizes and variations, much to John’s delight.

“The Bass Vampire came about because I really liked my fly fishing, and I actually dreamt it!” he said. “I woke up, and the dream had been so clear that I was able to draw it on a note pad, and then I eventually sat down and tied it up.”

In John’s time fishing tournaments, he got to witness the changes in the fishing, tackle and boating industry, and the trickle down effect the tournaments were having on the general public.

“I can remember before the tournaments took off, you’d pull you’re boat up to the ramp at Boondoooma Dam, and there would be people holidaying, or famers just out for a fish, and they’d have a sinker and live shrimp hanging from their rods,” he said. “As time went on, these same boats would have ice jigs, Sliders, and then eventually Jackalls replacing the sinkers and shrimps.”

“I can also remember in the early days a few 70-boat fields of mostly mostly tiller steer engines, which were a cross section of outboard brands, but after a few anglers got Mercury sponsorships, all of a sudden 60-70% of boaters were using Mercury outboards.”

Ex-tournament director Simon Goldsmith fished the BARRA trial event at Teemburra in 2004. Most of the fish were only small compared to the 1m+ beasts that come out of this waterway now.

BREAMIN’ With the success of the BASS Pro tournament series, introducing a new series seemed like the next logical step.

BASS tournaments in America were centred around a species that exists

in every state in the USA (except Alaska), and this is why the species is so popular and marketable. The two Steves put their heads together to find a species that was as accessible as bass in America, and after To page 26

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 25

much consideration, it was to be the humble bream that would make ABT a truly national tournament series.

Although only a small fish, they exist in every state and territory (except ACT) and appeal to a wide range

responsive bream are to lure angling, and was able to dominate the scene in the early years. Tim won the first ever BREAM event in 2000, which was held on the Gold Coast.

“I don’t think there was a huge amount of people

abt.org.au

Tim was also in the interesting position of being both an angler and a sponsor, as at the time he was working for BLA, who import Humminbird products.

“To be competitive, we wanted every advantage we could get,” he said. “For

Stessl tournament boats were considered state-of the art in the early days.

Jason Wilhelm had a huge influence on techniques for impoundment barramundi, and won several events on his home lakes and further afield. of tactics and techniques – although most Australian anglers did not know this – yet!

Tim Morgan was one man who knew just how

using lures for bream,” he said. “I think ABT really helped bream to become not only a bait species, but also a lure species in people’s minds,” he said.

example in the early days we used floats to mark our spots, but with the advent of GPS technology [which Humminbird provided] our fishing became much easier.”

“Tournaments have definitely raised the bar of tackle used in Australia, and helped many of these products to enter the market.”

Anglers like Tim, as well as others such as Mike Delisser, Mick Lee, Andrew Howard and the Metcalf brothers Chris and Michael were all continually pushing the envelope, and paving the way forward with their breaming techniques and sharing them with others.

If you’ve ever wanted to know what those first few series were like, you can find out by watching Breamin’ I & II, a DVD that covers the 2001 ABT BREAM series! This really helped get tournament fishing out to a wider audience, and featured

some then revolutionary techniques, and guitar music from none other than Tommy Emmanuel. If you ever get the chance, it’s still worth the watch today.

The ABT Bream series has to date travelled to six states in Australia, and given away many amazing boat/ trailer prize packages to those lucky enough to win a Grand Final.

GOING NORTH With the BREAM and BASS Pro series roaring along, it was decided that in 2005, following a trial event at Teemburra Dam in 2004, that ABT would include a impoundment barramundi series to their calendar. This created a lot of excitement within the fishing community,

but it wasn’t without its hurdles in the early stages.

Jason Wilhelm, who was living in Gladstone at the time, was an angler who had been bitten by the impoundment barra bug a few years earlier. Excited by the prospect of a BARRA series, he jumped at the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring when ABT finally came to Lake Awoonga, his favourite barra dam at the time.

However, the first draw event didn’t really go to plan, because while the boater/ non-boater format had been popular with bream and bass anglers, it just wasn’t going to work with the barra community. Where the teams format was successful, the To page 28

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Tournament Angler Guide

From page 26

first event had three boater entries, and after that the format was canned and reverted to the teams style.

“I suppose because impoundment barra fishing was in its infancy, lots of people tended to want to fish with their mates, and they were very guarded on their methods,” Jason said.

“The logical choice was a teams event, but I really hope ABT can revisit the boater/ non-boater format further down the road – it’s probably a matter of waiting until the less experienced have caught up.”

The early BARRA

tournaments were run in a format that permitted two anglers to fish together, but they were competing individually. Some early problems with this format saw the BARRA Tour eventually became a series of team events.

Just like with The BASS and BREAM series, the BARRA events encouraged considerable growth in the impoundment barramundi scene, and Jason witnessed this growth first hand.

“Everyone had to up their game, and there’s no doubt ABT influenced a lot of now readily accepted techniques,” he said. “Fast

frogging is a good example.”

And even though BARRA events didn’t use the same boater/non-boater format that encouraged the sharing of knowledge, many barra anglers were still happy to share some of their techniques and develop the fishery. The process was slower than with BASS and BREAM, but it was ticking along.

“In my experience, the top barra guys did pass on their techniques and embraced the ABT’s ‘who shares wins’ mantra,” Jason said. “A lot of anglers just weren’t fishing as competitively as they would

The late Dave Irvine (front) and Gordon Macdonald (rear) work some of Moogerah’s standing timber with spinnerbaits in an early ABT event.

have in the BASS and BREAM events.”

While Jason was a force to be reckoned with early on, there were others that had him constantly looking over his shoulder, such as Jason Medcalf and the Taylor brothers Kerrin and Cy. While it’s evident the BARRA series is still lagging in some ways behind the other series, its continual growth is promising for the future, with each year’s series teaching the angling world more about these incredible fish.

AFC It would be remiss of not to mention the Australian Fishing Championships (AFC) series that kicked off in 2004. Co-developed by ABT (which also acted as a feeder series), AFC got the best bream, bass and barra tournament anglers in Australia, put them head to head, and aired it on Channel 10 – back when there were few options on the box.

The classy production would thrust tournament fishing in Australia to an even wider audience than the magazines and newsletters ever could. The series saw anglers like Harry Watson, Jason Wilhelm, Matthew Mott, Darren Borg and more become household names in the wider fishing community.

abt.org.au

Harry Watson won the first BASS Pro Grand Final in 1999, and was known for consistently catching fish of this calibre. That’s one young Hank!

AFC is still running, and although running independent of ABT, it still brings the exciting antics of tournament fishing to Australian and Asian living rooms.

THAT’S ALL HISTORY These little bits of history formed the foundation for the

ABT we see today, and all this happened in the first 5-6 years. Thinking about what lies down the track is exciting, and while many things are uncertain, one thing that isn’t is that ABT will continue to help develop the fishing, tackle and boating industry in Australia.

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ABT’s 2018 Champions!

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Angler of the Year in the Well BASS ELECTRIC boater division. You know and well done to all We all remember how it’s tough when Kris Hickson winners in 2018!

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Northern species move down ILLAWARRA

Greg Clarke clarkey1@westnet.com.au

As they say on the cricket, it’s all happening! So it doesn’t matter whether you fish the estuaries, beach, rock or offshore, there is something for everyone out there at the moment.

them to your spot is the key to success.

Having a live bait in the water and swimming away from the rocks prior to sun up will have you in the best position to score a run from a billy, as they often patrol in close in the early light of dawn.

You could chose to put all your eggs in the one

With the warm water come the northern visitors, and tasty ones at that.

If you like chasing big fish from the stones, this is marlin month on the deeper ledges around Kiama, with the northeast winds and the east Australian current pushing hot blue water right onto the rocks. With this comes the bait in the form of frigate mackerel – a marlin favourite – striped tuna, bonito, slimy mackerel and yellowtail.

Early starts are the way to go, as time spent gathering live baits at your desired location or one of the local harbours well before daylight then transporting

basket and throw small lures at the horizon in the hope of scoring a frigate or small bonito for live bait, but if they are not about you are not in the hunt.

Having a live mackerel or yakka out then having a second outfit ready to put out a second bait in the form of that small tuna is the optimum way to go about the business of chasing billies off the stones, and they are not all around Kiama.

Don’t forget to keep a live bait out on other ledges too like Cathedral Rocks, Port Kembla at Hill 60 with the

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crowds, Bass Point on the southern side, Coalcliff or even the Port Kembla breakwalls. All the places can and do throw up a marlin from time to time.

But it’s not just marlin, as all these spots also hold solid kings, mackerel tuna, bluefin towards the end of the month and heaps of bonito, tailor and salmon. Live baits, lures and pilchards all work well on these different species, and while a marlin is the ultimate reward, there will plenty of other action to keep you busy.

With all the activity on the surface from the pelagics, the trevally, bream and snapper will be hanging around too, even around the shallower headlands.

It is just as good on the beaches, with so many choices that it’s hard to know where to start. Beach worms are a good starting point, because with these you can convert them into numerous species, and it doesn’t matter which beach you choose this month, as there are fish of some sort on every beach.

Whiting are the main target, but with the warm water comes the dart. They are not a favourite further north, but are a welcome visitor down south, as they really put on a battle in the shallows and while not whiting, they are not too bad on the plate either.

Salmon and bream are always about, and a few small school mulloway are on the cards early and later in the day. You should find a few flathead and even some bigger mullet and silver trevally, and that is just on worms. For better flathead results work the edges of the deeper gutters on the falling tide with live poddy mullet

too picky about which beach, with all the regular spots and just about any beach with a deep gutter worth a try.

If the sea gets really calm, keep an eye out for frigate mackerel darting in and out of the surf. They are great fun and the best bait anywhere for anything.

The smallest of lures are the only way to get them so the whiting gear may get a workout.

Offshore it is all hands on deck with the marlin season in full swing with the inshore reefs holding blacks and further afield producing black, striped and blue marlin. All the bait grounds are packed with boats every weekend and many weekdays (sickies) loading up with slimy mackerel to slow troll around Bandit, The Hump, Wollongong Reef, The Trap Reef and all areas to the shelf and beyond.

Many chose to drag skirts around but timed effort to strike ratios puts trolling live baits way out in front, and the strike to hookup ratio on live baits is much better than skirts.

By-catch is the exciting feature when the hot water is here, with wahoo, sailfish, yellowfin tuna and big mahimahi all getting in on the action. While trolling the closer shallower reefs for marlin you can throw big kings in the mix as well.

If you don’t set your sights on marlin, then there are plenty of mahimahi around the FADs and any floating object you may find, and every object is worth a look no matter how small – the mahimahi will sit under it.

Again, live baits will score fish consistently, then when you have them worked up throw in cut fish

This big mulloway came from where the sand meets the rocks behind the breakers on the beach. or plastics and you would be surprised how many are about. And if there are a few mulloway about they might come and play too.

During the hours of darkness on the top of the tide is big mulloway time, and there are a few about.

Fresh bait is always the key, with a nice slab of freshlycaught tailor hard to beat.

Again, you don’t have to be

strips or pilchards. Lures work too, but they go off them pretty quickly. The size of the mahimahi is a day to day thing, with lots of good-sized fish one day and undersized rats the next.

The only way to find out is to have a look.

Closer to shore, the reefs are holding plenty of species, with plenty of small to nice reds to 4kg fairly

February means blacks on the inshore reefs. common. Mixed with them have been a few very solid teraglin up to 4kg that seem to be making a bit of a comeback of late.

Use your sounder to find the deep bait schools packed tight, then get the plastics down into the strike zone.

The 30-40m metre depth seems to be holding fish consistently.

There are plenty of good mowies, pigfish, trevally, samsonfish and leatherjackets, with even a few pearl perch and emperors around in the warm water as well.

lake, and that can be true for migrating species like bream and whiting at certain times of the year. However at the moment they and the flathead seem to be holding their own, with plenty of fish coming from all over the lake.

The drop off and main channel are always busy, so head over to Berkley or the power station or Oak Flats.

They seem to be everywhere there is a bit of clean bottom and they are bigger than average, with fish to 70cm.

Poddy mullet, prawns and plastics are all working,

A mac tuna like this better-than-average 9.5kg model will put up a great fight.

Over the sand, the flathead have been in great numbers, with good-sized fish to 50cm common place, and anyone chasing them is getting all they need as well as a few flounder to top out the bag.

Kings have shown up around the islands, headlands and offshore bumps. They are mostly rats at the moment, however they are getting bigger every day. Later in the month there is always the chance of a spotted Spanish mackerel, narrow barred Spanish, rainbow runners and a few cobia.

If you don’t like fishing the beach for mulloway, try anchoring on the edge of the reefs just off the beach, but far enough out to be away from any set waves, and fish live baits on the bottom during the evenings.

You would be surprised how productive it can be.

You would think it would be a struggle to catch anything with 34 pro licences fishing the

so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting a feed.

Whiting are all through the main channel, with the flats down around the main entrance very popular.

Worms are the gun bait, but in the early morning and late afternoon on the falling tide when boat traffic slows down, you can have a bit of fun with poppers. Just don’t fish in water too deep, as there are plenty of tailor ready to slice off a small popper and take it with them.

Bream are in the feeder streams and around the rocky areas of the foreshores, and as always with a few mulloway around the bridge as well.

Blue swimmer crabs are all over the lake and there have been a few prawns during the dark on the right nights.

Minnamurra is much the same with flathead all along its length with whiting over the numerous sand flats and bream around the bridges during the evenings.

Happy fishing!

FEBRUARY 2019

79

Aussie bass and mulloway – a great combo NOWRA

Johnny Nolan straydog1974@gmail.com

The Shoalhaven region is a popular fishing destination for many anglers up and down the coast, and out

sought after species in our area targeted by fishers.

Firstly, the good old bass has had a pretty good run this season, as there have been plenty of cicadas around to coax these fish into a surface feed, and they have been hitting the surface lures with

Up in Kangaroo Valley, Tallowa Dam and its tributaries are producing some good catches of bass, and there are always plenty of carp to keep you interested if the bass decide to shut down for the day.

Lures working well on

Jai Goodwin with one of many hefty skinny water bass he’s been catching lately.

Wal Balzin with yet another cracking basin mulloway.

This one was over 1.2m in length. to the west as well. There are so many different opportunities in our area to go and catch yourself a fish.

This summer season has been a pretty exceptional one for two of the more popular

gusto. The brackish sections of the Shoalhaven River are still producing good numbers and respectable sizes of fish, as are the smaller tributes, with some cracking skinny water fish being taken.

the bass at the moment are fizzers, which make quite a racket and commotion, and the ever popular soft shell cicada imitation lures, and the slightly cheaper versions as well.

The carp in this dam seem to love hitting slowly rolled bass lures or flies, like small black, brown and olive nymphs. If you just want to sit on the bank, kick back and relax, a set rod with corn kernels as bait will almost surely catch you one.

Remember, these carp are a pest fish so every one out of the water is a bonus. A knife or sharp spike through the brain is a quick and humane way of killing them, before throwing them up the bank or into the bushes somewhere. Most will be cleaned up by the local wildlife pretty quickly before they start decomposing and rotting away.

River that produced any sort of numbers of this species, and it still does, but now both Jervis Bay and St Georges Basin are taking a bit of pressure off an already heavily-fished Shoalhaven River. The Shoalhaven gets pressure from both by amateurs and commercial fishers.

The basin is the bigger and more consistent producer of the latter two estuaries, and more and more larger fish are being caught. Almost every week now, I’m seeing pictures on social media of a basin mulloway over a metre or maybe more. A lot of these fish are being released to either breed more or be

the good sounders these days are quite affordable. You preferably want one with down and side imaging, and in colour if you can.

Snapper and kingfish are giving the fishers with saltwater in their blood a bit of fun of late. The soft plastic and micro jiggers are having a real ball on small to medium-sized reds right up and down our stretch of coast. In close and right out to about the 60m mark, there have been reds, and if you happen to have a dud day you can always drop a flatty line down, as there have been plenty of these tasty morsels being caught.

The kings are taking live

Timmy Francis with a lovely skinny water bass from one of his local waters.

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The other species I’m going to briefly run through in this report is the mighty mulloway. The king of estuary predators, these fish have become a real proposition for many anglers in our main three systems in the Shoalhaven. It used to mainly be the Shoalhaven

caught by another lucky angler. I know I’ve talked of these fish a bit in my last few reports, but hey, who doesn’t love reading about and seeing pictures of big mulloway?

A good fish sounder will no doubt help you find and catch these fish, and even

squid and lures around the rocky headlands of Jervis Bay, Currarong and Kiama and Gerringong, with quite a few cracking the legal size limit.

Enjoy the last month of summer before we hit my favourite time of year, autumn! I can’t wait!

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Anglers are welcoming the warmer water NAROOMA

Stuart Hindson

The gamefish season has started with a bang, with marlin numbers excellent along the coast. Some crews are getting 5-6 shots a day, which is pretty darn good in anyone’s books.

north of Tuross all the way down south to Merimbula, so having the radio so you know where it’s happening is the go, as each day will change.

If the big stuff isn’t for you then there are plenty of kings at the island taking jigs, live bait and fresh squid on flasher rigs most days. As

after bream and whiting seem to be doing okay. The key to success has been fresh bait like beachworms or pipi on a running sinker rig, with Narooma Main and Brou Beach just north of Dalmeny also producing. If you’re after pelagic species like salmon and tailor, then Carters Beach near

With the water a warm 25-26°C in some areas, it’s no wonder the whiting are chewing at the bit, so to speak. It’s not just whiting either, there are plenty of solid yellowfin bream to be found plus plenty of good sized EPs in the snags in the river section.

Further downstream the mulloway population in the deeper water near the boatshed has been okay, but you do need to fish early before the boat traffic becomes heavy. A mixture of soft vibes and plastics have worked, but the bait anglers using fresh squid at night have had better success.

At Wagonga Inlet, the upper reaches above the 4 knot sign has been consistent for bream and whiting on the flooding tide. Those

anglers using a mixture of surface presentations and shallow running hardbodies have fared best.

There are plenty of flathead to be caught in the deeper sections here, with some cracking models coming from the entrance to Punkella Creek. It’s an excellent area to fish on the draining tide when the mullet are leaving the creek.

Further downstream, the main basin has plenty of tailor in it with the odd mulloway coming from under the tailor schools.

I’ve also heard of a few kingfish getting caught with some legal fish amongst them around Ringlands Point. It’s good to see a few kings back in there and a welcome catch when targeting other species.

Off the rocks Mystery Bay down south has seen a few smaller kings succumb to metal shiners and poppers with reports of a few hoodlums being hooked but lost. These bigger kings were hooked on live frigate mackerel. It is good to see a few frigates getting around, as they have been hard to get over recent seasons. You can still expect a few salmon and the odd bonito too with the golf course rocks in town worth a look. For those after a feed of blackfish the open rocks have been tough, with little or no wash. Your best chance at a feed is trying the inner sections of the south break wall at the entrance. Try using green weed or weed flies as they have worked a treat of late.

There are still plenty of mulloway to be caught in the Tuross Lake system, with this little 70cm model winning its freedom.

The majority of beakies getting caught are stripes in the 70-100kg bracket, although a few better-sized blacks have been sighted just east of Montague Island, but none have been landed as yet. It won’t be long before someone does and for those crews who are venturing even wider towards the 2nd drop, a big blue is certainly an option if geared up for it.

Most marlin are falling to skirted pushers, but I suspect more fish over coming weeks to be caught off bait balls. The bait is patchy from the 70-fathom line, but if you’re lucky enough to find a bait ball on the surface then the real fun will start.

With the water a nice 22°C there have been some bigger mahimahi caught, especially around the FAD. These guys can be hard to entice at times, but when they do decide to play they will hit almost anything.

The bite is happening

we know, these kings can be finicky at times, so it pays to have all options covered with all techniques working on various days. Grabbing a few live baits from the golf course rocks before heading out can sometimes be the difference between an okay day and a great day!

On the reefs Potato Point to the north has been steady for snapper, with early mornings the go. If you can coincide this with a tide change all the better, as they seem to be biting better around these times. Try fishing in 50m with fresh squid or tuna strips, a little berley won’t hurt either. For those after a feed of flatties, the 35m line off Dalmeny Headland has been good, but again each day has been different, so varying your fishing depths from day to day until you find them will pay handsomely.

Off the beaches it’s been a little tougher with the calm seas and little swell, though anglers fishing lighter lines

Kianga has been good, as has Bar Beach just north of the rock wall entrance.

They’re not thick but the fish that are being caught are quality models. You can expect a few tailor mixed in, especially at night with the chance at a gummy shark too.

In the estuaries it’s running hot with all systems within the region fishing well. It just depends on which one you want to fish and what you want to target and how.

Up at Tuross it’s whiting heaven with surface lure enthusiasts getting amongst them big time. This place is littered with shallow back bays, weed fringed sand flats and shallow drop-offs that scream whiting and they’re not disappointing.

I know of many anglers getting their 20-30 fish per session when the conditions are at their peak and if it’s not, you’re still getting a few fish with plenty of follows also.

Big flathead are getting about, with Narooma and Tuross estuaries firing up nicely, as Stuie Beath found out.

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Merimbula has produced some monsters MERIMBULA

Stuart Hindson

The holiday season is almost at a close, but with the fantastic weather we have had of late it seems the crowds are staying a bit longer. More people means more fishing pressure, but don’t let that deter you as it’s fishing great guns and has been for weeks now.

In the estuaries it’s been excellent, with all species having a chew, it really just depends on how you want to target them. Those anglers fishing fresh bait like prawns or striped tuna are having great fun on bream, trevally and flathead in the main channel between the main bridge in town and the entrance towards Mitchies Jetty. A few of the trevs are corkers at 50cm or bigger, with plenty of bream around the 36-38cm mark too.

Some solid flatties to 70cm have found it hard to resist a fresh prawn, with fishos using an array of mid-sized soft plastics also getting into the action. Softies to 80mm have been best, with natural colours working a treat. Fishing the draining tide seems best when the water

s fishing. aven’t seen. our Ultra Lift gh plate sides ng. At a price t Savage.

You’re never too young to catch an EP on surface, as Harry Collins found out with this absolute cracker. on the various sand flats has almost gone completely out.

Try and concentrate on these deeper edges in the channel

where the outpouring water enters. It’s not uncommon to get a handful of fish in a very short time in these areas.

Further upstream in the main basin, the flatties have gone nuts on the weed-fringed edges in 4-6m of water. I’ve heard of some anglers getting a dozen or so solid flathead up to 92cm in a session, which is good fishing in my books. Again, soft plastics have worked best. Don’t be afraid to throw some larger lures around if a big girl is your target species.

Pambula Lake continues to produce with plenty of whiting over the flats. A mixture of surface presentations and lightlyweighted worm baits has been the key to success.

The rock walls up near the junction of the Yowaka River have seen EP, bream and a few smaller mulloway this past week, mostly on softies hopped down the deeper parts of the rock walls.

Further upstream bream and whiting have been very good on those windy afternoons on the making tide around the vast oyster covered rocks that litter this part of the system. Smaller prawn imitations are working a treat on the surface, with shallow running hardbodies also doing the trick.

Offshore the bottom fishing continues to fire with

snapper, morwong, flathead, leatherjackets and a few smaller kingfish coming from Long Point.

The local charter boat fleet have had some great trips of late with plenty of fish caught. With the coming moon, this action will continue and only get better, but let’s hope the kingfish start to play the game a little more as they have been pretty sporadic of late. The fish have been there with plenty seen on the surface, but they are hard to entice with only a few getting caught. It can be very frustrating when you can see them and they won’t chew.

Further offshore, the beakie action has started, with one boat going 5-3-3 on skirts, which is a good way to start the season. It was only a matter of time before it lit up and with the good water still pushing hard south, and it will only get better. The water out wide is 21°C, which is ideal, with quite a lot of bait from the 70-fathom line east. There have still been a few smaller yellowfin tuna and albacore about, but you will need to travel quite a few miles to get amongst them.

On the beaches the tides are dynamite. The salmon action is okay, but not red hot

with North Tura certainly the pick of the beaches at present. If you’re after a few bream, then Middle Beach and Merimbula Main towards the entrance have both produced fish with a few whiting as well. Better baits include beachworms, pipi and fresh prawns.

Adding a little berley to it does seem to be making a difference.

Off the rocks it’s been the same for the last few weeks now. Merimbula Wharf is the pick if targeting a kingfish, and there have been several 10kg+ fish caught these past couple weeks, with many more lost. It’s awesome to see these green back brutes in close and a few getting caught as well.

If kings are not for you then Short Point has seen blackfish and smaller drummer on cabbage weed and fresh prawns. Berley has been useful for the bread and butter species, with a few bream thrown in also.

Up at Tura Head salmon have been okay with some decent tailor and the odd smaller rat king too. Casting smaller metals and pilchards on ganged hooks is the go-to method at present.

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Find the bait, find the fish BERMAGUI

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

Whether you are offshore chasing billfish, along the coastline, in an estuary or maybe even up at Brogo Dam, there are food sources fish feed on that we often refer to as bait, so usually where this occurs you will find fish. So, it is

quite simple: find the bait, find the fish!

Marlin are now firing, feeding on the vast bait schools of mackerel on the Twelve Mile and surrounding reefs. Various methods of trolling lures, live bait, or my preferred way of switch baiting, have been very productive. Early in the season lures or switch baiting are an effective way of encountering marlin.

Bermagui Game Skipper, Captain Col O’Brien, with a solid Bermagui bream.

Switch baiting is a manner of trolling lures, preferably softheaded lures, that imitate a more natural feel. When a fish is raised it is enticed to the boat by retrieving the lure, if it is not interested in where the lure is then replace with a pre-rigged live or dead bait.

This time of year still sees frequent catches of school yellowfin, mahimahi and the occasional short-billed spearfish.

Kingfish schools are in good numbers around Montague Island and surrounding reefs. These surrounding reefs are also producing good numbers of more common reef fish like morwong, snapper and the occasional pigfish.

Just off the edges you can find plenty of good tiger flathead. Deeper reefs, like the Twelve Mile, have got some exceptional fish on them at present due to the large bait schools frequenting there. Other methods, like using the new deep water heavy jigs in conjunction with braided line over the Continental Shelf, are producing some surprising results.

Estuary fishing is in its prime at this time of year

with just about all species fishing extremely well.

You can fish all the way through the systems from the entrances to the upper reaches, provided you work the tides. Fishing the flats over the shallow weed beds on high tide using nippers (yabbies) or squirt worms is an exciting and very visual way of producing fish.

On the run-out tides, once the water has fallen from the flats, fishing the channels and drop-offs again with similar baits, lures or live mullet is very effective. Most species in the estuaries can be encountered with bait or lure at this time of year, although the preferred method is left up to the individual on how they like their style of fishing.

Berleying with striped tuna around the drop-offs and rocky outcrops will produce good numbers of bream at this time of year, but when you use a cube of tuna as bait be sure to keep the point of the hook exposed.

Beach fishing is exceptionally good, with large schools of whiting and bream frequenting Cuttaggee and Camel Rock beaches. Fresh beachworms

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Luderick is one species still abundant in the Bermagui River. are the preferred bait, but don’t be frightened to pump a few nippers out of the estuary to use on the beach.

Good schools of salmon are still around in numbers on most beaches around Bermagui. The usual baits, like whole pilchards or strips of striped tuna, have been the most productive, although those who wish to cast metal lures into the surf with fast retrieves will encounter quite a few fish.

Lots of pelagic fish have been encountered off the rocky headlands with salmon dominating most of the captures. Fast-retrieved lures is the most effective method, however, pilchards drifted under a bobby float has also been effective.

Several small kingfish have also been caught using these methods, especially

around the entrance of Bermagui Harbour.

Late summer is prime time to fish Brogo Dam, as there is a lot of insect life active around the dam that brings the bass to actively feed near the surface. This is a great time to use surface lures or flies, especially late evenings and early mornings. Don’t be surprised by how a large lure or fly can be used to produce results. Weed beds and overhangs are the most productive areas. Allow your lure or fly to sit for a moment after landing on the surface, as this is the time that most fish will strike. There has also been a lot of estuary perch over the last twelve months, so don’t be surprised to catch something a little different to bass.

Whiting are on the move out on the flats been caught during the day on lures.

While staying down towards the entrance, you can try your luck at prawning at night. The river has been one of the best areas this year, with prawns now at a very good size. If you intend to use some as bait, place them in a bucket with wet sea grass over them and use them fresh the next day.

Further upriver, bream, flathead and some very nice estuary perch have kept luring anglers entertained.

The fish are scattered throughout the system, so there’s no particular area fishing well. Basically, if it looks good, try it!

Wapengo Lake, only a few kilometres north of Tathra, is well worth a look. This picturesque tidal estuary has been producing excellent results for anglers

TATHRA

Darren Redman djsxstreamfishing@bigpond.com

There are so many options in the Tathra area for anglers at this time of year, so you would be hard pressed if you can’t find one to suit you. From the ocean to the shore or from estuary to the sweetwater, they are all there, so go and enjoy this beautiful area.

OFFSHORE Out to sea, warm currents have brought a host of gamefish following schools of baitfish. Marlin are definitely on most fisho’s hit lists, and at this time of year they will come within range of even the smallest boats. Lures are probably the easiest way to cover ground to find concentrations of gamefish. Find the bait schools, work them over with the lures in conjunction with your sounder, looking for larger fish shadowing the schools. Quite often there may be predator fish around the bait, although not feeding, so persist by staying with them until the bite happens. A variety of tuna, sharks, mahimahi and kingfish should be in the same vicinity as the marlin, and will also respond to a well set lure pattern. The sharks are also attracted, maybe not as much to the lures, but definitely to berley and live baits. Hammerheads

Solid whiting are featuring regularly in the Tathra area, whether off the beach or in the estuaries. in particular are very partial to a live trolled striped tuna.

BOTTOM FISHING Reef and bottom fishing is producing a great variety of table fish and whether you go north, south or straight out the front, you should get a reasonable feed without too much effort. Flathead are definitely one of the main targeted species out from Tathra, especially the easilyaccessed sand flathead.

You tend to find them in water depths of 25-40m,

usually straight out from the beaches. Mixing with them at present are some excellent gummy sharks along with the odd bronze whaler.

Further afield, you will find tiger flathead not far from the reefs where morwong are in good numbers, along with the odd snapper and some tasty pigfish.

LAND-BASED At this time of year the warm water will push right in to the coast and so will the predators. Land-based

Brogo Dam is producing some sizeable bass.

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fishing is at its prime, and a host of different species may be obtained from the rock platforms that surround Tathra and the Old Wharf jutting out over the ocean.

The wharf is always very popular during the holidays, but it still produces outside these times, with fewer anglers vying for positions.

This is the time to start at looking to drift live baits out under balloons just to see what might be visiting the area. Anything from tuna to sharks, kingfish, salmon and even marlin makes fishing the wharf worthwhile.

They’re all available from this fine old structure.

ESTUARIES Wandering into the estuaries, the Bega River is all fired up, mainly due to the abundance of prawns within the system. Anglers are enjoying great fishing towards the entrance on flathead with both lures and baits. On the flats, whiting are on the move, with some very nice fish being taken on worms and nippers. Mixed in are a few good bream, flounder and blackfish.

Some of the deeper holes around the bridge and rock walls have produced the odd mulloway, mostly at night on strips of tailor or live mullet, although a few have

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wading with both baits and lures. Most species will be encountered, especially bream and flathead, which are particularly abundant at present.

BEACH Beach fishing is a definite highlight at this time of year, especially late in the evenings with the warm balmy nights not only attracting the anglers but the fish as well. Most species are on the chew, with the more commonly caught being some very nice whiting, bream or mullet on the smaller scale while anglers targeting the larger species can expect captures of salmon, mulloway, tailor or sharks. Tathra Beach towards the northern end is one prime spot, however another very popular area is Bournda Beach a few kilometres south of Tathra.

Breathe life into fish The NSW Government has said it will support aeration work to minimise the risk of further fish kills across the state.

Visiting Lake Keepit last month, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Water, Niall Blair said the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and WaterNSW will oversee the installation of aeration technology at Lake Keepit, the Lower Darling and Lake Burrendong to reduce further fish kill events.

“Unfortunately the conditions we’ve seen across NSW are leading to more and more fish kills, which are caused by algae blooms, black water and oxygen depletion from Port Macquarie and Lake Burrendong to Keepit and Menindee,” Mr Blair said.

“Aeration is not a silver bullet solution, but it does provide localised areas where fish can get more oxygen which ultimately gives them a better chance of surviving.

“We’ve been monitoring the situation at Lake Keepit closely, especially following the fish kill in December

where thousands of fish perished downstream in the Namoi River.

“We do expect more fish kill events here in New England which unfortunately is a harsh reality of drought conditions but we’re committed to helping to prevent further devastation to local ecosystems across NSW. “Regional dam storages have extended supply and flow for as long as possible, but unless good rainfall occurs this summer, it’s likely that Lake Keepit and many other catchments will remain dry for the foreseeable future.”

Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson welcomed the new technology at Lake Keepit to try to reduce further fish kills.

“I thank the Minister for his quick action and making sure we do all we can to minimise the impact on our region,” Mr Anderson said.

“Fish kill events are common but unfortunately the impact of this drought has seen kills which are more severe and more devastating.” - DPI

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BLACK MAGIC

MASTER CLASS

/

W I T H PA U L L E N N O N

Banking some boss bream Bream fishing has come a long way in the past 20 years. We now live in the age of $30 a pop bream

tournaments dedicated to the humble bream offering tens of thousands of dollars in prize money.

way to catch bream, but it’s simple, effective and something anyone can do regardless of age or

The great thing about bait fishing for bream is it’s so easy, anyone can do it. lures; $1000 outfits; flashy boats jacked up with expensive sounders, electric motors and power poles; and fishing

With that said, targeting bream on good old fashion bait has changed bugger all. For some it may not be considered the coolest

Black Magic KS hooks are by far the best bream hook the author has used.

86

FEBRUARY 2019

fishing ability.

As someone who makes a living teaching people how to fish with lures I still get a kick out of going back to roots and soaking a bait for a bream.

It’s a very relaxing way to catch a fish, but for all its simplicity it’s only simple when you’re doing it right, so knowing before you start is very important.

The first thing you need to nut out is where are you going to start and that means knowing what typical bream habitat is. The answer to this is structure.

Bream love structure with anything from sunken timber to break walls, rocky shorelines oyster racks, rock bars, jetties and wrecks to name a few.

Once you know what you’re looking for it comes down to fishing it with the right methods.

The biggest mistake anglers make is fishing too heavy a weight, as structure and sinkers are a recipe for constant snags and no fish. Bream like the bait to look as natural as possible and will often take the bait as it sinks and that is why an unweighted presentation is best.

When I explain this to people often their first

response is that they can’t cast it out far without a sinker. If that is the case, you will probably find your line and rod are too heavy.

With a good 6lb braided line like Black Magic Fibre Glide and a 1-3kg graphite rod you can cast an unweighted bait a long way.

A critical part of success for this type of fishing is your leader size. Bream can be very cautious and shy away from heavier leaders, so the lightest you can get away with the better.

For more forgiving terrain you can drop down to as low as 4lb, but for areas like racks and oyster infested rock bars you may need to go up to 10lb to give you a chance to pull them out. While this will probably mean less bites, at the end of the day you will come out in front as the rate of fish landed compared to fish hooked and busted off will be far higher.

I generally run about 1-2m length of the Black Magic fluorocarbon leader for this kind of work as it’s super tough and can handle being scuffed around poles and being dragged over rocks better then anything else on the market.

While at times bream can be ravenous and eat just about anything you throw at them they can also be extremely picky, so it’s best to make the effort and source the best bait possible.

In my opinion, you can’t beat live nippers on bream and they can be the difference between getting a bucket full and catching

Live nippers are the number one bait for bream and worth the effort. nothing. Large peeled prawns, mullet strips, and live worms are also effective baits, but live nippers still reign supreme For hook choice I use Blackmagic KS series in size 1 for nippers or 1/0-2/0 for large peeled prawns or mullets strips.

Another key component for a successful bait bream fisher is berley. A bucket with a packet of chook pellets, half a loaf of bread and a couple of caps full of

tuna oil mixed together will not only attract bream, but also turn shut down fish on the bite. A handful every 5-10 minutes is all that’s required as berleying too much can have a negative effect, as you risk fish becoming full and therefore no longer interested.

Well that about covers bait fishing for bream, hopefully you can get out and get stuck into a few of them this month.

Casting unweighted live nippers around structure such as this is a deadly method for catching bream.

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Red-hot action from freshwater to bluewater BATEMANS BAY

Anthony Stokman

This summer has been hot and the fishing is still red hot!

Offshore, after a great 2018 on the tuna, we are now seeing the marlin coming on.

They have started a little later than last year – not by much

pushes down, it brings down one of the best table fish on the planet. These blue and green beauties of the sea love floating structure and FADs. The FAD off Batemans has had a big question mark over it shortly after it was deployed. I have had many reports of the FAD not being present throughout December and

here it took a little bit longer before the rats were pushed aside by some larger fish.

The inshore reef fishing is coming off the toughest part of the year, January. You can have your best day or worst day fishing in January.

It’s a month where you have to move around and work hard and persist to find the fish. January had a very good run of squid to make things up and if you didn’t load up on them or flathead over the various flatty grounds, then you would have been working hard to find the snapper or visiting kingies. A lot of the best snapper were found in the depths out in 80m and deeper, which has become the go-to grounds

bite of mulloway last year was quite consistent from spring through to the end of autumn, and with the way it’s been lately I expect it to be the same or even better this season. The mulloway were happy taking fresh squid, frozen local squid and live mullet, which is nothing new. They were also taking 5-7” plastics of all kinds, from mullet imitations to light and dark colours. A friend even managed one on a fly!

But it has not just been mulloway and flathead, there has been a large presence of estuary perch since winter, and they still seem to be on the chew in various parts of the estuary. To top

Micheal swims one of the early starters for the marlin season off Batemans.

The mulloway fishing has been exceptional, and Kieren would certainly agree!

Bent Minnow styles will find good results on the bream, as Georgia Poyner found out. but a little later. There has been plenty of bait, which is so important for the run, and after a steady start of predators moving in we are in full swing now.

The first marlin of the season caught and tagged by a Batemans Bay Game Fishing member was Todd Clews, who bagged the $200 voucher at Compleat Angler Batemans Bay. There were a few caught previous who were non-members, but you can say the bite began in the first week of January. Now we are into February you can now expect the bite to be in top gear.

Another species we eagerly await over the summer period along with the marlin is the mahimahi.

As that blue cobalt water

January, which has been very frustrating for everyone making the effort to find it, and even more frustrating when there has been no explanation.

Hopefully this is fixed by now and it is loaded with mahimahi for February.

Another species that has summer written all over it is the kingfish. With some promising signs of good schools swimming by during springtime, we were eager to see a good showing.

There has been a few good fish speared and caught on rod and reel but we are expecting more from them this February. It seemed as though a lot of good fish pushed south to Merimbula and the Eden haunts and Montague Island, and up

SEASON

6

for some anglers using the heavier micro jigs and small electric reels. I’m excited to say we now have the new Samaki Ribcages to add to our vast collection of micro jigs we have in store.

What has been scorching hot this summer has been the estuaries, and particularly the Clyde River. After the first rain in spring, we saw one very concentrated mulloway bite from Big Island to the marina. The mulloway were spawning heavily and they were very large, healthy fish in concentrated numbers.

The fish were ranging from 1-1.4m. These fish were fat and healthy and this is a good sign of a healthy estuary.

Along with plenty of mulloway were plenty of large flathead and there were regular catches, ranging from 50-100cm, proving again how healthy the estuaries are. This

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FEBRUARY 2019

things off, the main summer estuary species, the bream, have made a solid showing throughout January and that will continue until the end of autumn.

Another summer hard hitter is the whiting, and they are here but are not making the front pages as of yet, but we are hoping that will change throughout February.

Then there is the bass.

This summer upstream brawler is also expected to make its great entrance this February as well. While the estuary is firing on all cylinders, we expect things upstream to pick up. Cicada imitations will be a great lure to use for the bass.

The prawns are not having the run of previous years, and some of the commercial fishers have packed up early, knowing it’s not going to happen for them. This doesn’t rule out

some nice little hauls in some areas on the odd dark night though.

On a lighter note, the crabs made up for the absence of prawns last year, so let’s hope this repeats itself. There have been plenty of muddies this summer and few blue swimmers. Last year the blue swimmers seemed more available, but it’s not over yet.

It’s February and there are a lot of options. It’s hot!

It’s red hot!

• For more up-to-theminute 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).

Liam ‘guerrilla bream hunter’ Gray doing what he does best, slaying bream off the surface!

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Kevin Gleed captainkev@wildernessfishingtours.com

The recent much needed rain has got all the local rivers running, which in turn will be great for the fishing over the coming months.

Mallacoota Lake is still closed with the recent rain lifting the water level.

beat the northeast wind, which is up and blowing before midday.

A few kingfish are being caught down around Mowarry Point out of Eden, with no kingfish action reported out of Mallacoota the coming months should see the fishing for kingies fire up.

For anglers heading out wide on the Far South Coast, the coming weeks should

bream and black bream are also being caught.

With the warmer water you’ll see these fish out and about looking for a feed. Keep on the move until you find the area where the fish are feeding.

If using bait, fresh or live local baits, worm or prawn should see you amongst the action, with a variety of lures working for the lure fishers.

438 STRYKER For more information visit

www.horizonboats.com.au or call your nearest dealer

Independent Outboards 59 Holbeche Road Arndell Park NSW 2148 Phone 02 9672 1922

Aussie Boat Sales ACT Unit 9/67- 71 Vicars Court Mitchell ACT 2911 Phone 0433 531 226

Michael Parker Marine 4 Erica Court Albury NSW 2640 Phone 0418 578 805

North Coast Boating Centre 2 Marina Crescent Urunga NSW 2544 Phone 02 66557700 sam@northcoastboatingcentre.com

Waves Overseas 128-134 Parramatta Road Croydon NSW 2132 Phone 02 9745 5555

Deniliquin Yamaha 167-169 Napier Street Deniliquin NSW 2710 Phone 03 5881 1461 paul@riverinamotorcyclesandmarine.com.au

indout@bigpond.com

mick.parker.marine@bigpond.com

theteam@waves.com.au

Aussie Boat Sales NSW 27 Beach Road Batemans Bay NSW 2536 Phone 0433 531 226 aussieboatsales@gmail.com

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aussieboatsales@gmail.com

The water level in the lake has really risen after recent rainfall.

Unfortunately it was only coastal rain, so it didn’t get the big rivers flowing, which would have opened the entrance to the ocean.

Instead, the water level over the coming months will drop with evaporation and seepage and without inland rain the lake is no closer to opening than it was months ago.

With all the visitors in the area there were plenty of boats heading offshore chasing a feed and there are plenty of fish being caught.

Good size tiger flathead are being caught out wide off Eden and Mallacoota. Once the fish are found take a mark and continue drifting over the fish and you should be assured of a feed.

Closer to shore sand flathead are on the bite, with the sandy areas adjacent the reefy, gravelly areas a great area to fish.

Snapper, morwong and leatherjackets along with some good size gummy sharks are also being caught on the local reefs.

Great launching facilities at Eden allow boats to launch and retrieve at any time. Depending on the size of your boat, avoid the low tide period when launching at Bastion Point, Mallacoota.

An early start at this time of year is needed to

see some good catches.

With enough anglers out wide it shouldn’t take long to find the fish.

In the estuaries flathead are taking a variety of lures, with hardbodies working well in the shallows and the soft plastics catching plenty of fish in the deeper water.

Sand whiting, yellowfin

With the rivers flowing the fishing for bass has come alive.

The river rises allow the fish to move from pool to pool and find their usual summer haunts.

Fishing of an early morning or into the dark with surface lures is the way to find fish.

Flounder are still about and you can expect to catch them when chasing a feed of flathead.

Cooking

Barbecued stuffed bream is hard to beat SYDNEY

Andrew Humphries

METHOD To prepare the bream, scale and gut it, clean inside the cavity and remove all the black lining. Chop off the head of the bream, trying to keep as much of the flesh as possible on the top behind the head.

To prepare the filling, gently bruise the lemongrass by hitting it on the kitchen bench or carefully using the back side of a knife. Slice the red chilli and ginger.

The coriander can be cut to fit into the bream.

Stuff the lemongrass, chilli, ginger and coriander into the empty cleaned stomach cavity

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of the bream, and lightly salt the skin.

Heat the BBQ hot plate (or pan) until hot. Lightly oil the hot plate, and place the fish onto the BBQ. Reduce the heat slightly, cooking for about four minutes. Gently lift the fish and check the colour of the cooked side. Once golden in colour, the fish is ready to be flipped.

Repeat the process on the other side, again cooking for approximately four minutes. Once the skin is golden and the flesh lifts from the centre bone, you’ll know that it’s ready to eat.

This fish goes nicely with Asian slaw, or a simple garden salad to serve with.

A perfect summer dish.

The cleaned bream and fragrant herbs to stuff it with.

When cooking the bream on the BBQ, I use greaseproof paper. This makes for easier cleaning, and also prevents the fish from sticking to the BBQ plate.

INGREDIENTS 2 whole bream 1 stick lemongrass 50g ginger ¼ bunch coriander ½ red chilli

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Coriander, chilli ginger and lemongrass to stuff the bream with.

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The bream stuffed and ready to go onto the BBQ.

The cooked bream ready to eat. Delicious!

FEBRUARY 2019

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI AUSSIE BASS SHIRT

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For all the bass lovers out there, Samaki has created something special, something you’ve been asking for, that one-of-a-kind shirt that is right up your estuary!

With natural tones of sweeping reeds, heavy structure and crystal clear sky, the Aussie Bass shirt is designed to stand out of the crowd but blend into the surrounds. As the bass strikes the lure, it sends water splashing across the surface in a flurry of action.

The prominent deep green of the bass is accentuated with contrasting gold highlights.

The lightweight fabric is perfect for all outdoor elements, protecting you from the harsh sun with Samaki’s UPF50+ resistant technology. The soft-touch 100% polyester material is comfortable on the body, plus has the added feature of being breathable, keeping you cool and dry.

Samaki designs are brought to you

by Australian anglers who love to design Australian species. Aussie Bass shirts are available in adult, youth and kids sizes, from a size 2 through to a 5XL, allowing the whole family to get in on the action.

Price: SRP $59.95 (adults), $49.95 (kids) www.samaki.com.au

DAIWA INFEET

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Contemporary looks meets innovative design with the return of the Daiwa Infeet series. Designed for the light tackle finesse angler, the new Infeet range features four models, built on hyper-sensitive slow bend graphite blanks.

The Infeet’s classic blank is partnered by a contrasting white carbon fibre skeleton reel seat. The exposed design of the reel seat puts the blank right in the angler’s hand to transmit even the lightest of bites. An ultra-thin, tapered EVA rear grip eliminates weight for optimum rod balance and provides that unique modern styling we’ve grown to love and expect from the Infeet range.

Angler connectivity is further enhanced courtesy of Fuji S/S SiC guides in the base section of the rod, and ultra light Fuji Titanium SiC guides on the top section. The Ti SiC guides lighten the tip of the rod to enhance feel and performance and is indicated by white bindings. A blend of Daiwa’s advanced finesse designs the new Infeet series is state of the art technology blended with precision, performance, and that exclusive Infeet style and swagger. www.daiwafishing.com.au

ASTRO VIBE AND HUMMER COLOURS 3 Strike Pro is releasing a couple of new colours in its highly popular ranges of Astro Vibe and Hummer 40 lures.

The new colours in the Astro Vibe range will offer all the features that you find in the current Astro Vibes, including the UV reactive polycarbonate belly with internal rattles. Astro Vibes combine the best features of a metal blade and a rattling vibe, creating an extremely effective lure.

The new colour in the Hummer 40 is certainly going to catch plenty of fish, and it offers all the features of the Hummer 40.

This record breaking lure helped Strike Pro sponsored angler Rick Massie break both the Biggest Bream and Biggest Bag records in the Hobie Bream series. This lure will be deadly on bream, bass, estuary perch, flathead and mulloway. To find out more visit

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PRODUCT GUIDE

the Juro website or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JuroOzProTackle. www.jurofishing.com

ZEREK JET POPPER 130

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The Zerek Jet Popper 130 is 130mm long, which is an ideal length for both small and large predatory fish – everything from tailor, salmon and small tuna through to larger trevally, queenfish and bigger tuna.

It’s fitted out with heavy-duty hardware to handle the pressure from punishing encounters.

The colour range, which includes 10 colours, imitates and attracts with equal measure, while the easy casting 45g overall weight allows just about everyone to cast this lure without needing some serious gym sessions.

This rear-weighted lure flies from the rod tip with reduced tumbling and extra distance, giving the lure more time in the water on every cast.

On the water, the Jet Popper 130 makes a loud bloop that is enhanced by the chin hole that allows a massive bubble trail to add appeal both visually and acoustically. The rear tail fins help stabilise the lure in the water, reducing the likelihood of the lure flipping and rolling on the bloop. www.wilsonfishing.com

EGILICIOUS SQUID JIGS

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The Fish Inc. Egilicious features a unique take on popular colour patterns, a tail design that is 3° higher than standard jigs to minimize snagging and fouling, and its fine Japanese Owner hooks.

These super sharp and ultra-thin stainless steel hooks not only mean a better catch rate but also fewer jigs lost. They open with less force, so if you get snagged you just apply slow and steady pressure until the hook opens and the jig pops off the structure. Then you can straighten the hook and you’re good to go.

These squid jigs are designed with the perfect weight for long casts, while maintaining a slow sink and realistic swimming action. Other features include 3D eyes, side feathers, tightly-wrapped cloth covers and a buoyant tail-up action. Many jigs sink flat to the bottom, reducing strikes and hook sets while increasing snagging, but Egilicious instead comes alive in the water. It’s available in 3.0 and 3.5 sizes and 12 colours.

Price: SRP $11.95 www.tackletactics.com.au

BLACK MAGIC RATTLE SNACK

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Black Magic’s continual growth and development in freshwater lures sees yet another original addition to their already strong line-up of freshwater lure options.

This new arrival is called the Rattle Snack and, as its name suggests, it has a built-in tungsten rattle which is harmonically tuned.

There are two weights available, 7g and 14g, and the quality hardware ensures your target species will be landed, not lost.

The Rattle Snack’s aggressive shape creates a very enticing swimming action, and whether you’re trolling from a boat or casting to your favourite lie in a river, estuary canal or lake, this superior action and harmonics will deliver results. With six great colours designed to suit Autralian fishing conditions, this new arrival is sure to become a favourite.

It’s available now from leading tackle stores throughout Australia. www.blackmagictackle.com

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

SCAN THE QR CODE!

PRODUCT GUIDE 7

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING SAMAKI SLIT FOAM 7 STORAGE

DAIWA TATULA 100 10 AND 150

The all-new Samaki Slit Foam Tackle Boxes are in high demand and haven’t even landed in the country yet. Coming in four sizes, each tackle box is designed for a variety of lure storage options, holding the smallest of flies up to your favourite vibes and hardbodies.

The soft slit foam insert has incremental slits and holes for you to get the maximum usage out of your tackle box, avoiding annoying hook tangles. The UV-resistant lids will reduce lure fade, and the waterproof O-ring and stainless steel hinges will safeguard your artificials.

The range starts with a small single-sided option, and moves into three double-sided options of medium, large and extra-large.

From $15.95 up to $59.95 there is an option to suit all anglers. For more information and stockists visit the Samaki website, and like them on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date.

Price: from $15.95 www.samaki.com.au

Making a great thing greater, Daiwa steps it up with the new Tatula 100 and 150. The Tatula 100 delivers anglers their smallest and lightest Tatula ever, while the 150 is made with power fishing in mind and sits in between the 100 size and the Tatula HD (200 size) in the Tatula line-up.

Baitcaster brilliance starts with Daiwa’s Real Four design concept, with Real Engine, Real Control, Real Endurance, and Real Custom combining to make the Tatula technically advanced and performance driven.

A precision designed solid aluminium frame and gear side plate delivers maximum power and unrivalled durability, while its ergonomically designed profile fits effortlessly in the palm of the hand. Digigear, TWS, Magforce Z, deliver unmatched strength, smoothness and precision both on the cast and on the crank, while Daiwa’s UTD gives you the muscle to stop just about anything that swims. www.daiwafishing.com.au

NEW TASSIE DEVIL COLOURS 10

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Tasmanian Devil lures are a unique Australian product designed for trolling, casting or jigging in fresh and saltwater.

They are now available in four new colours – watermelon pearl (132), lime frog (133), liquorice allsort (134) and black betty (135).

The first three colours are available in 7g, 13.5g and 20g sizes, and the black betty colour is available in 7g, 13.5g, 20g and 26g.

The lure action is due to the winged technology that causes the lure to swim in an irregular manner, darting and diving, simulating the movement of wounded fish.

This pulsating action is transmitted to the rod tip that will show as a ‘nodding action’ that is proof that the lure is swimming correctly. If this rod tip action is not present, you’ll know you’ve picked up either a piece of weed or a fish. All four sizes of the Tasmanian Devil swim in this erratic manner, and this is the reason these lures are so effective. www.jmgillies.com.au

ZEREK MANIAC VIBE

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The Zerek Maniac Vibe’s unique frontweighted design enables excellent casting distance, fast sinking and the ability for the lure to ‘stand up’ on the bottom.

These features allow anglers to cover more ground every cast and be confident that the tail of the lure will always be in a position to snare a curious fish.

Internally, the Maniac Vibe has many small ball bearings in its internal chamber creating one of the noisiest rattles that will attract fish from afar.

Work the Maniac Vibe with a lift and drop technique to keep the lure near the bottom, or hop and shake it along the bottom if the fish are shut down. You can also cast and straight retrieve the lure at various speeds to cover depth profiles and present the lure to the right spot at the right time.

The Maniac Vibe is 70mm long, weighs an easy-to-cast 14g, and comes in 10 colours. www.wilsonfishing.com

SHIMANO TRAVEL STORAGE

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Shimano’s latest tackle storage range includes two new releases for anglers on the go – the Travel Wrap and Soft Back Pack.

The Travel Wrap comes with a hard tackle tray and additional sleeves for soft plastic storage. This lightweight, minimal travel wrap can be filled in a variety of useful ways depending on the situation. The travel wrap also doubles as a minimal soft plastic wallet – the tray is removable and the mesh pocket can be used to store braid cutters, catch scent, leader, or any other tools essential for fishing.

The Soft Tackle Back Pack has a versatile range of applications and features, which make it ideal for both die-hard fishos and weekend warriors. With added benefits such as four included tackle trays, a heavy-duty mesh front compartment, hard sunglasses case, an elastic tool holder and drink pocket, this bag is sure to impress even the fussiest of anglers. www.shimanofish.com.au

STORM 360GT COASTAL SHRIMP

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The new Storm 360GT Coastal Shrimp offers anglers a deadly lifelike prawn presentation. Its realistic legs swim and kick on the fall sending out natural vibrations, while the flat bottom design keeps the bait upright when resting on bottom. Combining a segmented body, slotted belly and back slots not only allows for seamless rigging, it also delivers a very natural looking action on the drop and at rest.

Suitable for conventional Jig heads or weedless rigs make these prawns a must for any angler, be it in the fresh or saltwater environment. What fish doesn’t eat a prawn?

A very easy bait to use, simple lift and drop of the rod tip with a slow wind will see you hooking up in no time.

The Storm 360GT Coastal Shrimp is available in eight lifelike colours and two sizes, 3” and 4”. For more information on these and other Storm lures, check out the Storm Fishing website. www.stormfishing.com.au

Please email contributions to: nicole@fishingmonthly.com.au FEBRUARY 2019

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

PRODUCT GUIDE

McLaughlin’s Advanced Formula Berley makes a difference

McLaughlin’s Bait and Berley have been producing quality bait and berley products since the late 1940s.

During this time they have constantly worked to further improve the range and quality of the items they produce.

In 2018 they introduced their latest innovation – the Advanced Formula range of berleys, which builds upon the success of their popular Premium Berley range.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT? McLaughlin’s Premium Berley has always had secret ingredients and smells to attract fish to it. However, as the name suggests, the Advanced Formula range has upped the ante. McLaughlin’s have managed to further enhance the range with more natural flavours, and have added colours to make it easier to see the berley trail behind the boat.

The range was developed by Juro Oz Pro Tackle, and I talked to Rick Massie from Juro to find out more. He said that it has taken a number of years to get the process of drying and colouring correct to the point where they were happy to release it.

“It’s not a single step process,” Rick explained. “The berleys are dried multiple times to ensure that the scent, smell and colour are maximised, meaning better results for the anglers using them.”

TESTING THE TESTER Using berley is not something that I regularly do, so I thought I would speak

McLaughlin’s Advanced Formula Berley range spent years in development before being released in 2018. berley, and Jamie has had quite a bit of success on these species.

His advice was to keep it simple: the berley alone will do the job and bring the fish to you. He recommended using a small

opportunity to get on the water.

Fishing for garfish and tommy ruff (Australian herring) is very popular along much of the south coast of Australia, and on my Christmas holiday it was obvious that I wasn’t the only person waiting for a weather window. When we arrived, the boat ramp was bedlam, and plenty of boats were anchored and berleying in all the likely areas. It was a matter of finding a free space and joining in.

I started with the Mixed Bits pack and no oil – keeping it simple, as Jamie had suggested. I wasn’t sure how well we would do considering the number of boats around us. I needn’t have worried though, as within minutes there were plenty of tommies making their way up the berley trail. Generally the garfish are not too far behind, but on this day we could see them, but couldn’t get them to bite.

We ended up getting a good bag of tommies and only one garfish. We had, however, done better than most. Chatting to other anglers, many had struggled to attract anything at all.

King George whiting were the next target on the list (the weather windows

When it comes to berleying, keep it simple and remember that a little goes a long way.

McLaughlin’s Premium Berleys and Baits have been around since the 1940s, and have developed a reputation for quality. to Jamie Smith, the fishing specialist at Melbourne Marine Centre, for a few tips on targeting King George whiting and garfish.

The store stocks the Advanced Formula

Fishing smiles. Anne Morgan enjoys chasing a few garfish.

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berley dispenser just below the surface if you want to target garfish, or one closer to the bottom if you’re whiting fishing.

McLaughlin’s also does a product called Slicks Oil, which can be added sparingly in with the berley to give it even more punch.

Keeping it simple sounded good to me.

PUTTING IT TO GOOD USE The Christmas holiday period was my opportunity get out and give the products a try. I had a bit of a mix of the old and the new – Saltwater Nibbles, Whiting Nibbles, a Pier/Jetty mix, a small Tuna Log and Slicks Oil from the trusty Premium range, and Green Lip Bites, Mixed Bits, Pink Bits and Big Red Nuts from the new Advanced Formula range. Juro Oz Pro had also sent me a small bucket. As far as I was concerned, the fish didn’t stand a chance.

Mother nature didn’t read the script, however. During most of my holiday it was blowing 25-30 knots, so it was matter of taking advantage of any small windows of

Not a bad outcome after using the berley for the first time.

PRODUCT GUIDE were few and far between). As we were fishing much deeper water, I used a two berley pot system. One pot was close to the bottom with Green Lip Bites and a little Slicks Oil in it, and the other pot was on the surface with the Mixed Bits and no oil.

‘Activity breeds activity’ was my theory, and after only getting one fish from our first location, we made a move and found some hungry fish.

One thing with king George whiting is when they are biting you need to have a bait in the water, because they may not bite for long. After an initial flurry, things went quiet and I was wondering whether we should move. At that point I noticed that the berley trail from the top bucket no longer had fish in it, mainly because there was no berley left in the pot. A quick refill and redeploy had the tommies excited again, and a few more whiting hit the deck.

Unfortunately for me I only had one more outing, and it followed a very similar scenario – we got a berley trail going mid and top water, created some activity and bagged a few fish. I used either the Green Lip Bites or the Big Red Nuts in the bottom pot, and it didn’t seem to matter with the top bucket.

After that session I had to head back to work, but the family stayed behind and managed some more successful outings.

The timid garfish eventually fell for the trap, and the ever-present tommy ruff just couldn’t resist a good berley trail.

WHAT DID I LEARN? You can’t deny that the McLaughlin’s Berleys work. You can see the fish working up your berley trail, almost eating it from the berley bucket. At times I wondered if they preferred eating the berley rather than the gents or pipis I was using for bait. But that is what berley is all about – creating the activity for the angler to take advantage of.

One thing to remember is to not overfill your berley bucket. The berley expands as it breaks down, so a little can go a long way.

As well as that, just let the wave action do its job. Shaking the bucket may bring on a flurry of activity, but you want the fish to work up the trail you have created and then

WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED Senshi Custom Rigs avoid the hassle of creating your own rigs, and the 12 rigs in the range cover most of the popular target species. They are well made and the hooks are super sharp.

And then there are the quill floats, float stops, split shot, berley feeders and, most importantly, their range of Daiichi hooks. Using good quality terminal tackle that is correct for the species you are targeting can make a huge difference to your results.

FINAL OBSERVATIONS The boat ramp after a day’s fishing can be a great place to glean information. Stories about the fish that got away or how good the fishing was are commonplace. Or, as was the case during my holiday, “wow the fishing is tough”. That’s not how I felt though. Yes, conditions were difficult, but we were able to take advantage of the small windows of opportunity and catch some fish.

So was it the berley making the difference? Well, it certainly wasn’t my knowledge of fishing with berley, because I had hardly ever done it before. I believe that the quality of the Premium and Advanced Formula berleys, and the terminal tackle we were using, gave us the edge.

The windows of opportunity were only brief for the author, but he was pleased with the result of a few hours on the water. take your baits. Shaking the bucket and releasing big volumes of berley can also excite undesirable species. As the saying goes, ‘a little bit often’ is the way to go.

A bit of preparation goes a long way. The McLaughlin’s berleys come in resealable bags and tubs, and it pays to store them out of the sun and make sure you seal them properly. This will ensure they’ll stay fresh

and won’t attract pests.

Fill your berley buckets before you get on the water. That way, once you have reached your spot you can deploy the berley and get the system working while you get your rods ready.

A COMPLETE SYSTEM As much as I have focused on the berleys themselves, Juro Oz Pro covers the complete system, from the berleys and their dispensers (small, large and a weighted heavy-duty pot) to the terminal tackle needed to catch the fish you are targeting.

Does the McLaughlin’s berley work?

Yes it does.

If you want to see the full range of products you can check them out at www. jurofishing.com or ask for them at your local tackle store. - Peter Jung

MCLAUGHLIN’S BERLEY PRODUCTS • Advanced Formula range – includes Big Red Nuts, Blood Bits, Green Lip Bites, Mixed Bits and Pink Bits, available in a 1.5kg resealable bag. Big Red Nuts and Mixed Nuts are also available in a 5L bucket.

• Premium Berley range – includes Bream Nibbles, Freshwater Nibbles, Pier/Jetty Mix, Saltwater Nibbles, Trout Food, and Whiting Nibbles, which come in a 1kg resealable bag. Premium Berley Snapper Nuts are available in a 4L tub.

• Tuna Berley Logs – compressed tuna/tuna oil logs, available in three sizes.

• Tuna Tossers – compressed tuna/tuna oil nuts, available in 1kg re-sealable bag.

Juro does more than just make quality berleys. Their range of hooks, rigs, floats and accessories are well worth looking for in your local tackle store.

Susie Wallman with a nice haul of garfish.

FEBRUARY 2019

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WHAT’S NEW FISHING TESTED

PRODUCT GUIDE

Black Magic Snapper Snacks and KLT Hooks

Recently I was lucky enough to have a few of the new Black Magic Snapper Snacks and KLT hooks come my way, and I wasted no time in putting them to the test. Into the tackle box they went, along with my usual go-to plastics on my next trip out for reds.

The Black Magic Snapper Snacks are based on the same principle as the popular sabiki bait jigs, and all we know how deadly those little flashy attractants are. The main difference is that the Snapper Snacks are much larger and stronger for bigger fish, and have luminous flashes built into the skirts.

The first time I dropped down the Snapper Snacks, things didn’t go as I had hoped; the Snacks were molested by leatherjackets and stripped. On the plus side, at least they liked them! Still, nothing survives a jacket attack, so I grabbed a few more and headed to another spot, hoping the jackets would be less enthusiastic there.

In the next location I had better luck. I dropped the Snapper Snacks down in 40m of water where a bait ball was holding 10m off the bottom – perfect snapper conditions. The

While the author was preoccupied with a kingy, two flathead hooked themselves on the Snapper Snacks.

I had not bothered winding in the Snacks and after I wound in the slack from the busted kingie I noticed that both rods were bent over but not doing much.

I pulled them up and found that I’d caught a double header of flathead. There must be a bit of sand down there too.

So on that trip I didn’t catch any big reds but I’m sure they will come. There haven’t been many about lately, but I certainly caught just about everything else.

The next week I was at Burrinjuck Dam and tried the 3/0 KLTs bobbing yabbies.

The goldens were thick and I only had six yabbies and scored six fish in six drops, and didn’t miss a hook-up.

I’ll definitely be taking the Snapper Snacks and KLT hooks on my future trips, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else I can catch on them. The marlin are about this month and I can’t wait to give the 10/0s a run on the billies!

- Greg Clarke

Snapper Snacks appeal to a range of species, including sweep.

This hungry couta couldn’t resist a Snapper Snack.

Using 3/0 KLT hooks bobbing yabbies, the author landed a golden on every drop.

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hook-ups were instant, but I seemed to catch everything but snapper! On my first drop, I caught the bait, mackerel. The next drop and more slimy mackerel, then some sweep, a couple of trevally and then some barracouta.

The Snacks were working a treat.

I then grabbed one of the slimies and put it on a 7/0 Black Magic KLT on one of the 6kg snapper outfits. These light gauge hooks are very strong, and have a slippery, nonstick coating like a Teflon frypan so they can easily penetrate the fish’s mouth – and they nearly always hook the fish in the corner of the mouth, too.

I lobbed the slimy as far as I could, put it in the rod holder and went back to the fishing the Snacks.

I went on to score a trevally and a small snapper, and then the dead slimy I had forgotten about screamed off. The hook had done its job, and fairly quickly a king about a metre long came into view. Then, as usually happens, it saw the boat and bolted into the reef, as they do. I now had one less 7/0.

Black Magic KLT hooks are super sharp, slick and slippery, so they effortlessly penetrate the fish’s mouth.

Lake lovin’ in the nation’s capital CANBERRA

Toby Grundy

All of Canberra’s major impoundments fished well through January, and it was

a smaller lure if hitting the water this month in search of Murray cod.

LOCAL LAKES Lake Burley Griffin is fishing fantastically well for redfin. These fish, ranging

Jo Hancox downsized his lure and was rewarded with this 96cm ‘Bidgee green machine. great to see some larger cod come from both Googong and the Murrumbidgee.

One thing that has been quite noticeable so far

from 15-40cm, can be targeted using a variety of techniques from slow rolling shallow divers next to the artificial rock ledges that line the lake

is especially fun in Burley Griffin, because the fish are big, fight hard and represent a challenge on ultra-light spin gear.

Yellas have been a bit harder to come by, as the water is particularly warm and they do shut down through the day.

That said, it is still possible to connect with a fish in the late afternoon by casting lipless crankbaits at isolated snags, or slow rolling vibes parallel to the reed-lined banks, which lead around to the Governor General’s residence.

The cod fishing has slowed up a bit in recent weeks, but again, just like with the golden perch, it is possible to pick up a fish by targeting low light periods and concentrating on deeper areas like Blue Gum Point.

Lake Ginninderra is producing plenty of redfin, a fair few golden perch and the occasional cod. As with Burley Griffin, the surface fishing for reddies has been excellent, with plenty of fish falling to a variety of surface

with a surface offering, which is quickly scoffed (usually by a big red).

Golden perch are holding in their usual hang outs, with the weed bed sitting just off the old police jetty remaining the best place to cast for yellas from the bank. If on a kayak or boat, drift the points at dawn and dusk and cast spinnerbaits towards the weed-lined edges in search of a cod. There are some absolute monsters in Ginninderra and February is a great time to start fishing for them.

Lake Tuggeranong has been unpredictable of late,

Fish around low light periods to tempt golden perch during February. cruising fish. Once hooked up, the challenge continues, as these fish put up a great fight on light gear.

Sam Hancox with a solid Googong cod.

The author has been getting amongst the cod. this summer is the change of approach by some of Canberra’s better cod fishers.

I have written previously about the fact that a select few local anglers fish for cod right through close season, which is obviously a massive issue, but some Canberra anglers who are very aware of the problem (and do the right thing) have used this inappropriate behaviour as motivation to mix up their techniques and try something new.

Jo Hancox is one such angler who, during the last few weeks, has moved away from larger lures and has started throwing smaller lures to target the cod that have seen every large lure under the sun right through the last six months. Jo’s targeted approach has already yielded several large fish, with his biggest to date this season, a 96cm slab, caught using a tiny Savage Gear glide bait. Clearly, downsizing is working, especially in heavily-fished water, so it is well worth changing up to

right through to casting and retrieving small poppers under overhanging willows.

Surface fishing for reddies is a lot of fun, but it

lures. I usually cast a shallow diver around the points at Diddams Close until I find a school, and once the fish are fired up, I follow the diver

and the fish have been quiet, with the exception of both the pest species, carp and redfin. The carp fishing has always been pretty easy on Lake Tuggeranong, with a simple running sinker rig leading to a live scrubworm enough to tempt the larger specimens. However, if after a challenge, switch to ultra-light gear and cast a 2-3” black grub soft plastic on a 1/8oz jighead around the flats leading up to Green Way. This is an incredibly exciting form of fishing, as it revolves around spotting the fish and making pin point casts in front of

SURROUNDS Googong is fishing well.

The yellas are still feeding close to edges and are best targeted using shallow

running divers so as to avoid the weed. A small jig-spin is another effective method when targeting yellas on Googong, as it is a snag resistant lure that creates a lot of movement in the water.

There have been a couple of cracking cod caught in recent weeks, with James Mazengarb’s 118cm beast being the highlight. This fish was caught using a Jackall Dunkle and is reward for all the time James spent at the dam over the summer period.

Large plastics are an incredibly effective way of targeting cod at Googong, but be prepared to put in a lot of casts to tempt one of the giants in the dam.

If after redfin, simply cast lipless crankbaits around the points near Bradleys Inlet and run up a cricket score of fish!

The redfin at Googong are a genuine pest, so by taking these fish, you’ll be doing the dam a favour, and they taste great!

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97

The highs and lows since cod season opened ROBINVALE

Rod Mackenzie codmac@bigpond.net.au

With the open of the cod season well under way, it was great to see some very nice cod landed from the Murray River in Swan Hill. Upstream of town near Pental Island has proved quite popular, with numerous cod caught on bait and lures.

Murray cod to 94cm have been angled from boat and bank and it seems fresh chicken has been on the menu for several of the better-sized cod. A few perch have also been landed in this

river shrimp and worms has been working best.

The lower Darling River has been the pick of spots since the open with some nice cod landed on bait and lures. How long this river will continue to fish well is really just a question of time that I fear could be quickly running out.

IS THE DARLING RIVER DOOMED? It seems the days of wild Murray cod stocks in the Murray-Darling Basin could be numbered. In less than a decade we have witnessed the two biggest blackwater events in history. These toxic flows decimated cod stocks for more than 750km of the

it before. Hann travelled 12km of the river and said that everything in the water was dead. Even the pelicans refused to fly away when he approached them in his boat.

What’s to be done with this stretch of toxic water and the decaying river life that accompany the stench?

Imagine the ramifications of leaving it, where it and the potential threat of disease and illness could spread to local Menindee residents. Then imagine the ramifications of moving it on downstream with a push of water from Lake Wetherell. Such a vast body of contaminated water would surely overwhelm the

In the lower Darling some good Murray cod still cling to what water is left. This monster was caught on a Bassman DT by Clinton Hann.

Just a sprinkling of the thousands of dead fish in the Darling River at Menindee. area on bait, with local river shrimp and scrubworms working best. The Murray River, downstream of the Swan Hill Road Bridge, has also proved a popular haunt with several goodsized Murray cod to 85cm landed on bait. Higher than normal flows have dropped the water clarity a little and until the Murray drops back to its normal summer levels bait fishing will be the best option for tempting cod.

Downstream and anglers fishing the Murray River through Robinvale, Wemen and Hattah have really struggled to find cod of any size with just the odd small fish biting on bait.

Golden perch, however, are about in good numbers, with most anglers catching a feed on bait. A cocktail of fresh

Murray River. Other rivers have not been spared the brunt; the Wakool, Edward and Murrumbidgee have also seen cod populations dwindle in these toxic flows.

While the water colour has swung from black to green it would be fair to say it has lost none of its toxicity in the latest devastating fish kill.

This time the Darling River at Menindee is the killing field where thousands of dead Murray cod, golden perch and smaller native fish lined its course all floating belly up.

Tortoises and birds were also dying, braised in a thick sludge soup of what appears to be blue green algae. Good friend and fishing mate, Clinton Hann, says he has never seen anything like

much smaller, shallower section of Darling River and its numerous native fish living below Weir 32.

The NSW DPI has admitted we will probably see more fish deaths as the temperature climbs and would not comment on what’s to be done with the effected water. If it is moved on it could potentially wipe clean native fish stocks for 710km before it reaches the Murray River at Wentworth.

In the grand scheme of environmental disasters, this would be world scale.

Above the Menindee Lakes, the Darling in most places has drawn back to holes where all fish life are left clinging to ever shrinking pools. Between these small pockets of water, long tracks of dry

riverbed are tapestries of death sewn with all manner of water born creatures robbed of life giving water.

Yes, we are in a drought, but far from the biggest ever experienced in our time. If not handled correctly the Darling and its aquatic life are all but doomed. Not two years ago the Menindee Lakes held enough water to keep the Darling healthy

for six years. This was all sent down the Darling and into the Murray River, some as e-flows, to aid the lower end of the system in South Australia. A little like draining one environment to help patch another.

A distinct lack of media response from the MDBA on this massive fish kill and the problems at hand is a little like the elephant in

the room when it comes to the plight of what’s left of the Darling River. Since the introduction of the basin plan and the $11 billion in funds that goes with it, we have managed to all but rid the majority of the Murray Darling Basin of its iconic Murray cod and other native fishes. Stay tuned, as I am sure it’s far from over yet.

Above the Menindee Lakes the Darling is but a few holes with a tapestry of dead river life scattered along the dry riverbed.

Steady flow of quality fish this February MILDURA

Rob Oswin

Reports of anglers catching quality fish have been flooding in, with catches of monster perch and some greatsized cod as well.

The Mildura area has seen some fantastic fishing 98

FEBRUARY 2019

recently, no doubt in relation to the great weather and also due to the many people out on the river. Judging by recent reports, bait has been the preferred method of fishing for many anglers.

Small to medium sized yabbies and shrimp have been the most effective bait.

Lures such as vibes and some smaller hardbodies

have also been catching numbers of fish, but they haven’t been quite as effective as bait. This may be due to the warmer weather we are currently having.

The steady flow of fish being caught can be expected to continue as the month progresses, and more people go out on the river to enjoy what it has to offer.

Larger cod have gone off the bite, with the smaller and more active cod actively hunting more frequently.

The numbers of perch being caught are steady. As the great weather continues, the bait such as shrimp and yabbies will continue to grow in numbers, and in turn we’ll see catch rates continue to rise.

Vibe lures such as Jackall TN70s continue to be an extremely popular option amongst anglers, with colours such as black market, purple ghost and peacock being the preferred colours. Smaller hardbody lures such as StumpJumpers and Aus Crafted Lures are also catching their share. When

trolled along the deeper sections of the river, these lures catch good numbers of fish. Soft plastic lures have been quite effective too, with anglers having success on 3.5” grub tails at loch 11.

Many anglers have reported that the area around loch 10 and loch 9 To page 99

Consistency will catch cod ALBURY/WODONGA

Connor Heir

Two months of Murray cod action have passed, and us cod fishos are well and truly back into our highly addictive passion.

February is approaching, and this time of year cod fishing, and most native species in general, are reasonably consistent and catching fish can be a lot easier compared to the cooler months. If you like to catch numbers in particular, February is definitely a great time to be out on the water casting.

River fishing in general around this area depends on flows and water temperatures. The fishing locally is enjoyable and the water systems hold

Murray cod fishing should be consistent this month, with catches like this quite common.

This beautifully marked Murray cod fell to a diving hardbody. is my personal preference for catching the natives, especially if you’re after good numbers. Try different techniques and different

huge part in lure fishing I believe. Most importantly, however, I believe you should just persist and keep casting. It only takes that

one fish to turn your day into an awesome memory and maybe even some cod thumb. Enjoy the warmer weather, and fish hard.

At the moment you can expect most of your Murray cod catches to be around 40-60cm. good numbers of fish. Late afternoons on the river is my personal recommendation if conditions are good. Casting lures between 75-120mm should catch you some cod numbers. I’ve found this time of year to be the time to get plenty of cod around 40-60cm. They seem to constantly feed throughout the month, depending on

conditions.

If you’re not a full on cod lover but just enjoy catching a few fish of any species, the Hume Weir can be your go-to. Redfin numbers in the warmer months seem to be fairly good when you find the schools, however, the recent months have proved to be a bit of work for the redfin in the weir. However,

the warmer months do see good numbers of redfin in the Weir. Finding the schools of fish is the key, try deep water, shallow water and also remember that they can be almost anywhere. You don’t always need structure to catch redfin, sometimes they can be sitting in 30ft of water with no structure in sight.

The warmer weather

Casting lures between 75-120mm will see you hooking up with some quality Murray cod. areas and you should crack the code to getting onto some fish. Be confident in what you’re using too, confidence plays a

From page 98

are currently hotspots for perch, with many caught on lures cast towards the bank and trolled along deeper parts of the river.

Areas around Robinvale and Hattah have also been doing very well lately. Many of the fish being caught on bait have been holding tight to structure, so the most effective way to catch them on bait is to get as close as possible to snags and rocks.

As always, the key to getting consistent results is putting in the time on the water – so get out there and enjoy the great weather.

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Those catches that go bump in the night LITHGOW/OBERON

Glen Stewart stewie72@bigpond.com

The heat of day lingers, I am wishing it away and so are the fish – it’s been very quiet, not even the slightest bump or tap on the lures we are casting.

Dipping my hand in the water to unhook a snagged lure really puts into perspective the water temperature I read earlier, a balmy 30°C… you’d be happy bathing in that.

The month of February will see water temperatures at their highest in all Central Tablelands’ waters. It can concentrate where the fish are, but fishing at depth adds a degree or two of difficulty.

If it’s trout in Thompsons Creek Dam you’re after, it’s definitely better to wait for 3-4 days of cooler weather, then pick the coldest morning on offer. Try targeting the shallower margins first, the ones closest to steeper banks, but be quick to move, especially if you do not see any fish moving.

Fly anglers can do well if the trout are shallow and feeding. If it’s a constant rise I will nearly bet pounds to

Bumps in the night don’t get much bigger! Cod at this size are very cautious in shallow water, so taking extra steps to be as quiet as possible in your boat pays big dividends. peanuts it’s due to beetles that have landed on the water the evening before, but keep in mind a lingering mudeye hatch (dragon fly larvae).

The trout will be moving quite quickly, mopping up in the pre-dawn, trying to nab a quick hit of protein before heading for cooler depths.

COUNT IT DOWN Moving to deeper water will mean getting your flies or lures to sink to

greater depths. It’s easier in lakes such as Lyell with boat access, but in TCD (no boat access) it means walking to the steepest banks you can find.

Knowing the sink rates of fly lines and lures is handy, but you can learn as you go by counting down once your lure or fly hits the water.

I always try and maintain some form of contact with the presentation as it falls, as

trout will take lures and flies on the drop.

Sometimes, especially with a jighead rigged soft plastic on a steep bank, you can click the bail arm over after the cast then just let the plastic pendulum back to you on a semi tight line without retrieving until it hits the sloping bank, then just wind it up the slope. It’s a great way to catch trout in summer at TCD. This technique also works well with big spoons, and you can add a high lift and drop with the spoons at any time during the retrieve – it drives them crazy.

For the most part, most of the action will be over for trout by 7:00am. It’s a short window, but well worth the effort if you pick your days.

BIG BUMPS It’s no secret that Murray cod in Wyangala and Burrendong enjoy the trappings of a midnight snack. The cloak of darkness gets them out on the prowl, and they could be anywhere, but generally will be at a depth where most of the bait (in the form of other fish) is concentrated. You need to be presenting lures at, or better still, just above their eye line

to be in with a chance. In February that could mean 20-25ft down, maybe deeper.

Trolling lures has definite advantages. Keep in mind that navigation in a lake at night is not for the inexperienced, and even after fishing some lakes for 25 years, I still limit my travels to places I know well. Levels can and do change, even overnight, so good thorough scouting runs in broad daylight are a must for everyone.

Big deep diving lures with quite a bit of buoyancy are good. I like to get them down and do repeated trolling runs in good-looking water. Remember, you’re driving the lure, not the boat.

Vary your drop backs, work the lure with your rod, drop

boat noise to a minimum.

Boats are really just one big sound board, and in pressured water it matters, believe me. Keep your movements to a minimum, tread lightly, open and close hatches quietly, drift where possible, cast down wind, and use your electric motor sparingly. On the active nights, the ones where they are really on the chew, it won’t matter, but these nights are rare.

It may all sound a bit extreme, but these little steps can make a big difference when things are tough, and they usually are with these bigger fish, but that’s why we like it so much.

Speaking of little steps, why not take some extra

Knowing the sink rates of lures you fish is very important, as extremes in temperatures (upper or lower) can position fish at a certain depth.

Retrieving or trolling a lure 5-10ft above or below that depth can affect your success rate greatly. the motor or electric motor in and out of forward motion – mix it up. Sometimes, they like a lure that taps the bottom or structure every now and then at other times they like a lure that is in open water. A lot will depend on the local conditions at the time, the weather, water clarity, the kind of food they are keyed into, their moods, and so on.

Casting for cod in shallow water after dark is not out of the question, but you really need to keep

time to prepare for the big one before you leave home? It blows me away the set-ups that are used in the pursuit of bigger cod.

You really need to think it through, as from hook up to landing, handling then release, these bigger fish are so much harder on gear.

Having a landing plan and discussing it with your mate before it happens should be part of that plan.

Hope to see you on the water soon, until then, tight lines!

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Big cod are hard on the gear, so choose your tackle with this in mind. A glove for holding before release is also handy…

Reddy for non-stop action?

BATLOW

Wayne Dubois waynedubois@westnet.com.au

During the heat of February, the best fishing will be had very early and late in the day or at night for most fish species.

Avoiding the middle of the

the surface all the way down to about 40ft, so it pays to have a good sounder, which will make locating them that much easier.

The best techniques depend on the depth of the school, but if they’re holding deep and tight to the bottom, then I recommend jigging with ice jigs, blades or

the natives feel much more at ease because of the cooler temperatures. Add to this the fact that the dark of night is a form of cover for them, and you can see why it pays to fish or concentrate your efforts after dark.

When targeting Murray cod at Blowering Dam, trolling is still by far the

TROUT If you’re like me and are addicted to dry flyfishing in our rivers and streams, then this month should see you getting your fix almost all day long! That’s right, all day, and not just at dusk and dawn. Any loudly splashed down hopper imitation should get any trout that are close by to stick their noses out and grab hold of your offering.

As an each way bet, it is always good to run a bead head nymph dropper below your hopper, so that if the fish aren’t willing to take the dry you still have a great chance of hooking them on the nymph. Quite often you will see a trout come up, after first getting its interest with the hopper, splashing down and sit just below your dry fly, only to reject it. Quite

For your best chances of hooking some Murray cod, fish at low light periods or after dark.

Redfin are a great target in February, as they are easy to catch even in the middle of a hot day, and as a bonus, they are delicious. day on hot summer days is not something just us humans do – fish also feel uncomfortable in the middle of very hot days and they will seek deep, cool water or hide on the shady side of any structure, making them very hard to entice at times.

rubber vibes, but if they’re in quite shallow or holding mid-water, then casting and retrieving or trolling with small lipless crankbaits and plastics will be your best bet.

If you find some schools sitting really shallow, then a small surface lure will get their attention and catching

most popular technique and the ever-reliable spinnerbaits and large hardbodies have been the most consistent fish taker.

Casting large lures has become much more popular over recent years, and this technique will more often than not out fish trollers, The rainbow trout coloured Sso Mino is a standout trout producer, fooling this trophy-sized small stream trout.

It’s hard to beat the twin fly rig when targeting trout in the running water this month. The trout that aren’t willing to rise for the dry will often happily take the nymph dropper.

REDFIN There is the one exception to this, with redfin not feeling the effects of hot days as much as our natives or trout.

Redfin can be caught all day long on hot days and are your best target if you have to fish during the middle of the day. At this time of year they can be found anywhere from

them off the surface is about as much fun as you can have redfin fishing.

NATIVES This month your best chances of hooking into some of Blowering Dam’s resident natives will come after dark.

As I mentioned earlier, the temperature drops to a more comfortable zone at night and

especially at night when the fish are feeding way up in the shallows tight to the bank, where it is almost impossible to troll a lure. The most consistent fish catcher has been large chatterbaits or swimbaits, but large surface lures also work well and are becoming much more popular at this lake.

often, however, they will drop back down in the water column where they feel more at ease to feed and grab hold of the nymph. It is great visual fishing that always gets the adrenaline going.

Spinning with small bladed lures and small hardbodies is another great way of hooking into a heap of fit and healthy trout. Many lures and lure styles work on trout, but the consistent fish catchers are lures like Celtas, Rooster Tails, Bling Spins, Rapala CD3 and CD5, or the Insanity Tackle Sso Minos, which have become super popular amongst trout fishes.

Bait anglers drifting worms in the shallow runs or juicy grubs in the deeper holes should also do well this month. The key to success and good numbers when bait fishing is to keep moving, just like the fly and lure anglers. If you catch a few fish from a hole then get no action for ten minutes or so, move on and preferably move upstream to the next hole so that you are not spooking fish along the way.

Being willing to do the hard yards can be the difference between no fish or 20 fish.

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Escape the heat to find some trophy fish SNOWY MOUNTAINS

Anthony Bentley

The fishing has picked up immensely in recent weeks.

The rivers have been fishing well, and all fish are starting to look up so there’s good dry fly action. You can get good results on low sitting dry flies like a Parachute Adams, Muz’s Messy Wulff or Crippled Emerger.

days producing great catches and other days leaving anglers empty-handed. Island Bend is a good place to try, and we’re also hearing good reports from Swampy Plains and the upper Murray.

The Monaro streams aren’t the best option during summer, as the water can get quite warm and the fish can take a bit of time to recover. If you do fish there, get the fish back in the water quickly and

hot. The average size of the fish is smaller, but there are more of them.

The fishing at Jindabyne and Eucumbene lakes during the day isn’t that good, but you can get good results late in the evening and at night. At these times the bigger fish like to come into the shallows over new ground to feed.

FISHING IN FEBRUARY If the weather continues staying as warm as it has

The increasing heat has meant that daytime fishing isn’t as productive as it has been. Photo courtesy of Adam Cathor.

If we get more rain we can expect more good fishing. Photo courtesy of Adam Cathor.

These flies sit right in the surface film, looking like a trapped insect, and can hold a lightly-weighted nymph underneath. They’re very effective on wary fish.

The Mowamba River has been inconsistent, with some

make sure it has recovered before you let it go. This will minimise fatalities from heat stress.

Locations at higher elevations are fishing better than the lower because the weather has been quite as

been, the action will probably drop a little bit. Fishing late in the evening and in deeper water should give you an advantage, especially if we don’t get any rain.

By February the terrestrials should be out in

force, with large numbers of hoppers. A good lure in the lakes is the Tassie Devil in rolly’s riot, and the most productive flies are Mrs Simpson, unweighted black nymphs and Woolly Buggers in green and black.

In the rivers, lure fishers should have success on red spinners. Fly fishers should get good results using mayflies, caddis flies and Dobson fly patterns.

In the meantime, we’re all hoping for rain – otherwise we’re looking at a tough month of fishing!

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nets. There’s also a big range of flies from Manic, Stu Tripney, Mick Hall and Pisces, as well as waders, boots, vests and outdoor apparel.

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When it rains, it pours YARRAWONGA

Tony Bennett codclassic@bigpond.com

Lake condition should be returning to almost ‘normal’ as the floodwater that hit mid-December has all but cleared up.

With plenty of boat traffic about, anglers will be best served heading out into the timber on the northern side of the lake to seek a bit of solace and calmer water.

There’s no method that outshines others when it comes to lure fishing in the shallower margins, but surface fishing during the

lower light periods is the most fun and tends to return some bigger cod. The next four months are Mulwala’s most productive for lure fishos, so keep an eye on the weather map and hit it as much as possible. More time on water = more fish.

Looking back, December got off to a flyer with masses flocking to Lake Mulwala to celebrate the opening to cod season with the iconic Cod Classic fishing competition.

Competitors were greeted with a perfect opening day followed up with a stormy, windy Sunday morning that saw most pull the pin for the day.

In total, 2731 fishos

took part landing close to 700 legal sized Murray cod.

Throw in 80 yellas that measured in excess of 45cm and 400+ carp, and there was plenty of action for the weekend. Rhonda Mace had amazing success landing a 102cm, closely followed up with a 117cm that took out largest Murray cod for the event.

The excitement of cod opening was short-lived thanks to the massive localised rain events that cantered around the Wangaratta area. The Ovens River received massive inflows that in turn flowed into Lake Mulwala. The lake turned into what resembled a

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Shaun Karlik with his 132cm Lake Mulwala monster. chocolate swamp and fishing slowed considerably.

There were still a few fish reported, with one being an absolute monster. Regular visitor Shaun Karlik landed a genuine 100 pounder and fish of a lifetime when his cast Gigantarel swimbait was gobbled up by a 132cm monster. A great fish and a wonderful reward for a nice young fella who puts in plenty of time chasing these green legends. In my 25-year involvement with all things fishing around Lake Mulwala, I have only seen two bigger fish, with the current lake record standing at 135cm.

Young local legend, 14yo Tanner Irvine, was rewarded when he landed a beautiful

103cm cod in the river below the weir. Tanner spends every possible minute fishing and now has something to brag about. I look forward to hearing about his next river monster that is sure to be sooner rather than later.

Below the weir things don’t change much with plenty of cod being reported, generally on the smaller side. Along with these there are also steady reports of yellas being caught by those prepared to work their baits in and around the snags.

The competition season is upon us with a few events coming up over the next couple of months. The first is the ever popular Lowrance Da$h 4 Cash, 16 and 17 Febraury. Following this is

the His & Hers Partners Classic, 2 March. To round out the comp season is the Cod Nationals, four days of serious tournament fishing for the dedicated green fish angler held 14-17 March.

• If you are visiting town I urge you to call into Lake Mulwala Fish Camp & Ski, the shop with the big green cod out the front in Mulwala or check out our new store located between Rivers and One Zac in the Main Street, Yarrawonga and say G’day. We’re Yarrawonga/ Mulwala’s fishing specialists and specialise in all things ‘green’! For any information on the upcoming events or fishing reports give us a hoy on (03) 5744 3133.

Fishing in deep water delivers the goods HUNTER VALLEY

Peter Phelps

This summer has been a carbon copy of the previous couple of years, and February is beginning to feel like déjà vu. These relentless 40°C days one after another with little rain in the Hunter take their toll on the local impoundments.

The surface water temperatures in the lakes will be at their peak at this time of year, topping out at close to 30°C in the middle of the day.

The surface fishing has been slow this summer, similar to last year. It may be to do with the lack of rain producing less insect life, while the dropping water level has pushed the shallow fish out into deeper water. Still, fishing topwater on those cool mornings and evenings is a pleasant change from fishing during the heat of the day targeting fish in deep water. Hopefully the topwater bite will pick up as summer progresses.

In the local lakes, throwing surface lures during low light periods will be your best chance for catching some bass off the edge this month. Starting around February and March in the Hunter, the air temperature above the impoundments cools down overnight,

All surface lures are worth a try this month, from small to the large sizes. I generally have multiple

cooling the water, it’s best to fish deep water during the daylight hours. There is a typical prominent deep

fish caught from deep water will suffer some sort of barotrauma. The air in the fish’s swim bladder expands, causing them to struggle to swim back down. The more time you have them up in the hot weather or on a hot deck the more unnecessary distress. Unless you know how to needle a fish’s swim bladder correctly, I suggest a quick photo before sending them on their way. This should see them swim back down fine. Using a release weight is another method that will help them to get down.

If you are keeping them in a live well, I recommend

during the day. Frozen water bottles can also be used in the live well to help keep the temperature down.

The upper tributaries in the rivers and creeks should be holding some bass by now. Water flow will be the only thing that has stopped some bass from moving upstream. Being the last month of summer, a lot of fish would have pushed as far up as they could go.

There may be some isolated pools that are holding fish, but there will be more fish in the running sections. Being so hot, the bass should be still aggressive towards a

Kahlee Noble scored this shallow water yellowbelly on a skirted jig cast up next to a timber laydown. topwaters ready to go, and slowly cycle through them, testing the fish to see what they want. I like to use a lure type relative to the type of structure I am fishing. A weedless frog or buzzbait is best suited for throwing over matted weed or into treetops.

Treble hooked lures suit fishing the outside of weed and timber.

As the sun sets or rises and the light changes, it gets easier to fool a bass on topwater. Their perception on exactly what they are

bite in the Hunter Valley impoundments over the end of summer, when the receding levels and warm water drive most of the fish out into deep water. Here the water temperature is cooler, and there’s more oxygen. In any depth from 30-80ft you can find deep schooled fish.

Submerged trees seem to hold concentrations of golden perch at this time of year, making them relatively easy to target. Smelt, gudgeons and other small baitfish are one of the main food sources

Deep water vertical plastics will account for fish during the hot daylight hours. because this cooler air cannot hold as much moisture as warm air. The moisture condenses, creating fog.

These foggy mornings are ideal conditions for topwater, and can extend a surface bite well into the daylight hours, or until the fog burns off.

Because it is so hot, you might have to wait an hour or so after sunset to see the bass become active up in the shallows again.

trim or cut tails to make them swim at slow speeds. Taking the time to get this right will turn lookers into biters.

eating appears to be off around these phases. When you stop getting bites as the light changes, I have found that slowing right down and shaking smaller surface lures on the spot with long pauses will continue to catch some bass. Insects are a prominent food source in the lakes, and a lure just vibrating on the spot closely imitates these.

Unless the we get a ton of rain and the lakes rise,

in this deeper water, and a soft plastic is the best lure to imitate this bait. Dropping plastics vertically down to fish beneath the boat is an easy way to target them in such deep water. The subtle beating of a plastic’s tail wound past a fish’s nose can be hard for them to resist.

A curl tail grub rigged on a 1/4oz head is the perfect set-up for fishing vertically.

Rig them straight as a die and

When fishing a plastic it’s essential to keep the lure in front of the fish for as long as possible. You can do this by using a good quality sounder to find the fish. Drop your lure down the transducer beam to the fish, and keep the lure directly under the boat. You will see how the fish react to certain retrieves, and know when a fish is right on your plastic. A nice super slow roll is generally the most reliable all-round retrieve for this time of year. Hot and glassed out sunny conditions seem to be the best for a subtle plastic presentation.

If the wind picks up or you’re faced with an overcast day, try using a lure with a more aggressive action.

Blades and tail spinners fit this style as they come in heavy sizes that are easily fished in deep water. Any weights from 3/8-1oz will get down and stay in front of the fish. The rough, stirred-up water seems to get the fish moving around more, and at such times they like a more aggressive vibrating style lure. Hop these along the bottom for fish holding down tight, and slow roll through suspended fish.

The skirted jig is proving to be a real fish catcher all year round, and using them in deep water over summer is no different. Using 1/2oz or heavier on a light spinning outfit is ideal. The thin line of braid cuts through the deep water easily and maintains some feel on the jig when it’s sitting on the bottom in 40ft+ of water. Any trailer will work. Slowing dragging along the bottom or small hops should see some action.

Fish care is of high importance this month when catching them out of deep water. These impoundment fish don’t breed, and every fingerling is hand placed into these waterways. All

Big topwaters can draw some big bass at this time of year. insulating the lids and filling the well first thing in the morning when the surface temperature is down. Then, by setting it to recirculation, you can help minimise the water warming up, instead of pumping in the lake’s surface water as it heats up

topwater lure. Any shaded spot underneath overhanging trees is a great area to start.

The reliable river lures will always produce at this time of year – crankbait, spinnerbait, bladed jig and a weedless soft plastic when topwater fails.

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www.aberdeenfishingandoutdoors.com.au FEBRUARY 2019

103

Seeking out the cooler refuges to find natives NEW ENGLAND RIVERS

Adam Townsend

It has been a very hot and dry summer across the New England so far,

and this is taking its toll.

There were a few decent rainfalls towards the end of December, but it was not enough to have any effect on the rivers or impoundments. Most

rivers barely got a trickle, however there was enough to put a little bit of colour back into the countryside.

The Beardy and Severn rivers are in a bad condition – the worst I have ever seen.

If we don’t get some big rainfall in the near future, it’s not going to be a good outcome for farmers, fish and anglers. In saying that, there’s still the odd spot with deeper, cleaner water in these rivers, and that is where the fish have been biting.

Slowly sinking swimbaits down the edges of weed beds or hopping weedless frogs over the

recent times, with rapidly dropping water levels and extremely hot days.

Pindari has receded massively, with over 10% its capacity going downstream for irrigation purposes, leaving it now below the 30% mark.

Copeton Dam has dropped over 4% since the latest report, and is now down below the 16% mark.

why big chatterbaits and swimbaits consistently catch big fish out of that dam, as there’s a healthy population of crayfish, spangled perch, carp and catfish throughout the dam to ‘match the hatch’ with. After selecting the gear that you are confident in, it comes down to spending time on water and finding yourself in the right place at the right time.

This fish fell to a Megabass Vatalion Swimbait worked slowly along the edge of the weed.

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

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

Dam Nov Dec Jan Blowering 53 48 36 Brogo 62 66 84 Burrendong 21 17 11 Burrinjuck 42 42 43 Carcoar 47 43 39 Chaffey 46 42 38 Clarrie Hall 98 99 99 Copeton 20 18 14 Dartmouth 78 73 70 Eucumbene 18 20 27 Glenbawn 62 61 58 Glenlyon 43 36 25

Dam Nov Dec Jan Glennies Creek 65 63 61 Hume 46 40 35 Jindabyne 56 66 83 Keepit 7 1 1 Lostock 100 99 96 Oberon 51 49 48 Pindari 45 37 22 Split Rock 8 5 4 Tantangara 34 41 50 Toonumbar 100 96 90 Windamere 39 39 37 Wyangala 49 46 42

(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.)

104

FEBRUARY 2019

A chunky Murray cod caught hopping over the weed beds. top have been the most successful techniques of late while targeting Murray cod in these struggling rivers.

With minimal activities on the water this month as the holidays have come to an end, the fish will begin to let their guard down. The fishing action should start to pick up, especially in the impoundments.

Both Pindari Dam and Copeton Dam have not been up to their former glory in

Dusk and night-time, or early mornings before the heat of the day, have proven to be the most productive times. Walking along the edges of the banks late in the afternoon and into the night is a good way of finding what bait life is active in that waterway. Then it is just a matter of finding a lure in the tackle box that will replicate that bait.

Copeton is a perfect example of this. It is no secret

Just a reminder – if you do manage to catch a healthy fish in these warmer conditions, and you do intend on releasing it, please take precautions and look after your catch as much as you can with proper handling skills. Our native fish can suffer from barotrauma pretty easily during the warmer months.

Good luck to all getting out on the water this month, and tight lines.

First cod on fly. Playing around in the skinny water paid off.

Time for some Tumut trout WAGGA WAGGA

Rhys Creed

Summer has well and truly lived up to its reputation this year. Scorching heat, sunny clear days and little rain is common for the three months of summer.

The report for February is very similar to the last two, as the fishing styles don’t change much at all.

height, but you just need to adapt your technique and fishing style. Not all styles work well in all conditions and situations.

I’ll explain what happens in summer – the river runs high due to irrigation demand downstream. It runs at between 7000-9000 for most of the summer months.

This fills the river to the top of its banks and flows very quickly out in the middle, but

grasshoppers and put them on a small hook unweighted or even drift worms in front of them. You can also cast small hardbodies and spinners.

It’s such an exciting and visual style of fishing, as you get to see everything happen.

It’s well worth a crack this month, and best of all the temperature is a little cooler down on the river, so it’s a great way to escape the heat and still be on the water.

casting, look at the inside bends and out of the fast current. Seeking shade is also very important. My pick of the lures is by far spinnerbaits, as a lot of the structure you’ll be casting at will be hard on the bank and this is where the fish will be.

Late afternoons are a great time to take the kids out for a few hours with some bait. Yabbies, cheese, worms and grubs will all work. The best option is to tie up above the structure you want to fish and drop your bait on the upstream side of the snag, and this will result in more bites than fishing the downstream side.

BLOWERING DAM The water sport activity will still be at a high during the day at Blowering.

Concentrating your efforts on low light periods and throughout the night will give you the best option at catching fish. The fishing style and technique is the same as mentioned in the last few reports.

Hoppers are the number one fly at this time of year for big feeding browns.

Swimbaits, as these are all great casting lures, with the large 150mm AC Invaders being the perfect trolling option.

towards the dam wall end of the lake.

We aren’t far away from a change in season, which will mean a shift in fishing

Adam Smith decided to pick up the fly rod and landed this beautiful brown on a hopper.

What I thought I would share is a few extra tips about fishing in each of the local waterways, and first of all we will start with the Tumut River.

TUMUT RIVER If you have been reading the reports over the last few months you will note I’ve mentioned the Tumut and

these high flows create still backwaters and pools.

The larger fish move into these still sections underneath willows and up in amongst the fresh grass and feed on insects that fall into the water. It’s such an easy feed and the trout gorge themselves on hoppers, beetles, willow

MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER AND OLD MAN CREEK High flows and hot days see the fishing activity drawn down to short windows in the morning and afternoon.

Fishing during the day on both the river and creek is tough at the moment, but it is also uncomfortable.

The new IGNITE Cod Fury was the perfect feed for this solid Blowering cod.

If you’re targeting big fish, use big lures like the new IGNITE Cod Fury, Mud Guts Big Guts Spinnerbaits, AC Swimbaits and Bunji

If you’re after some fun and just want to catch fish, use small hardbodies between 70-100mm and troll these along the rocky banks

opportunities in the region. In saying that, there is still some great options available this month, with my pick of the lot being the Tumut River!

As big as they come in the Tumut River! Mitch was stoked to land this giant brown trout on fly. how good the fishing can be over the warmer months.

I’ll talk to friends and other anglers about fishing the Tumut River in general conversation and they ask, “Isn’t the river running too high?” My reply is, “It’s the best time to fish the Tumut.”

You can always catch fish in the Tumut at any

grubs and anything else that hits the water.

From a fishing point of view, all you have to do is walk the banks in these areas and imitate what they are feeding on. The most productive method is to target these fish on fly, with the go-to imitation being hoppers. You can also catch

The best option is to head out nice and early and you’ll be surprised how well the fish feed. They will also feed aggressively late in the afternoon.

Trolling is a good option when the water is running high, as you can get the lures down into the structure that is now covered. If you’re

The author with a solid brown, which was all over his hopper imitation.

FEBRUARY 2019

105

The 2018 Murray Codference a huge success SHEPPARTON

Nick Brown teamriverrats@hotmail.com

The simple way I judge the success of anything in the fishing world is by word of mouth and excitement created long after the event, or release of a certain lure, rod or reel.

The 2018 Murray Codference is still creating a buzz amongst those who attended the 2018 event.

Throughout the Christmas break I ran into many local

the Murray cod heartland of Shepparton, which is almost central to some of the best cod fishing locations in Victoria and NSW. Due to the central location of Shepparton, many attendees fished Friday and Saturday leading into the event and there were plenty of stories in between sessions about cod fishing at locations such as Lake Eildon, Lake Mulwala and the local Goulburn River.

The iconic Murray cod is such a valuable commodity for the regions they call

Murray Codference, traveling well over two hours to attend the event I spoke with Sam Cunsolo from Melbourne about why he travelled down to the Codference.

“Traveling to the Codference is great as most of us that travel make a weekend out of it,” he said. “Fish the Friday and Saturday and then attend the Codference on the way home.”

“I encourage all to attend for the information you can gain on the day.

“It’s a great chance to chat to

The author with Carl Jocumsen. Jocumsen was a big drawcard for those that attended the Codference.

The crowd at the Codference. Nearly 600 turned up to learn more about the Australian icon, Murray cod. anglers who also attended the event and everyone couldn’t get over how well the event was run.

For me the 2018 Murray Codference was the first time I had attended a Codference and from the moment I walked into the building it just screamed professionalism.

There was a nice relaxed feeling to the pre-show with those attending receiving a show bag of goodies and this was not just a basic plastic show bag, it was a high quality VFA backpack filled full of items such as the Kattafurra surface lure, ‘Care for Cod’ boat decal and removable tattoo, plus all the information you need to know about the event and the professionals speaking on the day.

The all-day event was held at Riverlink Eastbank Shepparton and lured in almost 600 people, all keen to learn from some of the most knowledgeable speakers throughout the country. Guests were treated to three sessions, covering all aspects of the Murray cod including tackle, techniques, locations, stocking and scientific programs in place.

The event was held in 106

FEBRUARY 2019

home. There is a huge tourism aspect to the Murray cod with many anglers making weekly, monthly and yearly trips to the rivers and lakes to chase the mighty cod.

The love for Murray cod from our city cousins was very much apparent in those that attended the

those in charge and for me the drawcard was definitely between Carl Jocumsen and the Kattafurra lure.”

Sam also mentioned that he enjoyed all the other incredible speakers and felt the VFA had really outdone themselves at the 2018 Codference.

The star of the show was Murray cod, but closely behind it for me as well was guest speaker and fulltime professional fisherman, Carl Jocumsen. Carl was, for many, the biggest drawcard the event has ever had and I urge everyone to listen to his fishing story.

Yes, he has represented our country fishing for bass in the USA, but Carl always finds himself chasing Murray cod when he is home from the States.

The presentation Carl gave showed his love for the Murray cod as it has and will always be special to Carl.

Carl spoke about his Murray cod stories as a kid and also recent trips he had done since he has returned from the States. One thing that rings in my ears from his presentation was when he mentioned how unique the

Carl Jocumsen presenting at the Codference. He was the first speaker on the day, and started the event off strong.

Murray cod is, and how they are truly an Australian icon.

He also shared his current swimbait techniques, as well as his vision for the future, with Murray cod lures to get bigger and bigger as time goes by.

It wasn’t a sales pitch, but one thing was made clear, when throwing these monster lures you need to have the right rod and reel set up.

The swimbait craze is now upon us, and having the likes of Ian Miller of Miller Rods designing rods is such a great step forward for us all.

Seeing the size of the lures Carl throws, it’s obvious he is not targeting small cod, so using smaller lighter rods will be like taking a sword to a gun fight.

Carl kick started the first session and from there all those who did speak owned the stage and the audience, despite the pressure of following such a legend of the sport.

The event wasn’t just about catching huge Murray cod, there was a very special segment that got everyone laughing and smiling and for me, that’s why we fish.

North East Victorian Robbie Alexander delivered this presentations and it would have had to be one of the best I have seen in regards to ‘Fishing With Kids’.

Speaking to Robbie afterwards, he had the following to say, and if you have seen his social media post you can imagine the passion that was flowing through the phone.

“It was a fantastic day, everybody that I have spoken to enjoyed the day,” he said.

“From the free food, to the free lure and backpack, to the guest speakers and

the opportunity for people to talk and interact with leaders in the industry – it was a wonderful day.”

I asked Robbie how he felt about being asked to present at the 2018 Murray Codference.

“I was delighted to be a part of the event for the second year running, even more so delighted when they asked me if I could make a presentation all about kids,” he said. “I love kids.”

Another great addition to the day was the catering supplied to those who attended.

Tables full of food for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea was all provided with your free entry and the spread that was put on was not cheap, it was lovely fresh food options for all to enjoy and mingle over during the breaks.

The last session had a slight change to it and that was Steve Booth presenting Yellowbelly Tactics. It was a good addition to the day away from just Murray cod, only because majority of us who chase cod also chase yellowbelly.

Boothy, a muchrespected member of the fishing industry, presented a talk that had everyone thinking about changing their approach to yellowbelly fishing in impoundments.

After the event I spoke with Steve about his thoughts on the day.

“The VFA Codference was outstanding to be a part of, personally and professionally,” he said.

“Bringing together a range of sensational speakers, the Codference gave attendees a real insight to many facets of native fish throughout Victoria.”

“From stocking to catching, from the history and through safe handling techniques, I learnt a lot from the speakers.

“With over 500 people attending, this was a fantastic day that allowed me to immerse myself in cod culture from the start of the day, right through to the end.”

I found throughout the day all keynote speakers were engaging and informative,

from Lubin Pfeiffer talking Big Murray Cod Tactics to Will Trueman presenting his love for the trout cod and Macquarie perch.

From someone who only enjoyed the Bunsen burners in science class at school, I, and many others, enjoyed the researcher’s information on fish populations and ways they have tackled the improvement in fish populations over the

last 20 years.

Karen Rees spoke about female’s involvement in the sport of fishing and the growth of women in what is a male dominated industry.

Her take on fishing and the barriers that she is knocking down was great for all inspiring females, showing there is a pathway for women in fishing.

I feel if there was one negative on the day

Ayden Brown looking at the pictures in the free Codference magazine.

All presenters taking questions at the end of the day. All attendees learnt a lot about Murray cod, from targeting them to stocking and breeding.

it was those who turned up grabbed their free bag and left.

These people will be the same people who always question where fishing licence fees go, I urge anyone who hasn’t been to a Codference to get

to one in the future.

If the 2019 edition is in Shepparton or out of town for me it won’t make any difference, I will be putting it in the calendar as I feel it will become the second most important day on cod fishos calendar, just behind

cod opening.

For those who didn’t attend, you can find videos of all the talks throughout the day via the VFA Facebook, or if you search through the guest speaker’s Facebook pages you will be able to find the links.

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107

TOURNAMENT CALENDAR 2019

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

20-21 Feb

ABT BREAM Round 1 Marlo/Bemm River

abt.org.au

23-24 Feb

ABT BREAM Round 2 Gippsland Lakes

abt.org.au

23-24 Feb

Family Bassin Round 1 Lake Lyell 0412 634 288 or sanja@hwy.com.au

Wayne Tiggermann

2-3 Mar

ABT BASS Round 1 Clarence River

abt.org.au

2-3 Mar

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 2 Mallacoota

hobiefishing.com.au

9 Mar

ABT BASS Electric Round 1 Richmond River

abt.org.au

10 Mar

East Coast Bream Series Round 1 Sussex Inlet

www.wsbb.com.au or 0403 085 696

19-21 March

ABT BREAM Australian Open Sydney

abt.org.au

23-24 March

ABT BREAM Round 3 Botany Bay

abt.org.au

30-31 Mar

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 3 Sydney

hobiefishing.com.au

6-7 Apr

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 4 Blackwood River

hobiefishing.com.au

13-14 Apr

ABT BASS Electric Round 2 Toonumbar Dam

abt.org.au

13-14 Apr

Family Bassin Round 2 Glenbawn Dam

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

14 Apr

East Coast Bream Series Round 2 Lake Macquarie

www.wsbb.com.au or 0403 085 696

27-28 Apr

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 5 Nelson

hobiefishing.com.au

30 April-1 May

ABT BREAM Round 4 Albany

abt.org.au

4-5 May

ABT BREAM Round 5 Blackwood

abt.org.au

18-19 May

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 6 Woy Woy

hobiefishing.com.au

18-19 May

Family Bassin Round 3 Lake St. Claire

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

25-26 May

ABT BASS Round 2 Glenbawn Dam

abt.org.au

2 June

East Coast Bream Series Round 3 Botany Bay

www.wsbb.com.au or 0403 085 696

15-16 June

Family Bassin Round 4 Lostock Dam

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

22-23 June

ABT BASS Round 3 Lake St Clair

abt.org.au

22-23 June

Hobie Kayak Bream Series Round 7 Gold Coast

hobiefishing.com.au

30 Jun

ABT BASS Electric Round 3 Maroon Dam

abt.org.au

6-7 July

ABT BREAM Round 6 Bribie Island

abt.org.au

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.

108

FEBRUARY 2019

FUN PAGE AND COMPETITIONS SHARK SPECIES

GREAT WHITE TIGER MAKO BULL WHALE GUMMY LEMON BASKING GREENLAND BLACK TIP HAMMERHEAD

DTD - REAL FISH OITA

WHITE TIP DUSKY SANDBAR NURSE CARIBBEAN BLACK TIP BLUE SILKY GREY COPPER SCHOOL

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

NSW FEBRUARY 2019

Phone (day):

FINS SCALES & TALES by A. Both

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ORIGINAL

FIND-A-WORD

Congratulations to, Wayne Cumming who was last month’s winner of the Find-aWord Competition!

Monthly winners receive a Fishing Monthly prize pack. Prize delivery can take 8 weeks. – NSWFM

SUBSCRIBER PRIZE

The subscriber prize winner for December is C Primmer of Basin View, who won a Okuma Prize Pack valued at $300.

All subscribers are entered in the monthly subscriber prize draws. Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks. – NSWFM

Bird of Singleton, L Wicks of Forbes, M Klumper of Nambucca Heads, B Keogh of Bathurst, J Cupitt of Sanctuary Point, I Christie of Lithgow , R Kinkade of Forster, G Barrett of Chester Hill, A Neale of Raymond Terrace, D Chandler of Theodore, L Comerford of South Penrith, J Morante of Wauchope, W Cumming of Bass Hill, B Wright of Lake Cathie, B Laurenson of The Bight, T

Griffin of Bathurst, A Hepper of Iluka, M Muldoon of Caves Beach, D Nisbet of Tuncurry, F Seal of Junee, R Agius of St Andrews, M Markham of Singleton, C Carter of Richmond, R Adkins of Yarrawonga, B Bell of Wodonga, G Waugh of Greystanes, M Horgosi of Ngunnawal, J Wilson of Boronia.

Prize delivery takes up to 8 weeks.

– NSWFM

LAST MONTH’S ANSWERS

FIND THE GAMAKATSU LOGO

© A Cordelia Adams original artwork. Instagram: clausdoesart

The answers to Find the Gamakatsu Logo for December were: 12, 18, 22, 26, 32, 37, 41, 48, 54, 58, 69, 77, 82, 88, 99. – NSWFM

This month’s Guess the Fish Answer: Carp

The Find the Gamakatsu Logo prize winners for December were: L Cupitt of Goulburn, K Banks of Mulgoa, R Bland of Forster, S Roweth of Millthorpe, A Sinclair of Lalor Park, M Hughes of Uralla, E Murta of Gungahlin, G Wade of Empire Bay, M Smith of Figtree, M Beckett of Waverley, E Howarth of Cowra, B Jordan of Botany, A

GUESS THE FISH?

Answer: FEBRUARY 2019

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Alpine Tourist Park (02) 6454 2438 www.alpinetouristpark.com.au Milani Trout Cottages (02) 6775 5735 www.milanitroutcottages.com Wyangala Waters State Park (02) 6345 0877

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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.

110

FEBRUARY 2019

“

Boats & Guided Fishing Tours Directory

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Wooli Bait & Tackle (02) 6649 7100

COFFS COAST Compleat Angler Kempsey (02) 6562 5307

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Rocks Marine Bait & Tackle South West Rocks (02) 6566 6726

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111

NSW Tides

2019 2019 Local Time

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

Time

1 1 0541 1208 TU

TU 1759 2358

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

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

16 16

Time

1 1 0020 0700 FR 1346 1935

17 17

2 2

0044 0.51 18 3 3 0720 1.69 18 1400

3 3

2 2

0633 1310 WE WE 1857

0044 0720 TH TH 1400 1947

4 4

0127 0803 FR FR 1445 2032

5 5 0207 0844 SA

SA 1523 2114

6 6 0245 0920 SU

SU 1600 2152

7 7 0323 0957 MO

MO 1635 2230

8 8 0400 1031 TU

TU 1710 2306

9 9

0437 1107 WE WE 1745 2344

10 10 0516 1143 TH TH 1821

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

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

19 19

12 12

0151 0824 SU 1503 2056

4 4 0230 0901 MO

20 20

1537 2131

5 5 0306 0936 TU

21 21

1610 2205

6 6 0343 1010 WE

22 22

1642 2239

7 7 0419 1044 TH

23 23

1713 2314

8 8 0457 1118 FR

24 24

1745 2349

9 9 0536 1153 SA 1818

0.59

0020 1.53

0029

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

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

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

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

16 16

27 27

13 13

28 28

14 14

29 29

15 15

30 30 31 31 0608 1256 TH TH 1843

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

11 11 12 12

13 13 14 14

15 15

Time

1 1 0537 1230 FR

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

1827 2358

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

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

16 16

18 18

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

19 19 20 20

21 21 22 22

23 23

4 4 0135 0800 MO

26 26

27 27 28 28

1.57 0.56 1.25 0.57

1435 2033

5 5 0215 0837 TU 1507 2106

6 6 0250 0912 WE 1538 2138

7 7 0326 0945 TH 1608 2210

8 8 0401 1019 FR

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

24 24

0051 0720 SU 1400 1958

1638 2243

9 9 0439 1054 SA 1708 2317

10 10 0518 1130 SU 1740 2354

11 11 0601 1208 MO 1814

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

17 17

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

19 19 20 20 21 21

22 22

23 23 24 24 0.49

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

26 26

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

13 13

28 28

14 14

29 29

15 15

30 30 31 31 0556 1240 SU SU 1847

1321 1928

2 2

2 2

0633 1320 SA 1916

Time

1 1 0026 0645 MO

17 17

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

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

0108 0745 SA 1428 2018

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

0113 0728 TU 1357 2003

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

3 3 4 4

5 5 6 6

7 7 8 8

9 9

10 10

11 11

Local Time APRIL APRIL Time Time m

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

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

16 16

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

17 17

18 18 19 19 20 20

21 21

22 22

23 23 24 24 0.51

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

26 26

1.65 27 12 12 0742 0.56 27 1345

13 13 14 14 15 15

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

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

1.66 25 0704 1.37 0008 25 0.59 0.62 0704 TH 1300

28 28 29 29

30 30

 Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Bureau of Meteorology  Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2018, Bureau of Meteorology Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Datum of Predictions is Lowest Astronomical Tide Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Times are in local standard time (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect Moon Phase Symbols New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter New Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Moon Phase Symbols Full Moon Tide predictions for Sydney (Fort Denison) have been formatted by the National Tidal Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Copyright reserved. All material is supplied in good faith and is believed to be correct. It is supplied on the condition that no warranty is given in relation thereto, that no responsibility or liability for errors or omissions is, or will be, accepted and that the recipient will hold MHL and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Australia free from all such responsibility or liability and from all loss or damage incurred as a consequence of any error or omission. Predictions should not be used for navigational purposes. Use of these tide predictions will be deemed to include acceptance of the above conditions.

112

FEBRUARY 2019

boats & kayaks

In the skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seat

Inside story...

Stacer have been making boats for over 40 years, and in that time have gained a reputation for building tough boats to suit Australian conditions. With over 70 models in the range, whether you are after a serious fishing rig, a family fun machine or a budget friendly tinny, Stacer has you covered.

Made for...

Stacer boats are designed to dominate all sorts of waterways. There are boats to suit offshore, in the bay and in freshwater fishing locations.

This month...

114 St Clair lowdown Dayne Taylor takes us to an incredible kayak bass fishery in the Hunter Valley!

116 More towing tips Wayne Kampe shares more tips for towing, following on from last month!

118 Ned Rigs in the yak Justin Willmer shares a very effective American technique for kayak fishers!

Peter Jung compares the new Stacer 399 Proline and 429 Proline Angler in beautiful Venus Bay. Check it out on page 120!

FEBRUARY 2019

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The lowdown on kayaking on Lake St Clair URUNGA

Dayne Taylor

Lake St Clair, or Glennies Creek Dam as it is also known, can be found nestled among the undulating foothills of the Mount Royal Range, approximately 30 minutes’ drive from Singleton, in the Hunter Valley.

The dam’s main purpose is to supply water for irrigation, and for the

The grounds have both electric and wood fire BBQs, toilets and shower blocks, and a camp kitchen – all for a very reasonable and affordable price. Keep in mind just how secluded you will be out at the camp grounds; there is no phone service, and no kiosk or café.

The nearest is 30 minutes’ drive away.

If you prefer some creature comforts, and a cabin or motel is more your style, Singleton has plenty

into the caretaker and pay for the use of the facility.

They accept cash only, so remember to stop by an ATM before heading out of town.

THE FISHING As for fishing tackle and camping equipment, there isn’t much available from Singleton other than the stock standard Big W range. I recommend making the effort to travel up and see Nick at Aberdeen Fishing Tackle. He has a great range of gear, with rods and reels, You don’t have to travel far to catch a fish at this lake. in the same weight class will suffice.

The dam has a couple of different types of fish-holding structure, including thick, weed-lined banks, standing and fallen timber, and a few small rocky/boulder areas.

Casting 2” paddle-tail soft

the-dog style stickbait. When used early morning or late in the evening, these topwater lures reap great rewards on the bass, often producing a better class of fish.

A selection of reaction baits is also a productive way to target these fish.

get yourself and your kayak to safe ground as soon as you see any signs of this unfavourable weather. It can be easy to lose track of how far you have travelled on the dam, so always stay aware of your surroundings or use a GPS/sounder to record

There is endless unpowered camping available at St Clair. township of Singleton. But thanks to NSW DPI Fisheries and local fishing clubs, there has been an ongoing fish stocking program in place. Kayakers and boaters alike can now enjoy some fantastic recreational fishing opportunities thanks to their efforts.

ACCOMMODATION There’s no sugar coating it: the dam is fairly secluded and out of the way. However,

of options to choose from.

A quick search online will show you hundreds of bed and breakfasts, motels, and even a few sneaky winery resorts if you wanted to make the most of a trip to the Hunter Valley.

To get to Lake St Clair from Singleton, simply travel north over the New England Highway bridge and turn right into Bridgman Road.

Travel along Bridgman

line, hooks, bait, and of course plenty of lures to choose from. Nick fishes St Clair regularly, and he can help point you in the right direction as to what the fish are dialled in on at the present time.

Lake St Clair could seem pretty daunting for a kayak angler due to being such a large body of water, but you really don’t have to travel far to catch a fish.

The author with wife Sally all rigged and ready to go. plastics such as Keitech Easy Shiners, Berkley PowerBait T-Tails and ZMan Slim SwimZ in natural colours along the weed-lined banks usually produces good numbers of fish. During the warmer months I always tie on a surface lure, imitating a wounded insect, such as a cicada, or even a walk-

Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits have all landed me fish in Lake St Clair.

The weather up in the hills of St Clair is often unpredictable. In summer it’s HOT and in winter it’s FREEZING. The area can get wind and storms from time to time, so be sure to

your tracks so you can find your way back. Always keep in mind the lack of mobile phone reception and the remoteness of the location.

I hope you are inspired to head to Lake St Clair in the near future. The scenery is amazing, the peacefulness is a bonus, and the fishing is fantastic.

Bass are the star attraction at St Clair. you do still have a few options when it comes to accommodation.

There is endless unpowered camping available lakeside, and very few powered sites at Lake St Clair. When you call the caretaker (02 6577 3370) to book, they will be able to tell you if there are any powered sites available.

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Road, which flows onto Carrowbrook Road. A turn off to the left at 27km will lead to the dam wall at Glennies Creek, or you can continue for another 8km and you will reach the entry gates into the Lake St Clair camp grounds and recreational park. Whether you are there for a week or a day, you are required to call

The dam is stocked with Australian bass, golden perch (yellowbelly), silver perch, and catfish.

They feed mainly on small gudgeons, insects and yabbies.

A fast action 7’ rod in the 4-12lb range will handle all the fishing scenarios you are likely to encounter, and a selection of line and leader

At this time of year you can get good results on topwater lures.

WHAT’S NEW BOATING STACER 529 ASSAULT PRO

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The Stacer 529 Assault Pro Tournament is a true fishing machine.

The front and rear carpet casting areas have enough space for multiple mates to fish off at all angles. Standard with useful accessories, the 529 Tournament comes fitted with a thruster plate bow mount for an electric motor, and anglers with a large quiver can easily store and organize their rods in the centre underfloor storage compartment.

This boat is equipped with Stacer’s Revolution Hull. The pressed hull increases strength by 50% and the stretch formed shape creates an extremely smooth ride.

This, in combination with a raised chine, keeps occupants safe in rough conditions and following seas.

Stacer’s Ready 2 Go turnkey packages mean you can hit the water right away, and the five-year Stacer warranty provides peace of mind. www.stacer.com.au

RAYMARINE ELEMENT

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Raymarine Element is a new generation of advanced, combination sonar and GPS displays.

Building on the success of Axiom navigation displays, the Raymarine Element incorporates RealVision 3D sonar technology, improving your underwater view with 3D bottom imagery and more precise location of fish targets. Element also introduces new HyperVision 1.2MHz sonar technology, featuring ultra-high CHIRP sonar frequencies. HyperVision enhances the DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D sonar, allowing anglers to see structure, vegetation, and fish with lifelike detail.

The new LightHouse Sport operating system and intuitive keypad controls let anglers quickly mark spots and create high-definition bathymetric maps using the new Raymarine RealBathy real-time sonar map generator capability. The quad-core processor delivers instantaneous chart redraw, smooth RealVision 3D imaging, and fast response.

The Element series consists of 7”, 9”, and 12” display models, and it will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2019. www.raymarine.com/element

JOHN DEERE 4.5L MARINE ENGINE

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The new John Deere PowerTech 4045SFM85 marine engine is now ready to ship to customers worldwide.

The new 4045SFM85 offers high powerto-weight ratio for repowering and new boat construction, and is ideal for planing and semi-displacement hulls. The engine uses a waste-gated turbocharger that provides more torque capability at the low and middle rpm range, and features replaceable cylinder liners, making it possible to rebuild the engine for extended service life.

Additional features include: standard front fuel service, optional left- or right-hand oil filter options for twin engine applications; upgraded valve train (delivers a 40% increase in power and a 9% reduction in total engine weight for a 53% increase in power density compared to its predecessor); low-profile heat exchanger (reduces height by 4.3cm); and water-cooled exhaust manifold creates a cooler and quieter environment.

For a complete list of specifications visit the Power Equipment website. www.powerequipment.com.au

HYDRODRIVE STEERING

PRODUCT GUIDE

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Small boat owners with craft up to 150hp are typically limited to mechanical cable style steering systems.This push/pull cable setup often requires higher maintenance than hydraulic steering, and can result in diminished performance over time.

Hydrodrive is a hydraulic steering system for small boats up to 150hp. This affordable, quality product is available in four complete kits ready for installation or refit. It’s an economical and flexible alternative to mechanical steering, providing the capability of a hydraulic system typically only seen on 8m+ boats.

Users will benefit from smoother operation, lower maintenance, and straightforward installation. Complete all-in-one kits with universal fittings compatible with most outboards up to 150hp.

Hydrodrive provides smooth positive steering, fitted to the outboard with tube mounting. Each kit contains a pump with fitting, cylinder with fitting, twin hose set with required connections, and 1L of oil. Components are over-engineered to prevent leaks, even under extremely high pressure, and anodised for superior corrosion resistance.

Hydrodrive Systems are backed by a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty. www.amisales.com.au/hydrodrive

MERCURY NVH CENTRE

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Mercury Marine has opened a new stateof-the-art Noise, Vibration, Harshness (NVH) Technical Centre at its global headquarters in Wisconsin, USA. The A$14 million NVH testing and research centre, which covers some 1900m2, is the largest and most expansive facility of its kind in the marine industry.

NVH is the engineering practice of studying noise, vibration and harshness characteristics.

The new centre houses structural dynamic testing bays, listening rooms, and two marinespecific, hemi-anechoic chambers (high-tech spaces with sound-absorbent materials on the walls and ceiling along with a sound insulated floor).

“The NVH building and its capabilities will set a new benchmark in the marine industry,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of product development and engineering. “We are looking forward to giving our engineers a worldclass facility where they can study every noise, movement and performance indicator on every engine we manufacture.” www.mercurymarine.com.au

ACTIVE TRIM VIA VESSELVIEW

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Mercury Marine’s Active Trim system can now be controlled through VesselView information screens.

Active Trim automatically trims an engine(s).

It makes boating easier, mproves engine performance and cuts fuel costs.

Originally, Active Trim was controlled through a separate dash-mounted key pad. Now drivers have the option to buy an Active Trim computer module to provide control via VesselView’s multi-function touch screen.

The GPS-based control system takes into account both speed and rpm when deciding on the ideal trim position. It also solves the issue of the engine trimming up too early or too late while the boat is getting up on the plane. There are five trim profiles, and you just select the best profile for any application. You can personalise Active Trim to your driving style and/or compensate for changes in boat load, and conditions. You can easily disengage and re-engage the system with the manual trim buttons. www.mercurymarine.com.au

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

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FEBRUARY 2019

115

Tow tow tow your boat PART 2 BRISBANE

Wayne Kampe wkff@aapt.net.au

In last month’s issue I covered a fair amount of country between home and boat ramp on the topic of towing a trailerboat. Some of the important topics raised were statutory requirements, limitations imposed by manufacturers, the laws of physics plus some common sense issues.

This is very true, so let’s look a little further into this vital topic.

DON’T BREAK THE RULES ON BRAKES First, a reminder on the statutory requirements for brakes on trailers. When a single axle trailer and load has a gross trailer mass (its GTM) exceeding 750kg there has to be a braking system! It’s normally an override (mechanical) brake system, so long as the GTM does not exceed 2000kg.

If GTM exceeds 2000kg,

They are called upon to work in one of the most hostile conditions on the planet: sea water. It’s vital to always give your trailer a thorough wash down after salt water immersion – and that’s not just a quick spray with the hose. A failure to wash down thoroughly, followed by a fair amount of down time, can be a major threat to all trailer brake systems. That’s because inaction might cause components to seize up.

Remember the old cliché: use it or lose it. It applies to

Brakes on each wheel are the norm with big craft like the Sea Jay Trojan. Because it’s virtually impossible to launch or retrieve it without immersing the wheels, the brake assembly needs a good washdown after saltwater immersion. the bigger the wash down, the better.

And don’t overlook the override brake system’s brake lock. This small tab comes down on the actuator bar to prevent it sliding forward

obstacle that could stop or slow it. This is because when more rearwards thrust comes from the prime mover, it will cause the actuator to come forward to immediately engage the brakes and lock

CORRECT CABLE TENSION IMPORTANCE The heart of many override systems is the cable connected to the brake system. This needs correct tensioning to function, and

In this image we can see the override system’s trailer’s brake lock in the ‘off’ position, as well as grease nipples to keep the slide moving freely.

In this issue we’ll take things further. We’ll look at some often overlooked matters that are worth considering when you’re towing and racking up the kays.

One thing to remember is that although towing regulations are pretty similar from state to state, it’s a

brake systems become more sophisticated. Each axle requires brakes on it, and braking must be controlled from within the cabin of the tow vehicle. When your foot touches the brake pedal, both the car and trailer are braking. The system sees an electric control module applying power to

brake systems on boat trailers as well as the human body!

Override (or inertia) brakes are activated by a sliding hitch actuator just behind the tow ball.

This hitch actuator either tightens a cable or pushes a hydraulic piston to initiate braking action via brake pads gripping onto a rotor

The trailer’s override braking system’s cable and slide actuator. Little maintenance other than greasing is required up here, as it doesn’t get inundated with saltwater. to engage the cable. Why prevent it from working?

That brake lock tab would certainly be lifted up out of the way when travelling on the road but would be required to be down in place if the trailer is to be reversed uphill or perhaps over an

the trailer wheels. At that point the trailer starts sliding with wheels locked!

The point is that because of its usually infrequent use, this small tab can seize in its ‘off’ position. To avoid this, give it a bit of spray lubricant from time to time.

as the brake pads wear down with use, that cable must be tightened to ensure efficient braking. There should be just enough free play to prevent friction between pads and disc when rolling along, yet a tightening cable should bring the pads into play

Upping the sophistication stakes from the override brake system, the Hydrastar is a state-of-the-art unit. different story overseas. For example, in New Zealand a couple of years ago I was treated to the sight of a family wagon towing a caravan with a 4.5m boat hooked up to the caravan!

This spectacle immediately brought to mind something a mate once told me: “You can tow anything, but stopping can be the problem”.

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FEBRUARY 2019

a hydraulic brake actuator.

There is a brilliant system for larger craft, but as such there are more components to consider (and service) to ensure that it remains in tip-top working order.

SERVICE THOSE BRAKE SYSTEMS Both of these brake systems are quite reliable if kept in good condition.

or disc. These systems are quite effective if the actuator is kept lubricated within its housing (grease nipples are always provided), and those vital components tucked behind the wheels are kept as free as possible from corrosion. There will be springs and other bits and pieces down there that can suffer from salt corrosion, so

With brakes on both axles, this big trailer is ready for heavy-duty towing.

when braking action slides the actuator forward.

Correct cable adjustment via a turnbuckle under the draw bar (and behind the actuator) is the clue there, but once tightening adjustment is no longer available it’s better to replace the pads. With

boat trailer along and pull up the park/hand brake lever.

The trailer should come to an abrupt stop if correct adjustment has been made.

DON’T NEGLECT HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS Regular service for electrical/hydraulic brake

is well. The reality is that things cannot be taken for granted as we do with our car’s hydraulic brake system.

Hydraulic fluid within a tow bar located reservoir – often out in the weather – can degrade as it actually attracts moisture. For this reason,

No brakes, no worries! Small boats are a joy to tow and lots of fun to use.

An override brake system that hasn’t been looked after. Corrosion is rampant, and you could put money on the brake lock tab being seized in place. new pads fitted it’s wise to slacken the cable a bit to avoid friction.

How can we test efficiency? Simply push the

systems is arguably more important than TLC for override systems. With a hydraulic system up front it’s too easy to assume all

keeping an eye on a reservoir makes a lot of sense. Most manufacturers recommend that you replace the brake fluid every two years.

WHAT, NO ABS? Whether we like it or not, trailer ABS (antilock braking systems) are confined to heavy vehicle usage, not standard boat trailers. Your car has ABS to prevent wheel lock-up and skidding (which might see the car moving forward although the wheels are locked and maybe turned in another direction!), but your trailer doesn’t.

This is a significant factor you have to consider when towing. It’s not a big deal when you’re towing

steadily in dry conditions, but it’s important to keep in mind when you’re towing on a wet road. If you slam on the brakes on a wet road, your car’s ABS will stabilise the vehicle. However, if the trailer brakes prevent the wheels from turning – as they certainly can – the trailer simply slides and pushes the car forward.

Or worse, inertia will flip the trailer off to one side. Disaster!

The stressful experience of a boat helping to push the car forward is one all boat

owners can do without. You can trust me on this! The only answer is to maintain a much greater than usual distance behind other traffic if you’re towing on a wet road, and always be very vigilant for brake lights ahead.

We have all heard of mindfulness, right? Here is a perfect time to use it.

You have to be very mindful when towing your boat in wet or slippery conditions because this is a whole new ball game. And the heavier the tow mass, the more cautious you need to be.

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117

Kayak fishing with Ned BRISBANE

Justin Willmer Find me on Facebook at Yaks On

Over the years there have been many US lure developments and techniques that have been adapted and refined to suit our species. Some

rigging, Texas rigging, spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits, skirted jigs and more. In recent years it has been the Ned Rig that has exploded in parts of the US and I have been putting this technique to work in our local waters over the last year, landing a mixed bag of species, including plenty of flathead.

A happy angler and 80cm of Ned Rig eating flathead. have become popular, others have found a niche application and some have failed to leave their mark in this country.

Many of us have tinkered with Drop Shotting, Carolina

BACKGROUND There have been modifications of techniques pioneered in the US by angling icons like Chuck Woods, Guido Hibdon and Charlie Brewer. The Ned Rig

was conceived and brought to mainstream attention by Ned Kehde, an avid angler and veteran fishing industry writer from Kansas, USA, hence the ‘Ned’ Rig. The rig centres around small finesse plastics, with anglers cutting down larger Senko (worm) style plastics to create a finesse presentation that is rigged on a light mushroom jighead.

When combining this mushroom jighead with a buoyant plastic, you have a presentation that has a slow fall, can be dragged, hopped, darted and shaken, before hinging back upright on the pause to create a realistic defensive or feeding pose.

This technique is renowned for producing cricket score catches of bass in the States and the plastic is always working and attracting strikes.

GEARING UP As the Ned Rig has grown in popularity, fishing tackle companies have developed more plastics and jigheads suited specifically to this technique. An example is the ZMan 2.75” Finesse TRD, a small buoyant plastic that has no appendages, resembling a short plastic worm. The lack of appendages allows it to hinge back up with minimal resistance on the pause, giving it a rapid flee and defend action. For those looking for more action, other models include the 2.5” TRD CrawZ, a realistic craw or crab profile, the 3” TRD HogZ creature bait and the 4” Hula StickZ. Team these plastics up with a TT Lures NedlockZ, mushroom style Ned Rig jighead and you’re ready to fish.

Currently most Ned Rig plastics and jigheads are

A leader of at least 10lb is a good idea as flathead inhale the Ned Rig. small, with jigheads around the 1/15-1/5oz, so light spin gear is the go for casting these light lures. Rods around 7’ in length and rated 1-3kg or 2-4kg are a great starting point, teamed up with a 20-30 size spinning reel, 6-10lb braid and 10lb leader.

sand and mud edges, dropoffs, weed edges, around low tide structure such as rock bars and timber, and in the mouths of drains. On the higher stages of the tide I target mangrove edges, weed edges, sand flats and my absolute favourite, fishing

The light jighead and quick hinging of the Ned Rig, thanks to the mushroom head and buoyant plastic, also assists in minimising snagging and fouling in the weed, making this presentation even more effective for

The mushroom jighead and buoyant soft plastic is the key to the Ned Rig success.

One of the author’s favourites, the NedlockZ and TRD CrawZ combo.

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FEBRUARY 2019

Although I have landed bream, grunter, trevally and a few other species, it’s flathead that have really loved the Ned Rig, and being a finesse presentation it is perfect for kayak anglers. The kayak allows me to access skinny water, shallow water, weed flats and other areas where a finesse presentation excels.

When targeting flathead on the lower stages of the tide, I fish the Ned Rig along

the sandy patches on the broken weed flats. These sandy patches are often not much larger than the kayak, however, it’s amazing how often these patches produce flathead. I call this picking the pockets and these sandy patches offer the perfect ambush point for flathead to bury themselves and burst out to eat prawns and baitfish that wander into their strike zone.

picking pockets across the weed flats.

ON THE WATER On a recent adventure I decided to launch the kayak halfway through the run-in tide, use the tide to carry me out to some broken weed flats and prospect the sand patches with the Ned Rig for the last two hours of the run-in tide. While I was gearing up the kayak I noticed that the breeze had started to pick

up, so I decided to throw an anchor in. I didn’t have an anchor running rig (anchor trolley) on the little kayak,

and then tied the other end of the rope to the grab line on the kayak, near where I was seated. I could simply deploy

One in the net on a TRD CrawZ cast into a sandy pocket. so I just had to put something together on the fly.

I decided to keep the anchor setup simple as I wanted to get on the water.

I simply attached a small Cooper poly anchor to a few metres of rope and tied it to the front handle of the

the anchor when required, then grab the second rope and pull it in, allowing the anchor rope to slide through the loop and come back from the front handle to myself. I could then grab the anchor rope and pull the anchor in.

I approached the flat

over the flat once, before paddling back to anchor and work some sandy pockets.

The water depth was only a couple of feet, so I was fishing a 1/10oz NedlockZ jighead, rigged with a little TRD CrawZ, casting ahead or across the drift and focussing on the sandy patches.

With the sun out and a decent pair of polarised sunnies it was easy to spot the lighter coloured sand amongst the dark weed patches and I fired a cast to the far edge of a pocket, hop, pause, hop and fish on!

The take was solid and nice flathead screamed across the shallows, pulling drag and putting a smile on my face.

The fish ran a few more times and then I slid the net into the water and guided the fish home. During the fight I saw that it was securely pinned, so that allowed me to rest a little easier and enjoy the fight.

With the wind now howling in the same direction as the tide, I had no option but to anchor and target selected areas.

My anchor rig was okay, however I probably needed a bit more length in the anchor rope, with the wind and tide working together I couldn’t get it to hold in the muddy, weedy areas so that I could effectively work the sand pockets.

Instead, I had to anchor in the sandy patches where the anchor held securely. This ruled out fishing the smaller sand patches, as dropping anchor in them would surely spook any fish.

a cloud and I saw another section of sand, about 8m in diameter, not too far away. A quick paddle and I anchored on the down current edge of the patch, allowing me to fish both sides of the kayak as well as fanning casts in front of the yak.

With the wind blowing hard I upped the jighead weight to a 1/5oz NedlockZ and paired it up with a 2.5” paddle-tail plastic.

This would give me some tail action, along with that buoyant, tail up kick of the Ned Rig. I fanned half a dozen casts to the left of the kayak without interest, then fanned another half a dozen in front of the kayak with the same result. The way the kayak had settled on the anchor there wasn’t a lot of room to cast to the left before landing in the weed, so I made a short 3m flick that landed right on the edge of the weed.

The plastic hit the bottom. Hop, pause and hook up. The hook-set was solid and felt like a snag, before those tell-tale headshakes of a big flathead, followed by a strong run across the flat.

I knew this was a big fish by the weight and power, but when it came into view my heart rate lifted, along with the stress levels. It was bigger than the 60cm fish I had hoped to see and maybe even a fair bit over 70. Without thinking I found myself saying, “don’t bite me off,” over and over, as a solid fish had bitten me off a week earlier.

A couple more runs and the fish was close to the kayak. It made my kayak feel small and the kayak landing

returned the fish to the water.

My plan was to leave the flathead in the water, attached to the lip grips on a leash and tow it to

I had landed in a while, measuring in at about 80cm and the best part was watching this impressive fish swim away.

There’s not much room in the kayak with the big girl on board! a sand bank nearby where people were swimming.

This would allow me to get a few photos, keep the fish in good condition, swim it

The swimmers were interested in the lure that the flathead had eaten, so I left them with some Ned Rig jigheads and plastics in the

A selection of Ned Rig plastics.

The Ned Rig is always working for a bite with its changes between fleeing and defending. kayak. Now, how to get the anchor rope back to myself to retrieve the anchor? I simply grabbed a second short piece of rope, tied a loop around the anchor rope

and worked a couple of sand banks without a bite. The wind was blowing and the tide was running fast as it was working up to a big high, so I decided to fast drift

I worked a couple of large sections of sand with no luck and was starting to think the weather was going to beat me, when the sun came out from behind

net feel even smaller. After one failed attempt with the net I took a deep breath, readied the net and tried to glide the fish straight in. Half of the fish fitted in the net, it went crazy and I lifted it into the cockpit. It was onboard, but I wasn’t sure for how long, so I snapped a couple of quick photos and then attached the lip grips and

for a while and then release it. Sliding the kayak onto the bank, I yelled out to the swimmers who were pretty stoked with the big fish as well. We took a few photos, admired the fish, with its shovel sized head and beautiful markings, as it swam in the shallows and then sent it on its way. This was the biggest flathead

hope that it will help them land a big flathead. Not only had the Ned Rig produced plenty of flathead for me recently, it had also now produced one of my most memorable flathead captures and it was sure to be tied on again soon, especially when pick pocketing the weed flats.

See you on the water.

FEBRUARY 2019

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Two smaller Stacer boats with a lot to offer - SC

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Peter Jung pjung@fishingmonthly.com.au

Testing boats for the magazines can at times be hard work. Poor weather can affect our ability to get a feel for how a boat performs, time limitations also prevent us from really testing things like the fishability of a boat and use it in the way you would expect to use it if it were your own.

So, when the opportunity comes up to not only have an extended period of time using a boat, but to also compare two boats that are designed with similar styles of fishing in mind, you jump at that chance. This was the case when Andrew Stephen from Melbourne Marine Centre contacted me about testing a Stacer 429 Proline Angler and a Stacer 399 Proline at Venus Bay over a weekend.

COMPARING THE TWO The 429 Proline Angler and the 399 Proline are part of the Stacer stable of boats built using the Striker Series hull. I will go more into the performance of the

hulls separately, however, the biggest difference I could see in the hull configuration itself was that the Proline Angler had a bit more V through to the transom to divert/cut water away from the hull, whereas the Proline had a much flatter profile.

Both are designed to be stable underway and at rest, and that makes them very suitable for casting lures from (which was our intention over the weekend).

But it also means the vessel is very comfortable if you wish to bait fish or troll.

With the lure casting in mind, Andrew has optioned both with a Motorguide Xi3 55lb trust electric motor.

Other than the overall length, the biggest difference between the boats is above the hull storage wise. The Angler has more storage space and options within the casting deck at the front.

The Angler tested had a plumbed livewell installed, as an example. The Angler is also has a significantly heavier (hull weight) than the standard Proline.

Motor wise both boats were fitted with Mercury 4-stroke outboards, the

Main: Fishing Monthly always loves the opportunity to compare boats designed for similar uses. If you are after a boating package to fish your local estuary, our inland lakes or rivers, it is well worth checking out the Stacer 399 Proline and the Stacer 429 Proline Angler.

Above: The Mercury 20hp 4-stroke and Stacer 399 Proline was a great match â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a simple boating package that will provide hours of enjoyment on the water.

Angler with a 30hp and the Proline with a 20hp.

LAUNCHING AND RETRIEVING Both packages came on a Stacer Alloy Light trailer and could be towed by your average family vehicle.

These packages are matched to trailers in the factory, so they towed with no fuss at all.

Although the boat ramp

at Venus Bay is a good one, at low tide it has its challenges and it was good to know that even in very

low water both boats were simple to launch and retrieve and could easily be done by one person if need be.

STORAGE Although a feature of the 429 Angler is the additional storage, with the extra space a full front casting deck provides, both boats have purpose built storage. The 399 has small pockets in the gunnel as well as an area at the bow for larger items.

In addition to front deck storage, the Angler has very clever storage hatches near the transom and the test boat was also fitted with a deluxe rod locker.

Overall, both have enough storage to keep things out from under your feet.

RIDE AND HANDLING I have to say I was a little surprised at how different the boats performed on the water as far as ride and handling was concerned.

It goes to show how much weight affects performance of a hull and also how much even a small V changes what the hull has to do to get on the plane.

SPECIFICATIONS 399 Proline 429 Proline Angler Overall length ........................................3.99m ....................................... 4.28m Beam......................................................1.82m ....................................... 1.84m Length on trailer ...................................5.65m ....................................... 5.65m Hull weight ............................... Approx. 111kg ..........................Approx. 260kg Top ......................................................1.60mm .................................... 1.60mm Bottom ................................................1.60mm .................................... 2.00mm Min hp ......................................................20hp ......................................... 30hp Max hp .....................................................30hp ......................................... 40hp Max persons .................................................4 ............................................... 4 120

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Once on the plane the Stacer 429 Proline Angler matched with a Mercury 30hp 4-stroke handled beautifully.

429 Proline Angler The 429 Angler is rated to a 40hp motor with the test boat packaged with a 30hp on the back. With the extra length and weight of the boat, the 30hp was a little sluggish to get on the plane with two people onboard (some of that may have been to do with this rather large author), but once there it was excellent.

We were unable to get performance figures, but a boat like this isn’t about getting from A to B in a hurry, more importantly it has to handle well and maneuverer easily at low and high speed.

This it did, beautifully. The package doesn’t draw a great deal of water, which was a godsend at low tide at Venus Bay and this also gave us the ability to sneak up a few

Mia Stephen was keen to come out with the team and catch a few fish while they tested the boats. She spent most of her time in the 399 Proline, showing dad how it is done. rock solid in this department.

399 Proline The 399 has a maximum horsepower rating of 30hp, so my expectation of the test

The 399 Proline had plenty of fishing mojo.

Andrew caught some solid fish too. little tidal creeks that see very little fishing pressure, which was a real eye opener for this Queensland angler.

Stability underway and at rest are also vital components of smaller boats and the Angler version is

boat was similar to the 429 Angler, that it would take a little time to get on the plane with the 20hp Mercury it was packaged with.

I was wrong – the lighter and flatter hull meant that the 399 transitioned onto

the plane comfortably and, like the 429, handled well at low and high speeds. It too was very comfortable in shallow conditions and was even more suited to the low tide exploring we did at Venus Bay. Andrew installed a casting platform and a low profile floor in the 399 to assist angler stability at rest, which made it great to cast lures from. It was also very stable underway.

FISHABILITY Although we spent plenty of time motoring around putting both boats through their paces, we also allowed plenty of time to take in the fishing that Venus Bay has to offer, especially the estuary perch fishing. A key component of this was accessing the waterway at low tide and fishing the mangrove lined edges and channels as the tide pushed in. As mentioned, this was a key feature of both boats.

Andrew has shown us in past tests we have done with him that he likes to purpose fitout his boat packages and this was once again the case, as the addition of the Motorguide Xi3 on both boats meant we could stealthily position ourselves to cast our soft plastics and use it as an anchor (anchor

lock) when fish were found.

Both boats have excellent stability at rest, even when anglers fish from the same areas of the boat. It was interesting to see photos of the boat when both anglers

Although we did not have fuel usage figures, Mercury outboards are known for being frugal on fuel and this proved to be the case. The boats started with full tanks and after two days running around there was more than half a tank left in both. How does this improve fishability, I hear you ask? You can fish for longer and it is more affordable.

FINAL THOUGHTS I have had a bit of time since doing these tests to think about summing up what each has to offer and which I would buy for myself to go and do the types of fishing we did at Venus Bay. Is it as simple as bigger is better?

No, it’s not.

Both boats tick the key boxes when it comes to having a package that will allow you to fish with lures

as it allows you to have a few extra outfits onboard, but I also like the simplicity the 399 offers. I was very impressed by how the 399 and the 20hp Mercury outboard matched up. It was a great little setup, with a tested price of $17,431.

That is very affordable and I don’t believe I would change too much.

I have very similar thoughts on the 429 Angler, but I would put the maximum horsepower on the transom. On those days when you have three or four onboard you would appreciate it and it would be a bit more aggressive onto the plane, which I prefer.

Doing this adds a little over $3000 dollars to the $23,750 as tested price.

Although marketed as entry-level packages, there is a lot of value in what

To be able to spend a couple days using the boats as you would your own was a great opportunity. Here the author is putting the final touches on a silver trevally he caught from the 429 Proline Angler. were together. It shows the boat leaning, but you didn’t notice this while on board.

We did not fish three out of either boat, but I believe you could do it in the larger 429 comfortably. In the 399 it may be a tight squeeze.

in areas like Venus Bay, or any of our estuary systems, and would be well and truly at home on our inland waterways or rivers like the Murray.

I like the additional storage the 429 Angler has,

the Stacer 399 Proline and the 429 Proline Angler have to offer and they are well worth a look. To find out more about the full range of Stacer packages, visit www.stacer.com.au or contact your local dealer.

Both boats were set up with simplicity in mind. The addition of an electric motor, a quality sounder and some thought put into the layout and you have two great fishing and boating packages.

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Both boats were on a Stacer Alloy Light trailer. They are matched by the factory, ensuring they tow well and making launching and retrieving a breeze.

Both packages use the Stacer Striker series hull. The Proline Angler hull had a bit more V to improve water deflection and deal with the extra weight of the hull.

The wider chines provide great stability at rest and underway.

Simple and effective storage is provided in the 399 Proline.

One of the biggest differences between the two packages is the storage that the Proline Angler offers. Lots of storage keeps the decks clear and provides more room to fish.

The Mercury 4-stroke range is known to be frugal on their fuel usage. Reliable and fuel efficient, what more can you ask for?

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The Motorguide Xi3 electric motors that were on both boats provided the stealth and manoeuvrability to fish the mangrove lined system at Venus Bay. Just hit anchor lock and stay where the fish are when you find them.

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